by Ioab to Dauid After this Dauid had foure great battels with the Philistines slew them and subdued them vnto the last Thus was Dauid deliuered by God from all daungers tyrannie and treason and saued from Saul Absalon and many others When Dauid had gotten by the sword peace and quietnesse and brought all nations subiect vnto him hee tooke his rest and thanked God in Psalmes Hymnes Odes Verses which Dauid sang vnto God in praise of victories which God gaue him But yet more troubles came on Dauid The Lord so suffered Satan to tempt him that Dauid commaunded Ioab to number all Israel and Iuda from Dan to Beersheba which Ioab did the people were in number of able fighting men 1100000. Gods wrath was kindled against Israel so that much it offended God that Dauid should trust in mē sithence onely God had oftentimes deliuered him and the Lord sent Gad Dauids seer with three things to take his choise Pestilence Famine or Warre Dauid chose rather to fal to Gods mercy then to trust to man Then fell pestilence in Israel from the one side of the countrey to the other and there died 70000. men Now after this Dauid waxed old and hee caused Salomon his sonne to bee annointed king before he died whom hee charged to walke before God vprightly exhorting him to serue God to vse iustice and iudgement in Israel Dauid commanded Salomon his sonne to kill Ioab for his murthering of Abner and Amasa and to take the like punishment of Semei which railed cursed me when saith he I was at the worst Dauid left to his sonne more welth in Israel to build a temple to the Lorde then Alexander the great had in Babylon by the conquest of Darius for Iosephus doth write that Hircanus the high priest a 1000. odde yeeres after Dauids death opened the graue of Dauid and brought 3000. talents to satisfie the rage of Antiochus Demetrius sonne who laying siege to Ierusalem was contēted to returne with some of these talents without any harme done And Dauid died being 70. yeres of age after he had bene 40. yeeres king of Israel seuen in Hebron and 33. in Ierusalem Dauid died 803. yeres after the death of Abrahā after the death of Adam 2000. after the birth of Christ 1070. During this time of Dauid raigned in Assyria Eupales the 32 king in Lacedemonia Argis the second king of the Lacedemonians Now failed the state of kings in Athens and there began a new forme of common wealth gouerned by Iudges which now began by Codrus sonne named Medon after whose name they were named afterward Medontidae for a while Latinus Sylaius raigned the 6. king ouer the Latines in Corinth raigned Ixeon the second king of Corinth About Dauids time there was builded in Asia a citie called Magnesia and another in Italie called Misene now called Cuma Salomon the sonne of Dauid the third king of Israel of the tribe of Iuda a man endued with singular wisdome in great fauour with God as soone as he had sit on his fathers throne he remembred the words of Dauid and with care and zeale he followed his fathers steps in seeking to please the Lord Notwithstanding the Israelites being froward and stubborne euer reuolting from their GOD were alwayes forgetfull of Gods benefites as after the death of Dauid fell out for in Dauids time Israel flourished and all things prospered in Iuda But scant had Salomon bene annointed king but Adoniah Salomons brother aspired to the kingdome secretly and subtillie seeking the good will of Bethsheba Salomons mother and by her meanes to haue Abishag which Dauid his father loued tenderly to wife But his craft was found out and his pretensed treason spied by Nathan the prophet and by Salomon himselfe who perceiuing that Adoniah was the elder brother and had Abiathar the priest on his side and Ioab who tooke Adoniahs part when he would haue vsurped the kingdome Salomon hereby was mooued to make sure waies and remembring his fathers charge before he died concerning Ioab and Semei he executed iustice first vpon Adoniah afterward commaunded Benaiah to fall vpon Ioab for the murthering of Abner Sauls chiefe captaine and Amasah a nigh kinseman of Dauid who enuying their fauour credite with the king slew them and was now iustly punished for sheading of bloud Now Adoniah and Ioab two great enimies of the king being dead Salomon banished Abiathar the priest and called to be a priest Sadock in the roome of Abiathar so the office of the high priest was taken away from the house of Eli and restored to the house of Phineas After that Salomon called Shemei and charged him with the breaking of his othe in passing ouer the riuer of Cedron being forbidden by the king charged him further with wickednesse against his father Dauid in reuiling and cursing of him and he was likewise slaine by the sonne of Iehoida called Benaia By this meanes the kingdome of Israel was established in Salomons hands and Salomon obeied God in all things and then he taketh Pharaoes king of Egypts daughter to wife Iosephus in his eight booke and 2. chapter saieth that the kings of Egypt were al called Pharaones from Minaeus time that builded Memphis vntil the time of Salomon which was 1300. yeeres for Minaeus raigned in Egypt many yeeres before Abraham came to Egypt this is the cause why Herodotus doth omit the names of the kings of Egypt euen 330. kings Salomon repaired the wals of Ierusalē and went to Gibeon to sacrifice for there their tabernacle was at that time there was no temple yet builded to the Lord in Ierusalem In Gibeon the Lord appeared by dreame to Salomon and gaue him wisedom more then any prince of the world had as by his sentence vpō the two harlots appeared Salomon flourished and prospered and farre excelled all the kings of the world for his wisedom was so abundant as the sand that is on the sea shore No Philosopher no Astrologer no Chaldean magi no Egyptian priest might apprehend Salomons iudgement for God was his schoolemaster Salomon was famous throughout the whole world hee wrote 3000. Prouerbes and bookes of Odes and Verses 1000. and made fiue and twentie songs which perished in Ierusalem when Israel was taken captiue vnto Babylon the temple then being burned and the citie destroyed He wrote of all kind of trees from the Cedar tree that is in Libanon vnto the Hysope that groweth on the wall He spake of beastes fowles and fishes He wrote of incantations and of other secret artes which Iosephus affirmeth at large And there came of all countries to heare the wisedome of Salomon and all the kings about him sent vnto him and sought his fauour Now coucerning the princes rulers and officers which were vnder Salomon the purueiance for victuals the number of his horses and the order of his house they
