Works, Preface
❧VNTOUNTO THE GODLIE AND CHRIſtiane Reidar, Henrie Charteris, wiſchis grace, and peice from Ieſus Chriſt our Saluiour. with the perpetuall aſſiſtence of his halic Spirite.
IT is the commoun and accuſtomit maner (gentill reidar) of all thame quhilk dois prohemiate vponupon ony vther manis wark, cheiflie to trauel about twa pointis. The ane is, to declair the properteis of ye Authour, nocht onlie externall, as his originall, birth, vocatioun, eſtait, ſtrenth, giftis of the bodie, ſubſtance, & maner of leuing: bot alſwa internall: as the qualiteis, habites, & diſpoſitiones of the mynde, his ingyne, knawlege, wiſdome, giftis of the Spirit, and all vther verre wis quhilk culd iuſtlie be knawin to hauehave bene in him. Bot ſeing it is nocht monie ȝeiris paſt, ſen it hes pleiſit the eternall God, to call our Authour, out of the miſerabill and trubilſum calamiteis of this tranſiteric lyfe, vntil his celeſtiall ioy, and heuinlie habitatioun, ſwa that the memorie of him is bot as ȝit recent, & not out of the hartis of mony ȝit leuand, to quhome his haill maner of lyfe was better knawin than vntounto me, I think it not greitlie neidfull to tary the thairon, bot will remit the to lerne it at yair mouthis. The vther is, to declair his maner of wryting, the vtili…ie of his warkis, & quhat frute, profite, and commoditie may enſew and follow to the diligent reidar and reuoluar of the ſamin. Nouther in this is it greitly neidfull to me to trauell, ſeing the ſamin may be maiſt eſilie & perfytelie knawin be his awin pen. For beſydis the pleſand and delectabill verſiz, beſy…i… the craftie and ingenious poeticall inuentionis, beſydis the frutefull and cōmodious Hiſtoryis, ba…th humane and diuine: baith recent and ancient: beſydis the hailſum and notal…i…l counſellis & admonitionis to Princis, to Prelates, & to all eſtatis, quhat vice or iniquitie rang in his dayis, quhilk he did not cel…u…e? not onlie of the ſpirituall, bot alſwa of the temporall eſtait? quhat verteous or cōmend a bill fact, hes he not praiſit, and deſyrit to be had in the dew honour, and honorabill eſtimatioun. Bot gif we fall conſider and wey the tyme, quhen he did wryte the maiſt pairt of thir warkis, being ane tyme of ſa greit & blind ignorance, of manifeſt and horribill abhominationis and abuſis: it is to be meruell it how he durſt ſa planelie inuey ag…nis the wycis of all men: bot cheiflie of the ſpirituall eſtait, being ſa bludie, & cruell boucheouris. He neuer ceiſſit baith in his graue and merie materis, in cruiſ… & in bourdis: in wryting, and in wordis to challenge and carp thame. It cūmis to my memorie ane prettie trik, quhilk ſumtyme I hauehave hard reportit of him. The Kingis grace, Iames the Fyft, beand on ane certane tyme accumpany it with ane greit nowmer of his Nobillis, & ane greit menȝe of Biſchoppis, Abbottis and Prelatis ſtanding about he quiklie & prettilie inuentit ane prettie trik to teine yame. He cūmis to the King, and efter greit dewgard & ſalutationis, he makis him, as thocht he war to requyre ſum wechtie thing of the Kingis grace. The King perſauād, demandis quhat he wald hauehave? he anſweris: Schir, I hauehave ſeruit ȝour grace lang, & lukis to be rewardit as vtheris ar. And now ȝour maiſter Tailȝeour at the pleaſure of God is departit, quhairfoir I wald deſyre of ȝour grace, to beſtow this lytil benefite vponupon me, as ane part of reward of my lang ſeruice, to mak me ȝour maiſter tailȝeour. The King belenand in deid his tailȝeour to be departit, ſayis to him. Quhairto wald thow be my tailȝeour? thow