PREFACE TO THE READER.

An ornate woodcut headpiece features symmetrical scrollwork, acanthus leaves, and floral motifs.

THE PRINTER

TO THE READER.

The first part of these books on the Ecclesiastical Republic speaks so wisely and conveniently through its general preface to all the Bishops of the truly Catholic Church, and the second through its special dedication to the Most Serene and Wise King of England, that this third part, which is now communicated to you, benevolent and kind Christian Reader, would not have needed any new preface, unless something small had occurred in the printing, regarding which the matter itself demands that you be admonished in a few words. For after the reverend and most celebrated Author, M. Antonius, Archbishop of Spalato, had entrusted this third volume of his books to me to be printed in Germany, I, having set myself to begin the work, stood at a crossroads not without great distress of mind. For there appeared before my eyes the previous parts edited first in England, and then also in our Germany, which I observed to be different, not indeed in the matter and truth discussed, but only in the types and paper form; I was therefore in doubt as to what form and what types this new volume should be adapted. For on one side I considered the place of residence where the Author now lives, having left Babylon a common theological metaphor for Rome, used by de Dominis after his conversion to Anglicanism, and from where he sent out his former books; on the other hand, I attended to the place of printing from which this new volume must emerge, namely our Germany. I was silently urged that, on the one hand, English types should be imitated out of due respect for the Author; and on the other, German types out of honor for my beloved homeland. What was I to do? Behold, benevolent Reader, I reveal to you the reasons for my decision and action that are not to be despised. The most celebrated Author lives and writes in England indeed; yet the venerable Archbishop writes not for that Church alone, which is gathered in England, but for the Catholic Church, as it is called in our Creed, which is dispersed throughout the entire world. Just as, therefore, England can by a certain right of its own boast that such a light of the Church first shone among it, and from itself sent out rays into the whole Church of Christ: so also Germany congratulates itself on this honor of the author, that he desires these last books, conceived in England, to be seen first in Germany when published into the light. Does not this fact provide an infallible argument that the author also loves the German Churches, and attends not so much to the types and form of his books as rather to the truth proposed, extracted, and demonstrated in them? And just as Germany received the previous volumes in German type and form? For these two are daughters of one man, Jesus Christ: and it is a most unjust thing for a sister to envy a sister.

And this was the first cause of my action: the second occurred in determining the price. For since the deplorable state of our Germany doubles the prices of almost all things, and a large book must be valued highly according to the rule of equity, behold, the German type and form, being somewhat more condensed, also reduces the value of the book somewhat, so that it may be more tolerable for you in purchasing.

There are given to you, therefore, benevolent reader, the later books of the Archbishop of Spalato on the Christian Republic; but they are given in such a way that for now the eighth and tenth are missing,