oftentymes layenge asyde the Romayne apparaile he put on the Germaien garmeÌ„tes and was sondry tymes seene in theyr Cassockes enbrowdred with golde He ware besydes on his head a yelowe bushe of here rounded after the Germanyen sorte Wherwith the barbarous people beyng ioyouse loued him excedingly The Romayne Souldiors also reioysed therat bicause he gaue vnto them sundry bountiefull gyftes Hym selfe exercysed all the offices of a priuate Souldiour For if there were any trenche to dygge hym selfe fyrste dygged anye brydge to be made ouer a ryuer any bulwarke to be buylded or anye other handye worke or labour to be taken in hande hym selfe fyrste enterprysed the same conteÌ„ted alwaye with thynne fare in cuppes and dysshes of woode eating continually course bredde For he accustomed to feade him selfe with a Cake of Rye the whiche he grounde and baked vppon the coles wyth hys owne handes Fynally he reiected all wanton pleasures and vsed symple thinges appertayninge vnto the pooreste common Souldior Besydes that he had rather be called Companion then Prince And vsed to trauayle moste commonlye on hys feete as the Souldyors dyd seldome ryding on horse or in chariote and alway bering his owne harneisse Yea many times he bare on his owne shoulders the StaÌ„derdes that were heuyly laden with pictures of golde and scarcely light ynoughe for the strongest Souldior For thiese and oher semblable thinges did hys army loue hym as a warrelyke personage and maruayle at hym as a valyauÌ„t Capitaine For it seamed a miracle vnto them that a man of so lytle stature was able to endure so greate labors When he had establyshed some Souldiors at Danowe and passed into Thrace which boundeth vpon the Macedonyâ—â—s furthwith he became an other Alexander For he â—newed the memorie of the same kynge by all the meâ—â—es he coulde deuyse commaundyng his ymages to â—e erected in euery towne and replenysshinge Româ— selfe the Capitole and all the Temples with the statues of Alexander We then sawe many ymages foolyshly wroughte that bare in one body two faces of Alexander and Antonyne who wente abroade in the Macedonyen apparayle wearing a diademe on his heade and slippers on his feate He named a chosen company of yonge men the Macedonien Phalanx commaundinge his Capitaines to take vnto them the names of AlexaÌ„ders Chieftaines And the yonge meÌ„ which he had sent for out of Sparta he called y e Laconike Pitanyte CeÌ„turie WheÌ„ he had ended thiese thinges ordered euery Cytie as he might he made a veâ—age vnto Pergamê° a Citie of Asia y t he might vse some of Aesâ—ulapius Phisicke And wheÌ„ he was ther arriueâ— after he had reâ—eated hiÌ„ self w t sufficieÌ„t sleape he remoued to Troye visited all the olde monumentes of the Citie wente vnto Achilles Toumbe And hauyng sumptuously decked the same w t flowres GarlaÌ„des he began of newe to counterfayte Achylles But as he wysshed for some one lyke vnto Patroclus his dearest lybertine named Festus whiles he soiorned at Troye deceassed dispatched as some thought w t poisoÌ„ y t he mighâ—â—e buried as Patroclus was but as other affirme extinct w t sicknes His body did Antonine coÌ„mauÌ„de to be brought fourthe y e place wher it shuld be burned to be piled with much woode And putting the corpse into y e middes therof sacrificiÌ„g diuerse kindes of beastes he threw fire into it holding a glasse in his hande dranke of the wyne therein makynge peticion vnto the wyndes And beinge somwhat balde wheÌ„ he sought for heare to laye into the fyre it became a sporte vnto all that were present yet at the last he notted of those heares he had Chiefely amonges al valiaunt men he praised Sylla the Romain and Hannyball the Aphricane whose Image he also erected After he was departed from Troye he passed ouer all Asye Bythynye and the other adiacent countreyes And hauinge set order in hys effaires euerye where he weÌ„t vnto Antyoche where he was receyued verye honorably and taryed a litle while From thence he remoued to Alexandry clokynge this voyage with pretence of desyre to see the Citie buylded by Alexander and to consulte with the God of that countrey whome the inhabitauntes do greatly worship Faining these two causes he coÌ„maunded first aulters for sacrifice to be erected with all kinde of funeral celebration to the honour of their God and the memorie of Alexander When this was declared vnto the Alexandryen multitude beinge naturally chaungeable with euerye trifle they al together as it were men distracte of theyr wyttes reioysed at the prynces wyll and beneuolence And prepared them selues to receaue hym more honorably then euer they dyd any other Emperoure For all kynde of musicall instrumentes mette him in his passage making a wonderfull melodious sowne Besides that al the gates and stretes being replenished with the flauour of spices and perfumes they welcomed hym with bonefyres strowing of floures in hys waye After his entrie into the Citye he fyrste visyted the Temples when he had there offred manye sacrifices and heaped the aulters wich frankensence he went vnto the Tombe of Alexander wher he put of his owne robe of purple hys rynges adorned with precious stones his gyrdle all his other goodly ornamentes and layed the same vpon the Tombe The AlexaÌ„driens beholding al these thinges reioysed wonderfullye and made fest bothe nyght and daye throughout the Citie beynge ignoraunte what was hydde in the Emperours cancarde stomacke For theise thinges did he thrughe subtyltye to thenient he might slea all the multitude togithers The cause of his priuey indignacioÌ„ and grudge was this It was reported vnto hym at Rome that whyles hys father lyued and after his death the AlexandrieÌ„s had blustred out many opprobriouse wordes against him For in deade thei are of nature talkatyue people fashyoned to mocke and scorne all others babelynge against euery noble man and chyefly wyth quyppes and tauntes as them selfes thinke plesaunt swete but those by whoÌ„ thei are spoken accompte theim verie odious bitter For of suche scoffes those wherw t vyce is reproued doo soonest styrre anger Wherfore when they had spoken many thinges agaynste Antonyne not kepyng in sylence the murder of hys Brother commonly callynge his Mother Iocasta scorning him because that beynge of so lytle stature he woulde seame to counterfayte Alexander and Achilles whyche were moste valiaunte and mighty Capitaynes thei so encensed hym beynge alreadye of hys owne nature yrous and bloodthirstye that he fullye determined their death and destructioÌ„ When he had therefore fynished this laste rehersed solempnitie and feaste seyng so great a multitude of the next nacions resorting vnto the Cytie he commaunded by proclamacion that all the Alexandrien youthe shuld assemble into a certayne fyelde without the walles promysynge that as he had of the Macedonyen and Spartayne yonge men euen so wold he of them constitute a square battell called
wyth contynual colde cloudes Wylt thou neuer O Emperour sayde they leaue drynkynge of water digged congeled togyther as yse Shal other meÌ„ enioye the clere well springes the pleasaunt colde of the runnynge ryuers and the holsome ayre of Italye By these allurynges to wantonnesse they easely enflammed the yonge mans mynde wyth vehemente desyre of those plesures Wherfore furthwyth hauynge called hys frendes togyther he dyssymuled not that he was verye desyrous of hys natyue countrey But yet fearynge to declare the very cause of hys sodeyn alteracyon of mynde he fayned that he stoode in greate doubte leaste any ryche manne of the nobylytie woulde take possessyon of the Imperyall Palayce And thereupon gatherynge vntoo hym a greate power of meÌ„ would as oute of y e strongest fortresse chalenge vntoo hym selfe the princypall domynyon of all theÌ„pyre For sayd he amonges the people may easely be leuied a mighty approued coÌ„pany of yonge men Whiles he thiese causes moued all the rest hauing their eyes caste vpon the earth with styll and sorowfull countenaunce Pompeianus who in age was the moost auncient and had maried CoÌ„modus eldest syster arose vp and sayed It is no meruayle o Sonne and soueraigne that you are holden wyth desyre of your countrey for the very same desyre of seyng oure housholdes dothe vrge and sturre vs also But we represse that affection for that thaffaires we haue here in hande requyre the fyrste parte and lyeth vs more vpon to dispatche As for the pleasures of the Citye you shall longer enioye hereafter And Rome is contynually where the Emperour soiourneth Nowe to gyue ouer the warre lately begonne besydes that it is shamefull it is also very peryllous for thereby we minister occasion of audacitee vnto the Barbarouse people who wyll thinke that we are not departed for cause of recreacioÌ„ but that we are fledde being daunted with feare And vnto your selfe howe gloriouse wyll it be after ye haue vanquished all your enemies and enlarged the boundes of your Empyre vnto the ocean to retourne to Rome wyth tryumphe and therin to haue ledde bounde as captyues the barbarouse kynges and Lordes for truly after this sorte in the former worldes did the Romaynes were noble and famouse There is no cause why you shoulde feare that your affayres in the city are in any hasarde For euery principall senatour is here present wyth you and the hole army doth before your eyes defende your Empire yea and all your chiefest Treasoure is with vs also The memorie besides of your father hath establysshed a stedfast and perfecte beneuolence towardes you with all estates When Pompeianus perswading hym to the better had thus muche spoken he did somewhat at that present represse the wyll and endeuour of the younge Emperour who fearyng the olde mans sayinges hauing nothing wherwith he myght well replye dismyssed the counsayle promisyng that he would more diligently at leysure debate with hym selfe those thinges Yet afterwarde hys seruauntes and parasites callynge more instantely vpon hym he made no further relacion vnto hys Counsailours But hauyng sent his letters vnto Rome and appointed whom he thought meete to defende the bankes of Hister and restreigne the attemptes of the Barbariens he caused furthwith his remouing to be proclaymed Thei that were lefte behynde diligently executed