The terrors of the night or, A discourse of apparitions. Tho: Nashe

TO THE NEW KIND∣led cleare Lampe of Virginitie, and the excellent adored high Wonder of sharpe Wit and sweete Beautie, Mistres ELIZABETH CAREY; sole Daughter and Heire to the thrice noble and re∣nowmed Sir GEORGE CAREY, Knight Marshall, &c.

RAre adorned Mistris, whom al that know ad∣mire, and not malice it selfe but doth honor. True Stemme of Nobilitie, out-flourishing your sexe or your age; pure saint-like pict∣ure of Sobrietie and Modestie, sacred and immaculate virgin Starre, cleare (if anie liuing) from the originall sin of thought: giue me leaue (though contemptible & ab∣iect) once more to sacrifice my worthles wit to your glo∣rie. Manie feruent vowes and protestations of obser∣uance, your bountifull gracious deserts towards mee, haue entrancedly extracted, which yet remaine in the o're vnwrought and vntride. As touching this short glose or annotation on the foolish Terrors of the Night, you partly are acquainted from whose motiue imposition it first proceeded, as also what strange sodaine cause neces∣sarily produced that motion. A long time since hath it line suppressed by mee; vntill the vrgent importunitie of a kinde frend of mine (to whom I was sundrie waies be∣holding)

wrested a Coppie from me. That Coppie pro∣gressed from one scriueners shop to another, & at length grew so common, that it was readie to bee hung out for one of their signes, like a paire of indentures. Where∣vppon I thought it as good for mee to reape the frute of my owne labours, as to let some vnskilfull pen-man or Nouerint-maker startch his ruffe & new spade his beard with the benefite he made of them. Accept of them, ex∣quisite Mistris, as the best testimonie I haue yet to expres the dutie that I owe. A little more leasure and prosperi∣tie, will beget better labors; wherein I will enioyne my spirit to be a peremptorie combattant for your praises, a∣gainst all vulgar deepe flattred mediocritie, and pale pe∣nurious beautie; which giues dull Painters store of gold to solder vp their leane dints of deformity. Against your perfections no tung can except. Miraculous is your wit; and so is a acknowledged by the wittiest Poets of our age, who haue vowed to enshrine you as their second DELIA. Temperance her selfe hath not temperater behauiour than you; religious Pietie hath no humble hand-maide that she more delights in. A worthie Daughter are you of so worthie a Mother; borrowing (as another Phoebe, from her bright Sunne-like resplendaunce) the orient beames of your radiaunce. Into the Muses societie her selfe she hath lately adopted, & purchast diuine Petrarch another monument in England. Euer honored may she be of the royallest breed of wits, whose purse is so open to her poore beadsmens distresses. Well may I say it, be∣cause I haue tride it, neuer liu'd a more magnificent La∣die of her degree on this earth. A number of men there

bee, who pursuing the high way to the Indies, haue pe∣risht in lingring expectation before they could get the∣ther; but a neerer Cut haue I found in her extraordina∣rie liberalitie and bountie: and to a companie of my mal∣content companions will discouer if it please them, how to be gainfull and gain-coping nauigators if they will in∣sist in my directions. Now I must tie my selfe to the Prin∣ters paper limits, and knit vp much thankfulnesse in few words. Deare Mistris perswade your selfe, that no srow∣ning misfortune or anye accident whatsoeuer, shall di∣uorce me from your reuerence. No more I craue in re∣quitall, but that you would put me in the checke-roule of your remembrance, and not salute me as a stranger.

Your vertues immoueable Votarie: THO: NASHE.