can nouther ſchaip nor few? he anſweris. Schir, that makis na mater: for ȝe hauehave geuin Biſchoprikis and benefices to mony ſtanding heir about ȝow: and ȝit can thay nouther teiche, nor preiche. And quhy may I not than aſweill be ȝour tailȝeour, thocht I can nouther ſchaip nor ſew: ſeing teiching and preiching is na les requiſite to thair vocatioū, than ſch…iping & ſewing is to ane tailȝeouris. The King incontinent perſauit his conſait, and leuch merilie thairat: bot the Biſchoppis at ſic bourding leuch neuer ane quhit. Na les erniſt and vehement was he aganis thame, in his fairſis and publict playis, quhairin he was verray craftie & excellent. Sic ane ſpring he gaif yame in the play, playit beſyde Edinburgh, in preſence of the Quene Regent, and ane greit part of the Nobilitie, with ane exceding greit nowmer of pepill, leſt and fra. ix. houris afoir none, till .vj. houris at euin, quhair amangis mony baith graue materis, and merie trikkis he brocht in ane Biſchop, ane Perſone, ane Freir, and ane Nun. deckit vp in thair papiſticall ornamētis, and maner of rayment. And thairefter brocht in King correctioun, quha reformand ſindrie deformiteis in his Realme, paſſit to the tryall of his Clergie. And find and thame to be altogidder Idiotis, vnworthie of ony functioun eccleſiaſticall, decernit thame to be degradit of thair digniteis, and ſpulȝeit of thair officis: quhilk beand executit, & thay denudit of thair vpmaiſt garmentis, thay war fund bot verray fulis, hypocrites, flatteraris, & nouchtie perſones. Quhairby he ſignifyit to the pepill, that howſaeuer thay war eſtemit of the warld, thay had nathing quhairin thay micht iuſtlie glorie to be paſtouris of Chriſtis Kirk, and feidaris of his flock, bot onlie thair outward ornamentis, and triumphant tytillis. Bot beand inwardlie conſiderit, thay wald be fund bot verray hyrelingis, enemeis to Chriſt, & deuoraris of his flock. This play did enter with ſic greif in thair hartis, that thay ſtudyit be all menis to be auengit thairof. Thay conuenit thair prouinciall counſellis, thay conſultit how thay ſuld beſt ſuſtene thait kingdome inclynand to ruyne, quhilk lairlie had gottin ſa publict ane wound: thay ȝeid about to hauehave his haill warkis condempnit, for hereticall, and ceſſit not in Kirk and market, publictlie and priuelie, to rage and rayll aganis him, as ane Heretike. Bot to returne to our purpoſe. Nochtwithſtanding the birnand fyre borne aganis him in thair breiſtis, the hatreut cōſauit in thair hartis, thair puiſſance and power euin in that tyme, quhen thay had the ball at thair fute, quhen nouther Prince, nor vther was abil to withſtād thame, ȝit culd thay neuer get power ouer this ſempil man, nor haif ya… harus ſatiat of him. Thay had thair Canoun Lawis: thay had the Municipal Lawis of the Realme, and actis of Parliament haldin be yat ſamin King, quhame he ſeruit, with quhon c…rom his ȝouth vp he cōuerſit, that na man ſuld reſſoun or call in dout the authoritie of thair ſpirituall Father: that Imagis ſuld be honourit: that the libertie of hali… Kirk (as thay namit it) ſuld be mantenit, and defendit. And gif ony war ſuſpectit in ony hereticall point, aganis the cōmandementis of this yair Kirk, incontinent thay war cytit, thay war apprehendit, and incarcerat in ſtrang preſoun: & finallie thay war cōpellit outher to abiure (quhairthrow thay remamt infamit all thair dayis, nouther micht enioy honouris, nor digniteis for thair tyme) or ellis thay behourt maiſt cruellie ſuffer the fyre. How cūmis it than, that this our Authour being ſa plane aganis