of Dauids posterite vntil that tyme that the Machabees began to reigne Firste reigned zorobabel whose posteritie what fortune they had and how finally the whole kyngdome is translated from Dauids posteritie shall we shewe hereafter For so was it prophecied afore by the prophetes that Christe should be borne about that tyme of Dauids bloude that foren princes shoulde vsurpe to them the kyngdome of the Iewes that was now already alienated The rekenynge of the seuenty wekes out of Daniel IT was shewed Daniel by heauenly reuelacion of Christus commynge and howe long the Iewysh people should last Ther is a notable wytnesse in this prophecy to confirme the certaynte of our faith against the Iewes whiche striue and contende that Christ is not yet come and wayte yet for another Messias Verely the rekenyng of the tyme appointed by Daniel is easy and specially it is pleasaunt to know thereby that Christe was surely come about that tyme the whiche Daniel hath prescribed For though other do count diuersly yet if ye go not froÌ„ the order of the histories there shall bee found no great dissention wherfore ye could doubt For the diligent rekening of the tyme is requisite to repete out of Ptolome these Eclipses that are happened and to gather out of them ordely euery yeare but that were not one mans laboure And diligently ought Byshops to occupie them in these thynges with doyng costes that the vnderstandynge of so notable prophecies myght bee clerely had in the churche I truely wyll gather here out of the best histories the nombre of the yeares and endeuoure to make the rekenyng there of very playne Daniel sayeth Seuenty wekes are concluded vpon this people and specially accordynge to the commaundement of buyldyng agayne Ierusalem shalbe syxty and nyne wekes vntill Christes kyngdome and than shall Christ be put to death Fyrst must it be knowen what that the wekes do yearly signifye so that euery weke make seuen yeares the whiche maye easely be proued Wherefore the seuenty wekes make foure hundreth and nynety yeares Secondly sayeth Daniel Christe shalbe put to death after thre score and nyne wekes but so that he teache the half weke and afterward bee put to death The tyme and office of Christ is notable expressed of this maner Thyrdly must the nyne and seuenty wekes bee rekened from the seconde yeare of Darius Longimanus that is wyth the long hande For then dyd God sende Zachary and Aggeus the prophetes that they shoulde comforte and certaynely assure the people of repairyng Ierusalem hereafter without any hynderaunce And of this worde that is of this reuelacion are the aungels wordes to be vnderstande Because then was made the sure promyse to the people of the furtheraunce of the temples repayryng Besyde that commaunded Longimanus that self same yeare by an open commaundement that â—he Iewes shoulde not be hyndered of their purpoâ—â—d worke of buyldynge the citie and temple as it was done before But all this is to be red in the bodies of Eldras And surely to this same delaye of tyme in repairyng of the temple had saint Ihon respect in the seconde chapter of his gospell where the Iewes said that in buyldyng of the temple were spent syx and fourty yeares for that is the nombre of the yeares from the seconde yeare of Cyrus vntyll the syxte yeare of Longimanus wherein the worke of the temple was accomplyshed But now is it gathered out of the booke of the Machabees and out of Iosephus that from the begynnyng of Alexander after the death of the last Darius vntyll Christe was borne to be thre hundreth and ten yeares From Christes byrth vntyll hys baptyme thyrty yeares Summa from the begynnynge of Alexander vntyll the baptyme of Christe thre hundreth and fourty yeares To these put the tyme from the seconde yeare of Longimanus vntyll Alexander after the death of the laste Darius and as Metasthenes counteth there shall be a hundreth and fyue and fourty yeares Summa from the second yere of Longimanus vntill the baptisme of Christe are foure hundreth foure score and fyue yeare And therfore thre score and nyne yearly wekes make euen foure hundreth and foure score and two wekes Whereby it is manifest that when Christe was baptysed were fulfylled three score and nyne yearly wekes and in the weke folowynge taught Christ in the same half weke was he put to death For Christe was put to death the fourth yeare after that he was baptised Wherfore when this weke that foloweth is added to the thre score and nine there shalbe seuenty wekes and this is the maner to count the tyme appoynted by Daniel For after Christes death are the Iewes nomore Gods people and their temple was afterward an abominacion the whiche Daniel witnessed playnly Besyde this are other notable doctrines and consolacions of troubled coÌ„sciences in this prophecy of Christes office and kyngdome that he came to preache forgeuenesse of synnes but to expounde all this maketh to no purpose here nother is it here taken in hande I haue truely sought out with so great diligeÌ„te as I could the maner of countyng the seuenty wekes of Daniel nother do I fynde that it can greatly varye if ye wyll folowe the fourme of histories For though ye