the offices appoynted them and wythin a lytle space broughte many in subiection And some they ioyned by great gyftes in frendeshyp vnto them The whiche was not verye harde to doo For the Barbarouse people beyng naturally gready of money and despysers of all daungers do eyther gette their liuing wyth inuasions and pylleng of their neyghbours or elles for an appoynted salarie sell their peace The which thing Commodus perceyuyng that he might with money wherof he had innumerable abundauÌ„ce purchase hym selfe securitee and quiet he denyed nothing vnto the demaunders Now assone as the fame of hys setting forwarde was spredde in the armye sodeynly a greate sturre was amonges all the Souldyours euery man desyring to returne vnto Rome and affecting the pleasures of the citye to leue theyr enemyes countrey And when it was blowen abroade by reporte of purseuauntes and postes that the Emperour was retourning to the Citye an incredible ioye wandered amonges the common people euery man conceuing in hym selfe a singuler hope of theÌ„perours presence and trusting assuredly that he would folowe his fathers steppes Hym selfe making speade in hys iourney and passynge wyth a certayne feruencie of youthe in his charyot throughe the myddes of all theÌ„ cities was receiued with princely reuerence and ioyfull assemblies of the people welcomed as one most acceptable and wyshed for vnto them And when he approched nygh vnto Rome the hole Senate and the Romayne commons eche of them coueiting to preuent other crowned wyth lawrell and caryeng all â—ynde of flowers that the presente season of the yere â—yd minister met as farre as they coulde from the citye their prince notable in the floure of youth and nobilitie of byrthe For truely they loued him with most feruent affection beyng borne and brought vp amonges them and then possessynge in the thirde degree thempyer and regimente of Rome For of his fathers syde he issued from the chiefest of the Senatours And hys Mother Faustina a Princes wyfe the doughter of Antoninus Pius niece by her mother vnto Hadrian dyd referre the Pedegrue of her kynred vnto Traian her grete graundefather Of this parentage was Commodus descended vnto whome besydes the flowre of his age was giuen also an excelleÌ„cie of bewtie a congruent stature of body an amiable and manly countenaunce pleasauÌ„t and shining beames in hys eyes and a yelow and curled heare whiche when he came into the Sonne dyd so glyster that manye deamed the same as he passed by them to be sprinkeled ouer wyth golden duste Many also estemed it a token of diuinyte coniecturing that the rayes about the top of his heade were by generacion and nature gyuen vnto hym The softe heares besydes sprange oute of hys cheekes and couered them as it were with flowers They receyued therfore this such an Emperour wyth ioyfull showtes and strawing of Garlandes and flowers in the way as he passed After he was enteryd into the Citie visyted and saluted the Temples fyrste of Iupiter and then of the other Goddes and gyuen thankes to the hole Senate and the Pretorian Souldiours for their fidelite obserued towards hym he went into thimperiall palayce For a fewe yeres after this he did honourably entrete his fathers frendes and vsed their counsaile in all his affayres Those yeres expired he coÌ„mytted the charge of the hole Empyre vnto other coÌ„stituted Capitaine of his garde an Italyan named Perennes a man verie experte and skylfull in warfare The same abusyng the age of the yonge Emperour permytted hym to be corrupted w t sensuall lustes and ruffyans And takynge vpon hym selfe all charge and labour ruled the hole Empyre There was in the man an insatiable thyrste
loked for any suche matter That done the same executyoners as they were commaūded furthwyth wente vnto hys Son and making very hasty spede preuented the rumoure of those thynges that were done at Rome At theyr commynge vnto hym they delyuered hym frendlie letters from thēperour the which puttyng hym in great hope willed hym to returne vnto Rome wherby he was ignoraūt of all the dryfte and fynally of his fathers happe For some of the messengers tolde hym that he was called alsoo for by hys father who they sayde woulde haue written vntoo him likewyse yf he had not supposed y t he would suffycyently regarde themperours letters The yonge man beleued it and although he grudged somewhat that his enterpryse was thus interrupted yet affying hym selfe in his fathers mighte aucthoritie whome he thoughte too be as yet in prosperouse estate he prepared him selfe to retourne wyth them But assoone as he approched the borders of Italie he was slayne by them vnto whome the charge of thexecutyon was commytted Thys ende had the father the Sonne After whom Commodus appointed .ij. gouernors thynkyng it to be more sure not to commyt so great an aucthoritye vnto one man alone but deuiding y e same in .ij. partes make it by y e mean the more weake to rebell against the prince But no long time after there were other Treasons conspyred agaynst hym in this maner There was a certaine Souldiour named Maternus bolde in enterprysyng many facynorous factes The same sodeinly forsaking y e Campe and adioynyng into hys felowshyp certaine of his cōpanyons gathered in a shorte space an huge multytude of desperate ruffynes Fyrst he destroyed vyllages and cornefeldes and than hauyng gotten a great Summe of money he ioyned dayly more vacabondes vnto hym and by promysyng them greate rewardes callyng them to the deuision of the pray he brought the matter vnto suche poynt that they semed to haue the aucthorytye not of theues but of iuste enemyes For they occupyed great Cityes and therein brake y e common gaoles and toke out of pryson wythoute respecte all offenders whome through that release and benefyte they annexed vnto them Then they spoyled wyth inuasyons all Fraunce and Spayne and whā they had taken any great Citie they would ransake burne and vtterly deface the same and than departe Whereof when Commodus had knowledge he sente letters not wantyng angry checkes vnto the lieuetenauntes of the Countryes there aboutes reprouyng theyr cowardyse and therwyth commaundyng them to leuie an armye for y e subduyng of those rebellious vacabondes Which thing when the Ruffines knew they thought it best to depart from those Countries Wherefore pryuely by secrete bypathes and vnknowen wayes they came into Italie where Maternus consulted wyth his complices of thinuasion of thempyre and other weyghty affayres For seyng all thynges hytherunto had prospered wyth hym beyond his expectacyon he determyned to attempt some notable enterpryse or at the least wyse yf it chaunced amisse too dye not obscurelye or like a coward But yet perceyuyng hym selfe not to haue so greate a power as should suffyse to resyst Commodus wyth an approued and chosen armye for he knew that Commodus was well beloued of the Romayne people and men of armes he concluded to worke his feate by crafty conueyaunce And therefore Inuented thys wyle In the begynnyng of the sprynge tyme vpon an appoynted holy day y e Romaynes vsed to celebrate a pompe vnto y e mother of y e Godes In y t solempnitie the best of euerye mans ryches and Iewelles and all thimperyall ornamentes whych are eyther for matter or worke worthy to be loked on are wont to be brought furthe before the Goddesse And euerye where a lycence too playe is graunted all men and too take vpon them the persones of whom it liketh eche man beste There is no magystrate or offycer but he is there represented in the counterfaytynge of theyr persones by suche as lyketh so to doo so that a man can not rasshely discerne the true parson from the dysguysed Thys dyd Maternus recken to be a conuenyente tyme for the close atcheuyng of hys trayterous enterpryse Trustyng assuredlye yf him selfe toke vpon hym the person of one of themperours garde and armynge hys confederates after the same sorte mingle them selues amonges the spearemen wherebye they shoulde be thought to be of themperours retynewe no man forsyng the matter wyth a sodeyne assaulte to slea Commodus But beynge betrayed by certayne of hys adherentes that entered intoo the Cytye wyth hym who grudged that they should hereafter accept him not as a Souldyoure theyr companyon but as theyr prynce before the festyual day were nygh he was taken and beheded and all the residue of the same faciō were punisshed w t condigne tormētes of death Nowe after the sacrifice was finisshed Commodus did with thanskesgeuing passe furthe the feast of the Goddesse yea and the people beyng Ioyfull for the preseruacyō of theyr Emperour celebrated meryly that daye But what the reason is wherefore the Romaynes do so muche honoure this Goddesse it semeth not amysse for me to make mencion of it as I haue learnid out of Histories especially because that matter is vnknowen vnto moost of the Greekes The same Image therefore as they saye came downe from heauen no certayntie remayning of what metall or by what artificer it was wrought yea they constantely beleaue it was neuer made with manes handes Therefore they affirme that it fell downe from heauen into a certain fyelde of Phrigya the whiche they coniecture to haue the name Pesinuntis by the fall of the same Imaege put vpon it For there they saye it appeared fyrste Yet do I fynde amonges other authors that there betwene Ilus the Phrigian and Tantalus the Lydian was foughten the batayle eyther begō for the way or rather for y e rauysshing of Ganimedes And when they had longe foughten wyth equall strength and verye many on bothe sydes slayne that the name was geuen vnto the fyelde by that calamite There also the report is that Ganimedes beyng drawen to and fro by the handes of his brother and louer was depryued of hys lyfe And beyng taken away a fable was inuented for the comfort of his louer that he was endowed by Iupiter hys rauisher wyth many dyuine honours In that fielde Pesinuntes whereof I haue spoken dyd the Phrygians in tymes paste worshyppe and celebrate the ceremonies of the infernall Goddes euen at the ryuer of Gallus of the whyche the women pryestes of the Goddesse are surnamed But whan the Romayne Empyre encreased an Oracle beyng receyued that the Empyre shoulde be augmented to the vttermoste yf the Romaynes woulde transporte the Pesynuntian Goddesse vnto them There were Embassadours sente into Phrigya too requyre the Statue of the Goddesse the whyche was easely graunted vntoo theym because they sayde that the Romaynes were of kynred vnto the Phrigians beynge descended of Aeneas the same cuntrey manne When as
