The mynes that wee haue be not of Golde to serue thee but of yron to breake thy pride Doth it not seeme to thee O emperour Augustus that since you Romaines haue fought foure hundreth yeres in straunge countries to be lordes it were great reason for vs to fight in our owne houses to escape bondage Prosecute thy warres and do according to the vse of other captaines of Rome and care not to threaten vs and muche lesse to flatter vs for notwithstanding our countrie houses be thine by force neuer whiles we haue life shall wee be but the Gods and our owne This aunswer being hearde by the Emperour Augustus he did sweare by the immortall Gods to take none of them to mercie either to leaue in the citie one stone vppon another And as he promised so he accomplished I would saye in this case that if it were euill to sweare it was muche woorse to perfourme the same Although it be an auncient custome the worde of a king to be kepte inuiolable for the good prince ought not to put in effect that which he hath sworne in his yre CHAP. II. Of the countrie and birth of the Emperour Traiane PRosecuting our intent it is to vnderstand that in the dayes when warre was extremely kindled betwixt Iulius Caesar Pompeius the Pompeians helde Ystobriga which nowe is named Lebrixa and the Caesarians helde Gades whiche nowe is named Calize these two cities did serue to gather their banished to succour their alies and their wounded Before the citie of Italica was destroyed by the Pompeians there did florish two famous knights the one was named Iulius Coceius the other Rufus Vlpius and these two knightes were not onely Captaines at armes but also were chiefe of those two linages that is to saye of the Coceians and of the Vlpians Before that cruell warres entred the citie of Italica these two linages had alwayes betwixt them greate contention but after warres began they ioyned in great friendship for that it hapneth many times that hartes which may not ioyne by loue do after consent and agree by feare The citie of Italica being destroyed these two knightes came to liue at Gades which nowe is named Calize the one of them that was named Coceius was graundfather to the Emperour Nerua and the other which was named Rufus Vlpius was great graundfather of the Emperour Traiane and of the Emperour Adrian by the mothers side The Emperour Traiane was borne in the citie of Calize the xxi of Maye in the seconde yere of the Empire of Nero Rufus and Catinus being consuls In those times there was not in all Europe so famous so generous either yet so profitable a studie as that of the citie of Calize because from Africa they repayred to studie and from Graecia came to learne And to the ende it shall not séeme a fable let them reade Plutarche in the life of Traiane Philon in the booke of Schooles and Philostrato in the life of Apollonius In that citie of Calize vntill the age of xv Traiane studied the Gréeke toung the Latine Rhetorike Traiane was high of body somwhat blacke of face thinne of haire thicke of beard a crooked nose broade shoulders large handes and his eyes in beholding amorous Traiane entring the yeares of xvj left his studie and did exercise armes wherin he was no lesse towarde then valiaunt Traiane was of great swiftnesse on foote and of great readinesse on horsbacke in such wise that it is sayde of him that he was neuer throwne or had fal frō his horse or euer was ouerrun on foote There chaūced a certeine fleete of pyrates to arriue at Calize the which being many and taking the citizens at vnwares the good yong man Traiane did shew him selfe that day so valiaunt in fight and so venturous in conquest that to him alone they did attribut the libertie of their countrie and the glory of the victorie Amongst the Myrmidons whiche be they of Merida and amongst the Ricinians which be they of Truxillio there was raised in those dayes a certaine little warre for the pastures of Gaudiano for that the Myrmidons did say they had held them time out of mind they of Truxillio aduouched that they had lost them and had receiued of them assistance to win them of the enimies The Myrmidons did craue succour of them of Calize in respect of their confederation the Gauditaines did accept the embassage of the Myrmidons as concerning their succour and when they had chosen Traiane for capteine of their armie he made answere The destinies neuer permit either the gods commaund that I take a sword to shed the bloud of mine owne countrie bicause if the one be our friends truly the other be not our enimies And said more Since the warre is not begun and the cause of their debate may be discussed by iustice it is my opinion rather to sende them embassadours to bring them friendes then capteines to attempt wars Conformable vnto all men Traianes answere was both giuen and accepted the which from thence forward was holden estéemed for a knight of great valiantnesse and for a man of great wisedō and iudgement These two vertues goe not alwayes by couples that is to say valiantnesse and wisedome bycause there be some men that be doutie to take perils in hād be not wise to escape thē CHAP. III. Howe Traiane passed out of Spaine being a yong man to goe into Italie IN the second yeare of the Empire of the good Vespasian great Britaine rebelled which is now named England against the Romaine Emperour vnto which warrs Traiane repaired and this he did without charges to the Romaines and for him self to obteine fame accompanied with many others of his countrie In those warres Drusius Torquatus was capteine for the Romaines who persuading Traiane to take wages of the Romaine people as all others did inioy in that warres Traiane answered The merchaunts that come from thence hither they repaire to be more rich but we Gentlemen not to be richer but more honoured The fame that Iugurth obteined in the warres of Numantia that same Traiane obteined in the warres of Britaine in that the one and the other were knights of straunge countries and young venturours and also fortunate bycause for their powers and noble déedes whiche they atchieued in those warrs Iugurthe was king of Numidia and the good Traiane came to be Emperor of Rome That daye whiche Drusius Torquatus entered Rome triumphing of the Britaines being accompanied not onely with knightes subdued but also with knightes and noblemen that had ouercome all the Romaines did inquire for Traiane to sée him and knowe him for that his fame was notorious vnto all men but his person in Rome to verie fewe knowne And hereof it procéeded in processe of time when Traiane and Marius Fabritius did contend for the Consulship of Germanie Fabritius taunted Traiane to be a straunger borne and disgraced in the feature of his body vnto whom Traiane
they did not a litle persuade Traiane to take peace or to make some honest truce and without peril to return to Rome Traiane to this made aunswer our weakenesse should be great and with great reason they would blame vs in Rome if so soudēly we should ceasse to make warre without first making proofe to what ende their forces do extende and also vnderstande what our destinies do containe bycause it may be that if their power be great our fortune may be much greater King Decebal had taken fortified all the daungerous passages and broken all bridges barkes botes of all the riuers and had taken spoiled all the victuals where the Romaines should passe and all these thinges were occasions to increase trauaile vnto Traiane but not of power sufficient to remoue his enterprise for that Traiane was of so valliant a minde that where he sawe fortune most doubtfull from thence he did hope of victorie moste certeine Traiane did take possesse the height of the rockes and mountaines and thereon with all his armie did trauaile many nights and dayes king Decebal did neuer conceiue that Traiane would trauaile by those thornie mountaines for that he thought it impossible for men to trauaile where beastes could not escape King Decebal was constrained to returne vnto the plaine countrie and to fortifie him selfe in strong cities to this ende Traiane did purpose not to fight in mountains that be daungerous but in fieldes that be plaine for he saide that they came not to fight with the mountaines whiche bred bruite beastes but to tame cities which susteine seditious men In very short space Traiane had taken fiue cities seuen castels and many prisoners among which Mirto was taken being vnckle tutour and captaine of king Decebal a man of greate grauitie and of no lesse authoritie Traiane was so rigorous with them that did resist him and so pitifull vnto such as did yelde them that some for loue and others for feare began secretely to practise throughout the kingdome totally to yeald them selues vnto Traiane because they sawe euery day Traians force to increase and the power of king Decebal to decay and growe very weake Traiane besieging a certeine citie named Myrtha holding the captaine therof in great distresse king Decebal forgate not to sende him reliefe succour of great power against whome Lucius Metellus a captaine of Traianes did march and aduaunce him self who at that instant fought so valiantly and manlike that he lest not of all the enimies one onely person that was not either taken or slaine And as in that battaile manye Romaines were slaine and many more wounded lacking clothes to binde vp their woundes Traiane tare his owne shirt to supply their want in that behalfe Being knowne within the citie howe their succorour was discomfited and howe Traiane to cure his wounded had rent his own shirt they did feare the victorie and were amazed at a worke of so great clemencie and bothe these things were not a litle preiudiciall vnto king Decebal chiefely for that he was proude and disdainfull for the good Traiane if with his engins he ouerthrewe their castels with the fame of his good woorkes he did robbe and steale the mindes of his armie The citie of Myrtha beeing taken and rendred into the handes of Romaines presently king Decebal sent Ambassadours vnto Traiane aduertising that he woulde become subiect vnto the Romaine Empire vppon suche condition that the thinges whereon they should capitulate were reasonable and suche thinges as they shoulde commaunde to be perfourmable for otherwise he and his were determined rather to dye with libertie then to liue in bondage The conditions that Traiane sent to demaund were these That he should leaue all armour discampe his armie subuert his castels yelde his engines restore that which was robbed become a friende vnto the friendes and an enimie vnto the enimies of the Senate render suche captaines as came to his succour and giue 100000 pesants of golde to paye the armie and giue one of his sonnes in pledge for suretie of all promises All these conditions king Decebal was contented to sweare and obserue except the rendering of the captaines which came in his fauour to succour him saying that so vile a déede did not agrée with the clemencie of Traiane to demaunde it neither vnto his royall fidelitie to graunt it for that he yelded him selfe and his countrey but to preserue the life of his friendes and alies King Decebal came vnto the presence of Traiane and knéeling vpon the grounde did take off the crowne from his head and kissed the knée and the hand of Traiane the which lifting him from the grounde and againe placing the crowne vpon his head saide vnto him I admitt thee to kisse my knee for the rebellion which thou hast committed and I gaue thee my hande to kisse for the vassalage whiche thou owest mee nowe I giue thee place to sitt by mee as a friend I returne thy crowne vnto thee as vnto a king and therefore learne to vnderstande thy faulte past and to conserue this present benefite for otherwise thou shalt put mee to muche trauaile and thy selfe in great peril CHAP. XI ¶ Howe Traiane triumphed of the Datians and refourmed his common wealth MAny castels being furnished and others ouerthrowen and subuerted and the armies being paide with king Decebals money Traiane departed vnto Rome leading with him the kinges sonne for pledge and other noble men for Ambassadours because it was a lawe much vsed and also obserued amongest the Romaines that it were of no value which was capitulate in the wars if it were not confirmed in the Senate at Rome The Ambassadours of king Decebal arriued at Rome before the Emperour Traiane who bareheaded their armour throwne downe and their hands ioyned and lifted vp did humbly beséeche the Senate that it might please them to pardon kinge Decebal the rebellion which he had committed against them and to confirme all that which the Emperour Traiane had capitulate bycause for that which had passed he did repent him and for time to come did offer amendes With readie disposition the Romaine senate did approue allowe and confirme all actes agréed vppon betwixt Traiane and the Datians and presently commaunded their armour to be restored them to walk in the citie at their libertie bycause it was a lawe inuiolable that the Ambassadours whose Princes helde warres with the Romaine people might weare no kinde of armour either walke the stréetes at libertie without licence Many and most extreme were the feastes wherewith the Romaines did receiue the Emperour Traiane very great was the riches that he bestowed in his triumph admitting that the Romains did much reioyce to see their Empire riche in great power but it did muche more please them to beholde Traiane returned whole safe and aliue for it is incredible what affection and loue all men did beare him and the sacrifices beyonde all valure that for him they did
vnto thée that thou shouldest obteine the fame of a faithfull seruaunt and by thy meane I should purchase the renoune of an ingrate prince Howe shall others receiue courage to serue mee when they sée thee vnrecompenced for seruice past knowest thou not that if it bée iuste that seruants for treason comitted be put to death is it not also most iust that Princes for their ingratitude be abhorred presupposing that thou wouldst serue mée without respect to profite thy selfe of my magnificence wherein I giue thée to vnderstande I finde my selfe more offended then serued for at all times when they shall praise thée for that which thou hast done for mée they shall despise mée not onely for ingratitude but rather for hatred which I shall seeme to beare vnto thée And if thou ceasest to craue in thinking mée to be in necessitie and not able to accomplish with all persons moste vaine is thy iudgement for that the Prince hauing no other meane to paye is so muche bound to recompence seruice that he hath to redéeme it euen from his ordinarie diet Conformable vnto thine estate demaunde what thou wilt for since thou beeing a seruaunt hadst a minde to serue it is iust that I beeing a Prince shoulde haue rewardes to giue thée These and such other woordes Alexander vsed to say vnto such as were mindfull to serue him and forgettfull to craue of him Those that serued him and others that craued of him he did neuer recompence with the reward of any office of iustice but such as had serued him he recompenced their seruice with houses Iewels inheritances or money For any importunitie which they should vse with him any seruice which they should do him any Iewels which they should present him or any fauour which they had of him he gaue not at any time vnto any person any office for gouernement of iustice if he had not séene abilitie in his person and merite in his life Euery seuentéene dayes he payed his men of warre and when they departed out of Italie to conquere any countrey he did ease them with beastes whereon to ride and succoured them with money to spende for maintenaunce of their horsses of seruice in courage and their persons from wearinesse When he trauelled vppon the way he payde for the lodging of all his traine did beare the charges of all sicke persons Certeine Christians and certeine tauerners came before him to plead for a parcell of ground where the Christians would haue erected an house of prayer there to worship Christ their God and on the other side the tauerners alledged their great necessitie of that situation for tauernes for the people in which matter Alexander gaue this sentence Diuine thinges ought alwayes to haue preferment before humaine matters wherefore I saye and commaunde that the Christians make their house for Christe their God for admitting their God is vnto vs vnknowen yet his honour is to be preferred before the profite of tauerners CHAP. VI. ¶ Howe warre was offered in Asia vnto Alexander and what was saide vnto his Ambassadours JN the eleuenth yere after the beginning of the Empire of Alexander soudeinly he receiued letters from Asia wherein he was giuen to vnderstande by his Romane officers that there were resident how Artaxerxes king of the Persians had subdued and also slaine Arthabanus king of the Parthians and not contented with that victorie beganne also to occupie and possesse Assyria and Mesopotamia prouinces subiect vnto Rome Vppon which newes Alexander seemed to receiue some trouble of minde partely to haue warres in Asia which alwayes was vnto the Romanes both daungerous and costely and partely for that in tenne yeares past he had séene no enimie against him in armour as also for that the successe of warres consisteth not in leading greate armies but in the fauourable prouision of the destinies Alexander from his infancie had béene bredde in peace had gouerned the Empire in peace and naturally also was inclined vnto peace in respect whereof it was no marueile thoughe he were annoyed with warres for that the trouble and disquietnesse which warre bringeth with it is more conuenient vnto cruell and vnquiet persons then for men of reposed mindes Hée commaunded his priuate seruauntes deputed for his counsel to ioyne with the Senate ioyntly to reade the letters that were written to him out of Asia and to determine howe they should be aunswered for as negligence is hurtfull in all graue affaires so in the warres it slayeth The letters being read although they were therein of sundry iudgements yet in the ende they resumed that before they made Artaxerxes warre they shuld request with peace for admitting that at that present he destroyed the Romane territories yet were it not agréeable vnto the greatenesse and sinceritie of Rome to take warre in hande before that such warre were very well iustified With greate breuitie Alexander dispatched Ambassadours into Asia and by them did write vnto Artaxerxes king of the Persians a letter after this manner Alexander Seuerus Romane Emperour to Axtaxerxes king of Persians health peace in the pacified Gods. Wee salute thee with health because we wishe it thee and we salute thee with peace for that wee bee louers thereof and thou hast not to holde it in small estimation that I salute thee in peace and wish thee health for vnto Princes that possesse not health life is tedious and they which haue not peace it were lesse euil to be dead It may chaunce that the warre which a man hath against his owne proper sensualitie sufficeth not but that he must inuent warre against some straunge countrie A man that may not subdue his heart which within his own body is imprisoned thinketh he to conquere the whole world that is placed in so great libertie If in time of peace wee may not liue in quietnesse what shal wee do when wee awake new enimies against vs The Prince that may not persuade him selfe to conforme his wil and mind to the iudgement of one onely person doth he think to constreine all persons to be appliant to his onely iudgement Great trauell hath the poore man that wanteth all things but much more hath the Prince that is contented with nothing Here we vnderstand that thou hast aduentured thy person spent thy treasure imployed thy friends destroyed many people to be lord of the Parthians we fully beleeue that nowe thou art no more satisfied then when thou wert only king of Persia for contentation consisteth not in cōquering strange kingdoms but in taming moderating our own proper desires Neither the Parthians there in Asia neither the Romanes here in Europa haue committed any deede wherfore thou shouldest murther thē or manace vs but it may come to passe that they shal reuenge their iniurie and we destroye thy potencie because for the more parte there neuer groweth any daunger towardes vs by our enimies which haue vs in hatred but from our friends whom we haue offended The Romanes
