appeared amongst them but for their ruine caused him to be poysoned at Bonconvent Henrie the seventh was poysoned at Bonconvent in an Host others say hee was hurt with a fal from on horse the fifteenth of August 1312. Death dissolved the marriage of the Duke of Calabria with Catherine of Austria and she died without children Robert who had but onely this sonne presently sought out another wife for him entreating King Philip the Faire hee would bee pleased the house of Valois might restore to the Crowne of Naples what it had thence borrowed Charles the second his father had married Margarite his daughter to Charles Count of Valois and Robert desired Grafts for his Sonne of this royall Stocke which had never beene tainted with the least suspition of impuritie She is not chaste enough who by the least suspition makes her chastitie to be doubted It is said of this Lady that the Embassadours of France having required her for the Kings brother besought her they might see whether shee were touched with her fathers naturall imperfections In the choyce of Princesses to bee wives for Kings the stature and grace of body was considered who was crooked shee unclothed her selfe even to her smocke made of so fine Holland that one might easily behold her shape and withall replying that Never would she for a Crowne make any scruple to pull it off King Robert desirous to see his sonne the Duke of Calabria fully accomplished in all vertues gave him for Tutor the Count of Elzear a kinsman of the Earles of Provence Saint Elzear Earle of Arrian of the house of Sabran every where renowned for admirable purity of life Kings that neglect the education of those who are to succeed them little regard their owne states Good government cannot be expected from a Prince ill bred the safety whereof depends on the good education of the Prince Warres are not the cause of so many miseries as ill mannaged education For such calamities are but temporary but disorder lasteth whilst the scepter swayeth By the fruits of Iustice and piety which this tree bare it may be understood it was well manured The intended marriage being resolved on It is a great triall of courage to abstaine from that which is both desired and permitted he sent his Governour to Paris to negotiate it He could not make choice of a more unspotted Oratour as one who had lived three and twenty yeares with Delphina his wife in voluntary and secret chastity preserving devotion amidst the vanities of Court Humility in greatnesse naturall frailty among pleasures and single life in marriage Charles Duke of Calabria marrieth Mary daughter of Charles Count of Valois 1324. Scoffers will make sport hereat for the danger there is in placing powder neare unto fire But the actions of Saints should bee considered not with discourse of nature but effects of grace The Marriage of the lady Mary was the raising of the Catanians fortune whom King Robert gave to his daughter in law as a woman that had seene the birth and education of all the children of the royall family she having served Queene Mary daughter of the King of Hungary Length of service gaineth trust for servants the Duchesses Violante Sancha Catherine shee was an aged Oke a worne Medaile only honoured for her antiquity every one made addresse to her as to the register of houshold government She was beloved by this Lady more than by all the rest and being an understanding woman presently perceived the delights and inclinations of her Mistresse propended to prety conceits neat curiosities and quaint ornaments The Queenes of Persia had provinces named from rheir dressings one was termed the Queenes girdle another heâ— Head tire There was not any thing either rare or excellent thorow all Europe which she sought not out to please her that one would have thought whole provinces stood affected to her accommodation Robert had other contentments which nearly followed the marriage of his sonne with Mary of Valois the City of Genova rendred it selfe up to him and he had possession of it full eighteene yeares The Church gave him the guardianship and government of Ferrara Florence ressented it Robert is made Vicar for the Church at Ferrara It is a thing very naturall for people to submit themselves voluntarily under the rule of good and wise Princes The first yeare of the marriage of his sonne brought forth a daughter whom he named Iane It is a rule in nature that the best command and he appointed the Catanian to be her governesse and made Raymond Cabanes her husband super-intendent of his houshold Catherine of Austria died on the 15. of Ian 1323. and Mary of Hungary on the 25. of March 1323. To preserve the good intelligence he held with the Pope he often visited him at Avignon and was there whilst in lesse than two moneths he received newes of the death of his daughter in law Catherine of Austria and his Mother Mary of Hungary To understand the like griefe one must have such a daughter and such a Mother He there also saw the death of one of his dearest friends Amedeus the fourth Duke of Savoy Pope Benedict would not enrich his parents with the goods of the Church Pope Benedict the twelfth died a while after leaving the continuation of the sumptuous palace of Avignon imperfect Flesh and bloud had not any power over him Some Courtiers brought his father before him cloathed otherwise than beseemed his condition he would not acknowledge him untill he had reassumed the habit of a Miller nor give him any thing but wherewithall to buy a Mill. He often said Popes should neither have kinred nor allies and that they were not administrators of Church-livings to enrich their owne kindred A Prince should consider those treaties which oblige him The great reverence he bare to the Pope was a notable proofe of his wisdome for he well knew whilst the Kings his predecessors held good correspondence with the Popes having ever before their eyes the treaties Philip King of Macedon caused the articles he agreed on with the Romans to be read unto him and capitulations betweene the See Apostolike and their Crowne the more exactly to observe them the peace of their state had beene invincible nor had the Princes of the house of Swevia who banded against them derived any other profit than losse both of the Empire of Almaigne and Kingdome of Naples Never should we quarrell with those who may more endammage In the investiture of the Kings of Naples it is said they will not accept the election of the Emperour Charles Duke of Calabria as head of the Florentine Common-wealth nor their army with 200000. duckets rent by the yeare than profit us To quiet the spirit of the Pope he promised him by oath never to accept the Imperiall Crowne nor title of King of Lombardy as Prince of Tuscany under the penalty
but the utter extirpation of Germanicus his family which the death of Drusus brought into grace The funerals were prepared in the same equipage as those of Germanicus and thereunto many other magnificences were added Addit semper ali quid posterior adulatio Tac. For the last adulation is ever most costly Tiberius made the funerall oration as Augustus had done for Agrippa his sonne in law There was placed a vaile between him and the dead body to the end he might not behold the corps for the office of the Pontifex being sacred it was not lawfull for him to looke on any thing dead The Statues likewise of the Gods were vailed or transferred from places where punishments were inflicted So Philo saith that the high Priest of the Iewes for that his soule was ever pure saw nothing direfull Yea Claudius caused that of Augustus to be taken from the Theater of the Gladiators that it might not ever be present at murther or be alwayes scarfed Every one bewailed him who wept not himselfe For an object so sad Flente populo non flexit vultâ—m Sen. and apprehensible as this could not bend his gravity beholding without passion in himselfe how sensible his losse was to others whilst he would make it appeare he had no sense at all Sejanus standing by his side admired his constancy but made no profit thereof For this act taught him of what temper his heart was Sejano ad latus sâ—â—ti experiendum se dedit quam patienter possit suos perdere Sen. since he so patiently bare the losse of one so beloved Could he thinke that a Prince who had so little resentment in the death of a sonne would care for the losse of his servants He must learne to be more subtile to know the humour of his Master who made vse of him as of a felt cloake or gaberdine during the storme to cast it off when it ceased Sejanus thought on nothing but the ruine of Germanicus his house and when that were done Tiberius would ruine him for then he should have no further need of him He dealt presently as with a good horse when the rider sees him of gentle mannage he makes much of him and lets him goe at pleasure where he list but in the end Masters him It was not only violence which guided this excessive power of Sejanus but avarice also bare a part making him beleeve all he possessed not Quicquid non acquiritur damnum est Sen. was wholy lost Dion saith he was heire of all those who died without children This exorbitant covetousnesse caused the death of Lepida a noble Romane Lady and Suetonius saying that Tiberius made Lentulus the Augur dye with griefe to the end he might have no other heire than himselfe In gratiam Quirini consularis pradivitu orbi Tac. addeth the processe framed against Lepida was only to gratifie Quirinus her husband who was rich and without issue The proceeding related by Tacitus is very strange it was full twenty yeares she had lived from her husband Exemit Drusum dicenda primo loco Sententia nâ—caeteris assentiendi necessitas fieret Tac. when he accused her of adultery poison and a supposititious child Tiberius affirmed she had consulted with Chaldeans concerning his house and person He would not suffer Drusus to deliver his opinion first in judgement that he might leave the opinions free not oblige them to follow his There were sports exercised during this processe Lepida went thither with many great and eminent Ladies of the City and enjoying the privilege of Romans who never were imprisoned during their accusation nor after judgement unlesse the offence were capitall as she entred into Pompeys Theater Ammian Marcolputs Pompeys Theater Inter decora urbis aeternae she turned her eyes on the statues which stood there in many places and implored aid of him from whom she was descended This was done with much exclamation and abundance of teares that it moved the people but especially the women to pity her and to cry out against Quirinus Adstantes effusi in lachrimas saeva et detestanda Quirino clamitant Tac. calling him wicked creature for that he so inhumanely had used a wife who having beene promised to Lucius Caesar the son of Augustus had by this marriage much honoured him as if they would have said that by reason he was old Lepida cui super Emiliorum decus L. Silla ac Cu. Pompeius proavi erant Tac. and without children besides of mean condition his wife should doe well to make him weare the horne The processe comming to triall verdicts propended to the commiseration of a woman extracted from noble bloud sequestred twenty yeares from her husband and where the accusations were only proved by slaves But Rubellius Blandus concludes for banishment Adsensit Drusus quamvis alii mitiares censuisseÌ„t Tac. Drusus was of his opinion and he drew those to him who stood not so much for rigour The Prince ought not to deliver his opinion first Quo loco censebis Caesar si primus habebo quod sequar si post omnes vercor ne imprudent dissentiam Tac. nor last it is for him to conclude and decree Piso confidently said the same to Tiberius in the beginning of his Empire In what ranke O Caesar would you deliver your opinion if in the first I were bound to follow you if in the last our opinions may happen to differ so I might commit a fault against my will Dion observeth another meane to get the inheritance of a rich man Sextus Marius had a daughter young and beautifull Tiberius affecteth her the father removes her to a countrey house To inforce their returne they are accused of incest He lives too long who survives his owne honour The daughter sayes to the father Let us not afford them the content to dispose of us at their pleasure nor so farre to prevaile as to hinder us from dying honestly I have not used to pray to any but the Gods and to Sejanus I will never be beholding for my life upon the price of that which is more deare to me than a thousand lives Marius ashamed to see his courage stand in need of his daughters example slew himselfe first and she after did the like This death much benefited Tiberius and Sejanus For they were the heires of Marius The same hand which doth the injury maketh amends a man so rich that being offended with a neighbour of his he invited him to his house made him good cheere for two dayes together On the first he pulled downe his house on the second he reedified it again more faire and large The owner thereof returning on the third day was amazed at this alteration Marius said to him I have done the one as thy enemy to be revenged on thee and the other as thy friend for the good I wish thee Delatores genuâ— hominum publico exitio repertum
or was cast under it among bruit beasts As often as the friendship of Asinius Gallus a kinsman of Agrippina's or the malice of Sejanus had ruined any the men of this age cryed lowdly our O Vacia solus scis vâ—vere Sen. O Vacia there is none but thou who knowes how to live The solitarie life was the most secure Vita ruftica parsimoniae jusâ—itiae ac diligentiae magistra-Cic the civill most perilous and the rustique most acceptable so is it likewise the mistresse of frugalitie diligence integritie and simplicitie It was not attended with so much honour nor gave such contentment as heretofore when the great Captaines went from Triumph to the Cart from Tillage to Armes Attilii manus rustico opere attritae salutem publicam stabilicrunt Vol. and from Harvest to the Senate The earth in those times tooke delight to yeeld fruits in abundance Gaudebattellus vomere laurea to Plin. and acknowledge the labour of those victorious hands which tilled her with a Coulter crowned with Lawrell Sejanus this torrent of pride and insolency overflowed all There was not a creature stayed him all bee encountred were utterly ruined It is not safe to commit so many and so great charges to the fortune of one Par. de Fab. Tiberius was blamed for submitting the fortune of the Empire to the discretion of one sole man and his will to the power of his servant Ambition is oft times put blinde Evill enterprises succeed against the undertakers when it should bee cleare sighted and thinking to walke the right way wanders It ruin'd Sejanus and caused his designes to succeed otherwise than he hoped Hee promised himselfe that Germanicus being dead nothing could hinder him but Drusus hee poysoneth him and behold the succession doubtlesse stands for Germanicus his children It is necessarie for establishment of his tyrannie that hee overthrow it which he undertakes and that the more boldly Ferox scelerum quia prima provenerant Tac. because his precedent outrages succeeded so prosperously that the father neglecteth to revenge the death of his sonne He makes him beleeve his enemies will derive profit from this losse that Agrippina is resolved to reigne He needeth no great art to perswade him Nun dubia Germanici liberorum successio Tac. for hee saw the succession open and this woman thorowly resolved to bite the apple He is determined to cause the mother and her children to perish Sejanus herein findes himselfe much perplexed For to thinke to corrupt Agrippina as he had done Livia there was no likelyhood she being of a chastitie invincible Sparga venenum in tres non poterat egregiâ custodum fide pudicitiâ Agrippinae impenetrabili Tac. and impenetrable To give poyson unto three at once was impossible and severally difficult so great was the fidelitie and vigilance of their servants Besides this Lady could not bee treated withall as other women All the Citie was for her the most confident and shamelesse calumny durst not seize on her shee walked firmely betweene the jealousie of Tiberius and ambition of Sejanus who found no shorter way to ruine her than to animate the Emperour against her by causing him to observe her courage and her hopes He lost no time herein but in a short space met with a fit occasion to make his wicked designe breake into action In the beginning of the yeare Solennia vota pro incolumitate tuâ quá salus publica