publique vse passing memorable for a point or two exceeping monstrous And that is the very disgrace of the Sonnet that the Stile nothing counteruaileth the Subiect but debaseth a straunge body with vulgar attire and disguiseth a superlatiue Text with a positiue Glosse As it is it is your owne to dispose or cancell at pleasure and albeit the writer promise nothing for promise he accounteth an Obligation yet if he fortune to surprise you with a sorry amendes let it not be vnwellcome that commeth in the name of good-will and such a good-will as is lesse affraide of the Plague then of Vnthankefulnesse He that is desirous with the first to be coÌ„tinually made acquainted with your publique Intelligences from or of whatsoeuer kingdomes or States will haue a mutuall regard of frendly correspondence by some returne of priuate Nouels or other recompense as any his vacation yeeldeth leysure or any his opportunity presenteth occasion Touching his present Exercises or other actions you know enough that know why the Asse sleepeth the Fox winketh Or recall to minde our sweet Table-philosophy of the for dead Libbard a very gentle and silent creature and you neede no other inckling Peraduenture some-body may finde that the roughest awkest things are not so cuÌ„bersome to other as they may prooue irkesome to themselues There is a learned kinde of Feare that preuenteth many mischiefes and they are iudiciously wise howsoeuer valiant rich or powerable that dare not vse other otherwise then themselues would be vsed Men may stand vpon brauing termes and puffe-vp their owne swelling veynes but when wilfulnesse is in the tide Discretion is in the ebbe Some haue repented them no lesse then fower and twenty houers in a day and a night for one froward word Suerly a man were better shift his footing then stand stifly in his owne light and who would not rather say to his Tongue Tongue thou art a lyer or to his penne Penne thou art a foole then vndooe himselfe vtterly and shame himselfe euerlastingly You might heare of the new Treaty or motiue and it is not the first time that I haue discouered a broode of witts like the famous well in Idumea whose water one quarter of the yeare was as muddy as the muddiest kennell an other quarter as bloudy as the bloudiest slaughterhouse the third as greene as the greenest grasse the fourth as cleere as the cleerest conduict Euery exchaunge for the better doth well and it is a good signe when pudled waters grow cleere if they grow cleere and disordered wittes become tractable if they become tractable Haue they not cause to doubt that know the variable nature of that Syrian well and haue seen so many dogged things returne to their vomit A good bargaine and a gentle Offer would not be refused but he that coÌ„sidereth the fittes of Aprill and the panges of September hath reason for a demurrer and he that hath seene as lunatique creatures as the Moone must be pardoned though he suffer not himselfe to be coosened with the legierdemaine of a iugling Conuert Did I neuer tell you of a grauer man that wore a priuy coate of interchaungeable colours and for the Art of Reuolting or recanting might read a Lecture to any retrograde Planet in Heauen or Earth Is it not possible for a wilde Asse of a fugitiue and renegate disposition in such a point to resemble the tamest Foxe Or are not Bookes with vnstayed readers and running heads like vnto those wondrous waters that being dronke of birdes as Theophrastus reporteth or of sheepe as Seneca writeth chaunged them from white to blacke and from blacke to white After a sterne and ruthfull Tragedy solemnely acted who deeplyer plunged in sober and melancholy dumpes then some good fellowes that from a pleasant and wanton Comedy finely played returne as merry as a criket and as light as a feather When the sweet Youth haunted Aretine and Rabelays the two monstrous wittes of their languages who so shaken with the furious feauers of the One or so attainted with the French Pockes of the other Now he hath a little mused vpon the Funerall Teares of Mary Magdalen and is egged-on to try the supplenesse of his Patheticall veine in weeping the compassionatest and diuinest Teares that euer heauenly Eye rained vpon Earth Iesu what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Supererogation haue they atchieued Riot◠〈◊〉 was wont to roote so deeply that it could hardly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and where reckelesse Impudency taketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not very hastily to be dispossessed I was sayâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a Spring of rankest Villany in