The anatomie of humors: vvritten by Simion Grahame

TO THE READER.

IN A FEARELES HV∣mor, I haue anatomized the humors of mankinde, to the mouth of the honest man, it hath a most delicate and sweet taste, but to the wicked, it is bitter as gall or wormwood, for if thou be a dissembling hypocrite, one of the sect of fleshly and bloudie Gospellers,* 1.1 one of the generation of Wolues cloathed in sheepe-skins, which are naught else, but hatchers of deceit, to entrap soules, in∣venters of treason to murther Kings, hellish instruments to ruine Countries, sworne enemies to God, and diligent factors for the deuill. If thou be a man of this Categorie, I hate thee to the very death: but if thou first be true to God, and next to thy owne Prince: if thou be faithfull to thy Country, if thou judge all men with equitie in spite of loue or briberie, if thou wrong no man: and last of all, if thou be all in all a good Christian, thou art an honest man, & thou art the man whō I place in my harts hart: if thou be a woman of a modest behauiour, & discreet in all thy actions, of a chast mind, and of a good life, who still aymes at honestie, and prosecutes all thy desires with the feare of God: it is thou who is the honest woman, and thou art the woman whom I honour to the death. Then be what thou wilt who reades this Treatise, be sure to finde thy selfe set

downe in a true fashion, I haue taken the paines to paint thy portrate, if thou finde thy selfe in faire colours, then be carefull how to entertaine thy selfe in the true Luister, if thou finde thy selfe in filthie colours, wash, clainge, and purge thy selfe from such pestiferous blots, which euen in∣fects thy very soule, and makes thee leath some to the sight of God. I haue searched thy feastred wounds, I haue ba∣red thy vlcered sores, and for feare of putrifying cankers I haue tainted thee to the very quick: so to keepe thy weak∣nes in a good temper, I haue applied this Cataplasme, to appease thee of all thy paines: I am surely perswaded, that these my labors shal merit thanks of the vpright man who loues God, obedient to his King, and is true to his Coun∣try, and that the good report of the righteous shall guard me, from criticall barking of wicked malice, and I am assured, that the honest Matron, the wife true to her hus∣band, and the chaste virgin will euer party me, and euer be ready to countercheck the detracking reports of the shamelesse woman, whilst my reuenge shall be with silence, and simple patience to smile at neuer-blushing-impu∣dence. To conclude, I onely expect to be quarrelled with the deceitfull villaine, whom I will proue to be an arrant Knaue: if thou challenge me, I scorne to be a Coward, and therefore I will answer thee. So I shall euer rest thy hate∣full Enemie, and the honest mans Seruant to the death.

SIMION GRAHAME.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Math. 7. Chap.