figure thereof he said by the spirite of prophesie that vvhen his sonne Noah vvas borne this should comfort vs concerning our vvorke and sorovv of our hands as concerning the earth vvhich the Lord hath cursed The last man of the first age vvas Noah a iust and vpright man in his time before God hee likevvise vvalked vvith and obeied GOD in all things and therefore found fauour vvith God vvith vvhom God made his couenant established the same vvith a signe for thee only haue I found iust and righteous in this age vpon the earth for Noah vvas called the righteous preacher preaching vnto the vvicked for amendment of life and because they vvere luld in all kind of securities and feared not God Noah departed from them and vvent to another land for hee vvas vvarned of God of things that vvere not seene as yet concerning the Arke God vvas so much offended vvith the vvickednesse of the vvorld that his vvrath vvas kindled to see such iniquitie vpon earth for the whole world was corrupt before God and vvas filled with crueltie all flesh had corrupted his way and all imaginations of mans thoughts were so euil and wicked that it repented the Lorde to haue made man and as it were disauowing man to be his creature they were so addicted to intemperancie lust gluttonie and securitie the foure principall causes of the flood which for sinne destroied man and beast and yet in mercie God spared man 120. yeeres to repent before he woulde destroy the worlde No dout many things haue bene written of the olde Patriarches in the first age and thought of many writers that Adam and his sonne Seth had made two tables of stone wherein they wrote many goodly things to their posterity The best warrant is read in Iosephus for that he trauailed much in the historie of the Iewes and their other histories called Drash for their Rabbies heape many fables beside the historie of Moses in their Chronicles called Drash so Philo Iudaeus Herodot and Melancton from them affirme It is written againe that Adam and Seth foreseeing the deluge of the world caused two pillars to be set vp the one of brickes the other of brasse one to resist the violence of the water the other to endure the rage of the fire but I see no reason that Adam should prophecie the same to be from God and yet he being man sought meanes by naturall reason and waies by arte to preuent the euerlasting decree of the Almighty Iosephus might wel erre in that I thinke that many things are written of the Iewes which doe not agree with the purpose of Gods prouidence nor his counsell for the Iewes recorded in their bookes of histories called Drash any thing that might be coniectured true and which they themselues supposed in opinion to be true as the maners of their Talmudists were Iosephus a great writer of the Iewes antiquities the best Historiographer of Chaldean histories who wrote more and is more to be commended then any other and because he thinketh much amisse for any man to seeke recordes of antiquities amongest the Graecians men of late knowledge hauing their beginning and first originall from Egypt and Chaldea specially Assyria and Chaldea the first seate of man after the flood for the Greekes began to flourish in the declining age of the world when that Assyria Chaldea Egypt and other places of the East were wasted consumed with sword and fire for so it seemeth by the Philosopher Calisthenes report then being with Alexander the Great at the siege of Babylon writing vnto his cosin Aristotle who had bene his preferrer vnto Alexander to that purpose he might search out the Libraries of Babylon and to certifie Aristotle of those antiquities specially of Astrologie wherein the Chaldeans past and of their monuments wherein the Greekes were ignorant for Calisthenes sent vnto Aristotle howe that Babylon was farre more famous for all kind of learning and knowledge twelue hundred yeeres past then it was when Alexander the Great did besiege it certifying him with recordes of 19. hundred yeeres before Alexanders time Berosus an ancient writer and a man of great authoritie amongst the Chaldeans saith that Arphaxad one of the sonnes of Sem whose birth vvas 2. yeeres after the flood christened the first name of this Countrey after his ovvne name aftervvarde it vvas called Cephem and novve last named Chaldea of the situation of this Countrey and the seate of Babylon I vvill let the reader reade of it in Ptolomââ¦us and in Pomponius Mela. I vvill goe on vvith my historie When C ham the second sonne of Noah had begotten a sonne named Chus and Chus had begotten a sonne named Nemrad this began to take armes and to become great in his doings he became mightie in earth vsing violence and force against all people framing himselfe to be first Emperour of the vvorlde so full of crueltie and tyrannie that it grevve vnto a prouerbe as it is in the Genesis as Nemrod the mightie hunter before the Lorde his oppression vvas such that he passed not to commit crueltie euen in Gods presence This Nemrad began to rule in Babel in the land of Shinear aftervvard called Chaldea vvhere he and his companie returning from Armenia vvhere they after the flood began to build vp an high tower whose top should reach vnto heauen to get them a name vpon earth least they should be scattered ouer the whole earth thinking through pride and ambition to preferre their owne glory before Gods honor but vaine is the helpe of man their wicked enterprise was ouerthrowen for God sawe their follie and so confounded them in their deuises in their speach that one could not vnderstand another Then were they deuided and scattered then confusion of tongues began which was then in the house of Heber onely the Hebrew tongue then began people to seeke out countries and to inhabite the earth The posteritie of Sem to great Asia Persia Assyria and Chaldea and all the regions about Euphrates towards the East part of the world The posteritie of Cham went to Egypt Aethiope Libya and possessed all places about Nilus and reached towards the South vnto the furthest part of Affrica and the posteritie of Iaphet possessed all the Westcountrey the lesser Asia and all Europa of whom all the Gentiles sprang out Thus much for the first age from Adam vnto Noah 1656. Now I meane particularlie to follow my historie as the reason is offered vnto me by following the sonnes of Noah their children and posterities froÌ the land of Senaah vnto euery part of the earth CHAP. I. Of the most ancient and true historie of the Hebrewes after called Israel of their lawes and originall gouernment called Oligarchia from Abraham vnto Moses THE historie of the Hebrewes for that it is most ancient from Hebers time the fourth from Noah and most true for that it is written by Moses and confirmed by the
fourtie eight yeeres and had diuers times many victories and as many ouerthrowes for first hee lay de siege to Rhodes tooke Alba Graeca by treacherie and deceipte but Virtus an Dolus quis in hoste requirit hee subdued Corsica and ouerthrewe a great armie of the Germanes by the Citie of Buda in Vngarie being betrayed and sould into the Turkes by Catzianerus and by the like treachery of a Spaniard the Turkes gote a very strong fort in Vngarie called Granensis Arx. After this Soliman laide siege to Vienna in Austrich and to diuers Townes in Sicilia but they were manfully resisted and repulsed from both Austrich and Sicilia His armies in the East Countries were so slaine and scattered by the Sophy of Persia that Soliman lost in two battels an infinite number of hia Turkes After these two great victories had ouer the Turkes by the Persians he was by the Germanes resisted at the hauen of Hercules he was by the Rhodians driuen out of the Isle of Militea he entred into a league with the Persians concluded peace with diuers princes of Asia came into Vngaria laid siege to Segethum where he died in his tents before he could win Segethum After his death his soÌnes fought for the Empire Baiazetes was compelled to flee into Persia being by this ciuill warre ouerthrowen by his brother Selimus who of all the sonnes of Soliman was left aliue and succeeded his father in the Empire Vnder this Selimus the Turkes tooke warres in hand against the Saracens and prepared a nauie into Cyprus which had reuoulted from the Turkes After hee made a voyage against the Moscouians at the riuer of Tanais where Selimus lost more then hee wanne then he laide siege to Nicosia and to Famagusta two noble cities in Cyprus for Famagusta is the chiefe Citie of Cyprus Two yeeres after this the Persians gaue two great ouerthrowes to the Turkes in Mesopotamia at what time the Tartarians which in olde time were called Scythians wasted and spoyled Russia and Moscouia but I leaue the Soldane of Egypt the Sophi of Persia the Saracens the Turkes and those infidels and ende their historie in this Selimus laying their names downe as they reigned from Othoman the first vnto Selimus the eleuenth 1 Othoman reigned 28. yeres 2 Orchanes 22. 3 Amurathes 23. 4 Pazaites hauing slaine his brother Solimanus 26. 5 Mahomet 17. 6 Amurates the 2. of that name Mahomets sonne 34. 7 Mahomet the 2. which tooke the Empire from the Greekes 32. yeeres 8 Pazaites the 2. 31. 9 Selimus 7. 10 Soliman 48. 11 And after Soliman his soÌne Selimus OF THE ANTIQVITIE OF Greece of the beginning of their Cities and Common wealth of their lawes and gouernments by degrees during yet the infancie of Greece NOwe I leaue Asia and come to Europe to that noble and famous Countrie of Greece though by order of historie I shoulde passe from Persia with Alexander the great into Macedonia whither the Empire from Persia was brought nowe by Alexander yet for that Greece is vpon the way and that Alexander the great subdued all the Prouinces of Greece and was by consent of all the Countrie made Emperour of Greece where his father Philip was made but a Duke or a Gouernour of Greece I will therefore first speake of Greece for that Macedonia and Greece were but one Empire and vnder the great Alexander for so hee was called in the sacred historie the King of Greece and so after Alexanders death they compted their yeeres after the reignes of the Kings of Greece and therefore I will passe first ouer Greece before I come to Macedonia To this Countrie came the third sonne of Iaphet named Iauan or Iaon of whom this Countrey nowe called Greece was then named Ionia for all Countreys had their names by the first inhabitants therin as in the 10. of Genesis is mencioned the first ground and originall from whence the nations of the world had their beginning by the description of the sonnes of Sem the sonnes of Cham and the sonnes of Iaphet After that Iaon the third sonne of Iaphet possessed Greece a Countrey for the situation thereof most delectable and fertile wherein many things of great accompt are most worthy to be remembred This Countrey of Greece is diuided vnto twelue regions The first and principall part of Greece is the region of Morea The 2. the Countrie of Athens The 3. of Corinth The 4. of Lacedemon The 5. of Messenia The 6. of Achaia The 7. of Boetia The 8. of Thessalia The 9. of Arcadia The 10. of Ionia The 11. and 12. of Dorica and Aeolica Although Strabo saieth that these two last are Countries within Peloponesus which is nowe called Morea which was the greatest and chiefest Countrey of Greece inhabited first by the Barbarous for so all Greece was inhabited first the Countrie of Athens onely excepted The platte forme of Peloponesus is like the leafe of a Plane tree with creekes and nookes and conteineth in length from the West vnto the East a thousand foure hundred furlongs and almost so much in breadth The coast of Peloponesus is on the north side with the Ionian sea on the West with the Sicilian sea on the South with the Candian sea all these Shires or Countries are situated within Morea Achaia Elis Messenia Laconia which is also named Lacedemonia and Arcadia which is enuironed rounde about with Peloponesus In euery countrey of these are very famous townes and cities named at large in Pomponius Mela and in Strabo Next Peloponesus beginneth the countrey of Hellas which is called and taken for true Greece In this Hellas is the region of Phocis where the temple and Oracle of Apollo in Delphos and the famous mount Parnassus here is also in that part of Greece Boetia where Thebes a most famous citie is and mount Cytheron much spoken of in Poetrie then is the countrey of Locris Megaris and of Athens more famous of it selfe then it neede to be commended as well for chiualrie and magnanimitie as also for learning and knowledge being the fountaine and nourse of Philosophie This countrey of Athens doeth Strabo describe in his ninth booke that he bestoweth all that booke in the setting forth onely of Athens with commendations of Boetia and Thessalia as the chiefest and rarest countreis of Greece for Thessalia coÌtayning within it the renowmed mount Olympus which by meanes of the wooddie bottoms of the hill with a very pleasant riuer running through the same maketh a most delectable and pleasant soile called Tempe Thessalica vnto Thessalia belong the plaines of Pharsalia where Pompey was ouerthrowen in the last battell betweene Caesar and him In Thessalia are many notable riuers and cities many Isles lie ouer against the maine land of Athens as Salamis Sunim Cos and Ceos not farre from Athens is the plaine Marathon where was a bloodie battell betweene the Persians and the Athenians Greece
furie of Cyrus souldiers and Artaxerxes himselfe had a wound giuen him by Cyrus his one hande but afterwarde Cyrus was taken and was bound with fetters of golde and had at that time died if his mother had not most earnestly entreated for him Cyrus by his mothers meanes being let at libertie with great furie followed his first purpose gathered a farre greater armie wherein were tenne thousand Grecians vvell and strongly furnished which came out of Greece to ayde Cyrus To be short it was in vaine Cyrus was slaine in that battell and his armie ouerthrowen yet Iustine saith that the Grecians valiantly stoode to it vnconquered in that wing of the battell where they stood Of this warre doeth Xenophon most amplie entreate with whom Cyrus the yonger himselfe was brought vp of this Cyrus and of his actes Xenophon wrote sixteene bookes eight of discipline militarie and other eight of his warres Now to Athens againe where tyrannie all this while gouerned but Thrasibulus was not carelesse how to represse these tyrants whome Ismenias a prince of Thebes secretly ayded and when that Sparta had made a decree that no citie of Greece should suffer any exiled Athenians to enter into it the Thebans resisted the decree and they also made not onely a decree within Thebes and in all Boetia that no house should be shut to the Athenians but ayded them with men and money Likewise Lysias an oratour of Syracusa bestowed 500. readie and well furnished souldiers to ayde Athens When this preparation was heard of in Athens the Tyrants sent to Pausanias king of Sparta to defende them which hee with some conscience refused for the which afterwarde Pausanias was accused by the Lacedemonians In the meane season Thrasybulus gaue battell to the thirtie Tyrants ouerthrewe them and tooke the citie of Athens restored libertie to the citizens at what time hee brought in Solons lawe to forget the iniuries past of friendes of parents and of children which were slaine in Athens vnder these thirtie Tyrants This lawe of Thrasybulus was reuiued by the Senatours of Rome which were in the time of Trium viri which were Octauius Augustus Marcus Antonius Lepidus Aemilius when Iulius Caesar was slaine to forget the reuenge of Caesars death to auoyde ciuill warres within Rome A litle after this Conon againe scattered the force of Sparta and after much hurt to the Lacedemonians he came to Athens and ioyned with Thrasybulus by whose courage and valure Athens by degrees reuiued for yet the ciuill warres in Greece were not ended for as these afflictions and miseries happened to Athens by ciuill warres so after to euery citie of Greece the like happened that of the onely countrey of the worlde it was brought into a most miserable destruction And for that you may reade the strength and force of Greece while they held together I wil set downe the warres and the victories which the Grecians haue had ouer the Persian kings and ouer all other barbarous princes in Asia and in all partes of the East at that time when that the Persians were lords and princes of the whole worlde and helde the Monarchie onely without resistance of any king or countrey yet in the most flourishing time of the Persians the Grecians had these victories of them which are layde downe before you viz. THe great battell at Marathon where Miltiades got the victorie ouer Darius Histaspis the thirde king of Persia. The famous enterprise and victorie of Leonidas at Thermopila where hee slewe twentie thousande Persians with three hundred Grecians The two terrible battels at Salamina where Themistocles and Aristides had the victorie against Xerxes both by sea and land The battell fought before Platea against Mardonius where was slaine sixe and twentie thousande and Mardonius the king of Persias lieutenant The victorie hereof was giuen to the Athenians yet the honour of the victorie by common report yeelded to the Plateans at what time Aristides was generall of Athens and Pausanias king of Sparta was generall of all Greece The warres of Chalcedon against Pharnabasus where Alcibiades wanne the victorie The warres betweene Ptolomey king of Egypt and Alexander king of Macedon the sonne of Amintas pacified and ended by Pelopidas and tooke the kings brother called Philippe which was Alexander the great his Father and thirtie more of the noblest mens sonnes in Macedon to Ostage and brought them to Thebes to let the worlde see the reputation of Greece then The victorie of Aristides gotten at Psittalia where he tooke three Persian lordes sonnes to Sandauce king Xerxes sister and the Grecians were of one minde and thought with such courage to bring Asia vnder the Empire of Greece The victorie of Cimon in the countrie of Thracia where he vanquished certeine great men of Persia allied to the king himselfe and kept the Citie of Eronea vpon the riuer of Strymon ouerthrewe the barbarous people inuaded the Thracians droue the Persians away and possessed al Thracia and appointed Grecians to inhabite the Countrie thus had the Greekes victorie out of Greece before their ciuill warres began this Cimon plagued the Persians past into Asia and returned with diuers victories into Greece againe When Nicias wanne the hauen of Syracusa and besieged the Citie in such sort that Euripides made an Epitaph vpon the graue of Nicias and had gotten eight seuerall victories ouer the Cicilians The victorie which Agesilaus had of Sardis the chiefe Citie of Lydia and the victorie ouer Tisaphernes lieutenant of all Persia who gaue battell to the Nation that dwell in Acarnea ouerthrewe them and destroyed them and had victorie and after went to Egypt being an olde man to Tachos king of Egypt where hee vsed a Stratageme that hee gote victorie of Tachos vnto Nectanebus nowe when Persia Asia Egypt Lydia felt the force of Greece then was Greece renowmed The victorie of Phocion in the Isle of Naxes in a battell by sea and another victorie of the Macedonians in a battell that Phocion had with Antipater where Leonatus who came out of Asia to ioyne with Antipater was killed The battell at Mantinea the chiefe Citie of Arcadia the victorie hereof fell to Epaminondas and to the Thebans CHAP. VII Of the last destruction of Greece by the Macedonians by meanes of ciuill discorde and the Peleponesian warres the onely cause of their ruine and confusion at what time king Philip brake their backes and his sonne Alexander their neckes and after them the Romanes kept them in perpetuall seruitude WHat should I write of the victories of Epaminondas Agis Cleomenes or of others which fell before the ciuil dissension of Greece I meane chiefely the Peloponesian warres though some of those victories were after the warres of Peloponesus yet certeinely while the Grecians helde as some time they woulde then was Xerxes driuen out of Greece and beaten in his owne
Demosthenes to exclaime in these wordes Noctua populus Draco tria monstra Athenis for in Athens they esteemed more the seruants poore people straungers and specially mariners more then their Magistrates noble men officers or their chiefe Citizens The people grewe so strong and so headie in Athens that it was not lawfull to banish straungers or to punish seruaunts to be short of the common wealth of Athens and of Sparta reade Xenophon Nowe againe to the victorie at Cheronea the last and the sorest battell which brake the backe of the Citie of Athens Philip king of Macedon called together all the States of Greece into Corinth where by common consent hee was chosen and named Prince or rather Generall of all Greece against the Persians All Greece being nowe quiet in peace Philip beganne warres against the Persians and with great celeritie hee sent an armie into Asia While these things were doing Philip was slaine by Pausanias when hee was of the age of fourtie sixe yeeres after hee had reigned king twentie fiue yeeres Greece thought by the death of Philip againe to recouer their former libertie they little doubted Alexander being then but young neither Arideus which was Philips base sonne by Laryssea which for a time reigned after Alexander but according to their wonted maners full of innouations ambitions contencions and hatred neuer quiet but one Citie or other would be iarring the Persians power grewe great and the Greekes beganne to reuoult from Alexander which by succession after his father shoulde bee their chiefe Generall The Thebans offered themselues to ioyne with those Cities that woulde defende the libertie of Greece and exclude those Macedonian souldiers which Philip placed in the castle of Thebes called Cadmea Hereby Alexander tooke occasion to enter in armes ouerthrewe Thebes vnto the grounde wasted and spoyled diuers Cities in Boetia for at one time the Athenians the Lacedemonians and the Thebans reuoulted from Alexander by perswasion of Demosthenes being corrupted with rewardes of the Persians But when Thebes was destroyed Alexander sent to Athens offering peace vnto the Athenians vpon the yeelding vp of Demosthenes Lycurgus and others by the Citizens vnto Alexander Vnto this demaund of Alexander Demosthenes brought in the fable of the Woolfe who offered peace vnto the Shepheardes vpon condicion to haue the shepheards dogges away applying the morall hereof vnto the Oratours of Athens who by continuall barking to the people kept Greece froÌ forraine soueraigntie but the Athenians standing much in feare of Alexanders force and beside knowing their owne weakenes they sent Demades the Orator to entreate for peace which being obteined of Alexander by the meanes of Demades the Athenians the Lacedemonians the Thebans and the rest of the Cities of Greece hauing obteyned peace likewise by one consent they appointed Alexander their captaine and chiefe generall against the Persians At what time reigned Darius the tenth king of Persia to whom many of Philips children by other mariages fledde to see the euents and sequell of the warres betweene Alexander and Darius This last yeelding vp of Greece vnto Alexander was three yeeres after the great battell of Cheronea and after the warres of the Peloponesians three score yeeres Of this warre Thucydides diuided his eight bookes concerning the ciuill warres of the Grecians which continued twentie seuen yeeres euery booke comprehending three yeeres warres vntill twentie one yeeres expired at what time Thucydides died then Xenophon beganne where Thucydides ended Thus ended the glorie of Greece which florished in wisedome and knowledge from Solons time vntill Plato two hundred yeeres and from Platoes birth vntill this last conquest of Greece a hundred and twentie yeeres Though yet Greece brought many learned men after Alexanders time yet the fame and renowme of Greece was caried vnto Macedonia their Empire translated their libertie lost and all Greece made subiect vnto Macedonia at what time the Monarchie of Persia was lost and brought by Alexander vnto Macedonia OF THE KINGDOME OF Macedonia of the continuance lawes and gouernment of their Kings and of their warres vntil the time of Alexander the great AFter I haue briefely entreated of Greece and haue abridged many things which might haue beeue well in the histories of Greece yet I haue many times occasion to speake of Greece in handling of Macedonia neither neede I long to stay in Macedonia for of all the kings of Macedonia before Philips time little or nothing is to bee spokeÌ of them so obscure a kingdom Macedonia was before Philpis time for that the warres of Philip of his sonne the great Alexander are mencioned in the Persian and in the Grecians historie I neede not much to write of them therefore I will begin with the descents of the kings of Macedon of the first names of the countrie which was called Emathia of one Emathius which was the first that obteined soueraigntie in Emathia which name continued vntil the time of Deucaleons nephew named Macedo he chaÌââ¦ged the name of Emathia called it after his owne name Macedonia MelacthoÌ saith that the name of Macedonia is come of Kittim the sonne of Iauan the soÌne of Iaphet Herodot other auncient writers affirme that the kings of Macedonia take their originall from Hercules Nowe the land which before was called Pieria Migdonia or Emathia is nowe called the Realme of Macedonia a countrie bounded on the East side with Thracia on the South with Thessalia on the West with the Illyrians hauing on the North side Peonia as Pomponius Mela saith the Macedonians inhabited many Cities of the which Pella was the most renowmed The kingdome of Macedonia in the beginning was ofââ¦o great fame vntill Philips time which was Amyntas sonne and Alexanders father who first brought the name of Macedonia to be spoken of though before of sclender renowne and obscure fame rather deseruing the name of a Prouince then of a kingdome as Ruffinus writeth for as Cyrus reigne doeth much lighten the whole historie of the Persians and the very time of their kings in respect of Cyrus his decree and dealings with the Iewes by the meanes and traueile of Zorobabel Esdras and Nehemias mencioned in Scripture euen so doeth the name of the great Alexander reforme many errors in Xenophons histories for that the certeintie of the Macedonian historie depeÌdeth vpon the time of AlexaÌder which of necessitie must be within a 130. yeeres of Cyrus though many of the best writers erre much in this After Macedo succeeded Cranaus a captaine of certeine Peloponesians hee was the first that had the name of a king hee builded a Citie according to the Oracle that hee should followe a heard of goates and where they stand there to builde a Citie which he named Aegea others say that he came vpon a tempest to a towne named Edissa there beholding goates together he changed the name of Edissa vnto Egea there he builded and
the other not able to succeed his father in the kingdom therfore Tarquinius a man of good seruice before time knowen and in great friendship with Anc. Martius was by consent of the Senators and of the people elected the 5. king of the Romans In the beginning of whose raigne Thales Periander and TerpaÌder euen then the 17. Iubilee after Moses began in the 41. Olympiad But first I must set downe what kings raigned in other countreis before I speake of Tarquinius Priscus In the beginning therefore of Ancus Martius raigne raigned king of Egypt Necho by whom Iosias king of Iuda was then slaine and in Media Ciaxeres in Daniel called Darius Medus This time raigned in Babylon Nabuchodonosor by whom Ioakim king of Iuda was caried captiue vnto Babylon and in Lidia raigned Sadaites their seuenth king Then the Prophet Ieremie prophecied the 70. yeeres of captiuitie to the Iewes in the time of Ancus Martius after whom Tarquinius Priscus by election and not by succession became the fift king of Rome Of whose countrey parentage and friends and how he came to be king of Rome reade Halicarnassaeus where you shal finde the whole historie therof Against this king the Latins had diuers aydes froÌ the Hetruscans specially from fiue great cities inhabited by people called Clusini Arretini Volaterani Rusellani and Vetulonenses And in like maner as before to Ancus Martius so now they began with Tarquinius Priscus one that had good cause to knowe them for that he had tried them before and therefore vsed them as his predecessors did ouerthrew them and subdued them so that their cities their townes and their countreys were made euen to the ground By this king were the Fidenats the Latins and the rest of those nations about Rome subdued and destroyed the Hetruscans which kept Tarquinius in warres nine yeeres were ouerthrowen in so much that they made Tarquinius prince of Hetruria so the Hetruscans after nine yeres warres being broken and weary thought good with one consent to send ambassadors from all the cities of Italy to Tora to entreate for peace which was graunted vnto them vpon condition that they would make Tarquine their prince and to haue the name of their chiefe magistrate in euery city which were called Lucumones to hold of him This being of meere force consented Tarquinius Priscus granted them their owne lawes customes and liberties in all points as they had before After this he gouerned in peace after he had triumphed with great pompe and solemnitie as then the time serued He went dayly most sumptuous inapparel he ware a crowne of gold vpoÌ his head and had on Togam pretextaÌ with a scepter of Iuory in his hand which was then straÌge to see in Rome for Romulus had his scepter but of wood he sate in a chaire of Iuory and his Serieants about him where he gaue lawes to the people he was admonished of this good fortune wheÌ yet he was a stranger in Rome by an Egle who toke his hat froÌ his head in his claw and flew so hie in the aire that scant the Egle could be seene and in the sight of al his people the Egle brought the hat againe and let it fall vpon Priscus head he was by this perswaded that it signified good and therefore expected the kingdome after Ancus Martius though a stranger and that Ancus had 4. sonnes to succeed him The Sabines which held the Romanes play for 5. yeres were also by Tarquinius ouerthrowen In these warres against the Sabines Ser. Tullius was made general this for his good seruice and wise policie afterward succeeded Tarquinius in the kingdome for he was esteemed of the people in much fauour with Tarquinius in the like fauour was Tarquinius before with Ancus Martius whose seruice seemed such that he was elected king ouer the Romanes though he was a stranger Now after that Tarquinius had subdued al townes and cities about Rome and had made the confines of Rome larger then before yet as Eutropius saith all the warres victories and triumphes which Romulus T. Hostilius Anc. Martius and this Tarquinius Priscus these 5. kings had ouer many people extended not aboue 15. miles from the citie of Rome so hard were the Romans kept in warres on all sides applied with their neighbours and so long were they augmenting their Empire But to returne to Tarquinius who made the city of Rome farre more famous then before by building the walles thereof by doubling the nomber of the Senators the first beginning of the capitol this king also builded a place for playes called Circus and instituted diuers games there betwixt mount AueÌtine and mount Palatine he made sinks to auoyd the filth and ordure of the citie and with great expences made it to be caried into the riuer of Tiber. This Tarquinius was the first that entred the citie of Rome with any triumph on chariot though some say that Romulus some Valerius Publicola but Tarquinius Priscus by coÌmon consent was the first that set forth triumphs in so stately and magnificent shew and hee himselfe the first that triumphed on triumphant chariot and that three seueral times ouer the Latines Sabines and Hetruscanes and when hee had ââ¦aigned 38. yeeres he was slaine by the sonnes of Ancus Martius his predecessour During his gouernment raigned in other countreys these kings in Lydia Haliactes their 8. king in Macedonia Europus their 7. king in Egypt raigned Apries whom Ieremy calleth Hophra at what time Ierusalem was destroied by Nabuchodonosor and the Iewes broght captiue vnto Babylon In this kings raigne the warres grew betwixt the Lydians the Medes when Astiages raigned king ouer the Medes This time florished in the last yeres of this king many wise men as Solon in Athens Thales in MiletuÌ and others called the 7. sages Likewise about the last yeeres of this king Nabuchodonosor was by repentance for his transgressions against the Lord restored to his kingdome againe Now after this the 6. king of the Romans was named Seruius Tullius of whom you heard before how he was a captaine vnder Priscus and now elected king in the 50. Olympiad in the beginning of the 18. Iubilee being maried to Tarquinius his own daughter a noble womaÌ borne yet a captiue and a handmaid This time liued Accius Nauius a great soothsayer of great fauour and credite in the citie of Rome this man before the king who scoffed the art of Nauius and caried in his bosome a hard flint stone onely to trie the skill of Nauius which he with a knife did cut through the midst and therfore the king commaunded his statue or image to be made and to be erected vp in that very place where he vsed this feat before Priscus Tarquinius in memorie of his arte with his flint stone and knife in his hand His fathers name was Tullus his mother was named Ocrisia
slew the great giant called Lycurgus in Thracia Of this Osiris whom the Egyptians named Serapis to whom they vsed much diuine honour and solemne sacrifice as to one of their principal gods read Herodot more of this god there you shal find how king Cambyses Cyrus sonne secoÌd king of Persia gaue a blow and wounded him in his temple whereat the Egyptians were more offended then for al the crueltie tyrannie which Cambyses did to them It made them to reuolt from Cambyses and to be in armes against the Persians to reuenge the blow which Cambyses gaue to their god Serapis Deabus in Celtiberia he is also named GerioÌ vsed this time great crueltie and tyrannie he found then one of the first mines of golde and after he found many other mines of gold siluer and of other mettals This time Mena raigned in Egypt the first king who instructed them in many things in Egypt as to woorship their gods to do sacrifice with diuers other ceremonies wher in Egypt excelled all other kingdoms he taught theÌ the vse of beds to lye on tables to sit at meat This Mena is supposed to be Mizraim Osyris which of Berosus is called Oceanus About this time dyed Ismael the base sonne of Abraham by his maide Agar after he had liued 137. yeeres he left behind him twelue sonnes princes ouer the people ouer his tribes In this tyraunt Deabus time otherwise called Gerion Ioseph was sold into Egypt and the Indians brought presents committed themselues vnto the Chaldeans for by this time many parts of the world were well inhabited and some kingdomes began to be populous and kings grew strong and mightie on the earth for now raigned in Assyria Baleus Iunior who flourished by his prowes courage augmented the territories of the Assyrians into the confines of India and excelled in fame nexte vnto Semiramis Queene of Assyria Osiris also had nowe gotten all Italie into his hand and held it for ten yeeres Typhon became a great tyrant killed his brother Osiris the iust vsurped the kingdome of Egypt So I might say of Anteus in Lybia of Busiris in Phoenicia and so of this Gerion in Celtiberia and of diuers others who forsooke to be kings being not contented with one kingdome became tyrants and vsed all kinde of cruelty deceites and treason to enlarge their dominions When this tyrant Gerion died in Celtiberia his 3. sonnes succeeded after him called Lomuini they builded a great town in Celtiberia named it after their names Lomuinia These brethreÌ after they iointly gouerned the Celtiberians for the space of 52. yeeres they left the countrey to bee gouerned by one Hispalus the sonne of Hercules Lybius This gouerned the Celtiberians for seuenteene yeeres and builded a strong towne and named it after his owne name Hispalis In his time the kinges of Egypt became first to be called Pharaoes a name giuen to them of dignitie for in the beginning of kingdoms men were yet simple contented with one Towne for diuers cities with a small territorie in steede of a great kingdome which shortly grew to that pride that kings would not be contented with a kingdome neither with 2. or 3. kingdomes they woulde faine get the whole worlde and some weepe with Alexander because there were no more but one world to winne So grew the intollerable insolencie of princes in short time vpon the earth that they would be called gods commanded by edicts that they should be so worshipped as Belus among the Assyrians Nabuchodonosor among the Caldeans Osiris among the Egyptians Alexander the great among the Persians and Dioclesian among the Romanes Idolatrie superstition vainglorie and selfe loue entred into mens hearts and possessed their mindes in such sort in steede of trueth simplicity iustice contentation and quietnes which yet raigned among men dum aureum seculumfloruit During the reigne of Hispalus in Celtiberia that gouernement called Dynasteia Politanorum beganne in Egypt which continued 348. yeeres Argus the fourth king of the Argiues gouerned after Hispalus had gouerned 11. yeres Hispanus succeeded king of Celtiberia which gouerned them for 32. yeres of this king Hispanus Celtiberia was named Hispaine for in Egypt beganne the names of Pharoes when the kings of Celtiberia were named kings of Hispaine CHAP. II. From the time of Hispanus by whom they were called Hispaniards vntill the monarchie was dissolued and the names of kinges ended after what time Hispayne was deuided vnto particular Prouinces and seuerall dominions after the raigne and gouernement of foure and twentie kings euen from Cetubal the first vnto Mellicola the last HItherto you reade howe that the first inhabitauntes were called by diuers names first of Tubal their first king by whome they were called Cetubals at the seconde change they were called Hiberi and the countrey Hiberia after the name of Hiberus their seconde king the thirde time they were called Celtiberi and the countrey Celtiberia the fourth time the countrey was called Hesperia and the fifte time nowe of Hispanus the countrey is called Hispayne This time in the East kingdomes nothing was done woorth the writing Forkinges were scant yet knowen no great warres yet heard of for at this time reguli non Reges fuere and therefore I thought it the best course to set downe the names of the first Kinges that then inhabited in Hispayne for all this while and of long time after no warre no victorie no martiall exploites were in anie part of the worlde sauing in the East among the Chaldeans and the Assyrians which grewe by this time so mighty that they held betwene them the first monarchie and yet their dominion seemed not to extend farre by the sequele I wil therefore bee briefe for that I cannot finde during the time of these 24. kings anie historie woorth the writing nor of long time after these foure and twentie kinges raigned in Spayne one after another 1 Tubal their first king by whom they were called Cetubals which raigned 155. yeeeres and had setled some seates and builded some townes and died 2 Iberus his sonne and their second king raigned 37. yeres he also died 3 Iubalda the third king and the sonne of Iberus raigned 66. yeeres and dwelt hard by a mount of his owne name called Iubalda which vnto this day is of the Spaniards named Gibralta 4 Brigus succeeded Iubalda in the 20. yere of Arius the sixt king of the Assyrians and gouerned in Celtiberia 51. yeeres 5 After him Tagus which is called Orma gouerned the Celtiberians and raigned 30. yeeres hee beganne to gouerne his kingdome with Baleus Xerxes the eight king of the Assyrians and at what time the Argiues reared first there and Phaeton came to Italie Phaetontis incendium 6 Then succeeded in Celtiberia Betus their sixth king which beganne his raigne when Armatrites the ninth king beganne in Assyria and raigned one and thirtie yeeres this time Eusebius setteth downe the
called Gallograeci for so Liuius agreeing with this history of Iustine saith that wheÌ any French naââ¦on dwelt in any part of old Greece those people were called Gaulgreekes by reason of their mingling with other they were called gens mixta adultera for after they had diuided themselues into diuers couÌtries after Brennus their captaine was slaine as I said before they spoyled Greece and the most part of Asia the number of these Galgrecians were such as all Asia stood in great feare and doubt of them These Frenchmen florished vnder Brennus a captaine fitte for such mercenary souldiers and as Liui saith Gens auidissima auri spared neither Towne nor Temple for at that time when the Frenchmen inuaded Italie and had taken Rome and had spoyled and destroyed cities and countries being such number together 300000. as saith Iustine diuiding theÌselues some to Macedonia some to seeke one way and some to seeke another way that the Frenchmen were a terrour in Asia some of these dwelt in Galatia some went to Phrygia there in many places inhabited Now both these countries Bythinia Galatia are called Gallograecia and as many as dwelt in any part of Greece they were called Frenchgreeks for at what time CoÌsuls reigned after the kings in Róme reigned likewise in a part of Gallia called Celta a king named Ambigatus whose couÌtrie was so populous that skant the soile was able to entertaine them he sent two nephews of his being brethreÌ the one called Bellencsus the other Sigonesus furnished them with men and munitions willed them to seeke some countrie and to trauell for a kingdome by the sword hauing Brennus their chiefe generall they as men greedy of spoile wasting and destroying townes and countries besieged Rome tooke it wanne the Capitol After the spoile of Rome they passed into Thracia where they possessed many cities thence they passed into Asia into Helespont where braules contentions grewe betweene their coÌpany that Lomnorius returned againe with his men into Byzantium in Thracia and Lutarius into Macedonia After this Nicomedes king of Bythinia did leuie a great armie of these bastard Frenchmen that these 2. great captaines Lutarius and Lomnorius the one came from Macedonia and the other from Thracia and met in Bythinia and they of Celta hearing of the treasures great spoyles which their countreymen had came more in heapes daily from their countrey vnto them that the French armie waxed so strong and so great that they were a terror vnto all Asia in so much that the kings of Aisa of Syria paied yerely stipends vnto them so continued these Gallogrecians so named by their seueral dwellings amongst the Greekes vntill the time of Antiochus the great who became so strong in Asia and Syria that he began to warre vpon the Romanes for at that time some of them dwelled in Bithynia some in Galatia some remained of them amongst the Tectosageans Tolossa a wealthie countrey full of golde and siluer in that countrey is Tolossa from whence the Romanes as both Strabo and Possidonius affirme had 15. thousand talents at one victorie the gold of Tolossa grewe to a prouerbe Aurum Tolossanum of this Cicero in his 3. booke de natura Deorum make mencion of this Tolossanum aurum doth Gellius repeate an Historie which doth agree with Trogus Pompeius who saith that when Caepio the Romane Consul had robbed and spoyled the temple of Tolossa the sacriledge seemed such vnto the Tectosageans that they were warned by their oracles that vnlesse they would reuenge the sacriledge done by the Romanes vnto their Temple they should be all consumed with the plague for the Romanes had taken ten hundred thousand pound of gold and fiftie hundred thousand pounds of siluer from the temple of Tolossa and it is written in that Historie that the Romane Consull and his armie were ouerthrowen by the Tectosageans but when Antiochus was forced to flee from Asia being ouerthrowen by the Romanes at what time Mar. Fuluius and Cneus Manlius were made Consuls at Rome these Gallogrecians were so scattered after the taking of Rome that they possessed many places in Asia in Europe being named according to the places where they dwelt Gallogreeks for so were they called being mingled with the Greeks dwelling in diuers partes of Greece and about Greece they brought al Asia and much of Europe to be afraid spoiling and robbing all kingdoms countreis where they came and for a long time plagued theÌ that they seemed lords of al places beyng hardy and rude barbarous people able to suffer anie hardnes apparelled in skinnes of beasts and lying vpon the ground a shamelesse and filthy nation in beastly lust wicked and most cruell in all their dealings insomuch that they sacrificed those captiues and prisoners taken in the warres vpon long stakes and sharpe poules vnto their goddes vsing the greatest tyrannie that they might inuent against those whom they subdued and conquered Thus much and more doeth Dio. Siculus write of them concerning their manners and liuing of their garmentes weapons and order of fighting but they were in time vanquished by the Romanes and quite subdued in all parts of Asia These Frenchmen otherwise called Gallograecians flourishing in many places the Romanes had an eye vnto them fearing they should be put to greater force they sent Cneius Manlius then Consul to war vpon the Gallograecians where they had a terrible battel by mount Olympus and there were slaine of the Gallorgecians fourty thousand After this battel the Consul did leade his army to the Tectosageans and laid siege to Amyra the chiefest countrey and tooke it and after gaue a great battel to the Gallograecians where they were all ouerthrown ouer whoÌ after he had brought those cities townes about mount Olympus vnder the Romane empire and had againe brought the Tectosageans and Tolossa after he had subdued conquered the Gallograecians he returned to Rome and triumphed when Quint. Faminius Marcus Aemilius Lepidus were consuls after the building of Rome 567. yeres Thus ended the time of the Gallograecians by Ruffinus and by Liuius writing I might of this haue written more but by reason of the history of Fraunce where they shal be touched againe I cease OF THE OLDE GAVLES CALLED now Frenchmen of their first arriuall and continuance in warres before they were seated in France by the name first of Newmagi secondly by the name of Marcomanni thirdly Sicambri And first from Marcomirus vnto Francus time during which time they were called Sicambri for 400 and odde yeeres I Need not long stand in Fraunce neither in describing the couÌtrey neither much trouble my selfe with the late histories which are knowen to the most part this only as I haue done of other countreyes set downe their antiquitie of their first comming into Fraunce of their continuaunce vnder
Of this queene and of her doings her warres and her great workes you shall reade in Diodorus and Annius how she became so great so terrible and so luckie in any warre she tooke in hand that she excelled farre all the Assyrian and Caldean kings in victories and triumphs vntil Nabuchodonosors time but slaine at last by her sonne called Nynus or Nynias as Melancthon and Annius and Ruffinus writeth the 5. king of the Assyrians who liued with his mother and had no gouernment for that he was a simple man and who succeeded his mother being neither like to his father nor to his mother a king giuen to slouthfulnesse full of idlenesse of whom we reade nothing worth the writing sauing that he repaired beautified the temples of their idols and made much of the Chaldean magi which were accompted wise men obseruing the turne of Astrologers who began then in those dayes to vse diuination he reigned 38. yeeres who a litle before he died Camesenus being forced to flee froÌ all the partes of the world came to Bactria and there strengthened himselfe with the Bactrians that he prepared a great army to inuade the Assyrians but he was slaine and his armie ouerthrowen euen of this king Ninias as Berosus affirmeth yet Diodorus Iustinus Orosius say that this was done by Nynus the father of Ninias Let the reader beleeue whoÌ hee list I had rather follow Berosus though he is supposed not to be Berosus yet the best writer vseth him in this historie for he is best to be beleeued for that hee knoweth better the Chaldean histories being a Chaldean borne then others This Ninias or Ramisninias is takeÌ to be that king which is called Amraphel in Genesis king of Shinar which is Babylon for in the daies of Amraphel came Arioch king of Ellasar who came with the king of Shinar against the kings of Sodom Gomorrha together with two other kings Chedor king of Elam and Tidal king of the nations gathered of diuers countries These foure kings made warre with Bera king of Sodom with Byrsha king of Gomorrha with Shemeber king of Seboim and with the king of Bela in the vale of Siddim At this very warre Lot the nephew of Abraham for hee dwelt then at Sodom was taken with the king of Sodom the rest was rescued by Abraham his vncle he all his goods al his substance men women Abraham recouered froÌ Amraphel king of Shinar his company By this time Egypt began to florish and the kings of Egypt beganne to be strong they were all named Pharaohs as the Romanes called their Emperors Caesars names of great dignitie While this conflict and these great armies of fiue kings against foure were in the field you must vnderstand they were but gouernors of cities for in these daies skant the names of kingdoms were knowen but a kind of gouernment called Oligarchia by reason it was within 350. yeres of the flood At that time Abraham comming backe with Lot Melchisedec king of Shalem came to meete him blessed him to whom Abraham gaue tithe of al that he had This Melchisedec is taken to be Sem the sonne of Noah king of Shalem afterward called Ierusalem After this Ninias succeeded his sonne Arius the sixt king of the Assyrians as Functius writeth but Ruffinus the fourth and yet they vary not but in this that Functius beginneth from Nimrod which Ruffinus saith began in Babylon not in Niniue Againe Functius numbreth Semiramis reigne for that she reigned 40. yeres after her husband Nynus which Ruffinus omitteth coumpting Nynus reigne for both for both the gouernment of Semiramis and Ninus forward stil of the rest of the kings of Assyria Ruffinus omitting these two Nimrod Semiramis maketh Functius to say sixe and Ruffinus to accoumpt foure but in this I will follow Functius This Arius after that his father Ninias was dead hee gathered a great host of souldiers against the Bactrians and the Caspians with whom his father and his forefathers were enemies alwayes hee inuaded them againe spoyled their countrey slue their king and brought Bactria and Caspia subiect to the Assyrians in this kings time died Noah about twelue yeres after Abraham was called from Vr in Chaldea and came to Haran where hee staied foure yeres Thus florished the kingdome of the Assyrians being still augmented with more Prouinces Cities and Countries by Arius and his predecessors and when hee had reigned 30. yeeres he died and after him succeeded Aralius the seuenth king of the Assyrians a warlike prince a man of great prowesse skilfull in militarie discipline full of martiall exploites of whom Berosus affirmeth that it was he that first vsed triumphs and pompes with great honor dignitie and rewards to souldiers that deserued praise began to be delicious in bankets and feastes and inuented many engins of warres that then were not knowen In this kings fathers time there dwelt in Celtiberia a great wise man expert in many things whose name was Druyas of whom as Berosus writeth the auncient priests and wise men were called Druyades so doth Plinie write and Caius Iulius Caesar in his booke de bello Gallico This Aralius ruled Assyria fourtie yeeres and died Then beganne in Niniue the reigne of Baleus surnamed Xerxes the eight king of the Assyrians this surmounted farre his predecessour Aralius for hee brought vnder the scepter of Assyria twise asmuch people Nations and Countries as his predecessour did and therefore he was called Xerxes that is the conquerour the triumpher which long after were names of great dignitie among the Persians This king was both fierce and fortunate and enlarged the confines of his kingdome with many Nations he conquered al Countries vnto India he made the kings to bee feared so much of all kingdomes that he was named of the Assyrians Xerxes victor triumphator this reigned as Berosus doth write thirtie yeeres In this Baleus dayes Inachus the first king of the Argiues and their first kingdome began After Baleus reigned in Assyria a king named Armatrites the ninth of him there is no great thing to bee read to his commendation hee was giuen much to wicked lust and slouthfulnesse consuming his time in feasting and banquetting from one pleasure vnto another more coÌuersant with women then with men and more delicious in apparell then hardie in warres and more giuen as Berosus saith to a lewde life then to vertuous exercise he reigned 38. yeeres In these dayes Sem the sonne of Noah died and the king of Salem being sixe hundred yeeres olde for Sem was a hundred yeere olde when the flood began and hee liued before the flood with three of his olde fathers with Noah Methusalem and Lamech and after the flood he liued in the second age vntill Iacobs time and died in the fiftie yere of Iacobs age seuen hundred yeeres iust before Dauids birth
that the olde Assyrian Empire possessed but a litle part of Assyria Modicam quandam Assyriae partem obtinuit as Dionysius affirmeth for during the time and gouernment of the first kings of Assyria euen from Nynus the first king vntill Sardanapalus their last king was fabulosum tempus the trueth of their historie and the glory of their Empire appeared from the time of Phul Belochus which was father to Phul Assur and in the sacred Scripture named Tiglat Assur This Phul Assur was father to Salmanasser and Salmanasser was father to Senaherib At this time it was called newe Assyria whose Empire was againe after the death of Saneherib by Merodach brought into Babylon for in Babylon the first Empire began after translated from Babylon to Niniue and now from Niniue to Babylon againe where it ended in Balsaar as it shall be shewed when the historie commeth to it In this kings time the Midianites preuailed much against the children of Israel for seuen yeres and they were sore oppressed vntill Gedeon was sent to be their deliuerer and to be their iudge Then Pannias or otherwise Pannas was the 25. king of Assyria in whose time the kings of Argiues ended their kingdome their Empire was translated into Mycena after they had gouerned as kings 540. yeeres In this time reigned in Athens Pandion and Mydas gouerned in Phrygia About which time Abimelech the tyrant vsurpeth the kingdome of Israel and putteth seuentie of his brethren to death Habuit mercedem for at Thebes as Abimelech was besieging a high strong Towre a woman did cast a piece of a milstone vpon his head and brake his braine panne after he had bene a iudge in Israel three yeeres In the 24. of Pannias happened the fourth Iubilee after Moses In this kings time likewise ruled in Israel Thola a iudge of the tribe of Isachar and gouerned the people of Israel 23. yeres After this reigned Sosarmus 19. yeeres in Assyria It is written that Orpheus the Thracian the most famous and most auncient musitian liued at this time Iair the Gileadite gouerned Israel 22. yeeres this iudge had thirtie soÌnes that rode on 30. asse coltes men of great authoritie for they had thirtie Cities in the land of Gilead and they kept the land in peace 22. yeeres Now Faunius Iunior gouerned Italie to whom Euander came from Arcadia and had giuen him certaine lands in Italie which Euander called afterward Palatinum Manethon writeth that Hercules Amphitrions sonne was borne about this time of whom the Poets faine that he was the sonne of Iupiter of this man more shal be spoken amongst the Grecians when I speake of their histories But againe to the Assyrians who had after Sosarmus a king called Mytreus the 27. king and raigned 27. yeeres in the latter ende of this kings raigne Hercules killed Cacus the great giant in mount Auentine after Hercules ouerthrew Troy and killed the king called Laomedon and made Priamus his sonne king of the Troyans who againe repaired and builded vp Troy to be one of the strongest townes of the worlde This Hercules came to Italie fiftie and fiue yeeres before AEneas comming and gaue to the Italians lawes Reade of this more in Halicarn lib. 1. In Israel after Iudge Iair died it was 18. yeres interregnum without a Iudge and they wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord againe and serued Baalim and Ashtaroth the gods of Syria and the gods of Sidon the gods of Moab the gods of Ammon and the gods of the Philistines and God was angrie with them and deliuered them to the handes of their enemies who vexed and oppressed them 18. yeeres vntill the time they put away the strange gods and serued the true God with great repentance Ishai the father of the Prophet Dauid was borne about this time three hundreth yeere after the Israelites going out of Egypt Nowe with the Assyrians Tautanes the 28. king beginneth to rule about which time Hercules appointed the games of Olympia where all the Grecians came to exercise feates of armes running and wrastling with all other kinde of exercise 430. yeeres before the Olympiads began This time happened in Egypt in the Isle of Pharao a great deluge called Diluuium Pharaonicum which did ouerflowe the whole countrey which was seldome seene in Egypt for that they haue no raine but onely the ouerflowing of Nilus which once a yeere happeneth vnto them By this time Iephtah was made Iudge in Israel a valiant man but for that hee was a bastard sedition grewe in Israel against Iephtha by the Ephraimites his brethren thrusted him out and Iephtha fled to the land of Tob but hee was made afterward captaine ouer Israel and hee subdued the Ammonites from Aroer to Abel 20. cities and slew 42. thousand of the Ephraimites and for the victorie here of he sacrificed his daughter vnto the Lord according to his vow though it was rash vnlawful In this Tautanes time raigned 4. Iudges Iephtha 6. yeres Ibzan gouerned 7. yeres some thought this to be Boas the husband of Ruth the grandfather of Dauid this had 30. sonnes and 30. daughters After him Elon of the tribe of Zabulon iudged Israel 10. yeeres and after Elon ruled Abdon this Iudge had 40. sonnes and thirtie sonnes sonnes that rode on 70. assecolts and he gouerned Israel 10. yeres and died About this time Theseus rauished Helen the wife of Menelaus which being by Adoneus king of the Molosseans taken was rescued by his felow and alwayes his companion Hercules In the kingdome of Assyria succeeded Tautanes who raigned 40. yeres of which we reade nothing worth the writing At this time Samson the sonne of Manoah of the tribe of Dan gouerned Israel 20. yeeres he plagued the Philistims who had kept Israel vnder hand for their sinnes wickednes for God was angrie with them for notwithstanding all his goodnes his mercy towardes them and his miracles amongst them yet they still rebelled and moued the Lord to wrath this Samson was the last Iudge of Israel Then the state of the Israelites gouernment was altered and they were vnder Ely the priest At this time raigned a king that gouerned the Thuscanes named Ocnus Beanor this builded Mantua the couÌtrey where Virgil was borne which the Romans called after Hethruscanes Now that the race of the Iudges of Israel is ended which continued from Moses death vntil Samuel 357. yeres God suffred kings to gouerne his people and appointed his Prophets to direct his kings this came to passe in Samuels time who anoynted Saul king ouer Israel and they both together raigned 40. yeeres By this time Tyneus the 30. king of the Assyrians raigned in Niniue 30. yeres and in the 13. of his raigne the 7. Iubilee of the Iewes began The kingdome of Hispane before called Iberia before that time Celtiberia is in this time deuided into prouinces into seueral gouernmeÌts of
epitaph and also the crueltie of Thomiris to Cyrus being dead I will write in the historie of Persia. After this great victorie of Tomyris the Scithians had peace vntil Lanthinus time king of Scithia After Cyrus time Darius Histaspis came to Scithia who being denied of king Lanthinus daughter in mariage he returned his loue to hatred he waged battel against Lathinus and brought to Scithia seuen huÌdred thousand Persians of whom he left behind him slaine in Scithia fourescore tenne thousand and Darius himselfe constrained to take his flight with no lesse feare then danger into Persia againe In like sort the Scithians vsed Zopirona a general of Alexanders the great in a battel giuen by the Macedonians to the Scithians with such slaughter that the whole armie of Zopirona was ouerthrowen and himselfe hardly by flight escaped as Vexores king of Egypt Darius king of Persia had done before of such inuincible courage the Scithians were being froÌ their birth acquainted brought vp in hardines that life and death were esteemed alike they made no accompt of victory for wealth and treasure but for honour Alexander the great who had better successe in Scithia then any of his predecessors liked the people so wel for their hardy and valiant enterprises that he builded a city and named it Alexandria which was the first citie that he builded in Scithia which name was after raced by the Barbarians and repaired againe by Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus who according to his progenitors name called it Seleucia Into this citie saith Solinus Orodes king of Parthia conueyed the Romans that were taken at the slaughter of Crassus Strabo writeth that Alexander the great builded 8. great townes amongst the Bactrians and amongst the Sogdians two large countreys of Scithia also he saith that Alexander destroyed certaine cities in Bactria a citie called Cariata where Callisthenes the Philosopher was imprisoned by Alexander in Sogdiana he destroyed a citie which Cyrus builded after his owne name called Cira hard by the riuer Iaxartes I reade of none sauing of Alexader which ventured so much in Scithia as the Scithians haue done in other countreis you shall reade that the Scithians haue thrise inuaded Asia haue driuen the Cimerians out of Europe haue giuen to the Medes diuers ouerthrowes specially in a great battell at Mount Caucasus and after came into Media their owne countrey wasted it spoyled it and did possesse it as lords and rulers thereof vntill by a stratagem of the Medes the Scithians were slaine being drunken After the Medes the Egyptians were ouerthrowen with their king Vexores and put to flight After the Egyptians Phrahartes king of Parthia with all his Parthian armie and almost all the countrey of Parthia were at that time wellnigh conquered by the Scithians The Persians were twise by the Scithians ouercome vnder Darius Histaspis who was discomfited with all his armie and himselfe glad to take his heeles and vnder Cyrus the great king who also after two or three battels was slaine amongst the Scithians It was thought a thing most renowmed to make an armie and to enter Scithia Liber Pater was the first that trauailed into Scithia as farre as Panda a citie of the Sogdians where the first altar was erected in testimonie of so famous an enterprise The second altar was made euen in that place by Hercules The thirde by Semiramis Queene of Assyria The fourth and last altar was erected by Cyrus and therefore it was compted one of the greatest commendations of Alexander the great to make his voyage so farre whereby hee had the name of the fift that also erected his monument so inuincible were the nations of the Scithians that they would take no iniurie at home neither offer iustice abroade The antiquitie of the Scithians is such that there is no great certaintie of their time nor no sounde histories haue declared any thing formally neither of their kings nor of themselues and therefore I wil briefly ende their historie in this place onely setting downe the names of such kings as I found scattered in diuers histories of other kingdomes 1 Scytha the first king of Scythia of whose birth and beginning the Scythians do much bragge Reade Diodorus 2 Napis 3 Pluto 4 Sagillus 5 Targitaus 6 Plinos 7 Scolopithus 8 Penaxagora filius Sagilli 9 Tanais 10 Indathirsus 11 Saulius This king killed the Philosopher Anacharsis for that hee found him in Grecian robes executing the rites and ceremonies of the Greeks in a sacrifice to Berecynthia against the customes and lawes of Scythia 12 Spargapithus 13 Aripethes 14 Sciles This king was in like maner driuen out of his kingdom for imitating the Grecians in their sacrifice to Bacchus for the Scythians did mocke and floute the Greekes to alter themselues like faunes or Satires some like men some like women and some like beasts with darts in their hands and Yuie crownes on their heades after the maner of the Grecians which the Scythians could not abide 15 Octomasades 16 Lanthinus which raigned in Scythia when Darius king of Persia came with an army of seuen hundreth thousand and was ouerthrowen of the Amazones Sogdians Hircanians and of diuers other nations which dwel in Scythia which to write itwere but labour in vaine But a few of the Amazones Queenes I will set downe as PeÌthisileia which came to the Troyan warres against the Grecians Menalippe that gaue battell to Hercules Hippolite that gaue battel to Theseus Tomiris that gaue battell to Cyrus and ouerthrew him Antiopia and Marpesia Otrera and other warlik Queenes But of Tamberlanes greatnes of his armie and victories against the Turke how he toooke him caried him in a cage with him to all his warres and howe he vsed to tread vpoÌ his necke as a blocke to mount on horsebacke lute histories euery where are written OF THE ORIGINAL OF the Parthians and of the beginning of their kingdome and how long it continued of their kings gouernment and last destruction by the Romanes in the time of Augustus Caesar. THe Parthians were sometime people of Scythia and driuen froÌ thence as banished men weried and ouerthrowen and after by long warres they came to the deserts of Hircania and possessed the coÌfines of those nations called Daces and Maiani for in the Scythian tongue the Parthians doeth signifie banished men so that the Parthians were first obscure and base people banished out of their countrey of Scythia in the time that the Asyrians the Medes flourished and long after that the Persians had gotten the monarchie from the Medes The Parthians were very rude without lords or lawes to rule them vntil the empire of Macedonia had gotten the masterie ouer the Persians for at what time Alexander the great died no Maccdonian would vouch safe to be king in Parthia the successors of Alexander made no accompt of the Parthians but as rude people and mercenarie souldiers neither esteeming them
