Gods Ark Overtopping the Worlds Waves, Dedication – To the reader
To the Right Honourable, Alderman ADAMS, Lord Mayor of the moſt famous and Renowned City of London; The Right Worſhipfull Sir Iohn Wollaſton and Sir Richard Sprignall; Together with the Right Worſhipfull the Lady Rebecca Wollaſton, and the Lady Anne Sprignall, their moſt virtuous and truely pious Conſorts, All, my ever moſt highly honoured good Friends: J. V. moſt Cordially prayeth the Fulneſſe of the Kingdome of Grace, here, and of the Kingdome of Glo…y here…fter.
Right Hono…rable & Right Worſhipfull,
THe much Chriſtian Courteſie and very many and moſt conſtant immerited favours, whereof from time to time, I and mine have moſt ſweetly taſted from your Honour and Worſhips: But eſpecially, the ſerious obſervation of the pious and painfull, yea, even indefatigable Labours of Love, for God and his great Cauſe, which not onelyonly I, but even the whole Kingdome in generall, and this renowned City in ſpeciall, have cleerly taken notice of, and been moſt happily ſenſible of, to proceed from your Honour and Worſhips, (Et, O terque quaterque felicia ſaecula, quae Vos tales Patriae genuere Parentes) This double and indiſſoluble Ligament (I ſay) of ever bounden Gratitude, hath moſt deeply engaged me to dedicate and conſecrate, This third Part of my Parliamentary-Chronicle to your good Honour and Worſhips, as a moſt true Teſſera and Sincere Symbole of that ever obliged obſervance, which (together with my poor All) I moſt juſtly and ingenuouſly acknowledge to be moſt due unto you All, my ever moſt highly honoured good Friends in generall; and hereby alſo in a more ſpeciall and peculiar manner to take oportune occaſion to give-in my moſt cordiall congratulation and juſt and joyful Acclamation for your good Honours happy inauguration unto the moſt honourable Majorallity of this celebrious and moſt Renouned City of London; which, though it may ſeem to come ſomewhat too tardily, yet I aſſure your Honour it comes now moſt cordially; and though it cannot ſpeak ſo loudly as others, yet I aſſure you (my good Lord) it ſpeaks as lovingly as the beſt of your good Lordſhips moſt devoted Votaries. Which, therefore, together with my beſt Services hoping your good Honour & Worſhips wil in your accuſtomed Candor and even connative ingenuity, receive with the Heart & Hand of courteous and candid Acceptation; I ſhall hereby be ſtill more and more deeply endeered, in all my beſt endeavours, eſpecially, in my poor Prayers to preſſe the Thron of Grace, that your good Honour and Worſhips may long flouriſh, as moſt famous tall-grown Cedars on the tops of the Mountains of this our Engliſh-Lebanon, inferiour to None of your former famous Predeceſſours; and ſhall hereby alſo moſt obligedly reſt,
Your good Honours and Worſhips, in what he is, to be ever Commanded; JOHN VICARS.
To the Courteous and Christian Reader.
THe continued Encouragements and most aimable approbation (Chriſtian and candid Readers) which you All (eſpecially the truely religious and reverend Divines both of City and Country) have given unto me, in the former two Parts of this our Parliamentary-Chronicle, have ſet a ſharpe edge upon my ſerious Affections, and beene as a Spirit-quickening Spur to ſtimulate and ſtir forward my moſt zealous Reſolutions and Endevours to the Continuation of this our Parliamentary-Chronicle, and moſt famous and renowned Hiſtory, to a third Part thereof. Wherein, as formerly, ſo now, I have laboured with all the Diſcretion, care, and conſciencious Sedulity, wherewith I was poſſibly able to communicate nothing therein but true and innocent Intelligence of all our most famous and important Parliamentary Proceedings (in way of rare and reall mercies to this Kingdome in ſpeciall) for the ſpace of one entyre 12 Month paſt. Yet herein I must ingenuouſly confeſſe I may poſſibly have miſſed in ſome particular circumſtantialls, either of Manner, Time, Perſons, or Numbers, conſidering that they are all, for the moſt part, received from ſeverall remote Hands, and remote Habitations; yet for thy better aſſurance herein I have (according to the wiſe counſell of a moſt learned and religious Divine, my much honoured good Friend, Reverend Maſter Arrowſmith) ſtill taken mine Intelligence as neer as I could from the Lame-poſt. Wherefore I heartily deſire thee; good Reader, with chriſtian candor and ingenuity, to connive at and pardon what ever ſmall ſlips or failings, thou mayeſt peradventure meet with, from me, herein, who faithfully aſſure thee, that I have with my beſt ability, ſtriven in all equitable Sincerity to wrong None, but to right All, as neer as I could. Whereunto if thou vouchſafeſt courteouſly to condeſcend, together with the grant of a portion in thy holy prayers for the poor and unworthy Authour, I ſhall justly account all my great paines, herein, plentifully repayed, and for the ſame most gratefully rest,
Thine in the Lord John Vicars.