CHAP. I. That it is impossible for the Pen of any Historians writing in (as our's) a divided Age, to please all Parties, and how easie it is to Cavil at any Author.
SUch as lived after the Flood, and before the Confusion of Tongues, were happy in this particular, that they did Hear to Understand, and Speak to be Understood with all persons in their Generation. Not such their Felicity who lived after the Confusion of Languages at the Tower of Babel, when the Eloquence of the Best was but Barbarisme to all, save a few Folk of his owne Familie.
Happy those English Historians who wrote some Sixty years since, before our Civil Distempers were born or conceived; at leastwise, before there were House-burnings (though some Heart-burnings) amongst us: I mean, before Mens latent Animosities broke out into open Hostility; seeing then there was a generall right understanding betwixt all of the Nation.
But alass! Such as wrote in or since our Civil Wars, are seldome apprehended truely and candidly, save of such of their owne perswasion, whilest others doe not (or what is worse will not) understand them aright: And no wonder if Speeches be not rendred according to the true intent of the Speaker,* 1.1 when Prejudice is the Interpreter thereof.
This I foresaw when I entred upon my Church-History, but comforted my self with the counsel of Erasmus; Si non possis placere Omnibus, place to Optimis; If thou canst not please all, please the best. In order whereunto I took up to my self this Resolution, to Stere my course betwixt the two Rocks of Adulation and Irritation; though it seems I have run upon both, if the Animadvertor may be beleeved; whereof hereafter.
As it is impossible in distracted Times to please all, so is it easie for any at any time to Cavil at the best Performance. A Pigmey is Giant enough for this purpose. Now Cavils may be reduced to these two heads:
- Without Cause.
- Without Measure.
Causeless Cavils are such as the Caviller himself doth create, without any Ground for the same; such find a Knot in a Bulrush, because they themselves before had ty'd it therein; and may be compared to Beggers, who breed Vermine in their owne bodies, and then blow them on the cloaths of others.
Cavils without measure, are, when the anger and bitterness of the Caviller ex∣ceedeth due proportion, and the demerit of the Fault; as when he maketh Memorie to be Iudgement-mistakes; Casual, to be Voluntary Errors; the Printers, to be the Authors faults: And then brags every Foil to be a Fall, and Triumpheth at the Rout of a small Party, as at the Defeat of the whole Army. This Distinction is here premised, whereof hereafter we shall make use as we see just occasion.