To the most reuerend Fathers in
God, my Lordes, Mathew Archbishop
of Canterburie and Edmond Archbishop of
Yorke, and to the Reuerend Father in God
Edwyne my Lord Bishop of London, and to all the
other reuerend Fathers my Lordes the Bishops
of all the seuerall Dioceses in England.
MAy it please your good
Graces and Fatherhodes
to permitt me, with all
humilitie and reuerence
to render you in this preface
an accompt of my
purpose & doing in publishing
this Catechisme
by me translated, and offred
to the Chirch of
England vnder protection
of your names.
Wheras there was very lately a latine Catechisme
printed, wherin the summe of Christian religion
was sett forth, in short questions and answers, yet
not conteyning bare and naked affirmations onely,
but shewing also some causes and reasons to the
same annexed, and well furnished with places of
scripture noted in the margine for proofe therof: in
which Catechisme there hath also great labor and
diligence ben bestowed about the puritie of the Latine
tong, that such as were studious of that language,
specially the youth, might at once with one
labor learne the truth of religion and the purenesse
of the Latine tong together: That Catechisme I
haue thought good to translate into English, as well

A.ij.

for the vse of such as vnderstand no latine at all, as
also for their commoditie who hauing a litle sight in
that language desire some more perfection therin.
For which cause I haue not vsed that libertie in rendering
the sense at large, which the order of tra~slation
doth permitt vnto me, but haue willingly for the
benefit of the meaner learned, tyed my selfe very
much to obseruing of the wordes themselues, but so
yet that I had alway regard to the naturall propertie
and easinesse of our natiue tong.
This booke as it will be profitable to such as do
vnderstand English onely, so will it bring double
profit to those, who being somwhat skilled in the
latine tong and desiring more skill, will compare the
Latine booke with the English, whereby they may
at once learne, as I sayd, the truth of religion, and the
puritie of the Latin tong. And least the reader desirous
to compare any the partes or sentences of the
Latine and English bookes, might be hindered, I
haue procured that the English print answereth the
Latine, page for page throughout the whole bokes,
so that any sentence may at the first easily be found
in both the bookes. This exercise in my opinion is
most mete for the vse of such ecclesiasticall ministers
and studious youth as haue not yet the perfect
knowledge either of religion or of the Latin speche,
who by experience may finde as I thinke more
profit hereby then they would suppose vpon the first
view. Neither is this conference of translations, by
them who be very well learned iudged vnprofitable
for such as are competently learned.
The booke hath also one further vse of very good
exercise for those that desire to see more at large
how the doctrine herein taught is confirmed by the
word of God the only rule of true religion, that is, if
such as shall reade it to learne truth, but specially ecclesiasticall
ministers whose charge is to teach truth,
shal resort to the places of scripture noted in the margine
& rede them in the Bible at large & then marke
how eche thing here affirmed is there well confirmed,
and how the doctrine here deliuered is not
onely in all partes fully approued by Gods holy
word, but also for the most part vttered in the very
wordes of the text, so farr as may be with respect of
purenesse of the Latin phrase. By which meane they
shall also be occasioned to be better acquainted with
the scriptures them selues and with the true and naturall
vnderstanding of them. And therin be it remembred
that the last numbres in the quotations
shewing the diuisions within the chapiters, are gathered
according to the great Bible last printed. This
exercise who so shall assay shall finde it of maruellous
great profit, both for conceyuing truth to the satisfiing
of conscience, and for deliuering truth to the
discharge of dutie.
It may perhappes be maruelled of some, why
throughout the booke, as well in the Latin as in this
translated, the Master asketh, the Scholar answereth,
and euer the declaration of the matter is put in the
scholars mouth, so as some may muse why the scholar
may seme to be made wiser then the maister. This
obiection hath easy answer, & such answer as it hath
I thought mete to disclose. It may not be thought
that the maister here enquireth of the scholar as desirous
to learne of him, nor that the scholar enformeth
the maister as presuming to teach him. But the
maister opposeth the scholar to see how he hath profited,
& the scholar rendereth to the maister to geue

