AS to the first of these, such a chain, Series or Succession of Authours is to be observed in reading, as may exactly imitate the intervals of times, and the great and general Monarchies. The intervals or Periods of times as they relate to History, and the memory of Affairs, as Censorinus De Natali die Varro. cap. 21. observes out of Varro, are three, the first from the beginning of mankind to the first Flood, which, saith he, for the ignorance of the things that were done in it is call'd the Obscure Period; the second is from the first Flood to the first Olympiad, in which because many things are fabulously related, it is call'd the Mythick or fabulous interval; the third is from the first Olympiad to our times, by which he means the times of the Caesars, which is call'd the Historick Aera, because the things which have been done in it are contained in true Histories. These great intervals (as you will see,) are divided or distinguished by several Epochas. Now an Epocha is some illustrious beginning in time from whence we number the following times, and we observe two sorts of Ephocas, the Ecclesiastical and the Civil; the first of these are used in the Sacred Scriptures and Church History, such as are these which follow, from the beginning of the World or the Creation, from the inundation or Flood, from the building of the tower of Babel or the Confusion of Tongues, from the going out of Egypt, and the like: these that follow are frequently read in Prophane Histories or heathen Authours, from the destruction of Troy, from the first Olympiad, from the Expedition of Cyrus, from the passage of Xerxes, &c. So in this place of Censorinus, from the beginning of mankind or the Creation of the World to the Deluge, and it is remarkable he styles it the first Flood, for History preserves the memory of three great Floods or Deluges. The first was the Universal Deluge in the time of the Patriarch Noah, of which Moses Writes in the Holy Scriptures, which fell in the year of the World, 1656. The Oros. l. 1. c. 7. Second was that of Ogyges in Achaia, which destroyed almost all that Province, and because it happen'd in the time Ogyges, (who was then the Founder and King of Elusina,) he gave name to the time and place of it. According to Orosius, this fell in the year of the World 2185, in the days of the Patriarch Jacob. The third was the Ducaleon Inundation, from him so call'd, in whose time an inundation (they are the words of Orosius,) of Waters Consum'd the greatest Lib. 1. c. 9. part of the People of Thessalia, very few Escaping by the refuge of the Mountains, and Especially in Mount Parnassus, about which Ducaleon's Kingdom lay, who entertaining them that fled to him in Boats, preserved and fed them, upon the two heads of Parnassus, upon which account he is call'd the repairer of Mankind; this Deluge fell in the year of the World 2437, in the time of Aug. de C. D. 1. 18. c. 10. Justin. l. 2. c. 6. Cecrops King of the Athenians, and about 15 years before the going of the Children of Israel out of Egypt. I follow the Computation of Scaliger, which I desire the Reader would observe once for all.

2. That first Interval which to Varro (though a most Learned man) seem'd Obscure, all Night, to us Christians is full of Light, and by the Assistence of the Holy Scriptures, more bright than the Meridian Sun, and we know it contains 1656 years, the History of which we have delivered by Moses in a most brief Compendium, in the first six Chapters of Genesis, nor is there any thing to be found concerning those things that passed before the Deluge, in all the Monuments of Learning that are Extant, or can be found, but onely here.

3. The Second Interval from the Deluge to the first These Exercises were instituted by Hercules, and revived by Iphitus, A. M. 3174, and from this year the Olympiads or Circle of 4 years are numbred. Olympiad, (that is to the first Exercise which every fourth year was Celebrated by the Grecians in honour of Jupiter Olympius, and falls in with the XXXIV or XXXV year of the Reign of Uzziah King of Judah, contains one thousand five hundred and eighteen years, that is from the year of the World 1656, to the year of the World 3174. And this is call'd by Varro, and not without just cause, the Mythick or fabulous interval, because to it belong almost all the Arguments or Subjects of the Poetick Fables. For although there are some relations Extant in the Greek Poems and Historians, which are a little more ancient than the first Olympiad, such as the Trojan War, the Expedition of the Argonauts, the Histories of Perseus, Oedipus, Hercules, Theseus and some others, which for the most part are comprehended by Ovid in his Chronicle; yet in truth, as Africanus saith, all is full of Confusion, and disagreement, and wants the distinction of years, nor is there any thing worth the taking notice of, in all the Grecian Monuments, which happened in all that long interval, which passed betwixt the Trojan War, and the first Olympiad consisting of CCCC years, and much less is there any thing before the Trojan War worthy of Regard. Hence Justin Martyr in his Oration to the Grecians thus bespeaks them, You ought to know that nothing is Exactly written by the Grecians before the first Olympiad, and Eusebius in his de praparatione Evangelii, Chapter the 10th, till the Olympiads, there is nothing of any certainty written by the Grecians, but every thing is confused, nor before that time do they at all agree amongst themselves. Yet nevertheless, we Christians have a certain History of all this Fabulous interval, and (in what relates to the Church) large enough, and very clear, written by Moses and the Prophets, those Pen-men of the Holy Ghost, wherein many things are intermixt, concerning the Empires and Kingdoms of the Nations, and their Actions, by the Veracity of which those Accounts we met with in Prophane and fabulous Writers are to be Examined.

4. To go on, the third Interval, (which Varro and Censorinus will allow to be the onely, sole, Historical Period,) from the first Olympiad, to the times of Censorinus, (who writ about the year of our Lord 240, from the building of Rome 991, as he saith himself, Chap. XXI,) comprehends above 1040, to which belongs the whole Series of ancient Prophane Story, which we have now Extant perfect, and distinguished by any certain Notation of times.

NOw since the 4 Great Monarchies or Empires, which (as much as may be known,) are the Greatest, and Successively followed each other, that ever were amongst men, do all fall in that period of times, which contains the Mythick and Historical intervals, which in their times Reigned over the greatest part of the Earth, and under which the far greatest part of what is contain'd in History was transacted. May I propose the Order and Succession of these great Empires? Aemilius Sura an unknown person to me shall doe it for me, who is by Vellejus Paterculus, Lib. 1. c. 6. thus represented, The Assyrians (saith he,) were the first of all Nations who attained a general Empire, then the Medes, and then the Persians, and then the Macedonians; after which Philippus and Antiochus, 2 Kings descended from the Macedonians, not long after the Ruine of Carthage, being Conquered, the great Empire or Monarchy, was transferr'd to the People of Rome. This very Succession of the 4 Monarchies, seems asserted by Arrianus Nicomedensis, to be by a fatal decree disposed in this Order; the Empire of Asia was (saith he,) to be taken Lib. 2. de Exp. Alex. from the Persians by the Macedonians, as the Persians had before Ravished it from the Medes, and the Medes from the Assyrians, and the same order is observed by Claudian the Poet,

Dionysius Halicarnassaeus also in his prooem of the Roman Antiquities, observes the very self same Succession of the great Empires, where he compares them one with another, and does prefer the Roman Empire as very much above them all.

2. But here by the way, let us observe, that though Aemilius Sura, Arrianus, Dionysius Halicarnassaus, and very many other Authours of Antiquity, do reckon the Empire of the Medes for one of the Monarchies distinct from the rest; yet we are taught by the Scriptures, that the Empire of the Medes and Persians was but one: Especially when they had taken the Empire from the Assyrians. And therefore there was but four illustrious and very great Monarchies, which are commonly observed to have been the irreconcilable Enemies of the Ancient Church, which were represented to Daniel the Prophet, in a Vision by four Beasts; to Zechary, by 4 Chariots, and to Nabuchodonosor, by a vast Image made up of four several sorts of Materials, as the Holy Scriptures testifie: for so the ancient Fathers, and most of the later Interpreters understand those Prophecies. Omitting then the Modern Expositours, three of the more ancient will be sufficient to prove, that heretofore for many Ages, it has been a received opinion, that the four great Monarchies were designed by the said three Visions. First, Isidorus Pelusiota, lib. 1. Ep. 218, above twelve Hundred years since, interpreted the Vision of the 4 Beasts thus. That Divine Person Daniel in the famous and celebrated Vision, compared the several Kingdoms of the Assyrians, Medes and Macedonians, as consisting of the same sort of men, and each of them of a distinct Nation, to a several Beast, that is one of them to a Bear, another to a Lioness, another to a Libard. But the 4th Vision, that is the terrible Beast, (which brought with it a vast Amazement,) having Iron Teeth, and being arm'd with Nails of Brass, devouring, grinding, and trampling under foot, not resembling any Animal, did perspicuously represent the Roman Empire, as being compact or made up of all the Nations and Tribes, and in its self furnished with all strength and Glory: Nor did the Propher think it fit to express that Principality by one Name, which was to extend the Yoke of its power to all, and at the time of our Lord's Incarnation, was Arrived at an infinite Empire. Thus far the Pelusiot of the four Beasts; and St. Hierome who was a little more ancient than the Pelusiot applies the Vision of Zechary's four Chariots to the same purpose, In the first Chariot saith hewere Red Horses, Sanguinary and Bloudy, and terrible as Babylonian Cruelty; in the second Chariot were Black Horses, representing the Empire of the Medes and Persians; in the third Chariot were White Horses, These were the Macedonians, under a King of which Race the Victory of the Maccabees, of whom we reade, was; in the fourth Chariot were Horses of divers Colours, of great strength; for we know that of the Roman Kings, some were mercifull to the Jews, as Cajus Caesar, Augustus and Claudian, others were Persetutours and terrible, as Caligula, Nero and Vespatian. Thus far St. Hierome of Zechary's Chariots. To Conclude, the stupendious Coloss in the very Explication of Daniel, which appeared to Nabuchodorosor, signifies the IV Kingdoms. But the Blessed Sulpitius does Elegantly unfold and apply it, and affirms that the IV Monarchies we have mentioned, were foretold by it. According to the Interpretation of the Prophet, (saith he) lib. 2. The Image which was seen carries the figure of the World, the Head of Gold was the Empire of the Chaldeans, for we have been informed that was the first and Richest; the Breast and Armes of Silver foretold the second Kingdom, for Cyrus Conquering the Chaldeans and Medes, transferr'd the Empire to the Persians; in the Belly of Brass was the third portended, and we see the prediction fulfill'd; for Alexander the Great snatching the Empire from the Persians, brought it over to the Macedonians; by the Thighs and Legs of Iron the fourth, that is the Roman is understood, which was stronger than any of the Monarchies that went before it, but the feet part Iron and part of Potter's-Clay, foretell that this Kingdom shall be divided, so as they shall never Unite, which is also come to pass.

3. We have exprest this somewhat too much at large, which yet we could not decline the fallacy of John Bodinus a very Learned man, having Extorted it from us, who in his Book de Methodo, cap. 70. Affirms that the famous division of the Kingdoms of the old World into IV Monarchies, was built upon the Modern Authority, and insipid Conceit of some late Writers. But from what has been said, it clearly appears to us on the contrary, that these IV great Empires were anciently observed and designed; of which two flourished successively in Asia, and are therefore call'd the Asiatick, and for the same reason the two others are call'd the European, which succeeded in Europe. Vellejus also, in the place I have cited above, seems to me to prove and confirm both these Names, and several Successions of the great Empires, in the following times (saith he,) the Empire Lib. 1. c. 6. of Asia was translated from the Assyrians, who had held it a thousand and seven hundrd years, to the Medes; but the truth is, it is not worth our while to contend any longer, about either the Names or the distinctions of the Monarchies. In short then I say that it is most certainly true, and incontestably known to all Antiquity, that the Assyrians and Chaldeans first, and after them the Medes and Persians, did heretofore Rule over so great a part of Asia, that they might well be call'd the Supreme Monarchs of the World (as it was then peopled,) and the same may be said of the Grecians in their times, and much more of the Romans, by whom if not the greatest, yet certainly the best part, not onely of Asia, but also of Europe and Africa, was Conquered, as Histories inform us, which made Polybius thus express himself, The Romans having forced not onely some considerable parts, but almost the whole inhabited World, to submit to their Authority, and Empire have raised their greatness to such a prodigious height, that the present Age may very rationally Extoll their happiness, but no succeeding Ages will ever be able to excell them.

