Englijhe Dogges. 2i 



exercises, and to content their corrupted concupiscences with vaine dis- 

 port (A selly shift to shunne yrcksome ydhiesse.) These puppies the 

 smaller they be, the more pleasure they prouoke, as more meete play 

 fellowes for minsing mistrisses to beare in their bosoms, to keepe com- 

 pany withal in their chambers, to succour with sleepe in bed, and nourishe 

 with meate at bourde, to lay in their lappes, and licke their lippes as 

 they ryde in. their waggons, and good reason it should be so, for course- 

 nesse with fynenesse hath no fellowship, but featnesse with neatenesse 

 hath neighbourhood enough. That plausible prouerbe verified vpon a 

 Tyraunt, namely that he loued his sowe better then his sonne, may well 

 be appljed to these kinde of people, who delight more in dogges that are 

 depriued of all possibility of reason, then they doe in children that be 

 capeable of wisedome and iudgement. But this abuse peraduenture 

 raigneth where there hath bene long lacke of issue, or else where barren- 

 nes is the best blossome of bewty. 



The vertue which remaineth in the Spaniell gentle 

 othen%'ise called the comforter. 



Notwithstanding many make much of those pretty puppies called 

 Spaniells gentle, yet if the question were demaunded what propertie 

 m them they spye, which shoulde make them so acceptable and precious 

 in their sight, I doubt their aunswere would be long a coyning. But 

 seeing it was our intent to trauaile ia this treatise, so that y"^ reader 

 might reape some benefite by his reading, we will communicate vnto you 

 such coniecures as are grounded upon reason. And though some suppose 

 that such dogges are fyt for no seruice, I dare say, by their leaues, they 

 be ia a wrong bose. Among all other qualities therefore of nature, which 

 be knowne (for some conditions are couered with continual! and thicke 

 clouds, that the eye of our capacities cannot pearse through thu) we find 



