¶ THREE PROPER, and witty, familiar Letters: lately passed between two University men: touching the Earthquake in April last, and our English reformed Versifying.  
With the Preface of a well-willer to them both.  
IMPRINTED AT LONdon, by H. Bynneman, dwelling in Thames street, near unto Baynard's Castle.  
Anno Domini. 1580.  
Cum gratia & privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.   

¶ TO THE CURTEOUS Buyer, by a well-willer of the two Authors.  
Courteous Buyer, (for I writ not to the envious Carper) it was my good hap, as I interpreate it, now lately at the fourth or fift h●●●e, to be made acquainted with the three ●●●●ters following, by means of a faithful friend, who with much● entreaty had procured the copying of them out, at Immeritos hands. And I pray you, interpret it for your good hap, so soon after to come so easily by them, through my means, who am only to crave these two things at your hands, to think friendly of my friendly meaning, and to take them of me with this Presumption, In exiguo quandoque cespite latet lepus: and many precious stones, though in quantity small yet in quality and value are esteemed for great. The first, for a good familiar and sensible Letter, sure liketh me very well, and giveth some hope of good metal in the Author, in whom I know myself to be very good parts otherwise. But show me, or Immerito, two english Letters in Print, in all points equal to the other two, both for the matter itself, and also for the manner of handling, and say, we never saw good English Letter in our lives. And yet I am credibly certified by the foresaid faithful and honest friend, that himself hath written many of the same stamp both to Courtiers and others, and some of them discoursing upon matter of great weight and importance, wherein he is said, to be fully as sufficient and able, as in these schol●erly points of Learning. The which Letters and Discourses I would very gladly see in Writing, but more gladly in Print, if it might be obtained. And at this time to speak my conscience in a word of these two following, I esteem them for two of the rarest, and finest Treaties, as well for ingenious devising, as also for significant uttering, & cleanly conveying of his matter, that ever I read in this Tongue: and I heartily thank God for bestowing upon us some such proper and able men with their pen, as I heartily thank the Author himself, for using his pleasant, and witty Talente, with so much discretion, and with so little harm, contrary to the vein of most, which have this singular conceited grace in writing. If they had been of their own setting forth, I grant you they might have been more curious, but being so well, and so sufficiently done, as they are, in my simple judgement, and having so many notable things in them, together with so great variety of Learning, worth the reading, to pleasure you, and to help to garnish our Tongue, I fear their displeasure the less. And yet, if they think I have made them a fault, in not making them privy to the Publication: I shall be always ready to make them the best amende●● can, any other friendly way. Surely, I wish them both heartily well in the Lord, and betake you and them to his merciful government, hoping, that he will at his pleasure convert such good and divine gifts as these, to the setting out of his own glory, and the benefit of his Church. This XIX. of june. 1580.  
Your, and their unfeigned friend, in the Lord.   
Three proper witty familiar Letters, lately passed between two University men, touching the Earthquake in April last, and our English reformed Versifying.  


To my long approved and singular good friend, Master G. H.  
GOod Master H. I doubt not but you have some great important matter in hand, which all this while restraineth your Pen, and wont readiness in provoking me unto that, wherein yourself now fault. If there be any such thing in hatching, I pray you heartily, let us know, before all the world see it. But if haply you dwell altogether in justinian's Court, and give yourself to be devoured of secret Studies, as of all likelihood you do: yet at least impart some your old, or new, Latin, or English, Eloquent and Gallant Poesies to us, from whose eyes, you say, you keep in a manner nothing hidden. Little news is here stirred● but that old great matter still depending. His Honour never better. I think the Earthquake was also there with you (which I would gladly learn) as it was here with us: overthrowing divers old buildings, and pieces of Churches. Sure very strange to be heard of in these Countries, and yet I hear some say (I know not how truly) that they have known the like before in their days. Sed quid vobis videtur magnis Philosophis? I like your late English Hexameters so exceedingly well, that I also ●nure my Pen sometime in that kind: which I find indeed, as I have heard you often defend in word, neither so hard, nor so harsh, that it will easily and fairly, yield itself to our Mother tongue. For the only, or chiefest hardness, which seemeth, is in the Accente: which sometime gapeth, and as it were yawneth ill-favouredly, coming short of that it should, and sometime exceeding the measure of the Number, as in Carpenter, the middle syllable being used short in speech, when it shall be read long in Verse, seemeth like a lame Gosling, that draweth one leg after her: and Heaven, being used short as one syllable, when it is in Verse, stretched out with a Diastole, is like a lame Dog that holds up one leg. But it is to be won with Custom, and rough words must be subdued with Use. For, why a God's name may not we, as else the Gróekes, have the kingdom of our own Language, and measure our Accents, by the sound, reserving the Quantity to the Verse? Lo here I let you see my old use of toying in rhymes, turned into your artificial straightness of Verse, by this Tetrasticon. I beseech you tell me your fancy, without partiality.  
See ye the blindefoulded pretty God, that feathered Archer,  
Of lovers Miseries which maketh his bloody Game?  
Wot ye why, his Mother with a Veal hath covered his Face?  
Trust me, lest he my love happily chance to behold.  
Seem they comparable to those two, which I translated you ex tempore in bed, the last time we lay together in Westminster?  
That which I eat, did I joy, and that which I greedily gorged,  
As for those many goodly matters left I for others.  
I would heartily wish, you would either send me the Rules and Precepts of Art, which you observe in Quantities, or else follow mine, that M. Philip Sidney gave me, being the very same which M. Drant devised, but enlarged with M. Sidneys own judgement, and augmented with my Observations, that we might both accord and agree in one: least we overthrow one an other, and be overthrown of the rest. Trust me, you will hardly believe what great good liking and estimation Master Dyer had of your Satirical Verses, and I, since the view thereof, having before of myself had special liking of English Versifying, am even now about to give you some token, what, and how well therein I am able to do: ●or, to tell you truth, I mind shortly at convenient leisure, to set forth a Book in this kind, which I entitle, Epithalamion Thamesis, which Book I dare undertake will be very profitable for the knowledge, and rare for the Invention, and manner of handling. For in setting forth the marriage of the Thames: I show his first beginning, and offspring, and all the Country, that he passes through, and also describe all the Rivers throughout England, which came to this Wedding, and their right names, and right passage, etc. A work believe me, of much labour, wherein notwithstanding Master Holinshed hath much furthered and advantaged me, who therein hath bestowed singular pains, in searching out their first heads, and sources: and also in tracing, and dogging out all their Course, till they fall into the Sea, 
O Tite, siquid, ego,  
Ecquid erit pretij?   
But of that more hereafter. Now, my Dreams, and dying Pelican, being fully finished (as I partly signified in my last Letters) and presently to be imprinted, I will in haude forthwith with my Fa●ry Queen, which I pray you heartily send me with all expedition: and your friendly Letters, and long expected judgement withal, which let not be short, but in all points such, as you ordinarily use, and I extraordinarily desire. Multum vale. Westminster. Quarto Nona● Aprilis 1580. Sed, amabò te, Meum Corculum tibi se ex animo commendat plurimùm: iamdiu mirata, te nihil ad literas suas responsi dedisse. Vide queso, ne id tibi Capitale sit: Mihi certè quidem erit, neq tibi hercle impunè, ut opinor, I●erum vale, & qu●m voles saepè.  
Yours always to command IMMERITO.   

Postscripte.  
I take best my Dreams should come forth alone, being grown by means of the Glisse, (running continually in manner of a Paraphrase) full as great as my Calendar. Therein be some things excellently, and many things wittily discoursed of E. K. and the Pictures so singularly set forth, and purtrayed, as if Michael Angelo were there, he could (I think) nor amend the best, nor reprehend the worst. I know you would like them passing well. Of my Stemmata Dudleiana, and especially of the sundry Apostrophes therein, addressed you know to whom, must more advisement be had, than so lightly to send them abroad: howbeit, trust me (though I do never very well,) yet in my own fancy, I never did better: Veruntamen te sequor solùm: nunquam verò assequar.    

