A Pisgah-sight of Palestine and the confines thereof with the history of the Old and New Testament acted thereon / by Thomas Fuller ...

To the Right Honourable ESME STUART, Earl of March, and Darneley, Lord Leighton &c. Son and Heir to the Illustrious JAMES Duke of Richmond and Lennox.

MY LORD,

COnsulting with my self about a Patron for this Book, I concluded to make choice of such a Person as should be both of most noble extraction, and of spotless innocency: So that in this captious Age, none should presume to charge him with the least offence in thought, word, or deed. For justly fearing too many faults might be found in the book it self, I desired to make some amends by dedicating it to One free from all exception.

Your Honour is the first in our Nobility, whom I finde qualified according to my desire; descended from the

best Houses in England, Scotland, and France. And as it happeneth in a Constellation, that the Lustre there∣of, amounting from many Stars together, darkeneth the light of those particulars, which produced it: So in your Honours Pedegree, the collective splendour obscureth the distinct brightness of those severall families whence the same re∣sulteth.

Now that your Honour cannot be taxed with any actu∣all offence, your tender Moneths not as yet compleating a Year; do sufficiently evidence. Whose innocence is the most entire Relique of our Primitive integrity; and most per∣fect pattern of our future felicity. Yea some admiring what motives to mirth Infants meet with in their silent and solitary smiles, have resolved (how truely I know not) that then they converse with Angels, as indeed such cannot amongst mortals finde any fitter Companions.

One, or more of these three main Ends are aimed at by Authors in all ingenuous dedications; Hope to receive pro∣tection; Desire to derive instruction; and Zeal to express affection.

For the first, though you cannot by your Power, yet you may by your Innocence be an excellent Patron to protect our en∣suing Work. In these civill wars, some have saved themselves from the sword, with no other shield then bearing a Babe in their armes, which rebated their enemies fury into compas∣sion. So, when some shall be ready to wound our Book with their censuring Darts, they will be mollified into mercy finding your innocent Name prefixed in the Front thereof.

As for deriving instruction, I confess your Honour as yet incapable thereof. But seeing Infants clothes are providently

made with the biggest, to which they will grow up in process of time; why may not books (the clothes of the minde) be pro∣portioned above their present capacity, in hope they will seaso∣nably shoot up to the understanding thereof? And untill such time as your Lordships judgment can reap profit from our De∣scriptions herein, may your eyes but take pleasure in the Maps which here are presented unto you.

But the last, not least consideration in my choice of your Honour, is my ambition to tender my humble service thereun∣to; The rather because ESME* 1.1 your auspicious Name promiseth, in my apprehension, some good success, now at the third return, as long since at the first imposing thereof on your Ancestour.

For Esme Lord Aulbigney (a place of great priviledges in the Province of Berry, first by the King of France bestowed on [and still possessed by] your Family, in reward of their signal service to that Crown) about two hundred years since proved the happy reviver of your family almost extinguished for want of a Heir, and by his virtuous demeanour added much honour thereunto.

The same Name now returns on your Lordship, who found your Fathers house in point of posterity in as low a Condition. Indeed your Grandfather left a numerous off-spring, whom I may fitly compare to the many strings of some musicall Instru∣ment. But amongst his male-issue (for the rest I pass by as si∣lent strings, sending no sounds to posterity, but losing their own Surnames in their matches) One was soon fretted in pieces with sickness; Three more, cut off in these wars; One absent be∣yond the Seas, and not easily to be tuned to a married estate; and the other single string remaining [His Grace your Father] left

altogether issueless untill your Lordships welcome Nativity.

But O! what melody can Heavens hand make on a Mono∣chord? which since hath sent your Lordship on a good message I hope, to the Honest house of LENNOX.

But I grow tedious in a long Letter to a little Lord, and therefore turn my Pen into Prayers, that Christ would be plea∣sed to take you up into his Armes, (whose embraces are the best swadling-clothes, as to streighten, so to strengthen you in the growth of Grace) to lay* 1.2 his hands upon you and bless you, that you may grow in stature and favour with God and with Man; The daily desire of

YOUR LORDSHIPS humble Oratour Tho. Fuller.

Waltham Abbey Iuly 7. 1650.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Or Amedcus the Topl••••ll Saint of Aul∣••igney.
• * 1.2

  Mark, 10. 16.