to the value of their services rendered to mankind; which is left for decision to those "prudente juges the egle and the lyon." The horse details his chronicled history, his martial and other achievements, and that

"Chau cer remembreth the swerde rynge and glas Presented were vpon a stede of bras."

He also urges his usefulness in husbandry and labour,

that

"Auguste is a season mery and gladde

Whan euery tree with newe fruyte is lade

With draught of horse ye. sheues ben home ladde,
That moneth passed, the leues gan to fade
Whiche made in somer a plesaunte lusty shade
What done horse than to speke in wordes playne
The second croppe they carye home of rewayne.
By draught of horse fro ryuers and welles
Bouges be brought to brewers for good ale
Lede, stone, tymbers, caryage of belles

We brynge to chyrches in trouthe this is no tale.
We lede clothe, sackes, and many a large male
And gladly summers be sente to forne

With gardeuyandes, how my horse be forborne."

The enjoyment of two elements is described as a matter of superiority by the Goose; also the medicinal virtues of the body, and that

"Fethers of gees, whan they fall or moute,

To gather them vp herdes them delyte,

To sell to fletchers the graye with the whyte.
Men plucke stalkes out of my wynges tweyne,
Some to portray, some to note, or wryte;
Whan rethoryens haue do theyr besy payne,
Fresshe epystles, lettres to endyte,
Without wrytynge auayleth not a myte;
For yf pennes and wrytynge were awaye,

Of remembraunce then were loste the keye."

While a dead horse is but carrion, the fat goose "in

not once the property of De Worde's master, Caxton, it must be supposed a loan from his contemporary, Pinson, as De Worde is not known to have printed that work, and both the others did.

a dysshe of golde," is a morsell "serued vpon a kỳnges table;" and, says our monk,

Swymmynge alyue in water crystalyne,

Tenderly rosted requyreth to haue wyne."

The value of the bearded arrow in war and the preservation of Rome from the cackling of a goose, is succeeded by a relation of legendary origin:

"In the booke named of cheualrye destyne,
Thestorye telleth, as in sentemente,

There were chyldren borne of the ryall lyne,
Borne with chaynes, & whan they were of rente
They tourne to swannes by enchauntement
Toke theyr flyght; the trouthe is full clere,
And as swannes they swamme in the reuere.
This storye is full autentyke and olde,
In Frenche compyled, oft red and sene;
Of thylke cheyne was made a cuppe of golde
Whiche is yet kepte, as some folkes seyne,
And by descent it longeth in certeyne,
To the herfordes; ye shall fynde in dede,
Ceryouly, who so lyste the storye to rede.
And, semblably not longe here to forne,
I tell this tale as for my partye,
There was a man in Lumbardy borne,
To a goos ytourned by crafte of sorserye,
And so he abode seuen yere, my lyste not to lye,

His wryte fell of, then stode he vp a man

And abode in seruyce with the duke of Melan.

And, for he was a man of hygh degree,

Borne of good blood, and notable in sustaunce,
His kynred gyued a goos for theyr leuere,

The sayd meruayle to put in remembraunce... ...

The simplicity of the sheep brought the sturdy ram forward as an advocate. Scriptural history of the Paschal lamb is first given. The wool forms the riches of "Beates Albyon," and

"Of the shepe cometh pellet, and eke fell,
Gadred in this londe for grele marchaundyse;
Caryed ouer the se where may it sell;
The wall skynnes causen men to ryse
In to grete rychesse; in many sondry wyse

The

The shep tourneth to grete prouffyte,
To helpe of man bereth furre black and whyte.
There is also made of the shepes skynne
Pylches and gloues, to dryue away the colde;
Therof also is made good parchemyne

To wryte of bokes and quayres many folde......
Of the shepe is caste a waye no thynge
His horne for nockes, to haftes go his bone;
To londe grete prouffyte dooth his tyrtelynge;
His talowe serueth for playsters many one;
For harpe strynges his ropes serue echone;
Of whoos hede boyled, with wull and all,
There cometh a gely and an oyntement ryal."

The horse and goose reply. The copy from which the above was transcribed is in possession of Mr. Haworth, and unfortunately wants the last leaf, which contains the decision of the judges.