A Pleasant and pithy familiar discourse, of the Earthquake in April last.  
To my loving friend, M. Immerito.  
Signior Immerito, after as many gentle Godmorrowes, as yourself, and your sweet Heart listeth: May it please your mastership to dispense with a poor Orator of yours, for breaking one principal grand Rule of our old inviolable Rules of Rhetoric, in showing himself somewhat too pleasurably disposed in a sad matter: (of purpose, to meet with A couple of shrewd witty new married Gentlewomen, which were more Inquisitive, than Capable of Nature's works) I will report you a pretty conceited discourse, that I had with them no longer ago, than yesternight, in a Gentleman's house, here in Essex. Where being in the company of certain courteous Gentlemen, and those two Gentlewomen, it was my chance to be well occupied, I warrant you, at Cards, (which I dare say I scarcely handled a whole twelve moonth before) at that very instant, that the Earth under us quaked, and the house shaked above: besides the moving, and rattling of the Table, and forms, where we sat. Where upon, the two Gentlewomen having continually been wrangling with all the rest, and especially with myself, and even at that same very moment, making a great loud noise, and much a do: Good Lord, quoth I, is it not wonderful strange that the delicate voices of two so proper fine Gentlewoomen, should make such a sudden terrible Earthquake? Imagining in good faith, nothing in the world less, than that it should be any Earthquake in deed, and imputing that shaking to the sudden stirring, and removing of some cumberous thing or other, in the upper Chamber over our Heads: which only in effect most of us noted, scarcely perceiving the rest, being so closely and eagerly set at our game, and some of us taking on, as they did. But behold, all on the sudden th●re cometh stumbling into the Parlour, the Gentleman of the house, somewhat strangely affrighted, and in a manner all aghast, and telleth us, as well as his Head and Tongue would give him leave, what a wondrous violent motion, and shaking there was of all things in his Hall: sensibly and visibly seen, as well of his own self, as of many of his Servants, and Neighbours there. I strait ways beginning to think somewhat more seriously of the matter: Then I pray you, good Sir, quoth I, send presently one of your servants farther into the Town, to inquire, if the like h●th happened there, as most likely is, and then must it needs be some Earthquake. Whereat the good fearful Gentleman being a little recomforted, (as misdoubting, and dreading before, I know not what in his own House, as many others did) and immediately dispatching his man into the Town, we had by and by certain word, that it was general over all the Town, and within less than a quarter of an hour after, that the very like be happened the next Town too, being a far greater and goodlyer Town. The Gentlewoomens' hearts nothing acquainted with any such Accidents, were marvelously daunted: and they, that immediately before were so eagerly, and greedily praying on us, began now forsooth, very demurely, and devoutly to pray unto God, and the one especially, that was even now in the House top, I beseech y●u heartily quoth she, let us leave off playing, and fall a praying. By my truly, I was never so scared in my life, Me thinks it marvelous strange. What good Partner? Cannot you pray to yourself, quoth one of the Gentlemen, but all the House must hear you, and ring Allin to our ladies Matins? I see woomen are every way v●hement, and affectionate. Yourself was liker even now, to make a fray, than to pray: and will you now needs in all hast be on both your knees? Let us, and you say it, first dispute the matter, what danger, and terror it carrieth with it. God be praised, it is already ceased, and here be some present, that are able cunningly, and clearkly to argue the case. I beseech you master, or mistress, your zealous and devout Passion a while. And with that turning to me, and smiling a little at the first: Now I pray you, Master H. what say you Philosophers, quoth he, to this sudden Earthquake? May there not be some sensible Natural cause thereof, in the concavities of the Earth itself, as some forcible and violent Eruption of wind, or the like? Yes no doubt, sir, may there, quoth I, as well, as an Intelligible Supernatural: and peradventure the great abundance and superfluity of waters, that fell shortly after Michaelmas last, being not as yet dried, or drawn up with the heat of the Sun, which hath not yet recovered his full attractive strength and power, might minister some occasion thereof, as might easily be discoursed by Natural Philosophy, in what sort the poors, and ventes, and crannies of the Earth being so stopped, and filled up every where with moisture, that the windy Exhaltations, and Uapors, penned up as it were in the bowels thereof, could not otherwise get out, and ascend to their Natural Original place. But the Terms of Art, and very Natures of things themselves so utterly unknown, as they are to most here, it were a piece of work to lay open the Reason to every on●s Capacity.  
I know well, it is we that you mean, quoth one of the Gentlewomen (whom for distinction sake, and because I imagine they would be loath to be named, I will hereafter call, Mistress Inquisitiva, and the other, Madame Incredula:) now I beseech you, learned Sir, try our wits a little, and let us hear a piece of your deep University Cunning. Seeing you Gentlewomen will allgates have it so, with a good will, quoth I: and then forsooth, very solemnly pausing a while, most gravely, and doctorally proceeded, as followeth.  
The Earth you know, is a mighty great huge body, and consisteth of many divers, and contrary members, & veins, and arteries, and concavities, wherein to avoid the absurdity of Vacuum, most necessarily be very great store of substantial matter, and sundry Accidental humours, & fumes, and spirits, either good, or bad, or mixed. Good they cannot possibly all be, whereout is engendered so much bad, as namely so many poisonful, and venomous Herbs, and Beasts, besides a thousand infective, and contagious things else. If they be bad, bade you must needs grant is subject to bad, and then can there not, I warrant you, want an Object, for bad to work upon. If mixed, which seemeth most probable, yet is it impossible, that there should be such an equal, and proportionable Temperature, in all, and singular re●pecte●, but sometime the Evil (in the devils name,) will as it were interchangeably have his natural Predominaunt Course, and issue one way, or other. Which evil working vehemently in the parts, and maliciously encountering the good, forcibly tosse●h, and cruelly disturbeth the whole: Which conflict endureth so long, and is fostered with abundance of corrupt putrefied Humours, and ill-favoured gross infected matter, that it must needs (as well, or rather as ill, as in men's and women's bodies) burst out in the end into one perilous disease or other, and sometime, for want of Natural voiding such feverous, and flatuous Spirits, as lurk within, into such a violent chill shivering shaking Ague, as even now you see the Earth have. Which Ague, or rather every fit thereof, we scholars call grossly, and homely, Terrae motus, a moving, or stirring of the Earth, you Gentlewomen, that be learned, somewhat more finely, and daintily, Terr● metus, a fear, and agony of the Earth: we being only moved, and not terrified, you being only in a manner terrified, & scarcely moved therewith. Now here, (and it please you) lieth the point, and quiddity of the controversy, whether our Motus, or your Metus, be the better, & more consonant to the Principles and Maxims of Philosophy? the one being manly, and devoid of dread, the other woomannish, and most woefully quivering, and shivering for very fear. In sooth, I use not to dissemble with Gentlewoomen: I am slatly of Opinion, the Earth whereof man was immediately made, and not woman, is in all proportions and similitudes liker us than you, and when it fortuneth to be distempered, and deceased, either in part, or in whole, I am persuaded, and I belé●ue Reason, and Philosophy will bear me out in it, it only moveth with the very impulsive force of the malady, and not trembleth, or quak●th for dastardly fear.  
Now, I beseech you, what think ye, Gentlewomen, by this Reason? Reason, quoth Madam Incredula: By my truly, I can neither pick out Rhyme, nor Reason, out of any thing I have heard yet. And yet me thinks all should be Gospel, that cometh from you Doctors of Cambridge. But I see well, all is not Gould, that glist●reth. In deed, quoth Mistress Inquisitiva, here is much ado, I trow, and little help. But it please●h Master H. (to delight himself, and these Gentlemen) to tell us a trim goodly Tale of Robin-hood, I know not what. Or sure if this be Gospel, I doubt, I am not in a good belief. Trust me truly, Sir your Eloquence far passeth my Intelligence. Did I not tell you aforehand, quoth I, as much? And yet would you needs presume of your Capacities in such profound mysteries of Philosophy, and Privities of Nature, as these be? The very thinking whereof, (unless happily it be per fidem implicitam, in believing, as the learned believe, And saying, It is so, because it is so) is nigh enough, to cast you both into a fit, or two, of a dangerous shaking fever, unless you presently seek some remedy to prevent it. And in earnest, if ye will give me leave, upon that small skill I have in extrinsical, and intrinsical Physiognomy, & so forth, I will wager all the money in my poor purse to a pottle of Hyppocrase, you shall both this night, within somewhat less than two hours and a half, after ye be laid, Dream of terrible strange Agues, and agonies as well in your own pretty bodies, as i● the mighty great body of the Earth. You are very merrily disposed, God be praised, quoth Mistress Inquisitiva, I am glad to see you so pleasurable. No doubt, but you are marvelous privy to our dreams. But I pray you now in a little good earnest, do you Scholars think, that it is the very reason in deed, which you spoke of even now? There be many of us, good Mistress, quoth I, of that opinion: wherein I am content to appeal to the knowledge of these learned Gentlemen here. And some a ●●●ne, of our finest conceited heads defend this Position, (a very strange Paradox in my fancy:) that the Earth having taken in too much drink, & as it were over lavish Cups, (as it hath sensibly done in a manner all this Winter passed) now staggereth● & réeleth, & tottereth, this way and that way, up & down, like a drunken man, or woman (when their Alebench Rhetoric comes upon them, & specially the moving Pathetical figure Pottypôsis,) & therefore in this forcible sort, you lately saw, paineth itself to vomit up again, that so disordereth, and disquieteth the whole body within. And, forsooth, a few new contradictory fellows make no more of it, but a certain vehement, and passionate neezing, or sobbing, or coughing, wherewithal they say, and as they say, say with great Physical, and Natural Reason, The Earth in some place, or other, ever lightly after any great, and sudden alteration of weather, or diet, is exceedingly troubled, and pained, as namely this very Time of the year, after the extreme pinching cold of Winter, and again in Autumn, after the extreme parching heat of Summer. But shall I tell you, Mistress Inquisitiva? The soundest Philosophers in deed, and very deepest Secretaries of Nature, hold, if it please you, an other Assertion, and maintain this for truth: (which at the leastwise, of all other seemeth marvelous reasonable, and is questionless farthest off from Heresy:) That as the Earth, upon it, hath many stately, and boisterous & fierce Creatures, as namely, Men and Women, and diu●rs Beasts, whereof some one is in manner continually at variance and feud with an other, evermore seeking to be revenged upon his enemy, which eft 'zounds breaketh forth into professed and open Hostility: and then consequently follow set battles, & mortal wars: wherein the one party bendeth all the force of his Ordinance and other Martial furniture against the other: ●o likewise within it too, it hath also some, as vengibly and frowardly bend, as for Example, Worms, and Moules, and Cunnyes, and such other valiantly high-minded Creatures, the Sons and daughters of Mars, & Bellona ● that nourish civil debate, and contrary factions amongst themselves: which are seldom, or never ended too, without miserable bloodshed, and deadly war: and then go me their Guns lustily off; and the one dischargeth his Piece contagiously at the other: and there is such a General dub a dub amongst them, and such horrible Thundering on every side, and such a monstrous cruel shaking of one an others For●es and Castles, that the whole Earth again, 〈◊〉 at the least, so much of the Earth, as is ouer● or near them, is terribly hoist, and— No more An●s, or Ifs, for God's sake, quoth the Madam, and this be your great Doctorly learning. We have even Enough already for our Money: and if you should go a little farther, I fear me, you would make us nigh as ●unning as yourself: and that would be a great disgrace ●o the University. Not a whi●te, gentle Madam, quoth I●, there be of us, that have greater store in our bowgets, than we can well occupy ourselves, and therefore we are glad as you see, when by the favourable, & gracious aspect of son●e bl●ssed Planet, and specially our Mercury, or your Venus, it is our good Fortune, to light on such good friends, as you, and some other good Gentle woomen be, that take pleasure, & comfort in such good things. Whereat Mistress Inquisitiva, laughing right out, and beginning to demand I know not what, (me thought, she made, as if it should have been some goodly plausible jest, whereat she is, and takes herself prettily good:) Well, well, Master H. quoth the Gentleman of the house, now you have played your part so cunningly with the Gentlewoomen, (as I warrant you shall be remembered of Inquisitiua ● when you are gone, and may happily forget her: which I hope, Mistress Incredula will do sometime too, by her leave:) I pray you in earnest, let us men learn some thing of you too: and especially I would gladly hear your judgement, and resolution, whether you count of Earthquakes, as Natural, or Supernatural motions. But the shorter, all the better. To whom I made answer, in effect, as followeth:  

