Epistle Dedicatory 1 1 



numerable people, a people which cannot be numbered 

 or counted for their multitude. Thou shalt give 

 therefore to thy servant a heart that may be taught, 

 that he may be able to judge thy people, and to 

 discern between good and evil : for who is able to 

 judge this people, this great people of thine ? " Thus 

 far spoke Solomon, who not many years afterwards 

 so excelled in philosophy both divine and human 

 that he disserted about plants from the cedar even 

 to the hyssop, and discoursed of beasts, birds, reptiles, 

 and fishes. 



Wherefore all the most wise and brave Princes 

 have not considered it sufficient to surpass their sub- 

 jects in riches, honours, garb, gait, and warlike glory, 

 unless beyond this they excelled them far in learning, 

 tongues, and philosophy both divine and human, and 

 left them in the rear. And this your father, the most 

 learned of all the kings who are alive at the present 

 day, well understanding, as becomes so great a king, 

 and one to whom the helm of the State is entrusted, 

 wisely pondering in his mind how necessary learning 

 and philosophy are, always committed his children to 

 the care of the most learned of instructors. For 

 over your brother the Duke of Richmond, of pious 

 memory, he set Georgius Folberius, once my tutor, 

 a man of remarkable learning, and a wondrous 

 handicraftsman for rightly instructing youth, and now 

 over you (as I hear) a man by far the most learned 

 of all. 



Wherefore, most illustrious and worthy Prince, 

 following the steps of the wisest and bravest kings, 

 and yielding to the advice of your most powerful 

 and learned father, who so constantly invites you to 

 the draught of superior learning, spurs you on, and 

 exhorts you, while your years are yet tender and 



