in those countries destributing unto every number certaine quarters to remaine in and after this time in short space many countries were againe reinhabited and peopled afresh which since the floud were desolat and lay naked and depopulat About the one and twentieth yeare of this his returne from the above written voyage Noe began to divide kingdomes also to erect monarchies in the world of which the first was the monarchie of Babylon over the which Nembroth the Giant the sonne of his nephew Cus who was the sonne of Cham was first of all established in the hundred and one and thirtieth year after the inundation and hee was called the first Saturne or king over the Babylonians and Assyrians who afterward in a faire Campania called Sennaar laid the foundation and erected the great tower and citie of Babell which he had caused to be built even to the height of the highest mountaines but after by the confusion of languages it was given over and left unfinished Nembroth after this lived in peace and tranquilitie 56 yeares Not many years after the setting up of the monarchie of Babylon Noe divided foure particular kingdomes in Europe viz. the kingdome of Italie Spain Fraunce and of Almaigne for in Italie raigned Comerus Gallus the eldest sonne of Iaphet in Spaine ruled Tuball called also Iuball the fifteenth sonne of Iaphet in Fraunce Samothes surnamed Dis Iaphets fourth sonne and over Almaign now called Germanie governed the Giant Tuyscon one of the sonnes of Noe. And so likewise in many other places of the world were severall governements and kingdomes then erected which now to recite were tedious and impertinent to our purpose every one of them a long time kept and were contented with their quarters so allotted unto them and imposed lawes and edicts unto their people and they called the countrey after their own name as also many mountaines rivers and townes were so entearmed to the end that all succeeding posteritie might know by what meanes and by whome such citties and other monuments receaved their first ground and foundation After these kingdomes and governements erected and the earth now againe well peopled Noe now undertaketh his second voiage into Europe leaving Sabatius Saga his nephew and brother to Nembroth king of Babylon to governe and commaund over the countrey of Armenia from whence hee now departeth with purpose to visit his children and to know of their estates And this Sabatius Saga called also Saturne had all the countrey even unto the land of Bactria lying towards India at this day called Tartaria under his rule and authoritie These things at home thus established Noe surnamed Ianus with his wife Titea and many multitudes of people besides began his voyage which was eight score and nine yeares after the floud and in the eight and thirtieth yeare of the raigne of Nembroth towards Hyrcania which he then peopled and called them after his owne name Ianij From thence he came to Mesopotamia where also he left behind him many people to inhabit and from thence he attained the countrey called Arabia Foelix where he erected two citties the one called Noa the other Ianinea furnishing them with inhabitants after hee passed from thence and came into Affrica which part of the world hee first assigned unto the governement and soveraignetie of his second sonne Cham but at that time there ruled Triton the sonne of Saba which was the son of Cus the eldest sonne of the same Cham. This Triton receaved Noe and his companie with great joy and gladnesse of hart and he staied there some halfe a year in which time Triton died and left his sonne Hammon inheritour to the kingdome of Affrica otherwise called Lybia After this Noe passed forward and at the length arrived in Spaine which was two hundred fiftie nine yeares after the floud and in the tenth yeare of the raigne of Ninus the third king of Babylon Iuball or Tuball the fift son of Iaphet and the first king of Spaine as all hystories do affirme received his grandfather Noe Ianus and his grandmother Tytea with honorable entertainement and all gladsome willingnesse who also were exceeding joyfull to see the prosperous estate of their nephew Iuball for so much as they found that hee governed his people with great justice policie and good lawes as Berosus in a certaine place alleadgeth saying Anno Nini quarto Tuyscon gigas Sarmatas legibus format apud Rhenum Idipsum agit Iubal apud Celtiberos hoc est Hispanos Samothes apud Celtas Noe therefore to helpe his nephew for the better peopling of his countrey founded there two great citties calling the one Noela and the other Noegla in remembrance and honour of those his two faire daughters so called beeing the wives of Iaphet and Cham after this departed for Italie to his nephew or grand child Comerus Gallus the first sonne of Iaphet whom before he had appointed to bee king of that countrey In this voyage and in his remaine in Spaine were spent nine yeares Now it is not written whether he went this journey into Italie by land or sea notwithstanding it is very likely and agreeth with good probabilitie that in this his voyage he would not passe by without visiting the wise prince his nephew Samothes the brother of Iuball king of Spaine who was by his appointment created the first king of Fraunce as is before touched and hee had raigned about this time sixe score yeares and lived after this in peace and tranquillitie five and thirtie yeares and upward The second time of the comming of Ianus thus into Italie was in the time of his age eight hundred and threescore yeares and now eight score since his last departure from thence where thinking to find Comerus Gallus hee now understood that he was dead and that his son Cham contrarie to the appointment of Noe not contented with the soveraigne domination of Affrica had there wrongfully usurped the siegnorie of Italie and had now commaunded over that countrey five and twentie yeares or therabouts and which was worse as all the other kings in Europe had instructed and governed their people in civilitie manners and education hee contrarie to such their good examples had most abhominably corrupted the youth of Italie with all manner of impieties vices and odious sinnes which he with the helpe of those people called Aborigines which he brought along with him to people the countrey made them to embrace entertain and live in Noe upon the knowledge of this waxt marvellous heavie and discontent as sorrowing for the ungodlinesse of his owne sonne and suffered him thus for the space of three years to continue therin hoping dayly to see some amendment or other in him but finding him to persever therin and rather to encrease in it than otherwise hee banisht him with a certaine number of people with him from out the confines of Italie from whence departed hee arrived in the Island of Sicilia where hee with his companie long after
writ many bookes and hee was called generally throughout the world Cam Esenuus id est Cam infamis impudicus propagator Some have thought That the Turke for those and such like causes is called in his letters patents le grand Cam de Tartaria It is written That Cham had one sister which was called Rhea maried to Hammon king of Lybia who also was enamoured of one other faire woman called Almanthea and had of her by adulterous meanes a son whose name afterwards was Dionysius which child was secretly broght up and nourished in a certaine citie of Arabia called Nysa notwithstanding the matter was not so closely cunningly handled but his wife Rhea had privie advertisements thereof Whereupon in despight and jealous discontent she forsooke her husband and went home to her brother Cham then abiding in the Island of Sicilia who presently maried and espoused her and as some writers hold his wife Noegla being alive but of this other he afterwards got many children as Cus the father of Nembroth the first king of Babylon Typhon the gyant and also many others Cham and his owne sister Rhea thus maried together they consulted and advised to be revenged of king Hammon of Lybia and to that effect raised a great armie of men and with the assistance and helpe of their brothers the sixteene gyants they set forwards from Sycilia and in the end arrived within the territories and confines of Lybia where they gave king Hammon battell and in the field overthrew and vanquisht him so that he was glad to flie into the Isle of Crete now called Candia not long after this Rhea had a sonne of her husband Cham called Osyris afterwards surnamed Iupiter Iustus who prooved a most noble and gallant prince far differing from the wicked humors and dispositions of his father After this