THe excellencie of mans nature , being such , as it is by Gods diuine fauoure ( most mightie Prince ) not onely created in highnesse of degree farre aboue all other corporall things , but by perfection of reason and search of wit , much approching toward the image of God , as not onely the holy Scriptures doe testifie , but also those naturall Philosophers , which exactly did consider the nature of man , and namely the farre reach and infinite compasse of the workes of the minde , were inforced to confesse , that man scarcely was able to knowe himselfe . And if he would duly ponder the nature of himselfe , he woulde finde it so strange , that it might seeme vnto him a verie miracle . And thereof sprang that saying : magnum miraculum est homo , maximum mariculum sapiens homo . For vndoubtedly as man is one of the greatest miracles that euer God wrought , so a wise man is plainely the greatest .

And therefore was it that some did account the heade of a man the greatest miracle in the worlde , because not onely of the straunge workemanshippe that is in it , but much more of the efficacie of reason , witte , memorie , imagination , and such other powers and works of the mind , which can more easily conceiue any thing in a manner , than vnderstande it selfe . And amongst all the creatures of God it findeth none more difficult to be perceiued than these same powers of it selfe , whereby it doth conceiue and iudge as it may be well coniectured by the diuersitie of opinions , that the wisest Philosophers did vtter touching the spirite of man and the substance of it : whereof at this present I intende to make no rehearsall , but who so sisteth to reade thereof , may finde it largely set forth not onely in Aristotle his bookes De anima ; but also in Galene his booke called Historia philosophica , & againe in Plutarch his worke , De philosophorum placitis , whose wordes are also repeared of Eusebius in the xv . booke , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vnto whom I remi● them that haue desired to vnderstande the intricate difficultie of knowing our owne selues , as touching our best part , and that part whereby we deserue to beare the name of men .

This matter seemed so obscure and difficulte , in knowledge , that Galen , who for his excellent wisedome and iudgement in naturall workes , is called of many men a Miracle in nature , yet in searching the nature and substance of the spirite of man , he not onely confesseth himselfe ignorant , but counteth it plaine temeritie to attempt to finde it : so farre aboue the hope of mans knowledge is that parte , whereby man doth knowe and iudge of things . And although the ignorant sort ( which hate all things that they knowe not ) doe little esteeme the profoundnesse of mans spirit and of reason , the chiefe power and facultie of it , yet as there is a kind of feare and obedience of vnreasonable beastes vnto man by the working power of God , so is there in those small reasoned persons a certaine kinde of reuerence towarde wisedome and reasons , which they doe shewe oftentimes , and by power of persuasion are inforced to obey reason , will they nil they .

And hereby came it to passe , that the rudenesse of the first age of man was brought vnto some more ciuill trade , as it is well declared by Cicero in the beginning of his first booke De inuentione Rethorica , where he saith thus :

Nam suit quoddam tempus quum in agris homines passion bestiarum more vagahantur , & sibi victu ferino vitam propagabant , nec ratione animi quicquam , sed pleraque viribus corporis administrabant . N●ndum diuine religionis , non humani officij ratio colebatur : Nemo legitimas viderat nuptias , non cer●os quisquam inspexerat liberos , n●n ius aequabile quid vnlitatis haberet , acceperat : ita propter errorem atque inscitiam . caeca ac ●emeraria dominatrix animi cupiditas , ad se exple●dam viribus corporis abutebatur , perniciosissimis satellitibus .

Quo tempore quidam , magnus videlicet vir & sapiens , cognouit quae ma●●ria esset , & quanta ad maximas res oportunitas in animis iness● th●ninum , si quis eam posset elicere , & praecipiendo me●●●r●n reddere : Qui dispersos homines in agris , & in tectis syluestribus abditos ratione quadam compulit in vnum locum , & congregauit : & eos in vnamquamque rem inducens v●ilen atque honestam primo propter insolentiam reclamantes , deinde propter rationem atque orationem studiosius audientes , ex feris & immanibus mites reddidit , & mansuetos .