February 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diuinity in May May they not surâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wonder how Machiauell can teach a Priâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be religious An other question or two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were at my tounges end But what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 talke any-more of Paradoxes or impossibilities when He that penned the most desperate and abominable Pamflet of Straunge Newes and disgorged his stomack of as poisonous rancour as euer was vomited in Print within few moneths is won or charmed or inchaunted or what Metamorphosis should I terme it to astonish carnall mindes with spirituall meditations vpon one of the most sacred and godfull arguments that the holyest deuotion could admire in the profoundest traunce of rapt and Seraphicall Zeale I will not stay to maruell at the miracles of predominant Causes the Holy-ghost is an omnipotent Spirite that can mollifie the flyntyest minde and breath a soule of Heauen into a hart of Hell If vnfaynedly he hath stripped-of the snakes skinne and put-on the new man as he deuoutly pretendeth let him be constant and not blaspheme his most-reuerend Sauiour with counterfait Teares if he playeth at fast and loose as is vehemently suspected by strong presumptions whom shall he cunnycatch or crosbite but his Cast-away selfe as holly as a holly-hock But I thanke God I haue some-thing else to dispute and if young Apuleius be not still the sonne of old Apuleius and Pierce still as diuine as a wilde Vine I haue said nothing but commend the sweet art of relenting Humanity and embrace the good nature of a good Nature that sheddeth the pure Teares of Repentance The more notorious the offence and the more vnsatisfiable the Iniurie was the more fauorable and liberall he is that with honest termes and reasonable conditions may easely be entreated to pardon thesame that is to bestow a great benefit insteade of a great reuenge and to loose the exercise of many weekes to gaine the recouery of one lost sonne The best is I am not yet a Fly in the cobweb of the Spider and in a mating age none are free from the check buâ—kinges Or if kinges peraduenture finde themselues somewhat shrewdly mated alas we poore subiectes must be content to be checked may dayly learne of our betters to smoother with patience that we cannot quench with order and will not extinguish with disorder Socrates professed nothing and I professe lesse then Socrates yet this I
A Nevv Letter of NOTABLE CONTENTS With a straunge Sonet intituled GORGON Or the wonderfull yeare LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1593. TO MY LOVING FRIEND IOHN Wolfe Printer to the Cittie Mr Wolfe Good Newes was euer a welcome guest vnto me and you do well in the current of your businesse to remember the Italian Prouerbe Good Tidings would be dispatched to ride post as Ill Tidings may haue good leaue to be a footeman The nimblest Bee is a slowworme in expeditions of importance or cōgratulation the dullest Snaile the meetest Ambassadour to be employed in messages of damage or condolement You haue lately as appeareth by your Indices of the sicknesse and so many other Nouels very tidely playde the Bees part and so continue as you loue me or your selfe vnto whom I wish a rich hiue and many hony-moones Since I receaued Parthenophil Shores wife and the Articles of accorde or truce in France for which I render you as many thankes as there be Articles I haue now also this instant of September perused your queint and cunning Discourse of Remonstrances to the Duke de Maine with that other new-new Pamflet of the late Turkish assiege of Sysseck in Croatia the old Liburnia famous for seruiceable Shippes And take no lesse pleasure in the sounde Declaration of the plaine Germane a credible Historicgrapher then delight in the sly Information of the fine French a glicking Remembrancer It is not the externall but the internall forme call it the Pith or the marrow or the life-bloud or what you list that edifieth and vndoubtedly the Christian world hath pregnant cause to prostrate the feruentest Zeale of their deuotions to his almighty maiesty that hath brought France and Croatia to those termes of Truce and Triumph A happy Truce if a happy truce and an honorable Triumph if durable I say If and If bicause I haue knowne many a Truce like Scammony that weakeneth the liuer or Cassia that enfeebleth the raines or Agarick that ouerthroweth the stomacke the stomacke that must worke the feate And who hath not either by Experience or by heare-say or