desperately rushing on slew a Multitude with his own Hand and restored the Battle but having taken a King in rich Armour Prisoner as he cast his Shield behind him to lead him out of the Ranks his Breast being Defenceless Achilles suddenly came upon him inclosed him with his Men and run his Spear into his Body so that he fell down dead and with him dyed all the Hopes of Troy for though Achilles was soon after slain by Paris Phyrrus his Son no less in Strength and Courage arriving in the Camp Paris and Tragilus King Priamus's Sons being slain and the Palladium which was the Safe-gaurd of Troy stole by Vlysses and Diomede who slew the Warders of the Tower who kept it the City was soon after taken by the means of a mighty Wooden-Horse the Greeks dedicated to Pallas to attone as they feigned for the Theft of the Palladium which upon the supposed Departure of the Enemy was by the Perswasion of one Sinon a crafty Greek drawn into the Gity and the Walls broke down to give it entrance when in the Night he let out the armed Men in the Belly of it who seized the Gate called in their Companions slew the King laid the City in Ashes and carried the Queen her Daughters and most that escaped the Sword Captives to Greece II. The Life Actions and Death of Alexander the Great King of Macedon who conquered the World c. ALexander from his many glorious Exploits and amazing Victories Sir-named The Great was the Son of Philip King of Macedon by Olympius his Queen this Philip before his Death brought all Greece under his Subjection and intended to war on the Persian Monarchy then flourishing in Asia and Part of Africa of vast Extent governed by King Darius but being slain before he put his Intendments in Execution his Son Alexander assembled the Grecian States at Corinth and was by them chosen General of their Armies in his Father's stead but soon after by the Perswasion of Demosthenes the Orator corrupted with the Gold of Persia the Lacedemonians Athenians and Thebans revolted from him and made an Alliance with Darius but Alexander soon reduced them to Obedience levelling the City of Thebes to the Ground and selling the Citizens for Slaves Thus having settled his Affairs in Greece and put to Death all those he suspected could disturd its Quiet in his Absence distributing his Treasure amongst his Commanders and Soldiers reserving nothing but Hope of the World's Empire for himself he passed into Asia with an Army of 30000 Foot and 4500 Horse mostly of Soldiers who had served his Father which small Number Darius so much despised that he sent to his Lieutenant in the Lesser Asia to fall upon and destroy them but to take Alexander alive to scourge him and send him bound in Chains to Babylon where he resided But it fell out much otherwise than he expected for with his handful of Men he overthrew several Armies commanded by the Persian Lieutenants with almost incredible Slaughter taking most of the strong Places in the Way as he marched which rouzed King Darius from his Ease and Luxury of his Court to raise the whole Strength of his Kingdom in hopes to drive out an Enemy now grown so formidable to him and a mighty Battle was fought between the Plains of Abrastum where he overthrew an Army 600000 Persians with the Loss only of 9 Foot-men and 100 Horse-men and taking exceeding rich Plunder having buried the Dead and erected several Monuments in Token of his Victory upon which a great Part of Asia submitted to him After this Battle he marched to the City of Gordium where in the Temple of Jupiter he cut the Gordian Knot in two with his Sword of which there went a Prophesie That whoever could unfold it should be King of that Country and having garrisoned that City marched on but fearing to be entangled in the narrow Passages of the huge Mountain Taurus he marched speedily over it his Foot marching five hundred Furlongs without Respite and so he came to Tursus where being taken with the pleasant River Cydnus he plunged into it to cool and refresh himself when hot which caused an Ague-fit and when Philip his Physician presented him a Portion he took it boldly though he had a Letter sent him that Philip was bribed by Darius to poison him which Letter he delivered to Philip whilst he was drinking the Potion who read it undauntedly and soon after Alexander recovered And now Darius approached with a recruited Army of 300000 Foot 100000 Horse when Alexander encouraging his Soldiers and extolling their Valour who had broke through so many Nations and been ever victorious he caused the Charge to be sounded and the two Armies rushed together with great Fury and Violence but after a bloody Encounter in which both Kings were wounded the Persians gave way after 30000 Foot and 10000 Horse were slain and 4000 taken Prisoners with the Loss of no more than 130 