without his aid and protection as concerning any danger he need not trouble himselfe For all of vs saith he doe not onely promise to watch about and guard Thee but also to interpose our owne sides and bodies But for all this after Cesars death hee reioyced wonderfully and boasted that they who had slaine him had obtained that glory which could scarce bee contained within the heauens This therefore is the fourth and last Monarchy in which place we must note how this citie which was built by Shepheards from most slender beginnings by little and little increased to the height of potencie and grew to bee Empresse of the whole world Now hereafter I will briefly as farre as I may declare after what manner it fell off by degrees from this most high estate vnto ruine The end of the first Booke IOHN SLEID AN of the foure chiefe Monarchies OR The key of History The second Booke CEsar being slain Octauius Cesar begun his raigue Anno mundi 3925. and raigned An. 57. his sisters sonne Caius Octauius hauing drawn about the militarie bands to his partie persecuted the murtherers most bitterly And at first seemed to take armes in defence of the Commō-wealth against Marcus Antonius but afterward diuding the Empire with him and Marcus Ledipus ordained a i Gouernment by three Cicero put to death An. 3926. Triumuirat in which Marcus Cicero was by Marcus Antonius whom he had very vehemently opposed put to death being sixty three yeers of age which was eight yeeres after Quintus Hortensius his death who was so many yeers elder then hee as abouesaid Cicero directly ouershot himselfe in his owne policies for when Marcus Antonius molested the Common-wealth after Caius Cesars death he with exceeding great praises commended to the Senate Caius Octauius Cesars kinsman a yong Gentleman of twenty yeeres of age and begunne to vrge to haue him created Consull without any regard had to his age producing examples of ancient times how it might be done and refuting such obiections as might seeme dangerous professing to be bound to the Senate vpon his honour that he should alwaies couernue such a Common-wealths man as he then was and such an one as they ought chiefly to wish and desire him to be but afterwards forsaken by him hee fell into Marcus Antonius his hands Marcus Brutus reprehends him sharpely for such his flatterie Then as it is common certaine grudges arising in emulation of the Empire when as Marens Lepidus for conspiracie against Octauius was formerly remoued out of the Triumuirat and banished Octauius made warre against Antonius his other Collegue and after his victorie at k A town in Epirus Actium ouerthrew both him and Cleopatra beforementioned at Alexandria forcing them both to kill themselues and made Egypt a Romane Prouince Authors report that in Ptolomie Auletes raigne the yeerely reuenues of Egypt came to 12500. talents which summe the learned of our times reckon to 7500000. crownes but when it came in subiection to the Romans they iudged it to be farre more rich in regard of the traffique with India and Aethiopia Antonius thus ouerthrowne and cut off Octauius alone gouerned the Common-wealth forty foure yeeres and in 29. yeere of his Empire and of the world 3954. Christ born An. mundi 3954. as most account was our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST borne Herod sirnamed the Great hauing seuen yeeres before most sumptuously re-edified the demolished Temple of Ierusalem Marcus Antonius was married to Caius Octauius his sister but afterward being intangled with Cleopatra's loue forsooke his wife and married her which partly was cause of the warre Both of them were exceeding riotous and Authors relate almost incredible stories of their banquets delights and pleasures but such as I before set downe was the vp-shot and end of their liues This Marcus Antonius was that most famous Oratour before-mentioned Marcus Antonius his Nephew In Caius Octauius his raign the Romans had their first war in Germanie within their own territories Caius Iulius Cesar indeed ouerthrew the Germanes twice but it was in Gallia to wit Ariouistus in the Country of the Celts and afterwards at the meeting together of the Riuer Maze and the Rhyne After this victorie he built a bridge and past ouer the Rhyne but resting there a few daies brought backe his Armie into Gallia and broke downe the bridge Two yeers after he passed again ouer the Rhyne on his second bridge a little aboue that place where hee formerly had led ouer his Armie and then fully intended to haue gone against the l Now of Pomerania in Germanie Sueuians but being certified by his Scouts of all affaires and fearing much difficultie and scarcitie of prouision returnes into Gallia breakes downe some part of the bridge and in the other part built a Tower and a Castle and fortified it with Cittadels that hee might not altogether free his enemies from the feare of his returne And this was all that Cesar did against the Germans as he himself writes But Octauius by the two brothers Tiberius and Drusus made warre against the m Germanes bordering on the Alpes Rhaetians and n Vandals Vindelicians and with o People about Colen Vbian forces who were confederates with the Romanes Quintilius Varus being their Captaine Generall inuaded that part of Germanie now called Westphalia howbeit Arminius Chiefe-taine of the p Germanes neere the riuer Elbe Cheruscans almost vtterly ouerthrew him betwixt the Riuer q Ems. Amasia and r Necchar Horat. lib. 1 Ode 24. Lupia Horaee in a most elegant Ode comforts Virgil lamenting his death Drusus died in Germanie leauing behinde him two sonnes Germanicus a most worthy soldier and Claudius Horace in another most elegant Ode as wee said before Horat. lib. 4 Ode 4. extols him and deriues his pedegree from Caius Claudius Nero who when hee was the second time Consull together with Marcus Liuius Saelinator slew Asdrubal Annibals brother at the Riuer of Metanrum as he was bringing ouer a supply of forces ſ Octauius so stiled in honour as much as Soueraign at this day Augustus also subdued the t Of Biscay in Spaine Cantabrians u Of Aquitane in Gallia Aquitanians * Hungars Pannonians x Inhabiting Wendenland in some parts Dalmatians y Of Sclauonia also or Wendenlond Illyrians z Inhabiting neere Lombardie Salassians and inhabitants of the Alpes It is reported that he often intended to lay off the weightie charge of the Empire but againe considering with himselfe that it would be rashly committed to many mens authority changes his minde In the thirty third yeere of his raigne deceased Herod the Great whom hee and Marcus Antonius in the third yeere of their Triumuirate had made King of Iudaea and in the eight yeere after his death his sonne and successor Archelaus was banished to Vienna a Towne in Gallia It is written that Octauius maintained forty foure legions of soldiers in protection of the Prouinces
Ammonites and Moabites passed into Aegypt with an army where hauing got possession of all that Countrey afterwards begun his Monarchy In the second yeare of his Monarchy as the learned of our times collect he saw in his dreame a great Image whose head was of gold the brest and armes of siluer the belly and thighes of brasse the legges of iron the feet part of iron part of clay When hee awakt and could not call to mind what he had dreamt but yet remain'd mightily astonisht calling together his Magicians and soothsayers charged them vnder paine of death to interpret his dreame Daniel a yong man Captiue with the rest of his Nation brought thither from Ierusalem signified that he could satisfie the kings desire being brought forth first hee shewed what the dreame was and afterwards interpreted the meaning therof The Image said hee signifies the foure chiefe Monarchies of the world which are to succeed in order and turning his speech to the King himselfe Thou said hee whom God hath inuested with supreame power and glory to whom he hath giuen rule ouer all men beasts of the field fowles of the ayre Thou I say art the Golden Head of that Image After thee another kingdome of siluer shall arise worse then this of thine afterwards the third kingdome of brasse which shall beare rule farre and wide but the fourth kingdome shall be of iron for as yron breaketh in peeces and subdueth all things so also shall the fourth and last breake in peeces all the rest and bring them in subiection to it This therefore is the first and formerly neuer heard of prophesie of the four Monarchies which God reuealed to vs by his Prophet Daniel A thing truly worthy to bee committed to memory because in a few words it comprises the historie of all ages vntill the end of the world as afterwards I am to speake of Now it sufficeth how at this time first of all God hath discouered to vs the order and successiue course of the Monarchies Dan. 4. That place in Daniel also manifests more clearly of what great puissance this Nabuchodonozor was where the Scripture compares him to a Tree whose height reached to heauen which as it were oueâ—shaddowed the whole earth whose leaues were very faire and most abundantly loaden with fruit whereby all creatures were fed and fatned in whose braÌ„ches boughes all manner of fowle dwelt and made their nests This therfore is the first Monarchy which as it was exceedingly amplified in this Kings raigne hoisted vp to the very highest steppe So also it fell away and in his Nephewes time was quite extinguished euen as God had denounced by Daniel and other of his Prophets This Nabuchodonozor raigned three forty yeares It would quite the cost if all mortall men especially Kings and Princes would read diligently consider with how dreadfull a spectacle and example God as Daniel sets it downe reuenged his pride Dan. 4. and 5. that so they might the more reuerence Gods diuine Maiestie Euilmerodach 2 King 25. Ierem. 51. and performe that office to the people which is committed to them His son Euilmerodach succeded him he raigned 30 yeares Assur Labassardach and his successor Assur three yeares Labassardach who raigned y Metasthener and others say but 6. euen yeares succeeded him After him Balthasar bore rule â—â—ue yeares Many reckon them after this manner but the learned of our time omitting two of them Balthazar put Balthasar next after his father Euilmerodach write that he raign'd 14. y. which is very necessary to make the perfect number of 70. yeares during which space the Iewes were in captiuity to the Babylonians sithence their captiuity begun in the nineteenth yeare of Nabuchodonozors raigne Those who obserue this order and leaue out the two Kings before spoken of follow the Tract of Scripture and especially the Prophet Ieremieâ—s testimony Ierem. 25. who prophesied that the Iewes should serue the King of Babell his son and his sons son but in this point let euery man haue his iudgement free to himselfe Howbeit Balthazar as the Scripture mentions was the last King of the Babylonians Dan. 5. and in this all Writers agree As for the manner of the taking of Babylon many Authors describe it Dan. 5. Daniel also mentions how God denounced to this King his imminent and euen present calamitie and relates how the gouernement of the Monarchie after that King was slaine was translated to Darius the Mede Darius then 62. yeeres of age Many Writers call this Darius Cyarxes who was the son of Astiages eight King of the Medes whom Daniel cals Assuerus Dan. 9. who hauing no issue male bestowed his daughter in mariage vpon Cyrus the King of Persia's sister sonne and being prouokt to enter into a warre with the King of the Assyrians sent for aid to Cyrus who leading his forces thither and being made Generall of the whole armie returned conquerour hauing taken that most powerfull z Babylon Dan. 9. Citie It is recorded that Darius liued not aboue a yeere after this victorie And then when Darius was yet liuing after the taking of Babylon and the children of Israel Ier. 25. and 29. Dan. 9. had by this time remained captiue in Babylon almost 70. yeeres God reuealed in more ample manner to Daniel according to his praiers in that behalf who made knowne the same to the Prophet Ieremie foreshewer of the captiuitie Cyrùs founder of the second Monarchy of the Persians when the first of the Assyrians had stood about 1538. yeeres this was about 3434. and did not onely confirme the nearnes of their freedome but also shewed what time the Messias should come who should satisfie for the sinnes of men After Darius his death the sway of gouernment was committed to his sonne in law Cyrus and this is the beginning of the second Monarchie for now Cyrus alone held in his owne hands Assyria Media and Persia euen to the Ionian sea as Thucidides hath it hauing before his winning of Babylon taken Craesus that most puissant King of Lydia So this Cyrus is first King of the Persians and founder of the second Monarchie This most renowned Prince hauing vanquisht the Babylonians made warre with the Scythians whether going with his armie and at length intrapped and inuironed by his enemies was there slaine In the beginning of his raigne after the taking of Babylon hee permitted the Iewes to returne home againe out of captiuitie 2 Chro. 16. that they might reedifie the Temple and the Citie of Ierusalem and to that purpose bestowed very liberally out of his own Treasurie Isai 44. and 45. God by his Prophet Isai had foretold him by name some ages before he was born Xenophon brings him in discoursing with his sons before his death about the immortalitie of the soule as Cicero hath it who interprets that place as all others very elegantly Cyrus reached the 70. yeere of