continetur suscipimus solvimus Plin. they used to sacrifice to Iupiter an Oxe with gilded bornes for the Safetie of the Prince which is the weale of the State The Pontiffes and other Priests by their example recommended to the same Gods Nero and Drusus sonnes of Germanicus not so much for the love of them as to please Tiberius thereby to let him know how much they desired to perpetuate the Empire in his house Good manners were so much forgotten Adulatio moribus corruptis perinde ancepa si nulla ubi nimia est Tac. that it was not more dangerous to flatter too much than not at all Tiberius was perplexed to see their youth hold way with his age Primores modicè perstringendi Tac. for which cause hee asked the Pontiffes whether they had done it at the instant entreaties or threats of Agrippina and they answering no he rebuked them but temperately for they were for the most part either Allies of Agrippina or of the prime men of the Citie He hastens presently to the Senate on this occasion frames a large discourse to shew them that henceforward The mindes of weake and mutable young men should not be thrust into pride Mobiles adolescentium animi praematuris honoribus ad superbiam non extollendi Tac. by honours immaturely conferred upon them Yea Sejanus made more noyse hereupon than Tiberius saying All would run to ruine since no more difference was made betweene the Prince and his kinsmen That the Citie of Rome would fall into division as in the civill broyles Facta tribuâ— dominis communis Roma Lucan when it had three Lords Caesar Pompey and Crassus That the authoritie of the Emperour would be the least That the desire of ancient liberty was awakened That the faction of Agrippina would bee set up which not resisted their number would bee the greater Nullum aliud gliscentis discordiae remedium si unus alterve maximè prompti subvertantur Tac. That no other remedy could bee found for the discord which began to advance and multiply but by causing one or two of them presently to be put to death Amicitia Germanici pernitiosa utrique Tac. He threatned only two and aimed at many but he supposed that these two C. Silius and T. Sabinus should fall from so high an eminence that all the rest would be warned by their ruine Their noble affection to the house of Germanicus had in no degree degenerated from the nature of true friendship although it were not only barren but unfortunate to them Turpe aliis gratificari per dede cus proprium Tac. Varro the Consull wickedly accommodating his conscience and honour to the passion of Sejanus accuseth Caius Silius and Sosia Galla his wife T. Sabinus was reserved for another time and although they made it appeare this pursuit was violent and that Varro ought to stay till he were out of his Consulship yet processe was framed as in case of treason though they were accused for nothing but to have converted the moneys of the common wealth to their owne use and of which sums no man required restitution Proprium Tiberio scelera nuper reperta priscis verbis obtegere Tac. But Tiberius was so wary that he gave the titles of most odious crimes to the slightest faults Silius seeing that makes no defence and when â—e speakes it is but to shew the pursuit is too potent but foreseeing it was not in his power to save himselfe Immineus damnatio
Sen. and gravity of the law which is not angry with any man The condemned is led forth the Vshers command silence the Consull pronounceth sentence which is written in a Tablet Fit a praecone silentium Sen. P. and turning himselfe towards the executioner Quibus animadvertere in damnatos necisse est non dicunt occide non morere sedlege age sayes Doe according to law or more plainely passe on They abstaine from the harsh words kill hang knocke him downe as if one should command a servant to crush a scorpion or a Caterpiller The executioner bound his hands behinde him the Trumpets sounded whilest he prepared for execution and the condemned disposed himselfe to death Crudelitatem imperii verbo miliore subducunt Sen. P. Time was not at discretion Nero never gave more than an houre for one to make himselfe ready for the mortall blow Noxio post tergaligantur manus Sen. P. As in funerals there were instruments which sounded sad and mournfull aires with Cornets for great men Adbibentur legitima verba canitur ex altera parte classicum Sen. P. or with the flute for inferiors which was called Symphony So likewise at executions the trumpets sounded an alarum Quis nam Delator quibus indiciis quo teste probavit Nihil horum verbosa grandis epistola venit A Capreis bene habet nil plus interrogo Iuven. as it were a charge or an onset to march on to death In the meane space the people amazed at so suddaine a judgement aske the cause thereof one sayes for what offence is he condemned who was his accuser what confederates what witnesses Is there nothing of all this Another replyeth A large and long letter is come from Capreae And a third sayes it is sufficient we need know no more All is well The forme is no other wise expressed than as Dion hath set it down and the words he useth signifie hee was condemned and executed It is certaine there was no rumour concerning his punishment When any one among the ancients was condemned as a delinquent it was to banishment the civill death of a Roman â—Citizen The gibbet empaling Supplicium more majorum Tac. the gallowes wild beasts the halter the hang-man were for slaves and the baser sort of people It is long agoe said Paetus Thrasaeas to Nero Sunt paenae legibus constitutae quibus sine judicum saevitia temporum infamia supplicia decernâ—ntur Tac since there was any speech at Rome of the hang-man or the cord the lawes have ordained punishments which correct the crimes without infamy in respect of time without cruelty in regard of the Iudges Traitors Rebels enemies of the common wealth leaped headlong from the Tarpeian Mount. Tarpeio prâ—ditores hostesve publici imponantur Sen. Manlius was throwne from the top of the hill athwart the Rocks and he had as Plutarch saith The Capitoll for witnesse of his most fortunate Acts and greatest Calamity Locus idem in uno homine eximia gloriae monimentum pana ultima fuit T. Liv. This punishment was inflicted upon him for having enterprised upon the government of the comon-wealth A punishment of all the most dreadful for the rocke was rough of an admirable height the middle and sides bordered as it were with sharp points like tainter hookes and if the body fell upon them Moâ—es abscissa in profundum frequen tibus exasperata saxis Sen. it was either broken or more violently cast off The very sight of it had horror and who once fetched this leape was sure enough never to make another Nondum caput â—nse rotare Lucan The heads also of offenders after the civill warre were cut off not with an axe as anciently but with a sword and this punishment was so new that a Courtesane at the Table of Proconsull Flaminius saying she never had seene it he caused the head of a prisoner to be chopped off by the hangman Vt iste cum amica caenaret jucundius homo occisus est Sen. P. Valerius Antius gave the like satisfaction to a Lady whom he loved Behold here goodly Magistrates who play with the lives of men and the authority of lawes to content the cruell curiosity the one of a Citizens wife of Placentia the other of a trull whose name was so odious that if the Vsher meeting her in the Consuls passage had not chased her away the dignity of the office had suffered Majestas laesa fi exeunti proconsuli meretrix non summovetur Sen. P. Sejanus had not his head strucken off the punishment was too mild in so violent and publike fury Sejanus ducitur unco spectandus gaudent omnes quae labra quis illi vultus erat Iuven. Iuvenal saith that being dragged thorow the City with a hooke the people admired at the greatnesse of his head and large size of his lips I suppose he was strangled in prison Iactavit Caesar quod non laqueâ— strangulata nequâ— in Gemonias projecta foret Tac. for it was the most ordinary punishment and Tiberius used it After he had caused Agrippina to be put to death at Pandarr i he boasted what favour he had done in not commanding her to be strangled and would have the Senate to thanke him for it His three poore children were carried to prison his daughter promised to the son of Claudius was deflowred neare to the gallowes by the Hang-man because it was not permitted to put a Virgin to death by torment Dion saith she was slaine by the people Puella a carnifiâ—e juxta laqueum compressa Tac. Tacitus thinkes his sonne knew what they would doe and the hazzard he did incurre There was a daughter of his so young and of so little understanding that the ceased not to cry out Puella adeo nescia ut crebro interrogaret quod ob delictum qâ—o traheretur neque facturam ultra possese puerili verbere â—oneri Tac. What have I done whether will they lead me If I may be forgiven I will doe so no more There needeth nothing but a rod to correct me The hang-man tooke these two by the throat and strangled them both The bodies thus slaine were fastned to the Gemonian staires The Gemonian staires in the third station of Rome which was mount Auentine which bare this name either from the inventor or from the groanes which there were heard It was as the pillory the open place of executions there the statues and pourtraits of the condemned were set The Gaole the Court where they pleaded the Rolles where they registred decrees were built neare together the staires were in the same place at the foot of Tiber whereinto they cast the bodies Quo die illum Senatus dâ— duxerat populus in frusta divisit Sen. Seneca and Dion differ the one sayeth they dragged his body three whole dayes the other that the same day the Senate accompanied him to the Senate
with his liberty one Kingdome accounted as lost he found another which he expected not Hungary was miserable under Ladislaus and the Nobility enforced to till the ground The Hungarians having put Ladislaus their King to death for his libidinous life and cruelties Charles Martell was crowned King of Hungaria as sonne of Mary sister of Ladislaus But because the sweetest contentments are steeped in the roughest acerbities Charles Martell son of Charles the 2. King of Naples and Mary daughter of Stephen King of Hungary and for that strange accidents succeed unexpected events a Neopolitan Gentleman named Faelix the only Privado in the secrets favours of Charles undertook not to share with him Soveraigne authority which is not divisible All ambition is insatiable for it begins where it should end but to bereave him both of Crowne and life to possesse it himselfe wholly so hard a thing it is for a great fortune to containe it selfe within the limits of reason and to find contentment in ambition An attempt upon the King of Hungary at Villegrad on Easter day pressed on by this fury he assaileth the King on an Easter day sets his sword to his throat and wounds him in the arme Clementia Queene of Hungary daughter of the Emperor Rodolphus the first and mother of Clementia married to Lewis Hutin his couragious wife daughter of the Emperour Rodolphus diverting the blow had foure of her fingers cut his children were saved for the conspiracy was to raise a new house This miserable creature is punished with his complices children and allies in the detestation of so execrable an impiety There cānot too many tortures nor tormentors be mustered up together to punish these horrible assassinates Rigor of punishment in ruining the wicked should terrifie others It is fit the punishment be such that in ruinating the culpable by stroks it may humble the rest by astonishment After the death of Alfonsus King of Arragon Iames and Frederick his brothers sought peace with the Church by the mediation of Charles King of Naples Martin the fourth excommunicateth Peter of Aragon and gives his Kingdome to Charles of Valois offering the confirmation of former treaties They could not make choice of a more powerful intercession for all the Councels of Charles were much esteemed at Rome and his advises honoured yea even in the election of Popes He laboured their absolution It is much more easie to treat with a simple and ignorant man than a wise and a wary and proposed it to Pope Caelestine the fifth who hearing speech of absolving an enemy of the Church refused it as a great scandall because indeed it was a long time since this thunder stroke fell upon the house of Arragon Election of Calestine in a conclave at Peruge in the yeare 1294. He so much feared to erre that he acted nothing but in feare which proceeded from his disproportion to affaires For the truth is the most feasible and facile ever present themselves as rough and obscure to such as understand them not It was the blessed man Petrus Moronus whom Charles had drawen from the Cell He accepteth it by the solicitation of Charles King of Naples to replenish the vacant See the Cardinals having beene two yeeres unable to fall upon an accord in the election But he better understood himselfe than they who had chosen him God requires the greatest account of him to whom hee gives the greatest charge For being much troubled with the care of his owne soule and unwilling to undergoe the charge of others hee tooke his profession into consideration weighed his owne dutie and represented the justice of his Master who being offended is not more sharply displeased with any than him to whom he committeth the mannage of his affaires and of whom he requires a most strict accompt This Example is single There is none but Celestine hath forsaken that which so many thirst after For which cause he pulled off the Myter and threw himselfe into his Hermitage He had beene haled from the port into the storme and now returnes out of the tempest into the haven Hee who cannot live in the day light must abide in the shadow Charles caused him to come to Naples to divert him from this retirement but could not For Cardinall Cajetan of a more unresistable and prevailing spirit making him beleeve hee incurred the hazard of his owne salvation to entertaine a charge any longer whereof he found himselfe uncapable thrust himselfe into his place Cardinall Benedict of Anagnia deceived Pope Celestine and put himselfe into his place at Naples and fearing hee would reassume it againe deprived him of life in prison possessed the See a whole yeare at Naples where during his abode Charles accomplished his negotiation of restoring Iames and Fredericke into the communion of the Church Pope Boniface the eighth consented unto it so they would wholly and without hope of regaining forsake Sicily Princes leave but it is ever with a purpose to have againe They thereunto accorded upon promise made by Charles that he should procure the Count of Valois to renounce the right hee had to the Kingdome of Arragon The fruit of this treatie was the restitution of Sicily the returne of three Princes left Hostages and the marriage of Blanch Princesse of Naples to Iames King of Arragon King Charles conducted his daughter to Barcellon there to behold her husband and to take his three sonnes away with him but of three he had but two Prince Lewis taketh the habit of Saint Francis at Barcellon for the eldest being of the age of one and twentie forsooke both the world and Court and in the midst of the universall joy for peace and solemnities of marriage tooke the habit of Saint Francis in the presence of the King of Naples his father the King of Arragon his father in law Queenes and Princesses It was impossible to divert him from this resolution and that hee might not bee charmed by the Syrens of Court Seneca saith that voyce must be avoyded which Vlysses would not heare but whilst he was fastned to the mast of a ship hee affixed himselfe to the Standard of the Crosse Everie one was much amazed at this alteration for hee was the eldest of his brothers the Crowne of Naples infallibly belonged to him they would have married him to the Princesse of Majorica he left Roses to make a conserve of I hornes Delights for Austeritie and the Court for a Cloyster Hee raised his heart to God upon two wings Simplicitie and Puritie the one is in the intention the other in affection Simplicitie seeketh for God puritie findeth him In this habit After the yeare of probation he presented himselfe to the Convent of Mompelier who refused him lest they might offend the King his father hee on the feast of all Saints made a Sermon shewing all prosperities of the world were but trifles and counterfet gems
