Waltoniana | Page 6

Corrected and much Enlarged. London,
MDCLXXI. _fol._]

_In praise of my friend the Author, and his Booke._
TO THE READER.
If thou would'st be a _States-man_, and survay Kingdomes for
information; heres a way Made plaine, and easie: fitter far for thee
Then great Ortelius his Geographie.
If thou would'st be a _Gentleman_, in more Then title onely; this MAP
yeelds thee store Of Observations, fit for Ornament, Or use, or to give
curious eares content.
If thou would'st be a _Merchant_, buy this Booke: For 'tis a prize worth
gold; and doe not looke Daily for such disbursements; no, 'tis rare, And
should be cast up with thy richest ware.
READER, if thou be any, or all three; (For these may meet and make a

harmonie) Then prayse this Author for his usefull paines, Whose aime
is publike good, not private gaines. IZ. WA.
* * * * *

PREFACE TO QUARLES'S SHEPHERD ORACLES.
1645.

[The Shepheards Oracles: Delivered in Certain Eglogues. By Fra:
Quarles. London, Printed by M.F. for John Marriot and Richard
Marriot, and are to be sold at their shop in S. Dunstans Church-yard
Fleetstreet, under the Dyall. 1646.]

_To the Reader._
READER, Though the Authour had some years before his lamented
death, compos'd, review'd, and corrected these Eglogues; yet, he left no
Epistle to the Reader, but onely a Title, and a blanke leafe for that
purpose.
Whether he meant some Allegoricall exposition of the Shepheards
names, or their Eglogues, is doubtfull: but 'tis certain, that as they are,
they appear a perfect pattern of the Authour; whose person, and minde,
were both lovely, and his conversation such as distill'd pleasure,
knowledge, and vertue, into his friends and acquaintance.
'Tis confest, these Eglogues are not so wholly divine as many of his
publisht Meditations, which speak _his affections to be set upon things
that are above_, and yet even such men have their intermitted howres,
and (as their company gives occasion) commixtures of heavenly and
earthly thoughts.
You are therefore requested to fancy him cast by fortune into the
company of some yet unknown Shepheards: and you have a liberty to
beleeve 'twas by this following accident.
"He in a Sommers morning (about that howre when the great eye of
Heaven first opens it selfe to give light to us mortals) walking a gentle
pace towards a Brook (whose Spring-head was not far distant from his
peacefull habitation) fitted with Angle, Lines, and Flyes: Flyes proper
for that season (being the fruitfull Month of _May_;) intending all
diligence to beguile the timorous Trout, (with which that watry element

abounded) observ'd a more then common concourse of Shepheards, all
bending their unwearied steps towards a pleasant Meadow within his
present prospect, and had his eyes made more happy to behold the two
fair Shepheardesses Amaryllis and Aminta strewing the foot-paths with
Lillies, and Ladysmocks, so newly gathered by their fair hands, that
they yet smelt more sweet then the morning, and immediately met
(attended with _Clora Clorinda_, and many other Wood-nymphs) the
fair and vertuous _Parthenia_: who after a courteous salutation and
inquiry of his intended Journey, told him the neighbour-Shepheards of
that part of Arcadia had dedicated that day to be kept holy to the
honour of their great God _Pan_; and, that they had designed her
Mistresse of a Love-feast, which was to be kept that present day, in an
Arbour built that morning, for that purpose; she told him also, that
Orpheus would bee there, and bring his Harp, Pan his Pipe, and Titerus
his Oaten-reed, to make musick at this feast; shee therefore perswaded
him, not to lose, but change that dayes pleasure; before he could return
an answer they were unawares entred into a living mooving Lane, made
of Shepheard and Pilgrimes; who had that morning measured many
miles to be eye-witnesses of that days pleasure; this Lane led them into
a large Arbour, whose wals were made of the yeelding Willow, and
smooth Beech boughs: and covered over with Sycamore leaves, and
Honysuccles."
I might now tell in what manner (after her first entrance into this
Arbour) Philoclea (Philoclea the fair Arcadian Shepheardesse) crown'd
her Temples with a Garland, with what flowers, and by whom 'twas
made; I might tell what guests (besides Astrea and _Adonis_) were at
this feast; and who (beside _Mercury_) waited at the Table, this I might
tell: but may not, cannot expresse what musick the Gods and
Wood-nymphs made within; and the Linits, Larks, and Nightingales
about this Arbour, during this holy day: which began in harmlesse
mirth, and (for Bacchus and his gang were absent) ended in love and
peace, which Pan (for he onely can doe it) continue in _Arcadia, and
restore to the disturbed Island of_ Britannia, _and grant that