GReat is the force of Vertue ( Right Honorable Counseller ) to wynne loue and good will vniuersally , in whose minde soeuer it is perfitelye knowne , to haue once gotte a dwelling . I speake it for this ende , that being solitarie of late time from my other studies , and musinge on this world , in the middest of my bookes : I did then ( as I haue oftentimes else done ) deepelye thinke of Sir Iohn Checke Knyght , that rare learned man , and singular ornament of this lande . And as the remembrance of him was deare vnto me , for his manifolde great gifts and wonderfull vertues : so did I thinke of his most gentle nature and godly disposed minde , to helpe all those with his knowledge and vnderstanding , that any waye made meanes vnto him , and sought his fauour . And to say for my selfe amongest others , I founde him such a friende to me , for communicating the skill and giftes of hys minde , as I cannot but during my life speake reuerentlye of so worthie a man , and honor in my hart the heauenly remembrance of him . And thinking of my being with him in Italie in that famous Vniuersitie of Padua : I did cal to minde his care that he had ouer all the Englishe men there , to go to their bokes : and how gladly he did reade to me and others certaine Orations of Demosthenes in Greeke , the interpretation wherof , I and they had then from his mouth . And so remembring the rather this world by the very argument of those actions : I did then seeke out amongest my other writings for the translation of them , and happily finding some , although not all : I was caried streightways ( I trust by Gods good motion ) to make certaine of them to be acquainted so nigh as I coulde with our Englishe tongue , aswell for the aptnesse of the matter , and needefull knowledge now at this time to be had : as also for the right notable , and most excellent handling of the same . And here must I saye , confessing mine owne weakenesse and imperfection , that I neuer founde in my life any thing so harde for me to doe . Yea , the more that I looke vpon this Orator to bring his sentences and wordes knowne to our common speach and language : the more doe I finde him harde and vnable to be translated , according to the excellencie of his tongue . And manye times I haue bene ashamed of my selfe , when I compared his Greeke and my English togither . And no marueyle neyther . For the Latine translatours being otherwise most excellent men , haue not alwayes satisfied themselues , much lesse aunswered to their charge and enterprise in the opinion of others that compared their doings and the Greeke togither . Hyeronymus Wolfius hath translated all Demosthenes ( the like thing neuer yet done by anye other ) and herein he is very carefull to keepe himselfe to the Greeke , and doth ( as it shoulde seeme ) better vnderstande Demosthenes than any other , and yet sometimes , either he is not well vnderstoode , or else he fayleth of Demosthenes meaning . And beeing thus very curious in his translation to followe his Author as nigh as may be : his Latine is now and than somwhat harsh , and more harde than is the Greeke it selfe . Christopherus Hegendorphius a notable learned man vndoubtedlye , makes himselfe ouerbolde with Demosthenes , enlarging his speach after the maner of a Paraphrasis , where as Demosthenes prayse was chiefly , his short knitting vppe of his matters togither . Philip Melanchthon , misliketh himselfe , and yet he hath done very well , but compared to the Greeke he is to seeke . Ioachimus Camerarius ( for that which he hath taken in hande ) deserueth great prayse with the best , and yet he doth not fully satisfie all men for his doings . Petrus Clobardus hath very learnedly translated the three first Orations made in fauour of the Olynthians , and varieth from others in sense , not without their misliking , and perhaps not alwayes expressing the verie force and pyth of the Greeke phrase . Nicholas Carre our Countrieman one notably learned in the Greeke tongue when he liued , as it is well knowne : hath done all these Orations passing well in eloquent Latine , that I haue done in English : who varieth from all others euen in the very sense sometimes and vnderstanding of the Author , & seemes to haue reason with him . Maister Cheeke ( whome I dare match with anye one before named for his knowledge in the Greeke tongue , ) hauing traueyled in Demosthenes as much as any one of them all , and famous for his learning throughout Europe : yet was he neuer so passing in his translations that no exception coulde be made against him . And then what shall I thinke of my selfe , after the naming of so manye excellent learned men , but onely submit my doings to the fauour of others , and desire men to beare with my weakenesse . For this must I needes confesse , that I am altogither vnable to doe so in Englishe , as the excellencie of this Orator deserueth in Greeke . And yet the cunning is no lesse , and the prayse as great