The Anatomy of Baseness, Title page – Dedication
THE ANATOMIE Of BASENESSE. Or The foure quarters of a Knaue;
Flatterie,
Ingratitude,
Enuie,
Detraction.
He that hath theſe foure parts, neede no more hauehave To be recorded for a complete Knaue.
Imprinted at London for Richard Redmer, and are to be ſold at the Weſt dare of Paules at the ſigne of the Starre. 1615.
TO THE TRVELY enobled both by Vertue and birth, Sir ROBERT SYDNEY Knight of the BATH: I. A. wiſheth the reward of his Vertue, honour in this world, Glorie in the next.
Honourable Sir:
TO immitate the common methode of Epiſtolizers in this kinde, were rather to write of you, then to you, which courſe though I affect not, J cannot altogether neglect, though I ſhall thereby either wrong you, or my ſelfe; for in publiſhing (though ſparingly) my knowledge of your worth to the world, ſuch, to whom you are vnknowne will ſo much iniure mee, as to taxe me with (what I condemne in others) flatterie; whereas ſome (to whom you are no ſtranger) will cenſure mee as much on the cōtrary to hauehave dealt with you rather, according to the pouertie of my abilitie, then to the fulneſſe of your merite.
Jt will peraduenture ſeeme ſtrange vntounto you (if this poore worke chance to come to your view) what aſſurance of your good acceptance begot ſuch preſumption in me as to dedicate the ſame vntounto you. J must first anſwere, I hauehave not done it mercenarily; for then I would hauehave preſented it to your hand: nor vaine-gloriouſly; for then I would either hauehave craued your allowance, or ſubſcribed my name; but freely and honestly out of that reſpect which I owe to that innate Goodneſſe which I know to be in you. Though I forbeare (out of ſome reſpects) to hauehave my name publiſhed; yet I can acknowledge the Booke to be mine without bluſhing. If it bee (by anie) ill digested, the fault muſt be in the taker not in the Author: it was written with a right hand, and I wiſh it may not bee ſiniſterly intertained by any; but if ſom wil needs be ſo forward, the care is taken. In you I am made ſo confident by that (I might iuſtly vſe Honourable, Noble, Worthy, or ſome ſuch high Epithete: but I will rather ſay) Honeſt (a poore phraſe will ſome thinke) and vertuous diſpoſition which accompanies you, that I muſt account it may happineſſe that I liue to knowe a ſecond, whoſe breſt Goodneſſe makes her habitation; yet pardon mee if I ſay, I enioy not this happineſſe without ſome touch of griefe; I ſhall not neede to implore your protection, though your pardon. I acknowledge I hauehave preſumed, and know you can and will remit the errors of Affection in him that is,
The wiſher of your Honour, and honourer of your VERTVES J. A.