about the three and fortieth yeare of the raigne of Nynus king of Babylon Dionysius the sonne of king Hammon and of the faire Almanthea now beeing come to age and of mans estate began now to think upon the wrong offered unto his father by Cham Rhea in usurping the commaund of Lybia and determined accordingly to bee revenged upon them which also hee afterwards performed and expulst them againe out of the countrey investing himselfe in the regaltie thereof Notwithstanding he used Osyris the yong sonne of Cham and Rhea with great clemencie and mercie and receaved him as his adopted child and in remembrance of his father called him also Hammon and Iupiter and brought him up very carefully in the studie of letters and other necessarie gifts over whom he appointed as schoolmaister and tutor a learned man called Olympus of whom afterwards Osyris took his name and was surnamed Olympicus After that Cham and his wife and sister Rhea were thus discomfited and overthrowne by Dionysius the new king of Lybia and now retired with such disgrace into the furthermost and obscurest corners of Aegypt Rhea was presently upon this delivered of a daughter called Iuno which was also called Isis the Great and this was in the first yeare of the raigne of Semyramis which was three hundred and two yeares after the floud and this Isis was accounted for the fairest as also the best disposed ladie of the world But her unfortunat wicked father Cham now remaining in Aegypt as hath beene alreadie specified was not contented with such his habitation there but seeking further as over ambitiously enclined arrived in the countrey of Bactria not far from Persia where he so wrought and prevailed with his diabolicall skill of Negromancie that he subjugated and brought under all those people thereabouts insomuch as hee there raigned in great puissance pride and mightinesse and yet not with this satisfied gathereth great troupes and armies of men and invadeth the Assyrians against whome marcheth their king called Nynus the young the sonne of the before mentioned Semyramis whose fortune was such as hee victoriously triumphed over his enemy Cham suppressing his glory rule and haughtinesse he himselfe being in that battell slaine and all the armie shamefully discomfited Many writers have affirmed That this Cham was a man of singular ingenuitie and sharpe capacitie and that hee first found out the seven liberall Sciences and had wrote many bookes of great worth among which his cheefest were of Negromancie of which most part of them were burned by the beforesaid Nynus Some also say That hee onely in the world came out of his mothers womb laughing and with a smiling countenance which is an uncouth thing and as most hold prognosticating no good Vnto this Cham Tiphon the Gyant his eldest sonne by Noegla was heire and also succeeded him in humors and malicious dispositions who was brought up in Aegypt there continued And now also it shall bee fit to revert our hystorie unto the two yongest children of Cham Zoroastes which excelled in all good parts and vertuous inclination as their father abounded in the contrary that was that Osyris before spoken of the adopted sonne of Dionysius king of Lybia and Isis his sister the fairest best accomplisht damosell in the world whom afterward he tooke to wife and maried with whome hee had also the kingdome and principalitie of Aegypt These two now newly espoused he being of threescore yeares of age and shee about fiftie and yet our author Berosus tearms them very youthfull began to applie themselves to the studie of the nature of hearbes and to the finding out of planting tilling and sowing of corne which afterwards they instructed their people in and shewed the use to their neighbors dwelling in Palestina of which ruled king and governour Sem surnamed Melchisedech who was the first that ever offered bread and wine unto God From thence Osyris passed into Aegypt and there also very painefully shewed them the manner of tilling and agriculture as likewise the Poet Tibullus speaketh of Tibullus saying Primus aratra manu solerti fecit Osyris Et tenerum ferro sollicitavit humum Afterward he travelled into many other countries alwaies learning them then living by acornes nuts and water in the knowledge of such his new invention and by these gentle and mild courses hee gained the love of all people and by that meanes almost possest himselfe of all the world with the regalities and principalities thereof the Empire of Babylon onely excepted whose conquests victories prevailements and powers we wil something more amplie hereafter remember following as wel our owne authour Berosus as also Diodorus Siculus the learned Catasthenes and many other authenticke authors herein in their bookes and writings of matters of elder times and subiects of antiquity Osyris therfore surnamed Iupiter Iustus having by his wife and sister Isis otherwise called Iuno and also of many other ladies which here shal bee needlesse to recite many children as Hercules the great Anubis Macedon Lidus Meon Neptune Oros and also many others hee assembleth a mightie armie of all sorts of people both puissant and
battell utterly subdue them which victorie was atchieved hard by the river Oris in Arabia and in the same place where Osyris himselfe slew the mightie Gyant and tyrant Antheus The world being thus delivered of the perverse generation of Cham Isis remained a peacefull and secure governesse and queene over Aegypt which shee compassed as well by her owne pollicies and devises as by the valour and hardie prowesse of her children of which the cheefest and most valiant was called Hercules of Lybia of whome now withdrawing my pen for a while to speake further of Isis I will more amply entreat Hercules therefore the most valourous and courageous young prince after hee had by this meanes revenged the death of his father Osyris upon his uncle Typhon and the rest of his associates began now to have a feeling of this owne power and vigour and undertaketh many most tedious voyages to scour all places of the world from the tyrannie and oppression of such inhumane and impious tyrants and first he passed through the province of Phoenicia where he slew the tyrant Busyris the sonne of him whom Osyris before had slaine From thence he went into Phrygia where Troy afterward was built and there overcame the young tyrant Tipheus and he gave the governement of that country to his own son Athus which he begat of a ladie called Omphale as hereafter shall bee declared Likewise he vanquisht the Gyant Mylinus the younger king of the Island of Candia and from thence hee came into Affrica since called Barbaria of which hee named most part of it Lybia after his owne name which before was called Phutea and there in memory of his conquests hee erected a columne and stately pinacle From hence passing through the streights of Gibraltar hee arrived in Spaine where upon his first landing hee fought bodie to bodie against the three Gerions which were brothers and joint commaunders and kings of Spaine those also hee overcame and slew and created his sonne Hispalus king and ruler of that countrey which was now the ninth king thereof and of whom the citie Hispalis now called Sivile in Spaine tooke her name and was so called After this Hercules determined to make a journey into Italie there also to purchase further fame and reputation by suppressing the tyrannie of those that there then lived according to their owne will power and mightinesse In this his jorney towards Italie by land he passeth through the kingdome called Regnum Celticum then called also Gaule and at this day is knowne and nominated by the name of Fraunce of the antiquitie of which countrey before wee come to speake of his arrivall in Italie having so fit occasion we will in this place something remember First therefore we must find out and know in what time and in what age this famous Hercules of Lybia passed through the countrey in this his journey for so much as it is not written of any certainetie or by any authenticke author That hee ever journeied through this kingdome before although some doe hold That hee went that way into Spaine with his father Iupiter surnamed Iustus in the reigne of Lucus the eight king of Gaule as hath been before somewhat commemorated and this matter may bee easily and evidently discovered by comparing the times wherein Hispalus was established and made king of Spain with those succeeding of which Johannes Annius Iohannes Annius of Viterbe a most excellent writer diligent Hystoriographer in his Chronicles of Spaine sayth That the same Hispalus was crowned and invested in the