THE VARIETIE of Memorable and worthy matters By Walter Owsolde Imprinted at London by I. R. for Ieffery Charlton and are to be solde at his shoppe at the great North doore of Paules 1605. To the Right vvorshipfull Sir William Romney Knight and Alderman of the Cittie of London RIght Worshipfull you may iustly thinke I am very bold being in respect a stranger vnto you to offer vp these lines to your fauorable censure yet the loue good affection which I owe to your worship for some sufficient causes may fully excuse my rashnes in that behalfe and considering withall your gentle disposition hoping you will take in good part this meane gift not respecting the value therof but the good will of the giuer as did that woorthy King accepting with gentle hart a draught of water of a simple hind so I expecting you will curteously vouchsafe the patronizing of these simple collexions although there be nothing woorthy your reviewing contained therein yet if you grant it but the reading you may finde some matter which may eyther delight you by bringing into your remembrance such memorable worthy things as haue hapned in former ages or driue other drousie thoughts out of your mind which if it so come to passe I shall haue the ful scope of my desires and be the more bolde an other time to offer to your view some thing of better worth And so I leaue you to the mercifull protection of Almighty God whom I beseech to blesse you with increase of worship long life and eternall happines Yours to commaund Walter Owsold To the curtious Reader WHen I consider with my selfe gentle Reader of the sundry kinds of delights which men of diuers natures take pleasure in as som in reading ancient histories whereof there are many sorts and kinds containing the amorous discourses of young gallants with the liues of their enamored Mistresses liuely disciphering foolish dotage in old men stale widdowes with the inconuenience of matching old age and wilfull youth together and againe some take pleasure in reading Chronicles declaring the famous and worthy acts of valiant Captaines and famous Gouerners with the changes and alterations of former times which may much profite men of all sorts Therfore I thought good to publish this small Treatise taken and collected out of diuers ancient learned and well approoued authors not vnnecessary to be had in remembrance which I hope the learned will take in good part because it saueth them a labour in perusing ouer diuers volumes to find the time and place where and when the matters heerein expressed were begonne performed continued and ended and as for the other sort I hope they cannot mislike it treating of matters which without this booke they should neuer haue knowne and so I leaue it to your fauourable censure Yours as you like this Booke W. O. The Table THE foure parts of the World page 1. The foure Monarchies page 1. The sixe ages of the World page 2. The seauen wonders of the World page 4. The seauen Wisemen of Greece page 5. The tenne Sibylls page 6. The twelue Apostles with theyr martyrdoms page 9. The ten persecutions of Christians vnder the Romaine Emperours page 11. The eight times that Rome hath been taken page 11. The seauen Electors of the Emperours of Germanie pa. 14. The three Crownes of the Emperour page 14. The twelue Peers or Pairs of Fraunce page 14. The eyght Parliaments of Fraunce page 15 The seauen Saxon Kingdoms that England was once deuided into page 17 Fiue Orders of Chiualrie which continue at this day among Princes page 8 The xiij Cantons of Swisserland pag. 22. The foure parts of the world ASIA so called of the Daughter of Ocean and Thetis or as some say of Asia the son of Maneé King of Lidia is seperated from Europe by the riuer Tanais nowe called Don by the sea called in time past Palus Meotides now Mare de Zabache and by Pontus Euxinus now Mer maiour and by part of the Mediterranian sea and frō Africk by the riuer of Nile Europe that old Writers coniecture to be so called of Europa daughter of Agenor King of Libia is seperated from Asia as is already showne and from Africk by the Mediterranean Sea Africke which some say is so called of one Affer of the line of Abraham is seperated from Europe by the Mediterranean sea and from Asia by the riuer of Nile America or West-India so called of Americus Vespusius but first found out by Christopher Columbus of Genua the yere of our Lord 1492. It is in manner of an Iland round about enuironed with the great Ocean sea The foure Monarchies THE first Monarchie was of the Assirians founded by Ninus about the