fell sicke and died at the same Manor place where hys father dyd after that hee hadde Titus died raigned two yeres eight monethes and twentye daies and in the fortye yere of his age There was no lesse Titê° his age and raigne mone and lamentation made for him after his death then if euery manne had bewailed his owne priuate losse and alonenesse The Senate hearing of his decease forthwith in hast weÌ„t that same night in the eueninge tide into the counsaile house and there rendred vnto him being now at this time dead so greate praise thankes as they did neuer the lyke to hym at any time While he yet liued was conuersaunt amonge them He was Titus canonised also canonised After his decease Domitianus 12. Domitianus the .xii. Emperor brother to Titus began his raign in the. 4043. yere after the creatioÌ„ of the worlde in the 835. yeare after the buylding of Rome and in the yere of our Lord 83 he expulsed the Philosophers and studiers of the mathematicall sciences forth of Rome he was the ii emperor that persecuted the christians whoÌ„ he put to deathe like as Nero dyd The crueltye and pryde of Domitianus obtained the Empire beinge yonger brother to Titus but he resembled more Nero or Caligula or Tiberius then he did eyther hys father or his brother In the firste beginnyng of hys Empyre he behaued hymself with great temperance and modesty But soone after being enfected wyth the vices of fleshly lust anger cruelty auarice he so kyndled the hatred of all meÌ„ against him that he dyd in manner quite abolishe and blot out of memory the good desertes of hys father and brother He slew the most worthy of the Senate He was the firste whiche commaunded hym self to be called a God He would not permyt the Romaynes to set vp anye pictures of hym vnlesse they were of golde or siluer He slew his owne cosen Germaine He was moreouer of an horrible pryde Hee made in his time .iiii. viages onlye One agaynst the Sarmatians an other agaynst the Cattianes and two into Dacia whyche is nowe called Denmarke He tryumphed twise ouer the Dacianes and the Cattianes When he had subdued the Sarmatianes he ware but a garlaÌ„d of baies only He sustained sondrye damages in those battailes for in Sarmatia his Legiones and captain wer slain And by the Danes Appius Sabinus one of the Consuls Cornelius Fiscus captayn of the Emperours gard were also slayne and great garysons of men with them besides Hee finyshed sondry pieces of work at Rome among which was the Capitoll the place for Musicians and singing meÌ„ the two gallaries called Isium and Serapium and the Tilt a place for men to run in At length beinge abhorred and detested of all menne for diuers hys wycked doinges hee was slayne in Domitianus slain his palaice by his owne men in the xiv yere of his age and the .xv. yeare Domitianus his age and raigne of hys raigne His corps was caryed forth to buriall by suche onlye as vsually cary the bodies of other mean men in Rome to buryinge and so he was buryed verye dysworshipfullye ¶ The eyghte boke of the Breuiary of Eutropius IN the eyght hundreth fifty yeare after the building Vetus Valens CoÌ„suls of the city of Rome at what time Vetus and Valens were Consulles the weale publique When common welthes florish of Rome aspyred to a meruaylous prosperous estate agayne For that nowe wyth greate good happe the 13. Nerua the 13 Emperours began his Empyre in the. 4058. yere after the creatioÌ„ of the worlde in the 850. yeare after the buylding of Rome and in the yere of our Lord God 98. administrynge there of was committed and betaken to the guidaunce of good rulers For after the deathe of Domitianus that deadlye tiraunt Nerua succeaded a manne whyche in hys priuate life behaued hym selfe verye soberlye and yet was he both stoute and manfull He was descended but of a meane line of nobilitye â—y the procur emeÌ„t of Petronius Secundus who was captayne of the garde and Parthenius whyche was he that slew Domitianus he was chosen Emperor beinge then berye aged He demeaned hym selfe very vprightlye and curtuously He prouided very â—ire unispectlye for the weale publique by adopting Traianus to hys sonne Nerua Nerua deceased Nerua hys age raygn died at Rome after that he had raigned 14 Vlpius Traianus the. iiii Emperor began his raign in the. 4060 yere after the creation of the worlde in the 8â—1 yere after come was built and in the. 100. yere after thincarnatioÌ„ of christ he was then foreyner that was created Emperor he was a Spaniard borne and no Italian adopted to the successyon of the Empyre by Nerua he was the third emperor that persecuted the christians But in his time it was decreed that they should not be called to examinatyon except they had bene fyrst accused Armenia renued one yere iiii moneths and .viii. dayes in the .lxxvi. yeare of hys age After his death he was canonised After him succeded Vlpius Traianus Crinitus who was born at Italica in Spayne whose parentage was more auncient of time then noble of birthe His father was fyrste Consul theÌ„ after he became to haue gouernmeÌ„t of thother Agripina a city in Fraunce He gouerned the weale publique in suche sort that he might worthelye be preferred aboue all other Princes He was one of passyng great ciuility and stoutnesse wythal Hee enlarged bothe in lengthe and bredthe the borders and marches of the Romaine Empire whyche sithe the tyme of Augustus was rather but defended and onlye conserued then worthely augmented He repaired those cities which were ruinous and fallen in decaye on the farther side of Rheine in Germany He subdued Dacia and vanquished Decibalus Hee created a Prouince on the farther side of Danubiê° in those parties where as now the Taiphalianes inhabite That Prouince extended to a thousand miles in cixcuit He recouered Armenia which the ParthiaÌ„s had won and slewe Pharnaces the Sirian who deteined it He appoynted one to be king ouer the Albanes Hee receiued vnder obeysaunce the kynges of the Spaniardes the Moscouites the Bosphoranes the Arabiaues the Dsdroenes and of the inhabitaunts of Cholchos He conquered the Adiabenes and Marchomedes He subdued AntemusiuÌ„ a greate region of Persia He wanne Seleucia Ctesiphontes Babilone and Edissios and broughte that countrey in subiection vnto the borders of India and marched still forwarde vntill he came to the redde sea where he founded three Prouinces Armenia Assiria and Mesopotamia together Thre prouinces made wyth those people whyche border vppon Macedonie After that he reduced Arabia also into the forme of a Prouince He prepared a nauye for the red Sea minding there with A vlage prepared ok the red sea to spoyle the coastes and borders of India But his curtesye and sobriety excelled farre all those hys Martiall The passyng same of Traianus feates
