Pamphilus, the Louer, Maria, the woman beloued.

Anno. 1568.

¶ Imprinted at London

by Henrie Denham,

dwelling in Pater noster
Rowe, at the signe
of the Starre.

¶ To the right worshipfull

Maister Francis Rogers

Esquire, one of the Gentlemen pensioners
vnto the Queenes Maiestie, Nicholas
Leigh wisheth long & quiet
lyfe, with much increase
of virtue and
worship.

When I remember (gentle Maister Rogers) the auncient acquaintance and friendship, and the daylie and accustomed metings, recourse and familiaritie that (amōg the rest) did happen and passe betwene vs in times past, in those our yong and tender yeares, and in those famous places of studie, vnto the which we were by oure friendes appointed and then sent for learning sake. And when moreouer, I doe remember, waye, and cōsider therin on the one side, that state and condition of life, in the which I was then, with that, which for my part on the other side, I doe now find and haue long since felt and tasted of, I cannot but recken and thinke that time most happily passed which I bestowed in the trauaile and study of good letters. For besides the inestimable fruit, & the incomparable pleasure & delectation, that the Muses doe bring vnto the studious, beside the sweete rest of minde, voyde of all worldly cares and troubles, the faire & pleasaunt walkes, which we there (with a number of vertuous, and well disposed, and a sort of learned, ciuill, friendly and faithfull companions) enioyed, togither with the wholesome and cleane diet, not infected with outragious or any surfetings (a vice else where to much vsed) what honest and godly exercises had we then there to the furtherance and increase of vertue, & to the abandoning of vice? insomuch that in a maner it hath fared with me euer since my departing thẽce, as with one that being expelled and exuled from a second Paradise, replenished and adorned with all kinde of flagrant & of most wholesome and sweete flowers and delights, is presently fallen as it were into a darke & an yrkesome thicket of bushes and brambles of the cares and troubles of this worlde, daylie readie, not onely to molest and perturbe the quiet studious minde, but also so complete with an infinite number of displeasures, dammages, and daungers on euerye side that (verye much according to the auncient and wonted prouerbe) I may now iustly say vix fugiet Scyllam, qui vult vitare Charybdim. Wherefore that mans saying seemed not altogither voyde of reason, that sayde, that if there were anye choyse to be had as touching the estate of man, the better parte and the first thereof was not to be borne at al, the next vnto that was to die verie shortly. And yet by the way neuerthelesse, as he that hath bene once in any suche kinde of Paradise or place of pleasure, as is aforesaide, hath alwayes nowe and then some motions and occasions, to cast his sorrowfull eye with a mournfull minde towardes the same: euen so I of late beholding and lamenting that chaunged place and state of life, and in the meane season pervsing some pieces of mine olde exercises which I had then and did there (whereof I was alwayes bolde partly to make you priuie, as one among all others whose discreete iudgement and towardnesse in learning togither with the great curtesie and singuler humanitie and friendship, and the passing readie and great pleasantnesse of wit, ioyned therewith was then certes not a little had in admiration and embraced euery where) happily I founde certaine loose papers of two Dialogues of the famous and excellent Clarke Erasmus of Roterodame, by me translated into englishe (partly for the pleasantnesse of the matter, as it seemed vnto me then, partly also for the proofe and triall of my selfe what I coulde doe in translating, and lastly as the matter semed swete and pleasaunt, so not altogither voide of godlye and wholesome exhortations and lessons, for all sortes no lesse necessarie than profitable). Which when I had with earnest view pervsed, and hauing in minde diuers times to gratifie your goodnesse with some friendly token of remembraunce, forthwith I thought (renuing my wÕted exercises) to dedicate these two Dialogues vnto you. Whose knowledge and learning I know, and gentlenesse therwithal to be such, that I am in an assured hope that (vntill I may giue better) ye will vouchsafe in the meane season thankefully to accept these my recreations, and these few lines at my handes as a pledge and a poore present of the continuall remembrance, and the vnfeyned good will I beare towards you, & your vertuous demerites. Wherin notwithstanding, albeit peraduenture the exercise of study and learning, and especially the matter it selfe therein contained maye seeme to bee of very small importance or pleasure, & rather otherwise different or something disagreeable vnto your vocation on euerie side, and also vnto all such for the most part as in the roome and place of armes, are called towardes the seruice of the Princes Maiestie, and of their Countrie (Rara enim inter Arma & literas vel togas est amicitia vel societas) Yet I knowing the great reuerence and the singular regard and estimation that you do beare, and alwayes haue borne towardes the learned and towardes good letters, for the pleasant and fruitefull knowledge that you your selfe haue most happily and with great dexteritie both reaped and tasted among them in times past, I doubt not but that (waying the worthinesse of the Author of them, and accepting the faithfull indeuours of me the rude translator of them) you will be content to permit the same to passe vnder your wing, and so much (I know) the rather for that they both doe tende to vertues purpose. The one of them being betweene a Woer and his Feere, wherein albeit the naturall ouerthwartnesse of the womanishe minde, doth now and then burst out as out of the frayler and weaker vessell, yet is therein a godlye kinde of woeing without any scurilitie, very pleasantly, liuely, and plainly declared and set forth, to the good behauiour and honest inducement and furtherance of such as are yet to take that matter or enterprise in hand, farre from prouoking any vice, as the maner and guise of a number of lasciuious Louers and fayned woers nowe a dayes is, whose craftie and counterfet dealings, fonde iestures and motions, and vncomely and vaine communications and ydle talks is better to be passed ouer with silence than paper to be stained therewith, or any time to bee spent therein. The other is betweene a yong man and a light Woman, who in times past had bene further acquainted then honestie required, and hee hauing bene absent from hir for a certaine space, at last repaired to hir house, who after hir accustomed maner and wont, beganne to entise and allure him to their former follies, who perceyuing hir purpose therein, discreetly and properly perswaded hir by diuers and sundrie godly and vertuous reasons to leaue and forsake that kinde of life, as of all other most detestable, and in the ende making hir thereby to loath hir frayle and accustomed follies, bringeth hir vnto an honest and chaste conuersation. Thus the effect of the whole matter you haue in few words. Accept therfore (I praye you) this my simple doing in good part, weying my good will in the friendly Ballance of your accustomed gentlenesse, which I trust shall somewhat counterpaise the vnworthinesse of this my so grosse and rude a translation of so worthy a writer.

