not certainly known who compil'd this Book tho' some ascribe it to Samuel It represents the Republick of the Iews under the Dominion of Iudges counting from the death of Ioshua to that of Sampson It contains a Series of History of it may be 317 Years that is to say from the Year of the World 2570 to 2887. Therein the Israelites are to be found groaning under very severe Hardships God having delivered them over to the Power of their Enemies for the Punishment of their Idolatries VIII Ruth This Book whose Author is not known contains an Example of uncommon Piety and of the singular Providence of God Ruth a Moabitish Woman being not willing to forsake her Mother-in-Law follows her till she comes into her own Country where God so employs his Providence for the Welfare of Ruth that she marries for her second Husband Boas a very rich Man of that Country and becomes Mother of Obed Grand-father of David from whom our Saviour Iesus Christ descended according to the Flesh. There is no doubt but this History of Ruth hapned in the time of the Iudges 'T is said to be during the Administration of Samgar about 28 Years after the death of Ioshua IX The first Book of Samuel contains all that passed under the Governments of Heli and Samuel as likewise under the Reign of Saul for about the space of 101 Years that is from the Year of the World 2848 to 2949. X. The second Book of Samuel comprehends all the Reign of David during 40 Years XI The First Book of Kings contains the History of Solomon's Reign as likewise how his Kingdom was divided after his Death Afterwards it treats of Four Kigns of Iuda There is in this Book a Series of History for the space of 126 Years XII The Second Book of Kings contains the several Reigns of 12 Kings of Israel to the Destruction of that Kingdom and of 16 Kings of Iuda to the Captivity of Babylon This Book also relates wonderful Things of Elijah and Elisha his Companion It contains in all the History of 308 Years The Author of the First and Second Books of Kings is unknown but all together include the space of 597 Years XIII The First Book of the Paralipomenes or Chronicles XIV The Second Book of the Paralipomenes or Chronicles These two Books are so nam'd because they contain the Acts and other Circumstances which had been omitted in the foregoing Historical Books This Second ends at the Year of the World 3468. where ended likewise the 70 Years of Captivity when Cyrus gave Liberty to the People of Iuda to return into their own Country to build their Temple and the Walls of Ierusalem 'T is commonly thought that Esdras was Author of these two Books XV. The First Book of Esdras according to the common Opinion was written by the Person whose Name it bears It contains the History of the Captivity of the Iews with their Deliverance and Re-establishment in Iudea from the first Year of Cyrus his Reign to the 20th of Artaxerxes sirnam'd the Long-handed All which comprehends the space of 28 Years computing from the Year of the World 3468 to 3550. XVI The Second Book of Esdras was compil'd by Nehemiah It begins at the 20th Year of Artaxerxes and continues even to the beginning of the Reign of Darius his Son sirnam'd the Bastard which comprehends the History of the Iews during 31 Years and extends to the Year of the World 3581. XVII Tobit There are those that are of Opinion that Tobit the Father and the Son were the Compilers of their own History but this carries no Authority along with it Tobit was one of those Israelites that was transported out of Samaria by King Senacherib This Book includes several great Examples of Virtue and excellent Principles of Morality You may there observe Tobit faithful to God even under strange Trials His Charity the Care he had to bury the Dead his Patience after he had lost his Sight and finally his admirable Instructions of Piety to his Son Tobit the Son informs us with what Dispositions we are to engage in Marriage In a word the Providence of God towards all those that put their Trust in him shines throughout the whole course of this Book XVIII Iudith The Author of this Book is by no means known Huetius was of Opinion That it was writ during the Captivity in Babylon tho' the History of Iudith related in this Book hapned according to the Opinion of the Learned before this Captivity Thus it is thought that this wonderful Expeditâ—on of that Pious Widow who was 64 Years old when she cut off Holofernes's Head was transacted after King Manasses was Re-establish'd Iudith liv'd 41 Years after this bold Action that is to say to the Year of the World 3389. when she was 109 Years of Age. XIX Esther The History of Esther hapen'd under the Reign of Darius Son of Histaspes It is Ahasuerus who is all along mention'd in this Book The Composure of it is attributed to Mordecai but it appears to me that Esther might also have had a hand in it XX. Iob. It is thought that this Book was first written in Arabick and afterwards Translated into Hebrew by Moses The History of Iob can by no means be a Fiction the Persons and Nations therein mention'd by their proper Names the several Testimonies of Tobit Ezekiel and S. Iames together with the Sentiments of the ancient Fathers ought to convince us that this Story is true Iob was either before Moses or else at the same time with him and this History probably hapned during the Israelites being in the Desert because there is no mention made in it of the written Law XXI The Psalms These are commonly ascrib'd to David altho' there be many that are none of his and which have been written a long time after his Death as well by Esdras as other Prophets XXII The Proverbs of Solomon This Book was Compos'd by him whose Name it bears and contains excellent Precepts of Life as well in what relates to the Service of God as our duty towards our Neighbour XXIII Ecclesiastes also belongs to Solomon This Book decries perfectly the Vanity of the greatest Enjoyments in this World XXIV The Canticles or Song of Songs is also of Solomon This Book is altogether Mystical It describes in a very lively manner the incomprehensible Love of Christ towards the Church his Spouse as likewise the Churches return to Christ. S. Ierom observes that among the Iews none were suffer'd to read this Book till they had attain'd the Age of 30 Years so that we may say with this Father That Solomon writ his Proverbs for those that were just entred in the Paths of Piety his Ecclesiastes for such as were somewhat advanc'd But for his Canticles they requir'd a Mind altogether elevated and disengag'd from the Clogs of this World XXV The Book of Wisdom This Book contains the Spirit and many other Things of Solomon altho' in all
Relation there are many surprizing Stories of wonderful Austerities and Examples which would be dangerous to imitate Several learned Men are of Opinion that this Palladius was likewise Author of the Life of St. Chrysostome X. Paul Orosius a Spanish Priest of the City of Tarragon and Disciple of St. Austin flourish'd under the Emperors Arcadius and Honorius The City of Rome having been taken in the Year 410. by Alaric King of the Goths the Pagans had a mind to render the Christians Odious by accusing them of being the cause thereof as likewise of all the other Calamities which befel the Roman Empire It was upon occasion of this Reproach that Paul Orosius at the Request of St. Austin undertook their Defence by shewing that all Ages have produc'd the like Misfortunes and that the Empire of Rome has never been more free from 'em than since the Birth of Christ. This Work says Du Pin is a kind of Vniversal History divided into VII Books which is not ill writ and yet not over-exact for there are many gross Faults to be met with both in the History and Chronology XI Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus a City of Syria was born in Antioch The Greek Church never had a Prelate more Learn'd and of a better Judgment He was elected into this See about the Year 423. And in 431. he assisted at the Council of Ephesus He wonderfully refuted the Heresies of his time both with Tongue and Pen. Those Works we have of his sufficiently convince us of his deep Learning and great Parts He wrote V Books of Ecclesiastical History which begun with the Heresy of Arius and proceeded on to the time of Theodosius the Younger which likewise Gennadius says he continu'd to the reign of Leo in V other Books but which however are now lost Vtinam quis tantum Thesaurum eruat e Tenebris sicubi adhue delitescunt says Father Labbe the Jesuit Among the other Works of Theodoret there is his Monastical History containing the Lives of the most famous Anchorets of his Time This Book is entituled Philotheus that is as Nicephorus explains it The History of the Beloved of God Herein are related great and wonderful Examples of Virtue XII Socrates say the Schools learnt Grammar at Constantinople under the care of Ammonius and Helladius both Natives of Alexandria He has written an Ecclesiastical History in VII Books which either begins or ends that of Eusebius that is from Constantin and continues to the 17th Consulship of Theodosius the Younger which begins with Festus in the Year 439. so that this History of Socrates comprehends the space of 140. Years Photius says it is very Uncorrect as to its Stile and less Authentick in expounding the Doctrin of the Church He gives us a great deal of reason to believe that he was byass'd to the Errors of the Novatians in that he extreamly commends the Bishops of that Persuasion and blames the Catholicks with a great deal of Vehemence XIII Sozomen Native of Salamis in the Island of Cyprus frequented the Bar for some time at Constantinople He has written IX Books of Ecclesiastical History from the third Consulship of Crispus and Constantin Junior both Sons of Constantin the Great and both Emperors to the seventeenth Consulship of Theodosius Junior that is to say from the Year 324. to the Year 429. We have lost a Continuation of this History for near 20 Years It is somewhat strange that Theodoret Socrates and Sozomenes should all Three undertake the same Work at the same time The reason I suppose must be that they did not like each others Works For it is certain says Nicephorus Writing upon this Subject that the Readers and Writers are often of different Opinions Also these Historians might well be presum'd to favour the Party they Adher'd to XIV Victor of Vtica a Bishop of Africa in the fifth Century of the Church has written an Account of the African Persecution by the Vandals in III Books the beginning whereof shews that it was compos'd in the Year 487. under the Reign of the Emperor Zeno about 60 Years after the Vandals had pass'd from Spain to Africk over the Streights of Gibraltar You shall there meet with a List of the African Bishops which were then involv'd in that Persecution among which Victor himself was not spar'd by the Tyrant Huneric XV. Cassiodorus was Chancellor and chief Minister to Theodoric the Goth and several other Kings of Italy From the Age of 20 Years he was rais'd to all the great Employments in the State all which he acquitted with that Address that he might well serve for a Model to the most refin'd Politicians that succeeded him Under the Reign of Vitigius perceiving the Power of the Goths begin to decrease