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, AND truly worthy of all honour, WILLIAM Earle of Pembroke, Lo. Chamberlaine to his Majestie, Knight of the thrice Noble Order of the Garter, and one of the Lords of his most Honorable Privie Councell.

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

IT is not your Dignities, but your Vertues; not your Greatnesse, but your Goodnesse which first conjured my affection, then comman∣ded my resolution to direct these (forraigne) Tragicall Histories to your Honours prote∣ction and patronage; For whiles others (sai∣ling with the corrupt Tyde and Current of the times) not only admire, but adore the exteriour parts of men, their Fortunes, I, for my part, both honour and reverence their interiour qualities and ornaments, Pietie, Fidelitie, Generositie, (three Daughters of Heaven, embleming and personating the three Heavenly Graces on Earth, Faith, Hope, Charitie) who transport and convey our Memories as farre as the limits of Time, and a degree beyond it, and (on the wings of Truth) mount our Fames •…•…rom Earth to Hea∣ven, from Envy to Glory, and from Mortalitie to Eternitie. Not but that

I every way respect and honour that blood which is Noble, but that I yet more dearly honour and deeply affect those Vertues which have a secret, and (as I may justly say) a sacred power in them to ennoble Nobilitie, both which transcendent Privileges, finding hand in hand cheerefully to march, and really to sympathize in your Ho. (sith upon the resplen∣dent lustre of your actions, Envie is not capable to insinuate a blemish, nor Detraction of power to introduce or inforce a disparagement) was the sole prevailing motive of this my Zeale and Ambition. And when I consider that the Moralitie, Ends and Punishments of these foule and crying sinnes of Murther, which my two former Bookes (of this Nature) have already related and divulged to the world, have not only been ap∣proved, but applauded of our most Excellent and Sacred King, (as only aiming at Gods glory, and our owne reformation and p•…•…ervation) I rather hope than despaire, that this Third (wherein the just revenge of God, the Great and Supreme King of Kings, is no lesse apparent and conspicuous) will be accepted and received of your Ho. Againe, it fights against Murther, which not only seekes to slay Humanitie, but therein to murther Religion, which is the Life and Soule thereof. It denounceth war against Nature and Grace, against the Divine Ordinances of Hea∣ven, and the Coactive and penall Lawes of Earth, whereby they are esta∣blished and maintained, as being the Cymment and Sinewes, the Veines and Arteries of Monarchies and Common weales; as also against the Ma∣jestie of God, and the Crownes and Dignities of Soueraigne Kings and Princes, his Royall Deputies and Vice-gerents here on earth, sith thereby he loseth soules, and these subjects; yea, so generall and so prodigious a progression doth this scarlet sin of premeditated and wilfull murther make in the universall World, and with so bloodie a deluge and inunda∣tion, it not only washes, but (as it were) drownes the face of the Chri∣stian, that wee have now far truer cause to cry out, and juster reason to exclaime, than did Quintus Catulus (so many centuries of yeeres since) O with whom, or where shall wee liue in safetie, sith in wars wee kill those who are armed, and in Peace, who are unarmed? Yea, your Ho. who (with a happy constancie, and constant happinesse) is still a professed Champion for Charitie against Enuie, and a Tutelarie Protector for Vertue against Vice, (whiles divers great ones of the World make it not only their practice, but their glory to performe the contrary) will, I hope, run over these mournfull Histories, (and the severall accidents they relate) with your eye of pittie, and spirit of compassion; and there∣in with a religious joy, and pious insultation, not only admire the Pro∣uidence, but applaud and magnifie the Iustice of God, in so timely cur∣ting

off these Monsters of Nature, and bloudy Butchers of Mankinde, with these their condigne punishments and deserved deaths: In which Hope and Confidence, this Booke is no more mine, but your Honours, and no lesse is he who collected and penned it; and that my Name may futurely oblige mee to make this present promise of my pen reall; Whiles many others (in a vertuous emulation) contend to deserve the Honour of your Fauour, and strive to purchase the felicitie of your Commands, none shall doe it with more Integritie and lesse Vanitie, than

Your Honours truly deuoted IOHN REYNOLDS.