French but in case of necessity was easily perswaded by Didier who came to Rome conferred with the Pope and made great Protestations of his Obedience to him But these his faire shewes continued not long There was at this time at Rome a Governour for the Easterne Emperor called Paul Ephialte him Didier corrupted and the administration of Justice being in his hands he made use of him so cunningly as that in the presence of Pope Steven he caused him to seize upon two of his cheif Secretaries Christopher Sergius whom Didier accused of some pretended crimes and presently to hang them in an infamous manner Their greatest offence was because they favored the French Neither did he rest here but caused all the principal Citizens to be banished whom he observed to be of the French faction that so having removed all hinderances he might be Master of Rome in despite of the Pope Steven was not so dull but he discovered the Lombards practice exceedingly to tend to his prejudice whereupon he sent to Charlemagne beseeching him to prepare an Army against Didiers force This Charlemagne easily assented to and fully resolved upon But Didier had provided a divertisment in France by the meanes of Caroloman to stop Charles his passage into Italy making work for him in Guienne where there arose a perilous Warre upon this occasion Though the Country of Guienne depended upon the Crown of France yet were there many Tumults raised by the practices of some Noblemen of the Countrey who frequently stirred up the people mutinous enough of themselves to Rebellion The cause of these Troubles was the abuse of the former Kings Clemency and Bounty who suffered such people as he Conquered to enjoy their priviledges and liberties Eudon a Nobleman of Guienne began first under Martel Jeffery and Hunult his Children and heirs of his discontent had continued it under Pepin and Jeffery being now dead Hunalt succeeded him with the like hatred which Caroloman fomented that he might imploy him against his Brother Charles Guienne was a part of Charles his portion But Hunalts design was to withdraw that Country wholly from the Crown of France and for that end he pretended a Title to the Dukedom thereof labouring to procure the people to Elect him having the promise and assistance of Caroloman to further him therein Indeed the countenance of Caroloman could do much but the wisdome and courage of Charlemagne prevailed more For being advertised of Hunalts practice and of his Brothers secret designes he armed with such speed as that he surprised the Townes of Poictiers Xante and Angoulesm and all the Country adjoyning Hunalt who had reckoned without Charles finding himself thus prevented fled to a Noble man of that Country called Loup whom he held not only to be firme to his faction but also his trusty and affectionate friend Charlemagne being informed hereof sent presently to Loup requiring him to deliver Hunalt into his hands who was guilty of high Treason and in the mean time he built a Fort in the middest of the Country where the Rivers of Dordonne and Lisle do joyn which he called Fronsac the better to secure his Country against such Invaders Loup not daring to refuse delivered up Hunalt and all his Family into the hands of Charles who pardoned Loup and all that obeyed him thus ending a dangerous Warre without blowes And to Hunalt he granted life and liberty and the enjoyment of his goods leaving a memorable example to all Princes how to carry themselves in a Civil War preventing a mischief by prudence and diligence and not to thrust their vanquished Subjects into despair by rigour Caroloman seeing his practices against his Brother to succeed so ill undertook a journy to Rome with an intent to cause some alterations there which yet he covered with a pretence of devotion He also took his Mother Berthe along with him and in their passage they were honourably entertained by Didier King of the Lombards where Berthe treated and concluded a marriage between her Son Charlemagne and Theodora Sister or Daughter to this Didier who was one of the greatest enemies to her Sons good Fortune Yet Charlemagne to please his Mother received his Wife but soon after put her away as neither suiting with his affects or affaires and so that which was intended as a cause of love bred a greater hatred betwixt these two Princes Caroloman having effected nothing at Rome answerable to his desire but only discovered his foolish and malitious jealousie too apparent under his feigned devotion returned into France and there soon after died Anno Christi 770. Leaving the intire Kingdom to his Brother who had now no Corival Charlemagne having put away his Wife Theodora upon suspition of incontinency he married Hildegard or Ildegrade Daughter to the Duke of Sueve his Vassall by whom he had Charles Pepin and Lewis and three Daughters Rotrude Bâ—rthe and Gille who were the Nursery of his Noble Family But Carolomans jealousie died not with him but survived in his Wife Berthe who being impatient of her present condition and thrust headlong with a spirit of revenge against her Brother in Law Charles retired with her two Sons to Didier King of Lombardy as to the most bitter and irreconcilable enemy of her Brother Charles Didier intertained her and her Children very curteously hoping by them to promote his design But it proved the leaven of his own destruction His practice together with the