Joe Miller's Jests, or The Wits Vade-Mecum — John Shaqi
Joe Miller's Jests, or The Wits Vade-Mecum
Philosophy
Joe Miller's Jests, or The Wits Vade-Mecum
English wit and humor
213. When the Lord _Jefferies_, before he was a Judge, was pleading at
the Bar once, a Country Fellow giving Evidence against his Client,
push'd the Matter very home on the Side he swore of; _Jefferies_, after
his usual Way, call'd out to the Fellow, _Hark you, you Fellow in the
Leather-Doublet, what have you for swearing?_ To which the Countryman
smartly reply'd, _Faith, Sir, if you have no more for Lying than I have
for Swearing, you may go in a Leather Doublet too_.
214. The same _Jefferies_ afterwards on the Bench, told an old Fellow
with a long Beard, that _he supposed he had a Conscience as long as his
Beard: Does your Lordship_, replies the old Man, _measure Consciences
by Beards? if so, your Lordship has no Beard at all._
215. _Apelles_, the famous Painter, having drawn the Picture of
_Alexander_ the Great on Horseback, brought it and presented it to that
Prince, but he not bestowing that Praise on it, which so excellent a
Piece deserv'd, _Apelles_ desired a living Horse might be brought; who
mov'd by Nature fell a prancing and neighing, as tho' it had actually
been his living Fellow-Creature; whereupon _Apelles_ told _Alexander,
his Horse understood Painting better than himself_.
216. An old Gentleman who had married a fine young Lady, and being
terribly afraid of Cuckoldom, took her to Task one Day, and ask'd her,
if she had considered what a crying Sin it was in a Woman to cuckold
her Husband? _Lord, my Dear_, says she, _what d'ye mean? I never had
such a Thought in my Head, nor never will_: _No, no_, replied he, _I
shall have it in my Head, you'll have it some where else_.
217. The late Lord _Dorset_, in a former Reign, was asking a certain
Bishop, _why he conferr'd Orders on so many Blockheads_. _Oh, my Lord_,
says he, 'tis better the Ground should be plowed _by Asses, than lie
quite untill'd_.
218. A certain Lady, to excuse herself for a Frailty she had lately
fallen into, said to an intimate Friend of hers, _Lord, how is it
possible for a Woman to keep her Cabinet unpickt, when every Fellow has
got a Key to it_.
219. Mr. _Dryden_, once at Dinner, being offered by a Lady the Rump of
a Fowl, and refusing it, the Lady said, Pray, Mr. _Dryden_, take it,
the Rump is the best Part of the _Fowl_; Yes, Madam, says he, and so I
think it is of the _Fair_.
220. A Company of Gamesters falling out at a Tavern, gave one another
very scurvy Language: At length those dreadful Messengers of Anger, the
Bottles and Glasses flew about like Hail-Shot; one of which mistaking
it's Errand, and hitting the Wainscot, instead of the Person's Head it
was thrown at, brought the Drawer rushing in, who cry'd, _D'ye call
Gentlemen?_ _Call Gentlemen_, says one of the Standers by; _no they
don't call_ Gentlemen, _but they call one another_ Rogue _and_ Rascal,
_as fast as they can_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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