All that thou sees't and readest is Divâ—â—â— Learning thus vs'd is water turn'd to winâ— Well may wee then despaire to draw his 〈◊〉 View heere the case i th Booke the Jewell finâ— P V. A. 〈…〉 THE LIFE DEATH OF ALEXANDER the Great The first Founder of the GRECIAN EMPIRE Represented by the Brazen belly of that Image Dan. 2. 32. and by a Leopard with four wings Dan. 7. 6. and by a He-Goat with a great horn between his eyes Dan. 8. 5. AS ALSO The LIFE and DEATH of CHARLES the GREAT Commonly called CHARLEMAGNE The first Founder of the FRENCH EMPIRE By SA CLARKE sometime Minister in St Bennet Fink London LONDON Printed for William Miller at the Gilded Acorn in St Pauls Church-yard near the little North Door 1665. Licensed to be Printed Roger L'Estrange THE LIFE DEATH OF ALEXANDER the Great The first Founder of the GRECIAN EMPIRE Represented by the Brazen belly of that Image Dan. 2. 32. and by a Leopard with four wings Dan. 7. 6. and by a He-Goat with a great horn between his eyes Dan. 8. 5. By Sa. Clarke sometime Minister in St Bennet Fink London Promotion comes neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South But God is the Judge He putteth down one and setteth up another Psal. 75. 6 7. LONDON Printed for William Miller at the Gilded Acorn in St Pauls Church-yard near the little North Door 1665. THE LIFE DEATH OF ALEXANDER the Great KING OF MACEDONIA ALEXANDER surnamed the Great was the Son of Philip King of Macedonia and of his Queen Olympias He was born on the sixth day of our June called by the Macedonians Lous Upon the very same day that the Temple of Diana in Ephesus was burned down whereupon the Priests Magicians and South-sayers ran about the City crying that some great Plague and mischief to Asia was surely born that day Three messengers came to King Philip presently after he had won the City of Potidaea upon the same day who brought him great Newes the first that Parmenio his Generall had won a notable Battel of the Illyrians the second that his Horse had won the prize at the Olympian Games and the third that his wife Olympias had brought him a Son that was named Alexander born at Pella in Macedonia Philip being marvellous glad to hear these newses the Southsayers much added to his joy assuring him that his Son that was thus born should be invincible He had naturally a very fair white colour mingled with red which chiefly appeared in his face and breast His skin had a marvellous sweet savour and his breath was very sweet which shewed his excellent constitution He was naturally hot and Cholerick which made him to be addicted to drink and hasty and yet was chast withall His Father was very carefull of his Education and therefore gat for him excellent Tutors as Leonidas which had the chiefest Government of him Then Lysimachus an Acarnanian and Aristotle the Best Philosopher of his time to whom Philip allowed a very Honourable stipend He delighted much in hunting divers kinds of wilde Beasts and playing at the Staff On a time while he was young Ambassadors were sent to his Father from the King of Persia and it fell out that Philip was in some journey out of his Kingdom Alexander therefore intertained them familiarly not using any childish questions to them nor enquiring about trifling and triviall matters but what distance it was from one place to another and which way they went into the higher places of Asia Also about the King of Persia himself how he behaved himself towards his enemies and what power he had c. insomuch as they were ravished with delight to hear him judging him to be of great Courage and of a Noble minde and one that was like to attempt great enterprises When at any time news was brought him that his Father had taken some famous City or had won some great Battel he was no whit glad to hear it but would say to his play-fellows Sirs My Father will do all I shall have nothing left me to Conquer with you that will be ought worth Upon a time Philonicus a Thessalian brought a brave Horse called Bucephalus to sell unto King Philip demanding thirteen Talents for him and they went into the Field to try him But the Horse was found to be so unruly and churlish that they which should have ridden him said that he would never be made serviceable For he would let no man get upon his Back nor abide any of the Gentlemens voices that were about Philip but would yerk at them with his heels whereupon Philip being afraid bad them take him away as a wilde untamable and unprofitable Beast which they had done accordingly had not Alexander that stood by said O Gods what a Horse do they turn away for lack of skill and courage to handle and break him Philip heard what he said but held his peace Alexander often repeating those words and seeming sorry that the Horse should be sent back Philip said Why doest thou controll them that have more skill and experience than thy self and that know better how to handle a Horse than thou doest Alexander answered and yet me-thinks I could handle him better than all they have done But if thou canst do no more than they replied Philip what wilt thou forfeit for thy folly I am content said Alexander to forfeit the price of the Horse Every one laughed to hear his answer and the match was made between the Father and the Son Then ran Alexander to the Horse and took him by the Bridle and turned him towards the Sun It seems he had observed how mad the Horse was to see his own shadow which was before always before his eyes as he stirred too and fro Then Alexander speaking gently to the Horse and clapping him on the back with his hand till he had left his fury and sâ—orting softly let fall his Cloke from him and lightly leaped on his back and so gat up without any danger and holding the reins of the Bridle hard without striking or stirring the Horse made him to be gentle enough And when he perceived that the fury of the Horse was calmed he put him forward and began to Gallop Then he put him to his full carrier spurring and switching him Philip at first seeing his sons confidence began to fear lest he should catch any hurt But when he saw him readily to turn the Horse at the end of his carrier and shewing bravery for what he had done all the Spectators gave a great shoot for joy and the Father fell a weeping for joy and when Alexander was allighted from the Horse his Father went and kissed him saying O Son thou must have a Kingdom that is meet for thee for Macedonia is not sufficient for thee Considering also that he was not to be rigorously dealt with and that by gentle means and perswasions
Persidis and after the loss of many of his Macedonians he was forced to save himself by retreat causing his Foot to march close together and to cover themselves with their Targets from the Stones that were tumbled upon them from the Mountain-tops Yet in the end he found out another passage which was discovered to him by a Lycian that lived in that Country and thereby coming suddenly upon Ariobarzanes who now was enforced to fight â—pon even ground he overthrew him who from thence fled to Persepolis But the Citizens refusing to admit him he returned and gave a second charge upon the Macedodonians in which he was slain Many Greeks for Authors agree not upon their number having been taken Prisoners by the Persians presented themselves here to Alexander These had the Barbarians so maimed by cuting off their Hands Eares Noses and other Members as that they could not have been known to their own Country men but by there Language To each of these Alexander gave three hundred Crowns with new Garments and such Lands as they liked to live upon Tiridates one of Darius his falshearted Grandees hearing of Alexanders approach to Persepolis made him know that Persepolis was ready to receive him and intreated him to double his pace because there was a determination amongst the People to Plunder the Kings Treasury This City was forsaken by many of her Inhabitants upon Alexanders arrivall and they that staid followed the worst Counsel For the City was given up to the Liberty of the Souldiers t2o spoil and kill at their pleasure There was no place in the world at that time which if it had been lain in the Ballance with Persepolis would have weighed it down Indeed Babylon and Susa were very rich but in Persepolis lay the bulk and greatest store of the riches of Persia. For after the spoil that had been made of money curious Plate Bullion Images of Gold and Silver and other jewels there remained to Alexander himself one hundred and twenty thousand Talents and as much other Treasure as twenty thousand Mules and ten thousand Camels could carry away much whereof had been reserved there from the dayes of Cyrus Here it was that Alexander setting himself down upon Darius his Throne it was so high that his feet could not reach the ground whereupon one of his attendants brought him a little Table and set it under his feet One of Darius's Eunuchs standing by sighed and wept grievously which Alexander taking notice of asked him the reason of it the Eunuch answered I weep to see a Table that was so highly prized by my Master Darius now to be made thy footstool Here he left the same number of three thousand Macedonians in Persepolis as he had done in Susa and gave the same formall honour to the Traitor Tiridates as he had done to Abulites but he committed the charge of the place to Nicarides a Creature of his own The Body of his Army he left here for thirty dayes under the care of Parmenio and Craterus and with a thousand Horse and certain chosen Bands of Foot he would needs view in the winter time those parts of Persia which now were covered with Snow A fruitless and foolish enterprise Some speak it in his praise that when his Souldiers cried out against him because of the extream Frost and Snow through which they could not make way but with great difficulty that Alexander forsook his Horse and marched on foot before them But what can be more ridiculous than for a man to bring other men into extremity thereby to shew how well him self can endure it Being his walking on foot did no otherwise take off their wearinesse that followed him than his sometime forbearing to drink did quench their thirst that could lesse endure it Alexander being returned to Persopolis those Historians that were most enamored of his virtues complain that the opinion of his Valour of his Liberality of his Clemency towards the vanquished and all other his Noble conditions were drowned in Drink That he smothered in his carousing cups all the reputation of his former actions and that by descending as it were from the awfull Throne of the greatest King into the company and familiarity of the bastest Harlots he began to be despised both of his own and of all other Nations For when he was enflamed with Wine and being perswaded by the infamous Strumpet Thais he caused the most sumtuous and goodly Castle and City of Persepolis to be consumed with fire notwithstanding all the Arguments that Parmenio could use to the contrary who told him that it was a dishonour to destroy those things by the perswasion of others which by his proper virtue and force he obtained and that it would be a certain evidence to the Asiaticks to think hardly of him and thereby alienate their hearts from him For they might well believe that he which demolished the goodliest Ornaments they had meant nothing lesse than after such vastations to hold the possession of them About this time Alexander received another supply of Souldiers out of Cilica and advanced to find out Darius in Media Darius had there formed his fourth and last Army which he meant to have encreased in Bactria had he not heard of Alexanders comming on with whom trusting to his present numbers which yet were but thirty or fourty thousand he intended once again to try what he might doe against him He therefore called together his Captains and Commanders and propounded his resolution to them who desparing of good successe stood for a while silent But at last Artabazus one of his eldest men of War who had sometime lived with King Philip the Father of Alexander brake the silence protesting that he could never be beaten by any adversity of the Kings from the faith that he had ever ought him with firm confidence that all the rest were of the same mind whereof they likewise assured Darius by the like protestation and so they approved of the Kings resolution Two onely and they the greatest to wit Naburzanes and Bessus who was Governor of Bactria had conspired against their Master and therefore advised the King to lay a new foundation for the War and to pursue it for the present by some such person against whom neither the Gods nor Fortune had in all things declared themselves to be an enemy This preamble Naburzanes used and in conclusion advised the Election of his fellow Traitor Bessus with promise that when the War should be ended the Empire should be again restored to Darius The King swolne with disdain pressed towards Naburzanes to have slain him but Bessus and the Bactrians whom he commanded being more in number than the rest with held him Hereupon Nahurzanes withdrew himself and Bessus followed him making their Quarters apart from the rest of the Army Artabazus the the Kings faithfull servant perswaded him to be advised and to comply for the time the rather because