yere of the World 2220. augmented by the Queene Semiramis and after it had endured the terme of 1300 yeeres it was translated by Arbactus vnto the Medes and there hauing endured 350 yeeres it was lost by Astiages and conquered by Cyrus The second Monarchie was of the Persians founded by Cyrus the yeere of the World 3425 which after it had endured 191 yeere was lost by Darius and subdued by Alexander the great The third Monarchie was of the Grecians founded by Alexander the great in the yeere of the world 3634 and before Christ 320 yeeres after whose death it was deuided among the Prefects which in his life time he had appointed in diuers countries by which diuision Seleucus was King nf Syria Ptolomeus of Egipt Antigonus of Asia Cassander of Macedonia Greece all which coūtries were after subdued by the Romans The fourth Monarchie or Empire was of the Romans founded by Iulius Caesar the yere of the world 3914 after the building of Rome 706 yeeres and before Christ 47 yeeres This Monarchie florished about the space of 470 yeeres till that after the death of Theodosius the great it was deuided by his two sons into two Empires Arcadius was Emperour of Constantinople which Empire endured though afterwards much diminished by the inuasions of barbarous nations vntill the yeere of our Lord 1453 and then was quite lost by Constantine and conquered by Mahomet second king of Turks Honorius was Emperor of Rome which Empire shortly after in the yeere of our Lord 475 about the ninth month of the raine of Augustus was vtterly ruinated by Othacar king of Goths And long after the yere of our Lord 801 it was restored by Charles the great and by him vnited to the crowne of France and by his successors translated into Germanie where it yet remaineth as a shadow onely or representation of the greatnes and maiestie of the ancient Romaine Empire The sixe ages of the World IN the deuiding of these ages there is great contrarietie of opinions among Writers for that some follow the computation of the 72 Interpreters some follow the Hebrues and the cōmon text of the Bible The first age from the creation of the world till the vniuersall flood endured according to the
not beene seene that the Kings of Fraunce haue done or passed any matter of importance touching the state of the Realme so much is it respected both within the Realme and abroad This Court of Parliament was first ordeyned by Phillip the fayre King of France The second Parliament is at Bordeaux for the countries of Gwyen Gascoine Zaintonge Perigort part of Poictou and others and was first ordained by Charles the seauenth The third Parliament is at Rouën for the Dukedome of Normandie first made Exchequer by Phillip the fayre and afterwards continuall Parliament by Lewes the twelfth The fourth Parliament is at Toulowze first ordained for certaine times of the yeere by Phillip the fayre and afterwards made continuall by Charles the seauenth for the Country of Languedoc The fift Parliament is at Grenoble for the country of Daulphine instituted by Lewes the xj The sixt Parliament is at Dijon for the Dukedome of Burgundie it was likewise ordained by the sayd Lewes the xj The seauenth Parliament is at Aix for the Earledome of Proueme appointed by Lewes the xij The eyght Parliament is at Renes in Britaine ordained by Henry the second Of all these Parliaments Paris Parliament is the chiefe and certaine cases are reserued to be iudged only at the Parliament of Paris The seauen Saxon Kingdomes that England was once deuided into THe first was the Kingdome of Kent which had his beginning of the Saxon Hengist in the yeare of our Lord 476 and the fift yeare of Vortiger King of Britaine his last raigne for he had beene deposed the Kingdome continued 342 yeares till that Egbert King of Westsaxons vanquished Baldred last King thereof and ioyned it to his owne Kingdome The second Kingdome was of Sussex or Southsaxons which began by the Saxon Ella in the yeare of our Lord 482 and the second yeare of Aurelambrose King of Britaine This kingdome continued not aboue 112 yeares The third kingdome was of Estangles or east Englishmen and contained Northfolke and Southfolke it was first begunne by the Saxon Vffa about the yeare of our Lord 492 and the 11 yeare of Aurell Ambrose king of Britaine This kingdome continued 376 yeares the last king whereof was Saint Edmond martired by the Danes The fourth was the kingdome of Westsaxons containing the West countrie of England and had his beginning by the Saxon Cerdicus the yeare of our Lord 522 and the fift yeare of Arthur