FOUR LETTERS, and certain Sonnets: Especially touching Robert Green, and other parties, by him abused: But incidently of divers excellent persons, and some matters of note. To all courteous minds, that will vouchsafe the reading.  
IL VOSTRO MALIGNARE NON GIOVA NULLA  
LONDON Imprinted by john Wolf, 1592.   

The particular Contents.  

A Preface to Courteous minds.  
A Letter to M. Emmanuell Demetrius: with a Sonnet annexed.  
A Letter to M. Christopher Bird.  
A Letter to every favourable, or indifferent Reader.  
another Letter, to Thesame: extorted after the rest.  
Green's Memorial: or certain Funeral Sonnets.  
Two Latin Epitaphs: the one of M. green: the other of M. john Harvey.  
A Sonnet of M. Spencer to M. Doctor Harvey.    

To all courteous minds, that will vouchsafe the reading.  
MAy I crave pardon at this instant, aswell for enditinge, that is unworthy to be published, as for publishing, that was unworthy to be indicted: I will hereafter take precise order, either never to importune you more, or to solicit you for more especial cause. I was first exceeding loath to pen, that is written: albcit in mine own enforced defence, (for I make no difference between my decrest friends, and myself:) and am now much loather to divulge, that is imprinted: albeit against those, whose own Pamflets are readier to condemn them, than my Letters forward to accuse them. Vile acts would in some respects, rather be concealed, then recorded: as the darkness of the Night better sitteth the nature of some unlucky birds, than the brightness of the day: and Herostiatus in a villainous bravery, affecting a most-notorious, & monstrous Fame, was in the censure of the wisest judgements, rather to be overwhelmed in the deepest pit of Oblivion, then to enjoy any relic, or shadow of his own desperate glory. But green (although pitifully blasted, & how woefully faded?) still flourisheth in the memory of some green wits, wedded to the wantonness of their own fancy, and enamoured upon every newfangled toy: and Pierce Pennyless (although the devils Orator by profession, and his Dams Poet by practice) in such a flush of notable good fellows, cannot possibly want many to read him: enough to excuse him: a few to commend him: some to believe him; or to credit any, that tickeleth the right vein, and feedeth the riotous humour of their licentious vanity. To stop the beginning, is no bad purpose: where the end may prove pernicious, or perilous. Venom is venom, and will infect: when the Dragon's Head spiteth poison, what mischief may lurk in the Dragon's Tail? If any distress be miserable, diffamation is intolerable: especially to minds, that would rather deserve just commendation, then be any way blemished with unjust slander. They that use to speak well of other: and endeavour to do w●ll themselves: (the defects of dishability are not to be imputed to endeavour) would be sorry to hear amiss, without cause of complaint, or suspicion: and he that like a Lacedaemonian, or Roman, accounteth Infamy worse than death, would be loath to improve his courage, or to employ his patience, in digesting the pestilent Bane of his life. That is done, cannot de facto be undone: but I appeal to Wisdom, how discreetly; and to justice, how deservedly it is done: and request the one, to do us reason, in shame of Impudence: and beseech the other to do us right, in reproach of Calumny. It was my intention, so to demean myself in the whole, and so to temper my style in every part: that I might neither seem blinde● with affection, nor enraged with passion: nor partial to friend, nor prejudicial to enemy: nor injurious to the worst, nor offensive to any: but mildly & calmly show, how discredit reboundeth upon the authors: as dust flieth back into the wags Eyes, that will needs be puffing it up. Which if I have altogether attained, without the least oversight of distempered phrase, I am the gladder: if failed in some few incident terms, (what Tongue, or Pen may not slip in heat of discourse?) I hope, a little will not greatly break the square, either of my good meaning with humanity, or of your good acceptation with indifferency. Favour, is a courteous Reader, & a gracious Patron: and no man loveth favour, where it is to be loved; or honoureth it, where it is to be honoured, more affectionately, than I: yet here I neither desire favour toward lovingest friend: nor wish disfavour toward spitefullest foe: but only request reason toward both: and so briefly recommend both to your foresaid Indifferency: as to an equal balance of upright judgement.  
London: this 16. of September. Your thankful debtor G. H.   

The First Letter.  
To the worshipful, my very good friend M. Emmanuell Demetrius, at his house by the Church in Limestreete in London.  
MAster Demetrius, I earnestly commend this bearer M. Doctor Harvey, my good friend, unto you: being a very excellent general Scholar. Who is desirous of your acquaintance and friendship, especially for the sight of some of your antiquities & monuments: and also for some conference touching the state of foreign countries: as your leisure may conveniently serve. You shall assuredly find the Gentleman very honest, and thankful: and me ready to reacq vite your courtesy and favour to him so shown, in that I possibly may. And so with the remembrance of my hartyrecommendations, with like thanks for your two letters of foreign news, received the last week: I commit you to the Protection of the Almighty.  
Walden this 29. of August 1592. Your loving friend Christopher Bird.  
In steed of other novels, I send you my opinion, in a plain, but true Sonnet, upon the famous new work, entitled, A Quip for an upstart Courtier; or forsooth, A acquaint Dispute between Veluet-breechcs, and Cloth-breecheses: as fantastical and fond a Dialogue, as I have seen: and for some particulars, one of the most licentious, and intolerable invectives, that ever I read. Wherein the lewd fellow, and impudent railer, in an odious and desperate mood, without any other cause, or reason; amongst sundry other persons notoriously defamed, most spitefully and villainously abuseth an ancient neighbour of mine, one M. Harvey, a right honest man of good reckoning; and one that above twenty years since bare the chiefest office in Walden with good credit: and hath maintained four sons in Cambridge and else where with gre●t charges: all sufficiently able to answer for themselves: and three, (in spite of some few Green's) universally well reputed in both Universities, and through the whole Realm. Whereof one returning sick from Norwich to Li me, in july l●st, w●s p●st sense of any such malicious injury, before the publication of th●t vile Pamphlet. Livor post fata quiescat: & benè à singulis audiant, qui omnibus volunt benè.  

A due Commendation of the Quipping Author.  
GREEN the Connycatcher, of this Dream the Author,  
For his dainty devise, deserveth the hauter.  
A rakehell: A makeshift: A scribbling fool:  
A famous bayard in City, and School.  
Now sick, as a Dog: and ever brainesick:  
Where such a raving, and desperate Dick?  
Sir reverence, A scurvy Master of Art,  
Answered enough with a Doctor's fart.  
He scorns other Answer: and Envy salutes  
With sho▪ test vowels, and with longest mutes.  
For farther tri all, himself he refers  
To proof, and sound judgement, that seldom errs.  
Now good Robin-good-fellow, and gentle Greenesleeves.  
Give him leave to be quiet, that none aggreeves.  
Miserrima Fortuna, quae caret inimico.    

