Dedication 7 



them, and fit them for the Press ; whereof since there 

 have been several, and amongst them such as onely 

 could write a good hand, hut neither understood ortho- 

 graphy, nor had any learning {I being then in banish- 

 ment with your Lordship, and not able to maintain 

 learned secretaries) which hath been a great disadvantage 

 to my poor works, and the cause that they have been 

 printed so false, and so full of errors ; for besides that 

 I want also the skill of scholarship and true writing, I 

 did many times not peruse the copies that were tran- 

 scribed, lest they should disturb my following conceptions ; 

 by which neglect, as I said, many errors are slipt into 

 my works, which yet I hope learned and impartial 

 readers will soon rectifie, and look more upon the sense, 

 than carp at words. I have been a student even from 

 my childhood, and since I have been your Lordship's 

 wife, I have lived for the most part a strict and retired 

 life, as is best known to your Lordship, and therefore 

 my censurers cannot know much of me, since they have 

 little or no acquaintance with me : 'Tis true, I have been 

 a traveller both before and after I was married to your 

 Lordship, and sometimes shew my self at your Lordship's 

 command in publick places or assemblies ; but yet I 

 converse with few. Indeed, My Lord, I matter not the 

 censures of this age, but am rather proud of them ; 

 for it shews that my actions are more then ordinary, 

 and according to the old proverb. It is better to be 

 envied, then pitied: for I know well, that it is meerly 

 out of spight and malice, whereof this present age is so 

 full, that none can escape them, and they'l make no 

 doubt to stain even your Lordship's loyal, noble and 

 heroick actions, as well as they do mine, though yours 

 have been of war and fighting, mine of contemplating 

 and writing : yours were performed publickly in the 

 field, mine privately in my closet : yours had many 