of any Senatour of the house of the Manlies should bee called Marcus After this Camillus was the seuenth time created Tribune of the Soldiers and being very old ended his life in the 389. yeere after the building of Rome the gouernment being a yeere before his death againe reduced to the Consuls The first whereof was a * One of the Commeueltie Plebeian In those times flourisht the most renowned Captaines of warre in that Citie such as were Marcus Valerius Corvinus Titus Manlius Torquatus Caius Martius Rutilius Publius Decius Mus Papirius Cursor Publius Philo Lucius Volumninus and others One of which namely Titus Manlius Torquatus one of the Consuls beheaded his owne sonne for that he contrary to his command and out of his ranke had encountred his enemie in a single combat although hee got the vpperhand Publius Decius Alus the other Consull in the battell against the Latines deuow'd and bequeathed himselfe to death for the Romano Armie when violently rushing into the thickest troopes of his enemies by his death re-established the tottering state of Rome His sonne of his owne name foure times Consull performed the like against the Galli-Senones forty foure yeers after that At the same before-mentioned time in the x Most Authors agree of 10. or 12. yeers before viz. Anno Mundi 3620. or 22. 420. yeere of Rome built Alexander the great founder of the third Monarchie as we haue aboue declared flourished and made his warres Titus Liuius compares Lucius Papyrius Cursor with him and extending his discourse as well for his owne as his Readers recreation shews that he was able to haue resisted Alexander if happily hee had led his forces into Europe after his conquest of Asia and made warre vpon the Romanes This before-recited Papyrius Cursor was indued with the very quintessence of valour for omitting other his valiant acts when Titus Veturius Caluinus and Spurius Posthumius Albinus the two Consuls together with the whole armie at the y Made of speares or iauelings stucke in the ground vnder which the conquered were to passe in dishonour Forks of Caudium were compelled by the Lamnits to goe ignobly vnder the yoke and had made a dishonourable peace with the enemie Hee being created Consull vanquisht the late conquering enemie and put him to flight as also when hee was Dictator made his owne Master of the Cauallery an example to teach what strict obseruance ought to bee had in militarie discipline In this age also and a little vpwards Greece brought forth men of transcendent learning for then flourished Socrates and from him as from a certaine fountaine Aristippus Plato Antisthenes Speusippus Aristotle Diâ—aearchus Xenocrates Heraclides Theophrastus Polemo and Strabo all of them Physiologers and as Cicero cals them Speculators and hunters of Nature Then also flourished most famous Oratours as Gorgias Protagoras Prodicus Hippias Isoerates Lysias Demostenes Hyperides Aeschines Phalerius Demetrius And Historiographers chiefly Xenophon whom Cicero cals a Socratist and Calisthenes Alexander the great his companion In this age liued Dionysius the Spracusan Tirant to whom when Plato came and spoke freely concerning the dutie of a Prince he put him in great danger of his life as Cicero relates This was hee who committed not the guard of his body to his allies but to certaine strangers and sauage and barbarous people hee who taught his daughters how to cut their haire that they should not aduenture their neckes vnder the Barbers hands who suffered them not to vse any manner of edge-toole after they were come to yeeres but made them cindge his head and beard with red-hot Walnut-shels who resorted to his wiues often times by night but first made sure to suruey and prie into all places who not daring to shew himselfe in the common Pulpits was wont to speake to the people out of a Tower who shewed Damocles one of his Parrasites what manner of felicitie that of his was which he had boasted of for as hee sate in the middest of his choisest delicates with abundance and superfluitie of all manner of pleasures he caused a glittering sword hanging by a bristle of a horses vpper lip to be let downe that it might hang ouer his necke About forty two yeeres after Alexanders death Pyrrhus King of the Epirotes came into Italie and made warre with the Romanes In his second yeeres warre he solicited the Senate about concluding of a peace and a league But Appius Claudius both old and blinde who as Cicero writes had beene twice Consull before that came into the Court and disswaded the Senate inclining to peace from making any league with him for euen in that case wherein he then was he had so much courage as not to shrinke from any either priuate or publike seruice The Oration which hee then pronounced concerning Pyrrhus when hee broke off the peace was extant in Ciceroes daies as hee himselfe witnesseth At this time Cains Fabritius Luscinus performed a worthy piece of seruice for the Common-wealth who being solicited by Pyrrhus to reuolt contemned his most ample gifts and large proffers nor onely so but also sent him backe againe a certaine captiued runne-away who had certified that hee could take away the Kings life by poison Cicero compares him with Aristides the Athenian Mannius Curius Dentatus gaue Pyrrhus an vtter ouerthrow at his second inuasion of Italie and triumphed ouer him This Pyrrhus was the first that euer brought Elephants into Lucania And till this time being almost fiue hundred yeeres continuance the Romans were in warres with the inhabitants of Italie onely amongst whom the Latines Veientes Aequies Faliscians Samnites Hetrucians resisted very stoutly sometimes conquered sometimes conquering who being at length subdued and a peace setled that most bloody warre against the Carthaginians sprung vp the z Iosephus writes that it was built within 143 yeeres after Solomons Temple The first Punicke or Carthaginian warre beganne Anno mandi 3697. originall of which Citie is by euident testimonie prooued to be farre more z Iosephus writes that it was built within 143 yeeres after Solomons Temple The first Punicke or Carthaginian warre beganne Anno mandi 3697. ancient then Rome This warre begunne in the foure hundred eighty fift yeere of Rome built In which that noble act which hath report of performance by Marcus Attilius Regulus deserues singular commemoration who being taken prisoner by the Carthaginians and sent by them to Rome to treate of a peace and exchange of prisoners with condition except hee preuailed to returne to his bondage Hee when hee came thither perswaded the Senate the quite contrary way shewed that it was repugnant to the custom of the Common-wealth but yet holding it a point of honour to hold promise with his enemie returned to Carthage where hee was put to death with the most cruell kinde of punishment his eye-lids being cut away and so bound fast in an engine consumed to death by waking This warre proceeding the Romans had their first and
of Germanie vpon the Danish sea Theodoricus thereby to strengthen himselfe obliged the Kings of the Vandals Visigothes and Burgundians to him by affinitie Whilest the squares went thus in Italie great troubles were on foot throughout Thrace Affrica and Britaine where at length the Saxons got the vpperhand Zeno dying at Constantinople Anastatius 491. an 27. m. 3. d. 3. Anastatius succeeds him Hee fauoured many of those who allowed of Eutyches his opinion wherupon a dissention grew betwixt him and Gelasius Bishop of Rome who by tedious letters dehorts him as their bookes haue it from vndertaking the protection of them for there were two things saith he whereby principally this world should bee gouerned the sacred authoritie of Bishops and regall power and so much the more charge lies vpon the Priests for that they euen for other men must render an account to the Lord but he was to gouerne for ciuill policie yet so as to bee subiect to the Ministers of God and to depend vpon their iudgement and seeing that Priests doe obey the lawes politicall it is likewise iust that hee himselfe should not refuse those constitutions which the Steers-men in matters diuine establish therefore sithence this honour ought to be giuen to all Ministers of the Church the cause it selfe requires that to him most especially it should bee attributed whom God by his owne word as also the consent of the Church would haue to rule ouer the whole order of Priests Let him leaue off therfore and rather heare him an excuser in this life then finde him an accuser in the other After this his decree concerning the holy Bible is annexed in which he grants superiority to the Sea of Rome as they call it then to Alexandria the third place to Antiochia In Anastatius his raigne Sicilie was tossed with troubles and hostile insurrections which were quenched by the Authors death Then also the Hunnes wasted Armenia and Cappadocia the Getes Macedonia Thessalie and Epirus from both which the Emperour was enforced to buy his peace by gifts and no small losses Much about this time which was in the yeere of Grace 500. Clodoueus King the French first of all imbraced the Christian Religion hauing beene very oft and earnestly solicited thereunto as also to forsake his Idols and superstition by his wife who was of the house of Burgundie The Councell of Orleans in his raigne established which consisted of thirty three French Bishops is extant wherein amongst the rest it is decreed that if the rauisher of a Virgin shall flie to a Church though hee haue offered violence to the Virgin yet hee shall not come within danger of death but shall either bee as a bondslaue or else redeeme himselfe from her Anastatius slaine by lightening or as the papall law speakes dying vpon an x Sleidan as Meibomius notes here mistakes the Emperour for Pope Anastatius Iustine 518 an 9. d. 24. â— eruption of his bowels Iustinus succeeded a man of obscure parentage and from a swine-heard made a souldier as it is written He was at dissention with Theodoricus King of the Gothes Lord of Italie about diuersitie of Religion but yet they held off from blowes Theodoricus dying Alaricus his Grand-child by his sonne succeeded to the great ioy and contentment of the Gothes Iohn the first of that name was then Bishop of Rome He with other more was sent in Ambassage by the aforementioned King Theodoricus to Constantinople where as their bookes relate hee was most honourably entertained not onely by the people but also by the Emperour himselfe For they say they were exceeding ioyous that it was their fortune now at length to see and entertaine the blessed S. Peters Vicar as they tearme him in Greece which had neuer befallen them before since Constantines time the Great and Syluesters But it is strange that they should praâ—e thus of Syluester who came not into Greece as it is manifest For then when it was most beâ—oofefull as also needfull I meane at the Councell of Nice he stirred not but sent thither his Legates Victor and Vincent and afterwards as they relate he himselfe assembled another Councell at Rome wherein he confirmed the decrees of the Councell of Nice There is extant also a consolatorie Epistle of this Iohn the first to the Bishops of Italie wherein hee exhorts them that albeit King Theodoricus polluted with Arian heresie threatned destruction to them and to all Italie yet they should not desist from their purpose but resolutely proceed After Iustine Iustinianus 527. an 38. m. 3. d. 13. his sisters son Iustinianus was made Emperour Hee wholly bent himselfe to the restoring of the Common-wealth and at his first entrance set ouer the whole charge of gouernment to Belisarius who by many great battels ouercame the Persians transgressing their bounds and offring violence to the Romane dominions set free Illyricum wasted by the Gepidaes and Bulgarians reduced the Parthians being vp in armes to amitie ouerthrew the Vandals most powerfull forces in Affrica recouered Carthage and from thence striking ouer into Sicilie where hauing notice of the rebellion in Affrica he returnes thither and speedes well Then at length marching into Italie takes Naples sackes it ouerthrowes the Gothes whose King Theodatus then was After this he repaires to Rome where he was kindly and honourably entertained by all remouing from thence takes in the townes and forts euery where and amongst the rest Perousa after this he besieges Rauenna where Vitigis King of the Gothes giuing him battell loseth his Armie is taken prisoner and carried away by Belisarius to Constantinople The Gothes renewing their forces in the country beyond Po elect Hildebrand their king To him two succeeded and after them Totilas He in Belisarius his absence ouer-running all Italie takes Rome after a siege sackes and sets fire on it Belisarius hereupon recalled hauing finished the warre against the Parthians who againe forraged Syria returnes into Italie and recouers the Citie in a manner left desolate and then incountring with the enemy had a happy battell but sailing into Sicilie for prouision is called backe by Iustinianus which affoorded occasion to Totilas to renew his forces returne to Rome The Emperour forthwith ordaines Narses the Eunuch Generall in the Italian warre hee expelled the Gothes quite out of Italie which was so much the easilier effected they hauing lost their King Totilas who died of a wound That warre with the Gothes lasted eighteene yeeres And Iustinianus thus recouering Italie and Affricke after he had assumed his Grandchild by his daughter for his Collegue in the Empire departed this life Some write that hee was a Prince of a dull nature and ouerswaied by his wife Theodora Tribonianus the Lawyer was in high esteeme with him he who abrogating the writings and disputations of the Ancients gathered out of them an hotchpotch of the lawes and left vs the fragments onely which now goe vnder the name of the Pandects But he had
and seat as appeares out of that which we haue before mentioned was by the Emperour Charles redintigrated and as it were a new bodie re-assumed beautie and feature after so many and so great Prouinces were reduced into one mans principalitie Nicephorus the other Emperour in the East was much displeased hereat but Charles by his humanitie and kindenesse appeased him and interchanging presents both of them liued in amitie and the certaine bounds of each Empire were set out Besides other assemblies he had a Councell at Rhemes wherin amongst many others one decree was that Bishops should diligently peruse the holy Scriptures and Preach the Word of God There was a Councell also held at Mentz the yeere before his death and others some yeeres before at Tours Chaalons and Arles about reformation of the Church as they deliuer it that liued in those times Then constituting his sonne Lewis heire of his kingdome and of the Empire died at Aix a towne in Gallia Belgica aged seuenty yeeres in the yeere after Christs birth eight hundred and fourteene after hee had beene Emperour almost fourteene yeeres the first of any Germane aduanced to that dignitie In his time there were onely one and twenty Metropolitane Cities as they call them throughout Italie Germanie and France as Rome Rauenna Millaine Friuly Grado Cullen Mentz Saltzburgh Triers Roane Sens Besanson Lyons Rhemes Orleans Vienna Monstier Iuerdun Burdeaux Tours and Burges in Berry Pipin his Father committed the Exarchat taken from the Lombards into the Bishops of Romes hands as aboue said which indeed is so deliuered to memorie and it is reported that hee directly gaue it to them but that very many call into question Eginardus one very familiar with y Charles him and his sworne Scribe writes that hee more dearely esteemed of that Church which they call S. Peters in Rome then any other and that a great masse of gold siluer and iewels was transported thither and very many gifts sent from him to the Popes for herein he vsed extraordinary diligence that by his meanes and procurement the Citie of Rome might inioy her ancient authoritie and S. Peters Church might not onely remaine safe and secured vnder his patronage but also flourish in wealth aboue other Churches Thus much onely he writes but of the donation of so many and such potent Cities within the bounds of the Empire not a word nay it is written that after his fourth comming into Italie when hee was created Emperour he ordered not onely the publike affaires but also both ecclesiasticall and priuate concerning the Pope the Citie of Rome and all Italie For when he was not yet Emperour but onely King of France hauing vanquished Desiderius King of the Lombards as aboue faid he came to Rome and had a Councell in which as their bookes relate Adrian the first together with the whole Councell granted him the right and power of electing the Pope as also disposing of the sea Apostolique as they tearme it and confirming Bishops Eginardus attributes to this Charles many vertues worthie of a Prince as temperance modestie frugalitie loue to religion learning eloquence and knowledge not onely of the Latine but also of the Greeke tongue withall his exceeding care and diligence in educating and nurturing vp his children to the same course He also as it is written founded the Academie of Paris as well of his owne accord as also by the instigation of z Commonly called Alcoinus an English man so Bede and others Albinus his Tutor for learning of the arts as Eginardus reports He also gaue Germane names to the