aboundance of oliues that was to come wherin he might haue gained much showing that it were easy for Philosophers to enriche themselues if they would but it is not their study and profession And Plato in his Theaetetus telleth that as he beheld the starres and looked vpwards he fell into a diche whereof he was reprehended by his maide who was pleasant and witty that he woulde endeuour to know what was in heauen being ignorant of that which was in earth and before his feete DEMOCRITVS is called by Seneca in the seuenth of his naturall questions the most subtill of the auncients and in his booke of the shortnes of life he reckoneth him amongst the chiefe and most excellent masters of the sciences Cicero in his first Booke of the ends of good and euill calleth him a man learned and perfect in Geometrie and recommendeth his stile or maner of writing vnto Brutus in his Oratour saying that albeit it be estraunged from verse yet because it is eleuated and enriched with most cleare lights of words that it seemeth rather to be a poeme then the verses of Comick Poets Plinie telleth howe that hee and Pythagoras trauailed into Persia Arabia Egypt and Ethiopia to the end to learne Magicke and that they two were the first that did celebrate it in these parts And in an other place it is manifest saith hee that DEMOCRITVS a wise man otherwise profitable vnto life hath erred through too much desire which he had to be helpful vnto mē And in his vij Book he promised saith he to reuiue others which hath not raised vp himselfe He was so exceedingly giuen to cōtemplation that his citizens the Abderites counted him franticke and sent for Hippocrates to heale him who when he came to Abdera found him only wise amongst them all Seneca writing of the diuine prouidence saith that he abandoned riches thinking them to be burden som to a good wit Some say that willingly with a burning glasse he depriued himselfe of his sight that he might see more clerly with his vnderstanding Tully in his fifth Tusculane DEMOCRITVS saith he hauing lost the sight of his eies could not discerne white black but wel could he the good and euil iust and vniust honest and dishonest profitable and vnprofitable And could liue wel and happely without the sight of colours but not without the knowledge of things This mā thought the sight of the mind to be hindred by the sight of the eies And as others did not see oft-times that which was before their feet so he wandered throughout al infinity without consisting in any extremity Plutarch in his treatise of curiosity affirmeth it to be false Seneca in his second Booke of Anger saith that HERACLITVS going out of his house and seeing about him so many liuing euil or rather dying in euil he had pity of them all and wept on the contrary DEMOCRITVS was neuer seene but laughing HIPPOCRATES had his honor to haue bin the first that did write perspicuously of Physick of the rules therof Plutarch witnesseth of him that hauing written touching the seames or ioinings of mans head in Anatomy and afterwards finding that he had failed in somwhat he did publickly declare his fault for feare lest others might fall into the like errour Saint Augustin after him hath bin the only man that hath publickly corrected himselfe by setting forth his retractations Others are commonly so ouergon with glory and so opinatiue that they had rather dye then yeld in any thing EMPEDOCLES the Agrigentine a famous natural Philosopher wrote in verse vj books of the knowledg of nature wherof Aristotle maketh often mētion especially in his Poetry where he saith that Homer Empedocles had nothing one like thother but their verses and that the one is a right Poet and thother ought rather to be called a naturall Philosopher then a Poet. And in his Metaphysicks speaking of him and of Anaxagoras he witnesseth that Anaxagoras was superior in age to Empedocles but inferior to him in works And he saith in his problemes that he was of melancholick cōplexion Plinie saith that he trauailed far to learne Magick as did Pithagoras Democritus And Horace in his art of Poetry that being desirous to leaue an opinion of himselfe that he was a God and was vanished secretly out of the sight of men he cast himselfe into the burning and smoking hole of the hil Etna and that this deed was afterwardes discouered by one of his slippers which being made of bras was cast vp by the vehemency of the fire and wind ANAXAGORAS a Clazomenian gentleman became a very excellent Philosopher and was called by those of his time Nous which signifieth the minde or vnderstanding were it for admiration which they had of his knowledge and vnderstanding which appeared to be great especially in naturall Philosophy or els because he was the first which added the intelligence vnto the matter and appointed vnto naturall things for their beginning and first cause of their distinction and ordinance the intelligence Plinie writeth of him that by knowledge of the starres hee foretolde that within certaine daies after there would fall a stone from heauen which happened in the parts of Thrace in the day time He was the first that published books written by him and liued in the time of Democritus In auncient time in Greece they which did write first of diuine celestial naturall morall politicke and military matters were the Poets and they were commonly Priests Theologians Musicians Astrologians and Physicians as Linus Musaeus Orpheus and Amphion LINVS the sonne of Apollo and of Terpsichore being very skilfull in Musick was the master of Hercules of Tamyras and of Orpheus They say that he brought the knowledge thereof out of Phenicia into Greece as did Atlas the Astrology out of Lybia Museus was reputed as a Prophet hauing deliuered many Cerimonies to the Grecians of whom Virgill giueth a very honourable testimony in the sixth Booke of his Aneids calling him an excellent Poet in great perfection and making him to seeme in the Elysian fields the most eminent amongst all the men of honour and learning that were there which haue had a memorable name in all ages ORPHEVS and AMPHION were such excellent musicions that they were said by their sweete Songes to moue trees and stones to stop the course of riuers and to tame the fiercenes of wild beasts ORPHEVS first instituted in Greece the Initiatiōs of the Gods the purgation of sinnes remedies of diseases by charmes and Inchauntmentes and meanes to appease the wrath of the Gods They say that of him and of Zoroaster as fathers and authors came al the ancient wisedome Iamblicus affirmeth that Pythagoras followed Orpheus his diuinity as a paterne on the which he framed formed his Philosophy which is more that the words of Pythagoras had not bin esteemed holy or sacred but for being deriued from the precept of Orpheus That from thence came the secret doctrine