This long repetition of Tullies wordes will seeme tedious to them which loue but little , and care much lesse for the knowledge of reason , but vnto your Maiestie ( I dare say ) it is a delectable remembrance , and vnto mee it seemed so pleasant , that I coulde scarse staye my penne from writing all that mine eyes did so greedily reade .

This sentence of Cicero am I lothe to translate into Englishe , partly for that vnto your Maiestie it needeth no translation , but especially knowing howe farre that grace of Tullies eloquence doth excell any English mans tongue , and much more exceedeth the basenesse of my barbarous style , yet for the fruite of the sentence , I had rather vnto my meere English Countrymen vtter the rudenesse of my translation , than to defraud them of the benefite of so good a lesson , trusting they will also gladly and greedily imbrace all good sciences that may helpe to the iust furniture of the same , when they consider that informed reason was the onely Instrument , or ar least the chiefe meane to bring men vnto Ciuile regiment , from barbarous manners and beastly conditions .

For the time was ( saith Tullie ) that men wandered abroad in the fields vp and downe like beasts , and vsed no better order in feeding than they , so that by reasons rule they wrought nothing , but moste of their doing did they atchiue by force of strength . At this time there was no iust regarde of religion towarde God , nor of duetie towarde man . No man had seene right vse of mariage , neither did any man knowe their owne children from other , nor no man had felt the commodity of iust lawes : so that through errour and ignorance , wilfull lust , like a blinde and heady ruler , abused bodily strength as a most mortall minister for the satisfying of his desire . At that time was there one , which not onely in power , but also in wisedome was great : and he considered , howe that in the mindes of men was bothe apte instrumentes , and greate occasion to the due accomplishment of most weightie affaires , if a man coulde applie them to vse , and by teaching of rules frame them to better trade . This man with persuasion of reason , gathered into one place the people that were wandring about the fieldes , and lay lurking in wilde cotages and woods : And bringing them into one common societie , did trade them to all such things , as either were profitable or honest , although not without repyning at the first , by reason that they had not beene so accustomed before . Yet at length through reason and persuasion of wordes they obeyed him more diligently , and so of a wilde and cruell people , he made them curteous and gentle .

Thus hath Tullie set forth the efficacie of reason and persuasion , howe it was able to conuert wilde people to a mildenesse , and to change their furious cruelnesse into gen●le cur●●e . Were it not nowe a great reproch in this our time ( when knowledge raigneth so large ) that men should shewe themselues lesse obsequious to reason ? vnlesse it may be thought , that now euery man hauing sufficient knowledge of himselfe , needeth not to hearken to the persuasion of others .

Indeede he that thinketh himself wise , will not esteeme the reason of any other , be he neuer so wise , so that of such one it may well be saide , He that thinketh himselfe wiser than he is , may iustly be counted a double foole : wherefore such men are not to bee permitted in open audience to talke , but must be put to silence , and made to giue eare to reason , which reason consisteth not in a multitude of words , heaped rashly together , and applyed for one purpose , but reason is the expressing of a iust matter with wittie persuasions , furnished with learned knowledge . Such knowledge had Moses being expert in all learning of the Aegyptians , as the Scriptures declare , and therefore was able to persuade the stubborne people of the Iewes , although not without great paine . Druis was sonne to K. Sarron , & succeeded him in his kingdome . Such knowledge and such reasons did Druys shewe , which was the first lawe maker of all the West partes of Europe . Like reason and wisedome did Xamolxis vse amongest the Gothes : Lycurgus vnto the Lacedemonians , Zeleucus to the Locrians , Solon to the Athenienses , and Donwallo Molmitius two thousande yeares past , amongst the olde Britanes of this realme . And therby ti came to passe , that their lawes continued long , till more perfite reason altered many of them , and wilfull power oppressed moste of them .

