of them from Pharaoh by the direction and instruction of God of Ioshua his successour and of his warres and victories and of his good gouernment ouer Israel for 32. yeres and of the common wealth of the Hebrewes during the time of Moses and Ioshua which was 72. yeeres 26. Of the third change of common wealth of the Hebrewes first from Oligarchia vnder the Patriarches secondly from Aristocratia vnder the Iudges nowe to a Monarchie vnder kings which Israel cried out and neuer ceased vntill they had a king 41. Of the taking away of the tenne tribes from Iuda to Samaria by Ieroboam in the fourth yeere of Rehoboam Salomons sonne of the first diuision of Israel of their warres and last destructions of the kings of Israel by Salmanasser 54. Of the continuance of the kings of Iuda after the kingdome of Israel was destroyed Samaria taken and the tenne tribes of Israel caried capitue by Salmanasser into Assyria 68. Of the returne of the Iewes into Ierusalem after the captiuitie first by the decree of Cyrus after by Darius and last by Artaxerxes of the seconde building of the temple by Esdras Nehemias and Zorobabcl and of the gouernment vnder the high Priest 76. Of the Machabees and of the last kings of Iuda and of their gouernment vnder the Romanes and of their last destruction of Ierusalem by Titus the Emperour 85. ¶ I haue vsed in the historie of the Hebrues for my authorities these many writers whose names are vnder written Moyses Berosus Iosephus Eusebius P. Eberus dereb Iud. Sigonius Glareanus Melancthon Io. Freigius de vitis patrum M. Beroaldus Io. Functius THE CHALDEANS OF the first originall of the Chaldeans first called Arphaxades after the name of Arphaxad the third sonne of Sem which was the first kingdome of the world of their continuance gouernment and last destruction by Darius Medus and Cyrus Fol. 102. Of the rest of the kings of Assyria from Ascatades the 18. king vnto Sardanapalus the 36. and last king of the Assyrians which is since the Israelits left Egypt vntill the first Olympiad at what time Iotham raigned in Iudea 117. Of the kings of Babylon againe called new Assyria frō Sardanapalus which the Greekes call Tonoscon Coleros vntill Balsaar the last king of Babylon 128. Moses Eusebius Berosus Iosephus Manethon Tro. Pomp. Orosius Xenophon Zonaras Bucholcerus Ruffinus Iustinus THE EGYPTIANS OF the originall beginning of the Egyptians and of their continuance of their kings and gouernments Why Egypt was called Oceana or Nilea 141. Of the kings of Egypt after Ramesses time firnamed Egyptus at what time Oceana was called Egypt after the name of Egyptus before called Mizreia 153. Of the last kings of Egypt by the name of Pharaos which continued 1200. yeeres and of the first conquering of Egypt by Cambyses the second king of Persia. 165. Of the second conquest of Egypt by Alexander of their kings afterward called Ptolomeis vntil the time of Caesar Augustus by whom al Egypt was last conquered made a prouince subiect to the Romane Empire 177. Manethon Herodotus Cheremon Diod. Sicul. Io. Annius Blondus Appion Iustinus Ruffinus Iosephus Melancthon THE SCYTHIANS OF the antiquitie of the Scythians of their lawes gouernment and life of their hardines in warres and of their victories ouer the Persians and Egyptians and their often inuasions into Asia Fol. 191. Herodotus Dio. Siculus Plini Melancton Iustinus Berosus Strabo THE PARTHIANS OF the originall of the Parthians and of the beginning of their kingdome and how long it continued of their kings gouernment and last destruction by the Romanes in the time of Augustus Caesar. Fol. 199. Strabo Iustinus Solinus Plutarchus Liuius Val. Max. Linus Diodorus Melancthon THE MEDES OF the antiquitie of Media of the originall of their kings and of their common wealth gouernment and continuance Fol. 209. Of the first kings of Media of their gouernment lawes and continuance from Deiocis vntill Astyages the last king of the Medes 214. Strabo Zonaras Diodorus Orosius Iosephus Pomp. Mela. Trog Pomp. Ruffinus OF LYDIA OF the antiquitie of Lydia of the originall of their kings and of their common wealth and gouernment Fol. 223. Of the rest of the kings of Lydia from Ardis the sixt king vntill Croesus the last king of Lydia and of their destruction by Cyrus and the kingdome brought subiect to Persia. 229. Eusebius Ruffinus Herodot Diodor. Functius Trogus Pompeius Strabo Pomp. Mela. Melancthon Appianus OF PERSIA OF the first originall of Persians of the antiquitie of their kings of their common wealth and gouernment of their continuance and howe they haue bene called the great kings by the meanes dignitie of Cyrus 238. Of the two Magi that vsurped Persia after Cambyses time of Darius Histaspis and his good gouernment of Xerxes the great and his warres in Greece of his ignominious flight from Greece and of his death in Persia after his flight 249. Of the successors of Xerxes in Persia of their warres victories and gouernment of the state of Greece and of the prosperities victories and fame they had in Xerxes time 258. Of the tyrannie of Darius Ochus of his sonne Arsames and of the vtter confusion and last ruine of the Persians in the time of their last king Darius sirnamed Codomanus by Alexander the great 267. Of the state of the Persians vnder the Romans after the time that they were conquered by Alexander the great vntill the time of Alex. Seuerus Emperour of Rome 550. yeres after at what time began the new kingdome of Persia by one Artaxerxes and of his successours vntill the Persians the fourth time were vtterly destroyed by the Saracens 278. Xenophon Iosephus Io. Functius Dion Zonaras Strabo Herodotus L. Florus Q. Curtius Iustinus Io. Monachus Dio. Halicarnas OF MAHOMET OF the originall of Mahomet in Arabia of his greatnesse and credite not onely among the Saracens and Arabians but also in the East kingdoms of the inuasions of the Saracens of their scattering warres in Asia Europe and in Affrike and of their continuance Fol. 289. Pau. Aemilius Blondus Maspeus Iornandus de Get. Chron. Pol. Bonfinus de Hung. Functius OF THE TVRKES OF the great Turke and of his kindome from Othoman the first vntill Selimus the 11. of the two Empires of Constantinople and Trapezuntium which nowe the Turkes doe gouerne of their beginning and of their first seruice vnder Basilius Macedo Emperour of Constantinople 302. Egnatius Paul Iouius Chromerus Pol. Blondus Bonfinus Functius OF GREECE OF the antiquitie of Greece of the beginning of their cities and Common wealth of their lawes and gouernments by degrees during yet the infancie of Greece 311. Of the building of Athens of their beginning and of their first lawes vnder 17. kings being the thirde kingdome of Greece in antiquitie after the Sicionians and the Argiues 320. Of the originall beginning of the kings of the
Lacedemonians and of the kings of Corinth who at one time beganne their gouernment vnder the state of Monarchie and also ended about one time of their gouernment and continuance 327. Of the generall gouernment in all the cities of Greece from Lycurgus time the king and the lawmaker in Sparta vntill the comming of Xerxes the great the 4. king of Persia into Greece of Lycurgus lawes among the Lacedemonians and of Solons lawes among the Athenians 333. Of the huge armie of Xerxes of his preparations both by lande and by sea of the pompe and pride of Xerxes in his iourney to Greece of his shamefull great ouerthrow and ignominious flight from Greece againe into Persia and of the flourishing state of Greece at that time 339. Of the ciuill discention in Greece after Xerxes time howe euery citie was in armes one against another of their Peloponesian warre which continued 27. yeeeres to the ouerthrow of Greece by Philip and after by his sonne Alexander the great 347. Of the last destruction of Greece by the Macedonians by meanes of ciuill discord and the Peloponesian warres the onely cause of their ruine and confusion at what time king Philippe brake their backes and his sonne Alexander their neckes And after them last of all the Romanes kept them in perpetuall seruitude 362. Eusebius Iosephus Zonaras Theo. Bibliander Strabo Xenoph. Thucydides Herodotus Plutarchus Archilogus Diod. Siculus Functius Orosius OF THE MACEDONIANS OF the kingdome of Macedonia of their continuance lawes and gouernment of their kings and of their warres vntill the time of Alexander Fol. 372. Of the renowme and fame of Macedonia during the raigne of Alexander the great of his conquests and victories ouer all the East of his dangerous warrs in India Egypt and in Scythia and of the subduing of Darius and the taking away of the Monarchie from Persia into Macedonia 382. Of the diuision of Asia and Syria after the death of Alexander the great betweene his captaines for hee left no king to succeede after him but the sword So many kingdomes were voyde by his death that his captaines that fought then vnder Alexander for wages and spoiles fought now for kingdomes and Empires Of their warres and of their continuance 393. Of the Romane warres with king Philip and his sonne Perseus the two last kings of Macedonia of their ouerthrow by Paul Aemilius and of the ouerthrow of false Philip and counterfaite Andriscus by Q. Metellus in his last conquest of Macedonia 404. Glareanus Theo. Bibliand Plutarchus Q. Curt. Liui. Plinius M. Scotus Orosius Florus ASIA AND SYRIA OF the warres of the kings of Asia and Syria with the Romanes of their succession in the warres and of the continuance of their kingdome after Alexanders death Fol. 413. Of that wicked and most blasphemous king Antiochus Epiphanes sonne to Antiochus the great and the type of Antichrist of his vsurpation and tyrannie of the kingdome of his sacking and crueltie in Ierusalem of his bloody warres and persecutions of the Christians 420. Of the last destruction of Asia and Syria through their ciuill dissention and long warres one against another the onely cause of their bondage afterward to the Romanes vnder whom they liued as subiects and all Asia and Syria made prouinces vnto Rome 429. Eusebius Appianus Eutropius Valerius Max. L. Florus Liuius Functius and the Machabees AFFRIKE AND LIBYA OF the first Affricane warres betweene the Carthagineans and the Romanes which continued 24. yeeres and of the victories of the Romanes ouer them Fol. 436. Of the second Affricane warres betweene the Carthagineans and the Romanes which endured 17. yeeres during which time Hanibal held terrible warres with the Romanes which brought the Empire of Rome well nigh to Carthage but at last by Scipio Affricanus the warres were ended Carthage ouerthrowen Affrica wonne and Hanibal forced to flee 443. Of the thirde and last Affricane warres betweene the Romanes and the Carthagineans which endured foure yeeres of the ouerthrowe of Carthage and Numantia of the ruine and last conquest of Affrica by the Romanes 453. Liuius Appianus Plinius Polybius Orosius Eutropius Dionys. Halic Val. Maximus L. Florus Frontinus And all the Romanes OF ITALIE OF the antiquitie of olde Italie first called Ianicula and then Saturnia of the beginning of the kings of the Latines the first kingdome of Italie of their lawes and gouernment from Faunus vnto Aeneas and from Aeneas vntill Romulus Fol. 459. OF THE ROMANES OF the first building of Rome by Romulus of his gouernment lawes and appointing of Magistrates after he had founded the Citie of his warres with the Sabines of his conquestes and victories ouer these Sabines Fidenates and of his triumph ouer king Acron 467. Of the gouernment lawes and orders of Rome after Numa Pomp. time vntill the ende of Tarquinius the proud the last king of Rome of their warres and victories during this time ouer their neighbours about them of the enlargement of the Citie of Rome and of their territories and last of the banishment of their king 480. Of the first change of gouernment in Rome from a monarchie vnto Aristocratia at what time one Dictator and two Consuls were appointed to gouerne the people in the roome of kings of their good gouernment lawes warres and victories vntill the Tarentine warres where Pyrrhus began to ayde the Tarentines against the Romanes 493. Of the warres and victories of the Romanes ouer king Pyrrhus called the Tarentine warres vntill the Carthaginean warres of their victories and triumphs had ouer Italie with diuers other forraigne nations and kingdomes 507. Of the Romane warres and of their conquest ouer Carthage Numantia and all Asia and of their diuers victories and triumphs ouer other nations during the time of this Affricane warres 514. Of the conspiracie of Lucius Catilina and of the two ciuill warres the first betweene Marius and Silla and the second betweene Pompei the great and Iu. Caesar during which time Carthage and Numantia were subdued in Hispaine and the last conquest of Affrica by Scipio the younger and also surnamed Affricanus the younger 524. Of the alteration and change of the common wealth of Rome from Aristocratia to Monarchia againe as before from kings to Consuls so nowe from Consuls to Emperours the state was altered by Iu. Caesar the first Emperour and last Dictator of Rome and so from Iu. Caesar vnto the ende of Nero which was the last of the progenie of Augustus 536. From Nero the tyraunt the sixt Emperour of Rome vntill the time of Lu. Antoninus Commodus the cruell the 18. Emperour a match meete for Nero in the one the stocke of Caesar was extinguished in the other the blood of Antoninus ended and quite failed two Emperours of like condition and maners of the gouernment of them ouer Rome from Nero to Commodus during which time reigned 12. Emperours 550. Of the good Emperour
was two discents after Iacobs children but as I sayd before hard it is to correct an errour of such antiquitie for where true records want then coniectures of men doe grow About this time Isaac died and was buried in Hebron hard by Rebecca his wife hee was accepted of God and walked in his wayes vertuous and godly he liued one hundred eightie yeeres three yeeres longer then his father Abraham liued Which Isaac liued With Sem 110. yeeres With Sara his mother 37. Arphaxat 48. Sarug one yeere Salah 78. Iacob his brother 120. Heber 139. Ismaeel his halfe brother by Abraham liued with Isaac 75 Agar 123. Thare his grandfather 35. Ioseph 29. Isaac sawe the prosperitie of his sonne Esau which gouerned all the land of Seir for the appointment of GOD was Maior seruiet Minori when Iacob had no certaine place in the world but tossed from one affliction to an other Isaac before he died saw the trauell and triall of Iacob About this time was Ioseph sold by his brethren and laied in prison in Egypt euen then Tiphon the Egyptian conspired the death of his brother Osiris with the helpe of certaine tyrants Busiris of Phoenicia Antens of Lybia Melinus of Creete with others hee killed the king vsurped the kingdome and was called thereby as Berosus affirmeth Tiphon tyrannus but he was well requited and all his confederats for they all were slaine by Orus Magnus Osiris sonne in a towne of Arabia named Anteos Rhodes was builded about this time which was named before Opheinissa the great famine of the 7. deere yeres in Egypt and in all the world began likewise about the time of Isaacs death In Assyria reigned Baleus the 11. king a man of the greatest fame after Semiramis in the 41. yeere of this Kings reigne Hercules surnamed Lybius draue all cruell tyrants and gyants out of Italy for he with continual warres for 10. yeres space wearied them and subdued them and afterward reigned peaceably 20. yeeres as both Berosus and Functius doe affirme In the 18. Dinasteia of Egypt began the Kings of Egypt to be called Pharaones a name of great dignitie not proper names but as the Romanes Alexandrians the Latines with other kingdomes vsed to name their kings Caesars Siluij Ptolomeis Arsaces so like wise the Egyptians named their kings Pharaones which began about the latter end of Isaac Sparta a famous towne amongst the Lacedemonians was builded of Pharoneus sonne whose name was Sparta and therefore after his owne name named it Sparta Alitle after this time the going of Iacob vnto Egypt was in the 130. yeres of his age where he continued with his sonne Ioseph 17. yeeres in great fauour with Pharaoh and then died after Abrahams being in Egypt 215. yeeres and before Moses went to Egypt to deliuer the children of Israel out of bondage 215. yeeres Nowe while Iacob and his familie were in Egypt with his sonne Ioseph who was solde by his brethren and by his father thought to be slaine then dwelled in Iudea Hethits Iebusites Amorites Chananites Amalakites and Pheresites this land flowed with milke and hony fertile and full of all plentifulnes for after Ioseph died in Egypt Moses was borne within 65. yeeres and in the fourescore yeere of Moses age the 145. after Ioseph died and were in the wildernesse fourtie yeeres and after had the possession of the lande of Chanaan as it shall bee hereafter said But for that the histories of the Patriarches are written in the Genesis at large and in Iosephus and specially Frigius Mosaicus in his booke De historijs patrum leaueth nothing vntouched I will forward to the birth of Moses CHAP. II. Of the birth of Moses of his fauour with God of his gouernment ouer Israel for 40. yeeres in the wildernes and deliuerance of them from Pharaoh by the direction and inctruction of God of Ioshua his successor and of his warres and victories and of his good gouernment ouer Israel for 32. yeeres and of the Common-wealth of the Hebrewes during the time of Moses and Iosua which were 72. yeeres MOses the sonne of Amri being borne in Egypt in the time of Israels bondage and throwen according to the commandement of Pharaoh vnto Nilus but by the prouidence of God Pharaohs daughter named Thermutis walking for her pleasure with her maides about the bankes of Nilus beheld a thing houering vpon the water commaunded her maide to see what it was there Miria Moses sister tended to see what should become of the childe when Pharaohs daughter sawe that it was a goodly child she much delited in him and caused an Egyptian woman to giue him dugge which the childe refused his sister Miria said Ifan Hebrew woman were there he would sucke Thermutis willed her straight to bring one and she brought the mother of Moses to whome the Kings daughter saide Take this childe and bring him vp for me and she adopted him her sonne This childe grewe both goodly and godly of whom many things are written of while yet he was in Egypt being but a childe in Thermutis armes she put the Kings diademe vpon the childes head and he threwe it to the dirt not esteeming pompe and regall shewe But after he grewe to be a man he was made a Captaine ouer the Egyptians against the Aethiopians and he ouerthrewe the Aethiopians where the kinges daughter of Aethiope called Tharbis beholding his magnanimitie with admiration of his great actions fell in loue with Moses offred him mariage and to be a kings sonne and a king himselfe afterward of Aethiope the condition he accepted vpon yeelding vp of the towne to spare blood which was done But enuie of the Aegyptians against Moses disgrasing and disdaining his fortune and threatning him to the death after the killing of the Aegyptians fearing it should come to light fled vnto the Madianits wher he maried Iethroes daughter and continued fourtie yeeres vntill the Angell appearing in a flaming bush commaunded him to goe to Pharaoh to deliuer Israel from captiuitie with whome Aaron his brother which was the first Priest after the lawe giuen was ioyned with Moses in commission to execute the commaundements of God for to Moses was granted wisedome counsel and power to doe miracles to Aaron eloquence learning and power to speake what he would Nowe by Gods mercie which to the Israelites was alwaies great and by the which they were nowe deliuered from the handes of Pharaoh after many miracles done which Nazianzenus setteth forth in few Greeke verses in Latine by Frigius Mosaicus briefly written in two lines the ten plagues of Egypt in these wordes Sanguis Rana Culex Muscae Pecus Vlcera Grando Vermes Tenebrae Pestis primogenitorum Euen then Moses caried the bones of Ioseph to be buried in Hebron by his progenitors as Ioseph had commanded when he prophecied of an other Pharaoh which shoulde entreate Israel euill This
Ascatades the eighteenth king of Assyria at which time Moses died in the plaine of Moab Then Tros altered the name of Dardania after his owne name being the third king of Troy and called it Troia and nowe last of all by Ilus the fourth king called Ilion Dedalus of whome the Poets fained much flourished likewise about this time and fled with his sonne Icharus from Greece vnto Creete vnto king Minoes Mydas gouerned nowe in Phrygia This was he of whome the prouerbe is made Midas eares c. And in Sicyonia reigned Polybus their second king in Gedeons time Cadmus who for ielousie of his wife Armonia the sister of Iasius brought letters first into Greece from Phenicia as Xenophon sayth 17. letters Nowe after Gedeon had gouerned Israel fourtie yeeres he likewise died hauing left behinde him three score and tenne sonnes lawfully gotten by wedlocke and one bastard by his concubine Druma a woman of Sichem This bastard was named Abimelek a wicked and a cruell tyrant full of all mischiefe and bent to all wickednes hee slewe by his treacherie conferring with his mothers kinsfolkes all his brethren onely Iotham by fleeing escaped who a little afterwards tolde the people of Sichem the parable of the trees of the figge tree and of the vine tree and of the bramble This Abimelek when hee had vsurped the kingdome and put all his brethren to death vsing all kinde of tyrannie in such sort of wickednes that after he had slaine all the Sichemites and taken the Citie and burned a thousand of men in the Towre he then destroied the Citie and sowed salt therein that it might bee vnfruitefull and neuer serue to any vse Thus was Sichem destroied for their vngratitude to Gedeons sonnes Then Theber and Abimelech besieged it where a woman threw a peece of a milstone vpon Abimelechs head and slewe him after he had vsurped three yeeres the gouernment Thus God taketh vengeance on tyrants by such miserable death for marke the calamitie that fell vpon the posteritie of Gedeon a man of singular fauour with God and yet three score and tenne of his sonnes by wedlocke slaine and his bastard the tyrant that slewe them to succeede him The sinne of Israel was the cause thereof and of many more plagues Miletum a towne in Miletia the Countrey of Thales one of the seuen wise men of Greece was about this tyme builded and Tyre an other famous towne was builded in Phenicia this was builded 240. yeeres before the Temple of Salomon was builded Thola of the tribe of Isachar nowe iudged Israel three and twentie yeeres during which tyme the people liued in tranquillitie and peace in the beginning of the fourth Iubile at which tyme flourished Orpheus the Thracian and the great Musician Sosarinus the 26. king of the Assyrians reigned in Niniue at this time Hercules the sonne of Amphitrion was likewise in this age borne After Thola succeeded not by succession as I wrote before but by the election of God for the will of the Lorde should be a lawe to his people Iair the Gileadite of the tribe of Manasses the 8. Iudge of Israel vnder whom likewise the Israelites liued quietly all the time of his gouernment which was 22. yeeres who ruled Israel in prosperitie hauing 30. sonnes that rode on 30. assecoltes men of great authoritie and they had 30. cities in the land of Gilead As soone as Iair died Israel wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord they serued Baalim and Astaroth the gods of Syria and Sidon and God was angrie and gaue them to the handes of the Philistims and the children of Ammon who vexed and oppressed Iuda Beniamin and the house of Ephraim against whom the children of Ammon went ouer Iordan to fight with them so that all Israel specially they that dwelt in the lands of the Amorites beyond Iordan were sore tormented Then they cried then they praied then they confessed their sinnes and sayde they had serued Baalim God most mercifully heard their crie and appointed them Ieptha a valiant Captaine the sonne of a stranger and therefore was chased away by his brethren and nowe by God appointed their Captaine whome they reiected before as no body nowe God hath chosen to doe these enterprises Men often desire helpe euen of those whome before they haue refused This poore abiect exiled and banished by his brethren slewe and destroied the Ammonites and tooke twentie of their cities for the which fact Ieptha was much enuied by the men of Ephraim in the like sort as they of Sichem did enuie Gedeon notwithstanding he killed 42. thousand Ephramites Thus Ieptha ruled Israel 6. yeeres and ended his gouernment most happily Tantanes reigned and gouerned the Assyrians about this time and Theseus the 10. king of Athens ouercame the monster Minotaurus The historie you shall reade in Plutarch in the life of Theseus for the Athenians paied tribute to Minoes king of Creete for the death of Androgius his eldest sonne who was by treason slaine in the Countrey of Attica for the which cause Minoes pursuing the reuenge of his death the Athenians by entreatie of peace to appease Minoes wrath sent to Minoes which peace being granted vpon condition that the Athenians should be bound to sende him yeerely vnto Creete 7. yong boies and as many yong girles some say to feed Minotaurus the huge monster others say they were shut within the Labyrinth wandring vp and downe and could get no place to come to vntil such time as they died some others say that king Minoes kept these youthes of Athens as prisoners within the Labyrinth in memorie of his sonne Androgeus Howsoeuer it was Theseus after he had fortified Athens with people to whome he gaue lawes and coyned money with moe things sailed from Athens vnto Creete and wanne the citie of Gnosus slewe Deucalion with all his Garde and Officers and killed Minotaurus About this time Hercules instituted certaine games or masteries called afterwards Olympiades in respect of Mount Olympus the place where these exercises were appointed This was 430. yeeres before any Olympiade began Likewise in the time of this Iudge Iephthe Theseus rauished Helene Menelaus wife was by Aedoneus king of the Molossians taken and imprisoned but by his companion Hercules he was rescued and deliuered Hercules tooke Ilion killed Laomedon the king and gaue the kingdome to Priamus his sonne At what time the Amazones a people of Scythia mooued warres against the Thebans here is the first mention made of them in histories of whose originall you may reade Iustine where you shall see more Nowe after Ieptha had gouerned Israel 6. yeeres obeying God in all thinges saue in his rashe vowe in sacrificing his daughter he died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead Abesan the Bethlemite of the tribe of Iuda gouerned the Israelites 7. yeeres Certaine
writers suppose this Abesan to be the Prophet Dauids Grandfather for Ishai Dauids father was borne in the time of Iair in the which time happened inter regnum for 18. yeeres whereby the Hebrewes were compelled to serue the children of Ammon and the Philistims They were in great miserie this time vntill Israel repented which was the onely repentance acknowledging of sinnes we can reade of Israel described in the Iudges at large This Abesan had 30. sonnes and 30. daughters and he sent his 30. daughters to bring other 30. more for his sonnes and when he had gouerned 7. yeeres he died and was buried at Bethlehem Then Elon came in steede of Ieptha he was of the tribe of Zabulon and he iudged Israel 10. yeeres and died and was buried in the Countrey of Zabulon After him Abdon of the tribe of Ephraim iudged Israel 8. yeeres Of these three last Iudges there is nothing left in memorie woorth the writing During this time in Niniue gouerned Tanteus the 29. king of the Assyrians Mezentius gouerned the Tuscans but being driuen by the people called Vitulones out of his chiefe citie he fled vnto an other citie of his called Carites and from thence gathered a great armie and went in armes against Aeneas with Turnus Protheus the Egyptian a Priest of great Ianus flourished this time Likewise happened this season a great deluge in Egypt called diluuium Pharaonicum in so much that the Isle of Pharaoh was drowned with water Agamemnon reigned nowe in Mycena of whom Thucidides doth make mention in the preface of his first booke About this time Helene againe was taken away by Paris hereby the Grecians did gather a great armie for rescuing of Helene after Messengers being sent vnto Priamus and being denied of restoring of Helene the Greekes prepared for warres 1210. nauies as Dares Frigius writeth After this greatwarre the Latines beganne their kingdome ouer whome Aeneas after Latinus time was the first king hauing married Lauinia Latinus daughter All these things were done in the beginning of the sixt Iubile at which time reigned in Athens Demophon the 12. king of the Athenians and one Mopsus reigned in Cilicia of whome they were named afterwarde Mopsecrenae Then after Abdons death Israel had no Iudge for fourtie yeeres but continued in their wickednes and offended the Lorde whereby they were oppressed by the Philistims vntill the birth of Samson of the tribe of Dan whom God had blessed with many vertues as strēgth courage godlines zeale to reuenge the people of god vpō the Philistims This was the last Iudge of Israel but for that the historie is written in the 13. 14. 15. and 16. of the Iudges I will omit other things for during the time of Samson which was twentie yeeres Israel was by the Philistims much molested and fourtie yeeres after Samson when the Israelites were gouerned vnder Ely the high Priest Nowe the Iudges of Israel ended that gouernment which God deliuered them euen from Moses death vntill the birth of Samuel 357. yeeres adding thereunto 40. yeeres of Moses gouernment doeth make the continuance of the Iudges of Israel to be 380. and 17. About this time Orestes the sixt king of Mycena slewe Pyrrhus the sonne of Achilles in the Temple of Apollo for after Orestes time there reigned no more kings in Mycena but Orestes sonne named Tisamenus after whome succeeded Penthilus and after him Cometes the last king of Mycena After this Cometes descended the stocke of Heraclides which afterward came from Peloponesus and tooke Mycena Thus ended the kingdome of Mycena who beganne their gouernment in the time of Gedeon at what time the kingdome of the Argiues was translated vnto Mycena where reigned 10. kings whose names are these Perseus Stelenus Euristheus who was accompted a second Hercules for his worthines After him Atreus Theistes Agamemnon Orestes Tisamenus Penthilus And Cometes the last king The continuance of these kings was from the beginning of Gedeon vntil the beginning of Elie the high Priest which was 157. yeeres so long continued the kingdome of Mycena Now after Samsons daies the house of Israel began according to their vse not to thanke God for his benefites but stil discontented murmuring against God seeking newe Magistrates newe lawes wearie of their gouernment and of their Iudges most desirous of change stubborne people and a wilfull nation idolaters rebellious and factious alwaies by disobedience offending their God God followed their humors they had what they would and they did what they listed they had Elie the high Priest for their Iudge 40. yeeres in his time the Arke was taken by the Philistims his sonnes slaine and himselfe fell from his stoole and died After Elie the high Priest died they had Samuel for their Prophet but they still cried out for a king for neither Iudge Priest nor Prophet might please them but a King and therefore God commanded Samuel to anoint Saul to be their king But first I will lay downe the names of all the Iudges that iudged Israel from the first vnto the last After Moses and Iosua succeeded 1. Othoniel of the tribe of Iuda 2. Ehud of the tribe of Ephraim 3. Debora of the tribe of Ephraim 4. Barach of the tribe of Nephthal 5. Gedeon of the tribe of Manasses 6. Abimelech the bastard of Gedeon the tyrant that slew his 70. brethren 7. Thola of the tribe of Issachar 8. Iair of the tribe of Manasses 9. Iephthe of the tribe of Manasses 10. Elon of the tribe of Zabulon 11. Abdon of the tribe of Ephraim 12. Samson the last Iudge of the tribe of Dan. After these Ely the Priest and Samuel the Prophet Now God had commaunded Samuel to annoint Saul their king saying vnto Samuel They haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away euer since I brought them out of Egypt to this day because they were not content with the order that God had appointed but would be gouerned as the Gentiles were CHAP. IIII. Of the third change of the common wealth of the Hebrewes first from Oligarchia vnder the Patriarchs secondly from Aristocratia vnder the Iudges now to a Monarchie vnder Kings which Israel cried out and neuer ceased vntill they had a king NOw Saul was king of Israel in the beginning of the 7. Iubile at what time Tineus gouerned the Assyrians and Melanthus gouerned Athens for though Saul Samuel gouerned together 40. yeeres yet Saul gouerned as a king as both Iosephus and Ruffinus affirmed not ten yeeres He had good successe in the beginning of his warres for God gaue him the spirit of strength and courage against the Moabites Edomites Ammonites and against the Philistines till Saul disobeied God in sparing of Agag for the which Samuel reprooued Saul and the lord reiected Saul and his kingdome was gluen to Dauid For after the great victories of Saul of those afore rehersed nations he
was commanded by Samuel to take armes against the Amalekites to spare neither man woman or child cattell or beasts but for sauing of Agag the king and few of the fattest beasts for sacrifice Saul lost his kingdome disobedience was the cause thereof Some may thinke the cause to be small that Saul did to be reiected from his kingdome the sparing of a kings life So likewise may they iudge of the men of Bethshemesh who because they had looked into the Arke of the Lord he slew 50. thousand three score and ten men for it was not lawfull for any either to touch the Arke or to looke within it saue only to Aaron the high priest and to difobey GOD and to breake Gods commaundement is a thing most terrible Now though Saul spared Agag disobeying God yet Samuel most zealously without any further delay hewed him in pieces After this Samuel returned to his house to Bethleem where he was commaunded to annoint one of the sonnes of Ishai king of Israel and hauing all the seuen sonnes of Ishai before him saue the yongest which was Dauid who kept his fathers sheepe in the fieldes Samuel commaunded Dauid to be sent for at whose comming the Lord said to Samuel Arise annoint him for this is hee And Samuel tooke the horne of oile and annointed him king in the middest of his brethren and the spirite of the Lord came vpon Dauid from that time forward and the spirite of the Lord departed from Saul And now though Dauid was annointed king by Samuel the Prophet yet GOD would haue Dauid to be exercised in many things before hee should haue the vse of the kingdome After this Samuel went to Ramah to his house and came no more to see Saul vntill Saul died Samuel loued Saul much and mourned much for him and God therefore reprooued Samuel Samuel was a godly Iudge ouer Israel who with great care and diligence serued God and gouerned his people keeping his circuite once euery yeere from Bethel to Galgala and from Galgala to Masphat and from Masphat to all townes vpon his wayes to Ramah where Samuel dwelt and there hee set vp an altar vnto the Lord and iudged Israel Euen so did Debora sit vnder a Palme tree betweene Ramah and Bethel iudging and determining causes of the people This Prophet gouerned Israel fortie yeeres Saul being deposed and throwen from his kingdome hee fell vnto great melancholie imagining how he might compasse and bring things to passe with troubled minde for the euill spirite of the Lord came vpon him that hee oftentimes was molested and vexed with troublesome thoughts And to ease the king of these agonies instruments of Musike with all kind of harmonie were thought very necessarie of his counsell Dauid was called and sent for by Saul to plaie vpon the harpe before Saul for hee was skilfull in Musike so Saul loued Dauid and made him his armour bearer While Saul was in this melancholie moode the Philistines were againe in armes against Israel wasted their countrey destroyed their Cities and prouoked the Hebrewes to warre Saul made readie his hoste but while yet they were preparing for the battell Goliah a mightie huge man a great Giaunt vaunted forward from the hoste of the Philistines by himselfe cried and called for a combate if any one man of the Hebrewes durst defying Israel and blaspheming their God But GOD prepared Dauids heart mightie and valiant and with a sling to bee able to ouerthrowe this Giant for Dauid by the experience which hee had in time past by Gods helpe nothing doubteth the danger of Goliah sithence hee killed a Lion and a Beare before this time being but a shepeheard in the field Hee was fullie perswaded by Gods spirite to haue the victorie ouer Goliah being mooued with a feruent zeale to be reuenged vpon this blasphemer But true it is Comes virtuti inuidia Here Saul began to enuie Dauid and to laie snares to kill him for great actions are full of dangers But there is no danger where God defendeth and saueth the vertues of Dauid purchased much enuie much daunger which Dauid escaped by the prouidence of God But Saul still deuised his destruction vsing all policies and inuenting many stratagemes to ouerthrow Dauid promising Dauid his daughter Michol to wife seeking at Dauids handes nothing but valiant courage and seruice agaynst the Philistines But the more victories Dauid wanne the more danger ensued him the greater seruice he did the more he was enuied and hated for Saul feared Dauid seeing the Lord was with him and Ionathan the sonne of Saul told Dauid the wicked purpose of his father so that Dauid was driuen to flee from Saul and to hide himselfe in a Caue Samuel the Prophet about this time died and was buried in Ramah his owne citie Dauid being still persecuted of Saul wandred and fled from Saul to Achis king of Gath where hee should haue a charge vnder the king to fight against Israel which troubled him not a litle yet such was the infirmitie of Dauid that he durst not denie the king Now Saul all this while following his wicked purpose consulted with a witch to know of Samuels spirite the successe of his kingdome by whom I meane not Samuels spirit but the spirit of Satan he was fully certified of his ruine and of the end of his kingdom which happened to Saul and to his children for it fell out that Saul killed himselfe and his children were slaine in the battell a cruell life hath a desperate end After the Philistines found Saul Ionathan Abinadab and Malchishua his three sonnes lying dead in mount Gilboa after the victorie and the Philistines cut off Sauls head and stripped him out of his armour and they laied vp his armour in the house of Ashtaroth their idole and hanged his bodie on the wall of Bethshan in token of victorie and triumph Saul died after the deliuerance of Israel from Egypt 473. yeeres after the calling of Ioseph into dignitie in Egypt 660. yeeres and after the flud 1234. yeeres Thus the wicked in their pompe and pleasure consider not the iudgement of God During this time raigned Dircillus ouer the Assyrians the 31. king and Aeneas Siluius the 4. king of the Latines In Athens this time raigned Codrus the last king of the Athenians betweene whom and the Peloponesians grew great warres and continued vnto the last destruction of all Greece In the time of Saul certaine people were driuen out of Thessalia called Boeotij they found a land to inhabite which at this day is called Boeotia before named Cadmeia The The kings of Sicyonum called otherwise Peloponesus ended in Sauls dayes euen when Israel began their kingdom About this time the kingdom of Lacedemonia began where first raigned Euristhenes of whom descended Leonidas and Cleomenes two valiant captains which ouerthrew the Persians in the great battell at Thermophila About this time descended the stocke of
praemium piorum pax For the Philistims paied their ordinarie tribute euery yeere and the Arabians as Iosephus saieth paied yeerely to Iosaphat 630. Lambes and so many yong kids The Lord gaue to Iosaphat victories ouer the Ammonits Moabites and Idumeans for the children of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir and one slewe an other Thus God gaue vnto him marueilous victories ouer his enemies and Iuda flourished 25. yeeres the whole time of Iosaphats gouernment the time of his father Asa and the time of his Grandfather Abia three good kings of Iuda during the time of 69. yeeres Iuda preuailed against Israel After Iosaphats daies his sonne Ioram succeeded who offended the Lorde and walked in the waies of the kings of Israel and followed the steppes of his father in lawe Achab. Ioram made him selfe strong beganne in his first entring vnto the kingdome to play the tyrant for hee slewe all his brethren with the sworde and therefore Edom rebelled against Iuda because he had forsaken the God of his fathers The Philistims were stirred vp against Ioram and the Arabians he was cruell and became a tyrant euen vnto those whome by nature he ought to haue most chiefly defended But Elias prophesied to him the rewarde and iustice of God that would ensue thereof as Ioram afterwards felt for as he spared no blood but made hauocke of his brethren and of his countrey with the sworde so it happened to him to his wiues and to his children by the Arabians and other barbarous people of the Ethiopians who inuaded his countrey dispossessed him of his life and liuing such calamities which with his eies he sawe he died most miserably his guttes gushing out being in the displeasure of God and man Thus is idolatrie rewarded one onely sonne named Ochosias and that the yongest escaped the sworde and he succeeded his father as wicked as hee a very Idolater for hee could not be good being the sonne of Ioram borne of Athalia the daughter of Achab hee followed his mothers counsell and walked in the way of Achab and went with Ioram Achabs sonne to fight against Hazael king of Syria and he was in that warre wounded and after taken by Iehu king of Israel who hiding him selfe in Samaria Iehu slewe him and Ioram king of Israel for so he was of God commaunded and after a while he brake the necke of Iezabel Achabs wife and reigned him selfe king in Israel who was by God appointed to execute iudgement vpon the house of Achab. This king Iehu was annointed king for that purpose Ochosias liued but one yere which when his mother Athalia heard of she rose destroied all the kings seede to the intent that there should be none to make title to the crowne that thereby she might vsurpe the gouernment onely Iosias was saued by Iorams daughter who had maried Iehoiada the high Priest and his owne sister This time by the tyrannie of this wicked Queene the stock of Salomon the sonne of Dauid perished the kingdom of Iuda fell to the posteritie of Nathan an other sonne of Dauid of whose house it pleased God that Messias should be borne so that the posteritie of Salomon was altogether extinguished This Queene restored the temple of Baal raised vp altars nourished false prophets and priests to maintaine idolatrie in Iuda This Queene reigned 7. yeeres then was she slaine at the commandement of Iehoiada the hie Priest the house of Baal destroied and his altars broken and Mattan the Priest of Baal slaine Ioas nowe beganne to roote out all idolatrie and to set in order all thinges in Iuda hee pleased God and walked in his waies while Iehoiada the high Priest liued who was a faithfull Counsellor vnto him But after his death Ioas wanted good councell he followed flatterers and by them he was brought to idolatrie and after to tyrannie which alwaies ioyne together for Ioas killed Zacharie the sonne of Iehoiada the high Priest and a Prophet of the Lorde who had saued him from the tyrannie of Athalia This is that Zacharie of whom Christ maketh mētion in Luke saying that from the blood of Abel the iust vnto the blood of Zacharie the Prophet c. But what came of this The king of Aram he came with a small company against Ioas against Iuda and Ierusalem and destroied all the princes of the people and sent all the spoile of them vnto the king of Damascus and Ioas him selfe was of his owne seruants slaine In Ioas time Elizeus the Prophet died and Homer liued the first and most ancient learned amongest the Grecians While Ioram the sonne of Achab reigned king in Israel and Ioram the sonne of Iosaphat reigned king in Iuda being ioyned in affinitie by marriage In other countreies reigned Persusennis king in Egypt from this king and from Cheopes his predecessor in Egypt doeth Herodotus make mention not of the nomber but of the names of the kings of Egypt In Athens gouerned Mezades 30. yeeres the 6. Iudge and in Corinth likewise Agelas the 6. king In the daies of Ioram king of Iuda reigned ouer the Latines the 10. king Tiberinus Siluius 8. yeeres This king being drowned in the riuer called then Albula afterward named Tiber after his owne name Agrippa Siluius succeeded him the 11. king and he reigned 40. yeeres ouer the Latines In Lacedemonia Archelaus the 7. king who reigned 60. yeeres ouer the Lacedemonians The people of Rhodes at this time were lordes of the seas Pigmalion reigned king in Tyre 40. yeeres and in the 7. yeere of his reigne his sister Dido as Iosephus saith builded Carthage 143. yeeres after the building of Salomons Temple and before the building of Rome 135. Error is in Functius and in other in the time of the building of Carthage There was about this time of Ioas a king that reigned ouer the Tuscans named Felcinus he builded the chiefe citie of the Tuscans and named it after his owne name Felcina The Romanes long after that called that towne and the countrey it selfe was called Gallia Aurelia Nowe to the kings of Israel and Iuda After that Ioas had bene slaine by his owne seruants for the stoning to death of Zacharias Amazias Ioas his sonne succeeded him who in the beginning of his reigne shewed him selfe godly and did execute things vprightly but not with a perfect heart in respect of his predecessors he was called a good king he reuenged the death of Ioas his father and putteth them to death that slewe him he made prouision for warres and nombred all the men and hired a hundreth thousand valiant men out of Israel for an hundreth talents of siluer though he was forbidden by God so to doe But Amazias went forwards and slewe the Edomites and Amalekites euen 20000. But the men of Israel requited that slaughter they fell vpon the cities of
Iuda from Samaria vnto Bethoron as they returned from Amazias to Samaria backe and Amazias after the victorie he had ouer the Idumeans brought their gods and their idols of Seir and set them vp to be his gods and worshipped them But the gods of Edom brought Amazias to the handes of Ioas king of Israel and he was afterwards slaine by conspiracie fleeing from Ierusalem to Lachis While Amazias reigned in Iuda Ioram liued in Samaria and gouerned Israel and Ioram also gouerned Iuda of that name and at that time so two Iorams reigned together one in Iuda the other in Samaria after whome succeeded Ieroboam his sonne in Israel In the time of Amazias king of Iuda Sardanapalus reigned in Assyria their last king after whom the Assyrians lost their Monarchie for Belochus had Babylon and Niniue the two chiefe seates of the kings of Chaldea and Assyria Arbaces helde Media and Persia vnder his gouernment Hitherto neither the Assyrians nor Chaldeans molested Israel but afterwards God stirred them vp for his scourges to punish Iuda and Samaria for their idolatrie and after them the Medes and Persians were as though they were the hammers of God to destroy offenders After Amazias succeeded his sonne Vzias named also Azaria him did all the people of Iuda make king in steede of his father he was but sixteene yeeres of age when he began to reigne in Israel VVhile he obeied God he prospered in all his enterprises Hee ouerthrewe the Philistims brake downe the walles of Gath and Ashdod God helped him and prospered him against the Arabians and the Ammonites hee builded towres in Ierusalem and towres in the wildernes his fame spread to Egypt and all the nations about Ierusalem were vnder his winges but he waxed proude vsurped the Priestes office and he was punished and driuen out of the Temple and the leprosie rose in his forehead for he transgressed against God to presume to burne incense which was the Priestes office in the Temple being forbidden and resisted by Azaria and foure score other Priests Therefore he liued afterwards as a leper vnto the day of his death in a house by himselfe Vnder this king Esai began to prophecie and he prophecied 80. yeeres the fall of these great kingdomes Egypt Syria Assyria Chaldea and Tyre Hee likewise prophecied of Kittim and of the Macedonians This Prophet was by Manasses king of Iuda martyred cut in his middle with a sawe Nowe during the time of this king Vzias ruled in Israel Zachariah the sonne of Ieroboam being the last king of Israel that had the kingdome by succession of Iehu for hee was the fourth in descent from Iehu for so the Lord said to Iehu Thy sonnes shall sit on the throne of Israel vnto the fourth generation after thee Shallum reigned a moneth king in Samaria and Manahem slue him and reigned in his stead In the 39. yeere of Vzia beganne Manahem to reigne in Samaria he likewise sought not God but with money sought the fauour of Phulasser king of Ashur the father of Salmanassar and graundfather of Saneherib infidels and enemies of God and therefore God was wroth so that Manahem prospered not and his sonne Pekahia succeeded him in Israel and reigned two yeeres and died Nowe after Vzias dayes his sonne Ioatham succeeded him in the kingdgme of Iuda a man of great vertue godly and iust and seeking to please God Hee builded many ruinous things by reason still of warres and he was carefull to mend things amisse so that Ioatham became mightie because he directed his wayes before the Highest he fought with the Ammonites and preuailed and they paied him tribute The Olympiads of Greece began in the second yeere of Ioatham About which time Romulus the first king and builder of Rome was borne In Ioathams dayes beganne first the kingdome of Lydia Ezechias also was borne this time some suppose that in Greece Lycurgus the lawe maker of the Lacedemonians florished in these dayes after whom the kings in Lacedemonia failed and the gouernement was altered Nowe when Ioatham had reigned sixteene yeeres Achas succeeded in Iuda wicked vngodly cruell and a great Idolater like his predecessours hee made moulten Images for Baalim he burned his sonne and sacrificed him vnto Idols and deuils and therefore the Aramites smote him and Pekah king of Israel slue in Iuda sixe score thousand in one day and tooke prisoners two hundreth thousands and brought all the spoiles and treasures vnto Samaria Thus Iuda was destroyed vtterly almost ouerthrowne at that time Achas after this great slaughter did sende to Salmanasser king of Ashur gaue him golde and siluer and promised him more money but it helped him not for Achas sacrificed to the gods of Damascus and to the gods of Aram or of Syria which was the onely cause of his destruction which Esai the Prophet had warned him of After hee had reigned in Iuda sixteene yeeres hee dyed in whose dayes Romulus and Remus beganne to build Rome Dionysius writeth that the walles of Rome were begunne in the one and twentieth day of Aprill and in the first yeere of the seuenth Olympiad After this spoile and great slaughter of Iuda Salmanasser king of Ashur came vp against Samaria after that Hosea had reigned nine yeeres of the which he payed tribute for eight yeeres and in the ninth of his reigne he was taken prisoner and the Citie of Samaria giuen to the Babylonians and to the men of Hamath and to the men of Succoth and to the other strangers which the king of Ashur brought to dwell in Samaria in steade of the people of Israel and the tenne tribes of Israel were caried away captiue vnto the Cities of the Medes Thus was Israel dispossest from glory and libertie and caried captiue by Nabonasser vnto Assyria after they had continued two hundred fiftie and three yeeres after Salomons dayes and after the going of Israel out of Egypt seuen hundred seuentie and nine yeeres in the tenth Olympiad This last thraldome fell vpon them for idolatrie and blassphemie which Israel against their God committed hauing so often tasted of his mercie and seene his workes in defending them alwaies euen from their going out of Egypt where they were in slauerie and bondage 430. yeeres vntill nowe againe they are caried captiues and bondmen from Samaria their natiue countrey vnto Babylon 779. yeeres after their going out of Egypt for they so prouoked the Lorde to wrath euen from Ieroboams time who builded Dan and Bethel and erected golden calues therin to be worshipped vnto the time of Osea the last king during which time 19. kings reigned in Israel of the which not one walked before God sincerely but with horrible blasphemie most wicked idolatry they worshipped idols and images wherefore God gaue them ouer one to kill an other and one to destroy an other vntil Nabonasser which is Salmanassers time
seuen of euery tribe But this good king was slaine in Mageddo by Necho king of Egypt who went vp at that time against the king of Asâ—…hur wherein Iosias did offend God because he consulted not with the Lord before he sought with Necho In Iosias time in the 13. yere of his reigne Ieremie began to prophesie the destruction of Ierusalem he foreshewed of the captiuitie of Babylon of the miserie of the Iewes of the famine and of the last ruine by Nabuchadonosor and howe afterward that king could not be quiet but was troubled with one dreame and other seeking soothsayers wise men of Babel coniurers sorcerers to interprete his visions dreames his vision of the 4. beastes of the 10. hornes of the battel betweene the Ramme and the Goate of the great image whose head was gold c. In Iosias time reigned in Media Phaortes the 6. king of the Medes and in Lidia reigned Ardis the 6. king of the Lidians for as I wrote before Lidia Media and Rome began welnigh together In Babylon reigned Nabuchodonosor the first of that name and the father of Nabuchodonosor the Great yet some take exception against the first Nabuchodonosor saying that there was none such as Beroaldus affirmeth He was the 3. king of the Chaldeans after Merodachs time In Rome gouerned Tullius Hostilius their 3. king who was now in warre with the Sabines and in Macedonia Philip the 6. king about which time the Grecians vsed first the Oracle called Dodonium oraculum Nowe in Locretia reigned Zaleuchus a famous Law maker and more famous for the keeping of his lawes being made euen against his owne sonne that should succeede after him king as in an other place you may read more Sibylla which is called Herophila was of great fame in Samos at this time Herodotus writeth that Batius the first king of Cyrena builded Zoan and after builded Cyrenes and furnished the same with people of Tyre and of Greece In the beginning of Iosias gouernment florished the great Historiographer Archilochus whose authoritie for time is with the best approued for he wrote a booke entituled De temporibus with whom at one time liued Simonides and Aristoxenes the Musition Iosias began to reigne in the 30. Olympiad and died in the 37. Olympiad and 16. Iubile of the Iewes After Iosias Ioachim his sonne succeeded for Necho king of Egypt after hee had killed Iosias in Mageddo hee gaue the kingdome to this Ioachim called also Eliachim paying 100. talents of siluer and one talent of gold for yeerely tribute vnto Egypt But Necho within a while was ouerthrowen in battell by Nabuchodonosor the great and the tribute which the Iewes paied vnto Necho now being slayne in the field by the king of Chaldea was paied to Nabuchodonosor But I haue writteÌ„ of this Ioachim of his sonne that succeeded him called also Ioachin or Iechonia of Nabuchodonosor in the histories of the Chaldeans how they were subdued by Nabuchodonosor whom God raised to destroy the rest of Israel the tribe of Iuda and the tribe of Beniamin With this Iechonia was Daniel Ananias Azaria and Misael caried captiue to Babylon of whom Nabuchodonosor had care to instruct them in the Chaldean tongue whereby they might serue the king and be in fauour It was the kings will that they should bee of Zedechias bloud of the best fauour and of the best complection Some write that this captiuitie began from the 3. yeere of Ioachim vnto the 20. yeere of Cyrus Some other write that it began from the preaching of Ieremie which was the 13. yeere of Iosias vnto the first yeere of Cyrus and others in the eleuenth yeere of Zedechias They would not heare Ieremie the Prophet who did foreshew the calamitie and miserie that should come vpon Ierusalem but they despised him imprisoned him and burned his bookes vntill an huge infinite armie of the Chaldeans laid siege to Ierusalem 18. moneths and that it was at length taken and destroied after much famine and plague during the time of these 18. moneths after that 21. kings of Dauids tribe raigned in Ierusalem for the space of 500. yeeres and odde counting as Iosephus saith beginning from Sauls raigne which was of another tribe The wonders which were seene before Ierusalem was destroied besides the threatning of the Prophets were such as might well perswade the Iewes of their calamities and miseries not then beleeued but afterwards felt The first time they saw right ouer the citie of Ierusalem a firie burning Comete most like a bloodie naked sword flourishing to and fro ouer the citie which continued for the space of one whole yeere The 2. wonder was a sudden cleere shining light as bright as day light being in the night time This light onely shined about Salomons Temple and about the sacrificing altars the which the Iewes construed to be their better fortune wherin they were deceiued The 3. wonder was that an Oxe being brought to the Temple to bee slaine and sacrificed vpon a festiuall day according to the Iewish maner that it brought foorth against the course of nature a Lambe in the middest of the temple which was terrible and monstrous The 4. wonder was that the East brasen gate of Salomons Temple being so great and so heauie with iron barres and great brasen bolts that Vix à viginti viris clauderetur the very wordes of Iosephus that 20. strong men could scant shut that gate opened of it selfe most willingly The barres loosed the bolts yeelded that some of the ignorant Iewes prognosticated the opening of the Temple should bee some great good thing to come The fift wonder was seene vpon the 21. day of May which seemed to be an hoste of men armed running on horsebacke and in charets aboue the Citie in the skies a little before Sunne setting The sixt wonder when the priests went vnto the temple in the feast of Pentecost as they were woont to do by night to celebrate diuine seruice they vpon a sudden felt the ground quiuer vnder their feete and the temple shooke and a voyce speaking Migremus hinc let vs depart hence Yet a more horrible wonder there was the daily crying and exclaiming of a countrey man Iesus the sonne of Ananus who for 7. yeeres and 5. moneths before the destruction ceased not in euery corner of the Citie in euery streete and specially in the temple vpon the Sabboth day saying Vox ab oriente vox ab occidente vox à quatuor ventis vox in Ierosolymam templum vox in omneÌ„ hunc populum continuing still this cry though he was punished by the magistrates and brought before Albinus the Roman which was then Caesars deputie in Ierusalem in somuch as he was thought to be some furious foole that he was left after whipping alone who cried Vae vae ciuitati vae phano vae populo and last of all he
Of this queene and of her doings her warres and her great workes you shall reade in Diodorus and Annius how she became so great so terrible and so luckie in any warre she tooke in hand that she excelled farre all the Assyrian and Caldean kings in victories and triumphs vntil Nabuchodonosors time but slaine at last by her sonne called Nynus or Nynias as Melancthon and Annius and Ruffinus writeth the 5. king of the Assyrians who liued with his mother and had no gouernment for that he was a simple man and who succeeded his mother being neither like to his father nor to his mother a king giuen to slouthfulnesse full of idlenesse of whom we reade nothing worth the writing sauing that he repaired beautified the temples of their idols and made much of the Chaldean magi which were accompted wise men obseruing the turne of Astrologers who began then in those dayes to vse diuination he reigned 38. yeeres who a litle before he died Camesenus being forced to flee frō all the partes of the world came to Bactria and there strengthened himselfe with the Bactrians that he prepared a great army to inuade the Assyrians but he was slaine and his armie ouerthrowen euen of this king Ninias as Berosus affirmeth yet Diodorus Iustinus Orosius say that this was done by Nynus the father of Ninias Let the reader beleeue whō hee list I had rather follow Berosus though he is supposed not to be Berosus yet the best writer vseth him in this historie for he is best to be beleeued for that hee knoweth better the Chaldean histories being a Chaldean borne then others This Ninias or Ramisninias is takē to be that king which is called Amraphel in Genesis king of Shinar which is Babylon for in the daies of Amraphel came Arioch king of Ellasar who came with the king of Shinar against the kings of Sodom Gomorrha together with two other kings Chedor king of Elam and Tidal king of the nations gathered of diuers countries These foure kings made warre with Bera king of Sodom with Byrsha king of Gomorrha with Shemeber king of Seboim and with the king of Bela in the vale of Siddim At this very warre Lot the nephew of Abraham for hee dwelt then at Sodom was taken with the king of Sodom the rest was rescued by Abraham his vncle he all his goods al his substance men women Abraham recouered frō Amraphel king of Shinar his company By this time Egypt began to florish and the kings of Egypt beganne to be strong they were all named Pharaohs as the Romanes called their Emperors Caesars names of great dignitie While this conflict and these great armies of fiue kings against foure were in the field you must vnderstand they were but gouernors of cities for in these daies skant the names of kingdoms were knowen but a kind of gouernment called Oligarchia by reason it was within 350. yeres of the flood At that time Abraham comming backe with Lot Melchisedec king of Shalem came to meete him blessed him to whom Abraham gaue tithe of al that he had This Melchisedec is taken to be Sem the sonne of Noah king of Shalem afterward called Ierusalem After this Ninias succeeded his sonne Arius the sixt king of the Assyrians as Functius writeth but Ruffinus the fourth and yet they vary not but in this that Functius beginneth from Nimrod which Ruffinus saith began in Babylon not in Niniue Againe Functius numbreth Semiramis reigne for that she reigned 40. yeres after her husband Nynus which Ruffinus omitteth coumpting Nynus reigne for both for both the gouernment of Semiramis and Ninus forward stil of the rest of the kings of Assyria Ruffinus omitting these two Nimrod Semiramis maketh Functius to say sixe and Ruffinus to accoumpt foure but in this I will follow Functius This Arius after that his father Ninias was dead hee gathered a great host of souldiers against the Bactrians and the Caspians with whom his father and his forefathers were enemies alwayes hee inuaded them againe spoyled their countrey slue their king and brought Bactria and Caspia subiect to the Assyrians in this kings time died Noah about twelue yeres after Abraham was called from Vr in Chaldea and came to Haran where hee staied foure yeres Thus florished the kingdome of the Assyrians being still augmented with more Prouinces Cities and Countries by Arius and his predecessors and when hee had reigned 30. yeeres he died and after him succeeded Aralius the seuenth king of the Assyrians a warlike prince a man of great prowesse skilfull in militarie discipline full of martiall exploites of whom Berosus affirmeth that it was he that first vsed triumphs and pompes with great honor dignitie and rewards to souldiers that deserued praise began to be delicious in bankets and feastes and inuented many engins of warres that then were not knowen In this kings fathers time there dwelt in Celtiberia a great wise man expert in many things whose name was Druyas of whom as Berosus writeth the auncient priests and wise men were called Druyades so doth Plinie write and Caius Iulius Caesar in his booke de bello Gallico This Aralius ruled Assyria fourtie yeeres and died Then beganne in Niniue the reigne of Baleus surnamed Xerxes the eight king of the Assyrians this surmounted farre his predecessour Aralius for hee brought vnder the scepter of Assyria twise asmuch people Nations and Countries as his predecessour did and therefore he was called Xerxes that is the conquerour the triumpher which long after were names of great dignitie among the Persians This king was both fierce and fortunate and enlarged the confines of his kingdome with many Nations he conquered al Countries vnto India he made the kings to bee feared so much of all kingdomes that he was named of the Assyrians Xerxes victor triumphator this reigned as Berosus doth write thirtie yeeres In this Baleus dayes Inachus the first king of the Argiues and their first kingdome began After Baleus reigned in Assyria a king named Armatrites the ninth of him there is no great thing to bee read to his commendation hee was giuen much to wicked lust and slouthfulnesse consuming his time in feasting and banquetting from one pleasure vnto another more cōuersant with women then with men and more delicious in apparell then hardie in warres and more giuen as Berosus saith to a lewde life then to vertuous exercise he reigned 38. yeeres In these dayes Sem the sonne of Noah died and the king of Salem being sixe hundred yeeres olde for Sem was a hundred yeere olde when the flood began and hee liued before the flood with three of his olde fathers with Noah Methusalem and Lamech and after the flood he liued in the second age vntill Iacobs time and died in the fiftie yere of Iacobs age seuen hundred yeeres iust before Dauids birth
hee liued thirtie fiue yeeres after Abrahams dayes The tenth king of the Assyrians was Belochus Priscus and he reigned 35. yeres a righteous king of whō writers make no great mention for most of the kings of Assyria be so ancient their histories by Berosus set forth so doubtfull that authorities sufficient cannot be found to write much sauing those ten kings which are mentioned in Scripture in whose time the Assyrians and the Chaldeans florished most their histories and their tyrannies done in the Church is set downe in the Prophetes by the Spirite of God the touchstone of all trueth and reserued by the holy Ghost to the vse of his Church and the members thereof the keyes of all knowledge of whom al prophane histories haue their beginning Baleus Iunior succeeded to be the eleuenth king of Assyria hee reigned two and fiftie yeeres and was amongst the Assyrians of great fame hee excelled the rest in all his warres for his predecessors euenthe best kings as Baleus Xerxes Aralius Ninus or Belus himselfe entred not so farre conquered not so much as this king did whom all writers so cōmended and specially after Semiramis next in fame and greatnes for shee conquered vnto India this conquered India and brought the Indians vnder the gouernment of the Assyrians paying yerely tribute vnto the kings of Assyria committing themselues and their countries vnder the tuition of this king Baleus Iunior In this Baleus Iuniors time Osiris being very aged returning from all the Countries where hee had traueiled into Egypt erected vp a triumphant pillar with this inscription set vpon it I am King Osiris the sonne of Saturnus that taught in all partes of the world the vse of those things which I Osiris first found out This Trophe was kept a long time by the Priestes of Egypt in memorie of Osiris About this time Iacob and his children went to Egypt 215. yeeres after Abrahams being in Egypt and they continued so long after Abraham 215. yeeres which was the whole time of the children of Israels bondage in Egypt for from Abrahams being first in Egypt where he left to dwell in Egypt some Hebrewes after his departing vntill the comming of Moses is 430. yeeres After this reigned Altad◅s the 12. king of the Assyrians this aboue the rest became epicureall applying his whole studie to seeke out vaine men that could well instruct him to degenerate from his predecessours for hee sawe so much wealth in Niniue where the treasures of the kings of Assyria were that he could by no meanes know how to spend them hee gaue himselfe to all kind of vices and to followe young councel and moreouer he thought it a most miserable thing to toile to traueile himselfe with continuall warres hauing so much substance that hee coulde not foresee howe to consume them but by a decree of his young councelours so it was deuised that the huge treasure great substance which his predecessours by their conquestes had obteined should be with most ease and lesse danger consumed for this was Altades opinion hee thought it most fit to liue in pleasure and to enioy the benefites of his predecessours noting the miserie to bee such of his elders as coulde not spende them selues but spare them to others and therfore suum institutum fuit saith the historie to feede delicately to vse insolent attires to followe riotous company to frequent all kinde of pleasures and to liue viciously while he liued In this time liued Prometheus of whom the Poets make mention much as Ruffinus in his comentarie doth note This Altades reigned 32. yeeres Berosus writeth that one Hercules king of Celtiberia in the 19. of Altades brought his sonne named Thuscus vnto Italie where hee was created king After this Hercules returned backe from Italie vnto Celtiberia where hee died being very olde hee was honoured with statues and images after his death as a demie god this was before Hercules Amphitrion 500. yeeres this reigned in the yere of the world 2275. When Altades had ended his riotous life one succeeded him named Mamitus the 13. king of Assyria a man of a cleane contrary disposition to Altades This king againe assoone as he came to his kingdom exercised himselfe with care diligence to foresee the state of his kingdome lothing detesting idlenes bent himselfe to warres kept garisons had diuers armies abroad himselfe ready to performe in persō that which Altades his predecessor had neglected This king grewe so great so strong that Egypt al Syria stood in awe of him which Syria as Sabellicus affirmeth was once the largest kingdom of the world hauing within it self Palestina Arabia Iudea Phoenicia Coelosyria for the Syrians are people very anciēt for so Plinie saith that they were before the Assyrians Strabo would haue Syria to be al one as Assyria is for so the Grecians called them This king Mamitus reigned 30. yeres was the first king of the Assyrians that began this warre in Syria Egypt for in his dayes Syria Egypt florished There is mention made of the Syrians in Genesis where Moses saith that the Syrians descended from Charmel the sonne of Nahor Abrahās brother called also by the kings of Aram. Nowe after Mamitus succeeded Mancaleus the 14. king of the Assyrians this king did nothing worth the memorie for we reade of no warre in his time for the kings of Assyria being the first nations which had kings in the world grew frō time to time so great so mighty that they held the Monarchie of Assyria from Nimrod to Sardanapalus 1240. yeeres and more during which time fewe kings or none coulde hurt them or stand in field against them for in the East part no king of any puissance was able to encounter with the Assyrian kings for then the Assyrians onely ruled other countries were not as yet populous sauing Egypt who began to be likewise strong in processe of time none coulde resist the strength of the Assyrians but the Egyptians When Egypt grew strong these two kingdomes began to warre one with another and therefore vntill the time of Phul Belochus Salmanasser Senaherib and Nabuchodonosor mentioned in the Ecclesiasticall history no great histories are written of the Assyrian kings and then it was called new Assyria therefore nothing may be read of the first kings of Assyria for they helde their kingdome all this while without any great dangers for yet the engins of war◅es were ◅ot knowen for as Berosus began to write his histories from the going of Noah out of the arke so he continueth his histor◅ vn◅ the childrē of Israel going out of Egypt few could writ◅◅erteinly of this time being of such antiquitie for from Ninus the third king of the Assyrians vntill Spherus the fifteenth king which nowe I haue in hand as Archilochus doth gather there is 451. yeeres This Spherus after 20. yeeres gouernment died the 16. king called of
