his kinsman The cause and beginning hereof was that Cesar shuld be put out of his Consulship Ciuill war betwene Pompeius and Cesar if he did not out of hand discharge his armie geue ouer the prouince But he was persuadid in himselfe that he could not be in safety if he did dismisse his souldiars Notwithstanding he made this offer that both he Pompeius shuld yeld vp their souldious and for asmuch as this was not accepted he toke his iourney with an vncredible swiftnes he came out of France into Italy with his hoste entred into Flaminia where he tooke diuers townes Which being knowen Pompeius the two consuls to wit C. Marcellus L. Lentulus did flye frō Rome went to Ranusiū of the coūtrie of Puell bordering on the sea Cesar came thither also but the cōsuls had alredy passed the sea wer ariued at Durazo whether also shortly after Pmopeius fled And for because that Cesar being excluded by the time and destititute of vessels of warre could not folow or pursewe them he returned vnto Rome where he holding a courte made a complainte of the iniuries done against him and did propound certaine conditions of peace But because that the Senate dyd shewe themselues slacke and colde herein he went vnto Massilia where the gates were shute against him Wherfore he hauing prepared an army by sea he beseiged the towne both by Sea and by Land The Captaines of Pompeius yelde vnto Cesar leauing there his lieutenauntes he toke his iournie towardes Spaine where finally Petreius Afranius the captaines of Pompeius dyd yelde vnto hym wyth all theyr armie Whiche beinge done he retourned backe again vnto Massilia the which then beyng voyde of all hope did yelde vnto his deuotion Straight waies after this he returned vnto Rome hauing in his absence bene made dictatour by M. Lepidus Pretor where he made an assembly of the people and was chosen Consull with P. Seruilius Isaurico Afterwardes hauinge lefte and gyuen good order of his affaires he went into Grecia to conclud he ouerthrew Pōpeius in a great battaile in the contry of Thessalia wanne his campe yea albeit his armie was much greater Pompeius vanquished by Cesar Pōpeius flying away went into the countrie of Egipte at which time raygned Ptolomeus Dionisius the sonne of Ptolomeus Auleta whome as we haue sayde Pompeius beynge Consull dyd by A. Gabinius reestablyshe in hys Kyngdome whereof he was depryued Pompeius hoped that in partye recompence of hys good deede he should finde some helpe succour in that country But the king was then but a childe Wherthrough it befell that his famillier frendes dispisynge the present state of Pompeius or at the least fearing certayne motions and vprores The death of Pompeius dyd slaye him by treason Cesar pursewing him ariued at Alexandria accompained with three thousand and two hundreth men where he was first of al aduertised of the death of the sayd Pompeius Cicero giuing his Iudgement of them both sayth on this wise If so be that Pompeius had demissed somewhat of his great grauitie and that Cesar had greatly refrained from hys couetousnes we myght haue had some certaine assured peace and some publike weale The king of Egipte was then in armes against his syster Cleopatra Cesar beynge in Alexandria would that they shoulde pleade their controuersyes rather by ryghte before hym then by armes seyng that he was Consull of the Romaines and that certaine yeares before amitie was contracted by lawe and consent of the Senate wyth Ptolomeus the kinges father The gouernours toke this thyng very greuously and complayned that the royall maiestie was greatly empeched lesned in that they were caused to appeare and pleade their cause Warre in Alexandria againste Cesar Their hartes then were so enflamed with wrath that they put themselues in armes against Cesar who after great and sondry dangers reinained victorious Notwithstanding the king being dead he ordained not neither made the kingedome of Egipte in maner of a prouince but left the kingdome vnto Cleopatra and to hys yonger brother From thence he toke his iournye into Syria and afterwardes into Pont where he defyed the king Pharnaces the sonne of Mithridates and did pacifye Cappadocia Armenia Gallograecia Pont and Bithynia This beynge done he came agayne into Italye and after that into Rome And in the middest of the winter yea in the shortest dayes therof he toke shyppe in Sicilia for to sayle into Affrike albeit that the pryncipalest and chiefest diuinor had aduertised him not to take his iournie till winter were past After the iourney of Pharsalica Scipio and Cato sōnes of the Nephewes of A. Portius Cato were retyred in to the sayd coūtry of Affrike and hauing raised a great band of men of warre they had assubiected and brought the king Iuba vnder theyr gyrdell Cesar then ariued there and beseyged and ouer threwe them both Cesar victorious in Afrike But as concerning Cato he slew himself at Vtica for feare of falling into the handes of Cesar The which Cicero approueth beyng of opinion that considering the incredible grauitie that he naturallye had it behoued hym rather to dye suche a death then to behold the face of the Tirante Cato was of the Stoical secte and sometimes he did defend in the open Senate certaine brutishe and horrible sentenses as if he had bene in the politike gouernaunce of Plato according to the saying of Cicero and not in the affaires of Rome Ceser was retourned vnto Rome hauing triumphed ouer the Galles Egiptians those of Pont and of Affrike he stirred vp warre agaynst Sext. Pompeius in Spaine where he also gaue him the ouerthrowe So therefore all his enemies beyng vanquished and the people beynge pacifyed in all parties he returned to Rome .v. yeares after the beginning of the ciuil warre And after that he had triumphed ouer Spaine he fell out of fauour and was hated of diuers forbecause that he had always kept retayned to himself the name power of Dictatour which was offered him for that also he did electe such Senatours as semed good to his fantasye and almost onely dyd conferre the honours offices of the weale publike vnto whom it pleased him After then that the estate of the publike weale was changed and that the gouernement therof was reducted vnder the power auctority of one only the cōspiraties which were made against him were so enflamed that v monthes after his returne vnto Rome Cesar slayn in the Senate the xv of March he was murdered in the court of Poinpeius where the parliment was kept euen by thē who were greatly boūd vn to him for his clemencye gentilnes lately before shewed vnto thē For he had pardoned thē theyr putting on of armes against him in the war of Pompeius The muderers were M. D. Brutus C. Cassius Cn. Domitius C Trebonius Q. Tullius Cimber the two Seruilians Casca Hala dyuers others M.
