disfavour fled to Otton I. and at Franckford Wrote this History as he saith himself lib. 5. cap. 14. Beatus Rhenanus Published III Books of the German affairs excellently Composed Johannes Aventinus Wrote X Books under the Title of Germany illustrated and also the Annals of the Bavarians from the Flood to the year of Christ 1460 in VII Books how ill Baronius thought of this Authour appears To. 9. Ad Annum 772. Georgius Fabricius Chemnicensis Wrote the History of Great Germany and of all Saxony in two Books and to Conclude MAR QU ARDUS FREHERUS first put out in one Volume some very excellent German Historians which before were unknown ARTICLE III. The Historians of Austria FRanciscus Guillimannus Wrote VII Books of the ancient and true Origine of the House of Austria he flourished about the year of Christ 1500. Wolfangus Lazius of Vienna has comprehended the History of Austria in IV Books Gerhardus de Reo and Conradus Decius have Written Annals also of Austria there is Extant too a Chronicle of the Dukes of Bavaria and Suevia written by an uncertain Authour and to these may be added the Austriades of Richardus Bartolinus Perusinus in XII Books which concern the Wars between the Dukes of Bavaria and the Princes of the Palatinate which was illustrated with Notes by Jacobus Spigelius Selestadiensis ARTICLE IV. The Historians of the Hunnes and Hungarians JOhannes de Thwroz or Turocius so call'd from the Province of Thwrocz wrote a Chronicle of the Hungarian affairs from the very rise of that Nation under Attila their first King to the Coronation of Matthias which was in the year of Christ 1464 of this Authour Trithemius Writes thus Johannes Thuroth a Pannonian was a man excellently acquainted with and well exercised in Civil Literature and not ignorant in Divine knowledge of an exalted Ingenuity and a clear Eloquence this Authour lived Anno Christi 1494. Johannes Bonfinius Composed an Elegant History of the Kings of Hungary in four Decades and an half that is in XLV Books which reacheth to the Death of Matthias Hunniades and the beginning of Vladislaus or the year 1495 which he began at the Command of Matthias Bonfinius flourished about the year of Christ 1496. Petrus Ranzanus Wrote Indexes as he calls them of the Hungarian Transactions of which Joh. Sambucus who first rescued them from the Dust and Darkness in which they lay and Published them to the World writes thus It seems the ways of Writing Histories heretofore were very various this Authour having some Indexes of the Kings of Hungary given him at Vienna by Beatrix extracted out of the same Records from which Bonfinius described his he so well deduced and illustrated them that he is in nothing inferiour to the best Writers of the Hungarian History for in this brevity he has Comprehended what ever is required to render an History Elegant and usefull and he is the more valuable also that whereas there are some Gaps and mistakes by the faults of the Transcribers in Bonfinius his History we may here find directions for the rectifying all these Erratas and be assisted at the same time in searching out the sincere and perfect truth thus far Sambucus Philip Callimachus Experiens wrote an History of the Life and Reign of Vladislaus King of Poland and Hungary so elegantly and exactly that Paulus Jovius did not scruple to say of it that in his judgment it excell'd all that had been Written of that kind since Cornelius Tacitus through so many Ages as have since followed this Authour flourished Anno Christi 1490. Melchior Soiterus and Petrus Bizarrus have Written the History of the Hungarian Wars ARTICLE V. The Historians of the Goths Danes Sclavonians and Swedes PRocopius has Written III Books of the Gothick Wars and Agathias the Smyrnean V Books both of them in Greek and in Latine Jornandes the Bishop of the Goths who reduced into II Books the History of Aurelius Casiodorus who was Secretary to Theodoricus King of the Goths and Wrote a Gothick History in XII Books Isidorus Hispalensis Composed an History of the Origine of the Goths and of the Kingdom of the Sueves and Vandals Johannes Magnus a Bishop of Sweden wrote a History also of all the Kings of the Goths and Swedes Leon Aretinus Composed also an History of the Goths but which affords nothing more than what Procopius hath written so that he seems to be no more than his Paraphrast but he is more remarkable for another thing that is that be was the first Person who restored and communicated the Greek Tongue and Learning after it had lain several Ages oppressed and troden down by the tyranny of the insolent Barbarians as P. Jovius writes of him in his Elogies he flourished Anno Christi 1420. Hieronymus Rubeus wrote of the Goths and Lombards Saxo Grammaticus has deduced an History of Denmark from the utmost Antiquity down to his own times that is to Canutus the VI th and Waldemarus his Brother the Grandchildren of Saint Canutus that is almost to the year of Christ 1200. All he hath Written is not to be admitted hand over head without Examination yet neither is he so great a Fabler as some have fansied who have no esteem on that account for him amongst whom is Goropius Becanus which is the less worth our wonder because he himself doth not write so much Paradoxes as impossibilities as to Saxo's style the Elegance of it is so great saith the Learned Vossius that it exceeded the Capacity of the Age he lived in yea it is equal to many of the ancient Writers and to most of ours he flourished about the year of Christ 1220. Idacius his Chronicle of Denmark is from the times of Theodosius the Great to the year of Christ 400. Johannes Boterus and Erpoldus Lindenbruch have written accounts of the Kings of Denmark and in the year 1596 Plantin Printed a Compendious History of the Kings of Denmark to Christian the IV th Gaspar Ens wrote Commentaries concerning the Wars of Denmark both by Sea and Land in the Reign of Frederick the second containing the most memorable Dithmarsick and Swedish War The Learned Johannes Meursius hath comprehended in III Books the Reigns of Christian the first John his Son and Christian the second his Grandchild that is from the year of Christ 1448 to the year 1523. Albertus Crantzius hath Written an History of the Vandals in XIV Books and a Chronicle of the other Northern Nations as the Danes Norwegians Swedes which is call'd Gothia and Scandia he begins at the times of Charles the Great and comes down to the year 1504 he flourished to the year 1517 in which he Died. Gerardus Geldenhaurius writes thus of him He has almost onely seemed to me to deserve the Name of an Historian because he wrote the Transactions of his own times truely freely and for the good
But though his Modesty extorted this Complaint from him the Reader will scarce find it in this Oration In the year 1625 he first published this Piece in Latin which he reviewed and enlarged in the years 1635 and 1636 and Reprinted again in the year 1637. He was admitted Principal of Glocester-Hall in the same University the fourth of April 1626 where he continued till the day of his death which was the first of August 1647 and he was buried in the Chapel of that House So many years he managed this place whereas his Successour Mr. Robert Waring was chosen the 11th of August of that year and turn'd out for his Loyalty the 14th of September 1648 by the Parliamentary Visitors Besides this Piece he writ in the year 1623 a Funeral Oration containing an Historical Account of the Life and Death of Mr. Camden and a Dedication of the Statue of that Great Man in the History Schools there And also a Collection of Gratulatory Epistles Which three last Pieces were Printed together at Oxford in the year 1628. The Character given him by the Authour of the said History of Oxford is this Vir fuit Urbanus doctus Pius He was a Pleasant Learned and Pious Man To which give me leave to add that he was a Man of great Industry and Modesty as the Reader will see when he comes to read this Piece Nor is his Gratitude to the great Camden less vsible both in his Oration which he made when he entered upon the Reader 's place and also in the two others which were made and published after the death of his Benefactor Though it was his great calamity to live in times of Trouble and Confusion yet God was pleased to let him depart in peace before the execrable Murther of his Sovereign and before the Rebels had purged that University of whatever was Loyal and Constant. For though the Parliament had attempted this the June before he died yet they could not then effect their Ill Designs As to the Version I have done the best I could to make it true and smooth which was not so easie as at first I thought it would have been by reason of the great number of Quotations out of other Authours many of which are so very short and dark in their expressions that I could scarce if at all tell how to find English words that would represent their notions truely And besides this it is uneasie for a Man to accommodate himself so suddenly to such a variety of Styles as here occur in almost every Page and therefore it is not improbable I may have committed many errours and mistakes I have also presumed in some places to make Additions too when I thought it necessary but then I have given the Reader notice of them that he may know what is Added and what is the Authours A SHORT REPRESENTATION Of the several Lectures The Enterance THe Occasion of repeating these Lectures and Examples The scope of them and publick use Which yet is not to be rashly published The excessive confidence of the Writers of this Age. Modesty is recommended by the example of Pliny Secundus The Ancient Custome of reciting very usefull To be desired in this Age. No Argument of Ostentation but rather of Modesty The convenience of a living voice In what Hearing excell Reading The definition end division and several sorts of History Part the First The Heads of the SECTIONS SECT I. THree things are required to the Advantagious Reading of History Upon occasion of which the three parts of this Discourse are propos'd SECT II. What Order of Historians is to be observed And how to be entered upon Three Intervals of time to be observed What an Epocha is and of how many sorts The several Flouds In what times they happened The Unwritten Interval The Fabulous The Olympiads The Historical Interval SECT III. The Series of the Great Monarchies and their fatal Succession That there was four Eminent Monarchies That the Empire of the Medes and Persians was but one That these Empires were foretold by the Prophets The Name of Great Monarchies in vain quarrell'd by Bodinus That that of the Romans was the Greatest SECT IV. The Rise and Duration of the Assyrio-Chaldaean Empire and also of the Medio Persian then of the Grecian The beginning of the Roman Empire before Julius Caesar. How many years interven'd betwixt him and Charles the Great and betwixt the Latter and Charles the Fifth SECT V. Why these Four Empires were by way of Eminence call'd the Four Monarchies SECT VI. How the Reading of History is to be entered upon Good Epitomes are not to be condemn'd Synopsis of Histories Chronologies Some Compendiums are by name recommended What Authours concerning the Universal History are to be consulted Rauleigh is especially to be esteem'd The History of the Bible is the most Ancient and first to be Read SECT VII From whence the History of the Assyrio-Caldean Empire is to be derived Of Berosus Ctesias Megasthenes and their Counterfeited Writings That in the defect of them we must have recourse to Josephus The great loss of Diodorus Siculus to be supplied from others Especially from Josephus and the Prophetick Story Diogenes Laertius commended SECT VIII Herodotus where he began his History and where he ended His Commendation In what time he flourisht The beginning of the Second General Monarchy The Arguments of the several Books of Herodotus Why the Names of the Muses were put before the several Books In which Herodotus is excused against Lodovicus Vives From what Authours this History may be enlarg'd and illustrated SECT IX Thucydides His Elogie From whence and how far he deduces his History which he contain'd in eight Books Their Arguments shortly and distinctly laid down And what Authours writ of the same Times and Wars with him SECT X. Xenophon His Commendation and Elogie When and in what order he is to be Read That he writ the History of 48 years Which again may be enlarged out of Plutarch Justin and Diodorus Siculus SECT XI Diodorus Siculus his beautifull Elogie He travelled over several Countries before he writ his History He continues Xenophon's Story in the end of his 15th Book And in the 16th gives an Account of the Actions of Philip of Macedon And so goes on to Alexander the Great and describes the Rise of the Third general Monarchy SECT XII Divers Authours have written the Action of Alexander the Great Arrianus Q. Curtius Their Elogies In what times they lived Diodorus Siculus prosecutes the History of the Successours of Alexander the Great Other Authours afford usefull Additions SECT XIII Polybius when to be read Of what times he writ How he applied his mind to History How great a Man he was How much admired The greatest part of his History lost or reduced to fragments The Contents of the Existing Books SECT XIV Of the Fourth Monarchy the Roman A Transition to its Story The Praise of both and the loss of its Historians
Countries The fifth Book contains the Persian Embassy to Amyntas King of Macedonia and also the just Punishment of Sisamnis an unjust Judge the Sedition of Aristagoras the Milesian and his end and then he shews what was the State of the Cities of Athens Lacedemonium and Corinth in the time of Darius Histaspis The sixth Book describes the Ruine of the Seditious Histiaeus and then shews the Origine of the Kings of Sparta and the preparations of War made by Darius against the Grecians and the Fight at Marathon in which Miltiades bravely defeated the Persians The seventh contains a most excellent Consultation concerning the War with Greece held by Xerxes and then represents his famous Expedition into Greece and the Battel of Thermopilas The eighth describes the Sea Fight at the Island of Salamine The ninth besides the punishment of one Lycidas gives an account of two great Battels fought in one day the one at Plateas in the dawn of the Morning and the other at Mycalen a Promontory of Asia in the Evening in both which the Persians were beaten and at last totally Expell'd out of Greece And in these Nine Books you will find besides the History of the Medes and Persians the Histories also of the Lydians Jonians Lycians Aegyptians Mynians Grecians and Macedonians and of some other Nations their Manners and Religions are also intermixt and delivered with that Purity Elegance and sweetness of Style that the Muses were by the Ancients feigned to have spoken by the mouth of Herodotus and for this cause the Names of the Muses were put before these Books not by the Authour but by some other persons as some think But the Learned Vossius which I think fit to remark here is of another opinion and says that he inscribed the Names of the IX Muses before his Books upon the same account that the three Orations of Eschines were call'd the Graces with relation both to their Number and the Delicateness of the Language and the same Oratours IX Epistles were also call'd by the Names of the Muses as Photius saith Sect. LXI But the same Learned man Vossius goes on and asserts that it is apparent that the Books of Herodotus were not so call'd by way of Apology for the falsehoods contained in them as Lodovicus Vivis thought as if by these Names the Reader were in the very entrance to be admonished that some things in them were related with too much Liberty to delight the mind which is allowed the Muses For though Herodotus inserts some Narratives that are not much unlike Fables yet the body of his History is compil'd with a rare Fidelity and a diligent care of Truth Concerning his other Narratives he for the most part premiseth that he recites them not because he thought them true but as he had receiv'd them from others I ought saith he to unfold in my History what I have heard from others but there is not the same necessity I should believe all relations alike which I desire the Reader would once for all take notice of and remember throughout my History And we may enlarge and confirm the History of these times of which Herodotus writ by reading the 2 3 and 7 th Books of Justin and by reading the Lives of those famous Generals Aristides Themistocles Cimon Miltiades and Pausanias written both by Plutarch and Cornelius Nepos and to these may be added the Lives of the Philosophers of those times written by Laertins viz. Anaximander Zenon Empedocles Heraclitus Democritus and others of that Age. SECT IX Of Thucydides his Elogies from whence and how far be deduceth his History which he compil'd in VIII Books the Arguments of those Books briefly and distinctly unfolded and lastly is shewn what Authours besides he have written of the same Wars and Times THucydides follows Herodotus a celebrated Historian in relation both to his Eloquence and Fidelity He flourished 460 years before Christ in the LXXXVII Olympiad and because the Elogies Learned men have made for him may perhaps accend the Reader to a more serious study of his History I shall not decline the repeating them here M. T. Cicero speaks thus of him In my opinion Thucydides excells all others in the art of Speaking he almost equals the number of his words with the number of his Sentences his expressions are so fit and short that no man can determine whether he has most illustrated his Subject by his Oratory or his Oratory by his wise reflexions Fabius Quintilianus thus expresseth his Esteem of him Thucydides is always saith he close and short and ever present to his Business Herodotus sweet candid and diffus'd Thucydides is the best representer of moved affections Herodotus of calm Herodotus is the best at a long Thucydides at a short Oration this forceth and that wins a man's consent Let us now hear the judgment of Modern Writers and in the first place that of Justus Lipsius Thucydides saith he writ an History in which he relates neither many nor great affairs and yet perhaps he has won the Garland from all those who have represented many and great occurrences his discourse is always close and short his Sentences are frequent and his Judgment sound giving every where excellent but conceal'd Advice directing thereby Mens Lives and Actions his Orations and Excursions are almost Divine the oftner you reade him the more you will gain by him and yet he will never dismiss you without a thirst of reading him again Isaac Casaubon speaks thus Thucydides is a great man and a great Historian who when he had for some time been conversant with and employed in great Transactions retired to describe them with his Pen and gave Posterity an example of an History so written for the use of Men that it will ever be the Subject of their wonder rather than imitation Christopherus Colerus speaks thus Thucydides perfected the art of Writing Histories which Herodotus just before had Adorn'd turn over and over and carry in your bosome that great treasure he has described the Peloponnesian War which he saw and in which he bore his part you will not seem to reade but see it in him and you will find as many wise instructions as Sentences he explains his Business prudently severely and gravely by which it is apparent how usefull he may be to a Politician and as to those that are to consult about War or Peace they ought to keep him ever close to them as their best Counsellour thus has Thucydides hit every point To proceed Thucydides writ an History of almost LXX years in eight Books beginning at the departure of Xerxes out of Greece where Herodotus ends and bringing it down to the XXI year of the Peloponnesian War for although his main design was to write the War betwixt the Athenians and the Peloponnesians a great part of which he was yet in his first Book in the very entrance of it he
of Persia Anno Mundi 3588. In his XVI th Book he gives an account of the actions of Philip of Macedonia the Son of Amyntas from his entrance into his Kingdom to the end of his Life And in the same Book takes notice of other things which happened then in other parts of the known World The History of this XVI th Book may be made much more clear and large by reading the Lives of Chabrias Dion Iphicrates Timotheus Phocion and Timoleon written by Cor. Nepos The actions of these great Commanders made these times very famous from the CV th to the CXI th Olympiad from the second year of which Olympiad the XVI th Book begins to shew the Noble actions of Alexander the Great and to teach us how he gave a beginning to the third great Monarchy in the 112 th Olympiad SECT XII Many Historians have written of the Actions of Alexander the Great Arrianus and Quintus Curtius their Elogies in what time they flourished Diodorus prosecutes the History of the Successours of Alexander to which usefull Additions may be made from other Authours BUt others both Grecians and Romans have written the History of that great Monarch more at large viz. Plutarch in the Life of Alexander and in two other Books which he writ concerning the Fortune of Alexander and Arrianus the Nicomedian in VII Books written in an Elegant and Xenophontean Style I say in VII Books because the VIII th which is usually added to them concerning the Indian Expedition of Alexander is a piece by it self as appears both in Photius and in the end of the VII th Book as the Learned Vossius observes these two writ in Greek And in Latine Justin in his X and XI th Book and Q. Curtius Rufus an excellent and a subtile Writer but his History has lost its beginning by the injury of men or times or both Both Arrian and Q. Curtius are florid Writers saith Colerus but Curtius is the brighter and sweeter than any Honey he does rather weary than satiate his Reader he abounds with direct and oblique Sentences by which the Life of man is strangely illustrated Justus Lipsius gives the same judgment of Q. Curtius he is saith he in my opinion an honest and true Historian if any such there have been there is a strange felicity in his Style and a pleasantness in his Relations he is contracted and fluent subtile and clear careless and yet accurate true in his Judgments subtile in his Sentences and in his Orations Eloquent above what I can express Accidalius thus speaks of him Q. Curtius a Latine writer of the actions of Alexander the Great is more diligent than any of the Grecians a true candid and most upright Writer if we have any writer of Integrity The Learned Vossius in a prolix discourse has made it very probable that Curtius Lived and Published his History under Vespasian about LXXX years after Christ. Nor is Arrian to be defrauded of his deserved Commendation who is reported amongst the Grecian Writers to have been a man of so great Integrity in Writing that he was styled the Lover of Truth and even still honoured with that Sirname by Coelius Rhodoginus He was a Philosopher born at Nicomedia and famous at Rome in the Reigns of Adrian and Antoninus and was commonly call'd the new Xenophon as Cataenus testifies in his Commentary upon the Epistles of Pliny these I say have written more largely of Alexander the Great The same Diodorus Siculus prosecutes the History of his Successours in his XVIII th XIX th and XX th Books from the second year of the CXIV Olympiad to the end of the CXIX th Olympiad A. M. 3650 which interval may yet be made much more clear if the Reader please to take in the XIII th XIV th and XV th Books of Justin and the Lives of Demetrius and Eumenes written by Plutarch and because the last XX Books of the Sicilian in which he had continued the Universal History to the Expedition of Julius Caesar into Britain that is to the CLXXX th Olympiad are lost I would advise the Reader not to dismiss Justin here but to go through with the following Books to the XXIX th to which he may subjoyn Plutarch's Pyrrhus Aratus Aegides Cleomenes and Philopoemenes and also the Eclogs or Excerptions out of those Books of Diodorus which follow the XX th which are published in the Edition of Laurentius Rhodomannus the Reader will find many things there concerning Agathocles the Sicilian Tyrant and his Actions in Sicily and of Pyrrhus his War in that Island and also of the first Punick War which are well worth his Notice nor do I think he should deviate from the right method of Reading Histories if he should even then proceed in Justin till he hath read all but the two last Books SECT XIII Polybius where to be read what times he wrote the History of how he came to apply his mind to Writing how great a man he was with what Elogies he has been Celebrated the greatest part of his History is lost or dissipated into fragments the Contents of the Books that are still Extant BUt if the Reader thinks otherwise he may after Diodorus Siculus pass to Polybius a prudent Writer if any be who flourished 220 years before Christ in the 140 th Olympiad he propos'd to himself the representing those times and transactions which gave beginning and perfection to the Growing greatness of the Roman Empire and that he might effect this with the greater certainty and felicity he undertook long Journies with much hazard travelling over Africa Spain Gall now France and the Alpes and then Composed his General History of LIII years We may conjecture at the worth and greatness of this Person by the number of Statues which the Grecians Erected to him in Palantium Mantinoea Tegoea Megalopolis and other Cities of Arcadia the Inscriptions of one of which testifies saith Pausanias that he travelled over all Seas and Lands was a Friend and Allie to the Romans and reconcil'd them being then incensed against the Grecians and another Inscription thus If Greece had at first pursued the Council of Polybius it had not offended but being now miserably afflicted he is her onely Comfort or Support Nor is it less observable which Pausanias testifies of him that he was so great a States-man that whatever the Roman General did by his advice prospered and whatever he acted against it had ill success yea he was so great a man that all those Cities which United with the Achaeans made him their Stateholder and Law-giver therefore we doubt not but the great Elogies which have been given to his History by Learned men were well deserved as for Example that of John Bodinus Polybius is not onely every where Equal and like himself but also wise and grave sparing in his Commendations sharp and severe in his Reprehensions