that the olde Assyrian Empire possessed but a litle part of Assyria Modicam quandam Assyriae partem obtinuit as Dionysius affirmeth for during the time and gouernment of the first kings of Assyria euen from Nynus the first king vntill Sardanapalus their last king was fabulosum tempus the trueth of their historie and the glory of their Empire appeared from the time of Phul Belochus which was father to Phul Assur and in the sacred Scripture named Tiglat Assur This Phul Assur was father to Salmanasser and Salmanasser was father to Senaherib At this time it was called newe Assyria whose Empire was againe after the death of Saneherib by Merodach brought into Babylon for in Babylon the first Empire began after translated from Babylon to Niniue and now from Niniue to Babylon againe where it ended in Balsaar as it shall be shewed when the historie commeth to it In this kings time the Midianites preuailed much against the children of Israel for seuen yeres and they were sore oppressed vntill Gedeon was sent to be their deliuerer and to be their iudge Then Pannias or otherwise Pannas was the 25. king of Assyria in whose time the kings of Argiues ended their kingdome their Empire was translated into Mycena after they had gouerned as kings 540. yeeres In this time reigned in Athens Pandion and Mydas gouerned in Phrygia About which time Abimelech the tyrant vsurpeth the kingdome of Israel and putteth seuentie of his brethren to death Habuit mercedem for at Thebes as Abimelech was besieging a high strong Towre a woman did cast a piece of a milstone vpon his head and brake his braine panne after he had bene a iudge in Israel three yeeres In the 24. of Pannias happened the fourth Iubilee after Moses In this kings time likewise ruled in Israel Thola a iudge of the tribe of Isachar and gouerned the people of Israel 23. yeres After this reigned Sosarmus 19. yeeres in Assyria It is written that Orpheus the Thracian the most famous and most auncient musitian liued at this time Iair the Gileadite gouerned Israel 22. yeeres this iudge had thirtie sōnes that rode on 30. asse coltes men of great authoritie for they had thirtie Cities in the land of Gilead and they kept the land in peace 22. yeeres Now Faunius Iunior gouerned Italie to whom Euander came from Arcadia and had giuen him certaine lands in Italie which Euander called afterward Palatinum Manethon writeth that Hercules Amphitrions sonne was borne about this time of whom the Poets faine that he was the sonne of Iupiter of this man more shal be spoken amongst the Grecians when I speake of their histories But againe to the Assyrians who had after Sosarmus a king called Mytreus the 27. king and raigned 27. yeeres in the latter ende of this kings raigne Hercules killed Cacus the great giant in mount Auentine after Hercules ouerthrew Troy and killed the king called Laomedon and made Priamus his sonne king of the Troyans who againe repaired and builded vp Troy to be one of the strongest townes of the worlde This Hercules came to Italie fiftie and fiue yeeres before AEneas comming and gaue to the Italians lawes Reade of this more in Halicarn lib. 1. In Israel after Iudge Iair died it was 18. yeres interregnum without a Iudge and they wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord againe and serued Baalim and Ashtaroth the gods of Syria and the gods of Sidon the gods of Moab the gods of Ammon and the gods of the Philistines and God was angrie with them and deliuered them to the handes of their enemies who vexed and oppressed them 18. yeeres vntill the time they put away the strange gods and serued the true God with great repentance Ishai the father of the Prophet Dauid was borne about this time three hundreth yeere after the Israelites going out of Egypt Nowe with the Assyrians Tautanes the 28. king beginneth to rule about which time Hercules appointed the games of Olympia where all the Grecians came to exercise feates of armes running and wrastling with all other kinde of exercise 430. yeeres before the Olympiads began This time happened in Egypt in the Isle of Pharao a great deluge called Diluuium Pharaonicum which did ouerflowe the whole countrey which was seldome seene in Egypt for that they haue no raine but onely the ouerflowing of Nilus which once a yeere happeneth vnto them By this time Iephtah was made Iudge in Israel a valiant man but for that hee was a bastard sedition grewe in Israel against Iephtha by the Ephraimites his brethren thrusted him out and Iephtha fled to the land of Tob but hee was made afterward captaine ouer Israel and hee subdued the Ammonites from Aroer to Abel 20. cities and slew 42. thousand of the Ephraimites and for the victorie here of he sacrificed his daughter vnto the Lord according to his vow though it was rash vnlawful In this Tautanes time raigned 4. Iudges Iephtha 6. yeres Ibzan gouerned 7. yeres some thought this to be Boas the husband of Ruth the grandfather of Dauid this had 30. sonnes and 30. daughters After him Elon of the tribe of Zabulon iudged Israel 10. yeeres and after Elon ruled Abdon this Iudge had 40. sonnes and thirtie sonnes sonnes that rode on 70. assecolts and he gouerned Israel 10. yeres and died About this time Theseus rauished Helen the wife of Menelaus which being by Adoneus king of the Molosseans taken was rescued by his felow and alwayes his companion Hercules In the kingdome of Assyria succeeded Tautanes who raigned 40. yeres of which we reade nothing worth the writing At this time Samson the sonne of Manoah of the tribe of Dan gouerned Israel 20. yeeres he plagued the Philistims who had kept Israel vnder hand for their sinnes wickednes for God was angrie with them for notwithstanding all his goodnes his mercy towardes them and his miracles amongst them yet they still rebelled and moued the Lord to wrath this Samson was the last Iudge of Israel Then the state of the Israelites gouernment was altered and they were vnder Ely the priest At this time raigned a king that gouerned the Thuscanes named Ocnus Beanor this builded Mantua the coūtrey where Virgil was borne which the Romans called after Hethruscanes Now that the race of the Iudges of Israel is ended which continued from Moses death vntil Samuel 357. yeres God suffred kings to gouerne his people and appointed his Prophets to direct his kings this came to passe in Samuels time who anoynted Saul king ouer Israel and they both together raigned 40. yeeres By this time Tyneus the 30. king of the Assyrians raigned in Niniue 30. yeres and in the 13. of his raigne the 7. Iubilee of the Iewes began The kingdome of Hispane before called Iberia before that time Celtiberia is in this time deuided into prouinces into seueral gouernmēts of
cities and countreis hauing 24. kings by succession which continued vntil 75. yeeres after the destruction of Troy continued so vntil the Carthaginians began to flourish whom the Romanes afterward cōquered At this time one Pypinus gouerned the Thuscanes and raigned as Manethon writes 56. yeres In the last yeres of this king Tyneus the Prophet Dauid was borne 407. yeres after the children of Israels going out of Egypt and in the 7. Iubile after Moses then began to raigne in Assyria Dercillus he raigned 40. yeres In his dayes began the kingdome of Lacedemonia 83. yeres after Troys destruction the first king of Lacedemonia was called Euristenes who raigned 42. yeeres of him came lineally 2. noble and valiant captains Cleomenes and Leonidas who in their time were most famous for they inuaded the Persians and ouerthrew them at Thermophila About the same yere the Corinthians began likewise to establish a kingdome for the Lacedemonians and the Corinthians began at one time to raigne the first king of Corinth was Alethes and he raigned 35. yeres In the 10. yere of king Dercillus the Arke of the Lord was taken by the Philistines and caried vnto Ashdod one of their fiue principal cities they kept the Arke 7. moneths For when the Israelites were ouercome by the Philistines and the arke taken away Ely the priest hearing that the Israelites were ouerthrowen the arke taken and his two sonnes slaine fel down frō his stoole brake his necke for so the Lord told Samuel before what should become vpō Ely his house Israel stil offended God now not contented with the gouernmēt which God appointed them but cried out for a king God cōmanded Samuel to anoint Saul their king About this time great warres grew betwene the Peloponesians and the Athenians Codrus at that time liued was the last king of Athens for after Codrus there was no king there but gouernours called Metontidae Codrus sonne called Medon was the first Iudge in Athens after the kings Codrus according to the Oracle giuen that the Athenians should haue no victories vnlesse their king were slaine in the battell he disguised himselfe like a common souldier rushed into the midst of the battaile purposely to be slaine that his countrey might haue victorie being the last of the 17. kings hauing ruled Athens 21. yeeres ended his life and his kingdome About this time Samuel was commanded to anoint Dauid king ouer Israel and many learned men would haue Homer about this time to be borne some controuersie is of Homers time Eratosthenes thought it within 100. yeeres after the destruction of Troy and so saith Aristarchus and Cornelius Nepos both affirme that Homer flourished 100. yeeres before the first Olympiad Budaeus saith that Homer liued in the latter yeres of king Dauid so they square about 80. yeres of Homers birth During this time raigned ouer the Latines AEneas Siluius their fourth king After this raigned in Assyria Eupales 38. yeeres in whose time the Peloponesians againe mooued warres against the Athenians Now about this time the promise is made to Dauid that the continuance of his kingdome should for euer endure but with crosses and afflictions for Absalon killed his brother Amnon a litle after and fled vnto the king of Gessur and taried there three yeere By this time Salomon was borne of Bethsaba the wife of Vrias Nathan and Gad were in those dayes Prophets of the Lord. Now raigned in Athens Medon the first Iudge the sonne of Codrus the last king of Athens in Lacedemonia Argis the second king raigned one yeere Arcestratus succeeded the third king of Lacedemonia and gouerned the Lacedemonians 35. yeeres in Corinth likewise Ixon the second king raigned 37. yeeres for both these kingdomes had one beginning and therefore their kingdome is accordingly to be handled for in the last yeres of the kings of Assyrians histories the Grecians began for this vnderstand that the Caldeans Assyrians Egyptians and all the East part of the world which were first inhabited after the flood were euen consumed with sworde and fire before the Grecians or the Romanes were acquainted with the world and therefore the lesse to be spoken of these olde auncient people for want of authorities and had not the holy Ghost lightened prophane histories with true records of the Scripture all antiquities had almost bene put to obliuion for all that are in trueth learned in histories take their light from Moses he is the grand scholemaster of all writers About this time Nicius Fesulanus gouerned the Thuscanes 47. yeres he expelled the people called Phocenses out of Corsica and Nicius builded a towne and named it Nicea after his owne name By this time Salomon grewe great in Gods fauour began to make the temple in Ierusalem excelled all the princes of the world in wisdome gouernment Hiram king of Tyrus at that time sendeth to Salomon and Salomon to him purposing to builde the house of God which temple began to be builded the fourth yeere of Salomons raigne and the 12. of Hiram king of Tyre Salomons friend who procured workemen to worke in Libanon and after the going of Israel out of Egypt 480. yeeres Some thinke that Carthage was builded by Charcedon at that time some thinke of Dido others say otherwise both of the building of Carthage and of the time of building as in the building of Troy and in the building of Rome the like controuersie is that sub iudice lis est Laosthenes the 33. king of the Assyrians is the next king after Eupales and is now in hand to be spoken of in whose time Alba Siluius gouerned the Latines the sixt king for the sirnames of the Latin kings were called Siluij as the kings of Alexandria were called Ptolomei as before I told you of the Caesars of Rome and Pharaos of Egypt About this time the kingdome of Israel for the idolatrie of Salomon was deuided and the ten tribes caried from Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon king of Iuda vnto Ieroboam king of Israel who inuented many wicked things in Israel idolatrie new religion contempt of the true God putting vp for their god the golden calfe thus he and his posterities continued from the fourth yeere of Rehoboam vntil the 19. yeere of Nabuchodonosor which was 390. yeeres at what time the last destruction of Ierusalem and the captiuitie of Iuda was Archippus the third Iudge atthis time ruled Athens where he gouerned 19. yeeres vnder whom flourished Sextus Homerus a citizen of Athens this man gaue new lawes to the Athenians The Thracians were strong by this time and became great on land and seas Smendes king of Egypt to whom Ieroboam fled and with whome he staied vntil Salomon died this Smendes is named in Scripture Sesac this came vp against Ierusalem the fift yere of Rehoboam destroyed the citie spoiled the temple and
tooke all the treasures of the kings house away Thus was Iuda punished for sinne by Sesac king of Egypt a heathen man At Corinth gouerned Pryminas the fourth king he raigned thirtie and fiue yeeres at Corinth In Assyria after Laosthenes raigned Pyrithides 30. yeeres in the 10. yeere of the tenth Iubilee which Iubilee was in the yeere of the worlde two thousand nine hundreth ninetie and three Abia the sonne of Rehoboam raigned three yeres king of Iuda after whom succeeded Asa. In Tyrus raigned now a king called Ascartus who after he had raigned 12. yeeres in Tyrus his brother Astarimus succeeded him and gouerned Tyrus 9. yeeres and hee was slaine by his brother called Phelletes he raigned 8. moneths and was likewise slaine by Ichobalus a priest of the goddesse Astarthes of whome mention is made in the thirde booke of the kings and the 11. chapter This goddesse Salomon honoured much and in Egypt ruled Pseusenses There rose against Asa king of Iuda Sera king of AEthiopia about this time and thought to inuade Iewrie but he was not by Asa but by God put to flight and his armie scattered and slaine Elias and Elizeus were borne this time men singularly beloued of God in the middle age of the worlde for so it is set downe as Melancthon saith by Elias himselfe accompting the age of the world 2000. without the Lawe 2000. by the Law and 2000. by grace which are the dayes of Messias but for sinne shortened and by that rule to be looked for before 6000. yeere Nadab at this time was the second king of Israel and began to raigne after Ieroboam whom Baasha slew in the third yeere of Asa king of Iuda Baasha the third king of Israel builded Rama that it might bee a cause that they of the kingdome of Iuda might not come within the territorie of Israel neither they of Israel might trouble Iuda for the which Asa king of Iuda for feare of Baasha king of Israel maketh couenant with Benhadad king of Aram and therefore is reproued by the Prophet for that he trusted in the king of Aram and not in God who had giuen him victorie before ouer the AEthiopians and Lubins At this time Achia and Sameas prophecied in Israel and Septimus Siluius was king ouer the Latins after whome succeeded Capis Siluius the eight king of the Latins and raigned 28. yeeres by this Capis was Capua builded In Lacedemonia gouerned the sixt king named Agesilaus and ouer the Corinthians Bacis the fifth king of whome the kings of Corinth were afterward named Bacidae the names of these kings for the most part are seldome found amongst writers for they did nothing worth the memorie Now in Assyria raigned Ophrateus 20. yeres he was the 35. king in whose dayes Zambri or Zimbri the seruant of Ela conspired against the king killed him and destroyed al the house of Baasha according to the word of the Lord to Iehu afterward Zambri went to the kings house and burned the pallace of the kings and himselfe with fire then the people of Israel were deuided some folowed Tobni to make him king others folowed Omri and so Omri became the sixt king of Israel He builded first Samaria 200. yeres before Romulus builded Rome At this time raigned Nepher king in Egypt foure yeeres and after him succeeded Amenophis he raigned 9. yeres king in Egypt of whom I wil speake among the kings of Egypt Now died Asa king of Iuda after he had raigned 41. yeeres then folowed in Israel after Omri Achab the 7. king worse then all the other kings before him a great idolater and a tyrant in the fourth yere of this king Achabs raigne began Iosaphat to raigne in Iuda In Achabs time Elias beganne to prophecie whose history beginneth from the 17. of the first of the kings vntill the 3. of the 2. of the kings where he prophecied of the famine that was at hand to come 800. yeres after the famine in Iaacobs time In these daies Hiel the Bethelite builded Iericho Amongst the Latins raigned a king called Tiberinus Siluius of whome the riuer Tiber is nowe named after Tiberinus name for Tiber was called before Albula Then was in Corinth Agelas and Archelaus gouerned the Lacedemonians Eusebius in his histories affirmeth that in this time flourished Licurgus a lawmaker and a great wise man amongst the Lacedemonians After this raigned Ophraganeus Ascrasapes and Sardanapalus in whom ended the historie of the Assyrians And now hauing ended the whole time of 36. kings raigning in Assyria from Belus time vnto Sardanapalus and after him from Bellochus vnto Merodach the raigne of sixe kings during which time it was called the newe kingdome of Assyria and from Merodach vnto Balsasar fiue kings gouernment which was translated from the Assyrians vnto the Chaldeans as you shall reade more being of two gouernements and yet one Monarchie sometime vnder the Chaldeans in Babylon sometime in Niniue vnder the Assyrians vntill both Chaldea and Assyria became subiect first vnto the Medes and after to the Persians Of the Kings of Babylon againe called newe Assyria from Sardanapalus which the Greekes call Tonoscon coleros vntill Balsaar the last king of Babylon CHAP. III. SArdanapalus being giuen to all filthie pleasures feasting banqueting a most riotous glutton a great drunkard disguising him selfe amongst women in womens apparell wading from one vice vnto another so much subiect to beastly abuse that his slouthfull life gaue great oportunitie to Arbaces a valiant captaine of the Medes a man of such magnanimitie being generall of all Media consulting with Belochus the lieutenant of Babylon a man of great experience that both Arbaces and Belochus agreed seeing such occasions offered to ioyne both their forces together against Sardanapalus which being done after two great ouerthrowes giuen to them and Arbaces almost slaine and his people scattered and fled Sardanapalus was yet too strong for them both but the thirde time hee was found with his Assyrians so full of wine and his armie so sleepie after drunkennesse according to their wonted maners that Arbaces againe by night with all his force entred vnto their tentes found them in their beds full of surphets slewe them in such heapes that Sardanapalus fled to his citie of Niniue and his lieutenant was slaine hee was then besieged in Niniue his people forsooke him and went to his enemies Then he perceiuing his great danger sent his three sonnes and his two daughters to Paphlagonia to his friend Cottus with great treasures to auoyd the present perill he was in being full of all desperations he made his owne graue so gorgeous and so sumptuous of such high building that hee brought 150. beds made of pure golde so many tables likewise of golde and after much feasting and banqueting with his Queenes and concubines and with many of his deare friends being in the midest of their
pleasures he commaunded fire to be put to his pallace I meane that pile of wood which he made for his graue and so ended his life and the Empire together in fire to escape his enemies thus ended the monarchie of Assyria after one thousand two hundreth and fourtie yeeres continuance Behold the euents of the kingdoms of the world how God gaue them alwayes vp to the enemies when they flourished most in glory and were most in force power Euen so was Chaldea and Assyria the only empires of the world which farre excelled all other kingdomes when it was ouerthrowen by Cyrus insomuch that the great and mightie king Nabuchodonosor the onely Hercules by Megasthenes so named of the East kingdomes who aduanced himselfe vp vnto the heauens who was compared for his great magnificence and glorious pompe of his huge empire for the pride of his minde and insolencie of his state to the starre Lucifer for the brightnes beautie and glorie of his Empire his greatnes was such that hee had diuine honours done vnto him but his pride and pompe was layde in the pitte For in the time of Nabuchodonosor the Chaldeans and Assyrians flourished for they were kings of the Arabians of the Egyptians of all Syria and for the glorie and greatnes of their kingdome it passed all others farre and being the first kingdome of the world was called the golden kingdome aureum seculum the other three Monarchies were called Argenteum seculum the siluer age beganne in Cyrus time in Persia the brasen age in Macedonia in the time of Alexander and last the Iron age among the Romanes beganne in Iulius Caesars time described in Daniel by the foure beastes For all Nabuchodonosors power strength states and kingdomes lost all within threescore and tenne yeeres of this his great possession and power Euen so the kings of Egypt which flourished in like strength and claimed the like maiestie lost their kingdome in the midest of their glory and were ouerthrowen by Cambyses To bee short because God would bee knowen vnto his people whom the wicked neuer confessed to bee the God of victorie he deliuered Pharao and all Egypt into the handes of Nabuchodonosor and for his pompe and pride herein thinking that it was his owne strength his owne force and power hee deliuered Nabuchodonosor and his posterities with all the Empire of Assyria and Chaldea into the handes of Cyrus whose kingdome flourished much aboue the rest vntil Darius sirnamed Codomanus whose wealth force and kingdomes were such that he made nothing of all the world beside God gaue him ouer into the handes of Alexander the great whose greatnesse continued not long for the like vnthankefulnesse to God for his kingdome passed to the Romanes Thus God appointed the weakest sometime to vanquish the strongest and raised vp the meanest to ouercome the mightiest Thus was Egypt subdued by the Chaldeans the Chaldeans by the Persians the Persians by the Macedonians the Macedonians by the Romanes and the long empire of the Romans their pompe and their glorie taken away by the Germanes and the Germanes rather prouinces to be called then an Empire so wickednesse preuailed that Turkes Canes Sophies with such infidels of long time flourished Then Arbaces and Phul Belochus deuided these Empires Phul Belochus helde Babylon and Niniue Arbaces possessed Media and Persia for his part But to write of Chaldea first this Phul Belochus though he dwelt in Babylon and raigned asking there eight and fourtie yeeres yet the name of the Monarchie continued still in Assyria for that the most part of the other Kings had their mansion in Niniue and therefore after Sardanapalus time called the newe kingdome of Assyria Nowe Belochus being settled king in Babylon called also the king of Assur hee came against the lande of Israel and mooued warres against Manahem then king but being pacified with a thousand talents of siluer he returned to Babylon without any harme done and there died when he had raigned eight and fourtie yeeres After him succeeded his sonne Phul Assur named in Scripture Tyglat Phul Assur this infidel God stirred vp against Israel for their sinnes hee tooke all these Cities and coastes Aron Abel Bethmecha Asor Gilead and Galilee and all the land of Nepthali and caried them vnto Assyria this king raigned three and twentie yeeres as both Functius and Melancthon write yet Metasthenes would haue him to raigne twentie and fiue yeeres After this succeeded Salmanasser the thirde king of newe Assyria hee likewise was by God appointed a scourge for the sinâ—…s of Israel and the idolatrie of Samaria hee came from Niniue vnto Samaria besieged it three yeeres and tooke it and caried all Israel captiue vnto Assyria and put them in Halah and in Habor cities of the Medes for at that time the Medes and the Persians were subiect vnto the Assyrians Thus were the 10. tribes caried captiue away from Samaria vnto Assyria in the ninth yeere of Hosea king of Israel after the building of Samaria 210. yeres the whole kingdome of Israel was destroyed when it had continued from the first yeere of Roboam the sonne of Salomon to the last yeere of king Hosea two hundreth fiftie and three yeeres as Functius affirmeth Then Salmanassar filled al the cities of Samaria with men from Babylon and from Hamath in stead of the children of Israel for the kings of Samaria enuied so much the kings of Iuda the state of Ierusalem the pompe of the high priest and the magnificence of Salomons temple that the kings of Samaria builded temples erected two idolatrous altars in Dan and Bethel where they sacrificed vnto the golden calfe and honoured idols of Baal yet God raised good men as Elias and Elizeus Amos and Osea by whom the Church of God in this wicked kingdome was still preserued This king Salmanasser brought the Medes and Persians subiect vnto Assyria and destroyed the Moabites as the Prophet Esay afore tolde there is mention made of this king in the tenth chapter of Osea where the Prophet sayeth As Salmanasser destroyed Betharbell in the day of battaile the mother with the children was dashed in pieces so shall Bethel doe vnto you Vnder this king Salmanasser was Israel scattered like sheepe for the Lyons dispersed them first the king of Ashur that was Salmanasser hath deuoured him and last Nabuchodonosor hath taken his bones the one caried the tenne tribes of Israel the other caried the two tribes of Iuda prisoners vnto Babylon This Salmanasser is named of Ptolome Nabonasser he raigned in the eight Olympiad when Romulus was king in Rome Ezechias was king in Iuda and Osea king in Israel before the captiuitie of Iuda one hundreth thirtie and three yeeres so long was betweene the destruction of Ierusalem and Samaria for Salmanasser did raigne seuen yeeres king in Assyria before hee had besieged Samaria which is to bee noted to auoyde errours in accompt From the
of these scepters were made put in tables of Alabaster Iuorie Ebony in diuers coūtries where he traueiled leauing behind him his sister his wife Isis to gouerne Egypt This time began the 16. Dynasteia of Egypt which were potētates states who gouerned Egypt in many places some endured 100. some 200. yeres some 300. yeeres some more some lesse they were in Egypt as the Chiliarchi were with the Hebrewes as the Amphictions with the Grecians and as the Senators with the Romanes but when the kings of Egypt began to be mighty strong the state of the potentates began to be diminished but it stil continued vnder the kings of Egypt as chiefe gouernours which the Grecians called Polemarchi I will begin of Osiris the first king of Egypt yet Diodorus nameth Mena the first king of Egypt which Berosus cal Oceanus which is Mizraim with the Hebrewes This Osiris was maried to Isis called Iuno Egyptia for prophane writers name the first kings queenes of euery countrey by the name of Satur. Iupiter Iuno Ceres c. This Isis is supposed to be called Ceres for that she affirmeth of her self this sentence writtē vnder diuers pictures of Isis in tables pillars set vp in Egypt Ego sum Isis Egypti Regina à Mercurio erudita vxor Osiridis mater regis Ori gaude Bubastia gaude Egypte quae me nutristi these words were graued in a pillar of brasse called Columna Isidis read of this more in Dio. Sic. Orus the 2. king of Egypt succeeded his father Osiris this taught the Egyptiās many things read lectures of Astronomy and the first that instructed the rude people to obserue the orders course of the stars likewise he made many good lawes amongst the Egyptians and made them acquainted with the true God whō Abraham being then in Egypt confessed preached with whō king Orus seemed to haue conference was taught by Abraham to acknowledge the power of God hauing had sensible trial therof of his fathers punishment the plague thereby that happened by his iniurious dealing with Sara this made this king to honour Abraham much yet in his fathers dayes Abraham made no long stay in Egypt It seemed that Abraham had some liking to this Orus before he was king to whō he reuealed instructions both to know God his creatures whereby after he was made king and he taught in Egypt those good things which Abraham instructed him whereby he was called in Egypt Orus the great Melanthon saith he had a sonne called Bocchoris after Bocchoris Busiris who builded Thebes in Egypt setting forth the kings of Egypt Herodotus doth not obserue lineally their succession nor Functius in his table nor Manethon an Egyptian priest onely chronographer for the kings of Egypt wherein no true lineall successe may be set downe of the old kings of Egypt vntil Amasis where Herodotus omitteth many things of Egypt beginneth to make relation of the kings of Egypt from Chiopes the first yere of Persusennes which was in the beginning of the 11. Iubilee after Moses Menathon the historie is mentioned by Iosephus the names of the Egyptiā kings laide downe to Ramases which with him is Sethosis beginneth from Ramesses surnamed Egyptus who vsurped the kingdome hauing banished thence his brother Danaus Hee setteth downe that the lande of Egypt was then the fourth time called Mizraim at what time as Cornelius Tacitus and others say the names of Pharoes first began so Manethon affirmeth But it doth appeate by Iosephus against Appian a schoolemaster of Alexandria that the historie of Egypt is patched and forged by Manethon Cheremon two chiefe ancient Chronographers that for true histories generally remaine but fables he laieth downe the errors of Manethon written by himselfe in these wordes At what time Timaus reigned king in Egypt saith Appian came certeine people a base nation from the East and began to inhabit to build to growe strong in Egypt so that they made them a king to gouerne them the which was called Saltis this came to Memphis to Sais two great townes in Egypt seated himselfe in those townes and brought the princes about to pay to them tribute vsed great crueltie slue made hauocke of much people in Egypt After that Saltis reigned nineteene yeeres in Egypt he died after whom succeeded fiue other kings which in all were sixe whose names I set downe to your viewe 1 Saltis which reigned 19. yeeres 2 Baeon which reigned 44. yeeres 3 Apachnas which reigned 36. yeeres 4 Iamas reigned 50. yeres 5 Apochis reigned 61. yeeres 6 Assis reigned 49. yeres These sixe kings reigned first ouer these base people as Manethon writeth which were called in Egypt Hicsos shepheards they and their posteritie after them reigned in Egypt fiue hundreth and eleuen yeeres vntill the time of Alisfragmutosis by whom they wererepulsed and constrained to dwel within a place called Auaris the proportion of tenne thousand acres this compasse they held fortified many strong walles and fortes these shepheards as Manethon saith stood vpon their defence vntil Temosine the kings sōne to Alisfragmutosis laid siege to their fortes with foure hundred eight score thousande readie in armes against these Hicsos with whom the king of Egypt concluded peace vpon condition to depart whither they woulde without harme or hurt so that they would depart out of Egypt These people forced in this sort to the number of two hundred fourtie thousand to passe through Egypt with al their possession with them tooke their iourney through the deserts of Syria and fearing the power of the Assyrians which at that time gouerned al Asia they builded a Towne for them to dwell in in Iudea called Ierusalem this nation was called in Manethon Hicsos Pastores reges this squareth farre from the historie of Moses concerning their dwellings being of the Hebrewes in Egypt After the departure of these Hebrewes out of Egypt these many kings reigned successiuely as Manethon orderly setteth them downe 1 Alisfragumtosis 2 Temusi 25. yeeres 3 Chebron 13. yeeres 4 Amenophis 20. yeres 7. moneths 5 Amesses the sister of Amenophis gouerned Egypt after her brother 21. yeeres 6 Mephres 12. yeeres and 9. moneths 7 Mephramutosis reigned 25. yeeres 8 Thmosis 9. yeres and 8. moneths 9 Amenophis the 2. of that name reigned 30. yeeres 10. moneths 10 Orus 3. yeeres and 5. moneths 11 Acencheres Orus daughter after her father reigned 12. yeres 12 Rathotis reigned 9. yeeres 13 Acencheres 12. yeres 14 Acencheres the 2. reigned 12. yeeres and 3. moneths 15 Armais reigned 4. yeeres 16 Armesis reigned one yeere 17 Armesesmiamus reig ned 66. yeeres 18 Amenophis the 3. of that name 19. yeeres 19 Sethosis was the 19. king of Egypt after the going out of these Shepheards out of Egypt which was 393. yeeres from Tomusis vntill Sethosis This Sethofis was mightie strong on sea and vpon land he prepared
Cranaus the second king And ouer the Argiues Crotopas their eight king CHAP. II. Of the kings of Egypt after Ramesses time sirnamed Aegyptus ' at what time Oceana was called Egypt after the name of Aegyptus before Mizreia NOw after the great ouerthrowe of the Egyptians in the red sea after a while began to raigne in Egypt Ramesses sirnamed Aegyptus after whose name Egypt was then called as Manethon writeth for at the first Egypt was named Oceana or Mizreia and the second time it was named Aerea and nowe the thirde time called Egypt as you reade before This Aegyptus after hee had vanquished his brother Danaus he vsurped vpon the Egyptians and raigned king of Egypt 68. yeeres for Egypt had not recouered her former state as yet since the ouerthrowe of Chencres and all the states of Egypt who perished in the red Sea pursuing the Israelites Of this Manethon seemeth most ignorant saying that the shepheards were driuen out of Egypt for some natural foule filthie disease as leprosie which the Israelites had affirming that Moses was an Egyptian borne in the citie of Heliopolis and that he was named Onarsiphus and became leprous and then went to the Israelites which euery where Manethon nameth Hicsos shepheards or captiues and became conuersant with them and was driuen out of Egypt with them In the beginning of this Aegyptus raigne Moses died after whom succeeded Iosua the second Iudge of Israel This time raigned in Assyria Amintes their 19. king Also Dionysius otherwise Bacchus whom the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subdued India and builded a towne after his owne name called Nisa in remembrance of his great victories that he had ouer the Indians Now succeeded in Egypt Myris or Moeris as Herodotus doth call him this king restored Egypt againe and recouered strength and great power and builded many notable and famous monuments worthy to be remembred he brought the riuer Nilus being out of hope to be repaired in course againe he made the lake Miris of such wonderfull bignes that he farre excelled the rest of the kings before him This Myris made the Labirinths of Egypt which after Dedalus taking an example of those Labirinths made the like in Creete imitating Myris in all points he builded such monuments for Vulcan in Egypt as Herodotus calleth them Digna Vulcano vestibula where you may reade more This king raigned fourtie yeeres in Egypt and had a sonne succeeded him of no lesse fame then himselfe named Sesostris of whom the priestes of Egypt spake much he began to augment the kingdome of Egyyt with diuers victories ouer the Syrians Phoenicians Thracians Scithians and the most part of Asia This king onely conquered Aethiopia and was king proclaimed both of Egypt and Aethiopia this king waxed strong on land and sea he made more monuments of his victories in diuers strange kingdoms leauing behinde him his statues and Images erected vp in forraine countreys some of them Herodotus doeth affirme to haue seene in his dayes which liued about Xerxes time one he saw in Palestina cut in a large stone with letters written round about his picture And about Ionia he saw two statues or pictures of this king Sesostris the one betweene Ionia and the citie of Ephâ—…sus the other as men goe from Sardinia into Smirna he was cut in two great high stones of fiue cubites length holding in his right hand a speare and in the left hande a bow being in all points of his apparell armed like an Egyptian with this sentence written betweene his two shoulders in the Egyptian tongue I haue caried this Countrey vpon my shoulders Some take these statues to be Memnon but the priestes of Egypt affirmed that it was Sesostris in his returne from his victories into Egypt euen he that caried kings captiues bound to his chariot from towne to towne from countrey to countrey In Aethopia and Egypt he had many of these pictures and many statues set vpon pillars and arches according to the maner of Egyptian triumphes This king was so honoured in Egypt and his statues after his death so esteemed that wheÌ„ Darius Histaspis long after that time came into Egypt being by his predecessor Cambyses conquered brought into subiection vnder the Persians yet he was not suffred by the priests of Vulcan to put his statue aboue the picture of Sesostris in Memphis affirming that Sesostris had conquered as many countreis and gotten as many victories as Darius had and beside Sesostris had ouerthrowne the strong and inuincible Scithians which Darius neuer could which speaches Darius tooke in good part and would not reuenge though well he might This Sesostris is named in Functius table Amenophis imitating Manethon the Egyptian writer where he is set downe to be the thirde in that gouernment Dynastia Larthes is a name likewise of dignitie as were Pharaos before the gouernours and potentats for in the first gouernment of Larthes which endured 194. yeres Zetus was the first as Manethon affirmeth and raigned 55. yeres After Zetus succeeded in this kinde of gouernment Ranses Larthes which gouerned 66. yeres after whom succeeded this king Sesostris the thirde Larthes which raigned 40. yeeres The fourth Larthes was named Phero the sonne of this Sesostris of which I spake last Herodotus reciteth a historie of this Phero that it happened to him to become blinde and so continued 11. yeeres at what time he was instructed by the oracle of Butis to finde out a temperat chaste woman which had neuer knowen carnalitie but onely one man and that hee should wash his eyes with this womans vrine and hee should receiue againe his sight This Phero Larthes making great speach and search for such a woman after many vaine trials he found one woman whose vrine healed him whom after he had his sight hee maried and caused all those women whose water could not helpe him to bee brought into the citie called Rubragleba red clay where both they and the citie were commaunded by the king to be burned After this Phero Larthes succeeded Thuoris the fift and last Larthes of those Potentates this king is named in Diodorus Cetes which the Greekes as Melancthon saith called Proteus for diuers illusions which he vsed in magicke whose temple was long seene after his death in Memphis To this king came Paris Priamus sonne at what time hee rauished Helen Menelaus wife from Sparta to Greece and was driuen of force into Egypt of his hard welcome there and of the kings-commandement to Alexander to depart from Egypt with threatning of death vnlesse he would be gone within three dayes with all Grecians with him sauing that the king stayed Helen in Egypt where Menelaus came after the siege of Troy and was honourably receiued by Proteus the king and welcoÌ„med of his wife Helen Others write that Menelaus and Helen went both together after Troy was destroyed by force of tempest into
Egypt it is not much materiall Nowe while these fiue potentats called Larthes raigned in Egypt which continued for the space of one hundreth ninetie and foure yeres it began in the second Iubilee at what time Lamprides the two and twentieth king raigned in Egypt and Tros the third king raigned in Troy Proteus the thirteenth king raigned ouer the Argiues and Shamgar iudged Israel This gouernment of Larthes ended when Tautanes the 28. king of the Assyrians raigned and when Abdon the twelfth Iudge iudged Israel After this gouernment of Larthes Manethon writeth of another kinde of Potentats which continued 177. yeeres whom Functius followeth and reciteth not one king that raigned in Egypt during that time but hee rehearseth who flourished most and who gouerned chiefly in Chaldea Assyria and in other kingdoms and maketh no mention of any king in Egypt during 177. yeeres and therefore I will returne to Herodotus whom Melancthon doeth followe in this and write of those kings orderly as I finde them this kinde of Potentats began three hundreth and thirtie yeeres after Israel departed out of Egypt About which time Troy was destroyed by the Grecians about tenne yeeres before the sixt Iubilee and in the seuenth yeere of Thuoris king of Egypt otherwise called Proteus The kingdome of the Latines began this time when that Aeneas with his sonne Ascanius after Troy was destroyed came to king Latinus where raigned fiue kings before Aeneas came by the name of kings of the Latines of whom I wrote in that historie But now to the kings of Egypt for after that Proteus died the kingdome happened to Rampsinitus a king of the greatest wealth that euer raigned in Egypt whose treasures were such that he inuented to build some strong place for his treasure and hauing cunning and subtile workemen to builde this worke one of them perceiuing the infinite treasure that the king should put there made a stone of that bignesse that two men might remoue it and likewise of that length bredth that a man might creepe well through the place of that stone being thence remooued Before this fellowe died he opened to his two sonnes howe they might haue treasure ynough in remouing such a stone which he for that purpose had made When he had taught them in all points to know this stone and how to bring their purpose to passe he died and they practised the fathers counsel and found as their father told them twise or thrise In continuance of time the king also found that much of his treasure was taken away he inuented by some policie the next time to preuent them engines and snares were layd for them in the which one of the two brothers being taken fast called for his other brother and willed him to cut off his head lest hee should be knowen thereby and so likewise lose his life This being done the king came the next time into his treasurie and found a dead man without a head and musing much who it should be deuised in this sort that this body should be hanged vpon some gibbet with men to watch and to see who would weepe and who should take him away The mother of this dead man within a while after threatned her sonne that vnlesse he would bury his brother she would reueile vnto the king the whole matter he also to please his mother deuised to saue himself inuented meanes to make the watchmen drunken and tooke his brother from the tree the watchmen being asleepe after returned to the watchmen fained himselfe drunken and to haue slept with them The king perceiuing that he was deceiued punished the watchmen mused how he might know how these things came to passe or who should take him away then he inuented this policie hauing only one daughter he promised she should lye with any man in the kings house that could tel any likenes of this matter or any els within Egypt and should be his wife afterward Euery man was willing to haue the kings daughter to wife but none could aduertise her howe these things were done The thiefe at length that robbed the king of his treasure that did cut his brothers head in the treasurie and after deceiued the kings watch and stole him from the gibbet he thought once againe to trie his skill for a kings daughter he went to his brother late dead and cut off his hand and caried it vnder his cloake and went into a darke chamber into the kings daughter as the custome was and tolde her the whole matter how it was that he did all things robd the king kild his brother made the watchmen drunken and buried his brother She hearing this layd hand vpon him in the chamber and seeking his hand in the darke to lead him to her father hee secretly conueyed the dead mans hand into her hand and conueyed himselfe away and she thought that she had him by the hand all the way as she went to her father vntil she came to the light and saw she was deceiued The king being deceiued three times before made a general decree throughout all Egypt making good his promise by an othe that he should marry his daughter whosoeuer he was if he would come vnto the king and confesse his faults for the king was amazed at these great enterprises for saith the king Rampsinitus the Egyptians in trueth excell all other nations in policie and wit but this passeth all the Egyptians and therefore the king married his daughter vnto this cunning thiefe as to a man of great knowledge and wisdome After this king Rampsinitus died succeeded Cheops a king of great wickednesse during this kings time Egypt so mourned that their temples were shut their sacrifices stayed and all Egypt by this king put to toyle and slauerie almost in the like state as the poore Hebrewes were in Moses time carying great huge stones to builde monstrous and vaine workes hee had a hundreth thousande men to make vp one Piramides who continued in this worke twentie yeeres the charges thereof as Herodotus affirmeth for rootes garlicke and onions onely beside all other meate came to one thousand six hundreth talents of siluer so that the worke being great the people many Cheops thereby fel to want and hauing not to perfourme his worke forced his daughter by her body to gaine as much as she could to finish the worke begun but she for a memoriall of her selfe sought of euery man a stone she had therby so many stones as she her selfe caused an other Piramides to be made equall to the highest This foolish king as it is thought to auoyde idlenes amongst the people occupied them in these vaine and monstrous workes as places and sepulchres for kings burials for vntill the time of Rampsinitus all things prospered in Egypt This Cheops after he had raigned 50. yeeres died after whom succeeded his brother named Cephrim a king no lesse hateful
table from Osiris which was that first Pharao vnto the last Pharao named Amasis 1 The first king of Egypt Amasis named Pharao 25. yeeres 2 The second king was Chebron which reigned 13. yeeres 3 After whom reigned Amenophis 21. yeeres 4 Then Mephres reigned 12. yeeres 5 Mispharmutosis 26. yeres 6 Thutemosis reigned 9. yeeres 7 Amenophis the 2. of that name reigned 31. this king made a lawe that assoone as any Hebrewe shoulde bee borne he should be drowned in the riuer of Nilus 8 Orus surnamed the great reigned 38. 9 Acengeres reigned 12. yeres in this kings time the kingdome of Athens began by Cecrops 10 Achorus reigned 9. yeeres 11 Cenchres reigned 16. yeres this was that Pharao that resisted God and contraried Moses sent from God for the deliuerance of his people at what time the tenne great plagues happened in Egypt and after the ouerthrowe of the king and the whole kingdome in the red Sea After that Israel had left Egypt and the King and all his Nobles and peeres and forces were drowned in the redde sea these many kings reigned that helde still the names of Pharoes as 12 Acheres reigned king 8. yeeres 13 Cheres reigned fifteene yeeres 14 Armeus which is also Danaus 5. yeeres 15 Ramesses surnamed Egyptus reigned 68. yeeres after whose name the land before called Oceana Mizreia or Oseriana was called Egypt 16 Menophis of some named Miris reigned 40. yeeres this made the first Labirinth for his buriall in Egypt whose patterne was by Dedalus caried into Creete 17 Zetus reigned fiftie fiue yeeres 18 Ranses reigned sixtie sixe yeeres 19 Amenophis the third of that name reigned fourtie yeeres 20 Amenophis the fourth of that name reigned twentie yeeres 21 Thuoris reigned seuen yeeres the fiue last kinges gouerned by the names of fiue Larthes during whose time endured that kinde of gouernment called Dynasteia Larthum for a hundred ninetie foure yeeres After succeeded another Dynastie which endured a hundred seuentie seuen yeeres during which time Functius named no king in his table but were ruled with Gouernours in euery principalitie of Egypt as Sanhedrin with the Iewes or Amphictions with the Grecians 22 Then succeeded Smendes to whom Ieroboam fledde which in the Scripture is called Sesach hee reigned 26. yeeres 23 Pseusenses reigned fourtie one yeeres 24 Nepher Cheres 4 yeeres 25 Amenophis the 5. reigned 9. yeeres 26 Osochorus reigned 6. yeres 27 Spinaces 9. yeeres 28 Pseusennes 35. yeeres 29 Cheopes reigned 50. yeres 30 Cephenes reigned 56. Eusebius saith that after Cephenes Seustoris reigned in this Cephenes time began the kingdom of Macedonia 31 Micerinus Chcopes sonne reigned sixe yeeres 32 Asichis reigned 6. yeeres 33 Sabachus reigned 50. 34 Spethon reigned 33. After these thirtie foure kings the kingdome of Egypt was gouerned by twelue Magistrates of equall authoritie which ruled the realme of Egypt for fifteene yeeres After these twelue Magistrates had ended their time of fifteene yeeres one of the twelue named Psameticus reigned fiftie foure yeeres Then Necho reigned seuenteene yeeres this king slue Iosias in Mageddo was himselfe slaine by Nabuchodonosor After Necho reigned Spamnus sixe yeeres After Spamnus Apries and after Apries reigned Amasis the last of the name of the Pharaos Eusebius setteth these kings downe in another sort and addeth some other names which I omit to auoide tediousnesse Many things I omit willingly which the olde Egyptians vsed for as we hang at our doores signes of beastes fowles and fishes that strangers might know our houses the Egyptians vsed those signes at their eares that by the markes and figures of such beasts foules fish as they had at their eares they might knowe of what qualitie or condition they were For if an Egyptian did excell in running he should haue the figure of an hare hanged at his eare if he were slouthfull and heauie he should be marked with a Crocodile if he were liberal and franke he should haue the picture of an open hand at his eare if he were couetous he had hanged at his eare a close hand shut if hee were quicke of hearing the picture ofa Serpent if he were iust honest he had the likenes of an eye at his eare if hee were craftie and subtill the figure of a foxe if enuious of an eele and so of the rest The chiefe Cities and great Townes of olde Egypt were thus named 1 Memphis 2 Sais 3 Bubastis 4 Thebes 5 Papremos 6 Butis 7 Leontina 8 Elephantina 9 Alexandria 10 Heliopolis with many others These are the names of all the ancient kings of Egypt that I could find and for that I neither foūd them in Manethon Eusebius Diodorus nor in Herodot orderly set downe I haue cōferred the state gouernment of the potētates called Dynastia Egyptiorum haue as nigh as I could placed them for it cannot bee in such antiquities but many errors happen as I haue sundrie times said of the Chaldeans Assyrians Scithians Egyptians and other auncient nations whereof no mention is made in the sacred histories neither can bee made truely in prophane histories for that nothing was knowen to prophane writers before Cirus time or rather after Alexander the great at what time prophane Historiographers beganne to recorde antiquities and thus much vntill Cambyses who was the first conquerour of Egypt by whom the Persians had gouernment ouer Egypt a hundred thirtie fiue yeeres vntill the reigne of Darius Ochus for in the sixt yeere of this king the Egyptians reuoulted and these many kings afrer reigned in Egypt 1 Amirtes Saites reigned 6. yeeres 2 Nepherites reigned sixe yeeres 3 Achoris reigned twelue yeeres 4 Nectanabus reigned 18. 5 Nepherites one yeere 6 Mectanabus againe reigned 18. yeeres this was the last before the comming of Alexander the great CHAP. IIII. Of the second conquest of Egypt by Alexander the great of their kings afterward called Ptolomeis vntill the time of Caesar Augustus by whom all Egypt was last conquered and made a Prouince subiect to the Romane Empire THe Egyptians as you heard hauing great warres first with the Assyrians and after by the Persians vntill Cambyses time by whom they were made to pay tribute vnto the Kings of Persia vntill they waxed strong againe that they reuoulted from the Persians in the time of Darius Nothus vntill by many sharpe battailes they were againe by Ochus the eight king of Persia vanquished who vsed in Egypt great crueltie so that the later kings of Egypt were for eight and thirtie yeeres vnder the Persians but after that the Persians were vanquished and their Monarchie taken from Persia into Macedonia by Alexander the great the Egyptians willingly yeelded themselues to Alexander as to a second conquerour hee vsed them with great clemencie permitting them to haue their former liberties and lawes appointed ouer them certaine Magistrates of the Grecians called Nomarchas and ouer them two Superuisors called Episcopi to see that none of the aforesaid Magistrates
seuerall battels yet they gaue him diuers repulses and such ouerthrowes as Antonius was most willing to let them alone and to depart from them whome they followed in his returne at the hard heeles to his great losse and shame This made Phrahartes king of Parthia so proude that Antonius the great Romane tooke his flight from Parthia that hee vsed such murther and tyrannie in his Countrie that his owne subiects threwe him out of his countrie and kingdome and placed in his seate Tiridates to bee king vntill Phrahartes after hee had beene thus banished was ayded by the king of Scythia to bee restored vnto his kingdome againe Then Tiridates hearing that the Scythians came with a great armie to restore Phrahartes he fledde into Spaine vnto Octauius Caesar thither likewise did Phrahartes send Embassadors when Caesar had heard both the parties the complaintes of the banished king Phrahartes and the request of Tiridates saying that Parthia was fitte to be subiect to the Romane Empire affirming also that if it should please Caesar to substitute him lieutenant vnder the Romanes in Parthia that he would with all Parthia holde with Rome Notwithstanding Caesar vsed in this great clemencie both wisdome and iustice he commaunded that Phrahartes sonne shoulde bee king in Parthia and that Tiridates if it pleased him should continue in Rome vpon Caesars charges vntill his returne from Spaine at which time Caesar hauing occasion after he came home to Rome from Spaine to go to Syria and to dispose of those kingdomes which his predecessours had conquered in the East countries and to set all things in order he charged then that Phrahartes should make no warres against the Parthians promising that hee and his posteritie should gouerne Parthia vnder the Romanes willing and commanding him and the king his sonne to send those ensignes to Rome which Marcus Crassus lost at Parthia and cōmanded them to be true friends to the Romanes The fortune of this Caesar was such that he could then cōmand with a word more then Antonius who sought it with blowes or Crassus that sought it with his death This Caesar afterward called Augustus brought parthia to be a prouince vnto the Romanes and ended without warres which other could not do with warres Thus the kingdome of Parthia which beganne in the hundred thirtie three Olympiad and ended in the beginning of the Monarchie of Augustus Caesar in the hundred eightie eight Olympiad after hee had conquered his friend Marcus Antonius There reigned in Parthia eleuen kings whose names are here vnder written 1 Arsaces the first king by whom the kinges of Parthia were all called Arsaces 2 Mithridates the second king of Parthia 3 Pampatius the third king of Parthia 4 Pharnaces the fourth king of Parthia 5 Mithridates the fift king of Parthia 6 Phrahartes the sixt king of Parthia 7 Artabanus the seuenth king of Parthia 8 Mithridates the great the eight king of Parthia and sonne to Artabanus 9 Horodes the ninth king of Parthia 10 Phrahartes the tenth king of Parthia 11 The eleuenth and last king of Parthia sonne to Phrahartes and supposed to be called Phrahartes after his fathers name OF THE ANTIQITIE OF Media of the originall of their Kings and of their common wealth gouernment and continuance THough the Assyrians the Chaldeans and the Egyptians were conquered by the Persians yet I wil touch the historie of Media before I handle Persia for that the Medes likewise were made subiect vnto the Persiās for al these kingdoms came at length to Cyrus hand For as the kingdome of Media began atone time with the newe kingdome of Assyria after Sardanapalus time so they ended about one time and both these kingdomes by Cyrus taken vnto Persia and euen so of Lydia the next historie to this was also by the Persians subdued of the which also I meane briefely to speake before I handle Persia for so the course of time and the order of the histories doe require but now of the Medes For Strabo in the description of the kingdome of Media sayth that Parthia is bordered vpon the East side of Media and on the South it is inhabited with people called Cadusij and as Strabo writeth it hath other nations dwelling about the Sea of Hircania the riuer Halis as Herodote doth write is the Confines of both Media and Lydia And hee sayth further that the Medes were called Arij before and then long after that Medea came from Cholchos vnto Athens from Athens vnto this people then called Arij changed the name of the countrey after her owne name Media whō the Greekes called after that Medi by the name of Medea but otherwayes confirmed by Iosephus and by Zonaras in his first booke who say that Medi had their originall from Madai the sonne of Iaphet and of him as Melancthon sayth named Madei first and after of the Greekes called Medi. There were many Townes in Media first builded by the Macedonians inhabited by the Grccians as Laodicea Apannia Rhaga which Nicanor builded The Medes in times past florished a kingdome that gouerned many Countries and had vnder their Empire the most part of Asia vntill the Persians vanquished the Assyrians by king Cyrus which Cyrus afterwarde subdued the Medes and brought both Assyria and Media vnto the Empire of Persia. The chiefe Pallace of the kings of Media is called Eobatana where the kings of Media kept their Court euery winter Herodote which wrote his historie in the time of Xerxes sayth that after the Medes had conquered the Assyrians the Medes had no kings of long time after but euery Citie by popular state was then gouerned vntill Deiocis time who being wise and withall very ambitious plausible in his speach and gentle in his dealings wanne the peoples hearts to affect him much who by secrete meanes aspiring to the kingdome hauing many great friendes by councell to further him and with power to aide him vntill by common consent of the whole Estate hee was chosen King in the fourtie fiue yeere after the building of Rome and in the seuenth yeere of Numa Pompilius reigne the second king of Rome in the eighteene Olympiad For after that Arbaces then chiefe Gouernour of the Medes had ioyned in friendshippe with Bellochus lieutenant of Babylon and both conspired as you heard before in the historie of the Assyrians against Sardanapalus whom after they had with three or foure battels conquered the Assyrians with their Empire was translated vnto the Medes by Arbaces which Medes yet had no king created but were ruled and gouerned by Arbaces as Babylon was by Bellochus Nowe after that Arbaces had gouerned the Medes twentie eight yeeres at what time Procas Siluius reigned king ouer the Latines and at Athens Thespeius liued their tenth Iudge after their kings It is written that one Phidon of Argiue found about this time the vse of measures and weights This Arbaces began to reigne ouer the Medes
fourtie two yeeres before the Olympiads at the which time the kingdome of Macedonia began so that the Medes Macedonians began fourtie two yeeres before the Lydians and the Lydians twentie foure yeeres before the Romanes Ctesias a great antiquarie of the Persians who wrote in Artaxerxes time presently after Herodot saith that after Arbaces time a sonne of his succeeded him named Madanes who reigned 50. yeres and then followed Sosarmus which reigned 30. yeeres after him succeeded Aristeus who held long warres with the Cadusians by whom he was at length slaine but before he died he cōmanded by will that the Medes should neuer be in league with the Cadusians but with sworde and fire to persecute them vntill they were brought subiect vnto the Medes After the death of this Aristeus reigned in Media Artines 22. yeeres after him Artelanus gouerned the Medes fourtie yeeres in whose time the Parthians were subdued and brought vnder the Empire of the Medes after they had yelded them selues and the Countrey vnto the king of Saca which king both he and his Countrey after two yeeres great warres had betweene them and the Medes were vanquished both they and the Parthians when the Medes had brought the king of Parthia and the king of Saca vnder the yoke of Media at what time Artabanus reigned king ouer the Medes after whom succeeded Astiages which with some writers is named Apanda This was the last king of Media which was conquered both he his countrey by Cyrus king of Persia whose historie is at large set foorth in the Empire of Persia Diodorus with others which write of these kings as Herodot and Ctesias Great cōtrouersie there is betweene writers about the kings of Media of their succession of their reigne and of their gouernments though Strabo and Pomponius Mela doe fully describe the situation of Media yet the best Chronographers varie much of their gouernment Iustinus affirmeth that the Medes reigned 350. yeres others say 304. making their computations from Sardanapalus time whom the Medes conquered vntil the time of Cyrus by whom the Medes were vanquished so long the Empire stood Againe they vary much in the names of their kings for as I named from Arbases the first king vntill Astiages the last king and the ninth king of the Medes so some againe after this sort doe set downe the lynes of the kings of Media After Arbases reigned Sosarmus the second king of Media he reigned thirtie yeeres at what time reigned in Egypt a king of singular wisedome very courteous and gentle much commended of Herodot for many rare vertues named of Functius Osorus and of Eusebius Nicerinus About this time was Achas king of Iuda borne and Coenus the second king of Macedonia beganne with Sosarmus the second king of Media to reigne Marke the order of time for both the Macedonians and the Medes at one time began their kingdomes euen then the Lacedemonians ended their kingdomes for so God worketh by order of nature and time The Peloponesians the Athenians were so plagued one of another by continuall ciuill warres the slaughter so great on both sides the warres so long as men cōquered on neither parties yeelded at last vnto necessitie and were forced to forsake the fields to withdraw themseles from destroying of both their coūtries for the warres that was betweene the Athenians the Lacedemonians frō time to time was the ouerthrow of all Greece the cause arysing frō so little a quarell as hereafter shal be mentioned in the historie of Greece While these warres endured in Greece Romulus and Rhemus were borne and the third king of Media beganne to gouerne the Medes his name was Medidus in the first Olympiad at which time the king of Tyre which was named Elulaeus as Menander testifieth a writer of their owne Chronicles was besieged by Salmanassar king of Assyria who after he hee had spoiled Phoenicia Samaria he turned his force against Tyre After great slaughter he tooke Sidon Arce and Paletire with many other Cities from the king of Tyre and brought the spoyle thereof vnto Niniue And yet sayth Menander for all his victorie he was the second time discomfited his Nauies so scattered that fiue hundred of his best souldiers were taken by the Cananites and by the king of Tyre whereat Salmanassar waxed full of wrath and commaunded his souldiers to stoppe all conduites and all passages of waters that for fiue yeeres they were forced to digge out water and to make welles and springes to susteine themselues withall and this historie is written in the Chronicles of Tyre About this time liued that good and learned Poete Archimus that wrote of the warres of Troy Coelius king of the Thuscans ayded Romulus the first king of Rome with men and money against the people called Cennienses and the Antenates of this kings name mount Coelius one of the seuen hilles of Rome was called Plutarch sayth that Numa Pompilius the second king of Rome was borne about this time and in the twentie eight yeere of the third king of the Medes was that wicked king Sancherib with his horrible blasphemies with a hundred foure score fiue thousand of his souldiers slaine by the Angel of the Lord. After this Medidus the third king of Media had reigned fourtie yeeres succeeded him Cardiceas the fourth king who reigned thirteene yeeres During this kings gouernment the Empire of Assyria was brought by Merodach the sonne of Baladan vnto Babylon where Merodach reigned fourtie yeeres the first king of Babylon Nowe in Iudea gouerned a wicked king a great idolater a murtherer of the Prophetes and a most contemptuous despiser of God This Manasses filled all Ierusalem with blood hee martyred Esai the Prophet commaunding him to bee cutte in two pieces with a sawe for the which tyrannie God gaue him ouer to the handes of the Babylonians In Ethiop reigned about this time a king named Tarachus of whome Iosephus maketh mention that hee came to ayde Spethon king of Egypt against Senaherib in the sixteenth Olympiad About this time Nicomedia was builded Gela a Towne of Sicilia and Phaselis a Towne in Pamphilia were likewise builded All this while the Medes had no king crowned nor allowed but as a supreme Gouernour of all Media but were as you heard from Arbaces time vntill this time gouerned by a Magistrate or chiefe Gouernment euen vntill Deiocis which was the chiefe gouernour and the first king for Arbaces Sosarmus Medidus Cardiceas these foure were but gouernours though for order sake they were named kings CHAP. II. Of the first King of Media of their gouernment lawes and continuance from Deiocis vntill Astyages the last King of the Medes BVt Deiocis nowe after hee had gouerned wisely and discreetely the Medes hee through his owne pollicie and his friends councell became the first King by consent and by election When he
all countreis and became the only kingdom of force power whose fame and renowne was spread ouer the whole world After him succeeded Ciaxares the 7. king of the Medes this passed all the kings of Media before him and obscured the fame of his predecessors this king is named in Daniel Darius Medus as Melancthon doeth note This was he that subdued Asia and deuided Asia into nations countreys prouinces and kingdoms and the first among the Medes that deuised spearemen bowmen and horsemen and taught the Medes many warlicke feates he vanquished all the regions about Media and gathered all the force hee could against the Lydians and after brought all his armies ouer the riuer Halis and went to reuenge his fathers death Phaortes vpon the Assyrians besieged Niniue and as Eusebius testifieth he tooke the citie of Niniue and conquered the most part of Assyria except Babylon and fewe prouinces about Babylon It is written in Ruffinus that while Ciaxares layed siege to Niniue Madies king of Scythia came with great power against this Ciaxares with whom he encountred and put him to the worst scattered his armie and wan the field and remoued their siege frō Niniue in so much that the Scythians ruled gouerned al Asia for 28. yeres but afterward slaine and ouerthrowen by the Medes About this time Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon layed siege to Ierusalem tooke Zedekias the king burned the citie and destroyed the temple and the most part of the best Iewes were caried captiue into Babylon where Ezechiel began to prophecie both against Egypt and Babylon where likewise he prophecied the rebuilding of Ierusalem and the restoring of the Iewes after 70. yeres captiuitie There folowed in Media Astiages the 8. and last king of the Medes who raigned ouer the Medes 35. yeeres hauing onely one daughter named Mandanes of this her father thought so wel that he iudged no man among the Medes worthy of his daughter but gaue her in mariage to Cambyses king of Persia which then payed tribute vnto the Medes and were broght vnder their monarchie by cōquest Now Astiages the king being in his town Ecbatana dreamed of his daughter Mādanes in this sort he thought in his dreame that his daughter made so much water at one time as filled al the streets of the city Ecbatana that it did ouerflow all Asia who when he awaked mused much at this dreame fearing the successe thereof tooke order with one Harpagus a friend of his that when his daughter Mādanes should be brought to bed the child should presently be killed This cōmandement of the king troubled Harpagus insomuch that he himself detested so foule an act caused one named Mitridates a heardman of Astiages to come to his house to whō he imparted the kings cōmandement charging him to take the child and to bring him to some place where the childe might die to auoyde the displeasure of the king This poore man obeying Harpagus tooke the child delighted much in his fauour thinking in his heart that he was of some great parentage tooke it with him and hauing that time by his wife a childe borne dead hee tooke it and made as though it were Cambyses sonne buried him in a desart place and cōmanded his wife to bring vp Cyrus as her owne childe Now when Harpagus was throughly certified that Cyrus was killed buried by this his trusty friēd who saw the place where the dead childe was buried supposing it to be Cyrus Harpagus therof was very glad told the king that in al things his cōmandement was executed The king was merie al things very quiet and he doubted nothing While this Astiages was lustie and frolike Cyrus grew in the meane while to some stature being about tenne yeeres of age hauing some cause to be brought before Astyages he had some impression in his head and conceiued by imagination considering the time that Cyrus should haue bene killed and the age of Cyrus then present hee beganne to examine the matter with Harpagus and Harpagus with Midridates vntill the trueth was found Astiages being much disquieted with this Harpagus was troubled in minde fearing some mischance should happen vnto him by the meanes of this Cyrus of whom he dreamed as you heard commaunded him out of his sight and to goe vnto Persia to his father Cambyses and to his mother Mandanes and there vpon his allegeance to stay Cyrus began to feele his stomacke being very young to be very great yet for that time he obeyed the king and went to Persia where he consulted with Harpagus about the recouerie of the kingdome of Media For when Cyrus had heard how that Astiages had commaunded Harpagus to kill him and to haue him out of the way hee thought now being in yeeres fully to reuenge the said wrong he gathered his power together and had his souldiers in armes and was ready with his force to march against Astiages The bruite and great report of Cyrus preparation came to the eares of king Astiages who not being therewith a little frighted sent messengers vnto Cyrus commanding him vpon his allegeance to repaire to king Astiages To whom answere was made by Cyrus that Astiages should see Cyrus before hee wished to see him and that Cyrus would come before Astiages would haue him to come This answere of Cyrus being giuen to the king he straight commanded all Media to be in armes and with great hast with no lesse feare made his souldiers readie Nowe Harpagus hauing determined to flee from his charge being generall of the Medes vnto Cyrus When both the armies came to ioyne in battell Harpagus perfourmed promise with Cyrus forsooke the Medes and came to the Persians This first battell by reason of Harpagus and diuers noble men more of Media which reuolted was ouerthrowen by Cyrus Astiages againe gathered his force renewed his armie and came in field himselfe being general in person against Cyrus where hee was with all his souldiers ouerthrowen and his kingdome taken from him and the Empire of Media which before gouerned Persia is nowe againe brought by Cyrus vnto Persia. This was the vncertaine state of the worlde then sometime conquerours and sometime straight conquered as before you haue read of Assyria and Chaldea sometimes the Assyrians mastered the Chaldeans and againe the Chaldeans ouercame the Assyrians and so of the Medes and of the Persians for now the Persians are become lords of Media Lydia Chaldea Assyria all Asia and the most part of the East which the Medes hitherto for the space of an hundreth and thirtie yeres gouerned Asia about the riuer Halis Thus Media after it had in all continued three hundreth and fiftie yeeres from Sardanapalus vntill Cyrus time by Cyrus was ouerthrowen in the thirtie and fifte yeere of the raigne of Astiages two hundreth yeeres after the building of Rome at what time