The Second Letter.  
To my loving friend, Master Christopher Bird of Walden.  
Master Bird, in the absence of M. Demetrius, I delivered your letter unto his wife, whom I found very courteous. My next business was to inquire after the famous Author: who was reported to lie dangerously sick in a shoemakers house near Dow-gate: not of the plague, or the pocks, as a Gentleman said, but of a surfeit of pickle herring and rhenish wine, or as some suppose▪ of an exceeding fe●re. For in his extremest want, he offered ten, or rather▪ then fail twenty shillings to the printer (a huge some with him at that instant) to leave out the matter of the three brothers: with confession of his great fear to be called Coram for those forged imputations. A conscious mind, and undaunted heart, seldom dwell together: he was not the first, that bewrayed, & punished his own guiltiness, with blushing for shame, or trembling for dread, or drooping for woe. Many can heap misery enough upon their own heads: and need no more penalty, but, their own contrition, and the Censure of other. I would not wish a sworn enemy to be more basely valued, or more vilely reputed, than the common voice of the city esteemeth him, that sought Fame by diffamation of other, but hath utterly discredited himself: and is notoriously grown a very proverb of Infamy, and contempt. I little delight in the rehearsal of such paltry: but who like Elderton for Ballading: green for pamphleting: both, for good-fellowship, and bad conditions? Railing was the hippocras of the drunken rhymester: and Quipping the Marchepane of the mad libeler. They scape fair, that go scotfree in such saucy reckonings: I have known some, read of many, and heard of more, that wanton quipped other, & sound nipped themselves. The hoattest blood of choler may be cooled: and as the fiercest fury of wildfire, so the fiercest wildfire of Fury, consumeth itself. Howbeit a common mischief would be prevented: and it generally concerneth all, and particularly behoveth every one, to look about him, when he heareth the bells ringing backward, and seethe the fire running forward: and beholdeth even Death in person, shooting his peremptory bolts. You understand me without a Gloss: and here is matter enough for a new civil war, or shall I say for a new Trojan siege, if this poor Letter should fortune to come in print. I deal directly: and will plainly tell you my fancy, if Titius continue to upbraid Caius with every thing, & nothing. I neither name Martin-mar-prelate: nor shame Pap with a hatchet: nor mention any other, but Elderton, and Green: two notorious mates, & the very ringleaders of the rhyming, and scribbling crew. But Titius, or rather Zoilus in his spiteful vain, will so long flirt at Homer: and Thersites in his peevish mood, so long fling at Agamemnon; that they will become extremely odious & intolerable to all good Learning, and civil Government: and in attempting to pull down, or disgrace other without order, must needs finally overthrow themselves without relief. Orators have challenged a special Liberty: and Poets claimed an absolute Licence: but no Liberty without bounds: nor any Licence without limitation. invectives by favour have been too bold: and satires by usurpation too-presumptuous: I overpass Archilochus, Aristophanes, Lucian, julian, Aretine, and that whole venomous and viperous brood, of old & new Railers: even Tully, and Horace otherwhiles over-reched: and I must needs say, Mother Hubbard in heat of choler, forgetting the pure sanguine of her sweet Fairy Queen, wilfully over-shott her malcontented self: as elsewhere I have specified at large, with the good leave of unspotted friendship. Examples in some ages do exceedingmuch hurt. Sallust, and Clodius learned of Tully, to frame artificial Declamations, & pathetical invectives against Tully himself, and other worthy members of that most-florishing State: if mother Hubbard in the vain of Chawcer, happen to tell one Canicular tale; father Elderton, and his son green, in the vain of Skelton, or Scoggin, will counterfeitan hundred dogged Fables, Libles, Calumnies, Slanders, Lies for ●he whetstone, what not, & most currishly snarl, & bite where they should most kindly fawn, and lick. Every private excess is dangerous: but such public enormities, incredibly pernicious, and insuportable: and who can tell, what huge outrages might amount of such quarrelous, and tumultuous causes? Honour is precious: worship of value: Fame invaluable: they perilously threaten the Commonwealth, that goeabout to violate the inviolable parts thereof. Many will sooner lose their lives, than the least jott of their reputation. Lord, what mortal feudes, what furious combats, what cruel bloodshed, what horrible slaughterdome have been committed, for the point of Honour, and some few Courtly ceremonies? Though meaner persons do not so highly overprize their credit; yet who taketh not discourtesy unkindly, or slander displeasingly? For mine own part, I am to make an use, of my adversaries abuse: and will endeavour to reform any default, where of I may justly, or probably be impeached. Some Emulation both already done me good: both for supply of great imperfections: & for increase of small perfections. I have, and who hath not, found it better, to be tickled & stinged of a busy enemy: then to be coyed, & lulled of an idle friend. Plutarch is gravely wise: & Macchiavell subtly politic: but in either of them, what sounder, or finer piece of cunning, then to reap commodity by him, that seeketh my displeasure: & to play upon the advantage of his detection of my infirmities? Other cavilling, or mote-spying Malice confoundeth itself: & I continue my accustomed simplicity, to answer vanity with silence: though peradventure not without danger of inviting a new injury, by entertaining an old. Patience hath trained me to pocket-up more heinous indignities: & even to digest an age of Iron. They that can do little, must be contented to suffer much. My betters need not take it grievously, to be taunted, or reproached in that book, where Saint Peter, & Christ himself are Lucianically & scoffingly alleged: the one for begging, the other for granting A foolish boon; (pretended ever since the fatal destiny of the gentle craft.) Some men will have their fwinge, & their bugges-woordes, though it be against all Gods-forbid: & what Caesar's might, or Cato's integrity, or what Saints devotion can stop such mouths? yet neither themselves the better: nor other the worse: that depend not on their allowance, but rely on their own justification: and desire to confute their impudence not with words, but with deeds. Howbeit I am not to prejudice my Brother alive: or to smother the wrong, offered to my Brother deceased: or to tolerate the least diffamation of my good Father▪ whom no illwiller could ever touch with any dishonesty, or discredit in any sort. Nothing more dear, or inestimable, than a man's good name: & albeit I contemn such pelting injuries, vainly devised against myself, yet am I not to neglect so intolerable a wrong, so notoriously published against them. There is law for desperatest outlaws: & order for most disorderly fellows. They that cannot govern themselves, must be ruled by other; and pay for their folly. Whiles I was thus, or to like effect, resolving with myself, and discoursing with some special friends: not only writing unto you" I was suddenly certified, that the king of the paper stage (so the Gentleman termed Green) had played his last part, & was gone to Tarleton: whereof I protest, I was nothing glad, as was expected, but unfeignedly sorry: aswell because I could have wished, he had taken his leave with a more charitable farewell: as also because I was deprived of that remedy in Law, that I intended against him, in the behalf of my Father, whose honest reputation I was in many duties to tender. Yet to some conceited wit, that could take delight to discover knaveries, or were a fit person to augment the history of Connycatchers: O Lord, what a pregnant occasion were here presented, to display lewd vanity in his lively colours, & to decipher the very mysteries of that base Art? Petty Cooseners are not worth the naming: he they say, was the Monarch of Crosbiters, and the very Emperor of shifters. I was altogether unacquainted with the man, & never once saluted him by name: but who in London hath not heard of his dissolute, and licentious living; his fond disguisinge of a Master of Art with ruffianly hair, unseemly apparel, and more unseemly Company: his vainglorious and Thrasonical bravinge: his piperly Extemporizing, and Tarletonizing; his apish counterfeiting of every ridiculous, and absurd toy: his fine cozening of jugglers, and finer juggling with cooseners: his villainous cogging, and foisting; his monstrous swearing, and horrible forswearing; his impious profaning of sacred Texts: his other scandalous, and blasphemous raving; his riotous, and outrageous surfeiting: his continual shifting of lodgings: his plausible mustering, and banqueting of roysterly acquaintance at his first coming; his beggarly departing in every hostesses debt; his infamous resorting to the Bankside, Shoreditch, Southwark, and other filthy haunts: his obscure lurking in basest corners: his pawning of his sword, cloak, and what not, when money came short; his impudent pamphleting, fantastical interluding, and desperate libeling, when other cozening shifts failed: his imployinge of Ball, (surnamed, cutting Ball) till he was intercepted at Tyburn, to levy a crew of his trustiest companions, to guard him in danger of Arrestes: his keeping of the foresaid Balls sister, a sorry ragged quean, of whom he had his base son, Infortunatus green: his forsaking of his own wife, too honest for such a husband: particulars are infinite▪ his contemning of Superiors, deriding of other, and defying of all good order? Compar● base fellows, and noble men together: & what in a manner wanted he of the ruffianly, and variable nature of Catiline, or Antony, but the honourable fortunes of Catiline, and Antony? They that have seen much more, than I have heard; (for so I am credibly informed) can relate strange, & almost incredible Comedies of his monstrous disposition: wherewith I am not to infect the Air, or defile this paper. There be enough, and enough such Histories, both dead, and living: though youth be not corrupted, or age accloyed with his Legendary. Truly I have been ashamed, to hear some ascertained reports of his most woeful, and rascal estate: how the wretched fellow, or shall I say the Prince of beggars, laid all to gauge for some few shillings: and was attended by louse: and would pitifully beg a penny-pott of malmsey: and could not get any of his old acquaintance to comfort, or visit him in his extremity, but Mistress Appleby, and the mother of Infortunatus. Alas, even his fellow-writer, a proper young man, if advised in time, that was a principal guest at that fatal banquet of pickle herring, (I spare his name, and in some respects wish him well) came never more at him: but either would not, or happily could not perform the duty of an affectionate, and faithful friend. The poor Cordwainers wife was his only nurse: and the mother of Infortunatus his sole companion: but when Mistress Appleby came, as much to expostulate injuries with her, as to visit him. God help good fellows, when they cannot help themselves. Slender relief in the predicament of privations, and feigned habits. Miserable man, that must pearish: or be succoured by counterfeit, or impotent supplies. I once bemoaned the decayed and blasted estate of M. Gascoigne: who wanted not some commendable parts of conceit, and endeavour: but unhappy M. Gascoigne, how Lordly happy, in comparison of most-unhappy M. green? He never envy me so much, as I pitied him from my heart: especially when his hostess Isam, with tears in her eyes, & sighs from a deeper fountain, (for she loved him dearly) told me of his lamentable begging of a penny-pott of Malmesy: and sir reverence how lousy he, and the mother of Infortunatus were (I would her Surgeon found her no worse, then lousy:) and how he was feign poor soul, to borrow her husbands shirt, whiles his own was a washing: and how his doublet. and hose, and sword were sold for three shillings: and beside the charges of his winding sheet, which was four shillings; and the charges of his burial yesterday in the New-churchyard near Bedlam, which was six shillings, and four pence; how deeply he was indebted to her poor husband: as appeared by his own bond of ten pounds: which the good woman kindly showed me: and beseeched me to read the writing beneath: which was a letter to his abandoned wife, in the behalf of his gentle host: not so short as persuasible in the beginning, and pitiful in the ending.  
Doll, I charge thee by the love of our youth, & by my soul's rest, that thou wilt see this man paid: for if he, and his wife had not succoured me, I had died in the streets.  
Robert Greene..  
Oh what notable matter were here for a green head, or Lucianicall conceit: that would take pleasure in the pain of such sorry distressed creatures? whose afflicted case, to every charitable, or compassionate mind cannot but seem most commiserable, if not for their own cause, yet for God's sake: who deserveth infinitely of them, whom he acquitteth, not according to judgement, but according to mercy. I rather hope of the dead, as I wish to the living, that Grace might finally abound, where wickedness did overflow: and that Christ in his divine goodness should miraculously forgive the man, that in his devilish badness blasphemously reviled God. The dead bite not: and I am none of those, that bite the dead. When I begin to conflict with Ghosts, then look for my Confutation of his fine Quip, or acquaint Dispute, whom his sweet hostess for a tender farewell, crowned with a Garland of Bays: to show, that a tenth Muse honoured him more being dead; then all the nine honoured him alive. I know not, whether Skelton, Elderton, or some like flourishing Poet were so interred: it was his own request, and his Nurse's devotion: and happily some of his favourites may imitate the example. One that wished him a better lodging, then in a poor journeyman's house, & a better grave, then in that Churchyard in Bedlam, hath performed a little piece of a greater duty to a Laureate Poet.  
Here lies the man, whom mistress Isam crowned with bays;  
She, she, that joyed to hear, her Nightingales sweet lays.  
Which an other no sooner read, but he immediately subscribed: as speaking to the ignorant passenger.  
Hear Bedlam is: and here a Poet garish,  
Gaily bedecked, like fore-horse of the parish.  
Other Epitaphs, and funeral devotions I am promised by some, that deeply affect inspired Bards, and the adopted sons of the Muses: but you may imagine, I have small superfluity of leisure, to intend such business: and yet nothing of friend, or foe, can be unwelcome unto me, that savoureth of Wit, or relisheth of Humanity, or tasteth of any good. In the mean, as ever before for a general Defence, so still for a special Apology, I refer myself to every indifferent judgement: and presume they will conceive well, that perceive no ill. Charity recommendeth Favour to superiors; Amity to equals: and goodwill to all; that either reverence Divinity, or regard Humanity. Friends have Affection; and the wiser sort Reason, to value men, not by others report, but by their own desert, or probable hope: which I would willingly nourish, as I honestly may▪ till it shall please God to afford some convenient occasion of more actual proof. And as for Envy, or hatred to any party: I did ever abhor them both: and I imagine there is not any, that either more resolutely disdaineth the one, or, more peremptorily detesteth the other: as perhaps may yer long visibly appear: if some other requisites concur with my intention, or fallout aunsweareable to my expectation. Promise is debt: and I h●dd rather perform, then promise any thing: but a mind, desirous to pleasure friends, to reconcile foes, to displease few, to displeasure none. They that have little else, to win or continue credit, had need have Humanity, in supply of other defects. Let the world deal with simple men, as it pleaseth: I loathe to be odious to any: and would be loath to be tedious to you. The next week, you may happily have a letter of such French occurrences, and other intelligences, as the credible relation of inquisitive friends, or employed strangers shall acquaint me withal. That most valorous, and brave king wanteth no honourable praises, or zealous prayers. Redoubted Parma was never so matched: and in so many worthy histories, aswell new, as old; how few comparable either for Virtue, or Fortune? The Spaniard, politic enough, and not over-rashly audacious, will be advised, before he entangle himself with mo●e wars attonce: knowing how the brave Earl of Essex, worthy sir john Norrice, and their valiant knights, have fought for the honour of England; and for the right of France, of the Low countries, and of Portugal. Thrice happy France; though how unhappy France, that hast such a Sovereign Head, such resolute Hearts, and such invincible Hands to fight for thee: that will either recover thee most mightily, or die for thee most honourably. Were I of sufficient discourse, to record the valiantest, and memorablest acts of the world; I would count it a felicity, to have the opportunity of so egregious, and heroical an argument: not pleasurably devised in counterfeit names, but admirably represented to the eye of France, and the ear of the world, in the persons of royal, and most puissant knights: how singularly worthy of most glorious, and immortal fame? Gallant wits, and brave pens may honourably bethink themselves: and even ambitiously frame their style to a noble emulation of Livy, Homer, and the divinest spirits of all ages: I return to my private business. Good master Bird, commend me to my good friends: and far you heartily well.  
London this 5. of September. Your ever assured: Gabriel Harvey.   

