that Song and my Argumentes before each perticuler Canto shall finde how necessary it is to bee presented to an vniuersall consideration and perceiue whether I haue spiritually or carnally meditated thereon and whether I haue beene guided by the interpretations of the Catholike Church or by myne owne fancy If I haue any way ◅rred I am hartily sory for yt and humbly desireing pardon am ready to giue satisfaction both by publik acknowledgment of my ouersight and in takeinge away or reforming what is amisse If I haue don wel God forgiue them whose fleshly vnderstandinges haue abused my good intentions and I wish them the spirite of true charitye that they may beecome more capeable of that celestiall Loue Song For the sweete contentmentes which I tasted in contemplateinge the mysteryes therein contayned were somwhat interrupted through the care I had of them whose ignorance or wilfull blindnesse would depriue both themselues and others of those comfortes And I pray God those that speake irreuerently of that Song or hinder the publycation thereof in such wise as may best rouze vp the spiritual affections may repent thēselues thereof least they come within danger of that curse those are lieable vnto whoe add or take away from the booke of God For though some foolish Verse-haters who are wise men in their owne opinions haue vndiscreetly passed their censures against translating the Canonicall Hymnes into our English Numbers I shall bee able not onely to make proofe vpon good occasion that they may be as truely converted into our meeter as into Prose and that our English measures are capable of expressing them with as much power and grauity but to demonstrat also that Verse was first inuented and vsed altogether in setting forth the prayses of God and that those thinges which were originally penned in measured word◅s cannot be so properly nor so vsefully expressed in Prose as in our Verse It would too much ◅nlarge this hasty discourse if I should deliuer heere all I could inferr to that purpose or insist vpon all the reasons which I could giue in defence of giuing way to the free vse of the Song of Solomon in our English meeter But vnder correction and submitting my opiniōs to your better Iudgmēts I will in briefe answere some of those reasons which I haue heard brought against the common vse thereof that it may appeare I am not altogether without consideration in what I haue done The principall causes obiected for restrayning of that Song are three First least it should be abused by prophane or indis◅reet people Secondly because the Iewish Rabbines haue restrayned it from their Laicty as vnfit for the vulger and lastly by reason the Christian Church as they thinke hath neither by command nor by practise warranted the same It is true that the Canticles may be and are often abused yea and the rest of the holy scriptures euen by those who by restrayning them seeke to preuent their abuse as well as by others But God forbid that such as would rightly apply them should be depriued of their most comfortable vse because sensuall men will turne that grace of God into wantonnesse By that rule the vse of most thinges should be taken away for many men abuse their liberty in that which is most lawfull yea the whole booke of holy scriptures should be sealed vp because many haue heritically applyed them seeing the same may be alleadged for denyinge the vse of both Testamentes which is obiected for restrayning the Canticles The word of God looseth no worth by any mans abusing of it but he that abuseth the same harmeth himselfe onely and them whose owne corruptions haue made that the sauour of death vnto thē which is lyfe in it owne nature and whose power if it bee hidden is hidden to those onely that perish Seeinge we permitt the rest of Gods booke to be read of all without exception and euen this songe in the Prose why should it be more offensiue in the meeter since Diuinity and the prayses of God may be prooued as I haue sayd before to be the most auncient and most proper subiects of Verse If I haue not exprest the meaning of the Originall soe truely or soe grauely as the prose hath don let it be declared in what pertituler and I cann amend the ouersight as easily as it may be found For whatsoeuer sence is giuen mee in prose I can as fully and as playnely expresse againe in measured words Yea I doubt not but I shall be able to iustifie that my Metricall Version of the Canticles is as proper as modest and as perspicuous as most prose Translations and that those who accuse it of Obscenity haueing vncleane thoughtes themselues doe rather accuse God then me and blasphemously disparage the wisedome of the holy ghost But noe wonder to the fylthy all thinges are filthy euen the purity of God seemes vncleannes to them and their preposterous discretion is ashamed of his prudence But some obiect it is vnfitting that Mystery should be exposed to the viewe and perusall of children and I say also that it is as vnseemely the childrens bread should be deuoured of doggs or that pearles should be cast before swine Neuerthelesse these thinges do often fall out soe without remedy and pitty it were that bread should be kept altogether from the children because they somtyme spoyle or play childishly with that which shoulde feede and norrish them The story of the incest of that Lot of Thamer diuers other passages in holy scripture are more subiect to abuse then the Canticles yet clildren are permitted to reade them because we knowe not by what warrant wee may diuide them from the booke of God The best course therefore is to instruct them with what mynde to pervse them or to prefixe such warnings before those places as I set before my Versiō of Solomons song For there I haue adiured al Readers vnder payne of Gods heauy indignation to be wary with what mind and to what end they shall make vse of those excellent Hymns which I am perswaded will be a meanes to make them lesse abused hereafter The truth is they cannot be more prophaned by children then the whole Booke of God is by those that peruse it negligently nor soe much as the most easie and most vsefull passages thereof are by those presumptious Libertynes and scoffing Atheists who make application of them accordinge to their owne humors For though an ignorant simplicity makes children sometyme misunderstand such thinges as they read or frutlesly passe them ouer yet they doe not wilfully peruert them to wicked purposes And therefore God doth many times giue such a blessing euen to that which in their childhood they pervsed without vnderstanding as that many tymes it is a meanes of bringing it the better into memory to their great profit and comfort in riper yeares No holy scripture or canon of our Church hath commaunded the keepeing of this or that parte of Gods Booke
THE SCHOLLERS PVRGATORY Discouered In the Stationers Common-wealth And Discribed in a Discourse Apologeticall asvvell for the publike aduantage of the Church the State vvhole Common-vvealth of England as for the remedy of priuate iniuryes By GEO VVITHER Pro 18. 13. He that answeares his matter before he heare him it is shame and folly vnto him Suffer him then that he may speake and when he hath spoken mock on Iob. 21. 2. IMPRINTED For the Honest Stationers The occasion and contents of this Apology THe Author of this ensuing Apology haueing the Kings Grant concerning his booke called the Hymnes Songes of the Church vniustly malitiously opposed by the Stationers who vnchristianly vilify scandalize alsoe the said Booke to the contempt of his Maiesties powre the hinderance of deuotion the preiudice of the Authors estate the disparagment of his best endeauors He doth here Apologize both for his Booke Priueledge shewing the true grounds of their spightfull opposition discouering the Progresse of it answearing such friuelous obiections as they haue dispersed discouering how iniurious alsoe they are euen to the whole Common-wealth in many other particulers It hath bene offred to the Presse because it was otherwise impossible to divulge the same so vniuersally as they haue spread their scandalls And it was directed alsoe to the most reuerend Conuocatiō that the said Booke might be corrected or approoued of as the wisdome of that graue Assembly shall finde cause that the representatiue body of the Church of England beholding a glimpse of the Stationers harbarous dispositions in misvsing this Author might from thence take occasion to be informed What other insolencyes abuses they are guilty of both to the disturbance