An Essay on a Registry, for Titles of Lands/Preface
The Preface.
My Name stands already Printed to a late Essay, Entituled, Several Assertions proved, in order to Create another Species of Money than Gold and Silver, of which I am not ashamed; and I have added my Name to this, that (whatever usage it meets with) I may stand bound to recognize it.
I hope I have such a Warrant to search for Truth, that will justifie me in breaking through all Crafts and Sciences to find it; as Hunger justified David and his Men, for entering the Priest's House, and eating the Shew-bread.
And because I find that I shall scarce be able to begin, much less to get through my Argument, without unfolding some Mysteries of Iniquity between Priests and Lawyers, relating to the Titles and Settlements of Lands, I hope that the Modern Professors of either of these Sciences will not be offended with me for speaking the whole Truth; but if they should, They will thereby be Witnesses against themselves, that they justifie the Deeds of their Fathers.
And if I should be charg'd with Prophaneness, for mingling sacred things with secular, I will shelter my self under the Lord of the Sabboth, who was accused for doing Business on that day; and
Cum tanto Commune ———