and solemne sacrifice was Alexander receiued vnto Ierusalem where Daniels prophecies were brought vnto him and where also it was read vnto him that a king of Greece shoulde bring the Monarchie of Persia vnto Greece which was himselfe After all these things were done Alexander shewed great courtesie enlarged their common wealth quieted the Samaritans their enemies and brought all the Prouinces about vnder the Iewes Againe hee graunted them what they woulde aske of him permitted them to vse their religion to obserue their owne lawes and also promised that those Iewes which were scattered amongst the Caldeans Assyrians and Medes should haue such libertie to vse their religion and lawes as they had in Ierusalem and this continued during the time of Alexander which was but short For when he died the Empire was deuided betweene his Nobles Antigonus had Asia Seleucus had Babylon Lysimachus had Hellespont Cassander had Macedonia and Ptolomeus Lagi had Egypt These successors of Alexander hauing continuall warres one with an other which continued long Ptolomeus king of Egypt came vpon the Sabbath day to Ierusalem vnder pretence to offer sacrifice to the God of Israel tooke the towne vsed the Citizens hardly handled the Iewes most seuerely and sharpely they mistrusting him not imprisoned them and brought them with him in heapes to Egypt Thus still was Ierusalem exercised with tribulations and crosses but God stirred vp this kings sonne Ptolome philadelphus to them a friende louing and beneficiall wise learned and most desirous not onely to doe them good but also most willing to admit their lawes their Religion to come to Egypt and made a decree that all the Iewes wheresoeuer they were by his father imprisoned and captiuated shoulde be enlarged be set at libertie which were aboue 100000. Iewes as Ptolome in his Epistle written to the high Priest Eleazar doeth testifie where lie entreateth Eleazar to send to Egypt sixe of euery tribe of the best wisest and skilfullest men to translate the Bible then being onely in the Hebrewe tongue into the Greeke tōgue for that Ptolome was most desirous to haue the Bible in Greeke to be in his studie where he had a hūdred twentie thousand bookes in his Librarie In the dayes of this Ptoleme Lagi florished Theophrastus the Philosopher and Theodorus Athenaeus he sent messengers for this purpose to Ierusalem Aristaeus and one Andreas captaine of the Kings garde with whome he sent 100. talents of siluer to honour the Temple and to doe sacrifice therein besides viginti phialas aureas triginta argenteas quinque crateras mensam auream which in Iosephus all at large are described and set foorth worth the reading which things being most gratefull vnto the high Priest hee receiued them most louingly and vsed them with all humanitie and fauour and sent with them 70. wise and discreete men which shoulde translate the Bible as Philadelphus request was These seuentie men came to Alexandria where after much welcome long feasting great conference and disputations so much he ioyed of their comming and delighted in their company that the king Philadelphus continued his feast 12. dayes where wisedome and learning were exercised disputations practised arguments propounded the questions whereof you may reade in a booke which Aristeus wrote only concerning the meeting and comming togeather of these learned men These seuentie interpreters so named translated the Bible from Hebrue into Greeke in the yere of the world 3695. in the 24. Iubile and in the 127 Olympiad in the 12. yeere of Philadelphus reigne About this time Megasthenes the Persian writeth his histories Aratus the great Astrologer wrote his booke entituled Pheonomenon Nowe when Philadelphus had this sacred booke thus in Greeke translated he reioyced much and thought himselfe happy to haue such a booke in his Librarie and so conferring with Demetrius mused greatly that neither Historiographers Philosophers or Poets had not translated this booke before But Demetrius tolde the cause to the king saying that the Heathens durst not attempt it for diuers were punished for their rash enterprises to meddle therein as Theopompus who for writing of some sentences of the Scriptures amongst his owne prophane writings was xxx dayes depriued of his memorie distracted of his minde vntill by a vision in his sleepe he was warned to knowe his faults and to reconcile himself for the same Euen so Theodecta the Poet for putting a sentence of Gods booke presumptuously with his owne in a tragedie which he made was mad for a time and blind This learned king Philadelphus rewarded these 70. interpreters at their departure in this sort euery one of them had two talents of gold 3. sutes of costly and rich apparell and a standing golden cup which wayed a whole talent which by Budeus computation is 600. crownes if it be golde and euery of them had of him a precious costly and delicate bed wrought with all silke Moreouer he sent by them to Eleazar the hie Priest 10. riche tables with siluer feete with all things belonging thereunto a Chalice of 30. talents a diademe or a crowne ful of precious stones two golden cuppes to be dedicated to the altar 10. sutes of purple with 100. basens and censers of gold for sacrifice Thus much doth Iosephus report of this Ptolomeus