De legatis positiones

TO THE NOBLE AND MOST DISTINGUISHED
YOUNG MEN, JOHANN JAKOB AND JOHANN
Ludwig Hainzel, sons of the most distinguished member of the
Senate of the Republic of Augsburg, Johann Baptist Hainzel, and to Marcus Thenn,
and Abraham Kazbeck of Thurnstein, patricians of Augsburg,
Greetings.

Nothing is, most noble young men, as Cicero writes so excellently, more lovable than virtue: nothing that more attracts men to love: for by reason of virtue and probity we love even those whom we have never seen. By this bond of love, by which men bind themselves to one another, I think there is nothing closer, nothing firmer, and finally nothing more ancient. And this provokes me to love, respect, and admire you. For I see first of all that you live not only with the praise of probity and diligence in your studies and are devoted to the best pursuits, and are informed by your most learned teacher, Master Johann Busenreutter, but also that you bear witness to your piety and modesty in your life and customs to all; and that you strive to compose all your actions excellently toward the study of virtue and honest laws, so that you have deserved not only the commendation of all, but also their love. You have easily proven to me that learning without the probity of customs seems to you not at all liberal or worthy of a pious man. Since these things are so, moved and induced by this, I wished to dedicate and inscribe to you these my theses on Legacies, which I disputed in the Alma Academy of Basel for the sake of obtaining public testimony (of which matter you will always be my witnesses, since at that very time you enlightened me with your most learned arguments). I trust that you will receive this little literary gift with a kind mind and a cheerful face. Farewell, and continue to love me, as you are accustomed. From the city
of Basel, the 29th of August, in the year of
restored salvation 1579.