то RICHARD DIBBEN, OF Manfton in the County of LAND-STEWARD To the Right Honourable Thomas SIR, S my firft Knowledge and Experience in COURTKEEPING proceeded from an Employment under you in Bufinefs A 2 iii finefs of that Nature, I think myfelf obliged in Gratitude to present You with this fmall Performance; though I am fenfible, it is unworthy to be patronized by a Genleman of your Judgment and Experience. If I have inserted in this Book any of your Methods, as perhaps I may, I hope You will pardon my Prefumption, fince the Occafion of it was to make it the more complete, according to the present Practice; being informed it is much wanted for the publick Good, and I hope it will not prove any Private Prejudice. The Collections I took this Way when I served you, and as I have taken fince I liv'd with William Blathwayt, Efq; (whom You know I have had the Honour to to ferve as House and Land-Steward for these Five Years paft) were not intended at that Time to be made publick: But the frequent Importunities I have met with from feveral Attornies, and other Gentlemen well vers'd in Court-Keeping, (who approv'd the Methods I have here laid down, and the Precedents I have made Use of) at last prevailed with me to publish the following WORK. If You meet not with fo much Art and fine Drefs in the Course of this Performance, as might reafonably be expected, I hope I fhall obtain Your Pardon, fince it is the Business only which I have pursued, and endeavoured to give a full Account of: The Regularity in Difpatch whereof, as I take it to be the best Use of any Book of this Kind, fo I hope the Methods here |