Senatour al other y e bare any rule in the prouynces or excelled in byrth or ryches auengyng hym selfe as he made semblaunte vpon hys enemyes but in deade couetousenesse was the onely cause wherw t he of al other Emperors was most intached For as he gaue place to no man were he euer so commendable in pacience of mynde perseueraunce in laboures and glorye of warfare euen so beynge aboue all measure addicted vnto auaryce he heaped treasure throughe vniuste murders executed vpon euerye tryflyng cause somtime without anye at all enioying thempyre rather throughe force and feare then anye beneuolence or good wyll of the people Neuertheles at the fyrste he would seme familiare affable in settyng out gorgeous shewes and pageauntes of al sortes w t the sleing of an C. cruell beastes at a tyme the whyche he had sent for out of our owne and Barbarouse Regyons He gaue besydes ryche rewardes and publysshed a sumpteous game gettynge from all partes valylyaunte Champyons and cunnynge wrestlers We sawe also in the tyme of hys Reygne sundrye playes of all sortes set furthe in all the Theatres with supplycatyons and watches lyke the sacryfyces of Ceres The same are called Seculer celebrated as they reporte at the ende onely of euery thyrde age And the common Cryers went throughe al the Citye and all Italye callynge all men to the Playes whyche they neuer sawe before nor thereafter shoulde se sygnyfyyng thereby that the space of tyme betwene the celebracion passed that was to come exceded al thage of a man Now Seuerus after he had soiourned a while at Rome and partycypated the regymente of thempyre wyth hys .ii. sonnes perceyuyng hym selfe to be famouse as yet but by one Cyuyle vyctorye obtained agaynste the Romayne power for the whyche also he had refused to Tryumphe determyned to become notable wyth the ouerthrowe and standardes of the Barbaryens Wherfore vnder coloure of reuenging hym selfe vpon Barsemius kynge of the Atrenyens who had assysted Nyger he led hys armye into thoryent And there beyng at the verye poynte to inuade Armenia he was preuented by the kynge therof who sente vnto hym wyllynglye bothe pledges and presētes humblye desyrynge that he myghte entre into frendshyppe and conclude a peace wyth hym After the whyche done Seuerus seyng hys purpose in Armenia proceade as hym selfe wysshed helde on hys iourney towardes the Atrenians And Agbarus the kynge of the Osrohenians came also and yelded him selfe vnto hym And delyuerynge hys chyldren as hostages amplyfyed the truste of hys truthe and loyaltye conceyued by sendynge to the increase of hys armye a greate power of Archers From hence Seuerus passed ouer the Realme of Interamna and the fyeldes of the Albenyans and made a rode into Arabye the fertyle from whence come all the sweete odyferous herbes whyche we vse for pleasaunt◠vapours and perfumes And hauing there destroyed ma-many Cities villages and wasted the hole cuntrey he entred into Atrenia There he besyeged the Citye of Atras beyng buylded vpon an high Rocke cōpassed wyth mightye and stronge walles and fortifyed with a wonderfull puyssaunt garrison of Archers Wherefore the Seuerian hoste assaulted this Citye with all the force thei had and moued to the walles Towres engyns of all sortes omytting nothyng that might auaile to the assaulte and batterye of the same On the other syde the Atrenyans stowtely defended theyr Citie shootinge and throwing downe arowes dartes and stones wherewith thei gretely vexed the Seuerians Thei threwe downe also earthē vesselles fylled with certayne wynged venemous lytle beastes The whiche falling vpon the eyes and faces of the Seuerians or elles creapynge by lytle and lytle in at the open partes of their bodies dyd ryghte sharpely stynge and wounde them The Romayne Souldiours besydes were fallen into diseases beyng vnable to away with the feruentnes of the ayre there because it was to extremely hote throughe the continaunce of the Sonne so that by thiese casualties mamy more of them perished then by the handes of their enemyes Wherefore Seuerus perceyuinge them all for wearied and worne the sieage not prospering and the hoste receyuinge more domage and losse thē gayne or profyt determyned before they vtterlye peryshed to lede them from thence verye sorowefull that they departed withoute atchieuing their entended enterpryse For beyng theretofore accustomed to wynne the victorie in all batayles thei then accompted them selues ouercomen for that they had not vanquished But fortune euermore fauorable vnto them so prouided that thei retourned not w tout any thinge done but with more fortunate successe then thei loked for For the hole armye beyng shypped in sundrie vesselles arriued not as thei fyrste purposed at the hauen of Rome but throughe the rage and vyolence 〈◊〉 the waues were driuen to lande in the costes of Parthian nat farre from the Citie of Ctesiphon wherein standeth the Palayce royal of the Parthenyā Kinge Who then liuing in reste and reckening the warres which Seuerus had with the Atremās nothing pertinent to his charge did not in that his ydle tranquillitie suspecte or thinke vpon any peril or myshappe towardes hymselfe entended When the Seueria armye was as I sayd by vehemencie of weather driuen on lande at the bankes of this Royaulme thei began oute of hāde to spoyle and ryfle all the Cuntrey driuing before them all the heardes of Catel and flockes of sheepe thei founde And burning many vyllages in their waye thei marched by small iorneyes to the Citye selfe of Ctesiphō in the which the great Artabanus then laye And there fyndenge the Barbarouse people vnpurueyed of defence thei slew all that resisted sacked the Citie and caryed away as Captiues bothe women and children The king hym selfe with a fewe horsemen only escaped His treasure ornamentes and householde stuffe the Seuerians as conquerours seased vpon and then retourned Thus Seuerus more thrughe fauorable fortune then prudent policye obtayned the Parthian Conquest After the prosperous atchieuinge wherof he sente vnto the Senate and people of Rome gloriouse Letters full of ostentaciō Tables wherin were gorgeouslie paynted and at length sette out his myghty batailes and valiaunt victories For the which the Senate decreed many honours vnto him and gaue him the surnames of the nacions by hym before Conquered In the meane whyle after this happe in the orientall affaires he retourned towardes Rome hauīg his two Sonnes who were then of rype age in hys Companie And after he had finished his iorney cōmitted the rule of y e prouinces vnto those which lyked hym best and mustered the Misians Pannonyens he finally entered into the Citie with Triumphe The people receyued hym w t ioyfull shoutes and all other Ceremonies to the same appertaining vnto whome he graunted certayne extraordynary holye dayes sacryfyces and shewes And hauynge gyuen amonges theim great giftes hym selfe also solemnyzed sundrye playes for his victorye After this he remained a longe tyme at Rome sate
coÌ„monly called Phari Now wheÌ„ thei haue put the bedde in the Seconde Tabernacle they gather togythers all kyndes of spicerie and perfumes w t diuerse odoriferous fruites herbes iuyces the which thei throwe on heapes in the Tabernacle Neither is ther any nacion Citie or person whiche excelleth in honour or dignitie but at y e time wil to the vttermost of hys powere honorably celebrate the laste funeralles of theÌ„perour When thei haue couched a great heape of spices togithers stuffed y e building therewyth all the Romaine knightes do ride about y e Towre w t a iuste course order to fro called of theÌ„ Pirrhichius Chariottes are also draweÌ„ about wherin many do sit clothed in purple represeÌ„tiÌ„g y e persoÌ„s of all noble meÌ„ being Magistrates Capitaines of Rome The Ceremonies being thrughly ended the Successor in thempire taketh a braÌ„de of fire in his haÌ„de fireth therw t the Tabernacle After whoÌ„ all other y t are preseÌ„t doo throwe fire likewyse into the same And immediatly al y e buildiÌ„g being filled w t those drie stickes spices begiÌ„neth to burne vehemeÌ„tli Then out of y e highest lest Towre as out of a hyghe steaple is let fourthe an Egle the whyche they beleue dothe beare Themperours soule into heauen And from thence fourthe is that Emperour worshypped as the other Goddes When these twoo yonge menne had after thys sorte consecrated theyr parent they returned home where they dayly exercysed priuye grudges lying in awayte one for an other and ymagynyng al y e meanes wherby they myght entrappe eyther other Fynallye they omytted nothynge wherewyth eyther of them might destroy and defeate other and aspire to thole Monarchye by hym selfe Besydes that the myndes of all the noble men and Cytezyns whych had anye honourable offyce or dygnytye were seuered into dyuerse faccyons either of the brethren sending theyr secrete letters to allure wyth sundrye promyses manye vnto theyr pryuate appetytes The greater parte leaned vnto Geta because he shewed a greate token of goodnes behaued hym selfe modestly in theyr companyes and vsed honest studyes For he retayned commonlye aboute hym manye that were well learned and exercysed hym selfe in wrastelyng and other lyke coÌ„mendable recreacyons And wyth hys gentle hauoure towardes all men he wanne very manie vnto hys frendeshyp and loue through a certaine pryncypal glory But Antonyne in contrary wyse behaued hym selfe in all thynges more cruellye For being alienat from the maners I before rehearsed he affected to seme an embracer of warlike lyfe and company And through orderyng all matters irefully he purchased vnto him selfe frendshyp rather through menacyng and feare then geÌ„tle perswasions or good wyl Now after their Mother had a long time in vain endeuored to reduce theÌ„ into brotherly concord and vnitie it semed best to deuide theÌ„pyre betwene theÌ„ Wherfore hauing called togither theyr fathers frendes they agreed of y e same dyuision So that