in Italy he retir'd from the World to his Monastery of Viviers which he had caus'd to be Built on the Extremities of Calabria Amidst his most Burthensom Employments he did not omit Writing several excellent Books of which we shall only mention those that relate to History His Chronicle dedicated to King Theodoric was compos'd while he was a Minister of State says Father St. Marthe in his Life of Cassiodorus It is very much Abridg'd containing only the Names of the Consuls and their principal Actions Vossius after Ioseph Scaliger calls this Chronicle Farrago Cassiodori Chronicon tantum farrago est Which Injury against so great a Man the learned Benedictin that was Author of his Life could not endure They find Fault with him says He for not being exact in Chronology in a work which was purely Chronological It is therefore that they fall upon this great Person with so much Gall and Fury They particularly accuse him of being deceiv'd in counting the Consuls from the Emperor Tiberius to Dioclesian but they might be answer'd that he was not deceiv'd only by depending on the Authority of Eusebius he reckon'd the Consulship of Junius Brutus an Olympiad sooner than he ought That the multitude of Consuls amounting to 25. made in one Day caus'd a great Confusion among Historians and that in a Word the Faults of Cassiodorus are for the most part to be imputed to his Copyers c. He has also written a History consisting of three Parts and drawn out of three Authors viz. Socrates Sozomenes and Theodoret all which he has reduc'd into XII Books All these three Historians he got his Friend Epiphanius the School-Divine to Translate and out of them he afterwards compos'd a Body of History selecting out of each what he found most Excellent and Proper for his Purpose He likewise writ a History of the Goths in XII Books of which we have reason to regret the Loss and whereof we have now remaining only what Iournandez Bishop of Ravenna has preserv'd and which is to be found among the Works of Cassiodorus King Athalaric own'd that this Work was of a profound Reach that its Author had therein rescu'd from Oblivion several ancient Gothish Monarchs which were quite forgot
that he had re-establish'd the Royal Race of the Amali in their primitive Lustre and given an account of 17 Generations of them from their first swaying the Scepter and finally that he had Collected into one Body what was before scatter'd through many Books Thus Father St. Marthe speaks of this History in his Life of Cassiodorus XVI Evagrius say the Schools was Native of Epiphania a City of Syria and liv'd in the Sixth Century of the Church He writ an Ecclesiastical History which he begins where Socrates and Theodoret ended that is about the Year 431. when the impiety of the Nestorians was Condemn'd by the Council of Ephesus and concluded it about the twelfth Year of the Emperor Maurice which was in the Year 597. Photius says That this History is very plain and exact The Emperors Constantine and Maurice greatly recompens'd this Author for all his Works and of which he speaks himself XVII Gregory de Tours born in Auvergne of noble Parentage He was one of the most pious Bishops and celebrated Writers of his Time His Genius led him so much to Learning and Piety that after Euphronius Arch-bishop of Tours's death he was rais'd to that See in the Year 572. and dy'd in 594. The French are endebted to him for the Knowledge of our first Kings whose History he has written in X Books and continu'd it down to his own Time He wrote also a great many other Books XVIII Bede sirnam'd the Venerable was born in the Year 673. in a small Village upon the River Tine in England He was brought up in a Monastery of St. Benedict where his Parents plac'd him but when Seven Years old He there read Philosophy Divinity Mathematicks and other curious Learning but above all he imbib'd the Practice of Christian and Religious Virtues He dy'd the 26th of May in the Year 735. Amongst several of his Works we have his Ecclesiastical History of England in V Books which begins with Iulius Caesar's Descent upon this Nation and ends with the Year 731. He has also written a Chronicle of VI Centuries and some particular Relations of the Lives and Martyrdom of divers Saints XIX Paul the Deacon was by Birth a Lombard and liv'd in the Eighth and Ninth Centuries He was first Deacon of Aquilea and afterwards Chancellor to Desiderius the last King of the Lombards When as this Prince was Conquer'd by Charlemagne Paul the Deacon was carry'd Prisoner into France where his great Knowledge and Learning procur'd him a great many Friends After various turns of Fortune which he had undergone he became a Monk of Mount-Cassin where he dy'd in the Ninth Century but in what Year is unknown He has written the History of the Lombards in VI Books the Acts of the several Bishops of Mets and the Lives of St. Arnold St. Cyprian and St. Bennet c. XX. Eginard Secretary to Charlemagne had divers considerable Employments in that Prince's Court. He had a great deal of Wit and Merit and renounc'd the World to become a Monk He writ the life of Charlemagne who had honour'd him with so particular Esteem and Affection He compil'd the Annals of France from the Year 741 to 829. There are some other small Tracts of his He dy'd in the Year 844. tho' some say sooner and some later XXI Freculphus Bishop of Lisieux liv'd in the Ninth Century This Prelate who had been Educated under the Order of St. Benedict was greatly commendable for his Doctrin and Piety He compos'd a Chronicle of which the first Part begins at the Creation and reaches down to our Saviour this consists of VII Books The second begins with the Incarnation of Christ and extends to the coming of the Franks and the Lombards about the Year 600. This comprehends V. Books He Addresses this Chronicle to the Empress Iudith Wâ—fe to Lewis the Debonnaire and Mother to Charles the Bald. He dy'd about the Year 852. XXII Luitpraâ—d Sub-deacon of Toledo Deacon of Pavia and at length Bâ—shop of Cremona liv'd in the Tenth Century and was says Cardinal Bellaâ—min in very great Esteem on account of his Learning and Wisdom Berengerius II. King of Italy sent him in quality of an Ambassador to Constantinople in the Year 946. to the Emperor Constantine Porphiriginâ—tes whence he return'd at the Request of the Emperor Otho in the Year 968. who sent him likewise to Nicephorus Phocas Under the Name of this Luitprand we have VI. Books of History which comprehend all the most considerable Transactions in Europe from the Emperor Arnâ—lphus down to his Time The Learned pretend that what follows the Fifth Chapter of the VI. Book does not belong to Luitprand but was written by another Author of the same Time who had a mind to continue his History They also reject his Book concerning the Acts of the Popes from St. Peter down to Formâ—sus Father Labbe is of Opinion That this History was wrote by a Germâ—n Monk towards the Year 895. The Spaniads father upon this Author a Chronicle of a parcel of fabulous Princes which had never been in the World Also Father Labbe would have this Chronicle sent to the Kingdom of Vtopia Generally speaking nothing is more faulty than these Chronological Successions not excepting the Fables of the Poets the Stories of old Women and of Amadis de Gaul XXIII Witikind a Benedictine Monk of the Abbey of Corby in Saxâ—ny liv'd in the Tenth Century the Year of whose death is unknown The moâ—t remarkable of his Works is his History of the Saxâ—ns in III. Books together with that of Henry King of Germany surnam'd the Fowler and of his Son the Emperor Otho This Hisâ—ory extends to the Year 973. when Otho dy'd XXIV Frodoard Abbot of Rheims writ a Chronicle which began at the Year 919. and ended with the Year 966. 'T is thought he dy'd much about the same time XXV Glaber Rudolphe a Fryer of St. Germains of Auxerre flourish'd under the Reigns of King Robert the Good and Henry I. his Son He has written an History which includes the time between the Years 990. and 1045. Neither the time nor place of his Death is known neverthâ—less he is of great Repute and was Author of the Life of St. William Abbot of St. Benigne of Dijon This Person was a great restorer of the Monastical Discipline of his Time He dy'd at Fecamp in Normandy the first of Ianuary in the Year 1051. XXVI Iohn Curopalate so call'd for being an Officer of the Houshold to the Emperor of that Name He is a Greek Author who compos'd a History from the end of the Empire of Michael Curopalate where Theophanes ended his to the beginning of the Reign of Alexis Comnenes Emperor of the Greeks that is from the Year 813. to 1081. George Cedrenus was a Grecian Monk that liv'd towards the middle of the Eleventh Century He has made an Abridgment of History from the beginning of the World to the Reign of Isack Comnenes who in the Year 1057.
succeeded to Michael VI. Emperor of Constantinople This Cedrenus was a great Plagiary having Robb'd Iohn Curopalate of almost all that he says after the death of Michael I. to the Reign of Isack Comnenes It was then customary among the Greeks to rifle the Dead and this ill Example extended also to Letters Eusebius made bold with Africanus George Sincellus a Monk of Constantinople who liv'd in the Eighth Century likewise Pillag'd him in his turn and moreover Criticis'd upon him most unmercifully After him comes George Theophanus a Man in other respects good enough but he could not forbear treading in the Paths of others and enriching himself with the Spâ—ils of such has had gone before him But still herein he was more moderate than George Cedrenus whose Theft was so exceedingly extravagant that Father Labbe the Jesuit in his Book de Script Eccles. expresses himself very much displeas'd when Vossius made it a Question Whether George Cedrenus were more beholden to Iohn Curopalate or Iohn Curopalate to George Cedrenus But the Truth is these modern Greek Peices are of no great Worth for they are generally made up of the Raggs of Antiquity Patch'd and Sow'd unjudiciously together As all these different Greek Works have been generally Stollen I have not thought it convenient to allow 'em any particular Article but imagine I have done sufficient to let the World know how little they ought to be Valu'd XXVII Ingulphus an English-man of London was a Monk in the Abby of Fontenelles in Normandy and afterwards Abbot of Croyland in England He flourish'd between the Years 1050 and 1109. when he dy'd He has written an Account of the Monasteries in England from the Year 664 to 1067. which was the first Year of the Reign of William the Conquerour whose Secretary 't is said Ingulphus was after he became King of England XXVIII Iohn Zonarius a Monk of the Order of St. Basil flourish'd about the Year 1120. He has written an Universal History in III Volumes Whereof the First contains the Affairs of the Jews from the Creation of the World to the Destruction of Ierusalem The Second comprehends an Abridgment of the Roman History from the Foundation of Rome to Constantin the Great The Third contains the Actions of the Eastern Emperors from Constantin to Alexis Comnenes M. Vossius allows this Author a greater share of Genius and Exactness than he seems to have Merited by his Works This Historian before