want of a Poete for theyr light The beginning of the Romaines Cicero is of the same opinion and sayeth that no mencion is founde of anye Oratour before Homere The originall of the Romayne people was smale and contemptible But for because that GOD had so ordeyned it as it shall hereafter be declared it became merueilous great In the begynnynge seuen kynges dyd ragyne there for the space of two hundred fourtye and foure yeres The first gouernement at Rome Cicero wryteth that Solon and Pisistratus lyued in Athens in the tyme of Seruius Tullus the sixte kyng and that Pythagoras florished in Italie at such tyme as Tarquin the proude was put to flyght He sayth moreouer that in the raygne of Seruius Tullus the citie of Athens had endured already seuen hundred yeres The kinges beyng put downe the gouernement was geuen vnto two Consulles Two Consuls gouern whose office did laste but one yere L. Iunius Brutus the cheife Consull was as vigillant and constant to kepe and preserue the libertie beyng gotten as euer he was desyrous and prompte to put downe the kyngs to establish the redom For when his two sonnes Titus Tiberius did consult wit other yonge Romaine gentlemen for to reestablishe the Tarquins their enterprise being disclosed by som coūsel breaker he caused them openly to be beheaded He displaced Tarquiin Coleatin his felow in office who also was companion in putting down the kynges and to the bryngyng of the enterprises to passe Cicero doth defend thys act as iuste and affirmeth that it was bothe for the vtilitie honestie of the countrey that the name of the Terquins shoulde be abolyshed and the memorie of the kyngdome wyped out The Fabiens slauter Nowe amongest the sundrye fortunes of the Romaine people when the whole Tuscane had conspired thre hundred of the house of the Fabiens beynge gone furthe of Rome agaynste the enemie were al slaine and cutte in pieses none remaining saue one litle child who since renewed the familye Thys came to passe thre and thirtye yeres after the kings were put downe Thre hundreth yeres after the foundation of the Citie because of the tumultes conspiraties that were in the publike weale embassadours were sent into Grecia for to bring lawes from thence which the Citie shoulde vse from thence forth At whose returne the state of the publike weale was changed and tenne men were chosen to haue the supreme gouernement Tenne mē elected to be supreme gouernors but thys estate endured not fullye thre yeres For Appius Claudius the one of these tenne coueting wickedly to rauishe a yonge damsel 01 the doughter of L. Virginius citezen of Rome he gaue the people occasyon to abolishe the whole order of them The wicked cupiditie of Appius Claudius Wherefore the gouernement came againe to consuls but thys also lasted but a lyttle time for they did creat Tribunes of souldiours geuing them such power as the Consuls had The thirde mutatiō of the Romain Policie but these were displaced at the yeares ende and dyd agayne gyue place to the Consuls In that time which was the thre hundreth and fyften yeare of the age of the Citye L. Quintus Cincinatus caused Spurius Melius Melius slain for his ambition to be slaine of C. Seruilius Hala the maister of Horses because that he by the meanes of distributing of certayne corne did seke to make him selfe king in the Citye his house also was rooted vp Two yeares after the gouernement retourned to the Tribnus of souldiours who since were no more elected two but diuers together accordinge as it pleased the people as the state of the publike weale did require This gouernement did enduer nere hande thre score tenne yeres and amongst the resydue M. Furius Camillus was excellent in this estate Camillus surmunted all other in vertue and surmounte all others in vertue After he had done good seruice to the cōmon wealth was vānished through the vngratitude of the Citezens hauing bene alreadye foure tymes Tribun But shortly after he was reestablished in his dignitye for deliuering the Citie of Rome beyng taken frō the French Senoniens whom he put to flyghte two yeres after being made Dictator fewe yeres after M. Manlius who did defend the Capitell from the French men was exhibited the dominiō of the rocke called Tarpeius for suspition that he would get the kingdome to himselfe and herevpon a decree was made that from thence furth after no noble man of the house of the Manlius shoulde bee called Marcus Camillus was sence chosen for the seuenth time Tribune of souldiours and he dyed of a verye great age thre hundreth foure score and nyne yeares after the foundation of the Cytye and one yeare before the gouernement and care of the publyke weale was taken from the Tribunes and restored to the Consuls of whome then onelye one was of the common sorte The excellēt captains of Rome That age had syngular notable Captaynes in the Cytye of Rome To wytte M. Valerius Coruinus T. Manlius Torquatus C. Martius Rutilius P. Decius Mus Papyrius Cursor Publius Philo L. Volumnius and others Amongest these here named T. Manlius Torquatus Consul caused his sonnes head albeit he had gotten the victorye to be stroken of because he had agaynste the lawe and out of hys order foghten hand to hād against the enemy P. Decius Mus in the battaile against the Latins vowed himselfe to dye for the armie of the Romaine people and passyng throughe the thickest of the enemyes he was slayne wherewith the Romaines beyng alreadye enflamed dyd agayne encourage themselues got the vpperhand His sonne who bare the self same name and was also Consul did euen the like foure and fortye yeares after in the battaile whych the Romaines had agaynste the Frenche Senoniens In the tyme aboue sayde whyche was foure hundreth and twentie yeres after the foundatyon of Rome Alexander the great the beginner of the thyrde Monarchye dyd floryshe and went a warrefare Papyrius Cursor it hath bene sayde Titus Liuius compareth L. Papyrius Cursor wyth hym and makynge a certayne traityes for to recreate aswell hys spyrite as the readers he shewed that amongest others he coulde resyste Alexander yf paraduenture after he had assubiected the countrye of Asya he would passe throughe Europa wyth hys armye for to make warre agaynste the Romaynes The said Papyrius was a man greatly vertuous for ouermitting his other actes when T. Verturius Caluinus and Spurius Posthumius Albinus Consuls weare wyth the whole armye putte vnder subiection by the Samnites in the straightes of Candines A place in Italie so called and had vnhonnestly agreed with the enemy he beyng made Consul he put them to flight and wanne the victorie Sence beynge Dictator he declared vpon the maister of his Horses how narrowly the discipline of warfaire ought to be kept and executed Socrates the foūtaine of Philosophi This age the former did bring forth in
was elected Emperour A litle before this time occasioÌ„ of great warre did arise betwen the Frenchmen the Englishemen Charles yâ— fourth For as Charles the faire king of FrauÌ„ce was disceased without men children the which befell the yere a M. CCC XXVII Edward the third of that name king of England contended that the kingdome appartained vnto him Warre betwene the FrenchmeÌ„ and the Englishemen because that he was sonne of Isabel the sister of Charles The chiefe of the kingdome who are named Petes elected king Philip of Vallois cosin of king Charles disceased excluding not only Edward soÌ„ne of the sister but also the kinges daughter who was borne after the dyscease of her father For they sayd that the heritage of that kyngdome dyd nothyng appartayne vnto daughters Herevpon sprong a terrible warre the which yet at this day is not wel appeased The affaires of the Emperour Charles were very troublesome at the beginning Edward king of England was also chosen Emperour but he wold not accept it as it is reported because of the war where in he was occupied against the Frenchmen The Emperour Charles hauing appeased diuers innimities thorow Germany drew into Italy at the consent of Pope Innocent the .vi. who was in Fraunce was crowned at Rome by certain Cardinalls vnder conditioÌ„ that he shuld not soiourne neither at Rome nor in Italy Institution of the viccaires of the Empyre Wherfore he returned to Millan where he graunted to the family of Vicontes who then were of great power in that towne that they shuld be perpetual Viccaires of the Emperour through Lomberdie For the which benefite he receiued a great summe of monny of them not of them only but also of other people vnto whom he had gyuen certaine priueledge The which dyd greatly weaken the powers of the Empire in that country After he was returned from Italy he assembled the Princes made the decree of the Empire which is coÌ„monly called the bul of gold Last of all he declared Wenceslaus his sonne successour of the Empire The goldeÌ„ bull the which he obtained as the bruit goeth by great summes of money Shortly after he disceased In the time of his Empire Iohn king of Fraunce son of Philip of Vallois gâ—ue battaile against the Englishe men who then held the most parte of Aquitania and the towne of Bourdeaux He was taken in the battaile very nere Poitiers with Philip the least of his sonnes Iohn kyng of Fraunce taken of the Englyshe men who was afterwards duke of Bourgony surnamed the Hardy Diuers of the chiefe nobilitie were