Unto his right entierly beloued sister in crist Ioyeuce Leigh thomas more greting in our lorde.

HIt is and of longe time hath bene my well beloued
sister a custome in the begynnyng of ye
new yere frendes to sende betwene presentis or yeftis /
as the witnesses of their loue and fre~dsship and
also signifyenge that they desyre eche to other that
yere a good co~tynuance and prosperous ende of that
lukky bigynnynge. But co~munely all those presentes
that are vsed customably all in thys maner betwene
fre~dis to be sent: be such thyngis as pertayne
only vnto the body eithir to be fed or to be cledd or
some othir wyse delyted: by which hit semyth that
their frendshyp is but fleshly & stretchith in maner
to the body only. But for asmoch as the loue & amyte
of christen folke shuld be rather gostly frendsshyp
then bodili: sith that all feithfull peple are rather spirituall
then carnall. For as the apostle seith we be not
now in flessh but in spiret if christ abide in vs. I therfore
myne hartely beloued sister i~ good lukk of this
new yere haue sent you such a present as may bere
witnes of my tendre loue & zele to the happy continuaunce
and graciouse encreace of vertue in your
soule: and where as the giftis of other folk declare yt
thei wissh their fre~des to be worldeli fortunate myne
testifieth that I desire to haue you godly prosperous
These warkis more profitable then large were made
in latyne by one Iohn~ pic=9= erle of Mira~dula a lordshyp
in Italy of whos co~nyng & vertue we nede here

A

no thyng to speke for asmuch as heraftir we peruse
the course of his hole life rather aftir our litle power
slenderly then aftir his merites sufficie~tly. The warkes
are such that trewly goode sister I suppose of ye
quantite ther co~meth none in your hande more profitable:
neithir to the achyuyng of temperaunce in prosperite /
nor to ye purchasing of patience in aduersite/
nor to the dispising of worldly vanite / nor to the desiring
of heuinly felicite. which warkis I wolde require
you gladly to receiue: ne were hit that they be
such that for the goodly mater (how so euir they be
tra~slated) may delite & please any person that hath
any meane desire and loue to god. And that your self
is such one as for your vertue & feruent zele to god
can not but ioyously receiue any thing that meanely
sownith eithir to the reproche of vyce commendation
of vertue or honoure and laude of god who preserue
you.