oftentymes layenge asyde the Romayne apparaile he put on the Germaien garmeÌ„tes and was sondry tymes seene in theyr Cassockes enbrowdred with golde He ware besydes on his head a yelowe bushe of here rounded after the Germanyen sorte Wherwith the barbarous people beyng ioyouse loued him excedingly The Romayne Souldiors also reioysed therat bicause he gaue vnto them sundry bountiefull gyftes Hym selfe exercysed all the offices of a priuate Souldiour For if there were any trenche to dygge hym selfe fyrste dygged anye brydge to be made ouer a ryuer any bulwarke to be buylded or anye other handye worke or labour to be taken in hande hym selfe fyrste enterprysed the same conteÌ„ted alwaye with thynne fare in cuppes and dysshes of woode eating continually course bredde For he accustomed to feade him selfe with a Cake of Rye the whiche he grounde and baked vppon the coles wyth hys owne handes Fynally he reiected all wanton pleasures and vsed symple thinges appertayninge vnto the pooreste common Souldior Besydes that he had rather be called Companion then Prince And vsed to trauayle moste commonlye on hys feete as the Souldyors dyd seldome ryding on horse or in chariote and alway bering his owne harneisse Yea many times he bare on his owne shoulders the StaÌ„derdes that were heuyly laden with pictures of golde and scarcely light ynoughe for the strongest Souldior For thiese and oher semblable thinges did hys army loue hym as a warrelyke personage and maruayle at hym as a valyauÌ„t Capitaine For it seamed a miracle vnto them that a man of so lytle stature was able to endure so greate labors When he had establyshed some Souldiors at Danowe and passed into Thrace which boundeth vpon the Macedonyâ—â—s furthwith he became an other Alexander For he â—newed the memorie of the same kynge by all the meâ—â—es he coulde deuyse commaundyng his ymages to â—e erected in euery towne and replenysshinge Româ— selfe the Capitole and all the Temples with the statues of Alexander We then sawe many ymages foolyshly wroughte that bare in one body two faces of Alexander and Antonyne who wente abroade in the Macedonyen apparayle wearing a diademe on his heade and slippers on his feate He named a chosen company of yonge men the Macedonien Phalanx commaundinge his Capitaines to take vnto them the names of AlexaÌ„ders Chieftaines And the yonge meÌ„ which he had sent for out of Sparta he called y e Laconike Pitanyte CeÌ„turie WheÌ„ he had ended thiese thinges ordered euery Cytie as he might he made a veâ—age vnto Pergamê° a Citie of Asia y t he might vse some of Aesâ—ulapius Phisicke And wheÌ„ he was ther arriueâ— after he had reâ—eated hiÌ„ self w t sufficieÌ„t sleape he remoued to Troye visited all the olde monumentes of the Citie wente vnto Achilles Toumbe And hauyng sumptuously decked the same w t flowres GarlaÌ„des he began of newe to counterfayte Achylles But as he wysshed for some one lyke vnto Patroclus his dearest lybertine named Festus whiles he soiorned at Troye deceassed dispatched as some thought w t poisoÌ„ y t he mighâ—â—e buried as Patroclus was but as other affirme extinct w t sicknes His body did Antonine coÌ„mauÌ„de to be brought fourthe y e place wher it shuld be burned to be piled with much woode And putting the corpse into y e middes therof sacrificiÌ„g diuerse kindes of beastes he threw fire into it holding a glasse in his hande dranke of the wyne therein makynge peticion vnto the wyndes And beinge somwhat balde wheÌ„ he sought for heare to laye into the fyre it became a sporte vnto all that were present yet at the last he notted of those heares he had Chiefely amonges al valiaunt men he praised Sylla the Romain and Hannyball the Aphricane whose Image he also erected After he was departed from Troye he passed ouer all Asye Bythynye and the other adiacent countreyes And hauinge set order in hys effaires euerye where he weÌ„t vnto Antyoche where he was receyued verye honorably and taryed a litle while From thence he remoued to Alexandry clokynge this voyage with pretence of desyre to see the Citie buylded by Alexander and to consulte with the God of that countrey whome the inhabitauntes do greatly worship Faining these two causes he coÌ„maunded first aulters for sacrifice to be erected with all kinde of funeral celebration to the honour of their God and the memorie of Alexander When this was declared vnto the Alexandryen multitude beinge naturally chaungeable with euerye trifle they al together as it were men distracte of theyr wyttes reioysed at the prynces wyll and beneuolence And prepared them selues to receaue hym more honorably then euer they dyd any other Emperoure For all kynde of musicall instrumentes mette him in his passage making a wonderfull melodious sowne Besides that al the gates and stretes being replenished with the flauour of spices and perfumes they welcomed hym with bonefyres strowing of floures in hys waye After his entrie into the Citye he fyrste visyted the Temples when he had there offred manye sacrifices and heaped the aulters wich frankensence he went vnto the Tombe of Alexander wher he put of his owne robe of purple hys rynges adorned with precious stones his gyrdle all his other goodly ornamentes and layed the same vpon the Tombe The AlexaÌ„driens beholding al these thinges reioysed wonderfullye and made fest bothe nyght and daye throughout the Citie beynge ignoraunte what was hydde in the Emperours cancarde stomacke For theise thinges did he thrughe subtyltye to thenient he might slea all the multitude togithers The cause of his priuey indignacioÌ„ and grudge was this It was reported vnto hym at Rome that whyles hys father lyued and after his death the AlexandrieÌ„s had blustred out many opprobriouse wordes against him For in deade thei are of nature talkatyue people fashyoned to mocke and scorne all others babelynge against euery noble man and chyefly wyth quyppes and tauntes as them selfes thinke plesaunt swete but those by whoÌ„ thei are spoken accompte theim verie odious bitter For of suche scoffes those wherw t vyce is reproued doo soonest styrre anger Wherfore when they had spoken many thinges agaynste Antonyne not kepyng in sylence the murder of hys Brother commonly callynge his Mother Iocasta scorning him because that beynge of so lytle stature he woulde seame to counterfayte Alexander and Achilles whyche were moste valiaunte and mighty Capitaynes thei so encensed hym beynge alreadye of hys owne nature yrous and bloodthirstye that he fullye determined their death and destructioÌ„ When he had therefore fynished this laste rehersed solempnitie and feaste seyng so great a multitude of the next nacions resorting vnto the Cytie he commaunded by proclamacion that all the Alexandrien youthe shuld assemble into a certayne fyelde without the walles promysynge that as he had of the Macedonyen and Spartayne yonge men euen so wold he of them constitute a square battell called
wyth contynual colde cloudes Wylt thou neuer O Emperour sayde they leaue drynkynge of water digged congeled togyther as yse Shal other meÌ„ enioye the clere well springes the pleasaunt colde of the runnynge ryuers and the holsome ayre of Italye By these allurynges to wantonnesse they easely enflammed the yonge mans mynde wyth vehemente desyre of those plesures Wherfore furthwyth hauynge called hys frendes togyther he dyssymuled not that he was verye desyrous of hys natyue countrey But yet fearynge to declare the very cause of hys sodeyn alteracyon of mynde he fayned that he stoode in greate doubte leaste any ryche manne of the nobylytie woulde take possessyon of the Imperyall Palayce And thereupon gatherynge vntoo hym a greate power of meÌ„ would as oute of y e strongest fortresse chalenge vntoo hym selfe the princypall domynyon of all theÌ„pyre For sayd he amonges the people may easely be leuied a mighty approued coÌ„pany of yonge men Whiles he thiese causes moued all the rest hauing their eyes caste vpon the earth with styll and sorowfull countenaunce Pompeianus who in age was the moost auncient and had maried CoÌ„modus eldest syster arose vp and sayed It is no meruayle o Sonne and soueraigne that you are holden wyth desyre of your countrey for the very same desyre of seyng oure housholdes dothe vrge and sturre vs also But we represse that affection for that thaffaires we haue here in hande requyre the fyrste parte and lyeth vs more vpon to dispatche As for the pleasures of the Citye you shall longer enioye hereafter And Rome is contynually where the Emperour soiourneth Nowe to gyue ouer the warre lately begonne besydes that it is shamefull it is also very peryllous for thereby we minister occasion of audacitee vnto the Barbarouse people who wyll thinke that we are not departed for cause of recreacioÌ„ but that we are fledde being daunted with feare And vnto your selfe howe gloriouse wyll it be after ye haue vanquished all your enemies and enlarged the boundes of your Empyre vnto the ocean to retourne to Rome wyth tryumphe and therin to haue ledde bounde as captyues the barbarouse kynges and Lordes for truly after this sorte in the former worldes did the Romaynes were noble and famouse There is no cause why you shoulde feare that your affayres in the city are in any hasarde For euery principall senatour is here present wyth you and the hole army doth before your eyes defende your Empire yea and all your chiefest Treasoure is with vs also The memorie besides of your father hath establysshed a stedfast and perfecte beneuolence towardes you with all estates When Pompeianus perswading hym to the better had thus muche spoken he did somewhat at that present represse the wyll and endeuour of the younge Emperour who fearyng the olde mans sayinges hauing nothing wherwith he myght well replye dismyssed the counsayle promisyng that he would more diligently at leysure debate with hym selfe those thinges Yet afterwarde hys seruauntes and parasites callynge more instantely vpon hym he made no further relacion vnto hys Counsailours But hauyng sent his letters vnto Rome and appointed whom he thought meete to defende the bankes of Hister and restreigne the attemptes of the Barbariens he caused furthwith his remouing to be proclaymed Thei that were lefte behynde diligently executed the offices appoynted them and wythin a lytle space broughte many in subiection And some they ioyned by great gyftes in frendeshyp vnto them The whiche was not verye harde to doo For the Barbarouse people beyng naturally gready of money and despysers of all daungers do eyther gette their liuing wyth inuasions and pylleng of their neyghbours or elles for an appoynted salarie sell their peace The which thing Commodus perceyuyng that he might with money wherof he had innumerable abundauÌ„ce purchase hym selfe securitee and quiet he denyed nothing vnto the demaunders Now assone as the fame of hys setting forwarde was spredde in the armye sodeynly a greate sturre was amonges all the Souldyours euery man desyring to returne vnto Rome and affecting the pleasures of the citye to leue theyr enemyes countrey And when it was blowen abroade by reporte of purseuauntes and postes that the Emperour was retourning to the Citye an incredible ioye wandered amonges the common people euery man conceuing in hym selfe a singuler hope of theÌ„perours presence and trusting assuredly that he would folowe his fathers steppes Hym selfe making speade in hys iourney and passynge wyth a certayne feruencie of youthe in his charyot throughe the myddes of all theÌ„ cities was receiued with princely reuerence and ioyfull assemblies of the people welcomed as one most acceptable and wyshed for vnto them And when he approched nygh vnto Rome the hole Senate and the Romayne commons eche of them coueiting to preuent other crowned wyth lawrell and caryeng all â—ynde of flowers that the presente season of the yere â—yd minister met as farre as they coulde from the citye their prince notable in the floure of youth and nobilitie of byrthe For truely they loued him with most feruent affection beyng borne and brought vp amonges them and then possessynge in the thirde degree thempyer and regimente of Rome For of his fathers syde he issued from the chiefest of the Senatours And hys Mother Faustina a Princes wyfe the doughter of Antoninus Pius niece by her mother vnto Hadrian dyd referre the Pedegrue of her kynred vnto Traian her grete graundefather Of this parentage was Commodus descended vnto whome besydes the flowre of his age was giuen also an excelleÌ„cie of bewtie a congruent stature of body an amiable and manly countenaunce pleasauÌ„t and shining beames in hys eyes and a yelow and curled heare whiche when he came into the Sonne dyd so glyster that manye deamed the same as he passed by them to be sprinkeled ouer wyth golden duste Many also estemed it a token of diuinyte coniecturing that the rayes about the top of his heade were by generacion and nature gyuen vnto hym The softe heares besydes sprange oute of hys cheekes and couered them as it were with flowers They receyued therfore this such an Emperour wyth ioyfull showtes and strawing of Garlandes and flowers in the way as he passed After he was enteryd into the Citie visyted and saluted the Temples fyrste of Iupiter and then of the other Goddes and gyuen thankes to the hole Senate and the Pretorian Souldiours for their fidelite obserued towards hym he went into thimperiall palayce For a fewe yeres after this he did honourably entrete his fathers frendes and vsed their counsaile in all his affayres Those yeres expired he coÌ„mytted the charge of the hole Empyre vnto other coÌ„stituted Capitaine of his garde an Italyan named Perennes a man verie experte and skylfull in warfare The same abusyng the age of the yonge Emperour permytted hym to be corrupted w t sensuall lustes and ruffyans And takynge vpon hym selfe all charge and labour ruled the hole Empyre There was in the man an insatiable thyrste
more in number but yet out of order and vnskylfull in the warres and being effeminated with bankettes of voluptuousnes wanted weapons and all other warrelyke instrumentes For no man brought out of his house any other weapon then eyther a Dagger a Hatchet or a Huntynge staff or els a Speare hardened in y e fyre as they could get for y e defence of their bodies On the coÌ„trary part were Numidians notable Slingers and verye connyng horsemen so that w tout Bridle they coulde rule their horses w t a Rodde Wherfore y e Carthaginenses were easely repulsed constrained to flye For beyng vnable to abide the brunt of their enemies thei threw away theyr harnesse and weapons and tourned theyr backes altogether in a rude pluÌ„pe thrusting through and treadyng one vppon another there dyd a greater number peryshe amonges theym selues then was slayne by theyr enemyes And in thys thronge was Gordianus Sonne slayne and as manye as folowed hym So that for the multytude of those that were deade they coulde not discerne the bodyes that shoulde be enterred Neyther coulde the bodye of the younge Gordian be founde For of so greate a number whyche fledde there entered but verye fewe into the Citye agayne who saued themselues by lurkyng in darke and vnknowen corners The reste remaynynge in heapes at the gate pressynge forwardes euerye man to get in fyrste were by the Numidian Slyngers and other armed Souldyours slayne Whyche caused a meruailouse lamentacion and houlynge of women and Chyldren for that they sawe before theyr owne faces theyr dearest frendes slayne There be whych reporte that as soone as Gordianus who for hys age abode wythin hys owne house hearde that Capellianus was entered into the Cytye dispairyng of hys safegarde went into hys chamber as thoughe he woulde sleape and wyth hys Gyrdle whych he had about hym hanged hym selfe Thys was the eande of Gordianus who was fortunate in the former parte of hys lyfe and nowe â—anded the same in a symilytude of the Imperyal dygnitye Then Capellianus entred into Carthage ther put vnto deathe euerye one of the noble men whyche remayned oute of the furye of the Battayl Neyther dyd he abstayne from the spoylynge of the Temples and ransackynge all Publyke and priuate Treasures And goyng vnto other Cityes whyche had abolyshed the honours of Maximinus the chiefest therin he put to deathe and the reste he afflycted wyth tormentes permyttyng the Souldyours to burne and robbe the Vyllages Fyeldes therabout vnder a pretence of reuengynge Maximinus but yet priuelye allurynge the Souldyous heartes vnto hym selfe to the eande that if Maximinus sped not wel him selfe might haue the Souldyours good wylles for the obtaynynge of the Empyre Suche was the estate of the affayres in Affrica But after y t the death of Gordian was heard of in Rome a meruaylouse terrour enuaded the Senate people of Rome for that he was lost in whoÌ„ all their hope was sytuate For thei knewe now perfectly y t Maximinus wold spare no maÌ„ being partely of his owne mynde alyenated from theim and then with an enemyes stomake and manifeste hatred for iuste causes detesting them Wherfore thei asseÌ„bled ofteÌ„tymes togithers consulting what thei might do and fynally seyng thei had entred into one peryll determined to prepare for warre and elected two Emperours whiche shoulde wyth equall aucthorite gouerne the common wealthe leste that the Principall dominion shoulde returne vnto Tyranny Thei assembled therefore I saye not in the Coorte as thei were wonte before but in the Temple of Iupiter Capitolyne the whyche beynge buylded in the highest place of the Citie the Romaines haue in most estimacion There the doores beynge shute they sate alone hauinge as it were God to their witnesse of their CouÌ„sell and the beholder of all y t thei entended thei chose furth suche as excelled the reste in age and dignity to giue their voyces of election vnto Out of the which hole numbre ther were two named Maximus and Albinus through the mooste voyces created Emperours Of thiese two Maximus hadde often bene generall Capitaine in the warres and also ordered hym selfe very politiquely in the gouernaunce of the Citie wherby he caused the people to haue a very good opinion of hys wytte prouidence and contineÌ„t lyfe And Albinus being a noble maÌ„ borne twise Consull and hauing ruled many prouinces without strife or complaynte was reputed the meker Thus were thei made Emperours by the decree of the Senate and endewed w t all Thimperyall honours But whiles theise thinges were in doing in the Capitolle the Romain people vncertain it is whether through the solliciting of Gordianus freÌ„des or els stirred thervnto by some peruerse rumors came with force vnto the gates and filled with multitude of people y e waye which goeth into the Capitoll And ther hauiÌ„g Clubbes Stones in their handes labored to interrupte the thinges that were coÌ„cluded in the Capytoll refusynge chiefly Maximus alledging that he was more seuere then the symple Commons could well bere w tall Wherefore thei were moste of all offended wyth hym cryenge and threatninge that thei woulde â—â—ea them bothe for his sake For thei requyred a Prince of Gordianus kynred that in that famyle and name Thimperiall Dominion myght continew Then Albinus and Maximus beynge garded wyth all the youthe of the order of knighthode and the men of Armes of the Cytie wearing swordes attempted to go furth of the Capitole But thei were dryuen backe w t Clubbes and Stones vntyl that through the inueÌ„tione of some one man thei beguyled the people after this sorte Ther was a litle infaÌ„t y e Son of Gordianê° doughter whych was named after hys Grandefathers name The same thei commaunded certayne whome thei sente furth to fetche vnto them who findinge hym playeng at home did put hym vpon their shoulders caryed hym thrughe the myddes of the people declaringe that he was Cordianus neuewe and callynge hym by name vntyll thei had brought hym into Capitol the people makinge ioyfull acclamacions and strowing bowes before hym And after that the Senate had pronounced him Emperour seing he could not gouerne Thempyre because of his tender infancie the yre of the people was asswaged and thei suffered the olde Emperours to enter in to Thimperyall Pallayce But ther happened at that tyme a pestyferouse Calamitye vnto the Citye of Rome throughe the rashe boldenes of two Senatours For when as the Senate was assembled about certaine Publicke affayres two of Maximinus Souldiours which wer departed from the Campe bothe of mydle age came vnto the Coorte gate to herken and spye what was done or determyned beyng withoute weapons And sauing only theyr Iackes and their Clokes thervpoÌ„ thei stods togyther amonges the reste of the people But whyles all other stode at the dore two or three at the moste beyng more desirouse to heare what was sayde then the reste entred into the Coorte and passed a lytle further then the Aultare of
