Mikrokosmos A little description of the great world. Augmented and reuised. By Peter Heylyn.

THE GENERALL PRAECOGNitA OF HISTORY.

AS Geography without History, hath life and motion, but at randome, & vn∣stable; so History without Geography, like a dead carkasse, hath neither life nor motion at all, and as the exact notice of the place addeth a satisfactory del••ght to the action: so the mention of the action, beautifieth the notice of the place. Geography therefore, and Histo∣ry, like the two fire-lights Castor and Pollux, seene together, crowne our happines, but parted asunder, menace a shipwrack of our content; and are like two sisters intirely louing each o∣ther, and not without (I had almost said impiety) great pitty to be diuided: so as that which S^r Philip Sidney said of Argalus and Parthenia,

Her being was in him alone, And she not being he was none.

I may justly say of these two Gemini, History and Geography.

Before we come to the definition of History,* 1.1 it is requisite we should distinguish it from such as at first blush doe chal∣lenge this name, and then to diuide it into its subordinate Spe∣cies.

The Treatises to whom this name is generally giuen, and from which History is indeed really distinct, are Commentaries, 2. Annals, 3. Diaries, and 4. Chronologies.

• 1. Commentaries set down a naked continuance of the euents and actions, without the motiues & designes, the counsels, speeches, occasionsa, nd pretexts, with other passages: so that Caesar modestly rather then truly, applied the name of Com∣mentary, to the best History in the world; though that Arch∣criticke Lipsius call them, nuda & simplex narratio. His reason is, Commentaria enim sunt, whereby you may perceiue the fe••low had read the title: & nihil pollicentur praeter nomen, by which it seemes, he looked no further. The worth of this History hath a more sacred Advocate,* 1.2 euen our dread Soueraigne, who exhor∣ting his Son to the study of Historie, aboue all prophane Wri∣ters commendeth him to his reading, both for the sweet flowing of the stile (I can vse no better words then his own▪) and the worthinesse of the matter it selfe. For I haue euer (saith he) bin of the opinion, that of all Ethnick Emperours, or great Captaines that euer were, he hath farthest excelled both in his practise, and in his precepts in martiall affaires.
• 2. Annals are only a bare recitall of the occurrents hapning euery yeare, without regard had to the causes, and with a gene∣rall neglect of Historical ornaments: so that Tacitus named his worthy book much amisse.
• 3. Diaries containe (as the name importeth) the particular actions of euery day, now not vsed but by Princes in their jour∣neyes, and trauellers in their voyages.
• 4. Chronologies are only bare supputations of the times, without any regard of the acts then happening, such are the Chronologies of Funccius, Scaliger, and Helvicus. Of which last man, the incredible paines he hath taken in, and the infinite proficiencie which he hath brought vnto this study: I cannot but giue that excellent testimony which Paterculus affordeth

• ... Ouid, Perfectissimus est in forma operis sui.

But History is as it were a quintessence extract out of those 4 Elements, borrowing from them all somwhat to beautifie her selfe withall; especially from Annals, time; from Commen∣taries, matter; and from Chronologies consent of times, & Coe∣tanity of Princes Hauing thus gotten matter to worke on, and time in which she may effect her enterprises, she addeth of her own store, whatsoeuer ornaments are deficient in the rest, and maketh her selfe complete in euery particular.

Hauing thus distinguished History from its Cognata, it re∣maineth we should diuide it into its subordinate Species.

Histories are either of the

• Greater World,
• Lesser World, or of man that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

* 1.3The former is

• Vniuersall, of the World, & all things in it; this is Cosmography, and is best handled by Pliny in his Naturall History, &c.
• Particular
  • Of Heauen and its affections, this is Astronomie, and is beholding to Aratus and Ptolomey, &c.
  • Of the Earth and her parts; this is Geography, and set forth by Stra∣bo, Mela, &c.

The latter tell

• The inward works of man, as his opinions touching Re∣ligion or Philosophy, whose History is compiled by Dio∣genes Laërtius, &c.
• The out∣ward workes which are
  • Manners, Customes, and Lawes, these be∣long to Policy, and Statesmen.
  • Actions
    • Of the tongue
      • Of some length, and such are Orations and Speeches.
      • Succinct
        • Of one man, & are called Apothegmes.
        • Of many, & are cal∣led Proverbs, dige∣sted best by Erasm{us}
    • Of the hand, which branch themselues

Into two parts; being

• Either'of one man alone; such Histories are cal∣led Liues, and are best done by Plutarch.
• Or of many, whose Hi∣story is
  • Vniversall, belonging to the whole in generall, with relatiō to the par∣ticular, or such of thē as are of note.
  • Parti∣cular
    • Ecclesiasticall, which de∣scribeth the Acts of the Church, her beginning, in∣crease, decrease, restoring, and continuance.
    • Ciuil, which relate the oc∣currēces of cōmōwealths, their beginnings, &c.

