but also toke him into great familiaritie As touching the resydue he deliuered theym not and besydes thys he gaue their goods in pray to others Moreouer he buylt new bulwarks and stronge holdes in such sort that he held his foote as it were vppon the Saxons throts and had almost vtterly destroied their libertye In his absence he gaue the whole administratiō vnto Otho of Bauieres who was issued out of Saxony Furthermore he ordayned a Byshop vnto them of Bamberg of Coloigne and an abbot vnto them of Fulden He had bene already accused vnto the pope of this chiefly that he solde the ecclesiasticall iurisdictions Wherethrough it befell that the Pope did summon him by his Embassadours The Emperour summoned by the Pope that within a certayn day he should appeare in Rome for to plead his cause He on the other syde made an assembly of Byshops Abbates at wormes wherin it was concluded through consideration of the wicked practises by that whych Hildebrand attayned to be Pope that he shuld be displaced Which was published at Rome by Embassadours The Pope was nothing astonished therewith yea so litle that he fained not to excommunicate the Emperour The Emperour excōmunicated by the Pope with the Bishops of Mense of Vtter and of Bamberg chiefly prouided that before he had excommunicated certain of the Emperours familiers through whose coūcells he thought hym to be incited to enterpryse such things Now it came to passe that certayne Prynces of Germany beyng greuously offended with the maner doings of the Emperour chiefly for that against his faith he dyd pursew the Saxons wyth so deadly an hatred conspired agaynst hym so much the more boldly in that he was excommunicated and vnder this title let goe the captyues that were yelded and of whom the Emperour had geuē them the custody assuring thēselues that they were no more bound vnto the Emperour for any former othe The Princes rebel agaynste the Emperour At the same tyme certayne nobles of Saxonie hauyng conspyred and drawen the resydue to take their parts toke the strong holdes that had bene buylt wherof some they toke by force and power other some rendred and yelded vp and let go the souldiours that were there in ward whole and safe after they had takē othe of theym that from thenceforth they should not beare weapon against the country of Saxony This knowē the Emperour by a certayn subtilitie did willingly demisse the Princes that he held captyue to the end that they beyng retourned into Saxony should faithfully ayde him to punishe the rebells For he saw that there was no better way to attayn to hys purpose then to sowe dyssentions amongst them and to seperate thē one from another Subtilitie agaynste subtilitye But fortune failed him and it befell cleane contrary For they beyng refourned home and knowyng hys disposition dyd delyberate to vnite theyr powers and courages to the end to fyght for their libertye Duke Otho did the lyke and forsoke him Now the Emperour fylled wyth good hope passing though Bohemia and aided wyth the souldyours of the country was entred wythin the regyon of Misenum where hauyng receaued newes of the common accord of the Saxons and of the armye euen then in all readynes he losing all hope departed thence Then the Princes of Germany came together in a very great number on a certayne day that was assigned Thether also arriued the Popes Embassadour He hauyng declared the causes for the whych the Emperour was excommunicated incited theym to elect another the whych they would not haue let to haue done of theyr owne accord An assembly for to displace the Emperour For they remembryng the Emperours lyfe from hys chyldhod called hym the spotte shame and dyshonour of the Empyre and agreed that he ought to be dysplaced because of the great domages and hurts that he had done to the Empyre He being in such distresse beganne to entreat and make requests by hys Ambassadours But after diuers procedings these cōditions were propounded vnto hym Hard conditions he should represent hymself in Iustice and should submitte hymself vnto the iudgement of the Pope whom they would cause to come to Ausbourg about the fyrst day of February He should demaund and obtayne absolution before that the yeare of the excommunication be expired If he doe it not he shall lose wholly hys cause He should breake hys armye The meane whyle he should lyue pryuatly at Spyre wyth small trayn not medlyng wyth any publyke affayre He should not haue hys gard and should not beare any scepter nor any other marke of the Empyre vntyll suche tyme as the Proces should be voyde The Emperour accepted these conditions and as he was at Spire it came in his brayne to goe into Italy for to appease the Pope in Good tyme. He put hymselfe then in Iourny wyth hys wyfe and hys lyttle sonne in the sharppest of the wynter The miserable vsage of the Emperour and passing through Bourgony and Sauoy wyth great dyfficulty and daunger of hys lyfe at length he came into Italy where the Prynees and Bysshoppes of the Country louyngly accepted hym supposyng that he was thether comme in dyspleasure agaynst the Pope In the meane while the Pope had taken hys Iourny at the request of the Prynces of Germany and beyng already gonne on wardes a lyttle waye he was aduertyssed of the Emperours commyng Therfore he stayed to know the cause Here vppon the Emperour hastned forthe a gorgeous and honourable Ambassage in the whyche were certayn noble women of whom one of theym as the common reporte goeth was a lyttle to muche at the Popes commaundement He prayed that he woulde voutsaufe to gyue hym absolution The Pope at the beginning made the matter very strang saying that he could do nothing vnlesse the accusers were present But after long proces he was wonne by supplications and agreed thervnto Howbeit before that euer the Emperour could haue entraunce vnto him The ignominius homage of the Emperour vnto the Pope he remained thre whole dayes in the court and gate of the castell where the Pope was clothed very simply wyth out any marke or appearaunce of Emperour bare fote and without drinking or eating vntil night The fourth day finally he was admitted then the Pope propounded vnto him these lawes he should represent himself to be examined he should aunswere vnto the accusations of the Princes If he were conuicted he should for goe the Empyre should not conspire any vengaunce The meane whyle he should liue as a priuate man and should do nothing in publike person He should quite his subiects of their faith and othe He should put frō him his counsellers and famillier frends If he do any thing to the cōtrary the grace which is now shewed vnto him shal be of no vallew and it shal be in the lybertye of the Prynces to substitute incontinently another These lawes beyng approued of the
