to be Mufick, and charms me into an attention.

Pifc. Why then Sir, I will take a little libertie to tell, or rather to remember you what is faid of Turtle Doves: First, that they filently plight their troth and marry; and that then, the Survivor fcorns (as the Thracian women are faid to do) to out-live his or her Mate; and this is taken for fuch a truth, that if the Survivor shall ever couple with another, the he or she, not only the living, but the dead, is denyed the name and honour of a true Turtle Dove.

And to parallel this Land Variety & teach mankindmoralfaithfulness & to condemn those that talk ofReligion,and yet come short of the moralfaith offishandfowl; MenthatviRom. 2.14 olate the Law,affirm'd by Saint Paul to be writ in their hearts, and which hefayes shal at the last day condemn and leave them without excufe. I

15.

pray

5. day.

pray hearkento what Dubartasfings Dubartas (for the hearing of fuch conjugal faithfulness, will be Mufick to all chafte ears) and therefore, I say, hearken to what Dubartas fings of the Mullet:

But for chafte love the Mullet hath no peer, For, if the Fisher hath furprised her pheer, As mad with wo, to fhoare fhe followeth, Preft to confort him both in life and death.

On the contrary, what shall Isay of the Houfe-Cock, which treads any Hen, and then (contrary to the Swan,the Partridg, and Pigeon) takes no care to hatch, to feed, or to cherish his own Brood, but is fenflefs though they perish.

And'tis confiderable,thatthe Hen (which because she also takes any Cock, expects it not) who is fure the Chickens be her own, hath by amoral impreffion hercare, and affection to her own Broode, more

then

Mat. 23 37

then doubled, even tofucha height, that our Saviour in expreffing his love to Jerufalem, quotes her foran example of tender affection, as his Father haddone Job for apattern of patience.

And to parallel this Cock,there be divers fishes that caft their spawne on flags or stones, and then leave it uncovered and expofed to become a prey, and be devoured by Vermine or other fishes: but other fishes (as namely the Barbel) take fuch care for the preservation of their feed, that(unlike to the Cock or the Cuckoe} they mutually labour (both the Spawner, and the Melter) to cover their spawne with fand, or watch it, or hide it in fome fecret place unfrequented by Vermine, or by any fish but themselves.

Sir, these examples may, to you and others, seem strange; but they are testified, some by Aristotle, fome by Pliny, fome by Gefner, and by

divers others of credit, and are believed and known by divers, both of wisdom and experience, to be a truth; and are (as I faid at the beginning) fit for the contemplation of a most serious, and a moft pious

man.

And that they be fit for the contemplation of the most prudent and pious, and peaceable men, feems to be teftified by the practice of fo many devout and contemplative men; as the Patriarks or Prophets of old, and of the Apoftles of our Saviour in thefe later times, of which twelve he chose four that were Fishermen:concerning which choice fome have made these Observations.

First, That he never reproved these for their Imployment or Calling, as he did the Scribes and the Mony-Changers. And fecondly, That he found the hearts of fuch men, men that by nature were fitted

for

for contemplation and quietnefs; men of mild, and fweet, and peaceable spirits, (as indeed moft Anglers are) these men our bleffed Saviour. (who is observed to love to plant grace in good natures) though nothing be too hard for him, yet these men he chose to call from their irreprovable imployment, and gave them grace to be his Disciples and to follow him.

And it is obfervable, that it was our Saviours will that his four Fishermen Apostles should have a prioritie of nomination in the catalogue of his twelve Apoftles, as namely firft,S.Peter,Andrew, James Mat.10. and John, and then the rest in their order.

And it is yet more obfervable, that when our bleffed Saviour went up into the Mount, at his Transfiguration, when he left the rest of his Disciples and chofe onely three to bear him company, that these three

were