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
praise of God almighty the honor of the holy Church militāt the encrease confirmatiō of brotherly loue amōg his Peeres As their Records the Divine exercices vsed in the Church belonging to their order do apparantly shew Yea they voluntarily oblige themselues to the obseruation of so many pious Ordinances Resolutions vvhich are the conditions of their Order that it testifies much piety in the first Founders occasioneth much vertuous emulatiō in the princely Brotherhood is for these Reasons become so renouned that it hath bene desired receaued by the greatest Kings Princes of Christēdome as one of the most Christean most honorable Orders of Kinghthood in the vvorld And to shew that those things which are worthy on thēselues are not thought any whitt disparaged among wisemen because they haue sprung from meane occasion the Soueraigne fellowshipp of this excellēt Brotherhood knowing it no shame to retaine the remebrāce of that which first occasioned this institution haue called themselues Knights of S. Georg of the Garter Yet as if they foresaw alsoe that some foolish or malitious detractors would from thence take aduātage to endeauor how they might disparage their honorable Fraternitey they haue for their Impreza these words imbroydered vpon a litle Belt or Garter HONI SOIT QVI MALY PENSE which they weare as in reproofe contempt of all evill sinister imaginations I am sorry there should haue bene any necessity of speaking thus much in defence of that which is so apparantly commendable but since the malice ignorance of some hath giuen the occasion I hope neither the Kings Majestie the Soueraigne of that most Honorable Order here mētioned nor any member thereof will take it amise that out of my zeal to their honor I haue spoken according to my simple vnderstanding in a matter of such consequence For while it is permitted that divine Mysteryes those things which concerne euen to the honor of God Almighty may be defended by the meanest of his servants when his adversaries haue made them disputable I trust it shal be excusable for me to exprese my good opinion of this Mystery of State which by some is not so rightly conceaued of as in my Iudgmēt it ought to be especially seeing we haue had oftē experience that truth honorable Actions become the more confirmed the more glorious by being drawne into question I haue now delieuered vnto your RRces the reason of those things for which I my Booke of Hymnes haue bene abused miscensured by the Stationers their Confederates humbly desiring your Fatherhoods that if you perceaue any good in what I haue said or done or any hope of makeing me such a one as I desire to approoue my selfe that you would be pleased to giue your approbation to that which is well instruct me wherein I might be made better If not for my sake yet for that truthes sake which you your selues professe for the honor of that devotion which for ought you knowe I haue truly sought to advance let not faulse imputations or the scandalls of the malitious which euen the best men were euer subject vnto preiudice that among you which I haue offred vp vnto God or loose me any of your good opineons vntill you shall see more apparant cause to condemne me For since God hath bene so mercifull vnto me to couer all my transgressions in such manner that none cann iustly accuse me of any scandalous matter in all my life tyme why should men be so cruell as to seeke my disparagment by my best endeavor Let not my youth or the want of that calling which I dare not vsurpe make me or my labors the more contemptable to your Wisdomes nor let the vniust Rumors which the Deceaver hath provoked my traducers to divulge make those meditations seeme vnhallowed which I haue prepared for the honor of God For if the Devil had not perceaued them somewhat tending to the Almighties praise doubtles he his Instruments would haue suffred them to passe as quietly as those vaine inventions do which he inspires yt would haue bene no more disparagment to me to haue bene thought subject to some imperfections then it is to other men nor had my Life my lines my habit my vvords my very thoughts bene pried into censured as they haue bene Which liuing were I doe so much knowne as I am and the vvorld being so malitious as it is might giue occasion to discouer some spotts in a fayrer garment then mine I protest before the searcher of all hearts that I am not carefull to make this Apology or to beseech your good opiniō so much to preserue mine owne personall esteeme as to prouide that virtue and deuotion might not be hindred or scandalized through me or my deprauers Yet am I neither insensible of my temporall repute nor so desirous of maintaining it as if I should droupe without it or thought the honor of good studyes might not be preserued without mine For I know truth shall prevaile though I perish and to the praise of God out of my confidence in his loue be it spoken I am perswaded for mine owne part that all the world shall not haue powre to turne me out of that course which he hath set me into but rather make me relish my happinesse the better by their disturbance enable me in due time to despise most perfectly those vaine applauses encouragments whereby my weakenesse doth as yet require to be otherwhile supported And it may be those who shall liue in the next Age howeuer I am now thought of will wonder how the Deuill could find out a Company shameles enough to oppose and dispaurage me in soe vnchristian a manner as my Adversaries do For they haue not only offred me those injuries afore mentioned and many other which humanity forbidds but exercised their tongues also so scurrilously so vnciuelly and so vniustly to the disgrace of my personn that had I not long tyme envred my selfe to the barking of Doggs and the snarling of such Beasts I had bene much out of patience If I might not be thought to misapply the text as I thinke I should not there is scarce one passage in the Psalmes of blessed Dauid concerning the cōbinations practises of a malitious multitude but I haue had occasiō in a literall sēce to apply the same to my Aduersaries For they haue rewarded me euill for good and layd things to my charge which I knew not They haue priuely laid netts to ensnate me without a cause They haue reviled me all the day long are madd vpon me and sworne together against me Like Oxen and fatt Bulls they haue enclosed me grind at me like dogs round about the Citty when I sound the words of their mouthes as soft as butter there was warr in their hearts They hold all together keepe thēselues close marke my stepps whē they see me they
