followers to which demand Charles easily and willingly condescendes to his great content and satisfaction And the more to confirme his love he was Rodifridus his Godfather in baptisme After many tedious and troublesome wars he became much impoverished and was destitute and forsaken of all his nobility and Peeres and deprived of the Empire And being thus abandoned he died miserably and with smal and no honor he was enterred in a poore sepulchre 118. Armulfus Anno. Dom. 887 THis Arnulfus being nephew to Charls and king of FraÌ„ce Anno Domini 887 in which country he was born took upon him the Empire wherin he governed 12. yeares * So called the beautifull Formosus being called to the aide of the Pope came into Italy and being entred into Bergamo he slew Ambrose Count of the city And being come to Rome he restored the Pope to his former dignity with great solemnity and concurse of people of most remote nations After that the Pope crowned him with great pomp and triumph and by the reason of the infinite number of the people he was enforced to retire into France He fought with the Moguntius and overcame them He subdued the Ormanns which were now rebelled and fallen from the Empire But at length finding all peaceable and quiet he gave himselfe over to his pleasure and lust and became so insolent and proud that at last he fell from the Church and rebelled whereupon peradventure through the divine iustice be fell into a long an incurable infirmity whereof he miserably concluded his daies at Ratisbona and was entombed at Hotings 119. Lewis 3. AFter the death of the Antecedent Emperour An. Domini 901. by the election of the Swizzerâ— and the French his sonne succeeds in the yeere 901 who was also by Nation a French man About this time the Hungarâ—â—ns made cruell incursions into the coâ—fines of Christendome and demoâ—ished all the Churches in those parts iâ— a most malicious conteâ—pt and inhumane indignities To whose violence this just benigne and excellent Prince being wonderfully desirous to resist and oppose he sent an Army against them who at the first encounter were routed and overthrowne Afterwards challenging his Fathers Kingdome of Berengarius in a battaile overthrew him with marveilous industry and courage But the battaile againe renewed afresh this Lewis was worsted and taken and imprisoned at Verona to the losse both oâ— his eyes and Imperiall dignity Lastly being enlarged he retyred himselfe into Germany as a private man overloaden with disgrace and overborne with griefe he surrendered his last breath and had sepulture at Ratisbone 120. Conradus THis Conradus borne in Francenia was a man so great Anno Domini 912. powerfull and generous that he was created Augustus In the beginning of his governmet he found many Countries adverse but afterwards with a strong confidence of his curteous clemency and mercy of this singular Prince they voluntarily came in and submitted without any molestation or mulct Neverthelesse in the third Yeare of his Empire the Hungarians entred into Germany and sacked Bavaria with many other opulent and rich Countries Against whome this Monarch advancing to the honour of the Empire he vanquished and crushed them And having performed many notable enterprises knowing himselfe to be neere his end assembling may Almain Lords he exhorted them to live well and to a fealty towards the Roman-Church intreateing them to create Henry the son of Otho Emperour which he having obtained he laid downe the Imperiall scepter and after the seventh yeare of his reigne he departed to another life dying in Germany being with due obsequies entombed at Fulda 121. Henry 1. surnamed * The Fowler or Falconer wherewith he was much delighted Auceps BY the perswasion of Conradus this Henry a Saxon borne Anno Domini 919. was created Emperour who was a man abundantly replenished with singular graces and sublime gifts above all men of his time and hee became a Monarch so famous that he was beloved honoured and reverenced of every man And although many Dukes and Princes rebelled against him he neverthelesse with his admirable prudence pacified them all He suppressed the Saxons to his great honour and reputation and recovered a world of treasures and wealth from them Hee subdued many other Provinces and Cities with little or no difficulty but rather by his discreete meekenesse and gentle clemency wherefore hee eternized his name to memory Afterward being surprized with a grievous infirmity as some write a dead Palfie leaving all quiet he left his sonne Otho Emperour to whom hee recommended true and incorruptible â—ustice in his government and by little and little hee yeelded unto death at the age of 60 yeeres and 17 of his government being with great solemnity and pompe befitting so worthy a man inhumed at Quendeloburg 122. Otho the great THis was the first German Emperour Anno Domini 936 being by birth a