of Christian vnity to the Common preiudice If the Printers hast shall occasion any slipps he desires that if his worke be legible he may be ex cused Soe doth our Author likewise if in the methode or language any ouer sight be committed For haueing many other employments and being constrayned to write it in hast that it might bee imprinted before this present Session of Parliament were expired there may be somewhat ouerseene perhapps which needeth pardon But as it is he humbly offers to consideration the said Apology whose perticulers are these that follow 1. First an Induction after which the Author haueing breefly touched vpon those troubles Imprisonments expences which compelled him to make some benifite of his owne books sheweth why he gott his Hymnes confirmed vnto him by his Maiesties Letters Patents what honest Course he tooke in procuring his Grant Pag. 1 c. 2. He sheweth how vniustly ingratfully the Stationers therevpon opposed him how vncivelly they abused him how vnchristianly they vilified his Hymnes rather as Censurers then sellers of Bookes And a little toucheth vpon the particuler vsur pations In sinuations Insolencyes Auarice abuses of Bookesellers Pag. 6 c. 3. He declareth why he exercised his Muse in Diuinity What reason he had to translate the Canonicall Hymnes into Lyrick verse that some of the Cleargy mooned him therevnto He sheweth alsoe to what end he composed the Spirituall Songs for the obseruable tymes Of what nature that Booke is which the Stationers oppose And what they doe in particuler rayle obiect against the said Booke Pag. 11 c. 4. He proueth by diuerse Arguments that the said Hymnes are necessary not impertinent as the Stationers obiect Then toucheth againe vpon the abuses grosse partiality of the Stationers acquiteth himselfe of seeking his owne profitt to the publike preiudice as his Aduersaries vntruly affyrme and demonstrateth his Patent to be neither Monopoly as the Stationers alleage as some of their Patēts are but rather a benifite Pag. 24 c. 5. He setteth downe the Stationers peremptery claime to all Authors labors refuting a Lawyers foolish judgment passed on their behalfes Instanceth in what particulers they vsurpe larger Prerogatiues then they will allow the King And then haueing iust occasion pointeth at their fraudulent vnsufferable abusing of the people in their Mystery of Booke selling Pag. 29 c. 6. He particularizeth în what vnciuell termes the Stationers vilifie his Hymnes How vniustly they disparage his expressions And how impudently they vsually preferr divulge those pernitious impertinent things whereby they themselues may receaue profitt Pag. 33 c. 7. He iustifies his expressions Protesteth with what mind what preparation and with what Caueats he proceeded in that worke And there withall mētioneth some of those difficulties which are in such a taske speaketh somwhat cōcerning the metricall version of Dauids Psalmes now in vse Pag. 35 c. 8. He maintaines the lawfulnesse of vndertaking a worke of that nature notwithstanding he is no profest Diuine against those who obiect he hath intruded vpon the Diuine calling glanceth at the ignorance and envy of those Obiectors P 39 9. He discouereth how presumptuously they haue countenanced their detraction and opposition by pretending that the Lo Archb of Cant andothers are all affected to the said Hymnes Grant And it is made euident that they haue impudently abused the Lo Archb therein Pag. 45 c. 10. He giueth reason for his translating and publishing the sōg of Salomō in Lyrick verse Setts downe the Stationers impious and scurrilous manner of traducing it Expresseth somewhat of that Songs comfortable vse with what may be said in answeare to them who think it ought to be restrained for feare of being misapplyed And haueing spoken somewhat concerning his owne proceedings submitteth all to censure Pag 49 c. 11. He displaies the Stationers demeanor toward those who come to aske for his Booke Setts forth the quality of those whom they haue drawne to passe their censures against it Shewes how wilfully the Kings iniunction his pious intent therein hath bene reiected And what inconueniences are likly to follow their insolencyes if order be not taken Pag 63 c. 12. He vpholds his Hymnes for the obseruable tymes against the Stationers those whom they haue stirred vp to oppose them Offers them to strictest examination Shewes his Christian simplicity in cōposing thē that they tend to the glory of God and the furtherance of vniformity That they were lawfully Authorized That they are consanant to the word of God the Doctrine of the Catholike Church and to all the lawes and ecclesiasticall Ordinances of this Realme Pag. 66 c. 13. He intimates that it is probable his Hymnes are scandalized by none but such as are ill affected to the gouernment of our Church Shewes that his prefaces hath vindicated all our Solemnities from those imputations of popery Schismaticks hath cast vpon them Toucheth vpon the pious vsefulnesse of the Churches Discipline Illustrateth their impiety who seeke to disparage or abolish it And specifieth in what places in what ridiculous manner the Stationers passe their virdicts vpon his booke Pag. 69 c 14. He setteth downe
pleasure Wherevpon least God should turne his blessing to a curse and my reputation to my shame if I sought not what way to ymploy it vnto his prayse and obseruing withall that we make vse of the most excelent expressions of the holy ghost in rude and barbarous Numbers whilst our own wanton fancies were paynted trymed out in the most moouing languag Me thought it fared with vs as with those agaynst whom the Prophet Hosea complayned that dwelt in sieled houses themselues whilst the Temple of God lay wast And therefore seeing no other to vndertake the same I spent about three yeeres to prepare my self for such a I aske and then proceeded with the translation of the Psalmes according to that ability God had giuen me But before I had halfe ended them I heard that one of much better sufficiency had made a long and happy progresse into that worke and therevpon in expectation of his more able performance delayed to proceed with what I had begunne vntill such tyme as I was informed that the other was by the multiplicity of weighty Affayres compelled to giue ouer his laborious Attempt And then I thought my selfe engaged agayne to proceede Now dureing the tyme of intermission as aforesaid that I might not want an imployment answereable to my first intention I was by some of the Clergy who I hope were moqued there unto by the Spirit of God inuiâ—…ed to collect and translate into Lyricke-verse the Hymnes dispersed throughout the Canonicall Scriptures Which I imbraced with much readynes persoiâ—…d willingly adding vnto theÌ„ such other parâ—…ds of Holy-writt Creeds and Songs as I conceiued proper and necessary to be sunge And because some can well enough allowe an endlesseâ—… variety of foolish Songs and ballads â—…eÌ„ding to the 〈◊〉 of the flesh and the deuill yet be apt to say wee 〈◊〉 Psalmes and Songes enough in this kind already And so 〈◊〉 also as I haué heard others whoâ—… presume much on their own foâ—…ndnes in 〈◊〉 in noraÌ„t by demauÌ„d what the SoÌ„gs of Moâ—…s Debâ—…rah 〈◊〉 sâ—…ch like are pertiâ—…eÌ„t vnto vs. To let those 〈◊〉 vnlerned ignorant men know that the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 none of the Canonicall Scriptures tyll these tymes of 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 haue in a short Proeme â—…ding to the opinion of the true Church declared that those Scriptures are euery whitt as vsefull and necessary for vs as for them in whose tymes and for whose particuler occasioÌ„s they were first written And before each Hymne I haue presixed also a briefe preface to shew in what sence the congregation or men may priuately and ought to repeat them Moreouer hauing with griefe obserued how the Church of England lyke Iesus Christ crucified betwen two theeues is traduced and abused between Papists and Schismatiks the one falsly charging her with want of order and christian discipline the other as vniustly vpbrayding her with popish and superstitious obseruations And hauing experience that there are great multitudes of wel affected people easie to be led aside for company into the later ouersight through want of some to informe them better who would with smal ado be conformable if they had meanes of instruction concerning their particuler mistakings Yea many of these being wel inclyned towards me and I not knowing which way to vse that