succéede him in his Monarchie answered Vnto the most worthy Traiane made a memoriall of all the most vertuous wise and of most worthinesse within the Empire and ioyntly therewith caused to be written of them seuerall Orations in Gréeke and Latine and he him selfe did adde with his owne hande what he thought agréeable to their conditions and abilities To the ende that after his dayes the Senate might open and reade the same and from thence to make election not of him that did most procure but that did best deserue At one time a certaine Consul named Neratius Priscus was greatly in his fauour vnto whom he had thought to haue left the Empire in so much the one day Traiane said vnto him Neratius Priscus from hencefoorth I comend the Empire vnto thée if any sorrowfull or souden destinie shall happen vnto me All such as did withstande the adoption of Adrian did fauour the election of Neratius Priscus but Fortune that should haue framed the effect brought Neratius into Traianes great hatred not a little to the profite of Adrian bycause from thence foorth although their remained enimies to hinder his intent none as an opposite durst demaunde the same When Traiane passed from Spaine into Asia to the wars of the Parthians Plotina and Surus made great suite that Adrian might be sente as Pretour into Syria whoe being in Antioche was aduertised by a messinger from Traiane which in times past had bene his tutor how he was elected to be Traianes sonne and assigned his successour in the Empire Excéeding was the ioy that Adrian receiued with that newes which he did vtter in such excessiue manner and degrée that presently he did celebrate with great games and feastes the day of his natiuitie and not only vpon that day but euery yeare all the dayes of his life bicause it was the thing that his heart most desired and for the attainement whereof he had imployed his greatest skill and strength At that time were Consuls Sosius and Pretorius with whome Adrian entered newe friendshippe and the ende wherefore he did vndertake this newe affection was that as Plotina Surus did solicite procure the Empire with Traiane so those two Consuls shuld subsist him in the Senate in such wise that if he did watch to obtaine it he did ouerwatch to sustaine it Not long after that Adrian was adopted that is to say after fourtéene monethes Traiane dyed presently Plotina his wife and the Consul Tatianus being chiefe friendes vnto Adrian did take order and vse great diligence that Adrians admission vnto the Empire might first be notified and knowne in Rome before the death of the Emperour Traiane whiche was concealed and couered for certaine dayes saying that he was so sicke that he would not be visited vntill they were possest of the power of the armies and had obteined the good will of the Senate Adrian did write vnto the Senatours giuing them to vnderstand that Traiane was at the point of death and that also he was assigned and adopted to be his successour and heire in the Empire and did right instantly request them to take the same in good parte and therevppon did promise and sweare vnto them to diuide or giue offices but at their owne liking and consent CHAP. VI. Howe at Traianes death Adrian was declared Emperour THe newes of Traianes death being arriued at Rome presently it was published that the succession of the empire was cōmitted vnto Adrian vpon the confirmation or refusal of this election there arose no smal contention in the Senate and the matter so far argued prosecuted by his friendes and so resisted by his enimies that it gaue no small doubt of intestine warrs no lesse cruell then the warres betwixt Caesar and Pompey The seruaunts of Traiane the friends of Plotina and the kinred and alies of Tatian did vse suche diligence in this case that within thrée dayes they confirmed Adrian in the Empire and the greatest cause to moue the Senate therevnto was that they had intelligence that Adrian was in Syria in full power possession and authoritie of the whole armie and might haue bene constrained to yealde by force which they refused to perfourme by good will. Presently after Adrian was confirmed in the Empire he did write vnto the Senate gratifying their friendly fact and requesting that Traiane might be collocate amongst the Gods since he had bene a Prince so diuine whereto the Senate gladly consented saying that although Traiane had finished his life for euermore in Rome his fame shoulde indure In memorie that Traiane had ouercome the Parthians they ordeined that euery yeare the Parthik playes should be celebrated in Rome which indured amongst the Romains many yeres but in fine they and their playes had an end Before all thinges Adrian gaue order that the body of Traiane might be brought into Italie where it shoulde be giuen a generous sepulchre and to effectuate the same commanded his ashes to be inclosed in a boxe of Vnicorne which also was inclosed with golde and placed in a piller of most excellent marble lyned with most rich purple all which being ladē into a gallie he sent Tatian and Plotina with the body vnto Rome al Rome went foorth to receiue the body of Traiane and as it is sayd and written there was neuer so muche ioy vttered for any man that entered being aliue but muche more sorrowe was discouered for Traianes comming deade Adrian stayed in Antioche whiche is the heade of Syria partly to assemble the whole armie and partly to recouer money for being then winter he could neyther campe for coldenesse of the weather eyther marche or iourney for want of money Adrian was there aduertised howe the Mauritans did defie him the Sarmatians did mutinate the Britans did rebell the Palestines resist the Aegyptians disobey and that all the Barbarians were in commotion Finally it is to be vnderstoode that vpon the death of Traiane al people and nations were so escandalized that it séemed not but that he left the world without a maister or an owner Adrian perceiuing the greater part of the Empire in commotion determined to make them no war but to intreate them by peace and for this cause he refused and forsooke al those kingdomes and Prouinces that lay beyond the riuer Euphrates and the riuer Tygris which the good Traiane had wonne and conquered in which conquest he imployed his noble person and gaue ende vnto his honourable life Vnto all kingdomes and Prouinces Adrian sent Embassadours to confederate with some and to confirme peace with others and with some he did capitulate thinges so slaunderous and with so great disaduauntage that it had bene much better to haue raysed warre then to haue procured a peace so infamous Parsnapate king of the Parthians came to complaine vnto Adrian saying that the good Traiane had giuen him that kingdome and crowned him with his owne hands and now vpon the death of Traiane they would neyther obey him or suffer
and Parthians at al times haue beene thy good friendes and thou hast attempted an enterprise to offend them but I sweare vnto thee by the immortall Gods that if thou doest not restore them that which thou hast taken and to vs that which wee possesse in such manner we Romanes wil make thee warre that from commaunding as a king of Asia thou shalt come to serue as a vassal seruaunt in Rome There wee sende thee our Ambassadours which shall declare vnto thee our will heare them and beleeue them and if thou wilt not giue faith vnto the woordes which they shall speake thou shalt hereafter giue credit vnto the armies which wee will sende No more but that our Gods be with thee and thine alwayes with mee The Romane Ambassadours which passed into Asia with this letter afterwardes reported that when king Artaxerxes had perused the same twice or thrice he spake in this manner Certeine woordes vttered by Artaxerxes vppon the receipt of Alexander his Ambassage I haue read this letter of your Prince more then once or twice and as appeareth by the style thereof he hath spent more time in the Achademies studying then in the fieldes fighting because warrelike Princes haue high thoughtes and reasons very short but in armes verie doughtie I accept your Ambassage and explicate your credite since the meaning of your Prince is that I shall leaue what I haue taken from the Parthians and not occupie my selfe in possessing that which apperteineth vnto the Romanes vnto this aunsweringe I saye that the lawe which hath ordeined this is thine and this is mine proceeded from base mindes and humble heartes that wanted hardinesse to enterprise greate thinges immagining to defende by bookes that which they durst not winne with armes The lawes made by poore Philosophers ought not to preiudice the greatenesse of Princes because the Goddes haue determined that all thinges shall bee proper except kingdomes which amongest Princes should be common the right whereof consisteth not in such as doe inherite them but in them which may winne them The heroycall Princes and high mindes are not to bee satisfied with the patrimonies of their predecessours muche lesse apperteineth it vnto their greatenesse to demaund by lawe that which their enimies haue taken from them but for preseruation of their inheritaunce to spende their treasure and for conquering and subduing kingdomes euery houre to aduenture their liues And since it is thus that there is no king so vertuous but enuieth anothers kingdome I am determimined to conserue that which I haue taken from the Parthians and to take what I may from the Romanes and if fortune shal bee frowarde in this my iourney at the least all men shall prayse the greatnes of my minde These and such other woordes Artaxerxes vsed with the Romane Ambassadours which as they afterwards reported in Rome did not so much maruell at that which he saide as of the minde wherewith he did manifest the same for he séemed not to talke with the toung but to fight with his handes Nowe when the Ambassadours were dispatched and departed from the courte he called them againe and said Saye vnto Alexander your prince that I meane not to aunswere vnto his philosophicall letter but in place of writing I assigne him the fielde for paper the lance for the penne bloud for ynke woundes for wordes The Ambassadours being returned vnto Rome and reporting all that had happened with Artaxerxes the Senate were not a little touched therwith and all the people conceiued no small indignation ioyntly swearing to breake the pride of Artaxerxes to reuenge the wordes that he had spoken against Rome This Prince Artaxerxes was much loued and liked of his people and no lesse feared of straungers and a thing moste to be noted in him was that if in taking from others he had the shewe of a tyrant after he possessed the same he did gouerne as a right and iust Prince Many Romanes requested Alexander to assemble Sorcerers and Magicians to declare the successe of that warre whiche he woulde not in any wise accomplishe either might well indure the hearing thereof affirming that if as the Magicians Soothsayers by their art haue knowlege to vnderstand things to come so they had power to remedie the mischief which they should find it were not vniust to cōferre with them also to serue them but since I am certaine that I may not escape what my destinies wil cast vpō mee I will rather sticke vnto that which the Gods shall determine then vnto that which the Magicians shall report and imagine CHAP. VII ¶ Of a discreete speach vsed by Alexander vnto his men of warre ALexander vnderstanding the proud answere that Artaxerxes had giuen vnto his Embassadours determined against him to denounce warre vnto whiche end hee sent his mandats to all prouinces cities subiects and confederats with the Romane Empire to succour them with monie and assist them with their most warlike people Eleuen yeres were past in which the Empire enioyed most perfecte peace and tranquillitie and vppon the tidings of these new warres into Asia they were not a litle amazed and escandalized partly for exacting newe tributes and partly for demaunding their husbands and sonnes for the warres With gratefull minds and readie disposition the imperialists accepted the Emperour Alexander in his requestes and were no lesse readie to yéeld their monie their sonnes and persons to be imployed in his seruice because they were fully persuaded that neither by his fault that warre was raised either by his want of merite to finde therein any misfortune During the time that monie was collecting and the men of warre assembling he commaunded all the Capitaines Centurions and the most principal of all his garrisons and armies to come before him who being placed in the field and hee himselfe aduaunced aloft hée spake to them after this maner Alexander his Oration to his Capiteines and armie ass embled in the field Brethren companions and my friends I beseeche the immortall Gods to giue vnto my tongue sweete eloquence touching that which I haue to say and to place in your hartes congruent attention concerning that which you haue to heare because grace to persuade in him that speaketh and permission to be persuaded in him that heareth are gifts that many craue but verie few obteine The inclination wherwith we are ledd is so proud and the malice of man so wilie that there is none which esteemeth himselfe so simple but thinketh to know that which another vnderstandeth and therefore for one man to haue skill to persuade many is a gift that the gods onely do giue With the seueritie of Demosthenes the prudence of Pythagoras the wisedome of Plato and the eloquence of Cicero many may hardly persuade one person doth one man thincke to persuade many That which I haue presently to say vnto you is not to the ende that ye shal do what I wil but to vnderstand what it is that you will
grinde and be serued He did repaire and inlarge the colledge and placed gates porters and watchemen and many counterfetes and pictures of golde and siluer and did vse for custome as oft as he came thither to be the first that entred and the last that went foorth He buylt in all stréetes in Rome publique purging places and commanded vpon great grieuous penalties that no man should be so hardie to defile the streates or other open places in such maner that all the dayes of Traiane Rome did not séeme but as a hall cleane swept In the fourth region ioyning vnto the temple of Serapis Traiane did buyld most sumptuous baynes much larger then those which Titus made and much richer then those which Tyberius buylt Also Traiane buylt an hundred houses large and strong wherin to kill and sell their béefe and mutton In the gardeines of Vulcane Traiane did buyld an house of pleasure and made therein a certein fishepoole for delight but it is not found or recorded that he did either eate or sléepe in the same Neare vnto the houses of the Fabians he brought from farre a founteine in the compasse whereof he erected a stately house naming it the place of Datia Traiane naturally was a friend not onely of buylding but also to beholde buyldinges and worke men whiche is most certeinly knowen in that he made a lawe that all such men as should raise any newe buyldinges in Rome the thirde parte of the charges shoulde be paide from the common treasure It was a marueilous matter that in all these many other buyldings which Traiane made in Rome he vsed no other mennes money he constrained no man to trauaile by force he deferred no man of payement for he saide and helde opinion that it were more honest and also more sure vnto Princes to dwell in poore lodginges then of other mennes sweat to make riche houses CHAP. IX ¶ Of some vices whereof Traiane was noted TRaiane wanted not some humaine infirmities wherein men at times do fall for if with reason he were praised for many thinges not without occasion in some causes he was iustly discommended Vntill this daye there hath béene no Prince in whome all vertues did concurre either in whome all vices were founde bycause there is no man such an outcast in whome there is not to be found somewhat to be praised either any man of life so reformed that in him there is not somewhat to be amended Traiane naturally was proude and ambitious of honour and after a manner he did delight that in open place they should erecte vnto him pictures and counterfetes of golde and that his fame might be spreade throughout the world In all his erected buyldinges he placed the titles of his triumphes and persuaded the Oratours to compounde many méetres to his praise whiche he made to be grauen in stone in the hyest front of his buyldinges In the vice of the fleshe Traiane was not a little fleshly and yet in this case it is moste true that he neuer vsed force to any person but ioyntly therewith being moste diligent in persuasion and verie liberall in giuing he fixed his amorous affection vppon no person that he inioyed not In his garmentes and in the manner of the fashion and wearing thereof Traiane was most curious and costly bycause there was no daye that either of Golde siluer or silke he did not on his person vse some chaunge As we haue saide Traiane was a Prince both wise and of sharpe and readie iudgement but ioyntly therewith muche affectionate vnto his owne opinion whereof cares many times did followe and persecute him bycause there is not hath beene or shal be Prince in this worlde so wise that necessitie constraineth not at times to chaunge counsell Traiane was a verie friende vnto wise men but he him selfe was not muche learned whereof béeing reproued by his friende and Philosopher Plutarche Traiane saide vnto him the Gods haue not created mee to turne ouer bookes but to deale with armour When Traiane had vacant time from warres he did muche delight to take his pleasure in vaine thinges wherein he consumed many nightes and dayes and of this vice he was not a little noted and also accused and doubtlesse not without great cause for that Princes which presume to bee good Princes in suche wise ought to take their pastime that they seeme not to lose their time Notwithstanding that Traiane deliuered Rome of manye vices and banished from thence many that were vicious he was noted and also blamed that he defended and susteined the swoorde players who were men ydle and seditious and this he did because in his youth they had béene his frends and delighted in them wherin he had leste reason for that It is not iust that Princes take suche recreation for their persons as tendeth to the preiudice of the comon wealth Traiane was verie moderate in féeding but ioyntly therwith not ouer sober in drinking for that to obteine good wine he was somewhat curious and carefull and in the drinking thereof not verie temperate Notwithstanding that sometimes he dranke somewhat more then was conuenient for the health of his bodie and to the authoritie of his person yet at that time neuer man sawe him committ or procure any vile déede CHAP. X. ¶ Of the first warres that Traiane had against the Datians IN the xliiij yere of his age and in the second of his Empire Traiane receiued newes that Decebal king of Datia which in these dayes is named Denmarke rebelled against the Romaine Empire the which newes gaue no small skandal and offence vnto the Senate for that on the one part naturally they were a nation very warlike and on the other parte for that king Decebal was a prince of great vnquietnesse and also of a minde determined For that the Emperour Domitian was a greatter friend vnto vices then an enimie vnto enimies in all his reigne king Decebal did neuer yeald obedience vnto the Romaine Empire whereby the Datians had recouered great boldnesse and the Romaines lost their credite Traiane in his owne person determined to go in those warres for which purpose he made choice of a verie small armie and yet of much strength for he helde opinion that as no other meates should be brought vnto the table then are to be eaten so they ought not to leade vnto the warres but such as must fight and saide further by experience I haue proued as well in eating as in fighting that many meates at table be lothesome and in the warres many men be troublesome King Decebal béeing aduertised that Traiane remoued from Rome to make conquest of him and his countrie determined to marche and encounter with him vppon the waye and as he purposed so he perfourmed for he helde the Romaines in so small estimation that he counted it shame to be béeséeged of them And when the armies were in sight one of another the Barbarians being so manye the Romaines so fewe