wyll not folowe Metasthenes yet doth the rekenyng of the Grekes agre very well here with For after the countyng of the Grekes are betwene the death of Alexander and the beginnyng of Augustus twoo hundreth and foure score yeares the whiche I can proue with very stronge reasons If ye do now take the yeares of the Persians after thee seconde yeare of Longimanus by the Grekes ye shall fynde the same also After Alexander vntyll Christes byrth are thre hundreth and two and twenty yeares After Christes birth vntyl hys baptysme thyrty yeares Put therto the nomber of the Persians from the second yeare of Longimanus an hundreth and two and thyrty yeares after the Grekes Summa of this is foure hundreth foure score and foure yeares So perfectly do the hystories of the Grekes agre with the tyme that is founde in Iosephus and Philo that ye maye openly perceaue the tyme of Christes commynge to be moste fyttly appoynted by Daniel And truely I doubte not but wyse and learned men will alowe and testifye that both these rekenynges that we haue set here maye bee very well proued by wytnesses of hystoryes And without it were to longe I coulde brynge yet other more rekenynges whyche shoulde agre with these also So that it is no doubte but that Daniel hath moste ryghtely hytt thee tyme of Christes commynge It hath also no small pyth of consolacion or comfort though the maner of the tyme do not agre so iustly with euery minute that we may be certyfyed that the tyme prophecyed of Daniel be longe sence past Wherfore are the Iewes in manifest erroure whiche can by no reasons proue that the same tyme is not yet past though they wyll vnderstande the wekes of dayes
iii. M. ix C. lxxxvii The yeare of Rome vii C. lxix The yeare of Christe .xliij. CLaudius the fyft Emperour reigned thyrtene yeare and nyne monethes he was poysoned The secōd yeare of Claudius came Peter the Apostle to Rome who had preached before certayn yeares at Antiochia and here begynneth the Romyshe churche The yeare .xliiij. After Christes natiuite The yeare .iii. M. ix C. lxxxviij after the worldes creation The yeare .vii. C. xcvii after the buyldynge of Rome The yeare of the worlde iiii M. The yeare of Rome .viii. C. ix The yeare of Christe lvi NEro the syxt Emperour reigned fourten yeare At the begynnyng lyued he honestly fyue yeares afterwarde was he moste vngratious by reason of hys intemperancy of maners and tyranny He put to death his own mother his wyfe and also many noble men amōg whom was also Seneca Finally whan his officers was gone from hym whan he was sought to be put to deaht by the Senate of Rome he fleing slew himselfe before he was founde out by the souldiours and this was done the two and thirtyeth yeare of his age But the kyngdom of the Romanes is now wholy remoued from the posteritie and kynsmen of Augustus and Leuia In the tyme of Nero was saint Peter crucifyed at Rome After hym was Linus made byshop and afterwarde was Paule the Apostle beheaded also And yf ye counte the yeares of Paule hee preached the Gospell about foure and thyrty yeares In the tyme of Nero appeared a comete syxe monethes contrary too all cometes whiche are not wont to be sene so longe There was also a comete sene before in the tyme of Claudius and three sonnes whiche sygnyfyeth doutlesse that three princes shoulde shortely striue for the empire In lyke maner do I suppose that their great Comete dyd sygnifye not onely the sedicion and vproure but also the mutacion and chaunge in the Romane empire and specially the lamentable decaye of the Iewysh kyngdom Sergius Galba Otho and Vitellius AMong these thre was a stryfe for the empyre after Neroes death As for Galba was slayn in y e marketplace of Rome by y ◠layenge wayte of Otho Afterward was Vitellius chosen Emperoure in Germany of the hoost and sent some men of armes into Italy The whiche metyng Otho he fought foure feldes with them thre tymes dyd he ouercome them but in the fourth was his hoost ouerthrowen And though the souyldiours drue frely to hym yet would hee warre no more For it is reported that he shoulde haue said that he set more by the comon peace then by his owne lyfe or priuate glory and the fourth moneth after Galbas death slew he hymselfe with a daggar In the meane season was Vespasianus chosen Emperoure in the Easte by the souldiours thesame sent an hoost into Italy the whiche ouerthrewe Vitellius men of armes Of that rose vproures at Rome and Vitellius was taken his handes bound vpō his backe and with a halter cast about his neck he was drawen through the myer in the stretes and fynally was he slayne as he had deserued For he was suche one that deserued rather to bee called a cruell beaste than a man This was the fyrst vproure that was in the Empyre for the election or chosyng after Augustus The yeare of the worlde .iiii. M. xvi The yeare of Rome .viii. C. xxv The yeare of Christ .lxxij. VEspasianus the Seuenth Emperoure reigned nyne yeares It was a man renowmed in wysedome and honesty and a prince moste worthy of the Empyre For where Caligula Claudius and Nero dyd nott onely suffre all intemperancy out of measure in other but dyd it themselues also this man contrarywyse