flatter speake lyes disseÌ„ble with their double heart They are sett on fyre they haue whett their toÌ„gues like swords their teeth are speares arrows their lipps speake deceit their mouth is full of â—…urfing and bitternesse they haue persecuted me wheÌ„ I was smitten eueÌ„ in my Aduersity they reioyced gathered themselues together against me They whisper and take counsell to my hurt The drunkards among them haue made songes on me yea the very abjects haue assembled made mowes at me so nearely imitated that crew of whom the Psalmist complaineth that if my Hymnes vvere as full of that good spirit which inspired David as my Adversaryes seeme to be of that evill spirit which possessed his enimies my Songes might vvell haue passed whithout exception But Gods will be done For I know he will in the best opportunity deliuer me from those oppressors I haue bene hithèrto as a deafe man to all they haue obiected because I knew it was gods pleasure that I should be afflicted for the evill which is in my vvorke that he might the more comfort me for that which his goodnesse hath made good in me And I had bene longer silent in their reproofe but that my Adversaries haue perhapps bene permitted soe much soe foolishly to prouoke me that those many iniuryes they haue offred others might be called into question by this meanes for the generall good yea paradventure they haue giuen this occasion that their owne words might make them fall whether it be so or not sure I am to be deliuered from them when my suffrings are compleat He that hath showne me troubles will as he hath often done novv also deliver me Euen he vvill comfort me for those yeares wherein he hath afflicted me because I haue placed my hope only on him Yea he vvill shew me some token for good that such as haue hated me may be ashamed that those vvho loue me may praise his name for my cause In vvhich assurance I vvill rest expecting my revvard from aboue the Sunne For I haue vvith Salomon obserued and seene that here vnder the Sunne the race is not to the svvift nor the batle to the stronge nor bread to the vvise nor riches to men of vnderstanding nor favor to men of knowledge but tyme chance commeth to them all Eccl. 9. 11. And I hope that your RRces vvhom as the Ambassodors true Ministers of God I haue euer honored loued obeyed vvill in vvhat you may be as helpefull in the setling of my ontvvard peace as your Instructions haue bene to beget in me an invvard contentment That vvhich hath bene ceÌ„sured vndiscreet in my former studyes vvas punished seuerely let not that also vvhich the King Authority approoues commendable be made preiuditiall vnto me For vvhich vvay then shall I employ my selfe vvithout disadvantage Although I grudge not that men addicted to the most vaine exercizes cann reap profitt regard Yet methinks it is somevvhat vnequall that he vvho hath bestovved his tyme his paines his fortunes in better studyes should be altogether denyed his labor for his travell Or vvhich is vvorse suffer for his good intentions because he hath endeauored more then a hundred bee abused more then a thousand I would it were otherwise for their sakes vvho haue but begun to tast the comfort svveetnesse of attempting good things that none of those may be discouraged through my hard vsage vvho haue in the prime of their youth forborne their pleasures forsaken the ordinary pathes of preferment to prosecute that vvhich may redound as vvell to the profit of others as to their ovvne benefite And I vvould to god that such as ought to cherish direct those vvho desire to spend their tyme best faculties in the seruice of God vvould not so enuiously carpe at honest parformances as many do vvhen their humor is not fitted in euery perticuler Perhapps alsoe vvhen those perticulers vvere approoued of by wisermen When an Archer hath shott it is aneasy an ordinary matter for the foolish lookers on to say he hath mist thus or thus much of the marke but giue them the Bovv it vvill soone appeare that they are better at finding fault vvith others then in doing vvell themselues Against such as these I haue had some cause to complaine not only among the Stationers but I am sorry I should haue reason to speake it some euen of the Cleargy are that vvay blame vvorthy haue as I am credibly informed so friuelously so inuiriously objected against my Hymnes that their ovvne freinds hearers haue discouered that it vvas the Author rather then his Booke vvhich they affected not For al they could say being vrged to expresse perticuler exceptions was this that I was no Divine And it hath appeared to the iust disparagment of some among them that they had neuer so much as handled the booke they disapprooued Whence should this proceed but from selfe corruption the basest enuy And what flesh blood could endure it with silence The most eminent the most learned the most devout the most approoued of our Devines haue thought it worthy praising God for to see a man of my quality exercize his faculty that way Some of the most reuerend of them haue sought me out honored