an instant some were slaine and some ouerthrowen Traiane disguised and in disposition to viewe the citie was of the enimies both knowen wounded and his Squire slaine The Agarens beeing demaunded if at that instant they had notice of the Emperours person they aunswered that his grauitie and the maiestie of his presence did discouer his estate Traiane being at that siege there arose terrible lightening and thunder which in that countrie was neuer séene and besides there descended vppon the Romaine campe flies so many importune that both their meate and drinke and their owne persons were continually couered with the same Traiane considering the citie to be impregnable did retire his armie They saye that he saide at his retraite Since the Agarens with mine armies either my wordes be neither subdued or persuaded the destinies haue reserued this triumph for some other Prince in the world to come In the prouince of Cyrene Traiane had a greate armie both of Greekes as of Romaines and the pretor of those armies was a certeine Romaine named Andreas against whome the Iewes of those partes did rebell and slewe both captaine Greekes and Romaines The Iewes were not onely contented to haue slaine the Romaines but also brought the dead bodies vnto the shambles and there did quarter cut in péeces and solde by weight with no lesse appetite did eate that humaine fleshe then if it had béene hennes and fesants Adding crueltie vppon crueltie they brought forth certeine Romaines whiche they had in prison and did wage one with another a denéere or a point to strike off the head of a Romaine at a blowe Another thing not more vile then horrible the Iewes committed vppon those miserable Romaines that is they fleyed them quicke and tanned their skinnes for leather and further with greatest disgrace did cut off their most shamefast partes and plaide and tost them as a ball in the market place As the Iewes left no Romaine vnslaine so left they no crueltie or kind of death that they did not experiment and in this matter we haue no lesse to marueile at the hearts of the one to execute then of the patience of the other to suffer That which was don by the Iewes of Cyrene was executed by the Iewes of Aegypt and of the Ilands of Cypres who slewe all the Romaines within their common wealthes which slaughter was no lesse then 500000 Greekes and Romaines When these sorrowfull newes came vnto Traiane he was very sicke but notwithstanding prouided what was conuenient for so desperate a case and presently sent Lucius into Cyrene Marcus into Cypres and Seuerus into Aegypt who committed so great spoiles among the people and executed so cruell iustice vppon the inhabitants that if the dead had béene liuing they would haue yelded them selues for sufficiently reuenged Elius Adrianus was captaine vnto Traiane for the guarde of Syria and hearing what had passed in this matter soudeinly he descended into Iurie and did execute therein a greate slaughter and they of Cypres receiuing warning by this great treason did ordeine that no Iewe shoulde dare to inhabite or passe into that kingdome and that if tempest shoulde bring them by chaunce into that Ilande to haue no redemption therof but by the losse of their heades Traiane naturally was alwayes of greate health but in the traueile of so many prouinces following of so many warres sayling vpon so many Seas and enduring so many woundes the griefe or disease of the piles did not a little vexe him But the case was thus that from the daye that Traiane might not passe into the Indies they neuer sawe health in his person or ioy in his face Through the cause or disease of the piles at chaunge of weather Traiane had a fluxe of bloude which for his health was very profitable Either by the colde which he had passed or angers which in him selfe he suffered or greate age wherewith he was laden there increased vnto the good Prince a Pasma or numnesse of his arme and his purgation by fluxe of bloud was stopped Ioyning vnto the citie of Seleuca there were certeine famous bathes whereunto sicke people of all partes did concurre whether Traiane did cause him selfe to be remoued to make proofe for recouerie of his health And as experience did after declare those bathes did not profite but hinder for being weake consumed and spent although he had force to bathe he had no strength to sweate Nowe when Traiane sawe him selfe without hope of life he wrote a letter vnto the Senate of Rome commending the state of his house vnto Lucius and the affaires of the warres vnto Elius Adrianus He dyed in the citie of Seleuca which is in the prouince of Sicyl which from thence foorth was named Traginopolis in the age of 63. yeres and in the reigne of his Empire 21. yeres 6. monethes and 15. dayes ¶ The life of the Emperour Adrian Compiled by sir Anthonie of Gueuara Byshoppe of Mondonnedo Preacher Chronicler and Counseller vnto the Emperour Charles the fift ⸫ CHAP. I. ¶ Of the linage from whence Adrian descended and of the place and countrie where he was bred and nourished THE greate Emperour Traiane being dead Adrian succéeded in the Empire who was seruaunt friend and cousin of the saide Traiane The beginning and linage of Adrian by the fathers side was of Italie borne in a citie named Hadra and of the mothers side a Spaniard borne at Cades whiche nowe is named Calize a citie of Andoloizia His fathers name was Elius Adrianus maried vnto a woman of Spaine named Domitia Paulina a woman sufficient wise and faire borne in the citie of Calize shée was néece vnto the Emperour Traiane his sisters daughter whome he did much loue for that of a childe shée was bred in his house Adrian had a sister named Paulina who was married vnto a Consul named Seuerinus and the graundfather of Adrianus was named Marillinus of the linage of the Priscans which linage did not a little florishe in the time of the Scipions Adrian was borne in Rome the 9. daye of Februarie in the consulship of Vespasianus septimus and Titus quintus in the yere of the foundation of Rome 488. Adrian had an high bodie of perfecte proportion except his necke which was somewhat stouping his nose somewhat hawked his face swart his eyes more grey then blacke his bearde blacke and thicke his handes more of sinewes then of fleshe his head great and round and a broade forehead a great signe as he had of greate memorie When his father dyed he was but of ten yeres who left him for tutors Vlpius Traianus and Celius Tatianus the one béeing his vnckle and the other his friend effectually requestinge to traine and instruct that childe in wisedome and valiantnesse for that he had no lesse abilitie for the one then for the other At the age of tenne yeres Adrian studied Grammar and after his fathers death his tutours set him to learne the Greeke tongue wherein he was so
him or his maister also with great pitie prouided for his cure of which déed Adrian was praised for valiant and pitifull Also in the prouince of Taragon they had coteÌ„tion for their bounds wherein Adrian prouided to plant lande markes of stone after the maner of pillers to the ende that they shoulde neither be stolne or chaunged CHAP. XI ¶ Howe Adrian did passe into Asia and of the things that chaunced there ALl the prouinces of Spaine being visited Adrian made his nauigation by the Sea Mediterrane vnto the Isle of Sicyl where he mounted the hill Aetna to behold the marueilous thinges therein conteined from whence he descended more in feare and abashed then either instructed or satisfied Adrian being descended from the hill Aetna astonied wearied and also derided staide not in that kingdome but to visite the woorkes of the good Traiane which he did amplifie with buyldinges and indued with patrimonies Adrian being resident in Sicyl vnderstoode that Asterlike the greatest lorde of Germanie was dead in whose place he presently created a king whom he sent to gouerne the same bothe well receiued and better obeyed bycause the Germaines helde them selues escandalized in that they had not kinges to gouerne them but Consuls to chastice them The Mauritans and the Numidians being diuided in cruell dissention and vnderstanding that Adrian was in Sicyl readie to passe into Africa amongest them selues they cut off all causes of warre and concluded an assured peace At that time also the Parthians soudeinly did arme them selues came into the fielde made captaines and fortified their frontiers and brought their seigniorie to be ouer the Romaines and not the Romaines ouer the Parthians Adrian being aduertised of this commotion prepared a greate armie to passe into Asia and also did write vnto the Parthians giuing to vnderstand that he helde them as his friendes and the Senate estéemed them as brethren and not as vassals wherewith the Barbarians were so muche satisfied that presently they left their armour and proclaimed peace throughout the lands Notwithstanding he was aduertised of the Parthians retire he alwayes continued his nauigation into Asia and descended first in Achaia and entred Elusin a famous citie of that prouince and leading a great armie possessing but little money he seazed the sacred thinges of the temples saying that he did it not as a Romain Prince but as a Grecian for that Hercules and Philip béeing Greeke Princes had first done and attempted the same He alone did enter the temples of Asia which was holden for great valiantnesse because without armour he entred amongest the armed Priestes and being demaunded why he would enter to robbe those temples alone and vnarmed aunswered because from our barbarous enimies we take by violence but from the Gods by request Adrian departed also vnto Athens and curiously did consider the order of their studies and the maner of their life and saide that in Athens there was nothing perfect but Agonata the swoorde player because he had greater readinesse and skill to playe with the swoorde then the Philosophers in teaching Sciences Whiche notwithstanding he did greatly honour the Philosophers and to some townes he gaue great liberties from thence he returned to Rome where he stayed but to visite to honour and also to bewaile and mourne vppon the tumbe of Plotina Which being finished Adrian againe went into Sicyl and from thence into Africa where he did visit many townes and cities reedified certeine buyldinges banished diuers Numidians and also Mauritanes for their mutinies From thence he did passe once more into Asia streight vnto Athens where he finished a certeine temple which he had begonne dedicating the same vnto the God Iupiter wherein he did ingraue the Image of Traiane did paint with his owne handes the figure of Plotina his moste especiall souereigne ladye and mistresse The greatest exercise that Adrian did vse in Asia was in buylding repairing and consecrating temples wherein he did place his name and paint with the pencill or else in Alabaster did graue his figure Adrian feasted and made a greate banquet vnto king Cosdroe at that time king of Parthians also did restore him his daughter which was committed for hostage vnto the good Traiane and a litter curiously wrought with siluer golde and Vnicorne and gaue him also many other iewels Many kinges of Asia and other greate Princes came to visite and to honour Adrian who gaue them all so noble entertainement and so highly rewarded them that greate was the honour and magnificence he obtained amongest them Pharasmano king of the Albans refusinge to visite the Emperour Adrian and to renue the league made betwixt him and the good Traiane not many dayes after Adrian wanted not occasion to dispossesse him of his estate and to banishe him all Asia constrained thereby to craue vpon his knees which would haue béen giuen him sitting in his chayre Adrian traueiling and iourneying throughout Asia visiting his presidentes procurors and chiefe officers finding amongest them faultes of great enormitie did punishe the same with moste cruell chastisementes The cause is not vnknowen of the displeasure that Adrian did beare vnto Antioche which hatred was so greate that he trauailed to diuide Syria from Phoenicia to the ende that Antioche shoulde not be the head of so many prouinces Visiting also the whole countrie of Arabia he came vnto the renoumed citie of Peluno onely to visite the sepulture of the great Pompeius which he renued and enriched and also did offer greate and sumptuous sacrificâ—s in the honour of the great Pompeius wherof the Romaine people being aduertised receiued no small delight He did not onely honour the sepulture of Pompeius but also gaue greate rewardes vnto the people of Pelusio because they had that sepulchre in reuerence placing vppon the sepulchre with his owne handes this verse as followeth Ossa viri magni tenni quam blausa sepulchro Howe small a tumbe of lime and stones Conteines a valiant warriours bones CHAP. XII ¶ Of the great liberalitie that Adrian vsed and some cruelties that he committed ONe of the thinges wherin the Emperour Adrian deserued most iustly to be praised was that with al meÌ„ he vsed great magnificence and liberalitie for that naturally in receiuing he was a niggard but in giuing very bountifull There was not euer any thing demaunded that he gaue not if it were not preuented by some others suite which alwayes he did recomfort with hope for time to come The rewardes of his noblenesse was the gift of townes cities castles Prouinces kingdomes mountaines riuers flockes or heardes salt marishes milles offices and not onely such as hapned in the gouernement of the common wealth but also he gaue the horsses out of his stable the garments for his person the prouision for his dispences and the money for his chamber in such wise that to deliuer others from necessitie he brought him selfe in to want of prouision Adrian in his life was noted of diuers weaknesses and defections
he commaunded to be banished or slayne Being sicke in a village named Tiburtina of a fluxe of bloude where he remained many dayes bothe desperate vnruly and out of temper for that he had no patience to thinke that he shoulde dye and an other shoulde succéede him There was alwayes some vnkindnesse betwixt him and the emperesse Sabina but in the end Adrian vsed such skill that secretly he gaue poyson vnto his wife Sabina whereby she finished his life and he lost his suspicion When Adrian perceiued that of necessitie he must néeds dye and that an other must haue his Empire he appointed Cenoio for his successour sonne in lawe vnto Niger and this he did against the mindes of all them whiche did serue him and also of all such as did best loue him bicause many others séemed to be of more deseruing and also of more abilitie to gouerne the Empire Vnto this Cenoio he gaue the name of Elio vero Caesar and to the ende it should be gratefull vnto the people and confirmed of the Senate he gaue them the Circen playes which was vnto them very acceptable did distribute throughout Rome foure thousand Sextercies Presently vpon the adoptiō of Cenoio he gaue him the Pretourship he placed him before the Panoniaes which were admitted to goe next his person did create him the second time Consul did set him at his owne table and did permit to accompanie him in the litter finally Adrian did intreate him as his sonne and all did serue him as their Lord. Presently after that Cenoio was adopted he fell sicke of the disease of death in suche wise as he had not leasure to giue thankes vnto the Senate whereof Adrian being aduertised sayde vnto the Senate Vnto a weake wall were we stated that day when Cenoio was elected Cenoio dyed in the Kalends of Ianuarie for which cause he was not bewailed of the people for that moneth being dedicated vnto the God Ianus no Romaine durst bewaile the dead eyther vtter any sorrowes for the liuing Adrian finding him selfe more oppressed with infirmitie did adopt and declare Antoninus Pius his successour vpon condition that he should adopt the good Marcus Aurelius and his brother Annius Verus The adoption of Antoninus was displeasant vnto som but especially vnto Attilius Seuerus who with great care did solicite the Empire for him selfe and at that time being Prefect of the citie some he did corrupt with money and some with faire promises but Adrian being aduertised of the web that Attilius had in hande did not commaund him to be slaine but to be banished all Italie CHAP. XVII Howe and where the Emperour Adrian dyed ON the day that Adrian commaunded the olde Seuerian to be put to death before the executioner came to cut his throte in a vessel he put certaine coles adding thervnto some incense lifting vp his eyes vnto heauen he said You immortall Gods I take to witnesse if I be culpable wherein I am accused and for which this daye I am condemned and put to death and ioyntly therewith I request and beseech you that in testimonie of my innocencie ye giue me no other reuengement but that when Adrian shall desire to dye he may not dye For the time that the Consul Seuerian was executed Adrian neuer inioyed one day of health but many times desired to dye and sought occasions to kyll him selfe but Antoninus Pius vnderstanding thereof commaunded him to be guarded by daye and watched by night Being assayled with extreme infirmitie and not able eyther to eate or sléepe he many times sought venome to drinke sometimes he would haue a knife to kill him selfe sometimes he wold not eate by pure hūger to hasten his death whereof the Senate being aduertised they did humbly craue that it might please his excellencie to haue patience in that infirmitie since the Gods were pleased to lengthen his life Adrian was much despited with this suite of the Senate and so much displeased with him that sayd it that he should be taken and put to death Adrian had a Barbar named Mastor both faithfull and valiaunt that did attend on his person when he did hunt being his auncient seruaunt whom he did most instantly desire and secretly threaten to dispatch him of his life but the barbar being terrified to heare such wordes fled out at gates By chaunce he recouered a knife into his handes wherewith he would haue dispatched him selfe but by force it was taken from him but therewith and from thence forwarde more desirous to dye and his life more hatefull vnto him Adrian had also a Physician borne in Africa this man he did most instantly request to minister vnto him some poyson to finish his sorrowful and most wretched life so hatefull vnto him selfe but the Physician was so faithfull vnto his lord not able to resist the suit of his souereigne determined to drink the same to die Adrian holding him self for the most vnfortunat the extremest wretch in distresse that so much desired death and could not but liue most truly the suit of Seuerian vnto the gods was most throughly perfourmed in him that is to say that they woulde inlarge his life when he should desire to dye Antoninus Pius being now declared and confirmed for Caesar and Adrian euery day finding him selfe to growe in weaknesse departed from Rome vnto the port of Baias where he remained vsing many experiences in medicines and Physicke which for his health did little profite and to shorten his life gaue some assistaunce Adrian dyed in that port of Baias the sixt day of Iuly and was buried in a village named Ciceroniana He liued thréescore and two yeares and reigned one and twentie yeares sixe monethes and sixtene dayes Before Adrian dyed he commaunded this verse to be placed vpon his sepulchre Turba medicorum Regem interfecit Which is to say The Emperour Adrian by trusting Physicians gaue so hastie an end vnto his yeares The life of the Emperour Antoninus Pius compiled by Syr Anthonie of Gueuara Bishop of Mōdonnedo Preacher Chronicler Counseler vnto Charles the fifte CHAP. I. ¶ Of the lineage and countrie of the Emperour Antoninus Pius THe naturall countrie of the Emperour Antoninus Pius was of Gallia Transalpina whiche is as muche to say of swéete Fraunce and was borne in a citie named Nemesa whiche from the time of Iulius Caesar was established a Colonell of Rome His grandfather was named Titus Fuluius a man both generous and valiaunt who in the times that Iulius Caesar did conquer Fraunce did vtter his greate parcialitie in the behalfe of the Romaine Empire for whiche cause after the warres were ended he came to Rome Titus Fuluius in passing into Italie and setling in Rome had happie and great successe for the Fathers of the Senate besides their recompence for seruice they made him a citizen of Rome He had suche skill to profite him selfe by that libertie and proued so cunning to content the people that within the space of foure
good Prince howe perfect the refourmation thereof was established for surely whether their affaires were eyther with the Prince or with the Senate neyther did they beginne their suit with feare or were dispatched with iust cause to murmur The officers of his house and also of the Senate by whose handes matters were dispatched some he aduaunced and to others he gaue double fée to no other ende but to remoue them from aduenturing to take any bribe Being as he was a great friend vnto the common wealth and not a little delighted to be in the grace thereof and to this ende with the good he vsed great liberalitie and with the euill great clemencie in such wise that of all men he was beloued and also praysed as well for that he pardoned the one as gaue vnto the other All that euer he sayde or wished to be vsed of good Princes the same did he perfourme after he was Emperour and refourmed all things that he thought were to be amended In the third yeare of his Empire Faustine his dearely beloued wife dyed in whose death he did vtter so great sorrowe that it exceeded the authoritie of his estate and also the grauitie of his person In the memorie of Faustine he placed hir picture in all the temples and perfourmed with the Senate that she should be recounted amongest the Goddesses which was as to canonize hir all whiche was truely agréed by the Senate more at the request of Antoninus then for the deseruings of Faustine CHAP. VIII Of certaine notable buildings erected by Antoninus THe buildings which he made were not many but excéeding stately and sumptuous for in them appeared and were represented the greatnes of his estate and the magnanimitie that he had in spending He built a temple in the reuerence of his Lorde Adrian wherein he erected a picture of siluer with a Coronet of golde and a chaplet of Nacre a worke most certainly no lesse curious then costly He reedified a certaine building called Gregostasens which serued to lodge all straunge ambassadours bycause the Romaines did vse to giue ambassadours an house to dwell in and a stipend for their dyet He did amplifie and nobilitate the sepulchre of his Lord Adrian wherevnto none durst approch but on their knées The greatest session house of al Rome was burnt in the time of Domitian which the good Antoninus built from the foundation He built the temple of Agrippa and indued and dedicated the same in the reuerence of the Goddesse Ceres Ouer the riuer Rubicon he built a sumptuous and a stately bridge and also not a little necessarie bycause afore time many were there daungered and aftewardes that way muche victuall and prouision was carried Not farre distant from the port of Hostia neare vnto the sea he built a right strong tower for the safetie and defence of the ships of Rome which a foretime might not bring in any victuall or other prouision but were distressed of pyrates The hauen or port of Gaieta whiche had bene long through great antiquitie forsaken he freshly reedified that is to say built newe houses erected a mightie tower made a strong wall placed inhabitants and gaue them great priuileges in such wise that whereas afore time it was a thing vtterly forgotten it was from thence foorth most estéemed That whiche he did in Gaieta he perfourmed in a porte of Spaine named Taragon whiche he reedified amplified with great buildings and priuileges A myle from the port of Hostia he built a sumptuous and a curious bathe and indued the same in suche manner that in all Italie it was the onely bath that was vnto all men frée without charges A myle without Rome he built thrée temples naming them Laurianos for that many bay trées grewe there to this ende that the dames and matrones of Rome walking according vnto their manner should encounter with some Church to pray in CHAP. IX Of certaine lawes which the Emperour Antoninus Pius made IT was a law amongst the Romaines that such as were put to death by iustice might make no testament but that in loosing their life they lost also their goods Antoninus moued with pietie did ordein that none for any fault what so euer should ioyntly loose both life and goods but if any were put to death he might frankly make a testament of his owne proper goods Where he had placed any good and sound Iudge in any common wealth he did not onely permit him not to be remoued but also with giftes and requestes he did susteine him This good Prince made a law that none should presume to sue to the Prince or Senate for the office of iustice vppon paine to be banished Rome There was in Rome a Iudge named Gaius Maximus who in Rome continued a iudge twentie yeares of whom Antoninus wold oft say that he had neuer séene heard or read of a man more cleare of life eyther right in iustice In the place of Gaius Maximus there succéeded Tatius Succinus a man surely of many hoare haires and of muche learning but the office of Pretour being so tedious and he of yeares so auncient dyed immediately vpon the burthen thereof Antoninus being infourmed that the good olde Tatius dyed with the burthen of his office diuided the same betwixt Cornelius and Repentinus but after the Emperour being infourmed howe the Senate had giuen the same vnto Repentinus not for his deseruing but at the suite of a Gentlewoman of the Courte he commaunded him publikely to be banished declaring by the voice of a cryar throughout all Rome that he was banished for obteining the office of a Iudge by the suit of a woman This was the first officer of Rome that in the dayes of Antoninus suffered punishment which correction gaue so greate feare throughout the Romaine Empire that from thencefoorth the Emperour Antoninus was as muche feared of the euill as beloued of the good A mightie Senatour named Tranquillus confessing to haue procured his fathers death of extreme desire to inherite he commaunded to be remoued into an Island onely to passe his life with the breade of sorrowe and the water of teares All the time of his Empire he gaue wheate and oyle vnto the citizens of Rome The people of Rome in those dayes being giuen to drinke wine without measure he commaunded that none shuld presume to sel wine but in Apothecaries shops for the sicke or diseased He established a lawe for him self and his successours that openly thrée dayes in the wéeke they should shewe them selues in Rome and if by any weightie cause there happened some impediment that on suche dayes their gates should stand wide open without porters that fréely the poore might repaire to follow their suits In deare yeres he did ordeine through Italie that no gardener should dare to sowe in his garden any féede but wheate and barley whereby the poore of the common wealthe might be relieued of their penurie He made an vniuersall lawe throughout the Empire that gouerners
and consent vnto the obedience of Rome Rometalce king of the Pindaroes was accused in the Senate of disloyaltie vnto the Romaines in the warres they helde against the Rhodes who coÌ„ming vnto Rome to quite him selfe the good Antoninus did not onely confirme him in his kingdome but also did not permit that for any thing past any motion should be made affirming that his offence might not be so great but that his submissiue apparance did reforme the same The Olbiopolites a people in Asia held warre with the Taurocistes alies of Rome vnto whom Antoninus sente succour by sea and with assistance of the Romanes subdued the Olbiopolites who not only paid all charges of the warres but also gaue hostages to maintaine peace Antoninus neuer raised warre but that first he sought to conserue peace and praised not a little that saying of Scipio that is to say Hee rather wished the life of one citizen of Rome theÌ„ the death of a thousand enimies When hée married his daughter Faustina vnto Marcus Aurelius he made a suÌ„ptuous feast and gaue great rewards vnto his men of warre He held his sonne Marcus Aurelius in great reuerence and would haue made â—im Consul which hee refused holding it for more happie to turne bookes then to appease nations After he had sent vnto Calcedonie for the great Philosopher Apollonius and had giuen him an house to dwell in solitarilie neare vnto the riuer Tiber Antoninus sent for him who refusing to come sent answeare That schollers do vse to come to their maisters and not maisters vnto their scholers whereat Antoninus laughing said A trim ieste that Apollonius hath paste so many seas from Calcedonie vnto Rome and now refuseth from his house to come to mine Although Apollonius were learned in Philosophie yet was hée in his life very couetous whereat when certaine in presence of the Emperour did murmur hée aunsweared for very deare that Philosophers sell vs their Philosophie alwayes their science is more worthe which they teach vs then the goodes which wée giue them CHAP. XII ¶ Of the succession of the Empire and the occasion of his death AS the Emperour Antoninus in his youth was alwayes a frend vnto the vertuous euen so in his age carefully hée did séeke the conuersation of the wise and therewith had no lesse care of publique matters then of his owne priuate affaires Generally hée was so liked and loued of al nations that in all temples in all walles gates and buildings these foure letters were placed namely V.A.C.R. whiche is to saye Vita Antonini Conseruatur Respublica which is to saye On the life of Antoninus the whole weale of the Romane Empire dependeth Leauing a part many good lawes which he made for the Common wealth for which purpose hee had alwayes attendant about him men in the lawes singularly learned who among the chiefe was Vindemius Verus Siluius Valente Abolusius Metianus Vlpius Marcellus and Iabolinus before whome hée set the lawes of all kingdomes and of the most necessarie and approued to take the choice to be established in his kingdomes When he did institute any lawe either ordeine any proclamation he alwayes expressed therein so great reason that his commaundements were neuer disobeyed either his lawes reuoked The cause of his death they say was after this maner from Gallia Transalpina that is to say swéete Fraunce they did present him certaine chéeses whereof he eating at his supper more then was conuenient they ministred vnto him a perillous vomit whereby they discharged his stomache not onely of meate superfluous but also of bloud righte necessarie which bredd in him a furious feuer and finding himselfe in great weaknesse without disposition to sléepe either appetite to eate he commaunded al the Senatours and chief gouernours to be called vnto his presence and before theÌ„ all did commende the common wealth vnto Marcus Aurelius his sonne and Faustine his daughter And making his testament in verie good order wherin he gaue vnto his seruants great gifts which being finished and perfourmed he gaue vnto his daughter Faustine the inheritaunce of all his lands which he possessed before he came vnto the Empire His feauer increasing and his strength and life wasting the fourth day of his sicknesse about noone beholding and viewing all the circumstants and shutting his eyes as if he would sléepe gaue vp the ghost who was no lesse bewailed at his death then he was beloued in time of life and presently by conformitie of the whole Senate was intituled Holie and all the people at the newes of his death a vie in euery streate did grite skrich and cry aduauncing and magnifying his bountie clemencie benignitie liberalitie iustice patience prudence and prouidence Al the honours were done vnto him and all the famous titles were giuen him that vpon any noble Prince had bene imployed And deserued that in the temple of Iupiter a priest of his owne name should be institute Also they built him a temple and dedicated vnto his honour the Circene playes and a fraternitie where they were all called Antonines This Prince onely amongest all Princes liued and dyed without sheading of bloude and for likelinesse compared vnto Numa Pompilius not onely in good gouernement of the common wealth but also for sinceritie of life The life of the Emperour Commodus the sonne of good Marcus Aurelius compiled by Syr Anthonie of Gueuara byshop of Mondonnedo preacher Chronicler and CouÌ„seler vnto the Emperour Charles the fift CHAP. I. ¶ Of the byrth of the Emperour Commodus THe Emperour Commodus had to his grandfather Annius Verus and his father was the good Emperour Marcus Aurelius and his mother was the right faire and renouned Faustine on whose side he was nephewe vnto the Emperour Antoninus Pius a man of a refourmed life and very beneficiall vnto the common wealth of Rome He was borne in a certaine place named Lodie on the eight day of September at the time that his father and Drusius his vnckle were Consuls the one gouerning matters of warre in Datia and the other in refourmation of causes in the common wealth The Empresse Faustine being great with childe and neare vnto the time of her childe byrth dreamed that she was deliuered of certaine serpents but especially of one more fierce then the rest of which dreame when his father Marcus Aurelius was infourmed they say that he sayde I feare me Faustine that the sonne of this birth shall proue so fierce a Serpent that shall be of power to commit a murther of our fame and to poyson the whole common wealth of Rome The Astronomers and Nekromantiques which in those dayes were resident in Rome they sayde and prognosticated many things of the byrth of the Emperour Commodus and as it appeared afterwardes they sayde very little in respect of that which followed bycause this miserable and vnfortunate Prince in his manners did rather resemble the infernall furies then reasonable creatures From his infancie his father Marcus Aurelius carefully did trauell in the
him to liue within the kingdome Adrian would not or else durst not make warres with the Parthians but gaue vnto Parsnapate the Seigniorie of certaine countries and Prouinces of Syria being vacant at that time as Lorde to inioy the fruites thereof and as Romaine Pretour to gouerne the people When Adrian had obteined the Empire presently he published and sayd vnto all men that he wold become a pitifull Prince and truly in some pitifull causes he did shew him selfe to be the sonne of Traiane but in some rigorous matters he séemed to be the brother of Nero. A certaine man named Bebius was Prefect in Rome who was contrarie vnto Adrian in all thinges that eyther touched his honour or profite and being counselled to kill Bebius for that he ceased not to be his aduersarie made answere I will not onely permit Bebius to liue but also the office of Pretour which hee helde but for a yeare I will confirme vnto him during his life Laberius and Frugius two Romaine Senatours were banished vnto the Isle of Pontus whom he commaunded to returne to their houses and their goodes to be restored them but the Consul Frugius being mutinous mouing commotion betwixt Adrian and the Senate he commaunded to be throwne aliue into Tyber and obteined no lesse honour in the executing of the one then in pardoning the other Vnto certaine Gentlemen of the armie that sayde vnto Adrian in times past that he should be Emperour he gaue double rewardes affirming that he gaue them not for their aduertisement but for their good will. CHAP. VII Of his entrie into Rome NOwe when Summer was come Adrian parted from Antioche to come to Rome and lefte for Preposite of Syria Catalius Seuerus and tooke his way throughe Illyria and determined to make warre with the Sarmatians which would not receiue the Ambassadours of peace Lucius Turbon that had béene Pretour tenne yeares in Mauritania came foorth to méete him vpon the waye with whome Adrian had great friendship being a young man and in house with his Lorde Traiane presently he made him Pretour of the Prouince of Datia and Panonia At that time Lucius Turbon was in Africa maister of the horsse men of whome Adrian was aduertised that he was verie riche and in greate power throughout the kingdome and that he had not obteined all that riches in the time of warre but by briberie in time of peace Adrian was not a little grieued of that which was sayde by Lucius Turbone bycause he was his friende and also seruaunt vnto Traiane but all this notwithstanding he applyed all that he had vnto the common treasure and disarmed him of his knighthoode As muche as Adrian did increase in potencie so much did his enimies increase in enuie in suche manner that they coulde neyther incline their harts to loue him eyther yeald their strēgth to serue him The case was thus that Palma Celsus Sobaius and Lucius Adrian going on hunting were determined in the middest of the chace to rid him of his life wherevpon they were agréed that in his swiftest pursuit of any wild beast they would attend him in the most thickest pace or track there vnder the colour to misse their leuell at the beast would shoote and kill the Emperour All these foure were men of noble bloud and rich in goods and were called Cōsulares bycause at other times they had bene Consuls but as their treason was discouered first by iustice they were beheaded before Adrian went on hunting Great was the murmuring and mutinie throughout all Rome when they vnderstoode howe Adrian had executed so cruell iustice vpon these foure Consulares or noble men partly for that they helde opinion that Adrian had raised that quarell againste them and partly for custome and manner for that fewe were the chastisements whiche the good Traiane did execute but great was the number that receiued pardon Adrian being aduertised that for the death of the foure Consulares all Rome was escandalized and that for a man reuenging and cruell his person was defamed determined with all spéede to come to Rome to excuse him selfe of that fault The affaires of Adrian stood not in so euill estate as vpon the way they gaue him aduertisement which did well appeare in that the Senate did offer him the triumph due vnto Traiane being cut off by death to inioy the same but Adrian refusing gaue order that the Image of Traiane shoulde be placed in the triumphant chariote to the ende that good Traiane shoulde not want a triumphe although but after his death Presently when Adrian came to Rome he went to visite the Sepulchre of his Lorde Traiane where his eyes did shed many teares and for him did offer vnto the Gods most sumptuous sacrifices All the Senate being ioyned and also all the most principal of the people vnto whome Adrian made a long oration wherin he gaue them to vnderstand of the state of the Empire and did excuse him selfe of the death of the aforesaide foure Consulares because the officers of the Senate had made searche and inquisition of the cause and the Pretors of the armies did execute the sentence The Senate did offer Adrian the title of Pater patriae but he would not receiue it affirming it to be one of the titles of his lord Traiane and since he had been a good father it were great reason he should proue a good sonne It was a custome in Rome and throughout all Italie that when their Princes came newely to gouerne the Empire that all cities and other people should furnishe him with a certeine summe of golde and siluer with the golde to make a crowne and the siluer for the seruice of his house and sometimes they did present so much golde to make the crowne that the remnant was sufficient to mainteine the warres Adrian refused not onely this seruice to be demaunded but also returned that which was brought him saying that his crowne should be riche when his subiectes should be in wealth The officers of the treasurie that is to saye suche as had the collection and kéeping of the masse of Rome had raised greate rentes daily inuenting newe manner of tributes in the common wealth which being knowen vnto Adrian he commaunded all newe impositions to be remoued from the common wealth and the inuentors thereof to be displaced from their offices Generally the Romains complained vnto Adrian of the dearth of victuals foorthwith he prouided for prouision of wheat from Sicyl wines from Candie and oyle from Spaine and further gaue such prices vnto the same and all other victuals that the poore might féede with the riche He did promise and sweare in the Senate to put no Senatour vnto death although he were culpable without the accused should first be heard and his cause considered by all the Senate and truely this othe did excuse Adrian of many executions and was no lesse occasion that the Senatours committed many faultes Princes haue to consider what they sweare
