Examen historicum, or, A discovery and examination of the mistakes, falsities and defects in some modern histories occasioned by the partiality and inadvertencies of their severall authours / by Peter Heylin ...

A Generall PREFACE to the Whole.

IT is affirmed of History by the famous Orator, that it is Testis temporum, the Witnesse and Record of time, by which the actions of it are transmit∣ted from one age to another. And therefore it concerns all those who ap∣ply themselves to the writing of Histories, to take speciall care that all things be laid down exactly, faithfully, and without deviation from the truth in the least particular. For if the Witnesses be subor∣ned, the Record falsified, or the Evidence wrested, neither Posterity can judge rightly of the actions of this present time, or this time give a certain judge∣ment of the Ages past. It is therefore a good di∣rection which Iosephus the Historian gives us, and which he followed as it seems in his Iewish Antiqui∣ties, not only to be carefull that the stile be pleasing, but that the whole Work be framed by the Levell and Line of Truth. Nam qui Historiam & rerum pro∣pter

Antiquitatem obscurarum expositionem, &c.

They (saith he) who make profession to write Histories, and to recite such things as are obscured by Anti∣quity, ought not only studiously to conform their stile, but also to beautifie the same with ornaments of Eloquence, to the intent the Reader may con∣verse in their Writings with the more delectation. But above all things they must have an especiall care so exactly to set down the truth,

* 1.1 that they who know not how those things came to passe may be the more duely and fitly in∣formed. There is another Rule, which he bound himself to. that is to say, Neither to omit any thing through ign••rance, nor to bury any thing in forgetful∣nesse; and all these cautions well observed make a pe••f••ct History. But on the contrary, there are some who do spend themselves on the stile and dresse, as if their businesse rather were to delight the ear then inform the judgement; Others so byassed by self-ends and private interesse, that they seem rather Advocates to pleade for some growing party, then true Reporters of affairs as they be before them. Some who endeavouring to be copious, clap all to∣gether in a huddle which is offered to them, with∣out relation to the Ornaments and Attire of Lan∣guage; and others with like carelesnesse as unto themselves, but greater inconvenience as unto the Reader, examine not the truth and certainty of what they write, so they write somewhat which they think may inform the Reader. Betwixt these truth is oftentimes irrecoverably lost, the Reader led a∣side from the waies of Verity into the crooked lanes

of Errour▪ and many times conducted to such dan∣gerous praecipices as ma•• prove destructive to him∣self, and of ill consequence to all those which are guided by him. The errours of the understanding in matters which may possibly be reduced to pra∣ctice, are far more mischievous then those which do consist in the niceties of speculation, and advance no further, which moved the Orator not only to ho∣nour History with the Attribute of Testis temporum, but to stile it also by the name of Magistra vitae.

These things considered as they ought, have made me wonder many times at the unadvisednesse of some Late Writers in this kinde, whose Histories are composed with so much partiality on the one side, and so much inadvertency on the other, that they stand more in need of a Commentator to ex∣pound the Truth, and lay it clear and open to the view of the Reader, then either the dark words of Aristotle, or any other obscure peece of the ancient Writers. I speak of Histories here, not Libels, of which last sort I reckon Weldons Pamphlet, called, The Court of King James, and Wi••sons most i••famous Pasquill of the Reign of that King; in which it is not easie to judge whether the matter be more false or the stile more reproachfull in all parts thereof. Certain I am we may affirm of them,* 1.2 as Cremutius Cordus doth of the Epistles of Antonius, and the Orations of Brutus, falsa quidem in Augustum probra, se•• multa cum acerbitate habent, that is to say, that they contained not only many false and disgracefull passages against the honour of Au∣gustus, but were apparelled in all the bitternesse of a

