exceeding rich and therefore requiring large room Esau departed to his former possession of Mount Seir Providence so ordaining it that when the Israelites should afterwards come to inherit Canaan his posterity might neither be destroyed nor displaced He was otherwise called Edom Edom. and from him Idumaea took it's name which seemeth from Strabo to have also included the Country of the Nabataeans And likely enough it is that he who married the Sister of Nebaioth might joyn himself to them and praeside over them This is the famous Heroe Vide Fulleâ— Miscell 4. c. 20. from whom not onely Idumaea but also the adjoyning Erithraean Edomaean or Red Sea all signifying the same thing was so called being known to the Greeks by the name of Erythras the same with Edom. 15. Gen. 41. But two years after Joseph had interpreted the Dreams of the servants of Pharaoh he was called up out of prison to explain the meaning of one which the King himself had dreamed This A. M. 2290. betokening 7 years of great plenty to come and after them as many of famine and it being necessary as he hinted to Pharaoh to chuse out some wise Man who being set over the Land should gather and preserve the fruits of the Earth against the time of want Pharaoh made choice of him being about 30 years old for this purpose he appointed him next to himself Joseph advanced and gave him in marriage Asenath the Daughter of Potipherah Priest of On or Heliopolis where Strabo writeth that the Priests of old time had their habitation on which be begat Ephraim and * A. M. 2297. Manasses According to his praediction 7 most plentiful years ensued wherein he gathered into store-houses the Corn that abounded and after them came 7 other of famine which praevailed sore both in Aegypt and the neighbouring Countries of Canaan and Arabia Chap. 42 43 c. Jacob amongst others wanting provisions in the 2d year of the famine sent his Sons down into Aegypt to buy Corn. Joseph knowing them though undiscovered accused them for coming as Spies cast them into prison and dismissed them not till Simeon the eldest of those which conspired against his life was bound and left as an Hostage for their bringing down of Benjamin that so their story might be confirmed of their being one Man's Sons and that their youngest Brother was left behind The next year being pressed with famine they returned and Benjamin with them whom their Father was constrained to let go Now after some further terrifying of them he made himself known and sent for his Father down into Aegypt Jacob understanding of his Son's life and promotion whom he had given over of a long time Jacob goeth into Aegypt A. M. 2298. for dead gladly went down and with him 66 Souls besides his Sons Wives in the 3d year of the famine of the World the 2298th aged 130 years 16. By Pharaoh's consent Joseph placed them in the Land of Goshen Chap. 47. and there nourished them during the famine He sold to the Egyptians the Corn formerly treasured up and therewith purchased for the King all their Money Goods and Lands except the Lands of the Priests which were not alienated The grounds he afterwards granted to the former owners Chap. 48 49. paying the fifth part of the profit to Pharaoh's use After Jacob had lived in Aegypt 17 years he adopted the two eldest Sons of Joseph viz. Manasses and Ephraim of whom the younger he preferred before the elder He called his Sons together blessed them and told them apart what should befall them in their posterity From Reuben his first born he took the preheminence because he had defiled his bed and gave it to Judah A. M. 2315. He prophecied of Christ's coming Dieth commanded them to bury him in the Cave of Machpelah in the Land of Canaan with his Ancestors and then died at the age of 147 years in the year of the World 2315. Joseph caused his servants the Physitians to embalme Israel and a mourning of 70 dayes or 72 was observed for him which number in that Country was onely proper to Kings Then obtaining leave of Pharaoh he and his Brethren with a great company of Courtiers carried him into the Land of Canaan Gen. 50. and buried him there according to his will where they also mourned for him 7 dayes 17. Being returned into Aegypt Joseph forgave his Brethren the fault they formerly had committed against him which now they feared he would revenge after their Father's death and as long as he lived he nourished them and their children This space of time was 54 years after his Father's death at the end whereof having exhorted them to Unity and Concord foretelling them their departure out of Aegypt Joseph dieth and commanding them thence to carry his Bones he dyed at the age of 110 years A. M. 2370. when he had governed Aegypt under severall Kings the space of 80. Trogus Pompeâ—us