of his Chronology has made use of so great an industry that he has not omitted any thing by which the true time of Histories may be exquisitely known But then if after these Chronologers he is pleased to dwell a little longer on the Universal History and to enlarge his prospect JUSTIN may be read who is thought to have flourished under the Antonines about the year of Christ 140. Nor is there any one amongst the Latins who has more Politely and Elegantly contracted the History of so many Empires for he Comprehends the Actions of almost all Nations from Ninus to Augustus Then may Herodotus Diodorus Siculus and Polybius follow of all which we shall have occasion to speak more hereafter and after these some of the Modern Writers may be read amongst which Sir Walter Rawleigh our Countrey-man deserves the first place a man of great Fame and for his great both Valour and prudence worthy of a better Fate He has built up an Universal History from the Creation of the World to the fall of the Macedonian or III Monarchy out of the most approved Authours which is written in English with very great Judgment in a perspicuous method and an Elegant and Masculine style and the incomparable Gerardus Joannes Vossius some years since began an Universal History of all the foregoing Ages and Nations I heartily wish my Hearers that I may once see that Noble work and injoy it with you for what can be expected from so great a Treasure of Antiquity and History but what is most Excellent and above the reach of the Wits not onely of this but of many of the better Ages But however let the History of the Bible lead the way which is incontestably not onely the most ancient but the truest of all Histories and to this tends the grave reprehension of Carolus Sigonius of the common way of instituting or entering upon the Study of Antiquity In laying the Foundations of the knowledge of Ancient times and things as also in the beginning of almost all other Studies I know not how we are carried away with the impetuous torrent of an ill Custome and generally commit a very great Errour by beginning with those Monuments in which the Acute Grecians who were totally ignorant of the truth have comprehended their Traditions of the false Gods and the fictitious Actions of their feigned Heroes which we can neither make any good use of nor improve our selves thereby in the least in Piety when if there were any Sense that I may not say prudence in us we ought rather to begin with what is contain'd in the Holy writings of the Hebrews for if we search for the Origine of things we can begin no higher than the Creation of the World and the formation of man which is there treated of if we seek Truth there is no where so much of it as here where it is proclaimed by the mouth of the Living God if we seek grave things what is more magnificent than these illustrious Monuments in which the Holy Commands of God the saving Promises the certain Oracles and other helps to our Salvation are comprehended from whence can we derive more Excellent Examples of Vertue or sharper detestations of Vices or Actions worthy of memory than from these Monuments of the Hebrews in which onely it is apparently discovered how much mankind has been relieved by the powerfull and present Assistence of God Almighty in the Exercise of true Religion or in the neglect of it have been troden down and ruin'd by his Anger SECT VII From whence the History of the Assyrio-Chaldean Monarchy is to be fetched Of Berosus Ctesias and Megasthenes and their supposititious Writings in the defect of these we must have recourse to Josephus The great loss in Diodorus Siculus to be supplied from elsewhere especially out of Josephus and the prophetick History Diogines Laertius commended BUt now if you are pleased to descend to the several Empires and to prosecute the Histories of them by parts and in their Order we have Berosus Ctesias and Megasthenes who give an account of the Affairs of the Assyrio-Chaldean Monarchy But did I say we have them No which is a very great affliction to the Historians we have them not we have some fragments of Ctesias which perhaps are not spurious but then those concern the Persian Empire onely for whatever he writ concerning the Chaldean is lost We have also some shreds of Megasthenes too and some Adulterated Rhapsodies imposed upon the World by the Viterbian Monk a deceitfull Merchant to which little Credit is to be given in the Opinion of very Learned men for as to Ctesias this is the opinion of Josephus Scaliger a very great Philosopher He is saith he a silly Greek and so he may but contradict Herodotus he cares not what he says he has committed many Errours through Humane Frailty many wilfully out of Envy and this appears clearly in Photius his Parietina Ctesias flourished in the times of Cyrus Junior and being taken by Artaxerxes in a Battel he was afterwards his Physician And Strabo disputes the fidelity of the very genuine History of Megasthenes which he often cites how much more reasonably then may Learned men question the truth of that fictitious piece which is ignorantly call'd by his Name but it is really the work of Annianus He lived under Seleucus Nicanor as we are told by Clemens Alexandrinus and that Impostor Annian And most of the Learned suppose that the Berosus which goes abroad in the World is of the same Stamp Will you please to hear what Lodovicus Vivis thinks of him There is a small Book which is stil'd Berosi Babylonii Antiquitates the Antiquities of Berosus the Babylonian but it is a figment that pleases unlearned idle men very much and of the same sort are Xenophon's Aequivoca and the fragments of Archilochus Cato Sempronius and Fabius Pictor which are patched together in the same Book by Annianus Viterbiensis and by his Additions rendered too much the more ridiculous not but that there are in it some things that are true for otherwise the thing could never have look'd abroad but yet the body of that History is fictitious and none of his whose Name it bears thus far the Learned Vivis and therefore he and other Learned men send us to Josephus Justin the Epitomizer of Trogus and Diodorus Siculus his Antiquities and well we might be turn'd over to him if he were intirely Extant which some of the Ancients call'd simply the LIBRARY and others the Libraries And Diodorus acquaints us himself in the Preface to his History what account he had given of ancient times his words are these Our first six Books give an account of what happened before the Trojan War and what is set forth concerning those Ages in Fables of which the three first contain the Barbarous Story and the three latter the Grecian and in the eleven
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
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