Saxon and crowned by Pope Leo. He was a marveilous Christian-like man a defender and lover of the Church Hee overcame Boleslaus King of Bohemia and Hugo Count of Paris Hee subdued the Hungarianâ— and after so many victories and trophes perswaded by some Cardinalls against the iniquity of Pope Iohn being moved with a godly zeale he came into Italy with a mighty Army and tooke Berengarius with his sonne and confined one of them into Gracia and the other into Germany And being come Rome hee deturbed the aforesaid Pope from the seate and by the instigation of the people he made Leo Pope And for the commodity and good universall hee determined and arbitrated many litigious dissentions In the end finding himselfe very aged he elected for his Companion in the Imperiall dignity his owne sonne Otho and returning into Germany his native Countrey hee dyed at Vienna as others write at Quendelbâ—urgh having reigned 12 yeeres in the Imperiall Majesty and lyeth interred at Magdeburg 123. Otho 2. THis Otho Anno. Dom. 968. by Nation a German tooke the Imperiall Scepter in hand and following his Fathers steps hee was most Christian-like and an excellent propugnator of the Church In Germany he tooke Henry Duke of Bavaria and with his owne hands Emperour-like he dispossessed him of that Signory Hee fought against Lotharius King of France and overcame him who had spoiled and wasted many countries He subdued Dalmatia with great valour to his perpetual honour But afterwards fighting against the Greeks he was routed in such sort that he lost his whole army and himselfe fled being disguised and by sea was transported into Sicilia where being discovered he ransomed himselfe by infinite summs of moneys And being enlarged of the Sicilians he was wonderfully reverenced and honoured by them they themselves attending and conducting him to Rome with exceeding great honor where shortly after he died leaving his son Otho to succeed himselfe having governed 17 yeares and lieth also entombed in Rome 124. Otho 3 OTho the third tooke possesson of the Empire with great
Claudian line a most potent family and Imperiall of which linage as ancient recording memories yet extant doe testifie one branch extended it selfe into Vâ—bria and tooke a roote of residence at the Citty of Terni which even to the times of our now Grandsires hath beene the Mother of the most famous and invict Commanders and Captaines This succeeds his brother Tacitus in the Empire neither by the election of the Senate nor by the choice good liking or consent of the souldiers but mera regnandi cupiditate for the meere defire nay greedinesse of the rule and government as true heire and so by irreption takes it upon him But this his greatnesse lasted not long Mole ruit sua sinking voluntarily under the burthen because having heard the newes that Probus a man for his singular quality worth the Empire was elected Emperor by the Army and seeing himselfe not any way able to resist his power which was irrepugnable fell into an cutreame melancholy which proved incurable but by the opening his veines to let in death Although though some say that he was slaine by his owne Guard neare the City of I harsus the third moneth of his Empire And his funerall obsequies were richly solemnized at Rome but hath a Monument erected at Syrmioâ— he dyed at the age of 23 yeeres 54. Probus Anno Domini 278. IF this Emperor had not had this Nomen of Probus Anno Domini 〈◊〉 being a native Polander hee might justly have had it given him as a Cognomen Hee was the sonne of Maximus the Tribune Hee was borne in the City of Sirmio as some affirme in the Countrey of Hungaria Hee made most noble impâ—â—sses in Armes under Valerianus Decius and Aurelianus and for 〈◊〉 worth and valour being much beloved of the Souldiers he was by the whole Orientall Army elected Emperor Anno Domini 278 and lay the Sâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 with a general Jâ—biâ—â—â— ioy 〈◊〉 pâ—â—aâ—se of every man Hee was honoured wiâ—◠〈…〉 of Caesar Augustu and Pater Patria No sooner had hee entered into the possession of the Empire but hee recovered France newly over-run and maistrised by the Barbarians Hee tooke Saturninus which molested the Easterne parts and Procolas men well experienced in Warres and for those victories tryumphed But although hee were a man wâ—â—thy all humane greatnesse neverthelesse by his owne Souldiers hee was most cruelly murthered in â—â—land his native soyle in the 75 yeere of his age he governed the Empire five yeeres and for the love he get of the Christians they erected stately Monument in Syrmio to creâ—nall fame It is thought that because hee suffered the Christians so live in peace God gave him so many tryumphant victories against the Barbariaus of whom he slew in oâ—â— battaile above 40000. 