BUt now if you are pleased to descend to the several Empires, and to prosecute the Histories of them by parts, and in their Order, we have Berosus, Ctesias, and Megasthenes, who give an account of the Berosus lived 250 years before Christ. Ctesias 375. Megasthenes, 290. Affairs of the Assyrio-Chaldean Monarchy. But did I say we have them? No, (which is a very great affliction to the Historians,) we have them not, we have some fragments of Ctesias, which perhaps are not spurious, but then those concern the Persian Empire onely, for whatever he writ concerning the Chaldean is lost. We have also some shreds of Megasthenes too, and some Adulterated Rhapsodies, imposed upon the World by the Viterbian Monk a deceitfull Merchant, to which little Credit is to be given in the Opinion Cresias, Scaliger de Em. Temp. notis. of very Learned men, for as to Ctesias, this is the opinion of Josephus Scaliger, a very great Philosopher. He is (saith he) a silly Greek, and so he may but contradict Herodotus, he cares not what he says; he has committed many Errours through Humane Frailty, many wilfully out of Envy, and this appears clearly in Photius his Parietina. Ctesias flourished in the times of Cyrus Junior, Strabo. l. 14. and being taken by Artaxerxes in a Battel, he was afterwards his Physician. And Strabo disputes the fidelity of the very Lib. 2. genuine History of Megasthenes, which he often cites, how much more reasonably then may Learned men question the truth of that fictitious piece which is ignorantly call'd by his Name, but it is really the work of Annianus? He lived under Seleucus Nicanor, as we are told by Clemens Alexandrinus, Strom. l. 1. and that Impostor Annian. And most of the Learned suppose that the Berosus which goes abroad in the World is of the same Stamp. Will you please to hear what Lodovicus Vivis thinks of him, There De Tradend. disc. lib. 5. is a small Book which is stil'd Berosi Babylonii Antiquitates, the Antiquities of Berosus the Babylonian, but it is a figment that pleases unlearned idle men very much, and of the same sort are Xenophon's Aequivoca, and the fragments of Archilochus, Cato, Sempronius, and Fabius Pictor, which are patched together in the same Book by Annianus Viterbiensis, and by his Additions rendered too, much the more ridiculous; not but that there are in it some things that are true, for otherwise, the thing could never have look'd abroad, but yet the body of that History is fictitious, and none of his whose Name it bears; thus far the Learned Vivis, and therefore Diodorus Siculus lived sixty years before Christ. he and other Learned men, send us to Josephus, Justin the Epitomizer of Trogus, and Diodorus Siculus his Antiquities, and well we might be turn'd over to him, if he were intirely Extant, which some of the Ancients call'd simply the LIBRARY, and others the Libraries. And Diodorus acquaints us himself in the Preface to his History, what account he had given of ancient times, his words are these; Our first six Books give an account of what happened before the Trojan War, and what is set forth concerning those Ages in Fables, of which the three first contain the Barbarous Story, and the three latter the Grecian, and in the eleven following Books, we deliver the History of what passed throughout the World, to the Death of Alexander the Great. Thus far the Sicilian. But, alas, the five Books which follow his fifth Book, (which he stiles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Book of Isles, because in it he treats of the Islands) are to the deplorable injury of ancient History, perished. For in them was contain'd all the Oriental Antiquities, which might have afforded much Ad Euseb. 1967. light to the Old Testament, as the Learned Josephus Scaliger observes. We should think this great Loss the less if Theopompus, Euphorus, Callisthenes Timaeus, and the rest from whom Diodorus had with incredible industry compiled those five Books, were still Extant. Concerning which you may Consult Vossius his piece of the Greek Historians. We cannot deny but some have blamed the Sicilian for those five Books that are Extant, which we have recommended as first to be read, and amongst them Lodovicus Vivis, who admires how Pliny could say that Diodorus was the first of the Grecians, who left off Trifling, when (saith he,) there is nothing more Idle. But Lib. 5. de Trad. disc. lib. 2. de Caus. Corr. Art. we reply, that Learned Censor did not well consider that Diodorus himself owns, that the History of those times was mixt with many Fables, and delivered very variously by the Ancients, but he was content to relate what seem'd most agreeable to Truth, and yet at last he did not desire they should be taken for solid Truths, but that he thought it was better to have the best knowledge we could of those Ancient times, than to be altogether ignorant of them; as Gerardus Joh. Vossius, a man of a peircing judgment has well observed, in his second Book of the Greek Historians, chap. the second: In the defect therefore of those Authours we have mentioned, and to repair as well as we may the loss sustain'd in the former Books of the Sicilian, helps are to be fetched in from Eusebius his Chronicon, where we shall find many Antiquities pointed at, from Plutarch's Theseus, Licurgus and Solon; from Pausanius his description of ancient Greece, from the first Book of Orosius, and especially from the Prophetick History, in which onely are all those things that happened after the Death of Sardanapalus, which are of certain and undoubted Faith, to be found concerning the Assyrians and Chaldeans, even to the beginning of the Medio-Persian Empire, and a little farther, and no where else amongst the Ancients, (if you except Josephus his Antiquities;) is there any thing to be found concerning these times, and the Jewish State then) for he indeed there treats of their State too, from the times in which the Scriptures end, to the XIIIth. year of the Reign of Domitius Caesar, and LVIth. year of his own Life. But of Josephus we shall discourse more at large in his proper He lived A. Chr. 140. place, there may also be many things worth the taking notice of, observed in Diogenes Laertius his Lives of the Philosophers, which will Embelish the History of the first Monarchy. Especially the History of the last Century of it; in which the VII wise men of Greece flourished, and that famous man Pythagoras, and many others, whose Lives Laertius wrote in that Golden Book, (as H. Stephen,) in that most usefull Book, and more valuable than Gold, as the most Learned Vossius doubts not to call it.

HErodotus, the Father of the Heathen Herodotus. History, begins where the Prophetick History ends; which is owing to the Goodness and Providence of God, that as it were in the self same moment, where the History of the Bible Concludes, Herodotus Halicarnassensis should begin his. For when the Prophets in the Holy Scriptures had related what seemed more worthy of the care of the Holy Ghost, from the beginning of the World to Cyrus; Herodotus beginning with Gyges King of Lydia, Contemporary with Hezechias and Manassa Kings of Judah, about the year of the World 3238, about CL years before Cyrus his Reign in Persia; immediately descends to CYRUS the Great Founder of the Medio-Persian Empire, and so deduceth the History of the Medes and Persians in a smooth Style, which flowes like a quiet and pleasant River (as Cicero in his Orator expresses it well,) to the time of the wretched flight of Xerxes out of Greece. Which happened in the Second year of the LXXV Olympiad, in the year of the World 3471. in which time Herodotus flourished, and lived to the beginning of the Peloponnesian War. Which Dionysius his Countrey-man relates in these words. Herodotus Halicarnassaeus being born a little before the Persian Expedition, lived till the Peloponnesian War. That is, from the first year of the LXXIV Olympiad, to the Second year of the LXXXVII Olympiad, (for so the Great Scaliger computes his Age,) making him to have Lived precisely the space of XIII Olympiads; that is, LII years. For so long Lived the sweetest Muse of Jonica as he calls him, and then goes on thus. He is the most ancient Writer in Prose who is now Extant; the Treasury of the Grecian Animad. in Eus. Chron. p. 97. and Barbarian Antiquities, an Authour never to be out of the hands of the Learned, nor to be touched by the half Learned, the Pedagogues and the Apes of Learning. But however, Herodotus might live somewhat longer, yet it is sure he brought not his History beyond the times of Xerxes. He has contained in Nine Books, which he distinguished by the Names of the Nine Muses, a continued History of CCXXXIV years. Will you have the Contents of his several Books? I will give you them shortly. In Clic. his first Book, besides what he relates of Gyges, and the succeeding Kings of Lydia to Croesus; of the ancient Jonia; of the manners of the Persians, Babylonians and some others; he gives an Elegant account of the Birth of Cyrus the Authour of the Medio-Persian Monarchy, and then of his Miraculous Preservation, of his Education and Actions. In his Second Book, he describes Euterpe. all Egypt to the Life; declares the Customs of the Egyptians, and Commemorates the Succession of their Kings. In his Thalia. third Book, he weaves the History of Cambyses, and of Smerdis the Mage, which simulated Cyrus, and so Reigned VII Months, and Explicates the fraud, and the Discovery. Then he subjoyns the Election of Darius Histaspis, and then enumerates the Provinces of the Persian Empire, and gives an account of the taking of Babylon, by the faithfull industry of Zopirus, in the praises of whom he ends it. In his fourth Melpomene. Book, he presents us with an exact Description of Scythia, to which he adds the unfortunate Expedition of Darius against the Scythians, and there we reade the History of the Mynians, and the City of Cyrene built by them in Libya, and the Description of the People of those Countries. The fifth Book, contains the Persian. Embassy Terpsicore. to Amyntas King of Macedonia, and also the just Punishment of Sisamnis an unjust Judge; the Sedition of Aristagoras the Milesian, and his end; and then he shews what was the State of the Cities of Athens, Lacedemonium and Corinth, in the time of Darius Histaspis. The sixth Book, describes Erato. the Ruine of the Seditious Histiaeus; and then shews the Origine of the Kings of Sparta; and the preparations of War made by Darius against the Grecians, and the Fight at Marathon in which Miltiades bravely defeated the Persians. The seventh contains a most excellent Consultation, Polymnia. concerning the War with Greece held by Xerxes; and then represents his famous Expedition into Greece, and the Battel of Thermopilas. The eighth describes the Sea Fight at the Island of Salamine. The ninth Urania. Calliope. besides the punishment of one Lycidas, gives an account of two great Battels fought in one day, the one at Plateas in the dawn of the Morning, and the other at Mycalen a Promontory of Asia in the Evening; in both which the Persians were beaten, and at last totally Expell'd out of Greece. And in these Nine Books you will find, besides the History of the Medes and Persians, the Histories also of the Lydians, Jonians, Lycians, Aegyptians, Mynians, Grecians and Macedonians, and of some other Nations; their Manners and Religions are also intermixt, and delivered with that Purity, Elegance, and sweetness of Style, that the Muses were by the Ancients feigned to have spoken by the mouth of Herodotus, and for this cause the Names of the Muses were put before these Books, not by the Authour, but by some other persons, as some think. But the Learned Vossius (which I think fit to remark here,) is of another opinion, and says, that he inscribed the Names of the IX Muses before his Books upon the same account, that the three Orations of Eschines were call'd the Graces, with relation both to their Number and the Delicateness of the Language, and the same Oratours IX Epistles were also call'd by the Names of the Muses, as Photius saith, Sect. LXI. But the same Learned man (Vossius) goes on and asserts that it is apparent, that the Books of Herodotus were not so call'd by way of Apology for the falsehoods contained in them, as Lodovicus Vivis thought, as if by these Names the Reader were in the very entrance to be admonished, that some things in them were related with too much Liberty to delight the mind, which is allowed the Muses. For though Herodotus inserts some Narratives that are not much unlike Fables, yet the body of his History is compil'd with a rare Fidelity, and a diligent care of Truth. Concerning his other Narratives, he for the most part premiseth that he recites them not because he thought them true, but as he had receiv'd them from others, I I heartily wish we might once have a good Version of Herodotus, which though in French was never yet made English. ought (saith he) to unfold in my History what I have heard from others, but there is not the same necessity I should believe all relations alike, which I desire the Reader would once for all take notice of, and remember throughout my History. And we may enlarge and confirm the History of these times of which Herodotus writ by reading the 2, 3, and 7th Books of Justin. Justin, and by reading the Lives of those famous Generals, Aristides, Themistocles, Cimon, Miltiades and Pausanias, written both by Plutarch and Cornelius Nepos; and C. Nepos is lately put out in English. to these may be added the Lives of the Philosophers of those times, written by Laertins, viz. Anaximander, Zenon, Empedocles, Heraclitus, Democritus, and others of that Age.

FOr though Diodorus Siculus is some centuries Diodorus Siculus is said to be translated into English but not yet Printed. of years younger than Xenophon, as who flourished in the times of Julius Caesar and Augustus, about the CLXXXIII Olympiad, yet in this our Series of Authours, I desire he may immediately follow Xenophon, being not one of the many, but a celebrated Writer, and so expert in Antiquities, that Greece can scarce shew another that is his Equal; which Judgment may be confirm'd by the Elogie which a Learned Divine of our Countrey, a Reverend Bishop, and excellently versed in this and all other sorts of Learning, is pleased to bestow upon this Authour. Diodorus Siculus Mountague Cicest. Episc. in praef. ad Apparat. (saith he) is an excellent Authour, who with great Fidelity, Immense Labour, and a rare both diligence and ingenuity, has collected an Historical Library, (as Justin Martyr calls it,) in which he has represented his own, and the Studies of other men, being the great reporter of humane Actions; but as Diodorus himself stiles it the Common Treasury of things, and an harmless or safe Mistress or Teacher of what is Usefull and Good. Our Reverend Bishop might well call it an Immense Labour, for he spent XXX years, (as he himself confesseth) in writing this History, travelling in the mean time over several Countries to inform himself, running through many Dangers as usually happens. Diodorus also does rightly stile it a Common Treasury of things, for we have in his first The first Latine Editions of this Authour make six Books, the occasion of this Errour was occasioned by the division of the first Book into two parts, by the Authour, by which the Latine. Translatour and Volterranus, and some others, being deceived made six Books of those five. five Books the Antiquities and Transactions of the Egyptians, Assyrians, Libyans, Persians, Grecians, and other Nations before the Trojan War, as we have noted above, the five following Books that is from the Vth to the XIth are lost, but from the beginning of the XIth to the XVIth we have the History of the times written by Thucydides and Xenophon, (as I have already said) written in a continued thread, but then in the end of the XVth Book, he seems to design a Continuation of Xenophon's History, for he speaks expresly thus, in the end of the second year of the 104 Olympiad. In this year (saith he) Xenophon the Athenian concludes his Grecian History with the death of Epimanondas; and so the Sicilian passeth to the III year of the same Olympiad, in which he briefly unfolds the Story of the War of Artaxerxes, with the Rebel Persians and Egyptians, and the rest of the great Atchievements of Agesilaus, together with the Deaths both of Agesilaus and Artaxerxes, (to whom Ochus succeeded in the Kingdom of Persia,) Anno Mundi, 3588. In his XVIth Book he gives an account of the actions of Philip of Macedonia the Son of Amyntas, from his entrance into his Kingdom to the end of his Life. And in the same Book takes notice of other things, which happened then in other parts of the known World. The History of this XVIth. Book may be made much more clear and large, by reading the Lives of Chabrias Dion, Iphicrates, Timotheus, Phocion, and Timoleon, written by Cor. Nepos. The Cor. Nepos. actions of these great Commanders made these times very famous, from the CVth to the CXIth Olympiad, from the second year of which Olympiad the XVIth Book begins to shew the Noble actions of Alexander the Great, and to teach us how he gave a beginning to the third great Monarchy, in the 112th Olympiad.

