IAMES , BY THE GRACE OF GOD , King of Great Britaine , France , and Ireland , defender of the Faith ; With speciall advise and consent of the Lordes of Our Secrete Counsell : In consideration of the exquisite Travels , and great Charges , made and sustained by our well-beloved Subject , M. David Browne , in Inventing of this Worke , Making of Types thereunto , and Printing of the same : and yet some that slept , when hee awoake in doing of the same , may frustrate and prevent him in the expectation of his so tedious and sumptuous endevoures ; and that by divulgating of the said Invention in their owne favours , if remedie be not provided . Therefore , wit ye Vs , with consent foresaid , To haue given and granted , and by Our Letters of gift , giue and grant unto the said M. David Browne , his Heyres and Assigneyes ; The onlie Licence and Priviledge to cause Imprint this Booke , as oft ●● neede requireth ; and that for the space of Manie yeares : And to haue prohibited , and by Our foresaides Letter● prohibite , All Our Subjects , that none presume to Print , or cause Imprint the same either in English or Latine ; nor yet bring home , buy or sell anie extract thereof , Without the speciall advise of the said Author , or his aforesaides : Vnder the paine of 1000. Poundes Monie , to be● incurred by the Contraveners ; wherof the one halfe to redound to Our owne use , and the other halfe to his , or his foresaides use , with Confiscation of all and whatsoever Bookes shall happen to bee Imprinted , Bought , Sold , or brought home , wherever they can bee apprehended .

IT is sayde , ( dread Soveraigne ) by Salomon , that great King of Wisedome , Vertue , and Peace , that a Kinges favour , is like the dew upon the grasse : as if hee should say , that the commendation , or loving countenance of a King to Vertuous Workes , both encourageth the Workers , and maketh the Works more and more to flowrish within his Kingdome , according to that other Proverbe , Virtus laudata crescit . The efficacie and validitie of eyther of these , I , ( though a verie meane Instrument of a verie meane Worke , haue found to bee accomplished by your Highnesse , ( whom GOD hath endued as another Salomon , with the like Princelie Prerogatiues , whose Name therefore bee praysed ) and that a● diverse times , but chiefelie at your Majesties last beeing in your Highnesse Palace of HOLIE ROOD-HOVSE , after inspection of some of mine owne Exercises of FAIRE WRITING , with certaine rare practises of a nine-yeare-olde Disciple , which I then taught , & at your Highnesse superscribing of my former Priviledge . For the which Royall Testimonies , and especiallie for the Priviledge , ( which I esteeme the Seale thereof ) I most humblie render all heartie thanks unto GOD , and to your Majestie through HIM , in whome I hope to prooue your trustie Servant to the death .

In memorie , consideration , and boldnesse whereof , I haue both with the better courage , and greater expedition , enterprized and accomplished this difficill Taske , in finding out a way how Writing may bee learned by Reading : and that for the regarde I owe to the glorie of GOD , who is the Author of all sortes of Vertue , of which the dexteritie of Writing is one , your Highnesse pleasure , who under HIM , is the maintainer of all Vertue , within your Royall Kingdomes , the Common-wealth of them all , which springeth from the Fountaine of all Vertue , & to mine owne credite , which I owe both unto GOD , of whome I holde my meane Talent , your Majesties selfe , Prince CHARLES , your deare and onelie Sonne , to all your Highnesse Loyall Subjectes of this your Majesties famous Realme of SCOTLAND , and especiallie the Secret Counsell , Nobilitie , Colledge of Iustice , Vniversities , and chiefe Cities thereof : ( where I was borne , brought up , and doe spende my dayes : ) which ( albeit not verie woorthie of it selfe , yet because it justlie belongeth unto your most Sacred Majestie , beeing both bred in your Highnesse owne Realme , and the first fruites of this kinde that ever did grow therein ) I therefore , according as appertaineth , more for mine owne duety , than its valour , with heartie affection , moste humblie propine unto your Majesties most Royall Person , as Master of all the Ground , next unto IEHOVAH , ( to remaine under the Saueguarde and protection of your Highnesse , and your happie Successoures favourable Patronage , and Imperiall authoritie , for a common use : ) and I recommende your Highnesse selfe , with all your most Princelie Progenie , to the blessed Tuition of the most mightie KING of Kinges , during your Reigne in the Earth ; and to HIS joyfull Fruition , to reigne everlastingly with HIM in the Heavens : In whome I rest , while I breathe ,