the great king of Britaine and endured from the first yeare of Cerdicus to the last of Alured the tearme of 378 yeares The kings of this Countrie subdued at length all the other sixe kingdomes which Egbert beganne and Alured finished making of all the South part of this Iland one Monarchie The fift was the kingdome of Northumberland containing the Countries betwixt the Riuer of Humber and Scotland had his beginning of the Saxon Ida king of Brenicia the yeare of our Lord 547 and the second or last yeare of the raigne of Aurele Canon king of Britaine This kingdome of Northumberland was at the first deuided into two kingdomes the one was called the Brenicia which bended towards the North the other Deyra about the Countrie of Durham and this kingdome continued some while vnder one king sometime vnder two the tearme of 409 yeares first vnder the Saxons and then vnder the Danes The sixt kingdome was of the East Saxons or Essex which beganne by the Saxon Sobert the yeare of our Lord about 614 continued from the beginning of the raigne of Sebert till the eight yeare of Edward the elder 293 yeares The 7. kingdome was of Mercia containing Huntingtonshire Hertfortshire Glocestershire and others and was the greatest of all the other taking his beginning of the Saxon Penda in the yeare of our Lord 626 after the comming of Hengist 126 yeares during the raigne of Cadwan king of Britain and continued from Penda till that Edward the elder chased out the Danes about 280 yeeres These 7. kingdoms of the Saxons beside that of Walles Scotland were all contained at once in this Iland of Britaine and continued along space Fiue Orders of Chiualrie which continue at this day among Princes THe first and ancientest of these Orders of Chiualrie or Knighthood is the Order of the Garter instituted the yere of our Lord 1348 in Bordeaux chiefe Citty of the dukedome of Guyne in Fraunce by Edward the third king of England and then possessor of that Dukedome which order hee consecrated and dedicated to S. George though the motiue of the institution thereof proceeded of the losse of a Garter which he supposed to haue been the Countesse of Salsburies but I referre the Reader to the Chronicle And it hapned in this manner as one day he was entertaining her with pleasant talke a Garter chanced to vnlose and fall downe the King endeuouring to take it vp wittingly caused such a iest as mooued the Noble-men to laughter the Countesse thereat blushing and blaming that more then seemely familiaritie of the King for that he had caused such a iest among the assistance said sharply to him and the rest Honi soit qui mal y pense which englished is diffamed be hee which euill therein thinketh And the King in recompence of his rashnes said forth-with that before it were long those Noble men which had made a iest and laughing at the Garter fallen downe should esteeme themselues much honored to weare it for a marke of honour and chiualrie and thereupon ordayned the saide Order and dedicated it to S. George and made thereof 26 Knights and ordained that they should weare their clokes of violet cullour Veluet their hoods of redde Veluet lined with white Damaske theyr bases of redde Veluet and vnder the left knee a blew Garter buckled with golde garnished with precious stones and about it wrought the wordes of the Countesse of Salisbury HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE and a coller of gold full of red white Roses with an Image of S. George hanging thereon about these Roses are written those words which are in the Garter This Order is celebrated on S. George his day beeing the 23 of Aprill And although it was first ordained at Bordeaux yet the said King Edward the third would that the siedge and place of the solemnising thereof should be at the Church of Winsor heere in England where at the same time he founded Chanons or a Chanonry for the better prosperitie of the Knights of his order The second order in antiquitie is the order of the Annuntiation instituted anno dom 1356 by Amé the sixt of that name Earle of Sauoye and surnamed the greene Knight The Knights of this order weare a great collor of gold made wynding with three laces which are called of loue wherein are enterlaced these words FERT FERT FERT euerie letter importing his Latin word thus F. fortitudo E. eius R. Rhodum T. tenuit that is his force hath conquered Rhodes and at this Collor hangeth an
