imploys the people it some other publick works which whilst they were intent upon a great prodigy appears a Serpent 〈◊〉 seen to come out of a Pillar of Wood which much affrighted Tarquin and his whole Court filling his breast with such anxious thoughts that he could not rest till he was satisfied what it did portend There fore though in other strange accidents he used only the judgment of his own Countrey Diviners yet iâ— this extraordinary case he resolved to consult the oracle of Delphos then the most famous upon earth He therefore sends his two elder Sons Titus and Aâ—ron to the oracle who take with them as their companion Lucius Junius Brutus the son of Tarquinia hâ—â— Sister whom he had not only suffered to live after having slain his brother but as a fate permitted hiâ— to keep company with his Sons This young man having heard that the Chief of tâ—â— City were murdered by his Uncle resolved to give him no occasion of fear from any designs of his and knowing there was no greater safety under the Tyrant than to be scorned and neglected since Law and Justice gave little security he that none might covet his fortune industriously feigned himself a fool or mad man which was much assisted by his natural inclination to melancholly permitting the King to dispose of his Person and Estate as he thought fit nay did not refuse the Sirname of Brutus that is Foolish or Sottish though under this title he concealed a noble Soul which afterward discovered it self in delivering the Roman people from slavery At the last Scene he unmasks himself and every one then commends him when they consider him because they did not understand him till the end of the Tragedy The Sons of Tarquin take this dull Brutus along with them to Delphos only for sport and divertisement though it is said he then secretly carried a golden staff inclosed in one of Wood as a present to Apollo which was a sign of his ingenuity They come to the Oracle and having made known their Fathers desires the young men were very earnest to make inquiry of the succession and to which of them the Roman kingdom should fall whereupon they say a voice ascended from the bottom of the Cave saying He among you three shall have the chief dominion in Rome who gives his Mother the first kiss The two brothers agreed to conceal this answer from Sextus the youngest then at Rome lest he should prevent them and to commit it to fortune by Lot which of them should first kiss their Mother when they arrived but Brutus who knew the answers of oracles were seldom very cleer but full of a thousand ambiguities imagining there might be some other meaning in it pretending to fall by chance kissed the earth which he considered was the common Mother of all men living They return to Rome with the answer to their Father whom they find ingaged in War against the Rutilians a rich people and besieging Ardea with whose Spoils the Tyrant hoped to ingage the affections of the Romans who grew very insolent and uneasy for being made so long Carpenters and Masons They first attacked the City by storm but being repulsed laid a formal Siege thereto which made the Campaign more tedious than dangerous so that the Officers had leasure enough to treat and entertain one another The Kings Sons and kinsmen oft feasted each other particularly one night they were drinking together with Sextus where Collatinus Tarquinius the Son of Egerius being in company there grew a contention among them concerning their wives each extolling his own above the rest from whence a quarrel arising Collatinus said there need no dispute in the case since it might easily be known how far his Lucretia excelled the rest Therefore said he It is in vain to talk but if you have any vigor in you let us mount our Horses and go see with our own eyes what kind of lives our wives lead in our absence and that shall be the test of their virtue according as each man shall find her imployed at his sudden arrival They were all heated with Wine and therefore cryed unanimously Come on it is agreed and so galloped to Rome and arriving toward evening went thence to Collatia where they found Lucretia not like the rest of the Kings daughters in Law whom they saw feasting and rioting among their companions but fitting up late at night in the midst of her women spinning and dividing out their work They all grant her the Victory and with one voice commend her above their own She received her husband and the rest very kindly and Collatine having thus got the conquest treated the Royal Youths with a Noble banquet At supper a base lust surprizeth Sextus and her beauty and chastity raising a furious desire in him to enjoy her he resolves to compass his wicked intent with the utmost hazard for the look of a lascivious man is like that of a Basilisk it kills Chastity with beholding it Having ended their Juvenile pastimes for that night the next morning they all returned to the Camp. Not long after Sextus who could find no rest in his mind till he had fulfilled his unlawful desires takes a full resolution to perpetrate that wicked Act and without giving notice to any he secretly returns to Collatia where he was received and treated with all kind of civility by the innocent Lucretia who little imagined upon what impious design he made her that visit but welcomed him with all manner of sweetness as the Friend and Companion of her beloved husband After supper he was conducted to his Chamber but so inflamed with love that sleep was the least thing he desired or intended he revolves in his thoughts the hazard and treachery of this dishonourable attempt and yet sometimes seems to flatter himself with success from the free treatment of this chast soul Quoth he she took me kindly by the hand And gaz'd for tydings in my eager eyes Fearing some bad news from the Warlike Band Where her beloved Collatinus lyes O how her fear did make her colour rise Nor could she put off this her trembling fear Until her husbands welfare she did hear At length taking courage he rises from his uneasy bed and having observed where Lucretia lay he opens the doors and enters her Chamber whom he found fast asleep and approaching the bed with his drawn Sword he lays his hand upon her breast and hath recourse to the instruments of hatred for his assistance in love he who was wont to vent his angry passions against his enemies with his Sword knows not how to lay it aside in prosecuting the most tender passion At this rude approach the poor affrighted Lucretia awaked and finding him in this dreadful posture and her self in so dangerous a state she was extreamly amazed when the villanous Ravisher thus addrest her Lucretia said he Hold your peace I am Sextus Tarquin speak not a word for if you do
