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for searching only. 554 SMALL LATINE AND LESSE GREEKE
selected dialogues, both in typical school form with parallel Latin translation. Beza's grammar had been added to his technical aids. Thus we have the complete progression of James in Greek.
For Roman history he had only Commentarii Caesaris, fol., Lausannorum; Commentarii Caesaris, fol., Lugduni. Of all the Roman historians, Caesar was most prominent and still holds primacy for James. For Scottish and modern history he had Hectoris Boethii historia Scotorum, fol., Paris; Tani commentarii rerum Gallicarum. Item, Lupani de Magistratibus Gallicis, fol.; De Republica Heluetiarum Simlerus, Historia Scotiae per Leslaeum, 4¨; De Jure Regni Buchananus, ¢¨. I suppose we might as well enter here 7us orientale, gr. et lat., 8¨; and Epistre d'Osorius a la Royne d'angleterre; as also Oraison du Cardinal de Lorraine a Poissy. Most of these books had been printed later than the time of our previous lists. One misses Buchanan's Scottish history of the previous year, though two anecdotes show that fames had read it (p. lxxiii). Perhaps it had not pleased James, as the friends of Buchanan had warned him it would not in spots.
In his Rervm Scoticarum Historia, 1582, Buchanan tells James why he wrote this history.
It seemed to me absurd and shameful that you, who in this your tender age, have read the histories of all nations, and retain very many of them in your memory, should only be a stranger at home. Besides, an incurable distemper having made me unfit to discharge, in person, the care of your instruction, committed to me, I thought that sort of writing, which tends to the information of the mind, would best supply the want of my attendance and resolved to send you faithful counsellors from history, that you might make use of their advice in your deliberations and imitate their virtues in your actions."
This good advice, including some of the phraseology, King James later reshaped for Prince Henry in the Basilikon Doron (1599), even while he reprobated the Historia itself.
And next the Lawes, I would haue you to be well versed in authentick histories, and in the Chronicles of all nations, but specially in our owne histories (Ne sis peregrines dorni) the example whereof most neerely concernes you: I meane not of such infamous inuectiues, as Buchanan or Knoxes Chronicles: and if any of these infamous libels remaine vntill your dayes, vse the Law vpon the keepers thereof. . . . And among al prophane histories, I must not omit most specially to recommend vnto you, the Commentaries of Caesar; both for the sweete flowing of the stile, as also
u George Buchanan; Giaagow Qtasercentenary Studio, r9o6, p. 461.
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