461 year after the building of Rome and yet before our Reader proceeds though perhaps he has attain'd a rich History of the first times of the Romans out of Dionysius Halicarnassaeus and the aforesaid Books of Livy yet in this place Plutarchs Romulus Numa Pompilius Valerius Poplicola Coriolanus and Camillus may not unprofitably be read not unprofitably did I say what is there in that Authour that can be read without great advantage and reward especially if he falls into the hands of a serious Reader that is apprehensive and of an experienced Judgment Treasures of Learning Wisedom and History may be found in Plutarch yea there are some that assert that his Monuments I mean his Parallel Lives and Morals are the Libraries or Collections of all the ancient Historians or rather Writers and of all that have either spoken or done any thing honourably rightly or wisely whether they were Grecians or Romans so that Theodorus Gaza answered not imprudently when being once asked what Authour he would chuse if he were to be deprived of all others he replied onely Plutarch and therefore we so often already have and hereafter shall recommend him to the Reader to be read by parts every part in its proper place By parts I say because as Lipsius saith he did not so properly write an History as certain Particles of History and appropriated to himself the Lives of Illustrious men and yet here if we may Acquiesce in the judgment of Colerius he observes all the Laws of History more than Suetonius or any other of those that have written Lives however in the opinion of Lipsius he truly deserves above all others to be styled the Prince of Writers who doth wonderfully form the judgment and in a diffused and plain way of Writing leads a man every where to Vertue and Prudence SECT XVIII The second Decade of T. Livy that is from the X th to the XXI Book is lost how and from whence the History may be supplied Appianus Alexandrinus what Learned men think of him BUt to proceed where we should have gone on in T. Livius the whole second Decade from his tenth Book to his XXI th is lost to wit the History of LXX years from the year of the City 461 to the year 531 in which space of time besides other very remarkable things the War with Pyrrhus King of Epirus call'd the Tarentine War the first Punick War and the Ligustick Illyrick and Gallican Wars are said to have happened for the supplying therefore this defect the arguments of these Books drawn by the Epitomizer of our Authour may be usefull and for the filling up and enlarging the story Plutarch's Pyrrhus and the XVII th XVIII th and XXII and XXIII Books of Justin to these may be added 14 Chapters of the IV th Book of Orosius who flourished 415 years after Christ and the IV first Chapters of the third Book of Paulus Diaconus his Historia Miscella who lived about 787 years after Christ and especially the first and second Books of Polybius in which though we have not a full History of the first Punick War yet we shall there find more of it than in all the Latine Historians that are now Extant and we may judge the same of the Wars the Romans made with the Galls inhabiting in Italy And here Plutarch's M. Marcellus and Fabius Maximus may be taken in who fought most Valiantly and succesfully against the Ligurians and Cisalpine Galls and as they afterwards did in the second Punick War against the Carthagineans for Fabius first broke Hannibal with delays and then Marcellus taught the World it was possible to beat him as the Authour de Viris Illustribus writes Chap. 45. Lastly Joannes Zonaras may perhaps afford some assistence for filling up this Gap in the Roman History who in the second Tome of his Annals has given a short account of the affairs of the Romans from the building of the City to the Reign of Constantine the Great and also Appianus Alexandrinus will afford some help in his Punic's and Illyric's A writer according to the censure of Photius studious of delivering the truth as far as possible a Discoverer of the Military Discipline above most others and he is one of those who hath as in a Table represented to us the Provinces Revenues Armies and in general the description of the whole Roman Empire as Johannes Bodinus hath observed And Josephus Scaliger in his Animadversions upon Eusebius supposeth him to have been a mere Child in History or else that many things had been tack'd to his Syriac's by others and the Learned Vossius affirms he took many things from Polybius and useth to transcribe Plutarch word for word and in truth Franc. Balduinus acknowledgeth that some passages of Plutarch in his Crassus concerning the Parthian War are repeated in the Books of Appianus but this is supposed to be done not by Appian who was contemporary with Plutarch but by some of his Transcribers that they might fill up some Chasme in his Commentaries This Authour flourished in the year of Christ 123. SECT XIX Where the remaining XXV Books of Livy are to be read what other Authours may confirm or illustrate that History the nine last Decades and an half are intirely lost whence that loss may be supply'd the History of Salust commended and also Caesar's Commentaries by the Learned of the more ancient and of the later times OUr Reader having thus furnished himself as well as he can is now to proceed to the XXI th Book of T. Livius that is to the third Decade and let him go on and diligently reade all that remain and are still Extant in order that is two Decades and an half in which he will find an uninterrupted History of LVI years to the year of Rome 587 but together with those XXV Books of Livy for just so many besides the first Decade have escaped this common Shipwreck and besides Plutarch's Fabius and Marcellus already mentioned let the Reader also peruse his Hannibal Scipio Africanus T. Quinctius Flaminianus Paullus Aemylius and his Cato Major or Censorius because every one of these flourished in that interval of time and Plutarch hath written their Lives very largely and clearly and in them the success of the Roman affairs From the XLV th Book of Livy nine Decades and an half for he writ XIV Decades that is 95 Books are perished in that common and deplorable Shipwreck that is the History of 157 years to the Death of Drusius Nero the Son-in-Law of Augustus Caesar who died whilst he was General in an Expedition against the Germans beyond the Rhine Anno V. C. 744. The Contents of these Books are yet Extant collected by the before mentioned Epitomizer for the improvement of which after Plutarch's Cato Major follow his two Gracchi's Marius Scylla Cato Minor or Uticensis Sertorius Lucullus Pompejus Magnus and Marcus
or affairs require it For he as we have hinted already Wrote an History which is not to be despised concerning the Origine of the Goths and their Actions about those times And Procopius may also be here usefully Read who Wrote VII Books of the Persian Gothick and Vandallick Wars undertaken by Justinian and managed by Belisarius as his General For if we may believe Volteranus there is in his Books the knowledge of such things as will please the most curious and so many Windings and Turnings of Commanders as for the most part happeneth in such like Wars so many strategems consultations concerning the ordering alluring confuting delaying and mitigating men that they will render the most incapacitated fit for Publick and Private affairs And the Learned Casaubon calls him a Great Writer And Johannes Bodinus saith No Man can doubt whether he is not to be esteemed amongst the Principal Writers After Procopius follows Agathias a Florid and Prudent Writer he lived about the year of Christ 567. He was a Lawyer by Profession of Smyrna in Asia and Wrote V. Books of the Reign and Actions of Justinian and begins his History where Procopius ended his his Style is Terse and Florid and he was a Pagan But if the Reader should rather chuse to pursue and reade the III. Tome of Zonaras whom I have also recommended before Nicetas Choniates will then claim the next place and after him Nicephorus Gregoras which two Authours continuing the History especially of the Eastern Empire will bring the Reader down to the death of Andronicus Palaeologus the latter that is to the year of Christ 1341. The first of them flourished in the year of Christ 1300. and in XXI Books Wrote the History of LXXXV years that is from the death of Alexius Comnenus where Zonaras ended to the year of Christ 1203. the latter lived Anno Christi 1361. and Wrote a Bizantine History in XI Bâ—oks from Theodorus Lascares to the death of Andronicus in whose times he lived and therefore deserves the less credit in his History of that Prince's Reign and Cantacusenus severely corrects him for it and calls him a Light Person and a Liar his Style is much worse than that of Nicetas for it is too luxuriant and has other faults proper to that Age but he is for the most part a good Judge of the causes of things But we will not defraud any of them of that Commendation has been given them by very Learned Men. Christoph. Colerus saith the Oriental Writers pursue a florid way of Writing and affecting Elegance too much are sometimes the farther from it I confess Gregoras is almost the onely Politician Zonaras was very knowing in Publick Affairs and is especially usefull to Lawyers Choniates is often guilty of trifles yet he is Religious and sometimes discourseth prudently of the causes of Publick Calamities but we shall discourse of these again hereafter and perhaps in a more convenient place But if our Lover of History seems wearied with the reading of so many Authours and desireth to shorten his journey and reduce it to a Compendium After Dion Cassius or Suetonius he may then take Zosimus who as I have said Wrote the declining State of the Empire as he testifies concerning himself and continues the History from Augustus to the taking of the City of Rome by the Goths in the year of Christ 410 1162 years after it was built an Elegant Translation of which Authour was lately printed in English from which time to the Reign of Charles the Great which is worth our observation for the space of almost 400 years the City of Rome and all Italy which for many Ages before had been the terrour and dread of foreign Nations being now amazed either with the sense of present Miseries or apprehension of impending future Calamities never had any quiet From the time therefore in which Alaricus entred the City and Zosimus ended his History Blondus Forliniensis continues down the History of the Goths Vandals Longobards and other Nations a Thousand and thirty years to the year of Christ 1440. in which time he flourished and till 1450. Or if the Reader thinks fit when he has read Vopiscus he will not decline from the right Method of Reading History if he admits Carolus Sigonius his History of the Western Empire which he as he professeth collected with great and diligent accurateness and then in Writing consigned and commended it to Posterity with as much truth as was possible in that great obscurity of things and the darkness of times He begins in the year of Christ 284. in which Carinus being overcome by Dioclesian at Murtium perished and ends in the death of Justinian which hapned in the 39th year of his Reign Anno Christi 565. After this time saith he the Empire being wholly extinct the Roman State was divided into many distinct Kingdoms as those of the French and Burgundians in Gall of the Goths in Spain of the English and Scots in Britain of the Longobards and Normans in Italy of the Saracens in Africa and from thence the Reader may proceed to Blondus beginning at the VII or VIIIth Book of the first Decade and so go on with it to the end SECT XXV Johannes Cuspinianus Paulus Jovius and Augustus Thuanus will furnish the Reader with a much shorter course of History from the beginning of the Caesars to our present Age. BUt if the Reader desires a yet shorter course of History and will not indure to be oppress'd with such a burthen of Authours Johannes Cuspinianus hath Written the History of the Caesars or Emperours from Julius Caesar to the death of Maximilian the first Anno Christi 1518. who was a diligent searcher into Ancient Histories which is an excellent Work and worthy to be read by all In which setting down their Lives in order he hath not onely left to Posterity their Great Examples Sayings and Actions and whatever was well or ill done by them but also an uninterrupted series and thread of History which is intire and unmaimed for above One thousand and twenty years Cuspinianus flourished Anno Christi 1540. under Charles the Vth. Paulus Jovius begins almost where the other ends and Wrote not onely a History of the Caesars but an Universal History of Fifty years which is splendid and beautifull but some think he is not very faithfull in it for he is said to have Written many things very partially insomuch as Gorraeus of Paris confidently affirmed That his Romance of Amadis would not seem less true and credible to Posterity than the History of Paulus Jovius as Bodinus saith in his Method of History where he concludes thus He delivers many things concerning the Persians Abissines and Turks which he could not possibly know whether they were true or false where he could have no other foundation but rumours and publick fame having never seen the Letters Speeches Actions or Publick
much fidelity and industry that he seems to be the onely man amongst all our Writers who hath performed the part of a good Historian and the famous Camden speaks thus of him both the Civil and Church History of England is much in debt to that man He writ in V Books the History of the Actions of the Kings of England from the year of Christ 449 in which the English and Saxons entered Britain to the year 1116 which was the XVI th year of the Reign of Henry the first to which he afterwards added two Books more from the XX th year of that Kings Reign to the 8 th year of King Stephen which was the year of Christ 1143 in which times he Lived There are some who advise the beginning with Jeffery of Monmouth because he begins his History much higher and affirms that one Brutus a great Grandchild of Aeneas and LXVIII Kings besides Reigned here for about one thousand years before Caesar entred Britain but we thought it very fit to pass him by because he seems to write of things that are very obscure and dark by reason of their Great Antiquity and are involved with mere fabulous Stories nor have we done or spoken this upon our own private judgment onely many Learned men having said the same thing before us Neubrigensis who Lived not long after Jeffery of Monmouth speaks thus In our times saith he there Sprung up a certain Writer who to Expiate the faults of the Britains set forth a number of ridiculous inventions extolling their Vertue and Valour with an impudent Vanity above the Macedonians and Romans his Name was Jeffery and he was Nicknamed Arthur because taking the Fables of the ancient Britains concerning Arthur out of their old Romances and encreasing them with his own Additions and giving them the Varnish of the Latine Tongue he Cloathed them with the Honourable Name of an History He also with greater boldness published the fallacious divinations of one Merlin which he hath also improved by his own Additions whilst he turned them into Latine for Authentick Prophecies which were grounded upon unmoveable truth John of Withamsted who flourished in the time of Henry the VI th doth in part agree with William of Newbury According to other Histories saith he which in the judgment of some deserve more Credit this whole process concerning Brute is rather Poetical than Historical and for many causes seems to be founded in fancy rather than in any Reality and Bale confesseth that there are many things in his History which exceed belief and John Twin a diligent searcher out of the British Antiquities calls him the British Homer the Father of Lies but Ponticus Virunnius a very Learned man in the esteem of Vossius who lived above 130 years since and reduced Jeffery's History into an Epitome passing by the fabulous parts of it bestows this Elogy upon him Jeffery of Monmouth was a famous Historian and a Cardinal a man of much Authority with Robert Duke of Gloster Son of Henry II King of England he was a great favourer of his Countrey and Collecting a History of the most ancient times from the Records of their Kings and out of their highest Philosophy he continued the same in an uninterrupted Series from the times of the Trojans That his History is most true will appear from the Custome of the Western Kings which was to have always some with them who should faithfully relate their greatest Actions and John Leland also defends him against Newbury and Polidore Virgil he flourished about the year of Christ 1160 under Henry the II. But however as I said before for these reasons we have passed him by and rather put our Reader upon William of Malmesbury Henry Archdeacon of Huntington follows next who in VIII Books shewing the Origine of our Nation and continuing the History of King Stephen and his Successours goes on to the year 1153 he wrote many other excellent Pieces which would enrich our History but that they lie concealed from the World in Manuscripts in Libraries Polidore Virgil styles him an excellent Historian and John Leland an approved writer he flourished about the year of Christ 1160. William of Newbury beginning with the Death of Henry the first continues the History a little farther to wit to the year 1197 he is a great lover of truth in the opinion of Polydore Virgil but he is sharply reprehended by John Leland because in reprehending Jeffery of Monmouth he kept no mean he flourished about the year of Christ 1220. To Conclude Roger Hoveden deduced our History to the year of Christ 1202 in his Annals which he hath divided into two parts that is to the IV th year of King John's Reign in whose time this Authour flourished An ADDITION There is a passage cited by Mr. Selden concerning this last Authour out of John Leland which I think worth the inserting here Simeon Dunelmensis is to be deservedly reckoned with the principal Monks of his Age He very well understanding that the things which had happened beyond the Severn both by reason of the sloath and negligence of their Writers in the fury of so many Danish Wars and also by the injury of time were so obscured and oppressed that in a short time the memory of them would be lost except the diligence of some Learned man repaired the memory of them by Collecting them together and digesting them into order entered into a serious Consultation with himself how he might prevent this mischief deliberating a long time with himself that which was most necessary and usefull offered it self at last to him which was carefully to search out the remainders of those ancient Libraries which had been Ruined by the Danes c. for the Monks had preserved some fragments of them whilst they fled from the fury of their Enemies c. All these the curious diligence of Simeon sought out found and examined so that his ardent Care had no remission till he had brought the History of the Northumbrian Kingdom from the times of Bede to the Reign of King Stephen the Usurper I design not saith he in this place to write the praises of Simeon his work is immortal and will Live though I say nothing of it onely I would have the Reader take notice that there was one Roger Hoveden a not unlearned man who in the same order with Simeon hath deduced the History from Bede to the Reign of King John whom as I cannot but commend for his History of our Ancestours so I must needs blame him that he rifled the Flowry Meads of Simeon ' s History without ever mentioning his Name the same Leland calls him in another place as Mr. Selden acquaints us a Commendable person with the former exception notwithstanding and Mr. Selden tells us hereupon that many men thought these two works were the same but saith he as it is most certain that R. Hoveden made use of Simeon ' s Annals
as he did of many other written in Latine and Saxon and that he begins where Bede ends as Simeon doth but yet it will appear to any person who shall compare these two together that Hoveden has an innumerable number of things which Simeon hath not and that there are some things again in Simeon which R. Hoveden passed by so that he is not to be esteemed a plagiary in relation to Simeon but rather a very diligent Writer who hath Collected from Simeon and many others who went before him and made out of all a copious single work which is usually done by the best Historians of all Ages When our Authour wrote this method of Reading Histories this Simeon Dunelmensis was not Printed but in the year 1652 this and nine other ancient Historians were first published together and out of Mr. Selden's Prolegomena's to them I have transcribed the passage above which will give the Reader a fuller account of R. Hoveden and at the same time present Simeon Dunelmensis to him as a person worthy of his observation This History begins as the Title tells us after the Death of Bede Anno Domini 732 and it ends Anno Domini 1129 it contains the History of CCCCXXIX years and IV months Joannes Hagustaldensis continued this History XXV years that is from the year 1130 to the year 1154 which was the 19 th and last year of King Stephen's Reign he flourished under Henry the Second and Richard the first he was a very good witness of what he Wrote as Living in or very near those times he represents he was a most excellent and a most diligent Writer as Mr. Selden styles him Richardus Hagustaldensis wrote the IV first years of the Reign of King Stephen which are Printed immediately after the former Ailredus Rievallis Abbas wrote amongst other things a Genealogie of the Kings of England to Henry the Second Radulphus de Diceto Dean of St. Paul's in London wrote an Abbreviation of the Chronicles from the year 589 to the year 1147 where he begins another work which he calls the Images of History which he continues to 1199 or the beginning of King John's Reign Joannes de Brompton wrote a Chronicle from the arrival of Augustine the Monk Anno Christi 588 to the beginning of King John's Reign 1199 which is especially valuable for a Collection and version of the Saxon Laws in Latine made in the time of Edward the third at the least he was an industrious Student as Vossius speaks of him and wrote in the Reign of Edward the third Gervasius Dorobernensis wrote a Chronicle from the year 1112 to the year 1199 which was from the 12 th year of Henry the first to the Death of Richard the first he was made a Monk about the year 1142 he was as Leland saith of him Studious of Antiquities above belief and for that end Collected a vast number of Historians especially of those who accurately handled the British and Saxon affairs till at last he himself entred the Lists and made tryal of his own parts by publishing an excellent Volume in which he deduced the History of the Britains from their Original together with that of the Saxons and the valiant atchievements of the Normans to the Reign of King John thus far Leland of him but whether the beginning of this History is lost I cannot say but we have onely this Printed which I have mentioned of the particular English History Henricus Knighton Leicestrensis wrote a Chronicle of the Events of England as he styles it in his first Book he gives a short account of some Saxon and Norman affairs from the time of Edgar who began his Reign Anno Christi 958 to the Reign of William the Conquerour and then he writes more largely to the year 1395 which was the 19 th year of Richard the Second in whose times this Historian flourished All these Authours were Printed in one body by Cornelius Bee in the year 1652 under the Title of the ten Writers of the English History before which time they were onely Extant in Manuscripts in Libraries and so could not possibly be taken into our Authour's method as I observed before SECT XXIX Asser Menevensis his History commended in what time to be read with the former as also Eadmerus his History Matthew Paris his History Baronius his judgment of him Thomas of Walsingham his Chronicle the actions of King Stephen written by an unknown Authour the Life of Edward the Second by Sir Thomas de la Moore Knight is also to be taken in due time I Must confess those latter Historians do not make any great addition of years to Malmesbury's History yet they will illustrate it and sometimes perhaps make it more full and perfect of this the Reader will have a great Experience if about the year of Christ 849 he take in the Life of Alfred written by Asser Menevensis which History as the famous Camden saith will afford no small pleasure to thy mind nor will it bring less profit than pleasure if whilst the mind is fixed on the Contemplation of those great things you endeavour wholly to conform your self to the imitation and as it were representation of them Asser Menevensis flourished about the year of Christ 910. This great Prince who was the wonder of the age in which he Lived has found many admirers since but none have so well deserved of his Memory as the Learned Sir John Spelman Son of the Great Sir Henry Spelman who wrote the Life of this Alfred King of England in three Books in English which I suppose was never Printed but an Elegant version of it in Latine with very excellent marginal Notes by the Students of Great Hall in Oxon with a great Collection of our Coins and several other great rarities was put out in Folio at the Theatre there in the year 1678 I wish we might yet have the Original English also printed And then if about the year of Christ 1060 the Reader please he may also take in Eadmerus his History which was lately brought to light and illustrated with Notes and excellent Collections by the Learned John Selden a Lawyer of rare Erudition This History contains the Reigns of William the first and second and Henry the first to wit from the year of Christ 1060 to the year 1122 in which time the Authour Lived he was very dear to Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury in those times and died Archbishop of St Andrews in Scotland himself after he had been Abbat of St. Albans in England a preferment in those days of great honour To these the Reader may add that true and faithfull History written by Matthew Paris which beginning with the Coronation of William the Conquerour Anno Christi 1067 is continued by him to the year 1253 and by another as Bale assures us to the year 1273 that is to the Death of Henry
the third what Baronius his opinion of this Authour was appears in these words Any man saith he may easily see how much his mind was exasperated against the Holy Seat except those Reproaches were inserted by the Publisher which if they be taken out or excepted you may call the rest a Golden Commentary it being onely a transcript word for word of the publick Records most admirably put together and consolidated After Matthew Paris I desire Thomas Walsingham his Chronicle may follow he also was a Monk of St. Albans and began his History from Edward the first where the former ends and continues it down to the end of Henry the fifth or the year of Christ 1422. But as whilst we are reading Matthew Paris there is an History of Stephen written by an unknown hand which will amplifie and illustrate the History if taken in so if after the first Book of Walsingham's History about the year 1306 the Life and Death of Edward the Second written by Sir Thomas de la Moore Knight a Servant of that King be also admitted it will enlarge that History As this Authour was dignified with the honour of Knighthood so he deserves no less esteem for his kindness to Posterity express'd by this History which deserves the more credit because he was intimately acquainted with that Prince and served under him in the Wars ADDITIONS As I took in in the end of the last Section an excellent Collection of ancient Latine Historians of the English Nation none of which are mentioned by our Authour so with the Reader 's permission I will here take in another which was printed this year at Oxon under the Title of the first Volume of the ancient Writers of the English affairs The first Authour in it is Ingulfus Croylandensis who though not taken notice of by our Authour was printed before but imperfect he wrote the History of his Monastery and in it relates many things concerning the Kings of England he begins at the year of Christ 626 with Penda King of Mercia and in the former impression it ended with the beginning of the Reign of William the Conquerour but in this latter Edition besides many Gaps in the body of it now supplied from a better Copy his History is continued by himself to the year 1089 which was the third year of William the second or William Rufus as he is commonly called This Authour was the Son of a Courtier of Edward the last King of the Saxon Race and he himself takes notice of some disputes he had in his Infancy with Edgitha the Noble Queen of King Edward he Studied first at Westminster and then at Oxon where he became an excellent Aristotelian Philosopher he was afterwards a Counsellour to William Duke of Normandy by whose good leave he went to Jerusalem in his way at Constantinople he waited upon Alexius the then Emperour and Sophronius the Patriarch returning into Normandy he became a Benedictine Monk and after William Duke of Normandy had Conquered England Ingulfus was made Abbat of Croyland he died in the year 1109 in the time of Henry the first I have transcribed all this out of Vossius onely to shew the Reader how great a man he was and how excellently qualified for an Historian The next Authour in the said Collection is Peter Blesensis his continuation of Ingulfus his History to the year 1117 which was the 17 th year of Henry the first though he mentions some things scatteringly done after that time this continuation is imperfect at the end and therefore the Publisher supposeth it to extend onely to the beginning of the Reign of King Stephen this Authour was not for Learning inferiour to Ingulfus he was first Archdeacon of Bath and afterwards of London and Vicechancellour to the King he wrote about the year 1190 and he died in the year 1200 his Life has been writ by those that published his other Works but this History was never printed before Thus far the Publisher goes in his account of him The next in this new Collection is the Chronicle of Mailros begun as the inscription tells us by the Abbat of Dundraynan from the year 735 and continued by several hands to the year one thousand two hundred and seventy which was the LIV th year of the Reign of Henry the third who this Abbat or who these Continuers were is not certainly known but this Abbie of Mailros from which this Chronicle has its Name was not that ancient Monastery placed upon the Banks of the River Tweed often taken notice of by Venerable Bede which as it seems was destroyed by the Danes who oppressed the Kingdom of Northumberland a great while but of a later date built in the same place by the Scots who under David their King had got possession of it about the year 1136 from whence perhaps a Colony of Monks were sent to Dundraynan in Galloway in Scotland in the year 1152 in which year also that Monastery was founded as this Chronicle bears witness which though for the most part it is very brief yet it affords many things that are worth the knowing especially the Series of the Kings of Scotland as also the Successions of the Princes Nobles Bishop and Abbats in those Northern parts thus far the Publisher In the year 1252 another silly Monk of Mailros began a new Collection in which he would needs bestow an Encomium upon Simon de Montefort the turbulent Earl of Leicester which is not continued for the rest is perhaps done by another hand but concludes with the Death of Henry the third so that there is onely two years added The next is the Chronicle of Burton in the beginning of which with the Reign of King John the Authour who is not known seems to have a design to continue Roger de Hoveden whom yet he calls Hugo and by his example hath collected many of the most memorable passages of that age and though some of them are also set forth by Matthew Paris yet there are many and those not common things which are not to be found either in Paris or any other printed Historian but this and the Authour whoever he was lived in the same time with Matthew Paris and so they two do mutually afford Light each to other and also at the same time bear witness to the same things onely let the Reader take notice we follow the impression of Paris printed at London in 1650 thus far the Publisher it begins Anno 1004 and it ends Anno 1263. The Last which is the continuation of the History of Croyland though in some places imperfect which the Transcriber perhaps observed not yet we saith the Publisher thought fit to add it not onely because the Authour or rather perhaps Authours designed a continuation of Ingulfus and Peter Blesensis but chiefly because the latter end of the Reign of Henry the sixth and the whole Reign of Edward