thame, and as it war profeſſit enemie to thame, culd eſchaip thair ſnairis, quhen vtheris in doing les hes cruellie periſchit? Sum will think, becauſe his wryting was cōmounlie mixit with mowis, and collourit with craftie conſaitis (as Chaucer and vtheris had done befoir) the mater was the mair mitigatt. Bot this can not ſatiſfie: for na mowis in ſic materis culd mitigate thair bludie breiſtis. Sum will think becauſe he was continuallie in Court, and ſeruit the King, he was eſilie ouerſene. Bot in my iugement, that is the greiter cauſe of offence: namelie to haif thair vaniteis and wickitnes publiſchit in Court, and ſicht of Princis Nouther culd this be ſaiftie to vtheris. M. Patrik Hammilto… Abbot of Feirn, being of the blude Royall, being ane man of greit literature, and of ſic lyfe, that the verray enemeis thame ſellis war enforcit to commend and allow him. Ȝit did he nocht eſchaip thair malice, bot ſufferit cruell deith be fyre. Robert Foreſter alſwa gentilman on the ſamin maner was tormentit. And howbeit thir did cruellie periſche, ȝit in all agis, and in all nationes, it hes pleſit God, of his greit mercy, to rais and ſteir vp his Prophetis and ſeruandis, quhame he hes michtilie preſeruit, to repreif the generationis preſent of thair vnrichteouſnes: to vtter and oppin to the pepill the corruptioun than regnand: and as it was aganis the Deuill, and the warld to teſtifie his treuth: to walkin thame out of thair Ignorance. He ſteirit vp the auld and ancient Doctouris, to impugne and ſtranglie confute all hereſyis ſpringand and ryſand. Bo… thame at this preſent I will omit for breuitie, & will ſpeik rather ſumquhat ſen corruptioun and ſuperſtitioun enterit amangis thame, quhilk war rewlaris and Paſtouris of the Kirk of God: ſen thay begouth to leif preiching of pure Chriſt, and to ſet vp thame ſelfis: to conquers Realmis, prouincis, and cuntreis: to ſubdew Princis and Poteſtates: and finallie to exalt thame ſelfis aboue all that is callit God. In quhilk dayis war mony leirnit men, & godlie Biſchoppis in this cuntrir: as Seruanus, Columba, Aidanus, Finnanus, Colmannus, Leuinus, Bailus, and mony ma, quha baith in this Realme, and in Ingland, did lang debell, and hald out the Romiſche ſuperſtitionis, and ceremoneis, as is at lenth contenit in the auld Hiſtoryis of Beda, and vtheris. He raſit vp alſwa in the dayis of Carolus Magnus, twa of our cuntrie men, baith of greit eruditioun and leirning, the ane callit Iohne, ſurnamit Mailroſius: the vther Claudius Clemens. Thir twa paſſand out of Scotlād, at cōmand of King Achaius (as Boethius wrytis) to ye partis of France, come to Paris, and war the occaſioun of the fundatioun of ye Vniuerſitie of the ſamin, & ſindrie vtheris, and war the firſt profeſſouris of liberall ſciencis in thame. Nouther ceiſſit thay with ane Adelbertus ane Frencheman, and Bertramus, to inwey on ye ſtait of ye Kirk, than tendand and declynand faſt to corruptioun, vntill Claudius, & Adelbertus war clappit in clois preſoun, and Iohne departit the cuntrie, & come in Ingland: quhair (as ſum wrytis) at the perſwaſioun of certane Monkis, he was ſlaine, be certane his awin diſcipulis, impaciēt of his admonitiones and correctionis. Efter thir quhen the ſindrie …ectis of Freiris began to ſpring vp, he raiſit in France Builielmus de. S. Amore: Nigellus: Nicolaus, and Arnoldus de villa noua: in Italie ye Abbot Ioachimus Calaber: in Germanie, Hildegardis ye Prophetes with ſindrie vtheris, quhilk ſtranglie wrait aganis the ſuperſtitionis and Idilteth of the begging Freiris, and vther abuſis