in my iudgement , to translate any thing excellently into Englishe , as into any other language . And I thinke ( although there be many doers ) yet scant one is to be found worthie amongst vs , for translating into our Countrie speach . Such a hard thing it is to bring matter out of any one language into another . And perhaps it may be that euen those who take themselues to bee much better learned than I am ( as what is he that is not , hauing any name for learning at all ? ) will finde it an harder peece of woorke than they thinke , euen to make Greeke speake Englishe , if they will make proofe thereof as I haue done . Whose labor and trauayle I woulde as gladly see , as they are lyke now to see mine , that such an Orator as this is , might bee so framed to speake our tongue , as none were able to amende him , and that he might be founde to be most like himselfe . The which enterprise if any might haue bene most bolde to haue taken vpon him , Sir Iohn Cheeke was the man , of all that euer I knew , or doe yet know in Englande . Such acquaintance had he with this notable Orator , so gladly did he reade him , and so often : that I thinke there was neuer olde Priest more perfite in his Por●eise , nor supersticious Monke in our Ladies Psalter as they call it , nor yet good Preacher in the Bible or testament , than this man was in Demosthenes . And great cause moued him so to be , for that he sawe him to be the perfitest Orator that euer wrate for these two thousand yeares almost by past ( for so long it is since he was ) and also for that he perceyued him to haue before his eyes in all his Orations the aduauncement of vertue as a thing chiefly to be sought for , togither with the honor and welfare of his countrie . Besides this , maister Cheekes iudgement was great in translating out of one tongue into an other , and better skill he had in our English speach to iudge of the Phrases and properties of wordes , and to diuide sentences : than any else had that I haue knowne . And often he woulde englyshe his matters out of the Latine or Greeke vpon the sodeyne , by looking of the booke onely without reading or construing any thing at all : An vsage right worthie and verie profitable for all men , aswell for the vnderstanding of the booke , as also for the aptnesse of framing the Authors meaning , and bettering thereby their iudgement , and therewithall perfiting their tongue and vtterance of speach . Moreouer he was moued greatly to like Demosthenes aboue all others , for that he sawe him so familiarly applying himselfe to the sense and vnderstanding of the common people , that he sticked not to say , that none euer was more fitte to make an English man tell his tale praise worthily in any open hearing , either in Parlament or in Pulpit , or otherwise , than this onely Orator was . But seeing maister Cheeke is gone from vs to God , after whom we must all seeke to follow , and that this thing is not done by him , the which I woulde with all my hart had bene done , for that he was best able : it can not be counted now I trust , any fault in me , if I endeuour to doe that , the which I neuer sawe done before me . And in dede my labor can be no hurt to any body , except it be to my selfe . For the Greeke is as it was , and those that weare Grecians may read the Greke stil notwithstanding my English . And such as haue no Greeke , may goe to the Latine for all my doings , or any other translation else in any other strange tongue or language . For as I do heare say , certaine peeces of Demosthenes are translated also into diuers other tongues . But such as are grieued with translated bokes , are lyke to them that eating fine Manchet , are angry with others that feede on Cheate breade . And yet God knoweth men would as gladly eate Manchet as they , if they had it . But all can not weare Veluet , or feede with the best , and therefore such are contented for necessities sake to weare our Countrie cloth , and to take themselues to harde fare , that can haue no better . But what reason haue they I pray you that will not suffer men to write reason as well as to speake reason ? for this I dare say , that euen those men , if they haue any reason with them at all , will vse in their proofes vpon weightie matters , the arguments of Demosthenes or reasons of like value . And may not I or any other sette downe those reasons by penne , in our English language , the which are vttered daily in our common speach , by men of vnderstanding ? Now wicked is that minde the which doth enuie welfare or wisedome to an other bodie , bicause the same man can not be so welthie , or as wise as the best . And therefore in my simple reason , there is no harme done I say to anye body by this my English translation , except perhaps it be to my selfe . For whereas I might haue liued peraduenture vnder the colour of silence and stilnesse in some opinion of learning : I may now perchaunce with myne ouermuch boldenesse in seeking