Master Hs. short, but sharp, and learned judgement of Earthquakes.  
Truly Sir, under correction, and in my fancy: The Earthquakes themselves I would say are Naturall●● as I verily believe the Internal Causes there of, are: I mean those two Causes, which the Logicians call, the Material, and the Formally Marr●, the Exter●●ll ●auses, which are the Efficient and Final, I take rather of the two, to be supernatural. I must ●ra●e a little lea●e to l●ye open the matter.  
The ●●teriall Cause of Earthquakes, (as was superficially ●ouche● in the beginning of our speech, and is sufficiently proo●ed by Aristotle in the second Book of his Meteor's,) is no doubt great abundance of wind, or store of gros●● and ●●y●●●●●●s, and spirits, fast shut up, & as a man would say, imprisoned in the Caves, and Dange●ns of the Earth● which wind, or vapours, seeking to be set at liberty, and to get them home to their Natural lodgings, in a great fume, violently rush out, and as it were, break prison, which forcible Eruption, and strong breath, causeth an Earthquake. As is excellently, and very lively expressed of Ovid, as I remember, thus: 
Vis fera ventorum caecis inclusa cavernis,  
Exspirare aliquò cupiens, luctataque frustra  
Liberiore fru● coelo, cùm carcere Rima  
Nulla foret, toto nec pervia flatibus esset,  
Extentam tumefecit humum, ceu spiritus oris,  
Tendere vesicam solet, and so forth.   
The formal Cause, is nothing but the very manner of this same Motion, and shaking of the Earth without: and the violent kind of striving, and wrestling of the winds, and Exhalations within: which is, and must needs be done in this, or that sort, after one fashion, or other. Now, sir, touching the other two Causes, which I named external: The first immediate Efficient, out of all Question, is God himself, the Creator, and Continuer, and Corrector of Nature, and therefore Supernatural: whose only voice carrieth such a reverend and terrible Majesty with it, that the very Earth again, and highest Mountains quake & tremble at the sound and noise thereof: the text is rife in every man's mouth: Locutus est Dominus & contremuit Terra: howbeit, it is not to be gainsaid, that is holden of all the ancient Natural Philosophers, and Astronomers, for the principal, or rather sole Efficient, that the Influence, and heat of the Sun, and Stars, and specially of the three superior Planets, Saturn, jupiter, and Mars, is a secondary Instrumental Efficient of such motions.  
The final, not only that the wind should recover his Natural place, than which a natural reasonable man goeth no farther, no not our excellentest profoundest Philosophers themselves: but sometime also, I grant, to testify and denounce the secret wrath, and indignation of God, or his sensible punishment upon notorious malefactors, or, a threatening Caveat, and forewarning for the inhabitants, or the like, depending upon a supernatural Efficient Cause, and tending to a supernatural Moral End.  
Which End, (for that I know is the very point, whereon you stand) albeit it be acknowledged Supernatural and purposed, as I said, of a supernatural Cause, to whom nothing at all is impossible, and that can work supernaturally, and miraculously without ordinary means, and inferior causes: yet nevertheless is, we see, commonly performed, by the qualifying, and conforming of Nature, and Natural things, to the accomplishment of his Divine and incomprehensible determination. For being, as the old Philosophers call him, very Nature self, or as it hath pleased our later schoolmen to term him, by way of distinction, Natura Naturans, he hath all these secondary inferior things, the four Elements, all sensible, and unsensible, reasonable, and unreasonable Creatures, the whole world, and what soever is contained in the Compass of the world, being the workmanship of his own hands, and, as they call them, Natura naturata, ever pliable and flexible Instruments at his Commandment: to put in execution such Effects, either ordinary or extraordinary, as shall seem most requisite to his eternal Providence: and now in these latter days, very seldom, or in manner never worketh any thing so miraculously, and extraordinarily, but it may sensibly appear, he useth the service and ministery of his Creatures, in the atchóeving thereof. I deny not, but Earthquakes (as well as many other fearful Accidents in the same Number,) are terrible signs, and, as it were certain menacing forerunners, and forewarners of the great latter day; and therefore out of controversy the more reverendly to be considered upon: and I acknowledge considering the Events, and sequels, according to the collection and discourse of man's Reason, they have seemed to Prognosticate, and threaten to this, and that City, utter ruin and destruction: to such a Country, a general plague and pestilence: to an other place, the death of some mighty Potentate or great Prince: to some other Realm or Kingdom, some cruel imminent wars: and sundry the like dreadful and particular Incidentes, as is notoriously evident by many old and new, very famous and notable Histories to that effect. Which of all other the ancient Romans, long before the Nativity of Christ, did most religiously or rather superstitiously observe, not without a number of solemn Ceremonies, and holidays for the nonce, ever after any Earthquake, making full account of some such great rueful casualty or other, as otherwiles fell out in very deed: and namely, as I remember, the year Ante bellum Sociale, which was one of the lamentablest, and myserablest wars, that Italy ever saw: and Pliny, or I know not well who, hath such a saying: Roma nunquam tremuit, ut non futurus aliquis portenderetur insignis eventus.  
But yet, notwithstanding, dare not I aforehand presume thus far, or arrogate so much unto myself, as to determine precisely and peremptorily of this, or every the like singular Earthquake, to be necessarily, and undoubtedly a supernatural, and immediate fatal Action of God, for this, or that singular intent, when as I am sure, there may be a sufficient Natural, either necessary or contingent Cause in the very Earth itself: and there is no question, but the self same Operation in Genere, or in specie, may at one time, proceeding of one Cause, and referred to one End, be preternatural, or supernatural: at another time, proceeding of an other, or the same Cause, and referred to an other End, but Ordinary, and Natural. To make short, I cannot see, and would gladly learn, how a man on Earth, should be of so great authority, and so familiar acquaintance with God in Heaven, (unless haply for the nonce he hath lately entertained some few choice singular ones of his privy Counsel) as to be able in such specialties, without any iustifyable certificate, or warrant) to reveal his incomprehensible mysteries, and definitively to give ●entence of his majesties secret and inscrutable purposes. As if they had a key for all the locks in Heaven, or as if it were as clear and resolute a case, as the Eclipse of the Sun, that darkened all the Earth, or at the least all the Earth in those Countries, at Christ's Passion, happening altogether prodigiously and Metaphysically in Plenilunio, not according to the perpetual course of Nature, in Novilunio: in so much that Dionysius Areopagita, or some other grand Philosopher, upon the sudden contemplation thereof, is reported in a certain Pathetical Ecstasy to have cried out, Aut rerum Natura patitur, aut Mundi machina destruetur: as my mind giveth me, some of the simpler, and unskilfuller sort, will go nigh to do upon the present sight, and agony of this Earthquake. Marry the Error I grant, is the more tolerable, though perhaps it be otherwhiles, (and why not even now,) a very presumptuous Error in deed, standing only upon these two weak and deceitful grounds, Credulity and Ignorance: if so be inwardly (not only in external show, after an Hypocritical, and Pharisaical manner) it certainly do us good for our reformation, and amendment, and seem to preach● unto us, Paenitentiam agite, (as in some respect every such strange and rare Accident may seem:) how Ordinary, and Natural so ever the Cause shall appear otherwise to the best learned: especially, as the Earthquake shall be known to endure a longer, or a shorter Time, or to be more or less general, in more, or fewer places. Which two differences, touching the quantity of Time, and Place, after I had a little more fully prosecuted, alleging certain particular Examples thereof, how in some places huge Castles, in some Towns, in some great and mighty Cities, in some Shires and signiories, and Provinces, in some whole Countries, and Regions have been perilously moved and shaken therewith: in one place, a long time together: in an other place, not so long, or at several and parted times: in another, very short, as● God be thanked here even now: and finally by the way, showing a third and most notable difference of all, (as well for the present or imminent terror and danger, as otherwise) by the sundry species, and forms which Aristotle, Pliny, and other Meteorologicians have set down of Experience, as they have heard, or read, or seen the earth to quake, to stir, and hoist up Houses, Walls, Towers, Castles, Churches, Ministers, whole Towns, whole Cities, whole Provinces, without farther harm: to ruinated and overthrow, and destroy some: to yawn and gape, and open like a grave, and consequently to swallow up and devour other: and sometime also to drink up whole rivers, and mighty big running waters withal, or to change and alter their common wonted course some other way: to sink and fall downwards: to cast out and vomit up either huge vast heaps, as it were Mountains of Earth, or large Islands in the main Sea, never remembered, or seen before: or great over flowing waters, and fountains: or hot scalding sulphurous lakes: or burning sparkles and flames of fire: to make a horrible hissing, gnashing, rattling, or some like wonderful strange noise, (which all Effects are credibly reported, and constantly avouched, of our most famous & best allowed Philosophers) a few such particularities, and distinctions, compendiously and familiarly coursed over. The good Gentleman gave me heartily, as appeared, very great thanks, and told me plainly, he never either read, or heard half so much of Earthquakes before: confessing withal, that he yielded resolutely to my opinion: that an Earthquake might as well be supposed a Natural Motion of the Earth, as a preternatural, or supernatural ominous work of God: and that he thought it hard, and almost impossible, for any man, either by Philosophy, or Divinity, evermore to determine flatly the very certainty either way. Which also in conclusion was the verdict, and final resolution of the greater and sager part of the Gentlemen present: & namely of an ancient learned common Lawyer, that had been Graduate, and fellow of a College in Cambridge, in Queen Mari●s days. Who took upon him, to knit up the matter, & as he said, determine the controversy, with the authority of all the natural Philosophers, old or new, Heathen or Christian, Catholic or Protestant, that ever he read, or heard tell of. Th●re Physics quoth he, are in every man's hands: they are old enough to speak for themselves, and we are young enough to turn our Books. They that have Eyes and Tongues, let them see, and read. But what say you now, quoth I, to the staying and quieting of the Earth, being once a moving? May it not seem a more miraculous work, and greater wonderment, that it should so suddenly stay again, being moved, than that it should so suddenly move, being quiet and still? Move or turn, or shake me a thing in like order, be it never so small, and less than a pins Head, in comparison of the great mighty circuit of the Earth, and see if you shall not have much more a do to stay it presently, being once stirred, than to stu●re it at the very first. Whereat the Gentleman smile, and looking merrily on the Gentlewoomen, here is a school point, quoth he, that by your leaves, I believe will poase the better scholar of you both. But is it not more than time, think ye, we were at Supper? And if you be a hungered, Master H. you shall thank no body but yourself, that have holden us so long with your profound and clerkly discourses, whereas our manner is to sup at the least a long hour before this tyme. Being set, and new occasion of speech ministered, our Supper put the Earthquake in manner out of our minds, or at the least wise, out of our Tongues: saving that the Gentlewoomen, now and then pleasantly tyhyhing between themselves, especially Mistress Inquisitiva, (whose mind did still run of the drinking, and neezing of the Earth,) repeated here, and there, a broken piece of that, which had been already said before Supper. With deep judgement no doubt, and to marvelous great purpose, I warrant you a●ter the manner of woomen Philosophers, and Divines.  
And this summarily in Effect was our yesternyghtes grave Meteorological Conference, touching our Earthquake here in the Country: which being in so many neighbour towns, and villages about us, as I hear say of this morning, maketh me presuppose, the like was with you also at London, and elsewhere farther ●f. And then forsooth, must I desire Master Immerito, to send me within a week or two, some odd fresh paulting thréehalfepennie Pamphlet for news: or some Balductum Tragical Ballet in Rhyme, and without Reason, setting out the right miserable, and most wo●ull estate of the wicked, and damnable world at these perilous days, after the devisers best manner: or whatsoever else shall first take some of your brave London Eldertons in the Head. In earnest, I could wish some learned, and well aduized University man, would undertake the matter, and bestow some pains in deed upon so famous and material an argument. The general Nature of Earthquakes by definition, and the special diversity of them by division, being perfectly known: (a thing soon done) and a complete Induction of many credible and authentical, both old and new, divine and profane, Greek, Latin, and other Examples, (with discretion, and judgement, compiled and compared together) being considerately and exactly made, (a thing not so easily done) much no doubt might be alleged too or fro, to terrify or pacify us, more or less. If it appear by general Experience, and the foresaid Historical Induction of particulars, that Earthquakes, sine omni exceptione, are ominous, and significative Effects, as they say of Comets, and carry ever some Tragical and horrible matter with or after them: as either destruction of Towns and Cities, or decay of some mighty Prince, or some particular, or general plague, war, or the like, (ut supra) whatsoever the Material, or Formal cause be, Natural, or supernatural, (howbeit for mine own part I am resolved, as well for the one, as for the other, that these two I speak of, both Matter and Form, are rather Natural in both, than otherwise) it concerneth us, upon the view of so Effectual and substantial evidence, to conceive seriously, and reverently of the other two Causes: the first, supreme Efficient, whose Omnipotent Majesty hath nature self, and all natural Creatures at commandment: and the last final, which we are to judge of as advisedly, and providently, as possibly we can, by the consideration, & comparison of Circumstances, the time when: the place where? the qualities, and dispositions of the persons, amongst whom such, and such an Ominous token is given. Lest happily through over great credulity, and rashness, we mistake Non causam pro causa, and sophistically be entrapped Elencho Finium. Truly, I suppose, he had need be an excellent Philosopher, a reasonable good Historian, a learned Divine, a wise discrete man, and generally, such a one as our Doctor Still, & Doctor Bing are in Cambridge, that should show himself accordingly in this argument, and to the judgement and contentation of the wisest, perform it exactly. Myself remember nothing to the contrary, either in Philosophy, or in Histories, or in Divinity either, why I may not safely & lawfully subscribe to the judgement of the noble Italian Philosopher, and most famous learned Gentleman, whilst he lived, Lord of Mirandola, and Earl of Concordia, Count joannes Franciscus Picus, in my opinion, very considerately, and partly Philosophically, partly Theologically set down, in the sixth Chapter of his sixth Book, against Cogging deceitful Astrologers, and Soothsayers, De rerum Praenotione, pro veritate Relligionis, contra Superstitiosas vanitates. In which Chapter, (if happily you have not read it already,) you shall find m●ny, but specially these three notable places, most effectual and directly pertinent to the very purpose. The first more universals. Naturae opere fieri non potest, ut Ostentis, ut Monstris magni illi, seu dextri, seu sinistri eventus portendantur, & ab aliqua pendeant proxima causa, quae & futura etiam proferat. Impostura Daemonum, ut id fiat, videri potest. Sed & plaeraque non monstrosa, non prodigiosa per se●e, pro monstri● tamen, & portentis, haberi possunt, & solent à quibusdam, quibus Rerum Natura non satis comperta est, causarum enim ignoratio, nova in re Admirationem parit. Propter quam, philosophari homines capisse, in exordies primae philosophiae scribit Aristoteles. Wherein those two several points, Impostura Daemonum, and Ignoratio causaerum, are no doubt marvelous probable, and most worthy both presently to be noted now, and more fully to be discussed hereafter: appearing unto me the very right principal Causes of so many erroneous opinions, and fantastical superstitious dreams in this, and the like behalf.  
The second more special, as it were hitting the white in deed, and cleaving the Pin in sunder.  
Idem in Terraemotibus etiam, quod in fulguribus, fulminibusque interpretandis, obseruavit Antiquitas. Cuius Reiliber, Graeco eloquio, nuper ad manus pervenit, in Orpheum relatus Autorem: sed perabsurdum nimis, ut quod frequentissimè fit, pro vario terrae anhelitu, pro ventorum v●●lentia, vaporumque conductione, (mark you that?) ex e● rerum futurarum significationem petere, quorum nec effectus esse possunt, nec causa, praeterq forte mortis inferendae illis, qui fulmen exceperit, aut qui terrarum hiatu perierit. Sed nec ab eadem proxima deduci causa possunt, à qua & futurae pendeant res, ut supra deductum est.  
And then shortly after, the third, most agreeable to the second, as flatly determining on my side, and as directly concluding the same position as may be.  
Nec sanè Orpheus ille, si tamen Orpheus fuit, ullam affert omninò causam, cur quispiam ex terrae motibus, urbium, hominum, regionum eventa praesagire possit. Solùm va●● narrat arbitrio: si terrae contigerit motus, nocti, si aestate, si hyeme, si ●urora, si interdus, quid portendatur: Quae certè, & saniore possunt a●bitrio refelli, & Experientiae testimonio, ut arbitror, non secus irrideri, ac supra Tagis portenta irrisimus, Haruspicinae Autoris.  
A most excellent sound judgement in my conceit: and full well beseeming so Honourable and admirabl● a Wit, as out of Question, Picus Mirandula had: who b●ing yet scarcely thirty years of age, for his singularity in all kind of knowleege, as well divine as profane, was in Italy and France● as Paulus iovius reporteth, surnamed Phoenix, as the odd, and in effect the only singular learned man of Europe: and to make short: such a one, in most respects, as I would wis●e now to be tempering with this new notorious incident: staying myself in the mean while upon this probable and reasonable Interim of his: and preferring it before all the frivolous conjectural Allegations, and surmises, that o●ce counterfeit, and reasonless Orphes' oppose to the contrary. But, jesus, what is all this to Master Immerito? For sooth I know not by what mischance, these miserable bald odious three half penny ●ellowes, alas, a company of silly béetleheaded Asses, came into my mind, that will needs be stirring, and taking on in every such rare and unaccustomed event, as if they saw farther in a Millstone, than all the world beside, whereas every man, that hath but half an eye in his ●ead● seeth them to be more blind, than any Buzzarde, or baiard, Scribimus indocti, doctic Poemata passim, and surely, as the world goeth now in England, rather the first, for aught I see, than the last. O interim miseras Musas, & miserabiles: Where the fault should rest, viderint Oculi, atque capitae Reip. Mihi quidem ist hic, neque seritur admodùm, neque metitur. Non valdè me● nouns Bibliotheca libros desiderat, s●ipsa, id est, quos ha●et, veteribus contenta est. Quid plura? T● vale, mi Immerito, atque ita tibi persuade, Aliquid esse eum, qui istorum longè est dissimilimus, quos Typographi nostri habent venales maximè. Commend me. to thine own good self, and tell thy dying Pelican, and thy Dreams from me, I will now leave dreaming any longer of them, till with these eyes I see them forth indeed: And then again, I imagine your Magnificenza, will hold us in suspense as long for your nine English Commoedies, and your Latin Stemmata Dudleiana: which two shall go for my money, when all is done: especially if you would but bestow one sevennights' polishing and trimming upon either. Which I pray th●e heartily d●e, for my pleasure, if not for the●r sake, nor thine own profit. My scholars Love, or Reconcilement of contraries, is shrunk in the wetting: I had purposed to have dispatched you a Copy thereof, long ere this: but, no remedy, hitherto it hath always gone thus with me: Some new occasion, or other, ever carrieth me from one matter to another, & will never suffer me to finish either one or other. And truly, Experto crede, it is as true a Verse as ever was made, since the first Verse, that ever was made: Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus: which my Anticosmopolita, though it grieve him, can best testify, remaining still as we say, in statu, quo, and neither an inch more forward, nor backward, than he was fully a twelvemonth since in the Court, at his last attendance upon my Lord there. But the Bird that will not sing in April, nor in May, may peradventure sing in September: and yet me thinks, Sat cit●, si sat been, if I could steal but one poor fortnight, to peruse him over afresh, and copy him out anew. Which I hope in God to compass shortly. But I beseech you, what News all this while at Cambridge? That was wont to be ever one great Question. What? Det mihi Mater ipsa bonam veniam, eius ut aliqua mihi liceat Secreta, uni cuidam de eodem gremio obsequentissimo filio, revelare: & sic pauci● hab●to. Name alias fortasse pluribus: nunc non placet, non vacat, molestum asset. Tully, and Demosthenes nothing so much studied, as they were wont: Livy, and Sallust possibly rather more than less: Lucian never so much: Aristotle much named, but little read: Xenophon and Plato, reckoned amongst Discoursers, and conceited Superficial fellows: much verbal and sophistical jangling: little subtle and effectual disputing: noble and royal Eloquence, the best an● persuasiblest Eloquence: no such Orators again, as re●headded Angels: An exceeding great difference, between the countenances, and ports of those, that are brave and gallant, and of those, that are basely, or meanly appareled: between the learned, and unlearned, Tully, and Tom Tooly, in effect none at all.  
Matchiavell a great man: Castilio of no small reputation: P●trach, and Boccace in every man's mouth: Galateo ● and Guazz● never so happy: over many acquainted with unico Are●●no: The French and Italian when so highly regarded of Scholiers? The Latin and Greek, when so lightly? The Queen mother at the beginning, or end of euery● conference: many bargains of Mounsieur: Shymeirs a noble gallant fellow: all inquisitive after News, new Books, new Fashions, new Laws, new Officers, and some after new Elements, and some after new Heavens, and Helles to. Turkish affairs familiarly known: Castles builded in the Air: much ado, and little help: jacke would feign be a gentleman: in no age so little so much made of, every one highly in his own favour, thinking no man's penny, so good silver as his own: Something made of Nothing, in spite of Nature: Numbers made of Ciphars', in spite of Art: Geometrical Proportion seldom, or never used, Arithmetical overmuch abused: Oxen and Asses (notwithstandiug the absurdity it seemed to Plautus) draw both together in one, and the same Yoke: Conclusio ferè sequitur deteriorem partem. The Gospel taught, not learned: Charity key cold: nothing good, but by Imputation: the Ceremonial Law, in word abrogated: the judicial in effect disannulled: the Moral indeed abandoned: the Light, the Light in every man's Lips, but mark me their eyes, and tell me, if they look not liker Owlets, or Bats, than Eagles: as of old Books, so of ancient Virtue, Honesty, Fidelity, Equity, new Abridgementes: every day fresh span new Opinions: Heresy in Divinity, in Philosophy, in Humanity, in Manners, grounded much upon hearsay: Doctors contemned: the Text known of most, understood of few, magnified of all, practised of none: the Devil not so hated, as the Pope: many invectives, small amendment: Skill they say controlled of Will: and Goodness mastered of Goods: but Agent, and Patient much alike, neither Barrel greatly better Herring: No more ado about caps and surplice: Master Cartwright nigh forgotten: The man you wots of, conformable, with his square Cap on his round head: and Non resident at pleasure: and yet Non-residents never better baited, but not one the fewer, either I believe in Act, or I believe, in Purpose. A number of our preachers sibbe to French Soldiers, at the first, more than Men, in the end, less than Women. Some of our pregnantest and soon ripe Wits, of Hermogenes metal for all the world: Old men and Counsellors amongst Children: Children amongst Counsellors, and old men: Not a f●we ●ubble faced jani, and changeable Chameleons: overmanye clawbacks, and Pickethanks: reeds shaken of every Wind: jacks of both sides: Aspen leaves: painted Sheaths, and Sepulchres: Asses in Lions skins: Dunglecockes: slipperye Eels: Dormice: I blush to think of some, that ween themselves as fledge as the rest, being, God wots, as kallowe as the rest: every younker to speak of as politic, and as great a Commonwealths man as Bishop Gardner, or Doctor Wutton at the least: as if every man now adays having the framing of his own Horoscope, were borne in decimo coeli domicilio, and had all the Wit, Wisdom, and Worship in the world at commandment. Sed heus in aurem: Meministin' quod ait Varro? Omnes videmur nobis esse belli, festivi, saperdae, cùm sumus Canopi: David, Ulysses, and Solon, feigned themselves fools and madmen: our fools and madmen feign themselves David's, Ulysses, and Solons: and would go nigh to deceive the cunningest, and best experienced Metaposcopus in a country: It is pity fair weather should ever do hurt, but I know what peace and quietness hath done with some melancholy pickstrawes in the world: as good unspoken as unamended. And will you needs have my Testimonial of your ol●e Controllers new behaviour? A busy and dizy head, a brazen forehead: a l●dden brain: a wooden wit: a copper face: a stony breast: a factious and elvish heart: a founder of novelties: a confounder of his own, and his friends good gifts: a morning bookeworm, an afternoon maltworm: a right juggler, as full of his sleights, wiles, fetches, casts of Legerdemain, toys to mock Apes withal, odd shifts, and knavish practises, as his skin can hold. He often telleth me, he loveth me as himself, but out liar out, thou liest abominably in thy throat. jesus, I had nigh hand forgotten one thing, that iwis sometime I think often enough upon: Many Pupils, jackemates, and Hail fellows well met, with their Tutors, and by your leave, some too, because forsooth they be Gentlemen, or great heirs, or a little neater and gayer than their fellows, (shall I say it for shame? believe me, 'tis too true) their very own Tutors. Ah mala Licentia, ab initio non fuit sic. Stulta est omnis iwenilis Doctrina, sine virili quadam Disciplina. Quasi verò pauperioribus duntaxat pueris, ac non multò magis generosa, atque nobili Iwentuti conveniat, pristinae illius Institutionis, atque Educationis severitas, & ingenuae, & prudentis, & cruditae, & cum Tutoris personae, tum pupillo, etiam ipsi perquam accomodatae. Vsquequaque sapere oportet: id erit telum acerrimum. Caetera faerè, ut ●●lim: Bellum inter Capita, & membra continuatum: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publicis defensa scholis, privatis confirmata parietibus, omnibus loc●s ostentata, Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire, hoc sciat alter. Pl●●imi passim fit Pecunia, Pudor parvi penditur: Nihili habentur Literae: Mihi crede, credendum nulli: O amice, amicus nemo. Quid tu interim? Quomodo te inquies geris? Quomodo? Optimum est aliena frui insania. Video: taceo, rideo: Dixi. Et tame● addam, quod ait Satyricus ille: 
Vi●●endum est rectè, tum propter plurima, tum his  
Praecip●è causis, ut linguas Mancipiorum Contemnas.   
E meo municipio, Postridie quàm superiores de Terraemotu sermons haberentur, id est, ni fallor, Aprilis septimo, Vesperi. With as many gentle Goodnightes', as be letters in this tedious Letter.  
Nosti manum tanquam tuam.   

