THE BOOK WAS DRENCHED - OUDL Home

THE FIRST DEFENCE 15
yea, bought for one hundred Jacobuses, a great sum to get
from a needy King. I speak not of things unknown: I know
who took those gold-pieces to your house in that beaded
purse; I know who saw you reach out your greedy hands
5 under pretence of embracing the king's chaplain who brought
the gift, but in fact to hug the gift itself, and by taking this
single fee almost to empty the king's treasury.
But here comes the man himself; the door creaks; enter
the actor.
10 In silence now and with attention wait,
That ye may learn what th' Eunuch has to prate.
For whatever's the matter with him, he struts on with heroics
more than usual stilted. "A horrible message has lately struck
our ears, but our minds more, with a heinous wound concern-
15 ing a parricide committed in England in the person of a king,
by an execrable conspiracy of sacrilegious men." Surely that
horrible message must either have had a much longer sword
than the one that Peter drew, or those ears must have been
exceeding long-eared ears, that it could wound at such a dis-
20 tance; for it could not so much as in the least offend any ears
but dull ones. What harm is it to you foreigners—are any of
you hurt by it—if we amongst ourselves put our own enemies,
our own traitors, to death, be they commoners, noblemen, or
kings? Salmasius, you had better mind your own business;
25 for 7 have "a horrible message" to send about you, and I shall
be surprised if it strike not with a more heinous wound all
grammarians' and critics' ears, so these be but refined and