offer the thyrde battayle in the which he was cleane ouerthrowen and murthered of hys owne Souldyours in flyinge and strayghte wayes after hym the kyngdome of Persia whiche had endured two hundred yeres and vpwards was plucked vp by the rootes By these noble victories Alexander brought vnder hys obedience almost all the East countrey dyd tranferre the dignitie of the Empyre of Asia into Europa so that he dyd constitute the thyrde Monarche Alexander the beginner of the thirde Monarchye After that also he made warre agaynst the Indians but he coulde not moderatelye beare so great aduauncement and clemencye of Fortune suche is the infirmitye of men And therefore as he dyd many thyngs insolently and would almost be worshypped as a GOD he beyng arriued at Babilon dyed of an ague or as others say of poison when he was thyrty yeres old and had raygned twelue yeres Calanus Indus as Cicero sayeth dyd foreshew hym the ende of hys lyfe For euen as he was readye to caste hym selfe into a burnynge fyer and that Alexander dyd aske hym yf he had anye thynge to saye All goeth verye well sayeth he I shall see thee shortelye And shortely after Alexander dyed Hys discease is referred to the hundreth and fourtene Olympiades and to the foure hundreth and nyne and twentye yere of the foundation of Rome Three hundreth and two and twenty yere before the natiuitie of Christ He was a feruent great louer of good letters Alexander a louer of good letters and verye liberall towards the learned men For the cause whereof he hath been greatly praysed of diuers He had the poesie of Homere in great dilectation In such sort that albeit that he had with hym as it is sayde diuers that did wryte his actes not withandynge when he came into Sigia standyng by Achiles tombe O thou happy yong man sayeth he that hast founde Homere for to wryte and magnifie thy vertue For euen as he would chiefely be paynted by Apelles and hys Image to be grauen by Lisippus so in lyke maner he would be praysed and commended to the remembraunce of hys posteritie by them who in praysyng hym might obteyne honour and fame for the excellentnes of their spirite He gaue Aristotle his maister charge to put in wryfyng the nature of all beastes And to thys end he appoynted certaine thousands of men throughout all Grecia Asia to witte vnto Heard kepers Hunters Fishers Marchaunts of fishe Byrdcatchers and such lyke who should playnly informe hym of all thynges It is sayd moreouer that he gaue the sayd Aristotle in recōpence of hys payn eyght hundred talents which amount accordyng to the reckenyng of the learned men of our tyme The liberalitie of Alexander towards learned men to CCCC LXXX thousand crownes courrant He sent to Xenocrates the Philosopher by his Embassadours fiftie talentes which amounteth to xxx thousande crownes but he refusynge them sayd that he had no nede of so great a summe the Embassadours beyng returned what sayd Alexder hath he no frendes for to do hym pleasure Cicero sayeth that in his youth when he was the disciple of Aristotle he declared hym self to be of a very good spirite and to be greatly modest but after he was made kyng he behaued himself proudly cruelly and altogether vnmoderatly The Historiographers do mencion merueylous things of the magnificence dilicatnes and superfluitie of Darius The superfluitie of Darius For to the ende that his body should wāt no voluptousnes he had in his campe expert Cokes that could dresse all maner of meates make all maner of dilicates with makers of oyntmentes Diuers also haue described how great the magnificence and preparations of the kynges of Persia was in theyr ordinary eatyng and drynkyng Their custome was as Cicero sayeth to haue many wiues vnto whome thei did bequeth certain cities to the ende that the one myght furnyshe their head tyer others such and such an ornament Such therefore as I haue sayde was Darius end and in flying when he had dronke troubled water and which was infected wyth dead mens bodies he affirmed that in hys lyfe tyme he neuer dranke more sweter drynke Darius end for he dyd neuer absteyne so longe from drynke that he coulde be drye After the death of Alexander thys great Empyre was diuided amongest hys chyefe Lordes To wytte Ptolomeus Laomedon Antigonus Cassander Leonatus Eumene Python The successors of Alexander Lysimachus Antipater Meleager and Seleucus Amongest them the pryncipall was Seleucus kyng of Assiria Ptolomeus of Egypt Antigonus of Asia the lesse Cassander after the he had oppressed all Alexanders kynsfolkes was synce made kynge of Macedonia and of Grecia Lysimachus is he with whome Alexander beyng on a certayne tyme angrye Lysimacus dyd cause hym to be shutte vp wyth a Lyon But vnderstandyng that he had kylled the sayde Beast he had hym afterwarde in great honoure and estimation Furthermore great warres were moued as wel amongest the sayd successours the whych doeth commonly happen as also amongest theyr sonnes and theyr sonnes sonnes for as muche as these outragious Spirites coulde not for ambition keepe theym selues in Peace but dyd seeke to encrease theyr powers in doynge others wronge By these warres whyche remayned a longe whyle The beginning of the fourth Monarchy all these countreys were greatly spoyled so that by lytle and lytle they fell into the Romaynes handes who enlarged so theyr dominion that they established the fourth last Monarche Of the whyche at thys present it is requisitte we shoulde entreate of Nowe amongest the Kynges of Egypt Alexanders successours Ptolomeus Philadelphus the father of good letters Ptolomeus Philadelphus a Prynce of great name is also numbred For he loued peace as much as was possible for him and he dyd styrre vp and awaken the liberall Artes and instituted rewardes and gyftes for the same and caused a large and a greate Librarye to be made so that also he caused the Bookes of Moyses and of the Prophetes to be translated into the Greke tongue The begynnynge of Rome was at that tyme as the Kynge Salmanasar of whome it hath been spoken dyd raygne ouer the Assyrians The time in whiche Rome was builte To witte in the fyrste yeare of the seuenth Olympiades accordynge to Plutarchus the thre thousande two hundreth and twelue yeare aboute foure hundreth yeares after that Eneas had begonne to raygne ouer the Romaynes after the warre of Troye whyche Homere dyd describe of the age of whome The warre of Troye no moore then of the Countrey we fynde nothynge mencioned of anye certentye excepte that Cicero sayeth The age of Homer vncertayne that he was longe tyme before the foundation of Rome and before Romulus Howe be it so it is that there remayneth no prophane Wryter moore auncient then his Poesie For as Horatius sayeth Before the tyme of stronge Agamemnon Many were of vertues and of renown But all vnwaylde were shut vp in the nyght For
nothyng doubt of the takynge of the countrey Marcellus was greatly wrathe at hys death when he vnderstode it and commaunded to bury hym As concerninge the towne he dyd not onelye leaue it whole and sounde as Cicero sayeth but also in such sort decked that it might haue bene a perpetuall monument of hys victorye gentlenes and clemencie And lykewyse he sayeth that in the victorye of Marcellus there was not so manye men slayne as there were gooddes spoyled at the commyng of Verres Pretor into the sayde Cyty But Titus Liuius saith that it was a very pituous thinge to see the villanies that were there committed by angre enuye and couetousnes A hundred thyrtie and seuen yeres after Cicero beyng Treasurour of Sicilia Cicero treasurour of Sicilia did shewe Archimedes sepulchre vnto the Senate of Saragosse the whiche he knewe by a certaine discription all be it that it was altogether ruinated and so couered with Briers and Thornes that euen they of the Citie knewe not where it was The sayde Cicero sayeth that the towne of Sarragosse is the greatest and fayrest of all the townes of Grecia and is compacte and made of foure great townes of the I le where the fountayne of Arethusia is full of fishe of Acradina where is the market place and the couered Galleries with the Palaice or Parlement house of Tyche where the temple of Fortune is of the newe towne which was laste of all buylte and it hath a very large Theatre Now amongest all other nacions the countrey of Sicilia dyd first of all encline vnto the amitie and loyaltie of the Romaines Sicilia the first ê“uince and was the first that was named a Prouince as witnesseth the sayde Cicero After the victorye of Cannes Hanniball tooke all Campania which yelded vnto hym His armie also wyntered at Capua where it was effe minated and corrupted through the abundance and superfluitie of all thynges Superfluitie wantonnes vnprofitable in an armye Thre yeres after the takyng of Sarrogosse Capua was geuen to the Romains by composition There was great and long deliberation for to know whether the towne should be rased but finally it was concluded that it shoulde be kept Not withstandynge for to take from them all meanes for euer of rebellion theyr territorie was taken from them and al office and Senate with the publyke counsell To be short they had no forme of a publyke weale left them but it was ordeyned that the towne should serue as a berne and place for to holde and house the fruite of the whole territorie there about and for to lodge the labourers Two yeres after The ouerthrowe of Asdruball Asdruball brought freshe souldiours into Italy to the succour of Hanniball but he was ouerthrowen neare the flood called Metaurus by the consulles M. Liuius Salinator and C. Claudius Nero. In the meane tyme P. Cornelius Scipio of whome mencion hath bene made prospered luckely in Spaygne albeit that his father and his vncle had bene there slaine And after that he had recouered the whole Prouince retourned to Rome where he was chosen consull He required that the countrey of Affricke might be assigned hym for to make warre there But Q. Fabius Maximus beynge of a great age dyd sharpely withstand hym and was of opinion that it behoued not to go into Affricke but that it was mete and conuenient to make warre with Hanniball Scipio was of a contrary opinion because that yf they did make warre agaynst the Carthagians in their countrey they shoulde be forced to call agayne Hanniball from Italy as he vppon whome lay all theyr helpe and succour After long stryfe the Senate assigned Sicilia vnto Scipio and did permitte hym to take the spoyle of Affricke yf it were for the commoditie of the publyke weale He then tooke his iourney from Sicilia vnto Affricke and dyd proue by effect that which he had before forshewed vnto the Senate For the Carthagians hauynge lost certaine battayls against hym and beyng greatly endomaged The victory of Scipio 〈◊〉 Affricke dyd call agayne Hanniball So that by thys meanes he who for sixtene yeares space had not ceassed to hunt through Italy who also had encamped his army nere the walles of the cytye of Rome was constrained albeit it was soore against his will to retyre homewarde to hys countrey Finallye Scipio wan a great battaile of hym who afterwards by the wyll of the Senate made peace with the enemy herevppon the surname of Affricus was gyuen vnto hym But here to be consydered from howe great troubles the Romaines were delyuered for euen alreadye by the space of certaine yeares all their fortune hunge by a very small threde but it was before predestinated that they shoulde come to an ende of all violence and calamitie and shoulde be Lordes of the worlde The which as some saye Hanniball did foresee when his brother Asdruball was vanquished Horatius reciteth his very wordes which he then sayde in the verse by the which he prayseth Drusus and his familie And for because that the said Verse is most learned and elegant it doth well deserue that the youth should learne the same by harte The peace being concluded with the Carthagiens besides the other warres wherewith the Romains were incombred to witte in Italy Istria and Portingale they made another great warre also against Philippus kyng of Macedonia Warre agaynst Philip of Macedonia who had afflicted and oppressed the countrey of Grecia Titus Quintus Flaminius was the chief captaine of this warre who after the ouerthrow of the enemie reestablished the countrey of Grecia in her libertie by the consentinge of the Senate And amongest all other articles he charged king Philip not to go a warfare without the limites of Macedonia vnlesse he had permission of the Senate This warre ended Another war against Antiochus king of Syria another folowed it against Antiochus king of Siria Who being passed into Europa was ouercome by M. Galabrio and driuer out of Grecia For the accomplishing whereof the aboue said Philip kyng of Macedonia did geue succour to the Romaines These kinges of Asia of Syria and of Macedonia did descend of them who after the death of Alexander the great dyd diuide amongest them the Prouinces as it hath been said For after that Carthage was pacified and all Italye brought vnder the subiection of the Romains The greate authority of the romainâ— and that they had also conquered the other countreys of Europa more nearer both by Sea and by land they were growen to such power that euen the Kynges and the peoples farre of dyd craue succour and helpe of them Whiche amongest others the Egiptians did For because that their Kyng Ptolemeus Epiphanes being then but of fewe yeares was not apt to the gouernment of the publyke weale and for that they stood in great feare of Antiochus they sent Embassadours to Rome by whome they did desyer the Senate to take the lytle king into their safegard This being agreed
vpon the Senate did will Antiochus not to meddle or make with Egipt Whereat he being displeased especially because that Hanniball the fugitiue did incite him as much as was possible Antiochus vanquished and spoyled to make warre he sailed into Grecia with his armie where he was ouerthrowen as we haue before saide After that the Romaines made a new armie by Sea for to folowe and pursue him and being sayled into Asia they dyd vanquishe and gette a great Battayle of him and dyd putte hym to flyght from beyond the mounte of Taurus After hys ouerthrowe he was wont to saye as Cicero reciteth that the Romaine people had done hym a great pleasure in easynge hym from ouer great charge and in leauing him so straight limittes of hys countrey L. Cornelius Scipio the brother of P. Scipio Affricanus did conduct this warre who for this cause was surnamed Asiaticus Shortly after M. Fuluius surnamed Nobilior dyd subdue the Etolians and triumphed ouer them And when P. Scipio Affricanus who in that warre had been lieutenant for his brother was retourned to Rome the Tribunes of the people beganne to trouble and torment hym Wherefore he departed from thence and went into Laterne to hys Towne and there as certaine saye thys noble man dyed beyng nine and fourty yeres olde The deathe of Pub. Scipio no yonger nor elder then M. Portius Cato Cicero in the Dialogue which he wrote of olde age doth introduct Cato speaketh louyngly and honorablye of the age of them bothe and of theyr studyes But aboue all he magnifieth the greatnes of courage that was in Scipio Titus Liuius sayth that Cato did beare hym enuy that he vsed to take this hys fortune and prosperitie in euyll parte Cato enuious agaynst Scipio Cicero affirmeth that he was prompt and quicke in all his affayres In that tyme floryshed Ennius Plautus and Nenius Poetes Antiochus beynge ouerthrowen Hanniball dyd flye vnto Prusias kynge of Bithinia And for because that the Romaynes dyd require that he shoulde be rendered vnto them Hanniball poysoneth hym selfe he droncke poyson and so kylled him selfe Antiochus the noble succeaded this Antiochus He also dyd deliberate to gette the kyngdome of Egypte for as muche as he was the Vncle of Ptolomeus Philometor Kyng of Egypte who beyng yet but a chylde had succeaded hys father deceassed Wherefore he declared hym selfe to be hys Protectour myndynge by thys meanes to oppresse hym and to take to hym selfe the chyefe dignitie But hys enterpryses beynge knowen the Romaynes whome the Egyptians had agayne solicited to succour them dyd hasten to sende C. Popilius Lenas in Embassage Who beynge comme to speake face to face with Antiochus he wylled hym in the name of the Romaine people to departe from Alexandria whyche he kept beseiged but as Antiochus did aske respit to aduise therevppon Popillius made a rounde circle before hym with the rodde that he helde and did commaunde him to declare what he mynded to do before he departed from thence By thys meanes he who was not ignoraunt of the power of the Romaines was so affrayed that he promysed to leaue all thinges in peace Popilius maketh Antiochus affrayed These thinges are recited to the ende to declare howe by litle and litle the Romaines are waxed greate of small beginninges and howe they did so aduaunce them selues that they assubiected almost all countryes For euen alreadye theyr valyauntnesse was passed through Italy and had inuaded diuers parts of the world Not withstanding there was yet many lettes and inconueniences in such sort that they had no lytle a do for to establyshe thys so great an Empyre which should comprehend and compasse the principall part of the world as I wyll here after orderly and briefly declare Philip kyng of Macedonia of whome mencion hath been made beinge very wroth for that he was so enclosed by the Romaynes purposed to begynne to make warre agayne But he was preuented by death and Persea hys sonne succeaded hym who of long tyme was so eneduraged agaynst the Romaynes in such sort that he tooke in hand as it were the heritage of makyng warre But L. Emylius Paulus who had been twyse Consull finally dyd gyue hym the ouerthrow in playne battaylle Persea king of the Macedonians taken prisoner and tooke hym Prysoner wyth hys Wyfe hys Mother and hys Chyldren whome also he ledde away in triumphe And for thys victory he was surnamed Macedonicus From that tyme also Macedonia was made a Prouince of the Romaynes In the former laste yeare Ennius beynge three score and tenne yeares olde accordynge to the sayinge of Cirero departed oute of thys lyfe Fewe yeares after P. Cornelius Nasica dyd assubiect the Dalmatians The thirde warre of Carthage And incontinently after the thirde warre of Affrike beganne to brust forth For because that the Carthagiens who could not liue in rest did moue warre and oppresse their neyghbours but chiefly Massinisse king of Numidie the compainion and frend of the Romaines the Romaines beyng required to succour them purpossed to put themselues in armes aboute the sixe hundreth and foure yere after the foundation of Rome Diuers iudgments as touching the preseruation or distructiō of Carthage But their opinions were diuers to wytte whether it were more conuenient to breake downe and destroy the Citie then to preserue it The saying of them who were of opinion that it was not conuenient that it should be destroied was that if Carthage were once taken away they would afterwardes euen amongest themselues make hurliburlies by seditions ciuill warres But M. Portius Cato did counsell the contrary declaring the great danger which did threatē the publike weale of Rome if thys Citie were not vtterlye rooted vp and destroied His opinion gotte the victorie albeit that he disceased in thys deliberation The death of P. Cato hauynge lyued foure score and fiue yeres Cicero doth name hym amongest the auncient oratours and doth place hym nexte vnto Marcus Cornelius Cethegus who he saith was renoumed of Ennius He sayth moreouer that an hundreth and fyftie of Catos orations were found full of learned wordes and notable matters and rebuketh the nicenes of hys time because they did not regarde to reade them diligently ouer He compareth him to Lysias the Scriuener of Athenes P. Scipio Aemilianus the sonne of Paulus Macedonicus and the nephew by adoption of P. Scipio Aphricanus had the charge and gouernement of the thyrde warre of Carthage And foure yeres after that certain others had begonne the war he came and assaulted Carthage wyth suche force that hauyng constrained them to yelde he spoiled it brunte it and beate it downe to the ground The distruction of Carthage By reason wherof he was also surnamed Aphricus aswell as he who dyd vanquishe Hanniball as it hath bene sayde And behold here the end of a most myghtie Citie whose foundation was more ancient then that of the City of Rome and being nothing inferrior in