an excellent Authour in the Opinion of Melchior Canus a Man of an approved Faith and a grave Historian But in the esteem of the most Learned Casaubon and Vossius he is a Spurious Pretending and Suppositious and in short an Authour of no Antiquity or at least quite another Man from that Noble Hegesippus who lived near the times of the Apostles and was Contemporary with Justin Martyr and Athenagoras of whom frequent mention is made by Eusebius and St. Hierome and yet after all this there are some who think he is no contemptible or unprofitable Authour in his first Book he has given an Account of the Wars of the Jews from the times of the Maccabees to the Birth of Christ and the death of Herod the Great And in his Second Book he brings down the History to the Expedition of Vespasian into Judaea Anno Christi 69. and then in his IIId IVth and Vth Books he has Consecrated to the memory of Posterity the Story of the total devastation of Judaea and the utter Ruine of Jerusalem by Vespasian and his Son Titus which happened Anno Christi 72. But then saith Bodinus This may be better and more truely Learned from Josephus who was not onely present in these Wars but was a Commander for some time and being made a Captive obtain'd from Vespasian and Titus the Privilege of being made a Citizen of Rome and the Flavian Sir-name which was that of their own Family and also a Statue And then the Princelike Virtues of an Historian an exalted erudition a rare integrity and a great experience shone clearly in that person And it is farther objected against this fictitious Hegesippus that he doth not treat of the Affairs of the Church but onely of those of the Jews from the time of the Maccabees to the ruine of Jerusalem But we may Answer Bodinus in the first place that this Hegesippus has shortly and elegantly comprehended in that Work what Josephus hath more copiously related in his VII Books of the Wars of the Jews and scatteringly in his Antiquities And in the next place that this Authour doth no less religiously than truely set forth some things concerning our Saviour Jesus Christ which are either altogether passed by by Josephus or onely slightly mention'd by him because perhaps he had an aversion for our Religion And he also sets down in a few words the causes of the War doth Learnedly shew the sources of those great Calamities and why that People which alone was chosen by God and beloved very much was thus consum'd why Jerusalem was destroy'd which was not onely the most Celebrated City of all the East as Pliny calls it but if we consider the extraordinary Favours of God of the whole World Why the Temple was rased their Sacred Rites abolished and the Politick Government of that Nation which had subsisted so many Ages was for ever taken away For the serious consideration of these things will yield the pious and prudent Reader a plenty of the most Excellent Fruits which History can afford him Or if our Reader of History is better pleased to pass by this suppositious Authour and will not be discouraged to go back again and after the Reading the Holy Bible and the Antiquities of Josephus and to câ—ntemplate at one view the whole image of the Sacred History from the Creation of the World to the Birth of Christ and so on to the Fourth Centery of the Second Interval then let him here take in Sulpitius Severus his Sacred History which he begins with the Creation of the World and ends with the Synod of Bordeaux Anno Christi 386. He was a Man of much learning and prudence and a most Polite Writer His style is so pure and elegant that Josephus Scaliger calls him The most Pure Writer of the Church History But I cannot forbear confirming the Judgment of this great Man by the more Prolix and yet not less elegant testimony of Victor Giselin a Physician and Antiquary of a most accomplish'd Erudition He writes thus The blessed Sulpitius hath with great brevity compris'd and with an exact distinction of times shortly deduced to the Age in which he lived the Memory of those things which are contained in the Holy Scriptures from the beginning of the World Now whether any Age hath produced Another Work that is more excellent more noble and more usefull to the Christian Church than this small Piece I shall willingly leave to the Judgment of those who have better abilities than I to determine of it But as to the Elegance of it I dare undertake and I think I may safely affirm that it is not inferiour in any thing to the best of all the Church Historians but then as to all other Works which are of the same nature it hath so great advantages over them that they do not deserve to be compared with it That which I have said of it is great and may perhaps seem to most men incredible But yet what I say has so much truth in it that I am confident the veracity of the thing will prevail so much that my testimony may be spared especially as to those who will take the Pains to compare all the parts of this Authour with Orosius Florus Eutropius and the rest of the Writers of Epitomes He seems to me to have obtain'd the Garland onely by the imitation of C. Salustius a florid Writer of the Roman Story For observing that many things in him passed for excellencies which would become no other Man and were scarce possible to be imitated as his abrupt way of speaking which slips insensibly by the Reader or Hearer and doth not stay till a Man comes to it but as Seneca saith his Sentences come pouring in and his words surprize by their unexpected falls these I say be left to Salust as his sole personal excellencies And he studiously avoided his obsolete words which as Augustus said he collected out of Cato ' s Books de Originibus But then as to his spruce brevity tempered with significant Words and adapted in the highest degree to his design he imitated that Great Historian with so much Art that we may well say he rather emulated him and strove to out-doe him For he did not think it sufficient to follow his style and to divide circumscribe and cut it and make just such transitions from one thing to another except he made the same entrances to his Books the other did but with this difference that whereas he as Fabius saith chose such as had no relation to History Sulpitius accommodated his a little better to his subject All which things in History at least appear glorious as any Man may observe at the first Glance For it was written as I have said in the flower of his Age before his passionate love to Eloquence had been mortified by the severe discipline of the Monastery of Tours Thus far Giselinus The Elzivers two Dutch Printers put out this
deplored SECT XV. Where the Course of the Roman Story is to be begun Lucius A. Florus commended The Judgments of Learned Men concerning him That he is not the same with the Epitomizer of Livy His Mistakes excused his Method of Writing By what means in probability Errours crept in The Consulary Fasts of Sigonius and Onuphrius Pighius his Annals commended SECT XVI In what order the Roman History is to be continued Dionysius Halycarnassaeus commended How many years his History contains the Reason given why he is Recommended in the first place and confirm'd from J. Bodinus SECT XVII T. Livius is much and de servedly admir'd in what time he lived How many Books he writ by whom divided into Decads In what order to be Read How the History may be enlarged or supplied The Praise and Elogy of Plutarch SECT XVIII The second Decad of T. Livy that is from the X th to the XXI th Book is lost How and whence that loss may be supplied Appianus Alexandrinus What opinion Learned Men have of him SECT XIX When the remaining XXV Books of Livy are to be read What other Authours may confirm or illustrate the History of the same times The Nine last Decads and half the Tenth are lost From whence they may be supply'd The History of Salustius commended and also Caesar's Commentaries both by the Learned Men of the present and Ancient times SECT XX. Of Dion Cassius and his History How many Books he writ How many perished and how great the loss Vellejus Paterculus to be worthily ranked amongst the best Historians and yet his faults are not dissembled A Transition to the Writers of the Lives of the Caesars SECT XXI Suetonius and Tacitus are first to be read The famous testimonies of the most Learned Men concerning them The Judgments of the most eminent of the Criticks differ that I may not say contest each with other concerning Tacitus Light may be derived both to Suetonius and Tacitus from Dion Cassius SECT XXII How to pass on to the other Writers of the