and God sitting in judgment, and saint Michael by him, with a pair of balances; and the soul, and the good deeds in the one balance; and the faults, and he evil deeds in the other: and the soul's balance went up far too light. Then was our lady painted with a great pair of beads, who cast them into the light balance, and brought down the scale: so he said; place and authority, which were in her majesty's hands to give, were like our lady's beads, which though men, through any imperfections, were too light before, yet when they were cast in, made weight competent.

22. Queen Elizabeth was dilotary enough in suits, of her own nature; and the lord treasurer Burleigh being a wise man, and willing therein to feed her humour, would say to her; madam, you do well to let suiters stay; for I shall tell you, bis dat, qui cito dat; if you grant them speedily, they will come again the sooner.

23. Sir Nicholas Bacon, who was keeper of the great seal of England, when queen Elizabeth, in her progress, came to his house at Gorhambury, and said to him; my lord, what a little house have. you gotten? answered her, madam, my house is well, but it is you that have made me too great for my house.

24. There was a conference in parliament, be tween the lords house, and the house of commons,

about a bill of accountants, which came down from the lords to the commons: which bill prayed, that the lands of accountants, whereof they were seized when they entered upon their office, might be liable to their arrears to the queen. But the commoners desired that the bill might not look back to accountants that were already, but extend only to accountants hereafter. But the lord trea

surer said: why, I pray you, if had lost your

you

purse by the way, would you look forwards, or would you look back? The queen hath lost her

purse.

25. My lord of Leicester, favourite to queen Elizabeth, was making a large chace about Cornbury park; meaning to enclose it with posts and rails; and one day was casting up his charge what it would come to. Mr. Goldingham, a free spoken man, stood by, and said to my lord; methinks your lordship goeth not the cheapest way to work. Why Goldingham, said my lord? Marry, my lord, said Goldingham, count you but upon the posts, for the country will find you railing.

26. The lord-keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon, was asked his opinion by queen Elizabeth, of one of these monopoly licences? And he answered, madam, will you have me speak the truth? Licentia

omnes deteriores sumos: we are all the worse for licences.

27. My lord of Essex, at the succour of Roan, made twenty four knights, which at that time was a great number. Divers of those gentlemen were of weak and small means; which when Queen Elizabeth heard, she said; my lord might have done well to have built his alms-house, before he made his knights.

28. The deputies of the reformed religion, after the massacre which was at Paris upon Saint Bartholomew's day, treated with the king and queenmother, and some other of the council, for a peace. Both sides were agreed upon the articles. The question was, upon the security, for the performance. After some particulars propounded and rejected, the queen-mother said, why, is not the word of a king sufficient security? One of the deputies answered; no, by St. Bartholomew, madam.

29. When peace was renewed with the French in England, divers of the great counsellors were presented from the French with jewels: the Lord Henry Howard, being then Earl of Northampton, and a counsellor, was omitted. Whereupon the king said to him, my lord, how happens it that you have not a jewel as well as the rest? My lord answered, according to the fable in Æsop; non sum gallus, itaque non reperi gemmam.

30. Sir Nicolas Bacon being appointed a judge for the northern circuit, and having brought his

trials that came before him to such a pass, as the passing of sentence on malefactors, he was by one of the malefactors mightily importuned for to save his life; which when nothing that he had said did avail, he at length desired his the acmercy on count of kindred. Prithee, said my lord judge, how came that in? Why, if it please you, my lord, your name is Bacon, and mine is Hog, and in all ages Hog and Bacon have been so near kindred, that they are not to be separated. Ay, but replied judge Bacon, you and I cannot be kindred, except you be hanged; for Hog is not Bacon until it be well hanged.

31. Two scholars and a countryman travelling upon the road, one night lodged all in one inn, and supped together, where the scholars thought to have put a trick upon the countryman, which was thus; the scholars appointed for supper two pigeons, and a fat capon, which being ready, was brought up, and they having set down, the one scholar took up one pigeon, the other scholar took the other pigeon, thinking thereby that the countryman should have sate still, until that they were ready for the carving of the capon; which he perceiving, took the capon and laid it on his trencher, and thus said; daintily contrived, every man a bird.

32. Jack Roberts was desired by his taylor, when the reckoning grew somewhat high, to have a bill of his hand. Roberts said, I am content, but you must let no man know it. When the taylor brought in the bill, he tore it as in choler, and said to him, you use me not well, you promised me that no man should know it, and here you have put in, Be it known unto all men by these presents.

33. Sir Walter Rawleigh was wont to say of the ladies of Queen Elizabeth's privy chamber, and bed chamber, that they were like witches, they could do hurt, but they could do no good.

34. There was a minister deprived for inconformity, who said to some of his friends, that if they deprived him, it should cost an hundred men's lives. The party nnderstood it, as if being a turbulent fellow, he would have moved sedition, and complained of him; whereupon being convented and opposed upon that speech, he said his meaning was, that if he lost his benefice, he would practise physic, and then he thought he should kill an hundred men in time.

35. Secretary Bourn's son kept a gentleman's wife in Shropshire, who lived from her husband with him; when he was weary of her, he caused her husband to be dealt with to take her home, and offered him five hundred pounds for reparation;