The true order and
methode of writing
and reading hy
storyes. &c.
AN Hystorye
ought to declare
the thynges in
suche order, as
they were done.
And bycause euery
thing hath hys beginning
augmentacion, state, declinacion,
and ende: The writer ought therfore
to tell the things, so as therby
a man may perceiue and discerne,
that which apparteyneth to euery
degree, and that, not onely as touching
the Countrie or Citie: but
also as touching the rule or dominion
thereof. For the beginning,
augmentacion, state, declynacion,
and ende of a Countrie or Citie,
and of the empire thereof, be not
all one, but diuers things.
Foure things would be disparsed
thoroughout the history, that
is to saye, the trade of lyfe, the
publique reuenevves, the force, &
the maner of gouernement. By
knowing what trade of lyfe, the
Countrie or Citie in euery tyme
and season hath vsed, we learne
howe to haue lyke in like times.
Agayne, by knovving the reuenews
and what things haue bene
done therwith, we come to know
vvhat the Countrye or Citie is
able to doe. The force consisteth
in Souldiours, in the maner, of
the militar discipline, in the Nauies,
in Munition, and instruments
of vvarre. And the vvriter
must not forget to shew vvhither
the souldiours be hyred foreners,
or home Souldiours, for lacke
whereof Polibius hath giuen great
cause of woonder vnto thys age,
because all Italie at this present,
is not able to leauie the tenth part
of the number of Souldiours,
which the Romans leauied in his
tyme, enioy
•
ing all that tyme,
neyther Liguria, Lombardie, Romania,
nor Marcapianarite And yet as the
foresayde Polibius vvryteth, they
vvere able to set forth foure score
thousande footemen, and three
score thousand horsemen. And in
their firste vvarres agaynst Carthage,
being only Lords of Italie,
they dyd sende a nauie to the sea
of three hundred and thirtie great
Gallyes, called Quinqueremi, and
novv the Turke for all his greatnesse
is scant able to sende to the
sea, so many small Gallyes.
The vvriter also muste shevve
vvhat kinde of gouernement the
Countrye or Citie had in hir beginning,
augmentation, state, declynation,
and ende. And whither
there vvere any chaunge of
gouernemēt, for vvhat cause, and
hovve the same vvas done, and
vvhat good or euill ensued thereof.
Hystories bee made of deedes
done by a publique vveale, or agaynst
a publique vveale, and
such deedes, be eyther deedes of
vvarre, of peace, or else of sedition
and conspiracie. Agayne, euery
deede, be it priuate, or publique
must needs be done by some person,
for some occasion, in sometyme,
and place, with meanes &
order, and vvith instruments, all
vvhich circumstaunces are not to
be forgotten of the vvriter, and
specially those that haue accompanyed
and brought the deede to
effect Euery deed that man doth,
springeth eyther of some outvvarde
cause, as of force, or fortune,
(vvhich properlye ought
not to be referred to man:) or else
of some invvard cause belonging
to man: of vvhich causes there be
tvvo, that is, reason and appetite.
Of reason springeth counsell and
election, in affaires of the lyfe,
vvhich not being letted, do cause
deedes to ensue. Of appetite doe
spryng, passions of the mynde,
vvhich also doe cause men to attempt
enterprises. Agayne, of
deeds some haue sometimes such
partes as be also deeds, and sometymes
parts that be no deedes.
And bycause that euery deede is
done by some person, for some
cause, in tyme, and place, vvith
meanes and instrumēts: vve vvill
therefore suppose that to be alvvayes
true, as vvell in the principall
deede, as in the meane and
smallest deedes of all. And as the
qualities, offices, and placyng of
the members of a mans body, be
diuers, and yet tende all to one
ende, that is to saye, to the preseruation
of lyfe, and of the vvhole
body: euen so all meaner deedes
ought to be applyed to the accomplyshinge
of the principall
deede. And if there be a principall
deede, vnto the vvhich all other
inferiour deedes ought to be referred
as to their finall ende: there
muste needes be also a principall
doer, vvhome all other inferiour
doers must obeye. Agayne, if
there be a principall dooer, there
is also a principall cause, ruling
all other inferiour causes, and also
a principall time, place, meane,
and instrument. And as deedes
haue outvvardly belonging vnto
them all the foresayd circumstances,
so invvardly they doe comprehende
three speciall thinges,
vvhich doe runne thoroughout
all the circumstaunces from the
beginning to the ending. And
they be these, possibilitie, occasiō,
and successe. VVhich things the
vvriter must declare, euen as they
vvere.
And as touching the dooer, to
be knovvne vvhat he is, and to be
knovvne as chiefe dooer, is tvvo
things, and requireth tvvo maner
of proceedings. For vvee learne
vvhat hee is, and vvhat maner of
man, by knovving hys name,
the name of his family, the countrie
vvhere hee vvas borne and
bredde, and such like things: but
he is knovvne as chiefe doer, by
his povver, skill, and industrie.
