Volume 1

The history of the worthies of England ... / Endeavoured by Thomas Fuller.

  • Thomas Fuller
Date:
1811
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of the worthies of England ... / Endeavoured by Thomas Fuller. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    31/626 page 7
    CHAPTER III. OF THE FIRST QUATERNION OF PERSONS; VIZ. 1* PRINCES. 2. SAINTS. $. MARTYRS. 4. CONFESSOURS. 1. PRINCES. take the word, as it is of the common gender, inclusive of both sexes, and extend it onely to Kings with their Wives and Children. Of the second sort we have but few,, and those onely from the time of King Edward the Fourth, who first married his Subject, or Native of his Dominions, We confine our selves to such as were born since the Conquest; otherwise we should be swallowed up, should we lanch out beyond that date into the Saxon Government, espe¬ cially into the gulph of their Heptarchie, where a Prince could not be seen for Princes. But, if a British or Saxon King comes under our pen, we preferre to take cognizance of him in some other notion (as of Saint, Martyr, Souldier, &c.) so to preserve the topick of Prince-ship intire according to our design. We have stinted our selves onely to the legitimate issue of Kings; and after such who are properly Princes, we have (as occasion is offered) inserted some who in courtesie and equity may be so accepted, as the Heires to the Crown (in the Lancastrian difference) though not possessed thereof; or else so near a-kin thereunto, that much of History doth necessarily depend upon them. We have observed these Nativities of Princes, because such signal persons are not onely Oakes amongst under-woods, but land-markes amongst Oakes, and the directorie for the methodical regulation of History. Besides, in themselves they are of special remarke, as more or less remote from the Crown; not onely their own honour, but the happiness of thousands being concerned in their extraction, and Divine Providence most visible in mar¬ shalling the order thereof. For although Nasei a Principibus fortuitum est may pass for a true instance in Grammar, it is no right rule in Divinity; which, though acknowledging “ rich and poor the work of God’s hands1,” pronounceth Princes to be men “ of his right hand, made strong for himself2,” that is, purposely advanced to imploy their own great¬ ness to his glory. Let none object that the Wives of Kings need not to have been inserted, as persons of no such consequence in government; seeing it is the constant practice of the Spirit of God, after the mention of a new King in Judah, to record the name of his Mother and her Parentage : “ His Mother’s name also was Micaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah3 “ His mother’s name was Althaliah, the daughter of Omri4:” “ His mother’s name wras Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah5:” and Divines generally render this reason, thereof, that if such Kings proved godly and gracious, then the memory of their mothers should receive just praise for their good education; if otherwise, that they might be blamed for no better principling them in their infancy. 2. SAINTS. This word accepts of several interpretations, or rather they are injuriously obtruded upon it. 1. Saints of Fiction, who never were in rerum naturd, as St. Christopher, &c. 2. Saints of Faction, wherewith our age doth swarme, alledging two arguments for their Saintship. First, that they sa call themselves secondly, that those of their own party call them so. Neither of these belong to our cognizance. 3* Saints of Superstition, reputed so by the Court of Rome.. 4. Saints indeed, parallel to St. Paul’s “ Widows indeed6,” and both deserve to be honoured. * Job xxxiv. 19. » Psalm lxxx. 17.. * 2 Chion. xxii. 2.. * 2 Kings xsjii. 3L 3 2 Chron. xiii. 2. 6 1 Tim. v. 3. It
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