naturall condition mutinous ambitious importune intermedling quarellous full of garboyle and being aduertised that Enatius was deade he fell into a greate laughter and sware that he could not a little maruell howe he coulde intend to dye considering his great businesse both night and daye A certaine auncient citizen comming vnto the Emperour Adrian for certaine suites and causes propounding his demaunde and also replying an answere without intermission remouing without all manner any meane for the Emperour to speake answered Friende if thou feede on both cheekes we may not eate both together Surely it was an answere very fayre and of great vrbanitie for thereby he gaue him to vnderstande that if he both propounde and answere he could not giue him iustice There was a Senatour in Rome named Fabius Cato of auncient yeares and amongst the people in great credite but ioyntly therewith he was a man of a small stature which would soone be offended and as soone be pleased vnto whome on a time Adrian sayde Since your chimney is so small you must beware to lay much wood vpon the fire for otherwise it will be alwayes smoakie CHAP. XV. Of the thinges that he did woorthy prayse and some other things worthy dispraise THe Emperour Adrian did vse and intreate such as did serue him very well and with great affection but he might not indure them to presume to be ouer priuate for he would say that he held them not to commaund him but to serue him and grewe not a little displeased with such as were not moderate in their déedes and courteous in their wordes Being in Spaine in the citie of Taragon he behelde in a garden one of his meane seruaunts walking betwixt two Senatours vnto whome he commaunded to be giuen a great blowe with this aduertisement The Emperour commandeth this blow to be giuen thee bycause thou shalt be ashamed to presume to walke with such as thou art bound to serue In his dyet he was neyther temperate much lesse a gormound that vsed excesse for that he left not to eate of any thing in respect of health or vertue but without dyet did eate both what and whē he liked In wine he had a good rellish and at times dranke thereof so frankly that he hindered the health of his person and also the credite of his fame There was in his dayes great earthquakes pestilences dearth and hunger in which calamities he shewed him selfe a pitifull Prince and of great magnanimitie bycause in time of hunger he gaue the people wherewith to be susteined and in time of earthquakes money to reedifie He discharged many cities of their whole tributes and to others some part he released in suche wise that in all his Empire there was no citie that newly receiued not some benefite at his hande eyther deliuered not from some olde payment In the first yeare of his Empire the riuer Tyber did so ouerflowe that thrée dayes damage thereof was not repayred in thrée yeares He was of the men of warre much feared for that he did chastise them and no lesse beloued bycause he did pay them The chiefest cause of his great prayse in Chronicles or of writers of histories and the tender affection that the Romaines did beare him procéeded that in time of peace he helde his men of warre in great ciuilitie and in time of warre he gouerned the common wealth as if it had béene in peace Alwayes when the Senatours repayred vnto him eyther to eate or for affaires he did alwayes entertaine them standing and if they were Consuls he came foorth to receiue them and if they were Iudges he did rise when they came before him and if they were officers of the Senate he would somewhat stoupe or nod with the head in suche wise that with all he vsed greate courtesie and in speache and conference no lesse vrbanitie To repaire temples to prouide priestes and to offer sacrifices he was a Prince both carefull and diligent and ioyntly therewith it is to be noted he consented not to the inuention of newe deuices and muche lesse did he admit straunge customes CHAP. XVI Whome Adrian did adopt to succeede him in his Empire AFter the Emperour Adrian had trauelled in a manner throughout the world by sea and lande and passed both colde and heate he fell into a grieuous sicknesse he himselfe giuing occasion therof for that in his dyet either in the time of heate or colde did sildome or hardly vse any order Presently vpon his sicknesse his heart was touched with great care vpon the determination whom he should adopt to the succession of the Empire bycause many did followe him that did much desire it but verie fewe that did deserue it The death of Seuerian Dion doth report was after this manner Adrian on a certaine daye at his dinner sayd vnto the Consuls that sate at his table I would haue you name me ten men in science learned and sincere of life vnto one of which I may commend after my dayes the estate of the common wealth They all vsing silence vnto that demaund Adrian sayd reckon me but nine for I haue one and such a one as is my brother in lawe Seuerian for that he hath both age and grauitie After a fewe dayes that these things did passe Adrian being in great daunger through a fluxe of bloude that brake foorth without ceassing at his nose doubting that first his life shoulde haue finished before the bloude would haue staunched did point with his finger Lucius Cōmodus to be his successour And after recouering more health he was aduertised that Seuerian and Fuscus his nephew continued murmuring at that whiche he had commaunded and that vnto him the Empire was not directed Adrian beganne to disdaine and abhorre him with great hatred This Seuerian of the age of ninetie yeares Adrian commaunded to be slaine bycause he set him selfe in the imperiall chaire and gaue vnto such as were in fauour with the Emperour a solemne supper and bycause in secrete he had conference with the capteines of warres Before that Seuerian dyed hée determined to haue giuen the Empire vnto the Consul Fuscus which was his nephewe but when Adrian vnderstoode that Fuscus had conference with Magicians and Soothsayers to be aduertised if he should inioy the Empire he put him to death in suche wise that he both lost the inheritaunce and also his life Pletorius Metus came to visite Adrian in his sicknesse which being his great frend he would neither heare nor sée bicause he did imagine that he came not to visite but to inherite Gentian the Consul a noble and auncient Romaine also he persecuted for no other cause but for that he vnderstoode he was both liked and honoured of the Senate and that all men did hope hée shoulde succéede him in the Empire The Emperour Adrian did neuer shewe him selfe so cruell in his life as he did somewhat before his death bycause all those that he thought did hope to succéede him in the Empire
ploughes but he him self would be occupied in sowing corne cutting vines pruning trées and at times would take the plough and make a dozen of furrowes He was extreme in nothing but that in and for all thinges he placed him selfe in the middest which he did very well discouer in the gouernement of his person and estate wherein neither for his prodigall expence he was noted proude either for want of a noble minde estéemed a niggard Many times the Heauens being cleare and a settled faire weather in apparance he would saye vppon suche a daye wee shall haue raine or chaunge of weather wherein he neuer erred and manye times did aduouche that the knowledge thereof procéeded not of science either of Philosophie but of certeine experiences which he gathered when he vsed the labour of the fielde When on a certeine time with his knife he was pruning of a plumb trée in his orcharde ioyning vnto the high way a Senatour saide vnto him since you are an Emperour ceasse to vse the office of a labourer vnto whome Antoninus aunswered it is lesse euil for an Emperour to prune trées in his orcharde then to consume lost time in his palace He was very attentiue to that which was saide and curiously he did consider what others did chiefely to the ende to attaine knowledge for that naturally he was sharpe and of delicate iudgement He was alwayes occupied either in reading studying disputing or doing somethinge with his handes and wherein he wanted skill he disdained not to craue to be taught Alwayes for the more parte he went bare headed through much heate he had therein and one aduising him the ayre of Rome to be very hurtfull and therefore right necessarie to haue his head couered aunswered assure mée from troubles of men on earth and I am assured that nothing shall offende mée which the Gods shal send mée from Heauen He was of him selfe excellent in Musike delighted therein and a greate friende to Musicians Antoninus Pius was suche and so good that all heartes did loue him all toungs did praise him and all suche as did not knowe him but by reporte had him in admiration finally he was compared vnto Numa Pompilius because in him there were not more vertues to be desired either one onely vice to be reprehended CHAP. III. ¶ The workes of pietie which he did and the cause why he was intituled Antoninus Pius ANnius Verus father of the first Faustine and father in lawe vnto Antoninus Pius became so olde that he was not able to sit on horsebacke either to go on foote but that he was led and staide by the arme to saye his opinion in the Senate because from olde putrified men ripe and found counsels do proceede Antoninus Pius beeing the man that delighted to leade his old father did not only giue him way in foule places but in going vp of staires did rather séeme to beare him then leade him Passing on a certeine day and beholding an olde man named Iulianus led vnto prison for debt and vnderstanding the cause he presently payed the same and added a worke of more pittie that payde not onely all his debtes but gaue him also to susteine him his house For that a penall lawe prouided in that behalf that by iustice or otherwise none shuld shead bloud within the compasse of Rome for his cause at the gate Salaria a place deputed for execution of offenders and maisters also did there chastice their seruaunts and thus it chaunced that Antoninus Pius passing that way found there many slaues bounde and beaten moste cruelly he conceiued so great pitie to sée them so beaten without pitie that presently he bought them all and the same daye he bought them the verie same daye he made them frée From his youth it was his inclination to visite the sicke and to accompany suche as were in sorrowe distresse and out of comfort wherein the good Antoninus did so muche vtter the griefe that he had of their griefe he so much sorrowed of their sorrowe that no man did so sensibly féele his owne griefe as he did bewaile the misfortune of others An auncient Romaine widowe which had but one sonne whose misfortune was to kill another young man and being condemned to dye the sorrowfull mother came lamēting wailing and crying vnto the Emperour Antoninus with whome he did so earnestly and so grieuously wéepe as if it had béene his owne sonne And being aduertised by his friendes and his most speciall and priuate seruaunts how euil it became him to wéepe with and like a woman aunswered that sorrowfull woman came to craue helpe and succour for her sonne and for that I may not relieue her with some remedie I did assist to bewaile her mischaunce The Romaines had a custome to leaue the dead bodies of men executed in the fieldes but Antoninus Pius was the first that gaue order for such bodies to be buried affirming it sufficient to take from men their liues and not to féede beastes with their carcases From the time of the proude Tarquine the Romaines held for custome to giue malefactours great tormentes the good Antoninus did take away all tortures wherwith the members of mans bodie was put in daunger saying that the torment was sufficient that were to chastice but not to dismember Fabatus Dioscorus Lipolus Macrinus Fuluius Torquatus Eucenius Bruscos and Emilius whereof foure being Consuls thrée Iudges and two Pretors and banished by Adrian Antoninus gaue them all pardon and for that many did mislike this déede affirming it to be done to the preiudice of the fame and memorie of Adrian he aunswered Adrian my Lorde did not erre in that which he then did and I thinke I do not erre in that which I nowe doe because then he did it to profite him selfe by his iustice as I nowe doe to obteine aduauntage by clemencie Whether so euer he went either in Rome or other places of Italie wéekely he did visite the prisoners and the poore which he found there for debt he commaunded the creditours with his owne money to be payde and after that he had thrée times paide for one man and the fourth time found in prison for debt he commaunded him to be deliuered vnto his creditour for his slaue A fewe dayes after this commaundement his clemencie not able to endure so rigorous Iustice notwithstanding the sentence was moste iust he prouided at his owne cost once more to buy and to giue libertie vnto that poore man As before recited when Adrian was sicke and so distempered with his infirmities that some he commaunded to be taken some banished and some put to death but Antoninus Pius being adopted Augustus and being inuested with the whole gouernement did neither arrest banishe or kill them but onely commaunded to absent them selues and not to appeare in his presence Amongest all the notable workes of pietie that Antoninus did perfourme was that Adrian striuing and watching to kill him selfe Antoninus did ouerwhatche to preserue a liue
resident in Africa sent Seuerus for his Embassadour to the Sardinians which were reuolted from the Romanes and entering into Sardinia with certeine burning torches according to the maner of an Embassadour of Rome there came vnto him a townesman after the fashion of a iester and did imbrace him whom Seuerus commaunded to be whipt saying In the act of so great grauitie trifling gibes be inconuenient For that which this iester did and for the disgrace which Seuerus receiued they ordeyned in Rome that from thence forth Embassadours alwayes should enter all cities on horsebacke as in times past they had vsed on foote Continuing Proconsul in Africa he would néeds vnderstand of a Mathematiciā or Astronomer how farre his fortune extēded or did reach and hauing receiued the day and houre and also the ascendent of his natiuitie the Astrologian being amased and terrified of the Fortune which his natiuitie did promise him said vnto him It is not possible that this be thy natiuitie therfore were it meete thou shouldest giue me thine owne and not the natiuitie of another for were it true that thou wast borne vnder such a cōstellation thou shouldest be Emperour of Rome At the age of 32. yeares hée was in Rome elected Tribune of the people more for the pleasure of Marcus Aurelius whome he serued then for the seruice that Seuerus had done in the common wealth but afterwards he proued so toward and was so vpright in causes of iustice that it neither repented the cōmon wealth to haue chosen him either Marcus Aurelius to haue procured the same His Tribunal office being ended he was named Pretor of the people and on the day of his election the more to aduaunce his honour the Emperour passing throughe the streates of Rome placed him with himselfe in the Licter which déede was not a litle reproched of some through enuie and of othersome thorough disdaine CHAP. II. ¶ Of the offices which Seuerus held in the Empire before he was Emperour THe affaires of Spaine being dispatched Seuerus failed into Asia and assone as he had set his foole a land hee departed vnto Athens partly to behold the gouernement of the Greekes and partly also to heare the doctrine of Philosophers because in those dayes they talked not of any matter more in all this world then of the great Fortune of the Romanes and the profound eloquēce of the Greekes Not a few dayes he remayned in Athens hearing the Philosophers conferring with the Senatours visiting temples and viewing buildings because naturally he was a friend of new inuentions desired no lesse the knowledge of antiquities Although Seuerus of person was valiant and Capitaine of Rome and also of indifferent eloquence yet they gaue him no good interteinment in all Grecia for which cause when he came afterwardes vnto the Empire he streightly reuenged the olde vnkindnesse which he bare vnto the Greekes euery day diminishing their priuiledges Being returned from Asia vnto Rome hee was sente Embassadour vnto the prouince of Lugdune which nowe in Fraunce is named Lion of Sonorona and being at that time a widower they practised with him a marriage with a certeine Lady of noble bloud in countenance most faire and gratious in gesture That Lady was named Iulia of royall bloud vnto whome purposing to present iewels of great price and finding no goldsmith sufficient to performe the same being also aduertised of a goldsmith in Syria that excelled all men in that facultie and doubting all messengers to be insufficient trauelled in his owne person to fetch the same as he after made reporte vnto his spouse that with the rewards which he gaue vnto the goldsmith and the charge of that voyage hée might twise haue béene maried The Senators sēt to reproue Seuerus not because he had married but for the great iourney and large expences which he had passed for a woman aduising him that it was not conuenient for a citizen of Rome to imploy his person but to aduaunce his honour either consume his goods but for defence of the common wealth whereunto Senerus aunsweared that for none of those matters wherof he was blamed he either deserued blame or punishmēt because without all comparison much more was the merite of that Lady with whom he was married then the expences or trauells which for her seruice he had suffered And further he said it seemeth vnto mée fathers conscript that for this acte I deserue honour no blame since thereby ariseth vnto Rome both honour and profite because strange kingdoms haue séene that Captaines of Rome to obteine riches haue strēgth skil and to spend them haue noble minds Seuerus stayed ioyntly 3. yeares in Fraunce both loued and feared no lesse reuerenced of the Frenchmen not onely for that he was iust in iudgment and liberal in expences but aboue the rest in that he was of a sincere life The Calends of Ianuarie being come at what time in Rome they diuide their offices the Proconsulship of Sicylia was allotted vnto Seuerus wherof he receiued no smal griefe partly for that he found himself very wel placed in Fraunce feared the condition of the Sicylians Being resident in the Isle of Sicyl he was accused by his enimies of Rome that he did not exercise the gouernement of the common wealth so much as the search of southsayers who should be Emperour of Rome because in those dayes Commodus was Emperour of Rome and all men held it for certaine that for his wickednesse he should be slaine or himselfe for his great vitiousnes should die Commodus receiued great displeasure when hee vnderstoode that being as hee was aliue and but a young man Seuerus should séeke for the succession of his Empire for which cause Seuerus was forced presently to depart from Sicyl come to Rome there to discouer and make proofe of his innocencie because the daunger was no greater then losse of honour and life Presently vppon his arriuall at Rome he did yéeld himselfe vnto the gaile Mamortina and would not depart from thence vntill by publique sentence his innocencie was vttered and his accusers depriued of their liues Two monethes after these matters passed the Calends of Ianuarie were come in which Seuerus was elected Consul ioyntly with Apuleius Rufinus the day that this was published they say that Seuerus said This day it is manifested in mee that men neither know what prosperities be conuenient for them either what aduersities doe impeache them and I say it for this cause for that criminally I was accused in Rome and my person prisoner in the place of malefactours whereof there proceded that I departed from Sicyl came to Rome giue safetie vnto my life augment my goods recouer fame take vengeance of mine enimies and obtaine the Consulship of the common wealth The time passed of his Consulship hee stoode an whole yeare without any office and as he afterwards said many times the best and merriest dayes of all his life were conteined in that yeare
giuen vnto the Romanes so many and so great triuÌ„phes there ought to be in them many very notable deseruings There be two things which cause the Romans to hold freÌ„dship with the gods to be lords of meÌ„ which is to wit great worshippers of temples and conseruers of people in iustice for that countrie where temples be not honoured and the wicked chastised may be better termed a den of theeues then a kingdome of good men Ye all vnderstand that be here present howe ye haue slaine the Emperour Pertinax a maÌ„ most surely both holy and most holy because the greatnes of the Empire being conferred with the sinceritie of his deseruing it had not beene much for him but rather a smal reward to haue beene Lord of the whole world In this deede ye haue offended the gods escandalized men committed treason vnto your Lord defamed your countrie troubled your common wealth and brought all Rome vnto confusion in such wise that your fault being so exceeding it may not deserue any parcialitie in punishment Now that ye haue slaine him is it as if ye had slaine Caligula Nero Sergius Vitellius DomitiaÌ„ or Commodê° no but Pertinax which was one of the princes most without repreheÌ„sion that euer reigned in the Romaine Empire As princes be few wilful so it is a venture to chance on such as be good so much the more deserue ye the greater paine as the good Pertinax was profitable vnto the common wealth Vnto whome shall Rome aduenture to commit her trust since they which were appointed for her guard haue set her a sale O treason neuer thought of Oh wickednes neuer heard of to kill the Emperour and to sell the Empire After the vassals haue slaine their Lord and the natiues of the countrie haue sold their common wealth I know not why the gods coÌ„maund not the ground to swallow you vp and presently put not fire into Rome to consume it for after so great an infamie Rome ought neuer more to be named in this world Who should haue said to Quintus Cincinatus Numa Pompilius Camillus Marcus Fabritius Mutius Scaeuola Silla Marius Scipio Iulius Caesar Augustus Germanicus who with great and many triumphes did both beautifie and magnifie Rome that ye should haue set Rome in open sale I firmely beleeue and am out of doubte that they would haue died of pure sorrowe or else would haue slaine your progenitours from whom ye are descended FroÌ„ the time I departed out of Germanie I came musing vppon the way what punishment I should giue you for of the one part if I suffer euery one of you with his life it redoundeth to the scandal of the common wealth and if I would take the same from you the paine is very smal in respecte of your extreme fault for vnto one that is euil they doe him no small benefite to rid him out of this world I coÌ„maund your noses to be slit your tongues to be boared your garments beneth the wast to be cut off and your beards halfe shauen yee shall liue without honour credite or libertie as slaues bondmen in the common wealth in such wise that ye shall not die as the good do vse to die to the end to liue but ye shal liue as the wicked do liue to the end to die Neither doe I suffer you to liue because ye deserue life but for that I will not staine my fame with your filthie bloud If in giuing you al death I might giue the good Pertinax his life not onely yours but also right willingly would I offer mine owne because there is no vent more iust then that one good life by the exchange of many wicked liues might be bought redemed If the gods would permit that at the houre I should coÌ„maunde ye to bee slaine ye should reuiue and recouer life a thousand times would I take away your liues because the horror of your offence deserueth a thousaÌ„d deathes but since losse of life in a momeÌ„t doth deliuer the malefactour of his scourge and torment and afterwardes no other meane remayning to take vengeaunce it is more iust that ye should liue euery day desiring death then that ye should die abhorring life There is nothing more iust then to kil him that killeth but I commaund not that ye be slaine although ye durst kill the good Pertinax and this I do not to the end to do no iustice either to doe you good or pleasure but for that many yeares ye shall haue time to bewaile your wretched life and his innocent death CHAP. V. ¶ Of thinges that he did in Rome presently after he was Emperour AFter that Seuerus had said and finished his speach and coÌ„demned and banished the murtherers of the Emperour Pertinax he determined to enter Rome and his receyuing was mixt with ioy and sorow because of the one part seing him so great a frend of iustice they reioyced and on the other part to sée him coÌ„passed with so great armies they feared him Presently vpon his entrie into Rome he visited the temples according to the custome of the Romane Emperours and there he offered no small but generous sumptuous sacrifices Although in his receyuing a great part of the day was spent and in visiting temples the rest was consumed and now wheÌ„ it was night he was requested of all men to take his ease and to withdrawe vnto his palace yet he would in no wise consent vntil he had visited the Sepulcher of the good Marcus Aurelius where he remained a great space vppon his knées and poured foorth many lamentable teares The next day he went vnto the high Capitol where all the Senate was assembled and there he spake vnto all the Senatours Consuls and all other Romane officers to whome he said many good words and gaue them great hope of many rewards All the people of Rome were astonied terrified to behold the great audacitie and fortune of Seuerus which procéeded of consideration howe without daunger and lesse trauell hée obteyned the Empire for that he gat it not by sheding others bloud neither by the exchange of his owne proper goodes The first day that Seuerus spake in the Senate he made a solemne vow before them all Neuer to kill any Romane if he were not iudged by iustice or to take the goods of any person if by the fiscal he were not condemned If it had béene found in Seuerus workes which hée sware that day in wordes namely that they might not accuse him of crueltie either note him of couetousnes it had béene a great weale for the Romane Empire for there is nothing wherwith princes doe more destroy their common wealthes and also staine their persons then to bee giuen to reuenge their owne proper iniuries and couetous of other mens goodes Forthwith at his beginning Seuerus did shew himselfe milde benigne pitifull liberall valiant harted affable gratious and humaine imbracing his familiars ioying and laughing with straungers in such wise that
the Romanes went after him hearing what he said and praising what he did If in humaine affaires he were prouident in diuine matters surely he was not negligent for that euery day hée visited temples honoured priestes offered sacrifices repaired edifices heard orphans and afflicted in such wise that in victories they compared him vnto Iulius Caesar in humaine policies to Augustus and in diuine thinges to Pompilius The old Senatours and auncient Romanes that had béen bred with Seuerus from their youth were amased to sée how his euil condition was changed and on the other part they thought with themselues that all which he did was but fained for of his owne naturall condition he was subtile warie milde and double and did know how to denie his owne will for a time in that which hée wished to doe afterwardes with all men all that he desired It is a point of wise and skilfull men to ouercome their owne wills in small matters afterwardes to drawe others after them for causes of greater importaunce Althoughe there bee more credite to bee giuen to that which wée sée then vnto that which wée suspect yet in this case they were more deceiued that praised Seuerus in his good woorkes then those which did suspecte him for his old subtilties for that in shorte space they vnderstoode in him great cruelties and no lesse disordinate couetousnesse Those that from their youth bee not bredd in vertuous woorkes or that naturally of themselues bee not of good condition they may for a time deceiue some persons with their guiles but in the end their malice commeth to the notice of all men all which was experimented in Seuerus who vsed violence with his owne proper nature vntill hée sawe himselfe in possession of the common wealth The first office that hée gaue in Rome was vnto Flauius Iuuenal whome hee made Pretor of the people of whiche prouision of the one part he pleased all men because Flauius was a vertuous person and on the other parte it did grieue them because he was seruaunt vnto Iulianus The whole armie that Seuerus led with him he also brought into the citie of Rome and being in quantitie great and of condition proud they might not be contained within the citie for which cause they lodged not onely in houses priuileged and in sacred temples but forceably brake vp doores and entred houses The Romanes receiued the same for a very great iniurie because they onely felt not the despight done vnto their persons but also did bewaile the breach losse of their liberties Thrée dayes after Seuerus entered Rome the captaines of his armies sent to demaund of the Senate to haue giuen them an hundred thousand pesants of gold which were due vnto them for that in times past so much was giuen vnto them that first entered with the Emperour Augustus At the houre when the captaines sent these words vnto the Senat presently and ioyntly they armed themselues and marched vnto the field swearing and forswearing by the life of Seuerus by the world of Marcus that if it were not giuen that day at night they would sack Rome After that Seuerus heard that his armie was in readinesse in the field of Mars and without his cōmaundement he was not a litle escandalized thinking there had béene some treason against him amongest the people but the truth being knowen he requested them to be pacified and to disarme themselues saying that it proceeded not of wise Captaines but of seditious persons to demaund with threatenings that which would be giuen by request Seuerus saw himselfe in great trauell to finish agréement betwixt the one the other but in the end giuing them some monie out of his owne coffers and some from the common wealth he brought them all to a vnitie which was that vnto the Captaines was giuen lesse then they demaunded and the Romanes paid somewhat more then they offered Before all things Seuerus did celebrate the obsequies of Pertinax whereat all the Romanes were present and offered that day vnto the Gods great sacrifices accompting Pertinax amongest the Gods and placeing Priestes to do sacrifices vpon the sepulchre that for euermore should susteine his memorie When Seuerus entred the Empire he found many rents of the treasurie morgaged which is to wéete the royall patrimonie wherein he gaue order for the redéeming thereof to be reduced vnto the royall crowne Seuerus had two daughters of ripe age the one of xxv the other of xxx yeres whome he married within twentie dayes after he came to Rome the one with Prolus and the other with Laertius men of greate wealthe and riches and generous in bloud Seuerus offered his sonne Prolus the office of Censor which he refused saying that he fought not to be sonne in lawe vnto the Emperour to be a scourge of euill men but to be serued of good men Seuerus made bothe his sonnes in lawe Consuls and about Rome he bought them great rentes and also gaue them large summes of money to spend and to his daughters he gaue Iewels wherewith to honour them CHAP. VI. ¶ Howe the Emperour Seuerus passed into Asia against capteine Pessenius that rebelled against him ONe of the famous capteines that rebelled against the Emperour Iulianus as hath béene recounted in his life was Pessenius Niger who with the armies that were in Assyria did gouerne and rule all Asia Seuerus rose in Germanie and Pessenins in Asia and notwithstāding they were both traitours vnto their Lorde the difference betwixt them was that Seuerus for his comming vnto Rome they aduaunced vnto the Empire and Pessenius for remaining at his ease in Asia was condemned for a traitour At the houre that Iulianus his death was published presently Pessenius inuested him selfe with the title of Emperour and Augustus in such wise that Seuerus in Europa and Pessenius in Asia had diuided betwixt them selues all countries and prouinces and much more the one from the other had diuided their willes mindes Pessenius was very wel aduertised in Asia howe Seuerus had entred Rome with a great power and was in state of gouernement as naturall Emperour of the common wealth but neither for letters that were written vnto him or for any thing that might be saide vnto him would he obey Seuerus or muche lesse shewe any feare of him Pessenius was grosse of person valiant warlike and of al men with whome he dealt very well liked and surely if he lost the Empire it was not for want of friendes in Rome but that he abounded with vices in Asia After that Seuerus sawe that neither for threateninges either for promises that he made or for letters that he wrote he might not drawe Pessenius Niger vnto his seruice he determined to conquer him as an enimie although as he afterwardes saide he wished not with him to come in contention because Pessenius was a friende in earnest and no enimie in iest Seuerus commaunded a muster to be taken of all the men he had and
