and considered it will plainly appear that in none of those things aforesaid nor in any other that may be said of him there hath been any Heathen King or Captain that ever excelled him And setting apart his Ambition and desire of Rule he was onely noted and blamed for being too much given to Women Caesar was thus slain in the fifty sixth year of his Age a little more than four years after the Death of Pompey in the seven hundred and tenth year after the building of Rome and about forty and two years before the Incarnation of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Caesar left behind him neither Son nor Daughter legitimate at that time of his Death For though he had been four several times married yet he had but one only Daughter named Julia that was married to Pompey and died before him Wherefore by his last Will he adopted for his Son and made his Heir in the Dodrant that is in nine parts of twelve of his goods his Nephew Octavius Caesar afterwards called Octavianus Augustus who was the Son of Acia his Neece and of Octavius Praetor of Macedonia which Octavius at this time was by the commandment of his Uncle in the City of Apollonia in the Province of Epirus where he applied himself to his studies staying for him there thence to go with him to the Parthian War being now about seventeen years of age Caesar being thus slain the news of it ran presently all over the City and the tumult therein was so great that no man knew what to do or say All Offices ceased the Temples were all shut up and every man was amazed Caesars Friends were afraid of those that slew him and they as much feared his Friends Brutus Cassius and the other Conspirators and others that joyned with them seeing the great tumult durst not go to their Houses nor prosecute their other designs for fear of Mark Anthony and Lepidus whereof the one was Consul and the other General of the Horsemen but presently from thence they went to seize upon the Capitol crying by the way as they went Liberty Liberty and imploring the favour and assistance of the People The rest of that day and all next night Mark Anthony and Lepidus who took Caesars part were in Arms and there passed sundry messages and treaties between them and the Conspirators At last it was agreed that the Senate should sit whither Brutus and Cassius came M. Anthonies Sons by the perswasion of Cicero a great lover of Liberty remaining as Hostages for them In the Senate they Treated of Peace and concord and that all that was past should be buried in perpetual oblivion whereunto Anthony who was Consul and the whole Senate agreed and the Provinces being divided there was a great likelihood of Peace For the Senate approved and commended the murther and the People dissembled their thoughts For on the one side the authority of Brutus and Cassius and the name of Liberty seemed to give them some content and on the other side the hainousness of the fact and the love they bare to Caesar did move and excite them to hate the murtherers and so all was quiet for the present But Mark Anthony who affected the Tyranny took every opportunity to incense the People against them and Caesars Testament being opened wherein besides the adopting of his Nephew Octavius and making him his Heir besides other bequests he bequeathed to the People of Rome certain Gardens and Lands near to the River of Tiber and to every Citizen of Rome certain Gardens and Lands neer to the sum of mony to be divided amongst them which being known much encreased their love to Caesar and made his death more grievous to them Caesars Funeral being agreed upon his Body was burnt with great solemnity in the Field of Mars and Mark Anthony made the Funeral Oration in his Praise and took the Robe wherein Caesar was slain being all bloody and shewed it to the People using such Speeches as provoked them both to wrath and commiseration so as before the Funeral solemnity was fully finished they all depart in great fury taking Brands in their hands from the fire wherein Caesar was burned and went to burn the Houses of Brutus and Cassius and if they could have found them and the rest of the Conspirators they would certainly have slain them and in their fury they unadvisedly slew Elius Cinna by mistaking him for Cornelius Cinna who was one of the Conspirators This tumult put Brutus and Cassius and their confederates into such fear that they all sled from Rome into several parts and though the Senate having appeased the tumult inflisted punishment upon some of the seditious and had already committed some of them to Prison yet Brutus and Cassius durst not return to Rome but after a while went into Greece to Govern those Provinces which Caesar in his Life time had allotted unto them which were Macedonia to Brutus and Syria to Cassius And truly this was very remarkable that within the space of three years all the Conspirators died and not one of them a natural death Caesar in his fifth and last Consulship made an Edict that thanks should be returned to Hyrcanus the High-Priest and Prince of the Jews and to the Nation of the Jews for their affection to himself and the People of Rome And decreed also that the said Hyrcanus should have the City of Jerusalem and repair the Walls of it which Pompey had beaten down and should Govern it as he pleased himself He also granted to the Jews that every second year there should an abatement be made out of their rents and that they should be free from Impositions and Tributes His Name of Caesar was so honourable that all his successors to this present day have assumed it into their Title and esteemed it an honour to be called Caesars THE LIFE and DEATH OF OCTAVIANUS AUGUSTUS In whose Raign our LORD CHRIST WAS BORN OCtavius Caesar who was afterwards called Octavianus Augustus was by the Fathers side descended of the Antient Family of the Octavij which was of great account in Rome even from the time of Tarquin their King By the Mothers side he was descended from the Regal Line His Mother was Accia the Daughter of Accius Balbus and Julia the Sister of Julius Caesar which Accia was married to the Father of Octavius He was born in the year of the Consulshp of Cicero and Caius Antonius He was but four years old when his Father dyed and at twelve years old he made an Oration at the Funeral of his Grand-mother Julia. When his Uncle Julius Caesar was Warring in Spain against the Sons of Pompey Octavius though he was but young followed him thither through many and great dangers and when that War was ended Julius Caesar intending to take him with him to the Parthian War sent him before to the City of Apollonia where he plyed his Book very diligently and on
his Mother a Mede of whom this very Nebuchadnezzar at the hour of his Death uttered this Prophesie There shall come a Persian Mule who shall make use of your Devils as his Fellow-Souldiers to bring you into Bondage He calls Cyrus a Mule because he was to be born of a Father and Mother of two divers Nations THE LIFE and DEATH OF CYRUS THE GREAT The First Founder of the PERSIAN EMPIRE CYRUS was the Son of Cambyses King of Persia by Mandanes the Daughter of Astyages King of Media He was so named by the Prophet Isay almost two hundred years before he was born Isa. 45. 1 4. Thus saith the Lord unto Cyrus his anointed c. Cyrus his first Education was under his Father Cambyses with whom he lived till he was twelve years old and somewhat more at which time he was sent for together with his Mother Mandanes by his Grandfather Astyages into Media In Media he served Astyages first as one of his Halberdiers and then as one of his Armour-bearers till he was called home into Persia by his Father Cambyses when as yet he had one year to spend at School and when he had spent seventeen years at School amongst Boyes he spent ten years more amongst youths When Cyrus was now almost sixteen years old Evilmerodach the King of Assyria being about to marry a Wife called Nicotris made an in-rode with a great Army of Horse and Foot into the borders of Media there to take his pleasure in hunting and harrassing of the Countrey against whom Astyages and Cyaxares his Son and Cyrus his Grand-child who then first began to bear Arms being but about fifteen or sixteen years old marched out met with him and in a great Battel overthrew him and drave him out of his borders Indeed the Death of Nebuchadnezzar the Father of Evilmerodach gave courage to those that had found him a troublesome Neighbour to stand upon prouder terms with the Babylonians than in his flourishing estate they durst have used But Evilmerodach being too proud to digest this loss which he had received by the Medes and their Allies the Persians under Cyrus he drew unto his party the Lydians and all the people of the lesser Asia with great gifts and strong perswasions hoping by their assistance to overwhelm his enemies with a strong invasion whom in vain he had sought to weary out by a lingring War The issue of these great preparations made by Evilmerodach against the Medes was such as opened the way to the fulfilling divers Prophesies which were many years before uttered against Babel by Isay and Jeremy For the Babylonians and their Confederates who trusting in their numbers thought to have buried the Medes and Persians under their thick showers of Arrows and Darts were encountred with an Army of stout and well trained men weightily Armed for close fight by whom they were beaten in a great Battel wherein Evilmerodach was slain After which that great Empire that was raised and upheld by Nebuchadnezzar was grievously shaken and enfeibled under his unprosperous Son and left to be sustained by his Grand-child Belshazzar a man more like to have overthrown it when it was greatest and strongest than to repair it when it was in a way of falling Xenophon relates the matter thus When the Babylonian had enlarged his Empire with many Victories and was become Lord of all Syria and many other Countreys he began to hope that if the Medes could be brought under his Subjection there would not then be left any Nation adjoyning able to make head against him For the King of the Medes was able to bring into the Field sixty thousand Foot and ten thousand Horse to which the Forces of Persia being joyned made an exceeding great Army Considering therefore the strength of such a neighbour he invited Croesus King of Lydia a Prince very mighty both in men and Treasure and with him other Lords of Asia the less to his assistance alledging that those Eastern Nations were very powerfull and so firmly conjoyned by League and many Alliances that it would not be easie no nor possible for any one Nation to resist them With these suggestions backed with rich Presents he drew to himself so many adherents as he compounded an Army of two hundred Thousand Foot and sixty thousand Horse Of which ten thousand Horse and forty thousand Foot were brought by Croesus who had great cause of enmity against the Medes for that they had made great Wars against his Father Allyattes Whereupon Cyrus was by his Father Cambyses and the Council of the Kingdom made General of the Persian Army and sent away into Media with thirty thousand Souldiers and one thousand Commanders all of equal Authority under him and when he came thither he was also made by his Uncle Cyaxares who had sent for him General of the Median Forces and the management of the War against the Babylonian was wholly committed to him With this Army he marched against Evilmerodach and his associates and in a very bloody Battel overthrew them In which defeat Evilmerodach King of Babylon being slain so many of his Subjects revolted that Babylon it self could no longer be secured but by the help of Mercenaries waged with great sums of money out of Asia the less Egypt and other Countries which new levied Forces were also defeated and scattered by Cyrus who following his advantage possessed himself of a great part of the lesser Asia Those Persians which followed Cyrus and were by him levied are reckoned to be thirty thousand Foot of which one thousand were Armed Gentlemen the rest of the common sort were Archers and such as used the Dart or Sling Croesus notwithstanding the men lost and the Treasure spent in the quarrel of the Babylonians yet did he Conquer Aeolis Doris and Ionia Provinces possessed by the Greeks in Asia the less adjoyning to his Kingdom of Lydia He gave Laws also to the Phrygians Bithynians Carians Mysians Paphlagonians and other Nations He also enforced the Ephesians to acknowledge him for their Lord He also obtained a signal Victory against the Sacaeans a Nation of the Scythians All which he performed in fourteen years And being now confident by reason of his good successes and withall envious at Cyrus his Fame and Prosperity doubting also that his great Victories might in the end grow perillous to himself he consulted with the Oracle of Apollo whom he presented with marvellous rich gifts what success he might hope for in his undertakings against Cyrus from whom he received this ambiguous answer Croesus Halym penetrans magnam pervertet opum vim Croesus passing over the River Halys shall dissolve a great Dominion For the Devil being doubtful of his success gave him this Riddle which might be construed either way to the ruine of Persia or of his own Lydia Hereupon Croesus interpreting it as he most desired resolved to stop the course of Cyrus his progress
perform promise with thee He perswaded him also that it was not a like repulse to Ochus to be denied that which he looked for as it was for him to be turned out of all that ever he had gotten For said he if it please Ochus to live as a private man he might do it safely and no man will trouble him but for you who are already proclaimed King you must of necessity make your self King or else you cannot live Now besides these perswasions the largeness of the Empire and the fear Darius stood in of his Brother Ochus much prevailed with him infomuch that he flatly conspired against his Father Artaxerxes together with Tiribazus and both of them drew many Conspirators to joyn with them But one of the Kings Eunuchs smelling it out ran presently and told the King all and how they had determined suddenly to assail him and to kill him in his Bed in the night Artaxerxes having received this intelligence thought it not safe to be careless in a matter of so great importance as was his Life and yet that it would savour of too great lightness so suddenly to believe the Eunuch without better proof of the matter He therefore commanded the Eunuch to keep Company still with the Conspirators and to follow them whithersoever they went and in the mean time he caused the wall behind his Bed to be beaten down making a door in the place and Tapestry Hangings to be put up before it When the time was come as the Eunuch had advertized the King that the Conspirators intended to execute their Design Artaxerxes being laid on his bed rose not up till he had seen every Traytor in the face that came to kill him But when he saw them coming towards him with their Swords drawn he suddenly slip't under the Hangings into the inner Chamber and shut the door after him crying Murther Murther The Traytors hereupon fled the same way that they came failing of their purpose and bad Tiribazus save himself because he was known so they dispersed themselves and fled But Tiribazus was taken and after he had slain many of the Kings Guard fighting valiantly yet at last one with a Dart afar off slew him Darius also was taken and together with his Sons was brought Prisoner before the King The King referred him to be judged by his Peers and withall he commanded his Secretaries to set down all the Tryal in writing together with the opinion and sentence of every one of the Judges and to bring it to him In conclusion