ABSTRACT
To the right Honorable the Lord Robert Dudley, Earle of Leicester, Baron of Denbigh, of the honorable order of the Garter, and S. Michael Knight, Master of the Queenes Majesties Horses, and one of her Highnesse most honorable privie Counsell: Robert Greene wisheth increase of Honor and vertue. 5
Apelles (right Honorable) drawing the counterfaite of Honor, pourtrayeth her holding in the one hand a Starre, and in the other a Stone: meaning as I suppose by this his Embleame, that although noble mindes [entitled] with dignities should retch1 as hie as the Skies, yet they might not disdayne to 10 looke as low as the earth. Jupiter glutted with drinking of Nectar, sharpned his stomacke with chewing of Philemons sower2 Grapes. Honor of times hath her eye [as soon] delighted with the sight of a crooked [sig. *ii] table, as with the view of a curious Picture: and as well could Tmolus laugh at the homely Musicke of Pan, as wonder at the heavenly melodie of Apollo. The 15 minde wearied with weightie affaires, seeketh [as soon] to be recreated with some pithie conceipts, as with any deepe contemplations: and rather with sl[i]ght devises to procure mirth, th[an] with sollemne shewes to foster melancholie. They which offered gifts unto Alexander, presented him with some warlike munition. None contented Crassus so much as they which 20 brought him straunge Characters. Nigidius being demaunded why he gave Antonius Pius the bud of an Olive, reddily aunswered: because he is the flower of clemencie. So (right honorable) it is not possible that your Honour beeing a Maecenas of learning, should want the trouble of Schollers, neither that being such a worthie favourer of good letters, even the meanest 25 (amongst whom I rest) should not indevour their simple skill to shewe how duetifully they are affected to your honors noble and vertuous disposition. Which consideration of this your rare and singular minde, hath forced many to present the fruits of their labours to your Lordships patronage: so that all they [(sig. *iiv)] which reape profite by others paines, and gaine knowledge 30 by the workes of them which have waded the depth of Mynervas Laberinth, are bound to praise and extoll your honor: whose courteous favour towards learning, hath forced them to discover their skill for your Lordships private pleasure, but the Commons publicke commoditie. These premises th[o]roughly weighed, although my ignoraunce might justly abash me from 35 troubling your honour with such frivolous trash: yet the duetifull and humble affection wherewith I finde my selfe bound to such a worthie patrone of good letters, hath emboldned me to present your Honour with this Pamphlet, being a Planetomachia3 or generall opposition of the seven Planets: wherein is Astronomically decyphered their nature and essence, 40 and plainly sheweth (that sith every man is naturally borne under the influence and irradiate constellation of one of these wandring Starres,4 and that one is alwaies predominant in the configuration of every nativitie) what proper qualities each particuler Planet doth appropriate: painting out what
affectionat desires Jupiter doth allot to them that are Jovialistes: and what qualities Saturne doth [sig. *iii] infuse upon them which are Saturnistes,5 together with the diseases incident to their constitution and complexion. But as Horace alwaies sung his satyres upon the Lute, and Phidias painted blacke Vulcan sitting in an Ivorie Charriot: as Protagines carved the 5 counterfaite of Irus in a wedge of gold: and Demosthenes sawsed his weightie invectives with some pretie and pleasaunt inventions. So (right Honorable) I have mixed melancholie with Musicke, and tempered the brawles of the Planets with pleasaunt though tragical histories: which if your Honour shall accept, my travell6 shall be so requited, as if I had 10 o[b]tained most rich treasures. And thus hoping your Honor will pardon my rashnesse, and thinke of my mind more th[a]n of the matter, I commit your Honour to the Almightie.