loked for any suche matter That done the same executyoners as they were commaūded furthwyth wente vnto hys Son and making very hasty spede preuented the rumoure of those thynges that were done at Rome At theyr commynge vnto hym they delyuered hym frendlie letters from thēperour the which puttyng hym in great hope willed hym to returne vnto Rome wherby he was ignoraūt of all the dryfte and fynally of his fathers happe For some of the messengers tolde hym that he was called alsoo for by hys father who they sayde woulde haue written vntoo him likewyse yf he had not supposed y t he would suffycyently regarde themperours letters The yonge man beleued it and although he grudged somewhat that his enterpryse was thus interrupted yet affying hym selfe in his fathers mighte aucthoritie whome he thoughte too be as yet in prosperouse estate he prepared him selfe to retourne wyth them But assoone as he approched the borders of Italie he was slayne by them vnto whome the charge of thexecutyon was commytted Thys ende had the father the Sonne After whom Commodus appointed .ij. gouernors thynkyng it to be more sure not to commyt so great an aucthoritye vnto one man alone but deuiding y e same in .ij. partes make it by y e mean the more weake to rebell against the prince But no long time after there were other Treasons conspyred agaynst hym in this maner There was a certaine Souldiour named Maternus bolde in enterprysyng many facynorous factes The same sodeinly forsaking y e Campe and adioynyng into hys felowshyp certaine of his cōpanyons gathered in a shorte space an huge multytude of desperate ruffynes Fyrst he destroyed vyllages and cornefeldes and than hauyng gotten a great Summe of money he ioyned dayly more vacabondes vnto hym and by promysyng them greate rewardes callyng them to the deuision of the pray he brought the matter vnto suche poynt that they semed to haue the aucthorytye not of theues but of iuste enemyes For they occupyed great Cityes and therein brake y e common gaoles and toke out of pryson wythoute respecte all offenders whome through that release and benefyte they annexed vnto them Then they spoyled wyth inuasyons all Fraunce and Spayne and whā they had taken any great Citie they would ransake burne and vtterly deface the same and than departe Whereof when Commodus had knowledge he sente letters not wantyng angry checkes vnto the lieuetenauntes of the Countryes there aboutes reprouyng theyr cowardyse and therwyth commaundyng them to leuie an armye for y e subduyng of those rebellious vacabondes Which thing when the Ruffines knew they thought it best to depart from those Countries Wherefore pryuely by secrete bypathes and vnknowen wayes they came into Italie where Maternus consulted wyth his complices of thinuasion of thempyre and other weyghty affayres For seyng all thynges hytherunto had prospered wyth hym beyond his expectacyon he determyned to attempt some notable enterpryse or at the least wyse yf it chaunced amisse too dye not obscurelye or like a coward But yet perceyuyng hym selfe not to haue so greate a power as should suffyse to resyst Commodus wyth an approued and chosen armye for he knew that Commodus was well beloued of the Romayne people and men of armes he concluded to worke his feate by crafty conueyaunce And therefore Inuented thys wyle In the begynnyng of the sprynge tyme vpon an appoynted holy day y e Romaynes vsed to celebrate a pompe vnto y e mother of y e Godes In y t solempnitie the best of euerye mans ryches and Iewelles and all thimperyall ornamentes whych are eyther for matter or worke worthy to be loked on are wont to be brought furthe before the Goddesse And euerye where a lycence too playe is graunted all men and too take vpon them the persones of whom it liketh eche man beste There is no magystrate or offycer but he is there represented in the counterfaytynge of theyr persones by suche as lyketh so to doo so that a man can not rasshely discerne the true parson from the dysguysed Thys dyd Maternus recken to be a conuenyente tyme for the close atcheuyng of hys trayterous enterpryse Trustyng assuredlye yf him selfe toke vpon hym the person of one of themperours garde and armynge hys confederates after the same sorte mingle them selues amonges the spearemen wherebye they shoulde be thought to be of themperours retynewe no man forsyng the matter wyth a sodeyne assaulte to slea Commodus But beynge betrayed by certayne of hys adherentes that entered intoo the Cytye wyth hym who grudged that they should hereafter accept him not as a Souldyoure theyr companyon but as theyr prynce before the festyual day were nygh he was taken and beheded and all the residue of the same faciō were punisshed w t condigne tormētes of death Nowe after the sacrifice was finisshed Commodus did with thanskesgeuing passe furthe the feast of the Goddesse yea and the people beyng Ioyfull for the preseruacyō of theyr Emperour celebrated meryly that daye But what the reason is wherefore the Romaynes do so muche honoure this Goddesse it semeth not amysse for me to make mencion of it as I haue learnid out of Histories especially because that matter is vnknowen vnto moost of the Greekes The same Image therefore as they saye came downe from heauen no certayntie remayning of what metall or by what artificer it was wrought yea they constantely beleaue it was neuer made with manes handes Therefore they affirme that it fell downe from heauen into a certain fyelde of Phrigya the whiche they coniecture to haue the name Pesinuntis by the fall of the same Imaege put vpon it For there they saye it appeared fyrste Yet do I fynde amonges other authors that there betwene Ilus the Phrigian and Tantalus the Lydian was foughten the batayle eyther begō for the way or rather for y e rauysshing of Ganimedes And when they had longe foughten wyth equall strength and verye many on bothe sydes slayne that the name was geuen vnto the fyelde by that calamite There also the report is that Ganimedes beyng drawen to and fro by the handes of his brother and louer was depryued of hys lyfe And beyng taken away a fable was inuented for the comfort of his louer that he was endowed by Iupiter hys rauisher wyth many dyuine honours In that fielde Pesinuntes whereof I haue spoken dyd the Phrygians in tymes paste worshyppe and celebrate the ceremonies of the infernall Goddes euen at the ryuer of Gallus of the whyche the women pryestes of the Goddesse are surnamed But whan the Romayne Empyre encreased an Oracle beyng receyued that the Empyre shoulde be augmented to the vttermoste yf the Romaynes woulde transporte the Pesynuntian Goddesse vnto them There were Embassadours sente into Phrigya too requyre the Statue of the Goddesse the whyche was easely graunted vntoo theym because they sayde that the Romaynes were of kynred vnto the Phrigians beynge descended of Aeneas the same cuntrey manne When as
payment For ê™ he it is safely kepte in my house With which promyses the menne of armes beynge entysed and trayned wyth great hope pronounced Iulyanê° theyr Prynce and gaue hym the surname of Commodus Then dysplayinge theyr baners vpon the which they had painted the pyctures of Iulianus they concluded to brynge hym furthe Wherefore when Sacryfyce after the vsage was ended he wente furthe enuyroned wyth a greater Garde then other Emperours were accustomed For hauyng boughte thempyre by vyolence agaynste the peoples wyll and by fylthye shame w t good cause he feared thinsurrectyon of the Commynaltye But the Souldyours beynge armed and compassed on euerie syde like a cyrcle that if nede requyred they myghte fyghte toke into the myddes of theym theyr Emperoure and lyftynge theyr shyldes and Targettes ouer theyr heades to be therebye the more safer yf any stones were throwen from the houses they broughte hiÌ„ into theÌ„perours Palayce None of the people durste resyste them neyther dyd they folowe the Emperoure as they accustomed with ioyful shoutes but euerye manne cursed hym bytterlye reprouynge hym for that he hadde purchased thempyre wyth money Then fyrst of all were the dysposicyons of the Souldyours corrupted then increased the fylthy and insacyable couetyse of money with contempt of themperyall Maiestye For when there was no maÌ„ remaynynge that woulde reuenge the cruell deathe of the late Prynce neyther anye that woulde wythstande that fylthye facte of sale and vnhoneste marchaundyse the same gaue occasion vnto the menne of armes to waxe thereafter more vnreuerente and rebellynge in so muche that auaryce and contempte of the Prynce daylye encreased euen vnto deathe For Iulyanus hauynge obtayned thempyre gaue hym selfe to ryotte neglectynge the weake publyke and leadynge a naughtye voluptuouse lyfe â–ª yea he deceyued the truste of the Souldyours beyng vnable to performe hys promyses vnto them For he had nat so greate substaunce as he bragged of and the common treasure was exhausted by the immoderate dispeÌ„ces of Commodus For these causes the men of armes on the one part detested him On the other side the people not ignoraunt thereof despysed hym Wherefore they pursued him as he passed by with reproche vpbraiding hym for hys fylthye and vnstable pleasures so that opeÌ„ly in the very Theater vnto the which a great multytude of men resortethe thei wold rebuke Iulianus and call Nyger y e Protector of the Romayne Empire and PresideÌ„te of the Soueraine principality prayeng hym that he woulde wyth all speade come vnto theÌ„ and delyuer them from those manyfolde iniuries The same Niger had bene CoÌ„sull and then was gouernor of all Siria the whyche was the chiefeste dignitye at that tyme. For all Phenyces and all the Regyons vnto the ryuer of Euphrates were vnder hys dominion He was then somwhate stryken in age and hauynge bene occupyed in many weyghty affayres had obtayned the renowne of modestye and ryghteousnesse so that he seamed to folowe the lyfe of Pertynax By the whiche he chiefly wanne the fauor of the people For which respecte thei with often clamours called vpon hym taunting wyth reproches Iulianus beynge present and extollyng wyth prayses and ioyfull showtes Nyger that was absente Whereof when Niger once hearde trusting that all thinges wold prosper accordyng to hys desyre seynge that Iulianus was of the men of Armes neglected as one that had violated hys truthe and promyse and of the people contempned as a man not worthy for that he had purchased hys principalytie he beganne to hope for the obtayning of the Empyre And fyrste he dysmyssed home some on time some an other diuerse of the Capytaynes Tribunes and other meÌ„ of Armes who likewyse had knowledge of all newes that were brought vnto him from Rome This dyd he to the inteÌ„t the rumors mighte be spreade verye broade in the Easte For so he supposed to ioyne manye vnto him yf he seamed nat to enterprise the occupyeng of the Empyre by disceite but to succor them that desyred ayde Wherfore all the people there aboutes came incontinentlye towardes hym euerye man by hym selfe besechynge hym to take the charge of the common wealthe furthwyth vpon hym For the nacioÌ„ of y e Sirians is naturally vnstable and prone vnto chaunge of thinges And thei loued Nyger exceadingly for that he behaued hymselfe verye gentely amonges them delytynge them wyth plesaunte playes and suÌ„pteouse solempnities The Sirians are also of their owne nature very desyrouse of suche shewes Amonges whome the Antyochians enhabyting a great and famouse Cyte do throughoute the hole yere eyther in the Citie selfe or elles in the Suburbes celebrate feastes and playes Wherefore in settyng furthe shewes and solempnytes vnto them he so wanne their hartes that they feruently loued hym The whiche when Niger perfectly perceaued hauing a certayne daye commaunded the men of armes to be presente and all the people commynge togithers in a hyghe place for that purpose erected he said vnto them as ensueth Peraduenture your selues know howe gentle my dysposicioÌ„ hath bene how loÌ„ge I haue coÌ„sulted or I weÌ„t aboute any weyghtye matter neyther woulde I haue come furthe to speke vnto you at this tyme yf I hadde bene ledde eyther by myne owne pryuate counsell or by assured hope or elles with affection surmountinge truste But the Romaynes call me and with intercessions weary me to stretche my helpyng haÌ„de vnto theÌ„ and that I should not permyt so excellente and gloriouse an Empyre lefte by our elders to be nowe shamefully destroyed And as it is a presumtuouse and rashe thinge to medell in so weightie affayres without occasion so yf a maÌ„ deny succour vnto theÌ„ that wante and desyre it then is he then in the lasshe of Cowardyse and Treasone Wherfore for this purpose am I come furthe vnto you that I myghte knowe youre aduyse what ye iudge beste to be done and that I myghte vse you as Counsellers in all thys busynesse Yf it do prosperouslye comme to passe the commodytie thereof shall be comune vnto you and mee It is no smal riches that solicite vs but it is the very Romain people vnto whom the Goddes haue giuen the domynion of al thinges and the Romaine Empyre selfe as yet wauering and to no man certainely establisshed The counsayle whych we enter is assured yf we consyder the mindes of the suters no manne being able to resyste vs. For they that come from thence reporte that the men of armes theÌ„ selues of whome he bought thempire are not very faithful vnto him for y t he hath not perfourmed his promyse Let me heare now your opinions herein Whiles he spake these wordes furth with thole armye and all the common people saluted him as Emperour and Augustus And when he was clothed wyth Purple and adorned wyth Imperyall vesture beyng there sodaynlye as of purpose founde wyth the fyre borne before hym they conuayed hym fyrste vnto the Temples of Antyoche and then to hys owne house The whyche as it were
not nowe pryuate they decked wyth Imperyall signes and ornamentes With those thinges Nyger beyng ioyfull and perceyuing the mynde of the Romaynes and beneuolence of al other meÌ„ towardes him thought now al his purpose to be in perfecte plyght When y e bruite of this was blowen abrode incontinently al nacyons that inhabited ouer against Europe hasted euery maÌ„ for him selfe to proffer him theyr assystence And Ambassadours also from al partes came to Antioche vnto hym as vnto their lawful prynce The kinges also and the rulers dwelling beyond Euprates Tygris sente to gratifye hym promisyng theyr ayde in al hys enterpryses The whyche Ambassadours rewarded wyth greate gyftes and thankes he dysmyssed saying vnto them he neded not as at that present anye ayde For his Empyre was wel strengthened he which he wolde w tout bloudshed wel gouerne His mynd being thus exalted w t great hope he began to be more neglygent in executing y t he should deliting him selfe and y e people of Antioche w t pleasures setting furth of shewes and playes neither thought he once of going vnto Rome y t which should first haue bene done neither certified he the Illyryan armies who shoulde chieflye haue bene won vnto hiÌ„ of these affaires for he trusted that when they once knew the matter they would togither with the Romaines and nacions of the Orient condiscende vnto him Whiles he thus litle regarded his affayres the fame thereof was spred amonges the PaÌ„noniens the Illyriens al the other armies abiding on the coastes of Danuby Rheyn for the defeÌ„ce of the Romaine Empyre againste the Barbariens Then was gouernour of y e Pannoniens for they wer al ruled by one mans aucthoritie one named Seuerê° of the nacion of Affrique a man vehement diligente in furthering his affaires accustomed to leade a hard sharpe life prompt in y e inuentioÌ„ and spedy in the execution of thinges The which seing y e Romaine Empire to hang vnstedfast as it were opened to pillage despised the one Emperour as a sluggyshe cowarde the other as of no accompt Certaine dreames Oracles besides augmented his hope other diuinacyons of thinges to come the which wheÌ„ they came to effect obtained report of veritie of y t whiche him selfe wrote most part in bokes of his own life published theym openlye painted in Tables But it behoueth me not to ouerpasse w tout writing his last dreame which being of greatest weight brought most hope vnto him For wheÌ„ it was first told him y t Pertinax was made Emperour Seuerus hauinge ended sacrifice and beyng sworne in obedience to the Prince assone as he came home was takeÌ„ with a dead slepe In y t which he dreamed that he sawe a great and gorgyouse horse decked wyth the Emperours sadell caryinge Pertinax hym selfe through the Citie by the strete called Sacra via But when he came vnto thentrye of the market place vnto the which the people whyles they were in libertie accustomed to resort in greate assemblyes it semed vnto him that y t the horse ouerthrew Pertynax â—nto y e ground offering his backe vnto Seuerus standing nyghâ— caried him throughe the middes of the market place where he was reuerenced of all the people There remayneth in the same place vnto thys day the Image of the same dreame beyng verye greate made of brasse After thys sorte Seuerus beynge extolled in mynde and thynkynge him selfe to be sollicited vnto thempyre by diuine prouydence determyned to assay the myndes of the Souldiours Wherfore adioyning fyrste vnto him the Capytaynes Tribunes and the chiefest of the menne at armes in talke with them of the Romayne empyre sayde it was nygh destroied no man remaynyng by whome it mighte be valyauntly and prudently gouerned Inueighyng also agaynst the Pretorian Cohortes who had defiled their othe of allegyaunce wyth their Emperours bloude he sayde the deathe of Pertynax oughte to be reuenged beyng nothynge ignoraunte that the memorye of Pertinax was fyxed yet in the myndes of the Illyryan armies For they had by hys guidinge vnder the Emperoure Marcus obtayned many vyctoryes againste the Germaynes And beyng lieuetenauÌ„t of Illiria he shewed many examples of vertue and prowesse in warre and exhibited to hys companions muche beneuolence and modestie with a meeke and moderate gouernaunce Wherfore worshipping the memory of y e prince they greuously grudged that so greate crueltye shoulde be done vnto him Seuerus therfore takyng vnto hiÌ„ this occasion led them easely whither he wolde faining y t he affected not thempyre but soughte to reuenge the bloud of Pertynax And as the meÌ„ of y e Regyon are of great and tall bodies prompte and redy to warre and murder so are they of dul and grosse capacitie where by they do not easelye perceyue what a man craftelye speketh or worketh Therfore wheÌ„ Seuerus had faithfully promised them to persecute the murdre of Pertynax he so wan al theyr fauours that he was named Emperour and receiued the whole aucthority of theÌ„ And after he vnderstode the mindes of the Pannoniens immediately he allured vnto him w t giftes the rulers of all the nighe nacions y t were subiecte vnto the Romayne Empyre For Seuerus was y e rediest of all men to faine frendshyppe to that he passed not to be periured yf neade requyred alwayes hauynge one thynge in his mouthe and an other in hys stomacke Therefore after he had gotten credite and fauoure by letters with all the Illyryans and Rulers of the Prouinces hauyng gathered togyther Souldyours from euery parte and taken vpon him the surname of Pertynax the whiche he supposed woulde be most acceptable not onelye vnto the Illyrians but also vnto all the Romaine people and hauyng called them all togither into the fielde he spake vnto theym as ensueth You do euideÌ„tly shew O souldiours of what loyalty Religion you are towardes the Goddes bi whom ye are sworne and what reuereÌ„ce ye bere vnto your Emperour wheÌ„ you do so muche detest the men of armes of y e Citie being ministers rather of pompe and super fluitie then of vertue prowesse for that they haue coÌ„mitted so horrible an offeÌ„ce And certainly I that am now entring into so great hope your selues pardie al know how obedient I haue bene vnto Princes desire to atcheue and bring to effect y t shal be acceptable vnto you neither to suffre the Romaine Empire to runne into ruyne the whiche being gouerned by our elders w t great aucthoritie was reuerenced of all men And after it fel vnto Commodus althoughe throughe his youth it began manye times to decaye yet was al the fault therof shadowed partly w t the prynces nobilitie partely w t the memorye of his good father â–ª Neither did his vices deserue rather hate then coÌ„passioÌ„ for we imputed not y e thinges y t were done so muche vnto hiÌ„ as vnto y e flattering Parasites other Counsellers ministers
of vile voluptuousenes vntill theÌ„pire came vnto y e godly olde man the memory of whoâ—e vertue goodnes resteth yet in your myndes whoÌ„ notwithstaÌ„dinge it was so farre from their entent to sustaine y t w c abhominable murder they destroyed him After hiÌ„ hath a man whom I know not purchased the domynion of Sea and lande And for that acte is hated of the people Neyther are the men of armes true vnto hym because he hathe deceyued them And yf they woulde defende hym yet are they not in number or valyaunte prowesse to be compared vnto you Besydes that you haue bene exercysed in warlike affayres For you are accustomed to fight with the barbarouse nacions to suffer al labour to despyse heate and colde to passe ryuerse frosen ouer with yse to drynke water dygged and not springinge oute of the yearthe and to watche in hunting of wylde beastes fynallye you are furnysshed with all prouisyons appertayninge vnto valiauÌ„tnes so that it is easye for no man to withstaÌ„de your strengthe For the man of armes is approued by labour and not by banqueting and ryotte with y t whiche thei are so traded that thei can not susteyne youre voyce muche lesse your syghte But yf the affayres of Siria seame terryble vnto any man let the same ponder howe weake they are and wyth howe symple hope thei be ruled that they dare not once come furth or coÌ„sulte of goynge vnto the Cyte but taking those habitacions in good worthe accompte the pleasures eueri daye goten to be the lucre of that vnconstant aucthoritie As for the nacion of Sirians is chiefly addicted vnto iestes and playes And thei which enhabite Antioche are thoughte principallye to fauour Niger For the other nacyons and Cytes seynge no man worthye the Empyre or that should modestly and valyauntely gouerne the coÌ„mon wealthe at the laste faigned them selues to obey hym But yf they ones knewe that an Emperour were created by the Illyrian armye and hearde therwithall oure name the whyche is not vnknow vnto them for my selfe haue heretofore had dominion ouer them they wyll not alledge cowardise or slouthe vnto vs. Neyther will they abide your inuasions or proue your valiauÌ„te prowesse especially seyng they are not comparable vnto you eyther in talnes of person warlycke exercises or fyghting haÌ„de to haÌ„de Wherfore lette vs with all speade possesse the Cyte of Rome the verye seate of thempyre and then shall we easely bryng to passe the residewe affyeng our selues in the oracles of the Goddes in the strength of your weapons bodyes When Seuerus had spokeÌ„ thiese wordes vnto them they receaued hym wyth ioyefull shoutes and callynge hym Augustus and Pertinax promysed hym their beneuolente hartes and myndes And he thinking it not good to prolonge the time coÌ„maunded them with all celeritee to be armed proclaimed his voyage towardes the Cite gaue vnto euerye manne vytayle and other sufficiente necessaries for their iorney and remoued with all speade restinge in no place nor ones suffring the Souldiors to staye vntyll throughe theyr greate labour they coulde scarsely fetche breathe And hym selfe trauaylinge wyth the formeste of them and lodgynge in a simple tente dyd eate and dryncke of the same the souldyours dyd neuer shewinge anye pompe or imperyall wantonnesse whereby euerye daye he waxed more acceptable then other For seynge he was not onely partaker but also authoure and heade of all theyr trauayle he became so honourable vnto theim all that they seamed mooste gladde to do anye thynge he woulde commaunde After he hadde passed Pannonye and was come vnto the mountaines of Italy preuenting so the fame of his approche that he was in open sight before hys commynge was harde of a meruaylouse dreade inuaded the Italyen Cityes when they sawe soo greate an armye For the inhabitauntes of Italye beynge of a longe space voyde from warre dyd nowe tyll theyr lande and lyued in peace For as longe as the Cytie was free and that the Capitaynes for the warres were elected by the Senate the Italyen nacions were euer in harnesse And hauynge subdued the Grecians and Barbaryens gate vnto theim selues the dominion of Lande and Sea Neyther was there anye clymate or parte of the worlde vnto the whyche the Romaynes stretched not theyr force But after that Augustus hadde obtayned the Empyre he released the Italyans from laboure and toke from theym theyr weapons and reteyned wyth hym for appoyncted wages onely certayne mercenarye Souldyours to defende the Romayne Empyre Then compassed he the boundes of hys Empyre wyth the greatnesse of Ryuerse and dytches wyth hyghe and sharpe hylles and wyth deserte places Wherfore when they harde that Seuerus was nighe with so greate an armye beyng not withoute cause with that vnaccustomed thynge astonyed when they durste neyther resyste him or forbyd hym passage thei mette hym crowned wyth lawrell and receaued hym into theyr Cytyes the gates beynge opened And he abydynge no longer in anye place then suffyced to do sacryfyce and speake vnto the people kepte on hys iorney towardes Rome When this was declared vnto Iulianus he thought hymselfe vtterly vndonne he hadde so oftentymes harde of the power and multytude of the Illyryan armye For he mystrusted the people of whom he knewe himselfe hated neyther had he great affiauÌ„ce in his garde because he had deceaued theÌ„ Wherefore hauinge gathered togither a greate some of money partely of hys owne and partelye of hys fryndes and what so euer he fouÌ„de eyther in the temples or anye other places he distributed it amonges the Souldiours that thereby he myghte reconcyle theyr fauour But they althoughe they hadde receaued many ample gyftes rendred no thankes interpreting their dutie to be nowe paide and not one benefite bestowed on them Furthermore althoughe the friendes of Iulyanus perswaded hym to leade furthe an armie and kepe the straites of the Alpes for this Alpes are moste hyghe hylles wherof the lyke are not in thys Regyon stretched furthe in the maner of a wall and compassing all Italy as thoughe nature for the more felicitie of the countrey hadde added this one heape that it myght haue a munycion vnpreignable stretchinge from the Northerne vnto the Southerne sea yet durste he not ones go furthe of the Cyte But sente vnto the Souldiours desiring them to arme and exercyse them selues and to caste a trenche before the Citye Hym selfe prepared all apparayle for the warre within the Cyte selfe especially he endeuoured to breake the Elephantes whome he had before ordeined for Pompe and triumphe to suffre sittars one theÌ„ thynking that the Illirian Souldiours and theyr horses should be put in feare with the sighte and greatnes of those bestes whose like thei had neuer before seane And all the Cyte was busied with forging of armure and makynge of warlycke instrumentes But whiles the Souldiours of Iulyanus delayed the tyme in apparelling them selues to battayle newes wer brought that Seuerus was ariued euen at hande He had sente many of hys Souldiours priuely