Vale.

Yours vnfeynedly Nicholas
Leigh.

To the Reader.

I have (Gentle Reader) set foorth to thy viewe, two Dialogues of the Reuerende & renowmed Clarke Erasmus Roterodamus: whose learning, vertue, and authoritie is of sufficient force to defend his doyngs. But bicause I haue chaunged his eloquent stile, into our English phrase: and thereby altered his liuerie, and embased the perfite grace of his Muse, I am compelled to craue pardon of this my doings, consider I beseeche thee (learned Reader) that if it had still rested in that Noble language wherein hee left it, although thy knowledge had yelded thee greater felicitie than this my trauaile can, yet thousandes, which by this mine indeuour may draw out some sweete sap of these his pleasant and fruitfull doings, might (thorow ignorance) haue wanted thys peece of delyght. Therfore the offence (if any be) is made to Erasmus a mÁ of that pacience in his lyfe, as I assure my self that this my bold dealing with him, can not a whit disquiet his ghost. Harme to thee at all it can not bee, for that I haue not digressed from mine Author. Pleasant and profitable I hope it will be to many of my country folks whose increase in vertue I greatlye desire. Then suffer mee I pray thee to rest with thy quiet and thankfull iudgement: whereby thou shalt vrge me to attempt farther enterprise (perchance to thy delight.) Thus assuring my selfe of thy lawfull fauour, I rest voyde of care of the vnlearneds reproche, if they beyonde their skill shall couet to chat. And wishing to thee thy full delight in learning & to them increase of knoweledge, I bid you both farewel.

FINIS.