a certayn part therof which yealded vnto hym he retourned to Rome in hys raigne there was a great famaine in al places the which as witnesseth saint Luke the Euangelist Agabus had before prophecyed Nero Claudius the successor of Claudius gaue manifestly to vnderstand that he would once vtterly break the order of the Senators Nero. 6. In his time England had a great ouerthrow discomffiture for that they oppressed robbed in the said I le the citezens aliaunts of the romains The legions also that were in Armenia were brought vnder subiection with great dificulty could Siria be kept maintained Moreouer Fraunce did rebell through the perswasyon counsell of Iulius Vindix gouernour of the country afterwards Spaine by the motion conduction of Sergius Galba Iulius Vindix Sargius Galba And as he minded to recouer his losses and purpossed to take hys Iourny into Fraunce the other armyes which he had heare there through out the prouinces dyd rebell It is manyfest by the Historyes what a cruell wylde beast he was Whereof beynge Iudged of the Senate to be an enemye of the weale publyke he slewe hym selfe by the helpe of a certayne Lackey At that tyme floryshed ouer and besydes Seneca Lucanus Persyus Silius Italycus Poetes of whom the last was Consull in the laste yeare of Neros raygne Confusion in the Romayne Monarchie The state of the publyke weale was then broughte to suche dysorder that it was in the power and pleasure of the armyes and Legions to electe and create the Emperour Vespasianus became Emperour by such meanes Vespasianus 7. For the armyes whych were in Masia and Hungarye in Indea and Syria dyd reuolte from Aullus Vitellius and made their othe vnto Vespasianus promysing hym fidellitie and obedience He put Achaia Lycia Rhodes Byzantia Samos Thracia Sicilia and Comagena into prouinces vnder the Romains he quite and cleane rooted vp the Citie of Ierusalem Titus his sonne guyding and conducting the warre Domitianus 8. Flauius Domitianus dyd oftentymes skermyshe and make war with them of Hell wyth the Dacians and Sarmatians ouer whom at last he triumphed Statius Inuenalis and Martialis Poetes liued at that time Traianus 9. Vlpius Traianus was adopted of Nerua Coccius and afterwardes made Emperour who twyse saccaged the Dacians that rebelled and made them subiecte the Romaynes He broughte thether also newe inhabitauntes Afterwardes he Marched wyth hys Hoste into Armenia and Parthya whome he subdewed easelye and wyllyngelye in such sorte that they yealded vnto hym and after that he was surnamed Parthycus Notwythstandinge dyuers people in the ende dyd rebell agaynste theym especially they of Armenya and Mesopotamya The Parthyans also woulde not accepte the Kynge that he had assygned theym Adrianus 10. as soone as hys backe was tourned for to returne into Italye Elius Adrianus did assubiecte the country of Iudea whiche had rebelled The cause of the warre was that he had buylt a Temple vnto Iupiter Olimpius in Ierusalem the which he had permitted to be agayne inhabited The Iewes were greatly wroth and displeased with that Temple He visited also Fraunce Duchland England and Spayne and from thence to the country of Mauritania Parthia Asia and Grecia and he returned by Sicilia vnto Rome For the second tyme he went into Aphrica and returned to Rome from whence yet again he toke his voyage into Grecia and Asia and from thence he drewe into Arabia and afterwards into Egipt He held a parliment and commended vnto the Senatours Antonius Pius who after him did enforce himself to kepe the things in peace Antonius Pius 11. and studiyng to do good vnto eueryone he maintained the farreyn kings in theyr obedience by letters and humanitye In hys time there were excellent Iuriconsulls as Alburnius Valeus Tuscianus Vindius Verus Vlpius Marcellus Arrianus Tertullianus Saluius Iulianus L. Volusius Metianus After Antoninus Pius hys Sonne Marcus Antonius surnamed the Philosopher M. Antoninus the Philosopher succeded him who toke L. Aurelius Verus his brother for to be conioyner to the Empyre By whose meanes he had happye successe of the warre of Parthya whileste that he gaue order to the publyke weale in hys Palayes and in the Cytye After the death of Verus he gouerned hym selfe alone the affayres of the Empyre and had good successe agaynst the Germaines He saccaged also the Marcomes Sarmatians Vandalians and Boemians who had oppressed the countrey of Hungaria For then the most parte of the people from Sclauonia vnto France had conspyred against the Romaines Commodus Antonius a moste wycked sonne of thys moste excellente Prynce Cōmodus Antonius 13. dyd vanquishe the Mauritains and Dacians by hys Lieutenauntes He pacified the the countrey of Hungaria Germanye and Englande countreys whiche woulde not be vnder hys subiection He in the meane whyle spent hys tyme in all maner of sylthynes and crueltye Septimus Seuerus did make ciuill warre wyth Niger Septimus Seuerus who dyd procure and entise the countrey of Asia to rebell and also with Albinus who hadde done the lyke practyse in Fraunce He foughte luckely agaynste the Parthians He subdued the Iewes that were in Syria He assubiected Agabatus kyng of the Persians He receyued the Arabians who yealded vnto hym He fortified Englande causynge a walle to be made ouerthwart the I le euen vnto the Ocean Sea from one syde to another And hauynge subdued the people of Englande who were verye fearce enemyes he deceased at yorke Antonius Bassianus Caracalla dyd styrre vp warre agaynste the Parthians and agaynst the Armenians This is he who caused Papinianus Iurisconsul to be murdered The constātie of Papianus for that he would not defend nor approue the murder of his own naturall brother which he had committed At that tyme florished diuers Iurisconsulls almost euery one of them the schollers of Papinianus Excellent Iuriscōsuls to wit Tarruntius Paternus Macer Terentius Clemeus Menander Archadius Ruffinus Papyrius Fronto Anthius Maximus Hermogenianus Africanus Florentinus Tryphoninus Iustus Calistratus and Venuleius Celsus After that Caracalla was slain Macrinus Macrinus succeded hym who had but vnhappy lucke in battel against Artabanus kyng of the Parthians Heliogabalus Alexander Seuerus And vnderstanding that the souldiours were affectioned vnto Heliogabalus Bassianus he concluded peace Alexander Seuerus successour of that most wicked and filthy man Heliogabalus was a valiaunt man He wanne a great battail against Artaxerxes king of the Persians He recouered Mesopotamia which was lost vnder Heliogabalus He had very good fortune of the warres which he conducted by hys Lieutenantes in Mauritania Sclauonia and Armenia Afterwards goyng against the Germains who spoyled and oppressed Fraunce he was slayne by certain of his souldiours Vlpianus Iurisconsul Vlpianus Iuriscousull who was Papinianus disciple was his familier frend At that tyme also lyued Paulus Pomponius and Modestinus Maximinus Emperour Maximinus was Emperour after Alexander who employed hys whole force power against the
a certaine part of Affrike was assigned thē to dwell in The Gothes who by the good will permissiō of the Emperour Honorius did possesse Aquitania in Fraunce as we haue sayde not beyng content with their limites they did wrong violence vnto their neighbours and kept Narbona straightly beseiged But Litorius beynge sent thether with an armie he made the seige to be raised Litorius against the Gothes vittelled the town He was also prosperous in the fyrst battaile But afterwards he was takē almost all hys armie put to the sword The ouer throw was so great that the Romains were constrained to demād peace On the other syde Gensericus king of the Wandales violating the peace which he had as we haue sayde made in Affrike with the Romaines he toke Carthage suddenly being vnloked for wherin he did dyuers sondry cruelties This Citie had bene vnder the Romains for the space of fiue hundreth foure score yeares After he had gotten Carthage he passed into Sicilia where he did exceding much hurt Where through Theodosius did then prepare furnishe hys nauye for to goe and warre agaynst the Wandales But forasmuch as at the same instant the Hūnes dyd spoyle and oppresse Thracia and Sclauonie the armie was called frō Sicilia for the tuition defence of those countries At that time the Scottes Pictes dyd enter Perce into great Britaignie forasmuch as the inhabitants did despaire of the Romain helpe succour they demanded aide of the Englishe mē a people of Saxonia But they dyd so affectionate the plentifullnes fearnes of the coūtry that by litle lytle landyng new souldiours and increasyng their armye The Britons dryuē out by the Englyshemen they at the last dyd assubiecte the most part of the I le after they had defeicted the Britons Shortly after Theodosius the second dyed at Constantinople In his raigne the sūne was obscured or darkned as certayne say almost from the fyfetenth of Iuly vnto the month of Septēber appeared a blaysing starre Martianus Emperour Martianus succeded Theodosius in the regimēt of the East partes We haue herebefore spoken of Gensericus king of the Wandales Valentinianus entred in leadge wyth him and dyd deuide part Affrike betwen them The forcastes of Athila king of the hunes About thys tyme Athila kyng of the Hūnes who hauing violenly possessed Dacia Hungarie most cruelly assaulted the next countries there about to wytte Macedonia Mysia Thracia purposed to bring vnder his subiection that part of the Romaine Empyre which lyeth towards the Weast But because he perceaued that this warre should be very difficil yf the Gothes who were in peace with the Romains and did inhabite a part of Fraunce as it hath bene sayd should ayde and succour theym he hastened out an ambassadour towards them for to require them to be his frend and aliaunte but Atius the Lieutenant of Valentinianus the Emperour preuented hym by fyrst ariuing thether and hauyng confyrmed the allyaunce with Theodoricus kyng of the Gothes he prepared hymself to the battayle wyth all his power Athila neuertheles pursewed that which he had taken in hand and they fyersly ioygned in battayle in the playne of Chalons in Campania which is at this day so named through the great slaughter that was there committed Terrible warre in Cāpania It is said the there remained slain in that battaile almost foure score thousand men amongst others Theodoricus king of the Gothes Athila seyng himself van quished thought to slay hymself fearing to fall a lyue into hys enemyes handes But as king Theodoricus sonne folowyng the coūsell of Etius dyd retyre homewards with his armie for to succede his father disceassed Athila had leasure to take agayne hys breath and to retourne into Hungaria where hauing gathered a new armye he entred very furiously into Italy and beseiged long tyme Aquileia which fynally he subdued spoyled and brunt At one voyage he toke Concordia Padua Vicentia Verona Brixia Bergome Myllane and Pauye From thence spoyling all thorow out Flaminia he fynally encamped ouer agaynst the floode Mincius and that of Apia In the which place as he consulted whether he weare best goe to Rome with hys army the Byshop of Rome Leo the fyrst of that name came vnto hym leo pacifieth Athila so handled the matter that he not onelye wyth drew himself from goyng to Rome but also leauing the country of Italy he retourned into Hungarye where shortly after he dyed This is that Leo of whom diuers Epistles are yet found wryten vnto Theodosius the seconde and vnto Martianus Emperours wherein he partly excuseth hymself for that he could not be assystaunte at the Councells by theym published desyryng theym not to be offended in that he sendeth thether Ambassadours and partly he requyreth and prayeth theym to assygne the place of the Counsell rather in Italye then in Asia But he obtayned nothing The fyrst foundation of Venise At such tyme as Athila dyd in such fort vexe and trouble Italye The towne of Venise was built because that dyuers Ryche and noble men of the countrye there aboutes dyd retyre as into a place of resuge into that arme of the Sea Iles and hylly places The begynnynge then of this towne was pitifull poore and almoste in dyspayre and at thys present it is growen to suche greatnesse as we see it The number of the Dukes of Venise The number of their Dukes are hetherto counted to be foure score fyue of whom Paulus Anazatus was the first in the yere of saluation seuen hundreth syxe two hundreth fyfty two yeres after the foūdation of the towne Valentinianus was afterwards slaine and Gensericus Kyng of the Wandales passed forth from Affrike into Italy wyth a most myghtye armye beyng ayded of the Maures he went to Rome toke the towne beyng destitute and abandoned almost of all her inhabitants Rome takē by the Wandales Notwithstanding he beyng intreated by the Bishoppe Leo who had also pacifyed Athila as it hath bene sayd did not put the towne to fyer and sword Howbeit he proied it caried a great nūber captiue into Carthage Afterwards the enemies did much cruelty to the coūtry of Lauor and did ruinate Capua Nola Naples and other Townes byndyng them in cheynes whom they left a liue That is great Campania And beyng loden with the proy of Italy they retourned into Affrike Martianus who was Emperour in the East dyd kepe hym self in peace accordyng to his quiet peaceable nature He vsed to say that it was not decent nor honest for a Prince to put himselfe in armes A notable sentence as long as he myght lyue in peace In hys raygne a very great Coūsell was assigned at Chalcedon by his commaūdement The coūsel at Calcedō where Eutiches who confoūded the two natures in Christ was condemned There amongst other thinges it was ordayned that no clerke as they
By this meanes the gouernment of the Empyre retourned to Irene hys mother Who was driuen out foure yeres after and sent in exile and in her roume the aboue sayde Nicephorus was placed About the tyme of these tumults and troubles of Constantinople the fame of Charles kyng of Fraunce was very great For he hauing put ende to the warre of Spayne came into Italy wyth his armie at the request of Adrianus Byshoppe of Rome And euen as Pipine hys father had suppressed Aistulphus king of the Lombards so likewyse he after long seyge toke Desiderius the successour of Aistulphus The kyng of the Lombards takeÌ„ by Charlemayne who greatly molested Italy and Adrianus the fyrst of that name Moreouer he banished Adalgisius his sonne from the kingdome and out of al Italy For since Constantinus the great the Romain Emperours were placed very farre of to witte in Constantinople and were not only encumbred with forren warres but also with ciuill and domesticall dissentions tumultes and debats Wherthrough it befell that they toke no great care of Italy or that they could not well defend it especially after that the Lombards threaned to enter the country Moreouer the most part of them were at great strife wyth the Byshoppes of Rome and for spyte they bare them they did not greatly withstand the aduancement of the Lombards For this cause the Popes sought forren aide and succour And because that at that time there was no family more noble nor more mighty then that of the French Kyngs the refuge of the popes vnto the kinges of Fraunce Charlemaine proclamed Emperour for the excellentnes of their actes the said popes had refuge thether as vnto a certayn Hauen On this sort Leo the thyrd Adrianus successour hauyng fyerce and myghtye enemies at Rome demaunded ayde of Charles the sonne of Pipine He beyng for the fourth tyme come to Rome was saluted Emperor by the pope and all the people The which came to passe at such time as Constantinople was encombred wyth hurlye burlies great stormes and diuisions in such sort that it semed that the tyme and state of the publike weale dyd offer meanes and gyue occasion vnto thys mutation So therfore the Weast Empyre fell into the Germayns hands for it is not to be doubted whether Pipyne and Charles weare Germayns Thys fell in the eyght hundreth and one yere after the natiuitie of Christ As touching the East Emperours it is certayn that synce Nicephorus they haue bene alwaies tormented and troubled wyth warres For in the begynning the Bulgates had often times battaile against them Afterwards the Saracenes beyng marched froÌ„ Affrike occupyed the Iles of Candy and of Sicilia and destroyed Asia through out Whych also fynally the Turckes dyd who weare yssued out of Scithia Now from Nicephorus vnto ConstaÌ„tinus Paleologus the last there are reckened about fyftye Greke Emperours and amongst theÌ„ certayne women They were for the most part meÌ„ of no worthynes And in the raygne of Constantinus Monamachus who is the twentith from Nicephorus Constantinus Monomachus the Turckes beyng of a small begynning beganne to enlarge their dominions by lyâ—le and lytle and to assault Asia in such sort that encreassing daily their power The beginning of the turckes at length they haue establyshed a Monarchye but no newe one or fifth in order but engendred of that part of the Romayn Empyre whych was in the East The first of this Monarchye was Ottomanus Ottomanus the firste Emperour of the Turckes about the yeare of Christ a thousand thre hundreth Afterwardes Mahomette the second of that name and great grande father vnto Solimanus who raigneth at thys present hauing taken Constantinople and slayne the Emperour Constantinus Paleologus wyth all hys race Constantinople taken by Mahomette he vtterly rooted vp in those places the name and succession of the Emperours of our religion Now vnto thys day the Turckes hold and possesse Asia Syria Egypte Mesopotamia Iudea Rhodes and all Grecia Thracia Bulgaria Macedon Sclauonye and the two Mysies and of freshe memorye one of the Hungaryes and a certayne part of Barbarye Diuelyshe ambition of the Bisshoppes As touchyng the supremacye in tymes past the Churches of Ierusalem of Antioch of Constantinople and of Rome haue bene at great strife and variaunce especially the two laste as it hath bene sayd But the Turcke toke away the debate and in such sort confounded all thynges in those thre fyrst places that at thys day there is no apperaunce there of any Church or Christian assembly As concerning that whych remayneth and whych triumpheth beyng freed from the others that bare her enuye the thyng it selfe doth shewe in what state and disposytion she is After then that we haue declared how that part of the body of the Romayne Empyre whych lyeth towardes the East is altogether perished and fallen into other mennes handes It resteth to declare how that whych lyeth towardes the West is ruinated beynge brought vnder new gouernours It is here nedefull to consyder as in by passyng the meruelous mockyng of fortune in that that the Honour and so hygh dygnytye of the Empyre hath bene transferred from the auncient Romayne famylyes vnto straungers The euyll happe of the Emperours and Empyre yea vnto certayne vyle and shamelesse personnes amongest theym For somme of theym were Spaynyards others natyue of Hungarye Pannonia Dacia Dardanya Dalinatia Fraunce Thracia or Cappadocia Chyefely it is requysyte to contemplate how greatly the estate of the Emperours hath bene doubtfull and myserable for theyr prosperitye and dygnyty dyd not consyste in the defence or power of the Senate or of the people but of the Legions and souldiours in such sort that it was meruel that euer any wold take vpon them an offyce so daungerous and subiecte to so many calamytyes For synce Iulius Cesar who was murdered in the presence of the Senate vnto Charlemayne The number of Emperours murdered there are founde about thirtye that were slaine and foure that slewe theym selues wyth theyr owne handes There was alwayes somethynge in theym that dyd mislyke the souldyours neyther coulde they beare any more wyth the good then wyth the bad and conspyrynge for the least accasyon in the world they cutte their throttes whome they had enforced to take vppon theym that hyghe estate as it is manyefest It so befell vnto Elius Pertinax The Senate stoode in awe of the Emperour but he dyd depend almost vppon the wyll and pleasure of the vyle souldiours They toke vpon them thys aucthoritye after the death of Iulius Cesar especyally the olde bandes and leâ—yons whose ayde he had vsed in Fraunce Spayne and Affryke Cicero lamentyng the same sayth they are valiaunt but for the Memorye of thynges whych they haue done in fauour of the lybertye of the Romayn people and dignity of the publyke weale they are ouer much arrogant and drawe all our councells vnto their fellonie and violence The ende of the seconde Booke The