discribe thys warre of the Persyans Cicero doth call hym the father of Historyes but he sayeth that he was fylled wyth innumerable fables The Lacedemonians beynge displeased wyth this fortifycation of their Citye they for because they colde doe nothing elles dyd onelye grudge there agaynst Synce that tyme bothe they and the other Grecians wyth the Athenians ioynynge together theyr power toke Cypria and the towne of Bizance whych before the Persyans dyd keepe There was then amongest the other Dukes of the Lacedemonians Pausanias who beynge conuicted of treason after hys retourne homeward and beynge fledde to a certayne place of Freedome he was there constrained to dye for hunger Themistoles beyng accused of the lyke crime dyd flye From that tyme after the Grecians were tourmented with sundry and diuers warres and dissentions partly cyuill and partlye forren the whyche Thucydides doth lyghtlye touche But fynallye fyftye yeares after the departure of Xerxes oute of Grecya Cicero accordynge to Thucydides sayeth that that warre was greatlye enflamed The Peloponnicall Warre against the Athenians at suche tyme as the whole countrye of the Peloponesyans dyd conspyre against the Athenyans of whom Perycles the Discyple of Anaxagoras the Philosopher was principall Captayne in that warre Aristophanes speaketh of hym saying that he in makynge hys oration dyd kyndell set a fyer and bourne Pericles the whole countrye of Grecia For then they were both maysters of vertues and of Eloquence On the other syde Archydamus the Kynge of the Lacedemonians had the pryncipall gouernement Thucydides was the compaynion of Pericles and he sought narrowlye to folow hys doynges whoo also dyd putte thys warre in writting Pericles beynge chosen pretour had for hys Adherante Sophocles a Tragian poet as Cicero dothe declare Let vs nowe retourne vnto Xerxes He hauing so yll handled hys affayres fell into suche a contempte Artaxerxes longhand the 5. Emperour Darius the bastrard the syxte that he was slayne of hys owne men Hys sonne Artaxarxes long hand succeded him towards whome Themistocles of whō we haue spoken a litle before being bannished did returne there finished his life and was buried in Magnesie Darius the Bastarde reigned after longhand whose sister he had in mariage The a boue said warre of the Peloponesians fell duryng his raygne and albeit that the Athenians had alreadye ynough to doe yet neuertheles the fourth yeare of thys warre they sente an armie by Sea vnto Sycilia faynynge to helpe the Leontins agaynst the Saragossens but of trewth it was for nothing els then to assubiecte that I le vnder them the whych yf they dyd they might the better vainquishe all Grecia But as they did often times come and skermishe against them Hermocrates Siracusanus counceiled the Sicilians to agree amongest themselues and to forget all yll will and inimites consydering that the Athenians sought to bring them al to subiection so then he perswaded them in the seuenth yere of this warre Thre yeares after the Athenians and the Peloponesiens made peace for fiftie yeres but it lasted not seuē whole yeres For they beganne to make diuers manful skermishes And albeit that the treatise of peace was not altogether broken and that often tymes the offences were appaised by Truce neuertheles in the tenth yere they dyd put themselues in armes againe fought outrageously with al their strēgth and power and this other warre lasted seuētene yeares Then the Athenians dyd agayne send a nauie verye well appointed vnto Sicilia The chiefe captaines amongest the residue were Alcibiades and Nicias Alcibiades Nicias of whom the last to wite Nicias did by certaine orations greatly disswade the people from that sayling against the will of Alcibiades The Peloponesians dyd giue succour to the Sicilians at length the Athenians ioyned battayle wyth the enemyes in the heauen of Sarrogosa The ouerthrowe of the Athenians in Sicilia but after diuers varieties and sondrie changes of fortune they were al ouerthrowē and slayne As this was doing the Lacedemonians with their Confederats dyd ioyne themselues in league with Darius the King of the Persians against the Athenians Tissaphernes was the Embassadour of Darius Moreouer after Codrus Polydore the Lacedemonian and Aristomenes of Messene these that folow of whome some of them did diuers notable actes in the defence of the whole countrey of Grecia other some also in the defence of theyr owne natiue countrey are commonly numbred amongest the principall and most notable Captaines of the Grecians The excellent captens of Grecia To witte Miltiades Leonidas Themistocles Pericles Aristides Pausanias Xantippus Leotychidas Cimon Conon Epaminondas Leosthenes Aratus of Clarentia Philopemen Diuers of these were exiled and banished Cicero doth describe the hauen of Sarrogosa and he sayeth that it was neuer heard of that euer any nauie by sea dyd enter therein by force of armes except that of the Athenians whiche was to the number of thre hundred shyppes and was destroyed in the same hauen by the nature of the same place and hauen which was the cause that euen then firste of all the strength and power of the towne were ouerthrowen and broken down so that theyr noblenesse empyre and glory peryshed in the sea Thucydides sayth that Sicilia is in compasse as much as a great shyppe can saile round about in .viii. dayes and that it is twenty furlonges distant from sure and firme grounde Artaxarxes the. 7. Darius had two sonnes Artaxerxes Mnemon and Cyrus of whome the first succeded hys father after hys death Cyrus had to hys dominion and gouernment Ionia and Lydia But he not content with that which he kept he made warre agaynst the kyng his brother wherin he had the ouerthrow and was slayne Marcus Portius Cato doeth call this latter Cyrus king of Persia and as it is written in Cicero excellent both in witte and in noblenes of Empyre and folowyng also Xenophons wrytyng he praiseth him for the care and diligence that he toke in husbandrye For Xenophon put hymself in armes for hym and he was his very familier which was cause that afterwards the Atheniās whose frend Mnemon was did banyshe hym the countrey Ochus raigned after Mnemon who was the last of Darius thre sonnes Ochus 8. Darius 9. and the last Darius the last folowed hym agaynst whome Alexander the sonne of Philippe kynge of the Macedonians made warre beyng come by force of armes into Asia after he had taken the towne of Thebes and pacified Grecia He wanne thre battayles of Darius in such sort that he drew so nere that he toke his mother and his wife and his chyldren Darius truely dyd offer hym faire offers yea a part of his Empyre euen vnto the ryuer of Euphrates But alexander did reiect them and cessed not tyll he had altogether vanquished hym The victories of Alexander agaīst Darius For Darius seyng that it was not possible for hym to obteyne peace vnder these conditions he dyd gather a most myghty armye for to
vpon the Senate did will Antiochus not to meddle or make with Egipt Whereat he being displeased especially because that Hanniball the fugitiue did incite him as much as was possible Antiochus vanquished and spoyled to make warre he sailed into Grecia with his armie where he was ouerthrowen as we haue before saide After that the Romaines made a new armie by Sea for to folowe and pursue him and being sayled into Asia they dyd vanquishe and gette a great Battayle of him and dyd putte hym to flyght from beyond the mounte of Taurus After hys ouerthrowe he was wont to saye as Cicero reciteth that the Romaine people had done hym a great pleasure in easynge hym from ouer great charge and in leauing him so straight limittes of hys countrey L. Cornelius Scipio the brother of P. Scipio Affricanus did conduct this warre who for this cause was surnamed Asiaticus Shortly after M. Fuluius surnamed Nobilior dyd subdue the Etolians and triumphed ouer them And when P. Scipio Affricanus who in that warre had been lieutenant for his brother was retourned to Rome the Tribunes of the people beganne to trouble and torment hym Wherefore he departed from thence and went into Laterne to hys Towne and there as certaine saye thys noble man dyed beyng nine and fourty yeres olde The deathe of Pub. Scipio no yonger nor elder then M. Portius Cato Cicero in the Dialogue which he wrote of olde age doth introduct Cato speaketh louyngly and honorablye of the age of them bothe and of theyr studyes But aboue all he magnifieth the greatnes of courage that was in Scipio Titus Liuius sayth that Cato did beare hym enuy that he vsed to take this hys fortune and prosperitie in euyll parte Cato enuious agaynst Scipio Cicero affirmeth that he was prompt and quicke in all his affayres In that tyme floryshed Ennius Plautus and Nenius Poetes Antiochus beynge ouerthrowen Hanniball dyd flye vnto Prusias kynge of Bithinia And for because that the Romaynes dyd require that he shoulde be rendered vnto them Hanniball poysoneth hym selfe he droncke poyson and so kylled him selfe Antiochus the noble succeaded this Antiochus He also dyd deliberate to gette the kyngdome of Egypte for as muche as he was the Vncle of Ptolomeus Philometor Kyng of Egypte who beyng yet but a chylde had succeaded hys father deceassed Wherefore he declared hym selfe to be hys Protectour myndynge by thys meanes to oppresse hym and to take to hym selfe the chyefe dignitie But hys enterpryses beynge knowen the Romaynes whome the Egyptians had agayne solicited to succour them dyd hasten to sende C. Popilius Lenas in Embassage Who beynge comme to speake face to face with Antiochus he wylled hym in the name of the Romaine people to departe from Alexandria whyche he kept beseiged but as Antiochus did aske respit to aduise therevppon Popillius made