offer On the daye of his triumph the sonne of king Decebal was placed in the arche with Traiane for that he was a verie childe whome afterwardes he did intreate not as a prisoner but as his owne proper sonne In the conquest of the Datians and in visiting the Germaines Traiane was deteyned willingly two yeares and at his returne vnto Rome he found not the common wealth in such order as he left the same and thereof is no marueile for Princes making warre with their enimies presently the citizens make peace with vices That day in which Traiane entred triumphing into Rome he that by chaunce was moste noted in those playes and pageantes and of whome Traiane that day did take moste delight was a certeine maister of Enterludes named Pilas who for rewarde of his traueile did not craue of Traiane but licence to vse his facultie wherein Traiane did aunswere him Princes haue to consider that their commaundements be iust but after commaundement for no request or seruice they ought to reuoke the same That which I will do for thée shal be to paye thée yerely out of mine owne treasure as muche as thou maist gaine by playing in the stréetes of Rome Although Traiane went laden with armour compassed with affaires occupied in warres busied in buyldings importuned with friendes tyred with enimies and aboue all moste studious in amplifying his fame and to perpetuate his memorie he neuer grewe negligent in good gouernement of the common wealth He was no lesse attentiue in hearing either lesse diligent in dispatching base ciuil affaires then those cases of great weight in the common wealth Notwithstanding he were much busied in the affaires of warres he did neuer the more growe negligent in the administration of iustice All the time that he was remaining in Rome once or twice a wéeke he did sitt openly to dispatche matters of iustice For any motion that good Traiane had to be solitarie in his house or for any disease whereby he was withdrawne into his chamber either for any affaires that he â—ad for the warres neuer man came to craue iustice vnto whome he denied audience When any person came much troubled and furious in complaining of some friend or enimie presently he stopte his eare with one of his fingers saying that he reserued the same to heare the accused Traiane did neuer sitt to heare and determine matters of iustice but at the gate of the Emperour Titus and in the place of Augustus and being demaunded why more there then elsewhere aunswered I place my selfe where iust Princes were wont to sitt because in remembring them I may committ no want of iustice Traiane being on horsebacke and vpon the voyage of the seconde warres into Datia there came a woman and saide vnto him Emperour Traiane I am poore olde and a widowe and hauing but one daughter one of thy housholde seruaunts hath rauished her Traiane aunswered poore woman be not importune with mée for I sweare vnto thée by the immortall Gods that being returned from the warres I will do thée iustice to this the olde woman did replye and what suretie hast thou Traiane to returne from the warres hearing so byting an aunswere presently he lighted on foote and deferred his departure vntil he perfourmed iustice with the poore olde woman Traiane helde for custome when any person did complaine presently he commaunded it to be written in a booke which he had in his chamber this the good Prince did to the ende to aske accompt of the Iudge to whome he did remitt the same or else for his own better remembrance for dispatch thereof In some thinges some Princes were equall vnto Traiane and in some thinges did surmount him but in rectitude of iustice there was no prince like him in Rome for that he did neuer man wrong in iustice either at any time had affection or passion in giuing sentence Many times Traiane did vse to say that for Princes to be Iusticers it were right necessarie to be iust in their owne persons because subiectes and vassals be more easily persuaded to do that which they sée then to obey in that which they are commaunded Traiane was the first that placed patrones in the Senate that should defend the poore and the first also that gaue order that one daye in the wéeke their causes should be hearde The Censours or Iudges of Rome did sit but two houres in the morning and one at after noone to heare causes and Traiane did giue order that they should be resident thrée houres before noone and two houres at after noone whereof Traiane was much praised because it was occasion both to cut off suits and to dispatch suiters In the dayes of Traiane none that had charge of Iustice might augment his goods but in that estate of riches or pouertie wherein he began to gouerne in the same he had to conserue him selfe and in repaymeÌ„t of his trauaile besides the rewardes which the Prince did giue him his sonnes were married with the goods of the common wealth Being knowen vnto Traiane howe immortall suites were in the Senate he ordeined that all suites of Italie should continue but one yere and the suites of straunge countries but halfe a yere Traiane made diuers houses in Rome where the Censours and Iudges might assemble to heare and administer iustice and also made strong prisones in such wise that this good Prince prouided that the good should be succoured and the euil chastised CHAP. XII ¶ Of the seconde warres that Traiane had against the Datians TWentie monethes after that Traiane had ouercome the Datians the sonne of king Decebal died in Rome whoe remained there as pledge for that which his father had sworne and promised and Traiane was no lesse greued with the death of that childe then if it had béene his owne proper sonne and heire The day that king Decebals sonne was dead they saye that Traiane saide the death of this childe grieueth me not for that it is a sorrowe to the father but for breache of promise which he shal committ for if he haue béene quiet it was more for the recouering of his sonne then for obedience vnto the Senate Not long after this newes came to Traiane howe king Decebal was rebelled and to resist the Romaines he repaired the diches furnished the castels entred confederacie with his neighbours renued and recouered victuals and more and aboue the rest made warre with the friendes of Romaines The campe of Agius which was a greate and a populous countrie being restored by Traiane vnto him from whome it was taken king Decebal reentred did take and occupie the same in suche wise that all thinges which Traiane had set downe and determined was despised and in all that king Decebal had sworne he was forsworne Relation of these thinges béeing made vnto the Senate king Decebal was pronounced an enimie to publishe libertie vnto all persones to giue him and make him warre bycause it was a law amongest the Romaines
that notwithstanding any did mutine or rebell againste the Prince vntill in Rome he were declared an enimie they might not make warre either against him or his countrie Traiane once more determined in his owne persone to goe to the warres of Datia neither woulde he take with him any Consul or Captaine that was notable in Rome saying that since king Decebal to him onely had broken his worde to him onely it did apperteine to reuēge the iniurie King Decebal howe soeuer he had made experience of the forces of Traiane he would not as in the former warres abide him in the fielde but retired into the most strong holdes of his kingdome to his small profite for Traiane had sworne before he departed from Rome to remaine dead in Datia or bring king Decebal either dead or aliue vnto Rome Many of the Hunnes which now are named Hūgarians many of the Rhenes which are the people inhabitant neare vnto the riuer Rhene were come vnto the succour of king Decebal al which people when they vnderstoode that Traiane came with so great a power and so determined they forsooke king Decebal in the plaine field notwithstanding would he not forsake his wilful purpose for that his condition was to beginne his attemptes with great rashnesse and no lesse stout to prosecute them King Decebal was then of the age of two and fourtie yeares a Prince most certainly in body of perfect proportion gratious in conuersation magnificent in spending valiaunt in armes diligent and carefull in the warres although in the same most vnfortunate the whiche lost both him and his countrie bicause little auaileth diligence where good hap is contrarie King Decebal was a Prince most vnfortunate to match in contention with Traiane whoe was a Prince most fortunate bycause vnto the one all thinges did happen vnto his owne liking and to the other all things contrarie to that he did desire After fiue monethes that the warre was begun as the one Prince did increase the other decrease King Decebal retired vnto a certain castel with the most valiaunt men of his armie where Traiane did vtter expend the vtterest of his skill deuice policie to take him and king Decebal his greatest force and fortitude to defend him selfe By a Decebal counsel on a certaine night they conueyed ouer the wall sixe young men fayning to be fled which came vnto Traianes campe with myndes determined to kill him eyther with weapō or poison King Decebal had inuented this treason for that wanting as he wanted strength he would profite and prouide for him selfe by treason and guile And as Traiane was of a sincere condition and nothing malicious had no suspicion of that malice and guile but rather receiued thē with great pitie and conferred with them a great parte of the day inquiring and demaunding them of the armies and conditions of king Decebal and wherefore he had broken his promise and othe There wanted not in Traianes campe that could discerne by their countenance gesture and silence that those young men were traitours or else théeues and one of them being taken and examined did confesse that by the counsell and commaundement of king Decebal they were come to murther Traiane And as king Decebal was disappointed of this treason and deuice and the traitours chastised according to their demerites he determined another deuice and the case was thus Vpon a truce he craued to speake with Longinus a famous capteine and much beloued of Traiane who being come vpon assurance was taken and bound Traiane was not a little offended when he vnderstoode that Longinus was detained as prisoner no lesse displeased with Longinus that had giuen too muche confidence to the assurance of king Decebal saying that the person which is a promise breaker with men and periured vnto the Gods by no meanes might deserue credite King Decebal gaue Traiane to vnderstande that except he might receiue pardon for him selfe and all his knightes Longinus shoulde continue prisoner to this Traiane made answere that if he had taken Longinus in good war he wold do any thing to giue libertie vnto his person but since Longinus gaue trust where he ought not vnto his worde he was bounde to conserue his life for that good Princes be more bound to mainteine that whiche they promise then to procure that which they desire Althoughe Traiane spake these wordes openly he did geatly trauell to deliuer Longinus eyther for exchange or else for money but Longinus vnderstanding thereof dranke poyson wherof he dyed sent word vnto Traiane that the Gods had neuer to cōmaund that for the giuing of his life they shuld capitulate with king Decebal any thing that were vile or against honour This Romaine straūge act of Longinus gaue great admiration vnto friends and confederats and did yeald great feare vnto the enimies bycause he deliuered Traiane of care and thought and for him selfe obteined perpetuall fame King Decebal perceiuing the greatest part of his kingdome to be taken and lost without all hope to recouer the same eyther able to defende that which remained determined to make slaughter of him selfe some say with poyson some affirme that he drowned him selfe in water other affirme that he hanged him selfe finally he was found dead without any wounde whose head Traiane commaunded to be cut off and to be sent vnto Rome CHAP. XIII Of the great buildings that Traiane made in the kingdome of Datia THe vnfortunate king Decebal being dead and all the whole lande in Traianes power he made it a Prouince which is to say he did take away the title of kingdom and the preeminence of gouernement by Consuls and gaue order to be gouerned by Pretors and to be called a Prouince Traiane remoued a greate number of the inhabitants of Italie in that countrie but many more he brought out of that countrie to be placed in Italie and this he did as a man of great iudgement bycause in displacing the one he obteined sure possession of the kingdom and remouing the other of necessitie they must liue as others did liue in the Romaine Empire When the capteine Longinus dyed he left a brother yonger of age but equall in force and valiauntnesse whome Traiane made Pretour of Datia and gaue vnto him for euermore the castle where his brother dyed saying vnto him of two causes the one is for thyne owne vertue and valiauntnesse and the other bycause thy brother Longinus did serue me Traiane caused great search to be made for the body of his capteine Longinus vnto whome he caused to be erected such and so sumptuous a sepulchre that it was to be douted whether he would haue giuen him so great riches for seruice if he had liued as he spent in making that sepulchre In all the kingdome of Datia there was no knight or Gentleman that had any rents but only the king whereof the king gaue vnto euerie man as he did serue and deserue whereof it followed that the kingdome being
emperour Traiane by what meanes more then all other Princes past of all men he had obteined so speciall loue and lyking Traiane did answere for that naturally I delight to pardon such as do offende me and neuer forget such as do serue me And truly Traiane saide most truthe that loue and hatred haue their beginning of thankfulnesse and ingratitude bycause there is no enimie so fierce or cruel as he which in time past we held for a friend being remoued by vnkindnesse All things as concerning Datiâ—…a being dispatched Traiane returned to Rome If the triumphes of the first warres were great when king Decebal was ouercome muche greater were the triumphes of the second warres when he was slaine The feasts of the triumphes of Datia endured an hundred and twentie dayes in which were slaine an hundred Lions and of other wilde beastes an hundred thousande which is to vnderstande Deare red and vallo Tygres Bulles Leopards Wolues Beares Vnicornes Boares Panthers Eliphants Camels Ounces and many other such straunge beastes taken brought from the deserts of Africa and the great India The feastes of the triumphe being finished presently Traiane commaunded to be made great sacrifices vnto the Godds in remuneration of the great perils froÌ„ which they had deliuered him and for the great triumphs which they had giuen him He commaunded newe temples to be made one vnto the vnknowne God to the Romaines another vnto the God Mars whiche was the God of the Datians He commaunded greate summes of money to be giuen to the Priestes of the temples vnto the end they should offer daily sacrifice vnto the Gods for the health and prosperitie of his kingdomes and also to repaire ennoble their temples At his coÌ„ming froÌ„ Datia wheÌ„ Traiane passed the riuer Rubicon being detained an whole day for want of passage imediately vpon his coÌ„ming to Rome he sent money workemen to make a bridge ouer that riuer whiche was more profitable although not so sumptuous as the bridge made ouer Danubie In the marishes of Pontaine Traiane did rayse and make a calsey both long and large of stone a worke right profitable and necessarie although not a little costly for where as afore there was but water and myre there succéeded houses and inhabitants In those dayes there dyed in Rome a certaine Physician named Suras Lycinus in whose death Traiane did vtter great sorrowe vnto whom he commaunded his picture to be aduaunced in the place and a riche sepulchre to be erected in the field of Mars There was in Rome two speciall men learned in letters and vertuous in manners whiche were perfect friendes of Traiane and in the common wealth much estéemed the one was named Palma and the other Celsus vnto these he gaue many and great offices of honour and in the place did erect vnto them pictures of Alabaster Traiane made in Rome many and great Libraries wherein he did place bookes of al sciences and of all languages where strangers might reade and citizens learne Where so euer Traiane entered were it within the Empire or in a straunge kingdome he was alwayes curious in causing search for fiue things that is to say horses of good race learned men of good inclination newe armour faire women and auncient bookes All these things or which soeuer of them were neyther lost by any negligence or left vnbought for any money In the place named Datia Traiane erected a certaine most highe piller a worke most certainely being of one stone right stately and to behold in breadth and height of great wonder It is not written from whence that piller was brought vnto Traiane neyther for what intent he did raise the same in that place but as some doe gesse he ment vpon the toppe thereof to haue placed his sepulchre others sayde to no other ende but to perpetuate his memorie CHAP. XV. Containing what Traiane did in Sicyl in Africa and in Spaine TRaiane being soakte with delight in the buildinges of Rome Rufus Galba Pretour of Africa did aduertise that all Africa was escandalized by meanes of cruell warres betwéene the Numidians and the Mauritans These newes being hearde in the Senate they say that Traiane sayde The warre grieueth me but the occasion to passe into Africa doth muche please me for that many dayes past I haue desired to sée the famous fieldes of Carthage where Scipio in so shorte space obteined for him selfe immortall renoune and Hanibal lost that in one day whiche he had gotten in sixtéene yeares in Italie Traiane departed from Rome by the waye of Sicyl where he stayed al the Winter and to auoyde idlenesse he scarsely lefte any place in the whole Islande personally vnuisited none that were then aliue in Sicyl might remember to haue séene any Romaine Prince within the same for whiche cause Traiane founde many thinges to be repayred in the walles and muche more to be amended in their customes and manners Traiane being infourmed that many straunge shippes did lurke in the hauen of Mecina to spoyle and many pyrates barkes did haunt and retyre vnto the same to execute their robberies in his owne person went to the viewe thereof and at his owne coste commaunded thrée bulwarkes to be made at the mouth of the hauen whiche eyther for want of diligence of the one part or too muche malice on the other side the case was thus that before it coulde be finished the pyrates had ouerthrowne it Amongest the Panormitains whiche be they of Palermo and the inhabitaunts of Mecina of olde time had continued great contention betwixt whome Traiane not without great trauell determined finished all quarelles and debates and brought to passe that from thence foorth they continued in great friendshippe To the ende to perpetuate that peace and to roote vp all passions and vnkindnesse of that Islande by the rootes to the principall both of the one and the other Traiane gaue pensions out of his owne house and daily did cause them to eate at his owne table In Palermo Mecina and Tatania Traiane commaunded seuerall temples to be made and the Gods to whom those temples should be dedicated the inhabitaunts to make choice Traiane renued in Sicyl the kinde and race of good horsses reedified the decayed walles melted all counterfet money erected newe castles builded stately temples set peace and established quietnesse amongest the mutined cities gaue many great rewardes although no liberties vnto the people Traiane being demauÌ„ded why he gaue no liberties vnto the Sicylians as he gaue vnto other kingdomes answered bycause seruitude doth conserue them and libertie destroy them The Winter being past and the Spring come Traiane passed into Africa and did lande in the hauen where olde Carthage in time past was situate not finding one stone vpon an other to giue testimonie of the foundation thereof they say that he sayd It grieueth me that Carthage so greatly resisted Rome but it more forethinketh me that Rome shoulde not be satisfied but with the totall destruction
