Joe Miller's Jests, with Copious Additions — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Joe Miller's Jests, with Copious Additions
John Stuart Mill · en
381. A ploughman seeing the Archbishop of Cologne go by, attended by a
great many soldiers, laughed; the archbishop pressed him to know the
reason: It is because I wonder, said the ploughman, to see an archbishop
armed and followed, not by churchmen, but by soldiers, like a general of
an army. Friend, replied the archbishop, in my church I perform the part
of an archbishop with my clergy; but in the field I march like a duke,
accompanied by my soldiers. I understand you, my lord, answered the
peasant; but pray tell me, when my lord duke goes to the devil, what
will then become of my lord the archbishop?
382. The Duke of Guise, after a battle fought between Francis I. and
Charles V. reproached Villandry, that though he was in complete armour,
yet he had not been seen in the fight. I’ll make it out, answered
Villandry, boldly, that I was there, and in a place where you durst not
be seen. The duke nettled at this reproach, threatened to punish him
severely; but he appeased him with these words: I, my lord, was with the
baggage, where your courage would not suffer you to go.
383. Hermon was so covetous, according to the testimony of Lucilius,
that dreaming one night that he had spent some money, he hanged himself
in the morning; but Dinarchee Philo quitted the design he had once taken
to hang himself, because he grudged the expense of a rope.
384. Dr. M―d coming out of Tom’s coffee-house, an impudent broken
apothecary met him at the door, and accosted him with a request to lend
him five guineas: Sir, said the doctor, I am surprised that you should
apply to me for such a favour; who do not know you! Oh, dear sir,
replied the apothecary, it is for that very reason; for those who do
won’t lend me a farthing.
385. An old superstitious Roman, who had his buskins rateaten, consulted
Cato, in a grave manner, what such an accident might portend. Cato bid
him set his mind at rest, for there would come no mischief from it. But,
said the philosopher, if your buskins had eaten the rats, it might have
been dangerous.
386. Philip, king of Macedon, after the battle of Cheronea, having
generously set all the Athenian prisoners free, upon their
unconscionably demanding their baggage, Sure, said he, the men fancy we
had but a mock fight.
387. An archbishop finding fault with some actions of Queen Elizabeth,
brought her good arguments out of the scriptures to prove, that they
favoured more of the politician than the christian. I see, said she, my
lord, you have read the scriptures, but not the book of Kings.
388. In a visit Queen Elizabeth made to the famous Lord Chancellor
Bacon, at a small country seat, which he had built for himself before
his preferment; she asked him, how it came that he had made himself so
small a house? It is not I, madam, answered he, who have made my house
too small for myself, but your majesty, who has made me too big for my
house.