POSTSCRIPTE.  
This Letter may only be showed to the two odd Gentlemen you wots of. M●rry I would have those two to see it, as soon as you may conveniently. Non multis d●rmio: no● multis scr●bo: non cupio placere multis: Alij alios numeros la●dant, praeferunt, venerantur: Ego ferè apud nos, ferè apud vos Trinitatem. Verbum sapientisat: nosti caetera: & tres Charites habes ad unguem.    

A Gallant familiar Letter, containing an Answer to that M. Immerito, with sundry proper examples, and some Precepts of our English reformed Versifying.  
To my very friend M. Immerito.  
Signior Immerito, to pass over your peerless complaint, with the ●●sidue of your preamble (for of the Earthquake I presuppose you have ere this received my goodly discourse) and withal to let my la●●●nglishe Hexametres go as light●ye as they came: I cannot choose, but thank and honour the good Angel, (whether it were Gabriel or some other) that put so good a motion into the heads of those two excellent Gentlemen M. Sidney, and M. Dyer, the two very Diamonds of her majesties Court for many special and rare qualities: as to help forward our new famous enterprise for the Exchanging of Barbarous and Balductum rhymes with Artificial Verses: the one being in manner of pure and fine Gold, the other but counterfeit, and base ill-favoured Copper. I doubt not but their lively example, and Practise, will prevail a thousand times more in short space, than the dead Advertisement, and persuasion of M. Ascham to the same Effect: whose Schoolmaster notwithstanding I reverence in respect of so learned a Motive. I would gladly be acquainted with M. Drants' Prosodye, and I beseech you, commend me to good M. Sidneys judgement, and gentle M. Immeritos Observations. I hope your next L●tters, which I daily expect, will bring me in farther familiarity & acquaintance with all three. Mine own Rules and Precepts of Art, I believe will fall out not greatly repugnant, though peradventure somewhat different: and yet am I not so resolute, but I can be content to reserve the Coppying out and publishing thereof, until I have a little better consulted with my pillow, and taken some farther advise of Madam Sperienza. In the mean, take this for a general Caveat, and say I have revealed one great mystery unto you: I am of Opinion, there is no one more regular and justifiable direction, either for the assured, and infallible Certainty of our English Artificial Prosodye particularly, or generally to bring our Language into Art, and to frame a Grammar or Rhetoric thereof: than first of all universally to agree upon one and the same Orthography, in all points conformable and proportionate to our Common Natural Prosodye: whether Sir Thomas Smiths in that respect be the most perfect, as surely it must needs be very good: or else some other of profounder Learning, & longer Experience, than Sir Thomas was, showing by necessary demonstration, wherein he is defective, will undertake shortly to supply his wants, and make him more absolute. Myself dare not hope to hop after him, till I see something or other, too, or fro, publicly and autentically established, as it were by a general Counsel, or act of Parliament: and then peradventure, standing upon firmer ground, for Company sake, I may adventure to do as other do. Interim, credit me, I dare give no Precepts, nor set down any Certain General Art: and yet see my boldness, I am not greatly squaimishe of my Particular Examples, whereas he that can but reasonably skill of the one, will give easily a shrewd guess at the other: considering that the one fetcheth his original and offspring from the other. In which respect, to say troth, we Beginners have the start, and advantage of our Followers, who are to frame and conform both their Examples, and Precepts, according to that Precedent which they have of us: as no doubt Homer or some other in Greek, and Ennius, or I know not who else in Latin, did prejudice, and overrule those, that followed them, as well for the quantities of syllables, as number of feet, and the like: their only Examples going for current payment, and standing in stead of Laws, and Rules with the posterity. In so much that it séem●d a sufficient warrant (as still it doth in our Common Grammar schools) to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in unus long, because the one hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the other, unus homo nobis, and so consequently in the rest. But to let this by-disputation pass, which is already so thoroughly discoursed and canvassed of the best Philosophers, and namely Aristotle, that point us, as it were with the forefinger, to the very fountains and head springs of Arts, and Artificial precepts, in the Analitiques, and Metaphysikes: most excellently set down in these four Golden Terms, the famoussest Terms to speak of in all Logic and Philosophy, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: shall I now by the way send you a januarie gi●t in April: and as it w●re show you a Christmas Gambowlde after Easter? Were the manner so very fine, as the matter is very good, I durst presume of an other kind of Plaudite and Gramercy, than now I will: but being as it is, I beseech you, set partiality aside, and tell me your masterships fancy.  