Philadelphus but within a short time after this came Antiochus magnus who had al Asia Syria vnder his sword he vexed the Iewes spoiled the countrey slue the Citizens taketh the kingdome of Iudea subdued Egypt he full of all wickednes setteth vp Idols altars groues and Chappels of Idols he polluted the Sanctuarie defiled the Sabbath and the feast hee offered vp swines flesh and vncleane beastes Antiochus thus played the part of a tyrant that Ierusalē was desolate the Citizens fled the women and their children taken captiues and Antiochus forced Israel to forsake their God and to doe sacrifice to his Idoles sending commissioners to all Iudea to see the execution of them so great difference was betweene two heathen kings Alexander the great and Antiochus the great the one honoring the hie Priest sacrificed in the Temple brought all things vnder the Iewes againe vsed great courtesie the other Antiochus the great stealed wasted robbed the Temple the Citie all the Cities of Iuda vntill Mattathias a godly zealous man borne in the citie of Madis saw how Antiochus blasphemed God committed idolatrie in all Iudea somed in blood and practised al mischiefe and wickednesse He consulted with his fiue sonnes Iohn Iudas afterwarde called Machabeus Simon Eleazar and Ionathas to whom hee opened the calamities of his countrey the defacing of Moses lawes the blasphemie and idolatrie that were vsed by Antiochus in all Syria and Iudea and where that their predecessours euen from Abrahams time defended the Church with their owne blood so now it was as necessarie to stop the rage of
Cyrus Metasthenes doeth not much dissent from the Greekes in his Cataloge sauing that he speaketh not of Cambyses because hee reigned in his fathers time for hee was appointed to be king in Persia in the absence of Cyrus who in his owne person went against the Scythians at that time Likewise Metasthenes omitteth to speake of Xerxes who for the like reason being in great warres at that time from home in Greece leauing behinde him to gouerne Persia his sonne Artaxerxes so that Metasthenes writeth that Darius Medus and Cyrus reigned together two yeeres and then passeth to Darius Hystaspis which is also called Assuerus making no mention of Cambyses name and then he goeth to Artaxerxes the long handed passing ouer the name of Xerxes his father the cause is layd downe by Melancthon in the rest Metasthenes doth agree with the Greekes After that the Persians the strongest and the greatest nations of the world had gotten the Monarchie of the Assyrians Chaldeans not by the sword of Cyrus but by the idolatrie of Balthasar whom God gaue ouer vnto Cyrus hand making an end of one and beginning with the other for the finger of God doth appoint Monarchies according to Sirach saying No kingdome shal be translated if wickednesse of the king and kingdome be not the cause thereof Nabuchodonosor was conuerted and confessed Gods power Euilmerodach his sonne acknowledged the Highest but Balthasar through blasphemie and idolatrie lost the Empire of Assyria Euen so in Persia while Cyrus Darius Medus Darius Hystaspis Artaxerxes gouerned Persia the Persians florished they were lordes of the whole world Nowe when Alexander had abated their pride and diminished their force had taken their Empire from them vnto Macedonia and had substituted lieutenants and gouernours vnder him in all kingdomes and countries where the Persians had before soueraigntie for as the Persians were obscure and of no fame before Cyrus time so after Alexander the great their renowne was lost their pompe and their pride decayed their kings afterward of small accompt for nowe Macedonia and the Grecians triumphed and the Persians being destroyed and scattered without any king or any prince of fame to gouerne them vntill the time of Alexander Seuerus Emperor of Rome fiue hundred fiftie yeres after Alexander the great at what time liued in Rome Vrbanus Bishop there at that time this Emperour had a mother named Mammea a wise and a discreete woman who hauing knowledge that Origen a great man in the Church of God was then at Antioche sent for him and so enterteined him as a rare iewell in those dayes At that time reigned in Persia one Artaxerxes who being of the name of the auncient kings of Persia was likewise wise and valiant and in processe of time grewe so strong that he ouerthrew Artabanus king of the Parthians and thereby restored to the Persians a beginning of a newe kingdome CHAP. V. Of the estate of the Persians vnder the Romanes after the time that they were conquered by Alexander the great vntil the time of Alexander Seuerus Emperour of Rome 550. yeeres after at what time began the newe kingdome of Persia by one Artaxerxes and of his successors vntill the Persians the fourth time were vtterly destroyed by the Saracens THe Persians againe began to take strength and to drawe together in the fourth yere of Alexander Seuerus reigne in the which time florished many great and famous learned men which were for their singularitie elected Counsellers to the Emperour as Fabius Sabinus Domitius Vlpianus Aelius Gordianus Iulius Paulus Pomponius Alphenus Florentius and Martianus Calistratus and Hermogenes Venulcius and Triphonius Metianus and Celsus Porculus Modestius professours of all the ciuill lawe and to Papinianus a singular rare man in those dayes but of this matter Lampridius doth write at large But let vs nowe returne to Persia and to the newe kingdome which had beene so long without king or kingdome but kept vnder of euery nation not daring to name a king from Darius vntill this Artaxerxes This first king of the newe kingdome of Persia after hee had slaine Artabanus king of Parthia and had reigned fifteene yeeres hee was ouerthrowen and subdued by the Romane Emperour Alexander Seuerus of whom hee triumphed in the ninth yeere of his Empire though some hold the contrarie that Alexander in that battell was discomfited by Artabanus In this time the Romanes had