Tarletons tragical treatises contaynyng sundrie discourses and prety conceytes, both in prose and verse.

TARLETONS Tragical Treatises , Contaynyng sundrie discourses and prety Conceytes , both in Prose and Verse .

Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman .

An. 1578.

¶ To the right honourable and vertuous Lady , the Lady Frauncis Mildmay , Richard Tarleton wisheth long life , and prosperous health , with happy encrease of Honor .

WHEN I throughly conferred , ( right Honourable and my very good Lady ) your noble forwardenesse in all godly Literature , your graue and approued iudgement , with my base simplicitie , and slender vnderstanding : I stoode houering a great while betwene the extremities of a double doubt , whether I were beste to sollicite your good Ladiship with the view of these thrift lesse lines or no . But when I called to mynde your Honors courteous disposition of Nature , and readye inclination to accept of the trauells of all suche as do but stande aloofe , yet beare a certaine peculiar reuerence to good letters , a freshe hope so armde or rather warmde my former frosen doubt , that all feare sette aparte , I rashly aduentured the publishing of this peeuish Pamphlet vnder the patronage of your Honors name : where I knowe it may haue as safe a refuge , as if it were protected vnder the Target of Minerua , againste the poisoned Inuectiues & malicious reproches of all slaunderous tongs . Perhaps ( Madam ) your Honor wyll haue me in some suspition of Arrogancie , in as muche as I haue presumed to trouble , or rather weary your honorable eares with so vaine an argument , as these fantasticall trifles : But yet my faithfull and affectionate zeale ( vnto youre good Ladiship so forwardly addicted ) had in due consideration : my ouer boldnesse may be rather attributed to my want of knowlege , than presumption , in as much as your Honor is not altogither ignorant , that I neuer marched among the Muses , nor serued in the campe where Learning as Chieftaine had hir sacred residence . But had I Platoes diuine Im●ginations , Aristotles Philosophy , Archi 〈…〉 e's Geometrie , Orpheus Musicke , or Tullies Eloquence , yet wold I not haue such a glorious opinion of my own excellency , but I could willingly , and would moste gladly submit my selfe , my skill , and all vnto your Ladiships approued iudgement , and fauorable protection : especially , being one , whose honorable opinion of my poore skill vnworthily , and manifolde bounties vndeserued , haue bin sundrye times of my parte well proued and tasted , to my no little credite , and very great benefite . I might haue taken sufficient occasion in these superfluous Pamphlets to haue entred into a necessary Enchomiasticon of your Honors sundrye good vertues and noble qualities , if without the helpe of my barren blazoning , they were not already so notified to all the worlde , that youre Ladiships iust praises are in euery mans mouth : and besids in the attempting of it , there depends a double daunger . Firste , leaste seeming to wade so farre into the discourse thereof , as the matter yeelds iuste scope , by this meanes I get the name and note of a Thrasonicall Clawback : The other doubt is , leaste vndertaking so difficulte a taske , and not able to discharge it according to the dignitie and worthinesse thereof , I wrappe my selfe in such an intricate Labyrinth , that I shall hardely winde my selfe out without some spotte , or blemishe to my credite . And therefore I will yeelde thaccomplishing of that enterprise to other , whose Muse ca better wade through so daungerous a forde , than mine .

Meane space in moste deuout maner I am to request your Ladiships fauourable acceptation of these treatises , and to esteeme of them , as a perfect testimony of the good heart and dutifull zeale of

Your honors most humble at commaundement , Richard Tarleton , Seruaunt to the right Honourable the Lorde Chamberlaene Earle of Sussex .

¶ T. A. in praise of the Authour . FOr him , whome Pallas with hir milke did nurse And lullabide vpon the Muses lappes , T is not so rare to write a braue discourse Of strange aduentures past , and vncouth happes . Ne is it harde , a greater taske to welde , Whereas the Theame sufficiet scope doth yeeld ▪ But hee that neuer tasted Learnings lore , Nor many a Region nie Pernassus came , To write in things but seldome seene before , In that respect demerites double fame : But specially vpon such toies to write , As yeelde so little matter to endite . Then Tarleton thou deseruest double praise , Sith that with arte so slenderly possest , Thy Muse hir nature in these toies displaies More learnedly than any of the rest : Whose gifts of Arte so farre inferior be To those which Nature planted hath in thee . FINIS .

Ferdinando Frecleton Gentleman , in praise of these treatises . IF blinde men could of costlie colours iudge , and intermedle with Apelles arte , Or were not fretting Enuie giuen to grudge the faith of him who plaies a friendlie parte , Or if my skill coulde see in causes deepe , I would reueale what nowe I secreate keepe . Yet shall my blunt opinion somewhat reach beyonde the dombe mindes of the common sort , My Muse and I shall make a fearefull breache , if silence hide thy well deservde reporte , Whose pleasante heade can cunningly conuey , In pithie speache thy meaning euerie way . And where I lookte for manie a wanton drifte , of tales and ridles in this booke of thine , Nowe do I see thou canste bestow thy gifte in grauer geere both learned and diuine , For ( trust me Tarleton ) in thy worke a pears , A platforme that both sense and matter lears . FINIS .