restored at Rome the nourture of modestie and honest lawes He augmented also the Empyre with all maner of victuals and in the prouinces ordeined he necessary aydes Besides this ordeined he also at Rome common pensions for professers of phisyck and other sciences Of the last destruction of Ierusalem IN the seconde yeare of Vespasianus began Titus the sonne of Vespasian to besyege the cytie Ierusalem whan Easter began to be kept in the moneth of Apryll and afterwarde in the moneth September dyd he spoyle and burne it But in the meane tyme was so great mysery in the cytie for hunger vproure and inwarde manslaughter as neuer was red to haue bene in any cytie The mothers dyghted their owne chyldren to satisfye their hunger but inuayne For the souldyours tooke them awaye from them par force and deuoured them and the mothers dyed with hunger the whyles Many slew themselues Iosephus wryteth that in the cyty were about ten hundreth thousand persons For because it was Easter a very great multitude came together into the cytie Besydes this they that dwelt here and there in villages in all Iewry drue all together to Hierusalem for none other cause but that they trusted to bee in saue garde by the defence of so well afortified citie In so great nōber of people the moste parte nere hande dyed with hunger pestilence and sworde Titus sent syxtene thousand to Alexandria to do seruice none other wyse then slaues He brought twoo thousand with hym whiche hee shewed in a triumphe and caste them to wylde beastes in common games to be toren in peces But what shall I saie muche nomans oraciō can be sufficient to expresse so great a mysery For God woulde propose to men a new and syngular example wherein myght be sene the greatnesse of Gods wrath against despisers of Godlynesse For it must be a very stony and harde harte whiche shoulde not be sore afrayed at so dredefull an example And it is aboue all thynges to be ouerloked in this hystorye that yf God vsed no mercy towarde thys people in punyshynge them for their wyckednesse whome he called hys peculiar people whyche also was come of so holy fathers He shall muche lesse spare the Heythen And God in threatenynge thys declareth also in the same example the shewe of mercy and Godly beneuolence namely that we do not doubt that after that the Iewysh kyngdom is ouerthrowen we that are Gentyls are truely the chosen people and Gods chyldren yf we do truly beleue in Christe This destruction of Ierusalem befell in the secōd yeare of Vespastanus and it was the threscore and fortene yeare after Christes natiuite the fortieth yere after that Christ had suffered his passion But from the creation of the worlde the foure thousand and eightenth yere And this temple dyd stande after the second yere of Longunanus fyue hundreth and syx and twenty yeares Many dredefull tokens signifyed this destructiō afore which for shortnesse we can not here reherse A burnyng sworde was sene aboue the temple nearehande a whole yeare I haue added thys therfore lest no man do rashly despyse the tokens which pretende the euidēces of Gods indignacion by the which we are called to repentaunce that the wrath of God maye be ether auoyded
great When he was nowrenowmed throughout all the worlde of all these vertues peace stablyshed y â— lawes restored the state of religioÌ„ set in order because he might auoyde the occasion of great euels he appoynted hys sonne Lewis before hys death to be an heyre and successour in the empyre afterward dyed he at Aken the two and seuentyeth yeare of his age Before his death the brydge that was layde ouer the Rene by Mentz burnt whiche was made in the space of ten yeres at Charles greate costes Thys burnynge sygnyfyed that Germany shoulde not long after be separated from Fraunce Lewis the gentle the second Emperoure of the Germanes THe yeare of Christ .viij. C. xv began Lewis the gentle to gouerne the empyre he reigned syx and twenty yeares Charles had many chyldren whiche dyed before the fathers deceasse Lewis renewed the peace that his father had made with them of Constantinople in the begynnyng of hys reigne and wylled it to be stablyshed After â—hose he hys sonne Lotharius for a party ruler in the empyre that he shoulde rule in Italy Beyng sent to Rome he was crowned Emperoure of Paschalis byshop of Rome and was called Augustus or full of maiestie Sence that tyme kept Lewis a parliament at Aken for the reformation of the state of the Churche and he brought to pasâ—e wyth greate diligence that to the ministers of the Churche shoulde bee geuen necessary relefe to maynteyne their lyues An agrement was also made betwene hym and the byshop of Rome that suche as came after them myght be sure what part is pertaynyng to the byshop and what to the empyre Thys Godly or gentle Emperoure was taken prisoner of his sonne Lotharius through the counsayll of the Byshops and some princes because he was afrayed lest by hys stepmothers inspiracion hys father would remoue the empyre from hym to hys younger brother But Lewis beyng delyuered returned to thempyres gouernaunce and caused Lotharius hys sonne by force to go into Italy but at the last was he reconciled