slain in that battaile They that haue writen the Annales witnes that the EnglishemeÌ„ were no more then vii thousand and on the coÌ„trary that that FrenchmeÌ„ were come thether in an infinite nuÌ„ber euen about sixtie M. This came to passe the yere a M. CCC L. VI. the xx of September The king was led captiue into England where he died .vii. yeres after Wenceslaus as writtings do mentioÌ„ was very vitious aswel of his nature and bringing vp Wenceslaus as of his maner of liuing toke no care of the publike weale He hauing receiued peÌ„ce of Iohn Galeatius who was of the house of Vicontes Galeatius the first duke of Millan he made him duke of Millan of Lomberdy notwithstanding that he was a couetous and cruell man In his raigne Iagello duke of Lituanie was elected by the will and consent of the Princes king of Polonia after the death of king Ludouicus He was then fyrst baptised and named Vladislaus He is the double great grandfather of Sigismondus the .ii. who now raigneth The king of Hungarie defeicted by the Turcke Sigismundus King of Hungarie was vainquished nere vnto Nicopole by Baiazeth Emperour of the Turcks the last of SepteÌ„ber The king of Fraunce Charles the .vi. of that name had sent a braue cheuallry vnto the succour of the Hungarians wherof Iohn sonne of Philip the Hardie duke of Burgony had the conduction who was taken in the battaile presented vnto the greate Turke being in extreme danger of his person not withstanding he escaped after a straunge maner Iohn of Bourgonie deliuered by a strang meanes which reciteth the Annales of Fraunce Baiazeth had one of his familiares who was of them that make profession bost themselues to know the dispositions natures of meÌ„ in beholding the body the eyes the visage the forhead He hauing cast his eye sight vpon the prisoner perswaded that Emperour to let him go safe seing that at his returne into his country it would so come to passe that he shuld kindell a fier wherewith the most part of Europa or of Christendome shuld be enflamed Baiazeth beleued him let go the prisoner with the other gentill men after he had receiued their ransome which did amount vnto CC. M. crownes Iohn being returned into Fraunce begaÌ„ne to set himself against Ludouicus duke of Orleans who was the kings brother For he seyng the king his brother to be holden wyth an incurable disease would handle the affaires haue gouernment be cause that he was his nerest kinsman Iohn of Bourgony on the contrary perceauing himself to be the kings cosin and greater in age Philip his father being dead would goe before Their quarel increased dayly in such sort that the duke of Orleans was at length slaine at Paris as he returned to his lodging after supper The murderers were hired by the Duke of Bourgonie the whiche he denyed not and likewyse approued that whych was done this befell in the yeare a M. CCCC VII the ninth of December Twelue yeares after when the said duke of Bourgonie came to the place appointed for the parising of the matter The death of Iohn of Burgonye not withstaÌ„ding the assurance made vnto him he was dispatched bi certain familiars of the aforesaid duke of Orleans who had conspired against him The murder was done in the presence of the Dolphine who preseded in the leading of the matter This is the original beginning of the war which from that time hath not ceased euen vnto this day to be renued from time to time betwene these two famalies Because that the Emperour Wenceslaus was dispised for his vnmanlines the princes dyd put him from besides his estate elected in his place Robert Palatin Robert Palatin Emperour This maÌ„ forthwith applied his mind to correct that which Wenceslaus had done amise would not ratifie the graunt that his predecessor had made vnto Iohn Galeatius so that he was minded to bring LoÌ„bardy again in the obedience of the Empire But as he forcasted to go into Italy aswel for this cause as for others he was letted yea repulsed by the aboue said Galeatius The estate of Italy was then very troublesome through the faute chieflye of Charles Wenceslaus who had ouermuch licenced graunted vnto those people For besides Galeatiê° who of late was
established duke of Millan the Venitians Florentins Geneuois made warre vpon theyr neighbours in such sort that all right and equitie did consist in armes and power Moreouer by the long absence of the Popes out of Rome diuers in nimites very daungerous were ingendred Galeatius duke of Millan made then war vppon the Florentins who desiring to auenge theÌ„selues called the Emperour into Italy vnder great promises He being arriued at Padua by the will of the Venitians who loued smally Galeatius seyng that he had nothing prepared accordyng to the large promises he retourned into Germany casting froÌ„ him all care of Italy the which afterwards was more subuerted by inward tumulis and troubles Sigismundus Sigismundus Emperour brother of Wenceslaus Kyng of Hungarie synce of Bohemia succeded Robert At that time were thre Popes Iohn the xxiii Gregory the xii Benedictus the xiii by whose strifes and practises almost all the prouinces of the world were deuided For synce Innocent the iii as their bokes report about CC yeres space there was no general counsell the ecclesiasticall estate was extremly corrupted For such an vnsatiablenes of vices disseases was disbordered in such sort that the euill was almost incurable Bonifacius the .viii. had bene before who attributed vnto himself the Papal and imperiall dignitie After him caine Element the v. of Bourdeaux who at the request of the king of Fraunce The popes court transferred into Fraunce Philip the faire forsoke Rome transferred his court into FrauÌ„ce After his death the seat was vacant certayn yeres because of the variaunce that was amongst the Cardinalls At length pope Iohn the xxii of * A towne in Fraunce Cahors in Querci was elected at Lions The fyfth after hym who was Gregory the xi returned to Rome after that the court of the Papacy had remained in Fraunce lxxvii yeres He being dead Vrbanus the vi of Naples Clement the vi of Sauoy straue for the pope dome The first did leane vpon the aide of the Italians dwelt at Rome the second rested vpoÌ„ the Frenchmen and had his seat in Auignon These here being dead the thre aboue said put theÌ„selues in their place who had bene elected by diuers opinions so hereby the Papacie had iii heads The Papacie as cerberius hath thre heads Many learned men aswell of Italy as of Fraunce lamented then meruelously the poore estate of the Church and spake sufficient sharply against the corruptions and maners of that time asmuch as they could vnderstand in the darcknes which then raigned Amongst theÌ„ Petrarca called the towne of Auignon The horishe Babilon at such time as the pope and the Cardinalls dwelt there To the end then to pacifie this scisme The couÌ„sell of ConstaÌ„ce a generall couÌ„sel was assembled at Constance in Germany by the aucthoritie wherof the thre aboue said were put downe and Martin the v. elected In this counsell Iohn Hus and Iherome of Prague were burned albeit that they were come thether vnder the Emperours safe conducte The Emperour Sigismundus is greatly praised for that for the publike felicitie he weÌ„t vnto diuers Christian kings exhorted them to loke vnto the publike weale The thyngs appeased in Germany he came into Italy The Venitians Florentins made warre then by sea and by land vpon the duke of Millan Philip Maria son of Iohn Galeatius From thence the Emperour drew to Rome where he was crowned by Pope Eugenius the .iiii. Which don he returned to Basill where there was then another counsell assigned Albertus duke of Austrich Albertus Emperour king of Hungarie and of Bohemia was his successour who was so occupied in ciuill warres against the Turckes that he had no leasure to come into Italy About this time learned wits did again awaken Learning good letters reestablisshed who began to set vp exercise the arts languages good letters The Italians aided with the studies of the Grekes began first afterwards the Germanyns Frenchmen other nations And by the meanes of the art of printing then inueÌ„ted the which brought with it great coÌ„modities Printing inuented it is vncredible what a prosperous desirable progression was made For since that time vnto this day the studies haue had in such sort their course that this our age may compare it self with the most learnedst time that euer were And in this namely is it more happy that god hath illustrated this science of singular profitable artes of tounges by the true knowledge of his holy name where as the ancient learned men how indued soeuer they were with good most eloqueÌ„t letters The knowledge of god renued in this time were neuertheles plonged in most deepe darknes and sought in vaine the souerain goodnes wherof they haue so much written Fridericus the iii of that name duke of Austrich succeded Albertê° who went peasible to Rome was crowned by pope Nicolas the v. Which done he retired home The king of Hungary slaine in battaile without attempting any thing in Italy The iiii yere of his Empire Vladislaus sonne of Wadislaus Kyng of Polonia and of Hungarye hauing brokeÌ„ the trewes at the motion of pope Eugenius the iiii was vanquished nere vnto Varne or Dionisiopoli by Amurathes Emperour of the Turkes the ii of that name and