At the beginning when these wise men perceiued howe harde it was to bring the rude people to vnderstande reason , they iudged the best meanes to attaine this honest purpose to depende of learning in euerie kind , for by learning , as Ouid saith : Pectora moiles●unt , asperitasque fugit : Stoute stomackes doe waxe milde , and sharpe fiercenesse is exiled . Therefore as Berosus doth testifie , Sarron ▪ that was the thirde King ouer all this West parte of Europe , for to bring the people from beastly rage to manly reason , did erect Schooles of liberall Artes which tooke so good successe , that his name continued in that sort famous aboue two thousand yeares after : for Diodorus Siculus , which was in the time of Iulius Caesar maketh mention of the learned men of the Gothes , and named them Sarronides , that is to say , Sarron his Scholers and fo●lowers .

Among these Artes that then were taught , some did in forme the tongue , and make men able both to vtter aptly their minde , and also to persuade , as Grammer , Logike , and Rhethorike , although not so couriously as in this time : some other did appertaine to the iust order of partition of Landes , the true vsing of waights , measures , and reckenings in all sorts of bargaines , and for order of building and sundrie other vses , those were Arithmerike and Geometrie . Againe , to incourage men to the honour of God , they taught Astronomie , whereby the wonderfull workes of God were so manifestly set forth , that no mans tongue nor pen can in like sort expresse his infinite power , his vnspeakable wisedome , and his exceeding goodnesse toward man , wherby he doth bauntifully prouide for man all necessaries , not onely to liue , but also to liue pleasantly . And so was their confidence in Gods prouidence strongly stayed , knowing his goodnesse to be such , that he woulde helpe man as he coulde , and his power to bee so great , that he could doe what he woulde : and thirdly his wisedome to be so pure , that he would doe nothing , but that was best . Beside these Sciences they taught also Musike , which most commonly they did apply partely to religious Sciences , to drawe men to delight therein , & partly to songs made of the maners of men in praise of Vertue , and discommendation of Vice , whereby it came to passe , that no man would displease them , nor do any thing euill that might come to their hearing : This Bardus Druidius the v. king of the Celtes , raigned 69. yeres , and died 1832. yeares before Christ . for their Songs did make euill men more abhorred in that time , than any excommunication doeth in this time . The posteritle of these Musitians continue yet both in Wales and Ireland called Bardes vnto this day , by the auncient name of Bardus , their first founder .

And as these Sciences did encrease , so did vertue increase thereby . Againe , as these sciences did decaye , so vertue lost hir estimation , and consequently was little in vse : whereof to make a ful declaration , were a thing meet for a Prince to heare , but it woulde require a peculiar treatise . Wherefore at this present I count it sufficient lightly to haue touched this matter in generall wordes , and to say no more of the particularitie thereof , but onely touching one of those sciences , that is , Arithmetike , by which not onely iust partition of landes was made , but also touching buying an selling , all assises , weights , and measures were deuised , and all reckenings and accounts driuen : yea by proportion of it , were the true orders of Iustice limited , as ( Aristotle in his Ethikes doth declare ) & the degrees of estates in the common wealth established . Although that proportion be called Geometricall , and not Arithmeticall , yet doth that proportion appertaine to the Art of Arithmetike : & in Arithmetike is taught the Progression of such proportions , and all things thereto belonging . Wherefore I may well say , that seeing Arithmetike is so many wayes needefull vnto the first planting of a common wealth , it must needes be as much required to the preseruation of it also : for by the same meanes is any common wealth continued , by which it was erected and established . And if I shall in smal matters in appearance , but in deede verie waightie , put one example or two , what shall we say for the statutes of this realme , which be the onely staie of good order in maner nowe ? As touching the mesuring of ground by length and bredth , there is a good and an auncient statute made by Arte of Arithmetike , and now it shal be to little vse , if by the same Art it be not practised and tried . For the assyse of breade and drinke , the two most common and most necessarie thinges for the sustentation of man , there was a goodly ordinance in the Lawe made , which by ignorance hath so growen out of knowledge and vse , that fewe men doe vnderstand it , and therefore the statute bookes wonderfully corrupted , & the commons cruelly oppressed : notwithstanding some men haue written , that it is too doubtful a matter to execute those Assises by those statutes , by reason they depend of the standerd of the coine , whiche is muche chaunged from the state of that time when those statutes were made . Thus shall euerie man reade that listeth in the Abridgement of Statutes in the title of Waightes and Measures , in the seauenth number of the Englishe Booke , where hee shoulde haue translated a good ordinance , which is set forth in the French booke : but no maruaile if the Abridgement doth omit it , seeing the great booke of Statutes doth omitte the same Statute , as it hath done diuers other verie good lawes . And this is the fruite of ignorance , to reiect all that it vnderstandeth not , although they vse some clokes for it : but such clokes , as being allowed , might serue to repell all good lawes , which God forbid .