wyth hys father agayne After Leo was Stephanus the fourth made the hundreth byshop of Rome The same demaunded the confirmacion of his byshopryke of Lewis the Emperoure Paschalis the hundreth and one byshop of Ro. succeded Stephanus Thyssame sent also for hys confirmacion to Lewis Eugenius the C. iâ— byshop succeded Pascalis Valentinus the C. iij. byshop succeded Eugenius Gregorius the .iiij. the C. iiij byshop succeded Valentinus He refused to take the byshoprycke before he were confirmed of the Emperour Lewis Lotharius the fyrst of thys name the thyrde Germane Emperoure THe yere of Christ .viij. C. xli after y e death of Lewis the Godly or gentle reygned Lotharius hys sonne fyften yeares But now hath the golden worlde of this progeny an end Lotharius had many brethren Lewis Germanicuâ— and Charles the balde amonge the whiche was debate for the departynge whereof grewe no lesse greate then a dolefull warre For in Fraunce dyd the brethren mete with suche a fyghtyng that as histories recorde the power of the FraÌ„kes was so febled that afterward they could neuer wholy recouer it Lewis Germanicus Charles the balde had the ouerhand After so great manslaughter when truce was made amoÌ„g the princes they fell to an atonement Lewis had for his parte Germany Schwaben Bayerlande Boheme EasteÌ„ryche East Fraunce Thuring Saxen and all that was vntil y â— ryuer Rene. This Lewis is called the Germane kynge and greate prayses are spoken of hym The residue of the dukes of the Frankes folowyng are his successours in bloude He brought Bohemy also to receaue the Christen faith Charles the balde optained by conuenant hereditare the greatest part of FrauÌ„ce or Gallia the FreÌ„che kynges folowyng haue their ofspringe of hym Lotharius kept Italy and Prouentz that part that hetherto is called Lothring or Lorain and by this man remained the hyghnesse of the Emperiall maiestie By this occasion thefore was Gallia or Fraunce separated from Germany Lotharius toke afterwarde the gouernaunce of the empyre to his second sonne Lewis and he beyng aged went into a religion and became a monke Not few Cometes were sene this yeare before this dissencion and warre of the brethren After Gregory the .iiij. was Sergius the second made the .cv. byshop of Rome The same was the first that chaunged his name for it is sayde he was called before Swines mouth Of hym was Lewis the second the sonne of Lotharius crowned at Ro. Leo the .iiij. the .cvi. byshop succeded Sergius The same buyldded Castel Angel at Rome He was accused by Lotharius that he went about to optain the hyghnesse of the Emperiall maiestie from the Frankes to the Grekes Wherfore wheÌ„ Lotharius was come to Rome the byshop did declare hymselfe vngylty After Leo was Iohannes the .viij. The same is said to be borne at Mentz that she was a woman Benedictus the .iij. was made the .cvij. byshop of Rome after Iohannes the .viij. In his tyme were raysed greate stryfes and rumours for the election of the byshop of Rome but Lotharius swaged them Lewis the seconde the fourth Germane Emperoure THe yeare of Christe .viij. C. lvi toke Lewis the .ij. the sonne of Lotharius the empyre he reigned twenty yeares He restrayned the Saracens coÌ„myng into Italy with a greate violence and ouercame them When he had restored peace again in Italy he died and is buried at Milane Nicolaus the fyrste the .cviij. byshop of Rome succeded Benedictus the .iij. Adrianus the .ij. chosen of the priestes and common people succeded Nicolaus Iohannes the .ix. was made the .cx. byshop after Idrianus The same by a conspiracy made wyth the kynges of Gallia or Fraunce endeuoured to transferre the maiesty of the empyre from the Germanes vpon Charles the balde afterward vpoÌ„ Lewis the stammerer his sonne but the Germanes kept the empyre par force whiche thynge we shall saye afterwarde In the meane season that the byshop goeth aboute this was he taken but beyng escaped he fled into Fraunce to Lewis the stammerer Charles the bald of Fraunce THe yeare of Christe viij C. lxxvj came Charles the balde at Rome and by the ayde of the byshop of Rome Iohannes the .ix. was made Emperoure Charles the balde was Lotharius brother sonne to Lewis the gentle whose part in deuydyng became Fraunce or Gallia Now went the byshop of Rome about to transferre the maiesty of the Empyre from the Germanes vnto the Frenchemen but that the sonnes of Lewis woulde not suffâ—e the Germanes Which thyng when Charles the balde had herde he threatened to bryng so many hoostes of enemies ouer the Rene that the horses drynkyng vp the Rene the hoost should go thorow it drye shodde O the ouerfolysh maners of the Frenchemen But they met hym at Colen with fyfty thousand where he was ouerthrowen of the two sonnes of Lewis the Germane not farre from Aâ—bâ—â—â—ach The next yeare after went
