Albions England Or historicall map of the same island: prosecuted from the liues, actes, and labors of Saturne, Iupiter, Hercules, and Æneas: originalles of the Brutons, and English-men, and occasion of the Brutons their first aryuall in Albion. Continuing the same historie vnto the tribute to the Romaines, entrie of the Saxones, inuasion by the Danes, and conquest by the Normaines. With historicall intermixtures, inuention, and varietie: proffitably, briefly, and pleasantly, performed in verse and prose by William Warner.

To the Reader.

WEll knowe I, that Pearles low-prised in India are precious in England: that e∣uen Homer was slightly aucthorised in Greece, but singularly admyred els∣wheare: and that, for the most part, the best Authors find at home their worst Auditors▪ how beit whatsoeuer Writor is most famous, the same is therefore indebted to his na∣tiue Language: Neither preferre I aboue three speeches before ours, for more sententious. Onely this error may be thought hatching in our English, that to runne on the Letter, we often runne from the Matter: and being ouer prodigall in Similies, wee become lesse profitable in Sen∣tences, and more prolixtious to Sence.

Written haue I alreadie in Prose, allowed of some: and now (friendly Reader) offer I Verse and Prose, attending thine indifferent Censure. In which, if grosely I fayle (as not greatly I so feare) in Veritie, Breuitie, Inuention, and Varietie, profitable, patheticall, pithie, and pleasant, so farre of shall I be from being oppynionat of myne owne labours, that my selfe will also subscribe, to prescribe the same for obsurd and erronious. But in vayne is it either to intreat or feare the curtious or captious: the one will not cauell, nor the other be reconscyled.

My labor is past, and your liking to come: and thinges hardly founded, may easely be confounded: Arrogancie is Lynx-eyed into aduantage: Enuie capiable of the least error: and inconsiderat and selfe conceipted Readers, to detract from other mens Trauailes, deale as did sacra∣ligious Denys in the Heathen Temples, who to stripp the Idolles of their golden Ornaments, alledging the same

for Sommer to hot, and for Winter to colde, so inriched himself, and robbed the Sainct. But such are good minds, and the Contraries of these men in reading of Bookes, as were the Paganes in reuerencing their Gods, sacrafising as deuoutly to a woodden Jupiter, as to a golden Jupiter: to an Oxe, a Cat, or vnreuerent Pryapus, as to the Sunne, the Starres, or amiable Venus: deuotion and discretion being euermore senceles in ditraction. Of the latter sorte therfore I craue pardon, presupposing their patience, to the former, presupposing impatience, I offer pardon: resting to either, and to you all, in good will such as I should:

Yours. W. W.