steade of Iohn because hee ended not his life with martirdome Phillip after hee had preached through the whole Countrie of Scythia and conuerted a great part thereof in the space of 20 yeares was at the last in the Cittie of Ierapolis when hee had there extirped the heresie of the Hebeonits fastened to the crosse and so died Bartholmew went to preach in India and afterward cam to Albania a Cittie of Armenia the greater where he conuerted the King of that Cittie and destroyed the idols wherefore by the commaundment of Astiagus brother to the King Polemius whom hee had conuerted hee was flead quicke His bodie was afterwards brought to Italie and is as some say at Rome Andrew Simon Peters brother went first to preach in Achaia and afterward preached in Scithya but lastly hee was taken at Patras a Cittie of Achaia by Egeas Proconsull of that Prouince who because he had conuerted his wife Maximilla cast him in prison where he was sore beaten and lastly stretched out and bound on a slope crosse to augment his torment and so died Thomas preached the Gospell to the Parthians Medes Persians Hyrcanians Bragmans and conuerted a great part of India He was by the infidells throwne into a burning furnace and came out vnhurt Finally because he prayed God to destroy the idole of the sonne which the infidells would haue compelled him to worship hee was by them thrust through with speares and swords Mathew after he had preached much in Iudea he went into Ethiopia there conuerted the greatest part of that Countrie Finally hauing newly ended his prayers and lefting vp his hands to heauen by the altar certaine spies came behinde him and ranne him through with their swords which was donne by the commaundment of a King of those Countries Iudas called also Thadeus after the assention of our Lord was sent by Thomas to heale Abagar King of Edissa afterwards he preached in Ponte and Mesopotamia and conuerted many cruell and barbarous people Lastly hee came to Persia where for counfounding of their idols was suddenly runne vppon and murdered by the Paymin Bishops of that Countrie He is buried at Netre a Cittie of Armenia Simon called Chananeus brother to Thadeus and Iames the lesse after he had preached in Egipt returned to Ierusalem whereof by the consent of the Apostles he was made Bishop after the martirdome of his brother Iames. As touching his death and martirdome some say that he sufferred with his brother Iudas Thadeus in Persia others that he was through the enuie of Heretikes accused to bee a Christian afore the Consull Atticus and therefore crucified as his maister was Mathy after the ascention of Christ chosen by the Apostles to supply Iudas â—ome was borne at Bethlem descended of the Tribe of Iuda he preched altogether in Iudea where lastly he was accused by his enemies of periurie or rather blasphemie and therefore hee was condemned to be stoned to death by two men during which torment one smote him with a hatchet and so he suffered martyrdome The tenne persecutions vnder the Romaine Emperors THe first beganne in the 13 yeere of the raigne of Nero in such sort that the Christians were faine to hide theÌ„selues in caues of the earth The second began in the 12 yeere of the raigne of Domician who caused S. Iohn the Euangelist to be put in a vessell of burning oyle whereof he receiued no hurt The third began in the tenth yeere of the raigne of Traian which ceased afterwards by the pitty and meanes of Plinie 2. prefect of the Empire The fourth beganne vnder Marcus Antoninus and Aurelius Commodus Empire The fift began at the commaundement of the Emperour Seuerus The sixt began by the indignation of Maximinus who especially persecuted the Clergie The seauenth began vnder the Emperour Decius and continued cruelly The eight began vnder the Emperor Valerius who though at the first he were a Christian yet afterwards beeing corrupted by certaine herericks he became a most cruell persecuter of Christ his Church The ninth began vnder the Emperour Aurelianus The tenth began by the commandement of the Emperors Dioclesianus and Maximianus Herculeus this persecution was farre more cruell and generall then any of the rest insomuch that Dioclesianus in the orient and Maximianus in the occident destroyed all Churches and tormented the Christians with all strange torments The eyght times that Rome hath beene taken ROme was first taken by the Gaules vnder the conduct of theyr captaine Brennus the yeere of the foundation of the Cittie about 365 the yeere of the world 4835 the yere before Christ 364. This Brennus is by the Britain English Chronicles reported to be a Britain and brother to Belinus king of Britain but neither the Chronicles of Rome nor of Gaule