THE SECOND BOOK 243 



and Xenophon in the one, and the texts of Livius, Poly- 

 bius, Sallustius, Caesar, Appianus, Tacitus, Herodianus in 

 the other, to be kept entire without any diminution at all, 

 and only to be supplied and continued. But this is 

 matter of magnificence, rather to be commended than 

 required : and we speak now of parts of learning supple- 

 mental, and not of supererogation. 



But for Modern Histories, whereof there are some 

 few very worthy, but the greater part beneath mediocrity, 

 leaving the care of foreign stories to foreign states, because 

 I will not be curiosus in aliena republica, I cannot fail to 

 represent to your Majesty the unworthiness of the history of 

 England in the main continuance thereof, and the partiality 

 and obliquity of that of Scotland in the latest and largest 

 author that I have seen ; supposing that it would be honour 

 for your Majesty and a work very memorable, if this 

 island of Great Britain, as it is now joined in monarchy for 

 the ages to come, so were joined in one history for the 

 times passed ; after the manner of the sacred history, 

 which draweth down the story of the Ten Tribes and 

 of the Two Tribes as twins together. And if it shall 

 seem that the greatness of this work may make it less 

 exactly performed, there is an excellent period of a 

 much smaller compass of time, as to the story of England ; 

 that is to say, from the Uniting of the Roses to the 

 Uniting of the Kingdoms ; a portion of time, wherein 

 to my understanding, there hath been the rarest varieties 

 that in like number of successions of any hereditary 

 monarchy hath been known. For it beginneth with the 

 mixed adeption of a crown, by arms and title ; an entry 

 by battle, an establishment by marriage; and therefore 

 times answerable, like waters after a tempest, full of 

 working and swelling, though without extremity of storm ; 

 but well passed through by the wisdom of the pilot, being 

 one of the most sufficient kings of all the number. Then 

 followeth the reign of a king, whose actions, howsoever 

 conducted, had much intermixture with the affairs of 

 Europe, balancing and inclining them variably ; in whose 

 time also began that great alteration in the state ecclesi- 



