B Eing desirous (gentle Reader) to exercise my selfe with some translation, at vacant times, and seeing, that since the Gospell hath been preached, this one question, touching the appearing of spirits and soules departed, hath not bin much handled amongst vs, and therfore many, otherwise well affected in religion vtterly ignorant heerein, I thought it not amisse to take in hand some good and learned Treatise concerning this matter. Wherein as many haue both learnedly, painfully, and religiously trauelled: so amongst others, none in my iudgement hath more handsomly & eloquetly, with more iudgment & better method discoursed the same, the Lewes Lauaterus, Minister of Tigurine. Others haue hadled it indeed wel, but yet Nihil ad nostra hunc, being either too short, or too long, or too darke, or too doubtful, or otherwise so cofused, that they leaue the Reader more in suspence in the end, then they found him in the beginning. As for Maister Lauaterus his discretion heerein, I will no otherwise commend it, then to desire the Reader to view, and iudge himself. For thus much at the first sight he shall see: A cleare methode, with a familiar and easie stile, the matter throughly handled Pro and Con, on both sides, so that nothing seemeth to be wanting, nor any thing redounding. And if it be true that Horace saith, Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit vtile dulci, that is, He winneth the prize, that ioyneth pleasure with profit: I thinke this Authour may also in this respect be pronounced Victor, and adiudged to the best game. For he so intreateth this serious and terrible matter of Spirits, that he now and the inserting some strange story of Monks, Priestes, Friers, and such like counterfeits, doth both very liuely display their falshood, and also not a litle recreate his Reader: and yet in the end he so aptly concludeth to the purpose, that his histories seeme not idle tales, or impertinent vagaries, but very truthes, naturally falling vnder the compasse of this matter. And how profitable this his woorke is, those may best iudge, which are most ignorant in this question, some thinking euery small motion & noyse to be Spirites, and some so fondly perswaded that there are no Spirits, who being better enformed herein by this Authour, I suppose will confesse his work to haue done them some profit: if knowledge be profitable, and ignorance discommodious. And againe, those which being hitherto borne in hande that mens soules returne againe on earth, crauing helpe of the liuing, and haue spent much of their substaunce on idle Monkes and Friers, to relieue them, will confesse the like. For when they shall see they haue bene falsely taught, and that they were not the soules of men which appeared, but either falshood of Monks, or illusions of diuels, franticke imaginations, or some other friuolous & vaine perswasions, they will thinke it profitable to haue knowne the truth, as well to auoid error hereafter, as to saue their mony from such greedy caterpillers. Some also which be otherwise well trained vp in Religion, and yet not knowing what to thinke of these matters, will not iudge their labour euill imployed, nor the worke vnprofitable, wherby they may be brought out of doubt, and know certainly what to beleeue. There be many also euen now a dayes, which are hanted & troubled with spirites, and know not howe to vse themselues, who when they shall learne how a Christian man ought to gouern himselfe, being vexed with euil spirits, wil think it a very profitable point of doctrine, that shal teach them to direct themselues. Profitable therefore it is, and shalbe, no doubt, vnto many, and disprofitable vnto none, except perchance vnto popish Monks and Priests, who are like hereby to lose a great part of their gaines, which sometimes they gathered togither in great abundaunce, by their deceitfull doctrine of the appearing of dead mens soules. But this their wicked and diuellish doctrine, togither with all the patches and appendices therto belonging, he so notably teareth and cutteth in peeces, that I am well assured they shal neuer be able to cobble and clout them vp again. And this doth he with such a moderation of breuitie and tediousnesse, that I may rightly say; He hath said well, and not too much, and written truly, and not too litle.

Now as touching my translation, although I haue not made him speake with like grace in English, as hee dooth in Latine: yet haue I not chaunged his meaning, nor altered his matter, endeuouring my selfe rather to make thee vnderstand what thou readest, then to smoothe and pollish it with fine & picked words, which I graunt others might haue done more exquisitely, and perchaunce I my selfe also somewhat better, if I would haue made thereof a study and labour, and not a recreation and exercise. But howsoeuer I haue done herein, verily good reader, I trust thou wilt take in good part, which is all that I esteeme: if any man shall mislike therof, let him amend it. I trust it be sufficient to testifie my good will to do thee good, and to let thee vnderstand the Authours meaning.

Farewell.