A Memorial Offered to John Williams, Title page 1 – Preface to the reader
SCRINIA RESERATA: A MEMORIAL Offer'd to the Great Deſervings OF John Williams, D.D.
Who ſome time held the Places of Ld Keeper of the Great Seal of England, Ld Biſhop of Lincoln, and Ld Archbiſhop of York.
CONTAINING A SERIES OF THE Moſt Remarkable Occurrences and Tranſactions of his LIFE, in Relation both to CHURCH and STATE.
Written by JOHN HACKET, Late Lord Biſhop of LITCHFIELD and COVENTRY.
foreign foreign.
Nazianz. de laudibus Athanaſii.
Vita mortuorum in memoriâ vivorum eſt poſita.
Cicero Philip. nonâ.
IMPRIMATUR,
Nov. 27. 1692. JO. Cant.
In the SAVOY: Printed by Edw. Jones, for Samuel Lowndes, over againſt Exeter-Exchange in the Strand. M. DC. XC. III.
THE PROEM.
READER,
Paragr. 1. BOOKS are ſown ſo thick in all Countries of Europe,that a new one, which one adds more to the former Groſs, had need of an Apology. The eaſie Diſpatch of ſo many Sheets in a day, by the readineſs of Printing, hath found the World a great deal more Work then needs. Many that love Knowledge, both Induſtrious, and of ſound Judgment, are not nice to ſay, that Repletion of Authors hath begat Loathing. Which is a Reaſon likewiſe, or a Pretence, that divers, who are Learned and full Men, contain their Liquor in their Veſſels, and never broach it in the Preſs to make it Publick, becauſe they think it is Folly to contribute to Waſte and Exceſs. I am one of thoſe, I confeſs, that wiſh it were poſſible, that a Moſes could be raiſed up to reſtrain us, from bringing more either of our Pamphlets, or Volumes, to the Work of the Tabernacle; For the Stuff already is ſufficient for all the Work to make it, and too much, Exod. 36.7.
2. How ſhall I anſwer it therefore? Or, how ſhall I defend that I am conſtant to mine own Judgment in this Deſign, that I thruſt my Labours into the World? What Warrant can I plead, that I build a new Cottage upon the Waſte? I conceive that it will ſtand for ſatisfaction, that I ſet forth an Hiſtory of Things not travers'd before, but of memorable Paſſages running through the Channel of one Man's Life in our preſent Age. It is a Debt owed to Poſterity, to furniſh them with the true Knowledge of ſore-gone Occurrences, worthy to be Regiſtred; as, I believe, theſe enſuing are. A Tradition muſt be kept of famous Exploits, eſpecially moving upon the Stage of turbulent Times. For when it is skilfully drawn through the Acts of famous Men, it will rouze up our Children by Emulation as much as by Precept, and give them double advantage to ſeek Virtue and Glory. But better it will be to have it coarſe ſpun, then quite omitted: For ſuch will ſerve for Cork, to keep a Net from ſinking.
3. This Century of our Account from Chriſt's Birth wherein we live, now waſting beyond the middle, hath been happy in this, That it hath brought forth in our Kingdom of England many of great Renown, Wiſe and Eloquent, deep in Learning, and ſage in Counſels, in a word, to be praiſed as much as the beſt of their Forefathers; yet granting to all, both former and latter, an Allowance for ſome Grains of Frailties. It were pity their Memorial ſhould periſh with them. Caeſar was a large ſeeker of Glory; yet grudge no Man a ſhare in Glory, as teſtifies that little which remains of his Oration for the Bithynians, ſaying, It is a Duty required from the ſurviving Generation, to keep them alive in their good Name, who deſerv'd it, and can endure the Cenſure of the World for ever. I liſten to his Encouragement; yet meaſuring my Strength by mine own Meet-wand, I task my ſelf to ſet up a Pillar but for one Man's Memory. The Event will clear me, that I ſtint not my ſelf to this one Theme to do but little.
But, Firſt, Becauſe there is ſo much Kernel in one Shell; I muſt ſet forth a great Biſhop, a great Judge, a great Counſellor, in all theſe Capacities moſt active in moſt active Times. Such a Mill will not go with a little Water. Beſide the Turnings and Returnings of his Fortune, multiformous Changeableneſs, rather Prodigious then Strange, by Honour and Diſhonour, by Evil Report and good Report, 2 Cor. 6.8. Which will draw conſiderate Thoughts for no little time to this one Center. As Pliny writes of the Emperor Auguſtus his Life, interwoven with much Glory, Lib. 7. Nat. Hiſt. c. 45.and much Misfortune, Si diligenter aeſtimentur ſancta, magna ſortis humanae reperiantur volumina. So it is highly remarkable, that in this one Piece a diligent Eye may diſcern all the Colours of human Inconſtancy and Inſtability.
