 | George Turberville in praise of the translator of this booke |  |
George Turberville in praise of the translator of this booke.
If handycraftesmen have great praise for working wellBy toyling trade the trifling wares which they for money sel;
Then why should Fenton feare to purchace prayse of men,
To whom he frackely gyves the gift of this his pleasant pen?
If he his busye browe have beate for our avayle,
And for our pleasure taken paynes, why should his guerdon fayle?
No gredye golden fee, no gem or jewell brave,
But of the reader good reporte this writer longs to have.
No man of meanest witt, no beast of slender brayne
That thinckes that such a volume great is wrought with slender payne,
The thinge it selfe declares what toyle he undertooke,
Ere Fentons curious fyle could frame this passing pleasant booke.
The French to Englishe phrase, (his mother language) hee,
The darcke to lighte, the shade to sonne, hath brought as you may see.
The learned stories erste, and sugred tales that laye
Removde from simple common sence, this writer doth displaye:
And what before hee tooke his painfull quyll to write
Did lurcke unknown, is playnelie now to be discernd in sight.
Nowe men of meanest skill what Bandel wrought maye vew,
And tell the tayle in Englishe well that ersty they never knewe,
Discourse of sundrye strange and Tragicall affaires,
Of lovinge ladyes haples haps, theyr deathes, ad deadly cares,
And dyvers thinges beside, wherby to flee the darte
Of vyle deceyte full Cupids bowe that woundes the lovers harte.
Since this by fentons meane, and travayle thou dost gayne,
(Good reader) yeld hym earned prayse and thanckes for taken paine.
Then I that made this verse shall thincke as well of the
As Fentons worke doth well deserve accompted of to be.
| George Turberville in praise of the translator of this booke | |