Alexander resolved to pasâ—e over the River of Hydaspes and to find out Porus at his own home But Porus saved him that labour attending him on the farther bank with thirty thousand Foot ninety Elephants and three hundred armed Chariots and a great Troop of Horse The River was half a mile broad and withall deep and swift It had in it many Islands amongst which there was one much overgrown with Wood and of good capacity Alexander sent Ptolomy with a good part of the Army up the River shrowding the rest from the sight of Porus under this Island by this devise Porus being drawn from the place of his first encamping set himself down opposite to Ptolomy supposing that the whole Army of Alexander was there intending to force their passage But in the mean while Alexander with his men recovered the farther shore without resistance and ordering his Troops he advanced towards Porus who at first imagined them to be Abiasares his confederate come over Hydaspis to asist him But finding it to be otherwise he sent his Brother Hagis with four thousand Horse and a hundred armed Chariots to entertain him Each Chariot had in it four to fight and two to guid it But they were at this time of little use by reason that much raine having falne the Fields were so soul that the Horses could hardly trot In this fight the Scythians and Dahans had Alexanders vantgard who so galled the Indians with their Darts and Arrows that the Horses brake their reines and overturned the Chariots and those that were in them Perdiccas also charged the Indian Horsemen who were by him forced to recoil Then did Porus moove forward with the Gross of his Army that his Vantgard who were scattered might retreat into his Reare Alexander being followed by Ephestion Ptolomy and Perdiccas charged the Indian Horsmen in the left wing commanding Cenon to set upon the right He directed also Antigonus and Leonatus to charge Porus his Battel of Foot strengthned with Elephants Porus himself riding upon one of the biggest of them By these Beasts the Macedonian Foot received the greatest damage but the Archers and Darters being well guarded with the long and strong Pikes of the Macedonians so galled them that the Elephants being inraged turned head and ran over their own Footmen that followed them In the end after a long and doubtfull fight by the advantage of weapons and the skill and courage of the Macedonian Captains the victory fell to Alexander who also far exceeded Porus in number of men For besides the Macedonians and other Eastern and Northen Nations Alexander was assisted by Porus his Confederates and Country people Yet for his own Person he never gave ground otherwise than with his Sword towards his enemies till being weakned by many wounds and abandoned by his Army he became a Prisoner to the Conqueror from whom again he received his Kingdom with a great enlargement I forbear to mention other petty victories which Alexander obtained after this in his failing down the River of Indus The discription of places about the Head and branches thereof are better known to us by reason of our late Navigations and discoveries than they were in former times The magnificence and Rights of those Indian Kings we could in no sort be perswaded to believe till our own experience had taught us that there are many stranger things in the world than we see in our own Country Alexander having by this time overwearied his Army he discovered the rest of India by fame The Indian Kings whom he had subdued informed him that a King called Aggrameâ—â—s ruled over many Nations beyond the River Gangâ—â— who was able to bring into the Field two hundred thousand Foot twenty thousand Horse three thousand Elephants and two thousand armed Chariots With this report though Alexander was more enflamed than ever to proceed in his Discoveries and Conquests yet all his Oratory could not prevaile with his Souldiers to adventure over those wast Desarts beyond Indus and Gaâ—ges which were more terrible to them than the greatest Army that the East could gather Yet at last they were overcome by many perswasions to follow him towards the South to discover such parts of the Ocean as were neerer at hand unto which the River Indus was their infallible guid Alexander seeing it would be no otherwise devised a pretty trick by which he hoped to beguil after-ages and make himself seem greater than he was For which end he enlarged his Camp made greater Trenches greater Cabins for Souldiers greater Hors-stalls and higher Mangers than Horses could feed in Yea he caused all furniture both for Men and Horses to be made larger than would serve for use and scattered these Armors and Bridles about his Camp to be kept as reliques and wondred at by those Barbarous People Proportionable unto these he raised up twelve great Altars to be Monuments of his jorneyes end This done he returned again to the banks of Asesines and there determined to build his Fleet where Ausines and Hydaspes meet and to testifie by a surer Monument how far he had passed towards the East he built by those Rivers two Cities the one he called Nicaea and the other Bucephalon after the name of his beloved Horse Bucephalus Heere again he received a new supply of six thousand Thracian Horsemen seven thousand Foot and from his Leiutenant of Babylon twenty five thousand Armours garnished with Silver and Gold which he distributed amongst his Souldiers About these Rivers he wan many Towns and committed great slaughter on those that resisted It s said that besieging a City of the Oxidracans he leaped from the top of the wall into it and fought long against all the Inhabitants till his Souldiers forcing a Gate came in to his rescue Finally he passed down the River with his Fleet at which time news was brought him of a Rebellion in Bactria and then of the arrivall of a hundred Ambassadors from a King in India who submitted himself to him These Ambassadors he Feasted upon a hundred Beds of Gold with all the sumptuousness that could be devised who soon after their dispatch returned again and presented him with three hundred Horses and one hundred and thirty Wagons and in each of them four Horses a thousand Targets with many other things rare and rich Then sailed Alexander towards the South passing through many obscure Nations which all yielded to him either quietly or by force Amongst these he built another Alexandria Of the many places which he took in his passage one was called Samus the Inhabitants whereof fought against him with poisoned Swords with one of which Ptolomy afterwards King of Egypt was wounded and was cured by an Herb which Alexander dreamed he had seen in the mouth of a Serpent When he came neer to the out-let of Indus being ignorant of the Tides of the Sea his Gallies on a sudden were shuffled one against another by the coming
his Death and deservedly punish Darius for refusing this advise Darius likewise slighted the counsell given him by the Grecian Souldiers that served under him who intreated him not to fight in those streight places where Alexander could bring as many hands to fight as Darius could and these old blades when Darius was overthrown with all his cowardly and confused Rabble under their Captain Amyntas held firm and made a brave retreat in despite of the vanquishers These Grecians also after their retreat advised Darius to draw back his Army into the plains of Mesopotamia where he might have environed the Macedonians on all sides with his multitudes they counselled him also to divide his huge Army into parts and not to cast his Empire upon one Battel c. But this advise was so contrary to the cowardly spirits of the Persians that they perswaded Darius to environ these Greeks with his Army and to cut them in pieces as Traitors But Darius was so infatuated that he would needs fight with Alexander in such a streight place neer unto the City of Issus where he could bring no more hands to fight than Alexander could who by the advice of Parmeniâ— staid there as in a place of advantage whereby he was utterly overthrown his Treasure lost his Wife Mother and Children whom the Grecians had perswaded him to leave in Babylon taken prisoners and all their train of Ladies spoiled of their rich Garments Jewels and Honour Indeed the Queen with her Daughters who had the good hap to be brought to Alexanders presence were intertained with all respect due unto them their Honours preserved and their Jewels and rich Garments restored and though the Queen was a most beautifull Lady and her Daughters of excellent features yet Alexander mastered his affections towards them all Only he embraced the Wife of the Valiant Memnon who was lately dead she being taken by Parmenio as she fled from Damascus at which time the Daughters of Ochus who reigned before Darius and the Wives and Children of almost all the Nobility of Persia fell into Captivity together with the Treasure of Darius not taken at Issus was seized upon amounting to six thousand and two hundred Talents in ready Coin and in Bullion five hundred Talents with a world of Riches besides Parmenio also in his Letter to Alexander sent him word that amongst other things he had taken at Damascus three hundred twenty nine of the Kings Women which were Skilfull in Musick forty six Weavers or Knitters of Crowns Pastry Women two hundred seventy seven Cook Maids twenty nine White-meat-makers thirteen Makers of drinking Cups seventeen Wine-cellar men seventy Apothecaries and Confectioners forty Thirty thousand Men and seven thousand Camels Darius himself leaving his Brother dead casting the Crown from his head with divers others of his Chief Captains hardly escaped by flight After this overthrow given to Darius all Phoenicia the City of Tyre excepted yielded unto Alexander who made Parmenio Governour of it Also Aradus Zidon and Biblos which were Maritine Cities of great importance of which one Strato was King but hated of his People submitted unto Alexander Yea good success attended him every where For Antigonus who was his Lieutenant in Asia the Less overthrew the Cappadocians Paphlagonians and others lately revolted Aristodemus also who was Darius his Admiral had his Fleet partly taken and partly drowned by the Macedonians Likewise the Lacedemonians who rose up against Antipater were beaten and four thousand of those Greeks that made so brave a retreat at the last Battel being led by Amyntas into Egypt intending to hold it for themselves were there slain for the time to divide Kingdoms was not yet come Alexander to honour his beloved Ephestion gave him power to dispose of the Kingdom of Zidon and Ephestion to shew his gratitude offered to bestow it upon his Host with whom he quartered But the Man not being of the Kingly Race refused it saying It is not our Country-fashion that any should be King but such as are of the Kingly Line And such an one saith he lives hard by a good and a wise man but very poor and one that lives by his hard labour Then did Ephestion taking Kingly apparrell along with him go to this poor Man and saluted him King bidding him wash off his dirt and put off his rags and put on that Royall Apparel The poor Mans name was Abdolominus who thought he had been in a dream but being by the standers by washed and adorned Ephestion led him into the Pallace saying When thou sittest on thy Throne and hast power over the lives of all thy Subjects forget not thy former condition Alexander hearing of it sent for him and asked him with what patience he being of so Noble an Extraction could bear his former poverty To whom Abdolominus answered I pray God that I may bear the Kingdom with the same mind For said he these hands have provided for my necessities and as I had nothing so I wanted nothing While Alexander staid in those parts he received a Letter from Darius wherein he desired to ransom his Wife Mother and Children with some other conditions of peace but such as rather became a Conqueror than one who had been so shamefully beaten not vouchsafeing in the Endorsment to give Alexander the title of King Alexander disdained his offers and sent him word that he was not only a King but the King of Darius himself When Alexander came neer the City of Tyre he received from them the present of a Golden Crown and great store of Victuals with some other things which he took very thankfully sending them word that he desired to offer a Sacrifice to Hercules the Protector of their City from whom he was descended The Tyrians not liking his presence within their walls returned answer that the Temple of Hercules was seated where the old City stood but Alexander was resolved to enter Tyre by force though in most mens Judgements the City was impregnable for the Island whereon it was built was eight hundred furlongs from the land yet with the labor of many hands having great store of stone from old Tyre and Timber sufficient from Libanus he stopped up the passage between the Island and the Main being more than once carried away by Storms and sometimes fired by the Tyrians yet with the help of his Navy he overcame all difficulties and prevailed having spent seven moneths in that attempt The Tyrians in the beginning of the Siege hard barbarously drowned some messengers sent by Alexander to perswade them to yield in respect whereof and of his great loss of time and men he put eight thousand to the sword and caused two thousand of those that had escaped the first fury to be hanged on Crosses upon the Sea-shore and reserved for slaves thirteen thousand some say thirty thousand and many more of them had died if the Zidonians that served Alexander had not
