Ierom 3941. Iohn Carion 3944. Calvisius Helvicus Alstedius 3947. Origanus Argolus 3949. Scaliger Vbbo Emmius 3950. Cornelius a Lapide 3951. Beda Hermannus Herwart 3952. Landsperg 3958. Iohn Picus Count of Mirandola 3959. Luther Scultetus Iohannes Lucidus 3960. Beroaldus 3961. Sixtus of Siena Abbat Vrspergiensis Chrytreus 3962. Tostatus Melancthon Funcius 396â— Gerardus Mercator Opmeir 3966. Butting Santphurdius 396â— Bulingerus 3969. Nigrinus Pantaleon 3970. Brentzhein Bucholzer 3971. Theophilus of Antioch 3974. Bibliander 3979. Father Petavius 3984 Archbishop Vsher Tirinus Capellus Thomas Lydyat 4000. William Langius 4040. Tornelli Salianus Spondanus 405â— Labbe Muller 4053. Rabbi Moses 4058. Ioseph Son to Mattathias 4103. Laurence Codoman 4142. Riccioli according to the Hebrew and the Vulgar Bible 4184. Odiaton or Edwicon an Astronomer 4320. Cassiodorus 4697. Origines 4830. Adon of Vienna 4832. Methrodorus 5000. S. Epiphanius Bishop of Salamina 5029. Paulus Orosius 5049. Philo Iudaeus Sigibertus 5195. Isidorus of Sevil 5196. Philip of Bergama 5198. Eusebius of Cesarea 5200. Iohn Nauclerus 5201. Rabanus 5296. Albumazar an Astronomer 5328. Isidorus of Pelusium 5336. Petrus de Alliaco 5344. S. Augustin 5353. Theophanes 5500. Cedrenus 5506. Isaac Vossius 5590. Suidas 5600. S. Clement of Alexandria 5624. Riccioli according to the Septuagint 5634. Nicephorus of Constantinople 5700. Lactantius 5801. Philastrius 5801. Father Pezon 5868 or 5872. Onuphrius Panvinus 6310. Alphonsus King of Spain 6984. Of all these various Opinions we must of necessity take up with one for 't would be needless if not vain to pretend to a new one different from all the rest since it is not to be imagined but that among so many Systems there is some or other satisfactory and upon which one may depend For my part I have pitch'd upon the Opinion which places the Birth of our Saviour in the Year of the World 4000. The Reasons for this Choice are these 1. This space of Time is sufficient to explain and answer the Successions of the Patriarchs Judges and Kings in a Word all the History of the People of God which is the main thing to be considered in the choice of this Epocha Now some very learned Men have already made it out how those 4000 Years do exactly comprehend all the Series of Sacred History according to the Hebrew and the Vulgar Bible and besides that they fill up the Vacancies which the Silence of the Scripture has left towards the end of the Fourth Millenary the extent of which we cannot perfectly know without the Help of Prophane History or the Iewish History of Iosephus The PROOF Years of the World GENESIS contains the History of 2369 Years from the Creation of the World to Ioseph's death 2369. EXODVS comprehends the History of 145 Years reaching from the Death of Ioseph to the Year 2514. two Years before the going out of Egypt 2514. LEVITICVS takes in the Transactions of one Month and a half 2514 1 m. ½ The Book of NVMBERS contains the History oâ— 38 Years and a half that is from the second Month after the coming out of Egypt down to the Death of Moses or thereabouts 2552 7 m. ½ 'T is thought that JOB liv'd about this Time and that Moses wrote his History DEVTERONOMY contains the History of one Month and a half 2552 9 m. Therefore the Pentateuch or five Books of MOSES contain the History of 2552 Years and about nine Months 2552 9 m. The Book of IOSHVAH contains the History of 17 Years because it begins at the 41st Year after the coming out of Egypt and ends with the Death of Ioshuah 2570. The Book of IVDGES comprehends the History of 317 Years it begins at the Death of Ioshuah and ends at that of Sampson 2887. The History of RUTH happen'd under one of the Judges The First Book of SAMVEL contains the History of 101 Years because it begins with the first Year of the Administration of Heli towards the Year 2848. and ends with the Death of Saul in the Year 2949. However this Book does but add 60 Years to the History of the Book of Iudges because the forty Years of Heli's Government of which the first Chapters of the First Book of Samuel give the Particulars are included in Sampson's Time and therefore contained in the 317 Years of the Book of Iudges 2949. The Second Book of SAMVEL contains the History of David's Reign of about 40 Years 2989. The First Book of KINGS contains the History of Solomon's Reign and some Kings of Israel in all about 126 Years 3115. The Second Book of KINGS comprehends the History of 308 Years during which we see the Wars and Misfortunes of 16 Kings of Iuda and 12 Kings of Israel and the Downfal of those two Kingdoms But because the first Chapter of this Second Book concerning Ochosias and Iosaphat run back towards the Year of the World 3108. by that Reason the 308 Years reach no farther than the Year of the World 3456. The History of TOBIAH happens about this time The First Book of CHRONICLES is an Abridgment of the History of the World from Adam to the return from the Captivity Afterwards the Author resuming the History of David in particular pursues it at large till the time that Solomon was crowned King towards the Year of the World 2990. The Second Book of CHRONICLES contains the Sacred History from the Year of the World 2990. down to the Year 3468. at which time ended the 70 Years of the Captivity So that these two Books do but add 52 Years to the History of the People of God 3468. The First Book of ESDRAS contains the History of 82 Years beginning at the end of the Captivity of Babylon and reaching to the 20th Year of Artaxerxes Longimanus and the Year of the World 3550. The Second Book of ESDRAS contains the History of 31 Years as far as the beginning of the Reign of Darius Nothus in the Year of the World 3581. From the Year 3581. where ends the Second Book of Esdras the Scripture gives us no Account of what has happened during 250 Years This Silence and Vacancy cannot be supply'd otherwise than by the Help of Prophane History which about this time being clear and full of Light we may easily perceive that there are 250 Years from the end of the Second Book of Esdras down to the Maccabees or the Reign of Antiochus Epiphanes This Silence of 250 Years lasts to the Year of the World 3830. The Two Books of MACCABEES contain the History of 40 Years and so they lead us as far as the Year of the World 3870. The Holy Scripture fails us again in this Place where we find a Silence of 130 Years which continues till the Birth of our Saviour in the Year of the World 4000. This 130 Years Silence may be supply'd by the Hiâ—story of the Iews which Iosephus has probably extracted from the Journals of the High Priests 'T is plain by this Chronology of the Historieâ— Books of the Bible that the space of 4000
wiser for they did not allow every Body to compile their Histories The Pontiffs who had the care of Divine Worship and the Ceremonial part of their Religion had likewise the Charge of making their Annals wherein they were to take notice of the most famous Occurrences in their State from Year to Year This Cicero acquaints us with when he says Erat Historia nihil aliud nisi Annalium confectio cui rei Memoriae Publicae causa ab initio rerum humanarum usque ad Publ. Mutium Pontificem Maximum res omnes singulorum Annorum mandabat literis Pontifex Maximus Lib. 2. de Orat. These Annals also were very plain They contain'd no more than a Summary Account of Matters without entring into many Particulars It was the Genius of the antient Romans to affect Plainness They were more intent upon deserving Praise than hearing it and they never complimented one Man with what was only due to the whole Place A Glimpse of this primitive Simplicity may appear in their Fasti Consulares which was scarce any more than a downright Catalogue of the Roman Consuls These Reasons which we have given to doubt of the Truth of History ought not nevertheless to extinguish in us all sort of Belief for what Historians have written There are Rules before prescrib'd to direct us in antient History which are the very Quintescence of Criticism that is whatever good Sense or a sound Judgment could invent to precaution a heedless Reader against either the Ignorance Negligence or Insincerity of a Writer Into how many Errors would a Man fall if he had not some sort of regard to these Rules But since it is absolutely necessary for every body to be acquainted with the worth of an Historian before they read him I shall proceed to draw some faint Sketches of those that have been most famous in the World since it is my Intention here to be exact but not tedious CHAP. V. The most Celebrated Authors that have written of Church-History THE History of the Church under the Law is contain'd among the sacred Writers which we are never to question as we have said before yet whatever Esteem we may have for these Historians we are by no means forbid to make use of our Reason when we read 'em but are allow'd to Condemn or Approve 'em as we think fit Over and above the Books of the Bible which treat of the old Iewish Church we have also the Writings of Philo and Iosephus both which we shall say something of by reason of the excellency of their Works 1. Philo was a Iew of Alexandria who liv'd under the reign of Caius