vttermost part of Italy which bendeth to Sicilia and was sometyme Grece In the tyme of Pythagoras raigned at Rome Seruius Tullius his scole was not occupied in Phisick and Astronomy as the other but in Arithmetick Geometry Musick Pythagoras liued a very solytary lyfe wyth his disciples and vsed sundry ceremonies taught many inconuenient thinges of the soules nature that mens soules remoue into beastes to be punyshed The Pythagorians taughte their doctrines priuatly amonge themselues and it was commaunded amonges them that noman shoulde publishe them lest by reason of a doctryne not accustomed the commune sort of men mighte be sturred ether to discorde or to a despisynge of good maners But such kynde of phylosophers dured not longe nother is it now necessary to speake more of the begynnyng of philosophers I would onely shewe iâ— here lest any man might be ignoraunt what tyme the connyng of sciences began and encreased wee shall hereafter in hys due place speake of them whych haue before all other garnyshed and had in reuerence Philosophye whereof there is not so great nomber For very few are ther that be worthy to be called wyth so excellent a name Phylosopher and therfore shall we not rehearse so many of them Of Solon THough wee studye to be brefe here yet wyll not I passeouer Solon vnrehearsed for of hym hath the ciuyll lawe of the Romanes whych is yet in vse his oryginall begynnynge Thys Solon lyued about thys tyme and was very familyar wyth Thales But whan at Athenes were spronge great debates because that the greatest of the citye had made bonde men of theyr creditours that were not able to pay them euen of pryuate wylfulnesse the whole citye of Athenes dyd agree to Solon that he shoulde take order and correcte thys wyllynglye of the greatestmen and the other misvses of the commune wealth Solon toke thys wyllynglye vpon hym and set forth manye excellente constitutions and lawes the whych are yet manyfest Now was Draco the law geuer by the Athenians before Solons lawes were not ordered with anye mercye at all for he ordeyned that all transgressions and trespasses shoulde be punished wyth the swearde and for thys cause sayde one that Dracons lawes were wrytten wyth bloude and not wyth yâ—â—k So hard and cruell constitucions were in the worlde at the begynnynge But nothyng can be durable that is to extreme and is not mitigate with the temperaunce of mercy or iustice As for Solon made a difference in these thynges or degrees and ordeined that some synnes shoulde accordynge to reason be punyshed greueously and other more mercyfullye ordeined also of geuinge trybute of weyghtes and of the seasoÌ„s of the whole yeare And specially is this lawe praysed in the whiche he ordeined that euery man should certyfy the higher officers once in the yeare how great his substaunce were and of what maner crafte he were where with he gat hys lyuynge and if there were any ydle fellow or vagabounde too dryue the same out of the cytie Of Cambyses CAmbyses began to raygne whan hys father Cyrus went to warre agaynst the Scythians He ioyned the kyngdome of the Egiptians to his fathers domynion But he was greatly vnlyke his father in vertues Whan Prexaspes one of hys chefe counselers had admonyshed hym somewhat boldelye and sayde that the Perses dyd alow hym greatly but that the same myslyked them that he was geuen to dronkennesse He caused the Peeres of hys realme to be called together and demaunded whether he might worthely be blamed in any thynge But they answered No but that he also surmounted hys father Cyrus in vertue for by hys actiuenesse was Egypte also ioyned to his kyngdome But Cresus to whom Cyrus had chefely commended his sonne Cambyses to be taughte nortured in honesty sayd the coÌ„trary CaÌ„byses quod he can not yet be compared to hys father Cyrus for he hath not left such a sonne of his begettinge as Cirus hath left Cambyses This delectable sayenge pleased Cambises at that tyme. But as the counsel departed whan none of the princes had blamed ought in him he commaunded Prexaspes to be called to him and bad him bringe his yongest sonne to him For he woulde declare howe sobre he myghte seme to be euen whan he were droncken For he woulde shute wyth a bowe at his chylde whan he was droncken and if he coulde hyt his harte with the darte than he might thynke that in drinkynge he were not besyde the capacite of his reason but if not â–ª than he might worthely be sayde to be geuen to dronkennesse But what nedeth many wordes Whan Cambyses had well dronken he shott at the chylde as at a marke and as the darte was pearced thoroughe he caused it to be rypt vp and shewed to hys father Prexaspes that the harte was shot thorough a ryght sayenge that thereby he might haue euydence that he was not dronken So barbarous cruel and tyrannicall maners bringeth dronkennesse into mens mindes though they be well taught before euen as no doute was that kynge Cambyses was from hys youth brought vp in moost honest nourture And though a dronken man can hytt a right in shoutinge yet in the meane whyle can he not vse the ryght counsels of reason and wanteth those vertues whiche communely steare men to modestye and auancement of glory Such lyke examples ought to be shewed to yonge men whiche sometyme be enclyned and geuen to dronkennesse for what ende folowed of these shall we shewe shortely hereafter He slew also hys own brother Smerdis whome he caused priuely to be put to death lest he shuld raygne at any tyme. He maryed also hys owne syster where neuerthelesse nature doth abhorre such kynde of maryage It fortuned vpon a tyme that whan kynge Cambyses sat at borde wyth the quene at y â— meale tyme set he a lyons whelpe and a strong dogge together to make a game and whan the lyon had the ouerhande by reason of hys fearcenesse strength another dogge of no lesse fearcenesse brake wyth great strength the bandes y â— he was bounde withal and holpe his brother the dogge and so was the lyon ouercome The kyng had great delyte at that game because of the faythfulnesse of the dogges But the quene moued wyth the same dede began to wepe very bytterly and whan the kynge toke that sorowfully and asked the cause of her weping she answered To my brother happened nothynge lesse than such faythfulnesse as I haue sene in these dogges helping eche other The kyng taking this answere wrothfully caused her strayght waye tâ— be had out of hys syght and â—lew her But such coâ—dicions can not longe prosper For God sayeth in the scryptures The bloud thyrsty and deceatfull shall not lyue oute halfe theyr dayes vpon earth Wherfore God stroke hym not longe after wyth a greueous and heauy vengeaunce For as he should come out of Egypte into Persia as he sat vpon
