by this appeare, that myne endeuoire, and good wille hereunto was not lacking. To the accomplishement therfore and fulfyllyng of this my mynde and purpose, I toke vpon me to tourne and translate out of Latine into oure Englishe tonge the frutefull and profitable boke, which sir Thomas more, knight, compiled and made of the new yle Vtopia, conteining and setting forth the best state and fourme of a publique weale : a worke (as it appeareth) written almost fourtie1 yeres ago by the said Sir Thomas More, the authour therof. The whiche man, forasmuche as he was a man of late tyme, yea almost of thies our dayes; and for the excellent qualities, wherewith the great goodnes of God had plentyfully endowed him, and for the high place and rowme, wherunto his prince had most graciously called him, notably wel knowen, not only among vs his countremen, but also in forrein countreis and nations; therfore I haue not much to speake of him. This only I saye: that it is much to be lamented of al, and not only of vs English men, that a man of so incomparable witte, of so profounde knowlege, of so absolute learning, and of so fine eloquence, was yet neuerthelesse so much blinded, rather with obstinacie then with ignoraunce, that he could not, or rather would not, see the shining light of godes holy truthe in certein principal pointes of Christian religion; but did rather cheuse to perseuer and continue in his wilfull and stubbourne obstinacie euen to the very death: this I say is a thing much to be lamented. But letting this matter passe, I retourne again to vtopia; which (as I said befor) is a work not only for the matter that it conteineth fruteful and profitable, but also for the writers eloquent latine stiele pleasaunt and delectable. 1 Thirty-six, reckoning from 1515 to 1551. Sir Thomas More had been dead sixteen years when Robynson wrote. C 2 Erasmus was probably thinking of More's latinity, when, in his letter to Froben (above, p. lxxviii), he indulged Which he that readeth in latine, as the authour himself wrote it, perfectly vnderstanding the same, doubtles he shal take great pleasure and delite both in the swete eloquence of the writer, and also in the wittie inuencion, and fine conueiaunce, or disposition of the matter; but most of all in the good and holsome lessons, which be there in great plenty and aboundaunce. But nowe I feare greatly that in this my simple translation, through my rudenes and ignoraunce in our english tonge, all the grace and pleasure of the eloquence, wherwith the matter in latine is finely set forth, may seme to be vtterly excluded and lost; and therfore the frutefulnes of the matter it selfe muche peraduenture diminished and appayred. For who knoweth not, whiche knoweth any thyng, that an eloqent styele setteth forth and highly commendeth a meane matter; where as, on the other side, rude and vnlearned speche defaceth and disgraceth a very good matter? According as I harde ones a wise man say: A good tale euel tolde were better vntold, and an euell tale well tolde nedeth none other sollicitour. This thing I well pondering and wayinge with me self, and also knowing and knowledging the barbarous rudenes of my translation, was fully determined neuer to haue put it forth in printe; had it not bene for certein frendes of myne, and especially one, whom aboue al other I regarded; a man of sage and discret witte, and in wordly matters by long vse well experienced, whoes name is GeorgeTadlowe1; an honest citizein of London, and in the same citie well in speculation as to the perfection More's genius might have reached, if trained in Italy. Some of the peculiarities of his Latin style will be pointed out in the course of the notes. There are traces in it of the study of Plautus. As a rule. it is fluent and vigorous, with a great command of vocabulary. But it has not the elegance of Erasmus; and it shows occasionally the same tendency as appears in the author's English writings, to run off into inordinately long sentences. I have not been able to discover anything about this person. accepted and of good reputation; at whoes request and instaunce I first toke vpon my weake and feble sholders the heauie and weightie bourdein of this great enterprice. This man with diuers other, but this man chiefely (for he was able to do more with me then many other), after that I had ones rudely brought the worke to an ende ceassed not by al meanes possible continualy to assault me, vntil he had at the laste, what by the force of his pitthie argumentes and strong reasons, and what by hys authority, so persuaded me, that he caused me to agree and consente to the impryntynge herof. He therefore, as the chiefe persuadour, must take vpon him the daunger, whyche vpon this bolde and rashe enterpryse shall ensue. I, as I suppose, am herin clerely acquytte and discharged of all blame. Yet, honorable Syr, for the better auoyding of enuyous and malycyous tonges, I (knowynge you to be a man, not onlye profoundely learned, and well affected towardes all suche as eyther canne, or wyll, take paynes in the well bestowing of that poore talente, whyche GOD hath endued them wyth; but also for youre godlye dysposytyon and vertuous qualytyes not vnworthelye nowe placed in aucthorytye, and called to honoure), am the bolder humblye to offer and dedycate vnto youre good maystershyppe thys my symple woorke: partly that vnder the sauffe conducte of your protection it may the better be defended from the obloquie of them, which can say well by nothing that pleaseth not their fond and corrupt iudgementes, though it be els both frutefull and godly; and partlye that, by the meanes of this homely present, I may the better renewe and reuiue (which of late, as you know, I haue already begonne to do) the old acquayntaunce, that was betwene you and me in the time of our childhode, being then scolefellowes togethers1: not doubting that you, for your See the Introduction, § 6. 20 The Epistle of the Translatour. natiue goodnes and gentelnes, will accept in good parte this poore gift, as an argument or token that mine old good wil and hartye affection towardes you is not, by reason of long tract of time and separrtion of our bodies, any thinge at all quayled and diminished, but rather (I assuer you) much augmented and increased. This verely is the chieffe cause, that hath incouraged me to be so bolde with youre maistershippe. Els truelye this my poore present is of such simple and meane sort, that it is neyther able to recompense the least portion of your great gentelnes to me, of my part vndeserued, both in the time of our olde acquayntance, and also now lately again bountifully shewed; neither yet fitte and mete, for the very basenes of it, to be offered to one so worthy as you be. But almighty god (who therfore euer be thanked) hath auaunced you to such fortune and dignity, that you be of hability to accept thankefully aswell a mans good will as his gift. The same god graunte you and all yours long and joyfully to contynue in all godlynes and prosperytye. THE The fyrste boke of the communyca a nynge the best state of a commen wealthe. 'He moste vyctoryous and tryumphante Kynge of Englande, Henry the ight of that name, in all royal vertues Prince moste peerlesse, hadde of late in contrauersie with the right hyghe and myghtie king of Castell1 weightye matters, and of greate importaunce; for the debatement and final determination wherof the kinges Maieste sent me Ambassadour into flaunders, ioined in a with Charles. 25 SERMONIS QVEM RAPHAEL HYTHLODAEVS VIR EXIMIVS DE OPTIMO REIPVBLICAE STATV HA- BRITANNIARVM VRBIS LONDINI ET CIVEM ET VICECOMITEM. VVM NON EXIGVI MOMENti negocia quaedam inuictissimus Angliae Rex HENRICVS, eius nominis octauus, omnibus egregii principis artibus ornatissimus, cum serenissimo Castellae principe CAROLO controuersa nuper habuisset, ad ea tractanda componendaque oratorem me legauit in Flandriam, comitem 1 See the Introduction, § 2. |