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
months and ten days he deposed and sent him Prisoner to Babylon together with Ezekiel Mordecay and Josedech the High Priest The Mother of Jeconias together with his Servants Eunuchs and all the ablest men and best Artificers in the Land were also then carried away Captives This Jeconias following the Counsel of the Prophet Jeremy made no resistance but submitted himself to the Kings will wherein he both pleased God and did that which was most profitable for himself though at the present it might seem otherwise to such as consider the evil that befel him rather than the greater evil that he thereby avoided This only particular act of his is recorded in Scripture which was good But it seems that he was at least a partaker in his Fathers sins if not a provoker which was the cause that though he submitted himself to Gods will yet did he not preserve his estate For so it is said That he did evil in the sight of the Lord according to all that his Father had done In his stead Nebuchadnezzar set up Mattania his Uncle making him King of Iudaea and called him Zedechias For like as Necho King of Egypt had formerly displaced Iehoahaz after he had slain his Father Iosias and set up Iehoiakim the Son by another Mother So Nebuchadnezzar slew Iehoiakim who depended on the Egyptians and carrying his Son Ieconias Prisoner to Babylon he gave the Kingdom to this Zedechias who was whole Brother to that Iehoahaz whom Necho took with him into Egypt and from Zedechias he required an Oath for his loyalty and faithful subjection which Zedechias gave him and called the living God to witness in the same that he would remain assured to the Kings of Chaldaea 2 Chron. 36. 13. Ezek. 17. 13 14 18. In the first year of Zedechias Ieremy saw and expounded the vision of the ripe and rotten Figs the one signifying those that were already carried away Captives the other signifying those Iews that yet remained and were afterwards destroyed Ier. 29. 17. In the fourth year of Zedechias Ieremy wrote in a Book all the evil which should fall upon Babylon which Book or Roul he gave to Seraiah when he went with King Zedechias to Babylon to visit Nebuchadnezzar willing him first to read it to the Captive Iews and then to bind a stone to it and cast it into Euphrates pronouncing these words Thus shall Babel be drowned and shall not rise from the evil which I will bring upon her This journey of Zedechias to Babylon is probably thought to be in a way of a visit and to carry some presents to Nebuchadnezzar But yet it is likely he had some suit to make which his Lordly Master refused to grant and sent him away discontented For at his return all the bordering Princes sent Messengers to him inciting him as it seems to those unquiet courses from which the Prophet Ieremy dehorted both him and them About which time the Prophet by Gods appointment made bonds and yokes one of which he wore about his own neck others he sent unto the five Kings of Edom Moab Ammon Tyre and Zidon by those Messengers which came to visit Zedechias making them know that if they and the King of Iuda continued in subjection to Babylon they should then possess and enjoy their own Countries If not they should assuredly perish by the Sword by Famine and by Pestilence He also foretold them that those Vessels which yet remained in Ierusalem should be carried after the other to Babylon yet at length should be restored again The same year Ananias the false Prophet took off the wooden yoke which Ieremy did wear as a sign of the Captivity of the Iews and brake it Vaunting that in like manner after two years God would break the strength of Babel and the yoke which he had laid on all Nations and that he would restore Ieconias and all the Iews with the Vessels and Riches of the Temple and put an end to all these troubles But Ieremy instead of his Wooden yoke wore a Collar of Iron and in sign that Ananias had given a false and deceitful hope to the People he fore-told the Death of this false Prophet which accordingly came to pass in the seventh Moneth After this when Zedechias had wavered long between Faith and Passion in the eighth year of his Reign he practiced more seriously against Nebuchadnezzar with his Neighbours the Edomites Ammonites Moabites Tyrians and others who were promised great aids by the Egyptians in confidence of whose assistance he resolved to shake off the Babylonian Yoke whereof when Nebuschad chadnezzar was informed he marched with his Army in the dead of Winter towards Ierusalem and besieged it Jeremy perswaded Zedechias to render the City and himself to him But Zedechias being confident of help from Egypt and being perswaded by his Princes and false Prophets that it was impossible that the Kingdom of Judah should be extirpated until the coming of Shilo according to Jacobs Prophesie Gen. 49. 10. he despised the counsel of Jeremy and imprisoned him For Jeremy had told the King that the City should be taken and burnt that the King should not escape but be taken Prisoner and brought to the presence of Nebuchadnezzar That he should not perish by the Sword but being carried to Babel should there dye a natural Death The following year Ierusalem was surrounded and more strictly besieged by Nebuchadnezzars Army whereupon the King of Egypt Pharaoh Hophra entred into Iudaea with his Army to succour Zedechias of whose revolt he had been the principal Author But Ieremy gave the Iews faithful counsel willing them not to have any trust in the succours of Egypt for he assured them that they should return back again and in no sort relieve them And it fell out accordingly For when the Chaldaeans removed from Ierusalem to encounter the Egyptians these bragging Patrons abandoned their enterprise and taking Gaza in their way homewards returned into Egypt as if they had already done enough leaving the poor people in Ierusalem to their destined miseries Ier. 34. 