THE bright beams of your Honours most gracious countenance, showing me favour not inferior to that of Ahasuerus extended towards Queen Ester, when he held out the golden sceptre: and your honourable acceptance (together with the undeserved thankfulness ⟨image 3⟩of those worshipful assemblies, accompanying your honours several times at those spiritual banquets which your honours appointed me the most unskilful of all other to set out; hath caused other blossoms and fruit from the tree of life to spring forth, which the cold of the winter had almost killed. And furthermore, having many goodly plants in my vineyard (as other men have in theirs) both fresh & green, and yet the fruit both bad and small (though they have been pruned and trimmed a long time by other labourers, as by my self): I much marvelled what might be the cause thereof. And digging for a fountain to water my garden, I found a corrupt vain in the earth, that poisoned my trees, and made the fruit naught. A handful whereof I have bound up in paper (because it is ⟨image 3⟩straying) that as the Evangelist Luke dedicated of love his book unto his dear Theophilus, so I might have something to present unto your honours for a New Year's gift. Which might be Tanquam purae nec non mentis gratissimae pro summis in me vestris accumulatis beneficijs indicium. And though veritas odium parit, as the proverb is: yet because she cannot endure to creep into a corner, (she greatly rejoicing of your love and countenance towards her, and her children) intendeth to walk abroad. Yet for her better safety under the covert of your horse. patronage and protection, unto whom for just cause she chiefly commends her self: your noble honours being such as fear God like Cornelius, with your household; and to all good learning more gracious then maecenas: unto whom sin is so ⟨image 4⟩odious, and who are such godly favourers of all that be virtuous. And thus craving pardon for this my boldness, leaving these the first fruits of my poor labours public, as an earnest of my loving duty, presented like the Widows mite, into the treasury of your Honours favourable tuition, to be preserved from the spoiler: I humbly take my leave: daily commending your honours unto the protection of God. Framfield in Sussex. Anno. 1602.
THE bright beames of your Honours most gratious coū tenāce, shewing me fauour not inferior to that of Ahasuerosh extended towards Queene Ester, whē he held out the golden scepter: and your honourable acceptance (together with the vndeserued thankfulnes ⟨image 3⟩of those worshipful assemblies, accompanying your honors seuerall times at those spirituall bankets which your honors appointed me the most vnskilfull of all other to set out; hath caused other blossomes and fruite from the tree of life to spring forth, which the cold of the winter had almost killed. And furthermore, hauing many goodly plants in my vineyard (as other men haue in theirs) both fresh & greene, and yet the fruite both bad and small (though they haue bene pruned and trimmed a long time by other labourers, as by my selfe): I much maruelled what might be the cause thereof. And digging for a fountaine to water my garden, I found a corrupt vaine in the earth, that poysoned my trees, and made the fruit naught. A handfull wherof I haue bound vp in paper (because it is ⟨image 3⟩straying) that as the Euangelist Luke dedicated of loue his booke vnto his deare Theophilus, so I might haue something to present vnto your honors for a Newyears gift. Which might be Tanquam purae nec non mentis gratissimae pro summis in me vestris accumulatis beneficijs indicium. And though veritas odium parit, as the prouerbe is: yet because she cannot endure to creepe into a corner, (she greatly reioycing of your loue and countenance towards her, and her children) intendeth to walke abroad. Yet for her better safetie vnder the couert of your hors. patronage and protection, vnto whom for iust cause shee chiefly commends her self: your noble honors being such as feare God like Cornelius, with your houshold; and to all good learning more gratious then ••ecaenas: vnto whom sinne is so ⟨image 4⟩odious, and who are such godly fauourers of all that be vertuous. And thus crauing pardon for this my boldnesse, leauing these the first fruites of my poore labours publicke, as an earnest of my louing dutie, presented like the Widowes mite, into the treasurie of your Honors fauourable tuition, to be preserued from the spoyler: I humbly take my leaue: daily commending your honours vnto the protection of God. Framfield in Sussex. Anno. 1602.