of losing the rights of Sicily The Florentines notwithstanding so well liked his government that they demanded his son and chose him their Prince for ten yeares Whilst they expected his comming hee sent them the Count Brennus his kinsman shortly after went thither with his wife who was there delivered of a son whom the Signory of Florence named Charles Martel in memory of the brother of King Robert of Hungary But the joy of this birth lasted but eight dayes For the child died on the ninth She had yet another daugther named Mary the abode he made at Florence much availed the Catanian who grew dexterous by conversation with the subtile and wary wits of Italy Lewis of Bavare entreth into Italy causeth himself to be crowned at Rome the 17. of Ian. 1328. deposeth Iohn the 22. who was at Avignon and putteth into his place a Cordelier called Peter Corbieres He remained there about some three yeares but hearing the Emperour Lewis of Bavare entred into Italy and had a plot upon the territories of King Robert his father he departed from Florence and went to Naples where he soone after deceased His government was so just and temperate Death of Charles Duke of Calabria in the yeare 1328. No justice but for them who have money that the Florentines never bewailed those that went before Such care he had of Iustice to have it exercised towards all his subjects that perceiving the difficulty of accesse of the poore to him he caused a bell to be hanged at the gate of his palace so that he who rung it was sure in that instant to be brought before the Prince or to have some officer sent out to heare him King Robert undertook the ruine of the Duke of Athens because he began to alter and trouble the government of the City The Florentines unable to agree in their government had likewise recourse to King Robert who assigned them the Duke of Athens but he thought not long to continue there upon notice given he had put the Signory out of the Palace where they usually assemble so that he sent him word if he could not content himselfe with his sonnes lodging he should not make any long abode in the City Gaultier Duke of Athens Count of Brenne enterpriseth upon the liberty of Florence He gave up an unfortunate account of his fidelity reputation in going about to make that power perpetuall which was given him but limited he seised on the forces of the City and such as might hinder his plot Those who conspired against the common wealth to raise him had a new plot to ruine him and seeing it was discovered not willing to expect till punishment should be inflicted He who is discovered casts himselfe into despaire tooke armes The designe which was but of some particulars caused a generall insurrection against him to enforce him to forsake the Fortresse to put into the hands of the executioner those who had assisted him in his Tyranny which lasted but nine moneths It were ill with the common wealth if the wicked should alwaies prosper King Robert deploring the death of his sonne spake these words Cecidit Corona capitis mei vae mihi vae vobis It is the interest both of the particular and publike that the wicked perish and the good prosper Nothing could happen to King Robert which more sharply afflicted him than the death of his sonne he incessantly said The Crowne is fallen from my head woe bee to mee woe bee to you If sorrow had power enough to kill it had throwne him into his grave his courage made resistance and although griefe had banished vivacity of Spirit from his heart Constancy in an instant made it returne againe but the evill was reiterated with it He found no comfort but in his little Inheritrix He sadly prunes the tree from which no fruit can be expected the precious pledge of the Kingdomes hope who was in the hands of her governesse omitting nothing in the sollicitous care of exact education by manuring her as a plant that was to perpetuate her house but with this griefe that he could not have the contentment to see the fruit she should bring forth To oblige her governesse to be careful in the service of this Princesse O ridiculum vidisse ex ergastulo servili ac nidore popinae Aethiopem Roberto Regi regalia obsequia exhibentem he created her husband great steward of Naples and thereupon Boccace who relateth this story cryeth out aloud What a mockery is it to see a Moore drawne from the misery of a gally-slave and smoake of the kitchin to supply with King Robert the prime services of the Crowne to take place of the greatest Lords to become a President in the Court and to administer justice to Suitors but what shall we say Fortune raiseth whom she list So inconstant is she that she suffered Marius to beg his bread at Carthage in his sixt Consulship and created him chiefe generall in the seventh The liberty of a Prince in the choice of servants is absolute The choice a Prince makes of men whom he advanceth to great imployments is not subject to any mans censure and were it bad yet ought it to be approved lest his judgement be questioned and reputation wounded But it is a hard matter to be silent therein The Romanâ— permitted not new purchasers of noble houses to change the Images or furnitures which upbraided their unworthinesse For honours weepe over those who have not deserved them and the Images of Noble houses upbraid the slender merit of the new purchasers Raymond Cabanes continued not long in this charge for death freed him from the envy and hatred she would have cast upon him had he lived any longer King Robert witnessed in his death the account he made of his life appointing funerall obsequies for him as for a Prince of his owne bloud and protesting he had long time made use of his favour Wise men make use of favour and abuse it not but never abused it It is true Fortune raised his house but vertue had a share in it and prudence furnished out the Oeconomie It was as great a glorie for him to have raised it It is better to begin than end an house as it is a disgrace for others to ruine what they finde already framed Some through their owne errours deface the images of their Ancestors others transmit theirs over to posteritie with admiration Those not having preserved what was given them are despicable these having out of themselves framed that which they received not from any man deserve to be honoured Agathocles King of Sicily had a Potter to his father Iustinian a Shepherd Gratian a Rope-maker There is a beginning in everie thing the greatest houses were heretofore but Cabarets the Capitoll was at first covered with thatch There are divers things verie great which would not so have beene had
on they must be acted There is more perill to resolve than execute a conspiracie They are not unlike certaine viands of which if we eat little they are poyson and nutriment if plentifully The resolution being made to put Andrew to death a silken cord was chosen to bee the instrument the time night Executioner Charles Artus whom the Catanian had created Lord Chamberlaine the place the Queenes withdrawing roome What monster of crueltie What monstrous crueltie A King unsafe in the company of his wife The house of a Prince is sacred everie one ought to be safe there as in a Temple and her Cabinet become a place of execution The Palace of Kings is holy the Mount Palatine was sacred and venerable onely because the Emperour there made his abode At the time of this hideous and damnable conspiracie Andrew is called from his chamber to come unto the Queenes lodging others say that being in bed with her hee was awakened as upon some matter of much importance but in one kinde or other putting his head out of the chamber doore either to goe in or out the murderers cast a cord about his necke strangled him and tied him to the barres of the window All the Citie was in an uprore at so execrable an act and so cruell a spectacle Could the people have had meanes to force the Castle they had not sought for the murderers any where but in the Queenes company They fell upon certaine Calabrian Groomes of the Chamber who died innocent The Actors saved themselves at Constantinople many were taken but the Catanian caused some to be strangled and others to have their tongues cut out who might discover her wickednesse the punishment whereof shee already felt in her soule by the torment of her conscience and imagination Thyestes after his inâ—est fled from the earth and hell and said his presence slackned the Sun not willing to pollute his rayes with so wicked a man that all aimed at her that her shadow accuseth her that Executioners torture her that the Sunne denyeth her his beames that her presence slackneth his rising that hee may not pollute his bright rayes with an object so detestable Fryar Robert after this miserable fact shut himselfe up An evill man feareth his owne shadow there was no way of safetie for him he beheld nothing round about him but precipices I know not what became of him The Historie speaking of his authoritie threatneth him with ruine but tels not how it happened A religious man from his rule and monasterie is out of his element Questionlesse it was not without repentance to have beene in the Court as out of his Element and led a life quite contrarie to his Profession Good religious men rest in the discipline of the Cloyster seldome stir abroad live strictly pray and meditate incessantly study when they can persever in all puritie and have more care to doe well than speake well For at the day of judgement good deeds shall bee weighed not smooth words Ioane was delivered on Christmas day of a Sonne Birth of Carobert Posthumus son of Andrew the five and twentieth of December 1346. and the joy of this birth was troubled with the newes that Lewis King of Hungarie came with an huge Armie to revenge his brothers death Her Councell besought her to marrie that she might have some one to entrust with the mannage of her Armes Shee matched with Lewis of Tarentum sonne of the brother of King Robert one of the goodliest Princse of that age The mariage consummate she theron askes counsell and dispensation of the Pope Youth and sollitude incompatible thorowout the world declaring unto him herage permitted not solitude nor could her Counsell endure to see her deprived the comfort of a husband that many Princes sued to her that the affection she bare to her owne house fixed her thoughts upon the Prince of Tarentum Scandalous marriage with adultery and the murder of a husband The Pope hereof advertised the King of Hungary brother of Andrew shewing it would be scandalous to Christianitie to see a wife marrie againe after she had killed her husband and match with him who was suspected to have beene both an adulterer and murderer So the condemned make sport whilst the Iudges give sentence for their condemnation In the meane time they lived contentedly regarded not rumors which sought to offend them nor resisted them but with stopping their eares and made faire weather not imagining what the eternall Iustice had ordained for them But the Queene understanding the King of Hungary marched with a huge armie to revenge the death of his brother sent a Gentleman to him with a letter to this effect Brother were I able to expresse my sorrow unto you I should not feele the violence thereof Great griefes are dumbe and little speake which exceedeth my force and your imagination This Gentleman will shew you it to be such that nothing can ease it but revenge upon that which is the cause thereof For which purpose and for the good of my kingdome I sought not out a second husband any where but in mine owne house and have freed my selfe from the solicitations of other Princes The inheritance is better loved than the heire who more loved my state than me With his valour and my courage I hope to derive light out of darknesse and to make truth triumph over calumnie Much may you fortifie my hope if you entertaine as much affection for the innocencie of the sonne and protection of the mother as I hdve to tell you that I am your deare sister IOANE The answer of Lewis was very rough and couched in few words The loose life you have lead heretofore the absolute power you have taken upon you the neglect of revenge your second marriage and the excuse you make to punish the fault are sufficient to convince you had a share or gave consent to the massacre of your husband for which cause you ought not to expect to have either friend or brother LEWIS The people is the Barbâ— is Pâ—annet which hearing a trumpet sound forgat all she had learned before This Letter ran every where up and downe was favourably read by turbulent calumnious spirits and the people who overprise bruits and who upon the first mention of evil against any forget all the good had bin done scandalized the life honour of the Queene But as truths commonly passe amongst impostures No man is so great a liar who speakes not some truth it was said thorowout the City of Naples the Catanian had perpetrated this horrible parricide and that the Count Ebule her sonne high Steward of Naples had hastned execution Exaltationes tam egregiae non absque macula pudicitiae labefactate concedemis in Aethiopas devenere Nam si fas credere non sit non defuere qui dicerent lenocinio Philippae Ioannam ad amplexus devenisse Roberti that he
provexit quam ut esset cujus ministerio ac fraudibus liberos Germanici circumveniret Suet. for he was desirous to make use of the wiles and policies of Sejanus to ruine the house of Germanicus and advance his owne and Sejanus purposed to climbe to the Imperiall throne by the fall of both His power was not so swift as his will which met with many maine obstacles For the stocke of Caesars was yet whole and entire the sonne young the nephewes men growne It was not in his power to ruine so many at once Dolus intervalla scelerum poscebat Tac. For mischiefe required there should be distance betweene such terrible counterbuffes and that he practise the death of Drusus the sonne of Tiberius at the same time that Tiberius meant to murther Germanicus For as the heart more apprehendeth perils farther off than the present Tiberius saw nothing which made him jealous but the brother nor any thing put feare vpon Sejanus ambition but the sonne The worst counsell he gave him It is ever perilous to change the ordinance of a predecessor was to alter what Augustus had decreed and hate what he loued For the extreme malice he bare against the house of Germanicus cooled the first affection he found when he came to the Empire in the hearts of the Citizens hastening as fast as he could wish Râ—mae ruunt in servâ—â—â—um Consules Patres Equites Tac. to the overthrow of their libertie and tumbling it by maine force as a rocke into the gulfe of servitude that it might neuer rise vp againe Germanicus was both favoured and beloved of the people because he was the sonne of Drusus who formerly had vndertaken to reduce the ancient government of the Common-wealth and had imparted the project to Tiberius his brother but he betrayed him and discovered it to Augustus It was supposed the sonne would have pursued the fathers plot Credebatur si rerum potitus soret libertatem redditurus Tac. to set liberty againe on foot and that if he should attaine the soveraigne authority he would not exercise rigour like Tiberius but raigne sweetly as Augustus Augustus civile rebatur misceri voluptatibus populi Tac. who was Prince and seemed Citizen disdaining not to be present in their popular recreations For which cause Germanicus swaied in hearts and Tiberius only in provinces and being advertised he had pacified Germany and that his wife Agrippina had there done all which might be expected from the Generall of an army to shew her courage to the enemies her bounty to the souldiers her prudence in seditions he became jealous and jealousie degenerating into mortall hatred made him say vnto her Nihil relictum Imperatoribus ubi foemina manipulos intervisat signa adcat largitionem tentet What shall the Emperours haue hereafter to doe since a woman vndertaketh to command over men visit the Court of guards oblige the souldiers with good words and large donatiues Sejanus who loued not Agrippina and well knew the humour of Tiberius which brooked not any should trench vpon his soueraigne Authority a thing so delicate that how tenderly soeuer it be touched is alwayes wounded wanted not arguments and surmises to entertaine his jealousie O dia in longum jaciens quae reconderet auctaque promeret Suet. adding distrust to suspition to suspition feare and as it were a far off preparing the hatred of this Prince to worke her ruine in the end Germanicus returneth from Germany The whole City rejoyceth Tiberius commandeth that only two companies of the pretorian bands should march before him all the people ran thither