Tudor Letters Index

To the reader   IF thou doest rede thys whole worke, beholde rather the matter and excuse the speeche, consydering it is the worke of a woman wiche hath in her neyther science or know- ledge, but a desyre that eche one might se what they gifte of god doth when it pleaseth hym to justifie the harte of a man. For what thinge is a man (as for hys owne strenght) before that he hath receyved the gifte of fayth wherby onely hath the know- ledge of the goodnes, wisedom and [5r] (181K) power of god, and as soone as he knowethe the truthe, than is his hart full of love, and charitie. So that by the ferventenes therof he doth exclu- de all vayne feare, and stedfastely doth hope upon god unfaynedly. Even so the gifte the wich oure crea- toure giveth at the beginninge doth never reste tyll he hath made hym godly, wich putteth hys trust in god. O the hapy gifte wich causeth a ma[n] to be like unto god and to possesse hys so desyred dwellinge. Alas no man coulde never understande it, on- les by this gifte god hathe gyven [5v] (183K) hym it and he hath great cause to doubte of it, onles god hath made hym fele it into hys harte. Therfore reader, with a godly mynde: i beseche the to take it pacientely to peruse this worke, wich is but lytell, and taste nothinge but the frutte of it: praieng to god, full of all goodnes, that in your harte he will plante the lively fayth. [6r] (221K)