For these three things doe bring
to effect the possibilitie, occasion,
and successe, of the deede. For
the povver & ability of the doer,
causeth the thing vvhich is possible,
to be done in deede. Againe,
his skill, causeth him to take occasion
vvhen it is offered, and to
vse the meetest meanes to bring
it to passe. Finally, hys industrie
& earnest follovving of the matter,
bringeth the successe of the
deede to perfection.
Povver consisteth chieflye in
three things, that is, in riches, in
publique auctoritie, and in pryuate
estimacion.
Skyll also consisteth in bodily
force, in the boldnesse of naturall
courage, in the sodayne motions
of affectes, and in the stedfast
habytes of the minde. For
let no man thinke to doe anye
vvoorthie enterprise, or to bring
any notable thing to good effect,
vnlesse he be mooued therevnto
by all or some of the qualities aboue
sayde, vvhich the vvriter
must declare at the full, if he mindeth
that others shoulde receyue
any good by his vvriting. And as
it is not meete that the vvryter
fayle in describing the deede, and
the doer, togither vvith all those
partes vvhereby the deede vvas
brought to effect: Euen so it behooueth
in any vvise that amongest
the reast of the chiefest outvvarde
partes, he consider well
the cause that mooued the doer
to enterprise the deede, & to declare
the same accordingly. And
note here, that by the cause, I
meane the ende. For the matter
vvheron the doer vvorketh, is the
deede of peace, of vvarre, or of
sedicion. And the shape or forme
thereof, is the meanes and maner
of doing, vvhich the doer vseth
therein. And the cause efficient
is the doer himselfe.
Affections also haue a fynall
cause, as the ende of vvrath, is reuenge:
of loue, the fruition of the
thing beloued: and of mercy, the
ende is helpe and comforte.
Novve as touching the tyme,
the vvriter ought to shevve the
very moment as vvell of the beginning
as of the ending of the
deede, to the intent that the reader
may knovve the continuance
of the principall deede, and also
of the inferiour deedes. And for
the better knovvledge of the opportunitie
of affayres: It shalbe
needefull sometyme to note the
daies according as they be eyther
vvhote, or colde, cleare or clovvdye,
drye or moyste, vvindye or
snowye, holy dayes or vvorking
dayes, and vvhither it be in the
morning, at noonetyde, or in the
euening, and likevvise the nights
togither vvith the differences of
the tymes and seasons thereof,
and fynally the very houre. For
as the houre importeth much for
doing of the deed, so it is very necessary
that vve knovv the same.
The place may be eyther generall,
especiall, or particuler, as
England, Norfolke, & Norwich.
The meanes be diuers, for euerye
thing is done eyther secretelye,
or openly, orderly, or vvithoute
order. And hereto appertains
all meanes and vvayes, that
be vsed in gouerning states, in
making lavves, in creating Magistrates,
in deliberating, in iudging,
in appointing places, in prouiding
victuals, in gathering vp
the publike reuenues, and a thousande
such lyke thynges, of all
vvhich things, it behooueth that
the vvriter haue consideracion,
& vvhen neede is, that he declare
the same at large. And in speaking
of conspiracies, he must tell
hovv the conspiratours came togyther,
hovv they got fautours,
and hovv they ended their enterprise,
hovv they vvere chastised,
or hovve perhappes they escaped
free, and such like. And in matters
of vvarre he must shevve in
vvhat sort the same vvas made,
and hovv the Souldiours vvere
leauyed, payd, exercised, and gouerned,
and hovv the hoste vvas
ordered in marching through the
Countries in being incamped, in
skirmuching, in fighting battels,
eyther in playne field, or in place
strongly trenched, or othervvise
fortified, and hovv they passed
Mountaynes, Riuers, and Marrishes,
hovv they conueyed their
cariages, artillerie, and munition,
all vvhich things, are very necessary
to be knovvne, for to auoyd
all euill happes that may hereafter
chaunce in like cases.
Of instruments vvhereby mans
lyfe is mayntayned in tyme of
peace, yea, and also in tyme of
sedition, there be in a maner infinite
kindes: but of such as men
vse in tyme of vvarre, there are
but foure principall, that is, footemen,
horsemen, armour, and nauye,
all vvhich, according to the
diuersitie of tymes and countries
are diuersly vsed. For the Macedonians,
Grecians, Persians,
and Romaynes, dyd vse these
things diuersly in diuers tymes,
and dayly as occasion, tyme, and
place, required: chaunged the
maner of their armour asvvell offensyue,
as defensyue, and vve
doe the like at this present vvherfore
it is necessarye that the vvriter
declare all such particularities
at the full
VVhose lyues ought to
be chronicled.
ALl those persons vvhose
lyues haue beene such as
are to bee follovved for
their excellencie in vertue, or else
to be fledde for their excellencie
in vice, are meete to be chronicled.
And if they vvere publique
personages or gouernours, then
they are to be considered in as
many diuers vvayes, as there be
diuers kindes of gouernement.
VVhereof according to Aristotle,
there be sixe, that is, a kingdome,
a Tyriannye, the rule of many
good men, the rule of few, mightye
in povver: a common welth,
and the rule of the base sorte of
people, for euery one of these gouernements
hath his excellencie
proper to himselfe, & diuers one
from an other.
