FOR bestowing fome vacant hours (by that excellent Perfonages direction, to whom I am equally obliged for my Employment and my Leafure) in an attempt so agreeable to the lord Verulam's judgment, which may be seen in the next page; and fo purfuant of fir Robert Naunton's defigne, which may be traced in the following Book; another perfon's abilities might have gained applaufe, and my weakness may deserve an excufe, notwithstanding my years, (if yet any man be too young to read and obferve) or my profeffion (if yet a divine should not (as times go) be as well read in Men, as Books efpecially fince I gratifie to man's fondness, writing not a Panegyrick, but an History: nor pleasure any perfons malice; defigning Obfer Obfervations, rather than Invectives: nor tyre any man's patience: fetting down rather the remarkes of mens publick capacities, than the minute paffages of their private lives: but innocently discourse the most choice inftances our ENGLISH hiftories afford for the three great qualifications of men (1. Nobleneffe in behaviour: 2. Dexterity in business; and .3. Wisdome in government) among which are twenty-eight fecretaries of state, eight chancellours, eighteen lord treasurers, fixteen chamberlains, who entertain gentlemen with obfervations becoming their extraction, and their hopes, touching, 1. The rife of ftates-men. 2. The beginning of families. 4. The conduct of courtiers. 5. The miscarriages of favourites, and what-ever may make them either wife or wary. The chancellour of France had a picture, that to a common eye fhewed many little. heads, and they were his Ancestors; but to the |