read Luther against the Pope Sadolet Longolius Omphalius Osorius against Luther Caluin against Sadolet Melanchthon against Longolius Sturmius against Omphalius Haddon against Osorius Baldwin againste Caluin Beza againste Baldwin Erastus against Beza Trauers against Erastus Sutcliff against Trauers and so foorth for there is no ende of endlesse controuersies nor Bellarmine shall euer satisfye the Protestantes nor Whittaker contente the Papistes nor Bancroft appease the Precisians nor any reason pacify affection nor any authority resolue obstinacy you that haue most diligently read these and these and sundry other reputed excellente in their kindes cast them all away and read him alone that can schoole them all in their tearmes inuectiue and teacheth a new-found Arte of confuting his all-onely Arte. Martin himselfe but a meacocke and Papp-hatchet himselfe but a milkesop to him that inditeth with a penne of fury and the incke of vengeance and hath cart-loades of papershot and chainshot at commaundement Tush no man can blason his Armes but himselfe Behold the mighty Champion the dubble sword-bearer the redowtable fighter with both handes that hath robbed William Conquerour of his surname and in the very first page of his Straunge Newes choppeth-off the head of foure Letters at a blow Hee it is that hath it rightly in him indeede and can roundly doe the feate with a witnesse Why man he is worth a thousand of these pidlinge and driblinge Confuters that sitt all day buzzing vpon a blunt point or two and with much adoe drisle-out as many sentences in a weeke as he will powredowne in an howre It is not long since the goodlyest graces of the most-noble Commonwealthes vpon Earth Eloquence in speech and Ciuility in manners arriued in these remote parts of the world it was a happy reuolution of the heauens and worthy to be chronicled in an English Liuy when Tiberis flowed into the Thames Athens remoued to London pure Italy and fine Greece planted themselues in rich England Apollo with his delicate troupe of Muses forsooke his old mountaines and riuers and frequented a new Parnassus and an other Helicon nothinge inferiour to the olde when they were most-solemnely haunted of diuine wittes that taught Rhetorique to speake with applause and Poetry to sing with admiration But euen since that flourishing transplantation of the daintiest and sweetest lerning that humanitie euer tasted Arte did but springe in such as Sir Iohn Cheeke and M. Ascham witt budd in such as Sir Phillip Sidney M. Spencer which were but the violetes of March or the Primeroses of May till the one begane to sprowte in M. Robart Greene as in a sweating Impe of the euer-greene Laurell the other to blossome in M. Pierce Pennilesse as in the riche garden of pore Adonis both to growe to perfection in M. Thomas Nashe whose prime is a haruest whose Arte a misterie whose witt a miracle whose stile the onely life of the presse and the very hart-blood of the Grape There was a kind of smooth and clenly and neate and fine elegancy before proper men handsome giftes but alacke nothinge liuelie and mightie like the braue vino de monte till his frisking penne began to playe the Sprite of the buttry and to teach his mother-tongue such lusty gambolds as may make the gallantest French Italian or Spanish gagliards to blushe for extreame shame of their ideot simplicitie The difference of wittes is exceeding straung and almost incredible Good lord how may one man passe a thousand and a thousande not compare with one Arte may giue out precepts and directoryes in communi forma but it is superexcellent witt that is the mother pearle of precious Inuention and the goulden mine of gorgeous Elocution Na it is a certaine pregnant and liuely thing without name but a queint mistery of mounting conceit as it were a knacke of dexterity or the nippitaty of the nappiest grape that infinitly surpasseth all the Inuention and Elocution in the world and will bunge Demosthenes owne mouth with new-fangled figures of the right stampe maugre all the thundering and lightninge Periodes of his eloquentest orations forlorne creatures I haue had some prettie triall of the finest Tuscanisme in graine and haue curiously obserued the cunningest experiments and brauest complements of aspiring emulation but must geeue the bell of singularity to the humorous witt and the garland of victory to the