[ DEDICATION ]

Intheageofsacrifices,thetruthofreligionwasnotinthegreatnessandfat oftheofferings,butinthedevotionandzealofthesacrificers.Else,what couldahandfulofgumshavedoneinthesightofahecatomb?Orhow mightIappearatthisaltar,exceptwiththoseaffectionsthatnolesslovethe5 lightandwitnessthantheyhavetheconscienceofyourvirtue?IfwhatI offerbearanacceptableodourandholdthefirststrength,itisyourvalue ofitwhichrememberswhere,when,andtowhomitwaskindled. Otherwise,asthetimesare,therecomesrarelyforththatthingsofullof authorityorexamplebutbyassiduityandcustomgrowslessandloses.This,10 yet,safeinyourjudgment(whichisaSidney's)isforbiddentospeakmore,

0.2.DESERVINGHERNAME]Hernamewasalsospelled,andprobablypronounced, 'Worth'.Jonsonwrotethreepoemspraisingher(Epigrams103and105,and Underwoods28),butexpressedcontemptforherhusband,SirRobertWroth,ofwhom hetoldDrummond,'MyLadyWrothisunworthilymarriedonajealoushusband' (Conv,Parfitt1975:p.470).ShewasthemistressofhercousintheEarlofPembroke, Jonson'spatron,whogavehimanannualbookallowanceof20pounds.The1616folio isdedicatedtoPembrokeandhisbrother,theEarlofMontgomery.