The
Authours
Epistle
Dedicatorie
to
the
right
Honorable
Sir
ROBERT
NANTON
,
Knight
,
Principall
Secretarie
to
the
State
,
and
one
of
his
Maiesties
most
Honourable
priuie
Councell
.
MAny
things
there
be
(
right
Honourable
)
which
vilifie
and
diminish
the
faith
of
Romes
Religion
,
which
fortifie
and
garnish
ours
.
And
yet
indeed
it
is
a
very
miserable
and
deplorable
thing
,
that
in
matter
of
Religion
,
mens
mindes
and
iudgements
should
still
hang
wauering
and
anxiously
tottering
as
a
Wedge
of
Steele
betweene
two
attractiue
Loadestones
;
and
not
to
be
maturely
and
firmely
confirmed
in
the
indubitable
orthodox
Faith
and
Religion
.
When
therefore
I
had
adapted
and
addicted
my
mind
to
the
studie
of
Diuinitie
,
and
afterward
setled
my
serious
inquisition
vpon
Controuersies
of
Faith
:
Poperie
most
perspicuously
seemed
to
me
,
to
be
nothing
else
,
but
a
certaine
pompous
&
Maiesticke
Monarchie
,
begotten
by
Ambition
,
bred
and
fed
vp
by
Superstition
,
blocked-vp
and
fortified
by
Tyranny
,
enlarged
and
propagated
both
by
the
Mammon
of
the
World
,
and
fraudulent
Fabrication
of
the
Pseudo-Clergie
.
Many
most
learned
Authours
haue
by
their
worthy
Writings
notably
shaken
this
(
I
say
not
Religion
,
but
)
Relegation
or
Banishment
of
true
Religion
:
and
may
It
now
(
with
your
Honours
good
liking
)
put
on
a
versified
Vesture
,
and
by
this
my
Edition
and
Dedication
to
your
Honour
,
come
forth
,
yet
more
grossely
guiltie
from
me
.
Theodorite
writes
of
one
Ephres
of
Syrus
an
Iland
in
Asia
,
who
long
since
composed
in
diuers
kinds
of
Verses
,
whatsoeuer
appertained
to
Pietie
and
Religion
:
That
so
they
might
the
more
feruently
be
affected
and
earnestly
desired
.
The
same
doth
Socrates
and
Sozomen
affirme
of
Apollinarius
;
And
Gregory
Nyssen
of
Basil
and
of
Nazianzen
.
Of
more
proximious
and
moderne
times
also
Eobanus
of
Hesse
,
Beza
,
Bucanan
,
and
very
many
more
did
accomodate
themselues
(
as
it
were
,
with
a
certaine
kinde
of
delightfull
Sawce
and
Seasoning
of
the
Truth
)
to
the
illustration
and
setting
forth
of
the
Booke
of
Psalmes
in
Verse
.
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
(
as
Pindarus
)
Let
not
then
the
stormie
Stones
of
dire
Detraction
be
throwne
at
me
,
if
I
in
imitation
of
those
worthy
imitable
Authours
haue
in
verse
composed
Hoc
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
Religionis
argumentum
,
This
often
controuerted
Subiect
of
Religion
.
The
most
exquisitely
learned
Interpreters
doe
call
the
Booke
of
Psalmes
,
the
most
sacred
sugred
Poeme
of
Gods
blessed
Spirit
;
And
they
giue
the
reason
why
Almightie
God
would
haue
so
excellent
a
Treasure
of
his
Church
to
be
contriued
and
contained
in
verse
,
viz.
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
,
that
it
might
be
as
a
Bait
to
allure
and
entice
men
to
facile
obedience
thereunto
.
The
same
also
is
most
manifest
that
Satan
(
as
he
is
Operum
Dei
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
the
Ape
of
Gods
Actions
)
was
wont
to
enfold
,
wreathe
and
winde-vp
in
Verse
,
all
his
Oracles
which
in
former
ages
he
vsed
to
deliuer
by
his
Pythons
or
Sybils
,
that
by
this
meanes
they
might
be
the
more
pleasant
and
acceptable
to
those
which
enquired
after
them
.
I
omit
,
that
Saint
Paul
out
of
certaine
Poets
,
as
Aratus
,
Menander
and
Epimenedes
,
quoted
diuers
Testimonies
or
amplifications
,
and
not
out
of
any
other
Heathenish
Authors
,
as
neere
as
I
can
obserue
in
his
Epistles
.
Once
also
heretofore
I
my selfe
composed
a
Module
in
Latine-Verse
,
vnder
the
Title
of
A
Combate
betweene
the
Flesh
and
the
Spirit
;
or
,
The
Warfare
of
a
Christian
Souldier
.
