rashly to bee reiected nor at first sight imbraced but heerein let vs imitate Caligula who commanded the History of Caesar written by Cassius and Labienus and condemned by the Senate to be published saying That it was profitable for the state to haue the Actions of euery man vnderstood by all men Yet for my part if the testimony of the one or the other concerning Caesar were â—ow extant I would not altogether admit them to beliefe no nor build confidence on Caesar himselfe when he writeth that the Pompeyans made no conscience of Diuine and humaine thinges and leâ—t no Sacriligious violence vnattempted whereas he himselfe without any feare of Religion or deity sacked all the Temples of the Gaules and broake vp the Treasurie of the Holy Sanctuary which Pompey and his faction feared and refused to violate But the reason that moued Caesar to disperse these scandals on Pompey was to make his enemy odious that so he might pretend a iust cause of war when to a good man no excuse can seem reasonable to wage warre against his Countrey As concerning his Commentaries most men receiue them with approoued allowance and no maruel when a Generall was forbidden by the Law Porcia to giue in to the Tribunes of the Treasury a false report what number of enemies he had slaine Wherein if he failed he was to be depriued of his Generalship and denied his triumphall Ceremony which rather then Caesar would giue ouer hee would not sticke to account that lawfull which made best for his purpose how vnlawfull soeuer Which law though he had not kept inviolably yet the feare of infamy so awed his ambition that hauing many enemies hee knew they would not haue failed to indict him of falshood especially being resolued to publish his books in his own life time An instance whereof is to be seene in Cicero his Anti-Cato though he wrote saith Tacitus as persons accused are accustomed to behaue themselues before Iudges This therefore that we haue spoken touching the writings of Enemies is to be receiued except in cases of corruption and transfugation Such a one was Froysard who whether he stoâ—d mâ—re beholding to the English Note the Author 〈◊〉 was a Frenchman or the English to him many make question he himselfe publickly acknoledging their bounty and munificence Such another was Aretine who would glorie that hee was well rewarded by thâ—se whom he praised yea though he did it against his conscience Yet thus much wil I say for the 〈◊〉 that it is not to be doubted but that hee wrote truly being either in action or at least sâ—ending the best part of his life amongst militarie men the fault that I finde is for that he altogether â—â—â—gâ—t the due deserts of his owne Nation which I thinke no vncorrupted passion can do For Polibius accounted a most true Author when he came to discourse of his Countreymen could not so moderate his pâ—n bâ—t needes it must breake out into most bitter invectiues against Philarchus for extenuating the valour and fortitude of the Megalopolitans in their warre against Aristomachus The same humour if I bee not deceiued prouoked Plutarch to write against Herodatus wherein he inuâ—yeth at nothing sâ— sharpely as at those things which hee wrote concerning the Boetians and Cheâ—ronesians But who can refraine laughter that readeth Sabellicus his comparisons of the Venetians waâ—res with those of the Romans Euen Donatus Gianotus his Fellow-Cittizen could not indure them With this disease if it may be tearmed a disease with an honest fallacy to maintaine the reputation of our Countrymen almost all Historiographers are troubled And therefore had I rather read Caesar discoursing of the manners of the Galles Tacitus of the Germans Polibius of the Romans and Ammianus of the Frankes for that they were strangers vnaduanced vncorrupted were wel acquainted with the Originals of those things whereof they presumed to write The next doubt that troubleth my mind is whether an Historiographer ought to praise dispraise shew his opinion Or leaue all to the iudgement of his Reader For either partie I will lay downe the best allegaâ—â—ons I can and so leaue it to discretion Historie ought to be nothing but a representation of truth and as it were a Map of mens actions sette forth in the publicke view of all commers to bee examined And therefore the predescaâ—ting opinion of the writer cannot but bring much discredite to the Action in that hee presumeth to prepossesse the minds of Artists with imaginarie assertions seeming to teach those who knew better then himseâ—fe what belongeth to such affaires to the wiser sort who will not he deceiued for that he cometh to Counsel before he be called he seemeth verie suspitious No lesse guiltie of another sault are many Historiographers who in the midst of their discourses fall off from their entended Narrations to play the Orators or Rethoritians so deluding the expectations confounding the memories of their readers Such a one was Timaeus condemned for both and for his digradation from History to Satyrisme vulgarly termed Istitimaios and slanderer For sithence there is nothing more difficile then to Iudge truely who would not be aggreeued to heare an Historiographer hauing nothing to do in Counsell or matter of state to breath out his assertion of the chiefest commanders in the Republicke Or what can be more foolish then to listen to a fellow who neuer saw fâ—â—ld reasoning of the victories and ouersights of Generals and their Armies Such a malepart part plaid he I silence his name that wrote the wars betweene Henry and Charles the Emperour by playing the iudge on both sides He loded the King or rather ouer-loded with such grosse flatterie and praises that his Maiestie could not endure to heare them but with loathing Charles hee condemned as a most wicked and Cowardlie Captaine omitting no words of reproach which his wit could imagine Alas good man little considered he that his reproaches redounded to the discredit of his owne partaking to whome it could not be imputed a dishonour to contend with such a Prince more dishonourable to bee by him ouerthrowne but most dishonourable to contract affinity Well by this his ouersight he lost the credite of an Historiographer and was by the consent of all good men condemned for an vniust iudge No lâ—sse onerseene was Iouius in his rash and odious comparisons of the liues of Selimus and Ismael the Sophi of Charles the fift Pope Paule and diuers other great Princes Against these I oppose Xenophon Thucidides Tranquillus Caesar Guicciardin and Sleydan who seldome and that wisely and vpon occasions intermix their Opinions Truly Caesar for military discipline being all praise-woorthie and a profound Artist in state-gouernement though without reprehension he might speake his mind in warlike Controuersies and that withouâ— imputation of ignorance yet when hee did it it was done with discretion and modestie For when some about him affirmed that P. Scilla might haue perfected his victory if hee had
