The Translator to the Reader

IT hath seemed good to me, Gentle Reader, to let thee vnderstand in the beginning of this little booke, that som yeeres past, a worthie and vertuous Gentleman of our nation, had begon to translate out of Spainish into English, the Memoriall, and other spirituall bookes, of that famous and Religious father Lewis de Granada, of S. Dominicks order. Of all which, som haue ben put in print, som others, I know not vppon what occasion, a[…] not yet com forth. But whatsoeuer the cause maie be, certeine it is that in the meane time, the same Religious father being verie desirous, that all sort of men should take the profit of such spirituall woorkes, as he with so greate paines had vttered to the woorld, for theire soules good, and auancement in the seruice of God, did, not long before his death, drawe out an Abridgment of his forsaid bookes, moued therunto for the reasons, which he him self hath set downe in his preface to the Reader, as it goeth heere in the beginning of this little volume. Which woork, when I had read and perused the same, liked me so much, that I resolued with mie self to put it in English, esteeming that as all the other spirituall woorks of this deuout father, ar of greate comfort and consolation, to all the seruants of Almightie God, so this would be of no lesse furtherance in spirite, to such as would endeuour to vse the same. Especiallie considering, that all that is conteined in this little booke, is matter apperteining rather to practise of deuotion, and to kendle our affection in the loue of our sweete Sauiour, then to frame greate discourses, and illuminate our vnderstanding; albeit this part be also to be found heere, as much as it maketh to the benifit of the other, and standeth with the briefenes, which the Author now pretended.

This being so, it remaineth Gentel Reader, whoesoeuer, and of whatsoeuer Religion thou be, that thou endeuour to peruse this booke, to the end, for which it was first writen, and is now translated into English, that is to thine owne good and saluation. Which thing thou shalt easilie perfourme, if thou procure, as neere as God shall aforde thee grace, to reade and weigh that which is heere conteined, with a reposed and quiet spirite, with a meeke and humble spirite, with a spirite of patience and long animitie, with a spirite altogether determined and resolued, to seeke sincerelie and purelie, not so much thine owne interest & contentment, as the honour and glorie of God, and to know his good will and pleasure, and with all thy power to put the same in execution. Neither must thou be ouercurious, or hastie to passe on in reading the contents thereof, but rather endeuour to staie thie self som space of time, in considering with much attention that, which thou hast read, and by this consideration to stirre vp, and prouoke thy will and affection, to practise & excute that, which thou shalt vnderstand to be the best pleasure of almightie God, and most profitable to thine owne saluation. This is that which thou must doe, if thou pretend to take anie comfort or commoditie, by reading of spirituall and deuout bookes.

Now then, deare Reader, hauing nothing els whereof to admonish thee, I wil end this mie preface, and remitte thee to the Author him self of this little woorke, desiring thee, for mie small paines bestowed in the translation, to be mindfull of me in thie praiers. Christ IESVS direct thee.

At Louan the 25. of March, 1599. Thy hartie wellwiller and seruant in Christ IESVS. Rich. Gibbons.