all Europe fel vnto Antonines lot the lande ouer aneansâ—e it called Asya was appointed vnto Geta. Therbi either of theÌ„ as it wer thrugh a certaine diuine prouideÌ„ce should be seperated w t the Sea of Propontis And it was concluded y e Antonynes army should remaine in BizantiuÌ„ and Getas in Chalcedon a Citie of Bithinia The which Cities being situate one against y e other should defend either of theyr limittes prohibyte theÌ„ bothe from inuasions As many Senators as were of Europe shold remain in Rome al the rest attend vpon Geta who appointed for the Seates royall of his dominion Antioche Alexandrie bothe Cities of greatnes not muche inferyor to Rome Then of the inhabitauÌ„tes of y e South leuing the Mauritanians Numidians vnto Antonine him selfe toke al y e residue euen vnto the Oriental costes Whiles thei debated these matters al other beholdynge the earthe with sorowfull countenaunce theyr mother Iulia spake as ensueth ¶ Ye haue found out my sonnes ê™ she how to deuide the land Sea betwyxt you and eyther of your bouÌ„des ye say the Pontian sea doth seperate But now how wil ye deuide your Mother or how shal I â—ortunate creature be departed betwene you Fyrste slea me and either of you bury the part he shall haue y t I my selfe may also w t the Sea land be disseuered betwene you When she had so sayd she layd her armes vpoÌ„n their neckes enbracyng them bothe endeuored in al y t she could to reconcile theÌ„ Wherfore being moued w t compassion they lycenced euery man to departe wythout any finall or determinate conclusyoÌ„ and them selues also returned home But their raÌ„cor and enuy encreased daily For wheÌ„ any Capitaines or Magistrates were elected either of the brethreÌ„ aided his own frende chiefly Or when they sate in iudgement they helde euer dyuerse opinyons to the intollerable domage losse of the party who had y e matter in controuersye They omytted besides no kynde of secrete wyles and entrappynges labourynge to entyse eyther others Cookes Butlars and Cupbearers to poyson theyr Mayster The whyche endeuors when they proceaded not as either would for that they tooke theyr meate wyth greate watche and dyligence Anthonyne beynge impacyente of delaye and prycked wych ambycyon of the hole Empyre determyned eyther to commytte or suffer some notable facynorous facte And therefore he compassed the matter wyth strengthe and murder For seynge that hys priuy attemptes toke none effecte he thoughte it necessarye settynge all hope and feare aparte to fynysshe his begon enterprise oute of hande Wherfore sodeynlye breakynge open hys Brothers Chaumbre dore he moste cruelly there slew hym vpon hys Moothers lap wheÌ„ he thought not of any suche mischief The which dede being accomplisshed he immediatly lepte furthe and runnynge throughe all the palayce cryed that he hadde wyth greate dyffycultye escaped a maruaylouse daunger And therewyth he coÌ„maunded the Souldyours of hys Garde to safeconduyte hym furthwyth into the Campe where he myghte abyde in more suretye sayinge that he shoulde perisshe yf he remayned anye lenger in the Courte And they credytynge hys wordes and beyng ignoraunt of that was happened wythin accompanyed hym as he ran runnyng also Thys moued a greate tumulte amonges the people whyles the Prynce wente priuylye in the nyghte through the myddes of the Citye Assoone as he came vnto the Campe he entered into a lytell Chappell wherein the Signes and Images of the hoost were worshypped and there fallyng prostrate gaue thankes wyth vowes as yf they had beene for hys healthe When the same was reported to the Souldyours whereof some were wasshynge and some other reposynge theym selues they ran thyther as men amased in dyuerse plumppes And he commynge furthe into the myddes of theym dyd not at the fyrste open the matter throughlye as it was commytted but cryed that he had escaped a maruaylouse daunger and Treason of a malycyouse manne hys enemye for so he named hys brother And
and sacrificeng to theyr Goddes rather then in desyre to murder To take cōpassion of their natiue Countrey shortly yf thei persisted in their obstinacie lyke to come to vtter ruine decay That thei might yf thei would with on deede saue them selues their Country For thei said that their good Emperour would forget and forgiue all offences there before commytted seynge that it was not their transgression but the peruerse fault of other men Suche wordes did the Ambassadors speke vnder the wall wyth so loude voyce that thei mighte easely be harde although not of all the people yet of as many as stode vpon the walles and Towres For they dyd wyth sylence 〈◊〉 attētiuelye geue eare vnto that the Ambassadours spake But Crispinus fearyng lest through those allurementes they would be persuaded to take peace for warre and open theyr gates vnto theyr enemyes as the common people are euer wauerynge and vnconstaunte ranne from one wall to another earnestly desyrynge and instauntlye besechynge them to perseuer valyauntlye and resiste manfully and not to violate theyr faythe and allegyaunce towardes the Senate and the people of Rome nor yet neglecte the Title and Fame of Italy so long tyme preserued from the inuasions of forreyne enemyes nor geue credit vnto a false periured and trayterous Tyraunte nor beynge allured wyth gentle fayned talke runne headlonge vnto theyr owne manifest destructiō But trust to the fortune of y e warre whyche most commonly is so vncertayne that sometymes a greate huge hoste are of a small number discomfited and those whych seame the mightier are by theym whiche are compted the weaker diuers tymes vanquished Neyther that they should feare the greatnesse of hys armye For quod he they that fyghte in another mannes quarell when they see that the good happe of the victorye shall departe to another doo but fayntlye endure the Battayle perceauynge them selues onely to be pertakers of the peryll and the verye profyt of the victorye to remayne vnto another man But they whyche fyghte for their countrey besydes that they ought to be of better hope for they contende to take nothyng of others but to defende theyr owne are also of a greater stomacke as those whome no desyre of dominion but euerye mans owne necessitie compelleth to fyghte because the commodytye of the Victorye is chyefelye due vnto them Crispinus speakyng those wordes nowe vnto euerye man perticulerlye and then to all generallye beynge a man of hys owne disposition honourable and floryshynge in the Romayne eloquence besydes that gratefull to euerye man for hys meke gouernaunce did easly stablishe the hartes of y e people to continue in their duty and allegiaunce Wherfore he cōmaunded the Ambassadours to departe to Maximinus againe wythout anye thyng concluded It was reported that Crispinus was hartened to abide the fortune of y e battayle by the answere of the Southsayers whiche reported that the inwards of the beastes betokened luckye successe of his affaires And in deade the Italians vsed to geue much credit to y e superstition There wer spred abrode besydes the Oracles of a certayne Idole in that countrey which promised victorye The enhabitauntes there cal the same Idole Beles and do with great reuerence worshyppe it interpretyng him to be Apollo Whose Image certaine of Maximinus owne Souldiours affyrmed that they sawe in the ayre fightyng for the Citie Which thing whether many beleued it for a trueth or whether the Fable pleased thē to mittigate thereby the infamy of so great an army because thei were vnequal in battayle to so small a number of Cytezyns not exercised in the warres that it might seame they were ouercome rather by y e Goddes then men I am not very certayn But the straūgenes of the matter made it seame more credible After the Amdassadours were retourned w tout any resolute cōclusion Maximinus being styrred w t much more fury made greater hast then he dyd before But when he came vnto the Ryuer whyche runneth xii miles of from the Cytye he found it of a very depe and breade Channell For in that season of the yeare the Snowe which the longe wynter before caused to endure beyng molten vpon the next hylles had made so great a floude that the Armye coulde not passe ouer it by anye meanes For the Aquileians had broken and caryed away the Bridge which was a goodly and sumptuous peace of worke buylded by the auncyent Emperours of square stone with many small pillers standing one by another vpon the same Wwherfore when tharmie coulde passe ouer neyther by Bridge nor vessell for there was none nigh hand he stode styl in a dumpe musyng what to do But certayne Germaynes being ignoraunt wyth what swyftnes and violence the Ryuers of Italye did runne supposing that theyr course was gentle and flow ouer the fields as the Riuers in theyr Countrey which for that they haue no swift streame are easlye congeled ouer wyth Ise aduentured them selues their horses that were perfect in swimming into the middes of the Chānell where throughe vyolence of the Streame they were drowned After Maximinus had lyen styll in Campe ii or .iii. dayes he cast a depe trenche aboute the same that no enemies shoulde sodeynly set vpon them remayned vpon that side of the Riuer consulting howe he myght make a Bridge to passe ouer Whyles he so abode very pensife because there was no tymber nor Boates with the whiche ioyned together he myghte make a Bridge certayne Carpenters declared vnto hym that in the Vyllages rounde aboute forsaken of the Inhabitauntes there were many round Tubbes and Hoggesheades wherin the people were wonte to cary wyne the which beinge rounde like shyppes yf they were bounde togethers in maner of small Boates would easly carye them ouer For being fastened togethers couered with Oziars or Twigges well balessed with earth they would neuer be drowned When y t was finished y e souldiours easlye passed ouer to thother shore And there hauing burned al y e vyllages which they founde abandoned of thin habitaūtes did cut down all y e vines trees wherby they greatly defaced y e beauty of y e region For all the countrey seamed to be cōpassed aboute in maner of a Theater w t trees set in due order vynes ioyned together lyfted vp in height like vnto a Scaffold Al which being plucked by y e rootes tharmie approched nigh vnto y e citie Neuertheles because they were all wery Thēperour would not y t they should furthw t begyn y e assault But hauing encāped more then an arrowes shoote frō the Citie deuided thē into hundreds appoynted the order of their marching like vnto a wedge smal before and broade behinde limitting to euery Company a part of the wall to scale and batter he gaue them lycence to recreate them selues for one daye That passed he began to geue the assault and hauing moued to the wall all sortes of engyns when no kynd of Batterie was omitted there was