Inhabitants are clearly demonstrated from that Nation many old Monuments illustrated and the Commerce with that People as well as the Greeks plainly set forth and Collected out of approved Greek and Latine Authours together with a Chronological History of this Kingdom from the first traditional beginning untill the year of our Lord 800 when the Name of BRITAIN was changed into ENGLAND faithfully Collected out of the best Authours and disposed in a better method than hath hitherto been done with the Antiquities of the Saxons as well as Phoenicians Greeks and Romans Printed in Folio in London in the year 1676 Volume the first I know very well some Learned men have taken great exceptions to this Piece and have affirmed many things in it to be fabulous and I will not contest for the truth of the whole and every part of it but then I will presume to say that I have found good Authority for some of those things which some have pretended Mr. Samms invented and if we are to stay for an History which all the World approves of before we reade one our Lives will end with as little knowledge of past times as of those that are to follow us when we are dead I know any ingenious person who shall reade this piece must reap much satisfaction pleasure and delight from it John Milton who was Latine Secretary to Oliver Cromwell a Learned ingenious but a very factious man wrote the History of Britain that part especially that is called England from the first traditional beginning of it to the Norman Conquest Collected out of the ancientest and best Authours as he saith it was printed 1670 and 1671 in Quarto and in 1678 in Octavo The style and composure of this History is delicate short and perspicuous and it is of the greater value because few of our English Writers begin to any purpose before the Norman Conquest passing over all those times that went before it with a slight hand Doctour John Heyward writ the History of the first Norman Kings William the Conquerour William Rufus and Henry the first he lived in the times of King James and was a Civilian and a very candid true and Learned Writer Samuel Daniel writ the Collection of the History of England where in making some short reflexions on the State of Britain and the Succession of the Saxons he descends to William the Conquerour and the Norman Kings and ends with the Reign of Edward the third Anno Domini 1376. It is written with great brevity and Politeness and his Political and Moral Reflexions are very fine usefull and instructive John Trussel continued this History with the like brevity and truth but not with equal Elegance till the end of the Reign of Richard the third Anno Domini 1484. In that Period or interval of time which Daniel hath written there are two Lives writ by two several Pens the first is the Life of Henry the third writ by that Learned wise and ingenious Gentleman Sir Robert Cotton Knight in a Masculine style with great labour and pains and with a Loyal design The Second is a piece which was lately Printed with this Title the History of the Life Reign and Death of Edward the II King of England and Lord of Ireland with the Rise and Fall of his great Favorites Gaveston and the Spencers written by E. F. in the year 1627 and Printed verbatim from the Original in the year 1680. Who this E. F. was I know not but that he was under the Dominion of a mighty Discontent is apparent by his short Preface to the Reader his first words there are these To out-run those weary hours of a deep and sad Passion my melancholy Pen fell accidentally saith he on this Historical Relation which speaks A King our own though one of the most unfortunate and shews the Pride and fall of his inglorious Minions If this Book was really written when pretended it may be probably conjectured this Male-Content had a mighty Spleen against the then Duke of Buckingham who being baited this year by the Commons in Parliament fell a Sacrifice to popular discontent the year following which with some other things to me unknown might occasion the suppressing this History then and it had been as well if it had never been Printed being partial to the highest degree and designed to encourage rather than suppress Rebellion Sedition and Treason and now why it was raked up out of the Dust and Printed when it was I shall leave the World to guess onely I cannot for bear observing the Authour was more ingenuous than the Publisher not onely because he concealed it but also because he had undoubtedly set down the causes of his discontent in the beginning of his Preface which are omitted in the Print for those weary hours must relate to something before exprest to perfect the nse Within this Period of time belonging to Trussel falls in the Life of Henry the IV th written by Dr. Heyward and also the Life of Edward the IV th written very Elegantly and Prudently by William Habington Esquire and the Life of Richard the third written by George Buck Gent. Francis Bioâ—di and Italian Gentleman and of the Privy Chamber to King Charles the first hath written in the Italian Tongue the Civil Wars between the two Houses of Lancaster and York from King Richard the second to King Henry the VIII th translated Elegantly into English saith Sir Richard Baker by Henry Earl of Monmouth Sir Francis Bacon Viscount St. Albans writ the History of Henry the 7 th in a most Elegant style Edward Lord Herbert of Sherbury hath writ the Life of Henry the Eighth with great Exactness and Accuracy as he was a person of great industry and capacity He was put upon this Work by King Charles the first and consulted all our Records Dr. John Heyward wrote the Life of Edward the VIth very Elegantly and as much of that Prince's Reign and that of Queen Mary was spent in matters of Religion so Dr. Peter Heylin in his Ecclesia Anglicana Restaurata has given a very good account of their two Reigns and also Dr. Gilbert Burnet in his History of the Reformation in two Volumes in Folio which is excellently Epitomized by himself in Octavo Though these two chiefly intend the Ecclesiastical History of those times yet they have carefully intermixt the Civil History also especially Burnet who with his History hath published many Original Records of those times which do purely belong to the Civil History Sir William Dugdale one of the Kings of Arms in England hath writ two Books which he styles the Baronage of England being an excellent History of the Successions of all the noble Families of England which is of excellent use to the well understanding of the English History Sir Richard Baker hath written a Chronicle of the Kings of England from the times of the Romans Government unto the Death of King James to which the Reign of Charles the first
than Caesar Salust Livy and the rest of the great Princes of the Senate of Historians in which the native Vigour and Spirit of the Roman Language exerts it self and in truth there are not many who aimed at the perfections of those middle Writers and they are yet more scarce who have attain'd to that degree of perfection and yet they are not to be persecuted or reprehended for this neither because they fell into this Misfortune more by the necessities of the times in which they Lived than by their own faults which is enough to bespeak their Pardon with all candid Readers In ancient Coins we regard the Weight and the Matter much more than the Neatness of the Stamp and so in those Authours which have been depressed by the iniquity of their times and thereby disabled from shewing their Vertues we ought rather to consider the weight and excellence of the things they have delivered than the brightness or sweetness of Discourse what Cicero said of the Philosophers if they bring with them Eloquence it is not to be despised but if they have it not it is not mightily to be desired is by us to be applied to an Historian But as to those who Wrote after the reviving of Learning and the restitution of the Just esteem of Eloquence as there is a Circulation of all things they I say have more illustrated History and treated it according to its Dignity so that the following Ages have many Historians which if I should presume to compare with the Ancient Writers I should not be destitute of the suffrage of the Greatest men for men of no mean Learning have heretofore thought that Guicciardin Comines and Aemilius were so far from being inferiour to Livy Salust and Tacitus that they might contest the Precedence with them ARTICLE II. The Historians of the Germans and of all those people which live betwixt the Alpes and the Baltick Sea and the Rhine and the Weissell to which is joyned the History of the Goths Vandals Hunnes Herulans Switzars Lombards Polonians Muscovites Danes and Swedes WE have a small piece of Tacitus of the Situation Manners and People of the Ancient Germans and it is resonable that we should believe he understood the affairs of those People very well because he was employed as a Souldier in the Wars against them and was Governour of the Low Countries under Hadrian the Emperour and he in his Annals frequently takes notice of the German affairs and especially of the Expedition of Caesar Germanicus and the Victory he obtained against Arminius General of the Châ—ruscians now call'd Mansfelders but there is none of those Historians which are now Extant which hath so largely described tâ—e Battel in which Arminius routed and totally destroyed Quintilius Varus and his Army as Dion Cassius in his LVIth Book Ammianus Marcellinus also who was a Souldier under Constantius and Julianus the Roman Emperours takes notice of many things concerning the Franks Alemans and other German Nations which are very true and worthy to be known Huldericus Mutius Hugwaldus who lived about the year of Christ 1551 Wrote XXXI Books of the Origine of the Germans their Manners Customs Laws and memorable Actions in Peace and War from their first beginning to the year of Christ 1539 which he collected out of their best Authours Conradus a Liechtenaw Abbas Urspergensis Wrote a Chronicle from Belus the first King of the Assyrians to the IXth year of Frederick the second that is to the year of Christ 1229 who in the affairs of others is very short but in what concerns the Germans in his own times and those that went just before him he is much larger and has as Vossius saith many things that may be read with great advantage Gaspar Hedio continued the latter from the year 1230 to the year 1537 adding many memorable things omitted by Urspergensis and besides this Continuation he also Wrote a German Chronicle Lambertus Schafnaburgensis who flourished about the year of Christ 1077 Wrote one Volume of the History of Germany which he brought down to the year 1077 which as Trithemius expresseth himself is very well and pleasantly done and Justus Lipsius saith of this and Rodoricus Toletanus that they are as Good as that Age could possibly afford but the Commendation of the Learned Joseph Scaliger in his piece de Emendatione temporum is very illustrious in truth saith he I admire the Purity of this man's style and the exactness of his Computation in so barbarous an Age which is so great that he might put the Chronologers of our times to the blush if they had any sense of these things Nor will I conceal the censure of Melancthon I have not seen saith he any Writer of the German History that hath Written with greater industry though he hath also put in some private things which are unworthy of the knowledge of Posterity upon which account and for that his Fidelity is suspected in some things pertaining to the Controversie between Henry the 4th and Gregory the 7th he has been censured by some others A certain Monk of Erfurd has brought down the last named Authour to the year 1472 and has also Written an History of the Landgraves of Duringer the principal Town of which is Erfurd Marianus a Scot by Nation but a Monk of Fuld in Germany an Elegant Writer for the times as Sigebertus saith of him produced a Chronicle to his own times that is to the year 1073 in three Books which Dodechinus afterwards continued to the year 1200. Otto Frisingensis of Freising in Noricum and not of Friseland as Aeneas Sylvius insinuates descended of an imperial Family has Written a Chronicle from the beginning of the World to the times of Frederick the first that is to the year of Christ 1146 in VII Books for the VIIIth is not an History but a Dissertation concerning Antichrist the Resurrection of the Dead the end of the World and the last Judgment which is continued by an ancient Authour to the year 1210 and the same Otto Wrote the Life of Frederick the first his Cousin or Nephew Sirnamed Aenobarbus by the Command and Encouragement of this Prince in II Books which Radevicus another Writer by adding two Books more brought down to the year 1160. This Otto though he was Uncle to this Emperour Frederick yet that Relation did no way prejudice the truth as Aeneas Sylvius saith who was afterwards Pope by the Name of Pius Luitiprandus Ticinensis beginning from Arnolphus Emperour of Germany and the year 891 in which the Saracens took Frassinel a small Town upon the River Po in Italy Wrote in six Books the History of the principal Transactions of his own times in Europe in many of which he himself was present which ends Anno Christi 963. He was a privy Counsellour to Berengarius the second King of Italy and falling into his
of Posterity and others as Fabricius c. have as much commended his industry Nicholaus Marescalcus wrote of the Heruli and Vandals Helmoldus a Sclavonian Presbyter wrote the History of the Sclavonians Saxons and the adjoyning Nations from the year 800 or thereabouts when they were converted to Christianity by the care of Charles the Great to the year 1168 about which time Helmoldus flourished as he saith himself in his Preface viz. about the times of Barbarossa And there Arnoldus the Abbat of Lubeck begins who begins his Preface with these words Because Helmoldus a Priest of Blessed memory was not able to bring his History of the Vocation and Submission of the Sclavonians and the Lives of those Bishops at whose instance the Churches of these Countries were Founded to such End and Conclusion as he desired and intended we therefore with the assistence of God have resolved to pursue that Work and accordingly he brought his supplement to the times of Otto the IV th under whom he lived the Learned Vossius speaks thus of this Arnoldus in the Sclavonian affairs he deserves Credit but not in what he wrote concerning the French Sicilians and Grecians in whose affairs it is much better to consult others who have made it their business to treat of them ARTICLE VI. The Historians of the Lombards now call'd the Dutchy of Milan PAulus Warnefridus a Deacon of Aquileja wrote VI Books of the affairs of the Lombards he was Chancellour to Desiderius King of the Longobards of whom Sigebertus Chap. 61. writes this He wrote the History of the Vinnuli who were afterwards called Lombards in an excellent and copious Style Raph. Volaterranus is much mistaken who takes this Warnefridus to be a different person from the Deacon of Aquileja he flourished about the year of Christ 780. Hieron Rubeus wrote also of the Goths and Lombards A Monk of Padua whose name is not known has comprehended in III Books the Transactions of his own times in Lombardy and the Marquisate of Tarvisina he begins Anno Christi 1207 in which Azo Marquis of Este was by the Monticuculli cast out of Verona and he comes down to the year 1270 in which the Christian Princes passing into Africa took Carthage and besieged Tunis Flavius Blondus who was privy Counsellour to several Popes and who had the honour to have his Works Epitomized by Pius another of the Popes wrote of the affairs of the Lombards in his VII Books of the illustrating of Italy as almost all other Italian Writers ARTICLE VII The Historians of the Polanders and Borussians MArtinus Chromerus Composed XXX Books of the Origine and Actions of the Polanders and in the first X Books as he saith in his Proem he has described the Rise and Infancy of that Nation under Barbarous and Idolatrous Dukes then the flower of its Youth under Christian Kings and then its diseased and Crazy Constitution which resembles a State Sickness under several and those disagreeing Princes after the Monarchy was destroyed He wrote II Books also of the Situation People Manners Magistrates and Government of the Kingdom of Poland Chromerus flourished Anno Christi 1552. Alexander Gaguinus wrote also an History of Poland from Lechus the first Duke of that Nation to Henry of Voloise Joh. Decius wrote one Book of the Antiquities of Poland and of the Family of the Jagellons and of the Reign of King Sigismund Math. Michovius wrote a Chronicle of the Kingdom of Poland from the first rise of that Nation to the year 1504 in IV Books he is somewhat more Barbarous and Chromerus more Polite Michovius flourished about the year of Christ 1540. Joannes â—uglossus who is sometimes styled Longinus Bishop of Leopold who under Casimirus the third King of Poland was employed in many great Embassages and was also Praeceptor to this Princes Children has wrote a Chronicle of Poland to the year 1480 in which this great man Died Philippus Callimachus hath writ a History of the Wars of the Poles against the Turks he lived Anno Christi 1508. Erasmus Stella a Libanothan writ II Books of the Antiquities of the Borussians which he dedicated to Frederick Duke of Saxony the first of which treats of the old inhabitants thereof and of their Propagation Names and Manners the latter of their ancient Kings and of their Succession he professeth to follow the Annals of Borussia Jornandes his History of the Goths Helmoldus his History of the Sclavonians and Albertus Magnus who travelled over Borussia and others ARTICLE VIII The Historians of the Bohemians Switzars or Helvetians and Saxons COsmus a Deacon of the Church of Prague in his Chronicle of Bohemia which he has written in III Books represents the Origine of that People and the actions of their ancient Dukes to Wartislaus who was created King of Bohemia by the Emperour Henry the IV th Anno Christi 1086. Dubravius also deduceth their History from their first Original to Ferdinand the Emperour in XXXIII Books he comes down to the year 1558 and was a very Learned and ingenious Person The History of Aeneas Sylvius comes down to the year 1458 that is to Frederick the third in which year the Authour was Elected Pope by the name Pius the second he writes the Succession of all their Dukes or Kings to Poigebrach but in the business of the Hussites and what happened under the Emperour Sigismund he is much more large and diffused Charles King of Bohemia who was after Emperour and the IV th of that Name wrote a Commentary of his own Life Franciscus Guillimanus wrote V Books of the Antiquites and Actions of the Switzars Henricus Suizerus in his Chronicle of Switzerland gave an account of their affairs to his own times Josias Simlerus wrote of their League and Commonwealth and also of their affairs from Rudolphus to Charles the Vth. Wernerus Rolevinckius wrote III Books of the ancient Seat of the Saxons that is of Westphalia their Manners Vertues and Commendations Witikindus a Saxon Wrote III Books of the Actions of the Saxons and Albertus Crantzius wrote the History of Saxony in XIII Books to his own times he died in the year 1504 this is continued by an unknown hand David Chytreus in his Chronicle of Saxony and the Northern Nations begins a little higher at the year 1500 and ends with the year 1599 which is continued by Georgius Fabricius in his Saxony illustrated in II Books to the year 1606 Johannes Garzo wrote of the affairs of Saxony Thuringia and Misnia Rein. Reineccius of the Family and actions of the Palatines of Saxony Cyriacus Spangenbergius wrote a Saxon Chronicle and Sebastiau Boisselinterus wrote of the Siege of Magdeburgh ARTICLE IX The Historians of the Celti or Gauls and French under which Name we include all those people who live betwixt the Rhine and both the Seas and the Alpes and
Pyrenean Mountains THe principal Writers of the History of Gallia which the French now possess that I may say nothing of the most ancient Julius Caesar his VII Books of the Gallick War And Hirtius who continues him nor of Appianus his Celirks which belong to this Story are these Gregorius Turonensis Bishop of Tours in his first Book brings down the History from the beginning of the World to the Reign of Theodosius the first in the other nine Books he sets forth the Lives and actions of the Kings of France to his own times and the year of Christ 594 but the XIth Book which is supposed to have been added by Fredegarius ends in the Death of Charles the Great which happened Anno Christi 814. Paulus Aemilius Veronensis a man of a Livian style of whom mention is made above Sect. XXV as Reinerus Reineccius bears witness spent XXX years in the compiling his History of France after the Dissolution of the Roman Dominion and comes down to Philip and Charles his Brother Children of Luis that is from the year 420 to the year 1488 the opinion of J. Lipsius concerning this History is that if a few things were lightly Corrected he would be a person above the Learning of our Age and deserve the Commendations given to ancient Authours and Ludovicus Vivis saith his History is written with more Fidelity and truth than that of Gaguinus who has disclosed and intermixt his own affections in his History Paulus Jovius hath written the Reigns and Lives of Charles the 8th Luis the 12th and Francis the first King of France splendidly and elegantly Arnoldus Ferronius Burdegalensis hath continued the History of Aemilius to Henry the second Philippus Comines of whom mention is made above Sect. the 25th has woven the History of Luis the XIth and Charles the VIIIth his Son in a clear and elegant style and although Jacobus Mejerus avers in many places that he is mistaken yet he is in the judgment of the Learned Vossius a true and a prudent Historian and Johannes Sleidanns gives him this Elogie This Authour is in my judgment the nearest to the ancient Historians of all those that have wrote in or near our times both in prudence and veracity for he lays before us the grave deliberations that passed in the Closets of Princes before they appeared in their Events abroad which very few have attempted to do fewer have been able to do it effectually and even those who could have done it have yet not dared to do it lest they should offend their Princes Johannes Frossardus has splendidly and elegantly written the History of those dreadfull Wars which passed betwixt the English and French from the year 1335 to the year 1400 who deserves the greater faith because he was a follower of the Courts of Kings and Princes especially of Philippa Daughter of the Count of Heynault Queen to Edward the third King of England nor did he relate any thing in his History but what he had seen with his own Eyes or heard from others who had seen them or had the chief Commands in the Wars Johannes Sleidanus hath excerpted the most material passages out of this History and turned them into Latine for it is Originally written in French and Sir John Bouchier Knight translated this intire History into English Enguerus Monstreletus hath continued Frossardus and brought down the French History to the Reign of Luis the XIIth Martinus Longaeus wrote a Commentary in X Books of the actions of Francis I. of Valoise King of France and Stephanus Doletus and Galeacius Capella have written the History of the Wars betwixt Charles the fifth and this Prince for the Dutchy of Milan from the year 1520 to the year 1530 the latter is followed by Gulielmus Paradinus who hath added the story of the succeeding years to the year 1555. A nameless person perhaps Franciscus Hottomanus has written the History of France during the Reigns of Henry the second Francis the second and Charles the IXth Rabutinus hath written the Expedition of Henry the second against Charles the Vth undertaken in the year 1552 on the behalf of the Princes of Germany Eusebius Philadelphus that is Theodorus Beza who by the Cloudiness of this name obscured himself has wrote the History of Charles the IXth and of his Mother Petrus Matthaeus a Lawyer the Royal Historian has writ the History of Henry the IV th King of France and of Navar in VII Books BESIDES these which we have mentioned there are several others which ought to be perused as Carolus Molinaeus who hath writ of the Rise and Progress of the French Kingdom and Monarchy and Hubertus Leonardus of the Origine of the French â—â—tion but then Hunibaldus Francus who has wrote the affairs of the Franks from the Wars of Troy to the times of Clodoneus is to be esteemed of the same nature with Annius his Berosus and the rest of those fabulous Writers in the judgment of the famous Vossius de Hist. lat lib. 2. c. 22. Aimoinus the Monk is to be better thought of who is an excellent Historian as the Authour de Regimine Principatus lib. 3. c. 21. calls him which work is commonly but very falsely ascribed to Aquinas he wrote the actions of the French from the year 420 to the year 826 in V Books for the proof of whose Fidelity these words of his make very much there was another Monk in the same Monastery a Priest and a professed Monk as well as he and his name was Audoaldus he was of the same age and in his Manners and Conversation very like him from whose Mouth we have received what is delivered and much more which we are confident is faithfully related Nor is Joannes Trithemius though a German to be lightly passed by who has writ III Books of the Origine Kings and affairs of France from the year of Christ 433 to the year 1500 which was the III year of Charles the VIII th Nor Nicholaus Gilius who hath Composed the Annals of France Hermannus Comes who writes of their affairs to the year 1525 or Robertus Gaguinus who has deduced their History from the most remote Antiquity to the time of the Expedition of Charles the VIII th into Italy Anno Christi 1493 though he has mixed his own affections with the History as Vivis saith and yet Mejerus is not to be admitted neither who calls him a frivolous Writer which is to be attributed to his disaffection to the French Nation and all their Historians for he saith of them in general the French do not use to relate their actions with more fidelity than they transact them and besides as Mejerus out of his too great affection to his Countrey has delivered many things done in his own times there very partially so in Foreign affairs he is not over much to be Credited Paulus Jovius affirming of
