Machivael's [sic] discourses upon the first decade of T. Livius, translated out of the Italian. To which is added his Prince. With some marginal animadversions noting and taxing his errors. By E.D.

The Preface.

WHen I consider the esteem which is made of antiqui∣ty, and that many times (letting pass further exam∣ples) a small piece of an ancient statute hath been bought at a great rate, only to have it at hand, to adorn the house withall, and that thereby they may be able to cause others, who take delight in the art, to draw copies thereof, and these likewise endeavour, as lively as they can, to represent it again in all their works and on the other side seeing the most vertuous acti∣ons that histories relate us, to have been ar∣chieved by Kingdomes, ancient Common-wealths, Kings Captains, Citizens and Law-givers, and such others who have under∣gone much for their Countries good; that these, I say, have been rather admired then

follow'd, or rather by every one have been so much avoided, that now the very foot∣steps of that ancient vertue is utterly defac'd, I cannot but both marvaile and grieve: and the rather, because I perceive, that in mat∣ters of process arising in a Commonwealth among citizens, or in criminal causes, re∣course is alwaies made to those judgements and those remedies which formerly have been ordain'd and practis'd by the ancients; for the civil-lawes are nothing else, but the opinions given by ancient Lawyers, which since having been reduc'd to a method, todirect our Doctors of the Law now a daies, in giving of their judgements: yet for all this in the ordering of Commonwealths, in the mainte∣nance of States, in the government of King∣domes, in ordeining of military discipline, in waging of war, in giving judgment upon the subjects, in amplifying of the Empire, there are neither Princes, nor Republiques, Comman∣ders, nor Citizens who ever seek after any of these ancient patternes, which I perswade my self proceeds not so much from that weak∣ness, into which the breeding and customes now a daies have brought the world, or from that evill which idleness accompanied with ambition hath done to many Christian coun∣tries and Cities, as from their want of the true knowledge of histories, in that by reading them, they conceive not that meaning nor re∣lish that tastethey have in them: whence it arises that many who read, take delight to hear the variety of accidents, which are frequent in them, without further regard of imitating them deeming that not only hard, but unpossible, as if the heavens, the sun, the elements,

and men were alter'd from what they were of old, in the••ir motion, order and power. Wherefore being desirous to withdraw men from this errour, I thought fit to write upon these bookes of T: Livius, which have e∣scap'd the malice of the times, what I thought, conformable to moderne and ancient affaires, of purpose for the better understanding of them, that they who shall well peruse these discourses of mine, may there reap that profit for which end the knowledg of historie ought to be sought after. And how∣ever this be a taske of great difficulty, yet by the helpe of those who have incourag'd me to undergoe this burden, I beleeve I shall carry it so far onwards, that there shall be left for him that comes after me, but very little way to bring it to a good end.