betwen the Ocean sea and Baleaire But he adioyned all Aquitania and the ridge of the hylles Pirenees vnto the riuer of Ebro yea euen all Italy which should haue bene before sayd from the Alpes vnto the vttermost partes of * A couÌ„trâ— ioyning to Naples Calabria Finally beyng gone for the fourth tyme to Rome he was saluted Emperour Augustus by Leo the third and by all the people the xxxiii yeare of hys raigne By this meanes then the Romayne Empyre towards the West the which was rent and torne sondrywyse especiall synce that the Emperours had placed their chiefe seat in Constantinople as it is easy to be sene by the former discourse was renued agayn by the Emperour Charlemaine and as a new body toke agayne hys collour and beautye The Empire renued by Charlemayne in that so many and so great countryes were assubiected vnder the power of one man only Nicephorus the other Emperour of the East parts was greatly wroth with thys election but Charlemaine did mollifie him by his humanity modestie and by presents entertained themselues in amitie and they did assygne the compasse and limites of both the Empyres Besydes the other assemblyes Charlemayne caused a counsell to be holden at Reims at the which it was ordayned amongst many other statutes that the Byshops shuld diligently study the holy scriptures preach the word of god Another Synode was assembled at Mense the yere before hys death before another at Tours at Caalon vpon the Saone at Arles for the râ—formation of Churches as the writers of that time say The eyght huÌ„dreth fourtenth yere after the natiuitie of Christ the lxx yere of hys age he died at Aix in Germany Ludouicus the sonne of Charlemaine 2. Emperour after he had appointed Ludouicus his sonne heritor of his raign and Empire xiiii yeres after that he had ben first declared Emperour of the Almains At that time there was only xxi Metropolitan Cities as they are called in Italy Germany Fraunce to wyt Rome Rauenna Millane * A Citye or Country in Italye so called Forumiulii Grade Colon Mense Salisbourg Trire RouaÌ„ Sens Besonzon Lions Reims Arles Vienna Tarentasia EbrodunuÌ„ Burdeux Tours Bourges Pipine his father had taken away the Exarchship from the LoÌ„bars had left it in the custodie of the bishop of Rome as we haue said as it is found in writing But Charlemaine gaue it wholy vnto him as some say wherof notwithstanding dyuers do doubt Eginardus his secretary sworne writter Eginardus secretarye to Charlemayne who was familier with him wrytteth that aboue all he loued the Church which they call of S. Peter wherinto he caused much Golde Syluer and precious stones to be broughte For he studyed aboue all thynges to reestablyshe the Citye of Rome in her fyrst credyte and aucthoritye and that the Churche of Saynct Peter shoulde not onely be in safegarde vnder hys protectyon but also that amongest others it should abounde in ryches Eginardus sayeth thys and no more not makynge anye mention that he dyd gyue so mighty Townes and so many in number whych dyd appertayn to the Empyre yea he being made Emperour at the fourth entrye whych he made into Rome he gaue order according as we fynd in writting not onely vnto the affaires of the Citie of Rome of the Pope and of all Italy but also vnto Ecclesiasticall and perticular things Also before he was Emperour Aucthoritie of Charlemaine aboue the Pope at such time as he was but onely King of Fraunce after he had discomfyted Desiderius king of the Lombards as it hath bene sayd he came to Rome and held a counsell whereat as theyr one Bookes do mentian the Pope Adrianus the fyrst and all the Sinode dyd gyue hym the ryghte and power to electe the Pope to ordayne the Apostolyke Sea as they terme it and to confyrme the Bishops Eginardus doth attrybute vâ—to Charlemaine dyuers vertues worthye of a greate Prynce to wytte temperaunce modestye sobriety affectyon towardes relygyon Learnynge Eloquence wyth knowledge not onely of the Latine tounge but also of the Greeke Besydes thys he reporteth hym to haue bene verye circumspect and diligent to see hys Chyldren taught and instructed in the knoweledge and experyence of these selfe same thinges Albin the schole Maister of Charlemayne chiefe founder of the vniuersitye of Paris He instituted the vniuersytye of Paris aswell thorowe hys owne proper motyon and Good wyll as by the instigatyon and sute of Albin hys Master who was hys instructour in sciences as saith Eginardus He named the monthes and twelue wyndes in the Duch tounge the which names are yet vsed Before tyme as sayeth the same writter the French men vsed names partlye Latyne partelye Barbarous Hetherto I hauing made as it were a preface of Charlemaine and of the Almains from henceforth I wil briefly rounne ouer and declare how that part of the Romayn Empyre whych is towards the West the which was recollected and reestablyshed by Charlemaine is agayn fallen into decaye and beyng deuided into diuers Prouinces hath bene vnto diuers who possesse those countryes neither more nor lesse then their owne proper Heritage without considering their ofspring in such sort that this venerable and so renoumed hyghnes of Romayn Empyre is at this day no other thing then a lytle shadow of a great body synce that of so great a large compasse it hath bene enclosed in a small part of Europa to wytte in Germanie Last of all I will in few words declare how Daniell hath for shewed these mutations of Empires and the fall of the Romain monarchie Ludouicus then the sonne of Charlemaine the second Germayn Emperour renued the amitie wyth Leo of Armenia Emperour of Grecia The third yere of his raigne Pope Leo disceassed and his successour Stephan the fourth went into FrauÌ„ce and consecrated the Emperour at Reims Paschal came after to be Pope And forasmuch as the aucthoritie of the Emperour was not interposed he excuseth circumspectly and diligently that fact declaryng that he against his will was there placed The bookes of the Popes containe that the Emperour Ludouicus ratifyed vnto Paschal and to hys successours the possession of goods that he permitted the election frely vnto them so that he should be counted and holden for Pope whom all the Romains should haue Iudged worthy of that estate I cannot tell what credite a man should giue vnto such writtings for they agree so yll are placed in so yll order that none can vnderstand that whych ought to folow Ludouicus had thre sonnes Lotharius whom he toke to be compaynion of the Empyre of the kingdome Charles who succeaded in Aquitania his brother Pipine disseased he made Ludouicus lord of Bauieres Conspiraty of children agaist their father His soÌ„nes dyd conspire against him by whom he was taken and depriued of his kingdome and was constrayned to take a monasticall lyfe at Compienue a town of the
vpon the Senate did will Antiochus not to meddle or make with Egipt Whereat he being displeased especially because that Hanniball the fugitiue did incite him as much as was possible Antiochus vanquished and spoyled to make warre he sailed into Grecia with his armie where he was ouerthrowen as we haue before saide After that the Romaines made a new armie by Sea for to folowe and pursue him and being sayled into Asia they dyd vanquishe and gette a great Battayle of him and dyd putte hym to flyght from beyond the mounte of Taurus After hys ouerthrowe he was wont to saye as Cicero reciteth that the Romaine people had done hym a great pleasure in easynge hym from ouer great charge and in leauing him so straight limittes of hys countrey L. Cornelius Scipio the brother of P. Scipio Affricanus did conduct this warre who for this cause was surnamed Asiaticus Shortly after M. Fuluius surnamed Nobilior dyd subdue the Etolians and triumphed ouer them And when P. Scipio Affricanus who in that warre had been lieutenant for his brother was retourned to Rome the Tribunes of the people beganne to trouble and torment hym Wherefore he departed from thence and went into Laterne to hys Towne and there as certaine saye thys noble man dyed beyng nine and fourty yeres olde The deathe of Pub. Scipio no yonger nor elder then M. Portius Cato Cicero in the Dialogue which he wrote of olde age doth introduct Cato speaketh louyngly and honorablye of the age of them bothe and of theyr studyes But aboue all he magnifieth the greatnes of courage that was in Scipio Titus Liuius sayth that Cato did beare hym enuy that he vsed to take this hys fortune and prosperitie in euyll parte Cato enuious agaynst Scipio Cicero affirmeth that he was prompt and quicke in all his affayres In that tyme floryshed Ennius Plautus and Nenius Poetes Antiochus beynge ouerthrowen Hanniball dyd flye vnto Prusias kynge of Bithinia And for because that the Romaynes dyd require that he shoulde be rendered vnto them Hanniball poysoneth hym selfe he droncke poyson and so kylled him selfe Antiochus the noble succeaded this Antiochus He also dyd deliberate to gette the kyngdome of Egypte for as muche as he was the Vncle of Ptolomeus Philometor Kyng of Egypte who beyng yet but a chylde had succeaded hys father deceassed Wherefore he declared hym selfe to be hys Protectour myndynge by thys meanes to oppresse hym and to take to hym selfe the chyefe dignitie But hys enterpryses beynge knowen the Romaynes whome the Egyptians had agayne solicited to succour them dyd hasten to sende C. Popilius Lenas in Embassage Who beynge comme to speake face to face with Antiochus he wylled hym in the name of the Romaine people to departe from Alexandria whyche he kept beseiged but as Antiochus did aske respit to aduise therevppon Popillius made a rounde circle before hym with the rodde that he helde and did commaunde him to declare what he mynded to do before he departed from thence By thys meanes he who was not ignoraunt of the power of the Romaines was so affrayed that he promysed to leaue all thinges in peace Popilius maketh Antiochus affrayed These thinges are recited to the ende to declare howe by litle and litle the Romaines are waxed greate of small beginninges and howe they did so aduaunce them selues that they assubiected almost all countryes For euen alreadye theyr valyauntnesse was passed through Italy and had inuaded diuers parts of the world Not withstanding there was yet many lettes and inconueniences in such sort that they had no lytle a do for to establyshe thys so great an Empyre which should comprehend and compasse the principall part of the world as I wyll here after orderly and briefly declare Philip kyng of Macedonia of whome mencion hath been made beinge very wroth for that he was so enclosed by the Romaynes purposed to begynne to make warre agayne But he was preuented by death and Persea hys sonne succeaded hym who of long tyme was so eneduraged agaynst the Romaynes in such sort that he tooke in hand as it were the heritage of makyng warre But L. Emylius Paulus who had been twyse Consull finally dyd gyue hym the ouerthrow in playne battaylle Persea king of the Macedonians taken prisoner and tooke hym Prysoner wyth hys Wyfe hys Mother and hys Chyldren whome also he ledde away in triumphe And for thys victory he was surnamed Macedonicus From that tyme also Macedonia was made a Prouince of the Romaynes In the former laste yeare Ennius beynge three score and tenne yeares olde accordynge to the sayinge of Cirero departed oute of thys lyfe Fewe yeares after P. Cornelius Nasica dyd assubiect the Dalmatians The thirde warre of Carthage And incontinently after the thirde warre of Affrike beganne to brust forth For because that the Carthagiens who could not liue in rest did moue warre and oppresse their neyghbours but chiefly Massinisse king of Numidie the compainion and frend of the Romaines the Romaines beyng required to succour them purpossed to put themselues in armes aboute the sixe hundreth and foure yere after the foundation of Rome Diuers iudgments as touching the preseruation or distructiō of Carthage But their opinions were diuers to wytte whether it were more conuenient to breake downe and destroy the Citie then to preserue it The saying of them who were of opinion that it was not conuenient that it should be destroied was that if Carthage were once taken away they would afterwardes euen amongest themselues make hurliburlies by seditions ciuill warres But M. Portius Cato did counsell the contrary declaring the great danger which did threatē the publike weale of Rome if thys Citie were not vtterlye rooted vp and destroied His opinion gotte the victorie albeit that he disceased in thys deliberation The death of P. Cato hauynge lyued foure score and fiue yeres Cicero doth name hym amongest the auncient oratours and doth place hym nexte vnto Marcus Cornelius Cethegus who he saith was renoumed of Ennius He sayth moreouer that an hundreth and fyftie of Catos orations were found full of learned wordes and notable matters and rebuketh the nicenes of hys time because they did not regarde to reade them diligently ouer He compareth him to Lysias the Scriuener of Athenes P. Scipio Aemilianus the sonne of Paulus Macedonicus and the nephew by adoption of P. Scipio Aphricanus had the charge and gouernement of the thyrde warre of Carthage And foure yeres after that certain others had begonne the war he came and assaulted Carthage wyth suche force that hauyng constrained them to yelde he spoiled it brunte it and beate it downe to the ground The distruction of Carthage By reason wherof he was also surnamed Aphricus aswell as he who dyd vanquishe Hanniball as it hath bene sayde And behold here the end of a most myghtie Citie whose foundation was more ancient then that of the City of Rome and being nothing inferrior in
