3.26. The Conclusion.
And with this (my most gratious soueraigne Lady) I make an end, humbly
beseeching your pardon, in that I haue presumed to hold your eares so long
annoyed with a tedious trifle, so as vnlesse it proceede more of your owne
Princely and naturall mansuetude then of my merite, I feare greatly least
you may thinck of me as the Philosopher Plato did of Aniceris an
inhabitant of the City Cirene, who being in troth a very actiue and
artificiall man in driuing of a Princes Charriot or Coche (as your Maiestie
might be) and knowing it himselfe well enough, comming one day into Platos
schoole, and hauing heard him largely dispute in matters
Philosophicall, I pray you (quoth he) geue me leaue also to say somewhat of
myne arte, and in deede shewed so many trickes of his cunning how to lanche
forth and stay, and chaunge pace, and turne and winde his Coche, this way
and that way, vphill downe hill, and also in euen or rough ground, that
he made the whole assemblie wonder at him. Quoth Plato being a graue
personage, verely in myne opinion this man should be vtterly vnfit for any
seruice of greater importance then to driue a Coche. It is great pitie that so
prettie a fellow, had not occupied his braynes in studies of more
consequence. Now I pray God it be not thought so of me in describing the
toyes of this our vulgar art. But when I consider how euery thing hath his
estimation by oportunitie, and that it was but the studie of my yonger
yeares in which vanitie raigned. Also that I write to the pleasure of a Lady
and a most gratious Queene, and neither to Priestes nor to Prophetes or
Philosophers. Besides finding by experience, that many times idlenesse is
lesse harmefull then vnprofitable occupation, dayly seeing how these great
aspiring mynds and ambitious heads of the world seriously searching to
deale in matters of state, be often times so busie and earnest that they
were better be vnoccupied, and peraduenture altogether idle, I presume so
much vpon your Maiesties most milde and gracious iudgement howsoeuer you
conceiue of myne abilitie to any better or greater seruice, that yet this
attempt ye wil allow of my loyall and good intent alwayes endeuouring to do
your Maiestie the best and greatest of those seruices I can.