nature and gentle dyspoâ—â—cyon yet beyng iustly moued with their vntruth anâ— reuolte he sent vnto bothe the Cities all the Mauritâ—â—yan Slyngers that were in hys seruyce and wyth â—hem a companye of archers whome he coÌ„maunded to slea euery one they encountred and to destroy and burne the Cytyes selues And truely the Moores being a nacyon naturally fierce and cruell couetyng slâ—ughter sturdy in enterprises and lyke meÌ„ desperate despising all daunger of death dyd sodeynly oppresse tâ—e Laodicians and hauynge tormented the people â—here wyth all kynde of crueltye and ransaked the Cytie departed from thence vnto Tyre The which after they had despoiled euery man of his substaunâ—e and coÌ„mytted muche murdre they wholly burned and rased to the earth Whyles these cruell actes wâ—re thus executed in Syria and whyles Niger was busied in waging and mustering an other armie Sâ—uerus Souldiours besyeged the munycyon of the mountayne Taurus beyng very pensyfe and wythouâ— hope of vyctorye for that it was by it selfe myghtye â—nd inpreygnable and dfended also wyth the steape hygh hyll But when they were nowe wearyed and theyr enemyes restynge in safetye sodeynly loo in the nyghte powred downe vehemente shoures whyche fylled all places with snow and rayne as commonâ—e in Cappadocia the winter is very roughe and tempâ—stuous chiefly at the mouÌ„tayne Taurus Wherby â— sodayn brooke brast furth wyth a meruaylous troublesome streame and beyng letted from hys ryghte course for the munityon stopped hys passage it waxed more huge violent so that when the wall nature ouercomminge arte could not sustayne so myghtye a brunte the ioyntes beynge by lytle and lytle loused and the foundacyons from their places remoued y e streame made to it selfe open way When the garryson whyche garded the entrye ones that perceyued dreadyng least they should be by their enemyes enclosed no staye or defence to the contrarye remayning assoone as the water were asswaged they forsoke theyr stacions and made shifte for theym selues by flyght Then the Seuerian Souldyours reioysed and hartened them selues as thoughe thymmortall Goddes guyded them And knowing that the place was of theyr enemyes abandoned they easelye wythoute resistence passed ouer Taurus and entred into Cilicia Nyger hearynge hereof hauinge leuyed an huge armye but yet not skylfull of warlike trauayle made greate hast towardes them by long iourneyes a wonderfull multytude of men and almost al the youthe of Antyoche folowing him as their generall gouernoure and pryncypall Capytayne wyth muche myrthe but nothyng comparable vnto the Illyrian Souldidurs eyther in prowesse or knowledge of warfare In this araye they ariued nyghe vnto a place named Sinus Issicus in a mightye and large playne the whyche beyng on euerye syde enuyorned wyth hyghe mountaynes in fourme lyke a Theatre hadde a steepe banke extendynge farre alonge by the Sea as it were a fyelde fasshyoned by nature conuenyente to darreigne batayle in Yea the report is that in the same place at a cruell and very bloudy batayle Darius was by Alexander vanquisshed and taken thenhabitauÌ„tes of the Septentrion then preuaylyng against the nacions of thorient There remaineth at this day as a token witnes of the same victorye the Citie of Alexandria situate vpon an high hyl therby and a brasen Image of Alexander by whome the Citie is so named It chauÌ„ced besides that not onely the metynge of Seuerus and Nigers armyes in that place but theyr fortune was also lyke For they remayned on bothe sydeâ— aboute euenynge tyde readye to the batayle And thâ— passed ouer the nyght in hope and feare wythout reâ—te or sleape And at the Sonne rysynge the Capytaynes on eyther syde hauynge encouraged theyr Soulâ—yours ran togither with an in credible stoutenes as thoughe in that fynall batayle they woulde ende the â—este of theyr hope and feare fortune at that seasoÌ„ arbytratyng who should be Emperour of Rome When they had of longe space fyersely foughten there was so greate slaughter commytted that the ryuers flowing alonge by the plaine did run into the Sea with greater aboundaunce of bloud theÌ„ of water Finally the Oryentalles were ouerthroweÌ„ and discomfited the Illirians pursued them at their backes so nyghe that many of them beyng wounded were drenched in the Sea The other fledde into the high hilles nighe at hande where they were by y e pursuers slaine and with them a great numbre of rurall people who came togither out of the nexte Cityes add Vyllages to beholde the batayle from aboue as from a sure holde and stronge Fortresse But Nyger hym selfe escaped from the fyelde vpon a swyft Courser vnto Antyoche from whence also despayrynge of all good successe and seynge the people amased and runnynge to and fro lamentynge wyth howlynges and teares the deathe of theyr bretherne and chylderne he furthwyth fledde And beyng hydden in a certayn village of the same Region was there fouÌ„d by the horsemen and beheaded This ende of life had Niger receiuing worthy reward for his delayes and protracting of time A maÌ„ as they say in other thynges very moderate vpright After Niger was slain Seuerus incoÌ„tinently did put to death all his frendes which either of their own free willes or by coÌ„straint had fauored him onely he pardoned the Souldiours who through feare of Seuerus wrath were fled ouer Tigre vnto the Barbaâ—iens And in dede to theÌ„ was a great multitude escapâ—d Wherby it came to passe y t the barbarous nacions â—roÌ„ thence forwarde waxed more valiauÌ„t stronge in fight against y e Romaines beyng onely expert before to shote wyth the bowe froÌ„ theyr horses not apparayled in harnesse or bolde to fyghte wyth speare and sworde but couered wyth lyghte and longe garmentes they did most commonlye throwe theyr dartes and shoote theyr arrowes in fleyng awaye But after that many of the Romayne Souldyours and Artyfycers came to enhabyte and leade theyr lyues in those Regyons the barbarous people learned not onelye to weare armure but also to forge and make the same When Seuerus had fynysshed hys affayres in the Oryente according to his owne mynd he toke an ardente desyre to make warre vpon the Atrenyan kynge to conquere the Realme of Parthia bothe the whyche Nyger had before assocyated vnto hym But yet deferrynge those warres vntyll an other tyme he begaÌ„ to inuent by what meanes he myght assuredly establysh the Romayne Empyre to hym selfe and hys chyldren For Nyger being dispatched there remained no more sauing onely Albynus who he reckened woulde do lytle after his mynde or stande hym in small steade the rumour beyng alreadye spredde that he vsurped the dignytye name of Cesar ouer arrogantlye and that manye of the Senators had wrytten pryuelye vnto hym encouragyng hym to retourne to Rome whyles Seuerus were absente and busyed in the Oryent for all the nobylytye wysshed Albinus Emperour because he was descended of noble and famouse lygnage him selfe beyng a yonge man of great towardnes and gentle disposycyon All
whych ententes when Seuerus knew thynkynge it not good to worke wyth open enmytie and manyfeste warre hauynge none occasyon that myghte seme honest thereunto he determyned to cyrcumuente hym wtih preuy Treason and close deceit Wherefore he sente wyth letters of Commyssion vnto Albynus certayne of the moste trustye and faythefull Purseuauntes whyche vsed to carye themperiall letters whome he commaunded that hauynge delyuered those lettres vnto hym they should say they had other secrete matters to declare so that al other were commaunded to auoidaunce And then getinge hym from his garde thei should sodeinly murder hym He delyuered poyson also vnto them wherewith they should yf it were possible allure his taster eyther of meate or drincke to dyspatche him But Seuerus truthe was suspected of Albinus frendes And therefore thei admonyshed hym to beware of that false and desloyall person full of disceit treason For he was manifestly knowen to be a periured and vntrue man hauing by their owne childerne entysed Nigers Capitaynes to betray their maister And then after he had abused their labour and brought all hys purpose as he wold to passe slâ—we bothe them and theyr childerne Wherefore hys Actes them selues made apparaunte hys vnfaythfuâ—â— and noughty dysposycion And for that cause Alâ—ynus strengthened hym selfe with a greater and stronger garde then he was accustomed permitting no messanger sent from Seuerus to be lette in rashely vnto hym except he fyrste laide a syde his weapon and were throughely serched Now when the purseuauÌ„tes were arriued from Seuerus and hauinge openly deâ—iuered their letters sayed that they had other secrete â—â—structions to vtter priuelye vnto hym Albynus incontinenly suspecting the mater caused them to be apprehended And then by seuerall examinacions hauâ—nge founde out the truth and by order perceyued the hole Treason caused execution oute of hande to be done vpon the offenders And prepared hym selfe agaâ—nst Seuerus as his apparauÌ„t enemye The whyche tâ—inge when Seuerus knewe beynge a man of wrathâ—full and cruell nature he resolued to hynde no lenâ—er the despyte and hatred he bare to Albynus Wherefore he called the hole armie togithers and made thiâ— oracion vnto them ¶ No man oughte tâ—embrayde me of ouer moche lyghtnes for that I haâ—e heretofore done neyther accompte me false and vngratefull towardes hym whoÌ„ I reputed for my frendâ— I haue performed all thynges Yea I haue receyued hym into the soeretie of my dominion beinge now moste perfectlye establyshed the which thing a man wyll scarselye doo to his owne brother And that whiche you haue vnto me onely delyuered the same haue I with hym participated But all thiese our bountefull benefites hath Albinus moste shamefully recompensed contempnynge oure prowesse forgetting his allegiaunce and coueytynge with perill the hole rule wherof he myght haue bene partaker without batayle or contencion He feareth not y e Goddes by whoÌ„ he hath so ofteÌ„ sworne Neither dothe he consyder or fauoure your laborious trauayles whyche you haue wyth so greate renowne and glorye for our sake sustayned And assuredly him selfe wanted not the profites of our successes Yea hadde he obserued his fidelitee the gretest porcion had ben his And as a man yf he be authour of myschiefe shall be accompted vnryghteous so yf he reuenge nat the iniurye receyued he shalbe esteamed a cowarde When we made warre agaynste Niger we had not so iuste and lawfull causes of anger bycause we hated him not as a bereuer and robber of theÌ„pyre for the same hanging in the myddes and then wauering in coÌ„trouersye eyther of vs affected and drewe vnto him selfe with equall enclosure But Albinus neglecting hys loyaulty allegiauÌ„ce and othe after he hath obtained by our large liberalitee the honours whiche are onelye geuen to our lawfull children had rather become our noysome enemy theÌ„ our freÌ„dely familiar Wherefore as we bewtifyed hym with our manyfolde benefytes of honour and glory euen so let vs nowe wyth force and strength conuince and daunte hys trayterous and feable harte As for tharmy of that small Ilande is not able to sustayne or abyde the brunte of your might For seynge ye haue youre selfes almoste alone by your owne valyaunt prowesse subdued the hole orient who wold doute but at this preseÌ„t thrugh the ioyneng of so great power for here is welnye the hole Romayne armie you would not ouerthrow and put to flyghte so small a number who hathe serued vnder a man beyng neyther sober nor valiaunte Capitaine for who is I praye you ignoraunte of his voluptuouse lyfe more agreable to Heardes of Swine theÌ„ to LegioÌ„s of Soulâ—iors Let vs therfore valiauÌ„tly set forward against hâ—m w t the stoutenes we haue accustomed affienge ouâ— selues in the Goddes so wickedly by him coÌ„tempned as principall guides of oure voyage and myndefull of the victorious signes by vs heretofore erected the whiche he hath also vtterly despised WheÌ„ Seuerus had this moch spokeÌ„ incoÌ„tineÌ„tly thole armie pronoâ—ed Albynus their commune enemy And hauing reâ—â—iued Seuerus w t ioyful acclamacions shewed by â—â—eyr shoutes their good willes towardes him thei enâ—med y e maÌ„ w t an inestimable hope added to his enteâ—â—ryse Wherefore after he had liberally destributed amoÌ„ges the Souldiors grete giftes he led theÌ„ al forwaâ—â—es against Albinus hauinge seÌ„t also a crewe of meÌ„â—â—rifle rase BizaÌ„tium which was yet shut after the â—â—ceipt of Nigers Souldiours The which Citie beinâ— at leÌ„gth by famyne coÌ„quered defaced the Theater â—he hote bathes al other goodly buildenges therof vâ—erly destroied it selfe reduced into y e forme of a vilâ—ge was giueÌ„ vnto the PerinthiaÌ„s as Antioche waâ—â—nto the LaodiciaÌ„s Then he exacted grete somes of â—oney to repayre the Cityes which the NigriaÌ„ Souâ—â—iors had batered despoiled Hym selfe coÌ„tinued hiâ—â—orney w toute intermissioÌ„ not gretly regarding y e holâ—â—aies or any painefull labor For he was equally paâ—â—eÌ„t of colde heate trauailing ofteÌ„ times bareheaded â—â—er y e highe craggy mouÌ„taines in the bytter shaâ—â—e winter when the snow fell coÌ„tinually out of y e skie â–ª Wherby he stirred his Souldiors as with his own â—aÌ„ple vnto alacrite of minde and sufferauÌ„ce of labor â—use trauailes For thei were not coÌ„strained to abide â—â—ose paines thrugh ani feare or straite law coÌ„mauâ—â—ement but rather thrugh a certaine emulacioÌ„ exâ—â—ple of their Prince He sent certayne also before to â—â—ke the streites of the Alpes and to defende the entrâ— and passages into Italie Now when Albinus hâ—rde that Seuerus made no delaye in the mater but 〈◊〉 as eueÌ„ at haÌ„d being before as it were in a dreame aâ—d passynge the tyme in ydle pleasures he was now stryken wyth a meruaylouse and sodeyne feare Neuerthelesse he furthewith lauÌ„ched out of Britaine vnto the coste of Fraunce right ouer aneanste it where on the shore he pytched hys campe and sente letters vnto the Rulers of the nexte nacions desyring them to sende hym money and victualles for the ayde and sustenaunce of his armye Thei
that obeyed his commaundemente or requeste dyd moste vnhappely prouyde for them selfes beynge after the battayle put to deathe wyth dyuerse terryble tormentes And those whyche set at noughte hys rule and power although thei did the same more happely then prudently yet escaped they without harme or domage when as the chaunce and fortune of thynges dyscerned bothe theyr counselles When the Seuerian power was entered into Fraunce the skyrmyshes were lyght and volant at the fyrste vntyll at length the grete conflict was geuen at Lions a great and riche Citye For Albynus remayninge hym selfe within the Citye sente furthe his Souldiours to the bataile And when y e two armies ioyned haÌ„de to haÌ„de the batayle endured a longe space with equall streÌ„gth on eyther syde so that the fortune of the victorye depended doubtfull For the Britons were nothyng inferiour to the Illirians eyther in stowtenes of stomake or gredines of slaughter Thus in the fyrste onset the frontes of two moste valiaunte armyes did to neyther syde enclyne or ones recule Yea as manye Authours of the same tyme who wrote it nat for any perciall â—auoure but accordynge to the truthe haue lefte in memorye the whynge of Albynus Armye was the better and of more strenghte againste the bande that Seuerus ledde so that he fledde and fell from hys horse and throwenge awaye hys cote armure hydde hym selfe But whyle the Britâ—ns pursued reioysynge euen as perfecte Conquerours sodeynlye appeared Letus one of Seuerus Capitaynes wyth a freshe Crewe of men who was reproued and yll spoken of by the Souldyours as though he hadde of purpose houered for to see the chaunce of the batayle protracted the tyme and detained them from settynge forewarde that he myghte therebye haue raught the Romayne Empyre to hym selfe For he moued not a foote towardes the fyelde before he was certyfyed of Seuerus ouerthrowe Whiche suspycyon the happe afterwardes ratyfyed For after al thynges were â—et in ordre and Seuerus was at heartes ease althoughe he benefycyally rewarded all hys other Capitaynes with great and riche giftes yet beyng myndefull of Letus â—esloyaltie and Treason he put hym as was expedyente to deathe But these thynges were done afterwardes Then as we before rehearsed at Letus arryuall the Seuerians recouered perfyte hope and Seuerus hym selfe was put vpon hys horse and gyrte wyth a robe of purple And seyng the Albynians who thoughte them selues vyctoryous vanquysshers scattered abrode oute of ordre thys fresshe bande of men sodenlie set vpon them And fynallye after a lytle ressystence compelled them to turne theyr backes and flee away whome beynge ouerthrowen and dysperâ—led the Seuerians pursued and entred into the Citye The number of them that were on eyther parte slayne is dyuerselye lefte in memorye as it pleased the wryters of that age Oute of hand than was the Cytâ—e of Lyons ransaked burnt and destroied and the head of Albinus stryken of and broughte to Seuerus Thus were two notable victoryes obtained in y e East North. So that there is nothynge that a man may compare vnto the contencyons and factes of Seuerus yf he consyder eyther the multytude of men the râ—ysing vp of nacions the nuÌ„bre of batayles or elles the lengthe and spedy celeryte of iourneyes In dede the affayres of Cesar agaynste Pompeius eyther of them hauynge to his assistence the Romayne Souldyours were great and meruailous so were those of Auâ—â—stus agaynste Anthonyus or Pompeius sonnes â–ª And so were the batayles bothe Ciuile and Forreyâ—e betwene Silla and Marius But a man shall nâ— easely fynde suche an other as thys who dispatcheâ— awaye three Emperours alreadye possessed of the domynyon who circumuented with fraude and couine the Citie armye whiche garded Rome selfe and the Senate house who also procured one of the Prynces to be murdered wythin themperyall Palayce destroyed an other in the Oryent whych obtained the chiefe gouernement was erst by the Romaines taken as Emperour finally broughte into his subiectyon the thyrde whiche was endued with the name honour and aucthority of Cesar This ende of life had Albinê° enioying but a smal while his mortall and bloudye dignitie After whose death Seuerus powred out al the Irous crueltie and fyerce wrath of his minde vpon the frendes alies of Albynus And fyrst hauynge sente hys heade vnto the Citie and commaunded that it shoulde be fastened openly vpon an highe gybbet in the latter eande of an Epistle wherin he certyfyed the people of his victorye he wrote thys also that he sent Albynê° head vnto Rome of purpose to be loked on to theÌ„tent theysholde take example euidente what them selues should lykewise suffer Then after he had set in ordre thaffayres of Brytayne deuided into .ij. partes thadministracyon of thole Ile and appeased all Fraunce accordyng as he thought to hys owne mynde and put to deathe all Albynus frendes whom eyther free wil or necescitie hadde ioyned vnto hym he set forwardes immediately towardes Rome leadyng thole army with hym to thentent he might seme y e more terrible And hauyng fynisshed his iourney with swyft spede as he accustomed being enemye mortall vnto Albinê° frendes he entered into the Citie where al the people met receiued him w t great reuerence ioyfull shoutes And thole Senate togithers welcomed him Notwithstanding feare had greatly astonied some of them for they were sure y t he wolde not spare theÌ„ being of hys own nature ouer outragious theÌ„ hauing probable occasions of hatred against theÌ„ After he was entred into the TeÌ„ple of Iupiter he there finished y e accustomed rites of sacrifice theÌ„ retorned to thimperial palayce Anone after he distributed liberallye amonges the people riche giftes iâ— token of victory rewarded y e souldiours w t great suÌ„mes of money gaue theÌ„ many thinges they neuer receiued before For firste he augmented the substauÌ„ce of their corne permitted them to weare ringes of golde euery of theÌ„ to kepe a womaÌ„ in his house Al which being dysagreable to warlike discipline seamed theretofore vnprofytable to theÌ„ which were euer prest ready to the batayle And he fyrst of all other altered the austeritie hardnes of theyr liuing the tolerauÌ„ce of trauailes and all their accustomed reuerence towarde their Capitaynes hauing brought y e Souldiors acquainted w t the gredy gaping for money and the loue of y e Citie comelines When he had after this sort set these affaires in good ordre as him selfe supposed he came at length into the Senate house And there sittyng in theÌ„perial Throne he began with a cruell oracion to detecte the frendes of Albynus shewing furth certaine of their priuy Epistles which he had fouÌ„d with Albinus He reproued some for that they bestowed many bouÌ„tiful giftes vpon him And menaced al other which eyther fauored thorientalles or were of familiare acquaintaunce w t Albynus By these meanes he dyd wythout respecte put to deathe euery notable and prudente