11 22. In the mean while the Iews who in the time of their extremity had released their Hebrew Bond-men and Bond-women according to the Law in the year of Iubile and made them free thereby to encourage them to fight did now upon the breaking up of the Chaldean Army repent of what they had done and thinking that all danger had been past they held them by force to their former slavery But the Chaldeans being returned to the Siege the Prophet Ieremy when the State of Ierusalem began now to grow to extremity counselled Zedechias to render himself to the Babylonians assuring him of his own life and of the safety of the City if he would do so But his obstinate heart led him on to that wretched end which his neglect of God and his Infidelity and Perjury had provided for him Three and
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
the Persians way were put to the Sword unless they saved themselves by flight as some did who ran away crying and filled the Streets with an uncertain tumult Such of the Assyrian Lords as had formerly revolted from Belshazzar to Cyrus did now conduct a selected company to the Kings Palace which being easily forced by them they rushed strait into the Chamber where the King and his Princes were Banquetting and there slew both him and them without mercy who strove in vain to keep those lives which God had newly threatned to take away Now was that Prophesie fulfilled Jer. 51. 30 31 32. The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight they have remained in their holds their might hath failed they became as women they have burnt their dwelling-places Her barrs are broken One Post shall run to meet another and one messenger to meet another to shew the King of Babylon that his City is taken at one end And that the passages are stopped viz. of the River Euphrates and the Reeds they have burnt with fire and the men of War are affrighted The Prophet Isay also two hundred years before this subversion of Babylon in his forty seventh Chapter and elsewhere describeth this destruction so feelingly and lively as if he had been present both at the terrible slaughter there committed and had seen the great and unfeared change and calamity of this great Empire Yea and had also heard the sorrows and bewailings of every surviving Soul thereunto subject which Prophesie he begins with these words Come down and sit in the dust O Virgin Daughter of Babylon sit on the Ground there is no Throne O Daughter of the Chaldeans For thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate c. And though it cannot be doubted that God used Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans as his Instruments to punish the Idolatry and wickedness of the Iews yet did he not forget that in the Execution of Gods Judgments they had used much rigour and extremity as we see Isa. 47. 6. I was wroth with my people I have polluted mine Inheritance and given them into thine hand Thou didst shew them no mercy Upon the Ancient hast thou very heavily laid the yoke And again I will rise up against them saith the Lord of Hosts and will cut off from Babel the Name and the remnant and the Son and the Nephew meaning Evilmerodach and Belshazzar And again Isa. 13. 15 c. Every one that is found shall be thrust thorow and every one that is joyned to them shall be slain with the Sword their Children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes their Houses shall be spoiled and their Wives ravished Behold I will stir up the Medes against them which shall not regard Silver and as for Gold they shall not delight in it their Bowes also shall dash the young men to pieces and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the Womb their eye shall not spare children And Babylon the Glory of Kingdoms and beauty of the Chaldees excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah c. Read also Chapter fourteenth No Historian that was either present at this Victory of Cyrus or that received the report from others truly as it was could better describe and leave the same to posterity after it was acted than Isay hath done in many parts of his Prophesie which were written two hundred years before any of these things were attempted The Greatness and Magnificence of Babylon were it not by divers grave Authors recorded might seem altogether Fabulous For it is reported for truth that one part of the City knew not that the other was taken three dayes after which is not impossible if we consider the vast Circumference of it Diodorus Siculus saith that it was in compass three hundred and sixty Furlongs which make forty five Miles The Walls were so thick that six Chariots might pass in front thereon and they were three hundred sixty and five Foot high and were adorned and beautified with one hundred and fifty Towers Strabo gives a greater circuit adding twenty five Furlongs more to the former compass reckoning it at three hundred eighty five Furlongs which makes forty eight Miles and one Furlong Herodetus finds the compass yet to be greater namely four hundred and eighty Furlongs in circuit the thickness of the Wall he measures at fifty Cubits and the height at two hundred of the same Regal Cubits For entrance it had a hundred Gates of Brass with Posts and Hooks to hang them on of the same Metal and therefore did the Prophet Isay rightly intitle Babylon The Princess and Glory of Kingdoms Isa. 47. 