Liber Manualis

Multis plura patent, mihi tamen latent, meae quoque similes, obscurato sensu, carent intellectu, si minus dicam, plus ego. Adest semper ille qui ora aperit mutorum et infantium linguas facit disertas. Quanquam in fragili sensu, inter dignas vivens indiguè, tamen genitrix tua, fili, ad te nunc meus sermo dirigitur manualis, ut, veluti tabularum lusus maximè juvenibus inter caeteras artium partes mundanas congruus et aptus constat ad tempus, vel certè inter aliquas ex parte in speculis mulierum demonstratio apparere soleat vultu, ut sordida extergant, exhibentesque nitida, suis in saeculo satagunt placere maritis, ita te opto ut, inter mundanas et seculares actionum frequenter legere, et ob memoriam mei velut in speculis atque tabulis joco, ut non negligas. Licet sint tibi multa adcrescentium librorum volumina, hoc opusculum meum tibi placeat frequenter legere, et cum adjutorio omnipotentis Dei utiliter valeas intelligere. Invenies in eo quidquid in brevi cognoscere malis ; invenies etiam et speculum in quo salutem animae tuae indubitanter possis conspicere, ut non solum saeculo, sed Ei per omnia possis placere qui te formavit ex limo : quod tibi per omnia necesse est, fili, ut in utroque negotio talis te exhibeas, qualiter possis utilis esse saeculo, et Deo per omnia placere valeas semper. Sunt mihi curae multae, ad te, o fili Willelme, verba dirigens salutis, inter quas ardens et vigil meus aestuat animus ut tibi de tua, auxiliante Deo, nativatate, in hoc codice libelli ex meo desiderio habeas conscriptum, sicut in sequentibus est utiliter praeordinatum.

Many people have knowledge of which I am deprived, I and the women who resemble me. But The One who opens the mouths of dumb men and who makes the children speak is always present to me. In spite of the weakness of my intelligence, I address this Handbook to you. Just as the game of tables is the most brilliant of society arts for a young man; just as the mirror of a woman shows her what must disappear from her face and what she has to show to please her husband ; thus I wish, in the middle of the swirl of the world and the century, you frequently read my book. Do it to remember me by, as often as one looks at oneself in a mirror or as one plays at tables. Do it, whatever the growing number of your other books, and with the assistance of God, understand it. You will also find there a mirror where you will be able to consider the salvation of your soul, in order to please not only the century, but also The One who formed you from the silt. Among the troubles that overwhelm me, O my son Guillaume, I address words of salvation to you, and my heart ardently wishes that you read what has a concern with the birth. You will find it at the beginning of what follows.