had refused to join with them against the Benjamites they sent twelve thousand chosen men against them who slew all that bore arms with the women and children reserving only four hundred Virgins At their return the Israelites sent Messengers to the Benjamites who fled into the desarts and had secured themselves in the rock Rimmon to desire them to come back to their former possessions which they had forfeited by the Just Judgment of God for their wickedness in protecting such impious offenders from condign punishment the Benjamites by the perswasions of their brethren came and possest their inheritance and the Israelites gave them the four hundred Virgin Captives in marriage but because two hundred yet remained without wives and they had solemnly sworn not to give them their daughters they concluded the Benjamites should take the advantage of seizing two hundred of the daughters of the City of Shiloh who came to a Feast every year near Bethel accordingly when the Feast approached these two hundred Benjamites went and hid themselves by two and three in a company among the Vines and thickets to surprize the Damsels who suspecting nothing were dancing very pleasantly in the Fields when the young men suddenly issuing out seized each upon a Virgin at unawares and carried them home to their houses and having married them they repaired their Cities and dwelt therein whereby the Tribe of Benjamin that was near extinguisht began in a short time to increase and flourish as before and thus ended this fatal War. In this History I have followed Josephus who differs in time from what is written in the Holy Scriptures After this another generation arose who forgot the works of the Lord and disobeyed his holy Laws and Commandments giving themselves up to all manner of Vice and Luxury and wallowing in all the abominations and Idolatry of the Canaanites for which cause the wrath of God was kindled and he stirred up the Nations round about against them delivering them into the hands of the king of Mesopotamia who ruled over them eight years taking many Prisoners and bringing their Cities into subjection In this their calamity they called upon the Lord who stirred up a certain man called Othniel who was warned from Heaven to deliver the Israelites out of this their cruel bondage he calling together some of his Companions in danger who were discontented at their present condition and desired a change they first fell upon the Garrison that the Mesopotamians had placed over them whom having soon discomfited they thereby took courage to meet them in the open Field and their numbers increasing by this first success they seemed equal to their Enemies whom they therefore ingaged in battle and overcame with a very great slaughter their King being taken Prisoner and the liberty of the Israelites thereby restored to them the terror of their arms after this was so great to all the Nations round about that none durst oppose them and Othniel for his valour received the Government from the peoples hands and exercised the Office of a Judge over them peaceably forty years After whose death the Government being void the affairs of the Israelites began again to decline the people neither giving due honour to God nor obedience to the Laws whence it came to pass that Eglon K. of the Moabites observing their disorders made War and prevailed often against them weakning their Forces and obliging them to pay tribute and proud of his Victories removed his Court to Jericho omitting no practices to vex and molest the Israelites so that they lived in much misery under him eighteen years when the Almighty moved with their supplications and sorrows freed them from this intolerable thraldom by the hand of Ehud the Son of Gera who insinuated himself into the favour of Eglon and by the gifts and presents he made him was much respected by the king and all his Court One day it happened that as Ehud carried certain presents to Eglon accompanied by two of his houshold Servants he privately girt a dagger under his Garments and entring into the presence he delivered his gifts to the King who was then solacing himself in a Summer Chamber being now by themselves Eglon having sent away his attendants to hear the secret Message which Ehud said he had to deliver him he suddenly stabbed the king into the belly with his dagger and left the weapon swallowed up in his bowels by reason Eglon was a very fat man and then privately escaped shutting the door upon him His Servants finding the door of the parlour locked suspected nothing of mischief but supposed it was upon some natural occasion in this error they continued till toward Evening when fearing what had happened they entred and found Eglon fallen down dead on the Earth In this interval Ehud had time to secure himself out of danger and coming to Jericho gave them an Account of the matter offering himself to be their Leader in recovering their lost liberty who readily accepting this proposal presently took arms and blowing a trumpet they assembled all the people of the Countrey who joining together fell upon the Moabites before they were prepared who were so dismayed at the dismal Accident of the death of their King that they knew not how to make any defence insomuch that the Israelites charging fiercely upon them killed many upon the place and the rest being about ten thousand betook themselves to flight hoping to recover their own Countrey but the Israelites having before fortified the passages of Jordan pursued and slew them all By this means the Israelites were freed from the servitude of Moab and continued quiet from any Invader fourscore years After this Shamgar the Son of Anath was Elected Governor who slew six hundred of the Philistines with an Ox-goad and thereby in some measure delivered them but the Israelites not yet reclaimed by their former sufferings returned again to impiety and disobedience though they had so lately shaken off the yoke of the Moabites So that God in just Judgment gave them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan who kept his residence at Hazor on the Lake of Sachonites He had an Army of thirty thousand Foot ten thousand Horse and nine hundred Chariots of iron Over these Forces Sisera was Commander in chief a great Favourite with the King who encountring with the Israelites reduced them into such a low condition that they accepted of servitude and were obliged to pay tribute for twenty years In this lamentable state they began to reflect upon their transgressions and provocations against the Almighty acknowledging the Justice of Heaven in punishing them for their ingratitude and contempt of the Divine Laws and repaired to a certain Prophetess named Deborah which in Hebrew signifies a Bee beseeching her that by her Prayers she would intreat the Lord to have mercy upon them and free them from their bondage under the Canaanites Hereupon God being inclined to compassion promised them deliverance and appointed
Baruc whose name signifies Lightning of the Tribe of Napthali to be their Chief to him therefore Deborah sends a message That he should instantly raise ten thousand choice men and lead them against their Enemies affirming that they were sufficient with the assistance of Heaven to conquer that mighty Host But Baruc denying to undertake the War except she would join with him and accompany him in the War Deborah being somewhat moved Wilt thou said she surrender up the Dignity that God hath given thee to a Woman well I will not refuse to go with thee but remember that this expedition will not be for thine honour since the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a Woman Whereupon having levyed ten thousand Soldiers they pitched their Tents near the Mountain Itabar of which Sisara having notice proceeded presently by the Kings command to fall upon them and incamped near them Baruc and the Israelites being terrified with the multitude of their Enemies were incouraged by Deborah who commanded them that very day to give Battel assuring them that God would assist and certainly deliver their Adversaries into their hands Whereupon they charged the Canaanites with much valour who were in a short time wholly discomfited and all their Host fell with the edge of the Sword Sisera alighted from his Chariot and fled away afoot Josephus relates that in the beginning of the fight there suddenly fell a storm of rain mixed with hail which the wind drove against the faces of the Canaanites and took away their sight whereby those that fought with Darts and Slings were made unserviceable and the Targetiers had their hands so benummed with cold