they all cast him and condemned him to dye Then the Officers laid hold on him and led him into a Chamber of the Prison where the Hang-man came with a Razor in his hand with which he used to cut mens throats who were so condemned But when he came into the Chamber he saw it was Darius whereupon his heart so failed that he durst not lay hands on him but went out again The Judges that were without bad him go in and do it unless he would have his own throat cut Then went he in again and took Darius by the hair and made him hold down his head and so cut his neck with the Rasor Artaxerxes being informed hereof went and worshipped the Sun and then turning to his Lords that were about him he said unto them My Lords God be with you and be merry at home in your Houses and tell them that were not here that the great God Oromazes hath taken revenge upon those that practised Treason against me Now Darius being dead Ochus stood in good hope to be next heir to the Crown and the rather through the means and assistance of his Sister Atossa But of his legitimate Brethren he most feared Ariaspes who was only left of all that were legitimate and of his Bastard Brethren he feared Arsames Not for that Ariaspes was elder than he but because he being of a soft and plain name the Persians desired that he might be their King And for Arsames he was wise and valiant and Ochus saw that his Father loved him dearly Now Ochus being subtle and malicious first shewed cruelty upon Arsames and then his Malice upon Ariaspes his Legitimate Brother For knowing him to be simple and plain he daily sent some of the Kings Eunuchs to him who carried him threatning messages as from the King telling him that he determined to put him to a cruel and shameful death These things being daily buzzed into his ears as great secrets did so terrifie poor Ariaspes as that being put in despair of his life he prepared a Poison and drank it to prevent a worse Death King Artaxerxes being informed of his Death took it very heavily and began to suspect the cause that made him thus destroy himself yet being grown very old he neglected to search it out But the Death of Ariaspes made him to love Arsames the better making it to appear that he had a better opinion of him than he had of Ochus and therefore made him privy to all his affairs Ochus seeing this could no longer defer his revenge and he therefore suborned Harpaces the son of Tiribazus to murther his Brother Arsames which accordingly he accomplished Now Artaxerxes being almost spent with age when he heard that his dearly beloved Son Arsames was Murthered was not able to bear it any longer but took it so to heart that he died of grief having lived fourscore and fourteen years and reigned threescore and two When he was dead the Persians found that he had been a good and a gracious Prince and one that loved his People and Subjects especially when they came to have tryal of his Successor Ochus that passed all men living in cruelty For when his Father was dead he dealt so with the Chiliarchs and Eunuchs that were about him that his Death was concealed for ten Months together in which time he dispatched away Letters signed with the Kings Seal into all parts of the Empire commanding them to receive Ochus for their King And when all men had acknowledged him and sworn fealty to him he then made known his Fathers death and commanded a publick mourning to be made for him after the Persian manner and assumed his Fathers name Artaxerxes And then filled and fouled his Court with the bloud of his Kindred and Nobles without respect of Age or Sex amongst whom he caused his own Sister whose Daughter he had married to be buried alive with her heels upward He also caused an Unkle of his with above a hundred of his Children and Grand-children descended out of his loyns to be put into a court and there shot to Death with Arrows This Artaxerxes following herein the example of Cambyses caused certain unjust Judges to be flead alive and their skins to be hung up over the Judgment-seats that they which sat therein seeing what hung over their heads might be the more careful to do Justice
with a Dart with such force as breaking the Wood he left the Iron Head sticking in his Body Having received this deadly wound he fell immediately to the ground But then was there a more cruel fight about him than ever there was before which occasioned great Slaughter on both sides till the Thebans by fine force made their enemies to flie for their lives and when they had pursued them a while they returned back to their Camp that they might keep the dead Bodies in their Power which was a certain Sign that the Victory was theirs and then they sounded a retreat and so the Battel ended Both sides challenged the Victory and made Triumphs for it The Lacedemonians did it because the Athenians had slain those of Negropont that were sent to seize upon the Hills before mentioned and kept their bodies in their power The Thebans on the other side having overcome the Spartans had the bodies of them that were slain in the Battel in their power which was by far the greater number wherefore they said that they were the Victors Thus both standing upon their tearms it was a good while before either would send a Trumpet or Herauld to the other for leave to bury their dead Yet at last the Lacedemonians sent first and then they all betook themselves to give the dead an Honourable Burial And as for him that had killed Epaminondas he was highly esteemed and honoured for his Valiant Act and the Lacedemonians gave him many rich Presents and made him and his Posterity free from all publick Taxes and contributions in the Common-wealth As for Epaminondas he was brought yet alive into his Tent howbeit his Physitians and Surgeons being called together to dress his Wounds they all concluded that so soon as they plucked the Head of the Dart out of his body he must needs die And truly he made a most noble and worthy end For first he called for his Target-bearer who was always at his hand in the Battel and asked him Is my Target safe He brought it straight Then he asked Who had the Victory The Boeotians answered the Target-bearer Then he commanded them to bring to him Diophantus and Jolidas they told him they were both dead Upon this he advised his Citizens to make Peace with their enemies for that they had not any Captain of skill to lead them to the Wars And now said he it is time for me to die and therefore pluck the Dart Head out of my Body At this word all his Friends that were about him fetched grievous sighs and even cryed out for sorrow and one of them weeping said unto him Alas Epaminondas Thou diest now and leavest no Children behind thee Yea said he that I do For I leave two fair Daughters behind me whereof the one is the Victory at Leuctres and the other this of Mantinea So they pulled out the Dart and immediately he gave up the Ghost without shewing any sign that he was at all troubled at it He used often to say That War is the Bed of Honour and that it is a sweet Death to dye for ones Country He was one of the bravest Captains that ever we read of For whereas others excelled in some one or two Virtues by which they made their Fame great and glorious he excelled in all the Vertues and good Parts that could be desired in a Grave Politick and great Captain to make him compleat in all things that could be expected in an Heathen In his time he advanced his Country to the Principality of all Greece But after his Death they soon lost it and not long after Alexander the Great utterly brake them in pieces made Slaves of those that survived and razed their City to the very ground As in his life time he had always detested covetousness so after his Death the Thebans were faign to bury him at the common charge of the City because they found no mony in his House to defray the least part of the Funeral expences THE WICKED LIFE AND WOFUL DEATH OF HEROD the GREAT In whose time Our LORD CHRIST was Born HEROD sirnamed the Great was the Son of Antipas or Antipater an Idumaean a prime man both for birth and wealth amongst them His Mothers name was Cyprus born at an eminent place amongst the Arabians so that when this Herod acquired the Kingdom of Judea that Prophesie of old Jacob was fulfilled Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come This Antipater riding his circuit about the Province of Judea whereof Julius Caesar had made him Governour repressed them who were desirous of innovation both by threats and counsel telling them that if they would be content with their Prince Hyrcanus whom Caesar also had confirmed in the High-Priesthood they might live happily in their own possessions but if they promised themselves new hopes and thought that they should gain much by innovations they should have him a Master instead of a Governour and Hyrcanus a Tyrant instead of a King and Caesar and the Romans bitter enemies instead of Princes for that they would by no means suffer any thing to be altered from what they had setled But Antipater perceiving Hyrcanus to be dull and idle he settled the state of the Province as himself pleased making his elder Son Phasaelus Governour of Jerusalem and the Countries adjoyning and to Herod his second Son being then a very young man he committed the care of Galilee Herod being Praefect of Galilee there was one Esekias a Jew who associating to himself many other lewd persons exercised thievery and used to make incursions into Syria in Troops These Herod pursued and having taken Esekias he put him to Death which fact of his gat him much favour with the Syrians which Province also was then under his Government The violence and bold nature of Herod who was desirous of the Tyranny much terrified the Princes of the Jews wherefore they addressed themselves to Hyrcanus and openly accused Antipater but especially they complained of Herod for that he had put to death Esekias with many others without any Commission from Hyrcanus in contempt of their Laws by which no man ought to suffer though never so wicked unless he were first condemned by the Judges The Mothers also of them that were killed ceased not daily in the Temple to weary both the King and the people with their continual exclamations desiring that Herod might be made to give an account of these his doings before the Sanhedrim whereupon Hyrcanus moved herewith commanded Herod to be called before the Council and to plead his own cause Herod having ordered the affairs of Galilee as he thought best for his own advantage being fore-warned by his Father that he should not come into the Council as a Private Person he took with him a moderate but yet a sufficient Guard not too great lest he should
upon these conditions That they should render up all the Prisoners and all their Renigadoes and Slaves That they should withdraw their Armies out of Italy and Gaul That they should not meddle with Spain nor with any Islands betwixt Italy and Africk That they should deliver up all their Ships of War save twenty That they should pay him a great sum of Money with some hundred thousand Bushels of Wheat and Barley All these they assented to whereupon he granted them a Truce that they might send their Ambassadors to the Senate of Rome But the truth was they desired only to get time till Hannibal might come back in whom they reposed all their confidence And therefore they took occasion to pick new Quarrels with the Romans which they were the rather encouraged to hearing news that Hannibal was already landed in Africk by whose means they hoped either to drive the Romans out of Africk or to procure better tearms of Peace Hannibal departed out of Italy no less passionate then men are wont to be when they leave their own Countries to go into Exile He looked back to the shore accusing both Gods and Men and cursing his own dulness in that he had not led his Army from Cannae hot and bloodied as it was to the Walls of Rome Arriving in Africk he disembarked his Army at Leptis almost one hundred Miles from Carthage He was ill provided of Horse which he could not easily transport out of Italy From thence he passed through the inland Country gathering Friends by the way Tychaeus a Numidian Prince that had the best Horses he allured to joyn with him and one Mazetallus another Prince brought him a thousand Horse The Carthaginians in the mean time neglected to make those preparations that would have secured the Victory and yet they sent to Hannibal requiring him without delay to do what he could Hannibal answered that they were his Lords and therefore might dispose of him and his Army but since he was General of their Forces he desired that he might have leave to make choise of his own time Yet to please them he made long marches to Zama and there encamped From Zama he sent forth his Scouts to learn where the Romans lay and what they were doing Some of these were taken and brought to Scipio who shewed them all his Camp and so dismissed them Hannibal admired at his Generosity and had a very great desire of an interview that he might talk with him and this he signified by a Messenger Scipio imbraced the motion and sent him word when and where he might meet with him Accordingly the two Generals rode forth with each of them a Troop of Horse till they met and then their men were bid to stand off Each of them had his Enterpreter and when they met they stood silent for a while viewing one the other with mutual admiration Then began Hannibal to salute the Roman to this effect That it had been better for Carthage and Rome if they could have contained their ambition within the shoars of Africk and Italy for that the Countries of Sicily and Spain were no sufficâ—ent recompence for so many Fleets as had been lost and so much blood as had been shed in making those costly purchases But since what was past could not be recalled he said That it was time for them at the length to put an end to those contentions and to Pray the Gods to endue them with more Wisdom for hereafter To which peaceable disposition his own years and long tryal of Fortune both good and bad made him inclinable But he feared that Scipio for want of such experiences would rather fix his mind upon uncertain hopes than upon the contemplation of that mutability whereunto all humane affairs are subject Yet said he my own example may peradventure teach thee moderation For I am that same Hannibal that after my Victory at Cannae wan the greatest part of Italy and devised what I should do with your City of Rome which I hoped verily to have taken Once I brought my Army to your Walls as thou hast since brought thine to ours of Carthage But see the change I now stand here intreating thee for Peace This may teach thee Fortunes instability I fought with thy Father Scipio He was the first Roman General I met with in the Field I did then little think that the time would come when I should have such business with his Son and thou maist have experience of the like in thy self who knows how soon what saist thou Canst thou be content that we leave to you Spain and all the Islands between Italy and Africk By effecting this thou shalt have Glory enough and the Romans may well be glad of such a bargain and we will be faithful in observing the Peace with you If thou refusest this consider what an hazzard thou must run to get a little more If thou stayest but till tomorrow Night thou must take such Fortune as the Gods shall allot The issue of Battels is uncertain and oft beguiles expectation Let us therefore without more ado make Peace Say not that some false-hearted Citizens of ours dealt fraudulently of late in the like Treaty It s I Hannibal that now desire Peace which I would never do but that I think it expedient for our Country and judging it expedient I will always maintain it To this Scipio answered That he was not ignorant of the mutability of Fortune That without any note of insolence he might well refuse the conditions offered But said he if thy Citizens can be contented besides what I proposed and they formerly assented to to make such reparation for these late injuries as I shall require then I will further advise what answer to give you otherwise prepare for War and expect the issue Hereupon they brake off and each returned to his own Camp bidding ther Souldiers to prepare for Battel wherein should be decided the quarrel between Rome and Carthage The next Morning at broak of Day they issued into the Field each of them ordering their Men as they judged most convenient After which Scipio rode up and down his Army bidding them remember what they had atchieved since they came into Africk He told them that if they wan the Day the War was at an end and this Victory would make them Lords of all the World for after this none should be able to resist them But if they were beaten there was no possibility of escaping they must either conquer or die or be miserable Slaves under most merciless enemies Hannibal was far the weaker in Horse and a great part of his Army were raw Souldiers yet his Lords of Carthage would brook no delay He encouraged therefore his men as was most furtable to their qualities To the Mercenaries he promised bountiful rewards The Carthaginians he threatned with inevitable servitude if they lost the day but especially he animated his old fellow Souldiers by