with Spades for most of his men were fit for no other weapon it had been impossible for Alexander to have passed that River so easily much less the River of Tygris But as a man whose Empire God was putting a Period to he abandoned all places of advantage and suffered Alexander to enter so far into the bowels of his Kingdom as all hope and possibility of escaping by retreat being taken from the Macedonians they were put to the choice either to die or Conquer to which Election Darius could no way constrain his men seeing they had many large Regions to run into from their invaders Darius after the rout of his Army fled to Arbela that night better attended in his flight than in the fight and to them that fled with him he propounded his purpose of retreating into Media perswading them that the Maâ—edonians who were greedy of spoil and riches would rather attempt Babylon Susa and other Cities filled with Treasure than to pursue the vanquished This miserable resolution his Nobility rather obeyed than approved Soon after the departure of Darius came Alexander to Arbela which with a great mass of Treasure and many Princely Ornaments was surrendred to him For the fear which accompanied Darius took nothing with it but shame and dishonour He that had been twice beaten before should have sent his Treasure into Media rather than to have brought it to Arbela so neer the place where he intended to wait the coming of his enemy If he had been victorious he might have brought it back at leasure But being overcome he knew it impossible to drive Mules and Camels loaden with Gold from the pursuing Enemy seeing himself at the overthrow which he had in Cilicia cast the Crown from his head to run away the lighter But its easier to reprehend than to amend what is past From Arbela Alexander marched towards Babylon where Mazâ—uâ— in whom Darius had most confidence rendred to him himself his Children and the City Also the Captain of the Castle where the Treasure was kept strewed the streets with Flowers burnt Frankincense upon the Silver Altars as Alexander passed by and delivered to him whatsoever was committed to his trust The Magi also who were the Chaldean Astrologers followed this Captain to entertain their new King After these came the Babylonian Horsemen infinitly rich in attire but exceeding poor in Warlike furniture Between these and himself Alexander caused his Macedonian footmen to march When he entred the Castle he admired the Glory thereof and the abundance of Treasure which he found therein amounting to fifty thousand Talents of Silver uncoined In this City rich in all things but most of all in voluptuous pleasures the King rested himself and his whole Army thirty four days spending that time in Banquetting and in all sorts of effeminate exercises which so much softned the minds of the Macedonians not acquainted till now with such delicacies as the severe Discipline of War which taught them to endure hunger and thirst painfull travell and hard lodging began rather to be forgotten than neglected Alexander as he was rowed upon a Lake neer Babylon in his Gally a sudden tempest arising blew off his Hat and Crown fastened upon it into the Lake whereupon one of the Marriners leaping into the water swam and fetched it to him and to keep it the drier he put it upon his own head Alexander rewarded him with a Talent for saving his Crown but withall caused his Head to be cut off for presuming to put his Crown upon it During his abode here Alexander instituted those Regiments consisting of a thousand Souldiers appointing Collonels over them who thereupon were called Chiliarks This new order Alexander brought in was to honour those Captains which were found by certain select Judges to have deserved best in the late War While Alexander was yet at Babylon there came to him a great supply out of Europe For Antipater sent him six thousand Foot and five hundred Horse out of Macedonia and of the Thracians three thousand Foot and as many Horse and out of Greece four thousand and four hundred Horse by which his Army was greatly strengthened For those that were infected with the pleasures of Babylon could hardly be brought again to change their soft beds for hard boards and the cold ground Alexander left the City and Castle of Babylon with the Territories adjoyning in charge with three of his own Captains Agaâ—hon Minetus and Appolidorus leaving a thousand Talents to supply their wants But to grace Mazâ—us who delivered up the City to him he gave him the title of his Lieutenant Generall and took along with him Bagistines who surrended the Castle to him and having distributed to every Souldier a part of the Treasure he left Babylon and entred into the Province of Satrapene marching from thence towards Susa in Persia situated on the River Euleus which City was sometime Governed by the Prophet Diniel Here Abulites the Governour of this famous City gave it up to the Conquerour with fifty thousand Talents of Silver in Bullion and twelve Elephants for the War with all other the Treasure of Darius there such as the Persian Kings had for a long time heaped up together leaving it from Father to Son all which in one hour came into his hands who had never cared for it In this sort did those Vassals of Fortune those lovers of the Kings prosperity not of his Person purchase their own peace and safety with their Masters Treasure and herein was Alexander well advised that whatsoever titles he gave to the Persians yet he left all places of importance in trust with his own Captains as Babylon Susa Persepolis with other Cities and Provinces that were Conquered by him for had Darius but beaten the Macedonians in one Battel all the Persian Nobility would have turned again to their naturall Lord. Whilest Alexander was ransacking Arbela Mazeus might have furnished Darius from Babylon and whilest he stayed those thirty four dayes at Babylon Abulites might have holpen him from Susa and whilest he was Feasting and Frolicking there Teridates from Persepolis might fully have supplied him for the chiefest bulk of his Treasure was laid up in that City But benefits bind not the ambitious but the honest for those that are selfish do in all changes consult only the conservation of their own greatness The Government of Susa with the Castle and treasure Alexander committed to his own Macedonians making Abulites who rendred it to him his Lieutenant as he had done Mazeus before giving them Honourable Titles but neither trust nor power For he left three thousand old Souldiers to Garrison that City and with them the Mother and Children of Darius to repose themselves there From Susa Alexander marched with his Army towards Persepolis but when he sought to pass those Mountains that â—under Susiana and Persia he was soundly beaten by Ariobarzanes who defended those Streights against him called Pylae
their fell out great Wars in Spain against the Sarazins which like a Deluge threatned to over-run all Christendom I shall intermit the former till I have spoken something of this latter that I may proceed with the more clearness in the remainder of this History The motive of the Spanish War was more upon pleasure then necessity But Zeal of Religion gave a colour and shew of necessity to the Heroical designes of Charlemagne who sought to enlarge the limits of the French Monarchy by his Armes But this his Spanish War as it was undertaken upon lighter grounds so was it more painfull more dangerous and lesse successefull then that of Italy whereunto necessity and Duty had drawn Charlemagne yet did his wise and wary proceeding in the action warrant him from all blame The occasions whâ—ch moved him to bend his Forces against the Sarazins in Spain were the assurance of good successe the quiet and peace of his Realme that he might have opportunity to imploy his Souldiery the hate of the Spaniards against the Sarazins and the generall fear of all Christians least these Caterpillers should creep further into Europe This was the estate of Spain at this time The Sarazins had conquered a great part of it and were divided under diverse Commands which had the Title of Kingdoms Yet these diverse Kings being apprehensive of their common danger resolved to unite their forces against Charlemagne their common enemy and foreseeing the Tempest they sought to prevent it and to cross the designes of Charlemagne For which end they suborned King Idnabala a Sarazin being a very subtile and crafty man to insinuate himself into the acquaintance and familiarity of Charlemagne which stratagem prevailed more then all their Power and Forces Charlemagne was much quickned to this War by Alphonso surnamed the Chast King of Navar by the Asturians and Gallizians Christian People of Spain who suggested to him that the War would be easie profitable and honourable and therefore most worthy the Valour and Fortune of Charlemagne This Idnabala also under a shew of friendship laboured to hasten him to the execution of this enterprise from which he knew well he could not divert him that he might the better betray him by discovering his Counsels to the Sarazins Charlemagne being wel-affected of himself and thus excited by others assembled a Parliament at Noyon and there concluded a War against the Sarazins in Spain The army which he imployed in this action was very great both for number of men and Valour of Commanders and Cheiftaines being the most choise and worthy Captaines in all Christendom amongst whom these were of chiefest note Milon Earl of Anger 's Rowland the Son of Milon and Berthe Sister to Charlemagne Renald of Montaubon The four Sons of Aymon Oger the Dane Oliver Earl of Geneva Arnold of Belland Brabin and many others The Valour of which persons hath been fabulously related by the Writers of those dark times who for the most part were Friers concerning whom the Proverb was a Fryer a Lyer with the addition of a thousand ridiculous Tales so that the truth is hardly picked out from the midst of so much error Yet what is most probable and can be gathered out of the most authentick Authors shall be here set down They say that Charlemagne to make this undertaking more honourable in shew did at this time institute the Order of the twelve Peers of France Charlemagne being entred into Spain with his brave Army found no object for them whereon to exercise their Valour For the Sarazins resolving to make a defensive rather then an offensive War had withdrawn themselves into their Cities which they had fortified strongly The most renowned of the Sarazin Kings at this time were Aigoland Bellingan Dmises Marsile and Idnabala But this last as was said before made shew of much friendship to Charlemagne and of open hatred against the other Sarazin Kings with whom notwithstanding he held secret and strickt intelligence to betray Charlemagne unto them The first City that the French attempted was Pampelune in the Kingdom of Navarr the which they took by force but with much paines danger and losse Having sackt this City and put all the Sarazins in it to the sword they marched to Saragoce which yielded to them upon composition as did also many other small Townes being terrified with the example of Pampelune This prosperous beginning encouraged Charlemagne to advance forward relying on his wonted Fortune and good successe But as he passed thorow the Provinces of Spain like a Victorious Prince without any opposition he divided his Army and gave part of it to be conducted by Milon of Anger 's his Brother in Law who in his March near unto Bayon was set upon by Aigoland the Sarazin King who in this common danger had thrust an army into the Field and now assaulted Milon and his Troops little expecting any enemy and took him at such an advantage as he defeated him This losse was very great For Writers say that forty thousand of the French here lost their lives Milon himselfe being also slain for a confirmation of the Sarazins Victory Charlemagne was at this time afar off and so notable by any diligence to prevent the losse Yet he suppressed his grief and trouble least he should discourage the whole Army and so hastning thitherward he gathered up the remainder of those broken and dispersed Troops withall keeping the Conquered Cities and such as were Friends in their due Obedience But after this there fell out another accident Aigoland being puffed up with Pride through his late Victory marched with his Army into Gascoine and besieged Agen to divert Charlemagne from his pursuit and to draw him home to defend his own Country So as Charlemagne fearing least his own absence and the Sarazins late Victory should cause any alteration in the minds of them of Guienne being then Subjects of whom he had no great assurance he returned into France Aigoland had now continued some moneths at the siege of Agen yet had prevailed little but only in over-runing the Country which he did freely without any considerable resistance even unto Xaintonge the Country-men in the mean time retiring into the Walled Townes expected the return of Charlemagne their King Aigolands Army was very great and puffed up with the remembrance of their late Victory So as Charlemagne returning with his Forces from Spain well tired he maintained his Countries more through his authority then by present force yet did he give life to the courage of his Subjects with his presence and bridled the proud Sarazin who could not be ignorant with whom he had to deal nor where he was being environed with the enemies on all sides and in an enemies Country Hereupon Aigoland pretending an inclination unto peace gave Charlemagne to understand that he had been the first Invader and that his own comming into France was only to draw his enemy out
