Of the interchangeable course, or variety of things in the whole world and the concurrence of armes and learning, thorough the first and famousest nations: from the beginning of ciuility, and memory of man, to this present. Moreouer, whether it be true or no, that there can be nothing sayd, which hath not bin said heretofore: and that we ought by our owne inuentions to augment the doctrine of the auncients; not contenting our selues with translations, expositions, corrections, and abridgments of their writings. Written in French by Loys le Roy called Regius: and translated into English by R.A.

WHETHER IT BE TRVE, OR NO, that there can be nothing said, which hath not bin said before; And that we must by our owne Inuentions, augment the Doctrine of the Aunci∣ents: not contenting our selues only with Translations, Exposi∣tions, Corrections, and Abridgements of their Writings. The Twelfth and Last Booke. (Book 12)

THE beginnings of the Artes haue bin small, and the greatest difficultie, was in the first inuenting of them; then by the industrie of the learned, they were by little and little augmented; Correcting such thinges as were euill obserued, and supplying such as were omitted: but yet, without making any thing entierly absolute; where∣vnto there might nothing be added. Nothing is begon and ended at one time; but by succession of time, things are increased, amended, and become better polished. Almost all the Artes haue bin inuented by Vse and Experience; and afterwardes gathered and made by obseruation and reason: and then consequently reduced into better forme, and more certain, by Diuisions, Definitions, Argumentations, and De∣monstrations; by generall precepts and rules drawen from nature, not from opinion, and tending to the same ende: not by staying and resting on that which men had formerly done, said, or written; nor by only imitating of them, after the maner of slouthfull, and cowardly persons: but by the ad∣ding of somewhat of their owne, by some that came after, according as the matters from time to time discouered, and cleared themselues; the honour commonly remayning to the last commers, as the most exquisite, and ac∣complished. By whose example we ought to trauaile courageously, with hope to make our selues better then them; aspiring continually to perfec∣tion, which as yet is not seene any where: considering that there remayne more thinges to be sought out, then are alreadie inuented, and founde. And let vs not be so simple, as to attribute so much vnto the Auncients, that wee beleeue that they haue knowen all, and said all; without lea∣uing anything to be said, by those that should come after them. They haue not bin so arrogant, as to looke that none should meddle, or deale with those matters which they had handeled: But on the contrarie, considering

the difficultie of knowledge, and the weaknes of mans vnderstanding, they haue exhorted others to trauaile therein; speaking rather to stir them vp, and prouoke them thereunto, then to keepe them back, or stay them from writing. Let vs not thinke that nature hath giuen them all her good gifts, that she might be barren in time to come: but that as she hath in times past brought foorth certaine notable personages, who haue manifested many of her secrets; so she can againe bring foorth, such as by the influence of hea∣uen, and a singular inclination, by liuelynes of vnderstanding, and perseue∣rance of labour, shall attaine thither; whither long experience, diligent ob∣seruation, and subtilitie of reason, haue not pierced till this present. She is the same that she was in the former famous ages: The world is such as it was before: The heauen and the time keepe the same order which they did; The Sunne, and thother Planets, haue not changed their courses; and there is no starre remoued out of his place: The Elements haue the same power; men are made of the same matter, & in the same sort disposed as they were in old time. And were not the maner of lyuing corrupted, which we vse, preferring idle∣nesse before diligence, pleasure before profit, and riches before vertue; no∣thing would let, but this age might bring foorth as eminent personages in Philosophie as were Plato, and Aristotle; in Physick as Hippocrates, and Ga∣len; or in the Mathematicks as Euclide, Archimedes, and Ptolomey. Consi∣dering the help which we receiue of their books, the examples wherwith antiquitie hath instructed vs, so many obseruations, and inuentions si∣thence their time, and so long experience of all things: In such sort, that (if we consider it well) there was neuer age more happie for the aduancement of learning, then this present; if weying the shortnes of mans life, we resolue to employ our whole endeuour & industrie, on the studie of true knowlege. Wisdom hath not fulfilled her work; much remaineth, and will alwaies re∣maine: and there will neuer be wanting occasion to add therunto. Trueth doth offer her selfe to all those that wil seek her, and are of capacitie to receiue her▪ albeit Democritus complayneth, that she is hid in a place as deep as a well, wherhence (in his opinion) it is not possible to draw her foorth. Who∣soeuer giueth himself to it in good earnest, shall find alway somewhat to do therin. All the mysteries of God and secrets of nature, are not discouered at one time. The greatest things are difficult, and long in comming. How many are there, not yet reduced into art? How many haue bin first knowen and found out in this age? I say, new lands, new seas, new formes of men, ma∣ners, lawes, and customes; new diseases, and new remedies; new waies of the Heauen, and of the Ocean, neuer before found out; and new starres seen? yea, and how many remaine to be knowen by our posteritie? That which is now hidden, with time will come to light▪ and our successours will won∣der that wee were ignorant of them. M. Varro witnesseth, that in the space of a thousand yeares, the Arts were inuented, and augmented; which yet vntill this time are not perfected, and accomplished: But if the perfection of them hath not hitherto bin found, it followeth not therof, that it cannot

