POLY-OLBION

By Michael Drayton Esq.

London printed for M Lownes . I Browne . I Helme . I Busbie . Ingraue by W Hole

PErmit mee thus much of these Notes to My Friend . What the Verse oft , with allusion , as supposing a full knowing Reader , le ts slip ; or in winding steps of Personating Fictions ( as some times ) so infolds , that suddaine conceipt cannot abstract a Forme of the clothed Truth , I haue , as I might , Illustrated . Breuity , and Plainenes ( as the one endur'd the Other ) I haue ioyned ; purposely auoyding frequent commixture of different language ; and , whensoeuer it happens , eyther the Page or Margine ( specially for Gentlewomens sake ) summarily interprets it , except where Interpretation aides not . Being not very Prodigall of my Historicall Faith , after Explanation , I oft aduenture on Examination , and Censure . The Author , in Passages of first Inhabitants , Name , State , and Monarchique succession in this Isle , followes Geffrey ap Arthur , Polychronicon , Matthew of Westminster , and such more . Of their Traditions , for that one so much controuerted , and by Cambro-Britons still maintayned , touching the Troian Brute , I haue ( but as an Aduocat for the Muse ) argued ; disclaiming in it , if alledg'd for my own Opinion . In most of the rest , vpon weighing the Reporters credit , Comparison with more perswading authority , and Synchronisme ( the best Touch-stone in this kind of Triall ) I leaue note of Suspicion , or adde coniecturall Amendment : as , for particular examples , among other , in Brennus mistooke by all Writers of later time , following Iustins Epitome of Trogus ill conceiu'd ; in Robert of Swaphams Story of K. Wulphers murdring his Children ; in Rollo first D. of Normandy his time ; none of them yet rectified ( although the first hath been aduentured on ) by any that I haue seene ; and such more . And indeed my Iealousie hath oft vext me with particular inquisition of whatsoeuer occurrs , bearing not a marke of most apparant Truth , euer since I found so intollerable Antichronismes , incredible reports , and Bardish impostures ▪ as well from Ignorance as assum'd liberty of Inuention in some of our Ancients ; and red also such palpable Fauxeties , of our Nation , thrust into the World by Later Time : as ( to giue a tast ) that of Randall Higden affirming the Beginning of Wards in VI. Hen. III. Polydores assertion ( vpon mistaking of the Statute of I. Hen. VII . ) that it was death by the English laws for any man to weare a Visard , with many like errors in his History , of our , Trials by XII . Shriues , Coate of the Kingdome , Parliaments , and other like ; Bartol's deliuering the custome in this Isle to be , * * Ad C. de summ . Trinit. l. 1. num. 42. quod Primogenitus succedit in omnibus Bonis ; The Greeke Chalcondylas his slanderous description of our vsuall forme of kind entertainment to begin with the Wiues Courteous admission to that most affected pleasure of Lasciuious fancy ( he was deceiu'd by misunderstanding the Reports of Our Kissing Salutations , * * Vnum blan●●entis , ad pulsū●nguae longè mellitum . Apuletus De Aur. Asin 6. and you may remember ( as like enough he did ) that in Plautus Curcul . Qui vult Cubare p●ngit saltèm ●uau●am , & such more in other wanton Po●ts , with the opinion of Baldus , that a K●●le in those Southerne Nations , is sufficient consent to imperfit espculess , nothing of that kind , but Copulation , with v● & our neighbouring Dutch bring so . giuen and accepted amongst vs with more freedom then in any part of the Southern world , er●onetously thinking , perhaps , that euery Kisse must be thought seconded with that addition to the Seuen promist by Mercury in name of Venus to him that should find Psyche ; or as wanton , as Aristophanes his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : ) and many vntruth's of like Nature in Others . Concerning the Arcadian deduction of our British Monarchy ; within that time , from Brute , suppos'd about M. M.DCCC.L . of the world ( Samuel then Iudge of Israel ) vnto some ●●v . before Christ ( about when , Iulius Caesar visited the Island ) no Relation was extant , which is now left to our vse . How then are they , which pretend Chronologies of that Age without any Fragment of Authors before Gildas , Taliessin and Nennius ( the eldest of which was since D. of Christ ) to be credited ? For my part , I beleeue much in them as I do the finding of Hiero's Shipmast in our * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quae nempè ver●or videtur ●●ctio . Mountaines , which is collected vpon a corrupted place in Athenaeus , cited out of Moschion ; or , that Ptolemy Philadelph sent to Reutha King of Scots some M. DCCCC . yeares since , for discouery of this Country , which Claudè Ptolemy afterward put in his Geography ; or that Iulius Caesar built Arthurs Hossen in Stirling Shiri●dome ; or , that Britons were at the Rape of Hesione with Hercules , as our excellent wit Ioseph of Excester ( published falsly vnder name of Cornelius Nepos ) singeth : which are euen equally warrantable , as Ariosto's Narrations of Persons and Places in his Rowlands , Spensers Elfin Story , or Rablais his strange discoueries . Yet the Capricious faction will ( I know ) neuer quit their Beliefe of wrong ; although some Elias or Delian Diuer should make