had not fell to ciuill discention, the one had not beene slaine in the senate with daggers, nor the other abroade, by their Justinus frendes procurement. If Cyrus had beene pleased with all Persia, and Media, and not thirsted for bloud, hee had neuer com to so infortunate a fall. So if Hanniball had not so much

lib. 1. Plutar

chus. delited in glorye of warfare, his coutrey had neyther fell in Polibius. ruine, nor hee bene miserably forced to poyson himselfe. But

Liuius.

Arist.

Cicero.

Prudence,

7

you will say, desire of fame, glorye, renowne, and immortalitie (to which all men well nighe by nature are inclined, especially those which excell or haue any singuler gift of fortune or the body) moued them to such daungerous, great, and hardy enterprises, which must needes be confessed as an infallible veritie: and therefore I suerly deeme those Princes aboue specified (cosidering their fortunes, fame, and exploytes) had neuer come to suche ende, but for wante of temperance. And now3 sithe there are three other Cardinall vertues which are requisite in him that should bee in authoritye: that is to saye, Prudence, lustice, and Fortitude, which so wonderfully adorne and beautifie all estates (If Temperaunce bee with them adioyned, that they moue the very enemies with admiration to prayse them) some peraduenture (as affection leades) will commende one, some another: as? Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers names Prudence, the mother of vertues, but Cicero defines her the knowledge of things which ought to bee desired and followed, and also of them which ought to bee fled and eschewed; yet you shall finde that for want of Temperaunce, some which were couted very wise fell into wonderfull reproche and infamy. But Iustice that incomparable vertue, (as the auncient Ciuilians define her) is a perpetuall and constant will

3 Of. ib.

4 Of. ib.

5 Which must I needs be confesse. ib. Veritie: [but for so much as the above named virtue by Plotinus his judgement hath such excellent properties it is so fit in a Magistrate, that] I surely &c. ib.

Yea and though. ib.

Those whiche were counted the wisest that ever were. ib. 2 Yea and though. ib.

* Be. ib.

The Epistle Dedicatorie.

5

tude.

ance.

which giueth to euery man his right, yet if shee be not constant, which is the gifte of Fortitude; nor equal in discerning right from wrong, wherein is Prudence; nor vse proportion in iudgement and sentence, which pertayneth to Temperaunce: shee can neuer bee called equitie or iustice, but fraude, deceite, iniustice and iniurie. And, to speake of Fortitude, which FortiCicero defineth, a cōsyderate vndertaking of perills, and en- Cicero. during of labours; if he whome wee suppose stoute, valiaunt, and of good courage, want Prudence, lustice, or Temperaunce, he is not couted wise, righteous and constant, but sottish, rude and desperate. For Temperaunce (sayth Cicero) is Cicero. of reason in lust and other euel assaultes of the minde, a suer Temperand moderate dominion & rule. This noble vertue is deuided into three partes, that is Cōtinency, Clemencie, and Modestye, which well obserued and kept (if grace bee to them adioyned) it is impossible for him that is endued with the aboue named vertues euer to fall into the infortunate snares of calamity, or misfortune. But Ambition which is immoderate desire of honour, rule, dominion, and superioritie, (the very distruction of nobility and common weales, as among the Romanes; Sylla, Marius, Carbo, Cinna, Cateline, Pompey, and Cæsar, are witnesses) hath brought great decay to our cōtrey, and countreymen. Which Master Baldwin hath so touched' in his Epistle of the laste volume of this booke, that I nede not therewith deale any further. 3 further. I haue here (right honorable) in this booke+ only reproued foly in those which are heedelesse: Iniurie in extortioners, rashnes in venterers,

5 He is not counted holde, manly and constant but made beastly and desperate. I will also sith I haue gone so farre with the vertues (and the place so vrgeth) lastly set downe the difinition of Temperaunce, according to Cicero his opinion. Temperaunce (saith he) is of reason, &c. ib. 6 Vertue hath three. ib. 7 Well and wisely.

S An immoderate. ib.

2 Other. ib.

9 Also to. ib.

Learnedly touched. ib.

3 Further. [Onely I would to God it were so ofte read and regarded of all Magistrates as the matter requireth.] ib.

4

* Booke (which I am so bold to dedicate to your honors.) ib.