that they could scarce weild their Swords but the Tempest being on the back of the Israelites was so far from disturbing them that believing it a manifest token of the immediate favour and assistance of Heaven they were thereby incouraged to assault their enemies with the greater vigor and breaking through the front of their Battel they made a very great slaughter of them so that a vast number fell by the Sword and the rest were over-run by their own Chariots and Horsemen Sisera flying with all speed after he saw his Army turn their backs arrived at the Tent of a woman of Cenetis called Jael the wife of Heber and earnestly besought her to conceal him which she seemed very willing to do and covered him with a Mantle who being very dry desired a Cup of water when she presented him with a dish of milk And then covering him again he intreated her That if any came to inquire she should deny she had seen him and then fell asleep whilst he lay buried in slumbers by reason of his extream toyl and weariness Jael took a nail and with a hammer struck it through his temples and fastned it to the ground whereby he instantly gave up the Ghost soon after Barue with his Souldiers coming thither she brought them in and shewed what she had done and thus a woman according to the prediction of the worthy Prophetess Deborah was the Author of this glorious Victory The Army being likewise managed by the conduct of Deborah a woman the Israelites thereby subduing their inveterate Foes the Canaanites And Baruc leading his Army to Hazor slew Jabin their King who came out against them levelling the City to the ground and thereby freed the Land from bondage which had rest forty years after this notable success And that they might not seem ingrateful to the Lord for so great a deliverance Deborah and Baruc composed the following Song of praise and thanksgiving which they sung in the hearing of all the people Deborah lived in the year from the creation 2641. and before the Nativity of our Saviour 1350. Judges 5. YOur Great Preserver celebrate He who reveng'd our wrongs of late When you his Sons in Israels aid Of life so brave a tender made You Princes with attention hear And you who awful Scepters bear While I in sacred numbers sing The praise of our Eternal King. When he through Seir his Army led In Edoms Fields his Ensigns spread Earth shook the Heavens in drops descend And Clouds in tears their substance spend Before his face the Mountains melt Old Sinai unknown servor felt When Israel Shamgars Rule obey'd And Jael that Virago swaid She bold of Heart He great in War Yet to the fearful Traveller All ways were then unsafe who crept Through woods or past when others slept The land uncultivated lay When I arose I Deborah A mother to my Countrey grew At once their Foes and Fears subdue When to themselves new Gods they chose Then were their Walls besieg'd by Foes Did one of forty thousand wear A Coat of Steele or shook a Spear You who with such alacrity Led to the Battail O how I Affect your valour with me raise Your voices sing Jehovahs praise Sing you who on white Asses ride And justice equally devide You who those ways so fear'd of late Where now no thieves assassinate You lately from your Fountains barr'd Where you their clattering quivers heard There with united joy record The Righteous Judgments of the Lord You who your Cities repossess Who reap in peace his praise profess Arise O Deborah arise In heavenly Hymns express thy Joys Arise O Baruc Thou the Fame And Off-spring of Alcinoam Of Israel the renowned head Captivity now Captive lead Nor shall the noble memory Of our strong aids in silence dye The quiver bearing Ephraimite Marcht from his Mountain to the fight Those who on Amalek confine The small remains of Benjamine From Machir Princes not a few Wise Zebulun with Letters drew The valiant chiefs of Issachar With Deborah hasted to this war Who down into the valley tread The way which noble Baruc led But Reuben from the rest disjoin'd By Hills and Flouds was so in mind Did'st thou these glorious wars refuse To hear the bleating of thy Ewes O Great in Council Oh how wise That couldst both Faith and Fame despise Gilead of thundring drums afraid Or slothful beyond Jordan staid Dan his swift failing ships affects And publick liberty neglects While Ashur on his clifts resides And fortifies against the Tydes But Zebulun and Napâ—hali Who never would from danger fly Were ready for the publick good On Tabors top to shed their bloud Then Kings Kings of the Cananites To Tanach Plains addrest their fights Where swift Megiddo's waters ran Yet neither spoil nor Trophy wan The Heav'ns ' gainst Sisera fought the Stars Mov'd in their Courses to those wars By Ancient Kishon swept from thence Whose Torrent falling clouds incense Thou O my joyful Soul at length Hast trod to dirt their mighty strength Their wounded Horse with flying hast Fall headlong and their Riders cast Thus spake an Angel cursed be Thou Meroz all who dwell in thee That basely wouldst no aid afford In that great battel to the Lord. O Jael Hebers wife thou best Of women be thou ever blest Blest above all
whose mercy and goodness endures forever The people were even transported with joy at this unexpected deliverance and seeing the dismal head only by torch-light were almost perswaded it was but a dream But that the multitude which saw the same thing confirmed them their eyes were not deluded They therefore shouted with praises to the God of Heaven the only worker of Miracles and then turning to Judith they gave her a thousand thanks and blessings for being the instrument of so marvellous a salvation that day Then Ozias the Prince of the people of Israel in Bethulia spake thus to her Blessed be you O Daughter and most excellent above all the women in the Earth and praised be the great Creator of Heaven and Earth who hath assisted your Victorious arm for the destruction of the principal of our Enemies whereby you have rendred your name immortal to all ages to come and shall be had in admiration by all that have any sense of the wonderful works of God while the world endures since none can forget how little you valued your own life and honour so that you might thereby free your Nation from the inevitable ruin which seemed to hang over their heads After this Achior was called to whom shewing the head of Holofernes and assuring him that what he had affirmed of the might power of the God of Israel was now fully verified since he that had vowed their total desolation was now no more and their great Commander Holofernes was himself without a head Achior was even astonisht at her words and action and with the surprize fell down into a swound but at length recovering he threw himself at her feet with so much reverence as was near to adoration and by her means was more confirmed in the true Religion and he with all the people shouted and gave glory to God with a loud voice Judith to perfect her Conquest advised the people to place the head upon one of the highest Towers of the City and in the morning to make a salley out upon the Assyrians who at the alarum would presently run to the Tent of Holofernes to awake him and finding what had happened would be extreamly amazed and sell their lives at a cheap rate and might be pursued and utterly destroyed out of all their Coasts with very little damage to themselves This was put in execution and the Captains instantly repaired to the Generals Tent to receive orders desiring Bagoas the Eunuch to wake their Lord since the Israelitish slaves had presumed to make a sally upon them tho to their own destruction The Eunuch after long tarrying at last ventred in and coming near the