4. Secondly, I ſpend all my little Skill upon this Subject; for I can draw no Picture ſo like, becauſe I knew none ſo well. I noted his Ways and Worth in the Univerſity, when I was but young. I obſerv'd him in his earlieſt Preferments, when he came firſt ſledge out of the Neſt. I was taken into his Houſhold Service, as ſoon as he aſcended to his higheſt Office. And commencing from that time till thirty Years expired with his Life, I treſpaſs not againſt Modeſly if I ſay, I knew his Courſes as much, and ſaw them at as near a diſtance, as any Man beſide. I have as much Intelligence from an Eye-witneſs Information, and from his familiar Conference with me, as can be expected from any Writer of the Memorials of a great Statiſt: Qui audiunt audita dicunt, qui vident planè ſciunt, ſays Plautusvery well. He that reports but what he hears, muſt confeſs he is at uncertainty; he that ſees a Thing done, can relate it perfectly. Pliny hath caſt down a great deal of that which he built up in the ſeventh Book of his Natural Hiſtory, with this Paſſage in his Proem, Nec in pleríſque corum obſtringam ſidem meam, potiúſque ad autores relegabo. He would make Faith for little of that which he wrote; but turns his Reader over to ſuch Authors, as himſelf did not truſt in. I am far from ſuch Prevarication. I drew the knowledge of thoſe things of moſt moment which I ſhall deliver from the Spring-Head. And I truſt in God, that I have incorporated them into this Frame with Integrity. This then is my confidence to make this Compilement, that my Tools were whetted at home. I need not repair to the Allophyli, or Philiſtins, to ſharpen my Axe at their Grind-ſtone.
5. Thirdly, I am full of willingneſs to be the Father of this Child: And nothing is apter for a Man to undergo, then that which is agreeable to his Delight. I profeſs it is not the leaſt of my drifts to ſweeten my Maſter's Memory with a ſtrong compoſed Perfume; and to carve him out in a commendable, but a true Figure. Suffer me to put one Day to his Life after his Deceaſe. When a worthy Man's Fame ſurvives him, through their help, that light a Candle for that uſe, that others in ſucceſſion of Ages may perfectly behold him, it is a grateful Service to put one Day more, as it were, to the Life of Nature, but a Day that may be longer, perhaps, then the Mortal preceding Life thrice told over. The Learned Grotius (Who can ſtop his Conjectures?) thinks it not improbable, but that the Sun went down, Joſh. 10.13. when Joſhua purſued the Kings of Canaan in the Valley of Ajalon: Sed poſt Solis occaſum ſpeciem ejus in nube ſupra horizontem extanti per repercuſſum oſtendere: That is, a kind of Sun, that made a great Luſtre, ſhined ſufficiently to make it Day, not in his Preſence, but in the repercuſſion of his Beams upon a Cloud. I cite it only for Accommodation; that when a renowned Man is departed, his laſt Sun ſet, the worthy Deeds of his Life may yet ſhine in our Horizon, as it were by Repercuſſion in the memory of after-times; which cauſeth a longer Day then any, nay then all that went before.
