An answer to VVithers motto Without a frontispice. Wherein, Nec habeo, nec careo, nec curo, are neither approued, nor confuted: but modestly controuled, or qualified.

To Master Wither himselfe.

MAster Wither; When I first tooke vp your Booke to reade, (which I confesse I did not out of curiositie, Criticisme, or any desire to bee your Antagonist) I thought to make the same vse of it for Collections and obseruations, as I haue accustomed out of other mens endeauours: but when I found a certaine confusion in the same, besides many repetitions, I compared it to Protogenes pencill, that throwne away in a rage, effected that worke, which with all his cunning hee knew not how to con∣triue; and so in my conscience, you writ this in anger,* 1.1 (I will not say in fury) and fortune hath giuen way to your good spirit, which though (if men were as angry as your selfe) might be cal∣led presumption, yet out of iudgment consonant to

to you: non recte dixisti, nec habeo, nec careo, nec curo: How I proued that, it is so many yeares a∣goe, I cannot tell: but how I shall proue yours, it is so few dayes agoe, since I attempted it, that I can almost say it without booke: yet because a mans memory may faile, I haue here sent it you written, if not p••inted: now if the worst come, we shall doe no worse then Lawyers, who fall out with one ano∣ther at the Barre, and are friends when they meete at the Temple Hall at dinner: For I can assure you, I pray that your Muse may haue a Plautus plaudite,—and though I am so vnfortunate a man in these compositions, that I may stil exclaime, Ne∣mesis in tergo—, yet doth my hart leape at the thri∣uings of other men, and I wish you, the reward of your worth, remaining to you, to others, to my selfe, to all, honest:-

T. G. Esquire.

Notes

• * 1.1

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