Dedication to the Most Serene Carlo Emanuele

TO THE MOST SERENE

CARLO EMANUELE

DUKE OF SAVOY

Most Serene Lord,

Not to prejudice the first dedication of this work, but rather to honour it, and by so worthy a companionship to authenticate it; nor yet to procure it new patronage, since by its own doctrine it has already taken from others the means of accusing it; but to redouble the book's splendour, and to open for myself some little road toward the inestimable favour of Your Most Serene Highness, I have thought to send it forth under her most glorious name in this present second edition, made by me. For from the sale which I have seen the other have, and from what I have heard said of it by persons of the greatest understanding, I judged that I should greatly gratify the world by multiplying its copies, and by putting them into men's hands to be read more correct, and in better form, further amplified as well, and revised by the same Author.

If Your Most Serene Highness, to whom, by reason of the heavy burden of her most weighty cares, it may perhaps not until now have fallen out to see this noble and curious labour (albeit, so far as I understand, she never leaves off her studies, delighting always to treat of every loftiest faculty in the company of lettered men), will not disdain the reverent occasion which I here offer her, I shall count myself fortunate beyond measure. So much the more in that I hold it certain that the Most Serene Lord Duke of Mantua, today bound the more closely in friendship and in mutual affection with Your Highness by the new and most happy kinship with her Most Serene blood, cannot but greatly commend the communication which I make to her of so dear a gift.

May it please the Lord God that upon the indissoluble conjunction of the Royal minds of Your Most Serene Highnesses there may shortly follow no lesser union of ample fortunes and of insuperable forces, whence there may then be seen effects answerable to their holy and magnanimous thoughts, to the exaltation of the Catholic faith. And to Your Most Serene Highness I kiss, with profoundest humility, her most invincible hand.

From Milan, the 4th of August 1605.

Of Your Most Serene Highness

Most humble and most devoted Servant,

Pietromartire Locarni