he became a Monk had divers considerable Employments in the Eastern Emperors Courts XXIX Honorius Autunensius so nam'd from his having been Prebendary of the Cathedral Church of Autun in Burgundy He flourish'd under the Reign of the Emperor Henry V. about the Year 1120. There is a very large Chronicle of his which M. Vossius says is a great Honour to its Author being of no common Benefit to the Publick Gloriam sibi publico fâ—uctu quaesivit Volumine quod summa Historiarum vel Magnum Chronicum Opus Nuncupatur Vossius c. We have likewise an Account of the Ecclesiastical Writers from this Author which he entitles De Luminaribus Ecclesiâ—e XXX William of Malmesbury or Somerset a Monk of the Order of St. Benedict in the Monastery of Malmesbury where he was Library-keeper He has Writ Five Books of English History and Two which are call'd Historia Novella It ends with the Year 1142. when it is thought that its Author dy'd He is look'd upon to be one of the best Writers of the History of England XXXI Henry Steronius a Monk of the Abbey of Altaich in Germany liv'd in the 14th Century He has compil'd Annals which begin with the Year 1152. being the First of the Reign of Frederic Barbarossa and proceed on to the Year 1273. when the Emperor Rodolphus I. of the Family of Hapsbourg began his Reign Eberard Arch-deacon of Ratisbonne continues these Annals down to the Year 1305. This Author Steren likewise writ the several Lives of the Emperors Rhodophus of Hapsbourg Adolphus of Nassaw and Albert of Austria down to the Year 1300. Vlriâ— and Conrade Wellirige of Ausbourg two Brothers and Monks of the Order of St. Benedict made an Addition to this Work which extends to the Year 1335. XXXII Henry of Huntingdon Arch-deacon and Canon of Lincoln in England flourish'd about the Year 1153. being the time when Stephen King of England dy'd He has written the History of England in X Books from the Descent of the Angels and Saxons upon Britain to the Year 1153. Polidore Virgil says this was an excellent Historian Historicus Egregius XXXIII Petrus Cemester or Peter the Eâ—ter was Native of Trâ—ies in Champagne He quitted the Benefice which he had in the place of his Birth to become a Member among the Regular Canons of St Victor at Paris where he dy'd in October towards the Year 1198. and his Tomb and Epitaph in the Church of St. Victor have been frequently Visited by the Curious He was a very learn'd Man for the time while he liv'd He compos d the History call'd Scolastick which Sixtus of Siena extreamly commends tho' he says withal that its Author has intermixt with it a great many Apocryphal Actions which have no good Warrant from Antiquity In this History which consists of XVI Books â—he Abridges all the Old and New Testament adding here and there some Notes and Remarks drawn out of the Fathers and some profane Writers XXXIV Otho of Freisingen so nam'd for having been Bishop of that City was Son to Leopold Marquess of Austria equally Illustrious for his Birth Learning and Piety Being Dissatisfied with the Professors of the College of Newbourg which his Father had Founded he went to Study in the University of Paris He afterwards admitted himself of the Order of White-Fryars in the Monastery of Morimond of which in a short time his Virtue advanc'd him to be Abbot Having been chosen Bishop of Freisingen he return'd into Germany in the Year 1148. when he waited on the Emperor Conrade in his Expedition to the Holy-Land But upon his Return being convinc'd more than ever of the Vanity of Things of this World he hasted to his belov'd Retirement of Morimond where he dy'd the 21st of September in the Year 1158. This Otho writ a Chronicle in VII Books from the beginning of the World to the Year 1146. He also compil'd the Life of Frederick Barberossa which Radevic a Canon of Freisingen continu'd XXXV William a French-man tho' some say a German was elected Arch-bishop of Tyre in Phenicia the 30th of May 1175. He has written the History of the Holy-War under Godfrey of Bulloign Which he begins with the Year 1095. and ends with that of 1180. This Work comprehends XXIII Books but the last is not quite finish'd Iohn Harold has hereto added VI Books after a Fashion The Year of William of Tyre's Death is unknown XXXVI Helmodius a Priest of Busoen near Lubec liv'd in the Twelfth Century in the time of the Emperor Frederic
begins with the time of Nembroth and ends with the Year of Christ 1348. This Author was a Florentine XLVIII Flavius Blondus a Native of Forli in Romania was Secretary to Eugenius IV. and divers other Popes He compos'd several Historical Works whereof there are X Books Romae Triumphantis III Romae Restauratae VIII Italiae Illustratae III Decads of the Roman History and a Treatise of the Origin and Actions of the Venetians This Author was a Philosopher who regarded Worldly-acquisitions but little insomuch that Fortune which seldom takes care of those sort of People suffer'd him so far to support his Character as to die Poor the Fourth of Iune in the Year of Christ 1463. Romae Pauper at Philosophum decuit Obiit says Father Labbe XLIX St. Antoninus Arch-bishop of Florence and a Fryer of the Order of St. Dominic liv'd in the Fifteenth Century with all the Reputation and Respect that his great Piety and Learning could procure him Amongst the rest of his Works there is one call'd Summa Historica an Historical Abridgment which consists of three Parts The First is from the beginning of the World to the Reign of Constantin The Second contains all remarkable Passages from Constantin to the Year 1198. being the time of the Pontificat of Innocent III. And the Third begins from thence and ends with the Year 1459. which was the time when he dy'd under the Pontificat of Pius II. and the Empire of Frederic III. L. Aeneas Sylvius who was Pope by the Name of Pius II. He was Born at Corsignano a Village of the Territory of Siena the 18th of October in 1405. After having been employ'd in several important Negotiations wherein he sufficiently demonstrated his great Abilities he was first made Bishop of Siena and then Cardinal by Calistus III. in the Year 1456. and afterwards that Pope being dead he succeeded him under the Name of Pius II. He has compos'd several Works all which denote his great Learning and Judgment but we shall only take notice of those that relate to History He has compil'd the History of the Council of Basile in II Books He also Abridg'd the History of Flavius Blondas There is also a Cosmography of his or the History of the whole World There is likewise his Europaean History which contains several remarkable Transactions in his time 'T is also believ'd that he wrote his own Life tho' it goes under the Name of Iohn Gobelin his Secretary He dy'd the 14th of August in the Year 1464. when about 58 Years Old LI. Laonicus Chalcocondylas an Athenian who liv'd in the Fifteenth Century He has written in Greek an History of the Turks in X Books which he begins with Othoman Son of Orthogulus who liv'd in the Year 1300. and carries it on to the Year 1463. When Mahomet II. was in War with the Venetians and Mathias King of Hungary It has moreover an Appendix which reaches down to 1565. LII B. Platina Native of Cremona according to Father Labbe and of Verona if we may believe Moreri was born in the Fifteenth Century His Name was not Baptist as some have thought but Bartholomew His quick Parts occasion'd him to be universally Esteem'd especially at Rome whither he went under the Pontificat of Pope Calistus II. and was very Munificently receiv'd by Cardinal Bessarion But Pope Paul II. became very much his Enemy and kept him four Months in Prison after which his Successor Sixtus IV. who knew him better bestow'd on him the Care of his Library in the Vatican He wrote the Lives of the Popes down to Paul II. which Work Onuphrius Panvinius a Fryar of the Order of St. Austin at Verona who liv'd in the Sixteenth Century continu'd to his time which was about the Year 1568. when he dy'd at Salermo Platina dy'd at Rome of the Plague in the Year 1481. LIII Anthony Bonfinius a Native of Ascoli liv'd towards the Year 1495. He was a very honest and laborious Man and had learnt almost all Languages It was at the request of Mathias Corvinus King of Hungary and Bohemia that he undertook the History of Hungary which he carry'd on to the Year 1495. It consists of IV Decads and half that is XLV Books LIV. Robertus Gaguinus Head of the Order of the Trinity was very much in favour with Charles VIII and Lewis XII of France where he had the keeping of the Royal Library He has compos'd several Works but the most considerable is his History of France in XII Books which reach down to the Reign of Charles VIII LV. Marcus Antonius Sabellicus Son to a Poor Farrier in Italy was a great Lover of Learning in which he made a considerable progress in a very short time We have a History of his from the beginning of the World to the Year of Christ 1504. And a History of the Affairs of Venice Paulus Iovius says that he dy'd at Venice in the Year 1506. LVI Iames Phillip of Bergamos of the Order of the Hermits of St. Austin was a Person of singular Merit and whom Pope Innocent VIII honour'd with a particular Esteem He compos'd a Chronicle which began at the Creation of the World and ended with the Year 1503. which was the Seventieth Year of the Age of this Author He liv'd afterwards Fifteen Years and dy'd about Eighty five Years Old in the Year 1518. LVII Iohannes Rauclerus a Noble-Man of Germany Son to Iohn Vergehau was Provost of the Church of Subingen and afterwards Professor of the Canon-Law in the University of that City This University was Founded by Count Everard afterwards First Duke of Wirtemberg in his return from Ierusalem in the Year 1477. Nauclerus was made Vice-Chancellor of it He has written a Chronicle from the beginning of the World to the Year 1500. which Nicolas Baselius continu'd down to the Year 1514. and which Surius likewise carry'd on farther to the Year 1574. The time of this Nauclerus his Death is Unknown LVIII Albert Krantz Doctor of Divinity and Dean of the Church of Hambourg liv'd towards the beginning of the Sixteenth Century He was a Man of great Learning join'd with admirable Piety The chiefest of his Works is an Ecclesiastical History entituled Metropolis wherein he treats of the Churches Founded and Restor'd by Charlemagne He has also compil'd an History of the Saxons in XIII Books Another of the Vandals in XIV and a Chronicle of Sweden Denmark and Norway which begins with Charlemagne and is carry'd on to the Year 1504. This Author dy'd the 7th of December 1517. which was the Year that Martin Luther first publish'd his Doctrin LIX Iames Wimphelinge a Priest of the Church of Spire and Professor in the University of Heidelberg liv'd in the beginning of the Sixteenth Century He was both Divine Orator Philosopher Poet and Historian He compos'd these Books viz. Epitome Imperatorum Rerum in Germania Gestarum De Episcopis Argentirensibus c. I could never meet with the time of his Death only
