I Am glad to heare of your welfare, and doe not a little rejoyce, that your letter hath given me a happy oportunity to unload the burden of my diſtracted minde, In that you deſire to heare of my trade and imployment, But for what reaſon you deſire to know this I will not now inquire, for whether it be, that you heare of a place you think I may be capable of at Ipſwich neere you (If I were deſtitute) or whether it be out of your kind reſpects towards me to rejoyce with me in my hapineſſe as fellow ſervants • ught to doe, or for what cauſe ſoever elſe, It is not materiall, for you know that our late Maſter, Sir Iames Cambell brought me up to no Manuall trade, But what Gods Providence, his goodneſſe and my endeavours led me into, and that was to be his Clarke as he was a Juſtice of Peace, which you know was a happy deſigne, and proved very beneficiall, for ſurely I thinke it was God who put that motion into my minde, and gave ſtrength to my weake abilities to performe whatſoever I tooke in hand againſt potent oppoſitions. And I doe likewiſe humbly acknowledge. It was my Maſters goodneſſe to accept of my endeavours, and my Ladies kindneſſe to ſolicite and alure him, who of himelfe was willing to doe me good even to the day of his death, as it is well knowne. But my Booke-making whihc I learned of my ſelfe, againſt the counſell, and adviſe of my friends, proved as unhappy, and much more prejudiciall then my Clarkeſhip was advantagious. Yet this uſe I will make of it. That God knowing the promptitude of my nature to Pride, Covetouſnes, and ſelfe conceit, to excerciſe my humility, patience, and con • entation, inſted of credit and profit, which I expected by my labours, ſent me contempt, and diſdaine from them whom I looked for favour and reſpect; and ſo many loſſes, That I know not how to numerate them. For firſt I loſt Pretious time which ſome ſaid I might have ſpent much better. Secondly, I loſt my Love who is l • tely married to another, But whether he was ſo Eager to have her for money, beauty or vertuous qualities he knowes beſt, and you may gueſſe. And laſt of all which grieves me moſt of all, is the loſſe of mon • y. For my Time, notwithſtanding their ſayings, I might have ſpent much worſe then in ſuch labourious and pious actions, tending to the glory of God, good of my Neighbours, joy and comfort of my owne heart; And my Love may be aſwell loſt as found for ought I know. But money as the times are now is a matter of great conſequence, and very hard to come by when it is departed from us. Therfore I hope you will not blame me, If I complaine that I have loſt at the leaſt 20 l. out of my owne ſtocke in being at the ſole charge to print my Annuall World, ſacred Poems Star, Meteor, and Patterne of Juſtice and mercy. Secondly, I believe if I had ſurceaſed from printing Bookes my Maſter would have bequeathed me 200. l. As appeares by a note found neere his will made in September 1641. And laſt of all I know not what I have loſt out of my friends good will, for ſince I have printed, and publiſhed my Paterne of Iuſtice and mercy with my Meteor and Star, ſome looke upon me very ſtrangly. But yet I hope that the worſhipfull ex • cutors as they are Judiciouſly charitable, and nobly gener • us, ſo they will goe forward as they have begun in the execution of this famous Teſtament, with ſuch an unanimous cherefulneſſe that they need neither care nor feare though their actions were as apparent as the Snn-beams conſpicuous in the view of all, which would be a rare quality in the Executors of dead mens wills, And as they have made uſe of my endeavours in the moſt troubleſome buſineſſe, ſo they will not utterly caſt me out of their favour till the overplus of Sir Iames his eſtate be disburſed, notwithſtanding, that malicious detractor (you know whom I meane) hath his name entred into their tripartite Indenture of Covenants as their caſhier on purpoſe to defeate me. But I have of late given him ſuch a bitter pill, which I hope will ſo clarifie his tu • bulent humour that he ſhall not be able to wrong me. Therefore • etting him alone To teach his Cat ſpeake better language then her Maſter. You may ceaſe to wonder that theſe things have diſtracted my minde, when you doe ſeriouſly conſider that there is a univerſall madneſſe over the whole World, cauſed almoſt for as frivolous occaſions as my Booke-making. For ſome are ſo ſevere againſt Popery that they ſeeke to overthrow all good order and decency, eſteeming the houſe of God no better then a barne or ſtable, ſo that inſted of ſincere devotion they endeavor to ſet up abhominable Prophaneſſe; o hers againe doe ſo magnifie ceremonies, and outward worſhip, that they would if they could put downe all preaching the word of God, and inſted of good ſound Doctrine uphold formality, ſuperſtition, and