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S euery manifet effect proceedeth frō som certain cause, so the penning of this present abridgement (gentle and courteous reader) issued from a speciall occasion. For Conradus Gesnerus, a man whiles he liued, of incomparable knowledge, and manyfold experience, being neuer satisfied with the sweete sappe of understanding, requested Iohannes Caius a profound clarke and a rauennous deuourer of learning (to ble praise be it spoke, though the language be somewhat homely) to write a breuiary or short treatise of such dogges as were ingendred within the borders of England. To the contentation of whose minde and the vtter accomplishement of whose desire, Caius spared no study, (for the acquaintance which was betweene them, as it was confirmed by continuaunce, and established vpon vnfainednes, so was it sealed with vertue and honesty), withdrew himself from no labour, repined at no paines, forsooke no trauaile, refused no endeuour, finally pretermitted no opportunity or circumstaunce which seemed pertinent and requisite to the performance of this litle libell. In the whole discourse wherof, the booke, to consider the substaunce, being but a pamphlet or skantling, the argument not so fyne and affected, and yet the doctrine very profitable and necessarye, he vseth such a smoothe and comely style, and tyeth his inuention to such methodicall and orderly proceedings, as the elegantnes and neatnesse of his Latine phrase (being pure, perfect, and vnmingled) maketh the matter which of it selfe is very base and clubbishe, to appeare (shall I say tollerable) nay rather commendable and effectuall. The sundry sortes of