requireth of his elect & faithfull seruautes, euen too haue his lytell flocke knowe his blessed woorde, whiche woulde bee muche better knowe & more thankefulli receaued, yf al agees and degrees of men with one mynd, wyll, & voice, would nowe drawe after one lyne, leauyng their owne priuate affections, and shewe theim selues euer vigilant, prompt, & ready helpers & workers with God, (accordynge to the councell of sainct Paule) & especially priestes, scolemaisters & paretes, which accordyng too ye Prophete Dauid are blessed, if they gladly requite ye lawe of God.  They shuld therfore reade ye bible & purdge theyr mindes of al papistry:  for theyr || necligence, in dooyng their duties & slugishnes toward ye blessed woord of god, dooeth too muche appere.  Through them forsoth the gospel of Christ shuld bee most strongely warded and defended, for almost all the Prophetes, and a great parte of the scripture beside teache them their duties, and shew playnely what maner of men they shulde bee:  Yea, and how greuously the holy Prophetes crie out vpon false and ignoraunt priestes, the thyng is very euident.  But through the helppe of God all those that be ignoraunt, or els learned (as they take them selues) wyll leaue 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}