The places where these were erected were Breme Verda Minda Paterborne Osnabourg Hildesem and Halberstad But though he gave the Bishops power of Governing yet the Nobles did not altogether loose the power of administring in Publike affairs At last because the Saxons revolted again he removed ten Thousand of them with their Wives and Children into Brabant and Flanders and sent some French to inhabit in their roomes Charlemagne lived fifteen years after that he had united the Romane Empire to the French Monarchy yet not without many troubles For Grimoald Duke of Beneventum sought to disturbe Italy in the behalf of the Lombards but Charles prevented it betimes imploying against him his Son Pepin a Worthy and a Valiant Prince and Grimoald being vanquished was entreated withall mildnesse and being restored to his Estate he became afterwards a very affectionate and obedient servant to Charlemagne who was a Prudent Conqueror that knew as well how to use as how to get a Victory After this it followed that for some attempts made by the Venetians against the Empire of Charlemagne in the behalf of the Emperor of Constantinople or as others say upon the false information of Fortunatus Patriarch of Grado that Charlemagne commanded his son Pepin King of Italy to make Wars against them which he accordingly began with great resolution and took the Cities and Fortresses which the Venetians held within the main land and at length besieged the City of Venice it self both by Sea and by Land to the relief whereof the Greek Emperor sent a Fleet about which Authors agree not for some say that Pepin wholly took Venice Others say that he only took some Islands thereof and that the Plac◠〈◊〉 is called Rioalto defended it self How ever it was this War continued long Obeliers and Becur two great Personages being the chief Commanders for the Venetians At last Peace was concluded betwixt them and the Venetians had liberty to live after their own Lawes and customs and the Venetians won great reputation for being able to defend themselves against so potent and Victorious an Enemy Charlemagne would have the Country which he had Conquered from the Lombards to be called Lombardy that by retaining their Name he might somewhat sweeten their servile condition in the ruin of their Estate But now Charlemagne finding himself old and broken and his Children Valiant Wise and Obedient he resolved to make his last Will and Testament wherein he divided his Kingdomes between his three legitimate Sons to wit Charles his Eldest Pepin and Lewis In which he made his eldest Son Charles King of the greatest and best parts of France and Germany To Pepin he gave the Kingdom of Italy and Bavaria with some other Provinces And to Lewis he bequeathed Provence and that part of France which bordereth upon Spaine together with some other Provinces But all succeeded after an other manner then he intended God the Soveraign disposer of Kingdoms having decreed otherwise to dispose thereof He endeavoured also to reduce all his Kingdoms under one Law making choise of the Roman Laws above all others both for the dignity of the Empire and because they seemed to him to be most Just and equal But the French being loath to alter any thing in their customary Laws desired and obtained of him that they might be governed by the same So as Gaul Narbonne which comprehends Daulphine Languedoc and Provence do use the written Laws as the ancient Provinces of the Romans and the rest of France observe their customary Laws It afterwards happened that a great Fleet of Infidels which inhabited Spaine with the aid and assistance of some Africans invaded the Isles of Sardinia and Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea for the 〈…〉 whereof the Emperor Charlemagne sent commandment to his Son Pepin that he should send thither against them a valiant Captain whose name was Buoaredus who took so good order as that he drove those Infidels out of those Islands and slew five thousand of them in one Battel And with no lesse good successe the Emperor undertook an other War against the Dukes of the Bohemians and Polanders which is a part of the ancient Sarmatia who infested the Countries under his Dominions against whom he sent his Son Charles with great Forces of Burgonias Saxons and Germans And this young Charles imitating his Father Warred valiantly and with discretion against them and coming first to a Battel with the Bohemians led by Leo their Duke he overcame them as he did also at other times and at last slew Leo their Duke the like successe he had also against the Polanders so as at length they all became his Fathers Subjects And for these Victories of Charlemagne he was so much feared and renowned through the World that a great King of the East and Amurath the greatest of all the Mahomatists sent their Ambassadors with rich Presents unto him desiring peace and friendship and the like did all Christian Kings Charlemagne thus living with honour and in tranquillity Godfrey King of Demark which was a dependance of the Realm of Germany and part of Charles his Portion as was hinted before made War against him This Godfrey was a mighty Prince and commanded over a large Dominion and with great Forces came into Friesland and Saxony where he did great harm Against whom the Emperor addressing himself though he was now Old and unweildy speedily departed with a great Army but by the way news was brought him that King Godfrey was dead and that his Army was returned into their own Country And upon the same day news came also that his Son Pepin who had raigned in Italy in great prosperity was dead in the City of Millan which was an occasion of great grief to the old Emperor Then did he return to the City of Aken or Aix unto which place Ambassadors came to him from Hermigius who succeeded Godfrey in the Kingdom of Denmark humbly desiring Peace The like came also to him from the Emperor of Constantinople and others also from Ambulat a King of the Moors who raigned in a great part of Spaine to all which he returned gracious answers and granted their Petitions withall giving hearty thanks to God for that he was generally so well esteemed of But after this Sunshine an other storme returned as the clouds return after the raine For it pleased God to take away an other of hs Sons called Charles who lay on the borders of Germany for the defence thereof so as now his whole hope rested in his third Son Lewis Thus man purposeth and God disposeth Thus the Sons die before the Father Thus we see the greatest cannot free themselves from the common calamities of mankind Thus both great Kings and great Kingdoms have their Period Crownes have their compasse Kingdoms have their date Fortune her frowns Felicity her fate Thus Charlemagne lost his Children and his great Empire her best support under God For these two
he could make him do what he would he ever sought rather to perswade than to Command him what he would have done Alexander in these his younger days was very mild and of a patient disposition insomuch as being told that some of his Friends used in secret to speak against him he said Regium est malè audire cùm benefeceris It s a Kingly thing to hear ill when one doth well King Philip being dead his son Alexander succeeded being a Prince no less Valiant by Nature than by Education being well instructed inriched with all sorts of Learning He began his Reign in Macedonia four hundred and seventeen years after Rome was built being himself about twenty years old Upon this change of the King the neighbour Nations whom Philip had oppressed adventured to endeavour the recovery of their former liberty by force of Arms the young years of Alexander giving some hope of prevailing his suspected severity encreasing the courage of others who could easilier resolve to die than to live in slavery But Alexander gave no respite to these discontented humours For after revenge taken upon the Conspiratours against his Father whom he slew upon his Tomb and the celebration of his Funerals he first engaged his Macedonians to him by freeing them from all exactions and bodily slavery other than his service in the Wars and to others that contemned his youth he used such an sterity and such clemency to the rest that having calmed these neerer discontents he presently went into Peloponnesus and so insinuated himself amongst them that by the Council of the States of Greece he was chosen Captain Generall to mannage the War against the Persians as his Father had been before him who was so intent upon that War that he had sent over into Asia part of his Army under the Conduct of Parmenio and Attalus with order to take in some place which might secure the descent of the rest Upon this enterprise against the Persians was Alexander wholly busied his restless thoughts both sleeping and waking presenting to him the Riches Honour and large Dominions which he hoped to attain thereby Yet was he again crossed and retarded by the Athenians Thebans and Lacedemonians who had united themselves against him hoping by the assistance of the Persians to recover their former liberty and they were to this encouraged by Demosthennes whom the Persian Gold had bribed thereunto This unexpected rub and loss of time was very grievous to Alexander who was troubled that he should turn his Sword from the base and effeminate Persians against the manly and famous Grecians of whose assistance in his intended Wars he had assured himself He therefore made such expedition against them that himself with his Army at his heels brought them the first news of his preparations This celerity of his made them begin to stagger and the Athenians as they were the first that moved so were they the first that fainted and by their Ambassadours sought to pacifie him Alexander was not long in resolving but admitted their excuses and made peace Having now quieted his Borderers on the South he resolved also to assure himself of those Nations which lay on the North of Macedonia viz. the Thracians Triballes Poones Getes Agrians and others who by their frequent incursions had much molested his Father and withall those after he had given them divers overthrows he made peace or brought them into his Subjection and yet could he not find the way out of Europe The Thebans which had one thousand Macedonians in Garrison in their Citadel being impatient of slavery endeavoured to force it which Alexander being informed of hastened to their succour with thirty thousand Foot all old Souldiers and three thousand Horse and presenting himself before their City he gave the Thebans time to resolve whether they would have peace or War only demanding that they should deliver up to him the two chief Incendiaries Phaenix and Prothytes which they took in such scorn that they demand Philotas and Antipater two of his chief Captains This so incensed Alexander that whilst he assailed the City before the Macedonian Garrison did the like behind and so breaking into the City he slew ninty thousand of them and sold thirty thousand more for slaves and this he did for a terrour to the other Grecians Many Arguments were used by Cleadas one of the Prisoners to disswade him from destroying the City of Thebes but all proved fruitless for he razed the City only out of his respect to learning he pardoned all of the race of Pindarus the Poet and set at liberty Timoclea the sister of Theagines who died in the defence of the liberty of Greece against his Father Philip. This Noble Woman being taken by a Thracian and ravished he threatned to kill her unless she would discover her Treasure to him She led him to a Well and told him that she had cast it therein and when he stooped to look into the well she thrust him in and stoned him to Death Alexander shortly after at a Common Council of Greece being chosen General a second time against the Persians went to visit Diogenes the Philosopher there Then returned into Macedonia where in a Town called Dios as he was wholly taken up with thoughts of subduing Asia there appeared to him in his Sleep the resemblance of the High Priest of Jerusalem who bad him be couragious and bold and speedily with his Army to put over into Asia promising that he would be his Conducter in the Conquest of the Persian Empire as Alexander himself reported All being now quieted at home Alexander leaving the Government of Macedon and Greece to Antipater in the beginning of the Spring he passed the Hellespont and being ready to dis-imbark he threw a Dart towards the Asian shore as a token of defiance commanding his Souldiers not to wast and destroy the Country or to burn those buildings which themselves were presently and in future to possess Then landed he his Army consisting of thirty two thousand foot and five thousand Horse all old Souldiers neer unto Troy where he offered a Sacrifice upon the Tomb of Achilles his Maternall Ancestor But before he left his own Country he put to death without any offence given him all his Mother in Laws Kinsmen whom his Father had greatly advanced not sparing such of his own as he suspected thinking by unjust cruelty to secure himself for the present and future Yet the end fell out contrary to the Policy which his Ambition taught him though well agreeing with the Justice of God For within a few years all that he had planted was rooted up those whom he most trusted were most Traiterous His Mother Friends and Children fell by such another merciless Sword as his own and all manner of confusion followed his dead Body to the Grave and left him there When Darius the King of Persia was informed that
