It is then in the first place to bee wished and desired, that troubles beyng pacified, and all dissentions repressed, and put out, the spirits and consciences of men, should be assured and thorowly perswaded of that which appertaineth to their saluation.  And indeede our Lorde hath stirred and raised up so perfect an age in al sciences & know= ledge, in which so many learned men, and of excellent learning and knowledge, haue so blessedly and diligently imployed them= selues to teach us the order and maner to liue well, some after one sort and fashion, and some after an other, that those which be not yet satisfyed, can not, or ought not, to lay the fault in any but in themselues.

Next all good men ought to wishe and desire that those which put their hande to (this is to say trauaile for) the reformation of maners, should do it with such good argumentes, that there shoulde remayne, or be left, but euen a very litle to be corrected and amended.  And yet this wish & desire should not let or hinder the trauaile of such as do indeuor to pull up by the rootes such herbes as be hurtful to the field of the Lord, be they neuer so small and little:  and I do, or which thing I labour to do in this little boke according to the talente & graces which are geuen me from aboue.

Adde also that if any do deeply & seasonably consider this matter, I hope he shal not finde it so barren and of little edification, that it ought to be dispised or troden under foote:  for many men of quality (yea euen in the company of notable personages) of name and authority, make no conscience to demaunde and aske whether it be yll done to daunce, demaunding also a formall or playne parcell and text of Scripture, by which it may appeare that daunses be prohibited and forbidden, otherwise they think not that they do euill in daunsing.  Some others goe further and alledging or rather indeede abusing some peece of the Scripture, where it appeareth that the faithfull haue leaped and daunsed:  they thinke verily that they haue founde the beane in the cake, as though this were a proper couerture & cloke to couer the infection and filthines of their daunces.

Seyng then that many be foulie & grosely deceaued in this behalfe, and that possible for want of beyng sufficiently instructed and informed or taught touching this matter, I haue bene so much the more willing to ease them in this question, by how much I hope to profit in common, that is, to do good to the greatest multitude, as also being willing hereby to satisfy some which haue earnestly and instantly required it at my handes.

Now to answeare them which demaund and aske a playne peece or text of Scripture in which daunses should be forbidden, let them know that there be many wicked and euill thinges which are not euidently and playnly expressed in the Scripture, to be forbidden, notwithstanding they bee of the same kynd and nature, or else dependences of some thynges which are therein expressed, and under which they ought to be comprehended, or els when the contrary of these things is praised and commended, we are sufficiently taught and instructed to cast them away, as things condemned by the holy Ghost, because ther is one & the selfe same reason in contrary things.