to fashion so famous an Orator out of Greeke into English : happen to bewraye mine owne vnskilfull dealing . But howsoeuer it is , I had rather hazarde rebuke , if by this meanes I could towle out some other to do this perfitely , the which I haue only assaide to do plainly and homely : than to suffer so noble an Orator and so necessarie a writer for all those that loue their Countries libertie , and welfare , to lye hid and vnknowne : especially in such a daungerous worlde as this is . And although your honour hath no neede of these my doinges , for that the Greeke is so familiar vnto you , and that you also , as well as I , haue hearde Sir Iohn Cheeke read the same Orations at other times : yet I thinke for diuers causes I shoulde in right present vnto your honour this my traueyle the rather to haue it through your good liking and allowance , to be made common to many . First the sayd Sir Iohn Cheeke ( whome I doe often name , for the honour and reuerence due to so worthie a man ) was your brother in lawe , your deare friende , your good admonisher , and teacher in your yonger yeares , to take that way of vertue , the fruite whereof you do feele and taste to your great ioy at this day , and shall for euer be remembred therefore . Againe , by him you haue hearde these Orations redde and translated , as I after you ( although out of Englande ) haue hearde the same likewise of him , to my great comfort and profite in learning . Thirdly the Orator himselfe hauing bene a Counsellor in his Countrie as you now are in this Realme , he is your glasse I am wel assured wherevpon you do often loke , and compare his time , with this time : Countrie with Countrie : neighbours with neighbours : and King with King . Lastly your great goodnesse vsed to me from time to time , togither with that your good conceyued opinion to enhable me to deale in things much aboue my power : ( for so it pleased you to like and allowe of me ) all these respectes I say , doe mooue me at this time , to offer most humbly to your honor this mine enterprised traueyle of so noble an Orator of those his seauen seuerall famous Orations wherof three are made in fauour of the distressed Olynthians sometimes a warlike people in Thracia , now called Romania : and the other fowre entituled against king Philip of Macedonie by name . The arguments wherof and Orations also shall hereafter appeare translated in order . And after this done his lyfe and dealings shall be truly set forth , and his faultes tolde aswell as his vertues rehearsed . That it may appeare hee was a man subiect to imperfections & lacks as others are : and though he was in some things for his rare vertues and singular giftes most excellent and passed all others : yet had he his wants , as what is he that hath not ? according to that saying in Titus Liuius of Maharball to Anniball , after that great victorie gotte at Cannas in Italie against the Romanes . God neuer gaue all thinges to any one man . And thus hauing done my voluntarie taske , I desire none other thankes for all my labor and traueyle herein , but your fauourable defence against certaine , that will doe nothing themselues , and yet will finde fault with all thinges , being in nature Drones , and no Bees : Lubbers and no learners : as voyde of sounde iudgement and vnderstanding , as they are out of reason curious iudges , ouer the traueile and paines taking of others . But who can stoppe these open mouthed talkers ? emptie vesselles make the greatest sounde , and ringe out a hollowe noyse to small purpose , and so doe these that haue the least skill and smallest knowledge , make the mightiest bragge , and are the boldest of all others without cause or reason God he knoweth . Of which croking paddockes , and manifest ouerweeners of themselues : I doe make verie little account , or no reckoning at all . Your sounde iudgement Sir and good likyng , maye be of sufficient value with me to holde my selfe well contented whatsoeuer shall be sayde to the contrarie . And thus most heartilye I doe wishe to that heauenlye minde of yours a strong and lustie bodie , that in these perillous dayes your payne and trauayle may runne in equall course with your knowledge and vnderstanding . From the Queenes Maiesties Hospitall of Sainct Katherins nigh the Tower of London the .10 . of Iune . 1570.

