To the High-born

Lord, Lord Johann

Reinhart, Count of Hanau and Zweibrücken, Lord of Lichtenberg, Bitche, and Ochsenstein, Hereditary Marshal, and Councilor to his Roman Imperial Majesty,

Decorative woodcut initial 'V' featuring a heavy, ornate design with scrolling foliage and floral motifs inside a square border.

At Your Grace’s
request and
gracious pleasure,
I have wished to
present this my
judgment original: "Judicium"; a formal scholarly assessment or opinion regarding
this chemical writer,
who calls himself the
Little Peasant original: "kleinen Bawren"; the pseudonym of the author of the primary text, likely Johannes Grasseus,
and, insofar as
I have attained knowledge in the
study of philosophy original: "philosophiæ studio"; in this context, "philosophy" refers to "Natural Philosophy," the precursor to modern science, specifically alchemy
and its understanding,
have let these present
commentaries original: "Commentaria" speak—