Sigonius publishing nothing fince the Year 1566, to 1574; one might be apt to believe that he was become lazy, or that thinking his Reputation was well established, he imagined that he had no occafion to write any longer: but the true reason why he did not publish any thing during that interval, was, his being then employ'd in compofing the Hiftory of Italy, beginning at the Declenfion of the Roman Empire: For which purpose he carefully searched all the ancient Records of Italy, and particularly of Lombardy; he examined either himself or by his Friends all the Charters of Popes, Kings, or Emperors, that were kept in feveral Cities, Churches, or Monasteries: Finally, he read all the Chronicles of Italy, or of particular Cities, that had been wrote fince the Year 1000. This he himself tells us in the Preface to his History De Regno Italia, "of the Kingdom of ་་ Italy," which he published at Venice in the Year 1574. This is one of the most useful Books to understand the History of those dark Ages that preceeded the Restoration of Letters: and though fome later Writers may have found fome faults in this History of Sigonius, he does not deserve less Glory for it, fince he paved the way for those who would illuftrate that Hiftory after him. Sigonius began his History of the Kingdom of Italy, from the Invafion of the Lombards, that is, A. C. 565, and carried it to the Year 1199. But the Applause this Work met with, and the Encouragements and Prayers of his Friends, engaged him to write another Hiftory, beginning at the Year 284, and ending about the time when the Kingdom of the Lombards was established. This new Work he intitled De occidentali Imperio, Of the western Empire," and published it in 1577. Since that time he added five other Books to the fifteen of his Hiftory of the Kingdom of Italy, which brought that History down to the Year 1286; but he had not the Pleasure of feeing that Addition printed in his Life-time it was published by Alexander Caprara, a Senator of Bologna, and a particular Friend of Sigonius, who had trufted him with all the Manuscripts he left behind him. And here we must take notice, after our Author, of the careleffness of thofe, who printed Sigonius's Hiftory of the Kingdom of Italy after his Death; they have left out the Lift of the particular Hiftories and Records of which he had made ufe, and which was. printed at Bologna in 1567. This was a very great Omiffion, fince it was neceffary to preferve this Catalogue, that Pofterity might know, not only how careful and exact Sigonius had been in fearching those ancient Hiftories and Records, but also that there were anciently fuch Chronicles in the hands of private Perfons, and fuch Charters kept in feveral Churches and Cities: for it's now unknown what is become of them, and they are irretrievably loft. Sigonius, to leave with the Bolognians a perpetual Pledge of his Love and Gratitude, undertook to write the Hiftory of their City and Commonwealth. His Work was already very forward when he understood that it would by no means be acceptable to the Bolognians; this obliged him to enquire with more care and industry after new Records, by which he might write an Hiftory more honourable to the Citizens of Bologna, than that he had already began; and having found fuch Records, he was glad glad that his Work had not yet been sent to the Prefs, being in hopes that he could now perform it with a better Succefs; and render it more acceptable to the Bolognians: this Hiftory, containing fix Books, was at laft printed; but our Author does not tell us in what Year or where. The Reader would perhaps be glad to know what it was the Bolognians found amifs in Sigonius's Hiftory of their City and Commonwealth; our Author does not tell it us in this Place; he only refers us to Vincentius Borghini, in his Differtation, An Florentiæ Attilas excidiumi attulerit, page 256. But in his Appendix to the Life of Sigonius, he tells us after Caprara, that Sigonius being a Man of a critical Genius, and a great lover of Truth, had probably faid fomething in his History which the Bolognians did not like; or, which feems more likely, that he had left out fome doubtful Fact, which the Bolognians had flattered themfelves would have been confirmed by his Authority; as for inftance, the pretended Origin and Antiquity of their University; it was then with the Author's Impartiality that the Bolognians found fault. Sigonius alfo illuftrated the Ecclefiaftical Hiftory of Bologna, in five Books, intitled De Epifcopis Bononienfibus. These were printed after his Death, by order of Cardinal Paleoti, Archbishop of Bologna; and our Author fays he is certain the first Edition is that of 1586 at Bologna by Benatius, though fome think they were printed in Sigonius's Life-time. Sigonius's Reputation was fo great, that Pope Gregory XIII chofe him in 1578 to write an Univerfal Ecclefiaftical Hiftory: this Sigonius himself informs us of,in his Preface to his Book, De Republica Hebræorum, Of the Republick of the Hebrews. Hebrews. This fame Task had been before given to Onuphrius Panvinus, a Man of great Learning and Judgment; but both he and Sigonius died in the middle of the Undertaking, and left the Glory of finifhing it to Cardinal Baronius. All that Sigonius could do, was to lay the Foundation of a facred History; which he did by his Commentary on the Ecclefiaftical Hiftory of Sulpicius Severus, which he published in 1581, dedicated to Cardinal Paleoti. He also wrote feven Books of the Republick of the Hebrews, in which he defcribes their civil Government, which had been neglected by others. This Work, fays our Author, is ftill very much. esteemed by the Learned, though a great many Books have been written on that Subject fince the time of Sigonius: his Book was publifhed in 1582, dedicated to Pope Gregory XIII. Sigonius offer'd alfo his Service to the Citizens of Brescia*, to write their History; but why they let that Opportunity flip, is unknown. IN the Year 1583, Sigonius was again engaged in a literary War. There was published at Venice in the beginning of that Year, a Book, intitled, Marci Tullii Ciceronis Confolatio, five de Luttu minuendo, without any Preface, without any Account where or how the Book was found, or who was the Editor of it. It was well known Brefcia is the Capital City of the Bresciano, a Province in Italy, belonging to the Venetians. At the Declenfion of the Western Empire, Brefcia became a free City; it was afterwards taken by the Dukes of Milan: but the Citizens of Brescia revolting from their Mafters, gave their City and Territory to the Venetians, who poffefs it ftill: Brescia is a fortified Town, and has a Bishop Suffragan of the Archbishop of Milan. No. XXII. 1733. A a that that Tully had wrote a Book, to comfort himfelf in the Grief he had conceived at his Daughter's Death, and that there were fome Fragments of that Book extant; Sigonius himself had published them with the other Fragments of Tully in 1559. The Learned lamented at the lofs of Cicero's Confolatio: fo that when the Book we mentioned was published, it occafioned a variety of Opinions amongst the Learned; fome thinking it was the genuine Work of Tully, others pretending it was an impofition upon the Publick: among the latter, was Anthony Riccoboni, a Profeffor at Padua, and formerly a Scholar of Sigonius. Riccoboni wrote a Letter (dated April the 28th, 1580,) to Jerom Mercurialis, in which he endeavoured to evince the fpurioufnefs of that Piece. Sigonius maintained the other fide of the Question; he did not indeed pofitively affert that the Book was really Tully's; but he was perfuaded that the fpuriousness of it had not been well proved by Riccoboni. He published towards the latter end of the Year 1583, two Orations, intitled pro Confolatione Ciceronis, in which he endeavoured with great Learning and Judgment to confute all Riccoboni's Arguments. Riccoboni reply'd, and in the mean time he employ'd fome eminent Perfons, to defire Sigonius to leave the Decifion of that Difpute to the Judgment of the Learned, the Matter of Fact being now fufficiently cleared up. Thefe Perfons accordingly defired Sigonius, as if it was of their own accord, not to difpute any longer; but Sigonius answer'd, that he could not comply with their Requeft, because the Arguments of his Antagonist did not appear convincing to him. He added, that he was determined to have the laft |