A general chronological history of France beginning before the reign of King Pharamond, and ending with the reign of King Henry the Fourth, containing both the civil and the ecclesiastical transactions of that kingdom / by the sieur De Mezeray ... ; translated by John Bulteel ...

TO THE READER.

Courteous Reader,

YOU have in this Volume the History of the Kings of France traced up so high to the very Nonage of Empire, even to the obscurest Annals of Time; like the Head of Nile from the Mountains of the Moon: as far upwards▪ as even the faintest Light from Record, or almost Fable could lead: and from thence derived down through the whole Succession of their Kings, even to the end of the Reign of Henry IV. in the year 1610. a descent of LXII Crowned Heads.

This History upon Crossing the Narrow Seas, and Travelling in∣to England, assumes the Habit of the Country it Visits, and comes drest a Britain.

But to satisfie the Reader to what Original Hand we owe this Excellent Labour'd Piece, the Author is the famous Mezeray of France, a Person living to this very day: and to manifest all his Qualities and Perfections that might render him to the World both a faithful and an accurate Historian; In the first place, he is a Gentleman of that Birth, and Fortunes, that he Writes not the Lives of Kings for his Bread from Kings, not like too many of those unhappy Chroniclers, whose humble Station under that servile Fate Dependance, makes them too often rather play the Panegyrists then the Historians, whilst Truth from such Dis∣covers is too often warpt into So••thing and Flattery.

Secondly, Though by 〈…〉〈…〉, yet he values him∣self upon the honour of an Historian, not an Enthusiast; he con∣sults not the Conclave when he Characters the King; nor Shadens or Brightens the Diadem in favour of the Miter, a fault too common in the World; but with that Indifference, yet Boldness withall, that's requisite to render the Truth naked; he Writes like a Gentle∣man, not a Bigot.

And thirdly, Not to offend in another as gross, or grosser fault then all these, an Error amongst too many Chronologers, viz. the Flattery of his Native Country; he Paints not beyond the Life,

but makes Ʋprightness and Impartiality the Standards he moves by, and Writes the Annals of France, for the Reading of Chri∣stendom.

And for his Personal Knowledge, Learning, and Parts, he has the Universal Fame of all Men to be highly the best of all his Countrymen, that ever wrote on this Subject. With these Advan∣tages and Accomplishments in so Renowned an Author, this Piece appears in England. For 'its for these only Charms that the Tran∣slator of this Book could not see so much Excellence confined to its own Native Country and the bounds of Home, and forbear stepping out for its Interpreter, to make it visit the World abroad.

What Esteem it may find, time only will produce, but that it may want nothing to render it acceptable, the Translator has labour'd to do Justice to so deserving an Original, and has render'd it so Englisht, as may obtain an Entertainment abroad answerable to its Reception at home. The success of which lies wholly in the Approbation of all ingenious Readers, in whose good Hands, I leave it to its own good Fortune.

Farewell.