78 THE. COMPLETE ANGLEE. [PART I, 



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 

 cherish his own brood, but is senseless, though they perish. 1 

 And it is 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, Matt, 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 Gessner, 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 contemplation of a most serious and a most pious 

 man. And, doubtless, this made the prophet David, say : 

 "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 



1 Cocks have been known to tend and bring up chickens with great 

 care. ED. 