a rounde circle before hym with the rodde that he helde and did commaunde him to declare what he mynded to do before he departed from thence By thys meanes he who was not ignoraunt of the power of the Romaines was so affrayed that he promysed to leaue all thinges in peace Popilius maketh Antiochus affrayed These thinges are recited to the ende to declare howe by litle and litle the Romaines are waxed greate of small beginninges and howe they did so aduaunce them selues that they assubiected almost all countryes For euen alreadye theyr valyauntnesse was passed through Italy and had inuaded diuers parts of the world Not withstanding there was yet many lettes and inconueniences in such sort that they had no lytle a do for to establyshe thys so great an Empyre which should comprehend and compasse the principall part of the world as I wyll here after orderly and briefly declare Philip kyng of Macedonia of whome mencion hath been made beinge very wroth for that he was so enclosed by the Romaynes purposed to begynne to make warre agayne But he was preuented by death and Persea hys sonne succeaded hym who of long tyme was so eneduraged agaynst the Romaynes in such sort that he tooke in hand as it were the heritage of makyng warre But L. Emylius Paulus who had been twyse Consull finally dyd gyue hym the ouerthrow in playne battaylle Persea king of the Macedonians taken prisoner and tooke hym Prysoner wyth hys Wyfe hys Mother and hys Chyldren whome also he ledde away in triumphe And for thys victory he was surnamed Macedonicus From that tyme also Macedonia was made a Prouince of the Romaynes In the former laste yeare Ennius beynge three score and tenne yeares olde accordynge to the sayinge of Cirero departed oute of thys lyfe Fewe yeares after P. Cornelius Nasica dyd assubiect the Dalmatians The thirde warre of Carthage And incontinently after the thirde warre of Affrike beganne to brust forth For because that the Carthagiens who could not liue in rest did moue warre and oppresse their neyghbours but chiefly Massinisse king of Numidie the compainion and frend of the Romaines the Romaines beyng required to succour them purpossed to put themselues in armes aboute the sixe hundreth and foure yere after the foundation of Rome Diuers iudgments as touching the preseruation or distructiō of Carthage But their opinions were diuers to wytte whether it were more conuenient to breake downe and destroy the Citie then to preserue it The saying of them who were of opinion that it was not conuenient that it should be destroied was that if Carthage were once taken away they would afterwardes euen amongest themselues make hurliburlies by seditions ciuill warres But M. Portius Cato did counsell the contrary declaring the great danger which did threatē the publike weale of Rome if thys Citie were not vtterlye rooted vp and destroied His opinion gotte the victorie albeit that he disceased in thys deliberation The death of P. Cato hauynge lyued foure score and fiue yeres Cicero doth name hym amongest the auncient oratours and doth place hym nexte vnto Marcus Cornelius Cethegus who he saith was renoumed of Ennius He sayth moreouer that an hundreth and fyftie of Catos orations were found full of learned wordes and notable matters and rebuketh the nicenes of hys time because they did not regarde to reade them diligently ouer He compareth him to Lysias the Scriuener of Athenes P. Scipio Aemilianus the sonne of Paulus Macedonicus and the nephew by adoption of P. Scipio Aphricanus had the charge and gouernement of the thyrde warre of Carthage And foure yeres after that certain others had begonne the war he came and assaulted Carthage wyth suche force that hauyng constrained them to yelde he spoiled it brunte it and beate it downe to the ground The distruction of Carthage By reason wherof he was also surnamed Aphricus aswell as he who dyd vanquishe Hanniball as it hath bene sayde And behold here the end of a most myghtie Citie whose foundation was more ancient then that of the City of Rome and being nothing inferrior in
conspiraties of the Souldiours which certain did craftely moue that he came not to the end of the warre and to haue caryed away the glory and triumphe of the victory For shortly after he was called back againe and this commission was geuen vnto Cn. Pompeius Of the doyng whereof Cicero was also one of the perswaders who had made the people wyllyng herevnto by a certayne excellent oratiō which he made in the prayse of Pompeius Luculus being called home again he letted therfore not to triumphe The sumptuousnes of L. Luculus made the Romains a notable and sumptuous great feast Since that tyme he would no moore entermeddle or be occupyed with publyke affaires but did leade hys lyfe at home in the study of Philosophie beynge not withstandyng very sumptuous in hys ordinary lyuynge as he was alwayes He garnished a most ample and magnificall library of the whiche Cicero maketh mencion The victory of Pompeius against Mithridates and sayeth that he went thither often tymes to fetche certayne bookes Pompeius gaue Mithridates a cleane ouerthrow and droue hym farre of and receyued Tigranes who did yeld and render himself vnto his deuotion clemencie Cicero reciteth that Pompeius seyng in hys campe this kyng prostratinge himself and demaunding pardon he lifted hym vp and put againe the crowne vppon his head which he had cast of Afterwarde chargyng hym with certaine thinges he commaunded him to hold and kepe alwayes his kyngdome Mithridates finally beyng beseiged of his sonne Pharnaces did slay him selfe The warre against the pyrates Cn. Pompeius had gotten great credite and estimation for the warre which he made against the pyrates before that he went agaynst Mythridates The conspiratie of Catilina This war being ended sodenly another fier began to kindle for L. Catilina had conspired with diuers others to destroy the publyke weale But his wickednes beyng disclosed by the dexteritie and industrie of Cicero who was then consull he was bannished the citie and hauyng gathered an armie and bande of desperate Villens in the countrey of Toscane he remained slaine in the fielde beyng vanquished by C. Antonius consull and fellow in office with Cicero Who through out all his writings doth praise and magnifie the paine and labour that he tooke for the publyke weale and sayeth that than not onely appeared in the night flames of fyer with burnyngs in the Element thundrings and earthquakes But also he applieth and maketh serue to this purpose the straunge and vnaccustomed Sygnes that came to passe and befell twelue yeares before that he was Consull at such time as L. Cotta and Torquatus were in that office In the which time vehement flames of lightning fell vppon diuers towres in the palaice of the city of Rome diuers Images of gods were displaced diuers pictures of men of old tyme throwen downe The tables of brasse wherein the lawes were grauen the molten Image also of Romulus founder of Rome which was as it weare sucking and hanging ouer the Wolfes dugges was striken with thunder Cicero describing the spirite and nature of Catilina sayth that there was neuer the lyke monster in the world that was compact and mixed with such couetousnes so many contrary sundry cōplexiōs repugning one against another The same yere that Cicero was consull C. Octauius was borne The byrthe of C. Octauius and the countrey of Iudea was made tributary to the Romaines after that Ierusalem had bene assaulted and wonne by Cn. Pompeius Fyue yeres after at such tyme as Piso A. Gabinius were consuls the Swicers dyd chaunge their dwellyng place and did purpose to passe by prouince for to enter and perce through the residue of Fraunce and there to make theyr habitation because of the goodnes and fertilitie of the countrey This beyng knowen and disclosed C. Iulius Cesar yonger then Cicero by sixe yeares did raise vp his army for as much as the Senate had assigned him that Prouince and went to mete the enemy The Swicers ouerthrowen by Iulius Cesar whome he ouerthrew in playne battayle And shortly after he dyd the lyke vnto Arionistus king of the Germaines who had oppressed the countreys of Lions in Fraunce but especially the Burgonions the frends and companions of the Romains for he ouerthrew hym neare vnto the riuer called Rhyne being departed from Bessanson a towne of Burgonie Which being done he brought the whole countrey of Gallia vnder the subiection of the Romains Afterwards sayling into Britan he assubiected the Ile Cicero reciteth that Cesar did write to him out of Britan the first of September and that he receyued the letters the .xxviii. day of the sayd moneth About the time that Cesar was departed into Gallia Cicero was so vexed troubled of P. Claudius Tribune of the people The exile of Cicero that he flede and went in exile after that he had made an oration vnto the people horsemen by the which he commended vnto them hys chyldren and familye Certayn monethes after he was to the great ioye and gladnes of the people called home againe And then he made another oration vnto the Romains by the which he gaue thanks vnto his frends Since he layd the cause of his bannishement vpon L. Piso and A. Gabinius beinge then Consulls and proued by the orations whych he pronounced against them both that he was betrayed by them In one of the sayde orations he counselleth the Senate to take from them the Prouinces of Syria and of Macedonia and not to call backe againe C. Cesar who prospered in the warres that he had in Gallia but rather that they should continue him in this gouernment to the entent that he might bring the warre to an end Ptolomeus Auletus During these enterprises Ptolomeus Auletus king of Egipt beyng dryuen out of his kyngdom for his cowardnes and crueltie he fled and retyred vnto Rome The king of Egipt re-established by the Romaines where the Senate through the perswasion of Cn. Pompeius dyd reestablishe him by A. Gabinius in puttyng downe Archelaus who raigned by the consent of the people Gabinus was afterwardes condemned to paye vnto the publyke treasour ten M. talents or accordyng to the reckning of certain of our tyme .vi. millions of gold for because he had receiued as much of Ptolomeus M. Crassus vnto whom the commission of the war of Parthia had bene geuen was also vanquished beyond Euphrates slaine contrary to the law of armes as he communed and reasoned of matters Crassus slaine by the Parthians This is he who vsed to say that none was riche yf he could not maintain an army with his own reuenew In the selfsame time P. Clodius was killed of T. Annius Milo And albeit that Cicero did defend the cause of Milo Pompeius being for the third time Consull yea him self alone not withstanding he was bannished The French war beyng once ended which was about the viii yere ciuil war was raised betwene C. Cesar and Cn. Pompeius
