The rogue: or The life of Guzman de Alfarache. VVritten in Spanish by Matheo Aleman, seruant to his Catholike Maiestie, and borne in Seuill

AN ELOGIVM Of ALFONSO de BAROS, Chamberlaine to KING PHILIP the third, in praise of this Booke, and of MATHEO ALEMAN the Author thereof.

IF we owe somewhat to those Painters, who in a Treasurie as it were of Monuments, or some faire Store-house, haue reserued and lapt vp in their linnen clothes (though vnder lines & dumbe co∣lours) the pictures of those, who for their Heroicall Actions, merited their Tables; As also of those, who by their vnworthie carriage gaue motion to their Pensils; for that with the pleasing portraiture of the one, and the abhorred aspect of the other, they awaken and stirre vp our Spirits, through the ones fame, to imitation; and through the others infamie, to feare, and aduisement: Much more obligation (without all comparison) haue we vnto those, who to their full life represent these things vnto vs in their Histories; who doe vs more good in what they haue written, and haue this aduantage of the others limming, that their reports and relations doe worke so strongly, and with that perswasiue power vpon our imagination, as if we had re∣ally and in truth seene both them and all that they did, with these our bodily eyes.

In these, and all the rest (if there resteth any obligation that may be greater) we haue both the lighte and the life, from this our Author: For in this his Historie, which he now hangs foorth (as Painters doe their pictures) in the open streete, to the eye of all the world, he hath portraited so to the life, a sonne of idlenes, a loytering Rogue; that there is not any man (though neuer so ignorant) but will knowe him at the first sight, for that he is so like his father: Who as he is the parent of all Uices, so this his childe came to be the Center and Gulfe of them all, suffering them to im∣bosome themselues within him, receiuing in (as sinkes doe) infinite gatherings, not of waters, but of filth and mire. And being now so farre improued in them, that he might serue for an example and patterne vnto those, who should dispose themselues to inioy the like kinde of life, the Authors drift is, that no man should adorne him∣selfe with such roabes as these: For there is not any one so abhorring himselfe, that at so deare a rate will cloathe himselfe with his Liuerie, seeing that he payd with a shamefull end the punishment of his offences, and the disordinate actions, which his licentious desires did commit. Whose merited and exemplary chastisemen;: is expres∣sed with Categoricall and strong tearmes, and with an argument ex contrario; to wit, the reward, & fortunate successes which shall follow him, who liuing vpright∣ly, and spending his time well, shall in his course of life, apply himselfe to a certaine and determined end, and make himselfe the opposite, and Antipodes as it were of the inconstant Figure of this insuing discourse. Wherein, for his admirable order, and good obseruations, bearing in the face of it the resemblance of a Historie, the Author hath happely attained the name and office of an Historian, and a Painter; as well in those representations, that are to be seene a farre off, as in those shadowes, where∣with he hath disguised his instructions, and those his so necessary rules and aduertis∣ments, appertaining to a politicall life, and to Morall Philosophie, whereunto hee principally aimed; shewing plainely, that which L•…•…curgus expressed, by the exam∣ple of those two Whelps of one litter, whereof the one, through good teaching, and a habit he had gotten, followed the hunting of the Hare, till he had kill'd him; and the other, because he had not beene so well bred, in stead of falling to hunting, fell a gnawing the bone which he found in the way: Giuing vs to vnderstand by infalli∣ble demonstrations, the knowne danger, wherein those children stand, who in their

child-hood are trayned vp without obedience and good education by their parents: For without this curbe, they rush into the careere of their youth, vpon the vnbridled Horse of their irrationall and vntamed appetite, which carries them away headlong, and precipitates them into a thousand inconueniences, dashing them-selues as vpon so many Rocks, till there is not one bone left vnbroken, nor one limme left vnrent of their life & goods. He likewise sheweth vnto vs, that that man is no lesse subiect to the like misfortunes, who, being destitute of some noble Science, or some speciall misterie, groundes his hopes vpon the vntilled doctrine of Natures schoole: For without ex∣ercising his Talent, or imploying his wit, or without putting him-selfe into some profession, (hauing experimented that arte, to which he is most inclineable) he vsurp∣eth offices quite contrary to his owne inclination, omitting none which hee not im∣braceth, attempting to make triall of all, losing in all of them both himselfe, and his time, pretending by his inconstancie and vnsettled disposition, to seeme not to be idle; that man being not-withstanding more idle; who puts his Sickle into another mans Corne, and venters vpon a profession that belongs not vnto him, then he that sleepeth and takes his ease, or leades the most retired life. This our Treasurer, Matheo Aleman, hath also well defended himselfe from the like obiections, by those iust occu∣pations of his life, wherein he busied himselfe; who doth teach vs as well thereby, as by his booke, finding therein the opposite of this his Historie, which he pretendeth to imply: For being bred vp in his tender yeeres in the studie of humane learning, they could not challenge him of keeping residencie in idlenes: Much lesse, that in this his Historie, he hath thrust himselfe into another mans profession: for that it is so properly his owne, and so annexed to his studies, that the desire he had to write it, withdrewe and distracted his thoughts from the honourable intertainment of those his Maiesties papers; (being at that time his Contador) wherein (albeit he were very sufficient for the exercising of that office) yet it seemeth that hee was haled thereunto by violence, and against his will; in that he returned afterwards to his former exercise; in the continuation whereof, and by his watchfull indeuours, he hath formed this booke for vs, mixing it with that most sweet harmony of delight & profit, which Horace requireth; inuiting vs with its pleasure, and instructing vs with its grauity, taking for its scope, the publick good, and for its reward, the com∣mon benefit. And because young men shall finde in him, the obligation which they haue to their parents, who by a good and lawfull education, haue drawne them out of the darkenes of ignorance, by shewing them that North-Starre, which ought to guide them in this confused Sea of their troublesome life, (being as long to the idle, as it is short to those that are well occupied) it shall (in point of good manners) be very vnfitting, that the Readers, who are the children of this Bookes Learning, should shewe themselues vnthankefull to their Master, by not throughly esteeming his iust Zeale. And if this shall not saue him from their rigorous censure, the fault must then be in the ineuitable contradiction of the diuersitie of opinions. Nor is it a thing to be wondred at, but rather naturall, and that cannot be auoyded: For most certaine it is, that a man cannot so write, as that hee shall please all: And that whosoeuer should indeuour it, should but goe about to take from Nature her greatest miracle. Nor doe I knowe which is the greater beauty, either that which she placed in that diuersitie, from whence proceed so many di∣uerse opinions; or that of the diuers formes of mens faces. For, for the rest, it were but to say, that all the world were but one man, and one taste.

Notes

• His learning need not call him to an account, how he had spent his idle howers. A Metaphor takē from Magi∣strates, of whom their Successours doe take an ac∣count of what things haue pas∣sed in their •…•…ime of residence in the Office. And this is, pe∣dir residencia.