want of a Poete for theyr light The beginning of the Romaines Cicero is of the same opinion and sayeth that no mencion is founde of anye Oratour before Homere The originall of the Romayne people was smale and contemptible But for because that GOD had so ordeyned it as it shall hereafter be declared it became merueilous great In the begynnynge seuen kynges dyd ragyne there for the space of two hundred fourtye and foure yeres The first gouernement at Rome Cicero wryteth that Solon and Pisistratus lyued in Athens in the tyme of Seruius Tullus the sixte kyng and that Pythagoras florished in Italie at such tyme as Tarquin the proude was put to flyght He sayth moreouer that in the raygne of Seruius Tullus the citie of Athens had endured already seuen hundred yeres The kinges beyng put downe the gouernement was geuen vnto two Consulles Two Consuls gouern whose office did laste but one yere L. Iunius Brutus the cheife Consull was as vigillant and constant to kepe and preserue the libertie beyng gotten as euer he was desyrous and prompte to put downe the kyngs to establish the redom For when his two sonnes Titus Tiberius did consult wit other yonge Romaine gentlemen for to reestablishe the Tarquins their enterprise being disclosed by som coūsel breaker he caused them openly to be beheaded He displaced Tarquiin Coleatin his felow in office who also was companion in putting down the kynges and to the bryngyng of the enterprises to passe Cicero doth defend thys act as iuste and affirmeth that it was bothe for the vtilitie honestie of the countrey that the name of the Terquins shoulde be abolyshed and the memorie of the kyngdome wyped out The Fabiens slauter Nowe amongest the sundrye fortunes of the Romaine people when the whole Tuscane had conspired thre hundred of the house of the Fabiens beynge gone furthe of Rome agaynste the enemie were al slaine and cutte in pieses none remaining saue one litle child who since renewed the familye Thys came to passe thre and thirtye yeres after the kings were put downe Thre hundreth yeres after the foundation of the Citie because of the tumultes conspiraties that were in the publike weale embassadours were sent into Grecia for to bring lawes from thence which the Citie shoulde vse from thence forth At whose returne the state of the publike weale was changed and tenne men were chosen to haue the supreme gouernement Tenne mē elected to be supreme gouernors but thys estate endured not fullye thre yeres For Appius Claudius the one of these tenne coueting wickedly to rauishe a yonge damsel 01 the doughter of L. Virginius citezen of Rome he gaue the people occasyon to abolishe the whole order of them The wicked cupiditie of Appius Claudius Wherefore the gouernement came againe to consuls but thys also lasted but a lyttle time for they did creat Tribunes of souldiours geuing them such power as the Consuls had The thirde mutatiō of the Romain Policie but these were displaced at the yeares ende and dyd agayne gyue place to the Consuls In that time which was the thre hundreth and fyften yeare of the age of the Citye L. Quintus Cincinatus caused Spurius Melius Melius slain for his ambition to be slaine of C. Seruilius Hala the maister of Horses because that he by the meanes of distributing of certayne corne did seke to make him selfe king in the Citye his house also was rooted vp Two yeares after the gouernement retourned to the Tribnus of souldiours who since were no more elected two but diuers together accordinge as it pleased the people as the state of the publike weale did require This gouernement did enduer nere hande thre score tenne yeres and amongst the resydue M. Furius Camillus was excellent in this estate Camillus surmunted all other in vertue and surmounte all others in vertue After he had done good seruice to the cōmon wealth was vānished through the vngratitude of the Citezens hauing bene alreadye foure tymes Tribun But shortly after he was reestablished in his dignitye for deliuering the Citie of Rome beyng taken frō the French Senoniens whom he put to flyghte two yeres after being made Dictator fewe yeres after M. Manlius who did defend the Capitell from the French men was exhibited the dominiō of the rocke called Tarpeius for suspition that he would get the kingdome to himselfe and herevpon a decree was made that from thence furth after no noble man of the house of the Manlius shoulde bee called Marcus Camillus was sence chosen for the seuenth time Tribune of souldiours and he dyed of a verye great age thre hundreth foure score and nyne yeares after the foundation of the Cytye and one yeare before the gouernement and care of the publyke weale was taken from the Tribunes and restored to the Consuls of whome then onelye one was of the common sorte The excellēt captains of Rome That age had syngular notable Captaynes in the Cytye of Rome To wytte M. Valerius Coruinus T. Manlius Torquatus C. Martius Rutilius P. Decius Mus Papyrius Cursor Publius Philo L. Volumnius and others Amongest these here named T. Manlius Torquatus Consul caused his sonnes head albeit he had gotten the victorye to be stroken of because he had agaynste the lawe and out of hys order foghten hand to hād against the enemy P. Decius Mus in the battaile against the Latins vowed himselfe to dye for the armie of the Romaine people and passyng throughe the thickest of the enemyes he was slayne wherewith the Romaines beyng alreadye enflamed dyd agayne encourage themselues got the vpperhand His sonne who bare the self same name and was also Consul did euen the like foure and fortye yeares after in the battaile whych the Romaines had agaynste the Frenche Senoniens In the tyme aboue sayde whyche was foure hundreth and twentie yeres after the foundatyon of Rome Alexander the great the beginner of the thyrde Monarchye dyd floryshe and went a warrefare Papyrius Cursor it hath bene sayde Titus Liuius compareth L. Papyrius Cursor wyth hym and makynge a certayne traityes for to recreate aswell hys spyrite as the readers he shewed that amongest others he coulde resyste Alexander yf paraduenture after he had assubiected the countrye of Asya he would passe throughe Europa wyth hys armye for to make warre agaynste the Romaynes The said Papyrius was a man greatly vertuous for ouermitting his other actes when T. Verturius Caluinus and Spurius Posthumius Albinus Consuls weare wyth the whole armye putte vnder subiection by the Samnites in the straightes of Candines A place in Italie so called and had vnhonnestly agreed with the enemy he beyng made Consul he put them to flight and wanne the victorie Sence beynge Dictator he declared vpon the maister of his Horses how narrowly the discipline of warfaire ought to be kept and executed Socrates the foūtaine of Philosophi This age the former did bring forth in