yere in the whole land there was great scarsitie of bread wherby Traiane was constrained to shorten his iourney and to hasten his imbarkage in such manner that the pestilence draue him out of Africa and hūger out of Spaine Traiane departed Spaine with determination not to stay vntill his arriuall in Asia and there to take the way vnto the greater Armenia would neuer take land in any porte of Italie but passing like pylgrimes made no stay but onely to renue their victuals All those whiche trauelled with Traiane were astonied to sée him passe the portes of his kingdomes as if it had bene the lande of enimies Traiane had a capteine named Valerius Gracchus vnto whom the Emperour did beare speciall affection and did estéeme him as a kinsman vnto this man they say that Traiane sayd in great secrecie If I had found warres in Sicyl Africa or Spaine as I found in Datia whereby I might haue obteined some victorie I woulde not haue passed without landing in Italie but since it is thus come to passe I sweare by the immortall Gods to set no foote a land in Italie vntil I deserue to enter triumphing into Rome High verie high were these wordes worthy and right worthy to be written in the hearts of Princes to beholde this Prince that banished him selfe from the delightes of his own proper kingdomes to séeke fame in straunge landes With great determination Traiane did enterprise the voyage into Armenia wherin he entered making cruell war taking occasion of the king of Armenians which refused to confesse to haue receiued his kingdome from the Romaines but of the king of Parthians Traiane not satisfied to make war vpon the Armenians but also entered the landes and territories of the Parthians bicause in the most principall Prouince of Trapa he deteined his armie more then thrée monethes Parthurus king of Parthians a man of great yeares beholding the warres offered him by the enimie determined to present peace vnto Traiane who being demanded of his Parthians why he discouered so great feare within his owne kingdome he made answere If the wars were but armie against armie the Parthians woulde not feare the Romaines but we fight with the Emperor Traiane vnto whome the Gods haue giuen so great fortune that it farre exceedeth our great power Without consuming of many dayes or imploying of many armies the Parthians made peace with Traiane and the Armenians did yeald them selues as ouercome From Parthimisires king of Armenians the kingdome was remoued and both crowne and kingdome Traiane gaue with his owne handes vnto his sonne and this he did bycause king Parthimisires had sayd that of the Parthians and not of the Romaines he was crowned king in suche wise that the good Traiane in remouing the kingdome frō the father did execute iustice and in giuing it to the sonne gaue a shewe of his clemencie Traiane was not satisfied that the Parthians shoulde haue peace and become tributaries vnto the Romaines but that king Parthurus by the handes of Traiane must be crowned and so it came to passe that knéeling vpon his knées he receiued his crowne kissed his hande and consented to pay tribute Traiane did marche through all those Prouinces and kingdomes and vnto the kinges that did yeald obedience benignly he did intreate them and in their kingdomes did confirme them and vnto suche as did vse resistaunce vnto others he gaue their kingdomes and sent them prisoners vnto Rome Traiane helde for custome that in all principall cities of kingdomes or Prouinces that he had taken by force of armes he did commaunde to erect a most strong castle wherevnto his armies did repayre and a right sumptuous temple wherein to worshippe the Goddes of Rome As Traiane did passe and trauell visite and conquere all the thrée partes of the world that is to say Asia Africa and Europa in all which countries he did trauell to leaue of him selfe immortall fame the testimonie wherof maketh it credible that all the Romaine princes ioyntly haue not erected so many buildings as Traiane onely did performe Traiane did leade his armies verie well furnished ordered corrected and also in great subiection this procéeded that alwaies in his own person he did accōpany the same and helde them both paide and rewarded for as he did vse to say The hoast that of his owne proper Prince is not visited and paide is sildome or neuer in subiection When Traiane was in the warres in his féeding and apparel he did rather séeme a companion then an emperour of Rome for that sildome he went vnarmed and many were the dayes wherein he did eate standing Hauing a bodie somewhat drie and of great sinowes he was moste patient in tedious trauaile of warres that is to say in suffering hunger colde thirste wette snowe heate perils whiche he refused not as a cowarde but sought thē out as one of a valiant mind for that in all hazardes perils he neuer saide vnto his captaines go but let vs go do but let vs do fight but let vs fight He gaue in charge vnto his armies not to attempt to burne houses set fire in corne ouerthrowe milles or cut downe orchardes affirming that these thinges are to be obteined but not destroyed Whē Traiane would take any citie he did not imploye his force in any thing more then to depriue the enimies of their waters In the campes of his enimies he did cause to be sowen false newes that is to wite that if he had victuals to saye that he wanted that if he had money to saye it was spent that if he had muche people that they were gone that if he would shortly giue an assault to saye that he would departe and by this meanes he brought his enimies into negligence while in meane time he did fortifie his armies Traiane was of greate liberalitie vnto such as discouered the enimies secretes and ioyntly therewith of no lesse prouidence for the entering of spies within his campes When he helde warre with any citie or countrye he did not permitt his souldiers to spoile the borders thereof for he helde opinion that smal profit might rise to spoile the poore villages and greate hurte and offence vnto the armies by want of victuals Vnto a captaine that tooke a ploughman kilde his two Oxen at the ploughe Traiane commaunded to be banished with great ignominie and to giue the ploughman his horse his armour and all his wages that was due For no fault Traiane commaunded any man to be slaine in the warres but onely him that slept being of the watche or the captaine that ranne awaye out of the battel or did rauishe any woman Traiane was so pitifull that vsually he did pardon all negligences especially in the warres except two faultes which he did neuer remitt that is to say such as blasphemed the Gods and rauished women Traiane was verie diligent and careful in visiting his camps and to kéepe a reckoning of all his armies and this he did to the ende
and rulers of the people should not aduenture to spende the goods of the common wealth in matters eyther vnprofitable or superfluous but to the defence of enimies or repayring of fortifications eyther else for prouision of the common wealth in time of deare yeares There was in Rome certaine stipendarie interpreters of all languages to manifest the meaning of straunge ambassadours whose fée and office Antoninus commanded to be forbidden and taken away affirming it to be verie conuenient vnto the greatnesse and maiestie of Rome that al nations and kingdomes should learne to speake their speache and that it were abasement for them to learne any straunge toung Also he did ordeine that al the old impotent blind people in Rome should be susteined at the charges of the common wealth but such as were younger and more able shoulde be constrained eyther to boult meale at the bakers or to blowe the bellowes at the smythes By chaunce on a certaine day he founde an olde seruitour whiche he had knowne long in the warres rubbing and clawing him selfe against the pillers of the Churche Adrian demaunding why he did so rubbe him selfe and weare out his clothes the olde man made answere I haue no garments to clothe my selfe neyther any man giueth me to eate yet if it may please thée Adrian I haue founde meane to rub my selfe Adrian tooke great compassion of that whiche he did sée but much more of that which he heard and presently he commaunded goods to be giuen him and slaues to serue him And as enuie is naturall vnto the poore as pryde is common among the riche The next day other two poore men came before Adrian rubbing them selues amongst the pillers in hope to receiue the like liberalitie whom he willed to be called vnto him commaunding the one to scratch the other and by turne to ease each other of his itch Vnto king Pharasmaco of the Parthians Adrian gaue great giftes that is to say fiftie Eliphants armed with their towers and thrée hundred men of Hiberin in the countrie of Spaine which were of his guard CHAP. XI Of the prodigious and monstruous things that happened during the Empire of Antoninus MAny trauels and hard aduentures followed the Emperour Antoninus while he liued and also in all his kingdomes in the time of his reigne bicause Fortune is so variable that she neuer stayeth her wheele or euer ceaseth to be turning thereof In the second yeare of his reigne hunger was so great so sharpe and so generall throughout all Italie that thereof there dyed no lesse then if it had bene of a fierce pestilence There was in Asia so cruell and so generall an earthquake that many houses and buildings were subuerted many people slayne and not a fewe cities disinhabited for the repayring of which great hurtes he sent not onely money from the common wealth of Rome but also plentifully sent his treasure out of his owne coffers In the moneth of Ianuarie there was in Rome so furious a fire that it burnt ten thousand houses wherein there perished of men women and children more then tenne thousande In the same yeare was burnt the stately place of Carthage the one halfe of Antioche and in a manner the whole citie of Narbona In the moneth of August there was at Rome great floudes and besides losse of their corne both reapt and vnreapt The riuer Tyber did so swell and ouerflowe that one dayes losse was not repayred in thrée yeares On the fourth of the monethe of Maie there appeared a starre ouer Rome conteyning the quantitie of the whéele of a myll which threw out sparkes so thicke and so continuall that it séemed rather the fire of a forge then the shining of a starre In the sixt yeare of the Empire of Antoninus in Rome was borne a childe with two heades the one like a man the other like a dogge but the straungenesse of the matter did more excéede in that with one head he did cry and barke as a whelpe and with the other did wéepe as a childe In the citie of Capua a woman was brought a bed and deliuered of fiue sonnes At that time was séene in Arabia a great and a most huge serpent which being séene of many persons vpon the height of a rocke did eate halfe his owne tayle in which yeare there was throughout all Arabia maruellous greate pestilence In the ninthe yeare of the Empire of Antoninus in the citie of Mesia barley was séene to growe in the heads of their trées in such wise that no trée bare fruite that yeare but eares of of barley In the same yeare there happened in the kingdome of Artenitos in a citie named Triponia foure wilde and vnknowne Lions to lye downe in the market place which became so tame that they made them packehorsse to the mountaines for wood and boyes became horssemen vppon their backes In the kingdome of Mauritania a childe was borne which had the heade turned backwards which liued and was bred vp and also suche as would eyther sée or speake with him most conueniently did place them selues at his backe which notwithstanding coulde both sée speake and go but with his hands might not féede him selfe There died in Rome a Senatour named Rufus a man of great wealth and credite whiche after his death did many times come to the Senate sitting in his wonted place and clad with garments after his olde fashion but was neuer hearde speake one worde and this vision continued in the Senate full two yeares CHAP. XI Of the warres that happened in the reigne of Antoninus Pius and other his actes IT chaunced vnto no Romaine prince as it did vnto Antoninus which alwayes remaining within the bounds of Italie and commonly within Rome was so beloued feared and serued of all straunge kings and kingdomes as if personally he visited had conquered thē In the fourth yeare of his empire king Pharasmaco came to Rome but onely to sée Antoninus and brought and presented vnto him so muche and so maruellous thinges that the eyes of men were not satisfied in beholding eyther their hearts in wishing them The king of Parthians had taken awaye much landes from the king of Armenia who sent to complaine vnto the Romaines as vnto their friends alies and confederates for whome the Emperour Antoninus did write his letters vnto the king of Parthians to cease to do wrong and also to make restitution vnto the Armenians whose letters being receiued and read was presently obeied and perfourmed King Abogarus one of the mightiest and most notable kinges of the Orient the Emperour Antoninus did force to come to Rome bycause that owing a great summe of money vnto one of his vassals he would not come to account The good Emperour Traiane had constrained the Parthians to receiue their seate and royall crowne at the handes of the Romaines which subiection the Parthians both denyed and refused but Antoninus not only by letters but also by apparant threatnings did force them to yealde
life and wee all shall beholde our mother Rome set at libertie These and suche other woordes being spoken shée sent for Letus and Electus to whome in greate secrecie shée shewed this writing and when they considered that on the next daye they shoulde all be slaine they forgate not to determine to kill Commodus that night but hardely might agree vppon the deuice and manner of his death It was the euen of the feast of Ianus and also a great parte of the daye alreadie past and not as yet determined with what manner of death they shoulde finishe Commodus his life for that if they shoulde kill him on the soudeine he might defende him selfe and the case discouered and if their affaires were deferred on the next daye they were iudged to dye but finally they concluded to dispatche him with poison offered by the hands of Martia The manner was thus Martia persuaded Commodus that night to bathe him selfe and comming from the bathe Martia bare him in hande that he was pale and colourlesse and prayed him to drinke and to eate a morsell and in that same whiche shée gaue him in a colation to eate in the same shée ministred poison for him to dye Not long after this surfeting dyet his head began to ake and being counselled by Martia to take his bedde shée prouided to sende foorth all persones that might seeme either to hinder his rest or her determined purpose He had reposed little more then an houre when the poison began to come to his heart and taking occasion with his fingers to cast Martia Letus Electus doubting that by vomite he might throwe foorth the poison and so they by matter committed might iustly be put to death beganne to féare and dismaye in their enterprise But Martia more like a man then a woman perceiuing her complaintes to be daunted with feare brought in Narcissus a beardlesse and shamelesse young man fleshed in murthers to whome shée promised a greate summe of money who entring the chamber finished the murther This was the ende of the vnchast and filthie life of Commodus whose life and death may yealde vnto all Princes bothe example and terrour for notwithstanding the wicked are forborne for a time yet Gods iustice doth not permitte them to escape vnpunished ⸫ The life of the Emperour Pertinax compiled by syr Anthonie of Gueuara Bishop of Mondonnedo preacher chronicler counseller vnto the Emperour Charles the fifth CHAP. I. ¶ Of the linage and countrie of the Emperour Pertinax THE emperour Publius Pertinax was borne in the prouince of Apennia in a certeine place named Martos in the second yere of the Empire of Traiane and his father was named Lineotinus a man that liued by his owne proper sweate and trauaile Pertinax beeing a stripling serued his father with the carriage of wood vpō an asse to be solde at the towne who vsed to sell so déere contentious and pinching that if they gaue him not his first demaunde he did rather leaue his wood vnsolde then abate one blanke of his price And being noted of all men and but for a packeman it procéeded thereof to be named Pertinax that is to say contentious for that before time he was named Publius Pertinax perceiuing that he was now called not Publius but Pertinax contentious and packman he parted from his countrie in a greate chafe and shamed giuing him selfe to write and read whiche when he had learned he traueiled to atteine the Gréeke Latine tounges which also he obteined in such wise that he became more handsome in science then in selling of wood Nowe when Pertinax perceiued him selfe to be instructed bothe in the Gréeke and Latine tounges he gaue him selfe vnto the warres to learne the arte of warrefare perceiuing that from his studie there procéeded much traueile and no profit and that his life diminished and his goods nothing increased In those dayes the Romaines helde warres with the Assyrians against whome the Consul Lolianus was capteine where Pertinax being repaired made couenant with a capteine of Rome to serue him for his prouision in the condition of a cater who vsing his seruice in that office verie faithfully and in skirmishe and encounter with the enimie no lesse valiantly his maister remoued from his saide office and aduaunced him to the state of a Souldiour Not long after that Pertinax had serued in the condition of a souldiour but he was raised to an office of more honour and credite which in these dayes is termed Sergeant of the hande that is to wéete to giue order vnto the souldiours to sette in arraye Pertinax euery daye recouered fame in the warres and his valiantnesse and noble minde was notorious vnto all men in the campe It chaunced at the furious encounter of the enimie the capteine of his hande to be slaine whereof the Consul Lolianus commaunded him to take the charge wherein he did so behaue him self that not long after he did not onely with bloud reuenge the bloud of his capteine but also brought to passe to be loued of the Romaines and feared of the enimies The warres of Assyria being finished Pertinax remained as pretor thereof and as he was feared of the Assyrians in the time of warre so was he afterwardes beloued in time of peace for if in times past he had béene rigorous as vnto enimies so was he in processe without all comparison more pittifull vnto offenders In the seconde yeare of the Empire of the good Marcus Aurelius the king of Parthians rebelled against the Romanes amongst other Capteines that were called vnto that conquest was Pertinax the Pretor of Assyria in which warres so straight and sound frindship was planted betwixt Marcus Aurelius and Pertinax that from thenceforth they dealte not as maister and seruaunt but as father and sonne because no matter were it of moste greate importance whiche Marcus Aurelius commaunded that Pertinax perfourmed not and exactly did not accomplishe either any counsell ministred by Pertinax vnto Marcus Aurelius vnto whiche he yealded not In those Parthian warres Pertinax proued so prouident in perils so doughtie in hazardes so wise in counsell so venturous in sallies and so valiant in battaile that by reporte of the enimies and iudgement of the armies he onely deserued more glorie then all the rest The warres of Asia being finished the Emperour Marcus Aurelius sente him as Pretor vnto the prouince of great Britaine which nowe is called Englande Two yeares after he arriued into Britaine warre was raised against the Germaines vnto which warres Pertinax was also called and there had the charge of the Eagle which was to be bearer of the royall standarde and was called the Eagle because the Romanes had alwayes in that speciall standard an Eagle brauely painted Pertinax being resident in the warres of Germanie his owne mother from Rome came to visite him for that tenne yeres had passed in whiche shée had not séene him and not tenne dayes after shée had inioyed the sight of her desired
