FATHER. Son, in this point thou art quite deceived,
And without doubt falsely persuaded,
For it is not to be judged that any schoolmaster
Is of so great fierceness and cruelty,
And of young infants so sore a tormentor,
That the breath should be about to leave the body.
SON. Father, this thing I could not have believed,
But of late days I did behold
An honest man's son hereby buried,
Which through many stripes was dead and cold.
FATHER. Peraventure, the child of some disease did labour,
Which was the cause of his sepulture.[304]
SON. With no disease, surely, was he disquieted,
As unto me it was then reported.
FATHER. If that with no such thing he were infected,
What was the cause that he departed?
SON. Men say that of[305] this man, his bloody master,
Who like a lion most commonly frowned,
Being hanged up by the heels together,
Was belly and buttocks grievously whipped;
And last of all (which to speak I tremble),[306]
That his head to the wall he had often crushed.[307]
FATHER. Thus to think, son, thou art beguiled verily,
And I would wish thee to suppose the contrary,
And not for such tales my counsel to forsake,
Which only do covet thee learned to make.
SON. If Demosthenes and Tully were present truly,
They could not print[308] it within my head [more] deeply.
FATHER. Yet, by thy father's will and intercession,
Thou shalt be content that thing to pardon.
SON. Command what ye list, that only excepted,
And I will be ready your mind to fulfil,
But whereas I should to the school have resorted,
My hand to the palmer[309] submitting still,
I will not obey ye therein, to be plain,
Though with a thousand strokes I be slain.