A Goodly Gallery, Title page – Dedication
A GOODLY GALLERYE WITH A MOST PLEAsaunt Prospect, into the garden of naturall contemplation, to behold the naturall causes of all kynde of Meteors, as wel fyery and ayery, as watry and earthly, of whiche sort be blasing sterres, shooting starres, flames in the ayre &c. thōder, lightning, earthquakes, &c. rayne dewe, snowe, cloudes, springes &c. stones, metalles, earthes &c. to the glory of God, and the profit of his creaturs.
¶ PSALM. 148. Prayse the Lorde vponupon earth Dragons and all deepes, Fyre, Haile, Snowe, Ise, Wyndes, and stormes, that doe his wyll.
LONDINI. Anno. 1563.
❧ TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDE Robert Dudley, Maister of the Quenes maiesties horse, Knight of the most Noble order of the garter, and one of the Quenes maiesties priuie Counsell. William Fulce, wisheth increase of grace and heauenly giftes, in perfect health and true honor, long to continue.
THe moost myghtye Monaychie of the Romain Empire Octauius Augustus, (ryghte honourable Lord) did shewe so great liberalitie, or rather magnificence towardes all them that bare him good will, that he also most largely rewarded sondry persones yt had tought Popingayes and other birdes, to pronounce some salutation (as he passed by them) in his prayse & commendation. At the length a poore yonge man, allured (as it séemed) by his bountifull remuneration of other: had tought a Crowe (an vntowardly byrde) after the same manner to salute themperour. Who perceiuing his purpose, that it was rather for hope of gayne, then testimony of good wyll: answered that he had store inough already, of suche saluters at home, meaning those Popingayes & other birdes, which at the first for their strangenes, he had dearly payed for. In lyke manner (right honorable Lorde) when I present the salutation of this myne vntowardly byrde, a Crowe in comparison of suche pleasaunt popingayes, as hauehave béen hetofofore offered vntounto your honorable Lordship: you may hauehave iust cause of suspition, that being moued with your former liberalitie & magnificence towards other, I doe as the Poet sayeth: Occulium cautus decurrere piscis ad hamum.
And so if your gentle nature and noble dispositiō could suffer, as a crauer of vndeserued benefites, to reiect both me & my present. But sith my state is such, that I can not testifie the good wyll of myne heart towardes your honour, otherwyse then by such meanes as this: I was bolde to referre that suspition to the iudgement of your wysdome and humanitie (knowing my selfe cleare from suche intent) and to commit this vnbewtifull byrd, vnderunder the wynges of youre honorable protection, trusting that the same (whiche I take as a commen defence of all good learning) shall not only at this time be my stay & refuge, but also hereafter to more worthy attempts a continual encouragement. But specially at this tyme, I was bolde to enterprise the matter, for that one Iames Rowbothum, a man of notable impudens (that I saye no worse of him abusinge your singular humanitie and gentlenes expressing thexample of one Bathillus, or rather (that I may continue in the allegorie of birdes) of Esopes crowe, hath not ben ashamed to dedicate vntounto your Lordship of late a treatise of myne, which I gathered out of diuerse writers, concerning the Philosophers game: notwithstanding he was streightly commaunded to the contrary by the right honorable and reuerent father, my Lord of London, of whome also I was exhorted and encouraged to dedicate the same vntounto your honour, my selfe. Whiche though nowe through his importunitie & disobediēce, it be intercepted, and the booke defaced with his rude rythmes & peuish verses: yet I thought best to geue your Lordeship vnderstanding that your honorable protection which is and should be the defence of learning & learned men, might no more be a boldening to such ignorant and vnhonest persones. And like wyse most humbly to desire your honour that though myne Epistle dedicatory, be not annexed to that booke, yet considring by what pertinacitie I was hindered, you would accept that booke also together wt this, as an homely present of myne, of which I may conclude as one did in like case.
Illum ego cōposui librū, tulit alter honorē
Sic vos non vobis lacte tumetis oues.
Sic vos non vobis praeda agit ampla canes
Sic vos non vobis conditis antra ferae,
Sic vos non vobis pondera a fertis equi.
Thus sparing to trouble your honour any lōger, either wc cōplaint or excuse, I desyre almightie God to multiplie his blessinges toward you, that abounding in all good giftes bothe bodely and ghostly, you may hauehave long life in health and honour, to his glory, the profit of other, and your endles comfort. Amen.