speaketh soberly in his owne praise so that none could take offence thereat and neuer but on iust occasion in regard of some matter of consequence and is otherwise very modest and sparing to speake of him selfe Contrariwise the vnmeasurable repetitions of the selfe same things which Cicero vsed commonly in his orations showed an excessiue desire of glory And moreouer he praised not only his owne deedes but also the orations which he had written or pronounced as if he had bin to contest with some scholasticall Rhetorician and not to redresse and reforme the people of Rome For to desire glory for his faire speaking or which is worse to beg it is an act of a base minde And therefore in this part we must confesse that Demosthenes is more graue and more magnanimous who himselfe said that al his eloquence was but a rote gotten by long exercise which had yet need of Auditours that would heare it paciently and that he esteemed them foolish and impertinent as indeed they are which glorifie themselues THE ROMAINE KNOW ledge in Lawe COncerning the knowledge of the LAWS which held the second place in Rome next after eloquence it hath bin wholy Romain and Italian For in other wel ordered coūtreyes and common weales it is not found that there were any that made onely profession of ciuile Law The Athenians and Lacedemonians from whom the Lawes were brought vnto Rome neuer vsed any such neither the Egyptians Assyrians Persians Carthaginians Macedonians Parthians and others whose seigniories were mightie and wel gouerned These men vnderstanding the rights and customes which particular men vsed in the citie and the stiles of pleading they gaue counsaile touching meane matters and showed how causes were to be handled and Processe to besued out the maner of prosecuting actions of proposing exceptions demaunding delaies licences and defaults framing of complaints answeres replyes saluations aduertisments of making inquestes and informations iudging definitiuely and executing of iudgements whose authoritie came to be so great at Rome and thoroughout Italy that there was made no testament obligation bargaine transaction contract rescission or other deed of importance without communicating of it to them And they came not onely to them about cases concerning the ciuile Law but also for all affaires and dueties They gaue counsaile to the Emperours to the senate to the assemblies of people and in their friendes causes They were called on and vsed both in peace and war By reason where of they were called Prudentes wisemen and there art Iurisprudentia the wisdome of the Lawe for as much as their profession could not be conducted without great wisedome without hauing seene heard red and knowen much without knowledge of antiquitie without vnderstanding the common disposition of mankind the nature of right and of equitie without obseruing the maners of many nations and especially of their owne They wrote infinitely in their professions their bookes being abolished by the Emperour Iustinian after he had caused the Pandects to be gathered that are yet remaining Which hath bin a great losse both to this art and to the Latin tongue none of the auncient writers being left but certaine ragges and shreddes euill sowed togither and disposed Their true office was to expounde the meaning of the Pretorian edicts constitutions of the Senate decrees of the people ordinances of princes and other lawes to show the reason of ech of them to aduertise which of them ought to be kept or renewed or abrogated according to the times places parsons and other circumstances A COMPARISON OF THE LATIN tongue with the Greeke ALl the Latin authours haue complained of the want of their tongue confessing it to be poore in respect of the Greeke in the which more persons had written of mo things Cicero in his Tusculanes sayth that the Greek tonge is richer then the Latin in his first De finibus that the Latin was so far from being poore that it is richer thē the Greek albeit that writing of philosophy he findeth enough to do to make new words correspondent to the Greek peculiar to euery art or speculation affected by the philosophers being the first or at lest he that hath inuented most tourning some by translations others in such termes as he could Theodore Gaza a Greek by nation but very well seene both in the Greeke and Latin tongues as any that hath bin sithence the restitution of learning affirmeth that the Latin tongue is sufficient to represent euery Greeke word and sentence and that they which cannot tourne the Greeke into Latin doe indeuour to shadowe their ignorance by the poorenes of the tongue Notwithstanding Quintilian doth not dissemble that scarsitie whereinto the auncients were falne by the scrupulous seueritie which they vsed in their speach And without difficultie acknowledgeth Latin to bee rougher in pronounciation and harder to ioine or deriue wordes wherein the Greeke is happy and pleasant The Greeke and the Latin haue their sillables long and short and versification alike which other tongues haue not so well The Greeke hath articles and the Latin hath not but vseth names without any welt or garde as one may say or any kind of addition and we must not meruaile thereat considering that Homer who in verse excelleth all others put articles vnto few names as if they were handles for vessels that had need of them or plumes vpon morions Cicero in his Oration for the Poet Archias sayth that the Greeke writings were read amongst all nations and the Latin were shut vp in very straight limits On the contrary Plutarch in his Platonicall questions affirmeth that in his time almost all the world vsed the Romain language The Cardinall Adrian who hath written of the Latin tongue giueth it foure times the most auncient the auncient the perfect and the vnperfect fetching the most auncient from the beginning of Rome to the time of Liuius Andronicus and the auncient from this Liuie vnto Cicero in whose time it was perfect And the vnperfect after Cicero for incontinently vnder Augustus it began to lose his naturall puritie and elegancy and perished by little and little with the maiesty of the Empire Till at last they left speaking it in steed therof succeeded the Italian which is spoken at this day Likewise the Greeke florished with the learning and power of Greece till the time of Philip and Alexander when it fell from his natural propriety and elegancie diminishing from that time forward with the liberty of the countrey and engendring by proces of yeres the vulgar Greeke of this present being mingled with the Romaine Turkish and Arabian sithence that the countrey hath bin possessed by the Turkes Mahometists whereof we haue largely spoken in the discourse of Tongues The end of the seuenth Booke OF THE RELIGION POWER KNOW ledge other excellence of the Arabians or Sarasens and other Mahometists The Eigth Booke AS the progresse which armes learning and pietie haue had hitherto hath bin summarily declared in the