as were noble men to feaste with like sumptuousnesse and furniture and to bee serued with like seruitors as he was himself When he had gotten the victorye he was so liberall in dealinge gifts that in one day as the reporte went he gaue away an C. Lyons to gether Thus when hee had reduced The greate largesse of Antoninus the weale publique to a most fortunate estate bothe for manhoode and curtesy he deceased in the .xviii. yere of his raigne when hee had liued .lx. yeares and one and was canonysed all the people earnestly laboring to haue it so After him succeded Luciê° Antoninê° CoÌ„modus his sonne who L. Antoninê° CoÌ„modus the 18. emperour began hys raigne in the yeare of oure Lord. 181. in one thing reseÌ„bled his father but only that he had also good successe in battaile against the Germaines He wold haue chaunged the name of the moneth of September and called it CoÌ„modê° after his own name He defamed himselfe with riot ribaudry He plaid oftentimes in thopeÌ„ scholes of fence sometimes also vppon the theater or stage with ths masters of defence them selues He died sodenly Antoninus Commodus died sodenly so yâ— men did iudge that he was ether thrailed or poysoned when hee had raigned .xii. yeres and .viii. monthes after the decease of his father he was so abhorred of all men that euen after Commodus Antoninus his raigne his decease he was demed as an enemy of mankinde After him succeded 19. Pertinax the 19 Emperour beganne his raign the 194 yeare of oure Lord. ded Pertinax who was then very aged for why he was lxx yeres of age and at that time called Prefecturoo And when he had raigned .lxxx. dais he was slaine in an vproure whiche fell amonge the garde throughe the Pertinax slayne treason of Iulianus Nexte after him Saluius Iulianus got the Empire a noble manne Saluius Iulianus the 26. emperour began his raigne in the yeare of oure Lorde 194. and one whiche was very experte in the lawes neuew to that Iulianus who durynge the raigne of Adrianus the Emperoure whom the Romaynes worshypped for a GOD made alwayes the Proclamatyons and other thedictes and ordinaunces of the Emperor This Iulianê° was discomfited by Seuerus at the bridge Iulianus discomfyted called Miluius bridge and beynge pursued was sone after slaine in hys palaice He liued .vii. monthes after Iulianus slayne the tyme that hee fyrste beganne to Iulianus his raigne raygne From that time Septunius Seuerus tooke the rule and gouernmente of the Romayne Empyre Who was born at a town called Lepus whiche was in Tripolinata a prouince in Affrick He was the only Emperor after as any man can remember The onlye Emperoure created forth of Affricke either before that tyme or sith whiche was create Emperoure forth of Affricke He had firste the ordering and ouersight of the treasor sone after hee was made Tribunus Militum FroÌ„ thence passing throughe diuers offices and preferments At last he became to haue the admynistration of the whole weale publique He willed that men should cal him Pertinax for the great zeale and good wil whiche he semed to owe to that Pertinax whyche was flaine by Iulianus He was very sparyng and nere him selfe and by nature cruell He waged sondry battails and those with great dexterity good successe Seuerus his valiauntnes He slewe Percenius Niger at Cizicus who rebelled in Egipte and Siria He oueacame the Parthians He subdued the Arabians so nyghe that he made a prouince there By meane wherof he demerited to haue the names Sextinus Seuerus called Parthicê° and Arabicus to be called Parthicus and Arabicus Hee repaired manye thynges throughe out the Romain Empyre In this time also Clodius Albinus who had associated hymself wyth Iulianus Clodius Albinus created himself Cesarium France to helpe him to â—lea Pertinax created hymselfe Cesar in Fraunce and was vanquished at Louane and slayne there But Seuerus besides that he did excell in glorye purchased by feates of armes he was also reuereÌ„ced for his ciuil policy He was hothe Worthy praise in a prince learned and had attained besides the perfection of the knowledge of Philosophy The last battaile whych he waged was in Britaine And to the Seuerus subdued Brytaine end that hee mighte make sure wyth defence al suche prouinces as he had won there he caused a trenche to be cast from sea to sea a long the leÌ„gth of .xxii. miles He deceased at Yorke being very aged in the xviii yere and Seuerushys age raygne iiii month of his raign was canonised He left his sonne Bassianus Geta to succede him in hys Empire But he willed the Senate that they should cal his sonne Bassianê° Antoninê° Whervpon he was named Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Bassiainê° 22. Antoninus Bassianê° the 22. Emperor after his fathers deathe begaÌ„ his Empire in the 213. yere after Christes Incarnation he slew his brother in law at his mothers brestes succeded his father alone For Geta who was counted as open enemy to the weale publique dyed forthwith Thus was Marcus Aurelius Antoninê° Bassianê° who was also called Caracalla created Emperor He was wel nigh like of conditions vnto hys father but somewhat sharpe more ful of threatninges Hee founded the bathes at Rome whiche were called Antonians a notable pece of worke Besides that he did nothing worthy Autoniane bathes founded at Rome of memory He was out of mesure geuen to sensuality and carnall concupiscence in so much that he espoused hys mother in law Iuba He dyed in Osdroenes at Edessa as hee made preparacion for his viage against the Parthians in the .vi. yere and second month of his raign when he had liued skant .xliii. yeres He was buried very simply after the commoÌ„ sort of people There were Opilius Macrinus and his sonne Diadumenê° created Emperors This Macrinus was somtime captaine of the gard They did nothing that was worthy of memory for the short time of their raign whiche endured but by the space of one yeare and two monethes They wer slain both together in a sedityon which fell amonge the souldioures Next after them was Marcê° Aureliê° Antoninus created Emperor whom men supposed to be the sonne of Antoninus Garacalla Hee was one of the priestes of the Temple of Heliogalus When he was come to Rome beinge long loked for bothe by the Senate and souldioures He diffamed and prostituted himself to all kinde of shame and reproche He liued very vnchastly and filthily And about two yeares and .viii. monethes afterward Hee was slaine in Aurelius Antonius slayn an vproure whyche the Souldioures made and hys mother Semia Sira wyth him After him Aurelius Alexander be 2. Aurelius Alexander the xxv Emperor was chosen Emperor wheÌ„ he was but .xii. yeres of age He was a verye vertuous priÌ„ce one that fauoured all good men he was the fyrst Emperoure that fauored Christians he began hys