Caligula and who was Head of an Embassy which the Iews dispatch'd to that Emperor Amongst other Things he writ the life of Moses and Ioseph as also a Relation of his Embassy to Rome wherein he did not succeed Caligula being extreamly offended that the Iews had refus'd to have his Statue in their Synagogue This Author is altogether Platonick for he imitates so exactly Plato's Style that he has been term'd by some The Iewish Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut Plato Philonem aut Philo Platonem imitatur In his Book he explains the Bible allegorically He is Eloquent and very Diffusive and his Moral comes very near that of the Christians 2. Iosephus surnam'd Flavius on account of the Emperor Vespatian was a Iew of the sacerdotal Race of the Asmonians He was born in the 37th Year of our Saviour and dy'd in the 93d He has written the History of the Iews from the Creation of the World to the twelfth Year of them This Work he entitles The Iewish Antiquities He has also written an Account of the Iewish Wars with the Romans and of the Sacking of Ierusalem He has likewise written his own life two excellent Tracts against Appion a Pagan and one concerning the Martyrdom of the Maccabees Photius says that Iosephus writ Nicely that he knew how to charm his Readers and that he has all along judiciously embelish'd his History with florid Descriptions and eloquent Harangues St. Ierom calls him the Titus Livius of the Greeks and Erasmus says That his History of the Death of the Maccabees is a Masterpiece of Eloquence Authors of the Church-History I. Hegesippus was a Iew that embrac'd Christianity He came to Rome in the Pontificat of Pope Anicetus and continu'd there till the time of Elutherius that is from the Year of Christ 165 to 180. He is the first Author which has compos'd a Body of Church-History which he divided into V Books and in which he relates the most remarkable Occurrences in the Church from our Saviour's Passion to the time wherein he wrote We have only some Fragments of this Work now remaining which Eusebius has Collected and inserted into his History Under the Name of Hegesippus goes an History of the Iewish Wars and of the Destruction of Ierusalem divided into V Books But says Du Pin it is certain that this Work does not belong to Hegesippus but to an Author who liv'd since Constantin Some attribute this History to St. Ambrose because of a Manuscript of it which the famous Father Mabillon found in the Library given by that Saint at Milan and which was therefore suppos'd to have been a Translation of his II. Iulius Africanus was born in Palestine He was deputed by the Emperor Alexander Son of Mammeus to settle the City of Emmaus which was afterwards call'd Nicopolis He wrote a Chronicle from the beginning of the World to the 3d Year of the Emperor Heliogabalus which he divided into V Books and wherein he briefly relates all the memorable Occurrences down to his Time This Work we have not at present under the Name of Africanus but Eusebius has got it almost all in his Chronicle with some few Additions and Corrections III. Eusebius of Caesarea was born in Iudea towards the end of the Empire of Galienus He was chosen Bishop of Caesarea in the Year of our Lord 313 or 314. He has compos'd several learned Treatises but we shall mention none but those which relate to History 1. His Chronicle which is an Abridgment of Universal History from the Creation of the World to the time when he liv'd which was about the 20th Year of the Reign of the Emperor Constantin This Work contains a great deal of Learning and had no doubt a prodigious deal of Pains and Study bestow'd upon it St. Ierom translated it through tho' we have his first Part but very imperfect 2. His Ecclesiastical History divided into X Books is the chief of all his Works He has there taken notice of all the most memorable Things that have hapned in the Church from the time of our Saviour down to when he wrote He there gives you an exact Account of the several successions of the Bishops in the chieâ—est Cities of the World as likewise of the best Church-Authors and their Books He also reckons up all the Heresies that have crept
into the Church and particularly mentions what relates to the Iews He there describes the several Persecutions of the Martyrs their Contests and Disputes concerning Ecclesiastical Discipline and in a Word whatever else relates to the Affairs of the Church Without this History we could never have had the least knowledge of the first Ages of the Church for those who have writ after him have only began where he ended Du Pin after having affirm'd that this History of Eusebius was not so compleat as could have been Wish'd Adds moreover That his Defects have not been sufficient to obscure his Merit The Learned Henricus Valesius has translated him into Latin which he has join'd to the Greek Text. And some Learn'd Gentlemen of the University of Cambridge have made a Translation of him into English for the benefit of such as understand neither Latin nor Greek IV. St. Epiphanius was born in the Year of Christ 332. in a Village of Palestine He spent his Youth under the Monastick Tutelage of St. Hilarion and several other Monks of Palestine About the Year 366. He was elected Bishop of Salamis Metropolis of the Island of Cyprus The Book he wrote is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being against Heresy is to be look'd upon as a Treatise belonging to Ecclesiastical History This Tract is divided into three Parts The First contains the Heresies that have been before Jesus Christ which St. Epiphanius has reckon'd up to be 46. The Second consists of 23. and the Third of 11. So that thus this Book comprehends in all 80 Sects or Heresies This St. Epiphanius was an Implacable Enemy of the followers of Origin V. Rufinus a Priest of Aquilea flourish'd at the same time with St. Ierom to whom after having been a great Friend he became an inveterate Enemy He had a more than ordinary Esteem for Origin He set himself to read and translate his Books and undertook his defence against all those that Accus'd him This Zeal of his towards Origin was the chief cause of his Disagreeing with St. Ierom who had taken the contrary side Amongst all the Books of his Composing we shall only take notice of those two of Ecclesiastical History which he has added to the Translation of Eusebius He there continues the History of the Church to the Death of the Emperor Theodosius These Books were Dedicated to Chromacius of Aquilea and were writ about the time that Alaric King of the Goths ravag'd Italy They are indifferently well Penn'd yet there are considerable Faults to be found in the History VI. St. Ierom was born in the City of Strigna or Stridon situate upon the Confines of Pannonia and Dalmatia in the Year of Christ 345. His Father Eusebius sent him to Study at Rome under the celebrated Donatus where he soon made a considerable progress in Letters He receiv'd the Orders of Priesthood at Antioch from the Hands of Paulinus then Bishop of that City He has writ a great number of Books amongst which is to be found A Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers from the time of Iesus Christ down to his own when he wrote He compos'd this Tract at the request of Dexter Prefect of the Pretorium and in imitation of Suetonius and other Prophane Authors who have compil'd the Lives of the Philosophers and other famous Men. We have also his Chronicle which we must not look upon as a bare Translation of Eusebius St. Ierom having therein alter'd and added many Things Nay he has moreover continu'd this Chronicle from the 20th Year of Constantin to the sixth Consulate of Valens and second of Valentinian that is down to the Year 378. VII Sulpicius Severus a Priest of Agen equally famous for his Birth Genius and Piety who flourish'd about the same time with St. Ierom and Rufinus He was a Disciple of St. Martin whose life he wrote The chief of his Works is his sacred History consisting of two Books both which contain a well penn'd Epitome of the most remarkable Occcurrences in the Jewish and Christian Churches from the Creation of the World to the Consulship of Stilicon and Aurelian that is to say to the Year of Christ 400. He has all along imitated Salust for Brevity but infinitely surpasses him in clearness and beauty of Expression We have not any Abridgment of History says Mounsiuer Du Pin so well Digested and elegantly writ as this Epitome yet its Author is not always exact for he has committed several Errors in the History especially in that of the Church This Author has enlarg'd very much upon the Priscillianists and of all Writers gives us the best Account of them VIII St. Austin was born in Tagasta a City of Numidia under the Empire of Constantius the thirteenth of November in the Year of Christ 354. He became a Convert in the 32d Year of his Age and was ordain'd Bishop of Hippo in 395. and afterwards Dy'd as piously as he had Liv'd the 20th of August in the Year 430. being about 76 Years old Altho' there be a great many things throughout his whole Works that relate to Ecclesiastical History Yet we shall here mention only his small Treatise of Heresies written in the Year 428. at the request of the Deacon Quovult Deus to whom also it is Dedicated This Tract is no more than a brief Account of the several Sects of Hereticks and their principal Errors He begins with the Sinonians and ends with the Pelagians there being in all 88 Heresies You shall scarce meet with any thing in this whole Book but what is taken either from St. Epiphanius or Philaster Monsieur Du Pin speaking of this last who has reckon'd up 20 different Heresies before the Incarnation of Christ and 120 since his Birth to the Year 380. says That his Stile is Mean and Groveling that he had little or no Learning that he has made several considerable Mistakes in this small Treatise which is written with no manner of exactness and wherein are abundance of Errors The same Opinion Cardinal Bellarmin has of him in his Book De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis Father Labbe would have this Author's Works read with a great deal of Caution and St. Austin says That St. Epiphanius had writ better than Philaster but that nevertheless he was a Person of singular Piety and good Morals IX Pallades a Native of Galatia left his Country about 20 Years old to retire among the Hermits of Egypt He was ordain'd Bishop of Hellenopolis in the Year 401. and afterwards chosen Bishop of Aspon a City of Galatia and dependent on the Metropolitan See of Ancira He was a great Friend of Rufinus a Defender of Origin an Allie with Pelagius and Enemy to St. Ierom. In the Year 421. He writ a History of the Lives Actions Miracles and Sayings of the most Holy Monks that he had met with in Egypt Lybia Thebais and Palestine This History was Addrest to one Lausus which gave occasion afterwards for Naming it The Lausian History In this
succeeded to Michael VI. Emperor of Constantinople This Cedrenus was a great Plagiary having Robb'd Iohn Curopalate of almost all that he says after the death of Michael I. to the Reign of Isack Comnenes It was then customary among the Greeks to rifle the Dead and this ill Example extended also to Letters Eusebius made bold with Africanus George Sincellus a Monk of Constantinople who liv'd in the Eighth Century likewise Pillag'd him in his turn and moreover Criticis'd upon him most unmercifully After him comes George Theophanus a Man in other respects good enough but he could not forbear treading in the Paths of others and enriching himself with the Spâ—ils of such has had gone before him But still herein he was more moderate than George Cedrenus whose Theft was so exceedingly extravagant that Father Labbe the Jesuit in his Book de Script Eccles. expresses himself very much displeas'd when Vossius made it a Question Whether George Cedrenus were more beholden to Iohn Curopalate or Iohn Curopalate to George Cedrenus But the Truth is these modern Greek Peices are of no great Worth for they are generally made up of the Raggs of Antiquity Patch'd and Sow'd unjudiciously together As all these different Greek Works have been generally Stollen I have not thought it convenient to allow 'em any particular Article but imagine I have done sufficient to let the World know how little they ought to be Valu'd XXVII Ingulphus an English-man of London was a Monk in the Abby of Fontenelles in Normandy and afterwards Abbot of Croyland in England He flourish'd between the Years 1050 and 1109. when he dy'd He has written an Account of the Monasteries in England from the Year 664 to 1067. which was the first Year of the Reign of William the Conquerour whose Secretary 't is said Ingulphus was after he became King of England XXVIII Iohn Zonarius a Monk of the Order of St. Basil flourish'd about the Year 1120. He has written an Universal History in III Volumes Whereof the First contains the Affairs of the Jews from the Creation of the World to the Destruction of Ierusalem The Second comprehends an Abridgment of the Roman History from the Foundation of Rome to Constantin the Great The Third contains the Actions of the Eastern Emperors from Constantin to Alexis Comnenes M. Vossius allows this Author a greater share of Genius and Exactness than he seems to have Merited by his Works This Historian before he became a Monk had divers considerable Employments in the Eastern Emperors Courts XXIX Honorius Autunensius so nam'd from his having been Prebendary of the Cathedral Church of Autun in Burgundy He flourish'd under the Reign of the Emperor Henry V. about the Year 1120. There is a very large Chronicle of his which M. Vossius says is a great Honour to its Author being of no common Benefit to the Publick Gloriam sibi publico fâ—uctu quaesivit Volumine quod summa Historiarum vel Magnum Chronicum Opus Nuncupatur Vossius c. We have likewise an Account of the Ecclesiastical Writers from this Author which he entitles De Luminaribus Ecclesiâ—e XXX William of Malmesbury or Somerset a Monk of the Order of St. Benedict in the Monastery of Malmesbury where he was Library-keeper He has Writ Five Books of English History and Two which are call'd Historia Novella It ends with the Year 1142. when it is thought that its Author dy'd He is look'd upon to be one of the best Writers of the History of England XXXI Henry Steronius a Monk of the Abbey of Altaich in Germany liv'd in the 14th Century He has compil'd Annals which begin with the Year 1152. being the First of the Reign of Frederic Barbarossa and proceed on to the Year 1273. when the Emperor Rodolphus I. of the Family of Hapsbourg began his Reign Eberard Arch-deacon of Ratisbonne continues these Annals down to the Year 1305. This Author Steren likewise writ the several Lives of the Emperors Rhodophus of Hapsbourg Adolphus of Nassaw and Albert of Austria down to the Year 1300. Vlriâ— and Conrade Wellirige of Ausbourg two Brothers and Monks of the Order of St. Benedict made an Addition to this Work which extends to the Year 1335. XXXII Henry of Huntingdon Arch-deacon and Canon of Lincoln in England flourish'd about the Year 1153. being the time when Stephen King of England dy'd He has written the History of England in X Books from the Descent of the Angels and Saxons upon Britain to the Year 1153. Polidore Virgil says this was an excellent Historian Historicus Egregius XXXIII Petrus Cemester or Peter the Eâ—ter was Native of Trâ—ies in Champagne He quitted the Benefice which he had in the place of his Birth to become a Member among the Regular Canons of St Victor at Paris where he dy'd in October towards the Year 1198. and his Tomb and Epitaph in the Church of St. Victor have been frequently Visited by the Curious He was a very learn'd Man for the time while he liv'd He compos d the History call'd Scolastick which Sixtus of Siena extreamly commends tho' he says withal that its Author has intermixt with it a great many Apocryphal Actions which have no good Warrant from Antiquity In this History which consists of XVI Books â—he Abridges all the Old and New Testament adding here and there some Notes and Remarks drawn out of the Fathers and some profane Writers XXXIV Otho of Freisingen so nam'd for having been Bishop of that City was Son to Leopold Marquess of Austria equally Illustrious for his Birth Learning and Piety Being Dissatisfied with the Professors of the College of Newbourg which his Father had Founded he went to Study in the University of Paris He afterwards admitted himself of the Order of White-Fryars in the Monastery of Morimond of which in a short time his Virtue advanc'd him to be Abbot Having been chosen Bishop of Freisingen he return'd into Germany in the Year 1148. when he waited on the Emperor Conrade in his Expedition to the Holy-Land But upon his Return being convinc'd more than ever of the Vanity of Things of this World he hasted to his belov'd Retirement of Morimond where he dy'd the 21st of September in the Year 1158. This Otho writ a Chronicle in VII Books from the beginning of the World to the Year 1146. He also compil'd the Life of Frederick Barberossa which Radevic a Canon of Freisingen continu'd XXXV William a French-man tho' some say a German was elected Arch-bishop of Tyre in Phenicia the 30th of May 1175. He has written the History of the Holy-War under Godfrey of Bulloign Which he begins with the Year 1095. and ends with that of 1180. This Work comprehends XXIII Books but the last is not quite finish'd Iohn Harold has hereto added VI Books after a Fashion The Year of William of Tyre's Death is unknown XXXVI Helmodius a Priest of Busoen near Lubec liv'd in the Twelfth Century in the time of the Emperor Frederic