Widdows was to procure the present Pope who Steven being dead was one Adrian a Roman Gentleman to Crown and confirm the Sons of Caroloman for Kings of France wherein the Lombard had two designs First by this meanes to bring the Pope in disgrace with Charlemagne that he might the easilier suppresse him being destitute of the French aides whereon he chiefly relyed and Secondly to set France in a flame by setting up new Kings in it Didier therefore earnestly besought the Pope to grant this favour to the Sons of Caroloman for his sake But Adrian well acquainted with the Lombards humour was so resolute in denying his request as that they fell into open hatred And Didier being much displeased with this repulse took Armes and with his Forces entred into the Exarchy being a Signory under the Popes jurisdiction and besieged Ravenna the chief City of the Exarchie Whereupon the Pope sent his Nuncio to him to expostulate the cause of this so sudden War against his Subjects desiring him to restore what he had taken and not to proceed in this Hostile manner without any reasonable cause and that upon the pain of Excommunication At the same time there fell out a great occasion to encrease the hatred between Charlemagne and Didier For that Hunalt who had bin before vanquished in Guienne and to whom Charles had shew'd so much favor very ingratefully retir'd himself to Didier who did not only receive him courteously but honored him by
that the state of Persia was now in danger of falling and their Glory of being obscured This being noised through all the Army every man was satisfied and quieted and their courage redoubled As Alexander drew neer the Persian Army certain Letters were intercepted written by Darius to the Grecians proffering and promising them a great summe of money if they would either kill or betray Alexander But these by the advice of Parmonio were suppressed About this time also Darius his beautifull Wife being oppressed with sorrow and wearied with travel died which accident Alexander seemed to bewaile no lesse than Darius who upon the first report of it suspected that some dishonourable violence had been offered to her but being satisfied by an Eunuch of his own that attended her of Alexanders kind and Kingly respect towards her from the very time of her being taken he prayed the immortall Gods that if they had decreed to set a new Master over the Persian Empire that then it would please them to confer it on so just and chast an enemy as was Alexander to whom once more before the last triall by Battel he offered these conditions of peace That if he would marry his Daughter he would deliver and resigne up to him all Asia the lesse with Egypt and all those Kingdoms between the Phaenician Sea and the River Euphrates That he would pay him for the Ransom of his Mother and other Daughters thirty thousand Talents and that for performance thereof he would leave his Son Ochus in Hostage and they sought by sundry Arguments to perswade Alexander to accept hereof Alexander causing the Ambassadors to withdraw advised with his Councel yet heard no man speak but Parmenio who was the very right hand of his good Fortune and he perswaded him to accept of such fair conditions He told him that the Empire between Euphrates and the Hellespont was a large addition to Macedonia That the retaining of those Persian prisoners was a great cumber to him and that the Treasure offered for them was of far better use than their persons with divers other Arguments yet Alexander rejected all though it was very probable that if he had followed his advice and set bounds to his ambition within those limits he might have been as famous for his virtue as he was for his great successes and might have left a successor of fit age to have enjoyed his estate which afterwards indeed he much enlarged rather to the greatning of others than himself who to assure themselves of what they had Usurped left not one of his issue alive within a few years after Besides Alexander by going so far into the East left behind him the reputation which he brought with him out of Macedonia of a just and prudent Prince A Prince temperate advised and gratefull and learned by aboundance of prosperity to be a lover of wine of Flatterers and of extream cruelty But the Persian Ambassadors waited for their answer which was to this effect that what curtesies soever he had bestowed upon the Wife and Children of Darius proceded from his own naturall clemency and magnanimity without all respect to their Master but thanks to an enemy was improper That he made no Wars against adversity but against those that resisted him Not against Women and Children but against armed enemies And also that by the reiterated practices of Darius to corrupt his Souldiers and by great summes of money to debauch his Friends to attempt something against his Person he had reason to doubt whether the peace offered were really intended yet could he not were it true and faithfull resolve in hast to accept of it seeing Darius had Warred against him not as a King with Royal and overt forces but as a Traitor by secret and base practices Besides the Territories which he offered him were already his own and if Darius could beat him back again over Euphrates he would then believe that he offered him somthing that was in his power to give Otherwise he propounded to himself as a reward of his enterprizes all those