55. Marcus Aurelius Carus Anno Domini 282. CArus was an Illyrian by birth An. Domini 282. whose admirable valour and for his generall knowledge in Learning and Minâ—â—ary Art was an occasion for his great honour and repute that hee was made Prafectus Pratâ—â—â— under Probus to whom hee succeeded in the Eâ—pire in the yeere of Christ 282 and instantly with great rigour revenged the death of his Antecessor Probus and governing with Charinus and Numerianus his sonnes he made many noble and marvellous impresses in Armes to the glory and exaltation of the Roman Empire and particularly in Mesopotamia after that hee sacked the great Cities of Seuen and Cteâ—phon for the which conquests in a short time hee gloriously gained the name of Tremendus the terrible having terrified all these Nations which as yet had not beene subdued by him Finally by the wound of an Arrow he 〈…〉 the River Tigris in the 43 〈…〉 his age having governed 〈…〉 pire one yeere and some moneths Some Authors who lived in hâ— Reigne write that he was slaine 〈◊〉 Lightning and inhum'd at the famous City called Syrmio in Huâ—gâ—ry 56. Numerianus Anno Domini 283. TO Carus succeeds his sonne Numerianus An. Dom. 283. being an Illyrian who was both so eminent and excellent a Poet and Orator that the Senate erected him a Statue in the Vulpian Library In the wars â—e was also most valorous he went with his Father to the warres against â—he Persians after which hee was â—oth by the Army and people of Rome saluted Emperor anno Domini 283. And his father being dead as we said before hee fell into such a bitternesse and depth of mourning that by the abundance of his teares he lost his fight whereupon he was brought backe to Rome in a Litter remaining victorious over all Asia And supposing himselfe safely arrived being somewhat comforted with a hope of ruling and governing the Empire not by eye-sight but by understanding by a most unjust stratagem was slaine by his Father in law in his Sedan or Litter 〈◊〉 having governed together with his Father and brother one yeere and some moneths and in the 20 yeere of his age and was buried by his fatherâ—â— the aforesaid City on the East-side in which place his Effigies was set 〈◊〉 in Brasse as it was taken in his life time by the whole Senate and the Consuls for a memoriall to all ageâ— for his sweete Elocution and Language 57. Carinus Anno Domini 283. TO Carus An. Dom. 283. Carinus was the second son being of the same nation who departing from his Father tooke upon him the government of France and Britany as also of Italy and as it were of all the Westerne parts In which government hee defiled his life in such sort with brutish and bestiall enormities that his father would not acknowledge him for his sonne and tooke from him the stile of Caesar giving it to Constantinus After the death of his father and brother he fell into a greater licentiousnesse than ever before and in his time Ruffians and lewd men were possessed and estated in places of greatest dignity and honour Harlots and Jesters and such like were residenciaries in his Palace But in the end advancing his forces against Dioclesianus who was by the Army elected Emperor and giving him battaile in the last assault he was taken in Dalmatia by the souldiers and brutishly slaine in the prison-house by the expresse command of Dioclesianus having reigned a small time and in the eighteenth yeere of his age and had little or no funeral Rites bestowed on him but was buried in Syrmio by night 58. Dioclesianus Anno Domini 284. DIoclesianus a Dalmatin borne and of a noble Family Anno Domini 284. a a man of a sharpe wit and in Martiall affaires very valiant was by the whole Army chosen Emperour Being possessed of the government with his owne hands hee revenged the death of Varro He declared and appointed warres in divers places and remained victorious in all There were neverthelesse warres made against him by sundry Princes and being of himselfe not sufficient for resistance he tooke Maximinianâ—â— to be his Co-emperor and his enemies multiplying every where he was at
powerfull Sapores King of Persia and came off with great honour victorious Hee recovered Antioch and passing further he tooke in the great Citties of Carrâ— and Nesibo in which voyage the Grand Counceller his Father-in-law dyed in whose place he chose Philippus who became so prouâ— and insolent for the degree and honour he received that utterly contemning Gordianus esteeming 〈◊〉 now no more Emperor caused 〈◊〉 to be slaine at 20 yeeres of his age and of his Empire the fourth he received his death at Nola and 〈◊〉 buriall at Bambergh 37. Caius Valens Hostilianus This Emperor although hee is unknowne to some Historians yet thus much notice is found of him OF this Valens Hostilianus because the Historiographers make little or no mention it is thought that his Parents were unknowne and consequently little or nothing can be said of him And yet it is true that some affirme that after the death of