The life of the Most Reverend Father in God, James Usher, late Lord Arch-Bishop of Armagh, primate and metropolitan of all Ireland with a Collection of three hundred letters between the said Lord Primate and most of the eminentest persons for piety and learning in his time ... / collected and published from original copies under their own hands, by Richard Parr ...

LETTER CCXXXIV. A Letter from Mr. Arnold Boate, to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh. (Book 234)

May it please your Grace;

I Have not yet received your last Packet, because that the Messenger by whom such things use to be sent, was gone a few hours before it came to my Brother's hands, as he writes to me, so as he was fain to keep it lying by him until his return: When it cometh, I shall not fail to distribute your Treatises according to your Order, and to give you an account of it. I have recovered, out of the King's Library, by the humanity of the Fratres Puteani, all the Pieces desired by you; but the Title of the first is mistaken in the Oxford Catalogue, not being De Mensibus Atheniensium & Lacedamo∣niorum, but Athen. & Romanorum. Whereof your Grace may not doubt, because those same Treatises, which in that Catalogue do immediately pre∣cede and follow, do also precede and follow that de Mensibus Ath. & Rom. all being bound up in one and the same Volume; as likewise the second Indiculus Mensium desired by you, and a great many other Treatises to boot. And to make this appear the more clearly to you, I will set you down se∣veral of those Treatises preceding that first Indiculus Mensium,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Then follow the two named by you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; And immediately after, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Januarius.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. * 1.1
Februarius.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Martius.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Aprilis.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Maius.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Junius.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
b. Augustus.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
a. Julius.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
e. November.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
c. September.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
d. October.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
f. December.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Next unto this follow the two Treatises mentioned by you; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. And after them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. * 1.2
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. * 1.3
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

After this Indiculus, followeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the other two Treatises mentioned by you. As for the next three Treatises desired by you, I have written them apart, being too big to be inserted in a Letter.

Nihil unquam in vita foedius scriptum vidi, ne{que} pluribus aut majoribus er∣roribus scatens, praesertim in vocalibus ac diphthongis, quare vix ullae sunt, quas non inter se permutet, non modo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sed & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, eaque—omnia non semel aut iterum, sed innumeris in locis, ac quidem persaepe bis ter-ve in unica voce. Praeterea abbreviaturis quam∣plurimis ac difficillimis adeo iste scriptor refertus est, ut non nisi post multam ac diutinam considerationem quicquam in iis dispicere potuerim. Tandem ta∣men sic satis foeliciter me extricavi, ac sublatis erroribus, qui per se evidentes erant, eos tantum reliqui, de quibus aliqua poterat esse dubitatio, ibi quo{que} appositis semper verioris scripturae conjecturis: quod ipsum in abbreviaturis quo{que} (exceptis nonnullis facilioribus, quas compendii gratia retinui) à * 1.4 me praestitum est; quarum quotcun{que} assequi non potui, ita prorsus eas adumbravi, quomodo se habeat in principali scripto, servatis omnibus iisdem ductibus & lineamentis, quo res divinatu facilior tibi esset. Quantum ad Igna∣tii Jambos, charactere scripti sunt adeo minuto ac deformi, ac tot praeterea cum abbreviaturis, ut postquam eos multum ac diu acerrima cum attentione ver∣saveram, plurimae adhuc voces superessent, de quarum lectione penitus de∣sperabam. D^ns autem Blondellus, à quo hic auxilium speraveram, pauciora me∣ipso in istis se discernere fatebatur; ne{que} quenquam mihi indicare poterat, à quo adjuvari possem. In hisce difficultatibus versanti commodè supervenit D. Justellus, qui re intellecta, duxit me ad quendam Coquaeum, Graecae lin∣guae magistrum, transcribendis Regiae Bibliothecae Manuscriptis saepius ab ipso Justello aliis{que} adhibitum, qui negotium id in se suscepit, ac feliciter perfecit; pro qua opera coronatum ipsi dependi. Praeivit autem mihi suo isto labore ad extricandam Pseudo-Hippocratis Epistolam, eodem prorsus characteris ge∣nere eadem{que} manu descriptam, in cujus vera lectione assequenda sic quo{que} non parum desudandum fuit.

Georgius is not so much as begun to be printed, nor they will not begin to print him this half Year yet, because that the Latin Translation, which is to be printed with him, per columnas, will be ready no sooner. And Mr. Gramoi∣sii the Printer, being intreated by me to let me see the Copy, for to com∣pare that Catalogue of the High Priests, refused it: But Mr. du Puis hath promised me to get it done by the means of Fabrottes. He hath also bor∣rowed for me, out of the Library of Monsieur de Thou his Nephew, the Ma∣nuscript of Bertramus, which I have given yesterday to one to transcribe (I for to compare the Manuscript with it) after I had employed two or three days in vain, for to get a printed Copy, to buy or to borrow. I never saw Sirmond yet (having caused your Treatise de Symbolis to be given him by a third Person) and therefore I thought it best, for the borrowing of the Fa∣sti

Idatiani, to imploy some body that hath some interest in him; and having found that Monsieur Heraldes hath so, I have prayed him to do the Busi∣ness, which he hath undertaken, and to give me an account within a few days.—Monsieur Justel having understood of me, that you have some of Ephrems Works in Syriack, hath given me the inclosed Note, praying you to let him know, which of them they be you have. He is going to reprint his Codex Canonum, with many other Collections of the same nature; several whereof were never printed before.

Thus humbly kissing your Grace's hands, I rest, Your most humble and most affectionate Servant, Arnold Boate.

Paris 15/25 Aprilis 1648.

D. S. Ephraem Syro Ex Hebed Iesu Sobensi Episcopo de Catalogo Syrorum Scriptorum.

EPhraem magnus, qui Syrorum Propheta cognominatus est, commentaria confecit in Libros Geneseos, Exodi, & Sacerdotum; item in librum Josue Filii Nun, Judicum, Samuelis, & Regum, Davidis, Isaiae ac duodecim Prophetarum minorum, Ieremiae, Ezechielis, at{que} beati Danielis. Extant praeterea ejusdem opera de Ecclesiae fide, nec non Sermones, Carmina, Elegia, Hymni; ac totum defunctorum officium, theses de literis Alphabeti, Dispu∣tationes contra Judaeos, Manichaeum, Bardesanem, Marcionem, & Philetum, & Hypetum, Demum{que} dissolutio impietatis Juliani.

Notes

• * 1.1

  These Latin words, Sunt à recentiori manu, uti vel primo sta∣tim aspect•• li∣quet.
• * 1.2

  I know not what to make of the last Figure, and therefore I have expressed the shape of it as near as I could.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sed planissime scriptum est 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.4

  Praeter innumera ista Exscriptoris errata, permulti praeterta occur∣runt crassi soloe∣cismi & barba∣rismi, ab ipso, ut videtur, autore: is quibus nihil mutavi, virgu∣lam tantum iis subduxisse con∣tentus.