Foot and 150 Horse of the Macedonians and all Darius's Treasure of Gold Silver Jewels c. fell into the Hands of the Victors and among the Captive were the Mother Wife and two Daughters of Darius who fell on their Knees with piteous Cries before Alexander expecting no less than Death or worse Treatment but he kindly raised and comforted them causing them to be honouaably attended and well-used and falling into Love with the beauteous Barsione one of the captive Ladies he got a Son on her whom he named Hercules and after that married Statira the eldest Daughter to Darius giving Parisatis to his dear Friend Haephston and seizing on the Persian Fleet marched unto Syria where many of the Eastern Kings who had been tributary to Darius came and layed their Crowns at his Feet most of them receiving them again as his Bounty to be tributary under him Then he passed from Syria into Egypt taking all the Cities in his Way and having been reputed to be the Son of Jupiter Ammon and not of King Philip who had put away his Mother upon her confessing Jupiter came in the Shape of a Dragon and got him in the Absence of Philip he enquired of that and other Events at the the Temple of Ammon where the flattering Priests declared him to be the Son of Jupiter Ammon and that both Victories in all Wars and the Possession of all Lands were granted to him charging his Followers to adore him as a God which puffed him up with such Pride which together with the Luxury of Asia utterly debauched his Virtues for complaining of which Parmenio one of his greatest Captains was by his Command flead alive and his Son Philotes slain After this he built a City on the Sea-coast of Egypt calling it Alexandria from his own Name and settled a Colony of Macedonians in it And here Darius writ to him to part his Empire with him and that he should freely enjoy his Part with his Daughter also he offered him a vast Sum to redeem
when the King of Jerusalem and other Confederate Kings assembled a mighty Army utterly to destroy them for making this League with the Enemies of their Country upon their Supplication Joshua made a hard March to their Relief and utterly in a terrible Battle discomfited the Kings and their Armies and to lengthen out the Day for their Distruction at the Prayer of Joshua the Son and Moon that were hastening to set stood still for the space of a whole Day so that there was no Day like that Day in which God fought for Israel by destroying Multitudes of their Enemies with mighty Hail stones that fell upon them yet hurt not one of the pursuing Israelites and their five Kings being found hid in the Cave Mukkedaâ— Joshua pulled them out and caused the People to set their Feet upon their Necks in Token of Subjection slew them and hanged them on five Trees burning 2000 War-charriots with Fire and then marched through all the Land of Canaan taking Cities and Strong holds and in five Years utterly subdued it unless some few strong Garrisons and having caused is to be viewed divided it amongst the Tribes by Lot of 〈…〉 as Moses had appointed setting up the Tabernacle of God 〈◊〉 Shiloe This famous War as it was thus finished the fifty Thousand whose Lot was in the Land of the Amorites returned with great Riches to their Wives and Children and that the parting of the River Jordan might not in time to come make them be taken for another People they erected an Altar there which by a Misunderstanding had like to have created a bloody War between their Bretheren and them but the real Cause being known it was prevented And now Joshua having Governed successfully twenty Years and grown Old finding the time of his Death approaching assembled the Princes and Heads of the ePple and gave them a strict Command to Obey the Lord their God in all things that he had commanded by the Mouth of his Servant Moses and to walk uprightly in his sight that it might be well with them and their Children for ever And soon after he died greatly lamented of the People in the 110th Year of his Age and from â—â—e World's Creation 2560. and before the coming of Christ 1500. V. The Life and glorious Reign of David King of Israel DAvid the renowned King of Israel and Captain of the Peple of the Lord of Host was the Son of Jesse of the Tribe of Judah who in his young Years kept his Father's Flocks and was then very Daring and Valiant as appears by his fighting with and killing a Lion and a Bear who came to devour his Sheep and when Saul King of Israel sinned against God in disobeying his Commands this Striplin was appointed to Reign over Israel and by a special Command was annointed King by Samuel the Prophet And the first of his publick Appearance to make himself known and to rise to Greatness was when Saul and his Armies were defied by Goliah the great Giant of Gath whom he slew with