THe fauorable accep­ting of my simple trauay­les lately dedicated vnto your honor, hath so much boldened and thorowelye encouraged me, that mawgre the despite of most reprochfull tongs, I haue not fea­red to finish the course of my long preten­ded race: with no lesse profite as I trust, vnto a number, than paynefull trauayle vnto myselfe. Wherin if I had knowen at the firste, as much as since I haue per­fectly vnderstode, neyther had I as then taken vpon me so great an enterprise, nor since so rudely finished, the translation [Page] of so eloquent a Poet. For when I fyrste began to employ some part of my leysure aboute it, making dilligente inquirie, I coulde learne of no man that euer had at­tempted to english the same. So that per­ceyuing my labour to be no hindraunce to any other mans prayse, and lamenting to see so Christian a writer to lie hyd and vn­knowen to the ignoraunt sorte, I thought I should not do amisse, if al that in me lay I bestowed, in the albeit simple and slen­der, yet faythfull and true translation, of so vertuous a worke. But since I haue certaynely vnderstoode, that when I firste began to fall in hand wythall, three bookes thereof were both eloquentely and excel­lently englished, by Master Smith, clark vnto the moste honorable of the Queenes Maiesties counsell. Whose doings, as in other matters I haue wyth admiration behelde, so in thys I am well assured I should with an amased minde haue sene: I woulde that eyther I had latelier be­gonne it, or else that he had fallen in hand sooner with it, wherby my grosse & home­ly [Page] style might haue bene no hindrance to the fruites of so pure a penne. But since it was my fortune, so blindely to venture vpon it, I truste my trauayle shall neuer the more be enuied. I could not (when I had long debated y^e matter with my selfe) finde out a Poet more meete for the tea­ching of a Christian life (an estate in these oure dayes most miserably decayed) than this no lesse learned than famous Italiō: Marcellus Pallingenius, a man of such excel­lent learning and Godly life, that neither y^e vnquietnesse of his time (Italie in those dayes raging wyth most cruell & bloudy warres) ne yet the furious tyranny of the Antichristian Prelate (vnder whose am­bicious and Tirannicall gouernaunce he continually liued) coulde once amase the Muse, or hinder the zealous and vertuous spirit of so Christian a Souldiour. I haue many times much mused wyth my selfe, howe (liuing in so daungerous a place) he durst take vpon him so boldely to controll the corrupte and vnchristian liues of the whole Colledge of contemptuous Car­dinalles, [Page] the vngracious ouerseeings of bloudthyrsty Bishops, the Panchplying practises of pelting Priours, the manifold madnesse of mischeuous Monkes, wyth the filthy fraternitie of flattering Friers. Which surely he durst neuer haue done, but onely that he was heartened wyth a happy and heauenly spirite. Which nota­ble audacitie of his was wonderfully re­uenged by the malicious hands of such as felt themselues fretted with his spiritual corsey. For when they had not power to execute their tyrannie vpon his innocent body in time of his life, their mischieuous malice was no whit ashamed to consume with fyre the blamelesse bones of so ver­tuous a man: yea and that a great while after his death. Besides the reprouing of the leud liues of the Clergie, he boldly in­ueyed agaynst the gracelesse gouernance of proud pompous Princes, y^e licencious liuing of the riottous nobilitie, the coue­tous catchings of greedy Lawyers, the vngodly gaynes of foolish Physitians, and the corrupted consciences of deceytf [...] Ar­tificers: [Page] affirming playnly, that if they did not better beautify their christian names with a more christiā life, of so many thou­sands as haue in vaine receued that most holy sacrament of sacred Baptisme, there should scarce three aspire vnto the enheri­taunce of Heauenly ioyes. What doth your honor suppose this man would haue written? Unto how great a volume doe you thinke his works would haue amoū ­ted, if so that GOD had appoynted him to florish at this presēt time in England, wheras pitifully raigneth such mōstrous & horrible pride, such cancred and spiteful malice, such false & fayned frēdships, such lack of loue and charity, such professing of God in words, & denying him in works, as doubtlesse is not to be foūd among the faythlesse Turks, miscreant Sarazēs, or supersticious Jewes: Better were it in my fansy not at al to profes his name, thā thus with diuelish life to make it be euill spoken of amongst the heathen. The Prophet Esay. 52. saith, Vae vobis propter quos nomē meum malè audit apud gentes. Vae qui consurgitis &c. Esay. 5. [Page] It is not our christendome assuredly that liuing so vnlike Christians shall bring vs to Heauen, as S. Chrisostome in these wordes doth wytnesse. Sin vero ne tibi qui­dem ipse luce as, & ne propriam putredinem foe­torem (que) detergas, quibus te indicijs ego fidelem In Cap. 1. Mat. Ho: 4 potero agnoscere: an quia sacrati aquas fontis ingressus es? at hoc ipsū fit tibi grauioris viatti­cū supplicij. I would therfore wish that we should not to much presume of the securi­tie obtayned by a Christian name, but that we should wyth al our endeuour ap­ply our selues to shew such fruits as due­tie requireth in the followers of Christe. Whereby we shoulde not onely preuayle agaynst our enimies, and stoppe the mou­thes of our slaunderous aduersaries, but also enioy a blessed and happy tranquility in this worlde, and be assured to obtayne the promised pleasures in the worlde to come. For the teachinge whereof, I know no man that hath so much trauay­led and perfectly profyted, as hath this Poet, which I here present vnto your ho­nor, about whom although I haue lately [Page] ken some paynes, not enioying all the while so quiet a minde as had bene nede­full for such a labour, nor hauing the fa­miliar conference of any studious frends whereby in some doubtes I might better haue bene resolued. I am well assured I shall receyue for reward, the reprechfull reports of a number of infamous tongs, as by the publishing of my first attempts I haue bene sufficiently taught. What remedie? If this my trauayle shall finde fauoure at the handes of youre honoure and others of perfectnesse in iudgement, I doe little esteeme the fonde surmisings of the scornefull company, nor the rashe reporte of so fonde a fellowship, aduising them rather to proue the lyke laboure, than hawetyly to reproue any well mea­ning minde. I haue longer here conti­nued my Barbarous style than reason doth allowe: wherefore ceassing (for a­uoyding of tediousnesse) wyth so vnper­fecte an ende, I moste humbly beseechs your honoure to take in good parte this so simple and slender a gyfte, whiche al­thoughe [Page] it hath escaped at the firste im­pression with a number of faultes, I truste hereafter shall perfectelye be purged. God long preserue your honour in prosperous estate.