TlimesEpifiletoT.Vej^afan. 



treafuries & flrorehoufesmdeed^and not bare & fimple vvriti'ngsjimay be bold 

 to fay and averr. That in $5 Books 1 have compnfed 20000 things, all worthie 

 ofregard&: confideration^which I have collected out of 2000 volumes or rher- 

 about, that I have diligently read (and yet verie few of them there be that men 

 learned othervvife, and ftudious^dare meddle vvithall, for the deepe matter and 

 hidden fecrets therein contained Jand thofe vvritten by i 00 feverall elecl: and ap< 

 proved authors.-befi'des a world of other matters^ which either were unknown 

 to our forefathers and former writers^ or els afterwards invented by their pofi:e- 

 ritie* And yet I nothing doubt but many things there be,whidi either furpaffe 

 our knovvledgejor els our memo tie hath overflipt : for men we d^xt,^ men em- 

 ploied in many affairs. Moreover,confidered it would be,that thefe ftudies v Ve 

 follow at vacant times and ftolne hours,that is to fay, by night feafon onely to 

 theendthatyoumayknovV;,hovvvveetoaCcomplifli this, have negleded no 

 time which was due unto your fervice ; The daies vve wholly employ ^ fpend 

 in attendance about your perfoniwefleepe only tofatisfie nacure,even as much 

 as our health requireth, and no more j contenting our felyes with this reward^ 

 That whiles vve ftudie and mufe (as faith) upon thefe things in our do- 

 fetjwe gaine fo many hours to our life j for fureiy we live then onely , when wee 

 watch and be awake. Confidering now thofe occafions, thofe lets and hinde- 

 ranees above- named, I had no reafon to prefume or promife much 5 but in that 

 youhave emboldened me to dedicat my books unto you, your felfe perfour- 

 meth vvhatfoever in me is wanting -.not that I truft upon the goodneffe and 

 worth of the worke/o much,as that by this means it will be better efteemed and 

 fhew more vendible; for many things there be that feeme right deare &:be hoI~ 

 den for pretious,only becaufethey are confecrated tofomefacred temples* 



As for us verely^we have written of you all, your father Veffafian, your felfe, 

 and your brother Domtuan^m a large volume which we compiled touching the 

 hiftorie of our times,beginning there where /mfidms ^affus ended.Novv if you. 

 demand & askem.e. Where that hiftorie is f i anfvver/Ihat finiilied it was long 

 fince, and by this time is iuftified and approved true by your deeds : otherwife 

 I was dete rmined to leave it unto my heire, & give order that it fhould be pub- 

 lifhed after my death,]eaft in my life time I might have ben thought to have cur- 

 ried favor of thofe^vvhofe ads I feemed to pen with flatterie^Sc: beyond all truth. 

 And therfore in this acT:ion I do both them a great favour who haply were min- 

 ded before me to put fordi the like Chronicle,and the pofteritie alfo which ftiall 

 come after,- who,! make reckning & know, will enter into the lifts with us^Iike 

 as we have done with our predeceifors. A fufficient argument of this my good 

 mind 8^ frank hart that way you (hal have by this,That in the front of thefe books 

 now in hand,I have fet down the verie names of thofe writers,vvhofe help I have 

 ufed in the compiling of the: fori have ever ben of this opiniori,That it is the part 

 of an honeft minded ma SC one thatis full of grace d>i modefty,to confeffe frank- 

 ly by who he hath profited Sc gotten any good: not as many of thofe unthankful 

 perfons have done^vvho I have alledged for my authors. For to cell you aplaine 

 tmth^know thus much fro me,that in coferring the togither about this vvoik of 

 mine,l have met with fomeof our modern vvriters,who word for word have exe> 

 plified &: copied out vvhole books of old authors^SC never vouchfafed fo much 

 as the naming of them,but have taken their labors travels to thcmfelves. And 



this 