* people of Frannce Soisonois The writters of the Annales of Fraunce say that the ecclesiastical prelates whose pride and superfluity he did reprehend did raise moue this tempest in an assembly that they made at Aix in Germany Impiety of the bishops and did pushe forward the children to enterpryse such execrable wyckednes He notwithstanding was deliuered sixe monthes after to the great ioye contentation of the people and the kingdome with all his other goods was restored vnto him Since that he came to quietnes it is chiefly to be noted that diuers coūsells were holden in Fraunce Counsells holden in Fraunce The first next the abouesaid of Aix was holden at Troye in Campania after at Reimes at Clermoūt in Auuergne at Tours at Diion at Paris Lions Vienne Auignon Viarron in Berry Orleans and truely dyuers almost in eche of the sayd places For when the estate of thinges did so require the kings did conuocate the ecclesiasticall order the other lords for to remedy the publike inconueniences After this sort Ludouicus the .xii. who had great enimities debates with Iulius the second held a counsell of his subiectes at Tours at Lions the yere of saluation a M.D.X. a. XI Let vs now retourne to our purpose Ludouicus beyng disseassed and buryed at Mets Lotharius succeded who had warre with his brethren Newe parting of the kingdome betwen the brethren But fynally it was appeased new particion was made Where through Germanye fell vnto Ludouicus lot with a part of Fraunce From the Maze to the Rheine Fraunce befell vnto Charles from the Englishe sea the hiles Pirenees vnto the Maze Lotharius ouer and besides that he was Emperour obtayned Italy and the Prouince of Narbonne The Saracenes repressed Ludouicus the second his sonne succeded him who did represse the Saracenes that did rushe in to Italye In hys raygne Adrianus the seconde was Pope amongest others yea wyth oute the Emperours consent as theyr bookes report And was created by the nobilitye of Rome by the Citezins and by theym whom they call the clargye For albeit the Emperours Embassadours were in the Towne not wythstandynge they weare not called to the electyon And for as muche as they were wroth herewyth it was aunswered them that that was not done in contempt of the Emperour but for to take hede that hereafter the custome of wayting for the Emperours Embisadours should not enter in credyte as nessarye They say that the Embassadours were not onely pleased with this aunswere but that also they dyd humble curtesy vnto the Pope Here a man may perceiue in their writings a maruelous inconstancie variety For if according to their saying Ludouicus the first did graunt vnto them fre election as also we haue here aboue mentioned why did his Nephew Ludouicus the secōd thinke iniurie to be done vnto hym But how so euer the matter goeth the title of the decree which is in the repertories of Gratianus is manifestly false False shode in the great decre of Gratianus For it is attributed vnto Gregorie the fourth albeit that he was dead two and twenty yeares before that Adrianus the second came to be Pope He being dead could he wrytte the Historye of things whych besell afterwardes Before Adrianus was Nicolas the first of whom is found a longe Epistle vnto Michell Emperour of Gretia where he maketh dyscourse of hys power ouer al churches For Ignatius was put out of his Bishoprike at Cōstantinople and Photius placed in hys roume no mention beyng made ther of vnto the Byshoppe of Rome yea the Images were beaten downe He cryeth therefore there agaynst as muche as he coulde possyble Diuers of his decrees do yet remayn ful of Papall maiestie The aboue said Charles king of Fraunce made hast to goe into Italy albeit that his other brother Ludouicus king of Germany who was his elder did resyst him There he was cōsecrated by the byshop of Rome Iohn the eygth He went for the second time at the Popes request to resyst the Saracenes who again had enuaded the coūtry of Campania Ludouicus the maffler and died at Mantua His sonne Ludouicus surnamed the Maffler succeded hym but he raigned but two yeres Charles the Great The Empyre came from hym to Charles the great sōne of Ludouicus kyng of Germany who after the death of hys twoo brethren possessed all Germany Italy and Fraunce and defeicted the Saracenes who troubled Italye He made warre for a certaine space against the Normayns a people of low Germany who forraged in Gallia Belgica Fynally he graunted theym that part of Fraūce which beareth their name vnto this day Arnulphus Emperour The Emperour Arnulphus his nephew by the brother syde succeaded after him who truely was an excellent Prince He marched into Italy for to deliuer the Pope Formosus from his aduersaries and forthwith toke the Citie of Rome where he caused the authours of the seditiō to be punished In his time the Hungares beyng driuen from the country of Scithia cast themselues vpon Pannonia and in the tyme that Ludouicus the third sonne of Arnulphus was Emperour they passed into Germany and hauing wonne a triumphant victorie nere the flood of Lech they filled Bauier Swane Franconie and Saxonie with slaughters robberies and burnings In the Emperour Arnulphus time there was a Counsell holden at Tribur a towne sytuated vpon the Mein at the which were present .xxii. Bishoppes of Germany And amongst dyuers thyngs it was ordayned that none shuld sell the buriyng of the dead A decree for bedding selling of Graues Berengarius and that no layman as they call them should be buried wyth in the church At this time a great fyer was kindled in Italy For Berengarius and other great lords of Lombardie vnto whō Charles the Balde had done great benefites cōspired against Fraūce at such tyme as Charles the great was Emperour Sedition in Italy by Berengarius But perceauyng that they could auayll nothinge herein they tourned their enterprisses against Italy and hauing skermished a long time amongst themselues as commonly it hapneth they did very great hurt Finally Berengarius remaining victorious he obtained the kingdome of Italy and as writtings do mention he toke and put out the Emperour Ludouicus eies who had thether conducted his armie At that time also to the end that no calamitie might be wanting the Saracenes Affrikans Hungares horribly wasted and spoyled Italye And for that the estate of Italy so fayre a region was thus miserable and bloudy vnder the Berengareis Hugo Rudolphus Lotharius Albertus and certayn others and that the Emperour Ludouicus was disseassed in these hurlieburlies the Almains and chiefely the Saxons offred the Empire to Otho prince of Saxonie of Turing But he being then of great age perswaded them to electe Conrad Duke of Franconie Conrad Duch Emperour Who beyng in the estate dyd almost all things by the counsell of Otho Moreouer Otho
It is saide that at that tyme the ciuill law which we haue sayde to haue bene gathered together by the commaundement of Iustinian and which since had bene put in obliuion through the tumults of warre was called again into lyght The ciuill law restored Henry surnamed the proud was then duke of Bauiers duke of Saxonie by contract of mariage because that he was the emperour Lothariê° son in law He coueting the Empyre hauing conspired sundry thyngs agaynst the Emperour was bannished hys possessions parted geuen vnto others But Henry recouered the couÌ„trey of Saxonie and as he drewe towards Bauiers he died leauyng a lytle sonne for whose sake the Saxons rebelled agaynst the Emperour And moreouer Welpho the brother of Henry diseassed conquered with sword the countrey of Bauiers draue out Lupoldus whome the Emperour had made lord of the countrey We haue a lytle before sayd Roger king of Sicilia that themperour did thrust out Roger king of Sicilia But he taking oportunitie of this that Germany was so troubled set vpon Sicilia defeited the Emperours lieutenant Afterwards he incited Welpho by meanes of great promises to offer alwayes occasions of war vnto the said Emperour so to kepe him occupied The kyng of Hungary who also feared him did the lyke And as the Emperour thought to go into Italy hauing all things in readines he died at Bamberg And Conrad duke of Swane succeded him Conrad Emperour who went a warfare against the Saracenes but hauyng lost his army retourned home where he ended his life Fridericus redbeard the first of that name Fridericus redbeard his nephew and duke of Swane was Emperour after him a man of noble industrie He in the beginning of his raigne appeased the princes of Germany and tooke away the variaunce that was touching Saxonie Bauiers Afterwards went into Italy with a great armie where he chastised them of Verone for that they had contemned him and for example he caused certen of the chief to be haÌ„ged About Placentia he coÌ„mauÌ„ded al the princes vassals of the Empyre to make him watche He besieged Millan brake downe Ast destroyed Dertone Beyng arriued at Rome he was crowned of Adriane the fourth He suppressed the citizens that did rebel ouerthrew Spolet and made great slaughter He subdued the Lumbards and hauyng surmounted the ambushmentes which they of Verone had layed for hym retourned into Germany He punisshed ignominiously the Prince Palatine who in his absence had styrred vp troubles and debates He made the duke of Bohemia kyng The meane whyle the Millanes dyd diuers wronges vnto theyr neyghbours and reestablished Dartone that the Emperour had destroyed Therefore he returned with a great army and vanquished the Millanes by the ayde of them of Cremone The Millans rebell against the Emperour Pauia and of Noaire The towne being taken pardon was graunted vnto the common sort at the request of the Princes of Germany who had bene required of them All Lumbardie beyng brought agayn in to obedience the town of Millan ordered by his pollicie he went vnto other people thereaboutes But after his departure the Millanes rebelled contemning the lawes that he had made destroyed the fortes bulworkes by him buylt Againe he returned spoyled the whole couÌ„trey putting all to sack that apperteyned vnto them In the meane time great coÌ„spiraties were kindled against him in Italy the pope Adrianus of whome we haue spoken was a doer herein who died beyng fully minded to excommunicate him The Emperour came into Italy the thyrde tyme The towne of Millan ouerthrowoâ— and raised vp the foundation of Millan made the authour of the rebellion to be beheaded and sent in exile the rest of the people Afterwards hauing layed siege before Rome he lost the most part of his armye by contagious sickenes Wherefore he raised the siege and left garrison of men in Toscane at Spolet Ancone Rauenna apoynting men at his pleasure who shuld gouerne the publyke weale This done he tooke his way into Germany After the dissease of pope Adrianus two dyd stryue for the popedome These two were Victor Alexander the thyrde The Emperour was more affectioned to Victors but Alexander excommunicateth his aduersarie Strife for the popedome after as the quarell dyd enflame he dyd the lyke vnto the Emperour The Millanes seyng the oportunitie did rebell and draue the Emperours lieutenants froÌ„ diuers places of Italy of whome they hanged certain The Emperour beyng retourned into Italy fought against them vnknowing who had the better The Pope companion of armes did flye to Venice At length there was trewes betwene them the Emperour tooke in hand the viage of Asia agaynst the enemyes of the christian religion where he was drowned by the rudnes of a riuer into the which he cast hymselfe for to swimme Fridericus redbeard drowned His sonne Henry the .vi. of that name succeded him He came the second time into Italy after the dissease of William king of Sicilia sonne of Roger where he conquered Puel Calabria toke also Naples subdued Sicilia leauing there great garrison because of the vnstablenes of the men of that couÌ„trey Then he ordened gouernors at Rauenna Ancone in Puel Toscane Afterwards at the coÌ„sent of the princes of Germany hauing declared Fridericus his son then a childe successor of th empyre he went into Sicilia where he ended his life And because that Fridericus was to yong diuers were of opinion to haue Philip his vncle take the place But pope Innocent the thirde stifly wythstood it This diuision of the Princes styrred vp also great tumults for that some of theÌ„ did elect Philip other some Otho duke of Saxonie The great tempest was chiefly nere the Rhene But Philip so behaued the matter partly by armes partly by singuler humanitie Philip Emperour slain in his chamber Otho emp. that he brought hys aduersaries to reason then made peace with the Pope whoÌ„ he had tryed to be his enemie euen to the vttermost Afterwards he was slayn in his chamber the abouesayd Otho duke of Saxonie succeaded hym who entred in the Popes displeasure albeit that before he had bene his frend as much as could be possible Briefly he was excommunicated by him the princes electours solicited of the sayd Pope for to elect another held their assemblie called from Sicilia Fridericus son of Henry the .vi. vnto whom they had sworne wheÌ„ he was yet a childe as we haue sayd herebefore The Emperour Otho came wyth his army to encounter hym nere the Rhene for to stop him of his way But he was driuen back in such sort that beyng retourned into Saxony he died of displeasure as it is thought By this meanes Fridericus the .ii. of that name was Emperour vnto whom Fridericus The Emperour louer of peace sought the same by Ambassadours which at length with great difficultie he obteyned afterwards he retourned into
was elected Emperour A litle before this time occasioÌ„ of great warre did arise betwen the Frenchmen the Englishemen Charles yâ— fourth For as Charles the faire king of FrauÌ„ce was disceased without men children the which befell the yere a M. CCC XXVII Edward the third of that name king of England contended that the kingdome appartained vnto him Warre betwene the FrenchmeÌ„ and the Englishemen because that he was sonne of Isabel the sister of Charles The chiefe of the kingdome who are named Petes elected king Philip of Vallois cosin of king Charles disceased excluding not only Edward soÌ„ne of the sister but also the kinges daughter who was borne after the dyscease of her father For they sayd that the heritage of that kyngdome dyd nothyng appartayne vnto daughters Herevpon sprong a terrible warre the which yet at this day is not wel appeased The affaires of the Emperour Charles were very troublesome at the beginning Edward king of England was also chosen Emperour but he wold not accept it as it is reported because of the war where in he was occupied against the Frenchmen The Emperour Charles hauing appeased diuers innimities thorow Germany drew into Italy at the consent of Pope Innocent the .vi. who was in Fraunce was crowned at Rome by certain Cardinalls vnder conditioÌ„ that he shuld not soiourne neither at Rome nor in Italy Institution of the viccaires of the Empyre Wherfore he returned to Millan where he graunted to the family of Vicontes who then were of great power in that towne that they shuld be perpetual Viccaires of the Emperour through Lomberdie For the which benefite he receiued a great summe of monny of them not of them only but also of other people vnto whom he had gyuen certaine priueledge The which dyd greatly weaken the powers of the Empire in that country After he was returned from Italy he assembled the Princes made the decree of the Empire which is coÌ„monly called the bul of gold Last of all he declared Wenceslaus his sonne successour of the Empire The goldeÌ„ bull the which he obtained as the bruit goeth by great summes of money Shortly after he disceased In the time of his Empire Iohn king of Fraunce son of Philip of Vallois gâ—ue battaile against the Englishe men who then held the most parte of Aquitania and the towne of Bourdeaux He was taken in the battaile very nere Poitiers with Philip the least of his sonnes Iohn kyng of Fraunce taken of the Englyshe men who was afterwards duke of Bourgony surnamed the Hardy Diuers of the chiefe nobilitie were slain in that battaile They that haue writen the Annales witnes that the EnglishemeÌ„ were no more then vii thousand and on the coÌ„trary that that FrenchmeÌ„ were come thether in an infinite nuÌ„ber euen about sixtie M. This came to passe the yere a M. CCC L. VI. the xx of September The king was led captiue into England where he died .vii. yeres after Wenceslaus as writtings do mentioÌ„ was very vitious aswel of his nature and bringing vp Wenceslaus as of his maner of liuing toke no care of the publike weale He hauing receiued peÌ„ce of Iohn Galeatius who was of the house of Vicontes Galeatius the first duke of Millan he made him duke of Millan of Lomberdy notwithstanding that he was a couetous and cruell man In his raigne Iagello duke of Lituanie was elected by the will and consent of the Princes king of Polonia after the death of king Ludouicus He was then fyrst baptised and named Vladislaus He is the double great grandfather of Sigismondus the .ii. who now raigneth The king of Hungarie defeicted by the Turcke Sigismundus King of Hungarie was vainquished nere vnto Nicopole by Baiazeth Emperour of the Turcks the last of SepteÌ„ber The king of Fraunce Charles the .vi. of that name had sent a braue cheuallry vnto the succour of the Hungarians wherof Iohn sonne of Philip the Hardie duke of Burgony had the conduction who was taken in the battaile presented vnto the greate Turke being in extreme danger of his person not withstanding he escaped after a straunge maner Iohn of Bourgonie deliuered by a strang meanes which reciteth the Annales of Fraunce Baiazeth had one of his familiares who was of them that make profession bost themselues to know the dispositions natures of meÌ„ in beholding the body the eyes the visage the forhead He hauing cast his eye sight vpon the prisoner perswaded that Emperour to let him go safe seing that at his returne into his country it would so come to passe that he shuld kindell a fier wherewith the most part of Europa or of Christendome shuld be enflamed Baiazeth beleued him let go the prisoner with the other gentill men after he had receiued their ransome which did amount vnto CC. M. crownes Iohn being returned into Fraunce begaÌ„ne to set himself against Ludouicus duke of Orleans who was the kings brother For he seyng the king his brother to be holden wyth an incurable disease would handle the affaires haue gouernment be cause that he was his nerest kinsman Iohn of Bourgony on the contrary perceauing himself to be the kings cosin and greater in age Philip his father being dead would goe before Their quarel increased dayly in such sort that the duke of Orleans was at length slaine at Paris as he returned to his lodging after supper The murderers were hired by the Duke of Bourgonie the whiche he denyed not and likewyse approued that whych was done this befell in the yeare a M. CCCC VII the ninth of December Twelue yeares after when the said duke of Bourgonie came to the place appointed for the parising of the matter The death of Iohn of Burgonye not withstaÌ„ding the assurance made vnto him he was dispatched bi certain familiars of the aforesaid duke of Orleans who had conspired against him The murder was done in the presence of the Dolphine who preseded in the leading of the matter This is the original beginning of the war which from that time hath not ceased euen vnto this day to be renued from time to time betwene these two famalies Because that the Emperour Wenceslaus was dispised for his vnmanlines the princes dyd put him from besides his estate elected in his place Robert Palatin Robert Palatin Emperour This maÌ„ forthwith applied his mind to correct that which Wenceslaus had done amise would not ratifie the graunt that his predecessor had made vnto Iohn Galeatius so that he was minded to bring LoÌ„bardy again in the obedience of the Empire But as he forcasted to go into Italy aswel for this cause as for others he was letted yea repulsed by the aboue said Galeatius The estate of Italy was then very troublesome through the faute chieflye of Charles Wenceslaus who had ouermuch licenced graunted vnto those people For besides Galeatiê° who of late was
