To His Most Gracious Majesty

Vouchsafe, most excellent Sovereign, to take merciful notice of the submissive and   amendsful

sorrows of your two most humble and prostrated subjects for Your Highness’ displeasure,

George Chapman and Ben Jonson,   whose chief offences are but two clauses, and both of

them not our own; much less the unnatural issue of our offenceless intents. I hope Your 5

Majesty’s universal knowledge will deign to remember that all authority in execution of

justice especially respects the manners and lives of men commanded before it; and according

to their general actions, censures anything that hath scaped them in particular; which cannot

be so disproportionable that one being actually good, the other should be intentionally ill; if

not intentionally (howsoever it may lie subject to construction) where the whole fount of our 10

actions may be justified from being in this kind offensive.   I hope the integral parts will taste

of the same loyal and most dutiful order; which to aspire, from your most Caesar-like bounty

(   who conquered still to spare the conquered, and was glad of offences that he might forgive ) in

all direction of never-enough-iterated sorrow for your high displeasure, and vow of as much

future delight, as of your present anger, we cast our best parts at Your Highness’ feet, and our 15

worst to hell.