A.iij.

accompt of his memory and diligence. And that it
may appere that this order of opposing by the maister
and rendering by the scholar, for good reason
might seme to the author more conuenient than the
other forme which some other writers of catechismes
haue vsed, that is, of enquiring by the scholar,
and teaching by the maister, without preiudice alway
or condemning the other it may be remembred
that the end and purpose of Catechisme is in
good and naturall order fittly applied to serue the
good vse of Confirmation by the bishop, at which
time the bishop which confirmeth, doth not teach
but examine, and in his whole maner of opposing
vseth such forme as here in like sort the Catechumenus
or childe is prepared vnto. Which is also not
done without example, for the same maner is in the
short Catechisme now vsed in the church of England
at Confirmation.
Now surely there are no greater meanes of auauncing
true religion, and rooting out of errors,
than these two, that is to say, Catechisme or good
instruction of youth, and good information of ecclesiasticall
ministers in sound truth & the proues therof,
howsoeuer perhappes they may lacke some full
furniture of other learninges. And therewith for my
part I haue long thought it a much better way toward
remouing of heresies & superstitions whereof
Rome hath brought vs & left vs plentie to deale
first with plaine setting out of truth as not in controuersie,
without dealing at the beginning with the
strife of confutation. For so both discretion and charitie
in the teacher is easilier kept, and truth once being
settled, error will fall of it selfe, so that he which
hath once thus with conference of Gods word
conceiued a certaine and stayed iudgement of
truth, shall either wonder how absurde errors
haue ben receiued, or shall with lesse perill heare
them talked of.
These thinges all considered, and how this boke
serueth to all these good endes, and therewithall remembred
how it hath pleased almighty God of his
great goodnesse and loue, and to the singular benefit
of this his Chirch of England, vnder the Queenes
most excellent maiestie the most honorable instrument
of auauncing his religion and glory in her dominions
and of bringing truth and peace to the consciences
of her subiectes, to ordeine your graces and
fatherhodes the chefe pastors and gouerners of his
flocke for doctrine and all ecclesiasticall duties: the
first author of this boke in Latine had very good
reason to offer his worke vnto you, that as the people
of Gods flock in England are vnder your charge,
so they might receiue so great a benefit as this is vnder
your name, and thereby you our gouerners on
the one part might be the rather moued to further
so good intention, & we all vnder your gouernance
on the other part be made more redy to receiue it
with better assurance of good alowance, & to thanke
God the geuer of all good thinges, and guyder of all
good doinges and purposes, and as mete is that we
and our posteritie, so long as an English childe or other
shall in this catechisme learne Christianitie, may
kepe in thankfull remembrance the happinesse of
these good times, the blessed memorie of her maiestie,
and the good names of you Gods good ministers
now chefe pastors of this his flocke, in whose
time to your and our comfortable consideration be
it spoken God hath so liberally spred among vs the

A.iiij.

light of his gospell, and praised be he, and happy be
ye therfore hath made you his faithfull dispensers
of so great a grace.
The same reasons that so moued the first author,
haue also moued me to offer my translation vnto
you, comprising herein as patrones all the fathers
and lordes of the Clergie, but specially and by name
your graces my Lordes the Archbishops, to whose
prouinces the whole realme perteineth, and your fatherhode
my Lord of London to whose Diocese
London a light to the rest of England belongeth,
and to whom my selfe dwelling within your charge
do owe particular dutie.
This my intent and labor being to do good to
as many and largely as I possibly could, if I shall vnderstand
to be with the Reders taken in good part
and vsed to their benefit, as the rather by your good
meanes, and names it may be I shall thinke my trauail
very well bestowed, holding my selfe in the
meane time contented with the conscience of a
good meaning bent to do good so farre as my skill
and power would extend. The successe herof I committ
to God, the iudgement I submitt to you,
for whom and whose zele I prayse God,
and pray to him for your preseruation
to the benefit of his
Chirch.
Your most humble. T. Norton.