A2r

Admirable
Events:
Selected
Out of Foure
Bookes,

Written in French by the Right
Reverend, John Peter Camus,
Bishop of Belley
.

Together with morall Relations,

written
by the same Author.
And translated into English by
S. Du Verger.

London,
Printed by Thomas Harper for William Brooks,
and are to be sold at his shop in Holborn
in Turnstile Lane. 16391639.

A2v A3r

To the Most
Excellent Majesty
of
Henrietta Maria,
Queene of Great Britaine.

The ancient and moderne
custome which all Authors
have, and doe yet hold, in
dedicating their workes to
the hand of eminency and
greatnesse, is grounded eitheir
upon desire to see them powerfully protected,
or by them to proclaim some testimony
of devoted affection, or to appeare gratefull
for benefits received, if I shall call to this
support of my thrice humble dedication to A3 your A3v your Highnesse, the aforesaid motives either
severall or joyned together, I doubt not but
their weight will begge pardon for my presumption,
and incline your Grace to its favour,
since whether I make my addresse in
the humble supplication of the first, or in a
revering sence of the second: or lastly, in the
generall obligation of the third respect. I professe
no more then what the least and meanest
in the ranke of subjects is owing to the
source of Majesty, whose influence quickeneth,
gives motion and being to all civill industries,
sending their lives to equall center.

In point of subject, since nothing from
mine own conceptions was fit to adventure
upon so high a theater. I assign my part to the
onely choise and conveyance of an Authour,
with language intelligible to the English
shore, who in the variety and multitude of his
writings, both Theologicall, morall, and historicall,
hath as with a Cristall streame watered
a continent of the greatest extent in Europe:
and although in himselfe like good wine
he needeth no bush to recommend him to the
readers gust, yet in this presentment to your gratious A4r gratious Majesty. I will serve him in by the
hand of a curious taster Rare Caussin, who in
a noble translation of the Holy Court, towards
the end of the second part, hath these words,
as well of proper gratitude to his person, as of
a full Elogie of the graces and beauties of his
minde.

“I may well say” (saith he) “that I were stupid and
ungratefull, if I should not confesse to have been
much excited to prosecute this labour by the honourable
invitations which my Lord Bishop of
Belley hath used towards me in his works, I cannot
set too high a price upon his recommendation
in such a subject, for hee is verily one of the most
able and flourishing wits that ever handled penne:
to see the number of his Books, one might say, he
began to write, so soone as to live, and to consider
their worth, it is a wonder how so many graces
and beauties which others attaine not but with
much labour, increased in him, as in a soyle naturall
for eloquence.”

This Character flowing from so learned a
pen, may of it self be a fair invitation to your
Highnesse, to peruse the work which I have
here drawne up to a translation: it is an extractA4 tract A4v of severall Histories culled out of two
Treatises intituled Singular Events, and Morall
Relations
, an argument not improper for
a vertuous minde, whether profit or pleasure
be aymed at, for Histories are the store-houses,
where vertues are faithfully conserved to
posterities veneration, and vices detestation:
it is an armory where armour of proofe for
all degrees is fitted to the hand; it is a glasse
wherein to behold, adorne, and fashion out
the life to what is worthy imitation, and to
have in horrour and avoydance what is deformed
in the beginning, or foule in the end:
in fine, they are the only monuments of truth,
which they purely deliver, no way flattering
or concealing any thing.

Give leave then, most gracious Princesse,
where I began, thereto determine my thrice
humble Dedication, with homage and binding
oblation of these first fruits of my small
industry to your all-atracting goodnesse,
which let it deigne to assume unto favourable
acceptance, herein imitating the precious
amber, that commands the ascent of small,
and worthlesse substances, not for their meritsrits A5r sake, but for the honour of its force, and
vertue to attract. Thus my presumption I
hope, may be excused, your Highnesse all
commanding vertue being graciously inclined

To the humblest and lowest of
all your Majesties most
devoted servants,

S. Du Verger.

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