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To the Worshipfull, and my Worthy Friend, Henry Darley Esquire.
Worthy Sir,
THe Sad news of so Unhappy a Losse as his Lord∣ships Death, forceth me to give an account of what might else seeme a Soloecisme. The book was newly finished in the presse, before his Lord∣ships death, and expected only to be first presented to his Noble Hands, before it was presented to the World; to whome it was then a going, when that unhappy news stopped it, and some copies were gone abroad. I have suppressed it since, to adde that which you see adjoyned; in testimony of mine own sadnesse for so great a Losse. Which yet can∣not be so fully expressed by a private penne, as by the com∣mon Tears of all those to whome Religion is deare. A sad losse it was, had it been in the Best times, to loose so many excellent Accomplishments in one Noble Breast; but Now most Unhappy, when there is so much work and so few hands; in which, I am confident, None was guided by a more single Eye, with lesse Obliquity to collaterall aimes. Vnhappy then was that accident, that deprived us of one so well worthy to live;
Vnhappy hand! by one sad stroke who shot Religion, Learning, Piety, what not?
Sir, The Treatise penned long since at your request, had once passed in another Character through Yours to his Lordships Hand, not then intended to be made publique,