the state of the weale publique in Rome Lucretia wife to Collatinus she had of this iniury complained to her husband other her frendes in the presens of them all she slue her self Where vpon they kindled the hartes of the people againste Tarquinius deposed him from his kingdome and The seuerity of the Romaines in punyshing adulterye sone after the whole army whiche at that time laid siege to the city of Arde together with the king forsoke him Where vpon when the king retourned and would haue entred the city Lucius Tarquinius hys raygne the gates wer shut against him Thus when he hadde raigned .xxv. yeres he fled with his wife and children In this wise raigned .vii. kinges ouer the city of Rome by the space of CCxliii The time that kynges gouerned Rome yeres at which time Rome extended not to aboue .xv. miles where it was largest From this time began there to be created in the place of one kyng ii consuls for this consideration that Two consuls created in Rome Consuls ordained in rome the 3450. yere after the creatioÌ„ of the world The raign of the consuls although the one of them were disposed to naughtinesse yet the other hauing the like authority might bridle the affection of his companyon And it was decreed that they shoulde not rule aboue one yere least the continuaunce of theyr bearinge rule shoulde make theÌ„ waxe hauty wheras otherwise The order of the coÌ„suls coÌ„einued after it was fyrst instituted vntil Iulius Cesares raigne which wxas by the space of 464. yeres they wold demene them selues more curteously knowinge that after theyr ycare expired and determined they shoulde become priuate persons againe In the first yere after the expulsing of the kings forth of the city Lucius Iunius Brutus who hadde most of others procured the banishing Lucius Iunius Brutus and Tarquinius Collatinus fyrst consuls of Tarquinius and with him Tarquinius Collatinus who was husbaÌ„d to Lucretia wer chosen coÌ„suls How be it Collatinus was forth wyth depriued of his Consulship For why it was agreed that none should remain in the Citye that bare the name of Tarquinius wherevpon Collatinus Tarquinius Collatinus depryned of hys consulship taking with him all hys substaunce departed forth of the City and in hys roume Valerius Publicola was created consull Neuerthelesse kinge Valerius Publicola coÌ„sull The fyrst battaile that any Romain euer waged agaiÌ„st Rome Tarquinius who a lyttle before was banisheda ssembling togethera great army to aid him to recouer his kingdome waged batail with the CitizeÌ„s of Rome In the very first front of the batail Brutus the consul and Aruus Tarquinius his sonne slue one another Brutus and Aruus slayn How be it the Romains obtayned the victory in that battaile the Romain matrones bewailed the deth of Brutus by the space of one whole Brutê° death bewayled yere as the defender of their chastities After the death of Brutus Valerius Publicola chose Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus who was father Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus consul Lucretius dyed Horatius Puluillus consull Fiue consuls in the i. yere to Lucretia to be consul who died by sicknes Horatius Puluillus was created consull in his roume Thus wer .v. consuls created in the first yere Of whome Tarquinius Collatinus loste the citye for his name Brutus was slain in battail Spurius Lucretius sickned and died Then in the second yere after Tarquinsus agayne War agayne attempted by Tarquinius agaynst the Romaynes made warre vppon the Romaines to the ende he mighte recouer hys kingdome whome Porsenna kynge â—f Thuscia then aided and wel nigh he hadde taken Rome Howe be it at this time was he also ouercome In the iii. yere after the kings wer banished forth of the City when Tarquinius apperceiued that he should neither be receiued again of the Romaines nor yet that Porsenna wold succour him anye longer he departed to Thusculus a city not far distaÌ„t from Rome ther by the space of .xiiii. yeres Tarquinius lyued as a priuate man at Thusculus he liued with his wife as a private man In the. 4. yeare after that the kings wer banished the city the Sabines The Sabins warred on the romaines again warred vpoÌ„ the Romains at which time they wer also ouercoÌ„e the Romaines triumphed ouer theÌ„ In the .v. yere Lucius Valerius who was felow in office with Brutus thother 4. consuls deceased in suche extreme pouerty that mony was fain to A collectyon of monye for the burial of Valerius the consull bee gathered amonge the people to bear the expenses of his funeras Whose death the Romain matrones did by the space of a yere bewaile as they did the deathe of Brutus before In the .ix. yere after the banishyng of the kinges when Tarquinius hys sonne in law had assembled together Preparatyon for warre agaynste the Romaines by tarquinius his son in lawe The offyce of dictatura fyrst instituted Titus Largius dictator a great army to the end he might reuenge the reproche whiche his father in law sustained at the Romains handes There was a newe office created in Rome called Dictatura in authority excelling farre the office of the consuls That same yere was there also ordained in Rome an other Offycer called Magister Equitum who was deputed to be attendant vpon the dictator To this office of Dictator was Spurius Cassius fyrst magister Equitum first deputed at Rome Titus Largius And Spurius Cassius supplyed first the offyce of magister Equitum In the .xvi. yeare did the commons of Rome make a commotion preteÌ„ding A commotioÌ„ at Rome by the commoÌ„s the cause to be for that the senatours and Consuls woulde haue oppressed them At which time they created ii whome they called Tribuni Plebis Tribuni Plebis created whiche were after abrogated by Sylla and restored agayn by PoÌ„peius and assigned them to be peculier decisers and determiners of their causes only by whose meanes they might be in safety and defended against the coÌ„suls In the yere folowing the Volstians renued battaile againste the Romaines The Volstianes renued war agaynste the Romains they were subdued and loste moreouer theyr first city called Corioli In the .xiii. yere after that the kynges were banished Quintus Martius Rome inuaded by Quintius Martius a Romayne a famous capitain of the Romaynes who wan Coriolis a citye of the Volscians vppon displeasure conceyued went to the Volscians and toke part with them who also aided him agaiÌ„st the Romaines By meane wherof he putte the Romaines oft times to the worste He camped wythin .v. miles of the city of Rome And regardinge nothing the Legates which the Romaines sent to hym to entreate for peace he determyned to haue inuaded hys owne country had not hys own mother Veturia and his wife Volumnia come forth of the citye to intreate him throughe whose request myxte with teares he was ouercome and so withdrewe his armye
