Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
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A77663
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A potent vindication for book-making: or An embleme of these distracted times.
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Browne, Edward.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing B5104; Thomason E242_13; ESTC R962
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7,796
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8
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endeavours wherefore we doe commend his expence of spare time in such divine matters and approve of his good meaning in publishing his masters charitable Legacies which is as he saith onely for his Masters honour and to induce others of like worth to doe such judicious noble and pious actions All which we testifie under our hands the fifteenth day of August Anno Dom. 1642. As appeareth on the next page Knights and Aldermen of London Geo. Whitmore Nic. Rainton Morris Abbot Edmond Wright Iohn Cordel Tho. Soame Iacob Garrad Iohn Woollastone George Clarke Ri. Holdsworth S. T. D. Aldermen Esquires Gentlemen Gilbert Harrison Tho. Adams Abra Reynardson Robert Bateman Clement Moss Robert Michel Thomas Wiseman William Williams Iohn Walter HEre is above the number of a compleat Iury of eminent men to testifie a truth and therefore needs no more yet such as did peremptorily refuse to subscribe this Certificate I affirme and declare that they are as unchariatble and malicious as they are proud and covetous For others that say My Bookes are uselesse having in them light with darknesse holy things and vain unprofitable things mixed which are altogether inconsistent blame me for expending my pretious time in dishonouring God by Booke-making because I am not called thereunto I will prove they are beside their Text and would faine seeme to be more wise in Religion then they are like many others of their garb who place their religion in idle impertinent questions and have little or no regard to true devotion which is the life of religion for some who under the mask of religion detain letchery pride covetousnes I advise them to view their own deformity before they tax the infirmities of those of better worth then themselves For those that say my Bookes are Non sense I beleeve they have No-sense to doe better Those that say I have plaid the foole in writing my owne fancy and expending my time and money so vainly in printing Bookes let them understand that the Foole is oft-times the wisest man in the play because he makes more fooles then himself laugh and all that is well spent is not ill lost Those that say I scold and raile in my pamphlets know not well what they speak for I have write nothing a but the truth and that they say must not be spoke much lesse writ at all times But this is a pittifull age when truth to convince the folly of men must be smothered and not suffered to be spoke or writ though by fooles for Archers coat must be puld off if he say lawne sleeves are durty and doe not Laud them for whitenesse when they are cole blacke And last of all for those who in a close secret and dissembling manner seeke to cast some of their envious poyson of detraction and malice into my friends eares seem to say as they did to my late Master that I seeke his and their dishonour by Book-making and therfore not worthy to be harboured in an obscure chamber upon my owne bedding as I have been this eight yeares and upwards I neither care nor feare as appeares by this letter following Sir I understand that you and your friends made good sport of me and my Disaster wherfore to make your mirth compleat I give you my Paradox and would intreat you if you have found where the nest of wasps are you spake of to tell them from mee that I chalenge not only them but all manner of envious creatures such as your Hornets Snakes Scorpions Dragons especially deafe Adders to shoot out their poyson and advance their stings against me for I am perswaded God hath annointed me with such a saving Antidote and armed me with such puissant strength that I shall bee able to pull out their stings and repell their venome For I know that the sight of a Basilisk shall not confound me the terrour of the Griffin shall not dismay me the cruell Crocodile shall not affright me the deceitfull Hiena shall not beguile me nor the inchanting Syrens shall not allure me no nor all the divels in hell or men on earth shall be able to hinder me in the way that God hath set my feet to walk in because he hath now taken from my heart a slavish fear and would not suffer me neither day nor night to take my rest till I had performed this work which I am sure he hath called me unto For it is lawfull for any to write though not to preach The reason is plaine because a man in a pulpit may imagine he hath a Spirit of Revelation which he hath not and therefore sometime in an absurd extasie of zeale may vociferate and babble hee knowes not what himselfe except he bee a man of rare parts that hath premeditated and set his words well in order before But if a man write that truly shewes his mind for he hath laid his words in the ballance of his reason and understanding and will not bee ashamed of his worke except hee be a Dunce or a Coward And therefore I neirher feare the roaring Lyon the ravening Beare the stately Elephant the cruell Boare the puissant Vâ—icorne the couragious Horse the angry Leopard the fierce Tyger the devouring Wolfe the snarling Dogge the polirique Cat the crafty Fox or the strong Oxe shall be able to hurt me my Bookes or my Paradox for I have armour of proofe that their fangs nor talons cannot teare I have skilfull courage to avoid their policie and defeat their strength And I have a sword as Sharp as a raizor that where Haire-is it shall so neatly shave those that offer to abuse me that they shall appeare like bald Friers and if they will not then be ruled it shall cut off their heads and make them little better then Divels I have likewise hot fiery pellets which well discharged out of my peece shall make their heads ake and their bellies Wamble And I have such a Polax which will Peck Pierce and Hough the strongest armour of the best Smiths forging And this I write to Warne them to take heed how they offer to stirre for besides this my Militia which is void of Malitia I have Commission of Array to traine muster and Marshall my forces against all opposites who as angry whelpes respecting no persons will so Touze and trample upon them that though they were arraied in Silk Sattin or Cloth of Gold they shall appeare as ragged Beggars And yet I have not told you all my Ammunition for I have likewise a Bur to cast on my enemies tongues and sticke in their throats that they shall not be able to speake I have a hard knotty stick with which I will so Bast them that the Print thereof shall remaine a long time after I have sharp vinegar to wash their rotten teeth that they shall not dare to grin And I have as Smart a Satyricall scourge as the best Carter which shall pull the skin from their bones and breed Pain in