Germany An outragious Pope The Pope who could not chaūge his nature wasted Viterbe again excommunicated the Emperour Who being greatly moued therewith retourned into Italy very furiously punished all the rebells through Toscane Vmbrie the syde of Pauie By reason whereof the Pope redoubled his excommunication ioyned in league with the Venetians The Emperour forragyng through Italy hauyng brought almost all vnto hys obedience came encamped before Rome and as these thyngs were a doyng Pope Gregory dyed who a lytle before had called them that toke hys part vnto the counsel at Rauenna whether they coulde not arriue because that the Emperour kept the wayes stopt and that also he had taken certayn Thauthour of the decretals This is that Gregory who collected the Epistles named Decretalls which is the greatest part of the right Canon loded with great store of commentaries Wherin a man may greatly meruel that there are men who apply addict them selues wholly vnto writings euyll adapted vnorderly placed and lesse prudently or religiously let me not say worthy of mockedge derision as if they were oracles from heauen and employ all theyr labour industrie to enterprete and expounde them The folly of the Canonistes so that they seme to be hyred for to defend by theyr watches and trauayles anothers foolyshnes and errour and for to lose all shame in anothers inpudencie That which they call the decre of Gracianus conteyneth among other things in diuers places The impieties of Gratianus decree that the rule of the romain church ought to be folowed of all because that it is the seat of S. Peter that it is not lawfull to hold a counsel without the popes permissiō that the lawes of the romain church ought to be obserued fully asmuch as yf they were pronunced by the mouth of S. Peter the yoke and bondage which the romain church doth put vpon any yea albeit it wer not tollerable ought to be borne the ministers of the church ought to vowe chastitie for feare that they marry not and to be lawful vnto hym that hath no wyfe to haue a concubine Whoredom permitted that the pope who is slack careles in his estate hurteth aswell hym selfe as others But not withstanding he can be iudged of any because that he iudgeth the whole world that the emperour ought to be vnder the pope and not aboue that al other men are iudged of men but that the pope S. Peters successour is iudged onely of God that it is lawful vnto the pope to absolue the people of the faith and othe which they owe vnto their Prynce Amongst other thyngs there is in the epistles decretals of Gregory in the Sixtes of Bonifacius in the Clementines and extrauagantes as they call them that the popes authoritie is not subiect vnto the Decrees of the Counsell that it appertayneth vnto the sayde Pope to approue the Emperour elected or to reiect hym yf he be not fit or apt that there are two great lights which gouerne the worlde to witte the Sunne and the Moone that the pope is in place of the Sunne the Emperour in place of the Moone that it is lawfull vnto bishops to giue pardon vnto them that are fallen into adultery or other crimes but where question is of the priuileges of the romain church none other oght to take knowledge therof but the pope that the bones of the excommunicated already buryed ought to be taken vp and cast farre of that it is in the popes power to put the emperour from besides his estate dignitie that the Emperour is bound to promise faith and fide litie by othe vnto the pope that the church men must be free discharged from all charges troubles hinderances that a man may be pronounced an heretike after hys death his goods confiscate that the children of heretikes ought not to be receyued into any dignitie either ciuill or ecclesiasticall that for to be saued it necessarily behoneth that all shoulde be subiect vnto the pope There is no man of sounde iudgement that seeth not what these few articles be which ar takē frō out of infinite others The definition of the lawe as most learned men saye is a singuler reason engraffed in nature Difinitiō of the law the whych commaundeth the things that ought to be done and forbiddeth the contrarie Nowe euery lawe ought to be referred vnto the common vtilitie the lawinaker ought to be affectioned towards the publyke weale as the father towards hys chyldren but who seeth any such lyke in the thynges aboue sayde Nowe I pray you what folly is thys wythout speaking any sharplier not only to excuse them The villany of the popish lawes but also to decke adorne and illustrate them with new commentaries and to be carelesse what is sayde so that theyr dignitie be not lessned If pryde couetousnes desier of authoritie and ignorance of letters hath caused thē to make such decrees if they be of diuers opinions and wyll not be bound the one to the others lawes because that they are of lyke power I pray thee why doest thou torment thy self for to accorde ouerthwarte and contrarye thyngs I omit this sea or rather filthy pumpe to wit the part of the right Canon which cōteyneth the traffike merchaundise of benefices as they call them and other ecclesiasticall reuenewes Traffike of benefices For who can number the deceipts subtelties therein written Euen they truely who haue a longe tyme thereto employed their study are dayly occupied in them do not vnderstande nor knowe them all seing that day by day new are inuented But thys argument would requier other tyme and leasure and also a whole booke Let vs now retourne to our purpose The king of Fraunce in Syria The king of Fraunce Ludouicus the ninth of that name had perced into Syria and Egypt as well as the Emperour Fridericus and afterwardes dyed at the siege of Tunes the yeare of saluation a thousande two hundred three score and tenne In hys raygne Wyllyam Byshoppe of Paris propounded a question of ecclesiasticall benefices And after that the matter had bene generally disputed vpō the opinion that it was not lawful for any to haue more then one Against pluralities of benefices had the maisterie But it suffiseth that such ordinaunces be only recited and written Innocent the fourth succeded Gregory who as by right of heritage entred in possession of the hatred against the Emperour Wherefore he assigned a counsell at Lyons wherevnto he summoned the Emperour The Emperour sūmoned by the pope and because he appeared not excommunicated hym depriuing hym of the dignitie exhorting therewithall the Prynces of Germany to procede to the election of another This his decree is prynted with certaine others also there are found sundry of themperours epistles written vnto diuers kynges by the whiche he declareth at large on the one syde the wickednes of the
established duke of Millan the Venitians Florentins Geneuois made warre vpon theyr neighbours in such sort that all right and equitie did consist in armes and power Moreouer by the long absence of the Popes out of Rome diuers in nimites very daungerous were ingendred Galeatius duke of Millan made then war vppon the Florentins who desiring to auenge theÌ„selues called the Emperour into Italy vnder great promises He being arriued at Padua by the will of the Venitians who loued smally Galeatius seyng that he had nothing prepared accordyng to the large promises he retourned into Germany casting froÌ„ him all care of Italy the which afterwards was more subuerted by inward tumulis and troubles Sigismundus Sigismundus Emperour brother of Wenceslaus Kyng of Hungarie synce of Bohemia succeded Robert At that time were thre Popes Iohn the xxiii Gregory the xii Benedictus the xiii by whose strifes and practises almost all the prouinces of the world were deuided For synce Innocent the iii as their bokes report about CC yeres space there was no general counsell the ecclesiasticall estate was extremly corrupted For such an vnsatiablenes of vices disseases was disbordered in such sort that the euill was almost incurable Bonifacius the .viii. had bene before who attributed vnto himself the Papal and imperiall dignitie After him caine Element the v. of Bourdeaux who at the request of the king of Fraunce The popes court transferred into Fraunce Philip the faire forsoke Rome transferred his court into FrauÌ„ce After his death the seat was vacant certayn yeres because of the variaunce that was amongst the Cardinalls At length pope Iohn the xxii of * A towne in Fraunce Cahors in Querci was elected at Lions The fyfth after hym who was Gregory the xi returned to Rome after