be found. For those things which at this day are held to be the greatest, and most admirable, had a time of beginning: and that which is now verie good, was not so at the first; but is increased by little and little, amending from time to time. Certainly, the excellencie in all thinges is slow, diffi∣cult, and rare: seing that there is scarcely found in many hundreds, and thou∣sands of yeares, amongst an infinite number of Students, one man wor∣thie of admiration; beeing learned and eloquent indeed; that with a good naturall wit, liuelynes and sharpnes of vnderstanding, experience and vse of things, hath the constancie and pacience to perseuere, which are requi∣site to such an interprise. This notwithstanding, we ought not to faint, or to dispaire; for if there be but small hope to excell and go beyond the best; yet is it an honour to follow them: and if there be no meanes to reach them; yet is it commendable to be second, or third vnto them. It is there∣fore conuenient to applie our industrie to the searching out of the trueth, as they haue done; and to endeuour to augment the doctrine of the Auncients: without so much subiecting our selues to antiquitie, that we do nothing for our age; and haue no care of our posteritie. Moreouer, many things inuen∣ted by the Auncients, are lost. The wisdome of the Egiptians, Persians, Indi∣ans, and Bactrians, hath not come vnto vs; many good Greek and Latine Authours are not found; And amongst those that remayne, there are few agreable to the present maners, and affaires. We do not build now adaies af∣ter the fashion of Vitruuius; neither tyl the ground, nor plant, according to Varro, or Columella; nor take foode or physick after the ordinance of Hip∣pocrates, and Galen: We iudge not according to the Ciuil Law of the Ro∣maines; neither plead we as did Demosthenes, and Cicero; or gouerne our common wealthes, by the Lawes of Solon, and Lycurgus; or following the politicke precepts of Plato, and Aristotle. We sing not as did the Aun∣cients; neither warre we according to Vegetius: the art militarie being changed; and all kind of armes, both offensiue, and defensiue. Ptolomey in his Cosmographie, doth aduertize men to beleeue the latest trauaylers, touching the longitude, and latitude of places. Aristotle saith, that the Quadrature of the Circle may be knowen; but that it is not yet found out. Plato affirmeth, that Geometrie was vnperfect in his time, and that Ste∣reometrie, and the Cubike wanted. The Calculations of the Heauens are not all found true. Vesalius curiously obseruing Anatomie, hath found manie pointes therein omitted by Aristotle, and Galen. Plinie, boasteth that he hath added in the Historie of liuing Creatures, that which Aristotle was ignorant of. Leonicenus reproueth Plinie of lyes, and errours in manie places. Auenreis hath written agaynst Galene; Galene against Aristotle; and Aristotle against Plato. There is no Authour so accomplished or per∣fected, in whom one may not finde somewhat wanting, or worthie of re∣proofe. And that which is worse; there are some men so giuen and so af∣fectionate to antiquitie, that they are ignorant, or haue very smal knowledge,