as appeareth out of Justin * Lib. 36. c. 2. his Epitomizer wrote many things concerning him partly taken out of the Sacred History partly mixed with such Fables as the Heathen were not wanting to invent concerning the Jews Abram Moses and Israel are made by him Kings of Damascus which City took it's name from their Predecessor Israel had ten Sons to whom he committed the Kingdom and commanded them to call themselves Jews from Judah who died before the division and whose portion was divided amongst them all The youngest of the 10 Sons was Joseph whose excellent wit his Brothers fearing they sold him to some Marchants that carried him down into Aegypt Here learning the Magick Arts he became very dear to the King having skill in working Wonders and interpretation of Dreams moreover nothing either Divine or Humane was beyond his reach insomuch that he foretold the barrennesse of the ground severall years before it hapned and all Aegypt had perished with famine but that the King by his advice caused Corn to be treasured up many years finally such was his knowledge that his answers seemed rather the Oracles of a God then the replies of a Man Then followeth that Moses was his Son who being both wise and beautiful became a leader to such Aegyptians as were infected with scab and itch and so returned to Damascus the Country of his Ancestors Which lyes with others hereafter to be mentioned are to be attributed to the malice of the Aegyptians With the life of Joseph endeth the first Book of Moses his history called by the Greeks Genesis which containeth the account of 2369 years of the World The next to it in order of time the Book of Job is thought to be of which Moses also is reputed Author by the common consent and opinion of the Hebrews 18. After the death of Joseph and all that generation Exod. 1. the Children of Israel increased abundantly and grew exceeding mighty so
onely this Law took no hold on Parents but such were constrained to continue three dayes imbracing the Carkeises Against Children who killed their Parents most exquisite punishment was devised for having first their flesh all cut and slashed and then being laid upon Thorns they were burnt quick Women condemned were not executed before their delivery For other Laws not-Capital it was enacted that Souldiers running from their Colours or disobeying their Officers should not dye but be branded with infamy as a means to excite them to regain their former credit If any held intelligence with the Enemy his Tongue was to be cut of his head They that imbased the Coyn used new weights counterfeited Seals Clarks that falsified and forged Records were to loose their hands Ravishment of a free woman was punished with the losse of the Members Adultery of the man with 1000 stroaks with a Rod of the woman with the losse of her Nose 39. Bocchoris enacted that he who denied the borrowing of any money should be absolved upon his Oath which was accounted as a sufficient purgation a mans credit being so much therein concerned Usury upon Bond was not to exceed the double of the principal for which it was lawfull to distrain the goods but in no wise to meddle with the person of the debtor that was owing to his Countrey and not due to his Creditor especially if a Souldier the common safety suffering in him Upon this account they were wont to scoff as the Lawgivers of Greece who forbade seizing upon Plows Weapons and other things but suffered those that should use them to be carried away and imprisoned For stealing they had a peculiar Law Every Thief entered his name with the Chief of that mystery and when he had stoln any thing carried it streight to him where if any one could tell the time and place and prove it by certain tokens to be his he was to pay the fourth part of the value and receive it again the Law-giver thinking this the best remedy against what otherwise could not be prevented The Law-givers of Egypt 40. The first man that gave Laws to the Egyptians was Mnevis perswading the people to receive them because they were communicated to him by Mercury The second was Sasyches who amongst other Laws instituted those concerning religion and being a man of great learning taught Geometry and Astronomy 3. Sesostris who as he excelled all others in military glory so he made Laws for the Discipline of War 4. Bocchoris a wise and prudent man several of whose Apothegms were a long time preserved in the memories of men 5. Amasis who much amended the whole policy of Egypt his rare wisdom having preferred him to that high Dignity for which also being admired abroad as well as at home he was resorted to by some out of Greece as an Oracle Lastly Darius the son of Hystaspes King of Persia Particular customs of the Egyptians 41. As for