Works of Joseph Hall, Dedication 7
TO MY LOVING AND LEARNED COVSIN, Mr. SAMVEL BVRTON, Archdeacon of Gloceſter.
INdeed, my Poetrie was long ſithence out of date, and yeelded her place to grauer ſtudies: but whoſe veine would it not reuiue, to looke into thoſe heauenly Songs? I were not worthy to be a Diuine, if it ſhould repent mee to be a Poet with Dauid, after I ſhall hauehave aged in the Pulpit. This work is holy and ſtrict, & abides not any youthfull or heatheniſh libertie; but requires hands free from profaneneſſe, looſeneſſe, affection. It is a ſeruice to God & the Church by ſomuch more carefully to be regarded, as it is more common. For who is there that will not challenge a part in this labour? and that ſhall not finde himſelfe much more affected with holy meaſure rightly compoſed? Wherefore I hauehave oft wondred, how it could be offenſiue to our aduerſaries, that theſe diuine Ditties which the Spirit of God wrote in verſe, ſhould be ſung in verſe; and that an Hebrew Poeme ſhould be made Engliſh. For if this kinde of compoſition had beene vnfit, God would neuer hauehave made choice of numbers, wherein to expreſſe himſelfe. Yea, who knowes not that ſome other Scriptures, which the Spirit hath indited in proſe, hauehave yet beene happily and with good allowance put into ſtrict numbers? If hiſtories tell vsus of a wanton Poet of old, which loſt his eies while hee went about to turne Moſes into verſe; yet eueryevery ſtudent knowes with what good ſucceſſe and commendation Nonnus hath turned Iohns Goſpell into Greeke Heroicks. And Apollinarius, that learned Syrian matched with Baſil and Gregorie (who liued in his time) in the termes of this equalitie, that Baſils ſpeech was foreign, but Apollinaries foreign, wrote, as Suidas reports, all the Hebrew Scripture in Heroicks, as Sozomen (ſomewhat more reſtrainedly) all the Archaiology of the Iewes, till Sauls gouernment, in 24. parts; or as Socrates yet more particularly, all Moſes in Heroicks, and all the other Hiſtories in diuers metres: but how-euer his other labours lie hid, his Metaphraſe of the Pſalmes is ſtill in our hands, with the applauſe of all the learned: beſides the labours of their owne Flaminius and Arias Montanus (to ſeeke for no more) which hauehave worthily beſtowed themſelues in this ſubiect. Neither doe I ſee how it can bee offenſiue to our friends, that wee ſhould deſire our Engliſh Metaphraſe bettered. I ſay nothing to the diſgrace of that we hauehave: I know how glad our aduerſaries are of all ſuch aduantages; which they are ready enough to finde out without me, euer reprochfully vpbraiding vsus with theſe defects. But ſince our whole Tranſlation is now vniuerſally reuiſed; what inconuenience or ſhow of innouation can it beare, that the verſe ſhould accompanie the proſe? eſpecially ſince it is well knowne how rude and homely our Engliſh Poeſie was in thoſe times, compared with the preſent; wherein, if euer, it ſeeth her full perfection. I hauehave beene ſollicited by ſome reuerend friends to vndertake this taske; as that which ſeemed well to accord with the former exerciſes of my youth, and my preſent profeſſion. The difficulties I found many, the worke long and great; yet not more painefull than beneficiall to Gods Church. Whereto as I dare not profeſſe any ſufficiencie; ſo I will not denie my readineſſe, and vtmoſt endeauour, if I ſhall bee employed by Authoritie: wherefore, in this part, I doe humbly ſu…mit…y ſelfe to the graue cenſures of them, whoſe wiſdome menageth theſe common affaires of the Church: and am ready either to ſtand ſtill or proceed, as I ſhall ſee their Cloud or Fire goe before or behinde me. OnelyOnly (howſoeuer) I ſhall, for my true affection to the Church, wiſh it done by better workemen. Wherein as you approue, ſo further my bold, but not vnprofitable motion, and commend it vntounto greater cares: as I doe you to the Greateſt.
Non-ſuch. Iuly 3. Your louing kinſman, IOS. HALL.