and settyng the order of the tyme before seme onely to aduertyse the wyse reader to marke some of the notablest thynges Whiche thinge we haue done also in this Cronicle we haue only drawen those thinges as it were in a pathwaye whiche semed moste best and haue other whyles shewed their occasions to the intent we maye learne to marke and forse so much thenarower suche lyke thynges in like chaūces Howbeit what profites otherwise besides this do Cronicles bryng that same haue we declared before in the preface Truely I muste before the ende of this wryting put the reader agayne in remembraunce of the sayeng of Elias the whiche we haue set in the begynnyng of this treatyse that he may so much the more easyer marke both the order of the tyme and also the dedes of the histories Item that he thinke that also that the ende of mens affaires is at hande accordynge to the sayeng of Elias that the worldes age conteyneth .vi. M. yeares and that the same space shall not he fully expyred for God shall preuēt it because of the worldes corrupte maners Now seyeng there are expyred .v. M. and .v. C. yeares sence the worlde beganne as may clerely be gathered out of the table folowing it is no doute but that the worldes age is nerehand come to the ende that Christe our lorde do rayse vp the death by his commyng and iudge the whole worlde and that more is also appoynt the deuels and wicked men euerlastynge fyre but take the very godly out of al sorow and set them into the euerlasting fruition of God blesse Besydes this do the wonderfull mutacions and chaunges of all kyngdomes nearehande wytnesse that the worlds ende is not farre of For with in fewe yeares euen by our remembraunce we haue perceaued the hyghnesse of the Romish byshop Fraunce Hungary and Dennemarckes kingdoms to haue greucously fallen and lyke chaūce are shortly to be loked for in other kyngdomes also Daniel witnesseth that shortely after that the Turkes powers be minyshed shall the ende of all thynges of the worlde be at hande But the Turkysh kyngdōs decaye shall doutlesse be sene wythin few yeares if Goddes wyll be so and after that our Emperoure Charles shalbe deceassed it can not be but that the empire also shalbe miserably toren of the Germans themselues For I feare me two wyll then greatly stryue for the monarchye Almighty God of his infinitie mercy swage so horrible commotions turne the princes hartes to concorde and peace The toren tranquillitie and spoiled peace in the churche maye also be a signe and token and it is to be feared lest the same do also growe and sprede farther by warres and negligence of Romish by shops But seyeng Christe hymselfe aduertiseth vs in the Gospel of the perils that shalbe at hande in the latter dayes not only in those thinges that pertayn to the body but also those that belong to the sprete yea the heauen itselfe also threateneth with horryble darkeninges and coniunctions I wil passe ouer to speake of those tokēs that be rehersed in the scripture cōcernyng the latter dayes so that at the last we maye learne to beware take hede to our selues and doute not to demaunde and loke for ayde and comfort of God onely in so greate misere of al thinges Wherefore I willed the reader to be admonyshed in this place to call to remembraunce that those tymes full of peryls wretchednesse are at hand and that the same peryls ought not to be despised with a rechelesse mynde For it is no lyght thynge and suche one as all maner of men do proue wyth their harme and damage that realmes are chaunged empires pulled out of their frames and concorde of religion is spoyled The buyldynge or fabrike of the worlde semeth to represente a greate and moste olde buyldynge whyche oftentymes is more and more ready to fall when nowe doth one wall fall downe then the other Likewise doth the world seme to be ready to fal at this time doth by litle and litle bryng a more greuous fal with it one and other kyngdomes falling down and decayeng Nether let any man thynke that so greate a buyldyng shall fall without a moste excedynge commotion God lyghten oure myndes that we beyng admonyshed with the earnest threatenynges of the Gospell maye seke at onely Christe consolation and refreshynge and that greate princes maye vse no lesse wysedome in the feare of God then mekenesse to assuage the occasions of all euels For thereto are they ordeined of God that with their care and wisedom they maye gouerne and defende mankynd that is weake wretched And yf they do their duetye in the feare of God God shall lykewyse be with them and prosper their enterpryses Amen A Table of the worldes yeares out of the Bible and Philo. M. vi C. lvi vntyll the floude CC. xcij. vntyll Abraham was borne CCCC xxv vntyll Moses was borne Lxxx. vntyll the goyng out of Egipt CCCC lxxx vntyll Salomons tempel C. xxxviij vntyll Ioas the kyng CC. xci vntyll Ieconias was remoued into Babylon xi vntyll Ierusalē was waysted by Nabuchodonosor Lxx lasted the captiuitie of Babilō C. xci lasted y ◠monarchie of the Perses after that the captiuitie of Babylon was finyshed vij was Alexander after Darius death C. xlvi lasted the kyngdō of the Grekes vntil Iudas Machabeus C. xxxvij dured the kyngdō of the Machabeis vntyll Herodes the fyrste tyme after Iosephus xxx raigned Herodes for Christe was borne the thirtieth yeare of Herodes MD. xxxij sence Christ our saueour was borne The yeare of the was Christ borne worlde iii M. ix C. lxxiiij This present yeare MDxxxii are accomplished sence the worlde was made .v. M. CCCC