Augustan Story viz. Spartianus Capitolinus Volcatius and the other Authours which are not to be lightly esteemed The Judgment of Justus Lipsius and Casaubon concerning them Herodian is to be read in his place with the rest How far these go in the History And that amongst them Aurelius Victor and Pomponius Laetus deserve to be admitted SECT XXIII After Constantius Chlorus and a little before the History is a little perplex'd especially in the Latin Writers Eusebius Zozimus and Zonaras will render it more easie Of Zozimus and Zonaras and their Writings ' and also of Jornandes Ammianus Marcellinus has his place here The opinion of Lipsius and Balduinus the Civil Lawyer concerning the latter SECT XXIV Diaconus his Miscellane History and that of Jornandes concerning the Goths and of Procopius and Agathias who may be placed here or if you please the Third Tome of Zonaras who is followed by Nicetas Choniates and then Nicephorus Gregoras or if this seems too Prolix after Zozimus Blondius Forolivienfis may be read or else after Vopiscus Sigonius his History of the Western Empire may be admitted and from thence the Reader may pass to the Seventh or Eighth Book of the first Decad of Blondius SECT XXV Johannes Cuspinianus Paulus Jovius and Augustus Thuanus will furnish the Reader with a shorter view of the History of the Roman Emperours from the beginning of the Caesars to our own times SECT XXVI Some Writers of particular Histories that best deserve to be read are enumerated Guicciardine Paulus Aemilius Philippus Commines whose noble Elogies are remembred Meteranus Chromerus and Bembus SECT XXVII A Transition to the British Story How the Reader should prepare himself for the Reading of it In what order he should go on Camden's Britannia and Selden's Analecta are first to be Read and then George Lillies Chronicon The Compendium of the British History SECT XXVIII Gulielmus Malmesburiensis Sir Henry Savil's and Camden's Judgment of him Where he began and ended his History Galfredus Monumethensis why to be omitted The Censures of Neubrigensis John of Withamsted Bales and Jo. Twin upon his History from all which Virunnius dissents H. Huntingdonensis follows Malmesburiensis and Hoveden him SECT XXIX The History of Asser Menivensis is commended in what order to be read with the former as also Eadmerus Matheus Parisiensis Baronius his judgment of him Thomas Walsingham his History The Actions of King Stephen by an unknown Pen. The Life of Edw. II. by Sir Thomas de la Moor is to be taken in in due time SECT XXX Walsingham's Hypodigma Neustria or History of Normandy and the other Writers not to be neglected and amongst them Odoricus Vitalis of Principal note Polidore Virgil has writ the History from Henry the IV th to Richard the IIId concerning whom the Censure of the most noble Sir H. Savil is observable Richard thee IIId was written by Sir Tho. Moor Kt. and Lord Chancellour of England Henry the VII th by the Earl of St. Albans Henry the VIII th Edward the VI th Queen Mary by Francis Godwin Bishop of Landaff by way of Annals As also that of Queen Elizabeth by William Camden SECT XXXI Though we have no intire body of our history in Latin written according to the dignity of the subject yet in English John Speed has writ an excellent Theatre of the British Empire to be in the first place contemplated by the youth of this Nation and especially of those who design to travell The Addition concerning the Histories of Particular Nations ARTICLE I. The design and order of this Appendix In what order we should proceed in the Particular histories The principal historians of the several Nations are to be selected and the historians of the latter times compared with the more ancient ARTICLE II. The historians of the Germans and of all the People from the Alpes to the Baltick Sea and from the Rhine to the Vistula to which the history of the Goths Vandals Huns Heruls Switzers Longobards Polonians Muschovites Danes and Swedes are to be added ARTICLE III. The Austrian historians ARTICLE IV. The historians of the Huns and Hungarians ARTICLE V. The historians of the Goths Danes Sclavonians and Swedes ARTICLE VI. The historians of the Longobards ARTICLE VII The historians of the Borussians and Poles ARTICLE VIII The historians of the Bohemians Switzars and Saxons ARTICLE IX The historians of Celts or Galls and French under which name we include all which are enclosed by the Rhine Pyrenaean Hills the Alpes and the Ocean ARTICLE X. The historians of the Netherlands Dutch and Flandrians ARTICLE XI The Spanish historians ARTICLE XII The historians of the Turks and Arabians who heretofore had the Dominions of Syria Persia Africa and Spain and were commonly call'd Saracens ARTICLE XIII The historians of Aethiopia India almost all Africa and of the New World or America ARTICLE XV. The historians of some great Cities SECT XXXII A Transition
who is a competent or well qualified Reader It is at least requisite that the Reader have a taste of Moral Philosophy And also of Chronology and Geography which are the two Eyes of History And some knowledge of other Arts is also necessary Part the Third SECT I. The last Head of what is to be handled proposed The Council of Ludovicus Vivis concerning those things that are to be Noted in the Reading of Histories The Custome of Augustus Caesar in his Reading Histories What things are found in Histories worth Noting and of what Use they are SECT II. Two sorts of Excerpts or Collections Philologick and Philosophick what species are contain'd under each of them how each of them are to be disposed of or ordered What advantage accrues thereby Many have written the formes of Common-place Books SECT III. A various Method of chusing and reserving for use the best things shewn out of Annaeus Seneca SECT IV. The manner of Excerping illustrated by Examples And first as to Philological observations out of Vell. Paterculus The Births and Deaths of Great Men to be observed A three-fold Elogie of Cato the Elder His Death A disagreement concerning his Age. His batred against Carthage The building of Corinth its duration and an Age fatal to Great Cities The Reasons of Ancient Sir-names The differences of the Roman Citizens That critical observations ought to be entered under the Philological That Scipio may be call'd not onely a favourer but an encreaser of Learning against the opinion of Lipsius in that point His Praise A two-fold Leisure What Dispungere signifies and whence it is derived and what things are said to be Expuncta An example out of Tacitus Primores Civitates What. That the Optimates were the best of the Nobility Who were call'd Principes Consules Exconsules Expraetores c. The distinction of the Senatours into Patricians Conscripti and Pedarii Whence they were so call'd SECT V. What Method is to be observed in Philosophical Observations shewn out of Herodotus Polybius and other Historians A twofold use of Examples Justus Lipsius Jo. Ã chokier and R. Dallington our Countreyman have excellently shewn the Uses of Histories and Examples An Instance or two of which is here givn by us out of L. Florus Justin and Herodotus St. Augustine supposeth that the History of Romulus and Remus is true What use may be made of it The faith of Camillus and Fabricius and the Axioms which spring from it What the Prodigious Preparations of Xerxes and the Event of his Expedition may teach us which is again confirm'd by the Example of the last Darius By the Examples of Caligula Nero and Valentinian the Malignity of self-love envy and spite and malice are shewn Polybius frequently shews the Use of Histories SECT VI. That Christians may receive usefull instructions from the