HISTORY O F SCOTLAND Written in Latin, By George Buchanan. Faithfully Rendered into ENGLISH. I have carefully and diligently perufed this Tranflation of Auguft 13th, 1689. J. FRASER LONDON: Printed by Edw. Jones, for Awnsham Churchil, at the Black Swan in T IS fufficient Commendation of the en fuing Hiftory, That it was Written by Mr. George Buchanan; Who was no less the Glory of the Age wherein he Lived, than of his Country. Being a Perfon both of that Elevation and Juftnefs of Thought, and of that Neatness and Elegancy of Expreffion, that among all the Ancient, as well as the Modern Writers, few do equal, and none do exceed him. And as he knew in Reference to Perfons and Things, What to say, and What not to say, fo he was of that Courage and Integrity, to conceal nothing that ought to be delivered,but hath used the fame Freedom in Tranfmitting down the Lives of Princes to Pofterity, that they allowed themselves in leading them. And if ever any Book deferved the Character of answering the Title, this doth, being truly a Hiftory, and not a Romance, wherein the Au thor representeth Things as they were; Commending without Flattery, and Cenfuring without Satyr: GEORGE ་་ ་་ A.D. 1660. Juna, 7th. An order in Council that the Stationirs company do seize and deliver to the Sherntary of state all copies of Buchanan's History of Scotland" and "De Jure Regni apud seotus," ་་ ·་ "which are vary paricions to monarchy, and injurions to his ions to his majesty's blussed progenitor (p. 222. of feal Munsull The Every Day Book EPISTLE DEDICATORY ΤΟ JAMES the Sixth, King of the SCOTS. A fence from my Country, I defired nothing more T my Return,after Four and Twenty Years ab than to review my Papers, that were difperfed, and many ways injured by the Iniquity of the Times: For I found, that the over-Officiousness of my Friends, to precipitate the Publication of what was yet unfit to fee the Light, and that exceffive Liberty which Tranf cribers take to Cenfure the Works of other Men, had altered many Things, and corrupted others, according to their feveral Humours. But whilst I was endea vouring to remedy thefe Disorders, the fudden and unexpected Solicitations of my Friends broke my Meafures; all of them, as if they had Confpired together, Exhorting me to lay afide Things of lefs Weight, that rather delight the Ear than inftruct the Mind, and apply my felf to Write the Hiftory of our Nation,as a Subject not only fuitable to my Age, and fufficient to Anfwer the Expectation of my Country Men; but deferving great Commendation, and moft fit to preServe ones Memory to Jucceeding Ages. Amongst other Reafons, which I omit, they added, That though Britain be the most Famous Ifland in the World, and every part of its History contain moft Remarkable Things; yet, fcarce one was to be found in any Age, who durft attempt fo great a Work, or had acquitted b bimfelf |