gaue the priestes their tenthes agayne And because these are true feates of good princes therfore hath God geuen hym noble victories For when the kynge of the Assyrians besyeged HierusaleÌ„ he called vpon God for aide the citie was deliuered of the syege by the angel slaing the enemies Esaye the prophete was in the time of this kynge in great worshyp by whome the kynge was instructed in suche thinges as pertayne to the feare of God But in the syxte yeare of Ezechias gat the king of the Assyrians the citye of Samaria and led awaye the ten tribes of Israel in bondage The moost parte of thys were the people of God that were fallen from Iuda and had set vp a propre kyngdome But whan the kynges of Samaria were afrayed lest the people shoulde fall agayne to the kyngdome of Iuda the which was ordeined of God yf they shuld somtyme resorte to Hierusalem feastly to do theyr sacrifyce and to heare the word of God accordinge to the ordinaunce of the lawe they set vp a certayne peculiar or propre Gods seruice a propre doctrine and a sacrifice agaynst Gods worde and so haue they abused all thinges against the worde of God vnder pretence of Gods name to entertayne the priuate power of their kyngdome Agaynste this worship of God are sometyme sent prophetes to the sauegarde and conseruation of many in the meane season haue the mighty with al stubbernes kept their false gods seruice Wherfore God hath greuously punished these kinges wyth warres and vproures neither lasted the raigne of this empyre longe by any kyndred in so much also that at the last God suffred the kynges and people to be led away Duely oughte this example make vs afrayde that we learne to feare God For if god spared not the posterite of Abraham vnto the which happened so manifest promises and so great but hath sodenlye ouerthrowen theyr kingedome and cast them out who is so sure minded which can beleue that we shall escape fre But in myne opinioÌ„ that part of Samaria â–ª semeth to beare the figure of the churche of the East and of the Grekes for lyke as Israel caried away by the Assyrians into Samaria came neuer agayne euen so also the churche or congregacion of the East is vtterly destroied by the Saracens and Turkes And as it happened to the tribe of Iuda afterwarde I feare me lest it chaunce lykewyse also to the West parte It is to be feared truely that God shal handle vs more rygorously because of the greatnesse of our mysdedes Houbeit God woulde in the meane season blesse the sede of Abraham before all natioÌ„s Wherfore ought the godly reader consider this example by hymselfe and pray God that he wyll chasten vs with mercy and not to cast vs vtterly away This kyngdom dured only two hundreth and foure and fourty yeares That tyme verely was very shorte specially seyng thys people had soo excellent promises euen of outwarde goodes also and in the meane season had they warre also and vproures So litle doth God suffre the wicked seruice of God vnpunished The wastyng of the kyngdom of Samaria was done the thre thousande two hundreth and fourtieth yere after the creation of the world Manasse the sonne of Ezechias succeded his father in the kyngdom of Iuda and reigned fyue and fifty yeres The same restored the false Gods seruice for false zele of godlinesse he burned in sacrifice his own childreÌ„ He persecuted the prophetes Esay y â— most holy prophet hath he caused to be cut asunder with a sawe and slayne at the last was he taken oâ— his enemies and caryed awaye Howbeit whan he knowledged his trespasse and called hartyly vpon the Lorde he was taken frely to mercye and God hath set him for an example to synners that they doute not but that God shall haue mercy and asswage hys wrath vengeaunce if they turne from their wyckednesse Amon raigned two yeare he was a wycked kynge wherefore he dyed with the swearde of hys seruauntes Iosias raigned thyrty one yere he toke away the wicked worship of God He ouerthrew the chappels and Idols he coÌ„maunded to burne the bones of false prophetes In his tyme were the bokes of Moses found again which had many yeres be lost That truely is a notable example that wickednesse mens traditions doth grow so excedingly preuayle that holy scripture is so greatly despysed y â— euen the very bokes be lost But God so prouiding for seynge she is neuerthelesse at the last restored and brought to lyght This history no doute doth shewe the figure of the last times in the church to y â— which the true and sincere knowledge of the word shalbe opened euen before the ende of the worlde But though Iosias was a verye godly kynge yet wanted not he finally his errour For whan he had now liued in good peace a great whyle had done many noble actes beyng waxen hardy he thought he might haue no misfortune by reason of his godlynesse Wherfore he warred vpon the kyng of the Egiptians the whiche neuerthelesse demaunded condicions of peace But because he toke that warr by trust of mans power he dyed of a greâ—â— wounde that he had gotten in y â— battayll Ioachas raigned thre monethes and was caried awaye into Egipt Ioakim raigned two yeares In his time inuaded Nabuchodonosor kyng of Babylon all Iewry whose tributary he became many men were led away among the which was also Dauiel yet yonge Afterward whan Ioakim kepte not the bonde or treaty Nabuchodonosor came againe and takyng Ioakim caused him to be slayne at Hierusalem his body to be cast amongs y â— other dead carcases without the citie according to y â— prophesye of Ieremy which prophesyed that he shuld be buried as an asse Ioachim or Ieconias was kyng thre monethes Nabuchodonosor about this tyme beynge come agayn beseged the city Ieconias yelded him selfe frely through the counsel of Ieremy the prophet vnto whom God had reueled that HierusaleÌ„ shuld be destroyed the people caried away howbeit he shuld not wholy be destroied but y â— he shulde once come agayn Hierusalem shuld be buylded agayn Ieconias was kept in BabiloÌ„ by god because he had obeied y â— voice of the prophet the which we shall note hereafter The best of the people were led in captiuite at Babilon with â–ª Ieconias and also all the moost costlye vessels and ornamentes that were in the temple at Hierusalem Sedechias raygned eleuen yeres he fell from the kyng of Babilon whome he wolde not geue tribute for which cause Nabuchodonosor came again besieged the citie And though Ieremy counseled hym that he shuld yelde him self for it were so foreseen of god y â— the people â–ª shuld be led away and Iuda punyshed yeâ— would not he obey â—oldened and trustynge too Gods promyse that the people of Iuda should not perishe