Examples of the Heathens and thereby improve themselves not onely in Moral Vertues but also in the Acts of Piety and a Holy life The same thing taught by St. Augustine S. Hierome and others The Precepts of such imitations fulfilled by the Heathens which St. Ambrose elegantly expressed SECT VII That the Ecclesiastical History affords more and better fruits That the good works of the Heathens were nothing but splendid Sins The Ethnick History illustrates onely the second Table of the Decalogue but the Church-History the whole Law In the Prophane History there is nothing but counterfeit shapes of Vertues but in this the true Vertues are shewn In the first there are many things that are pleasant and usefull to be known but in the second there are more things which are necessary Upon which the Discourse is concluded with an Exhortation to a diligent reading of the Church-history THE METHOD and ORDER OF Reading Histories The Antelogium or The Introductory Oration made by the Authour the 17 th of October 1635. The occasion of Repeating these Lectures and Examples The Scope publick Advantage yet not to be rashly published The Excessive Confidence of the Scriblers of this Age Reprehended Modesty recommended by the Example of Pliny Secundus The Ancient Custome of Repeating before publication very usefull How much desireable in this Age most acceptable to Wise men Rather an Argument of Modesty than of Ostentation A living Voice In what Hearing has the advantage of Reading The definition of History It s End division and various sorts or Species IT is now about ten years and some Months if my Calculation deceive me not Most Honourable Academicks since I made some Discourses in this very place in the Presence of a great Assembly concerning the Order and Method of Reading Histories Whereupon some of my then Hearers prevail'd upon me by their importunity so far as to Publish from the Press and bring into the Light those Meditations such as they were Of late some of my Learned Friends have solicited me with the same vigour and irresistible Earnestness that I would bring these Lectures the second time to the Anvil and still insist urge and inculcate these reasons for it that they may surmount my reluctance The former Impression is many years since sold off and yet most eagerly sought after by many that therefore a new Edition would be very acceptable and very usefull too to the younger Students without doubt And there are some also of my present Hearers whom I have heard wish very passionately that I would reade again upon that Subject and afterwards if I thought fit Communicate my Lectures to the Learned and publish them to the World At length I yielded to the desires of both as far as I am Capable though at the same time I cannot with the same facility satisfie my own private humour by it and much less my Judgment My design then is with the favourable assistence of God to represent to you my Hearers those former Meditations with Additions and Amendments in some places in my next Lectures and that so carefully improved and Corrected as none of you may justly retort upon me the Satyrist's Proverb Occidit miseros crambe repetita Magistros The oft repeated Crambe kills the wretched Master 2. And yet whilst I well Consider you what if I should onely repeat my former thoughts for how few of you is there who now fill those Seats who have either from my Mouth heard or in Print read those former Discourses it may be in truth none or two or three at most and even those amongst you as I conjecture who have ever heard of them are not much more Numerous In short I will grant they were heretofore Printed so I may obtain that at some times in some places they were in some Esteem and read by some with some advantage and not thought unworthy of a light Commendation why then should I be blam'd for repeating and retouching the same Readings to my New Hearers who are for the most part now to begin the Study of Histories to these they will seem new though onely renew'd to others Nor would I
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
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
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
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
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
the Lives of the XII C sars with great Integrity because he conceals not the Vices or suspicions of Vices in the very best Princes nor does he dissemble the Colours of vertue in the worst Colerus doth almost follow Vivis as to the main and then adds something as to his Style His Style saith he is short and Nervous and no man has more diligently intermixt the publick Rites he is most correct and candid and not obnoxious to any man for whoever wrote the tempers or humours and manners of Princes with a greater freedom Courtiers and Statesmen may from hence reap much advantage and may also from Suetonius at the same time learn to detest flattery And with Suetonius Tranquillus the Reader may admit Tacitus an Historian of a great and sharp judgment who wrote of the same times with Suetonius the Criticks say he had a new concise and sententious way of writing but as to the use and utility of his History they vary or it may be rather fight each against other Justus Lipsius the Prince of the Criticks thus expresseth himself an usefull and a great writer and who ought to be in their hands who have the steering of the Common-wealth and Government and again a sharp Writer and very prudent and who if ever may be very usefull in the hands of men in these times and Scenes of affairs he doth not recite the Victories of Hanibal almost fatal to the Romans nor the specious death of Lucretia nor the Prodigies of the foretellers or the predictions of the Etruscans and the like which are apter to please than instruct the Reader Let every one in him consider the Courts of Princes their private Lives Counsels Commands Actions and from the apparent Similitude that is betwixt those times and ours let them expect the like Events you shall find under Tyranny Flattery and Informers Evils too well known in our times nothing simple and sincere and no true fidelity even amongst Friends frequent accusations of Treason the onely fault of those who had no fault the Destruction of great men in heaps and a Peace more cruel than any War I confess the greatest part of his History is full of unpleasant and sorrowfull Accidents but then let us suppose what was spoken by the dying Thrasea spoken to every one of us Young man consider well and though I implore the Gods to avert the Omen yet you are born in those times that require the well fixing your mind by Examples of Constancy To this may be added his Style which is by no means sordid or vulgar but distinguished with frequent and unexpected Sentences which a man cannot conjecture whence they should be derived which for their truth and brevity may be compared to Oracles to conclude he is a wonderfull Writer and does most seriously doe what he seems not to make his business at all for it is not onely a History but a Garden and Seminary of Precepts Colerus follows here the Judgment of Lipsius and thus he writes we esteem the Judgment of Lipsius as equal to Tacitus thou thinkest and that seriously of the Court and Palaces as I love thee look a little seriously in Tacitus into the fortune of Courtiers and the genius of Princes Let Cornelius be always by thy side that true Court Companion nor is there any cause that our Centaurs and Rusticks should affright thee from him who pretend that these representations are too ancient and nothing like our manners and times I say it is nothing so there is the same Play