PREFACE. V 



they are delivered and brought to our hands, my 

 mind gives me there could be no great or high mat 

 ter expected, or supposed to proceed from them in 

 respect of these originals. But if with attention we 

 consider the matter, it will appear that they were 

 delivered and related as things formerly believed and 

 received, and not as newly invented and offered unto 

 us. Besides, seeing they are diversely related by 

 writers that lived near about one and the self same 

 time, we may easily perceive that they were common 

 things derived from precedent memorials ; and that 

 they became various by reason of the divers orna 

 ments bestowed on them by particular relations ; 

 and the consideration of this must needs increase in 

 us a great opinion of them, as not to be accounted 

 either the effects of the times or inventions of the 

 poets, but as sacred relics or abstracted airs of bet 

 ter times, which; by tradition from more ancient na 

 tions, fell into the trumpets and flutes of the Gre 

 cians. But if any do obstinately contend, that alle 

 gories are always adventitially, and as it were by 

 constraint, never naturally and properly included in 

 fables, we will not be much troublesome, but suffer 

 them to enjoy that gravity of judgment which I am 

 sure they affect, although indeed it be but lumpish 

 and almost leaden. And, if they be worthy to be 

 taken notice of, we will begin afresh with them in 

 some other fashion. 



There is found among men, and it goes for cur 

 rent, a twofold use of parables, and those, which is 

 more to be admired, referred to contrary ends, con- 