him that in the affairs of Italy he does blunder and mistake so strangely that those who did not regard the Elegance of his style were apt to be much incensed against him There are also several Authours who have written of the Expeditions of the French Nation into the East and of the Kingdom Erected by them in Jerusalem almost all which the Learned Jacobus Bongarsius has collected together and rescued from the Moths and Dust of the Libraries in which they before lurked by publishing them after he had with great study and pains Corrected them of these the first is Robertus a Monk who wrote the History of Jerusalem A nameless Italian who wrote the Actions of the French and others at Jerusalem in which actions he was present and therefore deserves the greater Credit Baldericus Aurelianensis who wrote the History of the same V years with the last named Italian that is from the year 1095 to the year 1100 and Raimundus de Agiles Canon of Le Puy wrote the History of the same time Albertus Steward of the Church of Dax who wrote XII Books from the beginning of the Expedition of Godfry of Bulloin and other Princes to the second year of King Balduin the Second and so has as Vossius saith accurately written the History of XXIV years after him follows Fulcherius Carnotensis who writes from the beginning of that Expedition to the year 1124 and Gauterus Cancellarius who described what passed at Antioch where he was present after these comes William Archbishop of Tyre the Prince of all these Historians a man of no vulgar Learning pleasant above what that Age afforded as the Learned Bongarsius saith of him He wrote in XXIII Books beginning at the year 1095 and ending at 1180 the â—istory of LXXXIV years of what ever had passed in the Holy Land and in all Syria which the Bishop of Accon his Suffragan continued and thus far of the French Historians ARTICLE X. The Historians of the Dutch and Flandrians c. THere is scarce any thing delivered concerning the Flandrians worthy of Credit before the year 445 from which time Mejerus begins his Annals of Flanders which he has included in XVII Books in which he hath also given a large account of the Earls of Flanders from Lydericus Harlebacanus who flourished about the year 800. to Charles the Hardy Duke of Burgundy's Death in the year 1476. Hadrianus Barlandus hath compiled a Chronicle of the Dukes of Brabant from Pipin the first Duke of that Province Grandchild of Caroloman Son of Braban the third Prince of Brabant before this Province had the name or title of a Dukedom given it to Charles the Vth Emperour of Germany the Son of Philip. Jacobus Marchantius hath written IV. Books of the Memorable affairs of Flanders Aemundus hath Writ of the Dukes of Burgundy from the Trojan War to Charles the Vth. Beisscllus also of the Actions of the Flandrians and of late Olivarius Uredus J. C. Brugensis has with infinite study and labour written the Flandrian Genealogies and the History of the Earls of Flanders Hadrianus Junius his Batavia unfolds the History of the Dutch Nation the Antiquities of their Island their Origine Manners and many other things belonging to their History Noviomagus his History of Holland gives an account of their Princes from Bato their first King to Charles the Vth Emperour and to Charles of Gelders Nor is Gerhardus Geldenhaurius to be omitted who hath drawn an History of Holland with an Appendix concerning the most ancient Nobility Kings and Actions of the Germans Johannes Isaacus Pontanus Historian to the King of Denmark and State of Gelders by the command of the States hath Written an History of that Province from their beginning to the year 1581 which is a vast Work Ubo Emmius and Winsemius have both written the History of Frisland and Jacobus Revius that of Daventry Ludovicus Guicciardinus hath written a brief History of all the Transactions of Europe especially what relates to the Low-Countries from the year 1529 to the year 1560 that is from the Peace of Cambray betwixt Charles the Vth Emperour of Germany and Francis the First King of France This last Age hath afforded several most elegant Writers of the Dutch History as first Johannes Meursius who in X. Books hath writ the Life of William Prince of Orange and the Transactions of those Countries during all his time to the end of the Government of Ludovicus Requesenius that is from the year 1550 to the year 1576 and in another Work in IV. Books the beginning of the Low-Country-War or Six years Government of Ferdinand Duke de Alva to which he added a Vth Book in which is the History of the Truce Famianns Strada who in XX. Books wrote the History of those Wars from the Resignation of Charles the Vth that is from the year 1558 to the year 1590. Hugo Grotius who wrote V. Books of the Annals of Holland and XVIII Books of History in which he hath given an Account of all the Affairs of the Low-Countries from the departure of Philip the Second into Spain to the Truce that is from the year 1566 to the year 1609. ARTICLE XI The Historians of Spain THe Writers of Spanish History may perhaps not unfitly be ranked according to the four different ages of that Kingdom So the Infancy of Spain is lightly touched by Pomponius Mela who was a Native of Spain The youth of Spain as I may call it which was under the Roman and Gothick Dominion is described by Tacitus Dion Vopiscus Suetonius Appianus in his Iberica Procopius Eusebius and some others It began to arrive at Manhood in that Age in which it began to shake off the yoke of the Moors in which War 700 years were spent this then may be call'd the time of their Manhood And then their Ripest Age began under the Reign of Ferdinando the Catholick who expelled the Moors out of the whole Kingdom of Spain the most of those Writers I shall here mention Wrote of this last and the preceding Age. Isidorus Pacensis who is supposed to be the Authour of the Chronicle of Spain of whom Vasaeus Wrote thus rigidly in the Fourth Chapter of his Chronicle Isidorus Bishop of Badajoz or Baxagus Wrote a Chronicle of Spain whose Chronicle if that which bears this name be his I should rather call a Monster than a Chronicle he Writes so prodigiously ill and rather in the Gothish than Latine Tongue Rodericus Ximenes Archbishop of Toledo acquired much Glory by IX Books which he wrote of the Spanish History which he brought down to the times of Ferdinand the third the censure of Rodericus Sanctius is that the style of it is short but very pleasant and the Learned Lipsius saith it is as good as it was possible it could be in such an Age and Mariana gives him high Commendations in several places nor will I
pass by the opinion of Johannes Gerundensis in the History of Spain Trogus Pompejus Orosius and Isidorus Hispalensis are worthy of great esteem Roder of Toledo is tolerable the rest are mere Dreams The last cited Authour Johannes Margarinus Bishop of Girona wrote an History of Spain in X Books from the Arrival of Hercules to the Reigns of Arcadius and Honorius the Children of Theodosius the Elder in the times of which Princes the Goths entred Spain he styles it the omitted History of Spain because in it he relates what had been omitted by the Writers of the latter Ages Johannes Mariana has writ the History of Spain from the first times of it to the Ruine of the Moors in XX Books which in X Books more is continued to the Death of King Ferdinand that is to the year 1516. Franciscus Tarapha brings down an History of Spain to Charles the V th Rodericus Sanctius Palentinus who was Chaplain and Counsellour to Henry the IV th King of Castile and Leon hath consigned to paper in a very great Volume an uninterrupted History of Spain down to his own times that is to the year 1467 concerning whom and two other more ancient Historians of that Nation Luca Tudiensis and Rod. Ximenius Alph. Garsias a Rhetorician of Alcala an University in Spain gives this judgment because they did not seek to please the Ears of men but to inrich the memories and judgments of Posterity as they sought not after pleasing Language so neither have they entertained their Readers with trifles and falsehoods Marineus Siculus wrote an History of the memorable affairs of Spain in XXII Books which ends in Charles the 5 th Laurentius Valla wrote the Reign of Ferdinand King of Aragon in III Books but as P. Jovius justly thought he wrote this work in such a style as no man can conceive that it was penn'd by him who gave the precepts of Latine Elegance to others and you may there find several other things concerning this Historian Carolus Verardus who flourished under Innocent the VIII th about the year 1484 wrote the History of the Conquest of the Kingdom of Granada and the History of Andaluzia Hieronymus Conestagius wrote the History of the Union of Portugal to the Kingdom of Castile in X Books in which he gives an account of the State of that Nation from the time in which Sebastian the first passed with a vast Fleet into Africa to fight against the Moors to the times when it was by the Conduct of Philip the second united to the rest of the Spanish Provinces Damianus à Goes has writ the actions of the Portuges in the Indies Aelius Antonius Nebrissensis hath written the History of the affairs under Ferdinando and Elizabeth in XX Books and he hath also writ the War of NAVAR in II Books Vasaeus in his Chronicle of Spain Chap. 4 th saith it is an History worthy of so great a man and he is commended by Erasmus as a man of various Learning and that deservedly there is also an high Commendation given him by Alphonsus Garsia in the Book which he wrote of the Learned men and Universities of Spain to these may be added Hieronymus Osorius a Polite Writer of the memorable things of Spain Johannes Brucellus of the Spanish War in V Books and Florianus Ocampus who by the Command of Charles the V th published a general Chronicle of Spain the rest I omit ARTICLE XII The Historians of the Turks and Arabians who heretofore were possessed of the Dominions of Africa Syria Persia and Spain and are commonly call'd Saracens THe History of the Saracens is to be sought in Harmannus Dalmata Leo Africus Robert the Monk William of Tyre and Benedictus de Accoltis a famous Elogie upon whom is Extant in Lilius Gyraldus his second Dialogue of the Poets of his time and in those other Authours which we have mentioned above when we discoursed of those Historians who had given an account of the affairs of the French in the East Caelius Aug. Curio wrote also an History of the Saracens in III Books and he also wrote a particular History of the Kingdom of Morocho Erected by the Saracens in Barbary There are several who have given accounts of the Origine of the Turks for there it is fit to begin the reading of their History as Baptista Egnatius Theodorus Gaza and Andrea Combinus Martinus Barletius in his Chronicle has excellently described the Origine of the Turks their Princes Emperours Wars Victories Military Discipline c. And he hath also writ the Life and Actions of George Castriot who by Amurath for the greatness of his actions was Sirnamed Scanderbeg very elegantly in XIII Books whose fidelity will appear from that passage in his Preface I have saith he committed to writing what hath been related to me by my Ancestours and by some others who were present and saw what passed Laonicus Chalcocondylas an Athenian wrote an History of the Turks in X Books he is the onely Grecian Historian who wrote since the barbarous Turks possessed themselves of Constantinople with any applause he flourished in the end of the fourteenth Century about the year of Christ 1490 he begins from Ottoman the Son of Orthogul who began his Reign about the year of Christ 1300 and he ends in the year 1363 in which Mahomet the II stoutly repell'd the invasion made upon him by Mathias King of Hungaria and the Venetians Johannes Leunclavius also hath collected and published an History of the Musulmen out of their own Monuments with great industry in XVIII Books about the year 1560. Paulus Jovius ought here to be taken in too who has accurately and elegantly represented their affairs especially from the XII th to the XVII th Book and again from the XXXII to the XXXVII th Book of whom the Authour writes above Sect. 25. Henricus Pantaleon has collected an History of all the memorable Expeditions both by Sea and Land which have been undertaken for 600 years by the Christians in Asia Africa and Europe against the barbarous Saracens Arabians and Turks to the year 1581 to which you may add Reinerus Reineccius his Oriental History Martinus Stella hath written concerning the Wars of the Turks in Hungaria Petrus Bizarus hath written of the War made by Solyman against Maximilian the Emperour Melchior Soiterus hath writ the War made upon the Turks by Charles the V th and Ferdinand his Brother Nicholaus Honnigerus hath writ of Solyman the XII th and Selym the XIII th Emperour of the Turks against the Christians Ubertus Folietta hath writ the Siege of Malta and of several Expeditions into Africa and also of the War in Cyprus betwixt the Turks and the Venetians Ubio Esinus and Caelius Cec. Curio have also both of them writ of the Cyprian War and the latter of them of the Siege of Maltha too the taking and Sacking of Constantinople
by the Turks in the year 1453 is represented by Leonardus Chiensis Bishop Mitylaen and Godefridus Langus Philippus Callimachus Experiens has writ two elegant Books of the Sack of Varne in Mysia which happened IX years before that of Constantinople Johannes Eutropius wrote the War made by Charles the V th upon Tunis and his Expedition into Africa is written by Christoph. Claudius Stella Henricus Penia hath writ the War betwixt Ismael Sophy of Persia and Selym Anno 1514. Nor is it difficult to learn many things for the clearing and enlarging on the Turkish History from the 14 Books of Epistles concerning the Turks and their affairs collected by Nicholaus Reusnerus and the elegant Epistles of Augerius Busbequius concerning his Ambassage in Turky ARTICLE XIII The Historians of the Tartars Muscovits and Sarmatians HAitonius the Nephew of a King of Armenia and a Souldier many years in his own Countrey became afterwards a Monk in the Island of Cyprus as he tells us himself Chap. 46. and at length came into France where about the year of Christ 1307 by the Command of Clement the V th he describ'd the Empire of the Tartarians in Asia and the other Eastern Kingdoms The first Emperour of the Tartars was Changius Cham about the year 1200 the V th from him was Chobitas as Haiton calls him or Cublai the great Cham. This Princes Court and a very large Empire belonging to him in the Indies and all the Eastern Countries is largely described by Marcus Paulus Venetus in his second and third Book of the Oriental Kingdoms and the Empire of the Tartars who is an Authour worthy of great Credit this Cublai was father of Timuri Lechi who is commonly call'd Tamerlan who shut up Bajazet the Emperour of the Turks in an Iron Cage In the Books which Matthias a Michou wrote of the Asian and European Tartars is contain'd a short History of the Tartars and Muscovites Matinus Proniovius wrote an History of the Tartars and Johannes Leunclavius wrote of the Wars of the Muscovites against their Neighbour Nations Paulus Oderbonius wrote the Life of John Basilides Duke of Muscovy very elegantly Reinoldus Hidenstein wrote a Commentary in VI Books of the War of Muscovy made by Stephen King of Poland Bredenbrachius wrote the War of Livonia in which the Muscovites destroyed and dessolated the whole Province of Torpate Paulus Jovius Novocomensis wrote of the Embassies of the Muscovites and Sigismundus Liberius wrote Commentaries of their affairs ARTICLE XIV The History of Aethiopia India almost all Africa and most of the new World or America THe History of Aethiopia is to be fetch'd from Johannes Bohemus Damianus a Goes Franciscus Alvaresius and Ludovicus Romanus Patritius which last hath writ VII Books of the Navigation of Aethiopia Egypt both the Arabias and the Indies Johannes Maerus Santineus hath wrote an Indian History in III Books Nicholaus Godignus hath also writ an Aethiopick History Ludovicus Vartomannus when he had travell'd Aethiopia Egypt Arabia Persia Syria and the East-Indies wrote all his Travels in VI Books Leo Afer a Moore but born in Spain and first a Mahometan and afterwards a Christian when he had travelled almost all Africa Asia the less and a great part of Europe was taken and given to Leo the X th where he translated into the Italian Tongue what he had with incredible labour and industry collected and written in the Arabian concerning the people of Africa and their Manners Laws Customs and the Description of that Countrey which Johannes Florianus afterwards translated into Latine this Authour will therefore serve instead of all others for the African Story and yet if the Reader be so pleased he may add to him P. Jovius and Alvaresius Grotius Laet Hornius and some others have Learnedly written of the Origine of the People of America but then in order to the attainment of a perfect History of the Americans the Voiages of Christopher Columbus Aloysius Cadamustus Cortesius Novius Benzo Lyrius Gomarus and others are to be perused which have been described by several Writers Gonsalus Ferdinandus Oviedus is so Learned a Writer of the History of the new World that Cardanus thinks him the onely Authour amongst the Historians of our Age who deserves to be compared with the Ancients And in general the Transactions of both the East and West-Indies China Japan Magellan c. may be known from the Navigations of the Portuges Hollanders English Spaniards to whom the Jesuites may be added as Petrus Maffaeus Johannes Acosta Mart. Martinus and others who ought yet to be read with great caution because they are excessively taken up in seting forth the Miracles and Martyrdoms of their new Saints ARTICLE XV. The Historians of some great Cities BEsides those Historians which have given us accounts of particular Nations there are some others who have made it their business to describe the affairs of some particular Cities and our design here is to give you the Names of those that have written the Stories of the most eminent Cities because it is not possible to reckon or reade all VENICE Petrus Bembus has written an History of Venice in XII Books by the order of the Council of Ten as he saith in the beginning of it with the highest degree both of elegance and truth and though Justus Lipsius the Prince of all the Criticks has made a short Invective against his Style yet in another place he excuseth his sharpness as having been transported on that occasion a little too far and the Learned Heinsius saith Bembus was the onely Historian of that Age who wrote pure Latine and which was then the propriety of the Italians his style is unmix'd and genuine neither painted with false Colours nor fantastically adorned The affairs of the Venetians are also comprehended by M. Antonius Sabellicus in XXXIII Books and in a short Chronicle by And. Dandulus a Duke of Venice of whom Petrarcha Blondus and others have made mention with commendations Petrus Justinianus hath deduced the History of this City from the building of it to the year 1575 and to these may be added Johannes Baptista Egnatius Petrus Marcellus a Venetian Janotius the Cardinal Contarenus Blondus and Moccenicus GENOVA Isaacus de Voragine has described the History of Genova to the year 1296 which Georgius Stella hath continued to the year 1422 Johannes Stella to the year 1435 Cephanus begins at the year 1488 and continues it to the year 1514 Parthenopaeus begins 1527 and ends Anno 1541 to which may be added Petrus Bizarus his History of Genova Ubertus Folietta Paulus Interjanus and Jacobus Bracellius PADOVA Gulielmus Cortusius began an History of this City but Albigretus his Kinsman was the finisher of it of whom P. Vergerius speaks thus Cortusius in writing neglected that Elegance which it was not in his power to attain to Bonus Patavinus wrote the History of Padova from its building to the
times of Albertus the Emperour Anno 1334 to which may be added Bernardus Scardaonius Joan. Bap. Ramnusius and others FLORENCE Leon Aretinus wrote an History of Florence in XII Books of whom Aeneas Sylvius presumes to say that no man since Lactantius ever came nearer the style of Cicero Poggius Florentinus employ'd his Pen on the same Subject too but it seems both of them fearing to give offence contrary to that great Law of History which is not to dare to write any thing that is false nor fear to write any thing that is true are mealy mouthed in those things that relate to their intestine Commotions which is the reason Nich. Machiavellus assigns why he began his History from the Foundation of the City and not from the time the Family of the Medices obtain'd the Sovereignty of that State and from thence he has brought the Story down to the year 1493. May I have leave here in passing to consider what may justly be thought of Machiavell what he writes concerning Princes and Politicks is so Infectious that no man can approach this Pest of Mankind safely without the Antidote of an Antimachiavell or some other potent Preservative But then as to his Florentine History he is not in that destïtute of Subtilty and an unusal Prudence and there are many things in it very rare and no less usefull as for instance what he relates Concisely and Elegantly concerning the fall of the Roman Empire the Migration of the Northern Nations and the rise and increase of the Papal Power and yet a man ought not to be secure here neither except he hath the faculty of separating the Ore from the Dross I think it not impertinent to subjoyn here the censure of Possevinus Machiavell saith he was not destitute of subtilty but Piety and Experience which wings being wanting in any man if he attempts to fly he must of necessity fall down headlong but to return to our Subject to Aretinus Poggio and Machiavell you may add Jacobus Nardus Leon Florentinus Ugolinus Verinus and others who have illustrated the Florentine History by their Writings NAPLES Pandulphus Collenutius has Composed an History of this City from the times of Augustus to Charles the V th to whom you may add Jovianus Pontanus his Naples c. but to be short Franciscus Guicciardinus has wrote the History of Italy from the year 1494 to the year 1596 and Michael Tubingensis hath given us an account of the Wars of Italy Of the Affairs of SICILY Fazellus Ritius and Verrerius of the Ferrarian History Jo. B. Pigna of the Brixian Elias Capreolus of the Bononian Car. Sigonius of the Ravennian Hiero. Rubeus of that of Milan Corius and Arlunus of that of Mantua Platina of that of Este Johannes Bonacosta of the Bergamonian M. Antonius Michael of the actions of the Millanois Gaud. Merula and others have written distinct Histories And thus kind Reader I have communicated to you what I have in some spare hours collected and laid together concerning the Historians of particular Nations nor did I design this Appendix should encrease to a larger Bulk THE METHOD and ORDER OF Reading Church Histories SECT XXXII A Transition to the Church History who were better able to have done this two intervals of time especially to be observed the Bible contains the first Period and with it Josephus his Antiquities are to be read The Judgments of Learned men concerning Josephus Hegesippus though ascribed to a wrong Authour not to be rejected in what sense that Authour is usefull and commendable the Sacred History of Sulpitius Severus is deservedly recommended to the Reader WHen I was once got thus far I thought verily I had performed the Work I undertook as the Subject of my first Chapter but some Learned young men who heretofore were my Hearers admonished me that it was much desired that I should in the same manner give an account of the Writers of the Church History Now though I thought this might much more reasonably be desired at the hands of him who is the greatest Divine we have the Regius Professor an excellent Person A plentifull fountain as of all other sorts of Learning so amongst the rest of all sorts of Histories at whose Waters I have very often with the greatest pleasure quench'd my thirst yet because some of my more Learned Acquintance persuaded me to doe it I did not hink it fit wholly to decline the task So at last I resolved to adjoin here a Chain of the Writers of the Church History Whoever therefore desires to understand and in a good Order and Method reade the Ecclesiastical History should propose to himself two Intervals of time that I may pass over the thing with as few words as is possible The first of these is from the Creation of the World to the Incarnation of Christ our Redeemer during which interval of time the Church of the Old Testament call'd the Jewish is storied to have sometimes flourished and at others to have suffered a hard servitude under several Tyrants the other period is from the Incarnation of Jesus Christ to the Age in which we live in which the New Testament or Christian Church performs its warfare The first Interval contains Four thousand years abating Fifty if we may believe Scaliger whom we have all along hitherto followed The second contains One thousand six hundred and so many years over as we commonly count and are still going on And therefore it is the Story of that first interval I say is to be fetched in the first place from the Old Testament which the Reader ought above all others in the first place diligently to turn over and studiously to search into and he will soon see his Labour is well bestowed if together with the Scriptures he take in Josephus his Antiquities of the Jews and those Books he wrote of their Wars For in these Books the Eloquent Son of Matathias has woven the History of the Old-Testament-Church from the Creation of the World to the last destruction of Jerusalem which happened somewhat above Four thousand and thirty years after the Creation of the World and that with so great a fidelity that St. Hierome no dull Censor gave him a place amongst the Ecclesiastick Writers And the great Scaliger thought it more reasonable to believe him than all the Greek and Latin Writers not onely in the Jewish affairs but also in what he relates concerning other Nations That there are saith Baldwin the Civil Lawyer some mistakes in Josephus who can deny But then how many true great and necessary things are there in him for the illustration of the Sacred History besides what others call falsehood Melchior Canus more mildly calls errours they being the deviations of an Ignorant Man not the Lies and Frauds of a Deceiver Some Man would here persuade the Reader to subjoin or rather take in together with Josephus his History of the Wars of the Jews Hegesippus
Works which is the most winning way of engaging a Reader to undertake that task such Planes being a kind of Pictures or Landsckapes to shew the Reader what pleasing objects he may expect to meet with if he have the courage to proceed And if the Reader please but to peruse the 8th Section of the First Part where he gives an account of Herodotus his History he will then be able to judge for himself without taking my word for it Secondly By informing his Reader where every History begins and where it ends which has been done by few others and by no body with more exactness This too is a great invitation to a Reader to know in what Age of the World he is and how far his Authour will conduct him before he reads one word in him Thirdly He has acquainted his Reader with how much remains now extant and how much is lost of any History which hath not come down perfect and intire to us as very few of the more Ancient have done Fourthly He has told us when each Historian Wrote or Lived of what Countrey and Interest he was which are things of great use as to the advancing or abating the Credit of any Writer Fifthly He has represented the Styles Characters Virtues and Vices of each Historian which are notices of the greatest use and advantage to a Reader that is possible and of the greatest pleasure and delight Lastly He has not given us his own thoughts in all these onely but has taken the pains to search out and transcribe the very Words and Censures of the more ancient and latter Criticks of greatest fame and reputation which was a Work of great labour and difficulty So that upon the whole matter I am very much tempted to alter his Title and to call this Piece The History of the Greek and Latin Historians For so the first part of it does well deserve to be call'd The Addition in the middle of the First Part concerning the Historians of particular Nations and Places is a thing of great use and Learning though not equal to the exact care and diligence of this Authour as any Man that shall please to compare them together will soon find which I suppose was owing rather to the Authour 's great desire to be short than his want of industry or ability In the Latin Copy there is onely the two first Letters of his Name N. H. but I have been informed by a person of great worth who knew him that his Name was Nicholas Horseman and therefore I have put it so that his Memory may be preserved to Posterity The Authour of this Piece has not onely taken great care and pains to direct and encourage his Reader to that noble and usefull study of History by the best Method that ever was proposed in his First Part but he hath also in the Second and Third Parts taken an equal pains to fit and direct him how to reap the utmost advantage from his Readings both as to himself and as to others Which two Parts as he has handled them are not less usefull or delightfull than the First but they being both very short the Reader may much better satisfie himself by a perusal of the whole or of the Contents onely of the Chapters than be here troubled with a long discourse of mine upon them As this Piece was thus drawn with a mighty care and labour so it hath accordingly been valued in the World for besides the first impression of it which preceded this latter Twelve years as he tells us in his Preliminary Oration this has been Printed since the year 1637 three times and if I be not misinformed four times and yet now it is a scarce Book Nor is this any great wonder if we consider that besides the usefulness of the Subject the great Learning Candor Modesty and Industry of the Authour he spent almost two whole years in improving this small Discourse after a whole Impression of it had been sold off For his Preliminary Oration was made the 17th day of October 1635. and his Epistle Dedicatory to the University of Oxford bears date the first of July 1637. I should have been much pleased if I could have given the Reader the Life of this Great Man but that I cannot doe it having never been written by any Man to my knowledge and he being utterly unknown to me any otherwise than by this his Learned Work which I have had a great esteem for ever since I first read it which made me the willinger to run through the labour of Translating it which was no very easie task and also of adding some things to it as necessity required In the History of the University of Oxford p. lib. 2. p. 98. and in other places I find this short account given of him Degoreus Whear was born at Jacobstow in the County of Cornwall He was call'd from Broadgate Hall to Exon College in the same University to be made a Fellow there where he was afterwards examiner of the Lads in the year MDCII at which time he was Master of Arts. About six years after desiring to Travel he took his leave of the College and spending some time beyond the Seas returned into England with the Lord Chandois and lived with him in great esteem that Lord dying he came with his Wife to Oxford and took some Chambers in Glocester Hall which were not then employed for want of Students There he was not long before he became acquainted with one Mr. Thomas Allen By whose Recommendation the famous Mr. Camden designing then to settle a Reader of History in that University chose him the first Reader To this purpose this great Man gave to the University of Oxford out of the Manor of Bexley in the County of Kent One hundred and Forty pounds per Annum And after a certain term of years the Rents of that whole Manor which when it comes it will be worth about Four hundred pounds a year The Charter of this noble Grant bears date the Fifth of March 1621. The 17th of May 1622 this Donation was published in the Convocation-House of that University And the 16th of October of the same year our Learned Authour was declared Reader by the Founder And Brian Twyn a very Learned Man was declared his Successour if he survived him being then a Batchellor of Divinity but he died before Mr. Wheare It was a great Honour to him to be chosen by so great a Man as Mr. Camden and preferred before Brian Twyn And he soon made it appear that he well deserved the Honour that was done him in a very ingenuius Oration which he made in Latin in the Schools when he entered upon his Lectureship which is Printed in the end of this Piece in which he complains much That his long disuse of the Latin Tongue during his Sixteen years absence from the University had rendred him unable or at least very unapt to Discourse or Write that Language
