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TO
THE REVEREND AND RIGHT
WORSHIPFULL Richard Neile, D.
of Divinity, Deane of Weſtminster, Maiſter of
the Savoy, and Clearke of the King his most excellent
Maieſties Cloſet, all felicity Temporall,
spirituall, and Eternall.
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He Library of English Bookes, and Catalogue of writers, (Right Worthy and Learned Deane, my most respected Patron) have growne to the height, not onely of a just number, but almost innumerable: and no marvell, for God himself hath in all ages preserved lerning in the next place to life; for as life is the Ministeriall Governor and moover in this world, so is learning the Ministeriall Governor and moover in life: As an interpretor in a strange Country is necessary for a traveller that is ignorant of Languages (or else he should perish,) so is knowledge and learning to us poore Pilgrimsin this our Perigrination, out of Paradice, unto Paradice; whereby confused Babels tongues are againe reduced to their significant Dialects, not in the builders of Babell to further and finish an earthly Tower, but in the builders of Jerusalem, to bring them all to their owne Countrey Which they seeke, and to the desired rest of soules. Literæ obstetrices arrium quarum beneficio ab interitur undicantur. As life is different and divers, according to the spirit wherein it is sented, and by which it is norished as with a current; so also is Learning, acording to the tast, use, and practise of rules, Canons, and Authors, from whom as from a Fountaine is taketh both beginning and encrease: even as the spirit of a serpent is much quicker then the knowledge of other obscure Philosophers, unworthy to be named; which either through envie or Non proficiencye durst never write, Si cum hac exceptione detur sapientia ut illam inclusum tencã, nec enuntiem, reijciam. Nillius benisine socio iucunda est possessio. And therfore I lay with Petrus Blesen: Scientarium generosa possessio in plures dispersa, non perditur, & distributa per partes, minorationis detrimentum non sentit: sed co diuturnis perpetuata senescit, quo publicata fœcundis se dissundit.
The greatest men stored with all helpes of Learning, Nature, & Fortune, were the first writers who as they did excel other men in posessions & world dignity, so they manifested their profit of the world, according to the Poets profession:
Aut prodesse volunt aut delectari poetæ,
Aut simul & iucunda & idonea dicere viræ,
Omnetulit punctum qui mascuit utile dulci,
Lectorem delectando, pariterque monendo.