modestie After Maximus had spoken these wordes and promysed to distribute muche money amonges theym he soiourned a lytle whyle at Aquilâ—ia and then determined to retourne to Rome Wherfore hauing dismisâ—ed the rest the Armie into the Prouinces and theyr owne Stations him self retourned to Rome wych the Yeomen of hys Garde who hauynge the chyefest charge of the Emperours personne were chosen by Albynus and manye Germaynes hys frendes in whome he had moste affyaunce as in those whome before he was Emperour he had gouerned When he entered into the Cytye Albinus mette hym wyth yonge Gordian in his companye The Senate and all the people receyued them wyth Ioyful Cries Shoutes as if they triumphed But notwithstanding that the Empire were gouerned bothe openly and priuely with much modest grauitie euerye man spake well of it and all the people were gladde wyth the Prynces for that they were noble men borne worthye Thempyre yet the spytful and crabbed stomackes of the Pretorian Souldyours could not wel abide to heare those ioyfull prayses of the people but grudged murmured agaynste that nobilitye beynge sore greued that the Prynces were created by the Senate Theyr grudge was augmented by reason of the Germaynes whome Maximus retayned wyth hym in the Cytye For they thoughte that the Germaynes woulde worke theym myschiefe yf they attempted any great enterpryse They feared also treason lest perhaps they shoulde be put out of seruice for their sakes beinge mindfull of Seuerus the Emperour who discharged froÌ„ theyr lyuynges all the Slears of Pertynax Wherfore one daye when playes were celebrated in the Capitole and mens mindes addicted vnto reuels and pastyme sodeynly the Souldiours did manifestly shewe furthe theyr longe dissimuled rancour For beinge enflamed with yrâ— they ranne all together in a franticke moode vnto Themperyall Palayce requirynge the twoo olde Emperours to deathe It happened then as the Diuell woulde haue it that them selues agreed not very wel togethers But as the desyre to raygne is vnsaciable and the power of gouernaunce indiuisible eyther of theym coueyted to be the chiefe Ruler For Albinus was stomacked thereunto wyth the nobilitie of hys byrthe and hys twyse beynge Consull And Maximus was encouraged with hys Gouernaunce of the Citye and because he was the more skylfull in all affayres But in deade theyr bothe dignities of Senatours and theyr sufficient nobilitie of byrthe dyd prycke them bothe forwardes eyther to coueyte the sole Regiment whiche was the cause of theyr owne destruction For when Maximus hearynge that the Pretorian Souldyours were comme to slea hym determyned to cal for the ayde of the Germayns whyche were in the Citie seamed able ynoughe to withstande the Pretorians Albinus suspecting some deceyte to be forged against hym because he knewe that the Germaynes fauoured Maximus prohybyted them to be sent for deniynge that they were called to resyste the Pretorians but onely to the entent Maximus might obtayne the rule him selfe alone Whyles they thus contended wythin them selues â—oo sodeynlye wyth one assente the Souldyours were vyolentlye entered into the Palayce hauynge beaten downe the Porters There toke they bothe the olde men rente the garmentes they had on beynge in deade symple for that they abode wythin the dores and drewe them dothe naked out of the Palayce beatynge and skornynge theym as Emperours chosen oute of the order of Senatours And pullynge theym by theyr Beardes and eye lyddes sparynge no parte of their body with all the shame thei coulde deuyse thei caried them throughe the myddes of the Citie vnto their Campe determining not to murdre them in the Palaice but rather to tormeÌ„t them with a slowe kynde of death that thei might feale the more payne But when thei harde that the Germayns knewe the matter and were therefore fallen to harnesse and comming against theim furthwith thei put the two olde men to death after thei had moste vylaynouslye ordered theim And hauing left their bodyes in the myddes of the waye thei lyfted vp yonge Gordianus in their Armes when nothing elles was nere hande and proclaymed him Emperour And then thei called often vnto the people sayinge that thei hadde slayne wyth their owne handes those whome the people reiected at the fyrste and chosen Gordian the nenewe of that Gordian whiche the Romayne people had compelled to be Emperour This yonge Gordian therfore thei ledde into theyr Campe shut their Gates and there abode in quiete And the Germaynes hearing that those were slaine and throwen oute for whome them selues made that hast determined not to fight for them which were already deade but returned to Innes agayne This vnworthy and vylaynouse ende of lyfe had the two graue and modeste olde men exalted to the Type Diademe of the Empyre thrugh the nobilytie of theyr byrthe and synguler desertes After whome Gordian beynge almoste .xiii. yeres olde and of all the people proclaymed Prynce tooke vppon hym Thempyre ¶ The eande of the eyghte and laste Booke of Herodian ¶ The Annotacions in forme of a Table after the order of the Alphabete contaynynge the exposytion of many woordes Histories Fables sytuacions of places and description of Countreyes seruynge to the more easye vnderstandynge of the presente Hystorye A. AChilles was one of the most valyauÌ„t Capitaynes of the Greakes againste Troy Sone of Peleus King of Thrace Thetis the Doughter of ChiroÌ„ by whoÌ„ he was enstructed in the feates of Armes He was slayne by Paris the Sone of Priamus and Hecuba at Troy y e Grete in y e TeÌ„ple of Apollo into y t whiche he was come during the truce betwene the Grekes Troians vnder assurauÌ„ce to marye Polixena the Doughter of Priamê° In al partes of his body he was w tout dauÌ„ger of wounding sauing in the sole of y e foote By y t which his mother Thetis held him wheÌ„ she plonged him for y e same purpose w tin Stix one of thinfernal floodes In y e same part of his foote not ploÌ„ged did Paris wouÌ„de him whereof he died And was buried in a litle hil called SigeuÌ„ hard by Troy wher during the siege the Greekes encaÌ„ped In the warre betwene the Greekes and the Troyans he slew Hector Troilus the Sones of Priamus and Hecuba Bretherne of the saeid Paris He was in heighte as Licophron wryteth vii cubites Adolescencie is the age betwene Childehood and mâ—ns age that is betwene .xiiii. and .xxi. yeres Seruius y e GramarieÌ„ Varro hath deuided the Ages in to InfaÌ„cie Boies age AdolesceÌ„cie Youth olde age without any mencioÌ„ of the perfect age of maÌ„s estate The whiche after the same diuision is conteyned betwene youthe and olde age Infancie endureth vnto vii yeres Boyes age vnto .xiiii. complete But Seruius Tullius a King of the Romaynes reckened all those which were vnder the age of .xvii. yeares to be Boyes and after .xvii. yeres vntyll .xlvi. to be yonge men and them he called olde men whyche were aboue .xlvi. yeres of age Beyonde
that is the age decrepite vncertayne and doubtfull Aethiope loke on this worde Libye Alexander the grete was the Sone of Philyp king of Macedonye and Olympias In his tender age he was enstructed in learning And after that by y e space of .x. yeres brought vp in Philosophy vnder Aristotle the most excellent Philosopher of all his time After the death of hys Father coueting to be Lord of all the worlde he apparayled his Armye against Darius the Kinge of Persia who wyth his predecessours had bene the auncient enemyes of Grece Hym dyd Alexander vanquishe in sundry batayles and depryued of the Persian Kyngdome But after he had obtained many notable victories in the .xxx. yere of hys age he dyed by poyson at BabyloÌ„ as Iustin writeth Neuerthelesse Plutarche affirmeth the coÌ„trary say enge that he died of an Ague very vehement wherin was no suspicion of Poyson The Prouinces and Countreyes by him Conquered did Perdicas vnto whome at his deathe withoute any more wordes he delyuered hys Rynge distribute amonges many Gouernours who altered their offices of gouernauÌ„ce in to Royaulnes and made them selues Kynges And so was Thempyre of Alexander broughte into manye Kyngedomes The resydue of hys lyfe ye maye rede in Plutarche and Quintus Curtius Alexandrye whereof Herodian speaketh in the thirde Booke is a Citye of Siria hard by a reflexioÌ„ of the Sea called Sinus Issicus wherefore loke vpoÌ„ thiese wordes Issicus Sinus There is an other Citye called Alexandrye in the Region of Troas where Troye the greate stode as Plinie writeth in the .xxx. Chapiter of hys .v. Booke Anonter Cytye named Alerandrie is in Egypte scituate vpon the Sea side oueraneanste the Isle Pharus as sayth Plinie in the .xxxi. Chapiter of the same boke Thys Cytye is the principall of all Egypte as London is of England Into the whiche Ptolomeus the kyng of Egypte desyred to be remitted by the Romaines as it appeareth by many Epistles of Cicero vnto Lentulus in the fyrste booke of hys familiar Epistles Of thys Cytye doth Herodian make mencion in the .iiii. booke of his Historye and of the Treason wrought agaynst the Citezins thereof by Antonyne There is another Cytye named Alexandrie by the mountaynes of Casxij in the Realme of Sogdia nygh vnto the Bactrians whych hath on the South the mountaigne Cacausus Another AlexaÌ„drie buylded lykewyse by Alexander the great standeth in the Region called Margiana of a Ryuers name whiche is Margus The same hathe on the West side Hircania on the East the Bactrians and on the South the Realmes of Parthia and Aria Thys Citie was destroyed by the Barbarous people and in the same place was a new buylded by Seleucus the Sonne of Antiochus who named it Seleucia as recordeth Plinie in the xvi Chapyter of his .vi. boke Another citie called Alexandrie in