dominiering Eloquence I come not yet to the Praise of the olde Asse it is young Apuleius that feedeth vpon this glory and hauing enclosed these rancke commons to the proper vse of himselfe the capricious flocke adopteth whom he listeth without exception as Alexander the great had a huge intention to haue all men his subiectes and all his subiectes called Alexanders It was strange newes for some to be so assesied and a worke of Supererogation for him so bountifully to voutchsafe his golden name the appropriate cognisance of his noble stile God-night poore Rhetorique of sorry bookes adieu good old Humanity gentle Artes and Liberall Sciences content your selues Farewell my deere moothers sometime floorishing Vniuersities some that haue long continued your sonnes in Nature your apprentises in Arte your seruauntes in Exercise your louers in affection and your vassalles in duety must either take their leaues of their sweetest freendes or become the slaues of that dominiering eloquence that knoweth no Art but the cutting Arte nor acknowledgeth any schoole but the Curtisan schoole The rest is pure naturall or wondrous supernaturall Would it were not an infectious bane or an incroching pocke Let me not bee mistaken by sinister construction that wreasteth and wrigleth euery sillable to the worst I haue no reference to my selfe but to my superiours by incomparable degrees To be a Ciceronian is a flowting stocke poore Homer a wofull wight may put his finger in a hole or in his blind eye the excellentest histories and woorthiest Chronicles inestimable monumentes of wisdome and valour what but stale Antickes the flowers and fruites of delicate humanity that were wont to be dainetily and tenderly conserued now preserued with dust as it were with sugar and with hoare as it were with hoony That frisking wine that liuely knacke in the right capricious veine the onely booke that holdeth-out with a countenance and will be heard when woorme-toungued Oratours dust-footed Poets and weatherwise historians shall not bee allowed a woord to cast at a dogg There is a fatall Period of whatsoeuer wee terme flourishinge the worlde runneth on wheeles and there must be a vent for all thinges The Ciceronian may sleepe til the Scogginist hath plaid his part One sure Conny-catcher woorth twenty Philosophers A phantasticall rimester more vendible then the notablest Mathematician no profession to the faculty of rayling all harsh or obscure that tickleth not idle phantasies with wanton dalliance or ruffianly iestes Robin Good-fellow the meetest Autor for Robin Hoodes Library the lesse of Cambridge or Oxforde the fitter to compile woorkes of Supererogation and wee that were simply trayned
Rymes in the nastiest kind there is a fitter place for that discouery of thy foulest shame the whole ruffianisme of thy brothell Muse if she still prostitute her obscene ballatts and will needes be a younge Curtisan of ould knauery Yet better a Confuter of Letters then a confounder of manners and better the dogges-meate of Agrippa or Cattes-meate of Poggius then the swines-meate of Martial or goates-meate of Arretine Cannot an Itahan ribald vomit-out the infectious poyson of the world but an Inglishe horrel-lorrel must licke it vp for a restoratiue and attempt to putrify gentle mindes with the vilest impostumes of lewde corruption Phy on impure Ganimeds Hermaphrodits Neronists Messalinists Dodecomechanists Capricians Inuentours of newe or reuiuers of old leacheries and the whole brood of venereous Libertines that knowe no reason but appetite no Lawe but Luste no humanitie but villanye noe diuinity but Atheisme Such riotous and incestuous humours would be launced not feasted the Diuell is eloquent enough to play his owne Oratour his Damme an old bawde wanteth not the broccage of a young Poet Wanton sprites were alwayes busie Duke Allocer on his lustye Cocke-horse is a whot Familiar the sonnes of Adam the daughters of Eue haue noe neede of the Serpentes carowse to set them agogg Sodome still burneth and although fier from heauen spare Gomorra yet Gomorra stil consumeth itselfe Euen amorous Sonnets in the gallantest and sweetest ciuill veine are but daintyes of a pleasurable witt or iunkets of a wanton liuer or buddes of an idle head whatsoeuer sprowteth farther would be lopped Petrarckes Inuention is pure Loue it selfe and Petrarckes Elocution pure Bewty it