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 certaine part of Affrike was assigned thē to dwell in The Gothes who by the good will permissiō of the Emperour Honorius did possesse Aquitania in Fraunce as we haue sayde not beyng content with their limites they did wrong violence vnto their neighbours and kept Narbona straightly beseiged But Litorius beynge sent thether with an armie he made the seige to be raised Litorius against the Gothes vittelled the town He was also prosperous in the fyrst battaile But afterwards he was takē almost all hys armie put to the sword The ouer throw was so great that the Romains were constrained to demād peace On the other syde Gensericus king of the Wandales violating the peace which he had as we haue sayde made in Affrike with the Romaines he toke Carthage suddenly being vnloked for wherin he did dyuers sondry cruelties This Citie had bene vnder the Romains for the space of fiue hundreth foure score yeares After he had gotten Carthage he passed into Sicilia where he did exceding much hurt Where through Theodosius did then prepare furnishe hys nauye for to goe and warre agaynst the Wandales But forasmuch as at the same instant the Hūnes dyd spoyle and oppresse Thracia and Sclauonie the armie was called frō Sicilia for the tuition defence of those countries At that time the Scottes Pictes dyd enter Perce into great Britaignie forasmuch as the inhabitants did despaire of the Romain helpe succour they demanded aide of the Englishe mē a people of Saxonia But they dyd so affectionate the plentifullnes fearnes of the coūtry that by litle lytle landyng new souldiours and increasyng their armye The Britons dryuē out by the Englyshemen they at the last dyd assubiecte the most part of the I le after they had defeicted the Britons Shortly after Theodosius the second dyed at Constantinople In his raigne the sūne was obscured or darkned as certayne say almost from the fyfetenth of Iuly vnto the month of Septēber appeared a blaysing starre Martianus Emperour Martianus succeded Theodosius in the regimēt of the East partes We haue herebefore spoken of Gensericus king of the Wandales Valentinianus entred in leadge wyth him and dyd deuide part Affrike betwen them The forcastes of Athila king of the hunes About thys tyme Athila kyng of the Hūnes who hauing violenly possessed Dacia Hungarie most cruelly assaulted the next countries there about to wytte Macedonia Mysia Thracia purposed to bring vnder his subiection that part of the Romaine Empyre which lyeth towards the Weast But because he perceaued that this warre should be very difficil yf the Gothes who were in peace with the Romains and did inhabite a part of Fraunce as it hath bene sayd should ayde and succour theym he hastened out an ambassadour towards them for to require them to be his frend and aliaunte but Atius the Lieutenant of Valentinianus the Emperour preuented hym by fyrst ariuing thether and hauyng confyrmed the allyaunce with Theodoricus kyng of the Gothes he prepared hymself to the battayle wyth all his power Athila neuertheles pursewed that which he had taken in hand and they fyersly ioygned in battayle in the playne of Chalons in Campania which is at this day so named through the great slaughter that was there committed Terrible warre in Cāpania It is said the there remained slain in that battaile almost foure score thousand men amongst others Theodoricus king of the Gothes Athila seyng himself van quished thought to slay hymself fearing to fall a lyue into hys enemyes handes But as king Theodoricus sonne folowyng the coūsell of Etius dyd retyre homewards with his armie for to succede his father disceassed Athila had leasure to take agayne hys breath and to retourne into Hungaria where hauing gathered a new armye he entred very furiously into Italy and beseiged long tyme Aquileia which fynally he subdued spoyled and brunt At one voyage he toke Concordia Padua Vicentia Verona Brixia Bergome Myllane and Pauye From thence spoyling all thorow out Flaminia he fynally encamped ouer agaynst the floode Mincius and that of Apia In the which place as he consulted whether he weare best goe to Rome with hys army the Byshop of Rome Leo the fyrst of that name came vnto hym leo pacifieth Athila so handled the matter that he not onelye wyth drew himself from goyng to Rome but also leauing the country of Italy he retourned into Hungarye where shortly after he dyed This is that Leo of whom diuers Epistles are yet found wryten vnto Theodosius the seconde and vnto Martianus Emperours wherein he partly excuseth hymself for that he could not be assystaunte at the Councells by theym published desyryng theym not to be offended in that he sendeth thether Ambassadours and partly he requyreth and prayeth theym to assygne the place of the Counsell rather in Italye then in Asia But he obtayned nothing The fyrst foundation of Venise At such tyme as Athila dyd in such fort vexe and trouble Italye The towne of Venise was built because that dyuers Ryche and noble men of the countrye there aboutes dyd retyre as