THEODORE
BEZA
TO
THE
READERS
,
GREEting
in
the
Lord.
IT
is
now
a
two
yeares
,
since
God
graunted
me
the
grace
to
forsake
the
contrie
where
he
is
persecuted
,
to
serue
him
accordinge
to
his
holy
will
.
During
which
time
,
because
that
in
my
aduersity
many
fancies
ranne
in
my
head
,
I
resorted
to
Gods
word
,
where
I
founde
two
thinges
that
comforted
me
maruelously
.
The
one
is
the
infinite
number
of
promises
vttered
by
the
mouth
of
him
which
is
the
truth
it selfe
,
whose
sayinges
are
alwayes
matched
with
effect
.
The
other
is
the
multitude
of
examples
,
whereof
euen
the
least
are
able
enough
,
not
only
to
encourage
and
harten
the
weakest
&
fayntest
harted
in
the
worlde
,
but
also
to
make
them
inuincible
.
Which
thing
we
must
needes
see
to
haue
come
to
passe
,
if
we
consider
by
what
meanes
Gods
truth
hath
bene
mayntayned
to
this
present
time
.
Howebeit
among
all
them
that
are
set
afore
vs
for
example
in
the
olde
testament
.
I
finde
three
persons
,
in
whome
(
to
my
seeming
)
the
Lorde
ment
to
set
forth
his
greatest
wonders
:
namely
,
Abraham
,
Moises
,
and
Dauid
:
in
the
liues
of
whome
if
men
would
nowe
a
dayes
looke
vppon
them selues
,
they
should
knowe
them selues
better
then
they
doe
.
Therefore
as
I
redd
those
holy
stories
with
wonderfull
pleasure
and
singular
profit
:
there
came
a
desire
vppon
me
to
exercise
my selfe
in
writing
such
matters
in
verse
,
not
onely
of
intent
to
consider
&
remember
them
the
better
,
but
also
to
praise
God
by
all
the
meanes
I
could
deuise
.
For
I
confesse
,
that
euen
of
nature
I
haue
delighted
in
poetrie
,
&
I
can
not
yet
repent
me
of
it
:
neuerthelesse
it
greueth
me
right
sore
,
that
the
litle
grace
which
God
gaue
me
in
that
behalfe
,
was
imployed
by
me
in
such
things
,
as
the
very
remembrance
of
them
irketh
me
now
at
the
hart
.
Therefore
I
gaue
my selfe
as
then
to
more
holy
matters
,
hoping
to
go
forwarde
in
them
afterwarde
,
specially
in
the
translating
of
the
Psalmes
which
I
am
now
in
hand
with
.
And
woulde
God
that
the
great
number
of
good
witts
which
I
know
in
Fraunce
,
would
in
steede
of
buzying
them selues
about
vnhappy
inuentions
or
imitations
of
vaine
and
vnhonest
fancies
,
(
for
so
they
be
,
if
a
man
iudge
them
according
to
truth
)
rather
set
their
minds
to
the
magnifying
of
the
great
God
,
of
whom
they
haue
receiued
those
so
great
giftes
,
then
to
the
flattering
of
their
Idols
,
that
is
to
say
,
of
their
Lordes
and
Ladies
,
whom
they
vphold
in
their
vices
by
their
fainings
&
flatterings
.
Of
a
truth
it
would
become
them
better
to
sing
a
song
of
God
,
then
to
counterfet
a
ballet
of
Petrarks
,
&
to
make
amorous
dities
,
worthy
to
haue
the
garlande
of
sonnetts
,
or
to
counterfet
the
furies
of
the
auncient
Poets
,
to
blase
abroad
the
glory
of
this
world
,
or
to
consecrate
this
man
or
that
woman
to
immortalitie
,
thinges
which
beare
the
readers
on
hande
that
the
authors
of
them
not
only
are
mounted
vp
to
the
toppe
of
their
Pernassus
,
but
also
are
come
to
the
very
circle
of
the
Moone
.
Othersome
(
of
which
number
I
my selfe
haue
bene
,
to
my
great
greefe
as
now
)
write
twoedged
Epigrams
cutting
on
both
sides
or
sharp-pointed
&
pricking
at
both
endes
.
Others
buzie
them selues
rather
in
ouerturning
then
in
turning
of
thinges
:
&
othersome
intending
to
inrich
our
tongue
,
do
powder
it
with
Greeke
and
Latine
tearmes
.
