CHAP. I.] 



THE PIEST DAT. 



77 



moral faithfulness ; and to condemn those that talk of reli- 

 gion, and yet come short of the moral faith of fish and fowl, 

 men that violate the law affirmed by St. Paul, Rom. ii. 14, 15, 



to be writ in their hearts, and which he says shall at the 

 last day condemn and leave them without excuse I pray 

 hearken to what Du Bartas sings, for the hearing of such 

 conjugal faithfulness will be music to all chaste ears, and 

 therefore I pray hearken to what Du Bartas sings of the 

 mullet : 



But for chaste love the mullet hath no peer ; 

 For, if the fisher hath surprised her phcer l 

 As mad with wo, to shore she followeth ; 

 Prest 3 to consort him, both in life and death. 3 



1 Fellow or mate ; so bed-fere, bed-fellow, wife. ED. 



2 Prest, from the French Pr&, Lat. Paratus, ready, prepared. So 

 Psalm civ., old version : 



He maketh his spirites as heralds to go ; 

 And lightnings, to serve, we see also prest, 



3 The version given by Moses Brown is more elegant, and deserves re- 

 peating here : ^ 



" But in chaste love the Mullet all outvies ; 

 For when her mate the fisher makes his prize, 

 Mad to the shore she follows in despair, 

 In life and death resolved his fate to share." 