Germains and did not onely ayde himselfe with the Romain souldiours but also with the Mauritans Odronians and Parthians who had bene afore tyme in the wages of Alexander He brunt diuers Villages of the Germains and slew diuers and besides this he tooke many prisoners Wherefore he broughte backe agayne his souldiours loden with the spoyle When Germany was pacified he went to Syrme purposynge to make war with the Sarmatians and not content herewith he forecaste to assubiect vnder the romain Empyre all the countreys which are vnder the Septentrion coast euen vnto the ocean sea But the army beyng offended with hym for hys crueltie dyd elect Gordianus Emperour Gordianus the which the Senat who also bare Maximinus yll wyll ratified and pronounced Maximinus enemye of the publyke weale He myndyng to aduenge hym self of this iniurie made an oration to his enemy and drew towards Rome Which beyng knowen the Senate dyd declare and create Pupienus and Balbinus Emperours gyuinge vnto Pupienus the conduction of the war against Maximinus who had layd siege before Aquileia Pupienus Balbinus Where he at such tyme as he tooke his rest in his tent was slain with his sonne by his souldiours This beyng brought to passe Pupienus and Balbinus remained not long after vnslaine by sedicion of souldiours after they had raigned two yeres the Empyre fell into the hands of Gordianus beyng very yonge Gordianus The fourth yere of hys raigne he iournyed through Mesia and Thracia for to go agaynst the Parthians and there he defeited the enemies of the Romayns From thence he tooke his way by Syria for to go vnto Antioche which at that time Persians held He made often tymes battayll against them Sapor king of Persia and put Sapor theyr kyng to flyght in such sort that the Persians who then did affraye and trouble Italy were enforced to retyre into their owne countrey Finally the sixt yere of his Empyre he was betraied slain by Philippus his chief gouernour who had moued incited the souldiours to sedicion Philippus was recompensed with the like end who had sent certain bandes of men against the Scichians Philippus which did molest with force of armes the confederates frends of the Romains He had Decius to his successour Decius who was chosen Emperour by the Legions whiche were in Sclauonia afterwards approued by the Senate He first of all appeased the conspiraties rebellions of Fraunce Furthermore hauing commended the publyke weale vnto the Senate he forthwith toke his iorney against the Scithians being accompanied with his sonne who was conioyned with him in the Emperiall dignitie For the said Scithians did oppresse molest the countrey of Thracia other countreys of the Empyre both by sea by land Decius was victorious ouer them in certain battails might haue bene altogether seyng he had already enclosed them in a narow straight had it not been that Gallus Hostilianus gouernour of the latter Mesia Gallus Hostillianus did bewray his enterprise to the enemy Whereof it befell that the father the sonne were circumuented slain by treason Gallus was made Emperour by a Legion the residue of the souldiours who made peace with the Scithians but to the great dishonour shame of the Romains in that he promised to paye tribute vnto them a thinge neuer harde of before and alltogeather vndecent and vnworthie of the maiestye of so greate a name The Scythiens waxced more fearce and breakynge the treaties of peace they spoyled and wasted Dardania Thracia Thessalia and Macedonia yea esteming this as nothyng they cast them selues by force vpon Asia spoyling destroying diuers townes By their example diuers did declare them selues enemies of the Romains many did rebell The Parthians did violently enter into Asia did subdue Armenia putting the king Thyridates to flight The Scithians in the mean whyle were so outragious that they threatened Italy And it semed that thei should haue vtterly destroyed it had it not bene that Amilianus gouernor of Mesia towards the side of Polonia Amilianus did stirre vp and encourage hys souldiours by promysyng and putting them in hope of good rewards by which meanes he put the Scithians to flyght and manfully pursuyng them he entred by force into theyr countrey and subdued it Vppon which occasion he was chosen and created Emperour by the sould yours Whereof Gaulus beyng certified he went forth to resist and withstand hym But he with Volusianus his sonne and fellow of the Empyre was ouerthrowen and slaine At this tyme Cyprianus byshop of Carthage florished Cyprian of whome amongest many other thinges are founde certaine Epistles written to Lucius bishop of Rome whō he calleth his brother and fellow in administration He writte moreouer diuers Epistles vnto Cornelius where he complaineth amongest all other thyngs of them who beyng condemned for theyr demerites by the bishops of Affricke The complaynt of Cyprian and depriued of their priesthood had recourse vnto Rome for more ample knowledge in the matter For sayth he reason requireth that the cause shuld be there pleaded where the fault hath bene committed seyng that to euery pastour is committed a certayn portion of the flocke of whome they shall render an accompt vnto the Lord. Wherfore the vnitie of the byshoppes ought not to be broken neither ought the iudgement of them of Affrike to be neglected or dispised who had already gyuen absolute and diffinitiue sentence of the matter and cause In the meane tyme another armye whych was in the Alpes Valerianus dyd place Valerianus in the Emperiall dignitie who was of a noble house This beyng knowen the souldiours of Emilianus who feared to comme in trouble slew theyr Emperour and tooke Valerianus part As soone as Emelianus was declared Emperour he wrot vnto the Senate promisyng to delyuer Thracia and Mesopotamia from the enemyes and to recouer Armenia and to dryue from all places the enemies of the romain Empyre Valerianus beyng arriued in Persia for to offer battaill was taken by Sapor kyng of the Persians Sapor who would neuer vulose or let hym go albeit that the princes and people there aboute dyd admonishe hym so to do declaryng and alledgyng vnto hym the desteny of the Romans which was that beynge vanquished they dyd resist moore stoutly and couragiously Valerianus beyng captiue Gallienus Gallienus hys sonne succeaded hym He gaue hym self wholly vnto all maner of pleasures and dilicaties laying a syde and neglectyng the affayres of the publike weale in such sort that the souldiours which were in diuers places throughout the prouinces dyd elect and chose them new Emperours as in Fraunce Spaigne Hungary Sclauonia Egipt Affricke and other places which euery one of them wer oppressed partly by hym partly by the dissentions and ciuill conflictes that were amongest them them selues In thys tyme the Gothes held and possessed Thracia oppressed Macedonia and beseiged Thessalonica The Scythians dyd inuade
By this meanes the gouernment of the Empyre retourned to Irene hys mother Who was driuen out foure yeres after and sent in exile and in her roume the aboue sayde Nicephorus was placed About the tyme of these tumults and troubles of Constantinople the fame of Charles kyng of Fraunce was very great For he hauing put ende to the warre of Spayne came into Italy wyth his armie at the request of Adrianus Byshoppe of Rome And euen as Pipine hys father had suppressed Aistulphus king of the Lombards so likewyse he after long seyge toke Desiderius the successour of Aistulphus The kyng of the Lombards takeÌ„ by Charlemayne who greatly molested Italy and Adrianus the fyrst of that name Moreouer he banished Adalgisius his sonne from the kingdome and out of al Italy For since Constantinus the great the Romain Emperours were placed very farre of to witte in Constantinople and were not only encumbred with forren warres but also with ciuill and domesticall dissentions tumultes and debats Wherthrough it befell that they toke no great care of Italy or that they could not well defend it especially after that the Lombards threaned to enter the country Moreouer the most part of them were at great strife wyth the Byshoppes of Rome and for spyte they bare them they did not greatly withstand the aduancement of the Lombards For this cause the Popes sought forren aide and succour And because that at that time there was no family more noble nor more mighty then that of the French Kyngs the refuge of the popes vnto the kinges of Fraunce Charlemaine proclamed Emperour for the excellentnes of their actes the said popes had refuge thether as vnto a certayn Hauen On this sort Leo the thyrd Adrianus successour hauyng fyerce and myghtye enemies at Rome demaunded ayde of Charles the sonne of Pipine He beyng for the fourth tyme come to Rome was saluted Emperor by the pope and all the people The which came to passe at such time as Constantinople was encombred wyth hurlye burlies great stormes and diuisions in such sort that it semed that the tyme and state of the publike weale dyd offer meanes and gyue occasion vnto thys mutation So therfore the Weast Empyre fell into the Germayns hands