fire vestall virgines and religious men and priestes of diuers orders as Salij Faeciales and Flamines which he instituted to serue his gods for hee was vertuous and good for when Rome was builded by Romulus Numa was borne The Cimmerians were now at this time ouerthrowen by the Scythians the Scythians entred vnto Asia and tooke Sardis the chiefest citie of the Medes and came conquering countreys and regions as farre as Palestina About this time Necho king of Egypt who a little before ouerthrewe the good and godly king Iosias is now by Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians vanquished by the riuer of Euphrates CHAP. II. Of the rest of the kings of Lydia from Ardis the sixt king vntill Craesus the last king of Lydia and of their destruction by Cyrus and the kingdome brought subiect to Persia. NOw succeeded Ardis his sonne named Sadaites the 7. king of the Lydians who as Herodot saith raigned 12. yeres but Functius saith 15. yeres Of this king nothing is mentioned with Historiographers but that in his time Ancus Martius the fourth king of Rome brought a huge armie against the Veientines which being by Martius ouerthrowen had his triumph graunted vnto him by the Senators This Martius made vpon Tiber a hauen called Hostia foure or fiue leagues from Rome and a passage froÌ thence to the sea The Sabines were ouerthrowen by this king as before oftentimes by his predecessors This time was Dirachium builded and Perosina Aulus Gelius an ancient writer reporteth an historie of one Arion a Lesbian borne a man of great skil in musicke a deare friend of Periander king of Corinth trauailing Sicilia and Italy he grew in great fauour with all men in all countreys and hauing in time heaped great wealth by his arte longed againe to be with Periander in Corinth Now being shipped and well forward toward Greece the mariners vnderstanding that he had much money spoyled and robbed him of his money and after being ready to kill him he befought them with teares to spare him so much time vntil he had attired himselfe in his best apparell and to licence him to play vpon his lute and to sing two or three songs before he died to the Muses which being graunted he prepared to play and sing very loude and in the midst of his song he leapt as farre as he could into the sea where the great Dolphine a fish as histories record very much entised with musicke greatly delighted with mans voyce caried him cleane vpon his backe from the water and brought him vnto an hauen of Lacedemonia called Tenarum from whence he trauailed to Corinth and opened to Periander the king the whole course of his fortune About this time Tarquinius Priscus the fift king of Rome began his gouernment in the 41. Olympiad as Dionysius writeth in the which Olympiad Cleonides a captaine of Thebes got the victorie in the games of Olympia After Sadaites folowed Haliates the 8 king of Lydia he raigned 49. yeeres in whose time though he himselfe did nothing worth the writing yet the most part of the kings of the worlde were busie the king of Assyria was in warie with the king of Egypt This time raigned in Babylon Nabuchodonosor to whose gouernment not only Assyria but al the East kings were broght vnder his becke Likewise about this time a great band of the Scythians were driuen to flee to the Medes where they were kindly harboured much made of and well intertained vntil such time as by some coÌspiracie they were found rebellious vnto the king of the Medes then they fled from thence vnto Lydia to this king Haliates and being by him there succoured great warres grew thereof betweene the king of Media and the king of Lydia and continued vntil Astiages maried the daughter of Haliates vpon the which peace and great affinitie began to be betweene the Medes and the Lydians Herodotus who writeth this historie is thought of Functius and others to erre in the time In Egypt there raigned Apries whom Ieremie calleth Hophra whose name he ought to knowe for by this king Ieremie was put to death in Egypt In the 7. yeere of this king Haliates this Apries king of Egypt in the middest of his tyrannie God gaue him into the hands of his enemies so the Lord said I wil giue Pharao Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies as I gaue Zedechias king of Iuda And in another place the Lord saith I will giue the land of Egypt vnto Nabuchodonosort king of Babylon and Egypt shal be the wages for his armie to spoyle her spoyle and to take her praye For to Egypt flead Iuda for succour where they were put to the sword and not one escaped Now againe in Rome beganne Tarquinius Priscus the fift king of the Romanes he on the other side beganne to lay on about him with the Latins and with the Sabines that after he had brought the Latines with long warre to seeke fauour at his hande and being driuen out of the countrey by Tarquinius were forced to intreate for peace and to craue the Romanes friendship who by this time waxed so strong that all the West part of the world began to heare of the Romanes Now after that the Latins were vanquished the Sabines againe being olde auncient enemies of Rome a very warlicke nation with all force came against Tarquinius at what time their bridge was burned their tentes taken and themselues slaine and forced to intreat for truce for six yeres After the Sabines the Hetruscanes armed them against Tarquinius whose warre continued 9. yeres About this time the seuen sages of Greece florished whose names I thought good to put downe together for that they liued at one time Solon of Athens Thales of Milesia Pitacus of Mitilena Periander of Corinth Bias of Prienna Chilo of Sparta and Cleobulus of Lindia These singular wise men were in those dayes esteemed the rarest men of the world In this time the kingdome of Corinth failed in Periander the last king or rather the last tyrant and the gouernment was altered to a popular estate About that time Polymnestor a very yong man and as the historie hath termed him a boy being a feeding his fathers goats a hare by chance ruÌning by the boy folowed ranne so swiftly that he ouertooke the hare and brought her home to his father declaring the race the running betweene him and the hare to his father The matter being spread abroad the yong man was brought to the games Olympical where he wanne the victory in running and had a garland on his head as Solinus doth write Ciaxeres soÌne vnto Astiages some say his father as Zonoras in his first booke but Zenophon likewise affirmeth with Iosephus that this Ciaxeres was Astiages soÌne called by the name of Darius Medus of Daniel and of Iosephus but the Grecians named
was so full of renowmed cities famous riuers notable mountaines a countrey of singular rarenesse in althings that it were to much labour to write the due praise of Greece But I referre him that would reade the setting forth of Greece to the eight ninth booke of Strabo to the second booke of Pomponius Mela where all Greece is particularly described at large and I will proceede to the seuerall gouernment of Greece in seuerall countreis and will set downe the continuance of euery Region with the names of the kings where and how long they raigned and for that the countrey of Morea is the first inhabited countrey of Greece and the largest region of the same called in Strabo Arxtotius Greciae I wiâ⦠beginne with their common wealth This region was first named Aegialia by the name of Aegialeus their first king and continued so vntill the time of Apis the 4. king after whom this region was named Apia which name continued vnto the time of Sicyon the 19. king of Morea After this king Sicyons time the countrey was called Sicyonium and continued vntill Pelops time by whom againe the countrey was called Peloponesus and now at this time is called Morea so that Peloponesus had fiue seueral change of names from the first gouernment vnder Aegialeus the first king vntill Xeuxippus raigne the last king of the Peloponesians And although the kings of that region did nothing worth the memorie hauing bene twentie and sixe kings successiuely yet they are the very way to come further vnto Greece for all this while the whole countrey of Greece was inhabited with barbarous people and was farre from the fame which they gained afterwarde therefore I will briefly passe ouer the historie of their kings and their raigne because I might speake of other countreys in Greece which flourished together with Morea For the first king of this region was named Aegialeus he gouerned that part of Greece at what time Ninus raigned in Assyria and as Eusebius writeth Thebaei ruled Egypt in the yeere of the world two thousand one hundreth and seuen yet Bibliander would not allow so many yeeres by two hundreth and odde which is rather to bee followed for that it doeth with the Genesis agree For in the fiue and twentieth yere of this king Ninus was Abraham borne which was within two hundreth and ninetie yeeres after the flood and therefore better agreeth with Ninus time The second king after Aegialeus was named Europs hee raigned fiue and fourtie yeeres this time flourished Zoroastes the great king of the Bactrians he was thought to be the first that read Astrologie and taught to others Astronomie in whose time Tribeta the sonne of Ninus by Semiramis was expulsed out of the kingdome of Assyria and hee builded a towne in the coast of Gallia and called it Treueris The thirde king of Sicyonium was named Stelchium hee raigned twentie yeres at what time the kingdome of Creete beganne and had for the first king one named Cres after whose name the countrey of Creete was called This Cres builded a citie in Creete and named it Nosus in the which he also builded a temple to the goddesse Cybeles After him succeeded Apis the fourth king of that region after whom as I haue written before it was called Apia hee raigned then when Ninus the sonne of Ninus and Semiramis gouerned the Assyrians After him followed the fift king named Telasion in whose time died Noah the righteous preacher and patriarch and at which time Abraham begate Ismael vpon Agar the bond woman of this Ismael came all the Ismaelites a wicked nation that offended the Lorde In time afterward they were called Agareni after the name of Agar and now are called Saraceni which are infidels and heathens Now succeeded Telasion the sixt king of Peloponesus named Aegidius at what time raigned in Assyria Analius About this season Isaac the sonne of Abraham begate two twinnes vpon Rebecca his wife Esau which was also called Edom of whom the Idumeans came and Iacob afterwarde called Israel of whom issued the twelue tribes of Israel In this kings time Sodom Gomorrha Zeboim Adama and Zoar fiue principal great cities in the lande of Palestine were destroyed and burned with fire and brimstone from heauen the iust iudgement of God for sinne Thurimachus the eight king raigned 45. yeres in this kings gouernment Eusebius noteth the seuenteenth Dynastia of the Egyptians to begin where Shepheards gouerned as chiefe rulers for the space of 103. yeeres soueraigntie About which time the kingdome of the Argiues first sprang vp where Inachus raigned the first king within the kingdome of Argiue and afterwarde continued from Inachus vnto the time of Tenelanthus the last king of the Argiues as Marianus Scotus writeth foure hundreth yeeres After this Leucippus succeeded Messapius in Peloponesus at what time Bellochus raigned King in Assyria and Thelassus gouerned the countrey of Thessalia Among the Argiues raigned now Phoroneus the sonne of Inachus and Niobes the second king after his father this made lawes first to the Argiues and instituted orders in gouernment and wrote decrees for his subiects and ruled the Argiues to his great fame as Eusebius in his histories setteth forth In Licippus time Sem the sonne of Noah died after hee had liued sixe hundreth yeeres and had seene much miserie and great calamitie but not so much as his father before him had seene he liued after Abrahams dayes thirtie and fiue yeeres Osiris whom the Egyptians call Apis and sometime Serapis for that they adored this as their God liued about this time and destroyed that monster in Thracia called Licurgus Reade more of this in Herodotus Ismael Abrahams base sonne by Agar the bondwoman died now and left behinde him twelue sonnes great princes ouer many tribes and nations which began in time to grow enemies to the Church of God and to persecute the people of God and were named Ismaelites In this time raigned in Assyria Bellochus sirnamed Priscus their twelft king and in Egypt gouerned Menam the first king that taught the Egyptians many ceremonies as newe sacrifices to their gods religions and seruice and instructed them in many things for this time Egypt was raw and rude in skil and knowledge This Menam was thought of Functius to be that which is read in Scripture to be Mizraim and of Berosus called Oceanus There is nothing to be written of these kings worth the memorie of man for all this while Greece was inhabited with barbarous people nay the most of Greece was not yet inhabited Athens was not builded neither Sparta nor Corinth for the kingdom of Lacedemonia and the kingdome of Corinth began about Dauids birth The Argiues were the most ancient people in Greece next after the Peloponesians for they beganne to raigne in Argos in the time of Iacob the Patriarch at what time Baleus sirnamed Xerxes gouerned in Assyria
from Moses vntill Samsons time 400. yeeres and after Samsons death 40. yeeres kings began to raigne in Israel After that the kings ended in Sicyonum priestes raigned in that countrey of Peloponesus called Carnij which gouerned vntill the comming of that strong and ancient people called Heraclides who afterwarde grew of great force that the long ciuill warres which continued 27. yeeres to the last destruction of all Greece as more at large in Thucydides is mentioned and shal be spoken of me when the time of these ciuil warres shall come to be handled in this historie I in the meane season will returne to the state of Athens which by this time grewe to some fame though before as other parts of Greece obscured by reason of no action done worth the writing vntill Theseus time which raigned as you heard before in Poliphedes time the 24. king of Pelopones he brought vnto Athens al the whole prouince of Attica and dispersed people from other parts of Greece and made them all one corporation which were before dispersed vnto diuers villages he erected a council hall and made a towne house which the Athenians called Asti he instituted great feasts and sacrifices vnto Minerua called Panathaenea this was for all the countrey of Attica and he ordeined another feast which they called Metaecia for strangers and forreners that should come to dwel at Athens That done he began to set vp an estate of a common wealth he made distinctions of degrees and difference of states moreouer Theseus coyned money marked the coyne thereof with the stampe of an oxe in memorie of the bul of Marathon or of Taurus chiefe captaine of king Minos which Theseus subdued by combate appointed The stampe of the oxe continued in Athens vntill Pericles time at what season the owle was stamped in the coine of Athens The renowne of this Theseus was marueilously blowen through all Greece after diuers victories gotten against the Amazones the slaughter of king Deucaleon king Minos sonne of the vanquishing of the huge monster Minotaurus of the warres of Lapithes of the ouerthrowe of Captaine Taurus and of infinite more victories so that all Greece rang of Thesius fame that his acts came to certaine prouerbs in all parts of Greece Hic alter Theseus this is another Theseus Hoc sine Theseo noÌfit This was not done without Theseus He discharged Athens of their tribute vnto king Minos appointed certaine games called Isthmia after the imitation and order of Hercules that euen as the Grecians did celebrate the games of Olympia in the honour of Iupiter by Hercules ordinance so they should likewise celebrat the feast of Isthmia games which Theseus made in the honour of Neptune for he imitated Hercules in all his actions The great admiration which Theseus had of Hercules courage made him in like sort with Themistocles to say that as the victories and triumphes of Miltiades would not suffer Themistocles to sleepe so the renowme and fame of Hercules could not keepe Theseus backe from the imitation thereof for they both were neere kinsmen He was so great a benefactor vnto Athens that on the 8. of October the Athenians doe most solemne sacrifice in remembrance of his returne froÌ Creete with the children of Athens after the killing of king Deucaleon and Minotaurus in the honor of Neptune as Plutarch saith The Athenians honour the name of Theseus which of some is supposed to be the sonne of Neptune euery 8. day of euery moneth so much Greece was beholden vnto Theseus Plutarch in the life of Theseus saith that Aegeus his father descended of the linage of the great Erictheus of the first inhabitants which occupied the couÌtrey of Attica for there is no mention made that they came out of any other countrey but they were called Autochthones borne of themselues in the lande of Attica for so the Athenians would haue it This was the first that erected Athens and hauing ioyned the citie of Megara and all the territories thereabout vnto Attica he caused as Plutarch affirmeth foure square pillars to be set vp for the confines within the streight of Isthmis in Peloponesus with this sentence written on the pillars All from these pillars Eastwarde is in Ionia which is Attica and all from thence Westward was in Peloponesus to separate the countrey of Attica from Peloponesus for in Ionia Attica lay After this Theseus succeeded in Athens Mnestheus the eleuenth king which raigned foure and twentie yeeres This time gouerned Agamemnon in Mycena when Helen Menelaus his brothers wife was rauished and taken away by Paris who likewise being very yong was before rauished by Theseus I will briefly rehearse the rest of the kings of Athens for after Mnestheus Demophon succeeded in Athens the twelfth king ouer the Athenians and raigned 33. yeeres In whose time Aeneas maried Lauinia king Latinus daughter who gouerned them three yeeres and died and left to Ascanius his sonne the kingdome after him he raigned after his father thirtie eight yeeres This time raigned in Assyria Tauteus the twentie and ninth king of the Assyrians Eli the priest now iudged Israel and Samuel the Prophet was borne Oxintes the thirteenth king of Athens raigned twelue yeeres about which time Ascanius began to build a towne and named it Alba longa where he with all his Court remooued leauing Lauinium to his fathers wife Lauinia thirtie yeeres after his father Aeneas had builded the citie of Lauinium In this kings raigne the Amazones burned the temple of Diana in Ephesus Now followed in Athens the foureteenth king ouer the Athenians who raigned but one yeere after him raigned Thimoetes the 15. king he raigned eight yeeres This was the last king of the stocke of Erictheus after this time raigned Siluius the thirde king of the Latins here of all the kings of Alba were afterward called Syluij In the 70. yeeres after the destruction of Troy and foureteene yeeres after the kings failed in Peloponesus came certaine people from Greece vnto Peloponesus and possessed a great part of the countrey which were called Dores of this Thucydides onely can best report for it is his proper historie Now was Melanthus the sixteenth king ouer the Athenians which raigned 37. yeeres in this kings time raigned in Assyria Dercillus the 31. king About this time Samuel the Prophet iudged Israel with whom gouerned afterward king Saul during which gouernment the prophet Dauid was borne when Aeneas raigned the sixt king of the Latins at what time the stocke and familie called Heraclides entred Peloponesus who waxed so strong and fierce that they waged warres against the Athenians with whom they had diuers battels CHAP. III. Of the originall beginning of the kings of the Lacedemonians and of the kings of Corinth who at one time beganne their gouernment vnder the state of Monarchie and also ended about one time of
kings in Italie at one time From this Italus whom the Greekes called Atlas and by whoÌ the countrie was named Italia from which time to the last destruction of Troy were 454. yeeres from the ruine of Troy to the building of Rome foure hundred and thirtie yeeres So long Italie was by the Thuscans Hetrurians Samnites Sabines Fidenats Vuiens Volscans Latines with others inhabited before the name of the Romanes were knowen for first in Italie dwelt Greekes Arcadians Salentines Lacedemonians Cicilians Rutilians with many more nations as Myrsilus a Lesbian writer doth note of the which Annius in his institutions of the antiquitie of Etruria of their lawes and gouernment during the time of their magistrates called Lucumones hath more then is necessarie written In like maner Fab. Pictor a noble learned Romane of the stocke and house of Fabians endeuoured with all his studie to proue the antiquitie of olde Italie from Ianus time which he most surely accompted to be olde Noah attributing to the Thuscans so much as Annius before In his first booke hee entreateth from Ianus and Saturnus time vntill Romulus time in his second booke from Romulus forwarde for all agree that the late Romanes after Romulus time haue had their discipline their religion their lawes their diuination and all such ceremonies from the Hetruscans The like traueile M. Cato in in his fragments De originibus tooke the like paine as the before named Annius and Fab. Pictor did for the antiquitie of olde Italie I will come therefore to the kings of the Latines which were the first kings that wee reade of in Italie where reigned before Aeneas comming to Italie fiue kings as Ruffinus affirmeth but as Annius Fabius Pictor and M. Cato reigned twelue kinges and from Aeneas vntill the time of Romulus sixteene kinges reigned of the which briefely I meane to speake a litle setting downe the names of their kinges the number of the time that they reigned and for that Aeneas was prima Imperij Romani origo the first beginning and the originall of the Romane Empire and the onely authour of gens Iulia from whence Iulius Caesar Augustus and the Emperours of Rome come off I will therefore set downe the time of his comming into Italie his continuance and his posteritie after him vntill Romulus time the first builder and founder of Rome Aeneas after the Greekes had taken Troy hauing gathered the noblest and best men with all the strength and treasures of Troy tooke the Castle Ilion for his defence vntill hee perceiued that hee coulde not resist the violence of the Grecians determined to escape the enemies and to sende some of the best before with abundance of treasures to mount Ida and there to tarie vntill Aeneas and the rest sawe their time to escape which being perfourmed they departed from Ida tooke the sea Helespont into Thracia from Thracia to Macedonia as Beroaldus affirmeth from Macedonia to Cicilia from thence into Italie where then Latinus reigned King of the Countrie with whom the Rutiles people dwelling at Ardea a Towne distant from Rome a hundred and three score furlongs held warre Of this Latinus Aeneas was so enterteined and his armie that hee graunted Aeneas a place to inhabite not farre from Laurentum where Latinus might vse Aeneas aide in this warre Aeneas builded a Towne for his ayde against the Rutiles and named it after his wifes name Lauinium for hee grewe in such fauour with king Latinus then being in warres with Mexentius and with others that after two or three ouerthrowes by the Troianes giuen to Mexentius king of Tyrrhenum and to Turnus king of the Rutiles who shoulde haue maried Lauinia before Aeneas for that shee was espoused to Turnus first Aeneas good successe in warres was such being king ouer all the Troians and so named of his souldiers that Latinus gaue his daughter heire of the kingdom to Aeneas that after Latinus was slaine in battell Aeneas was the right and lawfull king of the Latines where he reigned three yeeres and died leauing his sonne Ascanius to succeede him king of the Latines Nowe before Aeneas time reigned fiue kings ouer the Latines by the names of Ianus Saturnus Picus Faunus Latinus the sixt Aeneas These kings reigned about 150. yeeres in Italie before Aeneas came to Laurentum which was about the time of Dauid who beganne his kingdome in the foure hundred thirtie foure yeere after that the Israelites left Egypt in the beginning of the eight Iubilee Yet Annius in his Chronicles of the Hetruscanes saith that after Hesperus died his brother succeeded him named Italus in Vetulonia the chiefe Towne at that time in Italie this Italus had a daughter named Roma who builded Capua in Latio in the place where nowe Rome is builded vpon the one side of mount Auentine as Fabius Pictor affirmeth in his booke De origine Vrbis Romae this doeth Annius set downe in this sort 1 Roma reigned in Latio yeeres 46. 2 After Roma her sonne Romanessus 79. 3 After him Picus Priscus 57. 4 After Picus Faunus Priscus 30. 5 After Fannus his daughter Agilla 54. 6 Then reigned Vulcanus 36. 7 After Mars surnamed Ianus iunior 23. 8 After Ianus succeeded Seculus surnamed Saturnus 36. 9 Picus Iunior 34. 10 Fannus Iunior 24. 11 Latinus Aeneas father in lawe 38 12 And after Latinus reigned Aeneas as his heire maried to his daughter 3. In this both Annius and Fabius Pictor do agree which yeres amount to 454. yeeres that Aeneas predecessors reigned before the destruction of Troy and before he was king of the Latines Of this Roma which was Italus daughter Rome was first named as Sempronius in his booke of the diuision of Italie affirmeth and sayth further that Romulus had his name giuen by the place named Roma and not Roma from Romulus But Ruffinus and Functius sayth that Ascanius beganne his kingdome ouer the Latines when Samson was Iudge in Israel in the sixt Iubilee after Moses which is an hundred yeeres before Dauids kingdome But omitting controuersies Ascanius being in quiet possession of the kingdome hee caused a monument to be erected vp in maner and sort like an arche or a pillar whereupon he caused this sentence to bee written rounde about that monument as followeth Patri deo Indigeti qui Numici amnis vndas temperat This pillar is made and consecrated to the god of the Latines who hath power and soueraigntie ouer the riuer Numicus Some say that Aeneas made this in memorie of his father Anchises other say it was Ascanius doing in memorie of his father Aeneas who vanished away at the riuer Numicus others say that the Latines did it in remembrance of their last king Latinus but howe so euer it is a graue there is as Halicarnassaeus sayth that it is composed fine and artificially made of wood and stone in most curious maner but I will be briefe and omitte these
discharge his vowe made to Iupiter made his triumph ouer these nations hanging the armour weapons of king Acron about the bowe of a yong oke which Romulus caried on his right shoulder marching on foote before the army towards the citie with a royal song of victory This was the first triumph of Romulus the first entry giueÌ into other triumphs that folowed preseÌtly After this triumph of Romulus the Sabines could not forget their iniurie for their daughters and virgines rauished by Romulus but elected Tatius a gallant gentleman to be Generall of the Sabines and to reuenge the wrong done by Romulus Tatius besieged Rome that time one named Tarpeius was appointed captaine of the Castle whose daughter named likewise Tarpeia betrayed the whole Citie for a reward which Tatius promised some say that Tarpeia was Tatius daughter By this treason of Tarpia the Sabines entred Rome and great warre continued betwixt the Sabines the Romanes 3. yeres But in time betwixt Romulus and Tatius peace was concluded and they both together reigned ioyntly and gouerned Rome fiue yeeres Tatius dwelling by mount Tarpeius afterwarde called the Capitoll and Romulus on mount Palatium but within a while in this fiue yeere Tatius was slaine and Romulus gouerned himselfe and ouercame the Antenates the Veients and other nations triumphed ouer them the second time And when that Romulus had reigned thirtie seuen yeres after three seuerall triumphes he died of whose death diuerse opinions are of Romulus assencion into heauen in the sight of Proclus and of a voyce heard he should be called Quirinus after his death reade Plutarch concerning his vanishing away and concerning his whole life Romulus strength his whole force exceeded not aboue two thousand footemen and not three hundred horsemen when he beganne his kingdome in Rome but when Romulus died hee left fourtie sixe thousand footemen and a 1000. horsemen During the time of Romulus gouernment reigned in Assyria Salmanasser 10. yeres by whoÌ Samaria was subdued the 10. tribes of Israel caried captiue into Babylon Also Senaherib his sonne reigned after his father seuen yeeres he likewise wasted and spoyled Iudea in the time of king Ezechias vntill hee was vanquished al his armie to the number of a hundred twentie sixe thousand In Lydia reigned two kings during Romulus time Haliagtes the 2. king and Meles the 3. king In the beginning of the Romans kingdom the third kind of gouermeÌt begaÌ in Athens after 17. kings gouernment then after 13. Iudges Now beganne the thirde alteration of the state called Decennales principes a magistrate that should continue tenne yeeres in office and then another elected into his roume Now in that time that Romulus raigned beganne in Rome diuers kinds of magistrats and officers lawes and orders were by Romulus appointed for the better gouernment of the citie of Rome as Senators Tribunes Aediles Celeres and diuers other sacred and religious offices as Flamines Bishops Foeciales Salij vestal Nunnes southsayers and others the right vse of their offices being not knowen to the reader vnlesse he be wel read in histories I haue orderly as they were appointed by Romulus here set downe as many magistrates officers and offices as were in Rome by Romulus first instituted during his raigne After that Romulus had builded Rome after the death of his brother Remus he made these many lawes 1. First he deuided the whole company of the multitude into three tribes and hee deuided the three tribes into 30. partes which were called Curiae 2. Then he elected one chiefe magistrate to gouerne Rome in his absence which was named Praefectus vrbis as Viceroy or as lieuetenant to Romulus as Iulius Caesar and Augustus 750. yeeres after Romulus time vsed the like 3. Romulus made a choise of 300. stoute and valiant souldiours called Celeres and a captaine ouer them called Tribunus Celerum these were Romulus gard the Tribune was as Esquire of the body or as captaine of the gard to defend him from any sudden assault and readie to execute the kings commandement 4. Romulus appointed 12. men officers called Lictores that should carie tipstaues or rods to make roume and way before the king 5. Hee also appointed after them 12. othermen called Caduceatores which were appointed next the kings person before him to carie axes or mases as Serieants at armes an office of great antiquitie in all countreys of the world for we reade in Homer that Agamemnon sent a Serieant at armes called Talthubius to arrest Achilles for his abseÌce in the warres and for his disobedience to Agamemnon being then appointed generall for the Grecians against the Troyans 6. When Romulus had prouided these officers for the sauegard of his person he likewise erected counsellers and made choise of a hundreth graue and wise men who for the honour of their place and dignitie of their calling should be named Senators to gouerne and to foresee the dangers and perils of the citie to punish vice and to reward vertue These were called by strangers princes of Rome to whom the king committed the whole direction and correction of the citie The familie and stocke of the Senators were called Patricij for all Senators were elected out of the Patricians 7. Hee appointed the place and the time where the Augurers and Southsayers should vse their diuination touching the euents and proceedings of Rome which should be before Sunne rising and after sunne setting for Romulus himselfe caried the Augurers crooked staffe for his skill in diuination 8. Then hee erected three Augurers with their orders and authorities by whom all sacrifices and religious ceremonies were solemnized These three hee elected out of the three tribes 9. He instituted that no man might enter into the Senate to heare any cause pleaded or consulted before hee were 25. yeres of age he seemed to be of Aristotles opinion that held Iuuenem non esse Philosophiae idoneum 10. After that Romulus had inuented these many good and seemely decrees to set foorth that little kingdome of Rome Now last of all he made lawes for setting foorth the dignitie of a king as to weare purple colours for Romulus ware a coate of purple in graine and vpon that a long robe of purple colour for this princely and riche colour was onely esteemed of the olde Romanes and so honoured that none might weare it but the kings of Rome and after the kings time onely the Dictators and Consuls 11. Romulus instituted a feast in memorie of Hersilia and other Sabine virgines which were rauished by whose meanes peace was concluded betwene Romulus and Tatius king of the Sabines These feasts were called Matronalia 12. He also instituted the feast called Lupercalia which was celebrated in Rome in memory of Romulus escape when that he slew Aemilius his father vnknowen but taken for his vncle he ranne with a naked sword in his hand from Alba
who appointed him his lieutenant general ouer his garisons for Cneus Carbo the Consul which fought with young Marius together against Silla which Marius was slaine by Silla in Preneste At what time Carbo fledde and was slaine by Pompey and after that Pompey slue Domitius a captaine of Marius his side and withall slue Hiarbus king of Mauritania being of Domitius side and therefore triumphed Pompey ouer Affrike being but twentie foure yeeres of age which was neuer earst graunted to any Romane and hauing not bene Consul While this ciuill warre continued in Rome little or nothing was done in other countries for nowe all places were made quiet by the RomaÌs sauing some of Marius friends who fled after Marius death held out and did what they could to trouble the Romanes as Hirtulius Sertorius and others of Maririus friends that stirred wars in Spaine in Cicilia Pamphylia against these Q. Metellus sonne to that Metellus which subdued king Iugurth was sent with him Cneus Pompeius was sent to aide him for Sertorius was a valiaÌt approued captaine Apius Claudius was then sent after his Consulship was expired to Macedonia where hee died without any harme done to the enemies in his place succeded Scribonius Curio who for his good seruice merited a triumph Then was sent into Cilicia Pamphylia Publius Seruilius a passing good captaine for hee wanne the worthiest cities of Licia and subdued Cilicia hee wanne Phasilides Olympus Coritum three great cities and finished his warres in three yeeres and returned to Rome and had a triumph graunted him ouer the Isaurians So had Metellus ouer Spaine Scribonius Curio ouer Macedonia Pompeius againe ouer Spaine which was his second triumph so at that time were foure triumphs in Rome together Againe Mithridates infringed the league before made and renued warres with the Romanes and would haue inuaded Asia and Bythinia had not Lu. Lucullus the Consul and his fellowe M. Aurelius Cotta come in time for before this time hee pretended warre against Bythinia and their king Nicomedes and after that inuaded Capadocia and Paphlagonia and draue both Nicomedes king of Bythinia and Pilemenes king of Paphlagonia to exile and from thence he went to Ephesus killing and flaying the Romanes friends and withall he was so cruell that he sent letters through all Asia that wheresoeuer any Citizen of Rome might be found he shoulde be killed though he was discomfited by Silla and Lucullus and at last driuen to flee for succour to Tigranes king of Armenia a captaine of great renowme in those dayes for this Tigranes was so mightie a king that he had subdued the Persians and Mesopotamia hee also wanne Syria and a peece of Phoenicia yet still Mithridates renued warres called his armie from Scythia and ioyned them with Tigranes force But Lucullus followed Mithridates hard to Armenia and required Tigranes to deliuer him Mithridates which being denied Lucullus foorth with inuaded king Tigranes realme and gaue him a great ouerthrowe and passed from place to place as conqueror destroying of countries and taking cities vntil he came to the riuer Danubius he destroyed Appolonia Parthenopolis and other cities of Pontus and returned to Rome a conqueror of many couÌtries both he his cousin germaine M. Lucullus and triumphed with great glory but yet he missed of king Mithridates he plaied still the tyraunt with the Romanes vntil Pompey the great came who ouercame Mithridates in Armenia sackt his tents and slue fourtie thousand of his armie and forced Mithridates to flee when hee poysoned himselfe and died after hee had kept warres with the Romanes fourtie yeeres for this warre of Mithridates began with Silla and was ended by Pompey Thus the Romanes at last conquered the great king Mithridates who had not continued so long had not ciuill warres bene in Rome betweene Marius and Silla and after that the conspiracie of Cateline and after Cateline the ciuill warres betweene Pompey and Caesar of this you shall reade hereafter In the meane season there was no warre in other kingdomes for Syria Egypt Libya and all other places were friendes and subiects to the Romanes for nowe the Romanes were in their greatnes and in their most glory and fame Such men liued then in Rome as did conquer the whole world Now assoone as Mithridatates was by Pompey ouerthroweÌ he addressed his battell against Tigranes who yeelded vnto Pompey without battell and came to Pompeis tent fell prostrate before him and deliuered vp his crowne vnto Pompeius After the yeelding of king Tigranes Pompey made warres with the Albanes and ouercame Orodes king of the Albanes in three sundrie battels he also subdued Arthaces king of Iberia and receiued him vnder the allegeance of the Romanes To be briefe Pompey was the onely man that not onely augmented the glory of Rome but also enriched Rome with infinite treasures gotten by his conquest of Cilicia Syria Phoenicia Iudea Mesopotamia Capadocia Armenia Iberia Albania and a great part of Arabia By these kingdomes whom Pompey conquered the reuenues of Rome were augmented three thousand and fiue hundred Myriades The glory of Pompey grew to be such in Rome that hee was elected to be a Consul alone himselfe without a fellowe for Pompey at his triumph ouer Mithridates his sonne for Mithridates him selfe as you heard died before the triumph had Tigranes also and his sonne and Aristobulus king of the Iues ledde before his chariot for at that time he triumphed ouer two kings and ouer two kings sonnes The pompe and pride of that triumph farre excelled other triumphes for Eutropius saith that at that very triumph Pompey had vanquished certeine pirates on the seas when Lucius Metellus had triumphed ouer Creete and therefore surnamed Metellus Cretius After that Pompey had finished these wars in the sixe hundred eightie nine yeere after the building of Rome Lucius Catiline a man of a noble stocke descended but of an euill disposition conspired with diuers other rash young men like himself but yet were they noble men and many gentlemen but by Ciceros meanes then Consul Cateline was expulsed foorth of the Citie and shortly slaine in a battell by Caius Anthonius fellowe Consul with Cicero some of his confederates were apprehended and thratled in prison others as Lentulus Cethegus with the rest slaine About this time Horace the Poet was borne and within fewe yeeres after Octauius which was called Augustus was borne afterward This time reigned in Egypt Alcetes the father of Cleopatra after whome Cleopatra with her brother reigned vntill Marcus Anthonius time with whome shee liued and died for nowe reigned in euery kingdome lieutenants and gouernours vnder the Romanes all kingdomes and countries were made prouinces vnder Rome These pirates nauies as Plutarch saith were about a thousand in number they had takeÌ aboue 400. Townes they had spoiled many temples as in Samos the temple of Iuno in Tenaria
time Piso was Praetor in Syria and Pontius Pilate was President in Iudea This very time the Parthians required of the Romanes king Phraartes sonne named Vonones which was by his owne father put to the Romanes in pledge of loyaltie to come againe to his kingdome which being graunted hee shortly after was despised and driuen out of his kingdome by Artabanus Mithridates waged warre and died in the Isle of Thiae banished from Rome for at that time there was a lawe made in Italy for the banishing of Sooth sayers and Mathematicians Within a litle while after fell sharpe and cruel warre of this warre betweene the Parthians and Hiberians Reade Tacitus At this time many great terrible earthquakes chaunced and many great wonders were seeene a little before Christ Iesus suffered his death and passion for after the last earthquake spoken of before fell againe thirteene great and famous townes by another earthquake whose names Eusebius setteth downe in this sort as in the margent you may reade Our Sauiour Christ died in the Emperour Tiberius his raigne at what time were finished the seuentie weekes spoken of in Daniel about which time Philo Iudaeus was sent from Alexandria to Rome to entreate the Romanes to bee friendes to the Citizens of Alexandria This Philo Iudaeus was of great authoritie in those dayes being a Iewe borne his first comming to Rome was accepted the fifteenth yeere of the raigne of Tiberius the seconde comming was in the second yeere of the raigne of Caius Caligula where hee was but litle welcome and with threatning wordes of Caligula he returned backe to Alexandria In the time of this C. Caligula came Herode the Tetrarche from Iewrie to Rome and was by Caligula then banished from Iudea to Lugdunum a towne in France and Pontius Pilate who gaue sentence of death vpon the Sonne of God our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST in Ierusalem this time fell into such miseries and calamities that hee with his owne hande killed himselfe Matthewe the Euangelist wrote his Gospell in Iudea in the Hebrewe tongue in the last yeere of the Emperour Caligula at what time Simon Magus the Sorcerer flourished and was honoured as a god in Rome and in many other places I will returne to the successour of Caligula Tiberius Claudius hee sawe Drusus an vncle by the father side to Caligula and brothers sonne to Tiberius Nero this made warres vpon the Britaines which is now called England ouer whom he triumphed at Rome and at that time hee annexed certaine Ilands situate beyond Britaine called Orcades to the Empire of Rome he appointed playes in Rome at what time ciuil warres grew amongst the Parthians In the time of this Claudius diuers and sundry great famines were in many countreys great famine was in Iudea and the Apostles suffered much persecution but they were comforted by the brethren Of this famine spake Agabus in the Acts of the Apostles In Rome also was great famine and in Greece This Claudius Tiberius had a wife named Messalina a woman most vntemperate giuen to much filthie lust neuer satisfied with venerie nor neuer wearie by this lewde Empresse many were destroyed Many things did this Claudius very quietly and many things hee did very cruelly without discretion and behaued himselfe very courteously towards diuers of his friendes and therefore was thought of many not to be wise Eutropius saith that there was a most honorable tombe made to him at Mentz in Germanie This Emperour liued 64. yeeres and raigned in Rome Emperour foureteene yeeres after whome succeeded Claudius Domitius Nero who was sonne in lawe vnto Claudius Drusus who adopted him to be his successour in the Empire after the building of Rome 807. yeeres some say 809 and after that Christ died 57. This was the sixt Emperour of Rome who excelled all good Emperours for fiue yeeres gouernment for Traian the Emperour was wont to say Omnes principes procul à Neronis quinquennio distare for hee builded the Anephitheaters and founded Bathes and named them after his owne name at Rome he ordeined certaine places euery fiue Quinquenale imitating the Greekes in their Olympiads and named them Neronea the playes of Nero hee much resembled his vncle Caligula a man much giuen to all kinde of riot charges and expences hee poysoned the sonne of Claudius whom his father sirnamed Britanicus in remembrance of his victorie ouer the Britaines hee married Octauia and slew her husband and as Eusebius saith slewe her also hee married a courtezane named Poppea and slew her hee had carnall copulation with Agrippina his owne naturall mother and after slew her he also slewe a great nomber of the Senate and diuers other worthie citizens This Emperour exceeded all tyrants in crueltie hee committed diuers murthers vpon his owne kinsefolkes and slewe his scholemaster that graue and learned man Seneca When that this Nero had giuen himselfe wholy to all tyrannie and became an enemie to all good hee would daunce and sing openly with strumpets in the apparell of a coÌmon minstrell Now when hee had murthered Senators citizens and diuers gentlemen and had slaine his owne brother his wife and his mother he set the citie of Rome on fire and let it burne for 6. dayes to make him know how the citie of Troy burned when it was on fire by the Grecians And when he had left no euill thing vndone on earth hee beganne to persecute the Church and to murther the saincts of God as shal be spoken in the History of the Church of Paul Peter and others Reade Tacitus of this wicked Emperour While he fomed in blood at Rome the Parthians bereft him of Armenia and he had almost as Eutropius saith lost Britaine he durst do nothing in feates of armes for these cruel facts he was abhorred of all men and cleane forsaken of his owne friends he was adiudged of the Senate to be an enemy of the weale publike Nero hearing that he should be drawen naked through the citie and be whipt til he were dead hee fled secretly forth of his Pallace by night with his Eunuch Sporus and slew himselfe 4. miles from Rome In the time of Nero fell by an earthquake three townes in Asia called Laodicea Hieropolis and Colossa Diuers earthquakes and many wonders were seene in Rome murther and slaughter in Iudea battels and blood At what time Albinus gouerned the Iewes vnder the Romans In Neroes time gouerned in Britaine Aruiragus in whose dayes many Britaines were conuerted to the faith by Ioseph of Arimathea a Iew borne and one of them that buried our Sauiour Christ. Thus the tyrant Nero which wished that all the citie of Rome had but one necke that he might with one stroke cut it off died after hee had raigned fourteene yeeres Emperour and liued one and thirtie yeeres CHAP. VIII From Nero the tyrant the sixt Emperour of Rome vntill the time of Lu. Antoninus Comodus the
their conquests were great their victories infinite but after the dignities of the CoÌsuls were eclipsed by the greatnesse crueltie of the Emperours the state of Rome also beganne by a little and a little to loose her former fame and to decaye in credite for that they esteemed money more then men This vice of auarice excluded all kinde of vertues out of Rome and receiued into the Citie hidden hatred priuate wealth and yong councell whereby the lady of the whole worlde sometime is become now by auarice to be the handmaid of Spaine and Fraunce yea to be led by euery citie of Italie Thus was the glory of Rome brought vnder her owne seruants to be a captiue euen as Babylon Ierusalem Egypt and other kingdomes of whom the Prophets haue spoken prophecied the reward of their wickednesse idolatrie and horrible superstition The like destruction the Romanes must looke to haue as the Affricanes had after them the Chaldeans the Hebrewes and the Egyptians for their idolatrie and contempt of God The like ende and destruction as had the Persians the Medes the Macedonians and the Greekes must the Romanes by the prophesie of Daniel expect for I will the Reader to reade Daniel Esai Ieremie and Ezechiel of these great kingdoms before time for some destroyed and consumed and I will returne to the historie Now after that good Emperor Cocceius Nerua had reigned but one yeere foure moneths and nine dayes hee adopted Traiane to the Empire a Spaniard and not an Italian as many would haue it a godly Emperor a good man of whom many good things are written amongst the which he is most commended in two principal things sanctitas domi fortitudo for is he was patient in all traueiles and in all aduersities hee was very diligent in ciuill causes and very expert in militarie discipline hee was most liberall to his souldiers and beneficiall vnto all men he much honoured all learned men he onely of all other Emperors obserued iustice and practised the same to his people hee gouerned the weale publique in such sort that hee ought worthely to bee preserued aboue all other princes hee enlarged the borders and marches both in length and breadth of the Romane Empire which froÌ the time of Augustus was but defended and conserued by other Emperors vntil this time he is thus coÌmended in Eutropius that his courtesie and sobrietie farre excelled his martiall feates hee was so familiar that he would ride goe and sit with his familiars hee would also banquet amongst them without esteeming of himself more then of another he openly and secretly enriched not onely his friendes but those whom he well heard of and aduaunced them to honors with whom he had small acquaintance hee infranchised many cities hee did so many great good things aswell in repairing ruinous Townes and Cities as also in building newe Cities Townes in diuers couÌtries that in a maner he builded a new world againe for he builded sixe great Temples 1 To Apollo 2 To Mars 3 To Iupiter 4 To Aesculapius 5 To Ceres 6 To Berecynthia And therefore he was reputed in al the whole world of all men and likened vnto some god which had some diuine power to finish and to perfect a ruinous coÌmon wealth being by his predecessors Nero Caligula Heliogabolus Domitianus and others welnigh wholy destroyed and defaced So much preuailed in him the fame of perfect goodnesse that at the election of any prince in Rome after Traians dayes the Senators and the people would wish him to be as fortunate as Augustus and in behauiour of vertue and goodnesse to be like the good Traiane who both for his goodnes vertue was also called Pater patriae as Augustus was for that hee subdued Dacia recouered Armenia which the Parthians had wonne he reduced vnder the obeysance of Rome Spaine Moscouia Arabia and the inhabitants of Cholcos hee had great warres in all the East countries and brought Assyria and Mesopotamia vnder his hand He reduced many kingdomes to be prouinces vnder the Romanes hee wanne Seleucia and Babylon and prepared a nauie for the redde Sea that thereby hee might spoyle and destroy the borders and coastes of Iudea About this time the Temple of Pantheon in Rome was burned he triumphed ouer the Danes and ouer the Scythians and brought Rome againe to her former fame and glory as it was in the time of Octauius Augustus The two mirrors of Rome liued in Rome and dyed with the like loue and fame after they had purchased great glory and renowme both for ciuill and marciall policie Traiane was canonised and was the first emperour buried within the Citie his bones were put in a golden cuppe and set vnder a pillar which mounted in height to an hundred fourtie foure foote Hee reigned nineteene yeeres whose facts and worthinesse are rife in memorie If you list to reade further of them looke in Capitolinus amongst all the emperours this you shall finde to excell the rest In Traianes time fell the fourth persecution of the Christians in whose time also dyed Iohn the Euangelist after whose death florished his scholers and disciples Papias and Polycarpus and Ignatius In Traians time happened such an earthquake that foure great Cities in Asia fell flatte to the grounde three in Galatia and two in Greece Traiane dyed of the flixe at Seleucia a towne of Isauria wheÌ he had liued sixtie three yeeres after whom succeeded Aelius Adrianus the fifteenth emperour an Italian borne he was sisters sonne to Traiane and yet not adopted to the Empire by Traiane but by meanes of Plotina Traians wife hee was singularly learned both in the Greeke and in the Latine hee was excellently seene in Musicke and Geometrie and was so expert in Astronomie that hee made yerely Prognostications for him selfe hee excelled in diuers artes as in caruing grauing paynting cutting eyther in brasse or in marble Iustine writeth of this emperour that hee coulde write talke with his friendes aske questions and answere matters at one time hee gaue him selfe wholly to purchase peace and quietnesse and woulde often say that hee did more good in Rome by idlenesse then his predecessours by weapons for hee purchased peace during the whole time of his Empire In his time the Christians were sore persecuted vntill certeine learned of the Christians wrote bookes vnto the Emperour Adrian for mercie in sparing of Christian blood whereupon the Emperour wrote diuers Epistles to Iudea and to all prouinces belonging to the Empire of Rome that no Christian should be apprehended for religion sake at what time Ierusalem was named Aelia after that he had quieted the Iewes by his Sendrus and slue of them fiue thousand The Emperours name Aelius Adrianus for after that the Emperor AdriaÌ wrote his letter to Minutius to stay his persecution certeine heretikes began to trouble the Church as Saturnius
the left shoulder he caused the like picture to be made for himselfe and commanded all his souldiers to call him Alexander This Emperor died as he was preparing a voyage against the Parthians at Edessa when hee had liued 43. yeeres Presently after the death of Caracalla Opilius Macrinus and his sonne Diadumeus were created Emperours who after they had reigned ioyntly fourteene moneths they were both slain in a sedition which fel among the souldiers without doing any thing worth the writing After them stept to the empire Marcus Aurelius surnamed Heliogabolus well so named for in all beastlinesse he resembled his predecessors these vnderwritten Nero Caligula Sergius Vitellius Domitianus Commodus This Heliogabolus was supposed to be the sonne of Caracalla he likewise defamed himselfe with all kind of shame and reproch whose filthinesse and lewd behauiour you may reade in Herodian He was slaine in an vprore which the souldiers made at what time also his mother Semia Sira called of some Semiamira died after he had liued very vnchastly and filthily for 4. yeres but Eutropius saith 2. yeres 8. moneths During the raigne of these 3. last emperors there were no good things done in Rome but vprores and sedition of souldiers creating whom they would to be Emperour one day and the next day deposing them from life empire Only this happened that the Amphitheator was set on fire and few fellowes were quiet at Rome The great men of authority then were these Titus Saturninus Marcus Noninus Mutianus Cornelius Amulinus Lu. Torpilius Dexter C. Gallus Gentianus and Bassus Gentianus Clodius Albinus Balbinus chosen Emperour against Maximinus Aur. Alex. Seuerus and Maximus were both made Emperours Aurelius Alexander Seuerus was chosen Emperour when he was but twelue yeeres of age whome the souldiers named Caesar and the Senate created Augustus he was a very vertuous Prince and one that fauoured all good men he gaue him selfe to martiall pollicie and tooke in hand about the 9. yeere of his raigne warres against Artaxerxes king of Persia who had before vanquished Artabanus king of the Parthians who then gouerned the Persians And as Artaxerxes ouercame Artabanus was the first king of Persia after Darius who before was conquered by Alexander the great so this Artaxerxes was subdued by this Alex. Seuerus with great glorie and had his triumph graunted him in Rome being but 21. yeeres of age he had such care of the Empire and such diligence that he committed the charge of Armenia to a noble captaine called Iunius Palmatus he committed the prouince of Illyrica vnto Varus Macrinus and the countrey of Mauritania to Furius Celsus Of these 3. Captaines victories in these countreys reade Lampridius This was the first Emperour that fauoured Christians and being so yong an Emperour he associated with him to assist him in iudgement Vlpianus a great Ciuilian a lawe maker and had an office called Magister Scrinii as it were Master of the Rowles he had in those dayes in his Court a number of learned men whose names Lampridius setteth down in this sort whome he vsed as Counsellers Fabius Sabinus Domitius Vlpianus Aelius Gordianus Iulius Paulus Modestinus Pomponius Alphenus Africanus Florentinus Proculus Martianus Callistratus Hermogenes Tryphonius Metianus Celsus The most part of these were Ciuilians and scholers to Papinianus Besides these lawyers florished in Seuerus Court Quintilius Caius Marcellus Aelius Seuerianus Cutilius Seuerus three singuler learned Romanes but he reigned not long for he was slaine in Fraunce in a tumult that grewe amongst the souldiers hee and his mother Mammea in a towne called Moguntia after he had reigned 13. yeeres After this good Emperor Seuerus succeeded Iulius Maximinius a man of meane parentage whose beginning was to be a shepheard in Thracia and after came to be a souldier and in processe of time came by the meanes of the souldiers to be Emperour without consent of the Senators who in the beginning had some good successe against the Germanes but not long after slaine by Pupienus at Aquilea and his yong sonne called also Maximinius when hee had reigned three yeeres After him succeeded Pupienus Balbinus Gordianus three Emperours together in Rome but Pupienus and Balbinus were slaine at Rome and Gordianus obtained the empire and held it sixe yeeres alone he espoused Tranquillina Masetheus daughter and after tooke his voiage into Persia and ouerthrewe Sapores king of Persia tooke diuers cities and in many sundrie skirmishes did greatly afflict the Persians But as hee returned thence he was likewise slaine through treason of one Philip who succeeded him in the Empire but his monument is erected vp by one of his souldiers in memoriall of him and that place is called Gordianus graue Marcus Iulius Philippus after he had slaine Gordianus he and his sonne Philip came to the empire and reigned ioyntly fiue yeeres In the time of these two Philips there was celebrated in Rome great solemnitie and preparation of Gunnes and shewes with such pompe and magnificence as Capittollius affirmeth that the like before in Rome scant had beene seene Philip builded a towne in Thracia named it after his owne name Not long after both the father and the sonne were slaine the father at Verrona and the sonne at Rome being of the age of 12. yeeres About this time liued Iulius Africanus a great Historiographer and that godly man Origen wrote his booke of Martyrs After these two Philips succeeded Decius borne at Bubalia a Towne in Hungaria a man well instructed in all kinde of sciences but hee was the eight Emperour that persecuted the Christians and beside commaunded by an Acte that all that worshipped Christ shoulde be slaine hee repressed some warres that were coÌmenced in Fraunce and made one voyage against the Gothes at what time hee caused his sonne to be created Caesar. This Decius founded Bathes in Rome who when he had reigned two yeeres both he and his sonne died in Barbaria Some iudged that hee was swallowed vp in an earthquake and some affirme that hee was drowned in a riuer of Thracia called Abricium Then were created Emperours in Rome Gallius Hostilianus and Voluntianus his sonne they committed no act worthie of writing but they were likewise persecutors of the Christians and in their time fell great plagues and sundrie other diseases in the Romane Empire and after they had reigned scant two yeeres they were slaine and within three moneths after them Aemilianus who succeeded them in the Empire was in like sort slaine so that of 30. Emperours which reigned since Octauius Augustus time vntill Licinius Valerian sixe of them escaped not the handes of murtherers Such was the enuious estate of Rome from time to time such was their tyrannie and auarice vntill the Romanes fame and dignitie was much obscured and so little esteemed of the kings about ouer whome they had before so long triumphed euen