the Countreye of Carmania in Inde boundynge vpon Persia Of theise Cityes and countreyes loke Ptolomeus and Plinie Altinum loke thys worde Aquileia Amphitheater is a place made to behold plaies in the which is in fourme round as yf it were buylded of .ii. Theaters and therfore is called Amphitheater A Theater is made halfe in compasse betwene the ij corners wherof is played that whiche men behold called of the Latinystes Scena The nexte place vnto it is called Orchestra where the Senatours stauÌ„ge Ambassadours do sit In the middes of the Theater are the Seates for Knightes and that place is named Canea Rounde aboute the Theater withinfurth are degrees and steppes so made that the hygher they ascend the longer and larger they are Vpon the which y e people do sit as euery man can get him place Marcê° Scaurus as witnesseth Plinie in the .xxxiii. boke the xv chap. for one Playe which endured .xxx. dayes only dyd buylde a Theater the greatest of all other that were euer made by mans handes The Scene whereof was of thre stages had .iii. C.lx. Pyllers of marble of Affrique of the whiche the higher were of one piece and xxxviii fote in height The lower parte of y e Scene was of Marble and the stage in the myddes of Glasse which neuer man heard of before There was besydes for y e more gorgious beautyfyeng of it .iii. M. Images of Copper with so much rychesse Tapistrie of golde and Tables of auncient notable pictures y t it is almoste incredible to beleue as wryteth Plinie The greeces wheron men sate in the same did receiue lxxx M. persons Caius Iulius Cesar fyrst of all builded an Amphitheater in the fyelde called Campus Martius whyche Augustus pulled downe and in the same place made a Tombe Antioche is a parte of Siria boundynge vpon the Royalme of Cilicia as sayeth Plinie in the xii chap. of hys fyfth boke In thys part is a Cytye of the same name as wryteth Ptolomeus in the fourth Table of Asya Thys is the Cytye to the whyche Antonyne went and from thence to Alexandrie in Egypt Ther is another Antyoche in the couÌ„trey of Assyrya where Alexander vanquyshed Darius the whych is next vnto Syrya as wytnesseth Plinye in the .xiij. chapyter of hys .vi. boke Amonges the Isles of the Asyan Sea Plynye in hys .v. booke the .xxi. Chapyter sayeth there is one called Antyoche whyche standeth in the Sea of Pamphilia Apoplexie as sayeth Galien in the .v. chapyter of hys thyrde booke of the places affected is a disease by the whych all a mans synewes and vaynes do lose theyr force of fealynge and mouynge Thys dysease commeth sodeynlye and by the same a man shall vnethes fetche brethe Affryke The Cosmographers do deuide y e Earth into thre partes That is to wete Europe Asie Affryke Europe is seperated from Asia by the Ryuer Tanais and the Lakes called Meotides wythin y t whiche Tanais doeth fall And it is desseuered from Asie by the Sea Mediterrane so named for that it is in the myddes of the earthe or elles because it is enclosed wyth earth on euery syde sauynge where he hath his yssue betwene the pyllers of Hercules wherof the one is in Mauritania the other in Spayne Betwene the whiche Hercules made waie and passage for the Mediterrane Sea to ioyne with Thocean And it hathe none other yssue then betwene those two pyllers It extendeth towardes the Easte as farre as Siria whiche is in Asia Towardes the Northe vnto the lakes Meotides On the Southe parte it hath alwaies Aphrique which is sequestred from Asie by an arme of y e Sea called Sinus Arabicus That is the Redde Sea wherby the chyldren of Israell passed out of Egypte into the Desertes of Arabie Europe is muche Northe and so is it West in respecte of Asie And it is the least of the thre partes conteynynge the Isles of England and Scotlande and the nexte Isles thervnto Spaine Fraunce Almayne Italye Grece wyth the Isles theyr neyghbours Asie conteyneth Asie the lesse Lydia Caria Bythynia Galatia Capadocia Armenia Cilicia Sarmatia Assiria Arabia Persia Hircania Media Iudea the two Yndes and
all the other countreyes whych Ptolome describeth in hys twelue Tables Aphrique which is South conteyneth Mauritanya Numidia the countrey of Carthage whyche so longe tyme helde warre wyth the Romaynes Libia Ethiope and Egypt The Sea called the great Ocean enuironeth all these thre partes rounde aboute Aquileia is a Cytye scituate in y e tenth part of Italye after the deuision whyche Plinie maketh thereof in the xviij Chapyter of the thyrde booke of hys natural Hystorye sayinge thus Here foloweth tenth region of Italie named Venise adiacent vnto the Sea Hadriatyque In this Region there is a Ryuer called Silix commynge oute of the Taurisane mountaignes a Towne called Altinum with a Riuer called Liquentia descendyng out of the mountaygnes Opitâ—rgines and a Hauen of the same name A towne called CoÌ„cordia wyth a Ryuer a Hauen named Romatinum The greate and lytle Tillauentum Anassum another towne whereby passeth y e Ryuer Varannus And the Ryuers Alsa Natison and Turrus do passe by Aquileia whiche Citie is distaunt from the Sea .xij. miles For the reste haue recourse to the Text. Arabie There are .iij. Arabies Thone called fertile or happye Another called Rockye And the thyrd named Desert All thre verye nygh togethers as sayeth Ptolomee And they are in Asia nygh vnto the redde Sea through the which the chyldren of Israell departynge oute of Egypte passed and immedyatlye entered into the Dersertes of Arabie Armenie is a Realme of Asia The lesse Armenie ioyneth wyth Capadocia on the Weste parte And there is nothyng betwene them sauyng the mountaignes On the East part it is ioyned with Armenie y e great hauynge no more but the Ryuer of Euphrates betwene them Towardes the Southe is the mountaygne Taurus whych maketh separation of Armenia and Cilicia Towards the North is the Sea Mediterrane which in the streyte there is called Pontus Euxinus The great Armeny is beyond Euphrates And hath on the East part the Hircanian Sea the mountaygne called Caspius On the Northe aboue it the Realmes of Colchis Iberie and Albanie And towards y e South Mesapotamia as Ptolome hathe described it in y e .iij. Table of Asia Asia Loke on thys word Aphrique Atreniens are people of Arabie as sayeth Plinie in the .xxiiij. chap. of the .vi. boke of hys natural historye B. BIthinie is a Royalme of Asia nigh vnto Thrace betwene whome it ther is nothiÌ„g but a streite goulfe of y e Sea In this Royaulme are many goodly Cities as ChalcedoÌ„ Nicomedia Apamea Heraclea Nicea other as sayen Plyen Ptolomee Bizantium as it appeareth by the Texte in the beginning of Herodians thyrde Booke is a Cytye of Thrace of the whiche the scituacion and commodities are sufficiently described in the sayde Booke It is the same which we at this day call CoÌ„staÌ„tinople C. CCapitol is a Hill in Rome y t which in olde time was called y e MouÌ„te of Tarpeyns wherin when thei dygged to laye the fundacion of Iupiters Temple which was there buylded fowre square on euery syde a hundreth foote in heighte in the tyme of Tarquinius the proude laste Kynge of the Romaynes thei founde a mans heade wyth the face hole vnperysshed The Latius call a head Caput whereof y e place is called Capitole The MouÌ„te called Tarpeius had two lytle Hylles On the one stode the Temple of Iupiter on the other the Fortresse or Palaice of Rome whiche thei called Aâ—x Capitolina Cappadoce is a Royaulme of Asie adiaceÌ„t on y e west part to y e RegioÌ„ called Galatia And on y e East to Armenie thus dooth Ptolomee describe it in y e first Table of Asye Carie. Looke on this worde Ionie Carre is a Citye of Mesopotamia as sayeth the Text which is renowned spokeÌ„ of thrugh the ouerthrow of Marcus Crassus who was slaine his Army vaÌ„quished by the Parthians nigh vnto y e said Citie as writeth Plutarch in y e life of Marcus Crasius Carting was an vndeâ—eÌ„t exercise wherin voluptuouse Emperours gretely delited The forme thereof was to ryde in a Chariot with whipping cause the horses which drew y e same to run very fast to and fro as it liked theÌ„ We may call it ChariottiÌ„g also other name haue I not for the laten worde of it whiche is Aurigatio Chalcedon is a City of Bithynia vpoÌ„ the Sea side righte ouer aneanst Thrace and the Citye of Constantinople There is no more betwene them as sayeth the Authoure but a strait of the Sea called Bosphorus Thracius or Propontius or Helespontus which are all one makiÌ„g seperatioÌ„ of Europe Asie Circenses were certaine exercises plaied and shewed in a place called Circus whiche was compassed rounde about with a stone wall In thiese plaies thei vsed to runne w t horses to wrastle Thei were called Circenses as it were circum enses y t is to saye enuironned on euery syde w t Swordes For in olde tyme al the Running Iusting Wrastling and Combates of the Romaynes were in places enclosed on the one side with Riuers on the other syde with Swordes Glayus and Hallebardes to the ende that Cowardes Dastardes shuld not flea away w tout dauÌ„ger Cohorte Pretorâ—ane are suche men at Armes as garde the person of any Capitayne Duke Consull King or Emperour For this name Pretor is ofteÌ„ times taken for a King Emperour or Consull Colossus The Latins called euery greate and huge Image Collossus This Colossus whereof Herodian speaketh in his firste Booke was made by a notable workemaÌ„ named Zenodorus at the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of Nero Emperour of Rome And it was his Image beynge a hundreth and ten foote in heighte The same Image was dedicated to the honour of the Sonne after that the actes of Nero were condeÌ„pned and infringed for his cruell Tirrany as saieth Plynie in y e .xxxiii. booke the .vii. Chapiter Ther was an other Colossus at Rome which Domitian caused to be made standing vpon great pillers of Marble In the Capitole there was an other Colossus representinge the Image of Apollo whiche was .xxxi. cubytes of height traÌ„sported thither by Marcus Lucullus from a Citie called Apollonia in the Royalme of PoÌ„tus Amonges all such huge Images Plinye in the last cited Booke and Chapiter saieth y t in Rhodes there was the Image of the Sone passed al other in greatnes made by Chares of Lidia disciple vnto Lisippus The same was .lxx. cubites in heighte And fell downe by a meruailouse erthquake .lvi. yeres after it was made And althoughe it be broken yet is it at this preseÌ„t a thiÌ„g woÌ„derful to behâ—ld The Thombe therof a man can vnethe fadome And his singers are as bigge as great Images In y e same city of Rhodes there are an C. more Colossi But not so bygge as this although the leste of them were sufficieÌ„t to win fame and renowne to the City For those more descripcioÌ„ of the other haue recourse to the aforenamed Booke and Chapiter of Plynie Constantinople Loke on this worde