Alexander was landed in Asia he so much scorned the Macedonian Army and contemned Alexander himself that writing to him he stiled him his Servant and reprehended him for his presumption and disloyalty For Darius Intitled himself King of Kings and kinsman of the Gods and withall he wrote to his Leiutenants in the Lesser Asia that they should take Alexander alive whip him with Rods and then convey him to his presence that they should sink his Ships and send his Macedonians prisoners beyond the Red Sea Notwithstanding these brags Alexander soon discovered what manner of men the Persians were For two of Darius his Generals Spithredates and Rhaesaces at the River of Granick which severs the Territories of Troy from Propontis with a huge Army both of Horse and Foot sought to stop his passage taking the higher ground and the bank of the River to defend which Alexander was forced to climb up unto from out of the Channel yet was his victory so easily that the Persians flying he slew twenty thousand of the Foot and two thousand five hundred Horsemen with the loss of twelve of his own Foot and two and twenty of his Horsemen which shews that the Persians were rather killed in their backs whilst they ran away than hurt in their bosoms by resisting It was wisely done of Alexander to pass this River of Granick in the face of the enemy without seeking any other place or means to convey his men over For having beaten the Asiaticks upon their own ground he did thereby cut off no less of their reputation than of their strength leaving the partakers of such cowards without hope of Succour Presently after this victory he recovered Sardis Ephesus and the City of the Trallians and Magnesia all which were soon rendred to him the Inhabitants he received with great grace suffering them to be Governed by their own Laws and about the same time by Parmenio he wan Miletus and by force took in Halicarnassens which because it resisted obstinately he razed it to the ground From thence he went into Caria were Ada the Queen who had been cast out of all that she held except the City of Alinda by Darius his Leiutenants presented her self to him and adopted him for her Son and Successour which Alexander took so kindly that he left the whole Kingdom to her disposall Then entred he into Lycia and Pamphilia and assured to him all the Sea-Coasts and subjecting to him Pisidia he steared his course towards Darius who as he was informed was marching towards him with a marvellous great Army by the way of Phrygia and this he might the easilier do for that his first victory had laid under his feet all the Provinces of Asia the less which bordered upon the Sea-coast Then gave he order for the seâ—lâ—ng and Government of Lycia and Pamphilia and so marching towards the North he entred Celenas seated on the River Maeander which was abandoned to him only the Castle held out which yet after forty days was surrendred to him also for so long time he gave them to attend succout from Darius From Celenas he passed on thorow Phrygia towards the Euxine Sea till he came to the City of Gordium sometimes the Regal City of King Midas where he found the Gordian Knot which when he knew not how to undo he cut it assunder with his Sword For there was an old Prophesie which promised him that could unty it the Lordship of all Asia whereupon Alexander not respecting the manner so it were done assumed to himself the fulfilling of the Prophesie by hewing it in pieces Now before he left this part of Asia to go to the East he took care to clear the Sea-coast on his back and to thrust the Persians out of the Islands of Lesbos Chio and Coos the charge whereof he committed to two of his Captains giving them such directions as he judged most meet for that service and delivering to them fifty Talents for defraying the charges thereof and withall out of the spoil gotten by his first victory he sent sixty Talents more to Antipater whom he had left for the Government of Macedonia and Greece From Celenas he went to Ancira standing on the same River of Sanguarius which runs through Gordium there he mustered his Army and so entred into Paphlagonia whose Inhabitants submitted themselves to him and thereby obtained freedom from Tribute There he left Catus Governour with one Regiment of Macedonians newly come to him Here he heard of the Death of Memnon Darius's Leiutenant which much encouraged him to pass on towards him For of this one Commander he had more respect than of all the multitude assembled by Darius and of all the Captains he had besides Then did he travell hastily towards Cilicia with a desire to recover the Streights thereof before Darius should arrive there The Governour of Cilicia hearing of Alexanders hasty march left some Companies to keep the Streights which were indeed very defensible and now though too late began to prize and put in Execution the advise of Memnon who in the beginning of the Wars had counselled to wast all the provisions both for Man and Horse that could not be conveyed into strong holds and always to give ground to the Invader till he found some such notable advantage as might secure to him the victory For the fury of an invading army is best broken by delays change of diet and want and other inconveniences bringing and breeding many diseases upon all Nations out of their own Country And had Darius kept the Macedonians but a while without meat and sleep refusing to give or take Battel and had wearied them with his light Horsemen as the Parthians afterwards did the Romans in all probability he might have saved both his life and Estate For it was one of the greatest encouragements given by Alexander to his Macedonians before the third and last fatall Battel that they were now to fight with all the strength of Persiâ— at once But where God hath a purpose to destroy wise men are taken away and the charge of things is committed unto such as either cannot see what is for their good or that know not how to put in execution any sound advice the course which Memnon had propounded must in all liklyhood have brought the Macedonians into great straits and stopt them at those narrow passages of Cilicia For had Cappadocia and Paphlegonia been wasted when Alexander was far off and the Streights of Cilicia been defended by Arsenes with his best Souldiers hunger would not have suffered the enemy to stay the triall of all means for the forcing of that passage Or if the place could not have been defended yet might Cilieia at leasure have been throughly spoiled that the heart of Alexanders Army should have been broken whilst they sought out miseries by painfull travell But Arsenes leaving a small number to defend the Streights took the best of his Army with him to
wast and spoil the Country or rather as it seemed to make himself some work under which pretence he might with honesty run the further from Alexander And in truth he so handled the matter that he gave cause to the Cicilians to wish for Alexanders coming and as great cause to the Keepers of the Passage not to hinder it For cowards are wise in apprehending all forms of danger These Guardians of the Streights hearing that Arsenes hasted to joyn himself with Darius burning down all as he went as one despairing to defend it began to think that surely their Generall who gave for lost the Country behind their backs had exposed themselves to certain ruine as men that were fit only to dull the swords of the Macedonians Wherefore not being ambitious to die for their Prince and Country which honour they saw that Arsenes himself could well forbear they presently followed the footsteps of their General gleaning what he had left And thus Alexander without hazard got both the entrance into Cilicia abandoned by the cowardliness of his enemies and also that whole Province whose minds were now alienated from the Persians through the imprudent carriage of Arsenes When Alexander with great speed was come to Tarsus taking pleasure in the River Cydnus which ran through the City all hot as he was he threw off his Armour and leaped into the cold water whereupon he grew instantly so benumbd in all the Nerves of his Body that he lost the use of his Tongue and so far was he from hope of recovery that nothing was expected but present Death But one Philip a Physician gave him a Potion which he took and it cured him out of hand though Parmenio had forewarned him that this Philip was set on work to poison him In the mean time Darius approached having gathered together an Army of two hundred and ninty thousand men out of divers Nations saith Q. Curtius or of three hundred thousand Foot and one hundred thousand Horse as Justine numbers them Or of six hundred thousand as Plutarch relates The manner of his comming was rather like a Masker than a man of War and like one that took more care to shew his Glory and Riches than to provide for his own safety For before his Army there was carried the holy Fire which the Persians worshipped for their God attended by their Priests and after them three hundred sixty and five young men answering to the days of the year clothed in Skarlet Then the Chariot of Jupiter drawn with white Horses with their Riders clothed in white and carrying Rods of Gold in their hands Next after them came the Horse of the Sun and after him ten sumptuous Chariots Inlay'd and garnished with God Silver and then the Vaunt Guard of their Horse compounded of twelve severall Nations which the better to avoid confusion did hardly understand one anothers Language and these marshalled in the head of the rest being beaten might serve very fitly to disorder all that followed them In the tail of these marched the Regiment of foot stiled by the Persians Immortall because if any died their place was presently supplied by others and these were armed with chains of Gold and their coats embroidered w th the same having their sleeves garnished with Pearl Baits fit either to entice the poor Macedonians or to perswade them that it were great incivillity to cut or deface such goodly Garments Then marched after them fifteen thousand more rich and glittering than the former but apparelled like Women and these were honoured with the title of the Kings Kinsmen Then came Darius himself with the Gentlemen of his Guard-robe riding before his Chariot which was supported by the Gods of his Nation cast and cut in pure Gold the head of this Chariot was set with precious Stones with two Golden Idols covered with an open winged Eagle of the same mettal The hinder part being raised high whereon Darius sat had a covering of inestimable valew This Chariot of the Kings was followed with ten thousand Horsmen having lances plated with Silver and their heads guilt He had for the proper Guard of his own Person two hundred of the blood Royal blood too Royal and precious to be spilt in any Noble adventure these were backed with thirty thousand Footmen after whom again were led four hundred spare Horses for the Kings own use Then followed the Rereward being led by Sisygambis the Kings Mother and by his Wife drawn in glorious and glittering Chariots followed by a great train of Ladies on Horseback with fifteen rich Wagons of the Kings children and the Wives of the Nobility waited upon by two hundred and fifty Concubines and a World of Nurses and Eunuches most sumptuously apparrelled Between these and a Company of slight Armed Slaves was the Kings Treasure loaden on six hundred Mules and three hundred Camels In this sort came this May-game King into the field encombred with a most unnecessary train of Sumpters attended with Troops of divers Nations speaking divers Languages impossible to be well Marshalled by reason of their numbers and for the most part so effeminate and so rich in Gold and costly Garments as the same could not but have encouraged the Nakedst Nation against them When Alexander met with these effeminate Asiaticks it may easily be guessed what a cheap Victory he had over them Some say that he slew in this Battel sixty thousand Footmen and ten thousand Horsmen Q. Curtius saith an hundred thousand Foot with as many Horsemen and took forty thousand Prisoners whilest of Alexanders Army there miscarried but two hundred and eighty of all sorts of which number some Historians cut off almost one half He took Prisoners also Darius his Mother Wife Daughters and other the Kings Children Darius by this time found it true that Charidemus a banished Grecian of Athens had told him when he made a view of his Army about Babylon to wit That the multitude which he had assembled of divers Nations richly attired but poorly Armed would be found more terrible to the Countries through which they should pass than to the Macedonians whom they ment to assail who being all old and Well-disciplined Souldiers imbattelled in gross Squadrons which they called their Phalanx well covered with Armour for defence and furnished with advantagious Weapons for offence would make so little account of his delicate Persians ill Armed and worse Disciplin'd that except he would having such abundance of Treasure entertain a sufficient number of the same Grecians and so encounter the Macedonians with men of equall courage he would repent overlate as taught by the miserable success like to follow But so unpleasing was this discourse to Darius who used to hear nothing but his own praises that he caused this poor Grecian to be presently slain who whilst he was under the Tormentors hand said to the King that Alexander against whom he had given this good counsell should certainly revenge