slain in the battaile the xi of Nouember Nyne yeres after Mahomet sonne of Amurathes toke Constantinople by assault Constantinople taken by that turcke the which hys Heyres haue possessed already an C. III. yeres and haue there placed their court and royall seat Vladislaus being dead Casimirus hys brother inherited the kyngdome of Polonia and Ladislaus who was borne after the discease of the Emperour Albertus the second the kingdome of Hungarie Maximilianus succeded Fridericus hys father As Fridericus laye in hys death bead Ferdinand Kyng of Spaine hauing dryuen out the Moores added to his dominion Betique commonly named the kingdome of Grenate Maximilianus amongest other had war agaynst the Venitians Charles son of Philip hys son and .v. of that name Charles that v. Emperour Folowed him who raigneth at this dai hath meruelous power By the things that we haue recited it euideÌ„tly appereth how the romain Empire which hath surmouÌ„ted all others that haue bene or shal be is almost altogether dissipated brought to noght Dissipation of yâ— romain Empyre For in Asia we haue not somuch as one foote of ground or the bredth of an nail as saith the prouerbe The Turks Tartarians other enemies of our religion possesse al. We haue lost al Affrike except that which the emperour Charles the v. the yeres past coÌ„quered when he toke the kingdome of Tunes froÌ„ Anobarbus lieutenant of the Turke hauing obtained a glorious victorie established there a king tributarie vnto him Victories of Charles the v. in Affrike Fiftene yeres after he toke also by assault the towne of Affrike Portingall Spaine England
17. can be read can not be To the most excellent prince Eberard Duke of Wirtemberg and of Teke countye of Mount beliard c. Iohn Sleidon S. SEynge Duke Eberard that all knowledge of letters howe base so euer it be doth greatly adourne and set forth your estate and dignitie then truely that knowledge which comprehendeth in it selfe the Histories of al times and ages is most peculier and proper vnto you The knowledge of Histories is necessarye And amongst vs who make professioÌ„ of the name of Christe the Bible obtaineth the firste place amongest suche kindes of writtinges the which in deducting the originall beginning of man kynd doth both declare vnto vs the will of god and also giue vnto vs many examples aswell of the mercye as of the yre wrath of God After the Bible it consequently behoueth to know all that which is writen of other nations Nothinge comineth to passe whiche is not found prefigured in the histories For nothing almost caÌ„ come to passe but thereof is a great while agone hath bene set out some resemblaunce Wherin the gouernours of common weales haue great ayde and succour prouided that they be not careles in this kind of instruction Now the way wherby the whole course of the world is deuided into foure Empires is most to the purpose As for the first Empyre we are destitute of necessarie bookes and sauing the holy Scriptures we haue almost nothing worthy to be credited or wherevpon we may grounde our selues That age no doubt was altogether heroicall and most notable in excellent things and worthy of Memorie but how much thereof is come to our knowledge Semiramis is greatly renoumed and Babilon and Sardanapalus and what That is almost all But who is he that maketh mention of that horrible spectacle and so terrible and monsterous as euer happened vnto man which Nabuchodonosor according as it is writteÌ„ in Daniel reciteth of himself Nabuchodonosor a terrible spectacle To witte that so mightye a kinge Monarche became madde was cast out of his kyngdome bannished the throne of hys ancesters driuen from and excluded the companye of men and so to alter nature that he fedde wyth wylde beastes and was tranfourmed into their lykenes The things are there but simplie mentioned but how greatly thinke we were they astonished that dyd sée thys so pitifull an example of the maiestie and wrathe of God The Empyre therefore of Assiria or of Babilon is briefely discribed because it is requised to kéepe wythin the bandes of the holy scriptures The thrée others folowing chiefly that of Grecia and of Rome are greatly illuminated by the writtinges of Herodotus Greke historiographers Thucidides Xenophon and Polibius For Pherecides Hellanicus Accusilas Phillistus Agathocles Theopompus Ephorus Calisthenes Timeus Clitarchus Silenus of whoÌ„ Cicero maketh mention are perished The Latins also that did wrytte the ancient Romain Historie who are named by Cicero are not to be found as are the Annales Pontificum Fabius Pictor M. Portius Cato Latin Historiographers Lucius Piso Celius Antipater Caius Fannius Vennonius Clodius Asilo Accius Lucius Sisenna These are they out of whom T. Liuius for the most part mutilate and Salustius more ancient also vnperfecte haue collected their Historye Cicero truly did neuer write Historie albeit that he diligently laboured therein accordinge as hys bookes doe testifie out of the which we maye aptely gather all that hath bene aunciently done yea he hath bene meruelous curious to obserue the time so that we may orderly gather out of him both the time of things persons without the which all that is writen is obscure And for because that the said Cicero was wont to saye that it specially appertained to an Oratour to write an History chiefly according to the maner of the Grekes Pomponius Atticus exhorted him thervnto Cicero solicited to wrytte Histories saying in maner of a complainte that it was yet wanting vnto the Latins that it lay in Cicero to bring to passe that in such stile Rome should not be inferiour vnto Grecia It is certaine that he composed in Gréeke the Historie abridged of his consulshyp beganne it in Latin as he saieth For he greatlye desired that that hys yeare should be renoumed by the writings of others in suche sort that he said that if others wold not put to their handes he wold not faile wold write of himself C. Cesar treateth only of his owne actes Iulius Caesar did writte his actes not borowing any thing of the aboue said ancient writers Then also was Diodorus Siculus shortly after Dionisius Halicarnasseus afterwardes Plutarcus Sutonius Cornelius Tacitus Appianus Herodianus Trogus Pompeius Alianus Q. Cursius but amongest them some are vtterly loste other some are for the most part Since these diuers others haue written the Historie of their time or of their nation and reach euen vnto this our age The vtilius of Histories These truly ought to be redde or at the least the most parte of them to get by them the knowledge which is requised and necessarye It behoueth to know some for the thing it self other some for the thing for the style amongest whom C. Iulius Caesar Cesar maye almost onely haue to himself the first place of the latins yea and that rightlye For there is nothinge more pure nor more eloquent then he so that not onely he hath surmounted them who shortly after folowed him in pleasantnes of speach but also all theÌ„ of his time Besides the aboue specified The ecclesiasticall Histories it behoueth also to read ouer the ecclesiasticall Histories whiche doe writte the mutation of religion or afflictions of good men or the lawes and decrées of counsells and Bishoppes And because that the kingdome of the papacie is also foreshewed in the holy scripture it behoueth diligently to search out the beginning aduancing and increasing therof to the end to conferre the same with the markes signes that the scripture giueth But because thys whole argument wherof we haue spoken is diuers and hard and that the fielde is very great and large so that it is not possible to compasse the same in short space Why the authour did take in hand this worke It is nedefull to helpe the studies of yong men by some certaine abrigement to the end that when they become great they might fréely of them selues make a discourse by all sortes of Authours This is that which moued me to take in hand this worke to the ende that that age might haue a patroÌ„ note of those things that are to be learned the which it may folow as a threde whilest by litle and litle it taketh encrease in learning This worke 〈◊〉 chiefly â—ritten for â—outh profiteth in suche sort that it may lay a side and set nothing by such writing For I haue not writen this to the entent that they should be satisfied therewith or should kepe themselues shut
