ABSTRACT
HOW cumbersome (right honorable) and dangerous a taske it is, to ingrosse and divulge the dooings of others, especiallie when the parties registred or their issue are liuing: both common reason sufficientlie acknowledgeth, and dailie experience infalliblie prooueth. For man by course of nature is so parciallie affected to himselfe and his bloud, as he will be more agreeued with the chronicler for recording a peeuish trespasse, than he will be offended with his friend for committing an heinous treason. Ouer this, if the historian be long, he is accompted atrifler: if he be short, he is taken for a summister: if he commend, he is twighted for a flatterer: if he reprooue, he is holden for a carper: if he be pleasant, he is noted for a iester: if he be graue, he is reckoned for a drooper: if he misdate, he is named a falsifier: if he once but trip, he is tearmed a stumbler: so that let him beare himselfe in his chronicle as vprightlie and as conscionablie as he may possible, yet he shall be sure to find them that will be more prest to blab foorth his pelfish faults, than they will be readie to blaze out his good deserts. Others there be, that although they are not able to reprooue what is written, yet they will be sure to cast in his dish what is forgotten. Heere, saie they, this exploit is omitted: there that policie is not detected: heere this saieng would haue beene interlaced: there that trecherie should haue beene displaied. These & the like discommodities, with which historiographers are vsuallie cloid, haue borne backe diuers and sundrie willing minds, who taking the waie to be thornie, the credit slipperie, the carpers to be manie, would in no case be medlers, choosing rather to sit by their owne fire obscurelie at home, than to be baited with enuious toongs openlie abroad.
