all men to vnderstande with out helpe, but such
as were wel sene in all sortes of authours: I endeuoured my
selfe partely for the helpe of others, & partly for mine owne
exercise, to declare vpon theim the profite of my studie in
ciuile and humane learnynge, and to haue before mine eyes as in
a worke (which was alwaies my delyght) how muche I had profited
in the same. Thys so done, I ioyned euery of my commentaries to
euery of hys saied bokes, faier written by Nicolas Pergate puple
to the saied Maister Framyngham, myndyng after the iudgement of
learned men had in thesame, to haue set theim furthe in prynte,
if it had ben so thought good to theim. For whyche cause, at my
departynge into Italie, I put an Epistle before theym
dedicatorye to the right Reuerend father in God Thomas Thirlbye,
now Bishoppe of Norwiche, because thesame maister Framyngham
loued hym aboue others. He after my departure deliuered the
bokes to the reuerende father in god Jhon Skippe, late bishop of
Hereforde, then to D. Thirtle, tutor to the sayd maister
framyngham, from him to syr Richard Morisine, now ambassadoure for
y^e kinges maiestie with themperour, then to D. Tailour Deane of
Lincolne, and syr Thomas Smithe, secretarie after to y^e kynges
Maiestie, all great learned men. From these to others they wente,
among whome the bokes died, (as I suppose,) or els be closely
kept, that after my death they may be setfurthe in the names of
them which now haue them, as their workes. Howe soeuer it be,
well I knowe that at my returne out of Italie (after vj. yeres
continuance ther) into England, I coulde neuer vnderstand wher
they wer, although I bothe diligently and desirousely sought
them. After these I translated out of Greke into Latine a litle
boke of _Nicephorus_, declarynge howe a man maye in praiynge
confesse hym selfe, which after I dyd geue vnto Jhon Grome
bacheler in arte, (7) a yong man in yeres, but in witte &
learnyng for his tyme, of great expectation. That done I beganne
a chronicle of the citie of Norwiche, of the beginninge therof &
thinges done ther from time to time. The matere wherof yet rude
and vndigested lyeth by me, which at laisure I minde to polishe,
and to make an end of that I haue begunne. And to be shorte, in
phisicke diuerse thynges I haue made & settefurth in print bothe
in Greke and Latine, not mindyng to do other wise, as I haue
before said, al my life: For which cause al these thinges I haue
rehersed, els superfluous