gotten three great victories one in Mauritania by Furius Celsus the seconde in Illirico by Varus Macrinus and the third in Armenia by Iunius Palinatus three famous Romanes of these victories Lampridius maketh mencion Herodianus sayeth that in Fraunce reigned Hildegastus a king much honoured of the Frenchmen by whose diligence and pollicie Fraunce which was then rude and barbarous both in liuing and in maners became ciuill and pollitike for vnto this time their building was very base and simple in Fraunce About this time Origene was called from Alexandria vnto Caesarea where he made his booke entituled De Martyrio And nowe was Iulius Affricanus of great estimation after Artaxerxes succeeded Sapores the second king of Persia this reigned thirtie one yeeres hee had sore warres with Gordianus king of Affrica this Gordianus pronounced open warres and commaunded their temple of Ianus to be opened as the Romanes did vse when warre was proclaimed hee destroyed many Cities and Townes and continued his warres against the Persians made great hauocke in all places and gaue the repulse to Sapores howe be it Gordianus was by conspirators deceiued and of him whome hee deserued well of by treacherie slaine of one Philip surnamed Arabs This Philip gouerned the Romanes fiue yeres and builded a towne of his owne named Thracia called Philippus Caesar at what time the plaies Ludi saeculares were set forth with such pompe in Rome as the like to that time were not seene The Parthians inuaded Armenia droue the king called Tyridas out of the countrie tooke his children possessed his countrie certeine sectes of heresie began in Arabia which Origen did ouerthrow in Affrike likewise questions grew whether heretikes being conuerted from their errors might be rebaptized of this Ciprian and the ecclesiasticall histories write and of a councell called concerning the same for Berilhis about this time bishop of Bostherna fell to a monstrous error denying the eternitie of Christ. In the twelfth yeere of Sapores reigne happened such a sicknesse in the most part of the world specially in Egypt and Alexandria that Ciprian thereby tooke an occasion to write a booke entituled De mortalitate About this very time the Gothes rushed into Asia spoiled townes and cities wasted many countries burned the great temple of Diana at Ephesus and did great harme the Germanes ioyned with the Frenchmen gathered a huge armie very strong against the Romanes ented into Italie made hauocke in all places vntill they came
the first king borne of those that were called Galli for hitherunto the lineal sucession of Francus endured 36 After him his sonne Robert raigned 34. yeeres In the beginning of whose time the kingdome of Hungarie beganne 37 Henry the sonne of Robert succeeded and raigned after his father 30. yeeres 38 Philippe the first of that name and sonne to Henry raigned 49. yeeres In whose time beganne the kingdome of Bohemia In the time of this Philippe the first two most famous men and worthie Captaines tooke their voyages the one named Godfrey of Bullen with an armie from Fraunce into the holy Land which was Ierusalem so called after Christs time on earth this warre is called bellum Sacrum the sacred warres against the Saracens Reade Tilius Chronicles of the French kings where you shall finde a Catalogue of the nobles peeres and gentlemen of France and of diuers other countreys that went on that voyage with Godfrey of Bullen to Hierusalem the other Captaine came to England William the bastarde of Normandie afterward called William Conquerour of whom our English chronicles can testifie But I wil briefly passe ouer the kings 39 Lewes sirnamed Crassus raigned 28. yeeres 40 Lewes sirnamed Iunior 43. yeeres 41 Philippus Augustus sirnamed Deodatus 43. yeeres In whose time the Iewes were banished out of Fraunce 42 Lewes the eight of that name 4. yeeres 43 Lewes the ninth sirnamed Holy 43. yeeres 44 Philip the 3. sirnamed Audax son to Lewes 9. 15. yeres 45 Philippus the 4. sirnamed Pulcher the faire and sonne to Philip the thirde raigned 28. yeeres In this kings raigne began the kingdome of Ottoman the Turke 46 Lewes the 10. sirnamed Vtinus king both of Fraunce and of Nauarre raigned almost 2. yeeres 47 Philip the 5. sirnamed Longus raigned 5. yeeres 48 Carolus Pulcher king of Fraunce and Nauarre 7. yeeres Now after this Philip the first of the house of Valois began in the 1328. yeere of our Sauiour whose line hath continued euen frō this Philip of Valois the first king of that house vntill Frances Valois last king of Fraunce and the last of that stocke which continued 263. yeres whose names successiuely are here set downe in Tilius Chronicles as followeth 49 Philip of Valots the first king of that name 22. yeres 50 Whose eldest sonne named Iohn was the first Dolphine of Fraunce which to this day doeth continue Hee raigned after his father king of Fraunce 14. yeeres 51 Carolus the 5. sirnamed the wise raigned 18. yeeres Whose brother named also Philip was made duke of Burgūdy About this time Iohn Wicleue opened much falshoode yet vnknown of Papistrie both disputing writing against it 52 Carolus the sixt sirnamed Bene amatus raigned 42. yeeres this ordeined first the 3. Floure deluce This time raigned in England Richard the second 53 Charles the seuenth raigned 38. yeeres This king commenced warre against England at what time Henry the 5. raigned who subdued all Fraunce and was crowned king in Paris 54 Lewes the eleuenth raigned 23. yeeres 55 Carolus the eight raigned 14. yeeres 56 Lewes the 12. raigned 17. yeres in France being the 1500. yeere of our Sauiour Christ Reade of this king Arnoldus Ferronus all his thirde booke which hee onely wrote of this Lewes the 12. At what time raigned in England Henry the 7. Thus farre briefly Iranne ouer the state of France omitting many thinges willingly and wittingly which I particularly touch in the historie of Spaine for I tooke not in hand to write at large or to set foorth