Poets FLEMINGS Erasmus Longolius Gaguinus Vesalius GERMAINS The Cardinal of Cusa Purbachius Ioannes Regiomontanus the principall Mathematician of this age Rodolphus Agricola Reuchlinus Capnio Melancthon Zasius Beatus Rhenanus Vadianus Glareanus Gulielmus Copus Leonardus Fuscius Georgius Agricola most expert in Mettalls Saxo a Grammarian Oldendorpius Brunus Eobanus Hessus Sleidan Simon Grinaeus Huttenus Bilibaldus Pyrkmerus Cornarius Camerarius Omphalius Latomus Sturmius Wolfgangus Lazius Cranzius and Funccius ENGLISHMEN More Linacre Tunstall Pacey and Fisher. SCOTS Hector Boetius and Buchanan POLONIANS Osius Frixius Cromerus and Iohannes Zamoscius SPANIARDES Nebrissensis Viues Poblacion Amatus Antonius Pinus and Goueanus But it is better to distinguish these renowmed parsons of this age by their exercises and professions as we haue done in other reuolutions The most renowmed WARRIOVRS then haue bin Tamberlan called of his followers Temitcultu or Demirbenâ— or Demirly Amorath and Mahomet his sonne Selim and Soliman being Otthomans Charles the eight king of France king Ferdinand of Spaine the first called the Catholicke King Gonsaluus the great the Emperour Charles the fith Charles of Bourbon the Sophi Ismael the Scirife of Fez and Francis Duke of Guize BY SEA Andrew Dorie Adrian Bassa called Barbarossa Dragut and Salec Rez and Sâ—rozza the Priour of Capua PLATONICAL PHILOSOPHERS Bessarion Gemistius Ficinus PERIPATETICKS Trapezuntius Argiropolus Fabius Nymphus Pomponacius Contarenus and Simon Grinaeus Iohannes Picus purposed to hauereconciled Plato and Aristotle and to haue accorded the two sects as Boetius had vndertaken before him But both th one and thother haue laien downe vnder the burthen without accomplishing of this promise ELOQVENT Imitatours of the auncients obseruers of Cicero Laurentius Valla is the first in this ranke who hath reduced Latin speach to the ancient maner of speaking a great admirer of Quinctilian as the Cardinal Hadrian was of Cicero then Nizolius and Doleta Those which haue most expressed ymitated Cicero in their writings are Bembus Sadoletus Longolius Perionius and Elaminius Latin Italian French English POETS are Petrarch Antonius Panormitanus Pontanus Marullus Syncerns Vida Fracastorius Molsa Naugerius Flaminius Capicius Palearius Morus Borbonius Macrinus Eobanus Hessus Sabinus Bachananus Ariosto Rousard Ioachin du Bellay Ponthus de Tyard Marc Antony du Baif Remy Belleau Marot Mellin du Sangelais Stephen Iodelle Philippede Portes HISTORIOGRAPHERS Callimachus Platina Laurentius Valla Ioannes Saxo Pope Pius Bloridus Sabellicus Pontanus Peter Martir of Milâ—inâ— Michael Riccius Paulus Emilius Polydore Virgil Paulus Iouius Sleidan Staphilus Pandulphus Galeatius Capella Coccinus Bembus Tritemius Gaguinus Cuspinianus Paradinus Bonfinis Sorter and Turoce Hongarians Cromerus a Polonian Crantzius a Saxon Olaus a Goth Ioannes Leo an African Franciscus Aluares Damian Goes Iuan de Baros Portugales Franciscus Taraphus Antonius Nebrissensis Petrus Medimna Rodericus Pallentinus and FerdinaÌ„do Gonzales Ouiedes Spanyards Machiauel and Guicchiardin Italians Iean Froissard Enguerren de Monstrelet and Philippe Comines Frenchmen Stomphius a Swisser Mounster a German CIVILIANS Zasius Alciatus Oldendorpius Baro Duarinus Balduinus Cuiacius Othomannus and Tâ—iraquellus PHYSICIANS Leonicenus Manardus Copus Linacer Ioannes Ruellius Cornarius Guinterius Fuscius Fernelius Rondeletius Iacobus Syluius Amatus Lusitanus Vesalius Martinus Acakia Tagaueltius and Iacobus Houlerius MATHEMATICIANS Bonatus Iohannes Regiomontanus the Cardinal of Cusa Purbachius Collimicius Petrus Appianus Gemma Frisius Vadianus Copernicus Leouicius Orontius Turrianus Gauricius and Hieronimus Cardanus PAINTERS Zotta a Florentine who hath restored the art of painting after it had bin long laide aside and beautified it much Belim who for his excellency was sent to Sultan Mahomet Emperour of Constantinople from the seigniory of Venice Petrus Burgensis Raphael of Vrbin Albert Durer who hath written in the Dutch tongue of Painting as Iean Cousin hath also done in French and Leo Baptista Albertus in Latin STATVARIES GRAVERS Donatel Michael Angelo Andrea of Cremona Christophero Mantoano and Lorenzo who was fiftie yeres making the gates of a Chappel at Florence in which with wonderful workmanship are grauen in brasse the histories of the old and new testament ARCHITECTS Leo Baptista Albert who hath written a very learned worke of Architecture Ioannes Iucundus of Verona who built the great bridge at Paris and first published Vitruuius corrected with figures and Caesar his Commentaries 〈…〉 Philip that made the great Church of Florence the vaute whereofby singular arte is not sustained by any pillars Aristotlea Bolonian remoued certaine towers of stone from one place to another whole without any hurt by putting wheeles artifically vnder the foundations Pierre L'Escot called Claigny ouerseer of the worke and reparation of the Louâ—re at Paris begon vnder king Frauncis the first and Philbert de L'orme chiefe Maister of the buildinges of the Tuilleries of Annet and of Saint Mor at Paris hee hath left bookes written of his art and hath inuented a new kinde of Carpentrie for couering of houses PHILOLOGVES or serchers of antiquitie and proprietie of tongues Correctours of bookes Translatours and Commentatours Laurentius Valla Perottus Gaza Trapezuncius Pomponius Laetus Domicius Calderinus Georgius Merula Georgius Valla Politian Hermolaus Barbarus Raphael Volateranus Galeotius Naâ—nianus Christopherus Landinus Equacius Nebrissensis Budeus Erasmus Sigonius Gruchius Mancinellus Sulpicius Verulanus Beroaldus and Beraltius Textor Baptista Pius Robertellus Victorius Turnâ—bus Gelius Calcagninus and Rhodoginus And others innumerable in many tongues and Nations Famous trauailers Pylots NAVIGATOVRS discouerers and conquerers of New landes Christopherus Columbus a Genouese Americus Vespucius a Florentine and Dom Henry the Infant of Portugale Magellan Cortese Pizairus Alphonsus Alburquequen and Chabot The Princes that haue most holpen the restitution of artes are Alphonsus king of Naples hauing honourably receaued and liberally rewarded such as presented him with Greeke bookes translated into Latin Frauncis the King of Fraunce the first of that name who appointed salaries or stipendes for the publicke professours at Paris and erected a sumtuous Library at Fontainebleau full of all good bookes The Kinges of Castile And of Portugall haue bestowed liberally on the discouery of the New-found lands and of the Indies Cosmo and Lorenzo de Medicis Florentynes haue bin much helpefull vnto learning receauing the learned men which came to them out of all partes and intertayning them honourably and moreouer sending at their charge thoroughout all Greece to seeke out good and auncient bookes which were neglected there they builded for the common vtility magnificent libraries Besides the restitution of the auncient learning almost accomplished The Inuention of many goodly new things seruing not onely for necessitie but for pleasure also and ornament of this life hath bin reserued to this age Amongst which the Art of PRINTING deserueth to be in the first place for the excellency vtilitie and subtility of arte whereby it is guided in the grauing of the matrices casting distributing and gathering of the letters maner of the ynke and of the baules to put it on
