Lucius Anneus Seneca amonge many other pratie
saienges (gentle reder) hathe this also, whiche in
my iudgement is as trew as it is wittie. Rogãdo
cogit qui rogat superior. And in effecte is thus
moch to say, yf a mãnes superior or his better
desyre any thige, he might aswell cõmãde it by
authoritie as ones to desyre it.

A gentleman a nere cosyn of myne, but moch nerer
in fryndshyp, eftesones dyd instant and moue me to
translate these two dyaloges folowynge, to whose
getlenes I am so moch obliged, indetted and
bounde, that he myght well haue cõmaunded me to
this and more paynes: to whome I do not onely owe
seruyce, but my selfe also. And in accõplysshynge
of his most honest request (partly by cause I
wolde not the moost inhumane fawte of Ingratitude
shuld wor||thely be imputed to me, & that I
might in this thynge also (accordynge to my
bounden dutie) gratifie my frende) I haue hassard
my selfe in these daungerous dayes, where many
are so capcyous, some prone and redy to malygne &
depraue, and fewe whose eares are not so
festidious, tendre, and redy to please, that in
very tryfles & thynges of small importaunce, yet
exacte dylygence and exquisite iudgement is loked
for and requyred, of them whiche at this present
wyll attempte to translate any boke be it that the
matter be neuer so base. But what diligence I have