A New years Gift to my old friend Master George Bilchaunger: In commendation of three most precious Accidents, Virtue, Fame, and Wealth: and finally of the fourth, A good Tongue.  

V●r●ue sendeth a man to Renown, Fame dareth Abundance,  
Fame with Abundance maketh a man thrice blessed and happy.  
So the Reward of Famous Virtue makes many wealthy,  
And the Regard of Wealthy Virtue makes many blessed:  
O' blessed Virtue blessed Fame, bl●ssed Abundance,  
O ●●●t I had you ●h●ee, wi●h th● loss of thirty Come●●●●mentes.  
Now farewell Mistress, whom lately I loved above all,  
These be my three bonny lasses, these be my three bonny Ladies,  
Not the like Trinity again, save only the Trinity above all:  
Worship and Honour, first to the one, and then to the other.  
A thousaud good leaves be for ever granted Agrippa.  
For squibbling and declaiming against many fruitless  
Arts, and Crafts, devised by the Diuls and Spirits, for a torment,  
And for a plague to the world: as both Pandora, Prometheus,  
And that cursed good bad Tree, can testify at all times.  
Mere Gewegawes and Babbles, in comparison of these.  
Toys to mock Apes, and Woodcocks, in comparison of these.  
juggling casts, and knicknackes, in comparison of these.  
Yet behind there is one thing, worth a prayer at all times,  
A good Tongue, in a man's Head, A good Tongue in a woomans'.  
And what so precious matter, and food for a good Tongue,  
As blessed Virtue, blessed Fame, blessed Abundance.   

L' Enuoy.  
Marvel not, what I mean to send these Verses at Evensong:  
On Neweyeeres' Even, and Oldyeeres' End, as a Memento:  
Trust me, I know not a richer jewel, newish or oldish,  
Than blessed Virtue, blessed Fame● blessed Abundance,  
O blessed Virtue, blessed Fame, blessed Abundance,  
O that you had these three, with the loss of Forty Val●tes ●   
He that wisheth, you may live to see a hundredth Good New years, every one happier, and merrier, than other.  
Now to requite your Blindfolded pretty God, (wherein by the way I would gladly learn, why, Th●, in the first, Y● in the first, and third, H●, and My, in the last, being short, M●, alone should be made longer in the very same) Imagine me to come into a goodly kentish Garden of your old Lords, or some other Noble man, and spying a flourishing Bay Tree there, to demand ex tempore, as followeth: Think upon Petrarches' 
Arbour vittoriosa, tiromfale,  
Onor d' Imperadori, e di Poet:  and perhaps it will advance the wings of your Imagination a degree higher: at the least if any thing can be added to the loftiness of his conceit, whom gentle Mistress Rosalinde, once reported to have all the Intelligences at commandment, and an other time● Christened her, signor Pegaso.  

Encomium Lauri.  
WAat might I call this Tree? A Laurel? O bonny Laurel:  
Needs to thy bows will I bow this knee, and veil my bonetto:  
Who, but thou, the renown of Prince, and Princely Poeta:  
Th'one for Crown, for Garland th'other thanketh Apollo.  
Thrice happy Daphne: that turned was to the bay Tree,  
Whom such servants serve, as challenge service of all men.  
Who chief Lord, and King of Kings, but th' Emperor only?  
And Poet of right stamp, overawith th' Emperor himself.  
Who, but knows Aretyne, was he not half Prince to the Princes.  
And many a one there lives, as nobly minded at all points.  
Now Farewell bay Tree, very Queen, and Goddess of all trees,  
Richest pearl to the Crown, and fairest Flower to the Garland.  
feign would I crave, might I so presume, some farther aquaintance,  
O that I might? but I may not: woe to my destiny therefore.  
Trust me, not one more loyal servant longs to thy parsonage,  
But what says Daphne? Non omni dormio, worse luck:  
Yet Farewell, Farewell, the Reward of those, that I honour:  
Glory to Garden: Glory to Muses: Glory to Virtue.  
Partim iovi, & Palladi,  
Partim Apollini & Musis.   
But seeing I must needs bewray my store, and set open my shop windows, now I pray thee, and conjure thee by all thy amorous Regards, and Exorcisms of Love, call a Parliament of thy Sensible, & Intelligible powers together, & tell me, in Tom Troths earnest, what Il fecondo, & famoso Poeta, Messer Immerito, saith to this bold Satyriall Libel lately devised at the instance of a certain worshipful Hartefordshyre Gentleman, of mine old acquaintance: in Gratiam quorundam Illustrium Anglofrancitalorum, hic & ubique apud nos volitantium. Agedùm verò, nosti homines, tanquam tuam ipsius cutem.  

Speculum Tuscanismi.  
Since Galateo came in, and Tusc●●isme 'gan usurp,  
Vanity above all: Villainy next her, Statelynes Empress.  
No man, but Minion, stout, Lowte, plain, swain, quoth a Lording:  
No words but valorous, no works but woomanish only.  
For life Magnificoes, not a beck but glorious in show,  
In deed most frivolous, not a look but Tuscanish always.  
His cringing side neck, Eyes glancing, Fisnamie smirking ●  
With forefinger kiss, and brave embrace to the footewarde.  
Largebelled Kodpeasd Doublet, unkodpeased half hose,  
strait to the dock, like a shirt, and close to the britch, like a diveling.  
A little Apish Hat, couched fast to the pate, like an Oyster,  
French Camarick Ruffs, deep with a witness, starched to the purpose.  
Every one A per se A, his terms, and braveries in Print●  
Delicate in speech, quaint in array: conceited in all points:  
In Courtly guiles, a passing singular odd man,  
For Gallants a brave Mirror, a Primrose of Honour,  
A Diamond for nonce, a fellow peerless in England.  
Not the like Discourser for Tongue, and head to be found out:  
Not the like resolute Man, for great and serious affairs,  
Not the like Lynx, to spy out secrets, and privities of States.  
Eyed, like to Argus, Earde, like to Midas, Nosed, like to Naso,  
Winged, like to Mercury, fittst of a Thousand for to be employed,  
This, nay more than this doth practise of Italy in one year.  
None do I name, but some do I know, that a piece of a twelvemonth's  
Hath so perfected outly, and inly, both body, both soul,  
That none for sense, and senses, half matchable with them.  
A vultures smelling, Apes i●sting, sight of an Eagle,  
A spiders touching, Har●●● hearing, might o● a lion.  
compounds of wisdom, wit, prows, bounty, behaviour,  
All gallant Virtues, all qualities of body and soul:  
O thrice ten hundredth thousand times blessed and happy,  
Blessed and happy Travail, travailer most blessed and happy.  
Penatibus He●ruscis laribusq●e nostris Inquili●i●:   
Tell me in good sooth, doth if not too evidently appear, that this English Poet wanted but a good pattern before his ●yes, as it might be some delicate, and choice elegant Poe●●e of good M. Sidneys, or M. Dvers, (over very Castor, & Pollux for ●ach and many greater matters) when this trim gear was in hatching: Much like some Gentlewooman, I could name in England, who by all Physic and Phystognomie too, might as well have brought forth all goodly fair children, as they have now some ill-favoured and deformed, had they at the time of their Conception, had in sight, the amiable and gallant beautiful Pictures of Adonis, Cupid, Ganymedes, or the like, which no doubt would have wrought such ●éepe impression in their fantasies, and imaginations, as their children, and perhaps their children's children too, might have thanked them for, as long as they shall have Tongues in their beads.  
But mine own leisure faileth me: and to say troth, I am lately become a marvelous great stranger at mine old Mistress Poetries, being newly entertained, and daily employed in our Emperor justinian's service (saving that I have already addressed a certain pleasurable, and Moral Politic Natural mixed devise, to his most Honourable Lordship, in the same kind, whereunto my next Letter, if you please me well, may perchance make you privy:) marry now, if it like you in the mean while, for variety sake, to see how I task a young Brother of mine, (whom of plain john, our Italian Master hath christened his Picciolo Giovannibattista,) Lo here (and God will) a piece of holidays exercise. In the morning I gave him this Theme out of Ovid, to translate, and vary after his best fashion.  
Dum fueris foelix multos numerabis Amicos,  
Tempora si fuerint nubila, solus eris.  
Aspicis, ut veniant ●d can●●da tecta columbae?  
Accipiat nullas fordid● Turris A●es?  
His translation, or rather Paraphrase before dinner, was first this: 

1.  
Whilst your Barns are fat whilst Cosers stuffed with abundance,  
Friends will abound: If bearne ware bare, then adie●●ir a Gods name  
See ye the Doo●es● they breed, and feed in gorgeous Houses:  
Scarce one dove doth love to remain in ruinous Houses,    
And then forsooth th●●● t● make proof of his faculty In P●●●●meters too 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 withal.  

2.  
Whilst your riches abound, your friends will play the Place●oe●,  
If your wealth do decay, friend, like a fiend, will away,  
doves light, and delight in goodly fairetyled houses:  
If your House be but old. dove to remove be ye bold.   
And the last and largest of all, this: 

3.  
If so be goods increase, then daily increaseth a goods friend.  
If so be goods decrease, then strait decreaseth a goods friend.  
Then God night goods friend, who seldom proveth a good friend,  
Give me the goods, and give me the good friend, take ye the goods friend.  
Dovehouse, and Lovehouse, in writing differ a letter:  
In deed scarcely so much, so resembleth an other an other.  
tile me the dovehouse trimly, and gallant, where the like storehouses  
File me the dovehouse: leave it unhandsome, where the like poorehouse?  
Look to the Lovehouse: where the resort is, there is a gay show:  
Gynne port, and money fail: strait sports and Company faileth.    
Believe me, I am not to be charged with above one, or two of the Verses: and a four or five words in the rest. His afternoons Theme was borrowed out of him, whom one in your Coat, they say, is as much beholding unto, as any Planet, or Star in Heaven is unto the Sun: and is quoted as yourself best remember, in the Gloze of your October.  
Giunto Alessandro ala famosa tomba  
Del fero Achille, suspirando disse,  
O fortunato, che sichiara tromba  
Trovasti.  
Within an hour, or there abouts, he brought me these four lust. e Hexameters, altered since not past in a word, or two.  
Noble Alexander, when he came to the tomb of Achille●,  
Sighing spoke with a big voice: O thrice blessed Achilles.  
That such a Trump, so great, so loud, so glorious hast found,  
As the renowned, and surprising Archpoet Homer.  
Upon the view whereof, Ah my Sirrah, quoth I here is a gallant exercise for you in deed: we have had a little pretty trial of you Latin, and Italian Translation: Let me see now I pray, what you can 〈◊〉 your own Tongue: And with that, reaching a certain famous Book, called the new Shephardes' Calendar: I turned to Willyes, and Thomalins Emblems, in March: and bade him make them either better, or worse in English verse. I gave him an other hours respite: but before I looked for him, he suddenly rushed upon me, and gave me his devise, thus formally set down in a fair piece of Paper.  


1. Thomalins Emblem.  
Of Honey, and of Gaul in Love there is store,  
The Honey is much, but the Gaul is more.   

2. Willyes' Emblem.  
To be wize, and eke to Love,  
Is granted scarce to God above.   

3. Both combined in one.  
Love is a thing more fell, than full of Gaul, than of Honey,  
And to be wize, and Love, is a work for a God, or a Gods peer.    
With a small voluntary Supplement of his own, on the other side, in commendation of her most gracious, and thrice excellent Majesty: 
Not the like Virgin again, in Asia, or Afric, or Europe,  
For Royal Virtues, for Majesty, Bounty, Behaviour.  
Raptim, uti vides.  In both not passing a word, or two, corrected by me. Something more I have of his; partly that very day begun, and partly continued since: but yet not so perfectly finished, that I dare commit the view, and examination thereof, to Messer Immeritoes' Censure, whom after those same two incomparable and miraculous Gemini, Omni exceptione maiores, I recount, and chaulk up in the Catalogue of our very principal English Aristarchi. Howbeit, I am nigh half persuaded, that in time (siquidem ultima primis respondeant) for length, breadth, and depth, it will not come far behind your Epithalamion Thamesis: the rather, having so fair a precedent, and pattern before his Eyes, as I warrant him, and he presumeth to have of that: both Master Collinshead, and M. Hollishead too, being together therein. But ever, & ever, me thinks your great Cato's, Ecquid erit pretij, and our little Cato's, Res age quae prosunt, make such a buzzing, & ringing in my head, that I have little joy to animate, & encourage either you, or him to go forward, unless ye might make account of some certain ordinary wages, at at the leastwise have your meat, and drink for your days works. As for myself, howsoever I have toyed, and tri●led heretofore, I am now taught, and I trust I shall shortly learn, (no remedy, I must of mere necessity give you over in the plain field) to employ my travail, and time wholly, or chiefly on those studies and practises, that carry as they say, meat in their mouth, having evermore their eye upon the Title De pane lucrando, and their hand upon their halfpenny. For, I pray now, what saith M. Cuddy, alias you know who, in the tenth Eclogue of the foresaid famous new Calendar?  