J. H.

¶A Sermon preached ye fourth Sudaye in Lente before the Kynges Maiestie and his honorable Counsell, by Thomas Leauer. Anno Domini 1550. [Colophon.] Imprynted at London by Iohn Day, dwellinge ouer Aldersgate, beneth Saint Martyns. And are to be sold at his shop by the litle conduit in Chepesyde at the sygne of the Resurrection. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum. Per septennium. E 4 8°.

"And when as by the same mouth of the true preacher, theyr venemous tounges be rebuked, the they spare not to say, that the preacher hath learned his lesson in lack an apes court."

The preacher addresses his Majesty in a style of peculiar boldness in the following extract.

"Euen as V thousandes in wildernes folowed Christ and his apostles, so manye thousandes in Englande, past all other hope and refuge, folowe your gracious inaiestye and honourable counsel. For theyr parsons, whiche should lyke shepheards feede them, doo lyke theues, robbe, murther and spoyle them. And theyr landlordes which shuld defend them, be

moste

moste heauye maisters vnto them: yea, all maner of officers doo not theyr duties to kepe the people in good order, but rather take such fees as inaketh the people veraye poore, who so hathe eyes, and wyll see, may easely perceive that those personages, which be most in number and greateste in value throughout al Englande, be no shepherds houses to lay vp fodder to feede the poore shepe of the parysh, but theeuysh dennes, to conuey awaye great spoyle from al the rych men of the pary sh. I say there is no person there, to releue the poore & nedy with natural sustinau ce in kepynge of house, and to fede all ingenerally with the heauenly foode of goddes worde by preachinge: but there is a persons deputy or fermer, which hauing neither habilitye, power, nor authorytye to doo the persones duty in feedyng and teachinge the parish, is able, sufficient, and stout inough to chalenge and take for hys maysters dutye the tenth parte of al the paryshe. Likewise other offi cers take many fees, and do few dutyes: and especiallye landlordes take exceadynge fynes and rentes of theyr tenauntes, and doo no good unto theyr tenauntes."

Bristol, 1810.

J. F.

Fiue Bookes of Philosophicall Comfort, full of Christian consolation, written a 1000 years since. By Anitius. Manlius, Torquatus, Seuerinus, Boetius, a Christian Consul of Rome. Newly translated out of Latine, together with Marginall Notes, explaining the obscurest places [Wood-Cut, motto Thou shalt labovr for peace and plentie]. London: Printed by John Windet, for Mathew Lownes. 1609. folios

144. 12mo.

Early versions of the classics must ever be interesting. The present is apparently scarce, from not being noticed by Dr. A. Clarke in his Bibliographical Miscellany.

It has a dedication" to the most Vertuous Lady, the Countesse of Dorset Dowager," 66 your most meane but not least deuoted seruant, I. T." from which we learn that her husband had once intended to translate Boetius. Prefixed to the work are a sonnet, and ten lines by the Author, and a sonnet by G. G. The translation is an intermixture of prose and verse. One extract will suffice.

"The

"The vii verse.

Philosophy declareth how the pirturbations of our mind doe hinder vs from the knowledge of truth.

"When starres are shrowded
With duskie night,

They yeeld no light

Being so clowded.

When the wind moueth,
And waves do reare,

The sea late cleare,

Foule and darke proueth.

And riuers creeping
Downe a high hill,
Stand often still,

Rockes them back keeping.
If thou wouldst brightly,

See truthes cleare rayes,
Or walke those wayes,

Which lead most rightly,
All joy forsaking,

Feare thou must flie,
And hopes defie,

No sorrow taking.

For where these terrors

Raigne in the mind,

They it doe bind,
In cloudy errors."

Bristol, 1810.

J. F.

The Line of Liberalitie dulie directinge the wel bestowing of benefites and reprehending the comonly vsed vice of Ingratitude. Anno 1569. Imprinted at London in Flete strete neare to S. Dunstones Church by Thomas Marshe. Oct. 135 leaves.

"To the Right Woorshipfull Sir Christopher Heydon, Knight, his most courteouse creditour of many his bounties and benefites;" addresses the Epistle Dedicatory...." Who is he to whome the report of your Worshippe's name hath come, but with the same report hath lykewyse heard your

worthie