twelue moneths and to the windes which they now vse whereas before that time as the same writer relates the French vsed partly Latine partly barbarous names And thus farre in Preface-wise touching the Germanes and the Emperour Charles henceforward I le briefly run ouer and shew after what manner this part of the Romane Empire in the West hard and sharpe restored and recollected by Charles againe decaied which being diuided fell into many mens dominions who held the same as their proper right not acknowledging the fountaine from whence they flowed Insomuch as that Maiesticall and so much renowned sublimitie of the Romane Empire is nothing else at this day then a certaine slender shadow of a great bodie after it was shrunk from such an huge masse to Germanie one onely particle of Europe Last of all I le briefly explaine how Daniel foretold this interchangeable course of Monarchies and fall of the Romane Empire Now Lewis Charles his son Lewis l. 814 an 26. m. 14. d. 24. another Germane Emperour renewed amitie with Leo Armenius Emperour of Greece and Pope Leo dying in the third yeere of his raigne his successor Stephen the IIII. comming into France consecrated a Emperour him at Rhemes To this Pope Paschalis succeeded who by reason the Emperour interposed not his authoritie diligently and earnestly excusing the fact alledged that the Papacie was obtruded vpon him altogether against his will The Papall bookes haue it that this Lewis the Emperour confirmed to this Paschalis and to the rest after him both the possession of goods and also permitted a free election that whomsoeuer all the Romans should iudge fit for that dignitie he should be accounted Pope But I see not what credence can be giuen to such kinde of writings as these for they so iarre amongst themselues and are so patcht together without all method that it cannot bee vnderstood what should follow Lewis had three sonnes Lotharius whom hee elected Collegue in the Empire and his Kingdome Charles who succeded his deceased brother b In France Pipin he set ouer Aquitania and Lewis ouer Bauaria Vpon a rebellion raised The Emperour Lewis deposed by his owne sonnes an 833. hee being taken by his sonnes and deposed from his Kingdome was confined to a Monasticall life at Compeigne a towne of the Sâ—issons The French Annall writers report that the ecclesiasticall Prelates whose hautinesse and riot hee desired to restraine conuocating some assemblies at Aix stirred vp those broyles against him and prouokt his sonnes to put in practice this so impious a fact Restored the sixt moneth following But being set at liberty the sixt moneth following to the great contentment of the people hee recouered his Kingdome and all more Because the place serues let vs by the way take a view of the many Nationall Synods held in France for next after that beforementioned at Aix there was another at Troy in Champaigne after that at Rhemes Tours Digion Paris Lyons Vienna Auinion Vierron Orleans and many more in the same places for when the affaires of the Common-wealth so required the Kings themselues conuocated aswell the States Ecclesiasticall as others for reforming of publike enormities In like manner Lewis the twelth at bitter enmity wiâ—h Iulius the second assembled a Councell of his owne people at Tours and Lyons in the yeare of Grace 1510. and 1511. Now to the
was afterward by his consent confirmed Then dispatching his Legates into Germanie to certaine Bishops willed them to assemble in Councell but they refused it alledging that it was contrary to the custome and priuiledge of their Nation This designe miscarying He in some certaine Councels held in Italy decrees That Massing Priests shall haue no wiues but shall dismisse them or else leaue their places sending this his decree to the Bishops in Germanie vrges earnestly vnder a penalty denounced to haue it established but the Clergy as they call them and whole streame of Massing-Priests stiffely reclaime calling him an heritike that propounds such doctrine sithence Christs words are That all should not receiue this word Mat. 20. And Paul saith They that cannot containe let them marrie 1 Cor. 7. But this Pope not regarding Christs word and contemning Pauls authority would constraine men to reiect the vse of mariage which is lawfull and ordained by God and to burne in most filthy flames of lust and rush into manifest lewdnesse but they would rather leaue their Ministery then matrimony He neuerthelesse as before sending his agents pressing it on and standing stiffely vpon it the Archbishop of Mentz began to hearken to him who at first gently admonishes those in his inrisdiction and afterwards assembling a Councell at Erphord would flatly inioyne them but an vproare arising he escaped death very narrowly The Emperour in the mean time to reuenge the ignominie receiâ—ed the precedent yeare when besieged by the Saxons hee wrought out his safety by flight in the night time makes readie for warre and violating the league which he had made the yeere before musters vp all the forces hee could possibly make and in the moneth of Iuly setting vpon the Saxons who by their frequent Ambassadours had but in vaine solicited him for peace discomfits them in many battels not without great lâ—sse of his owne men no small number of the prime Nobilitie being then slaine Pursuing his victorie hee harrazes their country faire and wide and by his Ambassadors exhorts them to yeeld willing them to hope for all fauour from his benignitie but that failed though a certaine few obeied Bucco Bishop of Halberstadt and Otho Duke of Bauaria banished by the Emperour had the chiefe mannaging of this warre The Archbishop of Mentz againe solicited by Gregory the VII assembles another Councell and makes a new proposall about the Clergies not marrying but was entertained in like manner as before and stood in great hazard of his life whereupon he thought it his best course vtterly to lay off this designe The Saxons thus put to flight the Emperour dismisses his forces and the auxiliarie Princes but vpon condition that they should againe present themselues in armes before him on the two and twentieth day of October following When that day came a great many appeared and amongst them many Bishops but not so many in number as before There againe the Saxons send their Ambassadours for peace in camping themselues at Northausen The Emperour sends them answer that one way to peace was to yeeld themselues so they though seeming rather to doe any thing then this yet certaine Princes which were sent as Intercessors and Ambassadors from the Emperour promising them very largely that they should not thereby incurre any indammagement either of liberty or goods at length assented and the Bishop of Maidenburgh and Halberstadt Otho Duke of Bauaria Magnus Duke of Saxony and Fredericke Count Palatine yeelded themselues into his hands and likewise soone after many of the rest of the Nobilitie The Emperour at first commits them to custodie not without fauour but afterwards flying from his promise caused them to be carried into seuerall places how bee it not long after hee set Duke Otho not onely at liberty but also intreated him very familiarly but for the rest both kept them prisoners and gaue their goods for a prey to others Then raising new Castles and Forts wholly bends himselfe against the safetie and libertie of the Saxons and in his absence committed the whole charge of gouernement to Otho Duke of Bauaria by parentage descended from the Saxons After this hee conftituted a Bishop at Bambergh as also at Cullen and an Abbot at Fulden Now a little before this hee was accused to the Pope and most especially for selling Ecclesiasticall promotions Whereupon the Pope by his Legate cites him to make his appearance at Rome within a certaine time and to giue his answer in the cause But he cals a Synod of Bishops and Abbots at Wormbs there it is decreed that the Pope for that he came to the Papacie by sinister meanes should bee depriued of his place forthwith publishes this at Rome by his Ambassadors Henry the IIII. excommunicated by Gregory the VII alias Hildebrand an 1076. But the Pope not a whit moued hereat both excommunicates him and also more especially the Bishops of Mentz Vtrecht and Bambergh hauing formerly excommunicated certaine of his familiar friends by whose counsell hee supposed him to haue beene drawne on to this practise Furthermore the Princes of Germany decpely offended at the Emperours demeanour and disposition especially for that contrary to his promise hee persecuted the Saxons with so obstinate hatred conspire against him and so much the rather because he was interdicted the Church Whereupon they dismisse the surrendred prisoners the custodie whereof was committed to them by the Emperour iudging them not to bee tied to him in any bond of allegiance At the same time certaine Nobles in Saxonie stirring vp and drawing on others into their partie surprise those Castles euery where raised some by force and command other some by dedition and dismisse the Garisons in safetie first binding them by oath neuer after to beare Armes against Saxonie The Emperour vpon notice hereof in subtle policie sets at libertie the rest of the imprisoned Princes to the end that they returning into Saxonie might doe him faithfull seruice in punishing the Rebels for hee saw there was no other meanes to bring about his wished successe with more facilitie then by kindling factions amongst them and renting one from another but the euent was not correspondent for they after their returne home well acquainted with his qualities with ioynt mindes might resolued to fight for the common liehrtie and Duke Otho also forsaking him did the like yet the Emperour was full fraught with good hope hauing broken through Bohemia into the Country of Campania aided with Bohemian forces but when he was certified of the Saxons coniunction and their Armie in readinesse despairing victory retires Then at length the Princes of Germanie appointing the day met together in great abundance thither also repaires the Popes Legate who vnfolding the causes of the Emperours excommunication exhorted them to create another which otherwise they were about to doe of their owne accord for making a rehearsall of his life euen from his tender yeeres they pronounced him to be the blemish dishonour and
subiect most beautifull and altogether necessary for the societie of mankinde yea this gift euen heauenly drawne out and conuaied from the mid-fountaines of Philosophie to it 's former splendor and equitie which their indeauours merit not onely publike commendation but also remuneration After his death there was a vacancie for almost 22. yeeres A vacancie in the Empire for the space of 22. yeers after Fredericke the II. his decease first one then another being elected who notwithstanding held not the sway of gouernement in those troublesome times In the meane time the Kingdome of Naples fell from the Emperour Frederickes house into the hands of the French and afterwards Sicilie also For the Popes relied vpon the French power though soone after most cruell warres insued about those Kingdomes betwixt the house of Arragon and the house of Angiers in France but that appertaines not to this place When the Common-wealth had floated in this state as aforesaid for so many yeers together Rudolphus Habspurgh 1273. an 17. m. 9. d. 16. Rudolphus Habspurgh is created Emperour He in the beginning of his raign appeased those commotions spread throughout Germanie And after some Diets ended marches out against Ottacar King of Bohemia then in rebellion whom he inforced to conditions of peace which he notwithstanding by his wiues instigation not long after breakes and marching the second time into Austria is slaine in battell Ladislaus Cunus King of Hungary aided the Emperour Rudolphus At length a peace being concluded with the Bohemians by r Iutta the Emperous daughter was married to Wencislaus King of Bohemia Ottacars sonne marriage the Emperour gaue Austria which the King of Bohemia had held many yeeres together to Albertus his sonne and being hindred by diuers businesses in Germany went not downe into Italie neither was he inclined much that way howsoeuer for it is reported of him that hee would sometimes merrily tell a tale of the Foxe that would not visit the Lyon lying counterfeitly sicke in a certaine denne because hee was affrighted with the footsteps of other beasts of which none had returned notwithstanding he deputed a Gouernour in Italie in manner of Vice-Emperour and as it is written confirmed the often mentioned Countrey of Flaminiae and the Exarchie to the Church of Rome when hee saw very small commoditie returne to him from those parts For the Emperours wearied with perpetuall dissention and variance with the Popes became more remisse neither would the Popes euer bee at quiet till they had remoued them forth of the Coasts of Italie and therefore in a manner shelrring themselues vnder the wings of the French Kings and fostering their factions by the Bishops of Germany at length effected their owne wished desires But here by the way let vs call to minde the interchangeable course of estates when as they who were secure had their being and held their place and dignitie by fauour of the Emperours were inriched by their goods and liberalities both arrogated dominion ouer them and also defrauded them of their patrimony For they keepe to themselues not onely a good part of Italie but haue also strictly obliged the Kings of Sicilie and Naples to their partie which two kings both pay thē yeerely tribute and also are forbidden to vndertake the imperiall dignitie without their permission and when they receiue possession from them amongst other clauses that is one part of their oath That memorable massacre of the French through out Sicilie happened in Rudolphus the Emperours time For they being in possession of that Country where after soldiers fashion playing many insolent and outragious prankes were by secret conspiracie after a signe giuen all put to the sword when the Bell rung to euening prayers This Massacre is cōmonly called the Sicilian Vespers The Sicilian Vespers 1281. which was committed vpon Easter day in the yeere 1281. Rudolphus vpon a summe of money paid infranchised and set charge-free many Cities in Italie belonging to the Empire as the Bononians Florentines Genowaies Lucans and others After this assembling the Princes at Franckeford he desired but in vaine to haue his sonne Albert assigned his successor Rudolphus dying Adolphus of Nassaw 1292. an 6. m 5. d. 7. Adolphus of the house of Nassaw succeeded who not long after beganne to picke quarrels with Albertus Arch-duke of Austria and moreouer offending the Princes of Germanie by his demeanour as also the Archbishop of Mentz by whose helpe hee was made Emperour is deposed and Albertus Arch-duke of Austria Rudolphus his sonne is elected who vniting his forces hauing the Princes aid makes forward toward Adolphus when giuing him battell in the Bishopricke of Spire Adolphus being grieuously wounded by Albertus was soone after slaine by the rest of the souldiers After this victorie Albertus 1298 an 9. m 9. d. 5. Albertus to confirme his owne title lest any might report that his former election was vniust desired to bee solemnly created Emperour which done Pope Boniface the VIII reclaimed denying to ratifie what the rest of the Princes had done but within a while after when Philip the Faire King of France and hee fell into bitter dissention hee approoued of Albertus and spoke much in praise of his progenitours At length Albertus was slaine by his owne kinsmen as hee was marching into Bohemia hauing all in readinesse to intrude his sonne Fredericke into that kingdome This Pope Boniface added a sixth Booke to Gregory the IX his decretall Epistles which are contained in fiue Bookes Amongst the rest he made a decree that it might be lawfull for the Pope to dispossesse himselfe of the Papacie for is written that he himselfe by sinister meanes perswaded Caelestine the V. thereunto whom hee succeded After Albertus Henry Henry the VII 1308. an 4. m. 9. of that name the VII of the house of Luxemburgh is created Emperour He hauing by marriage made his sonne King of Bohemia goe downe into Italie the estate whereof was at that time most miserable For euer since Fredericke the II. his decease about 57. yeers the Emperour neglected Italie which caused the sundry dilacerations therof from them by the greater Nobles especially by the ſ Two Noble families in Sueuia which afterwards remoued into Italie Guelphs and Gibelines which two factions haue many retainers in those parts He therefore first of all constitutes Gouernours ouer the Cities and free burroughs throughout Lombardie and swore the inhabitants to his subiection then resting a while at Millaine indeauouring but all in vaine to reconcile the before-mentioned factions where when Turianus Gouernour of the Citie had complotted to assaile him vnawares after discouerie of the conspiracie and suppression of his aduersaries hee commits the gouernement of the Citie to a Vicount All the Cities in that Country yeelded into his power and protection onely Brescia rebelled the walles whereof hauing after a long siege taken it hee demolisht Then marching through Genua and so striking ouer to Pisa arriued at Rome and