It is meete that the lyues of
Princes should bee chronicled
that it may appeare hovv things
vvere gouerned vnder euerye
kinde of Prince, vvere he good
or bad.
To gouernement belong tvvo
ciuill vertues, Prudence, and Iustice,
and tvvo mylitar vertues,
that is, prudence, and fortitude.
And vvhosoeuer by meanes of
the tvvo mylitar vertues hath
done any notable actes, good, or
euill, is meete to be chronicled:
but the tvvo ciuill vertues are othervvise
to be considered of. For
iniustice the contrarie vice to iustice
if it be open and manifest, it
is of small force in ciuill actions,
and the greater it is, the lesse povver
it hath to hurt. Againe, on
the other side, mere iustice without
prudence and fortitude, doth
fevve things vvorthie of memorie,
but if both the ciuill and mylitar
vertues be ioyned togither,
they bee of great force, and doe
bring to passe vvorks of excellencie,
& vvorthie of fame and memorie,
and they may be mixt or
compounded three manner of
vvayes, for eyther they are both
in the person of vvhome the hystorie
is made, or else in the gouernement
of the citie or cōmon
vvealth, or else the one in the
one, and the other in the other.
Amongst the ciuill sort are to be
reckened Princes and Lordes of
states, as Kings and Tirants, and
also the Magistrats of common
vveales. And as touching the
vvarryours they be of tvvo sorts
for eyther they bee home Souldiours,
bredde and borne in the
same countrye, or else forryners
that serue for hyer.
In vvriting the lyfe of anye
man, you ought first to shevv his
proper name, the name of his familie,
and of vvhat countrye he
is, and then to declare his actes
and deedes. And vvhatsoeuer enterprise
any man taketh in hand,
he doth it being mooued and prouoked
therevnto, eyther by some
outvvarde principle, or by some
invvarde principle, if outvvarde,
it is eyther by destinie, by force,
or by fortune, if invvarde, then
it is eyther by nature, by affection,
or by choyse and election,
and such electiō springeth eyther
of nature, or of some passion of
the minde, of custome, or else of
the discourse of reason.
The acts vvhich vve doe, being
forced by outvvarde occasion, deserue
neyther blame nor prayse,
neyther are they to be follovved
or fled sith they proceede not of
our ovvne courage or covvardlynesse.
And therefore it shall suffice
to make mention of these,
so farre as they may eyther further
or hinder those actions that
spring of invvarde causes, vvhich
actions are most vvorthye to bee
vvritten. I meane those actes
vvhich the person of whom you
vvrite, dyd himselfe, and not the
actes of his Auncetours, or that
vvere done parhaps in his tyme,
hee deseruing to haue no parte
thereof: neyther are all his actes
to be vvritten, but those onely
vvhich are notable and may serue
to some good example.
And as touching the invvarde
causes: I meane here, by nature,
that inclynacion vvhich a man
hath from his cradle & by affections:
I meane certayne liuelye
motions, as anger, loue, hatred
put in execution. For so they
bring foorth actions, eyther by
sodain motions vvithout electiō,
or else by some passion bred by
custome, and growne to hab te.
Some agayne doe spring of bare
and simple discourse, accompanyed
neither vvith passion or custome.
And some doe spring of
discourse accustomed, eyther to
vice or vertue. And therefore the
vvriter in tellyng the actes and
deeds, ought to shew of which of
these causes aboue sayde suche
actes proceeded, & specially those
that vvere done vvith choyse and
election.
And to doe this vvell he ought
to consider, that though the discourse
and affectiō from whence
the action springeth, proceedeth
for the most parte of nature: yet
they be somtimes greatly increased
and augmented, by other
things that are not naturall▪ as by
the educatiō and nurture vvhich
man hath frō his tender yeres, or
by the studies & exercises hereto
he is giuen in his ripe age. And
these two things do vvorke three
effectes. First they do confirme a
man in that vvherein hee hath
bene trained, exercised & brought
vp. Secondly, they frame his affections
therevnto: And finally
they breede by custome suche a
perfect habite in the minde, as
being once gotten, is vvorthie
eyther of prayse or disprayse.
To bring therefore into a briefe
summe those things vvhich are
chiefly to bee considered by the
vvryter, vvho hath to chronicle
any mans life: I saye that they
be these. The name of the man,
his familie, his parentes, and his
Countrye, and also his destinie,
fortune, and force or necessitie,
(if they seeme manifestly to appertayne
to the action) his nature,
affections, and election,
proceeding eyther of vvisedome,
passion, or custome, his education,
exercises, deedes, and speaches,
and also the age, and time,
vvherein euery notable acte was
done, and the qualities of his bodye,
vvhither they vvere signes
and tokens of his mynde, or else
helps to the actions. And as the
vvriter is bounde to shevv the educatiō
of the person chronicled,
and those exercises, and studyes,
vvhereby hee hath formed hys
maners: so also he is bounde to
tell euery deede, vvorde, signe, or
token, that maye signifie eyther
his maners, his nature, his affections,
thoughts, or any maner of
motion of the mynde.