conveyed great numbers of them by shipping to their own City Alexander gave the Government of this Territory to Philotas the Son of Parmenio Ephestion had the charge of the Fleet and was commanded to meet Alexander at Gaza in the way to Egypt Whilst Alexander lay at the Siege of Tyrus he sent to Jaddus the High Priest at Jerusalem demanding of him supplies and provisions for his Army and withall such Tribute as they formerly paid to Darius But when Jaddus answered that he was tyed by a former Oath of Allegiance to Darius from which he could not be free so long as Darius lived Alexander growing wroth at this answer swore that as soon as he had taken Tyrus he would march against Jerusalem At the same time also came Sanballat the Cuthaean to Alexander who having forsaken Darius brought with him eight thousand men Him did Alexander receive very graciously Whereupon he asked leave of him to build a Temple upon his own Land and to make High Priest thereof his Son in Law Manasses who was Brother to Jaddus the High Priest at Jerusalem and having obtained leave because he now grew old he fell presently to work and built a Temple and made Manasses High Priest of it thinking hereby to leave a great Honour to the Posterity of his Daughter In the mean while Darius sends again to Alexander setting before him all difficulties he should meet with in his passing on to the East laying the loss of the late Battel to the streightness of the place He bids him to consider how impossible it was for him to pass the Rivers of Euphrates Tygris Araxes c. with all such other dreadfull things as he thought might discourage him Moreover he profered to him all the Kingdoms which lay between the River Halis and the Hellespont as a Dower with his beloved Daughter But Alexander rejected all saying That he proferred him nothing but what already was his own and what Victory and his Virtue had possessed him of That he was in a capacity to give conditions and not to receive any and that having passed the Sea it self he disdained to think of resistance in transporting his Army over Rivers Indeed Parmenio who was now old and full of Honour and Riches told the King that if he were Alexander he would embrace the offers of Darius to which Alexander answered that so would he if he were Parmenio Then did Alexander march on towards Egypt and when he came to Gaza Getes the Governour a faithfull servant to Darius shut the Gates against him and defended the Town with a Noble Resolution at the siege whereof Alexander received a wound in the shoulder which was dangerous and a blow on his leg with a stone He found better men in this place than he had done in the former Battels For he left so many of his Macedonians buried in the sands of Gaza that he was fain to send for a new supply into Greece Here it was that Alexander began to shew his cruelty For after he had taken Gaza by assault and Getis the Governour who was weakened with divers wounds and who never gave ground to the Assailants Alexander caused holes to be bored through his feet and himself to be dragged about the streets whilst he was yet alive who being as valiant a man as himself scorned to ask him either for life or the mitigation of his Torments From Gaza Alexander led his Army towards Jerusalem a City for the Antiquity and great fame thereof well known unto him while he lay before Tyre he had sent for some supplies thither which Jaddus the High Priest being Subject and Sworn to Darius had refused him The Jews therefore fearing revenge and unable to resist committed the care of their Lives and Estates to Jaddus who had recourse to God by supplications and Sacrifices for the Common safety and was by him warned in a Dream that he should make Holy-day in the City and set the Gates wide open and that he and the rest of the Priests every one in his Priestly Raiment and the People all clothed in white should go forth and meet Alexander and accordingly he Issued out of the City arrayed in his Pontificall Robes to wit an upper garment of Purple Embroidered with Gold with his Mitre and the Plate of Gold wherein was engraved the Name of God the Priests and Levites also in their rich Ornaments and the People in White Garments in a manner so unusuall stately and grave as Alexander greatly admired it and when he came neer to the High Priest he fell to the ground before him as reverencing the Name of God and when Parmenio reproved him for it Alexander told him that in Dios a City of Macedonia his mind being busied about the Conquest of Asia he saw in his sleep such a person as Jaddus and so apparelled by whom he was encouraged to pursue his purpose with assurance of Victory and now beholding with his bodily eyes him who before was onely represented to his fancy he was so exceedingly pleased and encouraged as contrary to the expectation of the Phaenicians who hoped to have sackt and destroyed Jerusalem he gave the Jews all and more than all that they desired During his abode there Jaddus shewed him the Prophesie of Daniel wherein he saw himself and his Conquest of Persia so directly pointed at as that nothing from thenceforth could either affright or discourage him therein The next day Alexander assembled the People and bad them ask what they would of him But they asked nothing but that they might live according to the Laws of their own Country and that every seventh year wherein they were to have no harvest they might be exempted from paying any Tribute all which he granted And when they asked further that he would suffer the Jews which dwelt in the Countries of Babylon and Media to live according to their own Rites and Laws he answered that he would satisfie their desires in that point also so soon as he should get those Countries into his power And when he told them that if any of them would follow him in his Wars they should use their own Rites wheresoever they came many listed themselves to serve him From Jerusalem Alexander turned again towards Egypt and entring into it Astaces who was Darius's Lieutenant received him and delivered into his hands Memphis with eight hundred Talents of Treasure all other the Kings Riches and when Alexander had set things in order in Egypt he began to affect a Deity at the Temple of Jupiter Hammon so foolish had prosperity made him He was to pass over dangerous and dry Sands where when the water which he brought on his Cammels backs was spent he must need have perished had not an extraordinary showre of Rain fallen just when his Army was in extream despair Indeed it never Rains in Egypt but the purposes of Almighty God are secret and he
ground for three hundred furlongs it then riseth again and follows its former course as is said before In Zadracarta the Metropolis of Hyrcania Alexander rested fifteen dayes Banquetting and Feasting therein About this time Phataphernes one of Darius his greatest Commanders with some others of his followers submitted themselves to Alexander and were restored to to their places and Government But above all other he Graced Artabazus most highly for his approved and constant Faith and Loyalty to his Master Darius Artabazus brought along with him ten thousand and five hundred Greeks the remainder of all those that had served Darius He treated with Alexander for their pardon before they came but in the end they rendred themselves simply without promise or composition Alexander pardoned all but the Lacedemonians whom he imprisoned their Captain having slain himself He was also prevailed with though to his great dishonour to pardon Nabarzanes that had joyned with Bessus in the murther of Darius Heere as some write Thalestris Queen of the Amazons came to visit him and her suit was which she easily obtained that she might accompany him till she proved with child by him which done she refused to go along with him into India but returned into her own Country Now as Alexander had begun to change his conditions after the taking of Persepolis So at this time Prosperity had so much corrupted his virtue that he accounted clemency to be but basenesse and the temperance which all his life before he had used to be but a poor and abject humour rather becoming the instructers of his youth than the condition and state of so mighty a King as the World could not equal For he perswaded himself that he now represented the greatness of the Gods and he was pleased when those that came before him would fall on the ground and adore him He wore the Garments and Robes of the Persians and commanded his Nobles to do the like He entertained into his Court and Camp the same shamelesse Rabble of Curtizans and Catamite â— as Darius had done whom he imitated in all the proud voluptuous and detested manners of the Persians whom he had vanquished and became a more foul and fearfull monster than Darius from whose Tyranny he vaunted to have delivered so many Nations Insomuch as they that were neerest and deerest to him began to be ashamed of him entertaining each other with this or the like scornfull discourse That Alexander of Macedonia was become one of Darius licentious Courtiers That by his Example the Macedonians after so many and tedious travels were more impoverished in their virtues than enriched by their victories and that it was hard now to judge whether the Conqueres or Conquered were the baser slaves Neither were these things so whispered in corners but that they came to Alexanders ears He therefore with great Gifts sought to stop the mouthes of the better sort and of such of whose Judgments he was most jealous Then did he make it known to the Army that Bessus had assumed the title of a King and called himself Artaxerxes and that he had compounded a great Army of the Bactrians and other Nations whereby he perswaded them to go on to the end that all which they had already gotten together with themselves so far engaged might not be cast away and lost And because they were pestered with the plunder of so many rich Cities that the whole Army seemed but the guard of their carriages he commanded that every mans Fardel should be brought into the Market place which when it was done he together with his own caused all to be consumed with fire This in probability might have proved very dangerous unto him For the Common Souldiers had more interest in that which they had purchased with their painfull travel and with their blood than in the Kings Ambition had not his happy temerity overcome all difficulties As he was upon his march news was brought that Satribarzanes whom he had established in his former Government over the Arians was revolted Whereupon leaving the way of Bactria he sought the Traytour out But the Rebel hearing of his coming fled with two thousand Horse to Bessus Then marched Alexander on against Bessus and by setting a great Pile of Wood on fire with the advantage of a strong winde he won a passage over an high and unaccessible Rock which was desended against him by thirty thousand Foot the extremity of the fire and smoak forcing them to quit the place which otherwise had been invincible After which he found no resistance till he came into Aria on the East of Bactria where the chief City of that Province called Artacoana was a while defended against him by the revolt of Satribarzanes but in the end he received the Inhabitants to mercy At this place his Army was recruited with a new supply of five thousand and five hundred Foot and neer five hundred Horse out of Greece Thessaly and other places At this time it was that the Treason of Dimnus was discovered of which Philotas the Son of Parmenio was accused at least as accessary if not principall This Dimnus with some others having conspired against the life of Alexander went about to draw Nicomacus a young man whom he loved into the conspiracy The youth although he was first bound by Oath to secrecy when he heard so foul a matter uttered began to protest against it so vehemently that his Friend was like to have slain him to secure his own life and so constrained by fear he made shew as if he had been won by perswasion and by seeming at length to like well of the business he was told more at large who they were that had undertaken it There were nine or ten of them all men of rank whose Names Dimnus the better to countenance the enterprize reckoned up to him Nicomacbus had no sooner freed himself from the company of this Traytour Dimnus than he acquainted his own Brother Câ—ballinus with the whole design whereupon it was agreed between them that Ceballinus who might do it with the least suspition should go to the Court and utter all Ceballinus meeting with Philotas told him the whole business requesting him to acquaint the King with it which he promised to do but yet did not Two days passed and Philotas never brake with the King about the matter but still excused himself to Ceballinus by the Kings want of leasure This his coldness bred suspition and caused Ceballinus to apply himself to one Metron Keeper of the Kings Armory who forthwith brought him to Alexanders presence Alexander finding by examination what had passed between Ceballinus and Philotas fully perswaded himself that this concealment of the Treason argued Philotas to have a hand in it when Dimnus therefore was brought before him he asked him onely this Question Wherein have I so offended thee that thou shouldst think Philotas more worthy to be King than my self Dimnus