Lewis Ph. Gentleman in commendation of the Authour . FAine would I write , yet fainer would I cease , faine would I tell what truth hath giuen in charge , The snatching sort do daily so increase it makes me briefe , that else wold write at large . Faine would I praise these treaties lately pend , But that I feare , though causlesse , to offend . What , shall the labourer then go lose his hire , whose carefull head hath toilde for our delite , And all his paines lie tumbled in the mire ? shall slacke regarde his courtesie requite ? No Tarleton , no , I giue thee for amends A thousand thankes as guerdon from thy friends . And at thy handes I challenge one requeste , thy promise partlie yeelds it as my due , Which if performance answer all the rest , then will I say thy wordes and deeds be true ▪ It is thy Theames in order one by one , To keepe thy fame aliue when thou arte gone . Yet blame me not good Dicke , though I encroche to take thy word , as if it were a band : It is bicause I faine would set abroche the thing thou closely keepeste in thy hand , But in meane space thy trifles welcome bee , And thus farewell , for Theames remember mee . FINIS .

The Authours iudgement of such rashe verdicts as are gyuen in dispraise of Poets . IF men may credite such records , as inke and paper showes To spring from Poets learned heads , which cunningly disclose The strange varieties of things , the choice of mens delites , The heauens , the earth , the seas , the shoare , the gods , and ghostly sprites , The secreate mysteries of Starres , and planets in degrée , With euery sundry office , that to them belonging be . How creatures first receivde their shapes , how monsters beare the bell , The glory of celestiall powers , which in the heauens dwell : How crooked Chao● was disperste , which lay in loathsome lumpes , Vnfurnished with Natures gifts : how al things in their dumpes Lay drownde in silence fearfull pawes , til rocks were rent asunder , How at the laste one Lambe by death , did shew his workes of wonder , Howe earthly Princes had their rule , howe came in noble blouds , How first the artificiall barkes did cut the foming floudes : How Sun and Moone do kéepe their course , how all things in their kinde , Yéelde reuerence to the sacred seates of god with harte and minde . If these things be of true reporte , as sure no doubt they be , Deny not Poets their due praise whose works are lefte to sée : Their watchfull toile , their busie care , their quaking hand and quills , Their whetted wits for knowledge sake : profoundnesse in their skills , Doth serue vs as a Christall glasse to gaze vpon our folly , Wherin our faults are portrayde out , though shewes do make vs holy . But some , whose ydle mindes are bent to leade a carelesse daunce , And féede the present time , without regarde of future chaunce , Thinke Nature hath bestowde hir gifts with such sufficient store , That Arte can stande them small in stéede , to make their knowledge more . Thus Fancie féedes their fond conceits , whereby the swéete delites , That auntient writers erst haue had to cheare their dulled sprites , Are drowned in Obliuions denne , so wrested , and so wrung , That all their scrolls and swéete records , must néeds decay ere long . The carping crue that holds in spite , that best contents the wise , In finding faults with others workes haue Argus hundred eies : They rifle volumes leafe by leafe , verbatim to suruay The substaunce , or the circumstance : and then in scorne they say : This probleme here is ill applide , that tearme is much abusde . Here is a lame discourse indéede , there Priscians pate is brusde : Thus are the Poets toste and turnde : their labours rent to ragges : And all the swéetenesse of their time , truste vp in Tinkers bagges : The silly labourer that toiles in shoures of haile and snow , Doth make a pastime of his paine , a welfare of his woe . Such is his hope , that Vesper commes , and Phoebus turnde to rest , He shall receiue his earned due , to vse as he thinkes best . So lights the writers lot , who beates his busied braine , For no rewarde , but to receiue goodwill to quite his paine . The houering Bee that houereth long about the fragrant floure , With hoppes and skippes to searh and séeke the swéete leafe from the soure , Doth at the laste in quiet hiue sucke vp the pleasante hony , Which to hir selfe doth pleasure bring , and yéeldes hir maister mony . The labouring Horse , whiche in the yoke goeth grudging euery day , At night receiues in shewe of thankes , both litter , corne and hay . Then since that neither Bee nor Beast do thankefulnesse eschue , Let busy Findfaults cease to grudge , giue Caesar C●sars due . But what meane I on such reproofe to argue all this while ? As though that for a Poets praise I writ this ragged stile ? Not so , I neuer scalde the cliffe whereas the sacred nurse Of learning , hath hir residence , so much my hap's the worse . I neuer dranke the dainty drops that issue from the font , Wheras eche scholler claimes degrée to rest in high account , Yet am I as a subiect sworne to reuerence their déeds , And to refreshe their worthy worke , that darke obliuious wéeds Not ouergrowe their fragrant floures , whose vertues do surpasse , To open secreate mysteries , which else eclipsed was . But if my former ydle daies to study had bin bent , Or if that God and Fortune to had giuen their consent , That I amongste the learned might haue claimde but lowest roome , Then in great letters all of golde vpon Apolloes Toombe , I woulde haue writ such memories in honor of his name , That should haue bin a double meanes to beautifie his fame . But wishes nought preuaile , I yéelde to losse of time , Sith verse and I so diffrent are , I le presse in ragged rime , To manifest the méere goodwill that I to learning owe , No painted words , but perfect déeds , shall my inuention showe . Not that I prease for praise , I shoote not at that white , But for to conquere sluggish slouth , I choose this newe delite : And if these trifles fondly pende which I present in place , Not wittily , though willingly may win your graunt of grace , Then haue I scalde the doubtfull forte , the victorie is mine .