Tarquinius Priscus was the first king of Rome This time ruled in Lydia Cressus which within foureteene yeere after was likewise vanquished by Cyrus and his kingdome translated vnto Persia. It is in Zonaras and in Iosephus otherwise written about Cyrus and Astiages they affirme that Cyaxeres was the sonne of Astiages this was of Daniel called Darius Medus of Iosephus Zonaras Zenophon and others This was vncle vnto Cyrus and heire vnto Astiages hee together with Cyrus gouerned for a time afterwarde hauing but one daughter he bequethed his daughter and the kingdome vnto Cyrus his nephew his sisters sonne who was married vnto Cambyses While this Cyaxeres liued he honoured much Daniel and had him in great reuerence Herodotus writeth in the historie of Cyrus and sayeth that Cyrus married Cassandanes the daughter of Pharnaspis so doeth Zenophon and so doeth Zonaras write The Egyptians affirme that Cyrus married a wife in Egypt and by her got Cambyses ◅but howe foeuer Chronographers agree it is certaine that hee beganne a monarchie vpon the conquering of Lydia and Media as shall bee more at large written in the historie of Persia. The Medes fed on fruites Ex amigdalis tostis panes ex malis siccis ac tritis massas conficiunt They make their drinke of certaine rootes and they vse wilde beastes and wilde fowles for their foode for they nourish no tame beast And this is the propertie of the Medes and of their king to haue as many wiue's as they woulde they might not haue vnder seuen And so their women thought it a great praise and fame to haue many husbands but they might not liue without fiue husbands as Strabo doeth write in his eleuenth Booke OF THE ANTIQVITIE OF Lydia of the originall of their Kings and of their common wealth and gouernment THE kingdome of Lydia being before called as Herodotus writeth Maeonia beganne to take name of one Lydus the sonne of Artis but that seemeth to be fabulous as Herodotus is in many of his histories Lydia is named of Lud the fourth sonne of Sem as Iosephus Zonaras and Philo Iudaeus affirme This countrey is situate in this sort it hath Eastward Phrigia on the Southside Caria and on the Northside Misia as both Strabo and Plinie affirme The riuer Meander runneth through Lydia and compasseth the most part of Lydia Eusebius in his histories faith that the kingdome of Lydia beganne in the first Olympiad and in the beginning of the 14. Iubilee about which time Romulus the first king and builder of Rome was borne of whose birth as Dionysius and Plutarch write many strange things are read Lydia was before Rome 24. yeres and after the destruction of Troy 405 yeeres When I speake of the Romanes and of their kingdome you shall haue it fully set downe The kings of Lydia the kings of Rome and the kings of Media are almost of one time for assoone as the Medes began to set vp their kingdome the Assyrians which gouerned so long all the East part of the worlde decayed Likewise the Lacedemonians ended their gouernment and their kings failed in Alcanes time the ninth king of the Lacedemonians at which time the Macedemonians elected their first king called Cranaus so some countreys nations and kingdomes beginne others ende some rise and some fall as time giueth them licence by Gods appointment But nowe of the kings of Lydia where I finde in Eusebius their first king to be named Arsidius this Functius doeth call Ardisus at what time iudged the Athenians Aesculus the twelft Iudge of Athens after the kings who had gouerned from Cecrops their first king which began in Moses time vntill Codrus the last king of Athens which ended his kingdome in the time of Dauid where raigned that while 17. kings When Arsidius raigned in Lydia Ioathan was king in Iudea and in Samaria Pecah the 17. king of Israel These people of Lydia were first very warlike stoute and a couragious nation but Cyrus brake their backs and compelled them to be caupones institores as Iustine saith to leaue off armes for that oftentimes they rebelled against Cyrus and to vse such trafiques as were of the meanest credit hereby these stoute and strong nations before came now by Cyrus pollicie to be very idle and slouthfull whereby they inuented many vnthriftie games diuers playes at dice tenise and such like and hauing nothing to doe neither durst they doe any thing for feare of Cyrus they fell as Plinie saith to exercise Artes ludicras lenocinia and so became from a strong and stoute people the most slouthfull and idle people of the world Budaeus thinketh that this region Lydia is now called Anatolia after Arsidius had raigned in Lydia 36. yeeres succeeded him Aliagtes the second king of the Lydians at the which time grew great warres of twentie yeeres continuance betweene the Lacedemonians and the Messanians the cause thereof you shall reade in Orosius Catina a citie in Sicilia at this time was builded and Messana one of the chiefest cities of the Messanians was taken then by the Lacedemonians Now raigned in Rome Romulus the first king in Phrygia Mydas in Egypt Sacalion and in Macedonia Perdicas the fourth king of that countrey of whom Herodotus doth set forth how he from a meane state became king of the Macedonians Titus Liuius writeth and so doeth Dionysius that Romulus about this time did triumph ouer the Sabines whose warres continued two yeeres with whom after hee had furnished Rome with the spoyles of the Sabines and had taken their daughters and virgins by force to the nomber of 683. he suffred Tacius Sabinus at that time king of the Sabines to gouerne with him in Rome fiue yeeres at which time the citie of Rome was much increased and more amplified by adding thereunto Mount Coelius and Mount Quirinal Now ruled in Iudea Ezechias about the 12. Olympiad and the 15. Iubilee There fell about this time in Athens a thirde alteration of their gouernment after this sort After their 17. kings gouernment then gouerned in Athens Iudges to the nomber of 13. After the Iudges there was another state agreed vpō that euery 10. yeeres there should be a new magistrate in Athens and they were called Decennales principes and this gouernment endured 70. yeres which was the whole time of 7. princes and then againe changed vnto a popular state But let vs returne to the kings of Lydia the historie that I haue in hande After that this Aliagtes had raigned 14. yeeres he died and Meles succeeded him the thirde king of the Lydians of whom Herodotus doeth make mention that he was the first that triumphed ouer the people called Sardei This Meles had a bastard borne vnto him a stoute man a great souldiour and so great that he with his posteritie ruled the Sardeans vntil Cyrus time In this Meles time
were the Camerines subdued hauing once or twise before reuolted against the Romanes ouer whom Romulus the second time triumphed their cities taken and their countrey made a prouince to the Romanes By this time the people of Vienna mooued warres against Romulus but being ouerthrowen Romulus made his third and last triumph of these three triumphes reade Dionysius Romulus died to whom many townes cities and prouinces yeelded themselues vnto Romulus for the fame and report they heard of him for he was both religious and vertuous Hippomenes the fourth prince or magistrate then gouerned Athens After that Meles had gouerned the Lydians 12. yeeres there folowed the fourth king named Cādaules a foolish and a vaine king of whom this historie is of Herodotus written This Candaules whō the Greciās called Mirsilus had a passing faire woman to his wife of whom he ioyed much esteeming her to be the onely woman of the world for beautie and hauing a deare friend and one of his owne seruants named Giges from whom he could conceale nothing he perswaded this Giges to be an eye witnes of his wife whose perfection in al points he could not with tongue expresse vnto Giges but willed him to be in some secret place where and when he had appointed him to behold the rarenesse of her beautie Giges after three or foure denials being vrged thereunto by the king his master cōsented to the kings request secretly came to the place where the king had appointed him where he saw the queene naked as shewent to bed to whom Candaules when he knew that Giges suffficiently had viewed his wife he saide Esto fidelis Giges at the which wordes the Queene looked backe being amazed of his speach and saw the backe of Giges by chaunce as he went away requesting the king to tell who hee was after much entreatie he saide it was his seruant Giges The Queene dissembling the matter that night said nothing but in the morning shee did send for certaine of her chiefe friendes and told the cause and willed them to be in a place appointed ready against Giges came whom she sent for to whom she said these words Giges thou hast to chuse of two offers either to kill the king my husband and to marrie me and become king thy selfe in Lydia or els to be killed and lose thy life presently for in that place where he shewed me naked thou shalt destroy him there shalt thou haue a dagger ready which being perfourmed by Giges he married the Queene and became the fift king of the Lydians according to the oracle of Delphos who had afore told that Cādaules should be the last king of the stocke of Heraclides and Giges the sonne of Dascilus of the house of Memnades the fift king of Lydia which gouerned not long without due reuenge which fell in the time of Cyrus Thus the ancient stocke and the long succession of Heraclides euen from Hercules vntill Candaules the sonne of Mirsus was of fiue hundreth and two yeres continuance during which time raigned 22. kings one after another of the line of Hercules reade Herodotus Taurentum was builded by Philautus in the time of this Candaules by the Parthians reade Iustinus the thirde booke After that Giges had by wicked meanes obteined the kingdome of Lydia and had sent to Delphos great presents and rich rewards to Apollo for the oracles giuen he went in armes against Miletum and Smyrna two cities in Greece besieged Colophonem and subdued it No other action of any importance hath bene written of him he died when he had raigned 36. yeeres In Giges time Bizantium otherwise called Constantinople was builded About this time the tyrant Phalaris gouerned the Agrigentines Tullus Hostilius raigned thirde king of Rome in the last yeeres of Giges In Iuda raigned Amon. And amongst the Egyptians Psammeticus this Psammeticus when he had obtained Egypt into his owne handes being before but one of the twelue that gouerned Egypt he ioyned with the people of Caria and Ionia and thereby he much augmented the state of Egypt From this king vnto Cambyses time the historie is set foorth very plaine in Herodotus The Grecians about this time first frequented the oracle of Iupiter called Dodonaeū oraculum Archilocus the historian Aristoxenes the musition Simonides florished in these dayes In the seuenth yeere of Giges the state of Decennales principes ended and the common wealth of Athens was gouerned after-terward by a popular state called Democratia Now Ardis the sixt king of Lydia and sonne to Giges succeeded in the kingdome of whom there is litle or nothing mentioned In the beginning of this kings raigne in the 29. Olympiad and in the 16. Iubilee Zaleucus king of the Locresians decreed a lawe to his subiects concerning adulterie that whosoeuer should be found faultie in this offence should lose both his eyes His sonne violating this law was of his owne father the king iudged to loose both his eyes his nobles and his great men entreated for the yong mans fault but the king not neglecting to do iustice according to the law by him made and according to his sentence giuen vpon his sonne by the lawe he caused his sonne to be brought before him where in presence of his subiects the king shewed both mercie and iustice for hee commaunded first that one of his owne eyes should be put out and the other eye to be taken from his sonne A rare example of Iustice and mercie and the like not to be found in our dayes At this time in Rome triumphed Tullus Hostilius ouer the Fidenans the Vients and entred Rome triumphantly the ninth yere of his raigne Now raigned in Iudea Iosias a godly king who purged Ierusalem and all Iewrie from abominations and idolatrie and brought them to knowe the Lorde againe in whose time the Prophet Ieremie began to prophecie the destruction of Ierusalem and other kingdomes In Corinth raigned at this time Cipselus and amongst the Medes gouerned Phaortes their sixt king whom the Assyrians ouerthrew as Herodotus doeth affirme In the realme of Pontus there was this time builded a towne called Hystris and in Asia two other townes called Chautus and Stagera Terpander an excellent mufition at this time liued and Thales Milesius a great Philosopher whom Eusebius affirmeth to haue liued from the 30. Olympiad vntill the 58. Olympiad About this time the Sabines after much slaughter were againe vanquished by Tullus Hostilius then the Latins made warre against the Romanes which continued fiue yeres about which time Tullus Hostilius the thirde king of the Romanes with all his familie was burned in his owne house Solinus saith that he died in the 35 Olympiad Numa Pompilius a Sabine borne in the city of Cures the second king of Rome was consecrated by the soothsayers called Augures in his time bishops called Pontifices were created in Rome holy
kings of Sparta Heraclides And so the Emperors of Rome named first Caesares then were they called Augusti and the third time they were named Antonini Thus in these coūtries none might be king elected but of these houses families yet in other kingdoms they were otherwayes elected as The Ethiopians made choise of the most likeliest man in sight The Medes in like maner vsed to make choise of no king but such as excelled in talenesse of person and strength of body In Libya none should be king but he that could winne it with running for he that was most swift should be king in Libya and so according to custome and to the maners of euery Countrey or kingdome any prince or king was elected and chosen Againe there be in Persia two other nations called Cirtij and Marai beside a sect of people named Magi. The chiefe Cities of Persia before Babylon was by Cyrus wonne to bee a Persian Citie were Susa Parsagardia Persepolis and Gaza for there the Persian kings had their monuments in Gaza there lay there treasure and wealth Beroaldus in his Chronicles Suetonius and Tranquillus in August say that the Persians were called of the Greekes in ancient time Cephenes but they bragged and boasted of a more auncient name and called them selues Artaei But after that Perseus the sonne of Iupiter and Danaes had maried Andromada the daughter and heire of Cepheus and had by his wife a sonne named Perses after whose name then they being called Cephenes are nowe called Persis after the name of their king Persis This region of Persia was diuided vnto a hundreth twentie Prouinces in the time of Darius Hystaspis the third king of Persia appointing to euery Prouince a gouernor that should pay certeine tribute vnto the king Iosephus saith Elam the eldest sonne of Sem was the first original of the Elamites now called Persians a countrie most fertile and most florishing which had soueraigntie ouerall Asia After that Cyrus from a priuate man brought vp by a heardman in an obscure place in Media became lord of all Asia king of the greatest part of the Eastkingdomes and the conquerour of Astyages king of the Medes and of Croesus king of the Lydians and last of Balthasar the last king of Babylon and the last successour of Nabuchodonosor the great hee fortified himselfe with strength of munitions commanded garisons readie in euery great citie of Persia appointed races of horses to bee had in all the Empire of Persia and euery gouernour of euery Prouince to furnish the king with horses and men necessarie to defende the countrie for the Medes Assyrians Chaldeans Lydians and Egyptiās were by this time brought subiects vnder the Persiās And therefore their wealth must be infinite for in Artaxerxes time there was an hundreth and twentie Prouinces vnder the Monarchie of Persia as Iosephus writeth Ctesias and Dionisius two great writers of Persian histories affirmed that the king of Persia was woont to haue in his Pallace fifteene thousand euery day to dinner and supper for they receiued out of Asia euery yeere fourtie thousand and fiftie talents For when Alexander the great had conquered Persia and had taken Babylon he found a hundred fiftie and seuen thousand talents and yet not so much as Cyrus left behind him as Strabo saith and no maruell for Cyrus had all the wealth of Iudea and the treasure had in the Temple at Ierusalem which was infinite of Assyria Chaldea Lydia and Media and therefore Herodot called him Cyrus the great king and after Cyrus time all the kings of Persia would be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great kings For in all the histories you shall not reade that the Romanes who afterward likewise mastered the whole worlde had so much treasure at one time as either Cyrus had left in Persia or as Alexander had found in Persia yet Persia before Cyrus time was obscure and of no fame subiect vnto the Medes for Cyrus had long warres many battels with Euilmerodach in Assyria with Croesus in Lydia with Astyages in Media with many kings before he had rest and before hee had brought the Monarchie vnto Persia and to be called the great king Cyrus began his Empire at Babylon at what time Seruius Tullius the sixt king of the Romanes reigned in Rome and Amasis gouerned Egypt In Cyrus time the temple of Apollo was burned in Delphos the second time Cyrus obteined the kingdome of Persia in the beginning of the eighteene Iubilee and in the third yeere of the eightie Olympiad which much differ from Diod. Siculus who affirmeth that Xerxes the fourth king after Cyrus tooke his voiage into Greece in the seuentie fiue Olympiad from Polybius that affirmeth Xerxes went into Greece in the 74. Olympiad in the like error is Halicarnasseus Herodot and others some affirming Cyrus to begin his Empire in the 50. Olympiad some in the 54. some in the 57. some in the 60. Olympiad thus they erre some 30. Olympiads some 20. some more and some lesse of the true time of Cyrus for in the sacred historie by sound testimonie it was laid downe by Daniel and in Nehemias the very time of Cyrus Now after that Cyrus had brought all these kingdoms vnder the monarchie of Persia he tooke Armenia in hand hauing conquered the king the countrie of Armenia Tigranes the kings sonne of Armenia a familier old friend of Cyrus hearing of Cyrus victorie ouer his father he then being farre frō Armenia returned home with all haste and besought Cyrus not to thinke of the warres betweene his father and him but to remember the amitie familiaritie which was betweene them both and therefore Tigranes entreated Cyrus to haue the crowne after his father paying vnto Cyrus such tribute as he would appoint to which request Cyrus consented appointing fiftie talents yerely to be paid to the kings of Persia which is three thousand crownes After the conquest of Armenia Cyrus passed with his army vnto Phrygia Cappadocia and Arabia who coulde not long hold out but partly yeelded and partly conquered were brought subiect and to pay tribute vnto Cyrus Cyrus was woont before he entred into battell to sing a song to Castor and Pollux and to march as the olde Spartanes with hymnes and odes to the muses to solace their hearts and to auoide feare that might occupie their heads otherwayes Cyrus his garde or chiefe souldiers about him were called Homotimi as the best souldiers vnder Alexander the great were call Argyraspides vnder Achilles named Myrmidones vnder Pyrrhus called Dolopes and so of other great conquerors which had a peculiar name of their chiefe souldiers Nowe the last and the greatest victorie was ouer the Babylonians which he attempted not before he grew great and strong by other victories for truely before Babylon was wonne the monarchie was in Assyria We reade of no king that conquered so
of these two Iustine called these two Magi Comaris and Oropastis Herodotus doeth call the one Patizites and the other Smerdis Zonaras nameth the elder Tanoaxeres but it is not materiall for Eusebius doeth not nomber these two amongst the kings of Persia. But in the eight moneth one of the seuen princes or gouernours of Persia ouerthrew these Magi then these seuen princes being vertuous and welbeloued of the people agreed in loue and faith one with another one preferring another to the kingdome that it was hard for the people to make choise of any of them yet to them the election was referred Otanes one of the seuen princes thought that it was not necessary to haue a king to make a free common wealth bound to a Monarchia he perswaded the countrey to liue vnder the law of popular state called Democratia euery city to haue their magistrate and euery prouince to haue such gouernours as might defende the countrey with lawes and armes affirming the greatnes of a king to approch the nature of a tyrant and therfore most dangerous for when they giue ouer to be kings in doing iustice then they begin to be tyrants in committing rage and furie Megabisus held a contrary opinion allowing not a popular state who are neuer quiet neuer constant drawen one day of this side to morow of another affirming the furie and rage of the people to be intollerable and like the streame of a violent flood without wisdome in gouernment without reason in iudgement and euen like Hidra that monstrous beast of Lerna neuer satisfied neuer cōtented neuer quiet and compared it to the saying of Demosthenes that populus was one of the three monsters at Athens which raigned at one time Noctua draco populus the owle the dragon and the people Megabisus therefore disliked a Democraticall cōmon wealth perswaded that some of the wisest and best learned should be chosen for a state for to good men belong good counsell said he and they will in conscience and trueth refourme things amisse his reason tended to haue a common wealth called Oligarchia or Aristocratia and not a popular state The thirde Darius spake disanulling both Otanes and Megabisus opinion declaring by examples of diuers kingdomes the defect of kings as Zenophon and Herodotus most largely discourse and amongst Philosophers approued the best state of a common wealth to be a Monarchie alleadging also by Cyrus last will and Cambyses that while any of Cyrus stocke liued that they by succession should enioy the Scepter of Persia and if the house of Cyrus should faile then to make an election of a king by the seuen princes of Persia and the people And therefore both in reason a king is to be elected and by them commaunded of Cyrus to be confirmed The other foure which yet had spoken nothing but diligently hearing these three before they all consented with Darius and supposed that common wealth to be best where a Monarchie is the soueraigntie whereof is in a king and therefore they agreed all to elect a king and to auoyde contentions and quarrels they committed to Fortune their election in this sort That all the seuen princes should be a horsebacke the next morning in the suburbes of the citie to talke of this matter and that whose horse should neigh first after Sunne rising he should be king in Persia. They all to this consented and euery prince rode sumptuously to the place These were the names of the seuen princes Otanes Intaphernes Gobrias Megabisus Astphatines Hidarnes And Darius The night before they should ride to the place in the morning Darius consulted with the master of his horse opened the whole cause and asked his deuise by arte Oebarus so his name was assured Darius of some secret helpe hee brought Darius horse that night to a mare to that place where they should meete in the morning Darius riding vpon that horse by the counsell of Oebarus the next morning met according to their agreement altogether Darius horse hauing bene with the mare in that place beganne lustily to praunce and to neigh lowdly whereat the other sixe princes lighted immediatly from their horses and saluted him as their king This Darius now king of Persia had maried a daughter of Cyrus named Atossa of whom hee had Xerxes Within some space after Darius came to the kingdome the Assyrians beganne to reuolt from him hee layed siege to Babylon twentie moneths and could not preuaile vntill one Zopirus a subtile Persian who yeelded Babylon to Darius hand by this policie he himselfe did cut off his owne eares his nostrels and came all bloodie to Babylon accusing Darius crueltie who for perswading him to raise his siege and to spare blood he vsed me as you see The Babylonians light of beliefe thought it trueth made him captaine ouer a band of souldiers who for his more credit with the Babylonians gaue two or three light ouerthrowes to Darius men and by this meanes brought Babylon to Darius hand Of this Zopirus was Darius wont to say when he held a pomegranate in his hand that he wished nothing more in the world then to haue so many Zopirus as the pomegranate had kernels Now is Babylon the second time taken by the Persians When Darius was quietly setled in Babylon he made warres vpon the barbarous Scythians for euen as Cyrus was wont to driue the barbarous nations from Asia which came from the region of Arctoa so Darius tooke that course by his chiefe captaine Megabisus to clense Persia from strangers the Getes the Cimmerians and the Sauromats inhabited in Asia and about Thracia For of the Cimerians came those Germans called Cimbri and from the Getes came likewise the Gothes These Getes yeelded to Megabisus the Scythians he could not vanquish But after some warre he returned vnto Greece sent ambassadours vnto Amintas king of Macedonia to haue free passage through his countrey which being graunted more for feare then for loue Amintas entertained the ambassadours of Persia very liberally brought them to a banquet where after much rioting of wine they handled rudely the Macedonians ladies that beare them companie Alexander the sonne of Amintas and the great grandfather of Alexander the great being discontented with their beastlines desired the king his father to take his rest that night taking vpon him the entertainment of these Persians who after his father was gone he consulted with certaine noble men of Macedonia that they should come in most gorgious and sumptuous attire like women in the apparel of women with their naked weapons close vnder their garments commanding them when they should so beastly handle them next to stabbe them vnto the heart In the meane season Alexander desired them that the ladies might withdraw themselues for a time promising them they should presently returne to beare them companie in the meane time while these
of whom many heritikes flowed in Affricke Constantine though he could keepe the Church from tyrannicall persecution by restoring of peace yet hee could not stop the rage of heretikes which in his dayes were many as the Sabellies the Manichees the Donatists the Arrians and the Nouatians yet God raised singular learned men to defend his Church as Origene who suppressed them disputed against them in Arabia and in Affrica After him Cyprian bishop of Carthage Lactantius a very eloquent man and Ambrose bishop of Millaine but of this you shall reade more where I entreat of Councils and Synods in the March of Martyrs But now to the kings of Persia. Artaxerxes succeeded Sapores in Persia the tenth king and raigned 11. yerees of whom as of the rest litle or nothing is to be written for then the kings of Persia were not of such fame or of such force as before while they ruled as lords ouer the worlde for two hundreth and thirtie yeeres Now they had much to doe to defend themselues from inuasions the monarchie had passed away to Macedonia their wealth power and countrey were brought to nothing by Alexander the great the kingdome of the Gothes and the Vandales began first their gouernment together with this Artaxerxes the first kingdome of Hunni and of Lombardie began also now to take footing in the yeere of our Lord three hundreth seuentie and fiue This time a nomber of Christians were againe restored to their countrey which had bene banished before likewise more then fourescore thousand of Burgundines which inhabited about the riuer Rhene became Christians at once at what time Theodosius the Emperour gaue two or three battels to the Gothes ouerthrew them and constrained them to goe out of Thracia with their king Athanaricus This time liued Ambrose bishop of Millaine and Gregorie Nazianzenus died two famous learned men in whose time two Councils were called the one in Rome and the other in Constantinople Theodosius the Emperour hearing that Maximus was proclaimed Emperour by his owne souldiers in Armorica which is called now litle Britaine made an armie against Maximus who now had taken Gratianus and slew him at Lugdunum and had driuen Valentianus from his gouernment in the West part to flee to Theodosius By this time stept to be king in Persia Sapores the second of that name and the eleuenth king of the Persians he raigned fiue yeeres who without any warres liued his time in rest In his dayes were signes seene in heauen in the likenes of a doue which burned and appeared for thirtie dayes as Eusebius reporteth which I omit Litle is to be mentioned of the last kings of Persia for that the Romanes kept them stil downe About this time Theodosius went with his sonne Honorius to Constantinople leauing behind him in Rome Valentianus to gouerne who within a short time by false conspiracie of Eugenius was destroyed whereby Eugenius vsurped the Empire of this you shall reade more in the Romane Empire Augustine a great clearke and one of Ambrose disciples was now bishop of Hippo in Affrica I thought good once for that I finde little or nothing worth the writing of the kings in Persia in those dayes for that the Macedonians and after them the Romans had brought Persia and all other kingdoms to subiection for a long time to set the sects and sundry sorts of heretikes that began like monsters to trouble the Church to write of councils had herein by generall consent of the opinions sprong of that time and of their consultation yet for that we hasten to end the historie of these later kings of Persia of whom as I haue said litle is to be written sauing of some few kings as Artaxerxes the first that restored to the Persians their kingdome after he had slaine Artabanus king of the Parthians Againe Sapores the second king of Persia Narses the seuenth king and Sapor the ninth king of Persia these kept tacke with the Romanes vexed Mesopotamia Armenia and other countreis as you heard before persecuted the Christians and did some actions that they seemed to shew a shadow of the olde PerPersiaus but to small effect for the Saracens as before you heard haue fully mastered them and quite destroyed them and so they came to their decay first by Cyrus then by Alexander and by the Macedonians and the thirde time by the Romanes and last by the Saracens After Sapores the eleuenth king of Persia entred Varanes the twelft king who raigned twelue yeeres in whose dayes were many signes in heauen much earthquake in sundry places of the world herefies contentions and many straunge questions demanded as An Deus habeat corpus membra and such other absurd and blasphemous quarels grew Euen this time Auricular confession was abrogated by Nectarius then bishop of Constantinople for filthie and many fornications cōmitted in those dayes by priests and deacons The Frenchmen denied tribute vnto the Romans also this very time vpon which occasion warre grew againe new betweene the Romanes and the Frenchmen in the time of Valentianus the Emperor Hunni were most busie in diuers parts of the East spoiling Armenia and Pannonia passing ouer the riuer Ister entred Thracia wasting and destroying al places that they came vnto About this time Nectarius of whom you read a litle before being bishop of Constantinople died in whose place succeeded Chrysostom a famous learned man of no lesse learning then vertue who in the Council gathered at Cyprus where Origens bookes were condemned by the auctoritie of Epiphanius and Theophilus two great learned men and for that Chrysostome would not subscribe thereunto he was put out of Councill and banished from his bishopricke howbeit he was with great honour receiued againe vnto Constantinople within a short space after But to hasten out of the history of Persia. Isdigertes the thirteenth king raigned 21. yeeres in Persia of whom wee reade nothing but that he vexed and molested the Christians and especially those he persecuted whom he found in any territorie of his and yet within a while the Christians had good successe in Persia and the king much contented with them pleasured and aduanced them vsing them courteously and gently Honorius now Emperour of the Romanes associating himselfe with Constantius whom hee sent to Fraunce and by whom Constantine then was slaine who gouerned at that time in Britannie to whom Placidia Theodotius daughter was committed and againe from Honorius giuen to his friend Constantius in mariage by whom Constantius got Valentinus the thirde of that name Constantius grew in such fauour with Honorius the Emperour by his great seruice in Fraunce and in Hispaine that he was taken and chosen by Honorius himselfe to be his associat in the Empire About this time all the Iewes that were cōmorant in Alexandria were thence expulsed with much blood and great slaughter and this was done by Cyrillus then bishop
of Alexandria This time also was there a Councill at Carthage where the heresies of the Pelagians were quite ouerthrowen then died that great learned man S. Hierome Now in Constantinople the Arrians fell in great discord betweene themselues which continued twentie and fiue yeres and after that againe vnited and were made friends In these dayes Paulus Orosius wrote his historie and Nestorius was remooued from Antioch to be bishop at Constantinople The Iewes againe as they were by the iustice of God scattered vnto all places of the world so had they no rest in any place of the world as you heard erst of the Iewes in Alexandria so now likewise in Creete they had a false Moyses fained whom then they so honoured and whose lawes they obserued and yet Eusebius saith that a nomber of them at that time were conuerted and became Christians At this time in France Faramundus was by common consent of the people elected and named king of Fraunce who died seuen yeeres after he came to the kingdome Marcomirus succeeded him being his owne brother and he raigned eighteene yeeres of whose actions and liues you shall in the histories of Fraunce reade more The Frenchmen beganne here to record and to nomber the kings of the whole countrey of Gallia which vntill that time were called Reges Francorum kings of Fraunce being a parcel of Gallia This happened in the yeere of the worlde foure thousand three hundreth eightie and seuen and in the 300. Olympiad By this time raigned in Persia Varanes the fourth of that name and after him raigned his sonne Varanes the fift of that name and they both raigned 37. yeeres and they had warres with the Romanes also In the time of this last king Varanes began the Indictions of Constantine the great Now againe the third time the Persians begin to quaile for in the time of Corsoes and his sonne Hormisda the last king of Persia the Saracens became lords and gouernours ouer the Persians in the yeere of Christ our Sauiour 634. These are the names of these latter kings that raigned in newe Persia. 1 Artaxerxes the first king that restored the new kingdome of Persia raigned 15. yeeres 2 Sapores raigned after him being the 2. king 31. yeres 3 Ormisdates 1. yeere 4 Varanes 3. yeeres 5 Varanes the second of that name 16. yeres 6 Varanes the thirde of that name 4. monethes 7 After him Narses 7. yeres 8 Misdates 7. yeeres 9 Sapor raigned 70. yeeres this king was crowned in his mothers wombe 10 Artaxerxes the second of that name 11. yeres 11 Sapores the second of that name 5. yeeres 12 Varares the 4. 12. yeres 13 Varanes the 5. of that name 12. yeeres 14 Isdigertes 21. yeeres 15 Varanes the fift of that name 20. yeeres 16 Varanes the sixt of that name 17. yeres 17 Perozes 20. yeres 18 Canades 12. yeres Lambases Procopius doeth call this Blasen raigned 4. yeeres 19 Cosroes 48. yeres 20 Hormisda Cosroes his sonne and last king of the Persians raigned 8. yeeres OF THE ORIGINAL OF Mahomet in Arabia of his greatnes and credit not onely among the Saracens and Arabians but also in the East kingdomes of the inuasions of the Saracens of their scattering warres in Asia Europe and in Affricke and of their continuance THus the kingdome of Persia the only monarchie of the world for 130. yeeres I meane from Cyrus vnto Darius is vtterly nowe destroied by the Saracens the fourth time a sort of infidels which had their first original from Agar the bond woman of Abraham by whom Abraham begate a base sonne called Ismael whose progenies were called Ismaelites after the name of Ismael among the Hebrewes so were they in other places called Agareni after Agars name and in continuance of time from Agareni called Saraceni which name they holde to this day For euen as from Ammon and Moab two incestuous sonnes of Lot gotten by his two daughters in his drunkennes an infinite stocke of wicked and idolatrous people grew which were named after their fathers name Ammonites and Moabits enemies to God and to his people so of this bond woman Agar and her sonne Ismael all the Ismaelites and all the Saracens doe spring which people as they were in the beginning most in nomber and most able of force and power to persecute then that little flocke of Iacob at that time so now are they in the latter dayes of the world most in nomber by the names of Saracens Turkes Canes infidels and such like other names I will therefore but touch the historie of Saracens for that they were alwayes people scattered into all Asia and from thence to all parts of the world much like to the Scythians who in like maner russhed into all partes and inuaded all countreys being rude and barbarous nations praying vpon euery place they came into I referre them that wil reade of the Saracens to Augustinus Caelius who at large wrote their histories I will briefly passe the names of some few of those which beganne to raigne from Mahomet where he is named Muhamet which began his kingdome after Christ sixe hundreth twentie and foure at what time Bonifacius the fift was the fourth Pope of Rome for the great prophet Mahomet in Arabia and the great Pope of Rome beganne at one times as two tyrants to persecute the Christians These two grew so great that they ruled all Christian Emperours kings princes and states one making them to holde his stirope and to kisse his foote the other with sworde and fire tyrannized ouer kingdomes and nations encreased his fame by blood and tyrannie When Bonifacius the thirde and the first Pope of Rome altered the title of a bishop to the dignitie of a Pope Phocas then was Emperour of Constantinople for while the Emperours flourished at Rome no Pope was heard of I will returne to speake of the Saracens who at that very time that they ouercame the Persians entred into Syria slewe Bahanes with all his armie tooke Damascus brought Egypt to pay tribute layde siege to Hierusalem brought Antioche subiect to the Saracens wasted and spoyled all Syria and brought the kingdome of Persia which so long flourished vnder Mahomet who gouerned the Persians 800. yeeres and odde This poisoned scorpion and the only plague of Christians I meane Mahomet was borne in Arabia a large countrey and wide euery way here they liue after diuers maners and with diuers kinds of religion some with powled heads and hoods like miters some with beards shauen to their skinne they abstaine from swines flesh for Solinus saith that no swine can liue in that Arabia which the Greekes cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the diuisiō of Arabia into Harmenios and Erembos and the third into Scenetem which is that countrey called the region of the Saracens people that haue no houses but dwell in tents couered ouer with things made and wouen with goates haire like the maner of
was so full of renowmed cities famous riuers notable mountaines a countrey of singular rarenesse in althings that it were to much labour to write the due praise of Greece But I referre him that would reade the setting forth of Greece to the eight ninth booke of Strabo to the second booke of Pomponius Mela where all Greece is particularly described at large and I will proceede to the seuerall gouernment of Greece in seuerall countreis and will set downe the continuance of euery Region with the names of the kings where and how long they raigned and for that the countrey of Morea is the first inhabited countrey of Greece and the largest region of the same called in Strabo Arxtotius Greciae I wiâ—… beginne with their common wealth This region was first named Aegialia by the name of Aegialeus their first king and continued so vntill the time of Apis the 4. king after whom this region was named Apia which name continued vnto the time of Sicyon the 19. king of Morea After this king Sicyons time the countrey was called Sicyonium and continued vntill Pelops time by whom againe the countrey was called Peloponesus and now at this time is called Morea so that Peloponesus had fiue seueral change of names from the first gouernment vnder Aegialeus the first king vntill Xeuxippus raigne the last king of the Peloponesians And although the kings of that region did nothing worth the memorie hauing bene twentie and sixe kings successiuely yet they are the very way to come further vnto Greece for all this while the whole countrey of Greece was inhabited with barbarous people and was farre from the fame which they gained afterwarde therefore I will briefly passe ouer the historie of their kings and their raigne because I might speake of other countreys in Greece which flourished together with Morea For the first king of this region was named Aegialeus he gouerned that part of Greece at what time Ninus raigned in Assyria and as Eusebius writeth Thebaei ruled Egypt in the yeere of the world two thousand one hundreth and seuen yet Bibliander would not allow so many yeeres by two hundreth and odde which is rather to bee followed for that it doeth with the Genesis agree For in the fiue and twentieth yere of this king Ninus was Abraham borne which was within two hundreth and ninetie yeeres after the flood and therefore better agreeth with Ninus time The second king after Aegialeus was named Europs hee raigned fiue and fourtie yeeres this time flourished Zoroastes the great king of the Bactrians he was thought to be the first that read Astrologie and taught to others Astronomie in whose time Tribeta the sonne of Ninus by Semiramis was expulsed out of the kingdome of Assyria and hee builded a towne in the coast of Gallia and called it Treueris The thirde king of Sicyonium was named Stelchium hee raigned twentie yeres at what time the kingdome of Creete beganne and had for the first king one named Cres after whose name the countrey of Creete was called This Cres builded a citie in Creete and named it Nosus in the which he also builded a temple to the goddesse Cybeles After him succeeded Apis the fourth king of that region after whom as I haue written before it was called Apia hee raigned then when Ninus the sonne of Ninus and Semiramis gouerned the Assyrians After him followed the fift king named Telasion in whose time died Noah the righteous preacher and patriarch and at which time Abraham begate Ismael vpon Agar the bond woman of this Ismael came all the Ismaelites a wicked nation that offended the Lorde In time afterward they were called Agareni after the name of Agar and now are called Saraceni which are infidels and heathens Now succeeded Telasion the sixt king of Peloponesus named Aegidius at what time raigned in Assyria Analius About this season Isaac the sonne of Abraham begate two twinnes vpon Rebecca his wife Esau which was also called Edom of whom the Idumeans came and Iacob afterwarde called Israel of whom issued the twelue tribes of Israel In this kings time Sodom Gomorrha Zeboim Adama and Zoar fiue principal great cities in the lande of Palestine were destroyed and burned with fire and brimstone from heauen the iust iudgement of God for sinne Thurimachus the eight king raigned 45. yeres in this kings gouernment Eusebius noteth the seuenteenth Dynastia of the Egyptians to begin where Shepheards gouerned as chiefe rulers for the space of 103. yeeres soueraigntie About which time the kingdome of the Argiues first sprang vp where Inachus raigned the first king within the kingdome of Argiue and afterwarde continued from Inachus vnto the time of Tenelanthus the last king of the Argiues as Marianus Scotus writeth foure hundreth yeeres After this Leucippus succeeded Messapius in Peloponesus at what time Bellochus raigned King in Assyria and Thelassus gouerned the countrey of Thessalia Among the Argiues raigned now Phoroneus the sonne of Inachus and Niobes the second king after his father this made lawes first to the Argiues and instituted orders in gouernment and wrote decrees for his subiects and ruled the Argiues to his great fame as Eusebius in his histories setteth forth In Licippus time Sem the sonne of Noah died after hee had liued sixe hundreth yeeres and had seene much miserie and great calamitie but not so much as his father before him had seene he liued after Abrahams dayes thirtie and fiue yeeres Osiris whom the Egyptians call Apis and sometime Serapis for that they adored this as their God liued about this time and destroyed that monster in Thracia called Licurgus Reade more of this in Herodotus Ismael Abrahams base sonne by Agar the bondwoman died now and left behinde him twelue sonnes great princes ouer many tribes and nations which began in time to grow enemies to the Church of God and to persecute the people of God and were named Ismaelites In this time raigned in Assyria Bellochus sirnamed Priscus their twelft king and in Egypt gouerned Menam the first king that taught the Egyptians many ceremonies as newe sacrifices to their gods religions and seruice and instructed them in many things for this time Egypt was raw and rude in skil and knowledge This Menam was thought of Functius to be that which is read in Scripture to be Mizraim and of Berosus called Oceanus There is nothing to be written of these kings worth the memorie of man for all this while Greece was inhabited with barbarous people nay the most of Greece was not yet inhabited Athens was not builded neither Sparta nor Corinth for the kingdom of Lacedemonia and the kingdome of Corinth began about Dauids birth The Argiues were the most ancient people in Greece next after the Peloponesians for they beganne to raigne in Argos in the time of Iacob the Patriarch at what time Baleus sirnamed Xerxes gouerned in Assyria
being the eight king of the Assyrians before the Athenians as long as Iacob was before Moses for in Athens raigned Cecrops the first king which king was of one time with Moses But let vs proceede The ninth king in Peloponesus was named Mesapius who raigned fourtie and seuen yeeres Philo Iudeus affirmeth that Iob about this time liued and that after his punishment and afflictions he maried Dina the daughter of Iacob but this is thought to be false and found otherwise that Iob and Dina were not of one time not by foure discents for that Iobab which is written in Genesis was of Iacobs time this Iobab was the second king that raigned in the lande of Edom as one of the stocke of Esau and therefore some writers erred herein Now foloweth in Peloponesus Heratus the 10. king in whose time one Hispalus the sonne of Heroules sirnamed Libius raigned in Celtiberia who at that time builded a city after his owne name and called it Hispalis You must vnderstand where you reade Celtiberia or Iberia that then that countrey was so called which is now named Spaine as it is in the treatise of Spaine more at large written when and how long Celtiberia or Iberia continued by that name and when the name of Spaine beganne The kings of Egypt beganne now to be called Pharaones a generall name of dignitie alwayes vnto their kings afterward for their proper names were not so The eighteenth Dynasteia of the Egyptians likewise beganne this time which continued three hundreth fourtie and eight yeres in the which gouernment Amasis was the first king Sparta a very famous citie amongst the Lacedemonians was nowe builded by one Spartus the sonne of Phoroneus the second king of the Argiues whome a litle before you read of Mar. Scot. sayeth that Greece was not tilled before this time that corne being brought then from Phoenicia to Greece was first at that time sowen but I will bee briefe in passing ouer the names of the kings of Poloponesus because I might come to the ripenesse of Greece which was many hundreth yeeres after this time The eleuenth king was named Plemneus and their twelft king named Orthopolis of these two wee haue nothing to write more then of the rest but in respect of the time and of the gouernment to open the naked state and weake Empires of the world at that time wherein there was no action done worthy of writing for scant armes were then knowen this onely wee finde what kings raigned then and in what partes of the worlde they gouerned hauing their those names which they haue not nowe for then the Frenchmen were called Celtae the Spaniards Celtiberi or Iberi and so of other nations But nowe raigned in Assyria Mammitus the thirteenth king and Crassus raigned ouer the Argiues the fift king This time Cath begate Amram Moses father and about this time Ioseph died in Egypt after which time the children of Israel were sore afflicted by the Egyptians vnder another Pharao sirnamed Amenophis a cruell tyrant ouer the Hebrewes then being vnder his subiection in Egypt This king made an Edict and charged the midwiues that all children of the Hebrewes should bee slaine or else cast into Nilus as soone as they were borne Of some this king is called Memnon About this time gouerned in certaine partes of Celtes one Lugdus after whome the place and the people were called Lugdunenses and likewise one named Narbon by whose name the countrey is to this day called Narbonensis which are two prouinces within Gallia now called Fraunce About this time flourished the great Astrologer Atlas which is of Poets fained to sustaine the skies vpon his shoulders for his skil and knowledge therein In the two and twentieth yeere of this king Orthopolis Amram married Iochabed and begate Aaron and three yeeres after begate Moses In Moses time beganne the kingdome of Thessalia where Emon the first king raigned and together with Thessalia sprang vp the kingdome of Athens three hundreth seuentie and fiue yeeres before the destruction of Troy and about seuentie yeeres before Israel was deliuered from the bondage of Pharao for from Cecrops the first king of Athens vnto the first Olympiad raigned in Athens seuenteene kings and twentie princes or Iudges first called Metondidae after called Decennales principes after the kings Of this king it is written that hee first named Iupiter a god and honoured him he erected the first altar in Greece found images and offered vp sacrifices which were not before Cecrops time seene in Greece for Castor and Pollux Liber and Mercurius with diuers ancient gods of the Gentiles were after the time of Cecrops But I will leaue Athens for a while and I will speake of the Sicyonians and Argiues for these two regions of Greece were the first regions that were gouerned by kings but such kings as then that time yeelded called Reguli but the state and regiment of the Argiues after the succession of foureteene kings was caried by Perseus into Mycena which kingdome of Mycena was established in Euristheus after whome raigned sixe kings and ended together at one time with the kingdome of Sicyonum as you shall reade after in the next chapter But now I wil set downe the names of the kings of the Sicyonians in order as I finde them in Ruffinus and in Functius tables 1 Egialeus after whose name the countrey was called Egialea raigned 52 yeeres 2 Europs 45. 3 Stelchin 20. 4 Apis after whose name the countrey was named Apia 25. 5 Thelassion 52. 6 Aegidius 34. 7 Thurimachus 14. In this kings time began the kingdome of the Argiues 8 Leucippus 53. 9 Messapius 47. 10 Heratus 46. 11 Plemneus 12. 12 Orthopolis 63. 13 Merathius 30. In whose time the kingdom of Athens began 14 Maretus 20. CHAP. II. Of the building of Athens of their beginning and of their first lawes vnder 17 kings being the thirde kingdome of Greece in antiquitie after the Sicionians and the Argiues CEcrops of whom mention is made before builded Athens in Achaia and hereof it was named first Cecropia after that it was called of one Ati Attica and last of all it was named of Minerua Athens for in the Greeke tongue Athenae is called Minerua though in ancient time it had other names as Mopsopia or Ionia Diadas and Orchomenon and now at this time of no great fame but a poore fisher towne which Mahomet the eight Emperour of the Turkes hath brought vnder In the dayes of Cecrops raigned that Pharao which was with all his nobilitie and chiualrie of Egypt drowned in the read sea for his wickednes and tyrannie against God and his people he was by his proper name called Chencres There happened in Cecrops time two great wonders in Greece the one a great deluge in Thessalia called Deucaleons floud the other that great harme of fire called
Incēdium Phaetontis at what time the Grecians were named Helenes after the name of Hellenes the sonne of Deucaleon and Pyrrha After this Cecrops folowed Cranaus the second king of Athens which raigned nine yeeres Hermes Trismegistus a great Philosopher and a priest of Egypt flourished though Suydas saith that he liued before Abrahams time yea some of the best learned that are best acquainted with histories thinke it a name fained and a booke framed of late vnder the name of Trismegistus Now folowed Marathus the foureteenth king of Peloponesus Erictherus the 15. king Choar the 16. king of Peloponesus as Functius saith Ruffinus nameth this king Astades I passe ouer the names without any matter to be written of them for Greece was yet as the Chaldeans and the Assyrians in the beginning building and beginning to frame kingdomes for all this time no part of Greece was knowen but Sicyonum which is the countrey of the Peloponesians after them the Argiues and now the Thessalians and the Athenians start vp and beginne a kingdom as the third and fourth gouernours of Greece in antiquitie About this time the citie of Corinth was builded this was first called Epira and grewe afterwarde to be one of the strongest cities and holdes in all Greece Nowe was the citie Epidaurus and the citie Bythinia builded now Memphis was builded in Egypt for the world was then busie onely in building at what time in Athens raigned Amphitrion the thirde king and after him succeeded Ericthonius the fourth king of Athens About which time came Phaenix and Cadmus from Thebes to Egypt and from Egypt vnto Syria and gouerned Tyre and Sidon at what time raigned in Creete Asterius and ouer the Argiues the ninth king called Stelenus I thought for obseruation of time very necessary to set downe the time and beginning of euery kingdome as they began in one place after another though I finde nothing yet in Greece worth the writing concerning either warres or gouernment Now beganne in Phrigia a new kingdome called Dardania after one Dardanius name who both builded this towne and raigned there the first king 31. yeres though Manethon setteth downe 64. I wil folow Archilochus in this historie whose assertion is more probable concerning time then Manethon is It was called before Meonia this kingdome beganne 830. yeeres after the flood when Amyntas the 19. king of the Assyrians kept his Court at Niniue About which time Moses died after whom succeeded Iosua In Egypt then gouerned Aegyptius after he had driuen his brother Danaus then king out of Egypt vsurped the kingdome after whose name Egypt was named before called Mizraim and had to his sirname Ramesses About this time in Egypt the first Labyrinth was builded by Menophis by some called Miris after which example Dedalus imitated the like worke and made the second Labyrinth in Creete at what time Minoes raigned king in Creete This Minoes was the first lawmaker in Creete when likewise Radamanthus ordained lawes in Licya Bellopares now king in Assyria gouerned and Epopeus the 17. king of the Peloponesians For that I see not much matters in following the course and order of these kings of Greece and for that I finde as I said before nothing historicall because yet time seemed raw in Greece and farre from the ciuil dissentions which long after happened in Greece from the forren warres which the Grecians had with the kings of Persia and Macedonia for now all the warres that were was in Assyria Chaldea I wil hasten therefore to come to the histories of Greece wil passe ouer these fragments of places and persons vntil I shall find matters to write of only I will set downe the names of the kings of the Argiues as they raigned orderly 1 Inachus the first king raigned 50. yeres 2 Phoroneus 60. 3 Apis. 35. 4 Argos 70. 5 Crassus 54. 6 Abas Phorbas 35. 7 Troiphas 46. In this kings time the kingdome of Athens beganne 8 Crotopus 21. 9 Stelenus 11. 10 Danaus which was driuen by his brother Rameses out of Egypt came to Argos and raigned 50. 11 Lynceus 41. 12 Abas 23. 13 Protheus 17. 14 Agrisius 13. Now the kingdom of the Argiues ended their foueraigntie was taken away into Mycena by Perseus a noble valiant captaine which had diuers victories ouer diuers countreis as ouer the Persians and now ouer the Argiues in the time of Agrisius after they had gouerned Argos 544. yeres where Eristheus a man most famous named another Hercules for his great courage and enterprises he was of the stocke of Atrides for Atreus which was Agamemnon Menelaus father was his owne vncle and therfore he gouerned the most part of Greece In his time which yet had growen to no strēgth he established the kingdom of Mycena and broght many subiects vnder it that Mycena became populous and strong and the Mycenians became to be conquerors of many prouinces therefore writers omit the name of Perseus and of Stelenus and they begin the kingdom frō the time of Eristheus after whom succeeded 6. kings who waxed strong mighty that then Mycena ruled al Greece These had the 10. yeres warres with the Troyans and at last conquered them which warre was the cause of their own destruction for that they began together at one time and both had equall nomber of kings for 6. kings raigned in Mycena and 6. in Troy whose names I haue here layd downe The kings of MYCENA The kings of TROY Eristheus raigned 45. yeres Dardanus the first king 31. Atreus and Thiestes 65. Ericthonius 2. 57. Tros 3. 60. Agamemnon Atreussonne 18. Ilus the 4. king 54. This came frō Mycena vnto Troy with 1202. shippes Laomedon the 5. raigned 36. In whose time Troy was destroyed by Hercules with his company going to Colchos Aegistus after Agamemnon 2. Priamus the 6. and last king was by Agamemnō subdued and his citie conquered Orestes 15. yeeres In whose time Mycena was subdued by the stocke of Heraclides vnder the Peloponesians  Thus ended the kings of Mycena and of Troy the one being destroyed by the other yet after Orestes was slaine by Pirrhus in the temple of Apollo Tisamenus Orestes sonne raigned 15. yeres after his fathers death and after Tisamenus raigned but two more which were called Penthillus and Cometes But there is scant any mention made of these after Orestes time Now after that these two kingdomes were destroyed and ouerthrowen presently the kingdome of the Latines beginneth in the person of Aeneas who trauailing from Troy vnto Italy after the destruction therof maried king Latinus daughter and heire which is spoken of in the originall antiquitie of the Latines by Halcarnassaeus Ruffinus Eusebius and others The Peloponesians raigned 860. yeeres and ended in the time of Samson the last Iudge of Israel which ended the gouernment of the Iudges in Israel which continued
their gouernment and continuance THis very time beganne the kingdome of Corinth to start vp where first raigned Alethes their first king which raigned fiue and thirtie yeeres in Corinth Together with the Corinthians beginne the Lacedemonians to set vp a kingdome where raigned first as king one Euristhenes of whome issued after those two valiant and noble Captaines Cleomenes and Leonidas so much for their courage and prowesse set forth in Thucydides whose greatnesse and courage shall when time serueth be declared to their great fame Vnderstand how by degrees one after another kings and kingdomes in Greece beginne 1 The first gouernment began in Peloponesus and continued during the time of 26. kings which was 860. yeres 2 The second kingdom which sprang vp in Greece were the Argiues where raigned 14. kings which continued 544. yeeres After these two the Athenians and the Thessalians beganne to flourish about one time Athens waxed more famous then any other region of Greece seuenteene kings successiuely raigned in Athens and continued from the going out of the children of Israel out of Egypt yea fourtie yeeres before that time vntill the 423. yeere after their departure out of Egypt euen from Moses time vntill Dauids raigne for in Moses time Cecrops the first king of Athens raigned and in Dauids time Codrus the last king of Athens This is a sure computation of time wherein can be no errour The ancient and first people of the worlde after the flood beganne to accompt the time from the going of Noah out of the Arke as the Chaldeans and Assyrians did as Berosus their owne countrey Chronographer doeth affirme whose historie endured from Noah to Moses Then the Hebrewes made their accompt from the deliuery of Israel out of Egypt as Iosephus their countrey man likewise affirmeth by their Iubilees which they vsed euery fiftieth yeere All other kinde of Chronicles which accompt by the Olympiads or from the raigne of Alexander which the Greekes vsed from the destruction of Troy or from the building of Rome which the Romanes and diuers other nations did doe much erre and must of necessitie erre for they neither agree of the time of the Olympiads neither of the time when Troy was destroyed nor when Rome was builded But I wil returne to my matter Now that Peloponesus Argos Thessalia and Athens haue altered their gouernement from kings vnto princes and magistrates and that now Lacedemonia and Corinth beginne together to erect vp their kingdoms and to enioy a Monarchie by the gouernment of kings who began to raigne in Lacedemon and in Corinth foure hundreth and thirteene yeres after the Israelits went out of Egypt at what time in Athens raigned Codrus the last king of 17. and ouer the Latins Aeneas Siluius the fourth king This time began warres betweene the Peloponesians and the Athenians while yet Codrus liued in the which warres to saue his countrey and to satisfie the Oracle giuen thereby he entred boldly valiantly to the midst of the enemies like Deâ—…ius or Curtius and died after whom succeeded Medon Codrus sonne after whose names the magistrats of Athens were called Metondidae About this time beganne Dauid to raigne king in Hebron Saul being slaine and his sonnes in the 8. Iubilee of the Iewes Latinus Siluius raigned ouer the Latins the 5. king In Tyre reigned Hiram one that loued and fauoured king Dauid all the dayes of his life this time gouerned in Assyria Eupales the thirtie two king of the Assyrians In Corinth gouerned Ixion the second king who reigned thirtie seuen yeeres in the hundred eighteene yeeres of the taking of Troy by the Grecians In Lacedemon likewise the seconde king called Argis succeeded who liued but one yeere after him succeeded the third king named Arcestratus who reigned thirtie fiue yeres A little after this Absalom slue his brother Amnon and fled to the king of Gessur about which time Salomon was borne of Bethseba for that I finde no great matter to write of the kings of Lacedemonia where reigned nine kings sauing Agesilaus onely and of the kings of Corinth where reigned twelue kings I meane to auoide tediousnesse to set downe the names of these kings aswell of Lacedemon as of Corinth in a table with their reignement and gouernment as here you see for that these two kingdomes beganne both at one and also ended about one time 1 Alethes the 1. king of Corinth he reigned 35. Looke Herod lib. 7. for these kings of Lacedemon 2 Ixion 37. 1 Euristhenes the first king of Lacedomon 42. 3 Agelaus 37. 2 Argis the 2. king one yeere 4 Pryminas 35. 3 Arcestratus 35. yeeres 5 Bacis the 5. king 35. 4 Labotes 37. yeeres 6 Agelas 30. 5 Doristus 29. yeeres 7 Eudemus 25. 6 Agesilaus 44. yeeres 8 Aristemedes 35. 7 Archelaus 60. yeeres 9 Egemnon 16. 8 Thalecus 8. reigned 40. 10 Philestenus 12. 9 Alcanes the last 37. 11 Autones the last 1. yeere  This Agesilaus being very wise valiant learned to obey before hee came to commaunde well instructed in militarie discipline iust vertuous in all his actions which the Ephori being chiefe of authorities within Sparta and were to controule kings insolencie and iniustice if any were by them vsed he first after he was elected king armed himself against the king of Persia for the defence of the Crecians his Countrie men that dwelled in Asia and after hee had set the Cities of Greece which were in Asia at libertie he entred vnto Phrygia where hee tooke many cities wanne great spoiles these exploites being done hee returned vnto the Citie of Ephesus where within fewe dayes hee had leuied a great number of men of armes imitating herein king Agamemnons example in chusing the best souldiers to warres with him and leauing behind at home the worst he from Ephesus entred into Caria and from thence to Lydia and tooke Sardis the head Citie of Lydia slue Tisaphernes the king of Persias Generall Agesilaus became so great by diuers victories gotten against the Persians and barbarous kings that hee was made generall of all LacedemoniaÌ„ nauies for as then Theopompus saith he was the worthiest man of fame in his time for he rather gloried in the praise of vertue then in the greatnesse of his authoritie Nowe Pharnabazus was come from Persia as generall after Tisaphernes who at his first comming had a sharpe welcome Agesilaus so prospered that being but two yeeres in Asia hee was for his honestie continencie courtesie and plaine dealing through all Asia much commended he was wont often to say that sentence of Timotheus as Mars vseth no mercie so Greece contemneth golde but Agesilaus being called from Asia home to Greece hee was much against his will enforced to fight in Greece and against Greekes his owne countrie men euen against that worthie and renowmed captaine Epaminondas whose magnanimitie Agesilaus often woondred at I neede not much to prayse the