The Third Letter.  
To every Reader, favourably, or indifferently affected.  
ALbeit for these twelve, or thirteen years, no man hath been more loath, or more scrupulous, than myself, to underlie the censure of every curious conceit, or rigorous judgement, that pretendeth a deep insight in the perfections of wits and styles, insomuch that even Actions of Silence and Patience have been commenced against me: and although I still dwell in the same opinion, that nothing would be committed to a public view, that is not exactly laboured both for matter and manner: and that importeth not some notable use, to one, or other effecuall purpose: Yet partly the vehement importunity of some affectionate friends, and partly mine own tender regard of my fathers, and my brothers good reputation, have so forcibly overruled me, that I have finally condescended to their passionate motion: and in an extraordinary case, have respectively yielded my consent to an extraordinary course. Which I would unpartially commend to the reasonable allowance of every indiferent peruser that carrieth Courtesy in his Tongue, or honesty in his Hart. For mine own injury, the more I consider, the less I estimate the same: as one born to suffer, & made to contemn injuries. He that in his youth flattered not himself with the exceeding commendations of some greatest schollets in the world: cannot at these years, either be discouraged with misreport, or daunted with misfortune. A premeditate, & resolute mind lightly shaketh off the heaviest crosses of malice, and easily passeth over a thousand grievances with a smile. Some have learned of Reason, some of Philosophy, some of History, some of Divinity, some of Experience, some of all, to endure patiently, whatsoever befalleth, & even to make the cruelest pain pleasant, as some make the sweetest pleasure painful. I had rather name Titius, or Sempronius, than myself: But the urgent entreaty of friends, and your eager expectation have suddenly obtained that, which no personal impeachment, or real enforcement could in many years extort. Howbeit I shall hardly content them, to satisfy you: that am neither to offend any, but in case of not oriety: nor to defend myself, but in case of necessity, or honesty. If any have charged me, or do charge me with insufficiency, I confess: perfection is no common gift: if with ignorance, I grant: many seem, few are learned: if with simplicity, I yield: wondrous wits are rare birds: if with ill-luck, I deny not: good luck is not every man's lot: yet who ever heard me complain of ill-luck, or once say, Fortune my Foe? But in the plainness of my nature, and simplicity of my Art, I can easily defy the proudest, that dareth call my credit in question: or accuse me of any dishonest, or scandelous part, either in deed, or in word. Many things are made offensive in the handling, that are tolerable enough in their own nature: or fie on an odious circumstance, where the substance itself might be more gracious. Letters may be privately written, that would not be publicly divulged: I was then young in years, fresh in courage, green in experience, and as the manner is, somewhat over-weeninge in conceit: and for variety of study, and some deeper intelligence in the affairs of the world, otherwhiles reading invectives, and satires, artificially amplified in the most exaggerate and hyperbolical kind, I could hardly refrain from discovering some little part of my reading: I had curiously laboured some exact, and exquisite points of study and practise, and greatly misliked the preposterous and untoward courses of divers good wits, ill directed; there wanted not some sharp undeserved discourtesies to exasperate my mind: shall I touch the ulcer? it is no such mystery, but it may be revealed: I was supposed not unmeet for the Oratorship of the university, which in that springe of mine age, for my Exercise, and credit I earnestly affected: but mine own modest petition, my friends diligent labour, our high Chauncelors' most-honourable and extraordinary commendation, were all peltingly defeated, by a sly practice of the old Fox: whose acts, and monuments shall never die: some like accidents of dislike, for brevity I overslip: young blood is hot: youth hasty: ingenuity open: abuse impatient: choler stomachous: temptations busy: the invective vain, a stirring, and tickling vain: the Satirical humour, a puffing, and swelling humour: Conceit penneth, leisure peruseth, and Courtesy commendeth many needless discourses: Idleness, the greatest Author & variablest Reader in the world: some familiar friends pricked me forward: and I, neither fearing danger, nor suspecting ill measure, (poor credulity soon beguiled) was not unwilling to content them, to delight a few other and to avenge, or satisfy myself, after the manner of shrews, that cannot otherwise ease their cursed hearts, but by their own tongues, & their neighbour's ears. Signior Immerito (for that name will be remembered) was then, and is still my affectionate friend, one that could very well abide Gascoignes Steel glass, and that stood equally iudifferent to either part of the state Demostrative: many communications, and writings may secretly pass between such, even for an exercise of speech, and style that are not otherwise convenient to be disclosed: it was the sinister hap of those infortunate Letters, to fall into the left hands of malicious enemies, or undiscreet friends: who adventured to imprint in earnest, that was scribbled in jest, (for the moody fit was soon over:) and requited their private pleasure with my public displeasure: oh my inestimable, and infinite displeasure. When there was no remedy, but melancholy patience: and the sharpest part of those unlucky Letters had been over read at the Council Table: I was advised by certain honourable, and divers worship full persons, to interpret my intention in more express terms: and thereupon discoursed every particularity, by way of Articles or Positions, in a large Apology of my dutiful; and entire affection to that flourishing University, my dear Mother: which Apology, with not so few as forty such Academical Exercises, and sundry other politic Discourses, I have hitherto suppressed, as unworthy the view of the busy world, or the entertainment of precious Time: but peraduenturethese extraordinary provocations may work extraordinarily in me; and though not in passion, yet in conceit stir me up, to publish many Traictes, and Discourses, that in certain considerations I meant ever to conceal, and to Dedicate unto none, but unto obscure Darkness, or famous Vulcan. It were pity, but wondrous wits (give enemies their due) should become more wondrous by comparison, conference maketh excellent things appear more admirably: & I am so far from being a Saturnist by nature, or a Stoic by discipline, that I can easily frame a certain pleasurable delight unto myself, by ministering some matter unto them, that now are feign to make some thing of nothing: and wittily to play with their own shadows. It goeth somewhat hard in my harsh Legend, when the father of Music must be mocked, not Tubulcain, as he mistearmeth him, but Tubal, whom Genesis vouchsafeth honourable mention: and the Hexameter verse flouted▪ whereof neither Homer in Greek, nor Virgil in Latin, (how valorous authors?) nor Alexander in conquest nor Augustus in majesty, (how puissant Princes?) were ashamed: but accounted it the only gallant trumpet of brave, and Heroical Acts: and I wis, the English is nothing too-good to imitat the Greek, or Latin, or other eloquent Languages, that honour the Hexameter, as the sovereign of verses, and the high Controller of Rhymes. If I never deserve any better remembrance, let me rather be Epitaphed, The inventor of the English Hexameter: whom learned M. Stanihurst imitated in his Virgil; and excellent Sir Philip Sidney disdained not to follow in his Arcadia, & elsewhere: then be chronicled, The green master of the Black Art: or the founder of ugly oaths: or the father of misbegotten Infortunatus: or the Scrivener of Crosbiters: or as one of his own sectaries termed him the Patriarch of shifters. Happy man I, if these two be my heinousest crimes, and deadliest sins, To be the inventor of the English Hexameter, and to be orderly clapped in the Fleet for the foresaid Letters: where he that saw me, saw me at Constantinople. Indeed Sir james Croft (whom I never touched with the least tittle of detractions) was cunningly incensed, and reincensed against me: but at last pacified by the voluntary mediation of my honourable favourers, M. Secretary Wilson, and Sir Walter Mildmay: unrequested by any line of my hand, or any word of my mouth. Neither did I otherwise solicit, or entreat Sir james, till I had assured notice of his better satisfaction: when I writ unto him, as became me, in respective, and ductifull sort: not for fear of any danger, but for love of hovourable favour. Which Letters, albeit not so ceremoniouslie pleasing, as effectually contenting, the wise knight not only received courteously, but accepted favourably, and commended honourably: and for myself, earnestly affirmed, I was first wronged by other, and then mistaken by him: but now found another man, than I was supposed. As for my old Controller, Doctor Perne (for he indeed was the man, that otherwhiles flattered me exceedingly, otherwhiles overthwarted me crossly, always played fast, and lose with me) he was old enough, to answer for himself, and should not be defended by him. Only he wished me to proceed lovinglywith the University, howsoever I dealt with that Doctor. And that was all the Fleeting, that ever I felt: saving that an other company of special good fellows, (whereof he was none of the meanest, that bravely threatened to coniure-upp one, which should massacre Martin's wit, or should be lambackd himself with ten years provision) would needs forsooth very courtly persuade the Earl of Oxford, that some thing in those Letters, and namely the Mirror of Tuscanismo, was palpably intended against him: whose noble Lordship I protest, I never meant to dishonour with the least prejudicial word of my Tongue, or pen: but ever kept a mindful reckoning of many bounden duties toward Thesame: sincein the prime of his gallantest youth, he bestowed Angels upon me in Christ's College in Cambridge, and otherwise vouchsafed me many gracious favours at the affectionate commendation of my cozen, M. Thomas Smith, the son of Sir Thomas, shortly after Colonel of the Ardes in Ireland. But the noble Earl, not disposed to trouble his jovial mind with such Saturnine paltry, still continued, like his magnificent self: and that Fleeting also proved, like the other: a silly bullbeare, a sorry puff of wind, a thing of nothing. But a strong imagination pierceth deeply: and the Paper Fleet will not be so answered. jesus, what would such notable fellows write, or rather would they not write, if they could probably say, or fantastically surmise by me, as I can evidently prove by them? But I seek not the condemnation of the dead, or the disgrace of the living: but the good amendment of the one, by the naughty example of the other. And for mine own farther justification in the premises, or otherwise: I had rather my larger writings and other actions should plead for me, than this, or any slight Letter: wherein I am not to inform pregnant conceits, that may imagine more by a little: or to address any piece of mine own history, though wiser men in case of unworthy reproach, have not made nice to undertake their own defence, and even to labour their own commendation. The plausible Examples of Tully, Cato, Marius, Scipio, divers such virtuous Romans, and sundry excellent Greeks', are famously known: but not greatly fit for every man's imitation. Were other of my disposition, small time should be lost in avenging, or debating verbal injuries, especially to myself: who can very well suffer poor spite, to shoot at me, and to hit himself: and sometime smile at the silly fly, that will needs martyr itself in my candle. But me thinks, the wildest head, and desperatest mind should consider: they that speak il must not look to hear well: the world is not given to pocket up infamies: who cannot returne-home a Quip, or requite one libel with an other? nothing more common in books, or more ready in mouths, than the invective vain, and the whole Art of railing: some scholars have choice of nimble pens, & smooth tongues at commandment: & there was a time, when peradventure I could speak with them, that talked we me. Though the case be altered: and I now, none of the hastiest to strive for those bucklers: yet a general, a special, a glowing, a piercing indignity may rekindle some little sparks of courage, and affection will be affection, though not in proper revenge, yet the common duty. I am not to dispute the nature of Force▪ or the force of nature, who knoweth not, how violently force provoketh force: or how mightily nature worketh in compatible natures? But how far public objections, or famous imputations require public answers: or how insufficient the formallest judicial remedy in any one Court, may seem, in case of a printed diffamation, that with the wings of Malice in some, of Envy in more, and of Levity in most, flieth through the Realm, and over the Sea: be it indifferently decided by every discreet judgement, or reasonable consideration. Especially when the guilty part is deceased: and the injury not the less, but the more notorious. The best is, the persons abused, are not altogether unknown, they have not so evil a neighbour, that ever read, or heard those opprobrious villainies, (it is too-mild a name, for my brother Richard's most abominable Legend, who frameth himself to live as chastely, as the lewd writer affected to live beastly) but hath presently broken out into some such earnest, or more passionate speeches▪ o pestilent knavery, who ever heard such arrant forgeries, and rank lies? A mad world, where such shameful stuff is bought, and sold: and where such roisterly Varlets may be suffered to play upon whom they lust, and how they lust. Is this Green with the running Head, and the scribbling Hand, that never linnes putting-forth new, newer, & newest books of the maker? If his other books be as wholesome gear, as this, no marvel, though the gay-man conceive trimly of himself, and stately scorn all beside. Green, vile green, would thou wearest half so honest, as the worst of the four, whom thou upbraidest: or half so learned, as the unlearnedst of the three. Thank other for thy borrowed▪ & filched plumes of some little Italianated bravery: & what remaineth, but flat Impudency, and gross Detraction: the proper ornaments of thy sweet utterance? I allege not mine own inventions, (who cannot forget the two Athenian Temples of Impudency, and Calumny, when I remember him:) I could nominate the Gentlemen, and substantial Yeoman, gentlemen's fellows, that uttered much more by his life, and can hardly for bear him since his death: and who of acquaintance with him, or them, whom he depraveth, could either partially excuse the one, or reasonably accuse the other? Their lives effectually speak for themselves: and he that lived not, to see nine and twenty years, died not, till the University of Cambridge had bestowed upon him a grace to be a Doctor of his faculty, and till he was reputed in Norfolk, where he practised physic, a proper toward man, and as skilful a Physician for his age, as ever came there: how well beloved of the chiefest Gentlemen, and Gentlewomen in that Shire, themselves testify. That is gone to Heaven, cannot be recovered on Earth: it is our comfort, that he lived in good credit, and died in good mind. I must ever remember some of his notable sayings (for in deed so they were): and can never forget that sweet voice of the dying Cignet: o frater, Christus est optimus Medicus, & meus solus Medicus. Vale Gal●ne, valet humanae Artes: nihil divinum in terris, praeter animum aspirantem ad coelos. That best and his only Physician knoweth, what spiritual physic I commended unto him, when I beheld in his meager and ghastly countenance, that I cannot rehearse without some fit of compassion. We must in order follow him, that should in nature have gone before him, and I know not by what destiny, he followed him first, that fole him last. How he departed, his ghostly mother Isam, can truliest, and will favourabliest report: how he lived, London remembreth. Oh, what a lively picture of Vanity? but oh what a deadly Image of misery? And oh what a terrible Caveat for such & such? I am not to extenuate or prejudice his wit, which could not any way be great, though some way not the least of our vulgar writers & mani-ways very ungracious: but who ever esteemed him either wise, or learned, or honest or anyway credible? how many Gentlemen, and other say of him? Let the paltry fellow go: Lord, what a lewd Companion was he? What an egregious makeshift, Where should Connycatchers have gotten such a Secretary: How shall cozenage do for a new Register: or Phantasticallitye for a new Author, They wrong him much with their Epitaphs, and other solemn devices, that entitle him not at the least, The second Toy of London; the Stolen of Paul's, the Ape of Euphues, the Vice of the Stage, the mocker of the simple world: the flowter of his friends, the Foe of himself: and so forth. What durst not he utter with his tongue: or divulge with his Pen: or countenance with his face? Or whom cared he for, but a careless crew of his own associates? Peruse his famous books: and in steed of, Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit utile dulci (that forsooth was his professed Poesy) Lo a wild head, full of mad brain and a thousand crotchets: a Scholar, a Discourser, a Courtier, a ruffian, a Gamester, a Lover, a Soldier, a travailer, Merchant, a Broker, an Artificer, a Butcher, a Pettifogger, a Player, a Cozener, a Railer, a beggar, an Omnigatherum, a Gay nothing: a Stoarehouse of bald and baggage stuff, unwoorth the answering, or reading: a Trivial, and triobular Author for knaves, & fools: an Image of Idleness: an Epitome of fantasticalitie: a Mirror of Vanity: Vanitas Vanitatum, & omnia vanitas. Alas, that any should say, as I have heard divers affirm: His wit was nothing, but a mint of knavery: himself a deviser of juggling feats: a forger of covetous practices: an inventor of monstrous oaths: a derider of all religions: a contemner of God, and man: a desperate Lucianist: an abominable Aretinist: an Arch-Athiest: and he arch-deserued to be well hanged seven years ago. Twenty, and twenty such familiar speeches I over pass: and bury the whole Legendary of his Life, & Death, in the Sepulchre of eternal Silence. I will not condemn, or censure his works, which I never did so much as superficially overrun, but as some few of them occursiuly presented themselves in Stationer's shops, and some other houses of my acquaintance. But I pray God, they have not done more harm by corruption of manners, then good by quickening of wit: and I would, some Buyers had either more Reason to discern, or less Appetite to desire such Novels. The world is full enough of fooleries: though the humour be not feasted with such luxurious, and riotous Pamphlets. How unlike Tully's sweet Offices: or I socrates pithy instuctions: or Plutarches wholesome Morals: or the delicate Dialogues of Xenophon, and Plato: or the sage Tragedies of Sophocles, and Euripides or the fine Comedies of the dainetiest Attic wits: or other excellent monuments of antiquity, never sufficiently perused? yet the one as stale, as oldest fashions: and what more freshly current for a while, than the other? Even Guicciardines' silver History, and Ariostos golden Cantos, grow out of request & the Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia is not green enough for queasy stomachs, but they must have Green's Arcadia: and I believe, most eager longed for Green's Fairy Queen. O strange fancies▪ o monstrous newfangledness. The wittier sort tasteth, & flieth▪ at the Dog from Nilus: other wantoness find Experience the mistress of fools: and need no other penance but their own repentance. The very Time confuteth Vanity: and the very place requireth sobriety. No public security without private moderation: and the more bonds of government, the more indefeasible assurance. Due Circumspection may do much good: and an abundant cautel can do little hurt. Youth is youth: & age corruptible: better an hundred Ouides were banished, than the state of Augustus endangered, or a sovereign Empire infected. Especially in a tumultuous age, and in a world of war: wherein not Bacchus, but Mars: not Venus, but Mercury, not Riot, but Valour, not Fancy, but Policy must strike the stroke. Gallant Gentlemen, bethink yourselves of the old Roman Discipline, and the new Spanish industry: and I am not to trouble you with any other accusation of them, that condemn themselves, and need no other shame, or punishment, but their own works. Only I request some busy pens to stay their wisdoms: and either to publish a iustifyable truth, or to conceal their bad disposition. Woe to that study, that mispendeth precious Time, and consumeth itself, in needless, and bootless quarrels. Comparisons, they say, are odious: but invectives more odious: & what so abominable, as forged & suborned calumnies? One, or two miserable examples may stand for an hundred: I will not aggravate or discourse particulars: A pitiful case, that such lusty beginnings should have such sorry ends: and who can tell, what doughty yoonker may next gnash with his teeth? Terrible Creatures, and the cursed Cow, have sometime short horns. The wildest Colt is soon tamed: and be like neither Death, nor Shame, nor Misery are afraid of them, that vaunt themselves, Like unto Death, and Will Summer, in sparing none. God help, and Charity pity them, that have neither ability to help, nor wit to pity themselves: but will needs try a conclusion between their heads, and the next wall. I have heard of Giants in conceit, and Pygmies in performance: young Phaeton's, young Icary, young Choroebi, and I shall say young babington's, and how many millions of green youths, have in overmounting, most ruefully dismounted, and left behind them full-lamentable Histories? For the very mention of some direful Tragedies, were horrible, and what so wretched, as headlong enterprises: or so hideous, as the desperate attempt of Impossibilities? Philostratus in his Icones, pleasurably reporteth, according to to the tradition of Greek Poets, how on a time, A resolute band of doughty Pigmies, triumphantly marched to in vade Hercules a sleep. Woe to such brave adventures. Aesop's Toad, A proud aspiring Creature, shamefully overmatched her swelling, and bursten self. Great, and small things may in some proportion be compared together: and behold as miserable a spectacle, in their kind. Flourishing M. green is most-wofully faded, and whilst I am bemoaning his over-pittious decay; & discoursing the usual success of such rank wits. Lo all on the sudden, his sworn brother, M. Pierce Penniless, (still more paltry, but what remedy? we are already over shoes and must now go through) lo his inwardest companion, that tasted of the fatal herring, cruelly pinched with want, vexed with discredit, tormented with other men's felicity, and overwhelmed with his own misery; in a raving, and frantic mood, most desperately exhibiteth his supplication to the Devil. A strange title, an odd wit, and a mad whoreson, I warrant him: doubtless it will prove some dainty devise, quietly contrived by way of humble Supplication To the high, and mighty Prince of Darkness: not Dunsically botched-up, but right-formally conveyed, according to the style, and tenor of Tarlton's precedent, his famous play of the seven Deadly sins: which most-dealy, but most lively play, I might have seen in London: and was very gently invited thereunto at Oxford, by Tarleton himself, of whom I merrily demanding, which of the seven, was his own deadly sin, he bluntly answered after this manner; By God, the sin of other Gentlemen, Lechery. Oh but that, M. Tarleton, is not your part upon the stage, you are too-blame, that dissemble with the world & have one part for your friends pleasure, an other for your own. I am somewhat of Doctor Pernes religion, quoth he: and abruptly took his leave. Surely it must needs be current in matter, and authentical in form, that had first such a learned precedent: and is now pleasantly interlaced with divers newfound phrases of the Tavern: and pathetically intermixed with sundry doleful pageants of his own ruinous, & beggarly experience. For the poor Tennement of his Purse, (quoth himself, gramercy good Tarlelon) hath been the devils Dancing school, a nigh time this half year, and I pray God, (quoth another) the poor Tennement of his Heart, hath not also been the devils Fencing School, twice as long. Particulars, and Circumstances are tedious, especially in sorrowful, and forlorn causes, the sum of sums is. He tossed his imagination a thousand ways, and I believe, searched every corner of his Grammar-school wit, (for his margin is as deeply learned, as Fauste precor gelida) to see if he could find any means to relieve his estate, but all his thoughts, and marginal notes, consorted to his conclusion. That the world was uncharitable, and he ordained to be miserable. It were cruelty, to add affliction to affliction: what flintly Heart would not sigh or rather melt, to hear the bewailefull moan of that sobbing, and groaning Muse, the daughter of most-pregnant, but most-wretched Niobe?  

