A generall martyrologie containing a collection of all the greatest persecutions which have befallen the church of Christ from the creation to our present times, both in England and other nations : whereunto are added two and twenty lives of English modern divines ... : as also the life of the heroical Admiral of France slain in the partisan massacre and of Joane Queen of Navar poisoned a little before / by Sa. Clarke.

To the Reverend Mr. Sa. Clarke, ON HIS MARTYROLOGIE.

OH, Welcome home, Divine Drake, welcome home, First girdle of the World of Martyrdome. Who seeks for more, can no new thing descry, Y' have left no room for new discovery. These Maps and Charts you bring, nay every letter Makes you the worlds great Patron, it your Debtor. To call't a Map doth but a Part imply, 'Tis the whole Globe of Martyrologie. Each Picture is a Map, each Figure breaths A little hist'ry of the Martyrs deaths. Pisgah's too farre to see the Holy-Land, Stand here on Calvary, and view't at hand. Let others brag at large, whose fancy 'tis To say A SAINT by a Periphrasis. Who doth this Book of yours with theirs confer, Findes Saint and Martyr in one Character. Though (some there be) that differ from the rest In judgement, and account short-writting best: Those I am sure will praise you when they eye Your skill in Tachyhagiography. Th'are many words make Volumes, do but look And you shall see 'tis matter makes a Book. All Volumes of this Subject here are set As't were contracted in an Alphabet. In characters, for brevity, 'tis good That Vowels be by Cons'nants understood. The least is best, if no essentiall be Wanting to make't a perfect Entitie. Man's but the World Epitomiz'd, but this Compendium of Saints and Martyrs is. Its commendation is it self, 'tis best Though't were without this my Probatum est.

J. C.