me for it with more respect then I find my selfe vvorthy of that they might encourage me in such endeauors Yea the Kings most excellent Majestie hath by his priuiate approbation of that booke vnder his publike seale giuen soe princely a testemony of his desire to credit cherish in his Subjects exercizes ' of such nature that their abuse of me is not without some iniury to the Iudgment Authority of his Majestie Surely he hath not deserued it at their hands And alas vvhat cause haue I giuen them that they should thus deale vvith me What labor of theiâ—…s did I eâ—…r traduce Or vvhose good repute at any tyme haue I envied at vvhen I haue seene the nakednesse of some among them I haue couered it Yea I haue labored to saue the reputation of such as these vvhere their indiscretions had nigh lost it And vvill they so recompence me as to conuert my best Actions to my reproach Cann they not be content to be silent vvhen they are not disposed to approoue but must they dispraise alsoe to the encouragment of my other ignorant Aduersaries in their opposition And because I haue performed a laborious vvorke not so exactly perhapps as they conceaue it might haue bene vvill they make it more my disparagment then it is to some of them to be employed about nothing If in any thing I haue deserued ill let them not secreetly traduce me but christianly reprooue me according to the duty of their callings If I haue deserued nothing let them advise me hovv to merrit better or suffer me to be altogether vnspoken of as those many thousands are that doâ—…
necessaries beefitting my present condition By which meanes I was for many dayes compelled to feed on nothing but the coursest bread and sometymes lockt vpp foure and twenty howers togeather without so much as a dropp of water to coole my tongue And beeing at the same tyme in one of the greatest extremityes of sicknesse that was euer inflicted vpon my body the helpe both of Phisition and Apothecary was vnciuilly denied me So that if God had not by resolutions of the minde which he infused into mee extraordinarily inabled me to wrestle with those such other aflictions as I was then exercised withall I had beene dangerously and euerlastingly ouercome But of these vsages I coÌ„plaine not for they are past He that made me made me strong enough to despise them Nor doe I here mention them as accusing the State of iniustice God forbidd For I assure my selfe my restraint was iust vntill such tyme as I had acquited my selfe of what was layd to my charg Yea I assure myselfe the seuerity of my sufferings was vn knowne to that most honorable counsel which ommitted mee and that more fauour should haue beene shewed if meanes had beene afforded mee to complainâ—… Because as soone as I had opportunity to iustifie my honest intentions and to giue reasons for my questionable expressions I was restored to the common liberty as I perswade my selfe both with the good fauour of the King and of all those that restrayned mee For the greatest faulte which ouer I committed confessed or others coulde discouer in those writings was this that they fauoured a little more of Honesty then discretion And verily should euery man publickely 〈◊〉 for his indiscretions as I haue done our prisons must be made larger then our streetes The reasoÌ„ then why I thus begin this discourse with relation of my past indurances is to sharpen the dulnesse of my oratorie on the remembrance of those things and to begett in your hearts the more feeling of that christian compunâ—…tion which they must entertaine before this declaration that I nowe intend wil be of any force And least I haue not yet deliuered enough in that kind to stirre vp your regard I will vnder your fauours proceede a little further in the discouery of my outward fortunes before I propose what principally I doe desire this reuerend Assâ—…mbly should please to take notise of May it please you then to vnderstand that my punishment ended not with my imprisonment For before I had lycence to come abroad againe into the world I was forced to expences so farre beyond my abillity that ere I could be clearely discharged I was left many pounds worse then nothing And to inioy but the name of liberty was cast into a greater bondage then before Wherevpon comming abroade againe into the worlde accompanyed thither with those affections which are natural to most men I was loth if it might conueniently be preuented either to sinke belowe my ranke or to liue at the mercy of a creditor And therefore haueing none of those helps or trades or shifts which many others haue to releeue themselues withal I huÌ„bly peticioned the Kings most excellent Maiestie not to be supplyed at his charge or by any proiectment to the oppression of his people but that according to the lawes of nature I might enioy the benifit of some part of myne owne labours by virtue of his Royall priuiledge For by an vniust custome as most of your Reuerences well knowe the Stationers haue so vsurped vpon the labours of all writers that when they haue consumed their youth and fortunes in perfiting some laborious worke those cruell Bâ—…e-masters burne the poore Athenian bees for their hony or else driue them from the best part thereof by their long practiced cunninge Which to preuent his Maiestie vouchsafed my reasonable request with addition of voluntary fauour 〈◊〉 mine owne desire For before his warrant to Master Attorny he gratiously expressed his royall commâ—…ndatory allowance of my Booke which I had presented him withall peticioning his priuiledge for printing thereof And both in the procurâ—…ing of it and in the passing of his Graunt I tooke no other course then what I haue hitherto vsed and purpose to vse for euer in all myne affaires that is neither directly nor indirectly to solicite any man to fauour me otherwise theÌ„ he shal be moued by his owne