Pertinax died the fifte daye of April Falconius Clarus being Consuls his head was throwne of his enimies into Tiber his bodie burieed by his friends and kinsfolkes in the sepulchre of his father in lawe at that present without anie funerall pomp because they slewe all persons that vttered sorrowe or griefe for his death The life of the Emperour Iulianus that bought the Empire compiled by syr Anthonie of Gueuara Bishop of Mondonnedo preacher chronicler counseller vnto the Emperour Charles the fifte CHAP. I. Of the life linage and countrie of the Emperour Iulianus THe Emperour Didiê° Iulianê° had to his great graundfather a Romaine named Salianus who was a learned lawyer twise Consul Pretour of the citie and died in the secoÌ„d yeare of the reigne and Empire of Nero and they say he died of pure sorrowe to sée the common wealth in the handes of so furious a tyrant as Nero. His graundfather was named Salbius Iulianus who gaue him selfe more to armes then to letters and went vnto the warres of Datia with Traiane and was captaine of the seconde Legion and longe time diuider of the victualls and in the ende dyed in his office that is to say in the warres against kinge Dacus His father was named Didius Petronius who neither gaue him selfe to science either folowed the warrs as his predecessours but was residente and liued alwayes in Rome folowing his affaires and holdinge offices in the common wealth hee was an assured friende vnto Antoninus Pius and dyed in the Empire of the good Marcus Aurelius His mother was named Clara Emilia a generous and noble Romaine a greate friende and kinswoman of Domitia Lucilla that was mother vnto Marcus Aurelius so did she intreate and fauour him as a sonne and he did obey her as a mother The first office that Didius Iulianus did beare in the common wealth was Decemviriato which is to wéete to be one of the x. visitours of the people and though he wanted age to vse it yet he wanted not fauour to obteine it because Domitia mother vnto Marcus Aurelius did craue this office for him in the Senate He was also Questor two yeares together which office he helde against the Romane lawes for that he was vnder the age of xxx yeares but as hee obtained the office of Decemviriato by the sute of the mother so did they graunte the other by the fauour of the sonne which is to wéete Marcus Aurelius And after that Didius Iulianus was past the age of thirtie yeares he neuer wanted offices in the common wealth for vntill that age the Romanes had rather that yongemen shoulde occupie them selues in learning then in commaunding and gouernement Iulianus was Edil Pretor and Censor diuerse times diuers yeares and at times muche distant but the office wherein he continued longest time was Romane Pretor because he had learning to gouerne and iustice to execute He was naturallie giuen to the warres and with this motion he went one time into Germanie where hee neither obtained fame either augmented his goods for that certeinely he was more handsome in gouernemente then hardie in fight He gouerned by the space of three yeares the prouince of Belgica whiche nowe is named Swetia in which gouernement he behaued him selfe so venturouslie that he obteined what he had lost in the warre which is to say much reputation in the common wealth and greate goodes for his house In the seconde yeare of the Empire of Marcus Aurelius the inhabitantes neere vnto the riuer Albo whiche is in the kingdome of Bohemia rebelled vnto which commotion Didius Iulianus repayred and as hee was humble of speache skilful and aduised in his affaires so in short space he reduced them vnto the seruice of the Romaine Empire When the Senate had intelligence what Iulianus had done in Bohemia the Emperoure thoughte him selfe therein verie well serued and the Senate no lesse contented chieflie for that so exactlie hee had perfourmed the same without requeste or commaundemente and in recompence of this so singular a seruice they sent him the Consulshippe without his requeste or anie other to solicite the same When the newes of Consulshipe came vnto Iulianus they saye that he saide I sweare by the immortall Godes that I neither solicited the Consulship either thought to haue obteined the same but here in it clearelie appeareth that the good dothe more solicite with his good woorkes then the euill with his manie guiles After he had accomplished the yeare of Consulshipe hee was sent vnto the lower Germanie as Pretor which countrie is nowe called Flanders where he remained two years froÌ„ theÌ„ce returned to Rome where he had charge of victuals which office amongst the Romaines was more profitable then honourable The Emperour Marcus Aurelius being deade his sonne Commodus reigning in the Empire Iulianus was accused for a traitour for that he and Siluius his cousen had conspired to haue slaine Commodus his accuser was a noble gentleman of Rome named Seuerus but for that he might not proue his accusation they cut off his heade and set Iulianus at libertie At one time Iulianus was in fauour with Commodus an other time in disgrace but after that he was accused of conspiracie he did allwayes beare him mortall hatred and when he vnderstoode this in Commodus both in worde and deede moste times he kéept his house and excused him selfe from the offices of the common wealth Iulianus was a lawyer and in letters moste learned of whome it is said that fewe did surpasse him in science and none was equall vnto him in eloquence for hee did neuer pleade anie cause in the Senate but he obteined the victorie He was prompt in speache sharpe in propounding and graue in determination of stature somewhat lowe of sanguine complexion and in his youth beganne to be horeheaded of whome in this case it may be saide that hee was a monster in nature for that he had neuer a white haire in his bearde either anie blacke haire in his heade His wife was named Malia Escantilia and had but one daughter named Didia Clara. In this also as in the other nature woulde be extreme because the mother was the moste foule woman that had bene seene in Rome and the daughter was the fairest dame that euer was séene in Italie As Iulianus had gouerned manie countries had the charge of victuales was chiefest aduocate in lawe in al Rome so he obteined the possession of manie iuells and the hoording vp of greate summes of money for whiche cause all the principall Romaines sought to be his sonnes in lawe partelie to marrie with the daughter that was so faire as also to inherite the goods that were so greate Iulianus was slender drie and towards his later dayes he was growne to be cholerik adust he neuer drank wine and therefore did eate muche and yet notwithstanding he was so curious and so costlie in his manner to drinke water that with lesse cost he might haue druncke wine Beinge nowe growne
death of the Emperour Pertinax that was old honourable to refourme the Senate of such as dare amongest them to aduenture to giue euil counsel for that I conceiue to serue my common wealth no lesse in clensing vices then defending enimies That which Seuerus saide vnto the Ambassadours of Capua in secrete presently they discouered openly which being vnderstood in Rome the Senatours receiued thereof greate sorrowe and the people greate pleasure because the one did hope to attaine libertie and the other did feare chasticement Iulianus gathered all his men of warre to the vttermost of his power and sent them against Seuerus vnder the conduction of Tullius Crispinus the which after he was aduertised that Seuerus had taken Rauenna and all the countrie adioyning returned vnto Rome which feminine acte gaue dismaye vnto Iulianus and courage vnto Seuerus Iulianus also commaunded a muster to be made in the field of Mars of all the Pretorian armies and he him selfe came to take a view and an accompt of them conferring such as came vnto the muster with the names that were written and receiued money at the paye of thrée partes there appeared not one whereof Iulianus collected that Seuerus came not onely with confidence of such as he lead with him but also of them which remained in Rome Greate pleasure was it vnto the popular sorte to beholde howe Iulianus was forsaken of his capteines and not attended on of his Pretorians because euery daye their hatred did increase against him and their loue with Seuerus Notwithstanding Iulianus procured munition victuals repaired the walles made trenches aduaunced engins and sent scoutes into the fieldes all which deuises smally profited the sorrowfull Emperour Iulianus for if he helde the walles of Rome his enimies possessed the heartes of the Romaines Iulianus suspecting that Letus and Martianus being two Consuls and men of greate reputation should practise with Seuerus commaunded them to be slaine without accusation or iudgement CHAP. V. ¶ Howe by the commaundement of the Senate the Emperour Iulianus was slaine VNtill Iulianus had slaine the afore named noble Consuls the Romaines reputed him onely couetous and ambitious but from thencefoorth they published him to be couetous ambitious suspicious and cruell for it was a lawe amongest them much vsed to take away the life of no citizen of Rome before he were heard to saye for him selfe After that Iulianus perceiued the Senate to growe sorrowfull and the people escandalized for the death of Letus and Martianus he came to greate repentance although to small purpose for it was past his handes to giue life vnto the dead either to reconcile him selfe into the grace and fauour of the liuing Princes and ministers of iustice ought to be very muche considered and no lesse aduised in crediting their suspicions and to auoide either choler or rashenesse in their executions to the ende that after it happen not that for the deedes of one daye they haue to remedie and also to bewaile all the dayes of their life With greate instance Iulianus requested the Senate that they with the Priestes and vestall virgins would méete Seuerus and his armie with procession to sée if they might pacifie with prayers whome they might not resist with armes This suite the Consul Faustius resisted saying that it were not conuenient that the sacred Senate either the Priestes of the temples or the holie vestall virgins should intend matters of warre for the office of such was to solicite the Gods to giue vs peace and further the Consul Faustius saide he that possesseth an Empire and knoweth not to defend an Empire containeth the indignitie of an Empire This answere was no lesse displeasant vnto Iulianus then pleasant vnto the Senatours whereby he obteined not that which he desired and they grewe vnbridled to speake at large Iulianus not contented with that which was done but called in secret certeine his capteines and friendes whome he commaunded soudeinly to enter armed into the Senate and to saye vnto the Senatours that of two thinges they had to make choyce that is to say to lose their liues or else to obey his commaundementes Amongest the other capteines there was one named Crispinus which saide vnto Iulianus he is to be thought no small enimie of thine that gaue this counsell because if thou be well aduised for thy loue the Senate haue declared them selues to be an enimie to Seuerus and nowe if thou attempt to kil them they will aunswere that they will obey thée and on the other parte they will declare Seuerus to be a friende vnto the people and thou an enimie vnto Seuerus and further the Gods neuer permitte that thou shouldest giue foorth any such commaundement or that I should perfourme it for if he be euil that giueth euil counsell more vile is he that executeth the same Iulianus chaunging his conceite practised with the Senate that he woulde yelde vp the Empire vnto whome it might please them which they liked verie well but durst not at that present to debate therein for Seuerus at that time was so neare vnto Rome that it was rather in his handes to take the Empire then to receiue it at the handes of the Senate Iulianus forgate not to sende his Capteine Crispinus against Seuerus against whome Seuerus sent another capteine named Iulius Lucius who ouercame in the battaile and slewe Crispinus When Iulianus considered howe his enimies preuailed and his friendes did forsake him he purposed to take the aduise of Witches inchaunters and soothesayers to vnderstand his destinies and the Fortune of Seuerus and the case was thus that after he assembled many Sorcerers and Magicians in his owne house he made them practise many sorceries and inchauntments and to sing and praye many filthie terrible and fowle thinges And as they after reported which were present he him selfe chaunged countenaunce and with staring hayres discouered him self to be in great terrour Iulianus came vnto the Senatours crauing their aduise howe he should prouide and behaue him selfe for that Seuerus approched and fauoured of Fortune who had him in contempt None of the Senatours aunswered one worde but the Cōsul Geminus which said neither art thou worthie of counsell or deseruest remedie since thou hast forsaken the Senators which should haue giuē thee counsell and wentest vnto Sorcerers who could not but deceiue for that in such a case being inuironed with sinister fortune it had beene more sounde and sure counsell to haue gone vnto the priestes to haue pacified the Gods with their sacrifices then vnto sorcerers which by witchcrafts should leade thee into their indignation Iulianus sent vnto Capua all his guarde the swoorde players of Rome whose capteines were Lelius Titianus and Claudianus Pompeyanus which he did to the ende Seuerus shoulde thinke that since he had courage to sende to offende him he should haue no lesse to abide him The father in lawe of Iulianus was named Aratmensis whome Iulianus persuaded and requested to take halfe the Empire
tooke the names of all persons that he might haue with him out of Italie commaundinge them to prepare and to pay his officers that all thinges should be done with moste spéedie diligence for his intent was to enter with so greate haste into Asia that his arriuall and the newes thereof at one instant might appeare vnto Pessenius All the armies of Illyria which he had left in Thracia he commaunded to passe into Asia and all the Senatours all the warrelike officers of Rome all the riche men and all the sonnes of mightie and greate Lordes that were in Italie he ledde with him in that warre He armed in the Sea Mediterrane an hundred galleys and also rigged foorth two hundreth shippes fiftie barkes and innumerable foystes all which went laden with men armour and victuals in such wise that in respecte of his greatnesse and potencie there was none that woulde encounter with him by lande either abide at the Sea. Onelie xxx dayes Seuerus was in Rome dispatchinge with the Senate he departed vnto the porte of Hostia to beholde his nauie and from thence he departed to Nola in Campania where his armye was assembled where he added many thinges that wanted and also remoued many thinges that were superfluous because in thinges of greate importance he was not satisfied to giue them in charge to men of experience but that he woulde see and beholde them with his owne proper eyes When Pessenius Niger heard the newes howe Seuerus came against him by sea and lande they say that he saide these woordes If the destinies be bente against me small may it auaile me that men fauour mee and if Gods be pleased to help me mē may little hinder me And further he saide Seuerus is not satisfied to haue slaine his Lorde Iulianus and to vsurpe the Empire but hath made mee an enimie vnto the people of Rome but I beseche the immortall Gods that if it shal not please them to giue me victorie in this warre that Seuerus may bee conquered when hee moste desireth to ouercome Although Pessenius commended his fortune into the handes of God not withstanding he left not to seeke the aide of men to this ende he did write and send Ambassadours vnto the kinge of the Parthians to the king of the Arthabanes and to the king of the Armenians to succour him with men money because Seuerus came with a determinate minde to destroy them all The kinge of the Armenians aunsweared the Ambassadours of Pessenius Niger that he woulde neither helpe the one or offende the other but defende and conserue his owne kingdome moued therevnto for that Pessenius was his friende and Seuerus not his enimie The kinge of Parthians presently sente his letters throughout his kingdome commaunding them to repaire vnto Pessenius and refuse Seuerus which he did not for the narrowe friendship that he helde with Pessenius but for the auncient enimitie that he did beare vnto the Romane Empire The king of Arthabanes sent vnto Pessenius ten thousand archers with crossebowes all natiues of the prouinces of Bersezana which throughout the worlde were much renowmed and in the warres no lesse feared because they were of valiant mindes in fight and excéeding readie in shooting Further Pessenius Niger commaunded his armie to be renewed with twentie thousand footemen and sixe thousand horsemen whereof the moste parte being taken out of Antioche where the people be most féeble their names being registred and receiuing paye neuer afterwardes came to the warres Vnto all them that vsed this guyle Seuerus afterwardes gaue great punishment not for that they had béene traytours vnto Pessenius but for example to terrifie others Vpon the mount Taurus parte of Cappadocia and Sicyl Pessenius as a man of experience in martiall affaires prouided that the woodes were feld vpon the toppes of mounteines and in streightes and most perillous places made strong watche and warde in such wise that no enimie might approche that was not séene or passe that were not slaine In those dayes there was not in all Thracia a citie more opulent then was Byzantio nowe named Cōstantinople which in buildinges did excéede all cities of Asia and in fertilitie was equall with the best in Europa Amongest other thinges conteined therein that was faire to beholde and much to be praised were the walles the stones whereof were brought from Mylesius curiously squared as if it had béene timber sawen with a sawe which was the cause that the wall being made of many stones the whole wall séemed but one stone Although with the calamities of time the walles be nowe ruinated yet notwithstanding of the same there remaineth some steppes and signes in the viewe whereof there is none but wil praise the witt of them that made it cursse the handes of them that did subuert it When Pessenius sawe him selfe a Lorde so absolute of all Asia and accompanied with so many so noble men of warre he thought him selfe sure of the victorie but as in such cases that which Fortune guydeth is farre differēt from that which the person desireth so very cōtrarie to his former purpose it afterwardes succéeded CHAP. VII ¶ Of the warres that passed betwixt Pessenius and Seuerus in Asia IT was great griefe vnto Seuerus when he vnderstoode howe Pessenius was in so greate redinesse that thought not onely to defende but publiquely to offende Seuerus being certified that Pessenius was in possession of the greate citie Byzantio marched with more spéede with intent to batter the same before Pessenius might come to the succour thereof for that by secrete practises Seuerus had within the citie newe friendes and Pessenius in gouernement had recouered some enimies Neither the intelligences which Seuerus practised secretely either the diligences whiche he vsed publiquely might profite him to obteine Byzantio which when he vnderstoode he traueiled to recouer another citie not farre from thence named Cyzica which was both rockie and compassed with marrishes that is to saye it stoode vppon a rocke inuironed with a riuer Pessenius had for his capteine generall of all his hostes a certeine knight named Emilianus in whome he reposed confidence not onely for matters of warre but also for expedition of causes of peace for that he had bothe wisedome for the one and fortitude for the other The capteine Emilianus put him selfe into the citie of Cyzica whē presently after the souldiours of Seuerus came to besiege it There was betwixt both the armies at diuers times diuers encounters repulses wherin Fortune indifferētly discouered her selfe vnto either partie for at all times when they fought at the wall Seuerus side had the woorse but when they fought in the field Pessenius bandes had that repulse Two monethes after the citie of Cizica was besieged they made a salle and as they would haue retyred Seuerus capteines pursued and entred pelle melle with the capteines of Pessenius and notwithstanding there was betwixt them greate slaughter for
