_Having, of late, some =Cause=, to overlooke That thankfull =Register=, wherein I booke My noblest =Friends=; I found so many =Names= Possessing nothing, but their honour’d =Fames=, (Whose =living Persons=, wee injoyed, here, A while agoe;) that, I began to feare, I might grow =Friendlesse=; (having now so few) Vnlesse I sought, their =Number= to renew._ _By some =Disasters=, also, gaining proofe, How much this =Course= would make for my behoofe; I call’d my =Wits= to =Counsell=, =Where=, and HOW I might, with hopefulnesse, begin to sow The seeds of such =a Blessing=: And, me thought =Within mee=, something said: =Where should be sought What thou so gladly wouldst renewed finde, But, from some BRANCHES of the selfe-same kinde; Whose faire Aspects may seeme to promise fruit, According to the Virtues of the= Roote?_ _Assoone as Fancie had inform’d me so, Your =Lordship=, came to my remembrance, too, With what our =Soveraigne’s= Favour, =Vulgar Fame=, Or, your owne =Merits=, addeth to your =Name=. Which, having weigh’d, no doubts at all I had Of =Worth= in =Yov=; But, rather, doubtings made That, all my =Wits= would insufficient be, To make that =Worth=, become a =Friend= to mee. For, I have oft observ’d, that, =Favour= shunnes The best =Desert=, if after =her=, it runnes._ _Yet_, who can tell what may befall? thought I: It is no great _Adventure_, if I try Without successe: And, if, I gaine my _End_, I am assured of a _Noble-Friend_. His honourable FATHER, deem’d mee worth So much respecting as to seeke me forth, When, I was more _obscure_: And, MEE, for nought But, onely to _Befriend mee_, forth HEE sought. Then, wherefore, of his SONNE, should I suspect That (feeling =Him=) hee can my love reject? Since, _Courtesie_ doth alwaies, there, abound, Where such a lovely _Personage_ is found? _My LORD, these were my =Fancies=: But I take them To be of no more worth, than, you shall make them By your =Acceptance=: Nor, is’t my intent To Court you, with fruitlesse =Complement=: But, to attempt your =Favour= with a mind, As readily, and really, inclinde To =serve= you, when my services may steed; As to expect your Favours, in my need. For, had my =Fates= enabled me so much, I should more willingly have sought out such On whom I Courtesies might have bestowne, Than, seeke to cure =Misfortunes= of mine =owne=. No doubt, but, every day, your =Lordship= heares =Inventions=, which may better please your eares Than these I now present; And, yet you might (For ought I knew) finde profit, or delight, By our plaine EMBLEMS, or, some =uses= in them, Which from your =Honour=, some respects may win them; Ev’n for that good =Moralitie=, which they To Vulgar Vnderstandings will convay.