mines siluer and gold The length of Spaine from the West into the East is 6000. furlongs the breadth of Spaine is almost 5000. in some place scant three Of the description of Spaine of the aboundance and plentie of things of their cities townes riuers mines lakes mountaines and mounts reade Strabo Pomponius Mela and Iu. Solynus Of the antiquitie of these people and of their first arriuall into Spaine I finde some controuersie and in many things apparant errors Both Plutarch and Liui affirme that in antiquities men may most easily erre specially in these first actions of time when kingdomes first beganne Therefore I beginne from the Centre and ground of all true and perfit Chronicles the 10. of Genesis where we reade of the encrease of mankind after the flood and of the beginning of countreys and cities and here all countreys were deuided one from another in language and in kinred And had not Moses set downe the names of the first princes and their children and the couÌtreis and kingdoms by them first inhabited we had bene as blinde men not able to iudge of colours or as they that neuer sawe the Sunne not knowing light froÌ darknes and they that wander with prophane writers froÌ Moses and from the prophetical histories shal be in no better case for of necessitie we must be forced to conferre with diuine histories for the certaintie of trueth in many things in the beginnings of kingdoms and countreys for otherwise men do erre most grossely folowing their owne fancies one reprehending another more to encrease coÌtrouersies then to finde out the trueth as Appion accuseth Herodot for his meere fables in the history of Egypt and Iosephus reprehendeth Appion for his great lies in the history of the Iewes And here Berosus who setteth downe the first beginning of Spaine and of Chaldea and Syria is of many cried out vpon as a fained and lying Berosus yet many alleadge him and followe him of the best writers as Functius Ruffinus and others Berosus saith the Spaniards tooke their beginning from the Caspians a people in Scythia as the Persians the Phoenices people in Syria Celtes people now of France and the Mores and that is probable for after the flood the arke of Noah resting in Armenia not far froÌ Scythia after 150. yeres people being then multiplied came from thence to seeke countreys and to inhabite euery coast of the world Chus the father of Nimrod went to Aethiope Mizraim the sonne of Chus went to Egypt possessed about the riuer Nilus Gomerus the eldest sonne of Iaphet into that countrey afterward called Italy and Tubal the fift sonne of Iaphet came into that countrey which is now called Spaine Because I wrote of this in the beginning of euery kingdom I neede not much to speake of them and therfore I wil leaue the sonnes of Sem and the sonnes of Cham in their first possession I wil folow Iaphets sonnes which came here to Europe of whom I haue spokeÌ sauing of Tubal who came into Spaine in the yere after the flood 143. within 12. yeeres after Nimrod began his kingdome in Chaldea within two yeeres after his eldest brother Gomerus came into Italy and 3. yeres before Mizraim which is called Oceanus went to Egypt as Functius setteth it downe in his tables This Tubal began to build and to inhabit first in Celtiberia a countrey in Spaine which is now called Byskay hee made a towne and named it after his owne name Tubal in that Prouince of Spaine which is called Baetica and kept many sheepe and cattel for that they are most necessary for man to liue by both for clothing of the body and for feeding of the belly for in the first beginning of time men were not so ambitious as to aspire great things When Tubal was settled in his owne towne he made lawes for his people to liue by taught the Celtiberians the people named Samotes To Tubal came one Samotes sirnamed Disteltas a most wise man yet not knowen but supposed to be Tubals brother one of Iaphets sonnes yet Moses maketh no mention of him Of the comming of Ianus which Berosus and other affirme to be Iauan froÌ Phaenicia to Affrica and from Affrica to Celtiberia to his sonnes sonne and with the people which he brought with him to dwel in Celtiberia I referre you to Berosus and to Annius Thus Tubal being 155. yeres old died fiue yeeres before Abraham was borne which was in the 43. yeere of Ninus The people were called Caetubales after Tubals name vntill Iberus time the 2. king of Celtiberia after whose name both the countrey and the people changed as Functius saith other say they were called Iberi of the riuer Iberus but Berosus whoÌ Functius in all this historie doth folow saith of Iberus the king the riuer also was so named and the people that dwelt about the riuer were called Iberi So likewise of Celtiberia some writers affirme that it was so named because it is next to those people of France called Celtes and therefore called Celtiberia and surely the best coniectures in things vnknowen are best to bee allowed This Iberus raigned 37. yeres and died in the 37. yere of Semiramis Queene of Babylon During the life of Tubal Samotes had a sonne called Magus he raigned then ouer the people Celtes where he builded many townes and gouerned the people with care and great diligence Also in the 22 yeere of Semiramis Sabatius Saga after that he came to Italy to old father Ianus and had taught the countreymen tillage and other kinde of husbandrie he sent Sabus to that people which were called Sabines after and continued by that name vntill they were subdued by the Romans In the time of this king Iberus Isis was borne in Egypt the wife of Osiris of whome the Egyptians did glorie much for they found in a pillar of brasse this sentence written of Isis as an Epitaph ouer her graue I am Isis Queene of Egypt wife of great Osiris and mother to great king Orus taught of Mercurius to giue lawes to my people which none shall infringe to inuent the vse of sowing of corne I haue builded the famous citie Bubastia Reioyce Egypt that hath brought vp such a Queene I haue liued with you your Queene and now being dead I am placed among the glittering starres by the name of the starre Canis This monument was of the Egyptians much honoured Now followed in Celtiberia Iubalda the sonne of Iberus and the 3. king of Celtiberia he began his raigne in the yere 1993. after the creation of the world he dwelt hard by the mountaine Iubalda which he named after his owne name This is since called of the Mauritaines Ibiralta and of others corruptly he raigned 66. yeeres of whom nothing is to be written but that he at that time encreased by litle and litle his territories not by the
sword for few people knew then contention for they had more countreys then they had men to inhabite but with people for no warre was yet knowen any where but with the Assyrians who first vsed to trespasse vpon other nations about them euen from Nimrads time In Iubaldas time Hercules Libyus florished before the Hercules of the Greekes welnigh 700. yeres In this Iubaldas time died Noah the righteous preacher whom prophane writers cal Bifrons Ianus and so is in euery countrey painted and set forth in histories This Noah forsaw the great miserie and calamitie of Gods iustice for sinne in the first age the general plague that folowed the destructioÌ of the whole world with a flood and after he sawe himselfe dispised of his wicked sonne Cham and coÌtemned of his posterities in the second age at the building of the tower of Babylon where he saw the pride disobedience and impietie of his owne people that came out of his owne bodie who to seeke immortalitie vpon earth sought to auoyd God and his power and to seeke to skale through too much follie the skies but they were coÌfounded and their deuises brought to nothing No doubt hee sawe more miserie come to man and more wickednes committed by man against God then any man euer could see He died 350. yeres after the flood In Assyria raigned Zamisnenias which in Genesis is called Amraphael the fift king of Assyria Abraham was called from Vr in Chaldea to the land of Palestina and after three yeeres driuen to Egypt for that the famine was so great in the land of Canaan This time gouerned in Egypt Osiris which was that Pharao that tooke Sara Abrahams wife away but was warned in his sleepe not to touch her and coÌmanded by God to restore her to her husband againe During the time of this king Iubalda Sodom Gomorrha Zeboim Adama and Segor fiue noble cities of Canaan were destroyed by fire froÌ heauen for their abominable wickednes and there remaineth in memorie of their filthie vitious liues in the place of these fiue cities a stinking horrible great lake called Stagnum Asphaltidis The 4. king that succeeded Iubalda in Celtiberia was named Brigus he began to raigne in the 4. yeere of Arius the 6. king of Assyria at what time Hyarbas Priscus beganne to gouerne in Libya a stout and a fierce king in armes and therfore the Numidians would be called after him Hyarbae for stoute and warlike people This Brigus builded many strong castles in Celtiberia in that prouince of Lusitania he builded 2. great castles and called them after his owne name Laccobryga and Mirobriga and he builded also Brygantum in the prouince of Taracon This time gouerned the Celtes an expert skilful man a man in those dayes of most honor for his wisdome and iudgement in all things named Drius after whose death the priests of the Celtes were named Druydes of whom mention is made in Caesar and in Plini The authoritie and credite of these priestes in their dayes was great they were honoured and reuerenced of all people their wordes were had in such estimation as though they had bene Oracles giuen for at this time it was rare to see a wise man or to talke with a learned man for the Magi of Chaldea and the priests were not heard of no philosophie spoken of no Art taught few scholes or none knowen in so much that almost 300. yeeres after the flood there raigned no malice no pride no ambition no warre in the most part of the world and therefore it was called Aureum seculum for the simplicitie of the people and of the plentie of al things which was coÌmon among all men sauing in Assyria where the first Monarchie began and quarrels grewe as you shall heare betweene the Chaldeans and the Assyrians and after betwene the Assyrians and the Egyptians So that nothing is to be written of any great exploit done in Celtiberia all this time neither in any place else sauing to set downe the names of those kings that then raigned and to know the agreement of time which is the touchstone of trueth In this Brygus time Abraham offered his sonne Isaac at what time God blessed all the nations of the worlde in the seede of Abraham One Bardus raigned this time in Celta which was of great authoritie with them for his first finding of Musike and meeter In this Brigus time Araunus the soÌne of Cranus which was the sonne of Ianus builded a temple in Vetulonia and dedicated the same vnto Ianus which they also called Vertumnes and therein he erected vp the image of Ianus and after he builded a chapell to the god Razenus in Vetulonia so that now idolatrie began in euery countrey the nomber of the gods so encreased that superstition had the better hand of true religion euery where sauing in Gods owne Church those 2. Patriarches Abraham and his sonne for Sara was now dead But I wil passe to the fift king of Celtiberia named Tagus sirnamed Orma of this king the riuer Tagus taketh her first name Of this I reade nothing worth the nothing but as his predecessors he raigned by the name of a king without resistance with whom raigned together in other kingdoms Baleus Xerxes the eight king of Assyria this encreased the kingdome and conquered euery where vntill the Indians for he was valiant and couragious very fortunate in all his affaires In the beginning of this Tagus raigne the Argiues kingdome began where Inachus raigned their first king Phaeton came this time to Italy at what time many townes and cities were burnt about the riuer Ister and about the Cymerians and Vesunians and the places burned to this day are named Palestina that is to say the couÌtrey burnt recorded with writers Phaetontis incendium Esau and Iacob were borne this time and a litle after their grandfather Abraham the patriarch died 101. yeres after he was called from the Chaldeans and in 175. yere of his age After Tagus succeeded Belus the 6. king of Celtiberia he began to raigne in the 482. yeere after the flood and raigned in Celtiberia 31. yeres at what time Eusebius setteth down the 17. Dynastia of the Egyptians where shepheards gouerned bare rule in Egypt which gouerment coÌtinued 303. yeres in Egypt With this Belus began Armatrites to raigne the 9. king of Assyria a king giuen to idlenes to al kinde of pleasures About this time died Sem the sonne of Noah who likewise saw as his father did before much wickednes and abomination he died 35. yeres after Abraham was dead Sem liued 600. yeres Pharoneus the 2. king of the Argiues of whom Plato maketh mention in the beginning of his booke made lawes to the Argiues and was of them greatly honoured after his death In this kings time Nilus did ouerflowe all the countrey of Egypt and Osiris
17. Dynasteia of the Egyptians which endured 103. yeeres During which time the shepherds had gouernment 7 Gerion surnamed Deabus raigned 35. yeeres he inuented the vse of many good things found first the vse of mynes of gold siluer and other mettals 8 After whom succeeded his three sonnes surnamed Lomuini which builded a towne after their owne name Lomuinia they also raigned 42. yeeres after their father 9 Hispalus the sonne of Hercules Libyus and the 9. king of the Celtiberians he raigned 11. yeeres he beganne his gouernment in the 36. yeere of Baleus Iunior the II. king of the Assyrians he did nothing but builded a towne and named it after his owne name Hispalis 10 After Hispalus succeeded the tenth king named Hispanus which raigned 32. yeeres by whom the whole countrey was called Hispania This time Iacob with his children went to Egypt when the great famine was almost ouer the whole world so long the name of Hispaine continued 11 Hercules after the death of Hispanus being verie aged raigned 19. yeeres at what time Mamitus the 13. king of the Assyrians gouerned at Niniuie 12 Hesperus raigned after Hercules 11. yeeres In Egypt began this time to raigne Mispharmutosis about which time Ioseph being an hundred yeres old died in Egypt Narbon raigned in that part of Fraunce which was called Celta after whome the countrey was after called Narbon 13 Kittim called in some places Atlas after hee had forced his brother Hesperus to forsake the kingdome and to flie into Italie raigned in Spaine 11. yeeres With this Kittim beganne to raigne in Assyria Maucaleus the 14. king and ouer the Argiues Crassus the fiftking 14 Sicorus raigned after Kittim Atlas who raigned 45. yeres for Kittim hauing his sonne in his steede to gouerne Spaine went to Italie and raigned there and was called for his great vertue and excellencie of minde of that countrey Italus This maried his daughter Electra to Cambo Blaston a Prince of the Ianigenes During the time of Sicorus Kittims sonne in Spaine raigned in Egypt Amenophis a cruel king who made a lawe that all the male children of the Israelites which then were in great cruell bondage in Egypt should be drowned in the riuer Nilus at which time Moses beyng borne then in Egypt was throwen to Nilus but he was preserued by the appoyntment of God This time reigned in Assyria Spherus the 15. king 15 Sicanus the sonne of Sicorus raigned after his Father 12. yeres king of Hispaine Phorbas the sixt king of the Argiues began in his kingdome to raigne and Sparetus the 17. king of the Assyrians 16 After Sicanus succeeded Siceleus which raigned in Spaine 44. yeeres this king came with the Sicilians to aide Iasius against Dardanus who both were in armes for the kingdome of Italie and did no other great thing In the beginning of this Siceleus raigne the kingdome of Athens beganne vnder Cecrops their first king in the fourth yeere of Sparetus the seuenteenth king of the Assyrians and in the sixte yeere of Marathus the thirteenth King of Peloponesus At what time Troyphas raigned the seuenth king of the Argiues and Acengeres raigned king of Egypt Functius sayeth that Mercurius Trismegistus an Egyptian Philosopher flourished about this time a great learned Priest whose bookes yet are to this day extant though some doe doubt of the same as in so ancient a thing men may easily doubt I thinke there was not so much diuinitie then in Egypt as Trismegistus seemeth to write in his bookes 17 After that Siceleus had raigned 44. yeeres his sonne named Lusus succeeded him and reigned thirtie yeeres this dwelt in that part of Spayne which he called after his owne name Lusitania thither he brought manie from Italie and other places to inhabite This Lusus beganne to reigne in Spayne in the thirteenth yeere of Ascatades the 18. King of the Assyrians in the verie yeere that Dardanus slue by deceit his brother Iasius and after fledde to Samothracia In the beginning of the reigne of this King the Israelites were deliuered from their bondage and great miserie vnder Pharao in Egypt after they had continued foure hundred thirtie yeeres there in seruitude This time reigned in Athens Cranaus their seconde king and ouer the Argiues Crotopus their eight king 18 Siculus the eighteenth king of Spayne succeeded Siceleus and reigned 64. yeeres That time that he beganne to gouerne Spaine then Dardanus beganne to erect a kingdome in Dardania which afterwarde was called Troy which was in the last yeere of Ascatades the 18. king of Assyria 830. yeeres after the flood of Noah This Dardanus after he was fledde to Samothracia for the killing of his brother Iasius for the gouernment of Italie he sought no right in Italie but resigned the same to Turrhenius who sailed into that part of Italie called Ianigena and possessed it and reigned 51. yeeres and Dardanus began his kingdome and was the first king of Dardania after called Troy This time Faunus Priscus reigned ouer the Latines then called Aborigenes for Latinus was the fift king after Faunus after whom they were called Latins after Latinus name their first king 19 Testa succeeded Siculus in Spaine and reigned seuentie yeeres During which time Manethon which onely writeth of the first 24. kinges doeth set downe nothing worth the writing for these kings were not heard of any way out of Spaine they liued so simply vnpeopled without any war or other exploits done the best is the noting of time thereigne of other kings the histories of the East couÌtreys are by this historie briefly passed ouer During the 70. yeres of these kings Bellopares the 21. king and Lamprides the 22. king of the Assyrians reigned at Niniue Menophis gouerned Egypt Minos in Creete Abas ouer the Argiues Erictheus the sixt king of the Athenians In the latter yeeres of this king Samgar which succeeded Ehud iudged Israel after Samgar Debora and Barac 20 Romus the twentieth king that gouerned in Spaine he raigned three and thirty yeeres at what time raigned in Assyria Lampares the 24. king and ouer the Argiues Agrisius their fourteenth and last king In Dardania raigned Tros their thirde king who enlarged the citie of Dardania verie much and altered the name of Dardania after his owne name and called it Troia I take little heede to Manethon for hee doeth much differ from others in manie thinges and I make as much haste as I can to come to an ende Nowe after that Romus dyed Palatinus succeeded and raygned eighteene yeeres in whose time the kingdome of the Argiues was translated into Mycena where for a long time it continued 21 This time raigned in Troy Ilus after whose name Troy was called Ilion and in Assyria gouerned Paninas their 25. king Gedeon iudged Israel This Palatinus beyng a young man was driuen out of his kingdome by Cacus into Italie from whence
at Rome 1463. when Lewys the 11. raigned king of Fraunce Ferdinandus surnamed the great succeeded king of Spaine and raigned 41. yeres In this kings time the whole kingdom of Spaine was deuided betweene Ferdinandus and Alphonsus king of Portingal and Iohn king of Tarracon Nauarre Sicilia and of the yle Maiorica and of al that parte of Spaine when he died hee gaue to this Ferdinandus Alphonsus sonne who for his often great victories against the Saracens and many other good successes in other warres was thereby named Ferdinandus the great and also surnamed the Catholike for he had gotten the kingdome of Granata by the sword and excluded all infidels and Saracens thence and in their roome planted religion and placed Christians This was the first time that all Spaine was gouerned by two kinges the one in Portingall the other in Spayne for vntill Ferdinandus and Alphonsus time Spaine was as you heard by the Saracens possessed before the Saracens by the Gothes before the Gothes by the Vandales before the Vandales by the Romanes before the Romanes by the Carthagineans so long to so many kingdoms was Spaine subiect for of all nations in the world they were onely the longest in slauery and bondage vnder strange forraine kings They were from Hispanus time the 9. king of Spaine after Tubal after whose name the countrie was first called Hispaine 2200. yeeres past Spaine continued that name vnder bondage for the space of 2100. yeeres which was from Hispanus vnto the time of Ferdinandus and Alphonsus king of Portingal who first began to be acquainted with the Indians This Alphonsus king of Portingal dyed of a fall which he had from his horse afterward his brother named Emanuel succeeded who made great preparation to saile to India About this time dyed Philip Archduke of Austria father to Charles the fift at Bruggis in Spaine and Frederike the third Archduke of Austria was elected Emperour of Germany After Ferdinandus the great had reigned 41. yeres succeeded Charles Archduke of Austria to be king in Spaine who also was elected Emperour of Germany for he was crowned king of Spaine and of Sicile the seuenth day of Februarie 1518. and reigned 43. yeeres Vnder this king Charles the fift the Spaniards gote many victories in diuers countries they tamed the Affricanes and subdued Holand Flanders and places in Germanie they were skant knowen for all their vauntes and bragges before Charles the fifts time then they beganne to trauaile countries and to finde prayes and spoyles so that nowe a world cannot conteyne them forgetting that they were vassales and subiects first to the Affricanes then to the Carthagineans next to the Romanes after to the Gothes and last of all to the SaraceÌs who possessed well nigh al Spaine for many yeres they are so glorious of their enterprises so proude of their victories But as we reade one kingdome to rise by the ruine of another as the Assyrians began to florish by the decay of the Chaldeans the Persians by the fall of the Assyrians the Macedonians by the Persians the Romanes by the Macedonians and now Germany by the ruine of Rome euen so maââ¦y a man speak of Spaine By the late decay of Naples Hierusalem Sicile and other countreies Spaine beginneth to flourish being wel aided thereunto by the Indians they which were as dead men bond slaues and subiects in the worlde neither knowne nor heard of for the space of 2000. and odde yeeres became so sudenly great and mighty that they thinke wel of no nation but them selues by their furie and wicked rage It seemeth that they should not long endure vnlesse God raised them for scourges and plagues for the punishment of sinne to punish other as they were before punished of the Saracenes and infidels But consider the time howe after 600. yeeres the pope the Romane bishop and Mahomet the prophet of the Saracenes began at one time the one in Arabia the other in Rome This priest in Rome and this false prophet in Arabia brought all the world welnigh to commitidolatry and to liue in awe and feare of them and now of late the Turkes and the Spaniards reuiue the memorie of the tyranny of the Saracenes the one mainteining the idolatry of the Pope the other defending the wickednes of Mahomet Thus much I write of Spaine during the time of their long bondage vnder so many nations as you hearde I haue put downe the names and the numbers of their first kings which were 24. at their first comming into Spaine and then of their seueral gouernment vnder particular magistrates then of their subiection vnder the Carthagenians after vnder the Romanes then vnder the Gothes and last vnder the Saracens so long the Saracens gouerned as kings in Spaine as 40. seuerall kings of Spaine liued and gouerned as mean and simple kings in few places of Spaine as in Astura Legio and Castile But now from the time of this Ferdinandus which raigned king in Spaine 41. yeeres their chiefe credite renowme appeared but specially vnder Charles the fift who gouerned the kingdome of Spaine 43. yeeres the Empire of Germanie for 39. yeeres with great glory fame After whom succeeded in the Empire his brother Ferdinandus to whom he resigned the empire aliue at Frankford after went with both his sisters Mary and Leonora into Spaine where he died in a Monasterie vpon the 20. of September where succeeded him his soÌne Philp that now liueth of whose large territories great possessions mynes treasures of India bookes are full and set onely foorth for that purpose so that I neede not to speake thereof OF THE BEGINNING and the originall of the Nation which was called Galgreekes or Gallograecians of their inuasions spoile and slaughter in many Countries of Asia and of their ouerthrow by Cn. Manlius who with great pompe triumphed ouer them at Rome GAllograeci a French nation mingled with the Grecians as both Iosephus Zonaras agree This people dwelled sometime in Galatia being from the beginning Frenchmen and by the reasoÌ they were in so many places skattered after they were driuen froÌ Rome by Camillus and after that Brennus their chiefe captaine died that at one time all Asia was full of Frenchmen by the name of Galli Iustine saith that no king of the East Countrie would take battell in hand without a French armie Againe if any king were by force driuen out of his kingdome they fled no where for aide but to Brennus captaine of the Gaules These people bearing such sway in diuers places of Asia that the king of Bythinia hauing occasion to craue some ayde for the defence of his kingdome who hauing wonne the victorie the king diuided the kingdome of Bythinia betweene him and the Frenchmen and therefore the Bythinians and the Frenchmen for that they dwelled in one Countrie being two seuerall nations were
with the Sicambrians as they had a litle before that time with the Affricans so much the Romanes were fearefull of these people that they appoynted Caius Marius Consul against the lawe being absent which was neuer seene before in Rome but once in the time of Cornelius Scipio in the warres of Affrike But to benefite a common weale lawes may well be infringed and specially when necessitie forceth the same as at that time Marius was appoynted against these stoute and strong people whom the Romanes called Cimbri but I referre you to Tritemius who onely wrote of these sixteene kings and of the people called Sicambri Likewise reade Plutarch in Marius and you shall knowe what strong warres what sharpe battels and with what inuincible courage they fought against the Romans Caius Marius Catulus Luctatius and other Romane captaines can well witnesse of the hardinesse of this nation for since the first time that this people came out of Scythia which was 400. and odde yeeres before our Sauiour Christ was borne they gaped alwayes for the Countrey of France being then inhabited with Gauls the people Celtae and the countrey it selfe called Gallia They held the warres with the Gaules nine hundred yeeres sometimes conquerours and sometime conquered they ceased not vntill they wearied all the Countrie about them and diuers places of Germanie and of Gallia waxed weake and feeble so the Frenchmen began to bee strong and to winne that which the Romanes had lost After that this Marcomirus had expulsed and vanquished the people that dwelt about Rhene and had committed to his brother Sunno the possession of that countrey hee went and passed ouer the riuer of Rhene in the foure and twentieth yeere of his raigne with a very huge armie of Sicambrians and Saxons wasted and spoyled with sworde and fire many townes and countreys in the West Gallia and after hee had made a great slaughter of the Gauls he entred in league with Britaines and returned a conqueror to see how the Germanes behaued and vsed Sunno where he died after he had reigned eight and twentie yeeres This Marcomirus was so famous had done such worthie feats in armes that theÌ his people after his death were called Marcomanni for so Plinie doth name them lib. 12. cap. 4. While this Marcomirus helde warres with the Gaules ciuill warres began in Greece which continued seuen and twentie yeeres Darius Nothus gouerned the Persians at what time in Rome a law was made that it should be lawfull for the Patricians and Senators to ioyne in marriage with the common people This time florished in Greece Pericles the Athenian and Socrates the Philosopher After Marcomirus his sonne builded townes and cities and made strong holdes and castles hee taught the vse of many things to his noble men and hee also taught the women which earst were rude and ignorant in Scythia to sowe flaxe and hempe and to weaue silke and other like things He made lawes to his people which neuer before heard of any law in Scythia brought them from rude and wild men to knowledge ciuilitie for this Antenor was taught by his wife Cambra Bellinus daughter king of Britaine She was wise modest and vertuous brought vp her sonne Priamus in ciuill knowledge and made him acquainted with orders and lawes insomuch that when his father Antenor died hee was able to gouerne his people with lawes for in the eight yeere of his reigne he his mother Cambra builded about the riuer of Rhene two great townes the one he named Neopagus where long the kings palace stoode and the other Neomagus in memorie of his name The Sicambrians this time beganne to speake the Saxons tongue for the maner and order of this people at that time whersoeuer they were scattred in any place of Europe or Asia they were named after the name of the place as I tolde you At their first comming into Germanie from Scythia they were of the Germanes named Neumagi after they were called Marcomani after the name of Marcomirus Then Sicambri after the name of Cambra Bellinus daughter for so long as they taried in Scythia they were named Scythians in Armenia they were called Armenians in Gallia they were called Gaules who when they had sacked Rome and taken it for seuen moneths they were constrained by Camillus to goe from thence to Galatia Macedonia or to any part of Greece they were called Gaulgreekes and so bare they as many names as those countreys had where they dwelt vntil Francus time by whom they were called Franci which to this day they holde Nowe after that Antenor had reigned thirtie yeeres and his sonne Priamus after him 27. succeeded Helenus the 4. king of Sicambria which reigned 19. yeeres This king had the Gaules in hand and plagued them he gaue them diuers repulses and in battell slue of them sixteene thousand wasted and subdued Gallia vnto the riuer Mosa for this was the countrey that they gaped and thirsted for During which time of 16. kings which gouerned after CaÌbra Bellinus daughter they persecuted the countrey of Gallia one king after another successiuely vntill Francus time In the time of this Helenus his father Priamus raigned in Persia Artaxerxes Mnemon surnamed the great and in Caria raigned king Mausolus a countrey in Greece In Macedonia raigned nowe king Philip. king Alexander the great his father the sonne of Amyntas this time Marcus Manlius conspired against Camillus and moued sedition in Rome and therfore he was adiudged to be throwen headlong downe from the rocke Tarpeia In the time of this Helenus Plato died in whose place succeeded Speusippus the Philosopher Aristotle the Philosopher and Demosthenes the Orator flourished and Iaddua was high priest in Iudea and continued 27. yeeres vntill Alexander the great his time Diocles the eldest sonne of Helenus succeeded the fourth king and raigned 39. yeres a seuere man bold and much giuen by nature to warres hee followed his predecessors in commencing warre in Gallia hauing like affection to the kingdome of Fraunce as his father and grandfather had before him he raigned king amongest the Cicambrians when king Alexander the great was in warre against Darius king of Persia and after Alexanders death 30. yeeres for in Diocles time the kingdomes of Egypt Asia and Syria began to flouriââ¦h againe vnder new kings which were souldiers and captaines vnder Alexander the great of whose ciuill warres you may reade in the histories of their kingdoms for Darius surnamed Codomanus the last king of Persia was slaine and his kingdome subdued the monarchie taken into Greece vnder the kings of Macedonia About this time the Romans begaÌ their great wars with the Samnites when Pyrrhus king of Epirus had sailed with great nauie and entred Italie of whose warre there at that time Liui speaketh of and called it Bellum Ausonium when Pyrrhus was driuen out of Italie
certayne that at that time the Germanes the Saxons the Turinges and Frenchmen tooke possession in that Countrey which is nowe called Marchia Bradenburgensis where Sunno the sonne of Richimer did first and before any man inhabite there and was the first prince that gouerned the Countrie and ruled the people and as Tritemius sayeth hee was set there by his father and the other kings before named to withstand and resist the forreigne armies and other people comming from the East into Germanie This Richimer was a very notable stoute captaine a boulde man and a seuere king who during the whole reigne of twentie foure yeeres which hee gouerned in Fraunce the Gaules and the Romanes were by him sore plagued and sore afflicted sometime with slaughter and victorie ouer them and sometime with repulse This time Traiane the Emperour had warres in the East part and subdued the Sauromaties the Arabians the Agarens the Bospherans and was ready to make his voyage to the redde sea and so to conquer India The fourth persecution fell in the time of Richimer after whom succeeded his sonne Odemarus the ninth king of Fraunce hee reigned fourteene yeeres and began to gouerne Fraunce in the yeere after Christ a hundred fourtie foure This king Odemarus was much giuen to seeke peace and by all meanes studied to maintaine the same for after hee had concluded peace with the Romanes and with the Gaules which peace during his life he kept inuiolated for he thought himselfe contented and fully satisfied to defende that coast of Gallia which his predecessours had with long and sharpe warres gotten Neither Tritemius Lazius nor Functius do write any thing of this king worth the memorie but his care and diligence of peace keeping for since Francus time the first king of the name of Fraunce vntill Odemarus the ninth king not one of them sought peace but warres and therefore they succeeded one after another with othes vowing to come to possesse all Gallia by the sword And hauing now subdued diuers parts in Gallia being a large kingdome euen froÌ the riuer of Rhene vnto the mountaines called Pirenaei and naming them kings of Fraunce for that they coulde not yet conquer all Gallia though as I sayde before one king after another shotte at it for nine hundred yeeres space vntill all the realme of Gallia became the kingdome of Fraunce But while this Odemarus reigned in Fraunce the Romanes whose force more more grew in the Countries of Germanie vntil the Gaules Saxons Gothes Vandales Hungarians and diuers others waxed very strong in the West Countries that the Romanes were constrained to neglect the East parte and to looke about home for it is in all histories knowen that the kingdome of Fraunce beganne to florish when the Empire of Rome beganne to decay But to my French historie againe first setting downe the names here vnder of those kings that reigned in Fraunce from Francus vntill Farabertus time as foloweth 1 Francus the first king after the name of Sicambri was finished and after whose name Sicambri were called Franci he reigned 28. yeeres 2 Clogio the sonne of Francus reigned after his father 30. yeeres 3 Herimerus the sonne of Clogio reigned 22. yeeres 4 Marcomirue reigned 18. yeeres 5 Clodomirus the sonne of Marcomirus reigned 12. yeeres 6 Antenor reigned after his father Clodomirus 6. yeeres 7 Ratherus succeeded his father Antenor and reigned 21. yeeres 8 Richimerus his sonne reigned 24. yeeres 9 Odemarus reigned after his father Richimerus 14. yeeres 10 Marcomirus the second of that name and soÌne to Odemarus reigned 21. yeeres 11 After Marcomirus succeeded Clodamirus and reigned 17. yeeres 12 After Clodomirus succeeded Farabertus his sonne and reigned 20. yeeres CHAP. III. Of the continuall warres which the Frenchmen had still in seeking for the quiet possession and the whole gouernment of all Fraunce from the time of Farabertus vntil the time of Pharamundus during which time they were called Franci for as they were before called Sicambri from Marcomirus vnto Francus foure hundred and odde yeeres so nowe from Francus to Faramundus they were called Franci for foure hundred and odde yeeres that well nigh nine hundred yeres they were before they could possesse the kingdome of Fraunce WHen Odomarus dyed his sonne Marcomirus the tenth king succeeded him who reigned twentie one yeeres after whome succeeded Clodomirus the eleuenth king and reigned seuenteene yeres After Clodomirus succeeded Farabartus the twelfth king of Fraunce which reigned twentie yeeres during which time of these three kings which was fiftie eight yeeres the Romanes being yet in full strength and courage kept their Empire on foote and kept other kingdoms vnder foote that the French kings were forced to make peace at home with their neighbours to keepe warres with the Romanes So Farabartus did confirme the first league which Francus the first of their name had in his time agreed vpon with the Germanes Saxons Dorings Tretones Marcomans and Cimbrians They ioyned their forces together for to resist the Romanes who were alwayes so greedy of countries and kingdoms and so desirous of Territories that they sought to make themselues lords ouer all the West kingdome of the worlde as in trueth they were at that time kings emperors ouer the East countries vntill they had lost both their soueraigntie dignitie in the East and in the West at last lost the Empire it self The Romanes hearing of this strong league confirmed betwene these FreÌchmen the Germans Mar. Aurelius Antoninus surnamed the Philosopher prepared a great armie vnder the conuoy of his fonne Aurelius Commodus being at that time appointed Caesar and commaunded by his father the Emperor to passe into Germany and to commence warre against the Daces the Saxons Marcomanes the Frenchmen and other in Germany in the which voyage Commodus gained but litle credite for he was with shame forced to forsake the fielde with great losse of his men This battell is mencioned in many histories for it was so great and so terrible that Functius and Orosius affirme that bellum Marcomannicum the like is skant read of Againe in the next yeere being the 11. yeere of Farabertus reigne an armie of Romanes was sent into Germany of whom the like almost is read sauing that of the parties the slaughter was great This warre continued vntill the good Emperour Antoninus dyed yet hee and his sonne Commodus had triumphed ouer the Marcomanes which are thought to be Boremians before hee dyed but while these warres endured of these three last named French kings Marcomirus and his sonne Clodomirus and his sonne Farabertus the Britaines made some insurrections for their former libertie and were in armes vntill by Lollius Vrbicius the Romane Embassadour they were againe repressed Sunno by this the sonne of Clodomirus florished in that gouernment which he had in Marchia and builded a great Citie in memorie of
Empire decayed For as the Romanes were strengthened by the subduing of the Latines and Albanes Crescit Roma Albae ruinis euen so Fraunce became strong by the ruine of Rome 1 After Farabertus succeeded his sonne Sunno and raigned 28. yeeres 2 Hildericus the sonne of Sunno 40. yeeres 3 Batherius the sonne of Hildericus 18. yeeres 4 Clodius the sonne of Batherius 27. yeeres 5 After Clodius succeeded his sonne Walterius and raigned 8. yeeres 6 After Walterius raigned his sonne Dagobertus or Degenbertus 11. yeeres 7 After him his sonne Clogio 2. yeeres 8 After Clogio his brother Clodomirus raigned after him 18. yeeres 9 After Clodomirus his sonne Richimerus raigned 13. yeeres 10 After him raigned Theodomirus 10. yeeres 11 After him raigned Clogio 18. yeeres 11 After Clogio Marcomirus the thirde of that name CHAP. IIII. From Faramundus the first king that had all Fraunce in his hand and from whom all Historians and Chronographers beginne the historie of Fraunce who beganne his raigne in Fraunce in the yeere of our Lord and Sauiour 420 of the lawes gouernment and warres from that time vnto Clodouaeus the first Christian king of Fraunce and so vntill Clodouaeus the second of that name and the 12. king after Faramundus NOw this Faramundus the sonne of Marcomirus the great when hee was made king of Fraunce he coÌmitted the charge of his former gouernment which hee had in the East Fraunce to his brother Marcomirus he gouerned the Frenchmen in Gallia 7. yeeres and he augmented the crowne of Fraunce with more territories as Mosellana Augusta and other places He instructed the rude people and brought them from rudenesse to ciuilitie taught them to liue vnder a lawe made decrees and statutes to gouerne his countrey Here the crie of Chronicles for Pau. Aemilius writeth this historie farre otherwise so doeth Langaeus and hee saith that the Frenchmen were named Franci of one Francio the sonne of Hector But the trueth of this historie is found rather in Tritemius and Hunebaldus with whom both Functius and Lazius doe agree In this they agree all that from Faramundus time the kings of Gallia were nombred Iulius Caesar who long serued vnder the Romans in France deuided Gallia into three countreys from the riuer of Rhein vnto the riuer Sequana and that countrey is called Gallia Belgica from the riuer of Sein vnto Garumna that countrey is called Celtica and from Garumna vnto the mountaines Pyrenei which is called Aquitania which was before called Amorica With this Plini doeth accord All these people were in ancient time called Celtae Reade Strabo and Plini in the description of Gallia from mount Pyrenei to the riuer Garumna lieth Aquitania from thence to Sequana dwelt the Celtes and froÌ thence to the riuer Rhein the Belgians I will passe to the kings who beginne in this Faramundus time to be kings of Gallia after 870. yeeres warres by his predecessors before he raigned seuen yeeres and others affirme 11. yeeres In this Faramundus time the Lawe called Salica was made After whome succeeded Clodius his sonne sirnamed Crinitus or Comatus the second king of all France which was called then Gallia he raigned 28. yeeres and plagued the remnant of the Gaules which dwelt in Gallia vnconquered He gaue diuers sharpe battels to the Romanes and commaunded by an Edict that the Frenchmen should let their beards and the haires of their head grow and so to combe keepe it without cutting because they might bee knowen hereby to be the Frenchmen and to make a difference betwene them and others that dwelled within Gallia wherefore he was sirnamed Clodius Crinitus In the sixt yeere of his raigne he ouercame those people called Senouenses and Aurelionenses which dwelt about Lutetia and ioyned them to the kingdome of Fraunce He likewise in the ninth yeere of his raigne subdued the Saxons the Trentones the Doringes and brought all that part of Fraunce bordering vpon the sea into subiection and in the thirtieth yere of his raigne he also brought Bataui Tungri Menaxij and diuers other people that were coÌmorant in the edge of France at what time the Gothes had done great harme in that part of Fraunce called Aquitania and also the Burgundians subdued much in Lugdunum This time the Scots and the Pictes inuaded Britaine and spoiled the countrey and did much harme About this time Atala king of that nation called Hunni in Germanie had much to doe with the Romanes and both gaue and tooke diuers repulses This Clodius when hee had enlarged the kingdome of Fraunce with the most part of Gallia and had raigned twentie yeeres some say 17. yeeres hee died in whose time Valentinianus had married Eudoxia the daughter of Theodosius the Emperour by whom Valentinianus was made Augustus This time Theodosius waged warres against the Vandols who had a king named Giezirichus who had license by Valentinianus to dwel in Affrica who had dwelt there in despite of the Romans for the space of 95. yeeres vntil by Iustinianus the Emperour they were thence expelled and driuen out and at that very time the Hunnes entered and spoiled Thracia and Illyrica and subdued with sword and fire vntill they came to Thermopila Likewise in the foureteenth yeere of this Clodius the Gothes brake their league against Spaine and possessed with the sworde the next territories to Spaine and besieged the citie of Narbon This time Patricius was sent from Celestinus then bishop of Rome to Ireland to instruct the Irishmen in the Christian faith of this Patricke the Irishmen bragge much In the time of this Clodius Vortigerus with the Saxons by deceit and craft inuaded Britaine for hitherto the Britaines kept tacke with the Romanes sometime in warre with them and sometime in peace Reade more of this in Beda This was in the yere after Christ 446 at what time great persecution was in Affrike vnder king Giezirichus the Vandole and the heresie called Eutichiana beganne to rise in Constantinople This time raigned in Persia Vararanes the fift of that name and fifteenth king of Persia. After this time we reade of no mention made of any Olympiad though long before they were little vsed for the Olympiads flourished vntill the time of Lucius Silla the Dictator yet vsed for computation sake but with most absurd and grosse errours both of Zenophon and Thucydides who little vsed them and yet erred in them though they liued and wrote then when the Olympiads most flourished and it made me also oftentimes to auoyd the Olympiads in my histories for that I found great errors in them But I will come to the thirde king of Fraunce Meroueus the sonne of Clodius who succeeded his father and raigned 12. yeeres others say but 10 and so the errour which was in the yeeres of Faramundus is corrected and amended This king lost nothing which his father got He did not onely defend and maintaine all
king of Cambria which is Wales Pinnor king of Loegria which is England Saterus king of Albania which is nowe Scotland and Clotenus king of Cornubia nowe Cornewall all the kingdome after fiftie yeeres came to Dunwallus Clotenus sonne about 700. yeeres after Brutus and continued vntill Elidurus the third for the space of a 182. yeeres And after Elidurus the third it continued the reigne of thirtie three kings from Elidurus vntill Belinus the great 185. This Belinus was vncle vnto Cassibelane who reigned king in Britaine when Iulius Caesar came into Britaine about a thousand and thirtie yeeres after Brutus so long was Britaine vnconquered which as I said before for the spite of Androgeus to Cassibelan he wrote his letters to Caesar after the first great ouerthrowe of Caesar of which Lucan the Poet saith Territa quaesitis ostendunt terga Britannis Romani c. This Androgeus then Duke of Troinouant nowe called London since king Luds time promised his aide and helpe with all the Britaines which he coulde make if after the conquest he should by Caesar be restored to gouerne the Britaines but Caesar by this meanes brought the Britaines to paye tribute to the Romanes yet reigned kings in Britaine from Cassibelan lineally vnto Cadwallader for seuen hundred yeres and odde so that Britaine was gouerned from the first king vnto the last for a thousand eight hundred and odde yeeres as Guidonius affirmeth But for that the kings of Britaine are by all their names named their successioÌs continuance of time writteÌ in diuers Chronicles of Englande beside Doctor Powel of late hath written of their ciuill warres of their kings their lawes and gouernments that I neede not further to write herein my desire is no lesse to satisfie those that will with reason and authorities bee satisfied then was M. Coruinus a learned Romane Orator willing to please Augustus Caesar for the setting foorth of his familie and his house in proouing gens Iulia which was the stocke of the first Emperour Iulius Caesar his vncle to descende lineally from Ascanius The historie is written in Coruinus de progenie Augusti in whose time Coruinus florished whome Augustus desired to traueile and to set downe the genealogie of his stocke that being so fortunate an Emperour as hee was in subduing almost all the kingdomes of the worlde and captiuating them as Prouinces vnder the Empire of Rome hee might knowe also whence gens Iulia came that hee might assure him selfe of the certeintie of his house To satisfie this Emperor Augustus being thereunto by him intreated Coruinus briefely diuided the whole earth into three seuerall partes Asia Europe and Affrike In this Asia the great is Asia the lesse conteyned in the which Countrie is a Region named Phrygia into the which one Dardanus a great prince of Creete that had the daughter of one Teucer giuen him in mariage came with a great multitude of young men and souldiers to inhabite about the time that Moses dyed where hee builded a great Citie and named it after his owne name Dardania and the inhabitants therein were called Dardanians The fame of this king Dardanus grewe so great that Teucer his father in lawe came from Creete with a number of gentlemen to visite his daughter vnto Dardania in Phrygia where Dardanus reigned three yeres after whom succeeded Ericthonius 75. yeres after Ericthonius succeded Tros the king of Dardania which reigned sixtie yeres by whom Dardania was named Troy after the kings name after Tros succeeded Ilus who reigned 54. yeres after whom succeeded Laomedon and reigned 36. yeres and after him reigned his sonne Priamus named Alexander in histories the sixt and last king of Troy in whose time Troy was destroyed by the Grecians This Messala setteth downe in his historie how Aeneas after the warres came into Italie and maried king Latinus daughter succeeded as heire of the king in his kingdom from whose body lineally desceÌded these many kings whose names onely I wil set downe for that I haue in the historie of the Latines written of their continuance and of the time of their gouernment vntill Romulus 1 Aeneas 2 Ascanius 3 Siluius 4 Aeneas Siluins 5 Latinus Siluius 6 Alba Siluius 7 Capetus Siluius 8 Capis Siluius 9 Calpetus Siluius 10 Tiberinus Siluius 11 Agrippa Siluius 12 Alladius Siluius 13 Auentinus Siluius 14 Procas Siluius 15 Amulius Siluius 16 Numitor Siluius which was both graÌdfather by the mother side vncle by the father side vnto Romulus M. Coruinus wrote vnto Augustus the whole historie of the kings of Alba vntill Romulus time and prooueth plaine in his booke that the noble Emperour Augustus proceeded from the house of Aeneas that gens Iulia came lineally from the body of Iulo which was the surname of Ascanius some affirme the contrary Yet Coruinus an auncient antiquarie liuing in the time of Augustus and writing his booke to Augustus at the earnest request of the Emperour Augustus affirmeth all this to be which Halicarnas in all pointes alloweth but what is to proue the Britaines to come from the Troians or to proue Brutus to come to EnglaÌd as much more it maketh proofe that Brutus came to this land as Aeneas came to Italie the one is prooued by a number of Romane writers the other by so many of both Romane and Britaine authours and yet Aeneas is by some enrious writers denied to come to Italie as Brutus is to come to Britaine of whom Dionys. Halic saith Scriptores partim ignorati partim inuidia dissimulati de aduentu Aeneae in Italiam The historie of Aeneas and the historie of Brutus after the destruction of Troy is one of the most auncient histories of the Gentiles though in some it bee fabulous as all prophane histories be in many pointes yet from these Troians as from the first originall of their kings and Emperours both the Romanes and the Frenchmen are by some of their owne best writers proued of whom Aemilius writes of their antiquitie It is most likely that euery Countrie hath more care of it selfe then of other countries and rather French writers are to be beleeued in the histories of Fraunce then forreigne writers so of the Romanes of the Grecians and of all other countries as Myrsillus saith Plus vicinis quà m remotis multò plus genti ipsi quà m extremis credatur and yet who seeth not but both the Romanes the Grecians the Frenchmen and all nations aduaunce their countries with best histories and passe lightly ouer many histories that makes against their Countries But as Diodorus Siculus describeth Britaine by the name of Britaine to be fertill and plentifull in corne cattell iron with diuers other commodities so doeth Strabo commende the Britaines to bee people farre bigger and taller then the Frenchmen are in these wordes Britannorum statura supra Gallos procera c. and after he reporteth of certaine Britaines which he
M. Antoninus surnamed the Philosopher and of his sonne CoÌmodus of the difference in their gouernment of the loue which the father had in Rome and of the hatred and contempt which the sonne had of the murthers and slaughter of diuers Emperours from M. Antoninus the 17. Emperor vntill the time of Dioclesian the 38. emperor 562. Of the rest of the Emperours of Rome after Dioclesians time at what time their Empire at Rome beganne to decay for that the dignitie of the olde Emperours were diminished by reason that Constantinople whom Constantine the great had so enriched and beautifiedwith their auncient monuments of Rome that olde Rome was hereby defaced and newe Rome thereby florished so that the Empire was diuided betweene two Emperours the one to be at Constantinople the other at Rome 576. Liuius Trogus Pomp. Florus Valerius Max. Eutropius Suetonius Egnatius Tacitus Voriscus Cassiodorus Blondus Iosephus Plinius Appianus Sabellicus Orosius Beroaldus Polybius Dionys. Halicar Herodianus FuÌctius with others THE TRYALL OF MARTYRS OF the try all of the Martyrs of God in the primitiue Church from the first persecution vnder Tiberius the third Emperour in the which Stephen was stoned Iames beheaded Philip hanged with infinite more tormented and persecuted vntill the third persecution which began vnder Domitian the twelfth Emperour of Rome Fol. 587. From the third persecution vnder Domitian the 12. Emperour vnto the sixt persecution vnder Sept. Seuerus the 22. Emperour of the constancie of faithfull Martyrs euery where in the Church of God of their godly liues their deaths and their glorious victorie ouer Satan 593. Of the tyranny of time froÌ the sixt persecution vnder Seuerus vntil the ninth persecution vnder Dioclesian the Emperour of the zeale and constancie of the godly in their martyrdome and of the tyranny and wickednesse of the kings of Persia and of the Emperours of Rome at that time in the persecution of the Church 600. From Dioclesian vnder whom the vehementest persecution of any reigned vntill the reigne of Alexander Seuerus by whose good meanes and great traueile persecution somewhat slaââ¦kt at what time diuers heresies began fresh in many places of Asia and Europe 608. Eusebius Euagrius Ireneus and Functius table OF SPAINE OF the antiquitie of Spaine and of the originall of their kings and of their continuance from Tubal vntill Hispanus during which time they were called by diuerse seuerall names as Caetubales Hiberi Celtiberi and Hispani Fol. 617. From the time of Hispanus by whom they were called Hispaniards vntil the monarchie and the names of kings ended after what time Spaine was diuided into peculiar prouinces and seuerall dominions after the reigne and gouernmeÌt of 24. kings froÌ Caetubal the first vnto Mellicola the last 626. From the dissolution and change of the kingdome of Hispaine into prouinces and dominions vntill they were subdued by the Carthagineans and Affricanes vnder whom they were subiects vntill Scipio Affricanus time at what time both Affrica Carthage and Hispaine were made tributaries vnto Rome 633. From the time that the Romanes conquered Hispaine vnto the time of the Vandales the third conquest of Hispaine and from the Vandales vnto the Gothes victorie ouer Hispaine the fourth conquest from the Gothes vnto the Saracens the fift conquest of Hispaine 641. From the time that the Saracens possessed Hispaine vntill the time of Ferdinandus the great and Alphonsus king of Aragon which were the onely first two kings that possessed all Hispaine from the first monarchie of their kings which was 2400. and odde yeeres so base a countrie was Spaine and conquered so many times vntill Ferdinandus time 647. For the histories of old Hispaine fewe haue written of it as Annius Manethon but since they were conquered by the Romanes all Romane writers speake of them by the reason of the Affricane warres as Liui. Trogus Pomp. Lu. Florus Blondus Beroaldus Functius and many more of late But of olde Hispaine Io. Annius Manethon Diodorus Siculus Ritius Iornandus Boufinus OF GALLOGRAECIA OF the beginning and original of the natioÌ which was called Galgreekes or Gallograecians of their inuasions spoile and slaughter in many countries in Asia and of their ouerthrowe by Cn. Manlius who with great pompe triumphed ouer them at Rome 655. From Francus the 16. king of Fraunce then called Sicambri vntill the time of Farabertus the 12. in number after Francus of the warres inuasions and victories of the enlargement of their kingdome from one king to another vntill Farabertus gouernment during which time they were called Franci after the name of Francus 669. Of the continuall warres which the Frenchmen had still in seeking for the quiet possession and the whole gouernment of all Fraunce from the time of Farabertus vntill the time of Pharamundus during which time they were called Franci for as they were before called Sicambri from Marcomirus vnto Francus foure hundred and odde yeeres so nowe from Francus vnto Pharamundus they were called Franci foure hundred and odde yeeres that wellnigh nine hundred yeeres they were before they coulde possesse the kingdome of Fraunce 675. From Faramundus the first king that had all Fraunce in his hand and from whom al Historians and Chronographers beginne the historie of Fraunce who beganne his reigne in Fraunce in the yeere of our Lorde and Sauiour 420. of the lawes gouernment and warres from that time vnto Clodouaeus the first Christian king of Fraunce and so vnto Clodouaeus the second of that name and the 12. king after Pharamundus 684. From Clodouaeus the second who began his reigne 645. vntill the reigne and gouernment of Charles the great the patrone and onely mirror of France by whom chiefely the Frenchmen florished in famous renowme and in whoÌ all the lawes relikes and monuments are established 697. From Charles the great the onely king of Fraunce in fame of whome all the states of Fraunce holde their lawes monuments and other ceremonies belonging to their inaugurations crowning and their seuerall pompe of his warres and victories against the Saracens of his diuers conquests euery where and of the taking of the Empire into Germany 703. Tritemius Pau. Aemilius Arnol. Ferronus Io. Tilius Ritius Blondus Beroaldus Plutarch Functius T. Liuius Diodor. Siculus The briese for Britaine I gathered out of these Authors Dionysius Halicarnassaeus Diodorus Siculus Strabo Gildas Giraldus Guidonius Ponticus Verrunnius Iu. Caesar. OF THE CREATION OF the world and of the continuance of the first age therein from Adam vnto Noah IN the beginning of all beginnings when GOD had made the vniuersal frame of the whole world of nothing the earth being without forme or shape couered with water and the water couered with darkenesse The first creature that was made was light of some learned men supposed to bee the creation of Angels for the Sunne the Moone and the Starres were created the fourth day the rest of the sixe daies workes is set
Prophets but most of all in dignitie and honour for that lineally from Sem which first builded Hierusalem the Messias and Sauiour of the world according to the flesh descended though the historie taketh no beginning but froÌ the calling of Abraham out of Chaldea into the land of Canaan so called first after the land of Israel thirdly of Iudea fourthly last called after Christ our Sauiours death The holy land or the land of Palestina the inhabitants thereof were called accordingly Cananites Hebrewes Israelites Iewes of whom either to speake or to write of their lawes their Iudges their Kings or of their ceremonies or of their common wealth it was not lawfull neither for the Graecians nor for the Romanes and so affirmed by Iosephus that Demetrius Phalerius did auere before Philodelphus king of Alexandria that the Greekes nor the Latinists might translate handle or so much as to presume to write of any Hebrew historie being but prophane men as Theopompus Theodecta with others which were made blind by their arrogancie and became mad An other cause doeth Eusebius alleage that neither Greekes nor Latines were in time to write of the Hebrues histories for the greatest brag of the Greekes as Iosephus saieth and the most ancient historie of the Graecians is Homers worke they began to flourish in the time of Cyrus after that the Assyrians the Chaldeans and the Egyptians and many other kingdoms of the East were decaied and their empires lost at which time the temple in Ierusalem was by Cyrus permitted to be reedified 80. yeeres before the last permission by Artaxerxes surnamed Longimanus for Plato of whom Numenius the Pithagorean doth report is called of him Moses Attica lingua loquens euen that learned Philosopher doth confesse that the Graecians had their knowledge froÌ the Chaldeans and from the Egyptians and began to be famous and great after these great kingdomes were destroyed The seuen Sages were the first wise men knowen or commended in Greece which was in Cyrus time at what time Solon liued 200. yeres before Plato which was the infancie of Greece and the first schoole of their Philosophie Now the Hebrewes being the most auncientest people euen from Hebers birth vntill Christes death which was after Christes death 2000. yeeres odde they inhabited the land called Syria called likewise Phoenicia and now in latter yeeres called Iudea of this countrey doeth Iosephus write at large both of the nature of the people and of the goodnesse of the soile Hecateus the Abederit a good Philosopher and a great writer flourishing in the time of Alexander the great made a booke in describing and commending of Iudaea I wil them to read the 16. booke of Strabo that would know the situation of Iudea where the Reader shall be satisfied with the ful description of Iudea Iosephus a Iew borne being taken prisoner by Vespasian the Emperor at the last destructioÌ of Ierusalem at the which time he wrote a great volume containing 20. bookes of the antiquities of the Iewes he wrote other 7. bookes of the warres of the Iewes a man of great industrie learned in the Hebrew and Greeke tongue and very expert in the Iewish histories saieth that Egyptians were enuious to the children of Israel for so were they called after Iacobs time which by long wrastling with the Angel of the Lord was named Israel for first they were called Hebrewes from Hebers time vntil Iacob which was 478. yeeres and odde secondarily Israel from Iacob vntill the destruction of Samaria at what time ten tribes of Israel were by Salmanassar king of Assyria Senacheribs father brought captiue vnto Assyria in the time of Osea the last king of Israel 1026. yeeres as Bucholcerus affirmeth and from the destruction of Samaria vntill the last destruction of Ierusalem by Titus Vespasian they were called Iewes 786. yeeres Now the malice of Egypt towards Israel was such that they kept them in bondage 430. yeeres and euer after they were by God deliuered they still wrought euil against them and persecuted them with continuall hatred disliking their religion abhorring their ceremonies disdaining and much enuying the felicitie of the Iewes with the which the God of Israel by power and great miracles did aduance them to the abolishing of idolatrie and contemning of their false gods which the Egyptians the Chaldeans the Assyrians did adore and therfore the blessing of God was according to the promise vpon the Hebrewes first afterwards called Israel Iewes and continued froÌ Abraham to whom the promise was made vntill the time of the Messias the full accomplishment of the promise So these people bathed in blisse and being but a litle countrey few people from Dan to Berseba and of no estimation became by Gods fauour strong mightie conquerors of the greatest kings of the world So he said the Lord of all out of Sion shall my Law proceed and from Ierusalem my word This litle citie of Ierusalem chosen of God to be his seate though often for sinne destroyed and the people plagued yet still comforted to the stay of Gods Church It is written that Dauid the second king of Israel gaue these words to Salomon his sonne before he died Behold Praeparaui impensas domus Domini auritalenta centum millia argenti mille millia talentûm And againe it is writteÌ in the Chronicles that gold and siluer were as plentie in Ierusalem as stones in the street in the time of SalomoÌ for there was in the temple of Salomon as Budaeus noteth 27. millions in ready coyne This made other kingdomes to enuie the prosperitie of the Hebrewes for by iust account of Budaeus there was left before vnto Salomon by Dauid his father ten times more treasures and substance in Ierusalem then Darius the great king of Persia left vnto Alexander the great in Babylon when he conquered it this was the promise which God performed to Abraham and to his seed for euer This godly Patriarch to whom the promise was made was 50. yeeres of age when Noah died 40. yeeres before Sodome and Gomorrha were destroied At 75. yeeres was Abraham called from Vr a towne of Chaldea in the last yeeres of Ninus the first king of the Assyrians Now while Abraham obeied God from time to time from place to place exercising himselfe in the obedience of GOD famine grew in the land of Canaan so that he with few Hebrewes were forced to flee into Egypt where hee continued three yeeres at what time he taught them knowledge of the starres read Astronomie and taught in Egypt Artes and Sciences as Iosephus saieth for Abraham was brought vp in Astrologie with the Chaldeans where hee dwelt with his father Thare in Vr and from whence the Egyptians had their learning and knowledge for Egypt was as yet scant in the world knowen where some of the Hebrewes staied after Abrahams departure and multiplied in
