Читать книгу The Totall Discourse of the Rare Adventures & Painefull Peregrinations - William Lithgow - Страница 6

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Judicious Lector; if good Bookes may be tearmed wise guides, then certainely true Histories, may be tearmed perfite Oracles, secret Counsellours, private Schoolemasters, familiar friends to cherish knowledge, and the best Intelligencers, for all intendements; being duely pondered, and rightly used. This laborious worke then of mine, depending on this preamble, is onely composed of mine owne eye sight, and occular experience; (pluris est occulatus testis unus, quam auriti decem) being the perfit mirrour, and lively Portraicture of true understanding, excelling far all inventions whatsoever, Poeticque, or Theoricque. And now to shun Ingratitude, which I disdaine as Hell, I thought it best to exhibit the profit of my paynefull travailes to the desirous world; for two respects, the one a naturall obligation, the other a generall request: for as my dangerous adventures, have bene wrought out from the infinit variety of variable sights, innumerable toyles, pleasures, and inevitable sorrowes; so doth it also best simpathize with reason, and most fitting, that I should generally dispose of the same, to the temperate judgements of the better sort, the sound and absolute opinions of the Judicious; and to the variable censures of calumnious Critticks, who run at random, in the fields of other mens labours, but can not find the home-bred way in their owne close grounds: And therefore the different disposition of the good and bad, doe best concurre with the interchangeable occurrences of the matter.

Neverthelesse, for thy more easier understanding I have divided this History, in ten severall parts, and they also in three Bookes; which being seriously perused, doubtlesse thy labour shall receave both profit and pleasure: Accept them therefore with the same love, that I offer them to thee, since they cost thee nothing but the reading, how deare soever they are to mee: But understand me better, I scorne to draw my pen to the ignorant foole, neither shall it stoop to the proud Knave, for I contemne both: To the wise I know it will be welcome, to the profound Historian, yeeld knowledge, contemplation, and direction, and to the understanding Gentleman, insight, instruction, and recreation; and to the true-bred Poet fraternall love, both in meane and manner. Now as touching the hissing of snakish Papists; a tush for that snarling Crew; for as this worke, being fensed with experience, and garnished with trueth, is more than able to batter downe the stinging venome of their despightfull waspishnes: so also they may clearely see therein, as in a Mirrour, their owne blindnes, and the damnable errours of their blind Guiders, Deceavers, and Idolaters: And above all the cruell infliction imposed upon me, by the mercilesse Inquisition of their profession in Malaga: which for Christs sake I constantly suffered, in tortures, tormentes, and hunger: And lastly they may perceave Gods miraculous mercy, in discovering and delivering me from such a concealed and inhumane murder. And now referring the well set Reader to the History it selfe, where satisfaction lyeth ready to receave him, and expectation desirous of deserved thanks; I come to talke with the scelerate Companion: If thou beest a Villane, a Ruffian, a Momus, a Knave, a Carper, a Crittick, a Bubo, a Buffon, a stupid Asse, and a gnawing worme with envious lips; I bequeath thee to a Carnificiall reward: where a flaxing rope will soone dispatch thy snarling slander, and free my toylsome travells, and now paynefull labours, from the deadly poyson of thy sharpe edged calumnies: and so go hang thy selfe, for I neither will respect thy love, nor regard thy malice: And shall ever and alwayes remayne;

To the Courteous still observant, and to

the Critticall Knave as he deserveth,

William Lithgow.