Unto his ryght entyerly beloued syster in chryst Ioyeuce Leygh Thomas more gretyng in our lorde

HIt is and of longe tyme hath bene my well beloued syster a custome in the begynnynge of ye newe yere frendes to sende betwene presentes or gyftes / as the wytnesses of theyr loue and frendeshyp & also sygnyfyenge that they desyre eche to other that yere a good contynuance and prosperous ende of that lucky bygynnynge. But communely all those presentes that are vsed customably all in this maner betwene frendes to be sente: be suche thynges as pertayne onely vnto the body eyther to be fed or to be cledde or some otherwyse delyted: by whiche hit semeth that theyr frendshyp is but flesshely & stretcheth in maner to the body onely. But for asmoche as the loue & amyte of chrysten folke sholde be rather goosty frendshyp then bodely: syth yt all faythfull people are rather spyrituall then carnall. For as […]hapostle seyth we be not now in flesshe but in spyryte yf chryste abyde in vs. I therfore myne hertly beloued syster in good lucke of this newe yere haue sent you suche a present as maye bere wytnes of my tendre loue & zele to the happy contynuaunce and gracyouse encreace of vertue in your soule: and where as the giftes of other folke declare y• they wyssheth theyr frend[…]s to be worldly fortunate myne testyfyeth y• I desyre to haue you godly ꝓsperous. These werkes more ꝓfitable then large were made ī laten by one Iohn̄ picꝰ erle of mirādula a lordshyp in Italy of whose connynge & […]tue […]e nede here nothinge to speke for asmoche as here after we peruse the course of his hole lyfe rather after our lytel power slenderly then after his merites suffyciētly. The werkes are suche that truely good syster I suppose of the quantyte there cometh none in your hande more profitable: neyther to thachyuynge of temperaunce in ꝓsperite / nor to ye purchasynge of pacience in aduersite / nor to the dyspysynge of worldly vanyte / nor to the desyrynge of heuenly felycyte / whiche werkes I wolde requyre you gladly to receyue: ne were hit yt they b[…] suche that for the goodly mater (how so euer they b[…] trāslated) may delyte & please ony persone that hathe ony meane desyre and loue to god. And that your selfe is suche one as for your vertue and feruent zele to god can not but ioyously receyue ony thynge that meanely sowneth eyther to the reproche of vyce commendacyon of vertue or honoure and laude of god who preserue you: