A FTER my departure oute of Brabante, Brabante (myne owne naturall Countrey) Countrey), into youre Maiesties Majesties Re-alme of Englande (moste gracious Lady) as well for that I would not beholde the abhominations of the Romyshe Ante-christ, as to escape the handes of the bloud-thirsty: In the meane space for the auoyding avoyding of idlenesse (the very mother and nourice of all vices) I haue have among other my trauayles travayles bene occupied aboute thys little Treatyse, wherin is sette forth the vilenesse and base-nesse of worldely things, whiche commonly withdrawe vs us from heauenly heavenly and spirituall matters, to matters. To the ende that vnderstanding understanding the vanitie and basenesse of the same, and there-withall consideryng the miserable calamities that ensue therupon, we might be moued moved the that The Epistle rather to forsake them, and gyue gyve oure selues selves to the knowledge of Heauenly Heavenly and eternall things, whence all true happinesse and feli-citie doth procede. And for as much as the matter of it selfe is very good ( deseruyng deservyng in dede to be handeled by men of farre better skil thã than I) I could not deuise devise how any things whatsoeuer whatsoever , of lykenesse and conueniencie conveniencie mighte more properly bee resembled one to the other, than this boke for the aptnesse & and conueniencie conveniencie of the argument might be de-dicated to your Maiestie Majestie , a most blessed and happie prince. Happy I say, not so much for that youre grace is lineally descended by the most high, puissaunt, mightie & and victorious prince Henry the eight of famous memorie, from so many myghtie and puissant princes of this Realme, your Maiesties Majesties moste noble progenitours: which haue have long agone, most valiantly & and victoriously cõquered conquered al France, and by dint of sword daunted their enimies, so that youre highnesse beareth in Armes as right inheritour thereunto, the royall scepter and Croune imperiall, most triũphantly triumphantly , and the titles of Englande, Fraunce, and Irelande joyntely in youre maiesties majesties stile; neither [ſt]ile. Neither for, A.iiij. thily The Epistle that your highnesse as a rare Phœnix of your time, are singular and peerelesse in honoure and renoune, in princely maiestie majestie , wisedome, skil, beautie, fauour favour , mildenesse, curtesie and gentlenesse: to be short, excellent in all kind of vertue; nor vertue. Nor in respecte of youre learning, knowledge, counsell, judgement, and elo-quence, as well in the Greeke, Latine, Italian, Frenche, Dutch, as in your owne natural En-glish, and other languages, wherin your grace may be resembled not onely to Tullie, and Demosthenes, but to Mercurie, the God of e-loquence, as is apparant by youre Maiesties Majesties most apte and wise aunswers giuen given in your own person to al Embassadours, and to eue-ry eve-ry of them in their owne naturall language with a singular dexteritie and princely maiestie majestie , & and with maruellous marvellous swetenesse of tong; nor tong. Nor bicause your grace is expert in song, & and in the arte of Musike, skilful in al kindes of musical instrumẽts instruments , and according to the ex-act proportiõs proportions of geometrie exquisite in the measures of the daunce: and besides al these, embraced of Apollo, and his nine sisters, by whome your grace is so instructed in the di-uine di-vine Arte of Poetrie, that you may woor-theseThe Epistlethily be called the seconde Sappho; neither Sappho. Neither for your great skil & and judgement in painting and imagerie, bothe for the cunnyng of the workmanshyp and the deuise devise and storie. In summe, perfecte in all good exercises of the wit, namely the artes and liberall sciences. Fi-nally, not alonly for that nature of hir boũ-tie boun-tie and goodnesse hath shewed suche grace and speciall fauour favour toward you, by enduing youre grace moste plentyfully with infinite graces and vertues more abundantly than a-ny other Prince or Princesse in the worlde, so that it might serue serve me for a sufficient ar-gument to fill large volumes, only to stande in commendation of your maiestie majestie , not an-nexing therto any deuise devise of myne owne, of fained Emblemes or Poetical fables, and that without vsing using flatterie or glosing, as they do most comonly, that ambitiously seeking af-ter prefermentes and honoure, disguise ra-ther than describe noble and honorable per-sonages, whome they sette oute many tymes beyonde al truth, yea sometime aboue above mea-sure, and with as great inconueniencie inconveniencie as yf they should paynt an Asse tuning of a harp. For I do not accompt your grace happy for A.v. of The Epistle these alonely (thoughe many and singular) giftes and graces, which your grace enioyeth enjoyeth in great plentie and abundance, consideryng they bee transitorie, and can not make any man or woman happie (albeit they seme di-uine di-vine and supernaturall,) supernaturall), excepte they be ac-companied wyth the loue love and feare of God, according to the saying of King Lamuell, in the thirde of the Prouerbes Proverbes : Fauour Favour is decei-uable decei-vable , and Beautie a mere vanitie, but the wo-man that feareth the Lorde, is to be beloued beloved . But chiefly and principally when I consider that God intendyng to bestowe an excellent benefit peculiarly vpon upon your Maiestie Majestie more than vpon upon any other Prince or Princesse in the worlde, hath besides al the other