so much that the kings of Egypt troubled molested and brought them in such bondage as they were made slaues and bondmen of the Egyptians vntill the time of Moses which was 430. yeeres after Abraham euen then God deliuered them from their bondage by the handes of Moses which was the fift man in discent from Abraham for Moses was the sonne of Amri the sonne of Cath the sonne of Leui the sonne of Iacob the sonne of Isaac the sonne of Abraham But to returne to Abraham who attending the voyce of the almightie was most diligent with care and feare of God to performe his dutie to his God for God had blessed Abraham and promised also to blesse them that would blesse Abraham saying BenedicaÌ te benedicentibus c. I will blesse theÌ that blesse thee I wil curse them that curse thee for in thee all the kinreds of the earth shall be blessed For God had promised Abraham three great blessings that is First the land of Canaan flowing with milke and honie Secondly the incarnation of Messias tobe out of the tribe of Iuda Thirdly that his seede should be as the starres in the skies or the sands in the sea After God had blessed Abraham by the mouth of Melchisedech the high priest of God saying Blessed art thou Abraham of God most high possessor of heauen and earth to this high priest Melchisedech Abraham paied tithe of all that he had for God was with Abraham he defended him and he rewarded him About this time were the kings of Sodome and Gomorrha ouerthrowen by Amraphael king of Shinar and Lot taken prisoner but rescued by Abraham this was not the last destruction of Sodome Now raigned in Sicionia a king called Apis of whom the countrey was afterward named Apia and since called Peloponesus and now Morea In Assyria raigned Ninus the husband of Semiramis In Egypt this time was a forme of gouernment called Dinastia fifteene principall magistrates to gouerne the Egyptians About this time Ismael was borne of Agar the bondwoman when Abraham was of the age of 86. of whom many nations doe come After this time Abrahams name was changed to confirme him in the promise Circumcision then was instituted and Isaac was likewise promised by the Angels that lodged with Abraham as they went to destroy Sodome and Gomorrha who opened to Abraham how sinne cried vp vnto heauen for vengeance vpon the Sodomites which Abraham with his eies sawe he saw Sodome Gomorrha Seboim Adamah and Segor fiue great cities of Canaan burned with fire and brimstone from heauen and all men women and children destroied Lot onely with his wife and two daughters saued In that soile where these 5. cities were burned there was left a lake of such terrible sight being one and twentie miles long that Strabo in his booke and Iosephus at large describeth which in another place shall be spoken of But much deceiued for that they attributed vnto the effects of nature which was the worke of God whom they knew not at that time Lots wife by disobedience looking backe against the commandement became a pillar of salt a terrible monument of Gods vengeance to all passers by but marke how by drunkennes Lot sinned with his daughters a horrible exaÌple of druÌkennes whom the wickednes of Sodom could not ouercome yet wine caused him to commit most abominable incest with his two daghters who making their father of purpose drunk became both with child by their father the elder bare a sonne and she called his name Moab the first father of all the Moabites the yonger bare a sonne and she called his name Ammon from whom sprang the Ammonites a people of great natioÌs who as they were born in most horrible incest so were they their posteritie vile wicked enemies to God and his church About this very time Isaac was borne when Agar and her sonne Ismael was cast off For God said vnto Abraham In Isaac thy seed shal be called and not in Ismael for Isaac was a figure of Christ. Not long after Sara the wife of Abraham when she had liued 127. yeeres euen iust the double yeeres of the virgin Marie Sara was buried in Hebron where Abraham bought a field of an Ephronitâ⦠for 400. sickles of siluer where Abraham and all his posterities were after buried Abraham after Sara maried a woman named Kaetura by whom hee had sixe sonnes prudent and very discreete men their names you find in Iosephus and the seueral nations that issued from them Now Abraham waxed olde for he was an 100. yeere olde when Isaac was borne and he liued after the birth of Isaac 75. yeeres and then died and was buried by his wife Sara in Hebron In the time of Abraham and of the first Patriarch the Church of God was gouerned by a state called Oligarchia vntill Moses time to whom the law was giuen on mount Sinai by God for before the law was written in the Patriarchs hearts But first he saw his sonne maried with Rebecca he was the 10. from Noah as Noah was the 10. from Adam and liued fiftie yeeres with Noah he liued with Sem Arphaxad Sela Heber Peleg Regu Serug Nahor Thara which was his father He was vertuous and godly he was blessed of God and in his seed the whole earth was blessed after him Isaac had two twinnes borne together Esau which is also called Edom of whom the Idumeans came Iacob called likewise Israel of whom the Israelites came Iacob was the true tipe of the church of God Christ being the head therof Esau likewise the figure of the synagogue of Satan ouer whom Antichrist is the head Isaac loued better Esau theÌ Iacob but Rebecca loued Iacob as by her couÌcel though needlesse to Iacob to defeat Esau of his fathers blessing appeared being therein faultie to preuent the Almightie But as Caine neuer loued Abel so Esau neuer loued Iacob for Iacob euer feared his brother Esau but God from his eternall purpose neuer changeth but standeth to his people comforteth his church The historie of these two brethren you shall read in Iosephus at large in Genesis 27. 28. In the time of Iacob raigned in Niniuie Amatrites the 9. king of the Assyrians a voluptuous wicked prince Atlas the great Astronomer and thereby fained of the Poets to sustaine the skies vpon his shoulders flouriin these dayes Osiris who is thought to bee called Mirzaim and of Berosus is named Oceanus and Diodorus names him Menam the first king of the Egyptians he gouerned Egypt taught the people to worship their gods instructed them in many faculties and sciences which then few of the Egyptians knew the daughter of Iacob named Dina was rauished of Sichem the sonne of Hemor afterward she is supposed by Philo Iudaeus to be the wife of Iob by whom hee gate fourteene sonnes and foureteene daughters but some thinke it an error saying Iob
was commanded by Samuel to take armes against the Amalekites to spare neither man woman or child cattell or beasts but for sauing of Agag the king and few of the fattest beasts for sacrifice Saul lost his kingdome disobedience was the cause thereof Some may thinke the cause to be small that Saul did to be reiected from his kingdome the sparing of a kings life So likewise may they iudge of the men of Bethshemesh who because they had looked into the Arke of the Lord he slew 50. thousand three score and ten men for it was not lawfull for any either to touch the Arke or to looke within it saue only to Aaron the high priest and to difobey GOD and to breake Gods commaundement is a thing most terrible Now though Saul spared Agag disobeying God yet Samuel most zealously without any further delay hewed him in pieces After this Samuel returned to his house to Bethleem where he was commaunded to annoint one of the sonnes of Ishai king of Israel and hauing all the seuen sonnes of Ishai before him saue the yongest which was Dauid who kept his fathers sheepe in the fieldes Samuel commaunded Dauid to be sent for at whose comming the Lord said to Samuel Arise annoint him for this is hee And Samuel tooke the horne of oile and annointed him king in the middest of his brethren and the spirite of the Lord came vpon Dauid from that time forward and the spirite of the Lord departed from Saul And now though Dauid was annointed king by Samuel the Prophet yet GOD would haue Dauid to be exercised in many things before hee should haue the vse of the kingdome After this Samuel went to Ramah to his house and came no more to see Saul vntill Saul died Samuel loued Saul much and mourned much for him and God therefore reprooued Samuel Samuel was a godly Iudge ouer Israel who with great care and diligence serued God and gouerned his people keeping his circuite once euery yeere from Bethel to Galgala and from Galgala to Masphat and from Masphat to all townes vpon his wayes to Ramah where Samuel dwelt and there hee set vp an altar vnto the Lord and iudged Israel Euen so did Debora sit vnder a Palme tree betweene Ramah and Bethel iudging and determining causes of the people This Prophet gouerned Israel fortie yeeres Saul being deposed and throwen from his kingdome hee fell vnto great melancholie imagining how he might compasse and bring things to passe with troubled minde for the euill spirite of the Lord came vpon him that hee oftentimes was molested and vexed with troublesome thoughts And to ease the king of these agonies instruments of Musike with all kind of harmonie were thought very necessarie of his counsell Dauid was called and sent for by Saul to plaie vpon the harpe before Saul for hee was skilfull in Musike so Saul loued Dauid and made him his armour bearer While Saul was in this melancholie moode the Philistines were againe in armes against Israel wasted their countrey destroyed their Cities and prouoked the Hebrewes to warre Saul made readie his hoste but while yet they were preparing for the battell Goliah a mightie huge man a great Giaunt vaunted forward from the hoste of the Philistines by himselfe cried and called for a combate if any one man of the Hebrewes durst defying Israel and blaspheming their God But GOD prepared Dauids heart mightie and valiant and with a sling to bee able to ouerthrowe this Giant for Dauid by the experience which hee had in time past by Gods helpe nothing doubteth the danger of Goliah sithence hee killed a Lion and a Beare before this time being but a shepeheard in the field Hee was fullie perswaded by Gods spirite to haue the victorie ouer Goliah being mooued with a feruent zeale to be reuenged vpon this blasphemer But true it is Comes virtuti inuidia Here Saul began to enuie Dauid and to laie snares to kill him for great actions are full of dangers But there is no danger where God defendeth and saueth the vertues of Dauid purchased much enuie much daunger which Dauid escaped by the prouidence of God But Saul still deuised his destruction vsing all policies and inuenting many stratagemes to ouerthrow Dauid promising Dauid his daughter Michol to wife seeking at Dauids handes nothing but valiant courage and seruice agaynst the Philistines But the more victories Dauid wanne the more danger ensued him the greater seruice he did the more he was enuied and hated for Saul feared Dauid seeing the Lord was with him and Ionathan the sonne of Saul told Dauid the wicked purpose of his father so that Dauid was driuen to flee from Saul and to hide himselfe in a Caue Samuel the Prophet about this time died and was buried in Ramah his owne citie Dauid being still persecuted of Saul wandred and fled from Saul to Achis king of Gath where hee should haue a charge vnder the king to fight against Israel which troubled him not a litle yet such was the infirmitie of Dauid that he durst not denie the king Now Saul all this while following his wicked purpose consulted with a witch to know of Samuels spirite the successe of his kingdome by whom I meane not Samuels spirit but the spirit of Satan he was fully certified of his ruine and of the end of his kingdom which happened to Saul and to his children for it fell out that Saul killed himselfe and his children were slaine in the battell a cruell life hath a desperate end After the Philistines found Saul Ionathan Abinadab and Malchishua his three sonnes lying dead in mount Gilboa after the victorie and the Philistines cut off Sauls head and stripped him out of his armour and they laied vp his armour in the house of Ashtaroth their idole and hanged his bodie on the wall of Bethshan in token of victorie and triumph Saul died after the deliuerance of Israel from Egypt 473. yeeres after the calling of Ioseph into dignitie in Egypt 660. yeeres and after the flud 1234. yeeres Thus the wicked in their pompe and pleasure consider not the iudgement of God During this time raigned Dircillus ouer the Assyrians the 31. king and Aeneas Siluius the 4. king of the Latines In Athens this time raigned Codrus the last king of the Athenians betweene whom and the Peloponesians grew great warres and continued vnto the last destruction of all Greece In the time of Saul certaine people were driuen out of Thessalia called Boeotij they found a land to inhabite which at this day is called Boeotia before named Cadmeia The The kings of Sicyonum called otherwise Peloponesus ended in Sauls dayes euen when Israel began their kingdom About this time the kingdom of Lacedemonia began where first raigned Euristhenes of whom descended Leonidas and Cleomenes two valiant captains which ouerthrew the Persians in the great battell at Thermophila About this time descended the stocke of
praemium piorum pax For the Philistims paied their ordinarie tribute euery yeere and the Arabians as Iosephus saieth paied yeerely to Iosaphat 630. Lambes and so many yong kids The Lord gaue to Iosaphat victories ouer the Ammonits Moabites and Idumeans for the children of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir and one slewe an other Thus God gaue vnto him marueilous victories ouer his enemies and Iuda flourished 25. yeeres the whole time of Iosaphats gouernment the time of his father Asa and the time of his Grandfather Abia three good kings of Iuda during the time of 69. yeeres Iuda preuailed against Israel After Iosaphats daies his sonne Ioram succeeded who offended the Lorde and walked in the waies of the kings of Israel and followed the steppes of his father in lawe Achab. Ioram made him selfe strong beganne in his first entring vnto the kingdome to play the tyrant for hee slewe all his brethren with the sworde and therefore Edom rebelled against Iuda because he had forsaken the God of his fathers The Philistims were stirred vp against Ioram and the Arabians he was cruell and became a tyrant euen vnto those whome by nature he ought to haue most chiefly defended But Elias prophesied to him the rewarde and iustice of God that would ensue thereof as Ioram afterwards felt for as he spared no blood but made hauocke of his brethren and of his countrey with the sworde so it happened to him to his wiues and to his children by the Arabians and other barbarous people of the Ethiopians who inuaded his countrey dispossessed him of his life and liuing such calamities which with his eies he sawe he died most miserably his guttes gushing out being in the displeasure of God and man Thus is idolatrie rewarded one onely sonne named Ochosias and that the yongest escaped the sworde and he succeeded his father as wicked as hee a very Idolater for hee could not be good being the sonne of Ioram borne of Athalia the daughter of Achab hee followed his mothers counsell and walked in the way of Achab and went with Ioram Achabs sonne to fight against Hazael king of Syria and he was in that warre wounded and after taken by Iehu king of Israel who hiding him selfe in Samaria Iehu slewe him and Ioram king of Israel for so he was of God commaunded and after a while he brake the necke of Iezabel Achabs wife and reigned him selfe king in Israel who was by God appointed to execute iudgement vpon the house of Achab. This king Iehu was annointed king for that purpose Ochosias liued but one yere which when his mother Athalia heard of she rose destroied all the kings seede to the intent that there should be none to make title to the crowne that thereby she might vsurpe the gouernment onely Iosias was saued by Iorams daughter who had maried Iehoiada the high Priest and his owne sister This time by the tyrannie of this wicked Queene the stock of Salomon the sonne of Dauid perished the kingdom of Iuda fell to the posteritie of Nathan an other sonne of Dauid of whose house it pleased God that Messias should be borne so that the posteritie of Salomon was altogether extinguished This Queene restored the temple of Baal raised vp altars nourished false prophets and priests to maintaine idolatrie in Iuda This Queene reigned 7. yeeres then was she slaine at the commandement of Iehoiada the hie Priest the house of Baal destroied and his altars broken and Mattan the Priest of Baal slaine Ioas nowe beganne to roote out all idolatrie and to set in order all thinges in Iuda hee pleased God and walked in his waies while Iehoiada the high Priest liued who was a faithfull Counsellor vnto him But after his death Ioas wanted good councell he followed flatterers and by them he was brought to idolatrie and after to tyrannie which alwaies ioyne together for Ioas killed Zacharie the sonne of Iehoiada the high Priest and a Prophet of the Lorde who had saued him from the tyrannie of Athalia This is that Zacharie of whom Christ maketh meÌtion in Luke saying that from the blood of Abel the iust vnto the blood of Zacharie the Prophet c. But what came of this The king of Aram he came with a small company against Ioas against Iuda and Ierusalem and destroied all the princes of the people and sent all the spoile of them vnto the king of Damascus and Ioas him selfe was of his owne seruants slaine In Ioas time Elizeus the Prophet died and Homer liued the first and most ancient learned amongest the Grecians While Ioram the sonne of Achab reigned king in Israel and Ioram the sonne of Iosaphat reigned king in Iuda being ioyned in affinitie by marriage In other countreies reigned Persusennis king in Egypt from this king and from Cheopes his predecessor in Egypt doeth Herodotus make mention not of the nomber but of the names of the kings of Egypt In Athens gouerned Mezades 30. yeeres the 6. Iudge and in Corinth likewise Agelas the 6. king In the daies of Ioram king of Iuda reigned ouer the Latines the 10. king Tiberinus Siluius 8. yeeres This king being drowned in the riuer called then Albula afterward named Tiber after his owne name Agrippa Siluius succeeded him the 11. king and he reigned 40. yeeres ouer the Latines In Lacedemonia Archelaus the 7. king who reigned 60. yeeres ouer the Lacedemonians The people of Rhodes at this time were lordes of the seas Pigmalion reigned king in Tyre 40. yeeres and in the 7. yeere of his reigne his sister Dido as Iosephus saith builded Carthage 143. yeeres after the building of Salomons Temple and before the building of Rome 135. Error is in Functius and in other in the time of the building of Carthage There was about this time of Ioas a king that reigned ouer the Tuscans named Felcinus he builded the chiefe citie of the Tuscans and named it after his owne name Felcina The Romanes long after that called that towne and the countrey it selfe was called Gallia Aurelia Nowe to the kings of Israel and Iuda After that Ioas had bene slaine by his owne seruants for the stoning to death of Zacharias Amazias Ioas his sonne succeeded him who in the beginning of his reigne shewed him selfe godly and did execute things vprightly but not with a perfect heart in respect of his predecessors he was called a good king he reuenged the death of Ioas his father and putteth them to death that slewe him he made prouision for warres and nombred all the men and hired a hundreth thousand valiant men out of Israel for an hundreth talents of siluer though he was forbidden by God so to doe But Amazias went forwards and slewe the Edomites and Amalekites euen 20000. But the men of Israel requited that slaughter they fell vpon the cities of
and solemne sacrifice was Alexander receiued vnto Ierusalem where Daniels prophecies were brought vnto him and where also it was read vnto him that a king of Greece shoulde bring the Monarchie of Persia vnto Greece which was himselfe After all these things were done Alexander shewed great courtesie enlarged their common wealth quieted the Samaritans their enemies and brought all the Prouinces about vnder the Iewes Againe hee graunted them what they woulde aske of him permitted them to vse their religion to obserue their owne lawes and also promised that those Iewes which were scattered amongst the Caldeans Assyrians and Medes should haue such libertie to vse their religion and lawes as they had in Ierusalem and this continued during the time of Alexander which was but short For when he died the Empire was deuided betweene his Nobles Antigonus had Asia Seleucus had Babylon Lysimachus had Hellespont Cassander had Macedonia and Ptolomeus Lagi had Egypt These successors of Alexander hauing continuall warres one with an other which continued long Ptolomeus king of Egypt came vpon the Sabbath day to Ierusalem vnder pretence to offer sacrifice to the God of Israel tooke the towne vsed the Citizens hardly handled the Iewes most seuerely and sharpely they mistrusting him not imprisoned them and brought them with him in heapes to Egypt Thus still was Ierusalem exercised with tribulations and crosses but God stirred vp this kings sonne Ptolome philadelphus to them a friende louing and beneficiall wise learned and most desirous not onely to doe them good but also most willing to admit their lawes their Religion to come to Egypt and made a decree that all the Iewes wheresoeuer they were by his father imprisoned and captiuated shoulde be enlarged be set at libertie which were aboue 100000. Iewes as Ptolome in his Epistle written to the high Priest Eleazar doeth testifie where lie entreateth Eleazar to send to Egypt sixe of euery tribe of the best wisest and skilfullest men to translate the Bible then being onely in the Hebrewe tongue into the Greeke toÌgue for that Ptolome was most desirous to haue the Bible in Greeke to be in his studie where he had a huÌdred twentie thousand bookes in his Librarie In the dayes of this Ptoleme Lagi florished Theophrastus the Philosopher and Theodorus Athenaeus he sent messengers for this purpose to Ierusalem Aristaeus and one Andreas captaine of the Kings garde with whome he sent 100. talents of siluer to honour the Temple and to doe sacrifice therein besides viginti phialas aureas triginta argenteas quinque crateras mensam auream which in Iosephus all at large are described and set foorth worth the reading which things being most gratefull vnto the high Priest hee receiued them most louingly and vsed them with all humanitie and fauour and sent with them 70. wise and discreete men which shoulde translate the Bible as Philadelphus request was These seuentie men came to Alexandria where after much welcome long feasting great conference and disputations so much he ioyed of their comming and delighted in their company that the king Philadelphus continued his feast 12. dayes where wisedome and learning were exercised disputations practised arguments propounded the questions whereof you may reade in a booke which Aristeus wrote only concerning the meeting and comming togeather of these learned men These seuentie interpreters so named translated the Bible from Hebrue into Greeke in the yere of the world 3695. in the 24. Iubile and in the 127 Olympiad in the 12. yeere of Philadelphus reigne About this time Megasthenes the Persian writeth his histories Aratus the great Astrologer wrote his booke entituled Pheonomenon Nowe when Philadelphus had this sacred booke thus in Greeke translated he reioyced much and thought himselfe happy to haue such a booke in his Librarie and so conferring with Demetrius mused greatly that neither Historiographers Philosophers or Poets had not translated this booke before But Demetrius tolde the cause to the king saying that the Heathens durst not attempt it for diuers were punished for their rash enterprises to meddle therein as Theopompus who for writing of some sentences of the Scriptures amongst his owne prophane writings was xxx dayes depriued of his memorie distracted of his minde vntill by a vision in his sleepe he was warned to knowe his faults and to reconcile himself for the same Euen so Theodecta the Poet for putting a sentence of Gods booke presumptuously with his owne in a tragedie which he made was mad for a time and blind This learned king Philadelphus rewarded these 70. interpreters at their departure in this sort euery one of them had two talents of gold 3. sutes of costly and rich apparell and a standing golden cup which wayed a whole talent which by Budeus computation is 600. crownes if it be golde and euery of them had of him a precious costly and delicate bed wrought with all silke Moreouer he sent by them to Eleazar the hie Priest 10. riche tables with siluer feete with all things belonging thereunto a Chalice of 30. talents a diademe or a crowne ful of precious stones two golden cuppes to be dedicated to the altar 10. sutes of purple with 100. basens and censers of gold for sacrifice Thus much doth Iosephus report of this Ptolomeus Philadelphus but within a short time after this came Antiochus magnus who had al Asia Syria vnder his sword he vexed the Iewes spoiled the countrey slue the Citizens taketh the kingdome of Iudea subdued Egypt he full of all wickednes setteth vp Idols altars groues and Chappels of Idols he polluted the Sanctuarie defiled the Sabbath and the feast hee offered vp swines flesh and vncleane beastes Antiochus thus played the part of a tyrant that IerusaleÌ was desolate the Citizens fled the women and their children taken captiues and Antiochus forced Israel to forsake their God and to doe sacrifice to his Idoles sending commissioners to all Iudea to see the execution of them so great difference was betweene two heathen kings Alexander the great and Antiochus the great the one honoring the hie Priest sacrificed in the Temple brought all things vnder the Iewes againe vsed great courtesie the other Antiochus the great stealed wasted robbed the Temple the Citie all the Cities of Iuda vntill Mattathias a godly zealous man borne in the citie of Madis saw how Antiochus blasphemed God committed idolatrie in all Iudea somed in blood and practised al mischiefe and wickednesse He consulted with his fiue sonnes Iohn Iudas afterwarde called Machabeus Simon Eleazar and Ionathas to whom hee opened the calamities of his countrey the defacing of Moses lawes the blasphemie and idolatrie that were vsed by Antiochus in all Syria and Iudea and where that their predecessours euen from Abrahams time defended the Church with their owne blood so now it was as necessarie to stop the rage of
other busines of their owne they went into the Synagogues appointed and made for them and not into the temple which was onely for the citizens of Hierusalem for both were frequented in our Sauiours time proued by himselfe saying I haue taught in the temple and in so many Synagogues in Galilee Asia mentioned so that one temple was in Hierusalem and many Synagogues and so many that I finde in an Hebrew coÌmentary 480. Synagogues were within the city of Hierusalem and diuers other Synagogues dispersed through all Iudea but God commanded that he should be but in one place worshipped which was first in Silo in the tribe and mount of Ephraim after in Hierusalem in mount Sion in the tribe of Iuda Of the vse of the Tabernacle after the temple was by Salomon builded the Talmudists write many fables which I omit to recite Samaria being thus the second time destroyed by Aristobulus and Antigonus the Pharisees corrupt euil and seditious men much enuied the prosperitie of Hircanus his sonnes perswading the people to hate him but Hircanus after that hee had done great seruice for the Iewes and brought all things in quietnes he foresawe things to come and after he had gouerned Israel 31. yeres leauing behinde him 5. sonnes he died All this while there was no king in Iudea since the captiuitie of Babylon 481. yeeres but now after Hircanus time Aristobulus his eldest sonne succeeded him in gouernment who by report of slaunderers and backbiters caused his brother Antigonus whom he loued very dearely to be killed being most falsly accused of his enemies he left his owne mother to perish for famine and put the rest of his brethren in close prison But after a while his conscience did accuse him and tortured him in such sort that Aristobulus commaunded to bee brought to the place where Antigonus his brother was slaine and being caried to the place hee vomited blood in such abundance that he cried and said O corpus impudens quousque retinebis animam quam materni ac fraterni manes flagitant and so with torment hee died leauing behinde him his wife Solome whome the Greekes call Alexandra shee enlarged the sonnes of Hircanus which Aristobulus layed in prison one of them named Iannaeus which was also called Alexander not well thought of by his father but nowe made king after his brothers death by the meanes of Alexandra Aristobulus wife he as soone as hee had obteined the gouernement vsed the like tricke as his brother did before him hee caused one of his two brethren to be slaine and the other hee esteemed with honour This being done he went with an armie against the citie of Ptolomais at what time Ptolome sirnamed Lathurus was driuen by his mother Cleopatra out of Egypt and being at Cyprus she forced him thence so that Ptolome the sonne and Cleopatra the mother vsed their policie and exercised their tyrannie one against another When Cleopatra had gotten the citie Ptolomais after a long siege her sonne againe being driuen out of Egypt Alexander king of the Iewes renewed friendship with Cleopatra for that her sonne Ptolome had plagued Iudea Now being ayded by Cleopatra hee tooke Gadara and a strong fort called Amathuta to whome Demetrius Euserus gaue battell and discomfited his armie and fled himselfe to the mountaines hee straight gathered some strength and hauing gotten 6000. souldiers againe in a readines pursued after Demetrius who for feare fled at that time After this the Iewes being sundry times thus afflicted by their owne crueltie and tyrannie they conspired against Alexander and were in armes oft times but still ouerthrowne Such was Alexanders hard happe that sixe yeeres he was molested afflicted and persecuted of his owne nations and subiects that hee slewe of them from time to time about 50000. and yet still moued hee them to hate him so that being demaunded by him of the people what they would haue him to doe they with one consent saide Hang thy selfe Alexander hauing taken the citie Betoma after much slaughter and blood he brought the wealthiest and chiefest men of the citie in bandes and fetters prisoners to Ierusalem where he commanded before his face where he sate in a high rome of his palace 800. of the greatest and chiefest men to be hanged and before they were haÌged he likewise coÌmanded that their wiues and children should be flaine before their eyes While this tragedy was played at Ierusalem by Alexander Antiochus Griphus was slaine by the falshod of Heracleon after whom succeeded his sonne Seleucus made warres with his vncle Antiochus sirnamed Cizicenus whom Seleucus tooke in battel and slew Alexander was at that time called of the Iewes for his tyrannie for his sirname Thracida for while Alexander liued 8000. Iewes liued out of their couÌtrey banished came not to Iewry during the time of AlexaÌder which was 27. yeres The Iewes were miserably haÌdled vnder this king for Ptolome Lamyrus slew 30000. Iewes at one time he made the captiues and prisoners to eat the flesh of their own countreymen being slaine in the warres of Alexander Himself slew 600. of his subiects being moued allured to seditioÌ against their king by the Pharisees a sect of the Iewes that extremely hated Alexander Now his wife Alexandra called Salomine the time of her first husband Aristobulus she raigned quietly after her husband 9. yeres Alexander had 2. sonnes Hircanus and Aristobulus and though that Hircanus was the elder brother heire to the crowne yet did Aristobulus gather an army and inuaded Iudea while yet Alexandra his mother liued Antipater the Idumean and Aretas king of Arabia tooke part to ayde the elder brother Hircanus Alexander had giuen councel to his wife before hee died to speake faire to the Pharisees who could much perswade the people and also to conceale his death vntill she had gotten the castle of Ierusalem considering his life to be offensiue to the people and to make no accompt of his burial but let the people vse their discretion She vsing this her husbands aduice became in great fauour with the people in the meane season Aristobulus fortified himselfe being by nature very quicke industrious made himselfe strong and hauing corrupted the Romane Scaurus then Pompeius the great Embassadour to be his friend to the Senators Hircanus againe sent to Rome opening his iniuries accusing and declaring the infidelitie and corruption of his Embassador crauing their ayde and helpe being the elder brother to haue his right Vpon this coÌplaint Pompey being then in Armenia against Tigranes and comming to Damascus being newly by Metellus and Lolius taken he repared to Ierusalem with an hoste of souldiers at what time Caius Anthonius restored to Hircanus the gouernment and the office of the high Priest hee caried captiue with him to Rome Aristobulus with his 2. sonnes Alexander and Antigonus This furie of domesticall sedition this tyrannie and
of these scepters were made put in tables of Alabaster Iuorie Ebony in diuers couÌtries where he traueiled leauing behind him his sister his wife Isis to gouerne Egypt This time began the 16. Dynasteia of Egypt which were poteÌtates states who gouerned Egypt in many places some endured 100. some 200. yeres some 300. yeeres some more some lesse they were in Egypt as the Chiliarchi were with the Hebrewes as the Amphictions with the Grecians and as the Senators with the Romanes but when the kings of Egypt began to be mighty strong the state of the potentates began to be diminished but it stil continued vnder the kings of Egypt as chiefe gouernours which the Grecians called Polemarchi I will begin of Osiris the first king of Egypt yet Diodorus nameth Mena the first king of Egypt which Berosus cal Oceanus which is Mizraim with the Hebrewes This Osiris was maried to Isis called Iuno Egyptia for prophane writers name the first kings queenes of euery countrey by the name of Satur. Iupiter Iuno Ceres c. This Isis is supposed to be called Ceres for that she affirmeth of her self this sentence writteÌ vnder diuers pictures of Isis in tables pillars set vp in Egypt Ego sum Isis Egypti Regina à Mercurio erudita vxor Osiridis mater regis Ori gaude Bubastia gaude Egypte quae me nutristi these words were graued in a pillar of brasse called Columna Isidis read of this more in Dio. Sic. Orus the 2. king of Egypt succeeded his father Osiris this taught the EgyptiaÌs many things read lectures of Astronomy and the first that instructed the rude people to obserue the orders course of the stars likewise he made many good lawes amongst the Egyptians and made them acquainted with the true God whoÌ Abraham being then in Egypt confessed preached with whoÌ king Orus seemed to haue conference was taught by Abraham to acknowledge the power of God hauing had sensible trial therof of his fathers punishment the plague thereby that happened by his iniurious dealing with Sara this made this king to honour Abraham much yet in his fathers dayes Abraham made no long stay in Egypt It seemed that Abraham had some liking to this Orus before he was king to whoÌ he reuealed instructions both to know God his creatures whereby after he was made king and he taught in Egypt those good things which Abraham instructed him whereby he was called in Egypt Orus the great Melanthon saith he had a sonne called Bocchoris after Bocchoris Busiris who builded Thebes in Egypt setting forth the kings of Egypt Herodotus doth not obserue lineally their succession nor Functius in his table nor Manethon an Egyptian priest onely chronographer for the kings of Egypt wherein no true lineall successe may be set downe of the old kings of Egypt vntil Amasis where Herodotus omitteth many things of Egypt beginneth to make relation of the kings of Egypt from Chiopes the first yere of Persusennes which was in the beginning of the 11. Iubilee after Moses Menathon the historie is mentioned by Iosephus the names of the EgyptiaÌ kings laide downe to Ramases which with him is Sethosis beginneth from Ramesses surnamed Egyptus who vsurped the kingdome hauing banished thence his brother Danaus Hee setteth downe that the lande of Egypt was then the fourth time called Mizraim at what time as Cornelius Tacitus and others say the names of Pharoes first began so Manethon affirmeth But it doth appeate by Iosephus against Appian a schoolemaster of Alexandria that the historie of Egypt is patched and forged by Manethon Cheremon two chiefe ancient Chronographers that for true histories generally remaine but fables he laieth downe the errors of Manethon written by himselfe in these wordes At what time Timaus reigned king in Egypt saith Appian came certeine people a base nation from the East and began to inhabit to build to growe strong in Egypt so that they made them a king to gouerne them the which was called Saltis this came to Memphis to Sais two great townes in Egypt seated himselfe in those townes and brought the princes about to pay to them tribute vsed great crueltie slue made hauocke of much people in Egypt After that Saltis reigned nineteene yeeres in Egypt he died after whom succeeded fiue other kings which in all were sixe whose names I set downe to your viewe 1 Saltis which reigned 19. yeeres 2 Baeon which reigned 44. yeeres 3 Apachnas which reigned 36. yeeres 4 Iamas reigned 50. yeres 5 Apochis reigned 61. yeeres 6 Assis reigned 49. yeres These sixe kings reigned first ouer these base people as Manethon writeth which were called in Egypt Hicsos shepheards they and their posteritie after them reigned in Egypt fiue hundreth and eleuen yeeres vntill the time of Alisfragmutosis by whom they wererepulsed and constrained to dwel within a place called Auaris the proportion of tenne thousand acres this compasse they held fortified many strong walles and fortes these shepheards as Manethon saith stood vpon their defence vntil Temosine the kings soÌne to Alisfragmutosis laid siege to their fortes with foure hundred eight score thousande readie in armes against these Hicsos with whom the king of Egypt concluded peace vpon condition to depart whither they woulde without harme or hurt so that they would depart out of Egypt These people forced in this sort to the number of two hundred fourtie thousand to passe through Egypt with al their possession with them tooke their iourney through the deserts of Syria and fearing the power of the Assyrians which at that time gouerned al Asia they builded a Towne for them to dwell in in Iudea called Ierusalem this nation was called in Manethon Hicsos Pastores reges this squareth farre from the historie of Moses concerning their dwellings being of the Hebrewes in Egypt After the departure of these Hebrewes out of Egypt these many kings reigned successiuely as Manethon orderly setteth them downe 1 Alisfragumtosis 2 Temusi 25. yeeres 3 Chebron 13. yeeres 4 Amenophis 20. yeres 7. moneths 5 Amesses the sister of Amenophis gouerned Egypt after her brother 21. yeeres 6 Mephres 12. yeeres and 9. moneths 7 Mephramutosis reigned 25. yeeres 8 Thmosis 9. yeres and 8. moneths 9 Amenophis the 2. of that name reigned 30. yeeres 10. moneths 10 Orus 3. yeeres and 5. moneths 11 Acencheres Orus daughter after her father reigned 12. yeres 12 Rathotis reigned 9. yeeres 13 Acencheres 12. yeres 14 Acencheres the 2. reigned 12. yeeres and 3. moneths 15 Armais reigned 4. yeeres 16 Armesis reigned one yeere 17 Armesesmiamus reig ned 66. yeeres 18 Amenophis the 3. of that name 19. yeeres 19 Sethosis was the 19. king of Egypt after the going out of these Shepheards out of Egypt which was 393. yeeres from Tomusis vntill Sethosis This Sethofis was mightie strong on sea and vpon land he prepared
and in Lydia Haliates their eight king Hitherunto the liues of Pharaos kings of Egypt which continued from the first Amasis in the beginning of the eighteenth Dynastia which was about the time of the going of the Patriarch Iacob into Egypt vnto his sonne Ioseph vntil the time of this Amasis the last king of that name about twelue hundreth yeeres so long continued the names of Pharaos This Amasias as the rest of the kings before him was so idolatrous and so addicted to obey Oracles that hee also imitated his predecessours in such fonde buildings to carie huge stones from Memphis and from Elephantina to builde a temple vp vnto Minerua in the citie of Sai that hee much mused how he might passe the rest with the monstrousnesse of the great huge stones to build temples images colossus wherein he in one monument excelled the rest He caused a house to be made of one stone to be brought from the citie of Elephantina to the citie of Sais which is as Herodotus writeth twentie dayes sayling two thousand chosen men were three yeeres in bringing this house to Sai of all other workes most to bee wondered for this stone was one and twentie cubites in length and fourteene in breadth and also hee made a colossus or an image in Memphis before the temple of Vulcan of seuentie and fiue foote long he builded likewise a large temple for Isis in Memphis Thus the kings of Egypt stroue one after another to excell in their workes and vaine monuments In the time of this king a lawe was made in Egypt that in euery Prouince of Egypt the President thereof should take accompt and examine the youthes of their prouinces how and after what sort they liued for to see an idle man in Egypt that could not answere for himselfe howe hee liued it was death and therefore to auoyde idlenesse they were thus compelled by the Kings of Egypt to carie stones to the building of Piramides temples Colossus Labirinthes and such like This law afterward was by Solon brought to Greece for Solon was in Egypt in the time of the last Amasis Pomponius Mela saith that in the raigne of Amasis were twentie thousand cities Herodotus saith one thousand and twentie cities for old Egypt in times past was very great and large for hard by the marches of Affricke in the shore standeth Alexandria on the borders of Arabia is the citie of Pelusium other faire cities are farre from the sea as Memphis Sai Bubastis Elephantina and and Thebes which is reported to haue an 100. brasen gates and so many princes pallaces Many good lawes are written among the Egyptians by Sasiches and by Sesostris but specially by Bocchoris of whose lawes I wil set dowme some few as Diodorus wrote them to the nomber of 17. 1. The first law was that none might violate their gods with othes the offenders herein were punished as false to God and man 2. If any ayded not a man iniuried or beaten or robbed by any man either vpon the way as he trauailed or in the place where he dwelt he was to die for it if he might haue helped it else to publish and to call for helpe 3. False witnes was so punished by a decree made for that purpose the punishment that hee that was accused should haue being proued should be for the false accuser not being proued 4. Against idlenes all the names of the citie parish or countrey are brought and recorded with the magistrates of the prouinces are examined how they are occupied how they liue of what trade or trafique he or they be of if he be found idle he shall die by the lawe in Egypt this law Solon caried with him from Egypt to Athens 5. If any man killed a freeman or a seruant death was his punishment 6. If the father killed the sonne he was free froÌ death but he should for three dayes be punished as the decree was made in that behalfe for the Egyptians thought not the father worthy of death for killing of his soÌne quia auctor fuit 7. For the sonne that killed his father the greatest torments that might be deuised was by lawe appointed for him for to take the life of him away which gaue him life 8. If a woman with child by law be condemned to die she is reserued vntill the childe be borne for the Egyptians thinke it not fit that two should be punished when one had offended and that the giltlesse with the giltie should be condemned Iniquum enim iustum cum iniusto poenam pati This law was caried from Egypt into Greece from Greece into other countreis 9 The souldier that offended his captaine in the fielde or had transgressed the commandement of the officers he should not die but with all infamie and shame he should haue two letters printed in his forehead as coÌmon markes of infamie but if hee had reuealed any secrets to the enemies the lawe had commaunded his tongue to be pluckt out of his head 10 If any had clipt any lawfull coine or counterfaited the like or diminished the weight by lawe he should die 11 If any man had counterfaited the hand of any man or had taken away any letters or had put in any letters in any writings or found faultie in forging any deede or letters he should haue both his hands cut off 12 If any had violated by force any maid or free woman he should haue that member punished that had offended his priuie members cut off if by consent the man and woman sinned it was by lawe appointed that the man should be beaten with roddes to the nuÌber of a thousand stripes and the woman should haue her nose cut off for a marke of a whore 13 For satisfiyng of creditors in borowing of money it was by an othe confirmed not with obligations made that the money shoulde be paide vpon the day appointed for a sacred othe sincerely inuiolated was more esteemed in Egypt then any writing or bond made for it was a wonder to see in Egypt a man forsworne 14 For it was not lawfull to arrest any man in Egypt for debtes by the lawe of Bochoris but to seize vpon the goods or substance for whatsoeuer passed in secrete writings betweene the partie and creditour no arrest was admitted for all the people of Egypt were diuided into foure partes which were husbandmen craftesmen shepheards and souldiers payment was made to the creditors by the goods of the debtors and not by arrest for they thought that a man free borne shoulde for no money be imprisoned specially the souldiers which with danger of life defendeth his countrey 15 The like law was in Egypt for vsurie by Bochoris which was brought to Athens by Solon which lawe was called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by this lawe Solon commaunded that no Citizen in Athens should be put in prison for vsurie for the Egyptians condemned much the Grecians that had by the law
nor their countrey so simple a beginning the Parthians had vntill they scattered themselues to serue as mercenarie souldiers then beganne the Parthians to haue some fame by their seruice which were as I saide before scant knowen It is written by Solinus that Parthia grew into so large an Empire that it conteined 18. kingdomes these kingdomes are deuided into two partes eleuen of the eighteene called the vpper kingdomes beginning from the borders of Armenia passing along the Caspian sea coast to Scithia the other seuen kingdomes haue on the West the Medes on the South Carmania on the North Hircania the language of the Parthians is mingled partly with the Medes and partly with the Scithians their apparel after the custome of Scithia their souldiers in fight were their seruants of whom the Parthians had as great care as of their children teaching them in their youth to ride to shoote and to doe all other martiall exploits for of fiftie thousand souldiers which they had against M. Antonius were none free men but 450. all the rest were seruants The Parthians began to erect a kingdome at what time raigned in Egypt Euergetes the thirde king and in Macedonia raigned king Demetrius likewise in Asia and Syria raigned Seleucus Gabinius the forth king About this time the Carthagineans had great warres with the Numidians which endured foure yeeres of these warres Polibeus writeth In the time of the first king of Parthia which was named Arsaces Eumenes king of Bithynia inuaded Asia This king Arsaces deserued no lesse fame by his great prowesse and valiant deedes by his fortun at warres and good successe amongst the Parthians then Cyrus did amongst the Persians or Alexander the great amongst the Macedonians The Parthians so loued this Arsaces aliue and so honoured him dead that all the kings of Parthia after him were called Arsaces with no lesse dignitie then the Caesars of Rome or Pharaoââ¦s of Egypt and yet a meane man in the beginning who might more bragge of vertue knowledge then of dignitie or parentage for before these Parthians followed Eumenes in the warres of Asia after Eumenes they followed Antigonus after Antigonus they followed Seleucus Nicanor after him Antiochus At what time the Parthians reuoulted and made a choise of this king named Arsaces who brought such renowne to the Parthians such credite to the countrey as enlarged their confines and augmented their Empire This time one Theodotus being but then President ouer 1000. Townes and Cities in Bactriana proclaimed himselfe king of the Bactrians with this king Theodotus Arsaces entred in societie and with his sonne after him nowe when Arsaces had setled himselfe quietly in Parthia he gaue them lawes to liue by he did set and frame all things in order hee builded Townes and Cities and one chiefe Metropolitane Citie and named it Daram This king had a sonne named Mithridates who after his father reigned in Parthia with no lesse fame then his father he leauied an armie of a hundred thousand footemen and twentie thousand horsemen fought with Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus king of Syria with such inuincible courage that Antiochus thought it his best way to haue peace with him When this king died succeeded him Pampatius the third king in Parthia who when he had reigned twelue yeeres left behinde him two sonnes the one named Pharnaces the other Mithridates the elder brother after the Parthian maner enioyed his fathers seate and his father surnamed Arsaces as the other kings were This king ouerthrew a very stout Nation called Mardi and did as his predecessors had done adde some people or wanne some countrey to Parthia who hauing many children when hee died and hauing more care of his countrey then of his children appointed his brother Mithridates to be king of Parthia a man of great courage and singular vertues The same very time when Mithridates entred into Parthia as king did Encratides likewise enter to the kingdome of the Bactrians but these two kings prospered not alike for Encratides after diuers and sundry battels giuen to him by the Sogdians Dranganites and Indians wherein he gaue diuers repulses vnto his enemies but at length so wearied with continuall warres hee was ouerthrowen and vanquished In Parthia with better successe fought Mithridates with the Medes whom after many doubtfull battels Mithridates subdued the Medes and brought them subiect vnder the Parthians and appointed in Medea Bachasus to be lieutenant and went himselfe into Hircania and then waged warres with the king of Elymees which he vanquished and all his countrey and ioyned them to the Parthians so that Parthia was so strengthened by the Medes the Elimees other nations that they gouerned from mount Caueasus to the riuer Euphrates so that poore Parthia before a base people and a rude countrey are nowe become lords ouer the stoute Medes so by Gods appointment kingdomes and Empires doe both flowe and ebbe during this time Masinissa was by sundry battels driuen out of his kingdome by Syphax king of Numidia At that time reigned in Syria Seleucus Philopator their seuenth king and in Egypt reigned Ptolomei Philometor the sixt king Cornelius Scipio about this time triumphed ouer Asia After this Mithridates death succeeded his sonne Phrahartes who had not the fortune which his father had for Phrahartes was sore vexed by the Scythians who at the first came to aide the king of Parthia against Antiochus king of Syria the souldiers fell to mutinie for want of pay and therefore wasted and spoiled the Confines of Parthia burned townes and robbed countries that Phrahartes was constrained to leauy an armie and to make warres vpon the Scythians whose lucke had beene better if hee had taried in Parthia where hee left behinde him Himerus too young a man to gouerne a kingdome who lost at home in Parthia asmuch as Phrahartes lost in Scythia After Phrahartes was ouerthrowen by the Scythians Artabanus succeded who likewise shortly was slaine in the warres at Colchata after whom succeeded his sonne Mithridates the second of that name who for his noble deedes and valiant actes was named Mithridates the great and yet not so great as infortunate for when he had reuenged the death of his father vpon the Scythians plagued the Armenians and had gotten diuers Nations subiect vnto Parthia yet hee was banished from Parthia and his kingdome giuen to Horodes his brother Horodes hauing the kingdome of Parthia in his hand hearing that his brother Mithridates had fledde into Babylon to auoide further feare hee besieged Babylon vntill by famine they were compelled to yeelde the Citie Mithridates hoping for pardon yeelded himselfe to his brother but Horodes supposing that he would prooue rather an enemie then a brother commaunded him to be slaine before his face By this time the Parthians grewe so great and waxed so strong that their fame extended into Rome a Citie that coulde neuer abide no kingdome nor no
seuerall battels yet they gaue him diuers repulses and such ouerthrowes as Antonius was most willing to let them alone and to depart from them whome they followed in his returne at the hard heeles to his great losse and shame This made Phrahartes king of Parthia so proude that Antonius the great Romane tooke his flight from Parthia that hee vsed such murther and tyrannie in his Countrie that his owne subiects threwe him out of his countrie and kingdome and placed in his seate Tiridates to bee king vntill Phrahartes after hee had beene thus banished was ayded by the king of Scythia to bee restored vnto his kingdome againe Then Tiridates hearing that the Scythians came with a great armie to restore Phrahartes he fledde into Spaine vnto Octauius Caesar thither likewise did Phrahartes send Embassadors when Caesar had heard both the parties the complaintes of the banished king Phrahartes and the request of Tiridates saying that Parthia was fitte to be subiect to the Romane Empire affirming also that if it should please Caesar to substitute him lieutenant vnder the Romanes in Parthia that he would with all Parthia holde with Rome Notwithstanding Caesar vsed in this great clemencie both wisdome and iustice he commaunded that Phrahartes sonne shoulde bee king in Parthia and that Tiridates if it pleased him should continue in Rome vpon Caesars charges vntill his returne from Spaine at which time Caesar hauing occasion after he came home to Rome from Spaine to go to Syria and to dispose of those kingdomes which his predecessours had conquered in the East countries and to set all things in order he charged then that Phrahartes should make no warres against the Parthians promising that hee and his posteritie should gouerne Parthia vnder the Romanes willing and commanding him and the king his sonne to send those ensignes to Rome which Marcus Crassus lost at Parthia and coÌmanded them to be true friends to the Romanes The fortune of this Caesar was such that he could then coÌmand with a word more then Antonius who sought it with blowes or Crassus that sought it with his death This Caesar afterward called Augustus brought parthia to be a prouince vnto the Romanes and ended without warres which other could not do with warres Thus the kingdome of Parthia which beganne in the hundred thirtie three Olympiad and ended in the beginning of the Monarchie of Augustus Caesar in the hundred eightie eight Olympiad after hee had conquered his friend Marcus Antonius There reigned in Parthia eleuen kings whose names are here vnder written 1 Arsaces the first king by whom the kinges of Parthia were all called Arsaces 2 Mithridates the second king of Parthia 3 Pampatius the third king of Parthia 4 Pharnaces the fourth king of Parthia 5 Mithridates the fift king of Parthia 6 Phrahartes the sixt king of Parthia 7 Artabanus the seuenth king of Parthia 8 Mithridates the great the eight king of Parthia and sonne to Artabanus 9 Horodes the ninth king of Parthia 10 Phrahartes the tenth king of Parthia 11 The eleuenth and last king of Parthia sonne to Phrahartes and supposed to be called Phrahartes after his fathers name OF THE ANTIQITIE OF Media of the originall of their Kings and of their common wealth gouernment and continuance THough the Assyrians the Chaldeans and the Egyptians were conquered by the Persians yet I wil touch the historie of Media before I handle Persia for that the Medes likewise were made subiect vnto the PersiaÌs for al these kingdoms came at length to Cyrus hand For as the kingdome of Media began atone time with the newe kingdome of Assyria after Sardanapalus time so they ended about one time and both these kingdomes by Cyrus taken vnto Persia and euen so of Lydia the next historie to this was also by the Persians subdued of the which also I meane briefely to speake before I handle Persia for so the course of time and the order of the histories doe require but now of the Medes For Strabo in the description of the kingdome of Media sayth that Parthia is bordered vpon the East side of Media and on the South it is inhabited with people called Cadusij and as Strabo writeth it hath other nations dwelling about the Sea of Hircania the riuer Halis as Herodote doth write is the Confines of both Media and Lydia And hee sayth further that the Medes were called Arij before and then long after that Medea came from Cholchos vnto Athens from Athens vnto this people then called Arij changed the name of the countrey after her owne name Media whoÌ the Greekes called after that Medi by the name of Medea but otherwayes confirmed by Iosephus and by Zonaras in his first booke who say that Medi had their originall from Madai the sonne of Iaphet and of him as Melancthon sayth named Madei first and after of the Greekes called Medi. There were many Townes in Media first builded by the Macedonians inhabited by the Grccians as Laodicea Apannia Rhaga which Nicanor builded The Medes in times past florished a kingdome that gouerned many Countries and had vnder their Empire the most part of Asia vntill the Persians vanquished the Assyrians by king Cyrus which Cyrus afterwarde subdued the Medes and brought both Assyria and Media vnto the Empire of Persia. The chiefe Pallace of the kings of Media is called Eobatana where the kings of Media kept their Court euery winter Herodote which wrote his historie in the time of Xerxes sayth that after the Medes had conquered the Assyrians the Medes had no kings of long time after but euery Citie by popular state was then gouerned vntill Deiocis time who being wise and withall very ambitious plausible in his speach and gentle in his dealings wanne the peoples hearts to affect him much who by secrete meanes aspiring to the kingdome hauing many great friendes by councell to further him and with power to aide him vntill by common consent of the whole Estate hee was chosen King in the fourtie fiue yeere after the building of Rome and in the seuenth yeere of Numa Pompilius reigne the second king of Rome in the eighteene Olympiad For after that Arbaces then chiefe Gouernour of the Medes had ioyned in friendshippe with Bellochus lieutenant of Babylon and both conspired as you heard before in the historie of the Assyrians against Sardanapalus whom after they had with three or foure battels conquered the Assyrians with their Empire was translated vnto the Medes by Arbaces which Medes yet had no king created but were ruled and gouerned by Arbaces as Babylon was by Bellochus Nowe after that Arbaces had gouerned the Medes twentie eight yeeres at what time Procas Siluius reigned king ouer the Latines and at Athens Thespeius liued their tenth Iudge after their kings It is written that one Phidon of Argiue found about this time the vse of measures and weights This Arbaces began to reigne ouer the Medes
Tarquinius Priscus was the first king of Rome This time ruled in Lydia Cressus which within foureteene yeere after was likewise vanquished by Cyrus and his kingdome translated vnto Persia. It is in Zonaras and in Iosephus otherwise written about Cyrus and Astiages they affirme that Cyaxeres was the sonne of Astiages this was of Daniel called Darius Medus of Iosephus Zonaras Zenophon and others This was vncle vnto Cyrus and heire vnto Astiages hee together with Cyrus gouerned for a time afterwarde hauing but one daughter he bequethed his daughter and the kingdome vnto Cyrus his nephew his sisters sonne who was married vnto Cambyses While this Cyaxeres liued he honoured much Daniel and had him in great reuerence Herodotus writeth in the historie of Cyrus and sayeth that Cyrus married Cassandanes the daughter of Pharnaspis so doeth Zenophon and so doeth Zonaras write The Egyptians affirme that Cyrus married a wife in Egypt and by her got Cambyses ââ¦but howe foeuer Chronographers agree it is certaine that hee beganne a monarchie vpon the conquering of Lydia and Media as shall bee more at large written in the historie of Persia. The Medes fed on fruites Ex amigdalis tostis panes ex malis siccis ac tritis massas conficiunt They make their drinke of certaine rootes and they vse wilde beastes and wilde fowles for their foode for they nourish no tame beast And this is the propertie of the Medes and of their king to haue as many wiue's as they woulde they might not haue vnder seuen And so their women thought it a great praise and fame to haue many husbands but they might not liue without fiue husbands as Strabo doeth write in his eleuenth Booke OF THE ANTIQVITIE OF Lydia of the originall of their Kings and of their common wealth and gouernment THE kingdome of Lydia being before called as Herodotus writeth Maeonia beganne to take name of one Lydus the sonne of Artis but that seemeth to be fabulous as Herodotus is in many of his histories Lydia is named of Lud the fourth sonne of Sem as Iosephus Zonaras and Philo Iudaeus affirme This countrey is situate in this sort it hath Eastward Phrigia on the Southside Caria and on the Northside Misia as both Strabo and Plinie affirme The riuer Meander runneth through Lydia and compasseth the most part of Lydia Eusebius in his histories faith that the kingdome of Lydia beganne in the first Olympiad and in the beginning of the 14. Iubilee about which time Romulus the first king and builder of Rome was borne of whose birth as Dionysius and Plutarch write many strange things are read Lydia was before Rome 24. yeres and after the destruction of Troy 405 yeeres When I speake of the Romanes and of their kingdome you shall haue it fully set downe The kings of Lydia the kings of Rome and the kings of Media are almost of one time for assoone as the Medes began to set vp their kingdome the Assyrians which gouerned so long all the East part of the worlde decayed Likewise the Lacedemonians ended their gouernment and their kings failed in Alcanes time the ninth king of the Lacedemonians at which time the Macedemonians elected their first king called Cranaus so some countreys nations and kingdomes beginne others ende some rise and some fall as time giueth them licence by Gods appointment But nowe of the kings of Lydia where I finde in Eusebius their first king to be named Arsidius this Functius doeth call Ardisus at what time iudged the Athenians Aesculus the twelft Iudge of Athens after the kings who had gouerned from Cecrops their first king which began in Moses time vntill Codrus the last king of Athens which ended his kingdome in the time of Dauid where raigned that while 17. kings When Arsidius raigned in Lydia Ioathan was king in Iudea and in Samaria Pecah the 17. king of Israel These people of Lydia were first very warlike stoute and a couragious nation but Cyrus brake their backs and compelled them to be caupones institores as Iustine saith to leaue off armes for that oftentimes they rebelled against Cyrus and to vse such trafiques as were of the meanest credit hereby these stoute and strong nations before came now by Cyrus pollicie to be very idle and slouthfull whereby they inuented many vnthriftie games diuers playes at dice tenise and such like and hauing nothing to doe neither durst they doe any thing for feare of Cyrus they fell as Plinie saith to exercise Artes ludicras lenocinia and so became from a strong and stoute people the most slouthfull and idle people of the world Budaeus thinketh that this region Lydia is now called Anatolia after Arsidius had raigned in Lydia 36. yeeres succeeded him Aliagtes the second king of the Lydians at the which time grew great warres of twentie yeeres continuance betweene the Lacedemonians and the Messanians the cause thereof you shall reade in Orosius Catina a citie in Sicilia at this time was builded and Messana one of the chiefest cities of the Messanians was taken then by the Lacedemonians Now raigned in Rome Romulus the first king in Phrygia Mydas in Egypt Sacalion and in Macedonia Perdicas the fourth king of that countrey of whom Herodotus doth set forth how he from a meane state became king of the Macedonians Titus Liuius writeth and so doeth Dionysius that Romulus about this time did triumph ouer the Sabines whose warres continued two yeeres with whom after hee had furnished Rome with the spoyles of the Sabines and had taken their daughters and virgins by force to the nomber of 683. he suffred Tacius Sabinus at that time king of the Sabines to gouerne with him in Rome fiue yeeres at which time the citie of Rome was much increased and more amplified by adding thereunto Mount Coelius and Mount Quirinal Now ruled in Iudea Ezechias about the 12. Olympiad and the 15. Iubilee There fell about this time in Athens a thirde alteration of their gouernment after this sort After their 17. kings gouernment then gouerned in Athens Iudges to the nomber of 13. After the Iudges there was another state agreed vpoÌ that euery 10. yeeres there should be a new magistrate in Athens and they were called Decennales principes and this gouernment endured 70. yeres which was the whole time of 7. princes and then againe changed vnto a popular state But let vs returne to the kings of Lydia the historie that I haue in hande After that this Aliagtes had raigned 14. yeeres he died and Meles succeeded him the thirde king of the Lydians of whom Herodotus doeth make mention that he was the first that triumphed ouer the people called Sardei This Meles had a bastard borne vnto him a stoute man a great souldiour and so great that he with his posteritie ruled the Sardeans vntil Cyrus time In this Meles time