the hands of their companions fellow helpers Constantius had the dominion of Fraunce England Spaigne Italy Affrick Galerius of Sclauonia Grecia Asia At thys tyme Marcellus was Bishoppe of Rome The degree of Marcellus bishop of Rome of whome a certayn decre is founde that it is not lawfull for the byshops to assemble a Synode or generall counsell without the authoritie of the romaine Sea nor any bishop to condemne any what soeuer he be yf he appeale vnto Rome This man was poore as hys predecessours were liued in great affliction because that Maxentius the Emperour did persecut him Wherfore it is easy to be iudged whether that he being so vexed troubled was so arrogaÌ„t presumptuous to make such decrees Constantius being disceased at york Seuerus Marimianus Maxentius Galerius adapted Seuerus Maximianus In the meane time the nobles other souldiours of the gard which wer at Rome did elect Maxentius for to be Emperour after that Seuerns was slain Maximianus toke Lucinius to be his companioÌ„ Lucinius Great trouble was raised betwene these by reason whereof the nobilitie of Rome called Constantine the sonne of Constantius who had his abiding in FrauÌ„ce for to deliuer the citie from the tyrany of Maxentius CoÌ„stantinus drew into Italy with a part of his souldiours wan the first battel finaliy slew cut a sunder the hooste of Maxentius neare vnto Rome Constantinus the great He had also war against Lucinius who was vaÌ„quished inbattaill at the last was slayn of hys owne Souldiours Certayne holde that the cause of the warre was because that Lucinius dyd sharply persecute the ChristiaÌ„s not withstandynge that Constantine had admonyshed prayed hym to restrayne therefrom For from the resurrection of Christ vntyll this tyme almost for the space of CCC yeres they which made profession of Christ were afflicted tormented diuers wayes For let me omitte to speake of that which the holy scripture reciteth of Stephen of Iames the brother of Iohn of Peter prisoner but diliuered by the angel yea let me omit Paule a great persecuter of the church of god who after he was coÌ„uerted did suffer infinite dauÌ„gers for the profession of Christ The romain Emperours haue raised vp horrible most cruel sortes of torments This did Nero Tyrantes Domitianus Traianus Septimus Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus Diocletianus CoÌ„stantyne doth embrace the doctrine of Christ Maximianus Constantinus remaining victorious embrased the true religion serued as a port refuge vnto the Christians And then first of all the bishops of Rome began to be in safetie For hitherto almost al of them were martyred The number of the bishops since Peter whom they would haue to be the first vnto this time do amount to .xxxiii. Their decrees are enclosed in the bookes of the counsels but the most part of them are so vaine folyshe yea so contrary vnto the holy scriptures that it is to be presupposed that long tyme after some others haue inuented counterfeited them But if they be verily of them proceded of their forge it semeth that the same which S. Paule prophecied might be rightly applied then this respect To wit that euen in the sonne of perdition man of synne began to worke the mysterie of iniquitie The decree of Anacletê° There is found a certain decre which is attributed vnto Anacletus whom certain do place the fourth after Peter by the which he affirmeth the church of Rome to be the head of all others by the commaundement institution of Christ Another decre is vnder the title of Alexander his successour whereby he commaundeth to consecrate water with salt for to purifie the people and to mollifie the assaults and subteltie of the deuill I besech you what agremeÌ„t or likenes is there betwene these things and the maiestie of the Apostles or the writings of Iohn the Euangelist who almost liued euen to thys age I haue only specified these two to the end that the readers might iudge of the residue who are of such like quality endued with such ambitious and couetous mynds and euen as the language is barbarous so likewise the sentence hath no salt which Paule requireth in the ministers of the churche The donation of Constantine is a lye forged of the papistes The bequethment or dontion of Constantine is of the lyke style the which they haue not forgotten in theyr bookes as the foundation and fortiâ—ication of their power For the cause and occasion of his excessiue liberalitie maye be reprehended by the histories and conuicted of falsholde And put the case that this Emperour had bene so prodigall yet could he not diminyshe his right herein but only from hymselfe not froÌ„ his successors who had like power authoritie were defenders of the weale publyke For he can not be named father of a countrey that doth lessen the right reuenue of the Empyre nether can he prescribe a lawe to the preiudice of hys companion lyke in authoritie At the commaundment of Constantine there was publyshed and held a counsell at Nice in Bithinia whereat a great multitude was present In the sayde counsell the opinin of Arius was condemned The couÌ„sell of Nice against Arius who denied Christ to be of equal substaunce with the father It is fouÌ„d in writing that not only the bishops of Europa Asia wer there assistaÌ„t but also those of Egipt Libia Amongst other things it was ordeyned decreed that the auncient custome should be obserued in Egipt Libia Pentapoli to wit that they all shuld be subiect vnto the bishop of Alexandria albeit the bishop of Rome vsurped kept back this custome Moreouer that the priuileges should remain vndiminished at Antioche in other Prouinces churches After this counsell a certayn man called Eustathius spred abroad diuers wicked opinions Eustathius authour of the monkish superstition as to flie froÌ„ marriage to vse new vnaccustomed maner of garments to abstayne from eating of flesh to forsake their possessions Now for asmuch as diuers married men did seperate themselues for their wiues diuers bondmen dyd forsake their maisters went tooke this new religious garment as they call it women also dyd the lyke forsakyng their husbands And because that they that dyd eate fleshe were dispised and estemed as defiled and offendynge God as also the ministers of the church that wer marryed Vppon thys occasion a Counsell was holden at Gangre a citie of Paphlagonie wherein were condemned they who taught on this maner with them that beleued the same Eustathius opinion condemned After that Constantinus had been honourably saluted and gratified by the Senate and the romain people because of the peace restored vnto the publyke weale he set hys whole mynde vppon forreyn warres vanquished in diuers conflicts the Gothes and Sarmatians who oppressed Thracia In hys old age he
others call hym Saturne they say that in the fyue and fourtye yere of hys Empyre he sent Assur Mede Magog and Moscus for to guyde the bandes of men whiche he sent to inhabite here and there and for to grounde and establish kingdomes of theyr names to witte of Assiria of Mede of Magog and of Moscus whereof the two fyrst apperteyne vnto Asia the other two last appertayne vnto Affrica and vnto Europa The holye scipture also maketh mencion of that Assur Assur and sayeth that the cytye of Nineue was buylded by hym Iupiter Belus succeded his father Nimrod who some say did Iupiter Belus occupie all the West parts euen vnto Samaria on Europe after that he had made warre agaynst Sabatius kynge of Sagnos whome he could not altogether discomfite because he was preuented by death but Ninus his sonne vtterly vanquished him Ninus and hauynge spred hys dominion farre abroade he first of all gotte the Monarcke Thre C. and fifty yeres after the flood Noah dyed And about eyghtene yeares after Abraham the tenth after Noah left hys countrey by the commaundement of God being thre score and fyftene yeres olde Foure and twentye yeares after God made a Couenaunt with him by the Circumcision Circūcision instituted which he instituted In the hundreth yere of hys age Isaac hys sonne was borne vnto him and he lyued after that tyme thre score and fiftene yeres for the lyfe of man was euen alreadye greatlye shortened The holy scriptures teache vs howe and for what cause Iacob his nephewe came into Egipt where he dyed and howe those of hys lynage dwelt there for certeyne hundredes of yeres and beynge oppressed with moste cruell bondage brought out and delyuered by the grace of God vnder the gouernement of Moyses Nowe thys goyng furth of Israell out of the lande of Egypt The goyng out of egipt is coūted to be the MM. CCCC.LIIII yere after the creation of the worlde CCCC XXX yeres after the promise was made vnto Abraham