Populus omnis usque aol vicesimum lapidem se effudit Sueâ— the sooner to giue themselues the contentment of beholding him whom they so long had desired and expected Tiberius grew so discontented hereupon that he resolved to cut off this brave Prince who was but now entring into the foure and thirtieth yeare of his age and had already gained as much reputation as another perhaps could acquire in an age Sceleratis ingeniis plusquam civilia cupientibus non dominari instar servitutis est Calp. This hindered Sejanus who transported with the desire of rule supposed this mighty power he possessed in the affaires of state was nought else but seruitude whilst he acknowledged a superior Tiberius by his advice sendeth Germanicus into Sclavonia under colour of honouring him with principall charges of the Empire giveth him for lieutenant Gneius Piso an euill man proud and violent with commission to observe his actions and discover all his designes It is said Sejanus gave him direction by writing to make away this poore Prince He puts this in execution Germanicus passeth into Aegypt and being there was desirous to see the Idoll Apis Apis manum Germanici Caesaris aversatus est haud multo post extincti Plin. to know what his fortune should be He presented it with meat to eat Apis would take nothing from his hand which was interpreted for a certaine signe of his death He was surprized with a long lingring and painfull sicknesse and his opinion of being poisoned augmented the violence thereof Fama ex long inquo aucta Tac. so that he held it incurable The rumour came to Rome much greater than the maladie for distance redoubled it The people ascribe to events all actions which went before Nothing was then heard but teares and lamentations And wherefore was it saith one that he was sent to the utmost limits of the world that Piso was made his Lieutenant These are the practices of the Emperesse with Plancina the wife of Piso Poore Rome we cannot affect those which love thee nor dare wee murmur against such as ruine thee adding thereunto vehement and mortall imprecations against Seianus It was reported by Merchants of Egypt Latiora statim credita statim vulgata Tac. that he began to recover This newes was as soone beleeved as published The streets were thronged with the presse of people that ran to the Temples to render thanks to the Gods Night favoured this rumour Pronior in tenebris affirmatio Tac. Beleefe seemes much more easie and is most confident in the darke Tiberius himselfe is wakened in the night with the acclamations of joy Nothing was every where heard but these words Salua Roma salua patria salvus est Germanicus Suet. Rome is delivered our Countrey is freed Germanicus is safe After this poison slowly-violent had wasted all the heat and moisture of this poore afflicted body Germanicus could not endure the crowing or sight of a cocke Plut. his Allies and friends wished it might not be irksome to him to have or see a cocke to sacrifice it to Esculapius and that the Gods would restore him life thereby to give libertie to the Roman Empire In this his extreme weaknesse he breathed forth these last words to impresse them in the hearts of his wife and friends whom sorrow dissolved into teares
Qui praemaâ—uro exitu rapitur illi etiam adversas deos justus dolor Tac. and much discomforted If I should die by the course of Nature I happily might with iustice complaine of the Gods that they untimely had snatched mee away from my kindred children and countrey even in the flower of my youth But since my careere is stopped by the malignitie of Piso Vltimas preces pectoribus vestris relinquo Tac. and Plancina I will powre into your hearts these my last petitions Miserrima vita pessima morte finitur Tac. I coniure you to present to the Emperour my father and my uncle how that after I had beene surcharged with cruell iniuries and afflicted with unsufferable disloyalties I ended my deplorable life by a death much more miserable Those who have followed my fortunes and are of the same bloud with my selfe yea those who have maligned mee when I was alive shall sorrow to see mee ruined by the treason of a woman at the time when I most flourished and had escaped death in so many battels Erit vobis locus que rendi apud Senatum invocandi leges Tac. and your selves also shall have cause to complaine to the Senate and implore the assistance of Lawes The best office of friends is Non decet defunctum ignavo questu persequi Tac. not to follow the deceased with outcries and lamentations which are of no effect but to remember what he desired and execute what he ordained Germanicus cannot want teares Those who are nothing to him nor ever knew him shall bemoane him Vindicabilis vos se me potius quam fortunam meam fovebatis Tac. but you ought to revenge him if you more affected his person than fortune Let the people of Rome behold the neece of Augustus the wife of Germanicus and the six children hee hath left behinde him Compassion will bee extended towards them when they shall accuse the authors of my death Fingentibus scelesta mandata aut non credent homines aut non ignoscent Tac. and should the accused faine or finde out execrable commandments for their purposes this touched Sejanus who herein had directed Piso honest men will not beleeve it nor suffer it to passe unpunished All those who were present sware instantly before Germanicus to dye Magnitudinem gravitatem summae fortunae retinens invidiam aâ—rogantiam effâ—git Tac. or revenge his death everie one bewailing the losse of so brave a Prince who in his deportments shewed the greatnesse and worth of his fortune and in words so much sweetnesse and affabilitie Hee turneth himselfe towards his wife conjureth her by the love he had borne her by the memorie shee was willing to retaine of him Fortunae savienti submittendus animus Tac. and by their mutuall children a little to humble her spirit to accommodate it to the times and bend it to the rigour of her fortune in expectation of amendment Take heed my Dearest above all when you shall be at Rome Aemulatione potentiae validiores haud irritandi Tac. not to give occasion of suspition to those who are more powerfull than your selfe and employ not the affection you shall finde in the hearts of the Senate and people to stand out in competition with their favour or ambition This was the most wholsome counsell hee could give her but shee held her selfe unworthy to bee accounted the neece of Augustus wife of Germanicus and mother of his children if she had set an higher price on fortune than vertue or sought to enter into the favour of the Emperour by the help of Sejanus Quasirursum ereptum acrius doluit Tac. When the people of Rome understood that Germanicus was dead their sorrow was so much the greater as they beleeved hee once before had beene snatched from them and nothing was now everie where to bee seene but griefe and affliction It was doubted whether hee were made away by poyson or witchcraft The one was imagined Crematicor inter ossa in orruptum repertum est cujus ea natura ut tactum veneno igne confici nequâ—at Suet. because his heart would not burne and the other published for that there were found about him and in his bed bones of the dead characters and charmes The friends of Germanicus divulged everie where that Piso had murthered him that Agrippina would be revenged but he hearing the newes of his death in the I le of Coos Piso intemperanter accepit Germanicum excecisse â—aedit victimas adit templa magis insolescente Plancina Tac. made many sacrifices Plancina his wife visiteth the Temples hee neglecteth the menaces of Agrippina and thinkes on nothing but his owne establishment in the government of Syria supposing the service hee had done for Tiberius would be sufficient to secure him from the feare of this revenge and confirme the recompence of his merit Vpon his determination to goe into Syria his sonne adviseth him to repaire to Rome without taking notice of vaine rumours Suspitiones imbecillae aut inania famae non pertimi scenda Tac. and weake suspitions thereby to dissolve or prevent the designes of his enemies and gaine advantage of the first impressions That it was not fit hee so soone should thinke to re-establish himselfe in the government of Syria since Sentius was thereunto deputed That hee could not hope great obedience from an Army Apud milites recens imperatoris memoria praevalet Tac. which yet deplored the death of Germanicus and resented his memorie That he would repent it dravving upon himselfe the imputation of a civill warre Vtendum eventis Dom. Cel. Domitius Celer on the contrarie urgeth That hee should re-assume the charge had beene taken from him and replenish the place which was become voyd That it would prove a point of imprudence and perill to arrive at Rome at the same time when Agrippina was to come thither and that the people would be much moved with her cries and lamentations Relinquendum rumoribus tempus quo senescant plaerumque innocentes recenti invidiae impares Tac. That it was necessarie to give time to these first bruits whereby they might wax old and that innocencie hath much ado to resist the impetuous violence of envie when it is first enkindled That it was convenient hee should goe into Syria Multa quae provideri non possunt fortuitò in melius recidunt Tac. to undertake command in the Armie and authoritie in government and that nothing was to bee done but to take armes in hand and manifest himselfe in the field and that things apprehended as perilous oft times succeed more securely than could be foreseene or expected That he need not feare any thing since the Empresse was interessed in his cause Est tibi Auguste conscientia est Caesaris favor sed in occulio Tac. and Tiberius obliged to dis-ingage him but rather that he favouring him in secret would take it ill this affaire should bee so
whether hee hath rejoyced at his decease or traiterously and wickedly procured his death Legatus officii terminos obsequiuÌ„ erga Imperatorem non exuit Tac. For if in this charge of Lieutenancy hee hath exceeded the limits of duty if he hath neglected the respect due to a Generall if he hath shewed any contentment in his death and my sorrow hee can not possibly but incurre my indignation If so I protest I will banish him my house and revenge my displeasure not in the quality of a Prince but as a private person Facinus in cujuscumque mortalium nece vindicandum Tac. And if you shall discover any impiety which ought not onely to bee avenged in this parricide but in any other I conjure you to consider therein your owne sorrowes the teares of Germanicus his children and ours his neare allyes deny us not I pray a just consolation Quaesita per ambitionem studia multum Tac. Of the one part remember how Piso hath demeaned himselfe in the army whether hee have raised any trouble or sedition whether he have endevoured to gaine the affections of men of war to aspire to command and whether after Germanicus took his charge from him he have sought to reestablish himselfe therein by force 〈◊〉 majus vulcusaâ—oâ—es On the other side see whether these matters as false and invented have beene published by the accusers for true and bee of greater consequence Nimiis studiis accusatorum jure succenset pâ—inceps Tac. Incerta adhuc scrutanda sunt Tac. than really they are For my owne part I cannot conceale my distast of their passion herein For if wee be not as yet undoubtedly certaine of the cause of his death and that information hereof is to be made to what purpose have they exposed his naked body in the open market place of Antiochia Reus cuncta proferat quibus innocentia ejus sublevari posset Tac. and suffered it to be handled and viewed by the multitude were it not to make a rumour runne amongst strangers Objecta crimina pro adprobatis non accipienda Tac. that he hath beene poisoned and to derive from this bruit more acerbity than proofe Verily I deplore my sonne Germanicus and shall all my life time bewaile him yet will not hinder the accused to produce whatsoever he can to maintaine his owne innocencie and to make proofe of any iniurie Germanicus hath done him For which cause I coniure you that you receive not accusations for proofes under colour this cause is conioyned to my griefe Si cui propinquuâ— sanguis out fidei sua patrenos dedit quantum quisque eloquentia cura valet jâ—vare periclitanti Tac. And you the rest who by right of affinitie or friendship have undertaken the defence of the accused employ your best endevour and eloquence to vindicate his innocencie from perill and I likewise exhort the accusers to shew constancie in their pursuit All the favour wee can doe to Germanicus beyond the lawes is but to be informed of his death rather in the Palace than the Market-place and by Senators than ordinary Iudges In accusations where the griefe of the Prince is joyned to the cause his interest is not to be considered In every thing else equall moderation Reflect not on the teares of my brother Drusus over his sonne nor mine for my nephew and much lesse on any thing that slander can faigne against us A strange proceeding time is given to the accused to answer that which is within his owne knowledge and the knowledge of Orators to color their answers Thereupon it was said the accusation should be drawne within two dayes the accused should have six dayes to prepare themselves and in three dayes make answer It was a hard matter to refell the poysoning Confidence gave some favourable presumption for innocency but staggered in the other crimes At the first session Vitellius and Veranius related to the Senate the last words of Germanicus which softned hearts to pity as affection had already prepared them for favour Fulcinius Trio Celebre inter accusatores Trionis ingenium avidumque famae malae Tac. in whom exclamation and speech were the same thing desirous to acquire reputation by doing ill began the accusation but because he produced but generall matters and old inquisitions of what Piso had done the Senate gave no regard to it Vetera inania quae neque convicta noxia reo For all that could not hurt the accused although he had beene convinced nor serve for his discharge though he were justified if he otherwise were attainted of more enormous crimes Vitellius speech Vitellius accompanieth the vehemency and force of his speech with much grace The consideration of the quality of accusers fortifieth the accusation and gravity speaking in this manner Although Conscript Fathers the quality of those who complaine deserve consideration yet is it not availeable but for such as seeke not support from ought else but justice and the power of their owne plea. This cause carrieth its owne favour A cause strong in it selfe needs no helpe nor needeth any other aid but that of lawes which is not denied to the meanest I could say those who now presently implore it are of such qualitie that if it be denied them The authority of a Prince maintaineth the state and it cannot last when the revenge of offenceâ— is contemned the Empire no longer shall stand in need either of lawes or Senate The bloud of Augustus requireth vengeance the people expect it the Iudges owe it and you Caesar are obliged thereunto both as Prince and Parent I seeke not to make this accusation plausible but in representing the crime as a prodigie the criminall as a parricide and the excesse such that every one hath bemoaned it forraine nations have admired it kindred have bewailed it Ingenâ— luctus provinciae circumâ—acentium populerum In doluere extâ—rae nationes regesque Tac. This Citie in all things commends moderation except in so just a resentment of sorrow as this is Germanicus is no more Oh what griefe Wee have lost him Oh what unhappinesse Germanicus the worlds darling the love of his Countrey who had so much bountie for Citizens Illi comitas in socios manfuetudo in hostes Tac so much courtesie for his allies so much modestie for strangers hath beene traiterously and miserably murdered And by whom By Piso an impious and ungratefull man By whom also By Plancina a furie in the shape of a woman By what meanes By charmes and poisons who are the Complices Sorcecerers drawne out of hell And wherefore to revenge injury and usurpe on authority Nemo tantum a naturali lege descivit hominem exuit ut anâ—â—i causa malus sit Sen. The soules of ill men Fathers conscript are not instantly wicked nor is there any man who embraceth mischiefe for nought but the meere pleasure thereof They by degrees give forme