signified foure kingdoms that should arise and spring out of this Empyre but that they shoulde not be able to compare neyther in strength nor power with the abouesaid first king Let vs then se how properly Daniel hath paynted forth Alexander the great CC. yeres and more before that he raigned for he sayth that the Goate shuld not touch the ground Victories of Alexander that is to say he should dispatch his warres with great speede and that none coulde saue the Ramme from his hands For Alexander raigned but .xii. yeres and in so litle a tyme he subdued almost al Asia as we haue here abouesayde And albeit that the power of the Persians Medes was vncredible not withstanding Darius was vanquished of him in thre battells one after another lost his life Empyre Certain say that when Alexander came into Ierusalem the chiefe priest recited vnto him this place of Daniel wherwith he greatly reioysed As touching that another horne shuld come out of these foure the which at the first was very litle but afterwards became merueylous great which shuld greuously afflict the most holy places he sayeth that hereby is signiâ—ied the horrible persecutions that the Iewes shuld suffer of the posteritie of Alexander the great to wit of the kings of Egipt Syria betwene that which countreys Iudea is situated Truely the Iewes haue experimented this horne sprong out of the foure to wit Antiochus the noble king of Syria most cruel destroyer Here is also to be applied the .xi. chapter where he spâ—aketh againe of Alexander and of his successours so effectualy that it seemeth no prophecie but some historie Finally let vs come to the image of Nabuchodonozor The image of Nebuchodonozor wherof we haue spoken in the first booke because that occasion was offered I wil not repete thinterpretatioÌ„ touching the thre first empyres forasmuch as it is altogether manifest approued by the course of times I wil speake only somwhat of the fourth because it toucheth vs who liue therin is more seriously discribed by Daniel He sayth that it shuld be of iroÌ„ and that it shuld beat down subdue al other Empyres It nedeth not many words to shew this for the thing it self maketh the profe by the histories that I haue recited The fete the toes are partly of iron partly of clay EueÌ„ as the fote of maÌ„s body is clouen into toes so after that the romain empire shal be set vpoÌ„ his leggs of iron haue had his dominioÌ„ through the hole earth he shal end in toes this huge body shal be dissolued It is altogether manifest that this is come to passe and it nedeth no expositioÌ„ For is there any thing more disparsed at this day then the body of thys great Empyre And although it be so notwithstanding because that the sole of the fote is of iron as he sayth it shal remain always stable the romaine empyre shal endure vnto the end it can not be altogether broken But the remnant the name and dignitie shall abide vntill such time as Christ shall ende all humain thynges by his comming We can in no wyse doute it is more cleare then the nooneday that this Empyre is brought extremely thinne and lowe That high tree is fallen down neuerthelesse the roote doth yet abide and perseuer not with such iuyce that it can spreade forth or encrease but it is altogether drye Howbeit there shal be no humain power that can pluck vp thys roote or plant of the nature of iron but it shal haue always roote in the earth vntil such time as the workmanship of this world be destroyd We haue experience thereof For diuerrs haue employed their powers to roote vp this litle strayght possession of the Empyre amongest whome haue bene the popes the Turks And albeit that thei haue done many enterprises â–ª forcast to do more The pope the Turkes enemies of th empyre notwithstanding they shal neuer come to the point to compare or make their power equall let them do what they wyll with the greatnes of that of the Romains neither shal they ouerthrow that litle remnaÌ„t of the empyre although it be dry without iuyce There shal be no fifte monarchie For it is not possible to establishe a fifte monarchy Trewe it is that Germany only hath the title and possession of th empyre but if she knit together her powers courages it shal be easie for her to represse al outward violence a thing proueable by diuers examples A few yeres past the Turkes passed the straight of Thracia and proyed and spoyed all ouer Europa and at this present haue so enlarged them selues that theyr dominion bordereth vpon Germanye Wherethrough she is in great daunger aswell as Italy for the nearenes Howbeit if we marke Daniel more narowly it is to be hoped that their strength power is come euen to the vppermost steppe For Daniel attributeth vnto them but only thre hornes as we haue sayd the which they now obtain The three hornes of the Turkes first of al in possessing the dominion of Asia afterwards of Grecia of Egipt The whole countrey of that regioÌ„ may be comprehended vnder the name of Grecia euen almoste vnto Sclauonia And albeit that in our tyme they occupie a great part of Hungary that they possiblie may vexe and trouble Germany or the couÌ„treys thereabout not withstanding because their dominion is to be enclosed within certaine limittes maye not be comparable with the romaine power as we haue already shewed it is very lykely that these Prouinces shall not be assubiected vnto theÌ„ as are thother three Grecia Egipt and Asia They shall make warre against the saincts exercise all maner of crueltie against the christians and their fury shal endure euen vnto the end of the world as Daniel plainly witnesseth This is the principall cause of his prophesie to the end that beyng aduertised and certified of the calamities miseries of the last time we shuld not be discouraged but shuld waite for deliuerance by the coÌ„ming of Christ who will come shortly after these afflictions as he saith will carie his into a sure peasible place wyping al teares from their eies Certain places of Daniell do properly appertaine vnto the Iewes vnto whom the deliuerance froÌ„ the captiuitie is promised the time that the Messias promised vnto the fathers shuld come is noted signified The other prophecies touching the last age of the world them that shall liue at such time as the litle Horne Reuelation of antichrist which is the posteritie of Mahomet shal make war vpoÌ„ the saincts that that wicked abominable man of sinne who sytteth in the temple of god shewing himself as if he were god shal be reueled opened For eueÌ„ Daniel hath forshewed his tirannie as Paull expresly interpreteth in his epistles The fury of Sathan at the ende Sathan whom Christ himself calleth the prince of this world shal alwaies rage but chiefly in the last age of the world shal slacke louse all bridles of fury stirring vp aduersaries vnto Christ who shall not only be tiranous and cruel by power of armes but also by false doctrine shal draw men into deceipt and error in such sort that the very elect shall hardly escape their snares This truly is the time that daniel signifieth in the .xii. Chap. which should be so miserable desolate as neuer hath ben the like nor shal be For he promiseth vs not any thing pleasant but horrible persecutions when he saith that the calamities whereof he speaketh shal endure vntil the dispersioÌ„ of the hand or assembly of holy people be accoÌ„plished The people of God then shal be vexed through the whole earth And the godly meÌ„ shal be afflicted in diuers places as long as the world shall endure The which testimony of the prophet or rather of the Angell doth cut of froÌ„ vs all hope of coÌ„iunction recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ For he alwaies speaketh of dispersion dissipation putteth the end when the discords shal be raised for cause of the religion at whych tyme Christ shal appeare But for to comfort lyft vp sustayne them that shall then liue he incontinently after these miseries addeth the resurrectioÌ„ of the dead And we ought earnestly to pray vnto god that we may proue and fele it ioyfull comfortable The meane while Christ himself autoriseth daniel Daniell alledged by Christ Math .xxiiii. who in a certayn sermon of his aledgeth a place of him and putteth him in credit towards the auditours Seing then that these present times are very troublesome and miserable this prophet ought diligently to be vnderstanded who preacheth vnto vs that are horne in the end of the world And he ought studiously to be red and marked to the end that in these present euills we myght be fortified as wyth a trench or bulwarke and indued wyth assured consolation against the stormes and tempestes which threaten vs. FINIS
Grecia most learned men For Socrates did then florishe Of whom as out of a fountaine proceded Aristippus Plato Antisthenes Speusippus Aristotels Dicearchus Xenocrates Heraclides Thophrastus Polemo and Strato who were all phisitions and according to the saying of Cicero contemplators and searchers out of nature There was also oratours of greate fame as Gorgias Protagoras Prodicus Hippias Isocrates Lisias Demosthenes Hiperides Aeschines Phalereus Demetrius Demochares But of the Historiographers Xenophon whom Cicero doth call Socraticus and Calisthenes the compaynion of Alexander the great were the chiefest Denis the tyrante of Saragosse lyued at that tyme vnto whom Plato beyng come and hauing freely spokē of the duety of a prince he was in very great danger of his life as Cicero reciteth The actes of Denis the Tirante This is he who did not committe the sauegard of his body to his kinsfolkes but vnto cruel and barbarous men gathered here and there who taught his daughtours to shaue for feare of putting his necke in the barbers hands who toke from them the handling of Iron and steelle when they were come to age taught thē to bourne awaye hys bearde and his heare wyth nuttes shells who came not in the night to hys women before that he had sought and searched through out who forasmuch as he durste not propound his oration in the ordinarie feates and skaffoldes he did the same from oute of a tower who declared vnto Damocles the flatterer what was his felicitie which he did esteme so greatlye when he caused him to sytte at hys table where wanted no maner of delicates and where was excessiue abondance of all thinges and yet in the meane time he caused a sword to descēd from out of a planke or beame right ouer his head holding only but by the heare of an horses taile Pyrrhus against the Romains About two and fourtie yeres after the death of Alexander Pyrrhus King of the Epirotes made warre against the Romains and went into Italie The second yeare of the warre he solicited the Senate to enter into a certayne traities of peace and alliaunce but Appius Claudius being of a verye great age and blind who before seuentene yeares was twise Consul as Cicero sayeth he came in Parlament and did disswade the Senate other wise inclyned therto to agree or make peace with hym for he was of so great a courage that for his misfortune he did not leaue of from doing all endeuour both priuatly and publikely The oration that he made concerning Pirrhus for to hynder the peace was found yet in Ciceros tyme as 1 he himselfe witnesseth C. Fabricius Luscinus did good seruice then to the publike weale The faythfullnes of Fabricius Who beyng solicited of Pyrrhus for to rebell dyd nothing regard his great presents nor promises Moreouer he sent againe vnto him prisoner a certaine Fugitiue who did assure him to poisō the king Cicero doth compare him to Aristides of Athens Manius Curius Dentatus did altogether ouerthrowe Pirrhus at his second retourne into Italye and triumphed ouer him Pirrhus was the first the did euer bring Elephantes into Lucania The Romaines hetherto almost for fyue hundreth yeres space did onely make war with the people of Italie amongest whom the Latins Veientes Eques Falisques Samnites the Toscanes did stoutly resyst and did often times rebell being sometimes vanquished and sometimes getting the victorye who finally beinge ouercome and pacifyed there brust forth a longe great warre against the Carthagians whose Citie was much more auncient then Rome The fyrste warre of Carthage as it is most euident Thys warre beganne amongest them in the yeare of Rome foure hundred foure score and fiue in the which the fortune of M. Attilius Regulus is worthy of Memorie For he beyng taken of the Carthagians and sent to Rome for to treate for peace and for the change of prisoners vpō charge and condition that yf he dyd obtayne nothinge he should render himselfe againe prisoner after he was thether ariued An acte worthye of Memorie he gaue cleane contrarye counsell to the Senate and declared that it was not for the prosite of the publyke weale so to doe Afterwardes folowing hys opinion that fayth ought to be kepte euen vnto the enemie The cruell death of Attilius Regulus he retourned vnto Carthage where he was put to death after the moste cruellest maner in the world for they did cutte of hys eye liddes and being bound to an ingine he was killed wyth ouerwakyng During this warre the Romaines at the fyrste did fyght luckelye by sea in Sicilia against Hanno vnder the conduction of Plubius Duillius Consull Thys Duillius and Manius Curius Excellent consulls C. Fabricius Attilius Calatinus Cuee and publius Scipiones Aphricanus with Marcellus Fabius are named of Cicero amongst the excellent Captaines of Rome The yere folowing L. Cornelius Scipio dyd take the Illes of Corsica and of Sardinia This warre of Affricke which had endured twenty and three yeares was pacifyed vnder Quintus Luctatius Catule Circus and Auleus Manlius Consulls Twoo yeares after Ennius was borne whoo was fyue yeares elder then Marcus Portius Cato whome he dyd call hys familier frende The Romaius weare then agayne occupyed wyth neewe warres agaynste the Faliscyans Geneneens Sclauoniens Frenche men them of Bauiers and the Lombardes The second warre of Carthage Who beyng vaynquished there bruste forth another warre of the Carthagiens foure and twenty yeares after the peace was made vnder P. Scipio and Titus Sempronius Longus Consuls Haniball was the head captaine who assaulted the towne of Sagonte passing through Spayne into Fraunce from thence into Italy he wanne thre battailes one after another against the Romains The fyrste at Ticinum A Citie in lumbardy called nowe Pauia Quintus Fabius a most prudēt Captaine the other at the floode of Trebia the thyrd at the lake Trasimenus But Quintus Fabius beyng made dictator and goyng to mete the enemy he by his lingring did stoppe and breake his violence and inuasyon It is he in the praise of whom Ennius writeth One man by his slackinge only Restorde vs the thinge intierly Cicero doth Iudge him to be of a verye subtyll minde and that he could easely concele holde hys peace disemble spye out and preuent the enterprises of enemyes Since the Romain people did receaue a great ouerthrowe in the place called Cannes the which gaue such occasion of feare to the Citie that diuers of the chiefest were mynded to forsake it and to flye awaye But they were comforted and kepte backe by P. Cornelius Scipio the sonne of Publius Archimedes excellēt in Algorisme musike Geometrie Astro nomie a verye hardye and manfull yonge man who was then but goynge into xxv yeres Foure yeares after M. Marcellus dyd winne the towne of Saragosse after long seyge Archimedes an excellent Mathematicion was killed in the assaulting of the towne who making certayne fygures in the dust dyd
excellēcie of captaines did greatly enlarge her dominiō Cicero writeth that P. Scipio after the takinge of Carthage did render vnto the Sicilians the Images and ornaments that the Carthagians had take from them aforetime and did render vnder the Agrigentins that renoumed bul which is said to haue bene within the tyrante Phalaris denne wherin he vsed to shut vp lyue men for to bourne them with fier which he did kindell in the toppe therof This Phalaris was not killed by craftye snares or intrapmentes as diuers other tyrantes were but all the Agrigentins on a heape did caste themselues vpon him to slay him Cicero nameth the country of Affrike The warre of the Romaines against the Acheans the bulwarke and fortresse of all the prouinces About that time the Romains stirred vp warre against the Acheans a certaine people of Grecia because that they had violated outraged theyr Embassadours The head of this armie was the Consul L. Mummius who also wāne the victorie in such sort that al Achaia dyd yeld vnto him The destruction of Corinthius And by the wyll of the Senate he brunte Corinthus the principall and chiefest Citie of all Grecia as sayth Cicero he did vtterly beate it downe to the ground to take away all feare of euer buylding or reestablishing it againe Mummius was for the gettynge of thys vyctorye surnamed Achaicus Warre a gainst Viriatus In that time also one named Viriatus did vsurpe the kingdome of Portingall who frō a shepharde was become a hunter from a hunter to a theyfe and fynally a conductour of a myghty armye He dyd fyghte for the space of certayne yeares agaynst the Romaynes and often tymes to hys owne aduantage But at the last he was slain by treason By thys meanes the Consul Decius Iunius Brutus dyd vanquishe all portingall euen vnto the Ocean sea The war of Numance In the meane time during these troubles the Romains had receiued a great ouerthrow of thē of Numance in Spaine And therfore because other wise it shuld be greatly ignominius vnto thē they mynded not to keepe the traitye of peace whyche was made by Mancinus Consull but dyd agayne electe oute of order Publius Scipio Aemylianus Aphricanus to be Consul and gaue vnto hym the charge and conductyon of the warre He went forth with an armie and finding there the souldiours very nice and vnpatient of labour he accustomed them vnto a more sure discipline and euen straight out of hande he beseiged the Cytye round about And finally he toke it and destroyed it fourtene yeres after the destructiō of Carthage and in the DCXXII yeare of the foundation of Rome Cicero doth call Carthage and Numance the two terrors of the Romain Empire In that time rose the tumult of bondmen in Sicilia The warre of bondmē and slaues who fynally could scarse be vanquished by the Consull C. Fuluius yea albeit that he had raised vppe a great armie Shortly after the Romaines had warre in Asya againste Aristonicus For Attalus king of Pergame had appointed and ordained by hys testament the Romaines for his inheritour But Aristonicus his kinsman possessing that part of Asia did beguile the Romaines of the will of the testament The Consul M. Perpenna dyd defye hym and toke him captiue The yere folowing which was the sixe hundreth twenty and fyftye yeres of the age of the City P. Scipio Aphricanus lying in his house The death of P. Scipio Aphricanus was smothered in the night euen of his nerest kinsfolks as it is thought Cicero doth praise him for his singular eloquence loyaltie and wisdome He writeth that there was no information at all made of his death albeit that the whole Citie was greatly sory therefore and sayth moreouer that the very same yere the sunne did shewe her self double So by this meanes he who was most noblest excellenst of the captaynes of warre died at the age of sixe fiftie yeres Cicero faineth in a certaine litle Booke that Aphricanus the first of that name dyd foreshewe hym this mishape In thys tyme lyued Lucilius Terentius Pacunius Accius Licinius Cecilius and Afranius C. Lelius the very welbeloued of Aphricanus doth call Pacunius hys frend and Terence his familier These thinges being ended Fabius Maximus Consul wanne a great battaile against the Sauoisiens Auuergnats and them of Rhodez who are all Gaulles The two Grackes In the same time also C. Gracchus Tribune of the people an eloquent man and defender of the law appertaining to the deuiding of landes was killed at Rome twelue yeres after that Tiberius Graccus his brother had ben slayne for the selfe same matter Cicero doth praise thē both for their eloquence But as for Tiberius orations he iudgeth them not to be greatly fyne in words but sufficientlye subtill and full of wisedome As concerninge his brother Caius he is of opinion that his doings ought to be read but especially of the youth for because that he cannot onely sharppen but also nourishe and increase the wytte and for this cause he calleth him the most ingenious and eloquenest amongest the Romaines Gracchus dreame Gracchus had afore dreamed that his brother Tiberius did aduertise him that he should dye the same death that he dyed and Cicero sayeth that before that he was chosen Tribune of the people he declared this vnto diuers Their lawes are yet founde as of wheate of bringynge certayne citizens oute of Rome to place them els where of the profite of souldiours of the administration of prouinces of the voice of the people of letting out to hire the lands of Attalus of Asia The warre of the Romaines against Iugurtha king of Numidie folowed these perturbations of Tribunes This warre was enterprised by L. Calphurnius Bestia The warre against Iugurtha Consull after wards continued by P. Cecilius Metellus and fynally brought to an end by the Consull C. Marius who afore time had bene a warrefare vnder P. Scipio Bacchus king of Mauritanie compainion of Iugurtha was causor of the fynishing of this warre For he seing himselfe ouerthrowen in battayle and myndynge not to hazarde hymselfe any more he delyuered Iugurtha prisonner vnto Silla who for that purpose was sent of Marius At that time to witte syxe hundreth eyght and fourtye yeares of the age of the Citye M. Tullius Cicero was borne The byrth of Cicero which was eyghte yeares after the byrth of Q. Hortensius a notable Oratour Durynge the warre of Iugurtha an Infynite number of hygh and lowe Almains dyd enter by violence partlye into Italye and partly into Gallia who after that they had made a great slaughter of the Romains and had ouerthrowen in feild somtimes Proconsulls other times lieutenātes finally they were al vanquished ouercome by C. Marius Tētones Chimbres ouerthrowē by Marius who was foure tymes Cōsul The hygh Almains were ouerthrowen at Aix in prouince and the lowe at the inner borders of Lombardie This lucke was folowed