BUt others both Grecians and Romans have written the History of that great Monarch, more at large, (viz.) Plutarch Plutarch. in the Life of Alexander, and in two other Books which he writ concerning the Fortune of Alexander, and Arrianus the Nicomedian Arrianus. in VII Books written in an Elegant and Xenophontean Style. I say in VII Books because the VIIIth which is usually added to them concerning the Indian Expedition of Alexander, is a piece by it self, as appears both in Photius, and in the end of the VIIth Book, as the Learned Vossius Lib. 2. de Hist. G. cap. 11. Justin. Q. Curtius. observes; these two writ in Greek. And in Latine, Justin in his X and XIth Book, and Q. Curtius Rufus an excellent and a subtile Writer, but his History has lost its beginning, by the injury of men, or times, or both. Both Arrian and Q. Curtius are florid Epist. de Stud. Politico. Writers, (saith Colerus,) but Curtius is the brighter, and sweeter than any Honey; he does rather weary than satiate his Reader, he abounds with direct and oblique Sentences by which the Life of man is strangely illustrated. Justus Lipsius gives the same judgment of Q. Curtius, he is (saith he) in my opinion an honest and true Historian, if any such there have been; there is a strange felicity in his Style and a pleasantness in his Relations; he is contracted and fluent, subtile and clear, careless and yet accurate, true in his Judgments, subtile in his Sentences, and in his Orations Eloquent above what I can express. Accidalius thus speaks of him, Q. Curtius Praef. ad l. 4. a Latine writer of the actions of Alexander the Great, is more diligent than any of the Grecians; a true, candid, and most upright Writer, if we have any writer of Integrity. The Learned Vossius in a prolix discourse has made it very probable, that Curtius Lived and Published his History under Vespasian, about LXXX years after Christ. Nor Arrian flourished 14 • years after Christ. (Praef. ipsius. & Suid.) is Arrian to be defrauded of his deserved Commendation, who is reported amongst the Grecian Writers to have been a man of so great Integrity in Writing, that he was styled the Lover of Truth, and even still honoured with that Sirname by Coelius Rhodoginus. He was a Philosopher born at Nicomedia, and famous at Rome in the Reigns of Adrian and Antoninus, and was commonly call'd the new Xenophon, as Cataenus testifies in his Commentary upon the Epistles of Pliny; these I say have written more Lib. 1 Ep. 2. largely of Alexander the Great. The same Diodorus Siculus prosecutes the History of Diodorus Siculus. his Successours, in his XVIIIth XIXth and XXth Books, from the second year of the CXIV Olympiad, to the end of the CXIXth Olympiad, A. M. 3650, which interval may yet be made much more clear, if the Reader please to take in the XIIIth XIVth Justin. and XVth Books of Justin, and the Lives of Demetrius and Eumenes, written by Plutarch; and because the last XX Books of the Sicilian, in which he had continued the Plutarch. Universal History, to the Expedition of Julius Caesar into Britain, (that is to the CLXXXth Olympiad) are lost, I would advise the Reader not to dismiss Justin here, but to go through with the following Books to the XXIXth, to which he may subjoyn Plutarch's, Pyrrhus, Aratus, Aegides, Cleomenes, Plutarch. and Philopoemenes, and also the Eclogs or Excerptions out of those Books of Diodorus, which follow the XXth which are published in the Edition of Laurentius Rhodomannus: the Reader will find many things there concerning Agathocles the Sicilian Tyrant, and his Actions in Sicily, and of Pyrrhus his War in that Island, and also of the first Punick War, which are well worth his Notice, nor do I think he should deviate from the right method of Reading Histories, if he should even then proceed in Justin, till he hath read all but the two last Books.

BUt if the Reader thinks otherwise, he may after Diodorus Siculus pass to Polybius, a prudent Writer if any be, who Polybius was translated by M. Edward Grimston, and Printed, Anno 1634. flourished 220 years before Christ, in the 140th Olympiad; he propos'd to himself the representing those times and transactions, which gave beginning and perfection to the Growing greatness of the Roman Empire, and that he might effect this with the greater certainty and felicity; he undertook long Journies with much hazard, travelling over Africa, Spain, Gall, (now France,) and the Alpes; and then Composed his General History of LIII years. We may conjecture at the worth and greatness of this Person, by the number of Statues, which the Grecians Erected to him in Palantium, Mantinoea, Tegoea, Megalopolis, and other Cities of Arcadia; the Inscriptions of one of which testifies (saith Pausanias,) In Arcadia. that he travelled over all Seas and Lands, was a Friend and Allie to the Romans, and reconcil'd them, being then incensed against the Grecians; and another Inscription thus, If Greece had at first pursued the Council of Polybius it had not offended; but being now miserably afflicted, he is her onely Comfort or Support. Nor is it less observable which Pausanias testifies of him, that he was so great a States-man, that whatever the Roman General did by his advice prospered: and whatever he acted against it had ill success; yea he was so great a man, that all those Cities which United with the Achaeans, made him their Stateholder, and Lawgiver; therefore we doubt not but the great Elogies which have been given to his History by Learned men were well deserved, as for Example, that of John Bodinus, Polybius is not onely every where Equal, and like himself, but also wise and grave, sparing Methodi. c. 4. in his Commendations, sharp and severe in his Reprehensions, and like a prudent Lawgiver, and a good Commander, he disputes many things concerning the Military and Civil Discipline, and the duty of an Historian; nor does Justus Lipsius differ from Bodinus, but is rather more large in his Commendation; Not. ad lib. 1. Politic. 9. Polybius (saith he) In Judgment and Prudence is not unlike Thucydides, but in his Care and Style more loose and free, he flies out, breaks off, and dilates his Discourse, and in many places does not so much relate as professedly teach; but then his advices are every where right and Salutary, and I should therefore the rather commend him to Princes, because there is no need of an Anxious inquiry into his thoughts, but he himself opens and reveals his Sense, &c. But the most Learned Casaubon in his Preface to Polybius, has most clearly and at large demonstrated the excellence of this Authour, and wherein he is to be preferr'd before the other Historians. He wrote XL Books of which we have onely the first five now Extant conspicuous in their Integrity, and the Fragments of the rest and some Excerpts collected together, and as far as was possible restored to their former Splendour, by the great Labour and rare Industry of the said famous Casaubon. In his two first Books to which he gives the name of an Apparatus or preparative, he shortly touches the times of the Roman Common-wealth, from the taking of Rome by the Gauls under Brennus, to the Romans first Expedition by Sea, with a Fleet out of Italy; and then treats a little more largely of the times that succeeded the first passage into Sicily, by which a beginning was given to the first Punick War, to the first year of the second Punick War. In which two preparative Books he compares the Roman affairs with the Grecian, and those of other People, who were then their Contemporaries; in which (saith the Learned Casaubon,) the Studious will find many things which are not so well described any where else, and some that are no where else to be found, neither in any Grecian nor Latine History, The III following Books do well deserve to▪ be frequently and diligently read by all great Commanders and States-men, by reason of the greatness of the Subject of them, the vast Variety, accurate handling, and strange abundance both of Civil and Military Literature that is in them. The other Books (of which we have now Extant onely some broken parcels) were Composed with the same exactness, and continued the History to the end of the second Macedonian War with Perseus, when that Kingdom had an end put to it. So that it appears, I have shewn the way by this disposition and Order of Reading, to those that are Students in History, to that period which was pointed at by (the to me unknown) Aemilius Sura, that is to that Age in which the Roman power had increased to that greatness, that the supreme Empire of almost the whole World may not improperly be said to be in their possession; and this I suppose came to pass in that year, in which Macedonia was reduced into the form of a Roman Province, as I have above proved, viz. V. C. 587. A. M. 3784.

WHerefore seeing amongst those four great Monarchies, which we have mentioned, of the World, that of the Romans apparently excell'd all the rest, and seeing also their Common-wealth, (as the Learned Casaubon prudently observes out of Polybius) if ever any did, Experienced all the diversities of times according to the common Laws of Nature; it will here become our Reader of Histories to look back a while and contemplate the Rise and Infancy of the Roman State, (which began under the first Monarchy,) and to descend to its Growth and increase, and afterwards to consider its declination towards its fall and Ruine, observing a right order both in the times and Authours till he arrives at the Period of that Interval which Censorinus out of Varro hath in the third place defin'd to us; and that our Student may apply himself to this, with the more ready and intent mind, let him hear Justus Lipsius, a man deservedly great amongst the Philologers or Antiquaries, and who has deserved very much of the Roman History, thus seriously inviting him to it; In the Cent. 3. Misc. Ep. 61. Roman History (saith he,) there is a plenty both of great things, and strange Events, which many Writers have illustrated. O Great, and most Glorious Empire! and I add, of long Continuance! and therefore it is no wonder if it transcended both in men and Actions, that short and fleeting Monarchy of the Grecians: the Grecians (said one) excell in Precepts; the Romans in Examples, and in truth so it is, there never was a Nation, nor I believe ever will be, which affords more Commendable and vertuous Examples both for Peace and War; and therefore (my young man) come to this Harvest, gather the sheaves of Corn, and lay them up for thy use. Deservedly, O Justus Lipsius! for that is true which was said so long since by T. Livius; Either the love of Livius in proaem. lib. the business I have taken up deceives me, or there was never any Common-wealth neither Greater, nor more Venerable, nor Richer in good Examples; and that of M. T. Cicero, Cicer. Tuscul. qu. 1. Where was there ever in any other People so much Gravity, Constancy, Greatness of Mind, Probity, Fidelity? where is there else that Excellence in every vertue that may be compared with our Ancestours? and Valerius Maximus confirms all: Our City hath replenished Lib. 2. c. 6, 7. the whole world with all sorts of wonderfull Example. And from hence we may now derive but too great an occasion of Lamenting the hard fates of the Roman Historians, for as Parents do more deplore the Deaths, than the want of Children, so perhaps if we had never heard of the Writings of those Princes of History we had not grieved. But now when we see the broken fragments, and reade the Titles of most beautifull Works, we are vexed with desire, and tortured to the very Soul to think that a great part of them have perished, and that what remains is either corrupted with Age, or by the Envy of time wretchedly Maimed, or by the hands of a parcel of half witted Fellows interpolated, bombasted, stuft out with additions, or otherwise very ill handled; which cannot be unknown to any man who is acquainted with Antiquity. Trogus an excellent Authour, whom Vopiscus in the Life of Probus numbers amongst the most Eloquent, is totally lost, onely we have an Elegant Epitome, by which yet whosoever should pretend to judge of the intire work of Trogus, should be In not. ad Justin. mad in the opinion of the Learned Bongarsius. The excellent History of Salust is totally lost; we have but a small part of T. Livy, not much of Tacitus, not above half Ammianus Marcellinus, and the Greek Writers of the Roman Story, have suffered the same injury of time as Polybius (as I have noted already,) Diodorus, Dionysius, and Dion Cassius, who if they were now Extant intire, we should then have a perfect memory of the Roman affairs, from the building of that City, to the thousandth year of its Age. But let us be content with what is left, the Divine Providence has so ordered it, that out of the Reliques of what remains, the body of the Roman History may yet be beautifully built up, the Picture of which in Little is most Artfully drawn by our L. Annaeus Florus.