companions with a terrible and shamefull punishement and put out the eyes of Iohn the seuententh of that name And for because that there was always dissention for the succession of the Empyre he ordayned by the popes help that from thence forth certain princes of Germany shuld haue the ryght and aucthoritye to elect the Emperours for feare lest that any in the tyme to come should attayne to thys dignitye as by inheritaunce The seuen electours of the Empire instituted Thys decree was made about a thousand yeares after the natiuiry of Christ Robert was then kyng of Frannce a louer of peace of letters The Annales do renoume hym for that he buylt dyuers Temples vnto the which he gaue great reuenewes Robert kig of FrauÌ„ce and that he weÌ„t a pilgrimage vnto Rome The Emperour Otho did conferre the roiall dignitie and franches vnto Bolellaus Duke of Polonia as it is in their Annales This then is the beginnyng of that kyngdome Otho died in returninig from Italy Henry the second of that name was Emperour after hym Henrye the second who was Duke of Bauieres nexte kynsemen of Otho the Great of the Duke of Saxonye and of the Emperour He appeased the affayres in Germany and drew to hys frendshype a part of the enemyes by syngular humanitye the other part was dyscomfyted by hym Whyche done he passed into Italye and hauyng plucked the country of Puel from the handes of the Saracenes he restored it to the Empyre Afterwards he was crowned by Benedictus the eyght sending his host into Germany he toke his way by Bourgony and communed with Robert Kyng of Fraunce and they confyrmed theyr amitie together This Emperour was greatly in the fauour of the Churchmen because he was very benificiall vnto them Henry beyng dead the Empyre was vacant a certayn time because that the Princes Electours dyd not agree At length Conrad Duke of Franconie was elected Conrad Emperour He brought Stephan king of Hungaria to agrement and conditions of peace And hauyng geuen order vnto the affaires of Germany he drew into Italy where diuers were ready to reuolt At the fyrst entrye he assalted Milan and from thence passed to Rome where he was consecrated by Iohn the xviii and was saluted Augustus by the acclamations of the people He appeased Italy after punishemeÌ„t made of the tumulte raisers Notwythstandyng beyng retourned into Germany he was constrained to make the second viage in Italy for the new troubles that were brust forth where he did iustice vpon the authours of the conspiratie amongest whom was the archbyshop of Milan and ceassed not tyll he had reducted all vnder his obedience These thinges finished being retourned he dyed at Vtrec which is a towne in the confynes of Holand Hys sonne Henry the thyrd of that name succeded him by the consent of the princes Henry the thyrde He subdued the Bohemiens who rebelled and made them become tributorie He reestablished Peter king of Hungarie whom his subiectes had on a certayne tyme bannished and pacified the whole countrey not wythout great losse of his men At that time great tempests were raysed at Rome by reasoÌ„ that thre dyd contend who should be pope Three at stryfe who shoulde be Pope and dyd aspire there vnto by all vnlawfull meanes These were Benedictus the nynth Siluester the third and Gregorye the syxt The Emperour went thether for to giue order and hauing layd seige before Rome â—e toke it by force Afterwards hauing made assembly of the estates he ordained Suitgerus Byshoppe of Bamberg to be Pope who changed hys name and was called Clemens the second of whom also the Emperour was crowned Then the Cityzens of Rome did againe swere that in the electioÌ„ of the Pope they would do nothing but what shuld please the Emperour Italy beyng againe appeased and the Emperour retourned into Germany Pope ClemeÌ„s died and was buried at Bamberg This knowen the Emperour ordayned Boppo Byshoppe of Frisingen to be Pope It is he who was named Damasus the second and lyued in the estate but xxiii dayes Wherfore the Byshoppe of Tulles Leo the nynth succeaded hym by the commaundement of the Emperour A Pope or litle abode There is found the remnant of a certaine epistle of him where he sayth that it is not lawfull for a byshop priest nor Deacon to leaue his wyfe for religion sake but that reason requireth he should norishe her not so notwithstandyng that it is lawfull for hym to haue her compainye seyng that sainct Paull saith that it is lawfull for him aswell as vnto the other Aposties to lead a wife hether thether The which he enterpreteth in this sense that the Apostles haue had alwaies their wiues with theym to the end that they shuld be norished with their husbands by theÌ„ whom the said husbands did instruct in the religion of Christ not for to lie together and exercise the act of matrimony and that by reason therof Paul did vse this word of leading to fro and not of embrasing The Emperour presedeth at the Counsell The yere M. L. Leo departed from Rome came to Mense where he held a counsell of xlii Bishops at the which the Emperour preseded He being dead thre yeres after at the consent of the Emperour the bishop of Eistet succeaded hym He was named Victor the .ii. The Emperour went into Italy hauyng there set al thigs in order he returned into Germany Afterwards hauing coÌ„muned with the French king Henry the first of that name he dyed in Saxonye and was buryed at Spire The Pope diuers princes were assistant at his death He had a very younge sonne named Henry who notwithstaÌ„ding was already before elected Emperour wherfore the charge did he vpon his mother and vppon the Byshoppe of Ausbourg Shortly after Pope Victor the second dysseased hauyng preseded a lytle aboue twoo yeres Fridericus of the house of Loraine named Stephan the nynth succeaded hym who a few monthes after dyed at Florence And here vppon one Benedictus the tenth of that name dyd vsurpe the Popedome wythout the Emperours leaue by the help of hys men The Romayns did myslyke thys facte therefore they sent an Embassadour for to purge them offeryng the Emperour to kepe lyke fidelitye towards hym as they dyd vnto hys father praying hym that he would ordayne a lawfull Pope Thys vnderstode the Emperour displaced this Benedictus and appointed theÌ„ Gerardus Byshop of Florence who was called Nicolas the second Benedictus vsurpeth the Popedome and is shortlye after displaced by Henry the Emperour The Princes of Germany dyd take great displeasure that the publike weale was gouerned by a woman the Emperours mother Wherfore they consulted to take her sonne from her Whych done the administration fell vpon the archbishops of Mense and of Coloigne before al others They somtimes vsed the aide of Adelbertus the archbishop of Breme who was very a greable vnto the yong Emperour He being
others call hym Saturne they say that in the fyue and fourtye yere of hys Empyre he sent Assur Mede Magog and Moscus for to guyde the bandes of men whiche he sent to inhabite here and there and for to grounde and establish kingdomes of theyr names to witte of Assiria of Mede of Magog and of Moscus whereof the two fyrst apperteyne vnto Asia the other two last appertayne vnto Affrica and vnto Europa The holye scipture also maketh mencion of that Assur Assur and sayeth that the cytye of Nineue was buylded by hym Iupiter Belus succeded his father Nimrod who some say did Iupiter Belus occupie all the West parts euen vnto Samaria on Europe after that he had made warre agaynst Sabatius kynge of Sagnos whome he could not altogether discomfite because he was preuented by death but Ninus his sonne vtterly vanquished him Ninus and hauynge spred hys dominion farre abroade he first of all gotte the Monarcke Thre C. and fifty yeres after the flood Noah dyed And about eyghtene yeares after Abraham the tenth after Noah left hys countrey by the commaundement of God being thre score and fyftene yeres olde Foure and twentye yeares after God made a Couenaunt with him by the Circumcision Circūcision instituted which he instituted In the hundreth yere of hys age Isaac hys sonne was borne vnto him and he lyued after that tyme thre score and fiftene yeres for the lyfe of man was euen alreadye greatlye shortened The holy scriptures teache vs howe and for what cause Iacob his nephewe came into Egipt where he dyed and howe those of hys lynage dwelt there for certeyne hundredes of yeres and beynge oppressed with moste cruell bondage brought out and delyuered by the grace of God vnder the gouernement of Moyses Nowe thys goyng furth of Israell out of the lande of Egypt The goyng out of egipt is coūted to be the MM. CCCC.LIIII yere after the creation of the worlde CCCC XXX yeres after the promise was made vnto Abraham as sayeth Paule the Apostle After Moyses the people of Israell had Iudges vntyll Saull whome Dauid succeded beyng the second kynge of that people Let vs retourne vnto the Empyre of Babilon After the death of Ninus Semiramis the widdow of Ninus Semiramis hys wyfe raigned who was as noble in riches victories and triumphes as euer was any She enlarged the towne of Babilon The noblenes of Semiramie and made it of an indifferent bignes also she decked it with diuers fayre buildings and did compasse it with walls She vanquished the countrey of Ethiopia and also made warre agaynst the countrey of India Zameis her sonne the fifte kyng did nothyng worthy of memory Zameis But Arius that raigned next after him Arius ioyned to hys empyre the Bactrians and Caspians Aralius his succcessour was as it is reported borne to warre Aralius and yet not withstandyng we fynde none of hys actes in wrytyng Baleus that folowed hym did subiect diuers people vnder hym Baleus that was surnamed Xerxes did spreade hys dominion euen vnto the countrey of Indea and therfore he was surnamed Xerxes that is to say victorious a triumpher and a man of warre The nynth called Armatrites Armatrites was altogether addicted vnto voluptuousnes and ydlenes There is nothyng found of Belochus the tenth Belochus but that he set hys mynde vpon prognostications and diuinations Baleus Baleus the eleuenth is counted to be next after Semiramis the most industrious and valiant man of warre and it is sayd that he was greatly renoumed and praysed by the wrytyngs of learned men Altadas the twelue loued to be at rest and to liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe as the report goth estemyng it to be a great folly Altadas to be tormented and vexed with diuers labours and cares for to encrease hys kyngdome for as much as it did not appertayne to the health or commoditie of men but rather to theyr domage bondage The .xiii. that folowed him Mamitus named Mamitus did agayne stirre vp awake his men to warfare in such sort that his power was suspected feared of the Sirians Egiptians Manchale◠There is nothing to be sayd of Manchaleus Spherus who is the .xiiii. Spherus the xv was as it is reported a man of great vertue wisdō There is no act mencioned of Mamelus Mamelus who was the .xvi. Merueylous thyngs are foūd to haue happened in all places vnder Sparetus the .xvii. Ascarades who was the .xviii. did subiect all Siria vnder his obedience Sparetus And here endeth Berosus Ascarades which is read at this day of the which booke diuers do greatly doute and do iudge it to be false and not withstanding they obserue this order because that herein all other writings faile vs. Other do count .xx. kyngs vnto Sardanapalus Sardanapalus who was the .xxxviii. king of Assiria He was the most effeminate that euer was borne in such sort that he was always conuersant among women handling the distafe spindle and he was so ouerwhelmed in pleasures and voluptuousnes that he scarsly did at any tyme shew him self abroad These doings of his wer the cause that two of his lieutenants Belochus of Babilon Belochus Arbaces Arbaces of Medea did conspire against him after that thei had openly declared his filthines dilicatenes they made war against him He finally presented himself in campe vnwillingly with his effeminat company but hauing the worst hand he hastely retired into his palace where after that he had gathered a great heape of wood The ende of Sardanapalus he brunt him self with all his riches whereby onely as one wryteth he declared hym self a man These two Lieutenantes did afterwards diuide the Monarchie betwene them Belochus was kyng of Babilon and Arbaces of the Medes and Persians Sardanapalus then was the laste kynge of the Assirians accordynge to the order aboue mencioned after that this Monarchie had continued M.CCC yeres for the moste parte of the kynges dyd lyue a very long tyme. Belochus the .xxxix. or elles if it seeme better the first kynge of Assiria in the newe Monarchie Belochus the first king of Assiria in the newe Monarche made Manahem kyng of Israell become tributarie vnto hym The holy scriptures doth not call him Belochus but Phul. Hys successour was Phull Assur surnamed Tiglath Pillesser who wanne certayue townes of Iudea and led the people captiue into Assiria It is that Tiglath whome Achas kyng of Iudea vnder whome Esay lyued prayed to succour hym against the kyng of Siria and vnto whome he sent presentes Salmanasar succeded hym Salmanasor who wanne the towne of Samaria after he had beseged it three yeres and led Hosea kyng of Israell wyth the people captiue gaue them a dwellynge place in hys countrey euen in Medea as the holy scripture saith wherof some haue opinion that he raigned also ouer the Medes
