London not a wenche sooner creepes out of the shell but she is of the ReligioÌ„ The Court I dare not touch but suerlie there be many falling Starres and but one true Diana Not a wenche a very Vniuersall Proposition in so large and honourable a Citty and but One a very short Exception to a generall rule of the Court. Floorishing London the Staple of Wealth Madame-towne of the Realme is there no place so lewde as thy selfe and Noble Court the Pallace of Honour and Seate of Maiesty hast thou but One true Diana Is it not nigh-hand time the young haddock were caught that can already nibble so prettily Was he thinke you lodged in Cappadocia for sleeping by the Sunne and studying by the Moone Whom or what will not he shortly confute with an ouerrunning furie that so brauely aduentureth vpon London and the Court all-attonce Honour regard thy good reputation and staunch the ranke bloud of this arrant Autor as honest a man as some honest wooman I could name that keepeth her honesty as she doth her Friday fast Suffer him to proceede as he presumeth to end as he beginneth and looke for a rarer beast in England then a Woolfe and a straunger monster in Print then the diuine Ruffian that intituled himselfe Flagellum Principum and prooued Pestis Rerumpublicarum My Toungue is an infant in his Idiotisme and I had rather blesse my pestilentest enemy then curse any but some little plaine dealing dooith not otherwhiles amisse where nothing but flat and ranke grosenesse blotteth the paper infecteth the aier depraueth the good encourageth the badd corrupteth youth accloieth age and annoyeth the world Good faith is my witnesse I neither affect to obscure any light in an aduersary nor desier to quench any honest courage in an enemy but wish euery gift of heaueÌ„ or earth of minde or body of nature or fortune redoubled in both euen in the greenest aduersary and wildest enemy in whom I honour the highest and looue the lowest degree of excellency but am not easely coosened by Imperfection branded with the counterfait marke of perfection I am ouer-ready to pardon young ouersights and forgiue inconsiderate offences but cannot flatter Folly or fawne vpon Vanity or cocker Ignoraunce or sooth-vp Vntruth or applaude to Arrogancy either in foe or freÌ„d It coÌ„cerneth euery man to looke into his owne estate with his owne eyes but the young man that will neither know himselfe nor acknowledge other must be told in brief what the coÌ„mon opinion reporteth at large He hath little witt lesse learning lest iudgement no discretion Vanity enough stomacke at will superabundance of selfe-conceit outward liking to fewe inward affection to none his defence of Greene a more bâ—…ting condemnation then my reproofe no reuerence to his patrons no respect to his superiours no regard to any but in contemptuous or ceÌ„sorius sort hatred or disdaine to the rest coÌ„tinuall quarrels with one or other not such an other mutterer or murmurer eueÌ„ against his familiarest acquaintance an euer-grudging repining mind a rauenous throte a gluttonous mawe a droÌ„ken head a blasphemous tongue a fisking witt a shittle nature a reuolting and rennegate disposition a broking and huckstering penne store of rascall phrases some little of a brabling Schollar more of a rauing scould most of a roisterly sâ—…uing nothing of a Gentleman lesse then nothing of a fine or cleanly Artist And as for termes of honesty or ciuility without which the sharpest Inuention is Vnsauery and the daintiest elocution lothsome they are Gibridge vnto him and he a Iewish Rabbin or a Latin Dunse with him that vseth any such forme of monstrous termes Aretine and the Diuels Oratour would be ashamed to be conuicted or endighted of the least respectiue or ceremonious phrase but in mockage or coofenage They neither feare Goodman Sathan nor master Beelzebub nor Sir Reuerence nor milord Gouernement himselfe ô wretched Atheisme Hell but a scarecrow and Heauen but a woonderclout in their doctrine all vulgar stale and simple that is not a note abooue Goddes-forbid Whom durst not he appeach reuile or blaspheme that forged the abominablest booke in the world De tribus impostoribus mundi and whom will he forbeare in any reason or conscience that hath often protested in his familiar hauntes to confute the worthy Lord du Bartas and all the famousest moderne-moderne-writers sauing him onely who onely meriteth to be confuted with vnquenchable Volumes of Heauen-and Hell-fier Perionius deciphreth the fowle preceptes and reprobate examples of his Morall Philosophy in an inuectiue Declamation generally addressed vnto all the Princes of Christendome but especially directed vnto the most-Christian French king Henry the Second Agrippa detesteth his monstrous veneries and execrable Sodomies Cardan blasoneth him the most-impudent Ribald that euer tooke penne in hand Manutius inuesteth him the Ring leader of the corruptest bawdes and miscreantest rakehells in Italy His familiar acquaintance Sansouino doth him neuer awhitt more creddit then needeth Tasso disdaineth his insolent and insupportable affectation of singularitie Iouius in his Elogies voutsaueth him not the naming Doubtlesse he was indued with an exceedingodd witt and I neuer read a more surpassing-hyperbolicall stile