But
how
now
wil
some
man
say
:
I
looked
for
a
tragedie
,
and
thou
giuest
vs
a
Satyre
.
I
confesse
that
in
thinking
vpon
such
madnes
,
I
was
caried
away
and
ouershot
my selfe
.
Neuerthelesse
I
ment
not
to
rayle
vpon
good
witts
,
but
onely
to
discouer
to
them
so
plainly
the
open
wronge
which
they
doe
both
to
God
and
to
them selues
,
as
they
might
through
a
certeine
enuie
,
take
vpon
them
to
passe
me
in
the
description
of
such
matters
as
I
haue
taken
tast
of
to
their
handes
,
according
as
I
knowe
that
it
shall
be
very
easie
for
them
,
if
the
meanest
of
them
will
giue
him selfe
therto
.
But
to
come
to
the
matter
that
I
haue
in
hand
,
it
is
partly
tragical
and
partly
comicall
:
&
therefore
I
haue
separated
the
prologue
,
&
diuided
the
whole
into
pawses
,
after
the
maner
of
actes
in
comedies
,
howbeit
without
binding
of
my self
therto
.
And
because
it
holdeth
more
of
the
one
then
of
the
other
:
I
thought
best
to
name
it
a
tragedie
.
As
touching
the
maner
of
dealing
,
I
haue
altered
some
small
circumstances
of
the
storie
,
to
apply
my selfe
to
the
companye
.
Moreouer
I
haue
followed
the
ground
as
neare
the
text
as
I
could
,
according
to
such
coniectures
as
I
thought
most
conuenient
for
the
matter
and
persons
.
And
although
the
affections
be
very
great
,
yet
haue
I
absteined
from
wordes
and
speeches
to
farre
estraunged
from
the
common
ordinarie
,
notwithstanding
that
I
know
it
was
the
maner
of
the
Greekes
and
Latines
so
to
doe
,
specially
in
their
chorusses
,
as
they
termed
them
.
But
I
passed
so
litle
of
imitating
them
,
that
contrariwise
me
thinkes
nothing
is
more
vnseemely
,
than
those
forced
translations
and
speeches
drawne
out
of
such
a
length
,
as
they
can
neuer
come
to
the
pith
of
the
matter
:
whereof
I
report
me
to
Aristophanes
,
who
iustly
rebuketh
the
Poets
of
his
time
for
it
so
often
times
.
Verily
I
haue
made
a
songe
without
a
chorus
,
nother
haue
I
vsed
the
termes
of
Strophies
,
Antistrophies
,
Epirrhemes
,
Parecbases
,
and
other
such
wordes
,
which
serue
to
no
purpose
but
to
amase
simple
folke
,
seeing
the
vse
of
such
thinges
is
worne
away
,
&
they
be
not
so
commendable
of
them selues
,
that
a
man
should
trouble
him selfe
to
bringe
them
vp
again
.
As
touching
the
ortographie
,
I
haue
willed
the
Printer
to
followe
the
common
order
,
notwithstanding
the
fond
fancies
that
haue
ben
set
forth
within
these
three
or
fower
yeares
in
that
behalfe
.
And
I
would
gladly
counsel
the
forwardest
of
them
that
haue
altered
it
,
(
if
they
were
men
that
would
take
any
other
bodies
counsell
then
their
owne
)
that
sith
they
will
needes
reduce
it
to
the
pronouncing
,
that
is
to
say
,
make
as
many
fashions
of
writinge
,
not
onely
as
there
are
countries
,
but
also
as
ther
are
persons
in
Fraunce
:
they
should
first
learne
to
pronounce
,
before
they
teach
men
to
write
.
For
to
speake
&
write
after
their
fashion
,
he
is
not
worthye
to
giue
rules
of
the
writinge
of
our
tongue
,
which
is
not
able
to
speake
it
.
Which
thinge
I
speake
not
to
blame
all
those
that
haue
set
downe
their
dowts
in
that
behalf
,
which
I
graunt
are
very
needfull
to
be
reformed
:
but
for
such
as
sette
forth
their
dotages
as
certeine
rules
for
al
the
world
to
follow
.