And I doubt not of your owne voluntary propension that way as much as your age can beare and your Tutors their diligent vigilancie Wherefore Illustrious Prince proceed auspiciously and as you are borne to the gouernement of a Common-wealth so furnish your selfe with such ammunition as is both perpetuall and will affoord infallible aid and not onely extenuate the labour which you must sometimes vndergoe in gouerning an ancient Prouince but also make it easie and pleasant From Strasburg Anno Dom. 1556. IOHN SLEIDAN of the foure chiefe Mōnarchies OR The key of History The first Booke BEfore I treat of the foure chiefe and principall Monarchies of the world Babylon Persia Greece and Rome I must speake a word or two of the great difference about computation of yeeres from the beginning of the world for the Hebrewes Eusebius S. Austin Alphonsus and Mirandula doe exceedingly vary amongst themselues But because almost all the learned men of our times doe in this point follow the account of the Hebrewes I also seeing the case so stands will tread in their steppes And first of all that I may come to my purpose I meane the first Monarchie passing by those occurrents which happened in the a Gen. 1 2 3 4 5 6 chap. first age of all as also the narration of the Flood sit hence all those are contained in holy Scriptures and cannot be better exprest I le take start at that time when the race of mankinde being reduced to a very small number begunne after that the * Moles massie multirude of waters was againe dispersed and the earth made drie to increase anew The time of the Flood is referred to the yeere of the world 1656. and b Gen 5. Mathusalah the seuenth from Adam died at that very time being 969. yeeres of age c Gen 7. Noah Mathusalah his * Nepos Grandchild by his sonne Lamech being then 600. yeeres of age and by Gods especiall fauour preserued together with his familie now when the number of men begunne to multiplie by little and little was the first that caused his children and posteritie by remoouing into seuerall Countries to inhabite the earth and build themselues cities and afterwards about the hundreth yeere after the Flood allotted to each of them his proper Prouince At which time Nimrod Noahs Grand-childes sonne together with his retinue inhabited the land of the Chaldees but at length the multitude of men still multiplying many were necessarily inforced to remoue and seeke out new seats and Colonies They before their departure desirous to leaue their perpetuall memoriall behinde them did thereupon d Gen. 11. It is credible that hereupon the Poets took occasion to make that fiction of the Giants who beaping moantaine vpon mountain went about to ouerthrow the gods Michael Glycas writes that there were forty yeers spent about building of this Tower Nimrod being their Chief-taine beginne to build a Citie and within that a Tower of transcendent height And forgetting Gods wrath which had so lately swallowed vp the whole Globe of the earth whereof Noah without all doubt had very much very often and diligently preached to them intended to extend the fame of their owne names by vaineglorious and ambitious workes But God herewith offended made frustrate these their enterprises sending amongst them a confusion of tongues whereas before that time there was but one and the same kinde of language all the world ouer Thus being constrained to surcease their begunne worke they departed into seuerall parts of the world From this confusion of tongues the citie called Babell took the name frō the time I mean frō the 131. yeer after the Flood or therabouts the kingdome of the Chaldees Babylonians took the beginnings The first King thereof was Nimrod before spoken of who as it is written ruled 56. yeeres The Scripture stiles him the e Gen. 10. 1 Chron. 5. Mich 5. The land of Babylon is called the land of Nimrod mightie Hunter and attributes to him strength and puissance Others call him Saturne and report that in the 45. yeere of his raign he sent away certaine Princes of Colonies hither and thither as Assur Madas Magog and Mosech Those erected kingdomes after their owne names as Assyria Media f Suidas writes that the Persians were so called but Melanctho◠think them to be the now Turks Magog and Mosco the two first whereof doe wholly belong to Asia and the third and last to Asia and Europe The Scripture makes mention of this g Assur Gen. 10. Belus Assur and that Niniue was by him builded Iupiter Belus succeeded his Father Nimrod who as historie speakes possessed all the Country from the sunne-serting to Sarmatia in Europe and afterwards made warre against Sabbatius King of Saga whom not he by reason hee was preuented by death Ninus the first Monarch about 1905. of the world but his sonne Ninus subdued who extending his dominions farre and wide was the first that euer tooke vpon him a Monarchie Noah died 350. yeeres after the Flood and about the 18 yeere after his death b Gen. 11. Abraham the tenth from Noah so commanded by God left his Country being then 75 yeers of age and in i Gen. 17. 24 yeere after that God made a couenant with him by ordaining the circumcision In the k Gen. 21. 100 yeere of his age his sonne Isaac was borne vnto him hee liued after that 75. yeeres for the tearme of mans life was now much shortened The manner of his Grand-childe l Gen. 37. Iacobs life and vpon what occasion he went downe into Egypt and there dyed how afterwards his posteritie remained in Egypt for some ages oppressed with most grieuous bondage and by Gods fauour brought out and set at libertie by his seruant Moses the holy m From the 30 ch of Gen. to the 14. of Exod. Scriptures declare This departing of the children of Israel out of Egypt is referred to the yeere of the world 2454. that is 430 yeeres after the promise made to Abraham as n Gal. 3. S. Paul hath it After Moses the children of Israel were gouerned by Iudges till the daies of Saul whom Dauid another King of the same people succeeded Now let vs returne to the Empire of Babylon Ninus being dead his wife Semiramis succeeded him in his Empire Semiramis who in riches victories and triumphs was inferiour to no mortall Prince She inlarged the towne of Babylon and made it a citie of sufficient greatnesse adorning it with diuers faire buildings and inuironing it with a wall Shee subdued Aethiopia and made warre also in India Her sonne Zameis the fifth King Zameis performed nothing worthy of memorie Arius but Arius who next succeeded him conioyned the Bactrians and Caspians to his Empire It is written that Aralius his successor was renowned for his wit and prowesse Aralius but what he atchieued is not committed to writing The next
his age and raigned 30 yeers being 40. yeeres old at the beginning of his raigne His sonnes name was Cambyses Cambyses whom when hee went from home to the Scythian warre he set ouer his Kingdome He his Father being absent and in imploiments tooke Egypt In warre indeed hee was renowned but otherwise vitious and did not represent his Fathers vertues Among the rest of his filthie and sauage deeds he commanded his own brother to be slain trecherously Plato in his bookes which he writ of the Lawes reports how Cyrus was very much to blame for that he brought vp his sons effiminately amongst women who when they grew into riper yeeres being corrupted by flatterers for the most part abusing their cares did after their Fathers decease Darius the sonne of Histaspis indanger one anothers life Darius the sonne of Hystaspis succeeded Cambyces second King of the Persians who suruiued his Father but a short space And by reason that many of his subiects together with the rest the Babylonians did after Cyrus his death and so great an ouerthrow of his armie reuolt from the kingdome of Persia Hee tooke armes at the first steppe of his raigne and reunited them to his Empire hauing after a long siege taken Babylon also by helpe of a He mangled himselfe cutting off his cares nose and lippes faigning that Darius had so puâ—â—isht him for speaking in the Babylonians behalfe whe eupon they receiued him and by that policie hee got the Citie for Darias Zopyrus Within a while after he made warre against the Athenians who vpon a sodaine mustering vp their forces not expecting any aid from the Lacedemonians did at Marathon with about 10000. men Miltiades being their Leader ouercome his huge b It consisted of 600000. men armie Darius was aminded to renew the warre but death preuented him in his very first attempt whose sonne and successor Xerxes Xerxes in the tenth yeer after the battell at Marathon as Thucidides relates came with an c Some confine it to 1000000 but Justine extends it to 2000000 and Herodotus to more innumerable armie with intent to subdue all Greece Hereupon the chiefe managing of these warres was by common consent committed to the Lacedemonians because they bore greatest sway all ouer Greece but the Athenians followed Themistocles his counsaile quitting their Citie leauing their wiues and children in one place or other betooke themselues to their shippes and ioyning battell with the enemie at Salamina ouercame him That victorie was very commodious to all Greece in generall for Xerxes being also expelled their Country did by an infortunate and a dishonourable flight In a little Fishers boate returne home and the Grecians likewise after his departure But the Athenians hauing a Nauie of 400. saile or thereabouts coasting on further and pursuing their enemies tooke the towne of Sestos vpon Hellespont which the Persians held and there wintring afterwards returned home gathered together their dispersed wiues and children and repaired the walls of their Citie which the enemie burnt when hee tooke it and fortified the Port. This warre of the Persians or as Thucidides calls it of the Medes happened as Cicero writes almost at the very same time with the Volscian warre where the exild Romane Coriolanus was Generall Xerxes his warre An. Mund. 3488 and that was in the 266. yeere after the building of Rome Herodotus before Thucidides writ of this Persian warre Cicero calls him the Father of historie but reports that his writings are stuft with an infinite companie of fables The Lacedemonians were sore offended at this fortification of the Athenians but sith they could not tell how to amend themselues buried all in murmuring silence and both they as also the rest of the Grecians together with the Athenians ioyning forces tooke the I le of Cyprus and the Citie d Now called Constantinople Byzantium which the Persians held Among the rest of the Lacedemonian Captaines in this warre Pausanias was one who being condemned of treason after he was returned home and lay besieged in a certaine Sanctuarie was famished to death with hunger Themistocles also being in like manner accused fled Soone after this Greece was tossed vp and downe with sundry wars and dissentions partly forraigne and partly domesticall which Thucidides pithily relates But at length in the fiftieth yeere after Xerxes departure out of Greece as Cicero reports it after Thucidides that cruell warre sprung out when the whole Country of e Now called Morea Peloponnesus conspired against the Athenians Pericles Anaxagoras his scholler being their Leader in that warre who as Aristophanes reports lightned thundred and set all Greece on fire with his tongue For these in times past were the master-pieces of prowesse and eloquence On the other part Archidamus King of the Lacedemonians had supreame command Thucidides who writ of this warre was both equall to and emulous of Pericles Sophocles the tragicall Poet was as Cicero writes Pericles his collegue in the Generalship Now let vs returne to Xerxes He by reason of such his bad successe being growne into contempt was slain by his own subiects Artaxerxes Long-hand His sonne Artaxerxes Long-hand succeeded him To him fled the exiled Themistocles whom we spake of a little before and there f Poysoned himselfe because he would not goe with Artaxerxes to sight agaiâ—st his owne Country Darius Nothus ended his life was buried at Magnesia After Long-hand Darius Nothus raigned who married his owne sister In the beginning of this Kings raigne happened the aforesaid Peloponnesian warre And the Athenians though they had remora's enough besides yet in the fourth yeere of this warre as Thucidides recites in his third booke they sent a Nauie into Sicilie vnder pretence to aid the Leontinians against the Syracusans but their intent was to bring that Iland vnder their subiection that so they might more conueniently subdue Greece and afterwards when they were returned and fostered their owne factions Hermocrates of Syracusa was the first that moued the Sicilians to liue in peace laying aside all grudges for the Athenians had laid snares of bondage to intrappe the libertie of their whole country his perswasion tooke effect This was in the seuenth yeere of this warre Three yeeres after this the Athenians and Peloponnesians concluded a truce for fifty yeeres but it held not full seauen for euen then many outrages were broached and though the peace were not quite abolished and gappes of offences committed were euer anon stopt vp againe by truces yet in the 17 yeere they burst forth againe into open warre with full forces this second warre continued tenne yeeres Then the Athenians send ouer againe their Nauie most exquisitely furnished into Sicilie The chiefe Commanders whereof among the rest were Alcibiades and Nicias Nicias very earnestly declaiming certaine Orations to that purpose disswaded them from this voiage but Alcibiades perswaded the contrarie The Peloponnesians gaue aid to the Sicilians at
