THat I may give you a reaſon of ſuch things as the Iudicious and ſevere Cenſurer may deeme blemiſhes and imperfections in this Worke: For the Order, you may be pleaſed to underſtand, it is not ſo abſolutely Methodicall as I could wiſh it were, yet needs none other Apologie, than the length of time it hath beene growing to this Bulke, and Mortality of the Authors, who have ſpent (two of them now) their lives in the diſquiſition of venerable Antiquity concerning this City. The Learned know, Men are all various in their Opinions, as in their Faces you hardly finde of a Nation two that reſemble in all proportions, ſo in their Minds is there as much diſcrepancy, and then muſt there needs be the ſame or more in their Writings, the expreſſe Image of their Minds. And this is the Fate of our preſent Worke, which begun Methodically, hath not beene ſo well proſecuted, whether out of difference in Iudgement, or want of Information, I diſpute not: Probable it may be, the deſire of inſerting all things for the delight of the Reader, might breed this want of Method, and the rather am I induc’d to incline thereto, ſince every dayes Experience teaches, how unſtable oftentimes and incertaine Friendſhip is, when ſhe promiſes Information in this kinde: Yet this, the ingenuity of a courteous Reader will excuſe, ſince the Benefit compenſates the Wrong.

And to adminiſter a ſalve to this ſore, and prevent Diſtraction in the Reader, in this laſt Impreſsion have you variety of Tables, ſuccinct and pithy, yet not obſcure: In the beginning, the whole body of the Book diſſected into ſixtie Chapters, whoſe ſhort Contents epitomize the Subſtance of the Work: Then briefe Schemes as well of all the Churches in and about London and Weſtminſter foure miles compaſſe, as of all the Halls and Companies of this Honourable City, both Alphabetically ranged with reference to their proper places. Laſtly, that nothing might be wanting which ſhould bring eaſe and furtherance to the Studious Reader, have you a Catalogue of Authors, on whoſe authority the truth of our Aſſertions may depend.

Neither leave we you heare: In the end alſo have we furniſhed it with two exact Tables; The firſt an Index, containing in it the chiefe Streets, Lanes, Conduits, ſtately Houſes of Noblemen, Innes of Court, Chancery, and other ancient Monuments of this City, not without the admixion alſo of worthy Actions and Cuſtomes of Citizens. The other a Concordance of thoſe, whoſe Honour in their Office, Charity in their Almes, Memory in their Monu ment, ment, hath acquainted Poſterity with their Names: By this Guide, hee who boaſts his Birth in a Magnificent City (as the Ancient did in Rome or Athens) may with great facility finde his Anceſtors in their Honours, Almeſ giving, Tombes, or other memorable and worthy Actions here recorded: For inſtance (not to exceed our Memories) finde the name of Anderſon in the Concordance, and according to the firſt figures (105. a. ¶) turne to the Page, and you have his Liberality or Benefaction to Brazen-noſe College in Oxford; then conſult the ſecond (291. a. ¶) in like manner, and you have his Monument in Saint Olave Vpwel’s Church: ſo the third (592. b. ¶.) and you ſhall finde him there Sheriffe, Anno Dom. 1601. The ſame order is obſerved in the reſt, onely for diſtinction ſake, I have added theſe letters. B. to ſuch as have beene Biſhops, and M. to thoſe that have borne the Office of Maior.

Thus have we endevored to prevent Diſtraction, and reduce the copious Variety of this Worke to heads, for the Readers eaſe; not without a great deale of Paines, Care, and Charge: The Iudicious can give the beſt eſtimate of the Paines; of the Care none better than he that hath reaped benefit by the reading; as for the Charge, the proportion of the Volume ſpeakes, eſpecially to the skilfull in that Myſtery; to which if you adde the length of time (now almoſt three yeeres) it hath lyen under the Preſſe, there is none but may conceive the greatneſſe thereof. Yet no ſmall ſatisfaction to all theſe may you afford (Gentle Reader) by your candide and courteous acceptance, with a future encouragement (in this, or the like) to the ready endevours of him that will ſtudy to be