as sayeth Paule the Apostle After Moyses the people of Israell had Iudges vntyll Saull whome Dauid succeded beyng the second kynge of that people Let vs retourne vnto the Empyre of Babilon After the death of Ninus Semiramis the widdow of Ninus Semiramis hys wyfe raigned who was as noble in riches victories and triumphes as euer was any She enlarged the towne of Babilon The noblenes of Semiramie and made it of an indifferent bignes also she decked it with diuers fayre buildings and did compasse it with walls She vanquished the countrey of Ethiopia and also made warre agaynst the countrey of India Zameis her sonne the fifte kyng did nothyng worthy of memory Zameis But Arius that raigned next after him Arius ioyned to hys empyre the Bactrians and Caspians Aralius his succcessour was as it is reported borne to warre Aralius and yet not withstandyng we fynde none of hys actes in wrytyng Baleus that folowed hym did subiect diuers people vnder hym Baleus that was surnamed Xerxes did spreade hys dominion euen vnto the countrey of Indea and therfore he was surnamed Xerxes that is to say victorious a triumpher and a man of warre The nynth called Armatrites Armatrites was altogether addicted vnto voluptuousnes and ydlenes There is nothyng found of Belochus the tenth Belochus but that he set hys mynde vpon prognostications and diuinations Baleus Baleus the eleuenth is counted to be next after Semiramis the most industrious and valiant man of warre and it is sayd that he was greatly renoumed and praysed by the wrytyngs of learned men Altadas the twelue loued to be at rest and to liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe as the report goth estemyng it to be a great folly Altadas to be tormented and vexed with diuers labours and cares for to encrease hys kyngdome for as much as it did not appertayne to the health or commoditie of men but rather to theyr domage bondage The .xiii. that folowed him Mamitus named Mamitus did agayne stirre vp awake his men to warfare in such sort that his power was suspected feared of the Sirians Egiptians Manchale◠There is nothing to be sayd of Manchaleus Spherus who is the .xiiii. Spherus the xv was as it is reported a man of great vertue wisdō There is no act mencioned of Mamelus Mamelus who was the .xvi. Merueylous thyngs are foūd to haue happened in all places vnder Sparetus the .xvii. Ascarades who was the .xviii. did subiect all Siria vnder his obedience Sparetus And here endeth Berosus Ascarades which is read at this day of the which booke diuers do greatly doute and do iudge it to be false and not withstanding they obserue this order because that herein all other writings faile vs. Other do count .xx. kyngs vnto Sardanapalus Sardanapalus who was the .xxxviii. king of Assiria He was the most effeminate that euer was borne in such sort that he was always conuersant among women handling the distafe spindle and he was so ouerwhelmed in pleasures and voluptuousnes that he scarsly did at any tyme shew him self abroad These doings of his wer the cause that two of his lieutenants Belochus of Babilon Belochus Arbaces Arbaces of Medea did conspire against him after that thei had openly declared his filthines dilicatenes they made war against him He finally presented himself in campe vnwillingly with his effeminat company but hauing the worst hand he hastely retired into his palace where after that he had gathered a great heape of wood The ende of Sardanapalus he brunt him self with all his riches whereby onely as one wryteth he declared hym self a man These two Lieutenantes did afterwards diuide the Monarchie betwene them Belochus was kyng of Babilon and Arbaces of the Medes and Persians Sardanapalus then was the laste kynge of the Assirians accordynge to the order aboue mencioned after that this Monarchie had continued M.CCC yeres for the moste parte of the kynges dyd lyue a very long tyme. Belochus the .xxxix. or elles if it seeme better the first kynge of Assiria in the newe Monarchie Belochus the first king of Assiria in the newe Monarche made Manahem kyng of Israell become tributarie vnto hym The holy scriptures doth not call him Belochus but Phul. Hys successour was Phull Assur surnamed Tiglath Pillesser who wanne certayue townes of Iudea and led the people captiue into Assiria It is that Tiglath whome Achas kyng of Iudea vnder whome Esay lyued prayed to succour hym against the kyng of Siria and vnto whome he sent presentes Salmanasar succeded hym Salmanasor who wanne the towne of Samaria after he had beseged it three yeres and led Hosea kyng of Israell wyth the people captiue gaue them a dwellynge place in hys countrey euen in Medea as the holy scripture saith wherof some haue opinion that he raigned also ouer the Medes
offer the thyrde battayle in the which he was cleane ouerthrowen and murthered of hys owne Souldyours in flyinge and strayghte wayes after hym the kyngdome of Persia whiche had endured two hundred yeres and vpwards was plucked vp by the rootes By these noble victories Alexander brought vnder hys obedience almost all the East countrey dyd tranferre the dignitie of the Empyre of Asia into Europa so that he dyd constitute the thyrde Monarche Alexander the beginner of the thirde Monarchye After that also he made warre agaynst the Indians but he coulde not moderatelye beare so great aduauncement and clemencye of Fortune suche is the infirmitye of men And therefore as he dyd many thyngs insolently and would almost be worshypped as a GOD he beyng arriued at Babilon dyed of an ague or as others say of poison when he was thyrty yeres old and had raygned twelue yeres Calanus Indus as Cicero sayeth dyd foreshew hym the ende of hys lyfe For euen as he was readye to caste hym selfe into a burnynge fyer and that Alexander dyd aske hym yf he had anye thynge to saye All goeth verye well sayeth he I shall see thee shortelye And shortely after Alexander dyed Hys discease is referred to the hundreth and fourtene Olympiades and to the foure hundreth and nyne and twentye yere of the foundation of Rome Three hundreth and two and twenty yere before the natiuitie of Christ He was a feruent great louer of good letters Alexander a louer of good letters and verye liberall towards the learned men For the cause whereof he hath been greatly praysed of diuers He had the poesie of Homere in great dilectation In such sort that albeit that he had with hym as it is sayde diuers that did wryte his actes not withandynge when he came into Sigia standyng by Achiles tombe O thou happy yong man sayeth he that hast founde Homere for to wryte and magnifie thy vertue For euen as he would chiefely be paynted by Apelles and hys Image to be grauen by Lisippus so in lyke maner he would be praysed and commended to the remembraunce of hys posteritie by them who in praysyng hym might obteyne honour and fame for the excellentnes of their spirite He gaue Aristotle his maister charge to put in wryfyng the nature of all beastes And to thys end he appoynted certaine thousands of men throughout all Grecia Asia to witte vnto Heard kepers Hunters Fishers Marchaunts of fishe Byrdcatchers and such lyke who should playnly informe hym of all thynges It is sayd moreouer that he gaue the sayd Aristotle in recōpence of hys payn eyght hundred talents which amount accordyng to the reckenyng of the learned men of our tyme The liberalitie of Alexander towards learned men to CCCC LXXX thousand crownes courrant He sent to Xenocrates the Philosopher by his Embassadours fiftie talentes which amounteth to xxx thousande crownes but he refusynge them sayd that he had no nede of so great a summe the Embassadours beyng returned what sayd Alexder hath he no frendes for to do hym pleasure Cicero sayeth that in his youth when he was the disciple of Aristotle he declared hym self to be of a very good spirite and to be greatly modest but after he was made kyng he behaued himself proudly cruelly and altogether vnmoderatly The Historiographers do mencion merueylous things of the magnificence dilicatnes and superfluitie of Darius The superfluitie of Darius For to the ende that his body should wāt no voluptousnes he had in his campe expert Cokes that could dresse all maner of meates make all maner of dilicates with makers of oyntmentes Diuers also haue described how great the magnificence and preparations of the kynges of Persia was in theyr ordinary eatyng and drynkyng Their custome was as Cicero sayeth to haue many wiues vnto whome thei did bequeth certain cities to the ende that the one myght furnyshe their head tyer others such and such an ornament Such therefore as I haue sayde was Darius end and in flying when he had dronke troubled water and which was infected wyth dead mens bodies he affirmed that in hys lyfe tyme he neuer dranke more sweter drynke Darius end for he dyd neuer absteyne so longe from drynke that he coulde be drye After the death of Alexander thys great Empyre was diuided amongest hys chyefe Lordes To wytte Ptolomeus Laomedon Antigonus Cassander Leonatus Eumene Python The successors of Alexander Lysimachus Antipater Meleager and Seleucus Amongest them the pryncipall was Seleucus kyng of Assiria Ptolomeus of Egypt Antigonus of Asia the lesse Cassander after the he had oppressed all Alexanders kynsfolkes was synce made kynge of Macedonia and of Grecia Lysimachus is he with whome Alexander beyng on a certayne tyme angrye Lysimacus dyd cause hym to be shutte vp wyth a Lyon But vnderstandyng that he had kylled the sayde Beast he had hym afterwarde in great honoure and estimation Furthermore great warres were moued as wel amongest the sayd successours the whych doeth commonly happen as also amongest theyr sonnes and theyr sonnes sonnes for as muche as these outragious Spirites coulde not