euery one to be his own iudge for censure is a gifte of art and experience but to moderate his opinion by coherence comparisons infallible reasons which if they be not allowed by the maior partie let him neuer be ashamed to change his determination For as those which will spend their verdicts vpon Pictures their dimensions lineaments colours wherin the skilfullest eie is often cozened and deceiued ought not to bee ignoraunt of Symmetry to giue true iudgement So is it necessarie for him that will distinguish betweene the sufficiency and insufficiencie of Historie not onelie to bee well read in the Arts but also much conuersant in humaine occurrances Of Writers in this kind there are three sorts the first whereof being wel qualified by nature but better by learning haue bin called vnto Magistracie The second sort haue wanted learning and yet proued verie sufficient by the adiuncts of Nature and experience and the letter being somewhat helped by Nature and wanting experimentall imploiment haue notwithstanding by their industrie and integritie in their collection of Historie euen equalled those who haue spent the greatest portions of their daies in the Counsell-house of Princes Of euery one of these you shall find infinite variety so much the greater by how much euerie one sauoureth of more or lesse integrity learning and experience The best are those which are best seene in all these and free from passion I adde passion because it is harde for an vpright conscience discoursing of an euill subiect to abstaine from hard language or on the other side to attribute vnto good actions a moderate commendation For the inserting medestly in praise of the good and dispraise of the wicked hath giuen no smal ocasion for the amplifying of Historie Whereof â—f good Authors ought to be noted what shall we say of Euill No slight consideration must therefore be taken whether our Historiographer hath written of himselfe or of others of Fellow-Citizens or Strangers of Friends or Enemies of Militarie discipline or Ciuill Gouernement of his Equals or Inferiours and lastly of his owne time or of sore-passed ages For iudgement in this imployment Secretaries Priuy-Counsellors and Presidents in Courtes of Iustice are verie sufficient for by these three the state is ballanced but more sufficient is heâ— who alone sitteth at the Helm but most of al he that adioyneth much reading of Law and Historie to dailie experience To the perfection whereof two things are most requisite Bookes and Trauaile without the former whereof the difficile management of imployment in any kind is hardly attained to and the date of mans life is ouerâ—short to compasse it by trauaile and wandering obseruation as of olde time did Licurgus Solon and Vlisses The last of whom Homer pronounced wise For that he had seene the maners of many people and the customes of diuers Citties In these daies many dote vpon sight of strange countries the Natures of liuing Creatures and plants the Fabrickes of Palaces and Pyramides with the ouerworne sculptures of Ancient coines but the misteries of publicke Gouernment and their alterations they neuer regard Next vnto Bookes of humanitie and experiments of Trauaile I commend insight in Lawe For those that are to determine suits and contentions saith Arcadius knowe all sortes of misdemeanors and not misdemeanors onely but their contraries without the indifferent apprehension whereof the one and the other cannot be pried into and preuented For in discerning between good and euil consisteth the fulnesse of human wisedome Whereuppon wee are to gather that of all sorts of Historiographers those are worst to bee liked of which with impure handes as the Prouerbe is presume to write of History being both vnexperienced in affaires of importance and veterly vnlearned Of these is my chiefest Caue at in choise of Historie The next to beware of is a rayling or a passionate Writer for you shall not find all Authors free from this humor and him suspect of flattery by praising himselfe his fauourites and Country men and bitterly taunting his opposites or enemies But when you meet with an Authour who giueth his enemy his due commendation read him with trust and beleefe and the rather if he bee a stranger to both parties esteeme him as litigious persons do of Vmpiers in Abitrementes voyd of partiality For it is aparant that Dionisius Hallicarnasseus a man of no eminent place in Gouernment wrote the History of the Romans with better faith and more vprightnesse then Fabius Salust or Cato men aduanced to wealth and honour in their Common-weales For Polibius a Graecian in many places doth tax Fabius Philenus of falshood the one a Roman the other a Carthaginian and both writing vpon the Punicke warres the one giuing all the honour to the Romans the other to the Carthaginians These are the words of Polibius Philenus avoucheth that the Carthaginians behaued themselues valiantly and the Romans baselie and cowardly But Fabius by the censure of Polibius was a man of approued honesty wisedom to whom the proiects of the Romans nor the counterplots of the enemy were hidden or vnreuealed Yet both Orator like were very wary to say or do any thing to their own irreputations But let not any thinke that in an History he can discharge both the part of an Orator Historiographer For I cannot allow of those writings which in praises and flattery are copious in reprehension of vices briefe and penurious this maxime being most iustifiable that euen the man of best discretion and vprightnesse committeth manifold errors Wherein Equinard and Acciolus haue so magnified Carolus Magnus Eusebius Constancie Nebrensis Ferdinand Iouius Cosmo Medices Phillostratus Apollonius Procopius Bellisarius Staphilus and Leua Charles the fift that heerein they haue rather merited the sirnames of Orators then of Historiographers And therefore let the iudicious Censurer suspend his iudgement not by the scale of Friends and Countreymen but by the verdict of enemies also Against Phillip Comines in praising of Lewes the XI let him oppose Meir and not Meir onely but Paulus Aemilius because the one is excessiue in commending the other as farre gone in discommending the third in a meane Meir tearmeth him periurious and fratricide whose desire was aboue al things without regard of the Lawes of God or man to become sole Tyrant of the state The same Author calleth Comines himselfe Traitor and Fugitiue And therefore in these alterations I wish neither of them to be belieued because the one was highly aduanced and inriched by the King the other a professed enemy and had his pâ—n deeplier dipped in gall then was seeming for an Historiographer Aemilius was neither friende nor foe for he was of Verona and wrote grauely and modestly in these words The Duke saith he did enuy the King accusing him with the death of his Brother to haue corrupted his Brothers children and to work them to poison their Father Hee affirmes nothing rashly he omitted not repugnant reports They wrote in the life