iii. M. ix C. lxxxvii The yeare of Rome vii C. lxix The yeare of Christe .xliij. CLaudius the fyft Emperour reigned thyrtene yeare and nyne monethes he was poysoned The secōd yeare of Claudius came Peter the Apostle to Rome who had preached before certayn yeares at Antiochia and here begynneth the Romyshe churche The yeare .xliiij. After Christes natiuite The yeare .iii. M. ix C. lxxxviij after the worldes creation The yeare .vii. C. xcvii after the buyldynge of Rome The yeare of the worlde iiii M. The yeare of Rome .viii. C. ix The yeare of Christe lvi NEro the syxt Emperour reigned fourten yeare At the begynnyng lyued he honestly fyue yeares afterwarde was he moste vngratious by reason of hys intemperancy of maners and tyranny He put to death his own mother his wyfe and also many noble men amōg whom was also Seneca Finally whan his officers was gone from hym whan he was sought to be put to deaht by the Senate of Rome he fleing slew himselfe before he was founde out by the souldiours and this was done the two and thirtyeth yeare of his age But the kyngdom of the Romanes is now wholy remoued from the posteritie and kynsmen of Augustus and Leuia In the tyme of Nero was saint Peter crucifyed at Rome After hym was Linus made byshop and afterwarde was Paule the Apostle beheaded also And yf ye counte the yeares of Paule hee preached the Gospell about foure and thyrty yeares In the tyme of Nero appeared a comete syxe monethes contrary too all cometes whiche are not wont to be sene so longe There was also a comete sene before in the tyme of Claudius and three sonnes whiche sygnyfyeth doutlesse that three princes shoulde shortely striue for the empire In lyke maner do I suppose that their great Comete dyd sygnifye not onely the sedicion and vproure but also the mutacion and chaunge in the Romane empire and specially the lamentable decaye of the Iewysh kyngdom Sergius Galba Otho and Vitellius AMong these thre was a stryfe for the empyre after Neroes death As for Galba was slayn in y e marketplace of Rome by y ◠layenge wayte of Otho Afterward was Vitellius chosen Emperoure in Germany of the hoost and sent some men of armes into Italy The whiche metyng Otho he fought foure feldes with them thre tymes dyd he ouercome them but in the fourth was his hoost ouerthrowen And though the souyldiours drue frely to hym yet would hee warre no more For it is reported that he shoulde haue said that he set more by the comon peace then by his owne lyfe or priuate glory and the fourth moneth after Galbas death slew he hymselfe with a daggar In the meane season was Vespasianus chosen Emperoure in the Easte by the souldiours thesame sent an hoost into Italy the whiche ouerthrewe Vitellius men of armes Of that rose vproures at Rome and Vitellius was taken his handes bound vpō his backe and with a halter cast about his neck he was drawen through the myer in the stretes and fynally was he slayne as he had deserued For he was suche one that deserued rather to bee called a cruell beaste than a man This was the fyrst vproure that was in the Empyre for the election or chosyng after Augustus The yeare of the worlde .iiii. M. xvi The yeare of Rome .viii. C. xxv The yeare of Christ .lxxij. VEspasianus the Seuenth Emperoure reigned nyne yeares It was a man renowmed in wysedome and honesty and a prince moste worthy of the Empyre For where Caligula Claudius and Nero dyd nott onely suffre all intemperancy out of measure in other but dyd it themselues also this man contrarywyse restored at Rome the nourture of modestie and honest lawes He augmented also the Empyre with all maner of victuals and in the prouinces ordeined he necessary aydes Besides this ordeined he also at Rome common pensions for professers of phisyck and other sciences Of the last destruction of Ierusalem IN the seconde yeare of Vespasianus began Titus the sonne of Vespasian to besyege the cytie Ierusalem whan Easter began to be kept in the moneth of Apryll and afterwarde in the moneth September dyd he spoyle and burne it But in the meane tyme was so great mysery in the cytie for hunger vproure and inwarde manslaughter as neuer was red to haue bene in any cytie The mothers dyghted their owne chyldren to satisfye their hunger but inuayne For the souldyours tooke them awaye from them par force and deuoured them and the mothers dyed with hunger the whyles Many slew themselues Iosephus wryteth that in the cyty were about ten hundreth thousand persons For because it was Easter a very great multitude came together into the cytie Besydes this they that dwelt here and there in villages in all Iewry drue all together to Hierusalem for none other cause but that they trusted to bee in saue garde by the defence of so well afortified citie In so great nōber of people the moste parte nere hande dyed with hunger pestilence and sworde Titus sent syxtene thousand to Alexandria to do seruice none other wyse then slaues He brought twoo thousand with hym whiche hee shewed in a triumphe and caste them to wylde beastes in common games to be toren in peces But what shall I saie muche nomans oraciō can be sufficient to expresse so great a mysery For God woulde propose to men a new and syngular example wherein myght be sene the greatnesse of Gods wrath against despisers of Godlynesse For it must be a very stony and harde harte whiche shoulde not be sore afrayed at so dredefull an example And it is aboue all thynges to be ouerloked in this hystorye that yf God vsed no mercy towarde thys people in punyshynge them for their wyckednesse whome he called hys peculiar people whyche also was come of so holy fathers He shall muche lesse spare the Heythen And God in threatenynge thys declareth also in the same example the shewe of mercy and Godly beneuolence namely that we do not doubt that after that the Iewysh kyngdom is ouerthrowen we that are Gentyls are truely the chosen people and Gods chyldren yf we do truly beleue in Christe This destruction of Ierusalem befell in the secōd yeare of Vespastanus and it was the threscore and fortene yeare after Christes natiuite the fortieth yere after that Christ had suffered his passion But from the creation of the worlde the foure thousand and eightenth yere And this temple dyd stande after the second yere of Longunanus fyue hundreth and syx and twenty yeares Many dredefull tokens signifyed this destructiō afore which for shortnesse we can not here reherse A burnyng sworde was sene aboue the temple nearehande a whole yeare I haue added thys therfore lest no man do rashly despyse the tokens which pretende the euidēces of Gods indignacion by the which we are called to repentaunce that the wrath of God maye be ether auoyded