Gordianus there was a certaine Marcus chosen by the Senate of whom there is not any essentiall relation found out but onely this that hee dyed suddainly and that in his place this Hostilianus was created by the Senate and that by a suddaine pride elation and conceit of joy falling sicke dyed suddainly although some say the above said Marcus yet living he was allotted him as fellow Emperor or partner and collegue in the command and that Hostilianus was saluted by the Title of Augustus But it is credible that both of them dying suddainly as it is supposed left no great note behind them 38. Marcus Iulius Philippus Anno Domini 246. JVlius Philippus an Arabian borne An. Dom. 246. a man of a coorfespun thread by descent but in Armes of a finer worth and hue was by Gordianus made Captaine Generall against the Persians And by little Gordianus became disesteemed of the souldiers by this mans meanes commanding them to kill him and proclaime Philippus Emperor And making peace although much disliked with the Persians marched towards Rome where hee made his son Philippus a Collegue in the Empire Hee instituted those playes called Saeculares in the memory of the first foundation of the City At that time making Decius Generall against the Goths the souldiers called their Generall Emperor against whom Philippus marched with a powerfull Army but being hated of all by reason of his too imperious command and government he was by them wounded at Verona but dyed at Vtrect Anno Domini 250 and was buried at Spiers a famous Imperiall City in Aquitaine This Emperor was a Christian and the first that received Baptisme he reigned 5 yeeres In his time the famous Cyprian flourished and was made Bishop â—â—â—â—â—rthage Apollonia the Virgin after her jawes were broken and â—eeth pulled and knocked our Josephus Baronius Spondanus by â—he command of this Emperor who â—id behold the action would rather â—oluntarily cast her selfe into the â—â—re prepared for her then speake â—lasphemy and after some other â—ruelties committed by this Emperor was converted and baptized a Christian 39. Marcus Iulius Philippus Anno Domini 246. MArcus Iulius Philppus sonne of Philippus and Severa An. Dom. 246. was made Caesar and Collegue of the Empire by his Father at seaven yeeres of his age at which time he became a Christian being baptized by his Fathers appointment together with a great number of his neaâ—â—st and dearest friends and servants 〈◊〉 holy and salutiferous action being performed by the chiefe Commanders of the Roman Empire was an occasion that many came to the knowledge of the truth and fixed their eyes upon the true light of Iesus Christ our Redeemer This Emperor was by nature so melancholy that no man living could make him once laugh although many did their best indeavours by slights and inventions This youth having reigned 7 yeers and being at the age of 14 at the report of his fathers death all over the City by the Pretorian souldiers was suddainly and cruelly slaine but by his speciall friends and those that favoured him for his Christianity his corpse was conducted to Spiers and there inurn'd not farre off from his Father 40. Decius An. Domini 250. AFter the death of the Philips An. Dom. 250. Decius an Austrian succeeds without any resistance or difficulty but was viâ—â— voce elected by the whole Senate and was called Imperator Augustus because he was a man endued with great vertue and valour very wise and prudent and well experienced in most offices and Magistracies discharged by him with singular dexterity and wisedome Briefly he was of a goodnesse that he might worthily have beene enrolled amongst the good Princes had not the Church suffered so great tribulations and afflictions under him being an Infidel and non-credent which was the seaventh perfecution which the Church of God endured Hee was victorious against the Gothes and joyning a fresh battaile with them by the treason of Trebonianus Gallus his Captaine Generall he was overthrowne And at the report of the death of his sonne Decius putting spurres to his horse and giving him the reines wilfully precipitated and cast himselfe into a deepe pit without hope of safety and to the losse of his life at the 50 yeere of his age and of his Empire the second and anno Domini 252 and buried at Spiers In the heate of his persecution hee commanded is certaine young man a Christiâ—â— to be bound and lye uppon his backe and an harlot to be sentus him to provoke him to lust which hee perceiving and feating to be overcome with pleasure â—it off his tongue and spit it in her 〈◊〉 as shee was kissing him so that the greatnesse of that paine overcome the sence of lust 41. Mesius Decius Anno Dom. 250. OF no lesse goodnes valour than his Father was this Decius even in his youth An. Dom. 250. wherfore he was chosen as partner in the Empire and by the Senate confirmed Caesar and successor to Decius