Castilios Courtier after a pleasurable sort graceth him with a deepe insight in the highest Types and Idees of humane perfections whereunto he most curiously and insatiably aspired His wanton disciples or Vain-conceited fauorites such crowes such egges in their fantasticall Letters and Bacchanall Sonnets extoll him monstrously that is absurdly as the onely Monarch of witt that is the Prodigall sonne of conceit and the mortall God of all Vertue that is the immortall Diuell of all Vice Oh what grandiloquous Epithits and supereminent Titles of incredible and prodigious excellency haue they bestowed vpon the Arch-miracle of the world Signior Vnico not so little as the huge Gargantua of prose and more then the heauen-surmounting Babell of Ryme But what approoued man of learning wisedome or iudgement euer deigned him any honour of importance or commeÌ„dation of note but the young darling of S. Fame Thomas Nash alià s Pierce Penniles the second Leuiathan of Prose and an other Behemoth of ryme He it is that is borne to glorifie Aretine to disgrace Bartas and to vndooe me Say I write I or dooe I what I can he will haunt and trounce me perpetually with spritish workes of Supererogation incessant tormentours of the Ciuilian and Deuine Yet some-boddy was not woont to endight vpon aspen leaues of paper and take heede Sirrha of the Fatall Quill that scorneth the sting of the busie Bee or the scratch or the kittish shrew A Bee a drone a dorre a dor-bettle a dormouse A shrewe a drab a hag a flibber-gibbet a make-bate the pickthanke of Vanity the pickpocket of foolery the pickpurse of all the palteries and knaueries in Print She doth him no wrong that doth him right like Astraea and hath stiled him with an immortal penne the Bawewawe of Schollars the Tutt of Gentlemen the Tee-heegh
carrie a tache of Pierce to his graue we haue worse prouerbes in englishe yet who seeith not what apparent good my Letters haue done him that before ouercrowed all commers and goers with like discretion but nowe forsooth hath learned some fewe handsome termes of respecte and verye manerly beclaweth a fewe that he might the more licentiously besmeere one S. Fame giue him ioye of his blacke cole and his white chalke Who is not limed with some default or who reddier to confesse his own imperfections then miselfe but when in professed hatred like a mortal feudist he hath vttered his very vttermost spite wholy disgorged his rācorous stomacke yet can he not so much as deuise any particularaction of trespas or obiect any certaine vice against me but only one greuous crime called Pumps Pātofles which indeede I haue worne euer since I knewe Cambridge his owne deerest hart-root Pride which I protest before God and man my soule in iudgment as much detesteth as my body in nature lotheth poyson or any thing abhorreth his deadlye enemy euen amongst those creatures which are found fatally contrary by naturall Antipathy It is not excesse but defecte of pride that hath broken the head of some mens preferment Aspiring mindes can soare aloft and Selfe-conceit with the countenaunce of Audacity the tongue of Impudency the hand of Dexterity preaseth bouldly into the forwardest throng of the shouldring ranke whiles Discretion hath leasure to discourse whether somedeale of Modesty were meeter for manye that presume aboue their condition and some deale of Selfe-liking fitter for some that haue fealt no greater want then want of Pride It may seeme a rude disposition that sorteth not with the quality of the age Pollicy deemeth that vertue a vice that modesty simplicity that resolutenes dissolutenes that conformeth not it selfe with a supple deft correspōdence to the present time but no such oxe in my mind as Tarquinius Superbus no such calfe as Spurius Maelius no such colt as Publius Clodius no such Ape as Lucians Rhetorician or the Diuels Oratour Blind ambition a noble bayarde proud arrogancy a goulden Asse vaine conceit a gaudy Peacocke all brauery that is not effectuall a gay nothing He vpbraideth me with his own good nature but where such an insolent braggard or such a pussing thing as himselfe that in magnifying his owne bable debasing me reuileth them whose bookes or pantofles he is not worthy to beare If I be an Asse what asses were those curteous frendes those excellent learned men those worshipfull honorable personages whose Letters of vndeserued but singular cōmendation may be shewen What an asse was thiselfe whē thou didst publish my praise amongst the notablest writers of this realme or what an Asse art thiself that in the spitefullest outrage of thy maddest Confutatiō dost otherwhiles enterlace some remembrances of more account then I can acknowledge without vanity or desier without ambition The truth is I stande as little vpon others commendations or mine owne titles as any man in England whosoeuer if there be nothing els to solicite my cause but being so shamefully and intollerably prouoked in the most villanous termes of reproch I were indeede a notorious insensate asse in case I should eyther sottishly neglect the reputation of soe worthy fauorers or vtterly abandō mine owne credit Sweet Gentlemen renowned knightes and honorable Lordes be not ashamed of your Letters imprinted or written if I liue