which Iesus Christ had founded and Rome became thenceforward Metropolis of the Spiritual Empire Also when the time was come that the Roman Power which had vainly boasted it self of Eternity was to undergo the Fate of other Empires Rome tho' become a Prey to Barbarians yet preserv'd its ancient Grandeur by means of Religion for those Nations who had Conquer'd the Romans having by little and little softned their Manners by the observation of Christian Piety their Kings thought none of their Titles so glorious as that of being Protectors of the Christian Church Thus the Empires of the World have been serviceable to Religion and have preserv'd the People of God wherefore that same God which had caus'd his Prophets to foretel the divers Conditions of his People made them also Prophecy of the Succession of Empires You are acquainted with those places where Nebuchodonosor was mark'd out to Punish the Pride of the People especially of the Jews who approv'd themselves so ungrateful towards their Creator You have also no doubt observ'd Cyrus nam'd 200 Years before his Birth to re-establish the People of God and to chastize the Arrogance of Babylon The destruction of Nineveh likewise was not foretold with less certainty Daniel in his wonderful Visions has briefly but fully represented to us the Babylonish Empire together with that of the Medes Persians and Greeks The Blasphemies and Persecutions of Antiochus were also Prophesied of as well as the miraculous Victories the People of God gain'd over that cruel Tyrant In these Prophets you may find all these famous Monarchies come to nothing by little and little and the new Empire of Iesus Christ to be so expresly Characteriz'd that there is no reason to doubt of its being meant as by Name of the Kingdom of the most High the Kingdom of the Son of Man c. being Pronounc'd to be a Kingdom that should subsist even in the midst of the Ruin of all others and to which alone Eternity was promised God therefore who made use of so many different Nations to Chastize Employ Enlarge or Protect his People having a mind to be known for the Author thereof discover'd the great Secret to his Prophets and caus'd them to foretel it before he put it in Execution Whereupon these Empires being made Partners with the Designs of God their Fate has been foretold by the same Oracles of the Holy Spirit which Prophesied of the Succession of the faithful People Nothing demonstrates better the necessary Relation between Sacred and Profane History than this excellent Discourse of the Bishop of Meaux where we may observe the proceedings of God in the Revolution of Empires and by what means the Almighty Wisdom brings his Ends about even in those Matters where we think either our Prudence or Policy has had the larger share I would gladly have all Youth learn by Heart as much at least of this admirable Discourse as we have just mention'd for thereby they may be able to unravel if I may so say all the Intrigues betwixt God and Man and discover the first Principles of all Affairs which History has handed down to us Profane Historians have always fill'd us with confus'd Ideas but the Bishop of Meaux has demonstrated the Hand of God to have set all the Springs of Causes at work and that for the peculiar end of Preserving and Sanctifying his People Men misguided by their Passions think all must be related in History that contributes to satisfy either their Avarice or Ambition but they are deceiv'd for like Children they only see the Wheels of the Movements without being able to guess at the Mechanism and Causes of them The Sanctification of the Church is the secret Spring of all that has hapned most considerable in the World from its Creation and the Fall and Rise of Empires is the Mechanism of the Almighty Altho' we cannot always discover what share God has had in certain Affairs yet it must never be deny'd that he has had any Who could ever have imagin'd that the Grandeur of the Roman Empire which we commonly look upon as an effect of the great Wisdom and Valour of the Romans should have ever contributed towards the publication of the Gospel and the glory of the Church In a word there might have been only one History which should have been that of the City of God where Empires and Dominions might have been brought in as so many Incidents and Episodes which have only collateral Relation to the History of the Church Nevertheless as the Devil will always have a share in humane Affairs and that S. Austin together with the Holy Scriptures attribute to him a Power over the Kingdoms of the World we divide History into Ecclesiastical for the Affairs of the Church and into Civil for the Affairs of Empires and Republicks We make no use of the Word Profane as being improper for the History of Christian Kingdoms whose Kings are the Protectors and Cherishers of the Church This I presume may be sufficient to justify my preferring this Division of History to that of all others which have treated on the same Subject ARTICLE I. The Authority of the History of The People of God contain'd in the Books of the Old and New Testament THE History of the Iews is contain'd in the Books of the Old Testament which is sufficient to convince any Christian that it is unquestionable and will never admit of any Doubt Yet it is not to my purpose to quote any Fathers hereupon or to shew what they have advanc'd in their Disputes against the Pagans to prove the Truth and Divinity of the Bible those Matters being to be met with in the Books of such Doctors as have writ upon that Subject Nevertheless as it is chiefly at Genesis that the Deists and Atheists level their Criticisms it would not be amiss to say something in vindication of that Holy Book and the rather because the History therein contain'd being once establish'd all the other parts of Religion necessarily follow on course 1. Then it is certain that Moses was Author of the Book of Genesis Nay more positive says du Pin in the first Tome of his History of Ecclesiastical Writers speaking of this Book than that either Homer was Author of the Iliads and Odysses or Herodotus or Thucydides of those Histories that are ascrib'd to them The Holy Bible continues he afterwards teaches me that Moses was Author of the Pentateuch Thus are the Five Books of Moses call'd of which Genesis is the First Iesus Christ proceeds Dupin and the Apostles have assur'd me as much ancient Authors concur in the same Opinion and all other People agree with them c. We may find in the same Book a number of Witnesses to evince this Truth of which some were Iews others Christians and others Pagans all which positively affirm that Moses writ the Book of Genesis and all the rest of the Pentateuch 2. Moses without dispute was a much more ancient Writer
Paul here admonishes them not to suffer themselves to be seduc'd by these Philosophers and moreover to corroborate their Faith gives them a Scheme of the Christian Life they should lead XIII His Epistle to the Thessalonians written according to the Opinion of St. Chrysostom before any of the others Thessalonica was then Metropolis of Macedon This People had been converted by St. Paul and confirm'd in the same Belief by Timothy whom St. Paul sent among them afterwards He professes a great Kindness for them in this Letter which he writ from Corinth in the Year of Christ 52. and 19 Years after his Passion XIV His First Epistle to Timothy whom he stiles his natural Son in the Faith was writ from Macedon in the Year of Christ 64. St. Paul after having made this dear Disciple of his Bishop instructs him by this Letter in all the Duties of that Holy Ministry St. Austin says That those who design'd to serve the Church ought always to have before them the two Epistles to Timothy with that to Titus which all teach how the Ministers of the Gospel are to behave themselves XVI The Second Epistle to Timothy writ from Rome when he was Prisoner there the second time about the Year of Christ 65. and 32 Years after Christ's Passion and a little before his own Martyrdom It contains excellent Instructions for those that God has entrusted with the communicating of his Gospel XVII His Epistle to Titus seems to have been written from Macedon towards the Year of Christ 64. St. Paul having chosen Titus to be Bishop of the Island of Crete now Candia he here sets down the Qualifications which are requir'd to execute that Function XVIII His Epistle to Philemon was writ from his Prison in Rome in the Year of Christ 62. This Philemon was a Person of great Account in a City of the Colossians whom St. Paul had converted to the Faith Onesimus was his Slave and fled from him to visit St. Paul at Rome whom he knew to be his Master's Friend whereupon St. Paul converted baptized and sent him back to Philemon with his Recommendation in this Epistle XIX The Epistle to the Hebrews was thought to have been writ by St. Paul but some have question'd it His Design seems to have been the same that he proposed when he writ to the Romans and Galatians for in a word these Three Epistles appear to have had but one End which was to prove that true Justice did not proceed from the Law but that it is Jesus Christ that bestows it on us through Faith and Inspiration XX. The General Epistle of St. Iames. It is term'd General by reason of its being addrest to all the Faithful wheresoever dispers'd St. Iames his Intention therein was to prove That Faith without Works would not be alone sufficient for our Salvation XXI The First Epistle of St. Peter was principally design'd for the Iews whose Apostle he properly was as St. Paul was of the Gentiles He writ it from Rome which he couches under the Name of Babylon a little before his Death This Epistle consists throughout of Morality and which ought to be look'd upon as an Abridgment of a Christian and Pious Life of which it contains chiefly the Rules and Instructions XXII The Second Epistle of St. Peter was writ a very little while