length the Athenians incounter with their enemies in the Port of Syracusa but after a doubtfull and dangerous battell were all of them put to flight and slaine In the meane time the Lacedemonians and their confederates conclude a league against the Athenians with Darius King of Persia Tissaphernes was Darius his Ambassadour Next after Codrus Polydor of Sparta and Aristomenes of Messene these following are for the most part reputed the chiefe and most renowned Captaines of the Greekes some whereof performed worthy seruice for the whole Country of Greece and euery one for his owne country at the least as Miltiades Leonidas Themistocles Pericles Aristides Pausanias Xantippus Leotychidas Cimon Conon Epaminondas Leosthenes Aratus of Sicyon Philopoemen Most of these were at length banished their countries Cicero describes the Port of Syracusa and reports how the Athenian Nauie onely which consisted of 300. ships did within mans memorie inuade it and was vanquished and ouerthrowne within the same by reason of the aduantage in the scituation and nature of the place and port it selfe and then first of all was the puissance of that Citie borne down abated and ouerwhelmed and shipwracke was made of Nobilitie Gouernement and Glory Thucidides relates that the circuit of Sicilie is as much as a great vessell can saile round about in eight daies space and that the Iland is distant from the Continent about twenty g Two miles and a haâ—e furlongs Darius had two sonnes Artaxerxes Mnemon and Cyrus Artaxerxes Mnemon the first whereof succeeded his father and Cyrus gouerned lonia but not being content with his owne share made war vpon the King his brother was there ouerthrown and slaine Marcus Portius Cato as Cicero hath it cals this Cyrus the yonger King of Persia a man of an excellent wit and the glory of his Kingdome He commends him also for his delight in husbaÌ„dry as Xenophon writes of him for this Xenophon was one of his souldiers and very familiar with him and for that cause was afterwards driuen into exile by the Athenians who were in league amity with Mnemon Ochus Darius After Mnemon raigned Ochus his third and youngest sonne Darius the last of all succeeded Against him Alexander King Philip of Macedon his sonne made warre who after hee had subdued Thebes and pacified Greece set forward into Asia in three battels ouerthrew Darius taking his mother wife and daughters prisoners Darius offered him very large conditions part of his kingdome to the riuer of Euphrates but he refused both and ceased not till hee had ouerthrowne him for when Darius saw that hee could not make his peace vpon these conditions hee renewes the war the third time and comming against him with a most puissant Army was the third time ouerthrowne and as he fled slaine by his owne men when together with him the Monarchy of Persia which had stood 200. yeares was extinguished Alexander by these famous victories brought vnder his subiection almost all the countries lying Eastward The third Monarchie of the Greekes founded by Alexander the Great about 3609. after the Persian Monarchie had stood about 200. yeares translated the Imperiall feat out of Asia into Europe and founded the third Monarchie After this he made warres in India but such is the weakenesse of mortall men those blasts of ful-handed and indulgent fortune could not breath vpon him but must needes puffe him vp with ambition when hauing plaied many insolent prankes and in a manner commanded diuine worship to be giuen him comming to Babylon there died of a feuer or as many write of poison being 33 years of age and hauing raigned 12 yeares Calanus an Indian as Cicero relates foretold him of his death whom as he was going to be h He caused himselfe to be burnt following the ancient custome of the chiefemen of his Nation burnt AlexaÌ„der asked if he had any thing to say Oyes quoth he I shall see thee â—re it be long Within a few dayes after Alexander breathed his last which was as it is commonly taken in the hundred fourteenth i Games in honor of Iupiter celebrated euery fift yeere they begun An. mund 3186 〈◊〉 Most authors as Meibomius notes agree that he dyed in the 429 y. after the building of Rome Olympian in the foure hundred and ninth yeare after the building of the City of Rome which is 322. yeares before the birth of Christ He was a very deuout louer of good Arts most liberall towards learned men is therefore highly extold in many of their workes He delighted much in Homers Poems and though we read that hee was neuer without many learned men about him to record his acts yet when hee stood before Achilles his tomb in Sigeum O happy young man said he that hast found such an Herald as Homer to proclaime thy vertues For as hee would rather then any others haue Apelles his l Painter Pictor and Lysippus his m Statuist Fictor so would hee haue his worth extold and commended to the memorie of posterity by such as in setting forth his glory could purchase renowne to their owne wits He imployed his Tutor Aristotle about describing the nature of all liuing creatures and for that purpose procured certaine thousands of men throughout Greece Asia as Grasiers Huntsmen Fishermen Fishmongers Fowlers many more such like to giue him information of each creature It s written that hee gaue to the Author himselfe in recompence of his labour 800 Talents which amounts as the learned of our times collect to 1480. Crownes He sent Xenocrates the Philosopher 50 Talents by his Ambassador which comes to 1030 Crownes which when hee refused and sent him word back again by his Ambassadors that he hath no need of so much money What said he has he no friend whoÌ„ he may benefit by theÌ„ In his tender yeares when he was Aristotles scholler hee was as Cicero writes endued with a most excellent wit and exceeding great modesty but afterwards aduanced with the title of King He grew proud cruell and deboist Historiographers tell wondrous stories of Darius his gorgeous pomp delicious pastimes and riotous exesse For hee kept within his Tents Cookes of all kinds Hucksters crammers of fowle Artificers clerks of his kitchin and Confectioners lest hee should bee vnprouided of any meanes that might encrease his bodily pleasure Many writers speake of the Kings of Persia their solemnities and sumptuous prouision in their daily banquets elsewhere They were wont to keep many wiues as Cicero writes and to those they gaue certaine cities that such a citie should find such a woman with all manner of attire for her head and such a City with this or that apparell Such was Darius his end as I formerly recited who as he fled from Alexander drinking foule water polluted with dead corpes denyed that euer in al his life he drunk a more pleasant draught for he neuer drunke when hee was a thirst
amongst themselues but Marcus Portius Cato vrging the contrarie shewed what danger might hang ouer the Common-wealth of Rome by reason of that Citie vnlesse it were quite destroyed and this his opinion carried it he himselfe departing his life in the time of this deliberation hauing attained to the eighty fift yeere of his age Cicero rankes him amongst the ancient Orators and places him next after Marcus Cornelius Cethegus whom Ennius as he reports extolled Hee also further relates that there were a hundred and fifty of Catoes Orations extant stuft with excellent words and matter and reprehends those of his time for their too much nicenesse in not diligently perusing them He compares him with Lysias the Athenian Writer In this third Punicke warre Publius Scipio Aemilianus Publius Macedonicus his sonne and Publius Scipio Aphricanus his nephew by adoption was at length made Captaine Generall He in the fourth yeere of his warre begunne by others after a sharpe siege continuing for certaine daies tooke the Citie of Carthage sackt it burnt it and laid it leuell with the ground Carthage destroyed 3822. thereupon gaining his sirname likewise stiled Aphricanus as hee was that ouerthrew Hannibal as aforesaid And this was the period of this most puissant Citie which by originall was more ancient then Rome and for worthinesse of Captaines scarce inferiour to it hauing borne rule farre and wide Cicero writes that Publius Scipio after hee had taken Carthage restored to the Sicilians those Ensignes ornaments which the Carthaginians had taken from them some yeers before as also to the Agrigentines that famous brazen Bull which is reported to bee Phalaris the Tyrants wherein hee was wont for punishment to inclose men aliue and then to set it on fire This Phalaris lost not his life by trechery as many other Tyrants did but the whole multitude of the Agrigentines fell vpon him Cicero calls Affrica the tower of all Prouinces Much about this time the Romans made warre with the Achaians a certaine people of Greece for offring iniurie to their Ambassadours Lucius Mummius Consul was Captaine Generall in this warre who getting the vpperhand in battell forced all Achaia to be yeelded vp to him and by decree of the Senate set fire on Corinth the chiefe Citie and vtterly subuerted it lest at any time hereafter being repaired it might arise and lift vp head againe Mummius hereupon was sirnamed Achaicus About this time also one Viriathus who from a Shepheard grew to be a Hunter from a Hunter to a Highway-thiefe and afterward leader of a strong Armie kept the Country of n Now Portugal in Spaine Lusitania in possession who for some certaine yeeres holding play with the Romans and very oft putting them to the foile was at length trecherously slaine and soone after Decius Iunius Brutus subdued all Lusitania euen to the Ocean In the mean time the Romans receiued a great ouerthrow from the Numantines a people of Spaine for refusing to accept of the peace made by Mummius the Consull in regard it was dishonourable of a new create Publius Scipio Aemilianus Aphricanus Consull contrarie to the ordinarie course and to him commit the charge of the warre who marching forth with an armie hauing recalled the soldiers growne more effiminate and impatient of labour to obseruance of strict militarie discipline after hee had besieged the citie of Numantia some certaine daies Numantia destroied 3832. tooke and subuerted it in the fourteenth yeere after the subuersion of Carthage and of Rome built sixe hundred and twenty Cicero cals Carthage and Numantia the two terrours of the Roman Empire At this time there arose an vproare of the bond-slaues in Sicilie who hauing gathered together great forces were at length with much adoe repressed by Caius Fuluius the Consull After this the Romans had warre with Aristomius in Asia for Attalus King of Pergamos had by his testament made the Romanes his heires but Aristomius being allied to him seized vpon that part of Asia and defrauded the Romans of the benefit of his Testament Him Marcus Peperua Consull vanquished and at length tooke prisoner The yeere following which was the 625. yeere of Rome built Scipio Aphricanus murthered 3837. Scipio Aphricanus lying at his owne house was in the night-time murthered by his owne kinsfolkes as it was supposed Cicero makes relation of his most fluent eloquence his fidelitie and integritie and writes that albeit the whole Citie was plunged in depth of sorrow for his death yet no man opened his mouth about the cause therof He reports also that in this yeere the sunne was twice doubled Thus this most renowned Commander ended his daies aged 56. yeers which as Cicero in a most sweet fictitious inuention faignes Aphricanus the elder had forewarned him of In this age liued Lucilius Terence Pacuuius Accius Licinius Caecilius Afranius Caius Laelius one most intimate with Aphricanus calls this Pacuuius his friend but Terence his familiar consort After this Fabius Maximus Consul in a maine battell ouerthrew the n Of Sauoy Allobroges o About the Riuer Lâ—ire Aruerni and p About Rhodes Ruteni people of Gallia At the same time Caius Gracebus Tribune of the soldiers an eloquent man and defender of the Agrarian law was slaine at Rome his brother Tiberius Gracchus hauing twelue yeers before lost his life for the like cause Cicero giues both of them commendations for their eloquence and writes that Tiberius his Orations were not very beautifully set forth in words but were acute and full of wisedome and Caius his brothers were fittest to be perused by those of the yonger sort as seruing not onely to whet on but also to nourish the wit and hee stiles him the most wittie and most eloquent of all the Romans Gracchus dream't that he heard his brother Tiberius telling him that hee should die of the same death wherof he did and as Cicero reports he told it to many before hee was created Tribune of the Commons Their lawes are extant about prouision of corne replantation of Colonies The warre with Jugurth King of Numidia begunneâ—â— Anno Mundi 3857. soldiers rewards for their seruice gouernement of the Prouince the peopls suffrages about election of Magistrates and of letting to farme King Attalus his lands and the country of Asia After these Tribunician dissentions followed that war which the Romans had with Iugurtha King of Numidia It was begunne by Lucius Calphurnius Bestia Consull continued by Quintus Coecilius Metellus Ended 3859. and ended by Caius Marius the Consull who serued in the warres with Publius Scipio For Bacchus King of Mauritania Iugurtha's confederate not willing any longer to vndergoe the hazard of warre deliuered vp Iugurtha bound into Sylla's hands who was sent ouer to him for that purpose by Marius And at this very time which was in the sixe hundred forty seuenth yeere of Rome built was Marcus Tullius Cicero borne Cicero borne 38. being eight yeeres after the birth of
