Galateo of Maister Iohn Della Casa, Archebishop of Beneuenta. Or rather, A treatise of the ma[n]ners and behauiours, it behoueth a man to vse and eschewe, in his familiar conuersation A worke very necessary & profitable for all gentlemen, or other. First written in the Italian tongue, and now done into English by Robert Peterson, of Lincolnes Inne Gentleman.

To the Right Honorable my singular good Lord, the Lord Ro∣bert Dudley, Earle of Leycester, Baron of Den∣bigh, Knight of the Honorable order of the Garter, Maister of the Queenes Maiesties Hor∣ses, and one of her Highnesse priuie Counsell: Robert Peterson wisheth perfect felicitie.

LIghting of late (Right Hono∣rable) vpon this treatise of cour∣tesie, penned by an experienced Italiā, & drawn for the profit ther∣of, in to so many lāguages: I thought his lessons fit for our store, & sought to make him speake Englishe.

Wise was that Cato, that ended bothe his learning, and liuing day together. And truly, Courtesie and Courtiership, be like Hippocrates

twinnes, that laughe together, and grow together: and are so one affec∣ted, that who so diuorceth them, de∣stroieth them. But yet, seeing moe redie to condemne the least trip then commend the best meaning, and knowing that the Scarre sticketh thogh good desert do hele the woūd: & perceiuing that Naeuus in arti culo pueri delectat Alcaeū, & Ro scij oculi peruersissimi catulum, That is, many dote on their fansie: I durst not sēd this, mine Heyre & firste fruites of my toile, to the view of the world, without the guarde of your Patronage, wherin there is no presumption to teach them that are perfected, but may serue either as Simonides Characters, to stablish

memory, or as an Index, to point thē to other behauiours enrolled wher∣soeuer. Spread therefore (I beseeche your honour) the winges of welly∣king ouer this worke, which presseth to you, as not only the patrone to pro¦tect, but the patterne to expresse a∣ny courtesie therin cōteined. Mine Authour reporteth one Maestro Chiarissimo a perfect Masō, whē he had described the finest precepts of his art, to haue made his Regolo a pyller so exactly, as would beare the proofe of euery demonstration, thinking it learned speedely, where the mind and the eye, precept and experience ioyned hands together: whose steps I tread (though with bet¦ter successe then mine Author, who

could not finde a Regolo) hoping, when others shall come to trie these preceptes, not by showe or sound, as fooles do their Golde: but, by your behauiour, as by the touchstone: whē they shal come, not token aloofe, but at hand, to view your so singular de∣meanour, so ciuil, so courteous, as ma¦keth you renoumed abrode, and ho∣nored at home: coueted of the No∣blest, & wonderful of the learnedst: when they shall in the glasse of your courtesie, see the blots that ble∣mishe the dignitie of their estate: when they cōpare these lessons with the Regolo, they shal herein see no lesse commoditie, then was in Alci∣biades Sileni (wherevnto Socrates was compared) whiche though they

bare not, in the front, any shewe of singularitie: yet within, bare they pictures of excellent wit & delight. This worke, if it please your honour to vouchsafe as a companion of ease to trace the pathes, which you haue already so well beaten, (which pre∣sumeth not to be guide for conducti∣on) or if your honour daine at highe leasure to peruse it (whiche is not cūningly but faithfully translated) I doubt not, but your cōuntenance will so credit the Author, as wil em∣bolden him to presse amongst the thickest throng of Courtiers: And herewithall beseeche your honour, to accept the humble and dutifull meaning minde of him: who, not sa∣tisfied, till he might by some meanes

giue shewe of his thankefull minde, for your honorable fauours shewed vnto him, hathe offered this small, though as faithfull a gyfte as Sinae∣tes did to Cyrus: hoping, that your honour will take it as well in worth, as Artaxerxes did his poore Per∣sians handfull of water. Thus with hartie prayer, for the aduauncemēt of your estate, increase of honor, & attainement of perfect and perpe∣tual felicitie: I cōmend your Lord∣ship, to the patronage and protectiō of the Almightie. Your Lord∣ships moste humble to dispose and commaunde.

Robert Peterson.