before the Martyrdom which hapned about the Year of Christ 66. after having been foretold it from Heaven by a Vision as he himself relates This Epistle differs from the former which only tended to advise the Faithful to live a holy and virtuous Life But in this Second Epistle he admonishes them withal against the Illusions of false Teachers by which he means as it is thought the Followers of Simon Magus and the Nicolaitans which he decries and contends with by many solid and pathetick Expressions XXIII The First Epistle of St. Iohn was addrest according to the Opinion of St. Austin to the Parthians that is to say to the Believers scattered abroad throughout the ancient Empire of the Persians and which was then in the Parthians Possession Neither the Time when nor Place where it was written is known In this Epistle St. Iohn opposes that pernicious Error of Simon Magus who was of Opinion That Faith was sufficient to save us without good Works XXIV The Second Epistle of St. Iohn was a private Epistle sent to a Christian Lady by him sirnam'd The Elect. He therein altogether overthrows the Impiety of Basilides and his Disciples who taught That Iesus Chrict was not truly Man but only a Fantom and consequently his Passion not real XXV The Third Epistle of St. Iohn is addrest to one Caius whom that Saint commended for the Purity of his Faith and Charity both towards his Brethren and Strangers XXVI The General Epistle of St. Iude call'd also Thadeus was written after the Death of the greater part of the Apostles to exhort Believers to apply themselves stedfastly to the Doctrin of Jesus Christ which they had preached to them He therein falls upon the Followers of Simon and the Nicolaitans who contenting themselves with a barren Faith and without good Works introduc'd into the Church a sort of Libertinism and corrupted Morals XXV The Apocalypse or Revelations of St. Iohn was written in the Isle of Pathmos where this Apostle was confin'd by the Emperor Domitian about the Year of Christ 94. and Two before he writ his Gospel S. Austin acknowledges this Book is very hard to be understood because there are very few clear Things in it which might serve to enlighten the Obscure nevertheless there are some plain and profitable Instructions to be met with in several Places and chiefly in the 2d and 3d Chapters which might be term'd the Gospel of Christ risen from the Dead by reason of many Doctrins therein mentioned which Christ pronounced after his Resurrection and which the Evangelists had omitted Thus you have a Catalogue and an Account of all the Sacred Books Therein are contain'd the Precepts of Eternal Life And as they are to be ranked among the number of Fools that contend with Reason and such among Hereticks as dispute and oppose the Christian Doctrins So says St. Austin are those always to be rang'd with Infidels who reject the Holy Scriptures Contra rationem nemo Sobrius Contra Scripturam nemo Christianus Contra Ecclesiam nemo Pacificus senserit Lib. 4. de Trinit cap. 6. By the Truth and Piety of these admirable Books the Authority of the Holy Scripture subsists and it is a kind of Impiety to call any of its Authors in question But nevertheless we are not bound to have the same Veneration for the other Ecclesiastick Writers Such only as have been immediately Inspir'd by God Almighty are to be look'd upon as Infallible and those alone are they which have been acknowledg'd by the Canon of the Holy Scriptures As for other Authors however Holy they might be yet we do not rely implicitly upon what
Barberossa He has written a Chronicle of the Sclavonians which begins with the Conversion of the Saxons and the Neighbouring Nations under the Empire of Charlemagne and ends at the Year 1168. XXXVII Arnold Abbot of Lubec has continu'd this Work and carry'd it into the time of Otho IV. XXXVIII William the Little or of Newbury so call'd from his being of the College of that Town in England He was a regular Canon of the Order of St. Austin and liv'd in the Twelfth Century He compil'd V Books of the History of England which he begins with the Year 1066. When William the Conqueror got this Kingdom and ends with the Year 1197. What he relates down to the Year 1135. being that of his Birth he touches upon but very slightly but from thence forwards he treats of Matters with more care and more lagrely 'T is thought he might Die in the Year 1208. XXXIX Roger Hoveden born at York liv'd towards the Year 1200. it not being punctually known when he dy'd He descended from a noble Family and was Divinity-Professor in Oxford After he had left the Court of Henry II. he compos'd an History of his Country in two Parts beginning with the Year 731. where the Venerable Bede ended and having gone through to the end of the Reign of Richard I. surnam'd Caeur de Lion he began the Reign of King Iohn but finish'd no more than four Years of it XL. Nicetas Choniates a Greek Historian had considerable Employments in the Courts of the Emperors of Constantinople about the Twelfth Century When this City was taken by the French in 1204. he retir'd with a Daughter which he afterwards Marry'd at Nice a City of Bithynia and where he spent the remainder of his Days He compil'd an History or Annals from the Death of Alexis Comnenes which hapned in 1118. to that of Baudowin who dy'd in 1205. This History is divided into XXI Books and contains the most remarkable Transactions both in Greece and Asia XLI Conrade of Lichtkenaw otherwise known by the Name of the Abbot of Vsperg in the Diocess of Ausbourg liv'd in the Thirteenth Century He has compos'd a Chronicle which begins with Bel King of the Assyrians and reaches down to the Year of Christ 1229. which was the ninth Year of the Reign of Frederic II. This Work is nothing but a Collection out of divers Authors which he has rang'd at Pleasure and according to the Custom of those Times He was very Learned says Father Labbe in an Age where there was little or none to be found He dy'd in the Year 1240. after having been Abbot Twenty four Years XLII Iames of Vitry near Paris was a Person of singular Merit 'T is said he was Curat of Argentenit in the Thirteenth Century and after having follow'd the Crusade into the East where he was made Bishop of Acon that he was rais'd to the Cardinalship in the Year 1230. by Pope Gregory IX who also bestow'd on him the Bishoprick of Frescati He has given the Publick III Books of the History of the East and West whereof the First begins with the time when the Impostor Mahomet publish'd his ridiculous Religion and ends with the Year 1220. The Second treats of the Affairs of the East And the Third extends to the taking of Damieta There are other Writings of this great Man but which having no relation to Ecclesiastical History I have omitted 'em here XLIII Mathew Paris a Monk of the Order of St. Bennet and of the Congregation of Cluny at the Monastery of St. Albans in England was a Person very Learn'd and of extraordinary Piety He has written an History of England from the Year 1066 to 1250. which he afterwards continu'd to 1259. which was the Year of his Death The other Addition to the Year 1273. which was after the Death of Henry III. is suppos'd to have been made by one William Rishanger XLIV Vincent of Beauvais a Fryar of the Order of St. Dominic was Native of Burgundy and liv'd a considerable time at Beavais but was never Bishop thereof as some have falsely conjectur'd St. Lewis King of France honour'd him with a particular Esteem and assisted him moreover in the composing of his great Work which he divided into IV Parts Whereof the First is Speculum Doctrinale where he treats of all the Sciences from Grammar to Divinity The Second Speculum Historiale which comprehends all the remarkable Transactions from the beginning of the World to the Year 1254. An Anonymus Author has continu'd this History down to the Year 1494. The Third is Speculum Naturale being all Physicks and containing the State of Nature And the Fourth Speculum Morale wherein the Author treats of all kinds of Virtues and Vices XLV Nicephorus Calistus a Greek Historian who liv'd in the Fourteenth Century and under the several Reigns of Andronicus Paleologus the Elder Michael and Andronicus the Younger We have an Ecclesiastical History of his divided into XVIII Books wherein he relates all remarkable Matters from the Birth of Christ to the Death of the Emperor Phocas in the Year 610. This History was design'd to contain XXIII Books but we have now no more remaining of it than the Argument of Five which begins with the Empire of Heraclius and ends with that of Leo the Philosopher who dy'd in 911. This Work abounds with Fables and ought to be perus'd very cautiously Father Labbe says That among'st the Rags with which this Work is every where Patch'd you shall now and then meet with a peice of very good Stuff And Casaubon says That he sets no greater value upon the Leaves of this History than he would upon a Fig-leaf XLVI Nicephorus Gregoracius a Greek Historian who liv'd in the Fourteenth Century in the time of the Emperor Andronicus Paleologus the Elder and probably dy'd in the Reign of Iohn Cantacuzenes Emperor of Constantinople about the Year 1345. when that City was taken by the French He has compil'd XI Books of History which begin at the Year 1204. and end with the Year 1341. when Andronicus the Younger dy'd of whom it is pretended that he did not speak very Faithfully An Historian that is a Courtier is always byass'd to that Prince from whom he has receiv'd Favours This was the Case of Nicephorus Gregoracius He had liv'd a great while at the Court of Andronicus the Elder and observ'd how ill Andronicus III. treated that Prince his Grandfather insomuch that he forc'd him to resign his Throne to him and to become Monk This Nicephorus could by no means approve of and therefore when he comes to speak of this unnatural Grandson his Disgust sufficiently appears Vossius says That this Historian is neither to be Believ'd when he treats of Andronicus nor when he writes of Iohn Cantacuzenes Neque de Andronico solum sed de Cantacuzeno Mentitur Voss. de Hist. Grae. Lib. 2. Cap. 29. XLVII Iohn Villanius has written a History in Italian divided into XII Books which
