The triumphs of Gods revenge against the crying and execrable sinne of (willfull and premeditated) murther VVith his miraculous discoveries, and severe punishments thereof. In thirtie severall tragicall histories (digested into sixe bookes) committed in divers countries beyond the seas, never published, or imprinted in any other language. Histories which containe great varietie of mournfull and memorable accidents ... With a table of all the severall letters and challenges, contained in the whole sixe bookes. Written by Iohn Reynolds.

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, Sr IAMES STANLEY, KNIGHT OF the Bath, Lord STRANGE, Sonne and Heire apparent to WILLIAM Earle of Derby, one of the most ancient Knights of the Illustrious Order of the Garter.

MY LORD,

THe first time that I had the honour to see and know your Lo. was in France, when you then began your travels, accompanied with your Noble and Generous youn∣ger brother Sir Robert Stanley, (like∣wise Knight of the Bath) who now lives with God: And (if my fancie deceive not my Iudgement.) it is equally worthy both of my thoughts, and of your Lordships memory, to see how propitious God hath since proved to your content, and remaines to your felicity, in so highly recompen∣sing this your losse of a Noble Brother, with the rich gift of a Vertuous Wife▪ your Right Illustrious Lady who is

descended from no meaner house than the famous Dukes of Tremouille by her Father, and the Victorious Princes of Orenge by her Mother, and who being transplanted from France, and (in the Sacred Bonds of Mariage) here matched and incorporated to your Lordship, hath (by the Mercy and Providence of God) in a few yoares brought you many sweet Olive Plants and Branches to perpetuate your ancient Name, and most Honourable Family of the Stanleyes.

And what are all these benefits of Nature, and bles∣sings of Grace, which God hath so opportunely sent, and graciously given you, in and by them, but such, and so sublime and transcendent, that they are strong proofes of his Mer∣cy and Goodnesse towards you, and I doubt not but (in a pious resolution) your Lordship reciprocally makes them the cause of your eternall gratitude and thankfulnesse to his sa∣cred Majesty for the same.

And indeed who can possibly have, or conceive a different thought, that observes how your Lordship conducts all your actions by Reason, and not by Passion: That as you esteeme Vertue, to be the chiefest earthly Honour, so you likewise value Piety and Godlinesse to bee the best and most Sove∣raigne Vertues. That you are confident, that in Hearts and Soules which are well and fairly endowed, Honour and Honesty should still be Twins, or inseparable Companions and Individuals, because the former without the latter, is but as fire of straw to the Sunne-shine; and to shut up this point, that your Honour gives the chiefest functions and fa∣culties of your Soule to God, and the second to the prospe∣rity and service of your Prince and Countrey, that being the true markes of a Religious Christian, and this of an ex∣cellent Subject, and Honourable Patriot.

And this (my good Lord) was the Originall cause, and

these are the prevailing Motives and Reasons, why I trench so farre upon your Lordships Greatnesse and Goodnesse; in proffering up this my Sixth and last Booke of Gods Re∣venge against Murther; to your Noble Protection and Patronage; not that your Lordship is the last in my Af∣fection and Zeale, much lesse in my Respects and Obser∣vance: But that I could give no satisfaction to my selfe, before I had prefixed your Illustrious Name, to this my unpolished Worke, and before I had given a publike testimonie to the whole world in generall, and more especially to our little world England in particular, what place and power your Honourable Birth and Vertues have deservedly taken up in my heart, and worthily purchased in my most reserved and entire affection.

The Histories which this Booke relates, are memorable and mournfull, and to give your Honour my opinion of them, they are as lamentable for the bloudy facts, as memo∣rable for the sharp, yet just punishments inflicted for the same; wherein Gods sacred •…•…ustice and Revenge (with equall Truth and Glory) triumphed ore their wretched Perpe∣trators. I have cast them in a low Region of language, and therefore if they come short of your Lordships accurate Iudge∣ment, my Presumption in this my Dedication to you, hath no other hope of excuse or pardon, then to flie to your Lordships innate Goodnesse, and to appeale to your knowne and approved Generosity and Candor, as ma∣king it your Honourable Ambition to cherish Vertue in all men, and to defend it against unjust scandall, and malitious detraction.

Proceed my Lord, as you have fairly and fortunately be∣ganne, in the happy excercise and progresse of Piety, Ver∣tue and Honour; and as the hopes are now ours, so may the happy fruits and effects thereof, infallibly still prove your

Lordships hereafter, untill it have perfected and compleated you to be a most Illustrious Patterne of Goodnesse in this world, and a glorious Saint in that to come, the which none shall pray to God for with more true Zeale, nor desire with more unfaigned Affection, then

Your Honours humblest devoted Servant, IOHN REYNOLDS.