towards the Lacedemonians for heereby being an Athenian and not a Lacedemonian they added to his credit And besides the man had bin imployed in diuers Imbassies commands in the Peloponesian war was rich nobly discended had to do in all affaires of state maintained Intelligencâ—rs and lastly wrote of their actions who then liued and that in nâ— free state who would call such an Author or such an Historie into suspition Neither did his fauour towards the Lacedemonians so drowne the remembrance of his owne Countreymen but that he gaue them their due praises And although he were by theÌ„ cast into banishment when he wrote his History yet he not onely cleared his onely aduersarie and exile worker Pericles from publicke obloquy but being dead thought him so praise-worthy for his politicke gouernment that he doubted not to prophesie but that with his death the state would fall into a present declination yet Diodorus sticketh not secretly to carpe at the method of his Orations as doth Trogus Pompeius witnes Iustine against Lyuy Salust saying That they exceeded the bounds of History by inserting their direct and indirect Orations For as Cicero saith nothing can be more pleasing in History then simple and significant breuity But if we should go about to extract from Liuy al his Orations we should leaue him but smal fragments which reason Caligula pretended for defacing his portraiture and remouing his writings out of all Libraries which in truth to me seemeth in some sort tollerable for that he himselfe protesteth in his oâ—e and fortifieth booke that hee determined to write nothing but the Romaine Historie Salust Of Salust we can define nothing because all his workes are almsot lost by those which remaine wee cannâ—t denie but that he was a most sincere Author and deepe Statist For he tooke paines to trauaile into Affricke to be truelie informed of his Bellum Iugurthinum And surelie he wrote freelie for what could be more freche spoken then to câ—rsine the manâ—fold sufficiencie of the whole Roman people then liuing to consist in one onely Caesar and Cato So Thucidides attributed to Pericles his true and most deserued commendations So did Sleydan his to King Francis to the Duke of Saxony his to Belay and Alasco theirs reiecting all odious comparisons But if an Authour will needs discend into a bitter straine then let him proue his assertions with pertinent Argumentes for otherwise the world will grow into suspition that he hatâ— written but vpon heare-say Which course Guicciardin Plutarch Machiauel and Tacitus haue followed whereby they haue most clearelie laid open the secreâ—est proiects and policies of diuers Princes As for Sleydan hee vvas King Francis his interpreter Sleydan and often imployed in Embassies by his Commonwealthâ— and being a Dâ—uine his chiefe scope was to write of Religion the controuersies wherof as likewise the Orations direct and indirect hee included in as briefe a method as possiâ—â—y he coulâ— which to manie men seeme tedious but to a spirit desirous to read antiquities and 〈…〉 of importance nothing should be so taken For in our Authors 〈…〉 sard Carter you shal find a masse of leuitie but withall many 〈…〉 case to be reiected which you shall not find in Emilius who freely confesseth that he hath witting he ouerpassed those things which other men haue written Of the same mold are the histories of Leo Afer Aluarasius M. Gazus which speake to all accidents weighty indifferent triuiall therewith to satiate the itching eares of the curious But this shall you seldome finde amongst the Greeke or Latine writers who onely proposed to discourse of the actions of warre or peace vnlesse some memorable accident intervened as with Liuie The burning of the Capitoll in the sociall warre with Tacitus That furious fire which consumed twelue wards of the Citty As for Prodegies not the basest but euen the most famous writers haue noted them though flatlie incredible as Caesar himselfe That in the ciuill warre the statue did sweat at Traley a man otherwise neither fearing God nor much regarding honesty Herein Liuie most religiously I had rather say superstitiouslie exceeded all others For ye shal read of nothing so frequeÌ„t as how Oxen spoke Vines burnt Statues sweated Stars fell from heauen how God appeared to Hanniball that a childe of six moneths olde proclaimed a Triumph and such like These writers Polibius tearmed Tragoedos not improperly because they could not fetch Anniball out of Purgatory they woulde bring downe the Gods on the stage by deuises But Polibius was an Atheist and wrote verie vnreuerently of religion the others are more charitably to be censured For it were better to be superstitious then irreligious and more tollerable to adore some God then to acknowledge no deitie In other mens praises Liuie is also somewhat too prolix for when he preferreth P. Sempronius before all others his Fellow-Citizens wherein he offreth an apparant wrong to the residue he reporteth him To haue all the perfections that Nature or Fortune could possibly bestow vpon Humanity Nor heere ending he proceedeth to amplifie particulers as his discent his wealth his eloquence his complexion his age his Noble spirite and militarie knowledge Next him hee eleuateth Furius Camillus to the Heauens Africanus higher so that I see no man hath cause to wonder why Augustus gaue him the Epethiâ—e of Pompeianus seeing he was excessiue euen aboue excâ—sse in the praises of that Man But in reprehension he was modest and graue as in the contention between Marcus Liuius and C. Claudius for the censorship wherein the one most spightfully inveied against the other It is an vnseemely contention saith he where both parties depart the place with equal shipwracke of reputation And in another place speaking of the ancient reuerence of the Plebeians towards the Patricij That modesty and carriage saith he which you shall now see in one was in those times common to the Vniuersall multitude The like modesty he vseth of Caluinus Companus What! shall I tearme him wicked No but a Reprobate in the highest degree who maketh choise to Tyranize rather by his owne fall then to behold the prosperity of his country This Author is not onely of one vaine through his whole worke but euer like himselfe of an vnderstanding capacity graue spare in commending bitter in reprehension and like a politicke Law-maker and good Commander wrote worthily of Military and ciuill gouernment with the Office of an Historiographer His histories intreat almost of al Nations which were of any reputation in his time or somwhat before viz from the CXXIIII Olimpiad that is from the worlds Creation 3680. to the year three thousand seauen hundred sixtie six but of fortie Bookes which he wrote foure and thirtie are lost And as he was an excellent Historiographer so was hee a verie good Phylosopher for in the treatie of peace with the Carthaginians he forewarneth the Princes and Gouernors of the state to enter into speciall considerations whether those with
