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The Prologe of a gret doctour recomendyng Aristotille.
gOd almyghty kepe oure kyng and conferme his Rewme in the lawe of god, and make him regne in gladnes, in lovyng, and in worshipe of god. I that am servitoure of the kyng, haue put in execucioun his comaundement, and travaylid forto gete the book of good thewes to him; whiche is callid the secrete of secretis of the makyng of Aristotille, prince of philesofris, sone of Machomete of macedonye, which was sent to his discipille as in governaunce Alexandre the emperoure, sone of kyng Philip of Grece, the whiche Alexaundre had two Crownes. This book made this forseyd Aristotille in his gret age, whan he myght not travayle ne done the nedis that he had in charge of Alexandre. ffor Alexandre had made him governoure and maystir aboue alle othir, for the excellent witt þat he had in clergie and sotille vndirstondyng, for euyr he was stodiyng in good and gracious thewes, charitabille, spirituelle and contemplatyf; and also he was so wys & meke, and lovyd resoun and rightwisnes; and euyr reportid trouthe and lewte. Therfore oold Philesofres seyne by him, that they haue founden in Greke bokis that god hath sent his excellent Aungille and seyde to him, "y shalle do the to be namyd thorugh alle the world more for Aungille than for man." And witith welle that Aristotille made in his lyvyng many wondres, of the whiche [folio 2b] some be right meruelous to telle; and in his diyng fille many mervelous thingis. Wherfore a certeyne Religioun helde an opynyon that Aristotille was mountid vp to hevene in lyknes to a dowue of fyre. And as long as Aristotille lyvid, Alexandre bi his counselle helde alle londis vndir foote and conquerid alle lordshipes of the world, and thorugh alle londis went his fame and his renome. Alle nacions were putt vndir his imperialite and comaundement, and specially they of perce and of Arabie, and no lond durste withstond him in word nor dede. And Aristotille made many fayre Epistolis for the gret loue that he had to Alexandre, forto make him knowe alle secretis that bilongith any erthely man to knowe or vndirstond. And on of his Epistelis is here vndir writene, which he sent to Alexandre. ffor whan Alexandre had put hem of Perce in subieccioun, and the grettist men of Romaynes had in his prisone, he sent an Epistille to Aristotille in these wordes folowyng.