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THE 
SCOVRGE OF 
Villanie.

Three Bookes of Satyres.











To those that seeme iudiciall 
perusers.


KNow I hate to affect too much obscuritie, & harsh­
nes, because they profit no sence. To note vices, so
that no man can vnderstand them, is as fonde, as the
French execution in picture. Yet there are some, (too
many) that think nothing good, that is so curteous, as
to come within their reach. Tearming all Satyres (ba­
stard) which are not palpable darke, and so rough writ,
that the hearing of them read, would set a man teeth on
edge. For whose vnseasond pallate I wrote the first Sa­
tyre in some places too obscure, in all places misliking
me. Yet when by some scuruie chaunce it shal come in­
to the late perfumed fist of iudiciall Torquatus, (that
like some rotten stick in a troubled water, hath gotte a
great deale of barmy froth to stick to his sides) I know
he will vouchsafe it, some of his new-minted Epithets, 
(as Reall, Intrinsecate, Delphicke,) when in my consci­
ence hee vnderstands not the least part of it. But from 
thence proceedes his iudgement. Perseus is crabby, be­
cause antient, & his ierkes, (being perticulerly giuen to 







priuate customes of his time) duskie. Iuuenall (vpon
the like occasion) seemes to our iudgement, gloomie.
Yet both of them goe a good seemely pace, not stum­
bling, shuffling. Chaucer is harde euen to our vnder­
standings: who knowes not the reason? howe much 
more those old Satyres which expresse themselues in
termes, that breathed not long euen in their daies. But
had we then liued, the vnderstanding of them had been
nothing hard.
I will not deny there is a seemely deco­
rum to be obserued, and a peculiar kinde of speech for
a Satyres lips, which I can willinglier conceiue, then
dare to prescribe; yet let me haue the substance rough,
not the shadow. I cannot, nay I will not delude your
sight with mists; yet I dare defend my plainnes gainst
the veriuyce face, of the crabbed'st Satyrist that euer
shuttered. Hee that thinks worse of my rimes then my
selfe, I scorne him, for he cannot, he that thinks better,
is a foole. So fauour mee Good-Opinion, as I am farre
from beeing a Suffenus. If thou perusest mee with an
vnpartiall eye, reade on, if otherwise, knowe I neyther
value thee, nor thy censure. W. Kinsayder.