bed and hearing no body stir he at length opened the curtains thinking he had still slept with Judith but instead thereof found the dead body cast on the floor and his head taken from him At this fight he cryed out aloud and became so furious that he rent his cloths and went in a rage to Judiths apartment threatning her with a thousand deaths but missing her there he sent out many frightful Schreeches among the People and declared aloud That the Slaves had dealt treacherously with them and that one Hebrew woman had brought shame and confusion upon the House of Nebuchadnezzar who had slain Holofernes and left his carcase without a head All ran to behold this dismal Spectacle and the whole camp was filled with horror astonishment and despair Tears and howling had taken possession of the whole Army when at the same time the head of Holofernes appeared upon one of the Towers of Bethulia which so astonished the Assyrians that they fled and scattered themselves round about the City every one seeking safety in running away and none durst trust another The Israelites pursued with all manner of briskness and vigor making a great noise that their number might appear considerable though there needed no great force to vanquish run-a-ways All the neighbouring Cities came in to take part of the spoil and to pillage their routed enemies whom they cut off with a most dreadful slaughter and the booty in the Camp was so prodigious that the people were thirty days in dividing it The rich moveables of Gold Silver Pearls and Jewels found in Holofernes Tent were all presented to Judith with the praises and acclamations of the multitude who unanimously applauded her as the glory of Jerusalem the joy of Israel the honour of her people the gallant woman the chast and valiant Princess by whose hand God had done great things in delivering his people and whose fame should live to eternal Ages The women of Israel likewise assembled themselves to meet and bless her dancing before her with branches of Olive in their hands whereof they composed a Garland which they put upon her head and then Judith leading the dance before them proceeded toward her own house all the men of Israel following in their armour with garlands on their heads and songs in their mouths Judith likewith made the following song of Praise and Thanksgiving which all the people sang after her SIng to the Lord my God sing praise A new Psalm to him sing Exalt his glorious name always He is our God and King. The Armies he to pieces breaks Of those that are his Foes He me delivered from their hands Who did me round inclose Assur with thousands from the North Came Israel to assail And by his multitudes did not doubt Against them to prevail He boasted he our Towns would burn And our young men destroy Women and Virgins ravish and Our Infants make a prey But they have disappointed been By the Almighty Lord. A womans hand did them withstand They fled with one accord Their Great Commander did not fall By any Giants power 'T was Judiths beauty him inthrall'd And brought his fatal hour For her oppressed people she Her mourning laid aside And to surprize his amorous eyes Her Person beautified Her Charms over his Soul prevail'd And ravished his sight He 's made a Prisoner to her face She is his Hearts delight The Sword quite through his neck did pass And parted it asunder The Persians at her boldness quake The Medes thereat did wonder Th' Afflicted then did shout for joy Thy weak Ones cry'd aloud The Foes astonisht were ' cause God Had overthrown the proud The Young men have them pierced through And wounded them in Fight The Fugitives fiercely they pursue And slay their men of Might I unto God new Songs will sing O Lord thou art most Glorious In power thou art Wonderful Invincible Victorious Let all the Creatures worship thee At whose word made were they At thy voice they created were None thee can disobey The Fountains shall be mov'd at thee The Rocks shall melted be Yet merciful thou art to those That serve and worship thee All Sacrifice and Offerings Unto thee are but small But those that fear the Lord their God To Honour he will call Wo to the Nations that advance Themselves
swords into the Scales where the weights were that they might get the more which the Romans would not admit and while some difference arose upon this account Camillus with his Forces comes in amongst them and commands the Gold to be carried away since no composition could be made without consent of the Dictator and bid the Gauls prepare for battle who having more mind to the Gold than to fight were soon defeated many being slain and the rest flying out of the City Some affirm that a Peace was concluded between them and that Brennus went afterward into Germany and Belin returned home to Brittain imploying the rest of his reign in building Churches and beautyfying Citys and Pallaces among others he built a famous Gate at a Port in London on the top whereof was set a Vessel of Brass wherein the ashes of his body which was burnt according to the custom of those times were afterward put which was then called Bellinus but now Billingsgate He also built a Castle not far off which was called Bellins Castle now the Tower of London Having reigned 26 years he left the Kingdom to his son III Gurgint who sailed with a mighty Army into Denmark for recovering the Tribute promised to his Predecessors where he made such devastations with fire and sword that the King of Denmark by persuasion of his Nobles was compeil'd to continue the payment thereof As he returned home he met with thirty Ships near the Isles of Orkney freighted with men women and children under their Captain named Bartholin who being brought before the King declared They were banished out of Spain and were called Balenses who had sailed long on the Sea in hope to find some generous Prince who would assign them a place to inhabit and to whom they would willingly be subject humbly beseeching him to commiserate their condition Who with the advice of his Barons granted them Ireland for an habitation which then lay wast Though some writers relate that it was peopled long before by a people called Hibernensis from Hiberus their Captain who brought them from Spain Gurgint returning home made many good Laws and administred Justice worthily nineteen years In whose reign Cambridge and the University are said to be built by one Cantaber IV. Guintolin succeeded a prudent Prince and happy in a virtuous and beautiful Queen who after his death administred the affairs of the Kingdom during the minority of her Son After he had revived and inforced all the good old Laws and added what new were wanting whereby he setled the Land in peace and tranquillity he left it to his Son. V. Sicilius not then about seven years old who reigned about seventeen years most part of which his Mother Martia managed all State affairs VI. Kinarus his Son ruled after him who giving himself up to Luxury and Debauchery was slain by some of his enemies as he was a hunting in the Fields VII Elanius his Son or as others write his Brother was his Successor of whom little is recorded but his name and that he reigned eight years and then VIII Morindus his Son by a Concubine was admitted King of Brittain a man of much valour and conduct but withal so barbarously cruel that he delighted to inflict lingring torments upon those that offended him yea oftentimes with his own hands he severely tortured his people In his reign a certain King of a people called Moriani landed with a great Army in Northumberland and made horrid ravage with fire and sword Against whom Morindus having raised his Brittains marches with all expedition and in a dreadful