the Fields commanding them to disperse themselves abroad which accordingly they did and Perpenna took the opportunity and charged upon them and had them in chase but Pompey tarrying for them at a Foord was ready with his Army in good order gave them Battel and obtained the Victory and thus ended all the War For most of the Captains were slain and Perpenna himself taken Prisoner whom he presently put to Death Perpenna shewed to Pompey Letters from the greatest Noblemen of Rome who were desirous of change of Government willing him to return into Italy But Pompey fearing that they might occasion great commotions in Rome put Perpenna presently to Death and burned all the writings not so much as reading any one of them Pompey after this remained in Spain till he had pacified all tumults and then went with his Army back into Italy and arrived just when the War of the Bondmen and Fencers led by Spartacus was in the greatest fury Upon Pompey's coming Crassus being sent General against them made hast to give them Battel wherein he overcame them and slew twelve thousand and three hundred of these fugitive Slaves Yet Fortune intending to give Pompey some part of the honour five thousand of these Bondmen who escaped from the Battel fell into his hands whom he overcame and wrote to the Senate at Rome that Perpenna had overcome the Fencers in Battel and that he had plucked up this War by the roots The Romans receiving these Letters were very glad of the news for the love which they bore to him Yet for all the great honour and love they did bear to him they suspected and were afraid of him because he did not disband his Army fearing that he would follow Sylla's steps and rule over them by force Hereupon as many went forth to meet him out of fear as out of good will But when he told them that he would disband his Army so soon as he had Triumphed then his ill-willers could blame him for nothing but that he inclined more to the People than to the Nobles and because he desired to restore the Tribuneship to the People which Sylla had put down Indeed the common People at Rome never longed for any thing more than they did to see the Office of the Tribunes set up again and Pompey was very glad that he had such an opportunity thereby to ingratiate himself with them and to requite the love which they had shewed to him This was the second Triumph and the first Consulship which the Senate decreed to Pompey which made him neither the greater nor the better man Yet was it such an honour as Crassus the richest greatest and eloquentest man in Rome durst not demand before he had requested Pompey's good will therein And truely Pompey was very glad of the request having of a long time sought an opportunity whereby to gratifie him and therefore he made earnest suit to the People for him assuring them that he would as much thank them for making Crassus his fellow-consul and Colleage as he would for making himself Consul Yet when Pompey had obtained his request and they were both created Consuls they were in all things contrary one to the other and never agreed in any one thing whilst they ruled together Crassus had the more authority with the Senate and Pompey with the People for he restored to them the Office of Tribunes and passed by Edict that the Knights of Rome should have power again to Judge in causes both civil and criminal This wonderfully pleased the people when himself came in Person to the Censors and pray'd that he might be dispensed with for going into the Wars At this time Gellius and Lentulus were the Censors who being honourably set in their Tribunal seats taking a view of all the Roman Knights that mustered before them they marvelled when they saw Pompey comming with all the Ensigns of a Consul born before him and himself as other Knights did leading his Horse by the Bridle and when he came near he commanded the Sergeants that carried the Axes before him to make room for him to pass by the Barrs with his Horse where the Censors sate This made the People to flock about him wondring and rejoycing with great silence the Censors themselves also were marvellous glad to see him so obedient to the Law and did him great reverence Then did the elder of the Censors examine him thus Pompey the Great I pray thee tell me if thous didst serve so long in the War as the Law doth appoint Pompey answered aloud Yes verily have I done and that under no Captain but my self The People hearing this shouted aloud for joy and the Censors themselves came down from their seats and accompanied Pompey to his House to please the great multitude that followed him clapping their hands for joy At the end of their Consulship grudges growing higher between Crassus and Pompey there was one Gaius Aurelius a Knight who till then had never spoken in the publick Assembly He getting up into the Pulpit for Orations told the People openly that that night Jupiter had appeared to him and commanded him to tell both the Consuls from him that they should not leave their Office before they were reconciled together Yet for all this Pompey stirred not But Crassus took him by the hand and spake thus before the People My Lords I think it no dishonour to me to give place to Pompey sith you your selves have thought him worthy to be called the Great befor he had any hair on his face and to whom you granted the honour of two Triumphs before he came to be a Senator Having thus spoken they were reconciled together and so gave up thier Office Crassus after this retired to his former manner of life and Pompey as much as he could avoided pleading mens causes in publick and by degrees withdrew himself from frequenting the Market-place and came seldom abroad but when he did he had always a great train following him It was a rare thing to see him to be familiar with any one or to come abroad but with a great company of attendants The power of the Pirats upon the Seas began in Cilicia of which at first there was no great account made till they grew bold and venturous in King Methridates Wars being hired to serve him and when the Romans engaged in Civil Wars at home they neglected looking after them which made them more audacious For they did not only rob and spoil all Merchants by Sea but plundred Islands and Citics upon the Sea-coast insomuch as men of great Nobility and Wealth joyned with them and they set up store-houses in divers places and had Beacons to give warning by fire all along the Sea-coasts which were well watched they had also great Fleets of Ships well furnished with excellent Galliots skilful Pilots and Marriners their Ships were swift of Sail and Pinnaces for discovery All the Sea-coast over
and gave him Battel by Sea and after endured a Siege by Land Yet after a while they besought him to receive them to mercy yielding themselves their Towns and Islands which they had strongly fortified into his hands Thus was this War ended and all the Pirats within less than three Months space driven out of the Seas Pompey won also a great number of Ships and ninety Gallies armed with Copper Spurs As for those whom he had taken who were in number about twenty thousand lusty Men and good Souldiers he would not put them to Death but planted them in inland Countries in certain small Towns of the Cilicians that were scarce inhabited who were very glad of them and gave them Lands to maintain them and whereas the City of the Solians had not long before been destroyed by Tygranes King of Armenia he replenished it again by placing many of them there He bestowed others of them in the City of Dyma in the Country of Achaia which lacked Inhabitants and had great store of good Land belonging to it though many of his Enemies greatly blamed him for it Before Pompey was chosen General against the Pirats young Metellus was sent Praetor into Creet who finding it to be a Den of these Thieves he took many of them and put them to Death the rest that escaped being straightly besieged by him sent unto Pompey craving pardon and desiring him to receive them to mercy Pompey accordingly pardoned them and wrote to Metellus requiring him to give over that War commanding the Cities also that they should not obey Metellus He sent also Lucius Octavius one of his Lieutenants who entered into the Towns besieged by Metellus and sought against him in the behalf of the Pirats This act of Pompey procured him much ill will for that he fought for the common Enemies of the World who had neither God nor Law and that only to deprive a Roman Praetor of his Triumph who had done such good service against them Yet Metellus left not off his Wars for Pompey's Letters but having taken the Pirats he put them to Death When the news came to Rome that the Piratick War was ended and that Pompey had no more to do but to go from City to City to visit them one Manlius a Tribune of the People brought in another Law that Pompey taking the Army from Lucullus and all the Provinces under his Government with all Bythinia which Glabrio kept should go and War upon Tygranes and Methridates and yet reserve in his hands all his jurisdiction and Army by Sea in as royal a manner as he had it before which was to make him an absolute Monarch over all the Roman Empire The Senate stuck not so much at the injury offered to Lucullus depriving him of the honour of his doings and giving it to another but that which most grived them was to see Pompey's power established into a plain Tyranny Hereupon they encouraged one another to oppose it to the uttermost yet when the day came for the passing of this Law they all drew back for fear of angring the People and none durst oppose it Only Catulus inveied against it a long time together But say what he could the Decree passed by the voices of the Tribes And thus was Pompey in his absence made Lord of all that which Sylla with much effusion of blood had attained to with great difficulty When Pompey by Letters from Rome was informed what Law the People had past in his behalf he seemed to be much grieved that such great Offices and charges should be laid upon him one in the neck of another and clapping his hands on his Thigh he said O Gods shall I never see an end of these troubles Had it not been better for me to have been a mean Man and unknown than thus continually to be ingaged in War What! shall I never see the time that breaking the neck of spite and envy against me I may yet once in my life live quietly at hone in my Country with my Wife and Children His Friends that were about him were much displeased with this his deep dissimulation knowing that his ambitious desire to rule made him glad at heart to be thus imployed the rather because of the contention between him and Lucullus which his deeds forthwith discovered Hereupon he sent forth his Preceps into all quarters requiring all Souldiers immediately to repare to him and caused all the Kings and Princes within his jurisdiction to attend him and so going through all the Countries he changed all that Lucullus had before established He also released the penalties that were imposed upon them and took from them all the favours that Lucullus had granted them Lucullus finding himself so hardly dealt with Friends on both sides mediated a meeting betwixt them that they might talk together and accordingly they met in Galatia having their Sergeants and Officers with Rods wreathed about vvith Lawrel carried before them vvhich shevved that Pompey came to take Lucullus's honour from him Indeed Lucullus had been Consul before Pompey and was the older man yet Pompey exceeded him in dignity having Triumphed twice At their first meeting they discoursed very courteously each commending the others deeds and each rejoycing at the others good success but at parting they fell to hot words Pompey upbraiding Lucullus's covetousness and Lucullus Pompey's ambition so that their Friends had much ado to part them Lucullus when he was gone divided the Lands in Galatia which he had conquered and bestowed other gifts upon them Pompey on the other side camping hard by him commanded the People every where not to obey him He took his Souldiers also from him leaving him only sixteen hundred choosing out such as he thought would do him small service He blemished his Glory also telling every one that Lucullus had fought only with the shadow and pomp of those two Kings and that he had left him to fight with all their force and power Lucullus on the other side said that Pompey went only to fight with such as himself had subdued and that he sought the honour of Triumph over Armenia and Pontus as he had formerly practised to Triumph for overcoming a few Slaves and Fugitives Lucullus being now gone Pompey sent strong Garrisons into all the Sea coast from Phoenicia to the Bosphorus and then marched towards Methridates who had in his Camp thirty thousand Footmen and two thousand Horsemen yet durst he not fight but encamped upon an high Mountain till he was forced to leave it for lack of Water He was no sooner gone but Pompey seized upon the place and setting his Souldiers to dig he found Water enough for all his Army Then he encamped round about Methridates besieging him in his own Camp Methridates endured it forty five days and then slaying all the sick and impotent in his Camp with the choise of his Army he escaped by Night Another time Pompey found him by the
