Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. I deny not, when, at my coming from the north 1t first came into my head to divulge these readings, my purpose was to have made the chief founders and procurers thereof (my two deceased Lords) the chief patrons also that as ‘the rivers run to the place from whence they come, ‘ so these tokens of my grateful mind might return to the principal authors. Wherein the world might justly have censured me with the words of the prophet, What 1 from the living to the dead?’ contrary to the use and fashion of all other men? But so I mean; both to avoid the suspicion of a fault which the world laboureth of (flattering of great personages), who was, and am content that all mine expectations in any respect from them or theirs be laid in the same dust wherein their bones lie, and to shew that ‘love is stronger than death, ‘ and that the inexorable bars of the grave cannot forbid a man to continue that affection to the memory of the dead which he carried to the living. For which cause, as others provided spices and balms, and monuments of stone or brass to preserve their bodies, so I intended a monument of paper, and such other preservatives as I could, to keep their names in life, which the violence of time cannot so quickly injure as the fatal ungrate fulness of these latter days. But your Lordship’s most undeserved and unlooked for bounty towards me hath altered that meaning. In whose countenance and speech evermore, from the first hour that I came into your honourable presence, there dwelt such plentiful comforts and encouragements to make me hope for better times, that I never went away but with more fatness to my bones. And now the world can witness with me how largely you have Opened your hand, and sealed up that care, in freely bestowing upon me, not Leah, but Rachel, even the daughter of your strength, the best that your honour had to bestow, * I say not for my service of twice seven years, but being yet to begin my first hour’s attendance which more than credible benignity,
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