rest Hee escapes for a little who robbed much When great ones arâ— accused they must appeare upon easie summons If Martina the notorious Witch and Sorceresse a great friend of Plancina were alive shee could declare the whole mysterie of this treason The friends of Germanicus caused her to be brought towards Rome but when she arrived at Brindisi she suddenly died and the poyson hid in the knots of her haire Vâ—nenum nodo crimuâ—â— occultatum neâ— ulla in corpore sign samp iâ—exitii resâ—rta Tac. Sâ—orum in sidiis externas inter gentes oâ—cidit Tac. appeared not on her body If presumptions may assist veritie it cannot be said this Prince who found lesse securitie among his owne than with strangers was murdered by any other than Piso Who hath done it Hee had displeased none but him and upon the resentment of this offence hee was declared his enemy hee assaulted him in his chariot and it is knowen to bee a verie hard matter to separate the desire of death from that of succession So Leporina sued her husband Sabinus in the time of Vespasian Wee heretofore in this place have heard of one proscribed who to enjoy the goods of his wife told her he would kill himselfe shee replyeth she resolved to beare him company He prepareth the deadly drug but so craftily that drinking first hee left the poyson for his wife which through the weight thereof remained in the bottome of the glasse Id genus veneni fuit quod pondere subsideret in imam potionem bibiâ—iste usque ad venenum uxor venenum Sen. P. She dieth he was in health and enjoyed the wealth she left him by her will Never is that poyson escaped which is given by the next heire Who rejoiceth more at a death than he who procured it And desires it more ardently than he that expects it with much impatience How did Piso entertaine it Luctus lato cultu mutatus Tac. Hee made sacrifices hee offered victimes Plancina is so transported with this joy that shee layd aside the mourning weeds shee was putting on for the death of her sister and attires her selfe with the fairest and richest garments of her ward-robe This accusation aboundeth with so much varietie and his resolution to free himselfe from Germanicus is replenished with so many mischiefes that they smother Nihil ordinatum quod praecipitatur properat Sen. and by heapes precipitate one another in this discourse so that I have much adoe to marshall them in order I had forgot to tell you how Piso sent Spies to know the condition of Germanicus his sicknesse and the symptomes thereof This displeased the sicke man and much troubled his minde not with feare for death never terrified him but with anger and passion apprehending that so soone as he should expire Piso would usurp command over his Forces Flosti lenta videntur veneficia Tac. and his wife rest at his discretion Piso in like manner was perplexed the poyson was so slow that it wrought not it's effect soone enough hee therefore returned into Syria to be nearer the Legions and upon occasion to make use of them Which was the cause Germanicus said in his anguish of mind It is a verie sensible griefe to dye in the sight of an enemie and to leave a wife and children in his power How then must I dye destroyed by mine enemie shall he see me give up the ghost What shall become of my distressed wife how shall shee bee entreated what shall my children doe to whom teares in this calamitie will not bee wanting to weepe for me though words perhaps faile to deplore me Let that happen which Heaven will Piso hath taken away my life but hath left me courage nor am I reduced to such debilitie that I ever shall consent the murderer may derive reward from my death When the Romans would break friendship â—ith any one they gave them notice thereof forbade them their house Tit. Hereupon he sent him a letter written with his owne hand to this purpose that hee held him for an enemie that he forbade him accesse to his house and abode in that Province But there is no doubt but witchcraft succeeded poyson since the bones of the dead were seene torne from the members and fastned to the wals and roofes of the chamber characters with charmes and imprecations the name of Germanicus engraven on plates of lead ashes halfe burnt Maleficiis animae numinibus inferni sacrae Tac. and mingled with the putrifaction of ulcers and other incantations and impieties with which they use to bewitch any one to death sacrificing him to the God of hell Although this Prince were dying Moderatus cursus qui vult propius regredi Tac. and in the agonies thereof Piso feared him and at his command weighed anchor and departed but went not farre off that his returne might be speedy when he should have notice of his death And if all this put together serve not to convince him where shall truth seeke for proofes Thus Conscript Fathers you behold before your eyes a man marked from his mothers wombe for violence and the spirit of rebellion for hee is sonne of a father Ingenium violemuÌ„ obsequii ignarum Tac. who followed the faction of Brutus and Cassius He not onely is an extortioner but a robber not an entermedler but seditious not an enemy but a rebell not a murderer but a tormentor Cicero saith the crime of Verres enforced the Iudges to condemne him Never did any Criminall more exact your justice than this man for the execration of his crime enforceth you to condemne him and if in despite of Gods and men you pardon him it will bee impossible to free him from the hands of the people who expect him and heare Conscript Fathers their exclamations there is not any woman so low of stature that promiseth not her selfe to teare some haire from his head When the triumphant passed to the Capitoll he put his prisoners over to the Magistrates and durst not bring them to his lodging Propose to your selves what their joy will be when they see the heads of rebellion dragged after a triumphant chariot and the next day executed for satisfaction of the inhumanities and cruelties they committed in their Provinces yea much more will they bee pleased when they shall behold Piso in torment They lose their patience if you doe not speedily pronounce these solemne words Take I Lictor collâ—ga manus caput ob nubito arbori infoeliti suspendito Cic. Executioner this Parricide this Theefe this Rebell binde his hands blinde-fold his eyes and fasten them to a miserable gibbet And who knoweth whether the multitude transported with griefe and sorrow will rest there whether they will bee contented with the punishment of one alone and not rush upon those who favoured this impious man esteeming them more wicked than him No no Non majus sâ—elus in R. P.
against Tiberius at least against him The interest of children transporteth Parents The consideration of his children choked in his soule all resentment of the injurie hee suffered and seeing himselfe lost would bee ruined alone And that their innocencie might be distinguished from his punishment hee wrote a letter to Tiberius beseeching him to take pitie of them and that done hee resolved to dye thrusting his sword thorow his owne throat It is a madnesse to dye for feare of death He died not for feare of death but not to satisfie his enemies in the manner If there be any thing troublesome in a publique death it is onely the griefe and shame of content thereby given to an enemie When this death was related to the Senate Tiberius shewed sorrow in his face Caesar flexo in maestitiam ore Tac. but it was feigned and to distract the judgements made upon this occasion to his prejudice and settle his countenance by his discourse hee among other things informed himselfe of that which Piso had done the day before and how hee spent the night Plaeraque sapâ—enter quae dam inconsullius Tac Some there were who answered with discretion others more inconsiderately as upon the like occasions there are some who cannot endure to bee accounted so foolish as not to know that of which we wish they were ignorant Hereupon Tiberius read the letters which Piso had written to this purpose Since Caesar I see my selfe oppressed by the conspiracie of mine enemies and the violence of a false accusation Conspiratione inimicorum invidâ—â falsi criminis veritati innocentiae nusquam locum Tac. which affordeth no place in the Senate either for truth or mine innocency the Gods are my witnesses I have not failed in dutie towards you or reverence to your mother for which cause I beseech you to think on my children Gneius Piso ought to have no share in my fortune Qualiscunque fortunae meae non est adjunctus Tac. whatsoever it be for he stirred not out of Rome Marcus Piso disswaded me from going into Syria and I could wish the father had accommodated himselfe to the youth of the sonne and the sonne not yeelded to the age of the father Nihiâ— quidquam post haec rogaturus salutem infoelicis filii rege Tac. This is the cause why I with the greater instance humbly entreat his innocencie may not feele the punishment of my obstinacie and seeing my selfe in a condition never to beg of you againe I conjure you by five and fortie yeares service by the esteeme your father Augustus had of mee Pravitatis pâ—nas innoxius non luat when I was his Collegue in the Consulship and by the friendship you have professed to preserve my poore sonne He spake not a word of his wife For how could hee remember her who forgat him in this extremitie and had perhaps promised the Empresse and Sejanus to open the chamber doore for murtherers to kill him Tiberius having read these letters said Although Piso had deserved the miserie whereinto hee was fallen yet was hee moved to pitie for the respect of his house that it was notwithstanding verie reasonable Ex arboribus quavontus aut turbo evulsit soboles residua est fovenda Sen. to preserve the siens of the tree which was felled downe and not to lay the punishment on his guiltlesse children whereof absence discharged the one and the fathers command excused the other Patris jussa filius non potest detractare Tac. and therefore they not lyable to the crime of taking armes As for Plancina hee besought the Senate to yeeld her up to the prayers of his mother The whole assembly well saw the impudencie and impietie of this request good men murmured against this woman as the cause of Germanicus his death and Piso's slaughter Shall then say they the Empresse have the honour to save the murderesse of her grand childe to visit her Fas aviae interfectricem nepotis adspicere adloqui eripere Senatuiâ— Tac. to comfort her in the death of her husband to snatch her out of the hands of the Senate The Lawes will not allow to Germanicus what they grant to the meanest Citizen Vitellius and Veranius who were nothing to Germanicus have bitterly deplored his death Venena artes semel faeliciter expertae in alterius exitium facilè vertuntur Tac. and Augusta his grand-mother defendeth Plancina that hath caused it and what may we expert from hence but that the force of poysons and witchcrafts having so prosperously succeeded she likewise will employ them against Agrippina and her children to allay the thirst of the Grand-mother and Vncle with the bloud of this miserable family and so satisfie the rage of Sejanus The opinions summed up Aurelius Cotta saith the memorie of Piso ought to be abolished Nomina sceleratorum è fastis radenda Tac. and his name raced and blotted out of the Calenders and Annals the moytie of his goods confiscated the other given to his son Gneius Piso with command to change his name Marcus Piso deprived of office and banished for ten yeares Concessa Plancinae incolumitas ob preces Augustae Tac. and to have five hundred Sesterces for his entertainment Life given to Plancina in consideration of the Empresses request All consented to this opinion Tiberius who had what he desired sweetneth the rigor of this judgement Pudore flagitii princeps placabilior fit Tac. for the hatred of Plancina's absolution made him lesse severe against the children there being no apparance why hee should pardon the mother a murderesse and condemne the innocent children Hee saith the name of Piso should remaine in the Annals as well as Anthonies Nomen Marci Antonii qui bellum patriae fecit fastis mansit Tac. who had invaded his owne Countrey Messalina saith A golden Ensigne should bee raised in the Temple of Mars-Avenger and Caecinna Severus an Altar to Revenge No saith Tiberius it is not good Domestica mala tristitia operienda Tac. in victories atchieved on strangers domestique miseries should be covered with sadnesse Fulcinus Trio who so lowdly had declaimed against Piso besought the assistance of his favour the better to charge the accused he answered Facundia non est violent a praecipitanda Tac. Take heed you precipitate not your eloquence by the violence of your passion Hee was offended that hee too much had pressed Piso in the matter of poyson for all the words that were spoken on this subject touched him verie neere Hee wished him to represent the passion of Agrippina Rerum humanariâ— ubique ludibria Tac. Audivi ex senioribus qui ad nostram usque juventam duraverunt Tac. without passion in himselfe Behold the vanitie of humane practices Hereupon Tacitus saith I remember I have heard it told in my youth by those of that time That many peeces had beene seene in Piso's hand which he did not publish
Adulteresse could so long bee silent but this discourse shall not be ended till this wonder be satisfied Sejanus facinorum amnium repertor habehatur ex nimia caritate in eum Caesaris Tac. The actions of Sejanus were so exploded and Tiberius for favouring him so hated that already being branded with so remarkable and notorious villanies it was thought hee had put Drusus to death by the hand of Tiberius suggesting that his sonne out of desire to rule had resolved on his death and that it were fit he tooke heed when hee dined at his table not to drinke the first draught which should be presented unto him Druso ignaro juveniliter hauriente poculum cunctis suspitio tanquam metu pudore sibimet arrogaret patri finxerat Tac. that Tiberius taking the cup from the Tasters hand offered it to Drusus and that shame and feare not suffering him to refuse it hee swallowed downe the poyson prepared for his Father An imposture without apparance or foundation He who made assay was called in ancient inscriptions Apotione or Praegustator by Xenophon Oinochâ—â—s Tac. This impious act could not so easily have beene perpetrated by Drusus for the Father tasted nothing without assay which custome was brought from the Persian Court into the Palaces of the Roman Emperours since Augustus his time Make Tiberius as cruell as you will yet cannot the honour of a wise cunning and warie Prince bee taken from him and well he might have beene condemned of much imprudence if he had plotted to make his sonne away by the meere advice of Sejanus and before he were exactly informed of the cause and confederates of this conspiracie This onely proceedeth from the malignitie of rumours Atrocior semper fama erga dominantium exitus Tac. little favourable to the actions of Princes All which Tiberius hath done is curiously collected and published but never hath there beene creature so transported with hatred and passion to dishonour his memorie as to reproach him with Parricide Divulgata atque incredibilia avidè accepta non sunt antehabenda veris neque in miraculum corruptis Tac. Wee ought not to receive all which bruit approveth without suspition nor to preferre things incredible although divulged and greedily entertained before reall truth though oft times disguised with apparant semblances and frivolous wonders to impresse amazement on mindes This death once againe restored the hope of succession to the children of Germanicus Simulatio habitum ac voces dâ—lentium induit Tac. and though the Senate for their love to Tiberius deplored this accident yet were their teares faigned and passion without sorrow There was not a man but was well pleased to see that by this death the house of Augustus began to reflourish Drusus likewise was not beloved but for the inveterate hatred they bare to his Father A segelflatos cay omotatos Dion for he was much debaushed and as the vice of another displeaseth even the vitious his Father oft chid him for these insolent and haughtie humors which made him to be most quarrelsome Solus nullis voluptatibus avocatus moestam vigilantiam malas curas exercet Tac. and cruell But the people excused all that saying It were better hee should passe the night in feasts the day in Theaters than to languish in the melancholy of solitude pensive vigils and pernicious amusements Presently the teares of Tiberius being dried up Negotia pro solatiis he went to the Senate to seeke out consolation in affaires The Consuls sate on their Sellae curules