the Romans others by their own Countrymen that were of the contrary faction Many threw themselves down headlong from the Rocks others setting their Houses on fire burnt themselves not enduring to behold those things that were done by the Enemy Here fell twelve thousand of the Jews whereas of the Romans there were but few slain though many wounded Amongst the Captives that were taken was Absolon the Uncle and Father in Law of Aristobulus the Son of John Hyrcanus Upon the same day and in the same month was the Temple taken by Pompey as it had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar five hundred and forty three years before and it fell out also to be on their Sabbath about the twenty eight day of our December Pompey entered into the Temple and many others with him and there beheld those things which were not lawful to be seen by any but the High Priests only And whereas there were in the Temple the Table and Candlesticks with the Lamps all Vessels for Sacrifice and the Censers all of pure Gold and a huge heap of Spices and in the Treasuries of sacred mony above two thousand Talents yet Pompey medled not with any of these but the next day he commanded them which had the charge of the Temple to purifie and cleanse it and to offer their solemn Sacrifices unto God Pompey then restored the High Priesthood to Hyrcanus both because he had shewed himself so forward all the time of the Siege as also for that he hindred the Jews that were in all the Country from joyning with Aristobulus and together with the Priesthood he gave him the Principality also only forbidding him to wear a Crown Then did he put to death those that were the chiefest cause of the War and made the Jews Tributaries to the Romans and the Cities which they had formerly conquered in Caelosyria he took from them commanding them to obey their own Governours and the whole Nation of the Jews formerly advanced through prosperity he contracted within their ancient bounds The King of the Arabians that dwelt at the Castle of Petra that never before made any account of the Romans was now greatly afraid and wrote to Pompey that he was at his devotion to do what he commanded Pompey to try him brought his Army before his Castle of Petra and lodged them for that day and fell to riding and mannaging his Horse up and down the Camp In the mean time Posts came riding from the Realm of Pontus with Letters of good news as appeared by their Javelins wreathed about with Lawrel the Souldiers seeing that flocked about the place to hear the news but Pompey would make an end of his riding before he would read the Letters whereupon many cryed to him to alight which he did But then he wanted a high place to stand upon and the Souldiers were so impatient to hear the news that they would not stay to make one they heaped Saddles one upon another and Pompey getting up upon them told them that Methridates was dead having killed himself because his Son Pharnaces rebelled against him and had wan all which his Father possessed writing to him that he kept it for himself and the Romans Upon this news all the Camp rejoyced wonderfully and Sacrificed to the Gods with great mirth Pompey finding this troublesome War to be so easily ended presently left Arabia and by speedy marches he came to the City of Amisus There he met with great Presents which were sent him from Pharnaces and many dead Bodies of the Kings Kindred and the Body of Methridates himself who was known by certain scars in his Face Pompey would by no means see him but to avoid envy he sent him away to the City of Sinope He much wondered at his rich Apparel and Weapons The Scabbard of his Sword cost four hundred Talents His Hat also was of wondrous Workmanship Pompey having here ordered all things according to his mind he went homewards with great pomp and Glory Coming to Mytylene he eased the City of all Taxes for Theophanes his sake and was present at certain Plays the subjects whereof were the great acts of Pompey He so liked the Theater where these Plays were made that he drew a moddle of it to make a statelier than it in Rome As he passed by the City of Rhodes he heard the Rhetoricians dispute and gave each of them a Talent The like he did at Athens unto the Philosophers there and towards the beautifying of the City he gave them fifty Talents At his return into Italy he expected to have been received very honourably and longed to see his Wife and Children thinking also that they longed as much to see him But God so ordered it that in his own House he met with occasion of sorrow For his Wife Mutia in his absence had played the Harlot Yet whilst he was a far off he made no account of the reports which were made to him of her But when he drew neer to Italy he was more attentive to them whereupon he sent her word he would own her no more for his Wife There were also rumours spread abroad in Rome which much troubled him it being given out that he would bring his Army strait to Rome and make himself absolute Lord of the Empire Crassus hereupon to give more credit to the report and to procure the greater envy against Pompey conveyed himself Family and Goods out of Rome But when Pompey came to Italy calling his Souldiers together he made an Oration to them as the time and occasion required and then commanded them to disband and every one to return to his own home and to follow his business till the time of his Triumph As he passed such was the love of the People to him that multitudes of them accompanied him to Rome whether he would or no and that with a greater power than he brought with him into Italy so that if he had been disposed to have made Innovation he needed not the assistance of his Army therein At this time there was a Law that no man should enter into Rome before his Triumph wherefore Pompey sent to the Senate requesting them to defer the choise of Consuls for a few days that he might further Piso who sued for the Consulship that year But through Caetoes means they denyed his request Pompey marvelling to hear of his boldness and free Speech was very desirous to make him his Friend So Cato having two Neeces he desired to marry one himself and to have the other for his Son but Cato flatly denied him though his Wife and Sister were angry that he refused to make alliance with Pompey the Great After this Pompey being desirous to prefer Afranius to be Consul he caused mony to be given to the Tribes of the People which being reported abroad made every man speak evil of him as having put the Consulship to sale for money whereas himself had
ever he used But Caesar marvelled that being in so strong a City and expecting his Army out of Spain and being Master of the Seas besides he vvould so easily forsake Italy Thus Caesar vvithin threescore days became Lord of all Italy vvithout bloodshed He was very desirous speedily to have followed Pompey but having no Ships ready he was forced to stay Then did he hasten into Spain to joyn Pompey's Army with his own Pompey in the mean space had gotten a marvellous great power together both by Sea and Land By Sea he had five hundred good Ships of War besides multitudes of Galliots Foists and Pinnaces By Land he had all the flower of the Horsemen of Rome and of all Italy to the number of seven thousand Valiant men and of great Houses But his Footmen were raw and untrained Souldiers whom Pompey continually exercised at the City of Beraea taking as much pains therein as if he had been in his youth It was great encouragement to others to see Pompey being fifty eight years old fighting on foot compleatly Armed and then speedily to mount on Horseback and in his full Career to draw and put up his Sword to cast his Dart with as much agility and strength and point blank that few young men could do the like To Pompey there came divers Kings Princes and Lords of great Countries and of Roman Captains who had born Office to the number of a vvhole Senate Amongst these there came also Labienus who formerly had been Caesars great Friend and an assistant to him in his Wars in Gaul There came also to him Brutus a very Valiant man vvho had never before spoken unto Pompey because he thought him guilty of his Fathers Murther but novv he vvillingly joyned with him as a defender of the Roman Liberties Cicero himself also vvho had Written and given counsel for Peace thought it a shame not to be amongst the number of those vvho would hazard their lives in the defence of their Country There came also Didius Sextus though he was an old man and lame of one of his Legs vvhom when Pompey savv coming though others laughed him to scorn yet he rose up and vvent to meet him judging it a sign of much love vvhen such old men chose rather to accompany him in danger than to remain at home in safety The chief of Pompey's Army sitting in Counsel decreed that no Citizen of Rome should be put to death but such as fell in Battel That no City subject to the Empire of Rome should be sackt vvhich made Pompey's part liked the better And most judged those Enemies both to the Gods and Men that did not vvish him the Victory Caesar also shevved himself very courteous and merciful for having taken all Pompey's Army in Spain he set all the Captains at liberty and only reserved the Souldiers to himself Then coming over the Alps again he passed through all Italy and came to Brundusium in the Winter time and from thence passing over the Sea he came to the City of Oricum and having Vibius one of Pompey's familiar Friends with him whom he had taken Prisoner he sent him to Pompey again to desire that they might meet and both of them disband their Armies within three days and being reconciled and having given their Faith each to other to return into Italy like good Friends together But Pompey durst not trust to these fair words judging them but snares to entrap him He therefore suddenly removed to the Sea coast and took all the places of strength neer to the Sea side safely to lodg his Camp in and all the Ports Harbours and Creeks fit for Ships to lie in so that whatsoever Wind blew it served his turn to bring him either men victuals or mony Caesar on the other hand was so distressed both by Sea and Land that he was driven to hasten to a Battel and to assail Pompey even in his own strength to force him to fight with him and for the most part he always had the better in most skirmishes saving one wherein he was in danger to have lost all his Army For Pompey had valiantly repulsed all his men and made them flie and had slain two thosand of them in the Field but he durst not enter pell mell with them into their Camp when they fled which made Caesar say to his Friends That his Enemy had won the Victory that day if he had known how to overcome This Victory did so encourage Pompeys men that they would needs hazard a Battel But Pompey though he wrote to many of his Friends and Confederates as if he had already beaten Caesar yet was he not willing to adventure all upon a Battel thinking it better by protracting time and cutting his Enemy short of Victuals to overcome him For this end Pompey perswaded his men to be quiet and not to stir But when Caesar after this last bickering being scanted of Victuals raised his Camp and departed to go into Thessaly through the Country of the Athamaneans then he could no longer bridle their courage who cryed out Caesar is fled let us follow him And others said let us return home into Italy And some sent their Friends and Servants to Rome to hire them Houses near the Market place intending at their return to sue for Offices Some in a jollity would needs sail to Lesbos where Pompey had left his Wife Cornelia to carry her the good news that the War was endeed Pompey calling a Counsel Affricanus thought it best to go into Italy and to win that as being the chiefest mark they shot at in this War For whosoever had that was sure of all Sicily Sardinia Corsica Spain and Gaul He said also that it was a dishonour to Pompey who should be very tender of his credit to suffer their Country to be in such bondage and subjection to Slaves and base flatterers of a Tyrant when as it offered it self as it were into their hands But Pompey thought it dishonourable for him to flie from Caesar and to make him follow him since he now had him in chase nor lawful before the Gods now to forsake his Father in Law Scipio and many others who had been Consuls and who were dispersed up and down Greece and Thessaly who by this means would certainly fall into Caesars hands together with their Riches and Armies He said also that they had care enough for the City of Rome by drawing their Armies farthest from it so as they remaing safe and quiet at home not feeling the miseries of War might joyfully welcome him home that remained Conquerour With this determination he followed Caesar not intending to give him Battel but to besiege him and so to cut him short of Victuals But whilst he pursued him fair and softly his men cryed out of him that he intended not to War against Caesar but against his own Country that he might still keep the authority in his hand Phaonius
he resolved first to go into Spain which held for Pompey and where he had his best Legions under the command of Petreius and Afranius saying to his Friends Let us go against an Army which wants a Captain and afterwards we will go against a Captain that wants an Army For Pompeys Souldiers in Spain were very valiant and had been long exercised in Armes but their Commanders were neither Politick nor expert in War But on the contrary Pompey was a most Wise and Valiant Captain but his Souldiers were newly levyed and of small experience Caesar returning from Brundusium in sixty days space became Lord of all Italy and when he came to Rome the People were in great fear remembring the miseries they had suffered under Sylla But Caesar using his accustomed clemency hurt no man high nor low He called the Senators together which remained there comforting them with mild and good words and laying the whole fault upon Pompey he sought to justifie his own cause declaring how much he desired Peace with all requesting that Ambassadours might be sent to Pompey to procure the same And causing himself present to be chosen Consul he opened the Treasury though Metellus one of the Tribunes of the People opposed him and the Treasure which he took from thence which was very great he distributed amongst his Souldiers Then was he desirous to go into Spain first taking order for the civil Government and making choice of the Legions which should go with him he left the rest in Brundusium and Otranto and other strong places upon the Sea Coast to keep Pompey from landing if he should attempt to retùrn into Italy He also made Hortensius and Dolabella his Captains to provide Shipping to be brought into the Port of Brundusium there to be in a readiness against his return from Spain Quintus Valerius he sent with a Legion into Sardinia against Marcus Cotta which held the same for Pompey To Sicily he sent Curius and Marcus Cato with direction that having taken the same he should pass over into Africk Lepidus he sent to Rome as Prefect thereof and Mark Anthony he made Governour of all Italy And resolving to leave Lucinius Crassus in France with his accustomed celerity he went on his Journey finding no resistance neither in Italy nor France till he came to Marcelleis which held for Pompey This City he besieged and to avoid loss of time left Decius Brutus and Caius Trebonius with sufficient Forces who indured much in the siege himself hasted into Spain where being expected Afranius and Petreius attended him with four Roman Legions and the aid of their Friends between whom and Caesar the War continued for some while chiefly about the City of Lerida At first Caesar was in great danger and much distressed chiefly for want of Victuals as also for that the Winter was come on which troubled him with the swelling of Rivers before and after which there passed many great skirmishes between the two Armies And Caesar watching his opportunities at last brought his adversaries to such distress that they perished with hunger and were forced to come to a composition which was that the Legions should have liberty to go whither they pleased and so part of them took pay of Caesar the rest departed and Petreius and Afranius went to Pompey This War being ended and the Spring come Caesar that he might leave no Enemy behind him marched into the Province of Betica now Andaluzia with part of his forces commanding the rest to march whither he had appointed and there to stay for him because Marcus Varro held that Province for Pompey against Caesar with one good Legion But he not daring to oppose Caesar delivered up the Legion to him together with that Country