The printed text marks the first few leaves of each 16-page signature: ||A.i.||, ||A.ii.||... Other page breaks are marked in this e-text with double lines ||

A few apparent typographic errors were corrected and are listed at the end of the text. Other irregularities are noted but were left unchanged. All other spelling, capitalization and punctuation are as in the original.]

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A VE- ry pleasaunt & fruitful Dio- loge called the *Epicure*, made by that fa- mous clerke Eras mus of Rotero- dame, newly translated. 1545.

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_S. Paule to the Ephesians_

You that haue professed Christ, suffre not your selues to be deceyued vvith false doctrine, nor vaine and noughtie talkyng, but herken vnto all Godly thynges, and especially too the doctryne of the Gospell.

||A.ii.||

THE HABOVN- daunt mercie and grace of our heauenly father Iesu Christ, maye alwaies strengthen and defende oure noble & vertuous Prynce Ed- ward too the mainte- naunce of the liue- ly woord of God.

Whereas manye histories of olde & auncient antiquitie, and also al godly & Christia writers most playnely conset together, and agree in this, that dignitie, riches, kinred, worldly pompe, and renoume, doo neither make men better, ne yet happiar, contrarie too the blynde & fonde iudgement of the most part of menne: but by the power and strength of the mynde, that is, learnyng, wysedome, || and vertue, all menne are hyghly enriched, ornated, & most purely beutified, for these bee thinges bothe notable, eternall, and verye familiar betwene the heauenly father & vs. It is therefore euidente (most excellent Prince) that the fittest ornametes for your graces tender age, bee, eruditio and vertue. Wherunto you are bothe so ernestly addicte and therin so woderfully doo preuaile, that I nede not too exhorte & exstimulate your grace vnto the study thereof. For that God him self hath wrought, and fourmed your mynde so apt and desirous too attayne and diligetly too seeke for al godly doctrine, that eue now you doo shewe in all youre saiynges and dooinges suche a wonderfull pleasautes much lyke vnto a certayne swete musike or harmonie, that any honest hart exceadinglye woulde reioyce in the sight therof. Verely, your grace thinketh plainly all time lost, that is not bestowed vpon learnyng, which is a verie rare thyng in anye childe, and rarest of all in a Prince. Thus youre noblenes, rather desireth vertue and ||A.iii.|| learning

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: A Very Pleasaunt & Fruitful Diologe Called the Epi
• 2: That is a studie most conuenient for euery Christien Prince
• 3: That prospered whiche tooke parte against Goddes woord
• 4: Grafted in them thorow popyshe doctrine
• 5: But tourned too their olde abhominable Ydolatrie
• 6: But through the helppe of God all those that be ignoraunt
• 7: HEDO What booke haue you there in your bosome
• 8: That al those that bee purdged
• 9: SPV God send myne enemies such myrth pleasure
• 10: Emongist the sobrietie of mind
• 11: The too be fed so delitiousli with vain illusios
• 12: Which would chauge precious stones for glasse
• 13: And that chearefull mynde maketh agee too florishe
• 14: Then those that make pastyme contynually
• 15: Namely for so merciful punyshment and inestimable gaines
• 16: SPVDEVS but there bee some leafull pleasures
• 17: And lamprayes then a vertuous man hauyng nothig too eat
• 18: For Iupyter is not so easye too intreate as oure GOD
• 19: For a short prayer forsoth streght entreth heaue