Let who will say what they please against Prefaces, for my part I always read them with Profit. To deprive one's self of so necessary a Thing, is to leave off a good fashion at the peril of Reason and Instruction; He that exposes a Work to the Multitude, brings himself into such great Danger, let his Design be ever so just, and the execution of it ever so perfect, that in Prudence he ought to neglect nothing to prepare the minds of his Readers, and prevent the ill-effects of Ignorance and Malice; But if the Author do's this for his own Advantage, the Readers also in my Opinion benefit by it; for by this he smooths the way for them. He enlightens them, and makes several things easy, in which otherwise they would find a great deal of Difficulty. Be it as it will, I beg the favour of you, courteous and just Reader, to suffer me to Discourse with you a little before you turn to the Relation of my Adventures, which I am about to present to you.

When the Companions of my Fortune and my self embark'd aboard our Ship the “Swallow” at Amsterdam, abundance of our Friends attended us to the Water-side, and when they took their leave of us, they cry'd as long as they could see us; “Pray let us hear from you, send us all the News you can, and fill your Letters with the particular Circumstances of your Adventures.” From that very Minute I form'd to myself the design of giving them Satisfaction.