gates of Rome to wage battaile and ouercame them at the floud Allia and annexed to the Empyre of the Romaines those cities whiche were vnder the dominion of the Prenestines Than gaue he the assault to the citye Preneste it selfe whiche was Great prowesse of Cincinatus yelded vp to him All whiche feates hee did within .xx. dayes space and a triumphe was graunted vnto hym How be it the dignity of the Tribunes The offyce of Tribunes cesed did not longe indure for after a while it semed good to the Romaines to create no mo of that order And so by the space of three yeares thei stode in dout whether thei shuld make any great offices agayn or no. Neuerthelesse the Tribunes at last The Tribunes recouered agayn theyr dygnytye by common consente obtayned againe theyr former dignity and that they shoulde also haue the authority of the Consuls besides and continued so by the space of three yeres Then were there consulles created againe In the yere that Lucius Genutius and Quintus Seruilius wer Consuls created agayne consuls Camillus died vnto whom most honor was attributed nexte after Camilius deceased Romulus of anye that euer was in Rome About this time Quintius the Dictator was sent forth agaynst the Frenchmen which were aryued in Italy and had camped on the farther The frenche men againe a riued and camped in Italy side of the floud Auienes wher Titus Manlius the worthiest of all the Senators slue one of the French men which prouoked him to fyghte hande to hande And when he hadde slayne hym he pluckte of a chayn of gould which his enemy ware about his necke and put it about his own whereof bothe he and hys posteritye were called Torquati for a perpetuall memory of that fact The residue The original or the name of Corquati of the Frenchmen wer put to flight and eftsoones ouercome by Caius Sulpitius the Dictator Wythin a whyle after the Thuscianes were The Thuscians discomfited by Marius subdued by Caius Marius and .vii. thousand of them were led prisoners in one triumphe There was againe a muster had in Rome and whē the Latines whome the Romaynes had The thyrde muster at Rome before subdued refused to assiste thē with any power of mē against theyr enemies they wer enforced to chose among them selues yong souldiours onlye and suche as before that time had neuer bene at warre to the nomber often legions So muche preuailed the Romaines in Warlike feats and cheualry although their wealth and substaunce was as yet but verye sclender Thys armye went forth agaynst the Frenchmen and Lucius Furius was appoynted generall therof At that time one of the french campe chalenged into the fielde hym whom the Romaines accompted the moost valyaunt among them al. Vpon whyche bragges Marcus Valerius being at that time Tribunus Militume profered himselfe to fight the combate and as he marched forward Mar. Valer. did battayle wyth a french man into the field ready armed a Crowe lyghted vppon his ryghte arme and sate there stil Afterwarde when hys aduersarye and hee came to handy grypes the same Crowe smote the Frenchman vpon the eyes with hys winges and tallaunts in such sorte that he coulde not see forthrighte by meane wherof he was slain hy Valerius And the Crow gaue him not only the victory but his name also that he was after called Coruinus The originall of the name of Coruinus M. Va. Cor. Consul And for this fact he was created consull duringe the space of .xxiii. yeres Then the Latines who beefore had refused to ayde the Romaines wyth anye souldioures made request that one of the Consuls myght be chosen amonge them and the other among the Romaines whiche demaunde of theyrs was denyed and battayle by the Romaynes prepared against thē wherin they were ouercome and vppon theyr ouerthrow the Romaines Battayle agaynst the Latines triumphed The pictures of the consulles were set vppe at the barres whyche was the place where the Orators pleaded mennes causes for The Images of the Cōsuls erected this victory atchieued Now the Romaines waxed mighty they warred wyth the Samnites well nyghe an C. and .xxx. miles distant from Rome whiche are situate in the mid waye betwene Picennm Campania and Apulia Lucius Papirius Cursor went to that battail being fyrst created Dictator retournyng through cause of busynesse from thence to Rome gaue charge at his departure to Quintus Fabius Maximus who at that time was Magister Equitū that during his absence he shuld not fyght with his ennemies How be it he vppon occasyon geuen with merueylous dexterity of fortune foughte with the Samnites and vanquished them For whyche facte the Dictator Lucius Papirius after hys retourne gaue sentence of deathe vppon hym for that he had foughte contrarye to Quintus Fabi Max. adiudged to deathe hys commaundemente But yet hee was deliuered through the paslynge great fauour of the souldiers which they pretended toward hym Aboute which matter there was such dissention bred by Papirius that hee was nighe slaine himselfe there in After this the Samnits ouercam the Romaines The Romaines vanquyshed by the Samnites The yoke y◠they called Iugst was made with ii speares stucke in the earth and the third on their poynts like a galowes vnder which for reproch vanquished men were led to theyr great reproche and caused them to crepe vnder the yoke at whiche time Titus Veturius and Spurius Postumius were consuls Howe be it the Senators and people of Rome forthe with infringed that league which a litel before they wer constrained to make with the Samnites Then Lucius Papirius hadde the vpper hande ouer the Samnites and sent .vii. thousand of them vnder the yoke and Papirius tryumphed ouer them At that time Appius Claudius being Censor conueyed into the The Sānites discomiyted city the streame which is nowe called Claudia water and made the high way which is yet called Appia way The Samnites renewed battayle Not long after the Samnites renued battaile and ouercame Quintus Fabius Maximus and slewe .iii. M. of hys men Afterward whan his father Fabius Maximus was sente to Quin. Fab. Max. vanquished aide him he did not only subdue the Samnites againe but wan also dyuers of theyr townes Then were Publius Cornelius Rufinus and Marcus Curius Dentatus created Consuls and were bothe sent forthe Publi Cor. Ruf. and M. Cur. Dent. Consuls against the Samnites and in an exceding greate battayle they vanquished theym and thus ended they the battaile which the Samnites hadde continued against the Romaines by the space of .xlix. yeares which nation far aboue all the residue through out all Italy did moste diminish the force of the Romains Within a few yeres after the armies of the french men ioyned wyth the Thuscianes and Samnites againste the Romaines but as they marched towardes Rome Cnaine Cornelius Dolabella encountringe wyth them slewe them At that time warre was proclaymed