and made Amenides sometime Secretary to Darius their Governour Then he Conquered the Arachosians and left Menon to command over them Here the Army that was sometime led by Parmenio found him which consisted of twelve thousand Macedonians and Greeks with whom though with much difficulty he passed through some cold Regions At length he came to the foot of the Mountain Taurus towards the East where he built a City which he honoured with his own Name and peopled it with seven thousand of his old Macedonians worn out with age and the travels of War The Arians who since he left them were revolted he again subdued by the industry and valour of Caranus and Erigius and now he resolved to find out the new King Bessus in Bactria who hearing of his coming prepared to pass over the great River of Oxus which divides Bactria from Sogdiana Bessus having now abandoned Bactria Alexander made Artabazus Governour of it and himself marching forward with his Army they suffered great want of water insomuch as when they came to the River Oxus there died more of them by immoderate drinking than Alexander had lost in any one Battel against the Persians He found upon the Banks of this great River no manner of Timber or other materials wherewith to make Bridges or Boats or Rafts but was forced to sew together Hides that covered his Carriages and stuffing them with straw he was six days in passing over his Army after that manner which Bessus might easily have distressed if he had dared but to look the Macedonians in the face He had formerly complained of Darius for neglecting to defend the Banks of Tygris and other Passes and yet now when this Traiterous slave had stiled himself a King he durst not perform anything worthy of a slave and therefore they that were neerest to him and whom he most trusted to wit Spitamenes Dataphernes Catanes and others the Commanders of his Army moved both by the care of their own safety and the remembrance of Bessus his Treason and cruelty against Darius bound him as he had done his Master only his chain was closed about his neck like a Mastiff Dog and so they dragged him a long to present him to Alexander In the mean time Alexander was arrived at a certain Town inhabited by Greeks of Miletum brought thither by Xerxes when long before he returned out of Greece whose children had now almost forgoten their Country Language These entertained him with great joy but he most cruelly put them all to the Sword and destroyed their City At this Place he received Bessus and having rewarded Spitamenes and his Associates he delivered the Traitor into the hands of Oxatre Brother to Darius to be tormented by him But now when he thought himself most secure and out of danger some twenty thousand Mountainers assaulted his Camp in repelling whom he received a shot in his legg the Arrow head sticking in the flesh so that he was faign to be carried in a Horslitter for some time after Shortly after he came unto Maracanda judged by some to be the same with Samarcand the Imperiall City of the Great Tamerlan which was in compasse seventy furlongs Heere he received the Ambassadors of the Seythians called Avians who offered to serve him Presently after the Bactrians with the Sâ—gdians were again stirred up to Rebellion by the seme Spitamenes and Catanes who had lately delivered Bessus into Alexanders hands Many Cities were stoutly defended against him all which after he had subdued them he utterly defaced killing all therein At the Siege of one of these he received a blow in the neck which struck him to the ground and disabled him from action many dayes after In the meane while Spitamenes had recovered Samareand against whom he sent Menedemus with three thousand Foot and eight hundred Horsmen In the heat of these affairs Alexander marched to the River Jaxartes that runs between Sogdiana and Scythia which he pasted over while Menedemus was imployed in the recovery of Samarcand Upon the Banks of this River he built an other Alexandria sixty furlongs in compasse which he beautified with Houses seventeen dayes after the walls were built But the Scythian King perswading himself that this City was built on purpose to keep him under made some attempts to hinder the erection of this new City but being naked of defensive Armes he was easily beaten-away Sixty of the Macedonians are said to be slain in this conflict and eleven hundred wounded which might easily be done in passing a great River defended against them by good Archers Of the Scythian Horses eighteen hundred were brought into the Camp and many Prisoners Whilest Alexander was securing himself against those Scythians bordering upon Jaxartes he received the ill newes that Menedemus was slain by Spitamenes his Army broken and most of them killed to wit two thousand Foot and three hundred Horse He therefore intending revenge upon Spitamenes made all the hast he could but Spitamenes fled into Bactria Whereupon Alexander killed burned and laid wast all before him not sparing the innocent Children and so departed leaving a new Governour in that Province To repaire this losse he received a great supply of nineteen thousand men out of Greece Liâ—ia and Syria with all which and his old Army he returned towards the South and passed the River of Oxus on the South-side whereof he built six Townes neer each to other for their mutuall security But he found a new up-start Rebel one Arimazes a Sogdian who was followed by thirty thousand Souldiers that defended against him a strong piece of ground on the top of an high and steep Hill Alexander sought but in vain to winne him with fair words wherefore he made choise of three hundred young men and promised ten Tallents to the first nine to the second and so proportionably to the rest that could find a way to creep to the top thereof This they performed with the losse of thirty two of their number and then made a signe to Alexander that they had accomplished his Commandment Hereupon he sent one Cophes to perswade Arimazes to yeild up the place who being shewed by Cophes that the Macedonians were already gotten up he yeilded simply to Alexanders mercy and was with all his kindred scourged and Crucified which punishment they well deserved for keeping no better a watch in so dangerous a time For the place might have been defended against any power After these Sogdian and Scythian Wars Alexander committed the Government of Samarcand and the Country about it to Clytus whom yet he slew soon after for preferring the virtue of Philip the Father before that of Alexander the Son or rather because he objected to the King the death of Parmenio and derided the Oracle of Hammon for therein he touched him to the quick his Speech being in publick and at a drunken Banquet Clytus indeed had deserved as much at the Kings hand
as any man living having saved his life which the King well remembred when he came to himself and when it was too late to repent As Clytus in his Cups forgat whom he offended So Alexander in his drunkennesse forgat whom he slew for griefe whereof he afterward tore his Face and sorrowed so inordinately that had he not been overperswaded by Calisthenes he would have slain himself Drunkenesse both kindles and discovers every vice It removes shame which gives impediment to bad attempts Where Wine gets the mastery all the evill which before lay hidden breaks out Drunkennesse indeed rather discovers vices than makes them Soon after this Spitamenes who slew Bessus and had lately revolted from Alexander was murthered by his own Wife and his Head was presented to Alexander Spitamenes being thus taken away the Dabans also seized upon his fellow conspirator Dataphernes and delivered him up So that Alexander being now freed from all these petty Rebels and disposed of the Provinces that he had quieted marched on with his Army into Gabaza where it suffered so much Hunger Cold Lightning Thunder and such storms that in one of them he lost a thousand men From hence he invaded the Sacans and destroyed their Country Then came he into the Territories of Cohortanes who submitted himself to him and presented him with thirty beautifull Virgins amongst whom Roxane afterwards his Wife was one which although all the Macedonians stomached yet none of them durst use any freedom of speech after the death of Clytus From hence he directed his course towards India having so encreased his numbers as amounted to one hundred and twenty Thousand Armed men In the mean while he would needs be honoured as a God whereunto that he might allure his Macedonians he implyed two of his parasites Hagis and Cleo whom Calisthenes opposed For amongst many other honest Arguments which he used in the Assembly he told Cleo that he thought that Alexander would disdaine the title of a God from his Vassels That the opinion of Sanctity though it did sometimes follow the Death of those who in their Life-time had done the greatest things yet it never accompanied any one as yet living in the world He said that neither Hercules nor Bacchus were Deified at a Banquet and upon drink fot this matter was propounded by Cleo at a Carousing Feast but for the more than manly acts preformed by them in their Life-time for which they were in succeeding Ages numbred amongst the Gods Alexander stood behind a partitian and heard all that was spoken waiting but for an opportunity to be revenged on Calisthenes who being free of speech honest Learned and a lover of the Kings Honour was yet shortly after tormented to Death For upon occasion of a conspiracy made against the King by on Hermolaus and others who confessed it he caused Calisthenes without confession accusation or tryall to he torne asunder upon the Rack This deed unworthy of a King is thus censured by Seneca This saith he is the eternal crime of Alexander which no virtue or felicity of his in War shall ever be able to blot out For as often as any man shall say He slew many thousands of Persians it will be replyed He did so and he slew Calisthenes too When it shall be said that he wanâ— all as far as to the very Ocean whereon also he adventured with unusuall Navies and extended his Empire from a corner of Thrace to the utmost bounds of the East it shall be said withall But he killed Calisthenes Let him have outgone all the antient Examples of Captains and Kings none of all his Acts make so much to his Glory as the Death of Calisthenes to his roproach With the Army before mentioned of one hundred twenty thousand Foot and Horse Alexander entred into the Borders of India where such of the Princes as submitted themselves to him he entertained lovingly the others he enforced killing man woman and child where they resisted He then came before Nisa built by Bacchus which after a few dayes was rendred to him From thence he removed to a Hill at hand which on the top had goodly Gardens filled with delicate fruits and Vines dedicated to Bacchus to whom he made Feasts for ten dayes together And when he had drank his fill went on to Dedula and from thence to Acadera Countries spoiled and abandoned by the Inhabitants by reason whereof victuals failing he divided his Army Ptolomy led one part Cenon an other and himself the rest These took in many Towns whereof that of greatest fame was Muzage which had in it three hundred thousand men but after some resistance it was yeilded to him by Cleophe the Queen to whom he again restored it At the Siege of this City he received a wound in the legg After this Nola was taken by Polisperchon and a Rock of Great strength by Alexander himself He wan also a passage from one Eryx who was slain by his own men and his Head presented to Alexander This was the summe of his Actions in those parts before he came to the great River Indus And when he came thither he found there Ephestion who being sent before had prepared Boats for the transportation of his Army and before Alexanders arrivall had prevailed with Omphis King of that part of the Country to submit himself to this great Conqueror And hereupon soon after Alexanders coming Omphis presented himself with all the strength of his Country and fifty six Elephants unto him offering him his service and assistance He told Alexander also that he was an enemy to the two next great Kings of that part of India named Abiasares and Porus where with Alexaender was not a little pleased hoping by this their disunion to make his own victory by far the more easy This Omphis also presented Alexander with a Crown of Gold the like did the rest of his Commanders and with all he gave him eight Talents of Silver coined which Alexander not only refused but to shew that he coveted Glory not Gold he gave Omphis a thousand Talents of his own Treasure besides other Persian rarities Abiasares being informed that Alexander had received his enemy Omphis into his protection he resolved to make his own Peace also For knowing that his own strength did but equall that of Omphis he thought it but an ill match when Alexander who had already subdued all the greatest Princes of Asia should make himself a party and head of the quarrell So then now Alexander had none to stand in his way but Porus to whom he sent a command that he should attend him at the Borders of his Kingdom there to do him Homage But the gallant Porus returned him this manly answer That he would satisfie him in the first demand which was to attend him on his Borders and that well accompanied but for any other acknowledgment he was resolved to take counsel of his Sword To be short