into a place of resuge into that arme of the Sea Iles and hylly places The begynnynge then of this towne was pitifull poore and almoste in dyspayre and at thys present it is growen to suche greatnesse as we see it The number of the Dukes of Venise The number of their Dukes are hetherto counted to be foure score fyue of whom Paulus Anazatus was the first in the yere of saluation seuen hundreth syxe two hundreth fyfty two yeres after the foūdation of the towne Valentinianus was afterwards slaine and Gensericus Kyng of the Wandales passed forth from Affrike into Italy wyth a most myghtye armye beyng ayded of the Maures he went to Rome toke the towne beyng destitute and abandoned almost of all her inhabitants Rome takē by the Wandales Notwithstanding he beyng intreated by the Bishoppe Leo who had also pacifyed Athila as it hath bene sayd did not put the towne to fyer and sword Howbeit he proied it caried a great nūber captiue into Carthage Afterwards the enemies did much cruelty to the coūtry of Lauor and did ruinate Capua Nola Naples and other Townes byndyng them in cheynes whom they left a liue That is great Campania And beyng loden with the proy of Italy they retourned into Affrike Martianus who was Emperour in the East dyd kepe hym self in peace accordyng to his quiet peaceable nature He vsed to say that it was not decent nor honest for a Prince to put himselfe in armes A notable sentence as long as he myght lyue in peace In hys raygne a very great Coūsell was assigned at Chalcedon by his commaūdement The coūsel at Calcedō where Eutiches who confoūded the two natures in Christ was condemned There amongst other thinges it was ordayned that no clerke as they
within these limites but for to giue them the taste of that which they shall read afterwards to the end the being allured or enticed by the diuersitie of things they might be stirred vp sometimes diligently to search the Authours the bookes out of whom these things are gathered But seing that this kinde of studye doth properly appertaine as it hath bene said in the beginning vnto them who ought to haue the gouernement of the people I thought I should doe according to your age and estate Duke Eberard if I did make you partaker of this my litle labour to the end that yf it be possible other yonge men mighte take some profite by your meanes as it were by your hands For albeit that Iohn Sigismond Sebastian Coccius your most honozable maisters doe with all diligence employe thēselues to instructe teach you Yet notwithstanding as our accustomed maner is whan a garden is to be dressed which we desire to be exquisite and decked with sondry flowers not to despyse the litles plantes herbes brought vnto vs from other places so likwise I hope that the litle present which I offer vnto you to garnishe the ground of your wytte shal be very acceptable vn to you And truely I present it onely vntil such time as hauing gotten more strength as it hath bene said you might rightlye walke through the wide fieldes grene places Which to doe you haue an example of your owne kinred to witte the vertue of your father a prince of most worthy praise who hath greatly augmented and decked the noblenes of his race by an eloquent doctrine and which is the chiefest he hath brought thys knowledge to her right ende The trewe scope of all sciences that is to saye that the name of of god might be sainctified that the Churches scholes might be well ordered that good teachers scholers might be nourished and interteined This is the duetie that god requireth chiefly of them of your estate and as he auengeth the neglecting thereof with great plagues so likewise he doth rewarde them with great giftes that behaue themselues therein as faithfull stuardes Diuers lessons might be recited of the godlines constancie valiantnes of your most noble father but you shall hereafter read them handled more at large and shall know the ornamentes of your noblenes For how can it be the he who so much fauoureth good wittes should not finally receiue of them such fruite of their thankfulnes as he deserueth and should not be renoumed in the time to come Seing then that he vnderstandeth the worthines of his estate the charge that god hath committed vnto him his chiefe care hath bene the your mind shuld be instructed in godlines and in learning frō your youth neither can any thing happen more pleasant vnto him such is the affection motion of his fatherly loue then to sée his expectation inferiour to your diligence The office of a true father I doubte not but you are thereto inclined of your owne accord as muche as this age may suffer that your instructours do their whole indeuours Wherefore goe forewarde in good time Prince Eberard and seing that you are borne to minister the publyke weale get you suche helpe and ayde as is perpetuall Aydes which serue vnto the gouernemētes of publike weales and as giueth certaine sure succour yea such that not onely lighten the labour whiche you muste hereafter beare when you shall come to gouerne the coūtrie of your ancesters but also make it pleasant and easie fare well The first booke of the foure soueraygne empyres BEfore that I begynne to speake of the foure soueraygne and principall Empyres to witte of Babilon Persia Grecia and Rome I must briefely say Discorde in numbryng of the yeres that there is great discorde in the numbring of yeres since the creation of the world for both the Hebrues Eusebius Augustinus Alphonsus and Mirandula do greatlyvary among them selues Notwithstanding because that almoste all the learned men of our tyme doe herein frame themselues according to the numbrynge of the Hebrues I wyl followe them steppe by steppe when neede shall require The Hebrues are to bee folowed in countyng the yeres And first of all to come to my purpose to witte vnto the first Empyre omittinge that whiche came to passe in the firste age omitting also to speake of the vniuersal flood for as muche