THE PREFACE. ix 



divers Archbishops and Bishops, and other eminent Church 

 men, viz. Parker, Grindal, Whitgift, Sandys, Cox, No well, 

 Goodman, Fox ; many of the chief Papists, Feckenham, Wat 

 son, Meridith, Allen, Campion ; and Puritans, as Whright, 

 Chark, Field, Wilcox, Carew, Giffard, Cartwright, Cawdry, 

 Barrow, Greenwood, and others of that rank. Which things, 

 when duly considered, may render this book of public use 

 and advantage, though the argument of it be more private, 

 and relate chiefly to one man. 



Should any be desirous to know upon what foot of truth 

 I stand, and what authority I have for what I have written, 

 I acknowledge the demand to be very reasonable, and I 

 shall freely declare what notes I have made use of, and 

 whence I have gathered my materials. In general, I have 

 been furnished from authentic registers and records, from 

 original letters and other MSS. some lying in public ar 

 chives, and others in more private libraries. Some help 

 also I have had from certain old tracts and pamphlets 

 printed in those times. But to be more particular, (for this 

 perhaps may give a satisfaction to some more inquisitive 

 persons,) at the end of this book I have set down a cata 

 logue of the manuscripts, together with the other ancient 

 printed treatises, both that I have made use of, and that 

 are mentioned in the history. 



And here I cannot but take this occasion publicly to 

 acknowledge my singular obligations to divers reverend 

 and honourable persons, who have granted me the liberty 

 of consulting very valuable papers in their possession or 

 custody. Among these is the right honourable and learned 

 Sir Joseph Williamson; who, after my requests of being 

 admitted into the Paper Office had been made known unto 

 him by the favour of the most reverend Father in Christ 

 the present Archbishop of Canterbury, allowed me to take 

 a view of the ecclesiastical papers there; and afterward, 

 by a warrant from the most honourable the King^s Privy 

 Council, with the same obliging readiness, to take copies of 

 divers of them for my use, in the compiling an ecclesiastical 

 history under my hands ; whereby I was furnished with 



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