5^ TheT?refacetotke'\Reader. 



Apple were they in times paft repiitedCand not unwoithi!y)wlio 

 had that gratious and heavenly gift, autfacerc fcnbenday aut Jen- 

 berelegenda : that is to fayjCither to doe fuch things as deferved to 

 be written,or to write that which was vvorth the readings Thofe 

 ihat could not attaine to thefe two braunches of felicicie^and yet 

 utterly mifliked idlenes^contented themfelves in a third degree^ namely,to take 

 in hand the old works of their auncients, and by new labours to immortalize 

 their memoric . Thus Ntcophanes (a famous painter in his time) gave his mind 

 ,vholIy to antique picflures, partly to exemplifie and take out their patternss 

 after chatinlong continuance oftime they were decaied; and in part to repajre 

 and reforme the fame, if haply by fome iniurious accident they were defaced* 

 The ingenuous mind ofthisartizanthus devoted to antiquitie, as I doe high- 

 ly coilimendjfo I cannot chufe but embrace his pollicie,, feeking hereby to 

 avoid the envie and reproofe of others, hi this number 1 muft raunge thofe lear- 

 ned men in feverall ages,wh6 to illuftrat the monuments left by former writers, 

 have annexed unto them their Commentaries j to fave them entire and unct)r- 

 rupt.havefet thereto iudiciall obfervationsiand topubliCh themfor a general! 

 benefit of pofteritie, have tranflated the fame into their mother language * As 

 for my felfcjOnce it is neither my hap nor hope to attaine. to fuch perfedion, as 

 to bring foorth fomevvhat of mine ovvne which may quit the pains oi a reader, 

 and much leffe to performe any acflionthat might minifter matter to a writer- 

 and y et fo farre bound unto my native countrey and the bleffed fl;ate wherein I 

 have lived , as to render an account of my yeers paffed SC ftudies employ ed3du> 

 ring this long time of peace and tranquilitie, wherein (under the moft gracious 

 and happie government of apeereleiTe Prince[re,a(sifted with fo prudent.pol- 

 li^ue, and learned Counfell) all good literature hath had free progrefle and 

 fi^urifbed, in no age fo much : me thought I owed this dutie, to leave for my 

 paitalfo (after many others) fomefmali memoriall, that might give teitimonie 

 anckher day what fruits generally this peaceable age of ours hath produced^ 

 Endtavoured I have therefore to (land in this third ranke,and beflrowed thoie 

 hoc\mhich mightbe fpared from the praclife of my profefsion, and the iiecef- 

 farie cares df this life, to fatisfie my countreymen now living^and to gratifie the 

 age enfuing,in this kind* Like as therefore I have travailed alreadie in Titm Lt^ 

 MV/z^arenowmedHiftoriographerafo I have proceeded to deale with "Tlinim 

 -"cundm the elder.as famous a Philofopher.N ow^albeit my intention and only 

 1ck> " v^^as, to do a pleafure unto them that could not read thefe authours in the 

 origin? r needs Imuft: confeffejthat even my felfe have not only gained ther- 

 by encreaCu of Latine tongue (wherein thefe works were written) but alfo 



frovvneto s;rknowledgeof the matter and argument therein contained 

 orthisbeneiitweereapeby ftudying the.books of fuch auncient authours, 



That 



