It merits nor your Anger, nor my Blame, That, thus I have inscrib’d this _Epigram_: For, they who know me, know, that, _Bookes_ thus large, And, fraught with _Emblems_, do augment the Charge Too much above my _Fortunes_, to afford A _Gift_ so costly, for an _Aierie-word_: And, I have prov’d, your _Begging-Qualitie_, So forward, to oppresse my _Modestie_; That, for my future ease, it seemeth fit, To take some Order, for preventing it. And, peradventure, other Authors may, Find Cause to thanke me for’t, another day. These many years, it hath your _Custom_ bin, That, when in my possession, you have seene A _Volume_, of mine owne, you did no more, But, _Aske_ and _Take_; As if you thought my store Encreast, without my Cost; And, that, by _Giving_, (Both _Paines_ and Charges too) I got my living; Or, that, I find the _Paper_ and the _Printing_, As easie to me, as the _Bookes_ Inventing. If, of my _Studies_, no esteeme you have, You, then abuse the _Courtesies_ you crave; And, are _Vnthankfull_. If you prize them ought, Why should my _Labour_, not enough be thought, Vnlesse, I adde _Expenses_ to my paines? The _Stationer_, affoords for little Gaines, The _Bookes_ you crave: And, He, as well as I Might give away, what you repine to buy: For, what hee _Gives_, doth onely _Mony_ Cost, In mine, both _Mony_, _Time_, and _Wit_ is lost. What I shall Give, and what I have bestow’d On Friends, to whom, I _Love_, or _Service_ ow’d, I grudge not; And, I thinke it is from them, Sufficient, that such _Gifts_ they do esteeme: Yea, and, it is a _Favour_ too, when they Will take these _Triflles_, my large _Dues_ to pay; (Or, Aske them at my hands, when I forget, That, I am to their _Love_, so much in debt.) But, this inferres not, that, I should bestow The like on all men, who, my _Name_ do know; Or, have the Face to aske: For, then, I might, Of _Wit_ and _Mony_, soone be begger’d, quite. So much, already, hath beene _Beg’d_ away, (For which, I neither had, nor looke for pay) As being valu’d at the common Rate, Had rais’d, _Five hundred Crownes_, in my Estate. Which, (if I may confesse it) signifies, That, I was farre more _Liberall_, than _Wise_. But, for the time to come, resolv’d I am, That, till without denyall (or just blame) I may of those, who _Cloth_ and _Clothes_ do make, (As oft as I shall need them) _Aske_, and _Take_; You shall no more befoole me. Therfore, _Pray_ _Be Answer’d_; And, henceforward, keepe away. [Illustration: Decoration] A _Direction_, shewing how they who are so _disposed_, _shall find out their =Chance=, in the =Lotteries= aforegoing_.