To the Right Honorable my singular good Lord, the Lord Robert Dudley, Earle of Leicester, Baron of Denbigh, Knight of the Honorable order of the Garter, Maister of the Queenes Majesties Horses, and one of her Highnesse privie Counsell: Robert Peterson wisheth perfect felicitie.

Lighting of late (Right Honorable) upon this treatise of courtesie, penned by an experienced Italian, & drawn for the profit therof, in to so many languages: I thought his lessons fit for our store, & sought to make him speake Englishe.

Wise was that Cato, that ended bothe his learning, and living day together. And truly, Courtesie and Courtiership, be like Hippocrates twinnes, that laughe together, and grow together: and are so one affected, that who so divorceth them, destroyeth 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 wound: & perceiving that Naevus in articulo pueri delectat Alcaeum, & Roscii oculi perversissimi catulum, That is, many dote on their fansie: I durst not send this, mine Heire and 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 serve either as Simonides Characters, to stablish memory, or as an Index, to point them to other behaviours enrolled whersoever. Spread therefore (I beseeche your honour) the winges of wel liking over this worke, which presseth to you, as not only the patrone to protect, but the patterne to expresse any courtesie therin conteined. Mine Authour reporteth one Maestro Chiarissimo a perfect Mason, when he had described the finest precepts of his art, to have made his Regolo a piller so exactly, as would beare the proofe of every demonstration, thinking it learned speedely, where the mind and the eye, precept and experience joined hands together: whose steps I tread (though with better 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 behaviour, as by the touchstone: when they shal come, not to ken aloofe, but at hand, to view your so singular demeanour, so civil, so courteous, as maketh you renoumed abrode, and honored at home: coveted of the Noblest, & wonderful of the learnedst: when they shall in the glasse of your courtesie, see the blots that blemishe the dignitie of their estate: when they compare these lessons with the Regolo, they shal herein see no lesse commoditie, then was in Alcibiades Sileni (whereunto 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 have already so well beaten, (which presumeth not to be guide for conduction) or if your honour daine at highe leasure to peruse it (whiche is not cunningly but faithfully translated) I doubt not, but your countenance will so credit the Author, as wil embolden 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 satisfied, till he might by some meanes give shewe of his thankefull minde, for your honorable favours shewed unto him, hathe offered this small, though as faithfull a gifte as Sinaetes did to Cyrus: hoping, that your honour will take it as well in worth, as Artaxerxes did his poore Persians handfull of water. Thus with hartie prayer, for the advauncement of your estate, increase of honor, & attainement of perfect and perpetual felicitie: I commend your Lordship, to the patronage and protection of the Almightie. Your Lordships moste humble to dispose and commaunde.

Robert Peterson