discharged him of his head in such wise that conformable to his filthie life hée receiued a nastie death Although Heliogabalus and his mother were ioyntly slaine yet most truly she discouered a more noble minde for that shée died in her chamber as a Ladie and hée most cowardly in a priuie Heliogabalus and his mother being dead they tooke their naked mangled bodies and trailed them in the dirte alongest the streates vnto Tiber in the depth whereof they were cast to be eaten of fishe and not to bee sought or found of men Many Princes his predecessours successours were very euil wicked of life and pernicious vnto the cōmon wealth but amongest all Heliogabalus alone was hee in whome was found no good worke so he alone wanted a Sepulchre By this Prince all princes ought to take example to flie wilfulnesse and the hatred of their people because a detested life remoueth all merite of honourable buriall The Romanes not satisfied to haue slaine drawen and drowned Heliogabalus ouerthrew and whirled stones at his counterfects that were placed in the Capitol scrapte out his name in all places where it was written and the more to discouer their hatred they did not onely kil all his seruauntes and friends but burned all his apparell and iewels in such wise that of him remayned no other memorie in Rome but the report of his name whereat they did spet on the ground Heliogabalus reigned 6. yeares 3 monethes and tenne dayes he liued 32. yeares 4. monethes and fiue dayes wherof 26. yeares he was a young man very vertuous a priest withdrawen and also solitarie the other 6. yeares hee was an Emperour more absolute and vicious then euer reigned in the Romane Empire for that the vices which were scattered in other persons were found ioyntly in his possession The life of the good Emperour Alexāder Seuerus sonne of the good matrone Manea compiled by Syr Anthonie of Gueuara bishop of Mondonnedo preacher chronicler and counsellour vnto the Emperour Charles the fifte CHAP. I. ¶ Of the nouriture and naturall countrie of the Emperour Alexander Seuerus AVRELIVS Alexander was naturally an Assyrian borne his father was named Varius and his mother Manea hée was cousen germane vnto the emperour Heliogabalus for their mothers were sisters and although he were borne in Assyria yet he was bred and nourished in Rome for that in those dayes his grandmother the great matrone Mesia gouerned Seuerus his household and also the whole common wealth Alexander was tall of body of blacke curled haire sallow leane faced with great eyes a thicke short necke his hands drie and of bigge sinewes slender legged high of instep and his complexion somewhat cholerike but much flegmatike which afterwards he discouered in the course of his life because he was mild of conuersation and in gouernement pitiful Alexander was borne in the citie of Arsena Septimus Seuerus being Emperour hee was nourished the first foure yeares in Assyria then brought vnto Rome vnder the gouernement of his grandmother where after she had kept him with her other thrée yeares in Rome she returned him into Assyria partly to auoyde the idle nouriture of the Court and also for that Bassianus should not murther him The presages of his Empire were these it was found most truly that on the day that Alexander Magnus died this Alexander Aurelius was borne at the time of child birth his mother came to visite the Sepulchre of Alexander where she fell in trauell and brought forth this sonne who was named Alexander his nourse being called Olympia and his tutour Philip which were the two names of the father mother of Alexander Magnus The selfe same day that Alexander was borne there came an old woman to her house and offered vnto the mother a red egge which a stock doue had layd at the houre aduouching that red egge to signifie no other matter but that the same child should be Emperour Manea the mother of this prince was a woman very wise prudent aduised and no lesse faire and the speciall cause why shee deserued so greatly to be estéemed and honoured was because no Romane woman did excéede her in honestie of person either was equal vnto her in kéeping her house As this matrone Manea naturally was vertuous and inclined vnto good so she had great solicitude to nourishe instruct her sonne Alexander in good maners and to learne good and profitable sciences and to the end he should not forget in the companie of other yonge men what he had learned of his masters and tutors she set great watch that none were permitted either to talke confer or to be conuersant with him that were not wise learned After that Alexander was able to goe his mother taught him to be temperate in diet neat in his apparel reposed in his pace and reformed in his speach He held so great measure in all thinges apperteyning to good maners sinceritie in vertues and cleannesse from all vice which that age alwayes doth yeld that all men vnto whom he was knowen said that it was as much to sée Alexāder in time of his youth as Tullius when he was an old man It was not to be found all the time hee was gouerned by his mother that any one day hee did passe without learning or exercise either in letters or cheualrie wherof they both deserued perpetuall praise which is to witt the mother in her cōmaundements the sonne for his obedience Many sonns would proue good if their fathers had knowledge to giue them instructions neither would so many proue euil if they did yeeld obedience vnto their parents to whiche purpose the diuine Plato said in his bookes of common wealth that that familie was happie blessed where the parents were prudent the children obedient Manea vsed most special vigilancie in the gard of her sonne not onely from all vsual vices but also vicious persons for that many times good inclinations are corrupted by vicious conuersation In his infancie his scholemasters were Valerius Gordius Viturius this Viturius was he that afterwards was most estéemed in his house and wrote the discourse of his life which historie was lost when the Gothēs entered Rome His maister for Grāmar was Nebon the Grecian in Philosophie Estelion the first and in Rhetorike Serapio the vertuous afterwards when he came to Rome he had for his maisters Escarius Iulius and Macrinus graue persons to instruct learned to teach Aboue all other Romane princes Alexander was a friend of wise men for whom he made diligent search enriched them if they were poore honoured enterteined gaue them credit when they counselled him finally a wise mā of him neuer receiued an ill answere or foūd in his house any doore shut against him Being demaunded why he did so generally delight in the wise learned he answered I loue them for that which they know honour them for that which they may for in time to come
¶ A Chronicle conteyning the liues of tenne Emperours of Rome Wherin are discouered their beginnings procéedings and endings worthie to be read marked and remembred Wherein are also conteyned Lawes of speciall profite and policie Sentences of singular shortnesse and swéetenesse Orations of great grauitie and Wisedome Letters of rare learning and eloquence Examples of vices carefully to be auoyded and notable paternes of vertue fruitfull to be followed Compiled by the most famous Syr Anthonie of Gueuara Bishop of Mondonnedo Preacher Chronicler and counsellour to the Emperour Charles the fift and translated out of Spanish into English by Edward Hellowes Groome of her Maiesties Leashe ¶ Hereunto is also annexed a table recapitulating such particularities as are in this booke mentioned Imprinted at London for Ralphe Newberrie dwelling in Fleetestrete Anno Gratiae 1577. TO THE MOST EXcellent and vertuous Princesse and our gratious souereigne Ladie Elizabeth by the grace of GOD of Englande Fraunce and Ireland Queene defender of the Christian Faith. c. Long life with accomplishment of all Godly desires RIGHT noble most gratious souereigne if I should write or dedicate any thinge as of my selfe vnto your excellencie with any spark of presumption or singularitie as a matter meete for the viewe of the maiestie of your sacred person or sufficient satisfaction vnto the depth of your diuine iudgment not only mine owne weakenes would bewray me and iustly yeald a cruell scourge of my discredite but also procure my worthie reprehension and no lesse deserued chasticemēt But simply presuming of your maiesties milde accustomed fauour prouoked by the eloquence of the Author encouraged by the profite pleasure of the matter imboldened because this historie hath beene dedicated by Syr Antonie of Gueuara accepted of Charles the fifth an Emperour of no common renowne and no lesse persuaded by the humblenes of a duetifull minde as one vowed by othe and alegeance to execute my vtter seruice in euery exployt to your Maiestie the regard whereof not leadeth but cōstraineth although with blushing bashfull face to present vnto your magnificēce this my simple trauell translated out of Spanish into the Englishe tongue conteyning the liues of tenne Emperours of Rome namely Traiane Coceius Adrian Antoninus Pius Cōmodus Pertinax Iulianus Seuerus Bassianus Heliogabalus Alexander Seuerus whose liues gouernements ends and conclusions giue foorth matter so meete for the spectacle of princes as wel the vertuous of the one part to take sure direction good counsell to their great comfort thereby as a sounding lead to obteine knowledge both of the depth coast to lead thēselues into all safetie of bodie and minde as also the licentious on the other part to moderate and staye their rash attemptes as a sheat anchore in all furious stormes of perplexities to saue from shipwracke both life and honour All which being considered in respect that the matter therin cōteyned treateth of Kings and Emperours and hath beene dedicated vnto an Emperour the woorke of it selfe craueth your milde acceptation as onely due vnto the souereigntie of your Maiesties estate to escape the infamie of abasement I your Maiesties most humble and loyall seruaunt in most humble wise beseeching that of your great mildnes and clemencie it may like your highnesse to accept this my simple present full fraught not of skill but of loyaltie wherein for as much as the Authour in the front hereof hath fixed so worthy a prologue that there seemeth nothing to be omitted or that any thing might be added yeldeth iust cause to cease further to vrge your patience with tediousnes most humbly beseeching your Maiestie that it maye please the same of your great bountie to pardon all my defectes that herein may appeare and I your Maiesties most hūble and obedient seruaunt shall neuer cease to pray that the blessing of the liuing GOD may alwayes conduct follow your Maiestie with all perfect felicitie both of bodie and soule as may yeeld your Maiestie immortal fame before God and man. Your Maiesties most humble and obedient seruaunt Edward Hellowes ¶ The prologue of the famous Syr Anthonie of Gueuara Byshoppe of Mondonnedo preacher chronicler counsellour to the Emperour Charles the fifth vpon the life of tenne Emperours of Rome ⸫ The Author proponeth VARIVS GEMINVS a man verie glorious and Consul among the Romains saide vnto Iulius Caesar O Caesar and great Augustus such as dare presume to speake before thee knowe not thy greatnesse and those that are abashed to appeare in thy presence comprehend not thy noblenesse wordes in deede right worthie of such a person Conformable to that which Varius Geminus saide wee do saye It appertaineth to the greatnesse of Princes that their persons be much authorised and on the other parte that they endeuour to communicate with their common wealthes for that with their mightinesse they may giue terrour and with their plaine mildnesse remoue all feare Sucronius saith of Octauius the emperour that euer any ambassadours came in his presence which at the first sight were not touched with feare and after in communicating did not adore him because great was the maiestie wherewith he did receiue them and after verie sweete were the woordes wherewith he did dispatch them Of the great Cato Censorine Plutarche saith that being the man of moste honestie and greatest grauitie that liued amongest the Romaines he did neuer shewe to any man a sadde but cheerefull countenance or giue euill aunswere nor shut the doore against any person either denyed any thing that was iust neither shamed or disgraced any man Not onely happie but also most happie is the Prince that for rectitude of iustice is feared and for his good condition beloued Much weakenesse of Princes and great Lordes is couered and vices dissimuled when with their owne they be of good condition and with straungers of gratefull conuersation Of the famous tyrant Dionysius the Siracusan Plutarche saith that the immortal hatred which the Sicylians did beare him was not so much for the tyrannies that he did execute as for the incomporcable condition which he vsed for that verie seldome he did permitt him selfe to be seene and verie oft was heard laughing The contrarie wherof is read of king Antigonus the father of the greate Demetrius whoe was proude couetous ambitious cruell and effeminate and with all these conditions the people of his kingdomes did both suffer and serue him onely for that they founde the dores of his house alwayes open and in his mouth an amorous aunswere The ende of all this which we haue saide is humblie to praye all princes and giue warning vnto all such as be about them alwayes to persuade and counsell them to be so humaine that all may endure their conuersation and yet so graue that none presume to make small accompt of them for that it maketh much to the matter of good gouernement to be indued with good nature and disposition No lesse inconuenience doth followe the common wealth for
what to spend and not to learne to keepe audit It is a loue disordinate for the prince to folow the direction of his owne proper will bicause it is impossible but he should fayle to perfourme that which hee ought that alwayes executeth his owne wilfull minde Loue is disordinate when the Prince imployeth his loue in fewe being Lord of many bycause Princes in such wise ought to loue and be bountifull vnto their priuate and fauoured seruaunts that they disgrace not the nobles of their kingdome Loue is disordinate when Princes in vanities and trifles do consume their times bycause the curious gouernour in such wise diuideth time betwixt him and the common wealth that he neither wanteth for affaires or hath too much to imploy in vices Loue is disordinate when the Prince is orgulous quarellous ambitious and proude for notwithstanding that as a Prince they ought all to serue him it followeth not that as a God they shoulde adore him Loue is disordinate to hazarde the giuing and diuiding of rewardes not as euerie man deserueth but according to the wil of him that gouerneth for there is no equal infamie vnto the prince as it is to chastice vice not to remunerate seruice Loue is disordinate when of will he taketh away frō another that of right apperteineth not vnto him self bicause to the greatnes sinceritie of princes it is iust conuenient that in their rewardes gifts they shew their franke liberalitie in receiuing they stande with all men in iustice The case standeth thus that the Prince which is indued with these loues affections may not escape many trauels and also many souden assaults and perils for that euerie disordinate affection she her self with her self bringeth griefe and displeasure Plutarche in his bookes of cōmon welth persuadeth the Emperour Traiane that hee hath his will at libertie and his loue subiect to no man for that according as hee sayeth It little profiteth that a Prince be Lord of many kingdomes if on the other part he become bondman to many vices The diuine Plato saide that for a prince to be good hee ought to giue his heart vnto the common wealth his rewardes vnto such as serue him his desires vnto the Gods and his loue vnto his friendes his secretes to his priuie counsell and the time to affaires Oh how happy were that prince that according to this Platonicall sentence should diuide and repart his person bicause he being diuided for all the whole should be ioyned together with and for him ¶ The authour applyeth all that which is sayd vnto the end wherfore he did speake the same All that which we haue aboue sayde by writing most souereigne Prince wee will vtter and declare by example for according to the saying of Eschines the Philosopher Words well spoken do awake and reuiue the iudgements but great and manifest examples persuade the heart For to leade or intice a man to be vertuous and to do vertuous woorkes it maketh muche to the matter to persuade with discrete reasons sweete words but in conclusiō for much credite which we giue to that which he sayth much more is giuē to that which he doth The Poet Homer said that it is a thing verie easie to write acts of great prowesse and verie difficil to performe them For whiche cause it is necessarie for such as deale with princes to shewe them by example all which they persuade thē by writing to the end they see most cleare that the great and mightie deedes done by other Princes in the worldes they want not force to performe them but a minde to vndertake them No Prince hath to holde of him selfe so small estimation that he doubt to performe that which another Prince hath done in time past for after this manner Theodosius should be dismaide by the remembraunce of Seuerus Seuerus of Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius of Antoninus Pius Antoninus Pius of Traiane Traiane of good Titus Titus of Caesar Augustus Caesar Augustus of Iulius Caesar Iulius Caesar of Scipio Scipio of Marcus Marcellus Marcus Marcellus of Quintus Fabius Quintus Fabius of Alexander Magnus and Alexander Magnus of Achilles the Greeke The heartes of these so high Princes did not reade and inquire of the deeds of their forefathers to feare them but to imitate them surely they had great reason bicause None amongst the mortal hath done any deed so glorious that by another man may not be beautified and made better Princes be boūd to do such and so high deedes and enterprises that of them selues be worthy praise and very honourable for others to folow for the same it is not more necessarie to haue a noble minde to giue the enterprise thē after wards to haue the aduenture to finish the same Plutarche saieth that Agesilaus the Greeke said that Fortune did neuer shew her selfe noble but vnto a minde that was generous and noble and surely he said most truth bicause men lose many things not bicause they may not attaine them but for that they dare not attempt them The Prince ought to straine and enforce him self to be good and to imitate the vertuous since with lesse cost mē be vertuous thē vitious milde then ouerthwart valiant then cowards patient thē furious and sober then gluttons for the theefe doth need as desperate a minde to scale an house as a noble minde is due to a captein that foloweth the wars Dionysius the tyrant Gorgius the tyrant Bias the tyrant Macrino the tyrant Catiline the tyrant if we might commend them and they of thē selues giue reason they would sweare and affirme that they passed more trauell and found thē selues in more perill in defending their tyrannies then Scipio and Cato in conseruing their cōmon wealthes Oh what great reason and how much occasion haue Princes to be good and to fauour the good since they haue authoritie to commaunde and riches to giue whereof if they haue skyll to take the aduauntage with their potencie they frame them selues to be serued and with their giftes they bring to passe to be loued Ioyntly with this I admonishe and also aduise Princes and great lordes to be magnificent in their giftes and verie attemptiue in their commaundements For notwithstanding a Prince may do what he list it is not conuenient he do what he may Although the authoritie of the prince be free absolute and without measure to him it is conuenient in all thinges to vse measure and moderation for that euery gouernement that is absolute hath a taste or relishe of tyrannie Many Princes haue lost thē selues by their vices which they vsed and many more haue beene cast away by executing their will and power for princes in perfourming all that they can and all which they will it followeth that their affection maketh them stumble passion their eyes to dazell But moste souereigne Prince speaking more particularly by the imitation of Plutarche and Suetonius Tranquillus I thought good to translate compile and to
The mynes that wee haue be not of Golde to serue thee but of yron to breake thy pride Doth it not seeme to thee O emperour Augustus that since you Romaines haue fought foure hundreth yeres in straunge countries to be lordes it were great reason for vs to fight in our owne houses to escape bondage Prosecute thy warres and do according to the vse of other captaines of Rome and care not to threaten vs and muche lesse to flatter vs for notwithstanding our countrie houses be thine by force neuer whiles we haue life shall wee be but the Gods and our owne This aunswer being hearde by the Emperour Augustus he did sweare by the immortall Gods to take none of them to mercie either to leaue in the citie one stone vppon another And as he promised so he accomplished I would saye in this case that if it were euill to sweare it was muche woorse to perfourme the same Although it be an auncient custome the worde of a king to be kepte inuiolable for the good prince ought not to put in effect that which he hath sworne in his yre CHAP. II. Of the countrie and birth of the Emperour Traiane PRosecuting our intent it is to vnderstand that in the dayes when warre was extremely kindled betwixt Iulius Caesar Pompeius the Pompeians helde Ystobriga which nowe is named Lebrixa and the Caesarians helde Gades whiche nowe is named Calize these two cities did serue to gather their banished to succour their alies and their wounded Before the citie of Italica was destroyed by the Pompeians there did florish two famous knights the one was named Iulius Coceius the other Rufus Vlpius and these two knightes were not onely Captaines at armes but also were chiefe of those two linages that is to saye of the Coceians and of the Vlpians Before that cruell warres entred the citie of Italica these two linages had alwayes betwixt them greate contention but after warres began they ioyned in great friendship for that it hapneth many times that hartes which may not ioyne by loue do after consent and agree by feare The citie of Italica being destroyed these two knightes came to liue at Gades which nowe is named Calize the one of them that was named Coceius was graundfather to the Emperour Nerua and the other which was named Rufus Vlpius was great graundfather of the Emperour Traiane and of the Emperour Adrian by the mothers side The Emperour Traiane was borne in the citie of Calize the xxi of Maye in the seconde yere of the Empire of Nero Rufus and Catinus being consuls In those times there was not in all Europe so famous so generous either yet so profitable a studie as that of the citie of Calize because from Africa they repayred to studie and from Graecia came to learne And to the ende it shall not séeme a fable let them reade Plutarche in the life of Traiane Philon in the booke of Schooles and Philostrato in the life of Apollonius In that citie of Calize vntill the age of xv Traiane studied the Gréeke toung the Latine Rhetorike Traiane was high of body somwhat blacke of face thinne of haire thicke of beard a crooked nose broade shoulders large handes and his eyes in beholding amorous Traiane entring the yeares of xvj left his studie and did exercise armes wherin he was no lesse towarde then valiaunt Traiane was of great swiftnesse on foote and of great readinesse on horsbacke in such wise that it is sayde of him that he was neuer throwne or had fal frō his horse or euer was ouerrun on foote There chaūced a certeine fleete of pyrates to arriue at Calize the which being many and taking the citizens at vnwares the good yong man Traiane did shew him selfe that day so valiaunt in fight and so venturous in conquest that to him alone they did attribut the libertie of their countrie and the glory of the victorie Amongst the Myrmidons whiche be they of Merida and amongst the Ricinians which be they of Truxillio there was raised in those dayes a certaine little warre for the pastures of Gaudiano for that the Myrmidons did say they had held them time out of mind they of Truxillio aduouched that they had lost them and had receiued of them assistance to win them of the enimies The Myrmidons did craue succour of them of Calize in respect of their confederation the Gauditaines did accept the embassage of the Myrmidons as concerning their succour and when they had chosen Traiane for capteine of their armie he made answere The destinies neuer permit either the gods commaund that I take a sword to shed the bloud of mine owne countrie bicause if the one be our friends truly the other be not our enimies And said more Since the warre is not begun and the cause of their debate may be discussed by iustice it is my opinion rather to sende them embassadours to bring them friendes then capteines to attempt wars Conformable vnto all men Traianes answere was both giuen and accepted the which from thence forward was holden estéemed for a knight of great valiantnesse and for a man of great wisedō and iudgement These two vertues goe not alwayes by couples that is to say valiantnesse and wisedome bycause there be some men that be doutie to take perils in hād be not wise to escape thē CHAP. III. Howe Traiane passed out of Spaine being a yong man to goe into Italie IN the second yeare of the Empire of the good Vespasian great Britaine rebelled which is now named England against the Romaine Emperour vnto which warrs Traiane repaired and this he did without charges to the Romaines and for him self to obteine fame accompanied with many others of his countrie In those warres Drusius Torquatus was capteine for the Romaines who persuading Traiane to take wages of the Romaine people as all others did inioy in that warres Traiane answered The merchaunts that come from thence hither they repaire to be more rich but we Gentlemen not to be richer but more honoured The fame that Iugurth obteined in the warres of Numantia that same Traiane obteined in the warres of Britaine in that the one and the other were knights of straunge countries and young venturours and also fortunate bycause for their powers and noble déedes whiche they atchieued in those warrs Iugurthe was king of Numidia and the good Traiane came to be Emperor of Rome That daye whiche Drusius Torquatus entered Rome triumphing of the Britaines being accompanied not onely with knightes subdued but also with knightes and noblemen that had ouercome all the Romaines did inquire for Traiane to sée him and knowe him for that his fame was notorious vnto all men but his person in Rome to verie fewe knowne And hereof it procéeded in processe of time when Traiane and Marius Fabritius did contend for the Consulship of Germanie Fabritius taunted Traiane to be a straunger borne and disgraced in the feature of his body vnto whom Traiane
on a time murmuring of the insolencies of the Emperour Domitian Traiane sayde vnto them The intention wherwith Domitian hath intreated me the Gods haue to iudge for of his works which he hath done I may not complaine since he hath bene the occasion that I haue recouered Nerua for my father Plutarche for my maister Plotina for my wife and aboue al the rest he brought me acquainted with aduerse Fortune for that afore I presumed of nothing but to commaund but now only to serue A yeare before Domitian died or to say better before they had slaine him he went to the wars in Germanie and in that yeare Traiane was elected Consul in the Senate of Rome It was no smal griefe vnto Traiane to accept that Consulship not for that he liked not to be lincked with the friendship of honour but for the griefe whiche he felt to leaue the companie of Nerua CHAP. V. Howe Nerua was made Emperour and adopted Traiane his sonne THe Romains not able to indure the iniuries and tyrannies of Domitian determined to kil him the which out of hande they did perfourme the xiiii of October in the fourtie fifte yeare of his age when he had reigned xv yeares In many a day the Romaine people had nor receiued so ioyful newes as the newes of the death of Domitian in such maner that they gaue rich rewards vnto currers postes that brought the same and made great ioy in the countries where they passed for that they did as muche desire his death as they did abhorre his life Petronius capteine of the guard and Partenius his chamberleine were the men that practised the death and also violated the life of Domitian and they them selues gaue order that Nerua presently should be elected Emperour The Romaines did so extremely hate Domitian that not contented to sée him deade to hale his bodie péecemeale trayling through the streates of Rome al his pictures and counterfets they did spoyle and take away all his arches and titles they did raze out all his edifices whiche he had built they ouerthrewe all writings which he had firmed they burnt and all that were named Domitians were banished in suche wise that they could neyther indure to sée him aliue neither heare him named after his death The day after the death of Domitian Nerua Coceius was declared Emperour and of his election all the Romaine people were much pleased the one cause for that he was so vertuous and the other bicause he was an enimie vnto Domitian Presently that Nerua was elected Emperour presently he sent Traiane as Pretour into Germanie to the end he should take into his power the legions and gouernement of that prouince on the one parte for that Traiane was liked and muche desired of all the men of warre and the other for that Calphurinus capteine vnto Domitian was holden somewhat suspected Amongest other euill conditions wherewith the Emperour Domitian was possessed was that all thinges which séemed vnto him good riche or faire he dyd much praise it and therof they had to consider for most certaine that all whiche he praised fréely they had to present the same for if otherwise incontinently he tooke it by force Of these like things Nerua found in his palace much goods of other mens whiche by publike proclamation were all restored vnto the owners In suche wise that this good prince wold not only not take frō other men but also make restitution of that which by his predecessours had bin robbed When Nerua was elected Emperour he was excéeding olde and of infirmities much persecuted for in him there was nothing sound but his toung wherewith he did talke and his good iudgement wherewith he did gouerne The Romaines beholding Nerua so olde and sickly complayning that he coulde not sléepe and that for weaknesse of stomach he durst eate but of verie fewe things they helde it for most certaine that his life was verie short and with this motion they beganne to holde him in smal estimation Considered by Nerua that he had not long to liue and that the Romaines did not estéeme him he remembred to adopt Traiane as his sonne and to accept him for companion in the Empire and so it came to passe that presently he sent him the imperiall ensigne which was a certaine manner of cape with a hoode and with the same he wrote him a letter wherein were written no other wordes but these Phoebe tuis telis lachrimas vlciscere nostras As if he shuld say Noble Traiane thou shalt haue charge with thy venturous armes to reuenge my sorrowfull teares For the disobedience which the Romaines committed against his commaundements and the want of reuerence they helde of his person Nerua of Traiane craued that reuengement bycause it is a thing much vsed amongest men persecuted afflicted that the iniuries which they may not reuenge with their handes they bewaile with their eyes In the time that this did passe Traiane was in Almane in the citie of Agrippina which nowe is called Coleine and the night before that he receiued the imperiall ensigne and the letter from the Emperour Nerua he dreamed that he was inuested with a purple garment and a ring put on his right hand and crowned with a certaine crowne Only thrée monethes and fiue dayes did passe after Traiane was elected Emperour vnto the death of Nerua who dyed in the age an hundred tenne yeares ten monethes and tenne dayes THE VI. CHAP. Of the lawes that Traiane made to the profite of the common wealth AT the instant in which Traiane vnderstoode that the Emperour Nerua was deade he departed vnto Rome where at his comming he did celebrate the obsequies of his Lorde and friend Nerua and they were suche and so riche that it séemed rather feastes for the liuing then honours for the dead bycause there was nothing in them that moued sadnesse but to sée Traiane goe verie sad The first thing that Traiane sayd promised sware in the Senate was that no man that was good and peaceable by his cōmaundement or consent should be put to death which he obserued al the daies of his Empire After this he cōmanded Emilia to be sent for which was captaine of the Pretorian armies whom he commaunded to be discharged of his office and to be banished the Empire the one cause for that he had disobeyed the emperour Nerua and the other cause for that he had imbezeled the payes of the men of warre He commaunded publike proclamation to be made that all men that had iust cause to complaine of the Consuls of the Senatours of the Iudges or other officers of Rome that they shoulde come foorth and declare for that he wished satisfaction vnto the one and correction vnto the other Personally Traiane did visite all offices of Rome which is to vnderstande where they solde breade where they weighed flesh where they measured wine where the merchaunts dwelt where straungers did lodge and so of al other offices among
grinde and be serued He did repaire and inlarge the colledge and placed gates porters and watchemen and many counterfetes and pictures of golde and siluer and did vse for custome as oft as he came thither to be the first that entred and the last that went foorth He buylt in all stréetes in Rome publique purging places and commanded vpon great grieuous penalties that no man should be so hardie to defile the streates or other open places in such maner that all the dayes of Traiane Rome did not séeme but as a hall cleane swept In the fourth region ioyning vnto the temple of Serapis Traiane did buyld most sumptuous baynes much larger then those which Titus made and much richer then those which Tyberius buylt Also Traiane buylt an hundred houses large and strong wherin to kill and sell their béefe and mutton In the gardeines of Vulcane Traiane did buyld an house of pleasure and made therein a certein fishepoole for delight but it is not found or recorded that he did either eate or sléepe in the same Neare vnto the houses of the Fabians he brought from farre a founteine in the compasse whereof he erected a stately house naming it the place of Datia Traiane naturally was a friend not onely of buylding but also to beholde buyldinges and worke men whiche is most certeinly knowen in that he made a lawe that all such men as should raise any newe buyldinges in Rome the thirde parte of the charges shoulde be paide from the common treasure It was a marueilous matter that in all these many other buyldings which Traiane made in Rome he vsed no other mennes money he constrained no man to trauaile by force he deferred no man of payement for he saide and helde opinion that it were more honest and also more sure vnto Princes to dwell in poore lodginges then of other mennes sweat to make riche houses CHAP. IX ¶ Of some vices whereof Traiane was noted TRaiane wanted not some humaine infirmities wherein men at times do fall for if with reason he were praised for many thinges not without occasion in some causes he was iustly discommended Vntill this daye there hath béene no Prince in whome all vertues did concurre either in whome all vices were founde bycause there is no man such an outcast in whome there is not to be found somewhat to be praised either any man of life so reformed that in him there is not somewhat to be amended Traiane naturally was proude and ambitious of honour and after a manner he did delight that in open place they should erecte vnto him pictures and counterfetes of golde and that his fame might be spreade throughout the world In all his erected buyldinges he placed the titles of his triumphes and persuaded the Oratours to compounde many méetres to his praise whiche he made to be grauen in stone in the hyest front of his buyldinges In the vice of the fleshe Traiane was not a little fleshly and yet in this case it is moste true that he neuer vsed force to any person but ioyntly therewith being moste diligent in persuasion and verie liberall in giuing he fixed his amorous affection vppon no person that he inioyed not In his garmentes and in the manner of the fashion and wearing thereof Traiane was most curious and costly bycause there was no daye that either of Golde siluer or silke he did not on his person vse some chaunge As we haue saide Traiane was a Prince both wise and of sharpe and readie iudgement but ioyntly therewith muche affectionate vnto his owne opinion whereof cares many times did followe and persecute him bycause there is not hath beene or shal be Prince in this worlde so wise that necessitie constraineth not at times to chaunge counsell Traiane was a verie friende vnto wise men but he him selfe was not muche learned whereof béeing reproued by his friende and Philosopher Plutarche Traiane saide vnto him the Gods haue not created mee to turne ouer bookes but to deale with armour When Traiane had vacant time from warres he did muche delight to take his pleasure in vaine thinges wherein he consumed many nightes and dayes and of this vice he was not a little noted and also accused and doubtlesse not without great cause for that Princes which presume to bee good Princes in suche wise ought to take their pastime that they seeme not to lose their time Notwithstanding that Traiane deliuered Rome of manye vices and banished from thence many that were vicious he was noted and also blamed that he defended and susteined the swoorde players who were men ydle and seditious and this he did because in his youth they had béene his frends and delighted in them wherin he had leste reason for that It is not iust that Princes take suche recreation for their persons as tendeth to the preiudice of the comon wealth Traiane was verie moderate in féeding but ioyntly therwith not ouer sober in drinking for that to obteine good wine he was somewhat curious and carefull and in the drinking thereof not verie temperate Notwithstanding that sometimes he dranke somewhat more then was conuenient for the health of his bodie and to the authoritie of his person yet at that time neuer man sawe him committ or procure any vile déede CHAP. X. ¶ Of the first warres that Traiane had against the Datians IN the xliiij yere of his age and in the second of his Empire Traiane receiued newes that Decebal king of Datia which in these dayes is named Denmarke rebelled against the Romaine Empire the which newes gaue no small skandal and offence vnto the Senate for that on the one part naturally they were a nation very warlike and on the other parte for that king Decebal was a prince of great vnquietnesse and also of a minde determined For that the Emperour Domitian was a greatter friend vnto vices then an enimie vnto enimies in all his reigne king Decebal did neuer yeald obedience vnto the Romaine Empire whereby the Datians had recouered great boldnesse and the Romaines lost their credite Traiane in his owne person determined to go in those warres for which purpose he made choice of a verie small armie and yet of much strength for he helde opinion that as no other meates should be brought vnto the table then are to be eaten so they ought not to leade vnto the warres but such as must fight and saide further by experience I haue proued as well in eating as in fighting that many meates at table be lothesome and in the warres many men be troublesome King Decebal béeing aduertised that Traiane remoued from Rome to make conquest of him and his countrie determined to marche and encounter with him vppon the waye and as he purposed so he perfourmed for he helde the Romaines in so small estimation that he counted it shame to be béeséeged of them And when the armies were in sight one of another the Barbarians being so manye the Romaines so fewe