him Ciaxares Cyrus vncle for when Astiages died he left behind him as his heire Ciaxares and a daughter named MaÌdanes which was maried to Cambyses I wil not molest the reader with variety of auctorities sometime disagreeing in computation of time or varying of the place or of the person but howsoeuer it is this Ciaxares became a great and a strong king for after he had conquered many countreis he went in armes against the Assyrians besieged Niniue tooke the spoyle thereof by ayde of Cyrus who afterward shortly sub dued it and became coÌquerour of al Assyria and brought them subiect to the Medes About this time Solon made lawes to the Athenians and Milo Crotoniensis a Romane of a woÌderful strength is reported by Solinus that he could cary vpon his backe an oxe that with a stroake of his bare hand he killed that oxe This Ciaxares at what time Harpagus layed siege to a towne in Phocea called Ionia the extremitie of his warre being such that they were forced to flee forsaking their towne and countrey towarde the West part where they builded a towne which they named Massilia of whom Eusebius in his chronicles maketh mention and in Iustine you shal reade the whole historie Diuers write of this Towne as Melancthon Strabo and Budeus that in Massilia Frenchmen in whose border this Towne was builded by frequenting the Towne and by exercising of the Grecians societie in the Towne grew in time to vnderstaÌd the Greeke tongue the traffique their order their lawes and gouernment which in these dayes excelled in vertue and maners where of a long time the Greekes tongue florished the auncient customes and maners of Ionia were kept Nowe Tarquinius Priscus after he had triumphed ouer the Latines or Albans ouer the Sabins ouer the Hetruscans three seuerall triumphes hee was conspired and laide in waite for by Ancus Martius children his predecessors in Rome three yeeres before he was slaine after he had reigned thirtie eight yeeres and in the fourtie one Olympiad hee died Then followed by succession after Aliactes Croesus the ninth and last king of Lydia being thirtie fiue yeeres of age and being before hand growen vnto great force power and hauing heaped a great abundance of treasure began to warre vpon these Grecians which dwelt in Asia vpon the Ionians AeoliaÌs and the people called Doreans hee receiueth the Lacedemonians because they were stoute and a warlike nation into his societie Croesus thus following in pompe and pride of fortune hearing that Cyrus king of Persia had laid siege to Babylon and that Balthasar then king of Babylon had endured two or three ouerthrowes and most like to lose his kingdome vnlesse with some speede hee were ayded Croesus hasted to Babylon with more haste then good speede After his best done Balthasar was slaine Babylon taken and the Monarchie thereof caried vnto Persia by Cyrus Croesus being ouerthrowen and narowly escaping fled from whence he came to Lydia againe where after that Cyrus had layd all things in order and had disposed the victorie to his minde hee returned after Croesus vnto Lydia layde siege vnto Sardis the chiefe Citie and palace of the king where Croesus after his flight hearing of Cyrus comming and hauing felt his force before at Babylon he was not a little troubled but abiding the brunt thereof vntill Cyrus tooke the towne vanquished his power and brought the kingdome of Lydia subiect vnto the Persians thus was Croesus twise ouercome by Cyrus When Cyrus had brought these great kingdoms vnder the scepter of Persia he tooke an order with Croesus that he being depriued of his crowne and spoyled of his substance should yet haue a towne in his possession where hee might liue not as before a riche king but as a poore man In Croesus time reigned in Rome Seruius Tullus the sixt king of Rome in the 51. Olympiad and foure yeeres before the 18. Iubilee This king did adorne Rome and the common wealth thereof much and as Dyonisius Halicar reporteth of him he brought within 20. yeres space the Hetruscans to his becke he tamed al the countries about Rome and excelled in gouernment By this time Cyrus had subdued the Medes after Astyages was conuicted and the Medes made subiect to the Persians Ciaxerxes whose sonne as you heard before was called of some Darius Medus who reigned ioyntly with Cyrus 2. yeeres as Astyages here for a time The temple of Apollo at Delphus was now the second time set on fire the Lacedemonians with the Argiues were in armes about this time who were setled on eyther side with all the power they could make to make of one partie a conquest but before they ioyned in battell being better aduised by some councell they agreed to auoid the destruction of so many men that 300. chosen men of the Lacedemonians and likewise 300. chosen men of the Argiues should make an ende of the battell and they which shoulde haue the victory of these chosen men should be coÌquerors and the others to yeeld where the victorie happened which being fought out the victorie fell to the Lacedemonians hauing but three of their 300. left aliue all the rest on both sides stood to it vnto the last man as Herodot doth write In Croesus time happened in Athens a great sedition betweene the Citizens about vsurie the crueltie whereof grew to be such as the vsurers claimed free mens sonnes daughters to be solde or otherwise as captiues or slaues to serue them vntill paiment were made This was one of Dracos lawes which as Demades sayth was written with blood To mitigate this crueltie Solon by consent of the whole Citie was chosen an vmpire whose Edict was that free mens children should not be sould or brought vnto any bondage for vsurie and further he decreed that all creditours should forgiue their debt vntill that time And Solon himselfe which made the lawe first performed the lawe therein for hee forgaue fiue talents himselfe which amounted to 2400. crownes for euery talent is sixe hundred crownes He added to the twelfth moneth called Lunaris annus the Epact which is eleuen dayes to make an equall number of dayes with the yeere of the sunne He gathered all the writings of Homer being 300. yeeres before vnto one volume hee made many good lawes in Athens So likewise at that time did Thales in Miletum a great Philosopher who did to many Cities in Greece as Solon did in Athens for they were in Croesus time In this time florished Pythagoras borne in Samos brought vp in Egypt and taught philosophie in Tarentum he was the first among the Italians that read philosophie whose sect after him were called Pythagoreans who farre differed from others in his doctrine It is written that Croesus bragging much of his substance and so preferring thereby himselfe to be the most fortunate happy king of the
kings of Sparta Heraclides And so the Emperors of Rome named first Caesares then were they called Augusti and the third time they were named Antonini Thus in these couÌtries none might be king elected but of these houses families yet in other kingdoms they were otherwayes elected as The Ethiopians made choise of the most likeliest man in sight The Medes in like maner vsed to make choise of no king but such as excelled in talenesse of person and strength of body In Libya none should be king but he that could winne it with running for he that was most swift should be king in Libya and so according to custome and to the maners of euery Countrey or kingdome any prince or king was elected and chosen Againe there be in Persia two other nations called Cirtij and Marai beside a sect of people named Magi. The chiefe Cities of Persia before Babylon was by Cyrus wonne to bee a Persian Citie were Susa Parsagardia Persepolis and Gaza for there the Persian kings had their monuments in Gaza there lay there treasure and wealth Beroaldus in his Chronicles Suetonius and Tranquillus in August say that the Persians were called of the Greekes in ancient time Cephenes but they bragged and boasted of a more auncient name and called them selues Artaei But after that Perseus the sonne of Iupiter and Danaes had maried Andromada the daughter and heire of Cepheus and had by his wife a sonne named Perses after whose name then they being called Cephenes are nowe called Persis after the name of their king Persis This region of Persia was diuided vnto a hundreth twentie Prouinces in the time of Darius Hystaspis the third king of Persia appointing to euery Prouince a gouernor that should pay certeine tribute vnto the king Iosephus saith Elam the eldest sonne of Sem was the first original of the Elamites now called Persians a countrie most fertile and most florishing which had soueraigntie ouerall Asia After that Cyrus from a priuate man brought vp by a heardman in an obscure place in Media became lord of all Asia king of the greatest part of the Eastkingdomes and the conquerour of Astyages king of the Medes and of Croesus king of the Lydians and last of Balthasar the last king of Babylon and the last successour of Nabuchodonosor the great hee fortified himselfe with strength of munitions commanded garisons readie in euery great citie of Persia appointed races of horses to bee had in all the Empire of Persia and euery gouernour of euery Prouince to furnish the king with horses and men necessarie to defende the countrie for the Medes Assyrians Chaldeans Lydians and EgyptiaÌs were by this time brought subiects vnder the PersiaÌs And therefore their wealth must be infinite for in Artaxerxes time there was an hundreth and twentie Prouinces vnder the Monarchie of Persia as Iosephus writeth Ctesias and Dionisius two great writers of Persian histories affirmed that the king of Persia was woont to haue in his Pallace fifteene thousand euery day to dinner and supper for they receiued out of Asia euery yeere fourtie thousand and fiftie talents For when Alexander the great had conquered Persia and had taken Babylon he found a hundred fiftie and seuen thousand talents and yet not so much as Cyrus left behind him as Strabo saith and no maruell for Cyrus had all the wealth of Iudea and the treasure had in the Temple at Ierusalem which was infinite of Assyria Chaldea Lydia and Media and therefore Herodot called him Cyrus the great king and after Cyrus time all the kings of Persia would be called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the great kings For in all the histories you shall not reade that the Romanes who afterward likewise mastered the whole worlde had so much treasure at one time as either Cyrus had left in Persia or as Alexander had found in Persia yet Persia before Cyrus time was obscure and of no fame subiect vnto the Medes for Cyrus had long warres many battels with Euilmerodach in Assyria with Croesus in Lydia with Astyages in Media with many kings before he had rest and before hee had brought the Monarchie vnto Persia and to be called the great king Cyrus began his Empire at Babylon at what time Seruius Tullius the sixt king of the Romanes reigned in Rome and Amasis gouerned Egypt In Cyrus time the temple of Apollo was burned in Delphos the second time Cyrus obteined the kingdome of Persia in the beginning of the eighteene Iubilee and in the third yeere of the eightie Olympiad which much differ from Diod. Siculus who affirmeth that Xerxes the fourth king after Cyrus tooke his voiage into Greece in the seuentie fiue Olympiad from Polybius that affirmeth Xerxes went into Greece in the 74. Olympiad in the like error is Halicarnasseus Herodot and others some affirming Cyrus to begin his Empire in the 50. Olympiad some in the 54. some in the 57. some in the 60. Olympiad thus they erre some 30. Olympiads some 20. some more and some lesse of the true time of Cyrus for in the sacred historie by sound testimonie it was laid downe by Daniel and in Nehemias the very time of Cyrus Now after that Cyrus had brought all these kingdoms vnder the monarchie of Persia he tooke Armenia in hand hauing conquered the king the countrie of Armenia Tigranes the kings sonne of Armenia a familier old friend of Cyrus hearing of Cyrus victorie ouer his father he then being farre froÌ Armenia returned home with all haste and besought Cyrus not to thinke of the warres betweene his father and him but to remember the amitie familiaritie which was betweene them both and therefore Tigranes entreated Cyrus to haue the crowne after his father paying vnto Cyrus such tribute as he would appoint to which request Cyrus consented appointing fiftie talents yerely to be paid to the kings of Persia which is three thousand crownes After the conquest of Armenia Cyrus passed with his army vnto Phrygia Cappadocia and Arabia who coulde not long hold out but partly yeelded and partly conquered were brought subiect and to pay tribute vnto Cyrus Cyrus was woont before he entred into battell to sing a song to Castor and Pollux and to march as the olde Spartanes with hymnes and odes to the muses to solace their hearts and to auoide feare that might occupie their heads otherwayes Cyrus his garde or chiefe souldiers about him were called Homotimi as the best souldiers vnder Alexander the great were call Argyraspides vnder Achilles named Myrmidones vnder Pyrrhus called Dolopes and so of other great conquerors which had a peculiar name of their chiefe souldiers Nowe the last and the greatest victorie was ouer the Babylonians which he attempted not before he grew great and strong by other victories for truely before Babylon was wonne the monarchie was in Assyria We reade of no king that conquered so
of these two Iustine called these two Magi Comaris and Oropastis Herodotus doeth call the one Patizites and the other Smerdis Zonaras nameth the elder Tanoaxeres but it is not materiall for Eusebius doeth not nomber these two amongst the kings of Persia. But in the eight moneth one of the seuen princes or gouernours of Persia ouerthrew these Magi then these seuen princes being vertuous and welbeloued of the people agreed in loue and faith one with another one preferring another to the kingdome that it was hard for the people to make choise of any of them yet to them the election was referred Otanes one of the seuen princes thought that it was not necessary to haue a king to make a free common wealth bound to a Monarchia he perswaded the countrey to liue vnder the law of popular state called Democratia euery city to haue their magistrate and euery prouince to haue such gouernours as might defende the countrey with lawes and armes affirming the greatnes of a king to approch the nature of a tyrant and therfore most dangerous for when they giue ouer to be kings in doing iustice then they begin to be tyrants in committing rage and furie Megabisus held a contrary opinion allowing not a popular state who are neuer quiet neuer constant drawen one day of this side to morow of another affirming the furie and rage of the people to be intollerable and like the streame of a violent flood without wisdome in gouernment without reason in iudgement and euen like Hidra that monstrous beast of Lerna neuer satisfied neuer coÌtented neuer quiet and compared it to the saying of Demosthenes that populus was one of the three monsters at Athens which raigned at one time Noctua draco populus the owle the dragon and the people Megabisus therefore disliked a Democraticall coÌmon wealth perswaded that some of the wisest and best learned should be chosen for a state for to good men belong good counsell said he and they will in conscience and trueth refourme things amisse his reason tended to haue a common wealth called Oligarchia or Aristocratia and not a popular state The thirde Darius spake disanulling both Otanes and Megabisus opinion declaring by examples of diuers kingdomes the defect of kings as Zenophon and Herodotus most largely discourse and amongst Philosophers approued the best state of a common wealth to be a Monarchie alleadging also by Cyrus last will and Cambyses that while any of Cyrus stocke liued that they by succession should enioy the Scepter of Persia and if the house of Cyrus should faile then to make an election of a king by the seuen princes of Persia and the people And therefore both in reason a king is to be elected and by them commaunded of Cyrus to be confirmed The other foure which yet had spoken nothing but diligently hearing these three before they all consented with Darius and supposed that common wealth to be best where a Monarchie is the soueraigntie whereof is in a king and therefore they agreed all to elect a king and to auoyde contentions and quarrels they committed to Fortune their election in this sort That all the seuen princes should be a horsebacke the next morning in the suburbes of the citie to talke of this matter and that whose horse should neigh first after Sunne rising he should be king in Persia. They all to this consented and euery prince rode sumptuously to the place These were the names of the seuen princes Otanes Intaphernes Gobrias Megabisus Astphatines Hidarnes And Darius The night before they should ride to the place in the morning Darius consulted with the master of his horse opened the whole cause and asked his deuise by arte Oebarus so his name was assured Darius of some secret helpe hee brought Darius horse that night to a mare to that place where they should meete in the morning Darius riding vpon that horse by the counsell of Oebarus the next morning met according to their agreement altogether Darius horse hauing bene with the mare in that place beganne lustily to praunce and to neigh lowdly whereat the other sixe princes lighted immediatly from their horses and saluted him as their king This Darius now king of Persia had maried a daughter of Cyrus named Atossa of whom hee had Xerxes Within some space after Darius came to the kingdome the Assyrians beganne to reuolt from him hee layed siege to Babylon twentie moneths and could not preuaile vntill one Zopirus a subtile Persian who yeelded Babylon to Darius hand by this policie he himselfe did cut off his owne eares his nostrels and came all bloodie to Babylon accusing Darius crueltie who for perswading him to raise his siege and to spare blood he vsed me as you see The Babylonians light of beliefe thought it trueth made him captaine ouer a band of souldiers who for his more credit with the Babylonians gaue two or three light ouerthrowes to Darius men and by this meanes brought Babylon to Darius hand Of this Zopirus was Darius wont to say when he held a pomegranate in his hand that he wished nothing more in the world then to haue so many Zopirus as the pomegranate had kernels Now is Babylon the second time taken by the Persians When Darius was quietly setled in Babylon he made warres vpon the barbarous Scythians for euen as Cyrus was wont to driue the barbarous nations from Asia which came from the region of Arctoa so Darius tooke that course by his chiefe captaine Megabisus to clense Persia from strangers the Getes the Cimmerians and the Sauromats inhabited in Asia and about Thracia For of the Cimerians came those Germans called Cimbri and from the Getes came likewise the Gothes These Getes yeelded to Megabisus the Scythians he could not vanquish But after some warre he returned vnto Greece sent ambassadours vnto Amintas king of Macedonia to haue free passage through his countrey which being graunted more for feare then for loue Amintas entertained the ambassadours of Persia very liberally brought them to a banquet where after much rioting of wine they handled rudely the Macedonians ladies that beare them companie Alexander the sonne of Amintas and the great grandfather of Alexander the great being discontented with their beastlines desired the king his father to take his rest that night taking vpon him the entertainment of these Persians who after his father was gone he consulted with certaine noble men of Macedonia that they should come in most gorgious and sumptuous attire like women in the apparel of women with their naked weapons close vnder their garments commanding them when they should so beastly handle them next to stabbe them vnto the heart In the meane season Alexander desired them that the ladies might withdraw themselues for a time promising them they should presently returne to beare them companie in the meane time while these
Cyrus Metasthenes doeth not much dissent from the Greekes in his Cataloge sauing that he speaketh not of Cambyses because hee reigned in his fathers time for hee was appointed to be king in Persia in the absence of Cyrus who in his owne person went against the Scythians at that time Likewise Metasthenes omitteth to speake of Xerxes who for the like reason being in great warres at that time from home in Greece leauing behinde him to gouerne Persia his sonne Artaxerxes so that Metasthenes writeth that Darius Medus and Cyrus reigned together two yeeres and then passeth to Darius Hystaspis which is also called Assuerus making no mention of Cambyses name and then he goeth to Artaxerxes the long handed passing ouer the name of Xerxes his father the cause is layd downe by Melancthon in the rest Metasthenes doth agree with the Greekes After that the Persians the strongest and the greatest nations of the world had gotten the Monarchie of the Assyrians Chaldeans not by the sword of Cyrus but by the idolatrie of Balthasar whom God gaue ouer vnto Cyrus hand making an end of one and beginning with the other for the finger of God doth appoint Monarchies according to Sirach saying No kingdome shal be translated if wickednesse of the king and kingdome be not the cause thereof Nabuchodonosor was conuerted and confessed Gods power Euilmerodach his sonne acknowledged the Highest but Balthasar through blasphemie and idolatrie lost the Empire of Assyria Euen so in Persia while Cyrus Darius Medus Darius Hystaspis Artaxerxes gouerned Persia the Persians florished they were lordes of the whole world Nowe when Alexander had abated their pride and diminished their force had taken their Empire from them vnto Macedonia and had substituted lieutenants and gouernours vnder him in all kingdomes and countries where the Persians had before soueraigntie for as the Persians were obscure and of no fame before Cyrus time so after Alexander the great their renowne was lost their pompe and their pride decayed their kings afterward of small accompt for nowe Macedonia and the Grecians triumphed and the Persians being destroyed and scattered without any king or any prince of fame to gouerne them vntill the time of Alexander Seuerus Emperor of Rome fiue hundred fiftie yeres after Alexander the great at what time liued in Rome Vrbanus Bishop there at that time this Emperour had a mother named Mammea a wise and a discreete woman who hauing knowledge that Origen a great man in the Church of God was then at Antioche sent for him and so enterteined him as a rare iewell in those dayes At that time reigned in Persia one Artaxerxes who being of the name of the auncient kings of Persia was likewise wise and valiant and in processe of time grewe so strong that he ouerthrew Artabanus king of the Parthians and thereby restored to the Persians a beginning of a newe kingdome CHAP. V. Of the estate of the Persians vnder the Romanes after the time that they were conquered by Alexander the great vntil the time of Alexander Seuerus Emperour of Rome 550. yeeres after at what time began the newe kingdome of Persia by one Artaxerxes and of his successors vntill the Persians the fourth time were vtterly destroyed by the Saracens THe Persians againe began to take strength and to drawe together in the fourth yere of Alexander Seuerus reigne in the which time florished many great and famous learned men which were for their singularitie elected Counsellers to the Emperour as Fabius Sabinus Domitius Vlpianus Aelius Gordianus Iulius Paulus Pomponius Alphenus Florentius and Martianus Calistratus and Hermogenes Venulcius and Triphonius Metianus and Celsus Porculus Modestius professours of all the ciuill lawe and to Papinianus a singular rare man in those dayes but of this matter Lampridius doth write at large But let vs nowe returne to Persia and to the newe kingdome which had beene so long without king or kingdome but kept vnder of euery nation not daring to name a king from Darius vntill this Artaxerxes This first king of the newe kingdome of Persia after hee had slaine Artabanus king of Parthia and had reigned fifteene yeeres hee was ouerthrowen and subdued by the Romane Emperour Alexander Seuerus of whom hee triumphed in the ninth yeere of his Empire though some hold the contrarie that Alexander in that battell was discomfited by Artabanus In this time the Romanes had gotten three great victories one in Mauritania by Furius Celsus the seconde in Illirico by Varus Macrinus and the third in Armenia by Iunius Palinatus three famous Romanes of these victories Lampridius maketh mencion Herodianus sayeth that in Fraunce reigned Hildegastus a king much honoured of the Frenchmen by whose diligence and pollicie Fraunce which was then rude and barbarous both in liuing and in maners became ciuill and pollitike for vnto this time their building was very base and simple in Fraunce About this time Origene was called from Alexandria vnto Caesarea where he made his booke entituled De Martyrio And nowe was Iulius Affricanus of great estimation after Artaxerxes succeeded Sapores the second king of Persia this reigned thirtie one yeeres hee had sore warres with Gordianus king of Affrica this Gordianus pronounced open warres and commaunded their temple of Ianus to be opened as the Romanes did vse when warre was proclaimed hee destroyed many Cities and Townes and continued his warres against the Persians made great hauocke in all places and gaue the repulse to Sapores howe be it Gordianus was by conspirators deceiued and of him whome hee deserued well of by treacherie slaine of one Philip surnamed Arabs This Philip gouerned the Romanes fiue yeres and builded a towne of his owne named Thracia called Philippus Caesar at what time the plaies Ludi saeculares were set forth with such pompe in Rome as the like to that time were not seene The Parthians inuaded Armenia droue the king called Tyridas out of the countrie tooke his children possessed his countrie certeine sectes of heresie began in Arabia which Origen did ouerthrow in Affrike likewise questions grew whether heretikes being conuerted from their errors might be rebaptized of this Ciprian and the ecclesiasticall histories write and of a councell called concerning the same for Berilhis about this time bishop of Bostherna fell to a monstrous error denying the eternitie of Christ. In the twelfth yeere of Sapores reigne happened such a sicknesse in the most part of the world specially in Egypt and Alexandria that Ciprian thereby tooke an occasion to write a booke entituled De mortalitate About this very time the Gothes rushed into Asia spoiled townes and cities wasted many countries burned the great temple of Diana at Ephesus and did great harme the Germanes ioyned with the Frenchmen gathered a huge armie very strong against the Romanes ented into Italie made hauocke in all places vntill they came
of whom many heritikes flowed in Affricke Constantine though he could keepe the Church from tyrannicall persecution by restoring of peace yet hee could not stop the rage of heretikes which in his dayes were many as the Sabellies the Manichees the Donatists the Arrians and the Nouatians yet God raised singular learned men to defend his Church as Origene who suppressed them disputed against them in Arabia and in Affrica After him Cyprian bishop of Carthage Lactantius a very eloquent man and Ambrose bishop of Millaine but of this you shall reade more where I entreat of Councils and Synods in the March of Martyrs But now to the kings of Persia. Artaxerxes succeeded Sapores in Persia the tenth king and raigned 11. yerees of whom as of the rest litle or nothing is to be written for then the kings of Persia were not of such fame or of such force as before while they ruled as lords ouer the worlde for two hundreth and thirtie yeeres Now they had much to doe to defend themselues from inuasions the monarchie had passed away to Macedonia their wealth power and countrey were brought to nothing by Alexander the great the kingdome of the Gothes and the Vandales began first their gouernment together with this Artaxerxes the first kingdome of Hunni and of Lombardie began also now to take footing in the yeere of our Lord three hundreth seuentie and fiue This time a nomber of Christians were againe restored to their countrey which had bene banished before likewise more then fourescore thousand of Burgundines which inhabited about the riuer Rhene became Christians at once at what time Theodosius the Emperour gaue two or three battels to the Gothes ouerthrew them and constrained them to goe out of Thracia with their king Athanaricus This time liued Ambrose bishop of Millaine and Gregorie Nazianzenus died two famous learned men in whose time two Councils were called the one in Rome and the other in Constantinople Theodosius the Emperour hearing that Maximus was proclaimed Emperour by his owne souldiers in Armorica which is called now litle Britaine made an armie against Maximus who now had taken Gratianus and slew him at Lugdunum and had driuen Valentianus from his gouernment in the West part to flee to Theodosius By this time stept to be king in Persia Sapores the second of that name and the eleuenth king of the Persians he raigned fiue yeeres who without any warres liued his time in rest In his dayes were signes seene in heauen in the likenes of a doue which burned and appeared for thirtie dayes as Eusebius reporteth which I omit Litle is to be mentioned of the last kings of Persia for that the Romanes kept them stil downe About this time Theodosius went with his sonne Honorius to Constantinople leauing behind him in Rome Valentianus to gouerne who within a short time by false conspiracie of Eugenius was destroyed whereby Eugenius vsurped the Empire of this you shall reade more in the Romane Empire Augustine a great clearke and one of Ambrose disciples was now bishop of Hippo in Affrica I thought good once for that I finde little or nothing worth the writing of the kings in Persia in those dayes for that the Macedonians and after them the Romans had brought Persia and all other kingdoms to subiection for a long time to set the sects and sundry sorts of heretikes that began like monsters to trouble the Church to write of councils had herein by generall consent of the opinions sprong of that time and of their consultation yet for that we hasten to end the historie of these later kings of Persia of whom as I haue said litle is to be written sauing of some few kings as Artaxerxes the first that restored to the Persians their kingdome after he had slaine Artabanus king of the Parthians Againe Sapores the second king of Persia Narses the seuenth king and Sapor the ninth king of Persia these kept tacke with the Romanes vexed Mesopotamia Armenia and other countreis as you heard before persecuted the Christians and did some actions that they seemed to shew a shadow of the olde PerPersiaus but to small effect for the Saracens as before you heard haue fully mastered them and quite destroyed them and so they came to their decay first by Cyrus then by Alexander and by the Macedonians and the thirde time by the Romanes and last by the Saracens After Sapores the eleuenth king of Persia entred Varanes the twelft king who raigned twelue yeeres in whose dayes were many signes in heauen much earthquake in sundry places of the world herefies contentions and many straunge questions demanded as An Deus habeat corpus membra and such other absurd and blasphemous quarels grew Euen this time Auricular confession was abrogated by Nectarius then bishop of Constantinople for filthie and many fornications coÌmitted in those dayes by priests and deacons The Frenchmen denied tribute vnto the Romans also this very time vpon which occasion warre grew againe new betweene the Romanes and the Frenchmen in the time of Valentianus the Emperor Hunni were most busie in diuers parts of the East spoiling Armenia and Pannonia passing ouer the riuer Ister entred Thracia wasting and destroying al places that they came vnto About this time Nectarius of whom you read a litle before being bishop of Constantinople died in whose place succeeded Chrysostom a famous learned man of no lesse learning then vertue who in the Council gathered at Cyprus where Origens bookes were condemned by the auctoritie of Epiphanius and Theophilus two great learned men and for that Chrysostome would not subscribe thereunto he was put out of Councill and banished from his bishopricke howbeit he was with great honour receiued againe vnto Constantinople within a short space after But to hasten out of the history of Persia. Isdigertes the thirteenth king raigned 21. yeeres in Persia of whom wee reade nothing but that he vexed and molested the Christians and especially those he persecuted whom he found in any territorie of his and yet within a while the Christians had good successe in Persia and the king much contented with them pleasured and aduanced them vsing them courteously and gently Honorius now Emperour of the Romanes associating himselfe with Constantius whom hee sent to Fraunce and by whom Constantine then was slaine who gouerned at that time in Britannie to whom Placidia Theodotius daughter was committed and againe from Honorius giuen to his friend Constantius in mariage by whom Constantius got Valentinus the thirde of that name Constantius grew in such fauour with Honorius the Emperour by his great seruice in Fraunce and in Hispaine that he was taken and chosen by Honorius himselfe to be his associat in the Empire About this time all the Iewes that were coÌmorant in Alexandria were thence expulsed with much blood and great slaughter and this was done by Cyrillus then bishop
of Alexandria This time also was there a Councill at Carthage where the heresies of the Pelagians were quite ouerthrowen then died that great learned man S. Hierome Now in Constantinople the Arrians fell in great discord betweene themselues which continued twentie and fiue yeres and after that againe vnited and were made friends In these dayes Paulus Orosius wrote his historie and Nestorius was remooued from Antioch to be bishop at Constantinople The Iewes againe as they were by the iustice of God scattered vnto all places of the world so had they no rest in any place of the world as you heard erst of the Iewes in Alexandria so now likewise in Creete they had a false Moyses fained whom then they so honoured and whose lawes they obserued and yet Eusebius saith that a nomber of them at that time were conuerted and became Christians At this time in France Faramundus was by common consent of the people elected and named king of Fraunce who died seuen yeeres after he came to the kingdome Marcomirus succeeded him being his owne brother and he raigned eighteene yeeres of whose actions and liues you shall in the histories of Fraunce reade more The Frenchmen beganne here to record and to nomber the kings of the whole countrey of Gallia which vntill that time were called Reges Francorum kings of Fraunce being a parcel of Gallia This happened in the yeere of the worlde foure thousand three hundreth eightie and seuen and in the 300. Olympiad By this time raigned in Persia Varanes the fourth of that name and after him raigned his sonne Varanes the fift of that name and they both raigned 37. yeeres and they had warres with the Romanes also In the time of this last king Varanes began the Indictions of Constantine the great Now againe the third time the Persians begin to quaile for in the time of Corsoes and his sonne Hormisda the last king of Persia the Saracens became lords and gouernours ouer the Persians in the yeere of Christ our Sauiour 634. These are the names of these latter kings that raigned in newe Persia. 1 Artaxerxes the first king that restored the new kingdome of Persia raigned 15. yeeres 2 Sapores raigned after him being the 2. king 31. yeres 3 Ormisdates 1. yeere 4 Varanes 3. yeeres 5 Varanes the second of that name 16. yeres 6 Varanes the thirde of that name 4. monethes 7 After him Narses 7. yeres 8 Misdates 7. yeeres 9 Sapor raigned 70. yeeres this king was crowned in his mothers wombe 10 Artaxerxes the second of that name 11. yeres 11 Sapores the second of that name 5. yeeres 12 Varares the 4. 12. yeres 13 Varanes the 5. of that name 12. yeeres 14 Isdigertes 21. yeeres 15 Varanes the fift of that name 20. yeeres 16 Varanes the sixt of that name 17. yeres 17 Perozes 20. yeres 18 Canades 12. yeres Lambases Procopius doeth call this Blasen raigned 4. yeeres 19 Cosroes 48. yeres 20 Hormisda Cosroes his sonne and last king of the Persians raigned 8. yeeres OF THE ORIGINAL OF Mahomet in Arabia of his greatnes and credit not onely among the Saracens and Arabians but also in the East kingdomes of the inuasions of the Saracens of their scattering warres in Asia Europe and in Affricke and of their continuance THus the kingdome of Persia the only monarchie of the world for 130. yeeres I meane from Cyrus vnto Darius is vtterly nowe destroied by the Saracens the fourth time a sort of infidels which had their first original from Agar the bond woman of Abraham by whom Abraham begate a base sonne called Ismael whose progenies were called Ismaelites after the name of Ismael among the Hebrewes so were they in other places called Agareni after Agars name and in continuance of time from Agareni called Saraceni which name they holde to this day For euen as from Ammon and Moab two incestuous sonnes of Lot gotten by his two daughters in his drunkennes an infinite stocke of wicked and idolatrous people grew which were named after their fathers name Ammonites and Moabits enemies to God and to his people so of this bond woman Agar and her sonne Ismael all the Ismaelites and all the Saracens doe spring which people as they were in the beginning most in nomber and most able of force and power to persecute then that little flocke of Iacob at that time so now are they in the latter dayes of the world most in nomber by the names of Saracens Turkes Canes infidels and such like other names I will therefore but touch the historie of Saracens for that they were alwayes people scattered into all Asia and from thence to all parts of the world much like to the Scythians who in like maner russhed into all partes and inuaded all countreys being rude and barbarous nations praying vpon euery place they came into I referre them that wil reade of the Saracens to Augustinus Caelius who at large wrote their histories I will briefly passe the names of some few of those which beganne to raigne from Mahomet where he is named Muhamet which began his kingdome after Christ sixe hundreth twentie and foure at what time Bonifacius the fift was the fourth Pope of Rome for the great prophet Mahomet in Arabia and the great Pope of Rome beganne at one times as two tyrants to persecute the Christians These two grew so great that they ruled all Christian Emperours kings princes and states one making them to holde his stirope and to kisse his foote the other with sworde and fire tyrannized ouer kingdomes and nations encreased his fame by blood and tyrannie When Bonifacius the thirde and the first Pope of Rome altered the title of a bishop to the dignitie of a Pope Phocas then was Emperour of Constantinople for while the Emperours flourished at Rome no Pope was heard of I will returne to speake of the Saracens who at that very time that they ouercame the Persians entred into Syria slewe Bahanes with all his armie tooke Damascus brought Egypt to pay tribute layde siege to Hierusalem brought Antioche subiect to the Saracens wasted and spoyled all Syria and brought the kingdome of Persia which so long flourished vnder Mahomet who gouerned the Persians 800. yeeres and odde This poisoned scorpion and the only plague of Christians I meane Mahomet was borne in Arabia a large countrey and wide euery way here they liue after diuers maners and with diuers kinds of religion some with powled heads and hoods like miters some with beards shauen to their skinne they abstaine from swines flesh for Solinus saith that no swine can liue in that Arabia which the Greekes cal ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Of the diuisioÌ of Arabia into Harmenios and Erembos and the third into Scenetem which is that countrey called the region of the Saracens people that haue no houses but dwell in tents couered ouer with things made and wouen with goates haire like the maner of
the Scythians who likewise had no houses but their wagons in the which they carie their wiues their children and themselues into any couÌtrey where they take warre in hand Nowe of the Arabians trafique and marchandise and of their frankincense myrrhe and many other kinde of spices of their birdes Phoenix and Cynomolgies of their precious stones of their hilles sweete riuers and other rare things in Arabia I referre you to Strabo he leaueth nothing vntoucht within Arabia But I wil returne to Mahomet a poore man of a base and meane parentage brought vp a seruant to feede and to attend camels a young man of a wonderfull craftie subtile wit hauing married his mistresse and thereby growen wealthie he vsed the company of one Sergius a Monke with whom he was taught to accuse the Iewes as wicked cruel tyrants to kill a great Prophet and to accuse the Christians of ignorancie and of much simplicitie scoffing them for their superstitious ceremonies and meere fantasies in their religion as he said of their God Christ. This Mahomet vomited his malice in such sort that not onely Asia but Affricke and Europe were by him infected hee settled himselfe in the richest regions of all Arabia named Scenites where in short time through the craft and subtiltie of his fained religion and by the dayly accesse of a white pigeon in the eare to eate graines of wheat which he vsed to deceiue the simple supposing the pigeon to bee some spirit from God that instructed Mahomet in all good discipline and religion that whatsoeuer Mahomet did it was taken as done by a prophet He grew of such credite within Arabia that he made lawes and decrees he altered the whole course of the Arabians gouernment and brought the Saracens to beginne their yeeres and their accompt from the beginning of Mahomets raigne For as the Grecians were wont to nomber yeeres by their Olympiads the Romanes by their Lustrum so the Arabians and the Saracens vsed their accompt by Hegira begunne in the time of Mahomet at what time he escaped hardly the hands of the chiefe men in Arabia called Philarchi who thought to kill Mahomet for his newe doctrine against the religion of the Arabians But after he had escaped he gathered a great armie by meanes of many that tooke him and honoured him as a diuine prophet and entred with force and maine strength againe vpon his enemies and had the victory ouer them From the which time the Arabians beganne to accompt their yeeres in memorie of the escape of Mahomet by flight which the Arabians call Hegira and after by Mahomet commaunded in the time of Heraclius the Emperour and Pope Honorius in the yeere of our Sauiour sixe hundreth twentie and one to bee kept of the Saracens and of the Arabians in great honour and accompt and to beginne all their accompts trafiques and marchandise by Hegira And as wee vse the yeere of our Lorde at the very day that he was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgine by the holy Ghost so the Arabians from the time of this Hegira by Mahomet commaunded vsed their yeeres MAhomet the great prophet and the only Prince of Arabia began his gouernment in the yeere of our saluation 624. At what time Heraclius gouerned as Emperour in Constantinople he raigned nine yeres died and was honoured as a God to this day among the Saracens After this Mahomet raigned in Arabia Ebubezer three yeeres during which time he subdued the citie of Gaza and brought that prouince altogether vnder the Arabians who at this beganne to be sirnamed Amiras a name of dignitie as Caesars among the Romanes or Pharaos among the Egyptians this raigned the first Amiras The second Amiras was called Haumar which raigned 12. yeeres this enlarged the countrey of Arabia from Egypt vnto the riuer Euphrates this brought Persia subiect to Arabia and forced Hormisda their last king to take his flight and to leaue behinde him all his treasures and all the wealth of Persia. This Amiras tooke Caesarea a citie in Palestina after he had besieged it seuen yeeres by his lieutenant Muhanias who was his Generall from the confines of Egypt vnto Euphrates This Haumar after hee had destroyed the temple of Hierusalem caused the Crosse which hee found in the temple to be set vp in Mount Oliuet to scoffe there the Christians who beganne at that very time to worship euery where the Crosse that was the first Crosse and the first time that the vse of Crosses beganne from that in Mount Oliuet But after much harme done by this Haumar hee was slaine by a Persian woman named Margaret as hee was praying kneeling before the newe erected idole of Mahomet After this Haumar succeeded Hotaman the fourth Amiras this inuaded Affrica possessed diuers places and filled many townes with Saracens at what time Muhanias the chiefe Generall of all the Arabians territories sailed with a great nauie into Cyprus inuaded the whole Isle and tooke the citie Constantia and the citie Aradus and at his returne came to Rhodes destroyed the huge and monstrous image of Phoebus called Colossus Solis accompted one of the seuen wonders of the world While Muhanias was in warres with the Cyprians and the Rhodians the very same time another Prince of Arabia named in the Chronicles Busor inuaded Isauria destroyed the countrey made a great slaughter of the people and brought fiue thousande captiues prisoners into Arabia but within fewe dayes Hoaman was slaine through the treasonof his owne housholdes and chiefe friends This time raigned king in Fraunce Clodoueus the second of that name which Clodoueus was called Lewes the first and in Constantinople raigned Emperour Constans which was sonne to Constantius the third who had a great ouerthrowe in battell by sea by Muhamias with his armie of Saracens Eugenius then was elected the tenth Pope of Rome Hali who gouerned the Saracens after Hoaman with Muhamias for 3. yeeres at what time he was slaine by a conspiracie of souldiers after whose death Muhanias became the fift Amiras ouer the Arabians who gouerned foure and twentie yeeres and kept his court all that time at Damascus This Muhanias grew mightie and strong inuaded Affrica slew fourescore thousand Africanes spoyled the territories of the Romanes entred into their confines but the Romanes forced him to flee pursued him and compelled him to seeke the Romanes fauour paying three thousand pound in golde and fiftie Saracens for yerely tribute Constantine the fift sirnamed Pogonatus held then the Empire at Constantinople Gizid the sonne of Muhanias succeeded his father and raigned after him 3. yeeres this had not such successe as Muhamias his father had but after Gizid succeeded Habdella the seuenth Amiras against whom Marnan was elected the eight Amiras who died within nine moneths after and left his sonne Habdimelech to be the ninth Amiras this raigned two and twentie yeeres The Saracens about this time inuaded so
time the Hunnes people from Scythia made seuen seuerall iournies from Scythia to Pannonia and at last seated themselues whose chiefe captaine was named Arpat of this reade more in Ritius and in Bonfinus Now in Arabia reigned Muhamat the 18. Amiras at what time gouerned in Constantinople Constantine surnamed Copronimos as Emperor and Aistulphus reigned king of Lumbardie was at that time the thirtie one king in number the which had reigned kings in Lumbardie This Lumbardie is a pleasant fertil countrie called of some the Paradice of all Eorope which reacheth from the Alpes to the riuer of Rubicon But to Arabia againe where nowe reigned Habdallias the ninetenth Amiras of the Saracens this reigned twentie one yeeres and gathered an armie of eightie thousand inuaded Cappadocia vnder captaine Salimie who was appointed Generall ouer the Saracens This Amiras vexed the Christians sore the Arabians waxed so mightie at home and abroade that almost no place was free from the Arabians they had warres this time with the Armenians and with the Turkes who yet had not erected their Empire vp but were such scattering infidels and like in all maner of life and liuing to these Saracens and to the Scythians which dispearsed them selues ouer all the whole worlde as Caterpillers to destroy and spoyle all Nations and Countries one succeeding the other Mady succeeded Habdallias this was the twentie Amiras who reigned nine yeeres in the which time hee prepared an armie for warres against Asia but hee was then intercepted and returned into Arabia without any thing done howe be it Aaron his sonne inuaded Armenia and Ithuma entred Asia and was slaine with all his armie by the Romanes Againe Aaron the sonne of Mady entred into Asia and gote diuers victories and constreined Eirene with her sonne Constantine the Emperour to seeke peace and to pay tribute vnto the Arabians After Mady succeeded his sonne Moses and reigned Amiras one yeere after whom folowed Aaron the brother of Moses he reigned twentie three yeeres during which time the Arabians inuaded Cyprus subdued Cappadocia tooke two notable Fortes and strong Castles Amachan in Armenia and Sebasan this time florished in Fraunce Charles the great to whom this Amiras sent many rich presents withal a mighty huge Elephant This Arabian prince had such great victories that Nicephorus the Emperour had much adooe to escape from his hand in Crason which is a Towne in Phrygia besides the Arabians had spoiled Sardinia and destroyed Corsica and also the Saracens that were nowe dispersed into al Countries specially into Spaine where they gouerned as kings and in Fraunce where likewise they bare such great sway and soueraigntie that Charles the great was well contented for the time to conclude a peace with Abumalach king of the Saracens Well to finish shortly his great exploites of long histories I passe to the 23. Amiras Muhamad the sonne of this Aaron the twentie three Amiras of the Arabians in whose time great ciuill warres began in many Countries that hee had much a dooe to keepe his owne Countrie from ciuill inuasion for fiue yeeres After him succeeded in Arabia Habdallias the third of that name and the twentie foure Amiras this reigned 17. yeres During this time the Saracens gaue two great ouerthrowes to the GreciaÌs at what time they tooke the Isle of Creete spoiled Palestina possessed many Regions diuers countries wasted much the countrie betweene Vtica and Carthage so that the Arabians waxed the only nation in strength force in all the East kingdomes for by this time Africa which was ful of the Saracens was forced to yeeld to them aswel as Spaine for still came from Arabia supplies to euery Countrie and place where the Saracens had planted them selues aswell in Europe and Africke as they did in Asia for nowe Abderana king ouer the Saracens in Africa was not contented to liue quietly ouer his people in Africa neither Abumalach nor yet Aigolandus with whom Charles the great had long and terrible warres could be satisfied with any one kingdome of the world vntill at length God so strengthened the Christians that they were sore afrighted and amazed by the meanes of these infidels that they ioyned together their power and force and were by Gods prouidence after 800. yeeres deliuered from the tyrannie of these cruell Saracens Now reigned king in Fraunce Lewes surnamed The holie sonne to Charles the great who succeeded his father both in the kingdom of Fraunce in the Empire of Rome which was taken away into Constantinople vntill the time of Charles the great at what time Leo the 3. of that name and the 30. Pope of Rome renued the Empire and was called Imperium Romanorum nouum Nowe in Arabia reigned Muhamat the twentie fiue Amiras for fourtie yeeres during which time the Saracens rushed into Italie spoyled and destroyed the countrie with sword and fire at what time they came to the suburbes of Rome and did great harme spared no place but as Blondus affirmeth Ferro flamma totam deuastarunt Italiam this time the Danes inuaded England in the time of Edelbertus who valiantly resisted the Danes and constreined them with great losse and slaughter to retire reade more in Polidore of this After this time the Saracens began in many places to bee slacke and specially in the most part of Europe though in Spaine they continued vntill the great Ferdinandus time but for that the Saracens are sufficiently spoken of in the historie of Spaine I will therefore here no further proceede therein onely laying downe so many as reigned kings in Arabia called by the name of Amiras from Mahumet the first prophet and prince vntill Muhamat the twentie fiue Amiras which continued 253. yeeres these names followe in this sort as you see set here downe Mahomet reigned nine yeeres the first Amiras of the Saracens Ebubezer 2. Amiras three yeeres Haumar 3. Amiras twelue yeeres Hoaman 4. Amiras tenne yeeres Muhamias 5. Amiras 24. yeeres Gizud 6. Amiras three yeeres Habdalla 7. Amiras one yeere Maruan 8. Amiras one yeere Habemelech his sonne twentietwo yeres Vliud nine yeeres Zulzimim three yeeres Haumar the 2. of that name two yeeres Gizud the 2. foure yeeres Euelid his sonne eighteene yeeres Gizud the 3. one yeere And his sonne Eices after him reigned one yeere Maruan the second sixe yeeres Abubalas fiue yeeres Haldalla twentie one yeeres Mady nine yeeres Moses the sonne of Mady reigned after his father one yeere Aaron the younger sonne of Mady reigned after his brother Moses twentie three yeeres Muhamad the sonne of Aaron reigned fiue yeeres Habdalla the 3. reigned 17. yeeres Muhamat the 25. Amiras reigned fourtie yeeres Thus farre I thought good to write the beginning of Mahomets kingdome and his successours in Arabia and of the Saracens spread from Arabia vnto Africke and vnto Europe and nowe a litle of the Turkes historie and that briefely OF THE GREAT TURCKE
and of his kingdome from Othoman the first vntil Selimus the eleuenth of the two Empires of Constantinople and Trapezumtium which now the Turckes doe gouerne of their beginning and of their first seruice vnder Basilius Macedo Emperour of Constantinople THe Turckes historie is like the Saracens or like the Scythians people without guide or gouernours vntil of late time they inhabited first about mount Caucasus from thence to the Caspia sea a nation mingled of the Scythians of the Hunnes which nowe are called Hungarians obscure and base people without any mencion made of them any where but of their bare names in Plinie a people scattered in Scythia and after into other Countries rather called Latrocinantes quà m belligerantes as Egnatius nameth them of whom as I saide Pomponius Mela maketh but little more mencion then Plinie did The first seruice which they did was vnder Basilius surnanamed Macedo then Emperour at Constantinople in the yere of our Sauiour eight hundred fourtie at what time they inuaded Armenia and within a while after gaue a battell to the Arabians vnder their first captaine called Mucaletius After twise or thrice good successe had against the Arabians and the Saracens they gathered together vnder a head at Tangrolipix where diuers more heaped and flocked to them from the streight of Caspia and from Caucasus there they waxed strong and began to inuade Asia vntill the time of Ottoman the first a man base and obscure borne cuius parentes agrarij but very valiant wise and fortunate he first beganne to aduaunce the name of the Turckes and to set foorth his force and power being much inflamed with desire of soueraigntie and very ambitious of honour and dignitie After hee had subdued a part of the kingdome of Bythinia and had taken certeine Cities and strong Townes towards the Sea Euxinus at what time reigned in Constantinople Michael surnamed Paleologus Emperour in the yeere of our Sauiour Christ a thousand three hundred this Ottomanus within twentie eight yeres which he reigned had strengthened his Cities Townes and had builded many strong Fortes and specially one inuincible Castle which hee named after his owne name Ottomanni Castrum This Othoman left behinde him a sonne named Orchanes in whose time contencion grewe betweene Paleologus and Cantachuzenus about the Empire of Greece whereby Orchanes power and force so encreased that while these two contended about the Empire hee tooke Prusia out of their handes a large strong Citie and finding his father in lawe Caramanus false and deceitfull hee ouerthrewe him and killed his sonne a young gallant youth but after that Orchanes had reigned twentie two yeeres hee was slaine in Bythinia After him succeeded his sonne Amurathes a man of singular courage and fortune who forgetting not his father nor graundfather Othoman imitated them in all manly exploites and presently armed him selfe against his owne graundfather Caramanus whose daughter was his naturall mother This Amurathes was solicited by the Emperour Paleologus being nowe a very olde man to aide him against the Bulgarians hard olde souldiers brought vp alwayes in warres to this hee quickely consented and prepared an armie of twelue thousand Turkes and brought them into Europe and did great seruice to the Emperour ouerthrewe the Bulgarians and reuenged the Emperour vpon the enemie but being after these victories tickled with the wealth and pleasures of Europe hauing giuen the repulse to Cantachuzenus which affected the Empire while he fained this seruice hee passed ouer the sea Helespont tooke Callipolis with other cities as Adrianopolis Bydus and Philippolis ouerthrewe and conquered euery prouince as he traueiled hee entred Bulgaria inuaded Seruia and slue the princes of the countrie named Lazarus with a great slaughter of his people but Amurathes escaped not long for hee was slaine by a seruaunt of Lazarus prince of Seruia who reuenged his masters death stoutly Thus Amurathes died after he had reigned twentie three yeeres after whom liued two sonnes of his the one named Paizates the other Soliman These two brethren coulde not agree they fel at such variance that Paizates slue his brother Soliman and presently after tooke in hand to reuenge his fathers death vpon Marcus Craienicius prince of the Bulgarians whom he subdued and after slue him in the fielde by which conquest he obteined the most part of Bulgaria And yet not therewith contented hee inuaded Bossina Croatia and other partes of Illyria wasted and spoyled all places into Thracia yet he could not quiet himselfe but laid siege to Constantinople and continued the same for eight yeeres and had at that time taken the Citie if hee had not beene preuented by two great armies of Frenchmen and Vngarians to whom this Pazaites gaue such a terrible battell that hee ouerthrewe both the armies and tooke the most part of the French captaines with their Generall the Duke of Burgundie with an infinite slaughter of the souldiers and had also at that time taken Sigismundus king of Hungaria vnlesse he had bene saued by the Venetian nauie From this great victorie hee againe returned to Constantinople endured his siege and laide hard at it When newes came that Tamberlanes the Scythian inuaded his Countrie he remoued his siege at these newes and made more haste then good speede for in that battell betweene Tamberlanes and Pazaites two hundred thousande Turkes were slaine at mount Stellum in the confines of Bythinia the Turke taken and set in fetters of gold and bound in chaines of gold and so kept all the dayes of his life in a Cage which Tamberlanes caried into euery forreigne warre out of his Countrie and vsed as some write as a blocke to mount on horsebacke This time reigned in Constantinople Andronicus as Blondus affirmeth this great victorie of Tamberlanes fell in the yeere of our Sauiour Christ 1397. at what time Charles the sixt surnamed Beneamatus was king in Fraunce and Vladislaus had taken the Empire of Germanie into his hand In Rome Pope Bonifacius the ninth of that name reigned This Pazaites had two sonnes the elder named Orchanes of some called Calepinus the younger named Mahomet which was also named Moses this by conspiracie and treacherie slue his brother Orchanes within two yeeres after his fathers death and reigned alone recouered and possessed all that Tamberlanes had gotten of his father This Mahomet had spite to the Bulgarians and to the Valaches and began with no lesse good successe to aduaunce the name of the Turkes then his father did hee waxed mightie and after hee had brought all these Prouinces and Regions about to be vassalles of the Turkes and had quieted himselfe after many victories hee made Adrianopolis to be his chiefe Citie where hee all his life kept his Court where after hee had reigned seuenteene yeeres hee dyed at what time Emanuel gouerned as Emperour in Constantinople and Sigismundus king of Hungaria reigned
