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POntanus in his 19. chapiter de magni∣ficentia, among o∣ther thinges ma∣keth mention of one Aco∣nitanus, that presented vnto
Alphonsus King of Calabria, a Box of Amber, very curi∣ously & artificialy wrought, which being opened by the King: had nothing else but a little sflye enclosed within. Surely (sayd Alphonsus) the reward is but smal, notwith∣standing a Prince that mea∣sureth it not so much by the price, as by the rarenes ther¦of, accountes it for a moste precious present. And ha∣uing so sayde, hee stoode a great while amazed, be∣thinking
himselfe, with what kinde of rewarde hee mighte worthily recōpence him that gaue a gifte so gea∣son: Madam I offer not vn∣to your honoure an Amber Box with a Fly, as Aconitanus did, nor my cap ful of water as Synctes did, nor mine hād¦ful of leaues, as another Persian did, and yet the thinge that I offer agreeth in one respect to all these three, & againe in one point differeth from one of them
onelye. It agreeth with all three in basenes: and it dif∣fereth onely from the Am∣ber Box, which preferred a glosing and bewtifull showe to the outward vewe, and yet had nothing with in it but a thinge of noughte: much lyke vnto an house, which outwardlye is verie sumpteously adorned, yel∣ding a port of great maiestie and magnificence to the eie, but when a man is entred in to it, there is nothing to be
seene but onely the bare wales. VVherevnto the thinge that I offer is cleane contrary: For it yeldeth no glorious nor glistringe glose nor any coloure of delighte vnto the eye: notwithstan∣ding I haue so prouided that the matter therein con∣tained shall suffice to com∣mend it without the helpe of any externall ornamēts. And hauing at last brought the same to perfection, I could not call to remēber∣aunce
any person of estate, on whome I had greater cause to bestowe it, then vp∣on your honoure. For con∣sidring, your courteous & amiable acceptatiō of those fewe ragged verses, whiche, aboute two yeares paste I presumed to tender vnto your discreete iudgement, I must needes confesse that, from that time to this pre∣sent day, I haue bene depe∣ly indebted vnto your good Ladyship. And nowe, some∣what
what to discharge my selfe of that continuall burthen, and to make satisfaction in part, of the debte which I haue so longe owed: I haue compiled this little booke of Prayers grounded vpon the deuine promises contai∣ned in the sacred Scriptures, which I haue aduentured to publish vnder the patronag of your Ladyships name, crauing that as ofte soeuer, as God shall put it in your mynde to withdrawe your
selfe into your closet, there to meditate vpon the hea∣uenly promises, of our most mercifull Father, (as your vexteous mynde is very sel∣dome, or neuer at all, other∣wise enclined,) that then you woulde vouchsafe to take this booke in hand, and tur∣ning to any title whatsoeuer•• may serue your tourne, to apply the prayer folowing vnto your present purpose. But perchaunce you will say that there are alredy extant••
diuers & sundry bookes of prayers, which haue bene set fourth by men of greater vnderstāding & riper iudge¦ment then I, and therfore it was a needeles and super∣fluous trauaile to wade any furthar in that matter. In∣dede Madame I graunt that ther are many praier bokes published, but yet I am of this opinion that if there were ten tymes as many, yet there were not to many. For the common prouerbe is,
B••num, quo ••••ōmunius, eo melius: The more common a good thinge is, the better it is And therefore will I hardly be perswaded, that my la∣boure could anye way haue bene better employed, then in suche causes as concerne the aduauncement of Gods glory, and the propagation of vertue. VVell such as it is I haue presumed to offer vnto your honoures i••dge∣ment, with assured hope, that you will deeme of it, as
your noble nature hath ben alwaies enclined to iudge of them that attempt the like enterprises: & that you will accept it as a sure tokē and testimonie of his loyall af∣fection and readie dutie, that would thinke himselfe happie to bee accoumpted but as the least in the num∣ber of those that woulde be allwayes at your Ladiships commaundement.
Thomas Achelley.