established duke of Millan the Venitians Florentins Geneuois made warre vpon theyr neighbours in such sort that all right and equitie did consist in armes and power Moreouer by the long absence of the Popes out of Rome diuers in nimites very daungerous were ingendred Galeatius duke of Millan made then war vppon the Florentins who desiring to auenge theÌ„selues called the Emperour into Italy vnder great promises He being arriued at Padua by the will of the Venitians who loued smally Galeatius seyng that he had nothing prepared accordyng to the large promises he retourned into Germany casting froÌ„ him all care of Italy the which afterwards was more subuerted by inward tumulis and troubles Sigismundus Sigismundus Emperour brother of Wenceslaus Kyng of Hungarie synce of Bohemia succeded Robert At that time were thre Popes Iohn the xxiii Gregory the xii Benedictus the xiii by whose strifes and practises almost all the prouinces of the world were deuided For synce Innocent the iii as their bokes report about CC yeres space there was no general counsell the ecclesiasticall estate was extremly corrupted For such an vnsatiablenes of vices disseases was disbordered in such sort that the euill was almost incurable Bonifacius the .viii. had bene before who attributed vnto himself the Papal and imperiall dignitie After him caine Element the v. of Bourdeaux who at the request of the king of Fraunce The popes court transferred into Fraunce Philip the faire forsoke Rome transferred his court into FrauÌ„ce After his death the seat was vacant certayn yeres because of the variaunce that was amongst the Cardinalls At length pope Iohn the xxii of * A towne in Fraunce Cahors in Querci was elected at Lions The fyfth after hym who was Gregory the xi returned to Rome after that the court of the Papacy had remained in Fraunce lxxvii yeres He being dead Vrbanus the vi of Naples Clement the vi of Sauoy straue for the pope dome The first did leane vpon the aide of the Italians dwelt at Rome the second rested vpoÌ„ the Frenchmen and had his seat in Auignon These here being dead the thre aboue said put theÌ„selues in their place who had bene elected by diuers opinions so hereby the Papacie had iii heads The Papacie as cerberius hath thre heads Many learned men aswell of Italy as of Fraunce lamented then meruelously the poore estate of the Church and spake sufficient sharply against the corruptions and maners of that time asmuch as they could vnderstand in the darcknes which then raigned Amongst theÌ„ Petrarca called the towne of Auignon The horishe Babilon at such time as the pope and the Cardinalls dwelt there To the end then to pacifie this scisme The couÌ„sell of ConstaÌ„ce a generall couÌ„sel was assembled at Constance in Germany by the aucthoritie wherof the thre aboue said were put downe and Martin the v. elected In this counsell Iohn Hus and Iherome of Prague were burned albeit that they were come thether vnder the Emperours safe conducte The Emperour Sigismundus is greatly praised for that for the publike felicitie he weÌ„t vnto diuers Christian kings exhorted them to loke vnto the publike weale The thyngs appeased in Germany he came into Italy The Venitians Florentins made warre then by sea and by land vpon the duke of Millan Philip Maria son of Iohn Galeatius From thence the Emperour drew to Rome where he was crowned by Pope Eugenius the .iiii. Which don he returned to Basill where there was then another counsell assigned Albertus duke of Austrich Albertus Emperour king of Hungarie and of Bohemia was his successour who was so occupied in ciuill warres against the Turckes that he had no leasure to come into Italy About this time learned wits did again awaken Learning good letters reestablisshed who began to set vp exercise the arts languages good letters The Italians aided with the studies of the Grekes began first afterwards the Germanyns Frenchmen other nations And by the meanes of the art of printing then inueÌ„ted the which brought with it great coÌ„modities Printing inuented it is vncredible what a prosperous desirable progression was made For since that time vnto this day the studies haue had in such sort their course that this our age may compare it self with the most learnedst time that euer were And in this namely is it more happy that god hath illustrated this science of singular profitable artes of tounges by the true knowledge of his holy name where as the ancient learned men how indued soeuer they were with good most eloqueÌ„t letters The knowledge of god renued in this time were neuertheles plonged in most deepe darknes and sought in vaine the souerain goodnes wherof they haue so much written Fridericus the iii of that name duke of Austrich succeded Albertê° who went peasible to Rome was crowned by pope Nicolas the v. Which done he retired home The king of Hungary slaine in battaile without attempting any thing in Italy The iiii yere of his Empire Vladislaus sonne of Wadislaus Kyng of Polonia and of Hungarye hauing brokeÌ„ the trewes at the motion of pope Eugenius the iiii was vanquished nere vnto Varne or Dionisiopoli by Amurathes Emperour of the Turkes the ii of that name and slain in the battaile the xi of Nouember Nyne yeres after Mahomet sonne of Amurathes toke Constantinople by assault Constantinople taken by that turcke the which hys Heyres haue possessed already an C. III. yeres and haue there placed their court and royall seat Vladislaus being dead Casimirus hys brother inherited the kyngdome of Polonia and Ladislaus who was borne after the discease of the Emperour Albertus the second the kingdome of Hungarie Maximilianus succeded Fridericus hys father As Fridericus laye in hys death bead Ferdinand Kyng of Spaine hauing dryuen out the Moores added to his dominion Betique commonly named the kingdome of Grenate Maximilianus amongest other had war agaynst the Venitians Charles son of Philip hys son and .v. of that name Charles that v. Emperour Folowed him who raigneth at this dai hath meruelous power By the things that we haue recited it euideÌ„tly appereth how the romain Empire which hath surmouÌ„ted all others that haue bene or shal be is almost altogether dissipated brought to noght Dissipation of yâ— romain Empyre For in Asia we haue not somuch as one foote of ground or the bredth of an nail as saith the prouerbe The Turks Tartarians other enemies of our religion possesse al. We haue lost al Affrike except that which the emperour Charles the v. the yeres past coÌ„quered when he toke the kingdome of Tunes froÌ„ Anobarbus lieutenant of the Turke hauing obtained a glorious victorie established there a king tributarie vnto him Victories of Charles the v. in Affrike Fiftene yeres after he toke also by assault the towne of Affrike Portingall Spaine England
vpon the Senate did will Antiochus not to meddle or make with Egipt Whereat he being displeased especially because that Hanniball the fugitiue did incite him as much as was possible Antiochus vanquished and spoyled to make warre he sailed into Grecia with his armie where he was ouerthrowen as we haue before saide After that the Romaines made a new armie by Sea for to folowe and pursue him and being sayled into Asia they dyd vanquishe and gette a great Battayle of him and dyd putte hym to flyght from beyond the mounte of Taurus After hys ouerthrowe he was wont to saye as Cicero reciteth that the Romaine people had done hym a great pleasure in easynge hym from ouer great charge and in leauing him so straight limittes of hys countrey L. Cornelius Scipio the brother of P. Scipio Affricanus did conduct this warre who for this cause was surnamed Asiaticus Shortly after M. Fuluius surnamed Nobilior dyd subdue the Etolians and triumphed ouer them And when P. Scipio Affricanus who in that warre had been lieutenant for his brother was retourned to Rome the Tribunes of the people beganne to trouble and torment hym Wherefore he departed from thence and went into Laterne to hys Towne and there as certaine saye thys noble man dyed beyng nine and fourty yeres olde The deathe of Pub. Scipio no yonger nor elder then M. Portius Cato Cicero in the Dialogue which he wrote of olde age doth introduct Cato speaketh louyngly and honorablye of the age of them bothe and of theyr studyes But aboue all he magnifieth the greatnes of courage that was in Scipio Titus Liuius sayth that Cato did beare hym enuy that he vsed to take this hys fortune and prosperitie in euyll parte Cato enuious agaynst Scipio Cicero affirmeth that he was prompt and quicke in all his affayres In that tyme floryshed Ennius Plautus and Nenius Poetes Antiochus beynge ouerthrowen Hanniball dyd flye vnto Prusias kynge of Bithinia And for because that the Romaynes dyd require that he shoulde be rendered vnto them Hanniball poysoneth hym selfe he droncke poyson and so kylled him selfe Antiochus the noble succeaded this Antiochus He also dyd deliberate to gette the kyngdome of Egypte for as muche as he was the Vncle of Ptolomeus Philometor Kyng of Egypte who beyng yet but a chylde had succeaded hys father deceassed Wherefore he declared