THey are thought euer in the opinion of wisemen to bee the worthiest of all others , and to deserue the greatest estimation : that seeke always to kepe companie with the best sorte that bee . For that such euerye one is most lyke to be himselfe as the company is with whom he matcheth . And as it is in other things , so it is in the course that anye man taketh for his studie . They that doe acquaint themselues with the onely reading of the best and most excellent wryters , are lyke in tyme to resemble in some sorte their value and worthynesse , yea , according to that saying of Tullie , he that goeth much in the sunne , shall be sunne burnte though he thinke not of it . And as Aelianus sayth , he that kepeth company with Callias that iolly potte companion , shall be a lusty drinker as he was : if with Ismenias , he shall be a trimme Minstrell : if with Alcibiades , he shall be prowde and loftie : if with Corbylus , he shall be a good Cooke , and learne to dresse meate well : if anye gyue himselfe to followe Demosthenes , he shall growe eloquent and wise : if he seeke after Epaminundas , he shall be a lustie warrier : if he lyke Agesilaus , he shall be a stoute man , and of great courage : if he follow Phocion , he shall be a good man : if he loue Aristides , hee shall bee a iust man : if he followe Socrates , he shall be a wise man . And lykewyse Demosthenes himselfe in that his Oration De falsa legatione agaynst Aeschines , declareth Euripides verses as a testimonye and witnesse of Aeschines lewde lyfe , who kept company with Philocrates , and such other lewde lyuers . If one set his delyte , with naughtye folkes to bee , It reckes not to demaunde , what kinde of man is hee : Euripides in phoenissis . For euery one is lyke to him that is his mate , That bi●deth still abrode , with lime twigges and with bate . And thus I begyn after a sort to chalenge prayse to my selfe , euen at the very first chop on Gods name : for that I haue thus trauayled & bene acquaynted wyth this famous Orator . But how I haue profited I know not , nor yet if I knewe , would I make any great bragge of it . Thus much I thynke I may boldly say , it is no small happe for any man to hit vpon the best , euen at the verie first beginning . As for prayse ( as I sayd ) I doe not looke for any , much lesse do I desire it , and what good I haue done to my selfe , that wyll appeare hereafter : Once vertue is contented with hir owne selfe , as that which is of hir owne nature ful sufficiency , without neede of outward ayde or borrowed fauour . And therfore he that doth well , and profiteth in vertue & learning , nedeth not much to long after the good liking or allowance of others . For glory and welfare do as certainly follow well doings , as the shadow followeth the bodie : as the which are in all ages the necessarie rewards of vertue . I do not disprayse any mans trade of lyfe eyther of elder tyme , or of later yeares : but I doe preferre in all faculties some certaine before others . As in Cosmographie Ptolomeus : in Arithmeticke our Tonstale , and Tartalio the Italian : in Geometrie Euclides , in Astronomye Aratus , in Philosophie Aristotel and Plato , in Phisick Hippocrates & Galenus , in law Iustinian the Emperour , or rather Trebonianus & others that gathered the lawes : in hystories Titus Liuius and Cesar for the Latine , Thucidides and Herodotus as Quintilian sayth , wyth certayne others for the Greeke : in eloquence Demosthenes and Cicero , the one for the Greeke , and the other for the Latine . And hee that in all these faculties doth chieflye and aboue all others , followe these aboue named : he taketh the best way that maye bee in my mynde to doe himselfe the most good . For what is he that entering into any facultie would not desire ( if he myght ) to excell all others ? And who can euer come to any such excellencye that doth not acquaynte himselfe first wyth the best , yea and seeketh to followe the chiefest that haue traueyled in those thinges , the perfection whereof hee wysheth to gette ? So did Plato traueyle from Greece into Aegypt : Aristotell from Stagira in Macedonie , to Athens in Greece , to heare his maister Plato : and Cicero from Rome to Athens , and Anacharsis that barbarous Scithian to talke with Solon that wyse law maker of Athens , seeking euerye one of them the best abrode , when they coulde not haue them at home . Neither doe I repent me to haue traueylde in this wryter amongst others , who for excellencie passeth all others , and the more that he is studyed , the better he is lyked . For that there are hydde in him many secrete ornamentes , the which at the very first , doe not appeare , and are hardly to be vttered by me I confesse , in our Englysh tongue . Quintilian doth so set foorth this wryter , that he gyueth him the prayse aboue all others , specially for the graue and pithye handlyng of his matters much better than any man else . And therefore in comparing Cicero and Demosthenes togither , hee sayth that it needeth not so to doe , for that they were both most excellent men . And yet he wylleth that Demosthenes shoulde chiefly be read , naye rather to be cunde without booke , worde by worde of euery body . And concluding after a certayne comparison made of them both , sayth that Demosthenes beyng the elder , hath made Tullie to bee for the most part such a one altogither as he was . Then what should let but that all those who desire to be eloquent men ( the chiefest ornament that can be giuen to man vpon earth ) shoulde chieflye studie Demosthenes , and followe hym by all meanes possible , seeyng