offer On the daye of his triumph the sonne of king Decebal was placed in the arche with Traiane for that he was a verie childe whome afterwardes he did intreate not as a prisoner but as his owne proper sonne In the conquest of the Datians and in visiting the Germaines Traiane was deteyned willingly two yeares and at his returne vnto Rome he found not the common wealth in such order as he left the same and thereof is no marueile for Princes making warre with their enimies presently the citizens make peace with vices That day in which Traiane entred triumphing into Rome he that by chaunce was moste noted in those playes and pageantes and of whome Traiane that day did take moste delight was a certeine maister of Enterludes named Pilas who for rewarde of his traueile did not craue of Traiane but licence to vse his facultie wherein Traiane did aunswere him Princes haue to consider that their commaundements be iust but after commaundement for no request or seruice they ought to reuoke the same That which I will do for thée shal be to paye thée yerely out of mine owne treasure as muche as thou maist gaine by playing in the stréetes of Rome Although Traiane went laden with armour compassed with affaires occupied in warres busied in buyldings importuned with friendes tyred with enimies and aboue all moste studious in amplifying his fame and to perpetuate his memorie he neuer grewe negligent in good gouernement of the common wealth He was no lesse attentiue in hearing either lesse diligent in dispatching base ciuil affaires then those cases of great weight in the common wealth Notwithstanding he were much busied in the affaires of warres he did neuer the more growe negligent in the administration of iustice All the time that he was remaining in Rome once or twice a wéeke he did sitt openly to dispatche matters of iustice For any motion that good Traiane had to be solitarie in his house or for any disease whereby he was withdrawne into his chamber either for any affaires that he â—ad for the warres neuer man came to craue iustice vnto whome he denied audience When any person came much troubled and furious in complaining of some friend or enimie presently he stopte his eare with one of his fingers saying that he reserued the same to heare the accused Traiane did neuer sitt to heare and determine matters of iustice but at the gate of the Emperour Titus and in the place of Augustus and being demaunded why more there then elsewhere aunswered I place my selfe where iust Princes were wont to sitt because in remembring them I may committ no want of iustice Traiane being on horsebacke and vpon the voyage of the seconde warres into Datia there came a woman and saide vnto him Emperour Traiane I am poore olde and a widowe and hauing but one daughter one of thy housholde seruaunts hath rauished her Traiane aunswered poore woman be not importune with mée for I sweare vnto thée by the immortall Gods that being returned from the warres I will do thée iustice to this the olde woman did replye and what suretie hast thou Traiane to returne from the warres hearing so byting an aunswere presently he lighted on foote and deferred his departure vntil he perfourmed iustice with the poore olde woman Traiane helde for custome when any person did complaine presently he commaunded it to be written in a booke which he had in his chamber this the good Prince did to the ende to aske accompt of the Iudge to whome he did remitt the same or else for his own better remembrance for dispatch thereof In some thinges some Princes were equall vnto Traiane and in some thinges did surmount him but in rectitude of iustice there was no prince like him in Rome for that he did neuer man wrong in iustice either at any time had affection or passion in giuing sentence Many times Traiane did vse to say that for Princes to be Iusticers it were right necessarie to be iust in their owne persons because subiectes and vassals be more easily persuaded to do that which they sée then to obey in that which they are commaunded Traiane was the first that placed patrones in the Senate that should defend the poore and the first also that gaue order that one daye in the wéeke their causes should be hearde The Censours or Iudges of Rome did sit but two houres in the morning and one at after noone to heare causes and Traiane did giue order that they should be resident thrée houres before noone and two houres at after noone whereof Traiane was much praised because it was occasion both to cut off suits and to dispatch suiters In the dayes of Traiane none that had charge of Iustice might augment his goods but in that estate of riches or pouertie wherein he began to gouerne in the same he had to conserue him selfe and in repaymeÌ„t of his trauaile besides the rewardes which the Prince did giue him his sonnes were married with the goods of the common wealth Being knowen vnto Traiane howe immortall suites were in the Senate he ordeined that all suites of Italie should continue but one yere and the suites of straunge countries but halfe a yere Traiane made diuers houses in Rome where the Censours and Iudges might assemble to heare and administer iustice and also made strong prisones in such wise that this good Prince prouided that the good should be succoured and the euil chastised CHAP. XII ¶ Of the seconde warres that Traiane had against the Datians TWentie monethes after that Traiane had ouercome the Datians the sonne of king Decebal died in Rome whoe remained there as pledge for that which his father had sworne and promised and Traiane was no lesse greued with the death of that childe then if it had béene his owne proper sonne and heire The day that king Decebals sonne was dead they saye that Traiane saide the death of this childe grieueth me not for that it is a sorrowe to the father but for breache of promise which he shal committ for if he haue béene quiet it was more for the recouering of his sonne then for obedience vnto the Senate Not long after this newes came to Traiane howe king Decebal was rebelled and to resist the Romaines he repaired the diches furnished the castels entred confederacie with his neighbours renued and recouered victuals and more and aboue the rest made warre with the friendes of Romaines The campe of Agius which was a greate and a populous countrie being restored by Traiane vnto him from whome it was taken king Decebal reentred did take and occupie the same in suche wise that all thinges which Traiane had set downe and determined was despised and in all that king Decebal had sworne he was forsworne Relation of these thinges béeing made vnto the Senate king Decebal was pronounced an enimie to publishe libertie vnto all persones to giue him and make him warre bycause it was a law amongest the Romaines
that notwithstanding any did mutine or rebell againste the Prince vntill in Rome he were declared an enimie they might not make warre either against him or his countrie Traiane once more determined in his owne persone to goe to the warres of Datia neither woulde he take with him any Consul or Captaine that was notable in Rome saying that since king Decebal to him onely had broken his worde to him onely it did apperteine to reuēge the iniurie King Decebal howe soeuer he had made experience of the forces of Traiane he would not as in the former warres abide him in the fielde but retired into the most strong holdes of his kingdome to his small profite for Traiane had sworne before he departed from Rome to remaine dead in Datia or bring king Decebal either dead or aliue vnto Rome Many of the Hunnes which now are named Hūgarians many of the Rhenes which are the people inhabitant neare vnto the riuer Rhene were come vnto the succour of king Decebal al which people when they vnderstoode that Traiane came with so great a power and so determined they forsooke king Decebal in the plaine field notwithstanding would he not forsake his wilful purpose for that his condition was to beginne his attemptes with great rashnesse and no lesse stout to prosecute them King Decebal was then of the age of two and fourtie yeares a Prince most certainly in body of perfect proportion gratious in conuersation magnificent in spending valiaunt in armes diligent and carefull in the warres although in the same most vnfortunate the whiche lost both him and his countrie bicause little auaileth diligence where good hap is contrarie King Decebal was a Prince most vnfortunate to match in contention with Traiane whoe was a Prince most fortunate bycause vnto the one all thinges did happen vnto his owne liking and to the other all things contrarie to that he did desire After fiue monethes that the warre was begun as the one Prince did increase the other decrease King Decebal retired vnto a certain castel with the most valiaunt men of his armie where Traiane did vtter expend the vtterest of his skill deuice policie to take him and king Decebal his greatest force and fortitude to defend him selfe By a Decebal counsel on a certaine night they conueyed ouer the wall sixe young men fayning to be fled which came vnto Traianes campe with myndes determined to kill him eyther with weapō or poison King Decebal had inuented this treason for that wanting as he wanted strength he would profite and prouide for him selfe by treason and guile And as Traiane was of a sincere condition and nothing malicious had no suspicion of that malice and guile but rather receiued thē with great pitie and conferred with them a great parte of the day inquiring and demaunding them of the armies and conditions of king Decebal and wherefore he had broken his promise and othe There wanted not in Traianes campe that could discerne by their countenance gesture and silence that those young men were traitours or else théeues and one of them being taken and examined did confesse that by the counsell and commaundement of king Decebal they were come to murther Traiane And as king Decebal was disappointed of this treason and deuice and the traitours chastised according to their demerites he determined another deuice and the case was thus Vpon a truce he craued to speake with Longinus a famous capteine and much beloued of Traiane who being come vpon assurance was taken and bound Traiane was not a little offended when he vnderstoode that Longinus was detained as prisoner no lesse displeased with Longinus that had giuen too muche confidence to the assurance of king Decebal saying that the person which is a promise breaker with men and periured vnto the Gods by no meanes might deserue credite King Decebal gaue Traiane to vnderstande that except he might receiue pardon for him selfe and all his knightes Longinus shoulde continue prisoner to this Traiane made answere that if he had taken Longinus in good war he wold do any thing to giue libertie vnto his person but since Longinus gaue trust where he ought not vnto his worde he was bounde to conserue his life for that good Princes be more bound to mainteine that whiche they promise then to procure that which they desire Althoughe Traiane spake these wordes openly he did geatly trauell to deliuer Longinus eyther for exchange or else for money but Longinus vnderstanding thereof dranke poyson wherof he dyed sent word vnto Traiane that the Gods had neuer to cōmaund that for the giuing of his life they shuld capitulate with king Decebal any thing that were vile or against honour This Romaine straūge act of Longinus gaue great admiration vnto friends and confederats and did yeald great feare vnto the enimies bycause he deliuered Traiane of care and thought and for him selfe obteined perpetuall fame King Decebal perceiuing the greatest part of his kingdome to be taken and lost without all hope to recouer the same eyther able to defende that which remained determined to make slaughter of him selfe some say with poyson some affirme that he drowned him selfe in water other affirme that he hanged him selfe finally he was found dead without any wounde whose head Traiane commaunded to be cut off and to be sent vnto Rome CHAP. XIII Of the great buildings that Traiane made in the kingdome of Datia THe vnfortunate king Decebal being dead and all the whole lande in Traianes power he made it a Prouince which is to say he did take away the title of kingdom and the preeminence of gouernement by Consuls and gaue order to be gouerned by Pretors and to be called a Prouince Traiane remoued a greate number of the inhabitants of Italie in that countrie but many more he brought out of that countrie to be placed in Italie and this he did as a man of great iudgement bycause in displacing the one he obteined sure possession of the kingdom and remouing the other of necessitie they must liue as others did liue in the Romaine Empire When the capteine Longinus dyed he left a brother yonger of age but equall in force and valiauntnesse whome Traiane made Pretour of Datia and gaue vnto him for euermore the castle where his brother dyed saying vnto him of two causes the one is for thyne owne vertue and valiauntnesse and the other bycause thy brother Longinus did serue me Traiane caused great search to be made for the body of his capteine Longinus vnto whome he caused to be erected such and so sumptuous a sepulchre that it was to be douted whether he would haue giuen him so great riches for seruice if he had liued as he spent in making that sepulchre In all the kingdome of Datia there was no knight or Gentleman that had any rents but only the king whereof the king gaue vnto euerie man as he did serue and deserue whereof it followed that the kingdome being
so opulent the king obteined great riches welth and power Whē Traiane came the second time into Datia king Decebal had great riches both of gold siluer not only for the great rents which he receiued throughout his kingdome but that also he exacted of his subiectes great sūmes of money King Decebal being doubtfull vnto what destinies he and his kingdome were committed determined to burie all his treasure in a riuer which he remoued out of his naturall chanell and in the greatest depth therof he made sepulchres of stone to burie his saide treasure whiche being done he returned the riuer into his olde chanell which was named Sargetia and to the end that no man shoulde discouer this secrete he commaunded to murder all that were present at the hiding thereof But to small purpose for that a fisher which at that time did fish the riuer discouered the whole matter vnto Traiane in suche manner that there is nothing so much hidden that humaine couetousnes doth not discouer Those treasures being brought into Traianes power he diuided thereof amongest his armies vnto euerie man according to the merites of his seruice and of his owne share the first that he commaunded was to builde a most sumptuous temple vnto the God Iupiter wherein he left prouided that for him selfe and the people of Rome yearely sacrifice to be offered He reedified there also the royall house that is to say where the kings of Datia did vse to be resident whiche for the antiqutie thereof was somewhat decayed and through continuall warres not well repayred a worke most certeinely delectable to behold and pleasant to dwell in He repaired also many decayed bridges and mylles vpon high wayes he renued their broken calseys in all places he did build newe houses and reedified others infinite that were burnt He brake and made plaine many wayes vpon the sharpe moūtaines and raysed many newe fortes and renued the old finally you might hardly trauell a league throughout all the kingdome wherein shoulde not be found some notable worke of Traiane Not yet all satisfied he built vpon the riuer of Danubie a bridge of stone which was so curious in the building and so costly in the making that fewe works did match it but none did passe it That bridge contained twentie arches in length and euery piller of one square stone and the arches were of the height of an hundred and fiftie foote wrought without cymet and the distaunce betwixt the pillers were a hundred thréescore and two foote and the breadth of the arches aloft was fortie foote and aboue all the rest the singularitie of the mould and fashion was to be considered and the richnesse of the stone to be regarded bycause the stone was of such glosse that in iudgement it deserued to be set in plate It séemed incredible to mans iudgement for a bridge to be made vpon that riuer bicause the streame was broad déepe in course very swifte and aboue all the rest on no side it might be turned out of his chanell to the end it might be drie at any time to lay the cymet That building was so extreme or to say better so monstrous that it néeded to make experiēce of al high iudgements and capacities and the Romaines there to shewe their strengthes and Traiane there to spend his treasure bicause in the worke there required great potencie and in the order thereof great industrie it is verie small that the penne can magnifie in respect of the wonder which he séeth that beholdeth the same for the better credite therof at these dayes the pillers giue a muster vpon the fierce waters declaring the pryde of his power and the riches of the emperour Traiane would with that edifice giue terrour vnto the liuing and admiration to his posteritie to giue manifest argument that any thing may not be so impossible eyther so hard that with mans hand may not be enterprised and with the riches of Rome might not be finished The cause that moued Traian to build this costly bridge so monstrous was as they say to the end the barbarous people on the other side Danubie might come to fight with the Romaines although the riuer were ouerflowen and also that the Romaines that remained there shuld not giue them selues to pleasure and idlenesse when they considered them selues to be in the eye of the enimie The Emperour Domitian had no suche mynde and valiantnesse whiche for feare that the barbarous people should come to fight with the Romaine hoast cōmaunded the arches of that bridge to be ouerthrowne in such wise that the one made a bridge to prouoke the enimie to fight and the other did raze the same for feare of battell CHAP. XIIII Of the seconde entring of Rome by the Emperour Traiane and the notable thing which he did in the same IN finishing the warrs in giuing order for the Prouince in diuiding the countries and in yealding perfection vnto all his workes and buildings Traiane was deteined in Datia more then thrée yeares in which as he after did report great were the trauels and perils wherein he did sée his person and not small were the expences that he made of his goods The victories that Traiane had obteined being knowne vnto the Barbarians that did inhabite the other side of Danubie the mightie buildings that he had made the great rewardes that he had giuen and the clemencie that with prisoners he had vsed sent their ambassadours vnto Traiane who with verie good will did set down with him a perpetual peace amitie bound them selues to kéepe and defend for him the kingdome of Datia Incredible was the loue that all those nations did beare vnto Traiane which was well knowne when he departed from that countrie to goe vnto Rome in that by all cities where he did passe and by all wayes where he did trauell so great were the teares and cries vttered by all persons that it séemed the grounde to tremble In respect of the great largesse and prowesse that Traiane had perfourmed in those Prouinces it was no maruell that his departing was so be wailed bicause with his great benefites he had won their hearts and with his great and sumptuous buildings he had ennobled his people Vniuersally of al friends and enimies neuer prince as Traiane was so much feared in warres either loued in peace The cause wherby Traiane obteined so great loue and to be so well liked and in such especial grace with al men was that with his frends he neuer vsed negligence and also in readinesse and straite reckoning with his enimies in such wise that such as stood in his disgrace by his wordes they had to vnderstand therof but vnto such as did bende to serue him both in worde and déede he did manifest the same They were infinite that praised Traiane in that he had ben pitiful with them but none did cōplaine that he had found him ingrate Ennius Priscus a noble aunciēt Romaine demaūded of the
learned and expert that for excellencie therein in Rome they named him the Greeke childe for that he was as readie in the Greeke tongue as others in the Romaine speache At the age of xvi yeares he had a desire to passe into Spaine to sée his olde countrie he arriued at Calize where his mother was borne and from whence Traiane was natiue and there leauing his letters did exercise him selfe in armes because in those dayes the Spaniardes had there a famous studie of science and the Romaines helde there a schoole for the warres Adrian bothe in leaping and running was verie light wherein it is sayd of him that he ranne for many wagers and not a fewe times by running and leaping did winne to supply his necessitie He greatly delighted to ride swift running horses and did much presume to iudge and make choyce of them and after in his olde age he would vaunt and say of him selfe that he neuer roade in coche mule or other beast but an horse In the time of Adrian his youth he was an enimie to idlenesse and also of them that were giuen therevnto and many times sayde that he remembred not since the age of tenne yeares whether hee stoode still or walked by the way that he had not eyther a booke to reade in or some weapō to fight with Adrian was naturally sharpe of wit and of great life most apparant in that he was not satisfied to knowe what some men did knowe but trauelled to haue skill in all things that men vnderstoode with Philosophers he woulde dispute with maisters at weapons he woulde fight with artificers he would worke and with painters he would paint Adrian did praise him selfe and according to writings of olde time he had great reason so to do bycause there was no Art science occupation or inuention in the worlde that he knew not or at the least did not trauell to knowe When Adrian was young he was but of small patience for that he indured not any to excell him neyther yet to compare with him and rare was that quarell which he did not make or mainteine When Tatian Adrians tutor did reprehend him for his impatience and bycause he was not mylde as the young man his cousen Emilius he made answere My cousen Emilius is not patient but for that he is a coward and I by quarelling am become valiaunt Neyther being a childe or growne to more yeares Adrian vsed not to breake foorth into foule wordes although they sayde or did him great iniuries but indéede although his toung were slowe his handes were very ready Adrian was of a sound bodie except that sometimes he complained of his left eare and that one of his eyes at times did water but two euils did not hinder his hearing much lesse his sight CHAP. II. Of some euill inclinations that possessed and had power in Adrian THe Emperour Adrian did muche delight in hunting which he did not exercise in the plaines but in mountaines for he tooke no care to flée with haukes but to fight with fierce beastes to make a shewe of his valiauntnesse So giuen and so venterous was Adrian in his chace that with great reason I will not say did reproue but note the time that he consumed and that not onely for much time he spent therein but for that many times he was in great daunger It hapned somtimes that in following the chace of wilde beasts Adrian did loose himself in those rough and craggie moūtaines wherof there folowed not a few times that he would haue eaten if he had had breade and woulde haue dranke if he had had water When he went to hunt he carried his crosbowe to shoote his quiuer of quarels and his wallet of victuals and alwayes did place him in the pace where the beast should passe and had so little feare and so desirous of chace that if it were a beare he did execute some aduenture and if it were a Lion he did abide him It is not read that he siue any Lion but one but beares and other cruell beastes that he siue with his owne hands were infinite Adrian followed most fiercely a certaine beast with so great desire and did so trauel to attain the same that he fell ouer a rocke put his shoulder out of ioynt brake one of his legs and cast much bloud out of his mouth In the Prouince of Misia Adrian built a citie which he did name The chace of Adrian bicause there he vsed to pitch his Pauilion and from thence at mornings he went foorth to hunt and at night did returne to bed He had an horsse very ready for hunting which would staye and make ready as a man when he vnderstoode the chace comming and therewithall ranne as sure downe the hill as vp the hill This horsse was named Borystenes which being deade Adrian did not only cause to be buried with muche honour but also commaunded for the same a very riche sepulchre of Marble to be made and erected Adrian did muche estéeme and delight to paynt figures and counterfets very naturally and to graue in Marble with great skil and deuice sometimes in waxe to make newe inuentions and was in these Arts so curious that he made the Goddesse Venus in Alabaster and with a pencill did paint the wars of Carthage and of ware did fourme the whole Island Creta And albeit that in these things he were readie and expert ioyntly therewith he was very ambitious bycause he had as great enuie and also rancour at an artificer which was sayde to paynt or worke more curiously then him selfe as if the maintenance of his liuing had consisted therein There were in Rome two excellent men the one named Dionysius the other Milesius men right famous in the liberall Arts for that many in Rome did frequent their studies but muche more did peayse their workes Adrian did take thereof so great enuie that although he found no cause to kill them he wanted not occasion to banish them A certaine skilfull carpenter in drawing plots for buildings being in some question with the Emperour Traiane of the fourme and manner of placing of a staire Adrian being present sayd his iudgement somwhat besides the purpose whervnto the carpenter Polydorus answered Maister Adrian if your cunning did not serue you better to paint gourdes and coocumers then to place staires you shuld obteine a smal credite amōgst painters as you haue amongst artificers Although Adrian could dissemble those words he might not in any wise forget them for after the death of Traiane he attaining the empire those iniurious words were no more costly vnto the sorrowfull Polydorus but to serue Adrian for sufficient reuenge to take away his life Adrian being so great a Grecian and also a Latinist compounded certaine workes in Heroicall metre as also in prease did muche delight to haue them praised could not indure but the some must read them In those daies the Gréek tong flourishing in Rome brought the of
Homer in great estimation whereof Adrian did take so great enuie that he gaue streight commaundement that none shoulde reade Homer eyther openly or secretly but the workes of Anthimachus who was a Philosopher most obscure Adrian had condition curiously to inquire of common and small matters whereof he was both noted and murmured bicause Princes being giuen to make search of trifling causes proue variable in prouiding for matters of importance Also Adrian was of fickle disposition for that at the souden he woulde determine to perfourme some enterprise and after growe colde and incontinent omit the same of this as of the rest with great reason he was noted and accused bycause graue Princes ought to haue a reposed deliberation and a diligent execution Adrian was in two things most extreme that is to say he vsed no measure or weight in his loue or hatred for vnto whom he did loue he gaue all his heart and where he did abhorre he did imploy all his strength Admitting that this manner of loue or hatred is tollerable in others yet most truely of vertuous Princes not permitted bycause if they be vnbridled in loue in others which they loue not they cause enuie and if they be absolute in hatred they séeke vnto them selues great infamie wherefore it is conuenient in loue to be discrete and in hatred prouident and aduised He was likewise most extreme that if he praised any thing he did aduaunce it to the cloudes and if it fell not into his fauour he dispraised it to the déepest bottome in such manner that all sayd of Adrian that in praising he was verie gracious and in nippes tauntes and gyrdes not a little malicious Adrian had great delight in faire women who was so absolute and also so dissolute in that vice that he did not onely inioy virgins persuade married women but also in the houses of his verie friendes he had his secrete loues Of the one part considering his iniustice and of the other parte the great iustice that he did execute the historiographers would not place him amongest the pitifull Princes neither condemne him that were tyrannous bycause most truly if he did chastice some by iustice also he siue others by enuie CHAP. III. Of the friends and enimies which Adrian had ADrian being of the age of ninetene yeres Traiane conceiuing the abilitie and towardnesse of the yong man as well in letters as in armes sent to Spaine for him to come to Rome with whome he did so behaue himselfe that for entertainment he did receiue him into his chamber and in his loue did place him as a childe The naturall bountie and great abilitie of Adrian being in apparance Traiane from thence foorth did so regard and fixe his eyes as well to honour him all the dayes of his life as also to leaue him Emperour after his death Adrian being in so great fauour with the Emperour Traiane there folowed thereof in processe of time no small displeasures to his person and perils vnto his life for his enimies by enuie with the Emperour procured his disgrace and with their malice did maligne him with the people It is an auncient pestilence in the courtes of Princes that the Prince being pleased to beare affection or to honour any person forthwith they ioyne to murmur procure to persecute the same As Seuerianus being husband vnto a sister of Adrian did murmur of him vnto Traiane saying that it was a wonder vnto all men in Rome to sée Adrian to priuate so far in fauour that they presumed that after his dayes he should leaue him the Empire vnto whome Traiane made answere Who hath to succéede me in the Empire only the Gods be acquainted therewith but admitting that it were my will and the Goddes permitting that Adrian shoulde succéede me in the Empire I can say vnto thée that to gouerne the same he will proue no foole neyther a cowarde to defende it The answere that Traiane made was very good and yet not without a secret taunt for that the Consul Seuerianus had neyther praised him for valiaunt eyther held him for wise This Seuerianus was alwaies a great enimie of Adrian did not cease trauelling to disgrace him with the Emperour wherby Adrian hapned at times to be both in fauour and disfauour in suche manner that Adrian burned betwixt two fiers whiche is to wit eare to resist his enimies and solicitude in conseruing his frends The first office that Adrian had in Rome Traiane being Consul and Domitian being emperour he was made a Decem viriato that is to say he was appointed for one of the ten men that were deputed to determin contentions amongst the people Adrian gaue so good account of his office and recouered in Rome so good fame that he séemed sufficient vnto al men alone and in his own person to gouerne a common wealth and so it came to passe that in the yeare folowing he was deputed Tribune of the second legion that is to say that he had charge to gouerne and correct the seconde capteinship of the armies that were in the wars bycause it was a custome in Rome that euerie capteinship should haue a capteine to fight and a Tribune to rule and gouerne The yeare of the tribune office being past he was sent vnto the inferiour Misia gouerning that Prouince with so great prudence and was of suche readinesse and skill amongest those Barbarians that some delighted to obey him the others durst not resist him Adrian was in no small perplexitie for the doubt he had to be remoued from Traianes fauour which he suspected to sée him selfe in Misia his enimie Seuerianus with Traiane in Rome that vppon any report that might be made of him there the malice of his enimie had place to aggrauate and he for him selfe being farre distant not able to answere Traiane had in his chamber one whome he much fauoured named Gallus a most speciall friend vnto Adrian and Adrian being aduertised that Gallus his most faithfull friende was deade made for him great obsequies and wept for him many teares There succéeded in fauour vnto this Gallus another named Surus a man sufficiently wise and prudent and also this as Gallus was most special friend vnto Adrian and the very cause wherby he obteined the fauoured to be his friends was for that in his giftes he was very liberall and to doe for his friend no lesse determined Also Adrian gaue him self to content serue and please Plotina Traianes wife and vsed therein so great skill and came so farre into fauour with Plotina that out of that so narrowe friendship he gathered more profit then she did honour Traiane had in his house a néece named Sabina whiche was to marrie and requested for wife of many noble Romaines but Plotina and Surus trauelled and persuaded Traiane to marrie her vnto Adrian affirming that with this marriage he was excused of two marriages that is to say to séeke a wife for Adrian
and an husband for Sabina When as Adrian had presented many giftes and offered many seruices vnto Plotina partely for the great loue that she did beare him and for that she had married him vnto Sabina she made him answere Adrian according to the good will which I beare thée it is smal which I haue done for thée in respect of that which I meane to doe for that I may doe little with my Lord Traiane but as he hath chosen thée to be his nephew he shall also adopt thée to be his sonne After Adrian had obteined Plotina for his good Ladie Sabina for his wife and Surus for his friend he little estéemed the enimitie of Seuerianus his enimie bycause in Traianes house all did honour him as one in fauour did serue him as a maister CHAP. IIII. Of the loue that the Emperour Traiane had vnto Adrian BY the marriage that Adrian had with Sabina néece vnto the Emperour Traiane there followed him not a litle but very much profite for besides that he was most in fauour with the Emperour and verie well liked of the Empresse Plotina the greatest parte of the affaires of the Empire was dispatcht by his handes Adrian presuming of great eloquence presented vppon a day before the Senate a certaine pastorall enterlude whereat the Senatours and Oratours did greatly laugh not onely of that whiche he sayde but also of the base style wherein he did speake the same He gaue him selfe to the Latine toung and to the Art of an Oratour wherin he grew so profound that they gaue to him as great glory for his speache as vnto Cicero for his writing In the first warres that Traiane had with the Datians Adrian was made Questor that is to say he had charge to prouide victuals and furniture for the campe whiche was an office amongest the armies of great honour and of much confidence for he had both the treasure in his custodie and the payment of the campe When Traiane was eyther sicke or not at leasure on his behalfe Adrian went to the Senate but the Senators although they did admit him to speake they did not permit him to excéede or to take the chiefe place for it was a lawe amongest them much vsed that being assembled in the Senate none should presume to clap his handes to cause silence or cōmaūd the doore to be shut neyther enter being clad with a long gowne or to place him selfe in the highest seate but onely the Emperour Being notorious vnto all men that Adrian was priuate with the Emperour Traiane and in great fauour with Plotina his wife and therewithall that he was a man both prudent and politique and although in the Senate not permitted to the chiefest place yet all things were directed by his counsell in suche wise that at home all things were done as he thought good and abroade as he did commaund When it was knowne in Rome that the king of Datia eftsoones had rebelled Adrian presently persuaded Traiane in his owne person to go to that war and to leaue the enterprise to no other man wherein Adrian did followe and serue Traiane more then any other capteine and certainly did there so valiaunt and notable déedes that with Traiane he obteined fauour and aduaunced his person to great estimation Adrian being thus notified in the warres of Datia Traiane thought it méete to commende vnto him the seconde legion which was vnder the protection of the Goddesse Minerua and in such manner did gouerne the same and gaue his souldiers so great courage that he was the man that did most grieue the enimie and least did feare perilles The thing moste estéemed of the Emperour Traiane was a Diamond which Nerua had giuen him this Diamond Traiane gaue Adrian in the time of the warres of Datia which was so kept and estéemed of Adrian that vntill the day of his death it was neuer séene off from his finger The warres of Datia being finished Traiane returned to Rome leauing Adrian as Pretour of that Prouince Sussurus and Seuerianus being consuls He had not long gouerned Datia when Adrian receiued from the Senate newe prouision to passe into Panonia where he was not only gouernour in causes of iustice but also had charge of all martiall affaires bycause certaine barbarous Danubians had entered those Prouinces sacking and spoyling greate countries Adrian being arriued into Panonia did in short time expell the enimies visited the countries refourmed the armies chasticed the Romaine officers and founde by infourmation that they were great friendes of idlenesse and no enimies of robberie The fame being come to Rome of the commendable gouernement of Adrian in Panonia in the yeare following in the Kalends of Ianuarie the Senate did elect him Consul and truely as they were many that did alowe this election so they were not few that did resist it but in fine the procurers had more force in their diligence then the malice of them which resisted CHAP. V. Of the care and solicitude of Adrian to obteine the Empire IN all Kingdomes and Prouinces where Adrian was eyther Pretour or Questour presently he made diligent inquisition if there were any Magicians of Soothsayers and if he founde any he did persuade them with swéete wordes and riche rewardes to be certified if after the death of Traiane the Empire should come vnto his handes for that he was not onely desirous to obteine the same but carefull to know the issue thereof Being resident in the Prouince of Mesia he was aduertised by a Mathematike that he should be Emperour and demaunding howe and by what meanes he vnderstoode thereof answered by a certaine friend which was not onely learned in the naturall courses but also did vnderstande the secretes of the immortall Gods. Although Adrian was resident in straunge Prouinces he was not slacke to serue the Empresse Plotina and to please the chamberleine Surus in such wise that if his enimies did thinke him farre off they found his seruice alwayes ready and at hande Nowe when Traiane was stricken in age and become sickly Adrian continued no lesse diligent to solicite Plotina and Surus to persuade the Emperour to adopt him for his sonne but on the other side the Consul Seuerianus Palma and Celsus and other his enimies did withstande whose diligence and malice did little profite bycause they did but discouer their intent and coulde not obteine their desire Eyther by the onely will of Traiane or by the importunitie of Plotina nor by the suite of Surus eyther by the merite of his owne person the Emperour Traiane determined to those Elius Adrian to be his sonne after his dayes to succéede him in the Empire for the Emperour had many kingdomes to giue but no sonne to whome he might leaue the same Before Traiane had elected Adrian he was long determined to make no assignment of any person to succéed him in the Empire but to haue vsed the order of Alexander the great who being demaunded whome he woulde assigne to