of the Countrie, and time wherein they liue. They know in euery point how Athens, Lacedemon, Carthage, Persia, & Egipt were gouerned, not knowing the affaires of their owne Countrie; wherin they are strangers: As there are found many among vs, discoursing of the assembly of the Ariopagites, & of the Comices of the Romains; vnderstanding nothing of the counsaile of France, the handling of the reuenewes, and the order of the Parliaments. Is it not then an abusing of studie, and of learning, to dwell continually among the Auncients,; and not to endeuour to bring foorth new inuentions, agreeable to the maners, and affaires of this time. When wil we leaue taking of grasse for corne; the flower for the fruit; and the rind for the wood; doing nothing but translate, correct, expound, or abridge, the bookes of the Auncients? who if they had bin also of this mind, not setting themselues to write; or to say any thing, but that which had bin written, or said before; no Art should haue bin inuented: or at least, they had all remained in their beginnings, without recei∣uing any increase. The perpetuall Imitatours, or alwaies Translatours; or Commentatours, hyding themselues vnder the shadow of others, are verie slaues; and haue no generous courage in them: if they dare not once to do, that which they haue so long time learned. They alwaies distrust themselues; and follow the first in those things, wherin the later haue not agreed with the for∣mer; namely, in those which are not yet sought out: and will neuer be found, if we content our selues with that which is alreadie inuented; without ad∣ding any thing therunto. By occasion whereof, I will aunswere them hence∣forward which obiect, that there are too many bookes.

Certainly, if all that hath bin written by the auncient Philosophers, Histo∣riographers, Oratours, Poets, Physitians, Diuines, and Lawiers, had come to our hands, all had bin full of bookes; and we should haue had no other moue∣ables in our house but bookes: we should be constrained to go, sit, and lie vpon bookes. And yet there remaine so many, and are made from day to day, that the age of man could not suffice to read, not onely the writings in many disciplines; but in one particuler: and seldome are the Inuentories found per∣fect. The great number serueth rather for charge, then for instruction; and it is much better to read some few that be good; then to wander thorough many which are euill. Lucian blameth an ignorant person, which boasted that he had many bookes; and Martial mocketh an other, who thought thereby to be accounted learned. Seauen hundred Volumes were found in the Librarie of Alexandria, which were all burned together by a mischance of fire. The learned caried their books thither from all parts, as to the Thea∣ter of learning; and they read them in the Museum which was there, at the plaies ordained for the honour of Apollo, and of the Muses: the vanquishers receiuing great gifts, in the sight and knowledge of all the world; In somuch that none were reckoned learned, which had not won some prize there. Liuie calleth that great Librarie, a worthy work of kingly care, and magnificence: But Seneca saith, that it was neither care, nor magnificēce; but a studious pompe or superfluity: & yet not studious; because the K^s. Ptolomeyes had not erected

it to serue for study, but for a shew and spectacle. As we see many priuate men also which haue gathered many togither, wel printed, boūd, & gilded: to serue onely for ornaments, which they neuer looke in themselues, nor suffer others for feare of fouling them. Also king ATTALVS assembled at Pergamus in emulation of the Ptolomeyes, two hundred thousand volumes which were giuen by Antonius to Cleopatra, & so vanished. There were in the Library of the GORDIANS xl. thousand: and a great number of exquisite ones in that of LVCVLLVS, and AVGVSTVS. There are some at this present very wel furnished; both amongst the Christians, and the Mahometists.

But going by the professions, I haue read that DIDYMVS a Gramma∣rian composed foure thousand books: APPIAN sixe thousand; who was so arrogant, as to say, that he made them immortall, to whom hee dedicated his workes. CICERO said, that if his age were doubled, yet would it not suffice to read all the Lyrick Poets. Seneca thinketh as much of those that haue written of Logick. There is no people, nation, citie, common-wealth, seigniorie, coū∣trey, kingdom, or empire; but hath his Cronicles and Histories. In Greece one only war of Marathon, found three hundred Historiographers, & Plutarch in his liues alleageth more then two hundred of them. SALVST, and LIVIE are come to vs vnperfect, and faulty: as are also many others of lesse reckoning both Greekes and Romaines. It is not possible to recken the books that are made of Phisicke, which hath many times bin changed, and diuided into di∣uers sects. ARISTOTLE the Philosopher composed iiij. hundred volumes: and VARRO the most learned amongst the Romains as many. The Empe∣rour IVSTINIAN by the excessiue multitude of books which were of the ciuil Law, was constrained to cause the Pandects to be made: on which contra∣ry to his edict haue bin heaped innumerable cōmentaries. S. Iohn the euange∣list saith, that the world is not able to receiue all the books which should bee written of IESVS CHRIST: as appeared in the time following, where∣in were infinite written in many languages, concerning the Christian religi∣on; and the exposition of the old and new Testament. ORIGEN alone hath written sixe thousand bookes. The Gothes, Vandales, Alanes, Hunnes, Lom∣bards, Sarazens, Turkes, and Tartarians brought an inestimable losse to the li∣braries, and corruption to the languages.

