in handling a good cause it is requisite to induce a fals proposition? although thou wilt say it is a part of Rethorike to argue A Persona, yet it is a practise of small honestie to conclude without occasion: if thy cause wer good, I doubt not but in so large and ample a discourse as thou hadst to handle, thou mightest had left the honor of a gentleman inviolate. But thy base degree, subject to servile attempts, measureth all things according to cavelling capacitie, thinking because nature hath bestowed upon thee a plausible discourse, thou maist in thy sweet termes present the sowrest and falsest reports thou canst imagine: but it may be, that as it fortuned to the noble man of Italy, it now fareth with me, who as Pet[r]arch reported, given greatly to the intertainment of strangers and pleasure of the chase, respected not the brave and gorgious garments of a courtier, but delighted in such clothing as seemed the place where he sojourned. This noble gentleman returning on a time from his game, found all his house furnished with strangers, on whom bestowing his accustomed welcome, he bent himself to the overseeing of his domestical preparation, and comming to the stable among the hors keepers of his new come guests, and reprehending one of them for faulting in his office, the felow, impatient of reproofe, and measuring the gentleman by his plaíne coat, stroke him on the face, and turned him out of the stable; but afterward attending on his master, and perceiving him whom he had stroken to be the Lord of the house, he humbly craved pardon: the gentleman, as patient as pleasant, not only forgave him the escape, but pretely answered thus:-I blame not thee, good fellow, for thy outrage, but this companion, pointing to his coate, which hath made thee mistake my person. So at this instant esteeme I M. Gosson hath dealt with me, who not mesuring me by my birth, but by the subject I handled, like Will Summer striking him that stood next him, hath upbraided me in person, when he had no quarrell but to my cause, and therein pleaded his owne in

discretion, and loded me with intollerable injurie. But if with Zo[i]lus hee might kisse the gibet, or with Patacion hop headlesse, the world shoulde bee ridde of an injurious slaunderer, and that tongue, laboured in suppositions, might be nailed up, as Tullies was, for his Philipicall declamations. But good Stephen, in like sorte will I deale with thee, as Philip of Macedon with Nicanor; who not respecting the majestie of the king, and giving himselfe over to the petulancie of his tongue, vainly inveighed against him, whom, notwithstanding, Philip so cunningly handeled, that not onely he ceased the rumor of his report, but also made him as lavish in commending, as once he was profuse in discommending. His attempt was thus performed: he seeing Nicanor sorely pressed with poverty, releeved him to his content; whereupon, altering his coppie, and breaking out into singular commendation of Philip, the king concluded thus: Loe! curtesie can make of bad good, and of Nicanor an enimie, Nicanor a friend. Whose actions, my reprover, I will now fit to thee, who having slaundered me without cause, I will no otherwise revenge it, but by this meanes, that now in publike I confesse thou hast a good pen, and if thou keepe thy Methode in discourse, and leave thy slandering without cause, there is no doubt but thou shalt bee commended for thy coppie, and praised for thy stile. And thus desiring thee to measure thy reportes with justice, and you, good Gentlemen, to answere in my behalfe if you heare me reproched, I leave you to your pleasures, and for my selfe I will studie your profit.

Your loving friend,
Thomas Lodge.

Barnabe Rich, Gentleman Souldier, in praise of the

Author.

If that which warnes the young beware of vice,
And schooles the olde to shunne unlawfull gaine,
If pleasant stile and method may suffice,

I thinke thy travaile merits thanks for paine,
My simple doome is thus in tearmes as plaine:
That both the subject and thy stile is good,

Thou needs not feare the scoffes of Momus' brood.

If thus it be, good Lodge, continue still,

Thou needst not feare Goose sonne, or Gander's hisse, Whose rude reportes part from a slaundrous quill, Will be determind but in reading this,

Of whom the wiser sort will thinke amis,

To slaunder him whose birth and life is such,

As false report his fame can never tuch.

John Jones, Gentleman, in praise of the Author.

Though not my praise, yet let my wish prevaile,
Who so thou be that list to read this booke;

I never yet by flatterie did assaile,

To count that good that most did please my looke;
But alwaies wisht my friends such stile to use,
As wise might like, though foolish would refuse.

In opening vice my friend who spends his time,
May count by private good no profit lost,
What errors scape in young and lustie prime,

Experience (badge of truth) may quickly cost.
Who sets the marke that makes men shunne the sand,
Deserves good words, his proofes for profit stand.

For common good to crosse a few men's vaines,
Who, like to Midas, would that all were golde,
I count not misse, since there unlawfull gaines
Makes some men sink, whom birth might well uphold.
I know the sore, the scarre is seene to plaine;

A blessed state where no such wils doo raine.

In briefe, I praise this booke for pretie stile,
For pithie matter; Gentle, be thou judge.
O, would my wish some fancies might begile,
Then faire revenewes should not fit a snudge.
A world to see how Asses daunce in golde
By wanton wils, when Gentles starve for colde.

Whose errors if it please succeeding age

To see with sighs, and shun with sad advice,
Let him beholde this booke, within whose page
Experience leaves her chiefest proofes of price.
And thanke the youth that suffered all these toiles,

To warne thee shun that rocke which many spoiles.

FINIS.

Gentlemen, since the presse cannot passe without escape, and some things are so mistaken, as without correction they will be very grose, may it please you when you read to correct, especially, such principall errours as these that followe.

For the rest I referre them to your discretion, who can distinguish coulours, and either better, or fit words to your fantasies,

Your friend:

THOMAS LODGE.