Some Materials for a New Edition of Polydore Vergil's ‘History’

Extract

The importance of Polydore Vergil's ‘History’ for the reign of Henry VII. is fully recognised by all students of that time. Dr. James Gairdner, without doubt our first English authority for the events of this period of our national history, considers that with the exception of the poetical story of Bernard André, from which we learn something, albeit very little, Vergil's work may be regarded as the only contemporary history of this reign. Dr. Wilhelm Busch also, in his excellent study of ‘England under the Tudors,’ speaks as strongly about our indebtedness to this cultured Italian ecclesiastic, and declares that ‘for elegance of language, easy narrative, firmness and independence of judgment [Polydore's work] far surpasses [that of] all the English historians of his day.’ Even for the reign of Henry VIII., although he is considered by some as ‘not so trustworthy, owing to his bias against Wolsey,’ his authority cannot be altogether set aside, since in the opinion of Mr. Brewer ‘no man was better informed on European politics’ at this time.