being the eight king of the Assyrians before the Athenians as long as Iacob was before Moses for in Athens raigned Cecrops the first king which king was of one time with Moses But let vs proceede The ninth king in Peloponesus was named Mesapius who raigned fourtie and seuen yeeres Philo Iudeus affirmeth that Iob about this time liued and that after his punishment and afflictions he maried Dina the daughter of Iacob but this is thought to be false and found otherwise that Iob and Dina were not of one time not by foure discents for that Iobab which is written in Genesis was of Iacobs time this Iobab was the second king that raigned in the lande of Edom as one of the stocke of Esau and therefore some writers erred herein Now foloweth in Peloponesus Heratus the 10. king in whose time one Hispalus the sonne of Heroules sirnamed Libius raigned in Celtiberia who at that time builded a city after his owne name and called it Hispalis You must vnderstand where you reade Celtiberia or Iberia that then that countrey was so called which is now named Spaine as it is in the treatise of Spaine more at large written when and how long Celtiberia or Iberia continued by that name and when the name of Spaine beganne The kings of Egypt beganne now to be called Pharaones a generall name of dignitie alwayes vnto their kings afterward for their proper names were not so The eighteenth Dynasteia of the Egyptians likewise beganne this time which continued three hundreth fourtie and eight yeres in the which gouernment Amasis was the first king Sparta a very famous citie amongst the Lacedemonians was nowe builded by one Spartus the sonne of Phoroneus the second king of the Argiues whome a litle before you read of Mar. Scot. sayeth that Greece was not tilled before this time that corne being brought then from Phoenicia to Greece was first at that time sowen but I will bee briefe in passing ouer the names of the kings of Poloponesus because I might come to the ripenesse of Greece which was many hundreth yeeres after this time The eleuenth king was named Plemneus and their twelft king named Orthopolis of these two wee haue nothing to write more then of the rest but in respect of the time and of the gouernment to open the naked state and weake Empires of the world at that time wherein there was no action done worthy of writing for scant armes were then knowen this onely wee finde what kings raigned then and in what partes of the worlde they gouerned hauing their those names which they haue not nowe for then the Frenchmen were called Celtae the Spaniards Celtiberi or Iberi and so of other nations But nowe raigned in Assyria Mammitus the thirteenth king and Crassus raigned ouer the Argiues the fift king This time Cath begate Amram Moses father and about this time Ioseph died in Egypt after which time the children of Israel were sore afflicted by the Egyptians vnder another Pharao sirnamed Amenophis a cruell tyrant ouer the Hebrewes then being vnder his subiection in Egypt This king made an Edict and charged the midwiues that all children of the Hebrewes should bee slaine or else cast into Nilus as soone as they were borne Of some this king is called Memnon About this time gouerned in certaine partes of Celtes one Lugdus after whome the place and the people were called Lugdunenses and likewise one named Narbon by whose name the countrey is to this day called Narbonensis which are two prouinces within Gallia now called Fraunce About this time flourished the great Astrologer Atlas which is of Poets fained to sustaine the skies vpon his shoulders for his skil and knowledge therein In the two and twentieth yeere of this king Orthopolis Amram married Iochabed and begate Aaron and three yeeres after begate Moses In Moses time beganne the kingdome of Thessalia where Emon the first king raigned and together with Thessalia sprang vp the kingdome of Athens three hundreth seuentie and fiue yeeres before the destruction of Troy and about seuentie yeeres before Israel was deliuered from the bondage of Pharao for from Cecrops the first king of Athens vnto the first Olympiad raigned in Athens seuenteene kings and twentie princes or Iudges first called Metondidae after called Decennales principes after the kings Of this king it is written that hee first named Iupiter a god and honoured him he erected the first altar in Greece found images and offered vp sacrifices which were not before Cecrops time seene in Greece for Castor and Pollux Liber and Mercurius with diuers ancient gods of the Gentiles were after the time of Cecrops But I will leaue Athens for a while and I will speake of the Sicyonians and Argiues for these two regions of Greece were the first regions that were gouerned by kings but such kings as then that time yeelded called Reguli but the state and regiment of the Argiues after the succession of foureteene kings was caried by Perseus into Mycena which kingdome of Mycena was established in Euristheus after whome raigned sixe kings and ended together at one time with the kingdome of Sicyonum as you shall reade after in the next chapter But now I wil set downe the names of the kings of the Sicyonians in order as I finde them in Ruffinus and in Functius tables 1 Egialeus after whose name the countrey was called Egialea raigned 52 yeeres 2 Europs 45. 3 Stelchin 20. 4 Apis after whose name the countrey was named Apia 25. 5 Thelassion 52. 6 Aegidius 34. 7 Thurimachus 14. In this kings time began the kingdome of the Argiues 8 Leucippus 53. 9 Messapius 47. 10 Heratus 46. 11 Plemneus 12. 12 Orthopolis 63. 13 Merathius 30. In whose time the kingdom of Athens began 14 Maretus 20. CHAP. II. Of the building of Athens of their beginning and of their first lawes vnder 17 kings being the thirde kingdome of Greece in antiquitie after the Sicionians and the Argiues CEcrops of whom mention is made before builded Athens in Achaia and hereof it was named first Cecropia after that it was called of one Ati Attica and last of all it was named of Minerua Athens for in the Greeke tongue Athenae is called Minerua though in ancient time it had other names as Mopsopia or Ionia Diadas and Orchomenon and now at this time of no great fame but a poore fisher towne which Mahomet the eight Emperour of the Turkes hath brought vnder In the dayes of Cecrops raigned that Pharao which was with all his nobilitie and chiualrie of Egypt drowned in the read sea for his wickednes and tyrannie against God and his people he was by his proper name called Chencres There happened in Cecrops time two great wonders in Greece the one a great deluge in Thessalia called Deucaleons floud the other that great harme of fire called
their gouernment and continuance THis very time beganne the kingdome of Corinth to start vp where first raigned Alethes their first king which raigned fiue and thirtie yeeres in Corinth Together with the Corinthians beginne the Lacedemonians to set vp a kingdome where raigned first as king one Euristhenes of whome issued after those two valiant and noble Captaines Cleomenes and Leonidas so much for their courage and prowesse set forth in Thucydides whose greatnesse and courage shall when time serueth be declared to their great fame Vnderstand how by degrees one after another kings and kingdomes in Greece beginne 1 The first gouernment began in Peloponesus and continued during the time of 26. kings which was 860. yeres 2 The second kingdom which sprang vp in Greece were the Argiues where raigned 14. kings which continued 544. yeeres After these two the Athenians and the Thessalians beganne to flourish about one time Athens waxed more famous then any other region of Greece seuenteene kings successiuely raigned in Athens and continued from the going out of the children of Israel out of Egypt yea fourtie yeeres before that time vntill the 423. yeere after their departure out of Egypt euen from Moses time vntill Dauids raigne for in Moses time Cecrops the first king of Athens raigned and in Dauids time Codrus the last king of Athens This is a sure computation of time wherein can be no errour The ancient and first people of the worlde after the flood beganne to accompt the time from the going of Noah out of the Arke as the Chaldeans and Assyrians did as Berosus their owne countrey Chronographer doeth affirme whose historie endured from Noah to Moses Then the Hebrewes made their accompt from the deliuery of Israel out of Egypt as Iosephus their countrey man likewise affirmeth by their Iubilees which they vsed euery fiftieth yeere All other kinde of Chronicles which accompt by the Olympiads or from the raigne of Alexander which the Greekes vsed from the destruction of Troy or from the building of Rome which the Romanes and diuers other nations did doe much erre and must of necessitie erre for they neither agree of the time of the Olympiads neither of the time when Troy was destroyed nor when Rome was builded But I wil returne to my matter Now that Peloponesus Argos Thessalia and Athens haue altered their gouernement from kings vnto princes and magistrates and that now Lacedemonia and Corinth beginne together to erect vp their kingdoms and to enioy a Monarchie by the gouernment of kings who began to raigne in Lacedemon and in Corinth foure hundreth and thirteene yeres after the Israelits went out of Egypt at what time in Athens raigned Codrus the last king of 17. and ouer the Latins Aeneas Siluius the fourth king This time began warres betweene the Peloponesians and the Athenians while yet Codrus liued in the which warres to saue his countrey and to satisfie the Oracle giuen thereby he entred boldly valiantly to the midst of the enemies like Deââ¦ius or Curtius and died after whom succeeded Medon Codrus sonne after whose names the magistrats of Athens were called Metondidae About this time beganne Dauid to raigne king in Hebron Saul being slaine and his sonnes in the 8. Iubilee of the Iewes Latinus Siluius raigned ouer the Latins the 5. king In Tyre reigned Hiram one that loued and fauoured king Dauid all the dayes of his life this time gouerned in Assyria Eupales the thirtie two king of the Assyrians In Corinth gouerned Ixion the second king who reigned thirtie seuen yeeres in the hundred eighteene yeeres of the taking of Troy by the Grecians In Lacedemon likewise the seconde king called Argis succeeded who liued but one yeere after him succeeded the third king named Arcestratus who reigned thirtie fiue yeres A little after this Absalom slue his brother Amnon and fled to the king of Gessur about which time Salomon was borne of Bethseba for that I finde no great matter to write of the kings of Lacedemonia where reigned nine kings sauing Agesilaus onely and of the kings of Corinth where reigned twelue kings I meane to auoide tediousnesse to set downe the names of these kings aswell of Lacedemon as of Corinth in a table with their reignement and gouernment as here you see for that these two kingdomes beganne both at one and also ended about one time 1 Alethes the 1. king of Corinth he reigned 35. Looke Herod lib. 7. for these kings of Lacedemon 2 Ixion 37. 1 Euristhenes the first king of Lacedomon 42. 3 Agelaus 37. 2 Argis the 2. king one yeere 4 Pryminas 35. 3 Arcestratus 35. yeeres 5 Bacis the 5. king 35. 4 Labotes 37. yeeres 6 Agelas 30. 5 Doristus 29. yeeres 7 Eudemus 25. 6 Agesilaus 44. yeeres 8 Aristemedes 35. 7 Archelaus 60. yeeres 9 Egemnon 16. 8 Thalecus 8. reigned 40. 10 Philestenus 12. 9 Alcanes the last 37. 11 Autones the last 1. yeere  This Agesilaus being very wise valiant learned to obey before hee came to commaunde well instructed in militarie discipline iust vertuous in all his actions which the Ephori being chiefe of authorities within Sparta and were to controule kings insolencie and iniustice if any were by them vsed he first after he was elected king armed himself against the king of Persia for the defence of the Crecians his Countrie men that dwelled in Asia and after hee had set the Cities of Greece which were in Asia at libertie he entred vnto Phrygia where hee tooke many cities wanne great spoiles these exploites being done hee returned vnto the Citie of Ephesus where within fewe dayes hee had leuied a great number of men of armes imitating herein king Agamemnons example in chusing the best souldiers to warres with him and leauing behind at home the worst he from Ephesus entred into Caria and from thence to Lydia and tooke Sardis the head Citie of Lydia slue Tisaphernes the king of Persias Generall Agesilaus became so great by diuers victories gotten against the Persians and barbarous kings that hee was made generall of all LacedemoniaÌ nauies for as then Theopompus saith he was the worthiest man of fame in his time for he rather gloried in the praise of vertue then in the greatnesse of his authoritie Nowe Pharnabazus was come from Persia as generall after Tisaphernes who at his first comming had a sharpe welcome Agesilaus so prospered that being but two yeeres in Asia hee was for his honestie continencie courtesie and plaine dealing through all Asia much commended he was wont often to say that sentence of Timotheus as Mars vseth no mercie so Greece contemneth golde but Agesilaus being called from Asia home to Greece hee was much against his will enforced to fight in Greece and against Greekes his owne countrie men euen against that worthie and renowmed captaine Epaminondas whose magnanimitie Agesilaus often woondred at I neede not much to prayse the
Lacedemonians he made lawes that none should dwell in Sparta This Lycurgus framed his life according to the lawes he made and for that he would know of Apollo whether his forme maner of gouernment were good he went to Delphos to consult with the oracle and before hee went he sware the Senators the Ephories the king of Sparta to keepe his institutions lawes vntill he would come againe from Delphos where hee willingly died lest he should returne to Sparta whereby they might haue occasion by his returne to breake their oth In ancient time this towne Sparta had the soueraignty rule of a 100. townes euery yere an oxe in euery of these 100. townes was sacrificed vnto Mars this sacrifice was of long time vsed in Sparta named HecatoÌba as Strabo saith This was a kind of sacrifice afterward vsed in diuers couÌtries Al which time Iudges gouerned in Athens from Medon the first Iudge the sonne of Codrus vntil Eurixias time being the last Iudge for after 17. kings had reigned in Athens succeeded after iudges to the number of twentie who ruled the state of Athens from the time of Codrus the last king of Athens vntill the time of Tullius Hostilius the third king of the Romanes who reigned in the 22. Olympiad so long Iudges reigned as chief magistrates in Athens After these 20. iudges the forme of gouernment was againe altered in Athens that nine magistrates yerely should be chosen of the chiefe men of the noblest stocke within Athens which shoulde gouerne the state of Attica but as Eusebius saieth then ruled lust for lawes the libertie of Athens grew to be much offensiue vntil the time of Draco who made seuere lawes and sharpe punishments for offendors in the time of the 36. Olympiad Dracos lawes were called for their seueritie lex sanguine scripta lawes written with blood he was the first that made lawes in Athens After him succeeded in the 47. Olympiad Solon a singular man of rare vertue of great iustice he did mitigate the furie of Dracos lawes made found perfect lawes for the Athenians In this SoloÌs time Athens was wel gouerned florished before all other townes of Greece he instituted his lawes in Athens wheÌ Cyrus reigned king in Persia welnigh 200. yeres before Alexander the great at what time the GreciaÌs knew not the Persians neither did the Persians know the Grecians which seemed strange in so late a time yet Strabo writeth this an ancient writer that whereas the Romanes had at that time diuers warres with the Sabines Samnites Fidenats Thuscans and other nations about them the Greeke Historiographers tooke no notice of them neither Herodot Thucydides nor Zenophon so strange were the Romanes to the Grecians Lesse maruel it is that the Chaldeans and the Assyrians thought Spaine to be but a citie called as Iosephus saith Iberia euen so did they esteeme Fraunce and Italie being farre countries from the East where the most warres were in those first yeeres after the flood But to returne to Solon who studied by all possible meanes to furnish with good lawes and to be carefull of the state and gouernmeÌt of Athens for he chiefely delighted in moral Philosophie which treated of gouernment common weales which was most necessarie for those dayes for the seuen wise men which then florished in Greece sought no further knowledge then of things common for the vse of man for in those dayes he was called most wise that could handle great causes in matters of State and endeuour to haue a good witte in iudgement of gouernment which in Solons time was found rare in men and therefore Greece had but seuen wise men of great accompt for knowledge and iudgement which were named the seuen Sages whose names are these vnder written Solon of Athens Thales of Miletum Bias of Prienna Chilo of Sparta Cleobulus of Lindia Periander of Corinth Pittacus of Mytilena But in Athens warres grewe betweene the Magarians and the Athenians for the Isle of Salamina which was in the possession of the Magarians Solon herewith being moued fained this Stratageme to sende a trustie man of his owne to Megara fayning himselfe a reuoulted traytour and that of purpose hee came to tell them howe they might take all the chiefe Ladies and Gentlewomen of Athens together if they would follow him The Magarians easely beleeuing this man folowed him which when Solon vnderstood hee appointed certaine young men in womens apparel that should daunce on the shore side with short daggers vnder their clothes vntill their enemies were landed which being done the enemies hauing sight of these young Ladies dauncing and playing without any man with them they so greedily leapt one vpon the necke of the other to take such a faire bootie that not one escaped but were all slaine and by this meanes Salamina was gotten to the Athenians Neuerthelesse the Magarians were sharpely bent to recouer Salamina againe if by any meanes they coulde but Athens had still some great wittes who were euer most busie in bickering and quarreling with their neighbours for the Athenians coulde better perswade with their tongues then fight with their swords Solon wanne great honour and glorie for one oration hee made in the defence of the temple of Apollo Solon by subtiltie and witte set order betwixt the poore and the riche for by this time fell againe the Athenians to the olde troubles and dissencions about the gouernment of the citie so that all Atica was in it selfe diuided some taking part with the best and chiefest Citizens others with the common people Solon pacified this sedition for hee was neither partaker with the riche in the oppression of the poore nor with the poore in the necessitie of offence his equitie and vpright dealing was well knowen in Athens therefore hee was chosen gouernour by common consent of all the Countrie of Attica to reforme the rigour of the lawes and to temper the state of the coÌmon weales And first he began to take away al Dracos bloodie lawes sauing for murder manslaughter for by the lawes of Dracos all kinde of offence was punished with death aswell the least fault as the greatest offence and therefore called lex sanguine scripta Then Solon erected the Councell of the Areopagites out of this Councell the citie of Athens did yeerely choose their gouernour for in Dracos time were certeine Iudges vpon life and death called Ephetes before the time of the Areopagites After this Solon established diuers lawes within the Citie of Athens and appointed three kindes of Councels to gouerne the Citie one aboue the other and then he instituted some lawes which I will briefely here recite he made a lawe for the maintenance of willes and testaments hee made an acte for planting and setting of trees an other acte he made that they shoulde not transport out of the Realme neither
most ambitious man in the world Nowe when hee had wonne the Citizens to bende their force to the sea while this preparation was in Greece newes came howe that king Leonidas was killed in the countrie of Thermopilis of whose courage and exploites you heard a little before and that Xerxes had nowe that entrie into Greece by land and had Embassadours to demaunde the Empire of Greece both by sea and by land and that all Greece shoulde acknowledge obedience to king Xerxes but Themistocles hanged vp the interpretour that came with Xerxes Embassadour for that hee being a Grecian woulde vse the Greeke tongue in the seruice and commandement of the barbarous king This stoutnesse of Themistocles pleased more the Athenians then the suffering of Eurybiades the Lacedemonian to be Admirall of all Greece for the Athenians woulde not set saile vnder any other Admirall then their owne aswell because they had the greatest number of shippes in their armie as also they thought them farre more worthie then any other Countrie of Greece but Themistocles foreseeing the daunger that was likely to fall out betweene themselues did willingly yeelde the whole authoritie vnto Eurybiades and gote the Athenians to agree thereunto This time Aristides after he had bene banished fiue yere by meanes of Themistocles was nowe by a decree of Themistocles called home againe for Aristides was a good iust man and well beloued in Athens By this time the fleete of Xerxes shewed on the coastes of Attica and couered all the seas and Xerxes in person came with an army by land to campe by the sea side The Grecians hauing the sight of so monstrous an armie both by sea and by lande forgate all Themistocles perswasions and beganne to retire to the Peloponesians and there to recouer the gulfe of Peloponesus Themistocles perceiuing their determination was in his mind angrie that the Grecians would thus disperse themselues asunder leauing the aduauntage which both lande and seas offered them he suddenly vsed this stratageme to sende to king Xerxes a trustie friende of his owne named Sicinus a Persian borne taken in the warres before by Themistocles and kept by him as a scholemaster in his house for his children this hee sent secretly to Xerxes to aduertise him that Themistocles generall of the Athenians was very desirous to become Xerxes seruaunt and for that the Grecians were determined to flie hee wished the king not to let them scape but to set vpon them while they were farre from their armie by land Xerxes being glad of Themistocles message the next morning by breake of day placed himselfe on a huge hill where hee might beholde his whole fleete and discerne the ordering of his armie by sea there did Xerxes set vp a throne of golde and had about him many secretaries to write all that was done in the battell Themistocles with no lesse skill had chosen his time and place the gallies drewe neere to the other armies Xerxes Admirall a man of great valure bestowed arrowes and dartes charging the Grecians gallies hotely they ioyned and grappled together the battell beganne so fiercely that the dead bodies being thrust ouer boorde into the sea altered the collour of the water into blood The Grecians by reason of the streightnesse of the sea wherein they fought preassed sore vpon the Persians who with ouer great a multitude hindred them selues much being so many laide one an other a boorde in such disorderly sort that they were constrayned to flie by night in which flight many of their gallies were drowned and many taken more running secretly into Persia for feare of Xerxes being a cruell man This famous victorie gotten by the Grecians made Xerxes starke madde his losse was so great and his shame was more Being thus amazed what to doe Mardonius his lieutenant did perswade him to returne to Persia and to leaue him with three hundred thousand souldiers behind Xerxes resolued to followe Mardonius councell and was forced to scape in a poore fisher mans bote most cowardly and shamefully who before thought that land and seas had not roome sufficient for his armie The victorie which the Greekes had ouer Xerxes at Salamina was the greatest that euer Greekes had for in trueth the Greekes this time florished being after this great victorie much enriched with the golde of Persia for Mardonius Xerxes lieutenant had the like successe as his master had for he was ouerthrowen in a battell in Boetia leauing behinde him all the kings treasures which was infinite and did more hurt to Greece then good This Mardonius was driuen with like shame to followe his master into Persia. Among the Greekes which euer contended more for vaine glory then for profit as by this victory appeareth grew great enuie the Lacedemonians affirming that they their Admirall Euribiades deserued the glory and honour of this victorie the AtheniaÌs chalenging the praise fame to theÌselues to their generall Themistocles of whoÌ all Greece spake much honour who by common iudgement deserued most praise Skant was Xerxes in Persia but ciuil discentioÌ began in Greece and Themistocles by whose seruice principally the glorie of Greece shined at the victorie of Salamina was banished from Athens and went from place to place vntill he came to Persia to this king Xerxes whom hee made to flee from Greece as both Heraclides and Clitarchus affirme yet Thucydides saith Xerxes was dead before Themistocles comming but he meant to his sonne Artaxerxes surnamed the long handed Herodot ended his historie in Xerxes time where Thucydides beginneth and therefore is best herein to be beleeued Nowe Themistocles in Persia by drinking bulles blood did poyson himselfe to auoide the seruice which Artaxerxes appointed him against Greece he knowing the valour of Cimon and fearing his courage who lay with an armie there at Cyprus to haue giuen battell to Themistocles but Themistocles preuented that with death for after this great victorie of the Grecians ouer the Persians at Salamina Greece florished vntill ciuill discord beganne within Greece and so continued one Citie contending with another vntill it brake out into publike warres which began fiftie yeeres after the ouerthrow of Xerxes After him succeeded in Athens Pericles a man of great valure but he had an associate ioyned with him a singular rare man he was the sonne of that valiant captaine Miltiades who ouercame Darius Xerxes father in the battell at Marathon Of his seruice and courage you shal heare more for as Themistocles had Aristides surnamed the iust his collegue as a touchstone to reprehend Themistocles for his ambition so nowe Pericles had Phocion surnamed the good called home being banished from Athens fortenne yeeres to ioyne in gouernment with Pericles for when Aristides died and Themistocles was banished Cimon had bene of long time in seruice as generall in forreine countries out of Greece Then Pericles beganne to deale in the
much eclipsed from her glorie for this warre of the Peloponesians brake the backe of all Greece Alcibiades rashnesse was much giuen to pricke forwarde this warres for hee was ioyned with Nicias who fauoured the Lacedemonians and sought meanes to keepe the Athenians in friendship with the Lacedemonians which purchased Nicias great loue and fauour of the people which spited much Alcibiades to see Nicias in such credite with the people and therefore he studied how to infringe this peace and to diminish the fame of Nicias no other wayes then you heard before of Themistocles and Aristides the one enuious and glorious the other good and iust and so sirnamed Aristides the iust one finding fault with the other to the great danger and trouble of Athens After these succeeded two great men Pericles and Cimon the one factious and stubburne the other meeke and gentle and euen so now Alcibiades yong and ambitious Nicias sober and temperate for Alcibiades being the authour of the warres of Sicilie alluring the people with his pleasant toÌgue to make warres in Sicilia a beginning to further enterprise Nicias perswading to the contrary with all meanes possible affirming plaine that the citie of Syracusa was too great a matter for Athens to take in hand Alcibiades brought the Athenians much attentiue vnto him promising them to bring to passe great wonders hee assured the Athenians that if Syracusa might be conquered Lybia and Carthage might soone be conquered and so passe to Italy The Athenians people most desirous to enlarge their Segniorie who much coueted in Pericles life to haue Syracusa in hand now being perswaded by Alcibiades they are most willing to set him forward hauing 140. gallies and 5000. footemen very well armed and appointed besides archers and other light armed men to the nomber of thirteene hundreth but Alcibiades did no great exploit sauing the winning of the citie Catana for hee was called home immediatly by the Athenians to answere certaine accusations layd to his charge he returned from Sicilia not daring well for feare of his enemies to come vnto Athens he sent vnto Sparta to haue safe coÌduct and licence of the Lacedemonians to dwell in their countrey his request being obtained hee practised vpon his first comming seruice against his owne citie he counselled the Spartans speedily to send ayd to the Syracusans whom they had of long time before delayed Gylippus was sent from Sparta to Sicilia to ouerthrowe the Athenian armie His second counsell was that the Lesbians and they of Chios which were not in league with the Athenians should begin to warre vpon them The thirde counsell was that the Lacedemonians should fortifie the citie of Decelia which was within the territories of Attica Alcibiades himselfe would saile vnto Ionia to perswade those cities to ioyne with Sparta By this time Athens was on euery side troubled and the Athenians force diminished whereby grew great warres and ciuill discorde among the citizens of Greece The authoritie of Alcibiades his credite and his fame got him both enuie and malice and that of the best they feared his fauour with the people and as Plutarch saith he had such entertainment of Timea the Queene king Agis wife of Sparta that the king being abroad in the warres Alcibiades got the Queene at home with childe and therefore the chiefe magistrats of Sparta called Ephori wrote letters vnto certaine captaines of the warre to kill Alcibiades But hee hauing some intelligence hereof by the Queene practised with Tisapharnis the king of Persias lieutenant to withdrawe his fauour from the Lacedemonians and to ioyne with the Athenians For by this time Alcibiades had some hope by his friendes meanes to be called home againe to Athens for true it was he went to Samos ãâã was an armie of the Athenians readie to saile to Athens there Alcibiades was honourably receiued and by meanes of Thrasybulus hee was shortly after most louingly receiued into Athens at what time hee did some good seruice to Athens and requited the spite and enuie which the Lacedemonians shewed him in Sparta For now Myndarus the Admirall of the Lacedemonian armie by sea hauing threescore shippes and hauing giuen the ouerthrowe once or twise to the Athenians with this Myndarus ioyned also Pharnabasus the king of Persias ãâã with a bande of footemen for now Tizapharnes ãâã good friend died and in his place came this captaine ââ¦arnabassus being throughly stirred to reuenge the malice of Sparta hee went with a small nomber of gallies to the Isle of Cos there he was aduertised that the Athenians and the Lacedemonians were in battell by sea before the citie of Abydos and being in the midst of their fight Alcibiades discouered his galleis and commaunded straight to set vp his flagge in the toppe of the galleis of his Admirall and in the very heate of the battell when that the Athenians were at the worst Alcibiades freshly did set vpon the Peloponesians brake their shippes chased them to flight and got the victorie ouer the Lacedemonians by sea and after this victory straight the Peloponesians with an other armie and Pharnabasus with Mindarus were together in the citie of Cizicum Of this Alcibiades hauing intelligence hasted towards them for he had not forgotten the letters of the Ephores to the captaines for the killing of him Mindarus the Admirall and Pharnabasus the generall were no sooner on the maine sea but Alcibiades with his Athenians gaue them battell and ouerthrewe them scattered them and slewe a great nomber of them drowned more and killed Mindarus the Admirall in the fielde fighting valiantly and forced Pharnabasus to flie cowardly and to take the citie of Cizicum their losse was so great and their strength so diminished that Sparta hearing of this great victorie of the Athenians fell in great dispaire and doubted much of their state and gouernment for by this victorie the Athenians had the possession of the whole countrey of Helespont After this Alcibiades went againe against Pharnabasus spoiled his countrey tooke diuers of his townes and gaue the ouerthrow to the generall in his owne territories Alcibiades thence went and made warres against the Chalcedonians who were now reuolted from the Athenians and had receiued a gouernour and a garison of the Lacedemonians into their citie hee layed siege to Chalcedon Pharnabasus came to ayde the Chalcedonians but hee was with shame as before put to flight and Hyppocrates the Lacedemonian gouernour slew before the citie a great nomber of his men and tooke many of them prisoners and at that time made the Bythinians to make a league with the Athenians yeelding their towne and their possession into Alcibiades hand After this victorie of Chalcedon hee tooke the citie of Selybrea and went in armes against Byzantium where after a terrible battell hee wanne the citie and got the victorie with three hundreth prisoners of the best
and Horace the Poet were borne but the historie of the kings of Syria is set forth with the kings of Israel and Iuda and also in the Machabees for in the sacred histories of the scripture much mencion is made of the kings of Aram by the names of Aram Soba Aram Padan Aram Damasci Aram Naharaim by the which names Syria is better described in Genesis in the Kings in Paralipomenon and in DeuteronomiuÌ then by Ptolome Strabo Pomponius Mela or Solinus for the kings of Aram which is Syria haue diuers names in Scripture as Aram Naharaim which is that part of Syria which is betweene Euphrates and Tygris the region thereof is called Mesopotamia reade the 3. of the Iudges Likewise Aram Padan which is a couÌtrie in Mesopotamia often taken for al Mesopotamia where Iacob meÌcioneth of Rahels death his wife when he came from Padan Aram. Againe Aram Damasci where Benadad king of Aram being sicke sent Hazael to the man of God Elisha to knowe whether Benahad should recouer his health To be short Aram Macat Aram Soba Aram Rhohab and Aram Damasci are regions and countries in Mesopotamia Coelosyria in the higher Syria farre from Perela and Galaad the countrie of Ruben and Gad and of the halfe tribe of Manasses But these names of Syria were long before any prophane writer wrote of Syria fewe prophane histories were before king Philips time Alexander the great his father all true antiquities are conteined in sacred histories in Moses in the Chronicles of the kings of Israel and Iuda and in the Prophets late writers began in the time of Cyrus to write of the Monarchies of Persia of the GreciaÌs and of the Romanes of whom Daniel before had spoken and likewise gaue light vnto prophane writers to write their histories These kings of Aram then were the most cruell tyraunts and most furious enemies of Iudea of the people of God and of his Church likewise these last by the names of the kings of Syria which continued no longer then from Alexander the great which was the first vntill the time of Pompe the great which was the last that brought all Syria a prouince to the Romanes As God dealed with the kings of Aram in the behalfe of Iuda then so he wrought with the kings of Syria now in the behalfe of his Church who euer preuailed against all kingdomes of the world as God caused Senaheribs armie one to kill an other to the number of 185. thousande in one day and night So hee likewise raised one king against an other in Syria that from Antiochus the great vntill the last king there was nothing but killing and murthering in Syria for the tyraunt Antiochus Epiphanes his sonne after he fomed in blood died most miserably his sonne likewise Antiochus Eupator was slaine by his vncle Demetrius Demetrius was slaine by Alexander which fained himselfe to be Antiochus Epiphanes sonne Alexander was slaine by the king of Parthia and his head sent to Syria After Demetrius Nicanor was kept out of Syria by his owne brother Antiochus Sedetes this Sedetes was killed by Tryphon againe Tryphon was slaine quickly of his owne people Then Antiochus Gryphus Nicanors sonne and Antiochus Sedetes sonne killed one an other in such sort that Syria wanted heires of Seleucus house to be kings also Syria was brought so lowe and so poore by these ciuill warres that the Romanes prayed ouer them after they had reigned two hundred eightie nine yeeres and brought Syria a prouince subiect to Rome All the names of the kings of Syria and Asia since Alexander the great his time are these 1 Seleucus Nica. reigned 31. 2 Antiochus Soter 19. 3 Antiochus Theos 15. 4 Seleucus Gallinicus 20. 5 Seleucus Ceraunus 9. 6 Antiochus magnus 36. 7 Seleucus Philopator 12. 8 Antiochus Epiphanes 12. 9 Antiochus Eupator 2. 10 Demetrius Soter 10. 11 Alexander ProÌpalus 5. 12 Demetrius Nicanor 2. 13 Antiochus Sedetes 3. 14 Trypho reigned 3. 15 Demetrius againe Nicanor 4. 16 Antiochus Griphus 29. 17 Antiochus Cizicoenus 18. 18 Philipus the sonne of Griphus 2. Functius doeth varie a litle from Iustine in the yeeres of these kings OF THE FIRST AFFRICAN warres betweene the Carthagineans and the Romanes which continued 24. yeeres and of the victories of the Romanes ouer them HAuing something entreated of the kings of Asia Syria and yet nothing so largely as the historie required howe be it the kings of Asia and Syria are spoken of both in sacred prophane histories haue also an intercourse betweene the kings of Assyria and of Egypt I will therefore passe to the kings of Affrike and Libya and speake of their warres with the Romanes This Countrie as Pomponius Mela describeth is on the East part bounded with the riuer Nilus inclosed North with the sea Libicke on the South with the Ethiopian sea and on the West with the Antlantike sea Affrike is shorter then Europe and farre lesser then Asia it is more in length then in breadth the breadth of Affrike is thirteene thousand furloÌgs which is a thousand sixe huÌdred miles and more the length as Strabo writeth is as much againe which is 3200 miles and all that part of Affrike which is beyond the Mores called the Nigrites Pharusians doe extend into Ethiope The Ethiopians possesse thence vnto the borders of Asia also the white EthiopiaÌs LibyaegyptiaÌs dwelling aboue those places before recited then the Numidians and the Mores of whoÌ the Mores extend to the Antlantike sea I thinke it a worke needles to describe Affrike more amplie then it is by Iulius Solinus PoÌponius Mela written in Latine the rest is set forth by Strabo of whom for that hee writes more large I note him chiefely for mine authour dearth hapened amongst the Affricanes that the Romans could no longer remaine there but they returned to Rome with their victorious nauies in great pompe and glorie hauing 484. ships sailing in braue sort towards Rome with infinite wealth and treasure Beholde in the midst of this great pompe the euents of fortune a very great tempest rose so that they suffred such shipwracke about the coast of Sicile that scant were saued 80. ships of the 484. yet the inuincible and stoute courage of the Romanes were such that their minds were nothing dismayd with these missehaps though it was the very greatest shipwracke that euer the Romanes had or any other nation in the world New supplies and other captaines were straight appointed with 260. ships to take voyage to Affrike who likewise when they had wonne certaine cities and townes in Affrike returned to Rome with great spoile but sustained the like shipwracke againe The Senate finding these continual dangers of sailing and seafight thought good to forsake the sea and to fight vpon the land for hauing wonne the victories of foure battels vpon the sea with infinit treasures ouer the Affricanes they lost by three shipwracks
Hanibal Then Fabius who in his ambassage offered to the Carthagineans the choise It was doubtfull a long time whether there were a sea beyond Afrike or whether the land might be coasted about or whether Afrike being barren waste ful of desertes mouÌtaines might extend so farre as that there were no ende of it vntill the voyage of Hanno a captaine of Carthage who tooke vpon him to searche the coastes and when he had traueiled much hee returned home with this answere that he wanted not sea roome but victuall After Hanno another called Endoxus passed out of the gulfe of Arabia hee traueiled so long that he brought notice with him of countries other things vnknowen in Affrike and Libya you must thinke that Affrike and Libya is all one generally In this countrie of Affrike is Mauritania a large and a wide countrie the end of this coast is the riuer Mulucha and the beginning thereof is from the Promontorie which the Greekes call Ampelisia from Mulucha Molochathi as Strabo writeth to the riuer Ampsaga lieth Numidia a countrie not so large as Mauritania but wealthier and better peopled Cirta is the greatest citie therein the pallace of king Iuba and king Siphax and after Massinissa and Mycipsa and of a long time their successours To describe Affrike perticularly it is infinite for that the most part of it is wast ground vnmanured and void wildernesse where strange and diuers kindes of beastes doe breede and also many fabulous things of Solinus and Strabo written as Satyrs Blenias such wilde people that rather are like beasts then men reade Solinus and Strabo of all the sundry sortes of serpeÌts strange beastes of the moÌstrous kindes of creatures which breede in Affrike and Libya I will declare briefely the report of al Carthage Numidia two of the chiefest cities of Affrike of these townes meÌcion is made of diuers writers This Carthage was builded at such time as Hiarbas reigned in Libya by a lady named Elissa otherwayes named Dido king PigmalioÌs sister of Tyre borne in Phoenicia after whoÌ Tirians long inhabited a hundred thirtie fiue yeeres before the building of Rome was Carthage builded some say that Carthage was builded before Didos time by people of Tyre of whoÌ Carthage was first named Byrsa Ioseph setteth downe the names of those kings that reigned in Tyre before Dido came to Affrika 1 Abibalus 2 His sonne Hiramus 34. 3 Abdemonius 4 Hyramus 2. 5 Baleastartus 43. 6 Abdastartus 9. 7 Astartus the sonne of Baleastartus 8 Astarimus which was slaine 9 by his brother Phelles that succeeded him 10 Ithobalus 11 Badezorus the sonne of I 12 thabolus after whome succeeded his sonne Mettinus 13 And last reigned Pygmalion which was brother vnto Dido These were the kings that reigned in Tyre before the building of Carthage Strabo sayth that there were 300. cities in that part of Affrika before the building of Carthage which were destroyed by the Pharusians and Nigretes Next vnto Carthage in authoritie and power was the Citie of Vtica famous for the name of Cato these two Cities were the onely hauens to the Romanes to enter into Libya Not farre from Vtica was Appollonia and Hermea two populous Townes well inhabited In this lesser Asia where Carthage and Vtica were both builded by the Phoenicians are diuers others Townes as Hippo Rheguis and Tabraca this part of Affrike florished and became so famous that the Romanes who in those dayes waxed strong had an eye to Affrike and as their maners and custome were neuer to be satisfied vntill they were lords of the whole world they beganne to be enemies to the kings of Libya and Affrike held them warres the first time for the space of twentie foure yeres with equal conquest to the Romanes It is written that in this first yeeres warre which the Romanes had with the Carthagineans that the Romanes susteined great losse and much harme specially by shipwracke The Romanes neuer waged any battell out of Italie before this time and therefore to know what power they were ableto make within the citie of Rome they mustred numbred them by the poles they found within the citie of Rome 300. thousand able souldiers to serue sauing 500. When Appius Claudius Q. Fuluius were Consuls in Rome the first battell was fought in Sicilia where the Romanes gate the victorie Appius triuÌphed ouer Hieron king of Sicilia ouer the Affrikanes The second and the third battel the Romanes wrought very great enterprises gate the victories against two nations of Affrica This time againe the Romanes triuÌphed ouer the Affricanes Hieron king of Sicilia intreated for peace and in consideration thereof gaue to the Romanes 200. talents of siluer but this peace endured not long for within fiue yeeres after the warres began the Romanes vnderstanding that the Affricanes came in heapes from Libya into Sicilia prepared an armie vnder the conduct of Cneus Cornelius and Caius Duillius then Consuls of Rome this battel was fought on the sea where Cornelius the Consul was deceiued by traine but Eutropius saith that the other Consul fought out the battel and ouercame the Affricanes he tooke 31. shippes and sunke 18. he slewe 3000. and tooke seuen thousand men prisoners This victory vpon the Sea happened better to the Romanes then they looked for Although the Carthagenians were often discomfited and ouerthrowen by the Romanes yet they escaped not free and specially vpon the sea where the Romanes sustained diuers losses and such losses as were equall to the victories which they wanne vpon the land When Lucius Scipio had wonne Corsica and Sardinia being then Consul at Rome and ledde from them with him to Rome many thousand prisoners ouer whom he triumphed by these diuers victories and triumphes which the Romanes had ouer the Libyans the Carthagenians were forced to forsake Sicilia and to returne to Affrica where the Romanes within a while transposed their warres against Hamilcar captaine of the Carthagineans to whome battell was giuen vpon the sea where Hamilcar was discomfited and constrayned to retire backe after he had lost 64. shippes This was the second victorie which the Romanes had vpoÌ the sea ouer the Affricanes yet this time the Romanes lost two and twentie ships this battell was wonne by M. Attilius Regulus Lu. Manlius then both Consuls at Rome These captaines after they ariued farther into Affrike Clipea the chiefest city of Affrike yeelded theÌselues to the Romans nowe Manlius returned to Rome with great pompe brought with him twentie seuen thousand prisoners Regulus remained still in Affrike whose worthy actes and famous victorie against the Carthagineans in the absence of his fellowe were such as hee ioyned battell with three of the best captaines of all Affrike at that time which was Asdrubal and Hamilcar Hanibals father In this victorie Regulus slue eighteene thousand of his
then though banished by the Romanes saued and rescued Rome at that time But Camillus remoued them put them to flight and pursued them with such a slaughter of them that hee recouered the golde and treasures and ensignes of warres which the French men had gotten and returned to Rome and so entred the Citie with his third triumph and was called the seconde Romulus for that hee recouered his Countrie from the enemies for in the time of his Dictatorshippe hee ouerthrewe the Phalissians Capenats the Veients tooke diuers Cities and wasted their Territories ouer whom he triumphed After this Camillus besieged the Falerians ouerthrew the Latines and the Volscans hee wanne the fielde of the Prenestines and slue the great armie of the Thuscans at Sutrium Camillus gaue diuers repulses to the Gaules and resisted stoutly the furiâ⦠of Brennus their king for in the time of this Camillus Rome was destroyed and quite burnt and againe built and by him afterwarde as by a seconde Romulus defended for hee was chosen Censor first hee was chosen twise Tribune of the souldiers and hee was fiue times chosen Dictator for then the Romanes had altered their gouernment from Kings to CoÌsuls froÌ Consuls to Dictators froÌ Dictators to Decemuiri which Decemuiri continued not long and then againe to Consuls for in the first yeere after Rome was taken by the Gaules for in those daies they were not named French men but Gaules which is a more generall name two men were created which were called Tribunes of the souldiers in steade of the two Consuls which were of no lesse authoritie then the Consuls Howe be it the dignitie of the Tribunes endured not long for that office ceased for the people of Rome were so seditious in the time of Camillus that nothing coulde please them neither Kings Counsellers Dictators Praetors Tribunes or any other officer for now the Consuls were caused to be banished as the kings were and in their roumes were placed the tenne men called Decemuiri which continued but two yeres and out the third yeere then were placed magistrates named Tribuni Militum which gouerned 43. yeeres and then againe Consuls were placed in their authorities after Rome had bene without Consuls 45. yeres Thus the people put vp and put downe whom they list insomuch that Sex Ruf. saith that Rome was without any magistrate for foure yeeres for they stoned Posthumus the generall banished Coriolanus Camillus that such a furie reigned in the people that foure seuerall seditions grew in Rome by mutuall discord The first in Sacro Monte where the Romane people came armed in the 71. Olymp. against vsurers where at that time Menenius Agrippa an eloquent Romane appeased the furie and rage of the people with the fable betweene the belly and all members of the body by the which oration hee brought them to quietnes The second discord at Rome was in mouÌt Auentine 302. yeeres after the building of Rome in the time of Decemuiri whose insolencie and tyrannie were such that they forgote the destruction of their kings the arrogancie of Tarquine in rauishing of Lucretia they committed all offences iniuries full of filthy lustes without respect of lawe or conscience that Virginius seeing his daughter so oppressed by Appius Claudius slue her in the market place with his owne hand to auoide the present infamie and shame that his daughter Virginia was at hand to come vnto The third sedition at Rome on mount IaniculuÌ vnder Carmilius then being Tribune of the people and generall ouer them in the daÌgerous seditions the cause was for the indignitie of mariages betweene the PatritiaÌs the coÌmon people which Liui at large setteth downe in his fourth booke The fourth sedition in Rome and the cause thereof was ambition desire ofhonor that the coÌmonpeople would haue magistrates created ioyntly with the Patricians here grewe mutinie discord betweene the Patricians and the vulgar people this discorde fell in the seconde age of Rome called Adolescentia Romae About this time florished in Greece Pericles who succeeded Themistocles in his roume and gouerned Athens fourtie yeeres with great fame at what time hotte warres were betweene the Athenians and the Peloponesians During these broyles at Rome Xerxes the great king of Persia was slaine by Artabanus after whose death Artaxerxes surnamed the long handed did sende Esdras to Ierusalem from Babylon to repaire the Citie to builde the Temple and to reforme the common wealth of the Iewes destroyed by the Chaldeans before Cicilia was plagued by the Carthaginians and often oppressed by the common people Nowe reigned in Macedonia Perdicas the eleuenth king this time florished in Greece 1 Heraclitus 2 Empedocles and 3 Parmenides and after 4 them Aristophanes and 5 Hypocrates that famous physicion at what time also the great Philosopher 6 Soorates Platoes master kept his schoole at Athens This time reigned in Sparta Agis king of the Lacedemonians in Macedonia Archelaus their twelfth king About this time the originall of the kings of Fraunce beganne to spring in Germanie who at that time were driuen out of Scythia to the number of foure hundred eightie nine thousande first being called Neumagi secondly called Sicambri and the last time called Franci About this time the whole states of Greece were by the eares and beganne the warres of the Peloponesians which endured twentie seuen yeeres of whome Thucidides wrote a whole volume of eight bookes The Egyptians reuoulted from the Persians and rebelled vntill Darius Ochus time the eight king of Persiâ⦠Let vs returne to the historie of the Romanes for as soone as Camillus dyed the French men arriued and camped in Italie against whome Quintus Cicinatus being then elected Dictator was sent with an armie against the Frenchmen where Titus Manlius prouoked one of the French army to fight with him hand to hand whoÌ he slue after he had slaine him he pluckt a chaine of gold froÌ his enemies necke put it about his owne necke for the which he his posteritie were called Torquati for a perpetuall memorie of that fact This was done 30. yeeres after that Camillus had expulsed the Frenchmen The like historie is written of Marcus Valerius who being chalenged by a Frenchman to a combate accepted the challenge and came readie armed vnto the fielde where a crowe lighted vpon his right arme and sate there still vntill his aduersarie came to handie gripes The crow flew and smote the Frenchman vpon the eye with his wings that he could not see to fight by meanes whereof he was slaine whereby hee was sirnamed Coruinus as Torquatus was At what time the Frenchmen were put to flight and againe by Sulpitius the Dictator they were subdued and the Thuscans likewise were the very same time vanquished by Caius Martius who then ledde prisoners with him to Rome in one triumph 7000 captiues By this
After this triumphs Scipio was sent to Spaine to the Numantines who had a little before discomfited Q. Pompeius the Consul ouer whom he had his second triumph but shortly by Scipio the citie of Numantia was subdued hee had triumphed ouer Affrike About this time Attalus king Eumenes his father some say his brother died and made the people of Rome his heire and so by testament Asia was annexed to the Romane Empire notwithstanding warre ensued in Asia by Aristonicus a base soÌne of Eumenes in that warre Pub. Lucius Crassus was slaine his head cut off and brought to Aristonicus and his body buried at Smirna It is written of this Crassus that he might brag of 5 principal great gifts To be most noble The most wealthiest The most eloquent To be the most learned ciuillian And to be the most high Bishop About this time Carthage in Affrike was reedified by the coÌmandemeÌt of the Senat after that it was subdued by Scipio 22. yeres and as writeth Polib diuers Citizens of Rome went to dwel in Carthage Not long after this Scipio was found dead in his house not without great suspicioÌ of Caius Graccus now warre was by the Romanes coÌmenced against the ThraciaÌs at what time triumphed in Rome the two brethreÌ Metelli in one day the one ouer Thracia the other ouer Sardinia the wars of Iugurth immediatly after this ensued of whoÌ Salust maketh mencioÌ This was the soÌne of Micipsa king of Numidia who hauing two other brethreÌ beside himselfe named Adherbalis and Hiemsalis these Iugurth slue and vsurped the kingdome for this fact the Romanes sent Lucius Calphurnius then Consul against Iugurth but hee did no good for hee was corrupted with money After Spurius Albinus Posthumus was sent by the Senators who fought with Iugurth but with great dishonour The thirde time Quintus Cecilius Metellus was sent who vanquished Iugurth and subdued Numidia at last tooke him and brought him prisoner to Rome Of this Iugurth you shall reade more in the Affricane historie and I will lay downe the names of the Romane Consuls captaines and generals that triumphed from the ende of the second Affricane warre which was from Scipio Affricanus the elder vntill the time of Scipio Affricanus the yonger which was 56. yeeres 1 Ti. Quin. Flaminius 2 Lu. Flamin his brother 3 Lu. Cornelius Scipio surnamed Affricanus 4 Lu. Valerius Flaccus 5 M. Portius Cato 6 Lucius Manlius 7 Scipio Nasica 8 Ti. Sempronius Longus 9 Spu. Posthu Albinus 10 Quintus Martius 11 M. Aemilius Lepidus 12 M. Sempro. Tuditanus 13 Lucius Anitius 14 Au. Manl. Torquatus 15 C. Lu. Crassus 16 Quintus Opimus 17 Sci. Affrica the yonger 18 Q. Cecilius Metellus 29 C. Cecilius Metellus 20 Lu. Cornelius Cnima 21 M. Liuius Drusus 22 C. Papirius Carbo 23 Lu. Celius Metellus 24 Cneus Octauius These with many other noble Romanes florished in those dayes for nowe the Romanes after all their wars in Affrika brought all kingdoms vnder the Empire of Rome for froÌ that time forward the glory of Rome did excel sauing for some ciuill wars that grew beeene Marius Silla after beweene Pompey Caesar els Rome was in her greatnes for in the 646. yeere after the building of Rome Caius Marius a man of great seruice amongst the Romanes in consideration that he had bene seuen times Consul in Rome was the onely cause of the first ciuil warre in Rome vpoÌ indignation taken that Silla was preferred in the wars then against Mithridates king of Pontus who had already done good seruice in Asia Achaia though Mithridates had perswaded the AtheniaÌs to resist Silla for at that time Mithridates held a great part of Asia in his hand and of Thracia so that many thought that Mithridates should in time conquer the Romane Empire for he was eager and cruell against those that loued the Romanes But Silla in spite of Mithridates his philosopher Athenius his successor Aristo the tyrant besieged Athens and wanne it where he killed a number of the Citizens many before were famished for a measure of wheate called Medinus was sold in Athens then for a thousand Drachmes which doe mount to a hundred crownes which before in time of peace was sold for fiue Drachmes After he had taken Athens he marched to Beotia and ouerthrewe Archilaus Mithridates generall slue a hundred thousand of his men and from thence to Thebes and did much harme both to the Citie and Citizens Marius disdaining the good successe of Silla made meanes to the Senate to haue that warre into his hand which Silla had against Mithridates This was graunted to Marius whereupon Silla in a great furie with all his armie returned backe to Rome entred the Citie killed Sulpitius slue many and draue Marius to flight and secretly went to Apheca Silla and Marius beganne nowe both to neglect the warres abroade against Mithridates and like two furious enemies of Italie spoyled their countrie and gaue libertie to the enemie to vanquish and subdue in this time Armenia the lesse and all the sea coastes called Ponticum and Bosphorus Silla by consent of the Senate tooke his iourney against Mithridates recouered Greece as you heard and other prouinces But to be short Silla ouercame Marius after many hotte broiles in Italie concluded peace with Mithridates returned to Rome at what time Lu. Scipio and Norbanus were Consuls in Rome These both thought to resist Sillas comming to Rome but Lu. Scipio with all his armie went and yeelded to Silla and the other Consul fled to Rhodes where for feare to come to Sillas hand hee slue himselfe That yeere Silla was made Dictator in Rome sixe hundred seuentie three yeeres after the building of Rome at what time he tyrannized against the Citizens of Rome so that Silla after much good seruice first done to his countrie afterwarde fell to such slaughter and tyrannie that he had beene better vnborne then borne And so of Marius may be spoken who plaied the like part before Silla and were both called faces faeces Italiae for their bloodshed in their couÌtrie for Marius before Sillas slaughter and murthering of the Citizens of Rome hee killed Cneus Sulpitius and others so Sulpitius and others slue in Rome Cneus Octauius and many of the best of Rome aswell Noble men Senators Consuls as others This ciuil warre in Rome as Eutropius and Melancthon affirme endured tenne yeeres in the which were slaine aboue fiue hundred thousand souldiers twentie foure Consuls seuen Pretors fourtie Tribunes and as they write three hundred Senators beside Reade Melancthon of this warre Now after that Silla had these tenne yeres fomed in blood and had subdued both Marius and his sonne the yonger Marius hee triumphed ouer Mithridates with great glory In the latter yeeres of Silla young Pompey afterwarde surnamed the great for his prowesse courage was much honored of Silla
ciuil warres betwene themselues as betwene Marius and Silla in the first warres betwene Pompey Caesar in the second warres and betweene Mar. Antonius and Octauius Augustus in the third warrs to the ouerthrow welnigh of the whole Romane empire For histories do report that in these three ciuil warres before mentioned died more Senators Consuls magistrats noblemen and gentlemen then in the three great Affricane warres the first by Hamilcar which endured 22. yeeres most cruell the second by Hanibal which endured 17. yeeres most terrible warres the thirde and last by Asdrubal which continued foure yeeres all which annoyed not Rome so much as did these three ciuil warres But let vs returne to the happie raigne of Augustus called the Prince of peace the father of the countrey and Emperor of Rome whose happie gouernment made vnhappie Rome happie and raised vp Rome from the ground vp to the heauens To this good Emperour the Persians and the Parthians sent ambassadors with presents to this the Scythians the Indians and the Garramants people that neuer heard before any speach of the Romanes sent both Legats and presents What shal be spoken more of this Emperour In his dayes in the two and fourtieth yere of this Emperours raigne the Emperour of all Emperours and King of all kings was in Bethleem a towne of Iurie borne of the Virgine Mary the onely begotten Sonne of God and the onely Sauiour of the worlde This is the true Messias sent from Heauen to earth to satisfie the wrath of his father This was the Lambe of God which tooke away the sinnes of the world And therefore Augustus was the happier for that in his time IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of God was borne as the Prophetes had before spoken Now after that this good Emperour had liued eightie sixe yeeres whose honour and loue was such in the whole world that townes were builded and named after the name of Caesar one by king Iuba in Mauritania another by Hero in Palestina and many kings left their owne kingdomes came to Rome to do seruice to Augustus He raigned fiftie and sixe yeres Emperour he died at Atella a towne of Campania was brought to be buried at Rome and was canonized after his death as a god Augustus had three things in Rome graunted the first to be Consul of Rome before he was twentie yeeres olde the second he was freed from any decree or law of the Senators and the thirde hee had his image on horsebacke set vp in the market place which was granted to none but to Silla and Caesar In this Emperours time flourished in Rome many notable learned men whose names are here subscribed Virgil this time flourished Horace also and Tibullus Propertius and Vitrimius Titus Liuius and Ouid. Valerius Maximus And Strabo When Augustus died there was peace ouer the whole world for the Sonne of God was then borne the king of all peace whose fame by miracles filled all the earth At what time raigned Tetrarche in Iudea Archelaus the sonne of that Herode who slewe so many infants thinking thereby to kill the Sonne of God and therefore spared not his owne sonnes Aristobulus and Alexandeer I haue spoken of this more in the historie of the Church In the time of this Emperour Augustus the kingdome of Fraunce beganne to be so named after the name of one Francus the sonne of Antharius king of Sicambria This Francus after that his father died made a decree that Sicambria should be called Francia after his owne name of whom I shal speake in the historie of Fraunce And now I will returne to Tiberius Caesar who was Liuia Augustus wiues sonne and Augustus sonne by adoption the successour of Augustus and the thirde Emperour of Rome of whom we reade that he was very eloquent and well learned but a great dissembler who gouerned the Empire with auarice crueltie lust and cowardlinesse for he waged battell no where himself in person but by his deputies and lieutenants He beganne his Empire in the 768. yere after the building of Rome and in the 15. yeere after Christ was borne at what time Sextus Pompeius was Consul in Rome This Tiberius had some warres with the Germanes which were before subdued by Augustus but nowe againe rebelled and brought to subiection by this Emperor Tiberius Of these warres reade Cornelius Tacitus Hee had warres before in Illyria in the time of his father in lawe Augustus ouer whom hee triumphed In the last yeere of Tiberius Nero was Domitius borne Tiberius was certified by Pilate from Hierusalem where hee gouerned vnder the Romanes of the miracles of Christ of his fame and of his life and doings Pilats letters were shewed to the Senators and Pilate was blamed and reprooued for that he suffered that IESVS to do any miracles without the consent of the Senators for Pilate put vp the Image of Tiberius in the temple at Ierusalem But in the latter ende of his raigne hee fell to great negligence of gouernment he gaue himselfe to be idle and thereby became vntemperate with inordinate lust in so much that hee was flouted and scoffed and called Biberius Mero in stead of Tiberius Nero and after he had raigned twentie and three yeeres he died in Campania as is supposed by the meanes of Caligula who succeeded him in the Empire This Caligula was sonne to Germanicus a lewde Emperour and a wicked who farre exceeded Tiberius in crueltie and in horrible life he commaunded his Images to be put vp euery where and altars to be consecrated to him and caused his Images to haue diuine honours and hee sent to Iudea and commaunded that his Image should bee set in the temple boasting of his filthie life and gouernment naming himselfe Iupiter for his incestuous life and naming him Bacchus for his drunkennesse Hee had carââ¦all copulation with all his three sisters and with his daughter whom hee begate vpon one of his sisters he defiled noble women and chaste matrones and gaue them after to others to be defiled hee was called the beast of Rome who after hee had raigned foure yeeres vsing great crueltie auarice filthie lust and horrible incest he was slaine in his Pallace by his owne souldiers as Iosephus writeth in his nineteenth booke His birth his life and his death is set foorth at large by Suetonius who also wrote of all the liues of all the Emperours most amplie omitting nothing that belonged to the Romane historie during the time of the Emperours What were done in other countreys since the death of that good Emperour Augustus what wickednesse ensued in Rome by his successours Claudius Tiberius and Caius Caligula Tacitus Suetonius Liuie and other writers haue written very largely In the time of Tiberius Nero within two yeeres of Augustus death happened such an earthquake in the night time that twelue great cities in Asia fell prostrate to the ground at what