OF THE INTERCHANGEABLE COVRSE OR VARIETY OF THINGS IN THE WHOLE WORLD AND THE CONCVRRENCE OF ARMES AND Learning thorough the first and famousest Nations from the beginning of Ciuility and Memory of man to this Present MOREOVER WHETHER IT BE true or no that there can be nothing sayd which hath not bin said heretofore And that we ought by our owne Inuentions to augment the doctrine of the Auncients not contenting our selues with Translations Expositions Corrections and Abridgments of their writings Written in French by Loysle Roy called Regiusâ— and Translated into English by R. A. Inest rebus omnibus quidam velut orbis vt quemadmodum Temporum vices ita Morum vertantur nec omnia apud priores meliora sed nostra etiam aetas multa Laudis Artium laudanda Posteris tulit Tacitus AT LONDON Printed by Charles Yetsweirt Esq. at his house in Fleetestreete neere the Middle Temple gate 1594. CVM PRIVILEGIO Regiae Maiestatis TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD Sir Iohn Puckering Knight Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England HAuing heretofore for the great liking which I saw generally conceiued of this worke perused allowed and at my better leisure translated it into English for the benefit of such as were not sufficiently acquainted with the French I was bold ere the Translation were fully finished to acquaint your L. with the Argument who concurring with the rest in good liking and Iudgment my intent to publish it vnder your L s. Patronage was thereby fully confirmed SO that the Picture which it pleased your L. to like of heretofore being in his first lineaments but rudely shadowed is now presented with all his principal colours perfected and accomplished I haue bin carefull to perfect it by the Paterne and to limme it according to life yet when I haue all don it is but a Counterfait which wanteth much of the perfection of the Principal THE substance is none of mine I challenge nought but the shadowe wherein if the substance be truely represented I hope it may be allowed of though it be not curiously beautified I CONFES it were better to put forth his owne Inuentions for him that hath means to do it and that which this Author affirmeth namely that Translations are more painful then praise-worthy is by me also acknowledged For diligence assisted with iudgement is herein chiefely requisite and not any excellent knowledge thereunto required which appeareth more in inuenting of it selfe then in translating out of others Which though it be done neuer so faithfully and elegantly yet cometh alwaies short of the good grace of the Original as this Author acknowledgeth notwithstanding Theodore Gaza an excellent Translator affirme the contrary BVT mine owne wit and Inuention being vnable to write or inuent any thing worth the reading yet my wil being a welwisher to all good Inuentions I thought it more commendable to commend and communicate to others that which other men haue excellently inuented being not able myselfe to attaine to so much excellency then in publishing any fabulous fancy of mine owne or matter of meane account as many do now adaies to shew some arrogancy ioyned with my insufficiency THIS worke is a Comparison of this later age with all antiquity in Armes in Learning and all other Excellency There was neuer any mighty Empire or Monarchie Kingdom or Common-wealth but is here represented no famous Founder or Gouernor of State no learned Law-maker or worthy Warriour but is here mencioned and ech of them to the other in all conueniences and contrarieties compared which being don by a man of great learning and iudgment to men of much businesse and employment as to your L. especially who haue no time to fetch euery thing from the Fountaine search all Antiquitie and read the Histories of all nations must needs be much auaileable and the pleasure thereof to all sorts of men accordingly answerable MY duety to your L. to whom this hath bin long intended hath at length commanded an Intermission of mine ordinary studies and exercises for the reuiewing and publishing hereof vnder whose fauourable protection it is now communicated vnto all who continually partaking of your L. equity goodnes and benignitie are bound with me to pray for the continuance of your honour health and happines euerlastingly From the Middle-Temple the 6. of October 1594. Your L s. in seruice humbly deuoted Robert Ashley THE SVMMARIE OF THIS WORKE BECAVSE the Discourse following is long and somewhat difficult to comprehend by reason of the diuersitie of matters contained therein I haue gathered and set downe first The Summarie of the whole worke Then of euery Booke in order to giue more light vnto the Readers for the vnderstanding therof In the whole worke therfore are represented the successiue or rather alternatiue changes of the whole world aswell in the higher or superiour as lower and inferiour part thereof and how by the concurrence of Armes and Letters thorough the most renowmed Nations of the world all liberall Sciences and Mechanical Arts haue flourished together fallen and bin restored diuers times in proces of Age With a comparison of such Nations as haue excelled both in power and knowledge of the great Empires and renowmed Monarkes vnder whom these notable mutations of mankind haue hapned and conferring of this our present with the famousest former Ages to know wherein it is either inferiour superiour or equall to any of them THE FIRST BOOKE THE Enterchangeable course or Variety obserued in the motions of Heauen and the Heauenly Spheares whereon are depending the Changes which happen in this inferiour World are declared in the first Booke The Vicissitude which the fower Elements haue one with an other and euery one by himselfe How all things in the World are tempered and conserued by others that are contrarie and dislike The Intercourse of Shadowes Daies and Seasons of the yeare and the Diuersitie of habitations of the Earth and other thinges according to the difference of places The Variety and Vicissitude of Men of Nations Cities Common weales Kingdomes and Empires THE II. BOOKE THE Variety of Tongues vsed thorough out the world both Learned and Vulgar The Beginning of them Continuance Perfection Corruption Chaunge and Losse of the old Introduction of new Translation out of one into an other Imposition of Names to things Inuention and profit of Letters Diuersitie of Characters and Writings Instruments and Matters to write with Of Printing Orthographic and Pronunciation THE III. BOOKE THE Vicissitude and Inuention of Arts And how Men from their first simplicitie and rudenesse haue attained to the Commoditie Magnificence and Excellencie of this time THE IIII. BOOKE THe Intercourse of Armes and of Letters concurring in the coniunction of Power and Wisdome amongst the most renowmed Nations of the world And who haue bin the first and Auncientest of all that haue excelled in both The Power Knowledge and other Excellencie of the Egiptians Assyrians and Persians A Comparison of the great Monarchies