as all these things are comprehended in the holy scriptures neyther is it possible better to describe them I wyl begynne from that tyme in the whiche after that the abundaunce of waters were retyred and the earth dryed mankynde then beyng brought to a very smale number beganne agayne to multiplie The vniuersall flood is referred to the M. CCCCCC LU I. yere after the creation of the worlde The yere the flood Methusalah the seuenth from Adam died in that tyme at the age of nyne hundred sixtie nyne yeres Noah the nephew of Methusalah by Lameth his sonne liued then beyng sixe hundred yere olde he with his familie was preserued by the singular grace of God And after that the number of men beganne by lytle and lytle to encrease he perswaded his chyldren others of his posteritie to scatter them selues in diuers countreys to fyll the earth to buyld cities townes and to that ende he appoynted vnto euery one by lot hys Prouince aboute an hundreth yeares after the flood At that time Nimrod sonne to Noahs nephew abode with his people in the land of the Chaldees And finally as diuers through the great multitude of persons were forced to depart and to seke diuers habitations they would before theyr departure leaue behynde them a perpetuall sygne of theyr memorye Men couet to buylde in theyr perpetuall memorye and hauyng Nimrod to be theyr captain they beganne to buyld a citie and therein a towre of a wonderfull hyght And forgettyng the wrath of God which had but euen a lytle before swallowed vp the whole world and whereof there is no doubt but Noah did diligently and often tymes put them in memorie they thought to get them a perpetuall name by sumptuous proude works Wherewith the lord being angry did bring theyr enterprise to nought by confusion of language God resisteth the proude the which before was but one kynde of speche vsed of al men Wherefore being cōstrained to leaue of their worke they dyd scatter thēselues into diuers partes of the world The towne tooke her name of this confusion of tongues for it was called Babell And from that tyme to witte an hundreth and one and thyrtye yeres after the flood is gathered the begynnyng of the raygne of Chaldea and of Babilon Nowe the first kyng was the aforesayde Nimrod Nimrod the first kinge of Chaldea who as it is sayde raygned sixe and fiftie yeares The holy scripture calleth hym a mighty hunter and doeth attribute vnto hym power and violence
Grecia most learned men For Socrates did then florishe Of whom as out of a fountaine proceded Aristippus Plato Antisthenes Speusippus Aristotels Dicearchus Xenocrates Heraclides Thophrastus Polemo and Strato who were all phisitions and according to the saying of Cicero contemplators and searchers out of nature There was also oratours of greate fame as Gorgias Protagoras Prodicus Hippias Isocrates Lisias Demosthenes Hiperides Aeschines Phalereus Demetrius Demochares But of the Historiographers Xenophon whom Cicero doth call Socraticus and Calisthenes the compaynion of Alexander the great were the chiefest Denis the tyrante of Saragosse lyued at that tyme vnto whom Plato beyng come and hauing freely spokē of the duety of a prince he was in very great danger of his life as Cicero reciteth The actes of Denis the Tirante This is he who did not committe the sauegard of his body to his kinsfolkes but vnto cruel and barbarous men gathered here and there who taught his daughtours to shaue for feare of putting his necke in the barbers hands who toke from them the handling of Iron and steelle when they were come to age taught thē to bourne awaye hys bearde and his heare wyth nuttes shells who came not in the night to hys women before that he had sought and searched through out who forasmuch as he durste not propound his oration in the ordinarie feates and skaffoldes he did the same from oute of a tower who declared vnto Damocles the flatterer what was his felicitie which he did esteme so greatlye when he caused him to sytte at hys table where wanted no maner of delicates and where was excessiue abondance of all thinges and yet in the meane time he caused a sword to descēd from out of a planke or beame right ouer his head holding only but by the heare of an horses taile Pyrrhus against the Romains About two and fourtie yeres after the death of Alexander Pyrrhus King of the Epirotes made warre against the Romains and went into Italie The second yeare of the warre he solicited the Senate to enter into a certayne traities of peace and alliaunce but Appius Claudius being of a verye great age and blind who before seuentene yeares was twise Consul as Cicero sayeth he came in Parlament and did disswade the Senate other wise inclyned therto to agree or make peace with hym for he was of so great a courage that for his misfortune he did not leaue of from doing all endeuour both priuatly and publikely The oration that he made concerning Pirrhus for to hynder the peace was found yet in Ciceros tyme as 1 he himselfe witnesseth C. Fabricius Luscinus did good seruice then to the publike weale The faythfullnes of Fabricius Who beyng solicited of Pyrrhus for to rebell dyd nothing regard his great presents nor promises Moreouer he sent againe vnto him prisoner a certaine Fugitiue who did assure him to poisō the king Cicero doth compare him to Aristides of Athens Manius Curius Dentatus did altogether ouerthrowe Pirrhus at his second retourne into Italye and triumphed ouer him Pirrhus was the first the did euer bring Elephantes into Lucania The Romaines hetherto almost for fyue hundreth yeres space did onely make war with the people of Italie amongest whom the Latins Veientes Eques Falisques Samnites the Toscanes did stoutly resyst and did often times rebell being sometimes vanquished and sometimes getting the victorye who finally beinge ouercome and pacifyed there brust forth a longe great warre against the Carthagians whose Citie was much more auncient then Rome The fyrste warre