TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL MASTER DOCTOR WILKINSON Principall of Mag∣dalen Hall: The Masters, Batchelours, and other Stu∣dents of that flourishing Societie.

CVstome hath made de∣dication of bookes al∣most as common, as Printing of them: and Wisdome directs there to dedicate, where we owe either respect, or thankes: this worke therefore is yours by right, the Author Page  [unnumbered] thereof (who is now with God) vnderta∣king it at your request, and performing it a∣mongst you for your good, so that now to bestow it vpon you is not a gift, but retribu∣tion: and I hope, it will both stirre you vp to be carefull to continue fit men to stand vp in his place, and remaine to his successours as a patterne of imitation, if it be too high for ae∣mulation. To commend this Authour to you, were to bring Owles to Athens, and for me to commend the worke, would not adde much worth to it: I know nothing can dis∣parage it, vnlesse it be a naked Margent: but you and all that will be pleased to take notice of his yeares, and great abilities in all humane learning, wil confesse he could not haue time to reade many Fathers, and so that defect may be easily pardoned. For he had fully finished sixe lusters of yeares, yet had hee throughly traced the circle of the Arts, and attained to an eminency, not only in those ordinary Sciences, wherein all Schollers haue some smattering, but euen in those sublimer speculations of which all are not capable, Page  [unnumbered] few search after: For hee was export in the Mathematickes both mixt, and pure: his skill in Histories was also praise-worthy: some¦time he spent (and not without successe) in trauailing to learne 〈…〉 and much trauaile in the study of our home-taught tongues, that he had worth to lai•e beene Professour 〈…〉, or H•brew: all which indowments, as they 〈◊〉 after∣wards haue enabled him to read with much profit, so could they not chuse but preuent younger yeares from reading at all the anci∣ent Fathers, so it was not want, but abun∣dance of learning, that tooke vp his time, and preuented his Margent, and therefore I hope shall not disparage this worke. The first wea∣pon young Fencers learne to vse is single sword, when they are masters of that, they inlarge their skill; our Author was but yong, let it not preiudice him, that he first vses one∣ly the sword of the Spirit, the word of God; especially sith that is so dextrously weelded, that by it alone he hath deadly wounded the Romish Leuiathan: Therefore (as in my Page  [unnumbered] knowledge▪ these Lectures were heard with much applause, so doe I perswade my selfe, they wil be read with great approbation, and occasion the publishing of other Lectures, and priuate labours, wherein hee tooke no lesse paines, nor deserued lesse praise, then in his publike indeauours. So hoping that you will accept this small paines of mine, I take my leaue, and rest