An elaborate woodcut headpiece features symmetrical floral scrolls, leaves, and a central circular motif.

TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND

MOST DISTINGUISHED MAN, JOHANN

Anton Tillier, Senator of the Illustrious Republic of Bern,

and most worthy Treasurer, a Lord to be held

in perpetual memory by me.

An ornate initial 'V' decorated with scrolls and foliage.

SOME OLD PHILOSOPHERS acknowledged, solely by the guidance of nature (most distinguished and honorable sir), that man was created by God and placed in this most spacious theater of the world: not only to be an actor on a certain stage, but also a spectator and judge, both of the natural things that always confront us, and especially of divine and human actions, which are represented to us through the benefit of History, almost within a single glance of the eyes. I confess that the contemplation of natural things is very noble, worthy of a Christian man, and cannot be celebrated enough. But by as much as man, for whose sake all other things were created, surpasses brute animals and other natural things, by that much does History excel the science of physical things.

Book 2, On the Orator.

M. Tullius Cicero tried to express its majesty in a few, yet very weighty words, based on its manifold use: where he said that History is the witness of the times, the light of truth, the life of memory, the mistress of life, and the messenger of antiquity. But if these encomiums of profane history, by which it is commended by a profane man, belong to it by some right because it recounts certain few sayings and deeds that can be conveniently proposed as examples for passing and governing this life happily: yet it cannot be denied that History, elaborated by human art alone, is of but a few centuries, mutilated, lame, and its dignity most foully contaminated by various errors. Therefore, since the sacred writers are to be preferred, we shall seek those utilities principally from men other than the profane. Are those to be considered trustworthy witnesses of the times who are ignorant of the beginning of time and the world, and who fight continually among themselves in disagreement regarding subsequent times? That certainly would not be the thought of a sane man. Or shall we demand the light of truth from those who have always abhorred the radiance of divine truth? Who (as Paul says to the Romans) exchange truth for a lie, and unjustly hold its true light submerged in the thickest darkness of ignorance and even malice? It would be blindness, indeed a horrendous fog of the mind. Shall we draw the life of memory more fully and better from those who indeed hand down a few examples, but only of things regarding this fleeting life: while they allow to lie in perpetual oblivion things that were most worthy of being recorded for the memory of eternal life? That would be a sign of remarkable stupidity. Shall we perfectly learn the mastership of life from those who often confuse the nature and ends of virtue and vices, and substitute vices for virtues? Neither would that be the act of a sane man, but of an insane one. Finally, shall we expect the most certain messenger of antiquity from those who, since they have never seen the Mosaic books of Origins and the other sacred books, bring forth nothing certain regarding ancient antiquity: but only old wives' tales and the vainest faked monsters of Antiquity?