The historie of Philip de Commines, knight, lord of Argenton / [Philippe de Commynes].
- Philippe de Commines
- Date:
- 1614
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The historie of Philip de Commines, knight, lord of Argenton / [Philippe de Commynes]. Source: Wellcome Collection.
27/400 page 1
![hG ee ee >. ~~ =~ ao ~~: ™ 6 he OO “eB USS SS ee ee ON eee” ee BSE eee ) lbp Aa = ~~ — =_\ — ww]! UG CA. FR we OO SE OSS ON Cee co THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOR TO. THE ARCHBISHOP OF. Vrenwna in Fraunce. seated = © fatisfie your requeft ( right reverend-) {0 often mooued vnto me, I fend you heerea memoriall as agreeable to truth,asIcan poffibly callto minde , of allthe aétesand doings that I haue been priuy vato, ofking Lewes the eleuenth our mafter and benefa- &or, a prince worthy of perpetuall memory. Of his youth [can fay nothing but by his owne report. But from the time I entred into his feruice, ill the hower of his death whereat my felfe was prefent, I was more continually refident with him than any man of my eftate that ferued him, being euer either of his priny chamber, or em- ployed in his weightie affaires. I found in him as inall other Princes that Thaue knowne or ferued, both vertueand vice, For men they are as we be, and perfe~ éion is proper to God onely. But fure that Prince whofe vertues and good partes farmount his vices, deferueth great commendation, the rather becaufe commonly noble perfonages are more prone to all kind of wantonnes than ° “ other men : partly for that in theit childhood they are brou eht vp without due chaftifement and correétion, and partlie becaufe when they are growne to maris eftate, each man feeketh to feede their humors and foothe them in all they fay or doe. But for mine owne part becaufe I lone not to flatter nor mifreport thetruth, fomewhat naay happily be found in this hiftorie not tending alroge- therto the kings praifé, but Itruft’ the readers will weigh the reafons aboue alledged. Sure thus much ! dare boldly fay in his commendation , thatin mine opinion hé was the pritice in his age (all things con{fidered ) leaft fu bieét 0 vice. Yet haue }knowneand’beene conuerfant with asmany great Princes, both fpr yituall and temporallas any man in Fraunce of my time, as. well the princes: of this realme, as thof alfo that haue liued in Britaine , Flaunders , Almayne, En- gland, Spaine, Portugall, and Italie. Diuers others alfo whom I haue not feene: yet haue I knowne, partly by conference with their ambafladors, and partly by their letters & inftru@tions which are meanes fafficient to enforme men oftheit natures and difpofitions. Notwithftanding I minde not by fetting forth his commendation in this worke,to detra& from the honor and renowne of others, but fend you, penned in haft all that Fcould callto mind, trufting that-youhaue required it of meto turne it into fome worke that you purpofe to publith in La- tine (to the perfection of which tongue you haue attained ) whereby, may ap- peare both the woorthines of the prince I now write of, and alfo the excellency of your owne wit. Farther fir, if happen to failein any point, you haue my L. of Bouchage, and others who are better ableto enforme you of thefe affaires than my félfe,and to couch their words in much eloquenter language: Although to fay thetruth confidering how honorably the King entertained me, how great familiaritie it pleafed him to vfe towards me ‘and how liberally he beftowed vp- pon me, neuer intermitting on¢ of the three till the howér of his death, no man hath infter caufe to remember thofe times than my felfe, whereunto Talfo addethe loffes Thane fafteined, and the dangers I haue been in fithence his de- weafe, which are fufficient I thinke, to put mein minde of the great benefits Ir 4 bales KARR RNAS IDS SSO AEE YE ceined M WEP) \ EL = ©](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30320549_0027.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