seeing I must eyther liue in tenebris with obloquy or in luce with proofe by the leaue of God I will prooue miselfe no Asse I speake not onely to M. Bird M. Spencer or Monsieur Bodin whom he nothinge regardeth yet I would his owne learning or iudgmente were anye way matchable with the worst of the three but amongst a number of sundrie other learned and gallant Gentlemē to M. Thomas Watson a notable Poet to M. Thomas Hatcher a rare Antiquary to M. Daniel Rogers of the Court to Doctor Griffin Floyd the Queenes professour oflawe at Oxforde to Doctor Peter Baro a professour of diuinity in Cambridg to Doctor Bartholmew Clark late Deane of the Arches to Doctor William Lewen Iudge of the prerogatiue Court to Doctor Iohn Thomas Freigius a famous writer of Germany to Sir Philip Sidney to M. Secretary Wilson to Sir Thomas Smith to Sir Walter Mildmay to milord the bishop of Rochester to milord Treasurer to milord the Earle of Leicester Vnto whose worshipfull and honorable fauours I haue bene exceedingly beholding for letters of extraordinary commendation such as some of good experience haue doubted whether they euer voutsafed the like vnto any of either vniuersity I beseech God I may deserue the least parte of their good opinion eyther in effectuall proofe or in dutifull thankefullnesse but how little soeuer I presume of mine owne sufficiency he that knoweth himselfe hath smal cause to conceiue any high hope of low meanes as in reason I was not to flatter miselfe with their bountifull commendation so in iudgement I am not to agreeue miselfe with the odious detraction of this pestilent libeller or any like despiteous slanderer but in patience am to digest the one with moderation as in temperance I qualified the other with modesty Some would say what is the peeuishe grudge of one beggarly rakehell to so honorable liking of so many excellēt some singular mē But god in heauē teach me to take good by my aduersaries inuectiue and no harme by my fauourers approbation It is neither the one nor the other that deserueth euill or well but the thing it selfe that edifieth without which praise is smoke and with which dispraise is fyer Let me enioy that essential point hauke or hunt or fishe after praise you that list Many contumelious and more glorious reports haue passed from Enemies Frends without cause or vpon smal occasion that is the onely infamy that cannot acquit it selfe from guiltinesse that the only honor that is grounded vpō desert Other winds of diffamation want matter to vpholde it and other shadowes of glory lacke a body to support it In vnhappinesse they are happy of whose bad amounteth good in happinesse they vnhappy whose good prooueth bad as glory eftsoones followeth them that fly from it flyeth from them that followe it There is a Terme Probatory that wil not ly and commendations are neuer autenticall vntill they bee signed with the seale of approoued Desert the only infallible Testimoniall Desert maugre Enuy the companion of Vertue Socrates high waye to Honour the totall summe of Osorius De Gloria I will not enter into Macchiauels discourses Iouius Elogyes Cardās natiuities Cosmopolites Dialogues or later Histories in dyuers languages but some worthelye continue honorable whom they make dishonorable contrariwise Reason hath an euen hande and dispenseth to euerye one his right Arte amplifieth or extenuateth at occasion the residue is the liberality of the pen or the poyson of the inke in Logique
Grinuile most vigorously impetuously attempted the extreamest possibilities of valour and fury for breuity I ouerskipp many excellent Traicts the same or the like nature but reade these and M. William Borrowghes notable discourse of the variation of the compas or magneticall needle annexed to the new Attractiue of Robert Norman Hydrographer vnto which two Ingland in some respectes is as much beholding as Spayne vnto Martin Cortes Peter de Medina for the Arte of Nauigation and when you haue obserued the course of Industry examined the antecedents and consequents of Trauail compared Inglish and Spanish valour measured the Forces of both parties weighed euery circumstance of Aduantage considered the Meanes of our assurance and finally found proffit to be our pleasure prouision our security labour our honour warfare our welfare who of reckoning can spare anye lewde or vaine tyme for corrupt pamphlets or who of iudgment will not cry away with these paultringe fidlefaddles When Alexander in his conquerous expeditions visited the ruines of Troy and reuolued in his minde the valiant actes of the Heroicall Woorthies there atchieued One offered to bring his Maiesty the Harpe of Paris Let it alone quoth hee it is the Harpe of Achilles that must serue my turne Paris vppon his harpe sang voluptuous lasciuious Carols Achilles harpe was an instrument of glory and a quier of diuine Hymnes consecrated to the honour of valorous Captaines and mighty Conquerours He regarded not the dainety Lydian Iônian or Aeolian Melody but the braue Dorian and impetuous Phrygian Musique and waged Zenophantus to inflame and enrage his courage with the furious notes of Battail One Alexander was a thousand Examples of Prowesse but Pyrrhus the redoubted king of the Epirots was an other Alexander in tempestuous