or mitigated which thynge of mercy happened to the Niniuites The yeare of the worlde iiii M. xxv The yeare of Rome viij C. xxxii The yeare of Christe lxxxi TItus the eyght Emperoure reigned two yeare He was the sonne of Vespasianus endued wyth all kynde of princely vertues wherefore he was praysed of euery man and called The loue and delite of man kynde But when he perceaued that some went about to optayne the Emperyall dignitie agaynst hym he commaunded to admonyshe them frendly to abstayne from suche enterpryses For all theyr labour was inuayne in suche thinges and that the gouernaunce is a gyft of God whiche befalleth to hym whome it pleaseth hym to geue He dyd nothynge more rygorously to them Titus as some suppose dyed of poyson After that Linus was deade was Anacletus made the third byshop of Rome The yeare of the worlde .iiij. M. xxvij The yeare of Rome viii C. xxxvj The yeare of Christe .lxxxiij. DOmitianus the nynth Emperoure the brother of Titus reigned fyftene yeares He had warres in Germany and ceâ—sely agaynst the Catti that now a daies are called the Hesses He vsed incredible intemperancy and great tyranny at Rome wherfore he was fynally slayne He droue out of Rome the Mathematicos that is teachers by demonstracion and Philosophers He persecuted the Christen and put them to death lyke as Nero dyd Whan Anacletus was deade Clemens the fyrst of that name was made Byshop of Rome The yeare of the worlde .iiij. M. xliij The yeare of Rome .viij. C. lij The yeare of Christe .xcix. NErua the tenth Emperoure reigned one yeare and foure monethes He adopted and made heyre apparant Traianus who was as then capitaine in Germany about Collen Nerua dyed being olde .lxviij. yeare The yeare of the worlde .iiij. M. xliiij The yeare of Rome .viij. C. liij The yeare of Christe C. TRaianus the Emperoure reigned nynetene yeares and syxe monethes This same was the fyrste of the straunge Emperours For he was no Italian but a Spanyarde by kynred He was of suche notable honestie that euer afterward as oft as an Emperoure was electe he dyd wyshe with open requeste that he might be lyke to Traianus in honestie Augustus in happenesse When he had made the principall officers of his court he gaue hym a sworde in hys hande sayeng these wordes Vse this sworde agaynst myne enemies in iuste causes If I do not iustly then drawe it vpon myselfe The Romane empyre was neuer so large as in the tyme of Traianus and aboue the examples of other Emperours possessed he the realmes of the East most largely He had very great warres in Hungary and Germany Ihon the euangelist that was driuen out by Domitian returned agayne to Ephesus out of the yle Pathmos If ye wyll reken the noÌ„bre of the yeres it shalbe founde that Sainct Ihon hath preached aboue thre score yeares Good Lorde howe many myseries hath Sainct Ihon sene in so longe space among the whiche was euen the greatest the destruction of Hierusalem hys countrey I wyll passe ouer how greueously hee hath stryuen wyth many and euen peruerset heretikes For we reade that vpon a tyme Sainct Ihon came into a bath and founde Cherinthus the Heretike sittyng with hys company and disputynge earnestly amonge them and the vnshamefast blasphemer denyed Christe to be man But Sainct Ihon rysynge bad hys frendes that were set wyth hym to departe with hym from thence For God woulde not suffre any lenger so vnshamefast blasphemies But strayghtwaye as he was gone out the house fallyng downe slewe Cherinthus wyth hys company It is a dredefull example of Gods wrath agaynst them whiche blaspheme the name of GOD wyth open and manifest vngodlynesse howe litle he wyl suffre them to be vnpunished at length Euaristus the fift B. of Rome succeded ClemeÌ„s After Euaristus death succeded the .vi. B. of Rome Alexander the first of that name Vnder Traianus were many Christen men tormented But afterwarde was a sentence ordeined that they shoulde not be brought into iudgement without they were fyrst openly accused and then shuld they be punyshed and this was gotten by the benefite of Plinius Traianus died of a flyxe in the belly The yeare of the worlde .iiij. M. lxiiij The yeare of Rome .viii. C. lxxiij The yeare of Christe C. xx ADrianus the .xii. Emperoure reigned twenty yeares He was adopted of Traianus He was a prince of greate wysdome he was not geuen too warre after the example of Traianus but was geuen to common peace by al maner of meanes and of this wise restored he the Empyre in moste best fashion wherfore he also deserued moste hygh prayse with euery man Ther was neuer a more profytable Emperour to the Romysh kyngdome sence Augustus then this Adrianus He was excellently learned in astronomy and composed euery yeare a pronostication for hymself Vnlearned readers of sciences put he out of wages howbeit he prouided of hys own coste for theÌ„ that they had no nede in the meane season and set other learned and profitable meÌ„ to teache in their steade He furnished also excellent libraries for he was reakened to be very well learned in Greke and Latin In the tyme of Adrianus began the Iewes to restore their kyngdom fyndyng also out one Messias among theÌ„ But Adrianus ouercame them though it was not without great busynesse Afterwarde commaunded he to repayre Ierusalem and called her Elia after his name Elius At the fyrst was he sore against the Christians and commaunded to torment them but afterward when some learned Christen men wrote bokes to the Emperoure the whiche are yet now adayes a brode he chaunged his mynde and commaunded that from thence foreward no man should be attached for his religion Xystus the fyrst of that name and seuenth B. of Rome succeded Alexander After Xystus succeded Thelesphorus the eyght B. of Rome He is reported to haue ben the instituter of Lent The yeare of Christe .i. C. xl ANtonius the Godly the .xiii. Emperour was adopted by Adrianus He reigned xxiij yeres that with so great modesty and endeuoure of peace that he shoulde oft haue sayed that it were more honest to saue one citesyn by an Emperoure than to slaye a thousand enemies Hyginius the nyneth B. of Rome succeded Thelesphorus Pius the .x. succeded Hyginius Anicetus the xi B. of Rome succeded Pius The yeare of Christe .c. lxiij MArâ—â—s Anthonius the philosopher the xilij Emperoure reigned .xix. yeares The same gouerned the Empyre by good ryght with hys brother Lucius Verus and these two were the first that ruled the Empyre together But Verus liued not loÌ„g in the gouernauÌ„ce Marcus was lyke excellent both in vertue and learnynge He had also warre in Germany agaynste them that dwelt in Morauia and Slesia and also against the Vandali He wrote many excellent lawes the whiche are yet to be red in
