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Courteous Reader,
FOr bestowing some vacant hours (by that excellent Personages direction, to whom I am equally obliged for my Employment and my Leasure) in an attempt so agree∣able to the Lord Verulam's judg∣ment, which may be seen in the next page; and so pursuant of Sir Ro∣bert Naunton's designe, which may be traced in the following Book; Ano∣ther person's abilities might have gained applause, and my weakness may deserve an excuse, notwithstand∣ing
my years, (if yet any man be too young to read and observe) or my profession (if yet a Divine should not (as times go) be as well read in Men, as Books:) Especially since I gratifie no man's fondness, writing not a Panegyrick, but an History: Nor pleasure any persons malice; designing Observations, ra∣ther than Invectives: Nor tyre any man's patience; setting down rather the remarkes of mens publick capa∣cities, than the minute passages of their private lives: but innocently discourse the most choice instances our ENGLISH Histories afford for the three great Qualifications of men (1. Noblenesse in behaviour: 2. Dex∣terity in business; and 3. Wisdome in Government) among which are twenty eight Secretaries of State, eight Chancellours, eighteen Lord Treasu∣rers, sixteen Chamberlains, who en∣tertain
Gentlemen with Observations becoming their Extraction, and their hopes, touching,
The Chancellour of France had a Picture, that to a co••mon eye shew∣ed many little heads, and they were his Ancestors••; but to the more cu∣rious represented onely one great one, and that was his own.
It's in••ended that this Book should to the vulgar Reader express several particulars, i. e. all this last Ages Heroes; but to every Gentleman it should intimate onely one, and that is himself.
It's easily imaginable how uncon∣cerned I am in the fate of this Book, either in the History, or the Obser∣vation; since I have been so faith∣ful in the ••irst, that is not my own, but the Historians; and so careful in the second, that they are not mine, but the Histories.
DAVID LLOYD.