Hauing thus proposed a generall scheme of Histories, and shewed who deserue the greatest applause in penning the first; I will also name such as haue inlightned our knowledge with the relations of the three last.

THE BEST WRITERS OF GENE∣RALL HISTORIE.

• 1 Moses from the beginning of the World,* 1.4 till the confusion of tongues: he liued before Christs nativity 1519 yeares, in the yeare of the World 2443.
• 2 Berosus a Chaldaean, from the beginning of the World, till Sardanapalus death. Clar. 3630.
• 3 Trogus Pompeius, epitomized by Iustin, from Ninus to Ne∣ro. A.C. 150
• 4 Diodorus Siculus, till the time of Caesar A.M. 3922.
• 5 Eusebius, from Adam to the yeare of Christ, 300. Cl. 312.
• 6 Beda from Adam, to the yeare 700. Clar. 730.
• 7 Zonaras from Adam to the yeare 1117. Clar. 1120.
• 8 Abbas Vspergensis from Adam, to Frederick the 2^d. Cl. 1229
• 9 Philippus Bergomensis supplementum supplementi Chronico∣rum, to the yeare 1503.
• 10 Carion augmented by Melancthon, to the yeare 1255.
• 11 Paulus Iovius from the yeare 1494, to the yeare 1540.
• ...

• 12 Augustus Thuanus from the yeare 1543, to the yeare 1607.
• 13 Sleid••n de quatuor Imperijs, most excellently commentated on by Christoph. Pezelius, and extended to the yeare 1616.
• 14 Sebastian Munster a Cosmographicall Historian, of all the World, but especially of Germany, till the dayes of Charles 5.
• 15 The History of the World, composed by S^r Walter Raleigh, a man of whom that may justly be verified which was attribu∣ted by Velleius to Scipio Aemilianus, Semper aut belli, aut pecis inservijtartibus, semper inter arma aut studia versatus: aut cor∣pus periculis, aut animum disciplinis exercuit. As for the booke when it meeteth with a judicious and vnderstanding Reader, it will speak for it selfe. For my part I onely say what Martial spake of Salust, it is Primus in Historia.

THE BEST WRITERS OF ECCLESI∣ASTICALL HISTORIE.

First of the Iewes

The Word of God in the old Testament. 2. Philo Iudaeus, 3 Flavius Iosephus, 4. Egesippus from the Maccabees till the yeare of Christ 72. Clar. 130.* 1.5

2. Of the Christians.

The new Testament. 2. Eusebius, Socrates, and Evaegrius for the first 600 yeares after Christ. 3. M. Fox in his Acts and Mo∣numents, till the yeare 1558. Sleidan in his Ecclesiasticall Com∣mentaries frō the yeare 1517, in which Luther began to batter down the walls of Popery, till 1560. 5. Historia Magdebur∣gensis, till the yeare 1200. 6. Platina de vitis Pontificum. 7. Phi∣lip Morney, Du Plessis, a History of the Papacie.

3. Of the Heathens.

Irenaeus B. of Lyons adversus Gentes. 2. Clemens Alexandri∣nus. 3. Arnobius adversus Gentes. 4. Lactantius Firmianus de falsa religione. 5. Oresius against the Pagans. 6. Giraldus de Dijs omnium gentium. 7. Iohn Gaulis de religione veterum.

THE BEST WRITERS OF CI∣VILL HISTORY.

* 1.6Of the Assyrians, Chaldaeans, Medes, Persians, & Parthians:

Herodotus. 2. Ctesias Cnidius. 3. Xenophon. 4. Berosus. 5. Me∣tasthenes a Persian. 6. Manothon an Aegyptian. 7. Hegesippus, 8. Procopius.

Of Greece.

