a contempt of myself, or else seeme rather for game and commoditie to doe it, for some sweetnesse that I haue already tasted.  Then also me seemeth the work too base for his excellent lordship, being made in honour of a priuate personage vnknowne, which of some ylwillers might be vpbraided, not to be so worthie as you knowe she is; or the matter not so weightie that it should be offred to so weightie a personage, or the like.  The selfe former title still liketh me well ynough, and your fine addition no lesse.  If these and the like doubtes maye be of importaunce, in your seeming, to frustrate any parte of your aduice, I beeseeche you without the leaste selfe loue of your own purpose, councell me for the beste:  and the rather doe it faithfullye and carefully, for that, in all things, I attribute so muche to your iudgement, that I am euermore content to adnihilate mine owne determinations in respecte thereof.  And, indeede, for your selfe to, it sitteth with you now to call your wits & senses togither (which are alwaies at call) when occasion is so fairely offered of estimation and preferment, For whiles the yron is hote it is good striking, and minds of nobles varie, as their estates. Verum ne quid durius.

I pray you bethinks you well hereof, good Maister G., and forth with write me those two or three special points and caueats for the nonce; De quibus in superioribus illis mellitissimus longissimisque litteris tuis. Your desire to heare of my late beeing with hir Maiestie muste dye in it selfe.  As for the twoo worthy gentle men, Master Sidney and Master Dyer, they haue me, I thanke them, in some vse of familiarity; of whom and to whome what speache passeth for youre credite and estimation I leaue your selfe to conceiue, hauing alwayes so well conceiued of my vnfained affection and zeale towardes you.  And nowe they haue proclaimed in their [Greek:  hareiophaga] a generall surceasing and silence of balde rymers, and also of the verie beste to; in steade whereof they haue, by authoritie of their whole senate, prescribed certaine lawes and rules of quantities of English sillables for English verse; hauing had thereof already greate practise, and drawen mee to their faction.  Newe bookes I heare of none, but only of one* [* Stephen Gosson.], that writing a certaine booke called The Schoole of Abuse, and dedicating it to Maister Sidney, was for hys labor scorned; if, at leaste, it be in the goodnesse of that nature to scorne.  Such follie is it not to regard aforehande the inclination and qualitie of him to whome wee dedicate oure bookes.  Suche mighte I happily incurre, entituling My Slomber, and the other pamphlets, vnto his honor.  I meant them rather to Maister Dyer.  But I am of late more in loue wyth my Englishe versifying than with ryming:  whyche I should haue done long since, if I would then haue followed your councell. Sed te solum iam tum suspicabar cum Aschamo sapere; nunc aulam video egregios alere poetas Anglicos.  Maister E.K. hartily desireth to be commended vnto your worshippe:  of whome what accompte he maketh youre selfe shall hereafter perceiue by hys paynefull and dutifull verses of your selfe.