Plescouians Smolnians and Ohalicians begin to speake Slauonian It was also familiar amongst the Mammelucs as it is at this present in the Turkishe Court. In Asia the Tartarian is vnderstoode thoroughout the Northe and a part of the East The Moorish thoroughout Africke and the Brasilian in the newe found Lands YET haue not tongues any better estate then other humane things but euen as buildinges habites maners customes lawes Magistrates maners of liuing both publicke and priuate armes engins and instruments are changed so are wordes and languages which perishe at length not leauing by succession of time any apparance of their manner of writing We haue now no knowledge at all of the Oscian and Hetrurian tongue The Prouencal in times past so much celebrated amongst famous writers is not vnderstood of the Prouencals at this day The auncient Gaulish Spanish Persian and Punick languages are lost THE HEBREW hath lost much of his integritie by the calamitous exiles and often mutations hapned to the Iewes vnder diuers Lords For the Assyrians Egyptians Greekes and Romains raigning ouer the Iewes assaied for the hatred they bare to their religion to distroy the Hebrew tongue and the books of the Law which they caused all to be burned as many as they could get into their hāds namely the Assyrians But they were miraculously restored againe by Esdras or Iesus his sonne the high priest which knew then by hart and changed the Hebrew letters to hinder the Iewes from being mingled with the Samaritans which came of the Gentils in Iury as Eusebius reporteth These letters which the Iewes haue sithence vsed differ onely by figures and points from those of the Samaritans which are those that were giuen asore time by Moyses But being so many times dispersed hither and thither into diuers Countries and mingled with strangers whose Captiues and tributaries they were as they are yet at this present in what part soeuer they dwell they haue kept few words pure amongst which are found some ambiguous signifying contrary things not to be vnderstood but by continuance of the speach or by the addition detraction or inuersion of the points holding the place of vowels Their phrases are obscure and full of metaphors parables and riddles to bee construed diuersly Neuertheles it is profitable for Christians and especially for Diuines to know this tongue as well for the better vnderstanding of the scriptures as to refute more certainly the Iewes if they happen to dispute against them As also the Arabian is necessary for the conuersion of Mahometistes by reason whereof it was ordeined at the Counsell of Vienna that these two tongues should be publickly taught in the chiese Vniuersities of Christendome THE SARAZENS spreading abroad by armes with their religion lordship the Arabian tongue first they destroied the Persian with the letters and learning thereof and by the commandement of their Caliphes they caused the bookes written therein to be burnt imagining that while the Persians contending before with the Greekes in armes and learning should haue these bookes contayning naturall sciences lawes of the Countrey and auncient cerimonies they could not be good Mahometists as before the Christians had indeuoured to abolish the bookes of the Gentils and vtterly to deface the memorie of their diuinitie After these Sarazens going into Egipt they banished out of Alexandria the Greek with the disciplines written therein and out of Africk the Latin as the Romaines before had banished the African tongue with the learning and letters thereof So that nations passing out of one Countrey into another do change the maners tongues religions and dominions the victors spoyling whatsoeuer they thinke good in the land of the vanquished defacing their titles and destroying for enuy that which they cannot cary away to th end to abolish the honour and vertue of others and that none but their owne may be celebrated and spoken off So do the Turkes at this day to the Christians they rule ouer and so did in auncient time the Goths Alans Hunnes Vandales Seruiens Turules and Lombards who diuers times conquering Countries whose languages they disdained neither vnderstanding them nor knowing how to read them corrupted them in making new by mixtion of their own with those which they found insomuch as the poore people remayning after such transmigrations did learne the languages of the cruel and inhumane vsurpers to vse in speach vnto them that they might be thought the fitter subiectes Moreouer these barbarous people referring all vnto warre and contemning all other disciplines burnt the libraries and all the bookes in them vnto which the learned had recommended all their memorials in so much that with the losse of the tongues there ensued also the losse of the sciences which were written in them from whence there arose great ignorance in the world which lasted a long time In this maner of the Grammaticall Greeke proceeded the vulgar Of the Latin the Italian French and Spanish in which are found many Arabian words by reason that the Sarazens held Spaine a long time Of the grammaticall Arabian the Vulgar and Moorish vsed from Syria vnto the straights of Marocco and comming as neere vnto it as the Italian doth to the Latin Of the Almaygne and French the English The Moore which commeth of the Arabian and the Turke of the Tartarian vnderstanding on an other as the Italian and Spanyarde And so of those which are nowe in vse are others made and of them others will bee made in time to come But howbeit they change vncessantly and that in the same Countrey and language there appeareth in short time a difference both in speaking and pronouncing yet euery where there are somethat speake finer and purer then the rest such as were the Athenians in Greece the Romains in Italy and the Tuscans there at this day The Castilians in Spaine the Saxons in Germany The Persians in Asia The Nobles and Courtiers in France whereby the question is decided which hath bin debated betweene some learned men namely whether the auncient Greekes and Romaines had two languages and whether Plato Aristotle and Demosthenes in Greeke and Cicero Salust and Cesar in Latin did write in their mother-tongues It is certaine that in Athens there was but one language and in Rome one other yet the speach of the common people was not so pure as that of men of calling and the ciuiler sort as one may see by the Latin of Vitruuius who was a chiefe Mason and Cicero who was Consull Which elegancie and purity of speech is preserued longer amongst women which conuerse not so much with strangers as the men and commonly are more curious to speake well Tully in the third booke of his Oratour writeth that in his time the learning of the Athenians was lost in Athens only remaining in that towne the school or house of studies which was not cared for of the Citizens and the strangers enioyed it which were drawen thither in some sort by the name and authority of
