the worst part of it; I was perswaded to write of such an argument, I will neuer denie that while I live.

7. Some affirmed that I had taken this laughing libertie to grace som that haue fauord me, and grate against some that had galled me! guiltie my Lord.

Alasse poore Gentleman (say the standers by) he will be condemned certainly for this that he hath confest already, if he be not saved by his booke: let us heare what he will answere to the rest of the inditement.

8. You did meane some disgrace in the letter afore the booke and in many passages of the Booke itselfe, to Ladies and Gentlewemen. Who I? God damne me if I loue the not, I feare more to be damned for loving them too well.

9. You did thinke to scoffe at some Getlemen that haue serued in some honorable seruices

though with no great good successe. As I am a Gentlema not guilty: neither do I meane any, but such as will needs be called M. Captains hauing neither carried out with them, nor brought home with them, worth, wealth, or wit.

10. You did seeke to discredit the honest meaning and laudable endevours of some zealous and honest men that seeke for reformatiō and labor faithfully and fruitfully in the word. To this in all & euerie not guiltie, prouided they rayle not against bishops nor against the Comuniō book.

You

You did intend some scorne to great Magistrats and men in authority, either alive or deceassed, under couert names to cover som knauery? no as God Judge me my Lord, not guiltie, the good yeare of all the knauerie and knaues to for me. By who will you be tryed? By the Queene and the Ladies, by the Counsell and the Lordes. What sawcie younker will not meaner tryall serue you? No good Faith my Lord, I loued alwayes to be the worst of the companie.

Well since this is the judgement of the Court," that because there is hope you may prooue a wiser man hereafter, and that you haue some better friend then you are worthie of, you shall haue this fauour; if the inditement happen to be found you shall trauers it, and you shall chuse xij. freeholders bonos & legales homines, that shal enquire of the qualitie of your discourse, and bring in their verdict quindena Paschæ, & if they find guilty, you shall haue a hole bored in your care. What to do? to weare my Mrs. fauour at? Now, God saue your Mrs. life, my Lord. Clarcke of the peace draw this endytemēt vpo the foure last articles that he denied, and vpō the Statute of Scadale, for I tel you we must teach you to learne the lawes of the Realme, as well as your rules of Poetrie Lawes? I trow I haue the law at my fingers endes.

Aures

beg it, borrow it, that you might see what good stuffe was in it. And why had you such a minde to it? I can tell you; you hoped for some meriments, some toyes, some scurrilitie, or to speake plaine English, some knauerie. Yet gine me leaue briefly to shew you what pretie pills you haue swallowed in your pleasant guadlings, and what wholsome wormewood was enclosed in these raisins of the sunne.

Against malcōtents, Epicures, Atheists, her retickes, & carelesse & dissolute Christians, and especially against pride and sensualitie, the Prologue, & the first part are chiefly intended. The second giues a due praise without flatterie, to one that is worthie of it, and a just checke without gall to some that deserue it. The third part indeed as it teacheth a reformation of the matter in question, so it toucheth in sport, à reprehension of some practises too much in custome. All which the reader that is honorable, wise, vertuous and a true louer of his country must needes take in good part. Now, gentle reader, if you will still say this is fantasticall, then I will say againe, you would not haue read it except it had been fantasticall, and if you will confesse the one, sure I will neuer denie the other.

The second fault you object is scurrilitie, to which I answer, that I confesse the objection but I denie the fault, and if I might know

whether

whether he were Papist or Protestant that maketh this objectiō I wold soone answer them: namely thus; I would cite a principall writer of either side and I would proue that either of the hath vsed more obscenous, foule and scurrill phrases (not in defence of their matter but in defacing of their adversaries) in one leafe of their bookes then is in all this. Yet they professe to write of the highest, the holiest, the waightiest matters that can be imagined, and I write of the. basest, the barrennest and most witlesse subject that can be described.

Quod decuit tantos cur mihi turpe putem?

I forbeare to shew examples of it, least I should be thought to disgrace men of holy and worthie memorie.

For such as shall find fault that it is too satyricall, surely I suppose their judgment shall sooner be condemned by the wiser sort then my writings. For whe all the learned writers, godly preachers and honest liuers over all England (yea over all Europe, renew that old complaint,

Regnare nequitiam et in deterius res humanas labi,

When wee heare them say daily that there was neuer vnder so gracious a head so gracelesse members, after so sincere teaching so sinfull liuing, in so shining light such works of darke

nesse;

nessc; when they crie out upon us, yea crie indeed for I have seene the speake it with teeres, that lust and hatred were never so hote, love and charitie were never so colde, that there was never lesse devotion, never more division, that all impietie hath all impuritie, finally that the places that were wont to be samples of all yertue and honor, are now become the sinks of all sin and shame. These phrases (I say) being written and recorded sounded and resounded in so manic bookes and sermons, in Cambridge, in Oxford, in the Court, in the Countrey, at Paules Cross in Paules Church Yard: : may I not as a sorie writer among the rest, in a merie matter and a harmelesse maner professing purposely of vaults and pricies sinks und draughts to write, prove according to my poore strength to draw the readers by some pretie draught to sinke into a deepe and necessarie consideration how to amend some of their privie faults."

This work is frequently alluded to by contemporary writers; as in Shakspeare's Love's Labour Lost, A. 5. S. 2. and the several writers quoted by Mr. Steevens in his note on that passage. It is remarkable, that for writing the first two of these pamphlets Sir John Harrington fell into disgrace with Queen Elizabeth. Mr. Robert Markham writing to him two years after, in 1598, says, "Since your departure from #hence you have been spoke of and withe no