affection better then to make it a meanes of increasing christian vnity and devotion I resolued to publish some what to stirre vp in them that obedience and reuerence which they ought to expresse towardes the pious ordinances of the Church and if I lost any mans esteem for so conscionable an attempt I assured my self I lost nothing but what was neuer worth the sauing To that end therefore hauing receiued incouragment and taken aduice from some of the most deuout and learned of our Deuines I composed certayne Hymnes and Songes appropriated to the ordynary publike occasions of our Congregations and to those tymes obseruable by commaund of the Churche and by the authority of the State that soe God might bee gloryfied in euery Solempnity and those tymes not so much prophaned and contemned as heretofore And because I had heard some Teachers in Israel professe themselues ignorant concerning the vse of the Holy-days obserued in our Church I tooke the more paines though not presuming to teach them to expresse before the proper Song of euery obseruable Time or other occasion their religious vse briefly in such a manner as I hope euery reasonable capacity may thereby vnderstand our Churches discipline in that poynt to be farr from a needles popish or superstious Tradition Moreouer that I might not trouble any mans charity or deuotion in the vse of these Hymnes I was as watchful as possible I could be to make all my expressions free from bitternesse or touches of those controuersies which might giue offence to the weake members of our Church And God so prosper me as I was and am cleare from meaning to grieue offend or discontent the soules or consciences of any Thus with a good purpose I began and finished those Hymns and Songes which make vp the Booke called the HYMNES and SONGS OF THE CHVRCH So named not for that I would haue them accounted part of our Lyturgie as I haue deliuered to his Maiestie in my Epistle but because they do for the most part treate of such particulers as concerne the whole Church of God And this is that booke for which his Maiestie vouchsafed mee the priuiledge before mentioned and which he pyously gratiously commaunded to bee annexed to the singing Psalmes that it might be the more generally the more conuenieÌ„tly divulgâ—…d amoÌ„g his subiects for their instruction And indeed by that means those poore people whose Pastors suffer them or cause them to be misinformed concerning that poynt shall carry about with them in their most vsesual book what may at one tyme or other open their vnderstandinges to perceiue their errour This is that Booke for which I was euer worst vsed for my best intentions suffer more then for all my former in discretioÌ„s for which I haue receiued those afroÌ„ts that may wel be raÌ„ked amoÌ„g my greatest iniuries notwithstanding it had besides the ordinary allowance of Authority the particular approbation and coÌ„mendation both of the King himselfe and of many the members of this most reuerend Conuocation Yea this is that Booke for which the Common wealth of Stationers â—… Tyrrany vnheard of in former ages desire to make me as odious as if I had ympolyed my whole study to the oppression of this weale publike or to the subuertioÌ„ of religion and for which they haue persued me with such violence and clamor as hath seldome or neuer been exampled in any cause Heare therefore I humbly beseech you their particuler obiections and for his sake who hath honoured you with high places and holy callings be you Iudges betweene mee and them For though in regard of my selfe I should take no more notice
I ought to seeke the same without entreating any mans furtheraÌ„ce and if it be not in euery perticuler iust and conuenient that I should enioy the same yt shall goe and I wil venture an vtter vndoeing rather then make vse of any mans friendship to detain it For God who hath hitherro prouided for me in such a manner as best befitted both my temporall and spirituall Condition will I knowe continue his prouident care of me while I can haue grace to be thankfull and retayne the resolution to doe my lawfull endeauour Howsoeuer let the worlde conceit of mee as it pleaseth I scorne to enioy my lyfe much more any priueledge to the common preiudice and am able to demonstrate as shall hereafter appeare that my booke and the Kinges Graunt haue beene malitiously traduced without cause Yet the Stationers haue not only scandalized the sayde graunt vniustly and layde the imputation of impertinencie to the Booke of Hymnes without cause but feareing as it seems lest their publication would discoÌ„uer their false dealing and gayne me and my labour some good approbation in spight of their mallice They haue as I sayd before practised also or rather conspired as much as in them lyes to hinder the lawful sale of my Booke For they prouide them not in their shoppes as they are commaunded by Authority nor furnish themselues with those as with other books notwithstanding they may take them vpon trust and make profitt of them before payment is required at their hands being content somewhat to hinder themselues that they may disaduantage me And to excuse this iniury they giue out contrary to their owne knowledges that if they take my bookes from me none will fetch them out of their handes which they falsly pretend meerely to dispariage that which I hope they shall neuer be able to bring out of credit tyl they haue lost their owne For they are daily so much enquired after that had the Booke-sellers preferred them to sale as they would haue done if the coppie had been their owne twenty thousand might haue been dispersed long ere this tyme. Yea if they had either any loyal respect to the Kings pyous commaund or loue to the practise of Deuotion or but that humanity which is to be found among Infidells they might haue deulged a hundred in place of euery tenâ—… which are yet dispersed For though fewe knowe where to get the sayd Hymnes because they are seldome to be had amonge the Booke-sellers yet thousandes of them haue beene bought vp by gentlemen and others whoe hauing enquired out with much difficulty where to finde them report to mee howe much I am abused amonge the Stationers and how hardly they cann forbeare from vsing them vnciuilly that come to aske for my Booke with diuers other particular Discourtesies But because those vsages doe demonstrate their owne euill disposition rather then disparage the said Booke I wil omitt to perticularize those many discourtesies which I am that way offered and proceed to answere such other obiections as they and their abetters haue framed to bring both my Hymnes and me into contempt And first they obiect forsooth that they are not worthy to be annexed with their Psalmes in meeter in respect of that insufficiency which they haue discouered in my expressions For so harsh and improper do my lynes appeare to these iuditious censurers and their chaplins that some compare them to DOD the fillkemans late ridiculous translation of the Psalmes which was by authority worthily condemned to the fire Some tearme them in scorne WITHERS SONNETS and some among them the better to expresse what opinion they haue of their pious vse are pleased to promise that they wil procure the â—…aring Ballett singer with one legg to sing and self them about the Citie which base speeches proceeding from those skoffing Isâ—…alites I could well enough brooke in respect of mine owne person oâ—… meâ—…t For there is soe much euill euen in the best of my actions that contempt is the fayrest reward which they can iustly challenge Yet when I call to minde with what Christian intentions I was emploieâ—… 〈◊〉 those Hymnes and howe many howers at â—…ight I spent about them whilst it may be my Traducers were either sleeping out their tyâ—… oâ—… 〈◊〉 employed when I consider also howâ—… many 〈◊〉 religious men haue approoued theÌ„ how much their pious vse might further the reuerence and practise of Deuotion to the prayse of God it greeues me that there should bee in this nation any so wicked as to oppose so Christian a worke to so friuelous an end But when I remember by whome and by what Authority that booke was allowed and commaunded to be made publik and withall what mistery of iniquity it is that hath conspired against the saÌ„e me thinkes it is an Iniurie not to be tollerated Is it reason they who liue by bookes should bee permitted to abuse the Authors of their liuelyhood Or is it seemely that those whoe as I sayd before are but the pedlers of books should become their censurers and by