5. 13. 19. But when Cyrus had won her he stript her out of her Princely Robes and made her a slave dividing not onely her goodly Houses and her whole Territory with all the Riches therein contained amongst his Souldiers but also bestowed the Inhabitants themselves as Bondslaves upon those that had taken possession of their goods Cyrus having obtained this great and Signal Victory the glory of which was a reward for his service done for him who was the Author of it and of all goodness and thereby translated the Empire of the Chaldeans to himself according to the Prophesies which went afore of him in this first year of his Empire he made a Decree that the Captive Jews should return again into their own Countrey of Judea and that they should build again the House of God in Jerusalem having now endured and finished the seventy years Captivity foretold by the Prophet Jeremy The tenour of which Decree was thus Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia The Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth and hath charged me to build him an House at Jerusalem which is in Judah Who is there among you of all his people Let his God be with him and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and build the House of the Lord God of Israel He is God which is at Jerusalem And whosoevèr remaineth in any place where he â—â—journeth let the men of his place help him with Silver and with Gold and with goods and with Beasts besides the free-will Offering for the House of God that is in Jerusalem Ezra 1. 2 3 4. He also brought forth and restored the Vessels of the House of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of the Temple at Jerusalem and had put them into the House of his gods These were brought forth and numbred unto Sheshhazzar the Prince of Judah and this is the number of them Thirty Chargers of Gold a thousand Chargers of Silver nine and twenty Knives thirty Basins of Gold Silver Basins of a second sort four hundred and ten and of other Vessels a thousand All the Vessels of Gold and Silver were five thousand and four hundred The number of Jews that then returned out of Chaldea
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
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
hearing of his coming and fearing the issue besought the Sultan to compassionate their condition and to withdraw himself into Lybia whither Tamerlane could not follow him by reason of the barrenness of the Countrey Resolving for their parts to submit to Fortune and to do as the time required yet promising in heart to remain his and to make the same to appear to him so soon as occasion should be offered Hereupon the Sultan seeing all things desperate determined to retire yet hoping that time might bring a change for that Tamerlanes numerous Army could not long remain there And so departing out of Alexandria with Tears standing in his eyes he often said that God was angry with him and his People so that he must of necessity suffer the fatal Overthrow of his Estate yet for his own part he had done as much as in him lay according the Duty of his Place and to satisfie the expectation that the World had of him for the upholding of the same Notwithstanding he hoped to return again and to deliver his People from that bondage which for the present they were necessitated to submitto Tamerlane coming to Alexandria before yielded to Axalla stayed there a great while sending Axalla to pursue the Sultan being much grieved that he could not get him into his hands and therefore he still feared that some Innovation would be raised by him after his departure which made him to deal the more hardly with them whom he suspected to favour him Now the bruit of these Victories having with Axalla passed into Lybia brought such a fear not only upon the Countries adjoyning to these Conquests but also upon all Africa supposing that Tamerlane followed with the rest of his Army that twenty two of the Moorish Kings sent their Ambassadours to offer their subjection and obedience to him Oâ— the nearest of which Kings Tamerlane took Hostages but for such as were more remote he contented himself with their faith given and with other Testimonies of their good wills Axalla having long followed the Sultan who like a man forsaken of Fortune still fled before him seeing all his labour lost returned to Alexandria And Tamerlane after his long travel and pains taken was now more desirous than ever to return into his own Countrey The rather being moved thereunto by the earnest request of his Wife much longing for his return He had news also of the sickness of the old Emperour of Tartary his Father in Law and besides Age it self began to bring unto him a desire of rest With his did the desires of the Souldiers well agree who were now weary of running so many and divers Adventures His only stay was that he expected the coming of Calibes an old and faithful servant of his whom for his good desert he made choice of to govern