for ambition keepe theym selues in Peace but dyd seeke to encrease theyr powers in doynge others wronge By these warres whyche remayned a longe whyle The beginning of the fourth Monarchy all these countreys were greatly spoyled so that by lytle and lytle they fell into the Romaynes handes who enlarged so theyr dominion that they established the fourth last Monarche Of the whyche at thys present it is requisitte we shoulde entreate of Nowe amongest the Kynges of Egypt Alexanders successours Ptolomeus Philadelphus the father of good letters Ptolomeus Philadelphus a Prynce of great name is also numbred For he loued peace as much as was possible for him and he dyd styrre vp and awaken the liberall Artes and instituted rewardes and gyftes for the same and caused a large and a greate Librarye to be made so that also he caused the Bookes of Moyses and of the Prophetes to be translated into the Greke tongue The begynnynge of Rome was at that tyme as the Kynge Salmanasar of whome it hath been spoken dyd raygne ouer the Assyrians The time in whiche Rome was builte To witte in the fyrste yeare of the seuenth Olympiades accordynge to Plutarchus the thre thousande two hundreth and twelue yeare aboute foure hundreth yeares after that Eneas had begonne to raygne ouer the Romaynes after the warre of Troye whyche Homere dyd describe of the age of whome The warre of Troye no moore then of the Countrey we fynde nothynge mencioned of anye certentye excepte that Cicero sayeth The age of Homer vncertayne that he was longe tyme before the foundation of Rome and before Romulus Howe be it so it is that there remayneth no prophane Wryter moore auncient then his Poesie For as Horatius sayeth Before the tyme of stronge Agamemnon Many were of vertues and of renown But all vnwaylde were shut vp in the nyght For
a certayn part therof which yealded vnto hym he retourned to Rome in hys raigne there was a great famaine in al places the which as witnesseth saint Luke the Euangelist Agabus had before prophecyed Nero Claudius the successor of Claudius gaue manifestly to vnderstand that he would once vtterly break the order of the Senators Nero. 6. In his time England had a great ouerthrow discomffiture for that they oppressed robbed in the said I le the citezens aliaunts of the romains The legions also that were in Armenia were brought vnder subiection with great dificulty could Siria be kept maintained Moreouer Fraunce did rebell through the perswasyon counsell of Iulius Vindix gouernour of the country afterwards Spaine by the motion conduction of Sergius Galba Iulius Vindix Sargius Galba And as he minded to recouer his losses and purpossed to take hys Iourny into Fraunce the other armyes which he had heare there through out the prouinces dyd rebell It is manyfest by the Historyes what a cruell wylde beast he was Whereof beynge Iudged of the Senate to be an enemye of the weale publyke he slewe hym selfe by the helpe of a certayne Lackey At that tyme floryshed ouer and besydes Seneca Lucanus Persyus Silius Italycus Poetes of whom the last was Consull in the laste yeare of Neros raygne Confusion in the Romayne Monarchie The state of the publyke weale was then broughte to suche dysorder that it was in the power and pleasure of the armyes and Legions to electe and create the Emperour Vespasianus became Emperour by such meanes Vespasianus 7. For the armyes whych were in Masia and Hungarye in Indea and Syria dyd reuolte from Aullus Vitellius and made their othe vnto Vespasianus promysing hym fidellitie and obedience He put Achaia Lycia Rhodes Byzantia Samos Thracia Sicilia and Comagena into prouinces vnder the Romains he quite and cleane rooted vp the Citie of Ierusalem Titus his sonne guyding and conducting the warre Domitianus 8. Flauius Domitianus dyd oftentymes skermyshe and make war with them of Hell wyth the Dacians and Sarmatians ouer whom at last he triumphed Statius Inuenalis and Martialis Poetes liued at that time Traianus 9. Vlpius Traianus was adopted of Nerua Coccius and afterwardes made Emperour who twyse saccaged the Dacians that rebelled and made them subiecte the Romaynes He broughte thether also newe inhabitauntes Afterwardes he Marched wyth hys Hoste into Armenia and Parthya whome he subdewed easelye and wyllyngelye in such sorte that they yealded vnto hym and after that he was surnamed Parthycus Notwythstandinge dyuers people in the ende dyd rebell agaynste theym especially they of Armenya and Mesopotamya The Parthyans also woulde not accepte the Kynge that he had assygned theym Adrianus 10. as soone as hys backe was tourned for to returne into Italye Elius Adrianus did assubiecte the country of Iudea whiche had rebelled The cause of the warre was that he had buylt a Temple vnto Iupiter Olimpius in Ierusalem the which he had permitted to be agayne inhabited The Iewes were greatly wroth and displeased with that Temple He visited also Fraunce Duchland England and Spayne and from thence to the country of Mauritania Parthia Asia and Grecia and he returned by Sicilia vnto Rome For the second tyme he went into Aphrica and returned to Rome from whence yet again he toke his voyage into Grecia and Asia and from thence he drewe into Arabia and afterwards into Egipt He held a parliment and commended vnto the Senatours Antonius Pius who after him did enforce himself to kepe the things in peace Antonius Pius 11. and studiyng to do good vnto eueryone he maintained the farreyn kings in theyr obedience by letters and humanitye In hys time there were excellent Iuriconsulls as Alburnius Valeus Tuscianus Vindius Verus Vlpius Marcellus Arrianus Tertullianus Saluius Iulianus L. Volusius Metianus After Antoninus Pius hys Sonne Marcus Antonius surnamed the Philosopher M. Antoninus the Philosopher succeded him who toke L. Aurelius Verus his brother for to be conioyner to the Empyre By whose meanes he had happye successe of the warre of Parthya whileste that he gaue order to the publyke weale in hys Palayes and in the Cytye After the death of Verus he gouerned hym selfe alone the affayres of the Empyre and had good successe agaynst the Germaines He saccaged also the Marcomes Sarmatians Vandalians and Boemians who had oppressed the countrey of Hungaria For then the most parte of the people from Sclauonia vnto France had conspyred against the Romaines Commodus Antonius a moste wycked sonne of thys moste excellente Prynce Cōmodus Antonius 13. dyd vanquishe the Mauritains and Dacians by hys Lieutenauntes He pacified the the countrey of Hungaria Germanye and Englande countreys whiche woulde not be vnder hys subiection He in the meane whyle spent hys tyme in all maner of sylthynes and crueltye Septimus Seuerus did make ciuill warre wyth Niger Septimus Seuerus who dyd procure and entise the countrey of Asia to rebell and also with Albinus who hadde done the lyke practyse in Fraunce He foughte luckely agaynste the Parthians He subdued the Iewes that were in Syria He assubiected Agabatus kyng of the Persians He receyued the Arabians who yealded vnto hym He fortified Englande causynge a walle to be made ouerthwart the I le euen vnto the Ocean Sea from one syde to another And hauynge subdued the people of Englande who were verye fearce enemyes he deceased at yorke Antonius Bassianus Caracalla dyd styrre vp warre agaynste the Parthians and agaynst the Armenians This is he who caused Papinianus Iurisconsul to be murdered The constātie of Papianus for that he would not defend nor approue the murder of his own naturall brother which he had committed At that tyme florished diuers Iurisconsulls almost euery one of them the schollers of Papinianus Excellent Iuriscōsuls to wit Tarruntius Paternus Macer Terentius Clemeus Menander Archadius Ruffinus Papyrius Fronto Anthius Maximus Hermogenianus Africanus Florentinus Tryphoninus Iustus Calistratus and Venuleius Celsus After that Caracalla was slain Macrinus Macrinus succeded hym who had but vnhappy lucke in battel against Artabanus kyng of the Parthians Heliogabalus Alexander Seuerus And vnderstanding that the souldiours were affectioned vnto Heliogabalus Bassianus he concluded peace Alexander Seuerus successour of that most wicked and filthy man Heliogabalus was a valiaunt man He wanne a great battail against Artaxerxes king of the Persians He recouered Mesopotamia which was lost vnder Heliogabalus He had very good fortune of the warres which he conducted by hys Lieutenantes in Mauritania Sclauonia and Armenia Afterwards goyng against the Germains who spoyled and oppressed Fraunce he was slayne by certain of his souldiours Vlpianus Iurisconsul Vlpianus Iuriscousull who was Papinianus disciple was his familier frend At that tyme also lyued Paulus Pomponius and Modestinus Maximinus Emperour Maximinus was Emperour after Alexander who employed hys whole force power against the