Idolatry. And thoſe are the things that makes Nation to ariſe againſt Nation, and Kingdome againſt Kingdome now in theſe our dayes upon whom the ends of the World are come; for you ſhall hardly finde two in one houſe of one minde, for either the Father is againſt the Son or the Son againſt the Father, Brother againſt brother or Servant againſt Servant, and all againſt Supreame authority both in the Church and ſtate, And what ever others thinke to be the reaſon of theſe diſtractions, my weake judgement is, that it is chiefely for our pride and ſelfe conceit, though I will not exclude other ſins; for we are ſo glutted with the heavenly Manna of Divine Doct • ine, that now every boy or ignorant tradeſman, that can reade his hornebooke or wr • te a ſcribbling character, aſſumes to himſelfe a ſpirit of Revelation far greater then the Apoſtles of our bleſſed Saviour, not that I doe diſapprove any man woman or child, even the meaneſt capacities, to reade, and ſearch the Scripture, for I acknowledge my ſelfe to be no Scholer, Therefore let them be warned by me to take heed how they meddle with things above their capacities, leſt they receive a worſer puniſhment then I have for Booke-making: But yet let them learne of me to honour learning, and men of rare parts as they are men, though in rel • gion Papiſts, Jewes, or Turkes, and much more if they beare the profeſſion of the true Proteſtant Religion; and not for the infirmities of ſome few to vilifie the perſons, and deſpiſe the holy functions of many grave excellent learned men, whoſe ſhooe latchet they are unworthy to unlooſe: As it is now too common among us. And which is worſt of all they are upheld, and maintained by a factious company, that you may better, and with leſſe danger ſpeake treaſon, and whiſper rebellion againſt the ſacred perſon of the Kings Majeſty, and his regall authority, then againſt ſuch who inſteed of ſound Doctrine, for their owne applauſe, to ingratiate themſelves into the good opinion of a confuſed multitude, preach ſedition, and facti • n, and under pretence of long prayers delude ſimple people, and I feare in time will devoure Widowes houſes, If their ſpreading grouth be not timely cropt by authority, for they are already very ſtately and imperious, And it is to be feared theſe things will breed confuſion both in Church and Common-Wealth▪ but I hope when the head ſhall be united to the body, and when there ſhall be a right underſtanding between our Gratious Soveraigne, and his Two houſes of Parliament, there will be a thorow reformation of all things: And that ſuch a bleſſed Union may ſpeedily be accompliſhed, let you and I and all people pray God to divert thoſe judgments from us which our ſinnes have deſerved, and continue his mercies to us eſpecially the free preaching of the Goſpell by able and ſincere diſpenſors of the ſame, That pure learning may ſpring up in every Congregation as a Chriſtall River, and ſaving knowledge like a mighty ſtreame to make glad and refreſh all barren places in this Iſland, that ſo righteouſneſſe may flouriſh in our dayes, and peace ſo long as the Sun and Moone endureth. But this hath almoſt put me quite out of my intended diſcourſe, which was to ſhew you my unfortunate ſucceſſe by Booke-making, for I like that over adventurous ſonne of Sol, and Clymene have almoſt ſet the frame of Heaven in a combuſtion, and ſtated the Sun Moone and Starres upon ſuch improper objects as may cauſe amaſement to the beholders; Therefore I acknowledge my ſelfe worthily puniſhed for my Miſcroſmus, I meane my Books which I compared to a little World ſeemes to be at the period as was fo • e propheſyed by the truth it ſelfe of this Vaſt univerſe, Marke 13. 24. & 25. verſe, for my Sunne is darkened, and my Moone gives but little light, my Star is falne from the Heaven wherein it was fixed, and the powers of my Heavenly meditations are ſhaken and eſteemed of little worth; in plainer tearmes thus. You may perceive my Annuall World I compared to the Sunne: And becauſe it is compoſed of briefe Meditations upon thoſe dayes, that commemorate the meritorious actions of our Bl • ſſed Saviour, the lives and deathes of his Virgin Mother, and eminent Diſciples, according to the celebration thereof ſet downe in the booke of Common Prayer, which ſome eſteeme the Engliſh maſſe booke, Therefore ſayes an new upſtart Phariſaicall ſect, It is papiſticall and to be caſt away as an Idoll. Secondly, my Sacred poems I compared to the Moone, and becauſe it is illuſtrated with the helpe of ſome learned Authors, this Hypocriticall ſocieity, ſay it is light with darkeneſſe, holy things and vaine unprofitable things mixed which are altogether inconſiſtent, And this dead fly hath made all my bookes of oyntment unſavory, for theſe kind of people