THIS Book, Honorable, Learned and most Judicious Father, reporting the Original, Antiquity, and continued Succession of this famous City, both in the elder and more modern Condition; as also what Form of Government supported the same; not only by Authority of the Civil and Temporal Magistrate, but also in the first Receit of the Christian Faith, and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction held in the Church: Methought, both these Occasions, being duly considered with my self, challenged a double Duty at my Hand by way of Dedication. For being a freeborn Son of this Honorable City, even as Master STOWE, the first Collector of these painful Labours together, was; and guided by the same Line or Level of common Duty, as he very carefully before observed; the Body Politique, I mean, the Right Honorable Lord Maior, and the worthy Assistant Senators, his Brethren, deserved to claim no mean Interest therein; in being by them thereto directed and commanded, and having been their Servant Six and Twenty Years, in sundry Employments for the City's Service.

In the second Place, tho' rightly deserving to be First, (by reason that God's Cause ought to be preferred before the World's) discoursing as I have formerly said, of the first embracing of Christian Religion, both in this Land and City; and consequently, how it failed or flourished from Time to Time, under the antient Regiment of Archbishops of London, as appeareth in the following Record: and so proceeding to Melitus and Justus, who were the first Bishops thereof, each after other, at such Time, as the Church of St. Paul, from being the profane Temple of Apollo, (and so destroyed) was first founded to be a Cathedral Church in this City of London; and in the Time of Ethelbert, King of Kent; therein you may be hereafter better informed: All which Catalogue of those Reverend Fathers and Bishops, how long each Man sat, or happened to be thence removed, either by Death, or to a higher Degree, is justly set down in the same Register; and humbly given to your great and grave Consideration: That if I have therein any Ways failed, by your Advice the same may be reformed. Or if any Thing also be mistaken, it may be the more directly ordered; You being the only Judge in this Case, to whom I should, in a Matter so important, appeal.

Lastly, Concerning a certain Instruction received from your Lordship by a Gentleman of much Learning and Respects, for the Times of new building, enlarging and repairing of many Churches in this City; as also the Houses of dwelling of the learned Pastors, to them belonging: wherein hath appeared no lack of Love and Bounty of the Parishoners in those Parishes; and some of them particular Men, in very godly and liberal manner; I most humble intreat your Honour at this Time therein to pardon and excuse me, till a larger Volume may Answer both yours, and all others Expectations in that kind, with many other Matters of great Consequence, not willingly, but constrainedly omitted at this Time.

As for such Errors, as have escaped in the Impression, many of them, through the Fault of not being well acquainted with my crabbed Writing, more by mistaking, but none (I dare presume) by any Willingness in the Printer, to commit in the very least kind, I know that you, Reverend Father, and the Learned, will lovingly correct; the uncapable easily slip over; and the most malicious, (even in their severest Spleen) think me not so ignorant, as to write, or the Printer so negligent, wilfully to let pass, albeit we both must now stand subject to every Censure.
Your Lordships in all Duty
A. M.