be his friend, who sets down the prizes
of the Books he delivers, three times as much again as they are worth;
and for the overplus, he, with some other students, are bravely merry
together.
Yea, he's come so far himself, that he doth, to get mony, know how to
sell his best Authors; and sets in place of them some Blocks very
neatly cut and coloured like gallant Books. And if any one comes that
will lay their hands upon them; he saith immediately, eat, drink,
smoke and be merry to your hearts content; but whatsoever you do,
touch not my books; for that's as a Medean Law and an inviolable
statute in my Chamber; as it doth, to the same purpose, stand written
thus before my Chamber of Books:
_Be jolly, sing, and dance; command me with a look,
One thing I do forbid, you must not touch a Book._
The old Proverb saith, it must bend well, before it can make a good
hook. But it is easie to be perceived by the beginning, what may be
expected from the flexibility of this precious twig. O extraordinary
and magnificent pleasure for the Parents, when they see that their
son, in so short a time, is so damnably advanced! And so much the
more, a little while after, there comes one and tells them by word of
mouth, that there were several Schollars, which were playing some
antick tricks in the night; and amongst some others both their Son and
their Cousin were apprehended, and at this very present sad
accusations were brought in against them. In the mean while, the
Chancellor, having heard that they are all persons of good Parentage,
and that there will be brave greasing in the case, laughs in his fist
because such things as those are generally moderated and assopiated
by the means and infallible vertue of the correcting finger hearb.
This brings the Parents a fine Bartholomew Baby to play with; and if
there ly loosely in a corner a fifty pound bag they will go nigh to
see how they may make use of it. And this gives a horrible
augmentation to the Pleasures of Marriage! But let them turn it and
wind it which way they will, the Parents must go thither, and seek by
all means possible according to their ability, to pacific the matter.
As they are upon their journy, they hear in every Town where they
come, how debauched and wicked lives the Students leads, not only
concerning that which was lately done at Oxford, but at other places
also. Which makes them be in no small fear, whether their son, perhaps
may not be guilty only
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