-
site to be had in the handes
of al sortes, for their better
instruction, preparation and
defence, against the soub-
dein comyng, and fear-
ful assaultyng of the
same disease

1552

TO THE RIGHTE HONOURABLE
WILLIAM EARLE OF PENBROKE, LORDE
HARBERT OF CARDIFE, KNIGHT OF THE HONOUR-
ABLE ORDRE OF THE GARTER, AND PRESIDENT OF
THE KYNGES HIGHNES COUNSEILL IN
THE MARCHES OF WALES:
JHON CAIUS WISHETH
HELTH AND HONOUR.

In the fereful tyme of the sweate (ryghte honourable) many
resorted vnto me for counseil, among whome some beinge my frendes
& aquaintance, desired me to write vnto them some litle counseil
howe to gouerne themselues therin: saiyng also that I should do
a greate pleasure to all my frendes and contrimen, if I would
deuise at my laisure some thing, whiche from tyme to tyme might
remaine, wherto men might in such cases haue a recourse &
present refuge at all nedes, as then they had none. At whose
requeste, at that tyme I wrate diuerse counseiles so shortly as
I could for the present necessite, whiche they bothe vsed and
dyd geue abrode to many others, & further appoynted in my self
to fulfill (for so much as laye in me) the other parte of their
honest request for the time to come. The whiche the better to
execute and brynge to passe, I spared not to go to all those
that sente for me, bothe poore, and riche, day and night. And
that not only to do them that ease that I could, & to instructe
them for their recouery: but to note also throughly, the cases
and circumstaunces of the disease in diuerse persons, and to
vnderstande the nature and causes of the same fully, for so much
as might be. Therefore as I noted, so I wrate as laisure then
serued, and finished one boke in Englishe, onely for Englishe men
not lerned, one other in latine for men of lerninge more at
large, and generally for the help of them which hereafter should
haue nede, either in this or other countreis, that they may lerne
by our harmes. This I had thoughte to haue set furth before
christmas, & to haue geuen to your lordshippe at new-yeres (3)
tide, but that diuerse other businesses letted me. Neuertheles
that which then coulde not be done cometh not now out of season,
although it be neuer so simple, so it may do ease hereafter,
which as I trust this shal, so for good wil I geue
and dedicate it vnto your good Lordshippe, trustyng the
same will take this with as good a mind, as I
geue it to y