Twee brieven [...] aan Everhardus vander Hooght

that is, Lord original Greek: κύριε, kyrie. Thus the LXX the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament and Hieronymus Saint Jerome, translator of the Latin Vulgate interpret it. A more recent interpreter has MY LORDS original Latin: DOMINI MEI, that is Adonai original Hebrew: אדני. Perhaps [the vowel] was changed from a Patach short 'a' sound into a Kamets long 'a' sound because of the Rehia a Hebrew accent mark, which is one of the great maatklanken musical accents or notations that are called pauses. See there, as if in passing, what firm ground your Honor has in these letter-dots referring to the Hebrew vowel points. I could just as easily nullify all that difficult labor which your Honor has further produced regarding this passage, as well as regarding the word "HE" which must correspond with the Hebrew Hu original Hebrew: הוא, in the 24th chapter of my second book: if that were my intention. But this small piece of writing, which I wish to limit within the scope of a single sheet of paper, must only serve to make publicly known to your Honor, once and for all, that it does not please me, nor is it fitting for me, to answer in detail every book or writing that comes out against me, and of which I expect a good number before long. This is because I am not able to empty myself meaning to free himself of obligations for that purpose now, through lack of time and an abundance of business, both because of my daily labor in the service of the Church and because of these unusual difficulties. Also, in doing so, I would have to repeat many things many times, which will be thrown at me first by one and then again by others, before and after. Furthermore, I wish to testify openly that I will answer no one who does not pair love with truth, and who writes without scolding. For I shall never repay such language with the same: nor shall I offer anything as an answer against that which is not worthy of an answer. Such are the words, phrases, and propositions in which your Honor treats me with contempt, mocks me, and greatly injures my honor, in this your first Letter, which I wish to extract and place on a register, as this is the first gift. If more such things come, I leave that to the Reader who pleases: for me, I have enough with one.