To the most reverend Fathers in God, my Lords, Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury, and Edmond Archbishop of York, and to the reverend father in God, Edwin, my lord bishop of London, and to all the other reverend fathers, my lords the bishops of all the several dioceses in England. 

      May it please your good graces and fatherhoods to permit me, with all humility and reverence to render you in this preface an accompt of my purpose and doing in publishing this Catechism by me translated, and offered to the church of England under protection of your names.

      Whereas there was very lately a Latin Catechism printed, wherein the sum of Christian  religion was set forth in short questions and answers, yet not containing bare and naked affirmations only, but shewing also some causes and reasons to the same annexed, and well furnished with places of scripture noted in the margin for proof thereof: in which Catechism there hath also great labour and diligence been bestowed about the purity of the Latin tongue, that such as were studious of the language, specially the youth, might at once with one labour learn the truth of religion and the pureness of the Latin tongue together.  That Catechism I have thought good to translate into English, as well for the use of such as understand no Latin at all, as also for their commodity, who, having a little sight in that language, desire some more perfection therein.  For which cause I have not used that liberty in rendering the sense at large which the order of translation doth permit unto me, but have willingly, for the benefit of the meaner learned, tied myself very much to observing of the words themselves, but so yet that I had alway regard to the natural property and easiness of our native tongue.