The History of the Worthies of England, Part 1 · Chapter 1
CHAPTER I. The Designe of the ensuing Work.
ENGLAND may not unfitly be compared to an House not very great, but convenient, and the several Shires may properly be resembled to the rooms thereof. No, as learned Master Camden and painful Master Speed with others, have discribed the rooms themselves; so is it our intention, God willing to discribe the Furniture of those rooms; such Eminent Commodities, which every County doth produce, with the Persons of Quality bred therein, and some other observables coincident with the same subject.
Cato that great and grave Philosopher did commonly demand, when any new Project was propounded unto him, * Cui Bono, what good would ensue, in case the same was effected. A Question more fit to be asked, then facile to be answered in all undertakings, especially in the setting forth of new Books, Insomuch, that they themselves, who complain, That They are too many already, help dayl… to make them more.
Know then, I propound five ends to my self in this Book: First, To gain some Glory to God. Secondly, To preserve the Memories ef the Dead … Thirdly, To present Examples to the Living. Fourthly, To entertain the Reader with Delight. And lastly, (which I am not ashamed publickly to profess) To procure some honest profit to my self. If not so happy to obtain all, I will be joyful to attain some, yea, contented and thankful too, if gaining any [especially the First] of these Ends, the Motives of my Endeavours.
First, Glory to God, which ought to be the aim of all our actions, though too often our bow starts, our hand shakes, and so our arrow misseth the mark. Yet I hope that our discribing so good a Land, with the various Fruits and fruitful varieties therein, will ingage both Writer and Reader, in gratitude to that God, who hath been so bountiful to our Nation. In order whereunto, I have not only alwayes taken, but often sought occasions, to exhort to thankfulness; hoping the same will be interpreted, no stragling from my Subject, but a closing with my Calling.
Secondly, To preserve the Memories of the Dead. A good name is an oyntment poured out, smelt where it is not seen. It hath been the lawful desire of men in all ages to perpetuate their Memories, thereby in some sort revenging themselves of Mortality, though few have found out effectual means to perform it. For Monuments made of Wood, are subject to be burnt; of Glass, to be broken; of soft stone, to moulder; of Marble and Metal, (if escaping the teeth of Time) to be demolished by the hand of Covetousness; so that in my apprehension, the safest way to secure a memory from oblivion, is (next his own Vertues) by committing the same in writing toPosterity.
Thirdly, To present examples to the living, having here precedents of all sorts and sizes; of men famous for Valour, Wealth, Wisedome, Learning, Religion, and Bounty to the publick, on which last we most largely insist. The Scholar being taxed by his WritingMaster, for idlenesse in his absence, made a fair defence, when pleading that his Master had neither left him Paper whereon, or Copy whereby to write. But rich men will be without excuse if not expressing their bounty in some proportion, God having provided them Paper enough. [The *John 12. 8.poor you have alwayes with you] and set them signal examples, as in our ensuing Work will plainly appear.
Fourthly, To entertain the Reader with delight. I confess the subject is but dull in it self, to tell the time and place of mens birth, and deaths, their names, with the names and number of their books, and therefore this bare Sceleton of Time, Place, and Person, must be fleshed with some pleasant passages. To this intent I have purposely interlaced (not as meat, but as condiment) many delightful stories, that so the Reader if he do not arise (which I hope and desire) Religiosior or Doctior, with more Piety or Learning, at least he may depart Jucundior, with more pleasure and lawful delight.
Lastly, to procure moderate profit to my self in compensation of my pains. It was a proper question, which plain dealing Jacob pertinently propounded to Laban *Gen. 30. 30.his Father in Law: and now when shall I provide for mine house also? Hitherto no Stationer hath lost by me, hereafter it will be high time for me (all things considered) to Save for my self.
The matter following may be divided into Real and Personal, though not according to the legal acception of the words. By Real, I understand the commodities and observables of every County: by Personal the Characters of those worthy men, who were Natives thereof. We begin with a Catalogue of the particular heads whereof this book doth consist, intending to shew, how they are severally useful, and then I hope, if good as single instruments, they will be the better as tuned in a Consort.