others call hym Saturne they say that in the fyue and fourtye yere of hys Empyre he sent Assur Mede Magog and Moscus for to guyde the bandes of men whiche he sent to inhabite here and there and for to grounde and establish kingdomes of theyr names to witte of Assiria of Mede of Magog and of Moscus whereof the two fyrst apperteyne vnto Asia the other two last appertayne vnto Affrica and vnto Europa The holye scipture also maketh mencion of that Assur Assur and sayeth that the cytye of Nineue was buylded by hym Iupiter Belus succeded his father Nimrod who some say did Iupiter Belus occupie all the West parts euen vnto Samaria on Europe after that he had made warre agaynst Sabatius kynge of Sagnos whome he could not altogether discomfite because he was preuented by death but Ninus his sonne vtterly vanquished him Ninus and hauynge spred hys dominion farre abroade he first of all gotte the Monarcke Thre C. and fifty yeres after the flood Noah dyed And about eyghtene yeares after Abraham the tenth after Noah left hys countrey by the commaundement of God being thre score and fyftene yeres olde Foure and twentye yeares after God made a Couenaunt with him by the Circumcision Circūcision instituted which he instituted In the hundreth yere of hys age Isaac hys sonne was borne vnto him and he lyued after that tyme thre score and fiftene yeres for the lyfe of man was euen alreadye greatlye shortened The holy scriptures teache vs howe and for what cause Iacob his nephewe came into Egipt where he dyed and howe those of hys lynage dwelt there for certeyne hundredes of yeres and beynge oppressed with moste cruell bondage brought out and delyuered by the grace of God vnder the gouernement of Moyses Nowe thys goyng furth of Israell out of the lande of Egypt The goyng out of egipt is coūted to be the MM. CCCC.LIIII yere after the creation of the worlde CCCC XXX yeres after the promise was made vnto Abraham as sayeth Paule the Apostle After Moyses the people of Israell had Iudges vntyll Saull whome Dauid succeded beyng the second kynge of that people Let vs retourne vnto the Empyre of Babilon After the death of Ninus Semiramis the widdow of Ninus Semiramis hys wyfe raigned who was as noble in riches victories and triumphes as euer was any She enlarged the towne of Babilon The noblenes of Semiramie and made it of an indifferent bignes also she decked it with diuers fayre buildings and did compasse it with walls She vanquished the countrey of Ethiopia and also made warre agaynst the countrey of India Zameis her sonne the fifte kyng did nothyng worthy of memory Zameis But Arius that raigned next after him Arius ioyned to hys empyre the Bactrians and Caspians Aralius his succcessour was as it is reported borne to warre Aralius and yet not withstandyng we fynde none of hys actes in wrytyng Baleus that folowed hym did subiect diuers people vnder hym Baleus that was surnamed Xerxes did spreade hys dominion euen vnto the countrey of Indea and therfore he was surnamed Xerxes that is to say victorious a triumpher and a man of warre The nynth called Armatrites Armatrites was altogether addicted vnto voluptuousnes and ydlenes There is nothyng found of Belochus the tenth Belochus but that he set hys mynde vpon prognostications and diuinations Baleus Baleus the eleuenth is counted to be next after Semiramis the most industrious and valiant man of warre and it is sayd that he was greatly renoumed and praysed by the wrytyngs of learned men Altadas the twelue loued to be at rest and to liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe as the report goth estemyng it to be a great folly Altadas to be tormented and vexed with diuers labours and cares for to encrease hys kyngdome for as much as it did not appertayne to the health or commoditie of men but rather to theyr domage bondage The .xiii. that folowed him Mamitus named Mamitus did agayne stirre vp awake his men to warfare in such sort that his power was suspected feared of the Sirians Egiptians Manchale◠There is nothing to be sayd of Manchaleus Spherus who is the .xiiii. Spherus the xv was as it is reported a man of great vertue wisdō There is no act mencioned of Mamelus Mamelus who was the .xvi. Merueylous thyngs are foūd to haue happened in all places vnder Sparetus the .xvii. Ascarades who was the .xviii. did subiect all Siria vnder his obedience Sparetus And here endeth Berosus Ascarades which is read at this day of the which booke diuers do greatly doute and do iudge it to be false and not withstanding they obserue this order because that herein all other writings faile vs. Other do count .xx. kyngs vnto Sardanapalus Sardanapalus who was the .xxxviii. king of Assiria He was the most effeminate that euer was borne in such sort that he was always conuersant among women handling the distafe spindle and he was so ouerwhelmed in pleasures and voluptuousnes that he scarsly did at any tyme shew him self abroad These doings of his wer the cause that two of his lieutenants Belochus of Babilon Belochus Arbaces Arbaces of Medea did conspire against him after that thei had openly declared his filthines dilicatenes they made war against him He finally presented himself in campe vnwillingly with his effeminat company but hauing the worst hand he hastely retired into his palace where after that he had gathered a great heape of wood The ende of Sardanapalus he brunt him self with all his riches whereby onely as one wryteth he declared hym self a man These two Lieutenantes did afterwards diuide the Monarchie betwene them Belochus was kyng of Babilon and Arbaces of the Medes and Persians Sardanapalus then was the laste kynge of the Assirians accordynge to the order aboue mencioned after that this Monarchie had continued M.CCC yeres for the moste parte of the kynges dyd lyue a very long tyme. Belochus the .xxxix. or elles if it seeme better the first kynge of Assiria in the newe Monarchie Belochus the first king of Assiria in the newe Monarche made Manahem kyng of Israell become tributarie vnto hym The holy scriptures doth not call him Belochus but Phul. Hys successour was Phull Assur surnamed Tiglath Pillesser who wanne certayue townes of Iudea and led the people captiue into Assiria It is that Tiglath whome Achas kyng of Iudea vnder whome Esay lyued prayed to succour hym against the kyng of Siria and vnto whome he sent presentes Salmanasar succeded hym Salmanasor who wanne the towne of Samaria after he had beseged it three yeres and led Hosea kyng of Israell wyth the people captiue gaue them a dwellynge place in hys countrey euen in Medea as the holy scripture saith wherof some haue opinion that he raigned also ouer the Medes
of Iudea were captiues amongst the Babilonians especially seyng that the beginning of this captinitie is counted from the nyntenth yeare of Nabuchodonosors reigne They that folowe thys order of reckning and let passe those two kinges before mentioned do cleaue vnto the holye scripture but chiefly vnto the testimonye of Ieremie who did prophecie that the Iewes shuld serue the kinge of Babilon hys sonne and hys sonnes sonne But it is fre for euery man to iudge herein as they shall thinke good Notwithstanding so it is that Balthasar according to the holye scripture was the last Emperour of Babilon Balthasar the laste Emperour of Babilō and euery one doe agre therein Diuers do write after what fort Babilon was takē but Daniel maketh mention how that god did foreshewe vnto the king the calamitie which did not onely threaten him but euē already did assalt hym sayth that the principal part of the Empyre was transterred to Daryus of Medea Darius beyng then LXII yeres olde The Historiographers do call thys Daryus Cyaxares and he was the sonne of Astiages the eyght king of the Medes whom Daniell doth cal Assuerus who hauing neuer a sonne Assuerus gaue his daughter vn to Cyrus of Persia hys systers sonne and beyng afterwardes assaulted by the king of the Assyrians Cyrus he required Cyrus to succour him Who after that he was arriued wyth his armie chosen chiefe Captayne of the hoste he prosperously behaued himself in his charge for he wanne the most mightye Citye of Babilon After thys victorye Darius is not found to haue liued passing one yeare and yet then when Daryus lyued after the taking of the Citye and that the people of Israel had bene almoste LXX yeares Captiue in Babilon God reueiled to Daniel things of much more importance as he prayed and redde with diligence the prophecye of Ieremye the foreshewer of that Captiuitye For he dyd not onelye assure hym of the delyuerance whyche was at hande but also dyd shewe vnto hym in what tyme the Messyas who shoulde make satysfaction for the fynnes of the worlde shoulde come Daryus veynge deade the Empyre came into the handes of Cyrus and thys is the begynning of an other Monarchye For Cyrus onely dyd enioye the countryes of Assyria Media and of Persya euen vnto the sea of Ionia as Thucydides sayeth moreouer also before the taking of Babilon he dyd take Cresus prysoner in battaile the most myghtye Kynge of Lidia The second Monarchie of Persia Cyrus then is the fyrste Kynge of Persya and the begynner of the seconde Monarchye hauyng vainquyshed the Babilonians he made warre agaynst the Scithians and went euen hymselfe wyth hys armye to meete them where he a moste worthye prynce The death of Cyrus was cyrcumuented by layinge of wayte and beynge taken was kylled In the begynnyng of hys reygne after he had taken Babylon he perinytted the people of Iudea whych were Captiues to returne into theyr countrye and there to buylde agayne the temple and the Citie of Ierusalem for the accomplishing wherof he commaunded to giue liberally towardes the expenses God had exprestye foreshewed these thinges namely by Esaye certaine hundred yeres before that euer he was borne Xenophon doth alledge the same in disputing before his death in the presence of his children of the immortalitie of the soule as it is recitited in Cicero who hath eloquently translated that place as also al others Cyrus liued vnto the age of thre score and tenne yeares he reygned thyrtye yeares for he was fortye when he came to the crowne Cambyses the sonne of Cyrus He had a sonne named Cambyses whō he made gouernour of the kingdome when he toke his iournie for to go and