but to have done so, had been to have slipped out of one peril into another. Nothing was before his eyes but water mingled with huge cakes of ice. On every side of him was danger and death.
Innumerable multitudes of people stood looking upon the shores; but none were so hardy as to set out to his rescue. Being therefore thus round beset with the horrors of so present a wreck, he fell down on his knees, uttering such cold prayers as in this fear a man could deliver. His dogs, not understanding their master's danger nor their own, and not knowing why he kneeled, leaped ever and anon at his head and shoulders: but his mind being now more on his dying day than on his sports, he continued praying, till the flake of ice on which he kneeled was driven to the very Bridge. Which he perceiving, started up, and with a happy nimbleness leaped upon one of the arches; his dogs leaping after as nimbly as the master: whilst the cake of ice passed away from him, and between the two arches was shivered all to little pieces. And thus did he escape.
Coun. It was a miraculous deliverance.
Cit. Other abuses are there daily among the worser ranks of people, put one upon another; which being but idle, ridiculous, and not worth rehearsing, I willingly am glad not to remember; but only to content your longing, good old father, have I set thus much of our golden lottery before you.
Coun. Sir, you bind me more and more to you for these kindnesses to me being a stranger and a person of so homely an outside from a citizen so grave as yourself seem to be. I will ever rest abundantly thankful.
FINIS.
[The style of this excessively rare tract reminds one somewhat of
T. DECKER. Its present reproduction is only one of the many favours of
Mr. HENRY HUTH.]