Againe there is an auncient order for assise of fyre wood , and coales , which was renued not many yeares past , and nowe howe Auarice and Ignorance doth canuas the statute , it is too pitifull to talke of , and more miserable to feele .

Furthermore , for the Statute of Coinage , and the standerd thereof , if the people vnderstoode rightly the statute , they shoulde not , nor woulde not ( as they often doe ) gather an excuse for their follie therby , but as I said , these statutes by wisedome and good knowledge of Arithmetike were made , & by the same must they be continued . And let Ignorance no more meddle with the vse of them , than it did with the making of them . Oh in how miserable case is that Realme , where the Ministers and interpreters of the Lawes are destitute of all good sciences , which be the keyes of the laws ? How can they either make good Laws , or maintaine them , that lack that true knowledge wherby to iudge them ? And happie may that realme be accounted where the Prince himselfe is studious of learning , and desireth to vnderstande equitie in all lawes . Therefore most happy are we the louing subiectes of your Maiestie which may see in your highnesse not onely such towardnesse , but also such knowledge of diuers Artes as seldome hath bene seene in any Prince of such yeares , whereby we are inforced to conceiue this hope : Certainly , that he which in those yeares seeketh knowledge when knowledge is least esteemed , and of such an age can discerne them , to be enimes both to his royall person , and to his realme , which labour to withdrawe him from knowledge to exeessiue pastime , and from reasonable studie to ydle or noysome pleasures , he must needes , when he commeth to more mature yeares , be a most prudent Prince , a most iust Gouernour , and a right Iudge , not onely of his subiectes commonly , but also of the ministers of his lawes , yea , and of the Lawes themselues . And to be able to conceiue the true equitie and exact vnderstanding of al his Lawes and Statutes , to the comfort of his good subiectes , and the confusion and reproch of them which labour to obscure or peruerte the equitie of the same lawes and statutes . Howe some of those statutes may bee applied to vse , as well in our time , as in any other time , I haue particularly declared in this Booke , & some other I haue omitted for iust considerations , till I may offer them first vnto your Maiestie , to weigh them , as to your Highnesse shall seeme good : for many things in them are not to be published without your highnesse knowledge and approbation , namely because in them is declared all the rates of alloyes for all standerds from one ounce vpwarde , with other mysteries of Mynte matters , and also most part of the varieties of coynes , that haue beene currant in this your Maiesties realme by the space of sixe hundred yeares last past , and many of them that were currant in the time that the Romaines ruled here .

All which , with the auncient description of Englande and Irelande and my simple censure of the same , I haue almost compleated to be exhibited to your Highnesse .

In the meane season most humbly beseeching your Maiestie , to accept this simple treatise , not worthy to be presented to so high a Prince , but that my lowly request to your maiestie is , that this amongst other of my bookes may passe vnder the protection of your highnesse , whom I beseeche God most earnestly and dayly , according to my duetie , to aduaunce in all honour and princely regalitie , and to increase in all knowledge , iustice , and godly policie . Amen .