For, sith that the minde is the
fountayne and father of all actions,
it behooueth vs to knovv
that, as perfectly as is possible, to
the intēt that in measuring therby
his deeds, and speaches, both
profitable and hurtfull, vve may
be able to iudge of their goodnesse
or naughtinesse, both by
that, vvhich is honest or dishonest,
profitable, or hurtfull in
deede, and also by the apparance
thereof.
And sith that to profite others
vvee obserue in mans lyfe none
other thing but deeds & speaches:
It is needefull not onely to consider
the thinges that go before,
vvhich vve haue heretofore rehearsed:
but also those things,
vvhich of necessitie doe accompany
such deeds or speaches, that
is to save the doer, the causes,
the tyme, the place, the meane,
and instrumentes and such lyke,
in such sort as, the vvriter in duelye
obseruing these circumstances,
may set foorth a true and lyuelye
Image of both lyfe and
man, whereof he maketh his hystorie.
VVhat Profite hysto
ries
doe yeelde.
EVery Citie or Countrye
standeth vpon three principall
pyonts, vnto one of
vvhich all publique actions doe
appertaine, that is, peace, sedition,
and vvarre, & the first is the ende
of the tvvo last▪ in the vvhich
ende, the happinesse of our lyfe
cōsisteth and the accomplishment
of three desires, vvhich we naturally
haue first to lyue, secondly
to lyue contentedly, or blessedly,
and thyrdly, to lyue alvvayes in
that happinesse, so far as is possible
to mans nature, vvhich three
things the latt
•
ns doe briefly vtter
in this sort Esse, benè esse, & semper esse.
And as touching peace, first it
is meete to knovve the vvay vnto
it. And then to follovve that
vvaye that vve maye attayne it.
And by this vvord peace, I meane
not onely that vvhich consisteth
in outvvarde actions, but also inwardly
in the mind. For, the outward
peace (thanks be vnto God,
& to our most gracious Queene
vvith hir honourable Counsell,)
vve do quietly enioy here in Englande
at this present, and haue
done manye yeares: But the invvarde
peace of the heart, and
mynde, hovv small it is, God
knovveth best.
The vvay to come to that peace
vvherof I speake, is partly taught
by the Philosophers in generall
precepts and rules, but the Historiographers
doe teache it much
more playnlye by perticular examples
and experiences, and speciallye
if they be vvritten vvith
that order, diligence, and iudgement,
that they ought to be.
And as the true peace standeth
chiefly vppon the contentment
of the mindes of the Citizins, as
vpon hir proper foundacion: euen
so that cōtentment is grounded
vpon the ciuill discipline, education
laws, offices and duties,
of euery order and companye in
the Citie. And such peace is broken
eyther by some invvarde cō
motion,
or else by outvvarde
vvarre. If by invvarde sturre:
then the cause thereof is sometime
the lacke of things necessarie
for the maintenaunce of lyfe,
as of foode, apparell, and habitacion,
or dvvelling, vvherevvith
those that are pinched, doe ryse
eyther agaynst they owne Citizens,
that doe abounde and haue
plentie, or else against theyr neighbours,
and borderers. And
somtime the cause of such sturre
may be for that they be not suffered
to participate of the honors
and dignities of the Citie, or cō
mon
vveale. And sometyme
they rise for excessiue tributes,
& paymēts leauied by the chiefe
heads. Agayne, sometime for iniuries
and vvrongs done by one
to another, all vvhich occasions
being taken avvay, the peace is
easilye preserued, vnto vvhiche
ende, all good lavves, orders &
decrees, ought to tende, so as a
man may rightly say, that peace
vvholy consisteth in lavves vvell
made and vvell kept.
And as for outvvard vvarre to
be offered by the straunger, it is
eyther open, or by the waye of
treason. The vvaye to be preserued
from treason, consisteth in
hauing good espyall, and true
intelligence in vvell revvarding
the discouerers of the treason, &
in sharpely punishing the Traytours.
Open vvarre is eyther made
to defende, or to offende, vvhich
vvee ought alvvayes to flee, vnlesse
in not beginning it one way,
wee shoulde be forced to begin
it a nother waye to our disaduauntage.
Agayne, in open vvarre vve
haue to deale eyther vvith those
that be stronger, or those that be
weaker then our selues, or else
that be of equall power & force,
to our selues. The weaker we
neede not to feare, nor yet greatlye
our equalls, vnlesse some other
accidente chaunce. Wherefore
we haue chiefelye to withstande
those that are more mightie
than vve be. Against whome
we haue to worke so as eyther
they may not assayle vs, or else
in assailing vs, that they may not
hurte vs. The first is to be done
eyther by loue, or by feare: by
loue, as when we procure peace,
by payeing some trybute, and
by acknovvledging their superioritie,
in receyuing such impositions
as they vvill laye vpon
vs, or by appeasing them vvyth
pleasures, vvith guyftes, and revvardes,
or with graunting traffique
and trade of marchaundise,
by marriage, and such like.