kingdome of Spaine by his father Hercules in the six and thirtieth yeare of Baleus the second of that name the eleventh king of Babylonia which was after the floud five hundred fourescore and ten years before the foundation of Troy two hundred threescore and one and before the incarnation of Christ a thousand seven hundred and seven and twenty for Hercules was born presently after the death of Ninus the third king of Babylon from whose death unto the six and thirtieth yeare of Baleus the eleventh king were just two hundred fourescore and ten yeares so that by this meanes it may clearely bee perceived in what time and in what age this Lybian Hercules so arrived in Gaule being presently after the coronation of his sonne Hispalus in Spaine At this very time therefore of his comming into Gaule which wee will now hereafter call Fraunce reigned and governed in that countrey as their king and commander one called by the name of Iupiter Celtes the sonne of king Lucus whom before we a little touched who exceeded all others in riches in those dayes and was marvellous wealthie in sheepe in cattell and in pasturage which were all the goods and possessions that princes in those times abounded in in that countrey for then silver or gold was not there known jewels and rare stones were disesteemed no tributes were paied no taxes or impositions laid upon the subjects all things without deceit art or any villanous invention of mans braine were peaceably enjoyed And to confirme this their ignorance of silver and such mettals Diodorus Siculus thus sayth That the sheepheards of this king Iupiter Celtes attending their flockes on the top of those mountaines which devide the kingdome of Fraunce from that of Spaine called Pyrenci espied on the suddain on the one side of the furthermost hils certaine liquid moisture to run downe in hastie streames into the vallies below and at the higher part of that mountaine certaine flames of fire in most furious manner to shew themselves in so much that very hard rockes and stonie substances on that mountaine were dissolved and were melted with the extremitie of the heat and riscaldation of those fires which also ceased not but continued in that strange maner many moneths together The silly and simple understanding of these sheepeheards by no meanes assumed any apprehension of this so straunge working of nature but entertained it as a matter exceeding their capacitie and reach of judgement and therefore passed it over with the lesser woonder in that they acknowledged in themselves so deepe an imperfection and want of knowledge But it so fortuned That certaine merchants of Phoenicia travelling along those coasts and perceiving that that mettal must needs be good which so distilled and tumbled downe from the tops of those mountains being as many old writers alleadge the mettall of silver began to feele the dispositions of those all ignorant sheepeheards and to come to some composition and friendly tearmes for exchaunge of some wares they had with that mettall which those hils in that plentie so affourded and yeelded forth The poore sheepeheards as I told you before not capable of the true value thereof for matters of very little worth which those merchants then had exchaunged the one for the other without any suspect of disadvantage or ill bargaine on their sides and therupon the Phoenicians laded and fraughted their ships then abiding in a port or haven not farre
or neare thereabouts as most writers and Cronographers of Spaine doe agree And in this kings raigne about the nineteenth yeare thereof as is before written arrived Hercules in that countrey now very aged and of many yeares where hee continued three yeares with his nephew without any command or place in as great content ease and quiet as might bee for hee had now given over the desire of rule and principalitie and gloried in nothing so much as that he by his owne valour prowesse and labours had conquered such gallant countries to dispose of as hee himselfe thought good and to give to his children to enjoy as their rightful inheritances for indeed hee was the Monarch and prince almost of all the world and had attained unto such his height of glorie and fame not by oppressions tyrannie or unlawfulnesse but by the subduing of wicked and ungodly gyants the deposing of all usurpers and bloudie governours by the abolishing and rooting out of all divellish and inhumane customes then observed in those daies among the poore and faith-wanting vulgars in those times of error In these his times of privatenesse and retired living which he spent in Spain he builded and caused to bee erected many great townes citties and villages for which cause the people of that countrey still call him Hercules the builder Besides this also hee gave and addicted himselfe to the finding out of the natures of strange hearbs and to the studie of Astronomie and the Magicke art where in he wondrous deeply was seene and excellently well read but hee never applied the use thereof but unto the good and generall commoditie of the countrey Hee found out many remedies and enchauntments against the poyson of serpents and many other venomous beasts then abounding in that countrie in great plentie and by which the inhabitants before were greevously molested and exceedingly troubled Hee also performed there many other memorable things of great worth value and import as Higinus and many other very learned writers doe affirme Not long after his nephew Hispanus king of Spaine died without issue left none of his owne bloud to inherite the kingdome after him whereupon by the generall entreatie of all the whole land and by publicke consent the command and government of that countrey was imposed upon Hercules whome the people for his vertues faire demeanures and good government did indeed very highly affect and reverence and here having so fit an occasion to speake of the originall and antiquitie of this countrey of Spaine wee will for a while leave him undertaking the charge once again and the commaund and governement thereof and we will begin with the first king of Spaine and so by succession and lineall descent from one to another as far as Berosus Eusebius Solynus and Diodorus Siculus have proceeded therein and untill wee come to the raigne of this Hercules The very first inhabitation and peopling of this countrey of Spaine was by those people that came from the other side of the Caspian sea called Iberi Persae Phenices and Paeni as Plinie in the third booke of his naturall hystorie doth alleadge as also Marcus Varro and Cato in his originals doe affirme the same wholly condemning the Grecians of vaine glorie and ignorance to write that Hercules Pirenes Lusus and Pan were the first that ever inhabited in this countrey but of the colonies therefore of those people before mentioned it is very certain that Spaine took first her originall as also those other Islands round about is called Sicilia Corsica Sardinia and Baleares and the Island Corsica was so called of the people Corsi which the Grecians tearme Cyrnum or Cyrum but the Persians and Hebrewes Corsum and after these people the Gothes and Alani came and lived in Spaine long time and continued for the most part of them untill this very present wherein wee now live from whome and from the rest before mentioned it is delivered for certaine by many auncient grave and learned writers this countrey of Spain deriveth her first beginning and principall foundation S. Ierome Eusebius Iosephus and many other approved good authors doe all consent and agree That Tuball the fift sonne of Iaphet the son of Noe was the first that ever was called by the name of king in that country of Spain and that he was also the first that erected built townes and cities and prescribed bounds and limits in the same which as Berosus sayth was after the floud a hundred three and fortie yeares and in the twelfth yeare of the raigne of Nembroth the Babylonians Saturne and ruler which was before the foundation of Troy six hundred thirtie seven yeares and before the nativitie of Christ two thousand two hundred yeares The great citie which he called after his owne name Tuball is in Baetica as Pomponius Mela affirmeth as also Strabo averreth the same This kings cheefe studie and delight was in pasturage in flockes of sheepe and heards of cattell wherein in those times men reposed great contentment pleasure and felicitie such his studie the people called Arameans entearmed by the name of Tharaconem which is as much to say as Pastorum congreationem The meeting together or assembly of sheepeheards as S. Ierome and the Thalmudists of the Iewes interprets