for it is not to be doubted whether Pipyne and Charles weare Germayns Thys fell in the eyght hundreth and one yere after the natiuitie of Christ As touching the East Emperours it is certayn that synce Nicephorus they haue bene alwaies tormented and troubled wyth warres For in the begynning the Bulgates had often times battaile against them Afterwards the Saracenes beyng marched froÌ„ Affrike occupyed the Iles of Candy and of Sicilia and destroyed Asia through out Whych also fynally the Turckes dyd who weare yssued out of Scithia Now from Nicephorus vnto ConstaÌ„tinus Paleologus the last there are reckened about fyftye Greke Emperours and amongst theÌ„ certayne women They were for the most part meÌ„ of no worthynes And in the raygne of Constantinus Monamachus who is the twentith from Nicephorus Constantinus Monomachus the Turckes beyng of a small begynning beganne to enlarge their dominions by lyâ—le and lytle and to assault Asia in such sort that encreassing daily their power The beginning of the turckes at length they haue establyshed a Monarchye but no newe one or fifth in order but engendred of that part of the Romayn Empyre whych was in the East The first of this Monarchye was Ottomanus Ottomanus the firste Emperour of the Turckes about the yeare of Christ a thousand thre hundreth Afterwardes Mahomette the second of that name and great grande father vnto Solimanus who raigneth at thys present hauing taken Constantinople and slayne the Emperour Constantinus Paleologus wyth all hys race Constantinople taken by Mahomette he vtterly rooted vp in those places the name and succession of the Emperours of our religion Now vnto thys day the Turckes hold and possesse Asia Syria Egypte Mesopotamia Iudea Rhodes and all Grecia Thracia Bulgaria Macedon Sclauonye and the two Mysies and of freshe memorye one of the Hungaryes and a certayne part of Barbarye Diuelyshe ambition of the Bisshoppes As touchyng the supremacye in tymes past the Churches of Ierusalem of Antioch of Constantinople and of Rome haue bene at great strife and variaunce especially the two laste as it hath bene sayd But the Turcke toke away the debate and in such sort confounded all thynges in those thre fyrst places that at thys day there is no apperaunce there of any Church or Christian assembly As concerning that whych remayneth and whych triumpheth beyng freed from the others that bare her enuye the thyng it selfe doth shewe in what state and disposytion she is After then that we haue declared how that part of the body of the Romayne Empyre whych lyeth towardes the East is altogether perished and fallen into other mennes handes It resteth to declare how that whych lyeth towardes the West is ruinated beynge brought vnder new gouernours It is here nedefull to consyder as in by passyng the meruelous mockyng of fortune in that that the Honour and so hygh dygnytye of the Empyre hath bene transferred from the auncient Romayne famylyes vnto straungers The euyll happe of the Emperours and Empyre yea vnto certayne vyle and shamelesse personnes amongest theym For somme of theym were Spaynyards others natyue of Hungarye Pannonia Dacia Dardanya Dalinatia Fraunce Thracia or Cappadocia Chyefely it is requysyte to contemplate how greatly the estate of the Emperours hath bene doubtfull and myserable for theyr prosperitye and dygnyty dyd not consyste in the defence or power of the Senate or of the people but of the Legions and souldiours in such sort that it was meruel that euer any wold take vpon them an offyce so daungerous and subiecte to so many calamytyes For synce Iulius Cesar who was murdered in the presence of the Senate vnto Charlemayne The number of Emperours murdered there are founde about thirtye that were slaine and foure that slewe theym selues wyth theyr owne handes There was alwayes somethynge in theym that dyd mislyke the souldyours neyther coulde they beare any more wyth the good then wyth the bad and conspyrynge for the least accasyon in the world they cutte their throttes whome they had enforced to take vppon theym that hyghe estate as it is manyefest It so befell vnto Elius Pertinax The Senate stoode in awe of the Emperour but he dyd depend almost vppon the wyll and pleasure of the vyle souldiours They toke vpon them thys aucthoritye after the death of Iulius Cesar especyally the olde bandes and leâ—yons whose ayde he had vsed in Fraunce Spayne and Affryke Cicero lamentyng the same sayth they are valiaunt but for the Memorye of thynges whych they haue done in fauour of the lybertye of the Romayn people and dignity of the publyke weale they are ouer much arrogant and drawe all our councells vnto their fellonie and violence The ende of the seconde Booke 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.
with a new trouble For certaine countries of Italie were reuolted from the Romains to witte the Samnites the Pelignians Marsians Vestinians Marrucinians Vmbres Picentes Lucains They were foughten with all diuersely and could scarcelye be brought agayne to subiection The warre against Mithridates Shortly after befell an other mishap very hurtfull to the publike weale for Mithridates kyng of Pont had driuen Ariobarzanes King of Cappadoce and Nicomedes King of Bithinia the compainions and frendes of the Romaines oute of their kyngdomes And herewyth not beyng content he had also vsurped Phrygia a Prouynce of the Romaines beyng entred wythin the country of Asia Wherfore the Senat concluded to make war with him Whervpon was moued dissention because that certaine wold haue L. Silla who was of a noble stocke other some wold haue C. Marius for to be general captaine P. Sulpitius tribune of the people held on Marius syde But Silla had his armie by the aide wherof he constrayned Marius to auoid out of Rome Who afterwards was in great daunger of hys lyfe Ciuill war betwene Sylla and Marius and hyde hymself in a fenne or marishe about Minturnes wēt in a smalle shippe after this sorte bannished into Afrike But through occasion of the absence of Silla who was a warfaire in Asia L. Cornelius Cinna Consul began to make hurliburlies to raise vp new dissentions but he was put out bannished the Citie by Cn. Octauius his fellow in office Who when he was bannished renued again his power and accompained with him C. Marius who vpon this occasion was returned frō Afrike Wherfore these two hauynge coupled together their souldiours they beseiged Rome on that syde of the gate called Ianiculū And as diuers thinges were done in the Citie not onely by negligence but also by treason and vnfaithfulnes and that it was not possible for these anye longer to resyste them place of entrance was geuē them They as sone as they were permitted to enter did fyll the whole Citye wyth slaughters and spoyles and straight wayes dyd electe themselues Consulls vnto the which estate and office they dyd dyuers thinges cruelly For Sinna caused the most excellent Oratour Mercus Antonius to be slaine and Marius Q. Catulus These thinges beynge knowen L. Sylla whoo by strength of armes had recouered the greatest part of the losses and was entred in peace with Mithridates returned backe againe into Italie But Marius who was then for the seuenth time Consull was alreadye disceased oute of thys lyfe Notwythstandynge L. Cinna had Cn. Payrius Carbo to take hys parte And although they prepared themselus wyth the sonne of Marius to resyste and arme themselues agaynste Sylla neuerthelesse they were vanquished and ouerthrowen Sylla victorious In such sort that Sylla remayning victorious dyd sharppely pursewe his enemyes yea euen so narrowly that he propunded vnto them the table of proscriptiō and did sell all the goods of the rebelles such as were bannyshed and tooke from theyr chyldren all tytle and ryght of euer commyng to the honours of the common weale There vppon he was made Dictatour and then he began to rule and ordeyne al thyngs accordyng to hys fantasy and dyd abolyshe