hym selfe to be hys Protectour myndynge by thys meanes to oppresse hym and to take to hym selfe the chyefe dignitie But hys enterpryses beynge knowen the Romaynes whome the Egyptians had agayne solicited to succour them dyd hasten to sende C. Popilius Lenas in Embassage Who beynge comme to speake face to face with Antiochus he wylled hym in the name of the Romaine people to departe from Alexandria whyche he kept beseiged but as Antiochus did aske respit to aduise therevppon Popillius made a rounde circle before hym with the rodde that he helde and did commaunde him to declare what he mynded to do before he departed from thence By thys meanes he who was not ignoraunt of the power of the Romaines was so affrayed that he promysed to leaue all thinges in peace Popilius maketh Antiochus affrayed These thinges are recited to the ende to declare howe by litle and litle the Romaines are waxed greate of small beginninges and howe they did so aduaunce them selues that they assubiected almost all countryes For euen alreadye theyr valyauntnesse was passed through Italy and had inuaded diuers parts of the world Not withstanding there was yet many lettes and inconueniences in such sort that they had no lytle a do for to establyshe thys so great an Empyre which should comprehend and compasse the principall part of the world as I wyll here after orderly and briefly declare Philip kyng of Macedonia of whome mencion hath been made beinge very wroth for that he was so enclosed by the Romaynes purposed to begynne to make warre agayne But he was preuented by death and Persea hys sonne succeaded hym who of long tyme was so eneduraged agaynst the Romaynes in such sort that he tooke in hand as it were the heritage of makyng warre But L. Emylius Paulus who had been twyse Consull finally dyd gyue hym the ouerthrow in playne battaylle Persea king of the Macedonians taken prisoner and tooke hym Prysoner wyth hys Wyfe hys Mother and hys Chyldren whome also he ledde away in triumphe And for thys victory he was surnamed Macedonicus From that tyme also Macedonia was made a Prouince of the Romaynes In the former laste yeare Ennius beynge three score and tenne yeares olde accordynge to the sayinge of Cirero departed oute of thys lyfe Fewe yeares after P. Cornelius Nasica dyd assubiect the Dalmatians The thirde warre of Carthage And incontinently after the thirde warre of Affrike beganne to brust forth For because that the Carthagiens who could not liue in rest did moue warre and oppresse their neyghbours but chiefly Massinisse king of Numidie the compainion and frend of the Romaines the Romaines beyng required to succour them purpossed to put themselues in armes aboute the sixe hundreth and foure yere after the foundation of Rome Diuers iudgments as touching the preseruation or distructiō of Carthage But their opinions were diuers to wytte whether it were more conuenient to breake downe and destroy the Citie then to preserue it The saying of them who were of opinion that it was not conuenient that it should be destroied was that if Carthage were once taken away they would afterwardes euen amongest themselues make hurliburlies by seditions ciuill warres But M. Portius Cato did counsell the contrary declaring the great danger which did threatē the publike weale of Rome if thys Citie were not vtterlye rooted vp and destroied His opinion gotte the victorie albeit that he disceased in thys deliberation The death of P. Cato hauynge lyued foure score and fiue yeres Cicero doth name hym amongest the auncient oratours and doth place hym nexte vnto Marcus Cornelius Cethegus who he saith was renoumed of Ennius He sayth moreouer that an hundreth and fyftie of Catos orations were found full of learned wordes and notable matters and rebuketh the nicenes of hys time because they did not regarde to reade them diligently ouer He compareth him to Lysias the Scriuener of Athenes P. Scipio Aemilianus the sonne of Paulus Macedonicus and the nephew by adoption of P. Scipio Aphricanus had the charge and gouernement of the thyrde warre of Carthage And foure yeres after that certain others had begonne the war he came and assaulted Carthage wyth suche force that hauyng constrained them to yelde he spoiled it brunte it and beate it downe to the ground The distruction of Carthage By reason wherof he was also surnamed Aphricus aswell as he who dyd vanquishe Hanniball as it hath bene sayde And behold here the end of a most myghtie Citie whose foundation was more ancient then that of the City of Rome and being nothing inferrior in
and pastymes And notwythstandyng they ended theyr lyues in the manner before sayde Marcus Antonius was the Nephewe of Marcus Antonius the most renoumed oratour of whom mention hath bene made Warre of the Romains in Duchelande During the raigne of C. Octauius the Romaine host made first of all warre against the Germaines yea euen in their countrye Truth it is that Iulius Cesar had twise ouerthrowen the Germains but that was in Fraunce To wit Ariouistus at Lyons in Fraunce and after that at the place where the ryuer called the Maze and the Rheyne mette together That iourny beyng wōne he made a brydge wheron he passed ouer the Rheyne but remaining not long there he incontinently brought agayne his armie into Fraunce brake down the bridge The expedition of Cesar in Germanie Two yeres after he passed ouer the Rheyne againe vpon a bridge a little aboue that place where he had before conducted ouer hys army and then he purposed to march into Swane But being well instructed certified of al things by the spies and fearing the danger difficulty yea euen the want of munitions he retired into Fraunce and brake downe one part of the bridge on the other part he built a tower with a litle bulwarke where he left good garnison for to kepe his enemies alwaies in feare of hys retourne Iulius Cesar dyd no other thing vnto the Germains euen as he himself saith But Octauius did war against the Grisons thē of Ausburgh by Tiberius Drusus bretheren from out of the country of Colaine Tiberius Drusus whych was in leage with the Romains he inuaded assalted that part of Duchland which is called Westphalia by his captaine Quintilius Varus But Ariminius the conductor of the Chiruscorans did put them almost al to the sword betwen the riuers Amisia and Luppia Horatius comforteth Vergill in a most eloquent song Ariminius ouerthroweth the Romaynes because that he was verye sore greued with the death of Varus Drusus died in Ducheland leauing behind him two sōnes of whom one was named Germanicus was a mā of singuler vertue the other Claudius Horatius prayseth Drusus in a most learned verse as it hath bene said doth refer hys originall ofspring to Claudius Nero who beyng for the second time consull with Marcus Liuius Salitor saccaged Asdruball the brother of Hannibal The victories of Augustus who conducted a new armie neare the floode Metaurus Augustus dyd assubiect moreouer the Gascons the Calmates the Sclauonyans wyth the Salassyans who dwell in the Alpes It is said that he was dyuers times minded to discharge himself of the bourden of the Empyre But consideryng on the other side that yf he did returne againe to his owne priuate estate he should not be in safetye forasmuch as he sawe it would be very dangerous to put the pub-weale into so many mens hands he changed his mind and opinyon The death of Herodes kynge of Iudea The thre and thirtye yeare of hys raygne Herodes surnamed the great whom he and Marcus Antonius had established kynge of Iudea in the third yere of their triumuiriship departed out of this lyfe and thre yeares after also hys sonne and successour Archelaus deceassed who was sent in exill to Vienna in Dolphenye there for to end hys lyfe It is found in writing that for the garrisons of the prouinces of the Empyre Octauius did kepe maintayne forty foure legyons thre in Egipt as many in Spaine eyght in Duchland Certaine haue cast the some of the yearely expenses whyche was necessarye for the payment of so manye Souldyours The great expenses of Octauius and they brynge the totall to syxe score hundreth thousande crownes couraunte so that for euerye Legyon they assygne twoo hundrethe three scoore and twelue thousande Crownes Now they counte euerye Legion to be syxe thousande footemen and fyue hundreth horsemen Octauius is greatly praised for the good affectiō and liberalitie which he shewed towards the learned The Poetes of fame were at that time Varius Virgile Plotius Galgius Fuscus the two Gisques Pollio Messala the Bibules Seruius Furnius and Horatius who desyreth that hys Verses might be approued of the aboue named caringe lyttle or nothyng for the Iudgement of others Truely from Portius Cato and Aphricanus the first there was alwaies at Rome hetherto a continuall succession of excellent spirites But that time of Augustus is almost the last that euer helde the naturall sauour substaunce and collour of the Latin tounge Corruption of the Latin tounge without any corruption For afterwards by succession of time the tounge waxed more and more corrupt euen till such time as it be came