A CONFERENCE BETWIXT 



On the contrary, what shall I say of the House-Cock, which 

 treads any hen, and then, contrary to the Swan, the Partridge, 

 and Pigeon, takes no care to hatch, to feed, or to cherish his 

 own brood, but is senseless, though they perish. 



And 'tis considerable, that the Hen, which because she also 

 takes any cock, expects it not, who is sure the chickens be 

 her own, hath by a moral impression her care and affection to 

 her own brood more than doubled, even to such a height, that 

 our Saviour, in expressing his love to Jerusalem, Mat. xxiii. 37, 

 quotes her for an example of tender affection; as his Father 

 had done Job for a pattern of patience. 



And to parallel this cock, there be divers fishes that cast 

 their spawn on flags or stones, and then leave it uncovered, 

 and exposed to become a prey, and be devoured by vermin, or 

 other fishes ; but other fishes, as namely, the Barbel, take such 

 care for the preservation of their seed, that unlike to the Cock 

 or the Cuckoo, they mutually labour, both the spawner and the 

 melter, to cover their spawn with sand, or watch it, or hide it 

 in some secret place, unfrequented by vermin, or by any fish 

 but themselves. 



Sir, these examples may, to you and others, seem strange ; 

 but they are testified some by Aristotle, some by Pliny, some 

 by Gesner, and by many others of credit, and are believed and 

 known by divers, both of wisdom and experience, to be a truth ; 

 and indeed are, as I said at the beginning, fit for the con- 

 templation of a most serious and a most pious man. And 

 doubtless this made the Prophet David say, Psal. cvii. 23, 24., 

 * They that occupy themselves in deep waters see the wonderful 

 works of God ' : indeed such wonders and pleasures too as the 

 land affords not. 



And that they be fit for the contemplation of the most 

 prudent, and pious, and peaceable men, seems to be testified 

 by the practice of so many devout and contemplative men, as 

 the Patriarchs and Prophets of old, and of the Apostles of our 

 Saviour in our latter times ; of which twelve, we are sure he 

 chose four that were simple Fishermen, whom he inspired and 

 sent to publish his blessed will to the Gentiles, and inspired 

 them also with a power to speak all languages, and by their 

 powerful eloquence to beget faith in the unbelieving Jews, and 



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