selfe his Laura was the Daphne of Apollo not the T hisbe of Pyramus a delitious Sappho not a lasciuious Lais a sauing Hester not a destroying Helena a nimph of Diana not a Curtisan of Venus Aretines muse was an egregious bawd a haggishe witch of Thessalia but Petrarcks verse a fine loouer that learneth of Mercury to exercise his fayrest giftes in a faire subiect teacheth Wit to be inamored vpon Beautye as Quicksiluer embraseth gold or as vertue affecteth honour or as Astronomy gazeth vpon heauen to make Arte more excellent by contemplation of excellentest Nature Petrarck was a delicate man and with an elegant iudgement gratiously confined Loue within the limits of Honour Witt within the boundes of Discretion Eloquence within the termes of Ciuility as not many yeares sithence an Inglishe Petrarck did a singular Gentleman and a sweete Poet whose verse singeth as valour might speake and whose ditty is an Image of the Sun voutsafing to represent his glorious face in a clowde All posterity honour Petrarck that was the harmony of heauen the lyfe of Poetry the grace of Arte a precious tablet of rare conceits a curious frame of exquisite workemanship nothing but neate Witt and refined Eloquence Were the amorous muse of my enemy such aliuely Spring of sweetest flowers such a liuing Haruest of ripest fruits I would abandon other loues to dote vpon that mostlouely muse and would debase the Dyamant in comparison of that most Dyamant muse But out-vpon ranke lothsome ribaldry that putrifieth where it should purify and presumeth to deflowre the moste florishinge wittes with whom it consorteth eyther in familiarity or by fauour One Ouid was too-much for Roome and one Greene too-much for London but one Nashe more intollerable then both not bicause his witt is anye thinge comparable but bicause his will is more outragious Ferraria could scarcely brooke Manardus a poysonous Phisitian Mantua hardly beare Pomponatius a poysonous Philosopher Florence more hardly tollerate Macchiauel a poysonous politician Venice most hardly endure Arretine a poysonous ribald had they liued in absolute Monarchies they would haue seemed vtterly insupportable Germany Denmarke Sweden Polony Boemia Hungary Moscouy are noe soiles of any such wittes but neither Fraunce nor Spaine nor Turky nor any puissant kingdom in one or other Monarchy of the old or new world could euer abide any such pernicious writers deprauers of cōmon discipline Ingland since it was Inglād neuer bred more honorable mindes more aduenturous hartes more valoroushandes or more excellent wittes then of-late it is enough for Filly-folly to intoxicate it selfe though it be not suffered to defyle the lande which the water enuironeth the Earth enritcheth the aier ensweeteneth and the Heauen blesseth The bounteous graces of God are sowen thicke but come vp thin corruption had little need to be fostred wantonnesse wil be a nurse a bawde a Poet a Legend to itselfe vertue hath much-a doe to hold-out inuiolably her purposed course Resolution is a forward fellow and Valour a braue man but affections are infections and appetite must sometime haue his swinge Were Appetite a loyall subiect to Reason and Will an affectionate seruant to Wisdom as Labour is a dutifull vassal to Commodity and Trauail a flying post to Honour ô heauens what exploites of worth or rather what miracles of excellency might be atcheeued in an age of Pollicy a world of Industry The date of idle vanityes is expired awaye with these scribling paltryes there is an other Sparta in hande that indeede requireth Spartan Temperance Spartan Frugality Spartan exercise Spartan valiancye Spartan perseuerance Spartan inuincibility and hath no wanton leasure for the Comedyes of Athens nor anye bawdy howers for the songes of Priapus or the rymes of Nashe Had he begun to Aretinize when Elderton began to ballat Gascoine to sonnet Turberuile to madrigal Drant to versify or Tarleton to extemporise some parte of his phantasticall bibble-bables and capricious panges might haue bene tollerated in a greene and wild youth but the winde is chaunged there is a busier pageant vpon the stage M. Aschams Toxophilus long fithence shot at a fairer marke and M. Gascoigne himselfe after some riper experience was glad to trye other conclusions in the Lowe Countryes and bestowed an honorable commendation vpon Sir Humfrye Gilbertes gallant discourse