AFter this Dionysius let the Prince of Titus Livius, this Authour was translated into our Tongue by one Philemon Holland a Physician. the Roman History Titus Livius follow, famous above all others, for his Eloquence and Fidelity, (that honour is given him by Cremutius Cordus in Tacitus) which Quintilianus perfects and enlarges where he compares him with Herodotus. Herodotus (saith he) will not be offended that Titus Livius is compared with him, seeing he is in his Relations of things of a wonderfull sweetness, and of a most clear Candour, in his orations Eloquent above what can be spoken, every passage in them being so exactly fitted, both to the things and Persons; and as to the passions especially the sweeter and milder, (that I may speak sparingly) no Historian has better represented them, and therefore he hath by the variety of his excellencies equall'd that immortal briskness of Salust, nor is the censure of the famous Casaubon, that Learned man (though more modern) inferiour to this. Titus Livius is a great Authour, divinely Elegant in a certain sweet plenty of Style, loving Vertue, hating Vices, right in his judgment, expert in things relating to Peace and War, (though no way accustomed to, or experienced in the latter) and if I have any Judgment, this was the onely genius the People of Rome (I speak as to History,) ever had equal to their Empire; these Commendations are solid and Prolix enough, and yet I cannot forbear but I must here insert also the censure of Johannes Bishop of Alariensis, which Ludovicus Vivis so much admires, and in De ratione Dicen. l. 3. p. 1 • 4. de Histo. 1. truth, I hope I shall perform an usefull and acceptable piece of Service by it to the Studious, because it shews the perfections we should aim at in History, and the defaults we should avoid; whether he observed them in Livy, or in considering the way of writing Histories, or by comparing both these together. Variety (saith he) hath not rendered Livy confus'd, nor the simplicity of his History nauseous; in the little and low matters which often happen, he is not without Bloud, dry and jejune, and in Plenty and greatness, he is not turgid and Vast, being full without swelling, equal and soft on this side Efeminacy, neither Luxuriously flowing, nor horridly barren; in plain things he is not unpleasant, nor Languid, in soft things, he does not rise in a violent and forced Oratory; yet he is not so copious as to be trouble some, nor Lascivious in his Pleasantness, nor so light as to be careless; he is not so severe as to be rud, nor so simple as to be Naked, nor so drest, that he may seem by an affected composition to be curled with Hot-Irons; his words are equal to his matter, and his Sentences to his Subjects; he is grave and magnificent in his Accounts of Actions, and yet short and proper; in Narrations he is natural and always circumspect, never confounding the Order, nor forerunning the Event, he is no seeker of favour by Flattery, or sparing in his reprehensions in expectation of a Pardon, nor yet bitter to an offence; he never spares the Senate, that great and venerable Moderatour of the World, nor the Roman People the Princess of the Earth, if precipitated by rashness, or deceived by Errour, or by any other means whensoever they happen to transgress the bounds of Moderation and Justice, not defrauding the Enemies of his Countrey; of their deserved Commendation, that he might some times seem onely to be a relatour, and at other times a Censour; he is so severe and sower, as when occasion serves, he never spares the gravest Censours, than whom nothing at Rome was more Sacred, and in his Orations he is sparing in words, but rich in Sentences; he is much more restrain'd and concise in his words, than in his Sense, in which particular, he hath not onely excelled all other Writers, but himself also very much. This he said of Livy, saith Ludovicus Vivis, and I grant it the description of an excellent Historian. Livy published his History under Augustus, and he died the IVth year of the Reign of Tiberius; he writ CXL Books, (which were in the opinion of Petrarch, divided into Decades, not by himself, but by the fastidious Laziness of the Readers,) but of these there are onely XXXV Extant, of which the three first have many things in Common with Dionysius Halicar. but described Dionysius. Halicarnassaeus. with that sweetness, and Elegance of Style, that the Reader can never repent the Repetition; in the remaining VII Books of the first Decade, this Authour brings down the History to the 461 year after the building of Rome, and yet before our Reader proceeds, though perhaps he has attain'd a rich History of the first times of the Romans, out of Dionysius Halicarnassaeus, and the aforesaid Books of Livy, yet in this place Plutarchs, Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Valerius Poplicola, Coriolanus Plutarch's Elogies. and Camillus, may not unprofitably be read; not unprofitably did I say? what is there in that Authour that can be read without great advantage and reward? especially if he falls into the hands of a serious Reader, that is apprehensive and of an experienced Judgment? Treasures of Learning, Wisedom and History may be found in Plutarch, yea there are some that assert that his Monuments, (I mean his Parallel Lives and Morals,) are the Libraries, or Collections of all the ancient Historians or rather Writers, and of all that have either spoken or done any thing honourably, rightly or wisely, (whether they were Grecians or Romans,) so that Theodorus Gaza answered not imprudently, when being once asked what Authour he would chuse, if he were to be deprived of all others, he replied, onely Plutarch, and therefore we so often already have, and hereafter shall recommend him to the Reader, to be read by parts, every part in its proper place. By parts (I say,) because In Not. ad Polit. lib. 1. c. 9. (as Lipsius saith,) he did not so properly write an History as certain Particles of History, and appropriated to himself the Lives of Illustrious men, and yet here, (if Epist. de Stud. Polit. we may Acquiesce in the judgment of Colerius,) he observes all the Laws of History, more than Suetonius, or any other of those that have written Lives; however (in the opinion of Lipsius,) he truly deserves above all others, to be styled the Prince of Writers, who doth wonderfully form the judgment, and in a diffused and plain way of Writing, leads a man every where to Vertue and Prudence.

BUt to proceed, where we should have gone on; in T. Livius the whole second Decade, from his tenth Book, to his XXIth is lost, to wit, the History of LXX years, from the year of the City 461, to the year 531, in which space of time, (besides other very remarkable things,) the War with Pyrrhus King of Epirus, call'd the Tarentine War, the first Punick War, and the Ligustick, Illyrick and Gallican Wars, are said to have happened; for the supplying therefore this defect, the arguments of these Books drawn by the Epitomizer of our Authour may be usefull, and for the filling up, and enlarging the story Plutarch's Pyrrhus, and the XVIIth, XVIIIth, and XXII and XXIII Books of Justin; to Plutarch. Justin. Orosius. these may be added 14 Chapters of the IVth Book of Orosius, who flourished 415 years after Christ, and the IV first Chapters of the third Book of Paulus Diaconus, his P. Diaconus. Historia Miscella, who lived about 787 years after Christ, and especially the first and second Books of Polybius, in which though we have not a full History of the Polybius. first Punick War, yet we shall there find more of it than in all the Latine Historians that are now Extant; and we may judge the same of the Wars the Romans made with the Galls, inhabiting in Italy. And here Plutarch's M. Marcellus, and Fabius Fabius Maximus and M. Marcellus. Maximus may be taken in, who fought most Valiantly and succesfully against the Ligurians, and Cisalpine Galls; and as they afterwards did in the second Punick War against the Carthagineans, for Fabius first broke Hannibal with delays, and then, Marcellus taught the World, it was possible to beat him, as the Authour de Viris Illustribus writes, Chap. 45. Lastly, Joannes J. Zonaras. Zonaras may perhaps afford some assistence for filling up this Gap in the Roman History, who in the second Tome of his Annals has given a short account of the affairs of the Romans, from the building of the City to the Reign of Constantine the Great, and also Appianus Alexandrinus will Appianus. Alex. afford some help in his Punic's and Illyric's. A writer according to the censure of Photius, Bibl. Od. 57. studious of delivering the truth as far as possible; a Discoverer of the Military Discipline above most others, and he is one of those who hath as in a Table represented to us, the Provinces, Revenues, Armies, and in general, the description of the whole Roman Empire, as Johannes Bodinus Method. l. 2. cap. 4. hath observed. And Josephus Scaliger in his Animadversions upon Eusebius, supposeth him to have been a mere Child in History, or else that many things had been tack'd to his Syriac's by others; and the Learned Vossius affirms, he took many things from Polybius, and useth to transcribe Plutarch word for word; and in truth Franc. Balduinus acknowledgeth that Lib. 1. de instit. Hist. p. 87. some passages of Plutarch in his Crassus concerning the Parthian War, are repeated in the Books of Appianus: but this is supposed to Both lived under Hadrian, as Vossius out of Photius, but Appian continued much longer, and writ under Antoninus the Successour of Hadrian. be done, not by Appian (who was contemporary with Plutarch,) but by some of his Transcribers, that they might fill up some Chasme in his Commentaries. This Authour flourished in the year of Christ, 123.

AFter Plutarch's Lucullus, the remainders Dion Cassius, he flourished in the year 231 after Christ. of Dion Cassius or Coccejus may be taken in also, who is deservedly reputed one of the best Historians; they begin with the actions of Quintus Metellus in Creet, Anno V. C. 686, then they express the great enterprises of Pompey, beginning with the Pyratick War, and so continue down the Roman History, to the Death of Claudius Caesar, Anno V. C. 806. In truth Dion wrote LXXX Books of History, beginning Phot. Bib. Cod. 71. with the Arrival of Aeneas in Italy, and the building of Alba and Rome, and so went on without any interruption, ending in the Slaughter of Heliogabalus, Anno V. C. 973, Christi 221, but the first XXXIV Books are lost, the next following XXV are Extant, and those that succeeded these again are lost; how great the loss of these LV Books is, will easily appear to any man from what is spoken of him by John Bodinus; considering (saith he,) that Dion spent his whole life in managing publick affairs, and by all the inferiour degrees of Honours, arose to that height as to be twice made Consul, and after that being Proconsul, Governed some Provinces to his great honour, joyning a great knowledge and experience together; who can doubt whether he is to be placed amongst the best writers of History? in truth he gathered together very accurately the order of the Assemblies of State, and the Rights of the Roman Magistrates; he is the onely person who hath given an account of the Consecration or Deifying of their Princes, and Divulged their Arcana imperii, secrets of State, as Tacitus calls them, for he was a diligent searcher into the publick Councils. Or if our Reader desireth to go a shorter way, and to reade the rest of the History where Livy fails, twisted in one thread as it were; Vellejus Vellejus Paterculus. Paterculus may very well be admitted, who flourished under Tiberius Caesar, as he himself testifieth, Anno Christi 27. Aclear explainer of the ancient History, close and of Ald. in Scholiis ad Vell. a great efficacy; and Aldus Minutius speaks thus of him, he is honest and true, till thou comest to the Caesars, where he is not every where faithfull, for through flattery he conceals or covers many things, yea and plainly tells them otherwise than they were, yet he expresseth himself every where, with a certain facil and flowing Eloquence. Justus Lipsius thus speaks of him, nothing can flow with greater purity and sweetness than his Style; he comprehends the Antiquities of the Romans, with so much brevity and perspicuity, that (if he were extant intire,) there is no other that is equal to him, and he does commend the illustrious Persons he names, with a certain exalted Oratory, and worthy of so great a man, as Johannes Bodinus saith; it is commonly conceived and agreed, that his Compendium of the Roman History is contained in two Books, but we have onely some shreds of his first Book, as Rhenanus calls them, but if the Reader begins with the IXth Chapter of the Gruterian Edition, he will find the History intire, from the Conquest of Perseus King of the Macedonians, to the XVIth year of the Reign of Tiberius Caesar, and he may all along as he pleases, joyn the Lives I have mentioned above, in their order with Vellejus, to enlarge the History, and so he may pass on to the Writers of the Caesarian times.

