88 JOHN GOODYER 



not of a Paraphrast, but an* Interpreter, as whoe, as much as lay in 

 mee, have not departed a nailes breadth from Dioscorides his mean- 

 ing, and yet withall have stuck close to y^ puritie of Plinie's style. 

 But I had rather they should judge of this, which shall faithfully 

 compare mine with their translations. Howsoever it be, I had 

 all most made an end of y^ worck, when behold Sambucus an 

 earnest prosecutor hcereof was taken away from us by untimely 

 death. Then Steevens began to be, as it were, faint hearted in y^ 

 businesse, yea & although y' many others were urgent upon y^ 

 worck, to knit many delaies, and to put it ofif from day to day, 

 either by his due employments, whereby he was some tymes 

 diversly distracted or for y^ travellings, which befell him often in 

 y® meane space, & were allmost continuall see y' he could not 

 performe his promise nor be as good as his word. And soe it came 

 to passe that these my Elucubrations upon Dioscorides lay con- 

 cealed in my desk for many yeares. This then, when y^ heyres 

 of Andrew Wecher did understand, being most studious of helping 

 on learning & did withall desire to satisfie y*^ wishes & expectations 

 of some good men, at last they obtained this of mee y' I should 

 suffer them to be brought out into y'^ sight & view of men. These 

 are (y' I may once say it) y*^ causes of this worcke intended, & also 

 of the suppressing of it soe long unto this tyme. 



As concerning y'' Greek text, wee have laboured, y' as farre as 

 might be, it should be restored to its old splendor. For although 

 wee have relligiously followed y^ Parisian edition of y*" most learned 

 Goupylus, as y"" most sound, & best amended of any that are 

 extant, yet wee have, as much as might be, taken away y*^ faults 

 of y*" print, which were yet remaining. But what passages, both 

 y" matter it self, & y*" certaine faith & authoritie of y^ Copies, 

 whether printed, or manuscript, did persuade to be changed, those 

 wee have boldly changed. Yet wee have noe where yielded soe , 

 much to our owne or others conjectures, that wee have dared to doe 

 anything without y'' Creditt of y"" better bookes, being contented 

 only to note them with an interlineary Asterisck, which should 

 direct thee y*" Reader to our Notes. But if, which yet falls out 

 but seldome, wee found some places, soe corrupted & depraved, y' 

 there could noe sence be made of them, and yet there was no place 

 for any Remedie either out of conjecture, or out of y" footsteps of 

 antient readings, there wee have marcked y*-' margent with an 

 Asterisck. But y'^ divers readings, both of the most renowned man 

 Dr. Sambucus, as also of others drawne out here & there upon 

 Dioscorides. For both y*" same Dr. Steevens communicated some 