make warre against the Scithians He in the absence of his father who was greatly incombered conquired Egipte being truly an experte warriar but otherwise vitious and retayning none of his fathers vertues Amongest al other his vnhonest shameles and cruell actes he caused his brother traiterously to be slaine Plato saith in the bookes which he writte concerninge lawes The sōnes of Cyrus were yll instructed that Cyrus erred greatly in that that he made hys children to be delicatly broughte vp amongst women whereof came to passe that they being waxed great and being corrupted by flatterers forasmuch as diuers did seke nothing ells but to please them they sought to slaye one an other after their fathers decease Darius the thirde king of Persia Darius the sonne of Histaspos succeded Cambises the second kinge of Persia who had reigned but a while after hys father And for because after the death of Cyrus after that hys armie was so greatly ouerthrowen certaine people and amongest them the Bavilonians did refuse to be subiect to the Persians as sone as he came to the crowne he put himselfe in armes and dyd agayne bringe them vnder his Empyre hauing after long seige taken Babilon by the meanes of Zopirus After that he toke vpon him to make war against the Athenians who not waiting for the helpe of the Lacedemonians dyd out of hād gather an hoste of men to the number of tenne thousand by the which hoste of men vnder the conduction of Miltiades they dyd ouerthrowe that hys great armye in the place called Marathon Darius ouerthrowē by the Athenians Darius thought to renue againe his armie Xerres the fourth Emperour but he died in that enterprise Xerxes his sōne was his successour who .x. yeres after the said iournye of Marathon as Thucidides writeth went into Grecia with an innumerable armie to bring it vnder his subiection Wherefore with one common consent the gouernement principal charge was geuen vnto the Lacedemonians who were then the most mightiest of all Grecia But the Athenians folowing the counsell of Themistocles dyd leaue their Citye and hauynge caryed theyr wiues and childrē hether and thether they toke shipping and they dyd ouercome the enemie nere the I le of Salamis Xerxes ouerthrowē by the Grecians This victorie dyd saue the countrie of Grecia for Xerxes being also discomfited by land he did flye vilanously and vnprosperously homewardes The Grecians also dyd returne after his departure except the Athenians for hauing in armie aboute a. C.C.C.C. vessells they sailed further and gyuing the assault wōne the towne of Sestes in Hellespontus which the Persians did before kepe and after that they had wintered there tourninge homeward vnto their countrie they gathered together their wiues children and did build agayne the walles of theyr Citie which was taken and brunt by the enemy and they did fortifie the porte Cicero writeth that this warre of the Persians The warre of the Persians or as Thucidides calleth it of the Medes fell almost in the selfe same time that that of the Volsciens did wherein was Coriolanus that was bannished from Rome This fell in the yeare of the foundation of Rome CCLXVI. Herodotus which was before Thucidides dyd
a certayn part therof which yealded vnto hym he retourned to Rome in hys raigne there was a great famaine in al places the which as witnesseth saint Luke the Euangelist Agabus had before prophecyed Nero Claudius the successor of Claudius gaue manifestly to vnderstand that he would once vtterly break the order of the Senators Nero. 6. In his time England had a great ouerthrow discomffiture for that they oppressed robbed in the said I le the citezens aliaunts of the romains The legions also that were in Armenia were brought vnder subiection with great dificulty could Siria be kept maintained Moreouer Fraunce did rebell through the perswasyon counsell of Iulius Vindix gouernour of the country afterwards Spaine by the motion conduction of Sergius Galba Iulius Vindix Sargius Galba And as he minded to recouer his losses and purpossed to take hys Iourny into Fraunce the other armyes which he had heare there through out the prouinces dyd rebell It is manyfest by the Historyes what a cruell wylde beast he was Whereof beynge Iudged of the Senate to be an enemye of the weale publyke he slewe hym selfe by the helpe of a certayne Lackey At that tyme floryshed ouer and besydes Seneca Lucanus Persyus Silius Italycus Poetes of whom the last was Consull in the laste yeare of Neros raygne Confusion in the Romayne Monarchie The state of the publyke weale was then broughte to suche dysorder that it was in the power and pleasure of the armyes and Legions to electe and create the Emperour Vespasianus became Emperour by such meanes Vespasianus 7. For the armyes whych were in Masia and Hungarye in Indea and Syria dyd reuolte from Aullus Vitellius and made their othe vnto Vespasianus promysing hym fidellitie and obedience He put Achaia Lycia Rhodes Byzantia Samos Thracia Sicilia and Comagena into prouinces vnder the Romains he quite and cleane rooted vp the Citie of Ierusalem Titus his sonne guyding and conducting the warre Domitianus 8. Flauius Domitianus dyd oftentymes skermyshe and make war with them of Hell wyth the Dacians and Sarmatians ouer whom at last he triumphed Statius Inuenalis and Martialis Poetes liued at that time Traianus 9. Vlpius Traianus was adopted of Nerua Coccius and afterwardes made Emperour who twyse saccaged the Dacians that rebelled and made them subiecte the Romaynes He broughte thether also newe inhabitauntes Afterwardes he Marched wyth hys Hoste into Armenia and Parthya whome he subdewed easelye and wyllyngelye in such sorte that they yealded vnto hym and after that he was surnamed Parthycus Notwythstandinge dyuers people in the ende dyd rebell agaynste theym especially they of Armenya and Mesopotamya The Parthyans also woulde not accepte the Kynge that he had assygned theym Adrianus 10. as soone as hys backe was tourned for to returne into Italye Elius Adrianus did assubiecte the country of Iudea whiche had rebelled The cause of the warre was that he had buylt a Temple vnto Iupiter Olimpius in Ierusalem the which he had permitted to be agayne inhabited The Iewes were greatly wroth and displeased with that Temple He visited also Fraunce Duchland England and Spayne and from thence to the country of Mauritania Parthia Asia and Grecia and he returned by Sicilia vnto Rome For the second tyme he went into Aphrica and returned to Rome from whence yet again he toke his voyage into Grecia and Asia and from thence he drewe into Arabia and afterwards into Egipt He held a parliment and commended vnto the Senatours Antonius Pius who after him did enforce himself to kepe the things in peace Antonius Pius 11. and studiyng to do good vnto eueryone he maintained the farreyn kings in theyr obedience by letters and humanitye In hys time there were excellent Iuriconsulls as Alburnius Valeus Tuscianus Vindius Verus Vlpius Marcellus Arrianus Tertullianus Saluius Iulianus L. Volusius Metianus After Antoninus Pius hys Sonne Marcus Antonius surnamed the Philosopher M. Antoninus the Philosopher succeded him who toke L. Aurelius Verus his brother for to be conioyner to the Empyre By whose meanes he had happye successe of the warre of Parthya whileste that he gaue order to the publyke weale in hys Palayes and in the Cytye After the death of Verus he gouerned hym selfe alone the affayres of the Empyre and had good successe agaynst the Germaines He saccaged also the Marcomes Sarmatians Vandalians and Boemians who had oppressed the countrey of Hungaria For then the most parte of the people from Sclauonia vnto France had conspyred against the Romaines Commodus Antonius a moste wycked sonne of thys moste excellente Prynce Cōmodus Antonius 13. dyd vanquishe the Mauritains and Dacians by hys Lieutenauntes He pacified the the countrey of Hungaria Germanye and Englande countreys whiche woulde not be vnder hys subiection He in the meane whyle spent hys tyme in all maner of sylthynes and crueltye Septimus Seuerus did make ciuill warre wyth Niger Septimus Seuerus who dyd procure and entise the countrey of Asia to rebell and also with Albinus who hadde done the lyke practyse in Fraunce He foughte luckely agaynste the Parthians He subdued the Iewes that were in Syria He assubiected Agabatus kyng of the Persians He receyued the Arabians who yealded vnto hym He fortified Englande causynge a walle to be made ouerthwart the I le euen vnto the Ocean Sea from one syde to another And hauynge subdued the people of Englande who were verye fearce enemyes he deceased at yorke Antonius Bassianus Caracalla dyd styrre vp warre agaynste the Parthians and agaynst the Armenians This is he who caused Papinianus Iurisconsul to be murdered The constātie of Papianus for that he would not defend nor approue the murder of his own naturall brother which he had committed At that tyme florished diuers Iurisconsulls almost euery one of them the schollers of Papinianus Excellent Iuriscōsuls to wit Tarruntius Paternus Macer Terentius Clemeus Menander Archadius Ruffinus Papyrius Fronto Anthius Maximus Hermogenianus Africanus Florentinus Tryphoninus Iustus Calistratus and Venuleius Celsus After that Caracalla was slain Macrinus Macrinus succeded hym who had but vnhappy lucke in battel against Artabanus kyng of the Parthians Heliogabalus Alexander Seuerus And vnderstanding that the souldiours were affectioned vnto Heliogabalus Bassianus he concluded peace Alexander Seuerus successour of that most wicked and filthy man Heliogabalus was a valiaunt man He wanne a great battail against Artaxerxes king of the Persians He recouered Mesopotamia which was lost vnder Heliogabalus He had very good fortune of the warres which he conducted by hys Lieutenantes in Mauritania Sclauonia and Armenia Afterwards goyng against the Germains who spoyled and oppressed Fraunce he was slayne by certain of his souldiours Vlpianus Iurisconsul Vlpianus Iuriscousull who was Papinianus disciple was his familier frend At that tyme also lyued Paulus Pomponius and Modestinus Maximinus Emperour Maximinus was Emperour after Alexander who employed hys whole force power against the
