The Lute Appendix iv d
TO MY HONORABLE GOOD FRIEND
Iohn Souch Esquire, for many curtesies for which I embol-
den my self, presuming of his good fauour, to present this
simple worke, as a token of my thankfulnes.
THE estimation and kindnes which I haue euer bountifully receiued from your fauour, haue mooued me to present this nouelty of musick to you, who of al others are fittest to iudge of it, and worthiest out of your loue to protect it. If I gaue lie to these, you gaue spirit to me; for it is alwaies the worthy respect of others that makes arte prosper in it selfe. That I may therefore professed, and make manifest to the world both your singular affection to me, and my gratefull minde in my wake ability to you, I haue here prefixt your honourable name, as a bulwark of safetie, and a title of grace, thinking my selfe no way able to deserue your fauours more, then by farther engaging my selfe to you for this your noble presumed patronage. He that hath acknowledged a fauour, they say, hath repaide it: and if such payment may passe for currant, I shal be euer readie to grow the one half out of your debt, though how that should be I knowe not, since I owe my selfe (and more, if it were possible) vnto you. Accept me wholy then I beseech you, in what tearmes you please, being euer in my vttermost service
Deuoted to your Honours kindnesse,
IOHN DOWLAND
The Epistle to the Reader.
THE applause of them that iudge, is the incouragement of those that write: My first two books of aires speed so well that they haue produced a third, which they haue fetcht far from home, and brought euen through the most perilous seas, where hauing escapt so many sharpe rocks, I hope they shall not be wrackt on land by curious and biting censures. As in a hiue of bees al labour alike to lay up honny opposing them selues against none but fruitles drones; so in the house of learning and fame, all good indeuourers should strive to ad somewhat that is good, not malicing one an other, but altogether bandying against the idle and malicious ignorant. My labours for my part freely offer to euerie mans iudgement, presuming, that fauour once attayned, is more easily encreased then lost.
IOHN DOWLAND.
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Digital score of The Third and Last Booke of Songs or Aires at the International Music Score Library Project may be found here.
return to Appendix iv John Dowland In His Own Words
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Walter Bitner 