*lo take In hand againe, this litle purpofe of footing,
begon of me before, yet not ended than, for other
ftu<dies more mete for that trade of liuinge, whiche God
<and mi frendes had fet me vnto. But when your
Graces mofte ioifull and happie vidlorie preuented mi
dailie and fpedie diligencie to performe this matter,
I was compelled to waite an other time to prepare
and offer vp this litle boke vnto your Maieftie. And
whan it hath pleafed youre Higheneffe of your infinit
goodneffe; and alfo your moil honorable Counfel to
know and pervfe ouer the contentes, and fome parte
of this boke, and fo to alow it, that other men might
rede it, throughe the furderaunce and fetting forthe of
the right worlhipfull and mi Singuler good Matter fir
William Pagette Knight, mooft worthie Secretarie to
your highnes, and moft open and redie fuccoure to al
poore honeft learned mens futes, I mooft humblie
befeche your Grace to take in good vvorthe this litle
treatife purpofed, begon, and ended of me onelie for
this intent, that Labour, Honefl paftime and Vertu,
might recouer againe that place and right, that Idleneffe,
Vnthriftie gamning and Vice hath put them fro.

And althoughe to haue written this boke either in
latin or Greke (which thing I wold be verie glad yet to
do, if I might furelie know your Graces pleafure there
in) had bene more eafier and fit for mi trade in fludy,
yet neuertheleffe, I fuppofinge it no point of honeftie,
that mi commodite Ihould ftop and hinder ani parte
either of the pleafure or profite of manie, haue writ-
ten this Englilhe matter in the Enghihe tongue, for
Englifhe men: where in this I trull that your Grace
(if it fhall pleafe your Highneffe to rede it) flial per-
ceaue it to be a thinge Honefte for me to write,
pleafaunt for fome to rede, and profitable for manie to
folow, contening a paftime, honeft for the minde,
holfome for the body, fit for eueri man, vile for no
man, vfmg the day and open place for Honeftie to rule
it, not lurking in corners for miforder to abufe it^.