of Carthage as it is most euident Thys warre beganne amongest them in the yeare of Rome foure hundred foure score and fiue in the which the fortune of M. Attilius Regulus is worthy of Memorie For he beyng taken of the Carthagians and sent to Rome for to treate for peace and for the change of prisoners vpō charge and condition that yf he dyd obtayne nothinge he should render himselfe againe prisoner after he was thether ariued An acte worthye of Memorie he gaue cleane contrarye counsell to the Senate and declared that it was not for the prosite of the publyke weale so to doe Afterwardes folowing hys opinion that fayth ought to be kepte euen vnto the enemie The cruell death of Attilius Regulus he retourned vnto Carthage where he was put to death after the moste cruellest maner in the world for they did cutte of hys eye liddes and being bound to an ingine he was killed wyth ouerwakyng During this warre the Romaines at the fyrste did fyght luckelye by sea in Sicilia against Hanno vnder the conduction of Plubius Duillius Consull Thys Duillius and Manius Curius Excellent consulls C. Fabricius Attilius Calatinus Cuee and publius Scipiones Aphricanus with Marcellus Fabius are named of Cicero amongst the excellent Captaines of Rome The yere folowing L. Cornelius Scipio dyd take the Illes of Corsica and of Sardinia This warre of Affricke which had endured twenty and three yeares was pacifyed vnder Quintus Luctatius Catule Circus and Auleus Manlius Consulls Twoo yeares after Ennius was borne whoo was fyue yeares elder then Marcus Portius Cato whome he dyd call hys familier frende The Romaius weare then agayne occupyed wyth neewe warres agaynste the Faliscyans Geneneens Sclauoniens Frenche men them of Bauiers and the Lombardes The second warre of Carthage Who beyng vaynquished there bruste forth another warre of the Carthagiens foure and twenty yeares after the peace was made vnder P. Scipio and Titus Sempronius Longus Consuls Haniball was the head captaine who assaulted the towne of Sagonte passing through Spayne into Fraunce from thence into Italy he wanne thre battailes one after another against the Romains The fyrste at Ticinum A Citie in lumbardy called nowe Pauia Quintus Fabius a most prudēt Captaine the other at the floode of Trebia the thyrd at the lake Trasimenus But Quintus Fabius beyng made dictator and goyng to mete the enemy he by his lingring did stoppe and breake his violence and inuasyon It is he in the praise of whom Ennius writeth One man by his slackinge only Restorde vs the thinge intierly Cicero doth Iudge him to be of a verye subtyll minde and that he could easely concele holde hys peace disemble spye out and preuent the enterprises of enemyes Since the Romain people did receaue a great ouerthrowe in the place called Cannes the which gaue such occasion of feare to the Citie that diuers of the chiefest were mynded to forsake it and to flye awaye But they were comforted and kepte backe by P. Cornelius Scipio the sonne of Publius Archimedes excellēt in Algorisme musike Geometrie Astro nomie a verye hardye and manfull yonge man who was then but goynge into xxv yeres Foure yeares after M. Marcellus dyd winne the towne of Saragosse after long seyge Archimedes an excellent Mathematicion was killed in the assaulting of the towne who making certayne fygures in the dust dyd
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
Antonius Consull fellow in offyce with Cesar doth charg Cicero also before the Senate as consenting therto forasmuch as incoÌ„tinently after Cesar was slaine M. Brutus holding vp the bloudy sword cried out naming hym was thankful vnto him for the libertie recouered Some there be that say that Cesar spake in Greke to M. Brutus euen in the very instant that he fell vpon him to slay him and that he called him soÌ„ne I caÌ„not wel tell how they vnderstand the same Notwithstanding so it is that it is manifest by Cicero that Brutus was but fiften yeres yonger then Cesar The said Cesar had made certain lawes partly in hys consull ship partly when he was Dictatour Leges Iulae the which in his respect are called IuliaÌ„ lawes They are as concerning feildes iudgements violence requiring againe of the polings extorsions of gouernors of benifites of vsurie There are certaine other of the same name but they were made by Octauius Euery one doth coÌ„fesse that Cesar was very clement mercifull Cicero moreouer doth prayse him for his spirite for his subtilitie reason memorie instructioÌ„ ripe thoughts diligence yet neuer theles he was greatly greued and wroth that he did raigne beare rule albeit that he couÌ„terfeted the contrarye He writeth in a certaine epistle to Atticus Thou shalt vnderstaÌ„d that this raigne caÌ„not endure aboue half a yere Now in al these doinges Cicero was greatly variable incoÌ„stant For in the war he ioyned himselfe to the campe of PoÌ„peius toke his part albeit that he did reprehend his faint hart his negligence Moreouer besides this The inconstancye of Cicero in the epistles to his frends he called Cesar during the war tirant monster But after that PoÌ„peius was dispatched that Cesar pardoned diuers he changed his time note and in three orations whiche he made he exalted him euen to the verye heauen so greatlye dyd he prayse and magynifye hym And sence that Ceser had bene aduertised that he was conspired against and that oftentimes he brast forth in these words that he had lyued long ynough Cicero prayed and besoughte hym to put away that fantasye For althoughe that he had gotten as much glory as was possible that in respecte hereof he had lyued long ynough for himself notwithstanding he had liued to lytle a whyle for the publike weale the which could not well want or be destitute of his succour and defence Moreouer saith he thou hast no occasion to feare any daunger at all for all as many as we are of vs doe promyse the not onelye to make good watche for to kepe the but also to present and