persons and beastes were there daungered also lost and their victualls all caste and carried away By time that shoulde do the deede and the sorrowfull destinies of Pessenius that shoulde conduct the same it chaunced vpon the thirde day after the snowe had fallen the sunne did shine with as hote a glome as in the heate of summer wherwith all the snowe being throughly thawed the violence of most furious waters that descended the hil ouerthrewe and carried away all bulworkes and rampiers that Pessenius had made in that mountaine in such wise that nature framed in one houre that Art might not bring to passe in many dayes that is to say the snowe draue away the people and soone opened the way When the Seuerian armies founde that Pessenius souldiours had forsaken the mounte Taurus and the thawed snowe had opened their way they not onely recouered greate courage but also presumed to haue obtained diuine fauour saying that Seuerus did gouerne them but that the Godds did guide them Vpon the fifte day after the snowe Seuerus souldiours mounted vpon the toppe of Taurus al the snowe beeing thawed and gonne and trackes and wayes beeing dried vp in euery place they founde deade men drowned beastes broken armour and victualls scattered in the viewe whereof they tooke no small pleasure because they had nowe set their feete where before they imployed but their eyes Pessenius being aduertised howe his souldiours had forsaken the mounte Taurus departed with all his hoste from Antioche toke the way vnto Sicyl the multitude of people that hee ledde with him was maruelous and terrible to beholde and yet truly notwithstanding more fearefull in viewe then in fight for admitting they were many younge men well armed yet they were more accustomed to haue peace with vices then warr with enimies Seuerus with his armies Pessenius with his hostes incountred in Sicyl not a league one from an other hauing betwixt them a greate plaine which was named by the men of the country the field of Ysico where was giuen the laste and most famous battel betwixt Alexander and Darius in which the great king Darius was ouercōe and the great Alexander remained monarche of the world In memory of which notable battell there is situated at these dayes the renowmed citie of Alexandria wherein there is is a picture of brasse so naturall a counterfeite of Alexander that to beholde doth partly terrifie and also giueth motion of great reuerence Two dayes after these princes came to this place with conformitie they determined to giue the battell since either of thē had ioyned their whole powers with the presence of their proper persones vntill which time betwixt them there was but small difference for that either of them had greate hope to haue the victorie The night before they fought Seuerus Pessenius were both sadde and their armies in greate watch for as the fatall houre of fight drewe neare although their generous hartes gaue them hope to ouercome their mortal bodies did feare to die At the breake of the day al the captaines made ready to the battell continually two houres before the charge both of the one parte and the other they played vpō instrumētes of musicke which with their melody did yealde such dolefulnesse that exactly it discouered the sorrowfull successe that shoulde followe in that cruell battell The hostes béeing ioyned the one with the other there was trauersed betwixt thē so cruel a fight of euery parte so traueled to obtaine the victory that the day ended the battell not finished That battell was so bloudie wounded of both partes so much contended that within the compasse of two leagues there was not iii. foote of ground that was not couered with mans bloude If the two armies were valiant in fighting surely the two princes their lordes were no cowardes but in the ende when night was come the Pessenians turned their backes the whole conclusion was that Pessenius fledde wounded and Seuerus remained lorde of that field Vpon an horse of greate swiftnesse accompanied with fewe persons Pessenius tooke the way vnto Antioche as the enimies did pursue him at the doore of a poore cottage where he neither had time to rest either place to hide him selfe but groueling vpon his breastes drinking with a pitcher at a blowe his enimies cutte off his head This was the sorrowfull end of Pessenius Niger vpon whose sepulture they placed this Epitaph Here lieth Pessenius Niger an auncient Romane whiche in merite was equall with the vertuous but in misfortunes exceeded the most vnfortunate When Seuerus sawe him selfe aduaunced to so great victorie and that in all Asia there was not one launce in the Rest against him he procured to seaze vpon al principall persons that had escaped from the campe of Pessenius and commaunded not onely to kill them all but also to execute them with greate tormentes Many were founde in the campe of Pessenius whiche did followe him against their willes whome also Seuerus commaunded to be slaine as the rest whiche in déede was rather the acte of a cruell tyrante then a vertuous prince Seuerus had with him the mother and the sonnes of Pessenius whome he sente both mother and sonnes banished vnto an Islande All thinges set in order that were conueniente for the prouision of the good gouernement of Asia Seuerus moued talke amongst his moste familiar friendes for the conquest of the kinge of Parthia and the kinge of Thebes not because they helde him as an enimie but for that they were friendes vnto his enimie Pessenius Seuerus friendes did counsell him that by no meanes he should publish any intente of warre againste the kinge of Parthians or the kinge of Thebanes for the notwithstanding Pessenius was dead in the East Albinius was aliue in the kingdomes of the Weste and that hee was not so sure of the Empire but that it were better counsell for him to seeke newe friends then to awake olde enimies Seuerus dealt cruelly with the inhabitants of Antioche because they had receiued and obeyed his enimie Pessenius and with them did not onely vse iniurious wordes but also did discharge them of al their auncient liberties He slewe all the Senatours of Rome that is to say suche as folowed Pessenius and tooke the name of captaines and Tribunes of other persones he slewe but one and woulde neuer say wherfore but he alone and none other was put to death CHAP. IX Of the Consul Albinius and howe he rebelled against Seuerus being in Englande AMongest the moste extreme young gentlemen that were bred in the house of the good Marcus Aurelius were three which in those dayes were placed for captains in the most famous and daungerous places of the empire that is to say Seuerus in Illyria Pessenius in Asia Albinius in greate Britaine Their Lorde Marcus Aurelius had brought them vp so expert in science so accustomed to vertues so readie in armes so skilfull in
which they had gathered togeather Seuerus slewe some with some reason others vpon smal occasion but all these which followe he killed without all reason or occasion that is to say Munius Sellius Claudius Bitalius Papianius Elius Iulius Lolius Aurelius Antoninus Posthumius Sergius Fabius Nenius Amussius Casperius Seyonius Sulpitianus Coceyus Eructus Assilonius Claudius Honoratus Petronius Pessenius Cestus Aurelianus Materius Iulianus Albinius Cerelius Faustinianus Herenius Valerius Nobius Arabianus Marcus Fabatus These men were glorious both of bloud also for noble déedes riches for they were either Consuls Censors Pretors Senatours Ediles Tribunes or capteines whose goods he imployed not vnto the publique treasurie but did incorporate vnto his patrimonie for him selfe to inioy the dayes of his own life to leaue vnto his children after his death Seuerus defamed Cincius an auncient Consul affirming that he had procured poyson to kill him wherfore he commaunded him to be slaine but the trueth being knowen as Seuerus afterward reported but the Cincius did much delight to goe on hunting had a fine yeark to kill the Bore other venerie in the mountaines He commaunded also Narcissus to be cast vnto the Lyons who at the request of Martia choked Commodus it was nothing to commaund them to be slaine but that with his owne eyes he would behold them executed which was wont to be so straunge vnto Romaine princes that they neuer vsed to sée any person put to deth neither so much as in the citie to be resident but they vsed if any suffered to ride or go foorth on hunting CHAP. XIII ¶ Howe Seuerus returned into Asia and conquered many prouinces AFter that Seuerus had conquered and slaine thrée Emperours that is to saye Iulianus in Rome Niger in Asia and Albinius in Fraunce it séemed vnto him that since he had chasticed and triumphed ouer the Romans he ought also to make his name glorious amongest the Barbarians because all the warres that he helde vnto that daye were more to make him selfe Lorde of the common wealth then to magnifie his name Seuerus aduised him selfe to go in his owne person to make warres with the Parthians the occasion of which enterprise was for that the king of Atrenoes had fauoured the parcialitie of Niger but had deferred the reuengement thereof to make conquest of Albinius being in great Britain If Seuerus in this case had taken the opinion of the people either the counsell of the Senate he woulde neither haue taken those warres in hande or made accompt of the iniurie because at that time those kingdomes were neither friendes or foes with Rome And as the Romans were fatigated tyred with warres so they were contented for the time to ceasse the recouering of them for their vassals to obtein them for quiet enimies Seuerus departed vnto Asia and in the way would first take the kingdōe of the higher Armenia whereof the king of Armenia being aduertised and that he came with an armie of so greate power and so determined to take his kingdome met him vppon the way not armed as a man of warre but clad with the garments of peace his truce being set downe with Seuerus presently he gaue him much money and offered to sende him succour for the accomplishment wherof he deliuered vnto Seuerus his two sonnes in pledge Seuerus did not onely confirme him in his kingdome but also tooke him vnder his protection The affaires of Armenia being dispatched Seuerus departed towardes the kingdom of Hosdroenos whose king was named Anguaro bothe crooked and same but yet no foole for he had such skill to recouer the good will of Seuerus that he neither admitted him as a vassall tooke no money demaunded no hostages or did his countrie hurt but receiued him to his familiar friendship and made him a confederate with the people of Rome Hauing passed the kingdome of Hosdroenos Seuerus entred the landes and countries of Albanos and being then the moneth of April and spring time he founde the fieldes full of flowers and grasse and commaunded his horsses for the space of fiftéen dayes to be fedde and his armie to be recreated and refreshed because his horsses were growen leane and his men tyred Seuerus beeing departed from the fieldes of Albanos entred the countrie of Arabia Felix where they found that which they found not in all the kingdomes of the worlde namely the trées that hare the precious Aromatike spices and the boughes whereof they gathered the most fine and excellent baulme Seuerus sacked all the townes of Arabia Felix cut downe their fieldes spoyled and oppressed all people and as he afterwardes saide he would not haue entred therein for that being as it was so riche so ioyfull pleasant and delectable but because he found him selfe in greate cumber to withdrawe his souldiours from thence for that they felt them selues more delighted with the vices of Arabia then with the hazardes and daungers of the warres Hauing passed the delectable countrie of Arabia Felix Seuerus entred the countrie and kingdom of Athrabanos against whose king principally he made that iourney Athras was a great citie situated vpon the top of a most high hill and chiefest citie of all the kingdome and for that cause was named the kingdome of Athrabanos Seuerus went presently to the siege thereof but as the king had inclosed him selfe therein with great readinesse and prouision the wall being strong the citie rockye the people warrelike and furnished with munition and victuals small was the hurte that Seuerus did vnto them within but which the Romans receiued was very greate And as Seuerus gaue foorth no other bruite when he came from Rome but to be reuenged of the Athrabanos he perfourmed that warre so exactly that there was no daye but he battered the citie of Athras and occupied his warlike engins deuised and practised all manner fights and offences that might be against the enimie and the moste notified Romans that there did not notifie them selues but in the ende might neither take the same either as much as a capteine or ouerthrow one windowe Those that were besieged within that citie to iest with their enimies tyed very subtily little earthen pottes vnto a kinde of byrdes like vnto Crowes which flying ouer the armies of Seuerus let fall their pottes vpon their pates by which iest many had their heades broken but much more were the Romans despighted to consider howe little they did estéeme them not fighting with them in armour but with pottes and tankardes The ayre of that mountaine was verie subtile the waters verie thinne fruites in great aboundaunce and the Sunne verie hoat and the grounde somewhat moyst by which occasion Seuerus his whole campe fell into the disease of the fluxe and there died amongest the rest seuen notable capteines two of Seuerus cousins and a little bastarde sonne which all men likewise thought to be his cousin but by his greate sorrowe teares he discouered the childe to be of his owne proper fleshe
experience whiche thou hast in this case for as thou haste no brothers either hast béene married to haue any children no more knowest thou what difference of loue is beetwixte the one and the other For I giue to vnderstande that without all comparison wee fathers doe more loue the thwartes of oure children then the seruice of oure brethren The elder brother whiche was named Bassianus changed his name and commaunded all men to call him Antoninus Aurelius in the memorie of Antoninus Pius and of Marcus Aurelius because these Princes were verye glorious in their liues and in their Common wealthes no lesse beloued When Seuerus returned from the warres of Parthia his sonnes Bassianus and Geta were then men and for that hee vnderstoode that the Romanes were thereof then very doubtfull hée requested his sonnes that notwithstandinge the variaunce betwixte themselues they woulde bée in peace wyth the people but héerewith mighte hee not tame the condition of the young men either persuade them to be in friendshippe with the Romanes for as much as he soldered with his good woords so much did they escaÌ„dalize with their lewd woorkes Seuerus finding himselfe infected with infirmities compassed with enimies and his sonnes so euill inclined was alwayes sad pensiue melancholie and in a manner in despaire not onely doubting they would diminish the estate wherein he left them but also lose the honour which they did inherite Seuerus considering the daily complaints made of his sonnes in the Senate and the continual displeasures which they gaue him aduised to banishe them the vices and pleasures of Rome the one hee sent into Germanie the other into Panonia but if they were euil in his presence they were much worse in his absence for that aforetime by their subiection they absceined from some vices but afterwards with libertie they committed all mischiefe The parents that with their owne hands and in their owne houses may not frame vertue in their children will hardly atteine it at the hands of others for that vertue is not obteyned in seeking straunge countries but in the amendment of old errours CHAP. XV. ¶ Of a fauoured seruaunt of Seuerus named Plautianus JN the dayes of the Empire of the good Marcus Aurelius there came from Africa vnto Rome a gentlemaÌ„ named Plautianus poore blind in sight craftie and subtile in condition and being as hee was mutinous and quarelling and wheresoeuer he went mouing some debate Marcus Aurelius commaunded him to be banished Rome for he was a prince of such patience that he suffered not in his common wealth a man that was vitious or any young maÌ„ that was quarellous Plautianus being banished Rome departed vnto the garrisons of Illyria and from thence also being caste as a seditious person repaired at last into the company of Seuerus of whome he was very well handled and also honoured and in all thinges placed aboue all men some said that it was done of Seuerus for that hée was of his countrie some for kindred and some durst say that hée serued not onely for martiall affayres but also to do him seruice in the chamber After that Seuerus came to be Emperour he gaue so great credite vnto Plautianus and so strictly did follow his counsell that he neither read letter but hée did sée it or signed commission that hée liked not either gaue any reward that he craued not In the Senate he was placed in the most honourable seate when he came forth into Rome all the Gentlemen did accompanie him when he came out of his house all Embassadours did attend on him in time of warre all captaines sued vnto him if there were playes and pastimes they were alwayes represented before his palace if they had to giue or receiue any money all did passe through his hands in such wise that it was neuer séene in Rome that any man without the title of an Emperour enioyed so great portion of the Empire Plautianus naturally was proud ambitious couetous and cruell and the more to shewe his fiercenesse crueltie magnificence he alwayes had a drawne sword borne before him and when he passed through the streats hee would that none should dare to behold him in the face but cast downe their eyes to the ground and when hée trauelled vpon the way he had alwayes one that went before to giue warning to all persons to giue way where he should passe in such wise that hee neither would behold straungers either be séene of the countrie natiues Seuerus gaue in reward vnto Plautianus the goods of al persons that were condemned and confiscate in the Empire and as hée was of a gréedie and couetous nature so they were infinite that he caused to be slaine in the Empire not because they had so deserued but for their goods which they possessed The elder sonne of Seuerus named Bassianê° being come to ripe vnderstaÌ„ding and perceiuing how al things went was greatly gréeued to se Plautianus haue so great power in the gouernement of the common wealth and Plautianus presently finding the hatred of Bassianus practised with Seuerus that Bassianus should marrie with his only daughter and incoÌ„tinently the elder sonne of Seuerus was married vnto the daughter of Plautianus Plautianus beholding himselfe not onely the alone fauoured but also father in lawe with Seuerus it séemed vnto him but a trifle to be Lord of the whole world and most truly Plautianus in heaping honour vpon honour and estate vpon estate bredd his owne destruction for that men neuer surfet to eate that which is necessarie but in eating and drinking more then the stomache will beare Though Plautianus daughter was very faire of good condition and brought with her a most rich dowrie yet did her husband Bassianus most cruelly hate her which he discouered both in woord and déede affirming her to be the daughter of a base and vile person and that hée would one day kill both her and her father and yet not therewithall satisfied they did neither sléepe in one chamber or dine at one table Bassianus aunsweared certaine Romanes that requested him to bee friend with his wife and to honour his father in law I giue you Romanes to vnderstand that I did not marrie but my father did marrie mée which I would not haue done if he had coÌ„maunded me but to defloure the daughter and enioy the treasure of her father and since it is done let her séeke an husband for I will séeke a wife Plautianus vnderstanding what his sonne Bassianus had said and that his daughter was not married but dishonoured that Seuerus was old sicke and that Bassianus held him not as a father in lawe but as an enimie determined to reuenge that iniurie either els to loose both life and honour in the enterprise Bassianus informed his father Seuerus of many tyrannies which Plautianus committed in the common wealth and Plautianus also complained howe euill hée vsed his daughter and thus they went on coÌ„firming their enimitie and giuing euery day new passions