with a new trouble For certaine countries of Italie were reuolted from the Romains to witte the Samnites the Pelignians Marsians Vestinians Marrucinians Vmbres Picentes Lucains They were foughten with all diuersely and could scarcelye be brought agayne to subiection The warre against Mithridates Shortly after befell an other mishap very hurtfull to the publike weale for Mithridates kyng of Pont had driuen Ariobarzanes King of Cappadoce and Nicomedes King of Bithinia the compainions and frendes of the Romaines oute of their kyngdomes And herewyth not beyng content he had also vsurped Phrygia a Prouynce of the Romaines beyng entred wythin the country of Asia Wherfore the Senat concluded to make war with him Whervpon was moued dissention because that certaine wold haue L. Silla who was of a noble stocke other some wold haue C. Marius for to be general captaine P. Sulpitius tribune of the people held on Marius syde But Silla had his armie by the aide wherof he constrayned Marius to auoid out of Rome Who afterwards was in great daunger of hys lyfe Ciuill war betwene Sylla and Marius and hyde hymself in a fenne or marishe about Minturnes wēt in a smalle shippe after this sorte bannished into Afrike But through occasion of the absence of Silla who was a warfaire in Asia L. Cornelius Cinna Consul began to make hurliburlies to raise vp new dissentions but he was put out bannished the Citie by Cn. Octauius his fellow in office Who when he was bannished renued again his power and accompained with him C. Marius who vpon this occasion was returned frō Afrike Wherfore these two hauynge coupled together their souldiours they beseiged Rome on that syde of the gate called Ianiculū And as diuers thinges were done in the Citie not onely by negligence but also by treason and vnfaithfulnes and that it was not possible for these anye longer to resyste them place of entrance was geuē them They as sone as they were permitted to enter did fyll the whole Citye wyth slaughters and spoyles and straight wayes dyd electe themselues Consulls vnto the which estate and office they dyd dyuers thinges cruelly For Sinna caused the most excellent Oratour Mercus Antonius to be slaine and Marius Q. Catulus These thinges beynge knowen L. Sylla whoo by strength of armes had recouered the greatest part of the losses and was entred in peace with Mithridates returned backe againe into Italie But Marius who was then for the seuenth time Consull was alreadye disceased oute of thys lyfe Notwythstandynge L. Cinna had Cn. Payrius Carbo to take hys parte And although they prepared themselus wyth the sonne of Marius to resyste and arme themselues agaynste Sylla neuerthelesse they were vanquished and ouerthrowen Sylla victorious In such sort that Sylla remayning victorious dyd sharppely pursewe his enemyes yea euen so narrowly that he propunded vnto them the table of proscriptiō and did sell all the goods of the rebelles such as were bannyshed and tooke from theyr chyldren all tytle and ryght of euer commyng to the honours of the common weale There vppon he was made Dictatour and then he began to rule and ordeyne al thyngs accordyng to hys fantasy and dyd abolyshe the strength and power of the Tribunes of the people Moreouer when he sold the goods of the Citezens of Rome he declared vnto the whole company that he solde hys pray Briefely it was not possible for any man to enioy hys goods or the countrey yea or hys lyfe vnlesse it pleased hym He was so enflamed with angre agaynst Marius that he caused that whiche remayned of hys dead bodye to be throwen into the ryuer of Anio But he fyrst of all the nobles of the house of Cornelius woulde haue hys bodye burned to ashes after hys death searyng of lykelyhode that he shoulde be so done to as he dyd vnto Marius Cicero sayeth that Marius was stronge and vertuous and perseuerous in angre and that Sylla was vehement L. Cinna he sayeth was cruell He calleth also Marius the terrour of the enemyes The lawes of Sylla the hope and succour of the countrey Sylla publyshed foure newe lawes Of falsholde of Parent kyllers of Ruffians or Murtherers and of iniuries The first pleading of Cicero He beynge Dictatour Cicero at the age of syxe and twentye yeares proceaded to pleade causes and dyd pleade openlye the cause of S. Roscius There were before hym certayne excellent Oratours to wit Q. Catulus C. Iulius Marcus Antonius and L. Crassus in whose tyme the Latyne tongue begannne to waxe rype as Cicero sayeth This age surely was the most learnedst of all the others For let me omitte to speake of so many and notable Oratours Excellent notable Iurisconsuls there was notwithstandyng excellent Iurisconsuls and amongest them C. Aquilius Gallus L. Lucilius Balbus C. Iuuentius Sex Papyrius the disciple of Q. Mutius Sceuola Pontifex vnder whom also Cicero dyd study in hys youth P. Seruius Sulpitius was almost of the age of Cicero who hauyng heard the aboue named had to hys disciples A. Offilius P. Alphenius Varus C. Titus Decius the two Ausides C. Atteius Pacunius Flauius Priscus Cinna P. Cecilius C. Trebata flourished also with Sulpitius whose disciple was Antistius Labeo Cicero praysyng honorably this Sulpitius after hys discease sayeth on this maner If all they that euer had in thys towne vnderstandyng of iudgement and ryght weare heaped together yet could they not in any wyse be compared with Seruius Sulpitius For he was no lesse instructed and experimented in equitie then in ryght War raised in Portingale by Sertorius Quintus Sertorius dyd remayne of the number of the bannyshed a man of greate stomacke and expert in the feate of warre He dyd moue and styrre vp a terrible great warre in Portingale and hauyng vanquished ouerthrowed certayne captayns of the Romaines subdued diuers townes Wherefore the charge and conduction of the warre on the Romaines syde was at the last geuen vnto Pompeius And after diuers and sundry combats finaly Sertorius was slain by treason And ten yeares after the begynnyng of thys war Pompeius dyd recouer the Spaniards At that tyme Nicomedes kyng of Bithinia dying had ordeyned the Romains to be hys inheritour but Mithridates kyng of Pont who was entred in alliaunce with Sertorius had vsurped and gotten Bythinia duryng the diuisions and discordes of Marius and Silla and beganne agayne to make war with all hys strength and power L. Luculus agaynst Mithridrates L. Luculus consull was sent against hym who wanne certayn battayles by cheualry and after beyng Proconsull he in such sort slewe and cut in sunder hys armye that hauyng displaced hym out of Bithinia he constrayned hym to retyre to the countrey of Pont. Where hauyng lost a great battayle he fled towards Tigranes kyng of Armenia Lucullus pursued hym so neare that in certain conflictes he ouerthrewe the hoostes both of the one and of the other And it rested but onely vppon the sedicions and
conspiraties of the Souldiours which certain did craftely moue that he came not to the end of the warre and to haue caryed away the glory and triumphe of the victory For shortly after he was called back againe and this commission was geuen vnto Cn. Pompeius Of the doyng whereof Cicero was also one of the perswaders who had made the people wyllyng herevnto by a certayne excellent oratiō which he made in the prayse of Pompeius Luculus being called home again he letted therfore not to triumphe The sumptuousnes of L. Luculus made the Romains a notable and sumptuous great feast Since that tyme he would no moore entermeddle or be occupyed with publyke affaires but did leade hys lyfe at home in the study of Philosophie beynge not withstandyng very sumptuous in hys ordinary lyuynge as he was alwayes He garnished a most ample and magnificall library of the whiche Cicero maketh mencion The victory of Pompeius against Mithridates and sayeth that he went thither often tymes to fetche certayne bookes Pompeius gaue Mithridates a cleane ouerthrow and droue hym farre of and receyued Tigranes who did yeld and render himself vnto his deuotion clemencie Cicero reciteth that Pompeius seyng in hys campe this kyng prostratinge himself and demaunding pardon he lifted hym vp and put againe the crowne vppon his head which he had cast of Afterwarde chargyng hym with certaine thinges he commaunded him to hold and kepe alwayes his kyngdome Mithridates finally beyng beseiged of his sonne Pharnaces did slay him selfe The warre against the pyrates Cn. Pompeius had gotten great credite and estimation for the warre which he made against the pyrates before that he went agaynst Mythridates The conspiratie of Catilina This war being ended sodenly another fier began to kindle for L. Catilina had conspired with diuers others to destroy the publyke weale But his wickednes beyng disclosed by the dexteritie and industrie of Cicero who was then consull he was bannished the citie and hauyng gathered an armie and bande of desperate Villens in the countrey of Toscane he remained slaine in the fielde beyng vanquished by C. Antonius consull and fellow in office with Cicero Who through out all his writings doth praise and magnifie the paine and labour that he tooke for the publyke weale and sayeth that than not onely appeared in the night flames of fyer with burnyngs in the Element thundrings and earthquakes But also he applieth and maketh serue to this purpose the straunge and vnaccustomed Sygnes that came to passe and befell twelue yeares before that he was Consull at such time as L. Cotta and Torquatus were in that office In the which time vehement flames of lightning fell vppon diuers towres in the palaice of the city of Rome diuers Images of gods were displaced diuers pictures of men of old tyme throwen downe The tables of brasse wherein the lawes were grauen the molten Image also of Romulus founder of Rome which was as it weare sucking and hanging ouer the Wolfes dugges was striken with thunder Cicero describing the spirite and nature of Catilina sayth that there was neuer the lyke monster in the world that was compact and mixed with such couetousnes so many contrary sundry cōplexiōs repugning one against another The same yere that Cicero was consull C. Octauius was borne The byrthe of C. Octauius and the countrey of Iudea was made tributary to the Romaines after that Ierusalem had bene assaulted and wonne by Cn. Pompeius Fyue yeres after at such tyme as Piso A. Gabinius were consuls the Swicers dyd chaunge their dwellyng place and did purpose to passe by prouince for to enter and perce through the residue of Fraunce and there to make theyr habitation because of the goodnes and fertilitie of the countrey This beyng knowen and disclosed C. Iulius Cesar yonger then Cicero by sixe yeares did raise vp his army for as much as the Senate had assigned him that Prouince and went to mete the enemy The Swicers ouerthrowen by Iulius Cesar whome he ouerthrew in playne battayle And shortly after he dyd the lyke vnto Arionistus king of the Germaines who had oppressed the countreys of Lions in Fraunce but especially the Burgonions the frends and companions of the Romains for he ouerthrew hym neare vnto the riuer called Rhyne being departed from Bessanson a towne of Burgonie Which being done he brought the whole countrey of Gallia vnder the subiection of the Romains Afterwards sayling into Britan he assubiected the Ile Cicero reciteth that Cesar did write to him out of Britan the first of September and that he receyued the letters the .xxviii. day of the sayd moneth About the time that Cesar was departed into Gallia Cicero was so vexed troubled of P. Claudius Tribune of the people The exile of Cicero that he flede and went in exile after that he had made an oration vnto the people horsemen by the which he commended vnto them hys chyldren and familye Certayn monethes after he was to the great ioye and gladnes of the people called home againe And then he made another oration vnto the Romains by the which he gaue thanks vnto his frends Since he layd the cause of his bannishement vpon L. Piso and A. Gabinius beinge then Consulls and proued by the orations whych he pronounced against them both that he was betrayed by them In one of the sayde orations he counselleth the Senate to take from them the Prouinces of Syria and of Macedonia and not to call backe againe C. Cesar who prospered in the warres that he had in Gallia but rather that they should continue him in this gouernment to the entent that he might bring the warre to an end Ptolomeus Auletus During these enterprises Ptolomeus Auletus king of Egipt beyng dryuen out of his kyngdom for his cowardnes and crueltie he fled and retyred vnto Rome The king of Egipt re-established by the Romaines where the Senate through the perswasion of Cn. Pompeius dyd reestablishe him by A. Gabinius in puttyng downe Archelaus who raigned by the consent of the people Gabinus was afterwardes condemned to paye vnto the publyke treasour ten M. talents or accordyng to the reckning of certain of our tyme .vi. millions of gold for because he had receiued as much of Ptolomeus M. Crassus vnto whom the commission of the war of Parthia had bene geuen was also vanquished beyond Euphrates slaine contrary to the law of armes as he communed and reasoned of matters Crassus slaine by the Parthians This is he who vsed to say that none was riche yf he could not maintain an army with his own reuenew In the selfsame time P. Clodius was killed of T. Annius Milo And albeit that Cicero did defend the cause of Milo Pompeius being for the third time Consull yea him self alone not withstanding he was bannished The French war beyng once ended which was about the viii yere ciuil war was raised betwene C. Cesar and Cn. Pompeius
his kinsman The cause and beginning hereof was that Cesar shuld be put out of his Consulship Ciuill war betwene Pompeius and Cesar if he did not out of hand discharge his armie geue ouer the prouince But he was persuadid in himselfe that he could not be in safety if he did dismisse his souldiars Notwithstanding he made this offer that both he Pompeius shuld yeld vp their souldious and for asmuch as this was not accepted he toke his iourney with an vncredible swiftnes he came out of France into Italy with his hoste entred into Flaminia where he tooke diuers townes Which being knowen Pompeius the two consuls to wit C. Marcellus L. Lentulus did flye frō Rome went to Ranusiū of the coūtrie of Puell bordering on the sea Cesar came thither also but the cōsuls had alredy passed the sea wer ariued at Durazo whether also shortly after Pmopeius fled And for because that Cesar being excluded by the time and destititute of vessels of warre could not folow or pursewe them he returned vnto Rome where he holding a courte made a complainte of the iniuries done against him and did propound certaine conditions of peace But because that the Senate dyd shewe themselues slacke and colde herein he went vnto Massilia where the gates were shute against him Wherfore he hauing prepared an army by sea he beseiged the towne both by Sea and by Land The Captaines of Pompeius yelde vnto Cesar leauing there his lieutenauntes he toke his iournie towardes Spaine where finally Petreius Afranius the captaines of Pompeius dyd yelde vnto hym wyth all theyr armie Whiche beinge done he retourned backe again vnto Massilia the which then beyng voyde of all hope did yelde vnto his deuotion Straight waies after this he returned vnto Rome hauing in his absence bene made dictatour by M. Lepidus Pretor where he made an assembly of the people and was chosen Consull with P. Seruilius Isaurico Afterwardes hauinge lefte and gyuen good order of his affaires he went into Grecia to conclud he ouerthrew Pōpeius in a great battaile in the contry of Thessalia wanne his campe yea albeit his armie was much greater Pompeius vanquished by Cesar Pōpeius flying away went into the countrie of Egipte at which time raygned Ptolomeus Dionisius the sonne of Ptolomeus Auleta whome as we haue sayde Pompeius beynge Consull dyd by A. Gabinius reestablyshe in hys Kyngdome whereof he was depryued Pompeius hoped that in partye recompence of hys good deede he should finde some helpe succour in that country But the king was then but a childe Wherthrough it befell that his famillier frendes dispisynge the present state of Pompeius or at the least fearing certayne motions and vprores The death of Pompeius dyd slaye him by treason Cesar pursewing him ariued at Alexandria accompained with three thousand and two hundreth men where he was first of al aduertised of the death of the sayd Pompeius Cicero giuing his Iudgement of them both sayth on this wise If so be that Pompeius had demissed somewhat of his great grauitie and that Cesar had greatly refrained from hys couetousnes we myght haue had some certaine assured peace and some publike weale The king of Egipte was then in armes against his syster Cleopatra Cesar beynge in Alexandria would that they shoulde pleade their controuersyes rather by ryghte before hym then by armes seyng that he was Consull of the Romaines and that certaine yeares before amitie was contracted by lawe and consent of the Senate wyth Ptolomeus the kinges father The gouernours toke this thyng very greuously and complayned that the royall maiestie was greatly empeched lesned in that they were caused to appeare and pleade their cause Warre in Alexandria againste Cesar Their hartes then were so enflamed with wrath that they put themselues in armes against Cesar who after great and sondry dangers reinained victorious Notwithstanding the king being dead he ordained not neither made the kingedome of Egipte in maner of a prouince but left the kingdome vnto Cleopatra and to hys yonger brother From thence he toke his iournye into Syria and afterwardes into Pont where he defyed the king Pharnaces the sonne of Mithridates and did pacifye Cappadocia Armenia Gallograecia Pont and Bithynia This beynge done he came agayne into Italye and after that into Rome And in the middest of the winter yea in the shortest dayes therof he toke shyppe in Sicilia for to sayle into Affrike albeit that the pryncipalest and chiefest diuinor had aduertised him not to take his iournie till winter were past After the iourney of Pharsalica Scipio and Cato sōnes of the Nephewes of A. Portius Cato were retyred in to the sayd coūtry of Affrike and hauing raised a great band of men of warre they had assubiected and brought the king Iuba vnder theyr gyrdell Cesar then ariued there and beseyged and ouer threwe them both Cesar victorious in Afrike But as concerning Cato he slew himself at Vtica for feare of falling into the handes of Cesar The which Cicero approueth beyng of opinion that considering the incredible grauitie that he naturallye had it behoued hym rather to dye suche a death then to behold the face of the Tirante Cato was of the Stoical secte and sometimes he did defend in the open Senate certaine brutishe and horrible sentenses as if he had bene in the politike gouernaunce of Plato according to the saying of Cicero and not in the affaires of Rome Ceser was retourned vnto Rome hauing triumphed ouer the Galles Egiptians those of Pont and of Affrike he stirred vp warre agaynst Sext. Pompeius in Spaine where he also gaue him the ouerthrowe So therefore all his enemies beyng vanquished and the people beynge pacifyed in all parties he returned to Rome .v. yeares after the beginning of the ciuil warre And after that he had triumphed ouer Spaine he fell out of fauour and was hated of diuers forbecause that he had always kept retayned to himself the name power of Dictatour which was offered him for that also he did electe such Senatours as semed good to his fantasye and almost onely dyd conferre the honours offices of the weale publike vnto whom it pleased him After then that the estate of the publike weale was changed and that the gouernement therof was reducted vnder the power auctority of one only the cōspiraties which were made against him were so enflamed that v monthes after his returne vnto Rome Cesar slayn in the Senate the xv of March he was murdered in the court of Poinpeius where the parliment was kept euen by thē who were greatly boūd vn to him for his clemencye gentilnes lately before shewed vnto thē For he had pardoned thē theyr putting on of armes against him in the war of Pompeius The muderers were M. D. Brutus C. Cassius Cn. Domitius C Trebonius Q. Tullius Cimber the two Seruilians Casca Hala dyuers others M.