6. Now I fear I am in danger of a ſtabbing Cenſure, through the Diſcovery of ſome part of my Aim in this laſt Confeſſion: For I have divulg'd, that I offer up this Book as a Banner at the Shrine of this Renowned Prelate's Memory. Some will ſay, What could be utter'd more in way of Prejudice, to entangle the Belief of the Reader with Knots of Jealouſie? A Maſter in this Art,Dionyſius Halicarnaſſus gives this for one Rule, to examine prudentially the Truth of an Hiſtory, by conſidering, foreign, the Affection of the Writer. For my part, I deſire to be tried by ſuch a conſiderate Overſeer. And let him judge uprightly, that I could not but underſtand, it had been better for me to have ſmother'd my Purpoſe, which I hold out before the open Light, if I had meant corruptly, and would ſtain my Paper, and my Conſcience, with blots of Falſhood and Flattery. I fear God. And he that feels that Motion within him, will not ſeek Honour to himſelf, much leſs to caſt it upon another, by Conſenage and Fictions. Or if Religion, careleſly preſent, did not bind ſo hard, I think Diſcretion and Experience ſhould advertiſe any Man, that he is a Fool that imagins he can poiſon the whole World with a Lye. Polybius ſpeaks ſoundly, that Truth will be obſcur'd by no Hiſtory, by no Conſpiracy. Yet although I ſhould gild this common Place with as much Oratory and Flouriſh as could be laid on, I know yet there is no Hiſtoriographer, but muſt ſtand to the courteſie of his Judges to think him honeſt. I am content to ſtoop to that Neceſſity. Not that I deſpair to make it appear, that I play above Board ſo fairly, that he that is true-hearted himſelf, Thomas Albius.will ſuſpect no Juggling. A late Writer, and one of our Country-men, …ds me this Paſſage: That Hiſtorical Credit is of three degrees; Firſt, When the Fact was ſ…en of Thouſands, as the Battel fought at Pharſalia. Secondly, When a ſmall Number can atteſt it, as Tully's Defence for Ligarius before Caeſar. Thirdly, When few were preſent to juſtifie the thing, Sed a ſido, occulato, & aurito teſte poſteris eſt conſignata. Such are many Matters related by Comines concerning his Maſter Lewisthe Eleventh. I am furniſh'd in great part with Materials of the firſt and ſecond Faith; I will ſupply the reſt from Evidences, though of the third and loweſt Credit, yet of the true Sterling value, being the Hand-writings kept in cuſtody, or the very Sayings kept in memory of the chief Actors. The Reſult is, That I engage unto the World to carve myMercury out of ſound Wood, and then to ſet it up. As the Roman Senate did the like for the Glory of Cato Major, who ſ…t up his Statue in their Court, having been the Honour of their Robe: To which Valerius very pertinently, Lib. 16. Com. 4. Gratum ordinem, qui utiliſſimum Reipub. Senatorem tantùm non ſemper ſecum habere voluit. A thankful Bench of Judges, that would never ſuffer ſo beneficial a Senator to be out of their ſight.
7. In the end of this Preface I proteſt, that there is nothing troubles me leſs, then that I expect this my Endeavour may diſpleaſe ſome, that will either cavil at my Pen, or at the Arch-Biſhop's Praiſe. I wiſh the Offence may rather fall upon me: Lib. 1.foreignFor I am grown rather Impudent, then Bold, from that Defiance which Clem. Alexandrinus gives; foreign. Nothing was ever written ſo fortunately, that found no Opponents: But that's conſiderately written, which no Man can conſiderately oppoſe. But if any have their Teeth ſet on edge with a ſour Humour, and gnaſh at the honourable mention of the Dead, it is not to be wondred: For he lived when there was little hope to pleaſe all; he died when there was leſs. I wiſh well to his Memory. I profeſs it. And would have him live in Honour, though he be dead, not with me, or a few more only, but with the Succeſſion of Men. Hiſtoria praeſtat, ut qui aevo priore vixerant, vivere adhuc noſtrâ videantur aetate, as a mighty Maſter of Learning ſays: Salmaſ. Praefat. in Auguſt. Hiſto. Scriptores. And if this Monument cover'd no more then one dead Man, it ought to be Intemerate; ſays as great a Scholar as the former: Grotius, Lib. 3. Cap. 12. Com. 7. de ju. Bell. & pacis. Quae in honorem mortuorum ſtructa ſunt, violari non poſſunt niſi contemtâ humanitate. But my Scope is, (and I am not underſtood if I be taken otherwiſe) not to Conſecrate this ſlight Piece to the Fame of one, but to the Benefit of all, that will find leaſure to peruſe it: That is, I intend in the Narration of one Life, to inſert Rules for any. foreign foreign: Breathing Images of our Divine Converſation. Therefore I repeat it, that my Labours may have a right Conſtruction, that I caſt out this Matter into the Figure of a Moral Example; elſe I had been far more Compendious. Yet it is the true Image of his Life, whom I deſcribe, and not a Cyrus, or feigned Idea of Wit. One of the greateſt Knowledge of any in his Age ſaid, Eſt Hiſtoria nihil aliud, niſi Philoſophia quaedam exemplis utens. Caſaub. Proleg. in Aug. Hiſt. Scriptores: A right Hiſtory is a Syſtem of Exemplary, or Practick Philoſophy. Such I wiſh this were; though that way will not pleaſe all. Not. thoſe who are delighted with Romances, and like to have Shadows commended that were never extant, rather then ſuch as lived among us, did do us good, and deſerv'd Glory; who are no wiſer then they, that had rather have Felicity in a Dream, then Waking.
Laſtly, That I may not Laviſh in Proem, I crave my Due from my Readers and Judges, their good Opinion that I extremely affect Candor; and let them try me by this Mark, That I never (or with little Exception) blame any thing with my Pen; but, Firſt, I conſider how much I may Excuſe it: Or, Secondly, How I may Recompence it with ſome other Praiſe.