RICHARD TAVERner to the Christen Readers.

FOR asmuche as nat
only fathers and mothers
whiche by the
lawe of god be commaunded
to teache theyr chyldren
godfathers and godmothers
whiche be as it were suerties
for the same purpose
haue bene of longe tyme in suche
sorte blynded and vtterly
ignoraunt in Christes doctrine
whiche neuertheles they professe,
that they be nat able to
Catechise, that is to say, to institute,
teache, bryng vp, and
instructe theyr chyldren, for

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whom the one haue promised
to the churche at the Christening
of the same, the other are
bou~den by goddes lawe as afore
is remembred to se them
taught and ryghtly instructed
in the christe~ faythe and lawes
of god: but also the prestes the~selues
whiche be theyr curates
and pastoures where as by
Paules sentence they ought to
be apte to teache partely for
defaulte of lerning and partly
for neglectynge theyr flocke
lyke careles hyrelinges be
exceading defectiue in this behalfe:
I therfore moued of
christen charitie to vtter the lytle
talent that God hathe endowed
me with, am enforced,
accordynge to the example of
learned men in other cou~treis,
to set forthe vnto my cou~treymen
some handsome and compendiouse Catechisme which
is so called because it instructeth,
and bryngeth vp the
yo~ge christia~ in Christes lawe
For vndoubted suche one is
to be set forthe in the churche
to be lerned and as it were dro~ken
in of chyldren, to be ofte~
reuolued of men and women,
yea and to be continually caryed
in the ha~des or bosomes
but much rather i~ the hertes

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of all ages, for an instruction
to the ignorau~t persons, a co~forte
to the troubled, reioyce
to the faythfull, spurre to the
slouthfull, brydell to the arrogant,
relief to the desperate,
occupation to the ydle, refresshyng
to the occupied, to be
shorte, an argume~t and mater
for sklender shepherdes wher
vpon to instructe theyr cure.
Nowe therfore, lyke as the
kynges most excellent maiesty
moste worthy to be compared
vnto the godly kynge Ezechias,
whiche destroyed the
moste detestable ydolatrie of
the brasen serpe~t, by the hygh
prouidence of God traueileth
dayly of a wonderfull zeale he
beareth to the auau~cement of
godes true religion, to banysh
all poprie and Romyshe marchaundyse
within this his graces
realme, to the vnspeakable
healthe of his people the churche
of Engla~de, to the supremacie
wherof he is by the said
prouide~ce of god nowe at last
in spyte of all his enemies restored:
So semblably it shalbe
your parte to embrace suche
pure, true and sincere doctrine
of Christe as setteth forth the
same, & so vtterly to renou~ce
nat only the Romisshe byshop

A.iiij.

our archenemie and the moste
pestile~t ouerthrower of al godlynes,
but also his deuelyshe
lawes, constitutions and supersticious
thynges whiche haue
hertofore intangled our consciences
contrary to the Euangelicall
libertie and trouthe of
gods worde.
That if ye shall appeare louyngly
& gredely to embrace
this brief worke, wherin is co~prysed
aswell compendiously
as purely the holy doctrine of
the christen religion: ye shall
occasion me not only nat to repente
me of my paynes taken
for your sakes in this behalfe,
but also to take the lyke when
so euer I shal espy that my industry
and dilige~ce may serue
to your edification, profyt, instruction
and pleasure, whiche
thynge is my onely desire and
instau~t prayer, as best knoweth
god, that seeth all, to whom
be all glory prayse and
thankes for euer
and euer.
Amen.
GOD SAVE
THE KYNGE.