that the court of the Papacy had remained in Fraunce lxxvii yeres He being dead Vrbanus the vi of Naples Clement the vi of Sauoy straue for the pope dome The first did leane vpon the aide of the Italians dwelt at Rome the second rested vpoÌ„ the Frenchmen and had his seat in Auignon These here being dead the thre aboue said put theÌ„selues in their place who had bene elected by diuers opinions so hereby the Papacie had iii heads The Papacie as cerberius hath thre heads Many learned men aswell of Italy as of Fraunce lamented then meruelously the poore estate of the Church and spake sufficient sharply against the corruptions and maners of that time asmuch as they could vnderstand in the darcknes which then raigned Amongst theÌ„ Petrarca called the towne of Auignon The horishe Babilon at such time as the pope and the Cardinalls dwelt there To the end then to pacifie this scisme The couÌ„sell of ConstaÌ„ce a generall couÌ„sel was assembled at Constance in Germany by the aucthoritie wherof the thre aboue said were put downe and Martin the v. elected In this counsell Iohn Hus and Iherome of Prague were burned albeit that they were come thether vnder the Emperours safe conducte The Emperour Sigismundus is greatly praised for that for the publike felicitie he weÌ„t vnto diuers Christian kings exhorted them to loke vnto the publike weale The thyngs appeased in Germany he came into Italy The Venitians Florentins made warre then by sea and by land vpon the duke of Millan Philip Maria son of Iohn Galeatius From thence the Emperour drew to Rome where he was crowned by Pope Eugenius the .iiii. Which don he returned to Basill where there was then another counsell assigned Albertus duke of Austrich Albertus Emperour king of Hungarie and of Bohemia was his successour who was so occupied in ciuill warres against the Turckes that he had no leasure to come into Italy About this time learned wits did again awaken Learning good letters reestablisshed who began to set vp exercise the arts languages good letters The Italians aided with the studies of the Grekes began first afterwards the Germanyns Frenchmen other nations And by the meanes of the art of printing then inueÌ„ted the which brought with it great coÌ„modities Printing inuented it is vncredible what a prosperous desirable progression was made For since that time vnto this day the studies haue had in such sort their course that this our age may compare it self with the most learnedst time that euer were And in this namely is it more happy that god hath illustrated this science of singular profitable artes of tounges by the true knowledge of his holy name where as the ancient learned men how indued soeuer they were with good most eloqueÌ„t letters The knowledge of god renued in this time were neuertheles plonged in most deepe darknes and sought in vaine the souerain goodnes wherof they haue so much written Fridericus the iii of that name duke of Austrich succeded Albertê° who went peasible to Rome was crowned by pope Nicolas the v. Which done he retired home The king of Hungary slaine in battaile without attempting any thing in Italy The iiii yere of his Empire Vladislaus sonne of Wadislaus Kyng of Polonia and of Hungarye hauing brokeÌ„ the trewes at the motion of pope Eugenius the iiii was vanquished nere vnto Varne or Dionisiopoli by Amurathes Emperour of the Turkes the ii of that name and slain in the battaile the xi of Nouember Nyne yeres after Mahomet sonne of Amurathes toke Constantinople by assault Constantinople taken by that turcke the which hys Heyres haue possessed already an C. III. yeres and haue there placed their court and royall seat Vladislaus being dead Casimirus hys brother inherited the kyngdome of Polonia and Ladislaus who was borne after the discease of the Emperour Albertus the second the kingdome of Hungarie Maximilianus succeded Fridericus hys father As Fridericus laye in hys death bead Ferdinand Kyng of Spaine hauing dryuen out the Moores added to his dominion Betique commonly named the kingdome of Grenate Maximilianus amongest other had war agaynst the Venitians Charles son of Philip hys son and .v. of that name Charles that v. Emperour Folowed him who raigneth at this dai hath meruelous power By the things that we haue recited it euideÌ„tly appereth how the romain Empire which hath surmouÌ„ted all others that haue bene or shal be is almost altogether dissipated brought to noght Dissipation of yâ— romain Empyre For in Asia we haue not somuch as one foote of ground or the bredth of an nail as saith the prouerbe The Turks Tartarians other enemies of our religion possesse al. We haue lost al Affrike except that which the emperour Charles the v. the yeres past coÌ„quered when he toke the kingdome of Tunes froÌ„ Anobarbus lieutenant of the Turke hauing obtained a glorious victorie established there a king tributarie vnto him Victories of Charles the v. in Affrike Fiftene yeres after he toke also by assault the towne of Affrike Portingall Spaine England
within these limites but for to giue them the taste of that which they shall read afterwards to the end the being allured or enticed by the diuersitie of things they might be stirred vp sometimes diligently to search the Authours the bookes out of whom these things are gathered But seing that this kinde of studye doth properly appertaine as it hath bene said in the beginning vnto them who ought to haue the gouernement of the people I thought I should doe according to your age and estate Duke Eberard if I did make you partaker of this my litle labour to the end that yf it be possible other yonge men mighte take some profite by your meanes as it were by your hands For albeit that Iohn Sigismond Sebastian Coccius your most honozable maisters doe with all diligence employe thēselues to instructe teach you Yet notwithstanding as our accustomed maner is whan a garden is to be dressed which we desire to be exquisite and decked with sondry flowers not to despyse the litles plantes herbes brought vnto vs from other places so likwise I hope that the litle present which I offer vnto you to garnishe the ground of your wytte shal be very acceptable vn to you And truely I present it onely vntil such time as hauing gotten more strength as it hath bene said you might rightlye walke through the wide fieldes grene places Which to doe you haue an example of your owne kinred to witte the vertue of your father a prince of most worthy praise who hath greatly augmented and decked the noblenes of his race by an eloquent doctrine and which is the chiefest he hath brought thys knowledge to her right ende The trewe scope of all sciences that is to saye that the name of of god might be sainctified that the Churches scholes might be well ordered that good teachers scholers might be nourished and interteined This is the duetie that god requireth chiefly of them of your estate and as he auengeth the neglecting thereof with great plagues so likewise he doth rewarde them with great giftes that behaue themselues therein as faithfull stuardes Diuers lessons might be recited of the godlines constancie valiantnes of your most noble father but you shall hereafter read them handled more at large and shall know the ornamentes of your noblenes For how can it be the he who so much fauoureth good wittes should not finally receiue of them such fruite of their thankfulnes as he deserueth and should not be renoumed in the time to come Seing then that he vnderstandeth the worthines of his estate the charge that god hath committed vnto him his chiefe care hath bene the your mind shuld be instructed in godlines and in learning frō your youth neither can any thing happen more pleasant vnto him such is the affection motion of his fatherly loue then to sée his expectation inferiour to your diligence The office of a true father I doubte not but you are thereto inclined of your owne accord as muche as this age may suffer that your instructours do their whole indeuours Wherefore goe forewarde in good time Prince Eberard and seing that you are borne to minister the publyke weale get you suche helpe and ayde as is perpetuall Aydes which serue vnto the gouernemētes of publike weales and as giueth certaine sure succour yea such that not onely lighten the labour whiche you muste hereafter beare when you shall come to gouerne the coūtrie of your ancesters but also make it pleasant and easie fare well The first booke of the foure soueraygne empyres