A Happy Handful, Title page – Dedication
A Happy Handfull, OR Green Hopes in the BLADE; In order to a HARVEST, OF THE Several SHIRES, humbly Petitioning, or heartily Declaring for Peace.
Pſal. 34. 14.
Seek Peace, and follow after it.
LONDON, Printed for John Williams at the Sign of the Crown in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1660.
TO His Highneſs The Lord General MONCK.
MY LORD,
WHat formerly was in ſingle Arrows, is here bound in a Sheaf, I conceive it good that by ſuch conjunction, they might mutually reflect light one on another. Poſterity will probably be pleaſed to look back on ſuch paſſages. Some love to ſee the little coats they then did wear when children. Alas, theſe all were the Eſſayes in the Infancy of our Liberty, now grown a ſtripling, God ſend it to be a Man! yet they differ rather in Sound than in Senſe, variouſly expreſſing the ſame matter. So many men, and but one minde, is admirable; prompted certainly by the Spirit of unity inditing them. Factious Petitions, gave the beginning, and Loyal Declarations muſt give the end to our Miſeries. But here is the difference, the firſt were made by the Scum, theſe by the Cream of the Nation. Aeneas did beg the Boon of the Sybil, that ſhe would not write her Oracles (according to her uſual courſe) in leaves of Trees blown away with every wind.
Theſe Declarations formerly were printed in Leaves or ſingle Papers, which are ſoon loſt, not to ſay, The beſt of Papers ſo printed, are oft conſigned to the worſt of uſes. This is a way to preſerve, and to propagate them. I remember the Verſe of the Poet,
Singula cum valeant ſunt meliora ſimul,
Take each of them aſunder, good as either,
Then needs they muſt be beſt, all put together. What (as ſingle Stars) was good, muſt be beſt in a Conſtellation.
God happily perfect what is ſo hopefully begun by your Honour, though my voice is too weak to be the Eccho to the ſound of the whole Nation:
Your Honours moſt humble Servant, JOHN WILLIAMS.