Bizantium Cyrus King of Persia was the Sone of one Cambises of an obscure familie in Persia Mandane the doughter of Astiages KiÌ„g of Media Who after ther position of his dreame by the whiche he vnderstode y t his doughters Sone shuld be King of all Asye that him self shuld lose his Royalme caused Cirus immediatly after he was borne to be put furth lefte alone in a Forest to y e ende he might be deuoured of wylde beastes But there a Bitche gaue him sucke defended hym from Beastes and Byrdes vntyll that the Kynges Sheperde founde hym caryed hym home to hys wyfe and gaue her the charge to nouryshe hym The woman was afterwardes called Spaâ—on because amonges the Persyans a Dogge is so named After that he waxed greate he was called Cyrus by the Sheperdes his Companions knowen to be Astiages doughters Sone and sente into Persia where he obtained much credite and aucthority Finally he assembled an Armye to make warre vpon Astyages his Grandefather from whom he berefte y e Royalme of Media vnto the which the Persians were subiect And by thys meanes Cyrus became Kynge of Perse and Media Before hys tyme the Persians had no Kinges but were subiecte vnto other Royaulmes After his victorie against Astiages he vanquisshed toke prisoner Croesus the King Lidia which was so riche But in conclusion him selfe was ouercomen and slayne by Thomyris Quene of Scithia wâ—en he had reigned .xxx. yeres Vnto hym succeded Cambises his Sone as Iustin in his first booke meÌ„cioneth Eusebius sayeth that CaÌ„bises reygned .viii. yeres Vnder Cirus Kynge of Persia by hys owne permissioÌ„ begaÌ„ the reparacioÌ„ of y e TeÌ„ple of HierusaleÌ„ which notw tstaÌ„dig was discoÌ„tinued many yeres after And at y e last finished the .vi. yeare of Darius Reigne Kinge likewise of Persya as witnesseth the .vi. .vii. Chapiters of Esdras in the Bible and Sabellyque in the .vii. Booke of his secoÌ„de Enneade After Cambyses two Brethern called Magi vsurped y e kingdoÌ„ .vii. Monethes After whoÌ„ Darius raigned .xxxvi. yeres And in the seconde yere of his Reigne Zorobabell by his permissioÌ„ renewed the reparacion of the TeÌ„ple of HierusaleÌ„ This Darius was nat he y t AlexaÌ„der the great vanquished but that was the .x. king after him called Dariê° also In whom the Royaulme of Persia toke hys eande Cyzicum is a Citye of Asye vpon the Sea syde in a Royaulme called Misia the lesse as witnesseth Ptolomee in the fyrst Table of Asie And so sayeth Plinie in the .xxxii. Chapiter of his .vi. Booke D. DAnubie or Danowe Loke on Ister Darius loke on these wordes AlexaÌ„der Cirê° Dionisus the Elder was a Tirant of Sicile Son of Hermocrates as saieth Sabellique He was verye well learned as writeth Plinie who preferreth none before him sauiÌ„g Plato in Philosophye Philopenê° in Poetrie two y e notablest men of learning in all his time In y e same yere y t the KingdoÌ„ of Athenes ended and Darius Kynge of Perse dyed Dionisus loste his Royalme as sayeth Sabellique in the nynthe Booke of hys fyrste Enneade Wherein he agreeth not wyth Eusebius Dyonisius Sonne was likewyse named Dyonisius the yonger who was also a Tirante of Sicile and raygned in a citye called Siracuses out of the whiche he was expulsed twyse ones by Dion And the second tyme by Timoleon sent agaynst hym by the Corynthians After thys seconde expulsion he kept a schole and taught yonge chyldren at Corynthe as wryteth Valerius Maximus E. Eridanus is a Ryuer of Italye otherwyse called Padus whych coÌ„meth as sayth Plinie in y e .xvi. chap. the .iij. boke of his natural History out of a mountaigne called Vesulus After that he hideth him selfe in the grounde and issueth out againe in the confynes of the Foruibienses Of all Ryuers ther is none more renowned The Grekes cal it Eridanus There is no Riuer besydes that encreaseth greater wythin so lytle space For it hathe a merueylous abundaunce of water falling into y e Sea Adriaitque Betwene the cytyes of Rauenna and Altinum it is verye domageable vnto the Countrey For by the space of .vi. skore myles as sayeth Plinie it doeth seperate it selfe into many Riuers Lakes And because that euerye Ryuer is large and great they call the same seuen Seas as witnesseth Herodyan in hys eyght boke Euphrates Loke on thys worde Syrye Europe Loke on thys worde Aphryque G. Galatians are those whiche enhabit the realme of Galatia which is in Asya betwene Bithinia Capadocia as sayen Plinye in the laste chap. of hys fyfth boke and Ptolome in y e fyrst Table of Asye The same Realme is called also Gallogretia and the people Gallogreci because that when the Gaules came to the ayde and succour of the kyng of Bythynie they helde and possessed that part of the Royalme Wherefore it is so named as wryteth Sabellique Gallus a Ryuer Looke on theyse wordes Goddesse Pesynuntyne Ganymedes was Son of Tros king of Phrigia who had Issue Ilus Assacus and Ganimedes The Fables surmise which is the most coÌ„mon opinion y e Iupiter rauished Ganimedes for his beauty by an Egle. But Sabellique in the .x. boke of hys fyrste Enneade sayth y t Ganymedes the Son of Tros was rauished by Tantalus kynge of Paphlagenie to abuse hym Whereby there arose great warre betwene the two kynges And it is most lyke that being very yonge he was iniuriously rauished by Tantalus vnder y e signe of the Egle were the battayles fought vpon the land or Sea Whych hath bene cause of the inuentioÌ„ of the Fable that sayeth that the Egle by ordynaunce of Iupiter rauyshed hym Gaule or Fraunce Cesar in his commentaries saith that Gaule is deuided into thre partes wherof y e Belges helde the one the Celtes another and the Aquitans inhabited the thyrd The Aquitans are seperated froÌ„ the Celtes by the Ryuer of Garumna The Celtes are sequestred from the Belges by the Ryuers of Marne and Seyn And the Belges are sundred frome the Almaignes by the Rheyn In the which diuision Gaule Narbonique is not comprised Ptolomee in hys fourth Table of Europe and in the chapyters of the same dothe deuyde Gaule into foure partes appoyntynge Gaule Aquitanyque to extende as farre as the Ryuer of Loyre And from Loyre to the Ryuers of Seyn and Marne is Gaule named Lugdunensis And from Seyn vnto Rheyn Gaule Narbonique extendeth it selfe vnto the Sea Mediterranean beyonde the Alpes and the Ryuer Varus vnto the Pyrrhenyan Mountaignes Gaule the rounded or otherwyse called Lumberdye is in the Lymytes of Italye and is the same countreye whyche is named Liguria nexte vnto the Alpes and the Sea All the other Gaule or Fraunce is called Gaule bering bushe Gaule Narbonique was before tyme named Brachata as sayeth Pliniie in the thyrde boke and the fourth chapyter Goddesse Pesynuntyne is y e same that Cicero in hys bokes of the lawes calleth the Moother Idea whyche is the selfe same that the Romaynes name the Moother
Europe doth describe .ij. Pannonies ioyning one to another Thone of theÌ„ called the high Pannonie bouÌ„deth on the West vpoÌ„ a royalme of olde time called NoricuÌ„ at this present Bauiers Thother called y e low Pannenie nigh ioyninge vnto the higher stretcheth to the ryuer of Danow Of y t which riuer declinyng towards the South that part which receaueth the ryuer Saus doth eand the lower Pannonie on the East And on the South drawyng towardes y e Hadriatique Sea are the roialmes of Illiria or Sclauonie Dalmatio In these regions there be .ij. ryuers Drauus Saus Drauus which is the more swyft coÌ„meth out of the countrey of Bauiers And Saus which runneth more slowely out of y e Alpes Carnicyan as saith Plinie in the thyrd boke the .xxv. chap. of hys naturall Hystorye ¶ Panthers are beastes very cruel as y e coÌ„iunctioÌ„ of the word doth sufficiently shew which signifieth all cruel The skyns of these beastes are spotted ouer w t rounde white spots And there is no beast so notably spotted as y e PaÌ„ther y e Tigre These PaÌ„thers do sauour woÌ„derful swete And for their sauoure other beastes resorte vnto theÌ„ But yet they are afeard of y e Panthers fyerce loke Wherfore y e Panther hideth his head suffreth al y e rest of his bodie to be loked on y t he mai the better take his pray of the other beastes being amased There is no great difference betwene y e Panther the Leopard sauyng y t the Panther is more white And Plinie in hys viij boke the .xvi. chap. sayth that he coulde neuer fynde other difference In the same chap. he telleth a meruaylous tale of a Panther which remeÌ„bred the good turne that a man had before done vnto him In Siriâ— and in Affryke there be many of these beastes ¶ Parthians The royalme of Parthia as Ptolomee describeth it in his .v. Table of Asie stretcheth on the North vnto Hircanie to y e mouÌ„taignes betwene theÌ„ On y e South it hath Carmanie On y e East the Ariens On y e West the Medes And this regioÌ„ is enuironed w t hils on al partes So saith Plinie in the .vi. boke y e .xxv. chap. Who saith also y t the ParthiaÌ„s haue .xviij. kyngdoms And their Prouinces are betwene the red sea on y e South the HircaniaÌ„ sea on y e North Xi of theÌ„ be beyond Armenie the mouÌ„taignes called Caspij do extend along by the Caspian sea vnto the Seâ—thians drawing towardes y e sea And these realmes be called y e high realmes Thother y e low realmes The ParthiaÌ„s whiche are not in y e firste description are called Nomades ¶ Patroclus the frend of Achylles was in the warres betwene the Grekes the Troyans there slayne by Hector the sonne of Priamus kynge of Troy ¶ Perynthiens are a people of Thrace wherin staÌ„deth a citie called Perinthus w t in y t which ther is a fortresse called Bizia some time beloÌ„ging to y e kings of Thrace In this royalme there are no Swalowes for y e offence of Tereus kyng of Thrace as saith Plinie in y e .xi. cap. the .iiij. boke of his naturall history ThoffeÌ„ce was this