ABSTRACT
Accept, I pray you (my deare countreymen) as thankefully this Pamphlet that I offer unto you, as lovingly it is written for your weale. I would be loath both to be faschious,* and fectlesse* And therefore, if it be not sententious, at least it is short. It may be yee misse many things that yee looke for in it: But for excuse thereof, consider rightly that I onely lay downe herein the trew grounds, to teach you the right-way, without wasting time upon refuting the adversaries. And yet I trust, if ye will take narrow tent,1 ye shall finde most o f their great gunnes payed home againe, either with contrary conclusions, or tacite objections, suppose in a claimed* forme, and indirectly: For my intention is to instruct, and not irritat, if I may eschew it. The profite I would wish you to make of it, is, as well so to frame all your actions according to these grounds, as may confirme you in the course o f honest and obedient Subjects to your king in all times comming, as also, when ye shall fall in purpose with any that shall praise or excuse the by-past rebellions that brake foorth either in this countrey, or in any other, ye shall herewith bee armed against their Sirene songs, laying their particular examples to the square o f those grounds. Whereby yee shall soundly keepe the course o f righteous Judgement, decerning wisely o f every action onely according to the qualitie thereof, and not according to your pre-judged conceits o f the committers: So shall ye, by reaping profit to your selves, turne my paine into pleasure. But least the whole Pamphlet runne out at the gaping
mouth o f this Preface, if it were any more enlarged; I end, with committing you to God, and me to your charitable censures.