lxxvi yeares The citie Rome as witnesseth Eutropius stode before Christe was borne .vij. C. liij yeares and yf the yeares shoulde be counted a ryght it can in a maner be no better rekened by true histories This present yere of oure lorde MDxxxij are past sence the citie Rome was builded ii M. CClxx xv yeres Babylon was not so olde before Alexander For from Abraham vntyll Alexanders tyme are M. vi C. lxxxvi yeares But now seyeng Rome is elder then Babylon it is no doubte but that her ende shalbe shortely also after the twoo Monarchies Nether doth the nomber of the yeares that is in the Bible greately disagre from the order of the Monarchies that is in the chefe aucthors of the Greke histories Herodotus wryteth that the Assyrians kept the Monarchie Dxx. yeares and sence that tyme to haue bene no certayne Monarchye vntyll the tyme of the Medes He rekeneth the Medes to haue ruled vntyll Cyrus tyme C. xxx yeares And the same as it can not seme false euen so do I greatly alowe it for yf any man do waye it aryght the same shall easely perceaue that it doth not disagre wyth the Bible That he sayeth the monarchy of the Assyrians to haue stand Dxx. yeares that wyll he doubtlesse
by Iulius but longe after was he commaunded to be put to death at Antiochia by Antonius euen the third yeare when Herode was made kyng And yf the whole tyme that Hircanus was high priest bee wel rekened it shalbe euen foure and thirty yeares finally was he put to death by Herode It is a dredful thyng verely to senerehande in al histories that not only the moste renow medest kynreds and families amonge men decay but that also the successours of holy men cleane doth degenerate from the honestie of there elders and fall to all fylthynesse of mische ue and synne What tyme the Phariseys and the other sectes began with the Iewes WHen now the soueraintie and priesthode by the Iewes began to be toren and pulled asunder by the tyraÌ„ny the warres of Antiochus I passe ouer that the Machabees ioyned them with Heythen kynges the which ordeined or deposed princes high priestes at their pleasure the whiche cared for nothing lesse then the endeuour of the religioÌ„ it could not be â—â—â—t that sectes and sundry dissensions must yse in the Iewysh religion For uedes must it happen so wheÌ„ether we want a certain head in the religion or wheÌ„the heades of the churche or congregatioÌ„ do not regarde the studies of Godlinesse and seke onely outward puyssaunce as prophane nacions do The sectes that were sprong vp were of thre sores the first wer called Phariseis that is Seuered of the word Phares These vsed for they were better learned then the other certain constitutions of men aboue the lawe of Moses whereby they were seuered from the other people Howbeit their doctrine was a litle better righter theÌ„ the other For they taught immortalitie after this life that God will punysh synnes they beleued also that Messias should come a saueour for the faithfull and a iudge for the synnes To the men of this secte also was coÌ„mitted the coÌ„mon welth before other and they wee of more aucthoritie The second secte was of the Sadduceis These hidde their wickednesse with a very noble not able callyng theÌ„selues For zaddik signifieth righteous Sadducei they that be righteous or holy So is it moste commonly receaued in vsage in this worlde that those that be moste wycked of all do cloke their couetousnesses wyth moste honeste names They taught that after death was no lyfe That God had onely geuen the lawe to the intent we shoulde liue honestly quietly receiuing of God in y â— meane season in this lyfe the rewarde of righteousnesse They did expounde y â— scriptures wholy according to mans iudgemeÌ„t nether would they heare ought els as concernyng for the maners that appertaâ—ned vnto man very Epicures that is to saye suâ— as did put the principall goodnesse in voluptuoâ—â—tie as Epicurus the Philosopher dyd And thaâ— more is when they at the length had gotteÌ„ power â–ª they troubled not a litle the Phariseis It is a fearfull thyng verely to heare that among the peculiar and chosen people of God are crept in euen heythenysh doctrines insomuche that coÌ„stantly they were not ashamed euen openly to teache and saye that after this lyfe was none other lyfe The thirde were Essey the whiche when they perceiued that both the Phariseyes and Sadduceyes folowed their appetites vnder the coloure of honest titles nether did ought in a maner that were worthy their profession therfore semed it them good to declare the straitnesse and seueritie of lyfe with the dede and would be called Essey that is workers or doers For Assa whence the name Essey commeth sygnifieth to worke as in these times the Anabaptistes do reproue bothe the Lutherians and papistes and endeuour to seme more holier then ether of them For the Essey lyued in a maner in all thinges as the Anabaptistes lyue they maryed not and woulde haue all thynges common among them This was an vtter foolysh and dotish supersticion of monkerye and whiche could not last long Of this wyse nerehand is the church deuided in thre partes also now a dates for because y â— second commyng of Christe also is