by reading knowne many a Triumph like Sena that breedeth winde or Rubarbe that dryeth ouer-much or Euforbium that inflameth the whole body the body that must strike the stroake Take-away that ouerthrowing or weakening property from Truce and Truce may be a diuine Scammony Cassia or Agaricke to purge noysome and rebellious humours Oh that it might be such a Purge in Fraunce Correct that ventositie or inflammation that accompanieth Triumph and Lo the gallantest Phisique that nature hath affourded witt deuised or magnanimity practised to abate the pride of the enemy and to redouble the courage of the frende No Tobacco or Panacea so mightily vertuous as that Physique Oh that it might be such a Physique in Croatia in Hungary in Almany in the whole Christian world Immensum calcar Gloria the goldē spurre of the braue Grecian the worthy Romane Pollicy is Politique will not easely be coosened with the muske of the Perfumer though muske be a sweet Curtesan or allured with the sugar hony of the Cooke though sugar hony be dainty hypocrites or enueigled with the gold-leaues of the Goldsmith though gold-leaues be eloquēt bewitching Oratours or deluded that is betrayed with any coolerable counterfesance howsoeuer smoothly enticing or gloriously pretending Priuate medicines are often adulterate but publique medicines will admit no sophistication and Pollicy must be well-aduised before it swallow-downe the gilded pilles of flattering pretext Fraunce hath bene taught to be cautelous in Truce which hath eftsoones sucked the sweetnesse of a Iudas kisse and Croatia may learne to be prouident in Triumph which hath often fealt the ioyfulnesse of a Sampsons post Neither Fraunce can be too ielous nor Croatia too prest nor Hungary too fierce nor Almany too hardy nor any nation too circumspect that is beleaguered with such puissant and obstinate foes The house of Guise hath lōg hawked and practised for a great Crowne the Duke de Maine hath chopped vpō a main-chāce Opportunity is a maruelous warriour The king of Spaine a mighty enemy the Pope an vnreconcilable aduersary to a Protestant Prince the Turke a horrible foe to Christian states and not to be daunted or dismayed with two or three petty foiles Petty foiles incense choler enrage fury not allay courage or disarme power Were not man a man in himselfe and God aboue all alas what security in a fallible Truce or what repose in a momētany Triumph Yet euery Truce is respectiuely wellcome and euery Triumph a Pageant of manfull valour a Iubile of diuine fauour For my poore part a single Interest in so great affaires I am as affectionatly glad to find Victory on the better side as I haue often bene compassionatly sory or shall I say stomachously angry to read how pitteously the Christian hoast hath bene beaten by the Turkish Army a braue Army but Turkish Whose puissance hath long bene and still is the dishonour of Christendome and whose Empire cannot waxe according to their aspiring deseigne but Christes kingdome must wane according to some lamentable Examples Surely the Onely-wise for whosoeuer is comparatiuely wise He is absolutely wise ordaineth all for the best and they perish for or thorough their owne Folly that perish Homer in humanity hath affirmed it and the Bible in diuinity hath confirmed it Howbeit true Wisedome is valiant in aduersity and right Valiancy wise in prosperity both euer like themselues and vnlike the puffes or bubbles of the world that know how to disguise or afflict but not how to redresse or solace themselues Hope neuer dispaireth and no such resolution as the resolution of Faith a vertue of more wonderfull emproouement by thousandes then the most miraculous graine of mustard-seede or whatsoeuer Nature ingendreth Art frameth or Exercise atcheiueth most powerable Zeale hath bene may be a maruellous Conquerour euen beyond the brauest Confidence or fiercest Fury and Faith was euer the wōder of wonders where it was Christ fauoureth a stout and inuincible Constancy in any good cause and in his owne cause maugre the mainest forces or suttlelest Pollicies of Mahomet or the Diuell he will finally make them victorious with Triumphes of ioy and Trophyes of honour that fight his battailes with the hart of Zeale and the hand of Courage Who honoureth not the glorious memory and the very name of the renowned Lepanto the monument of Don Iohn of Austria the security of the Venetiā state the Halleluia of Christendome the Welaway of Turky Christ blesse his stādard-bearers with many Lepantos and Syssecks and make his militant Church an hoast triumphant It hath often bene the meditation of One that with a politique and diuine Analysis hath looked into the successiue proceedings and fatall ouerthrowes of Tyrannyes if Mahomet and his Alcoran cannot stand but Christ his Euangely must fall when the Great Turke continually encroaching according to his graund intendiments and