altogether barbarous as it hath continued euen vnto our age Cicero sayeth that the natiue Poetes of Corduba spake somewhat grosely and strangely but what would he haue said or iudged of them that liued an hundreth yeres after I meane not onely of them who were borne and nourished at Corduba but euen of Rome it selfe After Augustus Tiberius his sonne in law toke the charge of the Empyre The Emperour Tiberius 3. but sore against his will as he seemed and after that in the end he was ouercome and perswaded by the supplications and requests of the Senate At the first he would enterprise nothinge hymselfe alone but dyd consulte with the Senat of al things that were of any importance Neuertheles shortly after he laid cleane a syde the care and respecte of the publike weale and gaue himself ouer vnto all maner of voluptuousnes In his raigne the Parthians did vsurpe the country of Armenia the Dacians and Sarmatians spoiled the country of Masia and the Germains the country of Faunce but he being careles was nothyng moued therwith Certaine yea euen of them that are of great reputatiō in Theologie The yeare of the death of Christ do hold that our sauiour Christ was crucifyed the fyuetene of his raygne notwithstanding Luke writeth that he was baptised of Ihon the selfe same and yere M. Cocceius Nerua florished then the father the sonne and Cassius Longinus Iurisconsulls Tiberius was the sonne of Tiberius Nero who fought in battayle for Iulius Cesar in the warre of Alexandria C. Cesar Caligula a most wicked monstrous sonne of a very good father named Germanicus succeded him Durīg the thre twentye yeres that Tiberius had the gouernement of the Empyre it is said that he had heaped and gathered an infinite number of gold al the which Caligula spent euen in one yeare About the seconde yere of his raigne Herodes Antipa Herodes Antipa Herodes Agrippa Claudius Cesar sonne of Herodes the Great and murderer of Ihon Baptise was sent in exyll to Lions had to his successour Herodes Agripa who beheaded Iames the Apostle After that Caligula was slain Claudius his Vncle was placed in his roume Who marched in to England because that the I le was reuolted hauing recouered
A briefe Chronicle of the foure principall Empyres To witte of Babilon Persia Grecia and Rome Wherein very compendiously the whole course of histories are conteined Made by the famous and godly learned man IOHN SLEIDAN and englished by Stephan Wythers AFTER DARCKNES LIGHT POST TENEBRAS LVX PRINTED AT LONDON by Rouland Hall dwellyng in Gutter Lane at the signe of the halfe Egle and the Keye 1563. To the right honorable Lord the Lord Rushell Earle of Bedford c. Stephan Wythers wisheth prosperous health long lyfe with encrease of godly honour CAlling to mynde right honorable the bonde that Nature hath layd as it were vpon euery mans shulder to wit that eche man to his power and abilitie should diligently labour to benefite his natiue countrey I thought it therefore my bounden dutye to gratifie your Lordship at this present and also as proceding from your honour the residue of my countrey men with this my simple labour Whiche though many might haue done it better yet I haue done my good wyll being not only incited and encouraged therevnto by the vulgare report of your clementie and gratefull accepting of diuers other mens labours in such lyke enterprises but also by the worthines of the worke and splendent fame of the authour whose worthy Chronicle as touching the estate of religion and the weale publike vnder the Emperour Charles the fifte for as muche as the custodie thereof in our Englishe tongue was exhibited vnto your honour I thought I could not chose a more fitter Patron for this litle booke then him who had alreadie by thankfull accepting of the foresaide Chronicle declared his good will to the Authour To make discourse vnto your Lordship concerning the goodnes and excellentnes thereof and the benefite that may therefrom redounde vnto all such as are studious I thynke I shuld as the prouerbe is but powre water into the sea for as much as the same is farre better described in the authours own preface as also the causes that moued him to take in hand the same then I should haue bene able to haue penned it Not withstanding this much I may well say with Thucidides that amonges all other writtyngs histories is a treasure which neuer ought to be out of our hands to the end that being ayded thereby we might the better handle such lyke busynesses and chaunces in the common weales for albeit that the persons are chaunged and haue geuen place to nature yet the same or the lyke accidents and chaunces happen dayly Yea I maye boldly affirme that it much auayleth them that be in authoritie to marke diligently in the reading of histories the actes of all ages to the end that they hauing examples layed before their eyes both of good and euyll regiment and of the blessing of God vpon good gouernours and of the iuste wrathe of God diuersly powred vppon the contrary sort may learne to folow the good and eschewe the euyll Nowe briefely to finishe my humble request is first that it wold please you to accept in no worse part this my simple and smale offer then as the present of one that earnestly wisheth you all felicitie who woulde haue geuen better yf his abilitie had to his good wyll bene correspondant and consequently to pardon my boldnes and to beare with the rudenesse of my style And in so doing I shal thynke my selfe not onely much bound vnto your honour but also be earnestly moued to praye vnto God to maintaine you in your estate to prosper and further all your good purposes to encrease you in vertue and keepe you in good health and prosperitie Your honours humble Stephan Wythers A Table of the principall things treated of in this booke ARtaxerxes longhand the fifte Emperour Follio 9 Alexanders victorie against Darius Fol. 10 Alexander beginner of the third monarchy Folio 11. Alexanders liberalitie Idem Alexanders successours Folio 12. Appius Claudius and hys wicked cupiditie fol. 14 An act worthy of memorye fol. 17 Attilius Regulus and hys cruell death idem Archimides an excellent Mathematicion fol. 17 Asdruballes ouerthrowe fol. 18 Ariminius ouerthroweth the Romains fol. 34 Augustus victorie idem Ausonius Poet. fol. 49 Albin chief founder of the vniuersitie of Paris fol. 71 Albertus Emperour fol. 99 Belochus the first king of Assiria in the new monarchie fol. 3 Balthazar the last Emperour of Babilon fol. 6 Bishoppes resist Pope Iulius fol. 47 Belizarius miserie in his olde age fol. 58 Berengarius and hys sedicion in Italy fol. 74 Cyrus and hys death fol. 7 Cambyses the sonne of Cyrus idem Camilius and hys vertue fol. 14 Cicero treasurer of Sicilia fol. 18 Cato enuious against Scipio fol. 20 Ciuill warre betwene Sylla and Marius fol. 25 Conspiratie of Catilinâ— fol. 27 C. Octauius byrth fol. 28 Crassus slayne by the Parthians fol. 29 Ciuill warre betwene Pompeius and Cesar idem Cesar vanquisheth Pompeius fol. 30 Cesar slayne in the Senate fol. 31 Cicero slaine by Antonius fol. 33 Corruption of the Latine tongue fol. 35 Confusion in the Romaine Monarchie fol. 36 Cyprianus complaint fol. 40 Constantinus the great fol. 44 Constantinus Constantius Constans brethren idem Clodoueus the first christian king of Frannce fol. 56 Constantinople besieged by the Saracenes fol. 63 Charlemaine taketh the kyng of the Lumbards fol. 65 Clarlemain proclamed Emperour idem Constantinus Monomachus fol. 66 Constantinople taken by Mahometh idem Charlemains authoritie aboue the Pope fol. 70 Counsells holden in Fraunce fol. 72 Charles the great fol. 73 Constantie of Papinianus fol. 38 Charles the fourth fol. 96 Constantinople taken by the Turke fol. 100 Charles the fifte Emperour idem Darius the thyrd kyng of Persia fol. 7 Darius ouerthrowen by the Athenians idem Darius the Bastard the .vi. Emperour fol. 9 Darius superfluities and his ende fol. 12 Denis the Tirant and his actes fol. 15 Distruction of Carthage fol. 22 Distruction of Corinthus fol. 33 Decre of marcellus Bishop of Rome fol. 43 Decre of Anacletus fol. 44 Decre of Valentinianus and Valens fol. 48 Dinelshe ambiton of Bonifacius the second fol. 58 Dissipation of the Romaine Empyre fol. 100 Daniel alledged by christ fol. 105 Eulmerodach Nabuchoâ—onâ—zors successor fol. 6 Excellent captaines of Grecia fol. 10 Excellent captaines of Rome fol. 14 Excellent Consulles Fol. 17 Excessiuenes of Antonius and Cleopatra Fol. 34 Excellent Iurisconsulles Fol. 39 Euyll hap of the Emperour and Empyre Fol. 67 Eginardus Charlemains Secretary Fol. 70 Fabricius faithfulnes Fol. 16 Flauius Cladius Fol. 41 Forcastes of Athila king of the Hunnes fol. 52 Ferce and terrible warre in Campania idem Flateries of the Papistes fol. 56 Fyne interpretation of Sainct Paule fol. 64 Falshode in the great decre of Gratianus fol. 73 Fridericus redbeard fol. 86 Great authoritie of the Romains fol. 20 Gracchus dreame fol. 24 Great expences of Octauius fol. 35 Gordianus fol 39 Gallus Hostilianus fol. 40 Gallienus fol. 41 Gallus slaine for abusing of his authoritie fol. 46 Graues forbidden to be solde fol.
