TO THE READER. If thou would'st be a _States-man_, and survay Kingdomes for information; heres a way Made plaine, and easie: fitter far for thee Then great _Ortelius_ his _Geographie_. If thou would'st be a _Gentleman_, in more Then title onely; this MAP yeelds thee store Of Observations, fit for Ornament, Or use, or to give curious eares content. If thou would'st be a _Merchant_, buy this Booke: For 'tis a prize worth gold; and doe not looke Daily for such disbursements; no, 'tis rare, And should be cast up with thy richest ware. READER, if thou be any, or all three; (For these may meet and make a harmonie) Then prayse this Author for his usefull paines, Whose aime is publike good, not private gaines. IZ. WA. * * * * * PREFACE TO QUARLES'S SHEPHERD ORACLES. 1645. [The Shepheards Oracles: Delivered in Certain Eglogues. By Fra: Quarles. London, Printed by M.F. for John Marriot and Richard Marriot, and are to be sold at their shop in S. Dunstans Church-yard Fleetstreet, under the Dyall. 1646.] _To the Reader._ READER, Though the Authour had some years before his lamented death, compos'd, review'd, and corrected these Eglogues; yet, he left no Epistle to the Reader, but onely a Title, and a blanke leafe for that purpose. Whether he meant some Allegoricall exposition of the Shepheards names, or their Eglogues, is doubtfull: but 'tis certain, that as they are, they appear a perfect pattern of the Authour; whose person, and minde, were both lovely, and his conversation such as distill'd pleasure, knowledge, and vertue, into his friends and acquaintance. 'Tis confest, these Eglogues are not so wholly divine as many of his publisht Meditations, which speak _his affections to be set upon things that are above_, and yet even such men have their intermitted howres, and (as their company gives occasion) commixtures of heavenly and earthly thoughts. You are therefore requested to fancy him cast by fortune into the company of some yet unknown Shepheards: and you have a liberty to beleeve 'twas by this following accident.