For some reasons I apprehend my self engaged to give an account of two things, that refer to the ensuing piece: The one, for not publishing this Catalogue untill now: The other, of the mode & manner thereof, being partly Latine, and partly English.

About three yeares a goe, To the ingenious Reader. goe, (by the perswasion of some friends ) I was resolved to take a Catalogue of those Rarities and Curiosities which my Father had scedulously collected, and my selfe with continued diligence have augmented, & hitherto preserved together: They then pressed me with that Argument, That the enumeration of these Rarities, (being more for variety than any one place known in Europe could afford) would be an To the ingenious Reader. an honour to our Nation, and a benefit to such ingenious persons as would become further enquirers into the various modes of Natures admirable workes, and the curious Imitators thereof: I readily yeilded to the thing so urged, and with the assistance of two worthy friends (well acquainted with my design,) we then began it, and many examinations of the materialls themselves, & their agreements with severall Au athors To the ingenious Reader. thors compared, a Draughtwas made, which they gave into my hands to examine over. Presently thereupon my onely Sonne dyed, one of my Friends fell very sick for about a yeare, and my other Friend by unhappy Law-suits much disturbed. Upon these accidents that first Draught lay neglected in my hands another year. Afterwards my said Friends call again upon me, and the designe of Printing, a-new contri ved To the ingenious Reader. ved, onely the prefixed Pictures were not ready, and I found my kinde friend Mr Hollar then engaged for about tenne Moneths, for whose hand to finish the Plates, I was necessarily constrained to stay untill this time.

Now for the materialls themselves I reduce them unto two sorts; one Naturall, of which some are more familiarly known & named amongst us, as divers sorts of Birds, foure­ a2footed To the ingenious Reader. footed Beasts and Fishes, to whom I have given usual English names. Others are lesse familiar, and as yet unfitted with apt English termes, as the shellCreatures, Insects, Mineralls, Outlandish-Fruits, and the like, which are part of the Materia Medica; (Encroachers upon that faculty, may try how they can crack such shels.) The other sort is Artificialls, as Vtensills, Householdstuffe, Habits, Instru ments To the ingenious Reader. ments of Warre used by severall Nations, rare curiosities of Art, &c. These are also expressed in English, (saving the Coynes, which would vary but little if Translated) for the ready satisfying whomsoever may desire a view thereof. The Catalogue of my Garden I have also added in the Conclusion (and given the names of the Plants both in Latine and English ) that nothing may be wanting which at a3pre- To the ingenious Reader. sentpresent comes within view, and might bee expected from