of Iudea were captiues amongst the Babilonians especially seyng that the beginning of this captinitie is counted from the nyntenth yeare of Nabuchodonosors reigne They that folowe thys order of reckning and let passe those two kinges before mentioned do cleaue vnto the holye scripture but chiefly vnto the testimonye of Ieremie who did prophecie that the Iewes shuld serue the kinge of Babilon hys sonne and hys sonnes sonne But it is fre for euery man to iudge herein as they shall thinke good Notwithstanding so it is that Balthasar according to the holye scripture was the last Emperour of Babilon Balthasar the laste Emperour of Babilō and euery one doe agre therein Diuers do write after what fort Babilon was takē but Daniel maketh mention how that god did foreshewe vnto the king the calamitie which did not onely threaten him but euē already did assalt hym sayth that the principal part of the Empyre was transterred to Daryus of Medea Darius beyng then LXII yeres olde The Historiographers do call thys Daryus Cyaxares and he was the sonne of Astiages the eyght king of the Medes whom Daniell doth cal Assuerus who hauing neuer a sonne Assuerus gaue his daughter vn to Cyrus of Persia hys systers sonne and beyng afterwardes assaulted by the king of the Assyrians Cyrus he required Cyrus to succour him Who after that he was arriued wyth his armie chosen chiefe Captayne of the hoste he prosperously behaued himself in his charge for he wanne the most mightye Citye of Babilon After thys victorye Darius is not found to haue liued passing one yeare and yet then when Daryus lyued after the taking of the Citye and that the people of Israel had bene almoste LXX yeares Captiue in Babilon God reueiled to Daniel things of much more importance as he prayed and redde with diligence the prophecye of Ieremye the foreshewer of that Captiuitye For he dyd not onelye assure hym of the delyuerance whyche was at hande but also dyd shewe vnto hym in what tyme the Messyas who shoulde make satysfaction for the fynnes of the worlde shoulde come Daryus veynge deade the Empyre came into the handes of Cyrus and thys is the begynning of an other Monarchye For Cyrus onely dyd enioye the countryes of Assyria Media and of Persya euen vnto the sea of Ionia as Thucydides sayeth moreouer also before the taking of Babilon he dyd take Cresus prysoner in battaile the most myghtye Kynge of Lidia The second Monarchie of Persia Cyrus then is the fyrste Kynge of Persya and the begynner of the seconde Monarchye hauyng vainquyshed the Babilonians he made warre agaynst the Scithians and went euen hymselfe wyth hys armye to meete them where he a moste worthye prynce The death of Cyrus was cyrcumuented by layinge of wayte and beynge taken was kylled In the begynnyng of hys reygne after he had taken Babylon he perinytted the people of Iudea whych were Captiues to returne into theyr countrye and there to buylde agayne the temple and the Citie of Ierusalem for the accomplishing wherof he commaunded to giue liberally towardes the expenses God had exprestye foreshewed these thinges namely by Esaye certaine hundred yeres before that euer he was borne Xenophon doth alledge the same in disputing before his death in the presence of his children of the immortalitie of the soule as it is recitited in Cicero who hath eloquently translated that place as also al others Cyrus liued vnto the age of thre score and tenne yeares he reygned thyrtye yeares for he was fortye when he came to the crowne Cambyses the sonne of Cyrus He had a sonne named Cambyses whō he made gouernour of the kingdome when he toke his iournie for to go and make warre against the Scithians He in the absence of his father who was greatly incombered conquired Egipte being truly an experte warriar but otherwise vitious and retayning none of his fathers vertues Amongest al other his vnhonest shameles and cruell actes he caused his brother traiterously to be slaine Plato saith in the bookes which he writte concerninge lawes The sōnes of Cyrus were yll instructed that Cyrus erred greatly in that that he made hys children to be delicatly broughte vp amongst women whereof came to passe that they being waxed great and being corrupted by flatterers forasmuch as diuers did seke nothing ells but to please them they sought to slaye one an other after their fathers decease Darius the thirde king of Persia Darius the sonne of Histaspos succeded Cambises the second kinge of Persia who had reigned but a while after hys father And for because after the death of Cyrus after that hys armie was so greatly ouerthrowen certaine people and amongest them the Bavilonians did refuse to be subiect to the Persians as sone as he came to the crowne he put himselfe in armes and dyd agayne bringe them vnder his Empyre hauing after long seige taken Babilon by the meanes of Zopirus After that he toke vpon him to make war against the Athenians who not waiting for the helpe of the Lacedemonians dyd out of hād gather an hoste of men to the number of tenne thousand by the which hoste of men vnder the conduction of Miltiades they dyd ouerthrowe that hys great armye in the place called Marathon Darius ouerthrowē by the Athenians Darius thought to renue againe his armie Xerres the fourth Emperour but he died in that enterprise Xerxes his sōne was his successour who .x. yeres after the said iournye of Marathon as Thucidides writeth went into Grecia with an innumerable armie to bring it vnder his subiection Wherefore with one common consent the gouernement principal charge was geuen vnto the Lacedemonians who were then the most mightiest of all Grecia But the Athenians folowing the counsell of Themistocles dyd leaue their Citye and hauynge caryed theyr wiues and childrē hether and thether they toke shipping and they dyd ouercome the enemie nere the I le of Salamis Xerxes ouerthrowē by the Grecians This victorie dyd saue the countrie of Grecia for Xerxes being also discomfited by land he did flye vilanously and vnprosperously homewardes The Grecians also dyd returne after his departure except the Athenians for hauing in armie aboute a. C.C.C.C. vessells they sailed further and gyuing the assault wōne the towne of Sestes in Hellespontus which the Persians did before kepe and after that they had wintered there tourninge homeward vnto their countrie they gathered together their wiues children and did build agayne the walles of theyr Citie which was taken and brunt by the enemy and they did fortifie the porte Cicero writeth that this warre of the Persians The warre of the Persians or as Thucidides calleth it of the Medes fell almost in the selfe same time that that of the Volsciens did wherein was Coriolanus that was bannished from Rome This fell in the yeare of the foundation of Rome CCLXVI. Herodotus which was before Thucidides dyd
Grecia most learned men For Socrates did then florishe Of whom as out of a fountaine proceded Aristippus Plato Antisthenes Speusippus Aristotels Dicearchus Xenocrates Heraclides Thophrastus Polemo and Strato who were all phisitions and according to the saying of Cicero contemplators and searchers out of nature There was also oratours of greate fame as Gorgias Protagoras Prodicus Hippias Isocrates Lisias Demosthenes Hiperides Aeschines Phalereus Demetrius Demochares But of the Historiographers Xenophon whom Cicero doth call Socraticus and Calisthenes the compaynion of Alexander the great were the chiefest Denis the tyrante of Saragosse lyued at that tyme vnto whom Plato beyng come and hauing freely spokē of the duety of a prince he was in very great danger of his life as Cicero reciteth The actes of Denis the Tirante This is he who did not committe the sauegard of his body to his kinsfolkes but vnto cruel and barbarous men gathered here and there who taught his daughtours to shaue for feare of putting his necke in the barbers hands who toke from them the handling of Iron and steelle when they were come to age taught thē to bourne awaye hys bearde and his heare wyth nuttes shells who came not in the night to hys women before that he had sought and searched through out who forasmuch as he durste not propound his oration in the ordinarie feates and skaffoldes he did the same from oute of a tower who declared vnto Damocles the flatterer what was his felicitie which he did esteme so greatlye when he caused him to sytte at hys table where wanted no maner of delicates and where was excessiue abondance of all thinges and yet in the meane time he caused a sword to descēd from out of a planke or beame right ouer his head holding only but by the heare of an horses taile Pyrrhus against the Romains About two and fourtie yeres after the death of Alexander Pyrrhus King of the Epirotes made warre against the Romains and went into Italie The second yeare of the warre he solicited the Senate to enter into a certayne traities of peace and alliaunce but Appius Claudius being of a verye great age and blind who before seuentene yeares was twise Consul as Cicero sayeth he came in Parlament and did disswade the Senate other wise inclyned therto to agree or make peace with hym for he was of so great a courage that for his misfortune he did not leaue of from doing all endeuour both priuatly and publikely The oration that he made concerning Pirrhus for to hynder the peace was found yet in Ciceros tyme as 1 he himselfe witnesseth C. Fabricius Luscinus did good seruice then to the publike weale The faythfullnes of Fabricius Who beyng solicited of Pyrrhus for to rebell dyd nothing regard his great presents nor promises Moreouer he sent againe vnto him prisoner a certaine Fugitiue who did assure him to poisō the king Cicero doth compare him to Aristides of Athens Manius Curius Dentatus did altogether ouerthrowe Pirrhus at his second retourne into Italye and triumphed ouer him Pirrhus was the first the did euer bring Elephantes into Lucania The Romaines hetherto almost for fyue hundreth yeres space did onely make war with the people of Italie amongest whom the Latins Veientes Eques Falisques Samnites the Toscanes did stoutly resyst and did often times rebell being sometimes vanquished and sometimes getting the victorye who finally beinge ouercome and pacifyed there brust forth a longe great warre against the Carthagians whose Citie was much more auncient then Rome The fyrste warre of Carthage as it is most euident Thys warre beganne amongest them in the yeare of Rome foure hundred foure score and fiue in the which the fortune of M. Attilius Regulus is worthy of Memorie For he beyng taken of the Carthagians and sent to Rome for to treate for peace and for the change of prisoners vpō charge and condition that yf he dyd obtayne nothinge he should render himselfe againe prisoner after he was thether ariued An acte worthye of Memorie he gaue cleane contrarye counsell to the Senate and declared that it was not for the prosite of the publyke weale so to doe Afterwardes folowing hys opinion that fayth ought to be kepte euen vnto the enemie The cruell death of Attilius Regulus he retourned vnto Carthage where he was