The amorose songes, sonets, and elegies: of M. Alexander Craige, Scoto-Britane

To IDEA.

MAny times from the Table of my Chamber (matchlesse Idea) haue my dearest Friends, both by them selues, and my Ser∣uant (whom I sometimes em∣ployed to write for mee) stole the inuentions of my wanton vaine, those amo∣rous Ditties, such as they best liked: and for which hauing, thereby serued the humour of my passion, I cared no more; wherein their gaine and my losse were all one. But now, by printing my then scattered, and now lately collected Scrowles (the most and best part whereof, I can not finde) I haue thought good to ease my selfe, and satisfie (but with the first, your Ladiship) my friendes. The noble Romans were from all antiquitie, accustomed to leaue those Kinges whom they had vanquished, in the possessions of their kingdomes, that Kings

by them made slaues, might be instruments to vprayse the tropheis of their glorie. Thou knowest (Diuine Idea) I am thine by conquest; and yet thou allowest mee the seeming fruiti∣on of my libertie, while in deed I must pay the eternall tribute of vnfaigned Loue: For as Car∣n••ades the Cyrenean Philosopher said of Chry∣sippus; And Chrysippus were not, I could not bee▪ my beeing is by thy munificence. Take this in good part: and still I rest,

Idea's euer obleged and vnmanumissible slaue, Ad Ideam.

O bona non tractanda homini bona digna rapina,Caelic••lum, superis o bona digna locis.