to the Church History Who is best prepared to read it Two intervals of time to be chiefly regarded The History of the first is contain'd in the Holy Bible And with them Josephus his Antiquities to be read The Judgment of Learned Men concerning Josephus The pretended Hegesippus not totally to be rejected In what sense usefull and commendable Sulpitius Severus his Sacred Story is deservedly recommended here to the Reader SECT XXXIII The history of the second Period or of the Christian Church is in the first place to be drawn from the Evangelists and other Authours of the New Testament who saw the Cradle of the Church But then of those that saw her Infancy with their eyes there is scarce any Writers extant some Books indeed are abroad in the world which are said to be written by Men that lived in those days in which are described the sufferings of the first Martyrs but are esteemed counterfeits by Learned Men because they are deformed with Fables Baronius confesseth that some of the latter Writers were guilty of this fault And the same complaint is made by Lodovicus Vives and Melchior Canus and some of the Ancients Therefore the Ecclesiastical History is to be read with care And yet too much incredulity is to be avoided How we should be disposed in the Reading the Church History the first and most ancient to be preferred before the latter SECT XXXIV At length in the Third Century the Church beginning to flourish its History did so too Eusebius Pamphili the Prince of all Church Historians He equalled or imitated Xenophon in his Books of the Life of Constantine Many of his Books are lost His Authority vindicated How far the History of Eusebius comes Of Ruffinus Scaliger's opinion of him The Tripartite Story The Reading of Eusebius his Panegyrick recommended SECT XXXV Socrates in what time he lived from whence and how far he brought his History Of Theodoret what is contained in his books The Censure of Photius upon him Sozomenus Salaminus He continues the History in Nine Books to the year of Christ 423. A Place of St. Gregory against Sozomen considered and answered Sozomen's Candor The Testimony of Euagrius concerning him Euagrius follows and continues the Tripartite History to the year of Christ 597. Theophilactus Simocatus continues it on to the year 601. SECT XXXVI In the Seventh Century and two or three more which follow there is very few that have written the Church History well An Ocean of Legends of the Saints of Miracles and Wonders Times of swelling Words and Ignorance SECT XXXVII Nicephorus Constantinopolitanus may succeed Simocatus Nicephorus Calistius full of errors Georgius Cedrenus The opinion of Scaliger and Vossius concerning him SECT XXXVIII The Third Tome of Zonaras commended to the Reader The History continued to the year 1118. by Anna Comnena's Alexiada The transcendent praise of that excellent Lady SECT XXXIX Nicetas Achomiatus follows immediately after Zonaras Why put here Lipsius his judgment of both of them The faith of Nicetas call'd into question Johannes Cantacuzanus is here recommended to the Reader by Vossius After the former follows Laonicus Calcocondylas SECT XL. Blondus Foroliviensis may supply the defect of the Eastern Writers as to the Church History And amongst others Sigebertus Gemblacensis The opinion of Cardinal Bellarmine concerning him Robertus Abbas continues Sigebertus to the year 1210. Chronicon Hirshavense to the year 1370. and the omitted passages of the last Chronicon are supplied and continued to the last Age by others The Cosmodromus of Gobelinus Person when to be read The praise of it In stead of the Cosmodromus may be read the Metropolis of Albertus Crantzius in which are many things which are taken out of the Cosmodromus from the times of Charles the Great to the year 1504. Nauclerus also may be made use of instead of the other two and that the Reader may avoid repetitions he may begin with the Middle Generations in the second Tome Johannes Sleidanus hath written Ecclesiastick Commentaries from the year 1517 to the year 1556. which are continued again by Caspar Lundorpius to the year 1603. SECT XLI Venerable Bede and Usuardus are not in the mean time to be neglected nor the Writers of the Lives of the Popes of Rome Anastasius Bibliothecarius and Barthol Platina their great Elogies Onuphrius reviewed Platina and continued him to the year 1566. Sigonius also in his Histories has interwoven the affairs of the Church and in this place are the Elogies of Sigonius and Onuphrius to be taken in SECT XLII The Magdeburgian Centuriators put forth a most usefull Work of this nature The Judgment of the Reverend Bishop of Chichester upon it What is commendable in it The foundation of it well laid Whence the matter for the building was collected An excuse for the defects SECT XLIII The most Learned and Reverend Bishop of Chichester proves that the Centuriators have been obnoxious to many errours Casaubon yields as much and yet that Reverend Bishop shews that it is a most usefull work SECT XLIV Baronius his Annals equal to the Centuriators A stupendious Work Casaubon's Judgment of it As also that of the said Reverend Bishop of Chichester Why those Annals are to be read with great caution Spondanus the Jesuit the Epitomizer of them SECT XLV The first eight Magdeburgian Centuries reduced into a Compendium by Lucas Osiander not unprofitably He leaps from the VIII th to the XVI th the affairs of which he discourseth more at large To this Century belongs the History of the Council of Trent The Encomiums of that History and its Authour Jac. Augustus Thuanus has inserted the Church Affairs into his Accurate History from the year 1546 to the year 1608. and it is now continued to the year 1618. Part the Second SECT I. Young Men as they are not so well capacitated for Moral instructions so neither are they to be esteemed the best qualified for the reading of History What things are required to both the end and scope of Reading The different opinions of the Learned Vossius and Keckerman about this question SECT II. Keckerman's opinion defended Tongues are scarce well Learned without Rules There is a vast difference betwixt learning Languages and the Accounts of Actions Moral Philosophy is as well required in a Reader as Writer of History Ubertus Folietta Sebastianus Foxius and Viperanus do all seem to be of this opinion And the Learned Vossius himself affords strong Arguments for it SECT III. Vossius his third Argument against Keckerman doth hardly seem to be strong That a naked relation of an Affair doth not satisfie a prudent Reader Which is proved from Ludov. Vivis Dion Halicarnassaeus and Vossius himself That the Reading the same Histories by a Child and by a Man of Learning is very different SECT IV. The Argument Borrowed from Quintilian consider'd and an Answer made to it SECT V. The Opinion of Simon Grynaeus on this account Approved and it is more largely shewn
following Books we deliver the History of what passed throughout the World to the Death of Alexander the Great Thus far the Sicilian But alas the five Books which follow his fifth Book which he stiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Book of Isles because in it he treats of the Islands are to the deplorable injury of ancient History perished For in them was contain'd all the Oriental Antiquities which might have afforded much light to the Old Testament as the Learned Josephus Scaliger observes We should think this great Loss the less if Theopompus Euphorus Callisthenes Timaeus and the rest from whom Diodorus had with incredible industry compiled those five Books were still Extant Concerning which you may Consult Vossius his piece of the Greek Historians We cannot deny but some have blamed the Sicilian for those five Books that are Extant which we have recommended as first to be read and amongst them Lodovicus Vivis who admires how Pliny could say that Diodorus was the first of the Grecians who left off Trifling when saith he there is nothing more Idle But we reply that Learned Censor did not well consider that Diodorus himself owns that the History of those times was mixt with many Fables and delivered very variously by the Ancients but he was content to relate what seem'd most agreeable to Truth and yet at last he did not desire they should be taken for solid Truths but that he thought it was better to have the best knowledge we could of those Ancient times than to be altogether ignorant of them as Gerardus Joh. Vossius a man of a peircing judgment has well observed in his second Book of the Greek Historians chap. the second In the defect therefore of those Authours we have mentioned and to repair as well as we may the loss sustain'd in the former Books of the Sicilian helps are to be fetched in from Eusebius his Chronicon where we shall find many Antiquities pointed at from Plutarch's Theseus Licurgus and Solon from Pausanius his description of ancient Greece from the first Book of Orosius and especially from the Prophetick History in which onely are all those things that happened after the Death of Sardanapalus which are of certain and undoubted Faith to be found concerning the Assyrians and Chaldeans even to the beginning of the Medio-Persian Empire and a little farther and no where else amongst the Ancients if you except Josephus his Antiquities is there any thing to be found concerning these times and the Jewish State then for he indeed there treats of their State too from the times in which the Scriptures end to the XIII th year of the Reign of Domitius Caesar and LVI th year of his own Life But of Josephus we shall discourse more at large in his proper place there may also be many things worth the taking notice of observed in Diogenes Laertius his Lives of the Philosophers which will Embelish the History of the first Monarchy Especially the History of the last Century of it in which the VII wise men of Greece flourished and that famous man Pythagoras and many others whose Lives Laertius wrote in that Golden Book as H. Stephen in that most usefull Book and more valuable than Gold as the most Learned Vossius doubts not to call it SECT VIII Where Herodotus began his History and where he Ended it his Commendation in what time he flourished the Rise of the Second Monarchy the Contents of the several Books of Herodotus why the Names of the IX Muses were given them from what Authours his History may be inriched or illustrated HErodotus the Father of the Heathen History begins where the Prophetick History ends which is owing to the Goodness and Providence of God that as it were in the self same moment where the History of the Bible Concludes Herodotus Halicarnassensis should begin his For when the Prophets in the Holy Scriptures had related what seemed more worthy of the care of the Holy Ghost from the beginning of the World to Cyrus Herodotus beginning with Gyges King of Lydia Contemporary with Hezechias and Manassa Kings of Judah about the year of the World 3238 about CL years before Cyrus his Reign in Persia immediately descends to CYRUS the Great Founder of the Medio-Persian Empire and so deduceth the History of the Medes and Persians in a smooth Style which flowes like a quiet and pleasant River as Cicero in his Orator expresses it well to the time of the wretched flight of Xerxes out of Greece Which happened in the Second year of the LXXV Olympiad in the year of the World 3471. in which time Herodotus flourished and lived to the beginning of the Peloponnesian War Which Dionysius his Countrey-man relates in these words Herodotus Halicarnassaeus being born a little before the Persian Expedition lived till the Peloponnesian War That is from the first year of the LXXIV Olympiad to the Second year of the LXXXVII Olympiad for so the Great Scaliger computes his Age making him to have Lived precisely the space of XIII Olympiads that is LII years For so long Lived the sweetest Muse of Jonica as he calls him and then goes on thus He is the most ancient Writer in Prose who is now Extant the Treasury of the Grecian and Barbarian Antiquities an Authour never to be out of the hands of the Learned nor to be touched by the half Learned the Pedagogues and the Apes of Learning But however Herodotus might live somewhat longer yet it is sure he brought not his History beyond the times of Xerxes He has contained in Nine Books which he distinguished by the Names of the Nine Muses a continued History of CCXXXIV years Will you have the Contents of his several Books I will give you them shortly In his first Book besides what he relates of Gyges and the succeeding Kings of Lydia to Croesus of the ancient Jonia of the manners of the Persians Babylonians and some others he gives an Elegant account of the Birth of Cyrus the Authour of the Medio-Persian Monarchy and then of his Miraculous Preservation of his Education and Actions In his Second Book he describes all Egypt to the Life declares the Customs of the Egyptians and Commemorates the Succession of their Kings In his third Book he weaves the History of Cambyses and of Smerdis the Mage which simulated Cyrus and so Reigned VII Months and Explicates the fraud and the Discovery Then he subjoyns the Election of Darius Histaspis and then enumerates the Provinces of the Persian Empire and gives an account of the taking of Babylon by the faithfull industry of Zopirus in the praises of whom he ends it In his fourth Book he presents us with an exact Description of Scythia to which he adds the unfortunate Expedition of Darius against the Scythians and there we reade the History of the Mynians and the City of Cyrene built by them in Libya and the Description of the People of those
represents the ancient State of Greece from the times of the Expedition of the Argonauts and the Trojan War and comparing the greatness of the Peloponnesian War with all those that had preceded it and explaining the causes pretences and occasions of it he Premiseth the History of those fifty years which interven'd betwixt the flight of Xerxes and the beginning of this War without ever going on that account from his intended Subject But if the Reader desires a full and perfect History of these fifty years before he goes any farther in Thucydides let him in this place take in the Lives of Themistocles Aristides Pausanias and Cimon written by Platarch or Cornelius Nepos And the XI th and XII th Books of Diodorus Siculus and the second and third Books of Justin which all belong to this place and then let him proceed in Thucydides who in his second Book enters upon the description of that War in the first place telling us the time when it began and unfolding the method of the whole work and shewing who were the incendiaries and who began the War then follows the Oration made by the Laconian King to his Souldiers his commendation both of the Authority and Eloquence of Pericles and his Description of the dreadfull Plague at Athens then he Celebrates the worth of Phormion the Athenian General and their Naval Victories and commorates the Surrender of Potidea the Siege of the Plutenses and the ineffectual Expedition of the Thracians against Perdicca King of Macedonia and so entertains us with the History of the three first years of the War In the III Book are contained the affairs of the three next years of that War that is the defection of the Mitylenaeans and the other Lesbians to the Lacedemonians which being again reduced by the Athenian Forces there follows an illustrious Consultation concerning the punishing of them and the cruelty of Pachetis the Athenian Commander is observed the City of Platea taken and raced to the Ground the Sedition of the Cortyreans described the Seeds of the Sicilian War disclos'd the improsperous Battel of Demosthenes against the Aetolians and his more prosperous Engagement with the Ambracians In the IV th Book are read the fortifying the Pylus the Siege and the taking it and the manner of the defence the Victory against and taking the Spartan Nobility the fortunate actions of Brasida a famous Lacedemonian Commander in Thrace and these make up the History of the next three years The V th Book comprehends the History of almost seven years that is the Battel betwixt Brasida the Spartan Commander and Cleon the Athenian at Amphipolis a City of Thrace wherein both the Generals were Slain and paid for their restless disturbances then the various Leagues and Combinations of the two parties all weak and uncertain the foolish and mad stubbornness of the great men the sad effect of which follows In the beginning of the VI th Book the Authour makes a description of the ancient Sicily and gives an account of some part of their former Story Then the pretences of the Sicilian War and some Noble Consultations about it are propos'd Nicia opposing and Alcibiades promoting and perswading to it then he remembers some Prodigies which preceded that War the defection of Alcibiades to the Lacedemonians and some things which happened in Sicilia soon after the Arrival of the Athenian Fleet which things happened in the XVII th year of this War In the VII th Book Michalessus a City of Boeotia is taken by the Thracians who exercise there great Cruelties then the Authour prosecutes the Sicilian War which fell out very unfortunately for the Athenians and brought a grievous loss upon them the Commanders Demosthenes and Nicias being both taken and slain against the will of Gylippus to whom they rendred themselves These things were acted in the XVIII th and XIX th years of the Peloponnesian War In the VIII th Book he gives an account of the defection of the Athenian Confederates to the Lacedemonians their Enemies upon the News of this Overthrow and the League betwixt the Spartans and the Persian Governours of the Asian Provinces after this the Democracy of the Athenians is changed into an Olygarchy of forty men which is again soon after dissolved Lastly Thrasybulus and Thrasylus two Athenian Captains after a dubious Sea Fight at Abidus beat the Lacedemonian Fleet and their Leader Mindarus this Victory was obtain'd in the II year of the XCII Olympiad in the XXI year of this War in the Summer time where Thucydides his History ends Anno Mundi 3539. With Thucydides are the Lives of Pericles Alcibiades Chabrias Thrasybulus and Nicias written by Plutarch and C. Nepos to be read and the XIII th Book of Diodorus Siculus the IV th and V th of Justin and the first Book of Orosius Chapters the XIV th and XV th by all which the History may be somewhat enlarged and inriched SECT X. Of Xenophon his Praise and Elogies when and in what order he is to be read he gives us the History of XLVIII years which may be enlarged from Plutarch Justin and Diodorus Siculus THe thread of Thucydides his Story is continued by Xenophon who for the sweetness of his Style is call'd the Attick Muse and the Attick Bee by whose mouth also the Muses are said to have spoken as Cicero informs us in his Oratour He was famous about 410 years before the Birth of our Saviour there is an High encomium of Xenophon extant in Dion Chrysostome in his Oration concerning the Exercise of the Art of Speaking where with great ingenuity he recommends the reading of him averring amongst other things that the reading of him alone was sufficient to make a man a Politician nor is that which is related of him by Diogenes Laertius in the end of his Life the least part of his praise that Thucydides his Books being then unknown falling into his hands when he might with facility have supprest them he took care to publish them by which Act of his every man may know what Honour he deserved from those who have an esteem for the Grecian Eloquence or History and the Modern Criticks have not fail'd to give him equal Commendations Xenophon saith Lipsius in his History is a pleasant and faithfull or at least a cautious prudent Writer from which yet you may rather draw civil Prudence than that he seems to have intended it And yet Christoph. Colerus saith Civil Prudence is certainly the principal Vertue in the writings of Xenophon it sparkles strangely in his Institution of Cyrus and the Relation of his Expedition against Artaxerxes in which Xenophon discovers how great a Commander he himself was therefore let Xenophon be the Looking-glass of Kings and Princes the Viaticum as Homer was to Alexander the Great of Emperours The Glory saith Vossius of Xenophon was threefold for I will take no notice of his Eloquence he was a Philosopher an Historian and a
good Commander the truth is he left the Profession of Philosophy and wrote his History when he was a Commander I shall omit that Elegant piece of his concerning the Institution of Cyrus because it belongs to the foregoing times of which Herodotus wrote nor is it as is supposed penned as a true History but as a representation of a just Empire or Government yet Scipio Africanus that admired Personage had so great an Esteem for this Piece that he never went without it about him but to return he Composed the History of his own times in seven Books the two first of which are to be read immediately after Thucydides because they contain the residue of the Peloponnesian War and where Thucydides ends there Xenophon as it were carrying on the Web begins and relates what passed betwixt the Athenians and Lacedemonians after that Naval Victory that was obtained at Abidus by Thrasybulus against Mindarus in the 2 year of the 92 Olympiad of which we have spoken before to the taking of Athens by Lysander in the 4 th year of the 93 Olympiad and in these Books here and there he represents some of the Medio-Persian affairs as how the Medes rebell'd against Darius King of Persia and afterwards submitted again to his Empire how Cyrus the younger Son of Darius went to his Father who was then sick in the Higher Asia having first sent money to Lysander for the use of the War against the Athenians how Darius Nothus Died and Artaxerxes Mnemon his Elder Son became his Successour In the end of the second Book he gives an account of the suppressing the XXX Tyrants who had raged for two years at Athens by Thrasybulus and also the Peace and Act of Oblivion which was confirmed by the Athenians amongst themselves by an Oath by which an end was put to the Peloponnesian War which Thucydides calls the most memorable War that had ever happened and the longest and so in truth it was for it was prolonged to the XXVII th or XXVIII th year as is manifested by Xenophon these things are contained as I said in the two first Books of the Grecian History of Xenophon which being read the Reader may pass to his seven Books of the Expedition of Cyrus the younger against Artaxerxes Mnemon his Elder Brother written by Xenophon also in which we have an account how Cyrus gathered Grecian Forces and went up with them against his Brother How he fought and was Slain then how the Grecian Captains were Massacred after the Fight contrary to the Faith given and how Xenophon who followed Cyrus in this Expedition after his Death was chosen General by the Grecian Souldiers and had the felicity to conduct them from the very heart of Persia though continually assaulted by the Barbarians and harassed with other miseries and inconveniencies into their own Countrey in the first year of the 95 Olympiad When the Reader has finished these he may then proceed to the rest of the Grecian History in which the affairs both of the Grecians and Persians are continued to the Mantinensian Battel in which the Thebans beat the Lacedemonians under the Conduct of Epaminondas who whilst he perform'd the parts not onely of a Commander but private Souldier being grievously wounded died soon after and with him the Glory and power of the Theban Common-wealth Expired in the second year of the 104 Olympiad So that the Son of Gryllus will furnish the Reader with an Elegant and rich History of the affairs of XLVIII years but this the Reader may enlarge and enrich too if as in reading Thucydides he took in Plutarch's Pericles Nicias and Alcibiades so here he take in the Lives of Lysander Agesilaus Artaxerxes Thrasybulus Chabrias Conon and Datames written by Plutarch and Nepos for all these flourished in that interval of time which is represented by Thucydides and Xenophon and afford a considerable addition to the Histories of those times the IV th V th and VI th Books of Justin and the XIII th XIV th and XV th Books of Diodorus Siculus belong to the same times and as to Diodorus he is the next Authour I shall commend to the Reader SECT XI The fair Elogie of Diodorus Siculus that he travelled over several Countries before he writ his History He continues the History of Xenophon about the end of his XV th Book then he gives an account of the actions of Philip King of Macedonia in his XVI th and from thence passeth to Alexander the Great and describes the Rise of the third Monarchy FOr though Diodorus Siculus is some centuries of years younger than Xenophon as who flourished in the times of Julius Caesar and Augustus about the CLXXXIII Olympiad yet in this our Series of Authours I desire he may immediately follow Xenophon being not one of the many but a celebrated Writer and so expert in Antiquities that Greece can scarce shew another that is his Equal which Judgment may be confirm'd by the Elogie which a Learned Divine of our Countrey a Reverend Bishop and excellently versed in this and all other sorts of Learning is pleased to bestow upon this Authour Diodorus Siculus saith he is an excellent Authour who with great Fidelity Immense Labour and a rare both diligence and ingenuity has collected an Historical Library as Justin Martyr calls it in which he has represented his own and the Studies of other men being the great reporter of humane Actions but as Diodorus himself stiles it the Common Treasury of things and an harmless or safe Mistress or Teacher of what is Usefull and Good Our Reverend Bishop might well call it an Immense Labour for he spent XXX years as he himself confesseth in writing this History travelling in the mean time over several Countries to inform himself running through many Dangers as usually happens Diodorus also does rightly stile it a Common Treasury of things for we have in his first five Books the Antiquities and Transactions of the Egyptians Assyrians Libyans Persians Grecians and other Nations before the Trojan War as we have noted above the five following Books that is from the V th to the XI th are lost but from the beginning of the XI th to the XVI th we have the History of the times written by Thucydides and Xenophon as I have already said written in a continued thread but then in the end of the XV th Book he seems to design a Continuation of Xenophon's History for he speaks expresly thus in the end of the second year of the 104 Olympiad In this year saith he Xenophon the Athenian concludes his Grecian History with the death of Epimanondas and so the Sicilian passeth to the III year of the same Olympiad in which he briefly unfolds the Story of the War of Artaxerxes with the Rebel Persians and Egyptians and the rest of the great Atchievements of Agesilaus together with the Deaths both of Agesilaus and Artaxerxes to whom Ochus succeeded in the Kingdom