AS to the Writers of the Caesarian times, Suetonius. let the Reader begin with Suetonius Tranquillus, a most correct and candid Writer, as Vopiscus stiles him. He flourished In firmo, c. 1. under Trajan and Adrian, Anno Christi, 127, and was Secretary to Trajan: Spartia. in Adriano. c. 11. he was an intimate friend to Pliny Secundus, and he deserved his esteem, being as Pliny saith in a Letter to Trajan, an honest, sincere Lib. 10. Ep. 95. Learned man. And thence I conclude that the Testimonies of the later Criticks concerning him are true, as that of Ludovicus Vivis; Suetonius is the most diligent and Lib. 5. de trad. disc. impartial of all the Greek or Latine Writers, he seems to me to have written the Lives of the XII C sars with great Integrity, because he conceals not the Vices or suspicions of Vices in the very best Princes, nor does he dissemble the Colours of vertue in the worst. Colerus Epist. de Stud. Poli. doth almost follow Vivis, as to the main, and then adds something as to his Style: His Style (saith he) is short and Nervous, and no man has more diligently intermixt the publick Rites, he is most correct and candid, and not obnoxious to any man, for whoever wrote the tempers or humours, and manners of Princes with a greater freedom? Courtiers and Statesmen may from hence reap much advantage, and may also from Suetonius at the same time learn to detest flattery. And with Suetonius Tranquillus, the Reader may admit Tacitus an Historian of a great and sharp Tacitus. judgment, who wrote of the same times with Suetonius; the Criticks say he had a new, concise and sententious way of writing, but as to the use and utility of his History they vary, or it may be rather fight each against other. Justus Lipsius the Prince of the Criticks thus expresseth himself; an usefull and a great writer, Ep. ad. Ord. Batav. and who ought to be in their hands, who have the steering of the Common-wealth and Government; and again, a sharp Writer and Ad Max. l. 2. Imp. very prudent, and who if ever may be very usefull in the hands of men, in these times and Scenes of affairs; he doth not recite the Victories of Hanibal, almost fatal to the Romans, nor the specious death of Lucretia, nor the Prodigies of the foretellers, or the predictions of the Etruscans, and the like which are apter to please than instruct the Reader. Let every one in him consider the Courts of Princes, their private Lives, Counsels, Commands, Actions, and from the apparent Similitude that is betwixt those times and ours, let them expect the like Events; you shall find under Tyranny, Flattery and Informers, Evils too well known in our times, nothing simple and sincere, and no true fidelity even amongst Friends; frequent accusations of Treason, the onely fault of those who had no fault; the Destruction of great men in heaps, and a Peace more cruel than any War. I confess the greatest part of his History is full of unpleasant and sorrowfull Accidents, but then let us suppose what was spoken by the dying Thrasea, spoken to every one of us; Young man, consider well, and though I implore the Gods to avert the Omen, yet you are born in those times that require the well fixing your mind by Examples of Constancy. To this may be added his Style, which is by no means sordid or vulgar, but distinguished with frequent and unexpected Sentences, which a man cannot conjecture whence they should be derived, which for their truth and brevity may be compared to Oracles; to conclude, he is a wonderfull Writer, and does most seriously doe, what he seems not to make his business at all, for it is not onely a History, but a Garden and Seminary of Precepts. Colerus follows here the Judgment of Lipsius, and thus he writes, we esteem the Judgment of Lipsius as equal to Tacitus; thou thinkest, and that seriously, of the Court and Palaces? as I love thee, look a little seriously in Tacitus, into the fortune of Courtiers, and the genius of Princes. Let Cornelius be always by thy side, that true Court Companion; nor is there any cause that our Centaurs and Rusticks should affright thee from him, who pretend that these representations are too ancient, and nothing like our manners and times. I say it is nothing so, there is the same Play still upon the Stage, the same vertues, the same vices are Reacted, onely the Actours are changed, onely here wants a Learned and a wise Spectatour. Isaac Casaubon, a person admired for his Learning and Vertue, here goes quite against the Judgments of Lipsius, and Colerus, for where he compares the other Historians with his Polybius, he affirms of Tacitus, that if his fortune had not deprived him of a Subject worthy of his faculties, he might have equall'd any of the most excellent Greek or Latine Historians, but such times (saith he,) fell under his Pen, especially in his Annals; as there were never any more polluted with vices, or more destitute of, or enraged against all Vertues: then comparing more particularly the matter of the History of Polybius and Tacitus together, he concludes thus, We can easily excuse Tacitus, but not those who prefer this Authour before all the other Historians, and aver that he is to be frequently read by States-men, and the onely one from whom Princes, and their Councellours should take rules for the Government of Common-wealths. Now if we would expose the absurdity of this Opinion, it would not be difficult to prove, that those who think so, accuse our present Princes of Tyranny, or would manifestly teach them the principles of Tyranny; for what can be more pernicious (especially to a young man,) than the reading of those Annals? for as good examples when they are frequently in sight improve a man, without his observation, so ill Examples hurt us, for by little and little they sink into our minds, and have the effect of Precepts, being often read or heard; but to proceed, our Reader will better apprehend, and more clearly understand both Suetonius and Tacitus, if he has first read Dion Cassius whom I mentioned before, Dion Cassius. and of this opinion Colerus is also; thou wouldest better understand Suetonius and Tacitus, let then Dion lead the way. I would have thee know this, that he is the onely Authour, who has given us the famous and Politick oration of Mecoenas to Augustus, which is worth all the rest of the Histories, and he has also the splendid oration of Agrippa to him; in other things and relations he hath not wholly escaped the suspicion of falsehood.

THese being thus expedited, if the Reader please to take in the Lives of Nerva Coccejus, and Trajan, two most excellent Princes out of Aurelius Victor, Xiphilin, or any Spartianus, Lampridius and Capitolinus, flourished under Constantius Chlorus, Anno Ch, 295. Vulcatius under Dioclesian, Anno Christi. 289. other of the Writers of Lives; Spartian's, Adrian, and Capitolinus his Antoninus will immediately follow in their order, and all the rest of the Emperours, whose Lives and Actions are written by those six Writers of the Augustane Story, not so Elegantly as truly, and were lately put out accurately, amended and illustrated by Isaac Casaubon, the immortal glory of this last Age; and Claudius Salmafius a man Learned to a Miracle in the ancient Learning: and although Casper Barthius prosecutes these Authours, Advers. l. 26. c. 16. with a mean and slight Testimony, and affirms, that the Latine Tongue was become deformed, in the very ages of Theodosius and Justinian; yet I would not have any man thence conclude, that he shall gain small advantage by the reading of them: let him rather hear Justus Lipsius, and Casaubon's Judgment of them, of which the first thus briefly; One Writer is Epist. quaest. l. 5. Ep. 2. usefull for one purpose, and another for another; Spartianus, Lampridius, Capitolinus and Vulcatius, and the rest of the Writers of the second form, have indeed not much Eloquence; but it is possible to extract out of them a vast plenty of Antiquities, and of the forgotten Customes. The latter is yet more large in their Commendations; The reading of these Authours (saith he,) is not onely usefull but necessary for all men, but especially for all those who are Studious of the ancient manners and History, and especially for those who love the Roman Civil Law. For how many things will you find dispersed in the whole Work, which belong properly to the study of Law? how often is it there observed, that a new Law was introduced, or an ancient Law abrogated? that I may not mention this, that if it were not for these Writers, many of the great Civilians, whose names and fragments are extant in the Pandects, would have been altogether unknown to us, not to mention also the Style, which is common with these Authours, to the ancient Lawyers; in short, what esteem ought we to have for the excellent Letters of so many Princes, so many grave Decrees of the Senate, and so many other publick Monuments, transcribed out of the Cabinets of the Caesars, out of the Acts or Registers of the Senate and People, or out of I know not what other secret and concealed Records? or whom will you assign out of all the number of the ancient Writers, to whom we are indebted for a like Fidelity or Industry? nor ought I to pass by those Learned, and not far fetched but Domestick Digressions, with which these Books are inriched as with so many studds of true and Radiant purple in very many places; thus far Casaubon. These Historians will furnish the Reader with the History, (if the Chronologers deceive me not,) of an Hundred Sixty and Seven years, it is however certain, they will give him the names of LXX and upwards, who in the course of these times, by right or injury obtained the name of Emperour or Caesar. The Lives of some of which also are written in VIII Books, by Herodian an Herodian. Herodian flourished, Anno. Chr. 224. Authour of good Judgment, Discreetly and Elegantly; therefore if the Reader please to joyn him to the other six Writers of the Lives, in his due time he will have a fuller, and more illustrious History of Commodus the Emperour, and of the other seven that succeeded him, to the Gordians; for he will find in that Writer, a great variety of both things and men, and frequent examples of Fortune's Frowns and Smiles, as she is ever changing; and he will observe strange and wonderfull Counsels, and unexpected Events; he will find as occasion serves grave Sentences, and a style full both of dignity and sweetness; to conclude, he will find plenty of necessary Utensils Politian. in praef. ad Innoc. 8. Pont. for the improvement of his Manners, and as it were the Looking-Glass of Humanity, which he may inspect all his Life time, and from whence he may draw instructions for the better management of publick or private affairs. Let him then reade this Authour either in Greek or Latine, for I know not whether Herodian deserves more Honour, who in his own Language flows with a plentyfull vain, or Politian who has translated him so happily, that he doth not seem so much to have rendered as writ that History. However these six Writers the last of which is Vopiscus, who is yet learned and accurate beyond any of the rest, will bring the Reader to the thousand thirty and sixth year after the building of Rome, that is to the Death of Carinus Caesar, who with Numerianus is said to have reigned or affected the Empire after Carus; it is to be confess'd that in this Series which these six Writers of Lives have left us, there is a gap betwixt Gordianus the third, and Valentinian the Emperour; for Valerianus did not succeed immediately after Gordian, but first the two Philippi, and to them the Decii; and then Vibius Gallus, with his Son Volusianus, then Aemylianus Libycus, who was immediately succeeded by Valerianus; and the Learned Casaubon reckons some others, to In Not. ad Trebell. Poll. the number of Fifteen, between Caesars and Emperours, within the space of nine, or at most ten years, none of whose Names are mention'd any where in these Writers; a supply is therefore to be made of this defect from Aurelius Victor, a discreet and He flourished Anno Christi 395. l. 21. c. 18. In Not. Ad. Hist. August. Politian Miscel. c. 73. prudent Writer, of whom Ammianus Marcellinus saith, That for his sobriety he is much to be commended; and Casaubon calls his small Piece of the Lives of the Emperours, An Elegant Discourse: or from Pomponius Laetus, A Man (for the Age in which he Wrote) rarely acquainted with Antiquities and good Learning, and very conspicuous amongst the most Excellent Wits of his time; who hath Written a Compendium of Paulus Jovius Elog. 40. the Roman History, from the death of Gordian the younger, a little beyond the time of the death of Heraclius. This Authour flourished about the year after Christ 1488. In this History of the Caesars you may reade many Voss. de Hist. Lat. lib. 3. c. 8. things which are not to be found in any of the Historians, which for the most part he extracted from the Ancient Panegyrists.

BUt because the History of those times is very confused (especially if we consult none but Latin Writers) to the Succession of Constantine's Children. It will well requite the trouble, to seek assistence from the Greek Authours, Eusebius, Zosimus, Eusebius, Zosimus, Zonaras. Zonaras, or some other Authour; as well in relation to the asoresaid Emperours, as also to them that follow Dioclesian, Constantius Chlorus, Galerius and Constantine the Great, whose Histories may be thus illustrated: For in this Age Eusebius flourished, under Constantine and his Children, about the year of Christ 325. and for his great Learning and Extraordinary Knowledge of History, was very famous; of whom more will be spoken when we come to the Church-Historians.

Since the death of our Authour, there has been published, first by Baluzius, a Learned Frenchman; and since that at Oxon, a History of all the Roman Emperours, from the 20th year of the Reign of Dioclesian, Anno Christi 303. to the year 313. which was the 7th year of the Reign of Constantine the Great, Written by Lucius Coelius Lactantius, Lactantius. and stiled, De mortibus persecutorum: This Authour was contemporary with Eusebius, and was Tutour to Crispus, one of the Children of Constantine the Great; and though this History is of but a short space of time, yet it gives a great light to the most intricate part of that History, and is of great credit, as being Written by a Person of great fidelity, who was an Eye-witness of all those Transactions, and a very Elegant Writer.

Zosimus Writ the declension of the Empire Zosimus. in VI. Books, beginning with Octavianus Caesar, and ending in the taking of Rome by the Goths under Alaricus: In the first Book he runs through all the first Emperours, to Dioclesian, with great brevity; but in the other V. Books he gives a larger and fuller account. He lived in the time of Theodosius the younger, who began his Reign, Anno Christi 407. and ended it Anno 449. his Style is short and clear, pure and sweet, as Photius represents it. He was a Pagan, and therefore reflects very often upon the Christian Princes; and yet Leunclavius, a Learned German, doth not think it is fit, for all that, to call his fidelity too easily in question: and he adds moreover, That if any Man Reade him In Praefat. ad Sambucum. without prejudice, he will find, that his History (which is almost totally made up of those things that were passed by, and not taken notice of by the rest of the Historians) is very pleasant, and usefull to all Men who are employed in State Affairs. Henry Stephens was of opinion, That he industriously sought into Epist. ad Phil. Sydnejum. the truth of Conceal'd things, and carefully discover'd it. This History is, for the most part of it, an Epitome of Eunapius, who Wrote an History of the Caesars, beginning Voss. de Hist. Graec. • . 18. l. 2. where Herodian ends, and continuing it to his own times; he lived under Valentinian, Valens and Gratian, about the year of Christ 370. His History, though said to be extant at Venice, was never Printed. But Photius, saith Zosimus, did almost Transcribe Eunapius, as differing from him onely in this, that There is lately an Elegant Version of Zosim is printed in English. he doth not reproach Stilicon as Eunapius did; and that his style is shorter and more easie, and that he rarely makes use of any Rhetorical Figures: but Zosimus begins his History much Higher, and continues it down much Lower.

Johannes Zonaras Wrote a General History, Zonaras. from the beginning of the World, to the death of the Emperour Alexius Comnenus, Anno Christi 1118. in whose time he lived; he divided it into Three Tomes; in the First Tome he briefly Writes the History of the World, from the Creation to the destruction of Jerusalem. In the Second Tome he Writes the Roman History, from the building of Rome to Constantine the Great, but with great brevity. The Third Tome gives an account of the Actions of all the Christian Emperours, from Constantine the Great, to the death of Alexius Comnenus. From some, or all of these therefore the History of the foresaid Emperours may be made more full and clear, especially if to those things which are related by Zosimus, as done by the Goths under Gallienus and the succeeding Emperours of Rome, Jornandes may be called in as a Jornandes. Witness, who will assure us, That all which Zosimus hath related is true: For as Leunclavius assures us, What both these Historians have Written concerning the Goths, do most exactly agree; nor is there any other difference betwixt them but this, that Jornandes is a little more full, as not omitting the circumstances of things; nor is it to be wondred at, that these were not so well known to Zosimus as they were to Jornandes, for the latter was a Goth, or an Alan, which Nation was nearly related to the Goths, and understood the affairs of the Goths, who were his own Countreymen, much better than the Grecians did, and joined the Gothick Historians with the Greek and Latin Writers, as he himself confesseth. Jornandes flourished about the year of Christ 540. and here let the Reader proceed immediately to the reading of Ammianus Marcellinus, a Man of a clear Ammianus Marcellinus. Fidelity and Judgment in the esteem of the most rigid Censors. By his own confession, his Language is Military and Unpolished; he was very famous about the year of Christ 375. He diligently prosecutes as a Souldier the account of Military Affairs, and doth often digress in Relations, and doth not seldom intermix Sentences, as Justus Lipsius acquaints us. And Balduinus goes on thus, He is indeed a Souldier, but a very Learned Souldier; and so studious of Antiquities, that there is scarce any thing which he hath not searched out. To speak in one word, he is a most diligent Writer; his Latin indeed is rough, for he was a Constantinopolitan; but he is full of Learning, and has included in his History, a various, manifold and uncommon Literature; and has largely Wrote an History of those times, that are not so well Written by any other: thus, and much more Balduinus relates of him.

