To the Most Christian and Invincible King of France and Duke of Milan, Lord Francis. Preface by Augustino Gallo of Novara, Royal Referendary in said City, on the Vitruvian work.

A large ornamental drop-cap "L" begins the text, decorated with intricate floral scrollwork within a square frame.

Divine providence, Most Christian and Invincible King, as the absolute governor for the preservation of the human race, has ordained Princes, who, after God himself, certainly hold the first place on earth. And thus it was the custom among the Persians to worship their Kings. But when, through His clemency and goodness toward fragile mortals, He deigns to entrust the guardianship of the people to a Prince full of sanctity and chastity, and as much as is possible for human frailty, made similar to Him, truly, according to the sentiment of my fellow citizen Pliny the Younger original: "Plinio Caecilio", there is nothing more beautiful nor more desirable. Therefore, the ancient rulers of the world were deservedly called heroes and demigods. And our Romans placed their Emperors, who were lovers of the Republic and tireless benefactors of the indigent people, in celestial seats. Just as Julius Caesar, Octavian Augustus, Vespasian, Titus, Nerva, and Trajan, whose illustrious works remain immortal and most celebrated. From these Princes, we find that the cult of the gods, the priests, the ceremonies, the sacrifices, and the temples were introduced, which is quite manifest through Moses, leader of the Hebrews; through Cecrops, the first Athenian King; through Numa Pompilius of Rome; and so many others of whom noble writers have made undoubted mention. Those same ones built the Cities, sent people to inhabit them, and for their health and increase, made a selection of a healthy region, both for the purified air and for the abundance and quality of the waters. And then, for necessity, they ordered the Forum, that is, the place of the market; for health, the Baths; for exercise, the Gymnasia; for convenience, the Porticoes and Basilicas; for delight, the Theaters. Furthermore, needing to introduce civil life and establish peace among the subjects, they devised various offices and divided the times appropriate for them through the wonderful invention of clocks, so that life would be wanting in nothing. Also, to defend them from hostile impetus, they fortified them with walls and fortresses. And when there was need, they instituted, with the artifice and apparatus of war machines, the power to overcome their enemies. For this reason, therefore, they deserved to be called divine. And thus our VITRUVIUS wisely gathered all these things in the ten volumes of his work. And considering that no other matter was more worthy of a supreme prince than that which had originated from their peers, he reasonably wished to dedicate it to Augustus Caesar, monarch of the universe. By such an example, I am induced to offer this work on Architecture—that is, on Building—which, translated into the maternal Italian language and commented upon and illustrated by some learned men, I have procured to be printed, to your Sacred and Invincible Majesty humbly; as a gift pertinent to such a Prince, without doubt ordained by the supreme Creator for the health of his subjects, hoping that you will have pleasure and delight in it when, after the great occupations of the government of your Kingdom, you deign to turn these pages, where you will be able to contemplate the admiring intellect of the Ancients and the noble inventions necessary for human life. I do not extend myself at present to commemorate the praises of your sublime Crown of France, as a people invincible and adorned with innumerable Triumphs from the beginning until these times. But this seems to me quite glorious: that they are descended from the Trojans who, after the destruction of their homeland, arrived in Scythia, where, having placed their seats, they were called Sicambri original: "Sycambri". And in the process of time, in the manner of their neighbors, they paid tribute to the Roman Empire. But later they received remission from the Emperor Valentinian, having given them aid against the Alani. And thus this Emperor changed their name and willed that they be called Franks original: "Franci", which in the Attic tongue signifies ferocious or noble, and according to the Italian idiom denotes free. But later, when the Romans wished to deprive them of such immunity and denied them, they were forced to take up arms, by means of which, having left their own country, they passed valorously into Germany and Gaul, where afterward, with perpetual possession, they established their dominion, into which your Sacred Majesty has happily succeeded through a long lineage from those powerful Franks. And thus, in truth, the Franks, after they had this name, were never subjects to the Roman Empire. Even though Justinian, in the titles of his legal books, is nicknamed "Francus," this was not through total defeat, but only because Theudebert, King of France, having come into Italy in aid of the Goths, was forced to return home—not for fear of the Imperial army, but for lack of hay—leaving the victory of the Goths to the aforementioned Emperor. Of this illustrious work, I leave the judgment to the Illustrious master and connoisseur of all the good arts, Lord Antonio Prato, the most worthy Grand Chancellor of the aforementioned Majesty, not that the Majesty is not capable of it entirely, but so as not to be troublesome by recalling him from the considerations of great enterprises; I only intend that he deign to take pleasure in it, for which I hope the office of his servant will be acceptable to him when, through it, the mind of your Sacred Majesty is frequently gladdened.