of a discouery for a newe passage to the East Indyes But read the report of the worthy Westerne discoueries by the said Sir Humfry Gilbert the report of the braue West-Indian voyage by the conduction of Sir Frauncis Drake the report of the horrible Septentrionall discoueryes by the trauail of Sir Martin Forbisher the report of the politique discouery of Virginia by the Colony of Sir Walter Raleigh the report of sundry other famous discoueryes aduentures published by M. Rychard Hackluit in one volume a worke of importance the report of the hoatt wellcom of the terrible Spanishe Armada to the coast of Inglande that came in glory and went in dishonour the report of the redoubted voyage into Spaine and Portugall whence the braue Earle of Essex and the twoo valorous Generals Sir Iohn Norris and Sir Frauncis Drake returned with honour the report of the resolute encounter about the Iles Azores bewixt the Reuenge of Ingland and an Armada of Spaine in which encounter braue Sir Richard
alwayes hath an eye to Vse an eare to good report a regard to worth a respect to assurance and a reference to the end He that erreth erreth against Truth and himselfe and he that sinneth sinneth against God and himselfe he is none of my charge it suffiseth me to be the Curate of myne owne actions the master of mine owne passions the frend of my frends the pittyer of my enemies the loouer of good witts and honest mindes the affectionate seruant of Artes Vertues the humble Oratour of noble Valour the Commender of the foresaid honorable writinges or any commendable workes Reason is no mans tyrant Dutie euery mans vassall that deserueth well Would this pen were worthy to be the slaue of the worthiest actours or the bondman of the aboue-mentioned and the-like important Autours Such Mercuriall and Martiall Discourses in the actiue and chiualrous veine pleade their owne eternall honour and write euerlasting shame in the forhead of a thousand friuolous ten thousand phantasticall Pamflets I would to Christ some of them were but idle toyes or vayne trifles but impuritie neuer presumed somuch of impunitie and licentious follie by priuiledge lewd ribaldrie by permission and rank villanie by conniuence are become famous Autours not in a popular state or a petty-principalitie but in a souerain Monarchie that tendereth politique gouernment is to fortifie itselfe against forrein hostilitie If Wisedome say not Phie for shame Autoritie take not other order in conuenient time who can tell what generall plague may ensue of a speciall infection or when the kinges-euill is past cure who can say we will now heale it The baddest weede groweth fastest and no Gangrene so pregnantly dispreddeth itselfe as riott And what riott so pestiferous as that which in sugred baites presenteth most poisonous hookes Sir Skelton and Master Scoggin were but Innocents to Signior Capricio and Monsieur Madnesse whose pestilent canker 〈◊〉 all the Medicine of Earth or heauen My writing is but a priuate note for the publique aduertisemeÌ„t of some fewe whose youth asketh instruction whose frailtie needeth admonition In the cure of a canker it is a generall rule with SurgeoÌ„s It neuer perfectly healeth vnlesse the rootes and all be vtterly extirped and the fleshe regenerate But the soundest Principle is Principijs obsta it goeth best with them that neuer knewe what a canker or leper meant I still hoped for some graffes of better fruite but this grand Confuter of my Letters and all honestie still proceedeth from worse to worse from the wilding-tree to the withie from the dogge to the goate from the catt to the swine from Primerose hill to Colman hedge and is so rooted in deepe Vanitie that there is no ende of his profound follie Which deserueth a more famous Encomiasticall Oration then Erasmus renowned Follie and more gloriously disdaineth any cure then the Goute I may answer his hoat rauing in cold termes and conuince him of what notorious falsehood or villanie I can but see the fraÌ„ke spirite of a full stomack who euer was so parlously matched Were not my simplicitie or his omnisuficiencie exceeding great I had neuer bene thus terriblie ouerchalleÌ„ged Gabriel if there be any witt or industrie in thee now I will dare it to the vttermost write of what thou wilt in what language thou wilt and I will confute it and answere it Take Truthes part I will proâ—…ue truth to be no