A free and offenceles iustification of a lately publisht and most maliciously misinterpreted poeme: entituled Andromeda liberata. Chapman, George, 1559?-1634. 1614 Approx. 21 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-05 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A18412 STC 4977 ESTC S114692 99849916 99849916 15089 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A18412) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 15089) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1478:11) A free and offenceles iustification of a lately publisht and most maliciously misinterpreted poeme: entituled Andromeda liberata. Chapman, George, 1559?-1634. [16] p. Printed [by Eliot's Court Press] for Laurence L'Isle and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls church-yard at the signe of the Tigers-head, London : 1614. By George Chapman. Printer from STC. Partly in verse. Running title reads: The iustification of Perseus and Andromeda. Signatures: *-2*⁴. Some print show-through; some leaves cropped. Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Chapman, George, 1559?-1634. -- Andromeda liberata. 2002-12 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-01 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-02 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2003-02 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A FREE AND OFFENCELES Iustification , OF A LATELY PVBLISHT and most maliciously misinterpreted Poeme : ENTITVLED Andromeda liberata . Veritatem qui amat , emat . LONDON , Printed for LAVRENCE L'ISLE and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls church-yard at the signe of the Tigers-head , 1614. A FREE AND OFFENCELES IVSTIFIcation : Of a lately publisht and most maliciously misinterpreted Poeme ; Entituled ▪ Andromeda liberata . AS Learning , hath delighted from her Cradle , to hide her selfe from the base and prophane Vulgare , her ancient Enemy ▪ vnder diuers vailes of Hierogl●phikes Fables , and the like ; So hath she pleased her selfe with no disguise more ; then in misteries and allegoricall fictions of Poesie . These haue in that kinde , beene of speciall reputation ; as taking place of the rest , both for priority of time , and precedence of vse ; being borne in the ould world , long before Hieroglyphicks or Fabels were conceiued : And deliuered from the Fathers to the Sonnes of Art ; without any Aucthor but Antiquity . Yet euer held in high Reuerence and Aucthority ; as supposed to conceale , within the vtter barke ( as their Eternities approue ) some sappe of hidden Truth ▪ As either some dimme and obscure prints of diuinity , and the sacred history ; Of the grounds of naturall ▪ or rules of morall Philosophie , for the recommending of some virtue , torturing some vice in general ( For howsoeuer Phisitions alledge ; that their medicins , respect non Hominem , ●e●t Socratem ; not euery , but such a speciall body : Yet Poets professe the contrary , that their phisique intends non Socratem sed Hominem , not the indiuiduall but the vniuersall ) Or else recording some memorable Examples for the vse of policie and state : euer ( I say ) enclosing within the Rinde , some fruit of knowledge howsoeuer darkened ; and ( by reason of the obscurity ) of ambiguous and different construction . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. Est enim ipsa Natura 〈◊〉 Poe●●● anigmatu● plena , nec qu ●is eam dignostit : This Ambiguity in the sence , hath giuen scope to the varietie of expositions ; while Poem in al ages ( challenging , as their Birth-rights , the vse and application of these fictions ) haue euer beene allowed to fashion both , pro & contra , to their owne offencelesse , and iudicious occasions . And borrowing to farre the priuiledg'd licence of their professions ; haue enlarged , or 〈◊〉 the Allegory , with inuentions and dispositions of their owne , to extend it to their present doctrinall and illustrous purposes ▪ By which aucthority , my selfe ( resoluing amongst others , to offer vp my poore mite , to the honour of the late Nuptials ; betwixt the two most Noble personages , whose honored names renown the front of my Poeme ) singled out ( as in some parts harmelesly , and gracefully applicable to the occasion ) The Nuptials of Perseus and Andromeda , an innocent and spotlesse virgine , rescu'd from the polluted throate of a monster ; which I in this place applied to the sauage multitude ; peruerting her most lawfully-sought propagation , both of blood and blessing , to their owne most lawlesse and lasciuious intentions : from which in all right she was legally and formally deliuered . Nor did I euer imagine till now so farre-fetcht a thought in malice ( such was my simplicitie ) That the fiction being as ancient as the first world , was originally intended to the dishonor of any person now liuing : but presum'd , that the application being free I might pro meo iure dispose it ( innocenly ) to mine owne obiect : if at least , in mine owne wrighting , I might be reasonablie & conscionablie master of mine owne meaning . And to this sense , I confinde the allegory throughout my Poeme ; as euery word thereof , ( concerning that point ) doth cleerely and necessarilie demonstrate : without the least intendment ( I vow to God ) against any noble personages free state , or honor . Nor make I any noble ( whose meere shadowes heerin , the vulgar perhaps may imitatate ) any thought the more mixt with the grosse substance of the vulgar : but present the vulgare onely in their vnseuerd herde ; as euer in antient tradition of all autenticall Aucthours they haue beene resembled : To whom they were neuer beholding for any fairer Titles ; then the base , ignoble , barbarous , giddie multitude ; The Monster with many heads ( which the Emperor , in his displeasure , wisht to haue sprung all from one necke ; that all at one blow , he might haue v●trunkt them ) cui lumen 〈◊〉 ; without an Eye ; or , at most , seeing all by one fight ( like the Lamiae , who had but one eie to serue all their directions , which , as anie one of them went abroad , she put on , and put off when she came home ) giuing vp their vnderstandings to their affections , and taking vp their affections on other mens credits , neuer examining the causes of their Loues or hates , but ( like curres ) alwaies ba●king at all they know not : whose most honored deseruings ( were they knowen to them as to others of neerer and truer obseruation ) might impresse in them as much reuerence as their ignorance doth rudenesse : Euermore baying lowdest at the most eminent Reputations , & with whō as in the kingdom of Frogges ) the most lowd Crier , is the loftiest Rule● ▪ No reason nor aucthority able to stoope them ; though neuer so iudicially & religiously vrdging them : whose impartiall and cleere truth ; not their owne bold blindnesse can denie ; vnlesse they will dare to mutter with the Oratour touching the Delphicke Oracles , and say our Oracles of Truth , did likewise 〈◊〉 encline to Philip putting no difference betwixt Illusion and Truth , the consciences of learned religious men ▪ and the cunnings of prophane . And then how may my poore endeauours , in dutie to Truth , and my most deare Conscience ( for Reputation , since it stands , for the most part , on beasts feete , and Deserts hand is nothing to warrant it , let it goe with the beastly ) reforme or escape their vnrelenting detractions ? The Loues of the right vertuous and truly noble , I haue euer as much esteemed , as despised the rest ▪ finding euer of the first sort , in all degrees , as worthy as any of my rancke , till ( hauing enough to doe in mine owne necessary ends , hating to insinuate and labour their confirmation , and encrease of opinion , further then their owne free iudgements would excite and direct them ) I still met with vndermining laborers for themselues , who ( esteeming all worth their own , which they detract from others ) deminisht me much in some changeable estimations ( Amicu●● 〈◊〉 Animal facile mutabil● ) whose supplies yet farre better haue still brought me vnfought : and till this most vnequall impression opprest me , I stood firme vp with many , now onely , with God and my selfe . For the violent hoobub , setting my song to their owne tunes , haue made it yeeld so harsh and distastefull a sound to my best friends , that my Integritie ▪ euen they hold , affected with the shrill eccho thereof , by reflexion receiuing it from the mouthes of others . And thus ( to 〈◊〉 , as strooke dumbe with the disdaine of it , their most vnmanly lie both of my ba●●●ing and wounding , saying ▪ Take this for your Andromeda , not being so much as toucht , I witnesse God , nor one sillable suffering ) I will descend to a conclusion with this , that in all this my seede time , sowing others honours , 〈◊〉 super semi●auit Zizania &c. Whiles I slept in mine innocencie , the enuious man hath beene heere , who like a venomous spider , drawing this subtle thred out of himselfe , cunningly spred it into the eares of the manie ( who as they see all with one eye , so heare all with one eare , and that alwaies the left ) where multiplying and getting strength it was spred into an Artificiall webbe , to entangle my poore poeticall flie ; being otherwise ( God knowes ) for enough from all venome , saue what hath beene ●oro'st into her , by her poisonous enemy to sting her to death . But the allusion ( you will say ) may be extended so farre ; but qui nimium emulget elicet sanguinem ; a malicious reader by straining the Allegorie past his intentionall limits , may make it giue blood , where it yeeldes naturally milke , and ouercurious wits may discouer a sting in a flie : But as a guiltlesse prisoner at the barre sayd to a Lawyer thundring against his life , Num quia tu disertus es , ego peribo ? because malice is witty , must Innocence be condemned ? Or if some other , not sufficiently examining what I haue written , shall by mistaking the title , suppose it carrie such an vnderstanding ; doth any Law therfore cast that meaning vpon me ? Or doth