Part of Du Bartas English and French, and in his owne kinde of verse, so neare the French Englished, as may teach an English-man French, or a French-man English. With the commentary of S.G. S. By William L'Isle of Wilburgham, Esquier for the Kings body.

The Epistle to the Lord Admirall. 1596.

WEighing how neare it concernes your Honourable Charge, what strangers passe the Seas into England; I was thereby, and otherwise in humble dutie, moued, to giue your Lordship first intelligence of this Gentle∣man, whom I haue newly transported out of Frame: and also thought it necessary to craue your fauourable protection of him in this his trauell. A worthy man is he (my Lord) in his owne Countrie, howsoeuer here disguised, and one of the sonnes of that Noble and Diuine Poet LE SIEVR DV BARTAS; in my simple iudgement the properest, and best learned of them all, I am sure the best affected to England, and the gracious Empresse thereof: for which cause I made speciall choise of him, and doe there∣fore the rather hope to finde fauour on his behalfe with your Honou∣rable Lordship; whose loyaltie to the Crowne, the Prince by trust of so high an Office; whose loue to the Land, the people by ioynt con∣sent of daily felt vertues, haue so fully witnessed, that the fame thereof hath spred it selfe farre beyond that your admirable Regiment. In so much as this gentle stranger, though he were at the first vnwilling, Vl••sses-like, to leaue his natiue soile, especially now in this dangerous sea-faring time, while all the world is in a manner troubled with Spanish Fleets; yet after he called to minde what he had heard and written of the mightie Goddesse of the English Ocean, and who there swayed the Trident vnder her, trusting vpon such a Neptune, he went aboord with a good courage, and doubting not at all but that the proud Spanish Carackes, if they be not yet sufficiently dismaid by the wracke they suffered in their former aduenture, but dare a∣gaine attempt the like, be they neuer so many more or greater than they were (if more and greater they can be) shall againe, by the grace of God, directing (as before) the courage and wisdome of Englands renowned Ad∣mirall, be dispersed ouer the frowning face of our disdainfull Seas, and drunken with salt waues, regorge the bodies of their presumptuous Pilots. And so (my Lord) with a fauourable wind, breathing directly from the French Helicon, by the safe conduit of your Honourable name, and helpe of the Muses, at length I landed my stranger in England. Where since his arri∣uall he hath gladly encountred diuers of his elder brethren, that were come ouer before, some in a princely Scottish attire, others in faire English habits, and to the intent he might the better enioy their company, whh by this time had almost forgotten their French, he was desirous to learne English of me: therefore I kept him a while about mee, was his teacher at home, and enterpreter abroad; and now that he hath gotten such a smattering of the tongue, as hee can (so as hee can) speake for himselfe, may it please your good Lordship to talke with him at your leisure: though I know you vn∣derstand very well his naturall speech, I am of opinion it will much delight you to heare him vtter such counterfeit English, as in so little

time I was able to teach him. He can say somewhat of the godly gouernment of good Princes, & the wicked practises of Tyrants, as well in compassing as maintaining a Scepter, both worthy your Lordships hearing for the manner sake, though the matter be not vnknowne to your wisdome. But some other things he doth report very strange, as of NIMROD, that was the first Ty∣rant of the world, after the time of Noah, the first Admirall of the world: his aspiring minde and practises in seeking the peoples fauour, his proud and subtile attempt in building the Tower of Babel, and Gods iust punishment thereof in confounding the language of the builders. Very truly reckoneth he (that which few doe consider) the great and manifold inconueniences, that are befallen mankinde by the diuersitie of tongues. Further, he can tell of speech in generall, whether man speake by nature, or haue but onely an aptnesse to speake by vse, and whether any other creature haue the like: as for seuerall speeches, he can prooue, with many goodly reasons, which is the best and most ancient of them all; what altereth each tongue, what continu∣eth each in account, what languages are in greatest regard now-adaies, and what Authors haue most excelled in them. And vpon occasion of the English tongue, my Lord, he setteth-out in such manner the Queenes princely Ma∣jesty, her learning, wisdome, eloquence, and other excellent vertues, that I know your noble and loyall heart will greatly reioice to heare it, at the mouth of such a stranger. The rest, if it be more curious, then for the States weigh∣tie affaires, your L. may intend to heare, I wish referred vnto those goodly young Gentlewomen, your noble and father-like-minded Sonnes, whom after your L. I doe most of all honour: there shall they finde profit so blended with pleasure, learning with delight, as it may easily win their hearts, already vertuously aspiring, from the wanton and faining Cantoes of other Syren-Poets (wherewith many young Gentlemen, and chiefely those of greatest hope, are long and dangerously mis-led) vnto a further acquaintance with this heauenly-Poeticall Writer of the truth: who is now growne into such a liking of this Country, chiefely for the peaceable gouernment thereof (bles∣sed be that Gouernor) and free course of the Gospell (God continue it, and send the like into France) that he is desirous to become a Freedenizen; and hoping further to be an eye-witnesse of Gods wonderfull mercies towards this Land, whereof in France he spake but by heare say, to behold that pre∣cious Northerne Pearle, and kisse her Scepter-bearing hand, whose worthy praise he hath sung so sweetly, he humbly beseecheth your gracious fauour to be enfranchised, which if it may please you to grant (my Lord) vouchsafing also the patronage of him; that vnder seale of your Honorable name he may escape the carping censures of curious fault-finders, and enioy all honors, pri∣uileges, liberties and lawes, that belong euen to the naturall inhabitants of this noble Isle, my selfe will vndertake to Fine for him, at least hearty praiers for your daily encrease of honor, and all such obedience, as it shall please your L. to impose:

Whose I rest euer at command, WILLIAM L'ISLE.