truth marching out of thy doung-voiding mouth so forth in the brauing tenour of the same redoutable stile Good Gentlemen you see the sweet dispositioÌ„ of the man neede no other window into the closet of his coÌ„science but his owne Glosse vpon his owne Text. Whatsoeuer poore I say in any matter or in any language albeit Truth auerr and iustifie the same he will flatly denie and confute euen bicause I say it onely bicause in a frolick and dowtie iollitie he will haue the last word of me His Grammer is his Catechisme Si ais nego his stomack his Dictionarie in any language and his quarrell his Logique in any argument Lucian Iulian Aretin I protest were you ought else but abhominable Atheists that I would obstinatly defende you onely bicause Laureate Gabriel articles against you Were there not otherwise a maruelous oddes and incomprehensible difference betwixt our habilities he would neuer dare me like a bold Pandare with such stout challenges and glorious protestations but singular wittes haue a great aduantage of simple men and â—…unning Falsehood is a mightie confuter of plaine Truth No such champion as he that fighteth obstinatly with the target of Confidence and the long-sword of Impudence If any thing extraordinarily emprooueth valour it is Confidence and if any thing miraculously singularizeth witt it is Impudence Distrust is a naturall foole and Modestie an artificiall foole he that will exploit woÌ„dermentes and karrie all before him like a sweepe-stake must haue a hart of Iron a forhead of Brasse and a toung of Adamant Pelting circumstances marre braue executions looke into the proceedinges of the greatest doers and what haue they more then other men but Audacitie and Fortune Audendum est aliquid Vinclis carcere dignum Si vis esse aliquid Simplicitie may haue a gesse at the Principles of the world and Nashe affecteth to seeme a compound of such Elementes as bold as aeger and as aeger as a mad dogge He will confute me bicause he will and he can conquer me bicause he can If I come vpon him with a gentle reply he will welcome me with a fierce reioynder for any my briefe Triplication he will prouide a Quadruplication at-large so forth in infinituÌ„ with an vndauntable courage for he sweareth he will neuer leaue me as long as he is hable to lift a penne Twentie such famous depositions proclaime his dowtie resolution and indefatigable hand at a pight fielde Were I to begin agayne or cold I handsomely deuise to giue him the cleanly slipp I would neuer deale with a sprite of Coleman hedge or a May-Lord of Primerose hill that hath all humours in his liuerie can put conscience in a Vices coate Na hee will atchieue impossibilities and in contempt of my simplicitie prooue Truth a counterfaict and himselfe a true witnesse of falsest lyes But Lord that so inuincible a Gentleman should make so solemne account of confuting and reconfuting a person of so litle worth in his valuation Sweet man what should you thinke of troubling your-selfe with so tedious a course when you might so blithly haue taken a quicker order may yet proceede more compendiously It had bene a worthy exploit and beseeming a witt of supererogation to haue dipped a sopp in a goblet of reâ—…ish wine and naming it Gabriel for you are now growne into great familiaritie with that name to haue deuoured him vpp at one bit or taking a pickle herring by the throte and christening it Richard for you caÌ„ christen him at your
and necessary defence of the Asse and Experience would declame in commendation of his perpetuall Exercise trauaile industry Valour temperance sufferance magnanimity and constancy the honorablest and inuinciblest vertues in the world The wisest Oeconomy maketh especiall account of three singular members a marchants eare a pigges mouth and an Asses backe A short note but worth all Tussers or Catos husbandry Had I more experience in some cases I could say more as my experieÌ„ce in those cases may happen to encrease or amount I will not faile to tender my deuoire I haue penned large Discourses in prayse of studdy meditation conference exercise industry vigilancy perseuerance the worthiest thinges in the circuite of the Earth nothing vnder heauen equiualent to labour and whatsoeuer I haue addressed in their behalfe I may in sort all edge in honour of the Asse and compile whole Volumes in his commendation more auailable for commodity