the strength and power of the Tribunes of the people Moreouer when he sold the goods of the Citezens of Rome he declared vnto the whole company that he solde hys pray Briefely it was not possible for any man to enioy hys goods or the countrey yea or hys lyfe vnlesse it pleased hym He was so enflamed with angre agaynst Marius that he caused that whiche remayned of hys dead bodye to be throwen into the ryuer of Anio But he fyrst of all the nobles of the house of Cornelius woulde haue hys bodye burned to ashes after hys death searyng of lykelyhode that he shoulde be so done to as he dyd vnto Marius Cicero sayeth that Marius was stronge and vertuous and perseuerous in angre and that Sylla was vehement L. Cinna he sayeth was cruell He calleth also Marius the terrour of the enemyes The lawes of Sylla the hope and succour of the countrey Sylla publyshed foure newe lawes Of falsholde of Parent kyllers of Ruffians or Murtherers and of iniuries The first pleading of Cicero He beynge Dictatour Cicero at the age of syxe and twentye yeares proceaded to pleade causes and dyd pleade openlye the cause of S. Roscius There were before hym certayne excellent Oratours to wit Q. Catulus C. Iulius Marcus Antonius and L. Crassus in whose tyme the Latyne tongue begannne to waxe rype as Cicero sayeth This age surely was the most learnedst of all the others For let me omitte to speake of so many and notable Oratours Excellent notable Iurisconsuls there was notwithstandyng excellent Iurisconsuls and amongest them C. Aquilius Gallus L. Lucilius Balbus C. Iuuentius Sex Papyrius the disciple of Q. Mutius Sceuola Pontifex vnder whom also Cicero dyd study in hys youth P. Seruius Sulpitius was almost of the age of Cicero who hauyng heard the aboue named had to hys disciples A. Offilius P. Alphenius Varus C. Titus Decius the two Ausides C. Atteius Pacunius Flauius Priscus Cinna P. Cecilius C. Trebata flourished also with Sulpitius whose disciple was Antistius Labeo Cicero praysyng honorably this Sulpitius after hys discease sayeth on this maner If all they that euer had in thys towne vnderstandyng of iudgement and ryght weare heaped together yet could they not in any wyse be compared with Seruius Sulpitius For he was no lesse instructed and experimented in equitie then in ryght War raised in Portingale by Sertorius Quintus Sertorius dyd remayne of the number of the bannyshed a man of greate stomacke and expert in the feate of warre He dyd moue and styrre vp a terrible great warre in Portingale and hauyng vanquished ouerthrowed certayne captayns of the Romaines subdued diuers townes Wherefore the charge and conduction of the warre on the Romaines syde was at the last geuen vnto Pompeius And after diuers and sundry combats finaly Sertorius was slain by treason And ten yeares after the begynnyng of thys war Pompeius dyd recouer the Spaniards At that tyme Nicomedes kyng of Bithinia dying had ordeyned the Romains to be hys inheritour but Mithridates kyng of Pont who was entred in alliaunce with Sertorius had vsurped and gotten Bythinia duryng the diuisions and discordes of Marius and Silla and beganne agayne to make war with all hys strength and power L. Luculus agaynst Mithridrates L. Luculus consull was sent against hym who wanne certayn battayles by cheualry and after beyng Proconsull he in such sort slewe and cut in sunder hys armye that hauyng displaced hym out of Bithinia he constrayned hym to retyre to the countrey of Pont. Where hauyng lost a great battayle he fled towards Tigranes kyng of Armenia Lucullus pursued hym so neare that in certain conflictes he ouerthrewe the hoostes both of the one and of the other And it rested but onely vppon the sedicions and
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
Antonius Consull fellow in offyce with Cesar doth charg Cicero also before the Senate as consenting therto forasmuch as incoÌ„tinently after Cesar was slaine M. Brutus holding vp the bloudy sword cried out naming hym was thankful vnto him for the libertie recouered Some there be that say that Cesar spake in Greke to M. Brutus euen in the very instant that he fell vpon him to slay him and that he called him soÌ„ne I caÌ„not wel tell how they vnderstand the same Notwithstanding so it is that it is manifest by Cicero that Brutus was but fiften yeres yonger then Cesar The said Cesar had made certain lawes partly in hys consull ship partly when he was Dictatour Leges Iulae the which in his respect are called IuliaÌ„ lawes They are as concerning feildes iudgements violence requiring againe of the polings extorsions of gouernors of benifites of vsurie There are certaine other of the same name but they were made by Octauius Euery one doth coÌ„fesse that Cesar was very clement mercifull Cicero moreouer doth prayse him for his spirite for his subtilitie reason memorie instructioÌ„ ripe thoughts diligence yet neuer theles he was greatly greued and wroth that he did raigne beare rule albeit that he couÌ„terfeted the contrarye He writeth in a certaine epistle to Atticus Thou shalt vnderstaÌ„d that this raigne caÌ„not endure aboue half a yere Now in al these doinges Cicero was greatly variable incoÌ„stant For in the war he ioyned himselfe to the campe of PoÌ„peius toke his part albeit that he did reprehend his faint hart his negligence Moreouer besides this The inconstancye of Cicero in the epistles to his frends he called Cesar during the war tirant monster But after that PoÌ„peius was dispatched that Cesar pardoned diuers he changed his time note and in three orations whiche he made he exalted him euen to the verye heauen so greatlye dyd he prayse and magynifye hym And sence that Ceser had bene aduertised that he was conspired against and that oftentimes he brast forth in these words that he had lyued long ynough Cicero prayed and besoughte hym to put away that fantasye For althoughe that he had gotten as much glory as was possible that in respecte hereof he had lyued long ynough for himself notwithstanding he had liued to lytle a whyle for the publike weale the which could not well want or be destitute of his succour and defence Moreouer saith he thou hast no occasion to feare any daunger at all for all as many as we are of vs doe promyse the not onelye to make good watche for to kepe the but also to present and put our owne persones in readines before thee After that Ceser was slaine he triumphed for ioye said that the mourderers had obtained so great glory that the verye heauen could not comprehend the same This then is the fourth and last Monarchie The fourth and last Monarchye Wherin we must note how of small beginninges that Citye hath encreased and mounted by lytle and litle to souerain power For beyng buylt by shypheards fynallye it became Maisteris of the whole world Hereafter folowyng I wyll declare as briefely as shal be possyble lowe she is sence decayed and fallen daye by daye from that hyghnes and greate domination and hath bene ruined The second booke Octauius Antonius Lipidus C Cesar beynge slayne C. Octauius hys Nephewe by hys Systers syde drewe the legions vnto him and pursewed most sharpely the mourderers At the beginninge it semed that he put himselfe in armes agaynste Marcus Antonyus in fauour of the publike weale but finally he hauinge parted the Empyre betwene hym and M. Lepidus he established the dominion of thre Triumuiri named Triumuiri Cicero slaine by Antonius vnder whom M. Cicero who had made vehement warre againste Antonius was slaine by his commaundement beyng then thre score and thre yeares olde eyght yeres after the decease of Q. Hortentius who was eyghte yeares elder then he as it hath bene sayd here before It is certain that Cicero was fouly deceiued in his enterprises For because that after the death of Cesar Antonius did trouble the publike weale he commaunded vnto the Senate C. Octauius Cesars kinsman beyng then a yonge man of the age of twenty yeares whom he meruelously