then the valew of the gift . Howbeiti the toyle and labour in trnaslatyng was myne , t●…●…ectation and pleasure in reading shall be yours , if any be , which I would it were as much as I could wishe , to your contentation , and good like : and to my great confort , and hartes desire : Both incouragements to incense me hereafter , to attempt some other thing which shall be peraduenture more pleasant , I will not say more profitable vnto you for besides the notable gestes and high exploites , of our Britaine kings , and other particular personages deciphered in this small volume , here also are liuely expressed , & blased forth , the haut stomackes , & famous actes , of our English nation in generall , their conquests in Fraunce , their victorious ba●…les in Scotland , their memorable aduentures in Spaine , their valure in Iustes & combates at home , their order of battaile , their kinde of munition , & Artillery , whereby they haue atchieued so many conquests , and haue bene most redoubted , and terrible to their enemies : I meane Archery , which laudable , and martiall exercise , how greatly it is now in these our dayes , falne into decay , we shall I feare me , if constrained to indure those bruntes , and attempt those aduentures , and perills which our forefathers haue done , to soone for our selues , though it to late repent . I haue not presented it here , as a thing exquisitely done , but as a worke rudely ouerranne , rather then curiously absolued and perfited . If any one hereafter to the better explication of the Poets meaning , to the liuelier bewtifiyng of his Countries exploytes , and famous attempts , and to the greater delight , and vtilitie of the reader , shall in a more loftie vaine , and heroicall stile polishe and publish this Authour a new , who I confesse deserueth a translatour farre better then I am , then let these my toyses be brent and consumed to ashes , deuoide of farther name & memory . In the meane space if you vouchsafe to turne them ouer , for your solace at vacant times I hope you shall reape some vtility be the matter , though not by the meeter , in which , though you here , and there finde a scape , I beseech you passe it ouer with patience , and perswade your selues , that if God send me lyfe and health , vpon information thereof , it shall be in the next Aedition reformed . As for you my Maisters , and Teachers which read this Author in s●…koles , you must not be offended , though euery verse aunswere not your expectation , according vnto the Latin , for as the worshipfull Tho. Phaer in his Preface to his Aeneads affirmeth , beside the difference of a construction , & a translation , there are many things which seeme delectable , and pleasaunt , in the Latine tong , which conuerted into English , would either be so intricate that none could vnderstand them , or so vnpleasaunt that none would vouchsafe the reading of them . Wherfore I haue Imitated the counsaile of Horace , in his booke intituled De Arte Poetica , where he commendes and allowes him as a good interpretour , amongst other pointes Qui quae non sperat nitescere posse , relinquit . and haue somewhat in some places omitted , though i●… but little , and somewhat altered , though not much , altogether for the ease of the reader and the better vnderstanding of the whole worke . The Authors meaning as neare as I could I haue kept perfect and inuiolate . And so fare ye well most frendly Gentlemen .