execution and in a most-noble resolution contemned the Vanities of vnnoble Pastimes in so much that when one of his Barons asked his Maiestie whether of the twoo Musitians Charisius or Python pleased his Highnesse better Whether of the two quoth Pyrrhus marry Polysperces shall go for my money He was a braue Captaine for the eie a fitt Musitian for the eare of Pyrrhus Happy Polysperces that serued such a master and happy Pyrrhus that commaunded such a seruaunt Were some demaunded whether Greenes or Nashes Pamflets were better penned I beleeue they would aunsweare Sir Roger Williams Discourse of War for Militare Doctrine in Esse and M. Thomas Digges Stratioticos for Militare Discipline in Esse And whiles I remember the Princely care of Gelo a famous Tyrant of Sicill many tyrants of Sicill were very politique that commaunded his great horse to be brought into the banquetting house where other Lordes called for the Harpe other Knightes for the Waites I cannot forget the gallant discourse of Horsemanship penned by a rare gentleman M. Iohn Asteley of the Court whome I dare intitle our Inglish Xenophon and maruell not that Pietro Bizzaro a learned Italian proposeth him for a perfect Patterne of Castilios Courtier And thinking vpon worthy M. Asteley I cannot ouerpasse the like labour of good M. Thomas Blundeuil without due commendation whose painefull and skillfull bookes of Horsemanship deserue also to be registred in the Catalogue of Xenophontian woorkes What should I speake of the two braue Knightes Musidorus and Pyrocles combined in one excellent knight Sir Philip Sidney at the remembrance of whose woorthy and sweete Vertues my hart melteth Will you needes haue a written Pallace of Pleasure or rather a printed Court of Honour Read the Countesse of Pembrookes Arcadia a gallant Legendary full of pleasurable accidents and proffitable discourses for three thinges especially very notable for amorous Courting he was young in yeeres for sage counselling he was ripe in iudgement and for valorous fighting his soueraine profession was Armes and delightfull pastime by way of Pastorall exercises may passe for the fourth He that will Looue let him learne to looue of him that will teach him to Liue furnish him with many pithy and effectuall instructions delectably interlaced by way of proper descriptions of excellent Personages and common narrations of other notable occurrences in the veine of Salust Liuy Cornelius Tacitus Iustine Eutropius Philip de Comines Guicciardine and the most sententious Historians that haue powdred their stile with the salt of discretion and seasoned their iudgement with the leauen of experience There want not some suttle Stratagems of importance and some politique Secretes of priuitie and he that would skillfully and brauely manage his weapon with a cunning Fury may finde liuely Precepts in the gallant Examples of his valiantest Duellists especially of Palladius and Daiphantus Zelmane and Amphialus Phalantus and Amphialus but chiefly of Argalus and Amphialus Pyrocles and Anaxius Musidorus and Amphialus whose lusty combats may seeme Heroicall Monomachies And that the valor of such redoubted men may appeere the more conspicuous and admirable by comparison and interview of their contraries smile at the ridiculous encounters of Dametas Dorus of Dametas and Clinias and euer when you thinke vpon Dametas remember the Confuting Champion more surquidrous then Anaxius and more absurd then Dametas and if I should alwayes hereafter call him Dametas I should fitt him with a name as naturally proper vnto him as his owne Gallant Gentlemen you that honor Vertue and would enkindle a noble courage in your mindes to euery excellent purpose if Homer be not at hand whome I haue often tearmed the Prince of Poets and the Poet of Princes you may read his furious Iliads cunning Odysses in the braue aduentures of Pyrocles and Musidorus where Pyrocles playeth the dowty fighter like Hector or Achilles Musidorus the valiant Captaine like Pandarus or Diomedes both the famous errant Knightes like AEneas or Vlysses Lord what would himselfe haue prooued in fine that was the gentleman of Curtesy the Esquier of Industry and the Knight of Valour at those yeeres Liue euer sweete Booke the siluer Image of his gentle witt and the golden Pillar of his noble courage and euer notify vnto the worlde that thy Writer was the Secretary of Eloquence the breath of the Muses the hoony-bee of the dayntiest flowers of Witt and Arte the Pith of morall intellectuall Vertues the arme of Bellona in the field the toung of Suada in the chāber the spirite of Practise in esse and the Paragon of Excellency in Print And now whiles I consider what a Trompet of Honour Homer hath bene to sturre-vp many woorthy Princes I cannot forget the woorthy Prince that is a Homer to himselfe a Golden spurre to Nobility a Scepter to Vertue a Verdure to the Spring a Sunne to the day and hath not onely translated the two diuine Poems of Salustius du Bartas his heauenly Vrany and his hellish Furies but hath readd a most valorous Martial Lecture vnto himselfe in his owne victorious Lepanto a short but heroicall worke in meeter but royal meeter fitt for a Dauids harpe Lepanto first the glory of Christendome against the