like For whereas the Latines neglected things triuiall as Sacrifices Playes Triumphs Ensignes of Magistracies the generall gouernment of the state Subsidies Auguries Parliaments and the difficile diuision of the people into wards and Tribes Lastly the potencie of the Senat the priuiledges of the Commons the Authoritie of Magistrates and the power of the people be in my iudgement hath best performed them of anie man liuing And to make them the more easie to bee vnderstood hee hath compared the customes of the Greeks with the Lawes of the Latines deriuing the priuiledges of Clyents which Romulus instituted and which Caesar noteth to be common amongst the Gals from the Athenians and Thessalians The Roman Dictator to be of equall power to the Haumoste of the Lacedemonians to the Archon of the Thessalians and the Aesynmet of the Mytilens yea had it not hin for this mans labours the Lawes of Romulus Numa and Seruius together with the Original discent of the Romans had bin long since buried in forgetfulnesse through the pride of the Romans who accounted omitted these remembrances as base vulgar A fault almost common with al Authors as if they were as well knowne to strangers as to Natiues The like diligence almost vsed Plutarch in his Roman Antiquities Plutarch what censure is to be giuen of him I thinke euerie man knoweth For seeing he was the Schoole-maister of that excellent Prince Traian an ancient Courtier and at last Gouernour of Istria there is no question to be made but he ioyned practise and experience to his great wisedome Hee wrote the Historie of the two most famous people of the world not methodically and in order but abruptly and by way of Comparison All that I admire in him is his so free opinion in al matters that to me he seemeth rather a censurer of Princes then an Historiographer yet with this submission to his worth that if any man may be thought a fit Vmpire in businesse of such weight I hold him to be Plutarch or no man For vvhat could be vnknovvne to a man of so high a reach so deepe a iudgement Which are verie remarqueable in his most graue disputations of a Republicke and his profound Philosophie The Originall occasions of wars their openings their progressions ouerthrowes and victories he handleth like an excellent Commander And sometimes he discendeth to matters of meanest moment euen of houshold affaires as is that remembraunce of Cato the Censor who of purpose set enmitie betweene his seruants Least by their ouermuch licentiousnesse they should busie their braines about proiects of farre worse consequence The like he remeÌ„breth of Pericles who accustomed to sell to the vtmost aduantage the reuenues of his domaines and to buy by the penny his daily prouision Oftentimes hee relateth thinges incredible and meerely fabulous but he vseth the worde Phasi to forewarne rash beleefe As in the life of Licurgus he writeth That a Lacedemonian Lad suffered the Rack euen to death rather then he would reueale the theft of a Fox And that Agesilaus was amerced by the Ephori for populer dependancy That he sometimes committed an ouer-sight in the Antiquity of the Romans for that being a Graecian and not perfectly vnderstanding the Latine tongue as himselfe confesseth in the life of Demosthenes he is to be borne withall As where he writeth that in Iudgements Gracchus by the Law Sempronia equalled the Gentlemen with the Senators when as by the same Law that prerogatiue was taken from the Senate and absolutely transferred to the Gentlemen as Velleius Appian Asconius Tacitus and Florus testifie It is apparant that he mistook Legem liuiam pro Sempronia and Gracchus for Drusus The like fault he committed in valewing the Drachma with the Roman Denarius and the Mina with Libra in the liues of Fabius and Anthony which Budeus fâ—llowing soone slipped into error As hee could not choose the quotient being false c. Dio For Dio who can make question of his excellency and sufficiency beeing a man that spent his whole time in affaires of the state and running through all the degrees of Office was twice chosen Consull and after that Proconsull wherein he gouerned the Prouinces worthily no doubt ioyned experience to his great learning He it was that collected the order of their Dyets their Magistracies the course of their proceedingâ— in law the inauguration of their Princes and the policies of their state Yet seemeth he to striue of purpose to maintaine the factions of Caesar and Anthony against Pompey and Cicero And those prodegies which hapned in the borders of the Marconrani he attributeth to Arnulphus the Egiptian not to the Christians whereat Turtullian Eusebius Orosius Iustine Paulus Diaconus and Marcus Aurelius himselfe contested in his letters to the Senat. Many are of opinion that Diodorus was matcheable vnto him Diodorus many that he deserueth precedencie for my part I see no such reason either for phrase theÌ„ which nothing could be penned more vulgar or for method of History That whereof he meaneth to relate he disposeth of truely orderly and briâ—fely in the beginning of euery booke The proofe whereof you may find in his first booke wherein he diuideth his whole worke into fortie Bookes and in six includeth all the former time before the Troian war The eleuen following beginning at the Troian warre end with the death of Alexander the last four and twenty discend to the wars of the Gals The which computation amounteth to about one thousand one hundred and thirty yeares besides the reports before the Troian war which the Ancients deemed fabulous From whence to the return of the Heraclidae according to the account of Apollodorus he numbreth XC yeares from thence to the first Olimpiad CCCXXVIII from the first Olimpiad to the war of the Gals DCCXXX Likewise he only of al the Ancient adiâ—ynd vnto his history the times wherin the most eminent Philosophers Poets and Historiographers flourished As in his fourteenth Book he witnessâ—th that Ctesias began his history at Ninus Lysiades being Archon He also collected together six bookes of this Author concerning the Empire of the Assyrians and as many of the Persians for the most part generallie discenting from Herodotus Whose Authorities Plutarch Pausanias Athenaeus and almost all the Greeke Authors do also follow To vs is nothing remaining but an Epitome Thucidides Thucidides he saith began his history Charites being Archon Q. Furius and M. Papirius Consuls viz. from the restoring of the Heraclidae to the taking of Perinthus TheopoÌ„pus Theopompus began at the first year of Phillip King of Macedon Calimedes being ArchoÌ„ in the hundred fiue Olimpiad C. Genutius L. Aemilius being Consuls And for that which Diodorus reprehendeth in Theopomp for the same may another reprehend Diodore Of eight and fiftie Bookes saith he since are suspitious So saith Viues of sorty of Diodors we haue scarse twelue remaining fiue whereof are stuffed with such idle matter That nothing was euer written more fabulous