We shall driue them from assayling
vs by feare, in preparing
or in seeming to haue prepared
all thinges necessary as well to
offende, as to defende.
Againe if the enimie do assayle
vs, he will eyther beate and waste
our frontires, or else enter into
the mayne lande. Against both
vvhich daungers it shal be needefull
to make the frōtires strong,
and to fournish them vvell with
men, and Munition, so as he
shall not be able to enter at all,
or at the least in entring he shall
haue small assuraunce of himselfe,
leauing his enimies behinde
at his backe. And being entered
we haue to vvithstande him two
vvays, that is, eyther by famine,
or by fraude, otherwise called
wily pollicie, for by force we can
not, hauing all ready presupposed
his force to be greater than ours.
The action of vvarre consisteth
in three principall points, that is,
in lodging or incamping, in marching,
and in fighting.
To incamping do belong foure
considerations, that is, that the
place be commodious for vvater,
for victuall, for safetie, and for
health.
In marching vve haue to passe
eyther through our ovvne countrie,
or through a straunge countrie,
the inhabitants whereof are
eyther our friendes, our foes, or
suspecte, yea, and sometime perhappes
hauing our enimyes at
our backes.
Of fighting, there be also three
kindes, that is, skirmuching, a pitched
fielde, or the assaulting of
some fortified place, be it campe,
or tovvne: which also are woont
to be defended by some, or by all
of these three vvayes, that is, eyther
by nature, by art, or by force
of men. And as all other things
that haue a beginning haue an
ende, so likevvise hath warre. For
by one of these foure meanes all
vvarres for the most part are ended,
eyther by victorie, by great
ouerthrovve, by accorde and agreement,
or else by pouertye
and for lacke of povver & force,
chauncing eyther to the one side,
or to both, and so at length warre
resorteth againe to peace, as to his
finall ende.
Novve as touching sedition, it
is alvvayes mooued eyther by
the inferiour sorte, vvhich seeke
to be made equall to their superiours,
or else by those that being
equall, vvoulde be superiour to
the reast: vvhich sedition is to
bee suppressed, eyther by fayre
meanes, or by fovvle meanes,
by gentlenesse, or by sharpnesse,
as vvhen the faultours, and first
beginners thereof, are sharplye
punished, eyther by the Magistrates
according to lavve, or else
by the force of the other Citizens.
Agayne such sedition may
be appeased by gentilenesse tvvo
maner of vvayes, that is, eyther
by the authoritie of some graue
personage, that is beloued, and
had in admiration amongest the
people, or else by graūting them
the things vvhich were the cause
of their rising.
These be the three generall actions
of any Citie, Prince, or
common vveale, and be deuided
into many particuler parts, which
vve ought diligently to obserue
in histories vvith such consideracion,
as vve may learne thereby,
hovv one selfe effect springeth of
one selfe cause, and hovv the cō
trarie
proceedeth of his contrary.
And the like of his like, for the
diuersitie of things being a thing
infinite, can not be obserued.
Of the dutye and office of
hystoriographers, and what or
der
and disposition in writing
hystories, they ought
to vse.
OF those that make anye
thyng, some doe make
much of nothing, as God
dyd in creating the Worlde of
naught, and as Poets in some respect
also doe, vvhilest they faine
fables and make thereof theyr
poesies, and poeticall Hystories:
some agayne of more doe make
lesse, as keruers & grauers of Images,
and other such like artificers,
some of little doe make much, &
of muche little, as the Oratours
vvhylest sometyme they extoll
small things, & sometime abase
great thinges. And some doe
make of so much asmuch, as true
Philosophers and Hystoriographers,
vvhose office is to tell
things as they vvere done vvithout
either augmenting or diminishing
them, or svvaruing one
iote from the truth. VVhereby it
appeareth that the hystoriographers
ought not to fayne anye
Orations nor any other thing,
but truely to reporte euery such
speach, and deede, euen as it vvas
spoken, or done.
In hystories things vvoulde be
disposed according to their owne
proper nature, and therefore sith
in euery action there must needs
be a dooer, or vvorker, the hystorie
muste first make mention of
hym, and then shevve the cause
that mooued him to doe, to what
intent and ende, in vvhat place,
and vvith vvhat meanes and instruments.
And bycause tyme
doth accompany all maner of actions,
and euery action hath his
proper and peculier tyme, the
vvriter must giue to euery action
his devve time accordingly.
And if the deede or action be
compounded of dyuers partes,
vvhich be also actions, the like
order is to be obserued in euery
such part as ought to be kept in
one simple action, and specially
vvhen the parts follovve one after
another. But if many actions
appertayning as partes to one
selfe ende, shalbe done in one selfe
tyme, sith it is vnpossible to tell
them all at once, they muste
needs be tolde one after another.
And synce they may be declared
eyther broken by peece meale,
or else whole togither, it is best
to tell them vvhole, noting in
euerye one the tyme, vvherein
such deede vvas done. For to tell
them othervvise vvoulde breede
both darcknesse and tediousnesse
to the reader.