Bookes are different also according to the disposition of the times, and in∣clination of the countries wherein they are made: euen as wines are diuers ac∣cording to the territorie, qualitie of the aire, and disposition of the yere; the nature of the vine, & industry of the keeper. Euery age hath his peculiar kind of speech; Euery nation and age his phrase: the Greekes and Latins writing af∣ter one sort; the Hebrewes, Chaldees, and Arabians after an other. All are not of continuance: and as many are lightly and easily made; so they are est∣soones and incontinently lost. Some are left off for the obscurity, and to affec∣ted subtilty and barbarousnes which is in them: Others despised, or neglec∣ted as vnprofitable; or consumed by length of time; or destroied by warres, changes of tonges, and of religions; or by being euil written and copied out;

or corrupted, & depraued: In others there is nothing but tedious repetitions; by changing the order, and the words. Plinie a man of great reading, saith that in conferring and comparing of authours, he hath found the old written out word for word by those that were next after them, concealing their names; and choosing rather to be taken in their theft, then to acknowledge the debt. Those which are respected here as holy; are burned elswhere, as abhomina∣tion. The affected to some certaine sect, religion, or profession, are red onely by people of the same sect, religion, and profession. The poemes, orations, epistles, chronicles, histories, comedies, and tragedies, are not loked on; but by such as vnderstand the tongue wherin they are written: & out of it they com∣monly lose their grace. There are not any which please and satisfy al peo∣ple; or which are receiued in al places; except they be aduisedly made, with great iudgment, & profound learning, by a singular grace of God, and a rare goodnes of nature: resisting against enuious old age, & warranting themselues from the silence of obliuion. Such as seeme to be those of Plato, Aristotle, Hip∣pocrates, & Ptolomey▪ who not content with the images of things, and shadows of opiniōs, haue sought the truth directly; & haue therfore escaped the iniury of time, of fire, of water, & of wars; among so many nations, & contrary sects, translated into diuers languages; yet keeping stil the same grace, as when they were newly made. For as time abolisheth the opinions that are not wel groū∣ded; so it also cōfirmeth the infallible iudgemēts of a wise & vnderstanding na∣ture, augmēting alwaies the reputatiō of those writers which haue best obser∣ued, & vnderstood it. The iudgment of time discouereth in the end the secret faults of al things; who being the father of truth, and a iudge void of passion, hath alwaies accustomed to giue a iust sentēce, of the life or death of writings.

But seeing that the arts & sciences begin, & grow; are changed and preser∣ued by care, diligence, remembrance, & meditation, and are lost by negligēce, slouth, forgetfulnes, and ignorance; it being a thing most requisite that trueth should remain amongst men: It behoueth of necessity that the first being abo∣lished, others should come in their places; and that the old bookes being lost, there should be made new. For as other things being subiect to mutatiō, haue need of continuall generation to renew themselues, and to maintaine eche of them his kinde: So must learning also be prouided for, by seeking of new inuentions, in steede of those that are lost, by changing that which is not well; and by supplying that which is wanting: to the end that it be not de∣cayed; but amended from day to day. For the worlde being made of two things, whereof the one are perpetuall, and others mutable and corruptible: It is certaine that those which are perpetuall, as the heauen, the sunne, the moone, and thother starres, remain, constantly alwaies in one selfe same estate: But they that are moueable doe begin, and end; are borne, and die; do increase, & diminish vncessantly; endeuouring notwithstanding (as much as they may) to come neere and participate of eternity: not by remaining alwaies one and the same (as doethe superiour and diuine thinges) but by continuing their kindes by the meanes of generation; which is an immortall worke in this