Cicero attayned to such eloquence vp the onely imitation of so famous an Orator ? Now they that wyll be such 〈◊〉 as he was , must doe as he did , that is , they must not spare any labor , but be alwayes occupied , and chiefly follow this mans profession , whose watchinges and paynes taking weare notable , as may appeare by the report made in his lyfe . Yea hee was so full set to atteine vnto the excellency of eloquence , that being vnapt & vntoward by nature through many his great impediments : he warred as it should seeme with Nature , & conquered Nature also , with very great paynes takyng , and continual wrastling for the victory . Neyther could any else that haue bene naturally apt , and had no let at all to be excellent Orators , euer be able to exceede Demosthenes , notwythstandyng all the barres and hinderances , that by Natures iniurie happened vnto him . Besides this , ( as I haue sayde elsewhere ) he was temperate of hys diet and kept his health , and encreased hys witte with sobrietie , and moderate vsage of him selfe at all tymes : a thing most requisite for any one that myndes to compasse great matters vpon earth . And where as all men of any vnderstanding seeke to follow some one , vnto whom they desire to be lyke , or if it may be , to passe him ( the readiest way no doubt , for any one , to waxe most excellent ) Demosthenes did imitate and follow first Plato , and after Thucidides hys Countriemen both , the one a Philosopher , the other a Chronicler of the warres betwixt Athens & Peloponnesus . And so well did he like Thucidides that manye times he did borrowe whole sentences of him , as appeareth by his very first sentence of the first Oration in fauour of the Olynthians , the which sentence and diuers other sentences hee tooke out of Thucidides first Oration made in fauour of the Corcereans now Corfu , & out of the next Oration made by the Corinthians against the said Corcereans . Yea , it doth appeare that he did borow his chiefe arguments and best reasons that he vseth , out of this mans Orations : & that he did as it should seeme , imitate wholy Thucidides inuention . Wherevnto agreeth Vlpianus , who affirmeth that Demosthenes chiefe desire was , to haue Thucidides veyne and gift of writyng in all thinges . And in deede such was Demosthenes diligence and painfulnesse about this Author that he did wryte out with his owne hande , the whole hystorie of Thucidides ( being a booke fully so bigge as all the newe Testament is ) no lesse than eyght seuerall tymes . A trauayle certes right painefull , and yet the paynes very well bestowed , when so good fruite did followe therevpon . For no doubt Demosthenes by suche imitation and paynefull labor , came to that heigth of perfection , whereof he beareth the name , that is , to bee the chiefe Orator of all Greecelande , yea of all the worlde besides , I may well say . For in three or fower poyntes vnited in him togither , without doubt he passed greatly all others , that euer weare . First he had a singular iudgement to deuyse good matter , and to dispose the same most aptly , as tyme and place required : Agayne , he had the stomacke of a Lion , to speake boldly although not to fight manfully , and did vtter his meaning with such myght and grauitie , that he appalled greatly the courages of all others whatsoeuer : Thirdly his vtterance was so good ( beyng made so by Arte , euen agaynst Nature ) that neuer anye hath had better , eyther since or before . Lastly , he is to be praysed for that , which passeth all other gyftes , that is , he was a very honest man , a iust dealer , a true subiect alwayes to his countrie . And therefore although in some one of these gyftes , he myght perhaps be matched : yet was there neuer anye comparable to him for them all togyther . And of these his doynges the world is so true a iudge , that I neede not much to spende anye farther talke , although some will saye , that Tullie is to bee compared with hym in all things . Of the which two men if I shoulde saye my mynde flatly , there be perhaps that would byte the lippe at it , and count mee fonde in myne enterprise . And yet thus much I may boldly say , that Demosthenes hath more matter couched in a small roume , than Tullie hath in a large discourse , & that Demosthenes writing is more binding , more fast , firme , and more agreable to our common maner of speach , than Tullies Orations are . And who so speaketh now as Demosthenes doth , I doe thynke hee should be counted the wiser , the more temperate , and the more graue man a great deale , than if he wholy followed Tullie , and vsed his large veyne and vehement maner of eloquence . Besides this , Demosthenes vsed a playne familier maner of writing and speakyng in all his actions , applying hymselfe to the peoples nature and to their vnderstanding without vsing of Proheme , to wynne credite , or deuysing conclusion to moue affections and to purchase fauor after he had done hys matter : whereas