ther D. Januarius Salinas, a Man perfectly fkilled in the Hiftory, and Laws of the Romans: He has alfo took care to diftinguish the Orthodox Councils from the unlawful Meetings of the Hereticks. Thus much for the first Volume, and the Works which are now published.

THE fecond Volume will contain the twenty Books of Sigonius De Regno Italia; that valuable Work will be rendred much more useful by the Cares of Mr. Argelati himself, and of Jofeph Anthony Sexius, Keeper of the Ambrofian Library at Modena. This Library has furnished him with a great many ancient Records, which were unknown to Sigonius. He will alfo make ufe of feveral Charters and Diplomas, fome of which have never yet been printed: The Collection of the Italian Hiftorians has also been a great help to him, for illuftrating that particular Work of Sigonius.

MR. Argelati tells us, that he does not yet know in what order the other Works of Sigonius will be placed; but he affures us, that they will come out with the Notes and Obfervations of the Learned, either already printed, or intirely new and particularly to the following Books of Sigonius, viz. De Antiquo jure Civium Romanorum, Italiæ, ac Provinciarum, & De Comitiis, De binis Comitiis & Lege Curiata, will be added Prolegomena by Horatio Blanci, and a continual Commentary by John Madernus, as alfo all the Notes and Obfervations that are to be found in Gruter's Thefaurus Antiquitatum RoThe Editor alfo informs us, that a very learned Man, but too modeft to permit that his Name fhould be published, has took

manarum.

care

are to illuftrate Sigonius's Books, De Albenienfium & Lacedemoniorum Temporibus.

Sigonius has alfo written a Work on the Republick of the Hebrews, and Commentaries on Sulpicius Severus: thefe were printed in his Lifetime; he also wrote the Hiftory of the Chriftian Church, in eight Books; it is probable this last Work has never been printed, for Mr. Argelati fays, he wishes he may find it; if he does, he intends to print it with the two laft mentioned, in a Volume apart, and to illuftrate them all along with Obfervations: Mr. Mafei takes upon him to write the Notes upon the Books concerning the Republick of the Hebrews, The fame learned Gentleman will alfo add to Sigonius's Commentary on Sulpicius Severus, all fuch Notes and Obfervations of other Commentators, as are any ways useful or material, corrected and improved by himself.

THE facred and the profane Hiftory of Bologna, written by Sigonius, will also be printed in this Edition, with explanatory Notes; Father Aloifius Rabbi has undertaken to illuftrate the facred Hiftory, and Mr. Alexander Machiavel, a learned Civilian, the Profane.

MR. Argelati himself, as he very modeftly tells us, has endeavoured to illuftrate the Life of Andrew Doria, written by Sigonius, by adding to it Copies of the feveral Treaties of Peace and other publick Tranfactions relating to that Prince: Thefe Copies have been communicated to our Editor, by Mr. Nicholas Dominicus Mutius. Mr. Argelati has alfo added fome Rcmarks borrowed from the Latin and Greek Authors, to Sigonius's Life of Emilius Scipio,

FINALLY, there is a Book intitled Judicium de Romance Hiftoria Scriptoribus, which has been afcribed

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afcribed to Sigonius. Mr. Argelati tells us he has examined that Book carefully, and will print it with his Opinion, and with those of feveral learned Men: And to render all the Works of Sigonius more useful, he has added to it feveral Maps, and large Indexes at the end of each Book.

WE come now to the Life of Sigonius, being perfuaded that the Publick will be pleased to find here an Account of that Great and Learned Man. He was born at Modena in the Year 1523 or 1524. He ftudied Greek under Francifcus Portus, one of the most learned Men at that time, and Father of the famous Emilius Portus. Sigonius being fixteen Years old, was fent by his Father to Bologna, where he applied himself to Logick and Philofophy; he studied alfo Phyfick in that celebrated University: but he did it rather to comply with his Father's defire, than to follow his own Inclination; and when he was a little above twenty Years of Age, he left off the Study of Phyfick, and was received in the House of Cardinal Grimano, Patriarch of Aquileia, with whom he stayed but a few Months. For, taking a turn to Modena in the Year 1545, either to settle fome Family Affairs, or, which is more probable, being fecretly invited by his Friends there; they prevailed with him to ftay in that City, where he was made a Profeffor of the Greek Tongue, in the room of Francis Portus, who had been elected Profeffor in the University of Ferrara. But as Sigonius was in a manner ingaged with Cardinal Grimano, the Magiftrates of Modena thought it their Duty to write a Letter to that Cardinal, acquainting him that they prevailed with Sigonius to stay with

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them,

them, and that they hoped the Cardinal would not be offended at it. He anfwer'd them in a very obliging manner, that he gave his confent to what they had done; he also bestows a very great Encomium on Sigonius.

Sigonius being now Profeffor in his native Country, with a handfome Salary, applied himself very earnestly to his Study; and all the time he could spare after his publick and private Lectures, he spent it in illuftrating ancient History. He was affifted in this by Lewis Caftelvetro, a Citizen of Modena, famous by his learned Works.

THE first Book Sigonius wrote, was the Life of Cornelius Scipio Emilianus; this he compofed in his younger Years, but Caftelvetro advised him not to publifh it yet. Sigonius complied with his Friend's advice, but he had foon reason to repent it: For Anthonio Bendinello hearing that Sigonius had attempted to write Scipio's Life, went upon it himself, and finished it in a little time, fo that he published it at Florence in the Year 1549; which for that time at leaft render'd Sigonius's Labours entirely useless: However, fome time after he published his Life of Scipio; whereupon he was accufed by Bendinello himself of Plagiarism, as though he had borrowed all his Materials from that Author. In his Defence, he appeals to both these Lives, and defires that they might be compared, being confident that whoever compares his Life of Scipio with that of Bendinello, will be fatisfied that he did not copy after Bendinello; he adds, that what he wrote of Scipio was exceedingly admired by Peter Francis Contareno, a Man of great Learning and Judgment. Sigonius

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Sigonius did foon convince the World that he was capable of greater Performances, in which he could not be liable to the Accufation of Plagiarifm. He published the Commentaries on the Fafti and Triumphs of the Roman Commonwealth, from the building of Rome, to the time of Tiberius: Thefe Commentaries were first printed at Modena in 1550, dedicated to Hercules II. Duke of Ferrara; they were afterwards reprinted with Additions in 1556, dedicated to Lawrence Priolo, Doge of Venice: they have been fince printed at Bafil in 1559, and at other Places feveral times. This Work of Sigonius gave him a wonderful Reputation amongst all the Learned; and indeed 'tis one of the most useful Books that are extant, to understand thoroughly the Roman History.

Sigonius had been almost seven Years Profeffor of the Greek Tongue at Modena, when the Senate of Venice refolved to have that learned and famous Man in their City: accordingly, in the beginning of November, in the Year 1552, Sigonius went to Venice, and was inftalled the fourth of the fame Month by a Decree of the Senate; fucceeding, not Baptift Egnatius, as De Thou writes, but Francis Robortello, who had been promoted to the Profefforfhip in the Univerfity of Padua.

Sigonius's Task at Venice was to teach Rhetorick and Eloquence, which he did with a general Applaufe; and every Year he delivered publickly an Oration or Harangue on fome curious Subject: feven of thefe Orations written in a very fluent Stile, are printed amongst his Works. In the Year 1553, he published a Book, intitled, De Nominibus Romanorum, Of the Names of the Ramans; and in 1555, he printed