battel defeated and pursued them to their Ships taking a great number Prisoners whom to satisfie his bloudy humor he caused to be executed in his presence some being beheaded some strangled and others ript up alive They were thought to come from some part of Germany At length this bloudy Prince hearing there was a Monster come ashore out of the Irish Sea resolved to encounter therewith but was devoured by it after he had reigned eight years leaving five Sons Gorbomen Archigallo Elidure Vigenius and Peredurus IX Gorbomen the eldest succeeded and was a very religious Prince according to the devotion of that age repairing many old Temples and erecting divers new He built the Town of Grantham and inclosed Cambridge with walls and a strong Castle procuring Philosophers to come thither from Athens who instructed the youth of the Kingdom in Learning and the Liberal Sciences he died without issue and X Archigallo his Brother came after him who much degenerated from his Father and caused dissension among his Nobility by taking away their Honours and Estates illegally and bestowing them upon mean unworthy persons whereby the Gentry were reduced to beggery and misery who therefore conspired against him and at length deprived him of his Royal Dignity having reigned only one year advancing XI Elidure the third Son of Morindus to the Throne who was a person of such a gallant temper that he used all manner of means for restoring his Brother to the Crown It happened that as he was one day hunting in a Wood near York he met Archigallo wandring to seek relief whom he treated with all kindness conveying him secretly to his own house soon after he feigned himself sick and sent with all speed for his Barons to attend him with whom he dealt so effectually one by one in his Privy Chamber that at length they agreed to admit his Brother again to be King and then assembling a great Council at York he resigned his Dignity to him after he had ruled with much wisdom three years A worthy example of fraternal love considering how ambitious all men naturally are of dominion Archigallo thus restored in hope of his upright administration of justice for the future did not disappoint his people but became a new man and acted with so much prudence and moderation that he was beloved of all his Subjects to the end of his life and having reigned ten years was buried at York After which Elidure having right by Succession as well as by the inclination of the Brittains was acknowledged King with general Applause who had not sate on the Throne a year when his two Brothers raised a Rebellion against him and in a pitcht Field he was taken Prisoner and committed to the Tower of London after which XII Vigenius and Peredurus the two youngest Sons of Morindus divided the Kingdom between them all the Countrey from Humber west falling to the eldest and the other northward to Peredurus Vigenius after seven years died and Peredurus took possession of the whole Land and reigned very tyrannically eight years and then dying without issue XIII Elidure as next Heir was the third time admitted King having continued in Prison all this while and during his four years reign managed all matters to the great satisfacton of his people and being then grown very aged dyed and was buried at Carlisle From this time to the reign of
drove him toward the Sea and there slew him before he could get to the Haven from whence it is said it obtained the name of Hamo's Haven and after Hampton now Southampton XIX Arviragus succeeded his brother forty six years after Christ who after the departure of Claudius went in progress about the Realm repairing decayed Towns and Citys and making new Laws for governing his people and finding that in short time the Land begun to flourish he was so elated that he denied to pay the Romans their accustomed Tribute whereupon Claudius sent Vespasian afterward Emperor as his Lieutenant into Brittain who attempting to land at Sandwich was valiantly opposed by Arviragus so that sailing farther West he came ashoar at Totnes in Devonshire and beseiged Exeter but by the Queens means a reconciliation was made without blows Thus write the Brittains but Suetonius the Roman Historian relates That Vespasian being sent with a Legion of Souldiers into Brittain fought thirty feveral battels and brought under obedience two mighty Nations and above Twenty Towns with the Isle of Weight Arviragus finding his strength insufficient to contend with the power of the Empire in his old age made a firm League with the Romans which continued till his death who having reigned thirty years dyed and was buried at Glocester In his time about fifty three years after the birth of Christ Joseph of Arimathea being sent by Philip the Apostle came into Brittain with several other Christians preaching the Gospel and instructing them in the Religion of the blessed Jesus whereby many were converted and baptized these Holy men continued here all their lives having a place assigned them by the King near the City of Wells where after was erected the Abbey of Glastenbury This Arviragus was reckoned a very puissant Prince by the Romans as appears by what Juvenal Writes Regem aliquam capies aut de Temone Brittanno Excidit Arviragus It shews to honour thou shalt rise Or some great King restrain Or shake the fierce Arviragus Out of his Brittish Wain After his death the Land was many years under Roman Governors or Lieutenants First Ostorius then Aulus Didius and after him by Pautinus Suetonius during which the Brittains made many Essays for recovering their lost liberty wherein they sometimes prevailed and were otherwhile defeated In the reign of that cruel Emperor Nero Successor to Claudius the Romans received a great overthrow from the Brittains which Paulinus endeavoured to retrieve by assaulting the Isle of Anglesey then fully inhabited with people of desperate fortunes and having provided flat bottom'd boats to ferry over his Forces the Brittains were ready to oppose him on the shore the women likewise with the hair about their ears clothed in strange garments ran about the Camp with firebrands in their hands and a great company of Druids or Priests appeared who lifting their hands toward Heaven thundered out curses and execrations against the Romans who were so much surprized at this unexpected treatment that they suffered themselves to be slain like senseless creatures till by the incitation of their General and their incouraging each other not to be daunted by a company of mad women they came forward with so much fury that they beat down all before them and with their own fires smothered and burnt the Brittains to ashes taking possession of the whole Island and cutting down their woods wherein they use to Sacrifice the Prisoners they had taken to their Gods and by their entrails when dismembered pretended to Divine their future success While Paulinus was thus imployed the Brittains in other parts of the Land got together and consulted how to free themselves from the insupportable slavery and misery wherein they lived one among the rest deploring their wretched condition in words to this effect Dear Countreymen and Friends the more wrongs and injuries we patiently endure from the governing his people and finding that in short time the Land begun to flourish he was so elated that he denied to pay the Romans their accustomed Tribute whereupon Claudius sent Vespasian afterward Emperor as his Lieutenant into Brittain who attempting to land at Sandwich was valiantly opposed by Arviragus so that sailing farther West he came ashoar at Totnes in Devonshire and beseiged Exeter but by the Queens means a reconciliation was made