11 / 340
THE
EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
ded vnder
your
names
Thal
find
with
you kind
accep=
tance,notvpon
prefumption
of
their
worth,
but be-
caufe
it
is
the
nature
of
loue
to
caufe
a
man hopefully
to
expeâ
for correfpondency
of
affehion
in
them
whom
it
loueth,thoagh
there be almofl
no
proporti-
on
in defers
.
Neither
could
I
find
fitter
patrons
for
treatifes
of
this
nature;
for
who
are more
fit
then the
vertuous
and religious
to
defend and
countenance
fuch difcourfes
as
tend
to
the vpholding
and aduan-
cing
of
vertue and pietie
, and to
the fuppreßîng
and
beating downe
of
vice
and
wickedneffe?
and
who
are
more
able
to
daunt the courages of the
vicious
and
malicious,
which are
daily ready
to
wreck
their fpight
vpon
thofe who inueigh
againfl
their darling
firmes,
then they, whole
vertuous difpofition
is
both
graced
and ftrengthened
with
honour
and
eminency
of
place,
and
alfo with
the
gracious
:fauour
of
our
dread
Soueraigne
.?
As
therefore
I
haue
refpe6iuely
dedi-
cated
thefe
my
labours
vnto
your
Honours,to
accept
them
with
your wonted
kindneffe,
and vouchfafe
them
at your leafures
your
perufall
,
and
me your
ho-,
nourable
fauours;
fo
fhail
I be
more
and more
boúd
to
pray
vnto
the Lord, that
he
wil
grant
vnto your Honors
a
daily
increafe
of
grace_
and
true gonor
in
this
world,and eter-
nail
glory
and
happineffe in
the
world
to
come.
Your
Honours
in
all bumble
dutieto
be
commanded,
'JOHN
DOVVNAMFc.