put to death after the moste cruellest maner in the world for they did cutte of hys eye liddes and being bound to an ingine he was killed wyth ouerwakyng During this warre the Romaines at the fyrste did fyght luckelye by sea in Sicilia against Hanno vnder the conduction of Plubius Duillius Consull Thys Duillius and Manius Curius Excellent consulls C. Fabricius Attilius Calatinus Cuee and publius Scipiones Aphricanus with Marcellus Fabius are named of Cicero amongst the excellent Captaines of Rome The yere folowing L. Cornelius Scipio dyd take the Illes of Corsica and of Sardinia This warre of Affricke which had endured twenty and three yeares was pacifyed vnder Quintus Luctatius Catule Circus and Auleus Manlius Consulls Twoo yeares after Ennius was borne whoo was fyue yeares elder then Marcus Portius Cato whome he dyd call hys familier frende The Romaius weare then agayne occupyed wyth neewe warres agaynste the Faliscyans Geneneens Sclauoniens Frenche men them of Bauiers and the Lombardes The second warre of Carthage Who beyng vaynquished there bruste forth another warre of the Carthagiens foure and twenty yeares after the peace was made vnder P. Scipio and Titus Sempronius Longus Consuls Haniball was the head captaine who assaulted the towne of Sagonte passing through Spayne into Fraunce from thence into Italy he wanne thre battailes one after another against the Romains The fyrste at Ticinum A Citie in lumbardy called nowe Pauia Quintus Fabius a most prudēt Captaine the other at the floode of Trebia the thyrd at the lake Trasimenus But Quintus Fabius beyng made dictator and goyng to mete the enemy he by his lingring did stoppe and breake his violence and inuasyon It is he in the praise of whom Ennius writeth One man by his slackinge only Restorde vs the thinge intierly Cicero doth Iudge him to be of a verye subtyll minde and that he could easely concele holde hys peace disemble spye out and preuent the enterprises of enemyes Since the Romain people did receaue a great ouerthrowe in the place called Cannes the which gaue such occasion of feare to the Citie that diuers of the chiefest were mynded to forsake it and to flye awaye But they were comforted and kepte backe by P. Cornelius Scipio the sonne of Publius Archimedes excellēt in Algorisme musike Geometrie Astro nomie a verye hardye and manfull yonge man who was then but goynge into xxv yeres Foure yeares after M. Marcellus dyd winne the towne of Saragosse after long seyge Archimedes an excellent Mathematicion was killed in the assaulting of the towne who making certayne fygures in the dust dyd
excellēcie of captaines did greatly enlarge her dominiō Cicero writeth that P. Scipio after the takinge of Carthage did render vnto the Sicilians the Images and ornaments that the Carthagians had take from them aforetime and did render vnder the Agrigentins that renoumed bul which is said to haue bene within the tyrante Phalaris denne wherin he vsed to shut vp lyue men for to bourne them with fier which he did kindell in the toppe therof This Phalaris was not killed by craftye snares or intrapmentes as diuers other tyrantes were but all the Agrigentins on a heape did caste themselues vpon him to slay him Cicero nameth the country of Affrike The warre of the Romaines against the Acheans the bulwarke and fortresse of all the prouinces About that time the Romains stirred vp warre against the Acheans a certaine people of Grecia because that they had violated outraged theyr Embassadours The head of this armie was the Consul L. Mummius who also wāne the victorie in such sort that al Achaia dyd yeld vnto him The destruction of Corinthius And by the wyll of the Senate he brunte Corinthus the principall and chiefest Citie of all Grecia as sayth Cicero he did vtterly beate it downe to the ground to take away all feare of euer buylding or reestablishing it againe Mummius was for the gettynge of thys vyctorye surnamed Achaicus Warre a gainst Viriatus In that time also one named Viriatus did vsurpe the kingdome of Portingall who frō a shepharde was become a hunter from a hunter to a theyfe and fynally a conductour of a myghty armye He dyd fyghte for the space of certayne yeares agaynst the Romaynes and often tymes to hys owne aduantage But at the last he was slain by treason By thys meanes the Consul Decius Iunius Brutus dyd vanquishe all portingall euen vnto the Ocean sea The war of Numance In the meane time during these troubles the Romains had receiued a great ouerthrow of thē of Numance in Spaine And therfore because other wise it shuld be greatly ignominius vnto thē they mynded not to keepe the traitye of peace whyche was made by Mancinus Consull but dyd agayne electe oute of order Publius Scipio Aemylianus Aphricanus to be Consul and gaue vnto hym the charge and conductyon of the warre He went forth with an armie and finding there the souldiours very nice and vnpatient of labour he accustomed them vnto a more sure discipline and euen straight out of hande he beseiged the Cytye round about And finally he toke it and destroyed it fourtene yeres after the destructiō of Carthage and in the DCXXII yeare of the foundation of Rome Cicero doth call Carthage and Numance the two terrors of the Romain Empire In that time rose the tumult of bondmen in Sicilia The warre of bondmē and slaues who fynally could scarse be vanquished by the Consull C. Fuluius yea albeit that he had raised vppe a great armie Shortly after the Romaines had warre in Asya againste Aristonicus For Attalus king of Pergame had appointed and ordained by hys testament the Romaines for his inheritour But Aristonicus his kinsman possessing that part of Asia did beguile the Romaines of the will of the testament The Consul M. Perpenna dyd defye hym and toke him captiue The yere folowing which was the sixe hundreth twenty and fyftye yeres of the age of the City P. Scipio Aphricanus lying in his house The death of P. Scipio Aphricanus was smothered in the night euen of his nerest kinsfolks as it is thought Cicero doth praise him for his singular eloquence loyaltie and wisdome He writeth that there was no information at all made of his death albeit that the whole Citie was greatly sory therefore and sayth moreouer that the very same yere the sunne did shewe her self double So by this meanes he who was most noblest excellenst of the captaynes of warre died at the age of sixe fiftie yeres Cicero faineth in a certaine litle Booke that Aphricanus the first of that name dyd foreshewe hym this mishape In thys tyme lyued Lucilius Terentius Pacunius Accius Licinius Cecilius and Afranius C. Lelius the very welbeloued of Aphricanus doth call Pacunius hys frend and Terence his familier These thinges being ended Fabius Maximus Consul wanne a great battaile against the Sauoisiens Auuergnats and them of Rhodez who are all Gaulles The two Grackes In the same time also C. Gracchus Tribune of the people an eloquent man and defender of the law appertaining to the deuiding of landes was killed at Rome twelue yeres after that Tiberius Graccus his brother had ben slayne for the selfe same matter Cicero doth praise thē both for their eloquence But as for Tiberius orations he iudgeth them not to be greatly fyne in words but sufficientlye subtill and full of wisedome As concerninge his brother Caius he is of opinion that his doings ought to be read but especially of the youth for because that he cannot onely sharppen but also nourishe and increase the wytte and for this cause he calleth him the most ingenious and eloquenest amongest the Romaines Gracchus dreame Gracchus had afore dreamed that his brother Tiberius did aduertise him that he should dye the same death that he dyed and Cicero sayeth that before that he was chosen Tribune of the people he declared this vnto diuers Their lawes are yet founde as of wheate of bringynge certayne citizens oute of Rome to place them els where of the profite of souldiours of the administration of prouinces of the voice of the people of letting out to hire the lands of Attalus of Asia The warre of the Romaines against Iugurtha king of Numidie folowed these perturbations of Tribunes This warre was enterprised by L. Calphurnius Bestia The warre against Iugurtha Consull after wards continued by P. Cecilius Metellus and fynally brought to an end by the Consull C. Marius who afore time had bene a warrefare vnder P. Scipio Bacchus king of Mauritanie compainion of Iugurtha was causor of the fynishing of this warre For he seing himselfe ouerthrowen in battayle and myndynge not to hazarde hymselfe any more he delyuered Iugurtha prisonner vnto Silla who for that purpose was sent of Marius At that time to witte syxe hundreth eyght and fourtye yeares of the age of the Citye M. Tullius Cicero was borne The byrth of Cicero which was eyghte yeares after the byrth of Q. Hortensius a notable Oratour Durynge the warre of Iugurtha an Infynite number of hygh and lowe Almains dyd enter by violence partlye into Italye and partly into Gallia who after that they had made a great slaughter of the Romains and had ouerthrowen in feild somtimes Proconsulls other times lieutenātes finally they were al vanquished ouercome by C. Marius Tētones Chimbres ouerthrowē by Marius who was foure tymes Cōsul The hygh Almains were ouerthrowen at Aix in prouince and the lowe at the inner borders of Lombardie This lucke was folowed
Antonius Consull fellow in offyce with Cesar doth charg Cicero also before the Senate as consenting therto forasmuch as incoÌ„tinently after Cesar was slaine M. Brutus holding vp the bloudy sword cried out naming hym was thankful vnto him for the libertie recouered Some there be that say that Cesar spake in Greke to M. Brutus euen in the very instant that he fell vpon him to slay him and that he called him soÌ„ne I caÌ„not wel tell how they vnderstand the same Notwithstanding so it is that it is manifest by Cicero that Brutus was but fiften yeres yonger then Cesar The said Cesar had made certain lawes partly in hys consull ship partly when he was Dictatour Leges Iulae the which in his respect are called IuliaÌ„ lawes They are as concerning feildes iudgements violence requiring againe of the polings extorsions of gouernors of benifites of vsurie There are certaine other of the same name but they were made by Octauius Euery one doth coÌ„fesse that Cesar was very clement mercifull Cicero moreouer doth prayse him for his spirite for his subtilitie reason memorie instructioÌ„ ripe thoughts diligence yet neuer theles he was greatly greued and wroth that he did raigne beare rule albeit that he couÌ„terfeted the contrarye He writeth in a certaine epistle to Atticus Thou shalt vnderstaÌ„d that this raigne caÌ„not endure aboue half a yere Now in al these doinges Cicero was greatly variable incoÌ„stant For in the war he ioyned himselfe to the campe of PoÌ„peius toke his part albeit that he did reprehend his faint hart his negligence Moreouer besides this The inconstancye of Cicero in the epistles to his frends he called Cesar during the war tirant monster But after that PoÌ„peius was dispatched that Cesar pardoned diuers he changed his time note and in three orations whiche he made he exalted him euen to the verye heauen so greatlye dyd he prayse and magynifye hym And sence that Ceser had bene aduertised that he was conspired against and that oftentimes he brast forth in these words that he had lyued long ynough Cicero prayed and besoughte hym to put away that fantasye For althoughe that he had gotten as much glory as was possible that in respecte hereof he had lyued long ynough for himself notwithstanding he had liued to lytle a whyle for the publike weale the which could not well want or be destitute of his succour and defence Moreouer saith he thou hast no occasion to feare any daunger at all for all as many as we are of vs doe promyse the not onelye to make good watche for to kepe the but also to present and put our owne persones in readines before thee After that Ceser was slaine he triumphed for ioye said that the mourderers had obtained so great glory that the verye heauen could not comprehend the same This then is the fourth and last Monarchie The fourth and last Monarchye Wherin we must note how of small beginninges that Citye hath encreased and mounted by lytle and litle to souerain power For beyng buylt by shypheards fynallye it became Maisteris of the whole world Hereafter folowyng I wyll declare as briefely as shal be possyble lowe she is sence decayed and fallen daye by daye from that hyghnes and greate domination and hath bene ruined The second booke Octauius Antonius Lipidus C Cesar beynge slayne C. Octauius hys Nephewe by hys Systers syde drewe the legions vnto him and pursewed