and all was pacified there From thence Caesar went to Cordova where he called a Parliament of all the States of that Province in which he highly commended them and those of Sivil for taking his part and so marching forward he came to the Isle of Cadez where having gotten Ships in readiness he left Quintus Cassius with four Legions in that Province and so embarking he went to Taragona commanding his Legions to march by Land thither where having settled his affairs he advanced with his Army towards Narbona and from thence to Marcelleis which now yielded to him having endured many calamities during the Siege Caesar respecting the antiquity and fame of this City would not destroy it nor the Inhabitants but leaving a strong Garrison in it he ordered his Legions to march for Italy and himself with a sufficient guard and some of his Friends took passage by Sea to Rome Though all things succeeded thus well with Caesar yet some of his Captains had ill success For Caius Antonius whom he left with Dolabella for to command his Navy was overthrown and taken Prisoner in the Gulph of Venice by Octavius Lieutenant to Pompey In which overthrow this was very remarkable Anthony was faign to put his men into long Boats for want of Ships which were taken by a Strategem as in a toil by the Pompeians with Ropes under the Water One of them which had in it a thousand valiant young men being thus ensnared was assaulted by the Enemies whole Army against which they defended themselves bravely from morning till night and in the end being oppressed with the multitude by the perswasion of Valteius their Collonel they all slew one another rather than they would fall into the Enemies hand Dolabella was likewise overthrown near to the Island of Corcyra now Corfu and Curius who went with his two Legions into Africk though at first he had good success yet afterwards he was overthrown and most of his men slain by Juba King of Mauritania Pompeys Friend Caesar being come to Rome and made Dictator new Consuls were chosen whereof he being one layed aside his Dictatorship and provided Praetors for the Provinces as himself pleased He sent Marcus Lepidus into Spain Aulus Albinus into Sicily Sextus Peduceius into Sardinia and Decius Brutus into France and taking such further order as he thought good he departed from Rome in December towards Brundusium whither he commanded all his Forces to march there to take passage for Macedonia where he knew that Pompey staid with his Army who all that whole year that Caesar spent in his journey to Spain busied himself to provide a Navy wherein to return into Italy and in gathering Treasure and levying Souldiers having made an exceeding great provision of all things For there came unto him Ships money and men from sundry Kingdoms and Provinces both of Asia and Greece as from Syria Pontus Bithynia Cilicia Phoenicia Cappadocia Pomphilia Armenia Minor Aegypt Greece Thessaly Baeotia Achaia Epirus Athens Lacedemonia the Isles of Creet and Rhodes and from many other Countries There came also to his aid King Deiotarus and Aribarzanes of all which together with those which he brought with him from Italy
afterwards forsook Spain Caesar recovered Sivil and Cordova and all the rest of the Country after which ordering his affaires in Spain after his pleasure he returned to Rome and Triumphed for these Victories which was his fifth and last Triumph Caesar now came to be the most mighty the most redoubted and the most highly esteemed man in the World having conquered and subdued the greatest part thereof in as little time as it might seem that another man might be able to travel through those Countries by reasonable Journeys He then made himself perpetual Dictator and so without opposition he finished the making of himself the Soveraign Lord and Monarch of the Empire of Rome within less than five years after he first attempted the same And this was the Original and beginning of the Roman Emperours For Julius Caesar would not be called King that Name being odious to the Romans above all things ever since Kings were first driven from Rome but contented himself to be called Perpetual Dictator and Emperour which Title was usually given to the Roman Generals upon their obtaining any signal Victory But after Julius Caesar all his successors took that Title glorying to be called Emperour which hath ever since been held for the highest Title and Dignity in the World Caesar having now attained to that absolute power which he had so ambitiously sought after he shewed in all his Deportment much clemency and Magnanimity honouring and rewarding his Friends and easily forgiving and very cheerfully pardoning all those that had been his Adversaries Thus he pardoned Brutus Cassius Cicero Marcellus and many others Yea some of them he admitted to his company and private familiarity and to Offices and Dignities and amongst the many virtues wherewith he was endued his clemency and liberality were most glorious But all this prevailed not with the Romans to quench their desires after the recovery of their lost liberty neither to asswage the hatred and malice conceived against him by his adversaries as aftâ—rwards appeared And notwithstanding many were discontented yet some for love others for fear and out of dissimulation both Senate and People yea all in general gave him Names preheminences and Titles of Honour such as never had been given to any other man before him neither ought to have been accepted by him and many were the more offended because they knew that he affected and desired them They gave him the name of Emperour Father Restorer and Preserver of his Country They made him perpetual Dictator and Consul for ten years and perpetual Censor of their manners His Statue was erected and set up amongst the Kings of Rome and a Chair and Throne of Ivory was set up for him in the Temple and in the Senate House and an high Throne in the Theater and in the place where the Senators did use to sit His Pictures and Statues were set up in the Temples and in all publick places Some Titles they gave him and he accepted of which were peculiar to the Gods The month formerly called Quintile they called Julius after his name They also built and consecrated Temples to him as they did to Jupiter and the other Gods and gave him certain Honours which they held proper for their Gods and did him many other honours exceeding all measure Julius Caesar enjoying such honour and power so that he had no equal no second in the World with whom he might contend it seemed that he would contend with himself and attempt something wherein he might excel himself For he was not contented with all the Victories which he had obtained neither to have fought fifty several Battels in all which he was Victorious save in that one at Dyrrachium against Pompey neither to have slain in the Wars and Battels which he fought a Million ninety and odd thousands of men besides those that were slain in the civil Wars But being of a most haughty mind he sought to do greater matters if greater could be For first he resolved to pass into the East there to conquer and subdue the fierce Nations of the Parthians and to revenge the death of Marcus Crassus and from thence to pass through Hyrcania and other Countries till he should come to the Caspian Sea and so through all the parts of Scithia Asiatica and passing the River Tanais to return through Scithia into Europe and in his retreat to come into Germany and other Conntries bordering thereupon conquering and subjecting all to the Roman Empire For which end he presently caused to be levied in several places ten thousand Horsemen and sixteen Legions of chosen Footmen and appointing the time wherein he intended to begin his Journey he commanded them to repair to their Rendevouz He sought also not only to subdue all Nations but to correct and reform even nature it self For he purposed to have made an Island of Peloponnesus now called Morea by cutting the neck of land between the Egaean and the Jonian Seas He purposed also to have altered the courses of the River Tiber and Anian and to have made their new Channels capable of bearing great Ships He ordered the digging down and levelling many high Hills and Mountains in Italy and to dry up and drain great Lakes and Marishes therein He corrected the computation of the year reforming it according to the course of the Sun and brought it into that order wherein it now is He did the like about the course of the Moon and her conjunctions and oppositions to the Sun and this was attributed to him for Tyranny by those that hated him Many others things Caesar did which were very remarkable in reforming the Laws customs and Offices He re-edified the ruined City of Carthage in Africk and sent thither Colonies and Roman Citizens to Inhabit it the like he did by Corinth But all these works with his high conceits and undertakings were prevented by his unexpected and immature Death which within a few Days after ensued A few men and those unarmed bereft him of his Life whom no former forces could resist For five months only he lived as Soveraign Lord in Peace when those in whom he reposed greatest trust conspired his Death Some say that Caesar was counselled to have a Guard about him alwayes to which he answered that he would have none for that he had rather die once than live continually in fear They which conspired his death were stirred up thereto either out of hatred to his Person or desire of Liberty accounting him for a Tyrant or out of suspition that he would have made himself a King a thing in the highest degree hateful to the Romans and lastly because he began to contemn others For he used to say that the Commonwealth was but a Voice and Name without a Body or Substance and that Sylla was a Fool for resigning his perpetual Dictatorship All the whole Senate coming one Day to the Temple of Venus where he was he sat still and rose not up
gave direction and was very diligent in all things touching Justice Customes Religion and publick buildings so as in all things his Reign was happy peaceable and quiet during all his Life Yet in this so happy a time some People and Nations still affecting Liberty laboured to shake off the Roman yoke and thereby molested and disquieted the Empire as the Spaniards the Inhabitants of Illyricum and the Pannonians In Spain the Cantabrians the Asturians and part of Gallicia passing their bounds began a War against the Empire Augustus being informed hereof judging it to be a doubtful War and of importance commanded the Temple of Janus to be opened and determined to go against them in Person and to send other Captains to follow his other Wars And accordingly Augustus went into Spain and with three Armies made War against the People aforementioned which proved very doubtful and desperate and lasted five years and though he suppressed the Cantabrians and Asturians and drave them to their Rocks and Mountains yet before he could wholly subdue them he was fain to bring a great Navy upon the Coast of France to invade the Sea coasts of Cantabria and Galizia by which means he drave them to such extremities by Land that they were at last forced to submit to his obedience Augustus his great favourite Agrippa served him faithfully in this War whom therefore he married to his Daughter Julia who was the Widow of his Nephew Marcellus the Son of his Sister Octavia And thus he brought all Spain into subjection to him above two hundred years after the Comans began to make their first Wars there So as no Province cost Rome more Treasure more bloud nor more time than Spain This long and doubtful War being so happily finished Augustus was so pleased with it that he gave commandment that the Temple of Janus should again be shut and came to Rome in great Triumph But this Temple continued not long shut for some Nations of the Germans rebelled so that it was again opened These were the Inhabitants of Noricum now Bavaria and the Pannonia's now Austria and Hungary and the two Missia's now Bulgary and Servia as also Illyricum now Sclavonia and the Province of Dacia now Transylvania and Walachia and some others though at several times Against these Augustus sent his Generals and Armies amongst which were his Sons in Law the Sons of Livia Tiberius Nero who succeeded him in the Empire and his Brother Drusus Nero of whom Livia was with child when Octavian married her and these two Brothers though the War lasted somewhat long vanquished those Nations and obtained great Victories in Germany and the confines thereof especially Tiberius who in three years space subdued the Pannonia's Illyricum and Dalmatia for which Victories he afterwards entred into Rome in an Ovation Triumph with great Pomp and Honour Marcus Crassus also overcame and put to flight the Missians a People who had never seen the Romans before And when they were ready to give Battel they said Tell us who you are that seek to molest and disquiet us We are said they Romans the Lords of Nations whereupon they replied It shall be so if you overcome us which fell out accordingly But Augustus obtained not these Victories without some crosses For in these Wars died his Son in Law Drusus who was highly esteemed for his Noble acts and great Victories for the loss of whom both Augustus and Livia were much afflicted But yet his grief was greater for the mishap which befell Quintilius Varro who was General of three Legions in Germany and being careless was surprized by the Almans and himself his Legions and all his Auxiliaries were slain and two Standards with the Imperial Eagles taken for which he was so immoderately grieved that he knocked his Head against the Wall and cryed out unadvisedly Quintilius Varro Give me my Legions again For certain months also he suffered the hair of his Head and Beard to grow carelesly And the very day of this unhappy accident he did every year observe mournfully with sorrow and lamentation Of his Son in Law Drusus there remained two Sons Germanicus and Claudius which he had by Antonia Augustus his Neece and Daughter of his Sister Octavia and Mark Anthony of which Claudius was Emperour And Germanicus married Agrippina the Daughter of Julia Augustus his Daughter by whom he had Caius Caligula who also was afterwards Emperour Augustus after many notable Victories compelled his Enemies at length to sue for Peace whereupon again he commanded the Temple of Janus to be shut up and from thenceforth all things succeeded prosperously with him The Subjects of the Empire were now very obedient to him and all other sent their Ambassadours seeking his Favour and Friendship The Indians in the remotest parts of the East and the Scythians that inhabited the North and the Parthians an untamed People sent their Ambassadours to him giving security to keep the Peace and restoring to him the Standards and Eagles which were taken when Marcus Crassus was slain There came also Kings who were Friends and Subjects to the Roman Empire to do him Homage laying aside their Ensignes and Royal Robes and many of them bult Cities to his Name and for his Honour calling them Caesaria So did Herod the Great in Palestine King Juba in Mauritania and others The World being thus at Peace and quietness forty and two years being expired since that Augustus after the Death of Julius Caesar came to Rome In the time of this general Peace was the Prince of Peace our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ born in Bethlem of the Virgin Mary Herod being King of Judea placed there by the Romans of whose blessed Life and bitter Death as also of the order of his Ministry and Miracles see his Life published by me Anno Christi 1664. At which time there came forth a command from Caesar Angustus that all the Roman World should be taxed which taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria Luk. 2. 1. Out of which a little Book was made by Augustus in which all the publick riches were contained as also how many Citizens and Allies in Arms what Navies How many Kingdomes and Provinces what Tribute and Customes there were what necessary charges and Pensions went out Shortly after Augustus was called Lord by the People but he did not only refuse that Title but forbad it by a publick Edict Augustus enjoying so great prosperity was yet nothing altered in his qualities and behaviour as often it happens in other Princes but rather became more mild just and affable more courteous liberal and temperate He established very good Laws and Orders for the reformation and abuses and evil customes He erected both within and without Rome many stately and sumptuous Edifices which made him to boast concerning Rome Latericiam inveni Marmoream reliqui I found it built with Brick and left it built with Marble He bestowed great gifts