others call hym Saturne they say that in the fyue and fourtye yere of hys Empyre he sent Assur Mede Magog and Moscus for to guyde the bandes of men whiche he sent to inhabite here and there and for to grounde and establish kingdomes of theyr names to witte of Assiria of Mede of Magog and of Moscus whereof the two fyrst apperteyne vnto Asia the other two last appertayne vnto Affrica and vnto Europa The holye scipture also maketh mencion of that Assur Assur and sayeth that the cytye of Nineue was buylded by hym Iupiter Belus succeded his father Nimrod who some say did Iupiter Belus occupie all the West parts euen vnto Samaria on Europe after that he had made warre agaynst Sabatius kynge of Sagnos whome he could not altogether discomfite because he was preuented by death but Ninus his sonne vtterly vanquished him Ninus and hauynge spred hys dominion farre abroade he first of all gotte the Monarcke Thre C. and fifty yeres after the flood Noah dyed And about eyghtene yeares after Abraham the tenth after Noah left hys countrey by the commaundement of God being thre score and fyftene yeres olde Foure and twentye yeares after God made a Couenaunt with him by the Circumcision Circūcision instituted which he instituted In the hundreth yere of hys age Isaac hys sonne was borne vnto him and he lyued after that tyme thre score and fiftene yeres for the lyfe of man was euen alreadye greatlye shortened The holy scriptures teache vs howe and for what cause Iacob his nephewe came into Egipt where he dyed and howe those of hys lynage dwelt there for certeyne hundredes of yeres and beynge oppressed with moste cruell bondage brought out and delyuered by the grace of God vnder the gouernement of Moyses Nowe thys goyng furth of Israell out of the lande of Egypt The goyng out of egipt is coūted to be the MM. CCCC.LIIII yere after the creation of the worlde CCCC XXX yeres after the promise was made vnto Abraham as sayeth Paule the Apostle After Moyses the people of Israell had Iudges vntyll Saull whome Dauid succeded beyng the second kynge of that people Let vs retourne vnto the Empyre of Babilon After the death of Ninus Semiramis the widdow of Ninus Semiramis hys wyfe raigned who was as noble in riches victories and triumphes as euer was any She enlarged the towne of Babilon The noblenes of Semiramie and made it of an indifferent bignes also she decked it with diuers fayre buildings and did compasse it with walls She vanquished the countrey of Ethiopia and also made warre agaynst the countrey of India Zameis her sonne the fifte kyng did nothyng worthy of memory Zameis But Arius that raigned next after him Arius ioyned to hys empyre the Bactrians and Caspians Aralius his succcessour was as it is reported borne to warre Aralius and yet not withstandyng we fynde none of hys actes in wrytyng Baleus that folowed hym did subiect diuers people vnder hym Baleus that was surnamed Xerxes did spreade hys dominion euen vnto the countrey of Indea and therfore he was surnamed Xerxes that is to say victorious a triumpher and a man of warre The nynth called Armatrites Armatrites was altogether addicted vnto voluptuousnes and ydlenes There is nothyng found of Belochus the tenth Belochus but that he set hys mynde vpon prognostications and diuinations Baleus Baleus the eleuenth is counted to be next after Semiramis the most industrious and valiant man of warre and it is sayd that he was greatly renoumed and praysed by the wrytyngs of learned men Altadas the twelue loued to be at rest and to liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe as the report goth estemyng it to be a great folly Altadas to be tormented and vexed with diuers labours and cares for to encrease hys kyngdome for as much as it did not appertayne to the health or commoditie of men but rather to theyr domage bondage The .xiii. that folowed him Mamitus named Mamitus did agayne stirre vp awake his men to warfare in such sort that his power was suspected feared of the Sirians Egiptians Manchale◠There is nothing to be sayd of Manchaleus Spherus who is the .xiiii. Spherus the xv was as it is reported a man of great vertue wisdō There is no act mencioned of Mamelus Mamelus who was the .xvi. Merueylous thyngs are foūd to haue happened in all places vnder Sparetus the .xvii. Ascarades who was the .xviii. did subiect all Siria vnder his obedience Sparetus And here endeth Berosus Ascarades which is read at this day of the which booke diuers do greatly doute and do iudge it to be false and not withstanding they obserue this order because that herein all other writings faile vs. Other do count .xx. kyngs vnto Sardanapalus Sardanapalus who was the .xxxviii. king of Assiria He was the most effeminate that euer was borne in such sort that he was always conuersant among women handling the distafe spindle and he was so ouerwhelmed in pleasures and voluptuousnes that he scarsly did at any tyme shew him self abroad These doings of his wer the cause that two of his lieutenants Belochus of Babilon Belochus Arbaces Arbaces of Medea did conspire against him after that thei had openly declared his filthines dilicatenes they made war against him He finally presented himself in campe vnwillingly with his effeminat company but hauing the worst hand he hastely retired into his palace where after that he had gathered a great heape of wood The ende of Sardanapalus he brunt him self with all his riches whereby onely as one wryteth he declared hym self a man These two Lieutenantes did afterwards diuide the Monarchie betwene them Belochus was kyng of Babilon and Arbaces of the Medes and Persians Sardanapalus then was the laste kynge of the Assirians accordynge to the order aboue mencioned after that this Monarchie had continued M.CCC yeres for the moste parte of the kynges dyd lyue a very long tyme. Belochus the .xxxix. or elles if it seeme better the first kynge of Assiria in the newe Monarchie Belochus the first king of Assiria in the newe Monarche made Manahem kyng of Israell become tributarie vnto hym The holy scriptures doth not call him Belochus but Phul. Hys successour was Phull Assur surnamed Tiglath Pillesser who wanne certayue townes of Iudea and led the people captiue into Assiria It is that Tiglath whome Achas kyng of Iudea vnder whome Esay lyued prayed to succour hym against the kyng of Siria and vnto whome he sent presentes Salmanasar succeded hym Salmanasor who wanne the towne of Samaria after he had beseged it three yeres and led Hosea kyng of Israell wyth the people captiue gaue them a dwellynge place in hys countrey euen in Medea as the holy scripture saith wherof some haue opinion that he raigned also ouer the Medes
Sennacherib folowed after him Sennatherib who kept hys dwellyng in Nineue He condemned kyng Ezechias in a great summe of money afterwards he came and befeged Ierusalem with a mighty army and by the Embassadours that he dyd sende he exhorted the people to yelde and guye ouer and rayled on the kung who hoped for succour at the hand of God But he remayned not vnpunished for euen in one night he loste an hundred foure scoure and fyne thousande men that were kylled by the Angell the whiche God euen a lytle before had fyrmely promised by Esay vnto Ezechias the kyng And beyng retourned home from thence he was murthered euen of his owne children Hitherto the Babilonians were subiect to the Assirians after the ouerthrowe of Sardanapalus but after that Sennacherib as it is sayde was so euyll handled nere vnto Ierusalem and shortly slayne of hys chyldren thynges were greatly chaunged and the kyngdome was diuided For the two brethren that had done the murther Adramelech and Sarasar dyd flye and yet not wythstandynge dyd put them selues in armes Assaradon and made out theyr power agaynst Assaradon theyr brother who dyd vsurpe the kyngdome after the death of hys father for as muche as before he dyd gouerne the publyke weale in hys fathers absence Merodach lieutenant of Babilon fyndyng thys occasion fitte for hys purpose dyd rebell Merodach and after that he had by lytle and lytle partly by fayre meanes and partly by threates gotten vnto hym self the countreys there about he defied Assaradon and finally hauyng vanquished hym in the twelfth yere of hys raygne he ioyned the whole Empyre of the Assirians vnto the Babilonians and raygned fourty yeres After him certain authours do place Benmerodach Nabuchodonozor the first of that name Benmerodach Nabuchodonozor but for asmuch as the holy scriptures make no mencion of him seing also we ought not rashly to beleue other writings we wil here place that Nabuchodonozor of whom the holy scripture so largely speaketh next after Merodach He then shortly after the beginning of his raigne made war against the Egiptians toke from them the whole coūtrey which is from Euphrates vnto Pellusiū He layed tribute vpon Ioachim king of Iudea the .viii. yere of his raigne he brought his sonne king Ieconias captiue into Babilon with the chief lords artificers not onely of the citie of Ierusalem but also of the whole coūtrey The .xviii. yere of his raign after that he had layed siege for the space of two yeres before the citie of Ierusalem he toke it The wynning of Ierusalem spoyled it brunt it he brake down the walls he led the most part of the people away captiue he put out the eyes of king Zedechias slew his children with the princes Ieremy did foreshew this miserie in the first yere of the raign of Nabuchodonozor from that time is to be rekened the .lxx. yeres of the captiuitie in Babilon About the .xxiiii. yere of hys Empyre after that Nabuchodonozor had vanquished the kyngs of the Amonites Moabites he led his army into Egipt hauyng gotten the whole countrey he afterwards began his Monarche The second yere of his sayd Monarche as the learned men of our tyme do recken he saw in hys dreame a merueylous great Image whose head was of gold his breast armes of syluer Nabuchodonozor saw a monstrous great image his belly thyghes were of brasse his legges were of yron hys fete partly of yron and partly of clay Vho after he was awaked because he had forgotten his dreame and yet not withstandyng was greatly astonished therwith he called together all the sothsayers and charmers whome he commaunded to declare vnto him what his dreame was the which yf they dyd not he threatened to put thē to death Daniel yong Daniel who was thither led captiue with the residue from Ierusalem knowyng thys he gaue to vnderstand that he could satisfie the kyngs desyre who beyng presented he first of all shewed what the kyng had dreamed then afterwards he declared what the dreame dyd signifie saying that the ymage did signifie the foure principall Empyres of the world which should orderly follow one after another Herevppon he spake on this maner vnto the kyng saying Thou truly art that head of gold thou I say whome God hath endued with power and maiestie vnto whome he