Why be't damnation, to despair, and die,  
When Life is my true happiness disease?  And a little after: 
Divines, and dying men may talk of Hell:  
But in my Heart, her several torments dwell.  And so forth most-hideouslie.  
For the Text is much more doleful, than the Gloss: and who would not be moved with more pitiful compunction, to hear the lamentable Farewell.  

England adieu, the soil that brought me forth:  
Adieu unkind, where Skill is nothing worth:  Then to read that profound Quotation, 
He● mihi, quam paucos haec mea dicta movent?  Which was thought Pathetical out of cry. 
Forgive him God, although he curse his Birth,  
Since Misery hath dawnted all his Mirth.   
Now good sweet Muse, I beseech thee by thy delicate wit, and by all the queintest Inventions of thy deviseful brain, cast not thy dreary self headlong into the horrible Gulf of Desperation: but being a Creature of so singular, and wonderful hope, as thy inspired courage divinely suggesteth, and still reare-up mountains of highest Hope: and either gallantly advance thy virtuous self, maugre Fortune: (what impossible to aspiring industry?) or mightily enchant some magnificent Maecenas, (for thou canst do it) to honour himself in honouring thee; and to bliss the eyes of the gazing world, with beholding those Miracles, which some round liberality, and thy super-thankfull mind, would hugely enable thee to work. Let it never be said, that the Minion of the Muses, should forfake himself, or abandon them, whose very shadows he adoreth. A brave heart, in extremest distress, never languisheth: no such affrig hting Death, or gnashing Hell, as the devouring Abyss of despair. Yet better a man without money, than money without a man: Penniless is not his purse but his mind: not his revenue, but his resolution: A man is a man though he have but a hose upon his head: for every curse, there is a blessing, for every malady, a remedy, for every winter, a summer: for every night a day, a dog hath a day.  
Nocte pluit tota: redeunt spectacula manè.  
Right magnanimity never droupeth, sweet Music requickeneth the heaviest spirits of dampish Melancholy: fine Poetry abhorreth the loathsome, and ugly shape of forlorn pensiveness: what gentle mind detesteth not cursed, and damnable desperation? All abject dolefulness, is woefully base, and basely woeful. The die, the ball, the sponge, the siue, the wheel of Fortune, Fortune herself, a trifle, a jest, a toy in Philosophy, & divine resolution. Be a physician, & Poet unto thyself, that art both, and a Ringleader of both, unto other, be a Man, be a Gentleman, be a Philosopher, be a Divine, be thy resolute self; not the Slave of Fortune, that for every fleabiting crieth out-alas & for a few hungry meals, like a Greek Parasite, misuseth the Tragedy of Hecuba: but the friend of Virtue, that is richest in poverty, freest in bondage, bravest in jeopardy, cheerefullest in calamity, be rather wise, and unfortunate, with the silver Swan, then fortunate & unwise, with the golden Ass: remember thine own marginal Emblem, Fortuna favet fatuis. Oh, solace thy miraculous self, and cheer the Muses in cheering thy dainty soul, sweetly drunken with their delicious Helicon, and the restorative Nectar of the Gods. What can I say more? That cordial liquor, and that heavenly restorative, be thy sovereign comfort: and scorn the baseness of every crazed, or fainting thought, that may argue a degenerate mind. And so much briefly touching thy dear self: who me I hope never to find so pathetically distressed, or so Tragically disguised again. Now a word, or two concerning him, who in charity kisseth thy hand, and in pity wisheth thee better luck. May it please gentle Pierce, in the divine fury of his ravished spirit, to be graciously good unto his poor friends, who would be somewhat loath, to be silly sheep for the wolf, or other sheep-biter: I dare undertake, the abused Author of the Astrological discourse, (every page thereof, under correction of inspired and supernatural conceits, discovereth more Art, and judgement, than the whole Supplication of the Parturient Mountain) notwithstanding the notorious Diabolical discourse of the said Pierce, a man better acquainted with the Devils of Hell, then with the Stars of Heaven: shall unfeignedly pray for him: and only pray him to report the known truth, of his approved learning, & living, without favour. Otherwise, it were not greatly amiss, a little to consider, that he, which in the ruff of his freshest ioility, was feign to cry, M. Churchyard, a mercy in print, may be orderly driven to cry more peccavies, than one. I would think the Counter, M Churchyard, his bostisse Penia, and such other sensible Lessons, might sufficiently have taught him, that Penniless is not Lawless: and that a Poets, or Painter's Licence, is a poor security, to privilege debt, or diffamation. I would wish the burned child not to forget the hot Element: and would advise overweening youths, to remember themselves, and the good ancient oracle of sage Apollo There is a certain thing, called Modesty, if they could light upon it: and by my young Master's leave, some pretty smack of discretion would relish well. The Athenians were noted for lavish amplifying▪ the Cretensians for crafty lying, the Thessalians for subtle cogging: the Carthaginians for deceitful perfidy: Hannibal, Fabius, Agathocles, Iphicrates, Ulysses, and a thousand such, for counterfeit policy, but all their forgeries were seasoned with the salt of probability, & only used at occasions of advantage: and although the Grecians generally were over-lightheaded, and vaine-spoken, yet their levity savoured of elegant wittiness, and the flying bird carried meat in the mouth. Even Lucian's true Tales are spiced with conceit: and neither his, nor Apuleius Ass, is altogether an Ass. It is a piece of cunning in the most fabulous Legends, to interlace some credible narrations, & very probable occurrences, to countenance and authorize the excessive licentiousness of the rest. Unreasonable fictions palpably bewray their odious grossness: and he that will be a famous deviser in folio, must be content with the reward of a notable Liar, not to be credited, when he avoweth a truth. The pleasant man talketh of a Bachelors hood, turned over his ears, for abusing of Aristotle: and imagineth goodly matters of casting the heavens water: of an atomizing the skies entrails: of the universal adultery of Planets▪ of the bawd of those celestial bodies▪ how Saturn, & jupiter proved honester men, than all the world took them for●o brave Tarlton thou wert he, when all is done, had not Aretine been Aretine, when he was, undoubtedly thou hadst been Aretine, gramercy capricious, and transcendent wit, the only high Pole Arctic▪ and deep Mineral of an incomparable style. Yet Tarlton's lests not sufficient: but Roscius must have his Stolen, to make him more admirable▪ all were nothing, unless Eldertons ale-crammed nose, had been consumed to nothing, in bearbaiting him, with whole bundles of ballads: that forsooth is not so good a gentleman, (for every heir of a Nash is a good gentleman at the least as the heard of Thomas Nash, the master butler of Pembroke Hal whose grave countenance, like Cato able to make him run out of his wits for fear, if he look sternly upon him, and I wots not what, and what trumpery else, as childish, & garish stuff, as ever came in print, yet what pack of vanity is not in print, I will not cry, Absurd, Absurd: as he madly exclaimeth, Monstrous, Monstrous: But who in that University can deny, but M. Harvey read the public Philosophy Lecture with special good liking, and many will say with singular commendation, when this mighty lashing Gentleman (now well read in the late exploits of Untruss, and for Tarlton's amplifications A perfe A) was not so much as idoneus auditor civilis scientia. What he is improved since, excepting his good old Flores Poetarum, and Tarlton's surmounting Rhetoric, with a little Euphuisme, and greenness enough, which were all prettily stolen, before he put hand ●o pen. I report me to the favourablest opinion of those that know his Prefaces, Rhymes, and the very Timpanye of his Tarltonizing wit, his Supplication to the Devil, oh that is the Devil & al. I am so far from doting upon mine own, or my Brothers writings, in any matter of moment, that I use to censure them with a more curious and rigorous judgement, than I examine any thing else, wherein my ear is so loath to flatter me, & my conceit so afraid to cozen me, that my mind ever remaineth unsatisfied, & nothing hitherto could fulfil my desire, insatiably covetous to do better. But as those perfunctory Discourses are, (which were more hastily, then speedily published without my privity) let the best of them go for waste paper, & serve the basest shops, if the worst of them import not more public, or private use, than his gayestflower, that may thank Green, & Tarlton for his Garland. Were my brother, not my brother, but some familiar acquaintance, I might in Truth, & should in Reason, make other comparisons, with applause enough: (for what indifferency seethe not the difference? or what so silly, as he could make Pierce, with voice, or pen? notwithstanding those Miracles of the white raven in the clouds): But the University, the City, the whole Realm, all good Learning, & civil Government, be their judge, & my mouth especially in this Martinish and Counter-martinish age: wherein the Spirit of Contradiction reigneth, and every one superaboundeth in his own humour, even to the annihilating of any other, without rhyme, or reason. Some would be Mutes, if they might be suffered to be, as were meetest for them, and only to dwell in the excellent monuments of divine wits, whose sweet company they cannot enjoy enough, but what is to be done, when vowels are coursed, & Mutes haunted, and that heavenly conference hellishlie disturbed, God, or good Order, circumcise the Tongues, and Pens, that slander without ●ause, and rail without effect, even in the superlative degree of raving. Aretine, and the devils Orator might verywell be spared in Christian, or Piliticke Comon-wealthes: which cannot want contagion enough, though they be not poisoned with the venomous potions of Inkhorn witches. Fine pleasant wit was ever commendable: and judicial accusation lawful: but fie on gross scurility, and impudent calumny: that will rather go to Hell in jest, then to heaven in earnest, and seek not to reform any vice, to backbite, and deprave every person, that feedeth not their humorous fancy, A vile mind: and what a pestelenter villainy? but some odd wits forsooth, will needs be accounted terrible Bull Beggars, and the only Killcowes' of their age: for how should they otherwise keep the simple world in awe: or scare multitudes of plain folk, like idiot crows, and innocent dooves? All the invective, and Satirical Spirits, are their Familiars: scoffing, and girding is their daily bread: other profess other faculties: they profess the Art of railing: Noble, Reverend, or whatsoever, all peasants, and clowns: gouty Devils, and buckram Giants: Midass', and golden Asses: Cormorants, and Drones, Dunces, and hypocritical hot spurs earth-worms, and Pinchefart Penny-fathers': that feed not their hungry purses, and eager stomachs: they have terms, quoth a marvelous doer, steeped in Aqua Fortis, and Gunnepouder, that shall rattle through the skies, and make Earthquakes in such pesauntes' ears, as shall dare to send them away with a flea in their ear: (how might a man purchase the sight of those puissant, and hideous terms?) they can lash poor slaves, and spurgall Asses mightily, they can tell perilous Tales of Bears and Foxes, as shrewdly as mother Hubbard, for her life: they will domineer in Taverns, and Stationer's shops, to die for't: they will be as egregiouslly famous, as ever was Herastratus, or Pausanias, or Kett, or Scoggin: Agrippa, and Rabelays but Ciphers to them: they have it only in them. Would Christ, they had more discretion in them, and less rancour against other, that never wished them the least evil, but still beseech GOD to increase the best, and to pardon the worst in them. The Quip knoweth his reward, and the Supplication to the Devil, expressly dedicated to the Prince of Darkness, I commit to the censure of Wisdom, and justice, with favour: only requesting that mighty Bombarder of terms, to spare quiet men that mean him no harm, and to keep the huge main; shot of his rattling Babies for Buckram Giants. Alas,- what should I touch their parents, or twit them by their other friends: Let it be one of their iolities to offer, & one of our simplicities to suffer that injury: which neither impaireth the reputation of the Father: nor abaseth the credit of the Sons: nor argueth any thing, but the impudent despightfulnesse of the Libeler. Few Sons have felinger cause to love, or reverence, or defend their Fathers, than myself: but his dealing is such, where he tradeth: and his living such where he converseth, that he may easily shame himself, which goeth-about to shame him, or us in him. I will not trouble you with the rehearsal of his inheritance, which I could have wished more than it was, yet was it more, by the favour of that terrible Thundersmith of terms, them the inheritances of both their Fathers together. Put case, I have inquired, what special cause the Penniless Gentleman hath, to brag of his birth: which giveth the woeful poveretto good leave, even with his Stentors voice, & in his rattling terms to revive the pitiful history of Don Lazarello de Thoemes: to contend with cold, to converse with scarcity: to be laid-open to poverty: to accuse Fortune: to rail on his patrons, to bite his pen, to rend his papers, to rage's in all points, like a mad man, to totment himself in that agony a long time, to be miserable, to be vacuus viator: to have opus and usus knocking at his door twenty times a week, when he is not within: to seek his dinner in pauls with Duke humfrey: to lick dishes, to be a beggar.  