still upon the Stage the same vertues the same vices are Reacted onely the Actours are changed onely here wants a Learned and a wise Spectatour Isaac Casaubon a person admired for his Learning and Vertue here goes quite against the Judgments of Lipsius and Colerus for where he compares the other Historians with his Polybius he affirms of Tacitus that if his fortune had not deprived him of a Subject worthy of his faculties he might have equall'd any of the most excellent Greek or Latine Historians but such times saith he fell under his Pen especially in his Annals as there were never any more polluted with vices or more destitute of or enraged against all Vertues then comparing more particularly the matter of the History of Polybius and Tacitus together he concludes thus We can easily excuse Tacitus but not those who prefer this Authour before all the other Historians and aver that he is to be frequently read by States-men and the onely one from whom Princes and their Councellours should take rules for the Government of Common-wealths Now if we would expose the absurdity of this Opinion it would not be difficult to prove that those who think so accuse our present Princes of Tyranny or would manifestly teach them the principles of Tyranny for what can be more pernicious especially to a young man than the reading of those Annals for as good examples when they are frequently in sight improve a man without his observation so ill Examples hurt us for by little and little they sink into our minds and have the effect of Precepts being often read or heard but to proceed our Reader will better apprehend and more clearly understand both Suetonius and Tacitus if he has first read Dion Cassius whom I mentioned before and of this opinion Colerus is also thou wouldest better understand Suetonius and Tacitus let then Dion lead the way I would have thee know this that he is the onely Authour who has given us the famous and Politick oration of Mecoenas to Augustus which is worth all the rest of the Histories and he has also the splendid oration of Agrippa to him in other things and relations he hath not wholly escaped the suspicion of falsehood SECT XXII The Passage to the rest of the Writers of the Augustane Story how to be made viz. Spartianus Capitolinus Vulcatius and the other Authours who are not to be lightly esteemed the Judgment of Justus Lipsius upon them and also of Casaubon Herodian to be read in his place with them how far these Authours have brought the History and that amongst them Aurelius Victor and Pomponius Laetus are to be admitted THese being thus expedited if the Reader please to take in the Lives of Nerva Coccejus and Trajan two most excellent Princes out of Aurelius Victor Xiphilin or any other of the Writers of Lives Spartian's Adrian and Capitolinus his Antoninus will immediately follow in their order and all the rest of the Emperours whose Lives and Actions are written by those six Writers of the Augustane Story not so Elegantly as truly and were lately put out accurately amended and illustrated by Isaac Casaubon the immortal glory of this last Age and Claudius Salmafius a man Learned to a Miracle in the ancient Learning and although Casper Barthius prosecutes these Authours with a mean and slight Testimony and affirms that the Latine Tongue was become deformed in the very ages
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
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
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
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
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
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
Keckerman and others who are of a contrary judgment but if you please you may hear both first Keckerman and then Vossius Seeing saith Keckerman Histories contain nothing but Examples of Precepts and Precepts are generally delivered in a Method but examples without any Method Except that which is methodically taught precede it is a common and a very mischievous errour and mistake for youth which is led onely by the pleasure and delight of History to begin professedly to read Histories before it is acquainted with those Sciences and Precepts which are delivered in Order and Method and with the common places to which all Histories ought to be reduced Now that this is very preposterous may be easily understood by thus comparing it with other Sciences as for example with Grammar Logick c. For as it were absurd for a Man to desire to know and observe the examples of Grammar Logick or Rhetorick before he hath learned the Rules of those Sciences so it must needs be more absurd for one to desire to read seriously and professedly and to observe Histories which are nothing but examples of Morality and Politicks before he has Learned the Rules and Method of Morality and Policy c. Thus far Keckerman And now if you please you may hear Vossius There is saith he nothing of absurdity as Keckerman pretends if one should choose to learn Examples before Precepts for it is very well known that Languages may be very well learn'd without Grammar Rules and then saith he those who are of Keckerman's opinion commit no small errour by not distinguishing between Reading and Writing an History to which no Man should apply himself if he be not well acquainted with Civil Philosophy Lastly he saith That they confound the naked and simple History of things with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Historical Perfection which inquireth curiously into the circumstances and causes of events In the last place he confirms his opinion by the Authority of Quintilian a Great Master in the Art of Breeding youth who commands Oratours to begin with Histories and Orations And at the same time doubts not to prefer Livy before Salust not onely because he is more Candid and more like Cicero than Salust but also because he is the Authour of a larger and more perfect History now he would never have written thus if he had not thought the most General Histories best for youth Thus Writes the most Learned Vossius SECT II. The Opinion of Keckerman defended That Tongues are hardly to be well-learned without Rules That there is a vast difference betwixt Languages and Actions That Practick Philosophy is necessary not onely to the Writer but Reader also of History Ubertus Folietta Sebastianus Foxius and Viperanus do all seem to be of this opinion And the most Learned Vossius himself affords us no infirm arguments to support it BUt may we have the liberty of this Great Man whose judgment is every where else of the greatest Authority with us and whom in the things relating to History we especially value and venerate to dissent and in some sort to defend the part Keckerman hath taken It seems therefore to me that Keckerman may thus Reply In the first place it is not impossible to learn Languages without Rules but that they may be as well Learned without Rules is denied We learn to Articulate words and to form compound and speak them by Hearing Use and Discourse without Precepts or Rules But then to Adorn our Speech and artificially form an Oration is scarce or rather not at all possible without the assistance of Rules and Precepts And besides although one may learn to speak of what Language soever he were without Rules yet he will never be able to judge of the exactness and propriety of Speech and to give the reason of it without them nor indeed to speak well or elegantly But then those things are best learned of which we have a perfect knowledge where we can give an account of the Reason of them as Aristotle our Master teacheth us And besides all this there is another judgment