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TO THE LOVING Reader. The Preface of Maister Ro: RECORD.
SORE oftetimes haue I la∣mented with my selfe the infortunate cōdition of En∣gland, seeing so many great Clerks to arise in sundrie o∣ther partes of the world, and so few to appeare in this our nation: whereas for preg∣nancie of naturall witte (I thinke) few nations doe ex∣cell English men: But I cannot impute the cause to any other thing than to the contēpt or misseregard of lear∣ning. For as Englishmen are inferior to no men in mo∣ther witte, so they passe all men in vaine pleasures, to which they may attaine with great paine or labour: and are as slacke to any, neuer so great commoditie, if there hang of it any paineful studie or trauelsome labour.
Howbeit, yet all men are not of that sort, though the most part be, the more pitie it is: but of them that are so glad, not onlie with paineful studie and studious paine to attaine learning, but also with as great studie & paine to communicate their learning to others, and make all England, if it might be, partakers of the same, the moste part are suche, that vnneth they can support their owne