To ban the Air, wherein he breathes A wretch:  to be the Divelsdistressed Orator, to proclaim his own desolate and abject estate, in these & such other most-base, and shameful complaints, scarcely beseeming the rascallest siser in an University, or the beggarliest mendicant friar in a country.  

Forgive him God, although he curse his birth.  I, but who so excessively thankful to his other friends? One kind friend, more worth than two unfreendlie kinsmen. Affection will relieve, where nature faileth: he must needs abound in devoted and bountiful friends, that showeth himself so meritoriously friendly, and so unspeakably grateful.  
O friends, no friends, that then ungently frown,  
When changing fortune casts us headlong down  
I had nigh-hand overskipped the learned allegation in the margin, solemnly avouched with a very-patheticall Pol, Polme occidistis Amici. All which, and most of the Premises, I had altogether omitted, but that the two unmeet Companions, a lords heart, and a beggar's purse must somewhat remember themselves, or be a little, as it were pulled by the ragged sleeve. Young scholars can tell how Ulysses handled ●rus, and old Truants have not altogether forgotten, howesawsie the Harpies were, till they were entertained accordingly. But what though the decayed Gentleman, so commendeth his own worshipful birth, and trusty friends? Many noble Houses have seen their own ruins: and sometime the brothers of the Prodigal Son, will not stick to curse, where they should reverently bless. The Table-fellow of Duke Humphrey, & Tantalus, might learn of him to curse jupiter, and to ban not only the four Elements, but also the seven Planets, and even the twelve houses of Heaven. And what though the other sorry Magnifico, as very a Bisonian, as he for his life, would swear in a bravery, his Father was of four & twenty religions: and himself a Divine from his mother's womb: an Image of both Churches, & both Synagogues too: a natural Perne artificially emproued: the thrise-and thrise-learned son, of his four & twenty times-learned father? So green would flourish. Every man is to answer for his own defaults: my trespass is not my fathers, nor my father's mine: A Gibeline may have a Guelph to his son, as Barthol saith: & hath never a Saint had a Reprobate to his father? are all worthy minds, the issues of noble houses: or all base minds, the offsprings of rascal stocks? Were it not a felicity, to be the worst of a thousand, that being descended of meanest parentage, have proved, as Histories testify, & the world daily confirmeth? Or might not Green, and his Complices, have been much better, than they were, or are, although their Parents had been much worse, than they were, or are? What faith the afflicted Suppliant himself?  
Ah worthless wit, to train me to this woe:  
Ill thrive the Folly, that bewitched me so.  
Have we not a number of excellent industrious men and valorous knights, not greatly beholding unto Fortune for their progeny?  
Malo pater tibi sit Thersites, who knoweth not that only Art of Heraldry?  
Quàmte Thersitae similem producat Achilles. The Argument of Nobility, is a gallant, and plausible argument: but what commonplace so brave, and honourable, as the commonplace of virtue? Can any thing be obscure, where desert is famous: or any thing famous, where desert is obscure? Gramercy sweet margin, for that notable Poesy: Meritis expendite causam: in earnest, a singular Rule of infallible judgement: and I imagine, himself deserveth something, that specially allegeth Desert. It is long, since I declaimed upon any Theme: but who would not plead virtues cause, in whatsoever subject? or what honest Eloquence is not furnished with Catilinaries, & Phillippiques against Vice? Not the Father, & the Son, but Virtue, and Vice, the efficientes of Honour, and Dishonour. He only base, he only simple, he only contemptible, that hath Vice to his father, & Ignorance to his mother: the only Parents of rascality. And may I not truly affirm, that not only Osorius, or Patritius gallantly prove, but all wise authors seriously approve, and even Virtue, & Skill themselves, with their own sovereign mouth, honourably profess? No right son, & heir apparent of theirs, either unnoble in himself, or obscure in the world: or despised in the highest, or unregarded of the lowest▪ or dishonourable in his Life, or inglorious after his Death. I speak not for any person, but for the matter: and cannot either condignly praise the valorous seed of the one: or sufficiently bliss the fruitful womb of the other. And what so ungentle in Nature, or so unnoble in Fortune, as their Contraries: how barbarously opposed against that divine race, and heavenly generation: that cannot stir, unaccompanied with Envy, and a world of moats? Yet neither the unhappiest creature utterly devoid of all graces: (I praise something in Elderton, and Green:) nor the excellentest parsonage thoroughly accomplished with all perfections: (ah, that Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and Sir Philip Sidney, had been as cautelous, as adventurous:) nor they, that object, nor we, that answer, nor any, but a few singular men, the Miracles of the world; either for wit wondrous, or for Art exquisite, or for action admirable, or for integrity notable. I▪ wis, we little need, to be charged with our father's offences: it is enough for one, yea for the best one, to carry the burden of his own transgressions, and errors. Errors are infinite: and follies how universally rife, even of the wisest sort? Oh that virtues were as like the stars of heaven, or the birds of the Air, as vices are like the sands of the Sea, and the Beasts of the Earth: he that seeth least, seeth much amiss: the fine Discoverer, and curious Intelligencer, go invisible, & stratagematically descry many hidden privities of public, and private misgovernment: there is an eye, that pierceth into the secretest sins, and most-inscrutable thoughts of profoundest Hypocrisy: in whose pure sight nothing is justifiable, but by pardon. Divinity flieth high: and wadeth deep: But even in Humanity, & in the view of the world, who liveth inculpable? or who is not obnoxious to some criminal, or civil actions? or,  
Where should I find, that I seek, A person clear as a Crystal?  
Where man God to man? where one not Diu'l to an other?  
Where that Zeal divine, whose heavenly Sunshin acheerith  
The dreryest drooping: and fellist rancour allayeth?  
Where thossame mealting bowels of tender agreement,  
That mildly conquer most-rowgh, and hideous outrage?  
Where Moses meekness? where David's sweetness Olimpique?  
Where that same gentle kindness, that bounty renowned,  
That gracious favour, that whilom bewtified Honour:  
That love advanced: that abandoned odious Hatred:  
That Sirenized Furies: that rocks Adamantine  
Mollified: arreared Pillars of Glory triumphant?  
And so forth: for the verse is not unknown: & runneth in one of those unsatirical satires, which M. Spencer long since embraced with an overlooving Sonnet: A token of his Affection, not a Testimony of his▪ judgement. What should I labour a needless point? or what should I weary you with tediousness, that may much-better bestow your vacant hours? Enough, to any is enough: to some, overmuch. God knoweth, and who knoweth not, how sensually corrupt some good fellows were, and are, that so sharply, and bitterly noted, and do note, so many imaginative corruptions in other. Would God, they had been as quietly disposed, as their parents: or as advisedly stayed, as some of their friends, that wished them a milder course; & some of our pens might have been employed to better use, than this idle business, or rather busy idleness. Whereof I desire no other fruit, but some little contentation of friends, and some reasonable mitigation of ill-willers: unto whose good I am diligently to address, & even affectionately to dedicate any my endeavour. If in some terms I have used a little plain dealing, albeit not without respect, (but every one seeth not into an others considerations: & divers Circumstances alter the case) I crave pardon for the least oversight: and will be as ready to commend any little good, even in an adversary: as I was unwilling. but enforced to touch some palpable bad: which I would wish amended, where it may be redressed: and quite forgotten, where it ought to be buried. My meaning was not, to displeasure, or discredit any: but only to satisfy the pleasure, and maintain the credit of those, unto whom I own many duties, aswell in special consideration, as in natural affection. Had I not been more deeply stinged in them, then in myself: who have made Comedies of such Tragedies; and with pleasure given such hoat-spurres leave, to run themselves out of breath: what folio of folly might not for me have passed untouched? or who for me, might not have flourished, or lashed in Paul's Church yard, Cum gratia & Privilegio? It were good, that they, which have a dexterity in writing trimly upon every matter, white, or black: should also have a felicity in speaking well upon every person, that deserveth not ill: especially such as can say something, and think more. The terriblest terms may be repayed-home with advantage: I have known the railingest Sophister in an University, set non plus: and have seen the mad-braynest Roister-doister in a country, dashed out of countenance. There is Logic enough, to answer Carters Logic: and play enough, to tame Horseplay. Wronged men are seldom toungetied: the patientest Creature wanteth not blood in his heart, or ink in his pen: and although his blood be not wildfire, yet it is blood; that will not be cooled with a Card, or daunted with bugs-wordes: and although his ink, be not pitch, or poison, yet it is ink; that will neither blush for shame, nor wax pale for fear; but will hold his own, when perhaps gayer colours shall lose their colour; and Aqua fortis valiantly eat his own heart. Good sweet Masters quiet yourselves: or think not much, to bear a little for company, that are so forward to load other without mercy. No man loather than myself, to contend with desperate Malcontents: or to overthwart obstinate Humoristes: or to encounter Incke-horne Adventures: nor to quarrel with any sort of wrangling Companions: (skoldinge is the language of shrews: and railing the style of Rakehells:) or so much as to call busy heads, by their usual, and proper names: (the things are paltry: and the very names savour of rascality:) but there is a time, when such douty warriors must be appeased; & such wise men answered according to their wisdom. Howbeit, in favour of a private, and public quietness, I will thank the honest fellows the more, the less occasion they give me, to interrupt better exercises: to trouble the world with trifling discourses upon pelting matters: to disease themselves: to pleasure none, but the printer, & idle creatures, the only busy readers of such Novellets. I would gladly be specially beholding unto them for this courtesy: and dare undertake it shall redound more to their credit, to approve their desire of reconciliation, by silence: then to continue the opinion of their rooted despite, by stirring more coals. I hope this wind hath not shaken any such corn, but fellow-schollers, (as Doctor Caius would say) and now forsooth fellow-writers, may be made friends, with a cup of white wine, and some little familiar conference, in calm and civil terms. I offer them my hand: and request their: which I will accept thanckfully: & kiss lovingly: and ever commend the good Nature, that would; and the better Government, that could master Affection with Reason, and sweeten gall with Humanity. For it is not my energetical persuasion, but their own pathetical motion, that must do it: as the enchanting Muse of Orpheus redeemed the ghastly ghost of his own Eurydice out of Hell. Such an Experiment of profound, and divine Art, as I would compassionately recommend to every amiable mind, disguised with hellish passion: the foulest deformity of any fair wit. Otherwise, if it stand more with their credit, to be reputed wilful, then wise: or if a perverse, and froward resolution, be the better policy: they are freemen: and have ink at will, and paper at commandment: and a number of greedy Ears, that eagerly long, and as it were dance attendance, to hear those dreadful invincible terms, steeped in Aqua fortis, & Gunpowder. The intoxicate spirit of the grisly Eurydice (I speak to a Poet: and cannot more mildly term that infernal Fury) may eftsoons return to her accursed lodging, and in steed of heavenly Orpheus, embrace the hellish Orator of the Black Prince: whom I will not any way make worse, but would wish infinitely better, than he hath made himself. For I thank God, jam neither so profanely uncharitable, as to send him to the Sancebell, to trusse-up his life with a trice: nor so abjectly timorous, as for extreme fearfulness to wish, with a professed devotion: So be it: Pray Pen, Ink, and Paper on their knees, that they may not be troubled with him any more. Good Lord, what fantastical pangs are these? who ever endighted in such a style, but one divine Aretine in Italy, & two heavenly Tarlton's in England: the sole platformers of odd Elocution, and only singularities of the plain world? Two of them, that so wanton played with the highest and deepest subjects of spiritual contemplation: Heaven, and Hell, Paradise, and Purgatory: know their local repose: and seriously admonish the third, to be advised, how he lavish in such dalliance. No variety, or infinity so infinite, as Invention: which hath a huge world, and a main Ocean of scope, to disport, and range itself, though it arrear not vain Hyperboles of the reverend mysteries of God. Good sweet Orator, be a divine Poet indeed: and use heavenly Eloquence indeed: and employ thy golden talon with amounting usance indeed: and with heroical Cantos honour right Virtue, & brave valour indeed: as noble Sir Philip Sidney, and gentle Master Spencer have done, with immortal Fame: and I will bestow more compliments of rare amplifications upon thee, then ever any bestowed upon them: or this Tongue ever afforded: or any Aretinish mountain of huge exaggerations can bring-foorth. Right artificiality, (whereat I once aimed to the uttermost power of my slender capacity,) is not madbrained, or ridiculous, or absurd, or blasphemous, or monstrous: but deepe-conceited, but pleasurable, but delicate, but exquisite, but gracious, but admirable: not according to the fantastical mould of Aretine, or Rabelays, but according to the fine model of Orpheus, Homer, Pindarus, & the excellentest wits of Greece, and of the Land, that flowed with milk, and honey. For what Festival Hymns, so divinely dainty, as the sweet Psalms of King David, royally translated by Buchanan? or what sage Gnomes, so profoundly pithy, as the wise proverbs of King Solomon; notably also translated: but how few buchanan's? Such lively springs of streaming Eloquence: & such right-Olympicall hills of amounting wit: I cordially recommend to the dear Lovers of the Muses: and namely to the professed Sons of thesame; Edmond Spencer, Richard Stanihurst, Abraham France, Thomas Watson, Samuel Daniel, Thomas Nash, and the rest: whom I affectionately thank for their studious endeavours, commendably employed in enriching, & polishing their native Tongue, never so furnished, or embellished, as oflate. For I dare not name the Honorabler Sons, & Nobler Daughters of the sweetest, & divinest Muses, that ever sang in English or other language: for fear of suspicion of that, which I abhor: and their own most delectable, and delicious Exercises, (the fine handiwork of excellent Nature, and excellenter Art combined) speak incomparably more, than I am able briefly to insinuate. Gentle minds, and flourishing wits, were infinitely toblame, if they should not also for curious imitation, propose unto themselves such fair Types of refined, and engraced Eloquence. The right Noovice of pregnante, and aspiring conceit, will not over-skippe any precious gem of Invention, or any beautiful flower of Elocution, that may richly adorn, or gallantly bedeck the trim garland of his budding style. I speak generally to every springing wit: but more specially to a few: and at this instant singularly to one: whom▪ I salute with a hundred blessings: and entreat with as many prayers, to love them, that love all good wits: and hate none, but the Devil, and his incarnate Imps, notoriously professed. I protest, it was not thy person, that I anyway disliked: but thy rash, and desperate proceeding against thy well-willers: which in some had been unsufferable: in an youth, was more excusable: in a reformed youth is pardonable: and rather matter of concordance, then of aggrievance. I persuade myself, rather to hope the best, then to fear the worst: & ever wish unto other, as I would wish other, to wish unto me. It is my earnest desire, to begin, and end such frivolous altercations at once: and were it not more for other, then for myself, assuredly I would be the first, that should cancel this impertinent Pamflet: and throw the other two Letters, with the Sonnets annexed, into the fire. Let them have their swinge, that affect to be terribly singular: I desire not to be a black Swan: or to leave behind me any Period in the style of the devils Orator: or any verse in the vain of his Dams Poet: but rather covet to be nothing in print, than any thing in the stamp of needless, or fruitless Contention. As I am overruled at this present, and as it standeth now: I am not to be mine own judge, or Advocate: but am content to be sentenced by every courteous, or indifferent peruser, that regardeth honesty in persons, or truth in testimonies, or reason in causes. Or seeing some matters of Fame are called in question: I am not only willing, but desirous to underlye the verdict, even of Fame herself; and to submit our whole credits, to the voice of the people, as to the voice of Equity, and the Oracle of God: to whose gracious favours he recommendeth your Courtesy, that neither flattereth the best: nor slandereth the worst: nor wilfully wrongeth any: but professeth duty to his superiors: humanity to his equals: favour to his inferiors: reason to all: And by the same Rule, oweth you amends for the premises: not speedily dispatched, but hastily bungled-up, as you see.  
London: this 8. and 9 of September. The friend of his friends, & foe of none.   