doe speake of any such matter Rome was secondly taken by Alaricke king of Gothes after he had held his siege to it the space of two yeeres which befell the yeere of the foundation of the Citty 1164 the yere of our Lord 412 and the 25 yeere of the Empire of Honorius It is written in the Chronicles of Constantinople and in other places that as Alaricke beeing a Christian marched with his host towards Rome a certaine Munck of holy life and great authority came vnto him who hauing audience admonished and counsailed him to breake of that euill purpose and to remember that he was a Christian and that for Gods sake hee would moderate his wrath and that he should not take pleasure in the shedding of Christian blood sith that Rome had not in any respect offended him Vnto whom Alaricke aunswered him Thou must vnderstand man of God that it proceedeth not of mine owne will that I goe against Rome but contrarily I assure thee that euery day there commeth vnto me a man which constraineth and importuneth me thereunto saying vnto me Hasten thee goe against Rome destroy it vtterly and make it desolate At which wordes the religious man beeing astonished durst not reply and so the King followed his enterprise Rome was thirdly taken by Gensericke king of Vandales the yeere of the foundation of the citty 1208. the yeere of Christ 456. who sacked and burned it in many places which befell in the Empire of Marcian Rome was fourthly taken by Totila King of Gothes vvho because hee could not obtaine peace of the Emperour Iustinian who trusted too much in the power of his Lieutenant Bellisarius commaunded the Cittizens to auoyde the Cittie and afterward burned sacked and destroyed almost all the Cittie walls and the Capitall and made it altogether desolate in so much that neuer since it could be repayred according to the first forme although a while after Bellisarius peopled and repaired a great part thereof and calling againe the old inhabitants fortified and strengthned much the walls This desolation and of all other most lamentable happened the yeare after the foundation of the Citty 1300 afther Christ 548 the 21 yeare of the Empire of
image of our Lady and of an Angell saluting her and for that occasion is called the Order of the Annuntiation This Earle ordained this Order in memory of Amé the great Earle of Sauoye which succoured the Knights of Saint Iohn when they conquered the I le of Rhodes vpon the Turkes in the yeare of our Lord 1310. The third in antiquitie is the Order of the golden Fleece founded vpon the fable of the golden Fleece that Iason with the other Argonautes went to seeke in the I le of Colohos which is to meane that hee went to the mine of gold and ordained by Phillip the second surnamed the good Duke of Burgundie in the yeare of our Lord 1430 the complete number of which Order are 24 Knights and weare their cloakes and hoods of Scarlat garded with imbroderie made with flames of fire and a Collor of gold made with fire stones sparkling out fire whereat hangeth a Fleece of gold and appointed for the celebrating of that Order Saint Andrewes day being the 30 of Nouember But the Emperour Charles the fift heyre of the house of Burgundie and chiefe of that Order changed their apparell and ordained that their clokes should bee of crimson Veluet and their hoodes of violet coullor Veluet and that vnderneath they should were a Cassoke of cloath of siluer The fourth in antiquitie is the Order of Saint Michaell the Archangell instituted by Lewis the 11 King of France the first day of August in the yeare of our Lord 1469 and ordained that of that Order there should be 36 Knights gentlemen of name and of armes without reprooch of whom hee himselfe was chiefe and Soueraigne and after him his successors Kings of Fraunce And the brothers or companions of this order were bound at the receiuing thereof to forsake and leaue all other Orders if any they had either of a Prince or any companie onely excepting Emperours Kings and Dukes which beside this Order might weare that Order whereof they weare chiefe with the agreement and consent of the King and confrarie of the sayd Order and in like manner the sayd Kings of Fraunce might weare beside his owne the Order of other Emperours Kings and Dukes And for the connoissance of this Order and the Knights thereof hee gaue to euery of them a Coller of gold wrought with Cocquell shells enterlacing on another with a double pointing Ribon of silke with golden Tagges which King Francis the first because his name was Francis changed into a white Friers or