BEfore that I begynne to speake of the foure soueraygne and principall Empyres to witte of Babilon Persia Grecia and Rome I must briefely say Discorde in numbryng of the yeres that there is great discorde in the numbring of yeres since the creation of the world for both the Hebrues Eusebius Augustinus Alphonsus and Mirandula do greatlyvary among them selues Notwithstanding because that almoste all the learned men of our tyme doe herein frame themselues according to the numbrynge of the Hebrues I wyl followe them steppe by steppe when neede shall require The Hebrues are to bee folowed in countyng the yeres And first of all to come to my purpose to witte vnto the first Empyre omittinge that whiche came to passe in the firste age omitting also to speake of the vniuersal flood for as muche as all these things are comprehended in the holy scriptures neyther is it possible better to describe them I wyl begynne from that tyme in the whiche after that the abundaunce of waters were retyred and the earth dryed mankynde then beyng brought to a very smale number beganne agayne to multiplie The vniuersall flood is referred to the M. CCCCCC LU I. yere after the creation of the worlde The yere the flood Methusalah the seuenth from Adam died in that tyme at the age of nyne hundred sixtie nyne yeres Noah the nephew of Methusalah by Lameth his sonne liued then beyng sixe hundred yere olde he with his familie was preserued by the singular grace of God And after that the number of men beganne by lytle and lytle to encrease he perswaded his chyldren others of his posteritie to scatter them selues in diuers countreys to fyll the earth to buyld cities townes and to that ende he appoynted vnto euery one by lot hys Prouince aboute an hundreth yeares after the flood At that time Nimrod sonne to Noahs nephew abode with his people in the land of the Chaldees And finally as diuers through the great multitude of persons were forced to depart and to seke diuers habitations they would before theyr departure leaue behynde them a perpetuall sygne of theyr memorye Men couet to buylde in theyr perpetuall memorye and hauyng Nimrod to be theyr captain they beganne to buyld a citie and therein a towre of a wonderfull hyght And forgettyng the wrath of God which had but euen a lytle before swallowed vp the whole world and whereof there is no doubt but Noah did diligently and often tymes put them in memorie they thought to get them a perpetuall name by sumptuous proude works Wherewith the lord being angry did bring theyr enterprise to nought by confusion of language God resisteth the proude the which before was but one kynde of speche vsed of al men Wherefore being cōstrained to leaue of their worke they dyd scatter thēselues into diuers partes of the world The towne tooke her name of this confusion of tongues for it was called Babell And from that tyme to witte an hundreth and one and thyrtye yeres after the flood is gathered the begynnyng of the raygne of Chaldea and of Babilon Nowe the first kyng was the aforesayde Nimrod Nimrod the first kinge of Chaldea who as it is sayde raygned sixe and fiftie yeares The holy scripture calleth hym a mighty hunter and doeth attribute vnto hym power and violence
offer the thyrde battayle in the which he was cleane ouerthrowen and murthered of hys owne Souldyours in flyinge and strayghte wayes after hym the kyngdome of Persia whiche had endured two hundred yeres and vpwards was plucked vp by the rootes By these noble victories Alexander brought vnder hys obedience almost all the East countrey dyd tranferre the dignitie of the Empyre of Asia into Europa so that he dyd constitute the thyrde Monarche Alexander the beginner of the thirde Monarchye After that also he made warre agaynst the Indians but he coulde not moderatelye beare so great aduauncement and clemencye of Fortune suche is the infirmitye of men And therefore as he dyd many thyngs insolently and would almost be worshypped as a GOD he beyng arriued at Babilon dyed of an ague or as others say of poison when he was thyrty yeres old and had raygned twelue yeres Calanus Indus as Cicero sayeth dyd foreshew hym the ende of hys lyfe For euen as he was readye to caste hym selfe into a burnynge fyer and that Alexander dyd aske hym yf he had anye thynge to saye All goeth verye well sayeth he I shall see thee shortelye And shortely after Alexander dyed Hys discease is referred to the hundreth and fourtene Olympiades and to the foure hundreth and nyne and twentye yere of the foundation of Rome Three hundreth and two and twenty yere before the natiuitie of Christ He was a feruent great louer of good letters Alexander a louer of good letters and verye liberall towards the learned men For the cause whereof he hath been greatly praysed of diuers He had the poesie of Homere in great dilectation In such sort that albeit that he had with hym as it is sayde diuers that did wryte his actes not withandynge when he came into Sigia standyng by Achiles tombe O thou happy yong man sayeth he that hast founde Homere for to wryte and magnifie thy vertue For euen as he would chiefely be paynted by Apelles and hys Image to be grauen by Lisippus so in lyke maner he would be praysed and commended to the remembraunce of hys posteritie by them who in praysyng hym might obteyne honour and fame for the excellentnes of their spirite He gaue Aristotle his maister charge to put in wryfyng the nature of all beastes And to thys end he appoynted certaine thousands of men throughout all Grecia Asia to witte vnto Heard kepers Hunters Fishers Marchaunts of fishe Byrdcatchers and such lyke who should playnly informe hym of all thynges It is sayd moreouer that he gaue the sayd Aristotle in recōpence of hys payn eyght hundred talents which amount accordyng to the reckenyng of the learned men of our tyme The liberalitie of Alexander towards learned men to CCCC LXXX thousand crownes courrant He sent to Xenocrates the Philosopher by his Embassadours fiftie talentes which amounteth to xxx thousande crownes but he refusynge them sayd that he had no nede of so great a summe the Embassadours beyng returned what sayd Alexder hath he no frendes for to do hym pleasure Cicero sayeth that in his youth when he was the disciple of Aristotle he declared hym self to be of a very good spirite and to be greatly modest but after he was made kyng he behaued himself proudly cruelly and altogether vnmoderatly The Historiographers do mencion merueylous things of the magnificence dilicatnes and superfluitie of Darius The superfluitie of Darius For to the ende that his body should wāt no voluptousnes he had in his campe expert Cokes that could dresse all maner of meates make all maner of dilicates with makers of oyntmentes Diuers also haue described how great the magnificence and preparations of the kynges of Persia was in theyr ordinary eatyng and drynkyng Their custome was as Cicero sayeth to haue many wiues vnto whome thei did bequeth certain cities to the ende that the one myght furnyshe their head tyer others such and such an ornament Such therefore as I haue sayde was Darius end and in flying when he had dronke troubled water and which was infected wyth dead mens bodies he affirmed that in hys lyfe tyme he neuer dranke more sweter drynke Darius end for he dyd neuer absteyne so longe from drynke that he coulde be drye After the death of Alexander thys great Empyre was diuided amongest hys chyefe Lordes To wytte Ptolomeus Laomedon Antigonus Cassander Leonatus Eumene Python The successors of Alexander Lysimachus Antipater Meleager and Seleucus Amongest them the pryncipall was Seleucus kyng of Assiria Ptolomeus of Egypt Antigonus of Asia the lesse Cassander after the he had oppressed all Alexanders kynsfolkes was synce made kynge of Macedonia and of Grecia Lysimachus is he with whome Alexander beyng on a certayne tyme angrye Lysimacus dyd cause hym to be shutte vp wyth a Lyon But vnderstandyng that he had kylled the sayde Beast he had hym afterwarde in great honoure and estimation Furthermore great warres were moued as wel amongest the sayd successours the whych doeth commonly happen as also amongest theyr sonnes and theyr sonnes sonnes for as muche as these outragious Spirites coulde not for ambition keepe theym selues in Peace but dyd seeke to encrease theyr powers in doynge others wronge By these warres whyche remayned a longe whyle The beginning of the fourth Monarchy all these countreys were greatly spoyled