to write History insomuch that whom we here rank among the Historians Diogenes Laertius who writ his Life places among the Philosophers Xenophon's History in what relates to the Affairs of the Greeks includes the space of 48 Years It begins where Thucydides ended for Xenophon brings Alcibiades home again when Thucydides left him just as he was thinking of his Retreat This Author also writes the History of the Ten thousand Greeks who were before suppos'd to have been lost in Persia but which he brings back again in safety to their own Country Xenophon herein was boâ—h their Historian and General for he commanded those Troops and therefore relates nothing but what he had either seen or was done by his order He made them likewise to o'ercome whatever was oppos'd to them in their Expedition His Life of Cyrus is a Book abounding every where with excellent Morality and surprizing Politicks but still it is thought he had drawn that Prince not as he was really but rather as he ought to have been Xenophon has all along writ with a great deal of Art His Style is Attick which occasion'd him to have the Name of the Bee or the Athenian Muse. Quintilian says that it seems to him that the Graces were very lavish of their Favours throughout Xenophon's whole Works Father Rapin says that Xenophon had the Skill to make that Pleasant which had few or no Charms in it self Also that nothing is more Coherent Sweet and Flourishing than his manner of Writing Hermoneges takes notice of an admirable Model for a tender kind and passionate Narration in the Death of Penthea Queen of Susa related in the Seventh Book of Xenophon's Cyrus This says Rapin is one of the most engaging Passages in all Xenophon Every thing there is related after an engaging Manner He adds elsewhere That the Picture ought to be according to the Original in which Xenophon has been extreamly wanting for in his Delineation of Cyrus he has given you only a Hero in Imagination when he ought to resemble the Natural one in all respects Xenophon endeavours to imitate Thucydides who keeps within the bounds of his Subject and who is more Methodical than Herodotus If Xenophon wanders never so little as he has done in the Fifth Book of his History of Cyrus in the Adventure of Penthea yet this very wandering has some sort of Connection with the Body of his History Penthea having been taken by Cyrus in his defeat of the Assyrians and Abradates her Husband thereby brought over to Cyrus's Party and became one of the Commanders of his Army In truth I should not care for being responsible for several others of this Author's Digressions which have not always much relation to the Subject he treats of It must be out of Respect to Religion and the Gods who are so frequently brought in throughout Xenophon's Works that what he says is credited Xenophon is pure in his Language and natural and pleasing in his Composition He has a ready Wit a copious Fancy a sound Judgment a clear Imagination and a neat way of turning his Thoughts but yet he has little or nothing of Great or Sublime in him A just Decorum is not always rightly observ'd in his History where he sometimes makes Blockheads and Barbarians talk lâ—ke Phâ—losâ—phâ—rs Cicero says that Scipio could never lay him aside after he had once taken him in hand Longinus calls him a Degree of Wiâ— that was capable either of conceiving or dictating any thing After all he is a compleat Historian and it is to him chiefly that Scipio and Lucullus were beholdâ—â—â—or their having been so great Generals IV. Polybius was of Megalopolis a City of Arcadia and Son to Licartas Head of the Achaians that is of the most powerful Republick in all Greece His History comprehends XL Books of which we have only the Five first remaining together with the Epitome of the Twelve others that follow Marcus Brutus is suspected to have been Author of this Abridgment who was so great a stickler for the Roman Liberty Brutus who had no kindness for Cicero's Works was yet a Passionate Admirer of Polybius's History which might probably occasion him to Abridge it for his private use to instruct and comfort him especially towards his latter Days when he had so great need of it This History contain'd all that was remarkable in the World from the beginning of the Punick War to the end of that which determin'd all Differences between Rome and the Kings of Macedon by the entire Name of the Monarchy of the latter This includes the space of 53 Years Polybius gives his History the Title of Vniversal because he did not only treat of the Affairs of the Romans who were then concern'd one way or other almost with all Nations but also writ concerning different Interests of the Kings of Sicily Egypt Pontus Cappadocia Macedon Persia c. To Polybius's Credit be it spoken no Historian ever took more care or better measures than he not to relate Matters unfaithfully He Travell'd on purpose to survey those Countries he was to write of and pass'd over the Alps with some part of France by reason that he intended to give an Account of Hanibal's Expedition into Italy Let us see what Monsieur Rapin says of him Polybius says he is more Grave than Thucydides he does not so often introduce Scipio speaking altho' he had a kind of right to do it having all along waited upon him in his Wars Polybius has frequent Digressions upon Politicks the Art of War and the Laws of History which do not seem very necessary Polybius is a greater Libertine than Xenophon He treats of the Opinions the People of those Days had of their Gods and Hell as Fables and did all he could to Explode them In short it is not to be doubted but that Polybius was an Atheist having little or no kindness even for that very Religion which he profess'd Observe how he talks at the latter end of his Sixth Book If says he a Republick were to consist only of Wise and Vertuous Men what would become of those fabulous Notions of Gods and Devils But as there is no State without bad Government and ill Actions Religion must necessarily be made use of to instill a Panick fear of another World and consequently to deter by pronouncing imaginary Punishments This the Antients have so prudently Establish'd that it is now look'd upon as Impious and Rash to question it Causabon undertakes this Author's Defence and endeavours to prove that he was not the Man he was reported to have been But after what we have just related to him no Body can imagine that Causabon succeeded in his Design Polybius flourish'd about the Year of the World 3828. V. Diodorus Siculus was Native of Agyrium He wrote his History at Rome in the time of Iulius Caesar and of the Emperor Augustus And because he would be sure to Pen it with the greater exactness before he set about it he Travell'd
Artifices to raise an Insurrection among the Egyptians for which he was condemned by the King of Persia to drink Bull 's Blood of which he died 524 The next year Cambyses likewise subdued Ethiopia but carrying his Conquests too far it happened that his whole Army being then in a sandy hot and barren Country had like to have perished for want of Provision The Soldiers cast Lots among themselves and did eat every tenth Man upon whom the Lot fell The King of Persia being advertised of this horrible Disaster immediately broke up his Camp and quitted his Design At his return to Babylon he died but upon his going from Egypt he left a Governor over it named Ariandes By this means Egypt remained under the Dominion of the Kings of Persia. 3429. 2. Darius King of Persia reigned over Egypt 36 years 521 3464. 3. Xerxes King of Persia succeeded his Father Darius and possessed his Territories 22 years 486 3486. 4. Artaxerxes succeeded his Father Xerxes In his time Inarus King of Lybia and Son to Psammenitus caused the greatest part of Egypt to revolt and freed himself from the Tyranny of Artaxerxes He was made King by the Egyptians and called in the Athenians to his Assistance who were at that time before the Isle of Cyprus with a Fleet of 200 Sail. Artaxerxes upon notice of the Egyptians Revolt sent against them Achemenes or Achemenides with an Army of 400000 Foot and a Fleet of 80 Sail. But Inarus with the Assistance of the Athenians beat the Persians both by Sea and Land making great Havock of them and among the rest Achemenes himself was killed Artaxerxes upon the News of his Army's Defeat in Egypt sent fresh Forces thither under the command of Artabasus and Megabizus They were near 300000 strong defeated the Army of Inarus whom Megabizus wounded in the Thigh Inarus was put to flight and threw himself with the remainder of his Forces into Byblus a very strong City of Prosopis which is an Island in Delta form'd by two Arms of the River Nile very near its disemboguing it self into the Mediterranean By this Defeat Megabizus became Master of all Egypt except Byblus Within a year or two after the Persians turned the Stream of the River which formed that Island another way laid Siege to Byblus which surrender'd to them and all Egypt was again reduced and brought under the Subjection of Artaxerxeâ— There was still at that time another King named Amyrtes said to be the Son of Psammenitus He reigned in the Fens and Morasses where the Persians durst not set upon him His Forces were inur'd to Hardships and resolved to stand by him to the last Artaxerxes at the importunate Requests of his Mother yielded up Inarus to her Will and Pleasure who caused him to be hanged and 50 Grecians beside 464 3525. 5. Xerxes II. 6. Sogdianus both of them Kings of Persia did not reign one whole year 425 3526. 7. Ochus or Darius Nothus succeeded them In his time Amyrtes Saites freed almost all Egypt from the Tyranny of the Persians to whom he was an inveterate Enemy and reigned 6 years He was succeeded by Nepherites a King of a New Dynasty 424 3545. 8. Artaxerxes II. King of Persia. In his Reign Achoris King of the Egyptians raised Forces from all Parts to drive the Persians out of Egypt Achoris was succeeded by Psammuthis who reigned one year and he again was succeeded by Nepheretes the last King of the Dynasty of the Saites who reigned no more than 4 months Nectanebis the first King of the Dynasty of the Sabennites reigned 12 years Artaxerxes at last made a Peace with the Greeks intending to joyn theirs with his Forces for the Reduction of Egypt But the Misunderstanding which happened between Pharnabazus General of the Persians and Iphicrates Commander of the Athenian Forces occasioned the Designs of Artaxerxes to miscarry 405 Much about this time Eudoxus a Native of Cnidos a City of Caria in Asia Minor being then in great Repute obtained Letters of Recommendation from Agesilaus to Nectanabis King of Egypt desiring Leave to converse with the Egyptian Priests The King recommended him to Iconuphis Priest of Heliopolis and among these Priests it was that he wrote his Octaeteride 3581. Teos succeeded Nectanabis and reigned 2 years but sending his Son Nectanebos with an Army against Syria this treacherous Son by fair Promises and Presents won the Army over to his side and caused them to proclaim him King of Egypt Teos fled to the King of Persia who received him kindly and gave him the Command of an Army for the Reduction of Egypt by the help whereof he was re-established upon the Throne but having learned in Persia to live Luxuriously he lost his Life amidst his Debaucheries 369 3583. Nectanebos was scarce Master of Egypt but another as Ambitious as himself was proclaimed King at the Head of an Army of 100000 Men which he had raised But this Nectanebos notwithstanding remained in possession of the Throne being assisted by Chabrias who commanded the Army of the Athenians and by Agesilaus General of the Lacedemonians and reigned 12 years 367 3588. 