The History of the Worthies of England, Part 1 · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII. Of the AUTHORS from whom our Intelligence in the Following WORK hath been Derived.
THe plain English saying hath very much of downright Truth therein; I tell you my Tale and my Tale-master, which is essential to the begetting of credit to any Relation. Indeed when one writeth with St. John (waving his Infallible Inspiration) that which we have heard, which we have seen with our Eyes, which we have looked * 1 Ioh. 1. 1.upon, and our hands have handled, such clogging a Book with Authors were superfluous, which now is necessary in him that writeth what was done at distance, far from, in time long before him.
First, to assert and vindicate the Writer. When Adam complained that he was naked, God demanded of him, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Intimating thus much,* Gen. 3. 11. that if he could not produce the person who first so informed him, he might justly be suspected (as indeed he was) the Author as well as Utterer of that sad Truth. Our Saviour said to*Ioh. 18. 34. Pilate, Sayest thou this thing of thy self, or did others tell thee? and all things reported are reducible to this Dichotomie, 1. The Fountain of Invention. 2. The Chanell of Relation. If one ignorantly buyeth stolen Cattel, and hath them fairly vouched unto him, and publickly in an open Fair payeth Tole for them, he cannot be damnified thereby: The case I conceive of him who writeth a falsehood, and chargeth his Margin with the Author thereof.
Secondly, To edifie and inform the Reader; Frustra creditur quod sine agnitione Originis creditur. It is vainly beleived, which is beleived without the knowledge of the Original thereof. Yea, properly it is no Rational b…leif, but an easy, lazy, supine Credulity.
Such as designingly conceal their Authors, do it either out of Guiltinesse or Envy. Guiltinesse, when conscious to themselves, that if Inspection be made of such Quotations, they will be found defectively, redundantly, or Injuriously cited, distorted from their genuine Intention.
Or else they do it out of Envy. Tyrants commonly cut off the stairs by which they climb up unto their Thrones (witness King Richard the third, beheading the Duke of Buckingham) for fear, that if still they be left standing, others will get up the same way. Such the jealousie of some Writers, that their Readers would be as (if not more) knowing than themselves, might they be but directed to the Original, which they purposely intercept.
Some to avoid this Rock of Envy, run on as bad of Ostentation, and in the end of their Books, muster up an Army of Authors, (though perchance they themselves have not seriously perused one Regiment thereof) so that the Goodnesse of their Library, not Greatnesse of their Learning may thence be concluded, that they have (if with the Prophets*2 King. 6. 5. Axe some were not borrowed) for I will not say have read, many books in their possession.
I have endevoured to steer my course betwixt both these Rocks, and come now to give in the particulars, whence I have derived my Information, knowing full well quantus Author, tanta Fides. These may be referred to 3. heads; First, Printed Books; Secondly, Records in Publick Offices; Thirdly, Manuscripts in the Possession of private Gentlemen. To which we may adde a fourth, viz. Instructions received from the nearest Relations, to those Persons, whose Lives we have presented.
We pass by Printed books, (cited in the Margin) and obvious to all who are pleased to consult them, and first pitch on the Records of the Tower. Master William Riley was then Master of those jewels, for so they deserve to be accompted, seeing a Scholar would preferre that place before the keeping of all the Prisoners in the Tower. I know not whether more to commend his care in securing, dexterity in finding, diligence in perusing them, or courtesie in communicating such Copies of them, as my occasions required, thanks being all the fees expected from me.
I place next the Records in the Exchequer, for although I had a Catalogue of the Sheriffs of England lent me by Master High-more of the Pipe-office, which I compared with another, of that learned Knight Sir Winkefield Bodenham, yet bei…g frequently at aloss, I was forced to repair to the Originals in the Exchequer. Here le… not my gratitude be buried in the graves of Master John Witt, and Master Francis Boyton, both since deceased, but whilst living advantagious to my Studies.
To these Authentick Records let me adde, the Church Registers in several Parishes, denied indeed by our Commons Lawyers, but stickled for by some Canonists to be Records-fellows at least, and having though not the formality in Law, the force thereof in History, very useful to help us in many Nativities.
And here I cannot but bemoan the foreign that great G…lph, or broad blank left in our Registers, during our Civil Wars, after the laying aside of Bishops, & before the Restitution of his most Sacred Majesty. Yea, hereafter this sad Vacuum is like to prove so thick, (like the Aegyptian Darkness) that it will be sensible in our English Histories.
I dare maintain that the Wars betwixt York and Lancaster, (lasting by intermission some sixty years) were not so distructive to Church-records, as our Modern Wars in six years. For during the former, their differences agreed in the same Religion, impressing them with reverence of all Sacred Muniments, whilst our Civil Wars founded in Faction, and variety of pretended Religions, exposed all naked Church Records, a prey to their Armed violence.
Let me adde, that it conduced much to the exactness of Jewish Genealogies, that their children were solemnly Circumcised and Named on the Eight-day. On the contrary, the omitting the baptizing of Infants, till they be adult, (which causeth, that though the weekly birth exceed the burials, the burials exceed the christenings in London,) will perplex those who in the next age shall write the nativities of such persons. Say not it matters not though their nativities be utterly forgotten. For though their fathers were factious Phanaticks, the sons (by Gods grace) may prove sober Christians and eminent in their generations.
The last Port to which I traffiqued for intelligence, towards our insuing Work, was by making my addresses by letters and otherwise, to the nearest Relations of those whose Lifes I have written. Such applications, have sometimes proved chargable; but if my weak pains shall find preferment, (that is acceptance) from the judicious Reader, my care and cost is forgotten, and shall never come under computation.
Here I cannot but condemn the carelessness, not to say ingratitude of those (I am safe whilst containing my self in general terms) who can give no better account of the Place, where their fathers or grand-fathers were born, then the child unborn, so that sometimes we have been more beholden to strangers for our instructions herein, then to their nearest Kindred. And although some will say Sons are more comfortably concerned to know the time of their Fathers death, then place of their birth, yet I could almost wish, that a moderate fine were imposed on such heirs, whose Fathers were born before them, and yet they know not where they were born. However, this I must gratefully confess, I have met with many who could not, never with any who would not furnish me with information herein.
It is observable, that men born an hundred years since and upwards, have their nativities fixed with more assurance, then those born some eighty years since. Mens eyes see worst in the Twilight, in that intervale after the Sun is set, and natural light ended, and before candles are set up, and artificial light begun. In such a crepusculum oftime those Writers lived, who fall short of the history of Bale and Leland, yet go before the memory of any alive, which unhappy insterstice hath often perplexed us, and may easier be complained of, then amended.
To conclude, should I present all with Books, who courteously have conduced to my instruction, the whole Impression would not suffice. But I remember the no less civil then politick invitation of *Judg. 1. 3.Judah to the Tribe of Simeon, Come up with me into my Lot, [to Conquer the Cananites] and I likewise will go with thee into thy Lot, if such who have lent me theirs, shall have occasion to borrow mine assistance, my Pains, Brains and Books, are no more mine, then theirs to command, which (besides my prayers for them, and thanks to them,) is all my ability in requital can perform.