26Earle of Pembroke, &c. Lord Chamberlaine to the
27Kings most Excellent Maiesty. 30Earle of Montgomery, &c. Gentleman of his Maie
sties
31Bed-Chamber. Both Knights of the mo
st Noble Order
32of the Garter, and our
singular good
35WHilst we studie to be thankful in our particular, for 36the many fauors we haue receiued from your L.L 37we are falne vpon the ill fortune, to mingle 38two the most diuerse things that can bee, feare, 39and rashnesse; rashnesse in the enterprize, and 40feare of the successe. For, when we valew the places your H.H. 41sustaine, we cannot but know their dignity greater, then to descend to 42the reading of these trifles: and, vvhile we name them trifles, we haue 43depriu'd our selues of the defence of our Dedication. But since your 44L.L. haue beene pleas'd to thinke these trifles some-thing, heereto- 45fore ; and haue prosequuted both them, and their Authour liuing, 46vvith so much fauour: we hope, that (they out-liuing him, and he not 47hauing the fate, common with some, to be exequutor to his owne wri- 48tings) you will vse the like indulgence toward them, you haue done 49vnto their parent. There is a great difference, vvhether any Booke 50choose his Patrones, or finde them: This hath done both. For, 51so much were your L L. likings of the seuerall parts, vvhen 52they were acted, as before they vvere published, the Volume ask'd to 53be yours. We haue but collected them, and done an office to the 54dead, to procure his Orphanes, Guardians; vvithout ambition ei- 55ther of selfe-profit, or fame: onely to keepe the memory of so worthy 56a Friend, & Fellow aliue, as was our SHAKESPEARE,
by hum- 57ble offer of his playes, to your most noble patronage. Wherein, as 58we haue iustly obserued, no man to come neere your L.L. but vvith 59a kind of religious addresse; it hath bin the height of our care, vvho 60are the Presenters, to make the present worthy of your H.H. by the 61perfection. But, there we must also craue our abilities to be considerd, 62my Lords. We cannot go beyond our owne powers. Country hands 63reach foorth milke, creame, fruites, or what they haue : and many 64Nations (we haue heard) that had not gummes & incense, obtai- 65ned their requests with a leauened Cake. It vvas no fault to approch 66their Gods, by what meanes they could: And the most, though 67meanest, of things are made more precious, when they are dedicated 68to Temples. In that name therefore, we most humbly consecrate to 69your H.H. these remaines of your seruant Shake
speare
; that 70what delight is in them, may be euer your L.L. the reputation 71his, & the faults ours, if any be committed, by a payre so carefull to 72shew their gratitude both to the liuing, and the dead, as is 73Your Lord
shippes mo
st bounden,