Senatour al other y e bare any rule in the prouynces or excelled in byrth or ryches auengyng hym selfe as he made semblaunte vpon hys enemyes but in deade couetousenesse was the onely cause wherw t he of al other Emperors was most intached For as he gaue place to no man were he euer so commendable in pacience of mynde perseueraunce in laboures and glorye of warfare euen so beynge aboue all measure addicted vnto auaryce he heaped treasure throughe vniuste murders executed vpon euerye tryflyng cause somtime without anye at all enioying thempyre rather throughe force and feare then anye beneuolence or good wyll of the people Neuertheles at the fyrste he would seme familiare affable in settyng out gorgeous shewes and pageauntes of al sortes w t the sleing of an C. cruell beastes at a tyme the whyche he had sent for out of our owne and Barbarouse Regyons He gaue besydes ryche rewardes and publysshed a sumpteous game gettynge from all partes valylyaunte Champyons and cunnynge wrestlers We sawe also in the tyme of hys Reygne sundrye playes of all sortes set furthe in all the Theatres with supplycatyons and watches lyke the sacryfyces of Ceres The same are called Seculer celebrated as they reporte at the ende onely of euery thyrde age And the common Cryers went throughe al the Citye and all Italye callynge all men to the Playes whyche they neuer sawe before nor thereafter shoulde se sygnyfyyng thereby that the space of tyme betwene the celebracion passed that was to come exceded al thage of a man Now Seuerus after he had soiourned a while at Rome and partycypated the regymente of thempyre wyth hys .ii. sonnes perceyuyng hym selfe to be famouse as yet but by one Cyuyle vyctorye obtained agaynste the Romayne power for the whyche also he had refused to Tryumphe determyned to become notable wyth the ouerthrowe and standardes of the Barbaryens Wherfore vnder coloure of reuenging hym selfe vpon Barsemius kynge of the Atrenyens who had assysted Nyger he led hys armye into thoryent And there beyng at the verye poynte to inuade Armenia he was preuented by the kynge therof who sente vnto hym wyllynglye bothe pledges and presētes humblye desyrynge that he myghte entre into frendshyppe and conclude a peace wyth hym After the whyche done Seuerus seyng hys purpose in Armenia proceade as hym selfe wysshed helde on hys iourney towardes the Atrenians And Agbarus the kynge of the Osrohenians came also and yelded him selfe vnto hym And delyuerynge hys chyldren as hostages amplyfyed the truste of hys truthe and loyaltye conceyued by sendynge to the increase of hys armye a greate power of Archers From hence Seuerus passed ouer the Realme of Interamna and the fyeldes of the Albenyans and made a rode into Arabye the fertyle from whence come all the sweete odyferous herbes whyche we vse for pleasaunt◠vapours and perfumes And hauing there destroyed ma-many Cities villages and wasted the hole cuntrey he entred into Atrenia There he besyeged the Citye of Atras beyng buylded vpon an high Rocke cōpassed wyth mightye and stronge walles and fortifyed with a wonderfull puyssaunt garrison of Archers Wherefore the Seuerian hoste assaulted this Citye with all the force thei had and moued to the walles Towres engyns of all sortes omytting nothyng that might auaile to the assaulte and batterye of the same On the other syde the Atrenyans stowtely defended theyr Citie shootinge and throwing downe arowes dartes and stones wherewith thei gretely vexed the Seuerians Thei threwe downe also earthē vesselles fylled with certayne wynged venemous lytle beastes The whiche falling vpon the eyes and faces of the Seuerians or elles creapynge by lytle and lytle in at the open partes of their bodies dyd ryghte sharpely stynge and wounde them The Romayne Souldiours besydes were fallen into diseases beyng vnable to away with the feruentnes of the ayre there because it was to extremely hote throughe the continaunce of the Sonne so that by thiese casualties mamy more of them perished then by the handes of their enemyes Wherefore Seuerus perceyuinge them all for wearied and worne the sieage not prospering and the hoste receyuinge more domage and losse thē gayne or profyt determyned before they vtterlye peryshed to lede them from thence verye sorowefull that they departed withoute atchieuing their entended enterpryse For beyng theretofore accustomed to wynne the victorie in all batayles thei then accompted them selues ouercomen for that they had not vanquished But fortune euermore fauorable vnto them so prouided that thei retourned not w tout any thinge done but with more fortunate successe then thei loked for For the hole armye beyng shypped in sundrie vesselles arriued not as thei fyrste purposed at the hauen of Rome but throughe the rage and vyolence 〈◊〉 the waues were driuen to lande in the costes of Parthian nat farre from the Citie of Ctesiphon wherein standeth the Palayce royal of the Parthenyā Kinge Who then liuing in reste and reckening the warres which Seuerus had with the Atremās nothing pertinent to his charge did not in that his ydle tranquillitie suspecte or thinke vpon any peril or myshappe towardes hymselfe entended When the Seueria armye was as I sayd by vehemencie of weather driuen on lande at the bankes of this Royaulme thei began oute of hāde to spoyle and ryfle all the Cuntrey driuing before them all the heardes of Catel and flockes of sheepe thei founde And burning many vyllages in their waye thei marched by small iorneyes to the Citye selfe of Ctesiphō in the which the great Artabanus then laye And there fyndenge the Barbarouse people vnpurueyed of defence thei slew all that resisted sacked the Citie and caryed away as Captiues bothe women and children The king hym selfe with a fewe horsemen only escaped His treasure ornamentes and householde stuffe the Seuerians as conquerours seased vpon and then retourned Thus Seuerus more thrughe fauorable fortune then prudent policye obtayned the Parthian Conquest After the prosperous atchieuinge wherof he sente vnto the Senate and people of Rome gloriouse Letters full of ostentaciō Tables wherin were gorgeouslie paynted and at length sette out his myghty batailes and valiaunt victories For the which the Senate decreed many honours vnto him and gaue him the surnames of the nacions by hym before Conquered In the meane whyle after this happe in the orientall affaires he retourned towardes Rome hauīg his two Sonnes who were then of rype age in hys Companie And after he had finished his iorney cōmitted the rule of y e prouinces vnto those which lyked hym best and mustered the Misians Pannonyens he finally entered into the Citie with Triumphe The people receyued hym w t ioyfull shoutes and all other Ceremonies to the same appertaining vnto whome he graunted certayne extraordynary holye dayes sacryfyces and shewes And hauynge gyuen amonges theim great giftes hym selfe also solemnyzed sundrye playes for his victorye After this he remained a longe tyme at Rome sate
oftentymes in iudgemente vpon the Cytye controuersies and gaue hys hole mynde to enstructe hys chyldren But they beyng yonge men had corrupted their disposicions wyth sensuall pleasures of the Citye and ouermoche delyte in riotting and vaulting The Bretherne also fell at varyaunce wythin theim selues theyr debate risynge of childishe contencion and boyishe brawle in settynge fourthe cockefightes quaylefyghtes and the wrestlynge of lytle boyes For what soeuer thei had seene or hearde in the Theatre thei euer lyked it diuersly the one not louyng that the other did but the thinge whiche was acceptable vnto thone incoÌ„tinently became odious to the other theyr Parasitâ— and seruauÌ„tes egging theÌ„ to discencion flatering them to thenteÌ„t thei might allure theyr maisters to theyr owne noughty wyll appetites Whereof when Seuerus hearde he endeuoured to reconcyle them to correcte their corrupted maners And then vnto Bassianus who at that tyme enioyed thimperiall dignities honours had receyued the surname of Marcus beynge called Seuerus Antoninus was his eldest Sonne he gaue to wyfe the doughter of Plautianus the Lord great Mayster of his householde This Plautianus being as it is reported by byrthe of base estate was detected and founde gyltye of sedicion and other notorious crimes therfore punished w t vanyshemeÌ„t But he was Seuerus countrey man borne in Aphrique and as some coniecture nyghe of kynred vnto hym but as other surmyse rather gratefull vnto hym in vycyous lyuinge throughe the flowre and bewtye of his youth Hym did Seuerus enhauÌ„se froÌ„ simple and low degre vnto woÌ„derful abundaunce of Treasure And giuing vnto hym the goodes of many that were condeÌ„pned enriched him aboue all other refrainyng only from the admytting him into the gouernaunce of the empyre The whyche rychesse and lybertye he abusynge omytted no kynde of cruelty in doing what pleased hym and became more outragyouse then anye Prynce thertofore raygnynge His doughter as is sayde dyd Seuerus gyue for wife vnto his Sonne But Antonyne hym selfe was nothynge ioyful of the same enforced thereunto rather by necessitye then good wyll For to the vttermoste he detested the mayden and her father so that he vsed neyther one bed nor one house wyth her in suche wyse abhorrynge her that he dayly menaced to put her father her vnto deathe assoone as by hym selfe he should possesse thempyre The whiche when she had eftsones reported vnto her father and opened howe greatlye she was of her husbande disdaigned she kyndeled the maÌ„ maruaylouslye vnto wrathe So that Plautianus perceyuyng on the one syde Seuerus to be decrepite and aged and many tymes vexed wyth dyseases especyallye the gowte and on the other syde Antonius to be a fyerse stoute and cruell yonge man became veary fearefull of hys threatenynges and determyned to commyt some notable myschyefe before hym selfe perysshed There were manye thynges whych enflammed hym wyth ardente ambycyon of thempyre That is to weete hys aboundaunce of rychesse the lyke whereof no pryuate person at any time theretofore possessed the obedyence of the Souldyoure the great honoure he enioyed amonges al the Romaines and the ornamentes of apparaylle wherein he wente abrode For he ware a garmente called Latus Clauus and hadde bene twyse Consull He ware also a sworde and all other tokens of promocyon and dygnitie beyng wheresoeuer he went so terrible that he was not onely vnapproched vnto of any man but also yf anye by sodayne chaunce happened to meete him they woulde turne theyr faces from hym And what way so euer he made hys Iourneye he had certayne Vsshers going before him whiche coÌ„maunded euerye man to auoyde the stretes and no man to be so hardye as to beholde hym but to turne awaye theyr eyes and loke vpon the earthe The which when Seuerus knew him selfe toke it not paciently but grudged greatlye thereat so that he diminisshed muche of Plautianus aucthoritie and endeuored to perswade hym to abate somewhat at the least wise of his so insolent arrogancy But Plautianê° being therof impacient doubted not to compasse by conspiracy TreasoÌ„ thempyre selfe and therfore ymagined thys dryft There was a certayne Tribune named Saturninê° whiche chiefly reuerenced Plautianus and albeit all other did so likewise yet dyd he more and more crepe into his fauoure by a greater token and apparaunce of honouryng hym Thys man Plautianus reckened to be hys most trusty and faythfull frende and suche as onely woulde kepe secrete and close hys counsell and execute what so euer he should commaunde him And therfore sent for him in the euentide and hauing remoued al other aparte sayd these wordes vnto him ¶ Nowe is ê™ he the time come wherein thou muste make perfect thy loue obeysaunce towardes me of the whiche thou haste hytherunto shewed euidente proofe and wherin I may suffycyently recoÌ„pence thy desertes The choyse is gyuen vnto the whyther thou wylt eschew my daunger whom thou now seest and become vassalle vnto my power or ellis oute of hande perysh w t the worthy punishment of a stubburne stomake Feare thou not the greatnes of the enterpryse neither dismay thy selfe with the names of theÌ„perors It is lawful for the to go alone into the Chaumbers where they slepe as if y u diddest returne to the night watche thou maiest easely without any interruptioÌ„ atcheue what thou desyreste There is nothinge elles wherin thou shouldest longer awayt for my coÌ„maundement Go thy way now into the courte as thoughe thou haddest some priyue weighty message of mine to do and there as becommeth a valiaunt man murdre that olde manne and Boy wythin eyther of theyr Chaumbers And as thou arte partaker of the daunger euen so after it is eanded thou shalt enioy parte of the greatest honoures These woordes albeit they somewhat astonyed the Trybunes mynde yet dyd they not vtterlye confounde and expell hys counsell But as a man of a prompte and readye wytte for he was a Syryan borne and for the most parte thenhabytauntes of the Oryent are of exacte and sharpe iudgementes perceyuynge the frantyke folye and mere madnes of Plautianus and knowynge also what he was able to do durst not reprehende any thynge that was spoken leaste hym selfe shoulde furthewyth be slayne But faynyng that all he hadde hearde was acceptable vntoo hym fyrste he saluted Plautyanus as Emperoure and then requyred a lybell of hys hande concernynge the commaundemente of the sayd murdre For it was the vsage of Tyrauntes when they hadde wythoute lawfull iudgement commaunded anye manne to be put vnto deathe to gyue the charge therof wrytten in some lytell boke leaste there shoulde no argumente or proofe remayne of the same appoyntmente Wyth that Plautyanus blynded wyth ouer muche couetyse delyuered vnto the Trybune a boke and sente hym towardes the murdre wyllynge hym that assoone as he had slayne bothe the Prynces before the facte were publysshed he shoulde sende for hym to the entente he myghte be sene wythin themperyal
Treasure him selfe hadde gathered togither all the Temples filled with money and the richesse whiche encreased daylye of foreyne Tributes howe the Souldiours might through that abundaunce be retayned with ample and riche gyftes and how the mē of armes in the Citye were augmented foure times more thē thei were before and so greate an armye soiorned nyghe the Citye that no forreyn power yf a man considered the selfe multitude or the greatnes of their bodies or elles the abundaunce of money could be founde comparable vnto them But all thiese thinges he sayed wolde be of none effecte whiles the two brethren dysagreed kepte ciuell warre within them selues With rehersall hereof and entermedlyng corrections with praier he laboured to represse their insolent courages and to bringe them to an atonement and concorde But all was in vaine for thei had throwen the brydelles out of theyr mouthes beyng continually enclyned to the worste And although the yōge men through the feruencie of their youth and immoderate lycence were sturred too much alreadye vnto delytes of sundrye voluptuouse lustes yet were there euer redi at their elbowes flockes of parasites which allured them vnto diuerse cōtrary disposicions not only extolling their dissolute vices but also inuēting newe pleasures wherwith the one myght be pleased and the other offēded Of the which parasites Seuerus hym selfe apprehended many in the verye minystery of theyr flatterye and therefore dyd put theim to death As the olde man was thus in mynde molested wyth the sensuall and vnhoneste lyfe and delytes of hys Sonnes he receyued letters from hys lyuetenaunte of Englande wherby he was enformed how the barbarouse people rebelled and wasted thole Region with inuasions and Commocions Wherefore he neaded a greater puyssaunce of men to resiste and suppresse them there wanted the Emperours presēce also Glad was Seuerus hereof for beynge a man of his owne nature greadie of renowne after his vyctories in thoriente and Septententrion and his surnames by y e same obtained he coueyted to make some Conquest ouer the Englyshemen And to lede hys Sones fourthe of the Citie that being farre from the pleasures therof thei might accustome them selfes to warlike and sober dyet Wherfore he proclaimed his expedicion into Britayne beynge very olde and sore troubled with the goute but yet of so valiaunte a stomake as neuer was any yonge man In hys iorney he roade moost communely in a horse litter neuer resting longe in any place When he had ended his voyage and passed the Ocean Sea with as muche celeritee as can be thoughte he entred into Brytaine mustered his Souldiours hauing gathered a wōderfull power togithers and prepared hym selfe to batayle The Britons beynge astonied and agaste wyth thys so sodeine arriuall of themperour And hearinge that so huge an host was assembled against them sēt Ambassadors vnto him to purge their misdemeanours entreate for peace But Seuerus makinge delaies of purpose lest he shuld retorne to Rome w tout ani thīg done being very desyrous of y e Cōquest Surname of Britaine dismissed the Ambassadors home againe w tout any resolute answere geuē to their suite Him selfe with circumspecte industrie prepared all thinges expediente vnto the warre And his chiefest care was to buylde bridges ouer and in the marishes to thentente hys Souldiours myghte stande and fyghte in safetye For manye places in Britaine are full of watery maryshes throughe the often flowynge ouer of the Ocean Sea By those maryshes dyd the Brytons swymme and skyrmyshe therin wyth theyr enemyes beyng couered wyth water vp vnto the nauell and not muche caring that men se the priuy partes of theyr naked bodyes Neyther dyd they knowe the vse of apparaile but accustomed to compasse their belyes and neckes onely wyth Iron whych they estemed an ornament and token of richesse as other barbarous people supposed golde They paynte theyr bodies wyth dyuerse pyctures and fourmes of beastes and therefore weare no garmente least the paynting shoulde be hydden beynge a nacion verye valiaunte and warlyke gredye of slaughter and contente onely wyth a small target a speare and a skeyne hangynge by theyr naked sydes ignoraunte vtterlye of thuse of shyrtes of mayle and helmettes for they reckened the same cumberous vnto them whē they should swim ouer the lakes throughe whose vapours and heate the ayre is there alwayes mystye and darke Seuerus omytted nothyng vndone that myghte auayle the Romaine Souldiours and endomage the Britons And when all thynges were prepared as hym selfe wysshed he lefte hys yonger Sonne named Geta in a parte of the Isle whyche was subiecte vnto the Romaines to se to the iudgementes of matters in law thadminystracyon of Cyuile affayres vnto whom he appoynted as Counsellours certaine of hys frendes beynge graue Personages And hym selfe toke Antonyne in hys companye agaynste the Brytons After the Romayne armye was passed the Ryuers and Bulwarkes whyche beyng buylded ouer aneanst the Brytons at that tyme eanded the boundes of the Romayne Empyre there were foughten manye lyghte skyrmysshes wherof at al tymes the Romaines were vyctours But the flyghte ftom them was easye vnto the Barbarous for they hidd them selues in woodes lakes and other secrete corners wherwith they were throughlye acquaynted All the whyche beynge contraryous vnto the Romaynes caused muche delay in the warre In the meane season a greuouse disease came vpon Seuerus beyngesore appaled wyth age so that he was constrained to kepe his Chambre and sende Antonine vnto the warres there to execute themperours offyce But Antonine not regardynge any busynesse of the Brytons endeuoured by all the meanes he could to winne and confyrme the heartes of the Souldyours vnto hym deprauynge often tymes his brother to thentente they should onely obey and ayde hym to the attaynynge of the Soueraignytye The longe maladye of hys father and the slowe procrastynacyon of hys death caused the yonge man to be verye pensyfe and doubtfull so that he laboured to perswade hys fathers Physycions and mynysters to rydde in anye case wyth all celerytye possyble the olde man oute of the world vntyll that Seuerus beyng rather throughe thoughte then syckenes consumed eanded hys lyfe who was the moste famouse of all Emperours in warlyke affayres For none other had obtayned so manye vyctoryes and Conquestes eyther Cyuyle agaynste hys aduersaries or forreyne agaynst the Barbarous nacyons Thus deceased he after he had gouerned thempyre the space of .xviii. yeres leauynge hys Sonnes for hys successours in the same vnto whome he lefte also so greate aboundaūce of riches as none of his predecessours had before him done and a greater army then anye forreyne power was able to resyste When Anthonyne had ones gotten the Supreame aucthorytye he began to destroye euery man from the verie bedde syde as the prouerbe sayth For he put to deth the Phisicians because they obeyed not hys commaundemente in hastyng hys fathers deathe And slewe all hys owne and brothers Nouryces and
