A Bartholomew Fairing for Parents to Bestow, To the reader
To all godlie Parentes, with their like vertuous children, and all other the Chriſtian Readers, into whoſe handes this book may come, increaſe of true knowledge & ſincere practiſe of the ſame through Ieſus Chriſt.
IT is not for nothing (right curteous and christian readers) that we hauehave bene by our Sauiour Chriſt ſo many yeares ſithens beforehand warned of the ſtate and condition of this wofull and doting world ſet on fire vponupon miſchiefe & iniquitie, that the neerer it groweth and haſteneth vntounto his end, the worſe & worſe it ſhal daily wax, inſomuch that the Lord when he ſhal come to iudgement,Luk. 18.8. ſhall hardlie finde faith vponupon the earth. For ſuch are the miſeries of our times, that notwithſtanding the plentifull preaching of the Goſpell in moſt places, ſin ſtill raigneth in aboundance, and iniquitie getteth more and more the vpper-hand, inſomuch that thoſe enormities and outrages, the which are condemned by the law of Nature, the word of God, the practiſe of the godlie in all ages, the teſtimony of the Heathen, and generall conſent of all commendable learning, are notwithſtanding of many not onelyonly laughed and ieſted as, but alſo ſought to be countenanced, and defended (aneuident token of the great corruption of our age) of ſuch as otherwiſe want not their due praiſe for ciusll conuerſation and behauiour. Among theſe is not the laſt nor least, the too vſuall bad cuſtome of childrens marrieng, without the conſent and allowance of their parentes a ſinne that nature it ſelfe abborreth, and all writers of the better note, in all ages vtterlie diſalowed, and yet of the greater number holden and taken for no fault at all, whoſe error in iudgment, ariſing for the most part of ignorance, I hauehave fasthfully laboured by all ſufficsent kind of proofes in this writing to diſprooue, the which not vnfitly, nor nigh my purpoſe and meaning at the leaſtwiſe) offenſiuely, I hauehave tearmed a Bartholmew fairing, reſpecting the time, and the great reſort that yearly come vp to the fair, who, now if they liſt may hauehave a nouell of ſmall prices but yet of much value, to beſtow vponupon themſelues their children & their friends, worthy I hope of their reading and much more of their practiſe, as their ſeueral places & callings ſhall require. And I hauehave bene the more willing to enter into this courſe, and vndersaken this matter, that I might diſcharge ſome part of a promiſe vntounto diuerſe my godly friends of Kent and Suſſex, which are towards the right honourable and vertuous Earle of Huntington, vntounto whom I alſo my ſelfe am bound in all dutifulnes in the Lord, who by their due right may iuſtly claim the ſame as my hand of whom they hauehave all ſo well deſerued, and vntounto whom I am ſure this treatiſe will come welcome Howſoeuer it fall out of ſome to be miſliked: for concerning them I am fully perſuaded, as Ioſhua ſpeaketh of himſelfe and his.Ioſhua. 24.16 That they and their houſes will ſerue the Lord. And I make no doubt of alother zealous Chriſtians, but that this labour ſhall be well thought off. It is growen I conſeſse, albeit vntounto no great, yet much bigger bulke, then when I began it, I ſuppoſed it ſhould: the Lord hauing giuen a further bleſ…ing vntounto it then I looked for, whereby I am comforted, that he will of lake merciemercy direct it vntounto the good and benefit of his Church. Eloquence and rethoricall floriſhings, with filed wordes and braue phraſes, are not here to be expected and looked for, as beeing ſuch flowers, the which neuer grewe in my barren, plaine, and homely country garden, yet may the hearbs that here are to be found, though not carrieng any outward gay and gallant ſhew, yeeld an wholſome and pleaſant ſmell in the noſtrels of all godly parents, worn not in the hands, but in the hearts and minds of all louing and dutifull children, the which ſhould henceforth of conſcience and knowledge put into diligent vſe and practiſe this most neceſſarie and waightie point of dutie, the which hither to of ignorance, and lacke of teaching, hath of the greater number bene neglected, foreſlowed, and ouerpaſſed.
Vnfeignedlie wiſhing your knowledge and practiſe of all neceſſarie duties. Iohn Stockwood.