particular Customs The Egyptians married as many wives as they pleased posterity being with them a thing of greatest consequence except the Priests vvho vvere allowed but one apiece Children born of bond-vvomen and free vvere alike respected and equally legitimate the father by them being onely accounted the author of Generation the mother affoarding but place and nourishment to the Child in which respect also contrary to the custom of other Nations those Trees that bare fruit they accounted Males and the barren ones Females Their Children they educated exceeding hardly the expence of bringing one up not exceeding twenty drachms Each Child succeeded his Father in his Trade or course of life All sorts had some kind of learning especially such as conduced to their callings Musick was neglected by them as rendring men effeminate Once a moneth they used to purge or use some Medicinal course for their health With them no Physician was found as Herodotus writeth who professed the Art of curing the whole body but one was for the head alone another for the eyes and so for the other parts all which yet as Diodorus hath it were nourished of the publick and bound to observe Methods and Medecines prescribed them in books which if they altered or changed upon the miscarriage of the Patient they forfeited their lives together with their credit 42. Such was the constitution of the Egyptian Commonwealth as they themselves related which from some gaineth little credit this constitution of policy hardly agreeing with the manners of those Kings that built the Pyramids so that to them this excellent model of Government seemeth to be of the same nature and credit with the * Vide Judicium Jacob. Cappelli in Hist saern Exotica ad A. M. 1931. Cyropaedia of Xenophon This is observable that according to this constitution the propriety in the Land was carried from that form wherein it was left by Joseph who purchased all the Land except that of the Priests for Pharoh and made the King absolute Lord thereof Their ridiculous superstition The fond and ridiculous superstition which possessed this people above others taketh off much from its reputation That sordid and degenerate humour of consecrating with such blind earnestnesse Bulls Sheep Dogs Cats Ichneumons Ibis Gossehawks Eagles Goats Wolves Crocodiles * Porrum aut caepe nefas violare aut frangere morsu O Sanctas gentes quibus haec nascuntur in hortis Numina Juvenal Satyr 15.2.9 plants that grew in their Gardens and other things is so abominable at the first sight as none of their pretences can give thereto the least shew of reason in the opinion of a man but ordinarily qualified with the light of Nature Ah! what a thing is man devoid of Grace Adoring Garlick with an humble face Begging his food of that which he may eat Starving the while he worshippeth his meat Who makes a Root his God How low is he If God and man be sever'd infinitely What wretchednesse can give him any room Whose house is foul while he adores his Broom None will believe this now though mony be In us the same transplanted foolety Mr. Herbert in his Church Militant CHAP. V. The most Ancient state and condition of Greece during the Babylonian Empire with a Description of its Kingdoms and Common-wealth SECT I. The State of Greece in General 1. THe most Ancient common name of the inhabitants of this Countrey is more agreeable to the Roman Appellations of Graii Graeci and Grajugenae than that whereby they have rather chosen to call themselves viz. Hellenes For till * Vide Apolled lib. 1. c. 21. Thucyd. l. 1. in praefat Aristot de Meteoris l. 1. such time as Hellen the son of Deucalion reigned in Thessaly which hapned some years after the Deucalionean Deluge no such name as the later was known From him his Subjects who inhabited that part of Thessaly Whence the Greeks were called Hellenes being betwixt the two Rivers * Strabo l. 8. p. 383. A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
that the Land was filled with their numbers The Israelites oppressed in Aegypt But a certain King arising which knew not Joseph to keep them down he pressed them with sore Labour and lest they should increase gave order to the Midwives to drowne all the Male Children in the River At this time 58 years after the death of Joseph Chap. 2. and 41 after that of Levi Aruram the Son of Caath and Grand-son of Levi by Jochabed the Daughter of Levi so called by an Hebraism Vide Pererium in 2 Exodi and not Caath's own Sister as some have thought was made Father of a Son whom for his beauty they hid 3 moneths Moses born not fearing the Kings command A M. 2428. and when he could no longer be concealed put him in an Ark of Bul-rushes daubed within and without with Pitch and laid him on the brinck of the River