great volumes of superfluous histories but onely as I saide before to note the antiquities and first beginning of kingdomes and to marke the errours of prophane histories in many things dissenting from Moses from Daniel and from the Propheticall writings who opened all Chronicles for they coulde not agree in the chiefest pointes of all true Chronicles neither the Romanes in the building of Rome from whence they ground their histories neither the Greekes by their Olympiads neither the Persians of Cyrus time neither Spaine in their accompt of A. E R. A neither the Arabians of their Hegyra In fine vnpossible it is to finde the trueth of Antiquities in prophane writers without conferring of the same with the Sacred histories of the Prophets who reueiled the trueth of time by their Iubilees A BRIEFE FOR BRITAINE SEeing that I haue written of other countreys I can not tell how to answere my countreymen well if I should not also somewhat speake of the Britains though in trueth many haue sufficiently written of the comming of Brutus vnto this land of his kingdome and succession of kings and continuance which though of some denied which do now as they then did in the time of Halicarnassaeus who after he had trauailed his histories from Sempronius Fabius Pictor and from M. Cato and proued euidently the comming of Aeneas into Italy of his kingdome and posteritie in Alba longa vntill Romulus being 17. discents after him yet some gens inuidiosa Traianis as Halicarnassaeus calleth them seemed not to allow the historie though they knewe it themselues also read it by so many proued because they would be named antiquaries and the credite of the histories should come from them Such was Polidor Virgil in his history of Britaine such was Berosus in the historie of Hetruria being two strangers and such was Manethon to write of Spaine So there were among the Iewes Talmudists who among other matters which they wrote for they were the onely men among the Iewes would also by this credit that they had amōg the people write what they listed that they became thereby very fabulous in their histories So among the Egyptians their superstitious priestes filled their bookes with lies and so of diuers other countreis men wrote rather fables then histories of their coūtreys But these are reiected from sound approued authors tanquam Mithici for in reading of histories I find nothing so readie as errors in antiquities of countreys and in original of nations And surely it is not to be wondered at concerning the antiquities of time euen from the beginning of the world and the late beginning of writers from Cyrus time or rather Alexanders time for in the first age from Adam to the flood no trueth is had nor knowen but onely by Moses in the Genesis and 1650. yeeres frō the flood vnto the time of the Olympiads men wandered in no true accompt of time nor of histories excepting that which is written in the bookes of Moses and the Prophets nothing seemed sound nor certaine but cōiectures and fained fables as in the historie of the Chaldeans Assyrians Aegyptians and diuers other nations many things are written which is named Mythycum very licentiously and to liberally and after the time of the Olympiads how vntrue prophane historians wrote vntil Daniels time who seeth it not Since which time a briefe of al true
singular man of God Moses to whome the lawe in Mount Sinai was giuen and by whome the lawe had full execution with whome GOD talked so familiarly that hee alone continued with GOD fourtie dayes in Mount Sinai the moste auncient Chronographer of the worlde the verye light of prophane Histories and the onely teacher of time as by his 5. bookes appeare but for that Moses must be spoken of almost in euery place for the recourse and triall of time I will nowe goe forward with the historie Nowe reigned ouer the Assyrians Ascatades the 18. king in Niniue and in the 8. yeere of this Ascatades Cancres Pharaoh the king of Egypt with all his great armie were drowned in the red sea In Moses time happened two great floods the one called Deucalion flood 784. yeeres after Noahs flood the other in Thessalia after which followed such earthquakes in Thessalie that many thousands of beasts men women and children townes and cities were destroied as both Berosus and Xenophon doe agree After which earthquake fire wasted many townes and cities in Greece called incendium Phaetontis In Moses time the kingdome of Athens beganne wherein Cecrops was the first king of Athens 350. yeeres before the destruction of Troy From Abraham to Moses 450. from Moses to the first building of the Temple 480. yeeres Thus farre Berosus writeth euen from the beginning of Noah out of the arke vntil the going of the Israelites out of Egypt yet a litle farther vntill the falling of Dathan with 250. more which held with Abiran and Chore for their murmuring against Moses After this went Moses vp from the plaine of Moab to mount Nebo where the Lorde shewed vnto Moses all the lande of Canaan according to his promise saying thou shalt see the lande of Canaan with thine eies but thou shalt not goe ouer thither and there Moses the seruant of the Lorde died for whome Israel wept 30. daies and after whome Iosua succeeded Moses was 120. yeeres of age when he died Nowe you must vnderstande that when Ioseph was dead and the Hebrewes began to be multiplied the Egyptians both feared and hated them oppressed them as you heard with all toile and slauerie and not yet contented but a law was made among the Egyptians that euery male childe of the Hebrewes should be throwen to Nilus This lawe continued from Moses birth and before vntill their God deliuered them by Moses God had appointed with Moses and after with Iosua wise and graue men as Elders Iudges Magistrates to gouerne the Common-wealth of the Hebrewes vnder Moses as Iethro his father in lawe had councelled him the head of any tribe or of any citie Conuocauit populos Israel Senatum eorum principes eorum