38 COMMENDATORY VERSES. 



TO THE READERS 



HK that both knew and writ the Lives of men, 

 Such as were once, but must not be again ; 

 Witness his matchless Donne and Wotton, by 

 Whose aid he could their speculations try : 

 He that conversed with angels, such as were 

 Ouldsworth * and Featly,f each a shining star 

 Shewing the way to Bethlem ; each a saint, 

 Compared to whom our zealots, now, but paint : 

 He that our pious and learn'd Morley J knew, 

 And frnm him suck'd wit and devotion too : 

 He that from these such excellencies fetch 'd, 

 That He could tell how high and fir they reach'd j 

 What learning this, what graces th' other had ; 

 And in what several dress each soul was clad : 

 Reader, this He, this fisherman, comes forth, 

 And in these fisher's weeds would shroud his worth. 

 Now his mute harp is on a willow hung, 

 With which, when finely touch'd and fitly strung, 

 He could friends' passions for these times allay, 

 Or chain his fellow anglers from their prey. 

 But now the music of his pen is still, 

 And he sits by a brook watching a quill, 

 Where with a fix'd eye and a ready hand, 

 He studies first to hook, and then to land 

 Some Trout, or Perch, or Pike ; and having done, 

 Sits on a bank, and tells how this was won, 

 And that escaped his hook, which with a wile 

 Did eat the bait, and fisherman beguile. 

 Thus whilst some vex'd they from their lands are thrown, 

 He joys to think the waters are his own ; 

 And like the Dutch, he gladly can agree 

 To live at peace now, and have fishing free. 

 April 3, 1630. EDV. POWELL, Master of Arts. 



TO MY DEAR BROTHER, MR IZAAK WALTON, 



ON HIS COMPLETE ANGLER. 



THIS book is so like you, and you like it, 

 For harmless mirth, expression, art, and wit, 

 That I protest, ingenuously 'tis true, 

 I love this mirth, art, wit, the book, and you. 



ROB. FLOUD, C. 



LAUDATORUM CARMINA. 



CLARISSIMO AMICISSIMOQUE FllATKI, DOMINO ISAACO WALTON, 



ARTIS TlSCM.TOa.lJK PERITISSIMO. 



UNICUS est medicus reliquorum piscis, et istis, 

 Fas quibus est medicum tangere, certa salus. 



* Dr Richard Holdsworth. See an account of him in the Fatti Oxon. 107 ; 

 and in Ward's Livet of the Gresham Profetiort. 



+ Dr Daniel Featly, for whom Bee Athen. Oron. 603. 



* Dr George Morley, bishop of Winchester. 