Hither the King's Daughter by Josephus called Thermutis coming down to wash her self found the Babe and moved with compassion sent for a Nurse which was Jochabed her self through the procurement of Miriam her Daughter which had watched what would become of the Child and unknown had offered her selfe for a messenger Being nursed up she educated him as her own Son and called him Moses because she had taken him out of the water Moy in the Aegyptian tongue as Josephus * De nominibus Haebraeis 〈◊〉 Josepho versis vid. Iacob Cappellum Hist Sacra Exotica ad A. M. 1719. saith signifying Water and Yses taken out though Mosche in the Hebrew is no compounded word signifying drawn out delivered or rather a deliverer not without a mystery he being a Type of that great Deliverer of Mankind He was learned in all the Learning of the Aegyptians and became mighty in words and in deeds 19. But Moses being grown up by Faith refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter and despised the pleasure of his Court having according to Josephus his history thrown down his Crown sett upon his head when a Child and trampled it under his feet for which as an ill omen the Priest who had foretold that his Nativity would prove dysastrous to the Aegyptians would have had him slain but he was spared through the affection of Thermutis Being forty years old he visited his Brethren the Israelites and looking upon their burdens when he saw an Aegyptian smiting one of them he killed him and hid his bodie in the sand But this coming to Pharaoh's ear he was forced to flye for his life into the Land of Midian where he kept the Sheep of Jethro or Hebab Priest of that Country A. M. 2468. who gave him Zipporah his Daughter to wife Forty years he continued with him Exod. 3 4. till the burthens of the Children of Israel were grown so intolerable after above 80 years continuance that God being moved with their cries called to him out of a burning Bush as he was feeding Sheep to send him on a message to Pharaoh about their dismission He laboured by all means to make excuse but at length confirmed by promise of Divine assistance by Miracles and the company of his Brother Aaron 3 years elder he undertook the employment Sent to Pharaoh 20. This message was ill resented by Pharaoh Chap. 5 7. c. and greater burthens imposed on the people no Straw being now allowed them for the making of Brick in which servile worke they were imployed Many signs and wonders were wrought by Moses in the King's presence which little availed Jannes and Jambres Magicians doing the same with their Enchantments Ten Plagues also by the Ministry of Moses The ten Plagues of Aegypt God inflicted upon the Land 1. The waters were turned into blood 2. Frogs swarmed in the Land 3. Lice 4. Flies and other Insects 5. A Murrain followed amongst the Cattell 6. Ulcers in Man and Beast 7. Thunder and Rain mingled with Fire and Hail that destroyed the Corn with the Trees of the field 8. Locusts covered the face of the Earth and consumed the fruits thereof 9. Ensued Darknesse throughout the Land Aegypt such as no Aegyptian could stir out of his house yet the Israelites had light in their dwellings 10. Last of all the First-born were slain from Pharaoh that sate upon the Throne to the First-born of the Captive in the Dungeon and the first-born of Cattell The Israelites depart 21. Exod. 12. The Nine former Plagues Pharaoh's heart was so hardened as to withstand but the Tenth forced him to let the people go Upon the death of the First-born he and his Subjects thrust them out with haste out of the Land A. M. 2508. and fogot the Jewells of silver and Jewells of gold which they had lent them For the Israelites were commanded by God to borrow these things and the night before their departure to kill a Lamb with the blood of which they were to sprinkle the lintels of their doors that the Angel appointed to do this execution upon the First-born might passe by their houses at the sight thereof And in memoriall of the thing this they were to do every yeer on the tenth day of that moneth thenceforth commanded to begin the year being called Abib eating a Lamb in a travelling posture with their loyns girt and staves in their hands Thus left they Aegypt 430 years after the first promise made to Abraham and his leaving Ur of the Chaldaeans 400 after the birth of Isaac 210 after Jacob's descent into Egypt in the 2508th year of the World This their departure is also attested by Heathen Writers but related to have been upon such grounds as the Aegyptians themselves invented who as it seemeth took occasion from the Plague of Ulcers which they suffered in their own persons to feign that because of Leprosie they were forced out of the Land as will largely appear in the History of