mortalitie. So the plants, and all liuing creatures which cannot endure long, by the necessity of the matter whereof they are made, renew themselues con∣tinually; procreating by budds, and seeds, their like. In such sort that by the or∣der of nature the yong do alwaies succeed vnto the old, and the liuing to those that are deceased; their kinds by this meanes remayning immortall. But men being indewed with a diuine and immortal soule, do aspire more to such per∣petuity and immortality; endeuouring to remedy that infirmity which they know in themselues: Namely such as haue their bodies most fruitful, by be∣getting of children, by whom they hope to perpetuate their name, and ly∣nage; Others that haue their minde better instructed, by bringing forth such fruits as are proper thereunto; as vertues, sciences, learned and elegant wri∣tinges, and other such fruits more noble, more admirable, and more dura∣ble then those of the body; which they prefer before children; and for which they voluntarily expose themselues to all labours, and dangers; neither spa∣ring their parsons nor their goods. Therhence ariseth in good wits the insatia∣ble desire of honor, stirring them vp day and night, not to content themselues with base, and casual things: but to seeke by vertuous deeds, to recompence the shortnes of this life, by the memory of all posterity. Therehence procee∣deth the wonderfull desire of making themselues knowne▪ of leauing a good opinion of them, and getting an immortal renowne. And by how much the better they are, the more they striue to come to this point of immortalitie; which they do so long for. For those most excellent personages, woulde not haue trauailed as they haue done in times passed; without the hope which they had to be praised, and renowmed, as now they are. Such were the aun∣cient Poets, Oratours, Historiographers, Physicians, Philosophers, and Di∣uines; who haue brought forth so many bookes, which bring them immor∣tall glory; as they themselues being immortall, do teach vnto others pietie, iu∣stice, & equitie; declare the secrets of nature, both in heauen, & in earth; teach the disciplines; containe Histories ful of examples; giue remedies against ma∣ladies; and other innumerable helpes, and meanes: without which we should liue worse then beastes; hauing neither religion, learning, nor ciuility. Such were the LAWMAKERS, who begat LAWES, and maners of gouernment, giuing to people, honest and durable maners of liuing. Such were the LAW∣IERS who haue ordered the busines, contracts, and Cases of particular par∣sons; expounded the Satutes, and ordinances; showing the reason of them; aduertising how they ought to be kept, renewed, or abrogated. Such were the valiant CAPTAINES who did heroycall deedes for the defence, and libertie of their countrey; founded Empires, and monarchies; and builded ci∣ties: forgetting all other pleasures, to the end to leaue an immortall memory for the time to come. Such were many notable parsonages; who for hauing showed excellent inuentions, and exercised al vertues, haue bin greatly admi∣red: euen to the deifying of some of them. And if we mislike barennes in the body, with greater reason ought we to detest it in the minde; and aspire to the like immortality, and renowme: the desire whereof is naturally giuen to all

parsons, to serue for a spur to prick them forward vnto honest actions. The husbandman hateth the fruitles ground; and the husband a wife that is barren: And all doe commende him more that by husbandry augmenteth his good, then him wich maintaineth it only in that estate which is falne to him by suc∣cession. So in like maner it suffiseth not to know by the book without bring∣ing forth something of our selues, whereby to helpe the truth. Plato saith that the Greekes haue bettered that which they receiued from the Barbarians. Ci∣cero is of opinion, that the Italians haue of themselues better inuented then the Grecians, or made that better which they borowed of them. And why should not we endeuour to do the like; amending that which the Barbarians, Greekes, & Romaines haue left vnto vs? There is no want of good wittes, so that they be wel instructed. Peraduenture there are more in one place then in ano∣ther; but there are found some euery where; as in this countrey of ours, where nature hath shewed her selfe as fauorable as any where els: creating vs not in∣feriour to any others, in situation, fertilitie, & commodity of countrey, good∣nes of wits, ciuility of maners, equity of Laws, gouernment, and continuance of Monarchie; dexterity both in liberall and mechanical sciences, variety of all things either growing within the countrey, or brought from other pla∣ces; multitude of publicke schooles well priuiledged, and richly founded for the institution of youth, and intertainment of Professours, and Teachers.

Wherefore, if all men do thinke that the future belongeth vnto them; they that are Learned must not be negligēt in obtaining of that by the durable mo∣numents of Learning, which others do pretend and seeke by workes of small continuance. But they ought to trauaile to their power, if not in respect of men (who show themselues oftentimes ingrateful towards their benefactors, and enuious of the present vertue) yet at the least for the honour of God: Whose wil is, that we should carefully preserue the arts and sciences, as also all other things necessary for life; and deliuer them ouer from time to time to our posterity, by learned, and elegant writings in good matters: giuing light to the obscure, credit to the doubtful, order to the confused, elegancy to the vnpolished, grace to such as are left of, noueltie to the old, and authoritie to the new.

FINIS.