Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.-Deut. xxxii. 7. Ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.-JER. VI. 16. 1947-11 SIR ROGER TWYSDEN, the Author of the following Treatise, was the eldest son of William Twysden, Esq. of Royden Hall, in the parish of East Peckham, Kent,—a person of considerable learning, who was advanced to the dignity of a Baronet by King James I. Sir Roger was born in 1597, and inherited his father's studious habits and love of literature, as well as his estates, and a library richly stored with books and manuscripts. It was, however, to the history and antiquities of the civil and religious institutions of England that Sir Roger's reading was more especially directed, and of those subjects his knowledge was unusually extensive and accurate. His steady adherence to the fortunes of his sovereign, Charles I., seems to have brought down upon him the displeasure of the republican party, so that he suffered a long imprisonment, had his estate sequestered, and was permitted to return to his dilapidated possessions only on paying a large pecuniary fine. On recovering his liberty, Sir Roger lived in retirement, and occupied himself chiefly in study. The "Historical Vindication of the Church of England," is one of the results of his learned leisure, and was put forth in consequence of the publication of "A Treatise of the Schism of England," the ostensible author of which was Mr Philip Scot, a gentleman of academical education, who had turned Papist. The first edition of Sir Roger's "Historical Vindication," appeared in 1657, and a second edition in 1675, about three years after the death of the author. The present edition is in many respects a new work, containing as it does some corrections and much additional matter, which have been derived from Sir Roger Twysden's further researches, as recorded in his own hand-writing in the text and on the margin of a copy of the edition of 1657, a 3 5621 917 (RECAP) |