Basilides and Menander the successor of Simon Magus of whom in Ecclesiasticall historie you may reade more The fault of this Adrian was that hee enuied the glory of Traianus and was most ambitious of honor and fame otherwise he aduauntaged the common weale of Rome more then any for as I saide he was called the father of the Countrie and his wife Sabina was also called Augusta hee ordeyned lawes to the Athenians which hee himselfe pickt out of Draco and of Solons lawes hee in person traueiled all the Empire of Rome hee builded a faire Temple vnto Venus hee was very circumspect about the treasurie and when hee had reigned twentie two yeeres hee died in most miserable paines in Campania about the age of threescore offering himselfe to bee slaine to any of his deare friendes These were the chiefe men in Rome when Adrianus reigned Amilius Aelianus Lucius Verus Acilius Auiola Cornelius Pasna C. Bellicius Torquatus Catilius Seuerus Titus Aurelius Fuluius which succeeded Adri anus in the Empire Titus Appronianus Quintus Agulinus Salinator and Rusticus Att. Titianus M. Acilius Glabriotus Auius Libo Iuuentius Celsus and Neratius Marcellinus Lenas Pontianus Antoninus Ruffinus Sergius Seruianus Seruilius Hasta and Valerius Messala With many other great men which then gouerned as officers and magistrates in Rome when Adrianus raigned in whose time such earthquakes fel that Nicopolis and Caesarea 2. great townes in Palestina fell to the very grounde in the one and in the other earthquake in Macedonia a great city and the most part of Nycena lay prostrate on the ground which was rebuilded by Adrianus This time reuolted the Brytanes from the Romanes but were by Trebelius as Spartianus writeth mitigated and brought againe to subiection Titus Aurelius Fuluius succeeded Adrianus in the Empire by adoption This was also called Antoninus Pius for the great pitie and gentlenesse which he vsed towardes all men A good Emperour compared of writers to that religious king Numa Pompilius in like sort as Traianus was likened to Romulus he was beloued as a father and feared as a king He was borne in Gallia Transalpina in a citie named Nemesa which in the time of Iulius Caesar was established a Colonie of Rome The Indians Hircanians and Bactrians sent Embassadours with giftes and presents to honour him He was wont to say that he had rather saue one friende then destroy a thousand enemies The people woulde often call him by these names Lord King Emperour Iudge Patrone and father he endeuoured himselfe rather to defend then to amplifie and the Empire he assigned to the most honest men the graue the learned and the iust men to haue offices and to beare rule in the citie he aduanced good men and detested euill men and vsed no rigour nor crueltie to them Kings and captaines in his time laide aside their warres and would bring their controuersies and quarels to be decided by the Emperour Antoninus Pius he was so iust and so pitifull in all causes towards all men that therein he farre excelled all the Emperours he much honoured learned men and had in his dayes many of them in his Court with him In his time was Alexander Seuerus borne which after was Emperour of Rome During the time of his whole gouernment which was 23. yeeres and 3. moneths there was neither warres nor quarels in Rome In this time flourished many excellent men as these vnderwritten Galenus the mirrour of Phisitions Ptolomeus the great Astrologer Apolonius Basilides 2. great Philosophers and scholemaster to the Emperour Verus Nesomedes a Musition Taurus a Philospher of Platoes sect Arrianus a Philosopher in Nicomedia Maximus surnamed Tyrus likewise a great Philosopher At this time the Iewes beganne to fall into a furie to kill both the Greekes and the Romanes and to practise much tyrannie both in Egypt and Alexandria and in Palestina at what time gouerned Tinius Rufus in Iudea vnder the Romanes but they were soone pacified and quieted CHAP. IX Of the good Emperour Ma. Antoninus surnamed the Philosopher and of his sonne Comodus of the difference in their gouernment of the loue which the father had in Rome and of the hatred and contempt which the sonne had of the murther and slaughter of diuers Emperours from M. Antoninus the 17. Emperour vntil the time of Dioclesian the 38. Emperour AFter Titus Antoninus succeeded Marcus Antoninus Verus in the Empire a man of rare vertues borne of a great stocke for his descent was by the fathers side from Numa Pompilius and by his mothers side from king Salentinus This Emperor was a very learned man and he raigned ioyntly with Lucius Antoninus for in his dayes the Romanes began to haue two Emperours of equall authoritie to gouerne the common weale These two were as Eutropius saith brethren and they waged battell against the Parthians which neuer rebelled from Traianus time by whom they were conquered vntill Marcus Antoninus time But they also conquered the Parthians rounde and brought a triumph and did solemnize the same with his brother This Verus Antoninus atchieued sundrie victories he wan Seleucia a famous citie of Assyria by meanes of these noble captains Statius Priscus which subdued Armenia that then rebelled and Auidius Cassius which likewise kept Media and Babylon in subiection But as this Lucius departed from the citie Concordia he died of an issue of blood after whome againe Marcus Antoninus gouerned as Emperour more to be maruei led at for his rare vertues then to be commended for his singuler learning This professed not in outwarde shew to be a Philosopher but in liuing He was had in such admiration euen from his infancie for his graue behauiour and sober life that Adrianus purposed then he being but a childe to leaue him as his successor In philosophie he was instructed by Apollonius a Chalcedonian Philosopher and he was brought vp in the Greeke tongue by Sextus Cherronesus nephewe to Plutarch the Emperour in the Latine tongue he was brought vp with Frontus a very great Orator so that Marcus Antoninus excelled all other Emperours in all kinde of knowledge he was exceeding liberall as at his warres which he had against the Marcomenes where the Vandales the Sarmatians and al Barbarie were ready to mainteine warres against the Romanes were seene for he made open sale of his plate he solde all his apparell and solde diuers iewels and ornaments of precious stones he solde all his substance to auoyde the exactions of his subiects But the victorie which then he obtained repayed all his debtes and brought againe his plate his iewels and all other his substance home for it is written that these warres continued three yeeres and were the most terrible warres and equall to the warres of Carthage And when he had reduced Rome to a most fortunate state and had raigned to the contentation of all men 18. yeeres and had liued 61. yeeres
predecessours in so much that hee was compared vnto Cyrus king of Persia for his valure vnto Alexander the great for his victories and conquests who visited in like maner as Alexander did India Aethiopia Scythia and other farre kingdomes from Rome and hauing stayed persecution in most places hee comforted the Christians so that the Gospel beganne to florish among the Barbarous people in Armenta and in Persia. Hee reedified great and chiefe Cities as Nicomedia in Bythinia and also Bizantium in Thracia and made it equall to Rome in all points and named it after his ownename Constantinople for there was nothing in Rome but this Emperour builded the like in Constantinople in so much that it was called newe Rome the onely Citie of fame and renow me in all the East countries To this Towne many of the best learned men both Greekes and Iewes haue come and dwelt there here nowe religion florished Christians reioyced and all learned men of the world frequented Againe Constantine caused a temple to be made by the oke of Mambre this is nowe Terebinthus a place from Hebron distant fifteene furlongs and from Ierusalem 250. furlongs To this place the Phoenicians and the Arabians were wont once euery yere to come to traffique and to marchandize with the Iewes they kept a solemne feast in memorie of Abraham the Patriarch and offered in sacrifice after the lawe of Moses eyther an oxe or a goate or else a sheepe or a Cocke Euery nation honoured this place the Iewes in memorie of Abraham the Gentiles in memorie of the Angels that there appeared vnto Abraham the Christians in memorie of CHRIST IESVS the Sonne of GOD being there then the thirde Angel seene of Abraham before hee tooke flesh of the Virgine Marie well nigh two thousand yeeres This place also Constantine adorned and beautified with many monuments It were long to rehearse the goodnesse of this Emperour and to repeate his care and doings in all partes of the worlde for the Church hee caused a Synod at this time to beehad at Nice in Bythinia where were gathered together three hundred and eighteene Byshops in the which the heresie of Arrius was condemned At what time Athanasius was appointed Byshop of Alexandria to succeede Alexander who deposed Arrius The Arrians persecuted this Athanasius so that hee was forced to flee for succour to the Emperour Constantine This time succeeded in Antioch after Tiranus the nineteenth byshop Vitalis the twentieth after him Philogonus the twentie one after him Paulinus after him Eustachius whose place after hee was banished for the Gospel the Arrians occupied In Rome Marcus the seconde of that name was Byshop after whom succeeded Iulius the third In his dayes the Armenians and the Indians receiued Christianitie yet in Persia vnder king Sapores the Christians were sore persecuted the Magi of Persia perswaded Sapores the king to punish Simeon the Archbishop of Seleucia for that he was a friende to the Romanes By this meanes great persecution beganne in Persia against the Archbyshop Simeon and Vstazanes an olde man and likewise the kings tutour for that they would worship not the sunne after the manner of the Persians Likewise Pusices a noble man of the Court of Sapor with his daughter a faire virgine did suffer torments for the trueth Anania and Azadis the Kings eunuches and Tarbula the sister of Simeon in like sort suffered violent death and on that very day the Iewes by the commandement of Magi being by the king licenced brought an hundred Christians some of them were Byshops some Elders and some of other orders of the Church which for that they would not worship the sunne wereslaine with the sword It is written in Eusebius in the Ecclesiasticall histories of Her Zozamenis that two hundred and fiftie Byshops were put to the sworde by commaundement of Sapores the king for their constancie and faith in CHRIST IESVS whose names though not all yet some as I founde in the historie I set downe which are these 1 Barbasymes 2 Paulus 3 Gaddiabes 4 Sabinus 5 Mareas 6 Mocius 7 Manfriandes 8 Hormisdas 9 Papas 10 Iacobus 11 Romas 12 Maares 13 Agas 14 Bochres 15 Abdas 16 Abdiesus 17 Dausas 18 Abranims 19 Agdelas 20 Sabores 21 Issaac and 22 Dausas These were taken captiue and brought before the Magistrates and for not worshipping the Sunne according to the Persians maners the king commaunded that they should be put to the sword To this king Sapores Constantinus the Emperour wrote in fauour of the Christians which Epistle is extant in Eusebius in the life of Constantine Thus much I thought good to set downe among other wickednesses and tyrannies that reigned among the Romane Emperours Hee that will see more of persecution and heresies let him reade Eusebius Nicephorus and others and hee shall satisfie himselfe therein I thought it fitte to annexe thus much of persecution to the Romane Emperours and to Popes as to the authours of all persecutions in all Countries OF THE ANTIQVITIE OF Spaine and of the originall of their kings and of their contiuuance from Tubal vnto Hispanus During which time they were called by diuers seuerall names as Caetubales Hiberi Celtiberi and Hesperij of which I shall briefly speake in their places I Haue almost placed and followed all Iaphets sonnes and nowe I come to Hispaine where Tubal tooke possession which name is interpreted to be Hispaine by Iosephus I will bee as short as I can for that I would faine come to England and yet France is vpon my way where I must of necessitie stay a little to speake of them very briefly Spaine was deuided in olde time but into 3. Prouinces into Lusitania which is now called Portingale into Tarraconenses where the two Scipios builded a citie and named it Tarracon after the name of the Prouince and into Baetica which is so called by the riuer Baetis This Prouince is now named Andolasia or Granado The Romanes at what time they were lords of Spaine made no other diuision but high and low Hispaine by the name of superior inferior Hispania After it was deuided into sixe Prouinces in this sort named as foloweth 1 The first Prouince called Terracon 2 Called the Prouince of Carthage 3 Lusitania which is Portingale 4 Gallacia 5 Baetica which is Andolisia or Granado 6 Called Tingitana a Prouince being within Affrica Of these 6. Prouinces 2. of them are called Consulares prouinciae which is Betica Lusitania the other 4. called Presidiales Spaine is cut from Fraunce Eastward by the mountaine Pyrenaeus which doeth extend it selfe from the South vnto the North along betwene France and Spaine On the West Spaine hath the ocean sea and on the South the middle land sea This countrey is very barren in some places specially from Hercules pillars to the mountaine Pyrenaeus in other places it aboundeth in all kinde of good things for wines oliues yron
after a while hee returned and got his kingdome and forced Cacus to flie into Italie beeyng nowe agayne in his kingdome placed hee founde the vse of yrons and taught first the Spaniardes to make diuers kindes of weapons I finde in Manethon that Palatinus raigned eighteene yeeres in the first time before he was forced by Cacus to flie into Italie and after hee wanne his kingdome agayne after that Cacus had raigned sixe and thirtie yeeres in Spayne hee gouerned Spayne sixe yeeres This Cacus was supposed of the auncient Spaniardes to bee the sonne of Vulcan for that hee taught to make weapons for to fight in the fielde and founde the vse of yron This Cacus was borne in Celtiberia a part of Spayne two and fourtie yeeres before Hercules was borne as Manethon affirmeth hee gouerned Spayne 222. yeeres after the going of Israel out of Egypt At what time raigned in Egypt Romascs the second Larthes 22 Nowe reigned Dedalus of whom the Poets fayned that he with his sonne Icarus fledde with winges for Greece into Creete for the passing celeritie of his sayle This time Abimelech gouerned Israel who slue his seuentie brethren and was slaine himselfe after in the thirde yeere of his reigne by a woman at Thebes Aegeus King Pandeons sonne and father to Theseus reigned in Athens this time 23 Erithrus the 23. king of Spaine succeeded Palatuus and Cacies hee reigned king in Spayne 66. yeeres During which time Iair iudged Israel and after Iair Ieptha Mytreus the 27. king of the Assyrians raigned in Niniue In the eleuenth yeere of this Erithrus reigne came Euander out of Arcadia into Italie to whome Faunus the gouernour and ruler of this scattered people that dwelt about Rome called Aborigines which yet had certaine dwellinges gaue a fielde and a little hill afterwarde called Mons Auentinus where Hercules slue Cacus at what time Hercules came from Spayne into Italie before Aeneas comming 55. yeeres Theseus gouerned Athens after hee had subdued the monster Minotaurus and conquered Creete This Erithrus reigned in Spayne vntill the verie yeere that Troy was by the Greekes destroyed 24 After him succeeded Gargorus Mellicola the 24. and last king of Spayne who reigned 75. yeeres vntill the first yeere of Aeneas Syluius the fourth king of the Latins at what time the Lacedemonians and the Corinthians beganne to set vp their kingdomes for as the Troianes the Peloponesians and the Spaniardes ended their kingdomes so they at that instant beganne to flourish in their newe kingdomes for the Peloponesians after they had had sixe and twentie kings they were gouerned by Priestes called Carin The Troianes also were ouerthrowen after sixe kinges reigne and their Countrey destroyed with sworde and fire so that the remnaunt were scattered to seeke newe kingdomes and other countreyes some to Greece some to Italie and some to other places and the Spaniardes euen so after 24. Kings their kingdome was turned into prouinces and other particular gouernements Thus Spaine after it reigned vnder kings for the space of 988. yeeres is nowe become into prouinces gouerned by seuerall magistrates during which time of 988. yeres which their kings raigned yet were they not herd of in any part of the East countreys their fame grewe no further then to the Confines of Italie and to the furthest precinct of Spaine Ephorus an ancient writer affirmeth that all Spaine was taken to be but a citie named Iberia of all the East countries and I can easily beleeue it for the Romanes during the time of their seuen kings were no where spokeÌ of but within Italie not so much as the Grecians their next neighbours made any mencion of them neither Thucidides nor Herodot late writers neuer thought of them in all their histories specially Herodot who wrote generally of all Asia In like maner the Grecians were not knowen vnto the Persians before Xerxes time for so Strabo affirmeth saying nec Graeci Persas nec Persae Graecos nouerunt nisi perparum quantum fama percepissent What fragments Manethon and others found of the antiquitie of Spaine and of their first gouernement of their kings I haue briefly noted but the time onely omitting other things of those dayes as meere fables and trifles not worth the writing CHAP. III. From the dissolution and change of the kingdome of Hispaine into Prouinces and Dominions vntill they were subdued by the Carthagineans and Africans vnder whom they were subiects vntill Scipio Africanus time at what time both Africa Carthage and Hispaine were made tributaries vnto the Romanes NOwe after the kings of Spaine had finished their kingdomes and the countrey was changed into particular prouinces and seuerall dominions which so continued vntill Spaine was subdued by the Carthagineans vnder whom they liued vntill Afrike and Carthage were conquered by the Romanes While Spaine was quietly gouerned by their kings their wisemen called Turdetani wrote their chronicles their lawes and the antiquities of their Countrey in ancient Poemes of 600. yeeres olde as they write These Turdetani were so honoured of the olde Spaniardes as Magi were of the Chaldeans Gymnosophistae Of the Indians the Druydes of the olde Gaules after called French men and as the Priestes of Isis and Serapis were esteemed in Egypt for at that time they were led by oracles as the other countreys were The Spaniardes vsed to consult with the oracles of Mnestheus not farre from the high towre of Capio which was for that purpose builded as the towre of Pharaoh was in Egypt to giue light to the Mariners vpon the Sea in winters darke nights Many good things were in Spaine in the time of their first kings which were not found afterwards vntil the Romans came for when the Romanes became lordes of Afrike and of Spaine which was the first conquest that euer the Romanes had out of Italie and the onely hardest and most dangerous victorie almost to the ruine and confusion of the Romanes as at the battell of Trebeia of Cannes of Thrasimene and of other bloodie battels seene and proued when I say they subdued Spaine they founde the countrey so fertile and so rich that both land and water yeelded plentie of all things for the Romanes found mines within twentie furlongs of new Carthage and the mines were of circuite round about foure hundred furlongs where the Romanes kept foure centurions to worke and to digge for siluer they wrought so that it was worth to the Romanes day by day fiue and twentie thousand Drachmes The Romanes were so flesht with the conquest of Africa and Spaine that they left no hill vndigged no riuer vnsounded no place vnsought insomuch that Pluto had much to doe to escape the auarice of the Romanes So Hanibal seemed to iudge of them when hee answered Antiochus the great when he shewed Hanibal the abundance of his wealth and his infinite treasures this sayeth Hanibal will please the Romanes but not suffice the Romanes But I
from the very building of Rome vntill the ouerthrowe of their Empire about 1200. yeeres there was no stirring in these countreys that I named last for the name of Germanie where now the Empire lieth was not heard of in Rome before Augustus time to any purpose for during the time of their Consuls which was the second and the thirde age of Rome called Adolescentia iuuentus Romana they had conquered subdued all kingdomes and countreys and had made them Prouinces vnder the Romanes Now Spaine being brought vnder by the Vandoles vnder whom Spaine was gouerned 95. yeeres and after by the Gothes who possessed that part of Hispaine which Gunthericus king of the Vandales had first subdued being remoued thence further to Affrike the Gothes inhabited that countrey of Spaine which the Vandols left and were lords of Hispaine for two hundreth and odde yeres vntill the coÌming of the Saracens who againe vanquished the Gothes and kept Hispaine vnder them after they had ouerthrowen the Gothes 800. yeeres And within short space Ricardus king of Vestgothes called a Sinode of 62. bishops into Tolleto the chiefe citie of Spaine where he caused the heresie of Arrius to be condemned Then in Hispaine after the Romans was Luyba chosen who raigned three yeres king of Spaine after whom within 3. yeres his brother Leogildus succeeded and subdued certaine cities of Spaine that rebelled after Luyba his death After him this Ricardus who beganne to set his seate more firmely in Spaine and to cal a Synode of bishops and to plant religion he brought all Spaine into a Monarchie vnder him but that Monarchie continued not long for the Saracens inuaded Spaine and brought them vnder their gouernment and had driuen those Christians that liued vnder the Gothes into Astura where they made a king to themselues named Pelagius not vsing the title of the Gothes but the title of Astura The multitude of the Saracens was such that they inuaded all partes of Spaine and possessed the best places in Spaine and dwelt there successiuely during the time of fifteene kings of the Saracens which gouerned Hispaine but the fifteene kings continued but 20. yeeres but this happened by the meanes of warres but after they continued lordes of Hispaine for 800. yeeres as you heard before This is the fift subiection that Spaine was brought into 1 The first time they were subdued by the Carthagineans 2 The second time by the Romanes 3 The thirde time by the Vandoles 4 The fourth time by the Gothes 5 And now the fift time by the Saracens These Saracens placed themselues in the best places of Spaine in the time that Rodericus the last king of the Vestgothes raigned at what time raigned in France Theodoricus sirnamed Cala and Leo the thirde of that name sirnamed Isaurus was Emperour of Greece and had his Court at Constantinople The Saracens were gouerned at their first arriuall in Spaine vnder one named Muza The Christian princes being sore afrighted with many sudden inuasions of such a multitude of infidels in diuers places of Christendome and specially in Spaine which they wholie possest they leauied their armies and gathered their forces and gaue them diuers ouerthrowes This time came out of Spaine into Fraunce 400000. Saracens with their wiues and children being enticed thither by the duke of Vastonia but the slaughter of them was such that their king also Abdimarus was slaine among them by Carolus Martellus anoble valiant prince of Fraunce and the remnant that were vnkilled of the Saracens fled and were by Humildus and Vaifarus ledde into Aquitania spoyled with sworde and fire all that Countrey of Fraunce but still were ouerthrowen by Martellus Againe the thirde time the Saracens inuaded Fraunce and tooke by treason Auenio but Martellus pursued them and assaulted the towne and subdued it at what time many of the Saracens were slaine and their king Athinus escaped by flight to Narbon yet Amoreus another king of the Saracens was slaine at that time by Carolus at Illiberis who persecuted them from place to place so that he ouerthrew and slewe them like sheepe and burned their townes How be it the Saracens still so encreased that the most part of Europe was in great danger of them After that Carolus Martellus had played his part with the Saracens Carolus sirnamed the Great beganne to warre vpon them tooke Augusta Pampile and many other townes and strong holdes from the possessions of the Saracens for at this time raigned king ouer the Saracens in Spaine Aygolandus with whome Charles the great had many sharpe battels for the Saracens had wasted and spoyled Sardinia and Corsica against whome Lewes sirnamed the Godly sonne to Charles the great leauied an armie and passed to Spaine besieged Dercosa but in vaine the furie and strength of the Saracens was then such that Charles the great being both Emperour and king was constrained to conclude peace for a time with the Saracens at which time Abumalach raigned king in Spaine ouer the Saracens With this king the league was made during which league Charles died All this time that Carolus Martellus and Charles the great were in warres with the Saracens after that Pelagius had raigned twentie yeeres king of Astura or of Legio for so hee willed himselfe and his posteritie to bee called quite renouncing the title of the Gothes who had raigned kings in Spaine before the comming of the Saracens after him succeeded Phasilla his sonne the seconde king of Astura this was torne in pieces of a beare as he was a hunting of wilde beasts after he had raigned two yeeres Alphonsus sirnamed Catholike succeeded in Astura the third king and raigned 19. yeeres After Alphonsus succeeded his sonne Phroilla the 4. king of Astura and raigned twelue yeeres at what time he was slaine by his brother Aurelius who raigned sixe yeeres after his brother by vsurpation and he made his heire and resigned the kingdome to Veramundus which was his brothers sonne whome hee slew for that Veramundus should not bewray the murther of his father But Veramundus mist the kingdome for his conspiracie and wicked silence Sillo raigned king who had married Aurelius sister named Egmund vntill Maruegatus a bastarde sonne of AlphoÌsus the Catholike by the ayd of the Mauritanes got the kingdome to whom he payed for tribute certaine nomber of Virgins yeerely during the life of Maruegatus but he died within three yeeres and that custome was disanulled Then Veramundus the sonne of Bilmarus which was sonne to Alphonsus the Catholike succeeded and raigned two yeeres and then resigned the kingdome to Alphonsus the sonne of Phroilla and became a religious man This Alphonsus was sirnamed the Chaste and raigned 36. yeres he ouerthrew and subdued the Saracens that possessed Lusitania and tooke their chiefe citie then called Olisiponis now called Lysborne Reade Aemil. lib. 2. This Alphonsus
diuers names and of succession of their kinges Leauing Gomer the eldest sonne of Iaphet with his posterities among them by the name of Cimbri Sicambrians and others I wil speak briefly of their first arriuall froÌ Scythia of their comming to Germany of their first habitations about the riuer of Rhene and of their continual warres victories in enlarging the territories of their first possession which was but little by many sharpe battels continuall long warres at home and brought all Gallia subiect vnder them which now is the onely flourishing kingdome of the worlde that earst contained many nations by the name of Gallia Cisaphina Transalpina Belgica as now Germania doth is situated betweene the riuer of Rhene the mountains Pyrenaei a fertile a rich couÌtrey replenished with plenty of al things wel watred with riuers fountains Solinus writeth that out of Gallia you may trauel to any part of the world the most part of this countrey is nowe called Fraunce of whose description situation other commendations due to that soile of the length bredth and maners of Frenchmen Reade Srabo Pomporius Mela and Solinus As for the originall antiquitie of the people I reade that they are little beholden to them selues either in finding out their antiquities or recording of the same but such fables as their parents yeelded from time to time as the Egyptians did and others which for want of true Histories fill their bookes with fables And for that they were first strangers and foreiners in Gallia comming from Scythia into Germanie where their king named Marcomirus with the most part of his armie was slaine by the Gothes Marcomirus his ââ¦onne gouerning the rest of the Scythian armie brought his people to the confines of Germanie ad ostia Rheni seeking out voyde places to inhabite to whome in the seuenth yeere of his raigne came 489. thousande moe Scythians and there Marcomirus sonne began a new kingdome possessed many places by force about Rhene and they were called of the Germanes Neumagi at their first dwelling after they were called Sicambri and lastly they were called Franci The Frenchmen were in their first comming to Gallia so tossed and so afflicted for want of dwellings their nomber and multitude was such that of necessitie they were forced to seeke seates to dwell in by the sworde and wonne diuers places about the riuer of Rhene possessed many fertill places in Germanie about Hercinia for Iulius Caesar in his Historie of Fraunce saith Fuit tempus c. There was a time that the Gauls which afterward were called Frenchmen did vanquish the Germanes in warre and for the multitude of their armie wanting places to inhabite they in spite of the Germanes possessed about the riuer of Rhene other places about Witenberge and Boemia And so Liuy affirmeth that the people named then Celtae which are Frenchmen nowe were scattered ouer all Europe and dwelt in Panonia before the Romanes had any being there And so Iustine seemeth to affirme when he had said that 300000 Galatae sought new countries to dwell in naming them Gens aspera bellicosa and the first nation after Hercules that ledde an armie ouer the Alpes at what time they went to Illirica and from thence to Panonia where likewise Appianus doth verifie their comming when Camillus had driuen them and their captaine Brennus from Rome Herodot also doth remember these Scythians how they came to dwell among the Cymbrians and howe their nomber increased It is euident in Polibius Strabo and in Appianus that the inhabitants about Rheni and other places of Germanie called Boios Brenici Tenani and Senoues were Frenchmen but for that nothing is certaine before Augustus time in Germanie as Strabo saith who liued in Augustus time but controuersies are such about the antiquitie which in truth is very ancient and about their names which are many and diuers as Neumagi Marcomanni Franci Salii Cimbri Celtae Galli before they were called FrenchmeÌ that it would be both tedious vnpleasant and also vncertaine for the variety of opinions Leauing therfore the dissension of these writers and the vncertaintie of kingdomes beginning I will briefly speake of Marcomirus the first king of the Frenchmen named yet Neumagi in whose time the countrey of Gallia was sore afflicted for Marcomirus made sharpe warres and died after he had reigned eight and twentie yeres After whom succeeded his sonne Antenor who hauing maried a wife learned and a modest Queene borne in Britaine named Cambra daughter to Bellinus the great after whose name they were called Sicambri which coÌtinued vntill Francus time which was the sixtenth king after this Queene Cambra her husband Antenor who reigned in the 91. olympiade at what time the Egyptians reuolted from the Persians in the time of Darius Nothus the sixt king of Persia they were called Sicambri for Galli at that time were not called French but Gaules Of these Pau. Aemylius taketh no notice neither doth Arnoldus Ferronus make any mention two of the chiefe Frnech writers neither the French chronicles but Tritemius is recited by Functius who setteth down what Tritemius thought of the originall of the Frenchmen yet Aemylius affirmeth in that the antiquitie of the Frenchmem is from the Troians At what time Aeneas came from Ilion to Laurentum after the destruction of the Citie one Francus a Captaine of some nomber of Troians came with his companie ad paludem Meotim after whose name they were named Frenchmen but let Tritemius and Paul Aemylius dispute of that matter I will set downe the names of the kings from Marcomirus vntill Francus I will briefly runne ouer the Historie for at the first arriuall ouer of these Scythians into Germanie they inuaded many places and grewe so strong in so many places that they possessed many Cities Townes and Castles that for the space of foure hundred yeeres and more during which time reigned sixteene kings ouer the Sicambrians they had continuall warres one after another vntill Francus time and from Francus againe vntill Faramundus time another foure hundred yeeres and more still in warres of whom Tritemius writeth seuerally and obserueth the like order in his historie of the Kings of France as Suetonius doth for the Emperours of Rome Marcomirus waxed so great that the Romanes had much a doe in his time not onely to keepe those holds which they had but also were constrained to answere these fellowes in Italie for the Sycambrians were so fleshed with diuers victories which they had ouer the Gauls and ouer the Germanes that they were determined to stay no where before they had first destroyed Rome and sacked all Italie The Romanes had thought to see the hardinesse strength of these people to curbe them but perceiuing the multitude to bee such as terrified all Europe and doubting that they should haue the like warres
and Lu. Papirius Cursor triumphed ouer the Samnites at what time he was Dictator in Rome after whome Quintuâ⦠Fabius being Dictator ouerthrewe the Samnites in a great battell Tritemius writeth that the Gothes commenced warre this time against the Saxons wasted and spoyled manie townes in the confines of the Saxons for at that time fiue kinges ioyned in a league of amitie with the Saxons and gaue a great ouerthrow to the Gothes to the number of a 100000. Gothes After this victorie Diocles was all the dayes of his life in fighting and wasting of Gallia and did much harme vnto them and when he had raigned 39. yeres died after whoÌ succeeded his eldest sonne named Helenus the 2. of that name and the 6. king of Sicambria who was neither beloued of his people nor profitable to the kingdome for he was foolish in time of peace and peeuish in warre and therfore he was remoued from his kingdome for that he was not found sufficient to gouerne and his younger brother Bassanus was crowned king in Sicambria a man of great stoutnesse wisedome and iustice in so much hee spared neither friend kinne brother or sonne that violated his lawes wheresoeuer he would trauell he commanded two things to be caried before him the booke of the lawe and the sworde of punishment Tritemius writeth this historie of Bassanus that hee had a sonne named Sedanus who committed adulterie against the law was of his own father thus punished although his nobles and great men made much meanes to the king for his life yet Bassanus executed the lawe saying to his noble men in this sorte I haue made a lawe with your consent and to your contentation will you bee against your selues and against me in perââ¦urming of the same and turning his speech to his sonne he said My sonne I doe not kill thee but the lawes of the countrey which thou hast willingly violated and therewithall tooke him by the haires of his head with his owne hand beheaded him So iust a king was this Bassanus so seuere to wicked men so gentle to good men and so well esteemed of his people that as Amerodacus a Philosopher of their owne nation sayeth he was Appetentissimus diuinitatis Reade more of this king in Tritemius he raigned sixe thirtie yeeres and builded in memorie of his victory had ouer Taborinus king of the Tegurans a strong castle and named it Montabur While this Bassanus flourished in Sicambria Demetrius the sonne of Antigonus gouerned in Macedonia Lysimachus in Thracia and Philadelphus in Egypt at what time the Hebrew Bible was translated from Hebrew into Greek by the means of Philadelphus In the time of king Bassanus began the first warre betweene the Romanes and the Affricanes Zeno the Stoike Philosopher died this time and Eustratus the phisition flourished Nowe when Bassanus died his countreymen can onized him amongst the number of the gods and did of long time worshippe him after his death calling him Basangor after whom followed his owne sonne named Clodomirus raigned 18. yeeres in whose daies the feastes called Floralia were celebrated in Rome at what time the Romanes had peace with the Affricanes but were occupied in Bello Lygustico The Parthians which before were obscure and base people banished out of their countrey began to stablish a new kingdome and became so stroÌg that their kings were named Arsaces a name of dignitie as the Egyptians by their Pharoes and the Romanes by Caesars I see I shoulde bee long to speake seuerally of the rest of the kinges of Sicambria which are yet nine to write of therefore I will onely lay downe the names of these kinges from Marcomirus the first king of the Sicambrians vntil Francus the last king to auoyd tediousnes 1 Marcomirus the first king raigned 28. yeeres he made the first warres in Fraunce subdued vnto the riuer of Mosa 2 Antenor who maried Cambria the Brittaine Belinus daughter raigned 27. yeeres 3 Priamus the sonne of Antenor by Cambria raigned 27. yeere in this Kinges raigne the Sicambrians began to vse the Saxons tongue 4 Helenus the fourth king raigned 19. yeeres 5 Diocles the sonne of Helenus reigned 39. this king liued in the time of Alexander the great 6 Helenus the seconde of that name and the sonne of Diocles raigned 14. yeeres this king was abstracted and therefore he was forced to forsake his kingdome 7 Basanus the brother of Helenus reigned 36. yeeres at what time Philadelphus raigned in Egypt and Antiochus Soter in Syria This Bessanus builded a famous strong castle in memory of his victory had ouer Taborinus king of the Tegarenes and he named the castle Montabur At what time Heligastus a Priest and a Prophet amongst the Sicambrians flourished 8 Clodomirus the sonne of Basanus raigned in Sicambria 18. yeeres 9 His sonne Nicanor raigned 34. yeeres in what time the second warres of the Romanes began against the Affricanes 10 Marcomirus the second of that name and the 9. king raigned 28. yeeres 11 Clodius the tenth king of Sicambria raigned 10. yeeres 12 Antenor the eleuenth king raigned sixteene yeeres in the time of this king and his predecessor Terentius made his Comedies 13 Clodomirus the 2. of that name and the 12. king raigned 20. yeeres in whose time beganne the thirde and last warre betweene the Romanes and the Affricanes 14 Merodacus the 13. king raigned 28. yeeres this king inuaded Italie with 3000000. reade more in Plutarch of this people in the life of Marius 15 Cassander the 15. king of Sicambria raigned 21. yeeres this king ioyned with Arathius king of the Saxons and Borbista king of the Gothes entered into Germany and made a great slaughter of the Teutones 16 Antharius the sixteenth king he raigned fiue and thirty yeeres this king also played his part with the Romanes and wan Moguntia and made it euen to the grounde In whose time Iulius Caesar made his voyage to Britaine CHAP. II. From Francus the sixteenth king of Fraunce then called Sicambri vntill the time of Farabertus the 12. in number after Francus of the warres inuasions and victories of the enlargement of their kingdome from one king to another vntill Farabertus gouernement during which time they were called Franci after the name of Francus IN the yeere before the birth of Christ 245. Francus the eldest sonne of Antharius after that his father was slaine by the Gaules by the aide of the Romans succeeded in the kingdome of Sicambria became such an enemie to the Gaules that hee destroyed their townes and cities wasted their territories and spoyled the people not only the Gaules but also the Gothes and other nations insomuch that the Romanes hearing of this Francus courage and stoutnesse sent Lollius with a Romane armie who in the first battel that he gaue in Germany slue of theÌ 18. thousand Francus sent his sonne Clogio to aide his
the Frenchmen and named it Francofordia and builded another Towne hard by the riuer Suenus and named it after his owne name Sunnia which is nowe called Sunda About the twelfth yeere of Farabertus king of Fraunce reigned in Britaine Lucius the soÌne of Coilus who in the thirteenth yeere of his reigne as both Beda and Gildas affirme receiued the Christian faith from Eleutherius then twelfth byshop of Rome for Lucius king of Britaine sent to Rome for that purpose Embassadors with whom Eleutherius sent two bishops the one named Faganus the other Diuianus in the 239. Olympiad and in the 179. yeere after our Sauiour Christ. Tritemius and Hunibaldus two French writers at large doe handle the historie of Farabertus and therefore I will passe to Sunno his soÌne who succeeded him in the kingdome reigned twentie eight yeeres This king reigned in Fraunce when Lucius Septimius Seuerus held warres in Britaine for after the death of Lucius the Barons of Britaine fel to ciuil wars at what time hee caused a trench to be cast from sea to sea along the length of 22. miles as Eutropius saith but Functius affirmeth it was in length 131. miles but here Polydor criethin his chronicle and saith that this was done 200. yeres after The next king that succeeded Sunno was Heldericus his sonne of whom Tritemius writeth much and saith that the Frenchmen before his time were not so ciuil neither in behauiour nor in clothing before Heldericus time they were rude and barbarous and at that time they had no sumptuous buildings no braue dwellings being brought to ciuill order by Hildegastus a man of great fame amongst the Frenchmen In the time of this Hildericus the kingdome of Persia beganne againe vnder Artaxerxes who slue at that time Artabanus king of the Parthians and hee was the first king in Persia since the conquest of Darius Codomanus by Alexander the great which was sixe hundred yeeres In Rome this time reigned Emperour Alexander Seuerus in whose dayes the Citie of Rome florished with wise men and learned in all knowledge This Hildericus had a sonne named Batherus who reigned eighteene yeeres at what time reigned in Rome that idle and lasciuious Emperour Gallienus hee was so carelesse of his Empire that thereby oportunitie was giuen to Batherus who euer lay in watch as his predecessours did before him to annoy the Romanes and to subdue the Gaules hee I say brought an armie of souldiers into Italie being ayded by the Germanes who beganne to thirst for the Empire of Rome which dayly fell at that time to a declining state Batherus spoyled and wasted all the Countrie of Italie with sworde and fire vntill Rauenna and hauing done much harme hee returned backe to his Countrie with great spoyle who after his returne from Italie leauied an armie of Saxons and of Germanes and passed the riuers of Rhene and Mosa and entred into Gallia where hee made great slaughter of the Gaules and subdued Gallia vnto the riuer of Sequana which is called Sene and from thence to the confines of Spaine This ouerthrowe both of the Romanes and the Gaules was in the thirteenth yeere of Batherus reigne who liued after fiue yeeres and dyed After whome succeeded Clodius the eldest sonne of Batherus he reigned king ouer the Frenchmen twentie seuen yeres during which time reigned in Rome thus many Emperors Aurelianus which reigned 6. yeeres Annius Tacitus and Florianus his brother and Aurelius Probus these foure Emperours reigned in Rome while this Clodius reigned in Fraunce For in the thirde yeere of this Clodius the Romanes being mindfull of their late iniuries by Farabertus and Batherus they sent a Romane armie into Almania where Tritemius sayth that many a Romane lost his life for at that time the Frenchmen inuaded the countrie of Gallia and subdued a great part thereof and possessed the same for the space of seuen yeeres For Gallia was the onely Countrie that the Frenchmen shotte at for all this while their Territories about the riuer of Rhene and from thence to the riuer of Mosa and had some part of Gallia gotten A little before this time reigned king of the Saxons Marbodus whose two sonnes named Antharius and Luterus were in that voyage made into Gallia in the time of Batherus this Clodius father Now this king Clodius after he had reigned twentie seuen yeeres hee dyed during which time many Countries were in an vprore as Archileus in Egypt Narseus in the East part rebelled the Quingentians molested Affrike aed Caransius detained Britaine with the sworde neglecting the charge of Maximianus the Emperour and his duetie and allegiance to the Romane state fledde to Britaine to auoide the Emperours wrath where hee was slaine by his companion Alectus after he had gouerned Britaine seuen yeres with force Alectus after hee had slaine Carausius tooke vpon him the gouernment of the Britaine 's for three yeeres vntill he againe was slaine by Asclepiadotus a Romane who gouerned the Britaines tenne yeeres peaceably After this succeeded in Fraunce Gualterus he reigned eight yeres after whom succeeded Dagobertus or as Functius sayth Degenbertus who reigned 11. yeres after him reigned his soÌne Clogio two yeeres in whose time the Romanes and they of Gallia inuaded that part of Fraunce where Clogio and his auncestours did possesse and made great spoile waste of townes and people Many sharpe battels were commenced by the Romanes at what time this Clogio the 19. king of Fraunce was slaine in the field whose body being dead his owne brother Clodomirus withdrew out of the field and armed himselfe with Clogio his armour lest he might be knowen to be kild came to the field armed in all points like vnto the king his brother and was taken both of his owne souldiers and also of the Romanes Gaules to be Clogio entred into the midst of his armie encouraged them with his person maÌfully fighting as though he had bin a coÌmon souldier whereby he kindled the hearts of the Frenchmen againe that they recouered their courage and put both the Romanes and the Gaules to flight and got the second victorie by Clodomirus though they lost the first and their king Clogio and though Clogio had two sonnes the elder called Helinus of twentie yeeres of age the yonger Richimerus of eighteene yet for that it was enacted that none should be king in Fraunce vntill hee were twentie foure yeeres of age as Tritemius affirmeth This Clodomirus their vncle and brother vnto Clogio succeeded in the gouernment of Fraunce and reigned 18. yeeres during whose reigne the Switzers called Sueni and the Dorings had such hote ciuil wars betweene them that no peace by no meanes could be had of neither parts therfore the Dorings to auoide these continuall sharpe wars offeredthis large territorie couÌtrie for the which this strife grew to Clodomirus The Frenchmen
being most glad thereof accepted the offer and remooued from the riuer of Rhene where they first dwelled after they came out of Scythia vnto the number of 30000 armed men 2686. husbandmen with their wiues and children ouer whom Clodomirus appointed his brother called Genebaldus gouernour vnder the lawe and condicion that Genebaldus and his successours for euer shoulde be subiect to the kings of Fraunce paying yeerely tribute vnto Fraunce and to be readie in any seruice of warre This Countrie was called Menigauia and lyeth about the riuer Meanum and after East Fraunce which in time grewe to be one of the strongest dukedomes in all Fraunce Here Genebaldus reigned quietly 20. yeeres of this king Hunibaldus and Tritemius write at large for I finde that 20. dukes successiuely of one stocke reigned in the dukedome vntill the time of Pipinus which was 414. this is called nowe Franconia Nowe while Genebaldus ruled this part of Fraunce his brother Clodomirus died after whom succeeded his sonne Richimerus and reigned thirteene yeeres at what time Constantinus the great was Emperour of Rome Gebrich king of the Gotes and Visumoar king of the Vandales he in the fourth yeere of his reigne entred into Gallia with an armie of 200000 souldiers wasted spoyled and subdued many places in Gallia hee gaue battell to Tiberiunus the Romane lieutenant and gaue him the ouerthrowe and in the sixth yeere of his reigne Richimerus againe came in armes against the Gaules and Romanes in the which battell in the first time the Romanes were victors but in the seconde time were conquered but in the thirteenth yeere of this kings reigne at what time Constans the eldest sonne of Constantine the great reigned Emperour of Rome Richimerus was slaine in the fielde fighting valiantly against the Gaules and the Romanes After whom Theodomirus came to the gouernment of Fraunce and reigned tenne yeeres during which time he had sundry conflictes with the Romanes but in the tenth yere of his reigne he and his mother Hastila was takeÌ by the Romans put to death After the death of Theodomirus Clogio tooke the gouernment of Fraunce who raigned 18. yeeres and left three sonnes behinde him but I will write of him who succeeded his father which was named Hector sirnamed Degenbart of whom lineally discended king Pipine and Charles the great as Tritemius affirmeth For Marcomirus the sonne of this Degenbart was a very notable souldier and a valiant man and bridled the Romanes 4 yeeres with continuall warres ouer whom hee had diuers victories But one great victorie hee had at Agripina with incredible spoile riches for this Marcomirus was both a luckie name and a great name amongst the Frenchmen In Degenbarts time the Hunnes inuaded the Gothes at what time the Gothes had passed the riuer of Ister inuaded Thracia And the Saxons also inuaded that time the Romane confines for by this time these kingdomes beganne to be mightie and strong in Germanie the kingdom of the Vandols of the Gothes of the Hunnes and of the Longobards At what time Rome beganne to shrinke and to be much defaced of her former dignitie for nowe by litle and litle the Empire yeelded to these West kingdomes vntill the whole Empire was transposed into Germanie But to Marcomirus againe who after he had good successe in many and sundrie battels with the Romanes hee turned his force into Gallia hauing Antenor Priamus Sunno and Genebaldus foure worthie captaines to leade his armie committing seuerall charge to either of them whose prowesse and exploits were such that at that time they wanne and subdued much of the countrey and ioyned the same to the kingdome so that Gallia was daily weakened diminished of her power and Fraunce was strengthened and encreased in greatnesse and force For as I said before the fall of Rome was the rising of Fraunce Nowe after Marcomirus had recouered these townes and countreys which were by his predecessours lost to Maximus and to the Romanes and after hee had done great harme and spoile to the Romanes he was slaine in the fielde valiantly by Valentinianus and his armie after whose death the kingdome of Fraunce was gouerned for the space of 26. yeeres without a king by the states of Fraunce which is called Interregnum During which time Valentinianus the Emperor seeing great oportunitie demaunded of the Frenchmen tribute being due to the Romanes which the Frenchmen denied affirming beside that they would lose both liues and liuings before they would lose their libertie And also boldly againe affirming that they were neuer conquered by the sworde but with deceite By this meanes new warres freshly beganne betweene the Romanes and the Frenchmen This time in Fraunce were appointed two chiefe gouernours called Interreges the one named Dagobertus the other Genebaldus who gouerned discreetely and soberly with the rest of the nobles and Barons of Fraunce for 21. yeeres vntill Faramundus time who then gouerned East Fraunce vnder the kings of Fraunce this was by common consent of the States of Fraunce taken from his dukedome and made king of France in the 299. Olympiad At what time raigned in Rome the Emperour Honorius and Arcadius Emperour at Constantinople and in Persia gouerned Vararanes the fourth of that name and 14. king with whome the Romanes this time had great warres About this time certaine Iewes were banished foorth of Alexandria likewise this time S. Hierome died and Augustine his scholer florished and was made bishop of Hippo in Affrike Thus farre the kings of Fraunce from Francus time continued successiuely after Francus name vntill this Faramundus which was foure hundreth yeeres during which time raigned foure and twenie kings And from Marcomirus the first of them that came out of Scythia vntill Francus time another foure hundreth yeeres so that from the beginning of this nation being by so many names called as the names of the countreys were where they dwelt where eight hundreth yeeres passed before they coulde be called kings of Gallia for all their long warres and continuall battels And for that it may be with more ease knowen how when and where they raigned I will set downe all the names of those kings that raigned from Francus time which was in the time of Pompey the great vntill Faramundus in like sort as I haue layd downe the 16. kings of Sicambria For lineally did 24. kings raigne from the father to the sonne for the space of 404. yeeres euen from Francus vnto Farabertus 12. and from Farabertus to Faramundus 12. which was the first king of all Gallia for as the first name continued after the name of Cambra by the name of Sicambri or Cimbri as the Romans called them vntill Francus time so froÌ Francus time vnto this FaramuÌdus time the name of Franci coÌtinued so now from Faramundus forward they were named Galli and became the greatest kingdome of Europe especially since the Romane
those countreys and territories which were ioyned to the kingdome of Fraunce by his father but also enlarged the same with the vanquishing and subduing of the Romanes in many places These French people by this time became so strong and so mightie that they were feared of all Northren nations and therefore certaine countreys conspired against them and commenced warre against them as Attila king of the Hunnes who slew his owne brother called Bleda which ioyntly raigned in the kingdome for to haue the sole gouernment with him that time ioyned Vualaricus king of the East Gothes Ardaricus king of Gepida and other nations of the North. These commenced warre vpon Meroueus with fiue hundreth thousand souldiers but he was ayded with Theodoricus king of the Vestgothes and with Aetius the Romane lieutenant And the battaile was terrible and great and endured from Sunne rising to Suune setting where 188. thousande were slaine but the victorie fell to the Frenchmen with great slaughter on either side for in that battaile was slaine Theodoricus king of the Vestgothes whose bodie was brought with great pompe and solemnitie to Tolosa to be buried In the next yeere after this great battaile Attila king of the Hunnes being of the mightiest power and of the greatest force of all Germanie inuaded Italy ouerthrowing and vtterly spoyling all partes and places of Italy where hee came into the harme and spoyle he did was such that Leo the first of that name then Bishop of Rome came in his pontificall robes and met him to whom Attila vsed great reuerence and obtained peace The like is written of the great Alexander who with the like honour reuerenced the high Priest at Hierusalem by whom Alexander was pacified and his warre turned to peace Now after in the eleuenth yere of Meroueus he besieged Augusta the chiefest citie of Treueres which Attila a litle before tooke with the sword and possessed it but recouered into Fraunce againe so that the Frenchmen by this time grewe so great so strong since the time they came first from Scythia into Germanie when they dwelt about the riuer of Rein in those places which are now called Holland Gilderland Cliueland and Frizland that they beganne to aduance themselues and to extol their kingdom aboue the Empire for with continual warres of almost 870. yeeres with the slaughter of many of their kings dukes and barons when they were yet called Sicambri and after Franci and now Galli they became at length so strong that rather the empire was subiect to France then France to the empire For this French nation as I said before behaued themselues so in all places where they dwelt that they would both vse their maners and speach and therefore were they called by so many names as Neumagi Marcomani Sicambri Germani Franci and Galli But this word France was encreased more and more and what victorie or conquest soeuer these kings obtained stil they ioyned it to that part of Fraunce where they first inhabited vntill they had conquered all other names within Gallia to be France and that euen from Francus which raigned but fewe yeeres before our Sauiour Christ. Now after that Merouaeus had raigned 12. yeres he died after whom succeeded his sonne Childericus who after he had raigned king for one yeere hee vsed such an inordinate filthie life and insolencie that he was dispossessed of his kingdome in whose place Egidius a Romane was elected who raigned eight yeeres some say but 3. yeres after But before he went he reposed all his trust in Virodomarus his friend an excellent souldier to whom he gaue halfe a piece of gold kept the other halfe himselfe willing him to beleeue no message without he sawe that halfe piece of golde But reade this historie in Aemilius and you shall finde howe Childericus was by Virodomarus restored to his kingdome againe and how Virodomarus was brought from Turingia with all the nobles of France into his kingdome where Childericus was placed againe in his kingdome being then gone to Bisinus king of Turingia for refuge and succour and with him came from thence Basana the kings daughter some say that she was Bissinus wife the king The histories say that she came and followed after Childericus from her father whom Childericus married and by whom hee got Clodoueus which was the first king that receiued the Christian faith Childericus after his returne to his kingdome remembring the victories and coÌquests of his father began valiantly to recouer those places and townes froÌ the Romans which Egidius while he gouerned Fraunce had willingly lost He layd siege to Coloniâ⦠and ouerthrew it he remoued Odoacer from Fraunce which hee inuaded with a huge armie and put him to flight and when he had recouered all Fraunce from the Romanes subiection hee appointed lieutenants and generals in euery prouince of Fraunce and left all Fraunce free from the Romanes to his sonne Clodoueus and died when he had raigned 26. yeeres others say 23. yeeres Paul Aemilius affirmeth 30. In the time of this king came Ambrosius Aurelius the Romane and tooke the gouernment of Britaine after 20. conflicts hee was slaine by the English Saxons at what time certaine Britaines sailed ouer and came possessed Aquitania For now raigned in Italy Odoacer Hercules being driuen before out of Fraunce as you heard by Hildericus this Hercules hauing setled him selfe in Italy and assuming there the name of a king the Empire was remoued at that very time into Germany and Rome and all Italy were gouerned by strangers All the West kingdomes were much molested and sore vexed this time for as you heard Vortiger and after Hengistus scattered the Britaines to seeke new dwellings so me into Cambria which is now called Wales where they euer dwelt since that time and some to France which is called in France to this day litle Britaine Againe the Longobards setled themselues about the riuer Danubius and diuers other nations in Germanie and in the West countreys were placed and againe displaced by warre But to Clodoueus the son of Childericus by Basana who came to the kingdome of Fraunce at the age of 21. yeeres and raigned 30. yeeres he liued 15. of them a Pagane vnchristened in the other 15. he was christened and was the first that receiued the Christian faith into Fraunce and also the first king that possessed all Gallia vnder the crowne of Fraunce for in foure great battailes he had these victories The first against the Romanes whose lieutenant was called Siagrius who was taken in the batââ¦aile and slaine and the armie of the Romanes put to flight and slaine The second warre was against Gothemarus and Gotegiseleus who before had slaine in warre Chilpericus his wiues father and Sigismundus his wiues vncle this warre Clodoueus tooke in hande at the suite and earnest request of his wife Clotildis for