The Parthians broke into Syria and seized vpon Armenia putting their King Tyridates to flight And such was the insolencie of the Seythians that they threatned Italie also and were likely to haue done much mischiefe had not Aemilianus Gouernour of Moesia vpon the coast of Sarmatia encouraging his soldiers with faire promises and hope of rewards giuen them an ouerthrow and pursuing them very farre Aemilianus 252. m. 4. tooke from them their owne Territories for this cause the soldiers proclaime him Emperour and Gallus vpon notice hereof marching forth to resist them was slaine together with his sonne Volusianus his Collegue in the Empire In this age flourished Cyprian Bishop of Carthage certaine of whose Epistles to Lucius Bishop of Rome whom hee calls his brother and collegue are amongst diuers others yet extant and many more of his to Cornelius where amongst other matters hee complaines of those who being for their offences condemned by the Bishops of Affrica and degraded from their Priesthood had appealed to Rome for it is fit saith hee that where the crime is committed there the cause should bee discussed Sithence euery Pastor hath a certaine portion of a flocke committed to his charge whereof he must render an account to the Lord therefore the concord of Bishops is not to bee abrogated Valerianus 252. An. 7. nor their decree to be annihilated who had alreadie giuen sentence in the cause in Affrica In the meane space another armie lying in the Alpes creates Valerianus Emperour a man of Noble parentage which when it came to the cares of Aemilians soldiers they to shake off all danger from themselues kill their owne Emperour and flie to Valerianus his partie This Aemilianus when hee was made Emperour sent his letters to the Senate wherein hee promised to deliuer Thracia and Mesopotamia from the enemy to recouer Armenia and on euery side to repel the enemies of the Roman State Valerianus making warre against the Persians was by fault of one of his Captaines taken prisoner by Sapor King of Persia whom the neighbouring Princes and confederate Nations counselled but all in vaine to haue dismissed For it was the destinie of the Romans to grow more valiant in resistance after they were conquered Valerianus thus taken prisoner Gallienus 295. An. 8. his sonne Gallienus succeeded He wholly gaue himselfe to his pleasures neglecting the Common-wealth insomuch as the armies which lay dispersed in the Prouinces elected euery one a new Emperour as in Gallia Spaine the Pannonia's Illyricum Egypt Affrica and the rest but partly by him partly by ciuill dissentions amongst themselues all those were ouerthrown In his raigne the Gothes seize vpon Thracia forrage Macedonia and besiege Thessalonica the Scythians inuade Bythinia Cappadocia and Asia and striking through the n Which parteth Europe and Asia Euxine sea into o A Riuer in Jllyricum which begins in Germany and is there called Danubius or Danow Isther offer hostilitie against the free-borroughs of the Romans but so excessiue was his rechlesnesse then when these newes of the Prouinces reuolt and publike calamitie came to his eares his reply was in derision and scorne as though all this could not hinder the subsistance of the Common-wealth or the preseruation of the dignitie thereof or the state thereof bee any whit impaired thereby Thus by this dishonourable course of life growne into contempt as well at home as abroad hee got himselfe many enemies in the Common-wealth the Scythians and Gothes mixt together with other Nations being about 320000. strong were then vp in armes and had conspired the destruction of the Romans Flauius Claudius 167. An. 1. m. 9. Aurelianus 269. An. 6. but Flauius Claudius who succeeded after Gallienus was slaine with much adoe vanquished all those in Moesia and other places Hee was a man of great prowesse and worthie of a longer life After Claudius followed Aurelianus because his worth was eminent hauing made euident proofe thereof in Claudius his raigne against the enemie in many places He made warres in Insubria and with the Marcomannes at the beginning indeed with much hazard and ieopardie but at length after the Sibylla's bookes by his command were perused and the Senate had purged Religion with happy successe After his returne from thence to Rome where hee inflicted a penaltie vpon those who in his absence had raised an insurrection he made warre for recouerie of those Prouinces which lay eastward and in Syria which Zenobia held a puissant and magnanimous Queene and her owne childrens Tutrix being left to her by her husband Odeuatus who in Gallienus his time behaued himselfe very couragiously and stoutly in those parts Wheresoeuer this Emperour set his foot there he ouerthrew the enemies of the Romans as in Illyricum Thracia and the rest and at length arriuing in the p Syria enemies country after no lesse doubtfull then dangerous battell ouerthrew and tooke the q Zenobia Queen who relying vpon the Armenian and Persian auxiliars most valiantly resisted him The chiefe Citie in that Country which he subdued was Palmyra the Citizens whereof vpon the Emperours returne out of Asia into Europe rebelled killing their Gouernour and maintaining a Garrison for their defence But the Emperour making another expedition thither demolished the conquered Citie put all to the sword not sparing any age or sexe After this he recouered Egypt which then had reuolted and of a new reduced the Gallia's into the Roman subiection Then hee triumphed at Rome and from thence marching through Illyricum proclaimed warre against the Persians but in his iourney was slaine by his owne familiar friends After his death there was a * Jnterregnum vacancie for a r For sixe moneths Tacitus 275 m. 6. space which had neuer happened before since Romulus his decease At length Tacitus succeeded who continuing Emperour but a few moneths atchieued no memorable exploit him the Senate requested that he would not ordain his children his successors after him in the Empire Florianus m. 2. Probus 276 an 6. m. 4. but some man of approued worth and integritie which was Probus who being confirmed as well by the Legions as the Senate recouered Gallia and in diuers battels ouerthrew the Å¿ Inhabiting Franconia now called Frankenlandt French a people of Germanie who had gotten possession thereof He vanquished the Sarmatians and other Nations in Illyricum and coasting through Thracia with the very terrour of the name of the Romans and the greatnesse of his noble exploits obliged the barbarous people to his subiection In Asia hee setled a peace and the fame onely of his name made the Parthian King sue for peace Hee concluded a peace with the Persians and from thence returned into Thracia and transplanted those forraigne nations whom he had subdued into the Roman territories some whereof continued in subiection but others contrariwise notwithstanding afterwards hee vanquished all or the greatest part of them and hauing composed the rebellions in Gallia Hispaine and
Britaine in his iourney through Illyricum towards his intended warre against the Persians was trecherously slaine by his owne soldiers At this time the Common-wealth flourished peace being setled in all nations on euery side farre and neere in so much as Probus would sometimes say that the world would come to that passe shortly that there would be no need of Legions and garrisons but the souldiers offended at this his speech thought it best to cut him off After him followed Carus Carus 282. An. 1. and some moneths together with his sonnes Corinus Numerianus hee subdued the Sarneatians who now after Probus his death were growne more insolent and menaced euen Italie it selfe then making an expedition against the Persians tooke Mesopotamia and marching on further died His yonger sonne Numerianus serued in the warres with him his other sonne Carinus hee had set ouer the Gallia's Numerianus was slaine by his t Arius Aper Diocletian 284. an 20. wiues father and in his place came Diocletian with whom Carinus had diuers conflicts about obtaining the Empire but was ouerthrowne and slaine Diocletian in regard of the troubles and seditions in many places kindling tooke to him for his Collegue Maximianus He quiered the country of Gallia then in commotion as also Affrica and Diocletian Egypt putting the Authors of these broiles to death He recouered Britaina also in the tenth yeer after the reuolt and to the end that the state of the Common-wealth might be more firme and to auoid new commotions about succession hee adopted Galerius and Maximianus Constantius Chlorius Galerius being sent by Diocletian against Narses King of the Parthians had ill fortune in that warre losing the major part of his armie but afterwards commanded to renew the warre he ouerthrew the enemie in maine battell and marching on further in those places then any other Emperour except Trajan tooke Ctesiphon subdued all Assyria and recouered the fiue Prouinces lying beyond the riuer u Running through Armenia Tigris which had reuolted in Trajan the Emperours time Diocletian hauing setled the affaires of Asia returned into Europe where the Scythians Sarmatians * Almaines lying betwixt the Alpes and Ments as Carion supposes Alans x People of Sarmatia Bastarnans y â—welling about the Riuer Carpis in Scythia Constantius Galerius 304. an 2 m 3. an 7. m. 5. Carpies Chatties and Quadies were then all in peace Afterwards both hee as also Maximianus resigning their Soueraigntie inuest their Collegues before mentioned with the title of Emperours Constantius of the Gallia's Britaine the Hispaines Italie and Affrica and Galerius of Illyricum Greece and Asia Marcellus was then Bishop of Rome whose decree is extant prohibiting Bishops from calling a Synode without the authority of the Sea of Rome as also to condemne any Bishop who should appeale to Rome But Maxentius the Emperour persecuting him his estate as others before him was both meane and miserable Whereupon it may easily bee coniectured whether or no he in those perplexities and lurking corners could take so much vpon him as to establish such manner of decrees At length Constantius dying at Yorke Galerius adopted Severus and Maximianus In the meane space the Preterian souldiers at Rome elect Maxentius their Emperour After Seuerus was slaine Maximianus made choice of Licinius for his Collegue in the Empire Among those arose great troubles whereupon the Nobles of Rome call home Constantine Constantius his sonne then imploied in the Gallia's to rescue their Citie from the tyranny of Maxentius Constantine the Great 306. an 30. m. 9. d. 27. Hee marching forward into Italie with part of his armie in pitcht field got the victorie and afterwards quite defeated Maxentius his forces at the Citie of Rome After this hee fought against Licinius who being ouerthrowne in battell and almost growne into hatred with all men was at length slaine by his own souldiers Many write that the cause of this warre was for that Licinius did bitterly persecute the professors of Christianitie although he had been very often intreated and admonished to the contrary by Constantine For from the time of the resurrection of Christ vntill this age almost three hundred yeeres the professors of Christ were diuersly punished omitting those whereof the Scripture makes mention as of z Acts 7. Stephen a Acts 11. Iames the brother of Iohn b Acts 9. Peters imprisonment and inlargement by the Angel passing ouer in silence Paul likewise who grieuously persecuted the Church of God but after his conuersion escaped no kinde of punishment for Christs cause the Roman Emperours also as Nero Domitian Trajan Septimius Seuerus Decius Valerian Aurelian Diocletian and Maximian committed most horrible and outragious masfacres But Constantine comming to the Empire and imbracing the true Religion affoorded harbour and refuge to the Christians Then first of all beganne the Bishops of Rome to liue in safeâ—ie for till then almost all of them who from Peter whom they will haue to be their first are reckoned to thirty three were tormented with persecutions Their decrees are inserted in the bookes of the Councels but the greatest part of them are so sleight triuiall quite different from the sacred Scriptures as makes it credible that they were a long time after forged by some others But if they bee true and proceeded from them then indeed that which Paul by prophesie foretold 2 Thes 2. seemes most rightly to bee applied to this place that then that sonne of perdition and man of sinne beganne to worke the mysterie of iniquity That decree yet extant goes vnder Anacletus his name the fourth from Peter as they reckon wherein he ordaineth the Church of Rome to be by Christs command and institution the head of other Churches To Alexander the next after him is that decree attributed where he commands that the water should be consecrated with salt to purge the people and to auoid the snares of the Deuill But iudge I pray you how far those differ from that Maiestie of the Apostles how farre from the writings of S. c S. Ierom writes that he dyed in the 68 yere after the passion Suidas says that he liued 120 yeares Iohn the Euangelist who almost liued till this very time I haue onely set downe these two decrees that by them wee may iudge of the rest for they are almost of the same molde and cary open colour of ambition and not onely the speech wants the grace but also the matter it selfe hath no salt in it Colos 4. both which Paul requires in the Ministers of the Church And to this place also appertaines that decree of Constantine the Emperor which they haue inserted into their books for the foundation and bulwarke of their power For the cause and occasion of his excessiue d In conferring as they imagine the City of Rome the Empire of the West c. vpon he Popes liberality which is there set downe may out of history be disproued
king of the Gothes wholly bent himselfe to the warre Athila neuerthelesse proceeds and in the Downes of Chaalons which part of France in regard of the plaines is Champaigne was this most dismall battell fought in which as it is recorded 180000. men were slaine And Athila losing the day determined to kill himselfe lest he should fall aliue into the hands of his enemies Howbeit king Theodoricus his sonne following Aetius the Lieutenants counsaile returned home with his forces to succeed his deceased Father whereby Athila getting time to recollect himselfe retires into Pannonia and leaying new forces marches full swoln with reuenge into Italiâ— where at length winning the Citie of Aquilleia first wearied out with a long-continuing siege sackt and burnt it Then forthwith he takes Concordia Padua Vicentia Verona Brescia Bergamo Millaine and Pauie and so pillaging vp and downe o Romandiola Flaminia incamped at the meeting of the Riuer of Mencius and Po where deliberating about his passage to Rome with his Armie Leo the first of that name Bishop of Rome comes to him and so farre preuailed that altering his intent he not onely surceased his expedition to Rome but also quite remouing out of Italie returned into Pannonia where within a while after he ended his daies This was that Leo many of whose Epistles to Theodosius the second and Martianus the Emperour are extant wherein he partly apologizes for his absence from the Councels by them conuocated and intreats them not to bee offended for sending thither of his Legates and partly also requests that they would designe some place in Italie rather then in Asia for the celebrating of Councels but he obtained nothing Whilest Athila thus raged vp and downe Italie the Citie of Venice was builded Venice begunne to be built An. 430. when many of the abler sort leauing the adioyning places betooke themselues to those sea-sands little Islelands and hillockes as into some harbour Thus meane and in a manner desperate and miserable was the beginning of this Citie which now as we see is growne to a wonderfull greatnesse They reckon 805. Dukes till this time the first whereof was p Some Authors call him Paulutius Anafestus and write of his beginning in Anno Dom. 697. and after their Citie built 282. Paulus Anazatus in the yeere of grace 706. being 252. yeeres after the beginning of the building of their Citie Afterwards when Valentinianus was slaine Gensericus King of the Vandals sailing ouer with a Nauie from Affrica into Italie marches with an exceeding great armie being aided by the Moores towards Rome and takes the Citie in a manner left quite desolate but at the earnest request of Leo the Bishop who also as aforesaid appeased Athila hee forbore fire and sword The Citie-sackt captiues were transported to Carthage in great troopes The enemies after this infest Campania with grieuous outrages rase Capua Nola Naples and other Cities those who suruiue the sword they condemne to the irons and growne rich with the wealth of Italie returne into Affrica Martianus Emperour of the East a Prince of a calme nature inioyed peace hee was wont to say That it was not sitting for a Prince to take armes as long as he might liue in peace In his raigne The fourth Councell at Chalcedon in Bythinia and by his command a very great Councell was assembled at Chalcedon wherein Eutyches who confounded the two natures in Christ was condemned There amongst the rest it was decreed