The history of that most victorius monarch, Edward IIId, King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland, and first founder of the most noble Order of the Garter being a full and exact account of the life and death of the said king : together with that of his most renowned son, Edward, Prince of Wales and of Aquitain, sirnamed the Black-Prince : faithfully and carefully collected from the best and most antient authors, domestick and foreign, printed books, manuscripts and records / by Joshua Barnes ...

THE PREFACE.

I Undertake a Work of so much Difficulty, that no∣thing but a Sense of the Honour and real advantage thereof could animate me to it. For the Obscurity of our Histories being so great, and the Mistakes and Op∣position of them one with another being so frequent; it must needs seem a Labour not small, to go about to give a Just account of the whole Series of all Pub∣lique Actions for the continuance of Fifty Years and upwards, at such a long distance of Time, as more than Three Centuries.

But my Resolution hath been to shew so much diligence in the Col∣lecting, and so much integrity in the Composing; that if I cannot obtain to know all the most Momentous Truths, yet I shall purposely decline all Fabulous Narrations, all Groundless Opinions, all Popular Errors, Par∣tiality and Prejudice, and seriously conform my self to those Rules and decencies, which belong to a Faithfull Historian.

The Subject Matter of my Discourse is the Honour of my Coun∣try, the Life and Actions of one of the Greatest Kings, that perhaps the World ever saw; the Rights of the English Crown, and how well our Ancestors were able to vindicate them.

Nor shall I confine my self wholly to the Relation of King Edward's Exploits, or to those of his Invincible Son the Black-Prince, and the rest of his Noble and Victorious Children; but whatever Name I find memorable of his Subjects in either of his Kingdoms, whether they were fam'd for Arts of War or Peace, I shall endeavour to pay them that just duty, which it shall seem to me they deserve: Because I think it altogether fit, that those, who then shared with their Sovereign in his Grand affairs of War or Government, should by no means now be deprived of a Participation with Him in his Glorious Memoires. E∣specially since not a Few are still remaining, derived from those Fa∣mous Ancestors, whose Minds may be more strongly affected with due Incentives of Honour, when they shall understand by what Methods their Forefathers attain'd such Estates or Titles, which They now as wor∣thily enjoy.

It is an old Observation; That Subjects usually conform themselves to their Prince: And here certainly, if ever any Great and Martial Monarch was Lord of any like Himself, We shall find this King to have been so; Many Great and Renowned Heroes and Captains, Bold in At∣tempts, Wise in Conduct, and Fortunate in Success, being Thick al∣most in every Page of this History. Wherein will appear the greatest Variety of Adventures, the most hazardous Enterprises of War, the most exact Counsels and Politick Negotiations, and the most frequent Instances of Courage, Piety, Generosity and Princely Conduct, with

the most Wholsom Laws and Rules of Government, that perhaps the whole World can furnish us withall in so short a Period of Time.

Of which Work I shall say no more, than that if it suffer not for the sake of the Authors Meanness, it is like to Live, and to prove not unpleasing to those, who have any Love or Veneration for England or English Heroes; or who indeed delight either to do Bravely themselves, or to read the Account of Noble Actions faithfully, painfully and ac∣curately recorded to Posterity.

From Emmanuel College, Easter-Monday, i. e. 16 April 1688.