succéede him in his Monarchie answered Vnto the most worthy Traiane made a memoriall of all the most vertuous wise and of most worthinesse within the Empire and ioyntly therewith caused to be written of them seuerall Orations in Gréeke and Latine and he him selfe did adde with his owne hande what he thought agréeable to their conditions and abilities To the ende that after his dayes the Senate might open and reade the same and from thence to make election not of him that did most procure but that did best deserue At one time a certaine Consul named Neratius Priscus was greatly in his fauour vnto whom he had thought to haue left the Empire in so much the one day Traiane said vnto him Neratius Priscus from hencefoorth I comend the Empire vnto thée if any sorrowfull or souden destinie shall happen vnto me All such as did withstande the adoption of Adrian did fauour the election of Neratius Priscus but Fortune that should haue framed the effect brought Neratius into Traianes great hatred not a little to the profite of Adrian bycause from thence foorth although their remained enimies to hinder his intent none as an opposite durst demaunde the same When Traiane passed from Spaine into Asia to the wars of the Parthians Plotina and Surus made great suite that Adrian might be sente as Pretour into Syria whoe being in Antioche was aduertised by a messinger from Traiane which in times past had bene his tutor how he was elected to be Traianes sonne and assigned his successour in the Empire Excéeding was the ioy that Adrian receiued with that newes which he did vtter in such excessiue manner and degrée that presently he did celebrate with great games and feastes the day of his natiuitie and not only vpon that day but euery yeare all the dayes of his life bicause it was the thing that his heart most desired and for the attainement whereof he had imployed his greatest skill and strength At that time were Consuls Sosius and Pretorius with whome Adrian entered newe friendshippe and the ende wherefore he did vndertake this newe affection was that as Plotina Surus did solicite procure the Empire with Traiane so those two Consuls shuld subsist him in the Senate in such wise that if he did watch to obtaine it he did ouerwatch to sustaine it Not long after that Adrian was adopted that is to say after fourtéene monethes Traiane dyed presently Plotina his wife and the Consul Tatianus being chiefe friendes vnto Adrian did take order and vse great diligence that Adrians admission vnto the Empire might first be notified and knowne in Rome before the death of the Emperour Traiane whiche was concealed and couered for certaine dayes saying that he was so sicke that he would not be visited vntill they were possest of the power of the armies and had obteined the good will of the Senate Adrian did write vnto the Senatours giuing them to vnderstand that Traiane was at the point of death and that also he was assigned and adopted to be his successour and heire in the Empire and did right instantly request them to take the same in good parte and therevppon did promise and sweare vnto them to diuide or giue offices but at their owne liking and consent CHAP. VI. Howe at Traianes death Adrian was declared Emperour THe newes of Traianes death being arriued at Rome presently it was published that the succession of the empire was cōmitted vnto Adrian vpon the confirmation or refusal of this election there arose no smal contention in the Senate and the matter so far argued prosecuted by his friendes and so resisted by his enimies that it gaue no small doubt of intestine warrs no lesse cruell then the warres betwixt Caesar and Pompey The seruaunts of Traiane the friends of Plotina and the kinred and alies of Tatian did vse suche diligence in this case that within thrée dayes they confirmed Adrian in the Empire and the greatest cause to moue the Senate therevnto was that they had intelligence that Adrian was in Syria in full power possession and authoritie of the whole armie and might haue bene constrained to yealde by force which they refused to perfourme by good will. Presently after Adrian was confirmed in the Empire he did write vnto the Senate gratifying their friendly fact and requesting that Traiane might be collocate amongst the Gods since he had bene a Prince so diuine whereto the Senate gladly consented saying that although Traiane had finished his life for euermore in Rome his fame shoulde indure In memorie that Traiane had ouercome the Parthians they ordeined that euery yeare the Parthik playes should be celebrated in Rome which indured amongst the Romains many yeres but in fine they and their playes had an end Before all thinges Adrian gaue order that the body of Traiane might be brought into Italie where it shoulde be giuen a generous sepulchre and to effectuate the same commanded his ashes to be inclosed in a boxe of Vnicorne which also was inclosed with golde and placed in a piller of most excellent marble lyned with most rich purple all which being ladē into a gallie he sent Tatian and Plotina with the body vnto Rome al Rome went foorth to receiue the body of Traiane and as it is sayd and written there was neuer so muche ioy vttered for any man that entered being aliue but muche more sorrowe was discouered for Traianes comming deade Adrian stayed in Antioche whiche is the heade of Syria partly to assemble the whole armie and partly to recouer money for being then winter he could neyther campe for coldenesse of the weather eyther marche or iourney for want of money Adrian was there aduertised howe the Mauritans did defie him the Sarmatians did mutinate the Britans did rebell the Palestines resist the Aegyptians disobey and that all the Barbarians were in commotion Finally it is to be vnderstoode that vpon the death of Traiane al people and nations were so escandalized that it séemed not but that he left the world without a maister or an owner Adrian perceiuing the greater part of the Empire in commotion determined to make them no war but to intreate them by peace and for this cause he refused and forsooke al those kingdomes and Prouinces that lay beyond the riuer Euphrates and the riuer Tygris which the good Traiane had wonne and conquered in which conquest he imployed his noble person and gaue ende vnto his honourable life Vnto all kingdomes and Prouinces Adrian sent Embassadours to confederate with some and to confirme peace with others and with some he did capitulate thinges so slaunderous and with so great disaduauntage that it had bene much better to haue raysed warre then to haue procured a peace so infamous Parsnapate king of the Parthians came to complaine vnto Adrian saying that the good Traiane had giuen him that kingdome and crowned him with his owne hands and now vpon the death of Traiane they would neyther obey him or suffer
and promise for from that day wherein Princes shal vnable thē selues to punishe vice and sinne from thenceforth their vassals shal followe wickednesse In the yere that Adrian entred Rome all thinges were deare and the people not sounde or in health who vsing greate magnificence commaunded much money to be giuen to the poore of the common wealth in such wise that it was not founde that any died for hunger either suffered any extreme necessitie There were many that had béene banished and diuerse in prison for debt due vnto the Fiscall that is to saye vnto his chamber Adrian gaue commaundement by publique proclamation that all such debtes should be absolued and that for any such debte none should be runnagates either kept in prison Adrian did derogate the law custome of his predecessours which is to wéet that the goods of the condemned should be for the Prince which he commaunded from thenceforth to be imployed not to his chāber but to the comfort of the common wealth for he saide and helde opinion that the Iudge should neuer be grieued to punishe offendours when he should remember to inherite a share of the offendours goods He extremely delighted when any person came to craue and much more did reioyce if he had to giue but if by chaunce he had not to satisfie his demaund at the least he gaue him a friendly aunswer From the time that Adrian was in possession of the Empire he was neuer heard to say or name Traiane but my Lord Traiane CHAP. VIII ¶ Of the good conditions and inclinations of Adrian WIth much diligence and no lesse secrecie Adrian inquired what life the Senatours did leade and what exercise they vsed and such as he found poore and vertuous he augmented their patrimonie and such as he found riche and vicious he found meane to depriue them from the Senate Adrian was a Prince verie skilfull and muche considerate in punishing his officers and seruauntes that is to saye he kept secrete from the people the causes why he remoued any person from his office And further if he displaced any person from his commoditie he did not forget otherwise to recompence him in such maner that if he did chastice them he did not dishonor them Many times did Adrian speake these woordes Whome I shal see esteemed and worshipped in the common wealth I wil rather determin to take away his hed then his honour The rēts which the good Traiane left in many partes of Italie for the bréeding of children the sustaining of widowes the marriage of Orphans he did not only confirme but also made better All the seruants of Traiane he did aduaunce to better offices such as were not méete for offices he gaue thē money Adrian commaunded serch to be made how many noble men were falne into pouertie such as were decayed by mischaunce he relieued such as procured pouertie by vice he gaue them leaue to endure necessitie He gaue help to al the Romaine widowes to marrie their daughters he was not more boūtiful in giuing relief vnto the daughters then he was an enimie to succour the sonnes for he helde opinion that that young man deserued not to be married that with his handes did not obteine a marriage By thrée dayes space he did celebrate the feast of the god Genius that is to saye the daye of his birthe and commaūded vpon those dayes to giue pitances vnto all the people and he with all the Senatours and nobles did eate and banquet in his imperiall palace the cost whereof did not amount vnto so little but as they were thrée if they had béene sixe the rentes of the whole Empire had béen spent and parte of their treasure By the space of sixe continuall dayes he did cause them to represent the game of swoorde players and the people craued certeine other playes which he would not consent not for that he delighted not therein but to giue them to vnderstand in Rome that it appertained vnto Princes as much to moderate their pleasures as to giue order for thinges of importance Before Adrian was Emperour he was thrise Consul for which cause he made diuers Romaines thrée times Consuls and whereas some were offended for want of like fauour he did aunswer Such as did exceede mee in merite ought to be equall with mee in dignitie Within the compasse of Rome neuer before the dayes of Adrian were permitted more then two Consuls the one to gouerne the common wealth the other to go to the warres but Adrian did adde and create a thirde Consul for that if the one should be sicke and the other resident in the warres the common wealth shoulde not remaine without an head Tutinus a noble knight of Rome Adrian did create Senatour and gaue him the ensignes of Consul whereat the whole Senate was offended affirming that the Emperour ought or might not create in such manner partely because Tutinus was not of deseruing and partly for that the aduise of the Senate should haue béene vsed therein Adrian was displeased with these wordes of the Romaines and from thence foorth did vse more libertie in reparting offices and lesse companye in determining causes He helde Seuerianus in greate veneration which had married his sister vnto whome he gaue both honour and great rewardes and at all times when Seuerianus came vnto his chamber to conferre and to vnderstand his pleasure Adrian came foorth to méete and receiue him at the doore Although Seuerianus came to visite Adrian and Adrian came foorth to receiue Seuerianus yet auncient and very mortall was the hatred betwixt them for in this case either of them did vtter and discouer to be possessed with a moste vile intent for that Seuerianus did trauaile to depriue Adrian from Empire and honour and Adrian with no lesse facilitie did take away his life When Adrian was in Rome at the least he went thrise a wéeke vnto the Senate and if he were either sicke or muche busied they did repaire vnto his presence in such maner that nothing of importance did passe in the Senate wherein they did not vse his iudgement Adrian was of familiar conuersation with his speciall friendes and with his particular seruaunts with whome he went to eate in their gardeines to fishe at riuers to hunt in the fieldes and all other such like pastimes Naturally he was giuen to haue compassion of the sicke and herein he did neither consider whether they were friends or foes for that indifferently he did visite them and at his owne charges did prouide for them He did not onely visite the sicke but also the olde men decrepite with age of whome at large he woulde inquire of the yeres that they had liued the kingdomes they had trauelled the daungers they had passed the enimies which they had helde the necessities that they had endured in suche wise that many times of the things which they had saide of times past he tooke example for the time
of the Prince all whiche Adrian did remoue and adnihilate affirming that those lawes were but of small seruice to the behoofe of the Prince and to the great offence of the common wealth Also the Romaine Princes did vse to inherite the goods of straungers wherin Adrian did ordeine that the children or the next of the kinne shoulde inioye the same Also he ordeined that what so euer he were that founde hid treasure in his owne inheritaunce should inioy the whole and if it were founde in an other mans inheritaunce the owner thereof should haue the one moitie and if it were founde in publike or common place that then it should be equally parted with the Confiscator Also he ordeined that no man what so euer of his own authoritie should kill his slaue for any offence but to be remitted vnto the Iudge deputed by the Prince Also he made a lawe of refourmation both for eating of superfluous meates and also for wearing of garments eyther too many or ouer costly Also he did ordeine that none what so euer should goe or be carried in a litter and one whiche he had he commaunded for example to be burnt in the market place He also commaunded that Consuls and Senatours within the compasse of Rome should weare their gownes whiche was a garment of peace He also ordeined that yong men that wanted their parentes shuld haue tutors vnto the age of fiue and twentie yeares although they were married He also did ordeine that no slaue should be solde eyther man or woman to any ruffian iester or iuggler affirming the possession of slaues to be most vniust vnto suche as wander in idlenesse all the dayes of their life Also he did ordeine that merchants or suche as dealt with exchaunge that brake their credite or were bankrupts without iust cause but only of couetousnesse by defraude to inrich them selues to be set vpon the pillorie in the market place and afterwardes to be banished Rome for euermore He did ordeine that none what so euer should suffer execution within the citie of Rome affirming that so generous a citie and consecrate vnto the Gods were not conuenient to be defiled with the bloude of wicked men Also he did ordeine that men and women shoulde haue their seuerall bathes and that who so euer should enter into the forbidden place to suffer death for the same Also he did ordaine that neyther for the Prince or Consuls any victuals should be taken from any man but that euery man might sell to whome he would where he would and how he might He did ordeine that no woman shuld aduēture to heale with words eyther that any man shuld presume to cure with cōpound medicines but to perfourme all their cures with simple hearbes In buildings he did chiefly imitate his Lord Traiane that is to say that in all countries Prouinces and kingdomes where he had bene he erected many and very famous buildings wherein it is to be noted that he neuer placed his owne name but in the temple of Traiane In Rome in a manner he wholy renued the temple named Pantheus dedicated vnto the Goddesse Berecyntha and where all the Gods were honoured The fielde of Mars in olde time was compassed and by great antiquitie the buildings falne flat vnto the grounde wherein Adrian did not only renue the decayed wals but also did furnish the same with very stately buildings He edified the reall palace named Neptunus he enlarged the palace of Augustus he reedified the bath of Tyberius he much aduaunced the temple of Titus in all these edifices he placed the names of the Princes that in times past built them and not his owne name whiche had reedified them From the foūdation he built a stately bridge which was afterwards named Adrians bridge He made also for him selfe a sepulchre ioyning vnto the riuer Tyber the stones whereof were brought from India and the workemen out of Greece He translated the temple of the Goddesse of good Fortune and the figure of Decian the artificer that was placed therein that was of so great weight that hardly foure twentie Eliphants might remoue the same the whiche figure was dedicated vnto the Sunne Adrian did erect one other to be dedicated vnto the Moone of no lesse weight or riches then the other whereof the great Polydore was workman He built in Rome a certaine building which many yeares after was named the mole of Adrian and at these dayes is called the castle of of Saint Angelo He remoued many riuers out of their chanels to water the fieldes brought many fountaines for prouision of cities In Greece he edified a citie which in time past was named Adrianopolis In the kingdome of Palestine he reedified the great citie Hierusalem which had béene destroyed by Titus and Vespasian and gaue it for name Elia for that his owne name was Elius Adrianus CHAP. XIIII Of some of his gratious and pythie sentences THe Emperour Adrian was a Prince not only sharpe of iudgement and prouident in his affaires but also of great vrbanitie and gratious in speache And the case was thus that Fauorinus a very friende to Adrian hauing an olde house at the enterie whereof he had raysed a stately porche paynted white he sayde vnto him This house of thine seemeth a gilded pill whiche outwardly giueth pleasure but within is full of bitternesse An other friende of Adrians named Siluius very blacke of face and of euill shape of body and comming on a certaine day vnto the Palace all clad in white Adrian sayde vnto those that were present That blacke face with that white garment seemeth no other but a flye drowned in a sponefull of mylke The Emperour Adrian vppon a time from his Palace behelde a Senatour in a long blacke gowne wearing vpon the same a short crimson cloake in graine and demaunding why he did weare such apparell in that place the Senatour answered Syr I walke here with this red cloake to see if my good hap may chaunce to fish some faire Ladie Wherevnto Adrian readily answered Thou seemest rather a red worme to fish frogs then as a man enamoured to fishe Ladies A certaine person with a hoarie heade crauing a rewarde whiche at that time the Emperour denyed the sayde hoare headed fellowe remembring him selfe pouling his heade and shauing his bearde came againe vnto the Emperour to renue his suite and Adrian beholding howe he was altered made fresh and growne young did answere That which now thou crauest I denyed vnto thy father They helde in Rome many fierce beastes to magnifie a daye of greate feasting and when certaine Senatours sayde vnto Adrian that it was somewhat late and highe time to go chace the beasts he made answere Ye might better haue sayd to be chaced of them then the beasts to be chaced of men for if there be ten that dare abide them there be ten myllians that runne away There was in Rome a certaine man named Enatius somewhat entered in age and of
the poore and redéeming captiues He was sent on a time by Adrian to visite the Isle of Sicyl in which visitation he reformed many people chasticed many tyraunts depriued many officers remoued many enimities repaired ruinous buildinges did melt manye counterfeit coynes but moste of all in suche manner did gouerne the common wealth that no man remained discontented He was iiij yeares Pretor within Rome he was Consul in Campania with Catilinus Seuerus he was Iudge thrée yeres together in al which offices he was neuer noted either rashe in commaundements or rigorous in his chasticements Adrian diuided all Italie into foure iurisdictions placing in euery one a Consul for gouernement thereof and established Antoninus supreme gouernour of them all in such wise that he helde such authoritie and credite that in Rome all was gouerned by his counsell and in Italie all did obey his commaundementes Were his person farre distant alwayes Adrian and the Senate had his counsell present the cause whereof procéeded of his cleare iudgement in the foundation of that which he saide and through the bountie of his vertue he frankly did speake his opinion Wée saide not without iust cause that by his vertue he did fréely saye his opinion for speaking the very truth he is not onely vniust but verie wicked that hath libertie in his speeche and hath not vertue in his life Exercising in Asia the office of Proconsul he vttered so greate wisedome in his commaundementes and so much without couetousnesse in his dealings that he was intituled the holy proconsul which gouernement amongest strangers by a straunger was a case somewhat straunge because detestation alwayes accompanieth such gouernement Comming from Asia vnto Rome in Antioche he buried his eldest daughter whoe had such fame in her life that after her death she left behinde a slaunderous memorie Wée haue saide howe the wife of Antoninus was named Faustine which was mother vnto the faire Faustine wife vnto Marcus Aurelius and moste truely both mother and daughter were touched with infamie by the meane of too muche libertie and too little vertue It was neuer séene in the Romaine Empire that two so vertuous Princes had wiues so licentious notwithstanding the one was sufficiētly aduised the other corrected but for that they were so gratious in their conuersation and so perfect beautifull of their persons it was very little which was saide vnto them in respect of that which was dissembled Antoninus was so limitted in that which he saide and so aduised in the counsels which he gaue that he neuer repented that demaunded the same Before Antoninus came vnto the Empire he was couetous but afterwardes very liberall and his wife reprehending that he vsed no order in giuing or spending he aunswered Faustine simple is thy iudgement since thou vnderstandest not that after we were aduaunced vnto the Empire we lost all that euer we had because all Princes of noble mindes be bounde to giue but haue no licence to kéepe or hoorde The tribute coronall that is to saye the money that was giuen vnto the Emperours for their coronation the one halfe therof he gaue vnto the cities of Italie to relieue the charges of the common wealth His wife he did both honour and cause to be honoured and it was in such maner that he obtained and brought to passe with the Senate that shée shoulde be intituled Augusta Faustina and in her owne name to graue and stampe certeine money the whiche is séene at these dayes Antoninus was imbraced with so ardent affection of the Senate that without his request they erected the pictures and counterfeits of his father and mother his graundfathers and graundmothers his brothers and sisters notwithstanding they were all dead The Circene playes which were vsed euery fifth yeare the Senate did ordeine to celebrate euery yere on the daye of his natiuitie And after that he therefore had greatly gratified the Senate by greate request he obteyned the celebration of them to be perfourmed on the day of Adrians death The Senate to satisfie Antoninus consented that his wife Faustina shoulde be intituled Augusta and also in the coynes whiche they made vnto her honour there shoulde be ingrauen Augusta Faustina whiche excellencie was neuer graunted to anye Woman of Rome for that in giuing her the title of Augusta they gaue her authoritie to set her hande to the thinges of the common wealth CHAP. VI. ¶ Howe he helde all prouinces in peace not by armes but with letters AMongest al the Romaine Princes there was none that performed so great constancie in his affaires as Antoninus Pius which procéeded for that he was not rashe in his commaundements either variable in his determinations but that exactly he considered and examined what he did commaunde and after for no importunitie would reuoke the same Antoninus being resident in the prouince of Campania sending vnto the Senate to request a certeine matter which notwithstanding the difficultie thereof was graunted Gaius Rufus a Senatour saide vnto him Serene Prince I beséeche thée to giue mée to vnderstande by what reason it is brought to passe that in all thy enterprises thou doest neuer repent in all thy requestes thou art neuer denied either in al thy commaundements thou arte neuer disobeyed To whome Antoninus made aunswere If I repent mée not of any my déedes it is because I do them according to reason and if my requests are not denied of the Senate it is because I craue not but that which is iust and if in my commaundements I am not disobeyed it procéedeth that they are more profitable vnto the common welth then for mine owne person Most truely these were words right worthie of such a mā and to the memorie of Princes most chiefely to be commended It was an auncient custome amongst the Romaines to haue the time limitted for their residence in their offices that is to say the Dictatour sixe monethes the Consul one yere the Pretor two yeres the Censour three yeres the maister of the horssemen halfe a yeare and so of the rest Antoninus woulde not consent vnto this custome but in euery respect did alter the same in such wise that with some that shoulde haue continued but two or thrée yeares he helde them in office seuen or eight yeares and others that shoulde haue continued thrée yeares hee displaced them in thrée monethes affirminge that the good officer ought to be conserued all the dayes of his life but the euill not to be suffered one onely daye He sent Fuluius Tusculanus as Pretor into the prouince of Mauritania whome within half a yere he depriued of his office for that he was bothe impatient some what couetous and complaining of the iniurie saide and alledged that in times past he had béene friend vnto Antoninus which nowe was forgotten Whereunto Antoninus Pius did aunswer thou hast no reason thus vniustly to blame mée because the office was giuen thée by the Emperour and not by Antoninus and since thou diddest offende not as Fuluius but
art Lorde of my mother Rome by the one I am bounde as a faithfull vassall to followe and obeye thee and by the other thou art bound as vnto a good father to beleeue me and may it please the immortall gods that thou haue as ready an harte to beleeue my counsels as I haue redilie to obeye thy commaundements Many yeares I did folowe and serue thy father and also am fully persuaded that my seruice was gratefull vnto his harte and did not onely tenderly loue me but also frankely gaue and recompenced me for which reason vnto him and his house I will neuer become ingratefull and am determined one for one to counsell thee in that which thou oughtest to doe and afterwardes employ my life where in thou shalt cōmaund me In that which I shal now say if I haue not that reuerence that from a vassall is due vnto the Lorde at the leaste I shall haue that loue that a father doth owe vnto his sonne and if nowe thou shalt be displeased with my words and shalt take them to other ende then they be spoken the time shall come wherein thou shalt repente thee for not beleeuing the old Pompeyanus and that thou hast followed thine owne will and iudgment But comming to the purpose thou seest moste souereigne prince that all which be present neither do beholde or answer thee which may not proceede but that either they knowe not to speake or dare not answere or els they thinke thou wilte not beleeue them any of which is too muche hurtefull and daungerous because it is a faulte in a prince to demaunde counsell of him that knoweth not to giue it but it is muche woorsse when they dare not speake that whiche is meete to be saide but that whiche is woorste of all is when a prince knoweth not to take the benefite of good counsell If thou hadst in remembraunce what thy father commaunded it were superfluous at this present to aduaunce my selfe to giue thee counsell and I dread that as thou haste made no accompt of his commaundement in muche lesse estimation thou wilt holde my request but in the ende I will say my opinion and after wardes make choyce of what shall or may please thee My sonne call to remembrance whose sonne thou wert that is to say of my Lorde Marcus Aurelius for if thou doest consider that thou hadst to father so good a father thou art muche bounde being his sonne to proue a very good sonne Thou didest inherite of thy father his house his goodes his estate and his memorie all which doubtlesse is verie little if thou didst not inherite his noblenesse because for thy onely vertue thou art to be honoured obeyed as touching the rest as thou didst inherite in one day thou maist lose in one houre The glorie which thou receiuest to haue so good a father so neare and in companie with the Gods the same shoulde hee haue there to haue so good a sonne here amongst men for other wise as muche pleasure as thou takest of his glorie so much griefe shall he receiue of thy infamie Thou wilte my sonne leaue this warre whiche thy father hath begonne and wilt go to enioy the delights of Rome I sweare by the immortall Gods I may not immagine the vnworthinesse of him that put the same into thy heade because suche and so greate an enterprise as this ought not to be lefte vnfinished either if it were not begonne vnperfourmed Thou mayest not denie but that thy father was wise aduised patient valiante which being so in my iudgmente it shoulde be right iuste that thou shouldest aduenture thy goods where in he aduentured and also lost his life The affaires of Italie are in peace in Rome ther is no mutinous person in Asia Africa there is no common wealth out of quiet the cause therof procedeth of the great affectiō which they did beare vnto thy father and of the greate power that here they vnderstand his sonne doth possesse which if thou forsake lose therewithall so great reputation thou shalt leaue the Barbarians in peace and make warre against thy self If thou my sonne wilt obteine rest and a good life susteine and conserue that which thy father did winne and gette in time of his life and thou shalte finde that he conquered all wonne all recouered all and made all plaine and it is not vniustly saide that he had all for if he conquered walles with armour he wonne hartes with good woorkes and noble deedes My sonne what wilte thou seeke out of Panonia that thou mayest not find in Panonia if thou desire to see Rome I giue thee vnderstanding that true Rome is where the Emperour of Rome is resident because Rome is not holden for Rome for the stately walles where with it is compassed but for the heroicall men wher with it is gouerned If thou wilt haue riches behold here is the treasure and the collectors thereof If thou wilt haue men of counsell here is the whole sacred Senate If thou wilte haue men of noble mindes there are none in the worlde as those of thine armie If thou wilte haue lustie younge men of thine age here are the sonnes of all the noble Romaines If thou wilt fishe behold here the great riuer Danubic if thou wilt hunte and chace the wilde beaste here are sharpe mountaines if thou wilte haue faire women behold here women both of Rome and Germanie moste beautifull If this be true as it is most true wherefore my sonne wilt thou departe from Rome to go and seeke Rome If vpon the soudaine thou leaue this warre thou shalt staine thy fame with a greate blemish and also put thy common wealth in great daunger because the barbarous shal thinke that thy power is not sufficiēt to ouercome them and also that thou darest not attempt to assaile them Thy father lefte thee with greate power and greate reputation in the Empire and thou my sonne shouldest rather bend and fixe thine eyes to conserue thy reputation then thy potencie because thy power only profiteth against thine enimies but thy reputation profiteth to conquer enimies to conserue friends And thou oughtest not to conceiue or think that the power of the Romaine princes is so great that it lieth in their handes at their owne likinge to make warre or peace with the barbarous nations bycause there is nothing wherin fortune is lesse correspondent then Martial affaires The good princes ought to do muche trauell muche and also aduenture muche to avoyde warre and to obteine peace but after they are determined to attempt and prosecute the same they ought to respecte nothing more then the finishing thereof because many euiles are cutte off by a good warre which may not be finished or brought to passe with a suspicious or a doubtfull peace It is greate folly for any man to endaunger him selfe onely vppon the hope of a remedie but much more is it when a man hath allredie thruste him selfe into
attainement of the Romaine empire for the accomplishement whereof he throughly determined to kill his Lorde and maister Commodus placing his sonnes Pretors ouer all the armies to be readie at hande in time vppon the newes of the death of the Emperour Commodus Perennius also had drawne vnto his parcialitie certeine Senatoures and other the welthiest neighbours and citizens of Rome by giftes and rewardes in secret but in especiall by aggrauating the wicked life of Commodus On the fourth day of May the Romaines did celebrate the greate feast of Iupiter Capitoline whereunto not onely the whole people of Rome but also of all cities of Italie did concurre and when the Emperour on that day was resident in Rome alwayes in his owne person went to authorize and sée the feast The Emperour Commodus beholding the playes and pageants prouided for that triumph and Crispina his wife being placed on the one hande and Perennius the priuate and greately fauoured courtier set on the other hande they behelde a carte comming al couered with boughes crying continually for roome and audience And when they were come vnto the presence of the Emperour Cōmodus and all persons by his commaundement vsing silence the people thinking they would haue vttered some pageant or matter of disporte soudeinly there appeared a man aloft vppon the carte which had a long bearde a shéepeheardes hooke in one hande and a sling in the other and from the girdle vpwarde all naked his other garments very poore and after the manner of a Philosopher and directing his woordes vnto Commodus saide The Oration to Commodus O Commodus it well seemeth that thou arte a Prince and that verie young whiche arte in these playes and delightes so carelesse and negligent which thou oughtest not to doe because Princes of thy age estate and condition runne muche more in perill in their excessiue pleasures then in their meane trauailes Being as thou arte rigorous with thine owne and furious and vnbridled with straungers thou oughtest to consider and not to be vnmindfull that thou hast enimies for the Prince that is feared of manie hath iust cause also to feare manie The greatest riches and the best treasure in this world is trueth whereof Princes be moste poore of all people for that their eares being fild and led away with lyes may take no taste in matters of trueth Thou Commodus and other Princes do not euil gouerne your common wealthes of any prepenced malice to destroye the same but because ye giue not either delight your selues to heare the poore that be grieued and oppressed when they complaine neither the good godly and vertuous when they giue aduisement of the greate and horrible vices of briberie extortion and violent robberies committed by officers by the priuate and fauoured by the mightie and men of power Great is the fault of Princes for the vices which they committ but much greater is their offence in dissembling the offences of their fauoured seruaunts because ye offend not but onely the Gods but they both offende the Gods vexe and trouble men are traitours to your own persons Although Commodus thou be licentious dissolute wilfull also not very honest it is impossible but if the hurtes and mischiefes scandals and robberies committed by thy officers fauoured seruants were notified giuen thee to vnderstand thou wouldest commaund them to be amēded also to be remedied for in the ende there is no Prince so euill that desireth not his common wealth to flourish At these dayes trueth in Princes houses is so odious that who so aduentureth but to make reporte therof of death he must haue determination and if any such do escape with life it proceedeth of some conceite to be spoken of madnesse That which at this present I will say discouer I protest vnto the immortal Gods it proceedeth not of madnesse for that my natural iudgement is confirmed with reason either do I say it of malice to be reuenged of any person but onely Oh Commodus to deliuer thy life of great peril and to franchise Rome from seruitude of a tyrant for that which I presume to saye and aduenture to discouer I am assured before my tale be ended my life shal be taken away But O Commodus I giue thee to vnderstande that if thou wilt not giue faith vnto my woordes the time will come when thou shalt vnderstand the trueth of all that I haue saide when thy mischiefe may haue no remedie Thou Commodus art there set placed with the Empresse Crispina on thy right hand on thy left hand thy priuate fauoured Perennius but hadst thou certeine intelligēce what he hath ordeined against thee with thine owne hands thou wouldest burie him quick Perennius hath not been satisfied to put to death all good men to be reuenged of his enimies to haue destroyed all thy seruants to haue robbed all thy treasures but that nowe he practiseth to take away thine owne life to aduaunce and exalt him selfe to the whole power of this citie and common wealth O Commodus if thou knowe not I giue thee to vnderstand that the sonnes of Perennius by fraud haue incēsed thy armies of Illyria agaīst the. Perēnius him selfe ceaseth not to corrupt the Senate and secretly seketh to winne the mindes of men giuing giftes and large rewardes vnto the people and all to the ende that vpon the first newes of thy death without contradictiō he may possesse the whole estate of the Romane Empire And think not that Perennius doth now be gin to attēpt this treason for that of great certeintie I do assure thee that many dayes past he hath put the same in practise is vpon the point at this instant to haue it to be executed in so much that if on this day I had not aduentured to giue thee warning be thou assured that on this present day before this feast had bene finished thy life had here bene ended Vntil that poore man had saide that on that day Commodus death was prepared not onely the people gaue eare but also Perennius whoe presently rose out of his chayre with greate furie commaunding the swoord players to kill that presumptuous and rashe dizarde who was presently slaine drawne cut in péeces and burnt Perennius of all men so deadly hated by this poore mannes tale sunke into suspicion of the people and also Commodus conceiued against him some scruple but that Philosopher béeing there slaine and Perennius in so greate power although they had all suspicion of his treason yet no man there durst speake a worde The matter remaining certeine dayes more suspicious then cleare there came gentlemen from Illyria and brought certein péeces of golde wherein bothe the name also the Image of Perennius was ingrauen whiche money Perennius commaunded his sonnes in greate secrecie to be made The coyners thereof being aduertised what the Philosopher had saide and being in greate doubt in processe of time to be discouered came vnto Commodus and
