Dedication, no date (1580), John Hester to John Watson, Bischof von Winchester (BP184)
| Author: | John Hester |
| Recipient: | John Watson, Bischof von Winchester |
| Type: | Dedication |
| Date: | no date [1580] |
| Pages: | 8 |
| Language: | English |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2027 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | John Hester, The first part of the Key of Philosophie, London: Richard Daye 1580, sig. *2r-*5v [BP184]
|
| CP: | Not in Kühlmann/Telle, Corpus Paracelsisticum |
| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Back to Paratexts Back to Texts by John Hester |
[sig. *2r] To the righte reuernede Father in God, and his singular good Lord Jhon Watson, by the grace of God Bishop of Winchester, and Prelate of the right honourable order of the Garter. J[ohn] H[ester] wisheth healthe and peace, and long life in Jesus Christ.
Pretie and pithie is the tale (my good lorde) that Plato tells in his Protagoras, and somehat appliable to my present purpose, and therefore not absurd for me to sett doune, to the better preferment of my pretence. Emong other his excellent inuentions (as he is in all his thinges moste like hymself still verie diuine) he she- [sig. *2v] with how Joue looking doune from Heauen with a pitifull regarde, vpon the harde and vntowarde condition of men, seeyng the sondrie calamities, and infinite miseries that the were subiect vnto, while yet the liued suaage like beastes amongst beastes, euery man leadyng his life after the leuell of his owne lust: tooke order straight with his winged messenger Mercurie, to descende doune with expedition, with trauell to collecte and gather together the dispersed multitude, that so vnited they might bothe bee stronger to defende them selues from the bruite beastes their common ene- [sig. *3r] mie: & lincked as it were in a bodie pollique, each presented as wel with the daily viewe of his owne want, as the continuall showe of like lacke in others, might with ioynt assent and consent (as driuen by necessitie) endeuor to driue necessitie from themselues. For the spedier accomplishyng whereof, he had in charge to establishe a law, that if any amongest them weare founde vnfurnished with Iustice, and voide of shamefastnesse: the same should bee accompted as an vnprofitable Droane among labouryng Bees, and should suffer punishement accordyngly. A worthie tale, and fit to worthie a Phi- [sig. *3v] losopher. By the which he liuely deliuered in generall tearmes, that whiche wee daiely finde in particulare proof: to weete, no common wealth, nor societie to continewe long happie where the members & partes therof either for loue of iustice, or feare of shame are not like affectioned eche other. Now least J should seeme to allowe of this tale in speeche, and to dislike it in practise, J haue presumed by this bare translation, to testifie my forwardnesse in furtheryng her that fosters me. And yet is not my translation so bare (my good lorde) but that it carrieth in it more plainnesse to the readers, then perhapps [sig. *4r] thei shall finde in the first writer: For beside that J haue culled out their choise thynges, J haue from the same choise proined, and cut of their superfluities, I haue supplied their defectes, J haue laied open their obscuritie, and I haue shadowed their defaultes, neither yet arrogating to my self, nor derogatyng from them, but as Dies diem docet, so Experimentum experiendo confirmatur. VVhat my trauaile herein shall profite, J knowe not: but sure J am my trouble in the triall of them hath been great, my expences large, my proffs painfull, and nothing at all herein pleasant saue onely a little knowledge that [sig. *4v] I haue gott, aboue the capacitie of the common sort, a thing sure that I value farre aboue the price that it coste me. VVhich knowledge in deede such is my grosnesse, or such the subtilnesse of the matter it self that I can easilyer by demonstration shew it, the by declaration teach it: and therefore dare I not vnder credite warrant perspicuitie to all men, but to those that are Filij artis. I promise more then I founde, and yet founde J more then thei hauing would willingly lose: to the residue I maie saie, that as hennes sit, but hatche not chickens in one daie: so men read, but learne not artes in one daie. To you my good [sig. *5r] Lord, whose countenance herein I craue for protection, whose iudgement and skill I appeale to for fauor, I must needes confesse thei are not written (although loth to haue them masterlesse like their master, J am ouer bolde, to shroude them vnder your winges) to you J saie thei are not written, except ouerladen with the deepe & graue misteries of higher and more heauenly Philosophie, it maire please you for delight, now and then to looke doune into the plentifull and pleasant storehouse of Nature, a matter no doubt that all your whole life time you haue been singularly delighted with, as most plainly do [sig. *5v] declare the singularitie, that you haue happely attained vnto in alle and euery the partes of her, no lesse to your great content at home, then to your like commendation abroad: which because I can neither praise to your sesarte, nor in praisyng please your desire, I leaue to speake farther of: only defirinig your good lordship with your wonted clemencie, to accept of this small testimonie of my great good will, assuring your self, that emongst the greate number of your well willers, there is no one more duetifull then your poore
Jhon Hester.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT on 2 April 2023. Attention: This translation is a machine translation by artificial intelligence. The translation has not been checked and should not be cited without additional human verification.