forena-med his manifolde giftes and graces, lighte-ned your vnderstanding understanding with his holy spirit, and hath vouchesafed (by enclinyng youre graces heart, spirite and minde to humilitie, peace, mildenesse, and all kinde of louable-nesse lovable-nesse ) to chose your maiestie majestie , especially to be his champion to defend his beloued beloved church. And in this respect, respect (like as all faithfull and true Christiã Christian princes throughout all Europe do esteme and repute you) you), do I also, and that these The Epistle of good right call your grace a moste happie and blessed Prince. Consider I beseche you, how God hath blessed your maiestie majestie in thys worlde more than he hath done any of your progenitours. For neuer never was it seene in any age or time heretofore, that this your realme of England hath flourished as it dothe at this present vnder under your Maiesties Majesties moste happie gouernement governement . Firste in all kinde of liberall Artes and sciences. Secondarily in the abun-dance of treasure, as well golde and siluer silver , as all sortes of riche and precious iewels jewels and or-namentes. Thirdely, in the free passage and trafike of all kinde of marchandise: Besides this, in good and politike lawes and ordinan-ces, namely in the due execution of iustice justice , according to law and equitie. The worde of God is purely preached here in six or seuen seven languages. The Sacraments of Baptisme, and the holy Supper, sincerely ministred accor-ding to Christes institution. Christian disci-pline in due force in many places. Finally e-uery e-very countrey and nation that will liue live here according to his holy worde, is receiued received , and findeth good entertainement. O how happy and blessed is that King or kingdome, where For The Epistle these things are in force. force Contrarywise most vnhappie unhappie are those princes, that banishyng and reiecting rejecting Christ, receiue receive that Antechrist, the sonne of the Diuell Divell , and forsakyng the truth, embrace errour: To be short, that do al things ouerthwartly overthwartly & and clean against the hair. hair For it is moste certaine and sure, that sodaine ruine and destruction shall fall vpon upon all wic-ked and vngodly ungodly persons, as well nowe as in tyme paste, as experience hath well proued proved heretofore: Namely vpon upon Pharao, and hys kingdome of Egypt, vpon upon Ieroboam Jeroboam , Achab, Iezabell Jezabell and infinite other mo. Wher on the other part, the good kings & and princes which feare the Lord, shal haue have peace and comfort bothe in this worlde, and in the worlde to come: Like as had Iosua Josua , Iuda Juda , Gedeon, Dauid David and diuers divers other in those days, and is also to be seene at this day most euidently evidently in the re-almes and countreyes vnder under youre Maiesties Majesties dominion, whiche God hath blessed in suche sort, that it may truly be sayd, that the king-dome of Saturne, and the Golden worlde is come againe, and the Virgin Astrea is des-scended from heauen heaven to builde hir a seate in this your moste happie countrey of Englãd England . citie The Epistle For here is peace and quietnesse, where as whereas the moste parte of foraine countreyes are full of great tumultes, and that (more is the pitie) with the sheding of much christian bloude. And where as many myghtie kings and po-tentates of the earthe haue have banded and con-spired together, & and fight euery every where against God his anointed, and his holy churche, ben-dyng their force vtterly utterly to deface hys name, his glorie, and his Churche: Almightie God of his diuine divine prouidence providence hath nowe also in these days (like as he hath in all ages hereto-fore) raised vp up diuers divers good and godly prin-ces and states, and prouided provided certaine places, wherto the elect and faithfull haue have resorted & and bene preserued preserved , during the time of persecution, persetion, to the ende that his holy name myght there be glorified, his worde purely and sin-cerely preached, and his Churche dispersed, in a manner restored. As it is also come to passe in these our most miserable days, in the whiche suche as syncerely loue love and esteeme more derely the honoure and glorie of God than they doe their owne commodities, ease, and welfare, welfare (after the counsel of Christ, say-ing in this wyse: yf if Yf If they persecute you in one preserved The Epistle citie, flie ye vnto unto an other) other), haue have bene cõtent content to depart their owne naturall countrey, wholly to forsake their landes, inheritances, possessi-ons, and dwellyng places, yea and some also, to surrẽder surrender their offices, dignities, & and worldly preferments. An other sort with their wiues wives children and parentes are departed into Ger-manie, namely into the territorie and domi-nion of Frederike prince Elector and coũtie countie Palatine, the floure of all Christian Princes in these dayes (that I knowe) in the feruent fervent zeale and true feare of God, a man worthy to be compared with Dauid David , or Iosias Josias . Others are fled into other places elsewhere, some to one cuntrey, some to an other, euery every one ac-cording to his abilitie, estate, condition, and facultie. But we a numbre of vs us are arriued arrived in saftie in this your maiesties majesties realme of En-glande, as into a moste safe and sure harbo-rough, where we liue live (God be thanked) vn-der un-der your Maiesties Majesties protection