If many actions are to be vvritten
vvhich do belong to one selfe
ende, and are some vvay lynked
togither one vvith an other, the
vvriter ought first to bring one
alone to such termes & bounds,
as vvithout feare of causing anye
darckenesse or troubling the readers
memorie, he may fitly staye
there, vntill he hath brought euery
one of the other actions to
the like tearmes, and then begin
againe vvith the first, proceeding
so orderly from one to an other,
vntill he hath made an ende of
all. But hauing to tell diuers
actes not tending to one self end,
then vvho doubteth, but that he
ought to tell euery acte entyer as
it is, euen from the beginning to
the ending. Thus much touching
the order of vvriting Hystories.
VVhat order and me
thode
is to be obserued in
reading hystories.
WHo so is desirous to know
hovve hystories are to bee
readde, had neede first to
knovve the endes and purposes
for vvhich they are vvritten.
VVhereof though there be diuers
as some to vvinne fame to
the vvriter and some to delighte
the readers eares that reade only
to passe avvay the time and such
like: yet in my opinion there
are but three chiefe & principall.
First that vve may learne thereby
to acknovvledge the prouidence
of God, vvherby all things
are gouerned and directed. Secondly,
that by the examples of
the vvise, vve maye learne vvisedome
vvysely to behaue our selues
in all our actions, as vvell
priuate as publique, both in time
of peace and vvarre.
Thirdly, that vve maye be stirred
by example of the good to
follovve the good, and by example
of the euill to flee the euill.
As touching the prouidence of
God, vve haue to note for what
causes and by vvhat meanes hee
ouerthrovveth one kingdome &
setteth vp an other. For though
things many times doe succeede
according to the discourse of mās
reason: yet mans vvisedome is
oftentymes greatlye deceyued.
And vvith those accedēts which
mans vvisedome reiecteth and
little regardeth: God by his prouidence
vseth, vvhen he thinketh
good, to vvorke marueylous effects.
And though he suffreth the
vvicked for the most part to liue
in prosperitie▪ and the good in
aduersitie: yet vve maye see by
many notable examples, declaring
asvvell his vvrath, and reuenge
tovvardes the vvicked, as
also his pittie and clemencie tovvardes
the good, that nothing
is done by chaunce, but all things
by his foresight, counsell, and diuine
prouidence.
Humane vvisdome hath three
principall partes, the first vvhereof
teacheth vs rightlye to iudge
of all thinges, vvhat is to be desired,
and vvhat is to be fled. The
seconde, hovve and by vvhat
meanes vve may best attayne to
the things which vve desire. The
thirde teacheth vs to take occasiō
vvhen it is offered and to foresee
all peril that may hap. And the
first part requireth tvvo consideracions.
First to knovve by the
examples of others, vvhyther
those thinges vvhich vve desire
and seeme to vs good, be good
in deede or not: and secondlye
vvhat the obtayning therof vvill
cost. For manye tymes those
things vvhich seeme good, haue
bene cause of great euil, as riches▪
honour, and greatnesse, vvhich
euill proceedeth either of the nature
of the things themselues, or
by euill vsing the same, as for example,
by theyr ovvne nature,
honour, and greatnesse, causeth
enuie. And riches sometyme
causeth both enuie, murder, and
robberie. Againe, riches by euill
vsing them, doe cause the
ovvner manye times to be disdaynfull,
prowde, arrogant, & to
leade a dissolute lyfe, hating all
vertuous exercises. Contraryvvise,
those thinges that seeme euill
are manye tymes causes of
great good, partly by their owne
nature, and partly for being vvell
employed, and turned to good
vse. As pouertie of hir ovvne nature
maketh a man industrious.
Agayne, if a man bee defamed or
slaundered by hys foes, hee taketh
occasion thereby, to correct
his ovvne faulte, and so turneth
theyr slaunder to his great
gayne and commoditie. The other
consideracion of the fyrst
parte of humane vvisedome, is as
I sayde before, to consider hovve
much the thing vvhich vve desire
vvill cost. For the cost maye
be such as vve vvere better to be
vvithout our desire, than to haue
it. And therefore in valueing
this cost, vvee haue to consider
our labour, and traueyle, our expenses,
and losse of tyme, also
vvhat perilles, displeasures and
griefes myght chaunce vnto vs
by hauing it, and vvhat commodities
vve may enioye in being
vvithout it. Againe, to vvay the
certaintie of the euills vvheron
vve venter, and the incertayntie
of obtayning the good vvhich
vve seeke, vvhich is made manifest
vnto vs by the examples of
many vvhich haue long sought,
deare bought, and yet obtayned
naught. Moreouer, it shall be
needefull to compare the long
time of our traueyle, and great
charges, vvith the short tyme of
enioying the thing vvhich vvee
are to obtayne. It importeth also
not a little to remember that
many tymes, things doe seeme
vnto vs more precious and more
goodly vvhy lest vve seeke them,
than vvhen we haue gotten thē.