of his three brethren and their children and died as Blondus saieth at Tridentum after whose death Fraunce was againe deuided betweene the sonnes of Lotharius who is called in Beroaldus Clotarius which raigned 5. yeres after Childebertus and died was buried in the church of S. Medardis in Suetia which Church he began to builde a litle before he died After whom succeeded Cherebertus the sonne of Clotarius a wicked vicious king who after he raigned 9. yeeres died in the armes of his concubine at Paris after him Chilpericus raigued 14. yeres as vitious and wicked as his brother yet of him lineally do discend the line of the kings of France vntil Childericus time he was caused to be slaine betweene Landricus and his strumpet Fredegunda and was also buried in Paris Now Iustinus the yonger a daughters sonne of Iustinianus gouerned in the empire warrre was proclaimed by the Romanes against the Persians at what time Hormisda raigned king of Persia who was vanquished by Tiberius Constantius and againe the Persians lost those townes which they had gotten during the gouernment of Iustinianus This time Chilpericus left a childe of the age of 4. moneths called Clotarius the second of that name and the 10. king of Fraunce who raigned 44. yeeres this king being yet an infant vnder the protectioÌ of Landricus whom Guntrandus the kings vncle had made master of the horse Childebertus king of Mediomatrices sought to attempt through force to gouerne France but in vaine for he mist of his purpose for he his wife died within a while after vpon one day supected to be poysoned Howbeit when Clotarius came to any estate ciuill warres began in France betwene the king and Theodobertus and Theodoricus two sonnes of Hildebertus these two brethren plagued sore the king vntill they were deuided one against another and then al France was afflicted But during these ciuil vexations in France the Persians wasted Palestine tooke Ierusalem and their patriarch Zacharias they raged against the Egyptians and they subdued Alexandria and Libya vntill Aethiope tooke Carthage and proudly denied the Emperour Heraclius peace but the Persians and their king Cosroes repented their denial for Heraclius prepared warre and leuied an armie and entred into Persia flew in that voyage 50000. Heraclius the second time persecuted the PersiaÌs with sword and fire so hard that Cosroes their king was slaine By this time the Persians were on euery side so assaulted so weakned that they were most miserably slaine and destroyed their kingdom taken by the Saracens About this time Caddwalader the last king of the Britaines was by a dreame admonished to leaue his kingdome and to passe ouer sea to Rome at what time the English Saxons possessed the whole Isle of Britaine sauing Scotland and the Picts Let vs leaue France for a while in their ciuil dissentions betweene Clotarius and the two sonnes of Childebertus named Theodoricus Theobertus who after they constrained the king to accept what coÌditions of peace they lusted these two brethren fell out that againe all France was in armes for a time France was most miserablie afflicted Now Persia being destroied the third time by the SaraceÌs we wil passe ouerthe Pope in Rome Mahomet in Arabia and returne to Germanie a couÌtrey so famous of late that the Monarchie sole empire flourished there though the Romans in Iulius Caesars time made no accompt of them calling all those nations which are called Vandols Gothes Hunnes Hungarians Danes Sueuians Russians and others by one name Germanes These couÌtreis and kingdoms flourished when the East kingdoms decaied and that within 500. yeres of Augustus time when Rome was in her most glory dignitie and for that the names of their kings may be read in Functius I wil not set them down for those that were of any great renowme in histories chiefly the Gothes and VaÌdols who hitherto had 24. kings and the Longobards who had 17. kings Diaconus writes of them Functius in his table records them and therfore I wil returne to Clotarius who when he had raigned 41. yeeres he assigned Dagobertus his eldest sonne king of Austratia ioyntly to gouerne France with him for three yeeres more and then Clotarius died in the 44. yere of his raigne This Dagobertus was the 11. king froÌ Faramundus and had a brother named Aribertus to whom he gaue Aquitania in possession and gouerned himselfe after his father in Fraunce 14. yeres he was very vitious and so giuen to women that when he would trauaile he would haue his womeÌ caried with him Agmina Scortorum a whole armie of concubines who went in habits of Queenes and dwelt in pallaces made vnto them by the king Dagobertus And with this vice there was ioyned an other vertue which was to banish all those Iewes out of Fraunce that would not become Christians for nowe Fraunce hath their vines and grapes and all the countrey of Fraunce flourished since Probus the Emperours time who first suffered them to haue the vse and benefites of all vines By this time his brother Aribertus died in Aquitaina and left a sonne behind him named Hilpericus who likewise died after his father shortly and all Fraunce fell to Dagobertus who at that time placed his eldest sonne Sigebertus king of Austrasia where sometimes Dagobertus gouerned during three yeeres of his fathers raigne Dagobertus had warres with the Vuindos whom he vanquished by the ayde of the Saxons and also hee had warres against the Vascons who though they reuolted as Tritemius affirmeth yet receiued them into fauour In Rome now had raigned 9. seueral popes whose names are set down in the history of the church and ouer the Saracens who quite had subdued all Persia before raigned already foure Amyras of Mahomets sects Thus in Rome a silly priest became a great Pope and in Arabia a false Prophet of one age with the pope became a mighty king which by his greatnes attained a surname called Amyras of whom likewise I haue spoken in the historie of the Saracens 1 Pharamundus reigned 8. yeeres Beroaldus saith 11. yeeres 2 Clodius Faramundus sonne surnamed Criuitus reigned 18. yeeres 3 Meroueus succeeded his father Clodius and reigned 10. yeeres 4 Hildericus the first reigned 26. this is called of many Childericus 5 Clodoueus reigned 30. 6 Childebertus reigned 45. yeeres 7 Lotarius or Cotarius 5. yeeres 8 Heribertus reigned 9. 9 Hilpericus or Chilpericus 23. for marke whoÌ Beroaldus Ruffinus and others doe name Chilpericus that same doeth Functius name Hilpericus so of Cheribertus Functius he nameth Heribertus 10 Lotarius 2. the soÌne of Hilpericus 14. yeeres 11 Dagobertus succeeded his father and reigned 14. yeeres CHAP. V. From Clodoueus the 2. who began his raigne 645. vnto the raigne and gouernment of Charles the great the patrone only mirror of Fraunce by whom
much Pope Leo that Rome by Fraunce and Fraunce by Rome became strong The Popes of Rome after this time by meanes of their religion receiued into Fraunce into Spaine into Britaine into diuers partes of Germany and into other kingdomes of Europe beganne againe to reuiue their Empire vnder the Pope and brought the Emperour subiect to the Pope made kings and princes to creepe to the Pope and entised all Europe vnder his crosse yeelding homage and paying tribute vnto him as to their chiefest and onely Monarch of the world for before the Popes time the Emperour of Rome subdued and conquered all nations and forced all kingdomes to pay tribute vnto Rome Nowe the Pope subdued the Emperour and made him his general lieutenant after the Emperour he substituted the king of Fraunce and the king of Spaine martiall of the fielde to fight for him that he became so great that though he called himself seruus seruoruÌ yet would he be compted and esteemed lord of lordes for he would binde and he would lose he would curse and he would blesse hee would forgiue sinnes and pardon offences he kept the keyes of heauen and of hell Who ruled like lordes and commaunded like kings but the Pope and Mahumet of equall antiquitie and of like nature the one in Arabia the other in Rome two moÌsters of the world and two enemies of Christianitie whom wee leaue a while and turne to Fraunce where the Empire remained this time And for that the kingdomes of the Danes of the Sueuians of the Noruegians and other nations of the North beginne now to flourish and also for that the state of Fraunce are now become acquainted with al writers as diuers Chronicles are extant thereof I wil only therefore set downe briefly their kings and their names froÌ Carolus the great vntil the time of Lewes the 12. of that name rather for that the histories of Fraunce are now familiarly knowen by reason of their warres and of the greatnesse of their kingdome then while they were yet strangers by the name of Neumagi first and after Sicambri and then Franci and last Galli Beside other names as Cimbri with the Romaus Galatae with the Greekes after called Gaulgreekes in Asia Belgae while they dwelt in Germanie Armeni while they were in Armenia and Scythae before they came out of Scythia But how so euer writers vary in their names they agree that they were called Celtes Galli and Franci which name they helde from Francus time because they were of long continuance all other names were giuen to them according to the countreys that they dwelled in But let vs returne to Charles the great who after hee had raigned 46. yeeres he died after whom his sonne Lewes sirnamed the Godly succeeded and gouerned Fraunce 26. yeeres This was also crowned Emperour after his father by Pope Steuen the fourth of that name at what time Michael sirnamed Curoplates was Emperour of Constantinople who sent ambassadours to Lewes for conclusion of peace for the Saracens about this time tooke Creete and possessed it and vanquished in two or three battels the Greekes and subdued many townes in Asia This king Lodouicus now consecrated Augustus appointed his three sonnes to haue seuerall gouernments the one called Lotharius whom hee sent into Italy as a king to rule and to order the States of Italy the second sonne named Pipinus he sent to gouerne in Aquitania the third after his owne name Lewes whom also hee sent as king ouer the Noricanes After Lewes died his sonne Lotharius succeeded and held the Empire 15. yeeres vntill his brethren commenced warre against him and such terrible and bloodie warres that all Fraunce was weakened thereby and all the blood of Carolus extinguished for in these warres were slaine aboue 100000. of the floures of Fraunce on both sides But in fine they agreed amongst themselues that Lotharius should hold the Empire and gouerne ouer Italy and other nations in the East and Carolus sirnamed Caluus should be king in Fraunce and the thirde sonne should possesse in Germanie and in Hunnia vnder the name of a king This Carolus Caluus raigned king in Fraunce 38. yeeres hee imprisoned close in a monasterie his brothers childreÌ which was Pipinus and Lewes After this Carolus died in Mantua being poisoned by Sedechia a Iew and his owne Phisition then succeeded Lewes sirnamed Balbus who raigned two yeres and was created Emperour by Pope Iohn in Fraunce He had two sonnes by his concubine named Lewes and Charlemaine they both succeeded their father as kings of Fraunce Lewes died in the fourth yere of his raigne and Charlemaine in the fift yere After whose death the Danes and the Normanes inuaded Fraunce and filled all Fraunce with blood Carolus the thirde of that name sirnamed Crassus after these two brethren raigned fiue yeeres Beroaldus saith 7. yeeres About this time the Danes gaue sundry battels in England and were often vanquished but still they continued their warres vntill they made a conquest of all the East partes of England This time Odo the sonne of Robert duke of Anioy raigned in Fraunce and gouerned it 9. yeeres In whose time the schole in the Vniuersitie of Oxeford was builded by Alfredus king of Northumberland in the yeere of Christ 895. By this king the Floure deluce was first appointed in the ensigne of Fraunce then Carolus sirnamed Simplex raigned 27. yeeres this was the sonne of Balbus But to auoyde tediousnesse according to my promise I wil passe ouer the rest of the historie and of the names of the rest of the kings of Fraunce vntill Lewes the 12 for I may not stand long to entreate of euery countrey for that I write of many countreys onely touching the antiquities of kingdomes their continuance their beginning and ending the time of their gouernment and the names of their gouernours committing to your view this compendious abstract of all Chronicles and all their histories which would make infinite volumes to be read in those Chronographers that largely wrote of them 31 Rodulphus duke of Burgundie and after king of France raigned 2. yeeres 32 Lewes who fled into England with his mother named Oginia returneth now into Fraunce and raigned with Rodulphus 10. yeres But he raigned king in the whole 27. yeeres 33 Lotharius the sonne of Lewes the 4. by Gerberga the sister of Otho the Emperor he raigned 31. yere In whose time the kingdome of Polonia began in the yeere of Christ 963. 34 Lewes the fift of that name raigned 1. yeere Hitherunto haue raigned from Faramundus 34. kings now raigned after this Lotarius these many kings which you see here vnder written in this table which hitherto continued in the line of Francus and now I will set downe the first king of those that were naturally borne Galli the thirde name of the kings of Fraunce 35 Hugo Capetus raigned 9. yeeres This was
the first king borne of those that were called Galli for hitherunto the lineal sucession of Francus endured 36 After him his sonne Robert raigned 34. yeeres In the beginning of whose time the kingdome of Hungarie beganne 37 Henry the sonne of Robert succeeded and raigned after his father 30. yeeres 38 Philippe the first of that name and sonne to Henry raigned 49. yeeres In whose time beganne the kingdome of Bohemia In the time of this Philippe the first two most famous men and worthie Captaines tooke their voyages the one named Godfrey of Bullen with an armie from Fraunce into the holy Land which was Ierusalem so called after Christs time on earth this warre is called bellum Sacrum the sacred warres against the Saracens Reade Tilius Chronicles of the French kings where you shall finde a Catalogue of the nobles peeres and gentlemen of France and of diuers other countreys that went on that voyage with Godfrey of Bullen to Hierusalem the other Captaine came to England William the bastarde of Normandie afterward called William Conquerour of whom our English chronicles can testifie But I wil briefly passe ouer the kings 39 Lewes sirnamed Crassus raigned 28. yeeres 40 Lewes sirnamed Iunior 43. yeeres 41 Philippus Augustus sirnamed Deodatus 43. yeeres In whose time the Iewes were banished out of Fraunce 42 Lewes the eight of that name 4. yeeres 43 Lewes the ninth sirnamed Holy 43. yeeres 44 Philip the 3. sirnamed Audax son to Lewes 9. 15. yeres 45 Philippus the 4. sirnamed Pulcher the faire and sonne to Philip the thirde raigned 28. yeeres In this kings raigne began the kingdome of Ottoman the Turke 46 Lewes the 10. sirnamed Vtinus king both of Fraunce and of Nauarre raigned almost 2. yeeres 47 Philip the 5. sirnamed Longus raigned 5. yeeres 48 Carolus Pulcher king of Fraunce and Nauarre 7. yeeres Now after this Philip the first of the house of Valois began in the 1328. yeere of our Sauiour whose line hath continued euen froÌ this Philip of Valois the first king of that house vntill Frances Valois last king of Fraunce and the last of that stocke which continued 263. yeres whose names successiuely are here set downe in Tilius Chronicles as followeth 49 Philip of Valots the first king of that name 22. yeres 50 Whose eldest sonne named Iohn was the first Dolphine of Fraunce which to this day doeth continue Hee raigned after his father king of Fraunce 14. yeeres 51 Carolus the 5. sirnamed the wise raigned 18. yeeres Whose brother named also Philip was made duke of BurguÌdy About this time Iohn Wicleue opened much falshoode yet vnknown of Papistrie both disputing writing against it 52 Carolus the sixt sirnamed Bene amatus raigned 42. yeeres this ordeined first the 3. Floure deluce This time raigned in England Richard the second 53 Charles the seuenth raigned 38. yeeres This king commenced warre against England at what time Henry the 5. raigned who subdued all Fraunce and was crowned king in Paris 54 Lewes the eleuenth raigned 23. yeeres 55 Carolus the eight raigned 14. yeeres 56 Lewes the 12. raigned 17. yeres in France being the 1500. yeere of our Sauiour Christ Reade of this king Arnoldus Ferronus all his thirde booke which hee onely wrote of this Lewes the 12. At what time raigned in England Henry the 7. Thus farre briefly Iranne ouer the state of France omitting many thinges willingly and wittingly which I particularly touch in the historie of Spaine for I tooke not in hand to write at large or to set foorth great volumes of superfluous histories but onely as I saide before to note the antiquities and first beginning of kingdomes and to marke the errours of prophane histories in many things dissenting from Moses from Daniel and from the Propheticall writings who opened all Chronicles for they coulde not agree in the chiefest pointes of all true Chronicles neither the Romanes in the building of Rome from whence they ground their histories neither the Greekes by their Olympiads neither the Persians of Cyrus time neither Spaine in their accompt of A. E R. A neither the Arabians of their Hegyra In fine vnpossible it is to finde the trueth of Antiquities in prophane writers without conferring of the same with the Sacred histories of the Prophets who reueiled the trueth of time by their Iubilees A BRIEFE FOR BRITAINE SEeing that I haue written of other countreys I can not tell how to answere my countreymen well if I should not also somewhat speake of the Britains though in trueth many haue sufficiently written of the comming of Brutus vnto this land of his kingdome and succession of kings and continuance which though of some denied which do now as they then did in the time of Halicarnassaeus who after he had trauailed his histories from Sempronius Fabius Pictor and from M. Cato and proued euidently the comming of Aeneas into Italy of his kingdome and posteritie in Alba longa vntill Romulus being 17. discents after him yet some gens inuidiosa Traianis as Halicarnassaeus calleth them seemed not to allow the historie though they knewe it themselues also read it by so many proued because they would be named antiquaries and the credite of the histories should come from them Such was Polidor Virgil in his history of Britaine such was Berosus in the historie of Hetruria being two strangers and such was Manethon to write of Spaine So there were among the Iewes Talmudists who among other matters which they wrote for they were the onely men among the Iewes would also by this credit that they had amoÌg the people write what they listed that they became thereby very fabulous in their histories So among the Egyptians their superstitious priestes filled their bookes with lies and so of diuers other countreis men wrote rather fables then histories of their couÌtreys But these are reiected from sound approued authors tanquam Mithici for in reading of histories I find nothing so readie as errors in antiquities of countreys and in original of nations And surely it is not to be wondered at concerning the antiquities of time euen from the beginning of the world and the late beginning of writers from Cyrus time or rather Alexanders time for in the first age from Adam to the flood no trueth is had nor knowen but onely by Moses in the Genesis and 1650. yeeres froÌ the flood vnto the time of the Olympiads men wandered in no true accompt of time nor of histories excepting that which is written in the bookes of Moses and the Prophets nothing seemed sound nor certaine but coÌiectures and fained fables as in the historie of the Chaldeans Assyrians Aegyptians and diuers other nations many things are written which is named Mythycum very licentiously and to liberally and after the time of the Olympiads how vntrue prophane historians wrote vntil Daniels time who seeth it not Since which time a briefe of al true
chronicles is set downe by the Prophet in describing the 4. beastes and their natures signifying thereby the Monarchies of the worlde their gouernment and their continuance the onely grounde from wheÌce all writers make good their histories But let no man write of his couÌtrey with more affection then trueth wil warrant him for his proofe as it seemeth Berosus did of Chaldea Manethon of Egypt Ctesias of Persia for that they may easily be corrected by any late writer that is seene in the Sacred histories and yet they were men of singular authoritie and credite in histories of their countreys who by conferring Prophetical histories with their prophane writings men find nothing more then fables of antiquities and errors in lieu of true histories not knowing the Centre of all certaine Chronicles I meane the Prophetical histories But haue with them for my countrey also being coÌtented to be excused with them by Liui In tanta rerum vetustate multi temporis errores implicaÌtur c. For no doubt as Greeke histories are more vncertaine then the Latins of whom Iosephus saith that they had nothing to bragge of but their lies euery man setting downe in writing his opinion rather then studying the trueth of the historie But as occasion shall serue me so shal I speake of them and of others In the meane time I marueile much howe some men are more bent without either reason or authoritie to reprooue that which in true Histories is approoued Many of the best Romane writers seemed to be ignorant of that which they knew and yet would take no notice thereof they woulde not haue vrbem omnium gentium Imperiorum dominam to bee builded by any of Aeneas stocke or any ofsprings of the Troyans neither would they allow any part of Italy to be inhabited with the Grecians whome the Romanes mortally hated They claime their antiquitie froÌ Noah by the name of Ianus who came from Scythia Saga presently after the flood into Italy and after Ianus from Saturnus and from Cameses This Sempronius Mar. Cato and Fabius Pictor seeme fully to prooue and they stand to it stoutly notwithstanding they haue as many Greeke writers against them in proouing the contrary affirming that the Grecians Arcadians Lacedemonians Achaians and Pelasgians first inhabited Italy So Myrsilus in the whole booke which beginneth thus Italiam primùm coluere Graeci c. prooueth the Grecians to be the first inhabitants in Italy After Myrsilus followeth Dionysius Halicarnassaeus in like order and proofe as he that readeth Halicarnassaeus readeth Myrsilius and after Dionysius Herodotus who doeth not onely fully warrant Myrsilus and Dionysius but also concludeth with more warrants of his owne This coÌtrouersie riseth betweene the Grecians and the Romanes about the antiquitie of Italy the Greekes calling Italy Spurcam spuriam nouitiam and the Romanes naming Greece Mendacem fabulosam The like controuersie grewe betweene the Egyptians and the Scythians in those dayes and the like nowe about the comming of Brute vnto this countrey whose coÌming hath bene receiued and confirmed by succession of kings from Brutus to Cadwalader And after the kings the line and stocke of Brutus vnto this day 2700. yeeres sed nihil magnum somnianti for they can reprooue without authoritie but they wil not allow proofs with authorities such is their credite with some people as Pythagoras was with his owne schollers who thought Pythagoras speach a sufficient warrant to proue anything only alleaging ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I doubt there be many Pythagoreans that stand too much in their owne conceites some dreaming the word Britania to be Pritania some imagining the Britaines to to be Picts and that the originall of the Britaines shoulde bee from the Picts and many such other reasons rather fables wherein there is neither agreement of time which is to bee noted nor affinitie with speache neither likenesse of names nor any things else like for the Pictes came but the last day to Armorica which is little Britaine in Fraunce with one Rodericke their captaine from Scythia and not with Aeneas from Phrygia to seeke where they might haue place to inhabite I confesse that these Pictes and Scots inuaded Britaine and made often irruptions into Britaine in the time of Constantine the great Iouinianus Theodosius and many other Emperours but they were repelled and compelled with many a good beating to retire I should better allowe the opinion of those that say that the Pictes are Scots for with the Britaine 's the Picts by no likenesse may bee resembled neither by time nor by tongue I will leaue the Picts for the Scots whose kingdome was subdued and translated into Scotland by Kenedus king of the Scots where I leaue them Many licencious writers haue bene and are in the world not only in matters of antiquities but in other matters also Who will beleeue Polidor a straÌger in Britaine before Giraldus a singular learned man borne in Britaine who had traueiled as many countries as Polidor did and therefore was in great credite with Rich. the second who who will beleeue a forreine late writer before Gildas the Britaine that wrote of his couÌtrie in Claudius Caesars time If neither Giraldus nor Gildas nor any other ex bardis Britannis are allowed let Ponticus Virunnius let Iu. Caesar in his Comment whosaid they were ex eadem prosapia be allowed For the trueth thereof I doubt not but I shall write as true as the Frenchmen shall doe of Fraunce the Hispaniard of Hispaine and so of the rest I meane of the Saxons of the Greekes and of the Romanes and my reason shall be as probable for the landing of Brutus in this Island from Italie as the Italians shall prooue Ianus to come from Chaldea into Italie or as the Frenchmen shall prooue Marcomirus to come from Scythia into Germany and so in time to come into Fraunce and so to holde the name of Francus I will not speake of Caetubales Hiberians Hesperians nor of the olde Celtiberians afterwarde called Spaniards who had their name of Hispanus neither will I speake of the auncient stocke of Brutus while yet they dwelt in Creete and after in Phrygia and after that in Albalonga and last in Rome but of the comming of Brutus vnto this land the sonne of Syluius the sonne of Ascanius the sonne of Aeneas and from the name of the Britaine 's since that time of the which if any man doubt he may aswell doubt of the antiquitie of the Latines of the Albanes and last of the Romanes which al did issue and proceede of the house of Aeneas for imperij Romaniorigo Aeneas as is prooued by Halicarnassaeus which affirmeth that Romulus the first king of the Romanes was the seuenteenth king out of the body of Aeneas lineally descending for after Aeneas died being at his death king of the Latines three yeeres after whom succeeded his sonne Ascanius and builded a
himselfe sawe at Rome in the time of Augustus Caesar of bigger bodies and of taller stature then any Romane by halfe a foote for saith Strabo Vidimus puberes Britannos longissimi corporis nostris indigenis semipede celsiores But to be short as it was among the Iewes permitted to the Talmudistes to write their countrie histories to the Indians Gymnosophists to write of India the olde Gaules committed the olde recordes and Chronicles of their Countries to their wise men called Druydes the olde Hispaniards during the time of their kings and long after euen vnto the Romanes time had the antiquaries called Turdetani to write the Chronicles of their Countries and euen so among the olde Britaines were called Bardi to recorde their antiquitie and their histories men of like credite and estimation among the Britaines as were these before named in their Countries without whose consent and councell if any man wrote concerning the state and antiquitie of their countrie hee should be punished according to the custome of the Countrie It is easily spoken there was no Troy but all countries haue allowed it time hath confirmed it both Greeke and Latine histories haue written of it It is soone saide There was no such Brutus but continuance of time succession of kings possession of the countrie doe proue the contrary If neither Geraldus being of the time of Richard the second neither Gildas long before Geraldus liuing in the time of Claudius Augustus the Emperour both singularly learned if neither consent of time succession of kings the antiquitie of the historie nor the affinitie of tongues which no Grecian can denie for we holde the auncient names of riuers townes mountaines and other monuments euen from Brutus time in the selfe same tongue that Brutus spake Let them giue some credite to Pont. Varunnius Iulius Caesar who said Gens ex nostra prosapia est being proued by M. Coruinus and Halicarnassaeus lineally to descend from Aeneas What shoulde I write more Inuidia serra animae and truely is that spoken that three good vertuous mothers had three wicked vicious daughters Familiaritie the mother of contempt Peace and quietnesse the mother of idlenesse And Trueth the mother of hatred Yet in spite of that scorpion Suââ¦s ex merito quemque tuetur honor The historie of Belinus the great whose daughter named Cambra was maried to Marcomirus sonne the first king from whom the Frenchmen since their comming to Germany florished by the name of Sicambri after the name of Cambra the Britaine the historie of Brenus his brother are wel knoweÌ with forreigne writers so of Rodericus the great of Leoninus the great who are in the Britaine historie as much coÌmended as Pompey the great or Constantine the great among the Romanes for as Pyrrhus saide Italie was not to be subdued but by Italians neither Rome but by the Romanes euen so the Britaine 's were not to be ouerthrowen but by Britaines And here I end 10. Praep. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã CHAP. 1. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 CAP. 1. 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 CAP. 1. 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 CAP. 1. 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 CAP. 1. 2 3 4 CAP. 1. 2 3 1 2 3 1 CHAP. 1. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 CAP. 1. 2 3 4 CHAP. 1. 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 The creation of the world Isido lib. 5. ââ¦saedri Tetraedri Octoedri Dodecaedri Read Plato and Io. Phrig Cicero lib. denat deorum Iob 38. The creation of man Man placed in Eden ââ¦oph iâ⦠ãâã Pisââ¦hon Giââ¦on Childekel Phrat Pytlââ¦go letter Plato in Craâ⦠Iohn 7. Rom. 5. The opinion of the learned concerning Adams continuance in Paradise before his fall Clemens fol. 128 Gen. 4. Loar fol. 109. Midras ãâã Psal. 92. Rabbi Menahem fol. 9. vpon Moses Theoph. August sixe houres Thom. Aquinas nine houres Bochay twelue houres Rabbi Nathan Cedrenus Mariaenus Scotus Adam was buried in Golgatha Rabbi Isaac Our portion held by the first Adam Paul Gen. 3. The first sacrifice vnto God Gen. 4. Heb. ââ¦1 Henoch was borne Gen 4. Diodorus lib. 5. Iosephus Belus Image a sanctuary to all wickednes lib. 10. cap. 3. de prae Diodorus lib. 11. Genes 4. The sonnes of God maried with the daughters of men Melancthon Fregius in histo Adami Fregius in histo Adami Iud. 1. Heb 11. Henoch walked with God Genes 9. Noah the righteous preacher ãâã lib. 1. Zonaras lib. 1. Talmudists Ioseph lib. 1. cap. 14. Koââ¦rus lib. 1. cap. 4. Tabula 4. Asiae lib. 3. Genes cap. 10. Genes 1. The confusioÌ of tongues in the time of Peleg Sabellicuâ⦠lib. 3. The antiquity of Greece The praise of Plato The infancie of Greece Ioseph lib. contra Reede Stabo 16. booke First Hebrewes 478 Then Israel 1026 Thirdly Iewish 786 A egyptians most enuious to the Iewish The mercie of God towardes his people The goodnes of God to his people 3. Regum cap. 10 De Asse 4. Ioseph 8. Abrahams age when Noah died Gene. 18. 20. 47. Abrahams going to Aegypt The bondage of Israel in Aegypt 430. yeeres Moses the fift from Abraham Gene. cap. 14. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrha ouerthrown by the king of Shinar Ismael borne by Agar the the bondwoman Lot with his two daughters escaped Iosephus lib. 1. cap. 12. Lots incest with his two daughters Genes 19. The birth of Isaac Isaac the child of promise borne 14. yeres after Ismael Ioseph lib. 1. cap. 15. Sara died and is buried in Hebron A ficide doth coââ¦tune 4. Dââ¦achmes Lib. cap 16. Abraham dieth Esau and Iacobâ⦠birth Iacob was the true tipe of the Church Lib. 1. cap. 18. 19. Diodo de fab ãâã lib. 2. Functius in tabula patrum Isaac dieth and is buried in Hebron Isaac saw the prosperity of Esau and the affliction of Iacob Diodo lib. 1. Iustin. lib. 36. Bââ¦sius lib. 1. cap 8. Iustine lib 36. Orosius lib. 1. cap. 8. The 18. Denasââ¦na of Aegypt Sparta builded The going of Iacob vnto Egypt Ioseph died 65. yeeres before Moses was borne The maner of Moses birth Thermutis Pharaohs daughter Moses threwe the diademe of Aegypt to the dirt Moses made captaine ouer the Aegyptians against the Aethiopians Reade Fregius of Moses life Moses Aaron sent by God to Aegypt The tenne plagues of Aegypt Iosephs bones brought by Moses out of Aegypt Cancres king of Aegypt drowned in the red sea Deucalion flood The kingdome of Athens Berosus endeth his hystory Moses death Israelites toile and slauery Chiliarchi Hecatontarchi Pentecontarchi Decatarchi Ramesses was surnamed Egyptus Cornelius Tacitus lib. 2. Crosius lib. 1. cap. 11. Iosua deuideth the land of Chanaan Iosua made orders lawes Iosua coÌmandeth his host to passe Iorden Iordan gaue place to Iosua and to the Arke The walles of Iericho fell Iosua cap. 12. Melanthon ãâã de Hebreââ¦ruÌ admin The mutabiliue of the Israelites Eglon king of Moab afflicteth Israel Ehud killeth Eglon. Iabin
were al martyred in Persia vnder king Sapores The Emperor Constan. wrote to Sapores king of Persia in fauour of the Christians Melanct. lib. 1. Baetica now called Andolosia The Romanes made but two Prouinces of Hispaine Reade of Hispaine Strabo lib. 2. 3. Pomp. Mela lib. 2. cap. 6. Liui lib. 2. All writers are to holde by Moses Controuersie Contentions among Historians From whence came the people after the flood to seeke dwellings The time of Tubals comming to Hispaine Celtiberia called now Byskaâ⦠The simplicitie of the first kings not only of Hispaine but euery where Berosus in Nino Annius de reg Hispaniae Tubal died Coniectures in old antiquities allowed Berosus Sabatius Saga The monument of Isis ââ¦n Egypt Manethon de reg Hispanââ¦e Noah died in Iubaldas time The towne of Babylon Noth died after hee had seene in the world more miserie then any man for that he sawe before the flood and after the idolatrie of the people Genesis 12. Pentapolis fiue cities destroyed Stagnum Asphaltidis Brigus the 4. king The Numidians would be called Hyarbae Drius Druydes priests The simplicitie of the first age after the flood Aureum seculum Consent of time the touchstone of trueth Genesis 22. A temple builded and dedicated to Ianus Tagus the fift king The old kings of Hispaine are set downe by Manethon as the kings of Assyria are by Berosus Abraham died Belus the sixt king Sem liued 600. yeeres Plato in Timââ¦o Herodot lib. 2. and 3. Deabus found the first mines of golde Mena is supposed to be Osiris which Moses calleth Mizraim and whom Berosus calleth Oceanus Triphon Anteus Gerion Busiris sound tyrants Annius de regibus Hispaniâ⦠Med called gods The kings of Celtiberia were called kings of Hispaine about that time that the kings of Egypt were called Pharaones Nothing among the old kings of Assyria and of Hispaine worth the writing Manethon would fayne haue had cause to write of old Hispaine The 17. Dynasteia of Egypt which endured 103. yeres Lomuini From this Hispanus the couÌtrey of Hispaine was named Narbon Annius de reg Hisp. Kittim Atlas Manethon de reg Hispaniae ãâã Sicanus is ãâã ãâã of Spaine Siceleus Hermes Trismegistus Lusius 17. king of Hispaine The onely vse of this history is for consent of time ãâã kings of ââ¦ria and the ââ¦nges of Hispaine gouerned about one time Faunus Priscus Romus 20. king Manethon doeth write more of these historââ¦es Palatinus Cacus founde first the vse of yrons Manethon de reg Hispan Erythrus 23. king of Hispaine Aborigenes Gargorus Mellicola the last king of Hispaine Halicar lib. 1. The kings of Hispaine end their monarchie about the time that the Greciaus destroyed Troy Hispaine deuided into prouinces after the raigne of 24. Kings Ioseph lib. 2. cont Apio Strab. lib. 3. Strab. lib. 3. Turdetani were wise men of Hispaine The oracles of Mnestheus The commoditie of Hispaine not well knowen before the Romanes time Mines found by the Romans in Hispaine The auarice of the Romanes Hispaine was gouerned by seueral Magistrates in diuers prouinces for nine hundred yeres after their kings The first subiection vnder the Carthagineans The two Scipioâ⦠Asdrub Mago The great victories of Pub. Scipio ouer the Hispaniardes and Carthagineans Bigerra the valure of the two Scipios Three great captaines of Africa Reade Liui. lib. 5. dec 3. The two Scipios slaine were much mourned for in Hispaine The praise of Scipio Scipio sent to Hispaine New Carthage assaulted and subdued by Scipio Asdrubal ouercome Mago Hanibals brother taken by Scipio Asdrubal slain The victories of Scipio ouer Asdrubal Hanno slaine King Syphax taken by Scipio Liui. 4. Scipios commendation of Iugurth Micipsa adopted Iugurth for his sonne Viriatus called the Hercules of Hispaine Vitilius and Q. Pompeius two Consuls ouerthrowen by Viriatus The names of Scipio knowen in Hispaine Famea and Asdrubal Sertorius Carthage aided by the Hispaniardes Sertorius a noble valiant Romane Metellus Cn. Pompeius sent to Hispaine against Sertorius Pompey and Metellus triumphed ouer Hispaine vpon one day at Rome M. Cato Spaine last conquered by Iul. Caesar. Augustus Caesar so honoured that the Spaniarââ¦s compted their yeres from Augââ¦stus time A Er. A. Hegyra Indictiones What time the Gentiles began to accompt their yeeres Hispaine vnder the Romanes 420. yeeres The time that Rââ¦me flourished Germanie of no name before Augustus time Blondus Ritius Gundericus began in Hispaine when Faramundus beganne in Fraunce Reade ââ¦idus lib. 10. cap. 26. Pelagius Rodericus Muza Foure hundreth thousand Saracens inuaded Fraunce Saracens inuaded France the thirde time Car. Martellus had diuers victories ouer the Saracens Aygolandus king of the Saracens Abumalach 1 Pelagius the first king of Astura 2 3 4 alphonsus sonne named Catholike Phroilla the 4. king 5 6 Certaine noÌber of yong virgins payed for tribute 7 8 Lusitania is now Portingale 9 Raimiris The spoile and wast of the Saraâ⦠in Italy Alphonsus tyrannie Castile reuolted from Ordonius 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Luiterus lib. 5. cap. 1. 20 21 22. 23. 24 25 26. 27. 28. 29 30 Tolyd lib. 5. Illomamolinus 31 Hispaine set much at libertie by FerdinaÌdus 32 The force of the Saracens tryed 33 34 35 Alphonsus victorie ouer the Saracens Saracens ouerthrowen in Hispaine 36 Petrus slaine by Henry the second Reade Polyd. more 37 38 39 Lib. 20. The French writers can omit English victories Henry the fift crowned king of Fraunce in Paris 40 1475. 41 The first time that Hispaine was deuided betweene two kings Hispaine fiue ââ¦euerall times ââ¦onquered Hispaine first acquainted with India Hispaine began to florish this time and not before Hispaine got her greatest glory by Charls the fift The insolencie of Hispaine of late The decay of one countrie is the aduancing vp another The Hispaniards seifeloue The Pope and Mahomet com pared The long bon dage of Hispaine Ferdinandus sharles the fift Strab. 4. Ioseph lib. 1. cap. 6. Zona lib. 1. cap. 4. Iustine lib. 15. King of Bythinia Lu. Florus lib. 2. cap. 11. Iustine lib. 25. Gallograeci Brennus the Britaine inuaded Italie and tooke Rome Ambigatus Bellenosus and Sigonesus Brennus generall Lomnorius Lutarius The kings of Asia and Syria payed tribute to the Gaulgreekes 15000. talents of the gold of Tolossa Gellius lib. 3. cap. 9. lib. 32. The temple at Tolossa robbed by the Romans Sacriledge reuenged Diod. lib. 5. The sauage and cruell tyranny of the Gallograecians Ruffinus de Origine Gallograec Cneus Manlius triumphed ouer the Gaulgreekes Florus lib. 2. Liuius lib. 8. decad 4. The first comming of the Frenchmen into Germany Gomer Beroal lib. 4. Strab. lib. 4. 5. Mela lib. 2. 5. Solinus cap. 22. Marcomirus slaine by the Gothes The Frenchmen forced to seeke dwellings by the sword They dwelt about the riuer of Rhene and after in Bohemia and about Witenberge Gens aspera bellicosa Brennus driuen from Rome by Camillus
Diuers names of the Frenchmen Strabo liued in Agustus time Neumagi called Sicambri Cambra Bellinus daughter Aemil. lib. 1. The Frenchmen challenge to come from the Troians 400. odde yeeres reigned the kings of Sicambri Tritemius The victories of Sicambri The Romanes much affrighted Marius the Romane Consul was appoynted Generall against these Sicambrians whom the Romanes called Cimbri The Frenchmen came from Scythia about 400. yeeres before the birth of Christ. What the Romanes lost the Frenchmen wanne in time Reade Iornandus de reb Get. Marcomanni Cambra a wise woman a Britane taught her husband and her people ciuilitie Neopagus Neomagus Neumagi Marcomani Sicambri Gaul Greekes Helenus the fourth king of Sicambria Consent oft time of kings in other countreyes Diocles 4. king These kinges by succession professed armes Alex. the greâ⦠raigned in the time of this Diocles. Pyrrhus raigned in Helenus time which was Diocles sonne The victorie of the Saxons ouer the Gothes Diocles the fift king of Sicambria Helenus 6. king was remoued from his kingdome The booke of the law and the sword of punishment caried before Bassanus Adulterie punished by Bassanus Bassanus a iust king Tritem in Bassano MoÌtabur builded by Bassanus Basanus after death called Basangor Clodomirus 7. king of Sicambria Arsaces the names of the kings of Perthia Al these kings holde their names from Cambra and were called therby Sycambri from Autenor who maried Cambra vnto Francus time Francus the first king by whome the kingdome of Fraunce was so ââ¦amed Tritem in Franco Lollius with his Romane armie put to flight by Clogio 200000. Gaules slaine by Francus Sicambria now is called Fraunce Ianus temple shut in all August time Clogio 2. king For his knowledge and skill in Astrologie surnamed Magus A battell betweene Clogio and Tiberius the Emperor Phrisius the sonne of Clogâ⦠made king in Friseland Tribute of 260. oxen paid out of Friseland into the crowne of Fraunce Tacis 4. 5. Herimers 5. king after Francus Herimerus slaine Caesarea before called Turris Stratonis Tacitus lib. 4. Marcomirus 4. king Clodomirus 5. king after Francus This king with 60. of his noble men was drowned in the riuer Mosa Gallia sore plagued Raterus 7. king Alani Ioseph lib. 7. cap. 27. Richimerus 8. king Ioseph wrote his historie de bello Iudaico in Richimerus time Sunno The Gaules the Romanes sore plagued by Richimer Odemarus 9. king of FrauÌce The 4. persecution in Richimers time Odemarus concluded peace with the Romanes Vowes and othes made the Frenchmen for Gallia Reade Paul Aemil. lib. 1. The West kingdoms began to florish The names of those kings that reigned in Fraunce froÌ Francus to Farabertus Marcomirs 10. king Clodomirus 11. king Farabartus 12. king The Romanes did stomake the greatnesse of the Frenchmen Farabertus con cluded peace with the Germanes other nations about them to keepe wars with the Samanes Commodus the Emperour forced to flie Bellum Marcomannicum Orosius lib. 7. cap. 15. The Christian faith receiued into Britaine Franford builded by Sunno and also Sunnia which is now called Sunda Tritemius and Hunibaldus Varietie of opinion in time The meane state of FrauÌce in Heldericus time Batharus 15. king Itale spoyled with the sword vnto Rauenna Mosa Clodius king after Farabertus Gallia not yet gotten by the Frenchmen Vprores in many countries in Claudius time Eutrop. lib. 9. Alectas slaine by Asclepiadotus Gualterus 5. king after Farabartus Clogio 7. after Farabertus Clodomirus his valure courage to reueÌge his brothers death Clodomirus victorie Clodomirus succeeded his brother Clogio 2686 husband men with their families Menigauia when Genebaldus reigned paying tribute vnto his brother Clodomirus Gebrich king of the Gothes The victorie of Richimerus Richimerus slaine Theodoricus 38. king From this Hector Degenââ¦bart Charles the great discended Marcomirus a great name in Fraunce The Saxons inuaded the Romanes confines Foure noble captaines vnder Marcomirus The fall of Rome was the rising of Fraumce The kingdom of Fraunce without a king 26. yeeres Interregnum Warres betweene the Romanes and the Frenchmen Faramundus by common consent made king of France The French nations were 800 yeeres and more in getting of Gallia From Faramundus I vse P. Aemilius These kings raigned from Farabertus to Faramundus Faramundus appointed his brother Marcomirus East Fraunce P. Aemil. lib. 1. Faramundus the first king of Gallia Plini lib. 4. cap. 17. 18. Lex Salica made in Faramundus time Clodius the second king of Fraunce Clodius was sirnamed Crinitus The diuers victories of this Clodius Scots and Picts inuaded Britaine Clodius died Ruffinus de orig Francorum Reade Gildas Giraldus and Beda in the historie of Britaine The antiquitie of English Saxons in Britaine called before Arubrones Roxones The errors of the Olympiads Meroueus the thirde king Attila king of the Hunnes Vualaricus king of the East Gothes Ardaricus king of Gepida ioyned together against the French Til. in Cron. Franc. Reg. The great victorie of the Frenchmen Attila a strong king Ioseph lib. 71. cap. 8. Augusta besieged by Meroneus These places the Frenchmen fiââ¦st inhabited after they had come from Scythia Fraunce flourished The Romane Empire fell to decay Childericus the fourth king of Fraunce Egidius raigned 8 yeeres Aemil. lib. 1. Til Chron. Francor rââ¦g Clodoueââ¦s the first of that name receiued first the Christian faith in France P. Aemil. in Childeââ¦ico Childericus died A nomber of Bââ¦itaines came ouer sea and possessed Aquitania Vortiger and after him Hengistus The first time that Armorica was named litle Britaââ¦ne Clodoueus the fift king Reade of thââ¦se 4. great victories Blondus and Procopius Clodoueus the first performed his othe and became a Christian after his victorie had against the Almanes Thus farre Huââ¦ibaldus In this time of Clodoueus raigned Emperour Anastatius and in Britaine raigned Arthur Clââ¦doueus 4. sonnes Procop lib. 1. de bell Gothor Reade of theis 18. yere warre Procop. lib. 2 de bello Persico This king Totââ¦la plagued Italy Rome More Vandols and Gothes in Rome then Citizens The kingdom of the Pope and the kingdome of Mahomââ¦t began at one time Bellisarius much commended Bellisarius a noble captaine vnder Iustinianus Pandects made by Iustinianus the Emperor This time died Arthur iâ⦠Britaine Prccopius of the warres of the Gothes thus farre De Chron. Franâ⦠Cherebertus a wicked vicious prince This time beganne warres betweene the Romanes and the Persians Clotarius the tenth king Reade Tilius de reg Franc. The victorie of Heraclius ouer the Persians Polyb. lib. 4. Caddwalader the last king of the Britaines Warres betweene Theodoricus and Theobertus VaÌdoles Gothes Hunnes Danes Hungarians and others were by the olde Romaneâ⦠called Germanes Clotarius died Dagobertus the 11. king Til Chron. Franc. reg Fraunce suffred to haue their vines by Probus the Emperour Dagobertus died vpon the 4. kal. of Februarie Mahomet Lewes the first Martinas treason found after punished Dagobertus sent to a Monasterie by Grimoaldus Ildebertus slaine
cities and countreis hauing 24. kings by succession which continued vntil 75. yeeres after the destruction of Troy continued so vntil the Carthaginians began to flourish whom the Romanes afterward coÌquered At this time one Pypinus gouerned the Thuscanes and raigned as Manethon writes 56. yeres In the last yeres of this king Tyneus the Prophet Dauid was borne 407. yeres after the children of Israels going out of Egypt and in the 7. Iubile after Moses then began to raigne in Assyria Dercillus he raigned 40. yeres In his dayes began the kingdome of Lacedemonia 83. yeres after Troys destruction the first king of Lacedemonia was called Euristenes who raigned 42. yeeres of him came lineally 2. noble and valiant captains Cleomenes and Leonidas who in their time were most famous for they inuaded the Persians and ouerthrew them at Thermophila About the same yere the Corinthians began likewise to establish a kingdome for the Lacedemonians and the Corinthians began at one time to raigne the first king of Corinth was Alethes and he raigned 35. yeres In the 10. yere of king Dercillus the Arke of the Lord was taken by the Philistines and caried vnto Ashdod one of their fiue principal cities they kept the Arke 7. moneths For when the Israelites were ouercome by the Philistines and the arke taken away Ely the priest hearing that the Israelites were ouerthrowen the arke taken and his two sonnes slaine fel down froÌ his stoole brake his necke for so the Lord told Samuel before what should become vpoÌ Ely his house Israel stil offended God now not contented with the gouernmeÌt which God appointed them but cried out for a king God coÌmanded Samuel to anoint Saul their king About this time great warres grew betwene the Peloponesians and the Athenians Codrus at that time liued was the last king of Athens for after Codrus there was no king there but gouernours called Metontidae Codrus sonne called Medon was the first Iudge in Athens after the kings Codrus according to the Oracle giuen that the Athenians should haue no victories vnlesse their king were slaine in the battell he disguised himselfe like a common souldier rushed into the midst of the battaile purposely to be slaine that his countrey might haue victorie being the last of the 17. kings hauing ruled Athens 21. yeeres ended his life and his kingdome About this time Samuel was commanded to anoint Dauid king ouer Israel and many learned men would haue Homer about this time to be borne some controuersie is of Homers time Eratosthenes thought it within 100. yeeres after the destruction of Troy and so saith Aristarchus and Cornelius Nepos both affirme that Homer flourished 100. yeeres before the first Olympiad Budaeus saith that Homer liued in the latter yeres of king Dauid so they square about 80. yeres of Homers birth During this time raigned ouer the Latines AEneas Siluius their fourth king After this raigned in Assyria Eupales 38. yeeres in whose time the Peloponesians againe mooued warres against the Athenians Now about this time the promise is made to Dauid that the continuance of his kingdome should for euer endure but with crosses and afflictions for Absalon killed his brother Amnon a litle after and fled vnto the king of Gessur and taried there three yeere By this time Salomon was borne of Bethsaba the wife of Vrias Nathan and Gad were in those dayes Prophets of the Lord. Now raigned in Athens Medon the first Iudge the sonne of Codrus the last king of Athens in Lacedemonia Argis the second king raigned one yeere Arcestratus succeeded the third king of Lacedemonia and gouerned the Lacedemonians 35. yeeres in Corinth likewise Ixon the second king raigned 37. yeeres for both these kingdomes had one beginning and therefore their kingdome is accordingly to be handled for in the last yeres of the kings of Assyrians histories the Grecians began for this vnderstand that the Caldeans Assyrians Egyptians and all the East part of the world which were first inhabited after the flood were euen consumed with sworde and fire before the Grecians or the Romanes were acquainted with the world and therefore the lesse to be spoken of these olde auncient people for want of authorities and had not the holy Ghost lightened prophane histories with true records of the Scripture all antiquities had almost bene put to obliuion for all that are in trueth learned in histories take their light from Moses he is the grand scholemaster of all writers About this time Nicius Fesulanus gouerned the Thuscanes 47. yeres he expelled the people called Phocenses out of Corsica and Nicius builded a towne and named it Nicea after his owne name By this time Salomon grewe great in Gods fauour began to make the temple in Ierusalem excelled all the princes of the world in wisdome gouernment Hiram king of Tyrus at that time sendeth to Salomon and Salomon to him purposing to builde the house of God which temple began to be builded the fourth yeere of Salomons raigne and the 12. of Hiram king of Tyre Salomons friend who procured workemen to worke in Libanon and after the going of Israel out of Egypt 480. yeeres Some thinke that Carthage was builded by Charcedon at that time some thinke of Dido others say otherwise both of the building of Carthage and of the time of building as in the building of Troy and in the building of Rome the like controuersie is that sub iudice lis est Laosthenes the 33. king of the Assyrians is the next king after Eupales and is now in hand to be spoken of in whose time Alba Siluius gouerned the Latines the sixt king for the sirnames of the Latin kings were called Siluij as the kings of Alexandria were called Ptolomei as before I told you of the Caesars of Rome and Pharaos of Egypt About this time the kingdome of Israel for the idolatrie of Salomon was deuided and the ten tribes caried from Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon king of Iuda vnto Ieroboam king of Israel who inuented many wicked things in Israel idolatrie new religion contempt of the true God putting vp for their god the golden calfe thus he and his posterities continued from the fourth yeere of Rehoboam vntil the 19. yeere of Nabuchodonosor which was 390. yeeres at what time the last destruction of Ierusalem and the captiuitie of Iuda was Archippus the third Iudge atthis time ruled Athens where he gouerned 19. yeeres vnder whom flourished Sextus Homerus a citizen of Athens this man gaue new lawes to the Athenians The Thracians were strong by this time and became great on land and seas Smendes king of Egypt to whom Ieroboam fled and with whome he staied vntil Salomon died this Smendes is named in Scripture Sesac this came vp against Ierusalem the fift yere of Rehoboam destroyed the citie spoiled the temple and
world sitting on his regall throne in his princely attire beset with precious stones of seueral names colours in most gorgeous sumptuous sight seemed to himselfe to be the goodliest creature of the world he asked of Solon whether he had euer seene so faire a sight or so goodly colours in a creature Solon answered the Pecock the Popiniay do farre excel Croesus in naturall colours beauty whereat Croesus being angry said Solon was a foole but afterward Croesus being vanquished by Cyrus remeÌbred Solons words but now againe to Lydia which had reuolted against Cyrus fel to rebellion By this time Cyrus was busie in other warres and hearing of these newes returned and made of them the last conquest in the thirtie foure yeere of Seruius Tullus reigne the sixt king of Rome and in the two hundred and ninth yeere after the building of Rome Thus Lydia being brought by Cyrus a seruile Prouince to Persia afterward the reliques of the Lydians became from stout souldiers to slouthfull slaues and from men became women accompanying themselues with an idle life giuen to inuent many vnthriftie exercises as before is written And the maides of Lydia went a whoring for their dowrie offering themselues a pray for money and the wicked gaines of their bodily vse was the dowrie of their mariage who before Cyrus time during the time of nine kings esteemed neither Chaldeans nor Assyrians their fortune so flowed that it became a coÌmon prouerbe As rich as Croesus But nowe Croesus hauing experience of Solons speach became now as wise as he was before rich for the which cause Cyrus esteemed him so that he would take nothing in hand without Croesus councell for Cyrus in all his warres which at that time Cyrus had with so many Nations hauing already conquered the Assyrians the Chaldeans the Lydians and other kingdomes hauing like mind to conquere all the world as Alexander the great had insomuch that Croesus wondred at his fortunate successe in al his actions his singular wisdome his great pollicie and his princely liberalitie to be such as Croesus did often say It was no shame for Croesus to be conquered by Cyrus After that Croesus was long enterteined with Cyrus hauing good experience of his fidelitie and seruice he commended Croesus vnto his sonne Cambyses charging him so to esteeme of Croesus as he would be directed in all great causes by him Nowe Cambyses farre vnlike vnto his father both in nature and in fortune much inferiour a cruell king yea a tyrant for in his voyage to Egypt with whom Croesus was in companie according to his fathers commaundement Cambyses killing and murthering his owne souldiers being Persians like a hungrie lion foming in blood without any respect of person Croesus began reuerently to warne Cambyses of his fathers councel of the trust that his father Cyrus had in him to admonish Cambyses to lenitie perswading him to vse more clemencie to shew good couÌtenance to his souldiers saying that the strength of a king was his people and that mercie in a king was the anchor of his scepter Cambyses moued with these words thought to stabbe him but Croesus by flight escaped and Cambyses for anger that he had so escaped commansded them to the sword that ayded Croesus to flee from Cambyes sight at that time of this at large doth Herodot write Thus endeth the kingdome of Lydia in the 14. yeere of Croesus which continued from the beginning vntill the last ouerthrow of Croesus 230. yeeres but Functius saith 205 others say not 200. and some 130. yeres beginning in the first Olympiad ending in the 51. Olympiad for as the kings of Lydia began but 24. yeeres before Rome so it ended in the eight yeere of Tarquinius Superbus the last king of Rome after the first building of Rome 180. yeeres and was translated to be a prouince of the Persians Ardisus the 1. king of Lydia reigned 36. yeeres Aliagtes the 2. king of Lydia reigned 14. yeeres Meles the 3. king of Lydia reigned 14. yeeres Candaules 4. king of Lydia reigned 17. yeeres Giges the 5. king of Lydia reigned 36. yeeres Ardis the 6. king of Lydia reigned 37. yeeres Sadaites the 7. king of Lydia reigned 15. yeeres Haliactes the 8. king of Lydia reigned 49. yeres Croesus the 9 and last king reigned 14. yeeres OF THE FIRST ORIGINAL of the Persians of the antiquitie of their Kings of their common wealth and gouernment and of their continuance and how they haue beene called the great Kings by the meanes and dignitie of Cyrus NOw hauing left Assur the second sonne of Sem in Assyria and Arphaxad the third sonne of Sem in Chaldea Lud the fourth sonne of Sem in Lydia I am come with Elam the eldest soÌne of Sem vnto Persia. Of these foure sonnes of Sem the Assyrians Chaldeans Hebrewes Lydians proceede Hauing also left Chus in Ethiopia Mizraim in Egypt I come as I said before to Persia then caled Elam so Daniel nameth it wheÌ he saw the vision in the Pallace in Susa in the prouince of Elam by the riuer of Vlai in this place Elam dwelt and the nation were long named Elamites whose historie I haue now in hand Persia therefore is large and wide reaching vnto the North as farre as Caspia 8000. furlongs as Erastones setteth it downe which is in accoumpt yeelding eight furlongs vnto a mile a thousand miles and from the Citie of Susa vnto Persipolis 4200. furloÌgs which is 530. miles and from thence vnto the confines of Carmenia are 1600. furlongs The Region of Persia is coÌfined with Media on the North Persia hath eastward Carmenia hath westward Susia for Susia is as Strabo writeth a part of Persia lieth betweene Babylon Persia hath Susa that famous citie where most often the kings of Persia vsed to bee with it The nations of the inhabitants of this Countrey are called Palischores another natioÌ called Achemenides from these the olde kings of Persia were called Achemenides for among the old Persians they had a law that none should be king in Persia but he should be of the stocke of Acheminides which of long time continued before Cyrus while yet the Persians were called Elamites among the Hebrews of the auncient Greekes called Cephenes all kings of Persia were called Achemenides the like law was in Sparta Corinth Egypt with other natioÌs for their kings for that diuers kingdoms had by law coÌfirmed that no election of kings should be but of those families which by lawe in recordes were allowed as The kings of the Parthians were all called Arsaces out of Arsaces stocke The kings of Alba called Siluij from Siluius Posthumus the third king of the Albanes The first kings of Egypt were all called Pharaones The kings of Corinth Bacidae of the house of Bacis The latter kings of Egypt called Ptolomei after the death of Alexander The
were ouerthrowen yet in Numidia vsurped Iugurth the kingdome who after he had slaine both his brethren Adherbal Hiempsal thought to withstand the iustice reuenge of the Romanes herein for king Myrpsa who succeeded Masinissa left these three sonnes Iugurth Adherbal and Hiempsal all these were friendes to the Romanes therefore the Senate sent Calphurnius the Consul with an army but he was corrupted with money by king Iugurth gaue him and concluded such a peace as contented not the Romanes and therefore it was foorthwith infringed Then Albinus Posthumus was sent the next yeere who likewise had no good successe for that he coÌmitted the battell to his brothers guiding who fought against the Numidians very vnfortunately The Romanes being not a litle offended with these newes sent the third time Quintus Cecilius Metellus who with his wisedome sobrietie and courage discomfited Iugurth in many battels of the which reade Salust of the warres of Iugurth This Metellus ouerthrewe him and tooke all his Elephants and nowe when Metellus was at the point to haue finished this victorie ouer Iugurth Caius Marius came from the Senat and succeded him he most easely ouercame both Iugurth king of Numidia Bochus king of Mauritania who assisted Iugurth in this warre against the Romans yet Eutropius saith that both Metellus and Marius had triumphes graunted them by the Senatours ouer Iugurth After Iugurth we reade nothing worth the memorie in Affrike In the later ende of this third warre there were fiue triumphes together at Rome one by Marcus Iunius who vanquished the Danes in Fraunce the second by Minutius Rufus who ouercame the Scordicians Triballians in Macedonia the third by S. Cepio who subdued the Portugals in Spaine and the two other triumphes which Metellus and Maurius had ouer Iugurth And thus ended the third and last warres in Affrike which continued foure yeeres Of this Affricane warres there are many writers as Polibius Liuius Appian Eutropius Melancthon others but of the people their countrie their cities their maners and antiquitie reade the 17. booke of Strabo where you shal reade of Affrike and Libya at large I did nothing but briefely runne ouer the historie tooke of euery writer herein so much as I thought good to finish the historie and the rather for that it is a knowen historie to many Thus from the beginning of the first warre vntill the ende of the last warre are accompted a hundred and eight yeres so long they continued in warres against the Romanes at length all were brought vnder the Romanes as were of Affrike habitable So the Romanes had of all Europe dominion sauing of some dwelling beyonde the riuer Ister and of some others that dwell betweene the riuer of Rheine and Tanais euen so had they the gouernment ouer all Asia sauing the Scythians the Indians and the Bactrians which the Romanes made no great accompt of being so barbarous people and so farre from them OF THE ANTIQVITIE OF olde Italie first called Ianicula and then Saturnia of the beginning of the Kings of the Latines the first kingdome of Italie of their lawes and gouernments from Faunus vntill Aeneas and from Aeneas vntill Romulus NOwe to the greatest and last Monarchie of the worlde I meane the Romanes which by Daniel is also set foorth as the other three before for Macedonia Greece and Italie are by the name of Isles named where Iaphet and his offspringes tooke first possession for Iauan the sonne of Iaphet which of Melancthon is supposed to bee of prophane writers called Ianus with his foure sonnes Elisha Tharsis Kittim and Dodanim inhabited first the Isles of the Gentiles which were diuided in their landes euery man after his tongue and after their families in their Nations Of this Kittim the Prophet Isai speaketh and also Ieremie in this sort to the rebellious Iewes Ite in Cedar insulam Kittim c. Goe ye into the Isles of Kittim farre off take diligent heede and see whether such things be there they change not their goddes but Israel haue changed me for idoles This Kittim is mencioned often times in the Prophets and in the booke of Nombers where it is saide The shippe shall come from the coastes of Kittim and subdue Ashur and shall subdue Eber and againe in Ezechiel The companie of the Assyrians haue made their banckes of Iuorie brought out of the Isles of Kittim so that by Kittim is meant Greece and Italie by the best learned Diuines and so expounded by the 72. interpreters for Moses doth warrant these antiquities concerning the fiue sonnes of Sem that from Elam the eldest sonne of Sem the Persians haue their beginning from Assur the second sonne of Sem the Assyrians from Arphaxad the third sonne the Chaldeans from Aram the Syrians euen so from the posteritie of Cham the Egyptians Ethiopians and Libyans and from the children of Iaphet the most part of Europe and of lesser Asia But howe grosly and howe foolishly doe prophane Historiographers erre in their fabulous antiquities which with fained false and strange names oppose themselues against the propheticall histories for the Iewes committed to their superstitious Rabbies all knowledge the Egyptians to their fabulous priests the Persians to their insolent Magi the Greekes euen to their owne fancies following their imaginations in all their histories that of all men they are reprehended and the crie of all Chronicles against them naming it Graecia mendax Graeci pueri fabulosi and therefore Kittim is the warrant for the antiquitie of the Italians as Chus is for the antiquitie of the Ethiopians and Lud for the Lydians and so of the rest And therefore I will returne to old Italie which had diuers names as Ianicula of Ianus whom the Greekes call Oynotria Camesena of Cameses Saturnia of Saturnus Hesperia of Hesper and Italia of Italus the which to write particularly I should but gather fables together of which Fabius Pictor is full Iulius Solinus sayth that Italie is set forth by so many and specially by M. Cato that there can be nothing written but the diligence offormer authours haue preuented iâ⦠for the description thereof reade Solinus and Strabo therefore I leaue to the Iewes their Talmudistes full of lies to the Egyptians their priestes full of fables to the Greekes their innouacions and inuentions full of vncerteintie and so foorth of others for if I should write what I finde of the antiquitie of olde Italie by them that were neuer in Italie by 2000 miles I meane Berosus of Babylon and 10. Annius I should be but tedious From Ianus first comming into Italie which was by them thought to be Noah vntill Cameses time is 141. yeres so long Italie was called Ianicula from Cameses which was in Ninus time vntill Italus or Hesperus two brethren 430. yeeres during which time Italie was called Camisena or Saturnia for that these two reigned