Poems: by Michaell Draiton Esquire

To the Reader.

SEing these Epistles are now to the world made publike, it is imagined that I ought to be accountable of my pri∣uate meaning, chiefely for mine owne discharge, lest being mistaken, I fall in hazard of a inst and vniuersall repre∣hension, for:

Hae nugae seria ducent In mala derisum semel exceptumque sinistre.

Three points are especially therefore to bee explained. First, why I entitle this worke Englands Heroicall Epi∣stles; then, why I obserue not the persons dignitie in the de∣dication; lastly, why I haue annexed notes to euery Epistles end. For the first, the title I hope carrieth reason in it selfe, for that the most and greatest persons heere in, were En∣glish, or else, that their loues were obtained in England. And though (heroicall) bee properly vnderstood of demi-gods, as of Hercules and Aeneas, whose parents were said to be, the one celestall, the other mortall, yet is it also transferred to them, who for the greatnesse of minde come neere to Gods. For to bee borne of a celestiall In∣cubus, is nothing else but to haue a great and migh∣tie spirit, farre aboue the earthly weaknesse of men; in which sence, Ouid (whose imitator I partly professe to bee) doth also vse Heroicall. For the second, seeing none to whom I haue dedicated any two Epistles, but haue their states ouer-matched by them, who are made to speake in the Epistles, howeuer the order is in dedicati∣on, yet in respect of their degrees in my deuotion, and

the cause before recited, I hope they suffer no disparage∣ment, seeing euery one is the first in their particular inte∣rest, hauing in some sort, sorted the complexion of the Epi∣stles to the character of their iudgements to whom I dedi∣cate them, excepting onely the blamefulnes of the persons passion, in those poynts wherin the passion is blamefull. Last∣ly, such manifest diffrence being betwixt euery one of them, where, or howsoeuer they be marshalled, how can I be iustly appeached of vnaduisement. For the third, because the worke might in trueth be iudged brainish, if nothing but a∣morous humor were handled therein, I haue enter-wouen matters historicall, which vnexplaned, might defraude the minde of much content, as for example, in Queene Marga∣rites Epistle to William de la Poole,

My Daizie flower, which once perfumde the aire,

Margarite in French signifies a Daizie, which for the allu∣sion to her name, this Queene did giue for her deuise; and this as others more, haue seemed to me not worthy the ex∣planing.

Now, though no doubt I hadde neede to excuse other things beside, yet these most especially, the rest I ouerpasse to eschue tedious recitall, or to speake as malicious enuy may, for that in trueth I ouersee them. If they be as harmelesly taken, as I meant them, it shall suffice to haue only touched the cause of the title of the Dedications, and of the Notes, whereby emboldned to publish the residue, (these not being accounted in mens opinions relishlesse) I shall not lastly be afraide to beleeue and acknowledge thee a gentle Reader.

M. D.