The Shepherds Hunting, Title page – Dedication
THE SHEPHERDS Hunting: Being, CERTAINE EGLOGS written during the time of the Authors Imprisonment in the Marshalsey.
BY GEORGE VVITHER, Gentleman.
LONDON: Printed by THOMAS SNODHAM for George Norton, and are to be sold at the signe of the red-Bull, neere Temple-barre. 1615.
TO THOSE HONOVRED, NOBLE, AND RIGHT Vertuous Friends, my Visitants in the Marshalsey: AND, TO ALL OTHER, MY VNKNOWNE FAVOVRITES, who eyther piuately, or publiquely wished me well in my imprisonment.
NOble Friends: you whose vertues made me first in louelove with Vertue: and whose worths, made mee be thought worthy of your loues. I hauehave now at last (you see) by Gods assistance and your encouragement, runne through the P…rgatory of imprisonment: and by the worthy fauour of a iust PRINCE, stand free againe, without the lea…t touch of deiected basenesse. Seeing therefore I was growne beyond my Hope so fortunate, (after acknowledgement of my Creators louelove, together with the vnequall'd Clemency of so gracious a Soueraigne) I was troubled to thinke by what meanes I might expresse my thankfulnesse to so many well-deseruing friends: No way I found to my desire; neyther yet abilitie to performe when I found it. But at length considering with my selfe what you were, (that is) such, who fauour honestie for no second reason but because you your selues are good; and ayme at no other reward but the witnesse of a sound conscience that you doe well, I found that thankfulnesse would proue the acceptablest present to sute with your dispositions; and that I imagined could be no way better expressed then in manifesting your courtesies, and giuing consent to your reasonable demands. For the first, I confesse (with thankes to the disposer of all things, and a true gratef…ll heart towards you,) so many were the vnexpected visitations and vnhoped kindnesses receiued both from some among you of my Acquaintance, and many other vnknowne Well…illers of my Cause, that I was perswaded to entertaine a much better conceit of the Time then I lately conceiued, and assured my selfe that VERTVE had farre more followers then I supposed.
Somewhat it disturbed mee to behold our ages Fauourites, whilst they frowned on my honest enterprises, to take vntounto their protections the egregiousts fopperics: yet much more was my contentm…nt, in that I was respected by so many of You, amongst whom there are some, who can and may as much dis-esteeme these, as they neglect me: nor could I feare their malice or contempt, whilst I enioyed your fauours, who (howsoeuer you are vnderunder-valued by fooles for a time) shall leaue vntounto your post…ritie so noble a memory, that your names shall be reuerenced by Kings, when many of these who now flourish with a shew of vsurped Greatnesse, shall eyther weare out of beeing, or dispoyled of all their patched reputation, grow contemptible in the eyes of their beloued Mistresse the World. Your LoueLove. is is that (enabling mee with patience to endure what is already past) hath made mee (also) carefull better to prepare my selfe for all future misaduentures, by bringing to my consideration, what the passion, of my iust discontentments had almost quite banished from my remembrance.
Further, to declare my thankefulnesse, in making app…rant my willing minde to be commanded in any seruices of louelove, which you shall thinke fit (though I want abilitie to performe great matters) duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page yet I hauehave according to some of your requests beene contented to giuegive way to the printing of these Eglogues, which thoug… it to many seeme a sleight matter, yet being well considered of, may proue a strong argument of my readinesse to gi…e you content in a greater matter: for they being (as you well kn…w) begotten with little care, and preserued with lesse respect, gaue sufficient e…idence that I meant (rather then any way to deceiue your trust) to giuegive the world occasion of calling my discretion in question, as I now assure my selfe This will: and the sooner, because such expectations (I perceiue) there are of I know not what Inuentions, as would hauehave beene frustrated though I had employed the vtmost and very best of my endeuours.
Notwithstanding, for your sakes, I hauehave here aduentured once againe to make tryall of the w…rlds censures: and what hath receiued beeing, from your Loues, I here rededicated to your Worths, which if your noble dispositions will like well of: Or if you will but reasonab…y respect what your selues drew mee vntounto, I shall be nothing displeased at others cauils, but resting my selfe contented with your good opinions, scorne all the rabble of vncharitable detractors: For none I know will maligne it except those, who eyther particularly malice my person, or professe th…mselues enemies to my former Bookes; who (sauing those that were incensed on others speeches) as diuers of you (according to your protestations) hauehave obserued, are eyther open enemies of our Church; men notoriously guilty of some particular Abuses therein t…xt, such malicious Crittickes who hauehave the repute of being indicious, by detracting from others; or at best such Guls, as neuer approue any thing good, or learned, but eyther that which their shallow apprehensions can apply to the soothing of their owne opinions, or what (indeede rather) they vnderstand not.
Trust me, how ill soeuer it hath beene rewarded, my louelove to my Country is inviolate: my thankefulnesse to you vnfayned, my endeuour to doe eueryevery man good; all my ayme content with honestie: and this my paines (if it may be so tearmed) more to auoid idlenes, then for affectation of praise: an… if notwithstanding all thir, I must yet, not onel… rest my selfe content that my innocency hath esc… ped with strict imprisonment (to the impayring … my state, and hinderance of my fortunes) but al… be constrayned to see my guiltlesse lines, suffer th… despight of ill tongues: yet for my further enco… ragement, let mee entreat the continuance … your first respect, wherein I shall finde that com fort as will be sufficient to make mee set light an… so much contemne all the malice of my aduersaries that ready to burst with the venome of their own… hearts, they shall see
My Minde enamoured on faire Vertues light
Ascends the limits of their bleared sight,
And plac'd aboue their Enuy, doth contemne,
Nay, sit and laugh at their disdaine and them.
But Noble Friends, I make question neyther of yours, nor any honest mans respect, and therefore will no further vrge it, nor trouble your patience: onelyonly this Ile say, that you may not thinke …e too well conceited of my selfe; though the Time …ere to blame in ill requiting my honest endea…ours, which in the eyes of the world deserued …etter, …et somewhat I am assured there was in …ee worthy that punishment which when God shall …iue mee grace to see and amend, I doubt not but …o finde that regard as will be fitting for so much …erit as my labours may iustly challenge. Meane while, the better to hold my selfe in esteeme with you, and amend the worlds opinion of Vertue, I will study to amend my selfe, that I may be yet more worthy to be called
Your Friend, GEO. WYTHER.