Harmony of the Gospels, Title page 2 – To the reader
THE holy Gospel of Iesus Christ, according to Iohn, with the Commentary of M. Iohn Caluine:
Faithfully translated out of Latine into english by Christopher Fetherstone, student in Diuinitie.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD ROBERT DVDLEY, EARLE OF LEYCESTER, BARON OF DENBIGH, Maister of the Horse to the Queenes Maiestie, Knight of the noble order of the Garter, & one of the Queenes Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsel, Chanselour of the most famous Vniuersitie of Oxford, Christopher Fetherstone wisheth encrease of spirituall giftes, long life, happy dayes, and encrease of honour.
IT IS AN OLDE SAYing (Right honourable) and no lesse true then olde, that faleable wines neede no iuic bush: which prouerb importeth thus much, that thinges which are of thē selues good and commendable hauehave not anye, at least no great neede of commendation. If therefore I shouldee with fine filed phrases, with gaye geason woordes, with straunge examples, and notable hystories compound some long prologue and tedious Preface, in commendation of this most excellent work and Commentarie of that famous member, and faithfull Doctour of Gods Church, Maister Iohn Caluine, I might cause your Honour to suspect the fondnesse thereof: I my selfe should seeme to doubte of the goodnesse thereof: and finally, minister occasion to many to condemne me of folly. Omitting therefore that which is needlesse, I discend vntounto that which is needefull: to wit, to excuse my selfe of arrogancie, wherof some may accuse me in that I dare presume to dedicate vntounto yonr honour, this my translation, vntounto whom I am altogether vnknowen. The loade stone as men say, writers do testifie, and experience doth teach, hath in it selfe such power, force and vertue, that it draweth iron vntounto it, though it be farre distant: right so, vertue doth drawe men vntounto it, and the reporte thereof, causeth men to louelove those whom they hauehave not seene, & to reuerence those of whō they hauehave only heard. Which thing sithence it is so, there is no cause why I shoulde either bee accused of arrogancie, or condemned of impudencie, for approching so boldly vntounto your honour, and for suffering this my translation to appear in your name. For your friendes confesse, and your foes cannot iustly denie that God hath placed in your noble brest greate aboundance of most heroicall vertues. I omit to speake of that rare report of your vnfeigned religion which refoundeth eueryevery where, and redoundeth to your prayse. I should be tedious, if I should set downe particulerly the most vndoubted testimonies of your faithfulnesse toward your dread Soueraigne: I shoulde seeme to flatter if I should extoll that godly magnanimitie wherewith the Lord hath endued you to maintaine his truth, to defend the Realm, to sub due those proud aspiring papists. That great and earnest care which your honour hath alwaies had, and euen now hath to support the poore ministers of the word, and gospell of Iesus Christ in Gods cause, & in good causes, hath in it selfe sufficient force, to enforce not only mee, but all thankfull heartes by word and writing to bewray all thankfulnesse & dutifulnesse towards your good honor. As this, so that singuler liberalitie vsed at all times by your Lordship towards my friends, hath caused me in dedicating of this booke to your honour, to testifie some part of my thankfull minde in their behalfe. And heere I am to craue pardon of you, whiche I hope I shall easily obtaine, for that I hauehave not behaued my selfe finely as I might, though faithfully as I ought in this my worke. And thus fearing prolixitie, I conclude, praying vntounto the Lorde God of heauen and earth, that King of Kinges, and Lorde of Lordes, that he will graunt vntounto your honour, and to the rest (whom he hath placed in the like degree of dignitie) his holy spirite, that spirite of wisdome and vnderstanding, that you may thereby be so directed, that all your thoughts, woordes, and workes, may tend to the setting foorth of Gods glory, the maintenance of true religion, the preseruation of the Realme. So shall England hauehave wealth, be voide of woe, enioy solace, be free from sorrow, possesse plentie, not tast of pouertie, inherite pleasure, and not see paine. Whiche God graunt.
Your Honours most humble and obedient, Christopher Fetherstone.
To the Reader.
BEing instantly requested (Gentle Reader) by my godlie zealous friendes to enterprice the translating of this most learned Commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine, and being persuaded thereunto by manie godlie reasons, whereof Gods glory & the profite of his Church should bee the chiefe, I coulde not, nor woulde not refuse to take that charge vponupon mee, vnlesse I should hauehave forgotten my dutie towardes God his Churche, and my friendes: and now for asmuch (Gentle Reader) as the principall recompence of my paines shall bee that profite whiche thou shalt reape by the reading of this my translation, I beseech thee refuse not to take some paines in reading the same. I hauehave not stuft it full of strange wordes deriued of the Latin, which might no lesse molest thee, then if they continued Latin as they were. I hauehave not racked the phrases to make them runne smoothly, to please …, and so digressed from the truth and meaning of the authour: but, so much as possible I could, I hauehave translated worde for worde, whiche the learned by conference shall wel perceiue. Long time hauehave the godly desired to hauehave this worke published in the English tongue, & seeing they hauehave their desire now, my request vntounto thē is, to accept of my paines herein, I dare not good Reader presume so farre vppon mine owne skill, as to say that there is no faultes committed heerein, but I am earnestly to desire thee rather courteously to amend them, then curiously to condemne me for them. And thus trusting to thy curtisie, I committe thee to the tuition of the Almightie, who so direct thee by his spirite, that by reading thou maiest profite.
Thine in the Lorde, Christopher Fetherstone.