of the Clergie. And howbeit yair admonitiones culd not be hard, nor th…r wryting tane in gude part, bot vtterlie reiectit and deſpyſit, ȝit war thay not cūmit to that furie & rage, as to bruyle and ſcald quha ſa euer ſuld ſpeik aganis thame, bot cōtentit thame ſelus with preſoun, or baniſchement of ſic perſones, as war contrarious to thame, degraiding thame of thair digniteis and offices: and excōmunicating thame out of thair Kirkis. Bot quhen thair iniquiteis was cūmin to maturitie, God raiſit vp in Ingland, Iohne Vicleif, quha ſcand the haill eccleſiaſticall eſtait, to be altogidder corrupt: the word of God, to be cūmit to neglect, and contempt: and mēnis traditionis aboue it to be extollit: did maiſt erniſtlie teiche, and wryte ane huge nowmer of volumis and bukis aganis thame. Than was the beiſt vnquyetit of his reſting ſa…t, and began to rage and fret, to ſeik the deith and deſtructioun of this pure mā. Bot all for nocht. The Lord did potentlie preſerue him from yair ſnairis and girnis: and nothwithſtanding all thair furie, departit in the Lord in peice. And howbeit efter deith Rancour cōmounlie reiſſis, ȝit .xlj. ȝeiris efter his with, ya… tuke vp his banis and brint yame. Perſewand alſwa with maiſt extremitie all that adheirit to him, or did allow his doctrine. Thay brint the Lord Cobham, Schir Roger Actoū Knicht, Williame Thorpe, Williame Tayleir, Richard Howedē, Iohne Clerdoun. Thay baniſchit Elenor Cobhame: thay murderit in preſoun Iohne Aſtoun, Reginald Pecock Biſchop of Chicheſter, with ane infinite noumber ma. Thair was na end in thair furie. Quhill thay war thus buſie in Ingland, began Iohne Hus, and Hierome of Braga to preiche in Boheme, men of ſic leirning, and lyfe, that thay war in admiratioun euin to the verray aduerſaris thame ſelfis, quhairof remanis ȝit ſufficient teſtimoneis writtin be Poggius, and vtheris of the Antichriſtiane menȝe. Thay beand cytit to the counſall of Conſtance, come vponupon ane ſaifconduct of Sigiſmundus the Empriour, than king of Boheme, preſent at the counſall: and thair gaif ane reſoun & declaratioun of thair faith, and doctrine: fra the conſtant profeſſioun quhairof, quhen yai culd nocht be diſſwadit: thay contrair the ſaifconduct, contrair all promiſes, cruellie brint thame. Satiſfyand the Empriour, with this godlie Law, of thair awin forgeing, Quod nulla fides ſit hereticis ſeruanda: Thair is na promis to be keipit to heretikes. Quhat frute this gudelie Law hes wrocht, the battell betuix the Turk, and Lowes king of Vngarie, and Boheme, & the occaſioun thairof quhair the ſaid Lowes periſchit, to the greit hurt of all Chriſtianitie, will declair: and mony vther hiſtories alſwa, quhilkis for ſchortnes I omit. Now our Prelates laith to ly behind, willing to ſchaw yair gude ſeruice to ye halie Sait, apprehēdit heir in Scotland, Paull Craw, teiching the doctrine, quhilk Vicleif & Hus had teichit, & maid ane Sacrifice of him in Sanctandrois. And findand the ſawour of this Sacrifice fragrant and ſmelland thay tuke the Vicar of Dolour, Freir Kelour, Symſone, Bawerage, kennedie, Stratoun, Bourlay, and mony ma, quha becauſe yai culd not allow yair vaine ſuperſtitiones and Idolatries, expres aganis the cōmandemēt of ye Lord thair God war cuttit of be the fyre. Thay had now lernit to diſpute with fyre & faggot, for our auld Biſchoppis & Paſtouris war decayit, quhilkꝭ war wōt to be lampis, and as it war leidſternis, to all nationis adiacēt: from quhome paſſit furth mony lernit men to all cuncreis, to Ingland, France, Germanie, Sa…one, Pruſe, and vther