of the Lombardes Charles goyng into Italy besyeged Desiderius at Pauye and constrayned hym to yelde hymselfe But when Charles perceaued in dede that the vprouryshnacion of the Lombardes coulde not rest for he had assayed the matter with them afore also that they beyng content with their borders shoulde remayne within their owne realme and that there myght be a sure peace thoroweout Italy Charles toke in whole Lombardy and in the same as in hys owne kyngdome set he gouernoures and capitaynes As for Desidexius with his wyfe the quene chyldren led he with hym prysoners and commaunded them to be kept at Ludick or Liege Thys was the end of the kyngdome of the Lombardes in Italy whiche had lasted two hundreth and thre yeres from the yere of Christ CCCCC lxxij when Iastinus reigned vntyll the yeare of Christ .vij. C. lxxv thys was the syxte yeare before Charles opteined the empyre For though Charles was gone to Rome in this settynge forth and had set at quiet not onely Lombardy but also that parte of Italy that is beiond Rome yet would he not vsurpe for hym the title of Imperiall maiestie lest he should robbe the Grekes of their honoure and this dignitie He graunteth the Emperours cities in Italy to enioye their former lybertie wythout any hynderaunce but he kept the kyngdome of the Lombardes as his owne for long ago was it not subiect to the Emperours Tassilo duke of Baierland raysed warre against Charles but he was ouercome of Charles the tweÌ„tieth yeare of his reigne and takyng in the duchy Tassilo wyth his sonne was put into a monastery Nether did Charles vse so great rigour against his cosyn rashly for Tassilo raysyng an vprour against hym afore and taken to mercy kept no promyse Charles goyng to Rome the two and thirtieth yeare of his reigne restored Leo the byshop of Rome against whome the Romanes had raysed vpâ—ours insomuche that the byshop was compelled to flye But when now Charles â—erceyued certeynly that no peace could be satteled in Italy vntyll suche cyties in Italy as had fraunchyses graunted them dyd ceasse to do all thynges accordyng to their appetite he was constrayned by necessitie to take to him the dominion of whole Italy But he betoke to the byshop of Rome some cities and contreis for the mayntenaunce of ministers in the churche In the Christmasse nyght cryed the byshop of Rome Charles to be Emperoure of Romanes and alwaye full of maiestie And it is sayde that Charles shuld haue aunswered to this yf I had knowen that any suche thyng should haue happened to me I would not haue entered into the temple Nether would he accept the title of Emperoure wythout the consent and alowaunce of them of Constantinople Wherefore IreÌ„ne the mother of Constantinus and Nicephorus consented that Charles should be Emperoure in the West to that dyd they consent frely for these countreis dyd not obey to the Emperours of Constantinople any more But as sone as Charles was made Emperoure and that the state of Italy was nowe satled with great trauaile he determined to warre vpon the Hungarians And this warre lasted eight yeares wherein the Hungarians were in a maner rooted out He set also garnysons of Germanes in Hungary to kepe the realme by the whiche occasion do vntyll this tyme Germanes dwel in the coastes of HuÌ„gary whiche is called Seuenburge It is mencioned in histories that Charles brought great ryches out of Hungary and that is lyke ynough for the HuÌ„garians had bene occupied in warrefarre and robbery aboue two hundreth yeares they ledde prayes of al nacions nerehande in the meane season was their realme inuaded of no foren nacioÌ„s wherby no doubt were great and precious treasures founde by them In the meane tyme dyd Charles the sonne of Charles the great subdue Bohemy vanquyshyng Lecho their kyng and thus was charles at the last a moost myghty prince of all Italy Fraunce Germany Bohemy and Hungary and brought the whole West empyre in a quiet estate kept it in the same Wherfore for these vertues and thys strength of courage whiche he vsed in all his enterpryses is Charles worthy to be counted amonge these princes which God hath now and than geuen to the worlde to repayre common welthes iustice equitie shamefastnesse â—â—ally to restore amonge men the bandes of modestie and common peace as were in tymes past Dauid Hercules Cyrus Alexander Iulius Augustus Constantinus The odosiâ—s In Charles affaires is chefely worthy to be noted how kynges and great men make â—umors among them For God sendeth sometyme the chefe monarches to represse them Euen as in oure tyme Charles the fyfte hath brydeled the excesse and want oâ—nesse of the Romanes and the Venetian power But it is expedient for moste hygh princes to be excellent not onely in feates of warre and handlyng of weapon but also to enforme common welthes with honest lawes and dectrine of religion And this was Charles chefe care He caused some counsails to be kept at Rome and Franckforde and some tyme in Fraunce He founded also thre vniuersities to spreade abrode and maintayne the doctrine of Christenreligion namely at Bonony in Italy Paris in Fraunce and at Paduam Italy In Germany dyd he lyke wyse founde many monasteries for to teache youth in steade of scoles Besyde thys dyd he set the lawe of the Frankes morder and caused the bokes of the lawe to be written For that olde lawe of the Romans was long before put out of â—re throug the Lombardes and Frankes He caused also to gather together the olde histories of the Germanes and songes wherein it is said he had suche pleasure that he learned them by rote He was excellently well sene in the Germane toungue and Latine he coulde also speake Greke for he herde the Greke messangers and aunswered them in Greke but in along and durable relacioÌ„ did he speake Latine There are yet verses that be not greatly vnsemely whiche is sayde he dyd make at the death of his cousin Roulande In his olde age he gaue hymselfe to Astronomy At diner and supper at home delyted he in hearyng reade the bokes of saincte Augustine In the temple dyd he syng the canonicall houres and also lessons with the pristes and he woulde other princes to do likewyse after his example whoÌ„ he prescribed lessons which semeth to pertain to his and their amendemeÌ„t For he was an exciding louer of christen doctrine In all maners of liuyng dyd be haue hym so as nomaÌ„ might passe him in godlinesse Beside this sent he succours of mony to the christiaÌ„s in straunge contreis and obteined by the Saracen kynges that the christians should be more easely entreated He gaue the wyndes and monethes those names whiche remayne yet now a dayes so that by these thynges may easely be gathered that thys prince was garnyshed of God with greate vertues and hygh happenesse by hys studyes so that he may worthely be surnamed
