The Preface xlv 



country ; for it is most true, that his Lordship prudently- 

 perceiving all the King's party lost, not only in England, 

 but also in Scotland and Ireland ; and that it was impossible 

 to withstand the rebels, after the fatal overthrow of Ins army ; 

 his Lordship, in a poor and mean condition, quitted his own 

 country, and went beyond sea ; soon after which, the rebels 

 having got an absolute power, and granted a general pardon 

 to all those that would come in to them, upon composition, 

 at the rates they had set down, his Lordship, with but few 

 others, was excepted from it, both for life and estate, and did 

 remain thus banished till his Majesty's happy restoration. 



I must also acknowledge, that I have committed great 

 errors in taking no notice of times as I should have done in 

 many places of this history : I mention in one place the Queen 

 Mother's being in France, when my Lord went thither, but do 

 not say in what year that was ; nor do I express when his 

 Majesty (our now gracious Sovereign) came in, and went out 

 again several times from that kingdom, which has happened 

 for want of memory, and I desire my readers to excuse me 

 for it 



Nobody can certainly be more ready to find faults in this 

 work, than I am to confess them ; being very conscious 

 that I have, as I told my Lord I should, committed many 

 for want of learning, and chiefly of skill in writing histories. 

 But having, according to his Lordship's commands, written 

 his actions and fortunes truly and plainly, I have reason to 

 expect, that whatsoever else shall be found amiss, will be 

 favourably pardoned by the candid readers, to whom I wish 

 all manner of happiness. 