exalted to the Senate And not content herewyth he put in their heads to create him Consull hauyng no respecte to his age alledging to the perswation therof diuers auncient examples by the whych he would proue that the thing were lawefull Moreouer he confuted the argumentes by the which certaine causes of feare and danger might be alledged and swore vnto the Senate by hys fayth that Octauius shoulde alwayes remayne such a citezin as he was at that time sayd that they ought both to wishe him and desyre him Sence that Octauius did resyste and withstand him and committed him into the hands of Antonius M. Brutus also doth grauely rebucke him for that he flattered Octauius Now as it oftentimes commeth to passe the gredy desire of bearing rule and aucthoritie did engender raise vp dyssentions amongest theÌ„ Warre botwene the in such sort that Lipidus being deposed from the office of the Triumuiri and beyng bannished Triumuiri for hauing conspired against Octauius he sought to reuenge himself vpon Antonius who was his other compaynion and fellow in office And after the victorie of ActiacaÌ„ he ouerthrewe him with Cleopatra of whom mention hath ben made herebefore nere vnto Alexandria and constrayned them to kyll themselues Afterwards he made Egipt a prouince of the Romains The Historiographers say that in the raigne of Ptolomeius Auletes the yerely reuenue of Egipt did mounte to twelue thousand fyue hundreth talentes The yerely reuenew of Egypte the which summe according to that counte of the learned men of our time doth amounte vnto three score and fyuetene hundreth thousande crownes courrante Sence that the sayd country was vnder the aucthoritie of the Romaines it is estemed and Iudged to haue bene of farre muche greater reuenue by reason of the trafike of India and Ethiopia After the death of Antonius Octauius kept alone the Empyre fortye fower yeares And the twenty ninthe of his Empire the yeare of the creation of the world three thousand nyne hundreth fiftye and foure as diuers counte oure Sauiour Iesus Christ was borne The byrth of Iesus Christ seuen yeres after that Herodes surnamed the Great had sumptuously reedifyed the temple of Ierusalem altogether ruinated M. Antonius had married Octauius Syster but falling in loue wyth Cleopatra at such time as he visited the country of Asia he forsoâ—e hys sayd wyfe and toke Cleopatra The which gaue partly occasion of the warre The excesciuenes of Antonius Cleopatra Bothe of them were excessyue in all manner of sumptuousnes and the Authours haue written things almost incredible of their feastes delicacies pleasures
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
defied the Persians who spoiled the coūtry of Mesopotamia And being ariued at Asia hauing takē phisycke for to recouer his health he dyed not without suspition of impoisonment This is he who is surnamed the great who called Bizantius a Citie of Thracia by his name where he placed the seat of the Empire Constantinople He begane to raigne about CCCXII yeres after the natiuity of Christ A blaising starre of straūge and wonderfull greatnes preceaded his death Constantinus Constantius Constans bretheren He left behind him thre sones to wet Constantinus Cōstantius Constans vnto Constantinus befell the regiment of the Alpes Fraūce Spaine Englad the Iles called Orchades Ireland Thile Vnto Cōstans Italy Afrike with the Iles Sclauony Macedonia Achaia * Now called Morea Peloponesus Grecia vnto Constantius the country of Asia of Thracia Constantinus not wel content with this particiō stirred vp war against his brother Constans and was euē already come to Aquileia where he gaue the on set against his brothers army But hauing lost his army he was slain After this victory Cōstans who in the meane while made warre wyth the Getes and Sarmatians in * A coūtrye beyond Hūgarie called now Transilianiam Dacia came into Italy and hauyng passed the mountaines he entered by force into Fraunce in suche sorte that by the space of two yeares he enioyed all the dominions of his brother disceassed But shortelye after he was murdered by the Ambusches and conspyratyes of Magnentius who was chosen Emperour by the Souldiours he oftentymes repeteth that it appertaineth to him only who is Bishop as he saith of the chiefe seat to assemble the generall coūsells a thing commytted vnto hym by synguler pryueledge and by deuyne Commaundement A man myght meruyll how he could for shame write this or the residue boste themselues therof seyng that before his time Constantinus had assembled that of Nice more then an hūdreth yere after him the Emperour Martianus that of Chalcedon He saith Moreouer that it appertaineth to hym onley as beyng Bishop of Rome to haue knowledge of Bishops causes other like affaires The other Bishops could not suffer this hys arrogancie and presumption The Bysshops resist Iulius therfore being assembled at Antioch they vertuously answered him that it appertained not vnto him to retract the sentence by thē pronoūced seing that they were in like degre of dignitie with him that the doctrine of Christ was proceded out of their country finally came to Rome by the meanes and trauayle of the Apostles Moreouer yf that he dyd contynue in hys opinyon and makynge of newe decrees they woulde not onely not obey but they woulde also neyther make nor meddell wyth hym and they would consulte to gyue order herein accordynge to the wayttynesse of the matter In an other Synode holden in the self same Towne where they were assembled in greatter number they ordayned amongeste other thynges what was the offyce of the Byshop and that of the Metropolytan yf anye Proces should happen as touchyng thynges of greate importaunce For yf it chaunce that the Bishops doe not accorde they commaunde that the Metropolytan take certayne of the next prouince for Iudges to gyue absolute and diffinityue sentence If that anye Byshoppe for hys offence or cryme be condempned by the common consent of the other Byshoppes they wyll that the sentence remayne ferme and stable and not to be retracted by any other They ordayne moreouer that the Bishoppe employe faythfully the goods of the Church gyuen to the vse of the poore yf nede require that he take therof as much as shal be nedefull for his necessitie forasmuch as sainct Paulle sayth that we ought to be content with meate clothing And if it so happen that the Byshoppe employe these gooddes to hys owne perticuler profite or of his gyuing the vse therof to hys kynsfolkes they wyll that he be reprehended by the Synode Iouinianus hauyng the enemye at hys elbowe he made a treaityes of Peace verye ignominius vnto the publyke weale for he restored the fyue prouynces whyche Galeryus had conquered beyonde Tyger as it hathe beene sayde wyth a certayne part of Mesopotamya Moreouer he promysed in the treatyes of Peace that the Romayns should not succour nor helpe the Kyng of Armenia although he were their frend and compaynyon Thys done goyng on with his armye to retyre homewards he died in the confynes of Bithinia The armie incōtinently after elected Valentinianus to be Emperour Valentinianus who being ariued at Constantinople tooke Valeus hys brother to be hys compaynion in the regiment of the Empire and committing vnto him those countries there he went into Germanye where he subdued the Saxons borderers of the Ocean sea This brought to passe he drew into Fraūce where some say he died for anger At this time his brother Valeus the other Emperour Valeus was in Asia for to represse and withstand the fury of the Parthians who forraged in Armenia and the kinge of the Persians who stirred vp warre contrary to the couenantes But beyng aduertised that the Hūnes or Tartarians and Scithians did spoyle the country of Hungarie Albanie and Thessalie he retyred into Europa beyng vainquished in the assaulte he was brought into a litle house very sore hurt where the enemies setting the same a fyer brunt him There is