coÌ„monly called Phari Now wheÌ„ thei haue put the bedde in the Seconde Tabernacle they gather togythers all kyndes of spicerie and perfumes w t diuerse odoriferous fruites herbes iuyces the which thei throwe on heapes in the Tabernacle Neither is ther any nacion Citie or person whiche excelleth in honour or dignitie but at y e time wil to the vttermost of hys powere honorably celebrate the laste funeralles of theÌ„perour When thei haue couched a great heape of spices togithers stuffed y e building therewyth all the Romaine knightes do ride about y e Towre w t a iuste course order to fro called of theÌ„ Pirrhichius Chariottes are also draweÌ„ about wherin many do sit clothed in purple represeÌ„tiÌ„g y e persoÌ„s of all noble meÌ„ being Magistrates Capitaines of Rome The Ceremonies being thrughly ended the Successor in thempire taketh a braÌ„de of fire in his haÌ„de fireth therw t the Tabernacle After whoÌ„ all other y t are preseÌ„t doo throwe fire likewyse into the same And immediatly al y e buildiÌ„g being filled w t those drie stickes spices begiÌ„neth to burne vehemeÌ„tli Then out of y e highest lest Towre as out of a hyghe steaple is let fourthe an Egle the whyche they beleue dothe beare Themperours soule into heauen And from thence fourthe is that Emperour worshypped as the other Goddes When these twoo yonge menne had after thys sorte consecrated theyr parent they returned home where they dayly exercysed priuye grudges lying in awayte one for an other and ymagynyng al y e meanes wherby they myght entrappe eyther other Fynallye they omytted nothynge wherewyth eyther of them might destroy and defeate other and aspire to thole Monarchye by hym selfe Besydes that the myndes of all the noble men and Cytezyns whych had anye honourable offyce or dygnytye were seuered into dyuerse faccyons either of the brethren sending theyr secrete letters to allure wyth sundrye promyses manye vnto theyr pryuate appetytes The greater parte leaned vnto Geta because he shewed a greate token of goodnes behaued hym selfe modestly in theyr companyes and vsed honest studyes For he retayned commonlye aboute hym manye that were well learned and exercysed hym selfe in wrastelyng and other lyke coÌ„mendable recreacyons And wyth hys gentle hauoure towardes all men he wanne very manie vnto hys frendeshyp and loue through a certaine pryncypal glory But Antonyne in contrary wyse behaued hym selfe in all thynges more cruellye For being alienat from the maners I before rehearsed he affected to seme an embracer of warlike lyfe and company And through orderyng all matters irefully he purchased vnto him selfe frendshyp rather through menacyng and feare then geÌ„tle perswasions or good wyl Now after their Mother had a long time in vain endeuored to reduce theÌ„ into brotherly concord and vnitie it semed best to deuide theÌ„pyre betwene theÌ„ Wherfore hauing called togither theyr fathers frendes they agreed of y e same dyuision So that all Europe fel vnto Antonines lot the lande ouer aneansâ—e it called Asya was appointed vnto Geta. Therbi either of theÌ„ as it wer thrugh a certaine diuine prouideÌ„ce should be seperated w t the Sea of Propontis And it was concluded y e Antonynes army should remaine in BizantiuÌ„ and Getas in Chalcedon a Citie of Bithinia The which Cities being situate one against y e other should defend either of theyr limittes prohibyte theÌ„ bothe from inuasions As many Senators as were of Europe shold remain in Rome al the rest attend vpon Geta who appointed for the Seates royall of his dominion Antioche Alexandrie bothe Cities of greatnes not muche inferyor to Rome Then of the inhabitauÌ„tes of y e South leuing the Mauritanians Numidians vnto Antonine him selfe toke al y e residue euen vnto the Oriental costes Whiles thei debated these matters al other beholdynge the earthe with sorowfull countenaunce theyr mother Iulia spake as ensueth ¶ Ye haue found out my sonnes ê™ she how to deuide the land Sea betwyxt you and eyther of your bouÌ„des ye say the Pontian sea doth seperate But now how wil ye deuide your Mother or how shal I â—ortunate creature be departed betwene you Fyrste slea me and either of you bury the part he shall haue y t I my selfe may also w t the Sea land be disseuered betwene you When she had so sayd she layd her armes vpoÌ„n their neckes enbracyng them bothe endeuored in al y t she could to reconcile theÌ„ Wherfore being moued w t compassion they lycenced euery man to departe wythout any finall or determinate conclusyoÌ„ and them selues also returned home But their raÌ„cor and enuy encreased daily For wheÌ„ any Capitaines or Magistrates were elected either of the brethreÌ„ aided his own frende chiefly Or when they sate in iudgement they helde euer dyuerse opinyons to the intollerable domage losse of the party who had y e matter in controuersye They omytted besides no kynde of secrete wyles and entrappynges labourynge to entyse eyther others Cookes Butlars and Cupbearers to poyson theyr Mayster The whyche endeuors when they proceaded not as either would for that they tooke theyr meate wyth greate watche and dyligence Anthonyne beynge impacyente of delaye and prycked wych ambycyon of the hole Empyre determyned eyther to commytte or suffer some notable facynorous facte And therefore he compassed the matter wyth strengthe and murder For seynge that hys priuy attemptes toke none effecte he thoughte it necessarye settynge all hope and feare aparte to fynysshe his begon enterprise oute of hande Wherfore sodeynlye breakynge open hys Brothers Chaumbre dore he moste cruelly there slew hym vpon hys Moothers lap wheÌ„ he thought not of any suche mischief The which dede being accomplisshed he immediatly lepte furthe and runnynge throughe all the palayce cryed that he hadde wyth greate dyffycultye escaped a maruaylouse daunger And therewyth he coÌ„maunded the Souldyours of hys Garde to safeconduyte hym furthwyth into the Campe where he myghte abyde in more suretye sayinge that he shoulde perisshe yf he remayned anye lenger in the Courte And they credytynge hys wordes and beyng ignoraunt of that was happened wythin accompanyed hym as he ran runnyng also Thys moued a greate tumulte amonges the people whyles the Prynce wente priuylye in the nyghte through the myddes of the Citye Assoone as he came vnto the Campe he entered into a lytell Chappell wherein the Signes and Images of the hoost were worshypped and there fallyng prostrate gaue thankes wyth vowes as yf they had beene for hys healthe When the same was reported to the Souldyours whereof some were wasshynge and some other reposynge theym selues they ran thyther as men amased in dyuerse plumppes And he commynge furthe into the myddes of theym dyd not at the fyrste open the matter throughlye as it was commytted but cryed that he had escaped a maruaylouse daunger and Treason of a malycyouse manne hys enemye for so he named hys brother And
that wyth much dyffyculty after longe stryfe hys aduersaryes were vanquysshed For whyles they both contended fynallye he was by the fauoure of fortune lefte onely Emperour But in this darke ouerthwart inueighyng of these woordes he wysshed rather to haue hys dede vnderstanded then openlye harde Then for hys safetye obtayned he promysed vnto euerye Souldyoure twoo thousande fyue hundreth grâ—tes and he alowed theym halfe as muche more vyttayle as they were accustomed to haue before that tyme. He lycenced theym also to take theym selues money oute of the Temples and Treasouryes lauysshynge out at large in one daye as muche as Seuerus had in xviii yeares gathered and of other mennes calamytyes and myseryes heaped togythers The Souldyours beynge wyth so greate aboundaunce of money entysed perceyuynge thole cyrcumstaunce of the aforesayde murdre by those that were fledde from the Courte pronounced hym sole Emperoure and declared Geta a Traytour Antonyne remayned the same nyghte in the Temple and affayinge hym selfe in the rewardes wherewith he had wonne the Souldyours heartes wente the nexte daye into the Senate house beynge enuyroned wyth all the armye and more armure and weapons then were accustomed to garde the Prynce beynge entered into the Senate he made hys sacryfyce and that eanded he ascended thimperyall Throne and made an Oracyon as foloweth ¶ I am not ignoraunt that euery murdre of a mannes owne kynred as soone as it entreth into the eares of others wyll seame odyouse and the name it self when it is heard wil adde a maruaylous sclauÌ„der For compassioÌ„ foloweth the vnfortunate and enuy pursueth the mighty The vanquisshed is thought to receyue iniurye and the Conqueroure is supposed to commyt wronge But if any man wyll ponder the matter it selfe rather with attentife Counsell then any percyal fauoure towardes hym that is dead and exactly consyder hys cause and entente he shal easely fynd that it is both iust and requisyte to reuenge rather then to receiue iniurye For the infamye of tymorousenes doth ensue the calamity of the murdred but the ouercommer besydes that he is in safetye dothe also beare awaye the renowne of fortytude Now al other thinges the which he entended against me wyth poysons and al other kinde of Treason it lyeth in youre handes to wreste oute by tormentes Therefore perdye haue I commaunded all hys seruauntes to be here presente that you may vnderstaÌ„de the trueth There be many of them already racked whose confession ye maye throughly heare Fynally whyles I was wyth my Moother he came vpon me bringing in his coÌ„pany many armed w t weapoÌ„s But I knowiÌ„g the matter before reueÌ„ged my self on mine enemy For he neither bare any minde nor yet purposed anye thynge pertayninge to a brother And to destroy him the which doth first enteÌ„de mischief eueÌ„ as it is rightfull so is it also receaued in vse For Romulus hym selfe the buylder of this Citye forbare not his Brother which deluded hys workes of so greate importaunce I omytte Germanicus the brother of Nero and Tytus the brother of Domitian Marcus the Philosopher did not suffre y e checkes of his Son in lawe But I in thauoyding of poyson prepared againste me and the swoorde that henge ouer my sholders haue slayne myne enemye for that name hathe he throughe his deades deserued Render you thaÌ„kes vnto the Goddes for that they haue preserued one Prince vnto you And let not your myndes be seuered into sondry opinions but obeyenge youre onely Emperour lede your lyues hereafter in traÌ„quillitie For Iupiter eueÌ„ as he possesseth the onely Empire and dominion amonges the Goddes so hathe he appoynted the same vnto one alone amonges mortall men After he had spoken thiese woordes wyth loude voyce full of yre and cruell countenaunce beholding the frendes of Geta whyche trembled and waxed pale throughe feare he retourned into the palayce Furthewith then were the alyes and frendes of Geta put to death euen those which dwelt in the house wyth hym and all his seruauntes so that the age of infantes was not spared Besydes that the deade karkasses were layde in Cartes for a reproche caried oute of the Citye there throwen on heapes and burned Neyther suffered he to remayne alyue anye one which was but of lytle acquayntaunce with Geta The wrestlars Carters and Stage players and finallye all kynde of thynge that was eyther gratefull or acceptable to the eyes or eares of Geta were euerye where destroyed And euerye Senatour that excelled in nobilitie dignitie or ryches was putte to deathe as his frende vpon euerie smale trifle yea somtyme without any cause vpon euery lyght accusatioÌ„ He caused to be slayne also the sister of Commodus beinge verye aged and thitherunto of all Emperous entertayned with great reuerence as it became the doughter of Marcus takynge for occasion that she had bewayled vnto hys moother the death of Geta And with her his owne wife the doughter of Plantianus whiche before was sente into Cicilia and a kynsman of hys owne named Seuerus the sonne of Pertynax and Lucilla the suster of Commodus Finally he roted out as it were from the botom euerye one whiche remained of Thimperal bloude or in the Senate of the nobilitie He commaunded also all the rulers and officers of the Prouinces to be slain as the frendes of Geta so that all the nyghtes were spent in murderynge a meruaylous numbre of men Yea he buried quicke in the yearthe the Vestall virgines as thoughe they had violated theyr virginitie Fynally that whiche neuer before was done he committed For whiles he was lokynge vpon the playes called Circenses the people of Rome reprouynge I knowe not howe a certayne Carter whome he attentiflye behelde he takynge it for an obloquie towardes hymselfe furthwyth commaunded the whole armie to runne vpon the people and to spoyle and slea euerye one that had spoken agaynst the Carter And the souldyours hauing once gotten licence of rifling and robbyng when they whiche had spoken agaynst the Carter coulde not be dyscerned amonges the people for no man woulde in that multitude confesse the trueth as they happened vpon anye man either slewe hym or elles takynge them all captiues after theyr raunsome payed dyd with great difficultie release them When theise thynges were finished Themperour styrred with remorse of hys euyl actes and detesting the liuinge in the Citye remoued from Rome to set the Souldiors in order and visyte the prouinces After he was passed Italye he wente vnto the bankes of Danowe the which are subiecte to the Romayne Empyre There eyther he exercysed his bodye in Cartinge or huntynge all kynde of wylde beastes or elles sate in iudgemeÌ„t but that was very sealdome giuing sentence brifely and answering verye shortly after he had harde but lytle of the matter He there besydes ioyned all the Germaynes into hys societie so that of them he elected euery moste valyaunte goodly of stature for his companyons in warre and garde of his personne And
Phalaux in the honoure and remembraunce of Alexander When thei were so assembled he commaunded them to seperate themselfes in bandes a greate space one from an other that he mighte electe oute of them the apteste ages statures and personages for the warres The yonge men creditynge the same and perswaded wyth a coloure of truthe thrughe the greate honoure he had before shewed towardes theyr deade Prince resorted thither in many cōpanyes bringinge with them their Parētes and Bretherne with ioyouse acclamaciōs shoutes Then Antonine went about eche companye vewing them and praisinge this and that in euerye one as he liked vntil his whole host had compassed them vnwares and loking for no such thinge And when he perceaued them al to be enclosed with his armie entangled as it were with nettes him self came furth with his garde and gaue a watche word vnto the Souldiours who furthwith ran vpon the people and slewe with meruaylous slaughter the naked and vnarmed youth al other that wer present Of the Souldiors some were occupied in murdering onely other some buried the deade corpses in huge pyttes coueringe them with earth againe raysed a meruaylous highe hil Many were drawen half dead into y e pittes many were buryed quicke There perished besides very many of the Souldiours them selfes For they which had any breth remaining and not fully lost theyr natural strength clipping the Souldiors which ranne vpon them drewe the same also into the pittes wyth them And there was so great a murdre committed that with streames of bloud which ranne alonge the playnes not onely the mouthe of Nylus but also the Sea by the Citie became red of colour Thys eanded Antonyne affecting the Parthyane surname and renowme of Thoriental conquest although the people were nowe in perfecte peace inuented this crafte He wrate letters vnto Artabanus king of Parthia and sent vnto him Ambassadors with sundrie sumptuous giftes In those letters he wrate that he wold take to wife the kinges doughter for y t him self was a prince and a princes sonne And therfore it besemed not hys estate to become son in law of any priuate or meane persone but rather to mary a Queene or the doughter of a great and puisaunt king He alledged that the Empires of Rome and Parthia being the .ii. mightiest of the world ▪ shoulde by this affinitie ioyne togethers and no ryuer disseuerynge them be of so great strength that it were impossible for any forreyne power to vaynquishe them For quod he all the Barbarous nations whiche are nowe subiecte vnto both these Empires wyll easely continewe in subiection when euerye of them shall haue theyr owne rulers and gouernours The Romaynes he affyrmed had an armye of fote men the whyche wyth speares and in playne battayle excelled all other And the Parthians had a greate power of horsemen and experte archers Wherefore these thynges ioyned togethers and agreinge in one they shoulde he sayde easely retayne vnder one Scepter and Diademe the Empire of the whole worlde The pleasaunte spyces and fyne clothe also whiche came from them to the Romaynes and the goodly metall and all curious wroughte thynges which were transported from the Romains to them agayne shoulde not after thys mary age be seldome caried as it was wont by marchauntes but thuse therof shoulde be in common to them without let or interruption in one land and vnder one gouernour After the Parthian kinge had receaued these letters he fyrst denied the request saying that a barbarous matrimony became not a Romain For what cōcord quod he woulde be betwene them which vsed not one language nor one kind of liuing appayrel There were he sayde at Rome manye Senatours doughters amonges whome the Emperoure might chose hym a wyfe as there were in hys dominion certayne called Arsacide Neyther was there anye cause he thoughte why anye of them shoulde be alyenated from theyr natiue countrey With thys aunswere he repulsed the Emperours suyte But Antonyne neuer lefte of sendynge manye gyftes and promysynge by othes hys perfecte loue towardes hys doughter vntyll the Barbarous prynce beleuynge hys wordes promysed to geue hym hys doughter to wyfe When the fame of thys was spredde all the Barbarous people prepared themselues to receaue the Romayne Emperoure reioysynge wyth a certayne hope of contynuall peace thereafter Then Antonine hauing passed without let or staye of anye man the Riuers entred into the Parthian Region and rode thrughe the same as hys owne And in hys waye all the people celebrated sacryfices burning encense vpō the decked Aultares wherwith he fayned hym selfe to be greatly pleased After a lōge iorney he approched at the laste nyghe the Palaice of Artabanus Who met wyth him in a certaine plaine before the Cytye to receaue hym as a newe Brydegrome and hys Sonne in lawe And a greate multytude of the Barbarouse people crowned wyth theyr countrey floures and apparayled in garmentes adorned wyth golde and varyable colours celebrated the same as a feaste and solempnytye daunsynge togithers by the sounde of Pypes and Tabors For in those instrumentes they are aboue measure delyted especially when thei are ones wel tyipled with wine But when all the multytude were assembled togythers and hauing lefte their horses behinde and laide asyde their bowes and arrowes applyed them selfes to banquetynge and gatheringe togither in a rude plumpe stode withoute order whyles thei suspected no harme but euery mā thrusting forwardes to see the newe maryed man Sodeynly Antonyne wyth a preuy sygne commaunded all hys men to slea and destroy the Barbarouse people They beyng astonyed with that sodeyne chaunce turned theyr backes and fledde from the Romaynes whyche pursued and slewe them Artabanus hym selfe beynge socoured and set vpon a horse by some of hys Garde dyd wyth greate dyfficultye escape But the residewe of y e Parthians were euery where ouerthrowen and murdered For thei neither had their horses which thei most vsed thei hadde perdie sente theim before to grasse neyther coulde thei flee for theyr wyde garmentes hangynge downe to theyr heales interrupted theyr runnynge Thei broughte not besydes theyr bowes and arowes with them for what neaded that at a weddynge Thus after a great murder done on the Parthiens and a greate bootye of men and beastes taken captyues and ledde awaye Antonyne departed And withoute any resystence burned the Townes and vyllages geauing lycence vnto his Souldiours to ransake and spoyle all that they woulde or could This mischief calamitie did the Parthiens vnwares receiue Then Anthonyne hauing vyseted the inwarde partes of Parthia and his Souldiours beyng weryed w t rapyne and murder retourned into Mesapotamye From thence he sygnified vnto the Senate people of Rome that he had subdued Thoriente and brought in subiection all the men of those Regiōs The Senate albeit thei before knewe perfectly the hole circumstaunce for Princes affayres can by no meanes contynew longe in hugger mugger yet throughe feare and flaterye