And whereas he protesteth to write an vniuersall Historie he onely discourseth of the Greekes and that with such prolixity that both forgetting his Laconique breuitie and his obiection of tediousnesse against Thucidides he spendeth more Paper in reciting the Oration of one Gilippus a Lacedemonian than in the whole history of the warres managed through Italy in three hundred yeares His long digression vpon the Pestilence at Athens and the coniectures thereof who can indure His exposition vpon the Lunary yeare is as absurd whereby men were accounted to haue liued one thousand and two hundred yeares as though euen in those Ages many of the Patriarchs did not exceed that limitation He avoweth that he spent thirty yeares in trauell and writing his Historie which if it bee true then can I not but maruell why he wrote the affaires of Italy the next adioyning Countrey so slenderly considering be liued in the times of the Romans highest prosperity viz in Caesars Dictator-ship For if you compare him to Lyuy or Dionisius you shall find them varying almost in all places but especially in their computation of their Fasti and Olimpiads wherein hee is most incertaine Which peraduenture might be occasioned through his defect in the Latine tongue apparantly manifest in writing euery where PhourioÌ„ for Furius as if the Orthography had bin alone And as â—oâ— writing Ancus Horatius for Marcus Sp. Manius for Melius Lactuca for Luctatius Trigemmus for Tricostus I could haue imputed the error to the mistaking of the Printer were not they Persons of Consular rank Decemvirs and Tribunes in the Catalogue of whom he somtimes ouer-leapeth three sometimes foure c. But these mistakings are easily holpen by the studious labours of Charles Sigonius and Onuphrius Panuinius both worthily deseruing the Epithites of learning for their exquities searches of the Roman Antiquities Wherein Cornelius Tacitus hath likewise plaid the part of â—o lesse commendable an Author Tacitus For although he wrote the gests but of one Age viz from Tiberius to Neâ—ua yet omitted he neyther things of weightiest indifferent or of meanest consequence In his fourth booke though he protested to write neither of battailes nor of taking of Citties nor ouerthrowes of Aâ—mies nor the contentions betweene the people and the Nobility concluding it to be a worke thought inglorious yet profitable And by and by after saith we will annex cruell edicts daily arraignments hippocriticall friendships destruction of Innocents and the causes of these misfortunes Yet describeth hee most fully all the warres which happened in those times wherein he was either a Commander or Actor After the battaile of Actium no man penned the Art of Warre and pleading in a larger method then he For he spent the greatest part of his time in military seruices and imployments of the Cittie and being chosen Proconsull he obtained the lower Germany at which time he so perfectly and truely set downe the manners Lawes and Customes of that Nation that at this day the Germans do attribute their Antiquities to one onely Tacitus And to his greater glory that Tacitus Augustus who fâ—r his excellent wisedome was created Emperour by the Vniuersal consent of the Lords and the Legions deriued his discent from this our Author and fillâ—d all Libraries with as manie of his workes as were remaining vnperished In method of discourse he is maruellous short sententious and full of wisedome as appeareth for a tast by thâ—se few insuing sentences What could be pronounced with more breuity and more bitternesse 〈◊〉 to say of Seiâ—nus That no man could stand in his good graceâ— vnlesse â—ee made his way thereto by villanie What of Poppea That shee put no difference betweene married men and Adulterers but there setled her fancy where she saw most profit arising The Blâ—ckâ—shnesse the incontinenciâ— drunkâ—nnes of Vitellius he inueyeth against most bitterly but indeed nothing could be spokeÌ„ bitter inough against such a person who besides the manifold imperfections of his nature perswaded the Lords to establish the Lawe of incest and Married the Vncle to his Sisters daughter One day walking amongst the dead bodies of slaughtered Cittizens when he saw euerie man to loath that intollerable stâ—nch Ob saith he The dead enemy sauoureth sweete but the Cittizen sweeter If you will haue his opinion of Lawes and Gouernment what could bee more grauely spoken them to sayâ— That euery great Magistrate ought to be acquainted with somewhat that was euill thereof to make vse to the common good Plato differed not much from this assertion They may as well go about to cut off all Hydrates heads saith he as to take away al Imperfections from Lawes If you desire to looke into the method of pleading the Office of a Senator or the Antiquities not of the Romans onely but of many other Nations you shall no where find so plentifull a Haruest What should I say Onely this that for men of eminency Magistrates and Iudges no Historiographer can be read with like profit And therefore it grieueth me that some sew haue censured him with reprehension whome I would not stand to refute were not their Authorities of good credit As Alciat who was so vnaduised as to call his truely praise-worthy History Thorny or ouer-growne with Briars in that Epistle which he wrote to Iouius The next are those who cannot relish him for his hard phrase but they are such who had rather be alwaies plodding vpon easie and trifling studies then erect their spirits to be perfect in those graue relations which states-men and Princes haue ante-acted to future profit and example As for Alciat I see not why he should contemne an Author so generally allowed and himselfe notwithstanding boast of his owne eloquence vnlesse for that Decius blotting his name out of the Roll of the Lawyers notwithstanding called him Ceceronian as Ierom writeth that he was scourged before the Tribunall of Christ for that he wrote like a Ciceronian not like a Christian. Howeuer Ierom did suffer suâ—e I am Tacitus doth suffer his hard censure without desert But let this passe for a iest Budaeus with no lesse bitternesse tearmeth him of all writers the wickedest because be wrote oprobriously against the Christians which was the reason indeed as I think that moued Turtullian to call him Lier Orosius Flatterer But as Marcellus answered the younger Cato that a light woman did euer euill in doing light but not euill in taking her hire being once light So Tacitus in that he was not a Christian did euilly but wrote not euilly against Christians being as he was an Heathen I for my part shoulde haue censured him wicked if whatsoeuer Religion he adored he had not laboured to maintaine it with the ouerthrow of the opposite especially when he saw the Christians and Iewes as Sorcerers and men defamed fâ—r Adulteries and other heynous crimes daily drawne to execution what Historiâ—grapher could haue moderated his pen For ignorance if any Author may be excused then surely may Tacitus for fetching