AS no hight ( good Friend ) can bee attained unto , but by the order of degrees , beginning at the lowest , and by little and little aspiring unto the highest , without omission of anie ; even so , no man can rightlie conceiue any Science , Arte , Historie , ●r Discourse , except hee understand the beginning , midst , ●nd ending thereof , howbeit the usurping and covetous ●nclination of all men , ( for the most parte ) would bee ●n an instant at the verie hight of a thing , ( as oftentimes they imagine themselues so to be ) before they passe the first sixe steppes thereof , when as it containeth sixtie : but in so doing , that their impatiencie oftentimes throwes then farther down , than their furious imagination raised them up . For as rash Writing proveth unprofitable for learners to write ; so hastie reading of the Arte thereof , will avayle little unto those who would practise the same , according to these Proverbes , which haue some affinitie together , Legere , & non intelligere , negligere est : And oftentimes , The more haste , the lesse speede . The practise of the one , a great frie●●● to Ignorance ; and the other , a loving brother unto Y●●●nesse . And as hee is not the owner of the Fruite of ●● Orchard , who leapeth in over the Dykes thereof , and p●lleth the Fruites before they bee rype , not daring to enter at the Yate of the same : even so hee who turneth over manie Leaues in the midst of a Booke , without due consideration what is contayned in each one particularlie , and orderlie , ( with the revolution thereof ) as it standeth , and entereth not at the beginning , may well gette some tasting of greene Fruite , to asswadge his appetite a while , ( though hee spill his Teeth : ) but the right use of all indeede belongeth unto him , who is the Master of the Keyes and Entrie , walketh thorow orderlie as he● listeth , and but plucketh as bee eateth . Wee see they are not the fattest Sheepe which make most travell , and over-hale their meate , when they haue plentie ; but th●se which make a slow pace , rest themselues oftentimes , and ruminate , or revolue , that which they gather .

Therefore , since there is little pleasure , without sone industrie , and that few thinges can be blowne up at once , like Glasses , neyther by action , nor consideration ; haue a little patience , ( I pray thee , both for thine owne profite , and my credite ) to reade , consider , and practise this Worke , even forwardes , as it is set downe , without a●●● omission at all , and as little intermission as thou mayest , lest thou hardlie escape the former inconvenients , and by occasion thereof blame mee innocentlie for thine owne fault .

I confesse , it is farre yet from that sublimitie of stile . whereat I hope it will bee : yet accept of it as it is . ( as a Pledge of my Loue ) untill it shall please GOD that I amende it : for the Building can bee but sober , which is begunne , accomplished , plenished , and garnished , all in such haste , without both longer deliberation , and greater preparation .

If anie parte heereof may seeme eyther obscure or doubtfull , ( as I trust there bee fewe ) misconstrue not mine intention and meaning therein , because it tendeth to ●hy weale , in so far as I am able : but I advise thee to seek ●esolution rather of those who bee well experimented , ●han eyther to rest in discontentment , or yet pronounce ●ash Sentence against a partie unsummoned : for some●imes a fault will appeare to bee , where it is not .

And if thou , through thy diligent searching , and se●ere examining , finde some indeede , ( as at this time I ●annot altogether cleanse it ) judge verie charitab●ie : and ●he rather because it is farre easier to finde a fault in a Worke even well wrought by another , than to worke the ●ike thy selfe without a fault , found by some other who perhaps cannot doe so well . I haue seene a young Mason , that could scarcelie hew a Stone , espie a defect in a fayre Palace , accidentlie in one day , which an hundreth , each one whereof more Skilfull than hee , haue bene ●eaven yeares in building .

