TO THE REDERS.
To the gentill reders and
syncere louers of
truthe.

YOu shall haue here, gentill reders,
a small dialoge betwene
the Lawyere & Diuine: wherin
if there lacke suche eloquence,
suche dryfte of argumentes and conueyance
of reasons, as parauenture ware
requisite, and as ye shall desyre: yet we
shall moste entierly pray you, that where
we be nat sufficient to supplye the same,
to content your selfe with this our rudenesse,
declarynge the pure truthe alone:
whiche you shall be right sure to fynde in
this poore treatyse. For here haue you
no newe allegatyon of mans inuention or
imaginatio~: but onely taken of the scripture
of god, of the counsels, and ordinances
of the churche vniuersall, of mooste
auncient popes and other holy doctours
wryttinges, with the factes and authoryties
of blessed men besyde, withoute
wrythinge or wrestynge of any of them:
beyng taken of whome and of none other
I am sure you will say it is to be estemed

A 2

for a most assured truthe. Prayenge you
most benigne reders that tho some wolde
saye that they be nat truely alleged, rather
to gyue credence to so many approued
vniuersities whiche affirme our allegations
to be true: than to the asseueration
of any other, specially of some fewe
affectionate persones, whiche do or may
endeuour to denye the same. And nowe
therfore to tell you the very truthe, this
same is the grounded cause why this lytell
worke beareth his name, whiche is
the Glasse of truthe. For it is plainly the
same clere glasse, within the whiche ye
shall see and beholde (if ye loke well and
leysurely in it) the playne truthe of our
mooste noble and louinge princis cause:
whiche by vnmete and vnkynde handelinge
hathe hytherto had so ouerlonge a
staye. The whiche doutlesse if we well
considre, is moche more our hynderance
than his. For his lacke of heyres male is
a displeasure to him but for his life tyme:
as lackinge that whiche naturally is desyred
of all men to haue childerne. But
our lacke shall be permanent so longe as
the worlde lasteth: excepte that god prouide.

For tho we haue a female heyre,
whiche is bothe indued with moche vertue
& grace in many dootes and gyftes,
yet if a male might be atteyned it ware
moch more sure, if we well perpende and
pondre many vrgent & wayghtie causes.
Amongest whiche this one, is depely to
be forsene, that if the female heyre, shall
chaunce to rule, she can nat co~tinue longe
without an husbande. whiche by goddes
lawe, muste than be her gouernour and
heed, and so finally shall directe this realme.
But who that shulde be, with the
contentement of the subiectes, me thinketh,
it were harde to excogitate. For
proximitie of blode, is to great a lette to
some, otherwise mete for that purpose,
except we wolde be so beestly to put our
necke eftsones in the snare of this erronious
prohibited errour, whiche is, and
hathe ben alwayes detested by the moste
parte of all the famous clerkes of christen
dome. The punisshement whereof, were
to terrible to be suffered, and also to abhominable
to be harde of, emonges christen
folke. On the other side, to other
some, it were daungerous, leste we shulde

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make the~ superiours to vs, ouer whome,
we clayme superioritie, seynge the manne
must rule the woman. Others outwarde
mete personages our sklender wittes can
nat comprehende. And as touchinge any
mariage within this realme, we thinke, it
were harde to deuise any condigne and
able person, for so highe an enterprise,
moche harder, to finde one, with whome
the holle realme wolde & coulde be contented
to haue him ruler and gouernour.
Wherfore we thinke the establysshement
of titles is nat so surely rooted nor yet
so entierlye mainteyned by the female
as by male. Whiche well consydered
syns the vnion of all titles do remayne
and be collocate in him onely, we oughte
of duetie (if oure wittes may thereto extende)
to excogitate all wayes to vs possible,
howe we might atteyne the succession
of heyres male. And that way ones
founde, erenestly with celerite to putte in
vre: in no wise sufferinge this wayghtie &
vrgent cause to be lenger differred or delayed,
by those whiche do but vsurpe to
them selfes an honoure and vayne glory
contrary to many generall counsels and

their owne lawes also: as more playnly
shall appere in this litell treatise of truth.
For els accordynge to an auncyent prouerbe,
To longe abode is causer of moch
daungere, we might be moche indemnyfyed
and hyndered. Farthermore you
shall in this Glasse see, howe that nowe
it ought to be ordred after our simple iugementes:
so to haue a good and perfitte
ende, moste for his honour and quietyng
of conscience, for oure great welthe, & for
the prosperite of this his noble realme.
And nowe this same is the truth, of whiche
scripture saieth. That great is the
truth, of strength and power of boue all:
with it there is none iniquite, none ylle
dealynge, none obstinate and frowarde
bablynge, no malicious backebytynge,
no sclaunderous and factious enforsinge.
This is the sole truth lefte vntill her selfe.
Without all vayne ostentation, without
inuentinge or borowynge of ydell titles
and inscriptions, withoute colourynge
dissemblynge, pretense and all outwarde
paintynge. Ye shall fynde here the mere
truthe (as we truste) withoute all malignyng,
rayling gestyng and detractynge

of them, that of truthe no suche haue deserued:
the whiche it may be your lotte
to see and here some where els. Moche
more we might induce to sette forthe and
adourne this Glasse of truth before you,
saue that the processe folowyng shall sufficiently
and moche better perfourme the
same, to the which I hooly remitte you:
euermore mooste hartely prayenge you
godly myldly & without all yll affection
to emprynte well in youre hartes this
mere and syncere truthe, and so to folowe
it that you may do a thinge acceptable to
the pleasure of almyghtie god, and
contentation of our souerayne
and prince. And thus
fare ye well in
god louing
brotherne.
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