consequent both the censurers and deprauers of that Authority which allowed them If this be tollerated the fayrest draughts of Apelles shal be daily subiect to the foolish critiscismes of those arrogant coblers and the State shall not be able â—…re long to publish any thing but what they haue a fancie to approoue For to this passe it is already come that whatsoeuer the State dislykes shal be imprinted and devulged by them though both absurd and scaÌ„dalous with twice more seriousnes then any booke lawfully commaunded but let it tend to schisme and they will disperse more vnder-hand in one weeke then the Royall Authority shal be able to divulge in a yeare toward the setling of vnity in the Church I know not what it is which should make my booke of Hymnes appeare soe ridiculus vnto theâ—… or so vnworthy to be annexed to the English Psalm-book as they pretend In respect of the matter it cannot iustly be excepted against for a great part therof is canonicall Scripture and the rest also is both agreeable therunto in euery perticuler and consonant to the most approoued Discipline of the Church of England Soe that how squeâ—…ishly soeuer some of their stomackes brooke it they being allowed by Authority are as fitt I trust to keepe company with Dauids Psalmes as Robert Wisdomes TVRKâ—… and POPE and those other apocryphall Songs and praiers which the stationers add to the Psalmebooke for their more aduantage Sure I am that if their additions shal be allowed of by the most voices yet mine shal be approoued of before those by the best Iudgments Now as for the manner of expression which I haue vsed I hope it is such as no iust exception cann be taken therunto seeing I haue aswel in that which is of my owne Inuention as in the Translations vsed that simplicity of speech which best becommeth yâ— subiect without affectatioÌ„ to those poetical phrases
not content to smother my booke as much as may be by denying to giue it vtterance according as the King hath commaunded and as by their trade they ought to doe or to disparage it by striuing to make me seeme vnfitting or insufficient for a worke of that nature but to countenance their detractions they pretend as I sayde before that the Lo Archb with other of your LLos haue disliked my Hymnes that my Lo of Canterbury would this Parlament take order to suppresse them I cannot but wonder at the bouldnesse and impudence of these fellowes that dare publish such improbable vntruthes to the disparagement of honorable personages For many of your Reuerences haue receiued those Hymnes at my hands and returned me that good respect which hath been my encouragement and I cannot thinke any possessing those reuerent places would haue so much forgotten humanity as to haue condemned my labors in such fashiâ—… as those giue out It caÌ„not be thought they censured them vpon the Stationers reports seeing that were an inexcusable leuity and if they examined it me thinks my paynes my pyous intention and the good vse which may be made of that booke would haue mooued them to counsell me how to amend that which was found amisse rather then to disparage my whole work for a few ouersights Can I suppose they who should encourage men in their pyous studies and be glad to see that we are able in any measure to exercise our facultyes towardes the setting forth of Gods prayse would be so harsh to giue me hard censures for my paynes because forsooth I haue not answered their expectations in some one tâ—…iuiall poynt Sure this were not that tendernesse which might be expected in the Fathers of the Church nor do I beleue that any of your LLâ—…s would vse that seuerity towards me for then if I had noâ—… better comfortes then such critescisme affords those who wâ—… their tyme altogether in idlenesse and abuse their facultyes to vainest purposes are in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…n I. Now that they haue abused my Lo Grace of 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 his dislike of my booke to the disparagement thereof I shal make yt very apparent For his Grace tooke notise that my booke was perused and allowed by his Maiestie himselfe and worthily approued his Royall iudgement both in Diuinity and Poetry the Stationers beeing present he was informed likewise concerning euery perticuler circumstance in the Grant and how it was his Maiesties pleasure my booke should be anexed to the metricall Psalmes and thereupon both illustrated the reasonablenesse thereof to the sayd stationers and gaue them and me incouragment to proceed to composition touching the same moreouer the Canonical Hymnes haueing beene allowed by the Lo Bp of London part of them imprinted for an assay I deliuered to my L Archbs own hands a coppy of them almost fowre yeare agoe since when about two yeares after they being imprinted altogether passed without contradiction euen to the diuvlging of a full impression and lastly haueing an addition of spirituall Songes for the obseruable tymes they came forth altogether authorised as well by the Kinges perticuler approbation as by the common allowance appoynted by the State Yea my Lo of Canterbury himselfe receiued one of those bookes from me vpon Michelmas day last and giuing me order to alter one word only hath permitted al the rest to haue free passage without controwle Is it likely then that my Lord will soe iniure the Kinges iudgement and his owne as to disparage in priuate what they haue publikely allowed or secretly combine with the stationers to oppose the Kinges royall commaund in that which he himselfe hath approoued reasonable Is it likely his Grace would soe dishonor the reuerent Authority of his place as to make the stationers or bookebinders his instruments of suppressing my booke in such a scandalous fashion consideringe what power hee hath giuen him to take order and reforme in matters of that nature or is it likely that his Lp had soe litle compassion and respect as not to consider what faultinesse might bee in my Hymnes or what inconuenience might arise by my Graunt vntyll I had bestowed besides my paynes so much cost in printing them that he might at one blowe make frustrate my studies and quite ouerthrowe my estate both together Whilst there was hope of a composition betweene me and the stationers the Priueledg was no GreeuaÌ„ce neither was there any fault found with my Hymnes and is it likly that since our disgreement mallice and detraction should finde out those escapes which the eye of Authority could not discouer Is it likely my Lo would â—…e soe partiall as to passe ouer all my paynes and vnquestionable expressions without regard finding but one place doubtful as easie to bee amended as found fault withall that he would haue sought to cast away my whole endeuour for that ouersighte which I was able and ready with all humility to reforme Or is it likly he reputed of so litle coÌ„sequeÌ„ce what yâ— King was pleased to peruse graÌ„t a priueledg for that neither his priuate deuotion nor his publike care would moue him to consider what good or inconuenience might succeede vpon the publication thereof vntill the stationers had for their owne endes awakened him Or if it were considered can I thinke he would haue beene silent vntill it might be obiected to my publike disgrace It cannot be but that they haue abused my Lds Grace and diuers other reuerend personages in their reports For such vsage of me were not answereable to yâ— reuereÌ„ce pyety of their callings if religious endeuours should euer finde such encouragmentes there were more hope of thrift to the worldwarde by makeing Ballades for the company of stationers then coulde bee by composing of Hymns and spirituall Songes for the honor of God I hope no man in authority enuies me the honor of my emploimeÌ„t nor grudges mee that poore profite which my labors may honestly bring in For though it bee noâ—… meane content to a christian whose soule is touched with the vnderstanding of spirituall comfortes to bee an instrument of Gods glory yet that which I haue attempted makâ—… me in regard of one of you noe better then the meanest seruant attendinge on the outward ceremonies is in comparison of him that hath yâ— most holy mysteries of the Church committed to his dispensation And as for the benefit likely to arise vnto me froÌ„ that I haue done I know not what it may proue hereafter but hitherto I haue bene acquainted with nothing saue the priuation of it and haue beene so preposterously rewarded for my best labors that if all those whoe are thought to censure me had mett with such discouragments as I haue done it is tenn to one but some of them now florishing in eminent places had sate as lowe as I doe at this day But if it shall please my Lo of Canterbury to pardon them for abusing his name in the