Tullie with his flowing eloquence , sought to wrest the iudges to hys purpose both at the beginning , in the middle , & at the end , not trusting as it shou●d seeme to the goodnesse of his cause , or to speake more modestly it was sufferable in Rome , to vse these practises of eloquence , both in the beginning & ending of their orations to aduance their matters withall , the same being vtterly forbidde in Greecelande , vpon paine of displeasure . And were it not better & more wisedome to speake plainly & nakedly after the common sort of men in few words , than to ouerflowe wyth vnnecessarie and superfluous eloquence as Cicero is thought sometimes to doe ? But perhaps wheras I haue bene somewhat curious to followe Demosthenes naturall phrase , it may be thought that I doe speake ouer bare Englysh . Well I had rather follow his veyne , the whych was to speake simply and plainly to the common peoples vnderstanding , than to ouerflouryshe wyth superfluous speach , although I might therby be counted equall with the best that euer wrate Englysh . For Demosthenes speaketh alwayes matter & hath such force in hys maner of wryting , as no man hitherto hath euer bene able to expresse , and all men haue styll had hym in moste hygh admiration for the same . But why doe I compare these two noble vertues togyther ? makyng the one better than the other , whereas they weare both most excellent Orators , and chiefe ornamentes of eyther their owne countries in their dayes : both of them a rare example of nature , and such as none in anye age , hath bene lyke for excellencie , to eyther of them . Then what needes such comparisons , when both are equally chiefe in their kynde ? as Quintilian hath very well declared , in rehearsing their vertues seuerally , and in lapping vp his matter , sayth in thys wise , that vnto Tullie nothing can be added , and from Demosthenes nothyng can be taken away wythout harme doyng to eyther of them . And therefore to returne to Demosthenes , I saye , he is to be read of yong and olde , of learned and vnlearned , of wyse , and vnwyse , for that he hath in hym to serue all mens turnes whatsoeuer . He that loues hys countrye , and desires to procure the welfare of it , let him reade Demosthenes , and he shall not want matter to doe hymselfe good . For him that seekes common quietnesse , Demosthenes can ●eache hym the lesson : he that woulde gladlye preuent euyll to come , Demosthenes is for his purpose : He that desires to serue hys Countrye abrode , let hym reade Demosthenes day and nyght , for this is he that is able to make hym fitte to doe any seruyce for his Countryes welfare . For neuer dyd glasse so truely represent a mans face , as Demosthenes doth shewe the worlde to vs , and as it was then , so it is now , and wyll be so still , tyll the consummation and ende of all things shall be . The Deuill neuer ceaseth from the beginning of the worlde to make diuision betwixt Countrie and Countrie , to stirre ciuill warre , to enboulden the commons agaynst their superiours , to put euill thoughts into Counsellers heades , to make people ambicious and couetous , and to corrupt the hartes euen of the very messengers and preachers of Gods word , continuing his practyse styll in all places wyth all men . And therefore seeyng Demosthenes is so good a Schoolemayster for man to decypher the Deuill and hys ministers for the aduauncement of vpryghtnesse in all thinges : I would wyshe that all men woulde become his Scholers , yea , if it might bee I would that all youth weare first taught Greke , ( for so Quintilian would haue it ) and that they after some rypenesse in the tongue , and of elder yeares , weare fully acquaynted wyth Demosthenes , to learne hym without booke , that they myght perfite their iudgementes by oft readyng so worthy a man . Alexander was angrye wyth a Schoolemayster of children , bicause he did not teache them Homer . I wyll not be angrye wyth Schoolemaysters , but I woulde wyshe that Schollers beyng of rype yeares , and otherwyse trayned before in other Authors : weare taught Demosthenes , and not Homere onelye . Once this is most true , that the wysest man lyuing may learne of Demosthenes , how to benefite hymselfe and to doe good to hys Countrye , and to mayntayne also the safety of it . And a thing I haue to report , the whych almost is scant credible , touching a certayne ambassage made . And yet bicause I doe finde it written , I wyll make it knowne farther . Petrus Mosellanus a notable learned Germane , the restorer of good learning about fiftye yeares past , at what tyme he was famous in the Vniuersitie of Lipsia in hygh Almayne , dyd report vnto Christopherus Hegendorphinus a Germayne also , and a man of no lesse worthynesse , not onely for the Greeke , but also for the law whereof he made profession , that Bessario a Grecian borne and Cardinal in the tyme of Eugenius the fourth Pope of that name , and ouerlyuing hym tyll Xistus was Pope in the