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A02294 A chronicle, conteyning the liues of tenne emperours of Rome Wherin are discouered, their beginnings, procéedings, and endings, worthie to be read, marked, and remembred. Wherein are also conteyned lawes of speciall profite and policie. ... Compiled by the most famous Syr Anthonie of Gueuara, Bishop of Mondonnedo, preacher, chronicler, and counsellour to the Emperour Charles the fift: and translated out of Spanish into English, by Edward Hellowes, Groome of her Maiesties Leashe. Hereunto is also annexed a table, recapitulating such particularities, as are in this booke mentioned.; Decada de los diez Cesares y emperadores Romanos. English Guevara, Antonio de, Bp., d. 1545?; Hellowes, Edward. 1577 (1577) STC 12426; ESTC S103534 315,538 500

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tedious complaintes vnto Seuerus but in the end hée gaue eare vnto the complaints of Plautianus as vnto a seruaunt but vnto Bassiaaus as vnto a sonne Seuerus considering the continuall displeasure giuen him by Plautianus the tyrannies hee executed in the Empire the enimitie betwixt him and Bassianus and that also with his great fauour he estaéemed him litle conceiued that some day he might rise with the Empire wherefore from thenceforth hée neither shewed him good countenaunce either gaue him so great authoritie in the common wealth Plautianus did well perceiue that he had not onely Bassianus vnto his enimie but also stoode in disgrace of Seuerus and thought with himselfe that to escape best cheape either they would take away his life or cast him out of fauour and to deliuer himselfe of so great an infamie he determined to kill them to quite himselfe CHAP. XVI ¶ Of a certaine treason that Plautianus had ordeined against Seuerus and how it was discouered THe order that Plautianus vsed or to say better the disorder that he practised to kill Seuerus and Bassianus procéeded as from a passioned tyraunt and not as a man aduised and so it afterwards redounded to his losse and destruction The case was thus there was in Rome a Tribune named Saturninus natiue of Assyria who was the greatest friend that Plautianus had with whome hée did most communicate to whom he did most commend his secretes and also for whom he did most pleasure Plautianus sending for this Saturninus an houre within night and inclosing themselues within a chamber said in great secrecie these wordes following Plautianus his Oration to Saturninus Saturninus thou knowest how great loue I haue borne thee and how many good deedes I haue done to thee thy house wherof there needeth no other token but the beholding of thee so highly aduaunced in the Court so accepted in my seruice many with me be offended at thee al men haue enuie Friends parents acquaintance recommended and seruaunts I had for whome to haue done vnto some of whom I was much beholding of others I was to haue cōsidered for seruice all these notwithstanding on thee onely I fixed mine eyes to magnifie thee and in thee I imployed my hart to loue thee I sent now for thee to recompt vnto thee my trauels and sorrowes to the end thou shouldest helpe to deliuer mee from them and herein thou shalt perceiue the affectionate loue which I beare thee in that I repose my confidence in thee wherein I would not trust mine owne proper sonne for sonnes thincke not but howe to inherite their fathers goods but verie friendes haue care to deliuer their friendes from griefe and sorrowe Thou well knowest Saturninus what great seruice I haue done to Seuerus and since my youth haue followed him in the warres I say I serued him so young that I alone am his most auncient seruaunt although I bee now the most forgotten and abhorred Setting a part all seruices which I haue done for him and all great daungers that I haue passed to deliuer him from perill I haue borne so tender affection vnto my Lord Seuerus that I left to like him as a man and did adore him as a God and that this is true it appeareth most cleare in that I gaue my daughter vnto his sonne Bassianus and my selfe to be his perpetuall slaue After I spent my youth in his seruice followed the father throughout the world his sonne Bassianus nourished in my armes from his infancie I did yeeld him my goods I gaue him my onely daughter I gouerned his common wealth in peace of his euill life I framed in al men an opinion of great vertue his cruelties and tyrannie I made all men beleeue to be zeale of iustice in such wise that they neuer committed vile deede that I soldered not either at any time commaunded any difficult matter that I accomplished not The matter is thus come to passe the Gods permitting or my sorrowfull destinies procuring I am fallen into so great hatred of Seuerus and in so cruel contempt and enimitie with Bassianus that in recompence of al my seruice which I haue done them all the dayes of my life they are nowe determined to take away my life Thou seest now Saturninꝰ whether it be reason that I endure the same whereunto if I should giue place I should perish my house should be lost the gods vnserued the whole Empire escandalized and therefore it is cōuenient that I execute on them that which they would execute vppon mee for that it is more consonant vnto reason that the euil be corrected of the good then that the vertuous should come vnder the power of the wicked Behold Saturninus what affection I beare thee that haue layd vp in thy breast so great a secrete this terrible deede I will put into thy handes therefore presently thou must depart vnto the Court and go into his chamber