most sharpely the mourderers At the beginninge it semed that he put himselfe in armes agaynste Marcus Antonyus in fauour of the publike weale but finally he hauinge parted the Empyre betwene hym and M. Lepidus he established the dominion of thre Triumuiri named Triumuiri Cicero slaine by Antonius vnder whom M. Cicero who had made vehement warre againste Antonius was slaine by his commaundement beyng then thre score and thre yeares olde eyght yeres after the decease of Q. Hortentius who was eyghte yeares elder then he as it hath bene sayd here before It is certain that Cicero was fouly deceiued in his enterprises For because that after the death of Cesar Antonius did trouble the publike weale he commaunded vnto the Senate C. Octauius Cesars kinsman beyng then a yonge man of the age of twenty yeares whom he meruelously exalted to the Senate And not content herewyth he put in their heads to create him Consull hauyng no respecte to his age alledging to the perswation therof diuers auncient examples by the whych he would proue that the thing were lawefull Moreouer he confuted the argumentes by the which certaine causes of feare and danger might be alledged and swore vnto the Senate by hys fayth that Octauius shoulde alwayes remayne such a citezin as he was at that time sayd that they ought both to wishe him and desyre him Sence that Octauius did resyste and withstand him and committed him into the hands of Antonius M. Brutus also doth grauely rebucke him for that he flattered Octauius Now as it oftentimes commeth to passe the gredy desire of bearing rule and aucthoritie did engender raise vp dyssentions amongest theÌ„ Warre botwene the in such sort that Lipidus being deposed from the office of the Triumuiri and beyng bannished Triumuiri for hauing conspired against Octauius he sought to reuenge himself vpon Antonius who was his other compaynion and fellow in office And after the victorie of ActiacaÌ„ he ouerthrewe him with Cleopatra of whom mention hath ben made herebefore nere vnto Alexandria and constrayned them to kyll themselues Afterwards he made Egipt a prouince of the Romains The Historiographers say that in the raigne of Ptolomeius Auletes the yerely reuenue of Egipt did mounte to twelue thousand fyue hundreth talentes The yerely reuenew of Egypte the which summe according to that counte of the learned men of our time doth amounte vnto three score and fyuetene hundreth thousande crownes courrante Sence that the sayd country was vnder the aucthoritie of the Romaines it is estemed and Iudged to haue bene of farre muche greater reuenue by reason of the trafike of India and Ethiopia After the death of Antonius Octauius kept alone the Empyre fortye fower yeares And the twenty ninthe of his Empire the yeare of the creation of the world three thousand nyne hundreth fiftye and foure as diuers counte oure Sauiour Iesus Christ was borne The byrth of Iesus Christ seuen yeres after that Herodes surnamed the Great had sumptuously reedifyed the temple of Ierusalem altogether ruinated M. Antonius had married Octauius Syster but falling in loue wyth Cleopatra at such time as he visited the country of Asia he forsoâ—e hys sayd wyfe and toke Cleopatra The which gaue partly occasion of the warre The excesciuenes of Antonius Cleopatra Bothe of them were excessyue in all manner of sumptuousnes and the Authours haue written things almost incredible of their feastes delicacies pleasures
and pastymes And notwythstandyng they ended theyr lyues in the manner before sayde Marcus Antonius was the Nephewe of Marcus Antonius the most renoumed oratour of whom mention hath bene made Warre of the Romains in Duchelande During the raigne of C. Octauius the Romaine host made first of all warre against the Germaines yea euen in their countrye Truth it is that Iulius Cesar had twise ouerthrowen the Germains but that was in Fraunce To wit Ariouistus at Lyons in Fraunce and after that at the place where the ryuer called the Maze and the Rheyne mette together That iourny beyng wōne he made a brydge wheron he passed ouer the Rheyne but remaining not long there he incontinently brought agayne his armie into Fraunce brake down the bridge The expedition of Cesar in Germanie Two yeres after he passed ouer the Rheyne againe vpon a bridge a little aboue that place where he had before conducted ouer hys army and then he purposed to march into Swane But being well instructed certified of al things by the spies and fearing the danger difficulty yea euen the want of munitions he retired into Fraunce and brake downe one part of the bridge on the other part he built a tower with a litle bulwarke where he left good garnison for to kepe his enemies alwaies in feare of hys retourne Iulius Cesar dyd no other thing vnto the Germains euen as he himself saith But Octauius did war against the Grisons thē of Ausburgh by Tiberius Drusus bretheren from out of the country of Colaine Tiberius Drusus whych was in leage with the Romains he inuaded assalted that part of Duchland which is called Westphalia by his captaine Quintilius Varus But Ariminius the conductor of the Chiruscorans did put them almost al to the sword betwen the riuers Amisia and Luppia Horatius comforteth Vergill in a most eloquent song Ariminius ouerthroweth the Romaynes because that he was verye sore greued with the death of Varus Drusus died in Ducheland leauing behind him two sōnes of whom one was named Germanicus was a mā of singuler vertue the other Claudius Horatius prayseth Drusus in a most learned verse as it hath bene said doth refer hys originall ofspring to Claudius Nero who beyng for the second time consull with Marcus Liuius Salitor saccaged Asdruball the brother of Hannibal The victories of Augustus who conducted a new armie neare the floode Metaurus Augustus dyd assubiect moreouer the Gascons the Calmates the Sclauonyans wyth the Salassyans who dwell in the Alpes It is said that he was dyuers times minded to discharge himself of the bourden of the Empyre But consideryng on the other side that yf he did returne againe to his owne priuate estate he should not be in safetye forasmuch as he sawe it would be very dangerous to put the pub-weale into so many mens hands he changed his mind and opinyon The death of Herodes kynge of Iudea The thre and thirtye yeare of hys raygne Herodes surnamed the great whom he and Marcus Antonius had established kynge of Iudea in the third yere of their triumuiriship departed out of this lyfe and thre yeares after also hys sonne and successour Archelaus deceassed who was sent in exill to Vienna in Dolphenye there for to end hys lyfe It is found in writing that for the garrisons of the prouinces of the Empyre Octauius did kepe maintayne forty foure legyons thre in Egipt as many in Spaine eyght in Duchland Certaine haue cast the some of the yearely expenses whyche was necessarye for the payment of so manye Souldyours The great expenses of Octauius and they brynge the totall to syxe score hundreth thousande crownes couraunte so that for euerye Legyon they assygne twoo hundrethe three scoore and twelue thousande Crownes Now they counte euerye Legion to be syxe thousande footemen and fyue hundreth horsemen Octauius is greatly praised for the good affectiō and liberalitie which he shewed towards the learned The Poetes of fame were at that time Varius Virgile Plotius Galgius Fuscus the two Gisques Pollio Messala the Bibules Seruius Furnius and Horatius who desyreth that hys Verses might be approued of the aboue named caringe lyttle or nothyng for the Iudgement of others Truely from Portius Cato and Aphricanus the first there was alwaies at Rome hetherto a continuall succession of excellent spirites But that time of Augustus is almost the last that euer helde the naturall sauour substaunce and collour of the Latin tounge Corruption of the Latin tounge without any corruption For afterwards by succession of time the tounge waxed more and more corrupt euen till such time as it be came altogether barbarous as it hath continued euen vnto our age Cicero sayeth that the natiue Poetes of Corduba spake somewhat grosely and strangely but what would he haue said or iudged of them that liued an hundreth yeres after I meane not onely of them who were borne and nourished at Corduba but euen of Rome it selfe After Augustus Tiberius his sonne in law toke the charge of the Empyre The Emperour Tiberius 3. but sore against his will as he seemed and after that in the end he was ouercome and perswaded by the supplications and requests of the Senate At the first he would enterprise nothinge hymselfe alone but dyd consulte with the Senat of al things that were of any importance Neuertheles shortly after he laid cleane a syde the care and respecte of the publike weale and gaue himself ouer vnto all maner of voluptuousnes In his raigne the Parthians did vsurpe the country of Armenia the Dacians and Sarmatians spoiled the country of Masia and the Germains the country of Faunce but he being careles was nothyng moued therwith Certaine yea euen of them that are of great reputatiō in Theologie The yeare of the death of Christ do hold that our sauiour Christ was crucifyed the fyuetene of his raygne notwithstanding Luke writeth that he was baptised of Ihon the selfe same and yere M. Cocceius Nerua florished then the father the sonne and Cassius Longinus Iurisconsulls Tiberius was the sonne of Tiberius Nero who fought in battayle for Iulius Cesar in the warre of Alexandria C. Cesar Caligula a most wicked monstrous sonne of a very good father named Germanicus succeded him Durīg the thre twentye yeres that Tiberius had the gouernement of the Empyre it is said that he had heaped and gathered an infinite number of gold al the which Caligula spent euen in one yeare About the seconde yere of his raigne Herodes Antipa Herodes Antipa Herodes Agrippa Claudius Cesar sonne of Herodes the Great and murderer of Ihon Baptise was sent in exyll to Lions had to his successour Herodes Agripa who beheaded Iames the Apostle After that Caligula was slain Claudius his Vncle was placed in his roume Who marched in to England because that the I le was reuolted hauing recouered
Capadocia and Asia and beyng embarked on the sea Euxinus they entred into the ryuer Ister and saylyng vpwards they did great violence vppon the confederates and aliauntes of the Romaines The meane whyle Gallienus was so negligent and voyde of all care that hauyng worde and newes brought hym of the prouinces whych did rebell and of the publyke miseries he made but a laughyng stocke thereat and contemptuously answered as yf notwithstanding these accidents the publyke weale dyd remaine firme and stable and entertayned in her dignitie her state and condition beyng nothyng lessoned or diminished Wherethrough he grewe into contempt as well of hys owne countrey as of straungers for hys fylthy lyuyng In such sort that dyuers enemies dyd ryse vp agaynst the publyke weale At that tyme the Gothes and Scithians were in armes with diuers other people mingled amongest them who had all conspired against the Romaynes and they were aboute three hundred and twenty thousand men Flauius Claudius But Flauius Claudins Gallienus successour who was slaine put them all to the edge of the sword as he was a man of great vertue worthy of longer lyfe After him Aurelianus raigned forbecause that his vertue was knowen manifest Aurelianus For in the tyme of Claudius raigne he had shewed a profe and triall thereof against the enemye in diuers places He had sundry warres in Lumbardy and fought against the Marcomanes dangerously and doubtfully at the begynnyng but luckely and fortunatly after that at his request the Senate had made the bookes of Silla to be searched and had done the things requisite for to pacifie the Goddes From thence he macched to Rome where he caused certain rebells who had conspired in his absence to be punyshed Which being done he tooke in hande for to recouer again the Prouinces that are in the East and in Syria Zenobia y◠valiāt wyfe of Odenatus the which Zenobia a valiaunt and couragious woman murderer of her owne chyldren dyd possesse who were left vnto her by her owne husbande Odenatus who in Gallienus tyme had made diuers skermishes assaultes in his dominiōs In euery coast as the sayd Aurelianus passed through he saccaged the enemyes of the Romains as in Sclauonia Thracia and other places and finally beyng entred into the enemyes countrey after doubtfull and daungerous fyghte he remained Victour in suche sorte that he tooke the Queene prisoner who trusting and hopyng vppon the succour of the Persians and Medians had stoutly and manfully resisted him The principall citie of the countrey which he had subdued was Palmyra whose