'T is pity to throw the best of thee away. Nothing comes out of thy
mouth that is not savoury and solid, bating thy wit, thy sermons,
and thy promises."
It was my duty to write down the very words, irreverent as they are,
being so commanded. More of the like, it is to be feared, would
have ensued, but that Sir Thomas did check him, saying, shrewdly, -
"Young man! I perceive that if I do not stop thee in thy courses,
thy name, being involved in thy company's, may one day or other
reach across the county; and folks may handle it and turn it about,
as it deserveth, from Coleshill to Nuneaton, from Bromwicham to
Brownsover. And who knoweth but that, years after thy death, the
very house wherein thou wert born may be pointed at, and commented
on, by knots of people, gentle and simple! What a shame for an
honest man's son! Thanks to me, who consider of measures to prevent
it! Posterity shall laud and glorify me for plucking thee clean out
of her head, and for picking up timely a ticklish skittle, that
might overthrow with it a power of others just as light. I will rid
the hundred of thee, with God's blessing!--nay, the whole shire. We
will have none such in our county; we justices are agreed upon it,
and we will keep our word now and forevermore.
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