ambitious deseigne is busiest in his hoatest haruest of engrosing and coheaping kingdomes and with a most greedy appetite runneth-headlong to deuoure the Christian world at a bit Lord haue mercy vpon thee ô little-little Turke Pride may exalt his hawty presumptions and Prowesse aduaunce his terrible brauery but there is a God in heauen and they cannot laugh long that make the Diuell laugh and Christ weepe Meane-while it were pitty Sysseck should want the glory of such an immortall Memoriall as some noble and royall witts haue bestowed vpon the euer-renowned Lepanto Excellent Vertue for a due reward deserueth excellent Honour and braue Valour for worthy imitation would be brauely extolled as Orpheus glorified lason Homer Achilles Virgill Aeneas Ariosto Charlemaine Tasso Godfry of Bollen and so forth Especially at such an encountring and surprising Time as must either floorish like the Palme of the mountaine or fade like the Lilly of the valley You know I am not very prodigall of my discourse with euery one but I know vnto whom I write he that hath read and heard so many gallant Florentine Discourses as you haue done may the better discerne what is what and he that publisheth so many books to the world as you do may frame vnto himselfe a priuate publique vse of such conference Few they are that are qualified to surpasse or equall those singular Presidents but they few would be reteined with a golden fee or interteined with siluer Curtesie Some I know in Cambridge some in Oxford some in London some elsewhere died in the purest graine of Art Exercise but a few in either and not many in all that vndoubtedly can do excellently well exceedingly well And were they thorowghly employed according to the possibility of their Learning Industry who can tell what comparison this tongue might wage with the most-floorishing LaÌ„guages of Europe or what an inestimable crop of most-noble and soueraine fruite the hand of Art and the spirite of Emulation might reape in a rich and honorable field Is not the Prose of Sir Philip Sidney in his sweet Arcadia the embrodery of finest Art and daintiest VVitt Or is not the Verse of M. Spencer in his braue Faery Queene the Virginall of the diuinest Muses and gentlest Graces Both delicate Writers alwayes gallant often braue continually delectable somtimes admirable What sweeter tast of Suada then the Prose of the One or what pleasanter relish of the Muses then the Verse of the Other Sir Iohn Cheekes stile was the hony-bee of Plato and M. Aschams Period the Syren of Isocrates His and his breath the balme and spicknard of the delightfullest Tempe You may gesse whose meter I would intitle the harpe of Orpheus or the dulcimers of Sappho And which of the GoldeÌ„ Riuers floweth more currently then the siluer streame of the English Ariosto Oh that we had such an English Tasso and oh that the worthy du Bartas were so endenisoned The sky-coloured Muse best commendeth her owne heauenly harmony and who hath sufficiently praysed the hyacinthine azure die but itselfe What colours of astonishing Rhetorique or rauishing Poetry more deeply engrained theÌ„ some of his amazing deuises the fine dittyes of an other Petrarch or the sweet charmes of pure enchantment What Did-margariton or Dia-ambre so comfortatiue or cordiall as Her Electuary of Gemmes for though the furious Tragedy Antonius be a bloudy chaire of estate yet the diuine Discourse of life and Death is a restoratiue Electuary of Gemmes whoÌ„ I do not expresly name not because I do not honour Her with my hart but because I would not dishonour Her with my pen whom I admire and cannot blason enough Some other Paragons of bewtifullest Eloquence and Mirrours of brightest witt not so much for breuities sake as for like Honours sake I ouerskip whose onely imperfection is that they are touched with no imperfection Yet Hope is a Transcendent will not easely be imprisoned or impounded in any Predicament of auncient or moderne Perfection which it may honour with due reuerence but will not serue with base homage Excellency hath in all ages affected singularity Ambition how impetuously buckled for the mastery And albeit witt haue a quicke sent that wil not be coosened and Iudgement a sharpe eye that cannot be bleared the Morning Starre of Discretion and the Euening Starre of Experience haue a deepe insight in the merites of euery cause yet still Hope hath reason to continue