so that by lytle and lytle they fell into the Romaynes handes who enlarged so theyr dominion that they established the fourth last Monarche Of the whyche at thys present it is requisitte we shoulde entreate of Nowe amongest the Kynges of Egypt Alexanders successours Ptolomeus Philadelphus the father of good letters Ptolomeus Philadelphus a Prynce of great name is also numbred For he loued peace as much as was possible for him and he dyd styrre vp and awaken the liberall Artes and instituted rewardes and gyftes for the same and caused a large and a greate Librarye to be made so that also he caused the Bookes of Moyses and of the Prophetes to be translated into the Greke tongue The begynnynge of Rome was at that tyme as the Kynge Salmanasar of whome it hath been spoken dyd raygne ouer the Assyrians The time in whiche Rome was builte To witte in the fyrste yeare of the seuenth Olympiades accordynge to Plutarchus the thre thousande two hundreth and twelue yeare aboute foure hundreth yeares after that Eneas had begonne to raygne ouer the Romaynes after the warre of Troye whyche Homere dyd describe of the age of whome The warre of Troye no moore then of the Countrey we fynde nothynge mencioned of anye certentye excepte that Cicero sayeth The age of Homer vncertayne that he was longe tyme before the foundation of Rome and before Romulus Howe be it so it is that there remayneth no prophane Wryter moore auncient then his Poesie For as Horatius sayeth Before the tyme of stronge Agamemnon Many were of vertues and of renown But all vnwaylde were shut vp in the nyght For
conspiraties of the Souldiours which certain did craftely moue that he came not to the end of the warre and to haue caryed away the glory and triumphe of the victory For shortly after he was called back againe and this commission was geuen vnto Cn. Pompeius Of the doyng whereof Cicero was also one of the perswaders who had made the people wyllyng herevnto by a certayne excellent oratiō which he made in the prayse of Pompeius Luculus being called home again he letted therfore not to triumphe The sumptuousnes of L. Luculus made the Romains a notable and sumptuous great feast Since that tyme he would no moore entermeddle or be occupyed with publyke affaires but did leade hys lyfe at home in the study of Philosophie beynge not withstandyng very sumptuous in hys ordinary lyuynge as he was alwayes He garnished a most ample and magnificall library of the whiche Cicero maketh mencion The victory of Pompeius against Mithridates and sayeth that he went thither often tymes to fetche certayne bookes Pompeius gaue Mithridates a cleane ouerthrow and droue hym farre of and receyued Tigranes who did yeld and render himself vnto his deuotion clemencie Cicero reciteth that Pompeius seyng in hys campe this kyng prostratinge himself and demaunding pardon he lifted hym vp and put againe the crowne vppon his head which he had cast of Afterwarde chargyng hym with certaine thinges he commaunded him to hold and kepe alwayes his kyngdome Mithridates finally beyng beseiged of his sonne Pharnaces did slay him selfe The warre against the pyrates Cn. Pompeius had gotten great credite and estimation for the warre which he made against the pyrates before that he went agaynst Mythridates The conspiratie of Catilina This war being ended sodenly another fier began to kindle for L. Catilina had conspired with diuers others to destroy the publyke weale But his wickednes beyng disclosed by the dexteritie and industrie of Cicero who was then consull he was bannished the citie and hauyng gathered an armie and bande of desperate Villens in the countrey of Toscane he remained slaine in the fielde beyng vanquished by C. Antonius consull and fellow in office with Cicero Who through out all his writings doth praise and magnifie the paine and labour that he tooke for the publyke weale and sayeth that than not onely appeared in the night flames of fyer with burnyngs in the Element thundrings and earthquakes But also he applieth and maketh serue to this purpose the straunge and vnaccustomed Sygnes that came to passe and befell twelue yeares before that he was Consull at such time as L. Cotta and Torquatus were in that office In the which time vehement flames of lightning fell vppon diuers towres in the palaice of the city of Rome diuers Images of gods were displaced diuers pictures of men of old tyme throwen downe The tables of brasse wherein the lawes were grauen the molten Image also of Romulus founder of Rome which was as it weare sucking and hanging ouer the Wolfes dugges was striken with thunder Cicero describing the spirite and nature of Catilina sayth that there was neuer the lyke monster in the world that was compact and mixed with such couetousnes so many contrary sundry cōplexiōs repugning one against another The same yere that Cicero was consull C. Octauius was borne The byrthe of C. Octauius and the countrey of Iudea was made tributary to the Romaines after that Ierusalem had bene assaulted and wonne by Cn. Pompeius Fyue yeres after at such tyme as Piso A. Gabinius were consuls the Swicers dyd chaunge their dwellyng place and did purpose to passe by prouince for to enter and perce through the residue of Fraunce and there to make theyr habitation because of the goodnes and fertilitie of the countrey This beyng knowen and disclosed C. Iulius Cesar yonger then Cicero by sixe yeares did raise vp his army for as much as the Senate had assigned him that Prouince and went to mete the enemy The Swicers ouerthrowen by Iulius Cesar whome he ouerthrew in playne battayle And shortly after he dyd the lyke vnto Arionistus king of the Germaines who had oppressed the countreys of Lions in Fraunce but especially the Burgonions the frends and companions of the Romains for he ouerthrew hym neare vnto the riuer called Rhyne being departed from Bessanson a towne of Burgonie Which being done he brought the whole countrey of Gallia vnder the subiection of the Romains Afterwards sayling into Britan he assubiected the Ile Cicero reciteth that Cesar did write to him out of Britan the first of September and that he receyued the letters the .xxviii. day of the sayd moneth About the time that Cesar was departed into Gallia Cicero was so vexed troubled of P. Claudius Tribune of the people The exile of Cicero that he flede and went in exile after that he had made an oration vnto the people horsemen by the which he commended vnto them hys chyldren and familye Certayn monethes after he was to the great ioye and gladnes of the people called home againe And then he made another oration vnto the Romains by the which he gaue thanks vnto his frends Since he layd the cause of his bannishement vpon L. Piso and A. Gabinius beinge then Consulls and proued by the orations whych he pronounced against them both that he was betrayed by them In one of the sayde orations he counselleth the Senate to take from them the Prouinces of Syria and of Macedonia and not to call backe againe C. Cesar who prospered in the warres that he had in Gallia but rather that they should continue him in this gouernment to the entent that he might bring the warre to an end Ptolomeus Auletus During these enterprises Ptolomeus Auletus king of Egipt beyng dryuen out of his kyngdom for his cowardnes and crueltie he fled and retyred vnto Rome The king of Egipt re-established by the Romaines where the Senate through the perswasion of Cn. Pompeius dyd reestablishe him by A. Gabinius in puttyng downe Archelaus who raigned by the consent of the people Gabinus was afterwardes condemned to paye vnto the publyke treasour ten M. talents or accordyng to the reckning of certain of our tyme .vi. millions of gold for because he had receiued as much of Ptolomeus M. Crassus vnto whom the commission of the war of Parthia had bene geuen was also vanquished beyond Euphrates slaine contrary to the law of armes as he communed and reasoned of matters Crassus slaine by the Parthians This is he who vsed to say that none was riche yf he could not maintain an army with his own reuenew In the selfsame time P. Clodius was killed of T. Annius Milo And albeit that Cicero did defend the cause of Milo Pompeius being for the third time Consull yea him self alone not withstanding he was bannished The French war beyng once ended which was about the viii yere ciuil war was raised betwene C. Cesar and Cn. Pompeius