hath geuen domination ouer all men ouer all beastes of the fielde and ouer the foules of the ayre After thee shall aryse another kyngdome of syluer that is to saye worse than thys of thyne The thyrde shall be of Brasse whyche shall haue domination farre abroade The fourth shall bee of Iron for euen as Iron bruseth and breaketh all thynges so shall that fourth and laste kyngdome beate downe all the others and shall make them subiect vnto it Beholde then the first prophecie and neuer hard of before touchyng the foure Empyres the whiche God hath reueyled vnto vs by Daniell a thyng worthy to be perfectly prynted in memorye for as much as in fewe wordes it comprehendeth the history of all tymes euen vnto the end of the world as I wyll hereafter declare It suffiseth for thys tyme to know how that God onely from that tyme dyd declare vnto vs the order and mutations of kyngdomes Nabuchodonozors power Now great Nabuchodonozars power was it is more manifest out of that place of Daniel where the scripture compareth hym to a tree whose heyght reacheth vnto heauen couerynge wyth hys shadowe the whole vniursall world whose leaues are excedyng fayre and fruite so pleasant that it was meate for all beasts in whose bowes and braunches all sortes of byrdes buylte theyr nestes and tooke theyr rest Thys then is the fyrst Monarche the whych vnder thys kynge was greatlye angmented and lyfted vp in soueraygne dignitie on the contrarye parte it tooke an ende and was altogether brought to ruine in his childrens childrens tyme as God had before shewed by Daniell and by other prophetes Nabuchodogozor raigned .xliii. yeres It is nedeful that al men but specially the kings princes shuld attentiuely read consider with what horrible monstruous example god punished his pride as sayth Daniel to the ende that they may haue the maiestie of god in reuerence and do their duetie towardes the people commytted vnto their charge Euilmerodach Nabuchodonosors successour Euilinerodach hys sonne folowed after hym who reigned thirtie yeres and had Assur for hys successour who reigned but three yeares Labassarbach folowed after him who kepte the kyngdome seuen yeres He being dead Balthasar dyd enioye the Empyre for fyue yeres Certaine doe count them after this sort but the learned men of our time haue these twoo and place nexte after Euilmerodach Balthasar his sonne they holde that he reigned fourtene yeres The which truely is necessary that it should so be for to furnishe the number of thre score and tenne yeres duryng the which the people
excellēcie of captaines did greatly enlarge her dominiō Cicero writeth that P. Scipio after the takinge of Carthage did render vnto the Sicilians the Images and ornaments that the Carthagians had take from them aforetime and did render vnder the Agrigentins that renoumed bul which is said to haue bene within the tyrante Phalaris denne wherin he vsed to shut vp lyue men for to bourne them with fier which he did kindell in the toppe therof This Phalaris was not killed by craftye snares or intrapmentes as diuers other tyrantes were but all the Agrigentins on a heape did caste themselues vpon him to slay him Cicero nameth the country of Affrike The warre of the Romaines against the Acheans the bulwarke and fortresse of all the prouinces About that time the Romains stirred vp warre against the Acheans a certaine people of Grecia because that they had violated outraged theyr Embassadours The head of this armie was the Consul L. Mummius who also wāne the victorie in such sort that al Achaia dyd yeld vnto him The destruction of Corinthius And by the wyll of the Senate he brunte Corinthus the principall and chiefest Citie of all Grecia as sayth Cicero he did vtterly beate it downe to the ground to take away all feare of euer buylding or reestablishing it againe Mummius was for the gettynge of thys vyctorye surnamed Achaicus Warre a gainst Viriatus In that time also one named Viriatus did vsurpe the kingdome of Portingall who frō a shepharde was become a hunter from a hunter to a theyfe and fynally a conductour of a myghty armye He dyd fyghte for the space of certayne yeares agaynst the Romaynes and often tymes to hys owne aduantage But at the last he was slain by treason By thys meanes the Consul Decius Iunius Brutus dyd vanquishe all portingall euen vnto the Ocean sea The war of Numance In the meane time during these troubles the Romains had receiued a great ouerthrow of thē of Numance in Spaine And therfore because other wise it shuld be greatly ignominius vnto thē they mynded not to keepe the traitye of peace whyche was made by Mancinus Consull but dyd agayne electe oute of order Publius Scipio Aemylianus Aphricanus to be Consul and gaue vnto hym the charge and conductyon of the warre He went forth with an armie and finding there the souldiours very nice and vnpatient of labour he accustomed them vnto a more sure discipline and euen straight out of hande he beseiged the Cytye round about And finally he toke it and destroyed it fourtene yeres after the destructiō of Carthage and in the DCXXII yeare of the foundation of Rome Cicero doth call Carthage and Numance the two terrors of the Romain Empire In that time rose the tumult of bondmen in Sicilia The warre of bondmē and slaues who fynally could scarse be vanquished by the Consull C. Fuluius yea albeit that he had raised vppe a great armie Shortly after the Romaines had warre in Asya againste Aristonicus For Attalus king of Pergame had appointed and ordained by hys testament the Romaines for his inheritour But Aristonicus his kinsman possessing that part of Asia did beguile the Romaines of the will of the testament The Consul M. Perpenna dyd defye hym and toke him captiue The yere folowing which was the sixe hundreth twenty and fyftye yeres of the age of the City P. Scipio Aphricanus lying in his house The death of P. Scipio Aphricanus was smothered in the night euen of his nerest kinsfolks as it is thought Cicero doth praise him for his singular eloquence loyaltie and wisdome He writeth that there was no information at all made of his death albeit that the whole Citie was greatly sory therefore and sayth moreouer that the very same yere the sunne did shewe her self double So by this meanes he who was most noblest excellenst of the captaynes of warre died at the age of sixe fiftie yeres Cicero faineth in a certaine litle Booke that Aphricanus the first of that name dyd foreshewe hym this mishape In thys tyme lyued Lucilius Terentius Pacunius Accius Licinius Cecilius and Afranius C. Lelius the very welbeloued of Aphricanus doth call Pacunius hys frend and Terence his familier These thinges being ended Fabius Maximus Consul wanne a great battaile against the Sauoisiens Auuergnats and them of Rhodez who are all Gaulles The two Grackes In the same time also C. Gracchus Tribune of the people an eloquent man and defender of the law appertaining to the deuiding of landes was killed at Rome twelue yeres after that Tiberius Graccus his brother had ben slayne for the selfe same matter Cicero doth praise thē both for their eloquence But as for Tiberius orations he iudgeth them not to be greatly fyne in words but sufficientlye subtill and full of wisedome As concerninge his brother Caius he is of opinion that his doings ought to be read but especially of the youth for because that he cannot onely sharppen but also nourishe and increase the wytte and for this cause he calleth him the most ingenious and eloquenest amongest the Romaines Gracchus dreame Gracchus had afore dreamed that his brother Tiberius did aduertise him that he should dye the same death that he dyed and Cicero sayeth that before that he was chosen Tribune of the people he declared this vnto diuers Their lawes are yet founde as of wheate of bringynge certayne citizens oute of Rome to place them els where of the profite of souldiours of the administration of prouinces of the voice of the people of letting out to hire the lands of Attalus of Asia The warre of the Romaines against Iugurtha king of Numidie folowed these perturbations of Tribunes This warre was enterprised by L. Calphurnius Bestia The warre against Iugurtha Consull after wards continued by P. Cecilius Metellus and fynally brought to an end by the Consull C. Marius who afore time had bene a warrefare vnder P. Scipio Bacchus king of Mauritanie compainion of Iugurtha was causor of the fynishing of this warre For he seing himselfe ouerthrowen in battayle and myndynge not to hazarde hymselfe any more he delyuered Iugurtha prisonner vnto Silla who for that purpose was sent of Marius At that time to witte syxe hundreth eyght and fourtye yeares of the age of the Citye M. Tullius Cicero was borne The byrth of Cicero which was eyghte yeares after the byrth of Q. Hortensius a notable Oratour Durynge the warre of Iugurtha an Infynite number of hygh and lowe Almains dyd enter by violence partlye into Italye and partly into Gallia who after that they had made a great slaughter of the Romains and had ouerthrowen in feild somtimes Proconsulls other times lieutenātes finally they were al vanquished ouercome by C. Marius Tētones Chimbres ouerthrowē by Marius who was foure tymes Cōsul The hygh Almains were ouerthrowen at Aix in prouince and the lowe at the inner borders of Lombardie This lucke was folowed
