The Epiftle to the Reader. 



Worke-man cannot imitate, and fuch verfues and properties, that although ivee 

 know many, yet many more lye hidden and vnknowne, but many good inftruSlions 

 alfo to our felues : That as many herbes and flowers with their fragrant fweete 

 fmels doe comfort, and as it were reuiue the fpirits, and perfume a whole houfe ; 

 euen fo fuch men as Hue vertuouJJy, labouring to doe good, and profit the Church of 

 God and the Common wealth by their paines or penne, doe as it were fend forth a 

 pleajing fauour of fweet inftruSlions, not only to that time wherein they Hue, and 

 are frejh, but being drye, withered and dead, ceafe not in all after ages to doe as 

 much or more. Many herbes and flowers that haue fmall beautie or fauour to com- 

 mend them, haue much more good v/e and "uertue : fo many men of excellent rare 

 parts and good qualities doe lye hid unknown and not refpeSled, imtill time and v/e 

 of them doe Jet forth their properties. Againe, many flowers haue a glorious fhe w 

 of beauty and brauery, yet Jiinking in fmell, or elfe of no other vfe : fo many 

 doe make a glorious ojlentation, and flourifh in the world, when as if they Jlinke 

 not horribly before God, and all good men, yet furely they haue no other vertue then 

 their outjide to commend them, or leaue behind them. Some alfo rife vp and appear 

 like a Lilly among Thames, or as a goodly Flower among many Weedes or GraJ/e, 

 eyther by their honourable authoritie, or eminence of learning or riches, whereby 

 they excell others, and thereby may doe good to many. The frailty alfo of Mans 

 life is learned by the foone fading of them before their flowring, or in their pride, or 

 foone after, being either cropt by the hand of the fpeftator, or by a fudden blajl wi- 

 thered and parched, or by the reuolution of time decaying of it owne nature : as 

 a/Jo that the faire ft flowers or fruits fir ft ripe, are foone ft and fir ft gathered. The 

 mutabilitie alfo of ftates and perfons, by this, that as where many goodly flowers 

 Gf fruits did grow this year e and age, in another they are quite pulled or digged -up, 

 and eyther weedes and graj/e grow in their place, or fome building eretted thereon, 

 and their place is no more known. The Ciuill refpetts to be learned from them are 

 many alfo : for the delight of the varieties both of formes, colours and properties 

 of Herbes and Flowers, hath euer beene powerfull ouer dull, unnurtured, rufticke 

 and fauage people, led only by Natures inftin5t ; how much more powerfull is it, or 

 fhould be in the mindes of generous perfons ? for it may well bee f aid, he is not hu- 

 mane, that is not allured with this obieSi. The ftudy, knowledge, and trauel in them, 

 as they haue been entertained of great Kings, Princes and Potentates, without dif- 

 paragement to their GreatneJ/e, or hinderance to their more ferious and weighty 

 Affaires : fo no doubt vnto all that are capable thereof, it is not onely pleafant, but 

 profitable, by comforting the minde, fpirits and fenfes with an harmelejfe delight, 

 and by enabling the iudgement to conferre and apply helpe to many dangerous di- 

 feafes. It is alfo an InftruSler in the "verity of the genuine Plants of the Ancients, 

 and a CorreSler of the many errours whereunto the world by continuance hath bin 

 diuerted, and almoft therein fixed, by eradicating in time, and by degrees, the perti- 

 nacious wilfulnej/e of many, who becaufe they were brought vp in their errours, are 

 moft unwilling to leaue them without confideration of the good or euill, the right or 

 wrong, they draw on therewith. And for my f elfe I may well fay, that had not mine 

 owne paines and ftudies by a naturall inclination beene more powerfull in mee then 

 any others helpe (although fome through an euill difpofition and ignorance haue fo 

 far traduced me as to fay this was rather another mans worke then mine owne, but 

 I leaue them to their folly] I had neuer done fo much as I here publifh ; nor been Jit 

 or prepared for a larger, as time may fuddenly (by Gods permifsion) bring to light, if 

 the maleuolent difpofitions of degenerate fpirits doe not hinder the accomplijhment. 



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