it and of the same the great citie of Tharacona is called as Saguntum first tooke her name of Sagus the builder and erecter thereof He began also first to set downe lawes precepts and directions unto his people and to possesse them with the opinion of good obedience unto their prince and persuaded them by fair and gentle meanes to the embracement of a civile and quiet life and conversation and this Berosus saith was performed and done in the fourth yeare of Ninus king of Babylon as before in some places hath been a little remembered and Strabo sayth That in the tenth yeare of the same Ninus king of Babylon and in the age of Tuball one hundred and fifteene yeares Noe surnamed Ianus comming out of Affrica and Phoenicia arrived in Spain brought thither with him two colonies called Nooelas and Nooeglas although Plinie in his third booke of naturall hystorie in the six and twentieth chapter thereof calleth them Nooegas and Nooelas and in this countrey were they planted and remained with great multiplication encrease and abundance This Tuball raigned in this his governement untill the nine and fortieth yeare of the raigne of Ninus and from the first inhabitation of Spain a hundred and five and fiftie yeares The Patriarke Abraham borne and in this kings governement was the Patriarke Abraham borne which was just by all nearest computation towards the end of his raigne and in the foure and fortieth yeare of the before specified Ninus king of Babylon Vnto Tuball succeeded his sonne called Iberus in the government and kingdome which he had left him to enjoy which was from the floud two hundred ninetie nine yeares from the first enpeopling of Spain a hundred fiftie
they are among the rest of the fables which the Grecians used inserted for it is nothing likely that the use of yron beeing in those times found out he would have used any such inferiour meanes of defence for the safetie of his bodie This assertion also maketh cleane contrarie against him for Hercules of Lybia was borne before the destruction of Troy according to the computation of the Aegyptian yeares above tenne thousand yeares but Alceus not fully two thousand as Diodorus in his first booke of Time alleadgeth which manner of computation and reckoning of the Aegyptians if we wil reduce to the order and rule observed by the Chaldeans Scythians Hebrewes and Ianigenae which is by the circular circumference and revolution of the Sunne accounting it as we now reckon we shall find that he was borne presently after the king of Babylon called Ninus which is according to our latter observation some eight hundred yeares before the overthrow and ruine of Troy which maketh up the number proportion of ten thousand yeares held and observed among the Aegyptians by which we may perceive the great distance of time that was betweene these two famous personages Hercules Egiptius or Libicus the sonne of Osyris surnamed Iupiter Iustus and Hercules Graecus or Alceus or as some hold the son of Amphitrio and Alcmena or the son by adulterous meanes as some others doe thinke of one called Iupiter Graecus But having now thus farre digressed from the maine entendement wee will returne to the prosecuting thereof The continuance of the raigne of the above written Iubalda king of Spaine dured from the foure and thirtith yeare of the raigne of Semiramis the Babylonian Empresse untill the eighteenth yeare of Arius which is in the whole about the time of threescore and foure yeares as by the diligent carefull collections both of Eusebius and Berosus is clearely approoved And about this time the Patriarke Abraham beeing about the age of a hundred yeares is borne his son Isaack Isaack born as all hystories for the most part give record and mention In the governement of this king Iubalda no memorable act done in that countrey is left written by hystorians Vnto the kingdome of Spaine next after him succeeded Brygus which was in the eighteenth yeare of the late specified Arius the Babylonians sixt king which is from the first inhabitation of Spaine two hundred threescore and seven yeares and before the foundation of Troy four hundred and thirtie This word Brygus with the Arameans and Armenians is called Castellum And the Etruscians at this day with whome many words of the Aramen language remaine call a castle Bricola by changing the letter g into c. This king Brygus as Berosus other writers affirme founded and erected many townes and great castles in the kingdome of Spaine as Ptolomie also copiously hath delivered as in the countrey of Lusitania there are castles called at this day Laccobryga Mirobryga and others And in the province of Taracona a towne called Brygantum Volubryga and many others sounding and ending after the name of the king Brygus Plinie sayth in his fift booke of naturall hystorie Plinie that many old writers do affirme That a certain people called Brygi in Europe travelled into Asia and there builded a citie and called it Brygios which afterwards by chaunging the letter B into P was called Phrygios and that the Phrygians afterwards from these people tooke their first originall and being of whome issued that famous progenie of the Trojanes so gloriously renowmed throughout the world and this king Brygus reigned in all securitie and peace untill the first yeare of the reigne of Balaneus the eight king of Babylon which was about two and fiftie yeares or near therabouts The fift king of Spaine was Tagus as Berosus and Diodorus deliver and he began his rule and government before the nativitie of Christ a thousand eight hundred threescore and five yeares before the building of Troy threescore and eighteene yeares after the first peopling of Spaine three hundred and nine yeares And of this kings name that far-famed river Tagus taketh her name in which as Plinie and Solynus report were found many golden sands heaped together in many places of that river This king with many authours is called also Tagum Orma and Moyses by synoereicall composition tearmeth him Tagorma as Ptolomie and many other writers of great worth and credite more particularly have spoken of the same and this Tagus reigned in the kingdome of Spain about the time of thirtie yeares by all due computation and conferring of consent of times and as Berosus affirmeth the same In the first yeare of the reigne of Armatritis the ninth king of the Babylonians and Assyrians the rule and governement of the kingdome of Spaine fell and came unto Betus of whom afterwards a great part of that country tooke her name and was knowne by the name of Baetica The Etruscians by transposition and division of ae cal him Beatus which with the Latines signifies happie or blessed The Hebrewes derive this word Betus from Behin which as S. Ierome interprets it meaneth as much as locus vitae meae id est foelic tatis â—ptatae and from hence it is likely that in this countrey some supposed the Elesian fields to be and so also thereby many other such like suppositions arose which to decide would here bee tedious and too much digression from the matter entended This king Betus raigned seven and thirtie yeares as Berosus and other authors doe alleadge After him in the eight and thirtith yeare of Armatritis above mentioned Gerion surnamed Aser challenged unto him the rule and domination of the countrey of Spain wherein it is written he governed with great tyrannie and oppression of the inhabitants thereof intruding himselfe by violent and forcible means into the possession and governement of that kingdome This word Gerion signifies in the Hebrew tongue as much as advena in Latin which he manifested more plainely by comming from Mauritania into this kingdome of Spaine and ruling there like a straunger according to his owne will desire and mightinesse Berosus as also Diodorus Siculus doth affirme That he had another name also which in the Aramen Mauritanian language was Deabo in the Greeke Chryseo in Latine Aureo which first of all came of his great wealth and store of gold in which he most wonderously abounded in those daies and this Gerion reigned thus in this his usurped authoritie untill the eight and twentith yeare of the raigne of Belochus the tenth king and ruler of Babylonia which was about the time of three thirtie years or near therabouts Immediatly after him three brethren together tooke the rule and government of this countrey of Spaine into their hands which were called Deabi Lomnimi which word as S. Ierome expoundeth it signifieth the cheefes or rulers of armies and which wee call by the name of the three Gerions beeing indeed the sons of the
