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IMPRINTED AT
LONDON BY _R.B._
_ANNO 1613._
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TO THE HIGH
AND MIGHTIE
PRINCE
_CHARLES_
_Prince of Wales._
MOST _Illustrious_ PRINCE:
Ovr late, too late borne, or too soone _dying Prince, HENRY of famous
memorie, your deceased brother, sent for mee, a few monethes before his
death. And at my second comming to his presence, among some other
speeches, hee complained much of our Histories of England; and that the
English Nation, which is inferiour to none in Honourable actions, should
be surpassed by all, in leauing the memorie of them to posteritie. For
this cause hee blamed the negligence of former ages: as if they were
ignorant of their owne deseruings, as if they esteemed themselues
vnworthie of their worth._
_I answered, that I conceiued these causes hereof; One, that men of
sufficiencie were otherwise employed; either in publicke affaires, or in
wrestling with the world, for maintenance or encrease of their priuate
estates. Another is, for that men might safely write of others in a
tale, but in maner of a History, safely they could not: because, albeit
they should write of men long since dead, and whose posteritie is cleane
worne out; yet some aliue, finding themselues foule in those vices,
which they see obserued, reproued, condemned in others; their
guiltinesse maketh them apt to conceiue, that whatsoeuer the words are,
the finger pointeth onely at them. The last is, for that the Argument of
our English historie hath bene so soiled heretofore by some vnworthie
writers, that men of qualitie may esteeme themselues discredited by
dealing in it._
_And is not this (said he) an errour in vs, to permit euery man to be a
writer of Historie? Is it not an errour to be so curious in other
matters, and so carelesse in this? We make choise of the most skilfull
workemen to draw or carue the portraiture of our faces, and shall euery
artlesse Pensell delineate the disposition of our minds? Our apparell
must be wrought by the best Artificers, and no soile must be suffered to
fall vpon it: and shall our actions, shall our conditions be described
by euery bungling hand? Shall euery filthie finger defile our
reputation? Shall our Honour be basely buried in the drosse of rude and
absurd writings? Wee are carefull to prouide costly Sepulchers, to
preserue our dead liues, to preserue some memorie what wee haue bene:
but there is no monument, either so durable, or so largely extending, or
so liuely and faire, as that which is framed by a fortunate penne; the
memory of the greatest Monuments had long since perished, had it not
bene preserued by this meanes._
_To this I added; that I did alwayes conceiue, that we should make our
reckoning of three sorts of life: the short life of nature, the long
life of fame, and the eternall life of glorie. The life of glorie is so
farre esteemed before the other two, as grace is predominant in vs: the
life of fame before our naturall life is so farre esteemed, as a
generous spirit surmounteth sensualitie; as humane nature ouerruleth
brutish disposition. So farre as the noble nature of man hath dominion
in our minds, so farre do we contemne, either the incommodities, or
dangers, or life of our body, in regard of our reputation and fame. Now
seeing this life of fame is both preserued and enlarged chiefly by
history; there is no man (I suppose) that will either resist, or not
assist, the commendable or at least tolerable writing thereof, but such
as are conscious to themselues, either that no good, or that nothing but
ill, can bee reported of them. In whom notwithstanding it is an errour
to thinke, that any power of the present time, can either extinguish or
obscure the memorie of times succeeding. Posteritie will giue to euery
man his due: Some ages hereafter will affoord those, who will report
vnpartially of all._
_Then he questioned whether I had wrote any part of our English
Historie, other then that which had been published; which at that time
he had in his hands. I answered, that I had wrote of certaine of our
English Kings, by way of a briefe description of their liues: but for
historie, I did principally bend, and binde my selfe to the times
wherein I should liue; in which my owne obseruations might somewhat
direct me: but as well in the one as in the other I had at that time
perfected nothing._
_To this he said; that in regard of the honour of the time, hee liked
well of the last; but for his owne instruction, he more desired the
first: that he desired nothing more then to know the actions of his
Auncestours; because hee did so farre esteeme his descent from them, as
he approached neere them in honourable endeauours. Hereupon, beautifying
his face with a sober smile, he desired mee, that against his returne
from the progresse then at hand, I would perfect somewhat of both sorts
for him, which he promised amply to requite; and was well knowen to be
one who esteemed his word aboue ordinary respects. This stirred in mee,
not onely a will, but power to perfourme; so as engaging my duety farre
aboue the measure either of my leisure or of my strength, I finished the
liues of these three Kings of Norman race, and certaine yeeres of Queene
ELIZABETHS Reigne._
_At his returne from the Progresse to his house at S. Iames, these
pieces were deliuered vnto him; which hee did not onely courteously, but