citye was builte in the 47. before the byrth of Christe it lasted v. yeres in al then was Rome fyrstea monarche lieuetenaunte of the hooste who throughe hys singuler and passynge greate manhoode reduced to suche good passe those matters so farre endaungered whyche were nowe well nyghe paste cure and hoope of recouerye that conueyinge his armye ouer Euphrates He vanquyshedee the Persians in diuers skyrmyshes When these thynges were thus finished there ensued an horryble and lamentable battaile By meane whereof besides dyuers other calamityes whyche chaunced in the Romain weale publique the condition wonted estate of that famous Empire was aultered For when Cesar returned conqueror forth of FrauÌ„ce he required to be created Consull agayne Whyche thyng when it was by diuers of the Romaines wythout contradictyon graunted vnto hym Marcellus who was then Consul Bibulus Pompeius and Cato dyd openlye wythstande it and sente commaundemente to Cesar that he shoulde dismisse hys army and come home to the citye Vppon whyche aunswere Cesare conceyuinge dyspleasure from Ariminus where he had hys armye assembled towardes Rome to inuade it Where hppon the Consull the Senate and all the Nobilytye of Rome together with Pompeiê° fled forth of the citye and passed ouer into Greece and made preparaunce for warre agaynste Cesar at Epirus Macedonie and Achaia and those Pompeius to be theyr Captayne When Cesar was entred the vacaunte and forsaken Cytye forthwith he made himself Dictator From thence he went into Spayn There he discomfited the most stroÌ„g Iuli. Cesar made himself Dictator and valiaunte armies of Pompeius and thre of hys capitaynes that is to witte Lucius Afranius Marcus Pompeiê° his captaynes discomfyted Petreius and Marcus Varro Returninge from thence he passed ouer into Grece and pitched his field and foughte againste Pompeius In the Pompeius Cesar fought firste battaile he had the ouerthrow was put to flyght How be it he eskaped Iuliê° Cesar discomsyted for that the night approching so nere Pompeius would not pursue him Where vppon Cesar whan he was thus eskaped said that neyther Pompeius wist how to coÌ„quere him and that that was the only day in which he myght haue had the vpper hand ouer hym After that they bothe met again at Paleopharsalus in Thessalye whereas eche of them ledde forthe to fighte theyr passynge great armies Pompeius had in hys band xl â–ª M. fotemen in the forefront vii M. in the left winge and ccccc in the ryght wing He hadde succour besides forthe of all the Casto parties and moreouer innumerable Senators and pretors and others of the Consuls and almost all the nobilitye of Rome on his side and suche as ere that tyme had bene conquerors of verye stoute nations Cesar had in his armye not full oute .xxx. M. footem on and a. M. horsmen The force and strengthe of the Romains was neuer before that day assembled either in greater number or vnder more worthy captains so that nowe they coulde eastye haue subdued all the whole world if they should haue fought against the Barbarians The battaile was handled with greate prowesse and manhode on both parties And at length Pompeius was discomfited and his tents Pompeius discomfited were sackic Himself fled to Alexandria where he thought he shoulde haue gotten ayde of the kynge of Egypte vnto whome he was by the Pompeius 〈◊〉 to AlexaÌ„dria Senate somtyme appoynted to be a tutoure and gouernour duryng the time of his minority But the yonge kinge hauinge more regarde to the An example of great vnkyndnes and ingratytude time presente then respecte or consideratyon to the passed frendshyppe whyche he had founde at Pompeius hys handes slewe Pompeius And when he had cutte of hys heade he pluckte of his ringe from hys hande and sente them together to Cesar whyche whan Cesar sawe he braste forthe on weepinge to beholde the heade of so worthy a manne whyche also was his sonne in lawe Not longe after Cesar came to Alexandria where Ptolomeus also conspyred agaynste him vpon which occasyon Cesar made warre on the kyng who when he was ouercome drowned hym selfe in the ryuer of Ptolomeus drowned himselfe Nilus in whyche place bothe hys bodye was founde afterwarde and hys coate of plate also whych was gilded and verye ryche When Cesar hadde on thys sorte obtayned Alexandria he gaue that kyngdome to Cleopatra syster to Alexandria geuen by Cesar to Cleopatra Ptolomeus whome he after vsed as hys peramoure As Cesar retourned from thence he ouercame Pharnaces sonne of Mithridates the greate Pharnaces discomfited pursued to death who hadde succoured Pompeius at Thessalie and eftsones rebelled himselfe in Pontus and had wonne sondrye prouinces from the Romaines and pursued hym to deathe Retournyng Cesar made hymself Consul the thyrde tyme. from thence to Rome he made hym selfe Consull the thyrde tyme and Marcus Emilius Lepidus with hym who was Magister Equitum in the yere before when Cesar was Dictator From thence he went into Affrick where as a greate noumber of the nobility together wyth Iuba kynge of Mauritania renued battail against Warre in Africk by Iuba kynge of mauritania against Cesar him The Romaine captains in that battaile were Publius Cornelius Scipio who was descended from the moste aunciente stocke of Scipio Africanus whiche Scipio was also father in law to Pompeius the great Marcus Petreius Quintus Varus Marcus Porcius Cato and Lucius Cornelius Faustus sonne to Sylla which was sometime Dictator Cesar disposed his battailes in order againste theese capitaynes and after sondrye skirmishes he obtained the victory Cato Petreius Scipio and Iuba slewe theym selues Faustus who was sonne to Silla who sometime was Dictator and sonne in law to Pompeius was slaine by Cesar The yeare after Cesar retourned to Cesar created hymself Consul the 4. tyme. Rome and created hymself Consull the fourth time and went forthwith into Spaine where as Cneus and Sextus sonnes to Pompeius renued battayle wyth great force There Warre in Spayne agaynst Cesar wer many skirmishes betwene theÌ„ The last battaile was fought at the city Munda in whiche Cesar was so nygh ouercome that his men fledde Cesar driuen to a neare strayte from him for whyche cause he determyned to slea hym selfe rather then after that he hadde gotten suche renowne and fame in Martial feates he would now fal into the handes of yong men and be vanquished by theÌ„ when he had liued .lvi. yeares wyth great honor Neuerthelesse when he had recouered his men again he obtained the victori against them The elder sonne of Pompeius was there slaine The yonger sonne fled and so eskaped Afterwards wheÌ„ as now ciuil wars The cyuyll warre agaist Pompeius hys adhereÌ„ts finyshed by Iuliê° Cesar wer clean appeased Cesar returned to Rome where he began to demean himself very disorderly and againste the vsage of the Romaine libertye Where vppon when he bestowed the digniries and Offices in Rome vpon suche