open what is so inquired after . Briefly , vntill Polybius , who wrote neere M.DCCC . since ( for Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is cleerely counterfeited in title ) no Greeke mentions the Isle ; vntill Lucretius ( some C. years later ) no Roman hath exprest a thought of vs ; vntill Caesars Commentaries , no piece of its description was known , that is now left to posterity . For time therefore preceding Caesar , I dare trust none ; but with Others adhere to Coniecture . In Ancient matter since , I relie on Tacitus and Dio especially , Vopiscus , Capitolin , Spartian ( for so much as they haue , and the rest of the Augustan Story ) afterward Gildas , Nennius ( but little is left of them , and that of the last very imperfect ) Bede , Asserio , Ethelwerd ( neere of bloud to King Alfred ) William of Malmesbury , Marian , Florence of Worcester ( that published vnder name of Florence hath the very syllables of most part of Marian the Scots Story , fraught with English Antiquities ; which will shew you how easily to answer Buchanan's obiection against our Historians about Athelstans being King of all Albion , being deceiu'd when he imagined that there was no other of ●arian but the common printed Chronicle , which is indeed but an Epitome or Destoration made by Robert of Lorraine , Bishop of Hereford vnder Hen. I. ) and the numerous rest of our Monkish and succeeding Chronographers . In all , I beleeue him most which freest from Affection and Hate ( causes of corruption ) might best know , and hath , with most likely assertion , deliuered his report . Yet so , that , to explaine the Author , carrying himselfe in this part , an Historicall , as in the other , a Chorograph●ca●l Poet , I insert oft , out of the British story , what I importune you not to credit . Of that kind , are those Prophecies out of Merlin sometime interwouen : I discharge my selfe ; nor impute you to me any serious respect of them . Inuiting , not wresting in , occasion , I adde somtime what is different from my task , but such as I guesse would any where please an vnderstanding Reader . To aide you in course of Times , I haue in fit place drawn Chronologies , vpon Credit of the Ancients ; and , for matter of that kinde , haue admonisht ( to the IV. Canto ) what as yet I neuer saw by any obseru'd , for wary consideration of the Dionysian Cycle , and mis-interpreted Roote of his Dominicall yeere . Those old Rimes , which ( some number ) you often meet with , are offer'd the willinger , both for Variety of your Mother Tongue , as also , because the Author of them Robert of Gloster neuer yet appear'd in common light . He was , in Time , an Age before ; but , in Learning and Wit , as most others , much behind our Worthy Chaucer : whose name by the way Occuring , and my worke here being but to adde plaine song after Muses descanting , I cannot but digresse to admonition of abuse which this Learned allusion , in his Troilus , by ignorance hath indured .

It s not Necham , or any else , that can make mee entertaine the least thought of the signification of Dulcarnon to be Pythagoras his sacrifice after his Geometricall Theorem in finding the Squares of an Orthogonall Triangles sides , Epocha Sele●cidarum . or that it is a word of Latine deduction ; but indeed by easier pronounciation it was made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. Two horned : which the Mahometan Arabians victora Root in Calculation , meaning Alexander , as that great Dictator of knowledge Ioseph Scaliger ( with some Ancients ) wills , but , by warranted opinion of my learned friend Mr. Lydyat in his Emendatio Temporum , it began in Seleucus Nicanor , XII . yeares after Alexanders death ; The name was applyed , either because after time that Alexander had perswaded himselfe to be Iupiter Hammons sonne , whose Statue was with Rams hornes , both his owne and his Successors Coines were stampt with horned Images : or else in respect of his II. pillars erected in the East as a * * Christman . Comment in Alsragan cap. 11. Nihil vltra of his Conquest , and some say because hee had in Power the Easterne and Westerne World , Lys●machi Cornuum apud Cael Rhodigie . Antiq. lect. 20 cap. 12. hîc gonuin● interpretatio . signified in the two Hornes . But , howsoeuer , it well fits the Passage , either , as if hee had personated Creseide at the entrance of two wayes , not knowing which to take ; in like sense as that of Prodicus his Hercules , Pythagoras his Y , or the Logicians Dilemma expresse ; or else , which is the truth of his conceit , that shee was at a Nonplus , as the interpretation in his next Staffe makes plaine . How many of Noble Chaucers Readers neuer so much as suspect this his short essay of knowledge , transcending the common Rode ? and by his Treatise of the Astrolabe ( which , I dare sweare , was chiefly learned out of Messahalah ) it is plaine hee was much acquainted with the Mathematiques , and amongst their Authors had it . But , I return to my selfe . From vaine loading my Margine , with Books , Chapters , Folio's , or Names of our Historians , I abstain : Course of Time as readily directs to them . But , where the place might not so easily occurre ( chiefly in matter of Philologie ) there onelie ( for view of them which shall examine mee ) I haue added assisting references . For most of what I vse of Chorographie , ioyne with me in thanks to that most Learned Nourice of Antiquitie — * * Of whom euen euery ingenius stranger makes honorable mention . Comitem verò illum Palatinum R. Vitum Basingslochium ( Cuius Historiae magnam partem quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chorographica substructio pla●●que ad Antiquitat● amus●im ab Eruditissimo hoc suo populari acceptu , ne ditam suppilata , est ) adeà inhuma●ū fuisse suesse miror , vt bené m●rentem non tam libentèr agnoscat , q●àm Clariss . Viri syllabis et inuentis Codicem suum sapiùs perquam ingratè suffarcinet . Atque id ferègenus Plagiarios , rudes omninò , et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , et Vernaculos nimirùm Nostratet iam nunc imponere sarcinam video indignantèr & ringor . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , — my instructing friend Mr. Camden Clarenceulx . From him and Girald of Cambria also comes most of my British ; And then may Mercury and all the Muses deadly hate mee , when , in permitting occasion , I professe not by whom I learne ! Let them vent iudgement on mee which vnderstand ; I iustifie all , by the selfe Authors cited , crediting no Transcribers , but when of Necessitie I must . My thirst compeld mee alwayes seeke the Fountaines , and , by that , if meanes grant it , iudge the Riuers nature . Nor can any Conuersant in Letters bee ignorant what error is oftimes fallen into , by trusting Authorities at second hand , and rash collecting ( as it were ) from visuall beam's refracted through anothers eye . In performance of this charge ( vndertaken at request of my kinde friend the Author ) Breuity of Time ( which was but little more then since the Poem first went to the Presse ) and that daily discontinued , both by my other most different Studies seriously attended , and interrupting Busines , as enough can witnes , might excuse great faults , especially of Omission . But , I take not thence aduantage to desire more then Common Curtesie in Censure : Nor of this , nor of what else I heeretofore haue published , touching * * Ianus Anglorum . Historicall deduction of Our Ancient Lawes , wherein I scape not without Tax Sunt quibus in verbis videórque obscurior , hec est , Euandri cum Matre ●●qui , Faunisque Numaque Nec s●eùt 〈◊〉 si ●uctor Sa●●aris Carminis essem . I haue read in Cicero , Agellius , Luctans Lexiphanes , and others , much against that forme ; But withall , this later age ( wherein so industrious search is among admired Ruins of olde Monuments ) hath , in our greatest Latine Critiques Hans Do●● , P. Merula , Lipsius and such more , so receiued that Saturnian Language , that , to Students in Philology , it is now grown familiar ; and ( as he saith ) Verba à Vetustate repetita non solum magnos Assertores habent , Quintilian . sed etiam afferunt Orationi Maiestatem aliquam , non sine delectatione . Yet for Antique Termes , to the Learned , I will not iustifie it without exception ( disliking not that of Phauorin , Vu●e Moribus praeteritis , loquere verbis praesentibus ; and , as Coine , so words , of a publique and knowne stamp , are to bee vsed ) although so much , as that way I offend , is warranted by example of such , of whom to endeuor imitation allowes me more then the bare title of Blamelet . The purblind Ignorant I salute , with the English of that Monitory Epigram — * * If thou hast no taste in Learning medle no more with what thou vnderstand'st not . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Reprehension of them , whose Language and best learning is purchast from such Volumes as Rablias reckon in S. Victors Library , or Barbarous Glosses Quàm nihil ad Genium , Papiniane , tuum ! or , which are furnisht in our old story , only out of the Common Polychronicon , Caxton , Fabian , Stow , Grafton , Lanquet , Cooper , Holingshed ( perhaps with gift of vnderstanding ) Polydore , and the rest of our later Compilers ; or , of any aduenturous Thersites daring find fault euen with the very Graces , in a straine Còrnua quod vincátque Tuba● — I regarde as metamorphized Lucius his looking out at window ; I Slight , Scorne , and Laugh at it . By Paragraph's in the Verses you know what I meddle wit● in the Illustrations ; but so , that with Latitude , the direction admonishes sometimes as well for explaning a Following or Preceding passage , as its owne ▪ Ing●nuous Readers , to you I wish your best desires ; Grant me too , I pray , this one , that you read mee not , without comparing the Faults escaped ; I haue collected them for you . Compell'd Absence , endeuor'd Dispatch , and want of Reuises soone bred them . To the Author , I wish ( as an old Cosmographicall Poet did long since to himselfe . ) — * * That the Godlike sort of men , may worthily guerdon his labors . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To Gentlewomen & their Loues is consecrated all the wooing Language , Allusions to Loue-Passions , and sweet Embracements fain'd by the Muse mongst Hils and Riuers ; Whatsoeuer tastes of description , Battell , Story , Abstruse Antiquity , and ( which my particular Study caus'd me sometime remember ) Law of the Kingdome , To the more Seuere Reader . To the one , Be contenting enioyments of their Auspicious Desires ; To the other , Happy Attendance of their chosen Muses .