where Seuerus sleepeth and cut off his head from Bassianus his sonne also thou shalt take away his life Thou shalt say vnto the guard at Court that euen nowe there came vnto mee a post out of Asia and art sent by mee to giue Seuerus intelligence thereof and goest at such an houre for that daunger dependeth thereon And since thou hast not beene abashed to heare it be not terrified to performe it for that I sweare vnto thee by the immortal gods that after Seuerus is dead and I in the possession of the Empire conformable vnto the great perill wherein nowe thou doest aduenture thy selfe shall be thy rewards that then thou shalt receiue These and such other thinges Plautianus said vnto Saturninus who aunsweared that hée was readie to do his commaundement vppon condition that hée would giue him in writing in what manner he would haue him to kill Seuerus and Bassianus his sonne which he desired to this end that if in time he should forget the recompence of so great a seruice he might shewe him that writing both to remēber the seruice past as also the reward vnperformed Plautianus doubted not to giue Saturninus a writing signed with his owne hand wherein hee commaunded to kill Seuerus and Bassianus his eldest sonne the contents of the writing was thus J Plautianus do request as a friend and commaund as a Censor that thou Saturninus Tribune do kill the Emperour Seuerus and Bassianus his elder sonne and for the same I promise thee and by the immortall Gods sweare vnto thee that as thou art onely in perill so to make thee singular in the Empire Saturninus as a man skilfull and subtile for more assuraunce vnto Plautianus vppon his knées kist his hand as though alreadie he had béene sure of the Empire and then being in the déepe of the night he departeth vnto the Court the guard presently giuing place and the chāberlaines in like maner who placing himselfe directly before Seuerus as he lay in his bed said these words O Seuerus how carelesse art thou of
the Prince to be holden in small estimation then to be vntractable ouer haughtie or straunge for if he be inconuersible they abhorre him and if not esteemed they disobey him Sardanapalus the last King of the Assyrians was with all men so humaine that women made him spinne and of Phalaris the tyrant it is read that he was so inconuersible that his owne daughters durst not speake vnto him To the ende that Princes be not abhorred in their common wealthes they haue to consider and also beware to be noted of extremities which is to witt in vsing too great familiaritie with some and no lesse straungenesse with others because muche straungenesse ingendreth hatred and too much familiaritie leadeth to contempt The rule that in this case wee dare giue vnto Princes mightie and noble men is that they be neither so affable with their priuate and fauoured seruants whereby to giue them hardinesse to craue any thing vniust either so straunge with them that be not priuate as to giue them feare to demaund iustice It is not remoued from Princes to giue their kingdomes vnto their children to committ their secretes vnto such as be seruiceable to vse their liberalitie with their priuate and fauoured seruauntes to take their pastimes with their friendes vpon such condition that their conuersation be somewhat generall for asmuche as the liberalitie of Princes extendeth not to satisfie euery suite they supply much more with their amorous aunswers that they giue then with the rewardes which they bestowe Not vnworthily was it ordeined of the moste auncient Greekes that the vse of Princes shoulde not be to pronounce in their letters patents and commaundementes I commaund this I will this I forbidde this but that they should saye We commaund this We will this and ordeine this for their better remembrance that by speaking in the name of all they should in time be conuersant with all be familiar with all and diuide rewardes amongest all and that they are of all and not of them selues He that hath to holde the least parte of the prince ought to be the prince him selfe for that great regarde is to be had of all men as concerning the seruice of his person and he ought to be vigilant in all things that are profitable to the common wealth Howe much the more the Prince regardeth him selfe so muche the more he neglecteth him selfe And howe muche the lesse he careth for him selfe so muche the more shall he attaine to him selfe for that the harmonie of the common wealth consisteth in nothing more then all men to liue of the liberalitie and bountie of the prince and that the Prince liue in the loue of all men ¶ The Authour prosecuteth his intent It is also necessarie counsell vnto the prince that he haue a sound minde and disposition and his intents verie well aduertised for that if in his affaires he make no accompt to be certeine he shall hardly cease to erre and if he be not attentiue to the affaires of the common wealth he shall neuer vnderstand them The prince ought grauely to regarde the thing he doth before it be done for the errour of any other whatsoeuer the offence is onely felt in his own house but the errour of the prince redoundeth to the whole common wealth The princes that be wilfull in the thinges which they will and headstrong wherein they commaund besides that they go laden with thoughts holding their persons in perill escandalize their common wealth accused to be ouer amarous of their owne proper iudgement and moste great enimies of others counsell The prince also ought very particularly vnderstand the things of the common wealth if he wil vse good gouernement thereof