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} What meaneth hit _Spudeus_, too applye hys booke so ernestlye I praye you what is the matter you murmour so with yourselfe? _SPVDEVS._ The truth is (O _Hedoni_) I seke too haue knowledge of a thing, but as yet I cannot fynde that whych maketh for my purpose. _HEDO_ What booke haue you there in your bosome? _SPVDE. Ciceros_ ||dialoge of the endes of goodnes. _HEDO._ It had bene farre more better for you, too haue sought for the begynnynges of godly thynges, then the endes. _SPVDE._ Yea, but _Marcus Tullius_ nameth that the ende of godlines which is an exquisite, a far passing, and a very absolute goodnes in euerye puincte, wherein there is contained all kynde of vertu: vnto the knowledge ther of whosoeuer can attaine, shuld desire none other thig, but hold himselfe hauyng onely that, as one most fully content and satisfied. _HED._ That is a worke of very great learning and eloquence. But doo you thynke, that you haue preuailed in any thig there, whereby you haue the ||rather come too the knowledge of the truth? _SPE._ I haue had such fruite and comoditie by it, that now verelye hereafter I shall doubt more of the effect and endes of good thinges, then I did before. _HEDO._ It is for husbad menne too stande in doubt how farre the limittes and merebakes extend. _SPE._ And I cannot but muse styll, yea, and wonder very muche, why ther hath been so great controuersie in iudgementes vpon so weightie a matter (as this is) emongist so well learned menne: especially suche as bee most famous and auncient writers. _HEDO._ This was euen the cause, where the verite of a thyng is playne and manifest, cotrarily, ye errour through || ignoraunce againe in the same, is soone great & by diuers meanes encreaseth, for that thei knewe not the foundation and first beginnyng of the whole matter, they doo iudge at all auentures and are very fondly disceaued, but whose sentence thynke you too bee truest? _SPE._ Whan I heare _MARCVS Tullius_ reproue the thyng, I then fatasie none of all their iudgementes, and whan I heare hym agayne