is much elder it is supposed that the same was also founde in Germany by a frear the yeare M. ccc lxxx Maxi milianus the .xxxviii. Germane Emperoure THe yeare of Christe M. ccccxciiii began Maximilianus hys raygne when his father was deade with whome he gouerned the empyre his lyfe tyme .viii. yeres But after hys fathers deceasse raygned he .xxv. yeares Though the begynnynges of the empyre were lowe and weake yet at the last turned they to hygh auauncement and encrease of the Germane kyngdome In the begynnynge of Maximilanus raygne brought Charles wyth the crooked backe an army into Italy and toke Naples But a yeare after when he was returned into Fraunce gat FerdinaÌ„dus the yonger Naples agayne with ayde of Maximilian dryuynge the Frenchemen out of Italy whiche the Frenche kynge had left at Naples for a garryson Maximilian had many and great battails First in low Germany Flaunders and Brabant in the whiche it is sayd he dyd many noble actes with his owne hande where of I haue herde some but I know not the very truth thereof And would God there would once come one that is sure of such thynges who would writh all those histories in a coÌ„plet boke to the prayse of so greate a prince and myght auaunce worthely before the worlde the puyssaunce and vertues of so doughty an Emperoure I myselfe haue herde of Pyrcamer of Norenberg that Maximiliane hymselfe had written some of his dedes for certayne yeares For he sayde He sayled from Lynda to Constance with Maximilian the Emperoure and when Maximilian was nowe at leasure in saylyng he called his Scribe to hym and rehersed to hym in Latine hys dedes of one yeare in a moste feate order with the declaracion of all the circunstaunces and occasions But when Pyrcamer thought the Scribe should note some secrete thynge and therefore would auoyde the Emperoure coÌ„maunded hym to remayne and lysten Yea and at euening he toke it to Pyrcamer that he had rehersed to rede and asked whether that souldiours Latine dyd lyke hym and should haue sayde moreouer He were mynded to comprehende those thynges so brefely and clerely that afterwarde learned men might declare them so muche the more diligently by their causes and circumstaunces And Pyrcamer sayde that no Germane history writer had vsed so pure a stile as was that of Maximilian And that after maximilianus death he had asked after this writynge but he coulde not obteine it But let this suffyse to be spoken of low Germany The yeare M. ccccxcv was in the parliament holden at Worms of the earldome of Wirtenberg made a duchy and erle Ebrarde was made the fyrst duke The yeare Mccccxcix toke the Switzers warr against their neyghbours them of Eastenrich the whiche to rescue Maximiliane came haystely out of Gelderlande where at that tyme he had to do al so Wherefore hauing many skyrmyshes of both sydes it is certayn that .xx. thousand meÌ„ were slayn at the last was an agrement made The yeare MDi. were euery where figures of crosses sene vpon mens garmentes But suche lyke was oft happened before also The yeare MDiiij was the warre of Baierlande wherein the Emperoure Maximilianus defended the princes of Baier agaynst Philip count Palatine of the Rene and duke Ruperte sonne to Philippe the Palatine For the same maryeng the daughter of George duke of Baier woulde haue Landshut and thatsame parte of Baier to be geueÌ„ ouer to hym by a tytle of inheritaunce But Rupertus dyed with his spouse whyle this warre was in hand the count Palatine was put besyde a great parte of his lordeshyppe by the Emperoures men and them of Wirtenberg Yea and a great army of the Bohemyes that came to helpe the count Palatine were ouerthrowen of the Emperoure At the last neuerthelesse Maximilian vsyng no lesse wysdoÌ„ than fauoure toke the count Palatine to mercy lest any perturbacion myght be raysed in the ryght of the election in the empyre that long sence was alowed and approued The yeare MDv. besyeged the army of the Emperoure the duke of Gelders in the citie Arnheym and constrayned hym to yelde hymselfe The yeare MDvi. died Philippe sonne to Maximilian kyng of Spayne and duke of bourgundy beyng of age .xxviii. yeares The yeare MDvii beganne Maximiliane the warre againste the Venecians no lesse greate then durable in the whiche befell both many bloudy battails and wonderfull mutacions Lewis kynge of Fraunce was first with the Venecians afterwarde fell he from them to the Emperour Contrary wyse the byshop of Rome Iulius was first of the Emperoures syde afterwarde toke he parte with the Venecians The Venecians lost in this warretheir best cities Verona Pauy Teruas other many Howbeit when the Romysh byshop deciuered and fell to the Venecians the Frenche kyng began to warre vpon hym also seyng he had yet the Emperours souldiours in Italy Now feared the Emperoure lest if he had the victory he shuld fall into Naples also and do also some euell at Rome to the empyres destruction Wherfore he sent the Cardinall Matheus Langius bishop of Saltzburg one of his counsaill to Iulius the byshop of Ro. to demaunde peace before the Ro. byshop and the Frenche kyng had foughten a felde Iulius for asmuch as he was very well appoynted with the ayde of Spaniardes and Italians he thought to be sure of the victory therfore refused he the peace The battail was vpoÌ„ Easter daie the yeare MDxii by Rauennas The byshop of Romes host lay vnder there were slain in that battaill syxtene thousand Nether is there red of a more greuous felde to haue ben about this tyme wherein men haue fought so fearcely But after this victory lost dyd Iulius frely demauÌ„de peace Howbeit lest the French kyng enterprisedought farther in Italy dyd Maximilian and the bysh of Rome set the kyng of Englande Germany and the Switzers against hym and of this wyse was the Frenche kyng at the last constrained to leaue Italy The Venecians were afterwarde reconciled to to the Emperoure also The yere MDxix dyed Maximilian the Emperoure and thatsame yere the princes Electors Albert Cardinall byshop of Mentz Herman byshop of Colen erle of Wida Richarde byshop of Trierlorde of Grieffenklau the deputie of Lewis kyng of Bohemy Lewis couÌ„t Palatine of the Rene. Frederick duke of Saxony Ioachim marques of Brandenburg did chose lawfull and with great wisdom at FraÌ„ckford Charles duke of EasteÌ„ ryche and Bourgundy and kyng of Spayne the xxviii daye of Iune Pius the iij. was bysh of Ro. after alexander the vi The same died shortely after Iulius the .ij. succeded Pius Against him wrote Bernardinê° the Cardinal in the tyme of the Venecian warre of kepyng a counsail The matter shuld haue geuen an occasion of a diuision had not Maximilian preuented it by his syngulare wisedome Leo the .x. sonne to Laurence Medices was made byshop of Rome after Iulius In the tyme of this Leo