Piers, I have piped erst so long with pain,  
That all mine Oaten reeds been rend, and wore,  
And my poor Muse hath spent her spared store,  
Yet little good hath got, and much less gain.  
Such pleasance makes the grasshopper so poor,  
And lig so laid, when winter doth her strain.   

The Dapper Ditties, that I wont denize,  
To feed youths fancy, and the flocking fry,  
Delighten much: what I the be●t for thy?  
They han the pleasure, I a s●lender prize.  
I bea●e the hush, the birds to them do fly,  
What good thereof to Cuddy can arise?   
But M●ster C●lli●● Clout is not every body, and albeit his old Companions, Master Cuddy, & Master Hobbmoll ●e as little beholding to their Mistress Poetry, as ever you w●st: yet he peradventure, by the means of her special favour, and some personal privilege, may happily live by dying Pellicanes ● and purchase great lands, and Lordships, with the money, which his Calendar and Dreams have, and will afforded him. Extra iocum, I like your Dreams passingly well: and the rather, because they savour of that singular extraordinary vein and invention, which I ever fancied most, and in a manner admired only in Lucian, petrarch, Aretine, Pasquil, and all the most delicate, and fine conceited Grecians & Italians: (for the Romans to speak of, are but very Ciphars' in this kind:) whose chiefest endeavour, and drift was, to have nothing vulgar, but in some respect or other, and especially in lively Hyperbolical Amplifications, rare, quaint, and odd in every point, and as a man would say, a degree or two at the least, above the reach, and compass of a common scholars capacity. In which respect notwithstanding, as well for the singularity of the manner, as the Divinity of the matter, I heard once a Divine, prefer Saint john's Revelation before all the veriest Maetaphysicall Visions, & iollyest conceited Dreams or Ecstasies, that ever were devised by one or other, how admirable, or superexcellent soever they seemed otherwise to the world. And truly I am so confirmed in this opinion, that when I bethink me of the very notablest, and most wonderful Prophetical, or Poetical Uision, that ever I read, or heard, me seemeth the proportion is so unequal, that there hardly appeareth any semblance of Comparison: no more in a manner (specially for Poets) than doth between the incomprehensible Wisdom of God, and the sensible Wit of man.. But what needeth this digression between you and me? I dare say you will hold yourself reasonably well satisfied, if your Dreams be but as well esteemed of in England, as Petrarches Visions be in Italy: which I assure you, is the very worst I wish you. But, see, how I have the Art Memorative at commandment. In good faith I had once again nigh forgotten your Fairy Queen: howbeit by good chance, I have now sent her home at the last, neither in better nor worse case, than I found her. And must you of necessity have my judgement of her in deed? To be plain, I am void of all judgement, if your Nine Comedies, whereunto in imitation of Herodotus, you give the names of the Nine Muses, (and in one man's fancy not unworthily) come not nearer Ariosto's Comedies, either for the fineness of plausible Elocution, or the rareness of Poetical Invention, than that Elvish Queen doth to his Orlando Furioso, which notwithstanding, you will needs seem to emulate, and hope to overgo, as you flatly professed yourself in one of your last Letters. Besides that you know, it hath been the usual practice of the most exquisite and odd wits in all nations, and specially in Italy, rather to show, and advance themselves that way, than any other: as namely, those three notorious dyscoursing heads, Bibiena, Machiavelli, and Aretine did, (to let Bembo and Ariosto pa●●e) with the great admiration, and wonderment of the whole country: being in deed reputed matchable in all points, both for conceit of Wit, and eloquent deciphering of matters, either with Aristophanes and Menander in Greek, or with Plautus and Terence in Latin, or with any other, in any other tongue. But I will not stand greatly with you in your own matters. If so be the Faerye Queen be fairer in your eye than the Nine Muses, and Hobgoblin run away with the Garland ●rom Apollo: Mark what I say, and yet I will not say that I thought, but there an End for this once, and far you well, till God or some good Angel put you in a better mind.  
And yet, because you charge me somewhat suspitiously● with an old promise, to deliver you of that jealousy, I am so far from hiding mine own matters from you, that lo, I must a needs be revealing my friends secrets, now an honest Country Gentleman, sometimes a Scholar: At whose request, I bestowed this pawlting ●ungrely Rhyme upon him, to present his Mistress withal. The parties shall be nameless; saving, that the Gentlewoman's true, or counterfeit Christian name, must necessarily be bewrayed.  
of one, but wo●lde as well in Writing, as in Speaking, have them used, as Monosyllaba, thus: heavn, seaeun, a leaun, as Master Ascham in his Toxophilus doth Iron, commonly written Iron: 
Up to the pap his string did he pull, his shaft to the hard iron.   
Especially the difference so manifestly appearing by the Pronunciation, between these two, a leaun a clock and a leaven of Dowe, which lee— ven admitteth the Diastole, you speak of. But see, what absurdities this ill favoured Orthographye, or rather Pseudography, hath engendered: and how one error still breedeth and begetteth an other. Have we not, month, for Moonthe: sithence, for since: whilst, for whilst: fantasy, for fancy: even, for eun: Devil, for Diul: God his wrath, for God's wrath: and a thousand of the same stamp: wherein the corrupt Orthography in the most, hath been the sole, or principal cause of corrupt Prosodye in over many?  
Marry, I confess some words we have indeed, as for example, fair, either for beautiful, or for a Mart: air, both pro acre, and pro haeredè, for we say not Heir, but plain Air for him to (or else Scoggins Air were a poor jest) which are commonly, and may indifferently be used either way●s. For you shall as well, and as ordinarily hear fair, as fair, and Air, as Air, and both alike: not only of divers and sundry persons, but often of the very same: otherwhiles using the one, otherwhiles the other: and so died, or died: spied, or spied: tried, or tried: fire, or fire: mire, or mire: with an infinite company of the same sort: sometime Monosyllaba, sometime Polysyllaba.  
To conclude both points in one, I dare swear privately to yourself, and will defend publicly against any, it is neither heresy, nor Paradox, to set down, and stand upon this assertion, (notwithstanding all the Preiudices and Presumptions to the contrary, if they were ten times as many mo●) that it is not, either Position, or diphthong, or Diastole, or any like Grammar School Device, that doth, or can indeed, either make long or short, or increase, or diminish the number of Syllables, but only the common allowed, and received Prosodye: taken up by an universal consent of all, and continued by a general use, and Custom of all. Wherein nevertheless I grant, after long advise, & diligent observation of particulars, a certain Uniform Analogy, and Concordance, being in process of time espied out. Sometime this, sometime that, hath been noted by good wits in their analysis, to fall out generally alike? and as a man would say, regularly in all, or most words: as Position, diphthong, and the like: not as first, and essential causes of this, or that effect, (here lieth the point) but as secondary and Accidental Signs, of this, or that Quality.  
It is the vulgar, and natural Mother Prosodye, that alone worketh the feat, as the only supreme Foundress, and Reformer of Position, diphthong, Orthography, or whatsoever else: whose Affirmatives are nothing worth, if she once conclude the Negative: and whose secundae intentiones must have their whole allowance and warrant from her primae. And therefore in short, this is the very short, and the long: Position neither maketh short, nor long in our Tongue, but so far as we can get her good leave. Peradventure, upon the diligent suruewe, and examination of Particulars, some the like Analogy and Uniformity, might be found out in some other respect, that should as universally and Canonically hold amongst us, as Position doth with the Latins and Greeks. I say, (peradventure,) because, having not yet made any special Observation, I dare not precisely affirm any general certainty: albeit I presume, so good and sensible a Tongue, as ours is, being withal so like itself, as it is, cannot but have something equipollent, and counteruaileable to the best Tongues, in some one such kind of conformity, or other. And this forsooth is all the Artificial Rules and Precepts, you are like to borrow of one man at this time.  
Sed amabo te, ad Corculi tui delicatissimas Literas, propediem, quam potero, accuratissimè: tot interim illam exquisitissimis salutibus, atque salutationibus impertiens, quot habet in Capitulo, capill●s semiaureos, semiargenteos, semig emmeos. Quid quaeris? Per tuam Venerem altera Rosalindula est: eamque non alter, sed idem ille, (tua, ut ante, bona cum gratia) copiosè amat Hobbinolus. O mea Domina Immerito, mea bellissima Collina Clouta, multo plus plurimùm salve, atque vale.  
You know my ordinary Postscripte: you may communicate as much, or as little, as you list, of these Patcheries, and fragments, with the two Gentlemen: but there a straw, and you love me: not with any else, friend or foe, one, or other: unless haply you have a special desire to impart some part hereof, to my good friend M. Daniel Rogers: whose courtesies are also registered in my Marble b●●ke. You know my meaning.  
Nosti manum & stylum.  G.   

¶ TWO OTHER, very commendable Letters, of the same men's writing: both touching the foresaid Artificial Versifying, and certain other Particulars: More lately delivered unto the Printer.  
IMPRINTED AT LONdon, by H. Bynneman, dwelling in Thames street, near unto Baynard's Castle.  
Anno Domini. 1580.  
Cum gratia & privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.   

¶ To the Worshipful his very singular good friend, Master G. H. Fellow of Trinity Hall in Cambridge.  
GOod Master G. I perceive by your most courteous and friendly Letters your good will to be no less in deed, than I always esteemed. In recompense whereof, think I beseech you, that I will spare neither speech, nor writing, nor aught else, whensoever, and wheresoever occasion shall be offered me: yea, I will not stay, till it be offered, but will seek it, in all that possibly I may. And that you may perceive how much your Counsel in all things prevaileth with me, and how altogether I am ruled and overruled thereby: I am now determined to alter mine own former purpose, and to subscribe to your advizement: being notwithstanding resolved still, to abide your farther resolution. My principal doubts are these. First, I was minded for a while to have intermitted the uttering of my writings: least by overmuch cloying their noble ears, I should gather a contempt of myself, or else séme rather for gain and commodity to do it, for some sweetness that I have already tasted. Then also me seemeth the work too base for his excellent Lordship, being made in Honour of a private parsonage unknown, which of some yl-willers might be vpbra●ded, not to be so worthy, as you know she is: or the matter not so weighty, that it should be offered to so weighty a parsonage: or the like. The self former Title still liketh me well enough, and your fine Addition 〈◊〉 less. If these, and the like doubts, may be of importance in your seeming, to frustrate any part of your advice, I beseech you, without the least self love of your own purpose, council me ●or the best: and the rather do it faithfully, and carefully, for that, in all things I attribute so much to your judgement, that I am evermore content to ad●●hil●te mine own determinations, in respect thereof. And indeed for yourself to, it sitteth with you now, to call your wits, & senses together, (which are always at call) when occasion is so fairly offered of Estimation and Preferment. For, whiles the iron is hot, it is good striking, and minds of Nobles vary, as their Estates. Verùm ne quid durius.  
I pray you bethink you well ●ereof, good Master G. and forthwith write me those two or three special points and caveats for the nonce, De quibus in superioribus illis mellitissimis, longissimisque Litteris tuis. Your desire to hear of my late being with her Majesty, must die in itself. As for the two worthy Gentlemen, Master Sidney, and Master Dyer, they have me, I thank them, in some use of familiarity: of whom, and to whom, what speech passeth for your credit and estimation, I leave yourself to conceive, having always so well conceived of my unfeigned affection, and zeal towards you. And now they have proclaimed in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a general surceasing and silence of bald Rymers, and also of the very best to: in stead whereof, they have by authotie of their whole Senate, prescribed certain Laws and rules of Quantities of English syllables, for English Verse: having had thereof already great practi●e, and drawn me to their faction. New Books I hear of none, but only of one, that writing a certain Book, called The School of Abuse ● and dedicating it to Master Sidney, was for his labour scorned: if at least it be in the goodness of that nature to scorn. Such folly is it, not to regard aforehand the inclination and quality of him, to whom we dedicate our Books. Such might I happily incur, entituling My Slumber, and the other Pamphlets, unto his honour. I meant them rather to Master Dyer. But I am, of late, more in love with my English Uersifying, than with Rhyming: which I should have done long since, if I would then have followed your council. Sed te solum iam tum suspicabar cum● Aschanio sapere: nunc Aulam video egregios alere Poëtas Anglicos. Master E. K. heartily desireth to be commended unto your Worship: of whom, what account he maketh, yourself shall hereafter perceive, by his painful and dutiful Verses of yourself.  
Thus much was written at Westminster yesternight: but coming this morning, being the sixteenth of October, to Mistress Kerkes, to have it delivered to the Carrier, I received your letter, sent me the l●ste week: whereby I perceive you otherwhiles continue your old exercise of Uersifying in English: which glory I had now thought should have been only ours here at London, and the Court.  
Trust me, your Verses I like passingly well, and envy your hidden pains in this kind, or rather malign, and grudge at yourself, that would not once impart so much to me. But once, or twice, you make a breach in Master Drants' Rules: quod tamen condonabimus tanto Poetae, tuaeque ipsius maximae in his rebus autoritati. You shall see when we meet in London, (which, when it shall be, certify us) how fast I have followed after you, in that Course: beware, least in time I overtake you. Veruntamen te solùm sequar, (ut saepenumerò sum professus,) nunquam sanè assequar, dum vivam. And now requite I you with the like, not with the very best, but with the very shortest, namely with a few jambickes: I dare warrant, they be precisely perfect for the feet (as you can easily judge) and vary not one inch from the Rule. I will impart yours to Master Sidney, and Master Dyer, at my next going to the Court. I pray you, keep mine close to yourself, or your very entire friends, Master Preston, Master Still, and the rest.  

