bacques By JAMES LENFANT Tranflated from the New EDITION, Printed at AMSTERDAM, which the AUTHOR not only Revis'd and Corrected, but confiderably Augmented. Illuftrated with feveral Curious COPPER PLATES. Printed for A. BETTESWORTH, C. RIVINGTON, J. BATLEY, T. Cox,, J. CLARKE, R. HETT, T. ASTLEY, S. AUSTEN, J. GRAY, and L. GILLIVER. M.DCC.XXX. To the REVEREND Dr. HENRY BLAND, DEAN of DURHAM. Reverend Sir, S nothing was a greater Encouragement in the Translation of this Hiftory, than my Hopes that you would honour it with your Protection; your good Nature in gratifying that Ambition, is what I fhall ever efteem among the best Fortunes of my Life. WHEN I Confider'd what Character wou'd be requifite in a PATRON for fo valuable a Work; that, befides Eminence of Station, Learning and Judgment, there must be PieA 2 ty, ty, Virtue, and good Senfe, and a strong Attachment to what is true, as well as what is pleasant, it will be feen immediately, that I was naturally led to this Addrefs, and that I must have heard very little of Men and Things if it had efcap'd me. THE Author, Mr. Lenfant, who had the Honour to be Chaplain at the Court of Berlin, and dedicated his Hiftory to his Pruffian Majesty, was, when living, in the greatest Efteem with the moft illuftrious Perfons both for Merit and Quality, and his Hifto ry has met with the unanimous Approbation of all Lovers of Truth; thofe especially, who not only love, but understand it; who are not only delighted with the Variety and Beauty of this Performance, but edified with the Hiftorian's Accuracy and Sincerity. I fhall not enter into Particulars, nor mark out Instances of this Sincerity and Accuracy: For as your Penetration would foon have discovered the Vices of History contrary to those Virtues, fo will it open to you every Excellence, and give you that unfpeakable Satisfaction, which Minds of like Ability Ability and Tafte, find in Communication with one another. THE COUNCIL of CONSTANCE must be acknowledged to be one of the most important Events of the XVth Century, and the greatest of all Oecumenical Synods, if with the Number and Dignity of the Prelates and Doctors we confider the Dignity and Number of the Princes and Lords who af fifted at it, after the Example of the then Christian Emperor SIGISMOND of Germany. It will be confefs'd, that the true Spirit of Reformation did not operate in this Affembly as it did a hundred Years after; but even in that dark Age it had Vigour enough to struggle with the Papal Hierarchy, and to affert the Freedom of the Church, in Oppofition to the Ufurpation and Tyranny of the Bishops of Rome, of whom no less than three were actually fet afide by this learned Congress of Divines, and a fourth elected, who owned the Papacy to be fubject to a Council. THIS notable Struggle takes up a great Part of Mr. Lenfant's Hiftory, in which will |