Dictys Cretensis de Bello Troiano. 2. Herodotus, whose hi∣story containeth 211 yeares.* 1.7 3. Thucydides from the flight of Xerxes, where Herodotus left writing of Greece, to 90 yeares farther. Clar. A M. 3622. 4. Xenophon beginning where Thucy∣dides left, continued 43 yeares. Clar. 3608. 3. Gemistus conti∣nued Xenophons relations: 6. Diodorus Siculus followed Gemi∣stus, and wrote till the daies of Alexander, Clar. 3922. 7. Pro∣copius rerum sub Iustiniano. Clar. A.C. 540. 8. Zonaras from Constantine to Alexius Comnenus, anno 1113. 9. Nicetas from Alexius Comnenns, ad annum 1203. 10. Nicephorus from Theodorus Lascaris, to the ruine of the Constantinopolitan Em∣pire.

Of Rome and Italy.

The Writers of the Roman Histories follow in this order Livy.* 1.8 2. Florus. 3. Sueton. 4. Tacitus. 5. Spartianus. 6. Capitolinus. 7. Lampridius. 8. Herodian. 9. Cuspinianus. 10. Marcellinus. 11. Eutropius. 12. Prosper Aquitanicus, who endeth in the yeare 447. when Gensericus took Rome, after which, euery Prouince hauing peculiar Princes, had also peculiar Historiographers. 1. Platina for Rome and her Popes, till the yeare 1472. 2. Sa∣bellicus and Bembus for Venice. 3. Pontanus and Collenutius for Naples. 3. Machiavel for Florence. 4. Vergerius for Mantua. 5. Stephanus for Millaine. 6. Bracellus for Genoa. 7. Paulus Dia∣conus for Lombardie, and 8 for them all, from the yeare 494. to 1536. learned Guicciardine.

Of Germany and her neighbours.

For Germany in generall,* 1.9 Cornolius Tacitus. 2. Beatus Rhena∣nus. 3. Munster. 4. Otto Frisingensis. 5. Luitprandus. 6. Avētinus. But in particular. 1. for Bohemia, Aeneas Sylvius, or Pope Pius Secundus, and Dubravius. 2. for Austria, Wolfgangus Lazius, & Bartolinus. 3. for Hungary, Ioh. Turotius, Ant. Bonfinius, and Melchior Soiterus. 4. for Poland, Cromerus and Calimachus. 5. for Sclavonia, Helmoldus. 6. for Denmarke, Sweueland, and

Norway, Crantzins, and Saxo Grammaticus. 7. for the Gothes, Olaus Magnus, Procopius, Agathias Smyrnaeus, Sidonius Apol∣linaris, Idacius, Iornandes, Aurelius Cassiodorus, and Leonard Aretine. 8, for Saxony, Crantzius, and Witikind 9. for the Low-Countries, Gerhardus Noviomagus, and Ioh. Petit. 10. for Prus∣sia, Erasmus, Stella. 11. for Helvetia, Stumpsius and Simlerus.

Of France.

Caesar de bello Gallico. 2. Titius Parisiensis, from Pharamond to Henry the 2^d. 3. Paulus Aemilius to Charles the 8^th. 4. Gre∣gory B. of Tours. 5. Froisardus de bellis Anglorum, & Franco∣rum. 6. Philip Cominaeus, who together with Francis Guicciar∣dine the Italian, are accounted the soundest and most vsefull of any of our moderne Historians, and nothing inferiour to Livy, Salust, or Tacitus. 7. Raymundus for Burgundie and its appendi∣ces, viz. Flanders, Holland, &c. 8. Iohn de Serres, extending from Pharamond to Lewis 12^th.

Of Spaine,

Francis Tarapha from the beginning, till Charles the fifth. 2. Petrus Antonius. 3. Rodericus Valentinus. 4. Petrus Medina. 5. Damianus à Goes. 6. Marius Siculus. 7. The generall History of Spaine by Maierne a Frenchman. 8. Contestagio of the Vnion of Portugal with Castile. 9. Mariana.

Of the Turkes and Saracens.

Andreas Cambinus of the originall of the Turkes. 1. Leonicus Calchondyles, 2. Guilielmus Postellus. 3. Martinus Barletius, who writ also the life of that worthy Prince George Castriot, vulgò Scanderbeg 4. Paulus Iovius. 5. Knowles in his Turkish History. 6. Leo Af••r. 7. Henricus Dalmata. 8. Rupertus Monachus. 9. William B. of Tyre, these 4. last concerning the Saracens.

