I have been desired by the printer, my friend,
little to review it, and finding it indeed a prettie thing, but with
some wants specially or a good methode, I have to my best skill
rectified it for him, leaving to the author (now deceased), with
the good respect and commendation due to him for his honest and
generous endeavour, his phrase and stile whole as farre as I might
of this Madame, I now presume to offer your Honour the censure
whose singular judgment, and love in and unto this noble
exercise, is reported to be a chief grace to the same, that so both
his labour and mine herein, may returne to the sacred Shrine of
your Honour's vertues, there still to receive protection against
ignorance and malice.
For which attempt of mine, humbly craving pardon I rest,
Noble Madame of Your Honour,
The most submissive observant, J. BARBIERE, P.
------
JOHN LYDGATE
The earliest English references to chess, are in the works of
Chaucer, Gower, Occreve, Price, Denham, Sir Philip Sydney, Sir
Walter Raleigh, &c.
John Lydgate the English Monk of St. Edmund's-Bury, calls
this game, the Game Royal, and he dedicates his book, written in
the manner of a love poem, to the admirers of chess, which he
compares to a love battle, in the following words: M.
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