found a certaine acte or law made by the Emperours Valentinianus Valeus The decree of Valentinianus and Valeus by the whych it is commaunded that they that follow the deserte monasticall lyfe auoiding by thys meanes the publike charges goyng a warfare should be plucked out of their dēnes and shuld be constrayned eyther to serue the country or to be frustrated of all other commodities the whiche shoulde be transferred to them who did sustaine daungers trauills for the publike weale The enemyes forth with encamped before Constantinople but being pacified by the gyftes and presentes of the Emperour they raised their campe and departed When the coūtry of Saxonia was pacifyed the Emperour Valentinianus dyd adopte Gratianus hys sōne to be compainion of the Empyre Now the father the Vncle beyng dead Gratianus Gratianus succeded them both and for as muche as the publyke weale was incombered with diuers troubles he elected Theodosius an excellent Captayne Theodosius sent him towards the East coūtry He ouerthrew and defeicted the Hūnes Gothes about Constantinople and draue thē out of the country of Thracia Shortly after Gratianus was traitrously slayne in Fraunce by a certaine Captaine of hys named Maximus who coueted the Empire Ansonius Poet. Ausonius of Bourdeaux was his schole maister of whom is found a certaine Poesie who also was exalted by the Emperour euen to the dignye of Consull of Rome His sone Valentinianus dyed almost after the sayd sort through the deceipte of Abrogastus his famillier frend But the mourderers remayned not long vnpunished
call them should be receyued into twoo Churches The pluralitie of benefices were then vnknowen the whiche at this daye is so common as nothinge more yea almost euen in our memorie amongst the other spots of the Churche this allso hathe bene introducted that the Pope hathe made no dificultie to graunt two bishoprikes vnto one man If he did agayne establishe the coustoume lately obserued herein he shoulde do his dewtie But in asmuche as he can not abyde that do we thynke that he wyll euer suffer that the things should be refourmed accordyng to the holy scriptures decrees of the Apostles and of the primatiue church No doubt they labour in vayn who seke to rule and frame the Popes doings accordyng to the maner of the auncient religion Martianus dyed the seuenth yere of his raign and Leo succeded hym Leo Emp. As touchyng Rome and the West parties after the taking of the said citie by Gensericus his retourne into Affrike Auitus succeded Valentinianus after hym Maiorianus and after him Seuerus after him also Authemius and consequently others of small name who slew one another by treason and ambushments The Wes◠empyre sore afflicted so that none of them raygned long wherthrough that part of the Empyre towards the West was very soore afflicted and vexed There is found nothyng wrytten of the Emperour Leo whych is worthy of memory but that he made an atonement and league wyth the Gothes who forraged in Sclauonia There are yet found one or two Epistles of Leo bishop of Rome which are directed vnto hym The sayd Emperour had Zeno Isauricus to hys successour Zeno Isauricus Amongest them who after the death of Valentinianus had the domination of Rome there was one also named Augustulus At this tyme Odoacer bryng accompanied with a great armye of Herulois and Scyrois passed from Hungaria into Italy by force of armes He stewe Orestus a gentle man of the chiefe bloud of Rome whom he had taken in Pauie where he was retired wyth his souldiours not content therewith he proyed and brunte the towne and procedyng onwards he subdued the whole countrey euen vnto Rome Augustulus seyng these thyngs hys corage fayled hym and willingly euen of his owne accorde he depriued him self of the Empyre Odoacer subdueth Italye Odoacer made his entrye into Rome and after he had obtained the domination of Italy he enioyed it raigned peaceably ouer the same for the space of xiiii yeres That time passed the Emperour Zeno did send Theodoricus king of the Ostrogothes from Constantinople In his way he vanquished Gepides and Bulgares who did resist him Theodoricus king of the Ostrogothes Afterwards passyng by Mysia and Hungaria he entred into Italy and encamped before Aquileia where Odoacer went to mete hym and they fought earnestly together wyth all theyr myght and power Odoacer had the worst and was put to flyght But he renewed his army presented agayne the battayll about Uerona Where he being also the second tyme ouertorowen and put to flight he hastened towards Rome leauing the greatest number of his men behind him partly slaine in the field and partly drowned in the ryuer of Athese He being excluded from Rome spoy led the fields and medowes there abouts and retyred to Rauenna where he was beseiged almost thre yeres and finally hauyng yelded hymself was slain He being dispatched Theodoricus remained maister of Italy and made his entrye into Rome where he held two cousells of bishops whome he had made to come thither out of diuers Prouinces of Italy for to iudge vppon the cause of Symnachus bishop of Rome whome many did reiect as vnworthy and euill elected This Theodoricus was an Arrian as the bokes of the Papistes report It is he who was surnamed Veronensis and was kinsman to that Theodoricus who as it hath bene said was slaine in the battell against Athila Odoacer was a Rugien which is a certain people of Germany towardes the sea of * It is the ocesian sea towards y◠countrey of Prusse Balthicus Theodoricus seking to fortifie him selfe did ioygne the kinges of the Wandales Visigots and of Bourgony in affinitie and league with him Whilest these thyngs were a doyng in Italy great tumults were raised in Thracia Affricke and England in which finally the Saxons were maisters Anastasius succeaded Zeno who was disceassed at Constantinople He mainteyned certayne Anastasius who helde the opinion of Eutyches Whereof sprong great dissention betwene hym and Gelasius bishop of Rome who accordyng to theyr bookes dyd admonysh hym by large and long letters not to maintayn or defend such men For there are two principall thyngs which are concurrant in the regiment of this world the sacred authoritie of bishops and the regall power As touchyng the byshops they haue the greater charge in as muche as they must once render an accompt for the residue Truth it is that he presedeth in ciuill pollicie but not withstandyng he is subiect to the ministers of sacred thyngs and dependeth vppon theyr iudgement And seyng that the Priests do obey the polityke lawes it is mete that he for his part do not refuse that whych the Dispensatours and Presidents of sacred thyngs do decerne Also for as much as thys honour vndoubtedly ought to be referred to al the ministers of the Church How much more then vnto hym whom God fyrst of all by hys voyce and after by the consent of the church The arogācie of the bishop of rome would haue to be aboue all order of Priesthode Let hym therefore refrain and heare hym rather as an intreatour in this life then as an accusour in the other Hys decre as touchyng the holy Byble is ioygned next after Wherein he attributeth chief authoritie vnto the Romain sea so they name it secondly vnto Alexandria and thyrdly vnto Antioche In Anastasius raigne great seditions and motions of warre were styrred vp in Cilicia the which were asswaged and pacified after that the author was dispatched The Hunnes dyd then also spoyle Armenia and Capadocia The Getes Macedonia Thessalia and Albania in such sort that the Emperour was constrayned to pacifie ech of them with gyftes and great losses About thys tyme to wit the yere of saluation CCCCC Clodoueus kyng of Fraunce receyued fyrst of all the religion of Christ after he had bene long tyme solicited by hys wyfe who was of the house of Bourgony to forsake the Idols and superstitions Clodoueus the first christen kyng of Fraunce There remaineth yet a counsell of Orleans holden in his raigne by .xxxiii. French byshops by the whych amongest other thyngs it is ordeyned that if any hauing rauyshed a mayde flye and take Sanctuary in the temple yea albeit he haue enforced her that he should not dye but that he should eyther be as a bondman or els redeme hym self by her The ryght Canon sayth that Anastasius braste a sunder and so dyed others say that he was striken wyth lyghtnyng Iustinus folowed hym