By this meanes the gouernment of the Empyre retourned to Irene hys mother Who was driuen out foure yeres after and sent in exile and in her roume the aboue sayde Nicephorus was placed About the tyme of these tumults and troubles of Constantinople the fame of Charles kyng of Fraunce was very great For he hauing put ende to the warre of Spayne came into Italy wyth his armie at the request of Adrianus Byshoppe of Rome And euen as Pipine hys father had suppressed Aistulphus king of the Lombards so likewyse he after long seyge toke Desiderius the successour of Aistulphus The kyng of the Lombards takeÌ„ by Charlemayne who greatly molested Italy and Adrianus the fyrst of that name Moreouer he banished Adalgisius his sonne from the kingdome and out of al Italy For since Constantinus the great the Romain Emperours were placed very farre of to witte in Constantinople and were not only encumbred with forren warres but also with ciuill and domesticall dissentions tumultes and debats Wherthrough it befell that they toke no great care of Italy or that they could not well defend it especially after that the Lombards threaned to enter the country Moreouer the most part of them were at great strife wyth the Byshoppes of Rome and for spyte they bare them they did not greatly withstand the aduancement of the Lombards For this cause the Popes sought forren aide and succour And because that at that time there was no family more noble nor more mighty then that of the French Kyngs the refuge of the popes vnto the kinges of Fraunce Charlemaine proclamed Emperour for the excellentnes of their actes the said popes had refuge thether as vnto a certayn Hauen On this sort Leo the thyrd Adrianus successour hauyng fyerce and myghtye enemies at Rome demaunded ayde of Charles the sonne of Pipine He beyng for the fourth tyme come to Rome was saluted Emperor by the pope and all the people The which came to passe at such time as Constantinople was encombred wyth hurlye burlies great stormes and diuisions in such sort that it semed that the tyme and state of the publike weale dyd offer meanes and gyue occasion vnto thys mutation So therfore the Weast Empyre fell into the Germayns hands for it is not to be doubted whether Pipyne and Charles weare Germayns Thys fell in the eyght hundreth and one yere after the natiuitie of Christ As touching the East Emperours it is certayn that synce Nicephorus they haue bene alwaies tormented and troubled wyth warres For in the begynning the Bulgates had often times battaile against them Afterwards the Saracenes beyng marched froÌ„ Affrike occupyed the Iles of Candy and of Sicilia and destroyed Asia through out Whych also fynally the Turckes dyd who weare yssued out of Scithia Now from Nicephorus vnto ConstaÌ„tinus Paleologus the last there are reckened about fyftye Greke Emperours and amongst theÌ„ certayne women They were for the most part meÌ„ of no worthynes And in the raygne of Constantinus Monamachus who is the twentith from Nicephorus Constantinus Monomachus the Turckes beyng of a small begynning beganne to enlarge their dominions by lyâ—le and lytle and to assault Asia in such sort that encreassing daily their power The beginning of the turckes at length they haue establyshed a Monarchye but no newe one or fifth in order but engendred of that part of the Romayn Empyre whych was in the East The first of this Monarchye was Ottomanus Ottomanus the firste Emperour of the Turckes about the yeare of Christ a thousand thre hundreth Afterwardes Mahomette the second of that name and great grande father vnto Solimanus who raigneth at thys present hauing taken Constantinople and slayne the Emperour Constantinus Paleologus wyth all hys race Constantinople taken by Mahomette he vtterly rooted vp in those places the name and succession of the Emperours of our religion Now vnto thys day the Turckes hold and possesse Asia Syria Egypte Mesopotamia Iudea Rhodes and all Grecia Thracia Bulgaria Macedon Sclauonye and the two Mysies and of freshe memorye one of the Hungaryes and a certayne part of Barbarye Diuelyshe ambition of the Bisshoppes As touchyng the supremacye in tymes past the Churches of Ierusalem of Antioch of Constantinople and of Rome haue bene at great strife and variaunce especially the two laste as it hath bene sayd But the Turcke toke away the debate and in such sort confounded all thynges in those thre fyrst places that at thys day there is no apperaunce there of any Church or Christian assembly As concerning that whych remayneth and whych triumpheth beyng freed from the others that bare her enuye the thyng it selfe doth shewe in what state and disposytion she is After then that we haue declared how that part of the body of the Romayne Empyre whych lyeth towardes the East is altogether perished and fallen into other mennes handes It resteth to declare how that whych lyeth towardes the West is ruinated beynge brought vnder new gouernours It is here nedefull to consyder as in by passyng the meruelous mockyng of fortune in that that the Honour and so hygh dygnytye of the Empyre hath bene transferred from the auncient Romayne famylyes vnto straungers The euyll happe of the Emperours and Empyre yea vnto certayne vyle and shamelesse personnes amongest theym For somme of theym were Spaynyards others natyue of Hungarye Pannonia Dacia Dardanya Dalinatia Fraunce Thracia or Cappadocia Chyefely it is requysyte to contemplate how greatly the estate of the Emperours hath bene doubtfull and myserable for theyr prosperitye and dygnyty dyd not consyste in the defence or power of the Senate or of the people but of the Legions and souldiours in such sort that it was meruel that euer any wold take vpon them an offyce so daungerous and subiecte to so many calamytyes For synce Iulius Cesar who was murdered in the presence of the Senate vnto Charlemayne The number of Emperours murdered there are founde about thirtye that were slaine and foure that slewe theym selues wyth theyr owne handes There was alwayes somethynge in theym that dyd mislyke the souldyours neyther coulde they beare any more wyth the good then wyth the bad and conspyrynge for the least accasyon in the world they cutte their throttes whome they had enforced to take vppon theym that hyghe estate as it is manyefest It so befell vnto Elius Pertinax The Senate stoode in awe of the Emperour but he dyd depend almost vppon the wyll and pleasure of the vyle souldiours They toke vpon them thys aucthoritye after the death of Iulius Cesar especyally the olde bandes and leâ—yons whose ayde he had vsed in Fraunce Spayne and Affryke Cicero lamentyng the same sayth they are valiaunt but for the Memorye of thynges whych they haue done in fauour of the lybertye of the Romayn people and dignity of the publyke weale they are ouer much arrogant and drawe all our councells vnto their fellonie and violence The ende of the seconde Booke The
beyng dead and he hym self lying sore sycke he called together the chiefest of the nobilitie and desired them to acknowledge Henry Othos sonne for Emperour who at that time was absent This is that Henry whyche is commonly surnamed the Byrder So then we see how the splendour and dignitye of the Empyre hath ben transferred from the Frenchmen from the house of Charlemaine vnto the house of Saxonie These two Emperours Conrad and Henry were not consecrated as they call it by the Bysshop of Rome and therfore dyuers omytte them without making any mention As touching Henry it is sayd that he neglected the ceremonie of sacring which the Pope offred hym saying that the Iudgementes and voice of honest and good men dyd suffyce hym Prudence clemencye of the Emperour On a certaine tyme after Arnulphus the wicked Duke of Bauieres sought to make hymselfe Emperour in such sort that the two armyes beynge in readynes encamped nyghe vnto Rentzburgh But the Emperour demaunded to speake vnto the Duke perticularly and declaryng vnto hym howe he was elected Emperour by manye people of Germanye admonyshyng hym also not to putte so many thousandes of men in daunger amongest whom dyuers were innocent and ignoraunt of the cause of the warre He mollifyed hym in suche sorte that weapon was layd downe on both sydes Burchartus Duke of Swane dyd also rebell But beyng feared by the Emperours power he yelded vnto him The Hungares spoyled agayn the country of Saxonye But the takyng of theyr Duke dyd cause theym to promyse trewes for nyne yeares The Emperour moreouer hauyng mustred hys people warred vppon the Dalmates toke by assalt the town of Prague and Wenceslaus theyr Duke and made Bohemia become tributorye vnto hym He wanne a great vyctorye ouer the Hungares who rushed into Saxonye the tyme of trewes expyred and distributed vnto the poore the tribute that the Saxons payde theym Hys purpose was for to goe vnto Rome but beynge lette and stopped by sycknesse he declared Otho hys eldest sonne successour of the Empyre Otho fyrste of the name He made longe tyme warre agaynste the Bohemyans who dyd rebell He slewe and putte to flyghte the Hungares aboute Wormes who had passed the Rheyne and were entred into Franconye there for to oppresse the Countrye of Saxonye He subiected Bourgonye From thence he marched into Italye wyth a myghtye army and hauynge defeycted the Berengares he toke there another wyfe named Adelheida Where with Luitholdus his sonne beyng displeased beganne to lay wayte and Ambushements to entrappe him hauing diuers that put to their helping hands and amongst others Conrad Duke of Swane his brother in law But beyng narowly beseiged at Rentzburgh by his father he Humbly demaunded pardon obtained it After these things the Hungares hauing oppressed and waisted Fraūce rushed into Germanie in greater multitude then euer and encamped nygh vnto Ausbourg in the plaine which boroweth her name of the flood of Lech The Emperour went and encountred them therewith the Saxons Francons Swanes them of Bauiers and of Bohomia and after fyerce and doubtfull battayle he made such slaughter of the enemies that there remained very few He caused also certayn of their Princes to he hanged He beyng retourned into Saxonye where he gaue order vnto the affaires he toke again his iourney into Italy but before his departure he declared Otho his sonne compaynion and adherant of the Empyre Otho displaceth the Pope When he was ariued at Rome he held a counsell at the which he presided and displaced Iohn the xii for his crimes in whose place he ordayned Leo the eyght of that name There is found a certayn decree of him which is enclosed in the ryght Canon Priueleges of the Emperour where by the example of Adrianus the first he sayeth he doth conferre vnto the Emperour Otho and to his