conscience and the iustnes of my cause when I haue made means to discouer the true state thereof to his vnderstanding Nor was this manner of proceeding any hindrance vnto me for my Graunt neuerthelesse passed his Maiesties hand and euery office after where many times le ts are cast in the way with so much vnusual fauour and such good wishes besides expedition that I was greatly incouraged to ingage my credit almost three hundred poundes further thereupon to imprint and diuoulge my Booke according to his Maiesties Letters Pattents All which expence together with my paynefull endeauours are now in danger to be lost to the ouerthrow of my new hopes and which is my greater griefe to the hinderance of those my friends who haue aduentured their goods in my sinking vessell For some of the Booke-sellers who like the Siluer Smithes of Ephesus preferr their vniust gaine before conscience or piety though their Corporation hath much profited and is daily inriched by my former labors though they may haue benifit by this in questioÌ„ though they are not ignorant of the greate troubles and hinderances I haue receiued by that which did the more aduantage them though they are priuie to my large expence in this worke and howe much it wil be my vndoing to the world-ward if it succeede not though they knowe it fauoured both by his Maiestie and those also who are esteemed amonge the most deuout and learned of the Clergie though their owne consciences whatsoeuer they pretend tel them it tendes to the glory of God and the furtherance of true deuotion without preiudice to any particuler man yea though I haue orderly proceeded in receiuing the benefit of mine own labours without taking away the least part either of their or of any other mans iust profit I say notwithstanding all this they indeauoured without all compassion or honest consideration not only to procure the ouerthrow of my Graunt and with it so farr as in them lyes my ruin also because I would not let them haue the benifit therof at their owne rates But haue publikly and vniustly slaundered me as one that had proiected and procured a priuiledge to the generall greeuance of the subiect which thing I vtterly abhorr Nor haue they thought it sufficient ingratfully to seeke the compassing of their owne ends by the ruine both of his state and good name whose former studies haue beene a meanes to helpe the raysing of them But they will disparage the Kinges power and iudgment rather then fayle Nay to shew themselues suparlatiuely dareing to attempt any thinge to further their designes there be
and fancies which being commendable in other things would haue obscured the maiesty of those inventions To this I had so much regard especially in my translations of the Canonicall Hymnes that if I mistake not I haue as naturally and as playuely exprest the sence of them as most prose Translations haue done And if those indifferent men who know the Poesy and power of the English tongue may be my Iudges they will censure my expressions to bee such as shall neither be obscure to the meanest capacityes nor contemptible to the best Iudgments but obseruing a middle way best becomming that purpose for which they were intended I did not leape on a suddaine or irreuerently into this employment but haueing consumed almost y◠yeares of an Apprentishipp in studies of this kinde I entred therinto conscionably in the feare of God nor haue I proceeded without his assistance as the difficulties and discouragments which I haue passed through do witnes vnto me For if it be well weighed how full of short sentences and suddaine breakings off those scriptures are how frequently these Particles FOR BVT such lik which are graceful in the Originall Text will seeme to obscure the dependancy of Sense in the English phrase if the power of their signification be not heedfully obserued in those places How ha◅sh the musicke will be if the chiefe Pauses be not carefully reduced vnto the same place in the lyne throughout the whole Hymne which they haue in the first Stanza how many differences must be obserued betweene Lyricke-verse and that which is composed for reading only Howe the Translater is tyed not to make choise of those fashion Stanzaes which are easiest to expres the matter in but to keep that with which he first begā how he is bound not only to the sence according to the liberty vsed in other Translationes but to the very words or words of the same power with those vsed in our allowed Interpretations Lastly how prec◅se he must be when he is forced to expresse any sentence by circumlocution to labor stil to retayne a relish of the holy phrase in his expressions I say if all these circumstances be well considered and how difficult they make it to close vp euery Stanza with a period or some such point that the voice may decently pause there I am parswaded a worke of this nature coulde not haue ben persisted in to this conclusion by a man haueing somany weaknesses and discouragments as I haue had vnlesse the Almighty had beene with mee Nor can I beleeue that the deuill would haue raysed vp soe many malitiously to oppose the same if it had not tended to Gods honor But sure no man will grudge the annexing of the Booke of Hymnes to our metricall Psalmes now vsed in regard of any faultinesse in their expression yf they consider the meannesse of that Translation For though some of no meane degree are very violent for the mayntenance and continuance of their olde Version pleading as the papists do for many of their trumperyes a long prescription in steed of better argumentes yet I know it to be soe much to blame that no man of vnderstanding can sing many of those Psalmes but with trouble to his deuotion And I dare vndertake to demonstrate that they are not onely full of absurdityes s◅oeloscismes improprietyes non-sēce and impertinent circumlocutions