rose dailie higher and wider, than I thought it would at the beginninge. And though it appeare now, and be in verie deede, but a small cotage, poore for the stuffe, and rude for the workemanship, yet in going forward, I found the site so good, as I was lothe to giue it ouer, but the making so costlie, outreaching my habilitie, as many tymes I wished, that some one of those three, my deare frendes, with full pursses, Syr _Tho. Smithe_, M. // {_Smith._ _Haddon_, or M. _Watson_, had had the doing of it. // M. {_Haddon._ Yet, neuerthelesse, I my selfe, spending gladlie // {_Watson._ that litle, that I gatte at home by good Syr _Iohn_ // Syr_ I._ _Cheke_, and that that I borrowed abroad of my // _Cheke._ frend _Sturmius_, beside somewhat that was left me // _I. Sturmius._ in Reuersion by my olde Masters, _Plato, Aristotle_, // _Plato._ and _Cicero_, I haue at last patched it vp, as I could, // _Aristotle._ and as you see. If the matter be meane, and meanly handled, // _Cicero._ I pray you beare, both with me, and it: for neuer worke went vp in worse wether, with mo lettes and stoppes, than this poore Scholehouse of mine. Westminster Hall can beare some witnesse, beside moch weakenes of bodie, but more trouble of minde, by some such sores, as greue me to toche them my selfe, and therefore I purpose not to open them to others. And, in middes of outward iniuries, and inward cares, to encrease them withall, good Syr _Rich. Sackuile_ dieth, that worthie Ientleman: That earnest // Syr _R._ fauorer and furtherer of Gods true Religion: // _Sackuill._ That faithfull Seruitor to his Prince and Countrie: A louer of learning, & all learned men: Wise in all doinges: Curtesse to all persons: shewing spite to none: doing good to many: and as I well found, to me so fast à frend, as I neuer lost the like before. Whan he was gone, my hart was dead. There was not one, that woare à blacke gowne for him, who caried à heuier hart for him, than I. Whan he was gone, I cast this booke àwaie: I could not looke vpon it, but with weping eyes, in remembring him, who was the onelie setter on, to do it, and would haue bene, not onelie à glad commender of it, but also à sure and certaine comfort, to me and mine, for it. Almost two yeares togither, this booke lay scattered, and neglected, and had bene quite giuen ouer of me, if the goodnesse of one had not giuen me some life and spirite againe. God, the 180 _A Præface to the Reader._ mouer of goodnesse, prosper alwaies him & his, as he hath many times comforted me and mine, and, I trust to God, shall comfort more and more. Of whom, most iustlie I may saie, and verie oft, and alwaies gladlie, I am wont to say, that sweete verse of _Sophocles_, spoken by _Oedipus_ to worthie _Theseus_.