To the NOBILITY, CLERGY, and GENTRY of the City and County of GLOUCESTER.  
ABEL WANTNER Citizen of GLOUCESTER, and Inhabitant of MINCHEN-HAMPTON in the County aforesaid etc. most humbly certifieth  
THAT for this Twelve years passed he hath made it his great Business and Design to Collect the Antiquities and other remarkable Observations of his Native City and County into one entire Volume; which through God's assistance will be ready (by this next Michaelmas Term) for the Press; being a large Encomiastic History of the City and County of Gloucester, in Folio.  
Now for the better Information and Encouragement of all Gentlemen and others, that are willing to promote the completing of so good and useful a work (by way of Subscription) the Author hath here inserted a brief abstract of the most remarkable Heads therein contained, purposely to satisfy the curiosity of many, who possibly otherwise might seem unwilling to Subscribe, before they know the Subject matter on which it treateth.  
Be pleased therefore to observe, That First you have the Original Foundation of that once most stately Fabric, the ancient Abbey, or Monastery of Gloucester, with its continuation till Canutus the Dane.  
Secondly, You have a Compendious Memorial of the now Cathedral Church of Gloucester, with the Names of each Founder, and how Endowed, with the variety of other remarkable passages, from Edward the Confessor, to King Henry the Eighth.  
Thirdly, You have it's Ordained constitution into a Bishops See, with their prescript Rule of Living; their yearly Stipends, and other allowances, the time when every Bishop and Dean was Consecrated, and Installed, to the late unhappy Wars: with several other things relating thereunto.  
Fourthly, You have its particular Dimensions, both within and without, with an account of all Statues, Monuments, Memorials, and Coats of Arms therein contained, with the Articles (of the Chapter) of that Foundation, the supposed valuation of every Minister, and other men's Places belonging thereunto, by the year; with the names of every Bishop and Dean, Arch-Deacons, Chancellors, and prebend's, that have been since His Majesty's Restauration to this present year, with most of their Coats of Arms.  
Fifthly, You have the Original Denomination and Building of the Village, Burrough, and City of Gloucester, and by whom augmented and increased, traced through the ancient Britain's, Romans etc. to the Second year of King Richard the Third: Begun with variety of Historical Relations, and continued with sundry remarkable and Modern Observations, briefly compiled out of the most approved Authors, as well before as since the Conquest.  
Sixthly, You have a particular Survey of the Strength and Fortification of the City of Gloucester before its demolishments, with a compendious narrative of the River Severn.  
After this you have a general Survey of the whole City by way of Delineation, with the Ancient Names of every Street and Lane, the Description of the demolished Churches where they stood, and to what Parishes they are now annexed.  
Seventhly, You have a particular description of every Parish Church now standing in the City, with an account of all Statues, Monuments, Memorials, or Coats of Arms therein contained, and what Charitable Gifts are bequeathed to the Poor of every Parish.  
Eighthly, You have an account of all Hospitals, Almshouses, Free-Schools, and other Charitable Endowments within the City, with the Names of their Founders, and how many Poor people each of them entertaineth, and what yearly, or weekly Allowance any of them have; and when, and by whom most of the chiefest and eminent places in all the City were built, with many other memorable Observations relating thereunto.  
Ninthly, You have the Constitution of its Government, their Number and Assistants, their usual manner of Electing and bringing home of the Mayors etc. the Extension of the Mace, and many other remarkable passages, with an account of the Names and Coats of Arms of all those Noble and Potent Princes that have been dignified with the Honourable Titles of Earls and Dukes of Gloucester, with the Ancient and present Arms of the City.  
And Lastly, You have the Names of every Mayor, from its first being made a City, to the Restauration of His sacred Majesty: and from thence to this present year, you have the names of every Mayor and Sheriff, with most of their Coats of Arms.  
So much for the City.  