according to his Uncles promise and his own right was proclaimed Heir apparent of that great Empire Thus was Tamerlane made Great being ever after this marriage by the old Emperour his Uncle and now his Father in Law so long as he lived notably supported and after his death he succeeded him in that so vast and mighty an Empire Before his marriage Tamerlane would needs be crowned to the intent that none should think that the Crown came to him by the right of his Wife but by his own right and during his abode in the City of Quavicai where the old Emperour was he was entertained with all kind of Triumphs wherein he always carried away the Bell whether in shooting in the Bow in changing of Horses in the middest of their courses in Tiltings and in all other exercises which required agility or strength and so after two Months he returned with his Wife to Samercand in which City he delighted exceedingly to remain because the situation thereof was fair and being watered with a great River was a place of great Traffick whereby it was made richer than any other in that Country And whensoever be received intelligence from the Emperour his Uncle he still imparted the same to Odmar whom he used at his right hand in all his great affairs There was also in his Court a Christian whom he loved much and every one greatly respected called Axalla a Genovois by Birth brought up from his youth about his Person for he countenanced all that worshipped one only God that was the Creator of all things And about this time the old Emperour sent to him to stir him up to War against the great King of China who stiled himself Lord of the World and Son of the Sun who had exceeded his bounds and incroached upon the Tartarian Empire This was no small enterprise and therefore before he would begin the same he sent Ambassadours to the King of China to demand restitution of his Lands and the passages of a River called Tachii which were within the Tartarian Border and on this side that stupendious Wall builded on purpose by the Kings of China for the defence of their Country against the incursions of the Tartars and whilst he attended for the return of his Ambassadours expecting a Negative answer he caused his forces to be assembled together from all parts appointing their rendezvous to be in the Horda of Baschir The old Emperour also assembled for his aid two hundred thousand fighting men wherein were all the brave men of his Court that were accustomed to the Wars For this Emperour had greatly encreased his limits and conquered a great Country so as all these men were well trained up in the Wars and had been accustomed to travel and pains These were to joyn with Tamerlanes Army in the Desarts of Ergimul at a certain day In the mean time Ambassadours which were sent return and inform the Prince that this proud King of China wondering how any durst denounce War against him making this lofty answer That Tamerlane should content himself with that which he had left him which also he might have taken from him c. This answer being heard our Prince marched directly to his Army gave orders for conveiance of Victuals from all parts sent to hasten forwards his Confederates imparted the answer to the old Emperour caused the insolence of the King of China to be published that all the world might know the justness of his cause yet before his departure he went to take leave of his own Father who endued with a singular and Fatherly affection kissed him a thousand times made solemn Prayers for his prosperity drew off his Imperial Ring and gave it him telling him that he should never see him again for that he was hasting to his last rest and calling Odmar bad him farewel requiring his faithfulness to his Son The Prince having performed this duty returned to Samercand where the Empress his Wife remained whom he took along with him in this journey as the manner of that Country is and so presently departed committing the charge and care of his Kingdom in his absence to one Samay a man well practised in State affairs who also had had the charge of our Prince in his youth These things being dispatched he marched forwards in the middest of his Army which consisted of fifty thousand Horse and a hundred thousand Footmen relying principally on the Forces of the great Cham his Uncle yet he left order that the rest of his Forces should be ready to advance upon the first command as soon as he should be joyned with his Uncles Army In his march he was stayed by the way in regard some distemper of his body contracted by reason of his change of the air yet the Forces which Catiles Captain of the Army of the great Cham conducted went daily forwards Now the news of his distemperature was bruted abroad in all places yet did he not neglect ot send to the great Cham and often to advertise him of the state of his health to the end that the same should not cause any alteration which might arise in that great Empire whereunto he was lately advanced For he was very suspicious of a great Lord named Calix who was discontented with his advancement and had not yet acknowledged him as all other his Subjects had and indeed it was not without cause that he suspected him for Calix being informed that the Forces of the great Cham were advanced beyond the Mountains having passed the River of Meau and were encamped at Bouprou and that Tamerlane was sick he thought it a fit time for his enterprize and thereupon assembling the greatest part of his most faithful followers he told them that now was the time for them to shake off the yoak of the Parthians who otherwise would enslave them and seeing that now their Prince was so badly minded as to translate the Empire to Tamerlane of his own mind without calling them to Council which had interest in the election that this was the only means to assure their liberty which otherwise was like to be lost He caused also a remour to be spread that Tamerlane was very sick the Emperour old and crazy and that his Forces were far separated from him yet like cunning Traytors they dispatched away a Messenger to the great Cham to assure him that they bended not their Forces against him but were his faithful and obedient Subjects and they only armed themselves because they would not be governed by the Parthians their ancient Enemies As soon as our Prince was advertised of the pretences of Calix he marched one days journey forward to the end that he might approach unto Calibes who what face soever he set on the matter yet hearkened what would become of Calix that he might likewise make some commotion This Calibes was by Tamerlane made Commander of his Avantguard
Uncle had caused justice to be done on the chief movers of sedition in Cambalu so that the People complained of the old Emperours cruelty but commended the mercy of Tamerlane When he came back to his Army he was received of all his Souldiers with loud acclamations calling him Most Great Emperour and most Victorious Amongst his Captains he discoursed of the beauty and greatneâ—s of the City of Cambalu and afterwards asked Odmars advise whether it were not best for him to visit the old Emperour and with his Emperess to spend the Winter with him at Quinsay Odmar remembring the honour which he had received there easily perceived his inclination to that journy yet by all means disswaded him from it To which Tamerlane answered that he had always found his fidelity and love to him which he was sorry that he could not recompence to the full But saith he whereas I had thought to give my self some ease I perceive that instead of the delicacies and pleasures of Quinsay I must make the desarts of Cipribit my resting place after my travels in this new Victory yet a rumour being spread that the Prince intended to visit the Emperour every man began to desire to return into his own Country hoping to enjoy the sweetness of his native soil which Tamerlane being informed of calling his Army to a Rendevouz he thus spake unto them We have my faithful Souldiers begun an enterprise against the King of China who hath of late repulsed even beyond the Mountains the Tartarian name but were hindred to our great grief by the foolish rashness of Calix and were driven to turn the bridle to punish him wherein you have all assisted me It grieves me that I cannot as well boast of the fresh spoils of a stranger as I may by the means of your weapons of those of our unfaithful Subjects and as in times past of the fierce Muscovites against whom with your assistance I made trial of my first Arms but for this last Victory being against our own Subjects I cannot speak of it without shedding tears desiring to bury such Victories in oblivion together with all the glory and honour gotten thereby Neither do I recount these things to you but to shew that I forget not your faithfulness and the great travel you have endured for my sake We must not therefore be weary but must turn our weapons against those which imagine us to be full of troubles whereas we are indeed Victorious Our companions and all our amunition is advanced near to our Enemy already we must in that place my Souldiers and friendly Followers pass over the rest of Winter Our Companions look for us our Enemies are secure and look not for us at this season of the year and know that our Army that is already there is not sufficient for offence but only for defence You shall receive double pay the better to furnish you against the injury of cold and as we shall be apparelled with double garments so I hope we shall be cloathed with double glory Having thus spoken his Souldiers all cryed One God in Heaven and one Emperour on Earth shewing their willingness to obey his commands The Prince after this remained there eight days longer sending back Zamai with twenty five thousand Horse and fifty thousand Foot to Sachethay for the safety of his estate in those parts and so after solemn and publick Prayers the Army began to march forwards He forgat not likewise to dispatch away a Messenger to the Great Cham to acquaint him with all his purposes which he approved very well of By the same Messenger he also beseeched him in the Spring to send him fifty thousand men to recruit his Army and some moneys for the payment of his Souldiers which also he granted sending also good store of warlike munition and plenty of Victuals knowing how much the success of the War would advance the Tartarian greatness and profit The Army being upon their March in thirty eight days came to Cipribit yet met with many inconveniences by the way There they had news of Calibes who was glad to hear how businesses had passed and came to visit the Prince who entertained him very courteously acquainting him with his purpose and also understood by him how all things passed in the Kingdom of China The next day the Prince came to Pazanfou where Calibes Forces were who had often fought with and tried the valour of the Chinois but found it much inferiour to their own There the Prince took a general Muster of all his Army caused them to be paid took notice of their countenances whilst they all cryed out God save the victorious and invincible Emperour according to their custom The Prince of Thanais who commanded the Army with Calibes had diligently viewed the Wall and the ways by which he might forcibly enter into China and had sent many Spies by certain ways through the Mountains into that Country by whom he was advertised of all their proceedings He had also gained by his courtesie a Lord of those Mountains called the Lord of Vauchefu that commanded over a great Countrey who being desirous of a new Master and to submit to Tamerlane had told the Prince of Thanais that he was able to do Emperour good service and to help him much in his Wars against the Chinois This the Prince of Thanais discovered to Tamerlane who was very desirous to speak with this Lord whereupon a day was appointed and Tamerlane without moving of his Army went to the Tents of the Prince of Thanais where this aforesaid Lord met him and the Emperour having heaped upon him many gifts of fair Horses and rich Furs and other rare things this Lord spake thus unto him Know my Lord that it is but lost labour for you to think that with your Armies you shall be able to force this Wall made by the Chinois to hinder the incursion of your Subjects the Defendants have too much advantage therein I doubt not of your Souldiers valour and courage I know you have conquered many Nations with them and that whatsoever you command them they will effect it or die in the enterprise I know that you have great and wise Captains with you and that you of all Persons in the World are most worthy to command them But all this will be but in vain against the Wall of the Chinois where I assure you are fifty thousand men to keep it neither can you stay there so short a time but there will come fifty thousand more to assist them led by one Xianxi who had already received such a commandment The King of China will himself follow who will give you Battel with two hundred thousand Horsemen and as many Foot and though happily your Fortune and valour may carry away the Victory yet I believe it will cost you dear But to shew you how much the reputation and courtesies of your Servants have prevailed with me