that no Clerke as they call them should bee admitted to the Churches of two Cities Pluralitie of liuings as wee tearme it was not then heard of which now is growne so ordinarie as nothing is more common And almost within our memorie that custome crept in amongst other blemishes of the Church that the Pope may conferre two Bishoprickes vpon one man If now therefore he would restore the custome in this behalfe which was held in the next precedent age hee should doe his dutie but seeing that cannot be can we suppose it euer to be granted that matters shall be amended according to the holy Scriptures and decrees of the Apostles and primitiue times No they toile in vaine that ballance the deedes of the Popes with the rules of ancient Religion Martianus dying in the seuenth yeere of his Empire Leo 457. an 17. Leo succeeded him and Auitus when Gensericus after the taking of Rome was returned into Affrica succeeded Valentinianus at Rome and in the West next to him Majoranus then Seuerus and after him Anthemius after those followed others but nothing eminent who perished in their mutuall massacres and treacheries and raigned but a while insomuch that now the other part of the Roman Empire in the West stood in great danger Nothing memorable is recorded of Leo the Emperour but that he entred into amitie and league with the Gothes then wasting Illyricum and an Epistle or two of Leo the Bishop of Romes to him Zeno 474. an 17. m. 2. d. 7. are extant Zeno q Called Isauricus because he was borne in Isaurica in Cicilia Isauricus was his successor Among stthose also who ruled in Rome after Valentinianus his death Augustulus was one in whose raigne Odoacer with a maine armie of Herulians and Syrians out of Pannonia inuades Italie takes Orestes a Nobleman of Rome who was fled to Pauie with his forces puts him to death sackes and burnes the Citie and marching on takes in the whole Country as far as Rome Augustulus deiected in minde voluntarily resignes his Empire Odoacer enters the Citie and obtaining the kingdome of Italie gouerned without resistance fourteene yeeres But at length Theodorieus King of the East-Gothes sent by Zeno the Emperour marching from Constantinople ouerthrew the r Part of the Gothes Gepides and Bulgarians opposing him and so making his way through Mysia and Pannonia arriues in Italie and incampes himselfe not farre from Aquileta whither Odoacer afterwards repairing a sharpe battell insued Odoacer losing the day fled but recollecting his forces ioynes battell on fresh and is againe ouerthrown most part of his armie lost some whereof perished in battell others in Å¿ A Riuer running through Verona Athesis Hee flies amaine towards Rome where shut out he spoiles the Country about and comes to Rauenna there at length after three yeeres siege vpon the Cities yeelding she was taken and put to death Odoacer thus cut off Theodoricus became Lord of Italie marches to Rome where hee assembled two Councels of Bishops whom hee called together out of sundry Prouinces of Italie to sit vpon t Pope of Rome Symmachus his cause whom the greatest part refused as one vnworthy and falsly created This Theodoricus was an Arian as the Papall bookes haue it His sirname was u Because of his victory at Verona Veronensis and was descended from that Theodoricus abouementioned who was slaine in the battell against Athila King of the Hunnes Odoacer was a * Of Rugerland in Pomerania Rugian a people
all matters were caried after this boisterous manner the Sarazens laying hold on this fit opportunity march out of Egypt with an huge Army and againe surprise Africa and Lybia and welnigh all Hispaine Iustinianus hee whom I aboue spoke of Iustinian the II. againe 706. An. 6. expeld and bannisht by Leontius by helpe of Tribellius King of Bulgaria at length takes Constantinople and therein Leontius and Tiberius whom hee put to death c First causing them to be caried vp and downe the city bound in cords then trampling vpon their necks and lastly beheading them Philippius Bardanes 712. an 2. m. 9. d. 7. after which hee raigned sixe yeares cruelly prouing also ingratefull to King Tribellius and at length ioyning battle with Philippicus Bardanes to whom the souldiers had reuolted both he and his sonne Tiberius were there slaine Pope Constantine pronounced this Philippicus for difference in Religion a Schismatick whose eyes being afterwards pluckt out by his owne seruants Anastatius the II. was his successor Anastatius the II. 715. an 1. m. 3. Hee sent a strong Nauie to the Rhodes to make warre with the Sarazens constituting an ecclesiasticall person Generall thereof whom the souldiers refusing to obey a mutinie arose and one Theodosius of obscure parentage was created Emperour Theodosius Adramittenus 716. m. 7. d. 16. who changing the voyage marches to Constantinople takes the City and confines Anastasius whoÌ„ he ouerthrew in battaile to a Monastery but not long after being expulst by Leo Lieutenant of his forces Leo Conon 717. an 24. m. 2. d. 25. hee also betakes himselfe to a Monasticall life About this time which was in the yeare of Grace 717. the Moores with their whole powers breake into Spaine and subdue it Rodericke being then King of the Hispaines whom the Gothes had elected The Sarazens in Leo's raigne hauing ouerrunne Thrace besiege Constantinople both by sea and land for three yeares space but at length being well nigh destroyed by the plague were constrained to retire home This Leo was a mortall aduersary to Gregory the II. Bishop of Rome and charged his Vicar or Exarch in Italy by all meanes to cut him off but the Lombards defended the Pope not for any loue they bare him but to the end that by these dissensions they might enlarge their owne Territories For vpon this occasion they surprised many townes belonging to the Exarchie-Certaine of this Gregories Epistles to the Clergy and Laity of Thuringia d A part of Saxony where the City Erford stands are extant whereby he admonishes them more and more to encrease in the knowledge of God as also to the Saxons sharply deterring them from worshipping of Idolls in which employment hee vsed one e An Englishman borne in Deuonshire Boniface his helpe whom he had sent into Germany The Emperour Leo throwes all statues Images of Saints out of Churches and enioynes the Pope also to doe the like but hee not onely disobeyes but also denounces sharpe punishment against him perseuering in his purpose Constantine the V. 741. an 35. m. 1. d. 27. To Leo his son Constantine of that name the V. succeeded surnamed Copronymos of the same Religion with his father He setting forth with a great Nauie against the Sarazens for recouery of Alexandria in Egypt vnderstanding by a messenger of the insurrections hatched at home and of Artabastus the new elected Emperour retires to Constantinople takes the City by force and puts out Artabastus his eies He also as his father Leo liued in vehement discord with Gregory the III. Bishop of Rome who forthwith sending his Nuntio's excommunicates him and they being cast in prison hee made a decree in the Councell thereupon assembled That whosoeuer should hereafter demolish the Images of Saints or contumeliously abuse them should be vtterly excluded from the Communion of the Church after this with all diligence and endeauour he erected Images in diuers Churches and as farre as he could sumptuously adorned them After Gregory the III. Zacharias succeeded An Epistle of his is extant to one Boniface a Bishop in Germany the same man as it appeares whose helpe Gregory the II. vsed as a little aboue mentioned Zacharias satisfied his requests and permitted Bishopricks at Merburgh Bamberg and Erphord and also gaue him leaue to goe to Charlemaine Charles Martel his sonne who was desirous to haue a Councell held in some City of the French Kingdome and that he might diligently reforme the abuses of the Church but most especially remoue adulterers and those that had many wiues from the order of Priesthood for sithence after the vndertaking of the holy Ministery they ought not to haue or touch so much as one wife much lesse at one and the same time they should haue more for Pauls words that a Bishop should bee the husband of one wife is to bee vnderstood not of the time present but past to wit that hee who desires to be admitted into the ministeriall function should haue no more wiues then one To this Epistle Charlemaines Edict who stiles himselfe Duke of the French is annexed wherein hee ordaines that a Councell should be held euery yeare in his presence and commands that adulterous Priests and whoremongers should be remoued out of their places and likewise prohibits them from hunting and hawking and charges them not to maintaine any whore at home but concerning wiues not a word From this time Aistulphus King of the Lombards required a tribute from the Romans sharply menacing them in case of non-payment Stephen the II. of that name then Bishop of Rome seeing hee could not stop his mouth neither with flatteries nor rewards sues to Constantine the Emperour for ayde but no helpe comming from him hee sollicites Pipin lately as we below shall mention made king of the French to lend him his hand He marching with an Army into Italy besieges Pauie and compells Aistulphus to come to composition but the Enemy after Pipins returne home growne more kene againe takes armes whereupon Pipin againe solicited marches into Italy then at length Aistulphus surrenders the Exarchie to Pipin in which Country those Cities are of chiefe account Rauenna Fauentia Caesena Forli Forlimpopoli Bologna Reggio Parma and Placentia It is written that Pipin deliuered all this Countrey into the Popes hands though the Emperor first required him to restore them to him as belonging to the Empire not to the Church of Rome To Constantine â—â—o the IIII 775. an 4. m. 11. d. 26. his son Leo the IIII. succeeded He vndertooke one only expedition into f Against the Sarazeni Syria where discomfited he retires home and not long after dyed of the same religion with his father leauing behind him his son Constantine the VI. who by reason of his nonage not of ability to raigne his mother Irene gouerned the Common-wealth but he waxen warmer in g 20 yeares of age yeares deposing his mother tooke the Empire vpon himselfe with no lesse insolency
Rhyne and entred the Gallia's there to seat themselues in regard of the goodnesse of the soile For the Teuthons broke into the Prouince of Gallia and were put to flight by Caius Marius the Consull Afterwards the Aruernes and Heduies quarrelling about principality the Germanes hired with pay from the Aruernes and Sequans marched thither at first indeed but with indifferent forces but increasing by degrees in Arcouistus their Kings raigne possessed a good part of the country but them Caius Caesar ouerthrew it battell and some yeeres after when he made warre against the k Inhabiting Lâ—ke beâ—ond Brabant Eburons a people of Gallia Belgica the Germanes againe march ouer the Rhyne with intent to beat backe the Roman Armie but were by him discomfiâ—ed at the meeting of the Riâ—er Maze and the Rhyne Many yeers following they contained themselues within their owne bounds because the Roman Emperours held them in play by warres yet as oft as they could lay hold on fitting opportunity slackt not their owne commoditie but continually wasted Gallia After this manner Gallienus being Emperour one no lesse carelesse then voluptuous they made an inroade and by little and little sprung vp to that potencie that the Emperour Probus had much adoe to repell them Iulianus also Constantius his Lieutenant made warre against them Afterwards when Honorius was Emperour the Gothes broke into Gallia to whom the Emperour detained by sundry warres granted the Country of Aquitania to inhabite On the other side the l Of Frankenlandt then Franconia in Germany French-Germanes making their way through m Holland Belgia vanquishing the n In and about Triers Treuires o Of Iuliers or Gulicke Menapians Eburons p Part in Flanders part in Picardie Morines q Of Turnay Neruians r of Picardy The beginning of the French Kingdome in Gallia about 421. Amtians Å¿ of Picardy The beginning of the French Kingdome in Gallia about 421. Bellouacans t of Picardy The beginning of the French Kingdome in Gallia about 421. Soissons seated themselues in that part of Gallia which retaines their name and is called France in which Country Paris is the chiefe Citie and not farre from thence stands San-Denis afterwards consecrated for the Sepulture of the Kings of France to this day After this manner inlarged hauing formerly possession of a good part of Germany euen all the Country betwixt the Riuer Maine and the Rhyne they easily repelled not onely offred hostilitie but also made warre vpon others Besides the Roman Empire in Asia and Affrica daily more and more sliding away and the Lombards wasting Italy they almost extended their dominions quite through Gallia and after many of their Kings had raigned there in successiue course at length the Crowne came to Pipin also and to his sonne Charles Charles Martel Pipins Father who was not king himselfe but onely one of the Nobles and Gouernour of the Pallace or as they are commonly called Majors of the house vanquished the Bauarians and Sueuians For as the writers of the French Annals deliuer it the Kings there for some yeers together had nothing at all besides their title the principalitie of gouernement belonging to the Gouernour of the Kings house For those Kings degenerated from the worth of their Predecessors and gaue themselues ouer to pleasure reiecting the care of the Common-wealth whereupon the Gouernour of the Pallace bore all sway and by how much greater the kings negligence was so much more hee augmented his authoritie At length vpon this occasion Pipin who was Gouernour in Childrickes raigne when the cause as they say came to canuasing before Pope Zacharie got the Kingdome Hereof is mention made in that decree which they name Gratians to wit that it is lawfull for the Pope to depriue Kings of their principalitie but the title and inscription of that place is false seeing there were two Anastatio'â— Emperours and it cannot be referred to either of them for the former raigned about 200. and the other 37. yeeres before this happened as also there was no Pope Gelasius in the later Emperors time I thought good to adde this for the Readers aduertizement that they may wisely and warily peruse the Papall records for it is not one place alone which discouers this to be their prime practice so to fasten an opinion of antiquitie vpon their lawes that they may carry the more weight and authority Pipin besides his repression of the Lombards in Italie at the Popes request as before mentioned commenced war also against the Saxons and afterwards against the Aquitanians whose Chieferaine he tooke and put to death not long after departing his life they forthwith rebelled and King Charles his sonne with much difficultie and infinite toile at length made an end of that double warre For he was in armes against the Saxons full thirty three yeeres during which warre hee made other also Bauaria likewise with their Chiefetaine Tassilo hee brought vnder his subiection and in two expeditions against the Lombards marching into Campania subdued all Italie and setled it with lawes and reduced into subiection those Cities of Gallia lying vpon the Ocean which Caius Caesar cals Armorica but now goe vnder the name of little Brittaine which refused any longer to pay yeerely tribute to the Kings of France In Hispaine also whither hee made an expedition with an Armie against the Saracens victorie attended him but in his returne vpon the Pyrene Mountaines by a stratagem receiued a fore ouerthrow from the u Of Gascoigne Vascones a people of Aquitane notwithstanding at last after eight yeeres warre hee ouerthrew the Hunnes then in possession of Pannonia and likewise by his Lieutenants composed Bohemia And his last warre was against the Danes or * For the Normans originally inhabited Norway Normans then with a great Nauie forraging the maritime coasts of Germanie and France By the atchieuement of those so famous exploits he gained his sirname the Great For whereas before him the French Kings onely held that part of Germanie lying betwixt Saxonie and the Riuer Danow and betwixt the Rhyne and the Riuer Sala to this he added Sueuia and Baâ—arta all Saxonie afterwards both the Pannonia's Dacia Istria Ireland and the midland Country of Dalmatia whereas also the French Kings had onely that part of Gallia lying betwixt the Rhyne and the Riuer Loire betwixt the Ocean and the x Against the Ilands oâ— Maiorqâ—e and Minuerque Balearique Sea hee added all Aquitania all the top of the Pyrene mountaines to the Riuer Iber and which should haue beene named first all Italie from the Alpes to the furthest part of Calabria And this done hee sets forward to Rome the fourth time where hee was proclaimed Emperour Augustus by Leo the Third and all the people after he had raigned thirty three yeeres Thus the Romane Empire in the West rent almost into peece-meales especially from that time when the Emperours made choice of Constantinople for their Court
