Manuscript item, bound.
Introductory text (p.[1]) begins: 'This was designed for a Preface to a second edition of a Book Entititled A Vindication of some amongst ourselves against the false principles of Dr. Sherlock...'. Text ends: 'This 2d Edition had many alterations & additions in it different from the former, but was seised at the Press, with Mr. Anderton, whome they put to death, none of that 2d impression going abroad'.
Text of the Preface begins: 'Some reasons have moved the authour of this Book to let it have another impression and to permitt a Short Preface to be written before it'; text ends:'Thus much I thought fitt to say in defence of this Author, and the Doctour's old friends, whom in his Temple Sermon he was pleased to call in one of his Pretty figures Some among our Selves'.
Summary: The writer, presumably the printer Anderton, describes the problems pertaining to the clandestine printing of 'persecuted books', especially those 'now written for the suffering Cause' [i.e. by Nonjurors such as Hickes who, in fact, had great difficulty procuring any sheets of the first impression to work on]. Discusses the main concerns and arguments put forward by the Nonjurors regarding allegiance to the crown, etc.
Anderton was charged with high treason and tried for printing two books which 'tended to incite rebellion'. He was found guilty and hanged on 16 June 1693.
Listed in the Bowdler Manuscript Catalogue: Bundle 108, above Item 16 as: '..a MS Preface by Dr. Hickes'.