pietie but let them not measure the Church by their cubite nor judge the profitablenes of her Discipline by the abuses or misinterpretatiōs of ignorāt Detractors For if those who fancie most perfection in their priuate rule of life had at first wanted those helpes remembrances and publique meanes of instructiō which were tendred them by the Church they had eyther wandred perhaps after vncertaine pathes or neglected to proceed at all in their Spirituall Iourney Our holy Mother the Church hath many Children of diuers tempers and constitutions and as the Maister of a great Feast prouideth so that euery Guest may finde some what to agree with his appetite So Gods Church hath established such discipline for her childrē that euery one may finde that which accordes vvith their capacities and inclinations As therefore it were madnesse for a Guest to rayle at his friēds Bāquet because he saw there many moe varieries thē he listed to seed on or some wholesome meates which his stomack loathed through his owne default And as it were barbarous inhumanity in him that had learned the way through an obscure Desert by heapes of stone raised by his Predecessours to pull downe those marks because he imagins that he hath foūd a passage vvithout them So it is monstrous impiety in them who seeke either to take away or make contemptible those Chaistian helpes whereby others may be assisted by which they themselues were at first initiated because forsooth they finde a distast through their owne distemper or a possibillity of doeing well without them through their owne ouerweening cōceit And it is the greate mercy of God if their presumption carry them not into the gyddy and vncertayne pathes of perdition I wish hartily that those weake members of our Church who are ignorantly offended at her Disciplines because they knowe not the Christian vse of them would with more sincerity take those things into their consideration weigh how farr our Solemnityes are from that superstitiō wherof their blinde guides accuse them how differēt from popish Obseruations how greate an offence it is to scandalize that Authority whereunto they ought to be obediēt in euery thing not repugning the sacred word And if they be not hardned in their malice I would those Stationers also who by falsly accusing my Hymnes of blasphemy and superstition haue drawne many of that censorious generation to help them clamor against what they haue not yet perused would make more consciēce of their actions not worke vpon the credulity of their customers to the generall disparagmēt of that booke vvhich they ought rather to haue aduanced But I feare I vvish an impossibility on the Stationers behalfe For they haue so long so vnciuelly resisted those Himnes vvhich haue been published for helpes to deuotion that it may be doubted they will be now ashamed to speake well of them how profitable soeuer they be approued Nor will yt be much materiall I thinke ere long whether those who haue been my Detractors praise or discommend For I am persvvaded they will make their dispositions so well knowne after a while that no man of vnderstanding wil regard vvhat they speake As yet their true qualitey is not fully discouered therefore yf any should happen to ouer-heare them at their Goose-nest behind Saint Nicholas Shambles Or vvhen a knot of them hath gotten a Cuntrey-Chapman Citty-Customer or nevv flovvne Academick to some Drincking-schoole vvithin the compasse of their verge yt vvould deceaue a common iudgement to obserue vvhat grauitey zeale and learning some of them vvill consume in rayling vpon my Hymnes One as if he had been Register or Liberary-keeper to all the primitiue Churches vndertakes to tell his Auditory that no such thing had been published in the first 300 yeares after Christ As if that had bene to any purpose A second out of his deepe vnderstanding in such language dares pronounce some of my expressions obsceane A third by conuersing with the Titles of Bookes only for their insides he vvas neuer acquainted vvithall is become so learned that he ◅yndes himselfe impudent enough to accuse me of blasphemy A fourth iustly suspecting that his owne opinion will add no credit to his foolish invectiues belyes some Reuerend customer of his or brings the Authority of some of those Worshipfull censurers vvho vpon the Stationers bare credite vse to condemne Bookes before they reade them Yea so shamefully will some of them aver obiect whatsoeuer they can imagine vvill disparage my Labour and vvith such counterfeite shewes of pittying me and making a Religions conscience of their words that such as know neyther of vs vvould thinke them the very quintessēce of Sincerity and me some irreligious Scribler vvho cared not vvhat I published for mine ovvne aduantage But that whereby they hope to work me farthest out of good opinion is my Hymne for Saint Georges day Yea the bare obiecting of that hath made many who passe for wiser men then they prooue to condemne the same before tryall And as if that Hymne could haue beene to no purpose but to mainetaine a Popish and superstitious obseruation they rashly make yt an occasion of miscōstering all the rest and so malitiously vilify my honoring the solēnity of that day with a Hymne as yf they had been of that Dragons confederacie for whose ouerthrow yt praiseth God I knovv no cause there is giuen of such dislike For I haue ascribed no Diuine honor to any creature in that Hymne nor appropriated it to that Martyr ignorātly reputed the tutelary saint of this Kingdome and by some heretofore superstitiously inuoked in warlike incounters Nor haue I sorted the Festiuall of Saint George among the solemnities appointed by the Church but mentioned the same as an Obseruatiō set apart by the State onely as are the first dayes of Kings raignes And though my Hymne prepared for that Solemnitey is numbred among the Hymnes of the congregation because it is composed as personating many Neuerthelesse euen that all the rest were by me intēded for paterns to assist or direct priuate deuotiōs rather then to be imposed for sett formes which I thought worthy to be vsed in our publike Assemblies Were the obseruation of Saint Georges feast as popish an limpertinēt as some of my traducers ignorantly and irreuerently conceiue yet since I neither inuented it nor haue power to abolish the same why should I be blamed for shewing vvith what meditations it may be the more appleyd to Gods glory and redound to the greater honor and edification of those vvho are attendants on that solemnity Seeing that place of Saint Paul which counselleth that vve should direct all our Actions to the glory of God may be my warrant for so do◅ ing without wresting the meaning of the Text. For that Hymne together with a Preface shewing the true vse thereof whome we vnderstood by Saint George I inserted among the rest for those purposes First to giue men occasion of spirituall
such bookes are likely to be bought vp before he will deliuer them out of his hands If he be a Printer he makes conscience to exemplefy his Coppy fayrely truly If he be a Booke-bynder he is carefull his worke may bee strong seruiceable If he be a seller of Bookes he is no meere Bookeseller that is one who selleth meerely ynck paper bundled vp together for his owne aduantage only but he is the Chapman of Arts of wisdome of much experience for a litle money He would not publish a booke tending to schisme or prophānesse for the greatest gain if you see in his shopp any bookes vaine or impertinēt it is not so much to be imputed his fault as to the vanity of the Tymes For when bookes come forth allowed by authority he holds it his duty rather to sell them then to censure them Yet he meddles as little as he can with such as he is truly perswaded are pernitious or altogether vnprofitable The reputation of Schollers is a◅ deare vnto him as his owne For he acknowledgeth that from them his Mystery had both begining and meanes of continuance He heartely loues seekes the prosperity of his ovvne Corporation Yet he vvould not iniure the Vniuersityes to advantage it norbe soe sawcie as to make comparisons betweene them He loues a good Author as his Brother and vvillbe ready to yeeld him the due portion of his labors vvithout vvrangling When he comes to be Maister or Warden of his Company he labors