Withers Motto, Title page – Dedication
WITHER'S MOTTO.
Nec habeo, nec Careo, nec Curo.
LONDON printed for Iohn Marriott 1621
The Explanation of the Embleme.
This litle Embleme here doth represent,
The blest condition, of a man Content.
The Place he lyes on, is a mighty Rocke:
To shew, that He Contemnes and makes a mocke
Of Force, or Vnderminers. We expresse,
What others thinke him, by his Nakednesse.
His Mantle, with Hearts-ease y wrought doth show,
What He, doth of his owne well being, know.
The Piller, on whose Base, his head doth rest;
Hath Fortitude and Constancie exprest.
The Cornu-Copia that so neere him lyes;
Declares, that He enough hath to suffice:
And that He can be pleasd, with what the Fields,
Or what the fruitfull Tree, by Nature yealds.
That pleasant Prospectiue, in which you see,
Groues, Ryuers …ndes, and Pallaces there be;
Lies farr belowe Him: and is that, in which,
The truest-happy Man, is seldome rich.
The words, NEC HABEO he doth there bestow;
And what he meanes, doth with his finger show.
Aboue him houer Angels, and his Eye,
He fixing, on the glorious Heauens on high;
(From whence a Ray into his brest descends)
His other word NEC CAREO, thither sends:
To intimate, that He can nothing need,
Whom Angels guard, and God himselfe doth feed.
By force, or slye Temptations, to preuaile
Both Temporall, and Ghostly Foes assaile,
His naked person: but, without a wound,
Their Darts are broake; or, backe on them rebound.
So, with NEC CURO, Those he entertaines:
And to expresse, how highly He disdaines,
The best Contents, the World affoord him may;
A Globe Terrestriall, He doth spurne away.
To any body.
TO recreate my selfe, after some more serious Studies, I tooke occasion to exercise my Inuention in the illustration of my Motto; which being thus finished, my friends made me beleeue it was worth the preseruing; and grew so importunat for Coppies thereof, that I could not deny them. But doubting, lest by often transcribing, it might be much lamed through the Scribes insufficiency (as many things of this nature are) I thought fitting, rather to exemplyfie the same, by the Presse, then by the Penne. And to that end, deliuered it ouer to some Stationers, to hauehave onelyonly so many Copies, as I intended to bestow.
Yet considering that other men (to whom I meant them not) might peraduenture, come to the view of those Lines. I thought it not amisse, by way of Preuention, to remooue such Cauills as may be made against mee, by those vntounto whom I am vnknowne. Not, that I care to giuegive eueryevery idle Reader, an account of my Intentions: But to shew the Ingenuous, that the Carelesnes expressed in this Motto, proseeds from an vndistempered Care, to make all my Actions, (as neere as I can) such, as may be decent, warrantable, and becomming an honest Man: And that those, who shall foolishly seeke (from thence) to picke aduantages against me: may know, I am too well aduised to write any thing, which they shall bee iustly able to interpret, either to my hinderance, or disparagement.
Let me want esteeme among all good men, if I purposed (or hauehave any secret desire in me) that any part of this, should be applied to any particular man; but so as eueryevery one ought to apply things vntounto his own Conscience; and he that beleeues me not, I feare is guilty. My intent was, to draw the true Picture of mine own heart; that my friends, who knew mee outwardly, might hauehave some representation of my inside also. And that, if they liked the forme of it, they might (wherein they were defectiue) fashion their owne mindes thereunto. But, my principall Intention, was by recording those thoughts to confirme mine owne Resolution; and to preuent such alterations, as Time and infirmites, may worke vponupon mee. And if there bee no more reason inferr ed against me, to remoue my opinion, then I am yet apprehensiue of: I am confidently perswaded, that neither Feare, nor Force shall compell me, to deny any thing which I hauehave affirmed in this Poem. For, I had rather bee degraded from the greatest Title of Honour that could be giuen me; then constrained to deny this Motto.
Proud Arrogance (I know) and enough too; will be layd to my charge. But those who both know me, and the necessitie of this resolution, will excuse me of it. The rest (if they mis-censure me) are part of those things, I care not for.
The Language is but indifferent; for, I affected Matter more then Words. The Method is none at all: for, I was loath to make a businesse, of a recreation. And we know, he that rides abroad for his pleasure, is not tyed so strictly to keepe High-waies, as hee that takes a Iourney.
If the intermixing of sleight and weighty things together, be offensiue to any. Let them vnderstand, that if they well obserue it, they shall finde a seriousnesse, euen in that which they imagine least momentary. And if they had aswell obserued the conditions of men, as I hauehave done: they would perceiue that the greatest number (like Children which are allured to Schoole with points and Aples) must be drawne on with some friuolous expressions, or else will neuer listen to the graue precepts of Virtue; which, when they once heare, doe many times beget a delight in them, before they be aware.
Many Dishes of meate which we affect not may be so Cookt, that we shall hauehave a good appetit vntounto them: So, many men who take no pleasure to seeke Vertue in graue Treatises of Morallitie, may (perhaps) finding her vnlookt for, masked vnderunder the habit of a light Poem, growenamord on her beauty.
The foolish Canterbury Tale in my scourge of Vanity, (which I am now almost ashamed to read ouer) euen that, hath bin by some praysed for a witty passage: And I hauehave heard diuers, seriously protest, that they hauehave much more feelingly bin informed, & moued to detest the Vanity of the humor there skoffed at, by that rude Tale, then they were by the most graue precepts of Phylosophy. And that makes me oftentimes affect some things, in regard of their vsefulnesse: which being considered according to the Method of Art, and rules of Schollership, would seeme ridiculous.
But I vse more words for my Apology then needes: If this will not giuegive you satisfaction, I am sorry I hauehave said so much; and, if you know which way, satisfie your selues. For, how I am resolued (if you thinke it worth the taking notise of) the booke will tell you. Farewell.
GEO: WITHER.