inhabitantes dyd rebell at such time as the Emperour passed frō Asia into Europa and slew the garrison with theyr captayn He then retourned agayne thither and after he had taken the citie he destroyed spoiled it puttyng them all in such sort to the edge of the sword that he pardoned neither man woman nor chylde Afterwards he conquered againe Egypt whych was reuolted from the subiection of the Romaines This done he triumphed at Rome from thence passing through Sclauonia he defied the Persians But he was murthered in the way by his familier frends After his death the Empyre was vacant for a certayn space a thynge whych neuer befell afore since Romulus tyme. At length Tacitus succeded Tacitus who raigned a few monethes in the which he did nothyng worthy of memory The Senate had made request vnto him that at his disceasse he woulde not leaue the charge and gouernment of the Empyre to his children but that he would chose some valiaunt and god man whose vertue should be vnto them well knowen By this meanes Probus was elected Probus who being confirmed both of the hooste and of the Senate he recouered Fraunce and vanquished the French Almains in diuers conflictes In Sclauonia he slew and cut in peces the Sarmatians and other nations Afterwards hauyng made passage through Thracia he subdued the barbarous people and made them by feare of the name of the Romains and by his great valiauntnes become obedient vnto him He pacified Asia and moued the king of the Parthians onely through his fame and renoume to demaund defier peace of him He made agrement with the Persians forthwith retourned into Thracia and transported certain straunge people vanquished by him into the countrey of the Romains of whom some remained faithful other sone vnfaithful rebellious Whome he afterwards suppressed for the most part After hauing pacified the sedicions styrred vp in Fraunce Spaigne England he marched by Sclauonia for to go inuade the Persians but he was circūuented slain of his mē by treason The publyke weale then florished because that the nations round about were euery where peaceable quiet in such sort that on a certayn tyme Probus brast forth in these wordes saying we shall short stand in no nede of Legions and garrisons The cause of Probus death The souldiours beyng offended with these words consulted for to hinder the peace Carus was placed in his roume who saccaged the Sarmatians Carus which were become more arrogant and presumptuous through the death of Probus they threatned Italy Afterwards in the iorney against the Persians he toke Mesopotamia proceading further he was apprehended by death His yonger sonne named Numerianus folowed the battaill straight after him for he had left Carinus in Fraunce for to be gouernour of the countrey Numerianus was slaine by his father in law Diocletianus tooke his roume Diocletianus with whō Carinus made battaill on a certain tyme for the Empyre but beyng vanquished he dyed Diocletianus seyng the troubles and tumultes whych rose vp in sundrye places tooke Maximianus for hys adherent He pacified Fraunce Maximianus whyche was vnquiet and Affricke lykewyse Diocletianus for hys part dyd pacifie Egypt puttyng to death the authours of the tumultes and conspiraties He conquered also England ten yeres after their reuoltyng And to the end that the state of the publyke weale myght be moore stable and that no moore tumultes myght be raysed as touchyng the succession Galerius a Constātius he adopted Galerius and Maximianus Constantius Chlorus Galerius beynge sent by Diocletianus againste Marses kyng of the Persians had vnhappye lucke in battaill for he lost the most part of his armye But hauyng commaundement to renewe agayn the fyght he ouerthrew the enemyes in a great battell and entred further into those parties then euer dyd any Emperour except Traianus For he tooke the towne of Othesiphon and subdued all Assiria Moreouer he put vnder hys subiection fyue Prouinces beyonde the floud Tiger which were reuolted in the tyme of the Emperour Traianus All thyngs beyng well ordered in Asia Diocletianus retourned into Europa where at that tyme the Scythians Sarmatians Alains Bastarnes Carpians and they of Hesse and of Franconia were peaceable and kept them selues quiet A resignation of the Empyre And shortly after he and Maximianus did renounce the Empyre assigning it into
third booke How the Almaines are entred into frauÌ„ce BEFORE that we begyne to speake of Charlemayne vnto whom according as we haue sayd the West Empyre was bequethed it behoueth to declare somewhat of the Germaines of whom he proceaded Fyrst of all it is most euident that the Germayns haue oftentymes passed the Rheine and haue entred into the French dominioâ—s to the end there to make their inhabitition because of the goodnes of the country For the Teuthons did pierce into Prouince where they were defeicted by the Consull C. Marius Synce as the Auuergnaes and they of Autun did stryue and contâ—nd for the principalitie certain bands of Almaynes hyred of the Auuergnaes and tâ—â—y of Sens came thether By litle and lytle they so encreased that vnder the king Ariouistus they possessed the most part of the country Iulius Cesar defeicted them in plaine battaâ—le And certayn yeres aâ—ter as he made war against them of Liege which is a people beyond Brabant the Germains passed again ouer the Rheine for to assaile the Romain host But they were ouerthrowen where the Maze and the Rheyne meteth Many yeares after they held theÌ„selues within their limites because that the Romain Emperours made war vpon theÌ„ But hauing gotten a certayn apt commodious time they loked vnto theyr aduantage and forraged Fraunce without ceasse So likewise in the Emperour Gallienus time a voluptuous man and of no worthines they did inuade and oppresse it by succession of time became so mightie that the Emperour Probus the fourth after Gallienus draue them out with great difficultie Iulianus also Lieutenant of the Emperour Constans dyd ioyne in battaile with them Synce in the Emperour Honorius time the Gothes entred by force of armes into Fraunce who beyng encoumbred with diuers wâ—rres graunted them the country of Aquiâ—ania to dwell in On the other syde the French Almayns entryng in armes through the country called Gallia Belgica suppressed them of Trire GilderlaÌ„d Cleaue with them of Liege of Terouane of Turney of Amiens of Beauuoys of Soissonois Which done they toke their habitatioÌ„ in that part of Gallia Paris the head Citie of FrauÌ„ce the which yet at this day beareth the name of Fraunce Wherof Paris is the head Citie nere wherto is the town of S. Denis the which was afterwards consecrated to bury the kings as it is yet at this present They being so enlarged and holding also before a great part of Germanie to witte al the country about the riuer of Mein and of Rheyne did not onely defeÌ„d themselues if any came to assaile them but also set vpon others And as the Romain Empire fel dai by day into decay in Asia Afrike the Lombards also waistig Italy they maruelously enlarged their limites in Fraunce Afterwardes manye of their kings raigned there vntil such time as the kyngdom fel into the hands of Pipine of Charlemaine his sonne Charles Martellus was the father of Pipine who was not king but one of the princes great maisters as they are commonly called He vanquished them of Bauiers of Swaine For according as the writters of the * Histories of Actes yerely done Annales of Fraunce do mention the time hath bene that the kynges haue had but only the tytle and the name as touching the whole aucthorie it was in the hands of the great Maister The Great maisters of Fraunce their credit For they were altogether degenerated from the vertue manlines of their ancestours and being addicted vnto pleasures voluptuousnes they toke no care of the publike weale Wherfore the Great maister had the administration and dyd increase so much the more hys power as the lithernes carlesnes of the king did abound Pipine who was great maister in the raigne of Childericus came to the crowne vnder such occasion The kyngs suffer the pope to displace them the thing hauing bene debated vpon before pope Zachary as they say MentioÌ„ is made hereof in the decree which they intitill of Gratianus where it is said to be lawfull vnto the popes to put the kynges out of their thrones But the tytle inscriptioÌ„ of that place is false For albeit that there haue ben two Emperours named Anastasius notwithstaÌ„dyng it cannot be attributed neither to the one nor to the other forasmuch as the first raigned more then two C. yeres before the befell the other .xxxvii. Moreouer in the last mans daies there was neuer any pope named Gelasius I thought it necessarye to adde this Contraritie in the writinges of Popes for to aduertise the readers to read intentiuely warly the writigs of popes For we find in diuers places that their chiefe end is to put their lawes in credite auctority by falsly giuing to vnderstand that they are very ancient Ouer besides this that Pipine did suppresse the Lombards in Italy at the request of the pope as is before said he made warre agaynst the Saxons and moreouer against them of Aquitania whose Duke beynge taken he slewe After the death of Pipyne they oftentymes rebelled But Charlemayne hys sonne putte ende vnto the twoo warres to wytte that of Saxonye and of Aquitania but not wyth oute greate trauayle LoÌ„g warre against the Saxons He had warre with the Saxons for thre thirtie yeares space and during this warre he was also occupied with others For he did subdue the country of Bauier the which did rebell vnder the conduction of the Captain Tassilon and made two iournies against the Lombards and passed euen into the land of Lauor in such sort that he subiected all Italy and ordayned lawes as touchyng policie He constrained also the cities of Gallia situated about the Ocean sea in times past named * The auncient name of Britaine in FrauÌ„ce Armorica and now comprehended vnder the name of lytle Britayne to do their duety Because that they refused to pay the tribute that was yerely dew vnto the kings of FrauÌ„ce He went also into Spain where he was victorious against the Saracenes but at his returne the Gascons a people of Aquitania did lay waite for him in the forestes called * Mountaines which do diuide Fraunce froÌ„ Spaine Pirenees discomfited him Finally at the eyght yeres end he vainquished the HuÌ„nes who held the country of Hungaria pacified Bohemia by hys LieutenaÌ„ts His last war was against the Danois or Normanes who wasted all that side of Germanye and of Gallia with their sea armie Through these so great actes he was surnamed the Great For before tyme the French kings did hold but that part of Germany which is betwen Saxony and Dunowe betwen the Rheyâ—e the riuer of Sala betwene Swane and Bauieres But he annexed the whole country of Saxonie moreouer the two Hungaries Demnarbe or the great Westphalyâ— Ireland and the mediteran cost of Dalmatia The aboue sayd French kings did possesse in Gallia the part which is betwene the Rheine and Loire