I have noted already Diodorus Dionysius and Dion Cassius who if they were now Extant intire we should then have a perfect memory of the Roman affairs from the building of that City to the thousandth year of its Age. But let us be content with what is left the Divine Providence has so ordered it that out of the Reliques of what remains the body of the Roman History may yet be beautifully built up the Picture of which in Little is most Artfully drawn by our L. Annaeus Florus SECT XV. From whence the course of the Roman Story is to be begun L. Annaeus Florus commended the judgments of Learned men concerning him he is not the same with the Epitomizer of Livy his Errours or mistakes excused how these Errours in probability crept in the Consular fasts of Sigonius and Onuphrius and also Pighius his Annals commended VEry Learned men and well acquainted with the Roman History exhort the Students of it with an intent eye and mind to run through look into and contemplate this curious Representation and not without good cause it being in the Judgment of Lipsius a Compendium of the Roman History written finely plainly and Eloquently Nor does he stop here but adds his Censure the accurateness and brevity of it are very often wonderfull and there are many shining Sentences like Jewels inserted here and there both with good Judgment and truth Nor does the Learned C. Colerus whom I have so often cited before decline from this opinion his words are these believe me you will with no less pleasure reade that terse piece than that with which you could see one of Apellis his Pictures it is so well compos'd and so Elegant I admire that Judgment which could insert SENTENCES with so great prudence and brevity in such a heap and variety of things The great and Learned Censor of Books in his Piece of teaching the Arts and Sciences led the way to both these where he affirms there can nothing of that kind be fansied more accurate and pleasant but in this Vivis and other Learned men are much deceived who think this our Florus the same with the Epitomizer of Livy and much more those who conceive he designed in this work to give us a Compendium of the Livian History whereas he neither observes the Livian method nor always agrees with him And others that they may abate his esteem accuse him of a great fault his confounding times and relating that first which ought to have been placed in the second place often also perturbing and confounding the Names and Employments of their Generals so that he who follows him must often be led out of his way I will not deny that there are many such Errours in this Authour nor can I say whether they happened through ignorance or negligence or want of care but my opinion is that in some he may be excused for as to the confusion of times objected they might have known that he digests his Relations by Heads and Species rather than times separating things of a like Nature from those of a different separating for Example Wars from Conspiracies and civil Discords from Military Expeditions in short what a great Antiquary has said for Paulus Diaconus I should willingly offer in the behalf of Annaeus Florus no man can be supposed so ignorant in Chronology as that he can expect to find in Florus an exact Series of the Fasts as if he were a sworn Accountant and as to what concerns the confounding Names and Offices who knows not that such failings happen frequently by the carelesness of Transcribers and the ignorance of the ancient Notes especially in the names of the Roman Generals and Magistrates and in transcribing the numbers of years nor am I unacquainted with the complaint of that very learned Man Andraeas Scotus It is not possible to express what darkness and confusions the affinity of Names and the great similitude of words have cast upon the History of the Roman Common-wealth and upon their Families and what an infinite trouble has from thence been given to the Students in Antiquities and the Interpreters of Books And therefore the Reader may in this if he please and I do most earnestly perswade him to it call in to his Assistence the Consulary and Triumphant Fasts of Carolus Sigonius or Onuphrius which are much more certain Guides than Florus for there he will find the Roman Story shortly and regularly Adumbrated Or the Annals of the Magistrates and Provinces of the Senate and People of Rome written by Stephanus Vinandus Pighius than which it is impossible to conceive a better Commentary can be made or wished not onely upon our Florus but also upon Livy Dionsius Halicarnassaeus Dion Cassius and upon all the other Writers of the Roman History as the before named Learned Jesuite Schotus affirms To conclude as the small imperfections which appear in the greatest beauties are easily pardon'd or obscured by the great perfections which attend them so I see no reason why we should not readily pardon the few Errours we meet in so usefull and delicate a piece as Florus is SECT XVI In what order the Reader should proceed in his Reading of the Roman History Dionysius Halicarnassaeus commended how many years his History contains the reason given why we assign him the first place and confirmed out of Bodinus WHen the Reader has attentively considered the shadow and Picture of the Roman History let him proceed to consider the body of it in all its parts in the following method and order of Authours if he is pleased to make use of my advice Dionysius Halicarnassaeus who flourished about 26 years before Christ Anno V. C. 725 is by the confession of all a grave Authour and a most accurate searcher into and describer of the Roman Antiquities and therefore I desire he may lead the way He in order to a clear Notice who the Romans were having given an account of what he had learned concerning the People call'd the Aborigines or the most ancient inhabitants of Italy not onely from Fables and the reports spread among the many but from the Books of Portius Cato Fabius Maximus and Valerius Anciatis and of many others then he continues a History in XX Books to the first Punick War which began the third or fourth year of the 128 Olympiad A. V. C. 488 but of those twenty Books which Photius tells us he left onely XI have been brought down to us in which we have the History of CCCXII years described with great fidelity and care nor have we rashly assigned the first place to Dionysius in this our Chain of Authours because he will be instead of a bright Torch to our lover of Histories who without him must often stick and blink and walk in a dark Night whilst he read onely Latine Historians Will you have the reason of this Joannes Bodinus will give you many and will also
of Theodosius and Justinian yet I would not have any man thence conclude that he shall gain small advantage by the reading of them let him rather hear Justus Lipsius and Casaubon's Judgment of them of which the first thus briefly One Writer is usefull for one purpose and another for another Spartianus Lampridius Capitolinus and Vulcatius and the rest of the Writers of the second form have indeed not much Eloquence but it is possible to extract out of them a vast plenty of Antiquities and of the forgotten Customes The latter is yet more large in their Commendations The reading of these Authours saith he is not onely usefull but necessary for all men but especially for all those who are Studious of the ancient manners and History and especially for those who love the Roman Civil Law For how many things will you find dispersed in the whole Work which belong properly to the study of Law how often is it there observed that a new Law was introduced or an ancient Law abrogated that I may not mention this that if it were not for these Writers many of the great Civilians whose names and fragments are extant in the Pandects would have been altogether unknown to us not to mention also the Style which is common with these Authours to the ancient Lawyers in short what esteem ought we to have for the excellent Letters of so many Princes so many grave Decrees of the Senate and so many other publick Monuments transcribed out of the Cabinets of the Caesars out of the Acts or Registers of the Senate and People or out of I know not what other secret and concealed Records or whom will you assign out of all the number of the ancient Writers to whom we are indebted for a like Fidelity or Industry nor ought I to pass by those Learned and not far fetched but Domestick Digressions with which these Books are inriched as with so many studds of true and Radiant purple in very many places thus far Casaubon These Historians will furnish the Reader with the History if the Chronologers deceive me not of an Hundred Sixty and Seven years it is however certain they will give him the names of LXX and upwards who in the course of these times by right or injury obtained the name of Emperour or Caesar. The Lives of some of which also are written in VIII Books by Herodian an Authour of good Judgment Discreetly and Elegantly therefore if the Reader please to joyn him to the other six Writers of the Lives in his due time he will have a fuller and more illustrious History of Commodus the Emperour and of the other seven that succeeded him to the Gordians for he will find in that Writer a great variety of both things and men and frequent examples of Fortune's Frowns and Smiles as she is ever changing and he will observe strange and wonderfull Counsels and unexpected Events he will find as occasion serves grave Sentences and a style full both of dignity and sweetness to conclude he will find plenty of necessary Utensils for the improvement of his Manners and as it were the Looking-Glass of Humanity which he may inspect all his Life time and from whence he may draw instructions for the better management of publick or private affairs Let him then reade this Authour either in Greek or Latine for I know not whether Herodian deserves more Honour who in his own Language flows with a plentyfull vain or Politian who has translated him so happily that he doth not seem so much to have rendered as writ that History However these six Writers the last of which is Vopiscus who is yet learned and accurate beyond any of the rest will bring the Reader to the thousand thirty and sixth year after the building of Rome that is to the Death of Carinus Caesar who with Numerianus is said to have reigned or affected the Empire after Carus it is to be confess'd that in this Series which these six Writers of Lives have left us there is a gap betwixt Gordianus the third and Valentinian the Emperour for Valerianus did not succeed immediately after Gordian but first the two Philippi and to them the Decii and then Vibius Gallus with his Son Volusianus then Aemylianus Libycus who was immediately succeeded by Valerianus and the Learned Casaubon reckons some others to the number of Fifteen between Caesars and Emperours within the space of nine or at most ten years none of whose Names are mention'd any where in these Writers a supply is therefore to be made of this defect from Aurelius Victor a discreet and prudent Writer of whom Ammianus Marcellinus saith That for his sobriety he is much to be commended and Casaubon calls his small Piece of the Lives of the Emperours An Elegant Discourse or from Pomponius Laetus A Man for the Age in which he Wrote rarely acquainted with Antiquities and good Learning and very conspicuous amongst the most Excellent Wits of his time who hath Written a Compendium of the Roman History from the death of Gordian the younger a little beyond the time of the death of Heraclius This Authour flourished about the year after Christ 1488. In this History of the Caesars you may reade many things which are not to be found in any of the Historians which for the most part he extracted from the Ancient Panegyrists SECT XXIII After the times of Constantius Chlorus and a little before the History seems a little perplex'd especially in the Latin Writers Eusebius Zosimus and Zonaras will render it more plain of Zosimus and Zonaras and their Writings and also Jornandes and Ammianus Marcellinus who is here to be Read the Opinion of Lipsius and Balduinus the Lawyer concerning him BUt because the History of those times is very confused especially if we consult none but Latin Writers to the Succession of Constantine's Children It will well requite the trouble to seek assistence from the Greek Authours Eusebius Zosimus Zonaras or some other Authour as well in relation to the asoresaid Emperours as also to them that follow Dioclesian Constantius Chlorus Galerius and Constantine the Great whose Histories may be thus illustrated For in this Age Eusebius flourished under Constantine and his Children about the year of Christ 325. and for his great Learning and Extraordinary Knowledge of History was very famous of whom more will be spoken when we come to the Church-Historians Since the death of our Authour there has been published first by Baluzius a Learned Frenchman and since that at Oxon a History of all the Roman Emperours from the 20th year of the Reign of Dioclesian Anno Christi 303. to the year 313. which was the 7th year of the Reign of Constantine the Great Written by Lucius Coelius Lactantius and stiled De mortibus persecutorum This Authour was contemporary with Eusebius and was Tutour to Crispus one of the Children of Constantine the Great and though this History is
of but a short space of time yet it gives a great light to the most intricate part of that History and is of great credit as being Written by a Person of great fidelity who was an Eye-witness of all those Transactions and a very Elegant Writer Zosimus Writ the declension of the Empire in VI. Books beginning with Octavianus Caesar and ending in the taking of Rome by the Goths under Alaricus In the first Book he runs through all the first Emperours to Dioclesian with great brevity but in the other V. Books he gives a larger and fuller account He lived in the time of Theodosius the younger who began his Reign Anno Christi 407. and ended it Anno 449. his Style is short and clear pure and sweet as Photius represents it He was a Pagan and therefore reflects very often upon the Christian Princes and yet Leunclavius a Learned German doth not think it is fit for all that to call his fidelity too easily in question and he adds moreover That if any Man Reade him without prejudice he will find that his History which is almost totally made up of those things that were passed by and not taken notice of by the rest of the Historians is very pleasant and usefull to all Men who are employed in State Affairs Henry Stephens was of opinion That he industriously sought into the truth of Conceal'd things and carefully discover'd it This History is for the most part of it an Epitome of Eunapius who Wrote an History of the Caesars beginning where Herodian ends and continuing it to his own times he lived under Valentinian Valens and Gratian about the year of Christ 370. His History though said to be extant at Venice was never Printed But Photius saith Zosimus did almost Transcribe Eunapius as differing from him onely in this that he doth not reproach Stilicon as Eunapius did and that his style is shorter and more easie and that he rarely makes use of any Rhetorical Figures but Zosimus begins his History much Higher and continues it down much Lower Johannes Zonaras Wrote a General History from the beginning of the World to the death of the Emperour Alexius Comnenus Anno Christi 1118. in whose time he lived he divided it into Three Tomes in the First Tome he briefly Writes the History of the World from the Creation to the destruction of Jerusalem In the Second Tome he Writes the Roman History from the building of Rome to Constantine the Great but with great brevity The Third Tome gives an account of the Actions of all the Christian Emperours from Constantine the Great to the death of Alexius Comnenus From some or all of these therefore the History of the foresaid Emperours may be made more full and clear especially if to those things which are related by Zosimus as done by the Goths under Gallienus and the succeeding Emperours of Rome Jornandes may be called in as a Witness who will assure us That all which Zosimus hath related is true For as Leunclavius assures us What both these Historians have Written concerning the Goths do most exactly agree nor is there any other difference betwixt them but this that Jornandes is a little more full as not omitting the circumstances of things nor is it to be wondred at that these were not so well known to Zosimus as they were to Jornandes for the latter was a Goth or an Alan which Nation was nearly related to the Goths and understood the affairs of the Goths who were his own Countreymen much better than the Grecians did and joined the Gothick Historians with the Greek and Latin Writers as he himself confesseth Jornandes flourished about the year of Christ 540. and here let the Reader proceed immediately to the reading of Ammianus Marcellinus a Man of a clear Fidelity and Judgment in the esteem of the most rigid Censors By his own confession his Language is Military and Unpolished he was very famous about the year of Christ 375. He diligently prosecutes as a Souldier the account of Military Affairs and doth often digress in Relations and doth not seldom intermix Sentences as Justus Lipsius acquaints us And Balduinus goes on thus He is indeed a Souldier but a very Learned Souldier and so studious of Antiquities that there is scarce any thing which he hath not searched out To speak in one word he is a most diligent Writer his Latin indeed is rough for he was a Constantinopolitan but he is full of Learning and has included in his History a various manifold and uncommon Literature and has largely Wrote an History of those times that are not so well Written by any other thus and much more Balduinus relates of him Marcellinus Wrote XXXI Books from the beginning of Nerva to the death of Valens in whose Court he lived but of these the first XIII have perished in the common Shipwreck in those which are extant he begins with Gallus Caesar about the year of Christ 353. and largely describes the Actions and Lives of Constantius Caesar Julian Jovian Valentinian and Valens an Eye-witness of a great part of which things he was and he will bring down the Reader to the year of Rome 1128. which is the 378th year of Christ. His History was Translated into English by one Philemon Holland a Dr. of Physick and Printed at London in Folio in 1609. who before had Translated Livy Suetonius and L. Florus but this Authour was not then so well understood as he is now by the indefatigable industry of Henry and Hadrian Valesius and therefore 't is fit there should be a second and a more pleasant Version made of this excellent Authour SECT XXIV Paulus Diaconus his Miscellan History Jornandes his History of the Goths and Agathias may be here read or if the Reader please the III. Tome of Zonaras whom Nicetas Choniates follows and after him Nicephorus Gregoras or if this seems too long then the Reader may immediately after Zosimus begin Blondus Fortiniensis or after Vopiscus Carolus Sigonius his History of the Western Empire and from thence pass on to the VIIth or VIIIth Book of the first Decade of Blondus IF after Ammianus the Reader proceeds to Paulus Diaconus his Miscellan History and joins as companion with him Jornandes whom I just now mention'd his History of the Succession of Kingdoms and Times and also his History of the Goths he will observe from these not onely the Declining of the Roman Empire which Zosimus undertook to shew him but also the intire Ruine and Destruction of it And lest the repetition of what he was well acquainted with before should prove tedious and troublesome to him he may if he please begin with the XIIth Book and so go thorough with the rest in which he shall have a perfect History from Valentinian to the Deposition of Michael Curopolates that is to the year of Christ 812. and may also take in Jornandes when the times
the fourth are contained in this Chronicle which are not in any of our own Latine Historians which have hitherto been printed it begins Anno 1149 and it ends 1486 which was the second year of Henry the 7 th This last Authour belongs to the next Section where the Reader will find our Authour for want of Historians of our own Nation turning his Reader over to Polydore Virgil from the Reign of Henry the 5 th to the Reign of Richard the third much of which chasme this last Authour hath supplied but yet I would not part him from the rest but onely give the Reader this hint to what times he belongs SECT XXX Walsingham's Hypodigma Neustriae or his History of Normandy and the other Writers concerning that Dukedom not to be neglected and amongst them Odoricus Vitalis of principal note the History of England from the Reign of Henry the 5 th to that of Richard the third to be fetched from Polydore Virgil. The opinion of our Noble S. H. Savil concerning him observable Sir Thomas Moor Knight Lord Chancellor of England wrote the Reign of Richard the third F. Lord Bacon Viscount of Verulam that of Henry the 7 th the Reigns of Henry the VIII th Edward the VI th and Queen Mary Francis Goodwin Lord Bishop of Landaff wrote by way of Annals as Will Camden did that of Queen Elizabeth also THe Reader having dispatched the Chronicle of Walsingham may in the next place pursue his Hypodigma Neustriae his History of Normandy which will render the former Histories more clear and complete it containing a perfect account of the Story of that Dukedom from Rollo the first Duke of it to the 4 th year of Henry the 5 th who in the year 1416 forced Normandy after it had been Ravished and Alienated CCXX years from the English to return to its due Allegiance to the English Crown nor let the Reader think I give him this advice rashly for as it is rightly observed by the Learned Mr. Selden the ancient affairs of the Normans are so implicated and twisted with ours that if a man consider seriously of our own he cannot pass by theirs without sloath and ignorance Now Andraeas Duchenius in the year 1619 put out several Writers of the Norman History and amongst them Odericus Vitalis a Countreyman of ours who was born at Attingham in the County of Salop is the principal he wrote 13 Books of Church History the first and second of which contain the Martial Actions of the Normans in France England and Apulia in Italy to the year 1141 which was the 6 th year of the Reign of King Stephen about which time this Authour flourished But to return to our English History after Walsingham's Chronicle which as I said in the last Section ends in Henry the 5 th if our Reader thinks to find any one of our Nation who hath written our History in Latine from this time of Henry the 5 th to the Reign of Richard the third he will be much deceived except perhaps some Manuscript lies concealed in the recesses of some Libraries Consecrated to Antiquities which have not as yet seen the publick Light Therefore I will recommend to my Hearers a History which may be had that is one of the Published Authours and may be come by now here had been a vast Gap of almost LXX years if Polydore Virgil had not prevented it which in so great a scarcity of our own Authours the Studious Historian will not unwillingly take in for although as the noble Sir Henry Savil writes of him he was an Italian and a Stranger to our affairs and which is yet more never employed in any publick Station and of no great natural either Judgment or Ingenuity and although in delivering our History he has often mistaken things and passed over in silence many things worthy to be known yea has too often imbraced things that are false instead of truth and so left us a very faulty History Yet I should conceive this happened for the most part where he describes the times of Henry the VIII th for besides that he was ignorant of our Tongue he must of necessity not know many things that were then Transacted and it is highly probable he writ some things in favour of Queen Mary otherwise than he knew they were but this is not to be suspected of the former times Let our Reader therefore take the History of the two Henrys the V th and the VI th and of the two Edwards the IV th and the V th from Polydore Virgil the Reign of Richard the third who immediately follows these was written by the famous Sir Thomas Moor Knight Lord Chancellour of England who flourished about the year 1533 in the Reign of Henry the 8 th but the Learned Vossius thinks the Work imperfect because as he largely describes by what Villanies he ascended the Throne so he doth not tell us how he afterwards administred the Government and even that part which we have seems to have wanted the Authour's last hand and the Elegance of the Latine of his other Works do much exceed that of this Work Henry VIIth succeeded Richard the third whose Life and Reign was not long since represented to us by the most noble Viscount Verulam so happily and so fully that if he hath not excelled the best Historians he yet at least equall'd them this Work was first written in English but has since been turned into Latine as the preliminary Epistle to the Book call'd Gustavus saith After this let the Reader peruse the Annals of the most Reverend Bishop F. Goodwin in which the Reigns of Henry the VIII th Edward the VI th and Queen Mary are described with a great and commendable brevity Lastly the famous William Camden the Founder of the place I now enjoy and my Patron wrote the Annals of the Actions of Queen Elizabeth in England and Ireland which Queen was the most glorious and prosperous Queen that ever swayed a Sceptre for this Elogy was bestowed long since upon her by Anna Attestina the Mother of the Guises as Thuanus saith Let our Reader in the next place diligently reade this History and then tell me whether it be not comparable to the best of the ancient Annals and that with Justice and truth An ADDITION Another great man of the French Nation speaks thus of Camden although it be very natural to men to speak too advantageously of their Native Countries and that this inclination hath wrap'd some Historians to an offence against the Purity of History yet it cannot be denyed but William Camden has writ that of England with so much fidelity that he may justly claim a place amongst the most sincere Historians of the last Ages and a little after being made King at Arms the XXXIX year of the Queens Reign he made very curious Collections of all those things which he judged worthy of or usefull to an History
