other: Yea, their plage was no lesse then to eate their owne sonnes and doughters. This calamitie and sorow (most noble prynce) happened them because they dyd not regarde the lawes of God, but tourned too their olde abhominable Ydolatrie, and lightelye estemed gods holy woord. Wherfore euen now whosoeuer is an enemie to the holy Bible, that is, neither studiyng it himselfe, nor willyng that other men shulde knowe it, he can in no wyse be a right christian man: although he fast, pray, doo almes, & all the good workes vnder heauen. And he that hath suche a mynde, is y^e most cursed and cruel enemie too god, a playne sower of sedition, and a deuelishe disquieter of all godly men. For truly those that reade the gospel of Christ, and labour diligêtly therin: doo fynde wonderfull rest & quietnes, from all woofull miserie, perturbatiõ, and vanities of this world. And surely none but ypocrites or els deuilles would go about too stoppe or allure men from suche a treasure and godly study. And it were conuenient, that all they whiche wyll remayne styll necligent, styffe, & blind: shuld set before their faces the feare of paynes infernall, and if thei haue any grace at all, their spirites ought to be moued: too note the great plages that haue happened the slouthful in gods woord, & those that haue been stubburne ageynst the settyng out of it. There bee a thousand recordes and examples in the holy Bible agaynst such as be farre wyde from knowledge, and lye now walteryng styl in ignoraunce and will not looke vpon the bible. It woulde seme, they hope for a thyng, but their hope is in vaine: For saint Paule plainely writeth the hope of suche ypocrites shall coomⁿ too nought. And too conclude (most honorable Prince) seeyng wee haue suche knowledge opened vnto vs, as neuer had englishe mê, and are clearly deliuered from the snares and deceiptes of al false and wicked doctrine, if we shuld not now thãkefully receaue the gospell, and shewe our selues naturally enclyned to set it forwarde, yea, and pray daye and night vnto God, for the preseruatiõ and health of the kynges highnes, your graces deare, and most entierly beloued father, we were neither true subiectes nor ryght christen men. Forsoth, through the absolute wisedome, and the most godly and politike prudencie of his grace, the swete sounde of gods woorde is gone thorough out all this realme, the holye Bible and blessed testament of oure sauiour Christ are coomⁿne to lighte, and thousandes haue faithfully receiued those pleasaunt, ioyfull, and most comfortable promises of God. Surely this thyng before all other, is acceptable too god. This thyng especially swageth y^e ire of god. This thyng in all holi scriptures god most chiefly requireth of his elect & faithfull seruaûtes, euen too haue his lytell flocke knowe his blessed woorde, whiche woulde bee muche better knowê & more thankefulli receaued, yf al agees and degrees of men with one mynd, wyll, & voice, would nowe drawe after one lyne, leauyng their owne priuate affections, and shewe theim selues euer vigilant, prompt, & ready helpers & workers with God, (accordynge to the councell of sainct Paule) & especially priestes, scolemaisters & parêtes, which accordyng too y^e Prophete Dauid are blessed, if they gladly requite y^e lawe of God. They shuld therfore reade y^e bible & purdge theyr mindes of al papistry: for theyr necligence, in dooyng their duties & slugishnes toward y^e blessed woord of god, dooeth too muche appere. Through them forsoth the gospel of Christ shuld bee most strongely warded and defended, for almost all the Prophetes, and a great parte of the scripture beside teache them their duties, and shew playnely what maner of men they shulde bee: Yea, and how greuously the holy Prophetes crie out vpon false and ignoraunt priestes, the thyng is very euident. But through the helppe of God all those that be ignoraunt, or els learned (as they take them selues) wyll leaue of, and repent them of their wicked and obstinate blyndnes, and bowe them selues with all oportunitie too draw mens heartes too the holy testament of God: consideryng, y^t in the terrible day of iudgement, euery mã shall yeoue accompte of his Beliwicke, where neither ignoraûce shall excuse vs, ne yet any worldly põpe may defêd vs. Most happye thê shall they bee, whiche haue walked iustely in the sight of the Lorde, and that haue syncerely preached his testament and lyuely woord withoute flattery or iuggelyng: Yea, and in y^t fearful day, all they (as writeth S. Augustine) shal fynde mercie at the handes of god, whiche haue entised and allured other vnto goodnes and vertue. Weiyng this with my self, (most excellent, and vnto all kynd of vertues most prõpt & prestãt Prince) I thought it good too translate this Dialoge, called the Epicure, for your grace: whiche semed too me, too bee very familiar, & one of y^e godliest Dialoges y^t any mã hath writtê in y^e latin tong. Now therfore I most humili praie, y^t this my rude & simple trãslation may bee acceptable vnto your grace, trustyng also y^t your most approued gentilnes, wil take it in good part. There as I doo not folow y^e latyn, woord for woord, for I omytte y^t of a certaine set purpose.

Your humile seruaunt, Philyppe
Gerrard, groume of your
graces Chambre.

HAT meaneth hit Spudeus, too applye hys booke so ernestlye I praye you what is the matter you murmour so with yourselfe?
SPVDEVS. The truth is (O Hedoni) I seke too haue knowledge of a thing, but as yet I cannot fynde y^t whych maketh for my purpose.
HEDO What booke haue you there in your bosome?
SPVDE. Ciceros dialoge of the endes of goodnes.
HEDO. It had bene farre more better for you, too haue sought for the begynnynges of godly thynges, then the endes.
SPVDE. Yea, but Marcus Tullius nameth y^t the ende of godlines which is an exquisite, a far passing, and a very absolute goodnes in euerye puincte, wherein there is contained all kynde of vertu: vnto the knowledge ther of whosoeuer can attaine, shuld desire none other thîg, but hold himselfe hauyng onely that, as one most fully content and satisfied.
HED. That is a worke of very great learning and eloquence. But doo you thynke, y^t you haue preuailed in any thîg there, whereby you haue the rather come too the knowledge of the truth?
SPE. I haue had such fruite and cõmoditie by it, that now verelye hereafter I shall doubt more of the effect and endes of good thinges, then I did before.
HEDO. It is for husbãd menne too stande in doubt how farre the limittes and