The totall discourse of the rare adventures & painefull peregrinations of long nineteene yeares travayles from Scotland to the most famous kingdomes in Europe, Asia and Affrica

See Rome discover’d, Italy made playne, The Roman Library, a golden gaine: Hunns old Parthenope, with Venice met, And strong Brundusium, in Ottranto set: Times rich antiquities displayd abroad On circling Cume, Avernus lying odde: And Lorets Chappell, foure times beene transported On Angells backes, from Nazareth detorted; Where for discourse, on this false forged Lady, To tend you with inveiglings, shall be ready: Thus piece and piece, from soile to soile, I’le goe, And now begin, the end will deeper growe.

It was a wise saying amongst the Auncients, that thrice happy and blest was that Kingdome, when old men bore sway and ruled the State, and young men travelled abroad: The first by long experience prudently to execute judgement; and the latter by sight and knowledge of forraine soyles and lawes, growing more judicious; might when come to age and preferment, the more facily, and dexteriously exhibit Justice at home. But what shall I say to these moderne and dissolute times? when by the contrary meanes, travell is sleighted, government abused, and insinuating Homelings, thrust in high offices, incapeable of them, being pratling Parrots, and sounding Cymbals: who convert sound Judgement and Justice, to their owne greedy respects, and selfe mercinary ends; turning their chiefest felicity to avaritious ambition and vaine glory, and their sweetest fortunes, to their belly and their backe. O miserable and effeminate age! when vertue by most men is despised, and neglected, and sensuall vice every where exalted: Nay; ruffian Pandors, by hopefull youth and prodigall gallants, are now clothed, Coatched, and richly rewarded; whilst best merits and highest deserts, of rarest spirits, are neither looked to, set by, nor regarded. And for approbation, and examples sake, of their valerous designes, let them thinke upon latter passages, nor worthy to be thought upon, and they will finde this future caveat to stand needfull, Hæc olim meminisse juvabit. So likewise now every Capri-cullion from Cæsar, to the Pascorell, can crowd and chawe from his warbling waspishnes, this stinging censure of absurd untrueth, that Travellers and Poets may lye & lye by authority, which they themselves performe at home without leave.