To The truly Noble, and much honoured Lady, the Lady Elizabeth Brooke, Wife to Sir Robert Brooke.

To The truly Noble, and much honoured Lady, the Lady Elizabeth Brooke, Wife to Sir Robert Brooke.

Madame:

Besides that deserved interest your Ladyship held in the ⟨image 4⟩fections and esteem of this worthy man more then any friend alive, which might entitle you to all that may call him Author. This small piece of his acknowledgeth a more special propriety unto your Ladyship. For though his tongue was as the Pen of a ready Writer in the hand of Christ who guided ⟨image 4⟩him, yet your Ladyships hand and Pen was in this his scribe and Amanuensis whilst he dictated a first draught of it in private, with intention for the public. In which labour both of humility and love, your Ladyship did that honour unto him which Baruch (though great and Noble) did but receive in the ⟨image 5⟩like, transcribing the words of Jeremiah, from his mouth: wherein yet your Ladyship did indeed, but write the story of your own life, which hath been long exactly framed to the rules herein prescribed. We therefore that are entrusted in the publishing of it, deem it but an act of Justice in us to return it thus to your ⟨image 5⟩Ladyship, unto whom it owes, even its first Birth: that so where ever this little Treatise shall come, there also this that you have done, may be told and recorded for a memorial of you. And we could not but esteem it also an addition of honour to the work, that no less then a Ladies hand (so pious ⟨image 6⟩& so much honoured) brought it forth into the world, although in it self it deserveth as much as any other this blessed womb did bear. The Lord in way of recompense, write all the holy Contents of it, yet more fully and abundantly in your Ladyships heart, and all the lineaments of the Image of Jesus Christ,