“I rest, right honourable, on your clemency to amend my errors committed so unskilfully.”

An early appeal to patronage, acknowledging the limits of his youthful style · Dedicatory epistle, The Mirrour of Mutabilitie (1579)

• Humility
• Patronage
• Writing

“If Palmerin hath sustained any wrong by my bad translation, being so worthily set down in other languages, your Honour, having such special knowledge in them, I hope will let slip any fault escaped in respect I have done my goodwill, the largest talent I have to bestow.”

A modest defence of his work as a translator, offering goodwill as the measure of his effort · Dedicatory epistle, Palmerin d’Oliva (1588)

• Effort
• Humility
• Writing

“Onelie for the desire I had to see it; that, when I came home againe, I might say, once in my life, I have beene at Rome.”

His stated motive for the journey, emphasising simple curiosity over any deeper commitment · The English Romayne Lyfe (1582), conversation reported

• Curiosity
• Experience
• Travel

“Favour comes by conformity, and death by obstinacy.”

A terse observation on the practical consequences of yielding or resisting authority, drawn from his account of life among English Catholics in Rome · The English Romayne Lyfe (1582)

• Conformity
• Death
• Obstinacy