The
Prefac●
to
the
Reader
.
MArk
gentle
reader
,
in
this
little
tr●atis
,
both
fonde
and
affectionate
loue
,
the
one
proceeding
from
a
loyall
and
gentle
hear●e
,
rather
decked
with
ve●tue
,
than
follie
,
I
say
rath●r
adorned
,
&
beautified
with
Venus
mild
and
gentle
behauiour
,
than
enuironned
with
the
deadly
and
spitefull
rage
of
uno
:
the
other
from
a
disdainefull
and
loths●me
stomacke
puffed
vp
with
too
muche
superstition
,
vnder
the
coloure
of
mecke
humilitie
.
with
vainglorie
,
vnder
the
shadowe
of
constancie
:
with
disdaine
,
vnder
the
pretence
of
perfect
and
sounde
chastitie
.
They
that
haue
passed
the
most
part
of
their
time
in
humaine
follies
,
and
haue
rather
foll●wed
the
vanities
of
fooles
and
insensuate
louers
in
matters
of
loue
(
and
the
contemplation
of
heau●nlie
things
,
or
else
of
those
that
here
on
earth
may
giue
some
entrie
for
man
to
attaine
glory
and
honour
of
his
name
)
they
I
say
shall
serue
mee
for
witnesses
to
confirme
the
opinion
of
long
time
rooted
in
the
fansies
of
men
,
which
is
,
that
the
beautie
&
comely
fauour
of
a
woman
is
the
most
true
and
natural
Adaman●
that
can
be
found
,
sith
the
same
stone
(
for
a
certaine
attractiue
power
and
agreable
qualitie
therin
enclosed
)
doth
not
better
draw
the
iron
,
than
a
woman
doth
by
a
certaine
hidden
force
,
whiche
rysing
vnder
the
allurement
of
hir
,
draweth
vnto
it
the
heartes
and
affections
of
men
,
which
hath
made
manie
beleeue
,
that
the
same
only
essence
was
sent
to
vs
belowe
to
serue
bothe
for
mennes
torment
and
ioy
togither
.
But
yet
there
is
another
thing
of
greater
wonder
,
it
is
not
to
heare
tell
that
Paris
forsooke
,
Troy
to
go
visite
Helena
in
Grece
,
that
Hercules
had
giuen
ouer
his
mace
to
handle
the
distaffe
at
the
commaundement
of
a
woman
,
or
that
Salomon
was
s●tted
in
his
wisdome
to
dallie
with
those
which
made
him
a
voluntarie
slaue
.
But
that
a
woman
of
whom
a
man
had
receiued
no
fauour
nor
curtesie
,
had
forgotten
hir
duetie
to
hir
seruaunt
,
if
it
seeme
not
straunge
,
I
knowe
not
what
to
call
wonderfull
or
maruellous
.
If
defence
of
speeche
for
loue
,
is
not
deemed
suche
whereby
man
is
different
from
brute
beastes
:
(
for
reason
is
altogither
r●fuse●
of
●o●ers
)
and
notwithstanding
our
Fathers
haue
seene
the
example
of
that
vertue
no
long
time
paste
in
the
person
of
a
Gentleman
,
verie
wise
and
wel
trained
vp
in
other
thinges
,
a
case
so
straunge
,
as
declaring
the
singular
force
of
nature
in
that
matter
,
wherein
shee
seemeth
to
haue
giuen
the
preferment
aboue
all
things
in
the
earth
.
Examples
hereof
is
the
effemination
of
Hercules
,
the
depriuation
of
Sampsons
force
,
the
losse
of
sense
,
and
the
Idelatrie
of
the
famous
and
wise
King
Salomon
,
and
the
simplicitie
of
a
warelesse
&
vncircumspecte
Gentleman
,
of
whome
yee
shall
reade
in
the
Historie
following
.
Marke
I
say
,
(
gentle
Reader
)
howe
fortune
dealeth
with
them
,
which
trusting
in
their
force
,
despise
(
in
respect
of
that
whiche
they
doe
them selues
)
the
little
portion
whiche
they
iudged
to
bee
in
others
.
If
the
vaineglorie
and
arrogant
presumption
of
a
chastitie
impregnable
,
had
not
deceiued
the
Gentlewomanne
following
in
this
Treatise
,
if
the
sugred
hunger
of
golde
had
not
blinded
hir
,
it
coulde
not
haue
bin
knowne
wherein
hir
inconstancie
consisted
,
not
in
the
minion
delites
and
alluring
toyes
of
a
passionate
Louer
,
but
in
the
couetous
desire
of
filling
hir
purse
,
and
hypocriticall
glorye
of
praise
a●●ngs
menne
:
Notwithstanding
,
you
shall
see
the
gaine
whiche
shee
made
;
to
serue
hir
turne
nothing
at
all
,
but
to
the
perpetuall
reproche
of
hir
name
,
and
raysed
a
slaunder
,
suche
as
ill
speakers
and
enimies
of
womenkinde
do
burden
that
sex
withall
.
But
the
fault
of
one
whiche
by
hir
owne
presumption
disceiued
hir selfe
,
ought
not
to
obscure
the
glorie
of
so
manye
vertuous
,
faire
,
and
honest
dames
,
who
by
their
chastitie
,
liberalitie
and
curtesie
,
bee
able
too
deface
the
blot
of
follie
,
couetousnesse
,
and
crueltie
of
this
Gentlewoman
heere
,
and
of
all
other
that
doe
resemble
hir
:
notwithstanding
in
the
ende
reconciling
hir selfe
,
and
abhorring
the
foolishe
fantasie
of
hir
former
life
,
with
an
ordinarie
greefe
of
him
whiche
serued
hir
for
a
spurre
too
hir
conscience
,
and
continually
forced
hir
too
thinke
,
that
the
force
of
a
man
is
lesse
than
nothing
where
God
work●th
not
by
his
grace
,
who
failing
in
vs
,
our
wo●kes
can
sauor
but
of
the
stenche
and
corruption
of
our
nature
,
wherein
it
tumbleth
and
tosseth
as
the
sow
in
the
puddles
of
dirt
and
mire
.
This
breefe
discourse
giueth
lessons
vnto
Louers
to
auoide
the
imm●derate
pangues
of
loue
,
it
doth
〈◊〉
the
indiscretion
of
promised
penaunce
,
it
warneth
to
beware
all
〈…〉
heastes
,
least
the
penalties
of
couetous●●●●
and
vaineglory
be
incurred
,
whiche
shall
manifest
it selfe
,
if
you
marke
the
sense
thereof
in
Reading
.
And
that
the
same
might
the
more
delighte
thee
,
I
haue
turned
it
into
simple
verse
,
according
as
my
capacitie
woulde
serue
,
but
notwithstanding
take
it
in
worth
,
which
I
know
to
be
full
of
errors
,
and
not
so
eloquent
as
you
require
,
nor
so
delectable
as
I
wold
desire
.
Thus
greeting
thee
,
I
bid
thee
farewell
.