a certayn part therof which yealded vnto hym he retourned to Rome in hys raigne there was a great famaine in al places the which as witnesseth saint Luke the Euangelist Agabus had before prophecyed Nero Claudius the successor of Claudius gaue manifestly to vnderstand that he would once vtterly break the order of the Senators Nero. 6. In his time England had a great ouerthrow discomffiture for that they oppressed robbed in the said I le the citezens aliaunts of the romains The legions also that were in Armenia were brought vnder subiection with great dificulty could Siria be kept maintained Moreouer Fraunce did rebell through the perswasyon counsell of Iulius Vindix gouernour of the country afterwards Spaine by the motion conduction of Sergius Galba Iulius Vindix Sargius Galba And as he minded to recouer his losses and purpossed to take hys Iourny into Fraunce the other armyes which he had heare there through out the prouinces dyd rebell It is manyfest by the Historyes what a cruell wylde beast he was Whereof beynge Iudged of the Senate to be an enemye of the weale publyke he slewe hym selfe by the helpe of a certayne Lackey At that tyme floryshed ouer and besydes Seneca Lucanus Persyus Silius Italycus Poetes of whom the last was Consull in the laste yeare of Neros raygne Confusion in the Romayne Monarchie The state of the publyke weale was then broughte to suche dysorder that it was in the power and pleasure of the armyes and Legions to electe and create the Emperour Vespasianus became Emperour by such meanes Vespasianus 7. For the armyes whych were in Masia and Hungarye in Indea and Syria dyd reuolte from Aullus Vitellius and made their othe vnto Vespasianus promysing hym fidellitie and obedience He put Achaia Lycia Rhodes Byzantia Samos Thracia Sicilia and Comagena into prouinces vnder the Romains he quite and cleane rooted vp the Citie of Ierusalem Titus his sonne guyding and conducting the warre Domitianus 8. Flauius Domitianus dyd oftentymes skermyshe and make war with them of Hell wyth the Dacians and Sarmatians ouer whom at last he triumphed Statius Inuenalis and Martialis Poetes liued at that time Traianus 9. Vlpius Traianus was adopted of Nerua Coccius and afterwardes made Emperour who twyse saccaged the Dacians that rebelled and made them subiecte the Romaynes He broughte thether also newe inhabitauntes Afterwardes he Marched wyth hys Hoste into Armenia and Parthya whome he subdewed easelye and wyllyngelye in such sorte that they yealded vnto hym and after that he was surnamed Parthycus Notwythstandinge dyuers people in the ende dyd rebell agaynste theym especially they of Armenya and Mesopotamya The Parthyans also woulde not accepte the Kynge that he had assygned theym Adrianus 10. as soone as hys backe was tourned for to returne into Italye Elius Adrianus did assubiecte the country of Iudea whiche had rebelled The cause of the warre was that he had buylt a Temple vnto Iupiter Olimpius in Ierusalem the which he had permitted to be agayne inhabited The Iewes were greatly wroth and displeased with that Temple He visited also Fraunce Duchland England and Spayne and from thence to the country of Mauritania Parthia Asia and Grecia and he returned by Sicilia vnto Rome For the second tyme he went into Aphrica and returned to Rome from whence yet again he toke his voyage into Grecia and Asia and from thence he drewe into Arabia and afterwards into Egipt He held a parliment and commended vnto the Senatours Antonius Pius who after him did enforce himself to kepe the things in peace Antonius Pius 11. and studiyng to do good vnto eueryone he maintained the farreyn kings in theyr obedience by letters and humanitye In hys time there were excellent Iuriconsulls as Alburnius Valeus Tuscianus Vindius Verus Vlpius Marcellus Arrianus Tertullianus Saluius Iulianus L. Volusius Metianus After Antoninus Pius hys Sonne Marcus Antonius surnamed the Philosopher M. Antoninus the Philosopher succeded him who toke L. Aurelius Verus his brother for to be conioyner to the Empyre By whose meanes he had happye successe of the warre of Parthya whileste that he gaue order to the publyke weale in hys Palayes and in the Cytye After the death of Verus he gouerned hym selfe alone the affayres of the Empyre and had good successe agaynst the Germaines He saccaged also the Marcomes Sarmatians Vandalians and Boemians who had oppressed the countrey of Hungaria For then the most parte of the people from Sclauonia vnto France had conspyred against the Romaines Commodus Antonius a moste wycked sonne of thys moste excellente Prynce Cōmodus Antonius 13. dyd vanquishe the Mauritains and Dacians by hys Lieutenauntes He pacified the the countrey of Hungaria Germanye and Englande countreys whiche woulde not be vnder hys subiection He in the meane whyle spent hys tyme in all maner of sylthynes and crueltye Septimus Seuerus did make ciuill warre wyth Niger Septimus Seuerus who dyd procure and entise the countrey of Asia to rebell and also with Albinus who hadde done the lyke practyse in Fraunce He foughte luckely agaynste the Parthians He subdued the Iewes that were in Syria He assubiected Agabatus kyng of the Persians He receyued the Arabians who yealded vnto hym He fortified Englande causynge a walle to be made ouerthwart the I le euen vnto the Ocean Sea from one syde to another And hauynge subdued the people of Englande who were verye fearce enemyes he deceased at yorke Antonius Bassianus Caracalla dyd styrre vp warre agaynste the Parthians and agaynst the Armenians This is he who caused Papinianus Iurisconsul to be murdered The constātie of Papianus for that he would not defend nor approue the murder of his own naturall brother which he had committed At that tyme florished diuers Iurisconsulls almost euery one of them the schollers of Papinianus Excellent Iuriscōsuls to wit Tarruntius Paternus Macer Terentius Clemeus Menander Archadius Ruffinus Papyrius Fronto Anthius Maximus Hermogenianus Africanus Florentinus Tryphoninus Iustus Calistratus and Venuleius Celsus After that Caracalla was slain Macrinus Macrinus succeded hym who had but vnhappy lucke in battel against Artabanus kyng of the Parthians Heliogabalus Alexander Seuerus And vnderstanding that the souldiours were affectioned vnto Heliogabalus Bassianus he concluded peace Alexander Seuerus successour of that most wicked and filthy man Heliogabalus was a valiaunt man He wanne a great battail against Artaxerxes king of the Persians He recouered Mesopotamia which was lost vnder Heliogabalus He had very good fortune of the warres which he conducted by hys Lieutenantes in Mauritania Sclauonia and Armenia Afterwards goyng against the Germains who spoyled and oppressed Fraunce he was slayne by certain of his souldiours Vlpianus Iurisconsul Vlpianus Iuriscousull who was Papinianus disciple was his familier frend At that tyme also lyued Paulus Pomponius and Modestinus Maximinus Emperour Maximinus was Emperour after Alexander who employed hys whole force power against the
Capadocia and Asia and beyng embarked on the sea Euxinus they entred into the ryuer Ister and saylyng vpwards they did great violence vppon the confederates and aliauntes of the Romaines The meane whyle Gallienus was so negligent and voyde of all care that hauyng worde and newes brought hym of the prouinces whych did rebell and of the publyke miseries he made but a laughyng stocke thereat and contemptuously answered as yf notwithstanding these accidents the publyke weale dyd remaine firme and stable and entertayned in her dignitie her state and condition beyng nothyng lessoned or diminished Wherethrough he grewe into contempt as well of hys owne countrey as of straungers for hys fylthy lyuyng In such sort that dyuers enemies dyd ryse vp agaynst the publyke weale At that tyme the Gothes and Scithians were in armes with diuers other people mingled amongest them who had all conspired against the Romaynes and they were aboute three hundred and twenty thousand men Flauius Claudius But Flauius Claudins Gallienus successour who was slaine put them all to the edge of the sword as he was a man of great vertue worthy of longer lyfe After him Aurelianus raigned forbecause that his vertue was knowen manifest Aurelianus For in the tyme of Claudius raigne he had shewed a profe and triall thereof against the enemye in diuers places He had sundry warres in Lumbardy and fought against the Marcomanes dangerously and doubtfully at the begynnyng but luckely and fortunatly after that at his request the Senate had made the bookes of Silla to be searched and had done the things requisite for to pacifie the Goddes From thence he macched to Rome where he caused certain rebells who had conspired in his absence to be punyshed Which being done he tooke in hande for to recouer again the Prouinces that are in the East and in Syria Zenobia y◠valiāt wyfe of Odenatus the which Zenobia a valiaunt and couragious woman murderer of her owne chyldren dyd possesse who were left vnto her by her owne husbande Odenatus who in Gallienus tyme had made diuers skermishes assaultes in his dominiōs In euery coast as the sayd Aurelianus passed through he saccaged the enemyes of the Romains as in Sclauonia Thracia and other places and finally beyng entred into the enemyes countrey after doubtfull and daungerous fyghte he remained Victour in suche sorte that he tooke the Queene prisoner who trusting and hopyng vppon the succour of the Persians and Medians had stoutly and manfully resisted him The principall citie of the countrey which he had subdued was Palmyra whose inhabitantes dyd rebell at such time as the Emperour passed frō Asia into Europa and slew the garrison with theyr captayn He then retourned agayne thither and after he had taken the citie he destroyed spoiled it puttyng them all in such sort to the edge of the sword that he pardoned neither man woman nor chylde Afterwards he conquered againe Egypt whych was reuolted from the subiection of the Romaines This done he triumphed at Rome from thence passing through Sclauonia he defied the Persians But he was murthered in the way by his familier frends After his death the Empyre was vacant for a certayn space a thynge whych neuer befell afore since Romulus tyme. At length Tacitus succeded Tacitus who raigned a few monethes in the which he did nothyng worthy of memory The Senate had made request vnto him that at his disceasse he woulde not leaue the charge and gouernment of the Empyre to his children but that he would chose some valiaunt and god man whose vertue should be vnto them well knowen By this meanes Probus was elected Probus who being confirmed both of the hooste and of the Senate he recouered Fraunce and vanquished the French Almains in diuers conflictes In Sclauonia he slew and cut in peces the Sarmatians and other nations Afterwards hauyng made passage through Thracia he subdued the barbarous people and made them by feare of the name of the Romains and by his great valiauntnes become obedient vnto him He pacified Asia and moued the king of the Parthians onely through his fame and renoume to demaund defier peace of him He made agrement with the Persians forthwith retourned into Thracia and transported certain straunge people vanquished by him into the countrey of the Romains of whom some remained faithful other sone vnfaithful rebellious Whome he afterwards suppressed for the most part After hauing pacified the sedicions styrred vp in Fraunce Spaigne England he marched by Sclauonia for to go inuade the Persians but he was circūuented slain of his mē by treason The publyke weale then florished because that the nations round about were euery where peaceable quiet in such sort that on a certayn tyme Probus brast forth in these wordes saying we shall short stand in no nede of Legions and garrisons The cause of Probus death The souldiours beyng offended with these words consulted for to hinder the peace Carus was placed in his roume who saccaged the Sarmatians Carus which were become more arrogant and presumptuous through the death of Probus they threatned Italy Afterwards in the iorney against the Persians he toke Mesopotamia proceading further he was apprehended by death His yonger sonne named Numerianus folowed the battaill straight after him for he had left Carinus in Fraunce for to be gouernour of the countrey Numerianus was slaine by his father in law Diocletianus tooke his roume Diocletianus with whō Carinus made battaill on a certain tyme for the Empyre but beyng vanquished he dyed Diocletianus seyng the troubles and tumultes whych rose vp in sundrye places tooke Maximianus for hys adherent He pacified Fraunce Maximianus whyche was vnquiet and Affricke lykewyse Diocletianus for hys part dyd pacifie Egypt puttyng to death the authours of the tumultes and conspiraties He conquered also England ten yeres after their reuoltyng And to the end that the state of the publyke weale myght be moore stable and that no moore tumultes myght be raysed as touchyng the succession Galerius a Constātius he adopted Galerius and Maximianus Constantius Chlorus Galerius beynge sent by Diocletianus againste Marses kyng of the Persians had vnhappye lucke in battaill for he lost the most part of his armye But hauyng commaundement to renewe agayn the fyght he ouerthrew the enemyes in a great battell and entred further into those parties then euer dyd any Emperour except Traianus For he tooke the towne of Othesiphon and subdued all Assiria Moreouer he put vnder hys subiection fyue Prouinces beyonde the floud Tiger which were reuolted in the tyme of the Emperour Traianus All thyngs beyng well ordered in Asia Diocletianus retourned into Europa where at that tyme the Scythians Sarmatians Alains Bastarnes Carpians and they of Hesse and of Franconia were peaceable and kept them selues quiet A resignation of the Empyre And shortly after he and Maximianus did renounce the Empyre assigning it into