put our owne persones in readines before thee After that Ceser was slaine he triumphed for ioye said that the mourderers had obtained so great glory that the verye heauen could not comprehend the same This then is the fourth and last Monarchie The fourth and last Monarchye Wherin we must note how of small beginninges that Citye hath encreased and mounted by lytle and litle to souerain power For beyng buylt by shypheards fynallye it became Maisteris of the whole world Hereafter folowyng I wyll declare as briefely as shal be possyble lowe she is sence decayed and fallen daye by daye from that hyghnes and greate domination and hath bene ruined The second booke Octauius Antonius Lipidus C Cesar beynge slayne C. Octauius hys Nephewe by hys Systers syde drewe the legions vnto him and pursewed most sharpely the mourderers At the beginninge it semed that he put himselfe in armes agaynste Marcus Antonyus in fauour of the publike weale but finally he hauinge parted the Empyre betwene hym and M. Lepidus he established the dominion of thre Triumuiri named Triumuiri Cicero slaine by Antonius vnder whom M. Cicero who had made vehement warre againste Antonius was slaine by his commaundement beyng then thre score and thre yeares olde eyght yeres after the decease of Q. Hortentius who was eyghte yeares elder then he as it hath bene sayd here before It is certain that Cicero was fouly deceiued in his enterprises For because that after the death of Cesar Antonius did trouble the publike weale he commaunded vnto the Senate C. Octauius Cesars kinsman beyng then a yonge man of the age of twenty yeares whom he meruelously exalted to the Senate And not content herewyth he put in their heads to create him Consull hauyng no respecte to his age alledging to the perswation therof diuers auncient examples by the whych he would proue that the thing were lawefull Moreouer he confuted the argumentes by the which certaine causes of feare and danger might be alledged and swore vnto the Senate by hys fayth that Octauius shoulde alwayes remayne such a citezin as he was at that time sayd that they ought both to wishe him and desyre him Sence that Octauius did resyste and withstand him and committed him into the hands of Antonius M. Brutus also doth grauely rebucke him for that he flattered Octauius Now as it oftentimes commeth to passe the gredy desire of bearing rule and aucthoritie did engender raise vp dyssentions amongest theÌ„ Warre botwene the in such sort that Lipidus being deposed from the office of the Triumuiri and beyng bannished Triumuiri for hauing conspired against Octauius he sought to reuenge himself vpon Antonius who was his other compaynion and fellow in office And after the victorie of ActiacaÌ„ he ouerthrewe him with Cleopatra of whom mention hath ben made herebefore nere vnto Alexandria and constrayned them to kyll themselues Afterwards he made Egipt a prouince of the Romains The Historiographers say that in the raigne of Ptolomeius Auletes the yerely reuenue of Egipt did mounte to twelue thousand fyue hundreth talentes The yerely reuenew of Egypte the which summe according to that counte of the learned men of our time doth amounte vnto three score and fyuetene hundreth thousande crownes courrante Sence that the sayd country was vnder the aucthoritie of the Romaines it is estemed and Iudged to haue bene of farre muche greater reuenue by reason of the trafike of India and Ethiopia After the death of Antonius Octauius kept alone the Empyre fortye fower yeares And the twenty ninthe of his Empire the yeare of the creation of the world three thousand nyne hundreth fiftye and foure as diuers counte oure Sauiour Iesus Christ was borne The byrth of Iesus Christ seuen yeres after that Herodes surnamed the Great had sumptuously reedifyed the temple of Ierusalem altogether ruinated M. Antonius had married Octauius Syster but falling in loue wyth Cleopatra at such time as he visited the country of Asia he forsoâ—e hys sayd wyfe and toke Cleopatra The which gaue partly occasion of the warre The excesciuenes of Antonius Cleopatra Bothe of them were excessyue in all manner of sumptuousnes and the Authours haue written things almost incredible of their feastes delicacies pleasures
the hands of their companions fellow helpers Constantius had the dominion of Fraunce England Spaigne Italy Affrick Galerius of Sclauonia Grecia Asia At thys tyme Marcellus was Bishoppe of Rome The degree of Marcellus bishop of Rome of whome a certayn decre is founde that it is not lawfull for the byshops to assemble a Synode or generall counsell without the authoritie of the romaine Sea nor any bishop to condemne any what soeuer he be yf he appeale vnto Rome This man was poore as hys predecessours were liued in great affliction because that Maxentius the Emperour did persecut him Wherfore it is easy to be iudged whether that he being so vexed troubled was so arrogaÌ„t presumptuous to make such decrees Constantius being disceased at york Seuerus Marimianus Maxentius Galerius adapted Seuerus Maximianus In the meane time the nobles other souldiours of the gard which wer at Rome did elect Maxentius for to be Emperour after that Seuerns was slain Maximianus toke Lucinius to be his companioÌ„ Lucinius Great trouble was raised betwene these by reason whereof the nobilitie of Rome called Constantine the sonne of Constantius who had his abiding in FrauÌ„ce for to deliuer the citie from the tyrany of Maxentius CoÌ„stantinus drew into Italy with a part of his souldiours wan the first battel finaliy slew cut a sunder the hooste of Maxentius neare vnto Rome Constantinus the great He had also war against Lucinius who was vaÌ„quished inbattaill at the last was slayn of hys owne Souldiours Certayne holde that the cause of the warre was because that Lucinius dyd sharply persecute the ChristiaÌ„s not withstandynge that Constantine had admonyshed prayed hym to restrayne therefrom For from the