and ix monethes he was poysoned in the. 11. yere of his raigne tomb created at Mense in Germany whose neuewe also Caligula was He raigned ouer Media and did many things there very quietly And yet some thinges did hee verye cruelly and withoute discretyon He made warre vppon the Britaynes whyche countrey sith the time of Iulius Cesar none of the Romaynes had euer had any thing to do withal And when they were ouercome by Cneus Sentius and Aulus Plantiê° two famous and worthy men he had a great triumph ouer them at Rome Furthermore he annexed also to the Empire of the Romaines certain Ilandes situate in the Occean sea beyond Britaine called Orcades and Warre vpon the Britainâ— now called Englande surnamed his sonne â—ritannicus He behaued himself very curteously towardes diuers of his frendes in so muche that when Plautius a notable man who in his viage which he made into â—ritain atchieued diuers notable actes should triumphe for the same the Emperor himselfe accompanied him and the vse beynge such that with his triumph he should goo vp into the Capitoll Claudius gaue him the preheininence went The term of Claudiê° hys â—aâ—gne on his lefte hande This Claudius liued lxuii yeres and after his death was canonised Claudius canonysed After him succeaded Nero who 6. Nero who was sonne in law to Claudius who adopted him to be his successor in the Empyre began his raign in the. 40â—7 yere after the creatioÌ„ of the worlde the 809. yere after Rome was builte the 5. yere after Christ he had carnal copuiaâ—ton with his own mother and eftsones â—â—ewe her and hys wife and dyuers other wor thy mer. He was a great persecutor of christian religien put diuers Sainctes to deth did verye muche resemble his vncle Caligula He did greatlye dysgrace and diminishe the Romaine welthe and substaunce A man geuen to vnwonted ryot straunge lust and great expenses and charges so that after the manner of Caius Caligula hee bayned hym selfe wyth hot and cold Oyntmentes He fyshed wyth golden neâ—tes the ropes of which wher with they were drawen foorth of the water were of Pnrple silke He slew a greate noumber of the Senate He became ennemy to all good menne and at laste did habondone hymselfe whollye ouer to so great disworship that hee woulde daunce and singe oâ—penly in the apparaile of common mynstrelles and suche as are accustomed to play in enterludes He coÌ„mitted diuers muâ—thers vppon hys owne kinsfolkes And when he had slaine hys owne brother his wife and his mother he set the citye of Rome on fire that he Rome set on fyre by Nero and burned 6. dais space mighte thereby as by demonstratyon see after what fashion Troy burued when it was taken and sette on fire by the Gretians In feates of armes he durste doo nothinge at all The cowardise of Nero. He hadde almoste loste Britain For duringe hys raigne there were taken Brittaine nighe loste there and destroyed quite two notable townes The Parthians did berefte hym of Armenia and broughte the Romain armies vnder subiectyon How be it there were two Prouinces created during his raigne Pontus Polemoniacus Two prouinces created by the assent of kinge Polemon and Alpes Cotie king Cotius being now deceassed For those hys actes waxed he to be abhorred of the citizens of Rome and cleane forsaken of all menne and of the Senate was adiudged as an ennemy of that weale publique Where vppon they sought him to haue beene reuenged on him whose punishment was appoynted on this manner That hee Punishment deuised by the Romaines for Nero. should firste be drawen naked throughe the citye then hauynge a forke thruste into his heade he shoulde so hange and be whipped tyll he were deade after that he shuld be thrown down hedlong from the rock which whiche when he vnderstode he fled forthe of his palaice and in a farme er graunge of one who had beene sometime his bondman and was by him lately enfranceised he slew himselfe Thys farme was situate betwene Nero slewâ— hym selfe the two wayes Salaria and Numentana whiche wer .iiii. miles distant from Rome He founded the bathes at Rome which duryng hys Bathes in Rome raigne were called Neroniane and nowe are called Alexandrine He deceased in the .xxxi. yeare of hys age Nero his age and raygne when he had raigned .xiiii. yeres and with him almost all the progeny of Augustus was put out of memory Afterward Sergius Galba succeded 7. Sergius Galba the. 7. Emperour in the Empire A Senator of ancient noblenesse who was chosen Emperoure by the Spanyardes and Frenchmen when he was .lxxiii. yeâ—es of age and eftsones was gladlye â—eceiued of the whole armye For whilest he was yet but a priuate maÌ„ â—e demeaned his life worthely both â—n Martiall actes and also in ciuyll pollicy He had beene ofte Proconsul exercising the offyce of Consul for others At sondry times had he beene a captayne in mooste perillous battayles Hys Empire was but of very shorte continuaunce proceding of meruailous good beginninges sauing that he seemed somewhat ouermuche geuen to seueritye He was slayne thoroughe the treason of Otho in the Galba slayn seuenthe monthe of his raigne Hys throate was cut in the market place at Rome and lieth buried in his gardainâ—s whyche are situate along the waye called Aurelia not farre dystante from the citye of Rome When Otho had thus slayne Galba he inuaded the Empyre and detained â— Otho the. 8. Emperour it hym selfe Hys stocke was more noble by his mothers side then by his fathers and yet was it by neither of them bothe very base When he was yet a priuate manne hee behaued hym selfe verye gentlye and tractablye In his Empire he could not shew anye greate experimente of hys doynges for that at the same time that he slew Galba Vitellius was made Emperoure by tharmyes of the Germaynes who attempted battayle agaynst hym And Otho was discomfited in a very lighte skirmish at Bebriacus notwythstandinge that hee had with hym a great band of men where hee slewe hym selfe whome when hys Souldyoures requested that hee woulde not so lyghtlye despayre Otho slewe hym selfe of the successe of the battayle he aunswered that he was not woÌ„rthye ne so muche to bee esteamed that for hys cause anye ciuyl battayl should be waged and there wyth al smote himself in with his dagger in the .xxxviii. yere of his age when hee The raigne of Ottho had raigned foure skore and fiftene dayes Then Vitellius obtained the Empire 9. Vitellius the ix Emperor descended of a familye whyche was become worshipful through aduauncementes and promotions rather then by noblenesse of birth For his father whiche came neither of any notable line was created Cousul thrise a rowe This Viteliius raigned with greate disworship beynge merueileusly noted for his great cruelty The disordâ—rly raâ—gne of Vitellius but especiallye for his excessyue glotony
