………nunc adhibe puro
Pectore verba, puer, nunc te melioribus offer
Quo semel imbuta recens servabit odorem
Testa diu.
Hor. Ep. 2 Lib. I

Young man, accept this advice with joy.
Open your heart to these sweet lessons.
Thy cup remains long redolent with the fragrance
of its first liquid.

To the noble and generous Lord John, Count Nassau, Catzenelnbogen, Vianden and Diest,

His respectful and devoted Philip Marnix of Sainte-Aldegonde.

Greetings in Jesus-Christ.

After conferring repeatedly with me, noble and generous sir, on the education of youth, you have deemed it opportune, or rather, in view of the authority you have over me and of my duty toward your Lordship, enjoined me to state and write an outline of my theories on the education of young noblemen, starting with their earliest childhood. As soon as I received your command, I applied myself to this task, hastily, I confess, and without a clear design, but nevertheless with the utmost care possible, within the bounds of my small talents and limited experience.