and as Sincerity was the Foundation of all he wrote so his Works are in so great esteem that a very grave and Learned Modern Writer who hath written the Life of Mary Stuard confesseth that he took his Directions for that Work from Camden ' s Annals of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth this Testimony is of the more value because from a prfessed Enemy who deplores Camden's dying an Heretick The Commendations given by the Authour in the end of the last Section to Camden's Annals of Queen Elizabeth are deservedly due to them and much more for he being his Patron as he saith and Founder of the History Lecture in Oxon which our Authour then had he would not break into those Commendations of him which he otherwise would have done lest his gratitude might have seemed to have bribed his Judgment but I believe it is granted by all the Learned World that Camden's Annals is one of the best pieces that hath seen the Light since the reviving of Learning in this Western part of the World and that great Princess had this additional felicity given her from Heaven that as her Reign was long and prosperous and her memory is precious still and ever will be to all English men so she found in Camden a noble learned eloquent ingenious Celebratour of her actions which hath given her a second Life here on Earth in the memories of men which shall last till the Resurrection instate her in the third the last and most perfect Life of consummated Glory but then all this is meant of the Original Latine for the English Version which we now have is a poor mean harsh style and translated not from the Latine neither but from a French translation so that I will ever hope to see an Elegant new Version made upon the Original and in some degree worthy of that great man But to continue down the History one Robert Johnston a Learned Scot hath written an History of the British and much of the French Dutch and German Affairs both Civil and Ecclesiastick in XXII Books from the year 1572 to the year 1628 that is from the first year of King James the VI th of Scotland to the third year of Charles the first of England which History though for thirty years of it parallel with Camden's Annals yet is even there worthy of our serious reading but then he has brought down the English History XXVI years lower than Mr. Camden did I could wish I could give the Reader a better account than I now can of this Authour who is not known to me by any thing but this History of his but all I can now do is to give the account Printed in the Epistle to the Reader before his History which is this in short This Authour in his Life time published the two first of these Books and dedicated them to Charles the first and then went on in writing the rest which he promised the World then how candidly he has acted in these Histories is left to the judgment of the World in the interim this Good man as was fit gives this testimony of himself I have not sold my Fidelity for Money nor engaged it to any man for his favour and as to my stock of ingenuity I submit it intirely to your censure I onely beg my Reader would treat me in Reading with the same equity he desires I should him in Writing for I seek no other recompence for my Labour besides that of Praise and Memory in after times And a little after No Mortal Man can satisfie all the World because some are delighted with Antiquity and the musty expressions of former times mixed with grave and wise Sentences others are onely to be pleas'd with a Laconick brevity concise and dark expressions whilst at the same time others being enemies to all excessive brevity and too great subtilty are onely to be won by an high and sublime style But it is a folly to expect in the Writers of our Age the Perfect Eloquence of Caesar the Brevity of Cato or Salust the Pomp of Tacitus or the Briskness and Height of the Livian Oratory I willingly acknowledge that in this Narrative I have performed nothing that is great or high I have onely represented the British Affairs in necessary words without any paint or fraud and without the suspicion of Favour or Aversion and in short I am so far from all desire of vain-glory and seeking the Applause of Many that I seek no Praise for my ingenuity but industry I am not in love with Glory but studious of truth and desirous of the reward of a good Conscience and a good Name from Posterity In the interim saith the Publisher the Courteous Reader will easily observe how religiously the Authour pursues all those things which are capable to give an Historian credit and which excite the minds of the Reader to Vertue Probity and Prudence And you will easily observe saith he how many things he relates worthy of Knowledge and which will render a Prince fit for the Administration of publick or domestick affairs in Peace or War at home or abroad and a Clergyman prudent in the Administration of Church-Government This Person was no way tainted with that Presbyterian Levin which then infected the Scotch Nation almost generally nor was he poisoned with the Republican Principles of the Age but every where with great prudence discovers the rise of those Men and Principles which afterwards imbroiled and bid fair for the Ruine of these Nations No Man perhaps having better set forth the turbulent behaviour of the Parliaments in the times in which he Wrote The Combinations and secret underminings of the Factious Levites and their disciples the Good Commonwealth-Men as they were styled in that Age. His Style is short and concise but very clear saving that he affects a little too much the use of Greek Words which may make him a little the less intelligible and pleasant to a mere Latin Reader who is not acquainted with the Greek Tongue Dr. George Bates a Learned Physician hath Written the History of our late Rebellion with great Elegance Judgment Brevity and Fidelity to the Deposition of Richard Cromwell May the 7th 1659. in two parts in which he hath excellently described the Methods by which that abominable War was raised and maintained by our Factions the Execrable Murther of Charles the Martyr and the Miseries that followed thereupon and overwhelmed the English Nation Dr. Thomas Skinner another Learned Physician has continued the former till the year 1669. describing the excessive joy of England at the Restitution of Charles the Second of Blessed Memory and the Catastrophies of the Regicides with an Elegance as bright and sparkling as the English exultation was in the day when God so wonderfully turn'd the Captivity of our Israel a day never to be forgotten by Englishmen SECT XXXI Although we have no perfect Body of our English History in Latin Written according
this History out of Greek into Latin added two Books of his own and continued the History to the death of Theodosius the Emperour An. Christi CCCC But then in his Translation he took too great a liberty and in his own Addition he borrowed much from Eusebius and therefore Joseph Scaliger in the Appendix of his incomparable Work de Emendatione Temporum calls him a most silly Authour and perhaps no hurt will be done if our Student pass him by for the History of the same times is written more largely and accurately by Socrates Sozomen and Theodoret. These three were translated by Epiphanius Scholasticus into Latin at the request of the Great Aurelius Cassiodorus who made of these three one body of History and put it out under the name of the Tripartite Story But then David Chytraeus a famous Man who hath done great service to the World in relation both to the Civil and Ecclesiastical History doth admonish and exhort all studious Men that they should not onely reade those fragments which are thus patch'd together by Cassiodorus but also the intire Authours which are extant and carefully Printed both in Greek and Latin and that they should begin with Eusebius his Panegyrick on the Life of Constantine in which they will find an uninterrupted History of XXX years and the chief Edicts and Laws of that Prince concerning the Christian Religion carefully expounded in the IId IIId and IV th Books which are the Fountains whence Socrates Theodoret and Sozomen have drawn many things in the beginning of their Histories SECT XXXV In what times Socrates lived from whence and how far he has brought his History and of Theodoret also and what is contain'd in each of his Books The Censure of Photius on him Sozomen the Salamine continues the History to the year of Christ CCCCXXIII A place of St. Gregorie's against Sozomen consider'd and an Answer made to it The Candor of Sozomen the Testimony of Euagrius concerning him Euagrius follows the Tripartite History and continues it to the year DXCVII Theophilactus Simocatus continued it to the year DCI. SOcrates Born at Constantinople under Theodosius Junior the Son of Arcadius beginning his History about the end of that wrote by Eusebius with the Victory obtain'd by Constantine against Maxentius Anno Christi CCCXIII. or rather from that year in which he was first declared Emperour openly in Britain that is from the year of Christ CCCIX he deduced it to the XVII th Consulship of the aforesaid Theodosius Junior that is to the year of Christ CCCCXLI in VII Books written in a style that is not extraordinarily splendid the first of which Books contains the times of Constantine the Emperour the second those of Constantius the third the Reigns of Julian and Jovian the fourth those of Valentinian and Valens the fifth those of Gratian and Theodosius the first the sixth the times of Arcadius the seventh contains XXXII years of the Reign of Theodosius the younger the whole History represents the Church affairs of CXL years as he himself tells us in express words in the last Chapter of the VII th Book This last Boak saith he contains the space of XXXII years but the whole History which is divided into VII Books contains CXL years which begins with the first year of the Two hundereth seventy and first Olympiad in which Constantine was declared Emperour and ends in the second year of the Three hundreth and fifth Olympiad at the XVII th Consulship of Theodosius the Emperour It is clear from several places that he favoured the Faction of the Novatians for which is observed by the most Learned Jacob Billius he is extremely pleased not onely when he meets but when he can but pretend to have found an occasion of speaking much in favour of the Novatians and if any Man had out of a Pious Zeal more sharply treated the Novations Socrates would be sure to find some opportunity or other to traduce his Name and Reputation but so cunningly that to a Reader of an ordinary capacity he will seem rather to have done it out of a desire of speaking truth than out of a compliance with his own Anger and Resentment This I say is the Censure of J. Billius a very Learned Man upon Socrates the Authour of the Church History which I thought fit to insert here that our Lover of History might make use of the greater caution in the reading him Theodoret lived in the same times and was Bishop of Cyrus a City of Mesopotamia or Syria He wrote an Ecclesiastical History from the end of Eusebius his History and the rise of the Arrian Heresie which he hath also brought down to the times of Theodosius Junior wherein he gives somewhat a larger account of the Actions done in the second General Council than any other Historian that is extant In the first Book of his History he gives us the History of the Church under Constantine the Great in the second he expounds what happened under Constantius in the third he tells us the Church affairs under Julian the Apostate the fourth Book he attributed to Jovian Valentinian and Valens the fifth to Gratian Theodosius the Great and Arcadius and in the same Book he toucheth the beginning of the Reign of Theodosius the younger the Censure of Photius concerning the style of Theodoret is this That it is fitter for an History than that used by Socrates or that of Hermias Sozomen or that of Euagrius Ponticus and of the same opinion is that most Learned Man Gerardus Johannes Vossius Hermias Sozomenus was Bishop of Salamine a City of Cyprus and flourished also under Theodosius to whom he dedicated his History beginning at the Consulate of Crispus and Constantinus Anno Christi CCCXXIII he continued it to the death of Honorius An Christ. CCCCXXIII which space of time he comprehends in IX Books the two first of which repeat the things done in the times of Constantine the Great the third and fourth contain the transactions under the Three Children of Constantine the fifth and sixth comprehend the times of Valentinian and Valens the seventh those of Gratian and Theodosius the First the eighth the times of Arcadius the ninth runs through the times of Theodosius the Second as far as the death of Honorius Anno Christi CCCCXXIII which was the XVI year of the Reign of Theodosius Junior But then the See of Rome refuseth to receive this Historian too and these are the words of Gregory the Great that because he tells many Lies and commends Thedorus Mopsuestia too much and saith he was a Great Doctor of the Church to the day of his death I was directed to this place by George Hackwill Professor of Divinity a person of a various erudition and of a singular both piety and prudence But to this Melchior Canus long since replied That there is no such thing to be found in Sozomen concerning Theodorus Mopsuestia And that Gregorie ' s
memory fail'd him whilst instead of Theodoret he Wrote Sozomen for the words he mentions are Theodoret ' s and Cardinal Baronius supplies us with another Answer by saying That Sozomen the Commender of Theodorus Mopsuestia is not received by the See of Rome as to that particular But in all the rest he speaking the truth how could he be rejected and besides it is apparent that Sozomen was not rejected by Gelasius the Pope whom no man can in the opinion of the Cardinal disown such was his Authority and Learning but rather esteem'd to be of more credit than Eusebius of Caesarea and his History is accordingly more valued by Phocius than that of Socrates And Canus farther answereth That the Testimony of Sozomen was made use of and approved in the Council of Florence in which the Emperour Palaologus was present However we may think candidly of him not onely by reason of the sincerity and veracity which he pretends to in his first Chapter and promiseth throughout for when he was to relate the contentions quarrels and perfidy of many Orthodox Men and many other foul actions done by them he deprecates the opinion of a malevolent humour as is observed by the Learned Casaubon For he saith he does not write these things out of any pleasure he takes in them but whether he would or no because what was done could not be undone but on the other side to be silent as to those things which were done was to betray the truth and break the Laws of a good History 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is fit to take care of truth in order to the preservation of the sincerity of History and again An Historian should esteem truth above all other things But also for the sake of that Judgment Euagrius has given of him whose words are these Eusebius Sozomen Theodoret and Socrates have accurately committed to Writing the coming of our most Mercifull Saviour into the World his Ascension into Heaven the Acts of the holy Apostles the Martyrdoms of the holy Martyrs and whatever else has been done worthy of commendation or blame to the Reign of Theodosius and somewhat farther this I say is the judgment of Euagrius Scholasticus a very famous Historian of those times and the first Orthodox Church Historian that wrote if we will believe Baronius or at least his Epitomizer And here Euagrius himself follows the Writers of the Tripertite History and begins his Story where Socrates and Theodoret end theirs that is from the calling of the Council at Ephesus by the authority of Theodosius the younger about the year of Christ CCCCXXXI in which Nestorius was condemn'd and he continues his History to the XII th year of the Reign of Mauritius which is the DXCVII year of Christ and he flourished mostly under this Emperour and his Successour Tiberius the Second This History of Euagrius consists of VI. Books in the first of which he comprehends the times of Theodosius the younger in the IId those of Martian and Leo the Thracian as he is commonly call'd in the IIId those of Zeno and Anastasius in the IVth those of Justin and Justinian in the Vth those of Justin the Second and Tiberius the Second in the VIth he goes on to the XIIth year of Mauritius who was Son-in-Law to Tiberius the Second and is by some call'd the Cappadocian And this was the year of Christ 597 as I have said above And with the same times that Euagrius hath thus written concur the Histories of Procopius Agathias and Jornandes of the affairs of the Goths and the Miscellane History of Diaconus from the XIIth to the XVIIIth Book and to conclude a great part of C. Sigonius his History of the Western Empire which I thought fit to tell the Reader here that he might know where to find an enlargement of the Histories of those times Theophilactus Simocatus was famous about the year of Christ DCXII. and is a delicate Writer amongst those of the latter Greek Historians he wrote VIII Books of the Actions of Mauritius which the Reader is to begin when he has read Euagrius Nor is it possible he should repent of this small Labour because he brings the History to the year of Christ DCI. to the very Murther of Mauritius and that not perfunctorily but accurately and elaborately so that others have deduced their borrowed streams from him as from a River as Pontanus the Jesuite saith His temper is soft and exceeding honest and his Writings discover and testifie a learning above the ordinary pitch And now if the Reader please let us take a stand a while and look back and see how much of our designed Journey is expedited and let us consider how and by what means we are arrived at the end of the VIth Century after Christ. Eusebius comprehends in his History somewhat above CCC years Socrates Theodoret and Sozomen have added to this CXL years more and then the History is brought down about CXL years farther by Euagrius and Simocatus makes up the rest of the time as is said above to the Six hundred and first year after Christ in which year Mauritius the Emperour with his Wife and Children was Murthered by Phocas who succeeded him in the Empire ADDITION All these Church Historians were a few years since put out in Greek and Latin by Valesius a Frenchman with excellent Notes and a new Version of his own in three Volumes in Folio which were soon after translated into English and put out in one Folio And they are very exactly translated and indeed somewhat the less delightfull to the Reader for being so nicely true and curious SECT XXXVI In the VII th Century and two or three which follow it those Writers of Church History who could treat it as it deserved were very rare The Legends of the Saints Oceans of Miracles and Wonders The times of Rotomantados and Ignorance THe Authours above recited have brought us to the VII th Century which if any Man search diligently with two or three which follow it I believe he will hardly find any one Authour who has handled the History of the Catholick Church according to its dignity There were indeed in those ages some who wrote the Lives and Legends of some of the Saints and the Acts and Passions of the Martyrs but then they swarm with fables and obtrude upon credulous and superstitious Men whole bed-rolls of Miracles And as Bellarmine himself saith of Simeon Metaphrastes who flourished Anno 859. they add many things of their own invention and write them not as they were but as they might have been done in the times of Damascen and German the Constantinopolitan amongst the Greeks saith our Reverend Bishop and in the times of George the Dialogist and the other George of Tours and in the times of our venerable Bede the Ocean of Miracles and Wonders burst in upon the
and the conversation of Learned Men which she heard diligently But many have a great suspicion that this Royal and Learned Lady out of her great Love for her Father is a little too partial in this her History SECT XXXIX Nicetas Acomiatus follows immediately after Zonaras after Nicetas Gregoras Lipsius his Judgment of both these Writers The fidelity of Gregoras call'd in question Johannes Cantacuzenus is in this place commended to the Reader by the Learned Vossius after the former follows Laonicus Calcochondylas AFter Zonaras Nicetas Acomiatus or Choniates immediately follows in order and subjoins his History For where Zonaras ends there Nicetas begins and prosecutes the Story somewhat largely and freely for LXXXV years to the taking of Constantinople by Baldwin the Flandrian and the year of Christ 1203. He was born at Chonis a Town of Phrygia from whence he took his Sir-name The Chronicle of Gregoras Logothetes may here also have its place he has the History of the taking of Constantinople and of the events that followed for almost LX. years that is from Baldwin the Flandrian to Baldwin the last Emperour Both Zonaras and Choniates had great employments in the Constantinopolitan Empire which made them the fitter to write their Histories the first was the great Drungar and prime Secretary and the Latter was the great Logothetes and Lord Chamberlain of the Sacred or Presence Chamber After Nicetas follows also Nicephorus Gregoras who wrote an History of CXLV years to wit from Theodorus Lascares the First to his own times or to the death of Andronicus Palaeologus the latter which falls in the year of Christ 1341. We must confess these two last did not make it so much their business to describe the History of the Church as that of the Empire or Civil State yet because they sometimes intermix things belonging to the Church briefly as occasion serves and are therefore reckon'd by others amongst the Ecclesiastical Writers and also because Choniates connects his Narrative to the History of Zonaras and Nicephorus makes it his business to supply or fill up what haniates had omitted as if he had designed to perfect the body of the History therefore I could not omit them and that the rather because amongst the latter Greeks there are no Authours of better note than these for the inforcing which last reason to the Lovers of History and that we may with the greater facility induce them to the Reading of these Authours I will here paint out the judgment of Justus Lipsius upon them I confess saith he that Nicetas is not yet publickly and commonly much taken notice of but he is worthy to be more known being of a pure and right judgment if there were any such in that Age his style is laboured and tastes of Homer and the Poets very often but then the subject and relation it self is distinct clear without vanity or trifles as short as is fit and faithfull there is in him frequent and seasonable reflexions or advices his Judgments of things are not onely free but sound In short I wish all Statesmen would reade him and then I shall not question but some of them will pay me their thanks for this judgment of him at least I am sure they will owe me thanks Thus much of Choniates and of Gregoras he gives this judgment Nicephorus Gregoras takes up the History where Nicetas ends it and brings down the thread of his Narrative but he doth not deserve the same commendations for though he wrote the History of affairs from the taking of the City of Constantinople to the death of Palaeologus the latter yet he did it not with the same correctness or industry and has more of the faults of his Age than the former he is redundant and wandering and indecently and sometimes imprudently mixeth his own onceits and Harangues Yet his Judgments are thick sown and for the most part right the causes of events are curiously inquired into and represented Piety is inculcated and many things are seasonably assigned and turn'd over to the first cause that is to God In truth no Writer has more asserted PROVIDENCE and FATE He is to be read for this cause and also for another that is that the greatest part of his History represents a state of affairs not much unlike our own times for you will find in him Contentions and Quarrels concerning Religion not much unlike those in our days Thus far goes Justus Lipsius in his Accounts of this Authour But then there are some Men of great skill in History who have some scruples concerning the fidelity of this Nicephorus especially in the affairs of Andronicus Palaeologus where he ends as I have said above And therefore if the Reader please he may there take in Johannes Cantacuzenus who of an Emperour became a Monk and wrote an excellent History under the Title of Christodulus of the Reigns of Andronicus the younger and his own The Learned Vossius commends this History on many accounts to those that are conversant in the study of History This History saith he ought to be the more esteemed because it was written by a Person who had not always led an obscure private life but who was first a great Officer in the Family and Court of Andronicus Junior and after his death had the tutelage of his Children and afterwards the Senate desiring and the affairs of the Empire requiring it he was elected Emperour and behaved himself prudently and valiantly in that Royal station To this may be added that he did not write of things which were scarce known to him but of such transactions as he was present at and had the chief conduct of and in truth I think there is hardly any one amongst the Modern Greeks who ought to be preferr'd before him This Royal Historian flourished about the year of Christ 1350. this History consists of VI. Books as Vossius there saith whereof the two first treat of the Reign of Andronicus the remaining IV of his own Reign and what he did after the death of Andronicus He was made a Monk in the year of Christ 1360. when he took the Name of Josaaphus Thus far the Learned Vossius And that our Historian may not here be at a loss or interrupt the thread of his Reading till he have seen the last period of the Eastern Empire And the deplored state of the Church there upon that revolution he may be pleased to subjoin to the former the History of Laonicus Chalcocondylas the Athenian For he will diligently shew what followed and how at last that August or Royal City which was not content to be the second City of the World but greatly emulated Rome the Sovereign of the Earth fell into the Power of that Potent Tyrant the Turk the bitter Enemy of our Faith and of the most Sacred Cross. And he doth also most excellently describe the Rise Encrease and Progress of this Tyrant
and his Nation He begins his History from Ottoman the Son of Orthogulis who began to Reign about the year of Christ MCCC which he has compos'd in X. Books and in it he has comprised the Story of the Eastern Church and Empire And he continues it not onely to the year MCCCCLIII in which Constantinople was taken by Mahomet but also as Vossius assures us to the year 1463. in which this Mahomet the IId stoutly defended himself against Matthias King of Hungary and the Venetians who invaded his Kingdom And Vossius saith also Blasius Vigenerius of Bourbon put out this History in French with Notes which was Printed at Paris in the year 1620. SECT XL. Blondus Foroliviensis may supply the want of the Greek Writers as to the Church History with some others Sigebertus Gemblacensis The opinion of Cardinal Bellarmine concerning him Robertus the Abbat continues Sigebert to the year 1210. The Hirshavan Chronicle to the year 1370. and the Additions to that Chronicle to the last Century The Cosmodromus of Gobelinus Person where to be Read its commendation In the stead of it may be read Albertus Crantzius his Metropolis into which many things are transcribed out of the Cosmodromus and the History brought down from the times of Charles the Great to the year 1504. Nauclerus also may supply this defect And that the Reader may avoid Repetitions he may begin with the middle generations of the Second Tome Johannes Sleidanus wrote Ecclesiastical Commentaries from the year 1517. to the year 1556. which are continued to the year 1609. by Caspar Lundorp THe Authours I have given account of in the three last Sections have written altogether of the Eastern affairs and do scarcely at all touch the state of the Western Church This defect may be supplied out of Blondus Foroliviensis who will serve in stead of many who has as is above observed comprehended in his Decads an intire and continued series of affairs from the declension of the Empire and the year of Christ CCCCVII to the year MCCCC and what he wants the following Authours will make good And in the first place I shall begin with Sigebert a Monk of Gemblours a celebrated Abbey in Brabant who was famous about the year of Christ MXCIV. he begins his Chronicle in the year CCCLXXXI that is a little before the end of the Tripartite History and continues it to the year M. C. XIII Bellarmine accuseth him of bearing ill-will to Gregory the VII th Pope of Rome out of a great affection to Henry the IV th Emperour of Germany and perhaps he might favour the Emperour the Cardinal goes higher and reproacheth him for Lying in his account of the death of that Pope but how truely let the Cardinal Answer for himself Robertus Abbat of Mons continued Sigebertus his Chronicle to the year MCCX and the Hirshavan Chronicle of Trithemius to the year MCCCLXX and to conclude the Paraleipomena or Additions of the Abbat of Ursperg brought down this Story to our Age almost Or if these do not please the Reader we can furnish him with other which deserve as well to be read as these And the first in this set shall be Gobelinus Person an Authour not to be despised in the opinion of Learned Men who wrote an Universal Chronicle which he call'd the Cosmodromus in which he has given an account both of the Civil and Sacred or Church History from the Creation of the World to the year of Christ 1418. in which time Sigismund the Son of Charles the IV th was Emperour He divided his whole Work into six Ages and it appears in every one of them that according to the capacity of the times in which he liv'd he was a person of no vulgar either learning or diligence and study in the searching out of what pertains to History But if the Reader be not willing to give himself the trouble of a repetition of what passed before the Birth of Christ when he comes to this Authour he may begin with the VI th Age which takes its Rise at the Nativity of our Lord. And if he is not at all pleased with this Authour he may then pass on to Albertus Crantzius who wrote an History which he stiles the Metropolis or an Ecclesiastical History of the Churches built or restor'd in the times of Charles the Great In the Writing of which History he made great use of Gobelinus his Cosmodromus and transcribd sometime intire Pages out of it into his own work which was afterwards done by many others as the Learned Vossius bears witness Crantzius begins at the times of Charles the Great and goes on to the year MDIV. Johannes Nauclerus also a Noble Schwaben wrote a Chronicle in two Tomes from the beginning of the World to the year MD. the first Volume contains LXIII Generations that is all the Generations of the Old Testament the second Volume with the Appendixes comprehends in LII Generations all those of the New Testament And before this Work was published Philip Melancthon partly by new Methodizing and partly by encreasing and changing it made it much the more desired and the more usefull and delightfull also when it came out And here too the Reader may begin with the second Volume or from the Middle Generations of the second Volume if he be desirous to avoid the repetition of those things which he had before read in other Authours Johannes Sleidanus also in the memory of our Fathers wrote Commentaries concerning the state of Religion from the year MDXVII to the year MDLVI wherein is the History of the Rise of the Reformation throughout all Christendom which is continued in III. Volumes by Caspar Lundorpius to the year MDCIX SECT XLI Venerable Bede and Usuardus are by no means to be neglected nor the Writers of the Lives of the Popes of Rome as Anastasius Bibliothecarius and Bartholomaeus Platina their great Elogies Onuphrius corrected and continued Platina to the year 1566. Sigonius interwove the affairs of the Church with his Civil Histories and so deserves to be esteem'd a Church Historian the Elogies of Sigonius and Onuphrius BEsides these there are extant not a few other Historians which are not less to be valued than those we have mention'd Amongst which in the first place I reckon Venerable Bede our Countrey-man who wrote Annals from the beginning of the World to the Reign of Leo Iconomachus in whose times he flourished Anno 730. when this diligent and pious Writer comes near his times he gives a larger account of affairs than in the former Ages Usuardus a Monk of Fuld in Germany but a Frenchman by birth and the Scholar of Allwin our Countreyman by the command of Charles the Great put out a Martyrologie in which he described the Lives of the Confessours and other Saints in few words and this is now extant to the no small advantage of