Marcellinus Wrote XXXI. Books, from the beginning of Nerva to the death of Valens, in whose Court he lived; but of these, the first XIII. have perished in the common Shipwreck; in those which are extant he begins with Gallus Caesar, about the year of Christ 353. and largely describes the Actions and Lives of Constantius Caesar, Julian, Jovian, Valentinian and Valens, an Eye-witness of a great part of which things he was, and he will bring down the Reader to the year of Rome 1128. which is the 378th year of Christ. His History was Translated into English by one Philemon Holland, a Dr. of Physick, and Printed at London in Folio, in 1609. who before had Translated Livy, Suetonius, and L. Florus; but this Authour was not then so well understood as he is now, by the indefatigable industry of Henry and Hadrian Valesius; and therefore 'tis fit there should be a second, and a more pleasant Version made of this excellent Authour.

IF after Ammianus the Reader proceeds to Paulus Diaconus his Miscellan History, Paulus Diaconus. and joins, as companion with him, Jornandes, whom I just now mention'd, his History of the Succession of Kingdoms and Times; and also his History of the Goths; he will Diaconus lived about the year of Christ 820. observe from these, not onely the Declining of the Roman Empire, which Zosimus undertook to shew him, but also the intire Ruine and Destruction of it. And lest the repetition of what he was well acquainted with before, should prove tedious and troublesome to him, he may, if he please, begin with the XIIth Book, and so go thorough with the rest, in which he shall have a perfect History from Valentinian, to the Deposition of Michael Curopolates; that is, to the year of Christ 812. and may also take in Jornandes, when the times or affairs require it. For he (as we have hinted already) Wrote an History, which is not to be despised, concerning the Origine of the Goths, and their Actions about those times. And Procopius may also be here usefully Procopius. Read, who Wrote VII. Books of the Persian, Gothick and Vandallick Wars, undertaken He flourished Anno Christi 532. This Authour was Translated some years since into English. by Justinian, and managed by Belisarius, as his General. For if we may believe Volteranus, there is in his Books the knowledge of such things, as will please the most curious, and so many Windings and Turnings of Commanders (as for the most part happeneth in such like Wars) so many strategems, consultations concerning the ordering, alluring, confuting delaying, and mitigating men, that they will render the most incapacitated fit for Publick and Private affairs. And the Learned Casaubon calls him a Great Writer. And Johannes Bodinus saith, No Man can doubt whether he is not to be esteemed amongst the Principal Writers.

After Procopius follows Agathias, a Florid Agathias. and Prudent Writer, he lived about the year of Christ 567. He was a Lawyer Vossius de Hist. Graec. l. 2. c. 22. by Profession, of Smyrna in Asia, and Wrote V. Books of the Reign and Actions of Justinian, and begins his History where Procopius ended his; his Style is Terse and Florid, and he was a Pagan. But if the Reader should rather chuse to pursue and reade the III. Tome of Zonaras, whom I have Zonaras. also recommended before, Nicetas Choniates Nicetas Choniates. Nicephorus Gregoras. will then claim the next place, and after him Nicephorus Gregoras; which two Authours continuing the History, especially of the Eastern Empire, will bring the Reader down to the death of Andronicus Palaeologus the latter, that is, to the year of Christ 1341. The first of them flourished in the year of Christ 1300. and in XXI. Voss. de Hist. Graec. l. 2. c. 28. Books Wrote the History of LXXXV. years, that is, from the death of Alexius Comnenus, where Zonaras ended, to the year of Christ 1203. the latter lived Anno Christi Lib. 2. c. 29. 1361. and Wrote a Bizantine History in XI. B • oks, from Theodorus Lascares, to the death of Andronicus, in whose times he lived, and therefore deserves the less credit in his History of that Prince's Reign; and Cantacusenus severely corrects him for it, and calls him a Light Person, and a Liar: his Style is much worse than that of Nicetas, for it is too luxuriant, and has other faults proper to that Age; but he is for the most part a good Judge of the causes of things. But we will not defraud any of them of that Commendation has been given them by very Learned Men. Christoph. Colerus saith the Oriental Writers pursue a florid way of Writing, and affecting Elegance too much, are sometimes the farther from it. I confess, Gregoras is almost the onely Politician. Zonaras was very knowing in Publick Affairs, and is especially usefull to Lawyers. Choniates is often guilty of trifles; yet he is Religious, and sometimes discourseth prudently of the causes of Publick Calamities: but we shall discourse of these again hereafter, and perhaps in a more convenient place.

But if our Lover of History seems wearied with the reading of so many Authours, and desireth to shorten his journey, and reduce it to a Compendium. After Dion Cassius, or Suetonius, he may then take Zosimus, who, as I have said, Wrote the declining State of the Empire, as he testifies concerning himself, and continues the History from Augustus, to the taking of the City of Rome by the Goths, in the year of Christ 410, 1162 years after it was built (an Elegant Translation of which Authour was lately printed in English) from which time, to the Reign of Charles the Great (which is worth our observation) for the space of almost 400 years; the City of Rome, and all Italy, which for many Ages before had been the terrour and dread of foreign Nations, being now amazed, either with the sense of present Miseries, or apprehension of impending future Calamities, never had any quiet. From the time therefore in which Alaricus entred the City, and Zosimus ended his History, Blondus Forliniensis continues down Blondus. the History of the Goths, Vandals, Longobards, and other Nations, a Thousand and thirty years, to the year of Christ 1440. in which time he flourished, and till 1450.

Or if the Reader thinks fit, when he has read Vopiscus, he will not decline from the right Method of Reading History, if he admits Carolus Sigonius his History of the Car. Sigonius. Western Empire, which he (as he professeth) collected with great and diligent accurateness, and then in Writing consigned and commended it to Posterity, with as much truth as was possible in that great obscurity of things, and the darkness of times.

He begins in the year of Christ 284. in which Carinus being overcome by Dioclesian at Murtium perished, and ends in the death of Justinian, which hapned in the 39th year of his Reign, Anno Christi 565. After this time (saith he) the Empire being wholly extinct, the Roman State was divided into many distinct Kingdoms, as those of the French and Burgundians in Gall, of the Goths in Spain, of the English and Scots in Britain, of the Longobards and Normans in Italy, of the Saracens in Africa; and from thence the Reader may proceed to Blondus, beginning at the VII. or VIIIth Book of the first Decade, Blondus. and so go on with it to the end.

BUt if the Reader desires a yet shorter course of History, and will not indure to be oppress'd with such a burthen of Authours, Johannes Cuspinianus hath Johannes Cuspinianus. Written the History of the Caesars, or Emperours, from Julius Caesar, to the death of Maximilian the first, Anno Christi 1518. who was a diligent searcher into Ancient Histories, which is an excellent Work, and worthy to be read by all. In which, setting down their Lives in order, he hath not onely left to Posterity their Great Examples, Sayings and Actions, and whatever was well or ill done by them, but also an uninterrupted series and thread of History, which is intire and unmaimed for above One thousand and twenty years. Cuspinianus flourished Anno Christi 1540. under Charles the Vth.

Paulus Jovius begins almost where the Jovius. other ends; and Wrote not onely a History of the Caesars, but an Universal History of Fifty years, which is splendid and beautifull: but some think he is not very faithfull in it, for he is said to have Written many things very partially, insomuch as Gorraeus of Paris confidently affirmed, That his Romance of Amadis would not seem less true and credible to Posterity, than the History of Paulus Jovius, as Bodinus saith in his Method of History, where he concludes thus, He delivers many things concerning the Persians, Abissines and Turks, which he could not possibly know whether they were true or false, where he could have no other foundation but rumours and publick fame, having never seen the Letters, Speeches, Actions, or Publick Monuments of those Princes and Countries, and yet he Writes as if he had been present, and leaves not the least place for doubt. So what he might with facility have most truly Written, the Affairs of Italy, those he would not Write truly; and what he would have Written so, those he could not: thus far Bodinus of him. And Melchior Canus saith, He Page 538. was too violent both in his Love and Hatred; and because he was a lover of Money, he was a slave to it in the very Writing of his History. And yet if we may credit Justus Lipsius, he is to be commended and Read for the manifold and various series of things which he has regularly and clearly reduced into the body of an History. The famous President, Jacobus Augustus Thuanus follows him, who is, without dispute, Thuanus. the Prince of the Historians of this Age. He has delineated a General History of the World, from the year 1545, to the year 1608. in a most excellent style, which is since continued to the year 1618. by himself, in a later Edition.

BUt that we may not be thought wholly ignorant and negligent of our own History, whilst we search into that of other Nations, it is convenient to give some account of the British Writers, and to annex it by way of supplement to the former Catalogue, and to point out at the same time in what order they are to be read, for I have no small confidence I shall thereby more oblige our University Youth, than by the other; that is, by shewing a more certain and shorter way to the knowledge of our British History, as you see I have already done in relation to the Universal History, for who is there that doth not esteem it a shamefull thing, to be thought a Stranger in his own City, a Foreigner in his own Countrey? As for me what M. Cicero said once of the Latine Poets to the Romans, I should with much greater confidence apply to English men as to the Histories of Britain; None can seem Learned to me, who is ignorant of what is our own. In truth to search out the great Actions of other Countries, and in the mean time despise our own, is a certain sign either of a most Lazy inactivity, or of a soft and unmanly delicacy; for though that which Sir Henry Savil (the great and eternally to be Epist. praelim. ad Malmsber. Anno 1601. remembred Ornament of our University,) saith is most certainly true, and confirmed not onely by his, but by the Testimony also of Mr. John Selden the Lawyer, a man not onely excellently versed in History, but in all other sorts of ancient Learning; that there was never yet any man who hath Epist. ad Aug. Vincent. written an intire body of our History, with that fidelity and dignity as became the greatness of the Subject; yet the former of these confesseth that we have some particular parts of our History, which are not ill written in former Ages, and the latter (Mr. Selden) acknowledgeth and commendeth some others, as written exceedingly well in this last Age. But be this as it will, I shall with the greatest confidence assert that there are many noble Actions, and things that are worthy of our Contemplation and Observation, which will occur in the reading of the greatest part of our Histories; this then is the order which I should recommend for the reading of our British History to the Studious in it. First, Let our Student begin with the famous Sir William Camden's Britannia, in which (besides a most accurate description of the Camden's Britannia. whole Island,) he will find briefly represented the History of the first Inhabitants, and an account given of the Origine of the Name; the Manners of the Britains, the History of the Romans in Britain, and many other things infinitely worth our knowledge, collected not out of mere fictions and fables, which none but a vain man would write, nor any but an ignorant man believe, (as he expresseth himself,) but out of the most sincere and uncorrupted Monuments of Antiquity; my advice therefore is that this Book, or rather treasury should in the very first place be most diligently perused, nor will it be amiss here to call in the assistence of Mr. Selden's two Books of Collections, Seldeni Analecta. of the Antiquities of the Britains and English, either of which Books consists of eight Chapters, in which he has collected what doth most properly belong to the ancient Civil Administration of that part of Great Britain which is now call'd England, and in which he has most excellently described both from Ancient and Modern Writers; our publick Transactions both Civil and Sacred, and our State Catastrophes to William the Conquerour, and then (according to the method proposed by us in the beginning of our course of History,) the Reader may be pleased to reade over George Lilly's Chronicle, (or short Enumeration) of the Kings and Princes, who by the He flourished in the year of Christ 1560. changes of Fortune in diverse and succeeding times, have been possessed of the Empire of Britain, or those Commentaries which J. Theodorus Clain Printed of the affairs of Great Britain, in the year MDCIII, under the Title of a Compendium of the British History, which is Elegantly form'd and written.

