A MARVELOUS History intitulede, Beware the Cat. Containing diverse wonderful and incredible matters. Very pleasant and merry to read.  

GEVE GOD THE GLORY NOW AND EVER MORE  ¶ IMPRINTED AT LONDON, IN Fléetestrete at the sign of the Falcon by William Gryffith: and are to be sold at his shop in S. Dunston's Churchyard. Anno. 1570.   

  

¶ Love and Live.  
¶ To the Right worshipful Esquire master john Young, Grace and health.  
I Have penned for your masterships' pleasure one of the stories which master Streamer told the last Christmas, and which you so feign would have heard reported by master Feres himself. And although I be unable to pen or speak it so pleasantly as he could, yet have I so nearly used both the order and words of him that spoke them, which is not the lest virtue of a reporter that I doubt not but that he and master Willot shall in the reading think they hear master Streamer speak, and he himself in the like action shall doubt whether he speaketh or readeth. I have divided his oration into three parts, and put the argument before them, and an instruction after them with such notes as might be gathered thereof: so making it book like, and entitled. Be ware the Cat. But because I doubt whether master Streamer willbe contented that other men plough with his oxen, I mean pen such things as he speaketh, which perhaps he would rather do himself to have (as he deserveth) the glory of both therefore I beseech you to learn his mind herein. And if he agreed it pass in such sort, yet that he peruse it before the Printing, and amend it if in any point I have mistaken him. I pray you likewise to ask master Ferres his judgement herein, and show him that the cure of the great plague of master Sreamers translation out of the Arabic, which he sent me from Marget's, shallbe Imprinted assoon as I may conveniently. And it I shall perceive by your trial, that master Streamer allow my endeavours in this kind, I will hereafter as Plato did by Socrates' pen such things out of the rest of our Christmas communications, as shallbe to his great glory, and no less pleasure to all them that desire such kinds of knowledge. In the mean while I beseech you accept my good will, and learn to beware the Cat. So shall you not only perform that I seek but also please the Almighty who always pres you:  
Amen.  
Yours to his power. ● B.   

The Argument.  
IT chanced that at Christmas last I was at the Court with master Ferres then master of the kings majesties pastimes about the setting forth of certain interludes, which for the kings recreation we had devised and were in learning. In which time among many other exercises among ourselves we used nightly at our lodging to talk of sundry things for the furtherance of such offices wherein each man as than served. For which purpose it pleased master Ferres to make me his bedfellow, and upon a pallet cast upon the rushes in his own chamber to lodge master willot and M. Streamer, the one his Astronimor the other his divine. And among many other things to long to rehearse, it happened on a night which I think was the. xxviij. of December after that M. Ferres was come from the court and in bead, there fell a controversy between M. Streamer who with M. willot had already slept his first sleep, and I that was newly come to bead the effect whereof was whether birds and beasts had reason, the occasion whereof was this. I had heard that the king's players were learning a play of Esop's Crow, wherein the most part of the actors were birds, the device whereof I discommended, saying it was not comical to make either speechless things to speak, or brutish things to common reasonably. And although in a tale it were suffreable to Imagine and tell of something by them spoken or reasonably done, which kind Aesop laudably used, yet it was uncomely said I and without example of any author to bring them in liuly peirsonages to speak, do, reason, and alaege authorities out of authors. M. Streamer my Lo●●●●uine, being more divine in this point than I was ware of, held the contrary part, affirming that beasts and fowls had reason, and that as much as men, yea and in some points more. master Ferres himself and his Astronimer wakened with our talk hearkened to us, but would take part on neither side. And when M. Streamer had for proof of his assertion declared many things of Elephants that walked upon cords, hedgehogs that knew always what weather would come, Foxes and Dogs that after thoy had been all night abroad kill Geese and Sheep would come home in the morning & put their necks into their collars, Parates that bewailed their keeper's death, Swallows that with Selandine open their young ones eyes, and an hundred things more which I denied to come of reason, and to be but natural kindly actions, alleging for my proof authority of most grave and learned Philosophers, well quoth master Streamer I know what I know, and I speak not only what by hearsay of some Philosophers I know, but what I myself have proved. why (quoth I then) have you proof of beasts and fowls reason? yea (quoth he) I have heard them & understand them both speak and reason aswell as I here & understand you: at this M. Ferres laughed. But I remembering what I had read in albert's works, thought there might be somewhat more than I knew, wherefore I asked him what beasts or fowls he had heard, and where and when: At this he paused a while, & at last said: If I thought you could be content to hear me, and without any interruption till I have done to mark what I say, I would tell you such a story of one piece of my own● experimenting, as should both make you wonder, & put you out of doubt c●● this matter. But this I promise' you aforet I do tell it, that as soon as any man curiously interrupteth me, I will leave of and not speak one word more. When we had promised quietly to hear, he turning himself so in his bead as we might best hear him, said:  
¶ FINIS.   

¶ The first part of master Streamers oration.  
BEing lodged as I thank him I have been often, at a friends house of mine, which more rowmish within than garish without, standeth at Saint Martin's lane end, and hangeth partly upon the town Wal 
Why Alde●●gate was so named.  that is called Aldersgate, either of one Aldricke, or else of Elders, that is to say ancient men of the City which among them builded it, as Bishops did Bishopsgate: 
Bish●● builded ●●●shopsgate.  or else of Eldern trees, which perchance as they do in the gardens now there about, so while the common there was vacaunt grew abundantly in the same place where the gate was after builded, and called thereof Elderngate: as Moregate took the name of 
Why moregate.  the field without it, which hath been a very Moor. Or else because it is the most ancient gate of the City, was thereof in respect of the other, as Newgate, called the 
Why Newgate.  ●●●ergate. Or else as Ludgate taketh the 
Why L●●●gate.  name of Lud, who builded it, so most part of harold (I know) will soonest assent that Aluredus builded this. But they are decesued. For he and his wife Algay 
Why Algate.  builded Algate which thereof taketh the name, as Cripplegate doth of a Cripple who begged so much money in his life as put to 
Why Cryple gate.  the silver Wethercocke which he stole from Paul's steeple, after his death builded 
Paul's weather cock was silver.  it.  
But whereof so ever this gate Aldergate took the name, which longeth chief to Histories to know, at my friends house which as I said standeth so near it that it is over it, I lay often times, and that for sundry causes. Sometime for lack of other lodging, & sometime as while my Greeks Alphabets were in printing to see that they might be truly corrected. And sure it is a 
Against young men's negligence.  shame for all young men that they be no more studious in the tongues, but the world is now come to that pass, that if he can prate a little Latin, & handle a Racket 
Against unlawful games.  and a pair of fire square bowls, he shall sooner obtain any living than the best learned in a whole City: which is cause that learning is despised, and bagagical things so much advanced.  
While I lay at the foresaid house for the causes aforesaid, I was lodged in a Chamber hard by the Printing house, which had a fair bay window opening