[Transcriber's note:
The printed text marks the first few leaves of each 16-pagesignature: A.i., A.ii... Other page breaks are marked in thise-text with a single line | .
In the original text, the dialogue was printed as one continuousblock. This e-text has placed each speaker on a new line.
A few apparent typographic errors were corrected and are markedlikethis. Some additional problems are marked in the same waybut were left unchanged. All other spelling, capitalization andpunctuation are as in the original.]
A VE-
ry pleasaunt &
fruitful Dio-
loge called the
Epicure,
made by that fa-
mous clerke Eras
mus of Rotero-
dame, newly
translated.
1545.
S. Paule to the Ephesians
You that haue professed Christ,
suffre not your selues to be deceyued
vvith false doctrine, nor vaine
and noughtie talkyng, but herken
vnto all Godly thynges, and
especially too the doctryne
of the Gospell.
A.ii.
THE HABOVN-
daunt mercie and grace of our
heauenly father Iesu Christ,
maye alwaies strengthen
and defende oure noble
& vertuous Prynce Ed-
ward too the mainte-
naunce of the liue-
ly woord of
God.
HERE as manye histories of olde& auncient antiquitie, andalso al godly & Christiã writers most playnely consêttogether, and agree in this, that dignitie, riches, kinred,worldly pompe, and renoume, doo neither make men better, neyet happiar, contrarie too the blynde & fonde iudgement ofthe most part of menne: but by the power and strength of themynde, that is, learnyng, wysedome,|and vertue, allmenne are hyghly enriched, ornated, & most purely beutified,for these bee thinges bothe notable, eternall, and veryefamiliar betwene the heauenly father & vs. It is thereforeeuidente (most excellent Prince) that the fittest ornamêtesfor your graces tender age, bee, eruditiõ and vertue.Wherunto you are bothe so ernestly addicte and therin sowõderfully doo preuaile, that I nede not too exhorte &exstimulate your grace vnto the study thereof. For that Godhim self hath wrought, and fourmed your mynde so apt anddesirous too attayne and diligêtly too seeke for al godlydoctrine, that euê now you doo shewe in all youre saiyngesand dooinges suche a wonderfull pleasaûtes much lyke vnto acertayne swete musike or harmonie, that any honest hartexceadinglye woulde reioyce in the sight therof. Verely,your grace thinketh plainly all time lost, that is notbestowed vpon learnyng, which is a verie rare thyng in anyechilde, and rarest of all in a Prince. Thus youre noblenes,rather desireth vertue andA.iii.learning the mostsurest and excellent treasures, which farre surmounte allworldly ryches, then anye vanities or trifles. Nowe youregrace prepareth for the holsome and pleasaunt foode of themynde. Now you seke for that whiche you shal fynd mostsurest helper and faythfulst councellour in all youraffaires. Now your magnificêt mynde studieth that, whicheall Eng