Page:The Hind and Panther transvers'd to the story of the country mouse and the city mouse (1709).djvu/20

 this? I tell thee, Man, I mean a Church, and these young Gentlemen her Sons, signifie Priests, Martyrs and Confessors, that were hang'd in Oats's Plot. There's an excellent Latin Sentence, which I had a mind to bring in, Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiæ, and I think I have not wrong'd it in the Translation.

Of these a slaughter'd Army lay in Blood, Whose sanguine Seed encreas'd the sacred Brood; She multipli'd by these, now rang'd alone, And wander'd in the Kingdoms once her own.

Smith.Was She alone when the sacred Brood was encreased?

Bayes.Why thy Head's running on the Mouse again; but I hope a Church may be alone, tho' the Members be encreased, mayn't it?

Johns.Certainly Mr. Bayes, a Church which is a diffusive Body of Men, can much less be said to be alone.

Bayes.But are you really of that Opinion? Take it from me, Mr. Johnson, you are wrong; however to oblige you, I'll clap in some Simile or other, about the Children of Israel, and it shall do.

Smith.Will you pardon me one Word more, Mr. Bayes? What could the Mouse (for I suppose you mean her now) do more than range in the Kingdoms, when they were her own?

Bayes.Do! Why She reign'd; had a Diadem, Scepter and Ball, till they depos'd her.

Smith.Now her Sons are so encreas'd, She may try t'other pull for't.

Bayes.I'gad, and so She may before I have done with Her; it has cost me some pains to clear Her Title. Well, but Mum for that, Mr. Smith.