successours the power to electe the Pope to ordayne the Apostolike sea to confirme the Byshoppes Likewise he ordayneth most greuous punishement vnto them that consecrate the Byshops without the approbation of the Emperour Behold here another decree contrarye vnto certayn of the aboue specified After foloweth the maner of the othe by the which they say that the Emperour Otho was bound vnto Pope Iohn But it is not added who was that Iohn and the how many of that name nor how many that Otho was Truely it is maruell that so great things of such importaunce haue bene so negligently put in writing If it be so that Otho dyd thus sweare his reprochers haue reason For seyng that in the othe wherof we spake he amongst other thyngs sweareth that he wyll not put the Popes lyfe in daunger nor take from him his honour and dignitie how wyll this agree with this that he dysplaced Iohn frō his estate accordyng as we haue sayd and placed another Accord these matters who can Otho made the third viage into Italy through the tumultes and dissentions that were there And hauing all appeased he toke hys way homewards But he dyed at the beginning of May and was buried at Magdebourg the yeare of saluatyon nyne hundreth seuentye foure He is called Great for the greatnes of hys artes and singular vertue Otho the second Henry Duke of Bauiers was rebellious vnto Otho the second but he was brought to obedience by force of armes Lotharius was then kyng of Fraunce the brother of whom named Charles the Emperour made Duke of Loraine on charge and condition that he shuld be vassal of the Empire For the Emperour Henry had obtained this Prouince of the king of Fraunce Charles the symple as the Annales mention and left it vnto hys successours by Liniall descent Lotharius beyng dyspleased therewith put incontinently his armie in the feyld and came with al spead to Aix in Duchland went not farre ere he suppressed the Emperour who loked not well to his defence The Emperour assembled his fouldiours fully determined to venge this outrage marched euē vnto Paris and finally made peace after great hurt slaughter done on both sides He beyng retourned drew to Rome and made war vpon the Greks Otho takē by the sea robbers who held Calabria and Puel But his armie was discomfited and he fledde by sea where he was taken by Pirates and afterwards deliuered for a certayne sūme of monnie because he was vnknowen He returned then to Rome and beseiged Beneuentum with the remnant of his armie and finally toke it and brunt it Shortly after he was hurt wyth a darte in a certayne battayle agaynst the Grekes and Saracenes whereof he dyed and was buryed at Rome Otho the thyrde At the consent of the Princes Otho his sonne succeaded hym who was Crowned at Aix in Ducheland He ordayned Bruno to be Pope who was a Ducheman and was named Gregorye the fyft But Crescentius Consull of Rome styrred hym vp for aduersarye Iohn Byshoppe of Placentia The Emperour then came to Rome and punished Crescentius and hys
but also toke him into great familiaritie As touching the resydue he deliuered theym not and besydes thys he gaue their goods in pray to others Moreouer he buylt new bulwarks and stronge holdes in such sort that he held his foote as it were vppon the Saxons throts and had almost vtterly destroied their libertye In his absence he gaue the whole administratiō vnto Otho of Bauieres who was issued out of Saxony Furthermore he ordayned a Byshop vnto them of Bamberg of Coloigne and an abbot vnto them of Fulden He had bene already accused vnto the pope of this chiefly that he solde the ecclesiasticall iurisdictions Wherethrough it befell that the Pope did summon him by his Embassadours The Emperour summoned by the Pope that within a certayn day he should appeare in Rome for to plead his cause He on the other syde made an assembly of Byshops Abbates at wormes wherin it was concluded through consideration of the wicked practises by that whych Hildebrand attayned to be Pope that he shuld be displaced Which was published at Rome by Embassadours The Pope was nothing astonished therewith yea so litle that he fained not to excommunicate the Emperour The Emperour excōmunicated by the Pope with the Bishops of Mense of Vtter and of Bamberg chiefly prouided that before he had excommunicated certain of the Emperours familiers through whose coūcells he thought hym to be incited to enterpryse such things Now it came to passe that certayne Prynces of Germany beyng greuously offended with the maner doings of the Emperour chiefly for that against his faith he dyd pursew the Saxons wyth so deadly an hatred conspired agaynst hym so much the more boldly in that he was excommunicated and vnder this title let goe the captyues that were yelded and of whom the Emperour had geuē them the custody assuring thēselues that they were no more bound vnto the Emperour for any former othe The Princes rebel agaynste the Emperour At the same tyme certayne nobles of Saxonie hauyng conspyred and drawen the resydue to take their parts toke the strong holdes that had bene buylt wherof some they toke by force and power other some rendred and yelded vp and let go the souldiours that were there in ward whole and safe after they had takē othe of theym that from thenceforth they should not beare weapon against the country of Saxony This knowē the Emperour by a certayn subtilitie did willingly demisse the Princes that he held captyue to the end that they beyng retourned into Saxony should faithfully ayde him to punishe the rebells For he saw that there was no better way to attayn to hys purpose then to sowe dyssentions amongst them and to seperate thē one from another Subtilitie agaynste subtilitye But fortune failed him and it befell cleane contrary For they beyng refourned home and knowyng hys disposition dyd delyberate to vnite theyr powers and courages to the end to fyght for their libertye Duke Otho did the lyke and forsoke him Now the Emperour fylled wyth good hope passing though Bohemia and aided wyth the souldyours of the country was entred wythin the regyon of Misenum where hauyng receaued newes of the common accord of the Saxons and of the armye euen then in all readynes he losing all hope departed thence Then the Princes of Germany came together in a very great number on a certayne day that was assigned Thether also arriued the Popes Embassadour He hauyng declared the causes for the whych the Emperour was excommunicated incited theym to elect another the whych they would not haue let to haue done of theyr owne accord An assembly for to displace the Emperour For they remembryng the Emperours lyfe from hys chyldhod called hym the spotte shame and dyshonour of the Empyre and agreed that he ought to be dysplaced because of the great domages and hurts that he had done to the Empyre He being in such distresse beganne to entreat and make requests by hys Ambassadours But after diuers procedings these cōditions were propounded vnto hym Hard conditions he should represent hymself in Iustice and should submitte hymself vnto the iudgement of the Pope whom they would cause to come to Ausbourg about the fyrst day of February He should demaund and obtayne absolution before that the yeare of the excommunication be expired If he doe it not he shall lose wholly hys cause He should breake hys armye The meane whyle he should lyue pryuatly at Spyre wyth small trayn not medlyng wyth any publyke affayre He should not haue hys gard and should not beare any scepter nor any other marke of the Empyre vntyll suche tyme as the Proces should be voyde The Emperour accepted these conditions and as he was at Spire it came in his brayne to goe into Italy for to appease the Pope in Good tyme. He put hymselfe then in Iourny wyth hys wyfe and hys lyttle sonne in the sharppest of the wynter The miserable vsage of the Emperour and passing through Bourgony and Sauoy wyth great dyfficulty and daunger of hys lyfe at length he came into Italy where the Prynees and Bysshoppes of the Country louyngly accepted hym supposyng that he was thether comme in dyspleasure agaynst the Pope In the meane while the Pope had taken hys Iourny at the request of the Prynces of Germany and beyng already gonne on wardes a lyttle waye he was aduertyssed of the Emperours commyng Therfore he stayed to know the cause Here vppon the Emperour hastned forthe a gorgeous and honourable Ambassage in the whyche were certayn noble women of whom one of theym as the common reporte goeth was a lyttle to muche at the Popes commaundement He prayed that he woulde voutsaufe to gyue hym absolution The Pope at the beginning made the matter very strang saying that he could do nothing vnlesse the accusers were present But after long proces he was wonne by supplications and agreed thervnto Howbeit before that euer the Emperour could haue entraunce vnto him The ignominius homage of the Emperour vnto the Pope he remained thre whole dayes in the court and gate of the castell where the Pope was clothed very simply wyth out any marke or appearaunce of Emperour bare fote and without drinking or eating vntil night The fourth day finally he was admitted then the Pope propounded vnto him these lawes he should represent himself to be examined he should aunswere vnto the accusations of the Princes If he were conuicted he should for goe the Empyre should not conspire any vengaunce The meane whyle he should liue as a priuate man and should do nothing in publike person He should quite his subiects of their faith and othe He should put frō him his counsellers and famillier frends If he do any thing to the cōtrary the grace which is now shewed vnto him shal be of no vallew and it shal be in the lybertye of the Prynces to substitute incontinently another These lawes beyng approued of the