partis, as thair Chronikillis teſtifyis, plantand and teichand the Chriſtiane faith, & all godlie ſciencis. Bot now dull Aſynis had aſcendit to thair rowmis, beand maryit with dame propertie, and riches, and fair lady Senſualitie: and ſwa efter ye rait of vther Realmis, war becūmit Idil bellyis, Ignorāt blokkis, and dum doggis. Nouther war thay Idill in Italie: thair cruellie ſufferit Thomas Rhedonenſis the Carmelite. And in Florence the godlie blak Freir, Hieronymus Sauoronola. Thus cōtinewand yair rage in all Realmes, euin to the vttermaiſt of yair power, it pleiſit ye mercyfull God, of his greit mercy, & fauourabill lufe towartis man, quhairby he wald not haif man vtterlie to periſche, to gif (as it war) lycht to the warld: and that be reueilling of his word and Euangel, be the mouthis of his ſeruandis Luther, Bucer, Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, Caluine, & mony vtheris: be quhome he hes diſcouerit yair cankerit corruptioun, & auld feſtur in ſic ſort, yat na mā (except he wilbe wilfullie blind) may not perſaif ye vennome & fylth thairof. And ȝit hes ye maiſt part of yir (how ſaeuer ye poweris of ye warld hes bene cōtrarious to yame) departie in ye Lord, in quietnes. Now ſum wil ſay, thir war preicheouris, & Miniſteris of the word, and had bene ſumtyme auoyntit ſchauelingis, mar…it with the beiſtis mark, and had maid defectioun from thame, quhairfoir thay perſewir thame the mair ſcharplie and cruellie. Bot the Lord Cobhame, Robert Foreſter, Straitoun, wer nouther ſchauelingis nor preicheouris. Richard Mekinnis ane boy of .xvij. ȝeiris of age, brint in Lō doun, was na preicheour. The lyke Iugement ſufferit Maiſtres An Aſkew, with mony wemen, quhilk ȝit war na preicheouris. Ȝit forther ſum will obiect the equitie of the tyme, quhairin our Authour leuit: that the power of the aduerſaries was reſtraynit, that thay culd not rage and rin at ryot at thair libertie, and pleſour, as thay war wont. And ȝit ane lytill befoir his deith thay brint. M. George Viſchart, and Adam Wallace Mariner. And ſchortlie efter our Authouris deith, thay tuke the auld mā Walter Mill, and cruellie brint him: althocht fra that fyre rais ſic ane ſtew, quhilk ſtruke ſic ſturt to thair ſtomokis, that thay rewit it euer efter. Than hes it not bene ſeriouſnes intermixit with iocunditie: it hes nocht bene continuall abyding nor ſeruing in court, it hes nocht bene blude royall, nor fauour of Princes: nouther teiching nor preiching: nor equitie of tyme, culd be protectioun to ony aganis ſa cruell and feirs aduerſaries, of equall will, rage, and furie indifferentlie aganis all. It is rather the prouydence, the Iugement, the power, and the inmenſibill fauour, and mercy of God towartis his ſanctis and elect: quhilk vpō ye ane part, of his lufe towardis his choſin, to ſatiſfie thair thriſt, & deſyre, quhilk thay had to be diſſoluit, and to be with Chriſt, yat yai ſuld not be langer enforcit to behald ye wickit vaniteis of yis warld: Partlie of his iuſt Iugement, becauſe the warld was not worthie of thame, for it hes lufit mirknes rather yan licht, and delytit mair in leis yan in ye treuth. And partlie to manifeſt to all pepill ye cruell, bludie, & inſatiabil hartis of ye memberis of Antichriſt, ye pilleris of the malignant Kirk, he did (as it wer) gif ouir into yair handis, ye lyfis, ye poſſeſſionis, gudis, and quhatſumeuer externall thing yai had, to be maid mokking ſtokkis, & to be diſponit at thair libertie, and pleſour. On the vther pairt, to declair his michtie prouidēce, and power, quhairby he wil not ſuffer