defied the Persians who spoiled the coūtry of Mesopotamia And being ariued at Asia hauing takē phisycke for to recouer his health he dyed not without suspition of impoisonment This is he who is surnamed the great who called Bizantius a Citie of Thracia by his name where he placed the seat of the Empire Constantinople He begane to raigne about CCCXII yeres after the natiuity of Christ A blaising starre of straūge and wonderfull greatnes preceaded his death Constantinus Constantius Constans bretheren He left behind him thre sones to wet Constantinus Cōstantius Constans vnto Constantinus befell the regiment of the Alpes Fraūce Spaine Englad the Iles called Orchades Ireland Thile Vnto Cōstans Italy Afrike with the Iles Sclauony Macedonia Achaia * Now called Morea Peloponesus Grecia vnto Constantius the country of Asia of Thracia Constantinus not wel content with this particiō stirred vp war against his brother Constans and was euē already come to Aquileia where he gaue the on set against his brothers army But hauing lost his army he was slain After this victory Cōstans who in the meane while made warre wyth the Getes and Sarmatians in * A coūtrye beyond Hūgarie called now Transilianiam Dacia came into Italy and hauyng passed the mountaines he entered by force into Fraunce in suche sorte that by the space of two yeares he enioyed all the dominions of his brother disceassed But shortelye after he was murdered by the Ambusches and conspyratyes of Magnentius who was chosen Emperour by the Souldiours he oftentymes repeteth that it appertaineth to him only who is Bishop as he saith of the chiefe seat to assemble the generall coūsells a thing commytted vnto hym by synguler pryueledge and by deuyne Commaundement A man myght meruyll how he could for shame write this or the residue boste themselues therof seyng that before his time Constantinus had assembled that of Nice more then an hūdreth yere after him the Emperour Martianus that of Chalcedon He saith Moreouer that it appertaineth to hym onley as beyng Bishop of Rome to haue knowledge of Bishops causes other like affaires The other Bishops could not suffer this hys arrogancie and presumption The Bysshops resist Iulius therfore being assembled at Antioch they vertuously answered him that it appertained not vnto him to retract the sentence by thē pronoūced seing that they were in like degre of dignitie with him that the doctrine of Christ was proceded out of their country finally came to Rome by the meanes and trauayle of the Apostles Moreouer yf that he dyd contynue in hys opinyon and makynge of newe decrees they woulde not onely not obey but they woulde also neyther make nor meddell wyth hym and they would consulte to gyue order herein accordynge to the wayttynesse of the matter In an other Synode holden in the self same Towne where they were assembled in greatter number they ordayned amongeste other thynges what was the offyce of the Byshop and that of the Metropolytan yf anye Proces should happen as touchyng thynges of greate importaunce For yf it chaunce that the Bishops doe not accorde they commaunde that the Metropolytan take certayne of the next prouince for Iudges to gyue absolute and diffinityue sentence If that anye Byshoppe for hys offence or cryme be condempned by the common consent of the other Byshoppes they wyll that the sentence remayne ferme and stable and not to be retracted by any other They ordayne moreouer that the Bishoppe employe faythfully the goods of the Church gyuen to the vse of the poore yf nede require that he take therof as much as shal be nedefull for his necessitie forasmuch as sainct Paulle sayth that we ought to be content with meate clothing And if it so happen that the Byshoppe employe these gooddes to hys owne perticuler profite or of his gyuing the vse therof to hys kynsfolkes they wyll that he be reprehended by the Synode Iouinianus hauyng the enemye at hys elbowe he made a treaityes of Peace verye ignominius vnto the publyke weale for he restored the fyue prouynces whyche Galeryus had conquered beyonde Tyger as it hathe beene sayde wyth a certayne part of Mesopotamya Moreouer he promysed in the treatyes of Peace that the Romayns should not succour nor helpe the Kyng of Armenia although he were their frend and compaynyon Thys done goyng on with his armye to retyre homewards he died in the confynes of Bithinia The armie incōtinently after elected Valentinianus to be Emperour Valentinianus who being ariued at Constantinople tooke Valeus hys brother to be hys compaynion in the regiment of the Empire and committing vnto him those countries there he went into Germanye where he subdued the Saxons borderers of the Ocean sea This brought to passe he drew into Fraūce where some say he died for anger At this time his brother Valeus the other Emperour Valeus was in Asia for to represse and withstand the fury of the Parthians who forraged in Armenia and the kinge of the Persians who stirred vp warre contrary to the couenantes But beyng aduertised that the Hūnes or Tartarians and Scithians did spoyle the country of Hungarie Albanie and Thessalie he retyred into Europa beyng vainquished in the assaulte he was brought into a litle house very sore hurt where the enemies setting the same a fyer brunt him There is found a certaine acte or law made by the Emperours Valentinianus Valeus The decree of Valentinianus and Valeus by the whych it is commaunded that they that follow the deserte monasticall lyfe auoiding by thys meanes the publike charges goyng a warfare should be plucked out of their dēnes and shuld be constrayned eyther to serue the country or to be frustrated of all other commodities the whiche shoulde be transferred to them who did sustaine daungers trauills for the publike weale The enemyes forth with encamped before Constantinople but being pacified by the gyftes and presentes of the Emperour they raised their campe and departed When the coūtry of Saxonia was pacifyed the Emperour Valentinianus dyd adopte Gratianus hys sōne to be compainion of the Empyre Now the father the Vncle beyng dead Gratianus Gratianus succeded them both and for as muche as the publyke weale was incombered with diuers troubles he elected Theodosius an excellent Captayne Theodosius sent him towards the East coūtry He ouerthrew and defeicted the Hūnes Gothes about Constantinople and draue thē out of the country of Thracia Shortly after Gratianus was traitrously slayne in Fraunce by a certaine Captaine of hys named Maximus who coueted the Empire Ansonius Poet. Ausonius of Bourdeaux was his schole maister of whom is found a certaine Poesie who also was exalted by the Emperour euen to the dignye of Consull of Rome His sone Valentinianus dyed almost after the sayd sort through the deceipte of Abrogastus his famillier frend But the mourderers remayned not long vnpunished
third booke How the Almaines are entred into frauÌ„ce BEFORE that we begyne to speake of Charlemayne vnto whom according as we haue sayd the West Empyre was bequethed it behoueth to declare somewhat of the Germaines of whom he proceaded Fyrst of all it is most euident that the Germayns haue oftentymes passed the Rheine and haue entred into the French dominioâ—s to the end there to make their inhabitition because of the goodnes of the country For the Teuthons did pierce into Prouince where they were defeicted by the Consull C. Marius Synce as the Auuergnaes and they of Autun did stryue and contâ—nd for the principalitie certain bands of Almaynes hyred of the Auuergnaes and tâ—â—y of Sens came thether By litle and lytle they so encreased that vnder the king Ariouistus they possessed the most part of the country Iulius Cesar defeicted them in plaine battaâ—le And certayn yeres aâ—ter as he made war against them of Liege which is a people beyond Brabant the Germains passed again ouer the Rheine for to assaile the Romain host But they were ouerthrowen where the Maze and the Rheyne meteth Many yeares after they held theÌ„selues within their limites because that the Romain Emperours made war vpon theÌ„ But hauing gotten a certayn apt commodious time they loked vnto theyr aduantage and forraged Fraunce without ceasse So likewise in the Emperour Gallienus time a voluptuous man and of no worthines they did inuade and oppresse it by succession of time became so mightie that the Emperour Probus the fourth after Gallienus draue them out with great difficultie Iulianus also Lieutenant of the Emperour Constans dyd ioyne in battaile with them Synce in the Emperour Honorius time the Gothes entred by force of armes into Fraunce who beyng encoumbred with diuers wâ—rres graunted them the country of Aquiâ—ania to dwell in On the other syde the French Almayns entryng in armes through the country called Gallia Belgica suppressed them of Trire GilderlaÌ„d Cleaue with them of Liege of Terouane of Turney of Amiens of Beauuoys of Soissonois Which done they toke their habitatioÌ„ in that part of Gallia Paris the head Citie of FrauÌ„ce the which yet at this day beareth the name of Fraunce Wherof Paris is the head Citie nere wherto is the town of S. Denis the which was afterwards consecrated to bury the kings as it is yet at this present They being so enlarged and holding also before a great part of Germanie to witte al the country about the riuer of Mein and of Rheyne did not onely defeÌ„d themselues if any came to assaile them but also set vpon others And as the Romain