truly to rectify what is amisse but fyndes so many peruerseones and so few of his good mind that his yeare is out before he cann bring any remedy to passe He greeues for those Abuses vvhich haue bene offred to me other Authors but fynding that by speaking on our behalfes he is likely to bring himselfe into an inconuenience vvithout profitt to vs he prayes in ◅ilence for amendment and that God vvould not lay to the charge of the whole Corporation that vvhich but some among them are guilty of He feares none of those reproofes vvhich are to be found in this booke For he knowes himselfe cleare and is resolued to make sale of it so it come forth vvith allowance from Authority In a vvord he is such a man that the State ought to cherish him Schollers to loue him good Customers to frequent his shopp and the vvhole Company of Stationers to pray for him For it is for the sake of such as he that they haue subsisted and prospered thus long And thus you haue the true discription of such a Stationer as I exempt from my reprofes now followes the Charecter of him at whose reformation I haue aymed A meere Stationer is he that imagines he vvas borne altogether for himselfe and exercizeth his Mystery without any respect either to the glory of God or the publike aduantage For which cause he is one of the most pernitious superfluities in a Christian gouerment and may be well termed the Deuills seedman seeing he is the aptest Instrument to sowe schismes heresies scandalls and seditions through the vvorld What booke soeuer he may haue hope to gaine by he vvill divulge though it contayne matter against his Prince against the State or blasphemy against God And all his excuse wil be that he knew not it cōprehended any such matter For giue him his right he scarcely reads ouer one page of a booke in seauen yeare except it be some such history as the Wise men of Gotham and that he doth to furnish himselfe with some foolish cōceits to be thought facetious He prayseth no booke but vvhat sells well and that must be his owne Coppy too or els he will haue some flirt at it No matter though there be no cause For he knowes he shall not be questioned for vvhat hee sayes or if he be his impudence is enough to outface it What he beleeues is prepared for him in the next world I know not but for his enriching in this life he is of so large a faith that he seemes to beleeue all Creatures and Actions of the vvorld vvere ordayned for no other purpose but to make bookes vpon to encrease hi◅ trade And if another man of his small vnderstanding should heare him plead his owne supposed right vvhere none might contradict He would halfe thinke that all our Vniuersityes and Schooles of Learning were erected to no other end but to breed Schollers to study for the enriching of the Company of Stationers If an Author out of meere necessity do but procure meanes to make sale of his owne booke or to peruent the combinations of such as he by some Royall lawfull priueledge He presently cryes it downe for a Monopoly affyrming that men of his profession may go hang themselues if that be suffred Marry Authors haue a long tyme preserued a very thankfull generation of them from hanging if they cannot afford them one booke of ten Millions to releeue them vvithall in a case of need vvhen that booke was the Authors owne alsoe no part of the Stationers former liuelyhood This is iust as reasonable a complaint as if a Cōpany of Haglers should preferr a bill against the Cuntry Farmers for bringing their owne Corne other prouisions to the next markett He will fawne vpon Authors at his first acquintance ring them to his hiue by the promising sounds of some good entertainement but assoone as they haue prepared the hony to his hand he driues the Bees to seek another Stall If he be a Printer so his worke haue such appearance of being vvell done that he may receaue his hyre he cares not how vnworkmanlike it be parformed nor how many faults he lett goe to the Authors discredit the readers trouble If his employment be in bynding bookes soe they vvill hold together but till his worke Maister hath sold them he desireth not they should last a weeke longer For by that meanes a booke of a Crovvne is mard in one Moneth which vvould last a hundred yeares if it had 2d. more vvorkmanshipp so their gaine employment is encreased to the subiects losse If he be a seller of Bookes he makes no conscience what trash he putts off nor hovv much he takes for that vvhich is vvorth nothing He vvill not stick to belye his Authors intentions or to publish secretly that there is somewhat in his new ymprinted books against the State or some Honorable personages that so they being questioned his vvare may haue the quicker sale He makes no scruple to put out the right Authors Name insert another in the second edition of a Booke And when the impression of some pamphlet lyes vpon his hands to imprint nevv Titles for yt and so take mens moneyes twice or thrice for the same matter vnder diuerse names is no iniury in his opinion If he gett any vvritten Coppy into his powre likely to be vendible whether the Author be vvilling or no he vvill publish it And
it shall be contriued and named alsoe according to his owne pleasure vvhich is the reason so many good Bookes come forth imperfect and vvith foolish titles Nay he oftentymes giues bookes such names as in his opinion will make them saleable vvhen there is litle or nothing in the whole volume sutable to such a Tytle If he be none of the Assistance of his Company he ordinarily rayles on their partiallyty in m◅niging of the Kings Priveledges or the generall stock but this he doth more in enuy them in loue to vpright dealing For when he comes to those places into which his very troublesomnesse sometyme helpes him the sooner he makes all vvorse then before playes the knaue CUM PRIVILEGIO He is then bound to pray for the poore much more then they are for him For they are indeed his Benefactors He will be ready vpon all occasiōs to boast of the 200. li a yeare which is giuen among their pensioner◅ but he hath not thankfulnesse enough to tell any man that it ariseth out of his Majesties Priviledges bestowed for that purpose nor how many thousand pounds are yearely made thereof beside If he once gett to be an officer in the Society he forgetts to speak in the first personn for euer after but like a Prince sayes we vvill wee do this c. He thinks vpō nothing more then to keepe vnder the inferiors of the Corporation to drawe the profitt of the Kings Priveledges to his priuate vse He stands infeare of nobody ◅ut the Archb of Canterbury the Bishop of Londō the high Commission loues nobody but himselfe I cannot deuise what his Religion is nor he neither I think For what sector profession soeuer his customer is of he will furnish him with Bookes tending to his opinions To a Papist hee rayles vpon Protestants to Protestants he speakes ill of Papists to a Browinst he reuiles them both Yet I dare say this for him that he is an enimy to the alteration of Religeon in this Commonwealth because he feares it would spoyle their Priueledge for Dauids Psalmes in English meeter or hinder the reprinting of many vendible coppyes Marry a Tolleration he would hold well with all soe he might haue but the sole printing of the Masse-booke or our Ladyes Psaltet He will take vpon him to censure a booke as arrogantly a◅ if he had read it or were a man of some vnderstanding He speakes of reuerend Doctors as disdaynfully as of schoole boyes And mentiones the Vniuersityes with no more respect then if all their famous Colledges were but so many Almeshouses maintained out of the Stationers Hall When he shall heare me or any other object those Abuses which some of his Company haue offred me to my face he will vnciuelly giue the lye iustify the contrary as confidently as if he had bene present at all tymes in all places He is no more pittyfull to a pore man that falls into his powre then a hungry Beare to a Lambe When he spakes of him whom he loues not it is vsually with as much contempt of what quality soeuer the other be of as if he were one of the Almesmen of his Company If he come among the rest of his fraternity about any cōtrouersy betweene them and others he will speake any vntruth that may aduantage his owne side For if the matter should require to be iustifyde he knowes that among many the speaker will hardly be found out that when the lye is deuided among them all there will not fall much shame vpon any one man He will allow of no Priveledges which the Kings Majestie shall vouchsafe