The Epistle of the Author.

TO THE VERY REVEREND AND RIGHT honorable personages: Don Antonio De Cordova: and Father Lorenco De Figueroa.

            I cannot find any other place, whither I may better direct this my small present then to your Reverend hands. For (setting apart divers and sundry reasons of great importance, that bind me so to do) certainly the wonderful change of life, which your Reverences have made, and the holy example which you have given to the world in this our corrupt age, are sufficient causes to move all such as do any thing desire the glory of Christ, to serve you in this your spiritual journey, that have in such wise amplified his glory. I might well speak of this matter more largely in this place, and surely without lying, or flattery, and to speak herein, were not to employ the time in the praises of men, but in the praise of almighty God. Forsomuch as it is manifest, that this your wonderful change of life, hath not proceeded of flesh, and blood, but of the right hand of the highest. But because it behooveth all men of our cote, and profession, to be free not only from all flattery, but also even from all suspicion of the same: I will therefore content myself at this present, only with giving thanks to our lord for this notable virtuous act of yours: and I will confess, that we have seen that wonder in our days, which the holy ancient father St. Jerome declareth to have chanced in his time. He writeth it in a certain Epistle to Ruffinus in these words.

            Bonosus thy friend and mine, is now gone up by that mystical ladder, which the Patriarch Jacob saw: and according to the mystery of Moses he hath now sacrificed the brazen serpent in the desert. Where at this present he soweth with tears, that hereafter he may reap with joy. Let the truth of this worthy act put to silence all the lying wonders which the Greeks and Latins have written in their histories. Behold here a young man brought up in our company, and instructed in all good arts, and learning, who had no want neither of lands, nor riches, nor honor, nor dignity, among his equals, who forsaking his mother, and his sisters, and above all, his most dearly beloved brother, went to live in an Island, which is very solitary, and fearful, and environed with divers seas, there to dwell like a new inhabitor of paradise. And being alone in this place (howbeit not alone, forsomuch as he is in the company of Christ,) he seeth now the glory of almighty God, which the Apostles themselves never saw, but when they were alone in the mount.

            Thus far be St. Jeromes words. This holy example of Bonosus is truly a thing wherein almighty God is to be praised, as in a singular work of his grace. And surely no less is he to be praised in your Reverend and most honorable personages, who having much more to forsake in the world, than Bonosus had, and being now in the very flowers of your youth, have forsaken the world, and all the vain pomp, and pride thereof: and withal your great lands, and possessions, the dignity of your high noble estates, and the hope of so great honorable promotions, that were due unto your nobility and virtue, and to the renowned deserts of your very ancient and most noble families. And all this you have done to embrace even the poverty, nakedness, and obedience of Christ. You have not done like that young man in the gospel, who remembering how great possessions he had, refused to follow the way of perfection, which our Savior Christ taught him. But ye have done like that wise and prudent merchant, who after he had found the precious pearl, sold all he had in the world to buy the same. And if unto this wonderful change of yours, we join also the notable virtuous change of life which the most noble and renowned Duke of Gandia hath made in our days, and the marvelous changes of sundry other right honorable personages which might here be rehearsed, it will very evidently appear, that there is more sweetness in the way of Christ, than the world thinketh there is: sithence even those, that have had so long and so great experience both of the one kind of life, and of the other, do very heartily and willingly renounce all that ever the world giveth and promiseth unto them, for the least crumb that falleth from Christs table: saying with the spouse in the Canticles. If a man give all his substance for charity, he will contemn it as nothing.

            Forsomuch therefore, as very reason would, that every one should serve them, that serve our most merciful and loving lord, it seemeth unto me, that it is my bounden duty also, to do you some service in this your spiritual journey, at the least with this little volume: which treateth of prayer and meditation, and that the holy and devout exercises of your Reverences may be holpen somewhat by the same: the which (I trust in our lord) shall be always furthered, and proceed prosperously, both with it, and without it. And although this be a debt which I owe unto you: yet do I for this debt crave of you a grace, and this is, that your Reverences will most humbly beseech our lord, that it may please him of his infinite mercy, and goodness, to grant his favor and assistance to this book: that the profit of them that shall read it, may be answerable to the pains of him that made it, and to the good heart wherewith he offereth it unto them.