Of the Muscovites and Tartars.

Matthias à Michou, de Sarmatia Europea, & Asiatica. 2. Paulus Iovius de legatione Muscovitarum. 3. Sigismundus ab Hebersteine. 4. Paulus Venetus. 5. Haiton Prince of Armenia, de Imperio Tartarorum.

Of Africa and America.

Leo Afer. 2. Francisco Alvarez. 3. Aloyssius Cadamistus. 4. Acosta, the navigations of Columbus, Vesputius, Patritius, and

others: As Oviedus, Cortez, Gusman, Nonius, Gomara, Benzo, Lyrius, &c.

Of the Brittish Iles.

Gildas of Brittaine in generall. 2. Polydor Virgil of England, till Henry 8. a history sufficiently good, if not ouerladen with malicious or accidentary lyes. 3, Geofrie of Monmouths Cata∣logue of Brittish Kings, a Writer meerely fabulous. 4. Volumi∣nous Stow, and Holingshead, full of confusion and commixture of vnworthy relations. 5. Speed delighting the eare, and not a little informing the mind. 7. Martin from William the Conque∣rour, to the death of Henry 8, a pithie and worthy Historiogra∣pher. For pieces of history (I meane histories of state, not of liues) we haue the reigne of Henry 7, excellently performed by that renowned Scholler the Lord Francis, Vicount S. Albans; the reigne of Richard the 3, by that great restorer of learning in those parts, S^r Th. Moore; the beginning of the preparatiues, to the reigne of Henry 4, by S^r Iohn Hayward; In former times the reignes of the first 7 Kings after the conquest, by Mathew Pa∣ris; and to end this bedroll, halfe the story of this Realme done by Master Daniel, of which I belieue that which himself saith of it in his Epistle, that there was neuer brought together more of the maine. Of Scotland I find Hector Boetius to be the true parallel of Ge••srie Monmouth; and Buchanan farre worse then Polydor Virgil. For Wales, Humfrey Lloyd, and Dauid Powell; and for Ireland, and the out-Iles, Giraldus Cambrensis. For them al An∣drew du Chesne of the Countie of Touraine in France, who in his own tongue hath taken that paines in composing one body of story for all the Brittaine Iles and states, extending it to the yeare 1612. that neuer any of the natiues durst vndertake, or had hope to atchieue. But for all, and aboue them all, judicious M. Camden in his book intituled Britannia, wherein he hath gi∣uen great light to histories already extant, and to such as future ages shall produce. And if he had taken in hand a plenary Hi∣story of this Ile, or any one part thereof, it had been (I am sure) matchlesse. But I will suspend my judgment with that of the Historian,* 1.10 Vivorum ut magna admiratio, ita censura est difficilis.

Thus much of the Authors of Vniuersall, Ecclesiasticall and

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Ciuil history, a word or two only of Computation, and then to the Definition.

The two eyes of the body of a well-compacted History, are place and time; the former belongeth to Geography, the latter is the terminus of all Epoches in computation. Now an Aera or Epoche is the terminus à quo, from which euery reckoning of times takes its beginning. These haue among diuers Nations, bin as diuersly different, and as differently calculated by Chro∣nologers, few of them agreeing among themselues in this point▪ For my part I follow Fr••igius,* 1.11 who out of the foundest authors thus stateth them. The Christians make their Epoch•• the birth of Christ, which happned in the yeare of the World 3962; but this reckoning they vsed not till the yeare 600, following in the mean time the ciuill accompt of the Empire. The Mahume∣tans begin their Hegira (for so they tearme their Computation) from the returne of their Prophet to Mecha, after he was dri∣uen thence by the Philarcha, which hapned A^o Chr. 617. The Grecians reckoned by Olympiads, the first of which is placed in the yeare of the world, 3187. but this account perishing vnder the Constantinopolitan Emperours, they reckoned by Indicti∣ons, euery Indiction containing 15 yeares, and the first begin∣ning A^o C. 313. which among Chronologers is still vsed. The Romans reckoned first from the building of their City, which was A.M. 3213. and afterward from the 16. yeare of the Em∣perour Augustus A. M. 3936. which reckoning was vsed a∣mong the Spaniards, till the reigne of Ferdinand the Catholique. The Iewes had diuerse Epoches, as the Creation of the World in the beginning of time. 2. From the Vniuersall deluge A^o 1556. 3. From the confusion of tongues A^o 1786. 4. From Abra∣hams journey out of Chaldea into Canaan, A^o 2021. 5. From the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt A^o 24••1. 6. From the yeere of Iubile A^o 2499. 7. From the building of Solomons Temple A^o 2••32. and 8. from the captiuity of Baby∣lon A^o 3357. But rejecting the ••••st, we will in our historicall computation of time, vse only the two most ordinary Epochet, of the Worlds Creation, and Christs appearance in the flesh.

