It was (Ryghte honorable and my verye good lorde) one annciente and gretlye estemed custome emongste the Romans in the heigh[t]e of their glorye, that eche one, accordinge to their abylytye or the desarte of his frende, did in the begynnynge of the monthe of Januarye (consecrated to the dooble faced godd Janus one the fyrste daye whereof they made electione of their cheife officers and magystrates) presente somme gyfte unto his frende as the noote and pledge of the contynued and encresed amytye betwene them, a pollicye gretlye to be regarded, for the manye good effectes whiche issue from so woorthye cause. This custome not restinge in the lymyttes of Italye, but spredinge with the Romans (as did their language and many other their usages and lawes) into euerye perticuler Countrye where theyr powre and gouermente stretched. passed also ouer the Oceane into the litle worlde of Brytannye, being neuer exiled from thence, nor frome those, whome eyther honor, amytye, or dutye doth combyne. ffor whiche cause lest I myghte offende in the breche of that moste excellente and yet embraced Custome, I thynke yt my parte to presente unto yo{u}r Lo{rdship} suche poore neweyeres gyfte as my weake estate and the barrennesse of my feble skyll will permytte: Wherefore, and because Cicero affirmethe, that he whiche hathe once ouer passed the frontiers of modestye must for euer after be impudente, (a grounde w{hi}che I fynde fully veryfyed in my selfe, havinge once before outgonne the boundes of shamefastnesse in presentinge to yo{u}r Lordshippe my confused collect{i}ons and disordered discourse of the Chauncelors)[3] I ame nowe become utterlye impudente in not blusshinge to salute you agayne (in the begynnynge of this newe yere) with my petye animadvers{i}ons, uppon the annotac{i}ons and corrections delivered by Master Thomas Speghte uppon the last edit{i}one of Chaucer’s workes in the yere of oure redempt{i}one 1598; thinges (I confesse) not so answerable to yo{u}r Lordshippes iudgmente, and my desyre, as boothe your desarte and my dutye doo challenge. But althoughe they doo not in all respectes satisfye youre Lordshippes expectac{i}one and my goode will, (accordinge as I wyshe they sholde), yet I dobt not but yo{u}r lordshippe (not degeneratinge from youre former curtesye wontinge to accompanye all youre act{i}ons) will accepte these trifles from yo{u}r lovinge well-willer, in suche sorte, as I shall acknowledge my selfe beholdinge and endebted to yo{u}r Lordshippe for the same. whiche I hoope yo{u}r Lordshippe will the rather doo (with pardonynge my presumptione) because you haue, by the former good acceptance of my laste booke, emboldened me to make tryall of the lyke acceptance of this pamfelette. Wherefore yf yo{u}r Lordshippe shall receve yt curteouslye (and so not to dischorage mee in my sweete and studiouse idlenesse) I will hereafter consecrate to yo{u}r lykinge some better labor of moore momente and higher subiecte,