9. Artaxerxes III. or Ochus King of Persia was the Person that opposed Nectanebos He sent a puissant Army into Egypt against him who in the end conquered and forced him to fly to Memphis where seeing he should be taken if he tarried long he changed his Habit and went for Sanctuary into Ethiopia Others say that he went in Disguise through Pelusium and came to Pella a City of Macedon And thus was all Egypt again reduced by the Persians This was that Artaxerxes mentioned ch 3. p. 266. who rifled Egypt of its Treasures and Libraries and affronted the Egyptian's God Apis as has been already related 362 3611. 10. Arses King of Persia. 3614. 11. Darius Codomannus the last King of Persia who was conquered by Alexander the Great Sect. 3. The State of Egypt under the Greeks viz. Alexander the Great and the XII Ptolemy's which lasted 301 Years that is to the Year of the World 3920 when Augustus after the Death of Cleopatra made Egypt a Province of the Roman Empire Years of the World Years before Christ. 3619. ALexander the Great marched into Egypt where he found the People disposed to put themselves under his Protection For the Persians were grown so intolerable by their Tyranny Avarice and Sacrileges that the Egyptians upon Alexander's Arrival soon shook off the Persian Yoke waited upon him at Pelusium and submitted to his Government Mazagases Lieutenant to Darius Codomannus and Governor of Memphis delivering up that City to Alexander In this Expedition Alexander visited the Temple of Iupiter Ammon where the Priests corrupted by his Gifts prepared the Oracle to declare him the Son of that God as has been already mentioned Whilst he was in Egypt he built Alexandria giving it his own Name and making it the Metropolis of the whole Country This was in the Fifth Year of his Reign and the
People that they made him King 242 3718. 15. Antigonus Doson the Governor of Philip reigned 12 years After the Death of Demetrius the Cities of Greece shook off the Yoke of Tyranny and joined themselves to the Republick of the Acheans Aratus the Sicyonian was a great Promoter of the Interests of the Acheans and freed Athens from the Dominion of the Macedonians The Etolians envying their Success joined in a War with Cleomenes King of Sparta against them upon which the Acheans finding themselves unable to resist so great a Power implored the Assistance of Antigonus Doson who repelled Cleomenes and gave him so great a Defeat that he was forced to fly from Sparta to Alexandria Antigonus used the Spartans extreme kindly and permitted them to enjoy their ancient Laws and Privileges but in the midst of all his Glory he was forced to march back to the Defence of Macedon which the Illyrians had invaded He defeated and put them to flight but straining his Voice too much in the Battel he burst a Vein and soon after died of a Consumption 232 3730. 16. Philip IV. the Son of Demetrius at the Age of 16 took the Government upon him which devolv'd to him by the Death of his Governor and Father-in-Law Antigonus and reigned 42 years 220 This King was a very Martial Prince warred against the Etolians and defeated them several times He was so far puffed up by the Success he met with that he aimed at nothing less than the becoming Universal Monarch of the whole World and was for pushing his Conquests to the very Walls of Rome Hence arose the War between the Romans and the Macedonians of which we shall have occasion to speak more particularly when we come to treat of the Roman Affairs which belong to this time 'T is enough at present to acquaint our Reader that Philip failed in his Design was beat several times by the Romans forced to make a Peace with them and was the Cause of hastening the Downfal of the Macedonian State In his time several Prodigies happened in Asia among the rest a great Earthquake which overthrew several Cities and swallowed up others From hence the Soothsayers prognosticated That the Roman Empire then in its Rise should swallow up the Empire of the Greeks At last Philip died of Grief and deputed Antigonus his Kinsman to be his Successor But his Son Perseus being certified of his Father's approaching Death by his Physician secured the Kingdom to himself 3772. 17. Perseus succeeded his Father Philip and reigned 10 years and 8 months 178 3782. This year Perseus having given the Romans great Provocations they engaged in a War against him and he prepared to oppose them He entred into an Alliance with Gentius King of the Illyrians and did all the Mischief he could to the Romans The day before that Battel wherein Perseus was entirely defeated Sulpitius Gallus Tribune of the Soldiers by the Permission of Paulus Emilius the Roman Consul made a Speech to the Army wherein he advised them not to be terrified if they saw the Moon in a total Eclipse that night from two a clock to four in the morning since it was no more than happened at other times according to the Calculations of Astronomy That very night the Eclipse did really happen which caused the whole Army to admire the profound Skill of Gallus and was a great Encouragement to them as it was the contrary to the Macedonians The next day they came to an Engagement wherein Perseus was defeated put to flight taken and carried to Rome to grace the Roman Triumphs and thereby ended the Kingdom of Macedon which became a Roman Province after it had lasted 645 years from Caranus the first King This happened 168 years before Christ in the first year of the 153d Olympiad Anno Romae Conditae 585. CHAP. XVI Of the Lydians LYDIA is a Country in Asia Minor of which Sardes was the City of greatest Account and where the Kings of the Lydians usually kept their Court. It was situated upon the Banks of Pactolus near the Mountain of Tivoli and was one of the most ancient Cities in the World Thô Lydia has been a State exposed to various Turns of Fortune yet History affords us but little Light therein The Kingdom of Lydia had XXII Kings who reigned the space of 505 years But of these we have no Account except of the first and the four last after them till Cresus the last of their Kings were five more Years of the World Years before Christ. 2733. 1. Argon or Agron the Son of Ninus or according to others the Son of Alceus reigned first at Sardes but of XVII of his Descendants we have no knowledge 1217 3150. 19. Adrysus reigned 45 years He was of the Line of Hercules 800 3395. 20. Alyattes I. reigned 14 years 755 3209. 21. Meles reigned 12 years 741 3221. 22. Candaules or Mirsilus the Son of Mirsus the last of the Line of Hercules reigned 17 years He was killed by Gyges with whom he saw his Wife too familiar 729 3238. 23. Gyges having usurped the Throne sent large Presents to Delphos attack'd Miletum and Smyrna and took the City of Colophon by Storm By this means the Kingdom of Lydia was translated from the Family of the Heraclidae to the Mermnades in whose Family it lasted the space of 170 years of which Gyges reigned 38. This Gyges was at first a Slave and kept the King's Herds from whence he rose up at last to be King 712 3276. 24. Ardis the Son of Gyges reigned 49 years In his time the Cymmerians a People of that Country which at present is called Lesser Tartary were driven from their Habitations by the Scythians marched out of Europe into Asia keeping still along the Sea-Coast and took Sardes the Capital City of Lydia 674 3325. 25. Sadiattes the Son of Ardis succeeded and reigned 12 years 625 3337. 26. Alyattes II. succeeded his Father Sadiattes and reigned 57 years He was the youngest Brother The Inhabitants of Sardes had recourse to the Clemency of Alyattes for Cyaxeres King of the Medes would have had them submit to him but Alyattes refused it from whence arose a War of 8 years between the Lydians and the Medes This King had by his Wife Carica a Son named 613 3394. 27. Cresus who reigned 14 years after the Death of his Father He was one of the richest and most potent Princes of the World made the Greeks his Tributaries conquered the Phrygians Mysians Thrasians c. 'T is said Esop so famous for his Fables lived in his time in Phrygia that Cresus sent for him to Sardes where he treated him with a great deal of Respect and that going from Sardes to Delphos he was by the Inhabitants of that Place thrown off a high Rock Cresus puffed up with his Prosperity asked Solon who gave him a Visit what he thought of his Glory and Grandeur Solon replied That no Iudgment could be passed upon the Happiness of
a Caesar who was the Second in Dignity and the First Degree to come to the Empire Constantine the Great Emperor 306. The Image of Constantine who now succeeded his Father Constantius Chlorus being carried to Rome according to Custom is rejected by Maxetius's Orders 306. Maximinus carries on the Persecution But all on the sudden the Face of Church-Affairs is altered Constantine the Great a wise and victorious Prince publickly embraces Christianity 310. Constantine overcomes Maxentius and Maximinus his Rivals 312. EPOCHA XI Constantine or the Peace of the Church 312. This Epocha reaches as far as the Emperor Charlemaign and lasts 488 Years WHile Constantine the Great besieg'd Maxentius in Rome a bright luminous Cross appear'd to him in the Air in the presence of every Body with this Inscription In hoc Signo Vinces The same was confirmed to him in a Dream and the next Day he gain'd that famous and celebrated Victory which freed Rome from a Tyrant and the Church from a Persecutor At the same time Constantine openly renounced Paganism and embraced the Christian Religion and in the 312th Year of our Lord he issued out a Proclamation permitting Christians the open Profession of their Faith and to assemble and build Temples The Church whose Brightness and Purity till then had only shined in the midst of the Blood and Ashes of her Children assumes a new Face and from the wild Deserts where she wandered before now comes to live in Towns and finds an Entertainment even in Imperial Palaces The Cross was set up as the Defence of the Roman People and all the Empire And the Bishops had by this first Christian Emperor's Bounty both Honours and Riches heaped upon them Constantine calls at Nice in Bithynia the first Oecumenical or General Council wherein 318 Bishops condemned the Heresy of Arius who denied the Godhead of JESUS CHRIST There also the Kalendar was reformed a Day for the Celebration of Easter determined and the Nicene Creed composed 325. Constantine rebuilds Byzantium which he named Constantinople and makes it the second Seat of the Empire having enrich'd it with the Spoils of all Europe he had now conquered This is the most flourishing Condition of the Roman Empire since the Destruction of Ierusalem 330. Constantine Constantius and Constans all three Sons to the Great Constantine divide among them the Empire of their Father who dies at Nicomedia 337. Gaul and Spain falls to Constantine Thracia Egypt and Asia to Constantius Italy Illyria and Africa to Constans 'T is said That from this first Division the Imperial Eagle has been spread with a double Head with Relation to the two most