Kingdoms which Darius as yet had in his possession wherein whether he was abused by his own hopes or no the Battell which he meant to fight the day following should determine And in conclusion he told them that he came into Asia to give Kingdoms and not to rerâ—ive them That the Heavens could not hold two Suns and therefore if Darius could be content to acknowledge Alexander his Superiour he might perchance be perswaded to give him condition fit for a second person and an Inferiour The Ambassadors being returned with this answer Darius prepares to fight and sent Mazeus to defend a Pass which yet he never dared so much as to hazzard Alexander consulting with his Captains Parmeniâ— perswaded him to force the Camp of Darius by night that the multitudes of his enemies might not affright his Macedonians being comparitivly but a few But Alexander replied that he sâ—orned to steal a victory and resolved to bring with him Daylight to witnesse his Valour Indeed the successe commended Alexanders resolution though the Counsel given by Parmenio was more sound Yet when he came to view the multitude of his enemies he began to stagger and entrenched himself upon a Ground of advantage which foolishly the Persians had abandoned And when as Darius for fear of a Camizado had stood with his men in Aâ—mour all the day and forborne all sleep in the night Alexander on the contrary gave his men rest and store of food knowing that Souldiers do better stand to it in fight if they have their bellies full of meat and drink for hunger within fights more eagerly than steel without The numbers which Alexander had were about fourty thousand Foot and seven thousand Horse which were of the Europaean Army And besides these he had Eâ—yptians Syrians Judaeans and Arabiâ—ns which followed him out of those Countries He used but a short speech to his Soldiers to encourage them neither need he For one victory begets another and puts courage into the Conquerours and taketh away spirits from those that have been beaten Some make large descriptions of this Battel fought at Gaugamela but in conclusion they tell us but of three hundred of Alexanders men that were slain and some say lesse but of the Persians there fell fourty thousand But what can we judg of this great encounter other than as in the two forme Battels at Granick and in Cilicia that the Persians upon the first charge ran away and that the Macedonians pursued them For if that every man whom Darius brought into the field had but cast a Dart or a stone the Macedonians could not have bought the Empire of the East at so easâ—y a rate as six or seven hundred in three such notorious Battels Certainly if Darius had fought with Alexander upon the banks of Euphrates and had Armed but fifty or sixty thousand of this great multitude onely
their fell out great Wars in Spain against the Sarazins which like a Deluge threatned to over-run all Christendom I shall intermit the former till I have spoken something of this latter that I may proceed with the more clearness in the remainder of this History The motive of the Spanish War was more upon pleasure then necessity But Zeal of Religion gave a colour and shew of necessity to the Heroical designes of Charlemagne who sought to enlarge the limits of the French Monarchy by his Armes But this his Spanish War as it was undertaken upon lighter grounds so was it more painfull more dangerous and lesse successefull then that of Italy whereunto necessity and Duty had drawn Charlemagne yet did his wise and wary proceeding in the action warrant him from all blame The occasions whâ—ch moved him to bend his Forces against the Sarazins in Spain were the assurance of good successe the quiet and peace of his Realme that he might have opportunity to imploy his Souldiery the hate of the Spaniards against the Sarazins and the generall fear of all Christians least these Caterpillers should creep further into Europe This was the estate of Spain at this time The Sarazins had conquered a great part of it and were divided under diverse Commands which had the Title of Kingdoms Yet these diverse Kings being apprehensive of their common danger resolved to unite their forces against Charlemagne their common enemy and foreseeing the Tempest they sought to prevent it and to cross the designes of Charlemagne For which end they suborned King Idnabala a Sarazin being a very subtile and crafty man to insinuate himself into the acquaintance and familiarity of Charlemagne which stratagem prevailed more then all their Power and Forces Charlemagne was much quickned to this War by Alphonso surnamed the Chast King of Navar by the Asturians and Gallizians Christian People of Spain who suggested to him that the War would be easie profitable and honourable and therefore most worthy the Valour and Fortune of Charlemagne This Idnabala also under a shew of friendship laboured to hasten him to the execution of this enterprise from which he knew well he could not divert him that he might the better betray him by discovering his Counsels to the Sarazins Charlemagne being wel-affected of himself and thus excited by others assembled a Parliament at Noyon and there concluded a War against the Sarazins in Spain The army which he imployed in this action was very great both for number of men and Valour of Commanders and Cheiftaines being the most choise and worthy Captaines in all Christendom amongst