Antonius Consull fellow in offyce with Cesar doth charg Cicero also before the Senate as consenting therto forasmuch as incoÌ„tinently after Cesar was slaine M. Brutus holding vp the bloudy sword cried out naming hym was thankful vnto him for the libertie recouered Some there be that say that Cesar spake in Greke to M. Brutus euen in the very instant that he fell vpon him to slay him and that he called him soÌ„ne I caÌ„not wel tell how they vnderstand the same Notwithstanding so it is that it is manifest by Cicero that Brutus was but fiften yeres yonger then Cesar The said Cesar had made certain lawes partly in hys consull ship partly when he was Dictatour Leges Iulae the which in his respect are called IuliaÌ„ lawes They are as concerning feildes iudgements violence requiring againe of the polings extorsions of gouernors of benifites of vsurie There are certaine other of the same name but they were made by Octauius Euery one doth coÌ„fesse that Cesar was very clement mercifull Cicero moreouer doth prayse him for his spirite for his subtilitie reason memorie instructioÌ„ ripe thoughts diligence yet neuer theles he was greatly greued and wroth that he did raigne beare rule albeit that he couÌ„terfeted the contrarye He writeth in a certaine epistle to Atticus Thou shalt vnderstaÌ„d that this raigne caÌ„not endure aboue half a yere Now in al these doinges Cicero was greatly variable incoÌ„stant For in the war he ioyned himselfe to the campe of PoÌ„peius toke his part albeit that he did reprehend his faint hart his negligence Moreouer besides this The inconstancye of Cicero in the epistles to his frends he called Cesar during the war tirant monster But after that PoÌ„peius was dispatched that Cesar pardoned diuers he changed his time note and in three orations whiche he made he exalted him euen to the verye heauen so greatlye dyd he prayse and magynifye hym And sence that Ceser had bene aduertised that he was conspired against and that oftentimes he brast forth in these words that he had lyued long ynough Cicero prayed and besoughte hym to put away that fantasye For althoughe that he had gotten as much glory as was possible that in respecte hereof he had lyued long ynough for himself notwithstanding he had liued to lytle a whyle for the publike weale the which could not well want or be destitute of his succour and defence Moreouer saith he thou hast no occasion to feare any daunger at all for all as many as we are of vs doe promyse the not onelye to make good watche for to kepe the but also to present and put our owne persones in readines before thee After that Ceser was slaine he triumphed for ioye said that the mourderers had obtained so great glory that the verye heauen could not comprehend the same This then is the fourth and last Monarchie The fourth and last Monarchye Wherin we must note how of small beginninges that Citye hath encreased and mounted by lytle and litle to souerain power For beyng buylt by shypheards fynallye it became Maisteris of the whole world Hereafter folowyng I wyll declare as briefely as shal be possyble lowe she is sence decayed and fallen daye by daye from that hyghnes and greate domination and hath bene ruined The second booke Octauius Antonius Lipidus C Cesar beynge slayne C. Octauius hys Nephewe by hys Systers syde drewe the legions vnto him and pursewed most sharpely the mourderers At the beginninge it semed that he put himselfe in armes agaynste Marcus Antonyus in fauour of the publike weale but finally he hauinge parted the Empyre betwene hym and M. Lepidus he established the dominion of thre Triumuiri named Triumuiri Cicero slaine by Antonius vnder whom M. Cicero who had made vehement warre againste Antonius was slaine by his commaundement beyng then thre score and thre yeares olde eyght yeres after the decease of Q. Hortentius who was eyghte yeares elder then he as it hath bene sayd here before It is certain that Cicero was fouly deceiued in his enterprises For because that after the death of Cesar Antonius did trouble the publike weale he commaunded vnto the Senate C. Octauius Cesars kinsman beyng then a yonge man of the age of twenty yeares whom he meruelously exalted to the Senate And not content herewyth he put in their heads to create him Consull hauyng no respecte to his age alledging to the perswation therof diuers auncient examples by the whych he would proue that the thing were lawefull Moreouer he confuted the argumentes by the which certaine causes of feare and danger might be alledged and swore vnto the Senate by hys fayth that Octauius shoulde alwayes remayne such a citezin as he was at that time sayd that they ought both to wishe him and desyre him Sence that Octauius did resyste and withstand him and committed him into the hands of Antonius M. Brutus also doth grauely rebucke him for that he flattered Octauius Now as it oftentimes commeth to passe the gredy desire of bearing rule and aucthoritie did engender raise vp dyssentions amongest theÌ„ Warre botwene the in such sort that Lipidus being deposed from the office of the Triumuiri and beyng bannished Triumuiri for hauing conspired against Octauius he sought to reuenge himself vpon Antonius who was his other compaynion and fellow in office And after the victorie of ActiacaÌ„ he ouerthrewe him with Cleopatra of whom mention hath ben made herebefore nere vnto Alexandria and constrayned them to kyll themselues Afterwards he made Egipt a prouince of the Romains The Historiographers say that in the raigne of Ptolomeius Auletes the yerely reuenue of Egipt did mounte to twelue thousand fyue hundreth talentes The yerely reuenew of Egypte the which summe according to that counte of the learned men of our time doth amounte vnto three score and fyuetene hundreth thousande crownes courrante Sence that the sayd country was vnder the aucthoritie of the Romaines it is estemed and Iudged to haue bene of farre muche greater reuenue by reason of the trafike of India and Ethiopia After the death of Antonius Octauius kept alone the Empyre fortye fower yeares And the twenty ninthe of his Empire the yeare of the creation of the world three thousand nyne hundreth fiftye and foure as diuers counte oure Sauiour Iesus Christ was borne The byrth of Iesus Christ seuen yeres after that Herodes surnamed the Great had sumptuously reedifyed the temple of Ierusalem altogether ruinated M. Antonius had married Octauius Syster but falling in loue wyth Cleopatra at such time as he visited the country of Asia he forsoâ—e hys sayd wyfe and toke Cleopatra The which gaue partly occasion of the warre The excesciuenes of Antonius Cleopatra Bothe of them were excessyue in all manner of sumptuousnes and the Authours haue written things almost incredible of their feastes delicacies pleasures
Capadocia and Asia and beyng embarked on the sea Euxinus they entred into the ryuer Ister and saylyng vpwards they did great violence vppon the confederates and aliauntes of the Romaines The meane whyle Gallienus was so negligent and voyde of all care that hauyng worde and newes brought hym of the prouinces whych did rebell and of the publyke miseries he made but a laughyng stocke thereat and contemptuously answered as yf notwithstanding these accidents the publyke weale dyd remaine firme and stable and entertayned in her dignitie her state and condition beyng nothyng lessoned or diminished Wherethrough he grewe into contempt as well of hys owne countrey as of straungers for hys fylthy lyuyng In such sort that dyuers enemies dyd ryse vp agaynst the publyke weale At that tyme the Gothes and Scithians were in armes with diuers other people mingled amongest them who had all conspired against the Romaynes and they were aboute three hundred and twenty thousand men Flauius Claudius But Flauius Claudins Gallienus successour who was slaine put them all to the edge of the sword as he was a man of great vertue worthy of longer lyfe After him Aurelianus raigned forbecause that his vertue was knowen manifest Aurelianus For in the tyme of Claudius raigne he had shewed a profe and triall thereof against the enemye in diuers places He had sundry warres in Lumbardy and fought against the Marcomanes dangerously and doubtfully at the begynnyng but luckely and fortunatly after that at his request the Senate had made the bookes of Silla to be searched and had done the things requisite for to pacifie the Goddes From thence he macched to Rome where he caused certain rebells who had conspired in his absence to be punyshed Which being done he tooke in hande for to recouer again the Prouinces that are in the East and in Syria Zenobia y◠valiāt wyfe of Odenatus the which Zenobia a valiaunt and couragious woman murderer of her owne chyldren dyd possesse who were left vnto her by her owne husbande Odenatus who in Gallienus tyme had made diuers skermishes assaultes in his dominiōs In euery coast as the sayd Aurelianus passed through he saccaged the enemyes of the Romains as in Sclauonia Thracia and other places and finally beyng entred into the enemyes countrey after doubtfull and daungerous fyghte he remained Victour in suche sorte that he tooke the Queene prisoner who trusting and hopyng vppon the succour of the Persians and Medians had stoutly and manfully resisted him The principall citie of the countrey which he had subdued was Palmyra whose inhabitantes dyd rebell at such time as the Emperour passed frō Asia into Europa and slew the garrison with theyr captayn He then retourned agayne thither and after he had taken the citie he destroyed spoiled it puttyng them all in such sort to the edge of the sword that he pardoned neither man woman nor chylde Afterwards he conquered againe Egypt whych was reuolted from the subiection of the Romaines This done he triumphed at Rome from thence passing through Sclauonia he defied the Persians But he was murthered in the way by his familier frends After his death the Empyre was vacant for a certayn space a thynge whych neuer befell afore since Romulus tyme. At length Tacitus succeded Tacitus who raigned a few monethes in the which he did nothyng worthy of memory The Senate had made request vnto him that at his disceasse he woulde not leaue the charge and gouernment of the Empyre to his children but that he would chose some valiaunt and god man whose vertue should be vnto them well knowen By this meanes Probus was elected Probus who being confirmed both of the hooste and of the Senate he recouered Fraunce and vanquished the French Almains in diuers conflictes In Sclauonia he slew and cut in peces the Sarmatians and other nations Afterwards hauyng made passage through Thracia he subdued the barbarous people and made them by feare of the name of the Romains and by his great valiauntnes become obedient vnto him He pacified Asia and moued the king of the Parthians onely through his fame and renoume to demaund defier peace of him He made agrement with the Persians forthwith retourned into Thracia and transported certain straunge people vanquished by him into the countrey of the Romains of whom some remained faithful other sone vnfaithful rebellious Whome he afterwards suppressed for the most part After hauing pacified the sedicions styrred vp in Fraunce Spaigne England he marched by Sclauonia for to go inuade the Persians but he was circūuented slain of his mē by treason The publyke weale then florished because that the nations round about were euery where peaceable quiet in such sort that on a certayn tyme Probus brast forth in these wordes saying we shall short stand in no nede of Legions and garrisons The cause of Probus death The souldiours beyng offended with these words consulted for to hinder the peace Carus was placed in his roume who saccaged the Sarmatians Carus which were become more arrogant and presumptuous through the death of Probus they threatned Italy Afterwards in the iorney against the Persians he toke Mesopotamia proceading further he was apprehended by death His yonger sonne named Numerianus folowed the battaill straight after him for he had left Carinus in Fraunce for to be gouernour of the countrey Numerianus was slaine by his father in law Diocletianus tooke his roume Diocletianus with whō Carinus made battaill on a certain tyme for the Empyre but beyng vanquished he dyed Diocletianus seyng the troubles and tumultes whych rose vp in sundrye places tooke Maximianus for hys adherent He pacified Fraunce Maximianus whyche was vnquiet and Affricke lykewyse Diocletianus for hys part dyd pacifie Egypt puttyng to death the authours of the tumultes and conspiraties He conquered also England ten yeres after their reuoltyng And to the end that the state of the publyke weale myght be moore stable and that no moore tumultes myght be raysed as touchyng the succession Galerius a Constātius he adopted Galerius and Maximianus Constantius Chlorus Galerius beynge sent by Diocletianus againste Marses kyng of the Persians had vnhappye lucke in battaill for he lost the most part of his armye But hauyng commaundement to renewe agayn the fyght he ouerthrew the enemyes in a great battell and entred further into those parties then euer dyd any Emperour except Traianus For he tooke the towne of Othesiphon and subdued all Assiria Moreouer he put vnder hys subiection fyue Prouinces beyonde the floud Tiger which were reuolted in the tyme of the Emperour Traianus All thyngs beyng well ordered in Asia Diocletianus retourned into Europa where at that tyme the Scythians Sarmatians Alains Bastarnes Carpians and they of Hesse and of Franconia were peaceable and kept them selues quiet A resignation of the Empyre And shortly after he and Maximianus did renounce the Empyre assigning it into
the hands of their companions fellow helpers Constantius had the dominion of Fraunce England Spaigne Italy Affrick Galerius of Sclauonia Grecia Asia At thys tyme Marcellus was Bishoppe of Rome The degree of Marcellus bishop of Rome of whome a certayn decre is founde that it is not lawfull for the byshops to assemble a Synode or generall counsell without the authoritie of the romaine Sea nor any bishop to condemne any what soeuer he be yf he appeale vnto Rome This man was poore as hys predecessours were liued in great affliction because that Maxentius the Emperour did persecut him Wherfore it is easy to be iudged whether that he being so vexed troubled was so arrogaÌ„t presumptuous to make such decrees Constantius being disceased at york Seuerus Marimianus Maxentius Galerius adapted Seuerus Maximianus In the meane time the nobles other souldiours of the gard which wer at Rome did elect Maxentius for to be Emperour after that Seuerns was slain Maximianus toke Lucinius to be his companioÌ„ Lucinius Great trouble was raised betwene these by reason whereof the nobilitie of Rome called Constantine the sonne of Constantius who had his abiding in FrauÌ„ce for to deliuer the citie from the tyrany of Maxentius CoÌ„stantinus drew into Italy with a part of his souldiours wan the first battel finaliy slew cut a sunder the hooste of Maxentius neare vnto Rome Constantinus the great He had also war against Lucinius who was vaÌ„quished inbattaill at the last was slayn of hys owne Souldiours Certayne holde that the cause of the warre was because that Lucinius dyd sharply persecute the ChristiaÌ„s not withstandynge that Constantine had admonyshed prayed hym to restrayne therefrom For from the resurrection of Christ vntyll this tyme almost for the space of CCC yeres they which made profession of Christ were afflicted tormented diuers wayes For let me omitte to speake of that which the holy scripture reciteth of Stephen of Iames the brother of Iohn of Peter prisoner but diliuered by the angel yea let me omit Paule a great persecuter of the church of god who after he was coÌ„uerted did suffer infinite dauÌ„gers for the profession of Christ The romain Emperours haue raised vp horrible most cruel sortes of torments This did Nero Tyrantes Domitianus Traianus Septimus Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus Diocletianus CoÌ„stantyne doth embrace the doctrine of Christ Maximianus Constantinus remaining victorious embrased the true religion serued as a port refuge vnto the Christians And then first of all the bishops of Rome began to be in safetie For hitherto almost al of them were martyred The number of the bishops since Peter whom they would haue to be the first vnto this time do amount to .xxxiii. Their decrees are enclosed in the bookes of the counsels but the most part of them are so vaine folyshe yea so contrary vnto the holy scriptures that it is to be presupposed that long tyme after some others haue inuented counterfeited them But if they be verily of them proceded of their forge it semeth that the same which S. Paule prophecied might be rightly applied then this respect To wit that euen in the sonne of perdition man of synne began to worke the mysterie of iniquitie The decree of Anacletê° There is found a certain decre which is attributed vnto Anacletus whom certain do place the fourth after Peter by the which he affirmeth the church of Rome to be the head of all others by the commaundement institution of Christ Another decre is vnder the title of Alexander his successour whereby he commaundeth to consecrate water with salt for to purifie the people and to mollifie the assaults and subteltie of the deuill I besech you what agremeÌ„t or likenes is there betwene these things and the maiestie of the Apostles or the writings of Iohn the Euangelist who almost liued euen to thys age I haue only specified these two to the end that the readers might iudge of the residue who are of such like quality endued with such ambitious and couetous mynds and euen as the language is barbarous so likewise the sentence hath no salt which Paule requireth in the ministers of the churche The donation of Constantine is a lye forged of the papistes The bequethment or dontion of Constantine is of the lyke style the which they haue not forgotten in theyr bookes as the foundation and fortiâ—ication of their power For the cause and occasion of his excessiue liberalitie maye be reprehended by the histories and conuicted of falsholde And put the case that this Emperour had bene so prodigall yet could he not diminyshe his right herein but only from hymselfe not froÌ„ his successors who had like power authoritie were defenders of the weale publyke For he can not be named father of a countrey that doth lessen the right reuenue of the Empyre nether can he prescribe a lawe to the preiudice of hys companion lyke in authoritie At the commaundment of Constantine there was publyshed and held a counsell at Nice in Bithinia whereat a great multitude was present In the sayde counsell the opinin of Arius was condemned The couÌ„sell of Nice against Arius who denied Christ to be of equal substaunce with the father It is fouÌ„d in writing that not only the bishops of Europa Asia wer there assistaÌ„t but also those of Egipt Libia Amongst other things it was ordeyned decreed that the auncient custome should be obserued in Egipt Libia Pentapoli to wit that they all shuld be subiect vnto the bishop of Alexandria albeit the bishop of Rome vsurped kept back this custome Moreouer that the priuileges should remain vndiminished at Antioche in other Prouinces churches After this counsell a certayn man called Eustathius spred abroad diuers wicked opinions Eustathius authour of the monkish superstition as to flie froÌ„ marriage to vse new vnaccustomed maner of garments to abstayne from eating of flesh to forsake their possessions Now for asmuch as diuers married men did seperate themselues for their wiues diuers bondmen dyd forsake their maisters went tooke this new religious garment as they call it women also dyd the lyke forsakyng their husbands And because that they that dyd eate fleshe were dispised and estemed as defiled and offendynge God as also the ministers of the church that wer marryed Vppon thys occasion a Counsell was holden at Gangre a citie of Paphlagonie wherein were condemned they who taught on this maner with them that beleued the same Eustathius opinion condemned After that Constantinus had been honourably saluted and gratified by the Senate and the romain people because of the peace restored vnto the publyke weale he set hys whole mynde vppon forreyn warres vanquished in diuers conflicts the Gothes and Sarmatians who oppressed Thracia In hys old age he
