Now touching the Patronage of these Antient Free denisons, and Franklins of England (for so Proverbs may be called,) It may, under favour, well become your Lordship, in regard you make one of the most Eminent part of the Nation, if one look upon your
'Tis confessed that other Languages are fuller of Them, specially the Italian, whereof Signior Florio (who deserved so much of the English Nation, by his Dialogs and Dictionary, (specially this last which is more compleat) hath published about six thousand, and divers of them are allowed to be bald being so old. Pauls cannot alwayes stand, alluding to the lubricity of all sublunary things. Some of them may be said to be as old as Pauls Steeple And we live in those destructive fatall Times, that are like to verifie a very ancient Proverb of that stately Temple (the greatest Ornament London ever had) viz.
I Have heard the English Toung often traduc'd abroad, that, whereas the witt and wisedom of a Nation is much discernd in their Proverbiall Speeches, The English is more barren in this kind then other Languages To take off this Aspersion, and rectifie the Opinion of the world herein, was one of the main Motifs that induced me to impose this (no easie) taske upon my self of Collecting and publishing these English Proverbs, or old Sayed-Sawes and Adages, which I dare say, have as much Witt, Significance and Salt in them as any of the other Languages that follow.
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