The new invention, intituled, calligraphia: or, the arte of faire writing vvherein is comprehended the whole necessarie rules thereof; by which anie who is capable and carefull to learne, may without the helpe of any other teacher, under God, both bee informed concerning the right writing of the most usuall characters in the world; and perfectly instructed how to write one of the most frequent in Europe, called the secretarie. ... By His Majesties scribe, Master David Browne.

X.

It is alleadged, and forewarned, both by Prin∣ters, and others having experience, that the tedious paines in the downe-setting of this Booke, great char∣ges in framing of Types thereunto, and often Printing the same, with neglecting all other Effaires in atten∣ding thereupon, will apparentlie exceede anie benefite that ever will bee obtained thereby; and therefore gi∣ving their advise, To lose the travell which is past, holde in the expences to come, and let it desist altogether, or else it will not fayle to over-throwe the estate of the Agent, &c. I answere: It may be, these words bee spo∣ken

in loue, but I intende not to follow them, for two re∣spectes, the one Divine, and the other Humane: Divine, because the worke tendeth to the Glorie of GOD, (as all Vertuous workes doe, whether Spirituall or Tempo∣rall, and few of the last sorte more than Writing, be∣cause it setteth foorth his Glorie:) Humane two wayes, Civill and Naturall: Civill, because it tendeth to the Common-wealth; for there bee few of that nature more necessarie; yea, and to mine owne weale also, (as one of the smallest members thereof) whether I winne or lose thereby: (I meane, by my present use) if it please GOD I winne, it will tende both to my weale here, & hereafter; and if not, it will be hereafter, and not heere; b•• c••se it is my Talent, how meane soever it may bee thought: and insomuch as I hide it not, but doe put it to the right use, I shall escape the punishment pronounced in the Gospell for the contrarie practise.

And Naturall, because I am taught and perswa∣ded by verie naturall instinction, (though there were none other knowledge to bee had) that it is much better to leaue the use thereof after mee in the Worlde, amongst men that can use it, than to take it with mee in a Pro∣pine or Entres-gift, to the crawling Wormes in the Graue, which cannot make so much use thereof, as a Swine of a Pearle.

Moreover, because our blessed Saviour himselfe sayeth, that no man having a Candle, (how small soe∣ver it bee) should set it under a Bushell, but on a Candle sticke, to the effect others may see therewith as well as himselfe. Doeth not the fight of the Eyes serue as wel for

the Handes and Feete, and remnant Members of th•• Bodie, as for themselues? Then it followeth, that no Member of the Bodie of a Common-wealth, was made for it selfe onelie, but for the mutuall ayde and supplie of all the rest also: and so I were unwoorthie of such a Can∣dle, or yet of the sight of the Eyes, (which GOD hath so wiselie made, to looke more foorthwardes to others, than inwardes to my selfe) if I onelie shew light there∣with, looked, or had respect unto my selfe: that is, if I onelie served mine owne private use, with that which it hath pleased GOD to lende for a common benefite unto others, the more that Hee hath made mee the kee∣per, or rather the distributer thereof. Is there anie Ste∣ward of a Familie, but hath a two-folde Charge impo∣sed upon him, for which hee must bee comptable? Or is hee not addebted unto two Creditors? first, unto his Master, who both hire••h him, and provideth the Fur∣niture committed to his dispensation; and then unto his Masters whole Familie, unto whose use, and for whose entertainment the same is allowed? Then, when his Master doeth straitlie exact and require an accompt of bis Stewardship, may he not expect & looke for great pu∣nishment, if hee bee eyther found a waster of his Ma∣sters Goods, an hungerer of his Masters Familie, or a feeder onelie of himselfe? So in this behalfe I having such an Office, haue the like double charge, and there∣fore am debter unto two Creditors: first, unto GOD, of whome I holde the same, and who furnisheth mee with giftes answerable, in some competent measure, for dis∣charging a duetie the••ein: and next, unto the Worlde,

which is GODS Familie in generall, and to mine owne Countrey in speciall; May not I then looke to bee cited before his Tribunall, and not knowe what to aun∣swere, if I detaine that to my selfe, which I received upon trust, and got commission to deliver unto others? And when I haue done all that I can, and suppose I could doe all that I ought, it were but my duetie, and I still remaine an unprofitable Servant.

Therefore, let none maintaine the opinion, that I write this ••ooke upon presumption, or desire of prayse, (except in so farre, as I will deliver it againe unto GOD, who is the right owner thereof) but upon necessitie: for sithence it hath pleased Him of His goodnesse, to grant mee some habilitie so to doe, (though not altogether in such measure as unto manie others) that is, by planting mee, like as it were a Tree in His Garden, by furnishing mee with Roote, Earth, Sappe, Leaues, Growth, Bignesse, and Hight, doeth hee not ex∣pect Fruites of mee now, after so long watering, though hee haue manie better Trees growing beside? (And all this, besides manie better Showres, whereunto my pur∣pose at this time doeth not reach.) Surelie it is more than time nowe that I bring foorth some good Fruite, although it were never so little a tasting, till it please the Almightie to bring greater aboundance to maturitie; for otherwayes I might expect nothing else, but to bee hewen downe, and casten into the Fire: Since then I could not bee but culpable of infidelitie and negligence, and consequentlie capable of the punishment due there∣unto, except Repentance should interveane. Reade

the 5 objection againe, (if thou list) because this is somewhat relatiue to the assumption and answere thereof. Thus, in the practising of my Exoneration of the preceeding Oneration to some, in my speciall function, I doe good will to extende the same to all, in my generall function.

For the which respects, I will passe stoutlie through al these impediments with this Booke, till it be completely Printed, and referre the event thereof unto GOD, who (as hee hath promised in his holy Word, and as my trust is in him) will make all things worke together for the best unto them that feare Him, and to mee amongst the rest.