Aegypt SECT II. SECT II. From the departure of the Israelites out of Aegypt to the death of Solomon and the Rent of the Kingdom The number of the Israelites at their departure 1. THe number of the Children of Israel may be esteemed by what is recorded concerning their men of War Vide Pererium in 12. cap. Exod. of the Age of twenty years and upwards Of these went out about 600000. besides Women and Children so that if those of that Age be reckoned as two parts of five of the whole multitude which is the usual account amongst all Nations to reckon men for War as 40 to 100. in respect of the whole body then the totall number of all both old and young amounted to about 1500000. To these must be added a mixed multitude which having taken up their religion went out with them and is thought by some to have consisted of as many more so that the whole sum of all together at this rate would arise to 3000000. As for the number of the Israelites
it need not seem incredible that from about 70 persons in the space of 210 years so many should proceed For if but one man in the thirtieth year of his Age should begin to be a father and had but in all ten Children Vide Jacob. Cappell ad A. M. 2293. who also with their posterity should beget at the same Age that one man before 200 years would have descended from him of the sixth Generation 1000000. of the fifth 100000. of the fourth 10000. of great Grand-Children 1000. of Grand-Children 100. and of Children 10. But that the Israelites began to be fathers before the Age of thirty is more then probable nature * Mea memoria in civitate Lactoratensi Novempopulaniae puer minor annorum duodecim genuit ex puella consobrina sua quae nondum decimum annum expleverat Rem notam narro cujus memoria adhuc recens est in Aquitania Pater hoc ipse de se patri meo testatus est quod alioqui tunc ne pueri quidem ignorabant Scaliger in Parei Deut. 1. sometimes not requiring half that time and there is ground sufficient to think that they often exceeded the number of ten Children The Scripture relateth Abdon to have had fourty sons Abizara thirty and as many daughters Gideon seventy sons and Ahab as many Aegyptus Danaus Priamus and Darius are reported to have had fifty Children Artaxerxes Justin relateth to have had 115. and Hierotimus 600. These things to add no more prove the great increase of the Israelites to have been possible in the course of Nature although not without an especial providence 2. Moses had gathered the people together as Josephus writeth about Ramesses the chief Citie of Goshen that they might be in a readinesse and thence they came to Succoth where was their second station Here Moses propounded the command of God concerning the annual observation of the Passeover The Passeover annually to be observed and the Consecration of the first born A ready way hence to the Land of Canaan would have been through that of the Philistins but because the Israelites were born in slavery and therefore had but low and poor spirits to exercise them to stir them up and lest for want of experience they should be so terrified as to return God lead them another and longer way From Succoth therefore they came to Etham in the end of the Desart in two dayes whither God conducted them by a Pillar of a Cloud by day and Pillar of fire by night that never forsook them till they came to the Borders of the promised Land From Etham they journeyed to Pihahiroth and thence to the Red-sea Hither Pharoh pursued them with all his Forces repenting he had let them go They were there exceedingly struck with terrour and murmured against Moses for bringing them out of Egypt In this extremity God divided the waters of the Red-sea which being as a Wall on both sides to them they passed over on dry ground The Egyptians essayed also to pursue them in this place but the Pillar then removed from before them and placed it self between them giving light to the Israelites The Israelites passe the Red-Sea but causing great darknesse to their Enemies Hereupon ensued great consternation and a pannick fear amongst the Egyptians which causing great disturbance the Lord also fought against them and they fled But then the waters returned to their place and overwhelmed them all so that neither Pharoh nor any one of his men escaped This place of the Red-sea being here not at all fordable the sole power of God procured their passage though Josephus to gain credit to the story from the incredulous Heathen Vide Strabonem l. 14. p. 666. D. taketh off from the miracle by an unsutable comparing of it to Alexander the Great his passing the shoar of the Pamphylian-Sea which at low water was ever bare and at other times not very deep 3. From the Red-Sea they journeyed three dayes through the Wildernesse of