World during the space of 240 Years that is from the beginning of Cyrus's Empire to that of Xerxes being the time when our Historian wrote The Bishop of Meaux in his Universal History terms Herodotus the Great Historian Vossius de Historicis Graecis Lib. 1. Cap. 3. says That Herodotus design'd to have written the History of the Assyrians wherein he was to treat of the Kings of Babylon but that he believ'd that Work was never Publish'd because Herodotus was prevented finishing it by his Death Yet we may read Lib. 8. Hist. Animal Cap. 18. that Aristotle accus'd Herodotus of advancing an Untruth against Natural History when he affirm'd that an Eagle drank at the Siege of Nineveh for it is certain that those Birds which have hook'd Claws never drink Now this Passage which Aristotle reproaches Herodotus for is not to be found in his Work of the Nine Muses and therefore must have been in his History of the Assyrians Nineveh having been the Capital City of Assyria which may give a reasonable conjecture that he had written that History yet nevertheless the Ancients have made no manner of mention of it Vossius does not believe that the Life of Homer found at the end of Herodotus's History belong'd to him as some would have it and the Reason he gives seems to carry Authority along with it For says he Herodotus in his Euterpe places the Birth of Homer above 200 Years more backward than the Author of his Life has done Herodotus dy'd at Thuries whither he had voluntarily banish'd himself to be the more intent on his Studies and the Composing of his History II Thucydides was of illustrious Parentage It is reported That his Grand-father Marry'd the Daughter of a King of Thrace but what is more certain is That he himself was a Citizen of Athens He was a young Student in one of the most famous Colleges of Greece at the same time that Herodotus read his History With this Work he was infinitely Charm'd and could not help shewing so much Jealousie of the Author as if he had despair'd of ever performing the like which Heredotus perceiving immediately Prophesied that he would be a great Man and moreover told his Father That he was happy to have a Son at this Age who had so great a Sense of Fame and Glory His History was design'd to have contain'd all the Peloponesian War being that between the States of Athens and Sparta which lasted full 27 Years but he dy'd while he was about the 21st Year of it Theopompus supply'd the 6 other Years This History of Thucydides is divided into VIII Books Cicero professes a great esteem for Thucydides his manner of Writing when he Styles him Authorem subtilem Acutum Brevem Sententiis magis quam verbis abundantem Lib. 2. de Oratoria Father Rapin likewise in his Instructions for History affords this Author great Commendation for he says the same thing of his Style as Cicero had done before him The Style of Thucydides says he is more Noble and Lofty than that of Herodotus yet at the same time it fails of being so Natural and Easie. In some places it has those harshnesses which render it Obscure and it is every where more Luxuriant than the Style of Herodotus Thucydides says the same Author in another Place has Fire Force and Grandeur every thing in his Writings keeps up its self and nothing Languishes and Grovels It is in this that he excells Herodotus who frequently loses himself and grows too diffusive where he gives too great a loose to his Genius Longinus observes that Thucydides sometimes confounds the most regular Methods the better to surprize by a disorder and to change his Narration the oftner He also sometimes relates Things past as if they had been present and this to have the advantage of describing an Action which moves a Reader more as likewise renders him more Attentive Lucian finds fault with this Author's description of the Plague of Athens in the second Book of his History and this perhaps with reason enough for however Prudent he may be allow'd in other places yet there he has run out a little too much Lucian says also that Thucydides has succeeded better than other Historians in his Harangues for what he puts in the Mouths of the principal Actors in his History viz. Pericles Nicias Alcibiades Archidamus sometimes a whole Nation together are admâ—rable Instructions for Orators and to which Demosthenes was not a little beholden who became so great a Master in that Art Vossius says after Lucian that Demosthenes copy'd Thucydides's History eight times with his own Hand and likewise that the Emperor Charles V. always carry'd a French Translation of him about him where-ever he went Monsieur Rapin says farther That Thucydidâ—s and Livy are both sufficient to acquaint a Man what Genius History requires for that Antiquity has nothing to boast of more perfect than their Works There is nothing almost to be desir'd more in either of them unless it be that the former were more Natural and the latter more Sincere Thucydides has establish'd his Reputation with so pure Ideas that he deserves to be Credited in all Ages It is hard to meet with one of this Author 's excellent Temper who tho' he had been extreamly wrong'd by the Tyrant Pericles yet he always prais'd him as often as he found occasion and did frequent Justice to the Athenians tho' they had Banish'd him their Common-wealth He was a Man not at all guided by Passion and who propos'd only in what he writ to content the Judgment of Posterity by always speaking the Truth In a word Thucydides was exact in all that he writ and faithful and disinteressed in all he said and tho' he sometimes seems Austere and Suâ—ly yet is it ever what consists with Grandeur Photius says that as Herodotus is to be imitated by those that have a mind â—o be perfect in the Ionick Dialect so is Thucydides by such as would excel in the Attick Monsieur Le Vayer says that Thucydides had the Honour to be the first that gave a Soul to History by the several Harangues he made use of in all the three kinds 〈…〉 Whâ—â— before him it was but either a 〈…〉 or dead Body He flourish'd about the 〈…〉 before Christ A. M. 3490. 〈◊〉 Xenophon the Son of Gallus a Native of Athens was all at once a great Philosopher a great General and a great Historian Diogenes Laertius reports one thing of him which sufficiently demonstrates his Honesty He says that the Works of Thucydides having been lost and one Copy remaining only in Xenophon's Hands whereby that Author might have publish'd them for his own he nevertheless gave them to the Publick under the Name of their great Compiler Notwithstanding this the Athenians having afterwards suspected him of adhering to the Lacedemonians their Enemies banish'd him their Country He flourish'd about the Year of the World 3560. He is the first Philosoper that apply'd himself
speak when he does it to the purpose Livy perswades more by his sound Morals than great Capacity For through the various Intrigues Interests Passions and other Disorders which he describes he gives a glimpse of an honest Mind which proclaims a better Man than Historian We see in them the inmost recesses of the Heart of those he describes the very bottom of his own and among the false Lights he discovers in their Conduct he is never out himself He judges well of all for his Soul is as Upright as his Wit is True Livy is the most accomplish'd of all Historians for he has all the great Parts requisite to write History a fine clear Imagination a noble Expression a true Judgment an admirable Eloquence He has none but great Ideas in his Mind he fills his Readers Imagination by what he says by that means he affects the Heart and moves the Soul He has the greatest Genius for History and is one of the greatest Masters of Eloquence that ever liv'd I don't understand what Asinius Pollio means by reproaching him with a Country way savouring of Padua which he calls Patavinity His great Talent is to make People feel what he says by ingaging those that read him in his own Sentiments by inspiring them with his Hopes and Fears and giving them all his Passions by his admirable Art of setting the most secret Springs of the Heart a going I hope the Reader will easily excuse me for dwelling so long upon Livy's History He is the great Master of this Art