next follow in their order,
being set together in this _little_ book, that in winter you may reade
them _ad ignem_, by the fire-side, and in summer _ad umbram_, under some
shadie tree, and therewith passe away the tedious howres. So hoping of thy
favourable censure, knowing that the least judicious are most ready to
judge, I expose them to thy view, with Apelles motto, _Ne sutor, ultra
crepidam_. Lastly, whether you like them, or leave them, yet the author
bids you welcome.

"Thine as mine,

W.S."

_The Original Characters are_,

1. The world.
2. An old man.
3. A woman.
4. A widdow.
5. A true lover.
6. A countrey bride.
7. A plowman.
8. A melancholy man.
9. A young heire.
10. A scholler in the university.
11. A lawyer's clarke.
12. A townsman in Oxford.
13. An usurer.
14. A wandering rogue.
15. A waterman.
16. A shepheard.
17. A jealous man.
18. A chamberlaine.
19. A mayde.
20. A bayley.
21. A countrey fayre.
22. A countrey alehouse.
23. A horse-race.
24. A farmer's daughter.
25. A keeper.
26. A gentleman's house in the countrey.

_The Additions to the second Edition are_,

27. A fine dame.
28. A country dame.
29. A gardiner.
30. A captaine.
31. A poore village.
32. A merry man.
33. A scrivener.
34. The tearme.
35. A mower.
36. A happy man.
37. An arrant knave.
38. An old waiting gentlewoman.

"THE TEARME

Is a time when Justice keeps open court for all commers, while her sister
Equity strives to mitigate the rigour of her positive sentence. It is
called the Tearme, because it does end and terminate busines, or else
because it is the _Terminus_ ad quem, that is, the end of the countrey
man's journey, who comes up to the Tearme, and with his hobnayle shooes
grindes the faces of the poore stones, and so returnes againe. It is the
soule of the yeare, and makes it quicke, which before was dead. Inkeepers
gape for it as earnestly as shelfish doe for salt water after a low ebbe.
It sends forth new bookes into the world, and replenishes Paul's walke
with fresh company, where _Quid novi?_ is their first salutation, and the
weekely newes their chiefe discourse. The tavernes are painted against the
tearme, and many a cause is argu'd there and try'd at that barre, where
you are adjudg'd to pay the costs and charges, and so