to be made upon Languages than there is upon Actions whether we are to imitate them or to compare them in our mind by Contemplation Use directs and corrects our Speech but it is the Rule and Precepts of Living well which are to govern our Actions The Custome of the place which is never fix'd governs our Language But then we know our Actions are to be temper'd with respect to Honesty and Turpitude and to be examin'd by the Precepts of Law Secondly Neither is the opinion of Vossius altogether to be approved in that he holds that Practick Philosophy is necessary for a Writer but not for a Reader of History For why not Do we not affirm that the same end is common to both of them the design of the one being that he may from examples learn the way of Living well the other's that he may also by Examples teach that way Is it not the scope of the one that by describing the Accidents that have attended the Lives of others he may insinuate wisedom into Men And is it not the scope of the other that by reading and observing those events he may attain to prudence It seems to be exactly thus to me at least and not to me onely but to many others and those not unlearned men If you please let us hear one or two of them Moral Philosophy and History saith Ubertus Folietta are two faculties which respect the common Good and Utility of Men and which direct them in the way to a blessed life and fit them for the preserving and improving Civil Society And therefore these two faculties have divided this work between them so that the first forms the Minds and Manners of Men by Disputes and Precepts and the latter by usefull Examples and salutary Admonitions teaching and advising them what to follow and what to flee in the course of their lives by whose Examples Men should govern and form their Actions and Counsels and sets before them the ends and events which usually wait upon good and evil Counsels by the knowledge of which Men may be engaged in the love of Vertue or call'd off from Lewd and Wicked courses Sebastian Fox also a Man of a celebrated judgment and eloquence in his time doth manifestly dissent from the great Vossius in this point For he in his Book de Institutione Historiae writes thus How shall you ever be able to know or judge of the Art or Elegance not onely of an History but of any other thing that is well written if you know not what that art is or what is rightly and well done those things you inquire of are not to be understood but by Learned and well-instructed Men for he that would accurately read a History must first know how it ought to be wrote c. and presently after he subjoins the reason Because Artificers and
it yet as to the gaining any true and solid Learning it is of No use at all In the next place we approve our Reader so much the more if he has had a taste of Practick Philosophy or Morality the necessity of which qualification may be easily apprehended by what is said above In the next place if he has some degree at least of knowledge in Chronology that is the Successions of Times and Ages So that he is acquainted with the Series and Order of them and can inclose as it were in certain Limits the Empires Wars and Events he meets with in History That great Man Josephus Scaliger calls this the Soul of History without which it cannot breathe or live by others it is call'd the Right Eye of History by others the North Star which governs and directs the Reader whilst he Sails on the vast Ocean of History that he may the more certainly and quickly and with the greater delight and improvement arrive at the Port he designs by his Reading for he that without the Order of times thinks he may understand Histories will find himself in the end as much disappointed as if he should attempt to pass the Windings of a great Labyrinth without a Thread or Conductor But we attribute to History a left Eye too that is Geography or Topography with which if the Reader be not in some degree acquainted he must of necessity lose much of the pleasure yea and of the advantage or utility of his Reading and will scarce be able to attain a clear and perfect knowledge of the things related For who is so ignorant in History as not to understand how much light is given to the Reader by the circumstances of the place in which any thing is done Let him therefore be Master of the Common Divisions of the Globe of the Earth and let him know how to distinguish the Parts of the World and how they lye Let him also know the Provinces or Kingdoms in each part and at least the Principal Rivers Mountains and Towns for as to the more exact knowledge of small things we hardly judge it necessary to our Reader Lastly If he be in some degree also acquainted with other Arts and has some experience of things we shall then say that he is indeed a competent and well-prepared Reader of History And these things are sufficient to be spoken concerning the second Part of our Method OF THE ORDER and METHOD OF Reading Histories Part the Third Viz. Of the Manner of Collecting the Fruits of History Or of the Use of the Reading Histories SECT I. The last Head of what is to be handled proposed The Council of Ludovicus Vivis concerning those things that are to be Noted in the Reading of Histories The Custome of Augustus Caesar in his Reading Histories What things are found in Histories worth Noting and of what Use they are THE third Head yet remains which in the beginning we resolved to treat of in the last place and that was what in our Readings we should elect and how And this I might easily pass over if I did onely propose the Rules Ludovicus Vivis has given to be observed by all For he teacheth us what is to be observed in the Reading Histories in these words In Reading Histories saith he the first thing to be observed is the Order of times and in the next place all Words and Actions which will afford any example for the imitating what is good or the avoiding what is evil Wars and Fights are not so accurately to be considered as teaching us nothing but the arts and ways by which we may hurt one another it is also lightly to be regarded who took Arms who were the Generals where they fought who was beaten and what was done to them nor are these things to be read or written in any other style than that of Great ROBBERIES as indeed for the most part they are no better excepting onely those Wars which are begun against Thieves which I wish were more usually done amongst Christians it will therefore be better and much more fruitfull to fix our minds upon the affairs of the Gown and to Note what things are famously and wisely done in relation to any vertue what is basely and cruelly done as to vices what event followed how happy the ends of good Actions proved how sad and calamitous those of leud Actions Then the Speeches and Replies of men of great Sense Experience and Wisedom and especially those which according to the Greek word are call'd Apophthegms Counsels also and the Causes why any thing was undertaken done or spoken and especially the Counsels of such men as have excell'd others in Honesty Wisedom and Learning as for example the Philosophers and the best of Men the Saints of our Religion that we may not onely know what has proceeded from great agitations of minds but what hath come calmly from the force of the mind and judgment for indeed it is an unworthy thing to commit to writing the Operations of our affections and not those of our Reason and Counsels These Prescriptions are given us by that Learned Spaniard It would be a shorter work yet if I should onely propose to our Student in History the Example of Augustus the Emperour for his imitation of whom Suetonius writes thus In