ioyfully accept. And because this seemed a perfect worke, he expressed a
desire that it should be published. Not long after he died; and with him
died both my endeauours and my hopes. His death, alasse! hath bound the
liues of many vnto death, face to face; being no wayes able, either by
forgetfulnesse to couer their griefe, or to diminish it with
consideration._
_For in trueth he was a Prince of a most Heroical heart: Free from many
vices which sometimes accompanie high estates, full of most amiable and
admirable vertues: of whose perfections the world was not worthy. His
eyes were full of pleasant modestie; his countenance manly beautifull;
in bodie both strongly and delicately made; in behauiour sweetely sober,
which gaue grace to whatsoeuer he did. He was of a discerning wit; and
for the facultie of his mind, of great capacitie and power, accompanied
with equall expedition of will: much foreseeing in his actions, and for
passions a commander of himselfe; and of good strength to resist the
power of prosperitie. In counsaile he was ripe and measured, in
resolution constant, his word euer led by his thought, and followed by
his deede. And albeit hee was but yong and his nature forward and free,
yet his wisedome reduced both to a true temper of moderation; his
desires being neuer aboue his reason, nor his hopes inferiour to his
desires. In a word, hee was the most faire fruit of his Progenitours, an
excellent ornament of the present age, a true mirrour to posteritie:
being so equally both setled to valour, and disposed to goodnesse and
Iustice, as hee expressed not onely tokens, but proofes, both of a
courage, and of a grauitie and industrie right worthie of his estate._
_Glorious Prince, my loue and duety hath caried me further, then happily
is fit for the present purpose: and yet this is but an earnest onely of
my earnest affection and zeale to thy Honour. I shall hereafter haue a
more proper place to display at large, the goodlinesse of thy shape, the
goodnesse of thy nature, the greatnesse of thy minde: all thy
perfections, whereby our affections were much enflamed. And euillworthy
may he be of any happy hopes, who will not adde one blast of his breath,
to make vp the glorious gale of thy fame._
_In the meane time I haue here accomplished his desire in publishing
this worke: More to testifie to the world the height of his heart, then
for any pleasure I haue to set foorth any thing, to the view of these
both captious and vnthankefull times; wherein men will be, not readers
onely, but interpreters, but wresters, but corrupters and deprauers of
that which they reade; wherein men thinke the reproofe of others, to be
the greatest parcell of their owne praise. But how should I expect any
better vsage? The Commentaries of Caesar, neuer disliked before, are
esteemed by Lypsius, a dry saplesse piece of writing. The most famous
Tacitus is tearmed by Alceate, [1]a thicket of thornes; by Budaeus, [2]a
most lewd Writer; by Tertullian, [3]an exceeding lyar; by Orosius, [4]a
flatterer; then which assuredly he is nothing lesse. I will not expect
any better vsage, I will not desire it; I will hereafter esteeme nothing
of any worth, which hath not many to detract from it._
_Whatsoeuer this is, I haue presumed to present it to your Highnesse,
for these causes following: First, for that it receiued this being from
him, who was most dearely esteemed by you; who may be iustly proposed,
as an example of vertue, as a guide to glory and fame. Secondly, for
that the persons of whom it treateth, are those most worthy Ancestors of
yours, who laid the foundation of this English Empire; who were eminent
among all the Princes of their times, and happely for many ages after,
as well in actions of Peace as of Warre. Lastly, for that I esteeme
Histories the fittest subiect for your Highnesse reading: For by
diligent perusing the actes of great men, by considering all the
circumstances of them, by comparing Counsailes and meanes with euents; a
man may seeme to haue liued in all ages, to haue beene present at all
enterprises; to be more strongly confirmed in Iudgement, to haue
attained a greater experience, then the longest life can possibly
affoord._
_But because many errours doe vsually arise, by ignorance of the State
wherein we liue; because it is dangerous to frame rules of Policie out
of Countreys differing from vs, both in nature, and custome of life, and
forme of gouernment; no Histories are so profitable as our owne. In
these your Highnesse may see, the noble disposition and delights of your
Ancestors; what were their sweete walkes, what their pleasant Chases:
how farre they preferred glory, before either pleasure or safetie; how
by the braue behauiour of their sword, they hewed honour out of the
sides of their enemies. In these you may see, the largenesse,
commodities, and strength of this Countrey; the nature of the people,
their wealth, pleasure, exercise and trade of life, and what else is
worthy of obseruation. Generally, by these you may so furnish your
selfe, as not easily to be abused either by weake or deceitfull aduise._
_The Most High preserue and prosper your Highnesse: that as you succeed
many excellent Ancestours in blood, so you may exceed them all in
Honourable atchieuements._
Your Highnesse
most deuoted,
I. HAYWARD.
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