jambicum Trimetrum.  
Unhappy Verse, the witness of my unhappy state,  
Make thyself fluttring wings of thy fast flying  
Thought, and fly forth unto my Love, wheresoever she be:  
Whether lying reastlesse in heavy bed, or else  
Sitting so cheerless at the cheerful board, or else  
Playing alone careless on her heavenly Virginals.  
If in Bed, tell her, that my eyes can take no rest:  
If at Board, tell her, that my mouth can eat no meat:  
If at her Virginals, tell her, I can hear no mirth.  
Asked why? say: Waking Love suffereth no sleep:  
Say, that raging Love doth appall the weak stomach:  
Say, that lamenting Love marreth the Musical.  
Tell her, that her pleasures were wont to lull me asleep:  
Tell her, that her beauty was wont to feed mine eyes:  
Tell her, that her sweet Tongue was wont to make me mirth●  
Now do I nightly waste, wanting my kindly rest:  
Now do I daily starve, wanting my lively food:  
Now do I always die, wanting thy timely mirth.  
And if I waste, who will bewail my heavy chance?  
And if I starve, who will record my cursed end?  
And If I die, who will say: this was, Immerito?   
I thought once again here to have made an end, with ● hearty Vale, of the best fashion: but lo, an ill-favoured mischance. My last farewell, whereof I made great account, and much marveled you should make no mention thereof, I am now told, (in the devils name) was through one man's negligence quite forgotten, but should now undoubtedly have been sent, whether I had come, or no. Seing it can now be no otherwise, I pray you take all together, with all their faults: and now I hope, you will vouchsafe me an answer of the largest size, or else I tell you true, you shall be very deep in my debt: notwithstanding, this other sweet, but short letter, and fine, but few Verses. But I would rather I might yet see your own good self, and receive a Reciprocal farewell from your own sw●et● mouth.  

Ad Ornatissimum virum, multis iamdiu nominibus clarissimum, G. H. Immerito sui, mox in Gallias navigaturi, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  

SIc malus egregium, sic non inimicus Amicum:  
Sicque novus veterem jubet ipse Poëta Poëtam,  
Saluere, ac calo post secula multa secundo  
jam reducem, calo mage, quàm nunc ipse, secundo  
Vtier. Ecce Deus, (modò sit Deus ille, renixum  
Qui vocet in scelus, & iuratos perdat amores) ●  
Ecce Deus mihi clara dedit modò signa Mari●us,  
Et sua veliger● lenis parat AEquora Ligno,  
Mox sulcanda, suas etiam pater AE●lus Ira●  
Ponit, & ingentes animos Aquil●nis—  
Cuncta vijs sic apta meis: ego solus ineptus.  
Nam mihi nescio quo mens saucia vul●ere, dudum  
Fluctuat ancipiti Pelago, dum Na●ita pr●ram  
Inualidam validu● rapit huc Amor, & rapit illuc.  
Consilijs Ratio melioribus usa, decusque  
Immortale levi diffessa Cupidinis Arcu.  
Angimur hoc dubio, & portu vexamur in ipso.  
Magne pharetrati nunc t● contemptor Amoris,  
(Id tibi Dij nomen precor haud impu●e remittant)  
Hos nodos exsolue, & eris mihi magnus Apollo.  
Spiritus ad summos, scio, te generosus Honores  
Exstimulat, maiusque docet spirare Poëtam,  
Quàm levis est Amor, & tamen haud levis est Amor omnis.  
Ergo nihil lauds reputa● aequale per●nni,  
Praeque sacrosancta splendoris imagine tanti,  
Caetera, quae vecors, uti Numina, vulg●● a●orat,  
Praedia, Amicitias, urbana peculia, Nummos,  
Quaeque placent oculis, form●●, spectacula, Amores  
Conculcare soles, ut humum, & ludibria sensus.  
Digna meo certè Haruejo sententia, digna  
Oratore amplo, & generoso pectore, quam non  
Stoica formidet veterum Sapientia vinclis  
Sancire ●ternis: sapor haud ●amen omnibus idem.  
Dicitur effaeti proles facunda Laërtae,  
Quamlibet ignoti iactata per aequora Caeli,  
Inque procelloso longùm exsul gurgite ponto,  
Prae tamen amplexu lachrymosae Coniugis, Ortus  
Caelestes Diuûmque thoros sprenisse beatos.  
Tantùm Amor, & Mulier, vel Amore potentior. Illum  
Tu tamen illudis: ●ua Magnificentia tanta est:  
Praeque subumbrata Splendoris Imagi●e tanti,  
Praeque illo Meritis fam●sis nomine parto,  
Caetera, quae Vecors, uti N●mina, unlgus adorat,  
Praedia, Amicitias, armenta, peculia, nummos.  
Quaeque placent oculis, f●rmas, spectacula, Amores.  
Quaeque placent ori, quaeque auribus, omnia temnis.  
Nae tu grand sapis, Sapor at sapienti● non est:  
Omnis & in parvis benè qui scit de sipuisse,  
Saepe supercilijs palman● sapientilius ●ufer●.  
Ludit Aristippum m●dò ●●trïca Tur●a Sophorum.  
Mitia purpureo moderantem verb● Tyranno  
Ludit Aristippus dictamina vana Sophorum,  
Quos levis emensi male torquet Culici● umbra:  
Et quisquis placuisse Stude● Her●ibus alt●●,  
Desipuisse studet, ●ic gratia cre●●it ineptis.  
Denique Laurigeris quisqùis s●●a tempora vittis,  
Insignire volet, Populoque placere fa●enti,  
Desipere insanus discit, turpemque pudend●  
Stultitia laudem quaerit. P●ter Ennius vnu●  
Dictus in innumeris sapiens: laudatur at ips●●  
Carmina vesano fudisse liquentio vino.  
Nec tu pace tua, nostri Cato Maxime sacli,  
Nomen honorati sacrum m●reare Poëlae,  
Quantamuis illustre canas, & nobile Carmen,  
Ni stultire velis, sic Sultorum omnia plena.  
Tuta sed in medio superest via gurgite, n●m Qui  
Nec reliquis nimiùm v●lt desipuisse vid●ri,  
Nec sapuisse nimis, Sapientem dixeris unum.  
Hinc te merserit undae, illinc combusserit Ignis.  
Nec tu delici●s nimis aspernare fluentes,  
Nec sero Dominam, venient●m in vota, nec Auru●  
Si sapis, ablatum, (Curijs ea, Fabricisque  
Linque viris miseris miseranda Sophismata: quondam●  
Grande sui decus ij, nostri sed dedecus aevi:)  
Nec sectare nimis. Res utraque crimine plena.  
Hoc bene qui callet, (si quis tamen hoc bene callet)  
Scribe, vel invito sapientem hunc Socra●e solum.  
Vis facit una p●os: Instos facit altera: & altra  
Egregiè cordata, ac fortia pectora: verùm  
Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit utile dulci  
Dij mihi, dulce diu dederant: verùm utile nunque:  
utile nunc etiam, ô utinam quoque dulce dedissent.  
Dij mihi, (quip Dijs aeq●i●alia maxima par●is)  
Ni nimis inuid●ant morta●●bus esse ●●●tis,  
Dulce si●●●l tribuisse queant, simul utile: tanta  
Sed Fortuna tua est: pariter quaeque utile, quaeque  
Dulce dat ad placitum: saevo nos sydere nati  
Quaesitum imus eam per inhospita Caucasa longè●  
Perque Pyrem●●os montes, Babilonaque turpem,  
Quòd si quaesitum nec ibi invenerimus, inge●s  
AEquor inexhaustis permensi erroribus, ultrâ  
Fluctibus in medijs s●cij quaeremus Vlyssis.  
Passibus inde Deam fessis comit abimur aegram,  
Nobile cui furtum qu●renti defuit orbis.  
Namque sin● pudet in patrio, tenebrisque pudendis  
Non nimis ingenio Iwonem infoelice, virentes,  
Officijs frustra deperdere vilibus Annos,  
Frugibus & vacuas speratis cernere spicas.  
Ibimus ergo statim: (quis eunti fausta precetur?)  
Et pede Clibosas f●sso calcabimus Alps.  
Q●is dabit interea condit a● rore Britanno,  
Quis tibi Litterulas? quis carmen amore petulcum●  
Musa sub O●balij desueta cac●mine monti●,  
Flebit inexhausto tam long a silentia planctu,  
Lug●bitque sacrum lachrymis Helicona tacentem.  
Harueiusque bonus, (charus licet omnibus idem,  
Idque suo merito, prope suavior omnibus vnus●)  
Angelus & Gabriel, (qu●muis co●itatus amicis  
Innumeris, geniûmque choro stipatus amaeno  
Immerito tamen unum absentem saepe requiret,  
Opt●bitque, utinam meus hî● Edmundus adesset,  
Qui nova scripsisset, nec Amores conticuiss●●,  
Ipse s●os, & saepe animo, verbisque benignis  
Fausta precaretur: Deus illum al●quando reducat etc.   

Plura vellem per Ch●●ites, sed non lic●t per Musas.  
Vale, Vale plurimù●, Mi amabilissime Harucie, meo curdi, meorum  
omnium longè charissime.    
I was minded also to have sent you some English verses: or rhymes, for a farewell: but by my Troth, I have no spare time in the world, to think on such Toys, that you know will demand a fréer head, than mine is presently. I beseech you by all your Courtesies, and Graces, let me be answered, ere I go: which will be, (I hope, I fear, I think) the next week, if I can be dispa●chéd of my Lord. I go thither, as sent by him, and maintained most what of him: and there am to employ my time, my body, my mind, to his Honour's service. Thus with many superhartie Commendations, and Recommendations to yourself, and all my friends with you, I end my last Farewell, not thinking any more to write unto you, before I go: and withal committing to your faithful Credence the eternal Memory of our everlasting friendship, the in●ialable Memory of our unspotted friendship, the sacred Memory of our vowed friendship: which I beseech you Continue with usual writings, as you may, and of all things let me hear some News from you. As gentle M. Sidney, I thank his good Worship, hath required of me, and so promised to do again. Qui ●●onet, ut facias, quod iam facis, you know the rest. You may always send them most safely to me by Mistress Kerke, and by none other. So once again, and yet once more● Farewell most heartily, mine own good Master H. and love me, as I love you, and think upon poor Immerito, as he thinketh upon you.  
Leycester House. This .5. of October. 2579.  
Per mare, per terras,  
vivus, mortuusque,  
Tuus Immerito.   