life of Agesilaus for it is set foorth in Plutarch euen from his youth his maners his warres his victories in such sort that Epaminondas though then his enemie at the battell at Leuctres before and after wondred much at his magnanimitie and commended much his agilitie courage and wisedome reade Plutarch of this and Zenophon where hee wrote an noble oration in the prayse of Agesilaus yet I will leaue the warres betweene them both concerning the libertie of the Boetians vntill some other place where more shal be spoken Zenophon was great with Agesilaus and in person present in all the warres whom he much loued and honoured to be short Sparta thought themselues happie to haue such a king but I omit vntill better occasion be offered to speake further of Agesilaus Nowe to the Lacedemonians againe whose kinges ended in Alcanes the ninth king being the last after that the Lacedemonians had a Monarchie vnder kings for three hundred and odde yeeres and nowe at the fall of the kings of Lacedemonia in the time of this king Egemnon which was the ninth king of Corinth diuers kingdomes sprang vp together as the kingdome of Assyria at what time Sardanapalus the last king there raigned of thirtie eight kings nowe translated vnto the Chaldeans by Phul Belochus The Medes this time beginne a kingdome vnder Arbaces and the Macedonians their newe kingdome vnder Caranus their first king and within fourtie yeeres after beganne the kingdome of Lydia and within thirtie yeeres after beganne Romulus his Empire in Rome so that within one hundred yeeres one after another sprang these fiue kingdomes The kingdom of new Assyria The kingdome of Media The kingdome of Macedonia The kingdome of Lydia And the Romanes beganne to haue footing and kings beganne to flourish about which time the kingdome of Corinth decayed after the raignement of twelue kings which gouerned wel nigh three hundred yeeres Now that the Lacedemonians and the Corinthians had a fall in their kings and that the state of their gouernment was altered to an other forme as before the Argiues and the Peloponesians the Athenians the Thessalians whereof that gouernment I meane of kings translated to another forme so likewise nowe the Lacedemonians and the Corinthians together were changed from Kings to Iudges and other popular Magistrates And as in Greece one countrie began with the other so one fell with the other and so I hasten to the historie of Greece whereof nothing yet is spoken but the accompting of time sauing the warres that the Grecians had with the kings of Persia and with the kings of the Medes for the first tribute that euer was paid out of Greece vnto any barbarous king was vnto Croesus the last king Lydia so long Greece florished as long as they had not ciuill warres betweene them selues which was the onely cause of the whole destruction of Greece otherwayes Asia Persia Media Lydia and Scythia felt the value of Greece enuied their fame and sought to ouerthrow their glorie and could not For Plutarch in the life of Solon sayth that Licurgus was the eleuenth person that descended from the right line of Hercules great controuersie there is amongst Historiographers concerning Licurgus time of his parentage and of his trauell out of his countrie they haue written diuersly of his gouernmēt of his lawes of his death but specially they vary of the time he liued in some will haue him in Iphitus time Aristotle is of that opinion others say that he was long before any of the Olympiads as Eratosthenes but Zenophon affirmeth that hee was of great antiquitie he was in the time of Heraclides which were neerest of blood vnto Hercules but howe so euer it is agreed it seemeth it should not be long from Homers time for that he was the first that brought the vnknowen poemes of Homer to light in Greece Chronographers varie much about the time of these men vnder written for in antiquitie of time they seeme more fabulous then historicall Hermes Tris. Homer Pythagoras Linus Orpheus Lycurgus Cyrus Romulus With infinite more which I omitte here to name CHAP. IIII. Of the generall gouernment in all the Cities of Greece from Lycurgus time the king and the lawmaker in Sparta vntill the comming of Xerxes the great the fourth king of Persia into Greece of Lycurgus lawes among the Lacedemonians and of Solons lawes among the Athenians THus Lycurgus being singular rare and wise in his doings first consulted with the oracles of Apollo at Delphus changeth the estate of the common wealth instituteth a Senate of the Lacedemonians to the number of twentie eight who should pul downe the furie of the people if neede so required by any innouations against the kings and againe to bridle the tyrannicall gouerment of the kings against the people and a litle after that a supreame authoritie was instituted and giuen to certaine Magistrates called Ephori who should likewise controule the Senate and the kings in their faults Lycurgus made lawes for the women of Lacedemonia and instituted disciplines for the maides to exercise therein as to runne to wrastle to cast the dart to throwe the barre hee made lawes touching mariage and appointed order for education of children they were taught after seuen yeeres of age howe to obey to susteine paine to endure labour and to continue in fight they were cōpelled to shaue their heads to goe bare legged to vse all kinde of exercise naked they laye together on a bedde of strawe which they them selues made of the toppes of reedes or canes that growe in the riuer Eurotas Licurgus also appointed them streight diet taught them short speach little meate and fewe wordes hereby grewe the Lacedemonians to be the onely famous people of the world the most endured souldiers and the most able men of body The like lawe Bochoris made in Egypt for the education of their children they might not exceede in expences vpon any male childe borne aboue twentie drachmes then either streight hee shoulde bee exercised a souldier in the fielde or with the priestes in Astronomie and Arithmetike or else if he were not a likely childe of limme and body fitte for a souldier he should be put with shepheards husbandmen or with some craftesmen for he might not be idle in Egypt It seemed that both Lycurgus and Solon brought from Egypt their lawes into Greece for all confesse that Egypt was mater artium Lycurgus appointed an order for buriall amongst the Lacedemonians hee did cut off all superstition of places but onely to lappe the corps within a red cloth and spread it ouer with oliue leaues commaunding by his law that they should not mourne for the dead past eleuen dayes on the twelfth day to doe sacrifice to Proserpina and to giue ouer mourning This streight kind of gouernment bred due obedience in Sparta that of Sparta none should traueile without licence And amongst the
made his Court and gathered together the scattered Macedonians into one place and began to reigne there as a king At what time Procas Siluius reigned ouer the Latines Ozias reigned ouer the Hebrewes Ieroboam in Israel was king and Alexander reigned king in Corinth this time Arbaces translated the Monarchie of Assyria vnto the Medes hauing giuen the ouerthrow to Sardanapalus whereby both the kingdomes of the Medes and of Macedonia beginne at one time for nowe the kings of Lacedemonia ended 〈◊〉 gouernment and these kingdomes beganne to florish 37â—… yeeres after the destruction of Troy in the beginning of the thirteene Iubilee of the Iewes before the Olympiads the space of one whole Iubilee which is fiftie yeeres This Cranaus the first king of the Macedonians reigned twentie eight yeeres whose successor I reade in Eusebius and Glareanus was Caenus he reigned the second king of Macedonia twelue yeeres at what time Amulius Siluius the fifteene king of the Latines reigned this Amulius the yonger sonne of Procas Siluius draue Numitor his elder brother out of his Countrie and also Numitor had a daughter whom hee caused to be a vestall virgine to auoyde mariage but notwithstanding shee was gotten with childe of two children in steade of one which were called Romulus and Remus of whose education and strange bringing vp how they slue Amulius and restored their graundfather Numitor to the kingdome againe and howe they both builded Rome you may reade in the histories of the Romane kings after whom succeeded the Romane kings In Egypt reigned this time Sabachus this is named in Scripture Sech the third king of Macedonia was Tyrimas who succeeded in the kingdome in the time of the second Olympiad as Eusebius and Glareanus do witnesse whom I folow chiefely in placing the kings of Macedonia though Iustine Sabelicus say otherwaies that one Telegonus reigning in Paeonia which is a piece of Macedonia and one Europus who likewise on the other side of Paeonia gouerned These two bare most sway in Macedonia vntil Caranus came with a great number of Greekes by the Oracle commaunded to seeke a seate in Macedon who by force expelled Mida which gouerned in a part of Macedon and forced other gouernours which then ruled diuers countries about Macedonia which was no large kingdome in the beginning but Caranus by this meanes augmented much the Countrie of Macedon After this Caranus Iustine setteth downe Perdiccas with whom agreeth Soliâ—… and saith that this Perdiccas was the first that bare the 〈◊〉 of a king in the twentie two Olympiad who liued in such liking and loue of his subiects that his life seemed a lawe and his death an oracle for which hee died being an olde man hee called his sonne named Argeus and shewed him a secrete place where hee woulde haue his body buried and his successours the kings of Macedonia after him This superstitious buriall the kings of Macedonia helde as by an oracle commaunded vntill the time of Alexander the great who was the ninteenth king after this Perdiccas Argeus succeeded his father and was a modest prince hee did minister iustice to his subiectes and liued in Ioue and fauour with his people leauing behinde him to gouerne the Macedonians his heire Philip who died in his youth and left the kingdome to Europus a young childe in whose time the Thracians and the Illyrians had continuall warres with the Macedonians The Illyrians vexed and ouerthrewe the Macedonians in a great battel despising the infancie of their king and litle waiing the Macedonians in respect of their king they were hereby much mooued to fight againe and gathered a huge hoste brought their king in his cradle to the field and gaue battell to the Illyrians ouerthrewe them vanquished them and slue the most of them for the sight of their young king made them like lyons hungrie of their praye with double courage to fight But I will returne to Eusebius and Glareanus where I beganne and whom I chiefely imitate though Solinus and Iustine wrote otherwaies for it is no rare thing to haue writers to varie specially in histories of long time for here Perdiccas is placed to be the fourth king which both Iustine and Solinus wrote to be the first king of Macedonia in this Functius in his table of the kings of Macedon a singular Chronographer following the best learned and next agreeing with the Scripture doth set this Perdiccas to be the 4. king who came of a meane state to be a king of Macedon where he reigned 51. yeeres This time Romulus had great warres with the Sabines which continued three yeeres with whom Tatius Sabinus reigned in Rome together with Romulus fiue yeeres About this verie season Saneherib was ouerthrowen for his great blasphemie against God with a hundred fourescore and fiue thousand slaine in one night by the Angel of the Lord while this Perdicas reigned in Macedon Merodach the sonne of Baladan after hee had gouerned Babylon twelue yeeres and ouercame the Assyrians and brought the Monarchie againe to the Chaldeans about the thirtie yeere of Perdicas Egypt was gouerned by twelue Magistrates of equall authoritie After Perdicas succeeded Argeus his sonne the fifth king of Macedonia of whom you reade before by Iustine set downe to be the second king Philip the sixt king of Macedon reigned thirtie eight yeeres in the 34. Olympiad in whose time happened in Rome great warres betweene Tullius Hostilius the third king of Rome and the Sabines The Latines likewise beganne warres with the Romanes which continued fiue yeeres this time reigned in Egypt Necho who had warres with the Chaldeans at what time hee ouercame the Syrians and slue Iosias in Mageddo the Messenians reuoulted from the Lacedemonians and the rude barbarous Scythians entred into Asia spoyled and wasted all the Countrie vntill they came vnto the land of Palestine This time Periander reigned in Corinth whose life you may reade in Herodot of whom is also written a historie of this time of Phaortes the sixth king of the Medes who was slaine at the siedge of Niniue by the Assyrians with all his companie In these dayes Tullius Hostilius with al his familie were burned in his owne house in the thirtie fiue Olympiad many great warres and blooddy battels fell in the time of this Philip for both Ieconia with all his friendes likewise Daniel with his fellowes were caried away captiue vnto Babylon and within a while after Ierusalem was besieged and made euen to the ground and the Iewes caried captiues vnto Chaldea Againe Ciaxeres which is by Daniel and others named to be Darius Medus had great warres thus the Assyrians tooke the citie of Niniue and reuenged the death of Phaortes and so the Assyrians were quite destroyed brought the monarchie vnto the Medes All the warres that Ancus Martius the fourth king of Rome had with the Latins Fidenats the Sabins the Veiens the Volscans and
maried Statira Darius daughter hee married in Susa eightie and two nohle men of Macedonia vnto the Ladies of Persia and Media vpon one day and made a braue large tent of foure furlongs about and appointed an hundreth gorgeous riche beds where also the kings bed was furnished with too much riches to be spoken of I will they should reade Quin. Curtius and Diod. Siculus of the riche and sumptuous solemnitie of this feast of the regall magnificence of Alexander of the pompe and glorie of these Macedonian mariages with these Persian Ladies After these great mariages of himselfe and of his nobles and of his sumptuous feast which continued fiue dayes hee made also a solemne feast of cōmon mariages where 9000. were maried to whom Alexander gaue a cup of gold to euery one to honour the feast He became from a famous conquerour a voluptuous man a drunkard furious and fell at last in his rage to kill and to murther his dearest friendes as Hermolaus Parmenio yea Clitus his owne foster brother who saued Alexanders life at the battel at Granicus at what time Rhosaceris a Persian captaine had slaine Alexander had not Clitus bene he slewe Calisthenes the Philosopher for his good counsell Alexander saide Odio qui sibi non sapit he could not abide to heare any praise of his owne father Philip he would be called the sonne of Iupiter disdained his noble men and olde souldiers of Macedonia that serued his father he forgote to doe good as Pindar truely said and gaue himselfe to be a tyrant after Babylon was taken Alexander was modest discreet wise iust in iudgment temperat in diet for a time but the reward of sinne fel vpon him many hated him and many conspired his death as Sostratus Philota Antipater Epimenes Nicostratus and Anticles but Epimenes disclosed his conspiracie to his brother named Eurilochus to whom Alexander gaue 50. talents for these newes and pardoned Epimenes but the rest he executed Yet still more conspiratours grewe in so much that Antipater his lieutenant in Macedonia yea as some do suspect by Aristotles counsell poyson was sent from Macedonia vnto Babylon and deliuered to Cassander which was Antipaters sonne to Iolla and to Philippe which were Antipaters brethren which were of the kings priuie Chamber and these when they sawe their time bestowe a cuppe of drinke vpon Alexander for his last farewell which when he perceiued that there was no helpe he tooke his ring from his finger and gaue it to Perdica with a commandement giuen that his body should be caried to Iupiter of Ammon Yet some write that he died of a hot feuer A little before hee died he was demaunded who should raigne king after him he answered euen he that is most worthie to come after me And then being againe asked at what time he would haue his body buried he answered when you are at rest and quietnesse And so it came to passe that hee was left vnburied in Babylon vntill Olympias his mother came from Macedonia and caused his bodie to be caried to Alexandria for assoone as Alexander died they contended to bee kings and so forgot to burie Alexander according to his commaundement Thus Alexander after hee had liued thirtie two yeeres and raigned twelue he died at what time happened the saying of Demades to be true that the kingdomes and souldiers of Alexander should be like a Ciclope without an eye surely so it came to passe that after Alexanders death the most part of the worlde was without a king for Alexander had so many kingdomes that when hee died hee left no king behinde him vntill againe they beganne with the sworde to claime kingdomes After Alexanders death who died two hundreth and eight yeeres before Iulius Caesar was slaine during twelue yeeres which Alexander the great raigned in the whole hee raigned sixe of these twelue yeeres king ouer the Chaldeans and the Assyrians ouer the Medes and the Persians leauing Roxana king Darius daughter great with childe for the which the Macedonians did her great honour for king Darius had three daughters Statira Roxana and Bersene who were all married vnto Alexander This time beganne the Romanes to flourish and had conquered the Sabins the Samnits the Latines the Fidenats the Hetruscanes the Volscanes and diuers other countreys and beganne to looke further from Rome vnto other kingdomes of the worlde For nowe had triumphed in Rome during the raigne of Alexander these many gallant fellowes 1 Marcus Valerius Corinus 2 C. Mar. Corolyanus 3 Tit. Manlius Torquatus 4 Lucius Papyrius 5 Fabius Maximus 6 Mar. Curius 7 Lucius Voluminus 8 Caius Sulpitius And 9 Caius Decius And as Liuie saith al these seemed in courage and prowesse to be yong Alexanders CHAP. III. Of the diuision and parting of the kingdomes of Asia and Syria after the death of Alexander betweene his captaines for hee left no king to succeede after him but the sworde so many kingdomes were voide by his death that his captaines that fought then vnder Alexander for wages and spoyles fought nowe for kingdomes and Empires of their warres and of their continuance BVt to come to Macedonia againe where these great captaines fell at variance after the death of Alexander howe the kingdomes of Alexander might bee diuided sixe dayes they were in discoursing of these causes who should succeede Alexāder in the kingdome of Macedonia some greedie of praie some of ease some after long warres some of one thing and some of another the noble men and chiefe captaines they had an eye to the treasure of Alexander which was one hundred thousand talents beside his reuenues yerely which was three hundred thousande talents Perdiccas thought Roxana being great with childe by Alexander if it should be a sonne that he should be king of the Macedonians Meleager contraried Perdicas saying That Alexāder had a gallant youth to bee his sonne by Arsine named Hercules more fitter for the crowne of Macedonia then to expect a doubtfull chaunce by Roxana others thought that Aridaeus a bastard brother of Alexanders shoulde succeede in the kingdome Reade Q. Curtius of the orations and perswasions of seuerall Dukes and captaines concerning the succession after Alexander in the kingdome of Macedonia After long debates seuerall opinions touching Alexanders posteritie it came at last to the murthering of his wife Roxana being great with childe by Alexander to the killing of young Hercules Alexanders sonne by his wife Arsine to the slaughter of his mother Olympias and of his base brother Aridaeus it came in fine to bloodie ciuill discord that the calamitie and miserie of Macedonia after Alexanders time passed farre the felicitie and iollitie of Macedonia during the time of Alexander for after that Antipater had murthered all Alexanders stocke his wife children mother brother and all Alexanders nigh kinsemen hee armed himselfe against Lysimachus by whom Antipater was slaine
Asia euen to flee to Ptolomey where he was claptin prison frō whom he secretly stale away and fled but being taken by theeues was slaine About that very season his brother Seleucus by a fall he had frō his horse lost both his life and kingdom after he had raigned king of Asia and Syria 20. yeeres and so these two brethren by discord lost both Syria and Asia After this Seleucus came succeeded his sonne Seleucus Ceraunos the 5. king of Asia and Syria he after he had raigned 3. yeeres was slaine by one of his owne noblemen named Nicanor Then followed Antiochus surnamed the great the 6. king of Syria who indeed was so great that he wanne to his kingdome more then any of his predecessors and hauing long warres in Egypt with Ptolome Philopater by him for all his greatnes he had an ouerthrow or two But this Philopater died and left behind him a young sonne whom he committed for the safegard of his kingdome to the Romanes commending both his sonne in his minoritie his kingdome into the fidelity of the Senators for all kings in their distresse fled vnto the Romanes as to a sanctuary of refuge Now Antiochus the great in his minde contemned the Romanes made warres in Egypt vpon this yong king to whom the Senators sent Embassadors commanding him to auoyde Egypt not to warre vpō the yong king whom the Senators of Rome tooke to their tuition Antiochus esteemed not much the threatning of the Senators but rather despised the messengers making his armie ready against the Romanes hauing by this time Hannibal who by Scipio Affricanus was ouerthrowen at the battel of Zama which was the last ouerthrow of Hannibal for the Carthagineans had lost Sicilia Sardania Spaine and Hanibal was driuen out of Italy to Affrike and frō Affrike to Asia vnto king Antiochus where he was with great curtesie receiued By this time the Senate had intelligence that Nabis the tyrant had inuaded diuers countreies of Greece subdued manie cities and therefore they wrote vnto Titus Flaminius that Greece should be set at libertie from Nabis as Macedonia was from Philip. The greatnes of the Romanes was such that they thought to execute all warres by their commandement yet the name of Hannibal caried great reputation with all men and specially with the Romanes who had for 16. yeeres well tried his valure Antiochus at the first made much account of Hannibal for had he followed Hannibals aduise in his warres against the Romanes afterward as he did at the first Antiochus had done farre better for Hanibals counsell was that Antiochus should make warre with the Romanes in Italy for said he Italians must ouercome Italy and Romanes must conquere Rome Hanibal hated the Romanes and therefore he studied how to set forward Antiochus and perswaded Antiochus who trusted still in peace that as the Romanes had gotten the most part of Europe and Affrike so would they not giue ouer vntill they would get Asia if they might The authoritie and credit of Hanibal made Antiochus so to yeeld that Hanibal himself was sent to Syria to leuie a great nomber of ships he was made general of Antiochus army by sea together with one Apollonius This battel by sea had no good successe the victory fel to the Romans Apollonius fled and as Plutarch saith we find that Hanibal did nothing worth the memory After this battel assoone as Antiochus was ouercome by the Romans Hanibal fearing he should be deliuered to the Romans fled to Prusias king of Bythinia at whose hands he was required againe by Tit. Flaminius Now king Antiochus hauing lost 50. thousand footmen and 4000. horsmen was forced to desire peace which the Senate graunted him vpon conditions that he should auoid forth of Europe and Asia and medle no further but within the precinct of Taurus and also that hee should pay to the Romanes tenne thousand talents and 30. pledges for the assurance of his prouinces and lastly that hee should deliuer Hanibal who had bene the only procurour of the battel These conditions being performed by Antiochus the Senate gaue all those cities of Asia which Antiochus had lost to Eumenes king Atalus brother they gaue also to the Rhodians diuers other cities for that they had assisted the Romanes against Antiochus After this great victorie Lucius Cornelius Scipio returned to Rome and with great glory triumphed and then obtained the like name in Asia as his brother had before in Affrike which was to be called Scipio Asiaticus for that he conquered Antiochus the great at Magnesia had driuen him out of Asia euen as his father the elder Scipio was called for subduing of Hanibal and the driuing out of Hanibal of Affrike Scipio Affricanus All this while the Iewes were so much troubled betweene the kings of Egypt and the kings of Syria that they found that same true but specially by the king of Syria and therefore the Iewes rather did ioyne their force to the Egyptians against the kings of Syria for while Antiochus held warres with the Romanes Scopas king Ptolomey Epiphanes general was in Coelosyria possessed Samaria other cities of Iudea and molested the Iewes at that time much vntill Antiochus ouerthrew Scopas at the flood Iordan destroyed his army got those cities which Scopas had and entred into Ierusalē where he was fully pleased with rewards and satisfied with money with whom they had peace for Iudea as I said before had peace and quietnes frō Alexander the great vntil Antiochus the great which was 100. yeres and odd About this time 3. notable triumphes were at Rome the one by Scipio forth of Affricke before whose chariot Asdrubal was led the other by Metellus foorth of Macedonia before whose chariot Andriscus was led this was that false named and coūterfaited Philip the thirde triumph was by Metellus sirnamed Mummius ouer the Corinthians before whom were caried the brasen ensignes and painted tables and other sumptuous ornaments of that famous citie CHAP. II. Of that wicked and most blasphemous king Antiochus Epiphanes sonne to Antiochus the great and the type of Antichrist of his vsurpation and tyrānie of the kingdom of his sacking and crueltie in Ierusalem of his bloody warres and persecutions of Christians DVring the warres of Antiochus the great with the Romans ciuil warres began in Greece againe betweene the Athenians and the Aetolians Of these warres reade Polibius and Plutarch in the life of Philopomen Likewise Mithridates king of Parthia waged battel with the Sinopians About this time Siphax king of Numidia was after sundrie battels by Masinissa ouerthrowen and driuen out of his kingdome This time Pharnaces the fourth king of Parthia conquered those people called Mardi astoute nation as Iustine saith In the time of Antiochus the great there happened in one yeere 57. earthquakes insomuch that Rhodes and Caria were so shaken thereby that the
droue him out of the kingdome and had both his head and his crowne giuen him But Philometor enioyed not long these great honors for within three dayes after he had receiued Alexanders head Ptolome died so long he ware the crowne of Syria When the Syrians heard that Alexander was dead in Arabia and Ptolome dead in Egypt they slue all the souldiers of Ptolome which were left in garisons in the Cities of Syria and receiued Demetrius Nicanor to be their king which was Demetrius Soters sonne Nowe when Demetrius had recouered his kingdome againe he fel in short time in as great contempt with all men for his slouthfulnesse as his father before him was for pride and to auoide that fault he waged warres with the Parthians to whom he gaue two seuerall ouerthrowes by the aide of the Bactrians and the Persians but afterward he was taken and sent prisoner into Hircania to Arsaces king of Persia. While Demetrius was in these warres Ionathas the high priest was by deceipt slaine by Trypho also he slue young Antiochus ouer whom he was tutour and reigned three yeeres king in Syria Cleopatra Demetrius wife fearing the tyrannie of this Trypho and knowing her husband to bee captiue in Hircania shee maried Antiochus Soter her husbands brother shee being then in the citie of Seleucia Antiochus leuied an armie came to Syria pursued Trypho from whom reuoulted all his souldiers and he himselfe fled Antiochus possessed Syria quietly and calling to mind the pride of his father the slouthfulnesse of his brother for which faultes they were both hated of their subiects hee vsed great diligence and faire meanes to winne those cities which had reuoulted from his brother yet according to his predecessours the kings of Syria he beganne shortly after this good mind to molest Iudea he besieged Hircanus the high priest in Ierusalem but he tooke money and remoued his siege In the twelfth of his reigne Antiochus beganne to warre against Phrahartes king of the Parthiās leuied an armie of eightie thousand men Phrahartes had Demetrius the brother of Antiochus in custodie with him to whom his father Arsaces had promised him before he died to restore him to his kingdome and thereupon gaue his daughter in mariage The king of Parthia was ouerthrowen and driuen to slight in two or three battels leauing al Parthia wasted and spoyled by Antiochus In the meane time Demetrius was sent by Phrahartes to his kingdome while Antiochus was absent from Syria In this warres of Parthia Antiochus came to Babylon where many kings gaue him the meeting for hee waxed great and strong and there hearing that his brother Demetrius was commen to Syria from Parthia and was receiued againe to his kingdome he made haste to returne with his souldiers to Syria but Phrahartes had prepared an armie vpon the way to meete him and to giue him battell where Antiochus was slaine CHAP. III. Of the last destruction of Asia and Syria through their ciuill dissention and long warres one with another the onely cause of their bondage afterward to the Romanes vnder whom they liued as subiects and all Asia and Syria made Prouinces vnder Rome WHen the king of Parthia had the victorie hee much repented him that he let loose Demetrius but hee coulde not helpe it When Demetrius had bin from his kingdome thirteene yeeres captiue but with great honour for that he maried Arsases daughter king of Parthia his returne to Syria was in the sixe hundred twentie seuen yeere after the building of Rome and hee reigned afterward foure yeeres for in the fourth yeere after his returne from Parthia where hee had bene thirteene yeeres captiue he leuied an armie against Hircanus but Demetrius woonted and intollerable pride was such that the Syrians by no meanes coulde abide him and therefore they sent to Egypt to king Ptolome that he would appoint them a king of the blood and house of Seleucus Such were the maners of the Syrians that vpon any broile or diffidence they had in their king the kings of Egypt shoulde be their shield and defende them and by that meanes onely diuers kings of Egypt became kings of Syria The people of Syria hauing sent to Egypt Ptolome prepared Alexander Zebenna with a great hoste against Demetrius from whom most of his subiects reuoulted and therefore the easier to be vanquished as it came to passe in the very first battell betweene him and Zebenna This Zebenna was one Protarchus sonne a meane man and such a one as Prompalus was of whō you reade before These false pollices and craftie deuices are alwayes in courtes about kings and princes as in Macedonia a false Philip and after him againe a fained Perseus so in Syria a false Prompalus and after him a false Zebenna of whom reade the fable in Iustine and in Functius When this Alexāder Zebenna had ouercome Demetrius he enioyed the kingdome of Syria two yeres quietly but shortly he waxed so proud and arrogant that he litle esteemed king Ptolome who only made him king in Syria Ptolome hearing of these newes recōciled himselfe first to his sister Cleopatra who had bin maried to both the brethren Antiochus and Demetrius kings of Syria and straight after sent an armie to ayde Gryphus who was by his mother appointed king which gaue battel to Zebenna ouerthrew him and forced him to flee to Antioch where for want of money to pay his souldiers he robbed the temple of Iupiter from thence he was driuen by the countrie to take his flight Againe his souldiers forsooke him and left him he was taken and brought to Griphus and by commaundement slaine Nowe Griphus hauing obteined his fathers kingdome doubted nothing of his mother Cleopatras treason being busie in other affaires of his kingdome vntill hee was made acquainted with his mothers intent of whō he had some triall both towards his father whom shee betrayed being her husband his brother whō also she slue being her owne sonne her ambitions impietie was so found that when she offered a cuppe of drinke to her sonne the king she was cōmaunded to drinke the same her selfe and so the poyson with the which she thought to poyson her sonne was made to be her owne draught and her owne death After this Griphus reigned king in Syria eight yeeres very quiet before Cizicoenus his brother beganne to warre he was his brother by the mother side borne by his vncle Antiochus Sedetes while the state of Syria was thus afflicted with continuall warres betweene brethren and brethrens children Ptolomeus Physcon died who left behinde him the kingdome to his wife and to his sonne of whō I haue entreated in the historie of Egypt But now the ciuill warres being in Syria betweene Antiochus Griphus Demetrius Nicanors sonne and Antiochus Cizicenus Antiochus Sedetes sonne though they were brethrē by the mothers side cousin germaines by the fathers yet their
ambition was such to the kingdom of Syria that they forgate fraternitie in blood fel to strokes one persecuting the other with cōtinual warres sundry battels vntil at lēgth Antiochus Griphus was slaine by the treacherie of Herodianus in the 662. yere after the building of Rome in the 29. yere of his reigne I remēber a history in Dionisius Halicarnassaeus in the which historie Rome is much commended in respect of other countries as Persia Greece Maccdonia Syria Asia kingdoms of ciuil warres the very cause of their ruine but in Rome no ciuil warre was knowen no mutinie no discord was seene for 620. yeres frō the time of Romulus the first king of Rome vntill the time of Tiberius Gracchus which was the first that died in an vprore which he himselfe beganne But while these ciuill warres endured in Syria Masinissa king of Numidia was occupied in Affrike hauing great wars betweene the Carthagineans the Numidians Aristonicus also the sonne of Attalus king of Pergamus brother to that valiant king Eumenes inuaded Asia as his owne kingdom fallen to him by succession of his father At that time reigned in Bythinia Nicomedes in Pōtus Mithridates the sōne of that great Mithridates who held warres with the Romanes of a long time About this time began the sects of people in Iudea the Pharises the Saduces and Esseni Of these Iosephus writeth beside we reade of them in the new Testament In the time of Antiochus Griphus Mecypsa king of Numidia died who left 3. sonnes behind him named Adherbalis Hiempsalis Iugurtha of this Salust maketh mention in the warres of Iugurth which warre happened in this time of Griphus for Marius the Romane Consul about this time triumphed ouer Iugurth Pompey the great was borne about the time of that triumph Lucretius the Poet also But I will come to Syria where after king Antiochus was slaine his sonne Seleucus succeeded him this prepared to reuenge his father vpon his vncle gathered his force gaue him battel and slue his vncle Antiochus Cizicoenus whose sōne reuēged vpō his cousin his fathers death he gaue him battel ouerthrewe him droue him out of Syria to Cicilia where hee was burned in his owne house and all his friendes with him Skant was this mischiefe done but straight another folowed Seleucus brother named Antiochus folowed fast Cizioenus sōne and slue him with all his armie Then Philip the third brother of Seleucus tooke much of the kings treasure and went priuately and dwelled in a part of Syria vntill that Ptolome who by his owne mother before that time was expelled out of Egypt though afterwarde hee was receiued king againe in the 663. yeere after the building of Rome This I say brought the fourth brother of Seleucus named Demetrius Eucerus to Damascus where hee was crowned king who ioyned with Philip ouerthrew Antiochus their brother and the eldest after Seleucus This murthering one another in Syria with such tyrannie and bloody treason betweene brethren and brethrens children that all the kings of Syria euen from Antiochus Epiphanes the eight king of Syria vntill Philip the seuenteenth king no forraine enemies needed to inuade Asia but one king destroyed an other by ciuill warres About this time Cneus Pompeius father to the great Pompe subdued the Picents and the Marsies and Silla ouercame the Samnites Betweene this Silla and Marius beganne a great quarrell about the warres of Mithridates these two though they did much good to their Countrie and were equal to the best yet they past al men in offence and harme towards Rome so that they onely were the two fire brandes of Italie Mithridates king of Pontus inuaded Asia obiected himselfe against the Romanes but Silla who at that time triumphed ouer all the countries and almost ouer Rome staied Mithridates Lucullus waged warres this time with the Parthians Nicomedes king of Bithinia in those dayes died and made the Romanes his heire as Attalus king of Asia did Mithridates Nowe Philip and Demetrius two brethren reigned the last kings of Syria of the blood of Seleucus which reigned not long for Demetrius went against Alexander king of the Iewes by whom he and his company were vanquished and driuen out of Iudea Demetrius being thus expulsed gathered those scattered souldiers which Alexander king of Iudea dispearsed and laid siege to the citie of Berea where his brother Philip lay where Demetrius was taken by the Parthiās sent to Parthia to be kept as a prisoner where he died After that Demetrius was sent to Parthia Philip came out of Beroea entred into Antioch and obteined the whole kingdom of Syria into his owne hand but he was shortly vanquished ouerthrowen by Gabinius the Romane The Syrians were cōpelled by this ciuil warre to cōmit themselues to forraine kings to auoid the tyrāny which lōg endured betweene the kings of Syria so that both the kings the kingdom of Syria were at the last breath some willing to call Mithridates king of Pontus some Ptolome king of Egypt and some Tygranes king of Armenia At length they made a choise of Tygranes to be their king the rather for the societie of the Parthiās the affinitie of Pōtus which were the next kingdōs vnto Armenia While these brethrē Philip Demet. were at variance such an earthquake was in Syria that 170000. men perished thereby many cities laid prostrate to the groūd Tygranes gouerned the Syrians 18. yeeres quietly without any warre or busines though in deede diuers there were that hoped for a day specially Antiochus Cizicoenus which all this time lay close in Cicilia Tygranes had thought to subdue Palestina and so after some leasure to warre vpō Iuda but hearing that Lu. Lucullus after that Mithridates was by the said Lucullus conquered marched forward into Armenia Tygranes was driuē to forsake Syria in al haste to returne to defend his owne coūtrie where he was ouercome in two or three great battels and at length taken in his chiefe citie called Artaxa Nowe Tygranes could not returne to Syria but he was led captiue to the Romanes by Pompei the great who after that wēt in person into Syria brought it to the forme gouernment of a prouince for that Syria as Plutarch saith wanted a lawfull king He made a prouince of Syria to the Romane Empire he cōquered al Iurie builded certeine cities in Iudea this very time M. Crassus with his sonne with all his armie was ouerthrowen and slaine in Parthia Likewise Iulius Caesar came into England called then Brittaine and conquered it at what time reigned in Brittaine Cassibelane who after two or three repulses giuen to Caesar yeelded consented to pay tribute At the cōming of Pompe into Syria Diodorus Siculus a great writer wēt to Egypt where he wrote in a booke of his the antiquitie of the Egyptiās About this time Titus Liuius the historiographer
kings in Italie at one time From this Italus whom the Greekes called Atlas and by whō the countrie was named Italia from which time to the last destruction of Troy were 454. yeeres from the ruine of Troy to the building of Rome foure hundred and thirtie yeeres So long Italie was by the Thuscans Hetrurians Samnites Sabines Fidenats Vuiens Volscans Latines with others inhabited before the name of the Romanes were knowen for first in Italie dwelt Greekes Arcadians Salentines Lacedemonians Cicilians Rutilians with many more nations as Myrsilus a Lesbian writer doth note of the which Annius in his institutions of the antiquitie of Etruria of their lawes and gouernment during the time of their magistrates called Lucumones hath more then is necessarie written In like maner Fab. Pictor a noble learned Romane of the stocke and house of Fabians endeuoured with all his studie to proue the antiquitie of olde Italie from Ianus time which he most surely accompted to be olde Noah attributing to the Thuscans so much as Annius before In his first booke hee entreateth from Ianus and Saturnus time vntill Romulus time in his second booke from Romulus forwarde for all agree that the late Romanes after Romulus time haue had their discipline their religion their lawes their diuination and all such ceremonies from the Hetruscans The like traueile M. Cato in in his fragments De originibus tooke the like paine as the before named Annius and Fab. Pictor did for the antiquitie of olde Italie I will come therefore to the kings of the Latines which were the first kings that wee reade of in Italie where reigned before Aeneas comming to Italie fiue kings as Ruffinus affirmeth but as Annius Fabius Pictor and M. Cato reigned twelue kinges and from Aeneas vntill the time of Romulus sixteene kinges reigned of the which briefely I meane to speake a litle setting downe the names of their kinges the number of the time that they reigned and for that Aeneas was prima Imperij Romani origo the first beginning and the originall of the Romane Empire and the onely authour of gens Iulia from whence Iulius Caesar Augustus and the Emperours of Rome come off I will therefore set downe the time of his comming into Italie his continuance and his posteritie after him vntill Romulus time the first builder and founder of Rome Aeneas after the Greekes had taken Troy hauing gathered the noblest and best men with all the strength and treasures of Troy tooke the Castle Ilion for his defence vntill hee perceiued that hee coulde not resist the violence of the Grecians determined to escape the enemies and to sende some of the best before with abundance of treasures to mount Ida and there to tarie vntill Aeneas and the rest sawe their time to escape which being perfourmed they departed from Ida tooke the sea Helespont into Thracia from Thracia to Macedonia as Beroaldus affirmeth from Macedonia to Cicilia from thence into Italie where then Latinus reigned King of the Countrie with whom the Rutiles people dwelling at Ardea a Towne distant from Rome a hundred and three score furlongs held warre Of this Latinus Aeneas was so enterteined and his armie that hee graunted Aeneas a place to inhabite not farre from Laurentum where Latinus might vse Aeneas aide in this warre Aeneas builded a Towne for his ayde against the Rutiles and named it after his wifes name Lauinium for hee grewe in such fauour with king Latinus then being in warres with Mexentius and with others that after two or three ouerthrowes by the Troianes giuen to Mexentius king of Tyrrhenum and to Turnus king of the Rutiles who shoulde haue maried Lauinia before Aeneas for that shee was espoused to Turnus first Aeneas good successe in warres was such being king ouer all the Troians and so named of his souldiers that Latinus gaue his daughter heire of the kingdom to Aeneas that after Latinus was slaine in battell Aeneas was the right and lawfull king of the Latines where he reigned three yeeres and died leauing his sonne Ascanius to succeede him king of the Latines Nowe before Aeneas time reigned fiue kings ouer the Latines by the names of Ianus Saturnus Picus Faunus Latinus the sixt Aeneas These kings reigned about 150. yeeres in Italie before Aeneas came to Laurentum which was about the time of Dauid who beganne his kingdome in the foure hundred thirtie foure yeere after that the Israelites left Egypt in the beginning of the eight Iubilee Yet Annius in his Chronicles of the Hetruscanes saith that after Hesperus died his brother succeeded him named Italus in Vetulonia the chiefe Towne at that time in Italie this Italus had a daughter named Roma who builded Capua in Latio in the place where nowe Rome is builded vpon the one side of mount Auentine as Fabius Pictor affirmeth in his booke De origine Vrbis Romae this doeth Annius set downe in this sort 1 Roma reigned in Latio yeeres 46. 2 After Roma her sonne Romanessus 79. 3 After him Picus Priscus 57. 4 After Picus Faunus Priscus 30. 5 After Fannus his daughter Agilla 54. 6 Then reigned Vulcanus 36. 7 After Mars surnamed Ianus iunior 23. 8 After Ianus succeeded Seculus surnamed Saturnus 36. 9 Picus Iunior 34. 10 Fannus Iunior 24. 11 Latinus Aeneas father in lawe 38 12 And after Latinus reigned Aeneas as his heire maried to his daughter 3. In this both Annius and Fabius Pictor do agree which yeres amount to 454. yeeres that Aeneas predecessors reigned before the destruction of Troy and before he was king of the Latines Of this Roma which was Italus daughter Rome was first named as Sempronius in his booke of the diuision of Italie affirmeth and sayth further that Romulus had his name giuen by the place named Roma and not Roma from Romulus But Ruffinus and Functius sayth that Ascanius beganne his kingdome ouer the Latines when Samson was Iudge in Israel in the sixt Iubilee after Moses which is an hundred yeeres before Dauids kingdome But omitting controuersies Ascanius being in quiet possession of the kingdome hee caused a monument to be erected vp in maner and sort like an arche or a pillar whereupon he caused this sentence to bee written rounde about that monument as followeth Patri deo Indigeti qui Numici amnis vndas temperat This pillar is made and consecrated to the god of the Latines who hath power and soueraigntie ouer the riuer Numicus Some say that Aeneas made this in memorie of his father Anchises other say it was Ascanius doing in memorie of his father Aeneas who vanished away at the riuer Numicus others say that the Latines did it in remembrance of their last king Latinus but howe so euer it is a graue there is as Halicarnassaeus sayth that it is composed fine and artificially made of wood and stone in most curious maner but I will be briefe and omitte these
things and will as I haue promised onely set downe the names of the kings of the Latines 2 Ascanius Aeneas sonne reigned after his father the second king of the Latines this Ascanius had a sonne named Iulus of whome doeth Gens Iulia spring out Ascanius is called in Halicar Eurilion who reigned twentie eight yeres 3 After Ascanius succeeded Syluius a brother of Ascanius a sonne vnto Aeneas by Lauina king Latinus daughter whom Aeneas left great with childe when he died she for feare of Ascanius hidde her selfe in mountaines and in wooddes vntill she was brought to bed and therefore her sonne was named Syluius after which name all the kings of the Albans were named Syluij this reigned king after Ascanius Iulus which was Ascanius sonne who became a priest and a religious man vnto the gods which vntill the time of Augustus the familie and stocke of Iulia remained and continued as great Bishops named mag ni Pontifices or else as high priests named summi Sacerdotes amōg the Romanes the onely men of great renowme and fame This Syluius reigned twentie nine yeeres and dyed and left behinde him Aeneas Syluius 4 Aeneas Syluius reigned thirtie one yeeres and left behind him a sonne named Latinus Syluius the fifth king of the Latines 5 Latinus reigned after his father fiftie yeeres and left behind a sonne named Alba Syluius which was the sixt king of the Latines 6 Syluius Alba reigned thirtie nine yeeres 7 After him succeeded Capetus Syluius the seuenth king of the Latines 24. yeeres Eusebius named this king Atyn Eutrop. lib. 1. doeth call him Epidum so doeth Ouid in Metamorph lib. 14. 8 Capetus left behind him Capis Syluius the 8. king of the Latines who reigned 28. yeeres of this king Capua a Citie in Italie was first builded 9 After this succeded Calpetus Syluius the ninth king of the Latines who reigned thirteene yeeres and left behinde him a sonne named Tiberinus 10 Tiberinus the tenth king of the Latines reigned 8. yeres and was slaine in a battell fought by the riuer Albula some say that he was drowned in Albula and therefore the riuers name was altered and named Tiber after the name of Tiberinus which is that riuer that runneth through Rome this Tiberinus left a sonne to succeede him called Agrippa Syluius 11 Agrippa Syluius reigned fourtie yeeres being the eleuenth king of the Latines 12 Alladius Syluius the twelfth king of the Latines succeeded Agrippa and reigned nineteene yeeres whom Eutrop doeth call Remus Syluius a wicked man and a cruell tyraunt vsing many horrible attempts against God therefore was worthely slaine by a thunder boult for he went about to make the people beleeue that hee was a God hee would gape and receiue the lightning into his mouth but he and all his house was therewith consumed 13 After him succeeded the thirteenth king of the Latines which was named Auentinus Syluius which reigned thirtie seuen yeeres of this king mount Auentine one of the seuen hilles in Rome was named for that this king Auentinus was buried there This time reigned Amazias king of Iuda brother to Amos Isaiah his father at what time reigned in Assyria Sardanapalus their last king 14 Procus Syluius succeeded the fourteenth king of the Latines which reigned twentie three yeeres who left the kingdome to his eldest sonne Numitor Syluius and left to his other younger sonne money and great wealth but this Amulius draue his elder brother Numitor out of his kingdome and Numitor was constrained like a priuate man to leade his life in the Countrie Amulius hauing vsurped vpon his brother studied to roote out and to make an end of his brothers house to bee the surer in his kingdome but hee was slaine in the Towne of Alba by Romulus who came of the body of Numitor by his daughter Rhea and as Annius doeth write begotten of Amulius his vncle by whom the kingdome of Alba descended vnto Romulus and was the seuenteenth king from Aeneas This I haue laide downe as I founde in Annius and Halicarnassaeus worde by word whereunto agree Fabius Pictor and M. Cato in his fragments CHAP. I. Of the first building of Rome by Romulus of his gouernment lawes and appointing of Magistrates after he had founded the citie of his warres with the Sabines of his conquestes and victories ouer these Sabines Fidenats and of his triumph ouer king Acron IWill omit to write of the prophane antiquitie of the Tuscans and of their chiefe citie Hetruria of whom you may reade Sempronius M. Cato Fabius Pictor and many others where you may satisfie your selues of many such fables as are to bee founde in prophane histories and therefore I will begin the historie of Rome frō the Latines and so briefly passe vnto Romulus the first builder and first king of Rome whose lineall race descended from the kings of the Latines in the which kingdome reigned successiuely sixteene kings before Romulus builded Rome from Aeneas time as in the histories of the kings of the Latines is declared And nowe in what Olympiad Rome was builded the Chronicles crie out one against another in such sort that some say that Rome was builded in the fift Olympiad some in the sixt Olympiad some in the eight some in the ninth and some in the twelfth Olympiad But the best agree that Rome was builded in the seuenth Olympiad for yet prophane histories were not acquainted with the actions of time for fewe or none wrote in those dayes or within three hundred yeeres after for Rome in the beginning was but a little towne and so frō time to time encreased her Territories and enlarged her Confines first by Romulus pollicie in warres and secondarily by Numa Pompilius wisedome in religion and peace At what time Phul Assur reigned the second king of newe Assyria for now the monarchie of the Assyrians was takē away into Babylon after Sardanapalus time by Phul Belochus the father of this king for the kingdomes of newe Assyria or of Babylon of the Medes and of Macedonia began before the kingdome of Rome the space of one Iubilee which is but fiftie yeres and the kingdom of Lydia began 26. yeres before Rome in the first Olympiad Thus at one time almost fiue kingdomes begā their gouernment About the name of Rome diuerse opinions are some say that the Pelagians after they had ouercome the greatest part of the world and had subdued many nations in the end did stay there and named it Rome first some say that after the destructiō of Troy certaine Troians to saue themselues frō the sword with their wiues tooke sea were driuē by winde to the Thuscan shore neere to the riuer Tiber that one Roma a Troiane lady named Rome after her owne name others hold opinion that it was Romanus the sonne of Vlisses and of Circes that first named Rome other say otherwayes Reade Plutarch Fabius Pictor
to the very place where the wolfe gaue him sucke first Reade Plutarch of Romulus life They vsed at this feast a sacrifice in a denne vnder mount Palatine in the moneth of Februarie in the honour of god Pan and Faunus Now Rome hauing her first foundation by Romulus and much encreased by the policie and gouernment of Romulus that the confines of Rome extended into diuers parts of Italy and so enlarged by the warres of Romulus and yet not 8 miles from the towne of Rome that Numa Pompilius who succeeded him not in blood but by election for that hee was a Sabine borne in the citie of Cures and had maried Tacia the onely daughter and heire of Tatius the Sabine who before had gouerned Rome together with Romulus This Numa was entreated to accept the kingdome by ambassadours sent vnto him from the people of Rome with one consent who after a long negatiue oration made vnto Proclus and Valesus and being vrged thereunto both by Sabines and Romanes accepted against his will the gouernment of Rome after the Senators bare rule by the space of fiue dayes which was called interregnum betweene Romulus and Numa which was accompted one whole yeere This king was vertuous godly and religious addicted altogether to gouerne Rome with peace for during the whole time of his raigne Numu waged no warre but established lawes and framed such decrees and orders as kept the people which had bene so long accustomed with warres vnder Romulus in quietnes and tranquilitie which neuer happened in Rome but onely in Numas time and once in Augustus Caesars time When Numa was consecrated king of Rome by the Augurers hee beginneth with the seruice of his gods and therefore he instituted bishops and diuers kinde of priests he erected a colledge for the vestal virgines he appointed the holy and immortal fire with honour and reuerence to be kept by the vestal virgines These ceremonies he had from Greece for the like ceremonie was in Athens by old women in watching the holy lampe and in Delphos in the temple of Apollo Hee founded diuers temples in Rome with innumerable rites and ceremonies he first corrected the Kalender though not so exactly yet he so perfected it that then the Romane yere of tenne moneths was made twelue by adding Ianuary and February Which Numa not only added to the yere of tenne moneths but he mended also the 10. moneth and the dayes of the moneths he corrected the Kalenders which was also by Romulus begunne but finished by Numa This continued from Romulus vntill Iulius Caesars time by the name of Romulus yeere who then caused the yeere to beginne in March a moneth which he consecrated to his supposed father Mars not knowing then Aemilius to be his father whom hee slewe then But to Numa in whose time a great plague raigned in Rome at what time fell from heauen a brasen or copper target and lighted betweene Numas hand called Ancylia Of this target I shal speake in another place The lawes that Numa taught then to the people being rude and ignorant were no otherwise made then the lawes of Lycurgus in Sparta or of king Minos in Creete for Numa made the people to beleeue that the lawes which he gaue were frō the gods sent into him by the nimph Aegiria with whom he had sundry times conference in mount Auentine So did Lycurgus admonish the Spartans with the lawes from Apollo which Lycurgus as he saide brought from Delphos into Greece in like fort Minos made his people beleeue that his decrees and lawes were giuen to him by Iupiter in mount Curetes So did Silla make his souldiers beleeue that hee had some spirite in a litle table that hanged about his necke that instructed him in all his warres And so did Sertorius by his white hinde make his captaines thinke that hee was sent from the goddesse Diana Now Numa a peaceable and religious prince aduanced tillage in Rome and deuided his people into diuers occupations hee limitted bonds to the territories of Rome and tooke away all factions that helde before with Romulus and Tatius and gouerned Rome with such iustice and clemencie that all warres and dissentions were forgotten in Rome the temple of Ianus was shut which was an olde custome in the time of peace which continued the whole raigne of Numa which was 43. yeeres for the Romanes had no warres in all Numas time for as Plato saith there is true gouernment and there is a happy common wealth where the minde of a wise Philosopher is ioyned to the maiestie of a king where graue counsel is giuen and good lessons taught the vertuous man rewarded and the vicious man punished This good king liued of al others most happy in peace and quietnes all the dayes of his life and the misfortune of fiue other kings which after him succeeded caused the honour of Numa to shine with more glorie for as Plutarch saith foure of them died not their naturall death three were killed with treason and the fourth was striken with a thunder bolt and burnt with lightning and the 5. driuen out of his kingdome and died in exile so that of the seuen kings Numa onely excelled of whom some say that hee had no children but one daughter called Pompilia which was maried to C. Martius Coriolanus Of this Pompilia was borne Ancus Martius the fourth king of Rome some say againe that Numa had foure sonnes named Pompo Pinus Calpus and Mamercus and of these foure descended the noblest races and most ancient houses of the Romanes Reade of this king more in Plutarch and in Dionisius Halicarnassaeus In Aethiope raigned while Numa liued and ruled Rome a king called Tarachus which came to ayde the king of Egypt against Sanaherib king of the Assyrians at what time the Empire of Egypt was deuided into twelue prouinces by equall portions betwixt 12. princes When Numa beganne his kingdome in Rome Candaules the fourth king of Lydia gouerned the Lidians whose historie both of his wife and of his life together with the fable of Giges ring is written in Herodotus at large Manasses also king of Iudea for his wickednes against the Lorde was deliuered into the hands of Benmerodach king of the Chaldeans and was caried captiue into Babylon Deioces the fift gouernour that gouerned the Medes and the first king that raigned ouer them liued this time In Athens raigned Leocrates the fift magistrate Absander the 6. magistrate and Erixias the last magistrate of Athens in that gouernment of 10. yeeres to euery magistrate appointed which continued the time of 7. seuerall magistrats which was 70. yeeres Concerning this kings death he himselfe cōmanded that his body should be burned and therfore they made two coffines of stone in the one of them Numas body was layed in the other his bookes which were written with his owne hand twelue bookes were written
frō the citie of Rome then Veiena and Fidena the one 6. miles the other 18. miles distant from Rome had enlarged the citie with these confines and territories more then Romulus did he was striken with lightning that both hee his wife and all his house were burnt when he had raigned 32. yeres in the 35. Olymp. When this king raigned in Rome Zaleucus gouerned the Locresiās who for his law making law keeping is much mentioned in histories for in that law against adulterie his owne sonne first offending should haue lost both his eyes but his nobles made great intercessiō for the kings sonne the king to satisfie their requests shewing himselfe a naturall father to his sonne and a iust king to his people caused one of his sonnes eyes and another of his owne eyes to be taken out to performe the lawe which he made In the time of Tul. Hostilius Manasses king of Iuda was conuerted vnto his God and thereby restored to his kingdome when he expelled idolatry and serued God the rest of his life In Chaldea raigned Nabuchodonosor the father of the great Nabuchodonosor and in Media Phaortes the 6. king of the Medes During the time of this king in Rome raigned in Lydia Ardis their 6. king and in Macedonia Philip their 6. king also for the Medes the Macedonians the Lydians and the Romanes began their Empires within 60. yeres together Tullus Hostilius the third king appointed two Quaestors as it were two Treasurers to sease by the pole euery citizen of Rome to leauie and to keepe the same money to the vse of the citie he created also 2. Iudges which were called Duum viri these should determine causes for life and death In like sort of Ancus Martius with his lawes Tarquinius Priscus and his decrees you may reade in Pomp. Laetus and Fenestella Euen so Seruius Tullus the 6. king of Rome perceiuing that the Senators had more to doe then they could well accomplish especially in priuat causes of the citie he instituted two men called Censors to record and to write the nomber of all men in seruice to take view of such offenders within the citie and to punish crimes and offences and if any Senators should not execute iustice he should be depriued out of the Senate If any of the magistrats created by Romulus should not imitate and liue within the lawe of Romulus they should be by the Censors punished If any of the religious officers and the priests which Numa instituted should transgresse the lawe of Numa he should also by these Censors be reformed this office cōtinued 5. yeres and vpon the fift yere new Censors were made this was called Lustrū at what time althe citie was visited all faults opened vnto them and all iniuries done reformed by them as C. Fabritius being Censor remoued frō the Senate P. Cornelius Ruffinus for the expences of 10. pound more then was allowed by these Censors and so M. Cato banished C. Flaminius brother from the Senators for the fauouring of a prisoner at the request of a woman The auctoritie of those Censors were such as might reforme all things by law The old Romanes vsed to accompt their actions to nomber their yeeres euery fift yeere which they called Lustrum as the Greciās vsed to nomber the yeres by their Olympiad which the Greekes named Penterides This office of Censors continued for a time in Rome being renued euery fift yeere which was a great day in Rome and appointed by Seruius Tullus the sixt king of Rome and endured vntil Vespatian the Emperours time the last conquerour of Ierusalem 650. yeeres yet I reade not but of 75. Lustrums which is 360 yeres For Eutropius saith that both Lustrum and the Olympiad endured no longer then Sillas time But yet compted vntil Constantines time Tarquinius the proud appointed 3. men to keepe the Sibillas books after they were augmented from 3. to 10. and at last frō 10. to 15. These were chosen out aswel of the Patricians as of the vulgar people they should once a yere in the moneth of Februarie reade these bookes and after they should see the bookes safelie kept vntil Februarie againe Now after that Tullus died succeeded in Rome Anc. Martius the 4. king one in nature like vnto his grandfather Numa Pompilius and one that in the beginning of his gouernment imitated Numa in all points commanding the people to obserue the lawes and ceremonies of his grandfather thinking therby to haue the like successe of quietnes and peace commaunded Numas lawes to be written in tables and be set on postes and pillars in the market place studied diligently to keepe his people in peace thoght to liue quietly with that litle territorie that then the city of Rome gouerned But it happened otherwise for scant he had established himselfe in his kingdom whē the Latins vnder their gouernour there waged warres against the Romans and brought an army to the very towne of Medullia which they tooke and possest for 3. yeres in spite of Ancus Martius Now this king was forced to forsake Numa which liued in peace and to folow Tullus his predecessor in warres and therefore he altered his minde and gathered force together and began stoutly to answere the Latins and to giue them so many battels that he destroyed vanquished and wan their chiefe cities as Politoriū Telena Ficania and diuers others he recouered Medullia gaue diuers ouerthrowes to the Latins then straight he was much troubled with the Sabines and Fidenats the Veients and the Volscanes these people euer warred against the kings of Rome for yet Rome was not come to any greatnes But when they had quite conquered the Sabines Latines Veients Volscanes Fidenats and other nations next vnto them which oftentimes they did and they stil reuolted then the citie of Rome began to looke vnto other kingdomes but during the time of their kings their owne neighbours annoyed them most This king Ancus Martius had no rest during his whole gouernment vntill he had brought these people before spoken vnto subiection then he began to build to enlarge the city of Rome by taking mount Auentine vnto it and the hil Ianicula a large ground of 18. furlongs about ful of diuers yong trees specially laurel but by An. Martius made habitable and populous there vpon the hil Auentine a faire temple was builded vnto Diana and to this moūt Martius brought frō Telena and Politorium and other townes men and women to dwell there After this the king builded a towne fast vpō the sea shore called Hostia 6. miles frō Rome made a bridge ouer the riuer of Tiber which ranne by Rome he also builded a prison house to punish offenders diuers other monumēts which you may read in Halicarnasaeus whē he had raigned 24. yeres he died leauing behind him 2. sōnes the one an infant and
a citie in Fraunce The ouerthrow was such that their king was taken prisoner Fraunce againe recouered This time was Cōstantius occupied against the Parthians and returning home from thence to pacifie that cōmotion he died by the way after he had reigned 38. yeres at what time Iulianus was made Augustus But let vs know who florished in Rome during the reigne of this great Constantinus and his three sonnes which was seuentie yeeres Ruffinus Volusianus Arcadius Rufinus Anicius Iulianus Acilius Seuerus Paulinus Probianus Valerius Maximus Septimius Bassius Syluanus Caesar. Faecilianus and Tacianus who were Consuls when Constantine the great dyed Crispus Caesar. Ouinius Gallicanus Annianus and Anicius Rufinus Metilius Halarianus Dalmatius Caesar. Nepotianus Caesar. Catulinus Philomanus Publitius Optatus Lucinus Caesar. Magnentius and Decentius both Caesars Gallus Caesar. Cornelius Sergius Daelius Probinus Valerinus Proculus Fabius Titianus Mereatius Caerealus Claudius Iulianus Caesar who was next Emperour after Constantinus and his sonnes made great preparation against the Parthians at what time sundry Townes and holdes were peaceably yeelded to Iulianus hee returning from Assyria as a conquerour was slaine by his enemies in the seuenth yeere of his reigne This Emperour Iulianus did excell in the Greeke and in the Latine tongue he was passing well seene in all the liberall artes he was very eloquent and a great Philosopher Eutropius saith that Iulianus resembled much Marcus Antonius whom this Emperour in all points endeuoured to imitate but he was a persecutour of the Christians Iouinianus succeeded next Iulianus being chosen by consent of the souldiers hee was a very good Emperour and a great fauourer of the Christiās but being once or twise vanquished by the Persians he susteined such reproch that hewas forced to make peace with a great portiō ofhis empire which was not seene since the foundation of Rome This Iouinianus was borne in a prouince of Pannonia the sonne of one Verromanus who in his sleepe was warned that this Emperour should be named Iouinianus who after hee reigned eight moneths died but Eutropius affirmeth that he reigned Emperor seuen yeeres After him succeeded Valentianus the sonne of Gratianus a meane man of birth in whose time the West kingdomes began to annoy the Romane Empire for hitherto the Romanes kept the sole Empire in Rome vntill the time of Theodosius the great which was the fiftie Emperour from Iulius Caesar. Valentianus and his sonne together had the Empire betweene them twentie one yeeres Valentianus the father reigned of those fifteene yeres and his his sonne named also Valētianus being a yong boy proclaimed Caesar by the souldiers reigned the other sixe yeeres After them succeeded Theodosius Iunior in whose time the Gotes the Vandales began to be gouerned vnder kings The Longobards and the Hunnes at that very time began their kingdoms Many other kingdoms began this time as Britaine and Scotland and diuers nations in Germany waxed so strong so mighty that by often quarreling long tedious warres the Empire was not only diuided but quite taken into the West partes of the world so that frō the name of the Emperour of Rome he was long named the emperor of Constantinople and after that named the Emperor of Almaine where betweene these Gotes Vandales Longobards Hunnes Polonians and diuers other Potentates of Germany beside Fraunce Spaine England the empire still remaineth in Germany so that the dignitie of Rome the great glory and long renowme thereof is fallen frō an Emperour to a Pope after that Rome had florished vnder kings 243. yeeres vntill the time of Consuls vnder Consuls and Dictators 467. vntil the time of emperors vnder emperors 447. yeres Now I wil end this Romane historie for that the glory of the Romanes died the dignitie of the empire taken away nothing to be spokē of the Romanes after Iouinianus time which was the 43. emperour after Augustus reigne which gouerned Rome with glory fame for the space of 407 yeres as Sex Ruffi affirmeth yet these emperors whose names I haue subcribed gouerned as emperours vntill Charles the great at what time the empire begā to quaile the Germans began to florish and Rome quite forsaken and decayed And nowe for that the Empire is fully come to Germanie I will onely put downe the names of the emperours of Rome from Iu. Caesar vntill Theodosius the great which are these Iu. Caesar fiue moneths Octauius Augustus 56. yeeres C. Tiberius Nero. 23. yeeres C. Caesar Caligula 4. yeeres Tib. Clau. Drusus 13. yeeres Cl. Domitius Nero 13. yeeres and 8. moneths Serg. Sulp. Galba 7. moneths Siluius Otto 95. dayes Aul. Vitellius 8. moneths Fla. Vespasianus 12. yeeres Tit. Vespasianus 2. yeeres Fla. Domitianus 15. yeeres Coc. Nerua 16. moneths Vlpius Traianus 17. yeeres Aelius Adrianus 21. yeeres T. Antonius Pius 23. yeeres M. Aurelius Antoninus surna med the Philosopher 19. yeeres Lu. Aurelius Commodus 13. yeeres Aelius Pertinax and Didius Iulianus both these 2. Emperours reigned 5. moneths L. Septim Seuerus 18. yeeres Au. Antoninus Bassianus who was also named Caracalla 7. yeeres Opili Macrinus with his s◅ne Diadumeus both Emperours slaine by the souldiers within 14. moneths of their reigne these with others are omitted among writers by reason of their short gouernment one murthering of an other M. Aurelius Heliogabolus 4. yeeres Au. Alex. Seuerus 13. yeeres Maximinus with his sōne named also Maximi was of a meane souldier made Emperour without the authoritie of the Senate and reigned 3. yeeeres Balbinus Pupienus reigned one yeere and were both slaine in an vprore of the armie Gordianus reigned Emperour 6. yeeres M. Iulius Philippus with his sōne named Philip reigned 5. yeeres this was the first Christian Emperour Decius and his sonne 2. yeeres Gallus Hostilianus with his sonne Volusianus 2. yeeres Lucius Valerianus and Gallienus reigned both Caesars ioyntly 15. yeeres Fla. Claudius reigned 20. moneths his brothea Quintilius reigned after him but 17. dayes both good Emperours and yet according to the custome slaine by them who made them and proclaimed them emperors Val. Aurelianus raigned sixe yeeres and was slaine Annius Tacitus raigned sixe moneths and was slaine Florianus raigned 84. dayes and was killed Aurelius Probus raigned sixe yeeres 3. moneths Carus with his two sonnes Carinus and Numerianus in like sort slaine within two yeeres after hee was made Emperour Dioclesianus Iouius raigned 20. yeeres with whom raigned Maximianus Gallerius and Cōstantius Chlorus Constantinus the great raigned 31. yeeres This appointed the first order of the accompt called Indictiones after the Olympiads were expired After Constantine th◅ great raigned his sonne Constanstine and his two brethren Constantius and Constans 14. yeeres Magnentius raigned 3. yeres Beraldus saith that he raigned more yeres Iulianus raigned 7. yeeres Iouinianus raigned eight moneths Valentinianus raigned ioyntly with his brother Valens 15. yeeres Theodosius the great raigned 17. yeeres After this Theodosius no mention
