In _A Booke of Meery Riddles_, 1617 (repr. of ed. 1629, p. 73 of Mr.
Halliwell's _Literature of the xvith and xviith centuries Illustrated,
&c._ 1851), we have the following:--
The xvii Riddle.
"Who bare the best burthen that ever was borne
At any time since, or at any time befor[n]e.
_Solution._--It was the asse that bare both Our Lady and her Sonne out
of Egypt."