a Sling and a Stone and had Michol the King's Daughter in Marriage as it had been promised to him that should overcome that daring Champion of the Philistines who had been a Man of War from his Youth upward and highly was he favoured in the Court of Saul by Abner the Captain of the Host with the Giant 's Head in his Hand But after his many Victories the Virgins in their Songs ascribed to him ten Thousands of Slain and to Saul but one which stirred up his Jealousie and Envy against him without his deserving it David no sooner became renowned at Court and throughout all the Land of Israel but Jonathan Saul's eldest Son and a very vertuous Prince made a very strict League of Friendship with him insomuch that they became as own Brothers he labouring to pacifie his Father's Wrath towards David till he incurred it himself and narrowly escaped Death as David had often done Saul by this time having Notice that by God's Appointment David was to be King of Israel his Spirit was so troubled that at times he fell into a melancholy Madness so that an evil Spirit possessed him and when David was playing before him on his Harp as he often did to drive away the Spirit Saul falling into one of his Fits narrowly mist slaying him by throwing a Javelin at him with such Force that it stuck in the Wall and David fled for his Life and Saul sent Soldiers to pursue him and beset his House where he had been taken but that his Wife let him down a Back-way and laid an Image in his Bed pretending he was sick till he escaped to the City of Nob where of Abimelech the High-Priest he obtained Shew-bread for his Sustenance and the Sword of Goliah kept there as a Monument for his Defence of which Doeg the Edomite informing all the People belonging to that place were slain by Saul's Command as Abettors to his Enemy which News greatly grieved David who then made his aboad in the Woods and Mountains And many were the Persecutions he endured from that time till Saul and his Sons being discomfitted by the Philistines fell on their Swords and died on Mount Gilboa After the Death of Saul Abner his Uncle after some Battles fought against David on the behalf of Ishosheth Saul's Son upon a Quarrel between them about Rispha one of Saul's Concubines deposed his Master and made an Agreement with David to settle him in the Kingdom which he performed by drawing the Tribes of Israel to his Party and David was saluted King but Joab Captain of David's Host envying a Man that had such great Power with the People and become a new Favourite with the King to his Prejudice secretly sent for him to treat about Affairs at Hebron and there in the Gate treacherously killed him whose Death David greatly lamented but Joab being powerful in the Army he durst not punish him for it And soon after Ishosheth the late King of Israel was murthered whose Murtherers David caused to be put to a cruel Death And soon after the Philistines invading the Land he overthrew them in two great Battles and extended his Borders by Victories over the Moabites and Ammonites and Westward upon the Phoenetians warring with the Arabians Syrians Humeans Amalekites and Messopotamians and much enlarged his Kingdom to which it was in the time of Joshua or ever before his Reign and settling his Affairs in Peace and Plenty the great Decayers of Virtue he unhappily cast his Eyes from his Tarras on the beautiful naked Body of Bersheba Wife to Vriah one of his faithful Captains as she was Bathing in a Fountain sent for her and lay with her and when she had told him she was with Child he sent for her Husband to cover the Shame but he refusing to lie with her he sent Letters by him to Joab to have him destroy'd who as he was directed set him in the Front of the Battle and retired
had delivered from his Enemies crowned Emperour of the West and having settled his Empire over many Nations in Peace he betook himself to a quiet Life he caused Lewis his Son to be crowned Emperour of the Romans giving him good Exhortations to govern well that great People committed to his Charge with a Regard to the Christian Religion Piety and Mercy having got him by his Sword and Prudence the Dominion over all France Germany Italy Hungary Poland and Part of Spain and so in the midst of his Devotions he died in the 71 Year of his Age when he had reigned 47 Years and was a while layed in State and then buried in a stately Monument in the Church of Aix In a Chappel himself had founded a little before for that Purpose IX The Life and Glorious Actions of Godfrey of Bulloign Duke of Lorain who conquered the Holy Land and was crowned King of Jerusalem SInce many People have heard of a Holy War and yet but few can tell to what Purpose it was made or in what Region I shall here for their better Instruction set forth a satisfactory Relation