Of
our
holy
Martyrs
;
And
of
The
miseries
of
this
miserable
Life
;
Since
which
time
,
I
with
Nazianzen
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
:
haue
cast
and
prostrated
this
my
Muse
at
my
Sauiours
feet
,
submitting
and
addicting
it
wholly
to
his
seruice
,
and
to
the
setting
forth
of
his
pure
Doctrine
.
And
whilest
I
read
the
elaborate
Labours
and
Diatribae
of
Diuines
,
and
at
intermissiue
houres
ruminated
what
I
had
read
;
with
most
feruent
desire
and
full
delight
,
I
forthwith
put
my selfe
vpon
a
versifying
Veine
,
thereby
(
as
well
as
I
might
)
to
strengthen
and
assist
my
weake
and
vntrusty
memorie
.
The
Fruit
of
this
my
Labour
I
humbly
Deuote
,
Dedicate
and
Consecrate
to
you
(
Right
Honourable
)
whom
I
euer
knew
(
since
I
euer
knew
any
thing
)
most
exquisitely
endued
,
and
adorned
,
furnisht
and
accomplisht
with
all
generous
and
ingenious
Vertues
and
Discipline
.
Whence
,
th●
reason
why
his
Maiesty
made
you
his
worthy
Principall
Secretarie
,
cannot
be
Secretly
hidden
,
but
most
conspicuously
euident
,
to
me
,
to
all
others
:
But
by
this
Poeme
,
the
Proeme
of
my
principall
intention
is
,
sincerely
to
lay
downe
a
perpetuall
Pledge
,
and
merited
Memory
of
my
obsequious
obseruance
of
that
great
Fauour
and
Courtesie
,
wherewith
your
Honour
hath
euer
graced
and
embraced
mee
:
And
of
that
firme
Faith
,
which
I
heere
endeuour
to
defend
,
and
wherein
I
am
most
certainely
assured
,
you
are
most
confidently
and
immoueably
settled
.
But
I
trust
your
Honourable
Courtesie
will
conniue
at
and
excuse
me
,
if
(
as
I
am
Acrior
paulò
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
,
a
somewhat
sharp
and
tart
Opposite
to
the
Antichristian-Crew
)
the
syllables
and
sentences
in
diuers
places
being
transposed
and
alternated
,
I
seeme
to
say
&
reiterate
one
and
the
same
thing
:
Since
that
euen
from
my
first
vndertaking
of
this
Worke
thus
once
vndertaken
,
I
vndertooke
to
display
and
disperse
the
fragrant
and
odoriferous
Flowers
of
various
Authors
,
and
not
onely
to
write
diuers
things
,
but
to
write
them
diuers
waies
,
and
truely
to
depaint
the
power
of
Popery
to
be
no
lesse
sumptuously
spacious
,
than
auariciously
Capacious
.
But
aboue
all
,
my
heart
hath
eagerly
exasperated
my
Hand
and
ready
Pen
(
to
the
vtmost
of
my
power
)
to
pull
downe
the
intolerable
and
abominable
Pride
of
Rome
:
whereby
her
Babylonicall
Bishops
haue
with
the
Hornes
of
their
Insolency
,
butted
at
the
Princes
of
the
Earth
,
shewing
themselues
to
be
nothing
else
,
indeed
,
than
the
sirely
Sons
of
Saturne
,
and
an
aspiring
Off-spring
of
robustious
combustious
Phaetontine
haughty
Spirits
.
Neither
shall
the
Reader
finde
heere
any
flourishing
veines
or
straines
of
painted
Poetry
and
fabulous
Fictions
:
My
prime
purpose
,
in
the
fashioning
and
framing
of
this
Honey-Combe
,
being
,
to
furnish
it
with
a
more
beautifull
Cluster
of
Theologie
,
than
a
bountifull
Crop
of
Poesie
.
Nor
haue
I
been
ambitiously
busie
,
to
cite
my
Authors
Names
on
the
Margines
:
For
,
what
I
write
,
I
write
to
those
,
who
(
as
Saint
Augustine
saies
,
are
willing
to
reade
,
and
wise
to
vnderstand
;
and
who
together
with
mee
,
doe
either
already
know
,
or
easily
may
know
,
whatsoeuer
I
haue
writ
.
Finally
,
Heere
,
you
ha●e
neither
a
few
,
nor
all
matters
touching
the
Romish
Religion
;
Let
whoso
will
,
giue
my
Booke
a
Bill
of
Diuorce
:
But
from
your
right
Honourable
Humanity
,
and
Customary
Courtesie
,
I
vndoubtedly
expect
,
and
hope
to
find
,
Fauour
for
what
I
haue
done
,
and
Pardon
for
what
I
haue
pretermitted
and
left
vndone
.
Your
Honours
most
duely
deuoted
,
GEORGE
GOODWINNE
.