BUt if the Reader had rather begin with the more ancient Writers of our History, immediately after Camden's Britannia and Selden's Analecta, in my judgment William of Malmesbury deserves to be Will. Malmesbury. first admitted, because the fidelity of his Relations, and maturity of his Judgment, have set him above all the rest. And this is also the Testimony of the Noble and Learned Sir H. Savil concerning him. William of Malmesbury (saith he,) was a Epist. prael. ad rerum Angl. Scriptores. man exquisitely Learned for the age in which he Lived, and hath compiled the History of about seven hundred years, with so much fidelity and industry, that he seems to be the onely man amongst all our Writers, who hath performed the part of a good Historian; and the famous Camden speaks thus of him, both the Civil and Church History of England is much in debt to that man. He writ in V Books the History of the Actions of the Kings of England, from the year of Christ 449, in which the English and Saxons entered Britain, to the year 1116, which was the XVIth year of the Reign of Henry the first, to which he afterwards added two Books more from the XXth year of that Kings Reign, to the 8th year of King Stephen, which was the year of Christ 1143, in which times he Lived. There are some who advise the beginning with Jeffery of Jeffery of Monmouth. Monmouth, because he begins his History much higher, and affirms that one Brutus a great Grandchild of Aeneas, and LXVIII Kings besides, Reigned here for about one thousand years before Caesar entred Britain, but we thought it very fit to pass him by, because he seems to write of things that are very obscure and dark, by reason of their Great Antiquity, and are involved with mere fabulous Stories; nor have we done or spoken this upon our own private judgment onely, many Learned men having said the same thing before us. Neubrigensis In Proaem. ad Histo. who Lived not long after; Jeffery of Monmouth speaks thus. In our times (saith he) there Sprung up a certain Writer, who to Expiate the faults of the Britains, set forth a number of ridiculous inventions, extolling their Vertue and Valour, with an impudent Vanity above the Macedonians and Romans, his Name was Jeffery, and he was Nicknamed Arthur, because taking the Fables of the ancient Britains concerning Arthur out of their old Romances, and encreasing them with his own Additions, and giving them the Varnish of the Latine Tongue, he Cloathed them with the Honourable Name of an History: He also with greater boldness published the fallacious divinations of one Merlin, (which he hath also improved by his own Additions, whilst he turned them into Latine,) for Authentick Prophecies which were grounded upon unmoveable truth. John of Withamsted, In Granario. who flourished in the time of Henry the VIth, doth in part agree with William of Newbury. According to other Histories (saith he,) which in the judgment of some deserve more Credit; this whole process concerning Brute, is rather Poetical than Historical, and for many causes seems to be founded in fancy, rather than in any Reality, and Bale confesseth that, there are many things in his History which exceed belief; and John Twin, a diligent searcher out of the British Antiquities, calls him the British Homer, the Father of Lies; but Ponticus Virunnius, (a very Learned man in the esteem of Vossius,) who lived above 130 years since, and reduced Jeffery's History into an Epitome, passing by the fabulous parts of it, bestows this Elogy upon him. Jeffery of Monmouth was a famous Historian, and a Cardinal, a man of much Authority with Robert Duke of Gloster, Son of Henry II King of England; he was a great favourer of his Countrey, and Collecting a History of the most ancient times, from the Records of their Kings, and out of their highest Philosophy, he continued the same in an uninterrupted Series from the times of the Trojans. That his History is most true, will appear from the Custome of the Western Kings, which was to have always some with them, who should faithfully relate their greatest Actions; and John Leland also defends him against Newbury and Polidore Virgil; he flourished about the year of Christ 1160, under Henry the II. But however (as I said before,) for these reasons we have passed him by, and rather put our Reader upon William of Malmesbury.

Henry Archdeacon of Huntington follows next, who in VIII Books shewing the H. Hunting donensis. Origine of our Nation, and continuing the History of King Stephen and his Successours, goes on to the year 1153; he wrote many other excellent Pieces which would enrich our History, but that they lie concealed from the World in Manuscripts in Libraries; Polidore Virgil styles him an excellent Historian, and John Leland an approved writer, he flourished about the year of Christ 1160.

William of Newbury beginning with the William of Newbury. Death of Henry the first, continues the History a little farther, to wit, to the year 1197; he is a great lover of truth in the opinion of Polydore Virgil, but he is sharply reprehended by John Leland, because in reprehending Jeffery of Monmouth, he kept no mean, he flourished about the year of Christ 1220.

To Conclude, Roger Hoveden deduced our History to the year of Christ 1202, in his Annals, which he hath divided into two parts that is to the IVth year of King John's Reign, in whose time this Authour flourished.

I Must confess those latter Historians do not make any great addition of years to Malmesbury's History, yet they will illustrate it, and sometimes perhaps make it more full and perfect; of this the Reader will have a great Experience, if about the year of Christ 849, he take in the Life of Alfred written by Asser Menevensis, which Asser Menevensis. In praefat. ad Asserium. History (as the famous Camden saith,) will afford no small pleasure to thy mind, nor will it bring less profit than pleasure, if whilst the mind is fixed on the Contemplation of those great things, you endeavour wholly to conform your self to the imitation, and as it were representation of them. Asser Menevensis flourished about the year of Christ 910.

This great Prince who was the Sir John Spelman. wonder of the age in which he Lived, has found many admirers since, but none have so well deserved of his Memory as the Learned Sir John Spelman, Son of the Great Sir Henry Spelman, who wrote the Life of this Alfred King of England, in three Books in English, (which I suppose was never Printed,) but an Elegant version of it in Latine, with very excellent marginal Notes by the Students of Great Hall in Magnae Aulae. Oxon, with a great Collection of our Coins, and several other great rarities, was put out in Folio at the Theatre there in the year 1678; I wish we might yet have the Original English also printed.

And then if about the year of Christ 1060, the Reader please he may also take in Eadmerus his History, which was Eadmerus. lately brought to light, and illustrated with Notes and excellent Collections, by the Learned John Selden, a Lawyer of rare Erudition.

This History contains the Reigns of William the first, and second, and Henry the first, to wit, from the year of Christ 1060, to the year 1122, in which time the Authour Lived; he was very dear to Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Vossius de H • st. lat. l. 2. cap. 48. in those times, and died Archbishop of St Andrews in Scotland himself, after he had been Abbat of St. Albans in England, a preferment in those days of great honour.

To these the Reader may add, that true and faithfull History written by Matthew Matthew Paris. Paris, which beginning with the Coronation of William the Conquerour, Anno Christi 1067, is continued by him to the year 1253, and by another as Bale assures us to the year 1273, that is, to the Death of Henry the third, what Baronius his opinion Ad Annum, 296. of this Authour was, appears in these words, Any man (saith he,) may easily see how much his mind was exasperated against By the Holy Seat is meant the Court of Rome. the Holy Seat; except those Reproaches were inserted by the Publisher, which if they be taken out, or excepted, you may call the rest a Golden Commentary, it being onely a transcript word for word of the publick Records; most admirably put together and consolidated. After Matthew Paris I desire Thomas Walsingham his Chronicle may follow; he also was a Monk of St. Albans, and began his History from Edward the first, where the former ends, and continues it down to the end of Henry the fifth, or the year of Christ 1422. But as whilst we are reading Matthew Paris, there is an History of Stephen written by an unknown hand, The Life of King Stephen. which will amplifie and illustrate the History if taken in; so if after the first Book of Walsingham's History about the year 1306, the Life and Death of Edward the Second, written by Sir Thomas de la Moore Voss. de H lat. l. 2. c. 64. de la Moore. Knight, a Servant of that King, be also admitted it will enlarge that History. As this Authour was dignified with the honour of Knighthood, so he deserves no less esteem for his kindness to Posterity express'd by this History, which deserves the more credit, because he was intimately acquainted with that Prince, and served under him in the Wars.

THe Reader having dispatched the Chronicle of Walsingham, may in Walsingham. the next place pursue his Hypodigma Neustriae his History of Normandy which will render the former Histories more clear and complete, it containing a perfect account of the Story of that Dukedom, from Rollo the first Duke of it, to the 4th year of Henry the 5th, who in the year 1416, forced Normandy after it had been Ravished, and Alienated CCXX years from the English, to return to its due Allegiance to the English Crown; nor let the Reader think I give him this advice rashly, for (as it is rightly observed by the Learned Mr. Selden,) the ancient affairs of the Normans are so implicated and twisted with ours, that if a man consider seriously of our own, he cannot pass by theirs without sloath and ignorance. Now Andraeas Duchenius in the Andraeas Duchenius. Odericus Vitalis. year 1619, put out several Writers of the Norman History, and amongst them Odericus Vitalis a Countreyman of ours, who was born at Attingham in the County of Salop, is the principal; he wrote 13 Books of Church History, the first and second of which contain the Martial Actions of the Normans in France, England, and Apulia in Italy, to the year 1141, which was the 6th year of the Reign of King Stephen, Voss. de H. lat. lib. 3. cap. 6. about which time this Authour flourished.

But to return to our English History after Walsingham's Chronicle, (which as I said in the last Section, ends in Henry the 5th;) if our This Gap is now supplied by the last Authour I have mentioned in my Additions to the last Section. Reader thinks to find any one of our Nation, who hath written our History in Latine, from this time of Henry Polydore Virgil. the 5th, to the Reign of Richard the third; he will be much deceived, except perhaps some Manuscript lies concealed in the recesses of some Libraries Consecrated to Antiquities, which have not as yet seen the publick Light. Therefore I will recommend to my Hearers a History which may be had, that is one of the Published Authours, and may be come by; now here had been a vast Gap of almost LXX years, if Polydore Virgil had He flourished in the Reign of Henry the 8th, Anno 1542. not prevented it, which in so great a scarcity of our own Authours, the Studious Historian will not unwillingly take in, for although (as the noble Sir Henry Savil writes of him,) he was an Italian, and a Stranger to our affairs, and which is yet more, never employed in any publick Station, and of no great natural, either Judgment or Ingenuity; and although in delivering our History, he has often mistaken things, and passed over in silence many things worthy to be known, yea has too often imbraced things that are false instead of truth, and so left us a very faulty History. Yet I should conceive this happened for the most part, where he describes the times of Henry the VIIIth, for besides that he was ignorant of our Tongue, he must of necessity not know many things that were then Transacted, and it is highly probable, he writ some things in favour of Queen Mary, otherwise than he knew they were, but this is not to be suspected of the former times. Let our Reader therefore take the History of the two Henrys the Vth and the VIth, and of the two Edwards the IVth and the Vth from Polydore Virgil, the Reign of Richard the third who immediately follows these was written by the famous Sir Thomas Moor Knight, Lord Chancellour of England, who flourished about the year 1533, in the Reign of Henry the 8th, but the Learned Vossius thinks the Work imperfect, because as he largely describes De Hist. lat. l. 3. c. 13. by what Villanies he ascended the Throne, so he doth not tell us how he afterwards administred the Government, and even that part which we have seems to have wanted the Authour's last hand, and the Elegance of the Latine of his other Works do much exceed that of this Work.

Henry VIIth succeeded Richard the third, whose Life and Reign was not long since represented to us by the most noble Viscount Verulam, so happily and so fully, that if he hath not excelled the best Historians, he yet at least equall'd them; this Work was first written in English, but has since been turned into Latine, as the preliminary Epistle to the Book call'd Gustavus saith. After this let the Reader peruse the Annals of the most Reverend Bishop F. Goodwin, in which the Reigns of Henry the VIIIth, Edward the VIth, and Queen Mary are described, with a great and commendable brevity. Lastly, the famous William Camden, the Founder of the place I now enjoy, and my Patron, wrote the Annals of the Actions of Queen Elizabeth in England and Ireland, which Queen was the most glorious and prosperous Queen that ever swayed a Sceptre, for this Elogy was bestowed long since upon her, by Anna Attestina the Mother of the Guises, as Hist. l. 129. p. 1051. Thuanus saith. Let our Reader in the next place diligently reade this History, and then tell me, whether it be not comparable to the best of the ancient Annals, and that with Justice and truth.

BUt now, if any of our Countreymen, who are desirous to Reade the History of England, be so delicate, that he thinks it a task of too much labour and trouble to undertake the Reading of so many Authours, and therefore would rather chuse some one Historian (who may serve instead of all the rest) and stick to, and pursue him alone: He must remember, as I said before, that there is no such Latin Historian extant, who hath well described the Affairs of Britain, from its first Inhabiting to our Times: but yet there are some, who, in English, have commendably attempted to doe this. Amongst whom, I shall not fear to commend in the first place, that famous Man John Speed. He having travell'd over all Great Britain, read diligently all our own Historians, and those of our neighbour Nations, together with a diligent search in the Publick Offices, Rolls, Monuments, and Ancient Writings, or Charters, built up a Splendid and Admired Theatre of the British Empire; which, with great Expedition and Labour, he perfected in XIV. years, in Ten (Scenes, or) Books, in this order. In his First Scene, he hath most excellently represented the image of this Kingdom, with its distinct Counties, and Principal Cities and Towns: In his IId. he Exhibits all the Provinces of Wales: In the IIId. he gives a Description of the whole Kingdom of Scotland: In the IVth, he shews the Kingdom of Ireland, and all the several parts of it. Nor has he onely proposed to our view, the naked Images, and bare Maps, though he has done that too with great exactness and beauty, in these Four first Scenes: but he hath also, by short Narratives, adjoin'd to his Maps, discovered whatever in each part is Memorable and Worthy to be seen, or taken notice of. If from thence the Reader turns his Eyes upon the Vth Scene, he will see the Situation and Greatness of the British Islands: the Ancient Names, first Inhabitants, Manners, Polities, with the most Ancient Kings and Governours. When he comes to the VIth Scene, he will find there the Successions and Actions of those Monarchs and Presidents, who flourished during the times in which the Romans were Masters of Britain: In the VIIth Scene the Authour doth express the History of the Saxon and English Monarchs, and the times of their Reigns. In the VIIIth Scene he Commemorates the Origine of the Danes, their Expeditions and Incursions into England, and all their Actions here which are worth the taking notice of. In the IXth he describes the Invasion of the Normans, their Conquest, and the History of William the Conquerour, and all his Successours: And lastly, in the Xth Scene, he hath contained the Joyfull Entrance of James the First, the most happy Union of the Two Kingdoms, and the Peace established by King James with all the Neighbour Kings and Princes. And then, as a Corollary the Venerable Authour doth, with a Vivid and Unaffected Style (which runs through his whole Work) most clearly shew, that horrible black, and never before heard of Design of the Gunpowder-Plot, which was by God miraculously discovered and prevented.