to more then twice the length of their originalles in some places but that there are in thē many expressiōs also ◅uite beside if not quite contrary to the meaning of the Text. Which I would not thus openly haue declared but that euen schoole boys perceiue it though some that would be thought wiser do ignorantly or wilfully protest against an alteration of our singing Psalmes Excuse me I beseech you if I seeme a litle too playne in discouering the faultines of that wherof so many are ouerweening for I doe it not to disparage the pious endeauours of those whoe tooke paynes in that Translation but rather commending their laborious and Christian intention do acknowledg that considering the tymes they liued in and of what quallity they were they made soe worthye an attempt as may iustly shame vs whoe came after to see it no better seconded during all the flourishing tymes which haue followed their troublesome Age especially seeing howe curiously our language and expressiones are refined in our triuiall Discourses This hath giuen the papist the Atheist and the Libertyne occasion to skoffe at our christian exercises and troubles the deuotion of many a religious man who being desirous to sing with his vnderstanding in the congregations doth often before he is aware loose the sence of the Prophet yea and sometymes fall vpon direct nonsence among those many impertynent circumlocutions and independancies which he is for Rymes sake compelled to wander through in that Translation Neuerthelesse some I knowe will be obstinate in defence of their oulde Meeter and I shall seeme to thē as one that had presumpteously layd an imputation vpon our Church and vnreuerently taxed what her Authority had commaunded which I thanke God I am not guiltye of For I well enough knowe and your Reuerences can witnesse it that those metrical Psalmes were neuer commaunded to bee vsed in Diuine seruice or in our publike congregations by any Canon or Ecclesiastical constitutiō though many of the vulger be of that opinion But whatsoeuer the stationers do in their Tytle page pretend to that purpose they being first allowed for priuate deuotion only ◅ept into publik vse by toleratiō rather thē commaund Yea custome hath beene hitherto their cheife Authority and therefore wee may not onely lay open their defects to a good purpose without iust blame to our selues or scandal to the Church but I hope chang them also without offence when a better translation shal come to light In the meane time there will be no reason I am sure why those shoulde condemne my expressiones while they approoue those measures we haue hitherto made vse of in our Devotions But lest the worke should bee able to iustifie it selfe in spight of their detraction my Aduersarys do picke personall quarrells also alleaging that I haue vndecently intruded vpon the Diuine calling and that my performances being but the fruites of a priuate spirit are therfore vayne vnwarrantable Yea yf we may beleeue the stationers many zealous Ministers haue taxed me for medling with a worke of that nature affyrming that it was a taske fitter for a Diuine then for me and so bitterly haue many of them as I heare censured me for it in their priuate conferences that I haue good cause to suspect it was rather enuie then any thing else which induced most of them to be of that opinion If it be a worke soe proper to a Diuine that noe man else ought to haue medled with it I would some of them had taken it in hand who giue me so little thankes for my labor that we might haue seene
nothing If I haue deserued any thing let tâ—…m leaue me to the fruite of mine ovvne labor if that be not able to reward it selfe vvithout their cost I vvil suffer the losse I haue hitherto spent my ovvne tyme fortunes in my studyes neuer ayming at any of their spirituall promotions no not so much as at a lay Prebhend for my labor For the principall revvard I seeke is that vvhich euery eye seeth not that vvhich those vvho iudge my affections by their ovvne think me to haue least thought on As for that outward benifite vvhich the necessityes of this life my fraylties vrge me somevvhat to looke after it is that little profitt only vvhich my worke naturally brings vvith it selfe nor shall I be long discontented if that alsoe be taken from me Some haue already a strong expectatioÌ„ to see me wholy depriued of it some kind harts could be content to allow me a part thereof but not so much as they suppose my iust profitt vvould amount vnto For they say that were too great a consideration for so little a vvorke Wherein they shew their grosse partiality For thousands a yeare is not accounted suffieient for some who haue suddainely attained their estates by vnnecessary or base perhapps wicked employments Yet they esteeme one hundred too much for him that hath performed a worke honest profitable to the publike because he performed it in a shorter tyme then some vvould haue done Neuer thinking how many yeares practise expences he had first conâ—…ed to make himselfe fit for such an 〈◊〉 neuer considering what he might haue gained if he had bestowed the same tyme charge industry in other professions neuer regarding â—…owloÌ„g he might haue bene vvithout hope of profit if that had not happened Hovv vncertainâ—… the fruite may yet prooue nor hovv many troubles charges and hinderances he hath bene heretofore at without any consideration at all But I leaue them to their vniust diuission Let them alot me what they please ballance my Talent as they list God will prouide sufficient for me to whose pleasure I referr the succeffe though I may in this manner speake a little to shew them I am sensible of their vsage Yet they shall see I will walke as contentedly what euer happens as if I had the fullfilling of all my hopes I beseech your RRces to pardon me though my penn hath spirted a little ynke on