yeare of our Lorde God. 1484. desired of hys owne accorde to goe as Legate into Fraunce , to appease the great malyce that was then betwixt Lewys the .xj. of Fraunce , & Charles of Burgondie , and to exhort the same Kyng to turne hys warres vppon the Turke . The which Ambassage , as Mosellanus sayth , when he tooke vpon him , he vsed for hys speache to the Frenche King one of the Orations of Demosthenes in Greeke , made agaynst Philip of Macedonye as it laye worde for worde , alteryng verye fewe sentences or none in the discourse of hys whole matter , sauyng that hee applyed that agaynst the Turke , which Demosthenes vsed agaynst King Philip. Whereby it seemeth that Bessario beyng a notable learned Grecian , did see , not onely a patterne for hymselfe to vse in those dayes , but also a meane to woorke some good reformation by , for th amendement of thinges amysse , and the aduauncement of Gods truth and iustyce . Then how much is this Orator to bee esteemed , that hauing wrytten almost two thousande yeares past , can haue fresh matter styll , for an Ambassador to doe hys Legacye to a forreyne king , so manye hundreth yeares after . And as thys most learned Ambassador did helpe hymselfe then , to aduaunce the goodnesse of hys matter : so may all others at thys tyme , and hereafter doe the like , and not onely Ambassadors but Counsellers also , may finde great plentie of matter to doe their country good withall . For as Thucidides sayth , Tempora adferunt similia exempla donec hic mundus & haec rerum natura manet . That is to say : like time bringeth forth lyke examples , so long as the world lasteth , & the course of nature continueth . But what doe I in seeking to commende this Orator ? I had neede to haue the eloquence of the Orator himselfe , hauyng so large a fielde to walke in . Howbeit , his owne workes , are sufficient ynough to commend themselues , beyng read in his naturall tongue , seeming perhaps but bare as they are now brought into Englyshe . But this I haue done onely to giue occasion to others much better learned than I am , to take this matter vpon them , confessing plainlye , that euen in these my small traueyles , both Cambridge and Oxforde men , haue gyuen me their learned aduise , and in some things haue set to their helpyng hande . Thys I speake , bicause I woulde not defraude any of their prayse . And touching Demosthenes worthynesse although I neede not saye anye more : yet wyll I set foorth after thys Prologue , the seuerall reports of diuers learned men , that haue spoken and written in all ages of his prayse , and so leaue the consideration therof to others . I , for myne owne doynges must euer make this request , that hauing a good meaning with me , none may blame me for mine enterprise , although things doe not so fall out , as I woulde haue them , many may well desire . For Demosthenes is not so easie to bee englyshed , neyther is he for all mens vnderstandings and capacities . Thys I thought good to aduertise the gentle Reader : that whereas in the printing of this booke , there is sometimes a sentence , or halfe a sentence in the small Italicke letter , the same is not in the Greeke , but added onely , for the more playne vnderstanding of the matter , that such as bee not learned , may the rather go thorow with the reading of these Orations , without any sticking at all . Other things that are harde and straunge , for the matter and Countries whereof he speaketh : I haue done myne endeuour to make them easie and better to bee knowne , wyth deuising addicions in the margine , such as I was best able to frame . Besides this I haue set forth the towne of Athens seuerally , with a certayne declaration or rather limitation of Greeceland , and also haue giuen as occasion serued , the names that be vsed at thys tyme , to diuers of their auncient townes . They that like not my labour , may suffer me to abounde wyth mine owne humor , and to serue my fantasie , as I am well contented , that they shall vse their pleasures , and satisfie their appetite , as they thinke meete . For so that vertue be aduaunced , no man is to be mislyked , although hee doe but meanely . Neyther is it possible nor yet agreeing wyth nature , that euerye man can excell . But howsoeuer it bee with vs , better or worse , let euerye man haue thys before hys eyes in all his lyfe and doyngs : first to honour God as hee hath willed himselfe to bee honoured : next to loue the naturall Countrie where he is borne , aboue all worldly thyngs : thirdly to obeye the Magistrate that is in authoritie : and last of all , euery one to doe to others , as they woulde haue others , doe to them . And these lessons he that hath them not otherwise , may learne them of Demosthenes well ynough , whom if my Countrie men shall aswell like of , for his good councell , as I haue taken paynes in him for their onely sakes : then haue I the fruite of my traueyle , and wysh them good successe in all their doyngs . 1570.