To the respected and revered Bishop of Winchester, John Watson, by the grace of God Bishop of Winchester and a member of the honorable Order of the Garter, John Hester wishes you good health, peace, and a long life in Jesus Christ.
The story that Plato tells in his Protagoras is pretty and concise, my lord. It is somewhat applicable to my current purpose, so it is not absurd for me to write it down to support my argument. Among his other excellent ideas (as he is always very divine in all his works), he describes how Jupiter, looking down from heaven with a pitiful expression on his face, observed the harsh and difficult lives of men. Jupiter saw the various calamities and endless miseries that they were subjected to, even though they lived like savage beasts among beasts, each man leading his life according to his own desires. Jupiter immediately ordered his winged messenger, Mercury, to swiftly descend and gather the dispersed masses, so they could unite and become stronger to defend themselves against their common enemy, the wild beasts. Linked together as a political body, each person was presented with the daily view of his own lack, as well as the continuous show of a similar lack in others, so they could jointly agree and consent (driven by necessity) to drive necessity away from themselves. To accomplish this more quickly, Jupiter established a law that if anyone was found lacking in justice and shamelessness, that person would be considered an unproductive drone among hardworking bees and punished accordingly. This is a worthy tale and befits a philosopher. With it, he delivered a universal truth in general terms that we find in our daily lives: no commonwealth or society can remain happy for long where the members and parts of it are not affectionate towards each other due to love of justice or fear of shame.
To prevent myself from seeming to approve of this tale only in words and to disapprove of it in practice, I have presumed to translate it here to demonstrate my eagerness to further the cause of the one who nurtures me. And yet my translation, my lord, is not so simple that it lacks clarity for readers, perhaps even more so than the original writer's work. In addition to selecting their best things, I have pruned and cut out their superfluous parts, supplied their deficiencies, revealed their obscurities, and shaded their defaults. I do not claim credit for myself or detract from them. As the saying goes, day teaches day, and experience confirms experimentation. I do not know what profit my efforts will bring, but I can say that my troubles in the trial of them have been great, my expenses large, and my rewards painful, with nothing pleasant about it except for the little knowledge I have gained, beyond the capacity of the common sort. It is a thing that I value far above the price it has cost me. Such is my thickness or the subtlety of the subject matter itself that I can more easily demonstrate it than teach it. Therefore, I dare not warrant perspicuity to all men but to those who are the sons of art.
To you, my good lord, whose protection I seek, whose judgment and skill I appeal to for favor, I must confess that they are not written (although I am hesitant to leave them masterless like their master, I am too bold to entrust them under your wings). To you, I say that they are not written except for the deep and serious mysteries of higher and more heavenly philosophy. It may please you to occasionally look down into the bountiful and pleasant storehouse of nature, a matter that has no doubt singularly delighted you throughout your entire life, as evidenced by your happily attained excellence in every part of it, no less to your great satisfaction at home than to your commendation abroad. I cannot praise it enough for your merits, nor can I satisfy your desires by praising it, so I will say no more. I only ask your good lordship, with your usual kindness, to accept this small testimony of my great goodwill, and assure yourself that among the great number of your well-wishers, there is none more dutiful than your poor
John Hester.