the commaundement of God geuen they fell into the daunger of synne and death But forasmuch as all this is clearly written in the holy Bible out of the whiche they oughte to be learned it is invaine to speake thereof here it is sufficient onelye to aduertish the reader that the worlde standeth by these beginninges and that Adam and Heua are created of God whyche are the ofspringe of all mankinde Moreouer about the very time of creation dyd God institute the ciuyll adminystratyon when he gaue Adam power ouer all those thynges that are in the earth and sea that he shoulde vse them and should sett a good order in all those thinges that are exteriour That commaundemente of God is the springe and beginninge of all lawes and whatsoeuer ciuile ordinaunces there are are begonne of it the whiche are approued and alowed of God by reason of this commaundemente geuen to Adam The churche hath her begynnynge here also For the commaundemente wherein they shoulde exercyse theyr fayeth and feare before God was here geuen but whan they began to synne hath God disclosed the power of Sathan and against it hath promysed the Gospell or glad tydynge of the womans sede that is of Christe that Christe shoulde come and wayst Sathans kyngdome and shoulde delyuer vs from synne and death into liberte Thys was the fyrst preachinge of the Gospell whiche beganne the churche and Christus kyngdome For in the churche muste not onely be preached the commaundementes of good workes but also the forgeuenesse of synnes by Christ for thereby onelye are we reconciled to God and endure agaynst death and all maner of temtation whan by fayth we take the promyse of forgeuenesse of synnes And of thys wyse toke Adam and Heua consolacion out of the word that Christe was promysed and of these two persons is the churche fyrste begonnne Besyde thys was it necessary also they should suffer temporall afflictions for they were dryuen out of paradyse that is they were subiecte to death and all maner of other myseries and so lyued theyr dayes in laboure and trauayl in that lande which the Iewes possessed afterwarde For it is written that they were created by the cytye Damascus Of Cain and Abel SCrypture sayth that Adam and Heua broughte forth children and that Cain slewe hys brother Abel And here begynneth the persecution of the sayntes of the wicked men and is and example very dredefull For thys manslaughter happened for none other cause than for y â— seruice of god the which whan it is done purely Sathan can not abyde it for the whyche cause he sturreth Cain to slaye his brother that the worde of God and syncere doctrine maye be quenched And this dede sheweth howe vehement is the ire of Sathan and rage also what mannes fraylnesse and blindnesse is There are by the waye rehearsed in this history weyghty and graue preachinges of the iudgement of Christ to come of the dredefull vengeaunce for sheddinge of bloude the whiche to rehearse here were to longe Cain after that he fled hys fathers sight he began to buylde the citye called Enoch Hys chyldren inuented all maner of handycraftes and sciences Finally for the manslaughter was he punished for he dyed a lyke kynde of death Of Seth. AFter this was Seth boren to Adam thys man beynge famous and renomed for his endeuour of honest and godlynesse enforced after Abel to auaunce and augment Gods kyngdome Of this Seth were afterward engendred holy fathers and the remnaunt of thys kynred remayned But the posterytie of Cain was whole drowned in the floude Iosephus wytnesseth that Adam and Seth made two tables the one of brasse the other of stone and that in them wer grauen the worde of God and prophesyes by the whiche the worde of God was kepte He wryteth moreouer that they diuided the yeare into twelue monethes and that they obserued fyrste the course of starres and taught it For it had not bene possible that the minde of man coulde haue attayned to the searching of so high and wounderfull things without God had opened them the knowledge of them Wherfore to Adam and Seth we must ascribe the word of god the figures of the letters and the greatest sciences Ther are also many witnesses among the Grekes that the writinge and all sciences are come of the Iewes aunceters For Herodotus writeth in his fyfte boke that the Grekes haue receaued theyr sciences and letters of the Phenices The age of Adam was nyne hundreth and thirty yeares and reached vntill the time of Noes father but he dieth hundreth and. 26. yeares before Noe was borne But in this tyme is written to be happened nothinge worthy of rehearsall vntyll Noes tyme saue only genealogy that in the meane whyle we maye know surelye of whom it behoued Christ to be borne But neuerthelesse by the waye maketh scripture mention of the death of Enoch that he be taken vp by God the whiche dede God hath sett before the worldes eyen that it mighte know and beleue that there is immortalitie after thys lyfe and that God shall iudge and saue the good truely but punish the wycked Of the Floud THE scripture maketh mention that the worlde was punished of God and ioyneth therto the occasions thereof namely that it begann to peier and amonge the chefest of the euels are named the despisynge of God aduoutry and tyranny in the which is vsed all maner of wylfulnesse and wantonnesse For of this wyse saieth the text The childeren of holy men beganne to become tyrauntes vpon earth by the which is signified that whan Gods worde was despised and hys worshyp they liued vnmaneredly and an vnbrydeled lyfe they oppressed the weake and poore accordinge to their pleasure and vsed wylfulnesse of rulinge as they would For cause of these thinges did God threaten the worlde wyth the floude and before the same should come he wylled Noe to preach it an hundreth yeare before that some beynge conuerted mighte be saued Whan Noe was sixe hundreth yeare olde came the floude and accordinge to Goddes commaundement went he into the arcke with his wyfe and his thre sonnes Sem Cham and Iaphet taking with them their wiues and was saued The residue of men and beastes hath the floude taken awaye and destroied And are from the creation of the world vntyll the tyme of the floude thousand sixe hundreth and sixe and fiftye yeares Of the tyme after the Floude WHan Noe had now ben aboue an half yeare in the arcke and that the floud mynyshed the arcke rested vpon the hyghesthyl of Armenia and after the yeres ende whan the earth beganne to drye Noe was commaunded of God to leaue the arcke wherein he had now ben a whole yeare Than dyd God ordeine as it were a new worlde agayne For fyrst he gaue hys worde by the which he promysed not to drowne the world agayne and in token of certayntye he gaue the Raynebowe which shulde admonysh
