Notes and Queries, Number 216, December 17, 1853 / A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.

N. & Q. the other day (Vol. viii., p. 464.) contained a curious tale of a cat: will you insert as a pendent the following one of a dog? The supposition that D. Julio was some obnoxious Frenchman protected by the Government, seems necessary to account for the teachyng a dogg frenche in front of his door constituting such a dire offence. His name occurs, if I remember rightly, in Dr. Dee's Diary (Cam. Soc.), but I have not the book at hand to refer to. Perhaps some of your correspondents may inform me who he was. The original is in the Lansdowne MS. (114. No. 8.) in the British Museum; and the fact of its being amongst Lord Burleigh's papers shows that the occurrence took place between 1571 and 1598, the respective dates of his appointment as l tresurer and his death.
Arthur Paget.
D. Julio's Abstract of the Deposicons of ye witnesses sworne touching ye speches of John Paget .

To proue that one William (sic) Paget, on the V th day of this present moneth, being Friday, betwixt VIII and IX of the clocke at nyght, went vp and down teachyng a dogg frenche.
1. M ris Karter, a jentilwoman borne, sayeth, that about the same tym, she did hear the said Paget, that he wold teache his dogg to speak frenche. 2. M ris Anne Coot, a jentilwoman, affirmeth the same. 3. One William Poyser, yeoman, sayeth, that he harde Paget saye that he wold make his dogg speake as good frenche as any of them. 4. James Hudson sayeth, that standing at his maisters doore he did hear Paget speake to his dogg in a straunge language, but what language he knew not. 5. Edward, a grosser, is to be deposed that he harde Paget say, I will teache my dogg to speake frenche, and was talking with his dogg in frenche.
To proue that the sayd Paget did say, Shortlye will come vnto the realme frenche dogges, I hope I shall see thame all rootted out.
To proue the great assembly that was with Paget, before D. Julio came home to his howse.
1. John Polton saieth, when his maister came home there was about a hundreth persone of men, women, and chyldren, vp and downe there. 2. James Hudson sayeth, that he thinketh there was about XX IIII people assembled in the streett before this examinat his maister came home. 3. Richard Preston sayeth, that there was in his iudgement aboue a hundred people in the streett before this deponets maister came home, and after his m r came home the nomber of the people were greater.