The Fourth Letter.  
To the same favourable, or indifferent Reader.  
HOnest Gentlemen (for unto such I especially writ) give me leave in this slender Pamflet, only to fulfil the importune requests of a few: with your small delight, and mine own less contentment: and pardon me, though I no way affect to feed the dainty humour of curious conceits, carried with an insatiable expectation of I wots not what imagined perfection: which may easily display itself, where it is, but cannot possibly appear, where it is not. I presume, I cannot less satisfy any, than I have satisfied myself: who having wedded myself to private study, and devoted my mind to public quietness, took this troublesome pen in hand, with such an alacrity of courage, as the sorry Bear goeth to the stake: & now rejoice in that, which with more haste, than speed is dispatched; as Aesop's heart, with more affection, than reason, gloried in his Horns, till he found his fugitive legs, his surer friends. For in many cases, I take it a better Policy, to use the flying Leg, than the cumbersome Horn: and at this instant, I should much more have pleased myself, if I had still practised my former resolution, to scorn the stinging of a peevish wasp: or the biting of an elvish gnat: or the quipp of a mad companion: and rather to pocket-up a pelting injury, then to entangle myself with trifling business: or anyway to accrue to the most-contemptible fellowship of the scribbling crew, that annoyeth this Age, and never more accloyed the world. Alas, he is pitifully bestead, that in an Age of Policy, and in a world of Industry, (wherein the greatest matters of Government, and Valour, seem small to aspiring capacities) is constrained to make woeful green, and beggarly Pierce Pennyless, (as it were a Grasshopper, and a Cricket, two pretty musicans, but silly creatures) the argument of his style: and enforced to encounter them, who only in vanity are something: in effect, nothing: in account, less than nothing: howsoever the Grasshopper enraged, would be no less than a green Dragon: and the Cricket malcontented, not so little as a Black Bell-wether: but the only Unicorn of the Muses. Some in my case, would perhaps be content for their own credit, to have them notoriously so reputed: and in cunning, would per adventure not stick, to strain at a Gnatt, as it were at a Camel: but plain dealing useth no such Rhetoric: they that have Eyes, can see: and they that have Ears, can hear, as sensibly as I: and I must in reason leave them, as in proof I find them: either mere Paper-bugs, and Inckehorne-pads: or a great deal worse: so far, as the Ringleaders of lewd Licentiousness, are more pestilent, than the Platformers of vain Fantasticallity: or the poison of corrupted minds, is more pernicious, than the venom of disguised wits. Any slightness, curious enough: and any cost, toomuch, upon such an argument: a subject of loss to the writer; of gain to none: but duty must obey: and courtesy yield: and it is the luck of some pelting Comedies, to busy the Stage, as well as some graver Tragedies. Were nothing else discoursively inserted, (as some little else occasionally presented itself) what paper more currently fit for the basest mechanical uses, then that, which containeth the vile misdemeanours, and Truth will say, the abominable villainies of such base shifting companions: good for nothing, in the opinion of good minds, but to castaway themselves, to spoil their adherentes, to pray upon their favourers, to dishonour their Patrons, to infect the Air, where they breath. Might Pierce be entreated, to quallifye his distempered vein; and to reclaim his unbridled self: as some bold Gawin's, upon milder consideration have been glad to do: (good Pierce be good to thy good friends: and gentle to thy gentle self:) I assuredly would be the first, that should wrapp-up such memorial, not in a sheet of wast-paper, but in the winding-sheete of Oblivion: and will not stick, to embalm the dead corpse of a professed enemy, to sweeten the living spirit of a wished friend: howsoever extremely mean, or famously obscure. The gracious Law of Amnesty, a sovereign Law: but the divine Law of Charity, the Law of Laws. Who cannot contemn the insolentest arrogancy? but who must not condescend to any reasonable accord? He that was never dismayed with any necessary distress, yet ever escheweth all unnecessary trouble: and he that lest feareth the sword of unjust Calumny, yet most dreadeth the scabbard of just Infamy: and would gladly avoid the lightest suspicion of that, which he abhorreth. Though the painted sheath be, as it is, (for it needeth no other Painter, to portray itself) yet never child so delighted in his rattling baby; as some old Lads of the Castle, have sported themselves with their rapping babble. It is the proper weapon of their profession: they have used it atlarge, and will use it at pleasure, howsoever the patiented heal himself at their cost. It were a work of importance, to answer that weapon: I long since gave them over in the plain field: and am now become a suitor to their towardest scholars, to remember the glorious conquest of their witty Masters. I would willingly please, or not displease, as I may: but no Life, without self-contentment: no performance of any action without Resolution. The least may think upon Fabius Maximus: who with an honourable obstinacy pursued the course of his own platform, notwithstanding a thousand empeachments: & although slowly, with much murmuring, yet effectually, with more reputation, achieved his politic purpose: like an expert Pilot, that in a hideous tempest regardeth not the foolish shrickinges, or vain outcries of disorderly passengers, but bestirreth himself, and directeth his mariners, according to the wise rules of orderly Navigation. Awavering and fleeting mind, seldom, or never accomplisheth any negotiation of value. It is none of the least comforts in distress, that Patience is an excellent quality: and Constancy the honourablest virtue in the world. I am not to dilate, where a sentence is a discourse, and a word more then enough. It hath been my desire, to conform my intentions to my quality, and my exercises to my intentions: but as they are, it shall go veryhard, before I begin to abandon hope: or relent to frivolous motions: or forget myself, and my friends, to remember my enemies: who are best remembered, when they are most forgotten. Some are cunning: & can imaginatively cast beyond the Moon: but he is a simple Temporiser, that would attempt to raise a fantastical, or putative opinion in an active world: and who so kindly cooseneth himself, as he that seeketh a cloak, to cover his own sluggish Idleness, or unweeldy insufficiency? Let them affect mystical commendation, that profess occult Philosophy: and let them crossbite themselves, that can find no other Connycatchers, to play that part. It was a principal Maxim in Socrates' discipline, That every one should contend to be indeed, whatsoever he would covet to seem in appearance: some that have often recommended that Maxim unto other, and often called it the sovereign Rule of sound, and honourable proceeding; were never forwarder to allow his precept in discourse, then ready to follow his example in practice. There be other enough, to make a gallant show: and some trim fellows, will not stick to maintain a brave Paradox, that the opinion, and semblance of things, neither ever was, nor is now, inferior to the very things themselves: but in preferment and reputation many times superior. I am not here to argue the case: Fortune is a favourable Lady to some forward adventurers: they may easily swim, that are holden up by the chin: such, & such have lived in estimation, & purchased lands: but what did they ever effectuate of any worth: or wherein appeared their sufficiency, to discharge any weighty function, or to perform any notable act? A reed is a sorry staff: & Fortune as changeable, as the Moon: no counterfeit, or pretended commendation endureth long: only desert holdethout infallibly, when many a goodly gentleman be●hreweth himself: I must not stand upon particularities: no Education to the Trainement of Cyrus: nor any proceeding, to the employment of Cesar. Pregnant Rules avail much: but visible Examples amount incredibly: Experience, the only life of perfection, & only perfection of life. Whatsoever occasion causeth me to be mistaken, as overmuch addicted to Theory, without respect of action: (for that is one of the especiallest points, which I am importuned to resolve:) I never made account of any study, meditation, conference, or Exercise, that importeth not effectual use, & that aimeth not altogether at action: as the singular mark, whereat every Art, & every virtue is to level. I love Method: but honour Practise: must I show the difference? Either Art is obscure, or the quickest capacity dull: and needeth Method, as it were the bright Moon, to illuminate the darksome night: but Practice is the bright Sun, that shineth in the day, & the sovereign Planet, that governeth the world: as elsewhere I have copiously declared. To excel, there is no way but one: to marry studious Art to diligent Exercise: but where they must be unmarried, or divorced, give me rather Exercise without Art, than Art without Exercise. Perfect use worketh masteries: and disgraceth unexperienced Arte. Examples are infinite: and daily display themselves. A world without a Sun: a Body without a Soul: Nature without Art: Arte without Exercise: sorry creatures. Singular practice the only singular, and admirable workman of the world. Must I dispatch the rest, that is exacted? It is no fit place: and the least little will seem toomuch. As in other things, so in Arts, formality doth well: but materiality worketh the feat. Were Artists as skilful, as Arts are powerful, wonders might be achieved by Art emprooved: but they that understand little, writ much: and they that know much, writ little. The vain Peacock, with his gay colours, and the prattling Parrot with his ignorant discourses, (I am not to offend any, but the Peacock, and the Parrot) have garishly disguised the worthiest Arts, and deeply discredited the profoundest Artistes, to the pitiful defacement of the one, and the shameful prejudice of the other. Rodolph Agricola, Philip Melancthon, Ludovike Vives, Peter Ramus, and divers excellent scholars, have earnestly complaned of Arts corrupted, and notably reform many absurdities: but still corruption engendereth one vermin or other: and still that precious Trainement is miserably abused, which should be the fountain of skill, the root of virtue, the seminary of government, the foundation of all private, and public good. The Methodist, & Discouser might be more material: the Theorist, and Practitioner more formal: all four more effectual: or how cometh it to pass, that much more is proof ssed, but much less performed, then in former ages? especially in the Mathematics, and in natural Magic: which being cunningly and extensively employed (after the manner of Archimedes, Archytas, Apollonius Regiomontanus, Bacon, Cardan, and such like industrious Philosophers, the Secretaries of Art, and Nature,) might wonderfully bestead the Commonwealth: with many puissant engines, and other commodious devices, for war, and peace. In actual Experiments, and Polymechany, nothing too-profound: a superficial slightness, may seem fine for sheets, but proveth good for nothing: as in other business, so in learning, as good never a whit, according to the Proverb, as never the better: one perfect Mechanician worth ten unperfect Philosophers: an ignorant man less shameth himself, less beguileth his friend, less disableth the Commonwealth, than a putative Artist: a whole natural wit more serviceable, and more sufficient, than a Demi-scholler: who presuming on that, which he hath not, abateth the force of that, which he hath. He must not dream of perfection, that emproueth not the perfectest Art, with most perfect industry. A snatch, and away, with Neoptolemus, and the common sort of students, may please a little, but profiteth nothing. It is the Body, not the shadow, that dispatcheth the business. The flower delighteth today, and fadeth tomorrow: the fruit edifieth, and endureth: the vizard, the painted sheath, and such terrible braveries, can best report their own entertainment: the peacock, and the parrot have good leave to prank up themselves, and leisure enough to revive, and repolish their expired works. What can last always, quoth the neat Tailor, when his sine seams began to crack their credit at the first drawingon. I appeal to Paul's Churchyard, whether lines be like unto seams: and whether the Deft writer be as sure a workman, as the neat Tailor. There may be a fault in the Reader, aswell as in the weaver: but every man content himself, to bear the burden of his own faults: and good sweet authors inform yourselves, before you undertake to instruct other. Excellent effects must slow from the spring of excellent causes: and nothing notable without notable Endeavour. The Print is abused, that abuseth: and earnestly beseecheth flourishing writers, not to trouble the Press, but in case of urgent occasion, or important use. Or if you conceive extraordinarily of your own pregnancy: and will needs employ your youthful Talent: remember, that corruptions in manners, and absurdities in Art, have too-lately overflowed the banks of all good Modestly, and discretion. He that hath but half an Eye, can see no less: & he that hath but half a tongue, may say more: I only note by the way, that hindereth many a gallant wit in the way: and without impeachment to any, wish all rather to be excellent, with Socrates, then to seem famous, with the Philosopher of the Court. My meaning is not, to teach, but to touch: & albeit I have cursorily spoken something for myself, and something as it were against other; yet the one little, and the other less, are both uttered with a mind, that will rather excuse other, than myself; and rather accuse myself, than other: wheresoever I find the least reason for them, or the least cause against myself: and if in any thing I am any thing, it is in nothing so much, as in a zealous desire, to see Learning flourish: Virtue prosper: the good proceed from better to better: the bad amend: the Body cherish the members: the Members tender the body: all generally maintain Concord with all: every one particularly nourish accord with every one. Howbeit at this instant I must crave licence, to stand upon such terms, not as I would most willingly choose, but as the present occasion forcibly suggesteth. No man loather, to minister the least, or to take the greatest occasion of public contention, or private discontentment: choler is as soon inflamed, as flax; and small sparkles of dissension, have kindled horrible fires of faction: there be wrangling, & quarrelling hoat-spurres enough, though I be none: Ignis fatuus never so spritishly busy: never so many threatening Comets: never such a terrible sky of Blazing, and falling stars: never such lusty stirring of lively coals, and dead cinders: every Martin junior, and Puny Pierce, a monarch in the kingdom of his own humour: every pert, and crank wit, in one odd vein, or other, the only man of the University, of the City, of the Realm, for a flourish or two: who but he, in the flush of his overweening conceit? give him his peremptory white rod in his hand, and God-night all distinction of persons, and all difference of estates: his Pen is his mace, his lance, his two-edged sword, his sceptre, his Hercules club: and will bear a predominant sway, in despite of vainglorious Titles, and ambitious Degrces. lords must take heed, how they Lord-it in his presencc: but he forsooth may play the Lord greatmaister, cum gratia: & a saucy Sophister take upon him, like a mighty Tyrant, cum Privilegio. God help, when Ignorance, and want of Experience, usurping the chair of scrupulous, and rigorous judgement, will in a fantastical Imagination, or percase in a melancholy mood, presume farther, by infinite degrees, than the learnedest men in a civil Commonwealth, or the sagest counsellors in a Princes Court. Our new-new writers, the Lodestones of the Press, are wonderfully beholding to the Ass; in a manner the only Author, which they allege: the world was ever full enough of fools, but never so full of Asses in print: the very Elephant, a great Ass: the Camel, a huge Ass: the Bear, a monstrous Ass: the Horse, an absurd Ass: the Fox himself, a little Ass, or for variety, an Ape: who not an Ass, or an Ape in good plain English, that chanceth to come in the wise Asse-makers, & mighty Ape-dubbers way? they are fine men, & have many sweet phrases: it is my simplicity, that I am so slenderly acquainted with that dainty style; the only new fashion of current Eloquence in Esse: far surpassing the stolen vein of Demosthenes, or Tully: jewel, or Harding: Whitgift, or Cartwright: Sidney, or Spencer. But I could wish, Ignorance would favour itself: & it were not amiss, that want of Experience should be content to be a little modest, or somewhat quiet: & both enforce les occasion to be termed, as they will needs notoriously proclaim themselves: as it were, with a public Ohis, or a general Noverint universi per praesentes. For if any thing indeed, be a right Ass in print, it is the one: and if any thing indeed, be a right Calse in print, it is the other: Ignorance, the famousest Ass; and want of Experience, the notablest Calf in the world: Yet the one, the terrible controller: the other the singuller Refourmer of the world: both, the busiest adventurers, and dowteest doers in a world. They trouble many much: some exceedingly: themselves most: me little: who can very well leave them to the jollity of their own swinge: or only pray them to stay the nimble course of their forward wisdoms, till they have soberly read, and heard a little, and a little more: (for I wis something resteth unconsidered:) and till they have effectually seen, and tried a great-deale, and a great-deale more: (for much remaineth unaprooved:) I love not to solicit them greatly, that love to importune all other excessively: that little I have done, I have done compelled, and would wish undone, rather than any storm of Dcbate, or the least fit of Malice should ensue thereof: let them glory in Pen-scolding, and Paper-brabling, that list: I must not, I cannot, I will not: I hate to intend such arrant paltry, not for fear, but for contempt, not for laziness, but for weightier business: good honest youths spare an old Truante, meeter now to play the Dumb Dog, with some ancients, than the bawling Cur, or the hissing Snake, with you springals: a thousand Examples pierce deep, and over-sensibly teach me the miserable inconvenience of such mischief, and the miserable mischief of such inconvenience: better a peck of troubles, than a load of agonies: no plague to irksome vengeance: no joy, or treasure to in dustrious employment: no felicity, to a commodious intercourse of sweet study, sweeter conversation, and sweetest action: that wanteth, must be supplied, as sufficient as it may: extraordinary encumbrances little need: Time is precious, and would not be prodigally wasted in waist▪ paper, or contemptuously thrust out by the shoulders: my first Letter, was in a manner voluntary: my second, in sort necessary: this, wholly superfluous, but violently extorted after the rest: all wearisome unto me; but this most tedious: and any thing more, would seem intolerable: Especially in the invective vein: the little Fury of this Age, & great Incendiary of the world: whose unmeasurable outrage I would rather mitigate with twenty Insinuative, & persuasive Orations, than anyway aggravate with one Offensive, or defensive Letter. Some Comical jars may be endured: but no act so joyful, as the Plaudite: & whatsoever the beginning happeneth to be, I would always wish a pleasant, or amicable end: the scope whereat I as diligently aim, as any, that most religiously affecteth unity. Only my determination is, rather to be a Sheep in Wolves print, then to suffer myself, or my dearest friends, to be made Sheep in the wolves walk: and only my request is, that every discreet, and courteous mind, will as considerately weigh the cause, as censoriously note the effect. I hope, there neither is, nor shallbe any default committed, but may in convenient time be redressed with some reasonable amends: until which time, I am not to dedicate any thing unto any parsonage of name; but a mind, affectionately desirous to honour the worthiest: to reverence the wisest: to commend the learnedest: to embrace the best: to appease the worst: to injury none: to render every one, the uttermost of his desert, or other quality. Which mind I entirely recommend unto you all: and you all unto God: whom I beseech, to accomplish that, which I cannot effect: and even to work a miracle upon the dease.  
London: this 11. and 12. of September. Your affectionate friend, G. H.   