His wife named Progne y e king of Athenes doughter had a sister which hight Philomela whom she greatly desired to see And Tereus to please her w t all promysed to fetthe her sister In bringing of her he defloured her And to y e end she shuld not disclose it to any persoÌ„ he cut out her toÌ„ge shut her vp in a secret place told Progue y t she died by y e way But Philomela wrote w t blode in a kerchief all the matter sent it vnto Progne her sister Who being chaufed w t ire for y e same slew a litle childe called Itis which she had by Tereus presented it him to eate Tereus perceauing y t matter pursued her And she fleing away was turned into a Swalowe Tereus him selfe into a Lapwinge and Itis into a Fesaunte Pesynus Loke on these wordes Goddesse PesinuÌ„tine Phari Pharus is an Isle in the sea of Egypt wherein standeth a cytye buylded by Alexander the great ouer aneanst Alexandrie which was lykewyse buylded by y e same Alexander The Isle Pharus is so nyghe vnto Egypt Alexandrie that at thys day there is no more betwene theÌ„ but a bridge to passe froÌ„ thone to thother as sayth Plinie in the .xi. chap. of hys thyrde boke In the cytye of Pharus Ptolomeus Philadelphus the kyng made a meruaylous hygh Tower whyche is numbred amonges the meruayles of the world vpon the whyche there is alwayes a great burnyng light to shew the hauen vnto them that saile by night on the Seas And because that thys lyght is so renowned many doo call all other Towers whiche haue fyre and lyght in theÌ„ after that sort Phari as our present Authour doth him selfe Phenices Looke on thys worde Syrye Phrigâ—e is a countrey of Asie whyche boundeth on the West vpoÌ„ the countrey of Troye y e great And as sayth Plinie in the .v. boke the .xxxii. chap. Thys couÌ„trey is ioynynge to Galatia on the Northe On the Southe it hath Lycâ—onie Pysidie and Mygdonie And on y e East it toucheth the countrey of Cappadoce Ptolome describeth thys countrey in the fyrst Table of Asie and dothe not alot vnto it so great a compasse Pitanite is as muche to saye as Laconique or Lacedemonien because Pytanas was the father of Thrasibulus the Lacedemonien who was slayne in fyghting valiauntlye in the warre After hys decease Pytanas shewed hym selfe very graue and prudent saying that it was a rare thyng to dye so well Wherfore he wylled hys countrey men not to weepe for hys death because he dyed valyauntlye as it became a Lacedemonian So sayth Ausonius the Poete in an Epigrame Ther was another Thrasybulus of Athenes whyche had a voyce very loude and bygge of whome Plutarque speaketh in the lyfe of Alcybyades Pontus Loke on thys worde Propontis Proconsull In the tyme that Posthumus Albus and Spurius Fulsius were Consulles and warre was made against the people called Equi dwelling in Italy which warre was vnfortunate to the Romaines Titus Quintus was fyrst created Proconsal to goo and ayde one of the Consulles whiche was besieged to the ende that the other Consull mighte remayne at Rome leuy more meÌ„ And this Proconsull had .vi. SergeaÌ„ts goeng before him with mases His owne ornameÌ„tes were like vnto the Consulles FroÌ„ that tyme forwardes it was ordeined that those which had bene Consulles one yere shuld the next yere foloweng be Proconsulles for to go into the Prouinces And euery of them had hys Liuetenaunt which was called Legatus to assiste him in hys affaires The Proconsull had iurisdiction onely in the Prouince giuen vnto him but that was nat voluntary as to infranchyse a bondeman The fyrst day of Ianuary yerely did y e Romaines chose two Counsulles which during thole yere
are .iii. risiÌ„ges eue so are there thre settinges or descendinges likewyse mencioned and thre windes cumming froÌ„ the same thre settinges That is to weete Caurus named by y e Greekes Argestes blowing righte againste the wynde Bize Fauonius or Zephirus againste Eurus And Africus named by the Greekes Libs against Vulturnus The wynde which coÌ„meth froÌ„ the South because y t the South chauÌ„geth not is one in Latin called Auster in Greeke Notus bicause it is moyste The Northe parte by like reason hath one onely wynde which bloweth against Auster This name Septetrion as saieth Aulus Gellius in the Chapiter last cited commeth of that that .vii. starres doo make a signe in the heaueÌ„ in forme of a wayne oxen yoked to labour or elles bicause the iii. next starres that a man may se in the Northe nigh one vnto an other do make as it were a triangle and thys sygne is ryght opposite vnto the Southe ¶ Sirmium is a Cytye of the lower Pannonie towardes the hygh Misye drawinge to the East It is beyonde y e Ryuer of Danowe as saieth Ptolomee in the. xvi Chap. of his thyrd boke Plynie in the .xxv. chap. of his thyrde boke saieth y t a Riuer called Bacuntius entereth into y e Ryuer Paus nygh vnto the City SirmiuÌ„ ¶ Syrie as Ptolome descrybeth it in the .iiii. Table of Asye is seperated from Armenye on the Northe by the mouÌ„taigne Taurus On the South is Arabie on y e West stretchyng towardes y e Isle of Cypre is y e Sea of Sirie which is now called y e Sea of Phoenicia And on the East is Mesapotamye Plynie in y e .v. booke the .xii. Chapiter sayeth that Syrie was the greatest of all the ProuiÌ„ces therfore had y e name of al Royalmes which wer subiect vnto it For towards Arabi it was called Iudea or Iury Palestine Phoenice more inwarde Damascene In stretchiÌ„g towards y e South it is called Babilone And betwene y e Riuers of Tigris Euphrates it is named Mesapotamie BeyoÌ„d y e MouÌ„tain Taurê° it is called Sophene where Euphrates is deuided into .ij. partes And beyond Armenie it is called Assyrye On y e part where it bouÌ„deth vpoÌ„ Cilicia it is called Antioche The part of Syrya which lyeth along the sea coast are the countreyes of Idumea Iudea And in stretchinge more hygher towardes the Northe is the countrey of Phoenice And after it is more nere Euphrates it is called Sirie as saith Plinie in deuiding Sirie more exquisitely All the Sea which is nygh thys part is called the Phenician Sea The people of Phoenicia hathe bene meruaylouslye renowned for that they were the fyrste Inuenters of letters of Astrologie of making shyps and all engens of warre T. TAurus is a Mountaygne in Asie meruaylouse huge great as sayeth Plinie in the .xxvij. chap. the .v. boke of hys natural historye For he saith that hys begynnynge is vpon the bancke of the Oriental Sea and passeth from thence by many peoples and Countreys makyng separation betwene them At his begynnyng which is at the Indian Sea he hath on the ryght syde the North and on the lefte syde the Southe stretchynge towards to y e West by the middes of Asie sauynge where he encountreth the Sea After that he bendeth towardes the North and fetcheth a great compasse on thone syde Then he stretcheth towardes the Phoenician Sea On thother side towards y e Pontian Sea and on another parte to the Hircanian Sea And he goeth verye nygh vnto the Lake Meotide And after he hathe verye muche bowed and tourned hym selfe he ioyneth wyth the Mountaygnes Riphees whyche are in the North. And all the way as he passeth he hath diuers names For in India where he begynneth he is named Imaus after that Paropanisus Circius Chanibades and manye other names Where he is moste hyghest he is called Cacausus which is aboue y e royalmes of Colchis Iberie Albanie And where he stretcheth out hys armes as yf he woulde embrace the Sea he is named SarpedoÌ„ Coracesius Cragus Wher he hath portes for separation and passage albeit the same be trenched naturally opened yet is it all one Mountaygne Those portes are called in one place Armenien which is Armenie In another parte they are called Caspien nighe vnto the people called Caspij who are betwene Armenie the great the Medes And they are in another place called the Portes of Cylycye And although it hath in diuers places dyuers names yet is it in Greke called by one name the mouÌ„taygnes Ceranques Thus sayeth Plinye in the place afore alledged Lyuie thother Historyens sayen y t thys mountaigne doeth appoynte the lymyttes and bonndes of the Romayne Empyre ¶ Theater Loke on thys worde Amphitheater ¶ The Aegean sea parte of the Mediterrane sea is betwene Asie Macedonie and is called Aegean because that in the same Sea are manye Isles so nygh one another that a farre of they seame to be Goates which the Grekes call Egas or because that Aegea Queene of the Amazones was therein drowned or elles for that Aegeus the father of Theseus threwe hym selfe headlonge into it as sayth Sextus Pompeius ¶ The Ionian sea Loke on thys worde Ionie ¶ The Rhein Cesar in hys commentaryes sayth that Gaule Belgique extendeth on the East vnto the Rhein And beyonde it are the Almaygnes and thereby the Rhein doeth deuyde Gaule Belgique from the Almaygnes In Gaule Belgique are comprised the couÌ„treyes of Lorrayne Luxenbourg Guelders Flaunders Thys Ryuer commeth out of the Alpes and falleth into the Sea of Flaunders Before his entery into the Sea he maketh an Isle whyche is the countrey of Hollande nyghe vnto the whyche is the countrey of Guelders bendyng towardes the head of the same Ryuer Beyonde it is Luxenbourg and Lorrayne whych is seperated from Luxenbourg by y e Riuer of Meselle whych coÌ„meth out of y e mountaygne Vogesus and falleth into the Rhein Out of the same mountaygne commeth the Meuse whyche runneth lykewyse into the Flemyshe sea Betwene the Meuse and the Ryuer of Somme towardes the Sea is the countreye of Flaunders whyche is seperated from Fraunce by the sayde Ryuer of Somme as it is apparauntlye described and fygured in the newe Table adioyned vnto the Tables of Ptolomee ¶ The men at armes Pretorian Loke on these wordes Cohorte Pretoryan ¶ The seuen Seas Looke on thys worde Eridanus ¶ The Tygre Loke on thys worde Tygris ¶ The Tirrhenian Sea is y e low Sea which exteÌ„deth alonge by Italie nigh vnto the coste of Hoffie And is so called by the name of Tyrrhenus sonne of Atys and brother of Lidus kyng of Lydie who came into Italy and with his people inhabited that part of Italy which is vpon the lowe sea whereby the Region is also called Tyrrhenie After it was called Tuscie and Hetrurie as sayeth Sabellique ¶ Thrace is Royalme of Europe in the furthest part therof towardes the Orient The which Realme hath on the