harde by The Anabaptistes resemble the Esseyes and on the other parte some be Phariseyes some are Sadduceyes For the thniges that happened amoÌ„g the Iewes â—â—e a figuce of the ChristeÌ„ religion These sectes rose first among the Iewes vnder Ioannes Hircamus the sonne of Simon before the byrth of Christ an hundreth and fyue and twenty yeares Of Herodes kynred WHen Iulius Cesar had warre in Egypt that was euery where full of daunger Antipater prince of Idumea ayded him very faithfully and for a remembraunce of this benefite made hym Iulius gouernoure of Iewry the whiche was now constrayned to obey foren and straunge princes in her owne royalme The Iewes set themselues agaynst it with great force at the first sufferyng very disdainfully the rule of the Idumean prince insomuche that he was poysoned at the last by a Iewe called Malchus and dyed Herodes reuenged the death of his father Antipater and demaunded the succession of the Iewysh kyngdome of Augustus and Antonius in the hundreth foure score and seconde Olympias and this was after Alexander two huÌ„dreth foure score and twelue yeares This was the occasion wherby Iewry receuied foren kynges out of Idumea and afterlong siege compelled Herode them of Ierusalem to yelde theÌ„selues nether was there litle bloud shedde before the Iewes yelded themselues frely to Herodes dominion As for Christ was borne in the thirtieth yeare of Herode These are nerehand the greatest and chefest mutations of the kyngdom brefly comprehended the whiche happened in Iewry in the tyme of this monarchie vntill the last monarchie and the tyme of Christes birth And though it is euident ynough that the Iewysh kynges after Christes birth were of Herodes kynred yet wyll I set them euery one orderly that the reader may more easely knowe how the one is borne of the other and haue ruled the kyngdome lawfully by a certayn succession vntyll the destruction of the citie Ierusalem though as concernyng the iust order of the historie I am not come so farre For I haue yet to reherse these thynges of the Romanes which happened in the tyme of the Grecian monarchie Herode the first whiche was also called Ascalon had many children among the whiche he hymselfe caused thre to be slame Aristobulus Alexander and Antipater by reason of a conspiracy that they had made against their father But after him remained aliue Archelaus Herodes whiche was surnamed Antipas and Philippus These parted the kyngdome amonges them Archelaus was chosen by a testament to succede his father Herode in the kyngdome but Augustus the emperour would not confirme or ratifye thys wyl of the father but made hym prince howbeit vnder this hope that he should be made kyng yf he ruled honestly And so ruled he nyne yeares and vsed great tyranny he set vp and deposed high priestes and rauyshed his
sciences Enoch is an â—â—â—mple of euerlastyng lyfe Gene. â—â— â–ª â—â—◠〈…〉 e of flesh â—â—â—st 〈…〉 ed The example of vengeaunce The proprietye of speches Sem. Cham. Iaphet Iones are â—â—â— fyrste 〈…〉 s. Wherfore Ianus hath 〈…〉 lages The Macedones Aeoles The Germanes The foure Monarchies are proposed to Daniel Dan. ij Nemroth Gods hunter Niniue The churche from Noe â—â—â—â— AbrahaÌ„m Zoroastres fynder of witchcrafte â–ª Semiramis vsed mans garment A lecherous prynce Sardanapalus wantonnesse The death of Sardanapalus The kyngdome of the Egyptians Abraham was in Ninus tyme. Thare Vr of the Chald. es The first occasion of ydolatry The true wiÌ„g of the promise made to Abraham CircumcisioÌ„ is the token of promise When the circuÌ„cision was geuen Agar Ismael Isaac a fygure of 〈…〉 st Iacob Esau The Edo 〈…〉 〈…〉 fore 〈…〉 was called Edom 〈…〉 was called Israel Ioseph a man sage and holy The cause of affliction An example of grace and goodnes An example of vengeauÌ„ce When y â— law was geuen The time froÌ„ the promyse made to Abraham vntill y â— goyng out of Egipt Princes weâ— called Iudges The institution of kyngdomes and kynâ—eâ—â—e of â—â—â— The chaungynges and renewynges of kyngdoÌ„s displeaseth God The confirmacion of ciuyll gouernaunce Saul Dauid Salmon Roboam The occasioÌ„ of the kyngdome of Samaria Abia. Asa toke away the wicked Gods 〈…〉 The Iewes are elder Iosaphat a defender of the religion Elyas was in the mydle age of the worlde Eliseus Ioram a setter vp of new Idolatry Ochosyas Athalia Example of â—eâ—geaunce Nathan Dauids sonne Ioas. Ioiada Zacharias the prophete Amasias â—usi â—â— godlinesse Ozias which also is called Azarias Ozias Amos. Micheas Ionas Ioatham Achas Ezechias â— godly kyng Esaye The waystynge of Samaria â—he wasting of Samaria The 〈…〉 a wâ—â—â—â—d worship 〈…〉 th not 〈…〉 shed The example of the feare of God Samaria iâ— a figure of the church of the East Manasse a wicked kyng The death of Esaye Manasse an example of â—â—peâ—teâ—s Amon. Iosias The bokes of Moses â—â—â— founde The figure of pure doctryne before the worldes 〈…〉 de â–ª Ioachas Ioakim Nabuchodonosor Daniel Ioachim â—â— Ieconias Sedechias An example of greate huÌ„ger An example of mens stony hertes The death of Sedechias The destruction of Ierusalem The kyngdome of Iuda Nabuchodonosor was conuerted of Daniel Euilmerodach