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.