most seruil boudage Galienus who was made Augustus beinge as yet but a very yong man At the first he did with great derterity gouern the weale publique Sone after indifferently wel and at the last meruailous naughtily For when he was but yong he at cheued and brought to passe sondrye things in Frasice Illiria â—ery stoutly He slew Iugenuê° at Mursia one of the peres of yâ— country Treballinnê° Long time after that he behaued himself meruailous stil and quiet Afterward geuing himself wholy ouer to wantonnesse and ryot from theÌ„ce forth he gouerned yâ— weal publique with exceadinge great cowardise so that things fell into passynge greate desperation The Almaines when they had despoiled Fraunce The Romaynes annoyed the Romaine empyre they inuaded Italy And Dacia whiche was situate on the farther side of the riuer Danubius and by Traianê° was annexed to the Romaine Empire was then loste Grees Macedonie Pontns and Asia were ouer run by the Gothes Hungary was despoiled by the Sarmatians and the Bohemians A great parte of the Romain empyre won by foreyners The Germaines proceded stil forward vntil they cam to Spain where they conquered the worthye city Tarracon When the ParthiaÌ„s had no we gotten Mesopotomia they began also to pretende atytle and of claime to Syria Thus when things were welnigh past all hope of reconerye and the Romaine Empyre almoste wholly extinguished Posthumius a Frenche man borne beynge Posthumius vsurped the estate imperial come of a verye base stocke intruded into thempire and gouerned the same by the space of .x. yeres in suche sort that through his great pâ—owesse and manhode he recouered those prouinces whiche were then almoste quite loste But wythin a while after hee was slaine in a tumult in which the Posthumius slayne souldiours rose against him for that he would not licence and permit theÌ„ to rifle and sacke the city Moguncia which rebelled against him at which place Lollianus also begaÌ„ new conspiracies After him Mariê° a handicraftes Marius vsurped the imperiall estate man of a very vile and reiect occupation got the Empire and the next daye after he was slayne Then Victorinus gouerned Fraunce Victorinus toke on him the gouernment of Fraunce he was a meruaylous stout man of courage but ouermuche geuen to carnall concupisceÌ„s And when he fel to deflour and forse other mens wiues he was slayne at Victorinus slayne the city Agrippina in the second yere of his raigne through the treason of one Acturiê° After him succeded Tetricus the Senator who being lieuetenaunt Tetricus chosen emperour ouer yâ— part of FrauÌ„ce which is called Aquitany or Guion was in his absence by the whole consent of his soldiors chosen Emperor and at Burdeux he toke estate vppon hym He ouerstode sondry tumultes of the souldioures But whilest that those thinges toke this successe in FrauÌ„ce the Persians were vanquishte in the East partes by Odenatê° Syria was The Persians vaÌ„quisht defended againste suche as inuaded it and Mesopotamia was againe recouered Odenatê° proceded forward vntil he came to CtesiphoÌ„tes a town in Parthia Then when Galienus had resigned and geuen vp the gouernemente of the weale publique the Romaine Empire was adminystred by two at ones The East partes by Odenatus and the West partes The romayn Empyre gouerned by .ii. at ones by Posthumius In this meane space Galienus Valerianus were slaine at Millaine in the ninthe yere of their raign and Claudius succeaded after them who was chosen by the souldiors and by 32. Claudius the 23. Emperoure began his raign in the yeare of our Lord. 271 a very worthi man he recouered agayne things which were gone to decay duryng the raygnes of Valeriauê° and Galienus the Senate created Augustus He ouercame in sharpe warres the Gothes he wan Illiria and discomfited put to flight suche as despoiled Macedonie He was a very sparing man and a sober A maintainer of iustice and suche one as was fyt to gouernea weale publique Within .ii. yeres after that he began first his raigne he sickned and died and was canonised The Senate attributed greate honours vnto him For why they caused to be hanged vp a golden Target or shielde in the Councel house and in the Capitoll a golden Image to be created for a perpetuall memory of him Next after Quintiliê° brother to that same Claudius was by the whole consent of the souldiours nominated Quintilius nominated emperour Emperor a man of singuler sobriety gentlenes worthy to be compared with his brother or rather to be preferd before him By the assent of the Senate he was made Augustê° and Quintilius slayne was slain within .xvii. dais after that he began his raign Then Aurelianê° accepted the gouernment of the Empire 33. Aurelianus the. 33. emperour preferred to that dignity by Claudius begaÌ„ his raigne in the yeare of oure Lorde 213 he was the tenth emperor that deltexttemely with Christians He was borne at Dacia Ripensis which is now called Denmark He was a stout man in warre howe be it his minde was enclined to vnmesurable crueltye He subdued also manfully the Gothes He restored the Romain Empire to the wonted and auncient precinctes after longe and vncertain fortune of battail He vanquished Tetricus at Catalaunos in Fraunce where Tetricus betrayed Tetricê° vanquished and deposed .l. hys owne army vnto him for that he could not endure the dayly sedytions and discensions whyche spronge amonge hys souldioures Whervpon he requested Aurelius by letters seacreatly that he woulde rid him from those calamities In hys sayd letters he vsed this vearse of Virgil. eripe me his muicte malis which is Deliuer me forth of these miseries thou victoryous and inuincible conqueroure He toke Zenobia prisnoner in an exceading greate battaile almost faste by Antioche when he had first slain her husbande Odenatus who had nowe got all the East partes vnder his dominion Odenatus slayne And when he cam to Rome he triumphed worthilye as he who had againe recouered both the Easte and West partes of the Empyre Aurelianus triumphed at Rome There went before his charyot in yâ— triumphe Tetricus and Zenobia But Tetricus was afterward deputed to haue the refourminge and redressyng of Lucania and lyued as a priuate person there of longe tyme. And Zenobia atter her decease lefâ— her posteritye at Rome whiche deo as yet to this daye remayne there Duringe the raigne of Aurelianus the coyners of money rebelled wyth Coyners rebelled in Rome in the city of Rome They depraued the coyne and slewe one Foelicissinnus Rationalis But Aurelianus when he had ones subdued them he kept them vnder with great extremitye of punishment Diuers of theyr Principals he put to deathe He demeaned hymselfe wyth great cruelty and as a bloud thyrster Manye reuerenced hym more for the dignitye and roume whyche he supplied then for anye zeale or loue that they bare to hym Hee practised alwayes horrible rigoure In so