beyng dead and he hym self lying sore sycke he called together the chiefest of the nobilitie and desired them to acknowledge Henry Othos sonne for Emperour who at that time was absent This is that Henry whyche is commonly surnamed the Byrder So then we see how the splendour and dignitye of the Empyre hath ben transferred from the Frenchmen from the house of Charlemaine vnto the house of Saxonie These two Emperours Conrad and Henry were not consecrated as they call it by the Bysshop of Rome and therfore dyuers omytte them without making any mention As touching Henry it is sayd that he neglected the ceremonie of sacring which the Pope offred hym saying that the Iudgementes and voice of honest and good men dyd suffyce hym Prudence clemencye of the Emperour On a certaine tyme after Arnulphus the wicked Duke of Bauieres sought to make hymselfe Emperour in such sort that the two armyes beynge in readynes encamped nyghe vnto Rentzburgh But the Emperour demaunded to speake vnto the Duke perticularly and declaryng vnto hym howe he was elected Emperour by manye people of Germanye admonyshyng hym also not to putte so many thousandes of men in daunger amongest whom dyuers were innocent and ignoraunt of the cause of the warre He mollifyed hym in suche sorte that weapon was layd downe on both sydes Burchartus Duke of Swane dyd also rebell But beyng feared by the Emperours power he yelded vnto him The Hungares spoyled agayn the country of Saxonye But the takyng of theyr Duke dyd cause theym to promyse trewes for nyne yeares The Emperour moreouer hauyng mustred hys people warred vppon the Dalmates toke by assalt the town of Prague and Wenceslaus theyr Duke and made Bohemia become tributorye vnto hym He wanne a great vyctorye ouer the Hungares who rushed into Saxonye the tyme of trewes expyred and distributed vnto the poore the tribute that the Saxons payde theym Hys purpose was for to goe vnto Rome but beynge lette and stopped by sycknesse he declared Otho hys eldest sonne successour of the Empyre Otho fyrste of the name He made longe tyme warre agaynste the Bohemyans who dyd rebell He slewe and putte to flyghte the Hungares aboute Wormes who had passed the Rheyne and were entred into Franconye there for to oppresse the Countrye of Saxonye He subiected Bourgonye From thence he marched into Italye wyth a myghtye army and hauynge defeycted the Berengares he toke there another wyfe named Adelheida Where with Luitholdus his sonne beyng displeased beganne to lay wayte and Ambushements to entrappe him hauing diuers that put to their helping hands and amongst others Conrad Duke of Swane his brother in law But beyng narowly beseiged at Rentzburgh by his father he Humbly demaunded pardon obtained it After these things the Hungares hauing oppressed and waisted Fraūce rushed into Germanie in greater multitude then euer and encamped nygh vnto Ausbourg in the plaine which boroweth her name of the flood of Lech The Emperour went and encountred them therewith the Saxons Francons Swanes them of Bauiers and of Bohomia and after fyerce and doubtfull battayle he made such slaughter of the enemies that there remained very few He caused also certayn of their Princes to he hanged He beyng retourned into Saxonye where he gaue order vnto the affaires he toke again his iourney into Italy but before his departure he declared Otho his sonne compaynion and adherant of the Empyre Otho displaceth the Pope When he was ariued at Rome he held a counsell at the which he presided and displaced Iohn the xii for his crimes in whose place he ordayned Leo the eyght of that name There is found a certayn decree of him which is enclosed in the ryght Canon Priueleges of the Emperour where by the example of Adrianus the first he sayeth he doth conferre vnto the Emperour Otho and to his successours the power to electe the Pope to ordayne the Apostolike sea to confirme the Byshoppes Likewise he ordayneth most greuous punishement vnto them that consecrate the Byshops without the approbation of the Emperour Behold here another decree contrarye vnto certayn of the aboue specified After foloweth the maner of the othe by the which they say that the Emperour Otho was bound vnto Pope Iohn But it is not added who was that Iohn and the how many of that name nor how many that Otho was Truely it is maruell that so great things of such importaunce haue bene so negligently put in writing If it be so that Otho dyd thus sweare his reprochers haue reason For seyng that in the othe wherof we spake he amongst other thyngs sweareth that he wyll not put the Popes lyfe in daunger nor take from him his honour and dignitie how wyll this agree with this that he dysplaced Iohn frō his estate accordyng as we haue sayd and placed another Accord these matters who can Otho made the third viage into Italy through the tumultes and dissentions that were there And hauing all appeased he toke hys way homewards But he dyed at the beginning of May and was buried at Magdebourg the yeare of saluatyon nyne hundreth seuentye foure He is called Great for the greatnes of hys artes and singular vertue Otho the second Henry Duke of Bauiers was rebellious vnto Otho the second but he was brought to obedience by force of armes Lotharius was then kyng of Fraunce the brother of whom named Charles the Emperour made Duke of Loraine on charge and condition that he shuld be vassal of the Empire For the Emperour Henry had obtained this Prouince of the king of Fraunce Charles the symple as the Annales mention and left it vnto hys successours by Liniall descent Lotharius beyng dyspleased therewith put incontinently his armie in the feyld and came with al spead to Aix in Duchland went not farre ere he suppressed the Emperour who loked not well to his defence The Emperour assembled his fouldiours fully determined to venge this outrage marched euē vnto Paris and finally made peace after great hurt slaughter done on both sides He beyng retourned drew to Rome and made war vpon the Greks Otho takē by the sea robbers who held Calabria and Puel But his armie was discomfited and he fledde by sea where he was taken by Pirates and afterwards deliuered for a certayne sūme of monnie because he was vnknowen He returned then to Rome and beseiged Beneuentum with the remnant of his armie and finally toke it and brunt it Shortly after he was hurt wyth a darte in a certayne battayle agaynst the Grekes and Saracenes whereof he dyed and was buryed at Rome Otho the thyrde At the consent of the Princes Otho his sonne succeaded hym who was Crowned at Aix in Ducheland He ordayned Bruno to be Pope who was a Ducheman and was named Gregorye the fyft But Crescentius Consull of Rome styrred hym vp for aduersarye Iohn Byshoppe of Placentia The Emperour then came to Rome and punished Crescentius and hys
