The Knight of the Burning Pestle
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The
Knight of
the Burning Pestle.
London,
Printed for Walter Burre, and are to be sold at the signe of the Crane in Paules Church-yard.
1613.
To his many
waies endeered
friend Maister Robert Keysar.
Sir, this vnfortunate child, who in eight daies (as lately I haue learned) was begot and borne, soone after, was by his parents (perhaps because hee was so vnlike his brethren) exposed to the wide world, who for want of iudgement, or not vnderstanding the priuy marke of Ironie about it (which shewed it was no ofspring of any vulgar braine) vtterly reiected it: so that for want of acceptance it was euen ready to gine vp the Ghost, and was in danger to haue bene smothered in perpetuall obliuion, if you (out of your direct antipathy to ingratitude) had not bene moued both to relieue and cherish it: wherein I must needs commend both your iudgement, vnderstanding, and singular loue to good wits; you afterwards sent it to mee, yet being an infant and somewhat ragged, I haue fostred it priuately in my bosome these two yeares, and now to shew my loue returne it to you, clad in good lasting cloaths, which scarce memory will weare out, and able to speake for it selfe; and withall, as it telleth mee, desirous to try his fortune in the world, where if yet it be welcome, father, foster-father, nurse and child, all haue their desired end. If it bee slighted or traduced, it hopes his father will beget him a yonger brother, who shall reuenge his quarrell, and challenge the world either of fond and meerely literall interpretation, or illiterate misprision. Perhaps it will be thought to bee of the race of Don Quixote: we both may confidently sweare, it is his elder aboue a yeare; and therefore may (by vertue of his birth-right) challenge the wall of him. I doubt not but they will meet in their aduentures, and I hope the breaking of one staffe will make them friends; and perhaps they will combine themselues, and trauell through the world to seeke their aduentures. So I commit him to his good fortune, and my selfe to your loue.
Your assured friend
W. B.
This work was published before January 1, 1930, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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