call them should be receyued into twoo Churches The pluralitie of benefices were then vnknowen the whiche at this daye is so common as nothinge more yea almost euen in our memorie amongst the other spots of the Churche this allso hathe bene introducted that the Pope hathe made no dificultie to graunt two bishoprikes vnto one man If he did agayne establishe the coustoume lately obserued herein he shoulde do his dewtie But in asmuche as he can not abyde that do we thynke that he wyll euer suffer that the things should be refourmed accordyng to the holy scriptures decrees of the Apostles and of the primatiue church No doubt they labour in vayn who seke to rule and frame the Popes doings accordyng to the maner of the auncient religion Martianus dyed the seuenth yere of his raign and Leo succeded hym Leo Emp. As touchyng Rome and the West parties after the taking of the said citie by Gensericus his retourne into Affrike Auitus succeded Valentinianus after hym Maiorianus and after him Seuerus after him also Authemius and consequently others of small name who slew one another by treason and ambushments The Wes◠empyre sore afflicted so that none of them raygned long wherthrough that part of the Empyre towards the West was very soore afflicted and vexed There is found nothyng wrytten of the Emperour Leo whych is worthy of memory but that he made an atonement and league wyth the Gothes who forraged in Sclauonia There are yet found one or two Epistles of Leo bishop of Rome which are directed vnto hym The sayd Emperour had Zeno Isauricus to hys successour Zeno Isauricus Amongest them who after the death of Valentinianus had the domination of Rome there was one also named Augustulus At this tyme Odoacer bryng accompanied with a great armye of Herulois and Scyrois passed from Hungaria into Italy by force of armes He stewe Orestus a gentle man of the chiefe bloud of Rome whom he had taken in Pauie where he was retired wyth his souldiours not content therewith he proyed and brunte the towne and procedyng onwards he subdued the whole countrey euen vnto Rome Augustulus seyng these thyngs hys corage fayled hym and willingly euen of his owne accorde he depriued him self of the Empyre Odoacer subdueth Italye Odoacer made his entrye into Rome and after he had obtained the domination of Italy he enioyed it raigned peaceably ouer the same for the space of xiiii yeres That time passed the Emperour Zeno did send Theodoricus king of the Ostrogothes from Constantinople In his way he vanquished Gepides and Bulgares who did resist him Theodoricus king of the Ostrogothes Afterwards passyng by Mysia and Hungaria he entred into Italy and encamped before Aquileia where Odoacer went to mete hym and they fought earnestly together wyth all theyr myght and power Odoacer had the worst and was put to flyght But he renewed his army presented agayne the battayll about Uerona Where he being also the second tyme ouertorowen and put to flight he hastened towards Rome leauing the greatest number of his men behind him partly slaine in the field and partly drowned in the ryuer of Athese He being excluded from Rome spoy led the fields and medowes there abouts and retyred to Rauenna where he was beseiged almost thre yeres and finally hauyng yelded hymself was slain He being dispatched Theodoricus remained maister of Italy and made his entrye into Rome where he held two cousells of bishops whome he had made to come thither out of diuers Prouinces of Italy for to iudge vppon the cause of Symnachus bishop of Rome whome many did reiect as vnworthy and euill elected This Theodoricus was an Arrian as the bokes of the Papistes report It is he who was surnamed Veronensis and was kinsman to that Theodoricus who as it hath bene said was slaine in the battell against Athila Odoacer was a Rugien which is a certain people of Germany towardes the sea of * It is the ocesian sea towards y◠countrey of Prusse Balthicus Theodoricus seking to fortifie him selfe did ioygne the kinges of the Wandales Visigots and of Bourgony in affinitie and league with him Whilest these thyngs were a doyng in Italy great tumults were raised in Thracia Affricke and England in which finally the Saxons were maisters Anastasius succeaded Zeno who was disceassed at Constantinople He mainteyned certayne Anastasius who helde the opinion of Eutyches Whereof sprong great dissention betwene hym and Gelasius bishop of Rome who accordyng to theyr bookes dyd admonysh hym by large and long letters not to maintayn or defend such men For there are two principall thyngs which are concurrant in the regiment of this world the sacred authoritie of bishops and the regall power As touchyng the byshops they haue the greater charge in as muche as they must once render an accompt for the residue Truth it is that he presedeth in ciuill pollicie but not withstandyng he is subiect to the ministers of sacred thyngs and dependeth vppon theyr iudgement And seyng that the Priests do obey the polityke lawes it is mete that he for his part do not refuse that whych the Dispensatours and Presidents of sacred thyngs do decerne Also for as much as thys honour vndoubtedly ought to be referred to al the ministers of the Church How much more then vnto hym whom God fyrst of all by hys voyce and after by the consent of the church The arogācie of the bishop of rome would haue to be aboue all order of Priesthode Let hym therefore refrain and heare hym rather as an intreatour in this life then as an accusour in the other Hys decre as touchyng the holy Byble is ioygned next after Wherein he attributeth chief authoritie vnto the Romain sea so they name it secondly vnto Alexandria and thyrdly vnto Antioche In Anastasius raigne great seditions and motions of warre were styrred vp in Cilicia the which were asswaged and pacified after that the author was dispatched The Hunnes dyd then also spoyle Armenia and Capadocia The Getes Macedonia Thessalia and Albania in such sort that the Emperour was constrayned to pacifie ech of them with gyftes and great losses About thys tyme to wit the yere of saluation CCCCC Clodoueus kyng of Fraunce receyued fyrst of all the religion of Christ after he had bene long tyme solicited by hys wyfe who was of the house of Bourgony to forsake the Idols and superstitions Clodoueus the first christen kyng of Fraunce There remaineth yet a counsell of Orleans holden in his raigne by .xxxiii. French byshops by the whych amongest other thyngs it is ordeyned that if any hauing rauyshed a mayde flye and take Sanctuary in the temple yea albeit he haue enforced her that he should not dye but that he should eyther be as a bondman or els redeme hym self by her The ryght Canon sayth that Anastasius braste a sunder and so dyed others say that he was striken wyth lyghtnyng Iustinus folowed hym
third booke How the Almaines are entred into frauÌ„ce BEFORE that we begyne to speake of Charlemayne vnto whom according as we haue sayd the West Empyre was bequethed it behoueth to declare somewhat of the Germaines of whom he proceaded Fyrst of all it is most euident that the Germayns haue oftentymes passed the Rheine and haue entred into the French dominioâ—s to the end there to make their inhabitition because of the goodnes of the country For the Teuthons did pierce into Prouince where they were defeicted by the Consull C. Marius Synce as the Auuergnaes and they of Autun did stryue and contâ—nd for the principalitie certain bands of Almaynes hyred of the Auuergnaes and tâ—â—y of Sens came thether By litle and lytle they so encreased that vnder the king Ariouistus they possessed the most part of the country Iulius Cesar defeicted them in plaine battaâ—le And certayn yeres aâ—ter as he made war against them of Liege which is a people beyond Brabant the Germains passed again ouer the Rheine for to assaile the Romain host But they were ouerthrowen where the Maze and the Rheyne meteth Many yeares after they held theÌ„selues within their limites because that the Romain Emperours made war vpon theÌ„ But hauing gotten a certayn apt commodious time they loked vnto theyr aduantage and forraged Fraunce without ceasse So likewise in the Emperour Gallienus time a voluptuous man and of no worthines they did inuade and oppresse it by succession of time became so mightie that the Emperour Probus the fourth after Gallienus draue them out with great difficultie Iulianus also Lieutenant of the Emperour Constans dyd ioyne in battaile with them Synce in the Emperour Honorius time the Gothes entred by force of armes into Fraunce who beyng encoumbred with diuers wâ—rres graunted them the country of Aquiâ—ania to dwell in On the other syde the French Almayns entryng in armes through the country called Gallia Belgica suppressed them of Trire GilderlaÌ„d Cleaue with them of Liege of Terouane of Turney of Amiens of Beauuoys of Soissonois Which done they toke their habitatioÌ„ in that part of Gallia Paris the head Citie of FrauÌ„ce the which yet at this day beareth the name of Fraunce Wherof Paris is the head Citie nere wherto is the town of S. Denis the which was afterwards consecrated to bury the kings as it is yet at this present They being so enlarged and holding also before a great part of Germanie to witte al the country about the riuer of Mein and of Rheyne did not onely defeÌ„d themselues if any came to assaile them but also set vpon others And as the Romain Empire fel dai by day into decay in Asia Afrike the Lombards also waistig Italy they maruelously enlarged their limites in Fraunce Afterwardes manye of their kings raigned there vntil such time as the kyngdom fel into the hands of Pipine of Charlemaine his sonne Charles Martellus was the father of Pipine who was not king but one of the princes great maisters as they are commonly called He vanquished them of Bauiers of Swaine For according as the writters of the * Histories of Actes yerely done Annales of Fraunce do mention the time hath bene that the kynges haue had but only the tytle and the name as touching the whole aucthorie it was in the hands of the great Maister The Great maisters of Fraunce their credit For they were altogether degenerated from the vertue manlines of their ancestours and being addicted vnto pleasures voluptuousnes they toke no care of the publike weale Wherfore the Great maister had the administration and dyd increase so much the more hys power as the lithernes carlesnes of the king did abound Pipine who was great maister in the raigne of Childericus came to the crowne vnder such occasion The kyngs suffer the pope to displace them the thing hauing bene debated vpon before pope Zachary as they say MentioÌ„ is made hereof in the decree which they intitill of Gratianus where it is said to be lawfull vnto the popes to put the kynges out of their thrones But the tytle inscriptioÌ„ of that place is false For albeit that there haue ben two Emperours named Anastasius notwithstaÌ„dyng it cannot be attributed neither to the one nor to the other forasmuch as the first raigned more then two C. yeres before the befell the other .xxxvii. Moreouer in the last mans daies there was neuer any pope named Gelasius I thought it necessarye to adde this Contraritie in the writinges of Popes for to aduertise the readers to read intentiuely warly the writigs of popes For we find in diuers places that their chiefe end is to put their lawes in credite auctority by falsly giuing to vnderstand that they are very ancient Ouer besides this that Pipine did suppresse the Lombards in Italy at the request of the pope as is before said he made warre agaynst the Saxons and moreouer against them of Aquitania whose Duke beynge taken he slewe After the death of Pipyne they oftentymes rebelled But Charlemayne hys sonne putte ende vnto the twoo warres to wytte that of Saxonye and of Aquitania but not wyth oute greate trauayle LoÌ„g warre against the Saxons He had warre with the Saxons for thre thirtie yeares space and during this warre he was also occupied with others For he did subdue the country of Bauier the which did rebell vnder the conduction of the Captain Tassilon and made two iournies against the Lombards and passed euen into the land of Lauor in such sort that he subiected all Italy and ordayned lawes as touchyng policie He constrained also the cities of Gallia situated about the Ocean sea in times past named * The auncient name of Britaine in FrauÌ„ce Armorica and now comprehended vnder the name of lytle Britayne to do their duety Because that they refused to pay the tribute that was yerely dew vnto the kings of FrauÌ„ce He went also into Spain where he was victorious against the Saracenes but at his returne the Gascons a people of Aquitania did lay waite for him in the forestes called * Mountaines which do diuide Fraunce froÌ„ Spaine Pirenees discomfited him Finally at the eyght yeres end he vainquished the HuÌ„nes who held the country of Hungaria pacified Bohemia by hys LieutenaÌ„ts His last war was against the Danois or Normanes who wasted all that side of Germanye and of Gallia with their sea armie Through these so great actes he was surnamed the Great For before tyme the French kings did hold but that part of Germany which is betwen Saxony and Dunowe betwen the Rheyâ—e the riuer of Sala betwene Swane and Bauieres But he annexed the whole country of Saxonie moreouer the two Hungaries Demnarbe or the great Westphalyâ— Ireland and the mediteran cost of Dalmatia The aboue sayd French kings did possesse in Gallia the part which is betwene the Rheine and Loire
beyng dead and he hym self lying sore sycke he called together the chiefest of the nobilitie and desired them to acknowledge Henry Othos sonne for Emperour who at that time was absent This is that Henry whyche is commonly surnamed the Byrder So then we see how the splendour and dignitye of the Empyre hath ben transferred from the Frenchmen from the house of Charlemaine vnto the house of Saxonie These two Emperours Conrad and Henry were not consecrated as they call it by the Bysshop of Rome and therfore dyuers omytte them without making any mention As touching Henry it is sayd that he neglected the ceremonie of sacring which the Pope offred hym saying that the Iudgementes and voice of honest and good men dyd suffyce hym Prudence clemencye of the Emperour On a certaine tyme after Arnulphus the wicked Duke of Bauieres sought to make hymselfe Emperour in such sort that the two armyes beynge in readynes encamped nyghe vnto Rentzburgh But the Emperour demaunded to speake vnto the Duke perticularly and declaryng vnto hym howe he was elected Emperour by manye people of Germanye admonyshyng hym also not to putte so many thousandes of men in daunger amongest whom dyuers were innocent and ignoraunt of the cause of the warre He mollifyed hym in suche sorte that weapon was layd downe on both sydes Burchartus Duke of Swane dyd also rebell But beyng feared by the Emperours power he yelded vnto him The Hungares spoyled agayn the country of Saxonye But the takyng of theyr Duke dyd cause theym to promyse trewes for nyne yeares The Emperour moreouer hauyng mustred hys people warred vppon the Dalmates toke by assalt the town of Prague and Wenceslaus theyr Duke and made Bohemia become tributorye vnto hym He wanne a great vyctorye ouer the Hungares who rushed into Saxonye the tyme of trewes expyred and distributed vnto the poore the tribute that the Saxons payde theym Hys purpose was for to goe vnto Rome but beynge lette and stopped by sycknesse he declared Otho hys eldest sonne successour of the Empyre Otho fyrste of the name He made longe tyme warre agaynste the Bohemyans who dyd rebell He slewe and putte to flyghte the Hungares aboute Wormes who had passed the Rheyne and were entred into Franconye there for to oppresse the Countrye of Saxonye He subiected Bourgonye From thence he marched into Italye wyth a myghtye army and hauynge defeycted the Berengares he toke there another wyfe named Adelheida Where with Luitholdus his sonne beyng displeased beganne to lay wayte and Ambushements to entrappe him hauing diuers that put to their helping hands and amongst others Conrad Duke of Swane his brother in law But beyng narowly beseiged at Rentzburgh by his father he Humbly demaunded pardon obtained it After these things the Hungares hauing oppressed and waisted Fraūce rushed into Germanie in greater multitude then euer and encamped nygh vnto Ausbourg in the plaine which boroweth her name of the flood of Lech The Emperour went and encountred them therewith the Saxons Francons Swanes them of Bauiers and of Bohomia and after fyerce and doubtfull battayle he made such slaughter of the enemies that there remained very few He caused also certayn of their Princes to he hanged He beyng retourned into Saxonye where he gaue order vnto the affaires he toke again his iourney into Italy but before his departure he declared Otho his sonne compaynion and adherant of the Empyre Otho displaceth the Pope When he was ariued at Rome he held a counsell at the which he presided and displaced Iohn the xii for his crimes in whose place he ordayned Leo the eyght of that name There is found a certayn decree of him which is enclosed in the ryght Canon Priueleges of the Emperour where by the example of Adrianus the first he sayeth he doth conferre vnto the Emperour Otho and to his successours the power to electe the Pope to ordayne the Apostolike sea to confirme the Byshoppes Likewise he ordayneth most greuous punishement vnto them that consecrate the Byshops without the approbation of the Emperour Behold here another decree contrarye vnto certayn of the aboue specified After foloweth the maner of the othe by the which they say that the Emperour Otho was bound vnto Pope Iohn But it is not added who was that Iohn and the how many of that name nor how many that Otho was Truely it is maruell that so great things of such importaunce haue bene so negligently put in writing If it be so that Otho dyd thus sweare his reprochers haue reason For seyng that in the othe wherof we spake he amongst other thyngs sweareth that he wyll not put the Popes lyfe in daunger nor take from him his honour and dignitie how wyll this agree with this that he dysplaced Iohn frō his estate accordyng as we haue sayd and placed another Accord these matters who can Otho made the third viage into Italy through the tumultes and dissentions that were there And hauing all appeased he toke hys way homewards But he dyed at the beginning of May and was buried at Magdebourg the yeare of saluatyon nyne hundreth seuentye foure He is called Great for the greatnes of hys artes and singular vertue Otho the second Henry Duke of Bauiers was rebellious vnto Otho the second but he was brought to obedience by force of armes Lotharius was then kyng of Fraunce the brother of whom named Charles the Emperour made Duke of Loraine on charge and condition that he shuld be vassal of the Empire For the Emperour Henry had obtained this Prouince of the king of Fraunce Charles the symple as the Annales mention and left it vnto hys successours by Liniall descent Lotharius beyng dyspleased therewith put incontinently his armie in the feyld and came with al spead to Aix in Duchland went not farre ere he suppressed the Emperour who loked not well to his defence The Emperour assembled his fouldiours fully determined to venge this outrage marched euē vnto Paris and finally made peace after great hurt slaughter done on both sides He beyng retourned drew to Rome and made war vpon the Greks Otho takē by the sea robbers who held Calabria and Puel But his armie was discomfited and he fledde by sea where he was taken by Pirates and afterwards deliuered for a certayne sūme of monnie because he was vnknowen He returned then to Rome and beseiged Beneuentum with the remnant of his armie and finally toke it and brunt it Shortly after he was hurt wyth a darte in a certayne battayle agaynst the Grekes and Saracenes whereof he dyed and was buryed at Rome Otho the thyrde At the consent of the Princes Otho his sonne succeaded hym who was Crowned at Aix in Ducheland He ordayned Bruno to be Pope who was a Ducheman and was named Gregorye the fyft But Crescentius Consull of Rome styrred hym vp for aduersarye Iohn Byshoppe of Placentia The Emperour then came to Rome and punished Crescentius and hys
Emperour the Pope made him ready to say masse and for to purge hymselfe of the crimes imputed vnto hym he swalowed the vnleauened bread or the cake whych they call Corpus Domini giuing hymself vnto a thousand thousand deuills if all weare not fayned and inuented by hys aduersaries The parâ—â—rie of Hildebrand he exhorted the Emperour that yf on hys part he thought the accusations of the Princes to be false that he had wrong done vnto hym that according to his example he shuld swallow the other morsell of the bread consecrated But as the Emperour did excuse hymself saying that he could not wel so doe the Pope did no more presse vpon hym but hauyng made hym a feast he gaue hym leaue very courtuously This being knowen the great lords of Italy were greatly offended for that the Emperour had so vilely and vnhonestly submitted hymselfe vnto him who by wicked practises had vsurped the Papacie who had fylled and polluted all wyth murders and adulteries The Emperour the aulter and defence of lawes They had put all theyr hope in him who is the protectour of Iustice the aulter and defence of lawes and had not only contemned the excommunication but also were sore animated agaynst the pope for hys sake now hath done an acte for euer vnhonest hath fyled and defamed the Empyre with aspote that can neuer be washed away beyng reconciled with the enemy aswell of the Church as of the publike weale These and such lyke rumours did runne amongst them and not rumours only but also they were mynded to electe the Emperours Nephewe and to bring hym to Rome for to displace the Pope The Emperour being informed of these things saw no way more expedient for to appease them then to breake the couenaunt and to ioyne hymself with them Which doyng he brake the Popes enterpryses so that he was coÌ„strained to leaue of his iourny which he had taken towards Germany He then not able to do any other thing declared vnto the Princes of Germanye by Ambassadours that whych had bene done and exhorted them to loke vnto the publike weale Rudolphus elected agaynst Henry This be fell the yere a thousand seuenty seuen The Princes then elected Emperour Rudolphus Duke of Swane who was consecrated by the Byshop of Mense Henry returning into Germany gathered souldiours the which did Rudolphus also who trusted chiefly vpon the succour of the Saxons But at the thyrd conflicte he was so sore hurt that he lyued not long after This victorie wonne Henry assembled the estates at Brixne where it was decreed by the Bishops that there were aswell Italians as Germains that Gregory was not lawfull Byshop of Rome wherfore the Archbyshop of Rauenna was put in hys place Pope Victor against HildebraÌ„d and named Victor the thyrd Thys decre made the Emperour draw to Rome and assaulted Gregory who found meanes to escape and flye awaye The Emperour confyrmed Victor the thyrd and was crowned by him Gregory being dead Vrbanus the second who was the nexte after hym came to Clermount in Auuergne where there was an assemblye of dyuers great Lordes at suche tyme as Philip the fyrst of that name raygned in Fraunce There he perswaded the warre agaynst the Saracenes The Counsell at Clermount whereof afterwards Godfrey of Bullon was head who prospered in dyuers enterpryses and recouered Iurusalem Paschall Vrbanus successour was also the Emperours enemye who myndyng by reason hereof to take voyage into Italye He appoynted hys Sonne to be hys successour He beyng pushed of others and hauyng forgotte the duety whych naturally is ingraffed in vs The sonne against the father brought hys Father into extreame dystreasse and constrayned hym to forgoe the Empyre hauyng the Pope and dyuers Prynces of Germany that sette to theyr helpyng handes He was then Emperour the fyfth of that name whose Father dyed afterwardes in great myserye in the Towne of Liege Certayn yeres after he marched into Italy wyth a mightye armye for to accord the varyaunce that was betwene the publyke weale of the Empyre and the Papacye Henrye the fyfth and makyng hymself way be force of armes fynally came to Rome The Emperour conferred the benifices Nowe synce Constantyne the Emperours dyd conferre the ecclesiastycall honours and dignities The whych at length vexed the Popes that were becomme ryche And for as muche as they thought the thynge vnreasonable they stirred vppe dyuers innimities agaynst the Emperours Thys Emperour then demaunded out of hand hys ryght and aucthoritie wherof was raysed a greate tumulte at Rome in suche sorte that the Emperour was awaked by nyghte for to succour hys menne speadelye who weare slayne of the enemyes on all sydes When the sedicious were defeyted he toke Paschal the second and dyd not let hym depart before that he had satisfied him Pope Phascal taken by the Emperour and made alliaunce and agreed But assoone as the Emperour was returned into Germany the Pope brake the othe which he had made by most holy wordes and excoÌ„municated the Emperour Pope Phascal breaketh his othe This offred occasioÌ„ of rebellion vnto many princes of Germanye chiefly vnto hym of Mense The Emperour beyng retourned into Italy sent Ambassadours vnto the Pope for to make peace but as that was a doyng the Pope diseassed and Gelasius the second succeaded hym The Emperour not content for that no mencion was made vnto him of the election The Pope and the Emperour are excommunicated came to Rome and ordeyned another Gelasius beyng dryuen out excoÌ„municated the Emperour and the Pope that he had constituted And forasmuch as his Ambassadours solicited them of Germany for to reuolte the Emperour was enforced to retyre homeward The meane whyle Gelasius dyed in whose place the Romaines elected Calixtus the seconde He displaced him whome the Emperour had created in despyte of Gelasius and by the meanes of certain he agreed with the Emperour Lotharius the third of that name succeded Henry the fyfth Lotharius the third who was of the house of the Duks of Saxony CoÌ„rad Duke of Swane made warre vpon him beyng dyspleased that the Empire was retourned vnto the Saxons and went into Italye for to vsurpe the Realme whilest Lotharius shoulde possesse Germanye But beynge destitute of succour he retourned and made peace with the Emperour Innocent the .ii. was then Pope at Rome who had Anacletus to his aduersary and for asmuch as Anacletus was of a great house Innocent was constrained to forgoe the place Notwithstanding hauyng required them perours ayde he was reestablished The Emperour being retourned into Germany and hauing there ordered his affayres he tooke agayne hys way into Italy with a great army where he sacked certayne rebellious townes and amongest others Ancone and Spoletum He draue Roger kyng of Sicill out of Puel and out of the land of Lauor in such sort that since Charlemain there is found no Emperour that hath done more enterprises in Italy
