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THere ben many men at this daye the whiche alleggeth and groūdeth theyr wordes / & rea∣sons on the gospelles of the dystaues / & kno∣weth full lytell of what importaunce & aucto∣ryte they ben of / nor who was ye wyse doctou∣resses and the fyrst inuentouresses / and yet that worse is they allegge theym more by derysyon and mockery than they do for affeccyon yt they haue to the grete substaunce the whiche they conteyne. And this they haue alwaye in demynysshynge and reprochynge of ladyes / wherfore it is grete synne and grete shame to them that so doo. For they adnychyll the grete noblesse of ladyes / and the grete goodnes that from them procedeth / for bycause that the fyrst woman was made and create in a place hyghe and noble full of clennesse and fragrant aer / therfore ben all women naturally noble / honest / swete / fayre / & curteyse and full of sapyence / lyght and gentyll & so ryght so tell that it lacketh but lytell that they knowe thynges for to come. For they knowe by theyr propre nature after the comectures & dysposycyons of the weder / of persones / of argumentes / of byrdes / & of beestes & shortly of all other creatures / as it appereth by this present boke. Now it is so that for to contrary suche iniuryes & set theyr mockyn¦ges at nought / and exalte the ladyes & veryfye theyr gos∣pelles I haue studyed & ben theyr humble seruaunt from my youthe / and for the goodnes that they haue done to me I can not prayse them ynough / at the request of some my welbeloued I. H. W. haue translated this treatyse yt conteyneth the texte of the gospelles of dystaues / with dyuers gloses and postylles added therto by some wyse and dyscrete ladyes of whome I shall speke here after ensewynge in this treatyse.