whom these were of chiefest note Milon Earl of Anger 's Rowland the Son of Milon and Berthe Sister to Charlemagne Renald of Montaubon The four Sons of Aymon Oger the Dane Oliver Earl of Geneva Arnold of Belland Brabin and many others The Valour of which persons hath been fabulously related by the Writers of those dark times who for the most part were Friers concerning whom the Proverb was a Fryer a Lyer with the addition of a thousand ridiculous Tales so that the truth is hardly picked out from the midst of so much error Yet what is most probable and can be gathered out of the most authentick Authors shall be here set down They say that Charlemagne to make this undertaking more honourable in shew did at this time institute the Order of the twelve Peers of France Charlemagne being entred into Spain with his brave Army found no object for them whereon to exercise their Valour For the Sarazins resolving to make a defensive rather then an offensive War had withdrawn themselves into their Cities which they had fortified strongly The most renowned of the Sarazin Kings at this time were Aigoland Bellingan Dmises Marsile and Idnabala But this last as was said before made shew of much friendship to Charlemagne and of open hatred against the other Sarazin Kings with whom notwithstanding he held secret and strickt intelligence to betray Charlemagne unto them The first City that the French attempted was Pampelune in the Kingdom of Navarr the which they took by force but with much paines danger and losse Having sackt this City and put all the Sarazins in it to the sword they marched to Saragoce which yielded to them upon composition as did also many other small Townes being terrified with the example of Pampelune This prosperous beginning encouraged Charlemagne to advance forward relying on his wonted Fortune and good successe But as he passed thorow the Provinces of Spain like a Victorious Prince without any opposition he divided his Army and gave part of it to be conducted by Milon of Anger 's his Brother in Law who in his March near unto Bayon was set upon by Aigoland the Sarazin King who in this common danger had thrust an army into the Field and now assaulted Milon and his Troops little expecting any enemy and took him at such an advantage as he defeated him This losse was very great For Writers say that forty thousand of the French here lost their lives Milon himselfe being also slain for a confirmation of the Sarazins Victory Charlemagne was at this time afar off and so notable by any diligence to prevent the losse Yet he suppressed his grief and trouble least he should discourage the whole Army and so hastning thitherward he gathered up the remainder of those broken and dispersed Troops withall keeping the Conquered Cities and such as were Friends in their due Obedience But after this there fell out another accident Aigoland being puffed up with Pride through his late Victory marched with his Army into Gascoine and besieged Agen to divert Charlemagne from his pursuit and to draw him home to defend his own Country So as Charlemagne fearing least his own absence and the Sarazins late Victory should cause any alteration in the minds of them of Guienne being then Subjects of whom he had no great assurance he returned into France Aigoland had now continued some moneths at the siege of Agen yet had prevailed little but only in over-runing the Country which he did freely without any considerable resistance even unto Xaintonge the Country-men in the mean time retiring into the Walled Townes expected the return of Charlemagne their King Aigolands Army was very great and puffed up with the remembrance of their late Victory So as Charlemagne returning with his Forces from Spain well tired he maintained his Countries more through his authority then by present force yet did he give life to the courage of his Subjects with his presence and bridled the proud Sarazin who could not be ignorant with whom he had to deal nor where he was being environed with the enemies on all sides and in an enemies Country Hereupon Aigoland pretending an inclination unto peace gave Charlemagne to understand that he had been the first Invader and that his own comming into France was only to draw his enemy out
read over also St. Augustines works whom he loved and preferred before all the other Doctors of the Church He resided also at Paris that he might have oportunity of conferring with learned men There he erected a goodly University which he furnished with as learned meâ— as those times could afford and endowed it with great priviledges For he had an exceeding great care to make it a Nurcery for the holy Ministry that from thence the Church might be supplyed with able Teachers whence also grew so many Colleges of Chanâ—ons with sufficient revenues annexed thereunto Thus Charlemagne spent three years happily in the only care of his Soul leaving an illustrious example to all Princes to moderate and ennoble their greatnesse with Piety and so to enjoy their Temporal estates as in the mean time not to neglect their eternal concernments and to think of their departure out of this Life in time Foreseeing his Death whereunto he prepared himself by these exercise he made his last Will and Testamont leaving his Son Lewis the sole heir unto his great Kingdoms and bequeathed to the Church much Treasure But all things and Persons in this World have an