beforementioned Gerion the last king and ruler of Spain In the time when these three brethren thus reigned and ruled together happened that generally known accident which afterward the world so universally entertained from the report of loud-tongued Fame which was the untimely and unfortunat death of Osyris surnamed Iupiter Iustus who was most traiterously and vilely murdred by his brother Typhaeus Egiptius whose all-lamented death was afterward highly revenged by his sonne Hercules Lybicus who instantly took up armes and scoured almost all the countries of the world untill hee had found out the authour of the murther of his father Osyris upon whose bodie his angrie and wrathfull mind tooke in the end direfull and cruell revenge at which time also hee beeing in the pride and fulnesse of furie and choller searcht out all corners and places of abode where any such like bloudie and impious gyants rulers and commaunders kept their tyrannicall and uncivile governments among the rest he slew Busyris in Phoenicia Typhaeus the younger in Phrygia Mylinus a great commaunder on the sea in Crete Antheus in Lybia the Lestrigones in Italie and afterwards these three bretheren called Geriones in Spaine and also many others in many other places as hath alreadie heretofore beene spoken of After the overthrow thus of these late specified Geriones hee established and appointed to succeed them one called Hispalus who now after these instantly tooke upon him the government thereof Hispalus therefore according to the report and affirmation of Berosus now entered to take possession of the regaltie and principalitie of Spaine which was from the floud five hundred fourescore and nine yeares before the erection of Troy two hundred one fortie years before the birth of Christ a thousand seven hundred twentie seven and after the first finding out and peopling of Spain three hundred seven and fortie yeares Of this Hispalus the citie Hispalis first was erected and so entearmed and he was the sonne of Hercules Lybicus as many authours and writers of fame and great antiquitie have given in report unto the posteritie of time Hee reigned and commaunded over Spaine untill the very end of the reigne and governement of Baleus the Babylonians eleventh king which was by just reckoning and account the time of seventeene yeares In the first yeare of the raigne of Altades the twelfth king of Babylonia Hispanus the nephew of Hercules was established king and sole ruler over the dominions of Spaine of whome the countrey then generally was called Hispania which the mallice of time hath not yet worne out but still it is knowne and called after the same name After him Hercules comming out of Italie fraught with yeares and many victories tooke upon him by the election and suffrages of all the people the rule government thereof And thus hath been lineally drawne foorth the first inhabitation of the countrey of Spaine with the particular and right successions of the kings and commaunders thereof as hath been warranted and allowed by writers of great antiquitie and industrious Chronographers of Spain where we will now surcease to wade any further having brought it unto the very times where wee last left our cheefe purpose and matter and will goe forward and proceed from hence untill wee shall nearer arrive at the time wherein Troy was first erected and founded following herein the same manner of method and forme with which wee first set forth and meane to continue unto the end by the favourable permission and allowance of the divine Majestie Hercules therefore ruling thus in Spaine built and erected many goodly cities and faire castles in that countrey wherupon at this day in some auncient records and monumentall schedules of Spaine you may read of another title given unto him which is Hercules edificator He was called also by these names as Her Hercol Arno Musarno and they thus signifie and are englished from the Hebrew tongue as S. Ierome and others expound it Her signifieth hairie Hercol all covered over with haire Arno signifieth a Lion and Musarno the portraiture or effigies of a Lyon and these names were thus ascribed unto him for that he alwaies wore for his upper garment the hairie skins of Lyons Beares Leopards and other such like beasts and for that on his shield or targuet was depainted and drawne the shape and forme of a Lyon and which in all his wars and attempts hee alwaies caried about him with some he was called the knight of the ramping Lyon The town of Vetulonia called also Viterbe caused the picture of Hercules to bee stamped and imprinted on their coine which continued unto the time of the raigne and governement of the last king of the Lumbards who then abollished the remembrance therof by any such representation or means of memorie After the time of some nineteene yeares or thereabouts as most writers doe alleadge having governed with all love and obedience of the people Hercules died leaving all those countries thereabouts heavily lamenting the losse and departure of so noble and gallant a conqueror which was about the time of his owne age three hundred and fiftie yeares and after he had reigned and commaunded in Fraunce Italie and Spaine threescore and seven yeares In solemne remembrance of whose generally deplored death the people of Spaine erected many must sumptuous and costly monuments and bestowed upon him a wonderfull rich and stately tombe which as some hold was built hard by that place which as wee now call them the Gades pillars or columns of Hercules are seated upon being not far from the famous streights of Gibraltar Vnto him also after his death they attributed very godlike honors and tearms of veneration and reverence so was hee possessed while hee lived among mortals with the love and opinion of all those people therabouts and wheresoever else he had governed and commanded And more of this so far renowmed conquerour Hercules shall not at this time bee declared whose victories triumphes exploits would indeed require a small volume of themselves being so many so glorious so worthie deserving in the perfection of their owne merit to be insculpt in the brasse leaved booke of time-resisting and endlesse perpetuitie And now we will revert our pen to speake of his two famous sons Tuscus king of Italie and Galatheus king of Fraunce and of their issue and posteritie But first is to be understood that unto the kingdome of Spaine next after Hercules succeeded Hesperus beeing the twelfth king and governor thereof who was brother unto the renoumed Atlas whome hereafter occasion will bee presented to speake and entreat of It hath been before declared and mentioned how that the great Monarch and Emperour Hercules dispossessing himselfe voluntarily of two royall mighty kingdomes placed and instituted therein his two sons Tuscus and Galatheus who long time after lived reciprocally reigned together in their severall commaunds and governement in all peace quiet and tranquilitie And to shew and manifest this their love
and agreement the more Tuscus freely bestowed and gave unto his brother Galatheus the great Island of Sicilia as then appertaining belonging unto the crowne and kingdome of Italie and which was then altogether desolate and disinhabited the race and generation of Cham Noes son the first commander therof being now extinct and perished Vnto this Island Galatheus made a journey carying with him great numbers and abundance of people and all things necessary for the in peopling and inhabiting thereof which people and nation he afterwards and from thence forth called after his owne name Galath-enes and erected and built also a very great citie there calling it by the name of Cenegalatha of which citie likewise Plinie in his fourth booke of Naturall hystorie doth there entreat and mention And it was held in those daies to be the greatest and cheefest honour that might bee to authorise and license any to build and erect any citie and to call it after his owne name for the denominating of which no man neither could give any leave or authoritie but those which were established in place and office of Coritus that is the Patriarke Iupiter or cheefe king and commander of that country as Tuscus then was being the sole king and ruler over all Italie and all those territories adjoyning thereunto And this grace and favour Galatheus tooke in great thankefulnesse and all kind acceptance endevouring by all means possible to be found gratefull for so high a favor received After all matters were well setled and orderly disposed in this new erected governement of Sicilia Galatheus returned backe againe into his countrey of Fraunce where with all signs and apparent tokens of a long wished welcome