enjoyment of the latter which came thus to passe Leo was at this time Pope of Rome against whom there was strange sedition raised by Syluester and Campul men of great credit in the Court of Rome These men with their adherents upon a solemn day of Procession seized upon Leo before St. Laurence Church whom they stripped of his Pontifical Robes cast him unto the ground trod him under their feet and bruised his face with their fists and having dragged him ignominiously through the dirt they cast him into Prison where yet he stayed not loâ—g being freed by a Groom of his Chamber called Albin and so having recovered St. Peters Church he sent to Vingise Duke of Spoleto intreating him to deliver him from this miserable Captivity Vingise failed him not but came to Rome and carried the Pope along with him to Spoleto where yet he stayed not long but from thence went to Charlemagne into Fraâ—â— whom he found full of Troubles He complained 〈…〉 of the Romans sought to usurp his power into their hanâ—â— and advised the King to exact an Oath of Fidelity of them Paschalis was there soon after him and accused the Pope of Adultery and other grosse Crimes Charlemagne dismissed them both and promised to be at Rome within a few moneths and accordingly prepared for his journey In December Anno Christi 800. Charlemagne was received in Rome with all shewes of Honour and within eight dayes he went into St. Peters Church and in the presence of all the people and Clergy he asked who had any thing to say against Pope Leo Paschalis or Paschasires and Campulus had published the Popes Crimes by Writ but knowing how Charlemagne stood affected towards both parties they appeared not so none prosecuting these crimes against him the Pope was absolved upon his Oath wherein he swore by God and the four Evangelists that all these things were false which they layed to his Charge Whereupon the King declared him innocent and condemned his accusers and within few daies three hundred of them were beheaded in the Lateran Field for their presumption and affectation of liberty on the eighteenth of December and shortly after Charles was chosen Emperor but before I speak of that I must represent you with a brief view of the present estate and condition of the Emperor of Constantinople The seat of the Roman Empire since the time of Constantine the great remained at Constantinople a City of Thrace situated in a convenient place for the guard of the Easterne Provinces After which all the West being full of new Guests who had expelled the Romanes the name authority and power of the Empire remained in the East where now the State was in a strange confusion the mother being banded against her Son and the People amongst themselves Constantine the Son of Leo the Fourth was Emperor at this time who from his Infancy was governed together with the Empire by his Mother Irene But being now come to the age of twenty years he assumed the Government into his own hands There was then a great division in the East which had been continued from Father to Son for fourscore yeares together about bringing Images into the Churches The Bishops would needs bring them in But the Emperors together with the greatest part of the People opposed themselves against them This contention had its beginning under Philip Bardanes was continued under Leo Isaurus and from him was derived to his Son Constantine surnamed Copronimus and to Leo the Fourth Son to the said Constantine This filled all the East with infinite scandalls The same fire of contention continued in the minority of our Constantine who was yet governed by his Mother a woman of a violent spirit who had undertaken the protect oÌ„ of Images held a Councel of many Bishops for the defence thereof But the people growing into a mutiny by force expelled them from Constantinople where their Assembly was held But Irene being resolved to carry on her design assembled another Councel at Nicea City of of Bithinia honored for having intertained the first general Councel under Constantine the Great the first of that name where it was Decreed that Images should be placed in Churches for devotion But Charlemagne did not allow of this Decree and either himâ—â—â—â— or some other by his Command did write a small Treatie against this Councel the which beares this Title A Treatise of Charlemagne touching Images against the Greek Synode This crafty Woman made choise of the City of Nicea that the name of the ancient first Councel held there might honour this new invention with the pretext of Antiquity For there are some that confound the first Council of Nicea with the second and Constantine the fourth with the first Constantine continued in the hereditary hatred of his Father and Grandfather against Images so as being of age and in absolute possession of his Empire he disannulled all these new decrees and caused the Images to be beaten down in all places Yet did he make all shews of respect to his Mother yeilding unto her a good part of his authority and command which respect was the cause of an horrible Tragedy For this Woman being transported for two causes both by reason of her new opinion and for despight that she had not the whole Government in her own power grew so unnatural that she resolved to dispossess her Son of the Empire and to seize up on it herself And indeed the authority which her Son had left her and the free accesse which she had unto his Person gave her oportunity for the execution of her design For having corrupted such as had the cheif Forces of the Empire at their command and won them to her with her Sons Treasure she seized on his Person put out his eyes and sent him into Exile where shortly after he died of grief and took possession of the Empire These unnatural and Tragick furies were practised in the East whiles that Charlemagne by his great Valour built an Empire in the West Irene in her Son Constantines life time would have married him with the eldest Daughter of Charlemagne but this accident crossed that design After the Death of Constantine Irene sent to Charlemagne to excuse herself of the murther disavowing it and laying the blame upon such as had done it as she pretended without her command And to win the good liking of Charlemagne she caused him to be dealt withall about marrâ—â—â—â— For at that time Festrude was dead with promise to consent that he should be declared Emperor of the West and that she also would resign unto him the Empire of the East But Charlemagne would not accept of her profers The Nobility and People of the Greek Empire did so hate Irene as having suffered her the space of three years in the end they resolved to dispossesse her This Woman the unnatural murtheress of her own child being thus publickly hated and
Princes like Stars of the greater magnitude did shine bright by inheriting their Fathers virtues and Valor leaving behind them Lewis their Brother with large Territories and few vertues to Govern so great an Estate After the Death of these two great Princes many enemies rose up against old Charlemagne who seemed as it were to have lost his two Armes as the Sarazins in Spaine the Sclavonians and the Normans in the Northern Regions But he vanquished them all and brought them into his obedience and subjection old and broken as he was Charlemagne all his Life time held the Church in great reverence and had imployed his Authority to beautify it and bountifully bestowed his Treasure to enrich it But this great Plenty joyned with so long and happy a Peace made the Church-men to live losely Charlemagne being himself well instructed in Religion knowing of what great importance it was to have such as should instruct others to be sound in the Faith and holy and exemplary in their lives he at sundry times called five Councels in sundry Places of his Dominions For as yet the Popes had not challenged that Power to belong to them for the Reformation and good Government of the Church As at Mentz at Rheimes at Tours at Chaalons and at Arles and by the advise of these Ecclesiastical Assemblies he made and published many Orders for the good of the Church which were gathered together in a Book called Capitula Caroli Magni A worthy President for Princes who seek true honour by virtue whereof the care of Piety is the cheifest Foundation In the Preface to this Book he thus saith that he had appointed these Constitutions with the Advice of his Presbyters and Counsellers and that herein he had followed the Example of King Josias who endeavoured to bring the Kingdom which God had given him to the worship of the true God Some of his Constitutions are these He commanded to look to and to try the learning and Conversation of such as were admitted into the Ministry He forbad private Masses Also the Confusion of Diocesses requiring that no Bishop should meddle in an others Diocesse He forbad that any Books should be read publickly but such as were approved by the Councell of Calcedon He forbad the worshipping of Saints He commanded Bishops not to suffer Presbyters to teach the People other things then what are contained in or according to the holy Scriptures And Lib. 2. Ch. 3. he saith Although the Authority of the Ecclesiasticall Ministry may seem to stand in our Person Yet by the Authority of God and Ordinance of man it s known to be so divided that every one of you in his own place and order hath his own power and Ministry Hence its manifest that I should admonish you all and you all should further and help us He admonished Bishops especially to teach both by Life and Doctrine both by themselves and the Ministers that were under them as they would answer the Contrary in their accounts at the Great Day He Ordained that the Bishop of the first See should not be called the Prince of Priests or the highest Priest or have any such Title but only should be called The Bishop of the first See That none can lay another foundation then that which is laid which is Christ Jesus and that they which lay Christ for their foundation it s to be hoped that they will be careful to shew their Faith by bringing forth good Workes He held also a great Councel in the City of Frankfort of the Bishops of France Germany and Italy which himself honoured with his own presence where by generall consent the false Synod of the Greeks they are the words of the Originall untruly called the seventh was condemned and rejected by all the Bishops who subscribed to the condemnation of it This was that Coâ—cel spoken of before called by Irene at Nice wherein the bringing of Images into Churches for devotion was established In a Word if Charlemagnes medling with Italy and his advancing the Pope for confirming that which he had taken could be excused he was unto all Princes a patterne of magnificence of Zeal in Religion of learning eloquence temperance prudence moderation c. Alâ—win saith of him Charles was a Catholick in his Faith a King in power a High Priest in Preaching a Judge in his equity a Philosopher in liberal studies famous in manners and excellent in all honesty He was so temperat that notwithstanding his great revenues he was never served at the Table with above four dishes at a meal and those of such meat as best pleased his taste which he used to the same end for which God created them which was for sustenance and to support his Body not for shew and pomp His ordinary exercise was hunting when he was at leisure in time of War and in times of peace he attended to such as read Histories to him and sometimes he heard Musick with which he was much delighted having good skill therein himself He was very charitable and a bountifull Almes-giver and so carefull to provide for the poor Christians that in Syria in Africa and in Aegypt and in other Provinces of the infidels where Christians lived he found meanes to have Almes houses and Hospitalls erected and endowed for those that were Poor But there fell out a new accident which drew our Great Charles again to Armes in his old age and that was this Alphonso King of Navarr surnamed the Chast by reason of his singular and signall temperance in that kind did inform and advertise him that there was now a very fit oportunity and meanes offered for him utterly to subdue the Sarazins in Spain Charlemagne who infinitely desired to finish this work which he had so often attempted with no great successe gave ear to the information and advice whereupon he raises an Army and marches into Spain relying on the Spaniards favour and assistance they being Christians Indeed Alphonso meant plainly and sincerely but so did not his Courtiers and Nobles nor associates who feared Charles his forces no less then they did the Sarazins if Charles prevailed the most confident of Alphonso's servants and Officers doubted to be dispossessed of their places and Governments by a new Master and therefore they laboured to cross Alphonso and to countermand Charles but the Lot was cast his Army was in the Field and he was resolved to passe on But when he was entred into Spain he encountered with so many difficulties that being discouraged he returned back into France and so concluded and put a period to all his Warlie enterprises embracing again the care of the Church and of Religion as a fit subject for the remainder of his dayes Charlemagne was threescore and eight years old when he left the Wars after which he spent three whole years in his study to prepare himself for Death in which time he read much in the Bible and