University of Virginia Library



Lenuoy and excuse of Robert Coplande the translatour and Imprynter of this boke

In humble maner/and moost due reuerence
Tremblynge for drede afore thy souerayne
yf thy chaunce be to come in presence
Where ony person shall the there retayne
Submytte thy selfe as one that wolde be fayne
His grace to please in all maner degre
And of thy rudenesse for to pardon the
And where as thou art but as an abstract
As touchynge the auctours compylacyon
yf I therfore be ony wyse detract
In defaut of thy abreuyacyon
Lay thou the blame in the frensshe translacyon
whiche I haue folowed as nygh as I can
Under correccyon of euery wyse man.
yf ony man dyspyse the language rude
whiche barayise is/of puryd eloquence
Desyre them that they do not delude
Thy frouysate mater full of sentence


But in theyr hertes/enprynt thy morall sence.
which compyled is/by wysdome naturall
Of prudent men/the veray gouernall
where many wedes be in a felde of corne
All though the weders thynke to wede it clene
Some shall remayne/whan the fylde is shorne.
Drawke or cokle/yet there wyll be seen
The fawtes therof/is in the handes and eyen
Lykewyse where many/wordes and lettres be
No meruayle is/though I some ouerse
yf by impressyon/ony thynge be amys
In worde/in sence/or in ortography
I you requyre/to mende where the faute is
In the best wyse/it for to Iustyfy
For though all be not to your fantasy
In formall maner/do ye it dyscus
Saue onely god/nemo est perfectus.
Deo gratias.

Dytee du translateur

Tost ou tard/pres ou loing
A le fort du foible besoing.