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xvi I knew not what : nor did I undertake Thereby to please my neighbour ; no not I, I did it mine own self to gratifie. Neither did I but vacant seasons spend In this my Scribble ; nor did I intend 5 But to divert myself in doing this From worser thoughts which make me do amiss. Thus I set Pen to Paper with delight, And quickly had my thoughts in black and white. For having now my Method by the end, 10 Still as I pull'd, it came ; and so I penn'd It down, until it came at last to be For length and breadth the bigness which you see. Well, when I had thus put mine ends together, I shew'd them others, that I might see whether 15 They would condemn them, or them justifie : And some said, Let them live ; some, let them die Some said, John, print it ; others said, Not so : Some said, It might do good ; others said, No. Now was I in a straight, and did not see 20 Which was the best thing to be done by me : At last I thought, Since you are thus divided, I print it will ; and so the case decided. For, thought I, some I see would have it done, Though others in that Channel do not run. 25 To prove then who advised for the best, Thus I thought fit to put it to the test. I further thought, if now I did deny Those that would have it thus, to gratifie, I did not know but hinder them I might 30 Of that which would to them be great delight. For those which were not for its coming forth, I said to them. Offend you I am loth, Yet since your Brethren pleased with it be, Forbear to judge till you do further see. 35

11. Still as I pull'd, i. e., as the spinner pulls the flax from the distaff in a continuous thread.