Those fyue questions, which Marke Tullye Cicero, disputed in his manor of Tusculanum: written afterwardes by him, in as manye bookes, to his frende, and familiar Brutus, in the Latine tounge. And nowe, oute of the same translated, & englished, by Iohn Dolman, studente and felowe of the Inner Temple. 1561

❧ TO THE RYGHTE reuerende father in God, Iohn Bi∣shoppe of Sarum: Iohn Dolman, his dayly oratour, wysheth conti∣nuaunce of health, with en∣crease of honour.

RIght honourable: when as, partly, by the counsel of them that might com∣maund me, and partlye, by mine owne consent, I left the vniuersity: and began to apply my selfe to the studye of the common lawes of this realme: I felt my selfe chiefelye hindred therein, with the entermedlīg of those studies, the which, not without great delight, I had afore time vsed. The whych, be∣cause I was lothe to continue, to the defrauding of the expectation of those, with whom to trifle it had bene impie∣tie: I minded, to take my farewell of some such part of philosophye, as, both might be most profitable to the quiete leading of my life, to whatsoeuer trade I should giue my selfe: and also should

be so pleasaunt, that it might euen cloy me with delight. Whiche my desyre to satisfye, when I sought many bookes: yet found I none more meete, thē this. Which whiles I redde, I must needes confesse, that I was neuer more de∣lighted with any worke, except it were the sacred volume of the holye Scrip∣tures. Wherfore, when I had perused it ouer, and founde suche profyte, and pleasure therein, as it were not possi∣ble to finde the like in anye Ethnike wryter: I wyshed all men the lyke de∣lyght, as the reading of it brought vn∣to me. And because I coulde not mys∣doubt, but the learned had already tri∣ed into thintente, that the vnlearned also, might haue some fruicion therof: and, that our coūtrey, might at length flowe with the workes of philosophye: I endeuoured my selfe, althoughe not eloquentlye, yet playnely, to translate the same into our englishe tounge.

And considering, that there was none more meete, to haue the protection of so graue and learned a worke, thē your honour: remembring also, that the first

attempte, of the same parte of philoso∣phye, translated by maister Grimoald, passed forth vnder the protectiō, of one of that honourable vocation, to the whiche also, it hath pleased god, after sondry troubles, to call you: I thought it my dutye, in respecte of manye bene∣fites, by your lordship on me bestowed, to dedicate vnto you this my simple trauayle. Thinking y^t nothinge coulde be vnwelcome to your honour, that sa∣uoured Tullie. Whom I am not igno¦raunt, howe much you were wonte to esteeme. Wherfore, I hope, that, lyke∣as, your lordshippe was wont to be de∣lyghted with the Romane Tullye: euē so, this englishe Tullie (although not adourned, with like eloquence by the translator, yet varieng nothing in sēse) you wil not disdayne. Knowynge, that this simple scolers gyfte, contayneth the signifyeng, of as hearty good will towardes your honoure: as those grea∣ter presentes to, whyche craue requy∣ting. Thus, lothe to trouble your lord∣shippe any longer, wyth a vayne num∣ber of wordes (because manye wordes

ofte cause many trippes) I commende vnto your lordeshippe, the fauourable iudgemente of this my simple tra∣uayle: to be perused, at such time, as it shall seeme best, both for your leasure and pleasure. Written frō the inner temple the .xiiii. of Iuly.