pope on thother side his own innocencie He was mynded to go to Lyons to hazard hymself but that again there arose a commotion in Italy whereagainst he employed all hys force But because that his affayres prospered yll being returned into Puel he fell sick finally dyed Some saye that he was poysoned other saye that he was strangled by Manfredus his bastard son who afterwards possessed Italy Azo Iurisconsul was then in great fame Azo Iuris consul after whom came this infinite band of wryters who hauyng transgressed the act of the emperour Iustinian no lesse graue then seuere haue fylled the world with innumerable bokes Wherfrom now we must draw that which the auncient Doctours had moste abundantly and moste learnedly intreated For they robbe one anothers wrytyngs and there is no end nor measure of their wrytyng and all is full of contrary opinions infinite bookes of Legistes in such sort that the saying of the olde man who had consulted with thre aduocates may be here very properly applyed you haue done well sayed he but I am in far greater doubt then I was before I omit the cauilations that are forged daily more more Truly here is that accomplished which the Commodie saith by subteltie one euyll doth engender another Terrence in the cōmodie of Phorninon Cicero complayneth that diuers singuler ordinaunces of lawes are corrupted depraued by the dispositions of Iurisconsuls What woulde he now do yf he lyued and saw these high pyles of bokes with our practise If he sawe this holy temple of lawes to be so vilelye poluted and so miserablye prophaned Howbeit as God hath in our age brought again to light all arts so he hath styrred vp diuers who indued with good letters haue prosperously trauayled herein do yet trauayle Learned iurisconsuls for to reestablishe in her beauty equitie this most excellent science altogether necessary vnto the societie of men which deserueth rather to be called an heauenly gyft drawen from the middest of the fountaines of Philosophie For the which enterprise they are not only worthy of publyke prayse but also of reward After the death of Fridericus the Empyre remained vacant almoste xxii yeres albeit that now one then another were elected who coulde not haue the gouernement in that so troublesome a tyme. In the meane whyle the kingdome of Naples was plucked from the familie of Fridericus and put into the Frenche mens hands and afterward Sicilia also For then the popes dyd strengthen them selues wyth the succour power of Fraunce although that through occasion of these kyngdomes great warre were raised betwene the house of Arragon the house of Anion in Fraunce But question is not thereof at this present The publike weale hauing a long tyme wauered in such sort as hath bene sayd Rudolphus Emperour Rudolphus of Habspurg was elected Emperour who in the beginning of his raygne appeased the motions that were through Germanye Afterwards hauing holden certain counselles or assemblies he enuaded Ottacharus kyng of Bohemia who dyd rebell constrayned hym to make peace vnder conditions which he straight ways brake at the persuation of hys wyfe and commyng the second tyme to the conflict in Austrich remayned slain in the field Ladislaus kyng of Hungary ayded the Emperour Finally peace was concluded wyth the Bohemians by marriage makyng and the Emperour gaue Austrich to Albertus his son whych the kyng of Bohemia had possessed many yeres The Emperour beyng letted with sundrye affaires in Germany dyd neuer take vsage into Italy neyther had he any great mynde therevnto For it is sayd that on a certayne tyme in sportyng he recited the fable of the Fore The fable of the fore who visited not the Lyon that fained hym selfe sicke in a caue because that the trace of other beasts dyd astonish hym who were gone in thyther and retourned not Notwythstandyng he appoynted in Italy a Lieutenaunt and as it were a vice Emperour Moreouer it is sayd that he confirmed Flaminia and the Exarchshyp whereof we haue often tymes spoken to the romain Church because that no great profit dyd redounde vnto hym frō those places For the Emperours were at length so weryed wyth the continuall hatredes and inimities of Popes that by lytle and lytle they became nice and of faynte courage Neyther was it possible for them to haue peace wyth the Popes vntyll such tyme as they had cleane forgone all Italy The popes at lēgth are maisters ouer Emperours And for asmuch as the popes dyd leane vp on the French men and did many sedicions by the the bishops of Germany whom thei allured they came at length to th end of that which they had a long tyme forethought forecasted It is here nedefull to put in memorie the merueylous chaūge of things come to passe when they who had bene preserued by the clemencie of the Emperours and by them had found the meanes to maintayne thē selues in theyr place dignitie beyng magnified by their liberalitie fre gifts haue taken dominion ouer thē also defrauded thē of their patrimony For not being content to haue vsurped the moste part of Italy they haue straight bound vnto them the Kings of Sicilia and of Naples in such sort that these Kyngs pay them yerely tribute and dare not accept the Imperiall dignitie without their licence do auowe this by othe amongest other thyngs when by the popes they are put in possession of the sayd kingdomes The notable ouerthrow and sackyng of the Frenchmē in Sicilia befel in Rudolphus time For then thei held this Ile but because that accordyng to the disordered maner of souldiours thei did many insolences and whoredoms thei were al suppressed by a secret conspiratie which was assigned when thei roung vnto euenyng seruice The Euenings of Sicilia This slaughter is commonly called the Euenings of Sicilia And it fell in the yere M.CC.lxxxi on Easter day The Emperour Rudolphus set dyuers townes at libertie for money the which before dyd appertayne vnto the Empyre to witte Boloigne the fat Florence Guenes Luques and others Afterwards hauing assembled the Princes at Franckford he could not haue his request ratified which was to elect Albertus hys sonne to be his successor He beyng dead Adolphus of the house Nansau succeded him Adolphus Emperour who shortly after had great quarell with Albertus duke of Austrich And for as much as by his doings he fore displeased the princes of Germany yea euē him of Mense by whose meanes he was made Emperour he was displaced Albertus Albertus duke of Austriche sonne of Rudolphus put in his place Who hauing made a leuye of men and beyng ayded of the princes went to encounter Adolphus The conflicte betwene them was aboute Spyre where Adolphus was greuouslye hurt by Albertus and afterwardes slaine by the residue of the multitude After thys victorie Albertus minding to assure himself and fearing least any should say that
Denmarke Polonia Hungarie Sclauonie and all Grecia are cut of from the Empyre with the countries there abouts and the Iles of Sicilia Sardinia Corsica the Iles of Maiorque and Minorque Demembring of the dominion of the Romain Empyre also Sauoy For these prouinces haue their seueral lords and gouernours who acknowledge none other superiour neyther doe aide the affaires of the Empire with asmuch as a penny Behold now Italy the which hath alwaies bene the first auncient patrimony of the Romayn Empire And what hath it at thys day common with vs The kinges of Spaine hold Calabria Puel Campania the kingdome of Naples as by succession of their ancesters The Popes occupie the Citie of Rome which was the proper seat and habitatioÌ„ of Emperours besides this * A couÌ„try in Italy otherwise called Marca Anconitana Picenum Flaminia and a part of Toscane In the meane while so far is it that they acknowledge the Empire that the Emperours the gouernours of the Empire are holden bound vnto them The strongest Cities of the country eyther haue their lords or ells rule within theÌ„selues So it is that they hold nothing of the Empire What shall I say of the Venitians who hold not only faire townes and fredomes but also singuler Prouinces Herevpon they are the most freest of the world as it were seperated from the Romain Empire Truth it is that Lombardie holdeth somewhat more of the Empire but it is little assured and no great profite doth redound which is wel certained For after that the Germain Emperours had there fyrst ordained Vicountes as hath bene already sayd and afterwards dukes how hath it bene rent in pieces What profite synce hath redounded vnto Germany Warres did arise which caused the Germaine Emperours not to esteme it whiche as it were offred occasioÌ„ vnto the house of Sforces to driue out the vicouÌ„tes and to take the dukedome to himselfe Vnstability of the lords of Millan Afterwards the kings of Fraunce to wyt Ludouicus the xii and Francis the i. did displace theÌ„ of whom the last held the country almost vi yeres vntill such time as the Emperour Charles the v. did recouer it Briefly of al Italy there redouÌ„ded no profite vnto yâ— Empire For they of the country are not assistaunt at the Imperiall assemblies neither do contribute vnto the publike charges and necessities vnles they do it of their one gentillnes or for to gratifie the Emperour There remaineth but Germany only the which hauing alwaies bene aduersarie and ofteÌ„times rebellious vnto the Romain Empire as it appeareth by former discourses at length was gathered together by Charlemaine and reducted into one bodi And synce that the power of electinge the Emperour was put into the hands of the vii electors as we haue aboue declared Germany hath ben the seat and habitation of Emperours Germanye â—â—e â—â—at of the Empyrâ— It is here nedfull to consider the difficultie that was to gather together this body of empire how litle so euer it be the which hath ben first coÌ„pact in Germanye For is it possible to imagin dissencions ciuill wars that hath not ben through the countries All then that appertaineth to the Empire so behoueth to coÌ„clude contained at this day vnder the name of the empire is inclosed within the confines of Germany out of whose limitts there is nothing The Empyre is very straightly enclosed And yet wythin these so straight limits we se how diuers do draw backe withdraw aswell their owne persons as their goods froÌ„ the subiection of the empire albeit that I hold my peace of kinges nere hand of others who enforce themselues daily asmuch as lyeth in theÌ„ violently to plucke from diminish this poore litle body so defeicted that there resteth but the very bones to put into their handes that which appertaineth vnto the publike weale The prophecie of daniel expounded But for to make an end let vs appropriate in few words Daniell who prophicieth of al these things We haue here before spokeÌ„ of the image that Nabuchodonozor saw in his dreame we wil returne hither herafter Now let vs se the other places in the vii chap. he discribeth the iiii beasts which bi dreame he saw come out of the OceaÌ„ sea to wit the Lion the beare the Leoparde As touching the iiii he saith that it was dredfull terrible to behold The foure beastes The lioÌ„ signifieth the kingdome of the Assirians The two wings that he attributeth vnto him are as the two members of thys Empire to wit Babilon Assiria By the beare is signified the kiÌ„gdome of Persia by the which that of babiloÌ„ was destroied The iii ribbes which he saith to haue ben betwen his other teth ar the principal kiÌ„gs of this monarchy to wit Cirus Darius Artaxerxes Artaxerxes who haue excelled aboue the others haue eaten much flesh that is to say haue ioyned diuers people to their dominion The Leopard is the Empyre of Alexander the great or of the Grekes The foure wings heads thereof are the foure kingdoms which issued out of this monarchy after Alexanders death The fourth last beast is the romain Empyre the ten hornes are his members or partes as Syria Egipt Asia Grecia Afrike The tennâ— hornes Spaine Fraunce Italy Germany England For the Romains possessed al these nations Betwene these ten hornes sprang vp a lyâ—le horne which pluckt away three of the other ten by the which is ment the mahometicall or turkishe raigne the whiche being engendred of smale beginning in the romain monarchy hath occupied thre partes therof to wit Egipt Asia Grecia Moreouer this litle horne hath eyes is presuÌ„ptuous against god For Mahomet propounded a newe doctrine very pleasant to his the which hath a certain apearance of wisedom these are the eyes but vndoutedly this doctrine blasphemeth god For it altogether abolisheth the writings of the prophets apostles the wicked doctrine of Mahomet doth not acknowledge any benifite of Christ On the contrary it iniuriously slaundereth the whole doctrine of Christ Furdermore thys litle horne maketh battell against the saincts doth vehemently afflict them as he saieth vntil that the auncient who hath neither beginning nor ending shal come to make his iudgement Whereof it plainly appeareth that the course of this world shal take end in this empyre none other shall folow but that all principalties of the world being abolished that perpetuall kingdome shall come whereof Christ shal be the head conductor In the .viii. Chap. Daniel discribeth the Ramme Goate The RaÌ„me the goate Which afterwards thangel interpreteth euidently sayeth that the Ramme with two hornes signifieth the kings of the Medes Perses but the Goate the Greke empyre that great horne in his forhead signifieth the first king of this Empyre and that this horne being broken foure other succeded it he sayeth that it
the fyrst election was not rightly constituted required again to be solemnly elected the which was done albeit that Pope Bonifacius the eight did say there against and did not approue that which had bene done of other princes Shortly after as a great quarell was moued betwene him Philip the faire king of Fraunce he confyrmed him Emperour spake meruelous things in the laud praise of his house At length Albertus was murdered of his kinsmeÌ„ at such time as being furnished with al things he had put himself in iourny for to bring the Bohemians to this point for to receiue Fridericus his son to be their king bonifacius the eyght This Bonifacius added vnto the epistles decretalls of Gregory the ix contained in v. bokes another boke named the sixte Amongst other thyngs he ordayned that it was lawful for the Pope to forgoe his estate For it is sayd that by subtyll and vnlawfull meanes he had perswaded that vnto Celestinus the fyfth hys predecessour After Albertus Henry the seuenth of that name of the house of Luxembourg Henry the seuenth came to the Empyre He founde meanes to make Iohn hys sonne king of Bohemia by mariage makyng and drew into Italye whose estate was then most miserable For since the death of the Emperour Fridericus the seconde about fyftie fyue yeares space the Emperours made no count of Italy Wherthrough befell that it was meruelously reâ—t in pieces by theÌ„ that were of most power namely by the Gelphes and Gibellins The Gelphes and Gibellins the which two factions and seditions haue many clients in those couÌ„tries He first then set gouernours through the townes and fredomes of Lumbardie made the inhabitants swere vnto him Afterward hauing soiourned a certayn time at Millan he could not with his labour accord the factions wherof I haue spokeÌ„ And forasmuch as Turrianus went about to take him at vnwares after the conspiratie was disclosed and the aduersaries repulsed he gaue the ouer sight gouernment of the towne vnto the vicouÌ„t All the townes of the country did yeld vnto his power and deuotion Brixe only rebelled the which he toke after long seige brake downe the walls From thence he passed by Genes by Pise for to go to Rome where he was crowned by certain Cardinalls because that Pope Clement the v. had left the town being retired into Fraunce dwelt in Auignon The popes in AuignoÌ„ The Cardinalls demaunded of him the oth which they said ought to be made vnto the Pope but he refused it would not so make it that therby he should be bound vnto the Pope The Pope hearing this he declared afterwards at large this forme of othe for to encrease alwaies his power and regestred it wyth the other decrees which now remaine For he also coÌ„posed diuers lawes which beare his name The ouerthrow of the templiers are called Clementines At this time the Templiers were with the same fury ouerthroweÌ„ in an instant diuers places Philip the fayre king of Fraunce toke the most part of their goods by the Popes permission since their name and memory was condemned and at the counsell of Vienna which was held in * A couÌ„try in Fraunce so called Dauphine their possessions were geuen vnto them who are called horsmen of the Rhodes At this tyme also the vniuersitie of Orleans was erected by the aucthoritie of king Philip and Pope Clement After that the Emperour Henry was dead not without great suspicioÌ„ of poison and that he was buried at Pise sharpe contentions were moued in Germany for the election For Fridericus duke of Austrich son of the Emperour Albertus did contend for the principallitie wyth Ludouicus duke of Bauieres Two Emperours crowned The archbishop of Mense crowned Ludouicus at Aix in germany but the bishop of Coloigne crowned Fridericus at Rome HerevpoÌ„ pope Iohn the xxii named theÌ„ both Emperours howbeit he was more affectioned on Fridericus side Which was cause to enflame the hatred so that they came euen to take weapon in hand and to giue earnest battaile nere vnto Eling a towne of Swane Neuertheles they departed from the conflicte almost equall Afterwards they fought yet again more fierslye in Bauieres in the whych battaile Fridericus was taken the most part of his men put to the sword but he was let go and retired home where certayn yeres after he dyed Ludouicus then hauing gotten the seignorie marched into Italy with his army The Emperour Ludouicus that against the Popes wyll There he ordayned Lieutenantes through the townes and fredomes was crowned at Millan by the archbishop Which done he sent Ambassadours into Auignon once or twise for to be crowned solemnely which forasmuch as he could not obtain he hauing left order vnto the affaires of Millan toke iourney towards Rome Where being ariued he wanted no gretings and honour at his entraunce was crowned by one or two Cardinals Herevpon the pope did redouble his excommunicatioÌ„ Wherthrough came to passe that by the counsell of the princes the Emperour created another Pope so by his meanes there was a deadly hatred betwene them The fyrst tenthes did impute great crimes the one vnto the other The Annales of Fraunce recite that Charles the faire son of Philip permitted first of all vnto pope Iohn to leuie tenthes vpon the ecclesiasticall reuennes that they shuld deuide the bootie betwen theÌ„ for the popes purpose was no other then to haue pence against the Emperour After the Emperours retourne into Germany the pope died whose successour Benedictus the xii excommunicated also the Emperour depriued him of his dignity The Emperour then coÌ„uocated the princes at Francfort Oration of the Emperour against the Pope where he made a trime oration by the which he complained of the desloiualties of Popes declared what was hys faith set forth desplaed the ancient lawes of the Empire shewed that the popes had nothing to do in the gouernment of the Empire forasmuch as he is lawfull Emperour who is elected by the consent of the princes albeit that the Pope do not accord thervnto nor wil not coÌ„secrate him For al this is but a ceremony the which by litle litle hath crept in now is ouer much auctorized to the great dishonour domage of the Empire Clement the .vi. succeded Benedictus Clement the sixth who surmouÌ„ted all the residue in violence was the most terriblest He propounded certain coÌ„ditions very ignominius became more enraged for that they were refused Wherfore he aduertised the princes very expresly that they shuld procede to the election of another yea in such sort that he limited theÌ„ the time Which if they failed to do he would giue order that the church shuld not be any longer without a protector patron The estate of the publike weale being so mutable variable Charles king of Bohemia sonne of Iohn nephew of Henry the .vii.