WHEN at the first I took my pen in haud
Thus for to write, I did not understand
That I at all should make a little book
In such a mode: Nay, I had undertook
To make another: which when almost done,
Before I was aware, I thus begun.
And thus it was: I, writing of the way
And race of saints in this our gospel day,
Fell suddenly into an allegory,
About their journey and the way to glory,
In more than twenty things, which I set down:
This done, I twenty more had in my crown,
And they again began to multiply,
Like sparks that from the coals of fire do fly.
Nay, then, thought I, if that you breed so fast,
I'll put you by yourselves, lest you at last
Should prove ad infinitum, and eat out
The book that I already am about.
Well, so I did; but yet I did not think
To show to all the world my pen and ink
In such a mode: I only thought to make
I knew not what; nor did I undertake
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Thereby to please my neighbours: no, not I:
I did it mine own self to gratify.
Neither did I but vacant seasons spend
In this my scribble: nor did I intend
But to divert myself in doing this,
From worser thoughts, which made me do amiss. Thus I set pen to paper with delight,
And quickly had my thoughts in black and white;
For having now my method by the end,
Still as I pull'd it came; and so I penn'd
It down, until at last it came to be,
For length and breadth, the bigness which you see.
Well, when I had thus put my ends together,
I shewed them others, that I might see whether
They would condemn them, or them justify :
And some said, Let him live; some let him die ;
Some said, John print it; others said, Not so.
Some said, It might do good, others said, No.
Now I was in a strait and did not see
Which was the best thing to be done by me :
At last I thought since you are thus divided,
I print it will, and so the case decided.
For, thought I, some I see would have it done,
Tho' others in that channel do not run :
To prove them who adviseth for the best,
Thus I thought fit to put it to the test.
I farther thought, if now I did deny
Those that would have it, thus to gratify,
I did not know but hinder them I might
Of that which would to them be great delight,
For those which were not for its coming forth,
I said to them, Offend you I am loth;
Yet since your brethren pleased with it be,
Forbear to judge, till you do farther see.
If that you would not read, let it alone;
Some love the meat, some love to pick a bone;
Yea, that I might them better moderate
I did too with them thus expostulate :
May I not write in such a style as this? In such a method too, and yet not miss My end, thy good? Why may it not be done? Dark clouds bring waters when the bright bring none. Yea, dark or bright, if they their silver drops Cause to descend, the earth, by yielding crops, Gives praise to both, and carpeth not at either. But treasures up the fruit they yield together: Yea, so commixes both, that in their fruit None can distinguish this from that; they suit Her well when hungry; but if she be full, She spues out both and makes the blessing null. You see the ways the fisherman doth take To catch the fish; what engines doth he make? Behold! how he engageth all his wits; Also his snares, lines, angles, hooks and nets: Yet fish there be, that neither hook nor line, Nor snares, nor net, nor engine can make thine: They must be groped for, and tickled too, Or they will not be catch'd, whate'er you do.
How does the fowler seek to catch his game By divers means! All which one cannot name : His gun, his nets, his lime twigs, light and bell: He creeps, he goes, he stands: yea who can tell Of all his postures? Yet there's none of these Will make him master of what fowls he please.
Yea, he must pipe and whistle, to catch this,
Yet, if he does so, that bird he will miss.
If that a pearl do in a toad's head dwell,
And may be found too in an oyster shell :
If things that promise nothing do contain
What better is than gold; who will disdain,
That have an inkling of it, there to look,
That they may find it? Now, my little book
(Though void of all these paintings that may make
It with this or the other man to take)
Is not without these things that do excel
What do in brave but empty notions dwell.
Well, yet I am not fully satisfi'd,
That this your book will stand, when soundly try d.
Why, what's the matter? It is dark: What tho'?
But it is feigned: What of that? I tro'
Some men by feigned words as dark as mine,
Make truth to spangle and its rays to shine!
But they want solidness: speak then thy mind:
They drown the weak: metaphors make us blind.
Solidity indeed, becomes the pen
Of him that writeth things divine to men :
But must I need want solidness, because
By metaphors I speak? Were not God's laws,
His gospel laws, in older times held forth
By shadows, types, and metaphors? Yet loth
Will any sober man be to find fault
With them, lest he be found for to assault
The highest wisdom: No, he rather stoops,
And seeks to find out what by pins and loops,
By calves and sheep, by heifers and by rams,
By birds and herbs, and by the blood of lambs.
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