Capadocia and Asia and beyng embarked on the sea Euxinus they entred into the ryuer Ister and saylyng vpwards they did great violence vppon the confederates and aliauntes of the Romaines The meane whyle Gallienus was so negligent and voyde of all care that hauyng worde and newes brought hym of the prouinces whych did rebell and of the publyke miseries he made but a laughyng stocke thereat and contemptuously answered as yf notwithstanding these accidents the publyke weale dyd remaine firme and stable and entertayned in her dignitie her state and condition beyng nothyng lessoned or diminished Wherethrough he grewe into contempt as well of hys owne countrey as of straungers for hys fylthy lyuyng In such sort that dyuers enemies dyd ryse vp agaynst the publyke weale At that tyme the Gothes and Scithians were in armes with diuers other people mingled amongest them who had all conspired against the Romaynes and they were aboute three hundred and twenty thousand men Flauius Claudius But Flauius Claudins Gallienus successour who was slaine put them all to the edge of the sword as he was a man of great vertue worthy of longer lyfe After him Aurelianus raigned forbecause that his vertue was knowen manifest Aurelianus For in the tyme of Claudius raigne he had shewed a profe and triall thereof against the enemye in diuers places He had sundry warres in Lumbardy and fought against the Marcomanes dangerously and doubtfully at the begynnyng but luckely and fortunatly after that at his request the Senate had made the bookes of Silla to be searched and had done the things requisite for to pacifie the Goddes From thence he macched to Rome where he caused certain rebells who had conspired in his absence to be punyshed Which being done he tooke in hande for to recouer again the Prouinces that are in the East and in Syria Zenobia y◠valiāt wyfe of Odenatus the which Zenobia a valiaunt and couragious woman murderer of her owne chyldren dyd possesse who were left vnto her by her owne husbande Odenatus who in Gallienus tyme had made diuers skermishes assaultes in his dominiōs In euery coast as the sayd Aurelianus passed through he saccaged the enemyes of the Romains as in Sclauonia Thracia and other places and finally beyng entred into the enemyes countrey after doubtfull and daungerous fyghte he remained Victour in suche sorte that he tooke the Queene prisoner who trusting and hopyng vppon the succour of the Persians and Medians had stoutly and manfully resisted him The principall citie of the countrey which he had subdued was Palmyra whose inhabitantes dyd rebell at such time as the Emperour passed frō Asia into Europa and slew the garrison with theyr captayn He then retourned agayne thither and after he had taken the citie he destroyed spoiled it puttyng them all in such sort to the edge of the sword that he pardoned neither man woman nor chylde Afterwards he conquered againe Egypt whych was reuolted from the subiection of the Romaines This done he triumphed at Rome from thence passing through Sclauonia he defied the Persians But he was murthered in the way by his familier frends After his death the Empyre was vacant for a certayn space a thynge whych neuer befell afore since Romulus tyme. At length Tacitus succeded Tacitus who raigned a few monethes in the which he did nothyng worthy of memory The Senate had made request vnto him that at his disceasse he woulde not leaue the charge and gouernment of the Empyre to his children but that he would chose some valiaunt and god man whose vertue should be vnto them well knowen By this meanes Probus was elected Probus who being confirmed both of the hooste and of the Senate he recouered Fraunce and vanquished the French Almains in diuers conflictes In Sclauonia he slew and cut in peces the Sarmatians and other nations Afterwards hauyng made passage through Thracia he subdued the barbarous people and made them by feare of the name of the Romains and by his great valiauntnes become obedient vnto him He pacified Asia and moued the king of the Parthians onely through his fame and renoume to demaund defier peace of him He made agrement with the Persians forthwith retourned into Thracia and transported certain straunge people vanquished by him into the countrey of the Romains of whom some remained faithful other sone vnfaithful rebellious Whome he afterwards suppressed for the most part After hauing pacified the sedicions styrred vp in Fraunce Spaigne England he marched by Sclauonia for to go inuade the Persians but he was circūuented slain of his mē by treason The publyke weale then florished because that the nations round about were euery where peaceable quiet in such sort that on a certayn tyme Probus brast forth in these wordes saying we shall short stand in no nede of Legions and garrisons The cause of Probus death The souldiours beyng offended with these words consulted for to hinder the peace Carus was placed in his roume who saccaged the Sarmatians Carus which were become more arrogant and presumptuous through the death of Probus they threatned Italy Afterwards in the iorney against the Persians he toke Mesopotamia proceading further he was apprehended by death His yonger sonne named Numerianus folowed the battaill straight after him for he had left Carinus in Fraunce for to be gouernour of the countrey Numerianus was slaine by his father in law Diocletianus tooke his roume Diocletianus with whō Carinus made battaill on a certain tyme for the Empyre but beyng vanquished he dyed Diocletianus seyng the troubles and tumultes whych rose vp in sundrye places tooke Maximianus for hys adherent He pacified Fraunce Maximianus whyche was vnquiet and Affricke lykewyse Diocletianus for hys part dyd pacifie Egypt puttyng to death the authours of the tumultes and conspiraties He conquered also England ten yeres after their reuoltyng And to the end that the state of the publyke weale myght be moore stable and that no moore tumultes myght be raysed as touchyng the succession Galerius a Constātius he adopted Galerius and Maximianus Constantius Chlorus Galerius beynge sent by Diocletianus againste Marses kyng of the Persians had vnhappye lucke in battaill for he lost the most part of his armye But hauyng commaundement to renewe agayn the fyght he ouerthrew the enemyes in a great battell and entred further into those parties then euer dyd any Emperour except Traianus For he tooke the towne of Othesiphon and subdued all Assiria Moreouer he put vnder hys subiection fyue Prouinces beyonde the floud Tiger which were reuolted in the tyme of the Emperour Traianus All thyngs beyng well ordered in Asia Diocletianus retourned into Europa where at that tyme the Scythians Sarmatians Alains Bastarnes Carpians and they of Hesse and of Franconia were peaceable and kept them selues quiet A resignation of the Empyre And shortly after he and Maximianus did renounce the Empyre assigning it into
the hands of their companions fellow helpers Constantius had the dominion of Fraunce England Spaigne Italy Affrick Galerius of Sclauonia Grecia Asia At thys tyme Marcellus was Bishoppe of Rome The degree of Marcellus bishop of Rome of whome a certayn decre is founde that it is not lawfull for the byshops to assemble a Synode or generall counsell without the authoritie of the romaine Sea nor any bishop to condemne any what soeuer he be yf he appeale vnto Rome This man was poore as hys predecessours were liued in great affliction because that Maxentius the Emperour did persecut him Wherfore it is easy to be iudged whether that he being so vexed troubled was so arrogaÌ„t presumptuous to make such decrees Constantius being disceased at york Seuerus Marimianus Maxentius Galerius adapted Seuerus Maximianus In the meane time the nobles other souldiours of the gard which wer at Rome did elect Maxentius for to be Emperour after that Seuerns was slain Maximianus toke Lucinius to be his companioÌ„ Lucinius Great trouble was raised betwene these by reason whereof the nobilitie of Rome called Constantine the sonne of Constantius who had his abiding in FrauÌ„ce for to deliuer the citie from the tyrany of Maxentius CoÌ„stantinus drew into Italy with a part of his souldiours wan the first battel finaliy slew cut a sunder the hooste of Maxentius neare vnto Rome Constantinus the great He had also war against Lucinius who was vaÌ„quished inbattaill at the last was slayn of hys owne Souldiours Certayne holde that the cause of the warre was because that Lucinius dyd sharply persecute the ChristiaÌ„s not