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cords of al ages made by men, becauſe the euents & accidents of the time paſt, are peraduenture ſuch things as ſhall neuer againe come in uſe: but this ſheweth that Chronicle which was made by God himſelfe, euery liuing beaſt being a word, euery kind being a ſentence, and al of them togither a large hiſtory, containing admirable knowledge & learning, which was, which is, which ſhall continue, (if not for euer) yet to the worlds end.

The ſecond thing in this diſcourſe which I haue promiſed to affirme, is the truth of the Hyſtory of Creatures, for the marke of a good writer is to follow truth and not deceiuable Fables. And in this kind I haue paſſed the ſtraighteſt paſſage, becauſe the relation of moſt thinges in this Booke are taken out of Heathen uuriters, ſuch as peraduenture are many times ſuperſtitiouſly credulous, and haue added of their owne uerie many raſh inuentions, without reasſon, authority, or probability, as if they had been hyred to ſell ſuch Fables: For, Non bene conducti vendunt periuria teſtes. I would not haue the Reader of theſe Hiſtories to immagine that I haue inſerted or related all that euer is ſaide of theſe Beaſts, but onely ſo much as is ſaide by many, For in the mouth of two or three witneſſes ſtandeth euerie word: and if at any time I haue ſet downe a ſingle Teſtimony, it was becauſe the matter was cleare and needeth not farther probation, or elſe I have laid it upon the credit of the Author with ſpecial words, not giuing the Reader any warant from me to beleeue it.

Beſides I haue taken regard to imitate the beſt Writers, which was eaſie for mee to doe, becauſe Geſner relateth euery mans opinion (like a common place or Dictionary, as he profeſſeth;) and if at any time he ſeemed obſcure, I turned to the Bookes which I had at hande to geſſe their meaning, putting in that which he had left out of many good Authours, and leauing out many magicall deuiſes. Now although I have uſed no ſmall diligence or care in collecting thoſe things which were moſt eſſentiall to euery Beaſt, moſt true without exception, and moſt euident by the Teſtimony of many good Authors, yet I haue deliuered in this treatiſe many ſtrange and rare thinges, not as fictions, but Myracles of nature, for wiſemen to behold and obſerue to their ſingular comfort, if they loue the power, glory, and praiſe of their maker, not withholding their conſent to the things expreſſed, becauſe they intreat of liuing things made by God himſelfe. Si ergo quærimus quis fecerit deus eſt, Si per quod, dixit fiat, & facta ſunt: Si quare fiat, quia bonus eſt. Nec enim autor eſt excellentior deo, necars efficacior deiverbo, nec cauſa melior, quam vt bonum creatura a deo bono, and this Plato ſaid was the onely cauſe of the worlds creation, vt a deo bono opera bona fierent.

Now I doe in a ſort challenge a conſent unto the probability of theſe thinges to wiſe and learned men, although no beleefe. For Fides, is credere inuiſibilia; but conſenſus is a cleauing or yeelding to a relation untill the manifeſtation of another truth; and when any man ſhall iuſtly reproue any thing I haue written for falſe and eronious, I will not ſticke to releaſe the Readers conſent, but make ſatisfaction for uſurpation. But for the rude and uulgar ſort (who being utterly ignorant of the operation of Learning, do preſently condemne al ſtrange things which are not ingraue in the palms of their own hands, or euident in their own heards and flockes): I care not, for my eares haue heard ſome of them ſpeake againſt the Hiſtorie of Sampſon, uuhere he tied fire-brands to the tales of Foxes, and many of them againſt the myracles of Chriſt. I may remember you (R. W.) of a Countrie tale of an old Maſſe-Prieſt in the daies of Henry the eight, uuho reading in English after the tranſlation of the Bible, the miracle of the fiue loaues and tuuo Fishes, and uuhen hee came to the uerſe that laſt ſaid, they uuere about fiue hundred: The clarke, that uuas a little uuiſer, uuhiſpered into the prieſts eares that it was fiue thouſand, but the prieſt turned backe and replied uuith indignation, Hold your peace ſirrha, we ſhall neuer make them beleeue they were fiue hundred.