NOW as for the general Description of the County; First you have the particular Division thereof, according to Ecclesiastical order, branched forth into Ten Deaneries, briefly compiled into Eight Columns: In the First, you have an Alphabet of every Parish Church and Chappel belonging to every Deanary in the County, and to what Abbey, Monastery, or other Religious House it formerly belonged.  
In the Second, you have the Names of the present Patrons; in the Third the Names of each Minister, in the Fourth the supposed Valuation, in the Fifth their Tenths, in the Sixth their Procurations, in the Seventh, their Penticosts, and in the Eighth, their Synodals.  
Secondly, you have a particular division of the whole County according to the common, or civil Jurisdiction, principally separated into Four Divisions, which is afterwards drawn into Thirty Hundreds, and Lastly subdivided into Parishes, Hamlets, and tithings; all Alphabetically.  
Thirdly, you have an Account of every Market Town, as it lieth within its Respective Hundred, with its Original Denomination, how Situated, Extended and Bounded, either with Hills, Rivers, Woods or Commons; the Constitution of their Goverments, the Antiquity of their Charter; Lords of the Manors, and the particular Trade, or Commerce on which each Town dependeth, and how far distant it lieth from the next adjacent Markets.  
Fourthly, you have the Description of every Church belonging to each Market Town, by whom, and when, some of them were built, and to what Saint Dedicated; with an account of all Statues, Monuments, Memorials and Coats of Arms contained in any of them, and to what Family they belonged etc.  
Fifthly, To the intent that the Pious and Charitable Endowments of all well disposed Christians, for and towards the Relief of their poor distressed brethren, may be publicly recorded to future posterity, I have here inserted a Catalogue of most if not all the Hospitals, Almshouses, Free-Schools, and other good and commendable Gifts, bequeathed either to Church, or Poor, in any Market-Town or Village, within this County; with the names of each Donour, and how many poor People every such Hospital or Alms-house doth entertain, and what weekly allowances, and other privileges they have, and what every Schoolmaster and Usher (if any) have by the Year, and by whom paid.  
Sixthly, You have a particular Survey in every Hundred, of all Roman and Mercian Fortifications, Saxon Rampires, and Danish Camps, with the signification of those Piles of Rubbish Earth, called Barrows, and what hath been found under many of them; as also your Checker-work Pavements, Stouphs, Numismatas, Veins of Ore, Quarries, and variety of Solid Stones, found up and down many places in this County etc.  
Seventhly for the better preservation of the Honour, and Antiquity of the Nobility and Gentry of this County to further Ages, I have, at the end of the Forest Division, inserted an Alphabet of all his Majesty's present Justices of the Peace of this County, their Seats and Coats of Arms.  
Eighthly, At the end of Kistgate Division, you have the Names, Seats, and Coats of Arms, of all the High-Sheriffs, and Knights of the Shire, that have been in this County since His Majesty's most happy Restauration.  
Ninthly, at the end of the Seven Hundreds Division, you have an account of the Names, Seats and Coats of Arms of all the Knights, Barronets, and Knights of the Bath, belonging to this County, and when most of them were either, Doubed, or Created.  
Tenthly for the better Illustration of the Work, you have at the end of Barkley's Division, the Names, Seats, and Titles of Honour appertaining to the greater Luminaries of the County viz. the Viscounts, Barons, Lords, Earls, Marquesses and Dukes, gradually ranked, according to their Ascending Qualities, with their Shields of Honour, Mantlings, Supporters, and Mottoes, displayed by precious Stones.  
Eleventhly you have a small Tract of the Military Jurisdiction, and Discipline of this County; to which is annexed a List of all His Majesties Commissioned Officers that now are, according to their several places of Command in a Regimental Order.  
Twelfthly, you have an Alphabet of the private gentlemen's Names, Seats, and Coats of Arms.  
And last of all, you have the Original Denomination, Situation, Enlargements, and Continuation, with sundry other remarkable Observations of the Famous City of BRISTOL, from its first Foundation, to the late Unhappy Wars etc.   

THE Subscription Money for, and towards the Completing of this design, is Ten Shillings, and when the Subscriber hath received a Book, well bound and handsomely covered, he is to pay Ten Shillings more.  
The Author assures you that he will Print no more Books than what are Subscribed for and those shall be Printed on very good Letter and Paper.   

My Lords and Gentlemen.  
NOT willing to give the least distaste to any person whatsoever; some little and immaterial things in my former Proposals, I have now thought good to omit; and for your better encouragement towards the promoting of this work; (which is now according to my Proposals ready for the Press this Michaelmas, 84.) I have here given you the Names of those Honourable and Worthy Gentlemen who have already Subscribed. And whereas I gave notice of another small Book, wherein is an Alphabet of all the Markets and Fairs with directions from every Market Town to most places in the County not exceeding 3 Miles etc. to be given gratis to each Subscriber; these are to acquaint them that it shall be annexed to the Folio; and that the Coats of Arms of the Noblemen and Gentry shall be Graven in Copper Plates, and before the Book a Graven Frontispiece.  


Mar. WORCESTER 2  
Bish. GLOUCESTER 2  
Sir Rob. yeoman's K● and Bar.  
Sir Edw. Bathurst Baroner.  
Sir Tho. Cutler.  
Sir Rob. Atkins Ju. 2  
Sir Fran. Jernagen Bar.   

Philip Shepperd Esq  
Tho. Smith Esq  
Rob. Coderington Esq  
George Raymond Esq  
James George Esq  
Rob. Pleydel Esq  
Rowland Wood  
Henry Window.  
William Denis Esq  
Tho. Master Esq   

Henry Brett.  
Charles Savage.  
Charles Smith.  
James Stephens.  
Robert Sandford.  
Joseph Morwent.  
James Gastnell.  
Tho. Hodges.  
Walter Eastcourt.  
John Hodges.  
John Ferrer.  
John Phillips.  
Tho. Willett.  
Just. Morse.  
John Phillips Sen.  
John Barksdale.  
John Jefferis. Jun.  
John Driver.  
John Buck.  
William King.  
Nath. Driver.  
Tho. Oldfield.  
Tho. Stephens.  
George Small.  
Thomas Small.  
Nath. Paul.  
Archilas Daunt.  
James Twyford.  
Tho. Webb.  
Nath. Friend.  
James Michael.  
Miles Sandys.  
Nathaniel Gwynn.  
Rich. Caple.  
Denis Huntingdon.  
Edward Hill.  
Tho. Liddiard.  
Daniel Small.  
Tho. Small Ju.  
John Lysons.  
Peter Heily.  
Joseph Browne.  
Joseph Jackson.  
Giles Stedman.  
Giles Eastcourt.  
Henry ' Dutton.  
Thomas Hooper.  
Richard King.  
John Cox.  
John Eliss.