those last meÌ„tioned For next the Stationers they haue bene of all others the most iniurious vnto me And saue that I haue a Christian regard to their calling and to preserue the patience becomming him that hath exercized himselfe in sacred Studies I had here dropt gall and made them perceaué that I haue as true feeling of harsh vsages as other men But I do for Gods sake spare them and for your sakes whom I haue found ready to comfort assist and direct me in my good purposes I do forbeare the Stationers alsoe in the mention of many particuler mivsages yet not spoken of and in desisting to agrauate what I haue hitherto touched vpon so farr forth as I haue cause For if I should here declare vnto your RRces by way of illustratioÌ„ how many seuerall Discourtisies they haue offred me hovv they haue resisted the Kings Grant since the beginning of our Controuersy hovv they concluded to let me disburse all the mony I could before they would openly oppose me that theÌ„ my profit being hindered I might be constrained to yeald to their pleasures or to be ruined in my estate Hovv violently they haue euer since persecuted my purposed hinderance to my great losse How willfully they haue misenformed the Kings Majestie diuerse honorable personages concerning my Grant my procedings to procure my damage Hovv vniustly they gaue out among their Customers that my Grant was a Monopoly an exaction to the oppression of the people Hovv impudently faulsly they haue verefied that I had procured that no man might buy a Bible Testament or Communion-Booke which out my Hymnes How they compelled a fevv of the Bookebynders whose estates much depend on their fauors to present the high Court of Parliament with diuers vntrue suggestions in the name of fourescore when as all except 4. or 5 of them did as I haue heard reiect the said information as faulse rediculous hovv foolishly they haue sought to make me seeme pore in my estate as if I had aymed at some reputation that way Hovv from day to day during all this Session they haue maintained three or foure of their Instruments to clamor against me at the Parliament house dore in so rude a fashion as vvas neuer exampled in any Cause How farr they haue threatned to engage themselues their fortunes in my opposition Hovv dishonestly they dare pretend the good of the Common vvealth when they haue but priuate ends vvhen they themselves do really oppresse the same are in a higher nature truly guilty of those greeuances vvhich they faulsely lay vnto my Charge Hovv malitiously they haue hindered themselues their whole Company of an assured benifite that I might haue the greater losse Hovv they take occasion in all Assemblyes to vent as much as they cann to my disparagment as if they had projected to make me if it vvere possible infamous through out the whole Kingdome I say if I should giue vnto your RRces all these perticulers truly Illustrated shew how false I could prooue their informations hovv cruell their dealings hovv base their slanders hovv absurd their cavills hovv much I haue vvith patience endured them vnspoken of till this day in hope to find them better affected you vvould say that God had enabled me beyond the povvre of mine ovvne vveaknesse And perhapps alsoe you vvould think it a vvorke of mercy to helpe deliuer me from their Tyranny But the amplification of these things and my answeares to all those obiections vvhich they haue published I reserue for the high Court of Parliament or for their hearing vvho shal be appointed Iudges of the differences betvveene vs. And then if I shall not appeare vvorthy to be freed froÌ„ their oppression I wil be coÌ„tented still to suffer to giue vp both my labors and Priueledges to be the prey of their Auarice In the meane tyme I vvill defend my selfe and my right as I am able In vvhich I know I shall haue much to doe Seeing those vvhom I am to resist are an Aduersary so many wayes armed for my disadvantage as I could hardly haue found out the like For they will not only come against me in the Name of a respected Corporation pretending the good and releefe of a pore Multitude vvhich I shal be able to proue vnder the hands of 60 of their owne Company they haue made porer then otherwise it vvould haue bene but they haue so many other fayre pretences alsoe such clokes of sincerity and such vnsuspected insinuations to screwe
themselues into good opinion to his disaduantage vvhom they oppose that he shall haue need of all his faculties And though their cause should appeare faulty Yet they haue soe plentifull a stock to make it hopefull soe many heads to plott euasions soe many Soliciters to prosecute their designes such Instruments ready to stretch their consciences to serue them So many seuerall persons to procure freinds Such a multitude to lay the shame and blame among when they do a man any wilfull or apparant iniury So much oppertunity by meanes of their Trade and Customers to possesse the generality on their behalfes Such a Brood of Ingles by reason of their many troublesome suites in euery Court of Iustice and about euery eminent person ready to serue their turnes And so desperately valiant are they in vowing the persecutiō of what they vndertake though it were to be maintained by the expence of many thousand p◅unds that to graple with them and come of vnfoiled were one of Hercules his labors I scarcely sett my foot into any place whither I vsually resort but I am told of their foule language against me I seldome meet that man of my Acquaintance but they haue possest him with somewhat against my Grant Nor come I into that Noble-mans lodginge where they haue not already one of his Chamber or some other near about him forward to dispute their cause and vppon all occasions to possesse their Lord with such vntrue suggestions as they dare informe And questionles they haue other aduātages that