A Lover of Learning, translated these [...] ver­ses of Cato into English, some twelve years since: whose labour, I cannot blame: but tying himselfe, strictly to the words; he could not alwaies, either so fully, or so gracefully, expresse the mening: for indeed, the words of one language, cannot alwaies be reached, by the very same words of another: which made an Able man, in this cause to say: Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere. And therefore seeing the sence especially in precepts, is principally to be re­garded, there is iustly a liberty given, in this kinde, not onely to use Periphrases, but Paraphrases also, as the cause may require, which liberty if I be censured by any to have used too liberally: Yet so long as Sensus est in tuto, and nothing is said, but what is drawn, Epo­tentia verborum: I expect to be excused at least, if not commended: And if many of these, seeme rather Para­phrases, or rather Collateral Conceits then translations: yet seeing they tend all to the same sence: and that the di­rect translations are sent before, as set alwayes next the latine: they are but after the fashion of young men; who weare thin cloaths, in cold winter, but haue good warm wast-cotes vnder them, and some men, may bee of that [Page] disposition, to take as much delight, in the conceit of the Expressing [...] as in the expressing of the conceit-And in­deed, this kinde of writing, seemes not onely away of me­ditation, but a Fruit: Not only an Exercise, but a Di­lating of Invention; and if there were nothing else, but the Variety; we see, how much the Eye, is delighted with varietie of colours, in the same obiect; the Eare, with variety of Descant upon the same Plaine song; & euen Nature herselfe, seemes delighted with it: For, who doubts, but into one forme of a Flower, she could have infused all kinde ofsents; and all, of sappes, but that shee takes a pleasure, in the variety of Formes. Some man will perhaps say; Here is variety indeed; but one well done were better then all: what good doth choice, where All is Refuse stuffe? It is true: but let this man bring better stuffes out of his warehouse; & then, let these be thrown away: till then, he may content himselfe with these; They may keepe him warme, though not make him fine. And seeing there is variety of Iudgements; it is not unfit, to tender them, variety of Expressings: some may take better with one Iudgement: some, with another: and oftentimes, one Expressing, gives lustre to a­nother, and makes the reason, which lay hid before to looke abroad: which is not yet, another thing; but the same thing, in another light: and lastly, being Prae­cepts of Morality; they cannot haue too many allure­ments. [Page] How soever it be; the worke I am sure, is such, as need not repent me, of one moneth spent in writing it: Nor thee, whosoever thou art of one houre spent in rea­ding it. I have quoted in the margent such places in di­vine writings, as are consonant & agreeing with these Precepts of Cato; that we may see, how farre it hath pleased God, to illuminate even Heathen men, in matters of Morality. And I intended, to have set at the end, a Patterne of the like variety in Latin; done eyther by Virgil, or by Ausonius: and translated in a greater variety into English: but considering, this present work is it selfe, nothing else, but variations: I have chosen rather to omit it, least it might be thought, a supernume­rarie idlenesse: yet thus much, we may gather by it; that even the Ancients scorned not, this variety of expres­sing; either as an exercise to the Writer, or a delight to the Reader; and seeing it hath beene now so long for­borne; it may come in also, as a novelty: and so I may suppose my selfe to haue two good supporters, (varietie & noueltie) to helpe to beare out my own imperfections.

Now for the Cato, that was the Author of these ver­ses, whether it were a Person, or but a Name onely, (as Cicero called his booke De senectu [...]e Cato Major, to giue it the more lustre of grauitie) it is uncertaine, but certaine it is, what Cato it was, is nothing certaine: and not much more certain, what time he liued; only Io. Scal. [Page] by some probable coniecture gathereth: that he lived, a­bout the times of the Emperours Commodus and Se­verus: which might well bee: seeing the saeculum of yeeres,about an. Dom. 170. next proceeding; was in sobriety of manners, a­mongst the Romans, of all other, the most flourishing. And though the Emperours themselves were not yet Christians; yet they made approches toward it, in Mo­rall Doctrine, as neere, as could be: as, well testifies that excellent Booke of Morality: written by the learned Emperour, Marcus Aurelius Antonius; father vnto Commodus: which, to the great commendation of the Translatour, is lately published amongst us: out of which perhaps this Cato, whosoever hee was, might make choice of some speciall Precepts: and put them, into short Disticks; for the better reteining them in memory. And for my selfe; if any man thinke me Repuerascere; and to enter upon a worke, that were fitter for a schoole boy: let him know, that one Planudes, long since, and of late, Ioseph Scaliger, two excellent men, & of singular lear­ning; haue Both of them, thought it no disparagement to their grauitie, to translate them into Greeke; as, ma­ny learned men haue likewise done into other langua­ges; whose Examples, I dare boldly oppose to the Cen­sure of any, or all Inferiour Iudgements.