confideration or worth, in fort that the fupply must be out of the freshness of memory and tradition, and out of the acts, inftruments, and negotiations of State themselves, together with the glances of foreign hiftories; which, though I do acknowledge to be the best, original, and inftructive out of which to write an Hiftory, yet the travail muft be much greater than if there had been already digested any tolerable chronicle as a fimple narrative of the actions themfelves, which should only have needed out of the former helps to be enriched with the counfels, and the fpeeches, and notable particularities. And this was the reason why I might not attempt to go higher to more ancient times, because thefe helps and grounds did more and more fail; although if I be not deceived I may truly affirm that there have no times paffed over in this nation which have produced greater actions, nor more worthy to be delivered to the ages hereafter. (Advancement of Learning.)

FOUR ENGLISH REIGNS.

They be not the great wars and conquefts (which many times are the works of Fortune, and fall not in barbarous times), the rehearsal whereof maketh the profitable and inftructive History; but rather times refined in policies and industries, new and rare variety of accidents and alterations, equal and just encounters of State and State in forces, and of prince and prince in fufficiency, that bring upon the ftage the best facts for obfervation. Then, if you look into the general natures of the times (which I have undertaken*) throughout Europe, whereof the times of this nation muft needs participate, you fhall find more knowledge in the world than was in the ages before, whereby the acts of men (which are the fhops wherein all actions are forged) are more furnished and improved. Then, if you fhall restrain your confideration to the ftate of this monarchy, firft there will occur unto you changes rare, and altogether un

Viz., Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary ('bloody'), part of Queen Elizabeth.

known to antiquity, in matters of religion and the State ecclefiaftical. Then to behold the feveral reigns, of a king first, or next the first, become abfolute in the fovereignty; of a king in minority; of a queen married to a foreigner; and laftly of a queen that hath governed without the help either of a marriage or of any mighty man of her blood is no small variety in the affairs of a monarchy, but fuch as, perhaps, in four fucceffions in any State at any time is hardly to be found. Befides,

there has not wanted examples within the compass of the fame time, neither of an ufurpation, nor of rebellions with heads of greatnefs, nor of commotions merely popular, nor of fundry desperate confpiracies (an unwonted thing in hereditary monarchies), nor of foreign wars of all forts; invasion, repulfion of invafion, open and declared, covered and underhand, by fea, by land, Scottish, French, Spanish, fuccours, protections, new and extraordinary kinds of confederacies with fubjects. Generally without question the State of this nation never had a larger reach to import the univerfal affairs of Europe; as that

which was in the former part of the time the counterpoife between France and Spain, and in the latter the only encounter and oppofition against Spain. Add hereunto the new discoveries and navigations abroad, the new provifions of laws and precedents of State at home, and the accidents memorable both of State and of Court; and there will be no doubt but the times which I have chofen are of all times of this nation the fittest to be registered; if it be not in this respect, that they be of too fresh memory; which point I know very well will be a prejudice, as if this story were written in favour of the time prefent. But it should suffice unto me, without betraying mine own name and meaning or the liberty of a Hiftory, to procure this commendation to the time with pofterity, namely, that a private man living in the fame time should not doubt to publish an hiftory of the time which fhould not carry any show or tafte at all of flattery; a point rather for an infallible demonstration of a good time. (Ibid.)

HENRY VII.

This king attained unto the crown, not only from a private fortune, which might endow him with moderation, but alfo from the fortune of an exiled man, which had quickened in him all feeds of character and induftry. His times were rather profperous than calm, for he was affailed with many troubles, which he overcame happily; a matter that did no lefs fet forth his wisdom than his fortune; and yet fuch a wisdom as feemed rather a dexterity to deliver himself from dangers when they preffed him, than any deep forefight to prevent them afar off. Jealous he was over the greatness of his Nobility, as remembering how himself was fet up. And much more did this humour increase in him after he had conflicted with fuch idols and counterfeits as were Lambert Symnell and Perkin Warbeck; the strangeness of which dangers made him think nothing fafe. Whereby he was forced to defcend to the employment of fecret efpials and fuborned conspirators, a neceffary remedy against so dark and fubtle practices; and not to