Wherefore I do most earnestly exhort our Young Men, and especially those who are of Noble birth, and intend to Travell, that they would first peruse this beautifull Theatre of Great Britain, and run over all the parts of it, before they Travell into Foreign Countries, or visit strange Nations: For though I will not deny, that the desire of knowing the various Laws of Countries, the searching out the Rites and Customs of many several People, and the seeing the Forms of divers Cities, is a very commendable affection, and which was highly celebrated in Ulysses: yet I think it is preposterous, if not absurd, to desire to see Foreign, and far distant things, and in the mean time neglect what is nearer and at home; to seek out Cities that are Situate abroad, and afar off; and neither to see nor know those we have at home. And this is the more unreasonable, because our Britain It is base and hurtfull and unworthy a good Subject, to search into▪ and admire the things that belong to Strangers; and in the Interim never to consider the good things of their own Countries, neither observing nor magnifying the Vertues of their own Princes, which is ever before their Eyes. Georg. Fabrit. is one of the most celebrated Islands in the whole World, and hath many famous Cities in it, many Temples Reverend and August for Religion, Venerable for their Antiquity, and Conspicuous for their Ornaments and Splendour; we have Mountains which are enobled by Fame; Fountains, that for their use and effects, are admir'd; Navigable Rivers and safe Ports, and many other things which are infinitely worth our perusal and knowledge. Therefore let we persuade you, Young Men, once or more to view, and with great attention to run through the four First Scenes of this Theatre, I mean the Geographical part. I am much deceived, if there be any where, under Heaven, a Countrey that can boast of more Monuments which deserve to be seen: Then go through the other Six Scenes, and reade the Historical part seriously; I will become your Surety, that you shall find in every one of these Parts, some things that are very well worthy of remembring. Nor do I think there is any Countrey under Heaven which has so much reason to Glory in the Illustrious Atchievements of her Children as ours hath. To conclude, this you may be sure of, that which soever of you hath treasured up the greatest number of our domestick affairs and things; and does freely communicate them to Foreigners wheresoever he comes (which for the most part is desired by most Men) he will be the Welcomest Guest, and will have the greatest liberty of inquiring (as doth become a Traveller) into the Manners and Laws of those People he comes amongst, and of asking concerning the forms of their Cities, their Princes, Wars and Accidents, or whatever other events are worth the observing; and so will return home much the better furnished with the desired fruits of his Travels.

Hitherto we have discoursed of the Political, or Civil Histories, and in what Order they are to be read.

WHen I was once got thus far, I thought verily I had performed the Work I undertook, as the Subject of my first Chapter; but some Learned young men who heretofore were my Hearers, admonished me, that it was much desired that I should in the same manner give an account of the Writers of the Church History. Now though I thought this might much more reasonably be desired at the hands of him who is the greatest Divine we have, the Regius The most Learned Doctour, Dr. John Prideaux, Master of Exon College. Professor, an excellent Person; A plentifull fountain, as of all other sorts of Learning, so, amongst the rest, of all sorts of Histories; at whose Waters, I have very often, with the greatest pleasure, quench'd my thirst: yet because some of my more Learned Acquintance persuaded me to doe it; I did not hink it fit wholly to decline the task. So, at last, I resolved to adjoin here a Chain of the Writers of the Church History. Whoever therefore desires to understand, and in a good Order and Method reade the Ecclesiastical History, should propose to himself two Intervals of time (that I may pass over the thing with as few words as is possible.) The first of these is from the Creation of the World to the Incarnation of Christ our Redeemer; during which interval of time, the Church of the Old Testament, (call'd the Jewish,) is storied to have sometimes flourished, and at others to have suffered a hard servitude under several Tyrants: the other period is, from the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, to the Age in which we live, in which the New Testament, or Christian Church, performs its warfare. The first Interval contains Four thousand years, abating Fifty, if we may believe Scaliger (whom we have all along hitherto followed.) The second contains One thousand six hundred, and so many years over as we commonly count, and are still going on. And therefore it is, the Story of that first interval, I say, is to be fetched, in the first place, from the Old Testament, which the Reader ought, above all others, in the first place diligently to turn over, and studiously to search into, and he will soon see his Labour is well bestowed, if together with the Scriptures, he take in Josephus Josephus flourished about 80 years after Christ, under Domitian. his Antiquities of the Jews, and those Books he wrote of their Wars. For in these Books, the Eloquent Son of Matathias has woven the History of the Old-Testament-Church, from the Creation of the World, to the last destruction of Jerusalem, which happened somewhat above Four thousand and thirty years after the Creation of the World: and that with so great a fidelity, that St. Hierome, no dull Censor, gave him a place amongst the Ecclesiastick Lib. de Emen. temp. in Prol. Writers. And the great Scaliger thought it more reasonable to believe him, than all the Greek and Latin Writers, not onely in the Jewish affairs, but also in what he relates concerning other Nations. That there are (saith Baldwin the Civil Lawyer) De Institut. Hist. lib. 1. some mistakes in Josephus, who can deny? But then how many true, great, and necessary things are there in him for the illustration of the Sacred History? besides, what others call falsehood, Melchior Canus more mildly calls errours; they being the deviations of an Ignorant Man, not the Lies and Frauds of a Deceiver. Some Man would here persuade the Reader to subjoin, or rather take in together with Josephus his History of the Wars of the Jews, Hegesippus, an excellent Authour, in the Opinion of Melchior Canus, a Man of an approved Faith, and a Hegesippus, lib. 11. Loc. comm. cap. ult. Casaub. in Exercit. 1. Contr. Baron. Vossius, de Hist. Gre. l. 2. c. 14. grave Historian. But in the esteem of the most Learned Casaubon and Vossius, he is a Spurious, Pretending, and Suppositious, and, in short, an Authour of no Antiquity, or at least quite another Man from that Noble Hegesippus, who lived near the times of the Apostles, and was Contemporary with Justin Martyr, and Athenagoras, of whom frequent mention is made by Eusebius and St. Hierome, and yet after all this, there are some who think he is no contemptible, or unprofitable Authour. in his first Book he has given an Account of the Wars of the Jews, from the times of the Maccabees to the Birth of Christ, and the death of Herod (the Great.) And in his Second Book he brings down the History to the Expedition of Vespasian into Judaea, Anno Christi 69. and then in his IIId, IVth and Vth Books, he has Consecrated to the memory of Posterity, the Story of the total devastation of Judaea, and the utter Ruine of Jerusalem by Vespasian and his Son Titus, which happened Anno Christi 72. But then saith Bodinus, This may be better and more truely Learned from Josephus, who was not onely present in these Wars, but was a Commander for some time, and being made a Captive, obtain'd from Vespasian and Titus the Privilege of being made a Citizen of Rome, and the Flavian Sir-name, (which was that of their own Family) and also a Statue. And then the Princelike Virtues of an Historian, an exalted erudition, a rare integrity, and a great experience shone clearly in that person. And it is farther objected against this fictitious Hegesippus, that he doth not treat of the Affairs of the Church, but onely of those of the Jews, from the time of the Maccabees to the ruine of Jerusalem. But we may Answer Bodinus in the first place; that this Hegesippus has shortly and elegantly comprehended in that Work, what Josephus hath more copiously related in his VII. Books of the Wars of the Jews, and scatteringly in his Antiquities. And in the next place, that this Authour doth no less religiously than truely set forth some things concerning our Saviour Jesus Christ, which are either altogether passed by, by Josephus, or onely slightly mention'd by him, because perhaps he had an aversion for our Religion. And he also sets down, in a few words, the causes of the War; doth Learnedly shew the sources of those great Calamities; and why that People, which alone was chosen by God, and beloved very much, was thus consum'd; why Jerusalem was destroy'd, which was not onely the most Celebrated City of all the East, as Pliny calls it: but, (if we consider H. N. Lib. 5. c. 14. the extraordinary Favours of God,) of the whole World. Why the Temple was rased; their Sacred Rites abolished; and the Politick Government of that Nation, which had subsisted so many Ages, was for ever taken away. For the serious consideration of these things will yield the pious and prudent Reader a plenty of the most Excellent Fruits which History can afford him.

Or if our Reader of History is better pleased to pass by this suppositious Authour; and will That Authour which is commonly call'd Hegesippus, is Josephus Translated into Latin, by St. Ambrose. Valesius in notis, Ad Amian. Marcellin. lib. 16. c. 8. B. not be discouraged to go back again, and after the Reading the Holy Bible, and the Antiquities of Josephus, and to c • ntemplate at one view the whole image of the Sacred History, from the Creation of the World to the Birth of Christ, and so on to the Fourth Centery of the Second Interval, then let him here take in Sulpitius Severus his Sulpitius flourished about the 427th year of Christ. Sacred History, which he begins with the Creation of the World, and ends with the Synod of Bordeaux, Anno Christi 386. He was a Man of much learning and prudence; and a most Polite Writer. His style is so pure and elegant, that Josephus Scaliger calls him, The most Pure Writer of the Church History. But I cannot forbear confirming the Judgment of this great Man, by the more Prolix, and yet not less elegant testimony of Victor Giselin, a Physician and Antiquary of a most accomplish'd Erudition. He writes thus, The blessed Sulpitius hath with great brevity compris'd, and with an exact distinction of times, shortly deduced to the Age in which he lived, the Memory of those things which are contained in the Holy Scriptures, from the beginning of the World. Now whether any Age hath produced Another Work that is more excellent, more noble and more usefull to the Christian Church than this small Piece, I shall willingly leave to the Judgment of those who have better abilities than I to determine of it. But as to the Elegance of it, I dare undertake, and I think I may safely affirm, that it is not inferiour, in any thing, to the best of all the Church Historians: but then, as to all other Works, which are of the same nature, it hath so great advantages over them, that they do not deserve to be compared with it. That which I have said of it, is great, and may perhaps seem to most men incredible. But yet what I say, has so much truth in it, that I am confident the veracity of the thing will prevail so much, that my testimony may be spared, especially as to those who will take the Pains to compare all the parts of this Authour, with Orosius, Florus, Eutropius, and the rest of the Writers of Epitomes. He seems to me to have obtain'd the Garland onely by the imitation of C. Salustius a florid Writer of the Roman Story. For observing that many things in him passed for excellencies, which would become no other Man, and were scarce possible to be imitated; as his abrupt way of speaking, which slips insensibly by the Reader or Hearer, and doth not stay till a Man comes to it; but, as Seneca saith, his Sentences come pouring in, and his words surprize by their unexpected falls; these, I say, be left to Salust, as his sole personal excellencies. And he studiously avoided his obsolete words, which (as Augustus said) he collected out of Cato's Books de Originibus. But then as to his spruce brevity, tempered with significant Words, and adapted in the highest degree to his design; he imitated that Great Historian with so much Art, that we may well say, he rather emulated him (and strove to out-doe him.) For he did not think it sufficient to follow his style, and to divide, circumscribe, and cut it, and make just such transitions from one thing to another, except he made the same entrances to his Books the other did, but with this difference, that whereas he (as Fabius saith) chose such as had no relation to History; Sulpitius accommodated his a little better to his subject. All which things, in History at least, appear glorious, as any Man may observe at the first Glance. For it was written, as I have said, in the flower of his Age, before his passionate love to Eloquence had been mortified by the severe discipline of the Monastery of Tours. Thus far Giselinus. The Elzivers, two Dutch Printers, put out this Authour Accurately Corrected and Amended, and Eloquently continued out of Sleidan's History of the IV. Monarchies, to the Empire of CHARLES the Vth of that Name. The Truth is, Sulpitius has some Errours, concerning which, the Reader may, if he please, consult Bellarmine his Piece, concerning the Ecclesiastical Writers, Anno Christi 420. Thus far of those who have Written the Church History of the First Interval, or Period of Time, and which we think ought to be read in the first place.