my experience among them hath not yet discouered which if God should turne to foolishnes I doubt they would grow desperate For as I am told one of them vvas not ashamed lately to affirme that if their ayme succeeded not it vvould cost some their liues God blesse the men and giue them grace to see their distemper before it come to that and in tyme to suspect the honoesty of that cause vvhich vvresteth out such vvords of desperation For mine owne parte my conscience is witnesse of such vvarrantablenes in mine that vvhether I sink or swimme in that particuler I hope and am perswaded it shall make toward my best happinesse But I haue gotten some vvill say such a powrefull and furious Aduersary by this quarrell that I shall fill my life full of troubles dangers Indeed I looke to find them perfect enimies but since I must haue enimies they are such soes as I would desire to haue I expect they vvill proue violent subtill but not so violent or subtill as the Deuill who is euery moment watching to deuour me And it may be their malice vvill make me so vigilant ouer my selfe that I shall the better escape his I haue heard one that thinking to kill his enimie gaue him a sleight hurt that cured him of a mortall disease and so may they serue me I was euer as carefull as I could be of my wayes Yet knowing no great Foes I had but such only as were spirituall I more striued for an inward sincerity then to make fayre appearances outwardly and therefore gaue perhapps some occasion now and then of scandall through my simple freedome because haueing no ill purpose I thought euery looker on vvould censure as charitably of my Actions as my Intentions deserued But novv I shall haue remembrancers to prouoke me to more strict circumspection betwixt the Deuill in secret my nevv foes in publike shal be kept I hope so watchfull that myne eye shall not dare looke off from God Nor my hand fasten it selfe vpon the rotten sta◅e of any humane protection I will perswade my selfe that where ere I goe one of them doggs me though it is not the feare of the world for which I make conscience of vvhat I do yet an outward obiect may sometyme quickē an inward consideration when it is almost asleepe I embrace the occasion They lately threatned the marking of my wayes I therefore giue them hearty thankes for I neuer since behold one of their Fraternity but it is an Alarum to me driues me immediately to consider what I last did what I am then doing what I purpose to goe about Nay I haue apossiblity of braue Aduantages if their enmity encrease as it hath done hitherto There is not an ouersight which I was guilty of since my cradle nor a Folly which I was euer suspected of nor any forgetfulnesse which I may be prone to fall into but I hope they vvill enquire it out lay it to my charge That the great Accuser may haue the ◅sse to obiect at the last Iudgment These priueledges will I gaine by it If they accuse me of ought wherein I am truly faulty it shall I trust moue me to a true repentance begett in me amendment for the tyme to come through the shame of this life lead me into the glory of the next If any cry me be obiected whereof I am cleare I vvill remember that the vvorld hath sometyme praised me more then I diserued so ◅etting her praises disparagments to ballance one another vvill forgiue her haue as little to do vvith her hereafter as I cann Yea it may be that if my Aduersaries vvould once speak out openly that which they whisper priuately to to my disgrace I should thence take occasion not only to acquite my selfe of many imputations vvhereby I am novv iniured to the scandall of my personn the hinderance of some of that good vvith my labors might els effect But I shall paraduenture alsoe find oppertunity thereby to to publish that which vvill teach others vpō what considerations they may keepe their minds quiet in the like affliction And shevv them how to convert all malitious defamations to the shame of their enimies to the glory of God to their present consolation and to their future aduantage for euer Nay if my Aduersaries hold on that violence vvhich they now make shevv of I trust to Discouer hereafter by my constant example these to be no brauadoes or meere verball florishes but that there is in my soule a reall knowledge feeling of what I professe For I haue by my selfe mustered my forces and I haue considered that I am but one and they many I know no man of powre whose assistāce I may challenge by any desert of my owne whereas their large gratuities haue that way made them strong I find my naturall bashfullnesse to be such that I could not though it were to saue my life trouble men in honorable place about my priuate quarrells For if they be altogether strangers it seemes to me impudence to solicite them If we are but acquainted only me thinks I should first deserue somewhat And I hold that he who is worthy the name of my freind will do me what fauor he cann without asking it assoone as he parceaues I need him On the contrary their audacity is such that they cann shamelesly importune and scrape to any man