while they are young or by honour which is nurse of all arts whatsoeuer and the rewards which are proposed for the learned and expert therein THE Babylonians dwelling in spacious plaines and hauing nothing to hinder them the whole sight of the heauens they placed all their studie in obseruing of the Starres The like hath bin done by the Egiptians who haue alwaies their aire cleare without cloudes And by reason of the yearely ouerflowing of the riuer Nilus which couereth and watereth their Countrie they were constrained to bestow some time on Geometrie The Phenicians being giuen to marchandize inuented Arithmeticke and dwelling neere the Sea began first nauigation which the Castilians Portugals and Englishmen bordering likewise on the sea haue brought to perfection It was vnseemly amongst the Arcadians not to be skilfull in Musick which they learned not for pleasure and delight but for necessitie to thend to make sweete and gentle by custome that which was rude in them by nature by reason of the coldnes of the aire whereof we participate in our birth and by their continuance of trauaile in tillage pasturage and brutishnes of life Eloquence flourished at Athens and at Rome because that by means therof they were aduanced to honours and wealth In Augustus time who took pleasure in Poetrie euery one made Verses and all were Musitians vnder Nero. The nations which desired to be great and grow vp by armes haue directed their Lawes and exercises to dominion honouring and recompensing valiant men and dishonouring and punishing the cowardes Such were the Scythians Egiptians Persians Thracians Lacedemonians Candians Gaules Iberians Macedonians and Indians accounting all noble and gentle that made profession of armes and the artisans base and seruile At this day in Turkie where all is reduced vnto force euery one applieth armes being assured that in well doing they shall be aduanced in pay reuenew and publick charge as also the punishment is certaine there for cowardize The greatest part of good witts in France applie themselues to the Ciuil Law and to the practize of it for the profit which they find therein and for the honour of innumerable offices of iudgement ordayned both in the soueraigne meane and inferiour iurisdiction being both profitable and honourable The Hetrurians which had their aire grosse and thicke subiect to thunders inuented the diuination by lightning The Arabians Cilicians and Phrygians being great shepheards inuented that diuination which is made by entrailes of beastes or by the voice of birdes Philosophie hath bin professed in Greece full of subtle and sharpe wiâ—ts Architecture began in Asia by the abundance of wealth and leasure of the great Kings there hauing neede of large and ample houses for intertainment and magnificence of their Courts Afterwardes it flourished in Greece whence it was banished and from thence passed into Italie recouering his ripenesse there namely vnder the Emperours who as they had subdued the rest of the world by armes would also surmount them in wonderfull buildings with incredible expences The Ethiopians by the abundance of all good herbes and vigorous simples which grow in their Countrie inuented the naturall Magick obseruing by it the wonders hidden in the secret proprieties of thinges their agreements and contrarieties Plato in his Charmides and his first Alcibiades maintayneth that Zoroaster the Bactrian and Zamolsis the Scithian made profession therof Then it was transported into Persia where it remayned long as we will declare hereafter when we speake of the Persians and of their Mages BVT as following the generall disposition to vertue there haue alwayes bin heere and there some making profession of wisedome as the Druides in Gaule and in great Britayne the Chaldees in Assyria the Brachmanes and Gymnosophistes in the Indies the Mages in Persia the Priestes in Egypt the Philosophers in Greece the Pharisees in Iurie the Theologians or Diuines in Christendome yet antiquitie hath giuen the first praise of Letters to the Ethiopians attributing the inuention to them which they communicated with the Egiptians their neighbours where they haue bin augmented from thence they came to the Libians Babylonians and Chaldeans consequently to the Greeks then to the Romains the Arabians Italians Frenchmen Almains Englishmen Spaniards and Polonians ON which course of letters if we think attentiuely as far forth as is possible to consider all the time past and to call to mind againe the memorie of so many yeres ouerslipped repeating from thence where in histories beginneth the age of people and of Cities that is to say about three or fower thousand yeares since men began to write bookes we shall find that there hath not bin any Authour amongst the Gentiles more auncient then Homer And that letters haue not bin sithence with like earnestnes followed nor in all times and countries equally esteemed but onely in certaine famous ages which we may tearme Heroicall In the which humaine power and wisdom keeping companie one with the other men haue commonly seen the art Militarie Eloquence Philosophy the Mathematicks Physick Musick Poetrie architecture painting caruing and grauing to florish together and to fall together as it hath especially hapâ—ed in the kingdoms of Sesostris Ninus Cyrus Alexander of Augustus and Traian of the Arabians and Sarazens and in this age in the which after they had bin long time a sleepe they haue bin wakened againe and haue recouered their former strength which is not to say that there haue not hapned many other admirable euents in other seasons but these are most notable in the which many extraordinarie maruailes haue met together in matter of armes and of letters and which haue most similitude betweene them as it will appeare in reciting of them WHERFORE is it so come to passe rather at these times then at others and what reason can we giue thereof to th end the better to vnderstand the present consideration being of so great waight and long deduction It seemes to some that we ought not to maruaile that in an infinite space of time as fortune turneth and varieth diuersly there hapneth by casuall chance some accidents like vnto others For be it that there is no certaine number set downe of accidents that may fall out fortune hath fruitful matter enough to produce effects resembling one an other or else be it that humaine chances are comprehended in a determinate number there must needs sometimes happen like cases considering that they are brought to passe by the same causes and by the same meanes Others say that in length of yeares are certaine periods of the whole world and in th one that all arts do grow in reputation and in the other do fall and come to be neglected Others attribute it to honour and to rewards which are more proposed at one time then at an other for 〈…〉 uch as by good intertainment all men are induced to vertue And assayi 〈…〉 nder a reason wherefore many notable personages meete in the same 〈…〉 or little distant th one from thother and
