rather indure the Kites tyranny, then with sops Doues make the Sparrow-hauke my Champion. Fourthly, if I haue spoken Truth it is able to defend itselfe; if not, who-ere be my Patron, it is I must answere for it. Fiftly, for as much as I know my own mind best; I purpose if need be to become my owne Aduocate. Sixtly, for my owne sake I first made it, and therefore certaine I am I my selfe haue most right vnto it. But seaventhly, and lastly which is indeed the principal Reason, I haue made this Dedication to thee poor world despised Self; even to put thee in mind, (seeing thou hast here boldly begun to bid defiance to the Flesh, and vpon iust causes quareld with the world) that thou take heed to thine own words, and not through basenes of mind or vntowardnes of Fortune (to thy euerlasting disgrace) faintly giue ouer so noble a Combate."

Master Wyther enlarges considerably beyond the above period; and having completed his address to himself, he makes another to his readers, and tells them, they are not to look for Spencers or Daniels well composed numbers or the deep conceits of the then flourishing Jonson; "no," he adds," say it is honest plain matter, and there's as much as I look for. Read and welcome, but censure not, for your judgement is weak, and I utterly renounce it."

Five epigrams succeed, To Time, To the
Stranger,

Stranger, To the Satiromastix, and to the galld

reader.

Th. C. the "deare friend" of Wyther, calls him the impartial author, and writes,

"George, I did ever think thy faithfull breast,
Contein'd a mind beyond the common sort;
Thy very look an honest heart exprest,
And seem'd an aw-full mildnes to import :
Poets may vaunt of smooth and loftie straines,
Thine with thy subject fitly do agree;

But then thy Muse a better praise obtaines,
For whilst the greatest but time-pleasers be,
Thou vnappal'd, and freely speak'st the truth,
Not any one for feare or lucre sparing

A vertue rare in age, more rare in youth;
Another Cato but I think more daring."

The contents, Errata, The occasion of this work in nine pages, and an Introduction in five more, the two last in verse, precede the Abuses.

The same author published Britain's Remembrancer in 1628, containing "A narration of the plague lately past. A declaration of the Mischiefs present. And a prediction of judgements to come (if repentance prevent not);" which has a very neatly engraved allegorical frontispiece, descriptive of a dream, printed on the opposite page.

Twenty

Twenty-four pages are occupied by verses to the King; in which he declares his resolution to maintain what he has written, though the earth should sink, and the spheres fall flaming around him; because he knew that, in defiance of all the malice man could exert against his poem,

"It shall continue, when all those be rotten,
Or live with infamy, or dye forgotten,
Who shall oppose it."

In his Premonition, Mr. Wither says, the critics did not scruple to vilify the author, when they failed in fastening their detractions on his work.

Against my motto, though (as I forspoke) it redounded to their own shame, so raged my adversaries, that not content with my personal troubles, they sought the disparagement of that booke, by a libellous answer thereunto: wherein, I was used as most writers of Controversies, in these days, use each other: To wit, they objected what I never thought, and then made replies to their own devices: which being finished, was imprinted with an inscription falsly charging me, with labouring to stay the publication thereof; and then also, it was very gloriously fixed on the gate of my lodging, as if it had been some bill of Triumph."

This Premonition concludes as follows: "If you find any thing which may seeme spoken

out

out of due time; blame not mee altogether; for it is above two yeares since I laboured to get this booke printed, and it hath cost me more money, more pains, and much more time to publish it, then to compose it: For, I was faine to imprint every sheet thereof with my owne hand, because I could not get allowance to do it publikely: so unwilling are we of Remembrancers in this kind."

This gentleman advises the publick to beware of false prophets, who endeavour to make a breach between the King and the people.

"Oh! take ye therefore heed

Yee people, and yee kings (that shall succeed)
Of these Impostors. Of the last beware

Yee Subjects: for, their doctrines hellish are.
And though they promise liberty and peace,
Your thraldome, and your troubles they'll increase."
This work is in verse.

Drayton's Poly-olbion is most curiously decorated, and the frontispiece is extremely ingenious, if not very elegant in the design. It is thus described by the author on an opposite page :

Vpon the Frontispiece.

"Through a Triumphant Arch, see Albion plas't,

In Happy site, in Neptunes armes embras't,

In Power and Plenty, on hir Cleeuy Throne
Circled with Natures Ghirlands, being alone
Stil'd th' Oceans Island. On the Columes beene
(As Trophies raiz'd) what Princes Time hath seene
Ambitious of her. In hir yonger years,

Vast Earth-bred Giants woo'd her: but, who bears
In Golden field the Lion passant red,
AEneas Nephew (Brute) them conquered.
Next, Laureat Caesar, as a Philtre brings,

On's shield, his Grandame Venus: Him hir kings
Withstood. At length, the Roman, by long sute,
Gain'd her (most Part) from the ancient race of
Brute.

Diuorst from him, the Saxon sable Horse

Borne by sterne Hengist, wins her: but, through force

Garding the Norman Leopards bath'd in Gules, She changed hir Love to Him, whose Line yet rules."

Maps, characters of the towns and places, expressed by figures, &c.

Such were his powers of poetical description. The dedication to the high and mighty Henry Prince of Wales is probably the most laboured at least of his abilities in prose.