Etham which as it seemeth stretcheth forth it self to both the sides of the Sea where they found no water Thence they came to Marah where they found water but bitter and thence the place had its name which bitternesse was removed by the casting in of a certain Tree which God shewed to Moses From Marah they came to their fifth station at Elim where were twelve Fountains of water and seventy Palm-Trees and thence to the Red-Sea which name seemeth to be applied to some Bay or Creek thereof From the Sea they came into the desart of Sin where they pitched their Tents on the fifteenth day of the second moneth after their departure Quails and Manna Here murmuring for flesh Quails were rained down upon the Camp at evening and in the morning was there found Manna which continued every morning to fall all the fourty years they abode in the Wildernesse This Wildernesse of Sin being very large and reaching as far as Mount Sinai they had several stations in it The ninth was at Diphka the tenth at Alush the eleventh at Rephidim where the people again murmuring for water the Rock being struck by Moses gushed out into streams Whil'st they here continued Exod. 17. the Amalekites descended from Amalek who was the son of Eliphaz and Grand son of Esau fell in upon their rear and made slaughter of the weaker sort Moses against them sent Joshua the son of Nun he himself in the mean time praying to God in the Mount And as long as his hands were lifted up the Israelites overcame but when he let them down the Amalekites prevailed so that Aaron his brother and Hur his sister Miriam's husband bore them up till the going down of the Sun 4. In the third moneth they removed Chap. 19.20 and took up their station in the desart of Sinai over against the Mountain Horeh which 't is thought was some part of Sinai and here they continued almost a year to the 20th day of the second moneth of the next year Upon this Mountain God gave the Law of the ten Commandments in a terrible manner on the 50th day after their coming out of Egypt The Decalogue as * Hieronymus ad Fabiolum Leo Serm. 1. de Pentecoste some of the Ancients apprehended The day after several other Laws were promulgated as it were Commentaries upon the Decalogue both Judicial and Ceremonial Then Moses having Offered Sacrifice read the book of the Law to the people and made a Covenant betwixt God and them and went up into the Mount where he remained fourty dayes six in the lower and cloudy and 34 in the highest and fiery part In this space of time he received advice concerning the structure of the Tabernacle the Ornaments and Consecration of Priests c. From this familiar Conversing of God with Moses the Heathen Law-givers took occasion to feign such a priviledge to themselves As amongst the Getes Zamolxis gave out he received
which other Emperours were wont Si vos liberique vestri valetis Bene est Ego quidem exercitus valemus But the extraordinary strength which now appeared in the Jews was given them for their destruction The greater danger their mutiny had occasioned to the Empire the greater was the Emperours severity in punishing their rebellion past the greater his care to prevent the like in time to come In battels skirmishes were slain of them 580000. besides an infinite number consumed with famine and diseases during the time of this lingring War protracted of purpose by the Romans not willing to try it out in open field with such a forlorn desperate multitude Dio who lived not long after this time emphatically notes that they were left few in number their Land laid waste fifty of their strongest Munitions utterly razed and 985 of their Chief and most populous Towns sackt and consumed by fire Adrian after this strange desolation by Publick Decree ratified by the Senates consent prohibited any Jew to come within the view of Judaea Before this overthrow they had manifest signs foreshewing their desolation Solomon's Sepulchre which they held in greatest honour saith Dio a little before this War fell asunder of its own accord Wolves and Hyaenaes howled throughout their streets and devoured them in the fields Such Jews as Adrian took Captive he banished into Spain his own Countrey this was their 10th Captivity saith John * Chron. Hisp A. D. 137. Vasaeus where they had their Synagogues till the time of Ferdinand and Isabel and Emanuel King of Portugal 12. The State of the Jews from this time untill the expiration of the Roman Empire cannot easily be gathered from any Roman vvriters who seldom vouchsafe the Jews or Christians any mention unlesse inforced thereto by some famous vvar or mutiny or by some other event redounding to the Roman glory Judaea after this time was not famous for any tumult till the ruin of Romes greatnesse the Jews wanted strength