iudices eorum Ios. 23. Hee had also the Leuites the Priest and the high Bishop a state of Common-wealth chaunged from Oligarchia which was in Abrahams time into Aristocratia by the expresse commandements of God in all the lawes of the Hebrewes Morall and Iudiciall And after God gaue the Ceremoniall Lawes to Moses at mount Sinai for the Common-wealth of the Hebrewes were of all others most principally to be allowed for that God ordeined all their lawes ordered their Iudges al their Kings and their high Priestes for these three states gouerned the Hebrewes from Moses the first Iudge vntil the last high Priest though by Moses other officers were appointed as Tribunes Centurions and Captaines some ouer a 1000. some ouer a 100. some ouer 50. by the Greekes named Chiliarchi Hecatontarchi Pentecontarchi Decatarchi The offerings which were gold siluer and brasse blewe silke purple and scarlet fine linnen Goates haire and Rammes skinnes coloured red oile spices perfumes of sweete sauour the Tabernacle the Arke the stone table and the rod of Aaron and Manna which were testimonies of Gods presence Read of these Ceremoniall lawes in Exod. 25. About this time reigned in Egypt Ramesses afterwards hauing vanquished his brother Danaus from Egypt Egyptus vsurped the kingdom of Egypt named it Egyptus after his owne name Amongst the Argiues Stelenus their 9. King and after him succeeded Danaus being driuen out of Egypt by the foresaid Egyptus his brother giuing that name to the Countrey of Egypt being before named Mizraim Nowe in Creete gouerned Axit and in Athens the 4. king Ericthonius in these daies Nowe Memphis in Egypt of one Epaphus as Eusebius doth name was builded Dardanus builded Dardania in the sixt yeere of this king Egyptus this afterwarde was called Troy-Cyrene at this time was likewise builded in Libya and Nisa a great citie in India by Dionysius In Niniue Amintes the 19. king of the Assyrians gouerned It is written by Orosius that Danaus king at this time of the Argiues hauing fiftie daughters who being married to fiftie brethren sonnes to his owne brother Egyptus wrought meanes by these his daughters to requite the iniurie of his brother they agreeing with their father conspired the deathes of their husbandes and slewe them all in one night This historie is diuersly written which I leaue to euery mans iudgement After that Moses had gouerned the people of God 40. yeeres in the wildernes hee made choise of Iosua as you heard to be their Gouernour and Iudge for there was no succession of Gouernors no election of states no Prince no Iudge to claime right amongest the people of Israel but the lawe of God was the Iudge that gouerned Israel So Gedeon saide Non dominabor vestri nec dominabitur vestri filius meus sed Dominus he was the onely ruler so they prospered all the time of good Iudges This Iosua the second Iudge of Israel whome God raised after Moses was adorned with excellent giftes as with counsell to gouerne Israel and with strength to defend Israel this bringeth them after all difficulties vnto the land of Canaan which Iosua diuided among the people he appointed their borders he established lawes and ordinances assuring them of Gods fauour if they would obey God and contrariwise of his plague and vengeance by disobedience To this good Iosua God saide my seruant Moses is dead nowe therefore arise goe ouer Iordan thou and all this people vnto the lande which I gaue them for euery place where you shall tread vpon haue I giuen you there shall be no man able to withstande thee all the daies of thy life bee thou strong and be of good courage I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee This was great comfort to Iosua to haue God to be with him to assist him to strengthen him to defend him Then Iosua commanded his hoste with their Captaines and officers to passe ouer Iordan he exhorteth the Rubenites the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasses to execute their charge saying the Lord your God hath giuē you this land which was somtime in the possession of Sihon king of the Amorites and in the hands of Og king of Bashan goe you
idolatrous superstition giuen to all errours onely acquainted with the Egyptian tongue Now Philadelphus with greater care and zeale of his countrie then any of his predecessours had before kept with him diuers and sundrie learned men as Aratus Callimachus Apollonius Theocritus Hipparchus the Mathematician and Demetrius Phalerius the Philosopher which at that time was banished from Athens and receiued in Egypt Philadelphus a prudent and a learned prince and cōuersant with learned men knewe well that the Iewes religion their lawes their maners and their seruice of God did farre excell all the nations of the world he sent great presents and giftes to Eleazr the hie Priest then being at Ierusalem entreating him to send learned men of the Hebrewes that coulde translate the bookes of Moses and the Prophets into the Greeke tongue that Egypt might be acquainted with the worde of God aswell as Iuda to whom Eleazar sent seuentie two learned men to interprete and to translate the Bible After this hee prouided in Alexandria such a famous Librarie to the common vse of learned men as farre excelled all other Libraries And as Melancthon sayth hee caused many other thinges to bee translated into the Greeke tongue hee restored the poore Iewes that dwelt captiues in Egypt into libertie hee sent for learned men into all Regions hee honourably mainteined them and louingly vsed them that Egypt florished with sound doctrine and vertuous men for euen then Iesus the sonne of Sirach gathered in Egypt together many wise sentences and godly speaches many learned and vertuous lessons which his graundfather before had written in Ierusalem which hee nowe augmented with care and diligence and compiled in a booke which is reserued in the Church to great vse This king excelled all the Pharaos before him and all the Ptolomeis after him and during