considerable Seats Rome and Constantinople For Constantine who was the eldest dy'd at 3 Years end The Emperor Iulian the Apostate dies enraged having received a fatal Blow by a Lance in a Fight wherein he rashly engaged in Persia 363. Valentinian and Valens Emperors 364. Theodosius Emperor 379. The second General Council at Constantinople 381. Theodosius dies at Milan The Empire is again divided between his 2 Sons The East falls to Arcadius and the West to Honorius 396. The Roman Empire begins to decay The Goths spoil Italy Alaric King of the Goths besieges takes and plunders Rome The Emperor Honorius shamefully flies to Ravenna 410. Atolf first King of the Visigoths in Spain which ceases to be under the Domination of the Romans 409. The Franks enter Gaul and raise to the Royal Dignity Pharamond Son to Marcomir one of their Dukes The Foundation of the Monarchy of France 420. Pharamond first King of France 418. Venice built by those that fled the Goths Cruelty 421. Fergus King of Scotland who shakes off the Roman Yoke 422. Valentinian III. Emperor 425. The third General Council at Ephesus 431. Attila King of the Huns called The Plagâ—e of God spoils Italy Valentinian the Emperor kills with his own Hand Aetius a Patrician the Support of Rome and the Terror of Attila From that time the Western Empire falls so to decay that it could never come to it self again 451. The fourth General Council at Calcedon 451. The Britains being deserted by the Romans and not able to Resist the Picts and Scots call in the Saxons to their Assistance Vortigern being King about 451. Hengist the Saxon erects the Kingdom of Kent the first of the Heptarchy 455. Augustus called also Augustulus is the last Emperor at Rome He is dispossess'd by Odoacer King of the Heruli a People that came from the Euxin Sea Thus ends the Empire of the West and Italy falls under the Power of Odoacer who takes the Name of King of Italy 476. Theodoric King of the Ostrogoths drives Odoacer from Rome routs him kills him with his own Swâ—â—â— and founds the Kingdom of Italy 493. Clovis the first Christian King of France â—84 He kills Alaric King of the Wisigothâ—â—â— â—ith his own Hand in the Battle of Poitou He traâ—â—â—â—tes his Royal Seat from Tours to Paris â—95 The South Saxon Kingdom in Britain erected by Ella 488. The West Saxon Kingdom in Britain founded by Cerdick 519. The East Saxon Kingdom commenc'd by Erchinwin 527. Arthur King in Britain flourish'd from 516 to 542. The Kingdom of Northumberland began by Ella and Ida 547. The Kingdom of the East Angles erected by Offa 575. The Kingdom of Mercia began Crida being the first King 582. Iustinianus Emperor began to Reign 527. The Office of Consuls of Rome which had continued thus long ended with Basilius 541. Totilas the Ostrogoth takes Rome 547. The City recover'd by Belisarius but re-taken by Totilas 550. He is kill'd by Narses 552. Alboinus founds the Kingdom of Lombardy and takes Milan and Pavia 568. The Latin Tongue ceases to be vulgarly spoken in Italy 587. About the Year 550. the Seat of the Empire was totally remov'd to Constantinople Iustinus junior Emperor at Constantinople 565. Tiberius II. Emperor 575. Mauritius 586. Phocas 602. Heraclitus 610. Cosroes King of Persia beats the Emperor Heraclius afterwards Heraclius conquers five times and retakeâ— the true Cross 620. At this time was Christianity established in Britain Austin the Monk being sent by Gregory the Great in 596. is entertain'd by Ethelbert King of Kent and made Archbishop of Canterbury Mahomet broaches his false Doctrin about 610. Being in danger at Mecca he flies to Medina whence begins the Aera of the Turks call'd Hegira which in the Arabian Language signifies Flight 622. In 19 Years time that Impostor gain'd all Arabia and laid the Foundation of the Empire of the Caliphs call'd afterwards Turks Damascus and Ierusalem taken by the Sarazens 636. Constantine Emperor four Months Heracleonas six Months 642. Constans Son of Constantine 642. The Saracens infest the Empire Constans Emperor of Constantinople is overcome by them in a Sea-fight 654. Constantius Emperor 669. Iustinian II. 686. Expell'd and his Nose cut off by Leontius who succeeds him 694. He again recovers the Empire 703. The House of Clovis now fallen into a deplorable Weakness
of Portugal by all whom being refus'd he at length obtain'd it of Ferdinand and Isabella King and Queen of Spain who in the Year 1492. gave him Three Ships with Men and Provisions with these he set out and happily effected his Intention discovering Cuba and Hispaniola and return'd to Spain 1493. Afterwards Americus Vespusius being set forth by Emanuel King of Portugal discover'd the Southern Continent of America which Name he had the Honour to give to all that vast Country 149â— Maximilian Emperor an excellent Prince 1493. Henry VIII King of England 1509. he married Katharin of Spain the Widow of his Brother Arthur 1509. Charles V. Son of Philip who was the Son of Maximilian and Mary of Burgundy which Philip married Ioan the Heiress of Spain by which means Charles succeeded in both these Estates 1516. and was chosen Emperor on the Death of Maximilian 1519. Fr. Picus Count of Mirandola in Italy and D. Erasmus Native of Rotterdam flourished Martin Luther begins to Preach in Germany against Indulgences and other Errors of the Church of Rome 1517. Solyman styl'd The Magnificent began to Reign 1520. The Island and City of Rhodes after a vigorous Defence taken by the Turks 1523. Belgrade was taken and Vienna besieg'd by Solyman King Henry of England Wars successfully with France 1510. writes against Luther and obtains the Title of Defender of the Faith 1521. Is divorc'd from Queen Katharin and marries Anne Bollen 1533. Beheads her and marries Iane Seymour 1536. Marries Anne of Cleeve and Katharin Howard 1540. Marries again the Lady Katharin Parr 1543. he advanc'd Cardinal Wolsey to the highest pitch of Greatness who having displeas'd him is pull'd down and Cromwel advanc'd 1531. Cromwel also disgrac'd and beheaded 1540. This King suppress'd Monasteries and made way for the Reformation which follow'd in the Reigns of his Son and Daughters The Straights of Magellanica in America discover'd and nam'd by Ferdinand Magellan 1520. Mexico and Peru conquer'd by the Spaniards about this time The Name of Protestant first began on occasion of a Protestation the Lutherans made against a Decree of the Chamber of Spire against them 1529. The Smalcaldan League or agreement between the Protestants of Germany for their mutual Defence made at Smalcald 1540. The Council of TRENT began 1540. Edward VI. Son of Henry VIII by his Wife Iane Seymour succeeds his Father at 9 Years of Age 1547. a wonderfully wise and pious Prince he reforms Religion and expels the Superstition and false Doctrin of the Romish Church his Uncle Edward Seymour the Protector beheaded 1551. Mary his Sister succeeds him 1553. she restores Popery marries Philip the Son of the Emperor Charles V. afterwards King of Spain 1554. loses Callice which had been held by the English ever since King Edward IIId's time 1557. Elizabeth her Sister Queen of England 1558. restores the Reformation and reigns with great Wisdom and Reputation 44 Years The Emperor Charles V. Resigns all his Kingdoms 1557. Ferdinand his Brother chosen Emperor 1558. Philip II. his Son succeeds him in Spain 1558. Charles IX King of France 1560. The Civil War for Religion began there 1562. The Massacre of the Protestants at Paris 1572. Maximilian II. Emperor 1564. The Wars in the Low-Countries against the Inquisition c. began 1565. King Philip sends Duke d' Alva to suppress it 1567. William Prince of Orange heads the Protestants in the Low-Countries 1572. Under whose Protection Holland throws off the Spanish Yoke and soon after Six more of the Provinces joyn with them and altogether conclude a solemn Union at Vâ—recht 1579. Queen Elizabeth being at this time at War with Spain gives them assistance The famous Sea Fight at Lepanto wherein the Venetians kill 20000 Turks and sink 200 Galleys 1572. Henry III. King of France 1574. The Holy League in France began 1576. Rodolphus II. Emperor 1576. Sir Francis Drake Sails through the Magallonnie Streights thence over to the Phillipine Islands and the East-Indies and having encompass'd the whole Globe of the Earth returns to England 1580. Pope Gregory XIII Corrects the Calander 1582. William Prince of Orange Assassinated at Delft 1584. Succeeded by his Brother Maurice who for many Years maintain'd the War against the Spaniards The Spaniards with a mighty Armado attempt to invade England but are totally routed by the English 1588. Mary Queen of Scots beheaded in England 1587. Henry III. King of France is stab'd by Ia. Clement a Friar 1589. Henry IV. King of Navarre succeeds him 1589. Turns Roman Catholick restores the Peace of the Nation Years of Jes. Chr. Makes an Edict at Nants in favour of the Protestants 1598. Is stab'd by Ravillac 1610. Iames King of Scotland succeeds Queen Elizabeth in the Throne of England 1602. The Gun-powder Plot 1605. Philip III. King of Spain 1598. Peace made between Spain and Holland whereby the united Provinces are declar'd a free State 1609. Lewis XIII King of France 1610. Gustavus Adolphus the famous King of Sweden began to Reign 1611. Matthias King of Hungary and Bohemia elected Emperor 1612. Frederick Count Palatine of the Rhine Marries the Lady Elizabeth Daughter to King Iames of England 1612. Frederick II. chosen Emperor 1619. The Elector Palatine being chosen King of Bohemia is oppos'd by the Emperor and defeated in the Battle of Prague 1620. Philip IV. King of Spain 1621. The Elector Palatine outed of all his Dignity given to the Duke of Bavaria 1624. Great Wars in Germany ensued King Charles I. King of England succeeds his Father 1625. Henry Frederick Prince of Orange succeeds Maurice 1625. Cardinal Richelieu chief Minister in France He labours to ruine the Protestant Party and finally takes the City Rochel their chief Strength after a long Siege and vigorous Defence 1628. The renown'd Gustavus Adolphus after many victorious Acts in Germany Italy c. is slain at the Battle of Lutzen in Germany November 6 1632. Christina his Daughter succeeds him 1632. Count Tilly the Emperor's General famous for his Conquests in Bohemia Denmark and Germany died 1632. Portugal throws off the Spanish Yoke and receives Iohn Braganza of the ancient Royal Family for their King 1640. Ferdinand III. chosen Emperor 1637. The Rebellion and Massacre in Ireland 1641. King Charles by reason of the Factious disorders in London retires into the North is denied entrance into Hull 1642. Sets up his Standard at Nottingham Aug. 2. 1642. Lewis XIV the present King of France began to Reign being then but Five years old 1643. William II. Prince of Orange Father of his present Majesty of Great Britain succeeded his Father in all his Honours 1647. Peace among the Germans c. concluded at Munster in Westphalia 1648. The Civil War rages in England King Charles I. Martyr'd 164â— The famous Rebellion at Naples on occasion of the grievous Excises headed by Thomas Aniello commonly call'd Massanello 1647. Oliver Cromwel usurps the Government of England under the Name of Protector 1651. The Prince of Orange dyes October 8. 1650.