more pleasant in such sort that one woulde thinke that he obtained that which he intreateth by force And albeit by his vehemencie he transporteth the Iudge yet seemeth he not to be drawne himselfe but to followe of his owne accorde Moreouer there is such authority in whatsoeuer he saith that it seemeth a shame to gainsay him not bringing with him the diligence of an aduocate but the testimonie of a witnes or of a Iudge all these things notwithstanding flowing from him without constraint or labour amongst the which each of them striuing particularly yet with great difficultie excelleth each other And there appeareth in his speach a happie facilitie goodly to heare Wherfore he was not without cause accounted by those of his time to raigne in iudgements and hath gotten amongst posteritie the name not of a man but of eloquence Plinie giueth such testimonie of him But what errour were it for me saith he to omit thee M. Tullie or what excellent praise shall I giue thee but euen that which hath bin bestowed on thee by the common voice and vniuersall suffrage of all the people of this nation in taking out of all thy life the works onely of thy Consulship when you spake the Tribunes refused the law Agrarie that is to say their foode and sustenance When you perswaded they pardoned Roseius the authour of the law Theatral When you perored and pleaded it was permitted vnto the children of banished persons to seeke for honours and magistracies Catiline flyeth from thy wisdome Thou hast proscribed and banished Mark Anthony I salute thee the first that hath bin called the father of the Countrie the first that hath deserued in a gowne the triumph of the Crowne of lawrell by speaking well parent of the Latine language and elegancie and as Cesar the Dictator was wont to say of thee hauing the prerogatiue of all triumphes for asmuch as it is more to haue aduaunced the bounds of the Romain learning then of the Empire The same Plinie writeth thus of M. VARRO The statue of him alone whiles he liued was placed by Asinius Pollio in the librarie which he first of all others erected of the spoiles gotten of the enemies which I esteeme no lesse glorie proceeding of a principall Oratour and Citizen in that multitude of good witts that then was and giuing this crowne to him alone then when Pompey the great gaue him the nauale Crowne for hauing wel behaued himselfe in the warre against the pirates where he was his Lieutenant Cicero dedicating to him his first Academick saith Thou hast declared the age of the Countrie the descriptions of time the rights of holy things and of Priests the discipline of peace and of warre the situation of Countries and places the names kinds offices and causes of all both diuine and humane affaires bringing great light to our Poets and generally to Latine words and letters and hast in many places begun Philosophie enough to awaken men though little to teach them And in his second Philippick M. Varro saith he would that this place should be the house of his studies what matters were handeled therein and what written The rights of the people of Rome the monuments of the auncestours the reason and doctrine of all wisdome And writing vnto him in his Epistles he saith I haue alwayes esteemed you a great personage especially that in these troubles are almost alone in quiet and receiue the fruites of learning which are great considering and treating of things the vtilitie and delectation whereof ought to be preferred before all the actions and pleasures of theis others Surely I account this abode which you make at Tusculum to be the true life and would willingly leaue all riches to all men that it might be permitted me without any hinderance to liue after this maner Lactantius dareth to affirme that there was neuer any more learned amongst the Greeks and Latins S. Augustine calleth him the sharpest of all men and without doubt the most learned who hath read so many things that it is a wonder he had any leasure to write of ought and yet hath written so much that it is scarce credible that any one could read it all for he wrote CCCCXC books Also who hath more curiously searched out this then Marcus Varro or more learnedly found it or more attentiuely considered it or more subtilly distinguished it or written more diligently and fully of it who albeit he be not so sweete in speach aboundeth notwithstanding aswell in knowledge and sentences as in all doctrine which we call secular and they liberall he can aswell teach the studious of things as Cicero delight the curious of words Cicero in his booke of the world giueth such testimonie of P. NIGIDIVS This personage was adorned with all liberall arts and a diligent searcher of things which were hidden and folded vp in nature And I account thus of him that after the noble Pythagorians whose discipline was in a maner extinct hauing florished many yeares in Italie and Sicilie he hath renewed it The same Cicero saith of SERVIVS SVLPITIVS a Lawier his admirable incredible and almost diuine knowledge in exposition of the lawes and declaration of right and equitie shall not be forgotten If all those which euer in this Citie had vnderstanding of the Lawes were assembled together in one place yet were they not comparable to Seruius Sulpitius for he was not so well seen in law as in Iustice wherefore he referred alwaies to facilitie and equitie the deeds proceeding of the rule of right and of the Ciuile Law And did not take so much paines to set downe the actions and pleadings of causes as to take away the doubts of matters and difficulties of controuersies The same Cicero of GALLVS AQVILIVS an other Lawier I say one could not to much esteeme the aucthoritie of such a man whose wisdome the people of Rome hath knowen in taking heed to himselfe and not in deceauing of others Who did neuer seuer the reason of Law from Equitie who so many yeares hath readily imployed his wit labour and fidelitie for the good of the people of Rome who is so iust and so good that he seemeth to be a Lawier by nature and not by discipline so learned and prudent that he seemeth to be not onely a naturall knowledge but also a certain goodnesse of the ciuile Law whose vnderstanding is so good and such his fidelitie that whatsoeuer is drawen from thence is found to be pure and cleere Before this time the Latine Poesie was rude which was then polished and brought to perfection especially by VERGIL whom Quintilian witnesseth among all the Heroicke poets both Greeks and Latins to haue come neerest vnto Homer in whom notwithstanding he acknowledgeth that there was more of nature These are the most notable personages that florished then both in armes and learning But IESVS CHRIST defaced all their excellencie who in the raign of Augustus discending out of Heauen here on earth and clothing
