May it please your Highness to accept in as good sort what I now offer, as hath been done aforetime; and I may say, i pede fausto:<191> but, having good reason to think your Highness had good will and liking to read what others have told of my rare dog, I will even give a brief history of his good deeds and strange feats; and herein will I not play the cur myself, but in good sooth relate what is no more nor less than bare verity. Although I mean not to disparage the deeds of Alexander's horse,<192> will match my dog against him for good carriage, for, if he did not bear a great Prince on his back, I am bold to say he did often bear the sweet words of a greater Princess on his neck.

            I did once relate to your Highness after what sort his tackling was wherewith he did sojourn from my house at the Bath to Greenwich Palace, and deliver up to the court there such matters as were entrusted to his care. This he hath often done, and came safe to the Bath, or my house here at Kelston, with goodly returns from such nobility as were pleased to employ him; nor was it ever told our Lady Queen, that this messenger did ever blab aught concerning his high trust, as others have done in more special matters. Neither must it be forgotten, as how he once was sent with two charges of sack wine from the Bath to my house, by my man Combe; and on his way the cordage did slacken; but my trusty bearer did now bear himself so wisely as to covertly hide one flask in the rushes, and take the other in his teeth to the house; after which he went forth, and returned with the other part of his burden to dinner. Hereat your Highness may perchance marvel and doubt; but we have living testimony of those who wrought in the fields, and espied his work, and now live to tell they did much long to play the dog, and give stowage to the wine themselves; but they did refrain, and watched the passing of this whole business,

            I nced not say how much I did once grieve at missing this dog; for, on my journey towards London, some idle pastimers did divert themselves with hunting mallards in a pond, and conveyed him to the Spanish ambassadors, where (in a happy hour) after six weeks I did hear of him; but such was the court he did pay to the Don, that he was no less in good liking there than at home. Nor did the household listen to my claim, or challenge, till I rested my suit on the dog's own proofs, and made him perform such feats before the nobles assembled, as put it past doubt that I was his master. I did send him to the hall in the time of dinner, and made him bring thence a pheasant out of the dish, which created much mirth; but much more, when he returned at my commandment to the table, and put it again in the same cover. Herewith the company was well content to allow me my claim, and we both were well content to accept it, and came homewards. I could dwell more on this matter, but jubes renovare dolorem:<193> I will now say in what manner he died. As we traveled towards the Bath, he leaped on my horse's neck, and was more earnest in fawning and courting my notice, than what I had observed for time back; and, after my chiding his disturbing my passing forwardes, he gave me some glances of such affection as moved me to cajole him; but, alas! he crept suddenly into a thorny brake, and died in a short time.

            Thus I have strove to rehearse such of his deeds as may suggest much more to your Highness' thought of this dog. But, having said so much of him in prose, I will say somewhat too in verse, as you may find hereafter at the close of this history. Now let Ulysses praise his dog Argus,<194> or Tobit be led by that dog whose name doth not appear;<195> yet coud I say such things of my Bungey, (for so was he styled,) as might shame them both, either for good faith, clear wit, or wonderful deeds; to say no more than I have said, of his bearing letters to London and Greenwich, more than an hundred miles. As I doubt not but your Highness would love my dog, if not myself; I have been thus tedious in his story; and again say, that of all the dogs near your father's court not one hath more love, more diligence to please, or less pay for pleasing, than him I write of; for verily a bone would content my servant, when some expect greater matters, or will knavishly find out a bone of contention.

            I now rest your Highness' friend, in all service that may suit him,
            JOHN HARINGTON.

            P. S. The verses above spoken of,<196> are in my book of Epigrams in praise of my dog Bungey to Momus. And I have an excellent picture, curiously limned,<197> to remain in my posterity.

            Kelstone, June 14, 1608.

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