CERTAINE
EPIGRAMS OVT
OF THE FIRST FOVRE
BOOKES OF THE EXCELLENT EPIGRAMMATIST,
MASTER IOHN OVVEN:

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH
AT HARBOR-GRACE IN
Bristols-Hope in Britaniola,
anciently called New-found-land:
By R.H.

AT LONDON
Imprinted for Roger Michell,
and are to be sold at
the signe of the Buls head
in Pauls Churchyard. 1628.

TO THE FAR ADMIRED, ADMIRABLLY FAIRE,
vertuous, and witty Beauties of
ENGLAND.

IT was, faire, vertuous, wittie, for your sake,
That I this harder taske did vndertake.
I grieu'd, such was out of your command,
Lock'd in a tongue you did not vnderstand.
To doe you seruice, not my selfe to please,
Did I at first aduenture vpon these.

I thought to haue proceeded in this method, but the ragged, bashfull flat my Muse (hauing not seene your like before) is amazed, and strucken dumbe at the sight of your excellencies: I must therefore take vp the speech for her, and as She hath heretofore twatled much for me, I must therefore entreat you in Her behalfe. Indeed I told Her, She should finde you very louing and kinde, and should be admitted to kisse your whitest hands. She is a stranger, I humbly therefore pray you, to take her into your protection, kindly take her into your hands, and entertaine her courteously; none can doe it better then your selues; whilst you looke kindly vpon her, let her with admiration, and contentment gaze on your beauties: you may looke vpon her boldly with vnuailed countenances, you shall finde her euery where modest, either she hath vailde, or quite omitted what She feares might offend your chast eares, She hath taken paines to let you know what enuious me haue too long kept from your knowledge. If She speake any thing against your sexe, it is but what malicious men sometimes mutter in an vnknowne language against your inferior frailties, and hath answered somewhat in your behalfe: you shall finde Her no importunate Companion, for you may begin with her when you please, and leaue her when you list: euery small parcell is an entire treatise, and depends vpon it selfe; they may serue you for pastime, if you please, for vse, for embellishing in your discourse, as spangles in your attire: The translations were the better, if they are not made worse in the change. For our owne, they are the best we can at this time. The grace and loue I receiued sometime from one of your sexe, makes me confident of your gracious goodnesse: but my Muse hath a little recouered her spirits, and requests me She may speake a little vnto you.

Your beauties, wonder and amazement bred
In me, that still I am astonished:
Yet this request I pray doe not deny,
Giue me good words, for you haue more then I.
In recompence one day Ile sing a song
Of your rich worth with my laste buskins on.

The admirer of your excellencies,
the short-breath'd Muse of
Robert Hayman.

A PREMONITION
TO ALL KINDE OF READERS
of these Translations of Iohn Owens
EPIGRAMS.

As one into a spacious Garden led,
Which is with rare, faire flowers well garnished,
Where Argus may all his eyes satisfie;
Centimanus all his hands occupy,
He will chuse some fine flowers of the best,
To make himselfe a Poesie at the least:
Or he will, if such fauour may be found,
Intreate some Slips, to set in his owne ground:
So fares it with me, when in Owens booke,
At leasure times, with willing eyes I looke:
I cannot chuse, but choose some of his flowers,
And to translate them at my leisure howres.
But as 'tis not for this admitted Man,
Manners at once to gather euery one,
But mildly to cull a few at a time,
I pray thee doe so too, kinde Reader mine:
For as a Man may surfet on sweet meates:
So thou maist ouer-read these quaint conceits.
Some at one time, some at another chuse;
As Maidens doe their kissing Conceits vse.
Reade therefore these, His; by translation, Mine:
As some eate Cheese, a penny-waight at a time.

AN ENCOMIASTICK DISTICK ON MY
RIGHT WORTHY AVTHOR,
IOHN OVVEN.

THe best conceits Owens conceits haue found,
Short, sharp, sweet, witty, vnforc'd, neate, profound.

SEVERALL SENTENTIOVS EPIGRAMS, AND WITTY SAYINGS OVT
of sundry Authors both Ancient and Moderne:

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH AT HARBOR-
Grace, in Bristols-Hope, in Brittaniola,

Anciently called, New-found-land;

By R.H.

LONDON,
Printed by Felix Kyngston for Roger Michell,
and are to be sold at the Buls-head in Pauls
Church-yard. 1628.

A WEAKE APOLOGIE
FOR MY WEAKENESSE
in these following Translations.

We think it no strang thing; nor do we laugh,
To see and old, weake man walke with a staffe:
I that could with strong legs runne a large fit,
Must now with short turnes, rest on others wit.

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