Pancrates in Lucian, wanting a servant as he went from Memphis to Coptus in Egypt, took a door bar, and after some superstitious words pronounced (Eucrates the relator was then present) made it stand up like a serving-man, fetch him water, turn the spit, serve in supper, and what work he would besides; and when he had done that service he desired, turn’d his man to a stick again. I have no such skil to make new men at my pleasure, or means to hire them, no whistle to call like the master of a ship, and bid them run, &c. I have no such authority, no such benefactors, as that noble Ambrosius was to Origen, allowing him six or seven Amanuenses to write out his dictats, I must for that cause do my businesse my self.

And was therefore enforced, as a Bear doth her whelps, to bring forth this confused lump, I had not time to lick it into form, as she doth her yong ones, but even so to publish it, as it was first written, quicquid in buccam venit, in an extemporean stile, as I do commonly all other exercises, effudi quicquid dictavit genius meus, out of a confused company of notes, and writ with as small deliberation as I do ordinarily speak, without all affectation of big words, fustian phrases, jingling terms, tropes, strong lines, that like Acesta’s arrows caught fire as they flew, strains of wit, brave heats, elogies, hyperbolical exornations, elegancies, &c. which many so much affect.

I am aquæ potor, drink no wine at all, which so much improves our modern wits, a loose, plain, rude writer, ficum voco ficum, & ligonem ligonem, and as free, as loose, idem calamo quod in mente, I call a spade a spade, animis hæc scribo, non auribus, I respect matter, not words; remembring that of Cardan, verba propter res, non res propter verba: and seeking with Seneca, quid scribam, non quemadmodum, rather what, then how to write.

For as Philo thinks, He that is conversant about matter, neglects words, and those that excell in this art of speaking, have no profound learning, Verba nitent phaleris, at nullas verba medullas Intus habent——— Besides, it was the observation of that wise Seneca, when you see a fellow carefull about his words, and neat in his speech, know this for a certaintie, that mans mind is busied about toyes, there’s no soliditie in him. Non est ornamentum virile concinnitas: as he said of a nightingale, ———vox es, præterea nihil, &c.

I am therefore in this point a professed disciple of Apollonius a scholar of Socrates, I neglect phrases, and labor wholly to inform my readers understanding, not to please his ear; tis not my study or intent to compose neatly, which an Orator requires, but to express my self readily & plainly as it happens. So that as a River runs sometimes precipitate and swift, then dull and slow; now direct, then per ambages; now deep, then shallow; now muddy, then clear; now broad, then narrow; doth my stile flow: now serious, then light; now comical, then satyrical; now more elaborate, then remisse, as the present subject required, or as at that time I was affected.

And if thou vouchsafe to reade this treatise, it shall seem no otherwise to thee, then the way to an ordinary Traveller, sometimes fair, sometimes foul; here champion, there inclosed; barren in one place, better soyl in another: by woods, groves, hils, dales, plains, &c. I shall lead thee per ardua montium, & lubrica vallium, & roscida cespitum, & glebosa camporum, through variety of objects, that which thou shalt like and surely dislike.

For the matter it self or method, if it be faulty, consider I pray you that of Columella, Nihil perfectum, aut à singulari consummatum industria, no man can observe all, much is defective no doubt, may be justly taxed, altered, and avoided in Galen, Aristotle, those great Masters. Boni venatoris (one holds) plures feras capere, non omnes; He is a good Huntsman can catch some, not all: I have done my endeavor.

Besides, I dwell not in this study, Non hic sulcos ducimus, non hoc pulvere desudamus, I am but a smatterer, I confesse, a stranger, here and there I pull a flower; I do easily grant, if a rigid censurer should criticize on this which I have writ, he should not finde three sole faults, as Scaliger in Terence, but 300. so many as he hath done in Cardans subtleties, as many notable errors as Gul. Laurembergius, a late professor of Rostocke, discovers in that anatomie of Laurentius, or Barocius the Venetian in Sacro boscus.

And although this be a sixth Edition, in which I should have been more accurate, corrected all those former escapes, yet it was magni laboris opus, so difficult and tedious, that as Carpenters do finde out of experience, tis much better build a new sometimes, then repair an old house; I could as soon write as much more, as alter that which is written. If ought therefore be amisse, (as I grant there is) I require a friendly admonition, no bitter invective, Sint musis socii Charites, Furia omnis abesto,

Otherwise as in ordinarie controversies, funem contentionis nectamus, sed cui bono? We may contend, and likely misuse each other, but to what purpose? We are both scholars, say, ———Arcades ambo, Et cantare pares, & respondere parati. If we do wrangle, what shal we get by it? Trouble and wrong our selves, make sport to others. If I be convict of an error, I wil yield, I wil amend. Si quid bonis moribus, si quid veritati dissentaneum, in sacris vel humanis literis à me dictum sit, id nec dictum esto.