of it in the Life and noble Actions of one of the famous Worthies of the World Godfrey Duke of Bulloign Lorain and Verdon It so happened for the Lukewarmness of the Eastern Christians and their furious Contests about Niceties in Religion which caused a general Decay of Piety amongst them that God suffered them at first to be over-run and their Countries taken from them by the barbarous Sarazens and they being subdued by the Turks all manner of Cruelties were used towards the Christians that still inhabited amongst them in great Numbers which made them groan under their heavy Bondage and cry to God for Succour in their Distress when the Patriarch of Jerusalem and other good Men assembling it was resolved to send one Peter a French Man who had taken upon him the Life of a Hermit with their Supplications to the Western Christians beseeching them in the Bowels of Mercy and Compassion to look with Eyes of Pity on their Sufferings and with an armed Power rescue them and the Holy City of Jerusalem out of the Hands of the merciless Enemies of the Name Christ this Man after a tedious Travel and escaping many Dangers came to Rome Anno 1093 Vrbin the Second being then Bishop of that See to whom he delivered the Patriarch's Letters and gave a full Account of the Matter so moving that the Bishop could not refrain from Tears and summoning a Councel at Placentia whither most of the Christian Princes and Prelates were invited where appearing in full Assembly the Pope with moving Orations causing the Patriarch's Letters to be read and Peter to declare the cruel Usage the Eastern Nations suffered at the Hands of their Infidels the Princes were so inflamed with a Zeal of Delivering their suffering Brethren that with one Consent they agreed to raise Forces immediately and march to Jerusalem which unanimous Agreement the Pope no sooner perceived but with Tears of Joy in his Eyes he cried out It is the Will of God which Motto they put afterward in their Standard and so the Counsel ending every one repaired to their Country to raise Forces which were to wear Red Crosses on their Breasts to distinguish them And the Chief of these were Godfrey of Bulloign and his two Brothers Baldwin and Eustace Hugh Earl of Vermondois the French King's Brother Robert Duke Normandy Son to our King William Sir-named the Conqueror Stephen Earl of Chartes and Blois Hugh Earl of St. Paul Raymond Earl of Tholouse Robert Earl of Flanders with a great Number of Nobles and Gentlemen who landed with an Army of 300000 valiant Men on the Shoars of Asia striking Terror to their Enemies and marching on besieged the City of Nice the Capital City of Bythinia which Solimon the Turkish Sultan of Persia came with a a huge Army to relieve but was utterly defeated with such Slaughter that the Fields were covered with Blood and the Bodies of the Slain After which the Christians returned again to their Siege and Duke Godfrey with an Arrow killed a mighty Giant-like Turk who had manfully defended the Breach tho' twenty Arrows were sticking in his Breast and killed the Assailants in great Numbers with huge Stones which he threw at them and soon after the City was taken and delivered to Emanuel the Greek Emperor in Lien of the Supplies of Provision he was to furnish the Army withal This City taken they marched towards Syria in two Bodies the one commanded in Chief by Duke Godfrey and the other by the Duke of Normondy and the Earl of Flanders and in their Way being encountred by 300000 Turkish and Persian Horsemen they soon put them to the Rout with incredible Slaughter And having taken Tripolis a strong City in Syria they advanced towards Antioch but Peter the Hermit who had got together a great Multitude of Men out of the Territories of the Church and from Monasteries whose Business was rather Eating than Fighting advancing too far before the Army and falling into an Ambush of the Enemy most of them were slain with their Leader But the Army coming before the City of Pisidia it surrendred But new Duke Godfrey going into the Woods to recreate himself narrowly missed being slain by a monsterous Bear whom he found assaulting one of his Soldier who went to cut Wood but though the Bear got him down he drew his Sword under his Thigh by which he wounded himself and lost much Blood yet running it into the Belly of the Bear he killed her and on the like Occasion at another Time he hearing a Lyon roar piteously in a Forrest and going to see what the Matter was found a huge Serpent had twisted itself about the Lyon's Legs and with his poisonous Sting was darting at his Head to kill him but the Duke pitying the noble Lyon with his huge Sword cut off the Sepent's Head and relieved the Lyon who in Gratitude far surpassing most Men ever after during his Life followed him hunted wild Beast