persecutors among the Stationers be those who are so vnvvorthy to beare the name of the vvhole Company that they are not so much as good members thereof but rather enimies Robbers and Defamers of their Society and iniurious to this vvhole Commonvvealth But doe I lay this to the charge of all those who are the rulers of this Corporation No verely not to them alone For I beleeue there be some of their Cheefes greeued at the peruersenesse of such among them vvho haue bene iniurious to me to their Society and I think they vvould vvillingly remedy all if the vvilfulnesse of the rest were not more powrefull then their good perswasions as one not of the meanest of them lately confest vnto me There be alsoe among the inferior sort of Bookesellers as my experience hath taught me some vvell and some ill affected to my cause among vvhich multitude if any man be desirous to distinguish those men from the rest to whose charge I purpose not to lay the abusing of me in such manner as is mentioned in this discourse by these obseruations following yt may infallably be done When any man shall come to a Stationers shopp to buy a Psalmebooke or any other booke with which the Psalmes of Dauid in English meeter are bound vp if he be proffered that booke with my Hymnes therevnto annexed according to the Kings Command or if vvanting it a reasonable excuse be made or a promise to prouide it according to the Customers desire or if vpon the mentioning of me and that worke of mine he do neither cauil nor obiect any thing to the disgrace of that or me or if vpon enquiry after this booke he promise to procure it or shew some likely cause why it is not to be had neither raile nor grumble nor looke doggedly on him that demands it before departure that man was neuer any of those that abused me Or if he were it seemes he is either sorry or so ashamed he hath wronged me that he deserues to be forgiuen therefore I vvould not that any thing which he was guilty of to my harme should be layd to his charge while he continues in that temper but my desire is if it vvere possible that euery man vvho hath heard him abuse me should rather quite forget that any such vvronges had bene done For some haue bene ledd on to iniure me out of meere ignorance some for Company sake some because of their dependance vpon such as are my illwillers and some by reason they beleeued ouerwell of those who missedd them all which will turne another leafe as soone as the state of my cause appeareth But they vvho haue out of pure malice persecuted me will not so relent The Deuill owes them a shame vvill not suffer them to see vvherevnto their enuy blind Coueteousnesse vvill bring them before he hath payd them Assooone as euer this booke shewes it selfe abroade I durst wager the price of it that you shall finde those fellowes at some Tauerne within a flight shot of Paules constulting quotinge commenting and obseruing vvhat may be collected out of it to my disaduantage and if anger do not put them beside their old custome it vvill cost them a vvorthy legg of Mutton a Capon and a gallon or twoe of vvine before any matter vvillbe disgested vvorth their expences Next morning it is tenn to one els they may be found at some Lavvyers Chamber to know what cann be pickt out of this Apology to beare an Action of slander or some such like cullor of prosecuting the Law against me But that vvill be to little purpose for the booke is so large that if their Counsell haue any good practise he must be fayne to take tyme vntill the next long vacation to read it ouer and by that tyme he vvill haue the same opinō of thē which I expresse Assoone as they com frō Counsell at some typling house they vvill presently meet againe to comfort themselues vvith that little hope which the law seemes to promisse And it may be thither they vvill send for some of those hyreling Authors of theirs that vse to fashion those Pamphletts that suite the seuerall humors and inclinations of the tymes or one of those that penns for them such vvorthy storyes as the Dragon of Sussex Tom Thumbe and the vveekely newes From vvhom if they cann procure but the promise of makeing some foolish libell against me or to publish an impudent reply to my Apology it shall not cost him a farthing if he sitt among them till tvvelue a clock at night and perhapps he shall haue somewhat in earnest alsoe of a better penny If any man enquire of thē for my booke of Hymnes he shall be sent avvay vvithout it and perhapps they vvill passe some scandalous censure therevpon If this booke be asked after among them they vvill presently discouer themselues by some bitter language and by protesting against it as a scurrilous and libellous pamphlet vpon the very nameing of me their cullor doth vsually change And if the Company and I should haue any meetings together about these matters in question those vvill discouer themselues from the rest by their Distempered lookes their contemptible speeches of me their furious behauiors these are the marks whereby I distinguish those whom I accuse from those whom I cleare And here are no personall Notions whereby the person of any perticuler man is vninstly desamed for publikely to accuse any one in that kind vntill Authority require it is both vnlawfull vncharitable But these are markes of quality which if any man haue vpon him especially being thus forewarned it is his ovvne fault if his disgrace follovv And I do no greater vvrong in saying he that doth this or thus is my malitious enimie then in affyrming that he who stealeth is a Theefe But these rules do but only marke my freinds from my Foes among the Stationers Because therefore I haue charged them in generall with some abuses publikely iniurious I vvill declare alsoe how such as are to be approoued blamelesse among them shal be knowne from the rest by expressing the trne definitiō of an honest Stationer the liuely Charecter of his cōtrary Whom for difference sake I call a meere Stationer An honest Stationer is he that exercizeth his Mystery whether it be in printing bynding or selling of Bookes with more respect to the glory of God the publike aduantage then to his ovvne commodity is both an ornament a profitable member in a ciuill Commonwealth He is the Caterer that gathers together prouision to satisfy the curious appetite of the Soule is carefull to his powre that whatsoeuer he prouides shal be such as may not poyson or distemper the vnderstanding And seeing the State intrusteth him with the disposing of those Bookes which may both profitt hurt as they are applyed like a discreet Apothecary in selling poysnous druggs he obserues by whom to vvhat purpose