Poor Robin's jests: or, The compleat jester Being a collection of several jests not heretofore published. Now newly composed and written by that well-known gentleman, Poor Robin, knight of the burnt island, and well-willer to the mathematicks. Together with the true and lively effigies of the said author. Licensed Feb. 2. 1666. Roger L'Estrange.

The Country-man and Mastive Dog.

A Poor man having a Pike-staff on his shoulder, and travaili••g thorough •• Country Village, a great Mas••ive Cur ra•• mainly at him, so that hardly he could de∣fend him from himself. At the length it was his chance to kill the Dog: for which the owner immediately apprehending him▪ and bringing him before a Justice, alleadge•• that he had slain his Servant, which de∣fended his life, house and goods, and there∣fore challenged satisfaction. The Justice leaning more in favour to the Plaintiff, as being his Friend, Neighbour and familia•• then to the justice of the cause, reprove the poor fellow very sharply, and perem¦ptorily commanded him to make satisfacti¦on, or else he would commit him to pr••¦son. That were injustice, replyed the poor man, because I killed him in defen•• of my own life, which deserveth much bet¦ter respect then a Million of such Cur•• Sirrah, sirrah, said the Justice, then you should have turned the other end of you Staff, and not the Pike; so the Dogs li•• had been saved, and your own in no dan¦ger. True, Sir (quoth the fellow) if the Dog would have turn'd his tail and bit ••

with that, and not his teeth, then we both had parted quietly.