resurrection of Christ vntyll this tyme almost for the space of CCC yeres they which made profession of Christ were afflicted tormented diuers wayes For let me omitte to speake of that which the holy scripture reciteth of Stephen of Iames the brother of Iohn of Peter prisoner but diliuered by the angel yea let me omit Paule a great persecuter of the church of god who after he was coÌ„uerted did suffer infinite dauÌ„gers for the profession of Christ The romain Emperours haue raised vp horrible most cruel sortes of torments This did Nero Tyrantes Domitianus Traianus Septimus Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus Diocletianus CoÌ„stantyne doth embrace the doctrine of Christ Maximianus Constantinus remaining victorious embrased the true religion serued as a port refuge vnto the Christians And then first of all the bishops of Rome began to be in safetie For hitherto almost al of them were martyred The number of the bishops since Peter whom they would haue to be the first vnto this time do amount to .xxxiii. Their decrees are enclosed in the bookes of the counsels but the most part of them are so vaine folyshe yea so contrary vnto the holy scriptures that it is to be presupposed that long tyme after some others haue inuented counterfeited them But if they be verily of them proceded of their forge it semeth that the same which S. Paule prophecied might be rightly applied then this respect To wit that euen in the sonne of perdition man of synne began to worke the mysterie of iniquitie The decree of Anacletê° There is found a certain decre which is attributed vnto Anacletus whom certain do place the fourth after Peter by the which he affirmeth the church of Rome to be the head of all others by the commaundement institution of Christ Another decre is vnder the title of Alexander his successour whereby he commaundeth to consecrate water with salt for to purifie the people and to mollifie the assaults and subteltie of the deuill I besech you what agremeÌ„t or likenes is there betwene these things and the maiestie of the Apostles or the writings of Iohn the Euangelist who almost liued euen to thys age I haue only specified these two to the end that the readers might iudge of the residue who are of such like quality endued with such ambitious and couetous mynds and euen as the language is barbarous so likewise the sentence hath no salt which Paule requireth in the ministers of the churche The donation of Constantine is a lye forged of the papistes The bequethment or dontion of Constantine is of the lyke style the which they haue not forgotten in theyr bookes as the foundation and fortiâ—ication of their power For the cause and occasion of his excessiue liberalitie maye be reprehended by the histories and conuicted of falsholde And put the case that this Emperour had bene so prodigall yet could he not diminyshe his right herein but only from hymselfe not froÌ„ his successors who had like power authoritie were defenders of the weale publyke For he can not be named father of a countrey that doth lessen the right reuenue of the Empyre nether can he prescribe a lawe to the preiudice of hys companion lyke in authoritie At the commaundment of Constantine there was publyshed and held a counsell at Nice in Bithinia whereat a great multitude was present In the sayde counsell the opinin of Arius was condemned The couÌ„sell of Nice against Arius who denied Christ to be of equal substaunce with the father It is fouÌ„d in writing that not only the bishops of Europa Asia wer there assistaÌ„t but also those of Egipt Libia Amongst other things it was ordeyned decreed that the auncient custome should be obserued in Egipt Libia Pentapoli to wit that they all shuld be subiect vnto the bishop of Alexandria albeit the bishop of Rome vsurped kept back this custome Moreouer that the priuileges should remain vndiminished at Antioche in other Prouinces churches After this counsell a certayn man called Eustathius spred abroad diuers wicked opinions Eustathius authour of the monkish superstition as to flie froÌ„ marriage to vse new vnaccustomed maner of garments to abstayne from eating of flesh to forsake their possessions Now for asmuch as diuers married men did seperate themselues for their wiues diuers bondmen dyd forsake their maisters went tooke this new religious garment as they call it women also dyd the lyke forsakyng their husbands And because that they that dyd eate fleshe were dispised and estemed as defiled and offendynge God as also the ministers of the church that wer marryed Vppon thys occasion a Counsell was holden at Gangre a citie of Paphlagonie wherein were condemned they who taught on this maner with them that beleued the same Eustathius opinion condemned After that Constantinus had been honourably saluted and gratified by the Senate and the romain people because of the peace restored vnto the publyke weale he set hys whole mynde vppon forreyn warres vanquished in diuers conflicts the Gothes and Sarmatians who oppressed Thracia In hys old age he
defied the Persians who spoiled the coūtry of Mesopotamia And being ariued at Asia hauing takē phisycke for to recouer his health he dyed not without suspition of impoisonment This is he who is surnamed the great who called Bizantius a Citie of Thracia by his name where he placed the seat of the Empire Constantinople He begane to raigne about CCCXII yeres after the natiuity of Christ A blaising starre of straūge and wonderfull greatnes preceaded his death Constantinus Constantius Constans bretheren He left behind him thre sones to wet Constantinus Cōstantius Constans vnto Constantinus befell the regiment of the Alpes Fraūce Spaine Englad the Iles called Orchades Ireland Thile Vnto Cōstans Italy Afrike with the Iles Sclauony Macedonia Achaia * Now called Morea Peloponesus Grecia vnto Constantius the country of Asia of Thracia Constantinus not wel content with this particiō stirred vp war against