scurrilous language. With such as these I shall not meddle at the present, leaving their crimes unto the punishment not of an Index, but an Ignis expurgato∣rius, as most proper for them. But as for those whom either the want of true intelligence or inad∣vertency in not weighing seriously what they were to do, or the too much indulgence to their own af∣fections have made more capable of being bettered by correction, I have thought it more agreeable to the Rules of justice, to rectifie their mistakes, and reform their Errours, then absolutely to condemn and decry their Writings. At this time I have two before me whom I conceive to stand in need of such Observations, by which the truth may be preserved, and the clear face of things presented to the Readers eye; the one of them an Authour of Ecclesiasticall, the other of some Civil Histories. In both I finde the Truth much injured, and in one the Church. The Errours of the one tend not to the subversion of any publick interesse, but, being Errours, may misguide the Reader in the way of his knowledge and discourse, and therefore I have rectified him with some Advertisements (not taking notice of such passages as have been made the subject of some Ob∣servations from another hand) that so he may be read with the greatest profit. The other (besides errours of this kinde too many) hath intermingled his Discourse with some Positions of a dangerous na∣ture, which being reduced into practise, as they ea∣sily may not only overthrow the whole power of the Church as it stands constituted and established by the Laws of the Land, but lay a probable foun∣dation

for the like disturbances in the Civil State. And therefore I have fitted him with some Animad∣versions in the way of an Antidote, that so he may be read, if possible, without any danger.

I know well how invidious a task I have underta∣ken, and that it will be charged upon me at the first apprehensions of it, that I have rather chosen to finde fault with the Writings of others, then to write any things of this kinde which may be subject to the like partialities and mistakings. Carpere vel noli nostra, vel ede tua, might come in seasonably here, if I had not somewhat to alledge for my justification. But when the Reasons which indu∣ced me to the first Adventure (mentioned in the Introduction following) be seriously considered, as they ought to be; I hope I shall be capable of excuse at the least, if not of pardon. And for my venturing on the other, I shall say nothing more at the present, but that as well my love to Truth as to doe right unto the Authour (whom I would willingly look on as a man well principled, and of no ill affections to Church or State) hath invited me to it. Truth is the Mistresse which I serve, and I presume that none will be offended with me because I tell them of their Errours in a modest way, and beare witnesse for them to that Truth of which they doe professe themselves such espe∣ciall Lovers. In that great Disputation between the Esquires of the body of King Darius, whe∣ther the King, Wine, Women, or the Truth were of greatest power,* 1.3 the whole Assembly cryed out in behalf of Truth,

Magna est Veritas, & praevalet, that is to say, Great is Truth, and mighty above all things. So that in standing for the Truth, without conside∣ration unto the recompence of reward, I hope, though I mee•• some Adversaries, I shall finde more Friends: If not (for I am at a reasonable passe for that) it shall be no small comfort to me that the weak Candle of my Studies hath given light to oth••rs, whereby they may discern some Histo∣ricall Tru••hs even in the darkest Mists of Errour, which either partiality or incogitancy hath cast before the eyes of unwary Readers. Which said, I shall now adde no more, but that having two P••tients under cure of different tempers, it is not to be thought that I should administer unto both the same kinde of Physick▪ an ordinary purge being sufficient for the one, whereas the foule body of the other doth require a Fluxing; as some wounds may be healed with Balm, when others more corrupt and putrified doe exact a Lancing. But so it happeneth many times, that some men are more impatient of the Cure, then sensible of their Diseases, and that in stead of giving thanks to the Physician, for the great pains he took about them, they pay him with nothing but displeasures. Which being the worst that can befall me, I am armed against it. If by the ha∣z••rd of my peace, I shall procure this benefit to the present and succeeding times, that men may prove more carefull of what they write, and not obt••ude upon the Reader (either through ig∣norance, inadvertency, or somewhat worse) such

and so many Falsities, Mistakes and Errours, as have been lately put upon him in some Mo∣dern Histories, it is that I aimed at; and ha∣ving gained that Point, I have gained my pur∣pose.

Non partis studiis agimur, sed sumpsimus Arma Consiliis inimica tuis, ignavia fallax.

Peter Heyliu.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Antiq. Iad. Lib. 14. cap 1.
• * 1.2

  Tacit. An∣nal. lib, 4.
• * 1.3

  1 Esdr. cap. 4. ver. 41.