and the Senators low and after them the Praetors and Tribunes and seeing the Senators sit low he caused them to ascend putting them in minde of the reverence of the place and the dignitie of their charges and used his speech to raise up their spirits which sorrow had dejected The custome of mourning was not to stirre out of the house nor behold day light Vix dies à plaerisque lugentium adspicitur Tac. Sirs I may perhaps be condemned that in so fresh a sorrow I here am present and well I wot that those who are in griefe brooke not day-light nor condolement of their friends most neare But as I ascribe not this to weaknesse of heart so I desire to let you know that I have not sought out a greater ease in mine affliction than the embraces of the common wealth He also said that the decrepit age of the Empresse tooke from him the hope of her assistance that his grandchildren were in their minority that he already had passed more than the moity of the course of his life that he prayed them the children of Germanicus might be admitted the only remedy Germanici siberi unica praesentium malorum levamenta Tac. and consolation of the evils which at this time afflicted him Nero and Drusus were sent for Egressi consules firmatos eloquio adolescentulos deductosque ante Caesarem statuunt Tac. The Consuls went out of the Senate house to receive them and after some words spoken to encourage them they were conducted to the Emperour who taking them by the hand said Sirs when these children lost their father I committed them to the charge of Drusus my son and their Cousin and prayed him although hee had children to take as much care of them as of his owne proper bloud educate and preserve them for himselfe and posterity But now that Drusus is taken from them I addresse my prayers to you and conjure you before the Gods and our Countrey that undergoing the performance of my obligation and yours you take upon you the breedding and care of the nephewes of Augustus descended from eminent and illustrious Personages Afterward casting his eyes on the young Princes he sayes to them Nero my darling and you Drusus these Lords whom you here behold are your Fathers The condition of your birth is such â—â—a natâ—aâ—tis ut bona maloque vostra ad Remp. Tac. that the state hath much interest in the good or evill you shall doe In these ocasions they had words proper of joy and desire among the Grecians Agathetuche and the Latines Quod saustum selixque sit The Senate answered not but with teares vowes and prayers and this discourse of Tiberius had served for his honour had he not thereunto added the same promises which so often were exploded heretofore and which much it would have troubled him to keep I protest unto you Fathers Conscript saith he I have no other ambition but to restore Rome to her ancient liberty and leave the governement either to the Consuls or some other These last words were so farre from the intention of him who spake them Vana irrisa vero honesto fidem adimuni Tac. and the beleefe of his auditory that they tooke from the first all the estimation which truth and honesty might give them All that was nought but meere deceit This evill Prince thought of nothing
as yet shee was Besides Sejanus had suborned men Facilis foeminarum credulitas ad gaudia Tac. who entertained Agrippina with vanities and breathed into her soule the sweet hopes of government and as things pleasing easily enter into the beleefe of women she rendred her selfe more prompt to minister matter of suspition to Tiberius and of contentment to the people But the age being so corrupted that although it was held a vertue Tiberii saeculo magna pietas fuit nihil impie sacere Sen. not to doe a mischiefe and pietie to doe nothing wickedly yet Tiberius resolving to doe no good for Agrippina feared to be condemned of impietie and ingratitude if he did her any injurie His indignation therefore not daring to fall directly upon her assaulted first her friends and allies Claudia Pulchra her cousin was accused of adulterie with Furnius of charmes and poyson against Tiberius Domitius Afer quoque crimine clarescere propensus Tac. Domitius Afer who at any rate would make a fortune was the accuser He was in the list of those whom Sejanus entertained and used as an inferiour instrument to remove great engines On this accusation Agrippina wholly enflamed with anger both for the injurie done to her and the perill of her kinswoman seeketh out Tiberius and finding him offering sacrifice for his father saith It is disproportionable to sacrifice victims to Augustus and persecute his posteritie The spirit of this great Prince is not confined to his dumb statues Non in effigies mutas divinas spiritus transfusus Tac. but his true image which is sprung from his celestiall bloud Well knoweth the difference by the evill usage is done him he being reduced to the miserable condition of the accused Pulchrae sola exitii causa quod Agrippinam stultè prorsus ad cultum dilexerit Tac. It is not Pulchra is aimed at but my selfe I am the onely cause of her ruine she hath done no ill but in shewing to have no other affection but for the service of Agrippina and that imprudently For shee ought to have remembred that Sofia Galla was banished for the same This discourse so galled Tiberius that hee could no further dissemble but drew from the bottome of his heart a word sharpe and strange for his humour who accustomed not to be so cleare For after hee had told her shee must moderate her passion hee addeth a Greeke verse to this purpose Daughter you thinke you have wrong if you command not If Agrippina understood Greeke this speech could not passe without an answer and it is most certaine Ladies of this qualitie were learned Agrippina her daughter wrote an Historie Augustus commended her wit Augustus quadam epistola Agrippinae neptis ingenium collandavit scripta Suet. as one who long time had lived in Athens and other Cities of Greece with Germanicus her husband to understand certaine graces of speech And it is without doubt that this word touching his ambition to the quicke and heating her choler shee could not hold from saying this either in the place or in her retirement Now I pray behold in what case we are since the hope of a woman causeth jealousie in Tiberius and feare in Sejanus If I have beene ambitious it is not for my selfe Mihi nunquam persuadebunt ut meos amari à mo nimis unquam putem Plin. my sex wrongs my courage If I desire to reigne it is but among children What reason is there I should love mine owne lesse than I doe I have ashare in that which Heaven allots them and I would have them know if I desire not their advancement I cannot be a mother and if I wish them not that which belongs to their father I cannot bee the daughter of Augustus Agrippina semper atrox pervicax irae aequi impaticus Tac. Let him call me haughtie proud and impatient as long as he will I cannot be other towards that insolent man whom hee entitleth his companion and who will bee such with my children who hath allied himselfe with the Claudii thrust in his images among the Caesars throwen downe the Pompey's extendeth his authoritie above the Senate was the death of my husband hath ruined his family persecuted my friends and allies Yes truly I am angrie I command not But I should be ashamed to command so impiously and unjustly But to what purpose are menaces used where power is wanting Weaknesse and choler ill match together There is nothing more unequall than to be weake and quickly moved with choler This mood of Agrippina profited her nothing and advanced the condemnation of Furnius and Pulchra Domitius Afer who had shewed himselfe eloquent in their accusation was commended by Tiberius and put in the ranke of the prime Orators but with more reputation of speaking Prosperior Afro eloquentiae quà m morum fama Tac. than doing well The decrepitnesse of his age cut off much of the estimation of his eloquence For his spirits being growen wearie and faint hee could not maintaine his speech It was doubted whether the condemnation of these two Lovers were according to the Iulian Law ordained by Augustus against Adulterers for that was too milde to content the crueltie of Tiberius and boldnesse of Sejanus which being rather shamefast than severe Relegation more gentle than banishment Namque religatus non exul dicor Ovid. did onely banish Delinquents out of the citie of Rome Number moderated the rigor of the punishment for had it beene capitall families had become desarts Seneca saith this excesse was so common in his time Argumentum est deformitatis pudicitia nunquam invenies tam miseram tam sordidam ut illi satis sit unū adulterorum par nisi singulis dividat horas non sufficit dies omnibus Sen. that chastitie was a note of deformitie for to be wise there was no need of beautie That there was not a woman so miserable and contemptible who contented her selfe with a couple of servants gave not to each one his houre and to whom the longest day seemed not too short It was by Law decreed that shee who had a Roman Knight for grand-father father or husband might not be a Prostitute Vistilia extracted from a family of Pretors declared before the Ediles she desired her youth might not be barren nor her beautie unknowen in a word that she was a Curtezan Satis poenarum adversum impudicas in ipsa professione flagiti◠Tac. This was all the penaltie which custome imposed upon these vitious women that the ignominious declaration of one so wretched and infamous might serve for a punishment Tiberius commanded her to be shut up in the Island of Seriphos Wee must beleeve Sejanus rendred him not more mercifull towards the kinswoman of Agrippina his enemie for exceeding the severitie of his Predecessours hee already had caused Aquilia to be condemned to banishment Aquiliam quanquam Consul lege Iulia damnasset exilio punivit Tac. although the
poore Princesse ceased not to complaine and lament the inhumanitie of Tiberius Seeing then wee know the wrong she suffered The pen is cold in comparison of the tongue when the ardent passion of a woman couragious and incensed is to be expressed we may well coÌ„jecture what the complaints were she made Her ordinarie discourse was to this purpose but it is not heightned with that grace shee gave it from her gravitie nor with that fervor wherewith she enkindled it by her passion Agrippinaes speech Fuerim tantum nihil amplius deleturae domus piamentum Sen. Will the cruell Tyrant bee satisfied seeing hee may now with full draught quench that ardent thirst in the bloud of Augustus which so long hath tormented him And will this disloyall Sejanus any more complaine of fortune who hath brought under his owne power those three heads which stopped his passage to Tyranny The Gods have singled me out to beare alone all the miseries of my house and the expiation of the rest I aske them but one favour which is death Is it possible they should deny it to the miserable And who is more miserable in life than hee who desireth to dye Quid miserius in vita quam velle mori Quid in morte quam sepeliri non posse Sen. P. or in death than hee that is denyed buriall Complaints not forbidden to the wretched and which afford some ease to misery are denyed mee Nay I this instant know not whether spies may bee set upon mee to relate all I say And I wish it so It is an argument of feare and pusillanimity not to dare to tell our grievances Augustus communicateth this secret to Fulvius who discovered it to his wife she to Livia Augustus is displeased with Fulvius wâ—â—â—r griefe killed himselfe and his wise followed him Plut. I will complaine to heaven and earth of the inhumanities practised by Tiberius on the living and dead Hee put my uncles to death who resisted his hopes Augustus my grandfather not long after discovered to Fulvius his intention of repealing Agrippa This poore Agrippa was the first victime sacrificed at his entrance into Empire My Mother Iulia who for her last misfortune and third husband maried this cruell man presently followed her sonne Germanicus was poisoned his widow banished Nero exiled Drusus a prisoner Caligula in their power what would they more I was married hee hath taken my husband from mee I found another among the prime families of Rome hee hath hindered it I was a Mother he hath taken away my children I was free hee useth mee as a slave Nothing is left mee but honour and he indevoureth by impudent calumnies to traduce it His slander being unable to fasten on me he hath invented a new imposture which senteth of the pollution of the place Tiberius foedissimis criminationibus exarsit impudicitiam arguens Asimum Gallum adulterum Tac. from whence it proceedeth in saying Asinius Gallus hath love in store for mee I cannot but thinke well to be loved by a man whom Augustus held worthy of the Empire besides hee was my brother in law nor have I so little respected my sister Vipsania as to rob her of the heart of her husband It is not fit the wife seeke particular friends but thinke well of the gâ—â—â—ll friends of her husband Plut. Let my former actions answer for my present Never have I knowne whom to affect but the friends of my husband nor have I ever transferred my eyes or thoughts upon any other If I have beene mistresse of some beauty I have not beene proud of it nor suffered others to talke of it or esteemed it at all but for decency They have reason indeed to say I have beene too haughty It is true my disdaines have served my purposes For scornefull beauties entrap not hearts I must affirme the passion of love in my soule hath given way to ambition and I have taken more pleasure in employments which onely appertaine to masculine minds Agrippina aequi impatiens dominandi avida virilibus curis faeminarum vitia exuerat Tac. than to vanities which satisfie none but the effeminate and I may truly say it is long since I forsooke all the imperfections of my sex to put on manly and generous resolutions But these impostures are nought else than smoakes proceeding from the ardent desires of Sejanus to arrive at the Empire For hee seeing Rome affecteth mee and that this well-wishing is supported by the opinion of some merit hath proclaimed mee a wicked woman It is the fashion of good men to doe well and of bad to speake ill and doe worse but as hee exceeds mee in speaking ill I have ever surpassed him in well-doing Let him please himselfe to have cast mee into a condition that I may no longer bee able to give him occasion of feare I on the other side comfort my selfe he hath reduced me to such a state that he can doe no worse by mee for I shall esteeme the greatest ill he may worke the greatest good he can doe me Let him not feare I will oppose his ambition he ought to dread fortune more than mee I suppose shee cannot bee more favourable to a mischievous plot than she hath appeared unequall in the protection of a just and lawfull cause His ambition hath no limit The appetite of ambition encreaseth with satietie satietie in him procureth appetite hee in the beginning protested the Colonelship of the Guards should content him he desired nought else and now Tiberius said a man who had passed threescore yeeres should not stretch out his hand to the people to have their voyce or suffrage Plut. when he through age should not stretch out his hand to any but the Physitian he will graspe the Tribunitiall staffe to bee in the neerest degree to sovereigne command Hath hee asked counsell of his courage whether he be capable He never hath seene a battell but in picture nor ever drawen his sword but to shew the blade After all this he would have me live that death may serve me for a punishment and will not suffer me to let it appeare a woman knowes how to conquer the feare of death which terrifieth the most daring Since then all the passages to arrive at death or draw it upon me are stopped up I must seeke it in mine affliction Vici quem vicerium quaeris metum mortis qui victores gentium vicit Sen. and my courage must yeeld thereunto It shall not resist these violences consolations would redouble it which I will refuse on what side soever they come Those my friends afford shall in them be commendable Officium pium sed mutile Ovid. but for me unprofitable If abstinence affliction melancholy and sorrow cannot vindicate mee from this miserie and that needs I must live dying and dye living I will expect which way the Gods will have me finish my dayes Expectandus exitus quem natura