GREEN'S MEMORIAL, OR certain Funeral Sonnets.  
To the foresaid Master Emmanuell Demetrius, Master Christopher Bird, and all gentle wits, that will voursafe the reading.  

SONNET I.  
His Repentance, that meant to call Green to his answer.  

ALas that I so hastily should come,  
To terrify the man with fatal dread,  
That deemed quiet Pens, or dead, or dumb,  
And stoutly knocked poor Silence on the head.  
Enough can say: dead is the Dog of spite:  
I, that for pity praised him alive,  
And smiled to hear him gnar, and see him bite,  
Am not with sorry carcases to strive.  
The worst I list of Famous him report:  
Paul's hath the Only Pregnant Author lost:  
Aihme, quoth Wit in lamentable sort,  
What worthy wight shall now command the roast?  
Fame heard the plaint: and pointed at A man,  
As green as green, and white as whitest Swan.    

SONNET II.  
His misfortune, in being spitefully injuried by some, whom he partially commended.  

Unlucky I, unhappiest on Earth,  
That fond doting upon dainty wits,  
And deeply ravished with their luring fits,  
Of gentle favours find so hard a Dearth.  
Is it my Fate, or Fault, that such fine men  
Should their Commender so unkindly bite?  
That loves to love, in spite of rankest Spite,  
And hates to hate, with heart, or Tongue, or Pen.  
Sweet Writers, as ye covet to be sweet,  
Nor me, nor other, nor yourselves abuse:  
Humanity doth courteously peruse  
Each act of friend, or foe, with favour meet.  
Fowl Devil, and fouler Malice cease to rave:  
For every fault I twenty pardons crave.    

SONNET III.  
His admonition to Green's Companions.  

THe flourishing, and gaily-springing wight,  
That vainly me provoked with vile reproach,  
Hath done his worst, and hath no more to broche:  
Maugre the Devil of villainous despite.  
I cannot rail, whatever cause to rail:  
For Charity I lovingly embrace,  
That me for Envy odiously deface:  
But in their highest rage extremely fail.  
I can do him no harm, that is in Heaven:  
I can do him no good that is in Hell:  
I wish the best to his Suruivours fell,  
Deeply acquainted with his Six: and Seven.  
O be not like to Death, that spareth none:  
Your greenest Flower, and peacocks tail is gone.    

SONNET FOUR  
The miserable end of wilful desperateness.  

THe jolly Fly dispatched his silly self:  
What Stories acquaint of many a douty Fly,  
That read a Lecture to the venturous Elf?  
Yet he will have his lusty swing, to die.  
courage, and stirring wit in time do well:  
But that same obstinate Desperation,  
A furious fiend of self-devouring Hell,  
Rushing with terrible Commination,  
(What storm so hideous, as Rages spell?)  
Concludes with horrible Lamentation:  
Each blessed tongue accurse malediction,  
The ugly mouth of ruthful confusion.  
Nothing so doulcely sweet, or kindly dear,  
As sugredlippes, and Hearts delicious cheer.    

SONNET V.  
The learned should lovingly affect the learned.  

I Am not to instruct, where I may learn:  
But where I may persuasively exhort,  
Nor over-dissolute, nor over▪ stern,  
A courteous Honesty I would extort.  
Good loathes to damage, or upbraid the good:  
Gentle how loovely to the gentle wight?  
Who seeth not, how every blooming bud  
Smileth on every flower fairly dight,  
And biddeth fowl illfavordnesse Goodnight?  
Would Alciats Emblem, or sum scarlet hood.  
Can teach the Pregnant sons of shiny Light,  
To interbrace each other with delight.  
Fine Mercury conducts a dainty band  
Of Charites, and Muses, hand in hand.    

SONNET VI.  
His Palace of pleasure.  