his defence in such wise that although they wer of great disorder in their life yet they vsed great conformitie in agréement for the manner and fashion of their robberies One of the thinges wherein the malice of man moste readily doeth shewe it selfe is that to doe euill wee are soone agreed but to perfourme a good woorke wee consent with greate difficultie Commodus was well persuaded that the tyraunt Maternus was nowe deade imagining in his owne conceit that at the forsaking of his campe and renouncing of his armie of extreme desperation and horrour of him selfe he had desperately drowned or committed him selfe to the halter But Maternus in recompence of the losse of his potencie and negligence of his honour bent all his studie to deliuer Commodus from his life The Romaines helde a custome vppon the tenth day of Marche to celebrate the feast of the Goddesse Berecyntha on that day the Emperour and the Senate went vnto her temple to offer sacrifices which done and perfourmed generally all persons for the most part disguised them selues masking and feasting throughout the whole citie in suche manner their faces being couered the one was vnknowne vnto the other Maternus and other his fellowe théeues and friendes had agréed to weare secrete armour with face disguised that when the Emperour Commodus should most chiefly be addicted to viewe and beholde the playes and his guarde most carelesse of his person by a coūterfet braule amongst them selues to finde ready meane to cut off his life But notwithstanding Maternus had lost his welth power and honour he ceased not to continue proude hautie and disdainefull seeking to be serued and reuerenced not as a friende and poore companion but after the manner of a Prince and as one that were very rich Wherevpon certaine of his companions being not onely wéeryed but tyred to walke lurkingly in corners and not able to indure to be handled with so great seruitude and further fearing some day to be discouered they repayred vnto Commodus and with great secrecie manifesting the whole matter which is to wit that Maternus the tyrant was a liue and fully determined in those playes and feastes to kill him Incredible was the feare wherewith Commodus was touched when he hearde that Maternus the tyrant was aliue and no lesse was his ioy to consider the conspiracie to be detected and notwithstanding Commodus had intelligence thereof certaine dayes before the feast hée suspended the execution thereof vntill the day of the Goddesse Berecyntha to the end that nothing should be reuealed vnto Maternus of that which was discouered vnto Commodus The maner that Maternus deuised to murder Commodus the same did Commodus vse to take and kill Maternus that is to say the great day of the feast being come as Maternus and his band came masked and armed so Commodus brought forth his men armed and disguised and with a set quarell the traitour and tyraunt Maternus was slaine and his men cutt all to péeces The greatest feast of that feast was celebrate in strāgling hewing mangling drawing burning of the bodies of these miserable théeues because it is an euident lawe for tyrants that the hurtes robberies slaughters violences and burninges which they haue committed in many dayes they come to make repayment thereof in one houre CHAP. X. ¶ Of the inexpected death of Cleander a fauoured and most priuate seruant vnto Commodus AFter the death of the tyrant Maternus the Emperour Commodus passed his life in great doubt and feare imagining with himselfe that some day they would dispatch him either eating or sléeping for he did both knowe and also would say that they were fewe which prayed for his life but very many that sighed for his death Vntill Commodus died hée euer walked warely for hée doubled his guard to guard him by day and strongly shutt in his house by nighte in that which hée did eate in his lodging where he slept on the palfrey wheron he roade on the garments which hée did weare hée set great watche in such wise that hée paid it but only with his life that durst touch his garment Very séeldome he went to the Senate and much lesse did ride openly in the citie hée had not talke with strangers but by writing with his subiects he had no conference but by a person intermitted and that which was more maruell hée had many times such conceite not onely to refuse to write aunsweare heare causes or dispatch affayres but also in foure or fiue dayes would not speake onely one word In the xi yeare of his Empyre Maternus the tyraunt was slaine on the next yeare there followed a great pestilence and a generall hunger in which hunger and pestilence the third part of Italie was consumed Immediatly after the pestilence had entred Rome Commodus departed vnto the citie of Laurento where were planted many Laurel trées for which cause the citie was named Laurento where also the Emperour more remayned then in any other place the Physicians giuing him to vnderstand that to be vnder the shadowe therof was very proper and conuenient for defence of the pestilence Notwithstanding the scarsitie of bread and wine that was that yeare further a certaine occasion of great hūger happened in Rome which was as followeth When the good Marcus Aurelius triumphed ouer the Argonautes he brought amongest other captiues a younge man named Cleander who was openly solde in the market place in Rome and by chaunce bought by a clarke of the kitchin to swéepe make cleane the larder at courte This slaue Cleander became so handsome in swéeping seruing and pleasing his maister that not many yeares after he did not onely make him frée and marrie him with his daughter but also did aduance him to the office of Clarke of the kitchin in such maner that from the estate of a bondman hée indued him with the condition of a sonne Nowe when Clēander sawe himselfe frée married and in office in the Court he trauelled to obteine the good will of the Emperour Marcus Aurelius which he obteyned by carefulnesse in seruice and diligence in his office and vsed therin so great diligence and promptnesse that he was neuer noted either slacke in prouision or false in reckoning Marcus Aurelius being deade Commodus forgate not to remoue Cleander from the affayres of the kitchin and made him capitaine of his guard and Lord great Chamberlaine of his chamber Vnto none of as many as did serue accompany Commodus in his youth that hée was gratefull but vnto Cleander vnto whom it had bin much better neuer to haue risen to so great honour for thereof onely procéeded the losse of his life Althoughe the fauour of Cleander did rise in iest or of small causes he framed in fewe dayes to performe the same in earnest which was as followeth that as Commodus grew into disgrace was abhorred and had no care of the gouernement of the Empire Cleander did presse and in such maner did thronge to entermedle with affayres
banished and prouided also Galba Rufus for his Chamberlaine whom after foure houres he discharged of his office and sent him in exile and when Niger Rufus complained of their griefes Commodus aunsweared hée did not banishe them for that which they had done but for that which they might doe He created Prefect Marcus Dulius a man most certaine right generous and auncient whome after thrée dayes hée remoued from his office and comaunded him vntill his death in his house to be prisoner the occasion whereof was for that as hée affirmed Marcus was very old and spente and therefore it were no reason he should be troubled of any person and also that if any man should request any thing hée mighte aunsweare him that hée was a prisoner and might not go out of his doores to doe him pleasure He gaue the Senate to vnderstand that hée would go into Africa and had necessitie for his nauie by sea his army by land of a great summe of monie although the Senate did suspect it but a collusion they durst not but open the treasurie and diuide with him the treasure for otherwise he would both make hauoche of their liues and treasure In April the Senate gaue foorth their monie and when Commodus was in possession thereof he bruted his departing vnto Campania to take men of warre where hée remayned ail that Summer and also parte of the next winter eating drinking fishing hunting playing wrastling running leaping dauncing swimming and such other vanities All the Senate was much ashamed and all the Romanes not a litle touched after they vnderstood the monie which was giuen out for the warres of Africa to be so vitiously consumed by Commodus in Campania After his returne to Rome Commodus was aduertised that Motilenus Prefect for that yeare had murmured more at him then any other person and for very griefe and despight did wéepe to sée their monie prouided for the warres spent in so wicked vses Commodus confected certaine figgs and inuited Motilenus to dinner who being fed with figs died the third day following One day he clad himself as a priest right pontifically and placed himselfe aloft on a choche of 4. furious horses the Romanes supposing he would offer sacrifices at the temple he mounted certeine rockie cliftes mountaines and there against all reason ran his charriot where his horses happened to be all to torne his chariot rent all to péeces and hée brake his head and wrenched his foote finally he made a narrow misse in repayment of his follie that day to haue lost his life On a day he went to the Senate and said that hee would not haue Rome named Rome but Cōmodiana and the Senate aunswered they were both pleased to call Rome Cōmodiana and the Senate Cōmodiano That which the Senators supposed to be demaunded in iest also consenting in iest Commodus did accept in earnest from thenceforth the letters which were written the prouisions which were made the seals therto ioyned in al such instruments Rome was intituled Cōmodiana the Senate Cōmodiano and if by negligēce any man happened to be obliuious therof to vse the name of Rome presently he was banished from thence to séeke Rome for that was not but Cōmodiana The priests of the Goddesse Isis were commanded to come into his presence and said vnto them that shée had reuealed vnto him that their heads should be shauen and that hée was commaunded as high priest to performe the same and with a blunte knife hée cutt their nailes and blunting his knife vppon stones would drie shaue their heades in such wyse that as their haire was drie and his knife blunt it might more truely be said that hée did rather fley them then trimme or dresse them Such as garded the temple of the Goddesse Bellona hée caused their right armes to be thrust out of ioynte alledging that since they painted the Goddesse with a broken arme her priestes ought not to haue their armes whole and sound The Romanes painted their Goddesse Isis with naked brestes and Commodus on a day visiting that temple and beholding the image of Isis painted with brestes discouered hée caused the brestes of the priests to be scrat with combs of yron in his presence affirming that it were vniuste for their Goddesse to haue naked brestes and they to hold their entrailes hidden Commodus commaunded all men to call him Hercules which to the end hée would resemble hée made a coate of Lions skinnes and tooke in hand an huge clubb wherwith hée wente day and night killing men breaking doores and ouerthrowing pillers with such other vanities in so much that a fierce cruell Lion would not haue done so great hurtes as Commodus committed as a Lion but counterfect With many other vaine and wicked déedes vnworthie to be written CHAP. XIII ¶ A discourse of the prouinces that rebelled in his reigne and the prodigies of his death THere rebelled against the Romane Empire in the reigne of Commodus the Mauritanes the Datians the Sarmatians and the Germaines all which were onely come by the Romane capiteines for that Commodus did rather imploy his valiauntnesse in vices then in resisting enimies Hée was not onely in his woordes and workes vaine and friuolous but also in his letters which hée wrote for the Empire for that many times being aduertised frō countries and prouinces of causes of great importance he would answeare them with matters of vanitie and sometimes would sende an whole shéete of paper sealed and firmed conteyning onely one Latine woord that is to say Vale. Notwithstanding the dayes of his reigne were the most vnfortunate dayes yet would hee néedes commaund them to be termed the golden world Most heynous offences hée would pardon for monie if any person being absent were condemned to die hée would finde out some other of his age and name to be executed for his offence affirming that since he did resemble him in age and name hée should not varie in the maner of his death in such wise that this tyrant did kill innocents for the wicked and let offenders escape for monie If any man had an enimie of whom he would take vengeaunce hée néeded no other meane to performe the same but to bargaine with Commodus for a summe of monie which being agréed he neuer wanted occasion to rid him of his life At all the vile and filthie déeds which Commodus committed he was not gréeued but delighted in the publication thereof in so much that he was not onely euil but also boasted himselfe to be euill for that he entred so great follie or madnes that all thinges which hée either did or said whether allowed or misliked of himselfe or all other men expressely hee commaunded them to be written in the registre Capitoline On a certeine time he determined to burne the whole citie of Rome and being prest to giue fire to many parts Letus a Consul came vnto him and said vnto him so many things and put him
woulde haue made reporte thereof vnto his father terrour and trembling woulde not suffer him to speake At the instant that Pertinax vnderstood how Letus and Electus were come with armed men he leapt from his bedde and commaunded his gates with greate spede to be opened which procéeded of a noble and a valiaunt minde for that he helde it for most certaine that for as much as they were both so priuate with Commodus who did beare him so mortall hatred and comming vnto his house at suche an houre might be to no other end then to take away his life And all the time whilest these matters did passe betwixt the one and the other parte Pertinax was neither troubled or altered but after the maner of a man determined to die saide vnto Letus and Electus these woordes I do well vnderstande that the Emperour Commodus my Lord hath sente to kill me whereof I doe not meruel but wonder it is that so long he suffered me to liue because of all the olde seruants that were bred with his father Marcus Aurelius I onelie am aliue a small remnant of all the reste whiche hee hath slaine I may not with reason complaine me the Commodus in my quietnesse and securitie doth send to put me to death since certaine dayes past I haue attēded this last day houre for that abhorring as I did abhorre his wicked life I was moste sure hee woulde procure my death It grieueth me not to die but for that I die before I see my countrie deliuered from the handes of so cruell a tyrant for I sweare vnto you by the immortall Godds that I neuer wished anie thinge rather vnto my selfe either my posteritie then that it might please them before they woulde take away my life I might beholde my mother Rome set at libertie I haue been a right perfect and sincere Romaine and zealous for the common wealth of my countrie and doe hope in the immortall Godds that I shall obteine that in their presence whiche they haue denyed mee in their absence before whome his malice and mine innocencie shal be examined You Letus and Electus seruauntes friendes and fauoured with Commodus doe that whiche he hath commaunded you and dispatche mee out of this tedious and miserable worlde for in the ende to dye with the swoorde or to dye with an ague all is but death Letus and Electus were astonnied to beholde the constancie that Pertinax had and to consider the excellent woordes whiche he saide whereunto they made aunswere Oh howe secrete are the iudgementes of God and howe variable are the thoughtes of menne This wee saye vnto thee Pertinax because thou thinkest that wee are come to take awaye thy life and wee are not come but to the ende thou shouldest giue vs life and take wretched Rome vnder thy defence Wee may not speake or aduertise thee at large for want of time the breake of day being at hande but the case is thus that the tyrante Commodus is deade the cause thereof proceeded for that he had determined as was founde in memoriall written with his owne handes this day to haue slaine vs all and as by a certaine manner neuer harde of the matter was discouered we determined to preserue our own liues and giue an ende to his tyrannies In this deed which we haue done we neither thinke to haue offended the Gods or committed treason for that the life of this tyrant was odious vnto the Gods and daungerous vnto men It was nowe high time that some man shoulde giue an ende vnto his life that had taken away the life of so many good men We as we were in his fauour had perfect intelligēce whom he helde for friends or enimies and also we knowe right certeinely that if thou Pertinax be now aliue it is not that he so wished it or that he procured not to kil thee but the Gods gaue him no place but haue reserued thee to the ende thou shouldest deliuer Rome and restore the common wealth No man knoweth vnto this houre that Cōmodus is dead but Martia and we that haue slaine him and as we haue laide our handes vpon him to finishe his dayes so haue we fixed our eyes vpon thee to make thee Emperour And beleeue vs Pertinax that if we coulde haue made choice of any better then thy selfe we woulde haue chosen better because they are so many and so greate euills which haue beene committed by this tyrant that they may not be amended or repayred but by the hands of some most vertuous prince That which hath moued vs to elect and giue thee this Empire is because thou art auncient wise valiaunt vertuous riche and of great experience aboue all the rest loued desired of all the people for that Prince whiche is not acceptable vnto his people he shal of many be disobeyed of many much lesse duely esteemed These woordes being noted of Pertinax determinatly did thincke them to be spoken fainedly and with collusion and thereto aunsweared Oh Letus and thou Electus you ought to be satisfied simply to accomplish the vniust commaundement of Commodus without derision of these my poore auncient yeres that is to say first gilefully to flatter me and afterwards to kill mée As I haue said performe that which ye haue to doe which the sooner ye shall accomplish the greater ioy shal ye yéeld vnto Commodus and deliuer me of griefe I well know that Commodus now sléepeth not but carefully abideth your returne for at this present he attēdeth no better newes then the report that ye haue giuen an end vnto my wretched life Letus and Electus considering that Pertinax continued doubtful and suspicious began to say and replie there is so small time for so great affaires as wée haue to do that there resteth no time to contend vpon our ambassage and thy suspicion and because thou shalt sée the truthe of that which we haue said and not as thou supposest take and reade this memoriall written with Commodus his owne hand and there shalt thou sée how great reason wée had to kill him this night since to morrow he ment to haue slaine vs all Pertinax receiuing the memorial into his hands and knowing it to be Commodus writing found himselfe placed in the fourth degrée which is to witt that on the morrowe Commodus would haue killed Martia Letus Electus and Pertinax so by degrées many other Senators Consuls of Rome Pertinax hauing read the memoriall stayed as one astonied againe demaunding if Commodus were dead in déede they aduouched no lesse and thoroughly affirmed the same whereuppon hee beganne most pitiously to wéepe saying that he wept not for the death of Commodus but because the memorie of the good Marcus Aurelius in him was finished And lifting his eyes vp to heauen said Oh vnfortunate Marcus Aurelius Oh vnfortunate Marcus Aurelius Oh infortunate Marcus Aurelius thrée times exclaming him to be vnfortunate and vnhappie because thou wast vnfortunate in thy wife whiche thou
giue vnto the multitude to murmur He many times came foorth vnto the fielde of Mars and there he caused the whole armie to exercise feates of war rewarding such as were industrious and reprehendinge such as were dull and hartelesse There were many Romaines and others in the confines of Italie whiche did owe great summes of money not onely vnto the fiscall but also vnto the treasurie among whome some in times past had béene his friendes and others that were in great necessitie he cōmaunded both the one the other to bee deliuered of the fiscall since it was due vnto him selfe and made payement of their whole debt that was due vnto the treasurie Amongest other vertues the Emperour Pertinax of twaine was muche noted and praised whiche is to wéete of clemencie and gratefulnesse for that he was pitifull vnto the afflicted and thankfull vnto his friendes Pertinax had a sonne whome after he was Emperour he would not permit to come to the court either as much as vnto Rome but that he helde him in his countrey following his owne affaires and the profite of his owne house whereuppon the Consul Fuluius Turbone saide vnto Pertinax that he séemed rather the sonne of a labourer then of an Emperour he lift vp his eyes to heauen and with a greate sigh saide My mother Rome hath cause to be contented that I offer and put my life in perill for her cause without venturing my sonne and house in like daunger Most surely the saying was lamentable and the more it is considered the more profounde it is whereby it appeareth that he helde him self for moste vnfortunate to be established in the Empire and that he left his sonne in greatest felicitie to be depriued of the Empire Although Pertinax were olde and graue and was placed in the height of the Empire he alwayes vsed greate vrbanitie towardes all men in suche wise that no man did him reuerence vnto whome he did not vtter some courtesie according to the qualitie of the person Fiftie seruauntes in Rome in one night and in one houre slewe their maisters for whome the Emperour caused so diligent searche that onely fiue escaped and the paine that he commaunded they should suffer was to carrie the dead bodies bounde fast backe to backe in suche wise that the stenche of the dead did finishe the wretched life of the liuing In the schoole where Pertinax studied a certeine Romaine named Valerius was there also a student and being alwayes in companie and of age not much vnlike and continuing in greate friendship did many times eate with Pertinax which during their repast were neuer hearde to talke but of science knighthood repayring of Rome or else the reformation of the common wealth It did well appeare in Pertinax that he tooke the Empire against his will for truely neither in his dyet either in his apparell either in his gesture or spéeche either in any other thing did he behaue him selfe as an Emperour in suche wise that he presumed not to represent what he was but what he had béene He saide manie times that in this worlde he neuer made the like faulte as when he accepted the Empire and many times made motion to leaue the same and to returne vnto his house but that he did recomfort him selfe with this saying that for as muche as he was of so greate age he might not liue longe but be deliuered of his tedious life CHAP. VIII ¶ Of certeine vices wherewith he was infected and of the prodigies of his death AS the Emperour Pertinax was olde so was he charged with the infirmities of olde age that is to saye with auarice because in gathering and kéeping of money he was verie diligent and in giuing or spending verie dull and vnwilling Also he was noted to be a man verie flexible in his affaires that is to saye he was not stiffe either greatly did vse therein any contradiction but that which one did counsell him another might easily persuade the contrarye the cause whereof was his good naturall inclination whiche coulde not without griefe beholde any man that was in sorrowe Also Pertinax was noted that he neuer denied any thing that was demaunded although many his promises were neuer perfourmed for at moste times he promised to giue that which was impossible to be accomplished And because the maiestie and greatenesse of Princes doth consist to haue and possesse whereof to giue they ought much to be aduertised in consideration what is craued of them and what they promise for hauing to do as they haue with so manie and to furnishe so infinite necessities they ought if their subiectes be vnshamefast in crauing to be graue in promising Ioyntly with this Princes ought to be aduertised that where they haue once gaged their royall worde all things set aparte they ought to perfourme the same Pertinax was twise married his seconde marriage was with the daughter of Vulpitianus whome he made prefecte when he was made Emperour As concerning the vnchastitie of his wife also Pertinax was noted whiche is to wéete of negligence in gouerning and remisse in reprehending her for that truely shée was both young and faire absolute and dissolute and reported in Rome to be more enamoured with a young Musician then with Pertinax her olde husbande Also Pertinax was much noted to haue vsed vnlawfull loue with Cornificia his néere kinswoman whome he had nourished from her childhood for shée was committed by her father vnto his protection this matter was no lesse scandalous then foule and no lesse foule then scandalous for that suche like and so great euill was not conuenient to a man of so greate age either permissible in a Prince of so great grauitie Some prodigious and straunge signes appeared before his death especially on a time offering certeine sacrafices vnto the Goddes Penates that when the coales were moste kindled and on fire soudeinly they were séene all dead and quenched whiche did signifie that in the greatest certeintie of his life soudeinly death should assaile him Not sixe dayes before he was slaine as in the temple of Iupiter he was offering great sacrifices with his own handes he offered a Pecocke wherein he found no hearte when it was opened and soudeinely the head vanished when the throate was cutt Eight dayes before he was slaine a Starre ioyned with the Sunne and did shine at noone dayes as if it had béene midnight Thrée dayes before he was slaine Pertinax dreamed that he fell into a fishepond and that there was a man with an huge knife to kill him and woulde haue fled and could not Iulianus whiche after succéeded Pertinax in the Empire hauing a Nephewe newe married vnto his Néece and hauing repaired vnto Pertinax to visite him Pertinax saide vnto the young married man be good and I shall holde and esteeme thee as my sonne serue thy vncle Iulianus as a father because he is my fellowe in office and successour They had béene ioyntly Consuls and afterwardes Iulianus in the
Pertinax died the fifte daye of April Falconius Clarus being Consuls his head was throwne of his enimies into Tiber his bodie burieed by his friends and kinsfolkes in the sepulchre of his father in lawe at that present without anie funerall pomp because they slewe all persons that vttered sorrowe or griefe for his death The life of the Emperour Iulianus that bought the Empire compiled by syr Anthonie of Gueuara Bishop of Mondonnedo preacher chronicler counseller vnto the Emperour Charles the fifte CHAP. I. Of the life linage and countrie of the Emperour Iulianus THe Emperour Didiê° Iulianê° had to his great graundfather a Romaine named Salianus who was a learned lawyer twise Consul Pretour of the citie and died in the secoÌ„d yeare of the reigne and Empire of Nero and they say he died of pure sorrowe to sée the common wealth in the handes of so furious a tyrant as Nero. His graundfather was named Salbius Iulianus who gaue him selfe more to armes then to letters and went vnto the warres of Datia with Traiane and was captaine of the seconde Legion and longe time diuider of the victualls and in the ende dyed in his office that is to say in the warres against kinge Dacus His father was named Didius Petronius who neither gaue him selfe to science either folowed the warrs as his predecessours but was residente and liued alwayes in Rome folowing his affaires and holdinge offices in the common wealth hee was an assured friende vnto Antoninus Pius and dyed in the Empire of the good Marcus Aurelius His mother was named Clara Emilia a generous and noble Romaine a greate friende and kinswoman of Domitia Lucilla that was mother vnto Marcus Aurelius so did she intreate and fauour him as a sonne and he did obey her as a mother The first office that Didius Iulianus did beare in the common wealth was Decemviriato which is to wéete to be one of the x. visitours of the people and though he wanted age to vse it yet he wanted not fauour to obteine it because Domitia mother vnto Marcus Aurelius did craue this office for him in the Senate He was also Questor two yeares together which office he helde against the Romane lawes for that he was vnder the age of xxx yeares but as hee obtained the office of Decemviriato by the sute of the mother so did they graunte the other by the fauour of the sonne which is to wéete Marcus Aurelius And after that Didius Iulianus was past the age of thirtie yeares he neuer wanted offices in the common wealth for vntill that age the Romanes had rather that yongemen shoulde occupie them selues in learning then in commaunding and gouernement Iulianus was Edil Pretor and Censor diuerse times diuers yeares and at times muche distant but the office wherein he continued longest time was Romane Pretor because he had learning to gouerne and iustice to execute He was naturallie giuen to the warres and with this motion he went one time into Germanie where hee neither obtained fame either augmented his goods for that certeinely he was more handsome in gouernemente then hardie in fight He gouerned by the space of three yeares the prouince of Belgica whiche nowe is named Swetia in which gouernement he behaued him selfe so venturouslie that he obteined what he had lost in the warre which is to say much reputation in the common wealth and greate goodes for his house In the seconde yeare of the Empire of Marcus Aurelius the inhabitantes neere vnto the riuer Albo whiche is in the kingdome of Bohemia rebelled vnto which commotion Didius Iulianus repayred and as hee was humble of speache skilful and aduised in his affaires so in short space he reduced them vnto the seruice of the Romaine Empire When the Senate had intelligence what Iulianus had done in Bohemia the Emperoure thoughte him selfe therein verie well serued and the Senate no lesse contented chieflie for that so exactlie hee had perfourmed the same without requeste or commaundemente and in recompence of this so singular a seruice they sent him the Consulshippe without his requeste or anie other to solicite the same When the newes of Consulshipe came vnto Iulianus they saye that he saide I sweare by the immortall Godes that I neither solicited the Consulship either thought to haue obteined the same but here in it clearelie appeareth that the good dothe more solicite with his good woorkes then the euill with his manie guiles After he had accomplished the yeare of Consulshipe hee was sent vnto the lower Germanie as Pretor which countrie is nowe called Flanders where he remained two years froÌ„ theÌ„ce returned to Rome where he had charge of victuals which office amongst the Romaines was more profitable then honourable The Emperour Marcus Aurelius being deade his sonne Commodus reigning in the Empire Iulianus was accused for a traitour for that he and Siluius his cousen had conspired to haue slaine Commodus his accuser was a noble gentleman of Rome named Seuerus but for that he might not proue his accusation they cut off his heade and set Iulianus at libertie At one time Iulianus was in fauour with Commodus an other time in disgrace but after that he was accused of conspiracie he did allwayes beare him mortall hatred and when he vnderstoode this in Commodus both in worde and deede moste times he kéept his house and excused him selfe from the offices of the common wealth Iulianus was a lawyer and in letters moste learned of whome it is said that fewe did surpasse him in science and none was equall vnto him in eloquence for hee did neuer pleade anie cause in the Senate but he obteined the victorie He was prompt in speache sharpe in propounding and graue in determination of stature somewhat lowe of sanguine complexion and in his youth beganne to be horeheaded of whome in this case it may be saide that hee was a monster in nature for that he had neuer a white haire in his bearde either anie blacke haire in his heade His wife was named Malia Escantilia and had but one daughter named Didia Clara. In this also as in the other nature woulde be extreme because the mother was the moste foule woman that had bene seene in Rome and the daughter was the fairest dame that euer was séene in Italie As Iulianus had gouerned manie countries had the charge of victuales was chiefest aduocate in lawe in al Rome so he obteined the possession of manie iuells and the hoording vp of greate summes of money for whiche cause all the principall Romaines sought to be his sonnes in lawe partelie to marrie with the daughter that was so faire as also to inherite the goods that were so greate Iulianus was slender drie and towards his later dayes he was growne to be cholerik adust he neuer drank wine and therefore did eate muche and yet notwithstanding he was so curious and so costlie in his manner to drinke water that with lesse cost he might haue druncke wine Beinge nowe growne
the recouering of a gate and to fortifie a certeine place in the ende Pessenius lost the citie and Seuerus obteined the victorie Pessenius greatly complained and so was it bruted amongst the people which is to wéete that the capteine Emilianus had secrete practise with Seuerus for considering the stately walles wherewith the citie Cizica was compassed and the valiant people wherewith it was defended al men iudged it impossible to take it and follie to besiege it The cause that moued the capteine Emilianus to do this vnworthie déede was that his sonnes who were left at Rome Seuerus brought with him into that warre vnder great garde and it is to be thought that to giue libertie vnto his sonnes which he had ingendred he made a breache of his fidelitie and othe which he had sworne The Emperour Commodus as he was suspicious of them with whome he had to deale and so euil wished of all such as did serue him so it was his fashion for the most parte when he sent any noble Roman to gouerne any prouince presently to place their sonnes in a fort and this he did to the end their fathers should not be traitours respectinge their children that were kept vnder ward From the time that Commodus reigned in Rome Emilianus gouerned the prouinces in Asia by which cause Seuerus recouered the children Pessenius lost the father The fame being diuulgate throughout all Asia that the citie Cizica was sacked that Seuerus kept the field with victorie all Pessenius knightes that scaped from thence all other their companions that heard therof gaue them selues to flight to séeke places of fortificatioÌ„ wherein to hide their persoÌ„s Seuerus not onely recouered honour profite of this victorie but also planted both feare discorde almoste throughout all Grecia for some rebelled against Pessenius and others did obey Seuerus Although the people of Grecia haue ablenesse to learne science they are no lesse mutable in martial affaires for in warres which they prosequute they follow not the Prince that hath most iustice but him that most is fauoured of Fortune The citizens of Bithynia sent Ambassadours vnto Seuerus saying that they their children were at his commaundement and on the other side the people of Nicena gaue Pessenius to vnderstand that if he sent his armie thither they woulde not only receiue them but also mainteine them which offers they preseÌ„ted not vnto these two Roman princes for loue or friendship that they did beare them but for the auncient enimitie which they had betwixt them selues Seuerus with his armie entring Bithynia and Pessenius into Nicena from thence as from two fortes they did issue to fight in the end betwixt the two armies vpon a certeine day they trauersed so fierce a skirmishe that in bloud slaughter it was no lesse then a battel where the field remained vnto Seuerus Pessenius bands were put to flight Pesseniê° neither for the losse of the citie Cizica neither for that he was beaten out of the field at Bithynia did shewe either feare or weakenesse but diuiding his armie that remained in two partes he sent the one to mount Taurus to defend that passage from Seuerus the other parte he ledde with him selfe vnto Antioche partely to take money out of his treasurie partly to renue as also relieue his armie Seuerus marched with his armie froÌ„ Bithynia vnto Galatia from Galatia vnto Cappadocia which stoode in defence on the behalf of Pessenius where Seuerus souldiours with great furie did assault the same in which iourney the Seuerians receiued no small losse because the citie was situate vpoÌ„ the side of an hill froÌ„ whence to execute slaughter amongest their enimies they néeded no other defence but to whirle stones The affaires standing in this estate there chaunced two cities of Phoenicia to reuolt from Pessenius and to yelde them selues vnto Seuerus that is to saye Laodycia and Tyrus of which newes Pessenius tooke greate griefe and no small hatred which passions conceiued against those cities he not onely vttered in the foule wordes which he sent to be saide vnto them but also in the cruel acts which he commaunded to be done vnto them Pessenius had in his armie fiftéene thousand archers which were called Mauri people that naturally of their owne inclination were giuen to bloud and without al feare of death these Pessenius commaunded to go vnto Laodycia and Tyrus vtterly to burne and consume both citie and people with a warning confirmed by an othe that if they tooke any prisoners to giue any man life the person that vsed that pitie should be slaine These fiftéene thousand archers named Mauri departed vnto Laodycia and Tyrus and manie other that ioyned with them as they tooke them at the soudeine being vnprouided and hauing no time to demaund succour of Seuerus so cruell and inhumane was that barbarous people to those so generous and noble cities that they left not vpon the walles one stone vpon an other either house that they subuerted not either the hed of man woman or childe that they did not cutt off When these matters passed in Assyria the knightes of Seuerus were in Cappadocia traueiling greatly to possesse the mount Taurus but as it was naturally of great height and rockie Pessenius possessing all the passages so they might not by any meane assaile them or conceiue hope of any profitable or honourable attempt Vpon the top of this mount Taurus Pessenius his people had brought an huge number of great stones and rockes to throwe down vpon Seuerus souldiours if they should attempt to climbe the hill but as on the side of the mounteine there grewe many trées both high and great which Seuerus souldiers cut downe in great heapes multitudes to stay the stones before they tumbled vpon men that might be throwne In hauing redy captaines to fight and skilfull to defende none of the armies had cause to complaine either of their enimies to haue enuie except that Pessenius was more vertuous and Seuerus more venturous CHAP. VIII Of a cruell and furious battell betwixt Pessenius and Seuerus wherein Pessenius was slaine IN certaine broken worne and hollowe places as in suche groundes the waters do vse to make Pessenius souldiers had fortified with stones boughes whiche serued them to blinde and stoppe the waye for passage as also from thence both to defende and offend their enimies Neither for trauell to climbe the hill either for feare of death did Seuerus his captaines ceasse any houre to attempt the recouering of the mounte but the wayeâ— and passages were so narrowe and the mountaines so rockie maccessible that tenne defended an hundred an hundred a thousand a thousand tenne thousand The case was thus that the Seuerian armies more daunted with despaire theÌ„ aduaunced with hope soudenly on a night there fel vpon Pessenius souldiours retired from theire rampiers and fortified rockes and that whiche was worse many