all these his new Conquests in Egypt and Syria A great honour indeed it was but not too great for him that had so well deserved And indeed Tamerlane was alwayes so mindful of the good deserts of his faithful servant that he needed not by others to be put in remembrance of them were they never so far off as now was Calibes who at this time was with a third part of the Army making way for him along the River Euphrates for the Conquest of Mesopotamia and Persia whose coming was longed for with great devotion by the whole Army which was now very desirous to return but this expectation of theirs was not long delayed for Calibes being sent for came speedily to Alexandria where the whole Army was by Tamerlane's command now rendezvouzed Upon the coming of Calibes Tamerlane made the Prince of Zamalzan man of great reputation Governour of that place as Lieutenant General under Calibes whom Tamerlane as was said before had made his Vice-Roy over all Egypt and Syria together with the Countries newly conquered in Lybia and Barbary He gave him also six thousand Horse and ten thousand Foot to assist him therein And so leaving Alexandria he took Calibes along with him to the great City of Caire there taking the best order he could for the securing of his new Conquests He left with him forty thousand Horse and fifty thousand Foot And having sufficiently instructed him how he would have those Kingdoms governed dismissed him not like a servant but a companion being very sorry to leave him destitute of his presence So setting forwards with his Army conducted by the Prince of Thanais Tamerlane with a few of his Train turned again aside to Jerusalem where he daily visited the Sepulchre of Christ whom he called the God of the Christians viewing the ruines of Solomon's Temple which he much admired and at Jerusalem the Seat of David's Kingdom and that of great Solomon grieving that he could not see them in their former beauty And to shew his Devotion and favour to this City he commanded it to be free from all Garrisons and Subsidies and so giving great gifts to the Monasteries he departed from thence to Damasco which great City for that it was infected with the Opinions of Jezides accounted an Arch-Heretick among the Mussulmen as also evil-affected to his Proceedings he caused it to be razed and the bones of Jezides the False Prophet to be digged up and burnt and his Sepulchre which before by his Disciples was much honoured to be filled with dung and so marching on and blasting the World before him being victorious which way soever he turned he at last passed over the River Euphrates where he conquered Mesopotamia with the great City of Babylon and all the Kingdom of Persia and so at last laden with the spoiles of the World and eternized for ever in his Fame he returned to Samercand the famous place of his Birth and Glorious Seat of his Empire Now had Bajazet a little before one of the greatest Princes on earth and now the Scorn of Fortune and by-word to the World with great impatiency lain two years in most miserable thraldom for the most part shut up in an iron Cage like a dangerous wild beast and having no better means to end his loathed life violently dashed out his brains against the bars of the iron Grate wherein he was enclosed and so died about the year of our Lord 1399. His dead body at the request of his Son Mahomet was by Tamerlane sent to Asprapolis from which it was conveyed to Prusa and there lieth buried in a Chappel built for the purpose without the City Eastward where also are interred the bodies of his best beloved Wife Despina and of his eldest son Erthogrul and in another little Chappel hard by lieth buried his brother Jacup whom he had murdered in the beginning of his Reign This Bajazet had some Vertues which were much obscured by his cholerick and wayward nature which made him to exceed in cruelty and Pride He was also very covetous which qualities made him indeed much feared but little beloved of
the War justly and ended it happily ruined the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy carrying Didier Prisoner with him to Lions or to Leeg for Authors agree not of the certain place This was Anno Christi 776. A notable date to present the Tragical end of so great a Kingdom which had continued in Italy for the space of two hundred and four years under Princes of divers dispositions But Pride Injustice and Tyranny had provoked the wrath of God against them so as whilst they thought to take from another they lost their own To usurp the liberties of others they fell into ignominious slavery themselves and their Subtily proved the occasion and hastener of their ruin An excellent Pattern for Princes and great States not to attempt an unjust and unnecessary War nor to usurp upon any other mans right thinking to prevail over a good cause by Craft and Policy Charlemagne as was said before used his Victory with great moderation towards the conquered Nation which gave great content to all the Italians who held it a gain to have lost their old Master and to be rightly made free by being subject to so wise a Lord. For he left unto them their ancient liberties and to particular Princes such as were Vassals to Didier their Signiories To Aragise Son in Law to Didier he left the Marquisat of Beneventum He placed French Governours in conquered Lombardy whom he ordered to treat these his new Subjects with the like mildness as he shewed