1

THE

INTRODUCTION.

IN a late retreat from the business of this world, and those many little cares with which I have too often cumbered myself, I fell into a contemplation of fome of thofe historical paffages that are recorded in facred story; and more particularly of what had paffed betwixt our bleffed Saviour, and that wonder of women, and finners, and mourners, Saint Mary Magdalen. I call her Saint, because I did not then, nor do now confider her, as when he was poffeft with feven devils; not as when her wanton eyes, and difhevelled hair, were defigned and managed to charm and enfnare amorous beholders. But I did then, and do now confider her, as after she had expreffed a vifible and facred forrow for her fenfualities; as after thofe eyes had wept fuch a flood of penitential tears as did wath, and that hair had wiped, and fhe most paffion

ately kiffed the feet of hers, and our "bleffed Jefus. And I do now confider, that because she loved much, not only much was forgiven her; but that, beside that bleffed bleffing of having her fins pardoned, and the joy of knowing her happy condition, the alfo had from him a teftimony, that her alabafter box of precious ointment poured on his head and feet, and that spikenard, and those spices that were by her dedicated to embalm and preferve his facred body from putrefaction, should fo far preferve her own memory, that these demonstrations of her fanctified love, and of her officious and generous gratitude, fhould be recorded and mentioned wherefoever his gospel should be read; intending thereby, that as his, fo her name should also live to fucceeding generations, even till time itself fhall be no more.

Upon occafion of which fair example, I did lately look back, and not without fome content, (at least to myself,) that I have endeavoured to deferve the love, and preserve the memory, of my two deceased friends, Dr. Donne, and Sir Henry Wot

ton,

And

ton, by declaring the feveral employments and various accidents of their lives. though Mr. George Herbert (whofe Life I now intend to write) were to me a stranger as to his person, for I have only feen him; yet fince he was, and was worthy to be, their friend, and very many of his have been mine, I judge it may not be unacceptable to those that knew any of them in their lives, or do now know them by mine, or their own writings, to fee this conjunction of them after their deaths; without which, many things that concerned them, and fome things that concerned the age in which they lived, would be lefs perfect, and loft to posterity.

For these reasons I have undertaken it; and if I have prevented any abler perfon, I beg pardon of him and my reader.