Samercand to confer with him about the setting forward of his Army For although he was still accompanied with renowned Princes and famous Captains yet were they no body in comparison of Axalla whose sound Judgment and Counsel had won him such credit with his Lord and Master as by his advice he did all things and without him nothing which his so great Authority and Favour with his Prince wanted not the envy of the Court but that his great Vertues and rare-found Courtesie in so great fortune together with so many great services as he had done supported him against the malice of the same He upon this command from Tamerlane leaving the charge of the Army at Ozara with the Prince of Thanais came to Samercand and there discoursed with him at large concerning the estate and order of his Army and so shortly after they all departed to Ozara where a new consultation was held by which way he should conduct his Army as whether it was better to lead them by the coast of the Muscovite directly towards Capha or on the other side of the Calpian Sea by the skirts of Persia and after much discourse and sundry opinions with their reasons delivered it was resolved although the way were the longer to pass by the Muscovite so to come to the Georgians and to Trepizond and from thence to enter into the Ottamans Kingdom This being resolved on they marched forward till at length they came to Maranis where he stayed three dayes looking for the China Forces whereof they received news There also Tamerlane mustered and paid his Army He had also news of fifteen thousand Horsemen sent him by the Muscovite with a sum of money with leave for him to pass through so much of his Territories as should be necessary being glad that he set upon others rather than on himself and that such great preparations should fall upon them whose greatness was as dreadful and dangerous to him as any other Tamerlane caused a great quantity of Victuals and most part of the furniture of his Army to be sent along the Caspian Sea which was a great case and commodity to his men which marching by Land was of necessity to pass some twenty Leagues through places destitute both of Victuals and Water Himself all the way coasting along the Sea-shore passed his time in Hunting and Hawking to make the journey less tedious his Army not coming near him by ten Leagues which was so great that it extended it self full twenty Leagues Coming to the River Edel he stayed at Zarazich whilst his Army passed the River at Mechet and over two other Bridges that he had caused to be made of boats for that purpose Now the Circassians and Georgians hearing of the approach of Tamerlane with his huge Army by their Ambassadors offered him all the help and assistance they could afford him in his Journey as he passed that way These Georgians were and yet are Christians a great and Warlike people of long time tributaries to the Greek Emperours and afterwards sometime tributaries and sometimes confederates to the Persians but alvvayes enemies to the Turks and therefore glad they were of Tamerlanes coming against them Of these Warlike people Axalla drew great numbers to the service of his Prince who not a little esteemed of them being all tall men very beautiful of great strength and courage and withall most expert souldiers as having many times resisted the power of the Ottoman Kings by reason of the advantage of their Country which was rough mountainous and hard to come to These people every where kindly entertained Tamerlane and plentifully relieved his Army with all necessaries In passing through which and other Countries he took such order with his Souldiers that none of the people by whom they passed were any whit injured by them insomuch that if a souldier had taken but an Apple or any other trifle he died for it And one of his souldiers having taken a little milk from a Countrey-woman and she thereof complaining he caused him presently to be hanged and his stomack to be ript where the milk that he had lately drank being found he payed the woman for it who had otherwise without mercy died for her false accusation Which his great severity was indeed the preservation of his Army being so great as that it was thought impossible to provide it with Victuals whereof yet there was no want nor of any other thing necessary for the relief of man his Camp being still as a most populous and well-governed City stored with all manner of things whereunto both Artificers and Merchants resorted from far Countries with their Commodities as to some famous Mart and the Country people from every place without fear brought in their Country-commodities for which they received present money and so departed in peace So marching on he at length came to Bachichich where he stayed to refresh his Army eight dayes and there again took a general muster of them finding as some write four hundred thousand Horse and six hundred thousand Foot but others that were present with him say three hundred thousand Horse and five hundred thousand Footmen of all Nations There also he generally payed them and as his manner was made an oration to them informing them of such Orders as he would have observed with much other Military Discipline whereof he was very curious with his Captains In the mean time Bajazet would not believe that Tamerlane durst once look towards him yea so exceeding barbarous was he that he would not so much as suffer any man to speak of him or his Army to him by reason of his pride He also strictly forbad all the bordering people to make any Vows or Prayers for Tamerlanes prosperity But he was soon after awakened out of this Lethargy as we shall presently hear Indeed Tamerlane could hardly be perswaded that Bajazet having subdued the greatest part of Grecia and much distressed the Greek Emperour and having so great means to recover whatsoever he should lose in Asia would be so adventurous as to come over the streights out of Europe to try the fortune of a battel with him but rather warily to protract the time to weary him with wants that in a strange Country drew such a world of people after him wherein yet he found himself much deceived for when he had passed the Georgian Country and was come to Buisabuich Axalla whom he had not seen in eight dayes before because he commanded the Avantguard of the Army came to him with such news as he knew would be most grateful to him Which was that Bajazet had raised his siege before Constantinople to come and defend his new Conquests in Asia and that he was certainly resolved to come to a pitched Battel with him not so much trusting to the multitude of his men as to the experience and valour of his souldiers being long trained up in the Wars At which unexpected news
of the Enemies Horse the Vant-curriers of the Turks Army to pass by him he following them in the tail charged them home the other also which before retired now turned again upon them so that the Turks seeing themselves thus beset and hardly laid to both before and behind as men discouraged fled but in their flight were most of them slain the rest of them were taken Prisoners This was the first encounter between the Turks and the Parthians All the Prisoners taken were by the Prince sent as a Present to Tamerlane and amongst the rest the Bassa of Natolia who led those Troops of whom Tamerlane earnestly demanded what caused his Master Bajazet so little to esteem him as to shew so great a contempt of his Army Which saith he he shall find strong enough to abate his Pride To this the Bassa answered That his Lord was the Sun upon Earth which could not endure any corrival And that he rather was astonished to see how he from so far a Country had undertaken so dangerous a journey to hinder the fortune of his Lord in whose favour the heavens as he said did bend themselves to further his greatness and unto whom all the world subjected it self and that he commited great folly in going about to resist the same Unto this proud Speech Tamerlane replied That he was sent from heaven to punish his insolency and to teach him that the proud are hated of God whose promise is to pull down the mighty and to advance the lowly As for thy self said he thou hast already felt though I pity thy mishap what the valour of my Parthian Horse is against thy Turkish and I have already caused thy Master to raise his Siege before Constantinople and to look to his affairs here in Asia He also asked him whether his Master did come resolved to give him Battel Assure your self said he that there is nothing that he more desireth and would to God that I might acknowledg your greatness in giving me leave to assist my Lord in that Battel Good leave have thou said Tamerlane go thy ways and tell thy Lord that thou hast seen me and that in the Battel he shall find me on Horse-back there where he shall see a green Ensign displayed The Bassa thanked him and swore that next unto his Lord he vowed unto him his service And so returning he related unto Bajazet how he had seen Tamerlane and reported to him truly all that he had willed him to say not forgetting above all to praise his courtesie and bounty who besides that he had frankly set him at liberty had also given him a very fair Horse well furnished although he well knew that he was to serve against himself To this Bajazet answered no more but that he would shortly make trial of him and that he doubted not but before he had done with him he should make him acknowledg his folly The next day the two Armies drew neer together and encamped within a league the one of the other where all the night long you might have heard a noise of Horses which filled the heavens with their neighings and the air with sounds and every man thought the night long that they might come to the trial of their valours and the gaining of their desires The Scythians a people no less greedy than needy talked of nothing but the spoil the proud Parthians of attaining honour the poor Christians of their deliverance from an insulting adversary all which was to be gained by the next days Victory Every man during the night-time speaking according to his humour All which Tamerlane walking privately up and down in the Camp heard and much rejoyced to see the hope which his Souldiers had already conceived of the Victory and so after the second watch returning into his Pavilion and there casting himself upon a Carpet he purposed to sleep a while but his cares not suffering him so to do he then as his manner was called for a Book wherein was contained the Lives of his Fathers and Ancestors and of other valiant Worthies which he used ordinarily to read in as then also he did not vainly to deceive the time but to make use of it by imitating that which by them was worthily done and declinining such dangers as they by their rashness or oversight fell into After which having slumbred a little he commanded Axalla to be sent for to him who presently came accompanied with divers other Great Lords and Captains of the Army with whom after he had consulted a while about the order of the Battel himself presently mounted on Horseback and sent each of them to their charge to see their orders put in execution At which very instant he received intelligence that the Enemy was marching forwards and come to chuse his Ground for the Battel whose order of marching Tamerlane was very desirous to see that so he might marshal his own Army accordingly For said he I do not so much trust to the Lions skin wherein I wrap mine arm but that withall I will make use of the Foxes therein to wrap my head which my Grandfather neglected to his overthrow in a Battel against the Persians For being in a place of advantage he went out of it to seek his Enemy that was lodged strongly contrary to the advise of all his Captains which proved his ruin Then did he cause three thousand Horsemen to advance forward with charge to begin the skirmish himself following after to lodg every part of his Forces in such places as he had foreseen to be fittest for his advantage And seeing the Turkish Janizaries marching in a square Battel in the midst of the Army and upon the two Frons two great squadrons of Horsemen which seemed to be about thirty thousand and another which advanced before and covered the Battalion of the Janizaries he thought this their order to be very good and hard to be broken and therefore turning himself to Axalla he said I had thought this day to have fought on foot but I see that it behoves me now to fight on Horseback to encourage my Souldiers to open that great Battalion of the Enemies And my will is that my men come forwards to me so soon as may be for I will advance forward with a hundred thousand Footmen fifty thousand upon each of my two wings and in the midst of them forty thousand of my best Horsemen and my pleasure is that after I have tried the force of these men they come back into my Avantguard of whom I will dispose and fifty thousand Horsemen more in three bodies whom thou shalt command which I will assist with eighty thousand Horse wherein shall be mine own person having an hundred thousand Footmen behind me who shall march in two Squadrons and for my Arearward I appoint forty thousand Horse and fifty thousand Footmen who shall not march but to my aid And I will make choise of
ten thousand of my best Horse whom I will send into every place where I shall think needful within my Army for to impart my commands Over the first forty thousand Horse the Prince of Ciarchan commanded over the formost Footmen was the Lord Synopes a Genovois Kinsman to Axalla and his Lieutenant over the Footmen a Captain of great estimation The Prince Axalla's charge consisted of five Squadrons of Horsemen Bajazet's Army also being fair and great came bravely still on forwards towards their Enemies who stirred not a whit from the place which they had chosen for the Battel except certain light-Horsemen Scythians Parthians and Muscovites who being sent out as loose men hotly skirmished between the two Armies Tamerlane was informed by a spie that Bajazet was on foot in the midst of thirty thousand Janizaries his principal men of War and greatest strength amongst whom he ment that day to fight and in whom he had repoled his greatest hope His Battel of Horse was very fair amounting to the number of one hundred and forty thousand all old Souldiers the Sultan of Egypt also had sent to his aid thirty thousand Mamelukes all excellent good Horsemen with thirty thousand Footmen so that his Army marching all in a front in the form of a half Moon seemed almost as great as Tamerlanes These Turks with infinite number of horrible cries still advanced forwards Tamerlanes Souldiers all the while standing still with great silence Never was there a more furious charge than the Turks gave upon the Prince of Ciarchan who was commanded not to fight till the Enemy came unto him neither could there have been chosen a fairer Plain and where the skilful choice of the place gave less advantage either to the one or to other only Tamerlane had a River on the left side of his Army serving him to some small advantage Now this young Prince of Ciarchan with his forty thousand Horse was in the first encounter almost wholly overthrown yet having fought right valiantly and entred even in the midst of the Janizaries where the Person of Bajazet was putting them into disorder he was himself there slain About which time Axalla set upon them with his squadrons but not with the like danger for having overthrown one of the Enemies Wings and cut it all to pieces and his Footmen coming to joyn with him as was appointed he faced the Battalion of the Janizaries who right valiantly behaved themselves for the safety of their Prince This furious fight continued an hour and yet you could not have seen any scattered but the one still resolutely fighting against the other You might there have seen the Horsemen like mountains rushing together and infinite numbers of men dying crying lamenting and threatning all at the same instant Tamerlane had patience all this while to see the event of this so mortal a fight but perceiving his men at last to be begin to give ground he sent ten thousand of his Horse to joyn with the ten thousand appointed for the Rereward commanding them to assist him when they saw that he had need and so himself gave a furious Charge and made them to give him room causing the Footmen also to charge over whom the Prince of Thanais commanded who gave a gallant charge upon the Battalion of Janizaries wherein was yet the Person of Bajazet who before had sustained a great burden Now Bajazet had in his Army a great number of Mercinary Tartars called Destenses with many thousands of other Souldiers taken up in the Countries of the poor exiled Mahometan Princes in whose just quarrel and the Greek Emperours Tamerlane had chiefly undertaken that War These Tartarians and other Souldiers seeing some their friends and other some their natural and loving Princes in Tamerlanes Army stricken with the terrour of disloyalty and abhorring the cruelty of the proud Tyrant in the heat of the Battel revolted from Bajazet to their own Princes which much weakned Bajazets Forces who nevertheless with his own men of War especially the Janizaries and the help of the Christian Souldiers brought to his aid from Servia and other places of Europe with great courage maintained the