to those of his antient Patrimony left unto him by his Predecessors During the siege of Pavia Pope Adrian held a Councel at Rome in favour to Charlemagne to give him honours answerable to his merits of the Church wherein it was declared that the right to give all Benefices throughout all Christendom did belong to him No sooner was Charlemagne returned into France but Aldegise the Son of Didier sought to disquiet Italy being assisted by Constantine the Emperour of Constantinople and the practices of Rogand to whom Charlemagne had given Friul who now revolted from his Obedience But the vigilancy and care of the Governours whom Charlemagne had set over his new-conquered Subjects soon put an end to these Rebellions and Rogand being taken suffered according to his demerits being beheaded by the Kings commandment Thus Italy remaining quiet to him and his as conquered by a just War it was afterwards incorporated into the French Monarchy in his posterity being given in Partage to the Children of France whilst the good Government of the French Kings maintained the dignity of the Crown But the end of this War proved the beginning of another in Germany whereof the Saxons were the chief promoters drawing other People of Germany into their assistance This War continued the space of thirty yesrs yet not without some intermissions The Saxons having still a mind to oppose and Cross Charlemagne in his proceedings especially when he was busied in other affairs of great consequence These Saxons were subject to the Crown of France especially under Martel and Pepin his Son The motives of this War were divers The impatiency of a People desiring their antient liberty and not able to bear subjection to a forreigner the hatred and jealousie of a Potent Neighbour threatning them with servitude A controversie about the limits and bounds of their Lands But the greatest and most important cause was the diversity of Religion For the Saxons were obstinate in retaining and cleaving to their Pagan superstition which they had received from their Forefathers and Charlemagne urged them to forsake their Paganism and Idolatry and to make open profession of the Christian Faith being moved with Zeal to the general advancement of the Truth and the private Duty of a Prince to his Subjects to provide for their souls Health Upon this controversie about Religion the Saxons fought eight times with Charlemagne especially taking advantage when they found him busied elsewhere watching their opportunities either to cross him in his designs or to frustrate his attempts At such time as he was in Italy against Didier they played Rex not only in rejecting the French command but also in making War against those Cities in Germany which obeyed Charlemagne They had taken Eresbourg from the Crown of France even upon his return and besieged Sigisbourg robbing and spoiling all the Country round about Charlemagne who would never undertake any weighty matter without good advise assembled a Parliament at Wormes and by their Counsel and assistance levied a great Army to charge the Saxons in divers places at once This resolution succeeded happily For having vanquished the Saxons twice in one month in a pitched Field he soon reduced them to their ancient obedience Using his Victories with much modesty and discretion desiring rather to shew them the power of his authority then the rigour of his Force The chief amongst the Saxons was Widichind and as Religion was the chief motive of their frequent Rebellions so Charlemagne seeking the establishment of the Christian Religion in Saxony with great Zeal after much reluctance happily effected it For having vanquished this widichind by reason and humanity he brought him to the knowledg of the Truth and by his grave and prudent conversation he perswaded him without any Violence to leave and forsake his Pagan Superstition which force of Armes could never have effected in him nor in the Saxons For mens souls are not to be compelled with force of Arms but with reason And by the means and endeavours of this widichine the greatest part of the Saxons were brought to the knowledg of the true God and the obedience of the French Monarch And the most obstinate were forced either to submit or to abandon their Country And indeed great numbers of Saxons retired themselves into divers strange Countrys Thus the War with the Saxons was happily ended which had been long and dangerous and the Conquered by the Truth were the true Conquerours by attaining to the knowledg of the true God Charlemagne was very careful to have them well instructed in the Truth For which end he appointed godly and learned men in all places and gave them honourable maintenance whereby he shewed that his Piety was not inferiour to his Valour and happy success and for a president to Princes to make Religion the Soveraign end of their Arms and Authorities This Widichine was very eminent both for Wisdom Valour and Authority in his Country and from him are descended many famous Families as the two Henries the one called the Fowler and the other of Bamberg and the two Othos all of them Emperours as also the Dukes of Saxony the Marquesses of Misnia the Dukes of Savoy and the famous race of Hugh Capet in France From this War of Saxony did spring up many others in the Northern parts of which we shall hear afterwards but because in the Interim their fell out great Wars in Spain against the Sarazins which