* people of Frannce Soisonois The writters of the Annales of Fraunce say that the ecclesiastical prelates whose pride and superfluity he did reprehend did raise moue this tempest in an assembly that they made at Aix in Germany Impiety of the bishops and did pushe forward the children to enterpryse such execrable wyckednes He notwithstanding was deliuered sixe monthes after to the great ioye contentation of the people and the kingdome with all his other goods was restored vnto him Since that he came to quietnes it is chiefly to be noted that diuers coūsells were holden in Fraunce Counsells holden in Fraunce The first next the abouesaid of Aix was holden at Troye in Campania after at Reimes at Clermoūt in Auuergne at Tours at Diion at Paris Lions Vienne Auignon Viarron in Berry Orleans and truely dyuers almost in eche of the sayd places For when the estate of thinges did so require the kings did conuocate the ecclesiasticall order the other lords for to remedy the publike inconueniences After this sort Ludouicus the .xii. who had great enimities debates with Iulius the second held a counsell of his subiectes at Tours at Lions the yere of saluation a M.D.X. a. XI Let vs now retourne to our purpose Ludouicus beyng disseassed and buryed at Mets Lotharius succeded who had warre with his brethren Newe parting of the kingdome betwen the brethren But fynally it was appeased new particion was made Where through Germanye fell vnto Ludouicus lot with a part of Fraunce From the Maze to the Rheine Fraunce befell vnto Charles from the Englishe sea the hiles Pirenees vnto the Maze Lotharius ouer and besides that he was Emperour obtayned Italy and the Prouince of Narbonne The Saracenes repressed Ludouicus the second his sonne succeded him who did represse the Saracenes that did rushe in to Italye In hys raygne Adrianus the seconde was Pope amongest others yea wyth oute the Emperours consent as theyr bookes report And was created by the nobilitye of Rome by the Citezins and by theym whom they call the clargye For albeit the Emperours Embassadours were in the Towne not wythstandynge they weare not called to the electyon And for as muche as they were wroth herewyth it was aunswered them that that was not done in contempt of the Emperour but for to take hede that hereafter the custome of wayting for the Emperours Embisadours should not enter in credyte as nessarye They say that the Embassadours were not onely pleased with this aunswere but that also they dyd humble curtesy vnto the Pope Here a man may perceiue in their writings a maruelous inconstancie variety For if according to their saying Ludouicus the first did graunt vnto them fre election as also we haue here aboue mentioned why did his Nephew Ludouicus the secōd thinke iniurie to be done vnto hym But how so euer the matter goeth the title of the decree which is in the repertories of Gratianus is manifestly false False shode in the great decre of Gratianus For it is attributed vnto Gregorie the fourth albeit that he was dead two and twenty yeares before that Adrianus the second came to be Pope He being dead could he wrytte the Historye of things whych besell afterwardes Before Adrianus was Nicolas the first of whom is found a longe Epistle vnto Michell Emperour of Gretia where he maketh dyscourse of hys power ouer al churches For Ignatius was put out of his Bishoprike at Cōstantinople and Photius placed in hys roume no mention beyng made ther of vnto the Byshoppe of Rome yea the Images were beaten downe He cryeth therefore there agaynst as muche as he coulde possyble Diuers of his decrees do yet remayn ful of Papall maiestie The aboue said Charles king of Fraunce made hast to goe into Italy albeit that his other brother Ludouicus king of Germany who was his elder did resyst him There he was cōsecrated by the byshop of Rome Iohn the eygth He went for the second time at the Popes request to resyst the Saracenes who again had enuaded the coūtry of Campania Ludouicus the maffler and died at Mantua His sonne Ludouicus surnamed the Maffler succeded hym but he raigned but two yeres Charles the Great The Empyre came from hym to Charles the great sōne of Ludouicus kyng of Germany who after the death of hys twoo brethren possessed all Germany Italy and Fraunce and defeicted the Saracenes who troubled Italye He made warre for a certaine space against the Normayns a people of low Germany who forraged in Gallia Belgica Fynally he graunted theym that part of Fraūce which beareth their name vnto this day Arnulphus Emperour The Emperour Arnulphus his nephew by the brother syde succeaded after him who truely was an excellent Prince He marched into Italy for to deliuer the Pope Formosus from his aduersaries and forthwith toke the Citie of Rome where he caused the authours of the seditiō to be punished In his time the Hungares beyng driuen from the country of Scithia cast themselues vpon Pannonia and in the tyme that Ludouicus the third sonne of Arnulphus was Emperour they passed into Germany and hauing wonne a triumphant victorie nere the flood of Lech they filled Bauier Swane Franconie and Saxonie with slaughters robberies and burnings In the Emperour Arnulphus time there was a Counsell holden at Tribur a towne sytuated vpon the Mein at the which were present .xxii. Bishoppes of Germany And amongst dyuers thyngs it was ordayned that none shuld sell the buriyng of the dead A decree for bedding selling of Graues Berengarius and that no layman as they call them should be buried wyth in the church At this time a great fyer was kindled in Italy For Berengarius and other great lords of Lombardie vnto whō Charles the Balde had done great benefites cōspired against Fraūce at such tyme as Charles the great was Emperour Sedition in Italy by Berengarius But perceauyng that they could auayll nothinge herein they tourned their enterprisses against Italy and hauing skermished a long time amongst themselues as commonly it hapneth they did very great hurt Finally Berengarius remaining victorious he obtained the kingdome of Italy and as writtings do mention he toke and put out the Emperour Ludouicus eies who had thether conducted his armie At that time also to the end that no calamitie might be wanting the Saracenes Affrikans Hungares horribly wasted and spoyled Italye And for that the estate of Italy so fayre a region was thus miserable and bloudy vnder the Berengareis Hugo Rudolphus Lotharius Albertus and certayn others and that the Emperour Ludouicus was disseassed in these hurlieburlies the Almains and chiefely the Saxons offred the Empire to Otho prince of Saxonie of Turing But he being then of great age perswaded them to electe Conrad Duke of Franconie Conrad Duch Emperour Who beyng in the estate dyd almost all things by the counsell of Otho Moreouer Otho
pope on thother side his own innocencie He was mynded to go to Lyons to hazard hymself but that again there arose a commotion in Italy whereagainst he employed all hys force But because that his affayres prospered yll being returned into Puel he fell sick finally dyed Some saye that he was poysoned other saye that he was strangled by Manfredus his bastard son who afterwards possessed Italy Azo Iurisconsul was then in great fame Azo Iuris consul after whom came this infinite band of wryters who hauyng transgressed the act of the emperour Iustinian no lesse graue then seuere haue fylled the world with innumerable bokes Wherfrom now we must draw that which the auncient Doctours had moste abundantly and moste learnedly intreated For they robbe one anothers wrytyngs and there is no end nor measure of their wrytyng and all is full of contrary opinions infinite bookes of Legistes in such sort that the saying of the olde man who had consulted with thre aduocates may be here very properly applyed you haue done well sayed he but I am in far greater doubt then I was before I omit the cauilations that are forged daily more more Truly here is that accomplished which the Commodie saith by subteltie one euyll doth engender another Terrence in the cōmodie of Phorninon Cicero complayneth that diuers singuler ordinaunces of lawes are corrupted depraued by the dispositions of Iurisconsuls What woulde he now do yf he lyued and saw these high pyles of bokes with our practise If he sawe this holy temple of lawes to be so vilelye poluted and so miserablye prophaned Howbeit as God hath in our age brought again to light all arts so he hath styrred vp diuers who indued with good letters haue prosperously trauayled herein do yet trauayle Learned iurisconsuls for to reestablishe in her beauty equitie this most excellent science altogether necessary vnto the societie of men which deserueth rather to be called an heauenly gyft drawen from the middest of the fountaines of Philosophie For the which enterprise they are not only worthy of publyke prayse but also of reward After the death of Fridericus the Empyre remained vacant almoste xxii yeres albeit that now one then another were elected who coulde not haue the gouernement in that so troublesome a tyme. In the meane whyle the kingdome of Naples was plucked from the familie of Fridericus and put into the Frenche mens hands and afterward Sicilia also For then the popes dyd strengthen them selues wyth the succour power of Fraunce although that through occasion of these kyngdomes great warre were raised betwene the house of Arragon the house of Anion in Fraunce But question is not thereof at this present The publike weale hauing a long tyme wauered in such sort as hath bene sayd Rudolphus Emperour Rudolphus of Habspurg was elected Emperour who in the beginning of his raygne appeased the motions that were through Germanye Afterwards hauing holden certain counselles or assemblies he enuaded Ottacharus kyng of Bohemia who dyd rebell constrayned hym to make peace vnder conditions which he straight ways brake at the persuation of hys wyfe and commyng the second tyme to the conflict in Austrich remayned slain in the field Ladislaus kyng of Hungary ayded the Emperour Finally peace was concluded wyth the Bohemians by marriage makyng and the Emperour gaue Austrich to Albertus his son whych the kyng of Bohemia had possessed many yeres The Emperour beyng letted with sundrye affaires in Germany dyd neuer take vsage into Italy neyther had he any great mynde therevnto For it is sayd that on a certayne tyme in sportyng he recited the fable of the Fore The fable of the fore who visited not the Lyon that fained hym selfe sicke in a caue because that the trace of other beasts dyd astonish hym who were gone in thyther and retourned not Notwythstandyng he appoynted in Italy a Lieutenaunt and as it were a vice Emperour Moreouer it is sayd that he confirmed Flaminia and the Exarchshyp whereof we haue often tymes spoken to the romain Church because that no great profit dyd redounde vnto hym frō those places For the Emperours were at length so weryed wyth the continuall hatredes and inimities of Popes that by lytle and lytle they became nice and of faynte courage Neyther was it possible for them to haue peace wyth the Popes vntyll such tyme as they had cleane forgone all Italy The popes at lēgth are maisters ouer Emperours And for asmuch as the popes dyd leane vp on the French men and did many sedicions by the the bishops of Germany whom thei allured they came at length to th end of that which they had a long tyme forethought forecasted It is here nedefull to put in memorie the merueylous chaūge of things come to passe when they who had bene preserued by the clemencie of the Emperours and by them had found the meanes to maintayne thē selues in theyr place dignitie beyng magnified by their liberalitie fre gifts haue taken dominion ouer thē also defrauded thē of their patrimony For not being content to haue vsurped the moste part of Italy they haue straight bound vnto them the Kings of Sicilia and of Naples in such sort that these Kyngs pay them yerely tribute and dare not accept the Imperiall dignitie without their licence do auowe this by othe amongest other thyngs when by the popes they are put in possession of the sayd kingdomes The notable ouerthrow and sackyng of the Frenchmē in Sicilia befel in Rudolphus time For then thei held this Ile but because that accordyng to the disordered maner of souldiours thei did many insolences and whoredoms thei were al suppressed by a secret conspiratie which was assigned when thei roung vnto euenyng seruice The Euenings of Sicilia This slaughter is commonly called the Euenings of Sicilia And it fell in the yere M.CC.lxxxi on Easter day The Emperour Rudolphus set dyuers townes at libertie for money the which before dyd appertayne vnto the Empyre to witte Boloigne the fat Florence Guenes Luques and others Afterwards hauing assembled the Princes at Franckford he could not haue his request ratified which was to elect Albertus hys sonne to be his successor He beyng dead Adolphus of the house Nansau succeded him Adolphus Emperour who shortly after had great quarell with Albertus duke of Austrich And for as much as by his doings he fore displeased the princes of Germany yea euē him of Mense by whose meanes he was made Emperour he was displaced Albertus Albertus duke of Austriche sonne of Rudolphus put in his place Who hauing made a leuye of men and beyng ayded of the princes went to encounter Adolphus The conflicte betwene them was aboute Spyre where Adolphus was greuouslye hurt by Albertus and afterwardes slaine by the residue of the multitude After thys victorie Albertus minding to assure himself and fearing least any should say that
