THE AUTHORS APOLOGY TO THE READER.
These poor trifles (courteous
Reader) had not now
become so troublesome to
the World, if it had been in my
power to have prevented them: for
at my going once out of
London, I
left them with a friend of mine,
who dying, they were dispersed into
divers hands. Mr.
William Godbid
got my
Obstinate Lady, and
though he found it with the last
leaf torn out, wherein my conclusion
to the play with the Epilogue
were; he procured some acquaintance
of his to supply the defect at
the end, and so Printed it. And
though that Comedy, be very much
of it writ in number, he put
it forth as if the most part of it
were prose. Here you have that
defect much amended, and my own
conclusion and Epilogue added. I
was fearful my
Trappolin, and other
Poems should have run the like
misfortune; and therefore made a
diligent enquiry after them, and
when I had found them out could
not get them delivered without
parting with some money, and promising
my honest friend Mr.
W. Godbid,
(after I had afforded them some
small correction) I would bestow
them on him, (with my consent)
for the Press: For indeed without
his (assistance) I should not have
recovered them out of a Gentlemans
hands whom I will forbear to
name. I hope there is nothing in the
whole so amorous as to arrive at impiety,
yet nevertheless could I have
imagined them worthy the trouble
of transcription, you will find many
things here that had been omitted.
After this general Apologie I must
also make my excuse for some particular
pieces. I have been demanded
by some Persons of Quality and
judgement, why in my copy of
Verses before Mr.
Fletchers volume
of Plaies, I chiefly reflect upon the
Mad, Lover, my noble friend and
kinsman Mr.
Charles Cotton, sent me
that single Play in a Manuscript,
which I had divers years in my
hands: therefore when I found the
Players were prohibited to act, I
writ those poor Verses with an intention
to have had the
Mad Lover
printed single, and them to have
waited on it; (which when the
large Volume came forth) my Cosin
Cotton commanded from me, and
gave the Printers. Next, I must acknowledge
I have been merry with
Mr.
James Strong and his pretty Pamphlet.
But seeing many thus make
as bold with him, I presumed I
might take the same liberty. I must
only request the chastwomen of
Lin,
to take no offence at these Verses,
I intended them none; if there be
any of dissolute life in that town,
let those be accounted of as his
Joanes and no other: I hope
James
Strong is of
Coriats gentle disposition,
and will endure jesting with, otherwise
(at his leisure) he hath my
leave to be as pleasant with me.
Some few things that I translated
out of
Latin and
Italian, I have not inserted,
as accounting them too wanton
to breath in this chaster clime:
and in truth if any body (either
through curiosity, or by any other
accident) should english any
such pieces, it will be esteemed a
discretion in them to forbear publishing
them.
Lastly, I have made some progress
into a Play, to be called
the Tragedy of Ovid, which (if
my Obstinate Lady, and Trappolin
take) I may be encouraged to
perfect, and present to you hereafter,
with some other things
that are not yet put into method,
fit for the Press, if you be not cloid
with these small Poems already,
and hate a farther surfeit upon
such toyes: If this book hath
the fortune to attain to a second
impression, you may then hear
farther from me: and in the
mean while this is enough
from
Your servant ASTON COKAIN.