likelihood he was none of the Author of it It may be divided into 3 Parts 1. Until the VII Chapter it is an Exhortation to the Study and Love of Wisdom 2. To the X. Chapter it Explains the Origin of Wisdom 3. All the rest Describes the Effects and Productions of Wisdom XXVI Ecclesiasticus was Compos'd in imitation of Solomon's Ecclesiastes as may appear by the great number of Moral Sentences almost the same with his Iesus Son of Sirach writ it in Hebrew whereof S. Ierom says he has seen a Copy The Greater Prophets XXVII Isaiah of these is the Chief and most Excellent He himself has collected into one Volume all the Prophecies he made under the several Reigns of Osias Ioathan Ahaz Ezechias and even to the time of Manasses by whose Command according to the Tradition of the Iews he was cruelly Saw'd asunder with a wooden Saw XXVIII Ieremiah Prophecy'd for 45 Years to wit from the third Year of King Iosias to the fifth after the Taking of Ierusalem and Destruction of the Temple that is to say from the Year of the World 3375. to 3420. and 584 Years before the Birth of Christ. He was of the Sacerdotal Race He always declar'd after an undaunted manner against the Irregularities of his Time His Style according to S. Ierom is Mean as to Words but Majestick in its Thought The Prophet Baruch was his Secretary who in Collecting the several Prophecies which Ieremiah has made upon divers Occasions observ'd no order of Time This Holy Prophet was Ston'd by some impious Iews in Egypt who were not able to bear with the freedom of his Admonitions XXIX Baruch was Secretary and Disciple to Ieremiah which does not hinder but he might be of Noble Birth as Iosephus says he was He says himself that he wrote this Book of Prophesies in Babylon but it is not exactly known at what time XXX Ezechiel of the Sacerdotal Race was Transported under Iechonias into Babylon where he began to Prophesie the fifth Year after his Captivity His Book is all over full of Riddles and Figures and which 't is thought he affected to the end that the Caldeans might not be acquainted with the condition of Affairs among the Iews He foretold the Deliverance of this People the Reign of Messias the Calling of the Gentiles the establishing of the Church its Victories and the Downfall of its opposers XXXI Daniel descended of a Royal Stock was carried when but an Infant a Captive into Babylon by Nebuchodonozor He was Educated in the Learning of the Caldees for 3 Years It was about this time that he deliver'd Susanna accus'd by the two Vicious Elders and that but a little after he began to Prophesie The Iews will not allow him a place among the Prophets because say they he liv'd in the Babylonish Court rather like a Courtier than a Person inspir'd by God nevertheless Iesus Christ himself stiles him a Prophet The Twelve Minor Prophets XXXII Hoseas writ all the Prophesies that go under his Name S. Ierom finds his Style Pathetic and Sententious He Prophesied under 4 Kings viz. Iosiah Ioathan Ahaz and Hezechias In his Prophecies he takes upon himself the Person of God He quarrels with punishes and repudiates the Synagogue which he represents as if taken in Adultery and places the Church in its stead Thus he foretels 1. The Reprobation of the Synagogue and the Calling of the Church 2. He reproves Idolatry and the other Crimes of the Israelites And 3. He promises Mercy and Salvation to all such as shall be reclaim'd XXXIII Ioel. It is no easie matter to find out what time he Prophesied He foretels the Destruction of Ierusalem and under the Symbol of that City he speaks of the Destruction of the whole World and the last Judgment XXXIV Amos was a Shepherd or Herdsman of Tecoa a poor Town God who never makes use of slender Abilities chose this Person for a Prophet in the Time of Iosias King of Iuda and Ieroboam Son of Ioas King of Israel two Years before that Earthquake which hapned towards the 23d Year of Iosias's Reign about the Year of the World 3216. and 788 Years before the Birth of Christ. XXXV Obadiah It is not known about what time he Prophesied It is thought to be this Prophet that is mention'd in the III. Book of Kings Chapter the 18. and Verse 4. who was Governor of Ahabs House and who nourish'd the hundred Prophets in a Cave Of all the Prophets his Prophecy is the shortest altho' for the Mysteries it contains it yeilds in nothing to the others Prophecies says S. Ierom. XXXVI Ionas whom God sent to Niniveh to Preach Repentance not unlikely under the Reign of Phul which we believe to be Father of Sardanapalus about the Year of the World 3197. and 807 Years before the Birth of Christ. He was the only Prophet that God sent among the Gentiles He himself was Author of the Account of his Mission to Nineveh He was Native of Geth-Checher a Town belonging to the Tribe of Zabulon in Galilee This shews either the Ignorance or Malice of the Pharisees when they said to Nicodemus Art thou also of Galilee Search and look for there was never any Prophet came out of those Parts John 7.52 XXXVII Micah Prophesied under the Reign of Ioathan Ahaz and Hezechias He has the Character of Wit and Style like to that of Isaias He inveys vehemently against the Idolatry as well of the Two as the Ten Tribes He proclaims the Ruin of Samaria and the Captivity of those of Ierusalem by the Assyrians and Caldeans and he also foretels their deliverance and that Christ shall be born in Bethlem XXXVIII Nahum whose Country is unknown foretels the Destruction of Nineveh by the Caldeans because that People had persecuted the People of God It is likewise a little uncertain where he Prophesied XXXIX Habakkuk Neither his Country nor the time when he Prophesied is known There would be no great difficulty to know the time providing this Habakkuk were the same that the Angel carry'd by the Hair of the Head to Daniel's Den but which the Learned will by no means have to be XL. Zephania Illustrious by his Birth was of the Tribe of Simeon He liv'd at the same time with Ieremiah whose Works he seems to have Abridg'd especially considering his conformity of Style He speaks plainly of the Calling of the Gentiles the Foundation of the Church the Remission of Sins of Sanctification and Eternal Salvation by Iesus Christ. XLI Haggai earnestly exhorts the People of God to the building of the Temple He complains of the Iews neglect therein and promises Zorobabel who undertook that Work after it had been basely forsaken that the Messiah should be born of his Race XLII Zachariah liv'd in the time of Haggai and he also sollicited the re-building of the Temple He is full of Enigmas and Figures he speaks nevertheless very plainly of the coming of Christ and of his Life and Passion
into the Church and particularly mentions what relates to the Iews He there describes the several Persecutions of the Martyrs their Contests and Disputes concerning Ecclesiastical Discipline and in a Word whatever else relates to the Affairs of the Church Without this History we could never have had the least knowledge of the first Ages of the Church for those who have writ after him have only began where he ended Du Pin after having affirm'd that this History of Eusebius was not so compleat as could have been Wish'd Adds moreover That his Defects have not been sufficient to obscure his Merit The Learned Henricus Valesius has translated him into Latin which he has join'd to the Greek Text. And some Learn'd Gentlemen of the University of Cambridge have made a Translation of him into English for the benefit of such as understand neither Latin nor Greek IV. St. Epiphanius was born in the Year of Christ 332. in a Village of Palestine He spent his Youth under the Monastick Tutelage of St. Hilarion and several other Monks of Palestine About the Year 366. He was elected Bishop of Salamis Metropolis of the Island of Cyprus The Book he wrote is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being against Heresy is to be look'd upon as a Treatise belonging to Ecclesiastical History This Tract is divided into three Parts The First contains the Heresies that have been before Jesus Christ which St. Epiphanius has reckon'd up to be 46. The Second consists of 23. and the Third of 11. So that thus this Book comprehends in all 80 Sects or Heresies This St. Epiphanius was an Implacable Enemy of the followers of Origin V. Rufinus a Priest of Aquilea flourish'd at the same time with St. Ierom to whom after having been a great Friend he became an inveterate Enemy He had a more than ordinary Esteem for Origin He set himself to read and translate his Books and undertook his defence against all those that Accus'd him This Zeal of his towards Origin was the chief cause of his Disagreeing with St. Ierom who had taken the contrary side Amongst all the Books of his Composing we shall only take notice of those two of Ecclesiastical History which he has added to the Translation of Eusebius He there continues the History of the Church to the Death of the Emperor Theodosius These Books were Dedicated to Chromacius of Aquilea and were writ about the time that Alaric King of the Goths ravag'd Italy They are indifferently well Penn'd yet there are considerable Faults to be found in the History VI. St. Ierom was born in the City of Strigna or Stridon situate upon the Confines of Pannonia and Dalmatia in the Year of Christ 345. His Father Eusebius sent him to Study at Rome under the celebrated Donatus where he soon made a considerable progress in Letters He receiv'd the Orders of Priesthood at Antioch from the Hands of Paulinus then Bishop of that City He has writ a great number of Books amongst which is to be found A Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers from the time of Iesus Christ down to his own when he wrote He compos'd this Tract at the request of Dexter Prefect of the Pretorium and in imitation of Suetonius and other Prophane Authors who have compil'd the Lives of the Philosophers and other famous Men. We have also his Chronicle which we must not look upon as a bare Translation of Eusebius St. Ierom having therein alter'd and added many Things Nay he has moreover continu'd this Chronicle from the 20th Year of Constantin to the sixth Consulate of Valens and second of Valentinian that is down to the Year 378. VII Sulpicius Severus a Priest of Agen equally famous for his Birth Genius and Piety who flourish'd about the same time with St. Ierom and Rufinus He was a Disciple of St. Martin whose life he wrote The chief of his Works is his sacred History consisting of two Books both which contain a well penn'd Epitome of the most remarkable Occcurrences in the Jewish and Christian Churches from the Creation of the World to the Consulship of Stilicon and Aurelian that is to say to the Year of Christ 400. He has all along imitated Salust for Brevity but infinitely surpasses him in clearness and beauty of Expression We have not any Abridgment of History says Mounsiuer Du Pin so well Digested and elegantly writ as this Epitome yet its Author is not always exact for he has committed several Errors in the History especially in that of the Church This Author has enlarg'd very much upon the Priscillianists and of all Writers gives us the best Account of them VIII St. Austin was born in Tagasta a City of Numidia under the Empire of Constantius the thirteenth of November in the Year of Christ 354. He became a Convert in the 32d Year of his Age and was ordain'd Bishop of Hippo in 395. and afterwards Dy'd as piously as he had Liv'd the 20th of August in the Year 430. being about 76 Years old Altho' there be a great many things throughout his whole Works that relate to Ecclesiastical History Yet we shall here mention only his small Treatise of Heresies written in the Year 428. at the request of the Deacon Quovult Deus to whom also it is Dedicated This Tract is no more than a brief Account of the several Sects of Hereticks and their principal Errors He begins with the Sinonians and ends with the Pelagians there being in all 88 Heresies You shall scarce meet with any thing in this whole Book but what is taken either from St. Epiphanius or Philaster Monsieur Du Pin speaking of this last who has reckon'd up 20 different Heresies before the Incarnation of Christ and 120 since his Birth to the Year 380. says That his Stile is Mean and Groveling that he had little or no Learning that he has made several considerable Mistakes in this small Treatise which is written with no manner of exactness and wherein are abundance of Errors The same Opinion Cardinal Bellarmin has of him in his Book De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis Father Labbe would have this Author's Works read with a great deal of Caution and St. Austin says That St. Epiphanius had writ better than Philaster but that nevertheless he was a Person of singular Piety and good Morals IX Pallades a Native of Galatia left his Country about 20 Years old to retire among the Hermits of Egypt He was ordain'd Bishop of Hellenopolis in the Year 401. and afterwards chosen Bishop of Aspon a City of Galatia and dependent on the Metropolitan See of Ancira He was a great Friend of Rufinus a Defender of Origin an Allie with Pelagius and Enemy to St. Ierom. In the Year 421. He writ a History of the Lives Actions Miracles and Sayings of the most Holy Monks that he had met with in Egypt Lybia Thebais and Palestine This History was Addrest to one Lausus which gave occasion afterwards for Naming it The Lausian History In this