deride, and contemne all learning that is not according to their humors, and had rather Sleepe in the Church two or three houres to heare an extemporary nonſenſitive vaine babling prayer, ſuch as many of their holy brethrens are, whoſe vaine Tautologies and Hyperbolicall tearmes, both publique and private, would make a prophane man laugh, but a religious man weepe, then continue one hower in joynt prayer with the Congregation by a well compoſed forme intermingled with reading Chapters, and ſinging of Pſalmes, which me thinkes is a heavenly harmony; But theſe folke would have all things done in ſpirit, yet their actions ſhew that they are meere fleſh, except it be in gadding to Sermons to be reputed holy, for obſerve who are more proude and ſtately, who more deceitfull and covetous, and who more incontinent and malicious then this my malignant party, who to magnify their owne worth, to ingratiate themſelves into great mens favour for popular applauſe, and to uphold & to boulſter their pride, covetouſneſſe and baſe lacivious meetings in private Conventicles, care not how they diſparage the induſtrious labours of others, which they are not able with all their pretended ſanctity to mend. But I hope theſe hypocriticall R • und-heads (of late ſo called) but under that tearme I would not involve honeſt judicious round dealing men, ſuch who walke within compaſſe of their owne circumference, whoſe actions as lines are drawne from the Word of God their center, but ſuch who are wiſe in their owne conceite, whoſe minds like footeballs or bubbles of Sope in the Aire, are throwne and toſſed too and fro with every winde of Doctrine, ſuch who under pretence of Religion deride and contemne all good order in Church and Common-Wealth, and doe ſo labour to overthrow the known Monarchicall, and Hierarchicall ſtate of the Kingdome that they have almoſt brought up an Anarchicall government, ſhall ſhortly receive a juſt reward for their demerits aſwell as thoſe that labour to bring up a tyrannicall Juriſdiction in the eſtabliſhed government, which they likewiſe doe now endeavor to uphold, and would attaine unto if all power were in their owne hands; and I feare worſe. But letting them paſſe in the third place you may conſider how my Star is fallen from the Heaven wherein it was fixed, for like fooliſh Iearus, I have attempted with the waxen wings of a vaine hope and (as you may thinke) an unadviſed pride to aſcend, and fix my ſelfe in a bright firmament of favour am caſt downe into an O •• an of contempt and diſdaine, according to theſe Verſes.

Fourthly and laſtly, becauſe I did too boldly frame a flaming Meteor, I feared ſome tempeſtuous accident to fall upon me according to the malignant aſpect of ſome fiery ſpirits: And therefore leſt ſome ſharpe witted Orator ſhould by eloquent • hethorique ſuch as Lawiers uſe, or that flattering Sycophant, ſhould by colloguing inſinuation, or ſome ſpirituall minded body ſhould in Hiprocriticall ſincerity overſway my judicious loving friends good opinion of me and of my endeavors, I did lately joyne all my labours of love together in one volume with marginall notes, and annotations, and offered them to the preſſe, becauſe I am unwilling to be condemned by a partiall jury ſuch as thoſe three above ſpecified. But no executioner I meane a Stationer or Printer had the heart to undertake the worke, and in excuſe thereof told mee, That ſuch a book as that of thirty or forty ſheets of paper is not like to ſell in this age were the matter never ſo good, but if it had beene a lying and ſcandalus pamphlet of a ſheete of paper that could produce a Scripture text, or ſome reviling tearmes againſt Monarchy, and Hierarchy to uphold an Anarchy, they would have embraced my profer, for it is like ſuch would have proved vendable ware, if I could obtain an Order or a Vote upon it: Therefore I am inforced to keepe thoſe my labours by me for 30 or 40. l. is more money now then I can well ſpare upon ſuch a dead commodity. Thus have I briefely declared my diſaſter by making bookes, yet I hope this laſt booke of Iuſtice and mercy will by ſuch time this Kingdome is in a ſettled peace, cauſe all the reſt of my workes to caſt forth a little glimmering light to the praiſe and Glory of God, good of my Neighbour, and joy and comfort of my owne ſoule at the houre of death in the day of judgement, and all the dayes of my life. Now for my Trade and Imployment as I have continued with my Lady 18 yeares and upwards, ſo I doe intend (God willing) to remaine with her one or two yeares longer at the leaſt except I be by force expulſed, and then you ſhall heare my mournfull lamentation, in the meane time I thanke you for your • inde remembrance of me, in retribution whereof, I commend my due reſpects unto you and will never ceaſe to be