and more necessary for Vse then the workes of some great Commenters in humanity Philosophy history and other higher Professions He that can kindly play the right Asse in ignorance wil finde knowledge in pouerty wealth in displeasure fauour in ieoperdy security in bondage freedome in warre peace in misery felicity Who so thoroughly prouided for both fortunes as he or who so strongly armed against all casualties as heâ—… or what Seneca Epictetus Boetius Petrarch or Cardan so effectuall a Schoolemaster of Sustine et Abstine as heâ—… or who such an Oeconomer to liue as he or who such a Philosopher to dye as heâ—… or what Physitian for the boddy like him or what Lawier for the substance like him or what Deuine for the minde like him or where such a Practitioner of Vertue as he or where such a Fortune-wright as he or finally where such an apt subiect for the Ciuill and morall reformation of the Prudent Augustus the good Traian the gentle Marcus Antoninus the vertuous AlexaÌ„der Seuerus the drad Septimius Seuerus or any honorable Prince or Politique Tyrant that with a reuereÌ„d authoritie would establish Vertuous and awfull orders of gouernement in his dominions But what an Asse am I that proceede so coldly and dully in the Apology of so worthy a Creature What will you say Gentlemen if I can prooue with pregnant arguments artificially drawen from all the places of Inuention according to Ramus Rodolphes or Aristotles Logique that the fire-breathing Oxen and mighty Dragon which kept the most-famous Golden Fleece the glorious prize of braue Iason were Asses of Colchos that the watchfull and dreadfull Dragon which kept the goodly Golden Apples in the Occidentall Ilands of the Ocean called Hesperides one of the renowned prizes of dowty Hercules was a West-Indian Asse that the golden-horned and brasen-footed Menalian hart the fierce Erymanthean Bore the hideous birdes Stymphalides the puissant Nemaean Lion and the seuen-hedded Lernaean Hydra which Hercules slew were Asses of Arcadia and other adiacent countryes of Morea for Maenalus and Erymanthus were hilles in Arcadia Stymphalus a lake in Arcadia Nemaea a wood in Argolis and Lerna a fen in Argolis an other shire of Morea that the Serpent with the golden creast which kept the rich fountaine of Mars in Greece and was slaine of valiant Cadmus was an Asse of Boëtia so called à boue where the Prophet Amphiaraus breathed Oracles that the huge Serpent Python de monte ingendred shortly after Deucalions deluge which the Arcadian god of Wisedome killed with his arrowes the first founders of the Pythian Games was a mighty Asse of the mountaines that the mounting Aegle into which king Iupiter turned not himselfe but Ganymedes whom he tooke with him as his flying Page and vsed as his standing cupbearer was a faithfull seruaunt and a perpetuall Asse that the hondredeyed Argus whom Queene Iuno appointed the keeper of Io the fairest creature of the Arcadian herde and whom Mercury Iullabyed asleepe with a sweet Syrinx or Arcadian Pipe many Stratagemes and mysteries in that Arcadian Pipe was a blind Asse of Arcadia I skip a thousand memorable Histories that all they by whatsoeuer noble or glorious names intituled that hauing charge of greatest importance and inestimable Value committed to their vigilant and ielous custody did attonce forgo their treasure their honour and their life as many great personages for want of circumspection haue done were notorious Arch-asses If I cannot substantially prooue all this and for a neede euict by necessary and immediate demonstration that the great world is a great Asse aswell actu as Potentia and the Microcosme a little Asse aswell habitu as affectione say I am a notable Asse aswell re as nomine The Philosopher that seeking-about with a candle at high noone could not finde a Man in a populous market without a candle would soone haue pointed at a faire of Asses and could quickly haue discoouered a frutefull generation in euery element in the water on the Earth about the fier in the Aier And the wise-man that said without exception Stultorum plena sunt omnia might easely haue bene entreated to haue set it downe for a souerain Maxim or generall rule Asinorum plena sunt omnia The thundring Oratour Demosthenes was not affraide to taunt Minerua the armed Goddesse of fine Athens for exhibiting fauour to three vnreasonable beastes the Owle the