and deserves to be well known and since no Man can give us a better account of him than Monsieur Rapin I thought it proper to give you this long Abstract V. Velleius Paterculus was nobly born as he proves from those of his Name that had born the greatest Employments in the Army And he had himself been in the Wars with great Honour and Reputation He had been Tribune of the Soldiers and had Travell'd through the Provinces of Thracia Macedon Achaia Asia Minor and on both the Banks of the Euxin Sea so that both by his Employments and Travels he had great advantages to write History The two Books that remain of History for the greatest of his Works are lost begin about the Sixth Year of the Reign of Tiberius and are dedicated to Marcus Vinicius Consul who had Marry'd Tiberius's Grand-daughter His Style is pure clear elegant and such as is thought worthy of the best Age of the Roman Empire There are in his History some particulars not to be found any where else Never did any Man know better than he how to blame and how to commend yet in some Peoples Opinion he goes a little too far in the Praises he gives to the House of Caesar Augustus But how can a Man avoid that Fault when he writes his History before the Eyes of the reigning Family Therefore I easily forgive him the excessive Praises he gives to Tiberius but really he is guilty of too gross Flattery when he bestow'd so much Incense upon Sejanus his Favourite whom he endeavours to make pass for the honestest Man that Rome ever saw Velleius Paterculus is very exact in setting down the Times of the Events he speaks of he describes the Original of several Cities he makes the Eulogy of those that have been famous in the Wars in the Government of the State or in the Sciences in short there 's a great deal to be learnt from that Author Father Rapin speaks thus Paterculus and Florus are florid genteel delicate and agreeable in their mean way of Writing Let Paterculus be pretty trim and genteel in the Character he has pitch'd upon but let Livy be great and serious because small Beauties have need of Ornament to shew themselves whereas the great ones need no Addition to their natural Graces We must always speak within bounds let an Historian never diminish or exaggerate Things either as Tacitus who casts his Venom upon every Thing or Paterculus who makes every Thing look gay and pleasant VI. Quintus Curtius was a Roman Knight the Age he liv'd in is not well known but the most common Opinion is That he flourish'd under the Emperor Vespasian Quintilian who mentions all the Historians of Note in the Tenth Book of his Institutions written in Domitian's Time yet says not one Word of Quintus Curtius's History which induces us to believe That his Work might not have been Publish'd at that Time which Opinion is also confirm'd by the silence of the other Ancients Quintus Curtius has written the History of Alexander the Great in X Books but the two First with the end of the Fifth and some little places of the Tenth have been lost There is not a more excellent Author among the Latin Writers than Quintus Curtius He may be said to be among Historians what Alexander is among Conquerors and that the Panegyrist is to the full as great as his Hero So that Alexander would have now no Reason to complain that he had not like Achilles Homer to celebrate his Actions Some are for Livy's Style others for that of Tacitus but all agree upon the Excellence of that of Quintus Curtius which is beyond all dispute worthy of the Age of Augustus as Vossius speaks Imo vel Augustaeo aevo digna est dictio Iustus Lipsius says that he is the Author that Princes should make themselves most familiar with and that they ought to have him continually in their Hands Let us now consult Rapin's Judgment upon this Author Quintus Curtius says that Critick is shining and florid Nothing can be more Polite than Quintus Curtius he has a florid and gay Expression which extreamly pleases the Men of Wit Every thing ought to be grounded upon Reason and therefore Quintus Curtius is not always in the right When he endeavours to make his Hero so admirable he does not make him take the wisest Resolution but on the contrary the most Heroick and Perillous he always finds a Charm in Danger and cares not so much for Conquests as the Honour of Conquering It is in his Power to surprize Darius in the Night and by that means keep him from knowing how weak he was Darius having double the Men But this great Man who is less sollicitous of getting a Victory than making his Valour to be admired attacks the King of Persia in the broad Day being resolv'd rather to die with Honor than Conquer by a Surprise Darius after his defeat offers to divide Asia with him and proposes a Match between him and his Daughter but Alexander rather chuses to arrive at Glory thro' Dangers than become a Master so peaceably he will hear none of these Proposals and aims at nothing but what 's extraordinary His Historian I must confess does him a great deal of Honor but does not all this great Honor want a little probability Does he not make his Hero more Rash than Wise and more Venturesome than Ambitious He thought those Sentiments
fourth Book of his Annals he little cares whether they resemble or no for he makes Sejanus a great deal worse than he was if we can believe Paterculus who commends him Tacitus draws the Picture of Tiberius by his Actions by which only he makes him known Tacitus's Politicks are often false because his Morals are not true Either he makes Men too bad or he is not himself plain enough His Reflections are not natural because they want Innocence He Poysons and puts an ill construction upon Things He has by that Humour spoiled several People who imitate him in that tho' not able to do it in any thing else The Question of the Phoenix which is related in the sixth Book of Tacitus's Annals upon the occasion of the News brought to Rome of a Phoenix which appeared in Egypt under the Reign of Tiberius is according to the Rules of an allowable Digression The Question is scanned and examined by the different Opinions of the Naturalists about this extraordinary Bird whose Qualities Figure and Shape are succinctly described These sort of Strokes well placed in a Narration are a great Ornament to it and serve wonderfully well to stir up the Readers curiosity and keep his attention awake This that follows is a fine Stroke taken out of Tacitus In the height of the Mirth and Frolicks of that famous Treat which Messalina gave her Lover they caused a poor simple Fellow called Valens to get up into a Tree and asked him what he saw A Storm said he which gathers in the Air and comes from Ostia These Words spoke by that blundering Fellow spoiled presently all their Sport and cast a deep sadness into every Body tho' blurted out at random and without design for they were a Prognosticating of the return of the Emperor who arriving soon after caused the Empress to be stabbed being grown weary of her Lewdness Those Strokes that have something surprizing in them are very happy in History Tacitus has no good Morals He is a great Dodger that covers a bad Soul under a very fine Wit He is mistaken in true Merit because he thinks there can be no other than that of being cunning and he always speaks more out of Policy than according to Truth He not only has ill thoughts of his Neighbour but also he shews no Piety or Reverence for the Gods as one may see in his Discourse upon Fate against Providence in the VI Book of his Annals wherein he ascribes all to the Stars and blind Chance upon the occasion of Trasullus one of Tiberius's Astrologers who was grown his Confident at Caprea So difficult it is for an ill Man to be a good Historian for one has generally the same Principles with the other Tacitus relates so many Obscenities of Tiberius that Bocaline cannot bear with him for it Tacitus has a particular way of describing Things and Persons different from all the rest but he sticks too much to great Things and will not descend to the little ones which are not always to be slighted He thinks well but he does not always hit upon a clear Expression He is sometimes too much a Philosopher He is peremptory in his Decisions upon every thing and speaks as if the Fate of all the World lay at his mercy He Moralizes upon the Follies of others that he may Lash every Body and speak ill of all Mankind He has spoiled a world of People by creating in them a desire of studying Politicks which is the most vain of all studies This is the Rock against which so many Spaniards as Antonio Perez and so many Italians such as Machiavel and Ammiralio have split VIII Lucius Florus was of the Family of the Annaeâ— of which were also the Seneca's and Lucan and which was originally come out of Spâ—in as appears by what he says in his History to the Honour of that Country He flourished Two hundred Years after the Empire of Augustus and wrote the Roman History in IV Books His Stile is so florid that it is almost all Poetical and full of Printed Witâ—icisms and glittering Thoughts which makes Vossius say that Florus's Work is but a continued Declamation He acknowledges however the Elegant Stile of that Author and owns that he maintains the Genius and