An addition to page 85. by reason of a new booke, intituled Ethruscarum Antiquitatum Fragmenta, Which came since to the Authors hands.

SPeaking there of notable Impostors, that have done their best to cheat the World by supposititious writings, by what chance, of all the rest, (there being but too much choice of instances in this kind:) I chanced to instance in Annius Viterbiensis, I know not. But since it was my chance so to doe, I thinke my selfe bound in many respects to take notice here of a certaine booke, inscribed, E∣thruscarum Antiquitatum Fragmenta, which since this Treatise was written and licensed, came first to my hands, and, for ought I know, into the Realme. It is a booke in folio, (as wee use to speake:) somewhat larger, then it is either thicke or long; consisting of 284. pages, besides an ample Index, and a long Preface; printed upon faire thicke paper, and in as faire, or Page  [unnumbered] fairer a letter. Besides some mappes, it hath many cuts and prints, divers where∣of are in brasse. Were but the tenth part of those things that are there exhibited, true and ancient indeed, as they are pre∣tended, the booke might very well bee worth 30. or 40. shillings to be bought; neither is there, I thinke, any true Philo∣logist, or lover of learning in generall, that would grudge to purchase it at that rate. But in a word, as the Graecians were wont to speake, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Title indeed, and the specious dresse, and furniture of the Booke, promise great Treasures; but those Treasures, well looked into, proove but meere trash, and childrens bables: if I may so call such im∣pudent, shameles, unconscionable trum∣peries and forgeries, such as might have better proceeded from profest Heathens (though I doe not thinke there have ever beene many heathens in the world so ab∣solutely godlesse and voyd of conscience, but would have beene ashamed to have beene the authors of them:) then men Page  [unnumbered] that professe themselves to be Christians. Me thinkes if these impudent jugglors, did so farre presume upon the ignorance and simplicitie of us Transalpins, (as once they were wont to speake in scorne of all that were not Italians;) as to beleeve that wee would swallow all downe readily without any suspition at all; yet they should have considered, that Italy affords many learned men, (the present Pope himselfe, a man of excellent humane lear∣ning: who as they cannot but presently find, so certainely will heartily detest such abominable practises. But since the at∣tempt was so great and dangerous, (no lesse then the confounding of almost all Histories and Historians of the world; and in a manner of all truth:) it is Gods great mercy, that the undertakers were such, as had more will then skill to cheat, and so might easily be discovered. For of all those 284. pages, I dare say there is not any one page (scarce any one line of any page:) but upon due examination, will afford, not to a profest Antiquarie onely, Page  [unnumbered] but even to an ordinarie Schollar, suffi∣cient arguments and evidences, whereby to evince the spuriousnes and falsenesse of the Title. If any man would be so idle as to gather together all that can, out of the booke it selfe, bee said against it, hee might easily make a booke in folio tenne times as big as it. For my part, all that I have to say here upon it, is but to let you know, (which perchance every body will not presently take notice of:) that Annius Viterbiensis, that infamous Impostor that wee have spoken of, though dead him∣selfe long agoe, is the very first originall ground and fountaine of all this Impo∣sture. Read him, (if you can have so much patience:) his Catonis Origines and his Comments upon them, and it will clearely appeare unto you, to bee as I say. So apt are pleasing fables, to propagate; and so hard (be the Truth never so cleare and apparant:) to bee rooted out of the mind and soules of vulgar men; especial∣ly when their vanitie and foolish ambiti∣on, either for themselves or for their Page  [unnumbered] Countrey, hath some interest in the credi∣bilitie of those fables. Grounding upon the same Annius Viterbiensis, did one Ber∣nardinus Baldus Vrbinas long agoe (for I find, it hath beene printed though I never saw it yet my selfe, but as I have it, that is, Manuscript:) adventure to set out an Interpretation (with Notes upon it:) of that Aenea Tabula Eugubina, or ancient Inscription, found in Eugubium in Italy, and conceived by some to bee written in the Ethruscan tongue and character: though Gruterus in his Thesaurus seeme to bee of another opinion. It was a bold at∣tempt, that too; yet more bold then dan∣gerous, or of any great consequence; and the Author himselfe, (to doe him no wrong:) was so modest yet, as to call it all, but his Divinatio. But these late E∣thruscan Impostors, have gone beyond all that ever were heard of in the World, in boldnesse, and licentiousnesse of coun∣terfeiting; even beyond Annius Viterbi∣ensis himselfe, I would say; but that in very Truth, as I have already said, they are Page  [unnumbered] but his of-spring, and the unhappily continued fruits of his first Chimaericall conceptions. Well, if these men (worse then any 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and publici odii victi∣mae:) doe not deserve with all possible rigor and severitie to bee proceeded a∣gainst, tanquam generis humani hostes, as sworne and profest enemies to that which is the chiefest good, and happi∣nesse of rationall men upon earth, that is, Truth. I know not who ever did. And so I leave them to the judgement of others, in whose power it is to deale with them according to their de∣sert.