by Thomas Nash
THE VNFORTVNATE TRAVELLER.
The Life of Iacke Wilton.
LONDON.
Dedication]
To THE RIGHT HONORABLE LORD Henrie Wriothsley,
Earle of sovthhampton,and baron OF TICHFEELD.
Ingenvovs honorable Lord, I know not what blinde custome methodicallantiquity hath thrust vpon vs, to dedicate such books as we publish,to one great man or other; In which respect, least anie man shouldchallenge these my papers as goods vncustomd, and so, extend vpon themas forfeite to contempt, to the seale of your excellent censure loe hereI present them to bee seene and allowed. Prize them as high or as low asyou list: if you set anie price on them, I hold my labor well satisfide.Long haue I desired to approoue my wit vnto you. My reuerent duetifullthoughts (euen from their infancie) haue been retayners to your glorie.Now at last I haue enforst an opportunitie to plead my deuotedminde. All that in this phantasticall Treatise I can promise, is somereasonable conueyance of historie, & varietie of mirth. By diuers of mygood frends haue I been dealt with to employ my dul pen in this kinde,it being a cleane different vaine from other my former courses ofwriting. How wel or ill I haue done in it, I am ignorant: (the eye thatsees roundabout it selfe, sees not into it selfe): only yourHonours applauding encouragement hath power to make mee arrogant.Incomprehensible is the heigth of your spirit both in heroicalresolution and matters of conceit. Vnrepriueably perisheth that bookewhatsoeuer to wast paper, which on the diamond rocke of your iudgementdisasterly chanceth to be shipwrackt. A dere louer and cherisher youare, as well of the louers of Poets, as of Poets themselues. Amongsttheir sacred number I dare not ascribe my selfe, though now and thenI speak English: that smal braine I haue, to no further vse I conuert,saue to be kinde to my frends, and fatall to my enemies. A new brain, anew wit, a new stile, a new soule will I get mee, to canonize yourname to posteritie, if in this my first attempt I be not taxed ofpresumption. Of your gracious fauor I despaire not, for I am notaltogether Fames outcast. This handfull of leaues I offer to yourview, to the leaues on trees I compare, which as they cannot grow ofthemselues except they haue some branches or boughes to cleaue too,& with whose iuice and sap they be euermore recreated & nourisht: soexcept these vnpolisht leaues of mine haue some braunch of Nobilitiewhereon to depend and cleaue, and with the vigorous nutriment of whoseauthorized commendation they may be continually fosterd and refresht,neuer wil they grow to the worlds good liking, but forthwith fadeand die on the first houre of their birth. Your Lordship is the largespreading branch of renown, from whence these my idle leaues seeke toderiue their whole nourishing: it resteth you either scornfully shakethem off, as wormeaten & worthies, or in pity preserue them and cherishthem, for some litle summer frute you hope to finde amongst them.
Your Honors in all humble seruice: Tho: Nashe.