all no lesse be enriched with good Authors, then are
other straunge tounges: as the Dutch, French, Italian, and
Spanishe: in which are red all good authors in a maner, found
amongest the Grekes or Latines. Which is the chiefest cause,
that amongest them do florishe so many cunning and skilfull men,
in the inuentions of straunge and wonderfull thinges, as in
these our daies we see there do. Which fruite and gaine if I
attaine vnto, it shall encourage me hereafter, in such like sort
to translate, and set abroad some other good authors, both
pertaining to religion (as partly I haue already done) and also
pertaining to the Mathematicall Artes. Thus gentle
reader farewell._ (?[?])

[Decoration]

[leaf] TO THE VNFAINED LOVERS
of truthe, and constant Studentes of Noble
_Sciences, _IOHN DEE_ of London, hartily_
wisheth grace from heauen, and most prosperous
_successe in all their honest attemptes and_
exercises.

Diuine _Plato_, the great Master of many worthy Philosophers, and the
constant auoucher, and pithy perswader of _Vnum_, _Bonum_, and _Ens_: in
his Schole and Academie, sundry times (besides his ordinary Scholers)
was visited of a certaine kinde of men, allured by the noble fame of
_Plato_, and the great commendation of hys profound and profitable
doctrine. But when such Hearers, after long harkening to him, perceaued,
that the drift of his discourses issued out, to conclude, this _Vnum_,
_Bonum_, and _Ens_, to be Spirituall, Infinite, Aeternall, Omnipotent,
&c. Nothyng beyng alledged or expressed, How, worldly goods: how,
worldly dignitie: how, health, Strength or lustines of body: nor yet the
meanes, how a merueilous sensible and bodyly blysse and felicitie
hereafter, might be atteyned: Straightway, the fantasies of those
hearers, were dampt: their opinion of _Plato_, was clene chaunged: yea
his doctrine was by them despised: and his schole, no more of them
visited. Which thing, his Scholer, _Aristotle_, narrowly considering,
founde the cause therof, to be, "For that they had no forwarnyng and
information, in generall," whereto his doctrine tended. For, so, might
they haue had occasion, either to haue forborne his schole hauntyng: (if
they, then, had misliked his Scope and purpose) or constantly to haue
continued therin: to their full satisfaction: if such his finall scope &
intent, had ben to their desire. Wherfore, _Aristotle_, euer, after
that, vsed in brief, to forewarne his owne Sc