withstandynge that Constantine had admonyshed prayed hym to restrayne therefrom For from the resurrection of Christ vntyll this tyme almost for the space of CCC yeres they which made profession of Christ were afflicted tormented diuers wayes For let me omitte to speake of that which the holy scripture reciteth of Stephen of Iames the brother of Iohn of Peter prisoner but diliuered by the angel yea let me omit Paule a great persecuter of the church of god who after he was coÌ„uerted did suffer infinite dauÌ„gers for the profession of Christ The romain Emperours haue raised vp horrible most cruel sortes of torments This did Nero Tyrantes Domitianus Traianus Septimus Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus Diocletianus CoÌ„stantyne doth embrace the doctrine of Christ Maximianus Constantinus remaining victorious embrased the true religion serued as a port refuge vnto the Christians And then first of all the bishops of Rome began to be in safetie For hitherto almost al of them were martyred The number of the bishops since Peter whom they would haue to be the first vnto this time do amount to .xxxiii. Their decrees are enclosed in the bookes of the counsels but the most part of them are so vaine folyshe yea so contrary vnto the holy scriptures that it is to be presupposed that long tyme after some others haue inuented counterfeited them But if they be verily of them proceded of their forge it semeth that the same which S. Paule prophecied might be rightly applied then this respect To wit that euen in the sonne of perdition man of synne began to worke the mysterie of iniquitie The decree of Anacletê° There is found a certain decre which is attributed vnto Anacletus whom certain do place the fourth after Peter by the which he affirmeth the church of Rome to be the head of all others by the commaundement institution of Christ Another decre is vnder the title of Alexander his successour whereby he commaundeth to consecrate water with salt for to purifie the people and to mollifie the assaults and subteltie of the deuill I besech you what agremeÌ„t or likenes is there betwene these things and the maiestie of the Apostles or the writings of Iohn the Euangelist who almost liued euen to thys age I haue only specified these two to the end that the readers might iudge of the residue who are of such like quality endued with such ambitious and couetous mynds and euen as the language is barbarous so likewise the sentence hath no salt which Paule requireth in the ministers of the churche The donation of Constantine is a lye forged of the papistes The bequethment or dontion of Constantine is of the lyke style the which they haue not forgotten in theyr bookes as the foundation and fortiâ—ication of their power For the cause and occasion of his excessiue liberalitie maye be reprehended by the histories and conuicted of falsholde And put the case that this Emperour had bene so prodigall yet could he not diminyshe his right herein but only from hymselfe not froÌ„ his successors who had like power authoritie were defenders of the weale publyke For he can not be named father of a countrey that doth lessen the right reuenue of the Empyre nether can he prescribe a lawe to the preiudice of hys companion lyke in authoritie At the commaundment of Constantine there was publyshed and held a counsell at Nice in Bithinia whereat a great multitude was present In the sayde counsell the opinin of Arius was condemned The couÌ„sell of Nice against Arius who denied Christ to be of equal substaunce with the father It is fouÌ„d in writing that not only the bishops of Europa Asia wer there assistaÌ„t but also those of Egipt Libia Amongst other things it was ordeyned decreed that the auncient custome should be obserued in Egipt Libia Pentapoli to wit that they all shuld be subiect vnto the bishop of Alexandria albeit the bishop of Rome vsurped kept back this custome Moreouer that the priuileges should remain vndiminished at Antioche in other Prouinces churches After this counsell a certayn man called Eustathius spred abroad diuers wicked opinions Eustathius authour of the monkish superstition as to flie froÌ„ marriage to vse new vnaccustomed maner of garments to abstayne from eating of flesh to forsake their possessions Now for asmuch as diuers married men did seperate themselues for their wiues diuers bondmen dyd forsake their maisters went tooke this new religious garment as they call it women also dyd the lyke forsakyng their husbands And because that they that dyd eate fleshe were dispised and estemed as defiled and offendynge God as also the ministers of the church that wer marryed Vppon thys occasion a Counsell was holden at Gangre a citie of Paphlagonie wherein were condemned they who taught on this maner with them that beleued the same Eustathius opinion condemned After that Constantinus had been honourably saluted and gratified by the Senate and the romain people because of the peace restored vnto the publyke weale he set hys whole mynde vppon forreyn warres vanquished in diuers conflicts the Gothes and Sarmatians who oppressed Thracia In hys old age he
who was of a base byrth Iustinus Emperour of Grecia and as it is wrytten of a Swyne keper he was made a souldyour He was at variaunce wyth Theodoricus kyng of the Gothes and lord of Italy through the diuersitie of religion but not wythstandyng they dyd not put them selues in armes After the disceasse of Theodoricus Alaricus his Nephew succeaded hym to the great contentation feruent desyre ioy of the Gothes Iohn the fyrst of that name was then Byshop of Rome who was sent to Constantinople by the king Theodoricus where he was receyued as their bookes declare very honorably Flatteries of the Papists not only of the people but also of the Emperour For they say that they triumphed for for ioye in that then the countrey of Grecia had obteyned so great felicitie as to see and receyue the Vicar of S. Peter such is their style a thing which had not bene since Constantine the great and since Siluester It is merueyll why they say that of Siluester seyng that he neuer entred into Grecia as it is moste certain for euen then when he oughte chiefly to haue remoued when great nede did require to wit to the counsell of Nice he stirred not forth but sent Victor Vincentius his ambassadours thither Afterwards Lyes falshode in histories of popes he held another counsell at Rome as they say by the which he confirmed that which the counsell of Nice had decreed There remaineth yet an epistle of Iohn the first directed vnto the bishops of Italy for to comfort them wherein he admonisheth them to perseuer in their purpose to remain feruent albeit that the king Theodoricus infected with the heresie of the Arians do threaten to destroy them all Italy Iustinianus After Iustinus Iustinianus Iustinus sisters son was made Emperour He employed himself to put in order establysh the publyke weale in the beginning coÌ„mitted the charge to Belisarius who wan the great battayls against the Persians Belisarius which were issued out of their couÌ„trey and did molest the subiectes of the Romains Herecouered Sclauonia spoyled destroyed by the Gepides BulgariaÌ„s He made a league with the Parthians who wer in armes He defeited a great army of Wandales in Affricke tooke theyr king reconquered Carthage From thence he went into Sicilia wheÌ„ce shortly after he retourned into Affrick being certified of the rebellion in that countrey He handled his affayres there very prosperously Finally beyng agayn ariued in Italy he vanquished the town of Naples sacked it and defeited the Gothes of whom Theodatus was than kyng Afterwards he went to Rome where he was louingly honorably receiued of al. Being departed thence he subdued towns stroÌ„g holds in diuers places amongest others the towne of Perouse This done he layed seige before Rauenna wher Vitigis kynge of the Gothes fought agaynst hym But hauing lost his army Vitigis Kig of the Gothes taken prisoner he was taken led captiue into Constantinople by the sayd Belisarius The Gothes did renew their power and in the region beyond Papia did elect Hildebrand to be their king Two others succeaded him and finally Totilas who in the absence of Belisarius forraged all Italy beseiged Rome Rome taken by Totylas the which he subdued sacked and brunt Wherefore Belisarius hauinge made an end of the warre whyche he hadde wyth the Parthians who hadde agayne oppressed Syria He retourned into