Hope and is a white Angell sent from heauen aswell to enkindle Vigorous Zeale as to awaken lasie Slougth A wan or windy Hope is a notable breake-necke vnto itselfe but the grounded and winged Hope which I someway perceiue in a few other no way conceiue in miselfe is the ascending scale and Milk-way to heauenly excellency When I bethinke me of any singular or important effect I am presently drawne into a consideration of the Cause and deeme it a childish vanity to dreame of the End without Meanes The prompt and pliant Nature is the dawning of the Crimsen morning the right Art as fine a workeman as Daedalus as nimble a Planet as Mercury inspiring Imitation may climbe high how oft hath fiery Eâ—â—â—tion won the golden spurres and runne his Victorious race like the shining Sun in his resplendishing Chariot Pregnant and incestant Exercise hatcheth miracles Practise was euer a curious platformer of rare and queint Theorickes and is it not stil possible for Practise to deuise as exquisite patternes as euer were inuented and euen to contriue new Idees of singularity The encounter of Vertue is honorable what more commendable then the Conflict of Art It is onely that diuine Hope embellished with those Ornaments of skill and inspired with those blessings of heauen that must excell itselfe aduaunce the worthiest Valour that euer atcheiued Heroicall Exploits or leuyed Argonauticall Prizes by land or sea Peerelesse wittes may hourd-vp the precious treasure of their Inuention and store-vp the gorgeous furniture of their Eloquence till Prowesse hath accomplished mightier wonders vpon Earth At this present what can Admiration finde either more resolute for courage or more puissant for valour or more honorable for successe or more woÌ„derfull for imitatioÌ„ theÌ„ the smal baÌ„des of the braue Rupertus against the Turke or the little troupes of the brauer French King against his domesticall and forrein enemyes I might say more were the place fit but what written Token shall I returne for so many Printed Tokens One hand washeth an other and it apperteineth vnto him that taketh something to giue something I am reasonably furnished with choice of other stoare at this instant but I will not accloy you attonce and my least but Newest Trifle for that is the meetest name shall serue in supply of a small requitall for your greater Newes I terme it a Trifle for the manner though the matter be in my conceit superexcellent in the opinion of the world most admirable for priuate consideration very notable for
professe He that neither cockereth himselfe nor loueth to be lulled or smoothed-vp of freindes can lightly put-vp the heauiest loade of an enemy and he can hardly be daunted with nipping wordes that is not easely dismayed with pinching deedes An vnguiltie minae knoweth not what the trembling of the Hart meaneth and a sounde Conscience is a brasen wall against the mainest battry of Spite or Feude Were there no other Philosophie but Experience and a settled resolution to proceede according to Reason in generall and Occasion in speciall euery guiltlesse eye that seeith any thing seeith his owne Confirmation in the Confutation of his guiltie aduersary whose Vaine railinges are sibbe to other Vanities that cannot endure but either Vanish like smoke in the Ayer or mealt-away like snow in the Sunne or grow stale like disguised fashions or dissolue themselues into their materiam primam that is into Vanitie shame Had I founde any one materiall article or substātiall point against me I must haue imputed some part of the blame to miselfe but finding nothing in all those pestilent Virulent sheetes of wast-paper but meere-meere forgeryes and the Diuell in the horologe might I not iustly say I haue cause to vse as I am vsed or haue I not reason to stand vpon termes of consideration Did I not intende to deale a bountifull almes of Curtesie who in my case would giue eare to the Law of Obliuion that hath the Law of Talion in his handes or accept of a silly recantation as it were a sory plaister to a broken shinne that could knocke Malice on the head and cut the windpipe of the railing throate Pierces Supererogation that was an arrow in my hād a clogg in your is lest beholding to the penknife Nashes S. Fame hath somewhat more of the launcelet the Reply of the excellent Gentlewoman is the fine rasour that must shaue-away euery ranke haire of his great courage and little wit I was long-since aweary with beating the Aier and take small pleasure in washing the Asses head or what should I terme that bootelesse and irksome businesse But it is that heauenly Creature for so she will approue herselfe that can