PREFACE.

To the Most Serene,

Most Mighty, and Most Invin-

cible Prince and Lord, Lord Maxi-

milian II, Elected Roman

Emperor, at all times Increaser of the Empire in Germany, original: "Mehrer des Reichs," a translation of the Latin "Semper Augustus," a standard title for the Holy Roman Emperor.

King of Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, etc.,

Archduke of Austria, Margrave of Moravia, Duke

of Burgundy, Luxembourg, and in Silesia,

Margrave in Lusatia, and Count of

Tyrol, etc. My most gra-

cious Lord.

A large, ornate woodcut initial letter 'A' is decorated with botanical scrolls and floral motifs, marking the beginning of the formal address.

Most Serene, Most Mighty, and Most Invincible Roman Emperor, Most Gracious Lord: It is known and manifest to Your Roman Imperial Majesty, etc., and to all the world, that after GOD the Almighty created the first human on Earth, He—through His inexpressible wisdom and goodness—previously ordained and caused to grow for man’s bodily sustenance, necessity, and use, not only all kinds of living animals, fish, birds, trees, herbs, grain, foliage, and grass, etc., and made them subject to him; but He also placed within the earth and hid in the waters all manner of earthly bodies of various metals, mineral ores original: "Berckgewüchsen," literally "mountain-growths." In the 16th century, minerals were often thought to "grow" in the earth like plants., mineral juices original: "Bercksafften," referring to soluble minerals, salts, or bitumens found in liquid form., and such things as belong thereto, which man and all his descendants might extract for many necessary purposes—