Iudaeos from Ida a Mountaine in Creet Quasi Idaeos As well as Nicholaus Damascenus for driuing Hierosolyna quasi Ierosoula pera for Iera sulein Well if he desâ—rue so heauie a censure for this fault what shall we determine of Vlpian who wrote seauen Bookes De torquendis Christianis and those not to teach knowledge but to deuise exquisite torments TraÌ„quillus Tranquillus must likewise vndergo the very same censure where he discourseth of the Christians and yet hath it bin his good hap for the residue of his Historie to carrie this report amongst the iudicious That neuer was any thing better written by any Historiographer Some men are displeased for his recitall of hase and triuiall matters but such should remember that amongst the actions and speeches of Princes nothing ought to seeme light nothing vnworthie obseruation beecause they liue in the eye of the multitude and according to their presidents the world will be conformable That he tooke too much paines in perticuler penning the incontinencies of Princes which Tacitus omiâ—ted I will not excuse him But in this ouer-sight Lampridius did excell him For he relateth so many besâ—iall sorts of pleasures deuised by Heliogabalus and those in such open tearmes that he seemeth to haue â—enned theÌ„ rather for Imitation then Narration Both of them serued in the priuy Counsels of Princes but especially Tranquillus who was Secretarie to Adrian and depriued thereof for being more familiar with the Emperors wife then the custome of Court-like modestie could endure The residue that wrote the liues of the succeeding Emperors as Dio Spartianus Capitolinus Herodianus Trebellius Vopiscus Entropius Lampridius Volcatius Ammianus Pomponius Laetus Orosius and Sextus Aurelius were not so highlie imployed in the state as was Lampridius which Vopiscus doth freely confesse calling him a most refined Author and truly For these are his words Hee was a man neither proude of his place nor giuen to vice nor swayed by passion He writeth that Caligula in the beginning of his raigne was as compleat a Prince both for giftes of minde and bodie as none more compleat but afterward proued so vnsatiate a licentiaâ— in all sortes of vices that no monster in Nature could be comparable vnto him So likewise he relateth the excellent first fiue yeares of Nero and then discourseth how Claudius was of so blockish a spirit that euen the basest at the Barre would call him Foole sitting vpon the seat of iudgement and lastlie amplyfieth that notable Iudgement of the Emperour before whom a woman being brought which would not acknowledge her owne childe with Arguments inforced on both sides so strong and doubtfull that hardly any man could tell what to determine by commanding the woman to marrie the young man she confessed the truth What could haue bin more wisely decided by Salomon himself the Maister of wisedome The like industry for truth was not in Herodian Herodian though he had the meanes but for that which he wrote he is often noted of error by Spartianus and Capitolinus Moreouer in Tranquillus you shall find many good instructions of the Roman Antiquities their ancient customes their lawes their statutes and such Edicts of the Senate as no where shal you meet with the like The royaliâ—es and prerogatiues of their Princes onely he and Tacitus recorded The man whom we may match with Tranquillus in my opinion is Velleius Paterculus Velleius Paterculus who besidâ—s his great learning bore Offices of Honour both in the field Citty His sweet and elegant phrase I will not speake to but avow his method of breuity and perspicuity if wee had his whole workes in relating the Roman Antiquities from vtmost memory to be such as therein second to no man he ought to be iudged His Orations in the praises of Men of Marke are excellent and worthy himselfe as you may read in his Encomions of Pompey Caesar Cicero which were not written as pertinent to the scope of his history but by way of preface to the vnderstanding of his history Wherein G. Bellay vicâ—roy of Naples Bellay in a litle Booke of his concerning the antiquities of the Galles hath imitated his method and hath left an excellent president for future Historiographers to behold and follow He wrote likewise in Latine and French the expedâ—tion of Charles the fifte into Prouince a workful of wit and wisedome as he could not otherwise do being quicke of conceit wâ—ll learned and fully experimented in affaires of state wherin he spent his whole time either imployed in Counsell in Ambassies or in command of Armies his vacant houres he dedicated to the Muses Insomuch that amongst the French Nobility this glorie ought onely to be his That he was the first man which gaue weapons to Learning and Learning to weapons But because no man shal accuse one being his CountrymaÌ„ for he was of Anioy of flatteryâ— let him belieue that Sleydan haâ—h spent much more paper in his commendation vpon whom when he had said al he could to his highest praise he giue this testimony That he was not only worthy to be called Gallicae nobilitatis Decus Wherefore let him march in ranke with Polibus Thucidides Xenophon Caesar Tacitus â—or that he examined with an vnstaind pen the reasons of accideÌ„ts their beginnings their ripenâ—ngs their ends and with them their policies their actions their Orations For the Obiâ—ctâ—oÌ„ that he wrote but litle that is not material in choise of history since euery man may iudge a Lyon by his claw Next copious Guicciardin presenteth himself Guicciardin whom I would haue said had wrote in Imvation of the former had they not bin liuing at one time And although he neuer trauelled further then Italy neither was matchable to Bellay in militarie imployments yet notwithstanding by the generall verdict of many grauemen he is adiudged to ante-cede all modern Historiographers if not the Ancient For whatsoeuer falleth within compasse of question he it neuer so intricate there sheweth he an admirable finenesse of wit in discoursing vpon accidents euery where interlacnig graue sentences to good purpose As in one place he couertly taxeth the French of improuidence for inuading Prouinces like tempests but keeping and maintaining them like faint-harted Cowardes giuing them to vnderstand that militarie acquisitions were not onelie vnprofitable vnto them but likewise burdensome and full of losse A saying worthie so graue an Author and fit to be thought vpon by all intruding Princes In another place he glanceth at the ouer-weening conceits of the Venetians in thâ—se words The Venetians saith he all Italy being in a flaming fire sat still and without mouing expected the issue of the warre and their portion of prey as if no man durst to haue offended their Wisedomes But a temporizer ought to be superior in force or els to run the same course that the strongest doth The which reprehensions haue in them no gall no obloquy neither vsed hee to praise or dispraise any man before hee were deade and that without