Furthermore
,
as
touching
the
profit
that
may
be
taken
of
this
singular
storie
,
besides
the
things
that
are
treated
of
it
in
insinite
places
of
the
Scripture
,
I
wil
refer
it
to
him
that
shal
speake
of
it
in
the
conclusion
:
praying
you
whosoeuer
you
be
to
accept
this
my
small
labour
with
as
good
will
as
I
offer
it
you
.
From
Lausan
the
first
of
October
.
1550.
THE
ARGVMENT
OF
THIS
TRAGEDIE
TAKEN
OVT
OF
THE
TWO
AND
twentith
chapter
of
Genesis
.
AFterward
God
tryed
Abraham
,
and
sayd
vnto
him
:
Abraham
.
And
he
aunswered
,
Here
I
am
.
Then
sayd
he
to
him
,
take
thyne
onely
sonne
out
of
hande
,
euen
Isaac
whome
thou
louest
,
&
goe
into
the
country
of
Morea
,
&
there
offer
him
vp
for
a
burnt
sacrifice
vppon
one
of
the
hills
that
I
will
shewe
thee
.
Abraham
therefore
rising
earely
,
sadled
his
asse
&
tooke
two
seruants
with
him
,
&
Isaac
his
sonne
.
And
when
he
had
cut
wood
for
the
burnt
sacrifice
,
he
arose
and
went
to
the
place
that
God
had
told
him
of
.
The
third
day
,
Abraham
loking
vp
,
saw
the
place
a
farre
of
,
and
sayd
to
his
seruaunts
,
tarry
you
here
with
the
Asse
,
for
I
and
the
ladde
wil
goe
yonder
,
and
when
we
haue
〈◊〉
we
will
come
to
you
againe
.
Then
Abraham
tooke
the
wood
for
the
burnt
sacrifice
,
&
layd
it
vpon
Isaac
his
sonne
,
&
tooke
the
fire
and
a
knife
in
his
owne
hand
,
and
so
they
went
forth
togither
.
Then
sayd
Isaac
to
Abraham
his
father
.
My
father
.
Abraham
aunswered
,
here
I
am
my
sonne
.
And
he
said
,
Beholde
here
is
fire
and
wood
,
but
where
is
the
Lambe
for
burnt
sacrifice
.
Abraham
aunswered
,
my
sonne
,
God
will
prouide
him
a
lambe
for
burnt
sacrifice
.
And
they
went
on
both
togither
.
And
when
they
came
to
the
place
that
God
had
spoken
of
,
he
builded
an
altar
there
,
and
layd
the
wood
in
order
vppon
it
,
and
then
bound
Isaac
his
sonne
&
laid
him
vpon
the
altar
aboue
the
wood
,
and
putting
forth
his
hand
cawght
the
knife
to
stryke
of
his
sonnes
necke
.
Then
an
Angell
of
the
Lord
cryed
vnto
him
from
heauen
,
saying
Abraham
,
Abraham
.
Who
aunswered
,
loe
here
I
am
.
And
he
sayd
vnto
him
,
lay
not
thy
hand
vpon
the
child
,
nother
doe
anything
vnto
him
.
For
now
I
knowe
thou
fearest
God
,
seeing
thou
hast
not
spared
thine
only
sonne
for
my
sake
.
&
▪
Abraham
loked
vp
&
saw
,
&
behold
a
sheep
was
cawght
behind
him
in
a
bush
by
the
hornes
.
Then
Abraham
went
and
tooke
the
sheepe
,
and
offered
it
vp
for
a
burnt
offering
in
steede
of
his
sonne
.
And
Abraham
called
the
name
of
the
place
,
The
Lord
shall
see
.
Whereof
it
is
sayd
at
this
day
of
that
mounteyne
,
The
Lord
shal
be
seene
.
And
the
Angell
of
the
Lord
called
vnto
Abraham
from
out
of
heauen
the
second
tyme
,
saying
:
I
haue
sworne
by
my selfe
sayth
the
Lorde
,
for
as
much
as
thou
hast
done
this
thing
,
&
not
spared
thyne
onely
sonne
,
I
will
blesse
thee
and
multiply
thy
seede
as
the
starres
of
the
sky
,
&
as
the
sand
on
the
seas
shore
,
and
thy
seede
shall
possesse
the
gates
of
thyne
enemies
.
And
all
nations
of
the
earth
shall
be
blessed
in
thy
seede
,
because
thou
hast
obeyed
my
voyce
.