To that gentleman of great authority, Sir Herman Rinck, patrician and senator, and Knight of the Golden Spur, that most prudent counsellor of princes of the highest rank, the printer sends his warmest greetings.

You have indeed lived up to your obligations as an aristocrat, magnificent Sir Herman, in that, sprung as you are from the ancient and noble line of the Rincks, you do not cease to ornament your noble house with sundry titles of honour. Hence it has seemed agreeable to you (and not without reason), to promote the glory of the most serene and at the same time clearly Catholic King of the English. Nor undeservedly: for what is there more splendid, more illustrious or more magnificent, than to safeguard the honour of that prince who strives entirely for Christ, and deigns to protect his holy flock with his singular erudition and his almost divine eloquence? For which reason, to get to the point: we recently received from you two letters, one of which was Luther's palinode, while the other was the admirable response of that indomitable prince of yours, that absolute hero, with whom you, as a dazzling beacon of prudence, are frequently on close terms as both counsellor and secretary. I know that they were printed a little while ago by the English, but to live up to your distinguished position, and to render the most celebrated honour of his Royal Majesty still more celebrated among all the Christian faithful, you have now given them to us to be printed and published. Therefore you are worthy, that such and so great a prince, should not only love and cherish you so much but also both respect and honour you more deeply and more than others, and finally that to your faithfulness (which is seen and acknowledged by all) he should show himself, as is his custom, generous to the highest degree. Wishing Your Worship every prosperity, from our literary workshop in Cologne, 11 February in the year of Our Lord 1527.

¶ The letters now follow word for word as they were sent to Cologne from England.