To my worthy friend Mr. George Chapman, and his translated Hesiod.

        Chapman; We finde by thy past-prized fraught,
    What wealth thou dost vpon this Land conferre;
    Th’olde Grecian Prophets hither that hast brought,
    Of their full words the true interpreter: 
    And by thy trauell, strongly hast exprest
    The large dimensions of the English tongue;
    Deliuering them so well, the first and best,
    That to the world in Numbers euer sung. 
    Thou hast vnlock’d the treasury, wherein
    All Art, and knowledge haue so long been hidden:  10
    Which, till the gracefull Muses did begin
    Here to inhabite, was to vs forbidden. 
        In blest Elizivm (in a place most fit)
    Vnder that tree due to the Delphian God,
    Musaeus, and that Iliad Singer sit,
    And neare to them that noble Hesiod,
    Smoothing their rugged foreheads; and do smile,
    After so many hundred yeares to see
    Their Poems read in this farre westerne Ile,
    Translated from their ancient Greeke, by thee; 20
    Each his good Genius whispering in his eare,
    That with so lucky, and auspicious fate
    Did still attend them, whilst they liuing were,
    And gaue their Verses such a lasting date. 
    Where slightly passing by the Thespian spring,
    Many long after did but onely sup;
    Nature, then fruitfull, forth these men did bring,
    To fetch deep Rowses from Ioues plentious cup. 
        In thy free labours (friend) then rest content,
    Feare not Detraction, neither fawne on Praise:  30
    When idle Censure all her force hath spent,
    Knowledge can crowne her self with her owne Baies. 
    Their Lines, that haue so many liues outworne,
    Cleerely expounded shall base Enuy scorne.

Michael Drayton.

Prefixed to Book ij. of Primaleon, &c.  Translated by Anthony Munday (1619).

OF THE WORKE and Translation.

If in opinion of iudiciall wit,
Primaleons_ sweet Invention well deserue: 
Then he (no lesse) which hath translated it,
Which doth his sense, his forme, his phrase, obserue. 
And in true method of his home-borne stile,
(Following the fashion of a French conceate)
Hath brought him heere into this famous Ile,
Where but a stranger, now hath made his seate. 
He liues a Prince, and comming in this sort,
Shall to his Countrey of your fame report._

M.D.

From Annalia Dubrensia (1636).

TO MY NOBLE Friend Mr. ROBERT DOVER, on his braue annuall Assemblies vpon Cotswold.