Balthasar Blasphemyes are not vnpunished The ende of the fyrst monarchye The Iewes are most auncient The historyes of the Iewes are elder than of the Grekes Whan the Olympyades 〈…〉 The country 〈…〉 The occaspon of the battayl of Troie was aduoutry Eneas Latium Ascanius whiche also was called Iulus Achilles Hector The occasyon of the battaill of Thebes Ethrocles Polynices Adrastus Hercules of Tyrinthus Tyrynthus Minya Orchonemenus The dedes of Hercules Hercules pillers 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 after 〈…〉 The occasioÌ„ of all maner of vngodlynesse The head of Idolatry How muche an vngodly doth differ from a christian With the Grekes were pâ—â—tâ—â— firste of renowâ—â—e What tyme 〈…〉 erus ly 〈…〉 Homers bokes are a myrour of all ciuyl and princely vertues Hesiodus a prest at Helicon Hesiodus bokes 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syluia An example of vengeaÌ„ce The stryfe of Romulus and Remus for y e realme Whan Rome was â—â—yâ—deth Tullius hostilius The death of Metius Suffecius Ancus Marcius Tarquinius Priscus Seruius Tullius Whan the monarchy of of the Persians began Tarquinius Superbus Lucrecia An example of vengeauÌ„ce Balthasar kyng of Babylon The histories of the Grekes begynne at thee Persians The rekeninge of the Greâ—â—â—â— Philo. Herodotus Theusidides Xenophon Metasthenes Esdras was sâ—â—â—â—ed and â—â—â—â—ghâ— in the Persian mattâ—â—s Darius reignynge wyth Cyrus Artaxerxes Assuerus Cambyses Wherfore Darius Artaxerxes was called with the long hande Cyrus How great men ought to be folowed The father of Cyrus Astyagâ—s 〈…〉 The notable crueltye of Astyages The dede of Harpagus â—â—â—puâ—t Astâ—yes tyranny Cresus king oâ— Asia â–ª The graue â—â—â—â—â—ighty 〈…〉 â–ª â—â— trample oâ— pitye Example that princes do oft warre constrayned by no necessytye What is to be consydered in kyng Cyrus How Cyrus â—â—â— BabyloÌ„ Euphrates Babylon is the hâ—â—de citye of the monarchye How muche God careth for his churche or congregatioÌ„ What Xenophon writeth of Cyrus 〈…〉 The Philosophers were â—pâ—st â—â— Cyrus tyme. The Philosophers of Ionia and Italy Thales begynner of philosophers iâ— Grece Pythagoras begynner of philosophers of Italy Solon 〈…〉 and beg 〈…〉 of the Romane lawes Thales and Solon at one 〈…〉 Dracons lawes Solons law concernynge vagabondes Cambyses â–ª Prexaspes The 〈…〉 The 〈…〉 of Cambyses Dronkennesse bryngeth in most wycked maners The faythfulnesse of dogges The cruelnesse of Cambâ—ses toward â—is â—â—â—ster the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Siâ—amnes a wicked iudge Otaâ—es An example of a notable inteâ—pâ—â—aÌ„ce Who were called Magi â—â—â—â—â—libâ—â—â—â—â—â— oâ— seâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—ces â—â— Pâ—râ—â— of â—â—â—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—rchy â—â—â—he beâ—t â—â—â—â—â—â— of â—â—â—â—pyâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—lâ—e Darius is made kyng of Persia The notable â—â—â—thfulnesse â—â— Zopyrus 〈…〉 Darius A graue sayenge of Darius Empyres haue theyr boundes Amyntas kyng of Macedony Alexander 〈…〉 Amyntas 〈…〉 of Alexander Sardis The sutteltye of Histieus in makinge an vproure How great settinge forth to warre vpoÌ„ Grece Darius made The counsell of Miltiades Platea The reâ—ow 〈…〉 d victory â—â— Miltiades 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 〈…〉 sonne â—â— Mâ—ltiades Xerxes How great Xerxes army was agaynst the Grekes The graue â—â—yenge of Xerxes 〈…〉 〈…〉 the Grekes is 〈…〉 The of the Lacedemonians Cyrsylus Themistocles a defender of the liberty of the countrye 〈…〉 â–ª 〈…〉 â–ª Themistocles suttyll deuyse 〈…〉 mple 〈…〉 â–ª 〈…〉 ni 〈…〉 â–ª Alexander Themisto 〈…〉 rded for 〈…〉 Themistocles flâ—â—th too Artaxerxes LoÌ„gimanus â–ª that is with the loÌ„g hand Assuerus Hester Artistona â–ª Atossa Arbaces 〈…〉 is 〈…〉 long hand Christes coÌ„myng The place in Daniel of the seuenty wekes Esdras gathered together the bookes of the Bible The warre of Peloponnesus Artaxerxes Mnemon Cyrus The warre of Cyrus agaist â—â—â— brother Cyrus kynred was queÌ„shed Darius the last An example of vnkyndnesse Most great warres raysed very lyght causes The occasioÌ„s of the ware of Peloponnesuswere light and how loÌ„g they lasted Alcibiades Lysander A woÌ„der sene in the tyme of the GreciaÌ„s warre The obstmaâ—â— and malepartnesse of y t Athenians in time of warre confirmed also with a deare Sparta and Athens are two eyes of Grece The yeldyng of the Athenians Alcibiades Ayeng to the Perses is slayn The Perses are an example of dislopalâ—â— Alcibiades â—as â—â—oble in â—eaâ—es of war but restlesse â—â—s◠〈…〉 yrauÌ„ 〈◊〉 were ordeyned at Athens Theramenes is put to death Thrasibulus The prayse of Thrasibulus â—â—orgetâ—ulnesse of iâ—â—uries is ordeined A notable exaÌ„ple to mainâ—ame v 〈…〉 e. â—odon capitayn of the Perses The LacedemoniaÌ„s â—ight with y e Thebanes and aâ—â— diâ—conâ—â—â—ed The Thebanes destroye the PhociaÌ„s Philippe destroyed the Thebanes Hippocrates Soranus wrote the life of Hippocrates Perdicas was healed of Hippocrates ☞ Socrates Plato Eudoxus Aristoteles Aristotles elders Nicomachus â–ª Whan the counsels of Rome began