The abridgemente of goddes statutes in myter, set oute by Wylliam Samuel seruaunt to the Duke of Somerset hys grace

¶To the most honorable and verte∣ous Lady Anne, Duches of Somerset her Grace, William Samuell her moste hūble and faithful seruant, wisheth the fauoure of God, encrease of honour, long lyfe, and pros∣perous healthe, bothe of bodie and soule.

WHen I consyderid with my selfe the lobours & paynes that haue bine taken of dyuers builders in Chrystes churche (my gracyous Lady and mistris) I thought my selfe not borne into the earth, to be a loker on the bildinge, or to iland gapyng at other menes dylygence, but to put to my helpyng hand, for feare lest y^t I shulde be rewardyd emong the Idel persons, or haue that smal talent taken from me, that my master gaue me, for not putting it to the chaunge bāke. I haue now but begon, as it were the squa¦ring out of a greate stone & do offer vp vnto your grace the begynnyng of my work, and If I shal perceiue that my symple doyngs, shall be well acceptid, of your grace (as the grosse doing of the same may be an occasion to y^e contrary) then shal I gladlye go on or procede in my doynge, at the least wyse ex∣ersise, shal I doubt not but make eueri part better thā y^e other at their forth commyng▪ My mynd is that I wold haue my contrey

people able in a smale some to syng the hole contents of the byble, & where as in tymes past the musicians or mynstrells, wer wont to syng fained myracles, saints liues, & Ro¦bin hode, in stede thereof to sing, vndoutyd truthes, canonycall scryptures, and Gods doynges •• haue also begon the same order that I intend to kepe as where a boke hath thyrtye, forty, or fythtye chapters, to deuyd it into fyttes, or partes, that it shall not be to tedyous to the reader, synger, or hearer, to haue the boke in practys. Also thys my doyngs I trust shall cause the scrypturs, to be often read, as the man y^t hearyth a parte of a story in y^e scryptures, & doth not knowe the hole: thys may moue the hole to be red, And to those that be well sene in the holye wrytyngs, this shall kepe thē in remēbrāce of those good things that they haue lernid The abrygement of Gods acts or statutes I do call it because it is a sūme or short rehersal of thinges done at large in the Byble booke, whych may be called the kyng of al kinges actes, desyrynge your grace to take it in good worth and to accepte my good wyll as I truste your grace wyll.