ane hair of the heidis of his choſin to periſche, but his permiſſioun: and to encorage his elect, ſeing yat nouther gude nor euill can fall vntounto yame, by ye will of yair Father: he hes maiſt michtilie manteynit yame, amāgis ye middis of yis malignant generatioun. This Iugement man we lykewiſe haif of our Dauid Lyndeſay: to quhome we will returne, omittand the ſpecial abuſis of the Clergie, for eſchewing of prolixitie, & tediouſnes, to be ſocht out of his awin warkis be ye diligent reidar. Now as he hes bene ſcharp and vigilant in marking ye enormities of the ſpiritualitie, ſwa hes he not bene negligent, nor ſleuthfull in rebuking ye defaltis of ye temporalitie, and all eſtatis yairof. He hes not ſpairit King, Court, Counſalouris, Nobilitie, nor vtheris of inferiour eſtait. And howbeit yai war not altogidder cūmit to ſic corruptioun and furie, yat yai micht not beir mair equallie, with generall admonitionis and reprochis, yan the ſpiritualitie. Ȝit als lytill amendement followit in the ane ſtait, a… in the vther. Quhat laubouris tuke he, that the landis of this cuntre… micht be ſet out in Fewis, efter ye faſſioun of ſindrie vther Realmes, for the incres of policie, and riches? Bot quhat hes he profitit? Quhen ane pure man with his haill raice and ofſpring hes laubourit out yair lyfis, on ane lytill peice of ground, and brocht it to ſum point and perfectioū: thā muſt the Lairdis brother, kiniſman, or ſurname haif it: and ye pure man, with his wyfe, & babeis, for all yair trauellis, ſchot out to beg yair meit. He yat tuke lytill laubouris on it, man enioy ye frutes, and cōmoditeis of it: he man eit vp the ſweit & laubouris of ye pure mānis browis. Thus the pure dar mak na policie, nor bigging, in cace yai big yame ſelfis out. Bot althocht men wink at yis, and ouirluke it, ȝit he ſitts aboue yat ſeis it, and ſal Iuge it. He yat heiris ye ſichis & complaintis of ye pure oppreſſit, ſall not for euer ſuffer it vnpuniſchit. Quhat hes he alſwa writtin aganis yis Heriald hors, deuyſit for mony pure mannis hurt? Bot quha hes dimittit it? finallie, quhat oppreſſioun or vice hes he not repreuit? Bot yir ſall ſuffice for exempill. And gif he had leifit in yir lait dayis, quhat had he ſaid, of ye vnnatural murtheris: ye cruel ſlauchteris: ye manifeſt reiffis: ye continuall heirſchippis: ye plane oppreſſionis: ye lytill regard of all perſones to ye cōmoun weilth: ye mantening of derth, to the vniuerſall hurt of the pure in tranſporting of victuallis furth of ye Realme, cōtrarie to ye ſtatutis yairof, for ye particular weill of few, & hurt of mony: the Importing of greit quantiteis of fals cunȝe, ſklenderlie ſerchit, and lychtliar puniſchit: The multitude of Kirkis deſtitute of Miniſteris throw the hail cūtrie: The ſlaw adminiſtratioun of Iuſtice, and fer les executioun: with all kynde of impieteis (as it wer) publictlie, and frelie Regnād. Ȝit nochtyeles we luke for redres and reformatioun of all ſic horribil deformiteis, at ye handis of ſic rewlaris, as God hes, and ſall ſtrenthin with his Spirit, lychtin with ye pure word of his Euangel, endew with his feir (quhilk is ye beginning of all wiſdome) with ſic knawlege, ſic Iugement, and ȝeill, yat yai ſall to yair vttermaiſt endeuour, auance, and ſet fordwart all Iuſtice, and equitie, and ſuppres all vice and iniquitie: to ye glorie of God: to ye auancement of his word: to ye edificatioun of his Kirk, and to ye confort, and quietnes of yis trubillit, and afflictit commoun weilth. Quhilk God of his greit merciemercy, grant that we may ſchortlie ſe. Amen.