And in seeking them by vnlavvfull
meanes, vvee haue to note
what reuenge God is vvoont to
take of such doinges, and hovve
short a tyme & vvith what trouble,
hee suffereth vs to enioye
them. So cōtraryvvise, vve haue
to note vvith hovv small trauell,
and vvith hovv little charges, a
most great good benefite, is many
tymes obtayned. As touching
the second part of humane wisedome,
sith some easily, and some
hardlye, doe attayne the thing
vvhich they seeke. It is needefull
in reading Hystories, to obserue
vvell euery thing that hath bene
done, by vvhom, to vvhat ende,
and vvhat meanes vvere vsed for
the accomplishment thereof, and
vvhyther suche endes by suche
meanes, are alvvayes, or for the
most part, or seldome or neuer
obtayned, and vvhither all men
dyd vse therein lyke meanes or
diuers, & if diuers, vvhich tooke
effecte, and vvhich did not, and
vvhat maner of thinges those be,
vvithout the vvhich, the ende
cannot be obtayned. And by
vvhat accidents the same is hindered,
and vvhich are vvoont to
chaunce often, and vvhich more
seldome, also vvhich may be forseene
and vvhich cannot. And of
euery meane vve haue to consider
all the qualities and circumstaunces
that make to the purpose,
& from vvhence euery one
sprange, vvhither of industrie or
of chaunce. In the obseruing of
meanes to attayne the ende, it is
meete to marke vvell the order
of those meanes, and hovve they
are linked togither, vvhich order
may proceede three maner of
vvaies, that is, eyther in beginning
vvyth the verye first thing
that tendeth to any ende, and so
forvvarde from one thing to an
other, vntil you come to the last,
or else contraryvvise in beginning
vvith the last meane, next
to the ende, and so backevvarde
from meane to meane vntill you
come to the first, or leauing both
these vvaies, you maye take the
thirde, which is to deuide all the
meanes into their general kinds,
and to consider of all the meanes
contayned in euery kinde, apart
by themselues, of all which three
vvayes, lo here the examples in
one selfe matter of vvarre, had
vvith some forraine Nation.
VVherin if you do first note the
establishment of truce, and peace
vvith your mightie neighbours,
& vvith those that might harme
you at home, and then the prouision
of mony and of armour,
the choise of chiefetaines, the leauiyng
of souldiours, the order of
their gouernement in marching,
in incamping, and in fighting,
and so forth from one meane to
an other, euen to the victorie,
you shall follovv the first order,
but if you begin at the victorie,
and cōsider the next causes thereof,
as to haue fought vvith more
valiauntnesse, or vvyth greater
force, or vvith more aduauntage
eyther of place, time, or occasion,
& then vvhat vvas the cause or
causes of that, & vvhereof euery
thing proceeded, returning still
backevvard, euen to those things
vvhich in the first order vvere
first to be considered: you shall
obserue the seconde order. But if
you examine euery thing by it
selfe as the establishing of peace,
and cōfirmacion of leagues, and
truces with neighbours, the prouision
of mony, men, & Munition,
the order of Marching, incamping,
and fighting, and so all
the reast of the meanes reducing
euery thing to his generall kind
without obseruing vvhat vvas
first or last done, (so as you comprehende
in youre diuision nothing,
but those meanes that appertayne
to the obtayning of the
victorie,) then you shall obserue
the thirde order. The first order
properly belongeth to him that
laboureth to come to some ende
and is meete for the first reading
of any Hystorie, sith all thinges
are vvoont to be tolde in suche
order as they were done. The seconde
order is very necessary to
iudge of euerye thing, vvhat is
vvell or euill done and to consider
better aftervvarde of those
thinges, vvhich vvere not easye
to be well cōsidered of at the first.
Also vvhen a thing vvas not to
be obtayned by one meane, vvhither
it might be obtayned by an
other meane or not, and vvhere
want is, what meane vvere most
mete to supply eche others place.
But if so much knovvledge were
not to bee gathered oute of that
tale, or Hystorie, then to cōsider
by vvhat meanes the lyke ende
had bene obtayned else vvhere.
VVherby you shall see, that one
hath brought a thing to passe by
one meane vvhiche an other
coulde not doe the like by an other
meane.
In vsing this consideration in
many like causes & declaratiōs:
you shalbe able quicklye to discerne
vvhich meanes bee good
and vvhich be not, to bring anye
thing to passe. The third order is
good for him that hath obserued
the tvvo first orders, to reduce all
things in to a briefe summe, that
he may the more easily commit
them to memorie, or vvhen he
hath, to put any thing in execution
as to make diuers prouisiōs,
or to distribute to diuers persons
diuers charges and offices. But
vvho so euer doth consider and
examine euerye thing, that is
of any moment or importance by
all these three orders aforesayde:
cannot choose but reape of his labour
great benefite. And bycause
vve finde manye tymes, that like
meanes haue bene vsed to the obtayning
of like endes, (as vve suppose)
& yet not vvith like successe,
we ought therfore diligently to cō
sider
the diuers natures of thinges,
and the differences of tymes, and
occasions, and such like accidents,
to see if vve can possibly finde out
the cause why mens purposes haue
taken effect at one time, and not at
an other. And by noting all that
hath bene sayde, touching the nature
and propertie of anye thing▪
vve shall learne vvhich accidentes
are vvoont to accompanie togither
and vvhich not. Thus much touching
the first and seconde part of
humaine vvisedome.
