Common Places, Dedication – Discourses 1
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To hir Maieſtie.
WHen I had now, by the ſpeciall goodneſſe of almightie GOD, brought to a perfect end the foure Parts of M. D. Peter Martyrs Common places, and perceiued that in certeine new editions of the Latin copie printed both in England and in Germanie, were put, by waie of addition, manie other works of his latelie found out, and not before imprinted: and hauing alſo found, by the helpe of my freends, other things woorthie the bringing into light, which before this time were neuer printed in anie toong: I likewiſe thought it neceſſarie (though my labour therby ſhould be increaſed, the quantitie of this booke inlarged, and the longer before it could be publiſhed) to tranſlate theſe things alſo into Engliſh, and to publiſh the ſame. That ſeeing Maiſter P. Martyr is that reuerend man, whoſe profound and ſincere iudgement (as all godlie and learned men confeſſe) is not onelie equall in each reſpect, but in ſome degree beyond all the Diuines of our time: and in plaineſſe of ſtile, and agreeableneſſe of doctrine, more certeine and correſpondent both to the truth, & to himſelfe, than manie of the ancient fathers: and further, ſeeing in theſe additions dooth appeere the forme of his preaching, the vniformitie of his doctrine, his ſharpeneſſe in diſputing, and ſoundneſſe in anſwering, his vehement and ſweet motions to vertue and holineſſe, his ſundrie graue & well written Epiſtles in matters of moment, with diuerſe other points right woorthie the reading, and not particularlie mentioned in the bodie of the foreſaid booke. For theſe (I ſaie) and the like reaſons, I hauehave preſumed, with your Maieſties fauour, to impart the ſame to your godlie and well diſpoſed ſubiects: that they may euen as it were gather all the honie out of thoſe flowers, which he hath planted in the garden of the Lord, and ſo ioifullie carrie the ſame into the hiues of their hart, that in time to come they may be found profitable bees vntounto the Lord their Sauiour, and reape of him an incomparable reward in the kingdome of heauen, where he reigneth with the Father and the holie Ghoſt, three perſons and one immortall God for euer and euer:
So be it.