TO THE MIGHTIE, LEARNED, and Ancient Potentate Quisquis; Emperour of ✚ King of Great and Little A. Prince of B. C. and D. &c. Atiquis, wisheth the much increase of true Subiects, free from Passion Spleene, and Melancholy: and indued with Vertue, Wisedome, and Magnamuntis. Or, to the Reader.
AN Epistle to the Reader; why? that must haue his Forehead, or first Entrance like a Courtier, Faire-spoken, and full of Expectation. His middle or Center like your Citizēs ware-house, beautified with inticing vanities, though the true Riches consist of Bald Commodities. His Ran∣deuow or conclusion like The Lawyers Case, able to pocket or any matter: But let good word, be your best Euidence. In the Generall, or Foundation he must be like Paules-Church, re∣solued to let euery Knight and Gull trauell vpon him, yet his Parti∣culars, or Lyneaments may be Royall at the Exchange, with ascen∣ding stepe, promising Newe but costly deuices & fashions: It must haue Teeth like a Satyre, Eyes like a Cryticke, and yet may your Tongue speake fal•e Latine, like your Panders and Bawdes of Poetrie. Your Genius and Species should march in battle aray, with our Politici∣ans: yet your Genius ought to liue with an honest soule indeed. It should be like the Neuer-too-well read Arcadia, where the Prose and Verce, (Matter and Words) are like his Mistresses eyes one still excelling another and without Coriuall for to come home to the vul∣gars Element, like Friendly Shake-speares Tragedies, where the Commedian rides, when the Tragedian stands on Tip-toe: Faith it should please all, like Prince Hamlet. But in sadnesse, then it were to be feared he would runne made Insooth I will not be moone∣sicke, to please: nor out of my wits though I displeased all What? •o∣ct, are you in Passion, or out of Loue? This is as Strange as True:Page [unnumbered] Well, well, if I seeme misticall, or tyrannicall, whether I be a Foole or a Lords-Ingle, all• one: If you be angry, you are not well aduised. I will tell you, tis an Indian Humour, I haue snuft vp from diuine Tabacco: and tis most Gentleman-like to puffe it out at any place or person. Ile no Epistle, (it were worse then one of Hercules La∣bours) But will conclude, honesty is a mans best vertue. And but for the Lord Mayor, and the two Sherisses, the Innes of Court, and many Gallants elsewhere, this last yeare might haue bene burned. As for Momus, Carpe and Barke who will: if the Noble Asse bray not, I am as good a Knight Poet, as Etatis suae, Maister An. Dom. Sonne in Law. Let your Cryticke looke to the Rowels of his spurs, the pad of his Saddle, and the Ierke of his Wand: then let him ride me and my Rimes as hotely an be would ride his Mistresse, I care not: We shall meete and be friends againe, with the breaking of a Speare or two: And who would do lesse, for a faire Lady. There I leaue you, where you shall euer finde me.
Passionate Daiphantus: Your louing Subiect,
Giues you to vnderstand, He is A man in Print, and tis enough he hath vnder-gone a Pressing (yet not like a Ladie) though for your sakes and for Ladyes, protesting for this poore Infant of his Brayne, as it was the price of his Virginitie borne into the world in teares; So (but for a many his deare friends that tooke much paines for it) it had ayed, and neuer bene laught at: And that if Truth haue wrote lesse than Fixion, yet tis better to erre in Knowledge then in Iudgment. Also if he haue caught vp half a Line of any others, It was out of his Memorie not of any ignorance. Why, he Dedicates it to all, and not to any Particular, as his Mistresse, or So. His an∣swere is, he is better Borne, than to creepe into Womens Fauours, and aske their leaue afterwards. Also he desireth you to helpe Cor∣rect such errors of the Printer; which because the Authour is dead (or was out of the Citie) hath beene committed. And twas his folly, or the Stationers, You had not an Epistle to the purpose.
