Commentary Upon Revelation, Title page – Epigram
AN EXQVISITE COMMENTARIE VPONUPON THE REVELATION OF SAINT IOHN. VVHEREIN, BOTH THE courſe of the whole Booke, as alſo the more abſtruſe and hard places thereof not heretofore opened; are now at laſt moſt cleerely and euidently explaned.
By PATRIK FORBES of Corſe.
REVEL. 1. 3. Bleſſed is he that readeth, and they that heare the words of this Prophecie, and keepe thoſe things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
TOBIAS
LONDON Printed by W. HALL, for Francis Burton, and are to bee ſold at his ſhop in Pauls Churchyeard, at the ſigne of the Greene Dragon. 1613.
TO THE MOST MIGHTY MONARCH, MY MOST GRATIOVS SOVERAIGNE LORD, IAMES KING OF GREAT BRITAINE, FRANCE, AND IRELAND, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, &c. GRACE AND PEACE, WITH ALL INCREASE AND CONTINVANCE OF HAPPY AND ROIALL STATE FROM GOD THE FATHER IN OVR LORD JESVS CHRIST. THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
FOr a token, though poore in my part; yet that gratefullie I remember your Highneſſe Princely mind, in keeping mee an eare againſt ſinistrous delation, and giuing ſo gentle warning of your good pleaſure therein, this part of my miſreported paines, I humbly preſent vntounto your Maieſtie: to whoſe Souer aigne skill in theſe diuine ſecrets, (by your royall writings well witneſſed to the world) beſides common allegeance, all pens, and of all men imploied on this Prophecie, owe proper homage: as not only to the moſt glorious patrocinie, but therewith alſo the moſt learned cenſure. In both which, I doe yet more relye on your Maieſties experienced benignitie, then I preſume either of merit for the one, or ſufficiencie againſt the other. I know the too iuſt complaint of the wiſeſt, vponupon the great abuſe of that excellent gift of printing, both to the diſgrace and detriment of learning, while (each man dotting after the brood of his owne braine, and vainly promiſing to himſelf the ſame applauſe of others, which his own partiall heart yeeldeth him) no end is of making many books: ſo as the inexpert ſtudent, in ſearch of letters weilding amidſt infinite variety, is caſt in ſuch doubt of choiſe, that, taſting about, before he happilie fall on oughtworthy to feed on, appetite is ſpent, and he filled with he cannot tell what. I know alſo that as it was not permitted each Painter to practiſe his skill on the roiall Effigie of Alexander, ſo were it intollerable preſumption for each Pamphlet to vſurpe the ſhadow of your Highneſſe Name. Neither hath ſelfe-weining ſo ouerſiled mine eies from the ſight of mine own ſlenderneſſe, but that ſincerely I acknowledge, in this ſo learned an age wherein much is excellently well written, and yet infinitely more paper miſerably ſpoiled, that hundreths more gifted then I, might well be pardoned to put vp their pennes, and, ſo, much leſſe to currie credit to their vnſutable works, by ſhrowding them vnderunder the ſhelter of ſo ſacred a vaile: yet how great ſoeuer be my imparity to ſo high attempt, the ſubiect of this my labor is of ſuch a ſurpaſſing eminency, as, if it hath pleaſed God onelie…wiſe by my weakeneſſe to bring forth any one ſparkle of new and true light for more cleare vnderſtanding thereof (wherein, for ought that hithertils hath been ſaid of any, the moſt learned yet acknowledge an vntried depth of which anie one point opened may bee a competent recompence of much paines) I hope it ſhall ſomewhat excuſe me of too great temerity, either in writing or in vowing, what I write, ſo highlie: and ſhall heerewithall encourage the better gifted ſoberlie to ſearch out what heerein hath eſcaped me alſo. Now heereof as your Maieſtie can beſt of all men iudge, ſo am I the bolder to vndergoe the hazard of ſo high a ſentence, for that of your Maieſties knowne clemence I am certaine to report either praiſe or pardon.
Your Maieſties humble Subiect PATRIK FORBES of Corſe.
Ad eundem. IOANNIS FORBESII filij Epigramma.
INgenio pollet, paciſque Minerua refulget
Artibus, aſt eadem parmamque haſtam que trementem
Fulmineumque enſem bello metuenda virago
Concutit, ac trepidare vetat virtutis amantes,
Peſte per argolicas latè graſſante cateruas,
Placandum miſſa num…n Chyſeide Calchas
Fretus Achille canit. Cantu Philomela ſecunda
Dicetur Cuculo; calamis ex virgine factis
Cedet Apollineus Pollex; Aſino que Mida que
Iudicibus: vulgus praeponet Stentora Vliſſi.
Non humili ſubiecta toro, at laquearibus altis
Fax appenſa domum illuſtrat fulgore coruſco.
Haec tria Forbeſius vaſti intra maenia mundi
Altè veſtigans oculis, ac mente peragrans
Europam que Aſiam que rotaeque ardoribus altae
Candentē Lybiam, & queis nomen Americns olim
Addidit inuentis, ſeris radiantia flammis
Littora; quae que Magellanus circū aequora vectus
Antipodum procul arua polo ſubiecta notauit:
Illis doctrinam, validas contingere vires
His, alijs decus eſſe videt; ſed cuncta ſub vno
Pectore non habitare locis quae Diua triformis
Noctiuagis ambit per muta ſilentia bigis.
Vnum vſus que excipio, cui Magna Britānia tanto
Rege beata ſubeſt, Iacobi nomine Magni
Clarum, hac tergemina qui fulgens laude per orbe,
Finitimos, ſtellas veluti Phaebaea minores
Lampas, è ſolio reges intermicat aureo.
Ergo huius (tenuis quē noſtra Camaena vocandi
Affari caſu metuit) conamine multo
Et precis & ſtudij expreſſas & ab aethere miſſas
Luminis aetherei ſcintillas (queis liber olim
Viſibus humanis ſeptena ob clauſtra negatus
Agno poſt reſerante legi, patefactaque vati
Porta poli poſſet penetrari) ſubijcit acri
Cenſurae patrocinium mentemque priore,
Sperans Forbeſius fretus comitate benignam:
Vt tenebras valeat tam celſo è culmine terris
Pellere, tutelaque ingenti ſpernere caecam
Inuidiam, victorque virûm volitare per ora.