My Lord,
  Your most affectionate old friend,
        and most humble servant,
               IZAAK WALTON.

[Footnote 1:  William Chillingworth, born at Oxford in 1602, and educated at Trinity College.  He was proverbially celebrated there for clear and acute reasoning; but he so much involved himself in the Romish Controversy with John Fisher, a Jesuit, as to become a convert, and enter the College at Douay.  His re-conversion was brought about by his godfather, Archbishop Laud, in 1631, when he returned to England; and in 1638, he wrote his famous work called “The Religion of Protestants a safe Way to Salvation.”  Fol.  He was zealously attached to the Royal cause, and served at the Siege of Gloucester:  but being taken prisoner, he was carried to the Bishop’s Palace, at Chichester, on account of his illness, and, dying there Jan. 30th, 1644, was buried in the Cathedral, without any other ceremony than that of his book being cast into the grave by the hand of a fanatic.]

THE PREFACE

[Sidenote:  Introductory]

I dare neither think, nor assure the Reader, that I have committed no mistakes in this relation of the Life of Dr. Sanderson; but I am sure, there is none that are either wilful, or very material.  I confess, it was worthy the employment of some person of more Learning and greater abilities than I can pretend to; and I have not a little wondered that none have yet been so grateful to him and to posterity, as to undertake it.  For it may be noted, that our Saviour hath had such care, that, for Mary Magdalen’s kindness to him, her name should never be forgotten:  and doubtless Dr. Sanderson’s meek and innocent life, his great and useful Learning, might therefore challenge the like endeavours to preserve his memory:  And ’tis to me a wonder, that it has been already fifteen years neglected.  But, in saying this, my meaning is not to upbraid others,—­I am far from that,—­but excuse myself, or beg pardon for daring to attempt it.  This being premised, I desire to tell the Reader, that in this relation I have been so bold, as to paraphrase and say, what I think he—­whom I had the happiness to know well—­would have said upon the same occasions:  and if I have erred in this kind, and cannot now beg pardon of him that loved me; yet I do of my Reader, from whom I desire the same favour.

[Sidenote:  Reasons for writing]

And, though my age might have procured me a Writ of Ease, and that secured me from all further trouble in this kind; yet I met with such persuasions to begin, and so many willing informers since, and from them, and others, such helps and encouragements to proceed, that when I found myself faint, and weary of the burthen with which I had loaden myself, and ready to lay it down; yet time and new strength hath at last brought it to be what it now is, and presented to the Reader, and with it this desire; that he will take notice,