decreed all honours of victorie vnto hym After this Antonine soiourned in Mesapotamie gyuing hym selfe to Carting and hunting of wylde bestes There were two generall Capitaines of his armie Audentius Macrinus of the whiche the one was aged rude bluntyshe but yet experte in warfare And the other alway exercysed in matters of the lawe and therin exactly learned This man the Prince vsed to taunte checke openly as a man nothyng valiaunte or apt to warre For hearing that he fedde very delycately and reiected those symple and warlycke meates whyche Antonyne vsed and that he ware a gowne and other decente apparayle lyke vnto a Cytizen he reproued hym as a womanly person threatnynge oftentymes to kyll hym Macrynus beyng therof impacient was sturred with meruaylouse anger Thereunto happened this chaunce it was perdie expedieÌ„t that Antonine should ones fynyshe hys lyfe For beynge of hys owne nature ouer curiouse he studyed not onely to knowe the priuey affayres of men but also to serche oute the secretes of the Goddes and Dyuels And throughe continual feare of Treason consulted with many oracles and retayned aboute him diuerse Magiciens Astrologiens and Sothsayers omytting no creature whiche professed those fantasies and yllusions But suspecting them also as lyers and Prophetes of flattery he accustomed to wryte vnto one Maternianus in the Citie vnto whome he had committed the charge of all hys affayres and hym amoÌ„ges all his Frindes he had chosen for the trustieste pertaker of all his secrete counselles willing him to sende for the beste Magiciens from all partes and coÌ„sulte with them of thende of his lyfe and whether any man wente aboute by treason to obtayne thempyre Maternianus hauing accoÌ„plysshed his Princes commaundemente whether the Magiciens tolde hym so or elles bycause he hated Macrinus wrote agayne vnto Antonyne that Macrinus conspyred Treason against him and that it was expedyente to rydde hym oute of the waye And theise letters sealed with other as the vsage was he delyuered to Pursenauntes who were ignoraunt of that they hadde in hande The same hauynge ended their iorney with accustomed celeritie came vnto Antonyne when he prepared hym selfe to Carteng and was alredy asceÌ„ded his Chariot Then deliuered thei vnto him thole Packquet of Lettres amonges the which were thei also that touched Macrinus But Antonyne beyng at that tyme fully bente to Carting coÌ„maunded Macrinus that he should open and peruse the Letters and yf there were any matter of importaunce in theÌ„ conteined make relacion therof vnto hym agayn Yf not he should execute his owne office of Pretorship For so at other tymes he was accustomed to commaunde hym in semblable causes Hym selfe then departed towardes hys pastyme And Macrinus hauing vnsealed seuerally perused the Letters happened on the same that mocioned his destruction Then vnderstanding the greate mischief that henge ouer hys heade knowing also Antonynes wrathe and outragiouse cruelty specially when he shoulde haue suche occasion he kepte backe the same Lettre and of the reste declared the contentes vnto Themperour But yet fearing leste Maternianus woulde eftsones certefye the Emperour of the same matter he determined to commyt somme acte fourthwyth rather than in delayeng tyme him self should perish And therfore thus coÌ„cluded Ther was a certain CeÌ„turioÌ„ named Martialis one of Antonines priuey chaÌ„ber accustomed alwaies to be next attendauÌ„t on his persone Whose brother Antonine had put to death vpoÌ„ simple accusacioÌ„ w tout leful iudgement vsed of tentymes to checke Martialis himself callinge hym cowarde coÌ„federate of Macrinus This maÌ„s sorow for y e death of his brother Macrinê° throughly perceiuing knowing also how he was sufficieÌ„tly styrred to malice by his own reproches called y e same as one alredy bounde by his manifolde benefites vnto him And perswaded him y t as sone as he could finde oportunite he should slea Antonine Martialis beinge w t his promises allured throughe his owne grudge to the reuenge of hys brothers death already enflaÌ„med promised to accomplish his minde wheÌ„ time coÌ„uenieÌ„t should serue And truly it chaunsed shortely after For Antonine soiorning at Carre a Citie of Mesopotamie visited y e TeÌ„ple of Diana y t which being nigh vnto the Citie is there of the inhabitauÌ„tes hadde in great honour and reuerente Thither he went with a few horsemeÌ„ leuing the armie behinde him for after he had finyshed his sacrifyce he purposed to returne vnto y t Citie again And in the midde waye beinge accoÌ„panied w t one seruaunt hauing coÌ„mauÌ„ded the reste to staye aside he weÌ„t to do the requisites of nature Then Martialis which awaited euery conuenieÌ„t howre seyng the Emperour alone all other farre of made haste towardes him as though he were called for some businesse running vpon him vnwares as he was vntrussing his pointes stabbed him in w c a dagger which he of purpose secretly bare in hys sleaue And y e same sliding in betwene y e short ribbes gaue vnto Antonine being vnarmed a mortal deadeli wouÌ„de whereof he furth w t died That done Martialis lept vpoÌ„ his horse beaÌ„g to flee But y e GermanieÌ„ horseme whoÌ„ Antonine entierly loued had appointed for the garde of his person being then nearer y e place then y e reste seinge y e same murder pursued Martialis w t maine gallop slew him w t their dartes when the residue of the hoste heard therof thei ranne togethers furthwyth to the Emperours dead corps vpon the whiche Macrinus fyrste of all fell and fayned to lament it exceadynglye Thys chaunce was dolorouse vnto the Souldiours who accompted them selues berefte not onelye of theyr Soueraigne but also of theyr Companion in armes Neyther dyd they suspecte Macrinus for they supposed that Martialis had committed the murder for the reuenge of hys owne priuate iniuries Wherfore euery man departed to hys owne cabban And Macrinus hauynge burned the body of Antonyne sent the ashes vnto his Moother to burye She then soiorned at Antioche where anone after were it of her owne minde or by anye mans compulsion for the calamities of her children she slewe her selfe Thys eande of theyr lyues had Antonyne his mother Iulia after they had lyued as we before rehersed and he raigned syxe yeres alone withoute hys father and brother Antonyne being thus slayne the Souldyours vncertayne what they myght doo abode two dayes without a prynce consultynge whome they myght fyrste electe for Emperoure For they hearde that Artabanus was commynge agaynst them with a great and myghtye armye to reuenge the deathe of hys subiectes whiche were slayne in the tyme of peace Wherefore they chose fyrste for Emperoure Audentius a man experte in warfare and a polytyke Captayne But he excusynge him selfe through hys age refused thempire Then with one consent thei elected Macrinus through the persuasions of the Tribunes who as the suspition after rose were consentynge to the murder of Antonyne and pertakers
was it declared vnto hym that the Persyan Kynge hadde dysmyssed all hys Souldyours home to theyr habytacions For althoughe the Barbaryens seamed to be the Superyours in Battayle yet throughe often and sundrye Batayles foughte in Media and Parthia a great parte of them were slayne the rest whyche remayned were eyther empayred wyth dyseases or elles in Skyrmishes sore wounded Neyther were the Romaynes flowlye ouercome but them selues were many times noysome vnto theyr enemyes beynge by none other meane vanquished then for that they were fewer in numbre entrapped For when almoste lyke numbre was on bothe sydes slayne the rest of the Barbariens not in strength and prowesse but onelye in multitude seamed to be the better whereof this is sufficient profe that the Barbariens in .iii. or .iiii. yeres after fell not againe vnto armes The whyche when Alexander vnderstode he made hys abode styll at Antioche And being from thence forwarde more merye liberal forgettyng the care of the warres gaue him selfe to the voluptuous pleasures of the same Cytye But whiles he thought that the Barbariēs would frō thence furth remayne quiet or at the leaste wyse it woulde be a longe tyme before they coulde assemble againe their power vneasy to bring together after they were once seperated for that they were rude and out of order rather a multitude of rural people then an armye hauing onely as much vitayle as euerye man bryngeth for his presēt necessitie frō his house vnwilling also to depart frō theyr wiues children habitaciōs loo furthwith came messengers letters vnto him from the Rulers of Illiria the which troubled hym wōderfully cast him into great thought and perplexitie of mynde For they signified that the Germaynes had passed ouer the Rheyne and Danowe were entered into the boundes of the Romaine Empire assayled the armies which defended the banckes made theyr rodes through the Countrey by the Cities Vyllages with a great power of men And that thereby the Illiriās being a nacion borderer and neighbour vnto Italye stode in great hassarde and daunger wherfore it was requisit that Themperour should be ther in hys owne person and brynge all the power he had wyth hym These newes strake marueylous feare into Alexander and doleful sorowe into the Illirian Souldyours For they perceaued them selues to be afflicted wyth two miserable calamities at one instaunte hauing fyrst euil successe in the warres against the Persians after hearyng that their frendes were slaine at home by the Germaynes Wherfore they greatly grudged against Alexander as yf by hys cowardyse theyr former affayres had bene betrayed in Thorient and that now he protracted his remoue when as the Northerne causes earnestly called for hym Now stode Alexander and hys frendes in greate doubte of Italie the affayres of the Persians and the Germaines beyng of vnlyke daunger For those which inhabite the Orient are sequestred wyth great distaunce of lande and Sea And thereby do scarselye heare the name of Italy But the Illirian nacions dwellynge in a smale streyte and possessing verye lytle grounde subiecte to the Romaynes doo onelye make seperacion betwene Italye and Germanye Wherfore he caused hys departure to be proclaymed agaynst hys wyl sauynge that necessitye constrayned hym therevnto And hauyng left behynde hym as many men as seamed sufficient for the tuition of the Romayne lymittes and fortifyed the Cytyes and Castels with strōg Garrisons hym selfe departed spedelye agaynste the Germains w t the residue of hys hole armie And hauinge wyth spede eanded his iourneye he pitched his Campe vpon the banckes of the Rheine there made prouision for al necessaryes belongyng to the warre Fyrst he made a Bridge of Shippes and Galleyes ouer the Rheyne and Danowe that the Romaynes myghte passe to the other syde by the same For those twoo are counted the greatest Ryuers of the Northe Of the whych the one passeth by the Germaynes the other by the Pannonians And in the Sommer season they are nauigable wyth a large and depe channell In wynter so harde ouerfrosen that they are ridden vpon as it were a field For the Ise of the channell is so stronge and harde that it not onelye beareth hoofes of horses and feete of men but also they whyche come to fetche water there bryng not wyth thē so many Cuppes or Pailes as they doo Hatchettes Mattockes And when they haue therwith brokē the Ise they cary the same away without any vessell as it were a stone Suche is the nature of those ryuers Alexander dyd set in Battayle agaynste the Germaynes manye Mauritanians and a greate power of Archers whyche he had broughte oute of the Orient some of theym beynge people called Osrohenians the reste Parthyan fugytyues whome he hadde allured with money vnto him For those Souldiours dyd most displeasure domage vnto the Germaines Bycause the Mauritanians do shoote theyr arrowes from farre are quycke nymble and swifte to skyppe to and fro And beyng all Archers can easelye strike the bare heades of the Germaynes and theyr greate bodyes as it were an appoynted marke in a Butte Often tymes also they foughte in playne batayle hande to hande from whence the Germaynes often tymes departed nothynge Inferiours vnto the Romaynes Alexander beynge wyth theise troubles occupyed concluded to sende Oratours vnto them to entreate of peace in promysynge them money and to geue thē whatsoeuer they neaded wyth great aboundaunce of treasure For the Germaynes are chiefelye greadye of money and often tymes for the same doo sell theyr peace to the Romaynes wherfore Alexander endeuored to bye peace of them rather then to hasarde the matter in batayle But the Romayne Souldyours grudged greatlye that they wasted theyr tyme in vayne wythoute occasion of atchieuyng any thynge whereby they myghte shewe theyr valyaunte corage whyles Alexander gaue hym selfe to Cartynge as they sayde and voluptuousnes when it was more expedient to reuenge them selues vpon the Germaynes and to punyshe them for theyr presumptuouse audacitye There was then in the armye one Maximinus of a certayne Village of Thrace and that the obscurest wyth all a man halfe Barbarous whyche in his youthe had bene a Shepherde and after hys yeares beynge encreased for the heyghte of hys bodye and hys myghtye strengthe was waged for a horseman Finallye Fortune as it were leadynge hym by the hande and goynge before hym after he had ascended by all degrees of offyces in the warre he aspired vnto the gouernement of the Armie and Prouinces Thys Maximinus therefore for hys experte knowledge in warrefare dyd Alexander ordeyne Gouernour of the youthe to exercise them in the feates of warre and to make them apte vnto fyghte And he omyttynge no dilygence so behaued him selfe in that office that he gayned fauoure of thole army not onely instructynge them in all suche thinges as were dayly to be done but excecutyng hym selfe fyrst of all the deades wyth the presente vse required So that he had
or greatnesse of compasse geuynge onelye preheminence to Rome dooth contende wyth Alexandrie in Egypte for the seconde place Thyther folowed Gordyanus all the pryncypall Pompe wyth all the Souldyours in those partyes and the Cytye yonge men of tall comely stature like in similytude vnto them at Rome whyche garde the Emperours person with Laurell roddes in theyr handes whereby the Prynces are discerned from priuate personnes There was fyre also accordynge to the vsage caryed before hym so that Carthage for a small space dyd represente the forme and Fortune of Rome From thence Gordianus sent manye letters vnto euerye Magystrate of Rome and to the noble men of the Senate amonges whome there were verye manye hys frendes and alyes He wrote besydes vnto the whole Senate and people of Rome sygnifiyng vnto them the fauour of the Affrycans towardes hym and therwithall accusing the crueltye of Maximinus whyche he perceaued to be detested of al men Hym selfe vsed al gentlenes and affabilitye For he punyshed wyth exyle all vntrewe Promoters and Accusers and vnto theym whyche were vnryghteously therefore condempned he gaue free lybertye to defende theyr owne Yea he restored those whyche tofore were banyshed to theyr natyue Countreyes agayne promysed to geue to the Souldiours more rewardes and to dystribute amonges the people more gyftes then any man before him had done He brought to passe also that Vytalian y e Lord greate Maister of Maximinus householde a mā outragiouse and cruell but moste deare and welbeloued of Maximinus was slayne within the Cytie selfe of Rome For suspecting that that man in resysting of hys enterpryses would with feare cause other also to turne from hym he sente the Lyuetenaūt of the Prouince a stoute yonge mā stronge of body of flourysshynge age and ready to attempte any peryll for hys sake with certayne Capitaynes and dyuerse Souldiours in hys company vnto whome he delyuered letters sealed wyth two Seales by the which Themperours vsed to sygnifye their priuye Coūselles and affayres Those he commaunded to entre into the Cytye before daye lyghte and whyles Vytalian were busyed in hys accustomed affayres to go vnto him in to the Chamber where he was wonte to enquyre of the secret thinges which appertayned to the safegard of hys Prince shewynge hym that thei had secrete letters vnto him from Maximinus and woulde all other set a parte commune with him of thinges belonging to the Princes person in declaring vnto him the Emperours mynde And then whyles he were occupied in the loking vpon the Seales thei shuld murder hym wyth their daggers hydde in their bosomes of purpose All whych enterpryse was atchyued as he wyshed For before the dauning of the daye when as he accustomed to come furthe thei foūde Vitalianus almoste alone w t a fewe onely standinge aboute him because some were nat as yet come vnto him some other after their salutaciō done were departed before it was day light Wherefore finding him at leysure and a fewe standing before the Chāber dore after thei had declared those thinges which we before spake of thei were easely let in hauīg deliuered their letters whiles he diligently regarded the sygnettes thereof drewe out their daggers slew him And then departed out of the Chamber with their daggers naked in their handes euery man giuing them place and way to passe For thei supposed it had bene done by Maxminus commaundement for that he was wont often tymes so to do by them whome a lytle before he most entierly loued Then thei goyng through the streate which hight Sacia via shewed furthe the Epystle of Gordian vnto the people and delyuered letters from hym vnto the Counsulles thē selues and other Magistrates of Rome spreading by rumors abroad that Maximyne was already slayne The which thing being ones divulged immediatly al the people ranne thrugh the streates frō one place to an other lyke men dystracte of their right senses For as the cōmon people are in euery place vnconstaūte prone to newe chaunges so are the Romaine people chiefly more wauering and vnstedfaste then all other beyng knytte of a greate and dyuerse multitude of straungers ¶ Then were the Images of Maxymyne with the reste of his honours furthwith pulled downe And the hatred againste hym before throughe feare hydden thei did now after a free lybertie goten and no man prohibyting them powre and spytte oute The Senate also beyng often assembled albeyt they had no certayne reporte of Maximinus estate yet coniecturing by the present fortune the rumour to be true did abolyshe all his honours and pronounced Gordianus his Sonne Emperours Immediatly after that done all Promoters eyther fledde away or elles were slayne by those whom thei had before offēded The Solliciters besydes of Maximine and suche as sate in iudgemente in the minystring of his Tirranny were by the common people drawen throughe the streates and throwen into the common synkes of the Citye In this vprore there were many innocentes slayne For euery leude persō entered violentlye into the house of hys creditor or aduersarye in the lawe or of any other whome vpon neuer so lyghte an occasiō he hated and ther dispoiled him of hys goodes and murdered him Thus vnder coloure of lyberty and pretence of peace the very deades of Cyuil warre were cōmytted so that there was slayne with the dinte of a clubbe Sabinus the Lyuetenaunte of the Citye whiche endeuoured to appease this busye tumulte Thiese thinges dyd the people After the Senatours hadde ones entered into thys peryl thei dyd throughe feare of Maximine sollycite in all thei coulde the Prouinces to rebellyone Wherfore ther were Ambassadors chosen of the chiefest of the order of Senatours and Knyghtes the whiche were sente vnto the gouernours of the Princes with letters wherein was at length declared the mynde of the Senate and people of Rome which exhorted the sayde Rulers to haue a specyal regarde to their natiue countrey to defendethe Coorte of Rome and perswade the nacions vnder them to continewe in their allegiaunce towardes the Romayne people whose dominion ouer them and auncient bonde of amitie with them was by their progenitours longe agone ordeyned Many of those Gouernors receaued the Ambassadors very greately and enduced the people to reuolte the which was easely brought to passe in so greate hatred was Maximinus had wyth euery man Thei therefore hauing oute of hande slayne all suche Magistrates amonges them as were of Maximines parte did all togither turne vnto the Romaynes Yet were there a fewe Rulers which either flew the Ambassadors y t cam vnto them or elles sent them vnder sure custody vnto Maximyne who with moost cruel tormentes dyd put them to deathe This was the mynde this was the wyll of the Citye of Rome The whyche hurley burley beynge reported vnto Maximinus althoughe he were sorowfull wythall yet dyd he sayne that he vtterly contempned it and the fyrst and seconde daye remayned quiete wythin hys owne house consultinge wyth