concerning bookes vnles he may be interested in the best part of the profitt Yea rather thē those which are bestowed vpō his owne Corporatiō shal be disposed of for the benefite of the generallity according to his Majesties intētiō he will go neare to do his best to forfeit them altogether For he will at any tyme suffer some mischeese himselfe to do another a great spight He will sweare the peace or good behauior against any one whom he is disposed to trouble though there be no cause And if he may haue but some of his Brotherhood to stand among he vvill not stick wilfully to misinforme the whole Court of Aldermen to procure the committment of such pore men as he prosecutes And this is one of his infallable markes if he preuaile in a businesse or haue but any hope of getting the better the Tauerne is the Temple where he giueth his God praise Thither he presently repayres to offer vp the sacrifize of fooles and perhapps is ledd from thence in slate betweene two supporters Porters I should haue said to his owne howse where he vtters his stomack to his vvife and famely He is so extreame guilty and so fearefull that most of these markes are to be found vpon him that all his freinds shall neuer perswade him but this Character vvas made by him and therefore he vvill take it to himselfe though he be one vvhom I neuer knew nor heard of He will condēne the Stationer that sells this Apology for a faulse brother and if it be possible to drawe the rest to be so indiscreet he will gett the whole Company to take this discription as an abuse to their Mystery but they wil be better aduis'd He will bestow both vpon me and vpon this booke all the foule termes he cann inuent or giue out perhapps that it is nothing sutable to that Mynd which I haue expresse in my Motto But let him examine them together he shall fynde they disagree not in a word He will much insist vpō all those bitter reproo◅es vvhich I haue vsed and be very sensible of them noe doubt because they touch himselfe but those iniuryes which are the cause of them he vvill neuer mention He will tell his Companions that they haue Boyes in the Church-yard able to answeare all this and it is odes but he will carpe al◅oe at some want of vvitt or learning in these expressions as if there needed any great witt or learning to be vsed in bidding a Dogg come out These pills may perhapps stirr his humors but they will not purge away one dramm of his corruptions For he is so blinded with coueteousnesse selfe will that to change his mind Noyse will preuaile with him as much as reason therefore this which I haue written was neuer intented to satisfy him but others He truly resembles the Ephesian Siluersimthes rather then his Mystery should decay would preferr Paganisme before Christianity prophane Ballads before Hymnes praysing God that which he hath not ability to compasse by Reasons he will attempt by vproares To conclude he is a dangerous excrement worthy to be cutt off by the State to be detested of all Schollers to be shun'd of all the people deserues to be curst expeld out of the Company of Stationers For by the coueteousnesse
cruelty vnconscionablenesse of such as he a flourishing well esteemed Corporatiō is in danger to come to ruine disgrace This man with such as he are those whom I haue declamed against in this discourse no other nor will I that my generall accusations shall in part or in the whole be imputed to any man in perticuler but to him that shall apply vnto himselfe this Character or haue it prooued to be true vpon him by apparant testimony For it shall satisfy me enough it shall do the Commonwealth good seruice if by this satyricall discription of a bade Stationer and my definition of a good one those things which are amise may be amended hereafter And this is an easy and warrantable vvay of Correction For I do not marke them out by their redd Noses or corpulent paunches or such like personall defects vvhich they cannot remedy as some vvonld haue done but by their vices which they ought to giue ouer What an old Poet once said is yet in force LICUIT SEMPERQUE LICEBIT PARCERE PERSONIS DICERE DE VITIIS It shall be lavvfull euer and hath byn To spare the personns and to touch the syn I ha◅e taken that Authors vvord and put his vvarrant often tymes in execution and though I haue smarted for it neuer vvas nor euer vvill be driuen from this course of proceeding against Male factors vntill that foresaid Author come back and deny his warrant Blame me not if I seeme bitter to such as these for their disease needs it I haue had meanes to know them perfectly was compelled to search into the very marrow of their Mystery and when through my loue to a carnall rest I became loth to meddle vvith such a nest of hornets but to suffer an inconuenience rather they were so ◅oolishly confident that they stung me to it And doubtles it was permitted by the prouidence of God that their wickednesse might come to light before it should occasion greater troubles Yea perhapps I haue bene trayned vp all my life tyme in afflictions haue heretofore suffred cōcerning bookes partly to experience me in their Abuses partly to enable me to beare out the fury of such a powrefull multitude as doth novv oppose me Many men of good sufficiency do wonder as I heare what abuses worthy all these words cann be found among the Stationers For alas think they those do but sell bookes to such as come for them are a harmelesse kind of people by whom to their vnderstanding the Cōmonwealth can receaue no great preiudice in any matter concerning their Mystery But when they haue read ouer this it will begett another opinion If not my next discouery shall For I cann yet launce deeper make it euident to the capacity of euery common man that such as those whom I haue marked out are they who are the principall dispersers of heresyes the prime disturbers of vnity in the Church I cann demonstrate that they are most tymes occasioners of those grudgings discontentmēts which do other while distemper the minds of the people That much trouble to the State is procured by them that they are the likelyest instruments to kindle factions stirr vp sedition that they haue invoulued and obscured the certaine tenents of our Church amōg such a multitude of the priuate fancies and opinions of vpstart vvriters that the Common people scarce knovve vvhat principles vvee professe and our Aduersaryes take aduantage out of their vnallovved Pamphlets to impute to the Church of England vvhat absurdityes they please I cann make it euident they haue so pestered their printing houses shopps with fruitlesse volumes that the Auncient renouned Authors are almost buried among them as forgotten and that they haue so much vvorke to preferr their termely Pamphlets vvhich they prouide to take vp the peoples money and tyme that there is neither of them left to bestow on a profitable booke soe they who desire knowledge are still kept ignorant their ignorance encreaseth their affectiō to vaine toyes their affection makes the Stationer to encrease his prouision of such stuffe and at last you shall see nothing to be sould amongst vs but Currāto's Beauis of Southamptonn or such trumpery The Arts are already almost lost among the vvritings of Mountebanck Authors For if any one among vs vvould Study Phisick the Mathamaticks Poetry or any of the liberall sciences they haue in their vvarehouses so many volumes of quacksaluing recepts of faulse propositions and of inartificall Ryminngs of vvhich last sort they haue some of mine there God forgiue me that vnles vve be directed by some Artist we shall spend halfe our Age before vve cann find those Authors which are vvorth our readings For vvhat need the Stationer be at the charge of printing the labors of him that is Maister of his Art vvill require that respect which his paine deserueth Seeing he cann hyre for a matter of 40 shillings some needy IGNORAMUS to scrible vpon the same subject and by a large promising title make it as vendible for an impression or two as though it had the quintessence of all Art I cann make it appeare alsoe that they are the Cheefe hinderers of the aduancement of our language the principall peruerters of good manners and the prime causers of all that irreligious prophanenesse vvhich is found among vs. And I doe foresee that if they proceed as hitherto they haue done they will be the ruine of their owne Mystery bring an invndatiō of Barbarisme vpō all his Majesties Kingdomes vvhich God diuert These things haue I discouered with a mind neither malitio◅sly bent