To the Reader

Reader,

You have here a true and impartial account of the proceedings of the High Court of Justice (so called) against that faithful servant and minister of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, a man of so much and such known [reconstructed: worth] while he lived, and of so good a name and memory now dead, that as anything I can say of him would signify little, so I shall be wholly silent in it. What and how extreme the proceedings of the court were against him will by this that follows sufficiently appear, especially if you do but considerately peruse Mr. Love's defense, and the plea of that honorable gentleman, and his then faithful counsel Mr. Sergeant Hales, against both the charge and evidence. This trial was formerly printed, but not till now made thus public, the times not bearing it. The court took a severe course to have prevented the publishing of it, as being (it seems) conscious to themselves of their own foul and false play therein; and did therefore every day commit my very notes to the Tower, (though they did not prove to be under such strict keeping, but that I had the liberty of giving them several visits) not that I think every one of the court should fall under the same consideration, for there were various of them (as I am certainly informed) that would not at all have appeared in it, but upon the earnest solicitation of some nearly related to Mr. Love, and that only in order (if it could have been) to the saving of his life. My aim in now publishing this trial is not that it should prove an injury to or an irritation of any, but partly a little to revive the memory of that now blessed servant of God (though I know the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance) and partly that the world may be somewhat acquainted with the manner of proceedings of our high courts of justice, especially when they have been erected (as it is too too apparent ours have been) only to feed the malice, and serve the corrupt and unjust interests, of ambitious and merciless men.

J. F.