end His Testament was but the Harbinger to his Death for presently after he was taken with a pain in his side or Pluresie and lay sick but eight dayes and so yielded up his Spirit unto God that gave it Anno Christi 814. and of his age seventy one and of his Raign forty seven including fifteen years of his Empire His Body was interred in a sumptuous Church which he had caused to be built in the City of Aquisgrave or Aix la Capelle where he was born and his memory was honored with a goodly Epitaph He was one of the greatest Princes that ever lived His vertues are a patterne to other Monarchs and his great successes the subject of their wishes The greatnesse of his Monarchy indeed was admirable For he quietly enjoyed all France Germany the greatest part of Hungary all Italy and a good part of Spain At the time of his Death he was in peace with the other Kings of Spain as also with the Kings of England Denmark Balgarie with the Emperor Leo of Constantinople and withall the Princes of that time This Noble Prince was endued with so many excellent virtues that we read of very few in antient Histories that excelled him so that he may be justly compared with the best of them For in Martial Discipline in Valour in Dexterity in feats of Armes there are none that exceeded him He obtained as many Victories fought as many Battles and subdued as many fierce and Warlike Nations as any one we read of and that both before and after that he was Emperor He was tall of Stature very well proportioned in all his members passing strong of a fair and grave countenance Valiant mild mercifull a lover of Justice liberall very affable pleasant well read in History a great Friend of Arts and Sciences and sufficiently seen into them and a man who above all loved and rewarded learned men He was very Charitable in his Kingdoms yea in his very Court he harboured and relieved many Strangers and Pilgrims In matters of Faith and Religion he was very Zealous and most of the Wars which he made were to propagate and enlarge the Christian Faith He being misled by the darknesse of the times wherein he lived superstitiously honoured and obeyed the Church of Rome and the Pope that was Bishop thereof together with other Bishops and Prelates commanding his Subjects also to do the like He was also very devout and spent much of his time in Prayer Hearing and Reading In his Diet he was very temperate and a great enemy to riot and excesse and though he was Rich and Mighty yet fed he his Body with what was necessary and wholesome not rare costly and strange And yet his virtues were not without their blemishes as the greatest commonly are not without some notable vices For in his Younger dayes he was much given to women adding Concubines to his lawful Wives by whom he had divers Children But this was in the time of his youth For afterwards he contented himself with his Wife and for a remedy of this imperfection though he was three or four times a Widdower yet he ever maried again the Daughter of some great Prince or other To conclude all he was an excellent Emperor that loved and feared God and dyed when he was very Old and full of Honour leaving Lewis the weakest of his Sons the sole heir of his great Empire but not of his virtues So that this great building soon declined in his posterity He had engraven upon his Sword Pro Deo Religione For God and Religion He used to set his Crown upon the Bible as our Canutus sometime put his Crown upon the Rood both of them thereby intimating that as all honour was due to God so true Religion was the best Basis of Government and that Piety was the best Policy The Epitaph which I spake of was this Sub hoc conditorio situm est Corpus Caroli Magni atque Orthodoxi Imperatoris qui Regnum Francorum nobiliter ampliavit per annos Quadraginta septem foelicite tenuit Decessit Septuagenarius Anno Domini 814. Indictione 7. Quinto Calend. Febru Under this Tomb lieth the body of Charles the Great and Catholick Emperor who most Nobly enlarged the Kingdom of the French and most happily ruled it for the space of forty and seaven years He died in the seventy and one year of his age In the year of our Lord eight hundred and fourteen the seventh Indiction on the fifth Calends of February He had five Wives the first was called Galcena the Daughter of the King of Galistria by whom he had no Children The second was Theodora the sister or as others say the Daughter of Dâ—diâ—r King of Lombâ—rdy whom he kept not long but repudiated her for sundry reasons The third was Hildeb anda Daughter of the Duke of Suevia whom he loved exceedingly and had by her three Sons viz. Charles his eldest whom he made King of the greatest and best part of France and Germany Pepin his second whom he made King of Italy Bavaria c. Lewis his youngest to whom he left the Empire intire his Brothers being both Dead in their Fathers Life time This Lewis was surnamed Debonaire or the Courteous He had also three Daughters the eldest was called Rothruda the second Birtha and the youngest Giselia who would never marry His fourth Wife he had out of Germany called Fastrada And his fifth and last was also a German Lady called Luithgranda of the Suevian Race by whom he had no Children He shewed his love to Religion by having one during his Meale-times that either read to him some part of the Holy Scriptures or else some part of Saint Augustines Books especially that De Civitate