of, and repent them of their wicked and
obstinate blyndnes, and bowe them selues with all
oportunitie too draw mens heartes too the holy testament
of God: consideryng, that in the terrible day of iudgement,
euery ma shall yeoue accompte of his Beliwicke, where
neither ignorauce shall excuse vs, ne yet any worldly pope
may defed vs. Most happye the shall they bee, whiche haue
walked iustely in the sight of the Lorde, and ||B.iii.||
that haue syncerely preached his testament and lyuely woord
withoute flattery or iuggelyng: Yea, and in that fearful
day, all they (as writeth S. Augustine) shal fynde mercie
at the handes of god, whiche haue entised and allured other
vnto goodnes and vertue. Weiyng this with my self, (most
excellent, and vnto all kynd of vertues most propt & prestat
Prince) I thought it good too translate this Dialoge, called
the Epicure, for your grace: whiche semed too me, too bee
very familiar, & one of ye godliest Dialoges that any ma
hath writte in ye latin tong. Now therfore I most humili
praie, that this my rude & simple traslation may bee
acceptable vnto your grace, trustyng also that your most
approued gentilnes, wil take it in good part. There as I
doo not folow ye latyn, woord for woord, for I omytte that
of a certaine set purpose.

_Your humile seruaunt, Philyppe_
Gerrard, groume of your
graces Chambre.

* * * * *

The interlocutours

{HEDONIVS} {SPVDEVS}

What meaneth hit _Spudeus_, too applye hys booke so
ernestlye I praye you what is the matter you murmour so with
yourselfe? _SPVDEVS._ The truth is (O _Hedoni_) I seke too
haue knowledge of a thing, but as yet I cannot fynde that
whych maketh for my purpose. _HEDO_ What booke haue you
there in your bosome? _SPVDE. Ciceros_ ||dialoge of the
endes of goodnes. _HEDO._ It had bene farre more better for
you, too haue sought for the begynnynges of godly thynges,
then the endes. _SPVDE._ Yea, but _Marcus Tullius_ nameth
that the ende of godlines which is an exquisite, a far
passing, and a very absolute goodnes in euerye puincte,
wherein there is contained all kynde of vertu: vnto the
knowledge ther of whosoeuer can attaine, shuld desire none
other thig, but hold himselfe hauyng onely that, as one most
fully content and satisfied. _HED._ That is a worke of very
great learning and eloquence. But doo you thynke, that you
haue preuailed in any thig the