to the ruine of the Corporatiō of Stationers or desirous of the shame or confusion of any one member thereof but whatsoeuer some among them conceaue I ayme rather at the profitt of the one the reformation of the other And that this may appeare to be true I vvill in due tyme shevv that I haue sought as much how to finde a gentle plaster to cure those vl◅rs as to make a sharpe instrument to search them For if I may be heard without preiudice I cann declare by what meanes and how the Corporation of Stationers may be hereafter acquited of all those scandalls that some corrupt members thereof haue brought vpon it How the repinings and discontentments vvhich are among themselues may be quieted How all my inivryes may be satisfied to my contentment without their damage and how all the publike abuses mentioned in this discourse shall be in some good measure preuented for euer hereafter to the Kings Maiesties great content to the avoyding of much trouble heretofore occasioned to the State to the good likeing of both Vniuersityes to the profit ease credit of the Stationers thēselues to the furtherance of Christiā peace v◅ity in the Church to the preuention of many publik and priuate inconueniences and in a vvord to the glory of God and to the honor and benifite of all his Majesties Dominions And now I haue done troubling your RRces for this tyme Though I bent my bow to shoot in my owne defence yet I haue stuck my arrowes vpon a publike enimie Now you haue heard me healpe or leaue me to my selfe as you shall think fitting For I haue in euery circumstance honestly deliuered my Conscience and I knovv God vvill deliuer me Nec Habeo nec Careo nec Curo
from publike vse and therefore why should any dissallowe free passage to those Hymnes in their proper kinde seeing noe man knoweth by what portion of his worde the Diuine prouidence shall please to call his children vnto a true vnderstanding of their duties who can tell but that which is restrayned may be with held from such as woulde receiue needefull comfortes thereby as well as from those whoe will abuse it One tyme or another wee may be enlightened by what is for a season obscure vnto vs and that sentence which was an occasion of stumbling may be a meanes of rising againe to more strength being better vnderstood Yea I perswade my selfe it is lesse inconuenient that a thousand carnal men should add to their confusion by the abuse of Gods grace then that one of his children should want any comfort offered in his word Much more might be said to this purpose euen so much that if the likelyhood of truth deceiue not it would make euery good christian fearefull to oppose the commendable vse of any part of Gods word vpon those weake foundations which fleshlie policy hath laide but this I hope will suffice in this place And as for those exceptions made against the kinde of Measure which I haue vsed and some perticuler expressions I perceiue they haue been flirted out either in mallice to mee or vpon a superficiall viewe without considering the circumstances the proprieties of the Languages Metaphors or Allegories and therefore I regard them not Partlie seeing my Version hath had the approbation of better Iudgementes and partlie because I knowe it ordinarie among such as those to cauell at our most approoued Translations Whereas some alleage that the Iewes permitted not the Song of Solomon to be read of the Vulger what is that to vs They being heritikes we ought not to be ledd by their example They were diuided among themselues concerning that Songe some receiuing it among the bookes called Hagiographa and some reiecting it And it may be those whoe reconned it among the holy writings restrayned the common vse thereof by reason of that scandall those had giuen who accountinge it a prophane writinge had foolishly applyed the same to Solomon and Kinge Pharaohs daughter Or else because the depth of the Mystery made them vnable to accomodate it to the common capacity Or it may be which is most probable they were moued to restrayne it throughe the mallice of the deuill that after tymes following their example the most excellent Mystery therin couched might be the more obscured from vs of later Tymes vnto whom the reuelation of it would much plainer appeare And their negatiue is hard if not impossible to be prooued who deny that Song to haue at any time beene vsed by the christian Congregation in the primatiue ages For they practised the singing of Psalms and Hymnes and spirituall Songes and were at lest counselled if not cōmanded by Saint Paul thereto Coll 3. Why therfore may we not thinke that Solomons song was one of those which the church then sunge seeing the holy ghost hath entituled it THE SONG OF SONGS If it were then sunge it is likely they sung it in those languages which were vnderstood For Saint Paul would sing not with the spirit only but with the vnderstanding also And if yt may bee sunge by the congregation in the vulger tongue why not in Verse the proper language of SONG and the most moouinge way of expression But what necessity is there of examples seeing in lawfull thinges we may make presidentes when we please with good commendations By what pulike example did we sing Dauids Psalms in English meeter before the Raigne of King Edward the sixth Or by what commaund of the Church do we sing them as they are nowe in vse Verily by none but tyme and christian deuotion hauing first brought forth that practise by the prouidence of God and custome ripening it long tolleratiō hath in a manner fully authorized the same And if our metricall translation of the Psalmes were rectified and purged from those imperfections and escapes which the first translators worthy to be christianly excused vnwillingly committed in that infancy of Reformation There was neuer any one accidentall thing in the outward worshipe of God more helpefull to deuotion or more powerfully stirring up the affections towardes settinge forth his prayse then the singinge of Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songes in such manner as the reformed Churches now vse yt I cannot beleeue therefore but that the singing both of Dauids Psalms and of the song of Solomon was practised in all ages of the Church since Christ as freely and as frequently as the strictnes and blindnesse of the tymes would permyt though not with soe full and in soe publike a Quire as at this present But what if the Canticles had not beene ordinarily sung in former tymes can that prooue the vulger vse of them to be now vnlawfull or inconvenient more then the vse of y◠rest of holy scripture in our mother tongue is proued inconuenient because the blindnes of passed ages causeleslye restrayned it May wee not iudge it was rather through ignorance and because they had them not prepared to be sung as now they are Or might it not be because the tyme was not then come in which a more publike vse thereof would be most necessary For the state of the mysticall body of Iesus Christ from the creation to the last Iudgment being expressed Allegorically in that song with the seuerall appearances it had and shall haue in the seuerall peryods of tyme together with those admyrable loue-passages enterchanged beetweene the diuine and human nature we doubtles whoe liue in the last Age of the world and hauing seene by long experience and successe of thinges much more of that propheticall song fulfilled then those who went before vs may without disparagement to their knowledges vnriddle some darke Aenigmas heretofore not vnderstood And the consumation of the LAMBES mariage being neere at hand may the more properly sing that Mariage song of his to the glory of his name and our owne spirituall comforts To that end I fitted the same vnto our English Lyre in measures becomming the nature of the subiect in a playne and vnaffected Phrase and if those whoe vnderstand both the scripture Dialect and the language of an English Muse may be my censurers in words agreeable to the meāing of the holy Text. Yea I haue so well as I was able in so fewe lynes opened also according to the Doctrine of the Catholicke Church the Allegory of euery perticuler Canticle that God might be the more glorified and the vnlearned both delighted and profited in the repetition of those Hymns And thus much I haue deliuered concerning what hath bene obiected touching the song of Solomon not presuming to leade your opinions towards myne owne endes but to declare with what know edge and conscience I haue proceeded therin And as this testifies I had some vnderstanding of