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THE 



PREFACE 



r Ho the Author of this Hiftory of Birds was, and why 

 after Co many Books of this Subject already published 

 we iliould attempt to fet it forth, the Reader may 

 perchance delire fome information and account, which 

 we fliall endeavour briefly to give him. As for the 

 Author the Title-page prefents him with his Name and 

 Country. He was the only Son of Sir Francis 

 Willughby Knight, defcended of two very ancient Families, hothWillugh- 

 byes y the one Honourable, yi%. that of Eresby in Lincoln/hire, by the Fathers 

 fide ; the other Worfliipful, Yi%, that of Willughby on the Woulds in 

 Notingbampire, by the Mothers. His Mother was the Lady Qajjlndra, 

 Daughter to the Right Honourable the Earl of London-Deny, He was 

 moreover endowed with excellent gifts and abilities both of body and 

 mind, and blefled with a fair Eftate. Howbeit, as he did duly prize 

 thefe advantages of Birth, Eftate, and Parts, fo did he not content himfelf 

 therewith, or value himfelf thereby, but laboured after what might 

 render him more defervedly honourable, and more truly be called his 

 own, as being obtained by the concurrence at leaft of his endeavours. 

 Firft then, as God had given him a quick Apprehenfion, piercing Witj 

 and found Judgment, lo by his great induftry and conftant ufe of thefe 

 gifts he did highly improve and advance them. He was from his Child- 

 hood addicted to fludy, and ever fince he came to the ufe of Reafon Co 

 great a husband of his time, as not willingly to lofe or let flip unoccupied 

 the leaft fragment of it, detefting no Vice more than Idlenefs, which he 

 look'd upon as the Parent and Nurfe of almoft all others. Nay, lb ex- 

 ceflive was he in the profecution of his ftudies and other employments 

 without any intermiffion or diverfion, that moft of his Friends were of 

 opinion he did much weaken his body and impair his health by his un- 

 ceflant labours and perpetual intention of mind upon bufinefs. However 

 that be,hence it came to pais that he attained very good skill in all parts of 

 learning, and particularly got a deep infight into thofe Sciences which are 

 moft abftrufe and impervious to Vulgar Capacities, I mean the moft 

 fubtil parts of the Mathematicks. Of his skill in Natural Philofophy, 

 chiefly the Hiftory of • 'Animals, [~ Birds, Beafts, Fifties, and Infects, ~] J 

 (ball Jay no more at prefent, but that it hath not yet been my hap to meet 

 with any man either in England or beyond Seas of fo general and com- 

 prehenfive knowledge therein. 



But iecondly, what rendred him moft commendable was his eminent 

 Vertue and Goodnefs. I cannot fay that ever I obferved iuch a confluence 

 of excellent qualities in one Perfon. For i . Notwithstanding the fore- 

 mentioned advantages, which are wont to purT up mens minds with 

 pride, he was fo truly humble, that I have not known any man of the 

 meaneft fortune or birth exceed him in that vertue. He defpifed no man 



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