Germains and did not onely ayde himselfe with the Romain souldiours but also with the Mauritans Odronians and Parthians who had bene afore tyme in the wages of Alexander He brunt diuers Villages of the Germains and slew diuers and besides this he tooke many prisoners Wherefore he broughte backe agayne his souldiours loden with the spoyle When Germany was pacified he went to Syrme purposynge to make war with the Sarmatians and not content herewith he forecaste to assubiect vnder the romain Empyre all the countreys which are vnder the Septentrion coast euen vnto the ocean sea But the army beyng offended with hym for hys crueltie dyd elect Gordianus Emperour Gordianus the which the Senat who also bare Maximinus yll wyll ratified and pronounced Maximinus enemye of the publyke weale He myndyng to aduenge hym self of this iniurie made an oration to his enemy and drew towards Rome Which beyng knowen the Senate dyd declare and create Pupienus and Balbinus Emperours gyuinge vnto Pupienus the conduction of the war against Maximinus who had layd siege before Aquileia Pupienus Balbinus Where he at such tyme as he tooke his rest in his tent was slain with his sonne by his souldiours This beyng brought to passe Pupienus and Balbinus remained not long after vnslaine by sedicion of souldiours after they had raigned two yeres the Empyre fell into the hands of Gordianus beyng very yonge Gordianus The fourth yere of hys raigne he iournyed through Mesia and Thracia for to go agaynst the Parthians and there he defeited the enemies of the Romayns From thence he tooke his way by Syria for to go vnto Antioche which at that time Persians held He made often tymes battayll against them Sapor king of Persia and put Sapor theyr kyng to flyght in such sort that the Persians who then did affraye and trouble Italy were enforced to retyre into their owne countrey Finally the sixt yere of his Empyre he was betraied slain by Philippus his chief gouernour who had moued incited the souldiours to sedicion Philippus was recompensed with the like end who had sent certain bandes of men against the Scichians Philippus which did molest with force of armes the confederates frends of the Romains He had Decius to his successour Decius who was chosen Emperour by the Legions whiche were in Sclauonia afterwards approued by the Senate He first of all appeased the conspiraties rebellions of Fraunce Furthermore hauing commended the publyke weale vnto the Senate he forthwith toke his iorney against the Scithians being accompanied with his sonne who was conioyned with him in the Emperiall dignitie For the said Scithians did oppresse molest the countrey of Thracia other countreys of the Empyre both by sea by land Decius was victorious ouer them in certain battails might haue bene altogether seyng he had already enclosed them in a narow straight had it not been that Gallus Hostilianus gouernour of the latter Mesia Gallus Hostillianus did bewray his enterprise to the enemy Whereof it befell that the father the sonne were circumuented slain by treason Gallus was made Emperour by a Legion the residue of the souldiours who made peace with the Scithians but to the great dishonour shame of the Romains in that he promised to paye tribute vnto them a thinge neuer harde of before and alltogeather vndecent and vnworthie of the maiestye of so greate a name The Scythiens waxced more fearce and breakynge the treaties of peace they spoyled and wasted Dardania Thracia Thessalia and Macedonia yea esteming this as nothyng they cast them selues by force vpon Asia spoyling destroying diuers townes By their example diuers did declare them selues enemies of the Romains many did rebell The Parthians did violently enter into Asia did subdue Armenia putting the king Thyridates to flight The Scithians in the mean whyle were so outragious that they threatened Italy And it semed that thei should haue vtterly destroyed it had it not bene that Amilianus gouernor of Mesia towards the side of Polonia Amilianus did stirre vp and encourage hys souldiours by promysyng and putting them in hope of good rewards by which meanes he put the Scithians to flyght and manfully pursuyng them he entred by force into theyr countrey and subdued it Vppon which occasion he was chosen and created Emperour by the sould yours Whereof Gaulus beyng certified he went forth to resist and withstand hym But he with Volusianus his sonne and fellow of the Empyre was ouerthrowen and slaine At this tyme Cyprianus byshop of Carthage florished Cyprian of whome amongest many other thinges are founde certaine Epistles written to Lucius bishop of Rome whō he calleth his brother and fellow in administration He writte moreouer diuers Epistles vnto Cornelius where he complaineth amongest all other thyngs of them who beyng condemned for theyr demerites by the bishops of Affricke The complaynt of Cyprian and depriued of their priesthood had recourse vnto Rome for more ample knowledge in the matter For sayth he reason requireth that the cause shuld be there pleaded where the fault hath bene committed seyng that to euery pastour is committed a certayn portion of the flocke of whome they shall render an accompt vnto the Lord. Wherfore the vnitie of the byshoppes ought not to be broken neither ought the iudgement of them of Affrike to be neglected or dispised who had already gyuen absolute and diffinitiue sentence of the matter and cause In the meane tyme another armye whych was in the Alpes Valerianus dyd place Valerianus in the Emperiall dignitie who was of a noble house This beyng knowen the souldiours of Emilianus who feared to comme in trouble slew theyr Emperour and tooke Valerianus part As soone as Emelianus was declared Emperour he wrot vnto the Senate promisyng to delyuer Thracia and Mesopotamia from the enemyes and to recouer Armenia and to dryue from all places the enemies of the romain Empyre Valerianus beyng arriued in Persia for to offer battaill was taken by Sapor kyng of the Persians Sapor who would neuer vulose or let hym go albeit that the princes and people there aboute dyd admonishe hym so to do declaryng and alledgyng vnto hym the desteny of the Romans which was that beynge vanquished they dyd resist moore stoutly and couragiously Valerianus beyng captiue Gallienus Gallienus hys sonne succeaded hym He gaue hym self wholly vnto all maner of pleasures and dilicaties laying a syde and neglectyng the affayres of the publike weale in such sort that the souldiours which were in diuers places throughout the prouinces dyd elect and chose them new Emperours as in Fraunce Spaigne Hungary Sclauonia Egipt Affricke and other places which euery one of them wer oppressed partly by hym partly by the dissentions and ciuill conflictes that were amongest them them selues In thys tyme the Gothes held and possessed Thracia oppressed Macedonia and beseiged Thessalonica The Scythians dyd inuade
who was of a base byrth Iustinus Emperour of Grecia and as it is wrytten of a Swyne keper he was made a souldyour He was at variaunce wyth Theodoricus kyng of the Gothes and lord of Italy through the diuersitie of religion but not wythstandyng they dyd not put them selues in armes After the disceasse of Theodoricus Alaricus his Nephew succeaded hym to the great contentation feruent desyre ioy of the Gothes Iohn the fyrst of that name was then Byshop of Rome who was sent to Constantinople by the king Theodoricus where he was receyued as their bookes declare very honorably Flatteries of the Papists not only of the people but also of the Emperour For they say that they triumphed for for ioye in that then the countrey of Grecia had obteyned so great felicitie as to see and receyue the Vicar of S. Peter such is their style a thing which had not bene since Constantine the great and since Siluester It is merueyll why they say that of Siluester seyng that he neuer entred into Grecia as it is moste certain for euen then when he oughte chiefly to haue remoued when great nede did require to wit to the counsell of Nice he stirred not forth but sent Victor Vincentius his ambassadours thither Afterwards Lyes falshode in histories of popes he held another counsell at Rome as they say by the which he confirmed that which the counsell of Nice had decreed There remaineth yet an epistle of Iohn the first directed vnto the bishops of Italy for to comfort them wherein he admonisheth them to perseuer in their purpose to remain feruent albeit that the king Theodoricus infected with the heresie of the Arians do threaten to destroy them all Italy Iustinianus After Iustinus Iustinianus Iustinus sisters son was made Emperour He employed himself to put in order establysh the publyke weale in the beginning coÌ„mitted the charge to Belisarius who wan the great battayls against the Persians Belisarius which were issued out of their couÌ„trey and did molest the subiectes of the Romains Herecouered Sclauonia spoyled destroyed by the Gepides BulgariaÌ„s He made a league with the Parthians who wer in armes He defeited a great army of Wandales in Affricke tooke theyr king reconquered Carthage From thence he went into Sicilia wheÌ„ce shortly after he retourned into Affrick being certified of the rebellion in that countrey He handled his affayres there very prosperously Finally beyng agayn ariued in Italy he vanquished the town of Naples sacked it and defeited the Gothes of whom Theodatus was than kyng Afterwards he went to Rome where he was louingly honorably receiued of al. Being departed thence he subdued towns stroÌ„g holds in diuers places amongest others the towne of Perouse This done he layed seige before Rauenna wher Vitigis kynge of the Gothes fought agaynst hym But hauing lost his army Vitigis Kig of the Gothes taken prisoner he was taken led captiue into Constantinople by the sayd Belisarius The Gothes did renew their power and in the region beyond Papia did elect Hildebrand to be their king Two others succeaded him and finally Totilas who in the absence of Belisarius forraged all Italy beseiged Rome Rome taken by Totylas the which he subdued sacked and brunt Wherefore Belisarius hauinge made an end of the warre whyche he hadde wyth the Parthians who hadde agayne oppressed Syria He retourned into Italye and dyd reestablyshe the Cytye of Rome whyche was almoste desarte Whyche done he went to encounter the enymye against he whom he had good successe And as he sayled into Sicilia for to gyue order as touchyng the munitions he was called home by Iustinianus through whych occasion Totilas renewed hys power and retourned to Rome Afterwards Narses the Eunuche the Emperour gaue the conduction of the Italian war vnto Narses the Eunuche who draue the Gothes out of all Italy Which he dyd the easiyer for that they had lost Totilas theyr kyng who dyed with a wound that he had receyued Thys war agaynst the Gothes lasted ten yeares Iustinianus hauyng recouered Italy and Affryke and hauyng taken Iustinus hys doughters sonne to be companion of the Empyre he shortly after dyed Some are of opinion that he was a man of a faynte heart that he was subiect to Theodora hys wyfe Tribonianus collected the Pandects Tribonianus Iurisconsull was in hys great fauour who hauynge abolyshed the wrytynges disputations of the auncetours dyd collect out of them certayn workes of diuers fragmentes of verses whiche are now called Pandects the which only remayne vnto vs. He was helped by certain to finishe this worke who are here and there named Afterwardes he dyd the lyke vnto the letters and lawes of Prynces which before were conteyned in three bookes to wit in the bookes called Gregorianus Hermogenianus and Theodosianus All the which he comprehended in one volume and called it Iustinianus booke beyng ayded by other mens helpe whom the Emperour nameth in the Preface of the saide booke Certayne Authours saye that Trebonianus was a couetous man and that for money he established lawes and eftsones disalowed them as Virgill sayth In the aforesaid bookes are found diuers lawes In the 6. of Encidos the which do minishe and derogate from those in times past They added moreouer a perticuler booke of new ordinaunces the which altogether beareth the name and title of Iustinian The Emperour delt very cruelly with Belisarius vnder whose coÌ„duct he had woÌ„ne so many glorious and notable victories The misery of Belisarius in hys olde age For he caused his eyes to be put out at such tyme as he crouched for age In Iustinians raign dyuers Sinodes were holden at Constantinople at the whych MeÌ„na patriarche of the towne preceded who is called most holy most blessed vniuersall as their bookes report In the beginning of the booke there is an Epistle of the Emperour directed vnto Iohn Archbishop of Rome wherin he nameth hym head of all Churches assubiecteth all vnder him Now albeit that the learned men do Iudge it to be couÌ„terfaited notwithstandyng put the case it were true yet it is certayne that thys quarell did remayn many yeares after vntil such tyme as the Byshops of Rome beyng waxen rych The meanes whereby the Romishe churche was buylte got the vpperhand buylt theÌ„ a strong hold in the possession of the Church The which beyng buylt by the hands fauour of meÌ„ is at this day in reputation as yf God had established it We haue before declared how that in Augustins time the syxt Counsell of Carthage was holden The discâ—â—â— of the Popes surprâ—â—sed wherin the deceipt of Pope Bonifacius the fyrst and of Celestinus was disclosed For they affyrmed that it was ordained at Nice that they should be appeald vnto from al places The denilyshe ambition of Bonifactus the seconde In Iustinianus time Bonifacius the
betwen the Ocean sea and Baleaire But he adioyned all Aquitania and the ridge of the hylles Pirenees vnto the riuer of Ebro yea euen all Italy which should haue bene before sayd from the Alpes vnto the vttermost partes of * A couÌ„trâ— ioyning to Naples Calabria Finally beyng gone for the fourth tyme to Rome he was saluted Emperour Augustus by Leo the third and by all the people the xxxiii yeare of hys raigne By this meanes then the Romayne Empyre towards the West the which was rent and torne sondrywyse especiall synce that the Emperours had placed their chiefe seat in Constantinople as it is easy to be sene by the former discourse was renued agayn by the Emperour Charlemaine and as a new body toke agayne hys collour and beautye The Empire renued by Charlemayne in that so many and so great countryes were assubiected vnder the power of one man only Nicephorus the other Emperour of the East parts was greatly wroth with thys election but Charlemaine did mollifie him by his humanity modestie and by presents entertained themselues in amitie and they did assygne the compasse and limites of both the Empyres Besydes the other assemblyes Charlemayne caused a counsell to be holden at Reims at the which it was ordayned amongst many other statutes that the Byshops shuld diligently study the holy scriptures preach the word of god Another Synode was assembled at Mense the yere before hys death before another at Tours at Caalon vpon the Saone at Arles for the râ—formation of Churches as the writers of that time say The eyght huÌ„dreth fourtenth yere after the natiuitie of Christ the lxx yere of hys age he died at Aix in Germany Ludouicus the sonne of Charlemaine 2. Emperour after he had appointed Ludouicus his sonne heritor of his raign and Empire xiiii yeres after that he had ben first declared Emperour of the Almains At that time there was only xxi Metropolitan Cities as they are called in Italy Germany Fraunce to wyt Rome Rauenna Millane * A Citye or Country in Italye so called Forumiulii Grade Colon Mense Salisbourg Trire RouaÌ„ Sens Besonzon Lions Reims Arles Vienna Tarentasia EbrodunuÌ„ Burdeux Tours Bourges Pipine his father had taken away the Exarchship from the LoÌ„bars had left it in the custodie of the bishop of Rome as we haue said as it is found in writing But Charlemaine gaue it wholy vnto him as some say wherof notwithstanding dyuers do doubt Eginardus his secretary sworne writter Eginardus secretarye to Charlemayne who was familier with him wrytteth that aboue all he loued the Church which they call of S. Peter wherinto he caused much Golde Syluer and precious stones to be broughte For he studyed aboue all thynges to reestablyshe the Citye of Rome in her fyrst credyte and aucthoritye and that the Churche of Saynct Peter shoulde not onely be in safegarde vnder hys protectyon but also that amongest others it should abounde in ryches Eginardus sayeth thys and no more not makynge anye mention that he dyd gyue so mighty Townes and so many in number whych dyd appertayn to the Empyre yea he being made Emperour at the fourth entrye whych he made into Rome he gaue order according as we fynd in writting not onely vnto the affaires of the Citie of Rome of the Pope and of all Italy but also vnto Ecclesiasticall and perticular things Also before he was Emperour Aucthoritie of Charlemaine aboue the Pope at such time as he was but onely King of Fraunce after he had discomfyted Desiderius king of the Lombards as it hath bene sayd he came to Rome and held a counsell whereat as theyr one Bookes do mentian the Pope Adrianus the fyrst and all the Sinode dyd gyue hym the ryghte and power to electe the Pope to ordayne the Apostolyke Sea as they terme it and to confyrme the Bishops Eginardus doth attrybute vâ—to Charlemaine dyuers vertues worthye of a greate Prynce to wytte temperaunce modestye sobriety affectyon towardes relygyon Learnynge Eloquence wyth knowledge not onely of the Latine tounge but also of the Greeke Besydes thys he reporteth hym to haue bene verye circumspect and diligent to see hys Chyldren taught and instructed in the knoweledge and experyence of these