Dragon and the People counting the People the most importunate and intolerable beast of the three by whose appointment he was banished the dainty Citty the onely seate of his raigning Eloquence If the people of fine Athens were such a barbarous and senselesse brute as their excellentest Oratours Philosophers Captaines Counsellours and Magistrates founde to their cost and if the people of braue Roome the Lady and Empresse of the world were such a bellowing beast of many heads as Horace called it Tully prooued it Scipio fealt it and Caesar himselfe rued it what may be said of other people Floorishing Greece in many hundred yeares acknowledged but seuen wise-meÌ„ of speciall note as the auncient world acknowledged but seuen miracles or magnificall spectacles worth the seeing Callimachus a sweet Poet recording the memorable and woonderfull thinges of Peloponesus termed them Paradoxes Vortuous Italy in a longer terme of dominion with much adooe bred two Catos and One Regulus but how many Syluios Porcios Brutos Bestias Tauros Vitellios Capras Capellas Asinios and so forth Other singularities meete matter for Tullyes Paradoxes The world was neuer giuen to singularities and no such monster as Excellency He that speaketh as other vse to speake auoideth trouble and he that doth as most men doe shal be least woondred at The Oxe and the Asse are good fellowes the Libbard and the Foxe queint wisardes whatsoeuer abooue the common capacity or vsuall hability a Paradoxe I will not bethinke miselfe of the rigorous sentences of Stoicall Philosophers or the biting Apothegs of seditious Malcontents or the angry sayings of froward Saturnistes or the tumultuous Prouerbes of mutinous people I haue small
appetite if a little greedie deuouring of singularitie will so soone gett the hicket and make thee as it were belch the sloouens Oratorie and as a man would say parbreake the sluttes Poetry Pure Singularitie wrong not thy arch-excellent Selfe but embrace him with both thy armes that huggeth thee with his fiue wittes and cowll him with thy two corall bracelets that busseth thee with his two ruby lippes and his three diamant powers naturall animall and vitall Precious Singularity how canst thou choose but dote vpon his alabaster necke whose inuentiue part can be no lesse then a sky-co◅loured Sapphire like the heauenly deuises of the delitious Poetesse Sappho the godmoother of that azure gemme whose Rhetoricall figures sanguin and resplendishing Carbuncles like the flamy Pyrops of the glistering Pallace of the Sun whose alluring persuasions Amethists whose cutting girds adamants whose conquering Ergos loadestones whose whole cōceit as greene as the greenest Iasper whose Orient witt the renowned achates of king Pyrrhus that is the tabernacle or chauncell of the Muses Apollo sitting in the midst and playing vpon his Iuory harpe most enchauntingly Is it possible those powerfull wordes of antiquity whose mightie influence was woont to debase the miraculous operation of the most-vertuous stones hearbes and starres Philosophy knoweth the incredible force of stones hearbes starres should be to seeke in a panting inspired brest the closet of reuealed mysteries and garden of infused graces What lockes or barres of Iron can hold that quicksiluer Mercury whose nimble vigour disdaineth the prison and will display itselfe in his likenes maugre whatsoeuer empeachment of iron Vulcan or woodden Daedalus I hoped to finde that I lusted to see the very singular subiect of that inuincible omnipotent Eloquence that in the worthiest age of the world intituled heroicall put the most-barbarous tyranny of men and the most-sauage wildnesse of beastes to silence and arreared woonderfull admiration in the hart-roote of obstinatest Rebellion otherwise how vntractable Had I not cause to platforme new Theorickes and Idees of monstrous excellency when the parturient mountaine of miracles was to be deliuered of his mighty burden of Supererogation Who would not ride post to behold the chariot of his Triumph that glorieth as if he had woon both the Indyes from the Spaniard or Constantinople from the Turke or Babylon from the Sophi But holla braue Gentlemen and alacke sweet Gentlewoomen that would so fayne behold S. Fame in the pompe of her maiestie neuer poore suckling hope so incredibly crosbitten with more then excessiue defection I looked and looked for