any rule of reason make it good , that let the writer meane what he list , his writing notwithstanding must be construed in mentem Legentis ? to the intendment of the Reader ? If then , for the mistaking of an enuious or vnskilfull Reader , who commonly being praeiudicia pro iudicijs , I shal be exposed to the hate of the better sort , or taken forciblie into any powerfull displeasure , I shall esteeme it an acte as cruell and tyranous , as that of the Emperour , who put a Consul to death for the errour of a publique Crier ; misnaming him Emperour in stead of Consul . For my selfe I may iustly say thus much , that if my whole life were layd on the racke , it could neuer accuse me for a Satyrist or Libeller , to play with worthie mens reputations ; or if my vaine were so addicted , yet could I so farre be giuen ouer , as without cause or end , to aduenture on personages of renownd nobilitie ? hauing infallible reason to assure my selfe , that euen those most honoured personages , to whose graces I chiefly intended these labors , might they but in the lest degree haue suspected any such allusion by me purposed , as is now most iniuriously surmised against me , they would haue abhorred me and banisht me their sight . To conclude Hic Rhodus , hic saltus ; as I said of my life , so of my lines ; heere is the Poeme ; let euerie sillable of it be tortured by any how partiall and preiudicate so euer ( for as the case hath beene carried : I can now looke for no difference ) and if the least particle thereof , can be brought , necessarilie or iustly to confesse , any harmefull intention of mine to the height imagined , hauing already past the test of some of the most Iudiciall and Noble of this Kingdome : if Malice will still make vnanswerably mine , what her selfe hath meerely inuented , and say with Phisitians , that the fault of the first concoction cannot be corrected in the second , ( my meat supposed Harpy-like rauisht at first , into her vicious stomacke ) And that as Herodotus is vniustly said to praise onlie the Athenians , that all Grecians else he might the more freelie depraue , so Malice will as licentiouslie affirme , that my Poeme hath something honourablie applicable , that the rest might the more safely discouer my malignance : And lastelie , If my Iudges ( being preiudicd with my accusation , haue no eare left to heare my defence ) will therefore powerfullie continue their hostilitie both against my life & reputation , then Collū securi , I must endure at how inhumane hands soeuer ( at least ) my poore credits amputation : humblie retiring my selfe within the Castle of my Innocence , & there in patience possessing my Soule , quietlie abide their vttermost outrage : dedefending my selfe , as I maie , from the better sort , by a cleere conscience , from the baser , by an eternall contempt . Pereas , qui calamitates hominum colligis . Eur : The worst of the greatest Act. Aetna quencht . Dist : Two Plants in one soile fruitlesse ; Both transplanted : ( Vntoucht ) finde fit meanes for posterity granted . The worst of the least . The spleenelesse Flie. Dist : The Innocent deliuerd , her destroier Her trophe is : Her Sauer , Her Enioyer . Tamen haec fremit Plebs . Liv : Yet further opposd ; admit a little further answer . Dialogus . The Persons Pheme and Theodines . Phe. HO ! you ! Theodines you must not dreame Y' are thus dismist in Peace , se as too extreame Your song hath stird vp , to becalmd so soone : Nay , in your hauen you shipwracke , y' are vndone , Your Perseus is displeasd , and sleighteth now Your worke , as idle , and as seruile , yow . The Peoples god-voice , hath exclamd away Your mistie cloudes , and he se●s cleere as day Y 'aue made him scandald for anothers wrong , Wishing vnpublisht your vnpopular song . Theo. O thou with peoples breaths and bubbles fild . Euer de●iuered , euermore with childe : How Court and Citty burnish with th● breede Of newes and ni●les ? seasoning all their feede With nothing , but what onely ( drest like thee ) Of surfet tasts and superfluitie ? Let all thy bladder - 〈◊〉 still inspire ▪ And make embroderd facte-●als for the mire With thy suggestions : On the clouen feete Of thy Chymaera tost from streete to streete ; Out Perseus 〈…〉 with the pre●s● Or like th' inconstant Moone be , that like these M●kes her selfe readie by her glasse the 〈◊〉 The common Rendes vous of all rude streames : And fed in some part , with our common Thames As that is hourely seru'd with sewers and sinckes , Strengthening and cleansing our sweet meats and drinkes , Our Perseus by Mineruaes perfect Mirror Informes his beauties : that reformd from th'●rror Which Change and Fashion in most others finde , Like his faire bodie , he may make his minde , Decke that with knowing ornaments , and then Effuse his radiance , vpon knowing Men , Which can no more faile then the sunne to show By his in-●ight , his outward ouerflow . Perseus ? ( that when Minerua in her spring Which renders deathlesse , euery noble thing Clarified in it , thri●● 〈◊〉 hath his 〈◊〉 ) Take from a Sow , th●t washeth in her stoode ( The common ken●ell ) euery gut she feedes ? His food then thinking cleaner ? And 〈◊〉 then Take it for manly ; when unfit for Men ? Can I seeme seruile to him , when ahlas My whole Lifes freedome , shewes I neuer was ? If I be rude in speech , or not expresse My Plaine Minde , w●th affected Courtlines His Insight can into the Fountaine reach , And knowes , sound meaning nere vsde glosing speach . Phem. Well , be he as you hope , but this beleeue , All friends haue left you , all that knew you gri●ue ( For faire condition in you ) that your Thrall , To one Mans humour , should so lose them all : Theo. One may be worth all , and they thus implie Themselues are all bad , that our Good ●●uie ▪ Goodnesse and Truth they are ( the All-good knowes ) To whom my free Sole all her labours vowes . If friends for this forsake me , let them flie ; And know that 〈◊〉 their inconstancie Grieues , or disheartens my resolu'd endeauours Then I had shaken off so many fea●ers . M● faire condition moues them ● Euen right thus Far'd the Phisition , 〈◊〉 With still poore Socrates ; who terming rude , Lust●ull , vnlearnd ▪ and with no wit indude , The most wise Man , did adde yet , he is iust . And with that praise , would giue his dispraise trust . For as a man , whom Arte hath flattery taught , And is at all parts , master of his Craft ; With long and varied praises , doth sometimes Mixe by the way , some sleight and peruiall crimes As sawce ; to giue his flatteries taste and scope , So , that Malignitie , may giue her hope Of faults beleeu'd effect , she likewise laies In her strowd passage , some light flowers of praise . But t is not me ahlas , they thus pursue With such vnprofiting , Cunning , nor embrue Their bitter spent mouthes , with such bloud-mixt some , In chace of any action that can come From my poore forme , but from the foot they tread Those passages , that thence affect the head . And why ? who knowes ? not that next spirit that is Organe to all their knowing faculties , Or else , I know I oft haue read of one So sharpe-eyd , he could see through Oke and Stone , Another that high set in Sicilie As farre as Carthage numbred with his eye , The Nauie vnder saile ▪ which was dissite A night and daies saile ; with windes most fore-right ; And others , that such curious chariots made As with a flies wing , they hid all in shade , And in a Ses●●●ine ( small Indian graine ) Engrau'd a page of Homers verses plaine . These farre-seene meruailes , I could neuer see Being made of downe right , flat simplicitie , How neere our curious Craftsmen come to these They must demonstrate , ere they winne the wise : Phe. But who are those you reckon Homicides In your rackt Poeme ? I sweare , that diuides Your wondering Reader , far from your applause . Theo. I ioie in that , for weighing with this cause Their other Reason , men may cleerely see , How sharpe and pregnant their constructions be . I proue by Argument , that he that loues Is deade , and onely in his louer moues . His Louer as t' were taking life from him : And praising that kinde slaughter I condemne As churlish Homicides , who will denie In loue twixt two , the possibility To propagate their liues into descent Needefull and lawfull , and that argument Is Platoes , to a word , which much commends The two great personages , who wanting th' ends Of wedlocke , as they were ; with one consent Sought cleere distunction , which ( with blest euent ) May ioine both otherwise , with such encrease Of worthy Ofspring , that posterities May blesse their fautors , and their fauoures now : Whom now such bans and poisons ouerflow . Phem. Bound to a barraine rocke , and death expected , See that with all your skill then cleane dissected . That ( barraine ) cleere your edge of , if you can . Theo. As if that could applied be to a Man ? O barraine Malice ! was it euer sayd A man was barraine ? or the burthen layd Of bearing fruite on Man ? if not , nor this Epithete barraine , can be construed his In least proprietie : but that such a one As was Andromeda ; in whose parts shone All beauties , both of bodie and of minde The sea dame to a barraine rocke should binde In enuie least some other of her kinde Should challenge them for beauty any more ; Encreast the cause of making all deplore So deare an innocent , with all desert No more then ( for Humanities shame ) peruert For of your whole huge reckonings heere 's the sum , O saeclum insipiens , & inficetum . Quod dignis adimit , transit ad Impios . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A18412-e80 Pl●t . in A●●b . 2. Caligula . 〈…〉 Linceus . Callicrates . Mirmecides . See my reasons in their places . Quippe non minus homicida censendus est qui hominem praecipit nasciturum ; quam qui natum tollite medio . Audacior autem , qui presentem ab●umpit vitam , crudelio● , qui lucem inuidet naseituro , & nondum natos filios suos enecat . Plat. in Sympo . Virgo sanè egreg●● , & omnibus animi & corporis dotibus ornatissima Natal : Co : de Andromeda .