which they had gathered togeather Seuerus slewe some with some reason others vpon smal occasion but all these which followe he killed without all reason or occasion that is to say Munius Sellius Claudius Bitalius Papianius Elius Iulius Lolius Aurelius Antoninus Posthumius Sergius Fabius Nenius Amussius Casperius Seyonius Sulpitianus Coceyus Eructus Assilonius Claudius Honoratus Petronius Pessenius Cestus Aurelianus Materius Iulianus Albinius Cerelius Faustinianus Herenius Valerius Nobius Arabianus Marcus Fabatus These men were glorious both of bloud also for noble déedes riches for they were either Consuls Censors Pretors Senatours Ediles Tribunes or capteines whose goods he imployed not vnto the publique treasurie but did incorporate vnto his patrimonie for him selfe to inioy the dayes of his own life to leaue vnto his children after his death Seuerus defamed Cincius an auncient Consul affirming that he had procured poyson to kill him wherfore he commaunded him to be slaine but the trueth being knowen as Seuerus afterward reported but the Cincius did much delight to goe on hunting had a fine yeark to kill the Bore other venerie in the mountaines He commaunded also Narcissus to be cast vnto the Lyons who at the request of Martia choked Commodus it was nothing to commaund them to be slaine but that with his owne eyes he would behold them executed which was wont to be so straunge vnto Romaine princes that they neuer vsed to sée any person put to deth neither so much as in the citie to be resident but they vsed if any suffered to ride or go foorth on hunting CHAP. XIII ¶ Howe Seuerus returned into Asia and conquered many prouinces AFter that Seuerus had conquered and slaine thrée Emperours that is to saye Iulianus in Rome Niger in Asia and Albinius in Fraunce it séemed vnto him that since he had chasticed and triumphed ouer the Romans he ought also to make his name glorious amongest the Barbarians because all the warres that he helde vnto that daye were more to make him selfe Lorde of the common wealth then to magnifie his name Seuerus aduised him selfe to go in his owne person to make warres with the Parthians the occasion of which enterprise was for that the king of Atrenoes had fauoured the parcialitie of Niger but had deferred the reuengement thereof to make conquest of Albinius being in great Britain If Seuerus in this case had taken the opinion of the people either the counsell of the Senate he woulde neither haue taken those warres in hande or made accompt of the iniurie because at that time those kingdomes were neither friendes or foes with Rome And as the Romans were fatigated tyred with warres so they were contented for the time to ceasse the recouering of them for their vassals to obtein them for quiet enimies Seuerus departed vnto Asia and in the way would first take the kingdōe of the higher Armenia whereof the king of Armenia being aduertised and that he came with an armie of so greate power and so determined to take his kingdome met him vppon the way not armed as a man of warre but clad with the garments of peace his truce being set downe with Seuerus presently he gaue him much money and offered to sende him succour for the accomplishment wherof he deliuered vnto Seuerus his two sonnes in pledge Seuerus did not onely confirme him in his kingdome but also tooke him vnder his protection The affaires of Armenia being dispatched Seuerus departed towardes the kingdom of Hosdroenos whose king was named Anguaro bothe crooked and same but yet no foole for he had such skill to recouer the good will of Seuerus that he neither admitted him as a vassall tooke no money demaunded no hostages or did his countrie hurt but receiued him to his familiar friendship and made him a confederate with the people of Rome Hauing passed the kingdome of Hosdroenos Seuerus entred the landes and countries of Albanos and being then the moneth of April and spring time he founde the fieldes full of flowers and grasse and commaunded his horsses for the space of fiftéen dayes to be fedde and his armie to be recreated and refreshed because his horsses were growen leane and his men tyred Seuerus beeing departed from the fieldes of Albanos entred the countrie of Arabia Felix where they found that which they found not in all the kingdomes of the worlde namely the trées that hare the precious Aromatike spices and the boughes whereof they gathered the most fine and excellent baulme Seuerus sacked all the townes of Arabia Felix cut downe their fieldes spoyled and oppressed all people and as he afterwardes saide he would not haue entred therein for that being as it was so riche so ioyfull pleasant and delectable but because he found him selfe in greate cumber to withdrawe his souldiours from thence for that they felt them selues more delighted with the vices of Arabia then with the hazardes and daungers of the warres Hauing passed the delectable countrie of Arabia Felix Seuerus entred the countrie and kingdom of Athrabanos against whose king principally he made that iourney Athras was a great citie situated vpon the top of a most high hill and chiefest citie of all the kingdome and for that cause was named the kingdome of Athrabanos Seuerus went presently to the siege thereof but as the king had inclosed him selfe therein with great readinesse and prouision the wall being strong the citie rockye the people warrelike and furnished with munition and victuals small was the hurte that Seuerus did vnto them within but which the Romans receiued was very greate And as Seuerus gaue foorth no other bruite when he came from Rome but to be reuenged of the Athrabanos he perfourmed that warre so exactly that there was no daye but he battered the citie of Athras and occupied his warlike engins deuised and practised all manner fights and offences that might be against the enimie and the moste notified Romans that there did not notifie them selues but in the ende might neither take the same either as much as a capteine or ouerthrow one windowe Those that were besieged within that citie to iest with their enimies tyed very subtily little earthen pottes vnto a kinde of byrdes like vnto Crowes which flying ouer the armies of Seuerus let fall their pottes vpon their pates by which iest many had their heades broken but much more were the Romans despighted to consider howe little they did estéeme them not fighting with them in armour but with pottes and tankardes The ayre of that mountaine was verie subtile the waters verie thinne fruites in great aboundaunce and the Sunne verie hoat and the grounde somewhat moyst by which occasion Seuerus his whole campe fell into the disease of the fluxe and there died amongest the rest seuen notable capteines two of Seuerus cousins and a little bastarde sonne which all men likewise thought to be his cousin but by his greate sorrowe teares he discouered the childe to be of his owne proper fleshe
become friendes and their agréement was that they had diuided the Empire he remaining with the estate and seat of Rome and Geta his brother hauing Antioche the head of his Empire and the estate of all Asia As Bassianus then saide so it was agréed that the goods of the patrimonie were diuided in thrée partes two partes for the two brethren and the third for Iulia their mother and further that all Senatours capteines and other notable persons of the Empire fréely if they so liked might go with Geta into Asia or remaine with Bassianus in Rome There was no man there that liked this agréement much lesse allowed the same for they all did sée it was but fained and that ere long the Empire would be inflamed with warres as in the dayes of Iulius Caesar and Pompeyus of Caesar Augustus and Marcus Antonius Although all men were grieued with that which was saide yet all men did both dissemble and kéepe silence with sad countenance casting their eyes to the ground which their mother Iulia possessing patience in sufficient aunswered and saide vnto them as followeth CHAP. IIII. ¶ Of an excellent speache vttered by the mother vnto her sonnes I may wel call ye sonnes O children of my heart since thou Geta proceededst from mine intrailes thee Bassianus I haue nourished with my breastes I sweare by the immortall Gods that much greater is the loue that I bare thee then the affinitie which I haue with thy brother Thou well knowest Bassianus that from the first houre that I came to the court was wife vnto thy father Seuerus I had the name of mother in lawe the works of a perfect mother and that many times thou didst request mee to cherish thy brother Geta for that it seemed vnto thee he was not fauoured in such wise that if he be the only person that I haue borne thou only wast he that was cherished I haue great reason to call you my children to bewaile you as children to talke with you as children for on the day that the one proceeded frō my bowels the other entred into my harte Maruell ye not to see mee powre forth so many teares at euery worde to be dismaide swoone for as ye see my sorrowfull eyes so may you behold my lamentable heart ye should well perceiue it gush out more with bloud then mine eyes doe flowe with teares If my husbande your father shoulde heare that which I heare and should see that which I see it would grieue him that euer ye were borne and no lesse that euer he begate you because you wil giue no credite vnto your friendes either obey me your sorrowfull mother or perfourme his will cōmaundemēt Wherfore do ye seeke the whole for one since he left the same for bothe what an heauie matter is this my children the Gods haue created ye brethren and you haue conuerted your selues enimies the glory which ye possesse to haue had such a father ye would quite him with so much griefe to haue so frowarde children To leaue the Empire entire your father slewe Iulianus Pessenius Niger and Albinius that helde it diuided in three partes and nowe againe ye will diuide and rent it in pieces Do ye not vnderstand howe Princes that haue their willes vnited neede not to diuide their countries Haue ye not heard say that to obteine honour to defende that which we possesse for these two only things for no other cause warre is raised betwixt kinges and princes If this be true as it is and both you falling out for goods knowe ye not that your father onely of him self hath left ye more then all the Princes of the worlde haue left vnto them And if it so be that ye striue for the attainement of honour I knowe not to what ende ye would haue more honour then to be Emperours of Rome O immortall Gods I inuocate and moste humbly pray you that ye deale not according to the childishnesse of these young men but agreeable vnto the great seruice which their father hath done you the abundance of teares which their lamentable mother hath powred foorth for otherwise the memory of my Lord Seuerus shal perish be lost the maiestie of the Empire put in great danger If we did think my children that this diuision of the Empire might be an occasiō frō henceforth to deale liue like brethrē we would hold it all for good and thinke it all right well but what doth it profite that ye haue diuided the Empire onely in two partes and ye twaine remaine diuided in an hundreth thousande differences If ye wil be fauoured of the Gods obeyed of men call to remembrance your fathers commaundement condescend vnto your mothers request and yealde your selues vnto the iudgement of your friendes for that young Princes do neuer knowe to gouerne wel if they permitt not to be gouerned of the vertuous Consider children that ye are but younglings and in great affaires haue small experience and that your youth shall leade you vnto many vices your smal experience cause you to fall in great many errours Also my children ye haue to consider that ye possesse your heartes too much passioned and go inuironed with many lyars which two thinges be most cruell and enorme in the persons houses of princes because with their passion they committ much iniustice and by lies they cloake many foule and pernicious deedes The passioned and furious hearte is sufficed with his owne furie to be lead into all errours and the lyar defendeth him from all knowlege and acquaintaunce of his owne fault If ye remember your selues that ye be men and that I am a woman with great reason ye might haue small regarde vnto that which I do say but if ye consider that ye be my children and I your mother greate estimation should ye conceiue of my counselles for that credite which I lose to be a woman I recouer for that I am your mother If ye did loue your father as your father loued you your sorrowful mother should haue no cause so much to persuade you to be friendes for that to remoue all causes to bring his honour in disputation ye would refuse cast behind you all interest whatsoeuer of any goods Since ye will not liue in peace in as muche as it toucheth the seruice vnto the Gods and the great mischiefes that must follow your owne persons and the infamie wherewith ye shall infect your dead father yet shoulde ye doe the same for the loue and behalfe of your liuing mother because the dissentions trauelles and infidelities of the children many they be that doe beholde them but in the ende the mothers do onely bewaile them Against the testament of your father without the will of your mother contrarie vnto the custome of the Senate and without aduise of any friend ye haue betwixt you diuided the empire leauing me vnto my selfe to be diuided wherein speaking
stopt with multitudes of people he began by force to make his way and teare and treade the people who made resistance for their safetie adding thereunto woordes ouer furious as people passioned And as the Emperour then being placed in the same chariot although they said no word to his offence he receiued the cochemans iniurie as his owne presently cōmaunding al his Pretorians which there did guard his person to make slaughter at their libertie And as al persons there present were more deckt and trimmed for the feast then armed either in redinesse for battel so great cōpassion was it to behold the multitudes of people that died there without any offence and sheading of bloud of so many innocentes for if tenne or twelue had offended they were more then 15. thousād that were there executed The Romanes did neither eate drincke sléepe or doe any thing but with great trembling not doubting when they should be accused but when Bassianus shoulde commaunde them to be slaine for neuer tyrant did execute that which he ordinarily perfourmed in Rome which is to wéete without any accusement of fiscall or complaint of enimie or wante of seruice to commaunde any man to be slaine CHAP. VIII Of the prouinces whiche Bassianus did trauell and the thinges which he did therein AFter that Bassianus had slaine his brother Geta and his enimies as also manie of his friendes and infinite others that were neither friends nor foes he departed from Rome iourneying towardes Germanie whiche nowe is named high Almaine with determination to visite those Prouinces and to refourme his armies whiche by continuance of peace were growne to greate negligence in matters of warre A whole summer hee lodged neare vnto the riuer of Danubie where he exercised hunting fishing playing running torneying and sometimes sate in iudgmente and a matter wherein he made all men to woonder was that in hearing anie cause at the instant he gaue sentence wherein he neuer erred and also iudgmente according to iustice He had greate delectatiō of that countrie and the people of the same makinge choyce of the valiauntest and gallantest personages of the youthe of Germanie for the guarde of his person The prouinces adioyning vnto Danubie being set in order he passed into Thracia and from thence into the lande of Macedonia with determinatiō to visite the natiue countrie of Alexander the greate All thinges wherein the actes of Alexander were grauen or painted hee repaired renewed and made better manie other thinges he did both adde and inuente in such wise that in al the kingdome of Macedonie there was neither citie or temple where he did not erecte some edifice or place some picture or counterfeite Bassianus perfourmed manie notable things in Macedonia right worthy praise and some other thinges no lesse to be derided because in manie places he caused a bodie with two heads to be painted and also grauen whereof one he intituled vnto him selfe and the other vnto Alexander The Macedonians did not a little scorne this acte that Bassianus woulde compare with the greate Alexander for they estéemed their kinge in suche possession and estate that they say and affirme neither anie in this life to be equall vnto him either in the other worlde surmoūted of none of the Gods. Bassianus grewe so proude when he sawe him self so generally praysed for his woorthy actes done in Macedonia that he cōmaunded al his househoulde not to call hym Bassianus but Alexander and commaūded al the captains of his armie to intitule thē selues with the names of Alexanders auncient captaines whereof the Romanes receiued no small griefe and al the aunciente seruaunts of his father were not a little disgraced for it séemed vnto them that since he did not trust them with the garde of his person he woulde not loue them either deale with them according vnto his accustomed manner Hee woulde ofte put off all his Romaine apparrell and cladde him selfe after the Flemmish fashion and further the more aptly to resemble them he woulde weare counterfeite red haire and howe muche the more he vsed these thinges so muche the greater was the griefe vnto the Romaines Also he obserued a custome both in eating and drinking in his apparrell and seruice as in all other trauels which all wayes followe the warres but as a common souldiour It happened manie times that if a trench were to be made he firste woulde digge carrie forth earth marche on foote grinde breade corne for his owne diet and bake it vnder the asshes Hee delighted in base lodging to resemble the common soldiour and woulde not drinke in golde or siluer but in woodden tankards finally he did not onely abhorre all thinges that séemed superfluous but also manie times that which was right necessarie Hee commaunded also that none shoulde attende him except he were commaunded or call him Emperour but companion all whiche hee did to obtaine their loue and to seeme admirable in his trauels He commaunded his armie to be diuided into three partes and the one to be called Macedonike the other Laconike and the thirde Spartanike in memorie of three famous prouinces of Grecia whiche folowed the greate Alexander in all his wars and the people which he estéemed most valiaunt and warlike From Macedonie hee tooke his way vnto Pergamus a famous citie in Asia to viewe the temple of Esculapius the father and founder of physicke in which temple he slept manie nights and as he afterwardes saide receiued there manie aunswers of the God Esculapius many coūsels as well for conseruation of his health as the gouernemente of his cōmō wealth From Pergamus Bassianus departed to the citie Ilion that in times paste had beene head of the kingdome of Troy where greate warres were long continued betwixt the Greekes and the Troyans whiche hee founde not onelie destroyed but also plowed and sowen Bassianus did there greately desire to burie some persone after the fashion as in times past they had buried Patroclus and for accomplishment of his desire he commaunded poyson to be giuen vnto Festus his priuate and fauoured seruaunt whome after he was deade he buried there according to the fashion whiche the Troyans vsed with Patroclus whiche fact of his some excuse affirming that Festus died without Bassianus his commaundemente Before that Bassianus entred high Almaine he would visite Gallia Transalpina after a fewe dayes of his entraunce therin commaunded the Proconsul of Narbona to be slaine of which déede as also of others which he executed he fel into the hatred of that cōmō people deserued the name of a tyrant In his nauigatiō frō Germanie into Asia he foūd him self in so great danger that the ship it selfe wherin he sailed did rent sinke he escaped in a litle barke He was strikē with so greate feare on sea that after he had escaped that daunger he woulde oftentimes say I knowe not what man hauing breade to eate and garments to weare and couer him selfe on lande woulde to become an
was very wise in all thinges wherein she gaue counsell which most clearely appeared for that in the 16. yeares in which she remained in the Courte and manours of those princes who by her iudgement and opinion were gouerned shée was neuer séene to twite or reproue any person with her tongue or giue counsel in any thing that offended the common wealth Being as she was sister vnto Iulia the Empresse and so accepted with those princes this Mesia was marueilous riche and the cause thereof was that all good thinges which were vacant in the Empire she craued and whatsoeuer was giuen her shee receiued The second daughter of this Mesia named Manea maried with a Cōsul named Verius and brought him forth a sonne then named Alexius but afterwards Alexander the Emperour in such wise that this Mesia had one sister an Empresse sawe her two nephues Emperours Mesia doubting that some day it might come to the notice of Iulia her sister that Antoninus Caracalla was the sonne of her husband Bassianus aduised to send both her nephues vnto her owne proper countrie of Phoenicia there to hold them more safe and better taught In the prouince of Phoenicia was a most sumptuous temple dedicated vnto the God Heliogabalus the woorkemanship whereof was wrought all of sawen stone as if it had béene timber in the ioyning whereof their appeared no seame but all mē iudged that knew not that secrete that the whole temple had béene made of one stone There was not in that temple as was in other tēples which is to wit any image or simulachre of any God but that which it conteyned was a blacke shining stone great large beneath and vpwards more narrow wherein was grauen the Sunne and the Moone right curiously subtily which in viewe and beholding did dazill the eyes of men The people of Phoenicia did report that the temple was made by mans hand but the stone was sent by the Gods from heauen for which cause they offered vpon the same siluer gold iewels and other great riches and it was visited not onely by the natiues of Phoenicia but also from many partes of Asia In that temple there were not onely priestes but also Philosophers to the ende that some should sacrifice and others teache and refourme maners because that temple was indued with so great riches that there was sufficient both for the one the other Heliogabalus being of the age of xiiii yeres and his cousin Alexius of the age of twelue yeares their graundmother Mesia placed them in that temple to enure them to offer sacrifices to learne Philosophie These two brethren went apparailed after the manner of two Priestes which is to wéete in shirtes of Linsey woolsey their garments of gold and cotton their sléeues buttoned with Corrall their robes trailing their heades couered with silke calles about their neckes collars of golde their féete bare vppon the instep leaden ringes vppon their little fingers and ringes of golde vpon their thumbes but aboue al the rest they might not eate but in their houses either sléepe but in their temples And because Antoninus was Priest and brought vp in the temple of the God Heliogabalus that is to saye a Priest of the Sunne he was afterwardes named Antoninus Heliogabalus and also many dayes after that he was exalted vnto the height of the Empire he kepte the garments and receiued the stipend of his auncient priesthood Heliogabalus was of meane stature redde haired white faced small mouthed shorte legged and largely bearded and as at that time he was young and faire and his sacerdotall vestmentes did so adourne him although the secrete of his parentage was vnknowen yet all men presupposed that he was of noble bloud CHAP. II. ¶ Howe capteine Macrinus did exalt him selfe with the Empire after the death of Bassianus AFter that Martianus had slaine Bassianus his Lorde through the counsell of Macrinus presently he exalted him selfe or to saye better did tyrannize the Empire neuerthelesse the armies elected him and the Romanes allowed him not because they were pleased with Macrinus but for ioy to sée them selues frée and deliuered of Bassianus So generall was the ioye amongest the Romane people to sée Bassianus dead that they cared not to consider of Macrinus that should succéede whether he were good or bad because heartes that be tormented and men that be despighted when they hap to oppresse their enimies consider not so much of their profite as they respect their reuengement Tenne dayes after Macrinus sawe him selfe Emperour Arthabanus king of the Parthians gaue him battell to reuenge the iniurie which Bassianus had done vnto him this battell betwixt both partes was so contended and so bloudie that the victorie on that daye remained on neither side yet least was the losse vnto the Romanes Arthabanus being aduertised of the death of his enimie Bassianus and his choler also somewhat alaide made peace with the Romanes and with his armies retired into his countrie After Macrinus behelde him selfe elected and confirmed Emperour and king Arthabanus returned vnto his kingdome and that in all Asia not so much as a lance in the rest against him he departed to the citie of Antioche not of any intent to refourme his armie but of purpose totally to vowe him selfe vnto vice and filthinesse The case was thus that being setled in Antioche he gaue héede vnto no other matter but to the vse of the Bathe trimming his head annoynting his bearde going on hunting prosecuting gluttonie and excesse giuing him selfe vnto women and that which was woorst he fledde from affaires and followed vices When at any time Macrinus did issue foorth to viewe his men of warre he walked not with a lance but with a Caane in his hande which they helde for no small iniurie for that amongest them it was a lawe that none might passe through their bandes except he were armed with some armour It was a lawe muche vsed and obserued amongest the Romanes that their Princes did neuer enter armed into the Senate either vnarmed did viewe their Campes and armies since in the one they did manage matters of peace and in the other nothing but warres Macrinus heard by reporte that the good Marcus Aurelius spake sildome and with lowe voice and so he vsed for resemblance to aunswere suters with fewe woordes and verie base in such wise that in his speache he did imitate Marcus Aurelius and in his life did resemble Nero. With none of the Antiochians either with any person of all Asia did he consent to haue conference or to be serued at his table either enter into his chamber or sléepe in his house but after the manner of a tyraunt with his owne he stoode vppon his guarde and with straungers not a little suspicious Auncient persons his olde horsemen and the Capteines of his armies he woulde not commaund to stande vp although they had long continued vppon their knées either to put on their cappes when they stoode bareheaded
not greater daunger either more safetie then soundly to consider in to whose hands they commende their causes The Pretorian bands being euill intreated and worse payde great was their ioy when they hearde that Heliogabalus was the sonne of Bassianus for whom the grandmother craued the Empire whome they all accepted and bound them selues to receiue for their Emperour not only to be reuenged of the tyrant Macrinê° but also to possesse the money For so much as the temple where he was Priest was without the citie agréement was made betweene the matrone Mesia and the armie that presently the same night notwithstanding it were verie late both her nephue and also her owne person by streÌ„gth and deuise should be conueyed ouer the wall into the citie that at the breake of day they shoulde seaze the citie and aduaunce Heliogabalus vnto the Empire Neither was the matrone Mesia slack to acomplish their request either was there anie wante in the promise made by the Pretorians but that Mesia and her nephue approching to the foote of the wall with purposed engins mounted them ouer into the citie the young man being placed amids the Romaine captaines beléeuinge him to be the sonne of Bassianus by resemblance of his face and by a marke in his hande as Bassianus had The Romane armies receiued greate ioy to beholde Mesia and her nephue Heliogabalus chiefly to see the young man so comely faire and towarde and in beholding they would all say that since he had so good a face necessarily it followed that his déedes shoulde be vertuous but his inclination beeing discouered there was no vice wherein he was not noted either any vertue wherefore to be praised The great matrone Mesia as a woman that dealt in affaires both daungerous and escandalous would first assure the Empire vnto her nephue before shée departed from her treasure and the case was thus Shée framed all the principals of the armie presently to sweare vnto Heliogabalus as their onely Emperour to kisse his hande as their naturall Lorde A matter most truely verie marueilous and no lesse worthie to be commended vnto memorie namely the dispatche and diligence vsed by Mesia in one night moste manifestly apparant that within sixe houres shée brought forth her nephue from the temple passed him ouer the wall did yeald him credite to be the sonne of Bassianus obteined their othes as vnto their Emperour kissed his hand as loyall subiectes diuided her treasure amongst the armies fortified them selues in the fortes of the citie and brought the whole hoste into armour At the breake of daye in euery tower they did sound their trumpets placed their Standards and Pendons bothe on bulworkes and corteines and with loude voices exclaimed through all streates Viua viua el Emperador Heliogabalo hiio del buen Bassiano that is to saye happie and long life vnto the emperoure Heliogabalus sonne to the good Bassianus This béeing done proclaymed Heliogabalus came foorth into the citie neither on foote or on horse backe but vppon the shoulders of the moste auncient and honourable of the armie wearing the imperiall crowne vppon his head and holding the royall scepter in his hande and haueing vppon his shoulders the ensigne of Augusta before him the pendon of the Eagle because these were the ensignes whereby the emperours of Rome were knowen And now after the standards were placed and the strength of the citie possessed the armie publiquely proclaimed and receiued the Emperour Heliogabalus for their lorde and Emperour presently the renowmed matrone Mesia did yelde vnto them all her treasure both siluer and golde without breache of any promise or reseruing of any one Iewell The Romanes were so contented with the matrone Mesia that there they did both sweare and vowe to estéeme her as a mother to hold Heliogabalus for their Lorde and to persecute the tyrant Macrinus euen to death CHAP. IIII. ¶ Howe Macrinus did write a letter vnto the renowmed Mesia after he vnderstoode his depriuation of the Empire THE tyrant Macrinus was settled with greate securitie in the citie of Antioche when they remoued him from the Empire in Phoenicia for so it hath béene is and shal be that when Princes moste greedily doe prosecute vices then their enimies are weauing some webb of most deadly daunger Heliogabalus was not the full age of seuentéene yeres when he was aduaunced to the Empire when Macrinus in Antioche heard the newes of that whiche was don in Phoenicia he fell into a great laughter made a iest of it chiefely being certified to be so very a childe framed by his grandmother Mesia whome he helde bothe for a woman ambitious and also contentious Those persons that remained with Macrinus after they hearde of a newe Emperour that the Romane hosts had don him homage and fealtie aduised also prayed him that he would not estéeme the matter ouer light but with better and riper counsell should thinke and consider for the remedie thereof for it might come to passe by conceiuing it to be but a iest that the other might remaine Emperour in earnest As Macrinus naturally was both ambitious orgulous and disdaineful so he demaunding ynke and paper presently did write a cholerike letter with his own hands vnto the famous matrone Mesia after this maner Macrinus Ancius onely Emperour and vniuersall Lord to the matrone Mesia her person small health and lesse grace with the Gods. Here I am aduertised that in the offence of the Gods vnto my great want of reuerence thou hast attempted with mine armies to establish a newe Emperour which deede exactly declareth thee to be as in deede thou art a woman both seditious and also ambitious since thou knowest that by meanes of thy toung and mutinie in the common wealth I did banishe thee my house Also they saye that the emperour which thou hast made is a boye a priest a bastard and thy nephue whereunto there is no more to be aunswered but that I shal chastice thee as a woman and him as a childe that is to saye commaund him to be whipt thy selfe to spinne I sweare vnto thee Mesia by the immortall Gods that if thou driue mee to take my lance in hand I will force thee to put thy distaffe vnder thy girdle for vnto women such as thou it were more honestie to be spinning then to practice mutinies amongst souldiours Also it is saide vnto me that thou hast giuen infinite treasures vnto mine armies to moue them to reuolt from mee and to elect thy nephue Emperour these with the rest be the fruites of thy guyle for that only of thee and neuer of any other it is saide or shall be saide that thou hast robbed the Empire to buy the Empire If all princes past had knowen thee as I do knowe thee neither would they haue giuen credite vnto thy woordes or faith vnto thy fained workes but as by thy guileful diligence in their seruice and presuming attempts in their affaires thou didst