signified foure kingdoms that should arise and spring out of this Empyre but that they shoulde not be able to compare neyther in strength nor power with the abouesaid first king Let vs then se how properly Daniel hath paynted forth Alexander the great CC. yeres and more before that he raigned for he sayth that the Goate shuld not touch the ground Victories of Alexander that is to say he should dispatch his warres with great speede and that none coulde saue the Ramme from his hands For Alexander raigned but .xii. yeres and in so litle a tyme he subdued almost al Asia as we haue here abouesayde And albeit that the power of the Persians Medes was vncredible not withstanding Darius was vanquished of him in thre battells one after another lost his life Empyre Certain say that when Alexander came into Ierusalem the chiefe priest recited vnto him this place of Daniel wherwith he greatly reioysed As touching that another horne shuld come out of these foure the which at the first was very litle but afterwards became merueylous great which shuld greuously afflict the most holy places he sayeth that hereby is signiâ—ied the horrible persecutions that the Iewes shuld suffer of the posteritie of Alexander the great to wit of the kings of Egipt Syria betwene that which countreys Iudea is situated Truely the Iewes haue experimented this horne sprong out of the foure to wit Antiochus the noble king of Syria most cruel destroyer Here is also to be applied the .xi. chapter where he spâ—aketh againe of Alexander and of his successours so effectualy that it seemeth no prophecie but some historie Finally let vs come to the image of Nabuchodonozor The image of Nebuchodonozor wherof we haue spoken in the first booke because that occasion was offered I wil not repete thinterpretatioÌ„ touching the thre first empyres forasmuch as it is altogether manifest approued by the course of times I wil speake only somwhat of the fourth because it toucheth vs who liue therin is more seriously discribed by Daniel He sayth that it shuld be of iroÌ„ and that it shuld beat down subdue al other Empyres It nedeth not many words to shew this for the thing it self maketh the profe by the histories that I haue recited The fete the toes are partly of iron partly of clay EueÌ„ as the fote of maÌ„s body is clouen into toes so after that the romain empire shal be set vpoÌ„ his leggs of iron haue had his dominioÌ„ through the hole earth he shal end in toes this huge body shal be dissolued It is altogether manifest that this is come to passe and it nedeth no expositioÌ„ For is there any thing more disparsed at this day then the body of thys great Empyre And although it be so notwithstanding because that the sole of the fote is of iron as he sayth it shal remain always stable the romaine empyre shal endure vnto the end it can not be altogether broken But the remnant the name and dignitie shall abide vntill such time as Christ shall ende all humain thynges by his comming We can in no wyse doute it is more cleare then the nooneday that this Empyre is brought extremely thinne and lowe That high tree is fallen down neuerthelesse the roote doth yet abide and perseuer not with such iuyce that it can spreade forth or encrease but it is altogether drye Howbeit there shal be no humain power that can pluck vp thys roote or plant of the nature of iron but it shal haue always roote in the earth vntil such time as the workmanship of this world be destroyd We haue experience thereof For diuerrs haue employed their powers to roote vp this litle strayght possession of the Empyre amongest whome haue bene the popes the Turks And albeit that thei haue done many enterprises â–ª forcast to do more The pope the Turkes enemies of th empyre notwithstanding they shal neuer come to the point to compare or make their power equall let them do what they wyll with the greatnes of that of the Romains neither shal they ouerthrow that litle remnaÌ„t of the empyre although it be dry without iuyce There shal be no fifte monarchie For it is not possible to establishe a fifte monarchy Trewe it is that Germany only hath the title and possession of th empyre but if she knit together her powers courages it shal be easie for her to represse al outward violence a thing proueable by diuers examples A few yeres past the Turkes passed the straight of Thracia and proyed and spoyed all ouer Europa and at this present haue so enlarged them selues that theyr dominion bordereth vpon Germanye Wherethrough she is in great daunger aswell as Italy for the nearenes Howbeit if we marke Daniel more narowly it is to be hoped that their strength power is come euen to the vppermost steppe For Daniel attributeth vnto them but only thre hornes as we haue sayd the which they now obtain The three hornes of the Turkes first of al in possessing the dominion of Asia afterwards of Grecia of Egipt The whole countrey of that regioÌ„ may be comprehended vnder the name of Grecia euen almoste vnto Sclauonia And albeit that in our tyme they occupie a great part of Hungary that they possiblie may vexe and trouble Germany or the couÌ„treys thereabout not withstanding because their dominion is to be enclosed within certaine limittes maye not be comparable with the romaine power as we haue already shewed it is very lykely that these Prouinces shall not be assubiected vnto theÌ„ as are thother three Grecia Egipt and Asia They shall make warre against the saincts exercise all maner of crueltie against the christians and their fury shal endure euen vnto the end of the world as Daniel plainly witnesseth This is the principall cause of his prophesie to the end that beyng aduertised and certified of the calamities miseries of the last time we shuld not be discouraged but shuld waite for deliuerance by the coÌ„ming of Christ who will come shortly after these afflictions as he saith will carie his into a sure peasible place wyping al teares from their eies Certain places of Daniell do properly appertaine vnto the Iewes vnto whom the deliuerance froÌ„ the captiuitie is promised the time that the Messias promised vnto the fathers shuld come is noted signified The other prophecies touching the last age of the world them that shall liue at such time as the litle Horne Reuelation of antichrist which is the posteritie of Mahomet shal make war vpoÌ„ the saincts that that wicked abominable man of sinne who sytteth in the temple of god shewing himself as if he were god shal be reueled opened For eueÌ„ Daniel hath forshewed his tirannie as Paull expresly interpreteth in his epistles The fury of Sathan at the ende Sathan whom Christ himself calleth the prince of this world shal alwaies rage but chiefly in the last age of the world shal slacke louse all bridles of fury stirring vp aduersaries vnto Christ who shall not only be tiranous and cruel by power of armes but also by false doctrine shal draw men into deceipt and error in such sort that the very elect shall hardly escape their snares This truly is the time that daniel signifieth in the .xii. Chap. which should be so miserable desolate as neuer hath ben the like nor shal be For he promiseth vs not any thing pleasant but horrible persecutions when he saith that the calamities whereof he speaketh shal endure vntil the dispersioÌ„ of the hand or assembly of holy people be accoÌ„plished The people of God then shal be vexed through the whole earth And the godly meÌ„ shal be afflicted in diuers places as long as the world shall endure The which testimony of the prophet or rather of the Angell doth cut of froÌ„ vs all hope of coÌ„iunction recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ For he alwaies speaketh of dispersion dissipation putteth the end when the discords shal be raised for cause of the religion at whych tyme Christ shal appeare But for to comfort lyft vp sustayne them that shall then liue he incontinently after these miseries addeth the resurrectioÌ„ of the dead And we ought earnestly to pray vnto god that we may proue and fele it ioyfull comfortable The meane while Christ himself autoriseth daniel Daniell alledged by Christ Math .xxiiii. who in a certayn sermon of his aledgeth a place of him and putteth him in credit towards the auditours Seing then that these present times are very troublesome and miserable this prophet ought diligently to be vnderstanded who preacheth vnto vs that are horne in the end of the world And he ought studiously to be red and marked to the end that in these present euills we myght be fortified as wyth a trench or bulwarke and indued wyth assured consolation against the stormes and tempestes which threaten vs. FINIS