Italye and dyd reestablyshe the Cytye of Rome whyche was almoste desarte Whyche done he went to encounter the enymye against he whom he had good successe And as he sayled into Sicilia for to gyue order as touchyng the munitions he was called home by Iustinianus through whych occasion Totilas renewed hys power and retourned to Rome Afterwards Narses the Eunuche the Emperour gaue the conduction of the Italian war vnto Narses the Eunuche who draue the Gothes out of all Italy Which he dyd the easiyer for that they had lost Totilas theyr kyng who dyed with a wound that he had receyued Thys war agaynst the Gothes lasted ten yeares Iustinianus hauyng recouered Italy and Affryke and hauyng taken Iustinus hys doughters sonne to be companion of the Empyre he shortly after dyed Some are of opinion that he was a man of a faynte heart that he was subiect to Theodora hys wyfe Tribonianus collected the Pandects Tribonianus Iurisconsull was in hys great fauour who hauynge abolyshed the wrytynges disputations of the auncetours dyd collect out of them certayn workes of diuers fragmentes of verses whiche are now called Pandects the which only remayne vnto vs. He was helped by certain to finishe this worke who are here and there named Afterwardes he dyd the lyke vnto the letters and lawes of Prynces which before were conteyned in three bookes to wit in the bookes called Gregorianus Hermogenianus and Theodosianus All the which he comprehended in one volume and called it Iustinianus booke beyng ayded by other mens helpe whom the Emperour nameth in the Preface of the saide booke Certayne Authours saye that Trebonianus was a couetous man and that for money he established lawes and eftsones disalowed them as Virgill sayth In the aforesaid bookes are found diuers lawes In the 6. of Encidos the which do minishe and derogate from those in times past They added moreouer a perticuler booke of new ordinaunces the which altogether beareth the name and title of Iustinian The Emperour delt very cruelly with Belisarius vnder whose coÌ„duct he had woÌ„ne so many glorious and notable victories The misery of Belisarius in hys olde age For he caused his eyes to be put out at such tyme as he crouched for age In Iustinians raign dyuers Sinodes were holden at Constantinople at the whych MeÌ„na patriarche of the towne preceded who is called most holy most blessed vniuersall as their bookes report In the beginning of the booke there is an Epistle of the Emperour directed vnto Iohn Archbishop of Rome wherin he nameth hym head of all Churches assubiecteth all vnder him Now albeit that the learned men do Iudge it to be couÌ„terfaited notwithstandyng put the case it were true yet it is certayne that thys quarell did remayn many yeares after vntil such tyme as the Byshops of Rome beyng waxen rych The meanes whereby the Romishe churche was buylte got the vpperhand buylt theÌ„ a strong hold in the possession of the Church The which beyng buylt by the hands fauour of meÌ„ is at this day in reputation as yf God had established it We haue before declared how that in Augustins time the syxt Counsell of Carthage was holden The discâ—â—â— of the Popes surprâ—â—sed wherin the deceipt of Pope Bonifacius the fyrst and of Celestinus was disclosed For they affyrmed that it was ordained at Nice that they should be appeald vnto from al places The denilyshe ambition of Bonifactus the seconde In Iustinianus time Bonifacius the
betwen the Ocean sea and Baleaire But he adioyned all Aquitania and the ridge of the hylles Pirenees vnto the riuer of Ebro yea euen all Italy which should haue bene before sayd from the Alpes vnto the vttermost partes of * A couÌ„trâ— ioyning to Naples Calabria Finally beyng gone for the fourth tyme to Rome he was saluted Emperour Augustus by Leo the third and by all the people the xxxiii yeare of hys raigne By this meanes then the Romayne Empyre towards the West the which was rent and torne sondrywyse especiall synce that the Emperours had placed their chiefe seat in Constantinople as it is easy to be sene by the former discourse was renued agayn by the Emperour Charlemaine and as a new body toke agayne hys collour and beautye The Empire renued by Charlemayne in that so many and so great countryes were assubiected vnder the power of one man only Nicephorus the other Emperour of the East parts was greatly wroth with thys election but Charlemaine did mollifie him by his humanity modestie and by presents entertained themselues in amitie and they did assygne the compasse and limites of both the Empyres Besydes the other assemblyes Charlemayne caused a counsell to be holden at Reims at the which it was ordayned amongst many other statutes that the Byshops shuld diligently study the holy scriptures preach the word of god Another Synode was assembled at Mense the yere before hys death before another at Tours at Caalon vpon the Saone at Arles for the râ—formation of Churches as the writers of that time say The eyght huÌ„dreth fourtenth yere after the natiuitie of Christ the lxx yere of hys age he died at Aix in Germany Ludouicus the sonne of Charlemaine 2. Emperour after he had appointed Ludouicus his sonne heritor of his raign and Empire xiiii yeres after that he had ben first declared Emperour of the Almains At that time there was only xxi Metropolitan Cities as they are called in Italy Germany Fraunce to wyt Rome Rauenna Millane * A Citye or Country in Italye so called Forumiulii Grade Colon Mense Salisbourg Trire RouaÌ„ Sens Besonzon Lions Reims Arles Vienna Tarentasia EbrodunuÌ„ Burdeux Tours Bourges Pipine his father had taken away the Exarchship from the LoÌ„bars had left it in the custodie of the bishop of Rome as we haue said as it is found in writing But Charlemaine gaue it wholy vnto him as some say wherof notwithstanding dyuers do doubt Eginardus his secretary sworne writter Eginardus secretarye to Charlemayne who was familier with him wrytteth that aboue all he loued the Church which they call of S. Peter wherinto he caused much Golde Syluer and precious stones to be broughte For he studyed aboue all thynges to reestablyshe the Citye of Rome in her fyrst credyte and aucthoritye and that the Churche of Saynct Peter shoulde not onely be in safegarde vnder hys protectyon but also that amongest others it should abounde in ryches Eginardus sayeth thys and no more not makynge anye mention that he dyd gyue so mighty Townes and so many in number whych dyd appertayn to the Empyre yea he being made Emperour at the fourth entrye whych he made into Rome he gaue order according as we fynd in writting not onely vnto the affaires of the Citie of Rome of the Pope and of all Italy but also vnto Ecclesiasticall and perticular things Also before he was Emperour Aucthoritie of Charlemaine aboue the Pope at such time as he was but onely King of Fraunce after he had discomfyted Desiderius king of the Lombards as it hath bene sayd he came to Rome and held a counsell whereat as theyr one Bookes do mentian the Pope Adrianus the fyrst and all the Sinode dyd gyue hym the ryghte and power to electe the Pope to ordayne the Apostolyke Sea as they terme it and to confyrme the Bishops Eginardus doth attrybute vâ—to Charlemaine dyuers vertues worthye of a greate Prynce to wytte temperaunce modestye sobriety affectyon towardes relygyon Learnynge Eloquence wyth knowledge not onely of the Latine tounge but also of the Greeke Besydes thys he reporteth hym to haue bene verye circumspect and diligent to see hys Chyldren taught and instructed in the knoweledge and experyence of these selfe same thinges Albin the schole Maister of Charlemayne chiefe founder of the vniuersitye of Paris He instituted the vniuersytye of Paris aswell thorowe hys owne proper motyon and Good wyll as by the instigatyon and sute of Albin hys Master who was hys instructour in sciences as saith Eginardus He named the monthes and twelue wyndes in the Duch tounge the which names are yet vsed Before tyme as sayeth the same writter the French men vsed names partlye Latyne partelye Barbarous Hetherto I hauing made as it were a preface of Charlemaine and of the Almains from henceforth I wil briefly rounne ouer and declare how that part of the Romayn Empyre whych is towards the West the which was recollected and reestablyshed by Charlemaine is agayn fallen into decaye and beyng deuided into diuers Prouinces hath bene vnto diuers who possesse those countryes neither more nor lesse then their owne proper