selfe same thinges Albin the schole Maister of Charlemayne chiefe founder of the vniuersitye of Paris He instituted the vniuersytye of Paris aswell thorowe hys owne proper motyon and Good wyll as by the instigatyon and sute of Albin hys Master who was hys instructour in sciences as saith Eginardus He named the monthes and twelue wyndes in the Duch tounge the which names are yet vsed Before tyme as sayeth the same writter the French men vsed names partlye Latyne partelye Barbarous Hetherto I hauing made as it were a preface of Charlemaine and of the Almains from henceforth I wil briefly rounne ouer and declare how that part of the Romayn Empyre whych is towards the West the which was recollected and reestablyshed by Charlemaine is agayn fallen into decaye and beyng deuided into diuers Prouinces hath bene vnto diuers who possesse those countryes neither more nor lesse then their owne proper Heritage without considering their ofspring in such sort that this venerable and so renoumed hyghnes of Romayn Empyre is at this day no other thing then a lytle shadow of a great body synce that of so great a large compasse it hath bene enclosed in a small part of Europa to wytte in Germanie Last of all I will in few words declare how Daniell hath for shewed these mutations of Empires and the fall of the Romain monarchie Ludouicus then the sonne of Charlemaine the second Germayn Emperour renued the amitie wyth Leo of Armenia Emperour of Grecia The third yere of his raigne Pope Leo disceassed and his successour Stephan the fourth went into FrauÌ„ce and consecrated the Emperour at Reims Paschal came after to be Pope And forasmuch as the aucthoritie of the Emperour was not interposed he excuseth circumspectly and diligently that fact declaryng that he against his will was there placed The bookes of the Popes containe that the Emperour Ludouicus ratifyed vnto Paschal and to hys successours the possession of goods that he permitted the election frely vnto them so that he should be counted and holden for Pope whom all the Romains should haue Iudged worthy of that estate I cannot tell what credite a man should giue vnto such writtings for they agree so yll are placed in so yll order that none can vnderstand that whych ought to folow Ludouicus had thre sonnes Lotharius whom he toke to be compaynion of the Empyre of the kingdome Charles who succeaded in Aquitania his brother Pipine disseased he made Ludouicus lord of Bauieres Conspiraty of children agaist their father His soÌ„nes dyd conspire against him by whom he was taken and depriued of his kingdome and was constrayned to take a monasticall lyfe at Compienue a town of the
Germany An outragious Pope The Pope who could not chaūge his nature wasted Viterbe again excommunicated the Emperour Who being greatly moued therewith retourned into Italy very furiously punished all the rebells through Toscane Vmbrie the syde of Pauie By reason whereof the Pope redoubled his excommunication ioyned in league with the Venetians The Emperour forragyng through Italy hauyng brought almost all vnto hys obedience came encamped before Rome and as these thyngs were a doyng Pope Gregory dyed who a lytle before had called them that toke hys part vnto the counsel at Rauenna whether they coulde not arriue because that the Emperour kept the wayes stopt and that also he had taken certayn Thauthour of the decretals This is that Gregory who collected the Epistles named Decretalls which is the greatest part of the right Canon loded with great store of commentaries Wherin a man may greatly meruel that there are men who apply addict them selues wholly vnto writings euyll adapted vnorderly placed and lesse prudently or religiously let me not say worthy of mockedge derision as if they were oracles from heauen and employ all theyr labour industrie to enterprete and expounde them The folly of the Canonistes so that they seme to be hyred for to defend by theyr watches and trauayles anothers foolyshnes and errour and for to lose all shame in anothers inpudencie That which they call the decre of Gracianus conteyneth among other things in diuers places The impieties of Gratianus decree that the rule of the romain church ought to be folowed of all because that it is the seat of S. Peter that it is not lawfull to hold a counsel without the popes permissiō that the lawes of the romain church ought to be obserued fully asmuch as yf they were pronunced by the mouth of S. Peter the yoke and bondage which the romain church doth put vpon any yea albeit it wer not tollerable ought to be borne the ministers of the church ought to vowe chastitie for feare that they marry not and to be lawful vnto hym that hath no wyfe to haue a concubine Whoredom permitted that the pope who is slack careles in his estate hurteth aswell hym selfe as others But not withstanding he can be iudged of any because that he iudgeth the whole world that the emperour ought to be vnder the pope and not aboue that al other men are iudged of men but that the pope S. Peters successour is iudged onely of God that it is lawful vnto the pope to absolue the people of the faith and othe which they owe vnto their Prynce Amongst other thyngs there is in the epistles decretals of Gregory in the Sixtes of Bonifacius in the Clementines and extrauagantes as they call them that the popes authoritie is not subiect vnto the Decrees of the Counsell that it appertayneth vnto the sayde Pope to approue the Emperour elected or to reiect hym yf he be not fit or apt that there are two great lights which gouerne the worlde to witte the Sunne and the Moone that the pope is in place of the Sunne the Emperour in place of the Moone that it is lawfull vnto bishops to giue pardon vnto them that are fallen into adultery or other crimes but where question is of the priuileges of the romain church none other oght to take knowledge therof but the pope that the bones of the excommunicated already buryed ought to be taken vp and cast farre of that it is in the popes power to put the emperour from besides his estate dignitie that the Emperour is bound to promise faith and fide litie by othe vnto the pope that the church men must be free discharged from all charges troubles hinderances that a man may be pronounced an heretike after hys death his goods confiscate that the children of heretikes ought not to be receyued into any dignitie either ciuill or ecclesiasticall that for to be saued it necessarily behoneth that all shoulde be subiect vnto the pope There is no man of sounde iudgement that seeth not what these few articles be which ar takē frō out of infinite others The definition of the lawe as most learned men saye is a singuler reason engraffed in nature Difinitiō of the law the whych commaundeth the things that ought to be done and forbiddeth the contrarie Nowe euery lawe ought to be referred vnto the common vtilitie the lawinaker ought to be affectioned towards the publyke weale as the father towards hys chyldren but who seeth any such lyke in the thynges aboue sayde Nowe I pray you what folly is thys wythout speaking any sharplier not only to excuse them The villany of the popish lawes but also to decke adorne and illustrate them with new commentaries and to be carelesse what is sayde so that theyr dignitie be not lessned If pryde couetousnes desier of authoritie and ignorance of letters hath caused thē to make such decrees if they be of diuers opinions and wyll not be bound the one to the others lawes because that they are of lyke power I pray thee why doest thou torment thy self for to accorde ouerthwarte and contrarye thyngs I omit this sea or rather filthy pumpe to wit the part of the right Canon which cōteyneth the traffike merchaundise of benefices as they call them and other ecclesiasticall reuenewes Traffike of benefices For who can number the deceipts subtelties therein written Euen they truely who haue a longe tyme thereto employed their study are dayly occupied in them do not vnderstande nor knowe them all seing that day by day new are inuented But thys argument would requier other tyme and leasure and also a whole booke Let vs now retourne to our purpose The king of Fraunce in Syria The king of Fraunce Ludouicus the ninth of that name had perced into Syria and Egypt as well as the Emperour Fridericus and afterwardes dyed at the siege of Tunes the yeare of saluation a thousande two hundred three score and tenne In hys raygne Wyllyam Byshoppe of Paris propounded a question of ecclesiasticall benefices And after that the matter had bene generally disputed vpō the opinion that it was not lawful for any to haue more then one Against pluralities of benefices had the maisterie But it suffiseth that such ordinaunces be only recited and written Innocent the fourth succeded Gregory who as by right of heritage entred in possession of the hatred against the Emperour Wherefore he assigned a counsell at Lyons wherevnto he summoned the Emperour The Emperour sūmoned by the pope and because he appeared not excommunicated hym depriuing hym of the dignitie exhorting therewithall the Prynces of Germany to procede to the election of another This his decree is prynted with certaine others also there are found sundry of themperours epistles written vnto diuers kynges by the whiche he declareth at large on the one syde the wickednes of the