without blows Thus write the Brittains but Suetonius the Roman Historian relates That Vespasian being sent with a Legion of Souldiers into Brittain fought thirty several battels and brought under obedience two mighty Nations and above Twenty Towns with the Isle of Wight Arviragus finding his strength insufficient to contend with the power of the Empire in his old age made a firm League with the Romans which continued till his death who having reigned thirty years dyed and was buried at Glocester In his time about fifty three years after the birth of Christ Joseph of Arimathea being sent by Philip the Apostle came into Brittain with several other Christians preaching the Gospel and instructing them in the Religion of the blessed Jesus whereby many were converted and baptized these Holy men continued here all their lives having a place assigned them by the King near the City of Wells where after was erected the Abbey of Glastenbury This Arviragus was reckoned a very puissant Prince by the Romans as appears by what Juvenal Writes Regem aliquam capies aut de Temone Brittanno Excidit Arviragus It shews to honour thou shalt rise Or some great King restrain Or shake the fierce Arviragus Out of his Brittish Wain After his death the Land was many years under Roman Governors or Lieutenants First Ostorius then Aulus Didius and after him by Paulinus Suetonius during which the Brittains made many Essays for recovering their lost liberty wherein they sometimes prevailed and were otherwhile defeated In the reign of that cruel Emperor Nero Successor to Claudius the Romans received a great overthrow from the Brittains which Paulinus endeavoured to retrieve by assaulting the Isle of Anglesey then fully inhabited with people of desperate fortunes and having provided flat bottom'd boats to ferry over his Forces the Brittains were ready to oppose him on the shore the women likewise with the hair about their ears clothed in strange garments ran about the Camp with firebrands in their hands and a great company of Druids or Priests appeared who lifting their hands toward Heaven thundered out curses and execrations against the Romans who were so much surprized at this unexpected treatment that they suffered themselves to be slain like senseless creatures till by the incitation of their General and their incouraging each other not to be daunted by a company of made women they came forward with so much fury that they beat down all before them and with their own fires smothered and burnt the Brittains to ashes taking possession of the whole Island and cutting down their woods wherein they use to Sacrifice the Prisoners they had taken to their Gods and by their entrails when
who then commanded some of Cleopatra's Forces in those parts bearing a secret grudge to Herod stood ready to observe the event of the battel resolving not to meddle if the Arabians overcame but they having the worst he sent them a fresh supply who snatched the Victory out of the hands of the Jews and made a great slaughter among them so that they were wholly discomfited Though Herod with some recruits made divers successful inroads afterward into Arabia and prevailed notably against them Whereat being much elevated his joy was soon checked by the death of Mark Anthony his Patron who was slain by Augustus Caesar in the battle of Astium and his Army wholly overthrown Wherewith Herod was much dismay'd not doubting but he should be severely treated for entertaining so strict a friendship and alliance with him as he had hitherto done His Friends and Enemies judged him a lost man yet having escaped so many dangers he resolves not to despair but to find out Caesar then at Rhodes and prostrate himself before him but was loth to undertake this Voyage while Hyrcanus the only remainder of the Royal Line was alive and his own friends gave a seeming pretence to effect his wicked purpose For Hyrcanus being of a very mild temper was unwilling all his life time to intermeddle in state affairs but Alexandra his daughter a proud aspiring woman sollicited him continually no longer to suffer Herods Tyranny who was the plague of their Family but to endeavour to resettle himself in the Kingdom Which motion he at first absolutely refused but by her continual importunity was at length prevailed upon by her advice to send to the Governor of Arabia to assist him with some Horsemen to make his escape from Jerusalem The Letters being intercepted and brought to Herod he commanded Hyrcanus to be presently put to death After which Alexandra and Mariamne were more closely confined than before yet the daughter endeavoured to sweeten the discontents of the Mother though she her self received no comfort but from Heaven and thus discourst with her self How unhappy am I above all women from the time the Diadem was placed on my head I have felt nothing but Thorns and Royal Dignity hath been to me Royal slavery but since I can find no consolation here I must expect it in another place to which I care not how soon I remove Hyrcanus being thus dispatcht the bloudy Herod addresseth himself with more satisfaction to his Journey to Caesar and committed Alexandra and his wife close Prisoners in the Castle of Alexandriam to the custody of Sohemus the Itrurian giving him strict order that if any finister hap befel him he should kill them both and endeavour to the utmost to retain the Kingdom in his Family Here these poor Ladys were detained in a continual expectation of death and every visit the Jaylor made them expected he came to fetch them to execution but at length Sohemus growing more familiar with his Royal Prisoners Mariamne presumed to ask him what news there was abroad adding That though they were now in this deplorable condition yet she did not doubt but that the storm would blow over and we says she may be able to reward your kindness therefore pray tell us why Herod has lockt us up here and how his Affairs stand Sohemus wonderfully surprized at these words knew not what return to make but at length overcome by their repeated intreaties he gave a full account of his Commission Well then said the poor Princess we must dye whatever happens where-ever I turn me I behold the Image of death with which I now begin to be well acquainted Herod all stained with bloud was now imbarqued in his Voyage to Caesar and being admitted into his presence freely declared what service he had done to Mark Anthony promising no less duty and service to him if he might be received into his favour Caesar observing the resolution wherewith he made his defence was inclined to imbrace his Friendship and setting the Diadem on his head exhorted him to be as faithful to him as he had been to Anthony Herod over-joyed at this Royal bounty attended Caesar toward Egypt and entertained his Army by the way with all kind of Provisions and having presented him with eight hundred Talents for his many favours returned to his own Kingdom where he found Alexandra and Mariamne much discontented especially his wife who could see no end of her miseries and going to visit and give her an account of his exalted fortune she instead of receiving satisfaction therein burst forth into a floud of tears which so discontented Herod that he entred into new jealousies and was confirm'd in his mind that she had an utter hatred and aversion to him so that he was even distracted between love and revenge when at the same time his Sister Salome and her mother having notice of his disturbance resolved to take this opportunity to ruin her and endeavoured to whet his anger by many vile slanders raised against her which he seemed willing to hear yet had not the heart to attempt any thing