Their noble Prophets vtterly refuse, 60 And of these men such poore opinions had; They counted _Esay_ and _Ezechiel_ mad; When _Ieremy_ his Lamentations writ, They thought the Wizard quite out of his wit, Such sots they were, as worthily to ly, Lock't in the chaines of their captiuity, Knowledge hath still her Eddy in her Flow, So it hath beene, and it will still be so. That famous _Greece_ where learning flourisht most, Hath of her muses long since left to boast, 70 Th' vnlettered _Turke_, and rude _Barbarian_ trades, Where HOMER sang his lofty _Iliads_; And this vaste volume of the world hath taught, Much may to passe in little time be brought. As if to _Symptoms_ we may credit giue, This very time, wherein we two now liue, Shall in the compasse, wound the Muses more, Then all the old _English_ ignorance before; Base Balatry is so belou'd and sought, And those braue numbers are put by for naught, 80 Which rarely read, were able to awake, Bodyes from graues, and to the ground to shake The wandring clouds, and to our men at armes, 'Gainst pikes and muskets were most powerfull charmes. That, but I know, insuing ages shall, Raise her againe, who now is in her fall; And out of dust reduce our scattered rimes, Th' reiected iewels of these slothfull times, Who with the Muses would misspend an hower, But let blind Gothish Barbarisme deuoure 90 These feuerous Dogdays, blest by no record, But to be euerlastingly abhord. If you vouchsafe rescription, stuffe your quill With naturall bountyes, and impart your skill, In the description of the place, that I, May become learned in the soyle thereby; Of noble _Wyats_ health, and let me heare, The Gouernour; and how our people there, Increase and labour, what supplyes are sent, Which I confesse shall giue me much content; 100 But you may saue your labour if you please, To write to me ought of your Sauages. As sauage slaues be in great _Britaine_ here, As any one that you can shew me there And though for this, Ile say I doe not thirst, Yet I should like it well to be the first, Whose numbers hence into _Virginia_ flew, So (noble _Sandis_) for this time adue. To my noble friend Master WILLIAM BROWNE, _of the euill time_