and the Christians willing minds to procure the Emperours glory by Seditions Hereupon whatsoever calamity either of them suffered by the Romans was passed over by Roman vvriters as private wrongs not worthy registring in their Annals Upon this account 't is no wonder they took no notice of our Saviour or his Acts all tending to Peace and Loyalty For as Tacitus notes Judaea was most quiet in Tiberius his time which was the best news the Romans cared to hear thence Yet the general estate of the Jews between Adrians and Honorius his time as * Dr. Jackson B. 1. Chap. 27. pag. 114. upon the Creed one observes may be gathered out of the reverend Fathers of the Primitive Church who usually stopped the mouths of Heathens or blasphemous Atheists by proposing their condition then known unto all the World for such as our Saviour had foretold it Thus much of the Jews untill the series of time and affairs reduce us to them 13. Adrian if we look at his natural disposition was as it were compounded of vice and virtue Adrians Character yet so as he seemed to have the command of them and may be reckoned amongst good Princes He was much addicted to studies and well seen in most of the liberal Arts here was his fault that he desired to comprehend all and did not reserve himself for the most worthy being one of the most curious men that ever lived And in him that saying was sufficiently demonstrated Non est curiosus quin idem sit malevolus For he was so envious that he mortally hated all better Scholars than himself and consequently the greatest Professors in all Sciences but such as were unable for their Profession he would dismisse with great rewards He killed Apollodorus the Architect for shewing him something freely the errours in his buildings The Captain of his Guard was Similis who as Dio writeth getting leave to retire and live quietly in the Countrey his last seven years commanded this Inscription to be set on his Tomb Here lieth Similis whose life consisted of many or 67 years yet he lived but 7. His cruelty toward his later end we may in charity impute to his peevishnesse contracted by the Dropsie with which he was sore vexed in every part In his time the Church was under some persecution for Xistus Bishop of Rome was Crowned with Martyrdom in the tenth year of his reign on the eighth of the Ides of April to whom succeeded Telesphorus according to Damasus but this was rather from the malice of others and the wicked custom then on foot than out of his inclination Being something satisfied with the Apologies of Quadratus and Aristides two learned men he wrote a Letter to Minutius Fundanus Proconsul of Asia which Justin Martyr hath exemplified in his second Apology and from him as it seemeth Eusebius in his History after this manner 14. The Emperour Caesar Aelius Adrianus to Minucius Fundanus I received a Letter from Serenius Granianus His Letter in behalf of the Christians that right worthy man thy Praedecessor the occasion whereof I cannot with silence passe by lest thereby men be troubled and a gap left open to the malice of Sycophants Wherefore if your Provincials can prove ought against the Christians whereof they charge them and justifie it at the Bar let them proceed and not impeach them onely for the name with making outcries against them For it is very expedient that if any be disposed to accuse the accusation be throughly known of you and sifted Therefore if any accuse the Christians that they transgresse the Laws see that you judge and punish according to the quality of the offence But in plain terms if any upon spite or malice in way of cavillation complain against them see that by all means you chastise and punish him according to his malice Adrian at length by vomiting blood in great quantity contracted a Dropsie if Dio writeth Physician like which so tormented him that he desired death He dieth but could not have it according to the prayer of Severianus whom though he judged him worthy of the Empire of late he had put to death but at length by an ill kind of diet accelerated it yet saying Multi Medici Regem sustulerunt and enquiring * Animula vagula blandula hospes comesque corporis Quae nunc abibis in loca Pallidula rigida nudula Nec ut soles dabis jocos of his Soul whither it meant to go He died on the fourth of the Ides of July having lived 62 years and reigned 21 with 11 moneths in the 891 year of the City A. D. 138 Sulpitius Camerinus and Quintius Niger Magnus being Consuls In his time flourished Ptolomy of Alexandria that great Astronomer Aulus Gellius or Agellius Justin who epitomized Trogus Pompeius and others 15. Adrian first adopted L. Verus who died the year before him on the first day of his second Consulship and the Kalends of January He had a son named