vs of the promyse made and of thys wyse hath he set before vs tokens of beneuolence and mercy to exercyse the fayth He hath also than permitted the lybertye to cate flesh the which the holy fathers before the floude dyd neuer vse Besyde thys gaue God a new commaundement of outwarde administration and commaunded more playnly that mansleyers shoulde lykewyse be putt to death by those that be lawfullye permittted that is by the officers Of thys wyse than is a new state of the worlde ordeyned agayn All these thynges haue I brefely recyted specially that euery man may call to minde and waye by hymselfe how great Gods wrath is for synne For God would cause the worlde to be more ware by this example because he wyliudge and auenge it is also shewed that God shall once iudge the whole worlde for he will not that synne be vnreuenged or vnpunished Some haue written that seynge the worlde hath fyrst be drowned with waters it maye be gathered by naturall reasons that it shall after thys be consumed wyth fyre Yea and this is worthy to be marked that they whiche belong to god are kept of him though they be few abiect and despised This is also to be noted in thys place that the ciuyll power is ordeined and punishment for manslaughter For that is nerehande the heade of all ciuill exercise of iustice after the which all other cases and trespaces ought to be iudged Of the Tower of Babel AFter the floude whan mankynd was now encreased the Tower of Babel and the citie of Babilon was begon to be buylded by the Chaldees that they might begyn a kyngdome ther and subdue to them other nations or people But thys enterpryse hath God ouerthrowen For whan they all vsed before one language it befell that after the commune speche was chaunged they spake one one maner of language another another so that they vnderstode not eche other Wherfore there was a diuision of speches and the worke it selfe was left vnperfect The posterite of Noe than was strowed here and ther in the world the which the fygure folowynge shall declare Sem the eldest sonne of Noe of whose kynred is Christe hath wyth hys childeren possessed that parte of Siria whiche is towarde the Easte For of Aram hys sonne came the Syrians of Assur came the Assyrians of Arphaxat came the Chaldeis of Elam are the Persyans spronge Cham the seconde sonne of Noe hath optayned that countrye whyche goeth towarde the South Of Canaan are come the Chananeis of Mizraim came the Egyptyans of Chus came the Ethiopians of Saba came the Arabians Iaphet the longest sonne of Noe went to the North and West and this is the father of vs all and therefore his name founde by the Poetes whych haue called him Iapetus Of his sonne Iauan or Iaon are the Grekes whiche are called Iones for they be the first Grekes And the voice Ianan or Iaon is no doute the same whom the Latines do call Ianus They vsed to paynte him with a double vysage before and behinde because that of hym be sprouge both the nations the Grekes and the Latines and as oft they would begynne any thinge they worshipped him wyth a spngulare honour by the whyche they wytnessed that they counted Iaon their father Iaons sonne was Cethim of whome are called the Macedones and thys confyrmeth the fyrste boke of the Machabees and the worde Machetim sygnifyeth in Hebrue of Cethim of the whiche is spronge the worde Macedo For Stephanus the expounder of Greke wordes wryteth that the auncient dyd saye Macetis Iaon had manye chyldren Elisa and Dodanim of the whiche haue their beginninge the Aeoles or Hellas and the Dodoneies all these are the first of the Grekes Of Tarsis Iaons sonne is Tharsus in Cilicia called Iaphet had other chylderen also Gomer Magog Tyras and Mesech Of Gomer are the Cunerij or Cimbry as witnesseth Eusebius Of Ascanes Gomers sonne came the Tuiscones that is the Germanes Of Magog are spronge the Scythe and of them are begonne the Turkes Of Thyras come the Thraces I haue brefelye shewed what part of the worlde eche of Noes chylderen hath possessed the which doeth greately auayle better to vnderstande many hystoryes Of the fyrst Monarchye THat it maye be vnderstande how the worke of God muste be knowen and honored in those thynges that the magistrate or superiorite doeth we haue aduertysed before in the preface that God willed to entertayne the world by foure Monarchies to the intent that policye iustice and correction mighte be entertayned amonge men for this cause are many thynges spoken here and there of these Monarchies in holy scripture God hath proposed them to Daniel two maner of waye First vnder the figure of a greate man whose heade was golden the brest of syluer the belly of copper the legges of yron the fete partely of earth partly also of yron And lest we should not know that then finally shal y â— end of the world be there is added how that the stone Christ doeth breake his fete that the man hymself do fall and so do the world cease Daniel hym self hath expounded this vision of the foure monarchies For he saieth that the head doth signifie the first kyngdome that is the Monarchie of the Assyrians The brest of siluer sygnifieth the kyngdome of the Persians The belly of copper signifyeth the kyngdome of the Grekes The legges of yron signifyeth the kyngdome of the Romanes The fete of yron and earth signifyeth the state of the Empire of Rome at this tyme namely that now a dayes is much lesse and weaker than it was wont to be The foure beastes shewed vnto Daniel do also pretende these foure kyngdomes The Lyonesse sygnifyeth the force of the Assyrians The Beere sygnifieth the Persian empyre The Leoparde signifieth Alexander By the fourth beast are the Romanes signifyed And there is added that besyde the Romaine empyre there shall ryse an other empyre full of cruelnesse and suche one that shall make a new lawe agaynst Gods worde And that is the Mahometish and Turkysh empyre now a dayes God wyll haue vs so truely warned that as we knowe the histories of al the worlde we should consyder that the tyme of finishyng be not farre of and that of this wise we should haue wherewith to confirme our faith In the Bible it is manifest that the fyrst kingdome beganne by Nemrod amonge the Babylonians and the scripture calleth him a valyaunt hunter before God that is a mighty prynce which wyth force subdued men to obeye And he is called a hunter before the Lorde as Gods hunter whereby it is signifyed that the ciuill power is ordeyned of God as a vengeaunce and that she be a minister of God Wherfore the fyrst Monarchye beganne by the Chaldeis as wytnesseth also Xenophon and the successors of Cham raygned fyrst of the whyche dyd Nemroth yssue For though Noe had cursed