against his wife who was both chast and faithful to him but not able to bear the many injuries she imagined were offered her presumed so much upon the entire affection he bare toward her as sometimes publickly to reproach him with his crimes It happened one day that the King having withdrawn into his Banquetting room sent for Mariamne whom he entertained with all kind of pleasantness and dalliance but found her very averse to his humor neither would she accept of his addresses but told him severely of his cruelty to her Father and Brother wherewith Herod extreamly moved was ready to strike her when Salome his Sister hearing a noise within sent the Butler whom she had hired falsly to accuse Mariamne into the room commanding him to tell the King That his Wife had prepared a drink to incite and quicken him to love and if he found him disturbed at it and should inquire the meaning to tell him boldly That Mariamne having prepared a Cup of Poyson for his Majesty had been tempting him to present it Having delivered this message Herod was much troubled and caused one of Mariamnes most faithful Servants to be tortured and examined concerning the Poyson judging it could not be undertaken without his knowledge He in the midst of his Torments confessed nothing about the poysoning but told the King That the aversion Mariamne discovered toward him proceeded from what Sobemus had revealed to her He had scarce uttered these words when Herod cryed out aloud That if Sohemus who had hitherto been so faithful to him and his Kingdom had declared his secret Orders to Mariamne it was a clear evidence of a criminal familiarity between them and therefore commanded him to be instantly seized and put to death He then resolved to bring his wife to a publick tryal always endeavouring to procure some colour of Justice for hiding his most exorbitant actions
and assembling his most intimate Friends who with horror and silence expected the conclusion of this Tragedy he brings forth the couragious Mariamne who armed with invincible constancy was little concerned against whom the monster belches out this accusation Dear Friends it hath pleased the Almighty to counterballance the prosperity he has given me by many piercing misfortunes and I who have escaped so many dangers and found safety in such great winds and tempests have now met with the most deplorable storms in my own House You are all very sensible how tenderly I have cherished the Family of Hyrcanus even in their greatest calamities and yet I have taken into my bosom a Serpent instead of a Dove by whom I have been often stung but have as oft by patience cured my self yet I am not so unsensible that no injuries will penetrate me and therefore being provoked by new wrongs I can no longer suffer them Behold the Queen my wife who following her mothers example is always studying to disquiet and hinder my repose For after my return from so perillous a Voyage when I brought her the happy news of my success she received me and my intelligence with the greatest scorn and disdain and denyed me those favours which I had right to demand and she ought not to have refused to a husband and not content herewith she proceeded to contrive bloudy designs against me endeavouring to have suborned one of my own servants to poyson me Thus I who returned with my head crowned with Laurel am made the mark of the malice and treachery of a woman whom I can neither reclaim by love nor gifts no more than if she were a Lioness Judge you therefore whether it is not time for me to secure my self from so implacable a creature who can never be safe so long as she lives Mariamne knowing it in vain to defend her self though she was altogether innocent of the charge laid against her being sensible his violent nature would not be contradicted made little reply only as to the business of poysoning she appealed to all the Assembly whether there were any probability of it since she was always more afraid of Herods love than hatred But however she declared That her life was a burden to her having had little comfort in it and much loss in the Court wherein she never enjoyed the least contentment and that if false Testimonies must make her guilty none were safe it being very easy thereby to remove any who should be thought troublesome and though her husband did deprive her of her head yet it was not in his power to bereave her of the reputation of a Princess of Honour which descended to her from her Ancestors and which she would carry to her Grave There were none found bold enough to plead the cause of this Innocent or to endeavour to mollify Herods passion but on the contrary all seemed to approve of his resolution Yet this bloudy man began ostartle when he thought seriously of being deprived of so sweet a Companion commanded her only to Custody But his Sister the inraged Salome continually alleged the danger of some sedition if he should keep her alive in Prison so that at length he spake these bloudy words Let her be taken away Whereupon instantly an Officer was dispatcht to her with this message Madam the King commands that you shall presently dye She without any emotion replied Let us then go my Friend it cannot be more pleasing to Herod than it is welcom to me And to Crown her patience Alexandra her own Mother and the Companion of her imprisonment fearing the like usage from Herod and hoping to free her self from the Suspicion of being concerned with her daughter in those crimes whereof Mariamne was accused went out to meet her going to execution and very undecently laying aside her former magnanimity reproached this dying Innocent crying out she was a wicked and ingrateful woman to her husband and well deserved the punishment she was going to suffer for her vile attempt and her ingratitude to so loving and gracious a Prince yea proceeded so far in her rage that she would have dragged her on the pavement by the hair of the head had not the people prevented her who all condemned her shameful hypocrisy Mariamne took little notice of these horrid indignities only mildly answered Mother Let my Soul depart in peace which is already upon my lips and trouble not the repose of my death Then passing on with a generous filence and invincible courage and unconcern to the place of execution she there put an end to all her sorrows by having her head divided from her body which then began in the Spectators whose eyes were full of tears and their hearts of grief to observe so much Nobility Virtue Constancy admirable Beauty sacrificed to the jealousy of a cruel Tyrant Who after her death became more powerfully inflamed in his affections toward her so that he would not believe she was dead often calling for her as if alive but being at length recovered from this strange distraction his grief for her death exceeded his rage when living wherewith he was so overwhelmed that the Plays and Entertainments which he provided to divert his thoughts profited him nothing a plague happening soon after in the City he interpreted it as a just Judgment of God for the unjust death of his Queen Her unnatural Mother having again attempted something against Herod was put to death Her two sons when they grew up and understood this impious act of their Father accounted him their mortal Enemy whom he at length caused to be strangled So that Caesar hearing of it said He had rather be Herods swine than his Son Because the Jews will not kill nor eat Swine This is that wicked King Herod of whom we read in the Holy Scriptures in whose reign our blessed Saviour was born and who executed that merciless butchery upon the innocent Infants of Bethlem and committed many other horrible massacrees for which at length the hand of God seized upon him by an horrible disease being visited with a vehement pain and Ague With an intollerable Itch over his whole body the Collick daylytormented him His feet and Belly were swoln with the dropsy His privities putrified and bred worms he had great difficulty of breathing and a violent cough was almost famisht with hunger yet could not eat All which terrible afflictions made him weary of his life calling for a knife to cut his throat and five days after died miserably having reigned thirty seven years The History of Clotilda Queen of France THis Virtuous Queen by her True Zeal did cause Renowned Clovis to imbrace Christs Laws Who all his Pagan vain Idolatry Did quite renounce and utterly defie And after by Heavens mighty help and aid His fiercest Enemies his Power obey'd And Clovis by his Strength and Policy Founded the Potent Great French Monarchy Clotilda Earthly Glory did despise And only True