house the people hewed him in pieces and that of a man on whom Gods and men had accumulated all that which might make him great and glorious Ex eo nihil superfuit quod carnifex traheret Sen. there was nothing left for the hang-man to tye to his hooke and cast into Tiber. To reconcile them I suppose You must looke on P. victor of the 14. stations of Rome and what they containe after he was executed they set him on those staires that the people might see him and that in this fury they dragged him from thence in an instant and having distended him on the banke of Tiber they cut him in pieces or perhaps in fourteene quarters as many as the City had wards and that these pieces were drawne three dayes together about the City All sorts of outrages were done to this miserable body some through inhumanity others for revenge many for example and all to the end it might not be thought they had either loved or knowne him Iuvenal relateth the discourse which then was frequent at Rome for every one gave liberty to his tongue according to his opinion Behold the prose of his verse I perceive it is best to dye Perituros audio multos nil dubium magna est fâ—rnacula ut male defensua c. Qum atimâ—â— c. curramus precipites dum jacet in ripa calcemus Caesaris hostem c. pavidum in jus cervice astricta dominam trabat c. visne salutari sicut Sejanus habere Tantundem atque illi sellas donâ—â—â— curules Illum exercitibus prapaâ—ere â—â—tor haberi There is no doubt to be made of it The furnace wherein they are to be cast is very large I met my poore friend Brutidius last day neare Mars his Temple hee was very pale and much astonished I feare lest being called Ajax hee kill himselfe with his owne hand But that we may not be taken for friends to Sejanus and perish without defence let us run to this body whilst it lieth on Tibers banke and cry out aloud We trample under foot the enemy of Caesar He who is a servant let him renounce and forsake his Maister let him take him by the throat writh his necke and drag him all trembling before the Commissaries This is the way to save himselfe and be rewarded The people then made this discourse of Seianus in secret Wouldest thou be followed and courted like Seianus have as much wealth as he dispose of dignities give the Ivory chaires command over armies be accounted the Governour of the Prince dispatch his businesses whilst he is in the straightened Grot of Capreae Principis angusta Caprearum in rupe sedentis cum grege Chaldaeo with his troup of Chaldeans and Astrologers Wouldest tbou have command over the company which carrieth the dart or three pointed Iavelin Wouldest thou command over the Cavalry over those bands which abide in the palace to guard the Prince Quinolunt occidere quenquam posse volunt ut rebus letu par sit mensura malorum Why doest thou not desire it They that will kill no man wish to have the power Every one affecteth honors and riches which are notwithstanding such that the measure of their evils who pursue them equalleth the contentment they bring Love you better to weare the robe of Seianus whom you see dragged in the streets than to be a Magistrate in the forsaken villages of Fidenae Gabij An Fidenarum Gabiorumque esse potestis Et de mensura vis dicere or be the Edile of Vlubris which is almost desolate and give judgement on measures and weights and cause those to bee broken which are not lawfull Numerosa parabat Excelsa â—urri tabulata unde altior esset you must then confesse that Seianus hath never knowne what is to be desired For in pursuing great honours and riches he did nothing but prepare a scaffold for himselfe on a high Turret to fall downe and cast himselfe headlong from the top thereof What overthrew the Crassi the Pompeyes and him that conquered the Quirites and scourged them like slaves Truly Summus nempè locus Magnaque numinibus vota exaudita malignis Iuven. elevated fortunes to which men mount by wiles and ambitious desires such as maligne starres raise to ruine those that built them Few Tyrants have descended to the sonne in law of Ceres and a naturall death Their end was not drie nor hath bloud beene spared to moysten it Seneca saw this execution and yet wrote nothing thereof though hee were then of an age to observe it for he was in Rome fifteen yeares before the death of Augustus He much wondreth that of the body of a man of such eminencie and magnificence nothing remained for buriall If excessive joy killed a mother Si ad mortem agit matres magnum gaudium quid magnus dolor Sen. what may extreme sorrow Apicata was assailed with an incredible griefe when shee saw her children on the Gemonian steps Cratesiclea Cratesiclea begged she might be put to death before her children but the Hangman slue them before her face Plut. mother of Cleomenes King of Sparta whose head Ptolomie cut off and hanged his body on a paire of gallowes seeing her children slaine before her eyes said Out alas my children whither are you gone Apicata spake to these innocents which shee beheld on this infamous place Poore Infants where are you now In this anguish she retired to her house where she wrote a discourse of Drusus his death sent it to Tiberius which done she slue her selfe Ordo sceleris per Apicatam Sejano proditus tormentis Eudemi ac Lygdi patefactus est Tac. She had not stayed so long before she discovered it had not the love of her children withheld her for well shee knew that in crimes of treason they should suffer the like punishment with the father Shee accuseth Sejanus Livilla Lygdus and Eudemus these put upon the wheele which was the torture confessed all Tiberius caused divers to be racked to discover the complices It was told him there was one arrived who came from Rhodes and forgetting he was a creature of his owne whom hee had sent hee presently caused him to be put to the torture and having found his owne errour Errore detecto occidi jussit ne divulgaret injuriam commanded hee should be killed that he might not divulge the wrong hee had sustained This was to preserve the reputation of a just Prince by a notable injustice The death of Sejanus gave confidence and safetie to Tiberius and when he was moved to chuse twentie Senators to bee alwayes neere about him with swords by their sides he answered Mibi vita tanti nâ—n est ut armis tegenda sit Tac. Life was not so deare to him that hee would submit himselfe to preserve it by armes But vitious and exorbitant habits passe not away And hee not causing his vices to dye before his
bee acquired with honestie and justice The disorders which are observed in apparrell diet buildings curiosities and superfluitie of private houses ConvivioruÌ„ luxuria vestium aegrae civitatis indicia sunt Sen. are symptomes not onely of a sicke but a dying State Troubles and seditions are commonly supported by the despaire of forlorne people and such as have nothing to lose of which condition were those Hoc in Republica seminarium Catilinarium Cic. who entred into conspiracie with Catiline Great and excessive were the confusions during the reigne of Tiberius but such as were derived from former times for he was wont to say The Romans learned to dispend their owne meanes in civil wars and the wealth of others among strangers It is an admirable thing that having provided against so many other exorbitancies he would not correct the ryot and dissolution which overflowed through the contempt of Somptuarie Lawes Non sum offenfionum avidus pro Rep. suspicio inanes irritas jure deprecor Tac. Was not this because hee would not begin the example of reformation in his owne house surfetted with superfluities or by reason disorder was grown into custome and discipline or that he would not unprofitably and without effect draw publique dis-affection upon himselfe His greatest reason was not to expose his commands to contempt nor open the veine before he had the fillet ready to stanch the bloud These remarkable words which he spake to the Senate on this occasion should be represented to Kings as often as they institute laws the effects whereof were difficult and doubtfull Omittenda potius praevalida adulta vttia quam hoc adsequi ut palam fiat quibus flagitin impares simus Tac. A Prince ought rather to dissemble an inveterate disorder and which is of much consequence than to put his authority in hazard and suffer his weaknesse publikely to appeare especially when they are matters which he cannot remedy After the execution of Sejanus the Senate commanded the statue of liberty to be erected in the open market place and that every yeare on the same day Sejanus was put to death a Combat on horse-backe should bee exhibited and many beasts there slaine A thing never done before They likewise prohibited excessive honours to bee conferred on any man or to sweare by other name than that of the Emperour All the friends of Sejanus ran his fortune and received what they expected Quam male est extra legem viventibus quicquid meruerunt semper expectant Petr. The prisons were filled some condemned to death others banished all deprived of their offices The City seemed a field where nothing was to be seene but mangled bodies or Ravens which rent them Iacuit immensa strages omnis sexus omnis etas â—ustâ—es ignobites Tac. Tiberius was so accustomed to executions that he caused all those to be put to death who in prison were accused to have any intelligence with Sejanus Faeminae quia occupandae reâ—pub argui non poterant ob lachrimas iuensabantur Tac. there were laid on the pavement an infinite number of dead men of all ages and conditions eminent noble plebeian It not being permitted any man to stand still to behold them nor retire to bewaile them for both the one and the other were reputed a crime Vitia was punished with death for having lamented her sonne Geminus and because women were not to be accused for attempting on the state their teares were accounted criminall Interciderat fortis humanae commercium ut metus quantumque saevitiae glisceret miseratione arcebatur Tac. Sorrow was judged by the countenance and griefe by the vehemency of passion in such sort that the bodies which Tyber cast up to the shore remained there without buriall so much had feare dissolved commerce betwene nature and compassion Ausus est amplecti amicitiam quam caeteri falso exuerant Tac. There was not a man which disavowed not the friendship of Sejanus One only Roman Knight Marcus Terentius accused to have beene his friend freely protested it when the rest made semblance to renounce it Minus expedit agnoscere crimen quam abnuere And thus he spake before the Senate It were perhaps more expedient for my fortune to deny the crime whereof I am accused than confesse it But hap what will I professe to have beene Sejanus his friend I desire to bee so and much rejoyce to have gained his favour There were 4 in the City 3. in the garrisons Cunctos qui novissimi consilu experti fuimus non uniuâ— discrimine defendam Tac. I saw him a Colleague with his father in the charge of the Pretorian Cohorts and that he in one and the same time managed the affaires both of peace and warre That those who were his most intimates were powerfull in the Emperours grace and the rest perpetually in terrour and the miserable condition of men accused I will not here produce any man for an example but with the sole hazard of my life defend all those who have had no part in his last designes For we did not our service to Sejanus of Vulsinium but wee followed the fortune of the house of Claudius whereof he by alliance was become the head We Caesar honoured your sonne in Law Non est nostrum astimare quem supra caeteros quibus de causis extollas Tibi summum rerum judicium dii dedere nobis obsequii gloria relicta est Tac. your associate in the Consulship and him who exercised your commands in the common wealth It is not for us to judge what hee ought to bee nor for what cause you raised him above others The Gods have given you the soveraigne dispose of affaires Nothing remaineth for us herein but the only glory of obedience We consider what we see on whom you confer riches and honours and who can hurt or advantage us and no man can deny Abditos principis sensus si quid occultius parat exquirere illicitum Tac. but Sejanus was all this It is not lawfull to penetrate the deepe intentions of the Prince nor what in secret he aimeth at That is doubtfull we therefore attempt it not Thinke not on this last day of Sejanus but the sixteene yeares of his prosperity In that time we honoured Satrius and Pomponius his freed men and it was thought a glorious thing to be knowne by his servants yea his Porter What then shall we make no difference betweene those who have served Sejanus as the Emperours creature and such as followed him in his designes as an enemy of the Empire Insidia in remp concilia caedis adversum imperatorem puniautur de amicitia officiis Idem te Caesar nos absoluerit Tac. It is necessary this distinction be reduced into its just limits to the end the treasons and conspiracies against the state and plots concerning the Emperors life may be punished but for the friendship you have borne him
compared with eternall felicitie He died at the age of foure and twenty on his birth day being the nineteenth of August in the yeare 1293 and was canonized by Pope Iohn the 22th in the yeare 1316. This peace which had cost much bloud Treaties drawen on by necessitie last not long money and time lasted but a little while For seeing that which is done by force continueth no longer but during the space wee cannot resist necessitie Fredericke thirsting after Sicily which he had left began the warre afresh upon the first occasion Repentance waiteth on headlong counsels but shame and losse undoubted fruits of rash counsels recompenced the breach of the treatie with punishment The King of Arragon summoned to constraine his brother to observe the treatie The King of Arragon is summoned to joyne his forces with Charles to constraine his brother to observe it Fredericke lost twentie five gallies six thousand men and had there left his libertie if the Catalonians had not afforded him passage for his safetie Auxiliaries soone revolt thinking they were more obliged to the bloud of one of their Princes than to the succour of the King of Naples It is no act of providence to employ those against an enemy who are of the same Nation for in times of necessitie they set upon him whom they should defend Fredericke haughtie and young whose courage could never despaire of victorie nor ever feare death unwilling to retire upon his discomfiture prepareth a fresh Army and returnes into Sicily Charles the second sent Robert his sonne Duke of Calabria to encounter with him on the Frontiers He transported with an over-weening opinion of victorie which easily deceiveth young Souldiers imagined that going about to fight with those whom his father had vanquished It is a great advantage to fight with an enemy whom hee hath once before vanquished That is it which Scipio said to the Romans on the day of battell against Annibal Philip Prince of Tarentum prisoner at Panormo in the yeare 1299. hee had not to doe with enemies but with the relicts of their defeature Hee enters into Sicily encourageth his troopes to march fight and vanquish but is overthrowen Philip Prince of Tarentum his brother taken prisoner and Calabria lost Robert gathering the rest of his forces together beleaguers Drepany and in this siege it was where God offended with this house began to give way to the ruine of it by means which testifie the most feeble Instruments are in his hands powerfull Engines to demolish the greatest States Violante Duchesse of Calabria was in the field to beare her husband company So Agrippina accompanied Germanicus into Almaigne and in occasions encouraged Souldiers by her valour and to give example to the Souldiers by her constancie and courage suffering even in the time of her being with childe the solicitudes and toyles of a siege Shee was there delivered of her second sonne named Lewis and the immutable decree of humane accidents which depend on a superior Law would needs have it for the much greater unhappinesse of this flourishing Kingdome that there could not be found any woman fit to breed this Prince but a creature so despicable as that she got her living by being a Laundresse Fishing is an abject condition the Grecians call it a miserable error in the sea and her husband daily stood upon the promontorie of a rocke to catch fish with an angling rod. Shee was young her countenance sweet which made all the rest amiable her proportion strong and vigorous The lesse delicate nourishment is the more vigorous is the nourishment and stature little inferiour to a tall stripling Besides povertie added some favour to her election for it is thought her manner of living free from excesse and