his reigne he studied to mainteine peace and to auoide warre and therefore bestowed his daughter Berenices to Antiochus surnamed Theos who offered diuers iniuries to mooue warres against Egypt but while Philadelphus liued Egypt prospered florished with all good successe but after that Philadelphus died his sonne Ptolomei Euergetes reigned twentie sixe yeeres of whom Daniel saide that the kings daughter of the South which was Berenices Philadelphus daughter and this king Euergetes sister shoulde come to the king of the North to make agreement but Daniel saide it shoulde not continue for shee shoulde bee deliuered to death and out of the budde of her rootes shall one stande vp named Euergetes and shall enter with an armie into the fortresse of the king of the North which is called Antiochus Theos and doe what hee list and shall preuaile Hee plagued the Syrians and reuenged Berenices his sister with diuers victories for hee caried captiues into Egypt their goddes with their moulten images and their precious vessels of siluer and golde for after Seleucus had lost his Nauies by a tempest on the sea hee geathered an armie by lande and gaue battaile to Ptolomei but the like misfortune fell then vnto him and the victorie happened to Ptolomei for hee was driuen to flee to Antiochia and from thence to craue his brother Antiochus helpe which then gouerned Cicilia Ptolomei hearing of these newes concluded a peace with Seleucus and returned into Egypt after he had fully requited his sisters death vpon the Syrians During Euergetes reigne the Parthians beganne their kingdome who were all named Arsaces as nowe the kings of Egypt were called Ptolomei this time the warres of Africke beganne betweene the Carthagineans and the Numidians at that time Amilcar was sent captaine generall into Spaine for Carthage in this Euergetes time certeine enterludes were appointed by the oracle of Sibilla in Rome named Floralia the fourth kalends of May in the honour of the goddesse Flora for faire weather and fruites of the earth like vnto the feast named Rubigalia which Numa Pompilius instituted the seuenth kalends of May in Rome After this Ptolomei Euergetes had reigned twentie sixe yeres he died whom succeeded his sonne Ptolomei surnamed Philopater a cruell beast and not a king but a monstrous tyrant a murtherer both of his wife and his sister Euridices whose filthy and lewde life is better to passe with silence then to expresse in writing of whome Iustine saide Noctes in stupris dies in conuiuijs consumsit letting his strumpet Agathocles and her mother Euanthea to rule and gouerne Egypt as pleased them for none might lesse commaunde in Egypt then the king nor none might doe more in Egypt then women for nothing delighted Philopator but women and dauncing and whatsoeuer Agathocles would that also Philopator would Against this king Antiochus the great king of Asia and Syria came towarde Egypt and beganne to take and spoile those Cities of Syria which held with Philopator the king of Egypt Antiochus comming forwarde towarde Egypt Ptolomei Philopator mette him and gaue him battell at Raphia a Towne in the Confines of Palestina where Antiochus the great was ouerthrowen and put to flight and forced to intreate for peace at Philopators hande and so Philopator king of Egypt gotte the victorie ouer Antiochus and recouered those Townes of Syria which Antiochus had woonne before This victorie was well gotten but not well vsed for Philopator was so puffed vp with pride and insolencie that hee thought hauing ouerthrowen Antiochus the great hee might well also ouerthrowe IEHOVAH the great entred Ierusalem spoyled the Temple slue the Citizens and made hauocke of Gods people some to bee deuoured of beastes and some to bee quartered by men Reade the Machabees further of this but specially reade the eleuenth of Daniel where the whole historie of the kings of Syria and Asia of Egypt of Persia of Greece and of the Romanes are before spoken by the Prophet There it said was by Daniel that Antiochus and all his armie should be deliuered into the handes of Philopator and after that victorie it was by the Prophete saide that Philopator shoulde waxe arrogant and proude and that he shoulde contemne and blaspheme the Lorde of Israel and the God of Iacob that hee shoulde prophane the Temple destroy the people and in his furie excell in tyrannie but at length hee shoulde not preuaile for hee was poysoned and so died after his most wicked and incestuous life leauing behinde him a sonne by his sister Euridices of fiue yeeres olde when hee had reigned seuenteene yeeres I passe briefely these Histories of Egypt for that in the historie of the kings of Syria and Asia the kings of Egypt are likewise spoken of and in the Machabees also you may reade further of this Antiochus for since the death of Alexander the great the kings of Syria and Asia could not agree with the kings of Egypt vntill the last destruction of both the kingdomes by the Romanes and therefore assoone as euer Philopator died Antiochus streight againe sought to inuade Egypt vnderstanding this Ptolomei