imployed as his youngest Son Sextus afterward the villanous ravisher of Lucretia to whom he thus discourst We have in vain O Sextus assaulted the Gabins by power nothing now remains but craft which is the second step to Greatness Go then my Son to the Gabins seem as if you fled from me accuse me of cruelty strive to insinuate your self into their confidence behave your self as one of their confederates and companions and as you succeed you shall receive from me further instructions Sextus Tarquinius the wicked Son of a Tyrannical Father was ready prepared to execute his commands though never so impious and Tarquin found that these perfidious lessons were given to a Son who was expert in villany He obeys flies to the Gabins to whom he made a grievous complaint of his Fathers intolerable cruelty in words to this effect Lo here a Son O Gabins escaped from his Fathers Sword to shield himself under the protection of his enemies He brought me up and then designed me as a sacrifice and oblation to his cruelty if fathers thus turn unnatural enemies I hope to find my enemies a father to me in my misfortunes He hath now turned his pride and severity from strangers to his own family and would willingly cause the same desolation and solitude in his own house that he has made in the Senate He is even weary of his Children and knows not how to be a Father either of them or his Countrey All his thirst is after bloud he covets rule and dominion that he may kill and destroy He desires the command of Cities only that he may dispeople them and would utterly exterminate the whole Senate because it resembles a principality He sees he has sons and fearing they are like himself he dreads them because he dreads himself The consciousness of his own misdeeds pursues him and he is affrighted with his own imaginations which represent only dreadful things to his apprehension and thinking to secure himself from them he commits fresh murthers and the more he imbrues his hands in bloud that he may be thereby freed from the fear of others he fears himself the more 'T is safer to be Tarquins enemy than his son that being the only way to escape his private and malicious assassinations Startle not O ye Gabins at my being begot by Tarquin Children do not always resemble their Fathers if so there would be no variety in nature and you shall find that I even I will revenge so many wrongs and villanies for notwithstanding his pretence of laying aside the War yet he is preparing to surprize and ruin you with the first advantage I have escaped my Fathers Swords and Darts and think my self no where safe but among his adversaries and if my unfortunate condition can find no relief from you I will wander over all Latium yea over all the Nations in the world till I find out those who will protect innocent Children from the cruel and unjust prosecutions of unnatural and bloudy Fathers and whom I may persuade to ingage against that proud King and his barbarous Followers After this florid Oration he seemed indifferent whether they would entertain him or not pretending to go instantly to some other place which made the Gabins more ready to receive him as they did with very great civility telling him That it was no wonder Tarquin proved so unnatural to his children since he had been so treacherous to his own Countreymen Allies that they did believe he would at last offer violence to himself if he wanted a subject to excercise his brutish rage upon That Sextus his coming to them was very grateful and they hoped by his assistance to carry the War in a short time from their own City to the very Walls of Rome After this he was admitted into their publick Councils wherein he exprest a singular modesty in referring all things to the Judgment of the most ancient Counsellers only he much approved of the continuance of the War wherein he said he pretended to the greatest knowledge as being sensible of the strength of both people and that the pride of Tarquin must needs be very hateful to his subjects since his own Children were not able to endure it By such discourses as these he provoked them to continue the War and went with the most active Youth to forrage the Countrey where in several small Skirmishes he came off with so good success that he thereby gained such reputation as to be made General of their Army in which office he still got more credit for in all the bickerings between the Romans and Gabins he generally had the better so that the whole people thought him sent to them as a blessing from Heaven For his despising of dangers and activity in every place of difficulty but especially his freeness in distributing all the booty gained him so much love and ingaged the hearts of the people to him that his authority among the Gabins was no less powerful than his Father Tarquins among the Romans Having proceeded thus far in his traiterous design and judging himself strong enough to carry on his purpose he sends a Messenger to his Father to signifie what he had done and to receive further directions since Heaven had so ordered it that he could act what he pleased among the Gabins The Messenger being not thought faithful enough Tarquin sent no positive answer by him but taking him into the garden as if to consult what message to return the King walkt silently along and with his staff cut off the heads of the highest Poppies The Messenger weary of expecting an answer withdrew and hastned back to Sextus telling him That whether out of anger hatred or natural pride he had not sent him a word in return but only as he walkt in the garden he with a stick struck off the heads of the highest Poppies Sextus quickly apprehends these dumb signs and thereby understands his wicked Fathers mind and soon after causes the Chief men of the City to be put to death by accusing some to the people and stirring up others out of envy to ruin their fellow Citizens many were executed publickly and divers against whom he could prove nothing murthered privately Some fled their Countrey others were banished and all their Estates as well as those put to death distributed among the people who for the sweetness of the booty and the particular profit they received lost the sense of their publick misfortunes and were laid asleep from whence they never awaked till they were deprived both of counsel and power and the Gabine Liberty was at an end The City being at length surrendred by this Subtle Stratagem to the King of Rome without the least bloudshed or resistance After this Tarquin makes peace with the rest of his Neighbours and then applies his mind to City affairs resolving to finish the Temple of Jupiter he had begun which being with the help of many hands in a short time finished he next