Maecenas of scholars; both jointly advancing his royalty, as a prince
warlike and learned. Such as sacrifice to Pallas, present her with
bays as she is wise, and with armor as she is valiant; observing
herein that excellent [Greek: to prepon], which dedicateth honors
according to the perfection of the person. When I entered, right
honorable, with a deep insight into the consideration of these
premises, seeing your Lordship to be a patron of all martial men, and
a Maecenas of such as apply themselves to study, wearing with Pallas
both the lance and the bay, and aiming with Augustus at the favor of
all, by the honorable virtues of your mind, being myself first a
student, and after falling from books to arms, even vowed in all my
thoughts dutifully to affect your Lordship. Having with Captain Clarke
made a voyage to the island of Terceras and the Canaries, to beguile
the time with labor I writ this book; rough, as hatched in the storms
of the ocean, and feathered in the surges of many perilous seas. But
as it is the work of a soldier and a scholar, I presumed to shroud it
under your Honor's patronage, as one that is the fautor and favorer of
all virtuous actions; and whose honorable loves, grown from the
general applause of the whole commonwealth for your higher deserts,
may keep it from the malice of every bitter tongue. Other reasons more
particular, right honorable, challenge in me a special affection to
your Lordship, as being a scholar with your two noble sons, Master
Edmund Carew, and Master Robert Carew, two scions worthy of so
honorable a tree, and a tree glorious in such honorable fruit, as also
being scholar in the university under that learned and virtuous
knight Sir Edward Hoby, when he was Bachelor in Arts, a man as well
lettered as well born, and, after the etymology of his name, soaring
as high as the wings of knowledge can mount him, happy every way, and
the more fortunate, as blessed in the honor of so virtuous a lady.
Thus, right honorable, the duty that I owe to the sons, chargeth me