A Threefold Romance, Title page – To the reader
TRIANA, Or a Threefold ROMANZA
Of Mariana.
Of Paduana.
Of Sabina.
Omne tulit Punctum qui miſcuit vtile dulci.
LONDON, Printed for John Stafford, and are to be ſold at his Houſe, at the George at Fleet-bridge. 1655.
To the Reader.
IT is hard to ſay whether it is worst, to be Idle or ill imploy'd; whilſt I have eſchewed the former, I have fallen on the latter; and ſhall by the ſeverer ſort be cenſured for miſpending my time.
Let ſuch I pray heare my Plea, and I dare make my accuſers my Judges herein, that is not loſt time which aimes at a good end; Sauce is as lawfull as meat, recreation as Labour, it hath pleaſed me in compoſing it, I hope it may delight others in peruſing it.
I preſent not a Tranſlation out of the Spaniſh, or from the Italian Originall; this is the common Pander to mens fancy, hoping to vent them under that title with the more applauſe. Theſe my play-labours never appeared before, and is an eſſay of what hereafter may be a greater volume.
Things herein are compoſed in a generall proportion to truth, and we may juſtly affirme,
Vera ſi non ſcribimus, ſcribimus veri ſimilia, I will not be depoſed for the exact variety of the graveſt paſſages: in the greateſt hiſtorian a Liberty hath ever been allowed to fancies of this nature, alwaies provided, that they confine themſelves within the bounds of probability.
Thus wiſhing every faithfull Lover Feliciano's happineſſe, every good wife Facundo's Love; every true ſervant, ſervant, Gervia's fortune, every Maiden-Lady, Fidelio's conſtant affection, every faithfull friend Vejetto's ſucceſſe, every clowniſh foole, Inſuls his miſhap, and every cruell wanton, Nicholayo's deſerved puniſhment: I leave thee to the peruſall hereof, cenſure not ſo rigidly, leſt you blaſt a budding Writer in the bloſſoming of his endeavours.
TRIANA