passinge wel knowen of Galerius for that he had of long time bene of familyer acquaintaunce with him He estemed him greatly for the earnest trauaile and payns which he sustained in the battail that he waged against Narceus for other seruiceablenesse good endeuor which he apperceiued to be in him This don shortly after Galeriê° deceassed Then was the Empire administred Galerius deceased by .iiii. at ones By ConstaÌ„tinus and Marentius whose fathers Four Emperours at once in Rome had ben Emperors before and Licinius Maximinê° which were newly created Emperors But Constantinê° in the .v. yere of his raign attempted a ciuil battail against Marentius He discomfited his armies in sondry skirmishes A ciuil battel by Constantinus And at last vanquished hym at Miluius bridge and so got al Italy vnder his obeisaunce Maxentius vanquisht At this time Maxentius exercised great tiranny vpon diuers the peres of his Empire Not longe after that Maximinus attempted warresin the War pretended by Maximinus agaiÌ„st Licinius East partes also against Licinius But when he apperceiued that he was like to be discoÌ„sited he preuented the mischiefs imminent by dying sodeÌ„ly Maximianus deceassed at Tarsus TheÌ„ CoÌ„stantiê° being one of a hauty stomak corage affecting to accoÌ„plish bring to passe such thinges as he had once coÌ„ceiued in his faÌ„tasy coueting to become Emperor ouer the whole world made war vpon This warre was againste Licinius by Constantius for religions sake chefelye Licinius although he was his freÌ„d For this Liciniê° had espoused his sister Constantia He vanquished hym first in Hungary the secoÌ„d time he ouercame him at Cybale wheras Liciniê° In the tyme os ConstaÌ„tius Scotlande receyued the sayth began to renue battel with great preparation wheÌ„ he had thus got all Dardania Mesia Macedonie he waÌ„diuers other prouinces besides After that there were sondry battailes waged betweene them and peace concluded and broken agayne At laste Lycinius was coÌ„quered at Nicomedia Licinius conquered a famous city of Bithinia in battayle bothe by Sea and lande Hée yelded himself and yet contrary to the integritye of the othe and promyse made betwene them he was slayne Licinius slayne At that time which neuer earst hapned was the Romaine Empire subiect One Emperor and .iii. Cesars at Rome to one Emperor and .iii. Cesars At this time Constantinus his children had the gouernment of FrauÌ„ce the East partes and of Italye But this vnkethenesse of passinge greate good fortune successe in his affairs did somewhat chaunge and aultare Constantinus from that his wonted gentle flexible minde In so muche that he persecuted his owne bloude and those whiche were of his allyaunce He slewe his own sisters son a notable yong maÌ„ and very towardly Eftsones he put his wife to death and after that sondry of hys frendes also In the firste beginninge of hys raign he was worthy to haue beene compared with the best and chiefest princes of the Romaines that euer were and at the end therof to be resembled to suche as were of the meaner sort He was endewed with sondry and those excellent vertues Hee was very muche geuen to purchase praise and fame by feates of cheualry He had exceding good chaunce in battaile and yet not so good chaunce but that his industry and endeuoure excelled it farre Hee vanquished and put to flight at sondry times the Gothes After that he had repressed the ciuil warres he vanquished the Gothes in diuers places and graunted them peace at laste and wan greate memory of praise and worship amoÌ„g the Barbarians He was passing desirous to attaine learning and applied him selfe wholly to the studye of the liberall artes He endeuoured to gaine the loue of the people through his well deseruinges seking the same by his great liberality and facillity Who like as he semed to some of his frendes vnstedfaste and suspected so was he to the residue of them passing frendly and assured suffring no way ne mean eskape by which he could imagin how to enrich aduauÌ„ce theÌ„ He enacted established soÌ„dry laws Some grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ equity iustice diuers superfluous to no purpose many replenished with seuerity rigor The city which he built he ertolled to so great port and estate that he made it able to coÌ„pare iÌ„ maner with the citye of Rome it selfe And as he made preparation for battail against the Parthians he died at Nicomedia Constantius â—eceassed in thopen town ther in the .xxxi. yere of his raign when he had liued .lxvi. yeres His death was prognosticated by a Comet or blasing starre whych was sene by a certain space being of Constantius hys deathe prognosiicate â–ª a greate bignesse whiche starre the Grecians cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After his deth he was canonised He lefte behinde him .iii. sonnes of his own that is to wit Constantinus Constans CoÌ„stantiê° to succede him in his Empire one other which was hys brothers sonne But Dalmatius Cesar which was his brothers sonne a yong man of a meruelous towardnes was slain Dalmatius Cesar slayne in an vprour whiche fel amonge the souldioures his cosen Constantius 41. Constantinê° the. 41. Emperor began his raigne in the yeare of oure Lorde 340 and with him his father Constantinus Magnus had apointed by his last will that hys two brothers Constans Constantinê° should perticipate and haue theyr portyon of th empyre permittig only rather theÌ„ procuring his deathe Not longe after when Constantinê° attempted war against his brother at Aquileia and demened hym selfe vnaduisedly there in he was slayne Then was the Empyre of the Romaynes reduced vnder the gouernemente of two onlye The raign of ConstaÌ„s endured for a time valiant which he administred wyth great iustice Sone after when he began to fail of his health he associated vnto him in stede of frends euil disposed persoÌ„s to assist him about th Empire through whose euil counsailes Constantinê° slayne he declined into horrible vices By meane wherof waring skante tollerable of thinhabitaÌ„ts of the prouinces nothing regarded of his souldiors hee was slaine at Magnensium in a Constans slayne commotion there in a castell called Helena castel not farre from Spain in the .xvii. yere of his raigne when he had liued .xxx. yeares In his life time he had atchieued diuers things very prosperouslye and duringe hys whole raigne he vsed no greate cruelty towardes his souldioures But Constantius experimented very vncertaine and variable fortune in hys battayles For why he sustained dyuers and those greate damages by the Persians They ofte times wan his townes besieged his Cities and slewe his armies to be briefe he neuer waged any battaile against Sapores in whych he had good successe but only one which he fought at Singara where he lost that victory also whiche vndoubtedly he myght haue gotten had it not bene for the outragious fiercenesse and ouer hasty courage of his souldioures whiche