of all men hath discouered that Nation which lay buried in ignorance and Barbarisme a thousand yeares before his time Next after him approcheth F. Leandrus and S. Munster the former described Italy the other all Germany as liuely to viewe as if it were in Maps or Tables adioyning thereto the History of the various fashions and maners of the people But Munster had done well if he had turned his Cosmographiam into Germanographiam being indeed nothing else to speak on saue a particuler description of Germany and Heluetia their scituations people and discent But as our Geographistorici mingled Topography with story Xenophon so our Philosophistorici beutified their Narrations of Action with precepts of wisedome In which kind great is the praise of Xenophon yea the greater in that he had no president to imitate as Velleius witnesseth of Homer nor none that shall be able to imitate him Nearest approacheth Plutarch then Laertius and thirdly Philo Iudaeus betweene whom and Plato the Ancients in my iudgement gaue a most true censure Equall vnto these is Iosippus Iosippus or if inferior in secrets of Philosophy farre superiour in the searches of Antiquitie At which Ierom doth wonder that such exquisit knowledge of the Graecian discents should be â—ound in a man of the Irish Nation But the reason thereof is apparant in his Bookes against Appion the Grammarian wherin he so verisieth the writings of Moses though sufficient-full of credit themselues by the authorities of the Graecians the Persians the Egiptians Caldaeans that nothing can be read with more profit by those who are desirous to studio Antiquities The Ages of the old world related by Moses he confirmed by the Testimonies of twelue Historiographers tâ— take away all scandall of incredulity The Auncestry saith Religion learning and integritie of his Countrey-men He not onely preferreth before all Nations thereby to reuiue the ecclipsed honor thereof but also doth his vtmost to redeeme from obliuion and opposition things of vndoubted veritie For by his writings the Fables of Herodotus Diodorus and Iustine are easily to be refuted After him Hegesippus a Iew Hegesippus wrote fine Bookes of the Iewish wars which Ambrose by report turned into Latine But Iosippus wrote better and truer because hee was both in Action and command and being prisoner to Vespahtian and Titus Notwithstanding by their fauours purchased the freedome of the Citâ—ie and the Honour of a Statue For in him were inuested these good parts of an Historiographer which we haue mentioned before viz great learning vnpassionate integrity experience of affaires His integritie is apparant in this That being a Iew he gaue notwithstanding a graue veâ—eâ—ent and Laâ—dible Testimonie of Christ whereas our Ecclesiasticall writers discoursing vpon the aduersaries of our Religion are so farre transported with Enuie that they not onelie conceal their deserued commendations but also disgrace them with most opprobrius and vndecent railings Wherof let Iulian the Apostata be the plaintife who though he were worthie both of blame punishment yet for thâ—se things which be performed with good commendation and honour he ought not to be silenced by an Historiographer Ammianus wherein our writers haue generally faulted And certes should rather haue imitated Ammianus Marcellinus his method and ardent desire of deliuering in Vtramque partem nothing but truth who after he had committed the neuer-dying vertues of Princes to memory then proceeded to display their vices as euerie good Author ought to do And the accusations which he laid vpon Iulian were that he mingled old Heathnish superstitions with the vnspotted simple for those be his words religion of the Christians that he bereft them of all helps of learning cruely commanded the Countes Palatines of Constantius to be murdred These were his vices His excellent vertues as his temperance his fortitude his continency his fauour to wisedome and his Iustice aboue opinion he proueth by action and witnesse As in this one example for many When Delphidius Gallus a most sharpe Orator â—ad accused Numerius President of Narbon in France then lying at Paris and was vrged to bring forth his proofes and witnesses Most mighty Caesar saith he what man will euer be found guilty if his bare deniall be sufficient to cleare him To whom Caesar answered And what man shall euer depart innocent if one mans accusation should suffice to condemne him This Ammianus was a Graecian a Knight and a follower of Vrsicinus maister of the horse in all the warres almost which in those times were managed by the Romans in Europ or Asia His workes remaine whole and digested into eighteen Bookes beginning at the thirtieth yeare of the Emperor Constantius and ending with Valeus The oâ—her thirteene are easie to be added out of other mens writings He had begun at Nerua where Tacitus ended and whom of all men he resolued to obserue and imitate Onely heerein is the difference that Tacitus according to the times had a speciall regard of the Roman elâ—gance but Ammianus vsed Italian phrases and somâ—â—imes neither Latine nor Romaine but plaine Greeke He much and often digresseth from the maine history a disease whereunto euen the greatest Authors are much inclined and whereof Possidonius doth grieuously complaine against Cicero But Ammianus regarding the matter more then the phrase salueth that Octiection against himselfe in this manner In that saith he the text seemeth tedious it profiteth our vnderstanding to the ful for whosoeuer affecteth ouermuch breuity where things of doubtfull knowledge are related seeketh after ease but ripeneth not his iudgement Wherefore amongst such diuers and different variety of Authors it is most necessarie for euery man to make a true and aduised choise of that learning whereunto his study standeth most adicted least in this small and short leisure of life he seeme not to haue read much and yâ—t in points of ambâ—guity cannot determine with himselâ—e vpon what to resolue As if he be throughly perswaded of Polidor for the affaires of England although he be suspitious to the Scots and French of Rhenanus for the Historie of Germany and Aemilius for the state of France then shall he need to take no great paines in Beda Guagun Gacus Saxo and such lâ—ke who handled the said Histories without method or order and no maruel for as those Times afforded great plenty of writers so their credits and reputations quickly vanished Plutarch reckoneth vp three hundred that wrote the battaile of Marathon And of thirty that committed to print the affaires of Italy one onely mans credit and good method haue quite put the residue to the horne In these times the world swarmeth with such as commit to writing things of base and vulgar Argument whereas in times of greatest antiquity wee had almost none And therefore because it were a labour infinite to peruse euery mans papers let the Iudicious Reader out of manie make choise of the better by the assistance of these directions or by better of his owne if he can