So , it is verie easie unto thee , having as it were another mans Candle in thine hand , to beholde him , and his doinges therewith ▪ for thou holding it up unto him while as hee writeth , and thou the meane time standing ydle ●hy selfe , thou mayest easilie perceiue when hee writeth wrong : because , though his face bee towardes the Pap●● as thine is , yet his minde is bended to manie airthes at once , and thine onelie to one : hee hath to consider , and to choose out of manie thinges what is best to bee written , as also both what hee hath written , and hath to write , the Matter , Inditement , Method , Language , and Letters , but thou hast onelie to take notise what is done , and the manner of the doing : hee hath not onelie thee to please in his doinges , but another who perhaps hath as c●rious an head , and yet of a contrarie minde : the third of another opinion : and so foorth . And therefore , though one man could doe never so well , it is verie hard , yea , impossible for him to please multitudes , because of his one opinion , device , plotte , and conceite , and of their pluralitie and diversitie of opinions , devices , plottes , and conceites .

In like manner , because it is farre easier to finde a fault , than mende a fault , if in my time thou come speede by finding , I hope thou wilt play the parte of a discreete Premonitor , and eyther advertise mee thereof mildlie and favourablie , that I may timouslie amende the same , i● the next Impression , ( GOD willing ) and I will gi●● thee heartilie thankes for thy good will : or if thou wil● not , I beseech thee , to passe by the same with silence and modestie , untill it bee repaired , eyther by mee , or so●● other . But if otherwise thou make choyse to declare the same to others , who perhaps will rather make it ridiculous , by jesting ; than blamelesse , by amending , thou manifestest as much thine owne follie , as my negligence ▪ for none liue without faultes , and though thou com●●● not such , yet perhaps an hundreth worse daylie : for in so doing , thou both wishest , and seekest , rather the infamie of one , wherewith to feede thy solatious and phantasticke humour , than the common weale of all , whereat thou art bound to rejoyce .

Againe , if indeede thou makest choyse to become a Challenger and detracter of others , by thy scandalous or slanderous reporte , it is a sure token that thou art destitute of wisedome and discretion thy selfe : yet if thou hast anie courtesie , or gentilitie , though never so little , I am ●erswaded thou wilt neither steale a dint of mee behinde ●y backe , yea , scarcelie before my face , untill thou first advertise mee , that I may bee as well guarded with cor●espondent weapons to defende , as I haue heere armed ●hee wherewith to persue : I meane , thou wilt not fayle ●irst to choose some new Subject , which hath never beene ●mplie written of before , ( without anie colouring of ●ther mens Workes ) and write as largelie thereon , as I , under GOD , haue done of this ; that , if it bee pos●ible , I may catch the like advantage thereby of thee , and pay thee home againe therein , by shewing thee at ●he least a Moate in thine Eye , when as I haue remoo●ed the Beame out of mine owne eye : or else if thou wilt not , but remaine a Coward , or an emptie Vessell , making a great noyse , and yet contayning nothing but winde , it becommeth thee to holde thy peace altogether , and containe thy winde within thy selfe , rather as blast it foorth upon others .

So having no farther occasion in this place , to detaine ●hee from this good occasion it selfe , I remit thee thereunto : onelie entreating thee , whether thou bee a frie●d , or a foe , as thou takest holde thereof , to giue GOD the prayse of what pro●it thou reapest hereby : and as for 〈◊〉 , HIS frayle Instrument in this behalfe , if I incu●●● no disprayse , I shall rest fullie and gladlie contented .

Thus , wishing the event of this thy businesse , t● be according to mine expectation , good will , and affecti●● ▪ For , if thou bee a Friend , Nature teacheth mee to l●●● thee : and if thou bee a Foe , Grace teacheth mee to forgiue thee , yea , and to render unto thee good for evill : howsoever , therefore , thou behavest thy selfe unto mee , I freelie forgiue thee , and doe recommende thee nowe a●d ever , to the favour of the ALMIGHTIE ;