FAB. XVIII. The Lapwing and the Parrat.

'TWas meer Emulation to see the Felicity of a Parrat, who was kept in a rich Cage adorned with Gold, and hanging in a Kings Palace, that provoked an Arrogant Lapwing thus to accost her. My Plumes, said she, are no less Beautiful than thine, and I, methinks, excel thee in the tuneableness of my Voice; but in the real honour of our Persons, there can be no com∣parison: for I was certainly born to Dignity, coming into the World with this Princely Crown on my Head; and yet thou wantonest it here in Ease and Luxury, being daily fed from the Kings own Table; whilst I am forced with a continual Anxiety to search about for any liv∣ing. I will therefore go to the King and offer him my Service, that I may at least enjoy an e∣qual Felicity with thee, and divert him with my pleasant Harmony; she then flying to the King, was put into a Cage and kept. But after she had thus lived a while, she grew sensible of her mise∣rable Captivity, and the narrow bounds she was confined to, the Thought whereof soon brake her heart, and dying she sighed out these last words. O Dearest Liberty! which I so long have wanted, thou art a Jem invaluable: For nothing this World contains can make a fit Comparison with thee.

Liberty cannot be sold for Mony. When Leoni∣das the Spartan General, with four hundred Page  126 Grecians opposed the mighty Army of Xerxes King of Persia, at the straights of Thermopy∣lae, which consisted of ten hundred thousand Men; the valiant Leonidas advised his Soldi∣ers to dy bravely fighting, after his Example, rather than lose their Liberty, and become Slaves to the Persians; and to encourage them further, told them, they should all sup together that night with Pluto.