Rudimenta artium dialecticae et rhetoricae

IO. IACOBVS AMMIANVS Ioanni Frifio Ludimagiftro S. D.
Johann Jakob Ammann sends greetings to Johannes Fries, Schoolmaster.

EXCIDIT tandem libellus de Elemētis artium differendi, te quotidie inftante ac urgente, quantumuis occupato.
The little book on the Elements of the Arts of Reasoning has finally come forth, due to your daily persistence and urging, however busy I may be.
Qui ut Scholæ noftræ plurimū profit, optamus. Attemperauimus nos tuo confilio, quantum quidem licuit, in comprehendendis præceptis harū artiu: ut femper memor effem, hæc non parari perfectioribus difcipulis, fed rudioribus, quiq; nunc primùm illas artes in minoribus Scholis quafi præguftant.
We hope that it may be of great profit to our school. We have adjusted ourselves to your counsel, as much as possible, in covering the precepts of these arts; I was always mindful that these things are not prepared for more perfect students, but for those who are more unrefined, who are now tasting these arts for the first time in the lower schools.
Quod fi ergo in his tradendis uidebor cuipiam uel longior uel breuior quàm oportet, ueftrum erit admonere, qui Ludo præeftis, quod magis uideatur effe è re difcipulorum: hoc præftare femper integrum nobis erit, ut qui hæc noftræ Scholæ fubinde fimus inftauraturi.
If, therefore, in teaching these things I seem to anyone either too long or too short, it shall be your duty, you who preside over the school, to advise what seems more in the interest of the students; it will always be within our power to provide this, as we are those who shall occasionally renew these for our school.
Mihi quidé certè hoc tempore hæc forma imbuendi ingenia rudia in elementis artium commodißima uifa eft. Hoc igitur quicquid eft libelli, mi Frifi, tibi non quidem dedico, eft enim longe infra dignitatem et merita tua, fed amice commendo, ut tuare aduerfus eos, qui quo confilio quicque fiat, non femper animaduertunt.
For me, certainly, at this time, this form of imbuing unrefined minds with the elements of the arts seems most convenient. Therefore, whatever this little book is, my Fries, I do not dedicate it to you, for it is far below your dignity and merits, but I commend it to you in a friendly manner, so that you may defend it against those who do not always notice with what intention each thing is done.
Vale in Chrifto Iefu unico noftro feruatore, qui te Scholæ Tigurinæ, cui multos annos magna cum laude præes, incolumem feruare diu dignetur. Ex Mufæo noftro, Calendis Maij. 1559.
Farewell in Christ Jesus, our only Savior, who may deign to keep you safe for a long time for the Zurich school, over which you have presided with great praise for many years. From our study, the first of May, 1559.

A printer's stamp at the bottom reads: STADT-BIBLIOTHEK ZUERICH (City Library of Zurich).

A decorative initial letter D begins the following marginal entries: Definition, a little work, thing, everything proposed, it is said, which, and common, if, voice, is, it, with, difference, number, without, ion.