names after death should participate of eternity For as wee are compacted of Soule and body so all our thoughts words and actions follow some the frailties of the flesh som the vertues of the Soule And therefore by the infallible law of Nature beauteous faces immeasurable riches and strongest bodies shall in short time decline and perish All things that haue a beginning must of necessitie haue an ending somtime falling before they are blossomed but how euer wayning before they are fully come to perfection But the gifts of a vertuous mind are subiect to no such limitations they are as the Soule Immortall Time-scorners the guids of life resisting all things commanding all things containing all things yet vncommaunded and vncontained of any Which high and Soueraigne Prerogatiues make me the more to wonder to see men spend the whole date of their dayes Dum seruitur libidini facta est consuetudo dum consuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas in Reuelling Ryot and Idlenesse suffering their wits the richest Ornament of humane bodies for want of courage and imployment to rest base and vulgar especially sithence the mind affordeth such store and diuersity of means to rise to aduancement But it should seem that men thus qualified in these daies affect not Offices Superiority imployment in the state because vertue is neither countenanced nor those who haue attained preferment by indirect courses the freer from f Cum non iustis sufragijs ius obtinuerint Disgrace nor accounted more honest For although by their supereminence they haue iurisdiction ouer their country and parents and may punish offences yet is the President distastfull In Magistratibus neque salus nec requâ—es nisi benè vtentibus for that all h Hoc est regi per Magistratus non electoâ— liberis suffragijs innouation irritateth Discontents Ielousies Quarrels and Scandall Whereas on the other side againe to gape after a thankelesse Office and to reape for our labours nothing but Enuy is as extreame a part of madnesse vnlesse it bee for him whome a preiudicate and factions i Vt fecère aliqui in fauorem Caesaris PoÌ„peij et Augusti humour of power possesseth thereby to gratifie the ambition abuses and partialities of a few great personages But to come to my purpose of all taskes that the minde can vndertake I hold none to be of greater vse then k Historia est testis tem poruÌ„ lux veritatis magistra vitae nuncia vetustatis History of whose excellency because many famous men haue worthily discoursed thereof I will forbeare to speake least some seuere censurer should tax me of affectation for praising the profession wherein I confesse I take most delight Yea and I am in perfect beleefe that othersome for that I was once determined to spend the remainder of my daies in vacancy from State-Affayres wil not stick to write vpon the forhead of these my laborious and profitable studies the Titles of l Quia absque magno labore sed non sine Arte videtur seribi Historia Sloth But my best hope is they wil proue only such who onely account it a worke of industry to complement with the people or by making good cheere to captiuate mens fauours Who if it please them to remember in what times I was chosen to Office and what men at the same times were put by with the insufficiences of such as afterwardes were chosen into Parliament they cannot but acknowledge that I l Sapientis est mutiare propositum sires mutentur changed my mind vppon due considerations and not vpon any inclination to Sloth and that the common-wealth is likely to reape more profit by my times of leysure then by the continuall imployments of some other For I haue often heard Q. Maximus P. Scipio others our honorable Predecessors report that the intentiue contemplation of the m Vnde dici solet picturas et coelaturas illiteratorum esse libros Medalls of their Auncestors hath often inflamed their minds to Emulation not that the painting or the liueles protraiture had any such influences in theÌ„ but that the recording of their glorious actions did disperse such a Bout-feau of imitation in their spirits that it could neuer bee extinguished vntill they had equalized their highest Vertues But in these times of corruption what man liueth that contendeth not with his fore-fathers in acquisition of riches expence but neyther in honesty nor industry Euen vpstarts who in the olde world were accustomed to enter the ranke of Nobility Quorum maiores nunquam fuere in to Magistratâ— by worth and sufficiency in these daies lay their plots for preferment by sinister endeuours and not by vertuous courses As if the Praetership Consul-ship and such like offices were in themselues simply Noble and not graced by their worths who manage such places Tet. Qui ista bona vocant perinâ—e sunt atqua qui illis vtuntur Thus haue I giuen my pen her liberty confessing that the corrupt and degenerate manners of the Citty hath made it forgetfull of duty for recompence whereof I will now betake me to my taske CHAP. 1. 1. Reasons inducing the Authour to write this History 2. Massinissa entreth aliance with the Romans 3. The vexation and cares of Misipsa his Sonne and successour 4. The commendation and qualities of Iugurth 5. His fortunes IN this Booke my purpose is to write the Warre which the Romane people vndertooke against Iugurth King of Numidia First because it was weighty cruell and doubtfull Secondly for that about this time the people avowed their first discontents against the surquedrie of the Roman Nobility a contention whereby al Diuine and humaine lawes were wrapped in confusion afterward proceeded into such raging fits of succeeding madnesse that Italy was almost wasted before their ciuill warres ended But for the Readers better vnderstanding and more satisfaction before I enter into the maine of the History I will first begin with matter of more ancient discourse In the second Punique warres wherein Hanniball the Carthaginian Captaine had after their manifold good fortunes almost laide desolate the Italian Prouinces and wasted their forces Masinissa king of Numidia was receiued by Scipio afterwards for subduing Affrica Surnamed Affricanus into the Romane alliance A man for Military prowesse and valor much renowned and whom after the ouerthrow of the Carthaginians and the taking of Sciphax a Lord of a spacious kingdom in Affricke the Romane people in reward of his good and loyal seruice frankly inuested with those cities and prouinces which by force he had gained from Sciphax By this meanes the friendship of Masinissa continued profitable and constant Quia tam parùm durauit successoruÌ„ regnum vt non regnassâ— vâ—deaÌ„tur but hee finished his life no sooner then his Empire tooke ending Manastaball and Gulussa his Brethren being dead the kingdom diuolued vnto Micipsa as sole-heyre He had two Sonnes