The Epiſtle Dedicatorie.
vnto their parent. There is a great difference whether any Booke chooſe his Patrones, or finde them : This hath done both. For, ſo much were your L L. likings of the, ſeuerall parts, when they were acted, as before they were publiſhed, the Volume ask'd to be yours. We haue but collected them, and done an office to the dead, to procure his Orphanes, Guardians; without ambition ei- ther of ſelfe-profit, or fame: onely to keepe the memory of fſ worthy a Friend, & Fellow aliue, as was our Shakespeare ,by hum- ble offer of his playes, to your moſt noble patronage. Wherein, as me haue juſtly obſerued, no man to come neere your L.L. but with a kind of religious addreſſe; it hath bin the height of our care, who are the Preſenters ſo make the preſent worthy of your H.H.by the perfection. But,there me muſt alſo crane our abilities to be conſiderd, my Lords. We cannot go beyond our owne powers. Country hands reach foorth milke, creame, fruites, or what they haue : and many Nations (we haue heard) that had not gummes & incenſe, obtai- ned their requeſts with a leauened Cake. It was no fault to approch their Gods, by what meanes they could: And the moſt, though meaneſt, of things are made more precious, when they are dedicated to Temples. In that name therefore, me moſt humbly conſecrate, to your H.H. theſe, remaines of your ſeruant Shakeſpeare; that what delight is in them, may be euer your L.L. the, reputation his, & the faults ours ,if any be committed, by a payre, ſo carefull to ſhew their gratitude both to the liuing, and the dead, as is
Your Lordſhippes moſt bounden,
Iohn Heminge
Henry Condell