I Wot not what these cutting Huffe-snuffes mean:  
Of Ale-house-daggers I have little skill:  
I borrow not my phrase of knave, or quean,  
But am a debtor to the Ciunill quill.  
It is restorative unto my heart,  
To hear how gentle Cheek, and Smith conversed:  
No daintier piece of delic atest, Art,  
Then cordial Stories charmingly rehearsed,  
That whilom rudest woods, and stonesamperced.  
Who now begins that amiable part?  
Haddon farewell: and Ascham thou art stolen,  
And every sweetness tastes of bitter bale.  
Oh, let me live to interview the face  
Of fair Humanity, and bounteous Grace.    

SONNET VII.  
His unfeigned wish.  

Never Ulysses, or Aeneas tired,  
With toiling travails, and huge afflictions:  
As arrant pen, and wretched page bemyred  
With nasty filth of rancke-maledictions.  
I seldom call a snarling Cur, a Cur:  
But wish the gnarring dog, as sweet a mouth,  
As bravest horse, that feeleth golden spur:  
Or shrillest Trump, that soundeth North, or South:  
Or most enchanting Sirens voice uncouth.  
Selfe-gnawing Hearts, and gnashing Teeth of murr,  
How feign would I see Orpheus reviv'd,  
Or Suadas hoony-bees in you rehiued?  
O most-delicious hoony-dewes, infuse  
Your daintiest influence into their Muse.    

SONNET VIII.  
A Continuation of the same wish.  

LEt them forget their cankered peevishness:  
And say to Choler fell; Thou wert our fall:  
Hadst thou not boiled in fretting waywardness,  
We might have laughed at Fortunes tossing Ball.  
Choler, content thy malcontented self:  
And clearest Humour of right Sanguine pure,  
Neatly refined from that felonious Elf,  
With jovial graciousness thyself enure.  
If ever silver conduits were abroach  
Of streaming Wit, and flowing Eloquence:  
Ye fludds of milk, and hoony reapproche,  
And bounteously poure-out your Quintessence.  
Gently assemble Delicacies all,  
And sweetly nectarize this bitter gall.    

SONNET IX.  
His reviuall of a former motion: added at the instance of an espéciall friend.  

WEre I as meet, as willing to advise:  
I would in amicable terms entreat  
Some forward wits to change their headlong guise,  
And less in print, and more in mint to sweat.  
Pythagoras, and Apollonius sage,  
Two wonders of capacity divine;  
Trained their followers to temper rage,  
And Tongue with curious silence to refine.  
There is a Time to speak: a Time to write:  
But blessed be the Time, that sees, and hears:  
Let Petty Stars suppress their twinkling light:  
And glorious Sun advance his beamy peers.  
O you of golden mould, that shine like Sun.  
Display your heavenly gifts: and I have dun.    

SONNET X.  
A more particular Declaration of his intention.  

YEt let Affection interpret self:  
Arcadia brave, and doughty Fairy Queen  
Cannot be stained by Gibelin, or Guelph,  
Or goodliest Legend, that wits eye hath seen.  
The dainty Hand of exquisitest Art,  
And nimble Head of pregnantest receipt,  
Never more finely played their curious part,  
Then in those lively Crystals of conceit.  
Other fair Wits I cordially embrace:  
And that sweet Muse of azure Die, admire:  
And must in every Sonnet interlace  
The earthly Sovereign of heavenly fire.  
A fit place remaineth to implore,  
Of deepest Artists the profoundest lore.    

SONNET XI.  
His Desire, to honour excellent perfections in the best.  
another addition, inserted at the request of one, that might command.  

Black Art avaunt: and Hail thrise-grace-full Grace,  
That whitest white on Earth, or Heaven exceeds,  
In purity, and soverainety immense.  
Or lock my mouth: or school my infant-lippes,  
Resplendent lights of Milky Way to sing,  
Rare subjects of thy indulgence supreme.  
Yet what should I conspicuous Mirrors sing,  
That radiantly display their beauteous beams  
Of glistering Virtue, and reshining Wit:  
The Luminaries great of little world?  
Folly impossibilities attempts:  
Astonishment such brightness best becummes:  
Or lend me Pegasus, thy mounting wings:  
And let me hear, how choir of Angels singes.    

SONNET XII.  
His Court of Honour.  

WEre fine Castilio, the Heir of Grace:  
What gallant port more graciously fine?  
As dainty Petrarch was sweet Sirens son:  
What witching tune more Orpheously sweet?  
Him, him, the Idee high, and deep Abyss  
Of noble Excellence I would proclaim.  
But what should drowsy Muse of Phantoms dream?  
Cast glancing eye into Queen Pallas Court:  
And scorn the dimness of thy dazzled sight,  
Astounded with Lord-and Lady-Graces view:  
Idees how high, Abysses how profound  
Of valour brave, and admirable worth?  
Poor glimmering Gems, and twinkling Stars adieu:  
Here, here the Sun, and Moon of Honour true.    

SONNET XIII.  
His intercession to Fame.  

Live ever valorous renowned Knights:  
Live ever Smith, and Bacon, Peerless men:  
Live ever Walsingham, and Hatton wise:  
Live ever Mildmayes honourable name.  
Ah, that Sir Humphrey Gilbert should be dead:  
Ah, that Sir Philip Sidney should be dead:  
Ah, that Sir William Sackevill should be dead:  
Ah, that Sir Richard Grinuile should be dead:  
Ah, that brave Walter Devoreux should be dead:  
Ah, that the Flower of Knighthood should be dead,  
Which, maugre deadlyest Deaths, and stonyest Stones,  
That coover worthiest worth, shall never die.  
Sweet Fame, adorn thy glorious Triumph new:  
Or Virtues all, and Honours all adieu.    

SONNET XIIII.  
A repetition of the former Petition.  

But Virtues all, and Honours all survive:  
And Virtues all, and Honours all inflame  
Brave minds to plaltform, and redoubted hands  
To do such deeds, and such exploits achieve,  
As they, and they courageously performed.  
Egregious men, and memorable Knights:  
Ay memorable Knights, whiles Sun shall shine,  
And teach industrious Worth, to shine like Sun:  
To live in motion, and action hot:  
To eternize Entelechy divine:  
Where plutarchs lives: where Argonautiques brave:  
Where all Heroic woonderments concur.  
Oh, Oh, and Oh a thousand thousand times,  
That thirsty Ear might hear Archangels rhymes.    

SONNET XV.  
A continuation of the same Petition.  

THen would I so my Melody addoulce,  
And so attune my Harmony to theirs,  
That fellest Fury should confess herself  
Enchanted mightily with charms divine:  
And in the sweetest terms of sacred Leagues,  
With pure devotion reconcile her rage.  
Meanwhile I seek, and seek, but cannot find  
That jewel rare of precioussest worth:  
Gentle Accord, and sovereign Repose,  
The Paradise of Earth, and bliss of Heaven.  
Be it in Earth, o Heaven direct my course:  
Be it in Heaven alone, o Earth Farewell.  
Or welfare Patience, that sweetens sour,  
And rears on Hellish Earth an Heavenly Bower.    

SONNET XVI.  
His professed Disdain, to answer vanity in some, or to envy prosperity in any.  

SOme me have spited with a cruel spite:  
But Fount of Mercy so reclense my sin,  
As I nor them malign, nor any wight:  
But all good minds affect, like dearest kin.  
Small cause I have to scorn in any sort:  
Yet I extremely scorn to answer some,  
That banish Conscience from their report,  
And overwantonly abuse the dumb.  
God keep Low-Countrymen from high Disdain:  
Yet I disdain with haughtiest contempt  
To envy any person's Fame, or Gain:  
Or any crooked practice to attempt.  
jesus, that we should band, like john Oneale,  
That tenderly should melt in mutual zeal.    

SONNET XVII.  
His exhortation to atonement and love.  

O Minds of Heaven, and wits of highest Sphere,  
Molten most-tenderly in mutual zeal:  
Each one with cordial indulgence forbear,  
And Bonds of Love reciproquely enseale.  
No rose, no violet, no fragrant spice,  
No Nectar, no Ambrosia so sweet:  
As gracious love, that never maketh nice,  
But every one embraceth, as is meet.  
Magnes, and many things attractive are:  
But nothing so allective under skies,  
As that same dainty amiable Star,  
That none, but grisly mouth of Hell, defies.  
That Star illuminate celestial Hearts:  
And who, but Rancour, feeleth irksome smarts?    

SONNET XVIII.  
john Harueys Welcome to Robert Greene..  

COme fellow green, come to thy gaping grave:  
Bid Vanity, and Foolery farewell:  
Thou overlong hast played the madbrained knave:  
And overlowd hast rung the bawdy bell.  
Vermine to Vermine must repair at last:  
No fit house for busy folk to dwell:  
Thy Coney-catching Pageants are past:  
Some other must those arrant Stories tell.  
These hungry worms think long for their repast:  
Come on: I pardon thy offence to me:  
It was thy living: be not so aghast:  
A Fool, and Physician may agree.  
And for my Brothers, never vex thyself:  
They are not to disease a buried Elf.    

SONNET XIX.  
His Apology of himself, and his brothers.  

YEt fie on lies, and fie on false Appeals:  
No Minister in England less affects  
Those wanton kisses, that lewd folly steals,  
Then He, whom only Ribaldry suspects.  
Were I a fool, (what man plays not the fool?  
The world is full of fools, and full of sects:)  
Yet was john never spoiled with the tool,  
That Richard made: and none, but none infects.  
The third is better known in Court, and School,  
Then thy vain Quipp, or my Defence shallbe:  
Whose Eye, but his, that sits on Slanders stool,  
Did ever him in Fleet, or Prison see?  
Loud Mentery small confutation needs:  
Avaunt black Beast, that sows such cursed seeds.    

SONNET XX.  
His Apology of his good Father.  

AH my dear Father, and my Parent sweet,  
Whose honesty no neighbour can impeach:  
That any Ruffian should in terms unmeet,  
To your discredit shamefully outreach.  
O rakehell Hand, that scribbled him a knave,  
Whom never Enemy did so appeach:  
Repent thy wicked self, that so didst rave,  
And cancel that, which Slanders mouth did teach.  
Nor every man, nor every trade is brave:  
Malt, hairs, and hemp, and sackcloth must be had:  
Truth him from odious imputations save:  
And many a gallant Gentleman more bad.  
Four Sons, him cost a thousand pounds at :  
Well may he far: and thou enjoy thy rest.    

SONNET XXI.  
His charitable hope▪ and their eternal repose.  

LEt memory of gross abuses sleep:  
Who over-shooteth not in reckless youth?  
Were sins as red, as reddest scarlet deep,  
A penitential heart preventeth ruth.  
Wellwishing Charity presumes the best:  
Nothing impossible to powerful Truth:  
Body to Grave; and Soul to Heaven addressed,  
Leave upon Earth, the follies of their youth.  
Some Penury bewail: some fear Arrest:  
Some Parmaes' force: some spaniards gold addread:  
Some underly the terrible inquest:  
Some carry a jealous: some a climbing Head.  
We that are dead, released from living woes,  
Sound enjoy a long, and long Repose.    

SONNET XXII.  

L'enuoy: or an Answer to the Gentleman, that drunk to Chaucer, upon view of the former Sonnets, and other Cantos, in honour of certain Brave men.  
SOme Tales to tell, would I a Chaucer were:  
Yet would I not even-now an Homer be:  
Though Spencer me hath often Homer termed:  
And Monsieur Bodine vowed as much as he.  
Envy, and Zoilus, two busy wights:  
No petty shade of Homer can appear,  
But he the Devil, and she his Dam display:  
And Furies fell annoy sweet Muse's cheer.  
Nor Martin's I, nor Counter-martins' squibb:  
Enough a do, to clear my simple self:  
Momus 'gainst Heaven; and Zoilus 'gainst Earth,  
A Quipp for Gibeline; and whip for Guelph.  
Or purge this humour: or woe-worth the State,  
That long endures the one, or other mate.   

Robertus Grenus, utriusque Academiae Artium Magister, de Seipso.  
ILle Ego, cui risus, rumores, festa, puellae,  
Vana libellorum scriptio, vita fuit:  
Prodigus ut vidi Ver, AEstatemque furoris,  
Autumno, atque Hyemi, cum Cane dico vale.  
Ingenij hullam; plumam Artis; fistulam Amandi;  
Ecquae non misero plangat avena tono?   

Gabriel Harueius, desideratissimae animae joannis fratris.  
AT junioris erat, Seniori pangere carmen  
Funebre, ni Fati lex violenta vetet.  
Quid frustra exclamem, Frater, fraterrime Frater?  
Dulcia cuncta ab●unt: tristia solamanent.  
Totus ego Funus, pullato squallidum amictu,  
Quamuis caelicolae, flebile dico Vale.   

To the right worshipful, my singular good friend, M. Gabriel Harvey, Doctor of the Laws.  

HAruey, the happy above happiest men  
I read: that sitting like a Looker-on  
Of thisworldes' Stage, dost note with critic pen  
The sharp dislikes of each condition:  
And as one careless of suspicion,  
Ne fawnest for the favour of the great:  
Ne fearest foolish reprehension  
Of faulty men, which danger to thee threat.  
But freely dost, of what thee list, entreat,  
Like a great Lord of peerless liberty:  
Lifting the Good up to high Honour's seat,  
And the Evil damning cuermore to die.  
For Life, and Death is in thy doomefull writing:  
So thy renown lives ever by endighting.   
Dublin: this xviij. of july: 1586. Your devoted friend, during life, Edmund Spencer.  
FINIS.