hee was joyfully received of his people in all the provinces round about where we must now leave him for a while to speak of his brother Tuscus and of his affaires and negotiations in his governement and charge This Tuscus as is before declared was the sole and absolute King Patriarke and Iupiter of all the dominions of Italie of whose name also a cheefe province of that kingdome then tooke her name and was called Tuscania and by the favourable good will of the tyrant Time who is wont to blot out all reliques and tokens of antiquitie it yet retaineth the same in which particular countrey hee for the most part made his continuall abode residence which before that time was called Etruria The diverse and severall names of Italie before that Ianicula and the people thereof Ianigenes which is as much to say as the issue of Ianus it was also called Oenotria Hesperia Apenina and many others according to the greatnesse or will of any such cheefe or famous king so commaunding and ruling over it Dionysius Halicarnasaeus writeth That the countrey Hetruria taken oftentimes for the whole and entire kingdome of Italie was also called Comera of Comerus Iaphets son and it had to name also Razenua It was also called Taurina and Saturnia Thuscia and Thussa and at this day Italia as hereafter shall be declared Berosus further sayth That at the first peopling and inhabiting thereof it was called Vmbria of the people Vmbri which heretofore we have somewhat touched as also Pelasgia of the people Pelasgi taken also sometimes for the inhabitants of a countrey in Greece Besides all these it was also knowne by the name of Tarrhenia as many authors of great and approved knowledge in matters of antiquitie have more amply delivered which opinion also should be more easily entertained if wee will but diligently marke the diverse and severall names given attributed unto other countries after the same fashion and manner for first concerning the people of Fraunce The old names of the people of Fraunce they were first of all called Samothei of Samothes their king then Celti then Galatij after that Belgae of their king and Patriarke Beligius after that Galli and since that Francigenae or Franci The names in like manner of the people of Germanie varied and differed very often and severally The names of the people of Germanie For the first name that ever that people received were Tuyscones of Tuyscon one of Noes sonnes the first that ever was king and ruler over that country After that they were called Gambrivij then Ingheones after that Isteones Suevi and Vandali then also Thetanes Theutontes Vindelici Vandalisci after that Alemanni and last of all of the Romanes as some hold they were generally entearmed Germani So that by these it is plainly shown how almost all countries and nations have at diverse times been diversly and differingly called by the occasion of which many writers that have not indeed seriously and laboriously lookt into fragments of old and authentike fathers for the derivations and first originals of cities and countries have beene infected with some disease or other of ignorance and errour by reason of which daungerous sickenesse first creeping though not perceived into the heads of men learned and of authoritie it hath prooved universally mortall to all those that have not invoked the aid of that good Physician Industrie throughout all the world wheresoever And so now againe wee will returne to the place from whence we last of all set forth which was from the matters and particulars which we handled of king Tuscus sole ruler and commaunder of all the countrey of Italy of whose actions or memorable atcheevements there is little read in any authors onely it is writ that hee first invented the order and dignitie of the Palladian knighthood and instituted large priviledges and allowances for the maintainance of that new found ceremonie And of any matter else which might challenge unto it selfe worth and extraordinarie commends done and performed by him few or no hystorians have written onely hee left after him his son Altheus inheritor rightfull successor to his government and kingdome Altheus then the son of Tuscus began to take upon him the rule and commaund of Italie presently after the death of his deceased father which was the fourth yeare after the death of his grandfather Hercules in Spaine who as you have heard left inheritour unto him Hesperus the brother of Atlas for the governement of that countrey which Hesperus had not there long reigned but hee was expulsed and driven out of his countrey by violent and oppressive meanes by his brother Atlas the gyant surnamed Italus so that now hee was enforced to forsake the countrey and to flie into Italie in one part of which hee afterward commaunded and called it after his own name Hesperia which name it long time afterwards retained After this Atlas Italus not contented sufficiently with the principalitie and dominion of Spaine as overambitiously thoughted came also into Italie and overswayed by his mightinesse and power al the country round about and created and established himselfe king ruler therof and called all the countrey generally after his owne name Italia by which it is at this day called
in his Commentaries alleadgeth to the same purpose saying Fortissimi autem omnium Belgi And Strabo in the fourth booke of his Commentaries also sayth thus Omnium Gallorum Belgi sunt summi as a people that in those times as it is written could bring into the field three hundred thousand fighting men And thus much for the descriptions of the people of the countrey called Gallia Belgica with the cheefest townes siegnories and rivers thereof and now we will looke back again for the prosecuting and finishing of our former matter In this king Belgius the line and race of Galatheus the sonne of Hercules Lybicus failed and was determinate so that upon his death the people of Fraunce beeing of themselves wonderfully desirous to elect one of that linage so near as it was possible bestowed the government and commaund of that countrey upon the above written Iasius Ianigena the sonne of Iupiter Camboblascon And so by that meanes Iasius was invested and established in that kingdome as the fifteenth king and Patriark thereof And in this yeare the realm kingdome of Athens in Greece was first set up and begun as Berosus our cheefly followed author in these matters of antiquitie averreth who thus saith Apud Ianigenas à patre Iasius creatus est Coritus anno sequente simul ceperent duo reges videlice primus Rex Athentensium Cecrops priscus Iasius Ianigena apud Celtas And this was about fourescore yeares or thereabouts before the first building and erection of the cittie of Troy Iasius Ianigena the eldest son of Iupiter Camboblascon as is before declared beeing thus so gloriously possessed of two such regall and powerfull kingdomes and being in the cheefest spring and blooming daies of his age contracted and joined in mariage with a noble and rich ladie called Ipitis Cibeles for the celebration of which nuptials and espousals great feasts and ceremonies of joy and triumph were held and kept and as some write performed in the cittie of Viterbe then the capitall seat of all Tuscania And this was before the foundation of Troy threescore and seventeene yeares in the presence of Dardanus the first builder thereof and brother to the new maried king Iasius Ianigena Many writers doe affirme That in this mariage were greater triumphs pastimes sports magnificencie state and pomp than in any other in those times throughout all the world whatsoever and cheefely in respect of that noble assembly and meeting of so many mightie and great princes and more particularly for the comming of the famous empresse and goddesse as they tearme her the Aegyptian Isis the daughter of Cham the wife of Iupiter Iustus otherwise called Osyris and the mother of that all renowmed and ever memorable conquerour Hercules of Lybia king and emperor of all Fraunce Italie and Spaine And this Isis there first taught those peple the manner of making bread of floure meale and such like stuffe although before that Osyris her husband had instructed them in knowledge of agriculture tilling and sowing corne yet they were not untill now perfected in the use and right applying thereof especially for the making of bread which they learned and understood by the comming of this empresse Isis And this mariage and ceremonie of association and matrimonie was the first that in those times was celebrated and solemnized with any rites feastivals or new invented usances as Diodorus Siculus to the same purpose thus sayth these beeing