coniure-downe the mouth of Villany into hell-mouth will do it as resolutely as she can do it peremptorily Vnlesse a cōpetent satisfaction be speedily tendered to my cōtentmēt It were pitty that diuine handy-worke should be employed but to a diuine peece of seruice either to gaine a relenting soule or to cast-away an obstinate body If she be preuented by a voluntary submission of the offendour to do a thing done were a superfluous labour and to vndo a man vndone an vnmercifull cruelty A thing as contrary to the shining louelinesse of her milde disposition as the bitterest bitter seemeth repugnāt to the sweetest sweet The brauest man is such a personage as I haue elsewhere described A Lion in the field A Lamme in the towne A Ioues Eagle in feude an Apollos Swanne in society A Serpent in wit A Doue in life A Fury in execution an Angell in conuersation What hath the brauest man that she hath not excepting the Lion in the field of Mars which she hath in the field of Minerua whose warre she wageth with a couragious minde an inuincible hand and the cunning aray of the worthy Old-man in Homer His talke was sweet his Order fine and his whole menage braue and so is hers but for a dainty wit and a diuine humanitie she is such a Paragon as may compare with the excellentest of Homers women and pledge the honorablest of his Goddesses She is a right birde of Mercuries winged chariot and teacheth the liuelyest cockes of the game to besturre them early to crow gallantly to march comely to fight valiantly to consort kindly and to liue in any estate honorably No flower more floorishing then her witt no fruite more mature then her iudgement All her conceits are illuminate with the light of Reason all her speaches bewtified with the grace of Affabilitie all her writinges seasoned with the salt of Discretion all her sentēces spiced with wittines persumed with delight tēpered with proffit no leauen of Experience more sauory thē all her platformes actions nothing more mellow thē the whole course of her life In her minde there appeareth a certaine heauenly Logique in her tongue pen a diuine Rhetorique in her behauiour a refined Morall Philosophie in her gouernemēt a souerain Pollicy in euery part of her proceeding a singular dexteritie what patterne of skill or Practise more admirable then the whole Let it not seeme incredible that shall enact accōplish more thē is signified The maner of her wrath or disdaine yet I beleeue she was neuer froward with any nor euer angry but with One whō onely she scorneth before whō she neuer contemned any is somwhat like the counter-tenour of an offended Syren or not much vnlike the progresse of the resplēdent Sunne in the Scorpion Her fauour is liker triacle for the hart thē ypocrase for the mouth her disfauour like the Moone withdrawing the cheerely beames of her bounteous light in a cloud her hatred if she can hate for I verily thinke she neuer hated but One like the flashing weapon of the fiery Aier She is not lightly moued but what she resembleth or representeth when she is moued could I as visibly declare as she cā vigorously vtter I would deeme miself a peece of an Oratour And I were more then Tullyes perfect Oratour if I could display her excellent perfections whose minde is as full of ritch giftes and precious Iewells as Newyeares-day Yet her goodliest ornament and greatest wonder is the sweet humilitie of that braue courage But in remembring her I forget miself what a tedious Letter is here for him that maintaineth a chargeable family by following his busines Had I not found you desirous of some particularities touching Nashes S. Fame the Gentlewomans Reply when you deliuered vnto me Pierces Supererogation in Print I had dispatched ere now But now you must lend me patience vntill I haue disbalased my minde Cōcerning her endighting whereof I haue already giuē you a tast or smacke in Pierces Supererogatiō as in the harmony of her mind so in the melody of her Verse I seldome or neuer descry any note out-off tune and it is not the first time I haue termed her Prose the tinsell of finest Art and sweetest nature What notes I finde aboue Ela in the One what counterpoints of exquisite workemanship I admire in the other it shall elsewhere appeare in a Dialogue intituled Pandora or the Mirrour of singularitie Might I see the finest Art and the sweetest nature in person I would report me to the Censure of their owne souerain mouthes the best Iudges in their owne peerlesse faculty There falleth not a sentence from her quill without sappe and pith and euery Periode of her stile carrieth marmalad and sucket in the mouth and euery argument of her inuention