thousand and amongest others Theodorick king of the Gothes ATTILA being retourned into Pannonia after this ouerthrow leuied a new armie and came furiously into Italy where he forced sacked and burned Aquileia and many other places And as he purposed to goe to Rome the Pope Leo the first of that name came vnto him and did so much by his intreatie that he not onely changed his purpose of going to Rome but also leauing Italy he retourned into his owne countrey He was a fatall Tyrant vnto Europe and became in a little time very mighty calling himselfe arrogantly the scourge of God but his power was estsoones lost by the discord of his children On the other side GENSERICVS king of the Vandales went out of Spaine into Africk where he made no lesse wast then Attila had done in Europe he tooke Carthage and Hippona of whence Saint Augustine was Bishop who dyed there during the siege lamenting the ruine of the Empire and distruction of the Churches Therhence he sailed into Italy with a mightie army and went vnto Rome which hetooke and spoiled And being won by the praiers of Pope Leo who before had appeased Attila he did not put it to fire and sword Whereby it appeareth that the Empire toward the west was very weake which many Emperours of small renowmne held one after another who dispatched one another by treasons and secrete practises without remaining long Amongest whom there was a certaine AVGVSTVLVS who voluntarily quitted the Empire and led a priuate life His name seemeth to haue bin fatall because that the Empire which began at AVGVSTVS ended in him at Rome At the same time ODOACER RVGIAN went with a great army of Herulois into Italy where he obtained the gouernment Against whome ZENON the Emperour sent Theodorick king of the Ostrogoths who ouercame him in two battailes and in the end slew him remaining Master of Italy which he and his successours enioyed about threescore yeres wherehence the Emperor IVSTINIAN thrust them out entierly by the Eunuch Narses as he draue the Vandales out of Africk by Bellisarius From that time forth the Greek and Lombard HEXARCHES tore and mangled Italy till they were put downe by the Frenchmen and that by the prowes and felicity of CHARLEMAIGNE the peace was there restored But by reason of these inuasions made by so many diuers nations one vpon an other there came wonderfull mutations into the world of tongues buildings habits customes lawes Magistrates offices maners of liuing publick and priuate of the military discipline of armes engines instruments with their words and names This notwithstanding and although learning and eloquence diminished by little and little there were many learned men both Greeks and Latins such as the estate of that wretched and troublesometime could bring vp Namely those which are called the doctours of the Church as GRECIANS Eusebius Athanasius Cyrillus Gregorie Nazianzen and Basil the great being Bishops both of them noble and brought vp togither as fellow Scholers at Athens Theodoret Gregorie of Nicene Epiphanius Nectorius Iohn Chrysostome Patriarches of Constantinople Apollinarius of Antioch and Damascen all Thelogians or Diuines Before whome were Clement of Alexandria Iustin Martyr Aristides and Athenagoras there florished moreouer Appian and Dydimus Grammarians Libanius a sophister Plotinus Iamblichus Maximus Porphyrius and Proclus Philosophers Oribasius Paulus Egineta Etius Physicians Procopius Agathias Philostratus Historâ—ans The LATINS were CypriaÌ„ Tertullian Arnobius Lactantius Hilarius Ambrose Hierome Ruffin Augustin many other Theologians Ausonius Claudianus Iuuencius and Prudencius Poets Seruius Donatus Priscianus and Diomedes Grammarians Victorinus a Rhetorician Sextus Rusus Aurelius Victor Trebellius Pollio Quintus Curtius Vopiscus Lampridius Spartianus Capitolinus Idacius Eutropius Ammianus Marcellinus Paulus Orosius Prosper Aquitanicus Cassiodorus Sidonius Apollinarius Iornandus Paulus Diaconus Methodius Gregorie of Tours Antony the Monke Historiographers Vegetius who hath writteÌ„ of the art Militarie Tribonian a Lawier by the coÌ„mandement of Iustinian gathered the writings of the ancient Lawiers called the Pandects which only remain with vs of antiquity Afterwards he did the like by the edicts ordinaÌ„ces of the Emperors coÌ„prised before in iij. volumes namly the Gregorian Hermogenian Theodosian gathered them into one volume called the Code or book of Iustinian Symmachus Boecius were in the temple of Theodorick a king of the Goths called Veroâ—ensis who put them inhumanely to death Symmachus was an Oratour Boetius a Philosopher who was exercised in al parts of Philosophy and in Mathematicks so happy both in verse and prose that it is hard to iudge whether he were the last that spake Latin or the first that did vndertake to restore learning and eloquence decaied Laurentius Valla calleth him the last of the learned men For sithence we haue not had any but Saint Gregory Beda and Bernardus Clareuallensis In so much that learning remaineth as it were dead the world going into a great silence and ignorance The troubles also and varieties were no lesse in matter of religion then of Empire For wheras sithence the resurrection of IESVS CHRIST those which made profession of his Gospell had bin by the space of three hundred yeres cruelly persecuted with diuers sorts of horrible torments by the Emperours Nero Domitian Traian Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerianus Aurelian Dioclesian and Maximinian Finally CONSTANTINE embrasing our religion vndertooke against his brother in law Licinius Caesar for the protection thereof a great war and more important then was that betweene Pompey and Caesar or between Octauian and Antony In which the question was not onely of Empire as in the other but also of religion namely whether the world from that time forward should be subiect and obedient to Christian Emperours who would ouerthrow the religion of the Gentils or els vnto the Emperours of the Gentiles who would vtterly roote out Christianity whereof ensued one of the chiefest mutations that euer was CONSTANTINE thorough the grace of God remaining victorious who caused the worshipping of false Gods to cease shut vp their temples and set the Christians in security permitting them freely and publickly to pray vnto the true God and to build Churches vnto which he assigned reuenewes for the maintenance of Preachers and Ministers and would haue them receaued vnto honours and magistrácies notwithstanding their profession This quarrel being scarse appeased the heresie of Arrius arose the most pernitious that euer was for the rooting out of which CONSTANTINE assembled that famous counsaile of Nicene But yet two yeres before his death at the perswasion of his sister Constance hereuoked Arrius againe out of banishment The which was cause of great scandal especially betweene his sonnes the Emperours CONSTANS and CONSTANTIVS of whom the one was an Arrian and the other an Orthodoxe or true Christian. Amongst whom thus disagreeing there were counsailes held against counsailes and the one disanulled by the other confessions against confessions creedes against creedes two Bishops different in euery city and