Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/530

510 'Having a son, he went before the midwife to the church, presenting the child to the priest; and giving the name Samuel with a solemn interpretation of the name, appointed two godfathers and two godmothers contrary to the ordinance, making his son a monster and himself a laughing-stock.

'He daily useth whistling of his child, and saith that he understood his whistle when he was but three years old; and being advertised of his friends that men laughed at his folly, he answered, They whistle their horses and dogs; they might also be contented that I whistle my child: and so whistleth him daily, friendly admonition neglected.

'In his visitation, among other his surveys, he surveyed Milford Haven, where he espied a seal-fish tumbling, and he crept down to the rocks by the water-side, and continued there whistling by the space of an hour, persuading the company that laughed fast at him, he made the fish to tarry there.

'Speaking of the scarcity of herrings, he laid the fault to the covetousness of fishers, who in time of plenty took so many that they destroyed the breeders.

'Speaking of the alteration of the coin, he wished that what metal soever it was made of, the penny should be in weight worth a penny of the same metal.'

Such were the charges against Ferrars, which, notwithstanding, were considered serious enough to