chiefly the French men flourished in famous renowne and in whom all the lawes relikes and monuments are established NOwe I will goe forward with the histories of Fraunce and speake of Dagobertus who when he had raigned 14. yeeres died Aemilius saith 16. yeres for he raigned 2. yeres in Austrasia is buried in S. Denis which he himself had builded the seconde of that name and the twelfth king after Pharamundus succeeded This was called Lewis the first of that name This time raygned king of the Gothes Sisenandus who was by them and of Dagobertus aduaunced to gouerne the Gothes The Emperour Constantinus surnamed Iunior was by his stepmother Martina poysoned after hee had reigned foure moneths for that shee practised to haue her sonne Emperour who reigned with his mother two yeeres and then the treason of Martina was founde which was in this sort reuenged his nostrels were cutte and his mothers tongue was taken out and so were both least againe they might bee forgotten and bee receiued to the Empire banished from Constantinople By this time died Sigibertus king Clodouaens brother who adopted before his death Ildebertus the sonne of Grimoaldus supposing that he should haue no heire of his bodie but his wife being with childe when he died had a sonne named Dagobertus who was sent to a Monasterie in Scotland secretly to be brought by Grimoaldus for which cause Clodouaeus waged warre with Ildebertus the king and with his father Ildebertus was slaine in the field in battell and his father taken and put in prison in Paris where he died at what time Clodouaeus appoynted his owne sonne Childericus king in Austrasia This time in Fraunce the famine was such that the king Clodouaeus ooke all the gold and siluer which his father Dagobertus had set vp in Saint Dennis and other places and all the treasures out of the Temples in Fraunce to helpe the poore of Fraunce After Clodoueus had reigned seuenteene yeeres succeeded Clotarius the third of that name hee died and is buried with his father in S. Dennis and in Beroaldus table named Dagobertus the second who reigned foure yeeres After whome succeeded his brother Theodoricus who was in the first yeere of his raigne banished out of his kingdome for his incontinencie After him Hildericus Theodoricus brother was elected king of all Fraunce he reigned 12. yeres Beroaldus saith fiue he was slaine in hunting by one Bodillus whome the king had before most cruelly caused to be bound to a stake and to bee whipt with rods which he requited to the king with death Which newes being heard of Theodoricus the kings brother being before as you heard banished returned from a Monasterie and tooke againe the kingdome of Fraunce and reigned fourteene yeeres The kingdome of the Saracens had not onely vexed and molested the East kingdomes but also afflicted and persecuted the West countries and had diuers and sundry battels with the Emperours the Gothes and the Longobards and are nowe become nations most mightie and strong in all the West of whom reade Diaconus de gestis Longabardorum After these thinges reigned Clodouaeus the thirde of that name who reigned foure yeeres after whom Hildebertus Clodouaeus his brother succeeded and reigned eighteene yeeres but here some of the good and the best writers doe disagree for the state of Fraunce aswell for the names of their kings as also for the historie it selfe as some following Tritemius and some imitating Paulus Aemilius that one Chronicle cries against another During the reigne of Hildebertus Muhamad the Saracen inuaded Armenia and entred into Affrica for nowe the kingdome of the Saracens grewe so mightie and so strong that they troubled all the Nations of the worlde as you may reade in their histories This time reigned ouer the Longobardes Chimibertus and ouer the Gothes Vitiza for these two kingdomes florished nowe in Germanie and beganne to match the Empire After this reigned king in Fraunce Dagobertus the seconde of that name foure yeeres after whome Lotharius Dagobertus his brother reigned two yeeres some say seuen yeeres Beroaldus in his table affirmeth that for these two yeeres Fraunce had no king therein crowned but Interreges were appointed after which Chilpericus surnamed Daniel by the ayde of Carolus Martellus was crowned king of Fraunce and reigned fiue yeeres After him gouerned Theodoricus surnamed Cala the sonne of Dagobertus the seconde hee reigned fifteene yeeres Anastasius the seconde surnamed Artemius helde the Empire for two yeeres and after Theodosius the thirde of that name other two yeeres This time Gizid the twelfth Amiras who reigned foure yeeres and his sonne Euelid after him played their partes in Asia and in Europe as sometime the Scythians were wont to doe they laide siege to Constantinople but were thence expelled by hunger and colde and with all their whole nauies were burned and destroyed vpon the seas In the time of this Theodoricus the Cities of Italie beganne a newe regiment vnder Dukes euery Citie elected and made a choise of one gouernour vnder whom and to whom they liued as to their king laying aside the last kinde of gouernment called magistratus exarchatus This time the Scots and the Picts quieted themselues within their limittes and spared their often inuasions into Englande at what time Ceolulphus reigned in that part of Englaud called Northumberland With this king Beda a learned man amōgst the Britaines was in great reuerence and honour and dedicated to him the historie of the Church in English and by Bedas meanes Ceolulphus deliuered the gouernment to his vncle Egbertus and became a Moncke In the time of this king the Saracens which inhabited in diuers partes of Affrike and Spaine were driuen thence foorth to the number of foure hundred thousand by Edo at what time they inuaded Fraunce and were so miserably persecuted euery way that they lost Abdimarus their king with a great number of the Saracens but more is written of this in their owne historie Now to Hildericus the third of that name surnamed Stupidus the sonne of Theodoricus Cala who reigned nine yeres and after was by consent of all the princes of Fraunce deposed from his kingdome and in his place gouerned eighteene yeeres Pipinus during which time Hildericus liued priuately and secretely in an Abbie By this time died Carolus Martellus a great Prince of France and lieth buried among the kings at S. Denis Of whose valure fame and courage not onely in Fraunce but euery where Reade of this Noble Martellus and of his diuers worthy and renowmed victories ouer the Saracens in Paul Aemilius in the beginning of his 2. booke after whom succeeded Carolomanus which then yeelded all his signories and titles of dignities vnto Pipinus who presently thereupon called a Parliament of all the Princes and Barons of France to stablish lawes and decrees for the receyuing of the