is made of any famous exploits or conquests done by the Emperours of Rome but of slaughter and murther during the time of the other Emperours which was not long for that the Empire was translated into Germanie And it was gone to Constantinople froÌ„ Rome before it came to Germanie Much more might haue bene written of other emperours which continued in Rome tantuÌ„ nomine for the dignitie of the empire and the glorie of the olde Romanes was quite defaced and that litle soueraigntie which was left in Rome was by the Pope obscured for as the kings of Rome within 243. yeeres were exiled and Rome became subiect to Consuls so likewise Consuls within 467. yeeres became subiect to the emperours And euen so the glory and renowme of the emperours within 470. yeeres was diminished by the Popes so that now Rome is without either King Consul or Emperour but only a Pope and the pompe of the Pope beginneth to quaile And therefore Rome was well compared by P. Orosius to Babylon whose glorie for a thousand and odde yeeres farre excelled al the kingdomes of the world and euen so Rome who seemed to be a whole worlde of it selfe is nowe brought to nothing and so the beasts that Daniel saw in a vision the one like a lion which betokened the Assyrians the second like a beare which signified the Persians the third like a leopard which signified the Macedonians and the fourth beast was fearefull and terrible it had great yron teetth it deuoured and brake in pieces and stamped the residue vnder his feete So the Romans vsed all other kingdomes and nowe are almost in the like case as the Persians Assyrians or the Macedonians And now I leaue the Romanes and speake of the cruel persecution that chiefly raigned euery where vnder the Romane Emperours after our Sauiour Christ died vntill Constantine the great leauing the historie of Germanie where now the Empire resteth to euery mans reading for that it beganne of late time and also for that the most part is therewith acquainted And therefore I ende this historie of the Romanes in this place with Eutropius with S. Aurelius Victor and with Sextus Ruffinus Hitherto Rome helde the Empire with some glorie and renowme and after it decayed from one Emperour vnto another vntil the Empire was taken into Germanie for when the kingdome of Fraunce beganne in Faramundus time I thought good to make an ende of the Empire of Rome in Theodosius the great his time who liued and raigned at one time with Faramundus for France flourished by the ruine of Rome OF THE TRIAL OF THE Martyrs of God in the Primitiue Church from the first persecution vnder Tiberius the 3. Emperour in the which Stephen was stoned Iames beheaded Philip hanged with infinite more tormented and persecuted vntill the 3. persecution which began vnder Domitian the 12. Emperour of Rome THe pollicie of Satan from the beginning of mankind was such that he inuented many wayes to hinder the Church of God among the old Patriarkes and the members of gods Church then before the Law was giuen in the mount to Moses and after the law was giuen with all kinde of superstitious idolatrie of Idols and Images vntil our Sauiour Christs time then Satan stirred with much more policie then before with persecution and heresies to animate his souldiers against the Gospel in euery kingdome and countrey For when our Sauiour Christ was ascended vp to God his Father leauing his Church to endure such persecution and afflictions for the exercise of the faithfull as might in despite of Satan his angels as he bâ—…fore had tolde to his disciples triumph by the blood of Christ Iesus and after be confirmed by the blood of so many millions of martyrs as were by God appointed to be witnesses of his Church hee was no sooner ascended vnto heauen but his Church was persecuted on earth which was the first persecution by the Iewes vnder Tiberius Nero the thirde Emperour of Rome though the emperour was instructed by Pilatus the Romane President which continued then at Hierusalem 10. yeeres that Tiberius read the letters of the Senators opening the miracles of Christ Iesus in the Senate the order and maner of his death and of his resurrection in somuch that the emperour would haue the Senators to put him in the nomber and to record him as one of the gods for it was a decree among the Romans that none should be recorded one of the gods without the Senators consent As Eusebius reciteth the wordes of Tertulian in this sort Nullum deum à rege consecrandum priusquam à Senatu probaretur But when the whole world was fully instructed by the Apostles of Christ who were dispersed and persecuted euery where so that in omnem terram exiuit sonus eorum their words their liues and their doctrine went into al parts of the world The spirite of God stirred many zealous faithfull and godly men to receiue the doctrine of Christ our Sauiour and reueiled to the Gentiles that which the Iewes would not receiue and therefore euen from the blood of Abel the iust vntil Zacharias the priest which was slaine c. God will call them to accompt Now after that Pilate had slaine himselfe euen with those hands which he washed in Ierusalem like an hypocrite as giltlesse of the death of Christ Iesus after he had giuen sentence of death on him and also after that Herode died being banished full of calamities and miseries eaten of vermines as a iust reuenge of impietie and tyrannie about which time Tiberius the emperour died also during which time in Hierusalem persecution was yet hot vehement and euen then they allowed to Simon Magus the sorcerer after he came from Samaria to Rome all honour and reuerence and his Image to be put vp in Rome with this title Simoni deo magno and refused Christ though Tiberius the Emperour first sought it by all meanes And againe Philo a learned Iewe sent from Alexandria to Claudius the next Emperour that succeeded Tiberius who willed and counselled the Senators in many good and godly thinges concerning the Iewes foâ—… whose cause hee came from Alexandria to Rome Caius Caligula beganne to raigne Emperour of Rome vnder whome the Iewes were miserablie afflicted and most cruelly persecuted In that time grew betweene the Greekes and the Iewes sedition at Alexandria for the which cause both the Iewes and the Greekes sent to Rome to Caligula ambassadours for the redresse hereof Philo a learned Iew who had bene at Rome before in the fifteenth yeere of the raigne of Tiberius was nowe againe sent in the seconde yeere of Caligulas raigne in the behalfe of the Iewes and Appian in the behalfe of the Greekes An other tumult beganne in Ierusalem Petronius being then President at Ierusalem for that Caligula had commaunded his Image to be put vp in the temple at Hierusalem and to be had in reuerence as
sword for few people knew then contention for they had more countreys then they had men to inhabite but with people for no warre was yet knowen any where but with the Assyrians who first vsed to trespasse vpon other nations about them euen from Nimrads time In Iubaldas time Hercules Libyus florished before the Hercules of the Greekes welnigh 700. yeres In this Iubaldas time died Noah the righteous preacher whom prophane writers cal Bifrons Ianus and so is in euery countrey painted and set forth in histories This Noah forsaw the great miserie and calamitie of Gods iustice for sinne in the first age the general plague that folowed the destructiō of the whole world with a flood and after he sawe himselfe dispised of his wicked sonne Cham and cōtemned of his posterities in the second age at the building of the tower of Babylon where he saw the pride disobedience and impietie of his owne people that came out of his owne bodie who to seeke immortalitie vpon earth sought to auoyd God and his power and to seeke to skale through too much follie the skies but they were cōfounded and their deuises brought to nothing No doubt hee sawe more miserie come to man and more wickednes committed by man against God then any man euer could see He died 350. yeres after the flood In Assyria raigned Zamisnenias which in Genesis is called Amraphael the fift king of Assyria Abraham was called from Vr in Chaldea to the land of Palestina and after three yeeres driuen to Egypt for that the famine was so great in the land of Canaan This time gouerned in Egypt Osiris which was that Pharao that tooke Sara Abrahams wife away but was warned in his sleepe not to touch her and cōmanded by God to restore her to her husband againe During the time of this king Iubalda Sodom Gomorrha Zeboim Adama and Segor fiue noble cities of Canaan were destroyed by fire frō heauen for their abominable wickednes and there remaineth in memorie of their filthie vitious liues in the place of these fiue cities a stinking horrible great lake called Stagnum Asphaltidis The 4. king that succeeded Iubalda in Celtiberia was named Brigus he began to raigne in the 4. yeere of Arius the 6. king of Assyria at what time Hyarbas Priscus beganne to gouerne in Libya a stout and a fierce king in armes and therfore the Numidians would be called after him Hyarbae for stoute and warlike people This Brigus builded many strong castles in Celtiberia in that prouince of Lusitania he builded 2. great castles and called them after his owne name Laccobryga and Mirobriga and he builded also Brygantum in the prouince of Taracon This time gouerned the Celtes an expert skilful man a man in those dayes of most honor for his wisdome and iudgement in all things named Drius after whose death the priests of the Celtes were named Druydes of whom mention is made in Caesar and in Plini The authoritie and credite of these priestes in their dayes was great they were honoured and reuerenced of all people their wordes were had in such estimation as though they had bene Oracles giuen for at this time it was rare to see a wise man or to talke with a learned man for the Magi of Chaldea and the priests were not heard of no philosophie spoken of no Art taught few scholes or none knowen in so much that almost 300. yeeres after the flood there raigned no malice no pride no ambition no warre in the most part of the world and therefore it was called Aureum seculum for the simplicitie of the people and of the plentie of al things which was cōmon among all men sauing in Assyria where the first Monarchie began and quarrels grewe as you shall heare betweene the Chaldeans and the Assyrians and after betwene the Assyrians and the Egyptians So that nothing is to be written of any great exploit done in Celtiberia all this time neither in any place else sauing to set downe the names of those kings that then raigned and to know the agreement of time which is the touchstone of trueth In this Brygus time Abraham offered his sonne Isaac at what time God blessed all the nations of the worlde in the seede of Abraham One Bardus raigned this time in Celta which was of great authoritie with them for his first finding of Musike and meeter In this Brigus time Araunus the sōne of Cranus which was the sonne of Ianus builded a temple in Vetulonia and dedicated the same vnto Ianus which they also called Vertumnes and therein he erected vp the image of Ianus and after he builded a chapell to the god Razenus in Vetulonia so that now idolatrie began in euery countrey the nomber of the gods so encreased that superstition had the better hand of true religion euery where sauing in Gods owne Church those 2. Patriarches Abraham and his sonne for Sara was now dead But I wil passe to the fift king of Celtiberia named Tagus sirnamed Orma of this king the riuer Tagus taketh her first name Of this I reade nothing worth the nothing but as his predecessors he raigned by the name of a king without resistance with whom raigned together in other kingdoms Baleus Xerxes the eight king of Assyria this encreased the kingdome and conquered euery where vntill the Indians for he was valiant and couragious very fortunate in all his affaires In the beginning of this Tagus raigne the Argiues kingdome began where Inachus raigned their first king Phaeton came this time to Italy at what time many townes and cities were burnt about the riuer Ister and about the Cymerians and Vesunians and the places burned to this day are named Palestina that is to say the coūtrey burnt recorded with writers Phaetontis incendium Esau and Iacob were borne this time and a litle after their grandfather Abraham the patriarch died 101. yeres after he was called from the Chaldeans and in 175. yere of his age After Tagus succeeded Belus the 6. king of Celtiberia he began to raigne in the 482. yeere after the flood and raigned in Celtiberia 31. yeres at what time Eusebius setteth down the 17. Dynastia of the Egyptians where shepheards gouerned bare rule in Egypt which gouerment cōtinued 303. yeres in Egypt With this Belus began Armatrites to raigne the 9. king of Assyria a king giuen to idlenes to al kinde of pleasures About this time died Sem the sonne of Noah who likewise saw as his father did before much wickednes and abomination he died 35. yeres after Abraham was dead Sem liued 600. yeres Pharoneus the 2. king of the Argiues of whom Plato maketh mention in the beginning of his booke made lawes to the Argiues and was of them greatly honoured after his death In this kings time Nilus did ouerflowe all the countrey of Egypt and Osiris
slew the great giant called Lycurgus in Thracia Of this Osiris whom the Egyptians named Serapis to whom they vsed much diuine honour and solemne sacrifice as to one of their principal gods read Herodot more of this god there you shal find how king Cambyses Cyrus sonne secōd king of Persia gaue a blow and wounded him in his temple whereat the Egyptians were more offended then for al the crueltie tyrannie which Cambyses did to them It made them to reuolt from Cambyses and to be in armes against the Persians to reuenge the blow which Cambyses gaue to their god Serapis Deabus in Celtiberia he is also named Geriō vsed this time great crueltie and tyrannie he found then one of the first mines of golde and after he found many other mines of gold siluer and of other mettals This time Mena raigned in Egypt the first king who instructed them in many things in Egypt as to woorship their gods to do sacrifice with diuers other ceremonies wher in Egypt excelled all other kingdoms he taught thē the vse of beds to lye on tables to sit at meat This Mena is supposed to be Mizraim Osyris which of Berosus is called Oceanus About this time dyed Ismael the base sonne of Abraham by his maide Agar after he had liued 137. yeeres he left behind him twelue sonnes princes ouer the people ouer his tribes In this tyraunt Deabus time otherwise called Gerion Ioseph was sold into Egypt and the Indians brought presents committed themselues vnto the Chaldeans for by this time many parts of the world were well inhabited and some kingdomes began to be populous and kings grew strong and mightie on the earth for now raigned in Assyria Baleus Iunior who flourished by his prowes courage augmented the territories of the Assyrians into the confines of India and excelled in fame nexte vnto Semiramis Queene of Assyria Osiris also had nowe gotten all Italie into his hand and held it for ten yeeres Typhon became a great tyrant killed his brother Osiris the iust vsurped the kingdome of Egypt So I might say of Anteus in Lybia of Busiris in Phoenicia and so of this Gerion in Celtiberia and of diuers others who forsooke to be kings being not contented with one kingdome became tyrants and vsed all kinde of cruelty deceites and treason to enlarge their dominions When this tyrant Gerion died in Celtiberia his 3. sonnes succeeded after him called Lomuini they builded a great town in Celtiberia named it after their names Lomuinia These brethrē after they iointly gouerned the Celtiberians for the space of 52. yeeres they left the countrey to bee gouerned by one Hispalus the sonne of Hercules Lybius This gouerned the Celtiberians for seuenteene yeeres and builded a strong towne and named it after his owne name Hispalis In his time the kinges of Egypt became first to be called Pharaoes a name giuen to them of dignitie for in the beginning of kingdoms men were yet simple contented with one Towne for diuers cities with a small territorie in steede of a great kingdome which shortly grew to that pride that kings would not be contented with a kingdome neither with 2. or 3. kingdomes they woulde faine get the whole worlde and some weepe with Alexander because there were no more but one world to winne So grew the intollerable insolencie of princes in short time vpon the earth that they would be called gods commanded by edicts that they should be so worshipped as Belus among the Assyrians Nabuchodonosor among the Caldeans Osiris among the Egyptians Alexander the great among the Persians and Dioclesian among the Romanes Idolatrie superstition vainglorie and selfe loue entred into mens hearts and possessed their mindes in such sort in steede of trueth simplicity iustice contentation and quietnes which yet raigned among men dum aureum seculumfloruit During the reigne of Hispalus in Celtiberia that gouernement called Dynasteia Politanorum beganne in Egypt which continued 348. yeeres Argus the fourth king of the Argiues gouerned after Hispalus had gouerned 11. yeres Hispanus succeeded king of Celtiberia which gouerned them for 32. yeres of this king Hispanus Celtiberia was named Hispaine for in Egypt beganne the names of Pharoes when the kings of Celtiberia were named kings of Hispaine CHAP. II. From the time of Hispanus by whom they were called Hispaniards vntill the monarchie was dissolued and the names of kinges ended after what time Hispayne was deuided vnto particular Prouinces and seuerall dominions after the raigne and gouernement of foure and twentie kings euen from Cetubal the first vnto Mellicola the last HItherto you reade howe that the first inhabitauntes were called by diuers names first of Tubal their first king by whome they were called Cetubals at the seconde change they were called Hiberi and the countrey Hiberia after the name of Hiberus their seconde king the thirde time they were called Celtiberi and the countrey Celtiberia the fourth time the countrey was called Hesperia and the fifte time nowe of Hispanus the countrey is called Hispayne This time in the East kingdomes nothing was done woorth the writing Forkinges were scant yet knowen no great warres yet heard of for at this time reguli non Reges fuere and therefore I thought it the best course to set downe the names of the first Kinges that then inhabited in Hispayne for all this while and of long time after no warre no victorie no martiall exploites were in anie part of the worlde sauing in the East among the Chaldeans and the Assyrians which grewe by this time so mighty that they held betwene them the first monarchie and yet their dominion seemed not to extend farre by the sequele I wil therefore bee briefe for that I cannot finde during the time of these 24. kings anie historie woorth the writing nor of long time after these foure and twentie kinges raigned in Spayne one after another 1 Tubal their first king by whom they were called Cetubals which raigned 155. yeeeres and had setled some seates and builded some townes and died 2 Iberus his sonne and their second king raigned 37. yeres he also died 3 Iubalda the third king and the sonne of Iberus raigned 66. yeeres and dwelt hard by a mount of his owne name called Iubalda which vnto this day is of the Spaniards named Gibralta 4 Brigus succeeded Iubalda in the 20. yere of Arius the sixt king of the Assyrians and gouerned in Celtiberia 51. yeeres 5 After him Tagus which is called Orma gouerned the Celtiberians and raigned 30. yeeres hee beganne to gouerne his kingdome with Baleus Xerxes the eight king of the Assyrians and at what time the Argiues reared first there and Phaeton came to Italie Phaetontis incendium 6 Then succeeded in Celtiberia Betus their sixth king which beganne his raigne when Armatrites the ninth king beganne in Assyria and raigned one and thirtie yeeres this time Eusebius setteth downe the
17. Dynasteia of the Egyptians which endured 103. yeeres During which time the shepherds had gouernment 7 Gerion surnamed Deabus raigned 35. yeeres he inuented the vse of many good things found first the vse of mynes of gold siluer and other mettals 8 After whom succeeded his three sonnes surnamed Lomuini which builded a towne after their owne name Lomuinia they also raigned 42. yeeres after their father 9 Hispalus the sonne of Hercules Libyus and the 9. king of the Celtiberians he raigned 11. yeeres he beganne his gouernment in the 36. yeere of Baleus Iunior the II. king of the Assyrians he did nothing but builded a towne and named it after his owne name Hispalis 10 After Hispalus succeeded the tenth king named Hispanus which raigned 32. yeeres by whom the whole countrey was called Hispania This time Iacob with his children went to Egypt when the great famine was almost ouer the whole world so long the name of Hispaine continued 11 Hercules after the death of Hispanus being verie aged raigned 19. yeeres at what time Mamitus the 13. king of the Assyrians gouerned at Niniuie 12 Hesperus raigned after Hercules 11. yeeres In Egypt began this time to raigne Mispharmutosis about which time Ioseph being an hundred yeres old died in Egypt Narbon raigned in that part of Fraunce which was called Celta after whome the countrey was after called Narbon 13 Kittim called in some places Atlas after hee had forced his brother Hesperus to forsake the kingdome and to flie into Italie raigned in Spaine 11. yeeres With this Kittim beganne to raigne in Assyria Maucaleus the 14. king and ouer the Argiues Crassus the fiftking 14 Sicorus raigned after Kittim Atlas who raigned 45. yeres for Kittim hauing his sonne in his steede to gouerne Spaine went to Italie and raigned there and was called for his great vertue and excellencie of minde of that countrey Italus This maried his daughter Electra to Cambo Blaston a Prince of the Ianigenes During the time of Sicorus Kittims sonne in Spaine raigned in Egypt Amenophis a cruel king who made a lawe that all the male children of the Israelites which then were in great cruell bondage in Egypt should be drowned in the riuer Nilus at which time Moses beyng borne then in Egypt was throwen to Nilus but he was preserued by the appoyntment of God This time reigned in Assyria Spherus the 15. king 15 Sicanus the sonne of Sicorus raigned after his Father 12. yeres king of Hispaine Phorbas the sixt king of the Argiues began in his kingdome to raigne and Sparetus the 17. king of the Assyrians 16 After Sicanus succeeded Siceleus which raigned in Spaine 44. yeeres this king came with the Sicilians to aide Iasius against Dardanus who both were in armes for the kingdome of Italie and did no other great thing In the beginning of this Siceleus raigne the kingdome of Athens beganne vnder Cecrops their first king in the fourth yeere of Sparetus the seuenteenth king of the Assyrians and in the sixte yeere of Marathus the thirteenth King of Peloponesus At what time Troyphas raigned the seuenth king of the Argiues and Acengeres raigned king of Egypt Functius sayeth that Mercurius Trismegistus an Egyptian Philosopher flourished about this time a great learned Priest whose bookes yet are to this day extant though some doe doubt of the same as in so ancient a thing men may easily doubt I thinke there was not so much diuinitie then in Egypt as Trismegistus seemeth to write in his bookes 17 After that Siceleus had raigned 44. yeeres his sonne named Lusus succeeded him and reigned thirtie yeeres this dwelt in that part of Spayne which he called after his owne name Lusitania thither he brought manie from Italie and other places to inhabite This Lusus beganne to reigne in Spayne in the thirteenth yeere of Ascatades the 18. King of the Assyrians in the verie yeere that Dardanus slue by deceit his brother Iasius and after fledde to Samothracia In the beginning of the reigne of this King the Israelites were deliuered from their bondage and great miserie vnder Pharao in Egypt after they had continued foure hundred thirtie yeeres there in seruitude This time reigned in Athens Cranaus their seconde king and ouer the Argiues Crotopus their eight king 18 Siculus the eighteenth king of Spayne succeeded Siceleus and reigned 64. yeeres That time that he beganne to gouerne Spaine then Dardanus beganne to erect a kingdome in Dardania which afterwarde was called Troy which was in the last yeere of Ascatades the 18. king of Assyria 830. yeeres after the flood of Noah This Dardanus after he was fledde to Samothracia for the killing of his brother Iasius for the gouernment of Italie he sought no right in Italie but resigned the same to Turrhenius who sailed into that part of Italie called Ianigena and possessed it and reigned 51. yeeres and Dardanus began his kingdome and was the first king of Dardania after called Troy This time Faunus Priscus reigned ouer the Latines then called Aborigenes for Latinus was the fift king after Faunus after whom they were called Latins after Latinus name their first king 19 Testa succeeded Siculus in Spaine and reigned seuentie yeeres During which time Manethon which onely writeth of the first 24. kinges doeth set downe nothing worth the writing for these kings were not heard of any way out of Spaine they liued so simply vnpeopled without any war or other exploits done the best is the noting of time thereigne of other kings the histories of the East coūtreys are by this historie briefly passed ouer During the 70. yeres of these kings Bellopares the 21. king and Lamprides the 22. king of the Assyrians reigned at Niniue Menophis gouerned Egypt Minos in Creete Abas ouer the Argiues Erictheus the sixt king of the Athenians In the latter yeeres of this king Samgar which succeeded Ehud iudged Israel after Samgar Debora and Barac 20 Romus the twentieth king that gouerned in Spaine he raigned three and thirty yeeres at what time raigned in Assyria Lampares the 24. king and ouer the Argiues Agrisius their fourteenth and last king In Dardania raigned Tros their thirde king who enlarged the citie of Dardania verie much and altered the name of Dardania after his owne name and called it Troia I take little heede to Manethon for hee doeth much differ from others in manie thinges and I make as much haste as I can to come to an ende Nowe after that Romus dyed Palatinus succeeded and raygned eighteene yeeres in whose time the kingdome of the Argiues was translated into Mycena where for a long time it continued 21 This time raigned in Troy Ilus after whose name Troy was called Ilion and in Assyria gouerned Paninas their 25. king Gedeon iudged Israel This Palatinus beyng a young man was driuen out of his kingdome by Cacus into Italie from whence
after a while hee returned and got his kingdome and forced Cacus to flie into Italie beeyng nowe agayne in his kingdome placed hee founde the vse of yrons and taught first the Spaniardes to make diuers kindes of weapons I finde in Manethon that Palatinus raigned eighteene yeeres in the first time before he was forced by Cacus to flie into Italie and after hee wanne his kingdome agayne after that Cacus had raigned sixe and thirtie yeeres in Spayne hee gouerned Spayne sixe yeeres This Cacus was supposed of the auncient Spaniardes to bee the sonne of Vulcan for that hee taught to make weapons for to fight in the fielde and founde the vse of yron This Cacus was borne in Celtiberia a part of Spayne two and fourtie yeeres before Hercules was borne as Manethon affirmeth hee gouerned Spayne 222. yeeres after the going of Israel out of Egypt At what time raigned in Egypt Romascs the second Larthes 22 Nowe reigned Dedalus of whom the Poets fayned that he with his sonne Icarus fledde with winges for Greece into Creete for the passing celeritie of his sayle This time Abimelech gouerned Israel who slue his seuentie brethren and was slaine himselfe after in the thirde yeere of his reigne by a woman at Thebes Aegeus King Pandeons sonne and father to Theseus reigned in Athens this time 23 Erithrus the 23. king of Spaine succeeded Palatuus and Cacies hee reigned king in Spayne 66. yeeres During which time Iair iudged Israel and after Iair Ieptha Mytreus the 27. king of the Assyrians raigned in Niniue In the eleuenth yeere of this Erithrus reigne came Euander out of Arcadia into Italie to whome Faunus the gouernour and ruler of this scattered people that dwelt about Rome called Aborigines which yet had certaine dwellinges gaue a fielde and a little hill afterwarde called Mons Auentinus where Hercules slue Cacus at what time Hercules came from Spayne into Italie before Aeneas comming 55. yeeres Theseus gouerned Athens after hee had subdued the monster Minotaurus and conquered Creete This Erithrus reigned in Spayne vntill the verie yeere that Troy was by the Greekes destroyed 24 After him succeeded Gargorus Mellicola the 24. and last king of Spayne who reigned 75. yeeres vntill the first yeere of Aeneas Syluius the fourth king of the Latins at what time the Lacedemonians and the Corinthians beganne to set vp their kingdomes for as the Troianes the Peloponesians and the Spaniardes ended their kingdomes so they at that instant beganne to flourish in their newe kingdomes for the Peloponesians after they had had sixe and twentie kings they were gouerned by Priestes called Carin The Troianes also were ouerthrowen after sixe kinges reigne and their Countrey destroyed with sworde and fire so that the remnaunt were scattered to seeke newe kingdomes and other countreyes some to Greece some to Italie and some to other places and the Spaniardes euen so after 24. Kings their kingdome was turned into prouinces and other particular gouernements Thus Spaine after it reigned vnder kings for the space of 988. yeeres is nowe become into prouinces gouerned by seuerall magistrates during which time of 988. yeres which their kings raigned yet were they not herd of in any part of the East countreys their fame grewe no further then to the Confines of Italie and to the furthest precinct of Spaine Ephorus an ancient writer affirmeth that all Spaine was taken to be but a citie named Iberia of all the East countries and I can easily beleeue it for the Romanes during the time of their seuen kings were no where spokē of but within Italie not so much as the Grecians their next neighbours made any mencion of them neither Thucidides nor Herodot late writers neuer thought of them in all their histories specially Herodot who wrote generally of all Asia In like maner the Grecians were not knowen vnto the Persians before Xerxes time for so Strabo affirmeth saying nec Graeci Persas nec Persae Graecos nouerunt nisi perparum quantum fama percepissent What fragments Manethon and others found of the antiquitie of Spaine and of their first gouernement of their kings I haue briefly noted but the time onely omitting other things of those dayes as meere fables and trifles not worth the writing CHAP. III. From the dissolution and change of the kingdome of Hispaine into Prouinces and Dominions vntill they were subdued by the Carthagineans and Africans vnder whom they were subiects vntill Scipio Africanus time at what time both Africa Carthage and Hispaine were made tributaries vnto the Romanes NOwe after the kings of Spaine had finished their kingdomes and the countrey was changed into particular prouinces and seuerall dominions which so continued vntill Spaine was subdued by the Carthagineans vnder whom they liued vntill Afrike and Carthage were conquered by the Romanes While Spaine was quietly gouerned by their kings their wisemen called Turdetani wrote their chronicles their lawes and the antiquities of their Countrey in ancient Poemes of 600. yeeres olde as they write These Turdetani were so honoured of the olde Spaniardes as Magi were of the Chaldeans Gymnosophistae Of the Indians the Druydes of the olde Gaules after called French men and as the Priestes of Isis and Serapis were esteemed in Egypt for at that time they were led by oracles as the other countreys were The Spaniardes vsed to consult with the oracles of Mnestheus not farre from the high towre of Capio which was for that purpose builded as the towre of Pharaoh was in Egypt to giue light to the Mariners vpon the Sea in winters darke nights Many good things were in Spaine in the time of their first kings which were not found afterwards vntil the Romans came for when the Romanes became lordes of Afrike and of Spaine which was the first conquest that euer the Romanes had out of Italie and the onely hardest and most dangerous victorie almost to the ruine and confusion of the Romanes as at the battell of Trebeia of Cannes of Thrasimene and of other bloodie battels seene and proued when I say they subdued Spaine they founde the countrey so fertile and so rich that both land and water yeelded plentie of all things for the Romanes found mines within twentie furlongs of new Carthage and the mines were of circuite round about foure hundred furlongs where the Romanes kept foure centurions to worke and to digge for siluer they wrought so that it was worth to the Romanes day by day fiue and twentie thousand Drachmes The Romanes were so flesht with the conquest of Africa and Spaine that they left no hill vndigged no riuer vnsounded no place vnsought insomuch that Pluto had much to doe to escape the auarice of the Romanes So Hanibal seemed to iudge of them when hee answered Antiochus the great when he shewed Hanibal the abundance of his wealth and his infinite treasures this sayeth Hanibal will please the Romanes but not suffice the Romanes But I
kept the Saracens in some awe and gaue diuers ouerthrowes vnto them during his time After whom succeeded Raimiris the first of that name and 9. king of Astura and Legio he raigned sixe yeres In his time Abderana king of the Saracens sailed with a nomber of ships from Affrica and inuaded many places in Italie and vsed great crueltie of whose tyrannie and spoiles euery where you may reade in the Historie of the Saracens I name none here but such as troubled Spaine whose historie I haue in hande during the time that they raigned in Spaine This time Theophilus helde the Empire at Constantinople and Lewes sirnamed the Godly the sonne of Charles the great was king of France and Emperour of Rome as his father was Now succeeded in Spaine Ordonius the first of that name who raigned king after Amiris 10. yeres During which time the Normanes and the Danes rushed into France and annoyed the countrey much burnt Antwerpe and afflicted the Friseans most miserablie All this while the cruel Saracens were no where quiet especially in Italy where they spoiled and killed all that they came vnto with sword and fire euen vnto the very gates of Rome burning all the suburbes of the citie About this time Anno 838. the Danes inuaded England but they were to their great losse ouerthrowen and vanquished by Egbertus at which time died Lewes king of Fraunce sirnamed the Godly After this Ordonius succceded Alphonsus the thirde of that name sirnamed the Great he raigned as a wicked cruel king who to auoyde suspition of his tyrannie fained a conspiracie to bee done of his owne brethren against him and therefore caused that all his three brethrens eyes should be plukt out thinking thereby with lesse danger to gouerne his kingdome Then succeeded Garsia who raigned 3. yeres after whom Ordonius the second of that name folowed king of Astura and Legio This king also vsed crueltie and caused 4. of the chiefe noblemen in the Prouince of Castile to be imprisoned and in prison to be slaine for which cruel fact the Prouince of Castile reuolted from Ordonius and they elected foure Iudges to gouerne the Prouince of Castile since which time which was 900. yeeres after Christ kings beganne a kingdome in Castile for now was Spaine gouerned as England was by 7. kings the gouernment whereof was called Heptarchia and therefore I wil passe ouer the time and infinite quarels and toiles which continued for a long rime in Spaine First betweene the Vandols and the Spaniards after betweene the Gothes and the Spaniards and then last betweene the Saracens and the Gothes CHAP. V. From the time that the Saracens possessed Hispaine vntill the time of Ferdinandus the great and Alphonsus king of Arragon which were the onely first two kings that possessed all Hispaine from the first Monarchie of their kings which was 2400. and odde yeeres so base a Countrey was Hispaine and conquered so many times vntill Ferdinandus time AT what time in diuers Prouinces of Hispaine dwelt seuerall kings which then gouerned and possessed Hispaine whose names are these that follow The first king after the inuasion of the Saracens which was driuen out of the kingdome was Pelagius who raigned twentie yeeres in Astura Phafilla Pelagius sonne raigned two yeres and was slaine by a beare in hunting Alphonsus sirnamed Catholike the first of that name raigned 19. yeeres His sonne Phroilla succeeded his father in Astura and Legio and raigned twelue yeeres and after was by his brother Aurelius slaine Veramundus Phroillas sōne succeeded but was forced to flie by Sillo which gouerned the kingdome after Phroilla 6. yeeres Mauregatus a base sonne of Alphonsus the Catholike tooke the kingdome of Austria by the meanes of the Mauritanes and raigned three yeeres Veramundus the sonne of Bilmarus which was sonne to Alphonsus raigned two yeeres Alphonsus the seconde sirnamed the Chaste raigned thirtie and six yeres This king raigning the Saracens spoiled and wasted all Sardinia and Corsica After him succeeded Raimirus the first of that name and raigned sixe yeeres in whose time Abderana king of the Saracens with an huge armie vsed great crueltie and tyrannie in many places After him Ordonius the first which raigned also tenne yeeres after whom Alphonsus the thirde sirnamed the great which raigned 46. yeeres Then succeeded Carsia the first of that name and raigned three yeres After whom succeeded Ordonius the second who vsed tyrannie in Castile the onely cause of their reuolting and of the change of their gouernment in chusing first to them foure Iudges and after erected kings At what time the kingdome of Castile beganne Reade Ritius more of this historie Then succeeded Ordonius Phroilla the seconde which raigned two yeres and after him Alphonsus the fourth which gouerned in Astura and Legio fiue yeeres Raimirus the second of that name raigned nineteene yeres this caused his brother Alphonsus eyes to be pluckt out and after to bee in close prison for that Alphonsus denied to become a Christian. In this Raimirus time the Hungarians ouercame Lodowicke king of Germanie and both Luitboldus duke of Bauaria and Burgardus duke of Thuringia were slaine at that time of the Hungarians Ordonius the thirde of that name raigned fiue yeeres and Sanctius the first of that name raigned 11. yeeres king of Astura Raimirus the thirde being a childe obtained the kingdom and raigned 25. yeeres by whome Abdera then king of the Saracens in Spaine was vanquished but Luiterus saith that one Ramirus king of Galatia vanquished the Saracens and their king whome he named Abdamara This time Enechus Countie of Bigora gaue a great ouerthrow to the Saracens and made the Saracens to forsake their cities and to flie from many partes of Spaine This Enechus founded then the kingdome of Nauarra as Ritig affirmeth Then succeeded in Spaine Veramundus the third who raigned 17. yeere This king after he had once or twise vanquished the Saracens yet they so preuailed that he was vāquished and ouerthrowen his citie of Legio assaulted and taken Lusitania possessed againe and the most places of Spaine wonne againe which the Saracens lost before This time the kingdom of Polonia beganne Alphonsus the 5. reigned 37. yeeres during which time the Saracens entred into Italie tooke Capua assaulted Barū destroyed many places and spoiled cities In this Alphonsus time the kingdome of Hungarie beganne in whose time reigned in Fraunce Hugo Capetus the first king of the Gaules Veramūdus the 3. of that namereigned after Alphōsus 6. yeres and Ferdinandus gouerned at Astura and Castile 40. yeeres Sanctius the 2. king of Castile and Alphonsus the 6. king of Astura the one reigned 13. yeres the other seuen yeeres but Sanctius being not contented with the kingdome of Castile draue Alphōsus out of his kingdome and possessed both Legio and Astura who fledde to Toletum to the king of
the Saracens who was within 5. yeeres after restored to his kingdome and Sanctius slaine of his owne seruants This Alphonsus as both Blondus and Aemylius affirme plagued the Saracens tooke Toletum their chiefe Citie and restored to the people the Christian faith The kingdome of Bohemia began in the 9. yeere of Alphonsus gouernment at what time Henry the fourth reigned Emperour of Germany and Lodouicus Crassus gouerned Fraunce Alphonsus the 7. succeeded and reigned king foure yeeres Sanctius the 3. one yeere and Ferdinandus the 2. gouerned 17. yeeres Alphonsus the 8. surnamed the good reigned 50. yeeres in whose time Rogerius king of Sicilia warred vpon the emperor of Greece and tooke certeine cities at that time gaue some ouerthrowe to the Saracens but hee was spoyled by the Venetians in his returne at that time After al this succeeded Alphonsus the 9. which reigned 28. yeres Some writers omit this Polidorus calleth this Alphōsus the 8. This time Illomaniolinus king of the Saracens spoyled Spaine with fire and sword vntil the coast of Fraunce and possessed diuers Cities but all the kings of Spaine ioyned their force together and agreed with one consent to giue battel in the which the Saracens were ouerthrowen and infinite numbers slaine but Illomamolinus tooke Granata at that time Ferdinandus the 3. who succeeded Alphōsus I omit Henry the first that reigned 3. yeeres being a yong boy who playing among children brake his necke by chaunce at Palentia Then Ferdinandus finding that the Saracens were sore weakened and had lost many strong cities hee leauied an armie gaue sundry battels and forced those Saracens to flie out of the Isle Maiorica and gote their chiefe Citie and holde which was called Valentia and after obteyned many Townes and Cities of the Saracens for at this very time by Ferdinandus Spaine was almost euery where set at libertie frō the Saracens After that Ferdinandus had reigned 28. yeeres he died 1250. After whō succeeded Alphonsus the 10. of that name king Legio and Castile and reigned 23. yeeres All this time Spaine was possessed by the Saracēs who were called kings of Spaine other kings that reigned in some places of Spaine as in Castile Asturia Legio were as kings of litle prouinces and in respect of the Saracens were of small force Notwithstanding the Saracens were so beset on euery side by sundry Christian princes and so often discomfited and vanquished in many battels that now they are constrained to call their force together for Iacobus king of Arragon through the aide of other princes had obteined and got the Isles called Baleares This time reigned in Castile Sanctius the 4. who after he had reigned king of Castile and Legio 11. yeres he died After him succeeded Ferdinandus the 4. which reigned 15. yeeres who plagued the Saracens destroyed them in many places burning spoiling their holds and fortes After him folowed Alphonsus the 11. of that name who subdued conquered them at his wil he so plagued them that he tooke their only cities Alcala Bencay which is called the kings pallace slue many of the Saracens in the region of Granata where 200000. Saracens camped either to recouer their great losses which of late they had susteined or els to lose their liues together Alphōsus gaue them such a meeting that he slue of the horsemē thirtie thousand and fiftie thousand footemen the rest of the Saracens skattered fled frō the slaughter to saue thēselues but the rest cōtinued not long after Spaine nowe began to recouer her former libertie to florish which had bin so long kept vnder infidels during the time of 38. seueral kings After Alphōsus had reigned 40. yeres with happy cōquests he died Petrus the first succeeded reigned king of Castile 19. yeres whose cruelty was such that his owne brother Henry was cōstrained to flee to the king of Arragon by whose helpe he vanquished his brother the king possessed the kingdom of Castile at what time the king went with his three sōnes ouer into Aquitania frō whence he came with an army gaue battell to his brother recouered his kingdome againe Henry being thus vanquished he renued his force and cōmenced warre with Petrus in the which Petrus was slaine Henry the 2. time restored to the kingdom of Castile Ritius at large speaketh of this warre Now in Fraunce reigned Charles surnamed the wise and Charles the 4. the sonne of Iohn king of Bohemia which had bene emperor in Germany Betweene England Fraunce were great wars at this time for a litle before Edward the 3. had gotten victory by sea ouer the Frenchmen at Clusa whē the Frenchmen lost 400. ships and 30000. souldiers Henry the 2. succeeded reigned 10. yeres Ritius saith 8. some say 6. this sent aide to Charles king of Fraūce against the Englishmen betweene whō whot warres sharpe terrible battels cōtinued Then did Iohn the first succeed king in Castile reigned 11. yeres warre grew betweene this Iohn king of Castile and the king of Portingal 1378. Then succeded Iohn the 2. which reigned 47. yeres yet Functius placeth Henry 3. king of Castile after Iohn the first which reigned 16. yeres of whō reade Polidor how he established his kingdom for I may not be longin dilating histories but briefly passe ouer the names of the kings that reigned in Spaine of their wars first with the Carthagineās then with the Romās then with the Vādales the last the most dangerous wars they had with the Saracens and after the Saracens the ciuill warres they had to bring Spaine to a monarchie Nowe after Iohn the 2. had raigned 47. yeres he died during which time Sigismundus king of Hungaria was created Emperor of Germanie and Charles the seuenth raigned king of Fraunce which Fraunce at that instant was most miserably wasted and spoyled by Henrie the fift king of England who also was crowned king of Fraunce in the chiefe citie of Paris where he kept his Christmas Neither Paul Aemilius nor Arnoldus Ferronus make mention of this warre neither Tilius in his Chronicles of the kings of Fraunce seemeth to make any great matter of it but that the Frenchmen through discord ciuil dissention were ouerthrowen in a battell by Henrie the fift but they coulde speake more of Martellus for his victories against the Saracens of Faramundus of Charles the great whose greatnesse was neuer such as to be crowned king in Englande as Henrie the fift was in Paris but they want no writers to set foorth their glorie The decay of the Empire made them to flourish by meanes of the Popes who euer ayded them in any great actions and at last the Popes brought France to Rome After this succeeded in Spaine Henrie the fourth who raigned 23. yeres this time died Fla. Blondus a learned Chronographer
with the Sicambrians as they had a litle before that time with the Affricans so much the Romanes were fearefull of these people that they appoynted Caius Marius Consul against the lawe being absent which was neuer seene before in Rome but once in the time of Cornelius Scipio in the warres of Affrike But to benefite a common weale lawes may well be infringed and specially when necessitie forceth the same as at that time Marius was appoynted against these stoute and strong people whom the Romanes called Cimbri but I referre you to Tritemius who onely wrote of these sixteene kings and of the people called Sicambri Likewise reade Plutarch in Marius and you shall knowe what strong warres what sharpe battels and with what inuincible courage they fought against the Romans Caius Marius Catulus Luctatius and other Romane captaines can well witnesse of the hardinesse of this nation for since the first time that this people came out of Scythia which was 400. and odde yeeres before our Sauiour Christ was borne they gaped alwayes for the Countrey of France being then inhabited with Gauls the people Celtae and the countrey it selfe called Gallia They held the warres with the Gaules nine hundred yeeres sometimes conquerours and sometime conquered they ceased not vntill they wearied all the Countrie about them and diuers places of Germanie and of Gallia waxed weake and feeble so the Frenchmen began to bee strong and to winne that which the Romanes had lost After that this Marcomirus had expulsed and vanquished the people that dwelt about Rhene and had committed to his brother Sunno the possession of that countrey hee went and passed ouer the riuer of Rhene in the foure and twentieth yeere of his raigne with a very huge armie of Sicambrians and Saxons wasted and spoyled with sworde and fire many townes and countreys in the West Gallia and after hee had made a great slaughter of the Gauls he entred in league with Britaines and returned a conqueror to see how the Germanes behaued and vsed Sunno where he died after he had reigned eight and twentie yeeres This Marcomirus was so famous had done such worthie feats in armes that thē his people after his death were called Marcomanni for so Plinie doth name them lib. 12. cap. 4. While this Marcomirus helde warres with the Gaules ciuill warres began in Greece which continued seuen and twentie yeeres Darius Nothus gouerned the Persians at what time in Rome a law was made that it should be lawfull for the Patricians and Senators to ioyne in marriage with the common people This time florished in Greece Pericles the Athenian and Socrates the Philosopher After Marcomirus his sonne builded townes and cities and made strong holdes and castles hee taught the vse of many things to his noble men and hee also taught the women which earst were rude and ignorant in Scythia to sowe flaxe and hempe and to weaue silke and other like things He made lawes to his people which neuer before heard of any law in Scythia brought them from rude and wild men to knowledge ciuilitie for this Antenor was taught by his wife Cambra Bellinus daughter king of Britaine She was wise modest and vertuous brought vp her sonne Priamus in ciuill knowledge and made him acquainted with orders and lawes insomuch that when his father Antenor died hee was able to gouerne his people with lawes for in the eight yeere of his reigne he his mother Cambra builded about the riuer of Rhene two great townes the one he named Neopagus where long the kings palace stoode and the other Neomagus in memorie of his name The Sicambrians this time beganne to speake the Saxons tongue for the maner and order of this people at that time whersoeuer they were scattred in any place of Europe or Asia they were named after the name of the place as I tolde you At their first comming into Germanie from Scythia they were of the Germanes named Neumagi after they were called Marcomani after the name of Marcomirus Then Sicambri after the name of Cambra Bellinus daughter for so long as they taried in Scythia they were named Scythians in Armenia they were called Armenians in Gallia they were called Gaules who when they had sacked Rome and taken it for seuen moneths they were constrained by Camillus to goe from thence to Galatia Macedonia or to any part of Greece they were called Gaulgreekes and so bare they as many names as those countreys had where they dwelt vntil Francus time by whom they were called Franci which to this day they holde Nowe after that Antenor had reigned thirtie yeeres and his sonne Priamus after him 27. succeeded Helenus the 4. king of Sicambria which reigned 19. yeeres This king had the Gaules in hand and plagued them he gaue them diuers repulses and in battell slue of them sixteene thousand wasted and subdued Gallia vnto the riuer Mosa for this was the countrey that they gaped and thirsted for During which time of 16. kings which gouerned after Cābra Bellinus daughter they persecuted the countrey of Gallia one king after another successiuely vntill Francus time In the time of this Helenus his father Priamus raigned in Persia Artaxerxes Mnemon surnamed the great and in Caria raigned king Mausolus a countrey in Greece In Macedonia raigned nowe king Philip. king Alexander the great his father the sonne of Amyntas this time Marcus Manlius conspired against Camillus and moued sedition in Rome and therfore he was adiudged to be throwen headlong downe from the rocke Tarpeia In the time of this Helenus Plato died in whose place succeeded Speusippus the Philosopher Aristotle the Philosopher and Demosthenes the Orator flourished and Iaddua was high priest in Iudea and continued 27. yeeres vntill Alexander the great his time Diocles the eldest sonne of Helenus succeeded the fourth king and raigned 39. yeres a seuere man bold and much giuen by nature to warres hee followed his predecessors in commencing warre in Gallia hauing like affection to the kingdome of Fraunce as his father and grandfather had before him he raigned king amongest the Cicambrians when king Alexander the great was in warre against Darius king of Persia and after Alexanders death 30. yeeres for in Diocles time the kingdomes of Egypt Asia and Syria began to flouri◅h againe vnder new kings which were souldiers and captaines vnder Alexander the great of whose ciuill warres you may reade in the histories of their kingdoms for Darius surnamed Codomanus the last king of Persia was slaine and his kingdome subdued the monarchie taken into Greece vnder the kings of Macedonia About this time the Romans begā their great wars with the Samnites when Pyrrhus king of Epirus had sailed with great nauie and entred Italie of whose warre there at that time Liui speaketh of and called it Bellum Ausonium when Pyrrhus was driuen out of Italie
and Lu. Papirius Cursor triumphed ouer the Samnites at what time he was Dictator in Rome after whome Quintu◅ Fabius being Dictator ouerthrewe the Samnites in a great battell Tritemius writeth that the Gothes commenced warre this time against the Saxons wasted and spoyled manie townes in the confines of the Saxons for at that time fiue kinges ioyned in a league of amitie with the Saxons and gaue a great ouerthrow to the Gothes to the number of a 100000. Gothes After this victorie Diocles was all the dayes of his life in fighting and wasting of Gallia and did much harme vnto them and when he had raigned 39. yeres died after whō succeeded his eldest sonne named Helenus the 2. of that name and the 6. king of Sicambria who was neither beloued of his people nor profitable to the kingdome for he was foolish in time of peace and peeuish in warre and therfore he was remoued from his kingdome for that he was not found sufficient to gouerne and his younger brother Bassanus was crowned king in Sicambria a man of great stoutnesse wisedome and iustice in so much hee spared neither friend kinne brother or sonne that violated his lawes wheresoeuer he would trauell he commanded two things to be caried before him the booke of the lawe and the sworde of punishment Tritemius writeth this historie of Bassanus that hee had a sonne named Sedanus who committed adulterie against the law was of his own father thus punished although his nobles and great men made much meanes to the king for his life yet Bassanus executed the lawe saying to his noble men in this sorte I haue made a lawe with your consent and to your contentation will you bee against your selues and against me in per◅urming of the same and turning his speech to his sonne he said My sonne I doe not kill thee but the lawes of the countrey which thou hast willingly violated and therewithall tooke him by the haires of his head with his owne hand beheaded him So iust a king was this Bassanus so seuere to wicked men so gentle to good men and so well esteemed of his people that as Amerodacus a Philosopher of their owne nation sayeth he was Appetentissimus diuinitatis Reade more of this king in Tritemius he raigned sixe thirtie yeeres and builded in memorie of his victory had ouer Taborinus king of the Tegurans a strong castle and named it Montabur While this Bassanus flourished in Sicambria Demetrius the sonne of Antigonus gouerned in Macedonia Lysimachus in Thracia and Philadelphus in Egypt at what time the Hebrew Bible was translated from Hebrew into Greek by the means of Philadelphus In the time of king Bassanus began the first warre betweene the Romanes and the Affricanes Zeno the Stoike Philosopher died this time and Eustratus the phisition flourished Nowe when Bassanus died his countreymen can onized him amongst the number of the gods and did of long time worshippe him after his death calling him Basangor after whom followed his owne sonne named Clodomirus raigned 18. yeeres in whose daies the feastes called Floralia were celebrated in Rome at what time the Romanes had peace with the Affricanes but were occupied in Bello Lygustico The Parthians which before were obscure and base people banished out of their countrey began to stablish a new kingdome and became so strōg that their kings were named Arsaces a name of dignitie as the Egyptians by their Pharoes and the Romanes by Caesars I see I shoulde bee long to speake seuerally of the rest of the kinges of Sicambria which are yet nine to write of therefore I will onely lay downe the names of these kinges from Marcomirus the first king of the Sicambrians vntil Francus the last king to auoyd tediousnes 1 Marcomirus the first king raigned 28. yeeres he made the first warres in Fraunce subdued vnto the riuer of Mosa 2 Antenor who maried Cambria the Brittaine Belinus daughter raigned 27. yeeres 3 Priamus the sonne of Antenor by Cambria raigned 27. yeere in this Kinges raigne the Sicambrians began to vse the Saxons tongue 4 Helenus the fourth king raigned 19. yeeres 5 Diocles the sonne of Helenus reigned 39. this king liued in the time of Alexander the great 6 Helenus the seconde of that name and the sonne of Diocles raigned 14. yeeres this king was abstracted and therefore he was forced to forsake his kingdome 7 Basanus the brother of Helenus reigned 36. yeeres at what time Philadelphus raigned in Egypt and Antiochus Soter in Syria This Bessanus builded a famous strong castle in memory of his victory had ouer Taborinus king of the Tegarenes and he named the castle Montabur At what time Heligastus a Priest and a Prophet amongst the Sicambrians flourished 8 Clodomirus the sonne of Basanus raigned in Sicambria 18. yeeres 9 His sonne Nicanor raigned 34. yeeres in what time the second warres of the Romanes began against the Affricanes 10 Marcomirus the second of that name and the 9. king raigned 28. yeeres 11 Clodius the tenth king of Sicambria raigned 10. yeeres 12 Antenor the eleuenth king raigned sixteene yeeres in the time of this king and his predecessor Terentius made his Comedies 13 Clodomirus the 2. of that name and the 12. king raigned 20. yeeres in whose time beganne the thirde and last warre betweene the Romanes and the Affricanes 14 Merodacus the 13. king raigned 28. yeeres this king inuaded Italie with 3000000. reade more in Plutarch of this people in the life of Marius 15 Cassander the 15. king of Sicambria raigned 21. yeeres this king ioyned with Arathius king of the Saxons and Borbista king of the Gothes entered into Germany and made a great slaughter of the Teutones 16 Antharius the sixteenth king he raigned fiue and thirty yeeres this king also played his part with the Romanes and wan Moguntia and made it euen to the grounde In whose time Iulius Caesar made his voyage to Britaine CHAP. II. From Francus the sixteenth king of Fraunce then called Sicambri vntill the time of Farabertus the 12. in number after Francus of the warres inuasions and victories of the enlargement of their kingdome from one king to another vntill Farabertus gouernement during which time they were called Franci after the name of Francus IN the yeere before the birth of Christ 245. Francus the eldest sonne of Antharius after that his father was slaine by the Gaules by the aide of the Romans succeeded in the kingdome of Sicambria became such an enemie to the Gaules that hee destroyed their townes and cities wasted their territories and spoyled the people not only the Gaules but also the Gothes and other nations insomuch that the Romanes hearing of this Francus courage and stoutnesse sent Lollius with a Romane armie who in the first battel that he gaue in Germany slue of thē 18. thousand Francus sent his sonne Clogio to aide his
certayne that at that time the Germanes the Saxons the Turinges and Frenchmen tooke possession in that Countrey which is nowe called Marchia Bradenburgensis where Sunno the sonne of Richimer did first and before any man inhabite there and was the first prince that gouerned the Countrie and ruled the people and as Tritemius sayeth hee was set there by his father and the other kings before named to withstand and resist the forreigne armies and other people comming from the East into Germanie This Richimer was a very notable stoute captaine a boulde man and a seuere king who during the whole reigne of twentie foure yeeres which hee gouerned in Fraunce the Gaules and the Romanes were by him sore plagued and sore afflicted sometime with slaughter and victorie ouer them and sometime with repulse This time Traiane the Emperour had warres in the East part and subdued the Sauromaties the Arabians the Agarens the Bospherans and was ready to make his voyage to the redde sea and so to conquer India The fourth persecution fell in the time of Richimer after whom succeeded his sonne Odemarus the ninth king of Fraunce hee reigned fourteene yeeres and began to gouerne Fraunce in the yeere after Christ a hundred fourtie foure This king Odemarus was much giuen to seeke peace and by all meanes studied to maintaine the same for after hee had concluded peace with the Romanes and with the Gaules which peace during his life he kept inuiolated for he thought himselfe contented and fully satisfied to defende that coast of Gallia which his predecessours had with long and sharpe warres gotten Neither Tritemius Lazius nor Functius do write any thing of this king worth the memorie but his care and diligence of peace keeping for since Francus time the first king of the name of Fraunce vntill Odemarus the ninth king not one of them sought peace but warres and therefore they succeeded one after another with othes vowing to come to possesse all Gallia by the sword And hauing now subdued diuers parts in Gallia being a large kingdome euen frō the riuer of Rhene vnto the mountaines called Pirenaei and naming them kings of Fraunce for that they coulde not yet conquer all Gallia though as I sayde before one king after another shotte at it for nine hundred yeeres space vntill all the realme of Gallia became the kingdome of Fraunce But while this Odemarus reigned in Fraunce the Romanes whose force more more grew in the Countries of Germanie vntil the Gaules Saxons Gothes Vandales Hungarians and diuers others waxed very strong in the West Countries that the Romanes were constrained to neglect the East parte and to looke about home for it is in all histories knowen that the kingdome of Fraunce beganne to florish when the Empire of Rome beganne to decay But to my French historie againe first setting downe the names here vnder of those kings that reigned in Fraunce from Francus vntill Farabertus time as foloweth 1 Francus the first king after the name of Sicambri was finished and after whose name Sicambri were called Franci he reigned 28. yeeres 2 Clogio the sonne of Francus reigned after his father 30. yeeres 3 Herimerus the sonne of Clogio reigned 22. yeeres 4 Marcomirue reigned 18. yeeres 5 Clodomirus the sonne of Marcomirus reigned 12. yeeres 6 Antenor reigned after his father Clodomirus 6. yeeres 7 Ratherus succeeded his father Antenor and reigned 21. yeeres 8 Richimerus his sonne reigned 24. yeeres 9 Odemarus reigned after his father Richimerus 14. yeeres 10 Marcomirus the second of that name and sōne to Odemarus reigned 21. yeeres 11 After Marcomirus succeeded Clodamirus and reigned 17. yeeres 12 After Clodomirus succeeded Farabertus his sonne and reigned 20. yeeres CHAP. III. Of the continuall warres which the Frenchmen had still in seeking for the quiet possession and the whole gouernment of all Fraunce from the time of Farabertus vntil the time of Pharamundus during which time they were called Franci for as they were before called Sicambri from Marcomirus vnto Francus foure hundred and odde yeeres so nowe from Francus to Faramundus they were called Franci for foure hundred and odde yeeres that well nigh nine hundred yeres they were before they could possesse the kingdome of Fraunce WHen Odomarus dyed his sonne Marcomirus the tenth king succeeded him who reigned twentie one yeeres after whome succeeded Clodomirus the eleuenth king and reigned seuenteene yeres After Clodomirus succeeded Farabartus the twelfth king of Fraunce which reigned twentie yeeres during which time of these three kings which was fiftie eight yeeres the Romanes being yet in full strength and courage kept their Empire on foote and kept other kingdoms vnder foote that the French kings were forced to make peace at home with their neighbours to keepe warres with the Romanes So Farabartus did confirme the first league which Francus the first of their name had in his time agreed vpon with the Germanes Saxons Dorings Tretones Marcomans and Cimbrians They ioyned their forces together for to resist the Romanes who were alwayes so greedy of countries and kingdoms and so desirous of Territories that they sought to make themselues lords ouer all the West kingdome of the worlde as in trueth they were at that time kings emperors ouer the East countries vntill they had lost both their soueraigntie dignitie in the East and in the West at last lost the Empire it self The Romanes hearing of this strong league confirmed betwene these Frēchmen the Germans Mar. Aurelius Antoninus surnamed the Philosopher prepared a great armie vnder the conuoy of his fonne Aurelius Commodus being at that time appointed Caesar and commaunded by his father the Emperor to passe into Germany and to commence warre against the Daces the Saxons Marcomanes the Frenchmen and other in Germany in the which voyage Commodus gained but litle credite for he was with shame forced to forsake the fielde with great losse of his men This battell is mencioned in many histories for it was so great and so terrible that Functius and Orosius affirme that bellum Marcomannicum the like is skant read of Againe in the next yeere being the 11. yeere of Farabertus reigne an armie of Romanes was sent into Germany of whom the like almost is read sauing that of the parties the slaughter was great This warre continued vntill the good Emperour Antoninus dyed yet hee and his sonne Commodus had triumphed ouer the Marcomanes which are thought to be Boremians before hee dyed but while these warres endured of these three last named French kings Marcomirus and his sonne Clodomirus and his sonne Farabertus the Britaines made some insurrections for their former libertie and were in armes vntill by Lollius Vrbicius the Romane Embassadour they were againe repressed Sunno by this the sonne of Clodomirus florished in that gouernment which he had in Marchia and builded a great Citie in memorie of
of his three brethren and their children and died as Blondus saieth at Tridentum after whose death Fraunce was againe deuided betweene the sonnes of Lotharius who is called in Beroaldus Clotarius which raigned 5. yeres after Childebertus and died was buried in the church of S. Medardis in Suetia which Church he began to builde a litle before he died After whom succeeded Cherebertus the sonne of Clotarius a wicked vicious king who after he raigned 9. yeeres died in the armes of his concubine at Paris after him Chilpericus raigued 14. yeres as vitious and wicked as his brother yet of him lineally do discend the line of the kings of France vntil Childericus time he was caused to be slaine betweene Landricus and his strumpet Fredegunda and was also buried in Paris Now Iustinus the yonger a daughters sonne of Iustinianus gouerned in the empire warrre was proclaimed by the Romanes against the Persians at what time Hormisda raigned king of Persia who was vanquished by Tiberius Constantius and againe the Persians lost those townes which they had gotten during the gouernment of Iustinianus This time Chilpericus left a childe of the age of 4. moneths called Clotarius the second of that name and the 10. king of Fraunce who raigned 44. yeeres this king being yet an infant vnder the protectiō of Landricus whom Guntrandus the kings vncle had made master of the horse Childebertus king of Mediomatrices sought to attempt through force to gouerne France but in vaine for he mist of his purpose for he his wife died within a while after vpon one day supected to be poysoned Howbeit when Clotarius came to any estate ciuill warres began in France betwene the king and Theodobertus and Theodoricus two sonnes of Hildebertus these two brethren plagued sore the king vntill they were deuided one against another and then al France was afflicted But during these ciuil vexations in France the Persians wasted Palestine tooke Ierusalem and their patriarch Zacharias they raged against the Egyptians and they subdued Alexandria and Libya vntill Aethiope tooke Carthage and proudly denied the Emperour Heraclius peace but the Persians and their king Cosroes repented their denial for Heraclius prepared warre and leuied an armie and entred into Persia flew in that voyage 50000. Heraclius the second time persecuted the Persiās with sword and fire so hard that Cosroes their king was slaine By this time the Persians were on euery side so assaulted so weakned that they were most miserably slaine and destroyed their kingdom taken by the Saracens About this time Caddwalader the last king of the Britaines was by a dreame admonished to leaue his kingdome and to passe ouer sea to Rome at what time the English Saxons possessed the whole Isle of Britaine sauing Scotland and the Picts Let vs leaue France for a while in their ciuil dissentions betweene Clotarius and the two sonnes of Childebertus named Theodoricus Theobertus who after they constrained the king to accept what cōditions of peace they lusted these two brethren fell out that againe all France was in armes for a time France was most miserablie afflicted Now Persia being destroied the third time by the Saracēs we wil passe ouerthe Pope in Rome Mahomet in Arabia and returne to Germanie a coūtrey so famous of late that the Monarchie sole empire flourished there though the Romans in Iulius Caesars time made no accompt of them calling all those nations which are called Vandols Gothes Hunnes Hungarians Danes Sueuians Russians and others by one name Germanes These coūtreis and kingdoms flourished when the East kingdoms decaied and that within 500. yeres of Augustus time when Rome was in her most glory dignitie and for that the names of their kings may be read in Functius I wil not set them down for those that were of any great renowme in histories chiefly the Gothes and Vādols who hitherto had 24. kings and the Longobards who had 17. kings Diaconus writes of them Functius in his table records them and therfore I wil returne to Clotarius who when he had raigned 41. yeeres he assigned Dagobertus his eldest sonne king of Austratia ioyntly to gouerne France with him for three yeeres more and then Clotarius died in the 44. yere of his raigne This Dagobertus was the 11. king frō Faramundus and had a brother named Aribertus to whom he gaue Aquitania in possession and gouerned himselfe after his father in Fraunce 14. yeres he was very vitious and so giuen to women that when he would trauaile he would haue his womē caried with him Agmina Scortorum a whole armie of concubines who went in habits of Queenes and dwelt in pallaces made vnto them by the king Dagobertus And with this vice there was ioyned an other vertue which was to banish all those Iewes out of Fraunce that would not become Christians for nowe Fraunce hath their vines and grapes and all the countrey of Fraunce flourished since Probus the Emperours time who first suffered them to haue the vse and benefites of all vines By this time his brother Aribertus died in Aquitaina and left a sonne behind him named Hilpericus who likewise died after his father shortly and all Fraunce fell to Dagobertus who at that time placed his eldest sonne Sigebertus king of Austrasia where sometimes Dagobertus gouerned during three yeeres of his fathers raigne Dagobertus had warres with the Vuindos whom he vanquished by the ayde of the Saxons and also hee had warres against the Vascons who though they reuolted as Tritemius affirmeth yet receiued them into fauour In Rome now had raigned 9. seueral popes whose names are set down in the history of the church and ouer the Saracens who quite had subdued all Persia before raigned already foure Amyras of Mahomets sects Thus in Rome a silly priest became a great Pope and in Arabia a false Prophet of one age with the pope became a mighty king which by his greatnes attained a surname called Amyras of whom likewise I haue spoken in the historie of the Saracens 1 Pharamundus reigned 8. yeeres Beroaldus saith 11. yeeres 2 Clodius Faramundus sonne surnamed Criuitus reigned 18. yeeres 3 Meroueus succeeded his father Clodius and reigned 10. yeeres 4 Hildericus the first reigned 26. this is called of many Childericus 5 Clodoueus reigned 30. 6 Childebertus reigned 45. yeeres 7 Lotarius or Cotarius 5. yeeres 8 Heribertus reigned 9. 9 Hilpericus or Chilpericus 23. for marke whō Beroaldus Ruffinus and others doe name Chilpericus that same doeth Functius name Hilpericus so of Cheribertus Functius he nameth Heribertus 10 Lotarius 2. the sōne of Hilpericus 14. yeeres 11 Dagobertus succeeded his father and reigned 14. yeeres CHAP. V. From Clodoueus the 2. who began his raigne 645. vnto the raigne and gouernment of Charles the great the patrone only mirror of Fraunce by whom