And this he hath to be aduertised not of suche as goe to murmur but of such as make iust report and also giue counsel therein for that twixt the Prince and the common wealth there shall neuer be peace if to lyars and murmurers he giue audience Euen as Princes desire not in their subiectes but to be serued euen so their subiects desire not of their princes but to be beloued most truely the one is annexed vnto the other and depēdeth each of other for if in the Prince there be no loue there is none that wil serue him with affection Princes and great lordes ought to holde in great estimation that their subiectes do obey them but much more haue the subiectes to make accompt when their lordes do loue them because without comparison his bountie is much greater that bindeth vs to loue then the trauaile of him that offereth to serue As loue is not repayed but with loue so Princes are not to be satisfied with only giuing such as do serue and followe them offices castels customes houses and money but also they ought to shewe them loue in their palaces and fauour in their affaires because with their liberalitie they recompence their seruice past but with their loue they bind them to serue in time to come Princes and men of power ought in their countenance to be amorous in their speach milde in their behauiours muche ordered for that generous hartes and blusshing and shamefast faces that followe courtes and go in Princes houses do muche more feele the disfauour whiche they shewe them then the rewardes that they denye them To the ende that Princes be deliuered of displeasures and their kingdomes better gouerned it shal be moste sound counsell for them to be affable with all to giue vnto all to deale for all to loue all but if they determine to holde some more priuate they ought much to consider whome they admitt to their speciall fauour because for one to be priuate in Court it is not sufficient that the king doe choose him but that also he be of merite and deseruing In giuing rewardes princes may not alwayes escape errour but in commending their heartes they ought to be most certaine for that In this whole world there is not the like torment as a man to haue his loue euill imployed If Princes and great Lordes will particularly take into their fauour any of their seruaunts they ought to be of particular deseruing bycause loue shall neuer be fixed when in him that is loued there wanteth merite Not without cause we sayde that it were necessarie in a Prince to be indued with a good mynd and disposition and with sound meaning and intention bicause if the Prince be taken with imperfect and vnlawfull affection Alas of him and also of his kingdome that by him is gouerned It is euill that the Prince haue no rule in feeding in play in drinking in speaking and also in spending but it is much worse if he vse it not in his loue and affection for it is a rule infallible that euerie disordinate loue bringeth with it some notable vice It is a loue disordinate to bee carefull to gather riches and not to haue a mynde to spend them bicause vnto the greatnesse of Princes it appertaineth to seeke
what to spend and not to learne to keepe audit It is a loue disordinate for the prince to folow the direction of his owne proper will bicause it is impossible but he should fayle to perfourme that which hee ought that alwayes executeth his owne wilfull minde Loue is disordinate when the Prince imployeth his loue in fewe being Lord of many bycause Princes in such wise ought to loue and be bountifull vnto their priuate and fauoured seruaunts that they disgrace not the nobles of their kingdome Loue is disordinate when Princes in vanities and trifles do consume their times bycause the curious gouernour in such wise diuideth time betwixt him and the common wealth that he neither wanteth for affaires or hath too much to imploy in vices Loue is disordinate when the Prince is orgulous quarellous ambitious and proude for notwithstanding that as a Prince they ought all to serue him it followeth not that as a God they shoulde adore him Loue is disordinate to hazarde the giuing and diuiding of rewardes not as euerie man deserueth but according to the wil of him that gouerneth for there is no equal infamie vnto the prince as it is to chastice vice not to remunerate seruice Loue is disordinate when of will he taketh away frō another that of right apperteineth not vnto him self bicause to the greatnes sinceritie of princes it is iust conuenient that in their rewardes gifts they shew their franke liberalitie in receiuing they stande with all men in iustice The case standeth thus that the Prince which is indued with these loues affections may not escape many trauels and also many souden assaults and perils for that euerie disordinate affection she her self with her self bringeth griefe and displeasure Plutarche in his bookes of cōmon welth persuadeth the Emperour Traiane that hee hath his will at libertie and his loue subiect to no man for that according as hee sayeth It little profiteth that a Prince be Lord of many kingdomes if on the other part he become bondman to many vices The diuine Plato saide that for a prince to be good hee ought to giue his heart vnto the common wealth his rewardes vnto such as serue him his desires vnto the Gods and his loue vnto his friendes his secretes to his priuie counsell and the time to affaires Oh how happy were that prince that according to this Platonicall sentence should diuide and repart his person bicause he being diuided for all the whole should be ioyned together with and for him ¶ The authour