his very words Has nuptias à dijs primum celebratas ferunt Cereremque in gratiam Iasij ei ex frumento panem attulisse Mercurium lyram Palladem decantatum monile peplum ac tibias c. This their goddesse Isis otherwise called by the names of Ceres Iuno Frugifera Legifera and others was by all probabilitie and by the opinion of all writers a woman of wonderfull long life and many yeares for at her now arrivall and comming to this mariage into Italie she was at the least foure hundred and fiftie yeares old as shee that was borne in the first yeare of the raigne of Semiramis queene of Babylon and lived in the whole at the least six hundred and sixteene yeares for shee was living after the first destruction and desolation of Troy by the space of fortie yeares or neare thereabouts as almost all writers have delivered in their opinions to the same purpose and effect Iohannes Annius an old writer sayth That shee was in Germanie in the time of Hercules Alemannus the eleventh king of that countrey by him called Almaigne and Cornelius Tacitus also seemeth to affirme the same by these words Pars Suevorum etiam Isidi sacrificat It is written also that she was in Fraunce in the time of Lugdus then king thereof as hath beene before declared and that shee had travelled almost all these parts of Europe instructing and teaching the poore ignorant people the use of many things then unknown unfound out And to approove the better that she was present at this mariage of Iasius Ianigena it is yet apparent in that countrey of Tuscan by many very auncient scrols lest still from time to time in that countrey from one posteritie to another as also certaine old statues and monuments of marble with inscriptions of characters infixed thereon found out in the times of Pope Alexander the sixt averre the same which as Iohannes Annius sayth were first found in the earth in the citie of Viterbe and that there were at that time upon further digging and search of more such like reliques found hidden far in the ground four severall images or pictures of triumph the one was of Iasius the other of his mother Electra the third of his faire sister Armonia which never maried but continued and died a vestall virgine and the fourth was of Cibeles the now new maried wife of Iasius There was also found another square kind of table made of marble on which were in Greeke letters these words following engraved which not long after were thus translated into Latine Coritina desponsatio cum Electra Atlai Kytij iamdudum pertransiverat maxima Isis Frumentaria atque Panifica concessit ad nuptias Iasij filij Coriti in habitaculum turrite Cibeles sponse Iasij in prelio Cybelario ad fontem Cybelarium paulo post sub vadimonia palatia paulo post à scelerato fratre Dardano Iasius male perijt in agro Iasinello in Theisijs c. And these be the very words used heretofore by authors of antiquitie By these therefore and by like semblable apparences it is cleared that this Isis their so reverently-adored goddesse was now present at the consummation of the espousals of Iasius Ianigena king of Italie and Fraunce with the ladie Ipitis Cibeles his wife And that this Isis had travelled and journeied through many and diverse countries it appeareth by many and severall pillars and stonie monuments erected in many countries of Europe in that behalfe as many authours doe produce Diodorus Siculus inferreth That in Aegypt
the daughter of Atlas Italus king of Italie three children which are these Iasius Dardanus and Armonia Iasius being created Coritus and Patriarke of Italie his father being alive who also bestowed upon him the rule and kingdome of Fraunce as many hystoriographers affirm the next yeare after so that he became very mightie and powerfull in all those countries thereabouts And now we will proceed with the rest of the kings of Fraunce beginning where we last left of which was if it bee remembred at Galatheus the noble sonne of Hercules of Lybia and of his faire wife Galathea where it was then mentioned how this Galatheus at the hands of his loving brother Tuscus received the Island of Sicilia and accordingly caried with him people to inhabite and possesse the countrey which being performed he returned also back again into Fraunce as hath been likewise before somewhat touched after which time hee lived peaceably and quietly many yeares governing his people with great mildnesse and clemencie and yet mingled and accompanied with uprightnesse of justice and execution of his laws and edicts of whose deeds and performances more than are alreadie spoken of few or no writers have mentioned onely that of him and of his name the countrey generally was called Gaule and so continued and the people therof tearmed Gaulons which by corruption and overturning of many ages and times are now in some part of that countrey called Wallons and which before Galatheus were called Samothei or Celti And it is most likely by the conjecturall opinions of most writers that this king Galatheus remained and lived in those dayes for the most part in that part of Gaule which is now the province of Acquitaine which is so called of the abundance of waters and rivers wherein that countrey was wont to exceed and that this place was held to be the first and most auncient of all the other parts of Fraunce which indeed are onely two more for that the whole countrey of France is by most devided onely into three parts and they are called Gallia Acquinatica Celtica and Belgica which of themselves retaine and carie the very names of the first kings and rulers of them as before is something specified The cheefe citties and principall siegnories of Gallia Aquinatica The cheefe cities of Gallia Acquinatica are supposed and held to bee these as most auncient writers doe consent Narbon Thoulouse Caours Rodetz Lymoges Perigort Bourdeaulx Zainctes Augolesme Baione Clermont Bourges Tours Foix Lestore Allebreth Saint Pons Nantes Resnes Saint Malo and others The cheefest rivers and waters these Gironde Dordonne Garonne Loire Lalier Cher Charente many others now too long to recite After the death of the famous and most renowmed prince Galatheus his sonne Harbon tooke upon him the governement of the countrey and was established the twelfth king of Fraunce who presently erected and built a very gallant cittie for his seat and called it Harbonne after his owne name which is now called Narbonne as many authours doe affirme And of this king little or nothing is left written memorable or meriting a tedious commemoration or rehearsall onely hee left behind him a son called Lugdus which was now the thirteenth king of this countrey of Fraunce and who built the famous citie called Lugdunum called also Lyon which is now one of the cheefest and principallest cities of France and which hath long time flourished in great priviledges prerogatives and extraordinarie customes beeing a citie indeed tres-auncient and of long continuance and of her name all that province is called Lyonnoise which as some hold is contained within the bounds of Gallia Celtica and is the greatest and the cheefest part thereof The first foundation building of the cittie of Lyons in Fraunce And this citie of Lyons was first founded and erected by the same king Lugdus in the twelfth yeare of the raigne of Mancaleus the foureteenth king of Babylon which is as much to say as after the floud inundation of the whole world sixe hundred and fourescore yeares after the first inhabiting of Fraunce five hundred and sixteene yeares before the foundation of the cittie of Troy one hundred and fortie yeares and before the now famous citie of Paris was erected two hundred and twentie years before Rome was built five hundred threescore and eighteene yeares and before the incarnation and birth of our Saviour Christ a thousand sixe hundred seven and thirtie yeares or neare thereabouts And in the times of this king Lugdus arrived and came into Fraunce the queene Isis who was so famous and so renowmed throughout all the world After this Lugdus succeded his eldest sonne Belgius now the foureteenth king of that countrey whose name is yet even fresh in all mens memories for of his name that great and populous countrey called Gallia Belgica tooke her title and was so called of which as of the other we will now make some mention The cheefest rivers and waters thereof are these Lescault la Sambre le Lis le Rin Meuse and Moselle Saine Marne Somme le Daulx and others the cheefe woods and forrests these Mormault and Ardenne The highest hils and mountaines are the hill Saint Claude les Faucsilles and Vosegus The principall villages and greatest citties are these Cambray