Rich. THE Isfuldeston OF murch Th17 17+4 ENGLAND BEING A Compendious History Of ALL its MONARCHS FROM The Time of JULIUS CÆSAR, TO THIS VERT TEAR. Written by D HOWEL; And Continued by an Impartial Hand to this LONDON: the Printed for TIMOTHY CHILDB, at the White-Hart in St. Paul's Church-yard: And for THOMAS VARNAM and JOHN OSBORN, at the Oxford-Arms in Lombard Street: And WILLIAM TAYLOR, at the Ship in Paternofter-Row. 1712. THE BOOKSELLER TO THE READER. T HIS Excellent Treatise was first sent to the Prefs in the Year 1678, by an sunknown 10 Handy with Intimation only, that it was written by a Clergy Man in the Country, being the Minutes he took in his Course of Studying the English Hiftory. The Judgment and Fidelity with which it was Compiled fupplied the want of its Author's Name, and the Publick were fo well pleas'd with it that many Thousand Copies were foon fold off without any Knowledge of the Author. At length Mr. Anthony Wood in his Athena Oxonienfes, fpeaking of Dr. Howell, Author of the General Hiftory, fo well known for its Excellency, declares this Treatife to be his. It would be unreasonable to doubt that Gentleman's Authority, fince he had no Temptation to falfify. 10And therefore, as none of his Friends have ever Contradicted it, and the Imputation is no Dishonour, for the Work is well worthy of fuch an Author, we have taken the Liberty to give him the Name of it, as verily believing it to be his. The Continuation will, we hope, be allow'd to be answerable to the rest: at leaft the fame Care is taken with refpect to Fidelity. Nothing material to the knowledge of Publick Affairs is omitted; the Work is thereby render'd Compleat... i and The The Bookfeller to the Reader. The Cutts added in this Edition are intended more for ufe then fhew. The Utility confifts in these two Particulars. 1. To make the better Impreffion on the Memory. 2. To fhew more readily when the Notable Paffages in our History were Tranfacted; which without the knowledge of the Names of the Perfons, are not to be found out, by even the best Index's. As for Example, In what Reign was it that a Rebellious Rout, headed by a vile Fellow, made great Ravage, and appearing in the King's Prefence with Infolence, their Captain was Stab'd upon the Spot by the Lord-Mayor? Here without knowing the Names of fome of the Parties, which a World of People are ignorant of, the Story is not to be found by an Index, but by the help of the Cutt, which catches the Eye, is foon difcover'd: We all have heard of the Piety of one of our Queens who fuck'd the Poyfon out of her Husband's Wound, but very few remember which of them it was, which the Cut prefently fhews The fame is to be faid of all the reft, fince we have chofen only fuch things as are NOTABILIA in the History to Defcribe in our Sculptures. And if it be objected, That the Graving is in Wood, and not in Copper, which would be more Beautiful; we Anfwer, that fuch would be much more Expenfive too. And we were willing to fave the Buyer's Purfe; cfpecially fince even the best Engraving would not better ferve the Purposes above-faid. But we have prevented this Objection in the Genealogical Table of the Royal Family, which is Engrav'd on Copper by Mr. Sturt, the beft Hand extanta And fhews in the plaineft manner the Succeffion of the Crown from William I. to this Time, and very much Illustrates the Hiftory, THE |