and safegarde in greate libertie to serue serve God in eyther lan-guage, the French or the Dutche, without al feare of tyrantes, or daunger of the gapyng throates of greedie rauening ravening wolues wolves . After the same maner hath God in time past pre-serued pre-served dacion The Epistle. & and deliuered delivered his elect out of the hãds hands of their enimies & and persecuters by the mini-sterie of dyuers dyvers vertuous women. As is to be sene in the .4. chapt. of the boke of Iudges Judges . How God deliuered delivered his people of Israel out of the hãds hands of Iabin Jabin king of Chanaan, by De-bora the prophetesse, by selling Sizara chiefe captain of his armie into the hãd hand of a womã woman called Iahel Jahel . As he also preserued preserved Dauid David frõ from the furie of Saul, by Michol Sauls own dau-ghter. As he deliuered delivered the citizẽs citizens of Bethulia, frõ from the tiranny of Holofernes, by the hand of that most vertuous Ladie Iudith Judith . And as the childrẽ children of Israel, were saued saved by the counsel of Mardocheus, at the instãce instance & and request of the most gratious & and humble Hester, where they were lately before in peril of death & and presẽt present destructiõ destruction by the conspiracie of wicked Ha-man. The like hath ben brought to passe by diuers divers other renoumed Ladies, whose fame shal endure for euer ever . And surely the graces & and mercies that God hath shewed to his affli-cted church in these later days by your maie-sties maje-sties means, ar no lesse thã than those he hath she-wed tofore by the late rehersed ladies: so that your grace deserueth deserveth equal praise and cõmẽwithinThe Epistle.datiõ commendation with them, cõsidering considering with what gẽtle-nesse gentlenesse & and with how louing loving & and charitable affec-tion you haue have receiued received the poore scattered flock of Christ. Is not your Maiestie Majestie then to be estemed infinitely more happy & and blessed that are so specially elect of god to serue serve him for such an instrumẽt instrument , & and in such a quarel, & and that maugre the beards of the enimies, being enraged through the malice and obstinacy of their hearts do persecute the church of God? Yes assuredly, most happy, christiã christian , and ver-tuous princesse, euen even in the highest degree. Howe shall I be able then to expresse with tong, or to endite with pen your praises suf-ficiently? verily Verily I am confounded and put to silence, and do confesse my self to be altoge-ther insufficient. Wherfore (moste gracious Ladie) I rest with my heartie and continuall prayer vnto unto God for your maiestie majestie , that he turne not his face from you, but that it wold please him to continue and daily to encrease his grace and fauor favor towards you, and his ho-ly spirite within you, as also in and towardes those that be of your Maiesties Majesties counsel, and all other Magistrates and officers whatsoe-uer whatsoe-ver hauing having authoritie vnder under your highnesse store The Epistle. within your maiesties majesties realms and dominions, dominiõs. dominions. that walking in the fear & and loue love of him they may do al their endeuour endevour through the prea-ching of his holy word to aduaunce advaunce his holy name, and aboue above al things especially to seke the safetie and weal of his church. And ther-fore for the great benefit & and good that God hath don vnto unto his church by means of your maiesty majesty (most gracious prince) al tru faithful whatsoeuer whatsoever they be, as wel strangers as your natural subiects subjects seke to do vnto unto your maie-stie maje-stie most faithful and honorable seruice service , ac-cording to their power. Besides, in al their as-sẽblies as-semblies & and in euery every congregation they make their hartie & and feruẽt feruent fervẽt fervent prayers vnto unto almightie God for the helth of your soule, the safegard of your most royal person, & and the prosperous estate of your realm long to cõtinue continue . And I especially for mine own part, bicause I wold not be vnthãkful vnthankful unthãkful unthankful for the great benefits I en-ioy en-joy by your grace, abiding vnder under your maie-sties maje-sties protectiõ protection (forasmuch as ingratitude is a most is a a most horrible and aud detestable vice) in con-sideration thereof (moste gracious Lady) I present your highnesse with this smal Trea-tise of mine, as the best Iewel Jewel that I haue have in B.j. Being The Epistle. store at this presente, in signification of my good wil, and for declaration of my duetie in this behalfe, beseeching youre highnesse moste humbly to accept it in good parte as (considering your maiesties majesties natural bountie and your accustomed goodnesse) my trust is you will vouchsafe to doe. For I am persua-ded (albeit the stile be rude) that the matter shall be fitte for your Maiestie Majestie to reade, and that the same shall not be vnpleasant unpleasant vnto unto you, but minister vnto unto your grace great oc-casion of much ioy joy , peace, and contentation of minde and conscience. And these be the causes and respects for the which I presume to present the same to your maiestie majestie , in most humble maner beseching your highnesse to accepte the same, and praying to almightie God to graunt vnto unto your Maiestie Majestie a moste happie reign in this world: and after this life to reigne with him for euer ever , for his only son our Lorde Iesus Jesus Christes sake.