An elaborate decorative woodcut headpiece features the royal coat of arms of Queen Elizabeth I at the center, flanked by two angels and two dragons or griffins. The initials "E" and "R" Elizabeth Regina are visible on the left and right sides.

To the most excellent Musician Master William Byrd, one of the gentlemen of Her Majesty's chapel.

A large historiated initial letter "T" decorated with floral and foliage scrollwork, set within a rectangular frame.

There are two whose benefits to us can never be requited: God, and our parents, the one for that he gave us a reasonable soul, the other for that of them we have our being. To these the prince and (as Cicero terms him) the God of the philosophers added our masters, as those by whose directions the faculties of the reasonable soul are stirred up to enter into contemplation and searching of more than earthly things: whereby we obtain a second being, more to be wished and much more durable than that which any man since the world's creation has received of his parents: causing us to live in the minds of the virtuous, as it were, deified to the posterity. The consideration of this has moved me to publish these labors of mine under your name both to signify unto the world my thankful mind: and also to notify unto yourself in some sort the entire love and unfeigned affection which I bear unto you. And seeing we live in those days wherein envy reigns; and that it is necessary for him who shall put to light any such thing as this is, to choose such a patron, as both with judgment may correct it, and with authority defend him from the rash censures of such as think they gain great praise in condemning others: Accept (I pray you) of this book, both that you may exercise your deep skill in censuring of what shall be amiss, as also defend what is in it truly spoken, as that which sometimes proceeded from yourself. So shall your approbation cause me to think the better of it, & your name set in the forefront thereof be sufficient to abate the fury of many insulting critics original: "momistes" who think nothing true but what they do themselves. And as those verses were not esteemed Homer's which Aristarchus had not approved, so will I not avouch for mine that which by your censure shall be condemned. And so I rest,