curiositie rendred her complexion much stronger and her conscience the more simple Having derived no name from the place of her birth shee tooke that of Catania her countrey For being neere the proud Typhaeus Carthaneen hath the sulphur and drinks the smoke of it Stat. and was called Philippa the Catanian and as this Citie is unhappily scituated neare Mount Aetna which vomiteth fire and sulphur upon its neighbours so her greatest infelicitie was to have approached this fire of favour which in the end turned her into ashes But so soone as she bad drunke in the enchanted cup of the Court her primitive innocencie degenerated into an ardent thirst of greatnesse in such sort that in stead of suffering the incommodities of want in the abject condition of her state A poore man suddenly enriched hath much adoe to governe himselfe in riches she knew not how to beare the affluence of happinesse in this her first fortune For it is not so hard a matter for the rich to endure povertie as for the penurious to accord with riches The siege of Drepany having continued some time The King of Arragon tooke Sicily from King Charles the first had his son prisoner and his grand childe the Prince of Tarentum the besieged were succoured by Fredericke and Robert constrained to returne to Naples with a smaller company and much lesse contentment than hee marched forth withall whereat King Charles his father became greatly displeased and sad and seeing injuries are weighed according to the qualitie of the persons who either doe or receive them it was a verie distastfull thing with Charles to see that a King of Arragon had put such harsh affronts upon the Kings of Naples boasting to have furnished out the triumphs both of their Crownes and Princes And although the warre was betweene King and King The Arragonians chose Peter Tarres for their King and tooke the Crowne from him to give it to Ramirez he notwithstanding thought a King of Arragon could not enter into comparison with him either as King of Naples or as issued from an house which had not begun to reigne like his for the Crowne had stood fully nine hundred yeares on the heads of his Ancestors Ramirez bastard of Sanchez King of Castile began to reigne in the yeare 1017. and the Arragonians had not knowen above three hundred yeares what a royall Scepter meant The Monarchie of France was founded upon the ruines of an Empire which swayed the whole world and amongst the Gaules the most warlike province of Europe a people so daring as to advance their Standards on the highest top of the Capitoll The Arragonians made a Kingdom of a County choosing a Monke for Founder whom they took out of a Cloyster that they might have a King extracted from the Gothish race After he had reigned some time he retired into his Monasterie and recommended his daughter to Alphonsus the seventh King of Castile He was so simple and doltish that mounting on horse-backe to wage warre against the Moores and they putting a lance into one hand and a target into the other hee tooke the bridle betweene his teeth Hee quickly shooke off his
imprisonment of many of them seisure of their goods and his will was executed with such order and diligence that on one and the same day being the foure and twentieth of Ianuarie by one same signall given they were all cast into prison and few dayes after executed Their goods were given to the Knights of the order of Saint Iohn of Ierusalem who at that time possessed themselves of Rhodes by a prettie stratagem Taking of Rhodes by the Knights of Saint Iohn of Ierusalem in the yeare 1309. causing certaine Souldiers to creepe into the Citie in sheepe-skins amongst a flocke of sheepe and the Captaines disguised like Shepherds Charles died a while after in the yeare 1309 three-score yeares of age God blessed this Prince with a plentifull posteritie to afford him alliance with the best and chiefest houses of Christendome The first Charles Martell King of Hungarie Secondly Lewis a religious man of the Order of Saint Francis and Bishop of Tholouse Thirdly Robert Duke of Calabria who succeeded his father Philip Prince of Tarentum married Catharine Empresse of Constantinople daughter to Philip son of Baldwin Emperour of Constantinople and Beatrice of Sicily daughter of Charles the first king of Naples Fourthly Philip Prince of Tarentum Emperour of Greece Fifthly Iohn Prince of Achaia or Morea Sixthly Raymond Berenguer Count of Andria Seventhly Tristram borne during the imprisonment of his father Eighthly Lewis of Duras Ninthly Peter surnamed Tempest Count of Gravina The eldest daughter Margarite married to Charles Count of Valois and mother of Philip of Valois Blanch married to Iames of Arragon Eleonor to Fredericke King of Sicily Marie to Iames King of Majorica Beatrice to the Marquesse of Este afterward to Bertrand of Baux Prince of Orenge Humbert Daulphin of Vienne Wits are purified in adversitie and Princes who have exercised theirs in the calamities of fortune and necessitie have had better successe than others Tâ—â—otheus a more fortunate than able man was painted sleeping and Cities which of themselves were taken in an heape on whom Crownes have fallen without labour and Cities even sleeping As Charles the first got not the Crowne of Naples without paine nor preserved it without perill his reputation being raised upon glorious actions of his vertue and constancie So Charles the second maintained not his but by wrastling with Fortune which to ruine him cast him foure yeeres into the power of his enemies Italy afforded him the glorie of its repose and to have preserved it from sinking under the desperate and furious factions of Gwelphes and Gibelâ—es He lived so well that hee died willingly That you may die contentedly you must not deplore the actions of life There was not any Nation which admired him not nor shall any age faile to record him Robert his third sonne succeeded him by exclusion of the children of his eldest Charles Martell King of Hungarie The disputation of the Vncles precedencie before the Nephues was treated by Baldus The question whether the Vncle should be preferred before the Nephew was disputed before the Pope at Avignon who more considered the age experience and merit of Robert than the right of those in minoritie At his entrance into rule Lewis the second sonne of Robert dieth at nine yeares of age death tooke Lewis his second son from him whom the Catanois had bred whereat hee conceived such sorrow as wee may of a fruit pulled off before maturitie The death of an Infant is a fruit not fallen off but pulled from the tree before the time so that seeing all the hope of his succession rested on the Duke of Calabria his onely sonne he desired in good time to see him a father and for that purpose sought out a wife for him Henrie of Luxenbourg the Emperour offers his daughter to the son of the King of Sicily in the yeare 1312. Henrie the seventh offered him his daughter but he married one of those which the Emperour Albert left and that no man may enter into this Historie who confirmes not the example of the unhappinesse of prosperitie hee may observe his fortune to be remarkable Having gotten the Empire Battell of Worms where Adolphus of Nassau was slaine the eight and twentieth of Iune 1308. not onely by right of election but by armes for hee discomfited and slue in battell Adolphus of Nassau his Rivall ten yeares after in the yeare 1308 he was slaine by his Cousin German neare the Citie of Bruch and as it were in the sight of the Castle of Habspurg the Cradle which bred the first Princes of the house of Austria This young Prince fell into despaire because the Emperour who had many children to provide for denyed to restore him the Seigniorie of Kiburg which was his mothers Necessitie is wittie in ill counsels A Prince young and needy is apt to enter into ill counsels against him who withholds that which would suffice to preserve him from necessitie Three little Cantons revolted against their Governours in the yeare 1308. The first league of three Cantons of the Switzers was made at Brilan the seventh of Decemb. 1325. He died in the time of his purpose to chastise rigorously the three Townes of the Switzers which revolted against those who governed them as subjects of the Empire Three Pesants who had no other use of iron but to pricke forward their Oxen and cleave wood employed it to raise a warlike Common-wealth which hath an hand in all the warres of Christendome drawes money from the most powerfull Christian Princes and hath fought nine battels to secure their libertie He left two and twentie children by Elizabeth of Carinthia Albert had two and twentie children by his wife Elizabeth of Carinthia and although hee had great possessions in Austria Bohemia Alsatia Swevia and Suitzerland there was not enough to afford a Principalitie to each one yet they were all well provided for and the daughters required in mariage by the best Families of Christendome Robert preferred this alliance before that of the Emperour Henrie the seventh and gave to his sonne Charles Duke of Calabria Catharine Princesse of Austria This Prelation offended the Emperour and began their enmitie which was exasperated by the aid Robert gave to the Gwelphes Robert succoureth the Florentines against the Emperour Henrie of Luxenbourg the Emperour condemneth Robert King of Naples to lose his head 1318. and Florentines The Emperour vexed hereat published a Ban declared him a Rebell against the holy Empire condemnes him to lose his head and the Crowne of Naples The condemned onely appeales to his Sword made his judgement be revoked pursued the Emperour who retired into Piemont and pressed him so hard that hee repented to have incensed a brave and masculine courage Never injure him who can take revenge which accounted not the suffering of injuries laudable nor the forgetfulnesse of them profitable The Florentines afterwards to free themselves from such an enemy who never
coniuring them not to leave them to the inhumanities wherewith they were threatned They speake of nothing but stones and spared not to carry many to the top of the wals to knocke downe the approachers Peter of Arragon entreth into Sicily under the title of occasion and opportunity For he had not any but that of Constantia his wife who had the title of Manfredus her father and Manfredus Priuate houses only think how to preserve their owne Princely how to invade others of invasion Private thefts are punished It is a Kingly worke to invade another and in great power strength usurpes the place of reason Messina is succoured Charles inforced to retire with much sorrow not to have tempered his anger accepted the offer which had assured him of the whole Iland without a blow strucken Then was the time his tongue did him ill service for had it not discovered his heart all Sicily would have stooped to his obedience The Sicilians found the Catalonians harsh proud and untractable Other Cities fearing the like punishment having done the same fault followed the resolution of the Messinians and opened the gates to the Arragonians who presently handled these people so harshly and haughtily that they wished for the French againe Gaultier of Calatagirona declares against the Arragonians who tooke him and hanged him Those of Calatagirona tooke armes against them and Alaimus Leontinus chiefe Iustice wrote to Charles that if he sent him but ten Gallies he would restore Sicily unto him but he would not trust them who were dishonoured with so notorious a treachery Charles seeing Fortune with one so violent a kick of her foot had throwne downe all his designes sought pretence of reason He who will not be angry for the losse of a Crown will not be troubled at any thing and finding no cause of anger or quarrell more iust than the invasion of a Kingdome besought the Pope to admit he might combat with Peter of Arragon in single Duell to determine by the death of one a difference which might be the death of many The Pope seeing Peter of Arragon would not submit to reason left him to the hazard of armes Simon Leontinus a Dominican Frier carried the letter of challenge Charles sent him the lye and defiance Peter refused not to measure his sword with Charles They agree to take Bourdeaux for the place of Combat and the King of England for Iudge an hundred Captaines of either part for spectators and Sicily for Trophey of victory The King of England at that time held Guyen Charles testified his courage by shewing himselfe twice in the field and Peter his prudence by accepting the combat to withdraw his enemy The Combat appointed in the moneth of May in the yeare 1283 Charles retireth out of the field upon notice that Peter was so farre off he could not come the next day yet arrived the same day and put his army and launce into the hands of the English Marshall who in Sicily drew neare unto him He came to Tours but it was after he knew Charles was departed leaving registred with the Marshall of England that he had expected his enemy from morning untill night He complaineth to the Pope that Peter of Arragon put a scorne upon him and that he will neither plead nor restore The Pope excommunicateth him as an Vsurper upon the rights of the Church gives his Kingdome to Charles proclaimes open warres against him and begins it with more reputation than prosperity Peter of Arragon surpriseth the I le of Malta and his Admirall the Gallies of Naples with Charles Prince of Salerno the Kings son whom he sends prisoner to Barcellon drawes neare to Naples terrifies and amuseth minds so much that if Cbarles had not speedily hastened thither the gates had been opened to him His presence gives confidence to honest men The defeat and taking of Charles on the fifth of August 1284. and terrour to the seditious he caused a hundred and fifty of them to be hanged and had he not considered that there is not any man so miserable who is not a member of the State It is written that he in his anger commanded to put fire amongst the Neapolitans Gerrard of Parma the Popes Legate appeased him and shewed that how much the more faults were great so much the more clemency is commendable punishment had taken away a much greater number which had he omitted he should have made a new world through the difficulty of distinction betweene good subjects rebels children from servants for as those are not chastised by blows so are the other so refractary they cannot be appeased with sweetnesse Fortune being now wholly turned against him his army was discomfited before Rheggio and he raising another to recover Sicily the sorrow of his forepassed losses staied him dissolved his designe and ended his life Fortune exacted so rough interests from the contentments she had given him that in these his last agonies seeing the precipice inevitable If I must needs fall said Charles I pray God it may be handsomely he sought nothing but to descend into it after his owne manner without either being urged or forced He as having wilfully concurred to his owne unhappinesse He who is the cause of his owne suffering may only thanke himselfe endevoured not to seeke out elsewhere than in himselfe the causes of his suffering It is impossible to live in the world without adversity but it much importeth to understand for what cause we suffer In the same army died Pope Martin the fourth Charles the first King of Naples Peter of Arragon Philip the Hardy what the expectation is and to what purpose we endure for if it be not innocently patience is difficult and comforts are superfluous He died at Foggia the seventh of Ianuary 1284. Charles the first King of Naples caused the head of Conradinus grandchild of the Emperour Frederick to be cut off on the 26. of October 1269. Charles the second losing the King his father must of necessity part both with life and Kingdome The Queene Constantia was counselled to let him dye under the hands of an executioner to revenge the death of her Nephew so that upon this advice she on a Friday sent him word he must prepare himselfe to the same punishment which his father had inflicted on Conradinus He answered I am most ready to dye for the love of him who upon the same day suffered for me This generous and Christian answer touched the Queenes heart who replied For the same respect he would dye I will have him live But to qualifie this inveterate choler and violent thirst to revenge the death of Conradinus Cruelty is an inveterate anger she commanded the heads of two hundred gentlemen prisoners to be cut off At foure yeares end he was freed from captivity left there three of his children Lewis Robert and Iohn for hostages and regaining