for he vsed to say that fooles set neighbours at variance but men that were wise malicious brought kingdomes together by the eares He was also inclined to read books and to vnderstand antiquities if he might not by his important affaires read himselfe he made others to read and further if he chaunced to be so busied that he might not read himselfe either heare reading at such times they read vnto him when he was eating or whē he went to bed He himselfe did write his owne life did write it as truly as if he had béen a chronicler that is to say praising his victories reprehending his vices and also most truly made report of all men that he kild but not of the smal reason that he had so to do Seuerus was much blamed for his great couetise of goods for want of care negligēce of his honour for that his wife Iulia was a cōmon adulteresse whom he did neither chastice or put away neither is it written that euer he did aduise or blame her It was sufficient for Seuerus to know his wife to be euil to be named Iulia whiche name was euer infamous amongest the womē of Rome Although he were an enimie of vices and of vicious mē much more was he enimie of théeues aboue all other kinde of wicked people and so is it said and found of him that he did beare with many malefactors but neuer pardoned any théefe In his apparel he was not curious or costly but alwaies was apparelled as a man of great sobernes especially much cōmended that in his Empire he neuer beheld any person in Rome clad with silke or purple Also in his féeding he was not disordinate yet truly of certaine fruits of Africa giuē to féede somewhat ouermuch and vsed to say that they had a better relishe then others for that being a child hee was bred with them Hée delighted also more to eate fishe then flesh and sometimes passed an whole moneth without the tast of any flesh the flesh that he best loued was mutton of fish the Trout In many cities of the Empire they made by his comaundement very notable woorkes especially in the citie of Tripol in Africa where he was borne he made there a fort an house compassed it with a very stronge wall He was a prince very careful that the citie of Rome should alwayes be well prouided which was manifested at his death at what time they found vij yeares prouision in wheat and oyle CHAP. XVIII ¶ How Seuerus passed into great Britaine where he died SEuerus being settled in securitie and intending certaine buildinges in Rome receiued letters from the gouernour of great Britaine which now is named England that a great part of the Island was reuolted from the seruice of Rome and to appease force them to obedience his presence was right necessarie because the Prefect himselfe was not only denied al obedience but they sought meanes also to kill him Seuerus was not displeased with this newes although he were both old and sickly for that he alwayes desired the offer of great things to magnifie his fame and perpetuate his memorie Seuerus also was pleased with those warres to haue occasion to withdraw his sonnes from the vices of Rome and so it came to passe that his elder sonne Bassianus he made captaine of the armie that he led by land to his younger sonne Geta he gaue the charge of his armie nauie that passed by sea Seuerus at the soudeine and vnprouided assailed the Britaines who at that instāt they vnderstoode of his arriuall in the Isle sent their Ambassadours partly to yéeld accompt and partly to discharge themselues of their rebellion as also to set downe betwixt them a certeine concord which Seuerus would neither yéeld vnto or abide to heare off for he vented rather to obteine the renoune of Britaine then for any reason to make them warre His armies being disimbarked the Ambassadours dispatched euery man prepared the one to offend and the other to defend Seuerus first prouided bridges wheruppon his horsemen might passe his foote men auoyd occasion to swim The Britaine 's of that part of Britaine in those dayes had a custome in time of warre to encounter their enimies in lakes waters where they did place themselues vp vnto the arme pits and from thence did fight and shew their skil when their enimies did shoote or whirle their dartes they would stoope or diue vnder water in such wise that it chāced thrée sundrie times that neuer happened in any part of the world which is to witt that 100. naked men ouercame 1000. armed persons Whē at any time they would fight in the field they vsed certaine targets after the maner of bucklers halfe swords girt vppon their bare flesh All matters apperteining vnto the warres brought vnto perfection Seuerus confirmed his younger sonne Geta gouernour of a certaine place of the Island that had not rebelled and kept his elder sonne Bassianus néere vnto his owne person executing cruel warres vppon the Barbarians who vppon determination to doe hurte or offend their enimies dyed with great hardinesse and vppon other determination would put themselues to flighte in whiche flight their enimies alwayes had the woorsse The warres being trauersed after this manner the gowt did grieuously increase vppon Seuerus in such manner that he could neither go out of his campe either sitt in counsel with his capteines in so much that he was constrained to commende the whole charge of the armie vnto his sonne Bassianus who more did practise secreately to frame hatred amongest the armies vnto his brother Geta then to make conquest of the enimies Bassianus so much reioyced of his fathers griefe and had so great care to inherite that he sawe no houre wherein he wished not his fathers death Not meaning to leaue any euil vnperfourmed that touched an euil nature adding euill vnto euill he suborned the Physicians that did cure him and the seruaunts that serued him in such wise the one to serue him and the other cure him that if the gowte did not finish him poison shoulde dispatche him Although no man said vnto Seuerus any one woorde he did well perceiue what his sonne Bassianus desired and so it came to passe that beholding the disobedience which his sonne did beare him howe euil his seruaunts serued him and howe slenderly his Physician did visite him although he were olde and sickely he died of pure sorrowe and melancholy The last wordes which Seuerus saide before he dyed they saye were these When I tooke the Empire I founde the common wealth throughout the worlde in trouble and nowe I dye I leaue it in peace and although I dye without power to testar ny firmar yet I leaue the Empire firme vnto my two sonnes Antonines if they shal proue good they remaine exactly made princes and if they shal be euil I leaue them nothing Before Seuerus dyed he
become friendes and their agréement was that they had diuided the Empire he remaining with the estate and seat of Rome and Geta his brother hauing Antioche the head of his Empire and the estate of all Asia As Bassianus then saide so it was agréed that the goods of the patrimonie were diuided in thrée partes two partes for the two brethren and the third for Iulia their mother and further that all Senatours capteines and other notable persons of the Empire fréely if they so liked might go with Geta into Asia or remaine with Bassianus in Rome There was no man there that liked this agréement much lesse allowed the same for they all did sée it was but fained and that ere long the Empire would be inflamed with warres as in the dayes of Iulius Caesar and Pompeyus of Caesar Augustus and Marcus Antonius Although all men were grieued with that which was saide yet all men did both dissemble and kéepe silence with sad countenance casting their eyes to the ground which their mother Iulia possessing patience in sufficient aunswered and saide vnto them as followeth CHAP. IIII. ¶ Of an excellent speache vttered by the mother vnto her sonnes I may wel call ye sonnes O children of my heart since thou Geta proceededst from mine intrailes thee Bassianus I haue nourished with my breastes I sweare by the immortall Gods that much greater is the loue that I bare thee then the affinitie which I haue with thy brother Thou well knowest Bassianus that from the first houre that I came to the court was wife vnto thy father Seuerus I had the name of mother in lawe the works of a perfect mother and that many times thou didst request mee to cherish thy brother Geta for that it seemed vnto thee he was not fauoured in such wise that if he be the only person that I haue borne thou only wast he that was cherished I haue great reason to call you my children to bewaile you as children to talke with you as children for on the day that the one proceeded frō my bowels the other entred into my harte Maruell ye not to see mee powre forth so many teares at euery worde to be dismaide swoone for as ye see my sorrowfull eyes so may you behold my lamentable heart ye should well perceiue it gush out more with bloud then mine eyes doe flowe with teares If my husbande your father shoulde heare that which I heare and should see that which I see it would grieue him that euer ye were borne and no lesse that euer he begate you because you wil giue no credite vnto your friendes either obey me your sorrowfull mother or perfourme his will cōmaundemēt Wherfore do ye seeke the whole for one since he left the same for bothe what an heauie matter is this my children the Gods haue created ye brethren and you haue conuerted your selues enimies the glory which ye possesse to haue had such a father ye would quite him with so much griefe to haue so frowarde children To leaue the Empire entire your father slewe Iulianus Pessenius Niger and Albinius that helde it diuided in three partes and nowe againe ye will diuide and rent it in pieces Do ye not vnderstand howe Princes that haue their willes vnited neede not to diuide their countries Haue ye not heard say that to obteine honour to defende that which we possesse for these two only things for no other cause warre is raised betwixt kinges and princes If this be true as it is and both you falling out for goods knowe ye not that your father onely of him self hath left ye more then all the Princes of the worlde haue left vnto them And if it so be that ye striue for the attainement of honour I knowe not to what ende ye would haue more honour then to be Emperours of Rome O immortall Gods I inuocate and moste humbly pray you that ye deale not according to the childishnesse of these young men but agreeable vnto the great seruice which their father hath done you the abundance of teares which their lamentable mother hath powred foorth for otherwise the memory of my Lord Seuerus shal perish be lost the maiestie of the Empire put in great danger If we did think my children that this diuision of the Empire might be an occasiō frō henceforth to deale liue like brethrē we would hold it all for good and thinke it all right well but what doth it profite that ye haue diuided the Empire onely in two partes and ye twaine remaine diuided in an hundreth thousande differences If ye wil be fauoured of the Gods obeyed of men call to remembrance your fathers commaundement condescend vnto your mothers request and yealde your selues vnto the iudgement of your friendes for that young Princes do neuer knowe to gouerne wel if they permitt not to be gouerned of the vertuous Consider children that ye are but younglings and in great affaires haue small experience and that your youth shall leade you vnto many vices your smal experience cause you to fall in great many errours Also my children ye haue to consider that ye possesse your heartes too much passioned and go inuironed with many lyars which two thinges be most cruell and enorme in the persons houses of princes because with their passion they committ much iniustice and by lies they cloake many foule and pernicious deedes The passioned and furious hearte is sufficed with his owne furie to be lead into all errours and the lyar defendeth him from all knowlege and acquaintaunce of his owne fault If ye remember your selues that ye be men and that I am a woman with great reason ye might haue small regarde vnto that which I do say but if ye consider that ye be my children and I your mother greate estimation should ye conceiue of my counselles for that credite which I lose to be a woman I recouer for that I am your mother If ye did loue your father as your father loued you your sorrowful mother should haue no cause so much to persuade you to be friendes for that to remoue all causes to bring his honour in disputation ye would refuse cast behind you all interest whatsoeuer of any goods Since ye will not liue in peace in as muche as it toucheth the seruice vnto the Gods and the great mischiefes that must follow your owne persons and the infamie wherewith ye shall infect your dead father yet shoulde ye doe the same for the loue and behalfe of your liuing mother because the dissentions trauelles and infidelities of the children many they be that doe beholde them but in the ende the mothers do onely bewaile them Against the testament of your father without the will of your mother contrarie vnto the custome of the Senate and without aduise of any friend ye haue betwixt you diuided the empire leauing me vnto my selfe to be diuided wherein speaking
also manie and rich iuels and writinge with his owne hande a letter after this manner Bassianus Antoninus onely Emperour of the Romanes to Arthabanus the greate king of Parthians health and good fortune ⸫ The famous auncient Romanes and many of the principall of my predecessours came from the West into Asia onely to make warre vppon this thy kingdome but I come not to make thee warre but to seek peace and to this peace both thou I haue to search a meane that it may be perpetuall for otherwise a iust warre were more safe for princes then a fayned peace As wee read in bookes and heare of our forefathers there is not a more briefe and sounde waye for greate enimies to growe to bee faithfull friendes then by recouering newe aliance by the waye of marriage for in true and faithfull marriages as the married be ioyned in bodies so be they lincked and confederate in heartes and mindes Although some Princes haue married with the daughters of Consuls and Senatours and admitting they haue so done I will not so doe for that I was borne a prince and am a prince and will dye a prince wherefore I will not marrie but with the daughter of a Prince When congruently or aptly it may be done it agreeth not with the maiestie of the Empire that the Prince this day should holde him for his father in lawe whome he helde yesterday for his vassall Although the wiues of Princes vse not to commaunde and gouerne yet we must graunt that when Princesses be the daughters of high Princes and desscended of royall bloud the people and subiectes are more honoured satisfied and pleased and such bring foorth children more noble and generous The Empire of the Romanes and the Empire of the Parthians are two the moste renoumed Princes throughout the whole worlde for notwithstanding the one at times hath subdued the other yet neuer intirely had the one lordship of the other I am prince of the Romanes and thou art Prince of the Parthians if thou wilt marrie thy daughter with mee with greate good will I would matche with her and after this manner of two diuided Empires wee shall make one in concorde These two Empires beeing ioyned may there be any kingdome that will disobey them or any king that shall dare to saye against them I demaunde not thy daughter for her beautie for there are others muche fairer in mine Empire neither doe I request her for thy richesse for I haue sufficient neither doe I craue her to recouer more vassals for I haue kingdomes ynough subiecte vnto mee But I do it because of auncient enimies wee might frame our selues immortall friendes in such wise that as hitherto we haue had you in contempt as barbarians from hencefoorth wee shall behaue our selues as brethren Thincke not that I write thus vnto thee by thy fauour to be reuenged of mine enimies or for that my kingdomes haue rebelled against mee as thou shalte vnderstande by these mine Ambassadours which my father lefte vnto mee so plaine and their Princes so dedicated to obedience that they doe not onely accomplishe what I commaunde them but also request mee to inioyne them more If in this which I write to thee thou thinkest there be deceipte thou oughtest also to conceiue that I shal bee most deceiued partely for that beeing as I am a Romane Prince and partely because I am the person whiche sueth for that in this marriage thou aduenturest not more then thy daughter but I committe vnto Fortune mine honour goods and person Herein I will saye no more but I praye thee to receiue these iewelles which I sende thee in good parte and to that which mine Ambassadours shall saye giue credite The king of the Parthians after he had read this letter and hearde the Ambassadours what they had to saye in the behalfe of Bassianus did aunswer him after this manner CHAP. XI ¶ Of another solemne letter wherein the king of the Parthians aunswered Bassianus Arthabanus king of the auncient kingdome of the Parthians to Antoninus Bassianus the onely Romane Emperour health prosperitie Before all thinges I giue thankes vnto the immortall Gods because they haue put into thy heart that which thou hast written and that which thou with thy Ambassadours hast sent to saye vnto vs By that which I haue read in thy letters and hearde of thy Ambassadours I knowe that thou beleeuest in the Gods and hast not taken counsell of men for men alwayes giue counsell vnto Princes to make warre but the Gods alwayes persuade them to keepe peace Thou sayest that the Romane Princes thy predecessours alwayes passed into Asia with a minde determined to make warre with the Parthians ▪ but ioyntly herewith I would thou shouldest consider that as the warre which ye tooke in hand against vs was vniust so fortune was vnto them alwayos vnfortunate for it is not the will of the Gods that by an vniust warre an entire victorie should be obteined Ye Romanes tooke the enterprise to be Lordes of the whole worlde and to prosecute the same ye rigged foorth many nauies and fleetes ye ioyned greate armies conquered straunge prouinces destroyed many kingdomes killed much people robbed infinite treasures and aduentured your selues into great and immeasurable daungers and in the ende that which they had obteyned they lost yea the conquerours also lost them selues because whatsoeuer is gotten to the preiudice of another man is lost to the greate hurte offence of him that obteined the same That which thou promisest in thy letter and in thy name thy Ambassadours offer mee I am not onely bound to accepte but also deserued greate displeasure if I durst denie the same beecause it is a thinge moste iuste that the Goddes make warre vppon that prince which refuseth the request of men in peace Thou sayest that the chiefest meane to cōfirme peace is for princes to practise marriage betwixt thēselues I denie not but that in some persons it is moste true but it is no generall rule for all men for we daily see betwixte moste neare kinred and alies moste greate quarelles and scandals to arise My greate graundfather was father in lawe vnto kinge Arsacidas and afterwardes the one slewe the other in the fielde and the verie same we heare reported to haue chaunced amongst you Pompey married with the daughter of Iulius and afterwardes Iulius ouercame and destroyed Pompey his sonne in lawe in suche wise that the marriages which they made to conserue peace did awake and inflame them to more cruell warre The Prince that hath feare of the Goddes and is naturallie giuen to peace may not finde a better meane to obtaine the same thē to be quiet in his owne realme for speakinge the verie trueth the prince that is satisfied with his owne proper estate needeth not to seeke affinitie in straunge kingdomes Vnto my father were offered greate noble and mightie mariages frō straunge kingdomes whereunto he woulde neuer consente either hardely indure to
heare thereof and woulde ofte say vnto me that manie kinges and kingdomes he had seene lost by mariage in straunge countries and therefore woulde not marrie me but within his owne kingdome and saide at the houre of his death that if I woulde liue manie yeares in peace I shoulde not abandon my children to straunge marriages I had three sonnes whiche nowe bee all deade and there remaineth vnto me but only one daughter in whome remaineth all my hope and if the Gods would and my destinies permitte I woulde giue her an husbande within mine owne naturall countrie whome I might esteeme as my sonne and he me as his father for my intent is not to giue her an husband that hath much goods but in his person greate worthinesse To that which thou sayest of the kingdoms of Parthians the Empire of Romanes would do verie wel to be ioyned in one thou hast great reason in that which thou sayest if it might be done with as great facilitie as it is spoken but how is it possible they may be made one being as they are so strange in nation so distant in situation so distinct in language so diuers in lawes and aboue all the reste so contrarie in conditions Since betwixt you and vs there are so manie landes countries nations hills and seas howe is it possible the bodies beeing so distante that the harts may be vnited Wee are much better knowne vnto the Godds then wee knowe our selues and since they haue created vs and separated vs the one from the other howe is it possible for vs to liue and enioy together for by greate diligence that men may vse either power that princes may practise it is impossible for them to scatter that whiche the Godds do gather together or to ioyne that whiche they do separate If thou wilte haue men for thy warres I wil sende them If thou wilt haue money to inrich thy treasure I will furnishe thee If thou wilt enter peace with mee I will graunte it If thou wilte that wee be brothers in armes by othe I will confirme it Finally I excepte nothing betwixte thee and mee but that thou do not craue my daughter to wife I am determined wil not for giuing my daughter a good marriage leaue my countrie tributarie vnto straunge people The precious iuells and greate riches which thou sentest me I haue receiued with greate good will and I sende thee others although not such either so riche neuerthelesse thou mayest alwayes cōceiue by them that the kinges of the Parthians haue greate treasures in their keeping and no lesse noblenesse of minde to spende them No more but the Goddes be thy defence and that thou of me and I of thee may see good fortune CHAP. XII Howe Bassianus committed a greate treason against the Parthians THis letter being receiued by Bassianus he made semblance of greate sorrowe that the kinge of Parthians would not giue him his daughter to wife howbeit he ceased not therefore eftsones to write sende more presents to bringe to passe by importunities that which of will he might not frame Arthabanus considering the importunities of Bassianus in writinge and his largesse in sending more riche iuells not doubting that anie guile might be concealed in that marriage did yealde him selfe vnto the iudgmente of his friendes who counselled him that hee shoulde not in anie wise but accept the Emperour of Romaines for his sonne in lawe for it might be that hee shoulde recouer him for an enimie that would not accept him for a sonne The fame beeing spread throughout all Asia that the kinges daughter shoulde marrie with the Emperour of Rome Bassianus aduised to repaire and prepare with all speede so that in all cities of the Parthians where he passed they did not only not resiste him but with greate ioy did receiue and feast him for they helde it for greate vaine glorie to sée their princesse demaunded for wife by the great Emperour of Rome In all places where Bassianus passed he offered riche sacrifices in their temples and gaue greate rewardes vnto suche as did attende and receiue him all whiche he dissembled to escape suspicion of the exceeding malice whiche he determined to execute Bassianus beeing arriued at the greate citie Parthinia where most times the greate kinge of Parthians was residente Arthabanus issued foorth to receiue his sonne Bassianus who most truly ranne foorth as cōformable vnto peace as Bassianus readie and determined for the warres There issued foorth with kinge Arthabanus not only the noble and valiaunt personages of his house and courte but also all the men of power and wealth of his kingdome which against that day were called and did attende in such wise that by his traine the kinge discouered his valure as also the noblenesse of his people Nowe when the Parthians beganne to ioyne with the Romaines and of both partes greate courtesies offered Bassianus gaue a signe vnto his armed knights to giue a charge vpon the Parthians vpon whome they executed as greate a slaughter as Hanibal at Canasse and Scipio at Carthage The kinge Arthabanus as he came in the troupe of all his royaltie tooke his seruaunts horse and gaue him selfe to flight and then as it was night his horse verie swift he had leasure to escape with his life although not able to defende his countrie This beeing donne he sackt the royall palace and al the citie and after commaunded fire to be giuen to all partes thereof whiche he perfourmed in all cities where he passed all the time that he remained in Parthia and freely gaue licence vnto his armie to take what they might to kill whome they would This was the manner that Bassianus vsed to subdue the Parthians whiche conquest with more reason may be termed the inuention of a traytour then the conquest of an Emperour for the innocente Parthians were rather solde then ouercome At the presente when these thinges passed Bassianus did write vnto the Senate aduertisinge them that hee had subdued all prouinces and kingdomes of the Easte vnto the Romaine Empire some by force and others by good will and that allthough the Romane princes his predecessours did excéede him in yeares and riches yet not to be comparable vnto him in victories The Senate béeing ignorante of the greate treason of Bassianus practised against the Parthians because they receiued his letters before anie other messenger had made reporte thereof were verie ioyfull and made greate feastes in Rome placeing his counterfeit vpon all the gates of the citie but after they vnderstoode the trueth of the treason committed they were so muche grieued with that so vile a deede that if the Parthians did suffer the Romanes did bewayle CHAP. XIIII How Bassianus was slaine by the commaundemente of his priuate captaine Macrinus THe Emperour Bassianus beeing departed from the territories of Parthia came vnto the prouince of Mesopotamia which was in the moneth of October and beeinge full of woodes wherin were