Heritage without considering their ofspring in such sort that this venerable and so renoumed hyghnes of Romayn Empyre is at this day no other thing then a lytle shadow of a great body synce that of so great a large compasse it hath bene enclosed in a small part of Europa to wytte in Germanie Last of all I will in few words declare how Daniell hath for shewed these mutations of Empires and the fall of the Romain monarchie Ludouicus then the sonne of Charlemaine the second Germayn Emperour renued the amitie wyth Leo of Armenia Emperour of Grecia The third yere of his raigne Pope Leo disceassed and his successour Stephan the fourth went into FrauÌ„ce and consecrated the Emperour at Reims Paschal came after to be Pope And forasmuch as the aucthoritie of the Emperour was not interposed he excuseth circumspectly and diligently that fact declaryng that he against his will was there placed The bookes of the Popes containe that the Emperour Ludouicus ratifyed vnto Paschal and to hys successours the possession of goods that he permitted the election frely vnto them so that he should be counted and holden for Pope whom all the Romains should haue Iudged worthy of that estate I cannot tell what credite a man should giue vnto such writtings for they agree so yll are placed in so yll order that none can vnderstand that whych ought to folow Ludouicus had thre sonnes Lotharius whom he toke to be compaynion of the Empyre of the kingdome Charles who succeaded in Aquitania his brother Pipine disseased he made Ludouicus lord of Bauieres Conspiraty of children agaist their father His soÌ„nes dyd conspire against him by whom he was taken and depriued of his kingdome and was constrayned to take a monasticall lyfe at Compienue a town of the
the fyrst election was not rightly constituted required again to be solemnly elected the which was done albeit that Pope Bonifacius the eight did say there against and did not approue that which had bene done of other princes Shortly after as a great quarell was moued betwene him Philip the faire king of Fraunce he confyrmed him Emperour spake meruelous things in the laud praise of his house At length Albertus was murdered of his kinsmeÌ„ at such time as being furnished with al things he had put himself in iourny for to bring the Bohemians to this point for to receiue Fridericus his son to be their king bonifacius the eyght This Bonifacius added vnto the epistles decretalls of Gregory the ix contained in v. bokes another boke named the sixte Amongst other thyngs he ordayned that it was lawful for the Pope to forgoe his estate For it is sayd that by subtyll and vnlawfull meanes he had perswaded that vnto Celestinus the fyfth hys predecessour After Albertus Henry the seuenth of that name of the house of Luxembourg Henry the seuenth came to the Empyre He founde meanes to make Iohn hys sonne king of Bohemia by mariage makyng and drew into Italye whose estate was then most miserable For since the death of the Emperour Fridericus the seconde about fyftie fyue yeares space the Emperours made no count of Italy Wherthrough befell that it was meruelously reâ—t in pieces by theÌ„ that were of most power namely by the Gelphes and Gibellins The Gelphes and Gibellins the which two factions and seditions haue many clients in those couÌ„tries He first then set gouernours through the townes and fredomes of Lumbardie made the inhabitants swere vnto him Afterward hauing soiourned a certayn time at Millan he could not with his labour accord the factions wherof I haue spokeÌ„ And forasmuch as Turrianus went about to take him at vnwares after the conspiratie was disclosed and the aduersaries repulsed he gaue the ouer sight gouernment of the towne vnto the vicouÌ„t All the townes of the country did yeld vnto his power and deuotion Brixe only rebelled the which he toke after long seige brake downe the walls From thence he passed by Genes by Pise for to go to Rome where he was crowned by certain Cardinalls because that Pope Clement the v. had left the town being retired into Fraunce dwelt in Auignon The popes in AuignoÌ„ The Cardinalls demaunded of him the oth which they said ought to be made vnto the Pope but he refused it would not so make it that therby he should be bound vnto the Pope The Pope hearing this he declared afterwards at large this forme of othe for to encrease alwaies his power and regestred it wyth the other decrees which now remaine For he also coÌ„posed diuers lawes which beare his name The ouerthrow of the templiers are called Clementines At this time the Templiers were with the same fury ouerthroweÌ„ in an instant diuers places Philip the fayre king of Fraunce toke the most part of their goods by the Popes permission since their name and memory was condemned and at the counsell of Vienna which was held in * A couÌ„try in Fraunce so called Dauphine their possessions were geuen vnto them who are called horsmen of the Rhodes At this tyme also the vniuersitie of Orleans was erected by the aucthoritie of king Philip and Pope Clement After that the Emperour Henry was dead not without great suspicioÌ„ of poison and that he was buried at Pise sharpe contentions were moued in Germany for the election For Fridericus duke of Austrich son of the Emperour Albertus did contend for the principallitie wyth Ludouicus duke of Bauieres Two Emperours crowned The archbishop of Mense crowned Ludouicus at Aix in germany but the bishop of Coloigne crowned Fridericus at Rome HerevpoÌ„ pope Iohn the xxii named theÌ„ both Emperours howbeit he was more affectioned on Fridericus side Which was cause to enflame the hatred so that they came euen to take weapon in hand and to giue earnest battaile nere vnto Eling a towne of Swane Neuertheles they departed from the conflicte almost equall Afterwards they fought yet again more fierslye in Bauieres in the whych battaile Fridericus was taken the most part of his men put to the sword but he was let go and retired home where certayn yeres after he dyed Ludouicus then hauing gotten the seignorie marched into Italy with his army The Emperour Ludouicus that against the Popes wyll There he ordayned Lieutenantes through the townes and fredomes was crowned at Millan by the archbishop Which done he sent Ambassadours into Auignon once or twise for to be crowned solemnely which forasmuch as he could not obtain he hauing left order vnto the affaires of Millan toke iourney towards Rome Where being ariued he wanted no gretings and honour at his entraunce was crowned by one or two Cardinals Herevpon the pope did redouble his excommunicatioÌ„ Wherthrough came to passe that by the counsell of the princes the Emperour created another Pope so by his meanes there was a deadly hatred betwene them The fyrst tenthes did impute great crimes the one vnto the other The Annales of Fraunce recite that Charles the faire son of Philip permitted first of all vnto pope Iohn to leuie tenthes vpon the ecclesiasticall reuennes that they shuld deuide the bootie betwen theÌ„ for the popes purpose was no other then to haue pence against the Emperour After the Emperours retourne into Germany the pope died whose successour Benedictus the xii excommunicated also the Emperour depriued him of his dignity The Emperour then coÌ„uocated the princes at Francfort Oration of the Emperour against the Pope where he made a trime oration by the which he complained of the desloiualties of Popes declared what was hys faith set forth desplaed the ancient lawes of the Empire shewed that the popes had nothing to do in the gouernment of the Empire forasmuch as he is lawfull Emperour who is elected by the consent of the princes albeit that the Pope do not accord thervnto nor wil not coÌ„secrate him For al this is but a ceremony the which by litle litle hath crept in now is ouer much auctorized to the great dishonour domage of the Empire Clement the .vi. succeded Benedictus Clement the sixth who surmouÌ„ted all the residue in violence was the most terriblest He propounded certain coÌ„ditions very ignominius became more enraged for that they were refused Wherfore he aduertised the princes very expresly that they shuld procede to the election of another yea in such sort that he limited theÌ„ the time Which if they failed to do he would giue order that the church shuld not be any longer without a protector patron The estate of the publike weale being so mutable variable Charles king of Bohemia sonne of Iohn nephew of Henry the .vii.