I hauehave alreddie paſſit ye boundis of ane preface: ȝit ane thing reſtis to admoniſche ye (gentill reidar) of yir warkis following. The mait part of yame hes bene ſindrie tymes in ſindrie places imprentit: as heir in Scotland, quhilk ȝit war not ſa correct, as neid requyrit. Thay haif bene Imprentit in Rowen, bot altogidder ſa corrupt and fals, that na man can be abill, to atteyne to the Authoris mynde be yame. For beſydis the wrang Ortographie, and fals ſpelling, the tranſpoſitiones of wordis, & lynis: yair is alſwa ſic defectiones, yat ſumtymes wil want twa, or thre lynis in ane ſentence: ſumtymes als mony abound, and be doublit.
Quhairthrow the myndis of honeſt men ar alienatit from reiding of ſa frutefull warkis: ȝouth is abuſit and corruptit: the Authour, and his warkis ſchamefullie blottit, and barbulȝeit: the cūtrie infamit: & ſic perſonis as laubouris for iuſt correctioun vtterly diſcuragit, ſcand thair lauboures, and trauellis ſa haiſtelie yairefter to be corruptit, at the priuate appetite and gred…nes of certane godles Ignorantis: quhilk in reſpect of yir greit hartis, deſeruis na ſmall puniſchement. Thay ar lykewiſe laitlie Imprentit in Londoun, with lytill better ſucces than ye vther. For yai haif gaue about to bring th…me to ye ſoutherne language, alterand ye vers and collouris yairof, in ſic placis, as yai culd admit na alteratioun: quhairfoir ye natiue grace, and firſt mynd of ye wryter, is oftentymes peruertit And for ye Ortographie, tranſpoſitiones, and defectiones, thay ar almaiſt commoun with the vther.
Thus ſeing this famous Authour, and his notabill warkis to be ſa velanouſlie handillit, and ſa miſerabillie, and malitiouſ…ie mankit, and alterat: we haif gane about, and takin ſum trauellis, to vindicate yame from yir blottis, & corruptiones: and to reduce, and bring thame to the natiue integritie, and firſt mening of ye wryter. Quhilk ſalbe eſilie perſauit in ye reiding: bot maiſt eſilie, gif ony wil confer this editioun with yame yat hes pre ceidit: quhairin quhat difference is betuix rycht & wrāg wryting, betuix correct, and vncorrect Imprenting ſalbe cleirlie ſene.
Mair we haif cikit ſindrie warkis of ye ſamin Authour, quhilkis hes not bene befoir Imprentit: to ye intent, that na thing of ſa Nobill ane wryter ſuld periſche, throw negligence or ſieuthfulnes of this preſent age, bot ſuld be reſeruit to ye frute of all poſteriteis following. And forther intendis (be ye help of God) to vſe ye lyke diligence, in all warkis of yis wryter, quhilkis fall heirefter, be ony menis, cum to our handis.
I will deteyne the na langer (gude Re…dar) from the warkis thame ſelfis: bot will commit the to the protectioun of ye Almychtie our God: erniſtlie deſyrand ye to call vpō him: yat he will rais and ſteir vp mony Dauid Lyndeſayis: yat will continuallie admoniſche baith Prince, and pepill of yair dewtie, and vocatioun, quhairunto ye Lord yair God hes callit yame: yat will rebuke, and repreif all ſic defaltis, as ſalbe fund in yame: yat will cōmit to letteris, and wryte, ye honour, ye gloir, ye fame, and ſucces of verrew, and inbraceris yairol: The diſhonour, ye ſchame, ye defame, and miſcheif of vyce, and impietie, and enhanteris thairof.
To be notifyit, and maid knawin to all agis to cum: that it may be ane prik and ſpur to ye verteous and godlie, to ga fordwart in all richteouſnes, and equitie: that it may be ane ſtay, and brydill to reteyne, & hald bak ye wickit and vngodlie from all wickitnes, and iniquitie. To the intent: yat God may be glorifyit: his Kirk edifyit: and this commoun …eilth confortit, and quietit.