The name of History is deduced 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, id est, videre,

and doth properly intimate a relation of such remarkeable acti∣ons, at the performing of which, the Author was present. Apud veteres enim (saith Isidore in his Etyma) nemo scribebat histori∣am, nisi is qui interfuisset, & ea qua scribenda essent, vidisse••. But the customary vse of the word, hath now taught it a more ample signification. History being defined to be a memoriall or relation of all occurrents obseruable, hapning in a Common∣wealth, described by the motiues, pretexts, consultations, spea∣ches, and events, together with an especiall care had of time and place.

Cicero beautifieth History with these attributes, Lux verita∣tis, testis temporis, vitae magistra, nuncia vetustatis, & vitae me∣moriae; concerning which particle, I find these verses prefixed to a Chronicle of our state, written by M. Martin;

For though in these dayes miracles be fled, Yet this shall of good Histories be se'd, They call back time that's past, & giue life to the dead.

Beside these conditions,* 1.12 it is requisite that the relations should be absolutely true, neither swaruing to one side through ma∣lice, nor leaning to the other through affection; so that two things are requisite in an Historiographer, ••. a generous & reso∣lute spirit: 2. An vpright and sincere conversation; that so hee may neither be daunted by a tyrannicall Prince, nor transported with partiality; that he might dare to deliuer all the truth with∣••ut feare, and yet not dare to relate any thing which is false through fauour.

Thus much of H••story, its distinctions, divisions, affections, authors, and properties: now only of its commodities, & so we will hoyse sayle for Europe.

Although to number vp the especiall delight and profit ga∣thered from the reading of histories, be but as it were to light a Candle before the Sunne, and speake of such things as require no Rhetoricke to adorne them: yet I hope I shall no waies doe amisse in laying before you some of the chiefe. The profits then of History are these.

• 1 It is the rule of direction, by whose square we ought to re∣ctifie our obliquities, and in this sense the Orator calleth it Ma∣gistra vitae.
• ...

• 2 It stirreth men to vertue, and deterreth them from vice, by shewing the glorious memory of the one, and stinking repetiti∣on of the other: but especially it keepeth many men of place & calling in a continuall feare of ill doing, knowing that their vil∣lanies shall there be laid open to the view of the vulgar. Let Ti∣berius be example.
• 3 It hath beene not onely the inventor, but the conseruer of all arts, such especially whose end consisteth only in action.
• 4 It informeth a mans minde in all particular observations, making him serviceable to his Prince and Countrie.
• 5 It is the best Schoolemaster of war, the teacher of Strata. gems, and giueth more directions then a whole Senate; Alex∣ander learned of Achilles, Scipio of Xenophons Cyrus, & Selim the first of Alex: al which became valiant & politike captaines.
• 6 It is the Politicians best assistant and chiefe Tutor, who hence suck their obseruations and conclusions, & learne ability to rule both in peace & warre: who like Archimedes in his stu∣dy, or Demosthenes in his gown, can more dangerously trouble their enemies, than the Syracusans and Athenians in armour.
• 7 It is most available to the study of Divinity, since the in∣crease, originall, defects, restauration, and continuance of religi∣on is a dependant on History, which also hath many other rare passages for the vnderstanding of the Text.
• 8 It is (lastly and least of all) the study which affordeth a man the greatest aid in discoursing, it delighteth the eare, contenteth the minde, and is endued with thousands varieties of pleasure mixt with profit, but these shall serue as a tast for the rest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pezelius,
• * 1.2

  Basilicon Doron.
• * 1.3

  Freigij Sy∣nopsis.
• * 1.4

  Bodinus meth. hist.
• * 1.5

  Bodinus ib.
• * 1.6

  Bodinus.
• * 1.7

  Bodinus.
• * 1.8

  Bodinus.
• * 1.9

  Bodinus.
• * 1.10

  Paterculu••
• * 1.11

  Fr••igius.
• * 1.12

  P••z••li••••.