his father with whom as a brave souldier hee went to the warres of the Cothes which was so bloody and terrible that the greater part of the Roman Army was slaine and put to flight and Decius the youth was mortally wounded by an arrow through his very heart where in the sight of his Father he suddainly fell downe dead from his horse moving not onely his owne souldiers but even his enemies to compassion having reigned two yeeres together with his father Decius The which news being understood by the Senate much afflicted them not so much for the slaughter and losse of so many vanant and noble Romans as for the unfortunate end of both the Emperors his reigne being 〈◊〉 absolute but with his fathers a 〈◊〉 bation the Senate and City lost not onely a good Tree but also an hopefull fruite 42. Trebonianus Gallus Anno Domini 252. AFter the great and terrible slaughter of the Roman Army in the battaile with the Goths An. Dom. 252. Trebunianus being by birth a Gaule borne at Delean by the surviving souldiers was
honour prevailed farre with Constantius the Emperour that hee was made by him Generall of the forces in France and alwayes remained victorious in all occasions of warre This man denyed the faith of Christ and therefore was termed the Apostata or Renegate and renounced his Deaconship Hee became an Idolater causing himselfe of his Army to be called Emperour In which dignity suppressing all vertue and justice hee impiously began to persecute the Christians with extreame cruelty putting them to most intollerable torments and infinite numbers slaine and many sent into exile Moreâ—â—er he wrote a booke against the Christian faith Eusebia the wife of â—lim Constantius her selfe being barren envied that Tulian should have any issue successive to the Empire Theodo lib. 3. Cap. 20. frandulently perswaded Helena his wife to use such things as might cause abortion But when she had conceived Spond and brought forth a sonne at Roan in France Eusebia by feeing the Mid-wife caused the navell of the new borne Infant to be cut more than ordinary and thereby utterly destroyed it It is likewise recorded by Theodâ—ret that as soone as Iubian felt himselfe most miserably and grievously wounded in the left arme with a Persian Dart which was infected with poyson hee furiously and in great anger tooke a handfull of his blood and flung it upwards in the ayre saying Vicisti Galilae meaning our Saviour Christ as if he had said blasphemously Othou of Galile hast thou onercome me and so most impiously dyed railing against Mars that having promised him assistance and failed him against Apollo that had deluded him with false and vaine promises and lastly against Iupiter because hee had not his Thunder-bolt ready to kill that party that flung that Dart and slew him and so he dyed in Mesopotamia and was intombed at Tharsus in the 32 yeere of his age 75. Iovinianus Anno Domini 363. IOvinian was borne in Pannonia An. Dom. 363. and trained up in a worthy way and manner and because every man had an estimation and hopefull conceit of him that at length he would grow great and valorous withall being as yet but a youth was made Generall of the Army After the death of his Predecessor he was by the whole campe called Caesar Augustus which titles he absolutely refused unlesse they would every man become Christian himselfe being first baptized which was an act most Christian-like Which the whole Army did also put in execution after his memorable example and after that they promised and swore him fealty and allegeance Hereupon to his incredible joy and comfort hee accepted the Crowne and redeemed many out of the tyranny of the Barbarians his common speech was thus O that I might governe wise men 〈◊〉 wise men governe me Afterwards hee was enforced to surrender unto Saperes King of the Persians a great part of Mesopotamia and other places And being now growne to the age of 39 falling into a grievous disease of the weakenesse of his stomack he passed to a better life and dignity having in all his Reigne continued a professor of the Christian faith and restored it every where streightly commanding the Temples of the Idols to be shut up Baro. and forbidding all manner of Gentilitious sacrifices He dyed at Rome and his funerall obsequies were in a most sumptuous manner celebrated in Pannonia though he was interred at Rome neere to the Capitoll on the East side for they held it most for his honour to be so buried 76. Valentinianus Anno Domini 364. UAlentinian an Hungarian by birth An. Dom. 364. being Captaine of the * Targuetiers Scutaries in the Citty of Nicea was by the whole Army created Emperour really against his owne will or desire knowing that he should be as it were a prisoner to his thoughts as all good governours and rulers ought to be and therfore would rather enjoy his private liberty than enchaine it to so great a charge And therefore he