Franciscans girdle made of a twisted corde and hangeth on that Collor a tablet of Saint Michaell vppon a Rocke of the institution of this Order is made a booke containing 98 Articles wherein are set downe the things wherevnto the Knights of this Order are subiect The fift Order is that of the holy Ghost instituted by Henry the third King of Fraunce at this present on New yeares day in the yeare of our Lord 1579 of this also is written a booke containing the Articles whereunto the Knights thereof are bound Among the which I haue principally noted one that is to defend and sustaine the Clergie for the king doth giue to euery of them the rent of certaine Abbeys religious houses or other spiritually Lands whereof they shall alow a certaine stipend to the entertaining of a certaine number of religious persons in euery religious house vnder him and for that benefite are sworne at their entring into the sayd Order alwaies to defend the spiritualitie and maintaine the Clergie in their priuiledges but how they keepe their oath it is well seene in euery place of their spirituall possessions and thereof my selfe haue often times had oculare experience for trauelling in that Countrie and passing often times by goodly religious houses I haue sometimes for recreation hauing wel tried the curtious demeanor that cōmonly religious men vse towards strangers that come to view their houses entred into sundry of them where I haue diuers times beene sufficiently enformed by the religious how the king had giuen the rents and possessions of their houses to the Knights of his Order with the conditions already rehearsed which Knights alow them such bare exhibitation that by reason it is not sufficient to entertaine the fourth part of the number by them appointed almost all of them are constrained either to forsake their houses begge or else there to starue through which occasion many goodly religious houses are of late fallen in decay for want of reparation trimming vp and inhabiting and will doe more and more without a redresse And this haue I learned in diuers religious houses beside the common murmering of the Clergie and so wee may see how these Knights called of the holy spirit for to defend and maintaine the spiritualitie doe vnder pretence thereof rob and prodigally wast the spirituall possessions so that it may seeme only to be a pollicie vnder the correction of better iudgement put in the kings head to diminish spirituall liuings which in that Country are wonderfull great satisfie his prodigall minde in rewarding by that meanes his flatterers because through his exceeding lauishnesse hee is scarce able otherwise to reward them The Bishop of Rome considering what dismembring of Church-lands and decay of Gods seruice commeth through this Order in the Realme of Fraunce will not grant the confirmation thereof although the King hath beene instant for the same but notwithstanding the Popes misliking thereof the Order is maintained though to the great weakening of the religion in that Country Yea at the last celebration thereof which was on New-yeeres day eeuen 1581 I saw three Bishops were admitted into that Order the connissance wherof is a Doue representing the holy Ghost wraught in Orenge tauny Veluet garnished about with siluer beames which the Knights of that Order weare cōmonly vpon their clokes before their hart The 13 Cantons of Swisserland THE inhabitants of Heluetia or Swisserland after they had emancipated themselues from the yoke of the Empire and expelled the nobilitie of the Emperiall faction began to make leagues and confederacies one towne with another to fortifie themselues by that meanes against forraine inuasions if any hapned And in processe of time within little more then an hundred yeeres are increased to the number of 13 which they call Cantons by which the whole Country of Swisse is gouerned and defended And heere according to theyr antiquitie I place them the first that confederated together and gaue example to the rest were Vri Swits Vnderuard Villages and these three by little and little haue drawne to theyr faction all the rest that followeth Lucerne Zurich Citties Glaris Zug Villages Berne Fribourg Soullcurre Basle Schaffouse Citties Appensel village Whereof 7. professe the Romish religion j. Vri Swits Vnderuard Zug Lucerne Fribourg and Soullcurre the rest are Zuinglians which diuersitie of religion hath caused dissention and mortall warres of late yeeres among them although they be all sworne together to defend theyr liberties against strangers FINIS Non munus sed animus