towards them After Henries decease when the Electorall Princes could not agree there was an interreigne or vacancy a h For two yeares Conradus to 24. an 14. m. 10. d. 12. while At length Conradus Duke of Franconia succeeded He enforced Stephen King of Hungary to conditions of peace And hauing setled the affaires of Germany makes speed into Italy which was almost all ready to rebell And at first he laies siege to Millaine then going to Rome where consecrated by Iohn the XVIII hee 's proclaimed Augustus with the peoples acclamation Then impoâ—ing a mulct vpon those that attempted the innouation he composed Italy and returned into Germany But new troubles againe kindling in Italy hee marches thither and punishes the Authors of that Conspiracy the Archbishop of Millaine being one amongst the rest neither desisted hee till hee had brought it all vnder his subiection Hauing dispatcht there hee returnes home and dyed at Vtrecht a Towne vpon the frontiers of i Holland Batauia His son Henry of that name the III. succeeded him by consent of the Electorall Princes Hee supprest the Bohemians then rebelling and made them tributary re-inthronized Peter King of Hungary once or twice deposed by his owne subiects and quieted the whole Countrey though not without great losse of his own men At this time hapned an exceeding great vprâ— aâ—e at Rome for Three contended for the Papacy and what they attempted was all by sinister practices those were Benedict the IX Siluester the III. and Gregory the VI. The Emperour hereupon marching thither hauing after a siege taken the City he calls a Synod and constitutes Suitgerus Bishop of Bamberg Pope who changing his name was called Clement the II. from whom soone after the Pope receiued consecration Then againe the Citizens tooke oath not any wayes to meddle with the Popes Creation without the Emperours assent Italy thus set at peace againe soone after the Emperours returne into Germany Pope Clement dyed and was buryed at Bambergh The Emperor vpon notice hereof creates Boppo Bishop of Frisingen Pope This was Damasus the II. who holding the place but 23 dayes Leo the IX Bishop of Tull supplied the deceaseds place A certaine parcell of an Epistle of his is extant wherin he saies it is not lawfull for a Bishop Priest or Deacon to forsake his wife for Religion sake but it is fit they should find her with such necessaries as belong to naturall sustentation notwithstanding in case she vse carnall copulation it is not lawfull sithence Paul saies He had power aswell as the other Apostles to lead about a wife 1 Cor. 9. which place he thus interprets That the Apostles had their wiues alwayes with them for this intent that they should be maintained together with them by those whom their husbands instructed in the Christian Religion and faith and not that they should exercise the office of wedlocke or lye together therefore Saint Paul thought fit to vse the word lead about and not lye with In the yeare 1050 Leo going from Rome assembled a Councell of 42. Bishops at Mentz wherein the Emperor sare President He dying within three yeares after Gebehardus Bishop of Aisten by the Emperours assent succeeded him this was Victor the II. The Emperour marching into Italy after hee had setled the affaires there returnes into Germanie comes to treaty with Henry the first of that name King of France dyes in Saxonie and was buried at Spire the Pope and many other Nobles being present at his death He had a sonne called Henry very k Seuen yeares old Henry IIII 1056. An. 49. m. 10. d. 3. yong but was constituted Emperour a little before notwithstanding his Mother and the Bishop of Auspurge gouerned the Empire Within a while after Pope Victor the II. dyes after hee had held the Papacy little aboue two yeares To him Fredericke of the house of Lorraine called Stephen the IX succeeded Hee also within few moneths after dying at Florence One Benedict of that name the X. by helpe of his friends and without the Emperours assent sets vpon the Papacie The Romans liked not well of this prancke who to acquit themselues dispatching their Ambassadour to the Emperour proffer the same fidelitie to him which they had performed to his Father and intreat him to constitute a lawfull Pope Benedict hereupon depriued the Emperour gaue them Gerhardus Bishop of Florence this was Nicholas the II. The Princes of Germanie grudged much that the Common-wealth should be gouerned by a woman the Emperouâ—s mother as aboue said vpon which occasion a meane was inuented to draw away her sonne from her whereupon the Archbishop of Mentz and Cullen had the prime managing of all affaires to them the Archbishop of Bremen one in exceeding great fauour with the young Prince was now and then conioyned who alone ouer-ruling him disposes of Ecclesiasticall promotions to himselfe and his friends especially Abbeies and to keepe the flame of enuy lower perswades the Emperour to conferre them likewise vpon other Princes In the meane space Nicholas the II. dies in whose place the Emperour constitutes the Bishop of Parma but hauing not at all acquainted the Senate of Rome herewith and in that regard some troubles likely to insue Alexander the II. Bishop of Luca was elected Betwixt those two a sharpe controuersie followed but Alexander hauing the longer sword carried it The Archbishop of Bremen onely bearing all sway with the Emperour incensed his fellow Bishops against him by whom at length he was depriued and though shortly after restored to his place yet hee long suruiued it not And the Emperour necessity constraining him sith all in a manner complained of the state of the Common-wealth requested Anno Archbishop of Cullen to vndertake the Gouernement But he seeing insolencie and iniquitie bore great sway excusing his age and sicklinesse afterwards resignes vp his office to him This young Emperour now grown to two and twenty being by nature prone to vice beganne to increase his lasciuiousnesse and despising his wife Bertha kept many Concubines Then raising Castles all ouer Saxony intended to bring them into seruitude and restrained not his officers who vsed much excesse and insolencie Hereupon the Saxons as well the Nobilitie as Clergie knitting a league betooke themselues to Armes in vindication of their libertie which after much adoe and long intercession they lay downe againe he first satisfying their demands and making a narrow escape by flight in the night time Alexander the II. dying the Romane Nobilitie without the Emperours assent set vp Hildebrand called Gregory of that name the VII The Emperour vpon notice hereof expostulates with them by his Ambassadours and withall admonishes the Pope to giue him satisfaction herein Hee makes answer that hee was drawne to it against his will and when hee neuer dreamt of it and that he would not haue beene inaugurated before Hee and the rest of the Princes of Germany had approued of his election Thus hee appeased the Emperour and
Citie of Burdeaux Many of the prime Nobilitie were slaine in that battell The Annall-Writers record that the English were not aboue 7000. when the French made against them with many forces about 60000 strong This was in the yeere 1356. the XII of the Kalends of October The King was carried prisoner into England and died the feuenth yeere after Wencestaus being as historie speakes of him both by nature and course of life Wenceslaus 1379 an 2. m. 5. d. 28. very vicious quite neglected the Common-wealth Hee for a summe of money created Iohn Galeas of the house of the Viscounts a man both couetous and cruell Duke of Millaine and Lombardie In his raigne Iagello Duke of Lithuania or Luten was after King Lewis his death created King of Polonia by consent of the Nobles This King was great Grandfather to Sigismund the moderne King there and was the first that receiued Baptisme changing his name to Vladislaus Sigismund King of Hungarie was ouerthrowne in battell at Nieopolis by Baiazet Emperour of the Turkes the third of the kalends of October Charls the VI. K. of France sent a goodly troope of horse for aid into Hungarie vnder conduct of Iohn sonne of Philip the bold Duke of Burgundie which Iohn was taken in that battell and carried prisoner to the Turke where he stood at the next doore to death but yet escaped which as the French Writers relate happened thus There was a certaine Physiognomer one of that packe that professe to know the dispositions and natures of men by their body eyes countenance and face familiar with Baiazet who viewing the prisoner willed and perswaded the Emperour to dismisse him in safetie For hee should bee the man that after his returne home should kindle a most violent combustion which should set a good part either of Europe or of the Christian world on fire Vpon this perswasion the Turke dismisses him and the rest of the Nobilitie that were prisoners after they had paid 20000. crownes for their ransome After his returne into France hee began to quarrell with Lewis Duke of Orleans the Kings brother For he by reason of the Kings sicknesse which was in a manner desperate desired to gouerne the Common-wealth being nearest of kindred to the king But the Duke of Burgundie for that he was cousin-germane to the King and elder then the other challenged the gouernment his Father Philip being dead rather to belong to him This sore euery day more and more festering at length the Duke of Orleans was murthered in Paris in the night time as hee was going home from supper The murtherers were sent priuily by the Duke of Burgundie who was so farre from denying the fact that he maintained it This was in the yeere 1407. the ninth of the kalends of December The XII yeare following the Duke of Burgundy comming to a place appointed about a pacification in this cause was entrapped by treachery and murthered by certaine of the Duke of Orleans his friends that had sworne his death Charles the Dolphin the Kings sonne who was iudge in that controuersie being present at the fact This is the head-spring of the warre betwixt those two houses which hath so often broke forth euer since that time till within our memory Wenceslaus by reason of his negligence growne into contempt Robert 14â—0 an 9 m 8. d. 22. the Princes depriue him of the gouernment and elect Robert Duke of Bauaria Count Palatine He presently applied himselfe about reformation of Wenceslaus his misgouernment and would not ratifie the grant made by him to Iohn Galeas but contriued a new how to reduce Lombardy into the Imperiall dominions for which and other such like causes marching downe into Italy the said Galeas hindered and repelled him The State of Italy was in those times very troublesome cheifly by the Emperour Charles and Wenceslaus their default being too indulgent ouer that Nation For ouer and besides Galeas lately made Duke of Millaine The Venetians Florentines Genowaies made war vpon their neighbours and all right was swayed by the sword and violence Furthermore by reason of the Popes continuall absence nothing but factions and those dangerous ones swarmed at Rome Then also Galeas D. of Millaine made warre vpon the Florentines who to worke their owne reuenge solicite the Emperor by large proffers to march downe againe into Italy but when the Emperor was come to Padua Hee at request of the Venetians who likewise hated Galâ—â—a and withall perceiuing that their prouision was not answerable to their great promises retires into Germanie casting off all care of Italy whose estate afterwards grew more weake by its owne ciuill broyles To the Emperour Robert Sigismund 14â—â— an 26. m. 8. Sigismund the Emperour Wencestâ—us his brother King of Hungary succeeds At this time there were three Popes Iohn the XXXIII Gregory the XII and Benedict the XIII insomuch as by their factions almost all the Prouinces of Europe were at oddes For there was not one publike Councel at any time since Innocent the III. as their bookes testifie being 200. yeares and the state of the Clergie was most corrupt a kinde of bottomlesse sincke of vices and maladies hauing made an inundation which in a manner scorned to be stopped For Boniface the VIII was Pope in the interim who tooke vpon him both the Papall and Imperiall authority Then the next after him Clement the V. of Burdeaux at Philip the Faire the French Kings request forsaking Rome remoued his Court into France and after his death the Cardinalls falling into sharpe dissentions amongst themselues made a vacancie for some yeares but at length Iohn the XXII of Aquitaine was created Pope at Lyons The fifth Pope after him which was Gregory the XI when the Popes had kept their Court in France then for 71. yeares together returnes to Rome but after his death Vrbane the VI. a Neapolitan and Clement the VI. a Sauoysin contended for the Papacy The first whereof vpheld himselfe by the Italian partie and liued at Rome the other by the French and liued at Auinion After those two were dead the other there before mentioned were by seuerall factions chosen in their places the Papall Monster hauing then three heads At what time many worthy men both Italians and French deplored the State of the Church inueighing bitterly enough against the corruptions and vices of those times as farre as they could see in those dayes of darknesse Amongst the rest Petrarch was one who when the Popes and Cardinals lay at Auinion called that City the whore of Babylon Whereupon to determine that Controuersie a Councell was assembled at Constance in Germanie by order whereof those Three were deposed and Martin the V. elected At this Councell Iohn Hâ—â— and Hierome of Prague were burnt for heresie though they came thither vnder safe conduct from the Emperour Sigismund the Emperour is much commended for that He to benefit the Common-wealth went almost to all the Kings in Christendome to exhort them to