A True Recipe

such work has never been seen. Item, having made a more ample inquiry, they will find that no man has taught me how to do the aforementioned work. If, therefore, it has pleased God to distribute His gifts to me in the art of earth pottery and ceramic sculpture, who would want to deny that He is also powerful enough to give me understanding of something in the military art, which is learned more by nature, or natural sense, than by practice? The fortification of a city consists principally in strokes and lines of Geometry: and one knows well that, thanks to God, I am not at all unprovided with these things. I have taken the boldness to propose these arguments to you, in order to prevent the detractions that some might persuade you of, by telling you that the thing is impossible: nevertheless, I submit myself to receive a shameful death, when I do not make the truth appear to be such, whenever it pleases you to employ me in this affair. If these things are not written with such dexterity as your greatness deserves, you will please pardon me: which I hope you will do, seeing that I am neither Greek, nor Hebrew, nor Poet, nor Rhetorician, but a simple artisan very poorly instructed in letters: nonetheless, for these causes, the thing of itself has no less virtue than if it were drawn from a more eloquent man. I prefer to speak truth in my rustic language than falsehood in a rhetorical language. Following which, My Lord, I hope that you will receive this little work with as good a will as I desire that it be agreeable to you. And on this point, I will pray to the Lord God, My Lord, to give you, in perfect health, a good and long life. From Xaintes.