Series 1 > Chronicles of the Frasers

POLICRATICA TEMPORUM
27
Cum tua prcevideas oculis mala Lippus inunctm!
Cur in amicorum vitiis tam cernis acutum ?
My Lord, all your predecessors are now off the stage; the sun
is set, for we are under a hesperus cloud. Sed mira cano, Sol
occubuit nox nulla secuta est—Phosphere redde diem cur gaudia
nostra moraris. I have now ventered to let this lark fly out
into the world, Simoni venture, Phosphere redde diem, which I
am hopfull your Lordship will take into your cage and volary,
my design being in olim inutilis videar vixisse, that I would
not be construed uselesse unto my country, et ne videar
ignorasse quee scire debuissem, seem and apeare to be ignorant
of what I ought to know. ’Mongst all the maxims of the
ancient sages, Nosce teipsum was applauded, and peregrinus
domi, a stranger at home, exploded and condemned. I would
gladly learn off and succumb to such as know more and can
do better than myselfe. Discat qui noscit, nam sic scientia
crescit. Had others ventured upon the stage this had never
seen the sun. With Elihu, Dayes should speake and multitud
of yeares should teach wisdom ; but there is a spirit in a man,
and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them under¬
standing. Great men are not alwayes wise, neither do the
aged understand judgment, therefore I said, hearken unto
me, I also will shew min opinion. Behold, I waited for your
words. I gave eare to your reasones, whilst you searched out
what to say; yea, I attended unto yow, and, behold, there is
non of yow that convinced Job or that answeired his words.
Explicat ? ? quare hactenus tacuerit et quare num loquatur.
Tacuit quia fait junior et locum oportuerit dari senioribus.
Loquitur nunc qui vidi amices non posse refutare Jobum, et quia
ipse habet quod responddt. Sed accidit ei quod protribet [.']
Horatius—Non fumum ex fulgore sed ex fumo dare lucem.
The same was my case and circumstance in adventuring
and undertakeing this great genealogy, which now is come
out to the light, and I must own it. Of our Simon I
hope it will happily prove what the prophet saith in be-
halfe of ... I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and
it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is,
and I will give it him. Almighty Lord, bring his soul
out of trouble, preserve and prosper him in his just pre-