because in great and graue affaires one hath to propound but many to determine But comming to the purpose you haue knowen seene that these xi yeares we haue gouerned the Romane Empire in which space we haue trauelled to conserue all men in iustice shunned all occasions that might hinder our peace wherin we haue cause to giue thanks vnto the Gods since we haue deserued to enioy in oure time that which our predecessours neuer obteined Although a prince in his condition be a Saturnine and in his life not well aduised in conuersation vnbridled in keeping couetous and proud in his owne estimation yet all is to bee suffered and dissimuled if hee hold peace with strangers and without acception of persons doe equall iustice vnto his subiectes It is knowen vnto you all that Artaxerxes king of Persians hath destroyed the Parthians and dealt foulely with all oure confederats friendes and yet remayneth in so great power in Asia that there is not against him one launce in the Reste but your heroycall deedes and noble mindes being considered wee thincke not that ye either meruaile or haue any doubt thereof for that admiration proceedeth of small wisedome and feare of cowardnesse Heroycall persons that amongest others would be notified receiue with equall mindes aduersitie and prosperitie for vnto such men though the ioy of prosperitie and the smarte of aduersitie bee vncertaine yet is their glorie vnuariable Leauing the Gods and speaking of the affaires of men nothing may iustly bee termed great but that which bringeth with it great inconuenience and then one is of more valure then all when one doeth that whiche all leaue vndone for greatnesse consisteth not in possessing proud desires but in perfourming deedes of noblenesse From Rome wee haue sent oure Embassadours vnto Artaxerxes to persuade him to leaue those prouinces whiche hee hath taken and to abstaine from them which hee ment to take which hee not onely refuseth to doe but hardly might endure the hearing therof for which cause it apperteineth vnto the greatnesse of Rome to employ it selfe to the breaking of his pride for that it proceeded not of lesse vertue to humble the proud then to aduaunce the humble Many of you which be here haue beene bred and also present at the glorious acts of Antoninus Pius and Seuerus my progenitours noble men of immortall renowne and notwithstanding that by the antiquitie of your yeares and the trauels which ye haue passed in the warres ye may not fight yet at the least ye shal profite vs by your aduise and counsell whiche in the warres is verie necessarie and no lesse profitable for that in such assembly one counsell is oft giuen that exceedeth the seruice of a thousand horsemen Perfectly wee ought to hope that wee Romanes shal bee conquerours and the Barbarians ouerthrowen not onely for that they first raised this warre but also because we haue requested them with peace wherein the Gods are so iust that very sildome they permit them to enioy the victorie who were the occasion to raise that warre And doubt ye neuer the more for that our armour is old rustie because the felicitie of warre consisteth not in bright armour but in doughtie harts and noble mindes Many which march on land in bright armour be ouercome and all men that go by sea weare rustie armour and doe conquere in such wise that warre is not mainteyned with armour of yron but with heartes of steele And be not escādalized with consideration that ye haue to fight vnder the stādard of a young prince which wanteth experience in the warres but as of the rest so of this ye shal haue no cause to doubt for that I go determined intending in the acte of fighting to fight as one of you in matters of counsell to yeeld my selfe vnto the counsel of the auncient For any want of victuals neither haue ye to suspecte for that we are prouided alreadie in the chanel of Byzantio with wheate of Sicyl wines of Cādie bacon of Campania oyle of Spaine salt of Capua pouldred beefe of Cerdonia and oates and beanes of Normandie For other pleasaunt and delectable things I neither cōmaund to search either would I if they were found suffer them to be transported because in the warres they may hardly subdue their enimies that are ouercome with vices Scipio the African when he went to besiege the renowmed Numantia founde thirtie thousand Romanes which xiiii yeares had beene at the siege thereof enuironed with two hundreth thousand vices who like a skilfull Capitaine banished both vice vicious persōs out of his campe this being accomplished presently the enimies were ouercome In this iourny so tedious perilous chargeable costly I would not that ye should do more thē ye shall see me doe because in trauell vppon the way sayling on the sea defending passages executing on the enimies and in the vsage of my person ye shall finde mee an affable companion and no niggardly prince These and such other woordes Alexander vsed vnto his armie which being heard with lowde voyces they did all wish the Gods to preserue his life and said with one assent that they were readie to go and die in that warre in his seruice This speach being ended he diuided amongest his armies much monie according to the custome of the Romane Emperours which was not giuen in part of paiment of their wages but to animate them that with the better wil they might indure the trauels of warre CHAP. VIII ¶ Howe the Romanes were ouercome of the Persians AFter that Alexander had discoursed with his Captaines and prouided all thinges necessarie for his iourney he commaunded open warre to be proclaimed against Asia a day appointed for his departing before which time hée made great sacrifices in the temples and vowes vnto the Gods because the good Romane princes vsed for custome first to pacifie the yre of the Gods before they tooke armes against their enimies On the day in which he issued out of Rome all the Senate and people did accompanie him 3. miles further also a thing much to be noted there was none which beheld him departing but bitterly fell a wéeping for that being as he was a prince so pitiful of all mē he was cordially and hartily beloued From the time that hée departed from Rome he stayed not vntil he arriued at the citie Alexandria to which place he had commaunded all the garrisons of Illyria to repaire that there being assembled the ignorant might exercise feates of armes further to prouide things necessarie for the warres Alexander being arriued at Alexandria it séemed vnto him to his graue Romane counsellers to send another Embassage to Artaxerxes king of the Persians once more to inuite him to peace which if he refused then against him to sound defiance Artaxerxes being aduertised of Alexander his passage into Asia the cōming of his Embassadours into his kingdom did neither manifest any feare of the Romane power
thinges whiche he did in Rome and howe the tyrant Maximius did kill him in Britaine AFter that Alexander had subdued and triumphed ouer the Persians certeine dayes he was deteined in the gouernement and refourmation of the cōmon wealth because the longe absence of princes breedeth wante of iustice amongst the multitude Of all the riches that he brought from the warres of Asia he did take for him selfe but one horse one chariot foure Elephantes one sworde one cuppe of Ius and a paper of poinctes which belonged vnto kinge Artaxerxes for as he saide The pray of princes ought to be imployed on princes The defence of the most daungerous frontiers he commended not but vnto men that had great wealth in the same which if he had not he gaue it them in such wise that to conserue his fidelitie which he did owe to saue his goods which he possessed he should be forced to defende his countrie or dye in the enterprise There was in Rome in those dayes a Mathematiciā named Thrasibulus of whō Alexander demaunded what death he should dye who aunswered thou shalt dye in a straunge countrie not in thine olde age but by the swoorde of a Barbarian whereat Alexander was nothing altered but rather with excéeding ioy imbracing Thrasibulus said A certeine speach of Alexander against the terrour of death If the Gods did graunt vnto other princes to liue perpetually and commaund mee onely to dye I confesse I should dolefully feele the deede of death but our life being as it is so shorte and death so necessarie I had rather dye in the field by the handes of mine enimies then in my chamber compassed with Physicians Vnto the greatnesse of Princes it appertaineth not onely to lead a good life but also elect an honourable death and to this ende I say vnto thee Thrasibulus that all the felicitie of a Prince consisteth in well gouerning the common wealth and also to imploye his life for the same What fame or glorie what ease or quietnesse doth followe the life of that Prince which dieth in his olde yeres and sickely in which age for the most parte olde men be euil serued of their subiectes and contemned of straungers He that conceiueth it to bee good for the priest to dye in the temple conceiueth no lesse of the Prince that dyeth in the field for that the office of the one is to praye of the other to fight I haue seene many dye here in Rome after the manner which the common people do thinke the best kinde of death that is to saye laden with yeares laide in their beddes accompanied with sonnes honoured of parents compassed with sonnes in lawe visited of Physicians and serued of nephues at whose death I beare no enuie since I knewe of them that before their bodies were tasted of woormes their hearts were vnbowelled with griefe thought Thrasibulus thou doest well knowe that Alexander Darius Hector Pompeyus Gayus Tullius Seneca and Demosthenes were men in their persons verie glorious in doctrines verie wise and in their deedes no lesse heroycall and yet all these with many others dyed not accōpanied with their friends but by the handes of their enimies neither were they blemished with so vntimely a death since of them nothing was lesse esteemed but rather by their cruell deaths they aduaunced their fames No other thing is diuers in death but onely the manner of the same sithence death in the ende is alwayes but one thinge for we should not be afflicted with the manner of our death but what thinges we should repaire to the amēdement of our life Admitting that these cōsiderations apperteine more vnto Philosophers then vnto the simple yet I saye both to thee and other that as it was not in our handes to be borne so shal not the manner of our death consist in our selues but that houre being arriued there and then shall euery man finde for him selfe what fortune hath prouided All these thinges Alexander saide vnto Thrasibulus in secrete and afterwards openly in the hearing of all men Not manie dayes after these thinges passed Alexander departed vnto the warres of Germanie which were not prosecuted in Germanie but in Gallia transalpina for because the French men were subiect vnto the Romains the Germaines did inuade them Alexander beeing in the greatest heate of these warres certeine mutinous souldiours and olde seruantes of Heliogabalus did create a capteine named Maximius Emperour béecause the Emperour Alexander woulde not consente but vtterly detested their horrible and vicious actes Alexander remaining in the lesser Britaine in a place named Cilicia Maximius his trayterous adherentes determined to kill him their Lorde and Emperour before it might be manifested through the armies for that notwithstanding diuers of them did doubt his seueritie yet on the other parte all persons did loue his iustice Alexander reposinge at after noone the traytours agreed with a iester to murther him in his tente who beeing entred fel into such dismay that he not only gaue ouer his determined attempt vnperfourmed but also fledde with no small doubt and feare affrighted But beeing afterwardes retyred vnto Maximius and his companions persuaded them presently to kill Alexander beeing at that time on his bedde solitarie and vnaccompanied for that other wise he woulde discouer their whole intente which he saide because it was A lawe Martiall that anie which shoulde aduenture to enter the tente of the prince without licence shoulde pay no lesse then the losse of his life Maximius and his complices consideringe what the iester had saide presently determined to murther their Lorde and Emperour Alexander and so ioyntly and furiously entringe his tente slewe both him his mother and all persons that made resistance or ouerthwarted them with anie displeasaunt speache Alexander died one the twelfth of Iune after thirteene yeres nine dayes of his Empire were expired he liued twentie nine yeres three moneths and seuen dayes and was a Prince in Rome moste loued in his life and most bewayled at his death The enimies of Alexander did note him that he despised in him selfe to be natiue in Assyria that he loued gold inuented newe tributes was seuere with souldiours did what he could to resemble Alexander Magnus and that he was somewhate suspicious But the thing wherefore Alexander was most blamed and iustly deserued to bee noted was that being a man and of greate experience in the gouernement of the Empire he continued subiect vnto his mother as when he was a childe and in this case it was sufficient that he had reuerenced and honoured her as a mother and on the other parte to haue considered that her counsell in the ende was but of a woman Alexander was so vniuersally beloued of all nations of the Empire that it chaunced at his death which neuer was read to haue chaunced at the death of any Prince of the worlde that is to saye that they were all slaine which brought the newes of his death neither the
Pretorians did electe him Emperour 4 How he reuenged the deathe of the good Emperour Pertinax 5 Of thinges that he did in Rome presently after hee was Emperour 6 Howe the Emperour Seuerus passed into Asia against Capteine Pessenius that rebelled againste him 7 Of the warres that passed betwixte Pessenius and Seuerus in Asia 8 Of a cruell and furious battell betwixte Pessenius and Seuerus wherein Pessenius was slaine 9 Of the Consul Albinius and howe he rebelled against Seuerus in Englande 10 Of a famous speache that Seuerus vttered vnto his armies to bringe them in hatred with his enimie Albinius 11 Howe Seuerus departed from Asia to Fraunce and fought with Albinius and slewe him 12 Howe after the death of Albinius Seuerus returned to Rome and there slewe many 13 Howe Seuerus returned into Asia and conquered many prouinces 14 Of Seuerus his sonnes and of their euill inclination 15 Of a fauoured seruaunt of Seuerus named Plautianus 16 Of a certeine treason that Plautianus had ordeined againste Seuerus and howe it was discouered 17 Of the particular vices and vertues of Seuerus 18 Howe Seuerus passed into greate Britaine where he dyed The life of the Emperour Bassianus Pag. .230 Chap. 1 Howe Bassianus and his brother Geta did inherite the Empire of their father Seuerus 2 Howe in Rome they burie their Emperours and of greate ceremonies which there they vsed 3 Of the mortall hatred betwixte Bassianus and Geta his brother 4 Of an excellent speache vttered by the mother vnto her sonnes 5 Howe Bassianus to obteine the Empire vnto himselfe slewe his brother in his mothers armes 6 Of a certeine speache vsed of Bassianus vnto the Senate excusinge himselfe of the death of his brother Geta. 7 Of the greate crueltie of Bassianus and of suche as he commaunded to be slaine 8 Of the prouinces which Bassianus did trauell and the thinges which he did therein 9 Of an horrible crueltie that Bassianus committed in Alexandria 10 Of a letter which Bassianus did write vnto the kinge of Parthians to haue his daughter in marriage 11 Of another solemne letter wherein the kinge of the Parthians answered Bassianus 12 Howe Bassianus committed a greate treason against the Parthians 13 Howe Bassianus was slaine by the commaundement of his priuate capteine Macrinus 14 Howe Macrinus excusing him selfe of the death of Bassianus did aduaunce himselfe with the Empire The life of the Emperour Heliogabalus Pag. 374. Chap. 1 Of the lineage and nouriture of the Emperour Heliogabalus 2 Howe Capteine Macrinus did exalte him selfe with the Empire after the death of Bassianus 3 Howe the great matrone Mesia bought the Empire for her nephue Heliogabalus 4 Howe Macrinus did write a letter vnto the renowmed Mesia after he vnderstoode his depriuation of the Empire 5 Of a letter written by the great matrone Mesia vnto the Tyrant Macrinus 6 Howe the Tyrante Macrinus was slaine in Battell 7 Of a notable letter written by the matrone Mesia vnto the Senate of Rome crauing the confirmation of the Empire vnto Heliogabalus her nephue 8 Howe the Romane Senate did allowe the election of Heliogabalus and of the present apparance of his wickednesse 9 Of many vices that were conteined in the Emperour Heliogabalus 10 Of a letter written by the greate matrone Mesia vnto her nephue the Emperour Heliogabalus 11 Of certeine lawes which the Emperour Heliogabalus made in Rome 12 Howe Heliogabalus was thrice married and of his marrying of the Gods together 13 Howe Heliogabalus solde offices and practised many vices 14 Of the shamefull death of the Emperour Heliogabalus The life of the Emperour Alexander Seuerus Pag. 433. Chap. 1 Of the nouriture and naturall countrie of the Emperour Alexander Seuerus 2 Howe Alexander was aduaunced vnto the Empire and of his laudable manners 3 Howe Alexander being inuested with the Empire presently did visite and refourme his common wealth 4 Of the milde conditions of Alexander and of his gratefull conuersation 5 Of his zeale of iustice and other commendable actes as well touching his person as his common wealth 6 Howe warre was offered in Asia vnto Alexander and what was saide vnto his Ambassadours 7 Of a discrete speache vsed by Alexander vnto his men of warre 8 Howe the Romanes were ouercome of the Persians 9 Of other warres which he had in Germanie and as some do saye was there slaine 10 Of a solemne Oration made by Alexander vnto his men of warre 11 Of the victorie that Alexander obteined against the Persians and of his triumph as some writers doe report 12 Of thinges which he did in Rome and howe the tyrant Maximius did kill him in Britaine FINIS Jmprinted at London for Ralphe Newberrie dwelling in Fleetestreate a little aboue the Conduite ⸫