tooke Valens for his Co-partner in the Dignity a man whom hee highly esteemed to whoÌ„ he gave the charge of the Easterne government Hee was wonderously addicted to Religion and highly esteemed of all the Christians because he favoured them Hee restored to the Churches their former priviledges liberties and possessions which the other Emperours had sold or given away as Ammianus writeth and Sozimus hee brought under and kept in subjection all Gallia Rhetia Almaine Saxony Scots and Britans the Affrican Moores Thracians and Armenians Upon his gold coynes were ingraven these words and characters a Crosse with the name of Christ cut in it and the Motto for the Emperour Reipublicae Restitutor his saying often was That Gold was tryed with the Touch-stone and men with Gold Hee also forbad all Idolatrous sacrifices by Night and all Magicians as Zosimus witnesseth he restored all professors of Christianity whom Iulianus had forbidden to teach or practise before and recalled them honourably to their places and preferment and confirmed it by a Law in these words Si quis crudiendis c. If any one that is fit Bar. in vit Val. and willing to teach and instruct children and youth and whose life it good and just let him get and procure his Auditory a new or settle himselfe in his old office And after a while of his reigne by the perswasion and intreaty of his wife hee made his sonne Gratian Emperour Valentinian howsoever in Armes and Military command and in all other vertuous worth was very generous and overcame the Burgundians and Saxons adding them to the Empire This Emperour viewing over the lives of the former Emperours read the cruelty of Nero Caesar and amongst the rest that he had a Boy cut as if hee would hare transformed him into a Woman and called him wife This Emperour answered It was pitty Nero's Father had not such a wife Lastly following on his Warres against the Sarmatians hee sickened of a Flux or as others write of a suddaine passion of anger and shortly dyed having governed one yeere and five moneths and was interred at Constantinople 77. Valens Anno Domini 365. VAlens was brother to Valentinian Anno Domini 365. and Uncle to Gratianus with whom he governed foure yeers beginning his government An. 365 Hee at first recalled Nazianzen and Bazil from banishment he was baptizedy by Eudoxius but turned Arrian afterwards and persecuted the Orthodox Bishops of the East and sent by his Mandat Eusebius into banishment as also Pelagius Bishop of Laodicea and Gregorius Nissenus was condemned by the Arrians at the command of the Emperour He also caused 80 of the Christian Embassadors that were then in Constantinople to be all sent to Sea in one Ship and then to bee set on fire which was effected and not left unpunished for immediately after a most lamentable Famine raged through all Phrygia and in Constantinople He continued the persecution against the Christians very much and made a Law that all the Hermites of Nitria and Thebais
and the Beare without doing him any other hurt did often put is mouth to the eares of this poore fellow who all this while held his winde and abstained from breathing for the nature of the Beare is not to touch or offend any dead body Now the beare being gone the man got up and went his way also after which hee that was aloft in the tree came downe and having overtaken his companion demanded of him what it was that the Beare told him in his eare marry quoth the fellow he bade mee that I should never after use to sell a Beares skinne till the beare were dead By this the Emperor payed the Embassador with an answere aâ— if he shâ—â—â—d have said Let us first bee sure to take the Dake and then afterwards let us dispose of his diminions 143. Lewis the 5. AS the more expert in armes this Emperour borne in Bavariâ— Anno Domini 1327. remained sole possessor of the Imperiall scepter whereupon he elated himselfe with selfe-conceite and pride causing himselfe to be proclaimed Emperor without any approbation of the Church In his way towards Rome he Imperiously tooke in the Citty of Milan Now was he excoÌ„municated by the Pope Iohn wherefore he retreatd into Germany and there made havocke of the Priests and Monkes Not long after that he resolved againe for Rome being accompanied with an infinite number of souldiers and entred the City where by Stephanus he was Crowned thence returning into Germany where hee found Charles the sonne of Henry the 8 was elected Emperor whereupon they meeting as it were by chance resolved to trye it out in the field but Lewis finding himselfe inferiour was overthrowne and by accident saved himselfe by flight but in a short time after died with griefe but as some write his horse threw and flew him his interment also being uncertaine Anno 1316 there was such a generall pestilence and famine all over Europe that the third part of mankinde was swept away and in Poland the