Novv to the thirde part, vvherby
we are taught not only to note the
taking and leauing of all occasions
and opportunities, vvhereby anye
good hath bene procured: but also
all the daungers of euills, that eyther
in tyme haue beene vvyselye
foreseene, and fled: or into vvhich
for lacke of foresight, men haue
headlong fallen, hauing therein regarde
to euery mannes state, condicion,
facultie, profession, and other
such like circumstaunces, to
the intent that vve our selues may
learne thereby to doe nothing vnaduisedly.
And as the examples of
prosperous successes, vvhich God
hath gyuen as iuste revvardes to
those, that vvoorke according to
vertue: the great good will and
loue that all men haue tovvardes
them: their fame, glorie, & praise,
sounding in all mens mouthes, and
finally their immortalitie in being
chronycled for their noble actes, do
chiefely serue, to sturre vs, to verteous,
honest, and commendable
doinges: Euen so, nothing is more
meete to dravve vs from vice, and
dishonest dealing, than the examples
of euill successes, vvhich God
hath giuen to the vvicked, as punishments
for theyr euill deserts:
their shame & infamie: the hatred
& enmitie, that they procure
to themselues, not onelye vvhilest
they lyue, but also after their
death: the Infamie which they
leaue to their familye, posteritie, &
countrie, vvhose secrete wycked
deeds, are layde open to the world
by vvritten Hystorie, in such sort,
as men vvill not for shame once
name those persons, vvhiche in
their life time, woulde be honored
as Gods. Moreouer, to this thirde
part doe appertayne, all the great
labours, expenses, and perils, that
noble minded men haue sustained,
eyther in following that vvhich is
good and commendable, or in fleeing
that vvhich is euill, & detestable.
And to the intent that in our
reading vve omitte nothing vvorthie
to be noted: vve maye not
make ouer much haste, but rather
reade ley surely and vvith Iudgement,
that remembring euerye
thing meete to be obserued: vvee
may fitly applie the same to some
good purpose, and make it to serue
our tourne, vvhen neede is. And
though vve seeke by reading Hystories,
to make our selues more
wyse, asvvell to direct our ovvne
actions, as also to counsell others,
to sturre them to vertue, and to
vvithdravve them from vice, and
to beautyfie our ovvne speache
vvith graue examples, vvhen vve
discourse of anye matters, that
therby it may haue the more aucthoritie,
waight, and credite: yet
there is some difference of consideracion
to be had, when by examples
wee mynde to profite oure
selues, & when vve minde to profite
others. For manye tymes a
thing of small importaunce, maye
eyther quicken, or confirme in our
selues a part of vvisedome of great
importaunce, but in counselling others
(if wee woulde haue our
woordes to be of force and efficacie)
vve muste vse those examples
that be of waight and importance.
And therefore vvhen we finde any
such in our reading, vve must not
onely consider of them, but also
note them apart by themselues in
such order, as we may easily finde
them, when soeuer we shall haue
neede to vse them. And the order
of such examples, would not be altogither
according to the names of
the persons, from vvhence they are
takē, which order some writers do
commonlye vse in the tables of
theyr bookes, but rather according
to the matters & purposes vvhereto
they serue. Neyther is it sufficient
in this behalfe, to haue onely
common places of vertues and vices,
or of thinges commendable,
and not commendable, but other
places also besydes them, meete to
be applyed to euerye one of those
partes of obseruacion, vvhiche
vvee seeke, vvhich places are to
be founde, ordered, and disposed,
not before vvee begin to reade,
but whylest wee continue in reading,
and in obseruing all kynde
of matters euery day vvith better
iudgement than other. And by
considering vnder what title euery
example is to be placed (for the
ready finding thereof) vvee shall
greatlye helpe our memorie. But
novve to conclude, as he that maketh
these obseruaciōs in reading
Hystories, shall reape, in my opinion
that fruite which is proper,
to that kynde of studye, and bee
able therby greatly to profite both
himselfe, and his commō vvealth:
So I can not tell vvhyther I may
deryde, or rather pittie the great
follie of those vvhich hauing consumed
all theyr lyfe tyme in hystories,
doe knovv nothing in the
ende, but the discents, genealoges,
and petygrees, of noble men, and
vvhen such a King or Emperour
raigned, & such lyke stuffe, vvhich
knovvledge though it be necessarie
and meete to be obserued, yet it
is not to be cōpared to the knovvledge,
that is, gotten by such obseruacions
as vve require, & be of
greater importaunce: to the obtayning
vvhereof, I vvish all readers
of Hystories, to employe
theyr chiefest
studye, care, &
diligence.
FINIS.