perusing the Greek and Latine Histories he did not pursue any thing so much as the Collecting those Precepts or Examples which were salutary and usefull to the Publick or to private men which transcribing word for word he very often sent to his Domesticks or to the Governours of Provinces or Armies or to the Magistrates of the City as any of them had need of an Admonition But we shall make the Use of Histories a little larger and yet shall not be over prolix neither For as we have observed above frequently and truly History is a treasury of very many and different good things For in History you will find some things which tend to the increase of Learning others of Prudence other things you may observe which tend to the improvement of the Language and which do contribute to the perfecting the Faculty of speaking well and lastly other things which tend to the well forming the Life and to the polishing the Manners SECT II. Two sorts of Learning to be gathered Philology and Philosophy under either of these there are several Species contain'd in what Order these are to be disposed and of what use they are That many have written concerning the Forms of Common Place-books THerefore we say there are two sorts of Excerpts in the whole which are especially to be observed by the Reader Philological and Philosophical Under the Philological we rank not onely all those Observations which concern the Elegance of Speech the Politeness of the Language and Style and the Propriety of Words but also the ancient Customs all their Rites Ceremonies and Solemnities of what sort soever they are and their
the disposition of affairs and times which they observe and represent through every Century accurate so that they have distinctly exhibited them their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fidei Representation of the Faith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciplinae Practice of the Discipline as also of the Manners of Men and of the progress and encrease of Vertue the Pests and Spots of the several Ages on the other side their Heresies Errours and Deviations from true and sincere Piety their Schisms and Factions which sprung out of ambition and the Men who were fam'd in every Age for Erudition and commended for Sanctity these I say and the like Ornaments of the Centuriators which neither can nor ought to be denied strangely affect our Minds and cast a pleasant Light upon them and commend not onely the things that are thus agreeably set forth but also their TRUTH which is the very Soul of History and by insinuating it they do most charmingly allure the eyes and minds of their Readers to them Now whilst they were building this Historical Palace for us they laid this as the first foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Order and Beauty and upon this pretious corner stone cut out of the Mountain by God himself Structorum Omnium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the infinitely most artfull Builder Hewen squared or fitted and placed or founded in the most holy Writings of the four most sacred Evangelists and adorn'd and polished both by the Ministry of the Evangelists and the Apostles which the Apostolical Epistles written to the Churches and the Acts of those things which were at first done by the Church have Propagated to Eternity And after this lanching out into a vast and open Sea these artificial Finders and expedite Relators represent and unfold through all the several parts of that glorious work 1. The external form of Discipline 2. The Rule and tenour of the Churches Faith 3. The various Mutations in point of Manners and Conversation 4. The Frauds and Impostures of Hereticks 5. The Impieties and Oppositions or Persecutions of Adversaries 6. And the Agonies and Generous Colluctations or Wrestling of the invincible Souldiers and Leaders of Jesus Christ the noble Army of Martyrs with a vast variety and verity in many other things The most Learned Prelate goes on farther and shews us from whence these Laborious and Industrious Centuriators collected and brought together so many and such usefull things All these things saith he being thus gathered and pack'd together they brought as it were into one common heap from the Apologetick Writings of the Fathers from their disputations and interpretations their commentaries and explications of those things that were to be believ'd From their Panegyrick Orations and Homilies and especially from the Acts of the Councils and from their Epistles which were written to divers Men and upon different occasions And in the last place from those ancient Histories which were left to us and had escaped the common Ruine of former times being yet extant though not in any great numbers yet either intire or reduced into Epitomes a rich and as far as was possible splendid Collection of Materials And now if something be still wanting to the perfection of this great work which either ought to have been added or was design'd but not effected it may both in equity and good justice after the custome of our Ancestors be excused not onely because they were the first who undertook this task which was never attempted by any others but also because they could never bestow a second care or a review upon it that as is usually done in Corrections what things were at first less exactly and less clearly either drawn or touched might afterwards be rendered more smooth and accurate by a greater diligence and more exact Polishing SECT XLIII The most Learned and most Reverend Bishop of Chichester teacheth us that the Centuriators were obnoxious to errours which is also confessed by Casaubon and yet the said Reverend Prelate shews that this work is of very great use THese and many other things hath that Reverend Prelate discoursed concerning the Magdeburgians by which the Reader may clearly perceive what and how much they have perform'd But then it is no less his interest to know their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Errours mistakes and vitious affections Nor did this Learned Bishop pass those by untouch'd No he clearly shews in what things they have erred and made themselves liable to and worthy of Reprehension as you may read in the Preface to his Apparatus Numbers the 50 51 52 53. and the most Learned Isaac Casaubon acknowledgeth that the things which are wanting in several Parts of that most excellent Work are many in number And yet in truth though the Centuriators have not a few things which neither ought to be born nor perhaps excused yet nevertheless that learned Prelate in the very next Number the 54 th of his said Preface affirms That we must needs confess that this Laborious Work of these Men has been very usefull to the Christian World And that it is a Work worthy of all praise and commendation Nor doth he pronounce his mind here rashly but immediately subjoins many reasons some of which I willingly annex here in his own most elegant words Because saith he this work represents the Effigies of the Ancient Christian Church expresseth her Manners and declares her Faith then it shews the Apostolical Successions throughout the Church and notes the progress and spreading of the Doctrine and it observeth also the defects spots and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is foolish and false Reformations brought in by Hereticks and the very sink of Schismaticks These and many other such like most usefull things which before lay scattered up and down here and there like the Ruines of a great building or the Limbs of a torn Body they recollected and laid together that they might be seen at once Which labour of theirs is both worthy of praise and acceptance and also attended with a general utility and advantage And so those things which before were to be sought for in Labyrinths and I know not how many windings and almost infinite Circuits which lying dispersed torn and lacerated here and there offered themselves now in one place and then in another as occasion served and were to be inquired after with great labour and pains which was not alwayes successfull neither All these things I say being now disposed into order and put in certain and known places and by the light of that method and disposition rendered more commendable may now be found by a mean industry because they do as it were present themselves to the eyes of all Men and without difficulty attend their service and wait upon their present occasions Thus far has he discoursed of the Centuriators and their most famous Work SECT XLIV Baronius his Annals equal to the Centuries A stupendious Work The judgment of Casaubon upon it and also