Vallenciennes Couloign Conflans Vtrecht Mayence Strasbourg Aix Constance Lyege Tournay Arras Amiens Beauvais Senlis Laon Noyon Soissons Meaulx Rouan Rains Metz Langres Besancon Salins Dole Losanne Geneve and Camberi The cheefe siegnories are these the Dukedomes of Iulliers Cleves Cheldes Brabant Lorraine Bar Lembourg and Luxembourg the counties Palatine Haynau Bourgoigne Ferretes Montbeliard Flaunders Artois Champaine Holland Zeland and Namur This king Belgius of whome all these gallant and most famous countries were thus called builded also the citie of Belges of which now only some ruines and reliques of memorie are left which are to be seene in the countrey of Haynau and which Iulius Caesar likewise in the sixteenth booke of his Commentaries doth mention remember where he calleth it Belgium This word Belgius as many old writers expound it signifieth in the Hebrew or Phenician language which toung the ancient Gauloys then used as much as An auncient god wrastling for in those times as I alreadie have spoken the people called their kings gods by which it may be gathered that this their king Belgius was a great wrastler unto which kind of exercise and unto the barriers the people inhabiting in Gallia Belgica did not long since wonderfully much addict themselves were very active and skilfull therein howsoever at this day those sports for the most part are now utterly left off and rejected S. Ierom sayth also That this word Belga signifieth in the Hebrew tongue An auncient commotion or an old strife and indeed heretofore those people of that country were much conversant in wars in troubles and dissentions and were held to bee the most valiant and strongest nation of this part of the world as Caesar also
in the kingdome of Spaine he appointed one of his sonnes to reign called Sicorus which was now by just account the foureteenth king thereof When these things were thus done he went also into Sicilia as Galatheus before had done and there for a while he rested himselfe till at the length he returned againe backe into Italie wherin afterwards he lived many yeares This Italus Atlas by his descent was of the linage of Iaphet and of his sonne Comerus Gallus the first king of Italie and it was hee which according to the opinions of many excelled most of all men then living in the knowledge of Astrologie for which cause the busie Poets fained that he supported and upheld the heavens with his shoulders Altheus all this while was suppressed and kept under by the mightinesse of this ruler by reason whereof hystories cannot speake of any worthie matter done or performed by him onely it is written he builded and erected two very large and beautifull cities one of them called Alteta the other Althea with a castle also called after the same name And this Altheus the sonne of Tuscus before specified was uncle unto Dardanus the first builder and founder of Troy Hee had also a sonne called Blascon but it is not read that hee was afterward Coritus that is king of Italie or commanded in any extraordinary power and authoritie but that this Atlas Italus created and established one of his owne sonnes called Morges in the dignitie and office thereof wrongfully disinheriting the true heires that might lawfully have challenged the same so that by this unjust meanes of usurpation greatnesse the line and issue of Hercules was debarred from the possessing and enjoying of what rightfully belonged unto them Also he created and appointed his daughter called Rhoma as dutchesse and commaundresse of the people and nation called Aborigines of whome heretofore wee something spoke of And this Rhoma was afterward maried to a prince of Tuscane of whom she had a son called after her owne name Rhomanessos who was the first that ever laid the first foundation of the citie of Rome as Sempronius very confidently affirmeth condemning all those which attribute the first founding thereof unto Romulus who sayth hee indeed beautified and enlarged the same but was not the first that laid the foundation thereof and that his name Romulus being himselfe found hard by that cittie by wonderous accident tooke his name of Roma and not Roma of Romulus as the above written authour Sempronius a very sufficient writer and some others also of allowed authoritie have averred the same And the interpretation of this word Rhomanessos as S. Ierome the Talmudists and many others doe expound it is as much as Magna aut potens sublimitas a mightie or powerfull height or glorie beeing compounded of two severall words of the Aramean language Roma which interpreted signifies sublimitas and Nesson which is validum or magnum or as some understand it it signifieth validum augurium which is a strong and infallible prophecie which indeed the exceeding greatnesse all subjugating power mightinesse of that Empire did afterwards very fitly answer and make good being raised unto that infinit greatnesse and highest perfection of soveraignetie that it impelled almost the greater part of the world to sue unto her for favour and to become tributarie in great taxes and impositions unto her seat magnificence And this citie also was called long after by the name of Valentia of which now wee will cease further to entreat returning to the matter before handled of Atlas surnamed Italus now flourishing and commaunding over Italie in great puissance glorie and mightinesse who although as it is alreadie before specified he bore great affection favour and love unto his sonne Morges and had established him in the regaltie and kingdome of Italie as Coritus yet hee began in the end to thinke and meditat with himself how apparent and monstrous wrongs and indignities hee had offered to all the issue and posteritie of Hercules in expelling Altheus and depriving his sonne Blascon of his right in the principalitie of that countrey in those thoughts and humors hee caused to be called unto him Camboblascon the sonne of the beforementioned Blascon the sonne of Altheus and in lieu and recompence of all former and forepassed injuries hee gave unto him one of his owne daughters in mariage and matrimoniall association who was called Electra with whome in dowrie hee gave all those townes and countries lying about the Alpes and the hether mountaines nearest confining upon Italie and upon this presently after died After whose death his sonne Morges possessed belike with holy and religious cogitations acknowledging the mightie wrong and disparagement which his father had imposed on his brother in law Camboblascon in depriving him of his rightfull succession willingly and voluntarily despoiled himselfe of his crowne and commaund and transferred it upon Camboblascon whom presently hee caused to bee created and established in the dignitie of Coritus that is the Iupiter or king of Italie and so after that contented himselfe to live privately and obscurely with his brother in law and sister Electra with whome hee had not many yeares lived and conversed but hee died and paied Nature that debt which no sureties can put off or be bound for and so then Camboblascon was with more generall allowances of the people fully invested in his office and place of Coritus which is as much to say as Iupiter Coronatus as I have alreadie made known and which I cannot almost too often expound in that many have made so many and severall doubts and scrupules What these Iupiters Saturnes and Hercules might meane which names indeed are nothing else but titles of honour superioritie and dignitie and Iupiter was such as in Aegypt Pharoa and in Rome Caesar and as now their Pope for Iupiter is as much as Iuvans pater and Papa Pater patrium And whereas the superstitious people in those dayes honored and reverenced them as gods it was nothing else but for some excellencie and great dignitie they possessed or for some great vertue learning and knowledge they were then endued with as Fabius Pictor and Zenophon have delivered the same saying Principes quia iusti erant religionibus dediti iure habiti dij dicti Non enim arbitria illorum ab equo vel populis à iure innato discedebant Now then having satisfied that point we may the more boldly proceed with our intendment and with the matters of this Camboblascon king of Italie and Iupiter and Patriarke thereof and the great father as they say of the famous and renowmed Trojans And this king built the faire cittie of Montoblascon in Tuscania which by corruption is now called and knowne by the name of Montflascon and another also which hee named Coritus now called Cornete which is situated about some fortie miles from the now mightie cittie of Rome And this Camboblascon had by his wise Electra