Victoria Therwithall a Senator which a lytle before had ben Counsull named Gallicanus a Carthaginese borne and an other whyche had bene Pretor named Mecenas sodeinly when thei loked for no suche chaunâ—e and had theyr handes styll vnder their Clokes with their daggers stabbed the Souldiors to y e hartes For all the Senate because of the late sedicion dyd weare theyr weapoÌ„s some openly some pryuely to defende their bodyes w tall froÌ„ the trechery of theyr enemyes The Souldiours beynge thus murdered when they were not able so sodeinlye to defende theim selues laye prostrat before the Aultare With which syght the other beynge dismayed throughe the murder of theyr CompanioÌ„s and fearynge the flockynge togyther of the people because them selues were wythout weapons furthwyth they fledde a waye Then Gallycanus lepte hastely oute of the Coorte into the myddes of the people and there shewing hys sworde and his hande stylling with bloode exhorted them to pursue and slea the enemyes of the Romaine people and Senate and the frendes and Companyons of Maximinus Wherw t all the people being prouoked receaued Gallycan w t ioyfull shoutes and pursued the Souldiours with stones as farre as thei well myght And the Souldiours hauing goten into their Campe a fewe of theÌ„ beyng wouÌ„ded and hurt their harnessed them selues defended their Trenche But Galicanus seyng he had already set vpon suche a myschiefe raysed vp a ciuyle and very perniciouse battayle For after he hadde commaunded all the Armoryes to be broken vp in the whyche were kepte weapons rather of pompe then of warre wherewyth euery man myghte arme hym selfe accordynglye And hauing opened the Swordeplayars Halles caused euery maÌ„ to arme himself w t his own harnesse And taking out of the houses and shoppes in the Cytie what so euer weapon was within theim eyther sworde speare dagger or are when as furye anger had made all thing y t came to hande a weapon furthwith thei went in plumpes withoute ordre vnto the Campe and as yf thei shuld assaulte a Citie thei besieged the walles and gates of the Campe. But the Souldious within beyng expert in fyghting defended them selues with the battailementes of their walles and their Targettes repusyng the common people with often shotte of arrowes and their loÌ„ge speares Finally when y e people determined to returne in to the Citie because thei were weried and the moste parte of the Sworde plaiers sore wounded beyng verye neare nyghte the Souldiours perceauynge the rechelesse regarde of the people in departinge for the Romaines thoughte not that the Souldiours durste fyghte with them hande to hande or being so fewe in number to enter oute of their fortresse to fyght with so great a multitude sodeinly settinge open their gates made a stronge and forcible inuasioÌ„ against that dysordered heape of people In that conflicte were all the Sworde players slayne and a greate number of the people thruste to death in the presse Which ones eanded the Souldiours returned to their Campe bicause it was not farre of Herevpon there rose more vehemeÌ„t indignacion amonges the Senatours and people of Rome Wherefore thei chose for their Capitaynes euery noble valyaunt man throughout all Italye and leuienge all the youthe togyther armed them with such weapons as in that sodeine tumult thei coulde get The chiefest and strongest parte dyd Maximus leade to fight against Maximinus the rest remayned for the custody and defeÌ„ce of the Citie In the meane whyle there were daylye skyrmysshes and assaultes at the walles of the fortresse but to no purpose nor proffyte the Souldyours defending them selues from aboue and driuing away shamefullye the common people whyche they strake and wounded Albinus whyche remayned at home required the people by Proclamation to take truce and become frendes wyth the Souldyours vnto whome he promysed also perdone of all they had committed But he coulde induce neyther partye therevnto The mischiefe encreasing dayly more more For the people disdayned that so great a multytude should be had in contempte of so small a number On thother syde the Souldyours greuously grudged that they should suffer that of the Romaynes whyche they neuer loked for of the Barbarous nacions Finallye when the assaultes proceaded not as the people woulde haue it it seamed good to their Captaines to turne away al the Riuers waters which came by Cundittes into the Campes that the Souldyours myght be afflicted wyth wante of water and wyth thyrste Wherefore in makynge of Trenches and cuttynge the Cundyt Pypes they tourned away all the streames of water from the Fortresse But the Souldyours perceauynge the peryll imminent and stryken wyth desperation opened their gates and runnyng vpon the multytude whych ranne awaye pursued theym vnto the verye Gates of the Cytye Then the Common people beynge Inferiour and not able to sustayne thys cruell conflict gat them into theyr houses and from thence vexed the Souldyours who durste not enter into the houses to theym vnknowen Wherfore they seynge the houses shoppes shutte caste fyre to the doores and porches whiche stoode out towardes the streate wherof there are verye manye in Rome Wherby it came to passe that partlye through the farre distaunce of the houses and partlye through the tymber buyldynge a great parte of the Citye was burned and many men of ryche substaunce sodeynlye became poore hauynge loste notable possessyons eyther welthye throughe the reuenewes therof or elles of great estimation through the beauty of the same Neither was there a smal number of men destroyed For that theyr portalles and doores beynge on fyre they had no waye to escape furthe of the houses The substaunce and goodes of ryche men was ransacked the Souldyours geuynge theyr whole myndes to spoyle and robberye and neadye Beggers of the Cytye mynglynge theym selues amonges them But the rage of the fyre so wandered that it burned and consumed more houses then some greate Cytye hathe in compasse of buyldynge Durynge the tyme that thys calamytye was done at Rome Maximinus makynge haste in hys iourneye was come vnto the borders of Italye And hauynge sacryfyced vpon the Aultars whyche were there erected he contynued on hys voyage commaundynge the Souldyours to kepe on theyr Harnesse and marche in order of Battayle But seynge we haue made mencion alreadye of the reuolte of Affrike the Ciuyll warre at Rome and the actes by Maximinus wyth hys iourney hythereunto we wyll declare the reste hereafter ¶ The eande of the seuenth Booke ¶ The Argumente of the eyghte Booke of Herodian IN the beginnynge of the eyght and laste booke is shewed how and in what order Maximinus came vnto the Confynes and boundes of Italye by the Alpes as farre as the Cytye of Aquileia where he founde resistence After that is described the scituation of that Citye the preparation for the warre the assaultes made by Maximinus armye the stoute resystence of the Aquileyens Consequentlye howe Maximinus was slayne and what ioye was made therefore And how Albinus
which the aucthour in the former boke called Balbinus Maximus after they had a litle space raigned in great traÌ„quilitie were slayne by the men at armes After whome Gordianus beynge .xiiii. yeares of age enioyed the Empyre alone ¶ The eyghte booke of the Historye of Herodian WE haue in the laste booke recyted what Maximinus did after the death of GordiaÌ„ his iornay into Italie wyth the sedicion and reuolte of the people and Souldiours within the Cytye selfe of Rome When Maximinus was arryued in the confynes of Italye he sente certayne Scowrers before to espye wether there were any stale or enbushmentes lying in the bottom of the Alpes and the thicke woodes there And led the Armye into the playne commaundynge the men of Armes to march forward in a square ordre to thende that a great parte of the fyeldes myght be couered with them And hauing brought all impedimentes and Cariage into the myddes him selfe folowed with the YeomeÌ„ of his Garde to rescue them yf they were distressed On eyther syde the wynges were of meÌ„ of Armes on Barbed Horses with Mauritanian Slyngers Archers of the oriental RegioÌ„s and horsemen of Germanye whome he had waged for thencrease of his ayde And he was accustomed to set them in the fore fronte of the battayle against his enemyes because their shoulde sustayne and receaue the fyrste brunte beyng boulde and stronge meÌ„ And yf nede so required he had rather those Barbarous rude people were loste than any other of his owne Souldiours After thei had passed the plaines obseruing theyr due order in marchinge they came to a cytie of Italye named of the enhabitauntes Eumona The same is sytuate in a lowe playne at the foote of the Alpes There the Scourers reported vnto Maximinus that the Towne was voide and forsaken of thenhabitauntes who were all sledde the gates of the TeÌ„ples and the houses consumed wyth fyre and all thynge whiche was in the Towne or fielde caryed awaye or burnte no foode remayninge eyther for man or beaste Wherwith Maximinê° was veri glad for he thought that other people wold doo semblably through feare of him But contrarywyse the Souldiours murmured and grudged that they should in the very begynning be vexed w t famine And when thei had passed ouer the nyghte some of them in the open and coÌ„men houses other some in the playne fyelde immediately after the Sonne rysing they came vnto the Alpes Thiese be wonderfull longe Hylles compassynge Italie in maner of a wal and so high that thei seame to pearce the cloudes so long also that thei enuiroÌ„ all Italye touching on the lefte hande the Tirrhenian and on the right syde the Ionian Seas beyng full of brode and thicke forestes with very narowe pathes and vnneth passable by reason of the height of the broken Rockes and stepenes of the highe banckes hauiÌ„g notwithstanding many narowe passages made with laboure of hande by the auncience Italions Wherefore a meruelous feare entred into the Souldyours hartes to passe that waye dreading y t the hyll toppe was already taken by their enemies and all the straites stopped to forbid them passage Neither did theyr feare seame fonde to them that behelde the nature of the place After thei had passed the Alpes and were descended into their Campe thei began to reioyce and baÌ„quet together And Maximinus then coÌ„ceiued a sure trust that all hys affayres shall haue prosperous successe seyng that the Italians trusted not vnto the difficultie of the places wherein them selues were wonte to lurke and prouide for their safety and where they might lye in wayte for their enemies and fightynge froÌ„ aboue easely distresse theÌ„ When thei were entred into y e playne y e Scourers brought word y e Aquileia the greatest Citye of Italye had shut their gates and that the PannoniaÌ„ baÌ„des which went before had very fiersely assayled the walles yet not withstandyng theyr often attempes were all in vayne Wherefore beynge weried they were constrayned to departe a great number of Stones Speares and Arowes hauing hurte them from the toppe of the walles Then Maximinus being very angry with the Pannonians as thoughe thei had not foughte valeantlye ynoughe made haste thitherwardes trustinge with out any more labour to wyn the Citie But Aquileya as it is a myghty Towne was abuÌ„daÌ„tely enhabited of people And as it were the Marte Towne of Italy the territorie of Illiria it did froÌ„ the mayne lande ministre to those that sayled in the Seas plenty of all suche necessaries as was brought thither by the Ryuers and the lande And from the Sea vnto the mayne lande thinges very necessarye for the hygher Countreys whych throughe the bytternes of wynter were nothynge fertyll But chyefely it mynistred wynes wherewyth that Regyon abounded vnto the nighe Countreyes that hadde no vyne trees at all The whyche caused that besydes the greate number of Cytezins there repayred vnto that Cytye very many Straungers and Marchauntes also And Certes the multitude was at this tyme muche more augmented by the assembly of Countrey people who hauynge forsaken theyr owne small Droupes and Vylages dyd truste them selues vnto the greatenes of this Cytye The olde wall whereof was a greate parte fallen downe For whyles the Romaynes floryshed in Dominion the Cytyes of Italye neaded neyther wall nor weapon lyuynge in quyet tranquilytie and beynge assocyated in the Rule of Thempyre with them But nowe necessitye compellynge them they buylded vp theyr walles agayne wyth Towres Bulwerckes and RaÌ„piers and hauynge fortyfyed their Cytye wythin furth and shutte theyr Gates stode all togyther bothe daye and nyghte vppon the walles valeauntely dryuynge backe theyr enemyes Their Capitaynes of chiefest power were two meâ— which had bene Consulles chosen by the Senate named Crispinus and Menephilus Thiese procured w t muche diligence all thynges necessary to be brought before hande into the Citye to thende their mighte the longer time sustaine the siege Ther was in y e Towne great abundaunce of water throughe the great number of welles the Riuer whyche ran a longe by the walles and the dyches betwene them and their enemyes Thiese thinges beyng thus ordred within the Citie when Maximinus hearde that thei defended their walles stoutly and had shut their gates against hym he resolued to sende vnder color of Ambassade some which should speake vnto them and yf it were possyble perswade them to open the gates of the Cytie vnto hym He had then in hys Armye a certayne Magistrate of Aquileia whose wyfe childreÌ„ and household were enclosed within the Citie This man therfore with a certaine Capitaines he sente as orators vnto theym trusting that the Citezyns wold easely obey his aucthoritie When thei approched nighe the walles they spake vnto the people on this wyse and sayed That their Commune Emperour commaunded them layenge al armes a part to obserue peace to receaue him as their frende and not as theyr enemye and to occupye them selues in prayers
and sacrificeng to theyr Goddes rather then in desyre to murder To take cōpassion of their natiue Countrey shortly yf thei persisted in their obstinacie lyke to come to vtter ruine decay That thei might yf thei would with on deede saue them selues their Country For thei said that their good Emperour would forget and forgiue all offences there before commytted seynge that it was not their transgression but the peruerse fault of other men Suche wordes did the Ambassadors speke vnder the wall wyth so loude voyce that thei mighte easely be harde although not of all the people yet of as many as stode vpon the walles and Towres For they dyd wyth sylence 〈◊〉 attētiuelye geue eare vnto that the Ambassadours spake But Crispinus fearyng lest through those allurementes they would be persuaded to take peace for warre and open theyr gates vnto theyr enemyes as the common people are euer wauerynge and vnconstaunte ranne from one wall to another earnestly desyrynge and instauntlye besechynge them to perseuer valyauntlye and resiste manfully and not to violate theyr faythe and allegyaunce towardes the Senate and the people of Rome nor yet neglecte the Title and Fame of Italy so long tyme preserued from the inuasions of forreyne enemyes nor geue credit vnto a false periured and trayterous Tyraunte nor beynge allured wyth gentle fayned talke runne headlonge vnto theyr owne manifest destructiō But trust to the fortune of y e warre whyche most commonly is so vncertayne that sometymes a greate huge hoste are of a small number discomfited and those whych seame the mightier are by theym whiche are compted the weaker diuers tymes vanquished Neyther that they should feare the greatnesse of hys armye For quod he they that fyghte in another mannes quarell when they see that the good happe of the victorye shall departe to another doo but fayntlye endure the Battayle perceauynge them selues onely to be pertakers of the peryll and the verye profyt of the victorye to remayne vnto another man But they whyche fyghte for their countrey besydes that they ought to be of better hope for they contende to take nothyng of others but to defende theyr owne are also of a greater stomacke as those whome no desyre of dominion but euerye mans owne necessitie compelleth to fyghte because the commodytye of the Victorye is chyefelye due vnto them Crispinus speakyng those wordes nowe vnto euerye man perticulerlye and then to all generallye beynge a man of hys owne disposition honourable and floryshynge in the Romayne eloquence besydes that gratefull to euerye man for hys meke gouernaunce did easly stablishe the hartes of y e people to continue in their duty and allegiaunce Wherfore he cōmaunded the Ambassadours to departe to Maximinus againe wythout anye thyng concluded It was reported that Crispinus was hartened to abide the fortune of y e battayle by the answere of the Southsayers whiche reported that the inwards of the beastes betokened luckye successe of his affaires And in deade the Italians vsed to geue much credit to y e superstition There wer spred abrode besydes the Oracles of a certayne Idole in that countrey which promised victorye The enhabitauntes there cal the same Idole Beles and do with great reuerence worshyppe it interpretyng him to be Apollo Whose Image certaine of Maximinus owne Souldiours affyrmed that they sawe in the ayre fightyng for the Citie Which thing whether many beleued it for a trueth or whether the Fable pleased thē to mittigate thereby the infamy of so great an army because thei were vnequal in battayle to so small a number of Cytezyns not exercised in the warres that it might seame they were ouercome rather by y e Goddes then men I am not very certayn But the straūgenes of the matter made it seame more credible After the Amdassadours were retourned w tout any resolute cōclusion Maximinus being styrred w t much more fury made greater hast then he dyd before But when he came vnto the Ryuer whyche runneth xii miles of from the Cytye he found it of a very depe and breade Channell For in that season of the yeare the Snowe which the longe wynter before caused to endure beyng molten vpon the next hylles had made so great a floude that the Armye coulde not passe ouer it by anye meanes For the Aquileians had broken and caryed away the Bridge which was a goodly and sumptuous peace of worke buylded by the auncyent Emperours of square stone with many small pillers standing one by another vpon the same Wwherfore when tharmie coulde passe ouer neyther by Bridge nor vessell for there was none nigh hand he stode styl in a dumpe musyng what to do But certayne Germaynes being ignoraunt wyth what swyftnes and violence the Ryuers of Italye did runne supposing that theyr course was gentle and flow ouer the fields as the Riuers in theyr Countrey which for that they haue no swift streame are easlye congeled ouer wyth Ise aduentured them selues their horses that were perfect in swimming into the middes of the Chānell where throughe vyolence of the Streame they were drowned After Maximinus had lyen styll in Campe ii or .iii. dayes he cast a depe trenche aboute the same that no enemies shoulde sodeynly set vpon them remayned vpon that side of the Riuer consulting howe he myght make a Bridge to passe ouer Whyles he so abode very pensife because there was no tymber nor Boates with the whiche ioyned together he myghte make a Bridge certayne Carpenters declared vnto hym that in the Vyllages rounde aboute forsaken of the Inhabitauntes there were many round Tubbes and Hoggesheades wherin the people were wonte to cary wyne the which beinge rounde like shyppes yf they were bounde togethers in maner of small Boates would easly carye them ouer For being fastened togethers couered with Oziars or Twigges well balessed with earth they would neuer be drowned When y t was finished y e souldiours easlye passed ouer to thother shore And there hauing burned al y e vyllages which they founde abandoned of thin habitaūtes did cut down all y e vines trees wherby they greatly defaced y e beauty of y e region For all the countrey seamed to be cōpassed aboute in maner of a Theater w t trees set in due order vynes ioyned together lyfted vp in height like vnto a Scaffold Al which being plucked by y e rootes tharmie approched nigh vnto y e citie Neuertheles because they were all wery Thēperour would not y t they should furthw t begyn y e assault But hauing encāped more then an arrowes shoote frō the Citie deuided thē into hundreds appoynted the order of their marching like vnto a wedge smal before and broade behinde limitting to euery Company a part of the wall to scale and batter he gaue them lycence to recreate them selues for one daye That passed he began to geue the assault and hauing moued to the wall all sortes of engyns when no kynd of Batterie was omitted there was
deade coulde not be vndone they helde them selues contented althoughe vnwillingly and fayned to reioyce with the reste Then layeng a syde their weapons thei went to the walles of Aquileye lyke peaceable mē and there declaring the death of Maximyne desyred that the Gates might be set opē vnto them beyng nowe of their mortall enemyes become their louing frendes But the Capitaynes of Aquileia would not permyt it but shewed furth vppon the walles the Images of Maximus Albinus and Gordian Emperours crowned with Garlandes of Lawrell Vnto the which Images them selues fyrste making ioyful acclamacions exorted the Army also to acknowledge and reuerence them whome the Senate and people of Rome hadde chosen to be Emperours For said thei the other Gordians before passed are amonges the Goddes They did set furth also vpon the walles a market of all necessaries with greate abundaunce of meate wyne garmētes and all other thinges which that riche and florishing Cytie could minister vnto them That thing did meruelously abashe the Souldiours who perceyued that the Cytezins had store ynoughe of vitayll to abyde a farre longer seage And on the other side them selues being afflicted with wante of foode should rather haue all perysshed than conquered that Citie abounding wyth all thinges expedient for mans relief Whyles the Souldiours thus aboade vnder the walles and tooke such thinges as their necessitie required in companye of the Citezins their countenaunce was of peace and frendship a forme of siege as yet remaining for that the Romayne Souldiours laye aboute the walles whiche were enclosed and shut In the meane while that theise thinges were in doing at Aquileya y e horse men which caried the Emperours heades to Rome making great haste with spedy diligence were receiued into euery Citie and Town with the gates opē and the multitude of Citezins and enhabitauntes berynge Lawrell in their handes And then hauinge passed y e Marishes Lakes whiche are betwene Altinum Rauenna thei founde Maximus in Rauenna leuieng waging Souldiours out of the Citye and Italy and calling a great number of Germains vnto his ayde the which were sent him by the cōmon people of Germany whō he before in his Proconsulship amonges them had prudentely gouerned Whiles he was thus mustering his power against Maximine y e horsemē arriued ther sodēli bringing w t thē y e Princes heades declared y e victory w t the prosperouse successe of their affaires y e good wil cōset of y e people Army to y e obediece of those Emperors whō y e Senate had elected Whē thiese thīges were so sodēly w t out expectaciō reported furthw t the people ran vnto the Aulters to sacrifice euery man singyng and reioysynge at the victory whiche wythoute any troublesome busynes they had obtayned Then Maximus after the sacryfyce eanded dismissed the horsmen to Rome to cary thither the sayd heades and declare the whole circumstaūce vnto the people When they were ariued at the Cytye and hauynge putte the heades vpon twoo Speares caried the same throughe y e streates to be seane of the people no tonge can tell the ioye and myrth was there that daye For there was no person eyther yonge or olde but ranne vnto the Temples and Aulters No man abode within hys owne house but ranne lyke madde men shoutynge and reioysynge one with an other and gatherynge theym selues together in a circle as thoughe some manne woulde make an Oration vnto them Albinus hym selfe offered an hundreth beastes and all the Magistrates reioysed aboue measure as though they had escaped y e axe whych before henge ouer theyr neckes Purseuaūtes Postes were sente besydes wyth Laurell in theyr handes to beare those newes vnto all the Prouinces Whyle thys so great ioye and myrthe continued amonges the Romaynes Maximus remoued frō Rauenna and went vnto Aquileia hauyng passed al the Maryshes in the whyche the Ryuer Eridanus and the nyghe Lakes doth ouerflowe so that they runne into the Sea by .vii. armes and therefore the nyghe enhabitauntes cal the same Lake in theyr tonge .vii. Seas Furthwith the Aquileiens opened their gates and receaued Maximus And verye manye Cytyes of Italye sente theyr chiefe Magistrates as Ambassadors vnto him clothed in white garmētes crowned wyth Laurell bringinge with theym the Images of theyr Countrey Goddes and Crownes of Golde yf there were any amonges their chiefest Iewels wher withall they gratified Maximus and strowed bowes to him in his passage The armye which had besieged Aquileia mette hym also in peaceable apparell wyth Laurell in their handes but not with so trewe and louyng affection as with a fayned good wyll and reuerence for the tyme onelye applyed vnto the presente state of the Prince Yea many of them morned priuelye that he whom they had chosen was slayne those whyche the Senate had created possessed the Principalytie After Maximus had spente the first second daye in offering of sacrifice the thyrd day he assembled al y e army together in the playne there sitting in y e Tribunal seate made thys Oration vnto them Howe profitable your penitence and fauour reconciled wyth the Romayne people hathe been vnto you your selues haue by experience throughlye learned in acceptyng peace for warre and obseruyng the othe of true warriours which is one the most holy sacred mysterie of the Romaine Empyre Wherefore you ought hereafter to enioye the same cōmoditie in gardyng your loyaltye and faythe towardes the people and Senate of Rome to vs your Emperours whō through our nobilitie bothe of byrth in actes done as it were by certayne degrees ascended the Senate and people of Rome haue elected Neyther is the possession of principalitie peculier vnto one man but of olde antiquitie common vnto all the Romayn people For in the Cytye selfe is establyshed the Fortune of Thempyre and to vs wyth you is commytted the administration of the same If you wyl therfore retaine wyth you that order and modestye that becommeth you and geue due honour and reuerence vnto your Prynces ye shall not onely obtayne vnto your selues a blessed lyfe flowyng and aboundyng with all goodnes but also all Nacions and Cytyes lyuynge in reste wyll contynewe in theyr duetye of allegyaunce Ye shall lyue as youre owne heartes desyre euerye man at home in hys owne house not troubled wyth warres in forreyne Countreyes that beynge oure charge to see the Barbarous people remayne in peace and defende the same For whyles there are two Emperours bothe the Citye and forreyne affaires shalbe administred more easlye one of theym beynge alwayes readye to go whyther necessitye shall call hym Neyther nede ye to doubte that any memorye shall remayne of that is tofore done eyther in vs for whatsoeuer ye dyd was by commaundement or in the Romayne people or elles in anye other Nacion whyche for iniurie done vnto theym haue rebelled Let all be forgotten let there be a perfecte bonde of constante frendshyppe and a perpetuall faythe of loue and
