A collection of certain learned discourses, written by that famous man of memory Zechariah…A collection of certaine learned discourses, written by that famous man of memory Zachary…

Nay his ordinary table which he used in the house of wisdom, was so spread with variety of flowers & sweet fruits of that more sacred sort of philosophy, so stored with provision new & old, that it might well seem, not a table of vulgar philosophy, but a sanctuary of celestial wisdom. There the voice of scripture resounded, which is the only messenger and interpreter of wisdom, there were her foster-children, honesty and modesty, and (to use the words of Eustathius in Macrobius) with sobriety, godliness. There was variety of history, natural and moral; there sate by all the sciences, and one after an other interposing did by intercourse breath lovely & lively freshness into the whole assembly. If any man will reckon these among his discourses, he may for me; but I know these were full & just lectures, adorned with notes of all sciences, & beautified with admirable graces. And these are the great virtues of his discourses. But who will not marvel that all these virtues should daily be polished & adorned by writing, that most excellent & ready maker & master of eloquent discourse? For this mirror of men took pleasure to feed the fluency not only of his tongue, but also of his wit by writing: which is a thing that Tully commandeth & commendeth to as many as desire to excel ⟨p. 327⟩in speaking & teaching. Therefore all his lectures, commentaries, observations, & notes were written: so that from his own writings he had continual helps, both for his own memory, & also for others direction. But amongst all these writings I marvel at nothing more, than that he could steal so much vacant time from them, as to answer to many & those very weighty questions. He opened the understanding of things, & freely gave counsel to such as requested his advise, & then was he most dutiful, when he was supposed to think of nothing less than duty. This the learned & unlearned, the poor & rich, neighbours & strangers, friends & enemies can very well witness: none of all which can justly complain, that he was either not regarded of him, or not satisfied by him. He endeavoured so courteously, gently & faithfully to do good to all, that he might win all, & join them to his L. Christ. But some man will say these are private matters: where are those public proofs of his piety & charity?

Nay his ordinary table which he vsed in the house of wisdome, vvas so spread vvith varietie of flowers & sweet fruits of that more sacred sort of philosophie, so stored with provision new & old, that it might wel seeme, not a table of vulgar philosophie, but a sāctuarie of celestial wisdōe. There the voice of scripture resounded, which is the only messenger and interpreter of vvisdome, there vvere her foster-children, honesty and modestie, and (to vse the words of Eustathius in Macrobius) with sobriety, godlines. There was variety of historie, natural and morall; there sate by all the sciences, and one after an other interposing did by entercourse breath louely & liuely freshnes into the whole assembly. If any mā wil reckon these among his discourses, he may for me; but I knovve these were ful & iust lectures, adorned with notes of al sciences, & beautified with admirable graces. And these ar the great vertues of his discourses. But who wil not marvel that al these vertues shoulde dailie be polished & adorned by wrighting, that most excellēt & ready maker & master of eloquēt discourse? For this mirror of mē tooke pleasure to feed the fluencie not only of his tōgue, but also of his wit by wrighting: which is a thing that Tullie cōmādeth & cōmēdeth to as many as desire to excel