To my very Friend, M. Immerito.  
LIberalissimo Signor Immerito, in good sooth my poor Storehouse will presently afford me nathing, either to recompense, or countervail your gentle Mastership's, long, large, lavish, Luxurious, Laxative Letters withal, (now a God's name, when did I ever in my life, hunt the Letter before? but, belike, there's no remedy, I must needs be even with you once in my days,) but only for sooth, a few Millions of Recommendations, and a running Copy of the Verses enclosed. Which Verses, (extra iocum) are so well done in Latin by two Doctors, and so well Translated into English by one odd Gentleman, and generally so well allowed of all, that chanced to have the perusing of them: that trust me, G.H. was at the first hardly entreated, to shame himself, and tru●ly, now blusheth, to see the ●irst Letters of his name, stand so near their Names, as of necessity they must. You know that Greek proverb, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and many colours, (as in a manner every thing else) that severally by themselves, seem reasonably good, and fresh enough, being compared, and overmatched with their betters, are marvelously disgraced, and as it were, dashed quite out of Countenance. I am at this inst●n●, very busily, and hotly employed in certain great and serious affairs: whereof, notwithstanding (for all your vowed, and long experimented s●cre●●●) you are not like to hear a word more at the most, till I myself see a World more at the least. And therefore, for this once I beseech you (notwithstanding your great expectation of I know not what Uolumes for an answer) content your good self, with these Presents, (pardon me, I came lately out of a scriveners shop) and in li●u of many gentle Farewells, & goodly God be wyes, at your departure: give me once again leave, to play the Coun●aylour a while, if it be but to justify your liberal Masterships, Nostri Cato maxim sacli: and I conjure you by the Contents of the Verses, and rhymes ●nclosed, and by all th● good, and bad Spirits, that attend upon the Authors themselves, immediately upon the contemplation thereof, to abandon all other fooleries, and honour Virtue, the only immortal and surviving Accident amongst so many mortal, and ever-perishing substances. As I strongly presume, so good a Terte, so clearkly handled, by three so famous Doctors, as old Master Wythipole, and the other two be, m●y easily, and will fully persuade you, howsoever you tush at the fourth's unsuitable Paraphrase. But a word or two, to your large, lavish, laxative Letters, and then for this time, Adieu. Of my credit, your doubts are not so redoubted, as yourself ●uer suspiciously imagine: as I purpose shortly to advise you more at large. Your hot iron, is so hot, that it striketh me to the heart, I dar● not come near to strike it: The Tide tarrieth no mann●, but many a good man is fain to tarry the Tide. And I know some, which could be content to be their own Carvers, that are glad to thank other for their courtesy: But Beggars, they say, must be no choosers.  
Your new-founded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I honour more, than you will or can suppose: and make greater account of the two worthy Gentlemen, than of two hundredth Dionisijs Areopagitae, or the very notablest Senators, that ever Athens did afforded of that number.  
Your English Trimetra I like better, than perhaps you will easily believe: and am to requite them with better, or worse, at more convenient leisure. Marry, you must pardon me, I fin●e not your warrant so sufficiently good, and substauntiall in Law, that it can persuade me, they are all, so precisely perfect for the Feet, as yourself over-partially ween, and overconfidently avouch: especially the third, which hath a foot more than a Louse (a wondrous deformity in a right and pure Senarie) and the sixth, which is also in the same Predicament, unless haply one of the feet be sawed off with a pair of Syncopes: and then should the Orthography have testified so much: and in stead of H●au●nli Virginals, you should ha●e written, Hea●nl● Virgn●ls: & Virgn●ls again in the ninth, & should ha●e made a Curtal of Immurate in the last: being all notwithstanding usual, and tolerable enough, in a mixed, and licentious jambicke: and of two evils, better (no doubt) the first, than the last: a third superfluous syllable, than a dull Spondee. Then me thinketh, you have in my fancy somewhat too many Spondees beside: and whereas Trochee sometime presumeth in the first place, as namely in the second Verse, Make thy, which thy, by your Mastership's own authority must needs be short, I shall be feign to supply the office of the Art Memorative, and put you in mind of a pretty Fable in Abstemio the Italian, implying thus much, or rather thus little in effect.  
A certain lame man being invited to a solemn Nuptial Feast, made no more ado, but sat me him roundly down foremost at the highest end of the Table. The Master of the feast, suddenly spying his presumption, and handsomely removing him from thence, placed me this halting Gentleman below at the neither ●nd of the board: alleging for his defence the common verse: Sedes nulla datur● praeterquam sexta Trochae●: and pleasantly alluding to this foot, which standing upon two syllables, the one long, the other short, (much like, of a like, his guests feet) is always thrust down to the last place, in a true Hexameter, and quite thrust out of doors in a pure, and just Senarie. Now Sir, what think you● I began to think with myself, when I began to read your warrant first: so boldly, and venturously set down in so formal, and authentic words, as these, Precisely perfect, and not an inch from the Rule? Ah Sirrah, and jesus Lord, thought I, have we at the last gotten one, of whom his old friends and Companions may justly glory, In eo solùm peccat, quòd nihil peccat: and that is yet more exact, and precise in his English Comical jambickes, than ●uer M. Watson himself was in his Latt●n Tragical jambickes, of whom M. Ascham reporteth, that he would never to this day suffer his famous Absalon to come abroad, only because Anapaestus in Locis paribus, is twice, or thrice used in stead of jambus? A small fault, iwis, and such a one in M. Aschams own opinion, as perchance would never have been espied, no neither in Italy, nor in Fraeùnce. But when I came to the curious scanning, and fingering of every foot, & s●llable: Lo here, quoth I, M. watson's Anapaestu● for all the world. A good horse, that trippeth not once in a journey: and M. Immerito doth, but as M. Watson, & in a manner all other jambici have done before him: marry he might have spared his preface, or at the least, that same restrictive, & streightlaced term, Precisely, and all had been well enough: and I assure you, of myself, I believe, no piece of a fault marked at all. But this is the Effect of warrants, and perhaps the Error may rather proceed of his Master, M. Drantes' Rule, than of himself. Howsoever it is, the matter is not great, and I always was, and will ever continue of this Opinion, Pauca multis condonanda vitia Virtutibus, especially these being no Vitia neither, in a common and licentious jambicke. Verùm ista obiter, non quidem contradicendi animo, aut ●tiam corrigendi mihi crede: sed nostro illo Academico, pristinoque more ratiocinandi. And to say truth, partly too, to requite your gentle courtesy in beginning to me, and noting I know not what breach in your gorbellyed masters Rules: which Rules go for good, I perceive, and keep a Rule, where there be no better in presence. Myself neither saw them, nor heard of them before: and therefore will neither praise them, nor dispraise them now: but upon the suruiewe of them, and farther conference, (both which I desire) you shall soon hear one man's opinion too or fro. Yourself remember, I was wont to have some prejudice of the man: and I still remain a favourer of his deserved, and just commendation. Marry in these points, you know, Partiality in no case, may have a foot: and you remember mine old Stoical exclamations Fie on childish affection, in the discoursing, and deciding of school matters. This I say, because you charge m● with an unknown authority: which for aught I know yet, may as well be either unsufficient, or faulty, as otherwise: and I dare more than half promise, (I dare not say, warrant) you shall always in these kind of controversies, ●inde me nigh hand answerable in mine own defence. Reliqua omnia, quae de hac supersunt Anglicorum versuum ratione, in aliud tempus reseruabimus, ociosum magis. Your Latin Farewell is a goodly brave yonkerly piece of work, and Goddilge ye, I am always marvelously beholding unto you, for your bountiful Titles: I hope by that time I have been resident a year or two in Italy, I shall be better qualified in this kind, and more able to requite your lavish, and magnificent liberality that way. But to let Titles and Tittles pass, and come to the very point in deed, which so near toucheth my lusty travailer to the quick, and is one of the predominant humours that reign in our common Youths: Heus mi tu, bone proce, magne muli●rcularum amator, egregie Pamphile, eum aliquando tandem, qui t● manet, qui mulierosos omnes, qui universam Faeministarum sectam, Respice finem. And I shall then be content to appeal to your own learned experience, whether it be, or be not, too too true: quod dici solet àme saepe: àte ipso nonnunque: ab expertis omnibus quotidie: Amare amarum: Nec deus, ut perhibent, Amor est, sed amaror, & error: & quicquid in eandem solet sententiam Empiric●̄s aggregari. Ac scite mihi quidem Agrippa Ouidianam illam, de Arte Amandi, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 videtur correxisse, meritóque, de Arte Meretricandi, inscripsisse. Nec verò inept alius, Amatores Alchumistis comparavit, aureos, argenteosque montes, atque fontes lepidè somniantibus, sed interim miserè immanibus Carbonum fumis propemodum occaecatis, atque etiam suffocatis: praeterque celebratum illum Adami Paradisum, alium esse quendam praedicavit, stultorum quoque Amatorumque mirabilem Paradisum: illum verè, hunc phantasticè, fanaticeque beatorum. Sed haec alias, fortassis uberiùs. Credit me, I will never linne baiting at you, till I have rid you quite of this yonkerly, & womanly humour. And as for your speedy and hasty travel: me thinks I dare still wager all the Books & writings in my study, which you know, I esteem of greater value, than all the gold & silver in my purse, or chest, that you will not, (and yet I must take heed, how I make my bargain with so subtle and intricate a Sophister) that you shall not, I say, be gone over Sea, for all your saying, neither the next, nor the next week. And then peradventure I may personally perform your request, and bestow the sweetest Farewell, upon your swéetmouthed Mashippe, that so unsweet a Tongue, and so sour a pair of Lips can afford. And, think you I will leave my Il Pellegrino so? No I trow. My Lord's Honour, the expectation of his friends, his own credit and preferment, tell me, he must have a most special care, and good regard of employing his travail to the best. And therefore I am studying all this fortnight, to read him such a Lecture in Homer's Odysseys, and Virgil's AEneads, that I dare undertake he shall not need any further instruction, in Master Turlers travailer, or Master Zuingers Methodus Apodemica: but in his whole travail abroad, and ever after at home, shall show himself as very lively and absolute picture of Ulysses and AEneas. Whereof I have the stronger hope he must needs prove a most capable and apt subject (I speak to a Logician) having the self same Goddesses and Graces attendant upon his body and mind, that evermore guided them, & their actions: especially the once Minerva, and the others Venus: that is (as one Doctor expoundeth it) the politic head, and wise government of the one: and the amiable behaviour, and gracious courtesy of the other: the two very principal, and most singular Companions, of a right travailer: and as perhaps one of our subtle Logicians would say, the two inseparable, and indivisible accidents of the foresaid Subjects. De quibu● ipsis, caeterisque omnibus artifici● Apodemici instrumentis: inprimisque de Homerica illa, divinaque herba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) qua Vlissem suum Mercurius, adversus Cyrcea & pocula, & carmina, & venena, morbosque omnes praemunivit: & coram, uti spero, brevi: & longè, uti soleo, copiosius: & fortasse etiam, aliquantò, quàm soleo, cum subtiliùs, tum verò Polliticè, Pragmaticeque magis. Interim tribus eris syllabis contentus, ac valebis. Trinity Hall, still in my Gallery. 23. Octob. 1579. In haste.  
Yours, as you know. G. H.   

Certain Latin Verses, of the frailty and mutability of all things, saving only Virtue: made by M. Doctor Norton, for the righ● Worship●●●●, M. Thomas Sackford, Master of Requests unto her Majesty. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Th. TEmpora furtivo morsu laniantur amaena,  
S Sensim florescunt, occubitura brevi.  
A Anni vere salit, Senio mox conficiendus,  
C Cura, labour ditant, non ●ademque premunt?  
F Fallax, vel vigili studio Sapientia parta:  
O Oh, & magnatum gloria saepe jacet,  
R Res inter varias fluimus, ruimusque gradatim:  
D. Dulcia Virtutis praemia sola manent.  

The same paraphrastically varied by M. Doctor Gouldingam● at the request of old● M. Wythipoll of Ipswiche.  
T. TEmpora furtivo labuntur dulcia cursu,  
S Subsiduntque breuî, quae viguere diu.  
A Autumno capitur, quicquid novus educat annus:  
C Curta Iwentutis gaudia, Fata secant.  
F Fallax Ambitio est, atque anxia cura tenendi,  
O Obscurum decus, & nomen inane Soph●.  
R Res forhis humanas incerto turbine voluit,  
D. Dulcia Virtutis praemia sola manent.    

Old Master Wythipols' own Translation.  
Our merry days, by thievish bit are plucked, a●d torn aw●y,  
And every lusty growing thing, in short ti●● doth decay.  
The pleasant Spring times joy, how soon it groweth old?  
And wealth that gotten is with care, doth noy as much, be bold.  
No wisdom had with Travail great, is for to trust in deed,  
For great men's state we see decay, and fall down like a weed.  
Thus by degrees we fleet; and sink in worldly things full fast,  
But virtues sweet and due rewards stand sure in every blast.  

The same Paraphrastically varied by Master G. H. at M. Peter Wythipolles' request, for his Father.  

THese pleasant days, and Months, and years, by stealth do pass apace,  
And do not things, that flourish most, soon fade, and lose their grace?  
jesus, how soon the Spring of year, and Spring of youthful rage,  
Is come, and gone, and overcome, and overgone with age?  
In pain is gain, but doth not pain as much detract from health,  
As it doth add unto our store, when most we roll in wealth?  
Wisdom herself must have her doom, and gravest must to grave,  
And mightiest power sib to a flower: what then remains to crave?  
Now up, now down, we flow, and row in seas of worldly cares,  
Virtue alone eternal is, and she the Laurel wears.   

L' Enuoy.  
Soon said, soon writ, soon learned: soon trimly done in prose, or vers●:  
Believed of some, practised of few, from Cradle to their Hearse.  
Virtut●●non tibi Feci.   
M. Peter Wythipoll.  
Et Virtuti, & mihi:  
Virtuti, ad laudem:  
Mihi, ad usum.    
FINIS.