Call you this, to be a Philosopher? and a louer of
Wisedome? To forsake the straight heauenly way: and to wallow in the
broad way of damnation? To forsake the light of heauenly Wisedome: and
to lurke in the dungeon of the Prince of darkenesse? To forsake the
Veritie of God, & his Creatures: and to fawne vpon the Impudent,
Craftie, Obstinate Lier, and continuall disgracer of Gods Veritie, to
the vttermost of his power? To forsake the Life & Blisse Aeternall: and
to cleaue vnto the Author of Death euerlasting? that Murderous Tyrant,
most gredily awaiting the Pray of Mans Soule? Well: I thanke God and our
Lorde Iesus Christ, for the Comfort which I haue by the Examples of
other men, before my time: To whom, neither in godlines of life, nor in
perfection of learning, I am worthy to be compared: and yet, they
sustained the very like Iniuries, that I do: or rather, greater. Pacient
_Socrates_, his _Apologie_ will testifie: _Apuleius_ his _Apologies_,
will declare the Brutishnesse of the Multitude. _Ioannes Picus_, Earle
of Mirandula, his _Apologie_ will teach you, of the Raging slaunder of
the Malicious Ignorant against him. _Ioannes Trithemius_, his _Apologie_
will specifie, how he had occasion to make publike Protestation: as well
by reason of the Rude Simple: as also, in respect of such, as were
counted to be of the wisest sort of men. "Many could I recite: But I
deferre the precise and determined handling of this matter: being loth
to detect the Folly & Mallice of my Natiue Countrey men. *

[* ->]

Who, so hardly, can disgest or like any extraordinary course of
Philosophicall Studies: not falling within the Cumpasse of their
Capacitie: or where they are not made priuie of the true and secrete
cause, of such wonderfull Philosophicall Feates." These men, are of
fower sortes, chiefly. The first, I may name, _Vaine pratling busie
bodies_: The second, _Fond Frendes_: The third, _Imperfectly zelous_:
and the fourth, _Malicious Ignorant_. To eche of these (briefly, and in
charitie) I will say a word or two, and so returne to my Praeface.

[1.]

_Vaine pratling busie bodies_, vse your idle assemblies, and
conferences, otherwise, then in talke of matter, either aboue your
Capacities, for hardnesse: or contrary to your Consciences, in Veritie.

[2.]

_Fonde Frendes_, leaue of, so to commend your vnacquainted frend, vpon
blinde affection: As, because he knoweth more, then the common Student:
that, therfore, he mu