_Let it stand (I beseech you) with your fauours whom profession of
the same true Religion towards God, and so great loue hath vnited
together in one, Jointly to accept the Protection and Patronage of
these my labours, which not their owne worth hath encouraged, but your
Worthinesse hath enforced me to consecrate vnto your Honours._
_To you (Right Honourable my very good Lord) of Right doe they belong:
for to whom shall I rather present their first fruits of my learning
then to your Lordship: who nourished then both mee and them, when
there was scarce any being to mee or them? And whose iust and vpright
carriage of causes, whose zeale to Justice and Honourable curtesie to
all men, have purchased you a Reuerend and worthie Respect of all men
in all partes of this Kingdome, where you are knowne. And to your good
Ladiship they doe of great right belong likewise; Whose Religion,
Iustice, and Honourable admittance of my Vnworthie Seruice to your
Ladiship do challenge at my handes the vttermost of what euer I may
bee able to performe._
_Here is nothing of my own act worthie to bee commended to your
Honours, it is the worke, of those Reuerend Magistrates, His Maiesties
Iustices of Assizes in the North partes, and no more then a Particular
Declaration of the proceedings of Iustice in those partes. Here shall
you behold the Iustice of this Land, truely administred_, PROEMIUM &
POENAM, _Mercie and Iudgement, freely and indifferently bestowed and
inflicted; And aboue all thinges to bee remembred, the excellent care
of these Iudges in the Triall of offendors._
_It hath pleased them out of their respect to mee to impose this worke
vpon mee, and according to my vnderstanding, I haue taken paines to
finish, and now confirmed by their Iudgement to publish the same, for
the benefit of my Countrie. That the example of these conuicted vpon
their owne Examinations, Confessions, and Euidence at the Barre, may
worke good in others, Rather by with-holding them from, then
imboldening them to, the Atchieuing such desperate actes as these or
the like._
_These are some part of the fruits of my time spent in the Seruice of
my Countrie, Since by your Graue and Reuerend Counsell (my Good Lord)
I reduced my wauering and wandring thoughts to a more quiet harbour of
repose._
_If it please your Honours to giue them your Honourable respect, the
world may iudge them the more worthie of acceptance, to whose various
censures they are now exposed._
_God of Heauen whose eies are on them that feare him, to bee their
Protector and guide, behold your Honours with the eye of fauor, be
euermore your strong hold, and your great reward, and blesse you with
blessings in this life, Externall and Internall, Temporall and
Spirituall, and with Eternall happines in the World to come: to which
I commend your Honours; And rest both now and euer, From my Lodging
in Chancerie Lane, the sixteenth of Nouember 1612._