The need for a book of this kind was suggested to me in 1979 by my friend, Ben Bloxham, who originally hoped to collaborate with me in writing it. Unfortunately other duties made it impossible for him to do so. I remain, however, deeply indebted to him for advice and encouragement, and to him and his wife, Becky, for friendship and hospitality over the years.

Completion of the book has been facilitated by generous financial assistance towards travel expenses from the British Academy and the Twenty-Seven Foundation, and by Visiting Research Fellowships at the Newberry Library, Chicago, in 1982 and 1984. I am most grateful to these organizations. I have been further helped in the work by periods as Visiting Professor at Brigham Young University, Utah, in 1979 and 1982, and as Visiting Scholar in 1986 and Visiting Professor in 1988 at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. I wish particularly to thank Dean John M. Nagle of William and Mary for his considerable support.

To Robert W. Karrow, Jr. (Newberry Library) and Elisabeth Wittman (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Archives), who read parts of my text in draft and made valuable suggestions, I am specially grateful. My thanks are also due to Kenneth A. Krieger, my graduate assistant for a semester at William and Mary, who did sterling work in checking references and searching out material.