fight But the multitude rather than true valour prevailed for as much as might be done by valiant and couragious men was by the Janizaries the Mamelukes and the rest performed both for the preservation of their Prince and for gaining the Victory But in the end the Horsemen with whom Tamerlane himself was giving a fresh charge and his Avantguard being rallied and joyning with him he with much ado obtained the Victory Bajazet himself being wounded when he saw all desperate mounted on Horseback thinking to have escaped but falling into Axalla's hands he yielded himself to him supposing him to have been Tamerlane neither did Axalla for a while know him but took him for some great Commander in the Turks Army Musa sirnamed Zelabi or the Noble one of Bajazets Sons with divers other of his great Captains were there taken also and amongst the rest George Despot of Servia who notwithstanding his misfortune had that day by his valour gained the reputation of a great and valiant Captain insomuch as Tamerlane in the very heat of the Battel marvelled to see him and his Servians and the other Christians that he had brought to the aid of Bajazet to fight so valianty whereupon turning to some of his Captains that were near him he said See how valiantly these Religious fight supposing them by their strange attire to have been some of the Turks superstitious Votaries But the Despot being now taken and afterwards brought to Tamerlane he was by him courteously entertained yet withal reproved for that he had assisted Bajazet against him who was come in favour to the Christian Emperour and the other poor oppressed Princes such as the Despot himself was who thereupon boldly answered That indeed it was not according to his profession but according to the prosperity of Bajazet unto whom it seemed that all the world should bend and that he did it for his own safety Whereupon Tamerlane excused him and without any more ado gave him liberty at his own pleasure to depart Bajazet himself Being afterwards brought to Tamerlane as a Prisoner was by him courteously entertained who never shewed any token of submission at all but according to his proud nature without respect of his present state answered him presumptuously to whatever he demanded of him Wherewith Tamerlane being somewhat moved told him that it was in his power to take his life from him whereto he answered no more but Do it for that loss will be my greatest happiness Then Tamerlane demanded of him what made him so proud as to enterprize to bring so noble a Prince as the Greek Emperour into his subjection He answered Even the same cause which moved thee to invade me namely the desire of glory and sovereignity But wherefore then said
Tamerlane dost thou use such cruelty towards them whom thou overcomest without respect of Age or Sex That did I said he to strike the greater terrour into mine Enemies Then did Tamerlane ask him if he had ever given thanks to God for making him so great an Emperour No said he I never so much as thought upon any such thing Then said Tamerlane It s no wonder that so ungrateful a man should be made a spectacle of misery For you saith he being blind of an Eye and I lame of a Leg was there any worth in us that God should set us over two such great Empires to command so many men far more worthy than our selves But said Tamerlane what would thou have done with me if it had been my lot to have fallen into thy hands as thou art now in mine I would said Bajazet have enclosed thee in a Cage of Iron and so have carried thee up and down in Triumph through my Kingdom Even so said Tamerlane shalt thou be served And so causing him to be taken out of his presence turning to his followers he said Behold a proud and cruel man who deserves to be chastised accordingly and to be made an example to all the proud and cruel of the World of the just wrath of God against them I acknowledg that God this day hath delivered into my hands a great Enemy to whom therefore we must return thanks which he also caused publickly to be performed the same day for the Battel was ended about four a clock and there were divers hours yet of day-light The next day he caused the dead to be buried where amongst the rest was found the body of the Prince of Ciarchan dead in the midst of the Janizaries where he lay enclosed with their dead bodies shwing that he died not unrevenged whose untimely death Tamerlane much lamented causing his dead body to be Embalmed and with two thousand Horse and divers Turkish Prisoners chained together to be conveyed to Samercand until his coming thither All other dead bodies were with all honour that might be buried at Sennas This great bloody Battel was fought in the year of our Lord 1397. not far from Mount Stella where formerly the great King Methridates was by Pompey the Great in a great Battel overthrown It continued from seven a clock in the morning till four in the afternoon victory as it were all the while hovering with doubtful Wings over both Armies as uncertain where to light until at length the fortune of Tamerlane prevailed whose wisdom next unto God gave him the days Victory for that the politick tiring of the strong Forces of Bajazet was the safeguard of his own whereas if he had gone unto the Battel in one front assuredly the multitude finding such strong opposition had put it self into confusion but this successive manner of aiding his men made them all unto him profitable The number of the slain is variously reported The Turks themselves say that Bajazet lost there his noble Son Mustapha with two hundred thousand of his men and Tamerlane not many fewer Others say that the Turks lost about sixty thousand and Tamerlane not past twenty thousand But likely it is that the carnage was very great in so long a fight between two such Armies as probably never before met in a field together By this days event is plainly seen the uncertainty of worldly things and what small assurance even the greatest have in them Behold Bajazet the terrour of the World and as he thought superiour to fortune in an instant by the event of one Battel thrown into the bottom of misery and despair and that at such a time as he thought least of it even in the midst of his greatest strength It was three days before he could be pacified but as a desperate man still sought after death and called for it Neither did Tamerlane after he had once spoken with him at all afterwards use him courteously but as of a proud and insolent man made small account of him And to manifest that he knew how to curb the haughty he made him to be shackled in fetters and chains of Gold and so to be shut up in an Iron Cage made like a grate that he might be seen on every side and so carried him up and down as he passed thorow Asia to be made a scorn and derision to his own people over whom he had before Tyrannized And to his further disgrace upon Festival days he used him for a footstool to tread upon when he mounted on Horseback and at other times scornfully fed him like a Dog with fragments that fell from his Table A rare example of the uncertainty of worldly honours and greatness that he unto whose ambitious mind Asia and Europe two great parts of the World were too little should now be carried up and down cooped up in a little Iron cage like a dangerous wild beast How might he have taken up that speech of Hecuba in Seneca Quicunque Regno fidit magna potens dominatur in aula me videat Non unquam tulit Documenta Fo rs majora quà m fragili loco starent superbi Tamerlane used this severity not so much out of hatred to the man as to manifest the just Judgment of God against the arrogant folly of the proud And when on a time he was requested by one of his Nobles to remit some part of this rigour to so great a man he answered I do not use this rigour against him as a King but rather to punish him as a proud amibitious Tyrant polluted with the bloud of his own brother and many other innocents This so great an overthrow brought such a fear upon all the Countries possessed by Bajazet in Asia that Axalla being sent before Tamerlane with Forty thousand Horse and a hundred thousand Foot without carriages to prosecute the Victory came without resistance to Prusa whither all the remainder of Bajazets Army was retired with Bassa Mustapha all places as he marched along still yielding to him Yea the great Bassa with the rest hearing of his coming and not thinking themselves in safety in Asia fled over the streight of Hellespont to Callipolis and so Hadrianople Axalla coming to Prusa had the City without resistance yielded to him which by his Army was plundered and there with other of Bajazet's Wives and concubines he took prisoner the fair Despina Bajazet's best beloved Wife to the doubling of his grief Emanuel Paleologus now hearing of Tamerlane's coming to Prusa sent honourable Ambassadours thither before to Axalla by whom they were entertained till the coming of Tamerlane who received them with all the honour that might be shewing them all his magnificence and the order of his Camp to their great admiration For it resembled a most populous and well governed City by reason of the order that was therein which brought it plenty of victuals and of
they which from their birth were called to Sovereignty should be used both to Cold and Heat and should be exercised to Arms betimes and not be brought up idly and delicately reprehending those which brought him up for using him so tenderly asking them if they meant to make a Woman of his Son They replying that he was tender If he be not born said he to be strong and valiant he will not be worthy to succeed me for he must not be an effeminate Prince that must preserve the Parthian Empire About this time his Empress was brought to bed of another Son at Samercand for joy whereof he made Feasts with Tiltings and Pastimes fifteen dayes together Then did he visit all the Sea-Towns near to Quinsay hunting all manner of Games yet often saying That the Recreations which he used were only helps to ease him in the pains of his publick affairs which God had called him to And when Prince Axalla told him that that City was a fit place for his abode O my friend said he it is not so For it 's a Maxime that the Lord of this great City must not come to it above once in ten years and when he is here he must temper his Actions as if he were upon a stage with Gravity and a good grace before the people who are apt to receive good or evil impressions according as their Princed eporteth himself Having setled his affairs in that part of his Empire he returned to Samercand where three times a Week he administred Justice publickly unto the meanest of his Subjects as well as to the greatest which made him much beloved of all over whom he did command On other dayes he gave secret audience and disposed of the affairs of his estate which were concluded daily in his presence In his Council he used such severity that none durst deal untruly or passionately in his presence Yet shewed he such courteousness in his conversation that he was both beloved and feared of his people He never changed his Servants except they committed some great faults against him All the servants of the late Emperour his Uncle he never changed one of them but increased their Pensions making them sensible of his liberality in that change The like bounty he used to strangers thereby to oblige them to him He drew great store of money yearly from the Muscovite by way of Tribute which yet he distributed in the same Country to maintain his authority there winning those to him who otherwise might have hurt him He had great care of his Revenues wherein he was so expedite that in one hours space he could see his Estate from three months to three months together with his ordinary and extraordinary expences they were presented to him so well digested But after all his publick affairs so well managed and his private businesses so well ordered Sickness arrested and Death conquered this Great Conquerour leaving his Empire to Sautochio his Eldest Son now nineteen years old who was proclaimed Emperour within two hours after his Fathers death Tamerlane from his childhood was well instructed in the Arabian learning wherein he was very studious insomuch as when they thought him to be in the Baths wherein they are very curious in that Contrey being their chiefest delight he was retired to the contemplation and study of Heavenly things He had within his eyes such a Divine beauty and radiancy full of Majesty that one could hardly endure the sight of them without closing of his eyes so that some that talked with him and beheld him were stricken dumb for the present which caused him with a comely modesty to abstain from looking upon them that talked with him All the rest of his Visage was courteous and well-proportioned He wore his hair long and curled contrary to the custome of his Countrey-men who used to shave their Heads He went almost alwayes bare-headed saying that his Mother came of the Race of Sampson who therefore advised him to honour long hair His hair was of a dusky colour inclining somewhat to a Violet the most beautiful that any eye could behold His stature was of a middle sort somewhat narrow in his shoulders He had a fair and strong leg his bodily strength and agility was such as none did surpass and often on Festival dayes he made trial of them with the strongest yet did he it with such a Grace mixt with Humanity that he whom he overcame held himself therein most happy though it was a great disgrace amongst the Tartarians to be thrown to the ground in wrestling In the time of his Wars against the Turks a Souldier of his found buried in the ground a great Pot of Gold which he brought to Tamerlane who asked him if it had his Fathers stamp upon it But when he saw that it had the stamp of the Romans he would not own nor meddle with it THE LIFE and DEATH OF CHARLES the GREAT King of FRANCE And Emperour of GERMANY PEPIN sirnamed The short the twenty third King of France a wise and valiant Prince had two Sons Charles and Caroloman and five Daughters Birthe who was married to Milon Earl of Mans by whom she had great Rowland Hiltrude married to Rene Earl of Genes by whom she had the renowned Oliver Rohard Adeline Idubergue Ode and Alix Pepin being toiled out with great Wars much broken with the care of publick affairs and now grown Old that he might imploy his last days in the maintenance of Justice and Peace the burden of War he laid upon his Eldest Son Charles a wise and valiant young Prince of whose modesty and obedience he was well assured And then retiring to Paris he was not long after surprised with sickness in which he recommended his two Sons to the Estates of France to give them portions at their pleasures and so ended his days Anno Christi 768. He was a Religious Prince wise moderate valiant loving to his Subjects and beloved of them happy in his Father and his Children and in his Government An excellent Pattern for other Princes who by his Example hold it for an undoubted Maxim That the strongest Fortress and best security for a Prince is the love of his Subjects and the surest bond of his Authority a respect gotten and preserved by virtue Pepin being dead the Estates of France assembled together and by their joynt consents divide the Kingdom betwixt his two Sons Charles and Caroloman by equal portions Brother 's these were of divers humours who had certainly ruined each other by this equality of power had not the death of Caroloman within three years after divolved the Government of the whole Realm upon Charles Charles was endowed with singular gifts both of Body and Mind which were much improved by the sedulous care of his Prudent Father manifested in the virtuous education of him For which end he procured Paul of Pisa a