that is the age decrepite vncertayne and doubtfull Aethiope loke on this worde Libye Alexander the grete was the Sone of Philyp king of Macedonye and Olympias In his tender age he was enstructed in learning And after that by y e space of .x. yeres brought vp in Philosophy vnder Aristotle the most excellent Philosopher of all his time After the death of hys Father coueting to be Lord of all the worlde he apparayled his Armye against Darius the Kinge of Persia who wyth his predecessours had bene the auncient enemyes of Grece Hym dyd Alexander vanquishe in sundry batayles and depryued of the Persian Kyngdome But after he had obtained many notable victories in the .xxx. yere of hys age he dyed by poyson at BabyloÌ„ as Iustin writeth Neuerthelesse Plutarche affirmeth the coÌ„trary say enge that he died of an Ague very vehement wherin was no suspicion of Poyson The Prouinces and Countreyes by him Conquered did Perdicas vnto whome at his deathe withoute any more wordes he delyuered hys Rynge distribute amonges many Gouernours who altered their offices of gouernauÌ„ce in to Royaulnes and made them selues Kynges And so was Thempyre of Alexander broughte into manye Kyngedomes The resydue of hys lyfe ye maye rede in Plutarche and Quintus Curtius Alexandrye whereof Herodian speaketh in the thirde Booke is a Citye of Siria hard by a reflexioÌ„ of the Sea called Sinus Issicus wherefore loke vpoÌ„ thiese wordes Issicus Sinus There is an other Citye called Alexandrye in the Region of Troas where Troye the greate stode as Plinie writeth in the .xxx. Chapiter of hys .v. Booke Anonter Cytye named Alerandrie is in Egypte scituate vpon the Sea side oueraneanste the Isle Pharus as sayth Plinie in the .xxxi. Chapiter of the same boke Thys Cytye is the principall of all Egypte as London is of England Into the whiche Ptolomeus the kyng of Egypte desyred to be remitted by the Romaines as it appeareth by many Epistles of Cicero vnto Lentulus in the fyrste booke of hys familiar Epistles Of thys Cytye doth Herodian make mencion in the .iiii. booke of his Historye and of the Treason wrought agaynst the Citezins thereof by Antonyne There is another Cytye named Alexandrie by the mountaynes of Casxij in the Realme of Sogdia nygh vnto the Bactrians whych hath on the South the mountaigne Cacausus Another AlexaÌ„drie buylded lykewyse by Alexander the great standeth in the Region called Margiana of a Ryuers name whiche is Margus The same hathe on the West side Hircania on the East the Bactrians and on the South the Realmes of Parthia and Aria Thys Citie was destroyed by the Barbarous people and in the same place was a new buylded by Seleucus the Sonne of Antiochus who named it Seleucia as recordeth Plinie in the xvi Chapyter of his .vi. boke Another citie called Alexandrie in the Countreye of Carmania in Inde boundynge vpon Persia Of theise Cityes and countreyes loke Ptolomeus and Plinie Altinum loke thys worde Aquileia Amphitheater is a place made to behold plaies in the which is in fourme round as yf it were buylded of .ii. Theaters and therfore is called Amphitheater A Theater is made halfe in compasse betwene the ij corners wherof is played that whiche men behold called of the Latinystes Scena The nexte place vnto it is called Orchestra where the Senatours stauÌ„ge Ambassadours do sit In the middes of the Theater are the Seates for Knightes and that place is named Canea Rounde aboute the Theater withinfurth are degrees and steppes so made that the hygher they ascend the longer and larger they are Vpon the which y e people do sit as euery man can get him place Marcê° Scaurus as witnesseth Plinie in the .xxxiii. boke the xv chap. for one Playe which endured .xxx. dayes only dyd buylde a Theater the greatest of all other that were euer made by mans handes The Scene whereof was of thre stages had .iii. C.lx. Pyllers of marble of Affrique of the whiche the higher were of one piece and xxxviii fote in height The lower parte of y e Scene was of Marble and the stage in the myddes of Glasse which neuer man heard of before There was besydes for y e more gorgious beautyfyeng of it .iii. M. Images of Copper with so much rychesse Tapistrie of golde and Tables of auncient notable pictures y t it is almoste incredible to beleue as wryteth Plinie The greeces wheron men sate in the same did receiue lxxx M. persons Caius Iulius Cesar fyrst of all builded an Amphitheater in the fyelde called Campus Martius whyche Augustus pulled downe and in the same place made a Tombe Antioche is a parte of Siria boundynge vpon the Royalme of Cilicia as sayeth Plinie in the xii chap. of hys fyfth boke In thys part is a Cytye of the same name as wryteth Ptolomeus in the fourth Table of Asya Thys is the Cytye to the whyche Antonyne went and from thence to Alexandrie in Egypt Ther is another Antyoche in the couÌ„trey of Assyrya where Alexander vanquyshed Darius the whych is next vnto Syrya as wytnesseth Plinye in the .xiij. chapyter of hys .vi. boke Amonges the Isles of the Asyan Sea Plynye in hys .v. booke the .xxi. Chapyter sayeth there is one called Antyoche whyche standeth in the Sea of Pamphilia Apoplexie as sayeth Galien in the .v. chapyter of hys thyrde booke of the places affected is a disease by the whych all a mans synewes and vaynes do lose theyr force of fealynge and mouynge Thys dysease commeth sodeynlye and by the same a man shall vnethes fetche brethe Affryke The Cosmographers do deuide y e Earth into thre partes That is to wete Europe Asie Affryke Europe is seperated from Asia by the Ryuer Tanais and the Lakes called Meotides wythin y t whiche Tanais doeth fall And it is desseuered from Asie by the Sea Mediterrane so named for that it is in the myddes of the earthe or elles because it is enclosed wyth earth on euery syde sauynge where he hath his yssue betwene the pyllers of Hercules wherof the one is in Mauritania the other in Spayne Betwene the whiche Hercules made waie and passage for the Mediterrane Sea to ioyne with Thocean And it hathe none other yssue then betwene those two pyllers It extendeth towardes the Easte as farre as Siria whiche is in Asia Towardes the Northe vnto the lakes Meotides On the Southe parte it hath alwaies Aphrique which is sequestred from Asie by an arme of y e Sea called Sinus Arabicus That is the Redde Sea wherby the chyldren of Israell passed out of Egypte into the Desertes of Arabie Europe is muche Northe and so is it West in respecte of Asie And it is the least of the thre partes conteynynge the Isles of England and Scotlande and the nexte Isles thervnto Spaine Fraunce Almayne Italye Grece wyth the Isles theyr neyghbours Asie conteyneth Asie the lesse Lydia Caria Bythynia Galatia Capadocia Armenia Cilicia Sarmatia Assiria Arabia Persia Hircania Media Iudea the two Yndes and
all the other countreyes whych Ptolome describeth in hys twelue Tables Aphrique which is South conteyneth Mauritanya Numidia the countrey of Carthage whyche so longe tyme helde warre wyth the Romaynes Libia Ethiope and Egypt The Sea called the great Ocean enuironeth all these thre partes rounde aboute Aquileia is a Cytye scituate in y e tenth part of Italye after the deuision whyche Plinie maketh thereof in the xviij Chapyter of the thyrde booke of hys natural Hystorye sayinge thus Here foloweth tenth region of Italie named Venise adiacent vnto the Sea Hadriatyque In this Region there is a Ryuer called Silix commynge oute of the Taurisane mountaignes a Towne called Altinum with a Riuer called Liquentia descendyng out of the mountaygnes Opitâ—rgines and a Hauen of the same name A towne called CoÌ„cordia wyth a Ryuer a Hauen named Romatinum The greate and lytle Tillauentum Anassum another towne whereby passeth y e Ryuer Varannus And the Ryuers Alsa Natison and Turrus do passe by Aquileia whiche Citie is distaunt from the Sea .xij. miles For the reste haue recourse to the Text. Arabie There are .iij. Arabies Thone called fertile or happye Another called Rockye And the thyrd named Desert All thre verye nygh togethers as sayeth Ptolomee And they are in Asia nygh vnto the redde Sea through the which the chyldren of Israell departynge oute of Egypte passed and immedyatlye entered into the Dersertes of Arabie Armenie is a Realme of Asia The lesse Armenie ioyneth wyth Capadocia on the Weste parte And there is nothyng betwene them sauyng the mountaignes On the East part it is ioyned with Armenie y e great hauynge no more but the Ryuer of Euphrates betwene them Towardes the Southe is the mountaygne Taurus whych maketh separation of Armenia and Cilicia Towards the North is the Sea Mediterrane which in the streyte there is called Pontus Euxinus The great Armeny is beyond Euphrates And hath on the East part the Hircanian Sea the mountaygne called Caspius On the Northe aboue it the Realmes of Colchis Iberie and Albanie And towards y e South Mesapotamia as Ptolome hathe described it in y e .iij. Table of Asia Asia Loke on thys word Aphrique Atreniens are people of Arabie as sayeth Plinie in the .xxiiij. chap. of the .vi. boke of hys natural historye B. BIthinie is a Royalme of Asia nigh vnto Thrace betwene whome it ther is nothiÌ„g but a streite goulfe of y e Sea In this Royaulme are many goodly Cities as ChalcedoÌ„ Nicomedia Apamea Heraclea Nicea other as sayen Plyen Ptolomee Bizantium as it appeareth by the Texte in the beginning of Herodians thyrde Booke is a Cytye of Thrace of the whiche the scituacion and commodities are sufficiently described in the sayde Booke It is the same which we at this day call CoÌ„staÌ„tinople C. CCapitol is a Hill in Rome y t which in olde time was called y e MouÌ„te of Tarpeyns wherin when thei dygged to laye the fundacion of Iupiters Temple which was there buylded fowre square on euery syde a hundreth foote in heighte in the tyme of Tarquinius the proude laste Kynge of the Romaynes thei founde a mans heade wyth the face hole vnperysshed The Latius call a head Caput whereof y e place is called Capitole The MouÌ„te called Tarpeius had two lytle Hylles On the one stode the Temple of Iupiter on the other the Fortresse or Palaice of Rome whiche thei called Aâ—x Capitolina Cappadoce is a Royaulme of Asie adiaceÌ„t on y e west part to y e RegioÌ„ called Galatia And on y e East to Armenie thus dooth Ptolomee describe it in y e first Table of Asye Carie. Looke on this worde Ionie Carre is a Citye of Mesopotamia as sayeth the Text which is renowned spokeÌ„ of thrugh the ouerthrow of Marcus Crassus who was slaine his Army vaÌ„quished by the Parthians nigh vnto y e said Citie as writeth Plutarch in y e life of Marcus Crasius Carting was an vndeâ—eÌ„t exercise wherin voluptuouse Emperours gretely delited The forme thereof was to ryde in a Chariot with whipping cause the horses which drew y e same to run very fast to and fro as it liked theÌ„ We may call it ChariottiÌ„g also other name haue I not for the laten worde of it whiche is Aurigatio Chalcedon is a City of Bithynia vpoÌ„ the Sea side righte ouer aneanst Thrace and the Citye of Constantinople There is no more betwene them as sayeth the Authoure but a strait of the Sea called Bosphorus Thracius or Propontius or Helespontus which are all one makiÌ„g seperatioÌ„ of Europe Asie Circenses were certaine exercises plaied and shewed in a place called Circus whiche was compassed rounde about with a stone wall In thiese plaies thei vsed to runne w t horses to wrastle Thei were called Circenses as it were circum enses y t is to saye enuironned on euery syde w t Swordes For in olde tyme al the Running Iusting Wrastling and Combates of the Romaynes were in places enclosed on the one side with Riuers on the other syde with Swordes Glayus and Hallebardes to the ende that Cowardes Dastardes shuld not flea away w tout dauÌ„ger Cohorte Pretorâ—ane are suche men at Armes as garde the person of any Capitayne Duke Consull King or Emperour For this name Pretor is ofteÌ„ times taken for a King Emperour or Consull Colossus The Latins called euery greate and huge Image Collossus This Colossus whereof Herodian speaketh in his firste Booke was made by a notable workemaÌ„ named Zenodorus at the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of Nero Emperour of Rome And it was his Image beynge a hundreth and ten foote in heighte The same Image was dedicated to the honour of the Sonne after that the actes of Nero were condeÌ„pned and infringed for his cruell Tirrany as saieth Plynie in y e .xxxiii. booke the .vii. Chapiter Ther was an other Colossus at Rome which Domitian caused to be made standing vpon great pillers of Marble In the Capitole there was an other Colossus representinge the Image of Apollo whiche was .xxxi. cubytes of height traÌ„sported thither by Marcus Lucullus from a Citie called Apollonia in the Royalme of PoÌ„tus Amonges all such huge Images Plinye in the last cited Booke and Chapiter saieth y t in Rhodes there was the Image of the Sone passed al other in greatnes made by Chares of Lidia disciple vnto Lisippus The same was .lxx. cubites in heighte And fell downe by a meruailouse erthquake .lvi. yeres after it was made And althoughe it be broken yet is it at this preseÌ„t a thiÌ„g woÌ„derful to behâ—ld The Thombe therof a man can vnethe fadome And his singers are as bigge as great Images In y e same city of Rhodes there are an C. more Colossi But not so bygge as this although the leste of them were sufficieÌ„t to win fame and renowne to the City For those more descripcioÌ„ of the other haue recourse to the aforenamed Booke and Chapiter of Plynie Constantinople Loke on this worde
Bizantium Cyrus King of Persia was the Sone of one Cambises of an obscure familie in Persia Mandane the doughter of Astiages KiÌ„g of Media Who after ther position of his dreame by the whiche he vnderstode y t his doughters Sone shuld be King of all Asye that him self shuld lose his Royalme caused Cirus immediatly after he was borne to be put furth lefte alone in a Forest to y e ende he might be deuoured of wylde beastes But there a Bitche gaue him sucke defended hym from Beastes and Byrdes vntyll that the Kynges Sheperde founde hym caryed hym home to hys wyfe and gaue her the charge to nouryshe hym The woman was afterwardes called Spaâ—on because amonges the Persyans a Dogge is so named After that he waxed greate he was called Cyrus by the Sheperdes his Companions knowen to be Astiages doughters Sone and sente into Persia where he obtained much credite and aucthority Finally he assembled an Armye to make warre vpon Astyages his Grandefather from whom he berefte y e Royalme of Media vnto the which the Persians were subiect And by thys meanes Cyrus became Kynge of Perse and Media Before hys tyme the Persians had no Kinges but were subiecte vnto other Royaulmes After his victorie against Astiages he vanquisshed toke prisoner Croesus the King Lidia which was so riche But in conclusion him selfe was ouercomen and slayne by Thomyris Quene of Scithia wâ—en he had reigned .xxx. yeres Vnto hym succeded Cambises his Sone as Iustin in his first booke meÌ„cioneth Eusebius sayeth that CaÌ„bises reygned .viii. yeres Vnder Cirus Kynge of Persia by hys owne permissioÌ„ begaÌ„ the reparacioÌ„ of y e TeÌ„ple of HierusaleÌ„ which notw tstaÌ„dig was discoÌ„tinued many yeres after And at y e last finished the .vi. yeare of Darius Reigne Kinge likewise of Persya as witnesseth the .vi. .vii. Chapiters of Esdras in the Bible and Sabellyque in the .vii. Booke of his secoÌ„de Enneade After Cambyses two Brethern called Magi vsurped y e kingdoÌ„ .vii. Monethes After whoÌ„ Darius raigned .xxxvi. yeres And in the seconde yere of his Reigne Zorobabell by his permissioÌ„ renewed the reparacion of the TeÌ„ple of HierusaleÌ„ This Darius was nat he y t AlexaÌ„der the great vanquished but that was the .x. king after him called Dariê° also In whom the Royaulme of Persia toke hys eande Cyzicum is a Citye of Asye vpon the Sea syde in a Royaulme called Misia the lesse as witnesseth Ptolomee in the fyrst Table of Asie And so sayeth Plinie in the .xxxii. Chapiter of his .vi. Booke D. DAnubie or Danowe Loke on Ister Darius loke on these wordes AlexaÌ„der Cirê° Dionisus the Elder was a Tirant of Sicile Son of Hermocrates as saieth Sabellique He was verye well learned as writeth Plinie who preferreth none before him sauiÌ„g Plato in Philosophye Philopenê° in Poetrie two y e notablest men of learning in all his time In y e same yere y t the KingdoÌ„ of Athenes ended and Darius Kynge of Perse dyed Dionisus loste his Royalme as sayeth Sabellique in the nynthe Booke of hys fyrste Enneade Wherein he agreeth not wyth Eusebius Dyonisius Sonne was likewyse named Dyonisius the yonger who was also a Tirante of Sicile and raygned in a citye called Siracuses out of the whiche he was expulsed twyse ones by Dion And the second tyme by Timoleon sent agaynst hym by the Corynthians After thys seconde expulsion he kept a schole and taught yonge chyldren at Corynthe as wryteth Valerius Maximus E. Eridanus is a Ryuer of Italye otherwyse called Padus whych coÌ„meth as sayth Plinie in y e .xvi. chap. the .iij. boke of his natural History out of a mountaigne called Vesulus After that he hideth him selfe in the grounde and issueth out againe in the confynes of the Foruibienses Of all Ryuers ther is none more renowned The Grekes cal it Eridanus There is no Riuer besydes that encreaseth greater wythin so lytle space For it hathe a merueylous abundaunce of water falling into y e Sea Adriaitque Betwene the cytyes of Rauenna and Altinum it is verye domageable vnto the Countrey For by the space of .vi. skore myles as sayeth Plinie it doeth seperate it selfe into many Riuers Lakes And because that euerye Ryuer is large and great they call the same seuen Seas as witnesseth Herodyan in hys eyght boke Euphrates Loke on thys worde Syrye Europe Loke on thys worde Aphryque G. Galatians are those whiche enhabit the realme of Galatia which is in Asya betwene Bithinia Capadocia as sayen Plinye in the laste chap. of hys fyfth boke and Ptolome in y e fyrst Table of Asye The same Realme is called also Gallogretia and the people Gallogreci because that when the Gaules came to the ayde and succour of the kyng of Bythynie they helde and possessed that part of the Royalme Wherefore it is so named as wryteth Sabellique Gallus a Ryuer Looke on theyse wordes Goddesse Pesynuntyne Ganymedes was Son of Tros king of Phrigia who had Issue Ilus Assacus and Ganimedes The Fables surmise which is the most coÌ„mon opinion y e Iupiter rauished Ganimedes for his beauty by an Egle. But Sabellique in the .x. boke of hys fyrste Enneade sayth y t Ganymedes the Son of Tros was rauished by Tantalus kynge of Paphlagenie to abuse hym Whereby there arose great warre betwene the two kynges And it is most lyke that being very yonge he was iniuriously rauished by Tantalus vnder y e signe of the Egle were the battayles fought vpon the land or Sea Whych hath bene cause of the inuentioÌ„ of the Fable that sayeth that the Egle by ordynaunce of Iupiter rauyshed hym Gaule or Fraunce Cesar in his commentaries saith that Gaule is deuided into thre partes wherof y e Belges helde the one the Celtes another and the Aquitans inhabited the thyrd The Aquitans are seperated froÌ„ the Celtes by the Ryuer of Garumna The Celtes are sequestred from the Belges by the Ryuers of Marne and Seyn And the Belges are sundred frome the Almaignes by the Rheyn In the which diuision Gaule Narbonique is not comprised Ptolomee in hys fourth Table of Europe and in the chapyters of the same dothe deuyde Gaule into foure partes appoyntynge Gaule Aquitanyque to extende as farre as the Ryuer of Loyre And from Loyre to the Ryuers of Seyn and Marne is Gaule named Lugdunensis And from Seyn vnto Rheyn Gaule Narbonique extendeth it selfe vnto the Sea Mediterranean beyonde the Alpes and the Ryuer Varus vnto the Pyrrhenyan Mountaignes Gaule the rounded or otherwyse called Lumberdye is in the Lymytes of Italye and is the same countreye whyche is named Liguria nexte vnto the Alpes and the Sea All the other Gaule or Fraunce is called Gaule bering bushe Gaule Narbonique was before tyme named Brachata as sayeth Pliniie in the thyrde boke and the fourth chapyter Goddesse Pesynuntyne is y e same that Cicero in hys bokes of the lawes calleth the Moother Idea whyche is the selfe same that the Romaynes name the Moother