commaund their housholdes and gathered the fruites of their goodes I haue heard thee many times boast thy selfe that thou wast borne in the house of Marcus Aurelius nourished with Antoninus Pius and didst dwell in house with Commodus Pertinax Iulianus and Seuerus Princes very glorious which if thou hadst remembred thou wouldest neuer haue committed a deede so vile for there may not be in the whole worlde a deede more vnseeming then for him that was bred in the palace of kings to committ treason against a person of such maiestie If it shall hap the Gods to permitt and my sorrowfull destinies so to direct that in this enterprise I lose both honour and life I can saye vnto thee Mesia that which historiographers who shall write of thee and mee with trueth may saye that the Empire came vnto mee by election but to thine through treason If thou hadst beene a woman of honestie or honour thou wouldst not so openly haue defamed thy daughter Semiamira whome thou chargest to haue accompanied Bassianus and of her bodie this boye Heliogabalus to haue sproung for whome nowe thou procurest the Empire because in the houses of blushing faces generous and noble heartes they more esteeme an ounce of honour then all the wealth and estate of this life Oh Mesia howe greate an errour hast thou made in this thine enterprise onely to reuenge thy rauenous heart and to make thy nephue an Emperour namely thou hast raised a slaunder vppon Bassianus defamed the royal palace of incest dishonoured thine vnchast daughter Semiamira blemished the Empresse Iulia of vnhonest consent not stained but imbrued thine owne fame with the filthie couerture of incestuous adulterie And since Bassianus Iulia Semiamira and Seuerus haue ended their dayes wherefore wilt thou oh traytresse Mesia dishonour so many that be dead to honour but one that is aliue Nowe I knowe oh Mesia howe tedious and perilous it is for quiet men to deale with mutinous women and passioned as thou art who hauing no yron to hurte our fleshe yet committest deedes to defame vs and speakest woordes to torment vs Of this treason which thou hast committed against me I doubt not to be reuenged and my heart throughly satisfied for so greate an offence is treason that if it be in men to offende therein the Gods haue onely charge to reuenge the same It is giuē me also to vnderstand that this thy nephue was a priest in the temple of the God Heliogabalus in which matter I do not entermedle and say little since in this iniurie ye haue not committed offence vnto men but vnto the gods but ioyntly therewith I dare saye vnto thee that since thou hast drawen him foorth of the temple where he was consecrated vnto the Gods thou shalt neuer enioy good dayes of him for that of thy parte to haue done seruice vnto the Goddes of Princes thou shouldest haue made priestes and not of priests Princes The Gods demaund nothing which we haue but if by chaunce wee offer any thing vnto them they like it not that wee should returne to take it awaye for which cause I say vnto thee and from hencefoorth do prophecie O Mesia that for so muche as thou hast drawne foorth thy nephue from the holy temple he shall lose the Empire and thou thy money The confidence which thou committedst vnto the men of warre by diuiding amongest them so greate quantitie of golde and siluer I hope in the immortall Gods shall all conclude in smoke for it is an auncient custome among the Romane hostes not to giue the Empire to the person of moste merite but vnto him that payeth best The matter that moste grieueth mee O Mesia in this traiterous enterprise is to thinke that I being a man and a Romane prince must deale fight and contende with a woman because there may not bee in this whole worlde an equall despight then for a man to arme him selfe against a woman whose weapons are but woordes But the conclusion shal be since thou wast borne in the palace of the good Marcus Aurelius and Heliogabalus being thy nephue if thou wilt be remoued from this follye and reduce thy selfe into my subiection and obedience I will relieue thee of this exile and to thy nephue Heliogabalus will I giue a Consulship and if not wee are come vnto the time that men must doe what they may and the Gods as they please CHAP. V. Of a letter written by the great matrone Mesia vnto the tyrant Macrinus When Mesia receiued the letter from the tyrant Macrinus her nephue Heliogabalus al the principall captaines of the armies beeing present who of set purpose did beholde her countenance all the time that shée read the same which matter was both merueilous and to be noted in consideration of such a letter so furnished with malice and fraught with despite she neither chaunged countenance or saide one worde after the reading of the same Aboue all men or women of her dayes in two pointes this famous matrone Mesia excelled which is to wéete for great solicitude in affaires and souereigne patience in trauells and so it came to passe she ofte vsed to say that shée neuer loste matter by negligence or euer aunsweared anie man as one passioned Heliogabalus and all that were present did not a litle request the renouned matrone Mesia to reade that letter vnto them or tell what it conteined which she vtterly refused saying vnto them that it were a facte verie euill presently to reade it and a déede much woorsse if after in time and place shée did not shewe it This beeing done and Mesia withdrawne shée aunswered to Macrinus his letter after this manner Mesia Phoenicia vnto Ancius Macrinus his person health and consolation in the Gods. In this the fronte of my letter I do not cursse or banne thee as thou didst me in the beginning of thine for wee that be persons bred and trayned in princes courtes do not a little presume to be praised for our good nourture and to escape to be noted malicious Vrbanitie beneuolence and good manners ought not to be loste for anie vnkindnesse or forgotten for any occasion for that amongst persons noble shamfaste although they doe them iniuries yet they endure not to speake vile wordes Thou shouldest haue remembred Macrinus that I was a woman to whōe thou didst write and thou a man that didst take the same in hande and that if thou hadst founde thy selfe offended or dishonoured by me thou shouldest haue reuenged thy selfe with thy lance as a noble person and not with thy penne as a cowarde The armour and defence of women is the toung but men defend them selues with their swordes or weapons wherfore my Lorde Seuerus did vse to say that it were a great wante in a man to reuenge his cause with woordes and too muche lightnesse in a woman to defende her griefe with weapons But the case shal be thus that since thou takest my office which is to speake I will
vnder their histories which they shall write our same shal shine and flourish Alexander in the dayes of his youth was deadly hated of his cousen Heliogabalus this procéeded not of the sharpe condition of Alexander but for the euil nature of Heliogabalus that is to say for that he would not consent to be a coÌ„panion in his wickednes as by birth he was his kinseman There were neuer séene two princes so conioyned in parentage so nere in succession so different in liues as Heliogabalus Alexander for that in Heliogabalus there was not one vertue to be praised either in Alexander one vice to be reprehended CHAP. II. ¶ Howe Alexander was aduaunced vnto the Empire and of his laudable manners TWo yeares before the Pretorians killed Heliogabalus the Emperour Alexander was elected Augustus to the great grace liking and conformitie of al the Romane people whereof procéeded that on the day in which they had slaine the vnworthie Heliogabalus they gaue vnto Alexander the ensignes of the empire When Alexander began to reigne he was very younge wherfore Mesia the â—randmother and Manea the mother did take the charge 〈◊〉 gouernement of the empire who although in condition they were womeÌ„ yet most truly in gouernement they discouered themselues to be men They elected xij persons to assist them in the affaires of the Empire which were chosen amongest the auncient the most experte amongst the learned the most wise without determination iudgment of all these they did neither heare what was demaunded either determined any matter that they had to doe The first déede of Alexander his grandmother Mesia his mother Manea his xii counsellours was to take order for reformation of temples namely to repaire the decaide to clense the defiled inrich such as were robbed and to populate such as were disinhabited because in the dayes of his predecessour Heliogabalus not only humaine matters went to wracke but the gods also were profaned Diuine matters being reformed presently they toke order for coÌ„seruation of the coÌ„mon wealth before all things all vicious persons were resolued from their offices and not satisfied to punish their offences with depriuation of their offices he forced them to make restitution of whatsoeuer they had either bribed or purloyned from thencefoorth to liue of their owne proper sweate Matters of iustice were not handled but of men very well learned Martiall affaires were not commended but vnto men of great experience causes of the common wealth were not manured but of persons skilfull therein in such wise that they prouided not offices for men but men for offices Also Alexander reformed the whole condition estate of his house as well the ministers as the expences thereof which all the dayes of Heliogabalus excéeded in disorder was no lesse defiled with vice for which cause he set a seazment of the charges thereof and elected faithful officers to spend the same in such wise that in the house of Alexander there was neither immoderate expences either men wanting offices Although order was taken for the ordinarie expences of his house yet notwithstanding his houshold had all things in abundance conuenient vnto his imperial magnificence and many strangers that came from farre praised Alexander because they might not accuse him of prodigalitie either note him of auarice The temples the common wealth and his house being ordered the good prince forgat not to reforme his owne person not only for the maner of consuming of time but also for the order and maner of his apparel for that he vsed to say if the monie which princes spend in robes superfluous the time which they coÌ„sume in apparelling decking themselues were spent to the profite of their common wealthes they should obteine more fauour of the gods lesse hatred of men Alexander was so humble in condition that publikely he coÌ„maunded none should call him Lord either by word or writing but the priests should call him brother the Senatours sonne men at armes companion and common persons friend and this he did for that he held the gods in so great reuerence that he would they only should be called Lords On the superscriptioÌ„s of letters brought him by Embassadours or sent him from any prouince they wrote theron exquisite and stately titles wherin he prouided no other superscription to be added but this Vnto our sonne our Brother our Companion or Friend Aurelius AlexaÌ„der Romane Emperour Heliogabalus his predecessour did commonly weare precious stones on his feete and most costly iewels of gold and Vnicorne in his apparel whiche thinges Alexander neuer vsed either delighted to weare for as he was wont to say princes are not to be knowen of their vassals by their rich robes but by their good works performed in their common wealthes He was apparelled most coÌ„monly in white in winter with a certaine kind of blaÌ„ket of Britaine and in summer with a certaine maner of cotton that was brought him from Asia Some times he would make him garments of cotton linnen wouen together oftentimes saying that he much delighted therein for that it was very cheape to be bought light to weare might best be washed in summer He would many times walke in Rome with a friend or twaine holding his hands behind and finding himselfe wearie would enter into the first neighbours house and sit downe vppon a banke of earth some times would there fall a sléepe in such maner that he had so great familiaritie with all men as if he had béene one of them He was mild pitiful patieÌ„t silent in all things of great continencie was neuer séene extréemely disteÌ„pered or at any time to vse furious words with any person for which cause no maner of person did wish him euil for his euil déeds but of a cancred and corrupt nature wherewith he was defiled CHAP. III. ¶ How Alexander being inuested with the Empire presently did visite and reforme his common wealth IN the second yeare of the Empire of Alexander his grandmother the great and renowmed matrone Mesia died in whose death he the Romane people also discouered great sorrow bestowing vppon her coarse so honourable a funeral and such solemne obsequies as apperteined to one that had béene cousen vnto the Emperour Seuerus and had for nephues the Emperour Heliogabalus and Alexander Mesia being dead the burden of gouernement was layed vpon Manea mother vnto Alexander whome al men conceiued to be in full possession of chastitie temperance prudence and patience but notwithstanding somewhat inclined to auarice whereof procéeded these words earely in the morning to be written vppon the gates if Manea had not charge of monie in the coÌ„mon wealth such a Romane had neuer béene borne in Rome Long time passed in which the Senate had not béene visited which Alexander forgat not as wel to visite as also to reforme not only by inquisition how they liued and gouerned the common wealth but also how they ordered their houses
ruled their families for he vsed oft to say that the man which knewe not to gouerne his wife to prouide for his house and direct his familie the prince might not cōmit a greater follie then to place such a one in the gouernment of the cōmon wealth In Rome they were named Milites veterani that long time had serued in warres and were withdrawen vnto their houses these were mainteyned at the charges of the common wealth and priuileged for apparance before a Iudge and as Alexander was infourmed of their licentious and vicious liues he commaunded them to be banished Rome and no more to be mainteyned by the common wealth When he signed the sentence of their exile with his owne hands he added these words It is as iust that the vicious and wicked frō a free man be conuerted to a slaue as the vertuous from a bond man to be made free for where there is corruption of manners liberties haue no place Most truely these wordes were spoken as of a prince right worthie veneration Also he visited the officers of the common treasurie as if we should say the Auditors and others that had charge of the goods of the kingdome amongest whome hée found many bribers and néedelesse officers those hée commaunded to be punished and these to be disfranchised Alexander was greatly affectionate vnto the affayres of the common wealth with which zeale he vsed so great diligence that the goodes of the common wealthe were recouered gotten againe from the handes of robbers and spent and imployed in matters profitable for it was his opinion the Good princes ought not to consent that vagabounds should liue of the entrails of the people He wrote vnto all prouinces that in all ciuil causes Iudges should procéede according to the order and right therof théeues matters of felonie excepted who within thrée dayes after their apprehension should either be punished executed made slaues for the seruice of men or condemned to cōmon works for publique profite and for no cause to let them escape for as he oft said Neuer mā which had made a proofe in the knowledge of thefte vntill his death might at any time depart from so foule a vice He also visited the officers that had the charge of pay for the men of warre against whome he receiued accusations for payment of euil monie imbezeling of payes reckoning the dead with the liuing and valuing their victuals more then they were woorthe whome Alexander commaunded openly to be whipt and for euermore to be banished He established by publique edicte that whosoeuer should aduenture from thencefoorth to steale or imbezill any paiment due for matters of warre should for the same loose his life All thinges which he had to commaunde or prouide in the common wealth hée did first communicate with such persons as hee thought to haue knowledge and experience thereof and his manner was to say that in following his owne proper iudgment he had neuer but tedious successe but by repayring vnto other mens aduise hee alwayes gathered some fruite Hée held in his house many and very notable persons of whome alwayes hée was accompanied but amongest al whome he best loued and did most commend his secréetes was Vlpianus this Vlpianus besides his great learning was a man so vertuous that Alexander would oft say hée had rather aduenture the committing of some odious déede before the Gods then speake a foule woorde in presence of Vlpianus His predecessour Heliogabalus had ordeyned many lawes in the fauour of the fiscall to the greate preiudice of the people for admitting that goods were augmented yet on the other parte the common wealth daily diminished for which cause Alexander commaunded that all those lawes should be reuiewed considered and refourmed for as he vsed to saye it were more commodious for the Prince which is no tyrant that his cōmon wealth be riche and his house poore then the common wealth to be poore and his house riche When he beganne to reigne the people were abandoned to dissolute manners for which cause he made some rigorous lawes and other milde and pittifull but when he commaunded them to be proclaimed openly he gaue aduertisement vnto his ministers to execute them in secrete Consider not so much what I commaund you as the intent wherewith I commaund you which is to weete that rigorous lawes are not but to terrifie but lawes which are pitifull to be executed because we make not lawes to take away mennes liues but to roote and weede vices out of our common wealthes When the Senatours did sitt in graue affaires he was not contented that they should saye their opinions by woorde but by writing neither was he yet satisfyed that they should set it down in writing but adde also therunto the reasons which moued them to that their opinion saying he did it to this ende that none should aduenture to yeld his opinion either forced with affection or corrupted with passion but as reason and vertue should direct him Naturally he was an enimie vnto lyes and lyers and if any man presumed to lye in his presence he receiued thereof as great despight as though he had done him an iniurie He woulde oft saye that good Princes haue to esteeme such for greater enimies that deceiue them with flattering and lyes then such as do intrude vppon their countries for the one taketh not but of his goods but the other robbeth him of his fame At all times when they had talk of the election of any Senatour or Iudge he was alwayes hearde to speake these woordes in the Senate If as nowe being present with men I were in presence of the Gods I would craue their opinions in the electiō of Senatours and Iudges for that the choice of gouernours in a common wealth doth more seeme diuine then humaine election CHAP. IIII. ¶ Of the milde conditions of Alexander and of his gratefull conuersation ALexander was friendly vnto his seruaunts whome he would visite indifferently in their sicknesse that is to wéete as well the meaner as the more fauoured and in repayment of such his visitation he woulde request them to giue him aduertisement what was saide of him in the common wealth and if they saide vnto him any thinge more worthie amendement then praise he gaue them as greate thankes for that aduise as at another time he vsed to giue for any greate and notable seruice The Consul Vncoiasson on a certeine time in great secrete saide vnto Alexander I am not a little astonnied at thee moste serene Prince that doest permitt thy selfe to bee gouerned of thy graundmother Mesia thy mother Manea and thy wife Meania who haue framed thy conditions so milde that thereby thou doest impaire the estimation both of thy person and also of thine Empire for that a base and ouerfamiliar condition leadeth vnto cōtempt Vnto this Alexander aunswered I owe reuerence vnto my graundemother because shee nourished mee vnto my mother for that shee bred mee vnto my
wife good companie for as much as she hath married with mee and since it is thus with reason I ought of no man to be euill iudged for that I do no more but duetie From the daye that he was elected Emperour vntill he was placed in his Sepulchre there passed no day wherin he did not some notable déede woorthie to be marked and no lesse to be followed which is to saye hearing causes in Iustice visiting temples being resident in the Senate repayring walles pardoning offences dooing good vnto the poore and dispatching such other affaires Hee was bountifull to Ambassadours and straungers and no lesse refourmed in his ordinarie expences aboue the rest he helde narrowe and straight reckoning and was well aduised with the officers of his common treasurie alwayes to haue in possession treasure in store Hée saide manie times that the poore and needie Prince might neither be serued affectionately of his subiectes or with armes resist his enimies Vnto such as were sound strong to trauell and yet wanted money to mainteine a trade hee commaunded them to be succoured with the goods of the common treasurie vppon condition to repaye the same in processe of time with the fruites and profites of his trade by which meane he discharged his Empire not onely of many poore persons but also of théeues and vagabondes All persons that receiued either wages or stypende he had registred in a booke wherein was written their age linage and seruice which they had done him vsing when he was alone to read in that booke in such wise he did so speake name and had notice of all persons as if they had béene but one man. The common store house for wheate and oyle founded and furnished by Seuerus Heliogabalus had bothe wasted and destroyed in such wise that there remayned nothing in store this storehouse Alexander reedified endued and also prouided with excéeding greate aboundaunce of wheate and oyle so that in his dayes wheate and oyle did flowe and abound as water The Iewes that were in Italie of all men were euill handeled and the Christians no lesse persecuted and banished nowe when bothe the one and the other made complaint Alexander commaunded them to liue within their lawes vppon such condition as they perfourmed their ceremonies in secrete He did much honour the Presidents of prouinces and when he traueiled vpon the way they onely were placed with him in his Coche or licter which he did to the ende that all men might beholde howe much he honoured the ministers of Iustice as also to be infourmed of the state of the common wealth of that countrie for that naturally he was so greate a friend in that which touched the common wealth that he did not onely take pleasure to prouide and talke thereof but also held it for a vice to be forgetfull of the same Hee vsed vnto no kinde of people so great liberalitie as vnto Iudges Tribunes and Pretors which had charge and were sincere in ministring Iustice and aduouched vnto the Senate that a Prince with reason ought not to bee intituled a Prince vnlesse he were carefull for the execution of Iustice and if he finde any that is iust in the administration thereof such a one iustly may not be recompenced for which cause I giue them more then any other persons which serue me that by their enrichement all occasions to make other men poore from them may be remoued In the behalfe of the common wealth he was aduertised that béefe and bacon was excéeding déere in Rome in respect whereof he straitely charged and commaunded that no person should aduenture to kill either calfe or suckinge pig by the space of two yeres whereof it came to passe within the space aforesaide that a pounde of flesh which was solde for eight was woorth but twaine Of men that séemed graue prudent and sincere he woulde alwayes be infourmed receiue aduise for prouision of all graue and doubtfull cases and yet would neuer communicate or commende his trust to any speciall persons for he vsed to saye that when the people do vnderstand that the prince is counselled or directed by any one person such a one with giftes and requestes may easily be corrupted Alexander had a seruaunt named Belon who promised a gentleman to dispatch a certeine matter of great importance with Alexander that touched him not a little giuing to vnderstande that he was verie priuate with the Prince and in remuneration of his promised trauell hee receiued of that gentleman a greate summe of money whereof Alexander being aduertised and that which hee promised to obteine to be a matter most vniust no smal offence vnto the common wealth he commaunded him to be crucified affirming that none should dare to aduenture to sell the fauour of the Prince to the preiudice of the common people He would many times assemble the chiefest of the people and warne them to be vertuous noble minded and pitifull vnto the common sorte aduertising them that assuredly he would deale with the vertuous as with sonnes and with the wicked as with enimies Thrée times hee gaue vnto the Romane people greate quantities of wheate in time of greate dearth Also at other times he gaue of his grace vnto the auncient horsemen great summes of money vnderstandinge the greatest parte of them to be in debt There were in Rome many persones that liued not but by vsurie by which meane much goods were lost and many houses become tributarie wherein Alexander commaunded excéeding diligence to be vsed in the reuiewe of such contracts and a memoriall of the moste notable griefes to be giuen him which when he had considered he punished the vsurers and gaue libertie vnto the poore men that were oppressed The manner of his dispatche in affaires was to be patient in hearing mylde in answering skilfull in conceiuing and pittifull in denying in such wise that if he gaue not that which they demaunded at the least he gaue them comfort with his woordes After he came from the Senate and had dispatched the affaires of suters he did alwayes passe the time in reading Gréeke rather then Latine amongest all other thinges which he vsed to reade was Plato his comon wealth Cicero his offices Horace and Quintus Curtius with the life of Alexander whom his vices excepted he diligently did imitate If he sawe any of his officers that for age or impotencie might not serue he did either call him or visite him giuing him many thankes for the seruice which he had done him and would request him to take it in good parte to receiue his whole stipend with ease and rest in his owne house and to place some other in that office méete for his seruice Vsually he did eate twise a daye and in his féeding more cleanly and curious then costly and sumptuous and neuer was offended with his officers for the lacke of many or exquisite meates but for want of cleanlinesse and good seasoning Many persons wandring in Rome and
were trauersed diuers daungerous skirmishes and no lesse perilous incounters by the consente of Alexander and Artaxerxes they committed both their fortunes vnto the merite of a battell the Persians being ouerthrowen and the Romains remaining conquerours wherein if Artaxerxes had staide his hardinesse and commended the matter vnto policie placeing his power in his fortes and moste stronge places if he had suffered the Romaines by tracte of time to consume thēselues according to the custome of greate armies in straunge countries he might haue preserued both his countrie and honour Great riches were recouered in that battell and infinite the captiues whiche then were taken and as the Persians holde it for a moste greate iniurie to serue any straunge nation so Artaxerxes notwithstandinge hee was poore and ouercome gathered together greate summes of money and redéemed all captiues in suche wise that in Persia there remained no money either anie captiues came vnto Rome Alexander recouered in those warres the renoume of valiant magnanime and not couetous and he was iustely intituled valiaunt for his doughtinesse in fighting magnanime for his magnificent liberalitie and not couetous for the small share that he reserued vnto him selfe The affaires of Persia beeing dispatched Alexander returned vnto Rome entering the same with greate triumph and glorie for that conformable vnto the people and nation which they had subdued was the riches that was brought vnto the treasurie And after being mounted vpon the Capitol he saide vnto the Senate after this manner A shorte Oration made to the Senate Fathers Conscript for that I come tyred with so long a iourney and you no lesse wearied in receiuing mee it were no reason to make long speache muche lesse to inuent newe eloquence because there is nothing so eloquently spoken but if it bee saide out of time or place seemeth tedious vnto the audience He that shall speake or persuade others hath not only to consider what he saith but also to obserue time and respect the assemblie for the Sea at one time doth permitt her selfe to be spurned and at another time not to bee touched By that which ye haue hearde as that which this day ye haue seene ye may vnderstand howe daungerous this warre hath beene and howe copious a victorie we haue obteined for as ye vnderstand Fathers conscript there is no great haruest without great tillage The case is thus that the Persians had in their fauour foure score thousand footemen sixe thousand horssemen seuen hundreth Elephants two thousand yron cartes and two thousand slaues that were young men the one halfe to beare victuals and the other halfe to mend high wayes On that day in which both the one the other came foorth into the fielde to fight no man woulde haue thought but that the whole world had bene come together and also the deade risen out of their graues Of foote men we slewe twentie thousande and did captiuate twentie thousande of horse men two thousande were killed and three thousande did yealde of Elephantes we bringe three hundred and three hundred we haue slaine the cartes the slaues and prisoners they haue redeemed by the weight of money in such wise that we haue taken their countries ouercome their persons and brought away their goods I returne safe sound the armie inriched king Artaxerxes defeated the name of Rome magnified and the confederates satisfied and with all these trauels though we come wearied yet are we not fatigated because victorie is so sweete a thing that it leadeth al trauells past into obliuion Alexander hauing saide these wordes the Senate exclaimed with loude voices The immortal Gods saue thee Alexander the Gods make thy fame immortall since this day thou haste honoured Rome with euerlastinge fame Thou hast ouercome the Persians visited the Parthians subdued kinges inriched the armies and placed vs in great honour for which cause not vnworthily we intitle thee Pater Patriae father of our countrie Tribune of the people most highe Bishoppe first Consul only Emperour of the worlde These such other exclamations manifested by the Senate at the issue of the Capitol gate Alexander saide vnto all persons that there did attend him Fathers sonnes brothers and companions vnto the fathers of the Senate we haue giuen accompt of all that we haue done and will giue you a reason as apperteineth of al that we haue saide For this day the triumph paste sufficeth to morowe we wil visite the temples the nexte daye we will offer greate sacrifices the fourth day wee will giue libertie vnto prisoners the fifte day we will diuide rewardes amongst the poore widowes and orphans the sixte day we wil begin the Persike Circen playes for cōsidering the greatnesse of our victorie we wil first accomplishe with the Gods by whom we haue obteined the same and then with men which gaue vs their assistance When Alexander came from the Capitol hee mounted on horse backe to ride vnto his palace whome at that instante certeine auncient gentlemen of Rome did take beare vpon their shoulders the people gathered together exclaminge with lowde voyces in this manner Blessed is Mamea thy mother blessed art thou Alexander her sonne blessed is Rome that bred thee blessed is the armie that elected thee and blessed is the Senate that did consecrate thee for in thee is conteyned the felicitie of Octauius the bountie of Traiane Thou hast lead with thee into the warres our husbands our sonnes and our friendes whome thou bringest backe with thee all sounde all riche and likewise all contēted wherfore we say vnto thee that if this day we place thee vpon our shoulders for euer more we will lay vp thy memorie in our entrayles In these exclamations the people continued before and behinde for the space of fower houres extremly pestering all passage vntill the chariote triumphant with foure Elephants made the wayes open All that which he saide vnto the people he commaunded presently to be accomplished At the ende of these feastes he did institute a temple of Virgines who were named Maneaes in reuerence of his mother Manea At the same time he receiued newes that at Tanger a citie of Africa Furius Celsus had obteined victorie and Iunius Palinatus likewise in Armenia triumphed ouer the enimies as also Varius Macrinus in Illyria had made a conquest of certeine countries and the currers which brought the newes presented him also with thrée tables of Lawrell The feastes and triumphes being finished he woulde be informed of the officers of the common wealth that is to say how in his absence they had vsed the people and howe they had administred iustice and suche as had not done well he remoued and those that had done well he rewarded giuinge vnto some more honourable offices and to others heritages and money Manie times Alexander woulde say that they deserued as greate glorie that in time of warre did well gouerne the common wealth as they whiche in the warres obteined victorie CHAP. XII Of
as Pretor euen so I discharged thée of thine office not as Antoninus thy old friende but as an Emperour of the Romaine Empire He was not inclined to beginne warres either in his owne person to prosecute the same for he holde opinion that the Prince with more sounde counsell shoulde commend his warres vnto his Captaines to the ende in his owne person to gouerne the common wealth then to goe to the warres him selfe and leaue his common wealth vnto others Talkinge on a time in his presence of warres and battels that Iulius Caesar Scipio and Hanibal had fought and ouercame in the worlde Antoninus Pius aunswered Let euery man holde opinion what he thinketh good and praise what it pleaseth him but for mine owne parte I doe more glorie in conseruing peace many yeares then with warres to conquere many battailes In the seconde yere of his Empire the Britains rebelled against whome he sent the Consul Laelius Vrbicus whoe subdued that Islande although afterwards by mischaunce he lost his life In the thirde yeare of his Empire the Mauritanes also rebelled whiche are a people of Africa againste whome he sent the Consul Murus Cespitius whoe vsed so greate policie in those warres that hée constrained them to craue peace In those dayes the Germaines and the Datians had greate warres amongest them selues vppon the diuision of certeine territories but in the ende after their owne destruction amongest them selues they came to suche concorde that they bent their whole force as cruell enimies against Rome and the countries thereof protesting and affirminge their charges to bée muche more in paying so greate and so continuall tribute then might arrise by defence of their persons against the Romaine power Antoninus vnderstanding of this rebellion hee woulde not presently sende foorth an armie but a Iudge with greate power to visite those countries to mittigate and vnfolde all griefes and to remoue all vniust tributes and ioyntly therewith did write suche and so good woordes that at the instant those Barbarians left their armour and did yeld their countries vnto the obedience of Rome Of this example all mightie Princes haue to take example to the ende that with furie they vndertake not to tame a furious people because manye times hartes be more tamed with swéete woordes then with cruell armes The Iewes that were in the prouince of Pentapolis also he did represse and tame which was don by the hands of the president that was in Assyria whom he commaunded first to offer them peace before he made them warre In Achaia and Aegypt also certeine people did rebell vnderstanding the occasion to procéede of the Romaine Pretors whiche were rigorous in their commaundements and couetous in their dealings gaue order that his officers were chastised and the people pardoned The Pretors that were resident in the countries of the Alanes sent to complaine at Rome howe daily they were threatened to be slaine onely for demaunding tribute vnto whome Antoninus aunswered We haue receiued your letters and be grieued with your perils and no lesse sorrowe your trauailes if these people do paye their tribute which they doe owe suffer their threateninge which they make because it is néedelesse to thinke that any man which is a tributarie shall liue contented In any wise aduenture not to giue them iniurious woordes to committ briberie or to do them wrong because in suche cases wée haue to heare their complaintes and to correct your offences The Gods haue you in keeping and guide well your Fortune CHAP. II. ¶ Howe he did visite the officers of his common wealth and the reformation of his house WHen Antoninus sent any Pretor to gouerne any prouince he was not satisfied that he were wise prudent and valiaunt but also without any infection of pride or couetousnesse for he helde opinion that he may euill gouerne a common wealthe that is a subiect to pride or couetousnesse Vnto Pretours Censours and Questours before he gaue them any gouernement of any countrie first he caused them to giue an inuentorie of their owne proper goods to the end that when their charge were finished the increase of their wealth might be considered and ioyntly therewith he did both say and warne them that he sent them to minister iustice and not by fraude to rob countries In all thinges that Antoninus commaunded prouided and chastised he was very pitifull such excepted as did offend in the execution of iustice with whom he was both rigorous extreme in such wise that other offences were they very great he did pardon them but as concerning iustice the smallest offence was grieuously punished On a time certaine officers of his treasure brought him a memoriall wherein was conteined the manner and fourme yearely to increase his rents which being séene and read in the backe thereof he did write these wordes the order and fourme that you haue to searche ought not to be to the augmentation of my rents but for the aduancement of my common welth eyther to impose newe tributes but to deuise with order to auoyde excessiue expences for if Romaine Princes vse no rule to moderate their charges eyther we shall lose our selues or rob our common wealthes Amongest all the Princes past onely Antoninus did neuer permit the rents of his estate eyther more or lesse to be augmented but rather did pardon many common wealthes of their olde debts and also relieued others of some newe impositions Presents that were brought him of siluer golde silke purple iuels or other riche things he woulde not receiue them were it not of the kings that payde tribute vnto the Empire for he helde opinion that the common wealthes rather then him selfe had néede thereof The things that he vsed most commonly to receiue were bookes to reade in horsses to runne and fruite to féede on which he forgate not gratefully to recompence In affaires he vsed great expedition that is to say that if he once did vndertake any businesse he neuer withdrewe his hand vntill it were finished Euery yeare he caused his house to be visited as concerning excessiue expences if exaction or briberie were committed by any of his houshold against straungers if they did serue which receiued wages if amongest them there were any that were notably vicious finally all that whiche the visitour for the remedie hereof did set downe presently was perfourmed For the time of Domitian the Emperours officers had a custome to receiue many chargeable fées of al men that by warrant of the Princes liberalitie receiued reliefe which the Emperour Antoninus as a vile custome did vtterly take away affirming that a gratious rewarde ought gratis to be dispatched The pryde the presumption the hautinesse and also the tediousnesse of the whole Empire he brought placed and restored vnto the plat of great humilitie in suche wise that as easily they dispatched affaires with the Emperour Antoninus as with a citizen of Rome A matter surely to be noted to beholde the Court of Rome in the dayes of this