Your Worships most Faithful Friend, and Devoted Servant. _John Webster._ THE PREFACE _or_ INTRODUCTION. _Readers_, Knowing certainly that all writings once published, do equally undergo one fate, as to stand or fall by the common censures, judgments and opinions of Men; therefore have I affixed, no Epithete, as foreseeing this Treatise (like a Man once at Sea that is forced to hold out against all weathers) must abide the censures of all sort of persons, how various soever their minds and principles be. And though mens fancies and opinions be commonly as different as their faces, yet I shall enumerate some few general sorts, that may be sufficiently comprehensive to comprise the most of other subordinate particulars, and that in this order. 1. First, that which a Man hath found true by experience in such like cases, may very reasonably induce him to expect the like again; as after I had printed my book of the History of Metals I met with some that were no more learned than Parrots, who could not write true English, and whose greatest skill was in the several ways of debauchery, and other poor Pedanticks that were hardly masters of Grammar, and yet this crew, and the like were rash and bold enough, to censure my painful endeavours, and to scoff at it as a mere collection. And therefore in publishing of this piece, which is a dark and mysterious subject, I may very probably meet with some troops of such rash ignorants, to whom only I shall return this sharp, but suitable responsion. It is an ordinary thing for many that never could shape a shoo, to reprove and find fault with the Shoomaker: but such wise men (fit only for _Gotham_) may learn these two Proverbs, _There is none so bold as blind_ Bayard, and _A Fools bolt is soon shot_, and their heads may be fitter for Feathers, than the Laurel, and when any of them have made such a collection as my former Book, or publisht such a piece as this, then I shall give them a better answer, and not before, _Lactucas non esse dandas hisce Afinis comedendas, cum illis sufficiant cardui_. [Sidenote: Prov. 26. 12.]