for him and fawned on him like a Spannel often defending him against his Enemies The Christians having conquered Siletia and a great Part of Armenia besieged the City of Antioch in which was a strong Garrison and at their first setting down before it Duke Godfrey with a selected Party only with their Swords in their Hands defeated an Army of the Turks who say in Ambush to surprize his Soldiers sent to fetch Provision for the Army at Port Simon brought thither by Ships from Genoa and Pisons which the Pope had sent for the Relief of the Christians in Syria and after a teâ—ious â—â—â—ge took Antioch and from thence marched towards Jerusalem overâ—â—â—wing â—ome Armies of Turks by the Way when in one Battle a Giâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Tâ—â—k seeing Duke Godfrey beat down Multitudes before him came on a â—aâ—y all foaming to encounter him with his mighty Cimiter but after a fierce Encounter the Duke with a forcible Stroak of his Sword cut his Shoulder down to his Wast so that he fell dead from his Horse The Army coming within sight of the Holy City Jerusalem fell on their Knees with devout Prayers for God's Assistance vowing never to depart till they had taken it and such was their resolute Courage that they no sooner came to the Walls but immediately many scaled them and beat the Defendants from the Battlements leaping into the City and tho' these were not seconded for want of Leaders they sold their Lives at a dear Rate After this they lay'd a formal Siege and it being extream hot Weather they suffer'd much thro' Thirst for the Brook Kedron was dried up and the Infidels had poisoned all the Wells yet that of Siloe had worked out the Poison and the Water was become wholesom yet it yielded but little however they made many terrible Assaults and at length enter'd by main Force putting all the Turks and Sarazens to the Sword And in Solomon's Temple found vast Riches whilst the Christians there embraced the Soldiers with Tears extolling them as their Deliverers Now the City was taken the Princes resolved to settle a Christian King therein and the Lot fell upon the Duke of Normandy but he minding his Intetests nearer home refused it Then with a unanimous Consent they chose Duke Godfrey King though he modestly refused so great an Honour however it being pressed upon him he accepted it but would not be crowned with a rich Crown that was offered him saying God forbid that any Christian King should wear a Crown of Gold where his Saviour for the Redemption of Mankind had worn a Crown of Thorns And the Princes having overthrown the Sultan of Egypt who too late coming to relieve the City most of them took Leave of the King and retutned home who being busied in enlarging his Frontiers fell sick and dyed in the first Year of his Regin and his Brother Baldwin succeeded him FINIS
his Mother Wife and Daughters but he refused all unless he would surrender up the whole Empire of Persia Upon which Darius resolving to try another Field raised an Army of 400000 Foot and 100000 Horse but in his March heard his Wife was dead and that Alexander had buried her very honourably and wept at her Funeral using the rest very courteously which made him confess he was truly conquered since after so many Battles his Enemy had overcome him in Kindness and that it was some Comfort to him in his Misery to be subdued by so noble an Adversary However another bloody Battle was fought on the Plains of Arbella where the Persians and Scithians at first prevailed and with barbarous Shouts run on the Plunder but suddenly an Eagle hovering over the Head of Alexander it was taken by his Men as a Presage of Victory which reviving their fainting Spirits made them fall on so desperately that with the Battle they won him the Empire of the East for Darius flying was taken by Neorbarzanes and Bessus two of his own Princes bound in Chains and laid on a Waggon thinking with the Head of their King to purchase their own Conditions with Alexander but being hotly pursued they mortally Wounded him and left his Body on the Land where he expired and was magnificently buried by Alexander who took Possession of the Persian Empire Alexander having gotten the Empire of Darius warred on many Nations and coming to the great Indian Sea after he had overcome King Porus who made a stout Resistance he wept because as he supposed there were no more Countries to conquor and in his return Kings submitted every-where to him and Thelestus Queen of the Amazons came with 5000 Virgins arm'd to request him to lye with her that she might have a Son by so Great a Conquerour and had her Wish Peace being now pretty well settled Alexander laying aside the Macedonian Fashion followed the Persian Mode as well in Apparel as in Riot and Luxury making many drunken Banquets