a shining Sunne of Singularity that should amaze the eyes and astonish the harts of the beholders but neuer poore shimering Sunne of Singularity so horribly eclipsed I perceiue one good honest aker of performance may be more worth then a whole land of Promise Take heede aspiring mindes you that deeme yourselues the Paragon wittes of the world lesse your hilles of iollity be conuerted into dales of obscurity and the pōpe of your glory become like this pumpe of shame Euen when Enuy boyled his inke Malice scorched his penne pride parched his paper Fury inflamed his hart S. Fame raged like S. Georges Dragon marke the Conclusion the weather was cold his stile frost-bitten and his witt nipped in the head Take away the flaunting and huffing braueries of his railing tropes and craking figures and you see the whole galiarde of his Rhetorique that flowteth the poore Philippiques of Tully and Demosthenes and mocketh him that chaunced to name them once in foure Letters as he vsed their word Entelechy now a vulgar French and English word once in foure and twenty Sonnets The wise Priest could not tell whither Epiphany were a man-saint or a wooman-saint or what the diuell it was Such an Epiphany to this learned man is Entelechy the onely quintessence of excellent and diuine mindes as is abooue mentioned shewing whence they came by their heauēly and perpetuall motion What other word could expresse that noble and vigorous motion quicker then quicksiluer and the liuely spring or rather the Vestall fier of that euer-stirring Vertue of Caesar Nescia stare loco a mystery and a very Chimera to this swadd of swaddes that beginneth like a Bullbeare goeth-on like a bullocke endeth like a bullfinch and hath neuer a sparkle of pure Entelechy Gentlemen now you know the good nature and handsome Art of the man if you happen vpon a feather or some morsell for your likyng it is a very sory Booke that yeeldeth nothing for your liking thanke the true Autor of whose prouision you haue tasted and say not but Thomas Nash hath read somthing that affecting to seeme an Vniuersity of sciences and a Royall Exchaunge of tounges would be thought to haue deuoured Libraries and to know all thinges like Iarchas and Syfarion na like Adam and Salomon the archpatrons of our new Omniscians If he did so in verity it were the better for him and not the worse for me but you see his doing and my suffering Neither I nor my betters can please all nor he nor his Punyes will displease all but as in the best something remaineth that may be amended without derogation to their credit so in the worst there may appeare something worth the allowance with no great cōmendation to their person Were I disposed to discourse as somtime I haue bene forward vpō lesse occasiō for the onely exercise of my stile and some practise of my reading I could with a facility declare at-large that may briefly be rouched Amongst so many notable workes of diuine wittes excepting the workes of Gods owne finger there is not any so absolutely excellent wherein some blemish of imperfection may not be noted n◅ramongst amongst so many contemptible Pamflets any so simply base but may yeeld some little frute of aduertisement or some few blossoms of discourse In the souerain workemanship of Nature herselfe what garden of flowers without weedes what orchyard of trees without woormes what field of Corne without cockle what ponde of fishes without frogges what sky of light without darknesse what mirrour of knowledge without ignorance what man of Earth without frailty what commodity of the world without discommodity Oh! what an honorable and wonderfull Creature were Perfection were there any such visible Creature vnder heauen But pure Excellncy dwelleth onely abooue and what mortall wised me can accleere itselfe from errour or what heroicall vertue can iustifie I haue no vice The most precious things vnder the Sunne haue their defaultes and the vilest thinges vpon Earth want not their graces Virgill could enrich himselfe with the rubbish of ◅nnius to how many rusty-dusty Waines was braue Liuy beholding Tully that was as fine as the Crusado disdained not some furniture of his predecessours that were as course as canuas and he that will diligently seeke may assuredly finde treasure in merle corne in straw gold in drosse pearles in shell-fishes precious stones in the dunghill of Esope rich iewels of