A14350:4
The Common Places
The common places of the most famous and renowned divine Doctor Peter Martyr divided into four principal parts: with a large addition of many theological and necessary discourses, some never extant before. Translated and partly gathered by Anthony Marten, one of the sewers of her Majesties most honourable chamber.The common places of the most famous and renowmed diuine Doctor Peter Martyr diuided into foure principall parts: with a large addition of manie theologicall and necessarie discourses, some neuer extant before. Translated and partlie gathered by Anthonie Marten, one of the sewers of hir Maiesties most honourable chamber.
Imprinted at London : In Pater noster Rowe, by Henry Denham and Henry Middleton at the costs and charges of Henry Denham, Thomas Chard, William Broome, and Andrew Maunsell, 1583Imprinted at London : In Pater noster Rovve, by Henry Denham and Henry Middleton at the costs and charges of Henrie Denham, Thomas Chard, VVilliam Broome, and Andrew Maunsell, 1583
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
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TO THE Most excellent, mighty, and religious Princess, ELIZABETH, by the grace of God QUEEN of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the true Christian faith, &c.
TO THE Most excellent, mightie, and religious Princesse, ELIZABETH, by the grace of God QVEENE of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the true Christian faith, &c.
IF almighty God (most gracious sovereign Lady) had but as meanly furnished me with understanding and utterance, as he hath plentifully enriched your Majesty with many most excellent gifts and graces, my pen at this time would run more agreeable to your Highness ears, and my words pierce more deep into your Princely breast. Then might I, though with some boldness, yet with all humbleness, approach your presence, and present you with such matter, as God by his holy spirit hath offered me: and in such manner as might be most liking to your godly disposition. Not that J poor simple man can prefer aught as yet unknown to your excellent Majesty, to whom God in his son Christ hath impaired as great abundance of his wisdom and knowledge, as flesh & blood in this life can well conceive, but that J have of long time been carried with an extraordinary zeal and desire incomparable once in my life, by some perpetual record of your royal name, to give an outward testimony of mine inward hart, and an assured seal of my bounden duty, so long borne to your manifold virtues, religious profession, and high estate. And for the better performance of this my determined purpose, perceiving my self, though not unwilling, yet unable to publish any work wholly of ⟨image 3⟩mine own devise, worthy the regard of so great a Prince, and the reading of so judicial a censure, J resolved at last upon this book: a work, not so long, as learned; containing matter, not so hard, as true: written by an Author, not so late, as famous, which J have faithfully translated, and partly gathered, and wholly dedicated to your excellent Majesty. For as all scripture inspired from above, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, and to instruct in righteousness, that the man of God may be wise unto salvation, and perfect unto all good works: so in this work is drawn a perfect form of the most ancient religion, & true service of God set down by the Apostles. In it is reproved the huge heap of heresies and errors sprung up in the church, since the incarnation of Christ, with the particular discovery of the Roman Antichristian kingdom: In it is comprised a due correction of sundry defaults in life, and defects in government: In it is delivered a perfect instruction for soundness of conscience and sincerity of conversation to all estates: