Gentlemen, being incouraged through your gentle acceptance of my _Cynthia_, I haue once more aduentured on your Curtesies: hoping to finde you (as I haue done heretofore) friendly. Being determined to write of somthing, and yet not resolued of any thing, I considered with my selfe, if one should write of Loue (they will say) why, euery one writes of Loue: if of Vertue, why, who regards Vertue? To be short, I could thinke of nothing, but either it was common, or not at all in request. At length I bethought my selfe of a Subiect, both new (as hauing neuer beene written vpon before) and pleasing (as I thought) because Mans Nature (commonly) loues to heare that praised, with whose pressence, hee is most pleased. _Erasmus_ (the glory of _Netherland_, and the refiner of the Latin Tongue) wrote a whole Booke, in _the prayse of Folly_. Then if so excellent a Scholler, writ in praise of Vanity, why may not I write in praise of that which is profitable? There are no two Countreys, where Gold is esteemed, lesse than in _India_, and more then in _England:_ the reason is, because the _Indians_ are barbarous, and our Nation ciuill. I have giuen _Pecunia_ the title of a Woman, Both for the termination of the Word, and because (as Women are) shee is lov'd of men. The brauest Voyages in the World, haue beene made for Gold: for it, men haue venterd (by Sea) to the furthest parts of the Earth: In the Pursute whereof, _Englands Nestor_ and _Neptune_ (_Haukins_ and _Drake_) lost their liues. Vpon the Deathes of the which two, of the first I writ this: _The Waters were his Winding sheete, the Sea was made his Toome; Yet for his fame the Ocean Sea, was not sufficient roome._ Of the latter this: England _his hart; his Corps the Waters haue; And that which raysd his fame, became his grave._ The _Prætorians_ (after the death of _Pertinax_) in the election of a new Emperour, more esteemed the money of _Iulianus_, then either the vertue of _Seuerus_, or the Valour of _Pessennius_. Then of what great estimation and account, this Lady _Pecunia_, both hath beene in the Worlde, and is at this present, I leaue to your Iudgement. But what speake I so much of her praise in my Epistle, that haue commended her so at large in my Booke? To the reading wherof, (Gentlemen) I referre you. [Illustration] [THE AUTHORS FIRST EPISTLE-DEDICATORY (1605). [Collated with the Bridgwater House copy.] [Illustration] Led by the swift report of winged Fame, With siluer trumpet, sounding forth your name To you I dedicate this merry Muse, And for my Patron, I your fauour chuse: She is a Lady, she must be respected: She is a Queene, she may not be neglected. This is the shadow, you the substance haue, Which substance now this shadow seems to craue. RICHARD BARNFIELD.] [Illustration] The prayse of Lady Pecunia. [Illustration]