the fyrst election was not rightly constituted required again to be solemnly elected the which was done albeit that Pope Bonifacius the eight did say there against and did not approue that which had bene done of other princes Shortly after as a great quarell was moued betwene him Philip the faire king of Fraunce he confyrmed him Emperour spake meruelous things in the laud praise of his house At length Albertus was murdered of his kinsmeÌ„ at such time as being furnished with al things he had put himself in iourny for to bring the Bohemians to this point for to receiue Fridericus his son to be their king bonifacius the eyght This Bonifacius added vnto the epistles decretalls of Gregory the ix contained in v. bokes another boke named the sixte Amongst other thyngs he ordayned that it was lawful for the Pope to forgoe his estate For it is sayd that by subtyll and vnlawfull meanes he had perswaded that vnto Celestinus the fyfth hys predecessour After Albertus Henry the seuenth of that name of the house of Luxembourg Henry the seuenth came to the Empyre He founde meanes to make Iohn hys sonne king of Bohemia by mariage makyng and drew into Italye whose estate was then most miserable For since the death of the Emperour Fridericus the seconde about fyftie fyue yeares space the Emperours made no count of Italy Wherthrough befell that it was meruelously reâ—t in pieces by theÌ„ that were of most power namely by the Gelphes and Gibellins The Gelphes and Gibellins the which two factions and seditions haue many clients in those couÌ„tries He first then set gouernours through the townes and fredomes of Lumbardie made the inhabitants swere vnto him Afterward hauing soiourned a certayn time at Millan he could not with his labour accord the factions wherof I haue spokeÌ„ And forasmuch as Turrianus went about to take him at vnwares after the conspiratie was disclosed and the aduersaries repulsed he gaue the ouer sight gouernment of the towne vnto the vicouÌ„t All the townes of the country did yeld vnto his power and deuotion Brixe only rebelled the which he toke after long seige brake downe the walls From thence he passed by Genes by Pise for to go to Rome where he was crowned by certain Cardinalls because that Pope Clement the v. had left the town being retired into Fraunce dwelt in Auignon The popes in AuignoÌ„ The Cardinalls demaunded of him the oth which they said ought to be made vnto the Pope but he refused it would not so make it that therby he should be bound vnto the Pope The Pope hearing this he declared afterwards at large this forme of othe for to encrease alwaies his power and regestred it wyth the other decrees which now remaine For he also coÌ„posed diuers lawes which beare his name The ouerthrow of the templiers are called Clementines At this time the Templiers were with the same fury ouerthroweÌ„ in an instant diuers places Philip the fayre king of Fraunce toke the most part of their goods by the Popes permission since their name and memory was condemned and at the counsell of Vienna which was held in * A couÌ„try in Fraunce so called Dauphine their possessions were geuen vnto them who are called horsmen of the Rhodes At this tyme also the vniuersitie of Orleans was erected by the aucthoritie of king Philip and Pope Clement After that the Emperour Henry was dead not without great suspicioÌ„ of poison and that he was buried at Pise sharpe contentions were moued in Germany for the election For Fridericus duke of Austrich son of the Emperour Albertus did contend for the principallitie wyth Ludouicus duke of Bauieres Two Emperours crowned The archbishop of Mense crowned Ludouicus at Aix in germany but the bishop of Coloigne crowned Fridericus at Rome HerevpoÌ„ pope Iohn the xxii named theÌ„ both Emperours howbeit he was more affectioned on Fridericus side Which was cause to enflame the hatred so that they came euen to take weapon in hand and to giue earnest battaile nere vnto Eling a towne of Swane Neuertheles they departed from the conflicte almost equall Afterwards they fought yet again more fierslye in Bauieres in the whych battaile Fridericus was taken the most part of his men put to the sword but he was let go and retired home where certayn yeres after he dyed Ludouicus then hauing gotten the seignorie marched into Italy with his army The Emperour Ludouicus that against the Popes wyll There he ordayned Lieutenantes through the townes and fredomes was crowned at Millan by the archbishop Which done he sent Ambassadours into Auignon once or twise for to be crowned solemnely which forasmuch as he could not obtain he hauing left order vnto the affaires of Millan toke iourney towards Rome Where being ariued he wanted no gretings and honour at his entraunce was crowned by one or two Cardinals Herevpon the pope did redouble his excommunicatioÌ„ Wherthrough came to passe that by the counsell of the princes the Emperour created another Pope so by his meanes there was a deadly hatred betwene them The fyrst tenthes did impute great crimes the one vnto the other The Annales of Fraunce recite that Charles the faire son of Philip permitted first of all vnto pope Iohn to leuie tenthes vpon the ecclesiasticall reuennes that they shuld deuide the bootie betwen theÌ„ for the popes purpose was no other then to haue pence against the Emperour After the Emperours retourne into Germany the pope died whose successour Benedictus the xii excommunicated also the Emperour depriued him of his dignity The Emperour then coÌ„uocated the princes at Francfort Oration of the Emperour against the Pope where he made a trime oration by the which he complained of the desloiualties of Popes declared what was hys faith set forth desplaed the ancient lawes of the Empire shewed that the popes had nothing to do in the gouernment of the Empire forasmuch as he is lawfull Emperour who is elected by the consent of the princes albeit that the Pope do not accord thervnto nor wil not coÌ„secrate him For al this is but a ceremony the which by litle litle hath crept in now is ouer much auctorized to the great dishonour domage of the Empire Clement the .vi. succeded Benedictus Clement the sixth who surmouÌ„ted all the residue in violence was the most terriblest He propounded certain coÌ„ditions very ignominius became more enraged for that they were refused Wherfore he aduertised the princes very expresly that they shuld procede to the election of another yea in such sort that he limited theÌ„ the time Which if they failed to do he would giue order that the church shuld not be any longer without a protector patron The estate of the publike weale being so mutable variable Charles king of Bohemia sonne of Iohn nephew of Henry the .vii.
established duke of Millan the Venitians Florentins Geneuois made warre vpon theyr neighbours in such sort that all right and equitie did consist in armes and power Moreouer by the long absence of the Popes out of Rome diuers in nimites very daungerous were ingendred Galeatius duke of Millan made then war vppon the Florentins who desiring to auenge theÌ„selues called the Emperour into Italy vnder great promises He being arriued at Padua by the will of the Venitians who loued smally Galeatius seyng that he had nothing prepared accordyng to the large promises he retourned into Germany casting froÌ„ him all care of Italy the which afterwards was more subuerted by inward tumulis and troubles Sigismundus Sigismundus Emperour brother of Wenceslaus Kyng of Hungarie synce of Bohemia succeded Robert At that time were thre Popes Iohn the xxiii Gregory the xii Benedictus the xiii by whose strifes and practises almost all the prouinces of the world were deuided For synce Innocent the iii as their bokes report about CC yeres space there was no general counsell the ecclesiasticall estate was extremly corrupted For such an vnsatiablenes of vices disseases was disbordered in such sort that the euill was almost incurable Bonifacius the .viii. had bene before who attributed vnto himself the Papal and imperiall dignitie After him caine Element the v. of Bourdeaux who at the request of the king of Fraunce The popes court transferred into Fraunce Philip the faire forsoke Rome transferred his court into FrauÌ„ce After his death the seat was vacant certayn yeres because of the variaunce that was amongst the Cardinalls At length pope Iohn the xxii of * A towne in Fraunce Cahors in Querci was elected at Lions The fyfth after hym who was Gregory the xi returned to Rome after that the court of the Papacy had remained in Fraunce lxxvii yeres He being dead Vrbanus the vi of Naples Clement the vi of Sauoy straue for the pope dome The first did leane vpon the aide of the Italians dwelt at Rome the second rested vpoÌ„ the Frenchmen and had his seat in Auignon These here being dead the thre aboue said put theÌ„selues in their place who had bene elected by diuers opinions so hereby the Papacie had iii heads The Papacie as cerberius hath thre heads Many learned men aswell of Italy as of Fraunce lamented then meruelously the poore estate of the Church and spake sufficient sharply against the corruptions and maners of that time asmuch as they could vnderstand in the darcknes which then raigned Amongst theÌ„ Petrarca called the towne of Auignon The horishe Babilon at such time as the pope and the Cardinalls dwelt there To the end then to pacifie this scisme The couÌ„sell of ConstaÌ„ce a generall couÌ„sel was assembled at Constance in Germany by the aucthoritie wherof the thre aboue said were put downe and Martin the v. elected In this counsell Iohn Hus and Iherome of Prague were burned albeit that they were come thether vnder the Emperours safe conducte The Emperour Sigismundus is greatly praised for that for the publike felicitie he weÌ„t vnto diuers Christian kings exhorted them to loke vnto the publike weale The thyngs appeased in Germany he came into Italy The Venitians Florentins made warre then by sea and by land vpon the duke of Millan Philip Maria son of Iohn Galeatius From thence the Emperour drew to Rome where he was crowned by Pope Eugenius the .iiii. Which don he returned to Basill where there was then another counsell assigned Albertus duke of Austrich Albertus Emperour king of Hungarie and of Bohemia was his successour who was so occupied in ciuill warres against the Turckes that he had no leasure to come into Italy About this time learned wits did again awaken Learning good letters reestablisshed who began to set vp exercise the arts languages good letters The Italians aided with the studies of the Grekes began first afterwards the Germanyns Frenchmen other nations And by the meanes of the art of printing then inueÌ„ted the which brought with it great coÌ„modities Printing inuented it is vncredible what a prosperous desirable progression was made For since that time vnto this day the studies haue had in such sort their course that this our age may compare it self with the most learnedst time that euer were And in this namely is it more happy that god hath illustrated this science of singular profitable artes of tounges by the true knowledge of his holy name where as the ancient learned men how indued soeuer they were with good most eloqueÌ„t letters The knowledge of god renued in this time were neuertheles plonged in most deepe darknes and sought in vaine the souerain goodnes wherof they haue so much written Fridericus the iii of that name duke of Austrich succeded Albertê° who went peasible to Rome was crowned by pope Nicolas the v. Which done he retired home The king of Hungary slaine in battaile without attempting any thing in Italy The iiii yere of his Empire Vladislaus sonne of Wadislaus Kyng of Polonia and of Hungarye hauing brokeÌ„ the trewes at the motion of pope Eugenius the iiii was vanquished nere vnto Varne or Dionisiopoli by Amurathes Emperour of the Turkes the ii of that name and slain in the battaile the xi of Nouember Nyne yeres after Mahomet sonne of Amurathes toke Constantinople by assault Constantinople taken by that turcke the which hys Heyres haue possessed already an C. III. yeres and haue there placed their court and royall seat Vladislaus being dead Casimirus hys brother inherited the kyngdome of Polonia and Ladislaus who was borne after the discease of the Emperour Albertus the second the kingdome of Hungarie Maximilianus succeded Fridericus hys father As Fridericus laye in hys death bead Ferdinand Kyng of Spaine hauing dryuen out the Moores added to his dominion Betique commonly named the kingdome of Grenate Maximilianus amongest other had war agaynst the Venitians Charles son of Philip hys son and .v. of that name Charles that v. Emperour Folowed him who raigneth at this dai hath meruelous power By the things that we haue recited it euideÌ„tly appereth how the romain Empire which hath surmouÌ„ted all others that haue bene or shal be is almost altogether dissipated brought to noght Dissipation of yâ— romain Empyre For in Asia we haue not somuch as one foote of ground or the bredth of an nail as saith the prouerbe The Turks Tartarians other enemies of our religion possesse al. We haue lost al Affrike except that which the emperour Charles the v. the yeres past coÌ„quered when he toke the kingdome of Tunes froÌ„ Anobarbus lieutenant of the Turke hauing obtained a glorious victorie established there a king tributarie vnto him Victories of Charles the v. in Affrike Fiftene yeres after he toke also by assault the towne of Affrike Portingall Spaine England