193 207. Michael 224. Milton 170. Moccenicus 221. Molinaeus 202. N NArdus 223. Nauclerus 276. Neubrigensis 138 140. Nicephorus Calistus 263. Constantinopolitanus 263. Gregoras 122 268. Nicetas Choniates 122 267. Novimagus 207. O OCampus 212. Oderbonius 217. Odericus Vitalis 155. Onuphrius 80 279. Osorius 212. Orosius 47 60 90 182. Osiander 292. Otto Frisingensis 186. Oviedus 218. P PAntaleon 215. Paradinus 202. Paterculus 98. Paulus Aemilius 128 181 200. Diaco us 90 120 181 182. Jovius 125 200 214. Pausanias 47. Parthenopoeus 221. Penia 216. Petavius 40. Peter Blesensis 150 153. Philadelphus 202. Phillips 175. Pigihus 81. Pigna 223. Platina 278. Plutarch 47 54 57 60 64 68 70 88 90 91 93. Polybius 71 90. Polydore Virgil 176. Poggius 222. Pomponius Laetus 113. Mela 209. Pontanus 207. Procopius 221 191 257. Prochorus 235. Pronovius 217. R RAbutius 202. Radulphus de Diceto 144. Ramnutius 222. Ranzanus 189. Rawleigh 41. Reusnerus 216. Reinerus Reineccius 40 199 215. Revius 207. Ritius 223. Robertus de Monte 274. Rolevinkius 198. Rubeus 191 195 224. Ruffinus 249. S SAbellicus 220. Salustius 77 94. Santineus 218. Sanctius Palentinus 211. Sanderson 175. Sammes 169. Saxo Grammaticus 181 192. Scardonius 222. Schafnaburgensis 181 185. Selden's Analecta 133. Sheringham 135. Sigebert 274. Sigonius 80 124 224 25 279. Simeon Dunelmensis 141. Simlerus 181 198. Silvius 135. Skinner 163. Sleidanus 40 201 276. Socrates 250. Soiterus 190 215. Sozomen 250 253. Spartianus 109. Spangenburgius 199. Speed 164. Spelman 146. Spondanus 291. Stella 181 197 215 221. Strada 208. Suetonius 104. Sulpitius Severus 230. Suiserus 198. Sylvius 197. T TAcitus 105 184. Tarapha 211. Theodoret 250 253. Theophilactus Simocatus 257. Thomas de la Moore 149. Thomas Moore 157. Trussel 171. Thuanus 126 296. Thucydides 54. Trogus Pompejus 77. Turocius 189. Turonensis 199. Tyrius 205. V VAlla 211. Vassaeus 212. Vartomannus 218. Vernius 223. Verrerius 223. Ugolius 223. Vopiscus 112. De Voragine 221. Uredus 206. Urspergensis 274. Usuardus 277. W VVAlsingham 148 154. Warnefridus 194. William of Malmesbury 137. Winsemius 207 Whitekindus 198. X XEnophon 60. Ximenes 210. Xiphilin 109. Z ZOnaras 91 114 116 265. Zozimus 114 115. Licensed to be Published July 10. 1685. Ro. L'Estrange History of Oxford lib. 2. p. 98. Juv. Sat. 7. Ter. Heaut Liseng Ap. in Can. Hor. de Arte Poet. Epist. 1. 7. Ep. 17. Mimographi l. 5. Ep. 13. l. 7. Ep. 17. Lip Ep. 48. Cent. 2. ad Belg. Amb. Ep. l. 6. Ep. 40. Ad Sabinum Theophrast Pers. Sat. 1. Lib. 2. Ep. 3. Lib. 1. c. 2. Val. Max. Li. 8. c. 10. Lib. 2. Sat. 4. Transcribed from Mr. Creech his Elegant Version The definition of History The Scope De Natali die Varro cap. 21. Oros. l. 1. c. 7. Lib. 1. c. 9. Aug. de C. D. 1. 18. c. 10. Justin. l. 2. c. 6. * These Exercises were instituted by Hercules and revived by Iphitus A. M. 3174 and from this year the Olympiads or Circle of 4 years are numbred Lib. 2. de Exp. Alex. De Laud. Stilic l. 3. Lib. 1. c. 6. Can. Issagog lib. 3. p. 315. Lib. 3. 1â—9 and 160. Lib. 2. c. 7. Lib. 3. p. 150 Chron. l. 3. p. 146. Luca. l. 10. L. 15. L. 6. c. 29. Chron. l. 1. p. 10. Lib. 5. de trad Discip. Franken â— Lib. 1. Iâ—st H. Beurerus Sleidanas Ep. ad Hen. Meibomium Lib. de formand Stud. p. 37. Reinerus Reineccius J. Capellus Petavius This is translated into English Funccius Buntingus Helvicus Calvitius Justinus Voss. de Hist. art l. 2. c. 1. Sir Walter Rawleigh V. Epist. ded lib. de Ar. Hist. Berosus lived 250 years before Christ. Ctesias 375. Megasthenes 290. Cresias Scaliger de Em. Temp. notis Strabo l. 14. Lib. 2. Strom. l. 1. De Tradend disc lib. 5. Diodorus Siculus lived sixty years before Christ. Ad Euseb. 1967. Lib. 5. de Trad. disc lib. 2. de Caus. Corr. Art He lived A. Chr. 140. Herodotus Animad in Eus. Chron. p. 97. Clic Euterpe Thalia Melpomene Terpsicore Erato Polymnia Urania Calliope I heartily wish we might once have a good Version of Herodotus which though in French was never yet made English Justin. C. Nepos is lately put out in English Thucydides Englished by Mr. Hobbs De Orat. l. 2. De instit Orat. l. 10. c. 1. Praefat ad Polyb. Epist. de Stud. politico Plutarch Diodorus Siculus Plutarch Corn. Nepos D. Siculus Justin. Orosius Xenophon This Authour's Histories are lately translated into English In Not. ad 1. Poli. cap. 9. Epist. de Studio Politico He flourished in the IVth year of the XCIV Olympiad A. M. 3550. Plutarch Nepos Justin. D. Siculus Diodorus Siculus is said to be translated into English but not yet Printed Mountague Cicest Episc. in praef ad Apparat. * The first Latine Editions of this Authour make six Books the occasion of this Errour was occasioned by the division of the first Book into two parts by the Authour by which the Latine Translatour and Volterranus and some others being deceived made six Books of those five Cor. Nepos Plutarch Arrianus Lib. 2. de Hist. G. cap. 11. Justin. Q. Curtius Epist. de Stud. Politico Praef. ad l. 4. Arrian flourished 14â— years after Christ. Praef. ipsius Suid Lib. 1 Ep. 2. Diodorus Siculus Justin. Plutarch Plutarch Polybius was translated by M. Edward Grimston and Printed Anno 1634. In Arcadia Methodi c. 4. Not. ad lib. 1. Politic. 9. Cent. 3. Misc. Ep. 61. Livius in proaem lib. Cicer. Tuscul qu. 1. Lib. 2. c. 6 7. In not ad Justin. Florus has been several times translated into English Elect. l. 2. c. 5. Colerus was a very Learned civil Lawyer Epist. de Stud. politico Ludovicus Vivis lib. 5. p. 356. Observat. Hist. lib. 3. c. 34. C. Sigoni Onuphrius Pighius Dionysius Halicarnassaeus never translated into English Do methodo cap. 4. Titus Livius this Authour was translated into our Tongue by one Philemon Holland a Physician De ratione Dicen l. 3. p. 1â—4 de Histo. 1. Dionysius Halicarnassaeus Plutarch's Elogies In Not. ad Polit. lib. 1. c. 9. Epist. de Stud. Polit. Plutarch Justin. Orosius P. Diaconus Polybius Fabius Maximus and M. Marcellus J. Zonaras Appianus Alex. Bibl. Od. 57. Method l. 2. cap. 4. Lib. 1. de instit Hist. p. 87. Both lived under Hadrian as Vossius out of Photius but Appian continued much longer and writ under Antoninus the Successour of Hadrian Titus Livius Plutarch * He was the Son of Livia the Wife of Augustus by a former Husband Salustius and Caesar's Commentaries both these Authours are in English especially the latter rarely done lib. 14. De Studio politic * And yet it is not agreed amongst the Learned whether these two Epistles are his or no. In Bruto In Praef. l. 8. de Bello Gall. Lib. 1. de Hist. Lat. c. 13. Epist. ad Max. I. Imp. Dion Cassius he flourished in the year 231 after Christ. Phot. Bib. Cod. 71. Vellejus Paterculus Ald. in Scholiis ad
at the same time give you his judgment of this Authour Dionysius Halicarnassaeus saith he besides the esteem he merits by his familiar Style and pure Attick Greek has also written the Roman Antiquities from the very Foundation of the City with so great a diligence that he seems to excell all the other Greek and Latine Authours for what the Latines neglected as common and well known their Sacrifices for instance Plays Triumphs Insigns of Magistrates and all the order of the Roman publick Government their Taxes or Revenues their Auspicia or Divinations their great Assemblies and their difficult partitions of the People into Classes and Tribes Lastly the Authority of the Senate the Commands of the Plebes or lower Orders the Authority of the Magistrates and the power of the People he onely seems to have accurately delivered and for the better understanding of these he compares them with the Grecian Laws and Rites as when he fetches the Laws of Retainers Vassalage or Protection which Romulus instituted though Caesar saith the same was in common use amongst the Gauls higher and derives it from the Athenians and Thessalians and he saith also the Roman Dictatour had the same power with the Lacedemonian Harmoston the Thessalian Archum and the Mitylenean Aesymneten all which several Magistrates had in their several Countries a Sovereign Power and were not responsable for what they then did the Laws of Romulus Numa and Servius had together with the Origine of the People of Rome perished totally if this Authour had not preserved them the Latine Historians as was said before neglecting them as vulgar and well known and this happens to most Historians who neglect what is commonly known as if it were equally so to Foreigners as well as to their own People or as if they thought them unchangeable thus far Bodinus But if any man is desirous to know farther how great a person Dionysius Halicarnassaeus was and what great advantages his History affords he may reade the several works Henricus Stephanus has added to his History he lived under Augustus Caesar was a Domestick and great Familiar or friend to Varro and Bodinus thinks that from his Fountains he derived his best informations lib. 3. de Rep. c. 3. SECT XVII Titus Livius abundantly and not undeservedly praised in what time he Lived how many Books he wrote from whence the division of them came in what order they are to be read how the History may be improved or upon the defect or loss of his History suppli'd Plutarch's praise and Elogies AFter this Dionysius let the Prince of the Roman History Titus Livius follow famous above all others for his Eloquence and Fidelity that honour is given him by Cremutius Cordus in Tacitus which Quintilianus perfects and enlarges where he compares him with Herodotus Herodotus saith he will not be offended that Titus Livius is compared with him seeing he is in his Relations of things of a wonderfull sweetness and of a most clear Candour in his orations Eloquent above what can be spoken every passage in them being so exactly fitted both to the things and Persons and as to the passions especially the sweeter and milder that I may speak sparingly no Historian has better represented them and therefore he hath by the variety of his excellencies equall'd that immortal briskness of Salust nor is the censure of the famous Casaubon that Learned man though more modern inferiour to this Titus Livius is a great Authour divinely Elegant in a certain sweet plenty of Style loving Vertue hating Vices right in his judgment expert in things relating to Peace and War though no way accustomed to or experienced in the latter and if I have any Judgment this was the onely genius the People of Rome I speak as to History ever had equal to their Empire these Commendations are solid and Prolix enough and yet I cannot forbear but I must here insert also the censure of Johannes Bishop of Alariensis which Ludovicus Vivis so much admires and in truth I hope I shall perform an usefull and acceptable piece of Service by it to the Studious because it shews the perfections we should aim at in History and the defaults we should avoid whether he observed them in Livy or in considering the way of writing Histories or by comparing both these together Variety saith he hath not rendered Livy confus'd nor the simplicity of his History nauseous in the little and low matters which often happen he is not without Bloud dry and jejune and in Plenty and greatness he is not turgid and Vast being full without swelling equal and soft on this side Efeminacy neither Luxuriously flowing nor horridly barren in plain things he is not unpleasant nor Languid in soft things he does not rise in a violent and forced Oratory yet he is not so copious as to be trouble some nor Lascivious in his Pleasantness nor so light as to be careless he is not so severe as to be rud nor so simple as to be Naked nor so drest that he may seem by an affected composition to be curled with Hot-Irons his words are equal to his matter and his Sentences to his Subjects he is grave and magnificent in his Accounts of Actions and yet short and proper in Narrations he is natural and always circumspect never confounding the Order nor forerunning the Event he is no seeker of favour by Flattery or sparing in his reprehensions in expectation of a Pardon nor yet bitter to an offence he never spares the Senate that great and venerable Moderatour of the World nor the Roman People the Princess of the Earth if precipitated by rashness or deceived by Errour or by any other means whensoever they happen to transgress the bounds of Moderation and Justice not defrauding the Enemies of his Countrey of their deserved Commendation that he might some times seem onely to be a relatour and at other times a Censour he is so severe and sower as when occasion serves he never spares the gravest Censours than whom nothing at Rome was more Sacred and in his Orations he is sparing in words but rich in Sentences he is much more restrain'd and concise in his words than in his Sense in which particular he hath not onely excelled all other Writers but himself also very much This he said of Livy saith Ludovicus Vivis and I grant it the description of an excellent Historian Livy published his History under Augustus and he died the IV th year of the Reign of Tiberius he writ CXL Books which were in the opinion of Petrarch divided into Decades not by himself but by the fastidious Laziness of the Readers but of these there are onely XXXV Extant of which the three first have many things in Common with Dionysius Halicar but described with that sweetness and Elegance of Style that the Reader can never repent the Repetition in the remaining VII Books of the first Decade this Authour brings down the History to the
Brutus to be read every one in his time and with them let the Reader take in Salustius his Jugurthine War and add to them also the Catilinarian Conspiracy and Caesar's Commentaries which Authours Antiquity accounted amongst the principal Historians Salustius was famous about 44 years before Christ Anno V. C. 707. And Quintilianus hath compared him with Thucydides Tacitus calls him the most florid writer of the Roman History he is call'd by Martial the Epigrammatist Crispus the first of all the Roman Historians whereupon Colerus writeth thus to Stanislaus Zelenius Consider saith he that by the testimony of the Ancients themselves there was in Salust all those Endowments that make a perfect Historian and afterwards you can repeat the Catilinarian Conspiracy by heart but to no purpose if you do not well consider that man's profound knowledge in publick affairs which he hath discovered even in that very small Book and he wrote the Jugurthine War with no less Art and his two Epistles to Caesar concerning the setling the publick affairs do they not even seem to have fallen from Heaven and Justus Lipsius saith thus of him If it were left to me I should in this Catalogue not doubt to chuse Salustius for president of the Senate of Historians and as to Caesar's Commentaries who ever thought they did not deserve the highest Commendation and to be read by young men with the utmost care Cicero averr'd that they were very much to be approved Aulus Hertius saith they were to be admir'd they are saith he so much approved by the judgment of all that they rather seem to have prevented the need of another writer than to have afforded him an assistence or occasion and yet as he goes on my wonder here exceeds that of all others for they onely know how well and Correctly he hath written them but I know with what facility and quickness he did it But what say the Criticks of our Age they do not much less esteem it The famous Vossius thus expresseth himself he is a pure and Elegant Writer and most accurate in the structure of his words and glides along like a pleasant quiet River and is politick and grave in his Sentences in which he excelleth Xenophon though in the rest he is not much unlike him and a little after In truth here is a great plenty of great and usefull things which he that neglects to please himself in the interim with the Elegance of the words is less wise than Children who do not so delight themselves with the Leaves of Trees as to despise their excellent Fruit. The piece of the African War whether it be Caesar's or Oppius or Hirtius that writ it is preferr'd by Colerus before all the rest that work saith he surpasseth the rest not onely in Bloud and Colour but in strength also and Nerves Princes and Souldiers have in it what they may reade and practise or rather admire for who can imitate Caesar Justus Lipsius differs somewhat from these two concerning Caesar's Commentaries and thus he writes of those Historians that are Extant C. Caesar is most praised if as an Elegant Narratour I willingly assent for the Style of that man is truly pure adorned but without Paint or force and worthy either the Attick or Roman Muse but if as a perfect Historian I say I doubt because in his Civil History some doubt of his Fidelity and the third requisite in a good Historian the Moral and Politick part is altogether wanting in him and therefore Caesar who was no undervaluer of himself gave them the Title of Commentaries and not of Histories and even for this he deserved true praise because he despised the false SECT XX. Of Dion Cassius and his History how many Books he wrote how many of them have perished and how great the loss is how deservedly Vellejus Paterculus is reputed one of the best Writers his Vertues are shewn and his faults not dissembled A transition to the Writers of the times of the Caesars AFter Plutarch's Lucullus the remainders of Dion Cassius or Coccejus may be taken in also who is deservedly reputed one of the best Historians they begin with the actions of Quintus Metellus in Creet Anno V. C. 686 then they express the great enterprises of Pompey beginning with the Pyratick War and so continue down the Roman History to the Death of Claudius Caesar Anno V. C. 806. In truth Dion wrote LXXX Books of History beginning with the Arrival of Aeneas in Italy and the building of Alba and Rome and so went on without any interruption ending in the Slaughter of Heliogabalus Anno V. C. 973 Christi 221 but the first XXXIV Books are lost the next following XXV are Extant and those that succeeded these again are lost how great the loss of these LV Books is will easily appear to any man from what is spoken of him by John Bodinus considering saith he that Dion spent his whole life in managing publick affairs and by all the inferiour degrees of Honours arose to that height as to be twice made Consul and after that being Proconsul Governed some Provinces to his great honour joyning a great knowledge and experience together who can doubt whether he is to be placed amongst the best writers of History in truth he gathered together very accurately the order of the Assemblies of State and the Rights of the Roman Magistrates he is the onely person who hath given an account of the Consecration or Deifying of their Princes and Divulged their Arcana imperii secrets of State as Tacitus calls them for he was a diligent searcher into the publick Councils Or if our Reader desireth to go a shorter way and to reade the rest of the History where Livy fails twisted in one thread as it were Vellejus Paterculus may very well be admitted who flourished under Tiberius Caesar as he himself testifieth Anno Christi 27. Aclear explainer of the ancient History close and of a great efficacy and Aldus Minutius speaks thus of him he is honest and true till thou comest to the Caesars where he is not every where faithfull for through flattery he conceals or covers many things yea and plainly tells them otherwise than they were yet he expresseth himself every where with a certain facil and flowing Eloquence Justus Lipsius thus speaks of him nothing can flow with greater purity and sweetness than his Style he comprehends the Antiquities of the Romans with so much brevity and perspicuity that if he were extant intire there is no other that is equal to him and he does commend the illustrious Persons he names with a certain exalted Oratory and worthy of so great a man as Johannes Bodinus saith it is commonly conceived and agreed that his Compendium of the Roman History is contained in two Books but we have onely some shreds of his first Book as Rhenanus calls them but if the Reader begins with the IX th
Chapter of the Gruterian Edition he will find the History intire from the Conquest of Perseus King of the Macedonians to the XVI th year of the Reign of Tiberius Caesar and he may all along as he pleases joyn the Lives I have mentioned above in their order with Vellejus to enlarge the History and so he may pass on to the Writers of the Caesarian times The Authour having in the end of the XVIII th Section made onely a short mention of Appianus Alexandrinus I think it not amiss here to give somewhat a larger account of him because there is an excellent Version of his Works in English whereas Dion Cassius to my knowledge was never translated into our Language Henry Stephens in his Dedicatory Epistle before Appianus calls him the Companion of Dion Cassius and saith that these two were of great use to all those who desired to know the flourishing times of the Roman Common-wealth and to understand many passages in Cicero and others concerning the State of the Roman Republick for those Latine Historians who have come down to us cannot so well satisfie their Thirst as Dion and Appianus but if they do not leave their Reader wholly Thirsty yet we cannot deny but he will remain very unsatisfied And a little after saith he I shall mention another thing in which he is the Companion of Dion that is he relates not a few things that concern the change of the Roman State and the institution of their Princes and there is one thing in which he excells Dion and all the other Historians which is his ascribing those miseries which are attributed by all the rest to Fortune to the Providence of God thus far that Learned man speaks of him Vossius saith he writ the Roman History in XXIV Books beginning at Aeneas and the taking of Troy but with great brevity till the times of Romulus and then he wrote more accurately of all the succeeding times till Augustus adding some things here and there to the Reign of Trajan but then the manner of his dividing his Works and the Titles and Arguments of his Books may be best Learned saith he from Photius and from his own Preface of this vast work we have now extant nothing but his Punick Syrian Parthian Mithridatick Iberian and Illyrian Wars and 5 Books of the Civil Wars of the Romans and a fragment of the Celtick or German War Henry Stephens prefers him also before Dion Cassius and all the rest of the Historians because he reduced his History into certain Classes that though the whole was a Roman History yet the variety of the Titles which he placed before each Book seemed to promise the Reader a kind of new Subject and by that hope alured him to proceed not to mention saith he how much more easily any thing sought after may be found in this method of Writing in this Appianus has been very ingeniously imitated by Dr. Howell in his late Learned Universal History Photius gives this account of Appianus his History of the Civil Wars of the Romans these things are saith he contained in them first the Wars betwixt Marius and Sylla then those betwixt Pompey and Julius Caesar who contended against each other and fought many great Battels till fortune favouring Caesar Pompey turn'd his back and fled then the Wars of Antonius and Octavius Caesar who was afterwards call'd Augustus against the Murtherers of the first Caesar in which many of the greatest Romans were contrary to all Laws and Justice proscribed and Murthered then the Wars betwixt Antonius and Augustus themselves who had several sharp Fights to the destruction of great Armies till at last Victory smiling upon Augustus Antonius fled into Egypt having lost his Army and there Murthered himself which being the last Book of the Civil Wars shews also how Augustus took in Egypt and the Common-wealth of Rome became a Monarchy under Augustus He gives us also this account of the Authour Appianus was by Birth an Alexandrian and at first a Pleader of Causes at Rome afterwards he was a Praefect or Governour of some Provinces under the Emperours his Style is moderate and restrain'd but as far as is possible he is a lover of truth and an exact relatour of Military Discipline apt to put Life into the desponding Souldiery and to appease them when enraged and well able to describe and imitate any passion He flourished in the Reigns of Trajan and Adrian thus far Photius speaks of him That which prevailed upon me chiefly to insert this Addition in this place was Appianus his History of the Civil Wars in V Books written with great Clearness Elegance and Accurateness In which beginning with the Gracchian Sedition about the Agrarian Laws A. V. C. 622 or there abouts and continuing it down through all the various Seditions and Civil Wars of the Romans to the Death of Pompey the younger Anno V. C. 718. which was but five years before the fatal Battel of Actium and Augustus his settlement in the Empire a story that is not writ at large and intirely by any other but this Authour and Dion Cassius and is one of the best Supplements that is extant of the last Books in the end of Livy and one of the best Introductions too to the History of the Caesars and is one of the most lively Representations that is to be found in any History of the disorders of Common-wealths and the miseries that attend great changes in Governments and so of great use in this our unsetled Age. It is certain this History has lost its end for Photius gives an account that it reached much lower down in his times than it doth now ☞ There is now in the Press an excellent History of these times written Originally in French but made English wherein all these Greek and Latine Historians which have related the History of this great change in the Roman State are reduced into one Elegant body Intituled the History of the first and second Triumvirate Printed for Charles Brome SECT XXI The History of the Caesars is first to be fetched from Suetonius and Tacitus the great Honour shewn to both of them by the testimonies of very Learned men the judgment of the most famous Criticks concerning Tacitus various or rather contrary Light afforded both to Suetonius and Tacitus by Dion Cassius AS to the Writers of the Caesarian times let the Reader begin with Suetonius Tranquillus a most correct and candid Writer as Vopiscus stiles him He flourished under Trajan and Adrian Anno Christi 127 and was Secretary to Trajan he was an intimate friend to Pliny Secundus and he deserved his esteem being as Pliny saith in a Letter to Trajan an honest sincere Learned man And thence I conclude that the Testimonies of the later Criticks concerning him are true as that of Ludovicus Vivis Suetonius is the most diligent and impartial of all the Greek or Latine Writers he seems to me to have written