[trecherie in traytours, riote in rebelles,] and excesse in such as suppresse not vnruly affections. Now I truste you will so thinke of it (althoughe the style deserue not like commendation) as you thought of the other parte. Which if you shall, I doubt not but it may pleasure some; if not, yet geue occasio to others which ca do better, either to amend these, or to publish their owne." And thus wishing you Prudence to discerne what is mecte for your callings, lustice in the administration of your functions, Fortitude in the defence of your Countrey, and Temperaunce in moderation of all your affections, with increase of honours, and euerlasting felicity: I bid you in Christ Iesu farewell. At Winceham the vii. day of December.

8

Your most humble in
the Lord,

1586.

IOHN HIGINS.

5 Not in first edit.

6 And. ib.

7 Can do farre better, either with eloquence to amend that is amisse in mine, or else when they see these so rudely pende, to publish their own. ib. 8 Your bumble Iohn Higgins. [ed. 1575.]

9 From edition, 1587.

"I. HIGGINS TO

THE READER.

"Amongst diuers and sondry chronicles of many nations, I thinke there are none (gentle reader) so vncertaine and brief in the beginning as ours: at which I cannot but maruayle, sith at all tymes our Ilande had as learned wryters (some singuler men excepted) as any nation vnder the sunne. Againe, those which now are our best chroniclers as they report, haue great antiquities; but what they publish of late yeares may be enlarged in many places by chronicles of other nacions: whereby it is manifest they are either ignoraunt of the tōgues, or els not giuen to the studie of that, which they most professe. For if they were, me-thinkes it were easie for them, with such antiquities as they brag they haue, to fetche our histories from the beginning; and make them as ample, as the chronicles of any other country or nation. But they are faine, in steede of other stuffe, to talk of the Romains, Greekes, Persians, &c. and to fill our histories with their facts and fables. This 1 speake not to the end I wold have ours quite seperate from other, without any mention of them; but I would haue them there only named, where th' affayres of both countries, by warre, peace, truce, mariage, trafique, or some necessary cause or other, is intermixed. I haue seen no auncient antiquities in written hand but two: one was Galfridus of Munmouth, which I lost by misfortune; the other, an old chronicle in a kind of Englishe verse, beginning at Brute and ending at the death of Humfrey Duke of Gloucester; in the which, and diuers other good chronicles, I finde many thinges not mentioned in that great tome engroced

of late by Maister Grafton; and that, where he is most barraine and wantes matter. But as the greatest heades, the grayest hayres, and best clarkes, haue not most wytte; so the greatest bookes, titles, and tomes, contayne not most matter. And this haue I spoken, because in wryting the Tragedies of the first infortunate princes of this Isle, I was often fayne to vse mine owne simple inuention, yet not swaruing from the matter because the chronicles (although they went out vnder diuers men's names) in some suche places as I moste needed theyr ayde, wrate one thing, and that so brieflye, that a whole prince's raigne, life, and death, was comprysed in three lines; yea, and sometimes mine olde booke, aboue mentioned, holpe mec out when the rest forsoke mee. As for Lanquet, Stowe, and Grafton, [they] were alwayes nighe of one opinion: but the Floure of Histories somewhat larger some helpe had I of an old chronicle imprinted the yeare 1515. But surely methinkes, and so do most which delite in histories, it were worthely done, if one chronicle wer drawne from the beginning in such perfect sort, that al monuments of vertuous men (to the exalting of God's glory) and all punishments of vicious persons (to the terrour of the wicked) might be registred in perpetual! remembraunce. To which thing the right reuerende father in God Matthew [Parker] Archbishop of Canterbury, and Metropolitane of Englande, hath brought such ayde, as wel by printing as prescruing the written chronicles of this realme; that by his grace's studie and paynes, the labour, in tyme to come, wil be farre more easy to them, that shall take such trauayle in hand. But to leaue with these, and declare the cause of my purpose. As I chaunced to reade the Mirour for Magistrates, a worke by all men wonderfully commended, and full of fitte instructions for preseruation of eche estate: taking in hand the chronicles and minding to conferre the times, meethoughte the liues of a number euen at the beginning, the like infortunate princes offered themselues vuto mee as matter very meete for imitation, the like admoni.