applyeth all that which is sayd vnto the end wherfore he did speake the same All that which we haue aboue sayde by writing most souereigne Prince wee will vtter and declare by example for according to the saying of Eschines the Philosopher Words well spoken do awake and reuiue the iudgements but great and manifest examples persuade the heart For to leade or intice a man to be vertuous and to do vertuous woorkes it maketh muche to the matter to persuade with discrete reasons sweete words but in conclusiō for much credite which we giue to that which he sayth much more is giuē to that which he doth The Poet Homer said that it is a thing verie easie to write acts of great prowesse and verie difficil to performe them For whiche cause it is necessarie for such as deale with princes to shewe them by example all which they persuade thē by writing to the end they see most cleare that the great and mightie deedes done by other Princes in the worldes they want not force to performe them but a minde to vndertake them No Prince hath to holde of him selfe so small estimation that he doubt to performe that which another Prince hath done in time past for after this manner Theodosius should be dismaide by the remembraunce of Seuerus Seuerus of Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius of Antoninus Pius Antoninus Pius of Traiane Traiane of good Titus Titus of Caesar Augustus Caesar Augustus of Iulius Caesar Iulius Caesar of Scipio Scipio of Marcus Marcellus Marcus Marcellus of Quintus Fabius Quintus Fabius of Alexander Magnus and Alexander Magnus of Achilles the Greeke The heartes of these so high Princes did not reade and inquire of the deeds of their forefathers to feare them but to imitate them surely they had great reason bicause None amongst the mortal hath done any deed so glorious that by another man may not be beautified and made better Princes be boūd to do such and so high deedes and enterprises that of them selues be worthy praise and very honourable for others to folow for the same it is not more necessarie to haue a noble minde to giue the enterprise thē after wards to haue the aduenture to finish the same Plutarche saieth that Agesilaus the Greeke said that Fortune did neuer shew her selfe noble but vnto a minde that was generous and noble and surely he said most truth bicause men lose many things not bicause they may not attaine them but for that they dare not attempt them The Prince ought to straine and enforce him self to be good and to imitate the vertuous since with lesse cost mē be vertuous thē vitious milde then ouerthwart valiant then cowards patient thē furious and sober then gluttons for the theefe doth need as desperate a minde to scale an house as a noble minde is due to a captein that foloweth the wars Dionysius the tyrant Gorgius the tyrant Bias the tyrant Macrino the tyrant Catiline the tyrant if we might commend them and they of thē selues giue reason they would sweare and affirme that they passed more trauell and found thē selues in more perill in defending their tyrannies then Scipio and Cato in conseruing their cōmon wealthes Oh what great reason and how much occasion haue Princes to be good and to fauour the good since they haue authoritie to commaunde and riches to giue whereof if they haue skyll to take the aduauntage with their potencie they frame them selues to be serued and with their giftes they bring to passe to be loued Ioyntly with this I admonishe and also aduise Princes and great lordes to be magnificent in their giftes and verie attemptiue in their commaundements For notwithstanding a Prince may do what he list it is not conuenient he do what he may Although the authoritie of the prince be free absolute and without measure to him it is conuenient in all thinges to vse measure and moderation for that euery gouernement that is absolute hath a taste or relishe of tyrannie Many Princes haue lost thē selues by their vices which they vsed and many more haue beene cast away by executing their will and power for princes in perfourming all that they can and all which they will it followeth that their affection maketh them stumble passion their eyes to dazell But moste souereigne Prince speaking more particularly by the imitation of Plutarche and Suetonius Tranquillus I thought good to translate compile and to
his defence in such wise that although they wer of great disorder in their life yet they vsed great conformitie in agréement for the manner and fashion of their robberies One of the thinges wherein the malice of man moste readily doeth shewe it selfe is that to doe euill wee are soone agreed but to perfourme a good woorke wee consent with greate difficultie Commodus was well persuaded that the tyraunt Maternus was nowe deade imagining in his owne conceit that at the forsaking of his campe and renouncing of his armie of extreme desperation and horrour of him selfe he had desperately drowned or committed him selfe to the halter But Maternus in recompence of the losse of his potencie and negligence of his honour bent all his studie to deliuer Commodus from his life The Romaines helde a custome vppon the tenth day of Marche to celebrate the feast of the Goddesse Berecyntha on that day the Emperour and the Senate went vnto her temple to offer sacrifices which done and perfourmed generally all persons for the most part disguised them selues masking and feasting throughout the whole citie in suche manner their faces being couered the one was vnknowne vnto the other Maternus and other his fellowe théeues and friendes had agréed to weare secrete armour with