The English secretorie VVherin is contayned, a perfect method, for the inditing of all manner of epistles and familiar letters, together with their diuersities, enlarged by examples vnder their seuerall tytles. In which is layd forth a path-waye, so apt, plaine and easie, to any learners capacity, as the like wherof hath not at any time heretofore beene deliuered. Nowe first deuized, and newly published by Angel Daye.

¶ To the right Honourable Lord, EDWARD de VERE, Earle of Oxenford, Viscount Bulbeck, Lord Sandford and of Badelesmere, and Lord great Camberlaine of England, all Honour and happinesse, correspondent to his most Noble de- sires, and in the commutation of this earthlie beeing, endlesse ioyes and an euerlasting habitation.

ZEVXES endeuou∣ring to paint excellent lie, made Grapes in shewe so naturall, that presenting thē to view men were deceaued with their shapes and the birdes with their cullours. When Apelles drew Venus (though the shew of bewtie seemed woonder∣ful) he daunted not in his workman∣ship, because he knew his cunning ex∣cellent.

If in penning I were as skilful as the least of these in painting: I should nei∣ther faint to present a discourse to A∣lexander, nor to tell a tale to a Phi∣losopher.

My honourable L. the exceeding bountie wherewith your good L. hath euer wonted to entertaine the desertes of all men, and very apparaunce of Nobility her selfe, wel known to haue reposed her delights in the worthines of your stately mind warrāteth me: al∣most, that I need not blush to recom∣mend vnto your curteous vew, the first fruits of these my formost labours, and to honour this present discourse with the memorie of your euerlasting wor∣thinesse. And albeit by the learned view and insight of your L. whose in∣fancy frō the beginning was euer sa∣cred to the Muses, the whole course

heereof may be found nothing suche, as in the lowest part of the same may appeare in any sort answerable to so greate and forward excellence: and that the continuaunce of this slender substance, is in no point matchable to manie thinges of greater science, pas∣sing vnder your honourable counte∣naunce: yet may your L. please to con¦sider, that presentes (not out of the riche store and plentye a lone of the wealthiest) are alwaies recei∣ued as testimonies of regarde, in the reputation of the mightiest: but sometimes trifles also ensuing of lesse habilitie, (not honoured or reputed of by theyr valew, but by the generous e∣state and surpassing bountie of the re∣ceiuer) are accompted of, moste espe∣cially.

For the shrowd of my defence, that

haue so much dared vpon presumpti∣on of your accustomed fauor, to infixe your honoured name in the forefronte of this my traueile: I can propoze no one in exāple vnto your L. more wor∣thie then your selfe, who not vnac∣quainted with the speciall partes and aeternized memorie of them all, haue long since endeuoured your self to be∣come a noble patterne of them all, the exemplifieng of whose praise, can∣not by anie speeches of mine, be here∣in more greatlye put forwardes, then the same long since hath bene publi∣shed by the renowme of your own pro∣per vertues.

My humble request vnto your L. is, that your gentle acceptance hereof may be an encouragement to my af∣ter endeuours, for whose sake I knowe the same shalbe of many regarded,

and the insufficiency thereof the bet∣ter protected. In which, besides the con¦tinuall manifestation of your owne worthinesse, your L. shall binde me to honor you in al duetie and humblenes, praying the eternall creator and guid of all your stately enterprises, to haue the same with your L. in his fauorable pro∣tection.

Your L. most deuoted and loyally affected. Angel Daie.