much Pope Leo that Rome by Fraunce and Fraunce by Rome became strong The Popes of Rome after this time by meanes of their religion receiued into Fraunce into Spaine into Britaine into diuers partes of Germany and into other kingdomes of Europe beganne againe to reuiue their Empire vnder the Pope and brought the Emperour subiect to the Pope made kings and princes to creepe to the Pope and entised all Europe vnder his crosse yeelding homage and paying tribute vnto him as to their chiefest and onely Monarch of the world for before the Popes time the Emperour of Rome subdued and conquered all nations and forced all kingdomes to pay tribute vnto Rome Nowe the Pope subdued the Emperour and made him his general lieutenant after the Emperour he substituted the king of Fraunce and the king of Spaine martiall of the fielde to fight for him that he became so great that though he called himself seruus seruorū yet would he be compted and esteemed lord of lordes for he would binde and he would lose he would curse and he would blesse hee would forgiue sinnes and pardon offences he kept the keyes of heauen and of hell Who ruled like lordes and commaunded like kings but the Pope and Mahumet of equall antiquitie and of like nature the one in Arabia the other in Rome two mōsters of the world and two enemies of Christianitie whom wee leaue a while and turne to Fraunce where the Empire remained this time And for that the kingdomes of the Danes of the Sueuians of the Noruegians and other nations of the North beginne now to flourish and also for that the state of Fraunce are now become acquainted with al writers as diuers Chronicles are extant thereof I wil only therefore set downe briefly their kings and their names frō Carolus the great vntil the time of Lewes the 12. of that name rather for that the histories of Fraunce are now familiarly knowen by reason of their warres and of the greatnesse of their kingdome then while they were yet strangers by the name of Neumagi first and after Sicambri and then Franci and last Galli Beside other names as Cimbri with the Romaus Galatae with the Greekes after called Gaulgreekes in Asia Belgae while they dwelt in Germanie Armeni while they were in Armenia and Scythae before they came out of Scythia But how so euer writers vary in their names they agree that they were called Celtes Galli and Franci which name they helde from Francus time because they were of long continuance all other names were giuen to them according to the countreys that they dwelled in But let vs returne to Charles the great who after hee had raigned 46. yeeres he died after whom his sonne Lewes sirnamed the Godly succeeded and gouerned Fraunce 26. yeeres This was also crowned Emperour after his father by Pope Steuen the fourth of that name at what time Michael sirnamed Curoplates was Emperour of Constantinople who sent ambassadours to Lewes for conclusion of peace for the Saracens about this time tooke Creete and possessed it and vanquished in two or three battels the Greekes and subdued many townes in Asia This king Lodouicus now consecrated Augustus appointed his three sonnes to haue seuerall gouernments the one called Lotharius whom hee sent into Italy as a king to rule and to order the States of Italy the second sonne named Pipinus he sent to gouerne in Aquitania the third after his owne name Lewes whom also hee sent as king ouer the Noricanes After Lewes died his sonne Lotharius succeeded and held the Empire 15. yeeres vntill his brethren commenced warre against him and such terrible and bloodie warres that all Fraunce was weakened thereby and all the blood of Carolus extinguished for in these warres were slaine aboue 100000. of the floures of Fraunce on both sides But in fine they agreed amongst themselues that Lotharius should hold the Empire and gouerne ouer Italy and other nations in the East and Carolus sirnamed Caluus should be king in Fraunce and the thirde sonne should possesse in Germanie and in Hunnia vnder the name of a king This Carolus Caluus raigned king in Fraunce 38. yeeres hee imprisoned close in a monasterie his brothers childrē which was Pipinus and Lewes After this Carolus died in Mantua being poisoned by Sedechia a Iew and his owne Phisition then succeeded Lewes sirnamed Balbus who raigned two yeres and was created Emperour by Pope Iohn in Fraunce He had two sonnes by his concubine named Lewes and Charlemaine they both succeeded their father as kings of Fraunce Lewes died in the fourth yere of his raigne and Charlemaine in the fift yere After whose death the Danes and the Normanes inuaded Fraunce and filled all Fraunce with blood Carolus the thirde of that name sirnamed Crassus after these two brethren raigned fiue yeeres Beroaldus saith 7. yeeres About this time the Danes gaue sundry battels in England and were often vanquished but still they continued their warres vntill they made a conquest of all the East partes of England This time Odo the sonne of Robert duke of Anioy raigned in Fraunce and gouerned it 9. yeeres In whose time the schole in the Vniuersitie of Oxeford was builded by Alfredus king of Northumberland in the yeere of Christ 895. By this king the Floure deluce was first appointed in the ensigne of Fraunce then Carolus sirnamed Simplex raigned 27. yeeres this was the sonne of Balbus But to auoyde tediousnesse according to my promise I wil passe ouer the rest of the historie and of the names of the rest of the kings of Fraunce vntill Lewes the 12 for I may not stand long to entreate of euery countrey for that I write of many countreys onely touching the antiquities of kingdomes their continuance their beginning and ending the time of their gouernment and the names of their gouernours committing to your view this compendious abstract of all Chronicles and all their histories which would make infinite volumes to be read in those Chronographers that largely wrote of them 31 Rodulphus duke of Burgundie and after king of France raigned 2. yeeres 32 Lewes who fled into England with his mother named Oginia returneth now into Fraunce and raigned with Rodulphus 10. yeres But he raigned king in the whole 27. yeeres 33 Lotharius the sonne of Lewes the 4. by Gerberga the sister of Otho the Emperor he raigned 31. yere In whose time the kingdome of Polonia began in the yeere of Christ 963. 34 Lewes the fift of that name raigned 1. yeere Hitherunto haue raigned from Faramundus 34. kings now raigned after this Lotarius these many kings which you see here vnder written in this table which hitherto continued in the line of Francus and now I will set downe the first king of those that were naturally borne Galli the thirde name of the kings of Fraunce 35 Hugo Capetus raigned 9. yeeres This was
the first king borne of those that were called Galli for hitherunto the lineal sucession of Francus endured 36 After him his sonne Robert raigned 34. yeeres In the beginning of whose time the kingdome of Hungarie beganne 37 Henry the sonne of Robert succeeded and raigned after his father 30. yeeres 38 Philippe the first of that name and sonne to Henry raigned 49. yeeres In whose time beganne the kingdome of Bohemia In the time of this Philippe the first two most famous men and worthie Captaines tooke their voyages the one named Godfrey of Bullen with an armie from Fraunce into the holy Land which was Ierusalem so called after Christs time on earth this warre is called bellum Sacrum the sacred warres against the Saracens Reade Tilius Chronicles of the French kings where you shall finde a Catalogue of the nobles peeres and gentlemen of France and of diuers other countreys that went on that voyage with Godfrey of Bullen to Hierusalem the other Captaine came to England William the bastarde of Normandie afterward called William Conquerour of whom our English chronicles can testifie But I wil briefly passe ouer the kings 39 Lewes sirnamed Crassus raigned 28. yeeres 40 Lewes sirnamed Iunior 43. yeeres 41 Philippus Augustus sirnamed Deodatus 43. yeeres In whose time the Iewes were banished out of Fraunce 42 Lewes the eight of that name 4. yeeres 43 Lewes the ninth sirnamed Holy 43. yeeres 44 Philip the 3. sirnamed Audax son to Lewes 9. 15. yeres 45 Philippus the 4. sirnamed Pulcher the faire and sonne to Philip the thirde raigned 28. yeeres In this kings raigne began the kingdome of Ottoman the Turke 46 Lewes the 10. sirnamed Vtinus king both of Fraunce and of Nauarre raigned almost 2. yeeres 47 Philip the 5. sirnamed Longus raigned 5. yeeres 48 Carolus Pulcher king of Fraunce and Nauarre 7. yeeres Now after this Philip the first of the house of Valois began in the 1328. yeere of our Sauiour whose line hath continued euen frō this Philip of Valois the first king of that house vntill Frances Valois last king of Fraunce and the last of that stocke which continued 263. yeres whose names successiuely are here set downe in Tilius Chronicles as followeth 49 Philip of Valots the first king of that name 22. yeres 50 Whose eldest sonne named Iohn was the first Dolphine of Fraunce which to this day doeth continue Hee raigned after his father king of Fraunce 14. yeeres 51 Carolus the 5. sirnamed the wise raigned 18. yeeres Whose brother named also Philip was made duke of Burgūdy About this time Iohn Wicleue opened much falshoode yet vnknown of Papistrie both disputing writing against it 52 Carolus the sixt sirnamed Bene amatus raigned 42. yeeres this ordeined first the 3. Floure deluce This time raigned in England Richard the second 53 Charles the seuenth raigned 38. yeeres This king commenced warre against England at what time Henry the 5. raigned who subdued all Fraunce and was crowned king in Paris 54 Lewes the eleuenth raigned 23. yeeres 55 Carolus the eight raigned 14. yeeres 56 Lewes the 12. raigned 17. yeres in France being the 1500. yeere of our Sauiour Christ Reade of this king Arnoldus Ferronus all his thirde booke which hee onely wrote of this Lewes the 12. At what time raigned in England Henry the 7. Thus farre briefly Iranne ouer the state of France omitting many thinges willingly and wittingly which I particularly touch in the historie of Spaine for I tooke not in hand to write at large or to set foorth great volumes of superfluous histories but onely as I saide before to note the antiquities and first beginning of kingdomes and to marke the errours of prophane histories in many things dissenting from Moses from Daniel and from the Propheticall writings who opened all Chronicles for they coulde not agree in the chiefest pointes of all true Chronicles neither the Romanes in the building of Rome from whence they ground their histories neither the Greekes by their Olympiads neither the Persians of Cyrus time neither Spaine in their accompt of A. E R. A neither the Arabians of their Hegyra In fine vnpossible it is to finde the trueth of Antiquities in prophane writers without conferring of the same with the Sacred histories of the Prophets who reueiled the trueth of time by their Iubilees A BRIEFE FOR BRITAINE SEeing that I haue written of other countreys I can not tell how to answere my countreymen well if I should not also somewhat speake of the Britains though in trueth many haue sufficiently written of the comming of Brutus vnto this land of his kingdome and succession of kings and continuance which though of some denied which do now as they then did in the time of Halicarnassaeus who after he had trauailed his histories from Sempronius Fabius Pictor and from M. Cato and proued euidently the comming of Aeneas into Italy of his kingdome and posteritie in Alba longa vntill Romulus being 17. discents after him yet some gens inuidiosa Traianis as Halicarnassaeus calleth them seemed not to allow the historie though they knewe it themselues also read it by so many proued because they would be named antiquaries and the credite of the histories should come from them Such was Polidor Virgil in his history of Britaine such was Berosus in the historie of Hetruria being two strangers and such was Manethon to write of Spaine So there were among the Iewes Talmudists who among other matters which they wrote for they were the onely men among the Iewes would also by this credit that they had amōg the people write what they listed that they became thereby very fabulous in their histories So among the Egyptians their superstitious priestes filled their bookes with lies and so of diuers other countreis men wrote rather fables then histories of their coūtreys But these are reiected from sound approued authors tanquam Mithici for in reading of histories I find nothing so readie as errors in antiquities of countreys and in original of nations And surely it is not to be wondered at concerning the antiquities of time euen from the beginning of the world and the late beginning of writers from Cyrus time or rather Alexanders time for in the first age from Adam to the flood no trueth is had nor knowen but onely by Moses in the Genesis and 1650. yeeres frō the flood vnto the time of the Olympiads men wandered in no true accompt of time nor of histories excepting that which is written in the bookes of Moses and the Prophets nothing seemed sound nor certaine but cōiectures and fained fables as in the historie of the Chaldeans Assyrians Aegyptians and diuers other nations many things are written which is named Mythycum very licentiously and to liberally and after the time of the Olympiads how vntrue prophane historians wrote vntil Daniels time who seeth it not Since which time a briefe of al true
against Israel Debora and Barac ouerthrew him Functius and Râ—…fin Gedeon Iosephus lib. 5. cap. 7. Othoniel Shamgar Barac and Debora The great misery of Israel Iudg 7. Oreb and Zeeb 2. princes of Madianites slaine Euristheus Diuers names of Troy Dardania Troiae Ilion Zeneph de equiuecis The tyrannie of Abimalec Iotham escapeth Miletum buylded Tyre is builed Thola Iudge in Israel Hercules borne Iair the 8. Iudge of Israel Iairs 30. sonnes Iairs 30. sonnes possessed 30. Cities Israel oppressed 1. Reg. cap. 10. Ieptha is appointed their captayne Ieptha ruled 6. yeeres and died Minotaurus Androgeus sonne to Minoes king of Creete slaine Theseus sayled to Creete Minotaurus slayne The games of Olympia Theseus rauished Helen Iustin. lib. 2. Abesan supposed to be Boaz the husband of Ruth Iudic. 10. Elon Abdon Herodot lib. 2. Diodo lib. 2. The second rauishment of Helen Eusebius Samson 20. yeeres Elie 40. yeeres Orestes slewe Pirrhus Heraclides Mycena The vilenesse of the Iewes Their crie for a prophet and for a king Samuel anointed Saul Saul was chosen king of Israel Saul spared Agag and was reprooued by Samuel 50000. Bethshemites slain forlooking into the Arke of the Lord. Samuel hewed Agag The first anointing of Dauid king of Israel Debâ—…ra Dauid sent for by Saul Goliah Dauid slue the great Giant Goliah Sauls enuie to Dauid Samuel died at Rama in his own City 1. Sam. 2. 8. Saul killed himselfe iu Gilboa 1. Sam. 31. 2890 The triumph of the Philistines ouer Saul Dauid the last time after Sauls death anointed king ouer all Israel 2. Sam. cap. 5. A battaile betweene Abner the chiefe captaine of Saul and Ioab the chiefe captaine of Dauid Ioab killeth Abner 2. Sam. cap. 3. The Moabites and the Philistines are ouerthrown by Dauid and are tributaries to Israel 2. Sam. cap. 8. 2 Sam. 11. 12. Ioab was sisters sonne to Dauid Nathan the Prophet sent to accuse Dauid of adultery and murther Aâ—…hitophels councell Absalon killed Foure battels with the Philistines Ioab nombred all Israel by the commandement of Dauid 2. Sam. 24. Troubles in Israel againe Gad the prophet sent to Dauid Dauids counsell to Salomon Dauid dieth The kings of Athens ended Salomons raigne Adoniah Salomons elder brother aspired to the kingdome Salomons sentence vpon Adoniah Adoniah slaine Ioab slayne Abiathar the priest banished The office of the high Priest was taken from Elies house Salomon maried the daughter of Pharaoh Salomon florished Salomon wrote 3000. prouerbs and parables He wrote of trees from the highest to the lowest Ioseph lib. 8. cap. 2. 1. Reg. cap. 4. 40000. horses 2. Cron. 9. The hospitalitic of Salomon The building of the Temple 1. Reg. cap. 7. The Lord appeared to Salomon the second time Saba Salomon had 300. wiues 700. concubines Salomon an Idolater Salomon died What kings raigned in other countreis Salomon began his kingdome in the yere of the world 2930. Roboham despised counsel Ieroboam sent for into Egypt Ioseph lib. 8. cap. 3. Idolatry in Dan and Bethel The people of Israel deuided Roboham had 18. wiues 60. concubines Susack came vp against Ierusalem Susacks armie The first time that Ierusalem was taken by Susack Roboham died Abia moned wars against Ieroboam The greatest battaile that euer was in field and the greatest slaughter 〈◊〉 Cron. cap. 13. Ieroboam died Nadab the 2. king of Israel Asa the sixt king of Iuda Warres betweene Israel and Iuda 2. Cron. cap. 15. The praise of a good king Zareus king of the Aethiopians great armie Asa his victory Eutrop. lâ—…b 1. Nepher king of Egypt Iericho reedified Nadab slaine by Baasha Ela slaine by Zimri Zimri burned himselfe Ioseph liâ—… 8. cap. 9. Omri buylded Samaria Omri dyed Achab his sonne succeeded him Melancthon Chron. 2. Asa king of Iuda dyed Iosaphat a good king Menander in his Chronicles of the kings of Tyre The Rauens fed Elias The famine of Samaria 400. false prophets slaine Wicked Iezebel 1. Reg. cap. 22. Ioseph lib. 8. cap. 8. Achab slaine and is buried in Samaria The peace and quietnes in Iosaphats dayes Ammonites Moabites Idumeans by Iosaphat ouerthrowne Ioram succeeded Iosaphat his father Edom rebelled against Iuda The Philistines were stirred vp against Ioram Idolatry rewarded Ioram fought against Hazael king of Siria Iehu slue Hazael Iehu brake Iezabels necke Ochosias liued but one yere Athalia a cruel Queene Athalia destroyed all the kings seede only Iâ—…as saued 2 Cron. 23. 2. The stocke of Salomon perished False Prophets nouri shed priests to maintaine Idolatrie in Iuda Ioas began to roote out Idolatrie Ioas wanted good counsell and therefore followed flatterers Ioas killed Zachary the sonne of Iehoiada The king of Aram came with a small company against Ioas Iuda and Ierusalem Elizeus the Prophet died Persusennis Cheopes kings in Egypt Mezades Tiber first cal Albula Carthage buylded Amazias king of Iuda He reuenged his fathers death He ouer commeth the Edomites He committeth Idolatrie Amazias slaine by conspiracy Sardanapalus Vzias 2. Cron. cap. 26. Vzias leprosie Esai prophecied Kittims the Romans Manahem Pekahiah Ioatham king of Iuda The Olympiads began Ezechias and Romulus borne 2. Reg. 16. 3215 Hosea the last king of Israel Samaria taken 212. after it was builded by Omri Israel caried to Babylon 262. Sinne the cause of Gods wrath Ezechias Senaherib laid siege to Hierusalem 185. thousand slaine of the Assyrians by the Angel Sanacharib slaine by his sonnes before his Idoll in the temple 2. Cron. cap. 30. Ezechias Passeouer Ezechias died Manasses succeeded him Manasses Idolatrie Manasses againe restored to his kingdome Amon king of Iudah Iosias king of Iudah Iaddo the Prophet Chemarims Baals priests 2. Reg. 23. Ashtaroth Chemosh and Milcom Sanheâ—…rin Silo. Ieremie began to prophecie the 13. of Iosias Media Lidia and Rome welnigh oâ—… one continuance Beroald lib 3. Herodot lib. 4. Iosias slaine Ioachim brought captiue to Babylon Necho slaine by the king of Chaldea Iere. 36. Ioseph lib. 10. c. 8. 9. Some varie about the time of the captiuitie 21. Kings of Israel Ioseph lib. 7. cap. 12. The first wonder The 2. wonder The 3. wonder The 4. wonder The 5. wonder The 6. wonder The 7. wonder The 8. wonder The misery of the Iewes Euilmerodach The captiuity of Babylon The Chaldeans and the Assyrians The Medes and Persians The Macedonians and Grecians The fourth beast the Romans 〈◊〉 weekes The kings of Iuda and the kings of Rome ended almost about one time The first returne of the Iewes in Cyrus time Ioseph lib. 7. cap. 3. Ecbatana the chiefe citie of the Medes Esdras cap. 6. Zorobabel Melancthon lib. 2. Chron. Hircanus 2. the last of 15. gouernours Herodot lib. 4. Cambyses went against the Getes Herodot 6. Thucidides 1. Iustin. lib. 2. Ioseph lib. 11. cap. 7. Alexander the great Tribute to Alexander The solemne receiuing of Alexander the great vnto Ierusalem The reuerence of Alexander to the high Priest The benefits and good turnes of Alexander Alexanders benefits The succession of
Alexander Ptolome the sonne of Lagi Ptolome Phila. The Bible first translated from Hebrue to Greeke Ioseph lib. 12. cap. 12. Polot Philadel Aristeus 70. interpreters Megasthenes Aratus Demetrius Theopompus Theodecta The great liberalitie of Philadelphus A talent of gold 600. crownes Antiochus Magnus The difference betweene the great Alex. and Antiochus the great The 5. sonnes of Mattathias Antiochus tyrannie Iudas Machab. Apolonius and Seron 2. princes of Syria slaine Lisias lieuetenant to Antiochus the great Machab. lib. 1. cap. 5. Melancthon 2. Chron. Iudas Machabeus sendeth to conclude peace with the Romanes Iudas Machabeus slaine Machab. lib. 1. cap. 9. 10. Alexanders armie against Demetrius Demetrius slaine Alexander maried Cleopatra Cleopatra giuen to Demetrius Iudas victorâ—… Ionathans victorie Ieseph lib. 13. cap. 3. Strife betweene the Iewes and the Samaritans 3. sectes of the Iewes Lacedemonians came from Abraham stocke Triphon yong Antiochus tutor The falshood of Triphon Ioseph lib. 13. cap. 8. 9. Ioseph lib. 13. cap. 14. Simon and his two sonnes slaine Hircanus Simons sonne Ioseph lib. 13. cap. 16. 17. 3838 Aristobulus Antigonus Samaria the second time destroyed Ioseph lib 7. 2. Macca cap. 1. The first vse of the Synagogues after the captiuitie Samaria the seconde time destroyed Hircanus died Aristobulus slewe his brother Antigonus the first king of the Iewes after the captiuitie Aristobulus death Alexander the third brother The vnquiet state of the Iewes The tyranny of Alexander 800 of the Iewes hanged Antiochus Griphus slaine Seleucus his sonne Ptolomeus Lamyrus slewe 30000. Iewes Alexandra Aretas king of Arabia ayâ—…ed Hirâ—…us Aâ—…istobulus with his two sonnes caried to Rome Alexander taken brought to Rome by Gabinius Hircanus had both his eares cut off by his brothers sonne Antigonus The ende of the Machabees race Antipater the first gouernour vnder the Romans Antipater poysoned Marcus Anthonius Herod and Phasaelus accused Hircanus the high Priest Herode made king of Iurie Herâ—…ds 3. sonnes Archelaus Herod Antipas and Philip. Ioseph lib. 17. cap. 9. 10. 12. Archelaus was banished Iudea The continuance of Hierusalem Ioseph lib. 6. cap. 6. de bello Iudaico Hippicos the third tower Iâ—…sephus a Iewe borne The long continuance of Ierusalem Fiue times Ierusalem taken and destroied The miserie of Hiâ—…rusalem Ioseph lib. 7. cap. 7. C ham to Egypt Sem to Asia Iaphet to Europe Abraham read in Egypt Of Noah 〈◊〉 after the flood Thul assur Tiglat Phulâ—…ssar Melancthon lib. 1. Herodot lib. 1. Herodotus lib. 1. Iosephus Strab. lib. 16. Herodot lib. 1 Melancth lib. 1. Chap. 10. Melancth lib. 2. Chron. 〈◊〉 5. in Belo 〈◊〉 Belus the 2. king was the first cause of idolatrie 2. Gene. 15. Berosus lib. 5 in Nyno Pharnus king of the Medes slaine Iustine lib. 1. Zoroastres king of Bactria slaine by Nynus Lib. 3. de Fabu antiquo gestis The kingdoms of the Assyrians continued 1240. Nynus 3 king died Functius Nynus Epitaph Semiramis Diodo lib. 2. Beros Lib. 3. Aniâ—…us in Beroso de Semira mide Berosus lib. 5. Many of the best writers vse Berosus though he is had in contempt Genesis 14. Bela is Zoar. Abraham rescued his nephewe Lot The ouerthrow of the 5. kings of Sodome Gomorrha and Seboim The first kind of common weale Melchisedec blesseth Abraham Arius the sixt king of the Assyrians Caspians and BactriaÌ„s made subiect to the Assyrians Aralius the 7. king of Assyria Lib. 16. cap. 44. Baleus the 8. king of Assyria Functiâ—…s in fabula Assyrioâ—…uÌ„ The kingdom of Argos began in these dayes Armatrites 9. king of the Assyrians Sem dieth Belochus Priscus 10. king of Assyria Baleus 11. king of Assyria Diodo lib. 1. Iacob and his children remoued to Egypt The misery of the Israelites in Egypt 430. yeeres Altades 12. king of Assyria Functius Beros lib. 5. Eusebius in Chron. Functius Mamitus thâ—… 13. king of Assyria Sabel lib 4. Eâ—…eadum Plinie lib. 5. cap. 12. Strab. lib. 16. Genes 22. Mancaleus 14. king of Assyria Nothing worth the writing of the old kings of Assyria The beginning of Berosus historie and the end of the same Sparetus 17. king of Assyria Eusebius in Ascatades 18. king of Assyria Lamprides 22. king of Assyria Iudg. 19. Sosares the 23. king of Assyria Iudg. 4. Lampares 14. king of Assyria 3. Iubilee More written of the kings of Assyria then can be proued 2. Reg. cap. 19. Beroaldus lib. 4. cap. 6. Dionys. Halic lib. 1. Iudg. 6. 7. Pannias 25. king of Assyria Here endeth the kingdome of Assyria Iudg. 9. The fourth Iubilee Sosarmus 26. king of Assyria Hercules killeth Cacus The Lord punisheth Israel for sinne Ishai borne Tautanes the 28. king of Assyria Hercules gamesat Olympia Iudg. 12 Abesan the 10. Iudge The first rauishment of Helen by Theseus Tautanes the 29. king of Assyria Samsâ—… the last Iudge of Israel Ocnâ—… Bianor builded Mantua The 7. Iubilee Hispane deuided into prouinces The birth of Dauid Dercillus the 31. king of Assyria The kingdom of Lacedemonia at this time beginneth The beginning of the kingdome of Corinth The Arke is taken away from Israel by the Philistines Saul the first king of Israel Codrus the last king of Athens Ruffin in Com. Euphoreus lib. 4. de asse 2. Sam. cap. 7. Ruff. in Com. Medon the first iudge of Athens Arcestratus the third king of Lacedemonia The antiquitie of the Chaldeans and Assyrians Moses the first Historiographer of the world Diâ—…lor lib. 6. 3. King cap. 6. Carthage builded Ioseph contra Appionem lib. 1. Laosthenes the 33. king of Assyria The 9. Iubilee The kingdom of Israel deuided Here the kings of Iudae beginne 1. King 11. 14. Functius The first destruction of Ierusalem Pyrithides the 34. king of Assyria 3. King 11. Seâ—…a king of AEthiopia Elias and Elizeus borne The middle age of the world Nadab the second king of Israel Baasha the third king of Israel Asa the fifth king of Iuda Capua builded Eutropius lib. 1. The kings of Corinth after Bacis were called Bacidae Zambri killed Ela king of Israel Zambri burned himselfe Omri the sixt king of Israel builded Samaria Nepher king of Egypt Achab the seuenth king of Israel Famine Tâ—…ber before called Albula â—…iuius lib. 1. The first kingdome of Assyria ended vnder Sardanapalus which coÌ„tinued 1350. yeeres The last ouerthrow of the Assyrians by Arbaces The maner of Sardapalus death Nabuchodonosor named Hercules Isai. 14. Arbaces king of the Medes and Persians Belochus king of Babylon 4 Reg. cap. 15. 4. Reg. cap. 13. Salmanasser the third king of Assyria 4. king cap. 17. The kingdom of Israel destroyed by Salmanasser 262. by Bucholcerus Chap. 16. Osea cap. 10. Iere. cap. 50. Melancthon lib. 2. Saneherib 2. King 18. 2. King cap. 19. Sannaherib slaine by his sonnes Ioseph lib. 10. cap. 1. Herodot lib. 2. The Chaldeans Functius lib. 1. Comment Lib. 10. cap. 2. Asserhaddon succeeded his father Sanneherib Merodach Ieremie cap. 50. Eusebius from Herodotus doeth differ Isai 39. Merodach sendeth
inuenter of Musike as the harpe the organes and other instruments Zillah bare him a sonne named Tubal Caine he found first the vse of iron and brasse he was the first author of cunning craft in grauing Here is Plinie much deceiued to name Amphion the first Musition here was Diodorus ouerseene to preferre Apollo and the most part of prophane histories doe greatly erre attributing to Mercurie to Orpheus to Linus and to others which are read in Genesis in the first age found for Propheticall histories are farre more auncient then prophane by 2000. yeres beside the first age and first Fathers liued so long a time therein they must of necessitie be first acquainted with all things for the chiefest cause of long life in the first age was that all men vniuersally might praise the Lord God in magnifying his name acknowledging his workes in his creatures Thus did Adam Seth Enos Henoch Methusalem Lamech and Noah see yea and foresee the workes of God in his creation in his Church in his redemption in his promise and in his election for Iosephus writeth that the creation of man the commandement the state the Church institution of mariages all other gouernments fit for the children of God were by Adam in two tables of stones and some olde ancient writers affirme as Melancthon that the first age was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that they excell in wisedome iustice gouernment and authoritie full of inuentions full of of artes and sciences and therefore a long life was by God granted vnto them for no doubt Adam before his fall had that full and perfect knowledge of God in his workes that he his posterities taught afterward in the word The second age was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein began the magnanimitie and fortitude in warres force and violence In vvarres Empires and kingdomes tooke beginning in the vvorld and this second age began in Nimrode and continued vntill Iulius Caesars time The third age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 endureth the vvhole time of the fourth monarche giuē to delicacie pleasure for though the vvorld be full of secret contention and hidden enuie full of open vvarres one kingdom against another yet not accomplished as in the fore ages But to returne to Caine and his posterities hovv they grevv from the beginning in idolatrie in superstition in outvvard pompe of vaine ceremonies framing to themselues a nevv kind of religion not in sinceritie and trueth but in externall forme and fashion being ignorant of God and of his vvord Christ the Messias that vvas to come This idolatrie began in the house of Caine from Caine himselfe vnto the time of Belus 150. yeere after the flood This Belus being dead his sonne Ninus erected vp his fathers image or statue vvith such honour and vvith such priuiledge and vvith such solemne pompe as he that vvas guiltie of any great crime might flee Adstatuā Beli to the image of Belus as to a sure sanctuarie of his safetie vvhat fault soeuer he committed Here began the second cause of idolatrie here images vvere made idols set vp and all kind of grauen vvorke in stones or trees vvere honoured as gods amongst the Gentiles deriued frō the name of Belus some calling them Baal some Bel some Belcebuc according to the varietie of tongues as Eusebius vvriteth And this idolatrie continued frō Belus vntill Alexander the great to vvhom at the siege of Babylon certaine Astrologers called Magi signified vnto Alexander vnlesse hee vvould restore the tombe of Belus being spoiled and defaced by the Persians he should haue no good successe at Babylon but Alexander litle esteeming their Chaldaicall diuination as Diodorus at large doth report marcheth forward with his siege At what time vvas Lucius Cornelius Quintus Pompeius Consuls at Rome so the first idolatrie of Cain and his posteritie vvere vvel and iustly revvarded by the flud The second age vvhen idolatrie began in Belus ended in Sardanapalus 12. hundred and odde yeeres being the 36. king and last king of Assyria as Eusebius affirmeth All this vvhile God had his Church for his elect the Lord had appointed another seede vnto Adam for Abel vvhich vvas Seth in vvhose time men began to call vpon the name of the Lord and the Lord did moone the hearts of the godly to restore religion The posteritie of Seth vvhich vvas by Caine and his familie suppressed and continued seuen generations vntill such time that Naema the daughter of Lamech and sister of Tubal Caine taught men the vse of fine flaxe to be soft clothed and to be trimme attired vvith cloth and linnen vvhere before men vvere clothed vvith leather and skinnes Novve the posteritie of Caine became right vvorldlings in follovving their fancies and pleasures from vice to vice nothing acquainted vvith the afflictions and crosses of the true Church so vvhen men began to bee multiplied vpon earth and had daughters borne vnto them then the sonnes of God as Moses calleth them vvhich Iosephus calleth the angels of God meaning the seede of Seth vvhich began to forsake the godlines and simplicitie of their forefathers savv the daughters of men vvhich issued out from Caines house that they vvere faire tooke them to their vviues of all that liked them of this vnlavvfull and vvicked mixture of the good vvith the bad of this holie seede vvith profane blood of godly men vvith vvicked vvomen sprang vp an huge people much like vnto the gyants or as Homer saith in his sixt Odysse speaking of the Cyclope Poliphemus to vvhom Moses compareth them alluding the course of their life ad Cyclopicam vitam men more to be feared then to be follovved yet Seth a man singularly beloued of God endevved much vvith Gods blessings studious to please God desirous to plant true religion and giuen to all kinde of vertuous practising all godly exercises and liuing in all felicitie left behind him godly children as Enos godly and vertuous like Seth his father vvhome Moses preferreth to be the first that earnestly called vpon the Lord Iehouah detesting the house of Caine as dead Then Henoch a godly sincere man led an vpright life before God the seuenth from Adam prophesied of such wicked men saying Behold the Lord commeth vvith thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement against all and to rebuke all the vngodly of their vvickednesse and of their cruell speaking against him for euen that Henoch saieth Paul vvas taken avvay to shevv that there vvas a better life prepared and to bee a testimonie of the immortalitie of soules and bodies and that hee shoulde not see death for his faith towardes God for before he vvas taken avvay he vvas reported that he had pleased God he was seene no more for God tooke him avvay Henoch vvalked vvith Lamech the father of Noah hauing respect to the promise desired to see the Messias vvhich should be sent and yet he savve but a
Prophets but most of all in dignitie and honour for that lineally from Sem which first builded Hierusalem the Messias and Sauiour of the world according to the flesh descended though the historie taketh no beginning but frō the calling of Abraham out of Chaldea into the land of Canaan so called first after the land of Israel thirdly of Iudea fourthly last called after Christ our Sauiours death The holy land or the land of Palestina the inhabitants thereof were called accordingly Cananites Hebrewes Israelites Iewes of whom either to speake or to write of their lawes their Iudges their Kings or of their ceremonies or of their common wealth it was not lawfull neither for the Graecians nor for the Romanes and so affirmed by Iosephus that Demetrius Phalerius did auere before Philodelphus king of Alexandria that the Greekes nor the Latinists might translate handle or so much as to presume to write of any Hebrew historie being but prophane men as Theopompus Theodecta with others which were made blind by their arrogancie and became mad An other cause doeth Eusebius alleage that neither Greekes nor Latines were in time to write of the Hebrues histories for the greatest brag of the Greekes as Iosephus saieth and the most ancient historie of the Graecians is Homers worke they began to flourish in the time of Cyrus after that the Assyrians the Chaldeans and the Egyptians and many other kingdoms of the East were decaied and their empires lost at which time the temple in Ierusalem was by Cyrus permitted to be reedified 80. yeeres before the last permission by Artaxerxes surnamed Longimanus for Plato of whom Numenius the Pithagorean doth report is called of him Moses Attica lingua loquens euen that learned Philosopher doth confesse that the Graecians had their knowledge frō the Chaldeans and from the Egyptians and began to be famous and great after these great kingdomes were destroyed The seuen Sages were the first wise men knowen or commended in Greece which was in Cyrus time at what time Solon liued 200. yeres before Plato which was the infancie of Greece and the first schoole of their Philosophie Now the Hebrewes being the most auncientest people euen from Hebers birth vntill Christes death which was after Christes death 2000. yeeres odde they inhabited the land called Syria called likewise Phoenicia and now in latter yeeres called Iudea of this countrey doeth Iosephus write at large both of the nature of the people and of the goodnesse of the soile Hecateus the Abederit a good Philosopher and a great writer flourishing in the time of Alexander the great made a booke in describing and commending of Iudaea I wil them to read the 16. booke of Strabo that would know the situation of Iudea where the Reader shall be satisfied with the ful description of Iudea Iosephus a Iew borne being taken prisoner by Vespasian the Emperor at the last destructiō of Ierusalem at the which time he wrote a great volume containing 20. bookes of the antiquities of the Iewes he wrote other 7. bookes of the warres of the Iewes a man of great industrie learned in the Hebrew and Greeke tongue and very expert in the Iewish histories saieth that Egyptians were enuious to the children of Israel for so were they called after Iacobs time which by long wrastling with the Angel of the Lord was named Israel for first they were called Hebrewes from Hebers time vntil Iacob which was 478. yeeres and odde secondarily Israel from Iacob vntill the destruction of Samaria at what time ten tribes of Israel were by Salmanassar king of Assyria Senacheribs father brought captiue vnto Assyria in the time of Osea the last king of Israel 1026. yeeres as Bucholcerus affirmeth and from the destruction of Samaria vntill the last destruction of Ierusalem by Titus Vespasian they were called Iewes 786. yeeres Now the malice of Egypt towards Israel was such that they kept them in bondage 430. yeeres and euer after they were by God deliuered they still wrought euil against them and persecuted them with continuall hatred disliking their religion abhorring their ceremonies disdaining and much enuying the felicitie of the Iewes with the which the God of Israel by power and great miracles did aduance them to the abolishing of idolatrie and contemning of their false gods which the Egyptians the Chaldeans the Assyrians did adore and therfore the blessing of God was according to the promise vpon the Hebrewes first afterwards called Israel Iewes and continued frō Abraham to whom the promise was made vntill the time of the Messias the full accomplishment of the promise So these people bathed in blisse and being but a litle countrey few people from Dan to Berseba and of no estimation became by Gods fauour strong mightie conquerors of the greatest kings of the world So he said the Lord of all out of Sion shall my Law proceed and from Ierusalem my word This litle citie of Ierusalem chosen of God to be his seate though often for sinne destroyed and the people plagued yet still comforted to the stay of Gods Church It is written that Dauid the second king of Israel gaue these words to Salomon his sonne before he died Behold Praeparaui impensas domus Domini auritalenta centum millia argenti mille millia talentûm And againe it is writtē in the Chronicles that gold and siluer were as plentie in Ierusalem as stones in the street in the time of Salomō for there was in the temple of Salomon as Budaeus noteth 27. millions in ready coyne This made other kingdomes to enuie the prosperitie of the Hebrewes for by iust account of Budaeus there was left before vnto Salomon by Dauid his father ten times more treasures and substance in Ierusalem then Darius the great king of Persia left vnto Alexander the great in Babylon when he conquered it this was the promise which God performed to Abraham and to his seed for euer This godly Patriarch to whom the promise was made was 50. yeeres of age when Noah died 40. yeeres before Sodome and Gomorrha were destroied At 75. yeeres was Abraham called from Vr a towne of Chaldea in the last yeeres of Ninus the first king of the Assyrians Now while Abraham obeied God from time to time from place to place exercising himselfe in the obedience of GOD famine grew in the land of Canaan so that he with few Hebrewes were forced to flee into Egypt where hee continued three yeeres at what time he taught them knowledge of the starres read Astronomie and taught in Egypt Artes and Sciences as Iosephus saieth for Abraham was brought vp in Astrologie with the Chaldeans where hee dwelt with his father Thare in Vr and from whence the Egyptians had their learning and knowledge for Egypt was as yet scant in the world knowen where some of the Hebrewes staied after Abrahams departure and multiplied in
Heraclides into Peloponesus Read of this further in Herodotus Homerus surnamed Chius a great Magitiā flourished in Sauls time the kingdom of Corinth together with the Lacedemonians began a litle before the eight Iubilee in the yeere of the world 2865. But to goe forward in the historie Saul being dead and Dauid the last time annointed the kingdome of Israel not yet came to Dauids handes for some of Sauls sonnes liued and withstood Dauid as heires to Saul and held all the tribes of Israel saue the tribe of Iuda ouer whom Dauid was the second time annointed king and Dauid dwelt in Hebron 7. yeeres Ishboseth the sonne of Saul was likewise annointed king ouer the house of Israel hence grew great warres betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid for Abner the chiefe captaine of Saul and the master of Sauls horses thought it not fit that any should gouerne Israel but Sauls sonne who was right heire to the kingdome perswading the people thereunto and gathering force together and would by the sword make Ishboseth king of Israel who kept then his court at Manahim vnder whom all the Hebrewes sauing the tribe of Iuda were ruled Dauid this time lying in Hebron and hearing of Abners preparation to warres consulted with the Lord and sollicited his owne cause carefully he appointed Ioab to be his Lieutenant These two great captains Abner and Ioab full of indignation and willing to trie the kingdome by battell they met by the poole of Gibeon where Abner and Ioab fell to the sword and the battell was exceeding sore that same day But Abner and the men of Israel fell before Ioab so that 360. men were slaine Thus God would confirme Dauid in his kingdome by ouerthrowing of his aduersaries These warres continued long for Abner made all his power for the house of Saul But God wrought otherwise to bring his purpose to passe while Saul liued hee had a concubine named Rizpha with whom Abner kept companie and consumed more time with Rizpha then he did in the seruice of Ishboseth The king being moued with some choler charged Abner with his fault concerning his fathers concubine this checke could not be wel disgested of Abner and therefore he communed with the elders of Israel and perswaded them to take Dauid for their king and after that Abner went to Hebron to Dauid and promised him that he would bring all Israel vnder his gouernment and all this Abner did rather for malice hatred that he bare to Ishboseth then for any good will he bare to Dauid Notwithstanding Dauid accepted in good part his cōming to him thogh Ioab would haue had the king to slay Abner for his priuate grudge which was the killing of Asahel Ioabs brother which within a while after Ioab reuenged for he killed Abner vnknowing to Dauid whose deth Dauid lamēted much When these newes came to Sauls sonne that Abner was dead in Hebron he was discouraged and all Israel was afraid with him and so within a while after he was slaine by Banah and Rechab two men that were captaines of bands this they both did in hope of lucre and fauour with Dauid and they were rewarded as he that slew Saul for in as much as neither the example of him nor dutie to their master nor innocencie of the person nor the reuerence of the place did feare them they died for it Now Dauid was made king ouer all Israel after he had raigned seuen yeeres ouer Iuda in Hebron he went with all his armie to Ierusalem vnto the Iebusites the inhabitants of the land at that time and tooke the forte of Zion and dwelt there and builded round about it Hiram king of Tyrus sent Cedar trees and carpenters and masons they builded a house for Dauid Againe the Philistines came vp against Dauid and he smote them from Geba to Gazer The arke was not yet come from the house of Abinadab in Gibeah whither Dauid with 3000. chosen men of Israel went to bring the arke to the citie of Dauid When Dauid had subdued the Iebusites Philistines other diuers nations as the Syrians Phoenicians Edomites Ammonites Moabites and Mesopotamia vntill the riuer of Euphrates so that Dauids fame spred farre his kingdome prospered his people grew strong and himselfe in all his enterprises most happy Then Dauid ruled and raigned ouer all Israel and executed iudgement and iustice to his people And being at rest from his enemies with great quietnes in Ierusalē behold both his fortune and his great fame forsooke him for he committed adulterie with Bethsabe Vrias wife and wrote his letters to Ioab his lieutenant with Vrias in this sort Put Vrias in the forefront of the battell and cause the souldiers to recule backe from Vrias that he may be smitten and die Which being done the king was glad and tooke Vrias wife to his house and maried her but the Lord was angry with Dauid and sent Nathan to accuse him of adulterie and murther What grew of this cruell dissention betweene Dauid and his children God gaue ouer Dauid to be afflicted and tormented on both sides inward and outward For Amnon defiled his sister Tamar and Absalon killed Amnon such was the wrath of God vpon the house of Dauid that one wickednesse fell on the necke of another Absalon fled vpon the killing of his brother and went to Geshur and then Absalon practised to aspire to the kingdom and laid snares to entrap his father the king Absalon gathered force to dispossesse Dauid for Achitophels councell is alwayes readie in matters of treason Now Dauid felt the anger of God for sinne hee confessed that he had deserued this plague for Dauid was faithful and obedient to God and shewed himselfe contented with these afflictions Absalon goeth forward with his armie and Dauid fled ouer Iordan to Mahanaim Absalon passeth likewise ouer Iordan and followed fast as Achitophel had councelled him so Israel and Absalon pitched in the land of Gilead God raised fauorers vnto Dauid in euery place where he came for certain of the Reubenites and Gadites could not beare the insolencie of the sonne against the father and therefore with all the power they had they ioined with Dauid and the battell began so there was a great slaughter of Absalons side to the nūber of 2000. Israel fled before Ioab and Absalon was caught by the haire of his head vnder a bough of an oke where he hanged till Ioab came and killed him and so Dauid againe was restored to his kingdom being persecuted of Achitophel for his counsell of Semei for his threatning and cursing and of Absalon for his treason Now this warre being ended new warres againe began betweene Iuda and the tenne tribes of Israel more cruel then the warres of Absalon for Sheba a man of Ephraim he now again raised Israel against Dauid and made the Israelites to forsake Dauid and to follow Sheba but his head was caried
were almost vncredible were it not written in sacred histories Salomon raigned ouer all kingdomes from the riuer of Euphrates vnto the land of the Philistines and vnto the border of Egypt And to speake of the hospitalitie of Salomon and to set it downe as it is in the Bible read it exceeded for euery day he had 30. measures of fine floure and 60. measures of meale for bread he had ten fat oxen and 20. oxen of the pastures and one hundred sheepe besides Hartes Buckes and other diuers fat foules Salomon had 4000. stalles of horses chariots in euerie stall tenne horses which in all amount to 40000. and he had 12000. horsemen This blessing had Salomon at Gods hand for the which benefits he was much bound to set foorth Gods glory which had giuen him such wisedom to gouern such rest and peace in his gouernment that he sent to Hiram king of Tyrus an old friend of Dauid his father for Cedar trees and Firre trees to build a temple to the Lord his God Hiram satisfied Salamon to his full desire Salomon had 7000. men that bare burdens 80000. masons in the mountaine and he had three thousand and sixtie whom Salomon appointed officers and vnder officers of the worke As for the forme and frame of the Temple the height the bredth the length and the deepe foundation thereof with al things belonging thereunto as Cherubins caldrons bases cups pillars candlesticks pots vessels altars tables bowles and basons it is in order written in the kings The Temple being finished the Arke was brought to the Temple where the tenne Commaundements were written where Salomon made his praiers to God to accept their sacrifice to sanctifie the temple and to continue with Israel for euer Salomon all this while followed the Lord and therefore God appeared vnto him the second time as he appeared vnto him first at Gibeon promised him that hee would establish the throne of Israel and defend his people for euer if they would walke in his wayes in token whereof the glory of God filled the temple fire came downe from heauen and consumed their sacrifice and Gods presence was with Salomon Now the renowne of Salomon went farre so that Saba Queene of Aethiope came to Ierusalem to heare Salomon and to see his porte but after Salomon fell from God hee loued many outlandish women which were idolaters he followed the women of Moab of Edom and of Ammon and of Sydon that hee had 3. hundred Queenes and Princes that were his wiues and 700. concubines these women turned Salomons heart from GOD after the gods of the Gentiles so that hee worshipped Ashtaroth and Milcom the gods of the Ammonites his God forsooke him therefore and raised vp aduersaries euen Ieroboam a seruaunt of Salomon but an ouerseer of his worke whom Salomon sought by diuers meanes to kill But Ieroboam fled to Egypt where he kept himselfe till Salomon died Thus Salomon whom God with so many blessings had exalted aboue all the kings of the world left to his sonne Rehoboam whom he loued best the kingdom of Israel to gouerne after he had raigned in Israel 40. yeeres he died before the natiuitie of Christ 1000. yeeres before the birth of Romulus the first king of Rome 231. before Alexander raigned king in Macedonia 666. and before the last destruction of Hierusalem by Titus Vespasian 1070. While Salomon gouerned Israel Laostanes the 33. king of the Assyrians raigned in Niniuie Labotes raigned in Lacedemonia and Agesilaus in Corinth This time gouerned the Athenians Agastus the second Iudge of Athens and Alba Syluius raigned ouer the Latines the 7. king In Salomons time was Ephesus builded by Andronicus as Eusebius affirmeth and in Egypt gouerned Simendes called in the scripture Sisac to whom Ieroboam as you heard fled from Salomon for feare in the 21. Dinasteia of the Egyptians The sonne of Hiram called Baleastartus succeeded in Tyrus and liued but 7. yeeres Sadock and Ahiah were now prophets in Israel Salomon began his kingdome in the yeere of the world 2930. After the going of Israel out of Egypt 480. yeeres 12. yeeres before the beginning of the 9. Iubilie Salomon began to build the temple in the 4. yeere of his raigne before the building of Rome 300. yeeres after the calling of Abraham from Chaldea 910. yeeres Salomon builded to himselfe in Libanon a house for his pleasure and this was in making 13. yeeres and was finished 20. yeeres after the building of the Temple before the monarchie of Macedonia gotten by Alexander the great 700. yeeres and before Augustus Caesars empire 1000. yeeres Salomon died before Romulus birth 231. yeeres before Christ 1000. yeeres and before the last destruction of Ierusalem vnder Titus Vespasian 1070. CHAP. V. Of the taking away of the ten tribes from Iuda to Samaria by Ieroboam of the first diuision of Israel of their warres and last destructions of the kings of Israel by Salmanasser NOw after Salomon raigned Roboham his sonne borne of an Ammonitish woman named Noma Ieroboam now being in Egypt when Salomon died he was sent for by some of the elders of Israel God brought it to passe that when Ieroboam came from Egypt vnto Sichem the people followed Ieroboam and fled from Roboham for hee despised the counsell of the ancient wise men which folowed Salomon his father and hee onely esteemed rash and yong counsell whereby Ieroboam being strong and stoute and subtile amongst the people perceiuing the nature of the people to be drawen from the sonne of Salomon God suffering these things to goe forward for the sinnes of Israel Ieroboham builded him an house in Sichem and not long contented with that he builded another house for his dwelling in a towne called Penuel Now about this time in Ierusalem approched the feast of the Tabernacle which Ieroboam considered of and sawe it was dangerous to let the people to goe to Ierusalem least the people should take pleasure with the rites and ceremonies of the Temple with their solemne pompe and dignitie in religion with their sacrifices and feastes and therefore he erected two altars the one in Bethel the other in Dan and caused two golden calues there to be worshipped Here the tenne tribes of Israel committed idolatrie forsooke their God and they followed Ieroboam in all wickednesse Thus Dan and Bethel with all the idolatrie of Israel continued till Iosias time Roboham this while hauing but the tribe of Iuda and Beniamin vnder his gouernment repaired his Cities fortified his countrey and gathered an armie of an hundreth and foure score thousand to fight against Ieroboam and to bring Israel againe to Roboham But they were warned by the Prophet Shemaiah not to fight saying This is done by GOD who of his iust iudgement will punish offenders all this happened for Salomons sinnes Now the kingdome was deuided to two names Israel which continued two
erected vp a kingdome and was the first place that was inhabited as both Zenophon and Berosus affirme for the Caldeans knew that before the flood that men liued and that the continuance of them were before the flood one thousande sixe hundreth and fiftie yeeres and more for that then Noah and his sonnes taught the second age of things done in the former age and how for sinne God had destroied the world for the Egyptians and the Phoenicians long after the flood were taught by the Chaldeans of the flood and of the former time and after more perfectly instructed by Abraham which in the time of famine trauailed from Canaan into Egypt where for a time hee read Arithmeticke to the Egyptians then rude and ignorant of any great knowledge that hearing of these things they beganne very obscurely and darkely to set downe many things which they then not perfectly knewe and yet are vnperfect for that they were ignorant of the Genesis The goodnesse of God spared Noah for 350. yeres and more to instruct the second age to preach vnto them the wonderfull workes and mercies of God before the flood and to warne the world after the flood from sinne the onely cause of Gods wrath towards man and to bring them vp in the true religion of God not as prophane writers affirme that hee wandered all the countreys of the world by diuers and sundry names as by the name of Ogyges Ianus Coelus Oenotrius Geminus pater and many such fabulous names of his lawes in euery countrey of his religion and ceremonies in euery kingdome of his being in Italy in Spaine and in other countreys cleane contrary to the nature and trueth of the history which came after the flood vnto the place where he yet liued with his forefathers Lamech Methusalem Enoch and so foorth before the flood the land of Shinear where by the consent and opinion of the best learned he liued vntil he died I wil not therefore follow Caldean fables in the antiquities of their Caldean and Assyrian kings for that they haue no sound warrant for their historie but that which Berosus setteth downe which Manethon an Egyptian priest much commendeth and maketh many supplies of Berosus lies and so doeth Io. Annius a priest in Whitenberge in his Commentaries vpon Berosus and so doth Diodorus in his bookes of Fabulous antiquitie But leauing Berosus Menathon and Annius to forge their fables I wil as briefly as I can runne through this historie for that I can finde nothing true of them but that which I reade in the Bible from the time of Phul assur vntill Balsaars time which were but 10. kings whose names I set here downe 1 Phul assur named in the Scripture Tiglat Phul-assur 2 Salmanassar which destroyed Samaria and toke the 10. tribes of Israel vnto Niniue captiue 3 Saneherib who came against Ezechias to Hierusalem with an huge armie folowing his fathers tyrannie Saneherib 4 Merodach the first king of Babylon againe broght Niniue vnder Babylon 5 Berodach his sonne 6 Nabuchodonosor which destroied Hierusalem and tooke the tribe of Iuda captiue into Babylon 7 Euilmerodach Nabuchodonosors sonne this restored Iehoakim king of Iuda vnto his libertie againe after that Nebuchodonosor his father died 8 The last of these Kings was Balsaar of these many kings in this the history of the Prophetes make mention and so much of the historie is true I will therefore set downe the continuance the nombers of their kings the change and varietie of this Kingdome for after that Nimrod had drawen people together he first laide the foundation of the Empire made lawes began to builde a great Citie and named it Babylon the first Citie after the flood which Citie though Nimrod began it his sonne Belus amplified it and last of al Semiramis finished it in such forme and stately shewe as he that is desirous to knowe the length the breadth the compasse situation the strength and beautie of Babylō let him read Herodotus Solinus where it is largely described Though it is thought that Herodotus and others in this do erre for Iosephus lib. 1. contr App. and Beroaldus 3. Chr. affirme that the olde writers erred much about the building of Babylon and of Niniue for that which Nabuchodonosor claimed to be his owne saying Nonne haec est Babylon quam ego aedificaui in robore fortitudinis meae Is not this Babylon which I haue builded the Grecians and all olde writers attribute to Nimrod to Belus and to Semiramis The like fable is of Niniue which was builded first by Assur the sonne of Semi by writers is attributed to Nynus Herein both Greeke and Lataine Historians are ouer seene aswell in the time as in the persons in that they were ignorant of the Prophetes histories howbeit Babylon was begun by Nimrod and Belus and somewhat enlarged and beautified by Semiramis but the dignitie and chiefe soueraigntie of Babylon must be graunted to Nabuchodonosor vnder whom the Caldeans onely florished ouer all Kingdomes and enioyed aureum seculum So this Countrey florished first before all other Countreis Babylon the first towne the first seate of the Empire of the world being the chiefest palace of the king for so were they called kings of Babylon and the first kings in the worlde after the flood and so continued almost two hundred yeres vntill the time of Ninus who after he had builded Niniue in the plaine of Aturia a farre greater Towne then Babylon though before it was begunne by Assur one of the sonnes of Sem yet fully by Nynus finished This Nynus waxed great and strong layed siege to Babylon subdued it and brought the Empire of Caldea subiect vnto Assyria then both Caldea and Assyria became one Monarchie and then the kings of Babylon were called kings of Assyria and then Assyria hauing conquered Babylon began to be chiefe and continued from Belus time the first king of Assyria vntill Sardanapalus time the last king of Assyria which as Eusebius writeth was 12. hundred fourtie yeeres from the first reigne of Nynus vntill the last of Sardanapalus so long the seede of Sem continued kings and helde the Monarchie of Assyria As the kingdome of Babylon was translated then from the posteritie of Cham after the first 200. yeeres vnto the posteritie of Sem so nowe againe Niniue is made subiect to Babylon as it shal be hereafter shewed when the historie of the kings of Assyria is handled Thus Assyria sometime subiect to Chaldea and Chaldea to Assyria Niniue to Babylon and Babylon to Niniue vntill both were subdued by the Medes and after by the Persians so God doth appoint and God doth disappoint states and common wealthes according to the decree of his eternall will sinne being the onely cause of Gods anger and wrath his wrath the cause of all calamities destruction and subuersion of kingdomes as Sirach saith Regnum à gente in gentem transferetur propter iniustitiam
an huge armie against the Cyprians Phoenicians and after against the Assyrians and the Medes committing the gouernment of Egypt to his brother named Armais which is also called Danaus he deliuered all Egypt vnder his brother charging him to abstaine from his concubines and not in any wise to abuse himselfe in any thing belonging to the crowne of Egypt but asâ—…oone as Sethosis tooke his voiage so soone Armais rebelled tooke the Diademe imprisoned the Queene Sethosis wife and did what he pleased in Egypt The king being of this certified returned in haste draue his brother Armais out of his kingdome and at that time named the Countrey after his owne name Egypt for so was Sethosis surnamed Egyptus Thus sarre Manethon in his owne booke of the historie of Egypt doeth write wherein hee seemeth to be fabulous in the histories of the Hebrewes and in the setting downe the names of the kings of Egypt after the departure of the shepheardes as hee tearmeth them to varie much from others but in trueth it is hard to set downe in order eyther the kings of Egypt or of Scythia for the antiquitie of time beside their close gouernment in their Dynasties which the Egyptians had in number twentie one and therefore their three hundred and thirtie kings are written in Herodot not named but past ouer in silence vnder the gouernment of so many Dynasteias neither doeth Manethon name them The like is written of Cheremon another olde writer of the Egyptian histories to whom the goddesse Isis appeared in a vision finding fault that her temple was not rebuilded and opening secrets and oracles to Cheremon Concerning their kings of Egypt of their fables and meere ignorance in their owne histories I neede not much to stand vpon but referre you to Iosephus where hee at large vnfoldeth their folly opening their owne Chronicles against themselues and therefore I will let Manethon and Cheremon and others as Herodot and Diodorus Siculus that write of the kings of Egypt to stand to their fables Wee reade in Genesis of Pharao in Abrahams time which is sufficient to discharge them both The kingdome of Egypt was as I saide before gouerned by a state called Dynasteia for after Osiris which gouerned Egypt in the sixteene Dynasteia which continued a hundred and ninetie yeeres after Osiris gouernment the seuenteenth Dynastia began as Eusebius setteth it downe and continued a hundred and three yeeres during that time of gouernment potentates and magistrates reigned and gouerned in Egypt without any mention made of kings as yet to any purpose But as the priests of Egypt haue written in their Chronicles as I saide before from Menes time the first king of Egypt as Herodot saith the priests haue recorded three hundred and thirtie kings of the which many of them haue past obscurely without any speach made of them in that kinde of gouernement called Dynastia for I find in Functius table twentie one Dynastias of the names of those that gouerned and of their gouernment during that time Eusebius and Manethon with others omitted not to write the number of these Dynasties and yet past with silence the names of their kings vntill the eighteene Dynastia the names of Pharaos were not knowen then beganne the kings of Egypt to bee surnamed Pharaos About the time of the going of Iacob into Egypt two hundred and fifteene yeeres after that Abraham his graundfather had bene there at what time reigned Baleus the younger the eleuenth king of the Assyrians then reigned in Egypt Amasis the first that was called Pharao 25. yeeres after him succeeded Chebron and Amenophis the one reigned 13. yeeres and the other 21. after these three kings reigned in Egypt Mephres 12. yeeres in whose time Ioseph died after hee had liued a hundred and tenne yeeres and of that age hee ruled and gouerned all Egypt 80. yeeres Then reigned in Assyria Mamitus the 13. king after this succeeded in Egypt two other kings the one named Mispharmutosis who reigned 26. yeeres the other named Thutemosis who gouerned Egypt 9. yeeres About this time Kittim hauing driuen his brother Hesperus who reigned then king in Celtiberia into Italie vsurped his kingdome and reigned thirteene yeeres after him ouer the Celtiberians and after that Kittim left his sonne Sicorus in Celtiberia and passed into Italie where hee reigned and was surnamed Italus whom the Greekes named Atlas of whom I wrote in the historie of Italie more at large with sufficient warrant of the Bible for hee is in diuers places of the Scripture spoken of by the name of Kittim By this time reigned king in Egypt Amenophis the second king of that name a cruel king and most tyranicall for he made a decree in Egypt that all the male children of the Hebrewes should be drowned in Nilus by a streight commandement giuen to the midwiues who notwithstanding in all points obeyed not the king for they were by God directed otherwayes as it is read of the birth of Moses and of the prouidence of God in sauing of him This Moses nowe borne within eightie yeeres after was by God appointed to deliuer his countreymen from thraldome slauerie and tyranny and to plague Egypt with most extreme punishment worthely There is a historie written of this king Amenophis called of some Memnon that his image grauen in stone continued vntill the comming of Christ which continually at sunne rising seemed to sound a voyce like a man This tyrannie continued in Egypt almost one hundred yeeres for when this cruell king Amenophis died succeeded him a more cruell king then hee named Busiris as Melancthon and Diodorus say who plagued the poore Hebrewes with death in like sort as Amenophis did and kept them in slauerie and miserie with toyle and taske to make bricke to worke monstrous huge Piramides whipping and scourging them vsing them with all bondage and slauerie some say that Mercurius Trismegistus a graue Philosopher of Egypt this time florished though by Suidas affirmed that this Mercurius liued before Abrahams time in Egypt After Busiris raigned king in Egypt Acengeres twelue yeres and after him Achorus raigned nine yeeres vsing the like tyrannie to the Hebrewes as before vntil the time of king Chencres who farre excelled his predecessors in tyrannie and blasphemie this was that Pharao that resisted God his seruant Moses and therefore was drowned in the red sea and all the peeres of Egypt with him Read of this king more in Exodus the most part of Egypt was at this time with Chencres Pharo drowned and Egypt was left very skant of any great states and therefore began to rise diuers seditions for a time in Egypt after the departure of the Hebrewes vntill Rameses time which is sirnamed Aegyptus This time began Dardanus his kingdome in Dardania afterward called Troy at what time raigned in Assyria Ascatides the eightenth king in Athens