face disguised that when the Emperour Commodus should most chiefly be addicted to viewe and beholde the playes and his guarde most carelesse of his person by a coūterfet braule amongst them selues to finde ready meane to cut off his life But notwithstanding Maternus had lost his welth power and honour he ceased not to continue proude hautie and disdainefull seeking to be serued and reuerenced not as a friende and poore companion but after the manner of a Prince and as one that were very rich Wherevpon certaine of his companions being not onely wéeryed but tyred to walke lurkingly in corners and not able to indure to be handled with so great seruitude and further fearing some day to be discouered they repayred vnto Commodus and with great secrecie manifesting the whole matter which is to wit that Maternus the tyrant was a liue and fully determined in those playes and feastes to kill him Incredible was the feare wherewith Commodus was touched when he hearde that Maternus the tyrant was aliue and no lesse was his ioy to consider the conspiracie to be detected and notwithstanding Commodus had intelligence thereof certaine dayes before the feast hée suspended the execution thereof vntill the day of the Goddesse Berecyntha to the end that nothing should be reuealed vnto Maternus of that which was discouered vnto Commodus The maner that Maternus deuised to murder Commodus the same did Commodus vse to take and kill Maternus that is to say the great day of the feast being come as Maternus and his band came masked and armed so Commodus brought forth his men armed and disguised and with a set quarell the traitour and tyraunt Maternus was slaine and his men cutt all to péeces The greatest feast of that feast was celebrate in strāgling hewing mangling drawing burning of the bodies of these miserable théeues because it is an euident lawe for tyrants that the hurtes robberies slaughters violences and burninges which they haue committed in many dayes they come to make repayment thereof in one houre CHAP. X. ¶ Of the inexpected death of Cleander a fauoured and most priuate seruant vnto Commodus AFter the death of the tyrant Maternus the Emperour Commodus passed his life in great doubt and feare imagining with himselfe that some day they would dispatch him either eating or sléeping for he did both knowe and also would say that they were fewe which prayed for his life but very many that sighed for his death Vntill Commodus died hée euer walked warely for hée doubled his guard to guard him by day and strongly shutt in his house by nighte in that which hée did eate in his lodging where he slept on the palfrey wheron he roade on the garments which hée did weare hée set great watche in such wise that hée paid it but only with his life that durst touch his garment Very séeldome he went to the Senate and much lesse did ride openly in the citie hée had not talke with strangers but by writing with his subiects he had no conference but by a person intermitted and that which was more maruell hée had many times such conceite not onely to refuse to write aunsweare heare causes or dispatch affayres but also in foure or fiue dayes would not speake onely one word In the xi yeare of his Empyre Maternus the tyraunt was slaine on the next yeare there followed a great pestilence and a generall hunger in which hunger and pestilence the third part of Italie was consumed Immediatly after the pestilence had entred Rome Commodus departed vnto the citie of Laurento where were planted many Laurel trées for which cause the citie was named Laurento where also the Emperour more remayned then in any other place the Physicians giuing him to vnderstand that to be vnder the shadowe therof was very proper and conuenient for defence of the pestilence Notwithstanding the scarsitie of bread and wine that was that yeare further a certaine occasion of great hūger happened in Rome which was as followeth When the good Marcus Aurelius triumphed ouer the Argonautes he brought amongest other captiues a younge man named Cleander who was openly solde in the market place in Rome and by chaunce bought by a clarke of the kitchin to swéepe make cleane the larder at courte This slaue Cleander became so handsome in swéeping seruing and pleasing his maister that not many yeares after he did not onely make him frée and marrie him with his daughter but also did aduance him to the office of Clarke of the kitchin in such maner that from the estate of a bondman hée indued him with the condition of a sonne Nowe when Clēander sawe himselfe frée married and in office in the Court he trauelled to obteine the good will of the Emperour Marcus Aurelius which he obteyned by carefulnesse in seruice and diligence in his office and vsed therin so great diligence and promptnesse that he was neuer noted either slacke in prouision or false in reckoning Marcus Aurelius being deade Commodus forgate not to remoue Cleander from the affayres of the kitchin and made him capitaine of his guard and Lord great Chamberlaine of his chamber Vnto none of as many as did serue accompany Commodus in his youth that hée was gratefull but vnto Cleander vnto whom it had bin much better neuer to haue risen to so great honour for thereof onely procéeded the losse of his life Althoughe the fauour of Cleander did rise in iest or of small causes he framed in fewe dayes to performe the same in earnest which was as followeth that as Commodus grew into disgrace was abhorred and had no care of the gouernement of the Empire Cleander did presse and in such maner did thronge to entermedle with affayres