To the Right Honourable my very good lord the Duke of Buckingham his Grace, Lord High Admiral of England

EXCELLENT LORD—Solomon says: a good name is as a precious ointment; and I assure my self, such will your Grace's name be, with posterity. For your fortune, and merit both, have been eminent. And you have planted things, that are like to last I do now publish my essays; which, of all my other works, have been most current: for that, as it seems, they come home, to men's business, and bosoms. I have enlarged them, both in number, and weight; so that they are indeed a new work. I thought it therefore agreeable, to my affection, and obligation to your Grace, to prefix your name before them, both in English, and in Latin. For I do conceive, that the Latin volume of them （being in the universal language） may last, as long as books last My Instaration,I dedicated to the King: my History of Henry the Seventh（which I have now also translated into Latin）and my portions of Natural History, to the Prince: and these I dedicate to your Grace; being of the best fruits, that by the good increase, which God gives to my pen and labours, I could yield. God lead your Grace by the hand.

Your Grace's most obliged and faithful servant

FRANCIS ST ALBAN