should claime more dignitie then was set downe by Alexander in a table which the Romanes afterward kept vsing the same order for a time as Alexander did It is written that the great Alexander had yeerely tribute paide vnto him during his life the summe of sixe thousande talents for Plutarch in the life of Agesilaus speaketh of a king named Tachus in Egypt to whom Agesilaus came from Sparta for Nectanabus was a nephew of king Tachus and one of his chiefe captaines who rebelled against the king and being chosen by the Egyptians their king he desired the aide of Agesilaus who ioyned with him being an olde souldier hauing had in hand greater battels in Greece against Pelopidas and Epaminondas then at that time with Nectanabus against Tachus Therefore Nectanabus committed all into the handes of Agesilaus by whom the victorie fell to Nectanabus Tachus the king forced to flee After this the affaires of this Nectanabus had good successe and hee was quietly stablished in his kingdome by the meanes of Agesilaus king of Sparta to whō Nectanabus gaue two hundred thirtie talents of siluer in readie money to defray the charges of his souldiers Thus Nectanabus reigned quietly in Egypt though vnder Darius the last king of Persia Mezabes gouerned Egypt who yeelded into the hands of Alexander the kingdome of Egypt assoone as hee had heard that his master king Darius was slaine and al Persia subdued by Alexander who as you heard before possessed Egypt without warres being yeelded of the state of Egypt From the time of Alexander the great vnto Iulius Caesar that is from the Monarchie of the Grecians vnto the Romanes is two hundred eightie two yeeres After the death of Alexander his kingdomes were diuided chiefely betweene foure of his graund captaines specially those kingdomes which were of the greatest fame and renowne as Macedonia to Cassander Asia the lesser to Antigonus Babylon and all Asia the great to Saleuchus furnamed Nicanor Egypt with the most part of Syria to Ptolomei the sonne of Lagi This was the first king of Egypt after Alexanders death after whose names all the kings of Egypt vntill Iulius Caesars time were called Ptolomei This king grewe great and mightie in Egypt and beganne strongly vpon the next nations vnto him to make warre and brought diuers subiects vnder the Empire of Egypt whose good successe in the beginning Perdiccas began to enuy This Perdiccas was the chiefe gouernor of Macedonia and as it were left a tutour ouer Arideus the base brother of Alexander the great to whom by common consent the kingdome of Macedonia was appointed Perdiccas supposing to keepe Egypt subiect to Macedonia and to bridle the insolencie which he sawe in Ptolomei he leauied a great armie of souldiers made a voiage into Egypt against whose comming Ptolomie with al celeritie gathered his army and gaue him battel wherein Perdiccas was slaine and his whole company ouerthrowen Vpon this ouerthrowe of Perdiccas Ptolomei king of Egypt waxed insolent of the victorie entred into Syria by strong hand brought Syria vnder Egypt after hee went to Ierusalem he plagued the citizēs wasted spoiled brought diuers out of Iudea captiues into Egypt Of this king the Prophet Daniel spake in this sort The king of the South shal be mightie and his dominion shal be great reade more in Daniel of this Antigonus being aduertised of Ptolomeis great victories howe he had vanquished Perdiccas subdued Syria sent his sonne Demetrius a young man of 22. yeeres and the first time that he tooke the charge of a General in hand and that against an old souldier of the great Alexander trained vp in discipline of warres alwaies Demetrius was put to flight 5000. of his men slaine and almost eight thousand taken by the Citie of Gaza Antigonus hearing howe his sonne was ouerthrowen said that this Ptolomei ouerthrew beardles men said further he should fight with bearded men And it came to passe that Demetrius being before put to flight was not quiet before he requited the last foile by the king of Egypt receiued with the like ouerthrow wherein Demetrius had the victorie of Ptolomei and of his army which victorie did put Ptolomei out of al Syria and brought Antigonus in againe By this time Seleucus whō Antigonus had driuen out of Babylon before came againe and entred into Babylon Cassander likewise fearing that young Hercules the sonne of Alexander the great being nowe of fourteene yeeres of age should be by the Macedonians so fauoured for his fathers sake that hee should be king in Macedonia therefore hee secretly commaunded that both Hercules and his mother Arsine should be murthered yet Cassander was not quiet vntill hee practised the like murther against Olympias Alexanders mother and against Roxana Alexanders wife Antigonus and his sonne Demetrius were much enuied for their victories this time in so much that all these kings after Alexanders death destroyed one another with continuall warres Lysimacus was slaine by Seleucus Seleucus was slaine by Ptolomei whose sister was maried to Lysimachus Polibeus writeth that in the hundred twentie fourth Olympiad Ptolomie Lagi king of Egypt Seleuchus Nicanor king of Syria Lysimachus king of Thracia and Ptolomei Cerannon brother to Philadelphus chiefe souldiers vnder Alexander the great were slaine one of another Thus Ptolomei the sonne of Lagi after hee had conquered Perdiccas ouerthrewe Demetrius subdued Syria and the most part of Iudea when hee reigned fourttie yeeres died during which time Demetrius Phalerius ruled Athens vnder Cassander and Demetrius surnamed Poliorcetes destroyed a Citie in Samaria which Perdiccas builded This time the people of Alexandria sent to entreate for the Romanes friendshippe to aide them if neede required This was the first request made to the Romanes by the Citizens of Alexandria in Egypt for the Romanes beganne to bee strong and they of Alexandria perceiuing the great warres and tyrannie that was in all partes of the worlde at that time And also hauing seene within Egypt more blood in the time of one Ptolomei then in twentie Pharaos for then Egypt had nothing to doe but to builde Piramides and to make Labirinths monstrous and needelesse monuments but nowe sworde and fire came into Egypt In the time of this king florished Theophrastus a famous Philosopher one of Aristotles schollers and Menedemus another Philosopher in the same time liued Menander the Tragedian Atheneus the Historian and Demetrius Phalerius In Egypt succeeded after Ptolome Lagi his sonne Philadelphus a learned prince and a great fauourer of learned men this king was iust discreete and gentle bent more to mainteine peace then to procure warres and therefore so beloued of his people and hee to them againe so louing that during his whole gouernment which was thirtie eight yeeres the Egyptians liued quietly without trouble or warres where before Egypt for a thousand foure hundred yeeres was brought vp vnder blind priests
idolatrous superstition giuen to all errours onely acquainted with the Egyptian tongue Now Philadelphus with greater care and zeale of his countrie then any of his predecessours had before kept with him diuers and sundrie learned men as Aratus Callimachus Apollonius Theocritus Hipparchus the Mathematician and Demetrius Phalerius the Philosopher which at that time was banished from Athens and receiued in Egypt Philadelphus a prudent and a learned prince and cōuersant with learned men knewe well that the Iewes religion their lawes their maners and their seruice of God did farre excell all the nations of the world he sent great presents and giftes to Eleazr the hie Priest then being at Ierusalem entreating him to send learned men of the Hebrewes that coulde translate the bookes of Moses and the Prophets into the Greeke tongue that Egypt might be acquainted with the worde of God aswell as Iuda to whom Eleazar sent seuentie two learned men to interprete and to translate the Bible After this hee prouided in Alexandria such a famous Librarie to the common vse of learned men as farre excelled all other Libraries And as Melancthon sayth hee caused many other thinges to bee translated into the Greeke tongue hee restored the poore Iewes that dwelt captiues in Egypt into libertie hee sent for learned men into all Regions hee honourably mainteined them and louingly vsed them that Egypt florished with sound doctrine and vertuous men for euen then Iesus the sonne of Sirach gathered in Egypt together many wise sentences and godly speaches many learned and vertuous lessons which his graundfather before had written in Ierusalem which hee nowe augmented with care and diligence and compiled in a booke which is reserued in the Church to great vse This king excelled all the Pharaos before him and all the Ptolomeis after him and during his reigne he studied to mainteine peace and to auoide warre and therefore bestowed his daughter Berenices to Antiochus surnamed Theos who offered diuers iniuries to mooue warres against Egypt but while Philadelphus liued Egypt prospered florished with all good successe but after that Philadelphus died his sonne Ptolomei Euergetes reigned twentie sixe yeeres of whom Daniel saide that the kings daughter of the South which was Berenices Philadelphus daughter and this king Euergetes sister shoulde come to the king of the North to make agreement but Daniel saide it shoulde not continue for shee shoulde bee deliuered to death and out of the budde of her rootes shall one stande vp named Euergetes and shall enter with an armie into the fortresse of the king of the North which is called Antiochus Theos and doe what hee list and shall preuaile Hee plagued the Syrians and reuenged Berenices his sister with diuers victories for hee caried captiues into Egypt their goddes with their moulten images and their precious vessels of siluer and golde for after Seleucus had lost his Nauies by a tempest on the sea hee geathered an armie by lande and gaue battaile to Ptolomei but the like misfortune fell then vnto him and the victorie happened to Ptolomei for hee was driuen to flee to Antiochia and from thence to craue his brother Antiochus helpe which then gouerned Cicilia Ptolomei hearing of these newes concluded a peace with Seleucus and returned into Egypt after he had fully requited his sisters death vpon the Syrians During Euergetes reigne the Parthians beganne their kingdome who were all named Arsaces as nowe the kings of Egypt were called Ptolomei this time the warres of Africke beganne betweene the Carthagineans and the Numidians at that time Amilcar was sent captaine generall into Spaine for Carthage in this Euergetes time certeine enterludes were appointed by the oracle of Sibilla in Rome named Floralia the fourth kalends of May in the honour of the goddesse Flora for faire weather and fruites of the earth like vnto the feast named Rubigalia which Numa Pompilius instituted the seuenth kalends of May in Rome After this Ptolomei Euergetes had reigned twentie sixe yeres he died whom succeeded his sonne Ptolomei surnamed Philopater a cruell beast and not a king but a monstrous tyrant a murtherer both of his wife and his sister Euridices whose filthy and lewde life is better to passe with silence then to expresse in writing of whome Iustine saide Noctes in stupris dies in conuiuijs consumsit letting his strumpet Agathocles and her mother Euanthea to rule and gouerne Egypt as pleased them for none might lesse commaunde in Egypt then the king nor none might doe more in Egypt then women for nothing delighted Philopator but women and dauncing and whatsoeuer Agathocles would that also Philopator would Against this king Antiochus the great king of Asia and Syria came towarde Egypt and beganne to take and spoile those Cities of Syria which held with Philopator the king of Egypt Antiochus comming forwarde towarde Egypt Ptolomei Philopator mette him and gaue him battell at Raphia a Towne in the Confines of Palestina where Antiochus the great was ouerthrowen and put to flight and forced to intreate for peace at Philopators hande and so Philopator king of Egypt gotte the victorie ouer Antiochus and recouered those Townes of Syria which Antiochus had woonne before This victorie was well gotten but not well vsed for Philopator was so puffed vp with pride and insolencie that hee thought hauing ouerthrowen Antiochus the great hee might well also ouerthrowe IEHOVAH the great entred Ierusalem spoyled the Temple slue the Citizens and made hauocke of Gods people some to bee deuoured of beastes and some to bee quartered by men Reade the Machabees further of this but specially reade the eleuenth of Daniel where the whole historie of the kings of Syria and Asia of Egypt of Persia of Greece and of the Romanes are before spoken by the Prophet There it said was by Daniel that Antiochus and all his armie should be deliuered into the handes of Philopator and after that victorie it was by the Prophete saide that Philopator shoulde waxe arrogant and proude and that he shoulde contemne and blaspheme the Lorde of Israel and the God of Iacob that hee shoulde prophane the Temple destroy the people and in his furie excell in tyrannie but at length hee shoulde not preuaile for hee was poysoned and so died after his most wicked and incestuous life leauing behinde him a sonne by his sister Euridices of fiue yeeres olde when hee had reigned seuenteene yeeres I passe briefely these Histories of Egypt for that in the historie of the kings of Syria and Asia the kings of Egypt are likewise spoken of and in the Machabees also you may reade further of this Antiochus for since the death of Alexander the great the kings of Syria and Asia could not agree with the kings of Egypt vntill the last destruction of both the kingdomes by the Romanes and therefore assoone as euer Philopator died Antiochus streight againe sought to inuade Egypt vnderstanding this Ptolomei
nor their countrey so simple a beginning the Parthians had vntill they scattered themselues to serue as mercenarie souldiers then beganne the Parthians to haue some fame by their seruice which were as I saide before scant knowen It is written by Solinus that Parthia grew into so large an Empire that it conteined 18. kingdomes these kingdomes are deuided into two partes eleuen of the eighteene called the vpper kingdomes beginning from the borders of Armenia passing along the Caspian sea coast to Scithia the other seuen kingdomes haue on the West the Medes on the South Carmania on the North Hircania the language of the Parthians is mingled partly with the Medes and partly with the Scithians their apparel after the custome of Scithia their souldiers in fight were their seruants of whom the Parthians had as great care as of their children teaching them in their youth to ride to shoote and to doe all other martiall exploits for of fiftie thousand souldiers which they had against M. Antonius were none free men but 450. all the rest were seruants The Parthians began to erect a kingdome at what time raigned in Egypt Euergetes the thirde king and in Macedonia raigned king Demetrius likewise in Asia and Syria raigned Seleucus Gabinius the forth king About this time the Carthagineans had great warres with the Numidians which endured foure yeeres of these warres Polibeus writeth In the time of the first king of Parthia which was named Arsaces Eumenes king of Bithynia inuaded Asia This king Arsaces deserued no lesse fame by his great prowesse and valiant deedes by his fortun at warres and good successe amongst the Parthians then Cyrus did amongst the Persians or Alexander the great amongst the Macedonians The Parthians so loued this Arsaces aliue and so honoured him dead that all the kings of Parthia after him were called Arsaces with no lesse dignitie then the Caesars of Rome or Pharaoâ—…s of Egypt and yet a meane man in the beginning who might more bragge of vertue knowledge then of dignitie or parentage for before these Parthians followed Eumenes in the warres of Asia after Eumenes they followed Antigonus after Antigonus they followed Seleucus Nicanor after him Antiochus At what time the Parthians reuoulted and made a choise of this king named Arsaces who brought such renowne to the Parthians such credite to the countrey as enlarged their confines and augmented their Empire This time one Theodotus being but then President ouer 1000. Townes and Cities in Bactriana proclaimed himselfe king of the Bactrians with this king Theodotus Arsaces entred in societie and with his sonne after him nowe when Arsaces had setled himselfe quietly in Parthia he gaue them lawes to liue by he did set and frame all things in order hee builded Townes and Cities and one chiefe Metropolitane Citie and named it Daram This king had a sonne named Mithridates who after his father reigned in Parthia with no lesse fame then his father he leauied an armie of a hundred thousand footemen and twentie thousand horsemen fought with Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus king of Syria with such inuincible courage that Antiochus thought it his best way to haue peace with him When this king died succeeded him Pampatius the third king in Parthia who when he had reigned twelue yeeres left behinde him two sonnes the one named Pharnaces the other Mithridates the elder brother after the Parthian maner enioyed his fathers seate and his father surnamed Arsaces as the other kings were This king ouerthrew a very stout Nation called Mardi and did as his predecessors had done adde some people or wanne some countrey to Parthia who hauing many children when hee died and hauing more care of his countrey then of his children appointed his brother Mithridates to be king of Parthia a man of great courage and singular vertues The same very time when Mithridates entred into Parthia as king did Encratides likewise enter to the kingdome of the Bactrians but these two kings prospered not alike for Encratides after diuers and sundry battels giuen to him by the Sogdians Dranganites and Indians wherein he gaue diuers repulses vnto his enemies but at length so wearied with continuall warres hee was ouerthrowen and vanquished In Parthia with better successe fought Mithridates with the Medes whom after many doubtfull battels Mithridates subdued the Medes and brought them subiect vnder the Parthians and appointed in Medea Bachasus to be lieutenant and went himselfe into Hircania and then waged warres with the king of Elymees which he vanquished and all his countrey and ioyned them to the Parthians so that Parthia was so strengthened by the Medes the Elimees other nations that they gouerned from mount Caueasus to the riuer Euphrates so that poore Parthia before a base people and a rude countrey are nowe become lords ouer the stoute Medes so by Gods appointment kingdomes and Empires doe both flowe and ebbe during this time Masinissa was by sundry battels driuen out of his kingdome by Syphax king of Numidia At that time reigned in Syria Seleucus Philopator their seuenth king and in Egypt reigned Ptolomei Philometor the sixt king Cornelius Scipio about this time triumphed ouer Asia After this Mithridates death succeeded his sonne Phrahartes who had not the fortune which his father had for Phrahartes was sore vexed by the Scythians who at the first came to aide the king of Parthia against Antiochus king of Syria the souldiers fell to mutinie for want of pay and therefore wasted and spoiled the Confines of Parthia burned townes and robbed countries that Phrahartes was constrained to leauy an armie and to make warres vpon the Scythians whose lucke had beene better if hee had taried in Parthia where hee left behinde him Himerus too young a man to gouerne a kingdome who lost at home in Parthia asmuch as Phrahartes lost in Scythia After Phrahartes was ouerthrowen by the Scythians Artabanus succeded who likewise shortly was slaine in the warres at Colchata after whom succeeded his sonne Mithridates the second of that name who for his noble deedes and valiant actes was named Mithridates the great and yet not so great as infortunate for when he had reuenged the death of his father vpon the Scythians plagued the Armenians and had gotten diuers Nations subiect vnto Parthia yet hee was banished from Parthia and his kingdome giuen to Horodes his brother Horodes hauing the kingdome of Parthia in his hand hearing that his brother Mithridates had fledde into Babylon to auoide further feare hee besieged Babylon vntill by famine they were compelled to yeelde the Citie Mithridates hoping for pardon yeelded himselfe to his brother but Horodes supposing that he would prooue rather an enemie then a brother commaunded him to be slaine before his face By this time the Parthians grewe so great and waxed so strong that their fame extended into Rome a Citie that coulde neuer abide no kingdome nor no
Cyrus Metasthenes doeth not much dissent from the Greekes in his Cataloge sauing that he speaketh not of Cambyses because hee reigned in his fathers time for hee was appointed to be king in Persia in the absence of Cyrus who in his owne person went against the Scythians at that time Likewise Metasthenes omitteth to speake of Xerxes who for the like reason being in great warres at that time from home in Greece leauing behinde him to gouerne Persia his sonne Artaxerxes so that Metasthenes writeth that Darius Medus and Cyrus reigned together two yeeres and then passeth to Darius Hystaspis which is also called Assuerus making no mention of Cambyses name and then he goeth to Artaxerxes the long handed passing ouer the name of Xerxes his father the cause is layd downe by Melancthon in the rest Metasthenes doth agree with the Greekes After that the Persians the strongest and the greatest nations of the world had gotten the Monarchie of the Assyrians Chaldeans not by the sword of Cyrus but by the idolatrie of Balthasar whom God gaue ouer vnto Cyrus hand making an end of one and beginning with the other for the finger of God doth appoint Monarchies according to Sirach saying No kingdome shal be translated if wickednesse of the king and kingdome be not the cause thereof Nabuchodonosor was conuerted and confessed Gods power Euilmerodach his sonne acknowledged the Highest but Balthasar through blasphemie and idolatrie lost the Empire of Assyria Euen so in Persia while Cyrus Darius Medus Darius Hystaspis Artaxerxes gouerned Persia the Persians florished they were lordes of the whole world Nowe when Alexander had abated their pride and diminished their force had taken their Empire from them vnto Macedonia and had substituted lieutenants and gouernours vnder him in all kingdomes and countries where the Persians had before soueraigntie for as the Persians were obscure and of no fame before Cyrus time so after Alexander the great their renowne was lost their pompe and their pride decayed their kings afterward of small accompt for nowe Macedonia and the Grecians triumphed and the Persians being destroyed and scattered without any king or any prince of fame to gouerne them vntill the time of Alexander Seuerus Emperor of Rome fiue hundred fiftie yeres after Alexander the great at what time liued in Rome Vrbanus Bishop there at that time this Emperour had a mother named Mammea a wise and a discreete woman who hauing knowledge that Origen a great man in the Church of God was then at Antioche sent for him and so enterteined him as a rare iewell in those dayes At that time reigned in Persia one Artaxerxes who being of the name of the auncient kings of Persia was likewise wise and valiant and in processe of time grewe so strong that he ouerthrew Artabanus king of the Parthians and thereby restored to the Persians a beginning of a newe kingdome CHAP. V. Of the estate of the Persians vnder the Romanes after the time that they were conquered by Alexander the great vntil the time of Alexander Seuerus Emperour of Rome 550. yeeres after at what time began the newe kingdome of Persia by one Artaxerxes and of his successors vntill the Persians the fourth time were vtterly destroyed by the Saracens THe Persians againe began to take strength and to drawe together in the fourth yere of Alexander Seuerus reigne in the which time florished many great and famous learned men which were for their singularitie elected Counsellers to the Emperour as Fabius Sabinus Domitius Vlpianus Aelius Gordianus Iulius Paulus Pomponius Alphenus Florentius and Martianus Calistratus and Hermogenes Venulcius and Triphonius Metianus and Celsus Porculus Modestius professours of all the ciuill lawe and to Papinianus a singular rare man in those dayes but of this matter Lampridius doth write at large But let vs nowe returne to Persia and to the newe kingdome which had beene so long without king or kingdome but kept vnder of euery nation not daring to name a king from Darius vntill this Artaxerxes This first king of the newe kingdome of Persia after hee had slaine Artabanus king of Parthia and had reigned fifteene yeeres hee was ouerthrowen and subdued by the Romane Emperour Alexander Seuerus of whom hee triumphed in the ninth yeere of his Empire though some hold the contrarie that Alexander in that battell was discomfited by Artabanus In this time the Romanes had gotten three great victories one in Mauritania by Furius Celsus the seconde in Illirico by Varus Macrinus and the third in Armenia by Iunius Palinatus three famous Romanes of these victories Lampridius maketh mencion Herodianus sayeth that in Fraunce reigned Hildegastus a king much honoured of the Frenchmen by whose diligence and pollicie Fraunce which was then rude and barbarous both in liuing and in maners became ciuill and pollitike for vnto this time their building was very base and simple in Fraunce About this time Origene was called from Alexandria vnto Caesarea where he made his booke entituled De Martyrio And nowe was Iulius Affricanus of great estimation after Artaxerxes succeeded Sapores the second king of Persia this reigned thirtie one yeeres hee had sore warres with Gordianus king of Affrica this Gordianus pronounced open warres and commaunded their temple of Ianus to be opened as the Romanes did vse when warre was proclaimed hee destroyed many Cities and Townes and continued his warres against the Persians made great hauocke in all places and gaue the repulse to Sapores howe be it Gordianus was by conspirators deceiued and of him whome hee deserued well of by treacherie slaine of one Philip surnamed Arabs This Philip gouerned the Romanes fiue yeres and builded a towne of his owne named Thracia called Philippus Caesar at what time the plaies Ludi saeculares were set forth with such pompe in Rome as the like to that time were not seene The Parthians inuaded Armenia droue the king called Tyridas out of the countrie tooke his children possessed his countrie certeine sectes of heresie began in Arabia which Origen did ouerthrow in Affrike likewise questions grew whether heretikes being conuerted from their errors might be rebaptized of this Ciprian and the ecclesiasticall histories write and of a councell called concerning the same for Berilhis about this time bishop of Bostherna fell to a monstrous error denying the eternitie of Christ. In the twelfth yeere of Sapores reigne happened such a sicknesse in the most part of the world specially in Egypt and Alexandria that Ciprian thereby tooke an occasion to write a booke entituled De mortalitate About this very time the Gothes rushed into Asia spoiled townes and cities wasted many countries burned the great temple of Diana at Ephesus and did great harme the Germanes ioyned with the Frenchmen gathered a huge armie very strong against the Romanes ented into Italie made hauocke in all places vntill they came
and of his kingdome from Othoman the first vntil Selimus the eleuenth of the two Empires of Constantinople and Trapezumtium which now the Turckes doe gouerne of their beginning and of their first seruice vnder Basilius Macedo Emperour of Constantinople THe Turckes historie is like the Saracens or like the Scythians people without guide or gouernours vntil of late time they inhabited first about mount Caucasus from thence to the Caspia sea a nation mingled of the Scythians of the Hunnes which nowe are called Hungarians obscure and base people without any mencion made of them any where but of their bare names in Plinie a people scattered in Scythia and after into other Countries rather called Latrocinantes quà m belligerantes as Egnatius nameth them of whom as I saide Pomponius Mela maketh but little more mencion then Plinie did The first seruice which they did was vnder Basilius surnanamed Macedo then Emperour at Constantinople in the yere of our Sauiour eight hundred fourtie at what time they inuaded Armenia and within a while after gaue a battell to the Arabians vnder their first captaine called Mucaletius After twise or thrice good successe had against the Arabians and the Saracens they gathered together vnder a head at Tangrolipix where diuers more heaped and flocked to them from the streight of Caspia and from Caucasus there they waxed strong and began to inuade Asia vntill the time of Ottoman the first a man base and obscure borne cuius parentes agrarij but very valiant wise and fortunate he first beganne to aduaunce the name of the Turckes and to set foorth his force and power being much inflamed with desire of soueraigntie and very ambitious of honour and dignitie After hee had subdued a part of the kingdome of Bythinia and had taken certeine Cities and strong Townes towards the Sea Euxinus at what time reigned in Constantinople Michael surnamed Paleologus Emperour in the yeere of our Sauiour Christ a thousand three hundred this Ottomanus within twentie eight yeres which he reigned had strengthened his Cities Townes and had builded many strong Fortes and specially one inuincible Castle which hee named after his owne name Ottomanni Castrum This Othoman left behinde him a sonne named Orchanes in whose time contencion grewe betweene Paleologus and Cantachuzenus about the Empire of Greece whereby Orchanes power and force so encreased that while these two contended about the Empire hee tooke Prusia out of their handes a large strong Citie and finding his father in lawe Caramanus false and deceitfull hee ouerthrewe him and killed his sonne a young gallant youth but after that Orchanes had reigned twentie two yeeres hee was slaine in Bythinia After him succeeded his sonne Amurathes a man of singular courage and fortune who forgetting not his father nor graundfather Othoman imitated them in all manly exploites and presently armed him selfe against his owne graundfather Caramanus whose daughter was his naturall mother This Amurathes was solicited by the Emperour Paleologus being nowe a very olde man to aide him against the Bulgarians hard olde souldiers brought vp alwayes in warres to this hee quickely consented and prepared an armie of twelue thousand Turkes and brought them into Europe and did great seruice to the Emperour ouerthrewe the Bulgarians and reuenged the Emperour vpon the enemie but being after these victories tickled with the wealth and pleasures of Europe hauing giuen the repulse to Cantachuzenus which affected the Empire while he fained this seruice hee passed ouer the sea Helespont tooke Callipolis with other cities as Adrianopolis Bydus and Philippolis ouerthrewe and conquered euery prouince as he traueiled hee entred Bulgaria inuaded Seruia and slue the princes of the countrie named Lazarus with a great slaughter of his people but Amurathes escaped not long for hee was slaine by a seruaunt of Lazarus prince of Seruia who reuenged his masters death stoutly Thus Amurathes died after he had reigned twentie three yeeres after whom liued two sonnes of his the one named Paizates the other Soliman These two brethren coulde not agree they fel at such variance that Paizates slue his brother Soliman and presently after tooke in hand to reuenge his fathers death vpon Marcus Craienicius prince of the Bulgarians whom he subdued and after slue him in the fielde by which conquest he obteined the most part of Bulgaria And yet not therewith contented hee inuaded Bossina Croatia and other partes of Illyria wasted and spoyled all places into Thracia yet he could not quiet himselfe but laid siege to Constantinople and continued the same for eight yeeres and had at that time taken the Citie if hee had not beene preuented by two great armies of Frenchmen and Vngarians to whom this Pazaites gaue such a terrible battell that hee ouerthrewe both the armies and tooke the most part of the French captaines with their Generall the Duke of Burgundie with an infinite slaughter of the souldiers and had also at that time taken Sigismundus king of Hungaria vnlesse he had bene saued by the Venetian nauie From this great victorie hee againe returned to Constantinople endured his siege and laide hard at it When newes came that Tamberlanes the Scythian inuaded his Countrie he remoued his siege at these newes and made more haste then good speede for in that battell betweene Tamberlanes and Pazaites two hundred thousande Turkes were slaine at mount Stellum in the confines of Bythinia the Turke taken and set in fetters of gold and bound in chaines of gold and so kept all the dayes of his life in a Cage which Tamberlanes caried into euery forreigne warre out of his Countrie and vsed as some write as a blocke to mount on horsebacke This time reigned in Constantinople Andronicus as Blondus affirmeth this great victorie of Tamberlanes fell in the yeere of our Sauiour Christ 1397. at what time Charles the sixt surnamed Beneamatus was king in Fraunce and Vladislaus had taken the Empire of Germanie into his hand In Rome Pope Bonifacius the ninth of that name reigned This Pazaites had two sonnes the elder named Orchanes of some called Calepinus the younger named Mahomet which was also named Moses this by conspiracie and treacherie slue his brother Orchanes within two yeeres after his fathers death and reigned alone recouered and possessed all that Tamberlanes had gotten of his father This Mahomet had spite to the Bulgarians and to the Valaches and began with no lesse good successe to aduaunce the name of the Turkes then his father did hee waxed mightie and after hee had brought all these Prouinces and Regions about to be vassalles of the Turkes and had quieted himselfe after many victories hee made Adrianopolis to be his chiefe Citie where hee all his life kept his Court where after hee had reigned seuenteene yeeres hee dyed at what time Emanuel gouerned as Emperour in Constantinople and Sigismundus king of Hungaria reigned
Emperour of Germanie in Englande Henrie the fourth flourished This Mahomet left to succeede him a sonne named Amurates the second of that name and the sixt king ouer the Turkes this Amurates farre excelled all his predecessours in his warres hee beganne to warre with the people called Mysores and their prince which nowe are named Seruij hee tooke their Cities Scopia and Nouemontum and tooke the Kings two sonnes and his daughter hee caused the Kings sonnes eyes to be pluckt out and yet maried their sister and thereby restored the Citie Nouemontum to the king againe After this hee commenced warres against the Germanes Hungarians and Valaches spoyled their territories and wasted their Countries and vsed great extremitie hee passed thence to Epire laide siege to Croia tooke it and possessed it After truice made and peace concluded betweene the Turke and the Hungarians Amurates against his promise and othe by perswasion of Pope Eugenius the fourth entred in armes and gaue two terrible battels to the Christians in the which many Nobles dyed and were taken In these two great victories the one at Varna the other at Basila he slue an infinite companie of Hungarians Polonians Hunnes and others of Germanie for in this warre at Varna Ladislaus king of Polonia was slaine and Cardinall Iulian with all their captaines and men of armes in the other at Basila all the Princes of Hungarie and many of the Nobles and Peeres of Germanie Thence hee returned into Asia after hee had subdued and conquered all places as hee traueiled and hauing had sufficient triall of his good fortune with some diffidence of further successe by some change of fortune hee committed the kingdome vnto his sonnes charge while yet hee liued being willing to take his rest and to see the euentes of the succession in the kingdome by his sonne ouer whom he appointed Tutour and Gouernour for that Mahomet his sonne was yet young a Turke named Calibassa but this during the time of thirtie foure yeeres did no great exploite but made one voiage to Epirus and besiged the Citie of Croia but in vaine for that valiant and noble captaine Scanderbeg draue him quickly with losse and shame from Epyrus and for very griefe hee dyed after his returne Of this Scanderbeg Prince of Epirus the historie is set foorth according to his desertes in Barletius In the time of this Mahomet Constantine the last of that name and the last Emperour of Constantinople reigned Soldan Zeledim Emperour of the Tartarians dyed in this time Nowe reigned Emperour of Germanie Albertus the second of that name which was both king of Hungaria and Bohemia hee reigned Emperour but two yeeres after whom succeeded Fredericke the third Archduke of Austria to be Emperour of Germanie which reigned Emperour fiftie foure yeres But to come to Mahomet the second of that name and the seuenth king of the Turkes This for his greatnesse and good successe in his warres was named Nouus Othomanus an other newe Othoman for as in the first Othoman the kingdome of the Turkes beganne so nowe by this Mahomet the Empire of the Turkes beganne and therefore he was called Othoman the great He subdued two Empires twelue kingdomes two hundred Cities and great Townes hee tooke from the Venetians the Isles of Chalcidis and Scodra hee tooke diuers Cities in Greece as Corinthus and Mitilena The Turkes inuaded Syria wasted and destroyed Hungaria and tooke al Euboca he tooke Capha a Citie in Pontus and Hydrantes in Italie hee tooke in battell by treacherie saith Functius Stephanus king of Mysia whom he vsed as Cambyses vsed Sisamnis he flayed him and banished him from his kingdome he destroyed all the prouince of Carinthia Quae quantae huius victoriae totus vix dies explicet the very wordes of Egnatius This Turke so plagued the Christians that yet to this day they coulde not recouer the losse howe be it hee was ouerthrowen by Scanderbeg in a great battell where hee lost an infinite number of his Turkes by Hussa Cassanus king both of Armenia and of Persia who also gaue a great ouerthrowe to Mahomet by Stephanus Prince of Valachia who gote ouer the Turkes a great victorie by Pope Sixtus the fourth who gaue battell by sea vnder the Cardinall of Aquileia by the Rhodians and by the Christians at a place called Alba Graeca hee was discomfited and diuers times ouerthrowen but still hee preuailed with more gaine then losse and with fame renowne that he is now Emperour of Constantinople and of Trapezuntium and king of many kingdomes lord and gouernour of so many Prouinces and Regions that he thereby is nowe named the great Turke Nowe after this Turke had reigned thirtie one yeeres he dyed in the yeere of our Lord God 1481. on the fift nones of May. After whose death great ciuill warres grew among the Turkes and continued for a time which being done Pazaites the second of that name and the eldest sonne of the last Mahomet hauing vanquished his younger brother obteined the Empire armed his men and himselfe out of hand assaulted the Castle of Valachia and tooke it after hee marched against the Soldan of Egypt by whome hee had sundry ouerthrowes that the Turke and the Soldan entred into a league and concluded a peace After he returned and went against the Germanes whom he by continuall warres brought vnder the Turkes seruitude and at that very time he so plagued the Venetians that he subdued Methon Dyrrhachium and Naupactum three strong great cities The Turkes vnder this Pazaites conquered and subdued many places for this Emperour vanquished the Polonians which people were called before Gelas and subdued many people inhabiting about Meotida hee destroyed the Citie of Craocia but constrained by the armie of Maximilian the Emperour to forsake their Fortes hee was also put to flight Reade Chromerus Chronicle of this Pazaites warres against the Venecians at what time hee returning from the ouerthrowe and subduing of Modon the Sophi king of Persia for so nowe all the kings of Persia are called Sophi gaue the Turkes a great ouerthrowe Thus farre doeth Egnatius prosecute the Turkes historie vntill Selimus time the ninth Emperour of the Turkes at what time reigned Emperour in Germanie Maximilian sonne to Frederike the third and in Fraunce Lewes the twelfth of that name This Pazaites after hee had reigned thirtie one yeeres died after whom succeeded Selimus the ninth Emperour of the Turkes who liued seuen yeeres in the Empire this had a great ouerthrowe in Armenia the great by the Sophy of Persia how be it afterward he recouered his strength and gathered an armie passed into Egypt gaue battell to the Soldan whom hee tooke as prisoner and at that time subdued all Egypt and Syria for nowe the kings of Egypt are called Soldani as the kings of Persia are Sophy But to come to Soliman the tenth Emperour of the Turkes who reigned
from Moses vntill Samsons time 400. yeeres and after Samsons death 40. yeeres kings began to raigne in Israel After that the kings ended in Sicyonum priestes raigned in that countrey of Peloponesus called Carnij which gouerned vntill the comming of that strong and ancient people called Heraclides who afterwarde grew of great force that the long ciuill warres which continued 27. yeeres to the last destruction of all Greece as more at large in Thucydides is mentioned and shal be spoken of me when the time of these ciuil warres shall come to be handled in this historie I in the meane season will returne to the state of Athens which by this time grewe to some fame though before as other parts of Greece obscured by reason of no action done worth the writing vntill Theseus time which raigned as you heard before in Poliphedes time the 24. king of Pelopones he brought vnto Athens al the whole prouince of Attica and dispersed people from other parts of Greece and made them all one corporation which were before dispersed vnto diuers villages he erected a council hall and made a towne house which the Athenians called Asti he instituted great feasts and sacrifices vnto Minerua called Panathaenea this was for all the countrey of Attica and he ordeined another feast which they called Metaecia for strangers and forreners that should come to dwel at Athens That done he began to set vp an estate of a common wealth he made distinctions of degrees and difference of states moreouer Theseus coyned money marked the coyne thereof with the stampe of an oxe in memorie of the bul of Marathon or of Taurus chiefe captaine of king Minos which Theseus subdued by combate appointed The stampe of the oxe continued in Athens vntill Pericles time at what season the owle was stamped in the coine of Athens The renowne of this Theseus was marueilously blowen through all Greece after diuers victories gotten against the Amazones the slaughter of king Deucaleon king Minos sonne of the vanquishing of the huge monster Minotaurus of the warres of Lapithes of the ouerthrowe of Captaine Taurus and of infinite more victories so that all Greece rang of Thesius fame that his acts came to certaine prouerbs in all parts of Greece Hic alter Theseus this is another Theseus Hoc sine Theseo nōfit This was not done without Theseus He discharged Athens of their tribute vnto king Minos appointed certaine games called Isthmia after the imitation and order of Hercules that euen as the Grecians did celebrate the games of Olympia in the honour of Iupiter by Hercules ordinance so they should likewise celebrat the feast of Isthmia games which Theseus made in the honour of Neptune for he imitated Hercules in all his actions The great admiration which Theseus had of Hercules courage made him in like sort with Themistocles to say that as the victories and triumphes of Miltiades would not suffer Themistocles to sleepe so the renowme and fame of Hercules could not keepe Theseus backe from the imitation thereof for they both were neere kinsmen He was so great a benefactor vnto Athens that on the 8. of October the Athenians doe most solemne sacrifice in remembrance of his returne frō Creete with the children of Athens after the killing of king Deucaleon and Minotaurus in the honor of Neptune as Plutarch saith The Athenians honour the name of Theseus which of some is supposed to be the sonne of Neptune euery 8. day of euery moneth so much Greece was beholden vnto Theseus Plutarch in the life of Theseus saith that Aegeus his father descended of the linage of the great Erictheus of the first inhabitants which occupied the coūtrey of Attica for there is no mention made that they came out of any other countrey but they were called Autochthones borne of themselues in the lande of Attica for so the Athenians would haue it This was the first that erected Athens and hauing ioyned the citie of Megara and all the territories thereabout vnto Attica he caused as Plutarch affirmeth foure square pillars to be set vp for the confines within the streight of Isthmis in Peloponesus with this sentence written on the pillars All from these pillars Eastwarde is in Ionia which is Attica and all from thence Westward was in Peloponesus to separate the countrey of Attica from Peloponesus for in Ionia Attica lay After this Theseus succeeded in Athens Mnestheus the eleuenth king which raigned foure and twentie yeeres This time gouerned Agamemnon in Mycena when Helen Menelaus his brothers wife was rauished and taken away by Paris who likewise being very yong was before rauished by Theseus I will briefly rehearse the rest of the kings of Athens for after Mnestheus Demophon succeeded in Athens the twelfth king ouer the Athenians and raigned 33. yeeres In whose time Aeneas maried Lauinia king Latinus daughter who gouerned them three yeeres and died and left to Ascanius his sonne the kingdome after him he raigned after his father thirtie eight yeeres This time raigned in Assyria Tauteus the twentie and ninth king of the Assyrians Eli the priest now iudged Israel and Samuel the Prophet was borne Oxintes the thirteenth king of Athens raigned twelue yeeres about which time Ascanius began to build a towne and named it Alba longa where he with all his Court remooued leauing Lauinium to his fathers wife Lauinia thirtie yeeres after his father Aeneas had builded the citie of Lauinium In this kings raigne the Amazones burned the temple of Diana in Ephesus Now followed in Athens the foureteenth king ouer the Athenians who raigned but one yeere after him raigned Thimoetes the 15. king he raigned eight yeeres This was the last king of the stocke of Erictheus after this time raigned Siluius the thirde king of the Latins here of all the kings of Alba were afterward called Syluij In the 70. yeeres after the destruction of Troy and foureteene yeeres after the kings failed in Peloponesus came certaine people from Greece vnto Peloponesus and possessed a great part of the countrey which were called Dores of this Thucydides onely can best report for it is his proper historie Now was Melanthus the sixteenth king ouer the Athenians which raigned 37. yeeres in this kings time raigned in Assyria Dercillus the 31. king About this time Samuel the Prophet iudged Israel with whom gouerned afterward king Saul during which gouernment the prophet Dauid was borne when Aeneas raigned the sixt king of the Latins at what time the stocke and familie called Heraclides entred Peloponesus who waxed so strong and fierce that they waged warres against the Athenians with whom they had diuers battels CHAP. III. Of the originall beginning of the kings of the Lacedemonians and of the kings of Corinth who at one time beganne their gouernment vnder the state of Monarchie and also ended about one time of
yeeres of age and Philip three yeeres younger then his brother to be killed and their mother forced to steale away by night into Samothracia but hee was wel requited by Belgius hackt and slaine and his head cut off caried vpō a speare in opē sight of the Macedoniās which put them in no litle feare Sosthenes was proclaimed king of Macedonia a man of great courage hee resisted the furie and rage of the Frenchmen which wasted the countrie and spoyled the Cities vntill that Brennus another captaine of the Frenchmen ioyned with Belgius with a hundred fiftie thousand footemen and fifteene thousand horsemen and easily being so many might ouerthrowe so fewe Sosthenes was faine to take a holde for that time Brennus and Belgius spoyled Cities and Countries robbed their temples and had infinite treasure from the temple of Apollo Thus the Macedonians were sore plagued and had these two great ouerthrowes by Belgius and Brennus but the third ouerthrowe fell to the Frenchmen in such extreame sort that Brennus slue himselfe After this the Frenchmen againe inuaded Macedonia while Antigonus which was Demetrius brother reigned where they were vanquished ouerthrowen in most miserable sort this gote to Antigonus great credit vntil Pyrrhus gote the victorie of him and forced him to take his flight So poore Macedonia was still by one or other put to worse Pyrrhus mocking Antigonus for his brauerie to goe in purple like a king apparelled being chased out of his countrie by him and by others yet it was Antigonus chaūce to haue Pyrrhus head brought vnto him by Alcioneus his owne sonne from the siege of the citie of Argos where this great king after many victories ouer kings was slaine at a womans hand by throwing of a tyle stone When king Antiochus sawe Pyrrhus head throwen before him by his sonne in such contempt hee layed his staffe about his sonnes backe calling him a cruell murtherer and an vnnaturall barbarous beast and turning his eyes from the sight thereof weapt remembring Demetrius hard fortune which was his father and also the miserie and ende of the first Antigonus his graundfather he most honourably caused his head and his body to be burned his ashes burned Thus thestate of princes is changed sometime in the height of good lucke and fauour and sometime forsaken of their owne friends Antigonus hauing this great victorie of Pyrrhus vsed all clemencie towardes Pyrrhus sonne named Helenus sent him vnto his Realme of Epirus with honourable conuoye seasing all Pyrrhus campe and armie vsed his friendes courteously and receiued many of Pyrrhus souldiers preferred them Thus Pyrrhus who helde out against three kings Lysimachus Demetrius and Antigonus beside his magnanimitie and prowesse shewed against the Illyrians the Cicilians the Carthagineans and against the stoute Romanes and yet neuer conquered This Pyrrhus was preferred by Hanibals iudgement to be the second souldier of the worlde next to the great Alexander after whose death Greece fell to contencions as Macodonia by Antigonus florished but a short time for assoone as Pyrrhus dyed the Peloponesians yeelded to Antigonus Pyrrhus had a sonne named Alexander who burned in furie to reuenge his fathers death beganne vpon the confines of Macedonia to quarrell with Antigonus hee was no sooner returned from Greece into Macedonia but Antigonus had both lost his kingdome and himselfe by a faire battell giuen to him by Alexander the sonne of Pyrrhus Antigonus had a brother named Demetrius after his fathers name a very young man who so reuenged likewise the ouerthrowe of his brother that hee recouered not onely Macedonia from Alexander but forced him after a great ouerthrowe to flie from his owne kingdom of Epyrus so variable is the chaunce of warre and so mutable the state of man that sometime they be kings and conquerours and straight banished men Nowe Alexander fled to Arcadia from whence hee was restored to his kingdome within short space for Demetrius after the death of his brother Antigonus continued not long king in Macedonia for by time Agas king of Cyrena died and had left for his heire one daughter named Beronices whom her father espoused to king Ptolomeis sonne of Egypt but nowe Arsinoe king Agas her husband being dead and also hearing that king Antigonus was dead shee made meanes to send for Demetrius who came with all speede from Macedonia to Cyrena and hauing a sight of Arsinoes beautie hee fell more in desire of the mother then of the daughter This Demetrius being a proud insolent young king and giuing great cause to Beronice the young ladie to hate him he little esteeming that folowed his fancie to winne Arsinoe which when it was well knowen to the daughter and to many of the Court after howe Demetrius vsed himselfe Beronice and all men beganne mortally to mallice Demetrius and to turne their mindes againe towards Ptolomeus sonne They hated him in such sort that snares were inuēted for Demetrius and watches appointed to find him in the fault and so it came to passe then when he was in bedde with the mother the daughter brought certeine armed men into the chamber cōmaunded them to kill Demetrius Beronice entred not the chamber but stood at the doore spake vnto them that they should spare her mother which when Arsinoe heard after she had done what she could to saue Demetrius cōcerning his body with her body of force she was taken from him he slaine thus Beronice reuenged the wrongs spite of Demetrius done against her selfe and her mother after maried Ptolomeis sonne according to his father king Agas cōmandement this was the end of king Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius About this time Megasthenes a Persian Chronographer wrote his histories some call him Metasthenes this time the Romanes began to florish in all kind of excesse as in wearing of rings costly tires which as Plinie saith were skant before this time seene in Rome this time also was the Bible translated by the 70. interpreters into the Greeke tongue CHAP. IIII. Of the Romane warres with king Philip and his sonne Perseus the two last kings of Macedonia of their ouerthrowe by Paul Aemilius and of the ouerthrowe of false Philip and counterfaite Andriscus by Q. Metellus in the last conquest of Macedonia NOwe to returne to Macedonia after that Demetrius was slaine as you heard Philip Demetrius nephewe and sonne to Antigonus succeeded in Macedonia You must take heede least you be deceiued in the names of diuers Demetrius for the first and the greatest was called Demetrius Antigonus whose life Plutarch doeth write at large another Demetrius surnamed Poliorcetes who in his time destroyed a towne of Samaria which Perdicas builded vp againe and the third named Demetrius Phalerius which was gouernour of Athens vnder Cassander and the fourth Demetrius Antigonus sonne of whose death for adulterie with Queene Arsinoe you read of
more then they wanne by the foure victories In the fift yeere after Regulus was taken by the Affricanes Metellus was sent from Rome to Sicilia where the Carthagineans came with 130. elephants of the which nomber Metellus got 26 he slew 2000. Affricanes as Eutropius saith but Melancthon in his chronicles saith that Metellus slew 36. elephants and tooke aliue 146. elephants which Metellus in great triumph brought with him to Rome The Affricanes after these great mischances required Regulus a Romane captaine whom the Affricanes tooke captiue and kept in prison vntill this time him they sent vnto the Senate to entreate for peace who when he came to Rome perswaded the Romanes that peace by no meanes should be granted to the Affricanes alledging that they were voyde of all hope to recouer their former estate they were quite quailed and dismayed and readie to yeeld all Affrike vp to the Romanes hee refused to tarie in Rome though the Senate sought him but returned to Carthage according to his othe promise with a denial of peace where he was with most cruel torments put to death Thus Regulus that might haue saued his life in Rome lost it in Carthage and that most willingly After this the Senate sent Publius Claudius and Caius Iunius with an armie of Romanes but not with such good successe as Metellus had for in this iourney the Affricanes ouercame the Romans so that of two hundreth and twentie sailes they saued but thirtie 89. were taken and all the men which fought in them the residue were sunke besides the Affricanes tooke 20. thousande of the Romanes prisoners Thus sometime the Carthagineans and sometime the Romanes preuailed and so still continued with mortal malice Caius Luctatius was sent presently with 300. sailes frō Rome after this great losse that they had by the Affricanes in the 9. yeere after the victories of Metellus This Luctatius with great courage perceiuing the Affricanes to be puft vp with pride of their last victorie and now againe that they sent Hamo frō Carthage with an armie by land and an other to Amilcar Hanibals father by sea Luctatius before these armies came together gaue to the Affricanes a sore battell which was fought ouer against Lylibium a citie of Sicilia with such passing valiantnes of the Romanes that they toke 73. ships of the Affricans they sunke 125. they tooke 32. thousand men prisoners and slew 13. thousand with an infinite deale of gold and siluer which Luctatius broght with him to Rome After this great ouerthrow of Hanno Luctatius hasted to the citie of Erix where Amilcar stayed with his power whom hee forced to forsake the towne to his great losse the residue of the Affricanes were by Luctatius solde for eighteeene pence a piece The Affricanes being thus spoiled and ouerthrowen by Luctatius entreated for peace which was to them by the Senate graunted which peace continued betwene the Affricanes and the Romanes 26. yeeres Thus ended the first warres of the Affricanes which endured 24. yeeres During which time Ptolomey Euergetes raigned in Egypt and Seleucus Gallinicus raigned in Syria The Parthians began to set vp a kingdome this time and Antigonus sirnamed Doson raigned then in Macedonia About this time Aratus an excellent Greeke the gouernor ouer the Achetans exempted al kinde of tyrannie out of the citie of Corinth and brought the Megereans in societie with the Corinthians About the latter end of this first warre betwene the Affricanes and the Romans came Hiero the mightie and puisant king of Sicilia to behold the enterludes at Rome where he distributed amongst the Romans two hundred thousand bushels of wheat During this first warre of Carthage M. Claudius gaue a great ouerthrow to the Frenchmen and slew their king called Viridomarus with his owne had as Eutropius saith The greatnes of the Romanes was such then that they had warres with Illyrians with the Istrians with the Frenchmen with the Affricanes and with diuers others ouer whom the Romanes triumphed at which time they concluded a peace with al nations which neuer happened to the Romanes since the first building of Rome but onely in Numa Pompilius time CHAP. II. Of the second Affricane warres betweene the Carthagineans and the Romanes which endured 17. yeeres During which time Hanibal held terrible warres with the Romanes which brought the Empire of Rome wellnigh to Carthage but at last by Scipio Affricanus the warres were ended Carthage ouerthrowen Affrica wonne and Hanibal forced to flee NOw after that Hamilcar died in Spaine a man of great skil to whom the Affricans in the first Punicke warre committed the whole gouernment of Affrike this Hamilcar made warres with the Romanes in Sicilia a longer time then it was looked for After that he kept them play in Affrike and from thence he was sent gouernour and generall for the Affricanes into Spaine This Hamilcar was sirnamed Barcha after whome succeeded Asdrubal his sonne in lawe for that Hanibal Hamilcar his owne sonne was but yong tender notwithstanding he was hardned now against the second warres of Affrike where he farre excelled his fathers doings in his first warres After the first warre ended Hamilcar Hanibals father died hee continued three yeeres in the seruice of the warres vnder the conduct of Asdrubal his brother for at what time his father had him first to Spaine he was but nine yeeres olde and after that to Asdrubals death as Polibius affirmeth seuenteene yeeres so as Plutarch and Polibius agree he was 26. yeere olde whē he was chosen lieutenant general against the Romans but Eutropius saith he was but twentie but he was no sooner chosen generall but he bent himselfe fully against the Romanes to whom he bare a secret malice for the losse of Sardinia and Sicilia but specially for his fathers Hamilcars sake who hated so the Romanes that he compelled Hanibal his sonne being but a boy to sweare at a sacrifice which Hamilcar made that hee would be a mortall enemie to the Romanes The remembrance of which things enticed Hanibal to attempt warres against the Romanes at what time Hanibal sware vpon his fathers graue that he would be an enemie to the Romans and performe the othe which he sware to his father Hamilcar This inheritable hatred made Hanibal to practise innouations and to finde occasion to begin this second warre There was a towne named Saguntum the people hereof confined indifferently betweene the Romanes and the Carthagineans this towne Hanibal assaulted to whom the Romanes sent ambassadours to will him to cease from battell for the Romanes were alwayes lothe to vse force if either intreatie or courtesie might take place but Hanibal refused to speake with them The Senate sent to Carthage willing that commaundement might be giuen to Hanibal to spare the Saguntines which were in league with the Romans but they had the like answere in Carthage as they had of
discharge his vowe made to Iupiter made his triumph ouer these nations hanging the armour weapons of king Acron about the bowe of a yong oke which Romulus caried on his right shoulder marching on foote before the army towards the citie with a royal song of victory This was the first triumph of Romulus the first entry giuē into other triumphs that folowed presētly After this triumph of Romulus the Sabines could not forget their iniurie for their daughters and virgines rauished by Romulus but elected Tatius a gallant gentleman to be Generall of the Sabines and to reuenge the wrong done by Romulus Tatius besieged Rome that time one named Tarpeius was appointed captaine of the Castle whose daughter named likewise Tarpeia betrayed the whole Citie for a reward which Tatius promised some say that Tarpeia was Tatius daughter By this treason of Tarpia the Sabines entred Rome and great warre continued betwixt the Sabines the Romanes 3. yeres But in time betwixt Romulus and Tatius peace was concluded and they both together reigned ioyntly and gouerned Rome fiue yeeres Tatius dwelling by mount Tarpeius afterwarde called the Capitoll and Romulus on mount Palatium but within a while in this fiue yeere Tatius was slaine and Romulus gouerned himselfe and ouercame the Antenates the Veients and other nations triumphed ouer them the second time And when that Romulus had reigned thirtie seuen yeres after three seuerall triumphes he died of whose death diuerse opinions are of Romulus assencion into heauen in the sight of Proclus and of a voyce heard he should be called Quirinus after his death reade Plutarch concerning his vanishing away and concerning his whole life Romulus strength his whole force exceeded not aboue two thousand footemen and not three hundred horsemen when he beganne his kingdome in Rome but when Romulus died hee left fourtie sixe thousand footemen and a 1000. horsemen During the time of Romulus gouernment reigned in Assyria Salmanasser 10. yeres by whō Samaria was subdued the 10. tribes of Israel caried captiue into Babylon Also Senaherib his sonne reigned after his father seuen yeeres he likewise wasted and spoyled Iudea in the time of king Ezechias vntill hee was vanquished al his armie to the number of a hundred twentie sixe thousand In Lydia reigned two kings during Romulus time Haliagtes the 2. king and Meles the 3. king In the beginning of the Romans kingdom the third kind of gouermēt begā in Athens after 17. kings gouernment then after 13. Iudges Now beganne the thirde alteration of the state called Decennales principes a magistrate that should continue tenne yeeres in office and then another elected into his roume Now in that time that Romulus raigned beganne in Rome diuers kinds of magistrats and officers lawes and orders were by Romulus appointed for the better gouernment of the citie of Rome as Senators Tribunes Aediles Celeres and diuers other sacred and religious offices as Flamines Bishops Foeciales Salij vestal Nunnes southsayers and others the right vse of their offices being not knowen to the reader vnlesse he be wel read in histories I haue orderly as they were appointed by Romulus here set downe as many magistrates officers and offices as were in Rome by Romulus first instituted during his raigne After that Romulus had builded Rome after the death of his brother Remus he made these many lawes 1. First he deuided the whole company of the multitude into three tribes and hee deuided the three tribes into 30. partes which were called Curiae 2. Then he elected one chiefe magistrate to gouerne Rome in his absence which was named Praefectus vrbis as Viceroy or as lieuetenant to Romulus as Iulius Caesar and Augustus 750. yeeres after Romulus time vsed the like 3. Romulus made a choise of 300. stoute and valiant souldiours called Celeres and a captaine ouer them called Tribunus Celerum these were Romulus gard the Tribune was as Esquire of the body or as captaine of the gard to defend him from any sudden assault and readie to execute the kings commandement 4. Romulus appointed 12. men officers called Lictores that should carie tipstaues or rods to make roume and way before the king 5. Hee also appointed after them 12. othermen called Caduceatores which were appointed next the kings person before him to carie axes or mases as Serieants at armes an office of great antiquitie in all countreys of the world for we reade in Homer that Agamemnon sent a Serieant at armes called Talthubius to arrest Achilles for his absēce in the warres and for his disobedience to Agamemnon being then appointed generall for the Grecians against the Troyans 6. When Romulus had prouided these officers for the sauegard of his person he likewise erected counsellers and made choise of a hundreth graue and wise men who for the honour of their place and dignitie of their calling should be named Senators to gouerne and to foresee the dangers and perils of the citie to punish vice and to reward vertue These were called by strangers princes of Rome to whom the king committed the whole direction and correction of the citie The familie and stocke of the Senators were called Patricij for all Senators were elected out of the Patricians 7. Hee appointed the place and the time where the Augurers and Southsayers should vse their diuination touching the euents and proceedings of Rome which should be before Sunne rising and after sunne setting for Romulus himselfe caried the Augurers crooked staffe for his skill in diuination 8. Then hee erected three Augurers with their orders and authorities by whom all sacrifices and religious ceremonies were solemnized These three hee elected out of the three tribes 9. He instituted that no man might enter into the Senate to heare any cause pleaded or consulted before hee were 25. yeres of age he seemed to be of Aristotles opinion that held Iuuenem non esse Philosophiae idoneum 10. After that Romulus had inuented these many good and seemely decrees to set foorth that little kingdome of Rome Now last of all he made lawes for setting foorth the dignitie of a king as to weare purple colours for Romulus ware a coate of purple in graine and vpon that a long robe of purple colour for this princely and riche colour was onely esteemed of the olde Romanes and so honoured that none might weare it but the kings of Rome and after the kings time onely the Dictators and Consuls 11. Romulus instituted a feast in memorie of Hersilia and other Sabine virgines which were rauished by whose meanes peace was concluded betwene Romulus and Tatius king of the Sabines These feasts were called Matronalia 12. He also instituted the feast called Lupercalia which was celebrated in Rome in memory of Romulus escape when that he slew Aemilius his father vnknowen but taken for his vncle he ranne with a naked sword in his hand from Alba
from the Consuls time vntill this time for the glorie of the Romanes excelled all the nations of the worlde in power and fame vntill tyrannie murther and persecution filled the streetes of Rome with blood whereby their glorie decayed and their state diminished Licinius Valerianns of whome I made mention a little before beganne his Empire in the yeere after Christes incarnation 256. who had the gouernement then of Rhoetia and Noricus being made by the souldiers Caesar soone after Augustus At what time Galienus also was created Caesar at Rome by the assent of the Senate and this was the onely occasion why so many Emperours of Rome were murthered to haue two Emperours at one time of equall authoritie to gouerne which kingdomes principality could neuer wel abide For after the authoritie of the Consuls ceased they created in the place of 2. consuls two Caesars which should gouerne ioyntly the one in the citie the other abroad These 2. Caesars practised more cōspiracy one to destroy another to haue sole gouernment ouer the empire then they vsed diligence care together to saue the empire for euery Caesar had great desire and was much ambicious howe hee might be created Augustus which was the greatest name of dignitie among the Romanes Thus the state of Rome by ambitious mens gouernement became at length to haue so many Caesars in the field as then pleased the souldiers and to haue so many Augustus in Rome as pleased the Citizens vntill the Germanes Gothes Vandales Hungarians Frenchmem with other nations might as well come with an armie into Italie and beard the Romanes in their Countrey as the Romanes might come out of Rome to commence warre any where out of Italie For nowe in the time of these two Caesars Licinius and Galienus the Germanes grewe so bolde that they entred within Italie and approched into the Citie Rauenna at what time the other Caesar Licinius was discōfited taken prisoner by Constantine at Nicomedia a city in Bythinia was slaine contrary to the oth promes which Constantiine made him yet had espoused Constantia Constantines sister Nowe the Almanes had spoyled France and inuaded Italie Greece Macedonia Pontus and all Asia were ouer runne by the Germanes and the Gothes These which were brought before by Traianus by Augustus vnder the Romane Empire are nowe by foreiners vanquished the cause was the Romanes anoied the Romanes euen as Pyrrus sayd or as Hanibal vnto Antiochus that the Romans must be conquered with Romanes which is now seene in the time of these Caesars for now the Parthians base people and seruants sometime of the Macedonians after they had gottē Mesopotamia they pretended to claime a title to Syria For nowe the strength of Romanes began to faile and their kingdomes and their teritories reuolted from them and went to wrecke For at that very time a base Frenchman called Posthumius intruded into the Romane Empire and gouerned the same by the space of tenne yeeres but he was slaine by the souldiers in a tumult by the snares of Lollianus After Posthumius a man of a meane occupation a handy craft man named Marius got the empire into his hand the next day after was slaine This time Lollianus also began another cōspiracy at what time Victorinus gouerned France who was slaine in the city Agrippa through the treason of one Acturius for that he defloured many maides matrons and gaue himselfe altogether to a filthie life See and marke the state of Rome in Lycinius Gallienus time First Posthumius his sonne were slaine by the conspiracie of Lollianus Lollianus slaine by the treason of Marius Marius also dispatched out of the way by Victorinus Victorinus killed by Acturius after whō succeeded Tetricus the Senator who in like sort as others were was by Aureolus slayne Aureolus after he had concluded peace with Gallienus and Valerianus who were both slaine at Millaine reigned alone See the murther slaughter of Emperors in Rome in those dayes for an Emperour was no sooner made but he either was killed violently or murthered secretly For Rome in those dayes was the onely Theater of tyrannie and so continued vntill a great part of the Empire was taken into Constantinople and within a while after it was fully gone into Germanie so they kept the name of an Emperour onely for a time but the dignity was decayed in Rome and beganne to flourish in other places After that time Aureolus in the 9. yere of his raigne was likewise slaine by Flauius Claudius a very good Emperour for he recouered againe many things which were gone to decay during the reigne of Licinius and Gallienus he was chosen Caesar by the souldiers created Augustus by the Senate a iust man and fitte to gouerne the weale publike he brought againe the Gothes the Macedonians and the Illyrianes vnder the Romane yoke and wanted but time onely to bring the other countreyes which were lost by his Predecessors vnder the Romanes but he died too timely when he had reigned but 19. moneths after whome succeeded Quintilius brother vnto Claudius and was nominated Emperour by the consent of the souldiers and for that he was a man of singular fobriety worthy to be compared with his brother Claudius he was by the Senate created Augustus and he continued but 17. dayes but he was slaine Eutropius saith that Flauius Claudius the Emperour had a golden Target hanged vp in the Councell house and had also in the capitoll a golden Image set vp for a perpetuall memorie of him and he appointed before he died that Aurelius Valerianus should reigne after him a stout Emperour and one that subdued the Marcomanes which then did spoile waste Millaine and the countreyes about He also subdued the Thracians the Illyrians he ouercame the Gothes and slue their captaine Cannaba beyond the riuer of Danubus After this he commenced wars in the East countreyes where Odenatus king of Palmirea had gotten many prouinces out of the Romanes hands but he was subdued and his wife Zenobia taken prisoner ouer whome Aurelianus the Emperour triumphed and after his triumphes he inuironed the citie with stronger walles he founded a Temple in Rome which he dedicated to the Sunne vpon the which Temple he bestowed an infinite deale of golde and precious stones Aurelianus after he had reigned 6. yeres he was slain through the treason of his own seruants in the mid way betwene Constantinople and Heraclea in a place called Cenophrurium but his death was not vnreuēged after that this Aurelianus was slain Rome was without an Emperor for 7. monethes vntill Annius Tacitus was elected Caesar a man of such good conuersation as was meet to gouern an empire Howbeit he deceased within 6. moneths was by death preuented as his successor Florianus who in like maner as Tacitus raigned but 2. moneths 20. daies died without any mentiō made