World during the space of 240 Years that is from the beginning of Cyrus's Empire to that of Xerxes being the time when our Historian wrote The Bishop of Meaux in his Universal History terms Herodotus the Great Historian Vossius de Historicis Graecis Lib. 1. Cap. 3. says That Herodotus design'd to have written the History of the Assyrians wherein he was to treat of the Kings of Babylon but that he believ'd that Work was never Publish'd because Herodotus was prevented finishing it by his Death Yet we may read Lib. 8. Hist. Animal Cap. 18. that Aristotle accus'd Herodotus of advancing an Untruth against Natural History when he affirm'd that an Eagle drank at the Siege of Nineveh for it is certain that those Birds which have hook'd Claws never drink Now this Passage which Aristotle reproaches Herodotus for is not to be found in his Work of the Nine Muses and therefore must have been in his History of the Assyrians Nineveh having been the Capital City of Assyria which may give a reasonable conjecture that he had written that History yet nevertheless the Ancients have made no manner of mention of it Vossius does not believe that the Life of Homer found at the end of Herodotus's History belong'd to him as some would have it and the Reason he gives seems to carry Authority along with it For says he Herodotus in his Euterpe places the Birth of Homer above 200 Years more backward than the Author of his Life has done Herodotus dy'd at Thuries whither he had voluntarily banish'd himself to be the more intent on his Studies and the Composing of his History II Thucydides was of illustrious Parentage It is reported That his Grand-father Marry'd the Daughter of a King of Thrace but what is more certain is That he himself was a Citizen of Athens He was a young Student in one of the most famous Colleges of Greece at the same time that Herodotus read his History With this Work he was infinitely Charm'd and could not help shewing so much Jealousie of the Author as if he had despair'd of ever performing the like which Heredotus perceiving immediately Prophesied that he would be a great Man and moreover told his Father That he was happy to have a Son at this Age who had so great a Sense of Fame and Glory His History was design'd to have contain'd all the Peloponesian War being that between the States of Athens and Sparta which lasted full 27 Years but he dy'd while he was about the 21st Year of it Theopompus supply'd the 6 other Years This History of Thucydides is divided into VIII Books Cicero professes a great esteem for Thucydides his manner of Writing when he Styles him Authorem subtilem Acutum Brevem Sententiis magis quam verbis abundantem Lib. 2. de Oratoria Father Rapin likewise in his Instructions for History affords this Author great Commendation for he says the same thing of his Style as Cicero had done before him The Style of Thucydides says he is more Noble and Lofty than that of Herodotus yet at the same time it fails of being so Natural and Easie. In some places it has those harshnesses which render it Obscure and it is every where more Luxuriant than the Style of Herodotus Thucydides says the same Author in another Place has Fire Force and Grandeur every thing in his Writings keeps up its self and nothing Languishes and Grovels It is in this that he excells Herodotus who frequently loses himself and grows too diffusive where he gives too great a loose to his Genius Longinus observes that Thucydides sometimes confounds the most regular Methods the better to surprize by a disorder and to change his Narration the oftner He also sometimes relates Things past as if they had been present and this to have the advantage of describing an Action which moves a Reader more as likewise renders him more Attentive Lucian finds fault with this Author's description of the Plague of Athens in the second Book of his History and this perhaps with reason enough for however Prudent he may be allow'd in other places yet there he has run out a little too much Lucian says also that Thucydides has succeeded better than other Historians in his Harangues for what he puts in the Mouths of the principal Actors in his History viz. Pericles Nicias Alcibiades Archidamus sometimes a whole Nation together are admâ—rable Instructions for Orators and to which Demosthenes was not a little beholden who became so great a Master in that Art Vossius says after Lucian that Demosthenes copy'd Thucydides's History eight times with his own Hand and likewise that the Emperor Charles V. always carry'd a French Translation of him about him where-ever he went Monsieur Rapin says farther That Thucydidâ—s and Livy are both sufficient to acquaint a Man what Genius History requires for that Antiquity has nothing to boast of more perfect than their Works There is nothing almost to be desir'd more in either of them unless it be that the former were more Natural and the latter more Sincere Thucydides has establish'd his Reputation with so pure Ideas that he deserves to be Credited in all Ages It is hard to meet with one of this Author 's excellent Temper who tho' he had been extreamly wrong'd by the Tyrant Pericles yet he always prais'd him as often as he found occasion and did frequent Justice to the Athenians tho' they had Banish'd him their Common-wealth He was a Man not at all guided by Passion and who propos'd only in what he writ to content the Judgment of Posterity by always speaking the Truth In a word Thucydides was exact in all that he writ and faithful and disinteressed in all he said and tho' he sometimes seems Austere and Suâ—ly yet is it ever what consists with Grandeur Photius says that as Herodotus is to be imitated by those that have a mind â—o be perfect in the Ionick Dialect so is Thucydides by such as would excel in the Attick Monsieur Le Vayer says that Thucydides had the Honour to be the first that gave a Soul to History by the several Harangues he made use of in all the three kinds 〈…〉 Whâ—â— before him it was but either a 〈…〉 or dead Body He flourish'd about the 〈…〉 before Christ A. M. 3490. 〈◊〉 Xenophon the Son of Gallus a Native of Athens was all at once a great Philosopher a great General and a great Historian Diogenes Laertius reports one thing of him which sufficiently demonstrates his Honesty He says that the Works of Thucydides having been lost and one Copy remaining only in Xenophon's Hands whereby that Author might have publish'd them for his own he nevertheless gave them to the Publick under the Name of their great Compiler Notwithstanding this the Athenians having afterwards suspected him of adhering to the Lacedemonians their Enemies banish'd him their Country He flourish'd about the Year of the World 3560. He is the first Philosoper that apply'd himself
under the Conduct of Moses Six hundred thousand fighting Men beside Women and Children 1497 A REMAKK Concerning the Origine of the Nations of the Earth FOrasmuch as the whole Race of Mankind except Noah's Family perished by the Flood 't is from this Family that all the People of the Earth descended Noah had three Sons Iaphet Sem Ham. I. SEM thô the second Son is the Person we place first because from him descended Abraham David and Iesus Christ himself according to the Flesh. He had five Sons 1. Elam from whom came the Elamites the Grandsires of the Persians 2. Assur from whom came the Name of Assyria and the Assyrians 3. Arphaxad to whom was born Salah the Father of Eber or Heber from whom proceeded the Hebrews that is the Iews or the People of God 4. Lud from whom proceeded the Lydians not those of Asia Minor but others less known upon the Confines of Persia. 5. Aram from whom proceeded the Syrians Syria in the Hebrew is called Aram. St. Augustin makes this Judicious Reflection That the Scriptures make no mention of the Descendants of several of Noah's Children as for Instance of Elam Assur Lud the Sons of Sem because they were not the Heads or Chiefs of any Nation Aram had four Sons 1. Vz who seiz'd upon Trachonitis and the Country of Damas and called one of these Countries by the Name of Vz where Iob dwelt 2. Hull from whom came the Armenians 3. Gether from whom proceeded the Bactrians 4. Mesh from whom came the Mesraeneans situated along the Gulph of Persia. Heber Arphaxad's Grandson had two Sons 1. Peleg so called because in his Days the Earth was divided into several Nations and Languages 2. Ioktan who had 13 Sons They were the Chief Heads of several Colonies who spread themselves over the Face of the Earth 1. Almodad who became Master of all the Countries of the Indians from the River Cophena which falls into the River Indus according to Iosephus and St. Ierom. 2. Sheleph 3. Hazarmaveth 4. Ierah 5. Hadoram 6. Vzal 7. Diklah 8. Obal 9. Abimael 10. Sheba 11. Ophir who gave his Name to that Country in the East from which they fetch Gold And the Scriptures make mention of Mount Sephar towards the East which was upon the Confines of their Country 12. Havila 13. Iobab II. HAM had four Sons 1. Cush settled himself in Ethiopia which the Hebrews to this day call Cush 2. Misraim who went into Egypt which in Hebrew is called Mesraim where there is even at this day a City called Mesra 3. Phut from whom proceeded the Inhabitants of Lybia and Mauritania where at this very time there is a River called Phut 4. Canaan from whom came the Canaanites who were in possession of the Holy Land till they were outed by the People of Israel Cush begat Nimrod who began to be a mighty one upon Earth He was one of the greatest Hunters under the Cope of Heaven The Capital City of his Kingdom was Babylon next to it Erech that is Edessa in Mesopotamia Achads that is Nisiba and Calneh that is Seleusia or Ctesiphonta in the Land of Shinar near Babylon Out of that Land went forth Ashur who built Nineveh and the Streets of that City and Calah He likewise built the great City of Resen which lies between Nineveh and Calah Cush had five Sons more 1. Seba from whom came the Sabeans in Arabia Felix 2. Havilah from whom proceeded the Getulians in Africa 3. Sabtah from whom came the Sabathenians in Arabia where according to the Account of Geographers is situated the City of Sabathai or Sabatia 4 Raamah 5. Sabtechah St. Ierom says that from these two last Sons of Cush are descended such People as 't is hard at present to reconcile their ancient Names with the new ones Raamah had two Sons 1. Sheba from whom descended the Sabeans different from those which we have already mentioned For there are two Countries of Sheba in Arabia both of them famous for the Frankincense which comes from thence in abundance The one is writ with a Schin and the other with a Samech 'T is from the first which the Queen of Sheba came to visit King Solomon And in the 71st Psalm where we read the Kings of Arabia and Saba in the Hebrew 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings of Sheba and Saba 2. Dodan from whom is derived according to St. Ierom the Name of a Country of Ethiopia Misraim had six Sons 1. Ludim from whom came the Lydians who are in Africa 2. Anamim 3. Lehabim from whom came the Lydians formerly called Phuteans 4. Nephtahim 5. Pathrusim 6. Chasâ—uhim As for four of these Nations Iosephus and St. Ierom declare That at present they are very obseure because they were exterminated in the Wars of Ethiopia Canaan had eleven Sons 1. Sidon who built the City of Sidon and gave it his Name The Canaanites who inhabited Phenicia and the Holy Land have been famous for their great Commerce from whence came the Riches of Tyre and Sidon Upon which account it is that the Scripture gives in the general the Name of Canaanites to Merchants and Traders 2. Heth the Father of the People who dwelt in the Promised Land 3. Iebuseus Iebus was the first Name of the City of Ierusalem whose Inhabitants and those of the Neighbouring Country were called Iebusites 4. Amoreheus the Father of the Amorites who dwelt in the Promised Land and whom God ordered his People to drive out 5. Gergeseus From whom descended The Girgasites 6. Heveus From whom descended The Hivites 7. Araceus from whom came the Arkites and from whom according to St. Ierom the City of Arcas near Libanus took its Name 8. Sineus of whom came the Inhabitants of the Wilderness of Sin or rather of Mount Sina 9. Aradeus from whom descended the Arvadites and who gave his own Name to the Cities of Arade and Antarade of which Ezekiel makes mention 10. Samareus of whom came the Inhabitants of the City and Country of Samaria 11. Hamatheus from whom proceeded the Inhabitants of the City of Hamath There are two of these Cities mentioned in Scripture the Greater Hamath which is Antioch and the Lesser Hamath called Epiphania III. IAPHET had seven Sons 1. Gomer of whom came the first Inhabitants of the Country of Galatia 2. Magog from whom proceeded the Greeks the Messagetans and the Scythians 3. Madai from whom descended the Medes and according to several the Macedonians 4. Iavan of whom came the Ionians and all the other Greeks 5. Tubal of whom came the Iberians who are situated beyond the Euxine Sea and not those who dwelt in Spain 6. Meschech from whom descended the Muscovites or the Capadocians There is in Capadocia a City formerly called Mazaca and since named Cesarea 7. Tiras from whom proceeded the Thracians Gomer had three Sons 1. Ashkenaz from whom came the Germans whom the Hebrews at this very day call Askenssim 2. Riphath of