his brother Constans and was euē already come to Aquileia where he gaue the on set against his brothers army But hauing lost his army he was slain After this victory Cōstans who in the meane while made warre wyth the Getes and Sarmatians in * A coūtrye beyond Hūgarie called now Transilianiam Dacia came into Italy and hauyng passed the mountaines he entered by force into Fraunce in suche sorte that by the space of two yeares he enioyed all the dominions of his brother disceassed But shortelye after he was murdered by the Ambusches and conspyratyes of Magnentius who was chosen Emperour by the Souldiours he oftentymes repeteth that it appertaineth to him only who is Bishop as he saith of the chiefe seat to assemble the generall coūsells a thing commytted vnto hym by synguler pryueledge and by deuyne Commaundement A man myght meruyll how he could for shame write this or the residue boste themselues therof seyng that before his time Constantinus had assembled that of Nice more then an hūdreth yere after him the Emperour Martianus that of Chalcedon He saith Moreouer that it appertaineth to hym onley as beyng Bishop of Rome to haue knowledge of Bishops causes other like affaires The other Bishops could not suffer this hys arrogancie and presumption The Bysshops resist Iulius therfore being assembled at Antioch they vertuously answered him that it appertained not vnto him to retract the sentence by thē pronoūced seing that they were in like degre of dignitie with him that the doctrine of Christ was proceded out of their country finally came to Rome by the meanes and trauayle of the Apostles Moreouer yf that he dyd contynue in hys opinyon and makynge of newe decrees they woulde not onely not obey but they woulde also neyther make nor meddell wyth hym and they would consulte to gyue order herein accordynge to the wayttynesse of the matter In an other Synode holden in the self same Towne where they were assembled in greatter number they ordayned amongeste other thynges what was the offyce of the Byshop and that of the Metropolytan yf anye Proces should happen as touchyng thynges of greate importaunce For yf it chaunce that the Bishops doe not accorde they commaunde that the Metropolytan take certayne of the next prouince for Iudges to gyue absolute and diffinityue sentence If that anye Byshoppe for hys offence or cryme be condempned by the common consent of the other Byshoppes they wyll that the sentence remayne ferme and stable and not to be retracted by any other They ordayne moreouer that the Bishoppe employe faythfully the goods of the Church gyuen to the vse of the poore yf nede require that he take therof as much as shal be nedefull for his necessitie forasmuch as sainct Paulle sayth that we ought to be content with meate clothing And if it so happen that the Byshoppe employe these gooddes to hys owne perticuler profite or of his gyuing the vse therof to hys kynsfolkes they wyll that he be reprehended by the Synode Iouinianus hauyng the enemye at hys elbowe he made a treaityes of Peace verye ignominius vnto the publyke weale for he restored the fyue prouynces whyche Galeryus had conquered beyonde Tyger as it hathe beene sayde wyth a certayne part of Mesopotamya Moreouer he promysed in the treatyes of Peace that the Romayns should not succour nor helpe the Kyng of Armenia although he were their frend and compaynyon Thys done goyng on with his armye to retyre homewards he died in the confynes of Bithinia The armie incōtinently after elected Valentinianus to be Emperour Valentinianus who being ariued at Constantinople tooke Valeus hys brother to be hys compaynion in the regiment of the Empire and committing vnto him those countries there he went into Germanye where he subdued the Saxons borderers of the Ocean sea This brought to passe he drew into Fraūce where some say he died for anger At this time his brother Valeus the other Emperour Valeus was in Asia for to represse and withstand the fury of the Parthians who forraged in Armenia and the kinge of the Persians who stirred vp warre contrary to the couenantes But beyng aduertised that the Hūnes or Tartarians and Scithians did spoyle the country of Hungarie Albanie and Thessalie he retyred into Europa beyng vainquished in the assaulte he was brought into a litle house very sore hurt where the enemies setting the same a fyer brunt him There is found a certaine acte or law made by the Emperours Valentinianus Valeus The decree of Valentinianus and Valeus by the whych it is commaunded that they that follow the deserte monasticall lyfe auoiding by thys meanes the publike charges goyng a warfare should be plucked out of their dēnes and shuld be constrayned eyther to serue the country or to be frustrated of all other commodities the whiche shoulde be transferred to them who did sustaine daungers trauills for the publike weale The enemyes forth with encamped before Constantinople but being pacified by the gyftes and presentes of the Emperour they raised their campe and departed When the coūtry of Saxonia was pacifyed the Emperour Valentinianus dyd adopte Gratianus hys sōne to be compainion of the Empyre Now the father the Vncle beyng dead Gratianus Gratianus succeded them both and for as muche as the publyke weale was incombered with diuers troubles he elected Theodosius an excellent Captayne Theodosius sent him towards the East coūtry He ouerthrew and defeicted the Hūnes Gothes about Constantinople and draue thē out of the country of Thracia Shortly after Gratianus was traitrously slayne in Fraunce by a certaine Captaine of hys named Maximus who coueted the Empire Ansonius Poet. Ausonius of Bourdeaux was his schole maister of whom is found a certaine Poesie who also was exalted by the Emperour euen to the dignye of Consull of Rome His sone Valentinianus dyed almost after the sayd sort through the deceipte of Abrogastus his famillier frend But the mourderers remayned not long vnpunished