mines siluer and gold The length of Spaine from the West into the East is 6000. furlongs the breadth of Spaine is almost 5000. in some place scant three Of the description of Spaine of the aboundance and plentie of things of their cities townes riuers mines lakes mountaines and mounts reade Strabo Pomponius Mela and Iu. Solynus Of the antiquitie of these people and of their first arriuall into Spaine I finde some controuersie and in many things apparant errors Both Plutarch and Liui affirme that in antiquities men may most easily erre specially in these first actions of time when kingdomes first beganne Therefore I beginne from the Centre and ground of all true and perfit Chronicles the 10. of Genesis where we reade of the encrease of mankind after the flood and of the beginning of countreys and cities and here all countreys were deuided one from another in language and in kinred And had not Moses set downe the names of the first princes and their children and the coūtreis and kingdoms by them first inhabited we had bene as blinde men not able to iudge of colours or as they that neuer sawe the Sunne not knowing light frō darknes and they that wander with prophane writers frō Moses and from the prophetical histories shal be in no better case for of necessitie we must be forced to conferre with diuine histories for the certaintie of trueth in many things in the beginnings of kingdoms and countreys for otherwise men do erre most grossely folowing their owne fancies one reprehending another more to encrease cōtrouersies then to finde out the trueth as Appion accuseth Herodot for his meere fables in the history of Egypt and Iosephus reprehendeth Appion for his great lies in the history of the Iewes And here Berosus who setteth downe the first beginning of Spaine and of Chaldea and Syria is of many cried out vpon as a fained and lying Berosus yet many alleadge him and followe him of the best writers as Functius Ruffinus and others Berosus saith the Spaniards tooke their beginning from the Caspians a people in Scythia as the Persians the Phoenices people in Syria Celtes people now of France and the Mores and that is probable for after the flood the arke of Noah resting in Armenia not far frō Scythia after 150. yeres people being then multiplied came from thence to seeke countreys and to inhabite euery coast of the world Chus the father of Nimrod went to Aethiope Mizraim the sonne of Chus went to Egypt possessed about the riuer Nilus Gomerus the eldest sonne of Iaphet into that countrey afterward called Italy and Tubal the fift sonne of Iaphet came into that countrey which is now called Spaine Because I wrote of this in the beginning of euery kingdom I neede not much to speake of them and therfore I wil leaue the sonnes of Sem and the sonnes of Cham in their first possession I wil folow Iaphets sonnes which came here to Europe of whom I haue spokē sauing of Tubal who came into Spaine in the yere after the flood 143. within 12. yeeres after Nimrod began his kingdome in Chaldea within two yeeres after his eldest brother Gomerus came into Italy and 3. yeres before Mizraim which is called Oceanus went to Egypt as Functius setteth it downe in his tables This Tubal began to build and to inhabit first in Celtiberia a countrey in Spaine which is now called Byskay hee made a towne and named it after his owne name Tubal in that Prouince of Spaine which is called Baetica and kept many sheepe and cattel for that they are most necessary for man to liue by both for clothing of the body and for feeding of the belly for in the first beginning of time men were not so ambitious as to aspire great things When Tubal was settled in his owne towne he made lawes for his people to liue by taught the Celtiberians the people named Samotes To Tubal came one Samotes sirnamed Disteltas a most wise man yet not knowen but supposed to be Tubals brother one of Iaphets sonnes yet Moses maketh no mention of him Of the comming of Ianus which Berosus and other affirme to be Iauan frō Phaenicia to Affrica and from Affrica to Celtiberia to his sonnes sonne and with the people which he brought with him to dwel in Celtiberia I referre you to Berosus and to Annius Thus Tubal being 155. yeres old died fiue yeeres before Abraham was borne which was in the 43. yeere of Ninus The people were called Caetubales after Tubals name vntill Iberus time the 2. king of Celtiberia after whose name both the countrey and the people changed as Functius saith other say they were called Iberi of the riuer Iberus but Berosus whō Functius in all this historie doth folow saith of Iberus the king the riuer also was so named and the people that dwelt about the riuer were called Iberi So likewise of Celtiberia some writers affirme that it was so named because it is next to those people of France called Celtes and therefore called Celtiberia and surely the best coniectures in things vnknowen are best to bee allowed This Iberus raigned 37. yeres and died in the 37. yere of Semiramis Queene of Babylon During the life of Tubal Samotes had a sonne called Magus he raigned then ouer the people Celtes where he builded many townes and gouerned the people with care and great diligence Also in the 22 yeere of Semiramis Sabatius Saga after that he came to Italy to old father Ianus and had taught the countreymen tillage and other kinde of husbandrie he sent Sabus to that people which were called Sabines after and continued by that name vntill they were subdued by the Romans In the time of this king Iberus Isis was borne in Egypt the wife of Osiris of whome the Egyptians did glorie much for they found in a pillar of brasse this sentence written of Isis as an Epitaph ouer her graue I am Isis Queene of Egypt wife of great Osiris and mother to great king Orus taught of Mercurius to giue lawes to my people which none shall infringe to inuent the vse of sowing of corne I haue builded the famous citie Bubastia Reioyce Egypt that hath brought vp such a Queene I haue liued with you your Queene and now being dead I am placed among the glittering starres by the name of the starre Canis This monument was of the Egyptians much honoured Now followed in Celtiberia Iubalda the sonne of Iberus and the 3. king of Celtiberia he began his raigne in the yere 1993. after the creation of the world he dwelt hard by the mountaine Iubalda which he named after his owne name This is since called of the Mauritaines Ibiralta and of others corruptly he raigned 66. yeeres of whom nothing is to be written but that he at that time encreased by litle and litle his territories not by the
diuers names and of succession of their kinges Leauing Gomer the eldest sonne of Iaphet with his posterities among them by the name of Cimbri Sicambrians and others I wil speak briefly of their first arriuall frō Scythia of their comming to Germany of their first habitations about the riuer of Rhene and of their continual warres victories in enlarging the territories of their first possession which was but little by many sharpe battels continuall long warres at home and brought all Gallia subiect vnder them which now is the onely flourishing kingdome of the worlde that earst contained many nations by the name of Gallia Cisaphina Transalpina Belgica as now Germania doth is situated betweene the riuer of Rhene the mountains Pyrenaei a fertile a rich coūtrey replenished with plenty of al things wel watred with riuers fountains Solinus writeth that out of Gallia you may trauel to any part of the world the most part of this countrey is nowe called Fraunce of whose description situation other commendations due to that soile of the length bredth and maners of Frenchmen Reade Srabo Pomporius Mela and Solinus As for the originall antiquitie of the people I reade that they are little beholden to them selues either in finding out their antiquities or recording of the same but such fables as their parents yeelded from time to time as the Egyptians did and others which for want of true Histories fill their bookes with fables And for that they were first strangers and foreiners in Gallia comming from Scythia into Germanie where their king named Marcomirus with the most part of his armie was slaine by the Gothes Marcomirus his ◅onne gouerning the rest of the Scythian armie brought his people to the confines of Germanie ad ostia Rheni seeking out voyde places to inhabite to whome in the seuenth yeere of his raigne came 489. thousande moe Scythians and there Marcomirus sonne began a new kingdome possessed many places by force about Rhene and they were called of the Germanes Neumagi at their first dwelling after they were called Sicambri and lastly they were called Franci The Frenchmen were in their first comming to Gallia so tossed and so afflicted for want of dwellings their nomber and multitude was such that of necessitie they were forced to seeke seates to dwell in by the sworde and wonne diuers places about the riuer of Rhene possessed many fertill places in Germanie about Hercinia for Iulius Caesar in his Historie of Fraunce saith Fuit tempus c. There was a time that the Gauls which afterward were called Frenchmen did vanquish the Germanes in warre and for the multitude of their armie wanting places to inhabite they in spite of the Germanes possessed about the riuer of Rhene other places about Witenberge and Boemia And so Liuy affirmeth that the people named then Celtae which are Frenchmen nowe were scattered ouer all Europe and dwelt in Panonia before the Romanes had any being there And so Iustine seemeth to affirme when he had said that 300000 Galatae sought new countries to dwell in naming them Gens aspera bellicosa and the first nation after Hercules that ledde an armie ouer the Alpes at what time they went to Illirica and from thence to Panonia where likewise Appianus doth verifie their comming when Camillus had driuen them and their captaine Brennus from Rome Herodot also doth remember these Scythians how they came to dwell among the Cymbrians and howe their nomber increased It is euident in Polibius Strabo and in Appianus that the inhabitants about Rheni and other places of Germanie called Boios Brenici Tenani and Senoues were Frenchmen but for that nothing is certaine before Augustus time in Germanie as Strabo saith who liued in Augustus time but controuersies are such about the antiquitie which in truth is very ancient and about their names which are many and diuers as Neumagi Marcomanni Franci Salii Cimbri Celtae Galli before they were called Frenchmē that it would be both tedious vnpleasant and also vncertaine for the variety of opinions Leauing therfore the dissension of these writers and the vncertaintie of kingdomes beginning I will briefly speake of Marcomirus the first king of the Frenchmen named yet Neumagi in whose time the countrey of Gallia was sore afflicted for Marcomirus made sharpe warres and died after he had reigned eight and twentie yeres After whom succeeded his sonne Antenor who hauing maried a wife learned and a modest Queene borne in Britaine named Cambra daughter to Bellinus the great after whose name they were called Sicambri which cōtinued vntill Francus time which was the sixtenth king after this Queene Cambra her husband Antenor who reigned in the 91. olympiade at what time the Egyptians reuolted from the Persians in the time of Darius Nothus the sixt king of Persia they were called Sicambri for Galli at that time were not called French but Gaules Of these Pau. Aemylius taketh no notice neither doth Arnoldus Ferronus make any mention two of the chiefe Frnech writers neither the French chronicles but Tritemius is recited by Functius who setteth down what Tritemius thought of the originall of the Frenchmen yet Aemylius affirmeth in that the antiquitie of the Frenchmem is from the Troians At what time Aeneas came from Ilion to Laurentum after the destruction of the Citie one Francus a Captaine of some nomber of Troians came with his companie ad paludem Meotim after whose name they were named Frenchmen but let Tritemius and Paul Aemylius dispute of that matter I will set downe the names of the kings from Marcomirus vntill Francus I will briefly runne ouer the Historie for at the first arriuall ouer of these Scythians into Germanie they inuaded many places and grewe so strong in so many places that they possessed many Cities Townes and Castles that for the space of foure hundred yeeres and more during which time reigned sixteene kings ouer the Sicambrians they had continuall warres one after another vntill Francus time and from Francus againe vntill Faramundus time another foure hundred yeeres and more still in warres of whom Tritemius writeth seuerally and obserueth the like order in his historie of the Kings of France as Suetonius doth for the Emperours of Rome Marcomirus waxed so great that the Romanes had much a doe in his time not onely to keepe those holds which they had but also were constrained to answere these fellowes in Italie for the Sycambrians were so fleshed with diuers victories which they had ouer the Gauls and ouer the Germanes that they were determined to stay no where before they had first destroyed Rome and sacked all Italie The Romanes had thought to see the hardinesse strength of these people to curbe them but perceiuing the multitude to bee such as terrified all Europe and doubting that they should haue the like warres
being most glad thereof accepted the offer and remooued from the riuer of Rhene where they first dwelled after they came out of Scythia vnto the number of 30000 armed men 2686. husbandmen with their wiues and children ouer whom Clodomirus appointed his brother called Genebaldus gouernour vnder the lawe and condicion that Genebaldus and his successours for euer shoulde be subiect to the kings of Fraunce paying yeerely tribute vnto Fraunce and to be readie in any seruice of warre This Countrie was called Menigauia and lyeth about the riuer Meanum and after East Fraunce which in time grewe to be one of the strongest dukedomes in all Fraunce Here Genebaldus reigned quietly 20. yeeres of this king Hunibaldus and Tritemius write at large for I finde that 20. dukes successiuely of one stocke reigned in the dukedome vntill the time of Pipinus which was 414. this is called nowe Franconia Nowe while Genebaldus ruled this part of Fraunce his brother Clodomirus died after whom succeeded his sonne Richimerus and reigned thirteene yeeres at what time Constantinus the great was Emperour of Rome Gebrich king of the Gotes and Visumoar king of the Vandales he in the fourth yeere of his reigne entred into Gallia with an armie of 200000 souldiers wasted spoyled and subdued many places in Gallia hee gaue battell to Tiberiunus the Romane lieutenant and gaue him the ouerthrowe and in the sixth yeere of his reigne Richimerus againe came in armes against the Gaules and Romanes in the which battell in the first time the Romanes were victors but in the seconde time were conquered but in the thirteenth yeere of this kings reigne at what time Constans the eldest sonne of Constantine the great reigned Emperour of Rome Richimerus was slaine in the fielde fighting valiantly against the Gaules and the Romanes After whom Theodomirus came to the gouernment of Fraunce and reigned tenne yeeres during which time he had sundry conflictes with the Romanes but in the tenth yere of his reigne he and his mother Hastila was takē by the Romans put to death After the death of Theodomirus Clogio tooke the gouernment of Fraunce who raigned 18. yeeres and left three sonnes behinde him but I will write of him who succeeded his father which was named Hector sirnamed Degenbart of whom lineally discended king Pipine and Charles the great as Tritemius affirmeth For Marcomirus the sonne of this Degenbart was a very notable souldier and a valiant man and bridled the Romanes 4 yeeres with continuall warres ouer whom hee had diuers victories But one great victorie hee had at Agripina with incredible spoile riches for this Marcomirus was both a luckie name and a great name amongst the Frenchmen In Degenbarts time the Hunnes inuaded the Gothes at what time the Gothes had passed the riuer of Ister inuaded Thracia And the Saxons also inuaded that time the Romane confines for by this time these kingdomes beganne to be mightie and strong in Germanie the kingdom of the Vandols of the Gothes of the Hunnes and of the Longobards At what time Rome beganne to shrinke and to be much defaced of her former dignitie for nowe by litle and litle the Empire yeelded to these West kingdomes vntill the whole Empire was transposed into Germanie But to Marcomirus againe who after he had good successe in many and sundrie battels with the Romanes hee turned his force into Gallia hauing Antenor Priamus Sunno and Genebaldus foure worthie captaines to leade his armie committing seuerall charge to either of them whose prowesse and exploits were such that at that time they wanne and subdued much of the countrey and ioyned the same to the kingdome so that Gallia was daily weakened diminished of her power and Fraunce was strengthened and encreased in greatnesse and force For as I said before the fall of Rome was the rising of Fraunce Nowe after Marcomirus had recouered these townes and countreys which were by his predecessours lost to Maximus and to the Romanes and after hee had done great harme and spoile to the Romanes he was slaine in the fielde valiantly by Valentinianus and his armie after whose death the kingdome of Fraunce was gouerned for the space of 26. yeeres without a king by the states of Fraunce which is called Interregnum During which time Valentinianus the Emperor seeing great oportunitie demaunded of the Frenchmen tribute being due to the Romanes which the Frenchmen denied affirming beside that they would lose both liues and liuings before they would lose their libertie And also boldly againe affirming that they were neuer conquered by the sworde but with deceite By this meanes new warres freshly beganne betweene the Romanes and the Frenchmen This time in Fraunce were appointed two chiefe gouernours called Interreges the one named Dagobertus the other Genebaldus who gouerned discreetely and soberly with the rest of the nobles and Barons of Fraunce for 21. yeeres vntill Faramundus time who then gouerned East Fraunce vnder the kings of Fraunce this was by common consent of the States of Fraunce taken from his dukedome and made king of France in the 299. Olympiad At what time raigned in Rome the Emperour Honorius and Arcadius Emperour at Constantinople and in Persia gouerned Vararanes the fourth of that name and 14. king with whome the Romanes this time had great warres About this time certaine Iewes were banished foorth of Alexandria likewise this time S. Hierome died and Augustine his scholer florished and was made bishop of Hippo in Affrike Thus farre the kings of Fraunce from Francus time continued successiuely after Francus name vntill this Faramundus which was foure hundreth yeeres during which time raigned foure and twenie kings And from Marcomirus the first of them that came out of Scythia vntill Francus time another foure hundreth yeeres so that from the beginning of this nation being by so many names called as the names of the countreys were where they dwelt where eight hundreth yeeres passed before they coulde be called kings of Gallia for all their long warres and continuall battels And for that it may be with more ease knowen how when and where they raigned I will set downe all the names of those kings that raigned from Francus time which was in the time of Pompey the great vntill Faramundus in like sort as I haue layd downe the 16. kings of Sicambria For lineally did 24. kings raigne from the father to the sonne for the space of 404. yeeres euen from Francus vnto Farabertus 12. and from Farabertus to Faramundus 12. which was the first king of all Gallia for as the first name continued after the name of Cambra by the name of Sicambri or Cimbri as the Romans called them vntill Francus time so frō Francus time vnto this Faramūdus time the name of Franci cōtinued so now from Faramundus forward they were named Galli and became the greatest kingdome of Europe especially since the Romane
Empire decayed For as the Romanes were strengthened by the subduing of the Latines and Albanes Crescit Roma Albae ruinis euen so Fraunce became strong by the ruine of Rome 1 After Farabertus succeeded his sonne Sunno and raigned 28. yeeres 2 Hildericus the sonne of Sunno 40. yeeres 3 Batherius the sonne of Hildericus 18. yeeres 4 Clodius the sonne of Batherius 27. yeeres 5 After Clodius succeeded his sonne Walterius and raigned 8. yeeres 6 After Walterius raigned his sonne Dagobertus or Degenbertus 11. yeeres 7 After him his sonne Clogio 2. yeeres 8 After Clogio his brother Clodomirus raigned after him 18. yeeres 9 After Clodomirus his sonne Richimerus raigned 13. yeeres 10 After him raigned Theodomirus 10. yeeres 11 After him raigned Clogio 18. yeeres 11 After Clogio Marcomirus the thirde of that name CHAP. IIII. From Faramundus the first king that had all Fraunce in his hand and from whom all Historians and Chronographers beginne the historie of Fraunce who beganne his raigne in Fraunce in the yeere of our Lord and Sauiour 420 of the lawes gouernment and warres from that time vnto Clodouaeus the first Christian king of Fraunce and so vntill Clodouaeus the second of that name and the 12. king after Faramundus NOw this Faramundus the sonne of Marcomirus the great when hee was made king of Fraunce he cōmitted the charge of his former gouernment which hee had in the East Fraunce to his brother Marcomirus he gouerned the Frenchmen in Gallia 7. yeeres and he augmented the crowne of Fraunce with more territories as Mosellana Augusta and other places He instructed the rude people and brought them from rudenesse to ciuilitie taught them to liue vnder a lawe made decrees and statutes to gouerne his countrey Here the crie of Chronicles for Pau. Aemilius writeth this historie farre otherwise so doeth Langaeus and hee saith that the Frenchmen were named Franci of one Francio the sonne of Hector But the trueth of this historie is found rather in Tritemius and Hunebaldus with whom both Functius and Lazius doe agree In this they agree all that from Faramundus time the kings of Gallia were nombred Iulius Caesar who long serued vnder the Romans in France deuided Gallia into three countreys from the riuer of Rhein vnto the riuer Sequana and that countrey is called Gallia Belgica from the riuer of Sein vnto Garumna that countrey is called Celtica and from Garumna vnto the mountaines Pyrenei which is called Aquitania which was before called Amorica With this Plini doeth accord All these people were in ancient time called Celtae Reade Strabo and Plini in the description of Gallia from mount Pyrenei to the riuer Garumna lieth Aquitania from thence to Sequana dwelt the Celtes and frō thence to the riuer Rhein the Belgians I will passe to the kings who beginne in this Faramundus time to be kings of Gallia after 870. yeeres warres by his predecessors before he raigned seuen yeeres and others affirme 11. yeeres In this Faramundus time the Lawe called Salica was made After whome succeeded Clodius his sonne sirnamed Crinitus or Comatus the second king of all France which was called then Gallia he raigned 28. yeeres and plagued the remnant of the Gaules which dwelt in Gallia vnconquered He gaue diuers sharpe battels to the Romanes and commaunded by an Edict that the Frenchmen should let their beards and the haires of their head grow and so to combe keepe it without cutting because they might bee knowen hereby to be the Frenchmen and to make a difference betwene them and others that dwelled within Gallia wherefore he was sirnamed Clodius Crinitus In the sixt yeere of his raigne he ouercame those people called Senouenses and Aurelionenses which dwelt about Lutetia and ioyned them to the kingdome of Fraunce He likewise in the ninth yeere of his raigne subdued the Saxons the Trentones the Doringes and brought all that part of Fraunce bordering vpon the sea into subiection and in the thirtieth yere of his raigne he also brought Bataui Tungri Menaxij and diuers other people that were cōmorant in the edge of France at what time the Gothes had done great harme in that part of Fraunce called Aquitania and also the Burgundians subdued much in Lugdunum This time the Scots and the Pictes inuaded Britaine and spoiled the countrey and did much harme About this time Atala king of that nation called Hunni in Germanie had much to doe with the Romanes and both gaue and tooke diuers repulses This Clodius when hee had enlarged the kingdome of Fraunce with the most part of Gallia and had raigned twentie yeeres some say 17. yeeres hee died in whose time Valentinianus had married Eudoxia the daughter of Theodosius the Emperour by whom Valentinianus was made Augustus This time Theodosius waged warres against the Vandols who had a king named Giezirichus who had license by Valentinianus to dwel in Affrica who had dwelt there in despite of the Romans for the space of 95. yeeres vntil by Iustinianus the Emperour they were thence expelled and driuen out and at that very time the Hunnes entered and spoiled Thracia and Illyrica and subdued with sword and fire vntill they came to Thermopila Likewise in the foureteenth yeere of this Clodius the Gothes brake their league against Spaine and possessed with the sworde the next territories to Spaine and besieged the citie of Narbon This time Patricius was sent from Celestinus then bishop of Rome to Ireland to instruct the Irishmen in the Christian faith of this Patricke the Irishmen bragge much In the time of this Clodius Vortigerus with the Saxons by deceit and craft inuaded Britaine for hitherto the Britaines kept tacke with the Romanes sometime in warre with them and sometime in peace Reade more of this in Beda This was in the yere after Christ 446 at what time great persecution was in Affrike vnder king Giezirichus the Vandole and the heresie called Eutichiana beganne to rise in Constantinople This time raigned in Persia Vararanes the fift of that name and fifteenth king of Persia. After this time we reade of no mention made of any Olympiad though long before they were little vsed for the Olympiads flourished vntill the time of Lucius Silla the Dictator yet vsed for computation sake but with most absurd and grosse errours both of Zenophon and Thucydides who little vsed them and yet erred in them though they liued and wrote then when the Olympiads most flourished and it made me also oftentimes to auoyd the Olympiads in my histories for that I found great errors in them But I will come to the thirde king of Fraunce Meroueus the sonne of Clodius who succeeded his father and raigned 12. yeeres others say but 10 and so the errour which was in the yeeres of Faramundus is corrected and amended This king lost nothing which his father got He did not onely defend and maintaine all
those countreys and territories which were ioyned to the kingdome of Fraunce by his father but also enlarged the same with the vanquishing and subduing of the Romanes in many places These French people by this time became so strong and so mightie that they were feared of all Northren nations and therefore certaine countreys conspired against them and commenced warre against them as Attila king of the Hunnes who slew his owne brother called Bleda which ioyntly raigned in the kingdome for to haue the sole gouernment with him that time ioyned Vualaricus king of the East Gothes Ardaricus king of Gepida and other nations of the North. These commenced warre vpon Meroueus with fiue hundreth thousand souldiers but he was ayded with Theodoricus king of the Vestgothes and with Aetius the Romane lieutenant And the battaile was terrible and great and endured from Sunne rising to Suune setting where 188. thousande were slaine but the victorie fell to the Frenchmen with great slaughter on either side for in that battaile was slaine Theodoricus king of the Vestgothes whose bodie was brought with great pompe and solemnitie to Tolosa to be buried In the next yeere after this great battaile Attila king of the Hunnes being of the mightiest power and of the greatest force of all Germanie inuaded Italy ouerthrowing and vtterly spoyling all partes and places of Italy where hee came into the harme and spoyle he did was such that Leo the first of that name then Bishop of Rome came in his pontificall robes and met him to whom Attila vsed great reuerence and obtained peace The like is written of the great Alexander who with the like honour reuerenced the high Priest at Hierusalem by whom Alexander was pacified and his warre turned to peace Now after in the eleuenth yere of Meroueus he besieged Augusta the chiefest citie of Treueres which Attila a litle before tooke with the sword and possessed it but recouered into Fraunce againe so that the Frenchmen by this time grewe so great so strong since the time they came first from Scythia into Germanie when they dwelt about the riuer of Rein in those places which are now called Holland Gilderland Cliueland and Frizland that they beganne to aduance themselues and to extol their kingdom aboue the Empire for with continual warres of almost 870. yeeres with the slaughter of many of their kings dukes and barons when they were yet called Sicambri and after Franci and now Galli they became at length so strong that rather the empire was subiect to France then France to the empire For this French nation as I said before behaued themselues so in all places where they dwelt that they would both vse their maners and speach and therefore were they called by so many names as Neumagi Marcomani Sicambri Germani Franci and Galli But this word France was encreased more and more and what victorie or conquest soeuer these kings obtained stil they ioyned it to that part of Fraunce where they first inhabited vntill they had conquered all other names within Gallia to be France and that euen from Francus which raigned but fewe yeeres before our Sauiour Christ. Now after that Merouaeus had raigned 12. yeres he died after whom succeeded his sonne Childericus who after he had raigned king for one yeere hee vsed such an inordinate filthie life and insolencie that he was dispossessed of his kingdome in whose place Egidius a Romane was elected who raigned eight yeeres some say but 3. yeres after But before he went he reposed all his trust in Virodomarus his friend an excellent souldier to whom he gaue halfe a piece of gold kept the other halfe himselfe willing him to beleeue no message without he sawe that halfe piece of golde But reade this historie in Aemilius and you shall finde howe Childericus was by Virodomarus restored to his kingdome againe and how Virodomarus was brought from Turingia with all the nobles of France into his kingdome where Childericus was placed againe in his kingdome being then gone to Bisinus king of Turingia for refuge and succour and with him came from thence Basana the kings daughter some say that she was Bissinus wife the king The histories say that she came and followed after Childericus from her father whom Childericus married and by whom hee got Clodoueus which was the first king that receiued the Christian faith Childericus after his returne to his kingdome remembring the victories and cōquests of his father began valiantly to recouer those places and townes frō the Romans which Egidius while he gouerned Fraunce had willingly lost He layd siege to Coloni◅ and ouerthrew it he remoued Odoacer from Fraunce which hee inuaded with a huge armie and put him to flight and when he had recouered all Fraunce from the Romanes subiection hee appointed lieutenants and generals in euery prouince of Fraunce and left all Fraunce free from the Romanes to his sonne Clodoueus and died when he had raigned 26. yeeres others say 23. yeeres Paul Aemilius affirmeth 30. In the time of this king came Ambrosius Aurelius the Romane and tooke the gouernment of Britaine after 20. conflicts hee was slaine by the English Saxons at what time certaine Britaines sailed ouer and came possessed Aquitania For now raigned in Italy Odoacer Hercules being driuen before out of Fraunce as you heard by Hildericus this Hercules hauing setled him selfe in Italy and assuming there the name of a king the Empire was remoued at that very time into Germany and Rome and all Italy were gouerned by strangers All the West kingdomes were much molested and sore vexed this time for as you heard Vortiger and after Hengistus scattered the Britaines to seeke new dwellings so me into Cambria which is now called Wales where they euer dwelt since that time and some to France which is called in France to this day litle Britaine Againe the Longobards setled themselues about the riuer Danubius and diuers other nations in Germanie and in the West countreys were placed and againe displaced by warre But to Clodoueus the son of Childericus by Basana who came to the kingdome of Fraunce at the age of 21. yeeres and raigned 30. yeeres he liued 15. of them a Pagane vnchristened in the other 15. he was christened and was the first that receiued the Christian faith into Fraunce and also the first king that possessed all Gallia vnder the crowne of Fraunce for in foure great battailes he had these victories The first against the Romanes whose lieutenant was called Siagrius who was taken in the bat◅aile and slaine and the armie of the Romanes put to flight and slaine The second warre was against Gothemarus and Gotegiseleus who before had slaine in warre Chilpericus his wiues father and Sigismundus his wiues vncle this warre Clodoueus tooke in hande at the suite and earnest request of his wife Clotildis for
shee was a Christian who laboured much with the king her husband to become a Christian and with as great care shee dayly solicited the king to reuenge her father and vncles death The thirde warre was against the Almanes at what time he vowed if God would giue him the victorie hee would become a Christian which he performed and obtained the victory and was baptized by Remigius bishop of Rheme The fourth warre was against Alaricus king of the Gothes whom he slew in the fielde and discomfited all his armie By these foure great victories Clodoueus had brought all Gallia to be all Fraunce for during his bastards sonnes time he subdued Turingia and enlarged his countrey from the riuer of Rhein vnto the riuer Sequana Theodoricus being by his father Clodoueus sent as President to Aquitania at what time he brought diuers people by the sworde vnder his fathers subiection as Albios Rhatenes Tolasates and the people called Auerni He subdued Vastonia and other places Reade more of the warres of Clodoueus of his vowes and conuersion to the faith and of his victories in Paul Aemilius and in Tilius who after he had raigned thirtie yeeres he died and was buried in Paris Hitherto reacheth Hunibaldus historie of the antiquitie of Fraunce which he wrote and deuided into 18. bookes conteyning the history of all the kings from the first Marcomirus which came from Scythia vntill the time of Clodoueus death which were 47. kings which raigned by sundry names for the space of 950. yeeres While this Clodoueus raigned the Saracens inuaded Phoenicia Syria and Thracia and did great harme This time raigned in Persia Lambases whom Procopius named Blasen and about this time Anastatius the Emperour builded a most strong citie in Mesopotamia and named it after his owne name Anastasia and walled the citie of Theodocia in Armenia which the Emperour Theodosius had builded In the time of this Clodoueus Arthur raigned in Britaine who did much annoy the Saxons and had if he had long liued restored the Britaines againe to their former libertie But to returne to the successors of Clodoueus who left behinde him foure sonnes Theodoricus Clodomirus Childebertus and Lotharius amongst whom the kingdome of Fraunce was deuided the whole kingdome made a Tetrarchia and so in processe of time the whole kingdome fell to Childebertus hand frō whom the lines of the kings of Fraunce descende vntill Hildericus though some say it doth descend from Lotharius yet raigned these 4. brethren in seueral Prouinces of Fraunce as foure Tetrarches for a time During which time reade Procopius and Paul Aemilius and see the euents of fortune the vncertaintie of states and change of earthly dignitie and how Theodoricus and Clodomirus two of the brethren with all their children died then Childebertus deuided the whole kingdome betweene him and his brother Clotarius In the meane season let vs see what was done in other countreys for while these foure brethren gouerned Fraunce Rome was taken being besieged by the Gothes and destroyed and left desolate by Totila king of the Gothes he also vanquished the Brutians and the Lucans hee tooke Apulia and Calabria and besieged Placentia This warre of the Gothes cōtinued 18. yeeres during which warre raigned 3. kings ouer the Gothes the first Vitiges who destroyed Rome in his time but reedified and builded againe by Belisarius the second king Alaricus who was slaine within few moneths so that the most time of this 18. yeeres were continued vnder Totila who plagued so sore Italy and Rome that after that time Rome was so decayed and possessed with strangers that sooner you should finde in Italy a Germane then a Romane and in Rome it selfe tenne Vandols tenne Gothes or tenne Longobards for one citizen in so much that they were not able to appoint a Consul to gouerne them who had gouerned them for the space of 447. yeres so long the Consuls of Rome gouerned the citie which was vntill the Emperours time and then they gouerned the whole worlde But now not onely the dignitie of Consuls was lost which were of long time languishing and decaying since ciuil warres betwene themselues with persecution of the godly and tyrannie of the wicked Emperors but the name it selfe vtterly perished and quite abolished by those nations of Germanie who were scant knowen in Augustus Caesars time and therefore valeat Roma cum Papa who entred into Rome and tooke possession thereof within 40. yeeres of Clotarius gouernment At what time he erected vp his Papacie in Rome when Mahomet aduaunced vp the kingdome of the Saracens The Pope beganne his Papacie in Rome 14. yeres before Mahomet beganne his kingdome ouer the Saracens in Arabia Nowe a Pope for an Emperour gouerned Rome a prophet for a king raigned in Arabia of whome I spake in the historie of the Church and in the historie of the Saracens And now I will make mention of Iustinianus who gouerned then as Emperour vnder whome Bellisarius annoyed Italy subdued Siracusa and tooke Catina and in the last yeere of his Consulship subdued Sicilia After that he passed into Affrica and deliuered Carthage from the siege of Stoze and appointed one Salomon gouernour ouer the towne This Bellisarius prooued so excellent a captaine vnder Iustinianus the Emperor that he aduanced the name of the empire through his victories gotten in diuers battels that some write that Bellisarius had a triumph graunted him at Rome appointed by the Emp. Iustinian much is writtē of this Bellisarius in the wars called Persicum which Iustinianus begā but Bellisarius ended This Bellisarius toke Catina Siracusa and subdued al Sicilie Rauenna Naples and was made generall vnder Iustinian in the East empire where he merited the name of a good souldier Iustinianus made the 4. bookes of the Institutes and other 50. bookes of ciuill lawe called the Pandects which Tribonianus ended and brought to perfection This time Cosroes king of Persia inuaded Cilicia and Syria he tooke Antiochia and now againe the fourth time after he had concluded peace with Iustinianus he inuaded the territories of the Romanes but he was now driuen thence by Bellisarius at what time Arethus king of the Saracens came and yeelded to Iustinianus both his kingdome and his children Totila king of the Gothes this time gaue an ouerthrow to Demetrius vpon the sea and tooke Neapolis During these 45. yeres Hunni inuaded Europe spoyled and wasted into Bizantium which is Constantinople in Britaine died Arthur the sonne of Vter Pendragon after whome succeeded Constantius a wicked lewde Prince about which time Narses a Persian with a great armie entred into Italie vanquished the Gothes at Tagira and againe the Gothes ouerthrowen by Narses at Necerium and at last driuen out of Italie and their king Totila slayne Thus farre Procopius writeth of the warres of the Gothes Nowe to Clotharius which raigned in Fraunce 5. yeeres after the death
Romane religion and allowing of the dignitie of the Pope into Fraunce for the which Pope Steuen created king Pipine one of the Romane Patricians this king grewe so great in Fraunce that the Saxons sought his friendship promisig to ayde him at all times with three hundred horsemen to any exploite In the time of king Pipine Salim a great Prince of the Saracens with eight hundred thousand Saracens inuaded Cappadocia without any great exployt done this time the Turkes issued foorth of their Caspian holdes and inuaded Armenia and after commenced warre with the Arabians in Fraunce After that Pipinus had quieted the state of Fraunce and was confirmed by the Pope to his kingdome for he was the first that allowed the authoritie of the Pope in Fraunce and after that Thassillo king of Bauaria had yeelded himselfe to the crowne of Fraunce and that the warres of Aquitania was ended when Nauserius their gouernour was slaine by his owne souldiers then Pipinus died after whom succeeded Carolus the great who raigned in Fraunce sixe and fourtie yeeres It is read that in euery countrie or kingdome some men are noted chiefe one excelling another and among these fewe gallant and famous one is euer preferred in all countries of whome they holde and bragge of their antiquitie their lawes kingdoms their chiefe conquests and victories generally they doe attribute to one aboue another as for example here I set downe Among the old Assyrians Nymrodes Belus But specially Ninus Among the old Egyptiās Vexores But specially Sesostris the Hercules of Egypt Among the old Persians Darius Histaspis Artaxerxes Mnemon But especially Cyrus Among the Greekes Miltiades Phocion biades Pelopidas Pericles and diuers others aboue all Themistocles Among the Romanes Titus Manlius Val. Coruinus Coriolanus and Camillus with others yet one Iulius Caesar aboue them all In Spaine Amongst all other iolly fellowes Viriatius most commended of late Charles the fift And so in Fraunce Francus Marcomirus and Pharamundus Yet Charles the great the onely man that aduaunced the name of Fraunce This king after his first entrie into Fraunce tooke Aquitania and Vastonia vnder his hand and after went into Italie being thereto requested by Hadrian then Pope of Rome where he waged sharpe warres with the Longobardes whom he vanquished and quite destroyed both them and their gouernment out of Italie where they reigned 204. yeeres after their first entring into Italie in the which voyage he not only confirmed that which king Pipinus his predecessor had before graunted to the Pope Stephen but also chargeth and cōmandeth that all the rites and ceremonies of the Romane religion shoulde bee vsed and solemnized within all the kingdome of Fraunce After this he returned into Fraunce made a voiage with an army into Spaine and tooke many townes and cities of the Saracens wasted and spoiled and did great harme in Spaine and did the like annoyance after his cōming home into Germanie for he subdued the Saxons and brought the Bohemians vnder the crowne of Fraunce After this hee made warres against the Hunnes which endured well nigh eight yeres This king ended many broiles and quarrels in diuers coūtries and withall hee had so enlarged the kingdome of Fraunce and brought all places and all nations subiect to Fraunce that hee was by his good successe and great victories had ouer diuers regions called Carolus the great and for that the gouernment of Carolus the great was such that almost all the Northwest kingdomes were eyther made fearefull of Fraunce or paying tribute or some seruice to Fraūce so that Carolus by his greatnesse euery where and by his fauour with Pope Leo was by the meanes of Leo created Augustus and made Emperor and the Empire brought from Rome into Fraunce from thence into Germany where it remaineth by the name of the Emperour of Almania the third remoue of the Empire for first frō Rome to Constantinople where it continued for a long time and frō thence remoued to Germany and last into Fraunce I wil set downe the names of all the kings of Fraunce from Clodouaeus the 2. the 12. after Faramundus vntill this Charles the great the 12. king of Gallia as I founde them in Functius and in Beroaldus table for Pharamundus began his reigne in Fraunce in the 299. Olympiad and in the yere of our Sauiour 420. and reigned as here you may reade in this table 1 Clodouaeus 2. reigned after his father 17. yeeres 2 Lotarius 3. succeeded and reigned 4. yeeres 3 Hildericus the 2. reigned 14. yeeres 4 Theodoricus succeeded his brother Lotarius and reigned 14. yeeres 5 Clodouaeus 3. 4. yeres 6 Hildebertussucceded his brother Clodouaeus reigned 18. yeeres 7 Dagobertus the 2. called alsoin Functius Clodouaeus reigned 4. yeeres 8 Lotarius 4. of that name and brother to Dagobertus reigned 7. yeeres 9 Theodoricus surnamed Cala sonne to Dagobertus the 2. reigned 15. yeeres 10 Hildericus surnamed Stupidus 9. yeeres 11 Pipinus surnamed the short came after Hildericus being deposed from his kingdome and reigned 18. CHAP. VI. From Charles the great the onely king of Fraunce in fame of whom all the states of Fraunce holde their lawes monuments and other ceremonies belonging to their inaugurations crowning and their seuerall pompe of his warres and victories against the Saracens of his diuers conquests euery where and of the taking of the Empire into Germany CHarles the great the twentie three king of Fraunce who was made Emperour and created Augustus by Pope Leo and the Empire brought thereby to Fraunce and into Germany for vntill this time the Empire remained in the East part called imperium Orientale which was Constantinople and remoued into Fraunce and Germany where it is called imperium Occidentale Hitherto I haue set downe the names of the kings of Fraūce lineally frō Pharamundus the first king of Gallia which reigned in the yere of Christ our Sauiour 420. vntill Carolus the great the 23. king after Pharamundus who being both Emperour and king gouerned Fraunce fourtie sixe yeeres This succession of kings continued 408. yeeres so that from the first comming of the Frēchmen out of Scythia which was in the 85. Olympiad twētie yeeres before the twentie one Iubilee vntill this Charles the great which was in the 814. yeere of Christ from Marcomirus vnto Francus 106. Olympiad whhich is 424. yeeres during which time they were called Neumagi Marcomanni and after Sicambri vntill Francus from Francus vnto Pharamundus 113. Olympiad which is 452. yeeres during which time they were called Franci from Pharamūdus to Charles the great 393. yeeres at what time they were first called Galli so that from Antenor who maried Cambra the daughter of king Belinus the Britaine vntill Charolus the great are 1270. yeeres By this time the kingdome of Fraunce waxed so mightie that Carolus was made Emperour by Leo the Pope as I said before Nowe Fraunce by meanes of his great fortune fauoured so
Parthia Tiridates Caesars clemencie andiustice Diodo lib. 42. Strabo lib. 11. Iosephus lib. 1. cap. 6. The Medes first by Cyrus vanquished Deiocis the 〈◊〉 king of the Medes Arbase subdued the Assyrians and made them subiect to the Medes Arbaces Bellochus Sosarmus 3. king of the Medes Aristeus 4. king The Parthians were vanquished by the Medes Astiages the last king of Media Iustinus lib. 1. Diodor. lib. 2. cap. 7. Arbases the first gouernor of Media Controuersie of the gouernment of the Medes Sosaramus 2. king of Media Orosius lib. 1. cap. 24. Great warres betweene the Pelopon and the Athenians Romulus borne King of Tyre Menander de bello Salmanasser Dyonisius Hal. lib. 1. Sancherib ouer throwen Cardiceas 4. King of Media Merodach 4. king Manasses a tyrant Lib. 10. ap 1. Dionis lib. 2. Sosarmus Deiocis the 1. king of the Medes Diodorus Siculus lib. 3. Strab. lib. 11. Russâ—… de Medor origine Deioces praised Diodo lib. 1. Herodot lib. 2. The Egyptians The Indians The Persian The Macedonians The Romanes The olde Germanes The seuerall ensignes of kinges and great captaines Watchwords at seâ—…raln 〈◊〉 or â—…eat 〈◊〉 Phaortes slaine at Niniue Phaortes Strabo lib. 11. Ciaxares the sonne of Phaortes and the 7. king of Media Ruffinus de Medorum origine The besieging of Ierusalem by Nabuchodonosor Astiages the 8. and last king of Media Astiages dreame of his daughter Harpagus Mitridates Cyrus brought vp with a poore heardman as his owne childe astyages hath knowledge that Cyrus was not slaine by Harpagus Cyrus is banished from Media vnto Persia. Cyrus is father to Cambyses and not his soane in all writers but in Herodotus Cyrus maketh this force in a readinesse Messengers sent vnto Cyrus Cyrus answere The first battell of Astyages with Cyrus The second ouerthrow of Astiages and the last The last ende of the Medes The riuer Halis The 56. Olympiad Zonar lib. 1. cap. 19. Iosephus lib. 10. cap. 13. Herod lib. 3. zenophon lib. 8. Padago Howe the Medes fed Strabo lib. 11. Of their husbands Herodot lib. 1. cap. 7. Iosephus lib. 1. 14. antiq Zonaras lib. 7. Strabo lib. 13. Plini lib. 5. naâ—… histor Dionysius lib 2. Plâ—…t in Romule The Lydians the Romanes and the Medes beganne to raigne together The Lacedemonians ended their kingdom now Arsidius the first king of Lydia Lydians became idle and slouthfull Budaeus de asse lib. 3. Aliagtes the second king of lydia Warres betwene the Lacedemonians and the Messanians Orosius lib. 1. cap. 21. Herodot lib. 8. in fine Liuius lib. 1. Dionysius 2. The first triumph of Romulus Dionysius lib. 1. The thirde alteration in the gouernment of Athens Decennales principes Meles the third king of Lydia The second triumph of Romulus The third tri umph of Romulus Dionysius lib. 2. Candaules the fourth king of Lydia To bragge of beautie is dangerous The foolishnes of Candaules Two offers vnto Giges Giges the fift king of Lydia Heraclides stocke ended in Candaules the 4. king and coÌ„tinued 502. yeeres heâ—…odot lib. 1. Iustinus lib. 3. Constantinople builded Herodot lib. 2. Dodoneum oraculum at this time The state of Athens againe Ardis the sixt king of Lydia Zaleucus lawe for adulterie A iust king A rare example of iustice Tullus Hostilius triumphed ouer the Fidenans and the vients Herodotus lib. 1. Terpander a famous musition Thales a great Philosopher liued long Dionysus Halica lib. 3. Solinus cap. 2. The Cimmerians subdued by the Scythians Sadaites the 7. king of Lydia Herodotus lib. 1. Ancus Martius the 4. king of Rome Dirachium builded The history of Arion the musition Aulus Gellâ—…us lib. 16. cap. 19. Orthium carmeâ—… 〈◊〉 Arion Herod lib. 1. Arion caried by a Dolphine in the sea Cleonidas Thebâ—…s in Olympiâ—… rictâ—…s The Scythians caused warre betweene the Medes and the Lydians Astiages maried Haliates daughter Heredot lib. 1. Ieremie cap. 44. Ezâ—…chiel cap. 19. The Latins vanquished by the Romans The Sabines ouerthrowen Hetruscans The 7. Sages Alteration in the gouernment of Corinth Polimnestor Millesimus as swift as a hare Solinus cap. 6. Zenophon lib. 8. pediae Ioseph lib. 10. cap. 12. Some controuersie of Ciaxeres An error in Herodotus Niniue taken by Ciaxares Solinus t p. 4. Massilia builded Iustine lib 43. Budae de asse lib. 1. Strabo de moâ—…ibus Gallorum Tarquinius Priscus slaine Cressus the 9. king of Lydia Babylon besieged by Cyrus Babylon taken by Cyrus Balthasar slaine Cressus fled Heredot lib. 1. Sardis taken and Cr. the second time conuâ—…cted Errors in the Olympiads Dyonis lib. 4. Media at this time was made subiect to Persia by Cyrus Lacedemonians and the Argiues A braue combat Herodot lib. 1. Dracos lawes mitigated by Solon Solons lawes of vsurie Melancthon 2. Chron. Thales in Miletum Pithagoras taught in Italie Croesus to SoloÌ„ Lydia did rebell against Cyrus The first conquest of Lydia Croesus fauour with Cyrus The good opinion of Cyrus toward Croesus Cambyses tyran nie to his souldiers Croesus councell to Cambyses Herodo lib. 3. Lydia is made a prouince of Persia by conquest Strabo lib. 15. Pomponius Mela lib. 3. The description of Persia. Alex. lib. 3. cap. 16. The kings of Persia all called Acheminides The Persians called first Cephenes Artaei Perse. The Persians before called Elamites Diodo lib. 13. Iosephus lib. 11. cap. 6. Curtius lib. 5. The wealth of Persia in the time of Cyrus Zenophon Paeda lib. 8. Cyrus began his Empire Fiftie talents are three thou sand crownes Xenophon lib. 2. 3. Paedag. Homotimi Argyraspides Myrmidones Dolopes Cyrus by David instructed Cyrus Swallowesvnlucky birdes Melancthon lib. Chron 2. Diodor. lib. 2. cap. 11. Herodot lib. 1. The first infancie of Greece The death of Cyrus Zenophon lib. 8. Paedago Zonar lib 1. cap. 29. Cambyses the 2. king of Persia Herod lib. 3. Nitetis sent to Cambyses Memphis takeÌ„ by Cambyses Difference betweene the Persians and the Egyptians Strabo lib. 15. The tyrannie of Cambyses The Persians worship the fire Herodot lib. 3. Silla Nouen liales puluâ—…res Genesis 2. 3. Abrahams field for buriall A counterfait Smerdis Cambyses by his owne sword slaine Alex. lib. 3. cap. 26. Oracles are doubtfull Herodot lib. 3. Sisamnis skin Melancthon 2. Chron. His sonne Otanes Two Magi gouerned Persia 7. moneths Herodot lib. 3. What state should gouerne Persia. Otanes for Democratia Megabisus the second for Oligarchia The three monsters of Athens Darius perswasion for a Monarchie Lib. Paedag. Herodotus 3. Cyrus last will A deuise for the ection of a king in Persia. The names of the 7. princes of Persia. Oebarus policie Darius king of Persia. Babylon besieged Zopirus subtiltie Darius saying of Zopirus Cimerians Getes Scythians Persian ambassadors sent to Macedonia A worthie historie of Alexander Amintas sonne Iustinus lib. 7. Herodot 5. Pisistratus Hippias by Darius ayded Melanct. lib. 2 Chron. Herodotus 7. Iustine erred Hipparchus a wise man Aâ—…an lib. 8. Lib. 1. cap. 16. Herodot lib. 7. Melancton lib. 2.
Alex. Opilius Macrinus 24. Marcus Aurelius Heliogabolus 25. Emperour Herod lib. 5. Vnhappy are those empires where tyrants raigne for kings Alex. Seuerus made Emperour at twelue yeres of age Seuerus Court florished with learned men Reade Egnati and Suetonius of this Emperour Maximinius slaine and his sonne Oros lib. 7. Cap. 19. Gordianus 27. Emperour Pupienus and Balbinus two Emperours slaine at Rome in their Palace Eutrop. lib. 9. M. Philip. 28. Emperour Reade Iuli. Capitol of these places Hactenus Iu. Capito Herodianus Oros. lib. 7. cap. 21. Gallus Hostil 30. Emperor Licinius Valerianus 31. Of 30. Emperours not 3. escaped free from murther Tyrannie and murther the cause of destruction Galienus Two Caesars hardly agree in one towne or countrey Sext. Aureliâ—… Eutrop. lib. 8. Galienus read of this more in Trebellius Rome fell to variance in these dayes The glory of Rome decaied Eutrop. lib. 9. Reade Trebellius of the miserable murthering and killing of Romane Emperours Flauius Claudius 32. Emperour Claudius had a golden target set vp in the Councell house Au. Valerianus a stout valiant Emperour Eutrop. lib. 9. Annius Tacitus 34. Florianus 35. Probus 36. Ann. Dom. 279. Read of these Sex Aurelius Victor Oros lib 7. cap. 23. 24. Carinus Numerianus two Caesars Eutrop. lib. 9. Carus stricken withlightning Orosius lib. 7. cap. 22. Carausius held Britaine by force Dioclesia the 38. Emperour Reade An. Victor of this Dioclesian Galerius maried Dioclesians daughter Aurelius victor Reade Oros. lib. 7. cap. 26. The pride of Diocles. Eutrop. lib. 9. Dioclesian canonised The Empire diuided betweene Galerius and Const. Galerius after the death of Const. substituted 2. Caesars vnder him Warre began betweene Maxentius Constantinus Foure Emperours at once in Rome Const. would haue no companion in the Empire Oros. lib. 7. cap. 〈◊〉 The sayings of the old Romanes Cerausius slaine Eutrop. lib. 10. Constantine the great made his three soÌ„ns three Caesars Euselius of CoÌ„stantinus life reade more there Constantinus praysed 318. Bishops in the couÌ„cell at Nice Euseb. Tripa lib. 2. cap. 18. Constantine slaine in Thracia Constans two sonnes slaine Magnentius made Emperour Nepotianus Pau. Oras lib. 7. cap. 29. Eutrop. lib. 10. Eutrop. lib. 10. Sex Aurel. Constantius died and Iulianus made Augustus These florished as chiefe magistrates in Rome at that time Iulianus slaine Iulian likened to M. Antonius Oros. lib. cap. 30. Iouinianus Iouini a good Emperour a fauourer of the Christians Eutrop. lib. 10. Valentianus Reade Oros. lib. 7. cap. 32. The glory of the Empire went by Constantine to Thracia Theodosius Iunior This time began the Vandales the Huns and Longbards their kingdoÌ„s A Pope ruleth Rome in the stead of an Emperour Rome compared to Babylon in greatnes of glorie and pompe Rome was the fourth deuouring and terrible beast that stamped all kingdomes vnder his feete by Daniel expounded The first persecution vnder Tiberius Nero the third Emperour of Rome The first persecution vnder Tib. Nero the thirde Emperour of Rome The Senators of Rome canonized whom they would to be gods The stubborne and rebellious Iewes Philo came to Rome the 2. time in Caligulas raigne Sedition in Alexandria Euseb. lib. 6. Petronius President in Hierusalem Ioseph cap. 15. The Apostles dispersed in to euery countrey to preach More Martyrs then Tyrants The first persecution Simon Magus had his â—…mage set vp with this title Simoni Deo Sancto Euseb. 3. cap. 23. Heretikes are Satans souldiours Acts 11. Euseb. 2. cap. 25. Marke the Euangelist died a martyr vnder Traiane the Emperor Mà thew the Apostle taught and preached in Ethiops Aegyptus a false prophet seduced 30â—…0 Iewes Acts. 21. Paul brought before Felix The second persecution Felix ruled in Iudea Ionathan slaine They fled from Hierusalem to Pella a village beyond Iorden The insolencie of the Iewes Ananias a hie Priest God vseth all things by meanes Titus the scourge of Ierâ—…salem Euseb. 3. cap. 8. Ioseph lib. 6. cap. 31. The 3. persecution Euseb. 3. cap. 29. The fourth persecution in Traianes time Euseb. Eccle. lib. 10. cap. 32. Plini wrote to Traiane Fire and blood the Enfignes of tyrants All the Iewes were driuen out of Egypt The Iewes banished from their countrey by the commandement of Adrian the Emperour Euseb. cap. 6. Hierusalem named Aelia Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 9. Gentiles commended the Christians Menander the Samaritan Simon Magus scholer Three great heretiques Euseb. 4. cap. 15. The fift persecution vnder Antoninus siranmed Verus Anno Christi 170. Godly Martyrs feared nothing Vetius Zacharias Luke 1. The glory of God is in his Saints Euseb. 4. cap. 21. Simon Magus The shifts of Satan is in vaine Eusebius 5. cap. 6. Godly bishops in Ierusalem after Vespatians time During the time of Comodus the Emperour many godly bishops flourished Euseb. 5. cap. 19. Apol. the Philosopher martyred The bishops of Rome in the beginning good constant Martyrs Leonides the father of Origen beheaded Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 1. Eccl. Diuers Martyrs in the time of Origin A good verse for a faire woman Tertulian was in the time of Origen Nicopolis before was called Emaus Metra a priest tortured Appollonia a zealous maid much tormeÌ„ted The infinite number of Martyrs Sauage wilde beasts spared the people of God The multitude of Martyrs The zeale of Martyrs in those dayes Many coÌ„uerted vnto the faith The Iudges were amased to see such coÌ„stancie in the Christians Euseb. 6. cap. 41. and 42. Theophilus Cheremon Origen dyed Many godly and good Byshops Cyprian bishop of Carthage The 8. persecution vnder Valerianus Martyrs encrease in euery countrie The crowne of Martyrs is eternitie The historie of Marinus a Romane knight The new Testament and the naked sword Alexandria a very seditious towne Dionysius A Synod at Rome Samosatenus confuted Persecution slacketh heresie reigned Euseb. cap. 27. Euseb. 8. booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The tyrannie vnder Dicclesiâ—… ouer the martyrs of God Persecution in Egypt 1700. Martyrs in 30. dayes A most vehement persecution The blood of godly Martyrs are precious in the Church of God A rare example in Micomedia Euseb. cap. 6. Courtiers Christians Courtiers Martyred The tyrannie of persecut oÌ„ All prisons in Townes and Cities full of Christians Perillus schollers inuent tortures to destroy Christians In Dioclesians time hell was opened to let the furies out Maximinus Tenth persecution 1700. Christians Martyred Maximinus sicke The tyrannie of this time might well be compared to the rage of Pharao ouer the Israelites The great clemencie of Constantine the great towards the ChristiaÌ„s Const. caused a Synod at Rome Licinius persecuted the Christians Licinius tyraÌ„nie against the Christians Rufinus lib. 2. cap. 8. Constantine the great compared to Cyrus and to Alex. Sozomenus 2. cap. 2. The Oke of Mambre Herma Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 3. Athanasius by the Arrians persecuted The Armenians and the Indians became Christians The Sunne worshipped in Persia. Pusices Zozam lib. 2. cap. 12. 250. Bishops executed by Sapores who reigned 70. yeeres These
Aemil. l. b. 2. Clotarius the 3. of that name Eâ—…l de reg FraÌ„c Theodoricus by Bodillus slaine in hunting The Saracens held warres in diuers countries Clodouaeus Hildebertus Reade Tilius chron de reg Franc. Chilâ—…ericus by the aide of Martellu was crowned king of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cala. 20. Gizid The Saracâ—…ns by cold and hunger driueÌ„ from Constantinople The gouernment of exarchie in Italie altered Beda this time liued Ceolulphus became a Moncke Edo and Abdimarus two kings of the Saracens Hildericus surnamed Stupidus Martellus died Pipinus the first anointed Salim The Popes authoritie first alowed in Fraunce Reade Pau. Aemilius lib. 3. of Charles the great Charles the great aduanced the fame of Fraunce I folowed in al points Paul Aenâ—…lius from PharamuÌ„dus vntil Henry the first and from theÌ„ce I folowed Arnol. Fernonus vnto Lewes the 12. the two onely best writers of the French The empire of Rome brought to Fraunce by Charles the great Though Clodouaeus the 2. of that name be the 12. king in number after Pharamundus yet because of the diuision of the histoâ—…e I begin froÌ„ him as from the first vnto Charles the great From Pharamundus to Clodouaeus the 2. and from him to Charles the great I vse not these Olympiads for any iust nuÌ„ber of yeeres for that there was error in them Charles the great made Emperour of Rome Popes florished after the Emperours The greatnes of the Popes of Rome The kingdoms of the North began now to flourish Beroaldus lib. 4. Gaul grekes Lodouicus pius succeeded his father Charles the great both in the kingdome and in the Empire Tilius de reg Francor The great slaughter in the ciuil warrs of Fraunce betweene brethren were such that all Carolus stocke was welnigh extinguished Carolus Caluus Lewes sirnamed Balbus Lewes the third and Carolomanus the 27. Carolus sirnamed Crassus the 28. Odo the 29. Carolus Simplex Lewes the 12. I follow Tilius table chiefly in setting downe the kings of France The kingdom of Polonia Reade Aemil. lib. 1. Hugo Capetus the first king of those that were naturally borne Galli 10. Tilius de reg Franc. Hierusalem called the Holy land Both Functius Beroaldus and Tilius agree in placing these kings in this sort The house of Valloys began I haue followed Paulus Aemilius and Alâ—… Ferranus since Faramundus vnto Lewes the 12. and haue also coÌ„ferred both them with Tilius Chron. Before Faramundus by Tritemius Sempron de Ital. Fabius Pictor de aureo seculo Mar. Cato de originibus Berosus and Manethon wrote vnknowen histories Talmudists fabulous The priestes of Egypt Mithici No prophane writers known before Cyrus time The vncertaintie of prophane histories Daniel a true Chronographer for the 3. last Monarchies The Greekes histories more fabulous then the Latines Fab. Pictor de orig M. Cato de orâ—…g Ital. Semp. de diu Ital. Myrsilus de bello Pelasgico Halicar lib. 1. Contention betweene the Scythians and the Egyptians Pythagoras authoritie with his schollers was no more but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Picts inuaded Britaine Pont. Virunnius Brutus from Italie Ianus from Chaldea Marcomirus from Scythia Albalonga builded by Ascanius Reade Dyonis Halicar of this historie lib. 1. Halic lib. 1. Origo Romani imperij Aeneas M. Cato de frag origo The Romanes come fromthe Troians Romanes not knowen to the Grecians before Alex. time nei ther the Grecians to the Persians vntill Xerxe time Strab. lib. 15. Berosus Ctesias Manethon Ioseph lib. cont App. on The proofe of Brutus coÌ„ming into Albion more plaine then of Francus into Fraunce or of Hispanus into Hispaine Reade Annius de frag Hispaniae of the sundry names of Hispaniards The Britaines neuer chaÌ„ged their names The diuers sundry names of the French men The Persians and the Egyptians were by diuers names called Britaine diuided for 50. yeeres into foure kingdoms From Elidurus vnto Belinus the great 185. yeeres Androgeus the onely cause of Caesars victorie The kings of Britaine continued 1800. yeeres Iu Caesars stock proceeded froÌ„ gens Iulia. Augusts Caesar desirous to knowe his genealogie Dardanus married the daugh ter of Teucer The successions of all the kings that reigned in Troy Dionys. Halicar lib. 2. Aeneas maried Latinus daugh ter Dionys Halycar Annius M. Coruinus set downe these kings in this sott Augustus Caesar lineally proceeded from Aeneas Dionys. Halicar lib. 〈◊〉 Diodor. lib. 2. Strab. lib. 4. Talmudists Gymnosophists Druydes Turdetani Bardi Belinus the great Rodericus the great Leoninus the great
last by the Romans Cornelius Festus Sillas sonne and Furus Centurio entred first the Citie and after the whole Romane armie rushed in and slew 22. thousand Iewes spared the temple and the sacred treasures therein defiled not the Sanctuarie neither touched Pompey the golden table neither tooke away with him one penie of the 2000. talents which was the treasure of the temple But Crassus in short time after going against the Parthians in his voyage spared neither treasure nor the temple Ierusalem was builded in Iudea by Sem the sonne of Noah and was by him first named Solima or Salem a citie most famous and the soile it selfe most fertile and so by God blessed and preserued from the first building in the time of Sem vnto the last ouerthrowe of the same by Titus the Romane Emperour being 2177. yeeres Iosephus doeth describe the situation and building of this towne that it was builded vpon two hilles the one hill higher then the other Dauid the first king of the tribe of Iuda in whose time for that he fortified the higher hill after his dayes it was called Castellum Dauid the lower hil was called Acra ouer against this hil Acra they began afterwards to drawe another hill to enlarge this citie and to ioyne the temple within the same for the temple was builded on a hard high rocke for that it might the better be seene that the state and magnificence thereof might be beholden and seene aboue the towne and aboue the high towres of the walles for Hierusalem was compassed with three seuerall walles fronted one against another with such high strong towers that some of them were 70. cubites higher then the walles as the tower called Psephina likewise the tower of Hippicos was fourescore and fiue cubites high The second towre called Phasaelis after Herods brothers name was fourescore and tenne cubites high the thirde named after his wiues name Mariannes which farre excelled the rest whose large descriptions you shall reade in Iosephus a Iewe borne and brought vp in Ierusalem vntil the destruction thereof where he was taken prisoner by Titus there it is set forth to the ful the situation of the citie the beautie of the temple the strength of the walles the height and largenesse of the towres the port and state of the gates the full description of the foure hilles which Hierusalem was builded on and other things which now I omit for the circuite of Hierusalems walles was no more but thirtie and nine furlongs This towne was nothing like in bignesse to Babylon or to Niniue but farre greater in fame and in victories for Hierusalem had triumphed and sawe the ende and last destruction of the Caldeans Assyrians Egyptians Arabians and Persians for litle Iudea endured the force and power of the three first Monarchies which was the Assyrians the Persians and the Grecians though it was before conquered fiue seuerall times by the iust iudgement of God for their transgression and sinne yet by the mercie of God saued and preserued as is before mentioned vntil thirtie eight yeres after Christs death All that while that they serued God and followed the steppes of their forefathers I meane Abraham Isaac Iaacob Daniel Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias they preuailed against all nations they conquered all Countreys and brought all the kingdomes of the worlde to admire their vertues to feare their force and to seeke fauour and friendship at their handes though they were sometime touched for their stiffenecked stubbernes and too much iniquities as in Egypt in the wildernes and after they had possessed the land of Promes for still they offended the Lorde for the which these seuerall fiue conquests were had ouer them The first was by Nabuchodonosor the great king of Babylon the second by Asocheus king of Egypt the thirde time by Antiochus the great king of Syria the fourth by Pompeius the great and the fift and last was by Titus Vespatian In the which last subuersion and ouerthrowe of Hierusalem wee reade in Iosephus being then a present souldier in the warres the calamities and great miseries that then fel on the citie of Ierusalem and on the inhabitants thereof Their hunger and famine was so great that one did eate an others vomite the fathers did eate their children and the mothers fed on their owne babes in the cradle in so much that stinking carions and dead bodies which died for hunger in the streete was meate of great daintines in Ierusalem They were constrained to eate beastes dung dried leather girdles shoes and skinnes which couered their shields yea they sought their foode in Iakeses many slewe and butchered one another in the citie Besides this the plague was so hote amongst them that lodgings houses temples and all the streetes in Ierusalem were filled with dead bodies The slaughter was such as within 18. moneths siege 110000. were slaine within the citie and most of them strangers and Gentiles which came vp to the feast according to the custome of the Iewes where suddenly they were taken and besieged you must thinke by famine and by the sword During which time 97000. were taken prisoners and captiues there were found of the Iewes in priuies and Iakeses and hiding themselues in caues sinkes and holes of the earth aboue 2000. Some sent of these to the nomber of 70. thousand to Egypt as bond slaues there to moile like beastes in intollerable toile some solde more cheape then dogs for Egesippus witnesseth that 30. Iewes were solde for a penie and those were yong boyes vnder sixteene yeeres OF THE FIRST ORIGInall of the CHALDEANS first called Arphaxades after the name of Arphaxad the thirde sonne of SEM which was the first kingdome of the world of their continuance gouernment and last destruction by Darius Medius and Cyrus NOw hauing ended the historie of the Hebrewes the posteritie of Arphaxad the thirde sonne of Sem I will followe Assur the second sonne of Sem who builded Niniue from whom and after whose name the Assyrians are called whose history I haue now in hand In the hundreth thirtie and one yeere after the flood when people had multiplied in the land of Shinear olde Noah taught the people to seeke new seates and dwellings instructed the newe worlde the first age after the flood in the course of the Sunne the Moone and the starres and in all other things wherein Noah was most perfite hee declared to his people what he knewe and sawe in the first age and deuided the world into three parts Asia Africke and Europe and sent his sonnes to seeke aduentures Cham he sent to Egypt and to Africke with his company Sem to Asia and Iaphet with his people to Europe of whom I will speake where their historie is handled Now I will begin the historie of the Chaldeans who after that the people were dispersed at the building of Babel and had scattered into euery partes of the worlde were the first that