in one of which he killed Clytus an aged General who had done him great Service in his Wars but being sober he exceedingly mourned his Death refusing Food for four Days but afterward putting many of his Lieutenants to Death upon little Pretences and growing Outragious in his Actions Antipater Lieutenant of Macedon fearing his own Life caused his Son Cassander who waited on the King to Poison him at one of his Banquets and so dying without an Heir his mighty Empire was divided amongst his great Captains and his Body carried to Egypt and there buried III. The Life and glorious Actions of Julius Caesar the first Emperour of Rome JVlius Caesar the great Roman Captain and Emperour of the World descended of the Julian Family so called from Julius Ascunius the Son of Aeneas of Troy and Caesar from his being cut from his Mother's Womb began very early to climb to the highest Honours being made Priest of Jupiter at sixteen Years of Age and though he was grievously persecuted by Syla who foreseeing his rising to Greatness labour'd to destroy him often saying There were many Mariuses in that Boy he escaped his Hands and studied at Rhodes under A. Molon the famous Orator where he grew so perfect that on all Occasions he had moving Words at Command which mightily favoured his Purpose and once appeas'd a Mutiny in his Army when the Soldiers in their Rage and Fury sought his Life And having passed the Offices of Questor in Spain and Tribune of the People he gained by his fair Speeches and Liberality so much Love amongst the Vulgar that they every-where extolled him to the Skies especially when he had successfully fought against and overthrown the Lieutenants of Mithridates King of Pontus and turned many to their Alliance who were wavering and ready to Revolt And to strengthen his Alliance he married Cornelia Daughter to Cinna who had been four times Consul by whom he had a Daughter named Julia after married to Pompey the Great when coming to the Temple of Hercules and seeing the Statute of Alexander the Great he wept because he had lived to his Age and had done nothing to compare with him And ever after it put such an Aspiring into his Mind that he grew restless till he subdued to himself the Roman Empire far larger in Extent than that that Alexander had possessed After he had done many obliging things to bind the Affection of the People of Rome to his interest he was made Consul with Bibulus and soon so prevailed over his Partner that he laid him aside and acted alone in all Publick-Affairs managing the Farms and Revenues of the Roman People to great Advantage causing Cato to be violently pulled out of the Senate house and committed for interrupting him for which he incurred his mortal Hatred ever after And his Wife dying he married Calphurnia Daughter of Piso which so strengthen'd his Alliance that he awed the Senate Soon after he went with the Consullary Army over the Alps subdued France then Gallia and a great part of Germany and sailing over into Britain after many dangerous Battles fought with the Britains he subdued a great Part of this Island in his three Expeditions and laid a Tribute of 3000 Pound Weight of Silver on the Natives to be paid Yearly to the Romans And when he had warred ten Years successfully abroad hearing that Pompey had made a great Party against him in the Senate and that they were about to divest him of all his Honours and calling him home as a private Man appointing Domitius his Successor in Gallia he was much disturbed and setling his Affairs as well as he could resolved to march with his Army to Rome though upon a Table of Brass placed on the other side the River Rubicon whereon was engraven an Act of the Senate that no Roman should pass that River homeward Armed when encamping on the Bank of that River he paused a while saying to those about him Thus far we are safe and may return if we please If we pass this Bridge we shall have nothing to trust to but our Arms. When he had spoke these Words there appeared a Person of remarkable Stature and Beauty playing melodiously on a Reed which made many flock about him when snatching a Trumpet out of one of their Hands he stalked through the River sounding a Charge whereat Caesar seemed to be much amazed though it was thought to be a Device of his to draw on his Men more willingly and crying out Come then it is decreed 〈◊〉 go where the Progenies of the Gods and the Iniquities of our Enemies 〈◊〉 and immediately causing his Eagles to advance he passed the forbiddes River at the Terror of whose Approach Petreus Affâ—â—nas young Syla and most of Pompey's Lieutenants in Italy deserted the Towns and fled and the Massilians and some others that made Resistance were reduced into which Towns Caesar putting Garrisons marched to Rome for Fear of whom Pompey and the