sonnes did not abstaine from eating their paronts owne flesh and also carrion Trithem a horse artificially painted with St. George on his backe upon the wall of the Imperiall palace at Constantinople was heard to neigh by day and by night Which was like wise heard 117 years before so to do Cregor 144. Charles the 4. CHarles K. Aunno Domini 1346. of Bohemia borne in Austria by the wil of pope Clement was elected Emperour This man because he was a very good Christian and faithfull to the Church surprized Nicholas the usurper a Trâ—bune of Rome He deprived Drachinus both of lise and of the Kingdome of Naples wherefore for his iustice and vertue he was generally beloved and feared of all men Comming afterwards into Italy he was entertained of all Potentates with great honour according to his greatnesse and according to the custome of his Antecessors in Milan he received the iron-crowne and from thence advancing to Rome with great triumph and solemnity he was crowned by two Cardinals He ordained many matters concerning the Church for the Empire and for every man most commodious and usefull and afterwards he returned into Germany Being growne aged like a grave and wise man thinking upon his end he resigned the Imperiall scepter to Vinceslaus his eldest son and altogether quitting himselfe of the cares of this world he betook him to those of his soule and in a while after he dyed in Boheâ—â—a to the general griefe of all men having his last duties and interment at Prague The Electors chose Edward the third of England for Emperor but he giving them thankes for so great an honour contenting himselfe with his little England and France which he had now conquered refused to accept the Empire by which means it fell upon this Charles 345. Vinceslaus VInceslaus borne also in Austria falsified that * 〈…〉 Proverbe Such Parents such * 〈…〉 children because hee in all his actions was very â—uch unlike his good old Father Charles the 4 being in particular lazy ignorant and without all ordinary prudence and discretion neither did hee any one action worthy or beseeming a degree of that Majesty and Greatnesse whereunto he was raised in Germany hee spent his 〈◊〉 wholly in idlenesse sloath and luxury en ploying his all selfe and cares in new fangled cates exquisite rare delicacies of dyet whereupon the speculative witts of those times abhorred him and generally all men Therefore by a commission of Robert Duke of Bavaria for a new election he was by the Electors deposed and hereupon he conceived so great a disgust and fell into such a rage that he sickned and and in the space of 15 dayes or thereabout he passed to another life at Prague disrespectively there inhumed Tamerlaine at first a shepherd Anno 1397. afterwards became a brave souldier and growing powerfull termed himselfe The wrath of God tooke Bajazeth the great Turk and carried him about in an iron cage for the space of 4 yeares at length the Turk beate his braines out against he side of the said Cage 146 Rupertus RVpertus born in the County Palatine of the Rheine Anno Demiui 1400. Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine upon the deposing of Vinceslans was created Emperor in the yeare of grace 1400. who for his goodnes clemency iustice was without any conditions voluntarily freely crowned by Pope Boniface Anno 9. Bunif Hee in the assistance of the Florentines marched against Galleâ—tto Duke of Milan by whom hee was overthrowne albeit he gave incredible testimonies of his owne valour in the battaile Hee by this meanes falling into these streights fled to Venice accompanied with some Lords and Nobility where by the Doge 〈◊〉 CoÌ„mander of Venice and by the whole Senate hee was most highly and magnificently entertained encouraged and comforted who promised him their assistance both of moneys and men From thence he returned into Germany and applyed himselfe wholly to the government of his Imperiall charge Afterward leaving anople testimonies of his worth to posterity he fell into a very grievous infirmity which deprived him of life at Oppenheime after hee had governed 10 yeeres and had his last obsequies at Heydelberg In his Reigne a Water-woman or Mermaid was taken in the Lake of Putmer by those of Embden naked and dumbe Annalâ— Flanâ—â— which being sent to Harleim was there taught to weare clothes to spinne to eate bread and white meates 147. Sigismund THis Sigismund Anno. Dom. 1411. the sonne of Charles 4 and borne in Austria was a man of no lesse goodnesse and gentile qualities than his late predecessor and his father Charles the 4 King of Bohemia Hee being King of Hungary at the instance of Pope Iohn was elected Emperor and by him crowned This Sigismund by his wisedome and dexterity pacified the Schismes and dissentions then in Christendome In â—ohemia he extinguished many heresies Against him rose up in Armes Zâ—ska Captaine of the Hassites having