Roger Ascham Toxophilus 1545

i66 NOTES.

I. TOXOPHILUS, THE FOUNDATION OF ASCHAM'S AFTER*

FORTUNES. In a humorous letter to Queen Elizabeth, on 10.
Oct. 1567. (87.): Afcham divides his idea of her into two ; and
afldng her in one perfonality as his friend, to intercede with her
other perfonality, as queen, to relieve him from his difficulties,
recounts to her the hiftory of his penfion,

" I wrote once a little book of mooting; King HENRY, her
moft noble father, did fo well like and allow it, as he gave me a
living for it; when he loft his life I loft my living; but noble
King EDWARD again did firft revive it by his goodnefs, then did
increafe it by his liberality; thirdly, did confirm it by his authority
under the great feal of England, which patent all this time,
was both a great pleafure and profit to me, faving that one un-
pleafant word in that patent, called "during pleafure," turned
me after to great difpleafure; for when King EDWARD went,
his pleafure went with him, and my whole living went away with
them both. But behold God's goodnefs towards me, and his provi-
dence over me, in Queen MARY, her highnefs' fifter's time, when
I had loft all, and neither looked nor hoped for any thing again,
all my friends being under foot, without any labour, without
my knowledge I was fuddenly fent for to come to the council.
I came with all will, and departed with much comfort, for there
I was fworn fecretary for the Latin tongue, becaufe fome of
them knew that King EDWARD had given me that office when
I was abfent in Germany, by good Mr Secretary's procurement,
and becaufe fome did think I was fitter to do that office than
thofe were that did exercife it. When I faw other fo willing to
do for me, I was the bolder fomewhat to fpeak for myfelf. I
saw WINCHESTER did like well the manner of my writing; I
faw alfo that he only was Dominus regit me that time. I told
him that my patent and living for my Book of Shooting was
loft. Well, faid he, caufe it to be written again, and I will do
what I can. I did fo, and here I will open to your majefty a
pretty fubtlety in doing happily a good turn to myfelf, whereat
perchance your majefty will fmile; for furely I have laughed at
it twenty times myfelf, and that with good caufe, for I have
lived fomewhat the better for it ever fince. I caufed the fame
form of the patent to be written out, but I willed a vacant place
to be left for the fum, I brought it fo written to the bimop:
he afked me why the old fum was not put in. Sir, quoth I,
the fault is in the writer, who hath done very ill befide, to leave
the vacant place fo great, for the old word ten will not half fill
the room, and therefore furely, except it pleafe your lordfhip to
help to put in twenty pounds, that would both fill up the vacant
place well now and alfo fill my purfe tlie better hereafter, truly
I fhall be put to new charges m caufmg the patent to be new
written again. The bilhop fell in a laughter, and forthwith went
to Queen MARY and told what I had faid, who, without any