TEACHING A DOG FRENCH.
"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 Vth 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. Mris 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. Mris 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.
"1. Mris Karter sayeth, she harde Paget say, Shortlie wil come vnto the realme frenche dogges, I hope I shall see thame all rootted out.
"2. Mris Anne Coot affirmeth the same.
"3. William Poyser sayeth, he harde Paget say, Within this week or two, there will come a great many frenche dogges.
"4. Mris Eleonore Borgourneci vppon her othe affirmeth the same.
"5. The l maior writteth in his lre to my l tresurer that Paget affirmeth before him that he wold the realme were ryd of all yll straungers, adding this qualification. [Qualification not given.]
"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 XXIIII 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 mr came home the nomber of the people were greater.
"To proue that the sayd Paget did resiste to the constable when he came to apprehend him.
"1. William Poyser sayeth, when the constable came to apprehende the sayd Paget he kept the constable out with force, and sayd he should not enter on him.
"2. James Hudson sayeth, Paget wold not suffer the constable to entere vnto his howse, but sayd if any man will entere vnto this howse, yf it were not fr felony or treason to apprehend him, he wold kill hym, yf he could, fr he sayd his howse was his castell.
"3. Richard Preston sayeth, when the constable came to apprehende Pagett, he hauing a bill or halberd in his hand, did keape him out of his howse, and sayd, he showld not enter except it were fr felonye or treason, or that he brought my l maiors warrant."