that of the Reverend Bishop of Chichester Those Annals to be read with great caution and why Spondanus the Jesuite the Epitomizer of them THe Great Annals of the Great Cardinal Baronius which he wrote in opposition to the Centuries not long since are of equal moment and esteem and I will add of as great advantage and use too a Work which by the confession of the most Learned Men and of Casaubon amongst the rest is stupendious because that great person has in it digested the Transactions of the whole Christian World especially those that concern the Church into one continued series of years with the same facility as if he had wrote the Chronicle of some one City For he is the Man who first brought to light I know not from whence so many things which were utterly unknown before who with so accurate a diligence explain'd the successions of the most ancient Bishops in the great Cities the rises progress and ends of the ancient Heresies And the Turbulent and Peaceable times of the Church who if he had not abated his own merit by his excessive partiality was without all controversie worthy to have had the preference before all the ancient and modern Writers who never were able to attain that degree of Learning he had as the famous Casaubon writes of him nor is he alone in this high Encomium on him The greatest part of the Learned Men who deserve to be the Censors of other Mens Labours do exactly agree with him as I have said But then the most Learned Bishop of Chichester whom we have already so very often cited has right to a greater Authority with us than any other person whatsoever and he commends the great Cardinal where he deserves it and yet doth not spare him where he thinks him blame-worthy But take his own words There is scarce saith he any thing wanting in Baronius which a Man would mightily desire if his too great partiality and as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sympathy and compassion which he every where pursues and too too much cherishes in himself for the interests of the Church of Rome had been abated for it cannot be denied which Learned Men blame in him that he is so totally taken up with the defence and commendation of those whom he sides with that all the instances that now are or heretofore were extant in the Church of Rome of deserting or corrupting the Faith or depraving the ancient manners of the most leud sales of holy things and of the most execrable Sacrileges whatever has been insolently perpetrated of which sort we may find many examples acted by most wicked Popes with insufferable boldness to the prejudice of the Name of Christianity to the dishonour of the Church and in contempt of Jesus Christ which the greatest Catholicks will not deny but rather acknowledge them to be Monsters of Men and the very shames of Humanity yet all these he excuseth and this is little too for he defends them and which is yet worse he sometimes commends them and with much Oratory adorns and extolls these Villanies He doth not endeavour to correct the present Manners of Rome by the ancient but by violence draws the utmost Antiquity against her will and in despite of her reluctance by the very Throat to countenance their City Faith and especially that ill-born Faith and worse brought up concerning the direct Omnipotence of the Pope for the confirmation of which he makes use of all his Furniture and stretches to the utmost all the powers of his Wit Thus far that Learned Prelate So that we may rightly conclude that it was not without cause that the excellent Casaubon said That the extraordinary Merits of the Cardinal were corrupted by his too much favouring his own party And therefore my Hearers the Reader of Ecclesiastical History is to know that the Annals of Baronius are not to be read without great caution but then where this caution is to be used and how great it ought to be is in part shewn by the famous Casaubon in his Prolegomena's to his Exercitationes Baronianas But the Learned Bishop of Chichester as he has shewn in short the Errors and Rashnesses of the Centuriators so in many places he shews wherein the most Illustrious Annalist has deserved blame and that in express and clear words Spondanus a Jesuit but a foul-mouth'd Railing Fellow has contracted that voluminous Work of the Cardinal into an Epitome who might yet perhaps have deserved commendation for his diligence if he had not too superstitiously pursued the opinions of Baronius and thereupon endeavoured to confirm his conceit concerning the Omnipotence of the Pope destroyed the Majesty of Kings and Princes and endeavoured under-hand and as it were by the bye to intoxicate his Readers with the pernitious doctrine of Hildebrand SECT XLV Lucas Osiander reduced the Eight first Centuries of the Magdeburgians into an Epitome and not without good advantage He skips from the 8 th to the 16 th To this Century belongs the History of the Council of Trent The Praises of that History and of that Authour Jacobus Augustus Thuanus inserted into his Accurate History the Ecclesiastical affairs of those times beginning at the year 1546 and ending at the year 1608. which History is continued to the year 1618. LUcas Osiander a Man of no small fame reduced into a Compendium the Eight first Magdeburgian Centuries and did it so exactly that he scarce left out any thing that was very necessary to be known For besides the series of the several years he proposed in a more easie method what the state of the Church was in all times from the Birth of our Saviour shews how the Doctrine of the Gospel was spread throughout the World what Heresies arose in the Church and by what means they were suppressed what Persecutions were moved against the Church and how they were appeased what Doctours the Churches had in all times and amongst them the Lives of the Bishops of Rome are related The actions of the Emperours of Rome also are there described All which he hath comprehended in a very excellent Compendium But then he pass'd from the VIII th Century to the XVI th which the Magdeburgians had not touched for they ended in the XIII th Century and he treats of the actions of that a little more largely and gives the reason why he did so in his preliminary Epistle in these words But I saith he think that there is no age from the times of the Apostles downward which is more necessary or usefull to be known to pious Men than that in which we live especially as to the Church History which I now set forth for it contains an account of very great changes both in Church and States which are such so great and so many as never happened before in any Century To this Century belongs the History of the Council of Trent which Council was summon'd in the year 1542.