Empire fel dai by day into decay in Asia Afrike the Lombards also waistig Italy they maruelously enlarged their limites in Fraunce Afterwardes manye of their kings raigned there vntil such time as the kyngdom fel into the hands of Pipine of Charlemaine his sonne Charles Martellus was the father of Pipine who was not king but one of the princes great maisters as they are commonly called He vanquished them of Bauiers of Swaine For according as the writters of the * Histories of Actes yerely done Annales of Fraunce do mention the time hath bene that the kynges haue had but only the tytle and the name as touching the whole aucthorie it was in the hands of the great Maister The Great maisters of Fraunce their credit For they were altogether degenerated from the vertue manlines of their ancestours and being addicted vnto pleasures voluptuousnes they toke no care of the publike weale Wherfore the Great maister had the administration and dyd increase so much the more hys power as the lithernes carlesnes of the king did abound Pipine who was great maister in the raigne of Childericus came to the crowne vnder such occasion The kyngs suffer the pope to displace them the thing hauing bene debated vpon before pope Zachary as they say MentioÌ„ is made hereof in the decree which they intitill of Gratianus where it is said to be lawfull vnto the popes to put the kynges out of their thrones But the tytle inscriptioÌ„ of that place is false For albeit that there haue ben two Emperours named Anastasius notwithstaÌ„dyng it cannot be attributed neither to the one nor to the other forasmuch as the first raigned more then two C. yeres before the befell the other .xxxvii. Moreouer in the last mans daies there was neuer any pope named Gelasius I thought it necessarye to adde this Contraritie in the writinges of Popes for to aduertise the readers to read intentiuely warly the writigs of popes For we find in diuers places that their chiefe end is to put their lawes in credite auctority by falsly giuing to vnderstand that they are very ancient Ouer besides this that Pipine did suppresse the Lombards in Italy at the request of the pope as is before said he made warre agaynst the Saxons and moreouer against them of Aquitania whose Duke beynge taken he slewe After the death of Pipyne they oftentymes rebelled But Charlemayne hys sonne putte ende vnto the twoo warres to wytte that of Saxonye and of Aquitania but not wyth oute greate trauayle LoÌ„g warre against the Saxons He had warre with the Saxons for thre thirtie yeares space and during this warre he was also occupied with others For he did subdue the country of Bauier the which did rebell vnder the conduction of the Captain Tassilon and made two iournies against the Lombards and passed euen into the land of Lauor in such sort that he subiected all Italy and ordayned lawes as touchyng policie He constrained also the cities of Gallia situated about the Ocean sea in times past named * The auncient name of Britaine in FrauÌ„ce Armorica and now comprehended vnder the name of lytle Britayne to do their duety Because that they refused to pay the tribute that was yerely dew vnto the kings of FrauÌ„ce He went also into Spain where he was victorious against the Saracenes but at his returne the Gascons a people of Aquitania did lay waite for him in the forestes called * Mountaines which do diuide Fraunce froÌ„ Spaine Pirenees discomfited him Finally at the eyght yeres end he vainquished the HuÌ„nes who held the country of Hungaria pacified Bohemia by hys LieutenaÌ„ts His last war was against the Danois or Normanes who wasted all that side of Germanye and of Gallia with their sea armie Through these so great actes he was surnamed the Great For before tyme the French kings did hold but that part of Germany which is betwen Saxony and Dunowe betwen the Rheyâ—e the riuer of Sala betwene Swane and Bauieres But he annexed the whole country of Saxonie moreouer the two Hungaries Demnarbe or the great Westphalyâ— Ireland and the mediteran cost of Dalmatia The aboue sayd French kings did possesse in Gallia the part which is betwene the Rheine and Loire
companions with a terrible and shamefull punishement and put out the eyes of Iohn the seuententh of that name And for because that there was always dissention for the succession of the Empyre he ordayned by the popes help that from thence forth certain princes of Germany shuld haue the ryght and aucthoritye to elect the Emperours for feare lest that any in the tyme to come should attayne to thys dignitye as by inheritaunce The seuen electours of the Empire instituted Thys decree was made about a thousand yeares after the natiuiry of Christ Robert was then kyng of Frannce a louer of peace of letters The Annales do renoume hym for that he buylt dyuers Temples vnto the which he gaue great reuenewes Robert kig of FrauÌ„ce and that he weÌ„t a pilgrimage vnto Rome The Emperour Otho did conferre the roiall dignitie and franches vnto Bolellaus Duke of Polonia as it is in their Annales This then is the beginnyng of that kyngdome Otho died in returninig from Italy Henry the second of that name was Emperour after hym Henrye the second who was Duke of Bauieres nexte kynsemen of Otho the Great of the Duke of Saxonye and of the Emperour He appeased the affayres in Germany and drew to hys frendshype a part of the enemyes by syngular humanitye the other part was dyscomfyted by hym Whyche done he passed into Italye and hauyng plucked the country of Puel from the handes of the Saracenes he restored it to the Empyre Afterwards he was crowned by Benedictus the eyght sending his host into Germany he toke his way by Bourgony and communed with Robert Kyng of Fraunce and they confyrmed theyr amitie together This Emperour was greatly in the fauour of the Churchmen because he was very benificiall vnto them Henry beyng dead the Empyre was vacant a certayn time because that the Princes Electours dyd not agree At length Conrad Duke of Franconie was elected Conrad Emperour He brought Stephan king of Hungaria to agrement and conditions of peace And hauyng geuen order vnto the affaires of Germany he drew into Italy where diuers were ready to reuolt At the fyrst entrye he assalted Milan and from thence passed to Rome where he was consecrated by Iohn the xviii and was saluted Augustus by the acclamations of the people He appeased Italy after punishemeÌ„t made of the tumulte raisers Notwythstandyng beyng retourned into Germany he was constrained to make the second viage in Italy for the new troubles that were brust forth where he did iustice vpon the authours of the conspiratie amongest whom was the archbyshop of Milan and ceassed not tyll he had reducted all vnder his obedience These thinges finished being retourned he dyed at Vtrec which is a towne in the confynes of Holand Hys sonne Henry the thyrd of that name succeded him by the consent of the princes Henry the thyrde He subdued the Bohemiens who rebelled and made them become tributorie He reestablished Peter king of Hungarie whom his subiectes had on a certayne tyme bannished and pacified the whole countrey not wythout great losse of his men At that time great tempests were raysed at Rome by reasoÌ„ that thre dyd contend who should be pope Three at stryfe who shoulde be Pope and dyd aspire there vnto by all vnlawfull meanes These were Benedictus the nynth Siluester the third and Gregorye the syxt The Emperour went thether for to giue order and hauing layd seige before Rome â—e toke it by force Afterwards hauing made assembly of the estates he ordained Suitgerus Byshoppe of Bamberg to be Pope who changed hys name and was called Clemens the second of whom also the Emperour was crowned Then the Cityzens of Rome did againe swere that in the electioÌ„ of the Pope they would do nothing but what shuld please the Emperour Italy beyng againe appeased and the Emperour retourned into Germany Pope ClemeÌ„s died and was buried at Bamberg This knowen the Emperour ordayned Boppo Byshoppe of Frisingen to be Pope It is he who was named Damasus the second and lyued in the estate but xxiii dayes Wherfore the Byshoppe of Tulles Leo the nynth succeaded hym by the commaundement of the Emperour A Pope or litle abode There is found the remnant of a certaine epistle of him where he sayth that it is not lawfull for a byshop priest nor Deacon to leaue his wyfe for religion sake but that reason requireth he should norishe her not so notwithstandyng that it is lawfull for hym to haue her compainye seyng that sainct Paull saith that it is lawfull for him aswell as vnto the other Aposties to lead a wife hether thether The which he enterpreteth in this sense that the Apostles haue had alwaies their wiues with theym to the end that they shuld be norished with their husbands by theÌ„ whom the said husbands did instruct in the religion of Christ not for to lie together and exercise the act of matrimony and that by reason therof Paul did vse this word of leading to fro and not of embrasing The Emperour presedeth at the Counsell The yere M. L. Leo departed from Rome came to Mense where he held a counsell of xlii Bishops at the which the Emperour preseded He being dead thre yeres after at the consent of the Emperour the bishop of Eistet succeaded hym He was named Victor the .ii. The Emperour went into Italy hauyng there set al thigs in order he returned into Germany Afterwards hauing coÌ„muned with the French king Henry the first of that name he dyed in Saxonye and was buryed at Spire The Pope diuers princes were assistant at his death He had a very younge sonne named Henry who notwithstaÌ„ding was already before elected Emperour wherfore the charge did he vpon his mother and vppon the Byshoppe of Ausbourg Shortly after Pope Victor the second dysseased hauyng preseded a lytle aboue twoo yeres Fridericus of the house of Loraine named Stephan the nynth succeaded hym who a few monthes after dyed at Florence And here vppon one Benedictus the tenth of that name dyd vsurpe the Popedome wythout the Emperours leaue by the help of hys men The Romayns did myslyke thys facte therefore they sent an Embassadour for to purge them offeryng the Emperour to kepe lyke fidelitye towards hym as they dyd vnto hys father praying hym that he would ordayne a lawfull Pope Thys vnderstode the Emperour displaced this Benedictus and appointed theÌ„ Gerardus Byshop of Florence who was called Nicolas the second Benedictus vsurpeth the Popedome and is shortlye after displaced by Henry the Emperour The Princes of Germany dyd take great displeasure that the publike weale was gouerned by a woman the Emperours mother Wherfore they consulted to take her sonne from her Whych done the administration fell vpon the archbishops of Mense and of Coloigne before al others They somtimes vsed the aide of Adelbertus the archbishop of Breme who was very a greable vnto the yong Emperour He being