Character of those of his Family who were all born to Eloquence and Poetry Dictio quoque hanc domum sapit Nam ea Eloquentiae Poeseos laude inclyta fuit At dictio Historici hujus est diserta poeticae proprior imo opus ipsum vox aliud quam declamatio est Florus takes some Liberties not to be allowed in an Historian and which become none but a Poet. When he speaks of Decimus Brutus his Expedition along the Celtick Coast and that of Galicia and Portugal he assures us that Brutus would not stop in the career of his Victories till he had seen the fall of the Sun into the Ocean and heard the dreadful Extinction of that fiery Planet in the Waters of the Sea That afterwards Brutus had a scruple upon him and was sorry he was gone so far fearing to be accounted a Sacriledge by seeing more than his Religion allowed him to do This does not become a sincere Historian because it is all false whereupon Scaliger says Putida 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt haec This that follows is a Vision which a Man of Sense ought not to relate but as a popular Report When he speaks of the Defeat of the Cimbri by Marius he tells us that two Young Men appeared in Rome near the Temple of Castor and Pollux presenting to the Pretor Letters adorned with Laurel as a sign of that Victory We must take notice that Florus is a very ill Guide in point of Chronology for either he did not know it or he did extreamly neglect it in his Roman History These are the Spots and Blemishes in Florus's History Rapin says of him that he is florid genteel and agreeable in his mean way of Writing IX Suetonius Tranquillus Son to Suetonius Lenis Tribune of the XIII Legion began to flourish about the end of the Reign of Vespasian He was in great Reputation under Trajan and Adrian having been Secretary of State to the latter He was turn'd out of this Employment for being too familiar with the Empress Sabina which was lookt upon as a Breach of the respect due to the supream Authority This Author has writ the History of the first 12 Caesars which makes up a Series of History of above a Hundred Years He is beyond dispute one of the principal Authors of the Latin Tongue and Bodinus assures us that none of the other Historians ever writ any thing more exact or more finish'd than what we have left of him St. Ierom who had taken him for his Pattern when he begun his Catalogue of the Ecclesiastical Writers says that Suetonius has writ with the same freedom as those Emperors lived of whom he writes the History And indeed he relates a great
begins with the time of Nembroth and ends with the Year of Christ 1348. This Author was a Florentine XLVIII Flavius Blondus a Native of Forli in Romania was Secretary to Eugenius IV. and divers other Popes He compos'd several Historical Works whereof there are X Books Romae Triumphantis III Romae Restauratae VIII Italiae Illustratae III Decads of the Roman History and a Treatise of the Origin and Actions of the Venetians This Author was a Philosopher who regarded Worldly-acquisitions but little insomuch that Fortune which seldom takes care of those sort of People suffer'd him so far to support his Character as to die Poor the Fourth of Iune in the Year of Christ 1463. Romae Pauper at Philosophum decuit Obiit says Father Labbe XLIX St. Antoninus Arch-bishop of Florence and a Fryer of the Order of St. Dominic liv'd in the Fifteenth Century with all the Reputation and Respect that his great Piety and Learning could procure him Amongst the rest of his Works there is one call'd Summa Historica an Historical Abridgment which consists of three Parts The First is from the beginning of the World to the Reign of Constantin The Second contains all remarkable Passages from Constantin to the Year 1198. being the time of the Pontificat of Innocent III. And the Third begins from thence and ends with the Year 1459. which was the time when he dy'd under the Pontificat of Pius II. and the Empire of Frederic III. L. Aeneas Sylvius who was Pope by the Name of Pius II. He was Born at Corsignano a Village of the Territory of Siena the 18th of October in 1405. After having been employ'd in several important Negotiations wherein he sufficiently demonstrated his great Abilities he was first made Bishop of Siena and then Cardinal by Calistus III. in the Year 1456. and afterwards that Pope being dead he succeeded him under the Name of Pius II. He has compos'd several Works all which denote his great Learning and Judgment but we shall only take notice of those that relate to History He has compil'd the History of the Council of Basile in II Books He also Abridg'd the History of Flavius Blondas There is also a Cosmography of his or the History of the whole World There is likewise his Europaean History which contains several remarkable Transactions in his time 'T is also believ'd that he wrote his own Life tho' it goes under the Name of Iohn Gobelin his Secretary He dy'd the 14th of August in the Year 1464. when about 58 Years Old LI. Laonicus Chalcocondylas an Athenian who liv'd in the Fifteenth Century He has written in Greek an History of the Turks in X Books which he begins with Othoman Son of Orthogulus who liv'd in the Year 1300. and carries it on to the Year 1463. When Mahomet II. was in War with the Venetians and Mathias King of Hungary It has moreover an Appendix which reaches down to 1565. LII B. Platina Native of Cremona according to Father Labbe and of Verona if we may believe Moreri was born in the Fifteenth Century His Name was not Baptist as some have thought but Bartholomew His quick Parts occasion'd him to be universally Esteem'd especially at Rome whither he went under the Pontificat of Pope Calistus II. and was very Munificently receiv'd by Cardinal Bessarion But Pope Paul II. became very much his Enemy and kept him four Months in Prison after which his Successor Sixtus IV. who knew him better bestow'd on him the Care of his Library in the Vatican He wrote the Lives of the Popes down to Paul II. which Work Onuphrius Panvinius a Fryar of the Order of St. Austin at Verona who liv'd in the Sixteenth Century continu'd to his time which was about the Year 1568. when he dy'd at Salermo Platina dy'd at Rome of the Plague in the Year 1481. LIII Anthony Bonfinius a Native of Ascoli liv'd towards the Year 1495. He was a very honest and laborious Man and had learnt almost all Languages It was at the request of Mathias Corvinus King of Hungary and Bohemia that he undertook the History of Hungary which he carry'd on to the Year 1495. It consists of IV Decads and half that is XLV Books LIV. Robertus Gaguinus Head of the Order of the Trinity was very much in favour with Charles VIII and Lewis XII of France where he had the keeping of the Royal Library He has compos'd several Works but the most considerable is his History of France in XII Books which reach down to the Reign of Charles VIII LV. Marcus Antonius Sabellicus Son to a Poor Farrier in Italy was a great Lover of Learning in which he made a considerable progress in a very short time We have a History of his from the beginning of the World to the Year of Christ 1504. And a History of the Affairs of Venice Paulus Iovius says that he dy'd at Venice in the Year 1506. LVI Iames Phillip of Bergamos of the Order of the Hermits of St. Austin was a Person of singular Merit and whom Pope Innocent VIII honour'd with a particular Esteem He compos'd a Chronicle which began at the Creation of the World and ended with the Year 1503. which was the Seventieth Year of the Age of this Author He liv'd afterwards Fifteen Years and dy'd about Eighty five Years Old in the Year 1518. LVII Iohannes Rauclerus a Noble-Man of Germany Son to Iohn Vergehau was Provost of the Church of Subingen and afterwards Professor of the Canon-Law in the University of that City This University was Founded by Count Everard afterwards First Duke of Wirtemberg in his return from Ierusalem in the Year 1477. Nauclerus was made Vice-Chancellor of it He has written a Chronicle from the beginning of the World to the Year 1500. which Nicolas Baselius continu'd down to the Year 1514. and which Surius likewise carry'd on farther to the Year 1574. The time of this Nauclerus his Death is Unknown LVIII Albert Krantz Doctor of Divinity and Dean of the Church of Hambourg liv'd towards the beginning of the Sixteenth Century He was a Man of great Learning join'd with admirable Piety The chiefest of his Works is an Ecclesiastical History entituled Metropolis wherein he treats of the Churches Founded and Restor'd by Charlemagne He has also compil'd an History of the Saxons in XIII Books Another of the Vandals in XIV and a Chronicle of Sweden Denmark and Norway which begins with Charlemagne and is carry'd on to the Year 1504. This Author dy'd the 7th of December 1517. which was the Year that Martin Luther first publish'd his Doctrin LIX Iames Wimphelinge a Priest of the Church of Spire and Professor in the University of Heidelberg liv'd in the beginning of the Sixteenth Century He was both Divine Orator Philosopher Poet and Historian He compos'd these Books viz. Epitome Imperatorum Rerum in Germania Gestarum De Episcopis Argentirensibus c. I could never meet with the time of his Death only