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TO THE RIGHT HOnorable. THE LORD Charles Howard Earle of Notingham, Bar∣ron of Effingham, Knight of the Noble order of the Garter, Lord high Admirall of England, Ire∣land, and Wales, &c. And one of her Majesties most honorable Priuie Counsell.
RIGHT HOnorable.
I Haue aduentured to dedicate these few discordant tunes to be censured by the ingenious disposition of your Lord∣ships Honorable rare perfection, perswading my selfe, that these labours, composed by me and others, (as in the sur∣uey hereof, your Lordship may well perceiue) may not by any meanes passe, without the malignitie of some maliti∣ous Momus, whose malice (being as toothsome as the Ad∣ders sting) couched in the progres of a wayfayring mans passage, might make him retire though almost at his iourneyes end. Two speci∣all Motiues haue imbouldened me (right Honorable) in this my proceeding. First, for that I consider, that as the body cannot bee without the shadow: so Homer (the Prince of Poets) may not be without a Zoilist: The second & last is (the most forcible motiue) I know, (not onely by report, but also by experi∣ment) your Lordship, to bee not onely Philomusus a louer of the Muses, and of learning: but Philomathes, a personage alway desirous, (though in all Arts sufficiently skilfull) to come to a more high perfection or Summum bonum. I will not trouble your Lordship with to to tedious circumstances, onely I humbly intreat your Lordship (in the name of many) to patronage this work with no lesse acceptance, then I with a willing and kinde hart dedicate it. So shall I think the initium of this worke not onely happely begun, but to bee finited with a more happie period.
Your Honours deuoted in all dutie, Thomas Morley.