¶TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Lord, Henrie Cary, of the moſt noble order of the Garter Knight, Baron of Hunſdon, gouernour of the Queenes Maieſties towne of Barwicke, & Lord Warden of the Eaſt Marches of England, anempteſt Scotland, & one of the Queenes maieſties honorable Counſaile, his ſingular good Lord: Stephan Batman wiſheth; the feruent zeale of Gods truth, and long continuaunce of proſperous health, with the increaſe of much honour.
THE prudent and moſt wiſe king of the world, Solomon, in his Prouerbs, among many ſentences of profound ſapience, ſaith, that thoſe which be wiſe ſhal haue honor in poſſeſſion: Alſo that the proſperity of the right Honourable ſhall not decay, becauſe they ſhall be had in an euerlaſting remembraunce, O happie birth wherevnto many are borne, to double honour: among men on Earth, among Angells in Heauen. Seeing therefore that wiſdome is the onely preferrour to honour, how much is he, to be had in ſpeciall reuerence, who in very deed ſayth. I Wiſdome dwell with Counſaile, and find out Knowledge and Vnderſtanding. By me Princes reigne, beare rule, and Noble men doe iudge the Earth, I haue bene from euerlaſting, I was before the foundations were laide, therefore harken vnto me: Doe iuſtice, heare the oppreſſed, defend the innocent, forget not to doe good to al men, but ſpecially to thoſe, that are of the houſeholde of Faith: let not your hands be open to receiue, and ſhut when you ſhould giue: Be mercifull, for our heauenly Father is mercifull, who in very deede is the Wiſedome, whereof I haue ſpoken, and the ſame, from whome all actions of good directions proceedeth: by whoſe incomprehenſible grace I haue ben made able to renew and finiſh an olde auncient booke, containing the properties of ſundrie things, the diſcription of Countries, diſpoſitions of creatures, operation of Elements, effects of ſimples, and ſuch lyke, no leſſe needfull then profitable, as ſhall appeare, by peruſall thereof: Beſeeching your honour to accept this my Dedication, (not as a defendour of ſome friuolous fantaſie) but as this booke ſhall deſerue, being read ouer, wherein I doubt not, but that your honour ſhall finde many things to your contentation. This I end, depending on your honourable furtheraunce, when Oppertuniti ſhal miniſter Occaſion, and in the meane time, I ſhall not ceaſe to pray vnto God, whoſe mercifull prouidence guide you, with his endleſſe proſperitie, and all Chriſtian magiſtrates.
Your Honours Chaplaine, at commaundement. S.B.M.
Veſper. Accept the trauaile of him that wiſheth proſperitie to his Countrie: for the gift of knowledge is greater, then the patrimonie of many friends.
