us invaded and almost ingrossed by the Hanse and Hollanders And yet there is another thing which speaks me more an Englishman than all these together which I shall fall on soon enough and indeed too soon the sadness of the subject being well considered Next as a Church-man I have taken more especiall notice of the antient and present face of Christianity in all parts of the World the planting and Government of Churches the Hetrodoxies and opinions of those severall Sects into which it now doth stand dismembred By which it will appear most clearly amongst other things that the Doctrin and Government of the Church were of equall standing that this government was no other than that of Bishops and that wheresoever Christianity did find any admittance Episcopacie was admitted also as a part thereof the Gospel being in most places first preached by Bishops or growing to esteem and strength under their Authority And it is found on these Recherches that as Espiscopacie was co-aevall with the Church it self so the Subordination of Bishops to their severall Primates and the Coordination of those Primates amongst themselves in the common Government thereof was of such antiquitie as being setled and confirmed in St. Cyprians time who flourished in the year 250. that it is hard to trace the beginnings of it Debere Episcopos in commune Ecclesiam regere is a noted Maxime in St. Hierome but practically true in the Communicatoriae and Formatae of the Elder Ages Which happy course had it been preserved Episcopacie had been so far from being made a stirrup for Antichrist to mount into his throne as the Smectymnuans falsly charge it that it had served rather as a Martingall to have kept him down from lifting up his head too high above the rest of his Brethren And that this conrse was not preserved came not intentionally from the Popes for that by Antichrist they mean the Popes of Rome is a thing past question but from the Inundation of the barbarous Nations though I confess the Popes were apt enough to make the best advantage of those various Accidents which the distresses of the Church did present unto them For by the overflowing of the Barbarous Nations Christianitie was either quite extinquished or the authoritie of the Primates trodden under foot or that intelligence and commerce which had been antiently amongst them interdicted on good reasons of state by such Heathen or Mahometan Princes under whom they lived And then how easie was it for the Pope in the new planting of the Gospel in these Western parts done either by his Ministers or by his Incouragement to give unto the Bishops of his own appointing such a limited power as might make them more and more obnoxious unto his commands and afterwards to lessen their Authoritie as he saw occasion by granting large Exemptions to Monasteries Convents and Cathedrals with Jurisdiction over the Parochiall Churches which belong'd unto them So that it is most evident in the course of Story that the Popes never came unto their height nor could obtrude their Superstitions and Novations on the Church of CHRIST till they had weakened by degrees the Episcopall power Followed in that design though on different ends by Wicliff and some others in the Ages since who have driven on their private projects under the colour and pretence of a Reformation Episcopacie as it was co-aevall with the Church of CHRIST so was it the best and strongest Buttress in that sacred Building The weakning or subverting of which Primitive Order did either prostitute the Church to the lust and tyranny of that proud Vsurper or expose the Patrimonie thereof unto spoyl and rapine or finally subject it to the Anarchy and licentiousness of Hetrodoxies and confused Opinions But I fear I have digressed too far in this speculation As a Geographer I have been punctuall and exact in giving unto every Province its peculiar bounds in laying out their severall Land-marks tracing the course of most of the principal Rivers and setting forth the situation and estate of the chiefest Towns and did once think of beautifying the Work with as many Maps as the severall States and Kingdoms which are here described But upon further consideration how much it would increase the Book both in bulk and price and consequently make it of less publick use than I did intend it I laid by those thoughts and resied satisfied with the adding of four Maps for the four parts of the World by which the Reader may discern how each Countrie lies unto the other though he find not each particular Province and much less all the Towns and Cities which are here expressed and on the other side may meet with many Towns of inferior note which are here oâ—â—â—â—ed And herein I have took some pains in searching out the first Inhabitants of each severall Country as far as I could see by the light of Letters or go by probable conjectures in finding out the place of such antient Cities as are now decayed not easily visible in their ruins and adding to such Cities as are now in being if of any Antiquity their Originall names A thing as necessary to the understanding of the Histories of those elder times as the knowledge of the present names is to the more delightfull reading of our modern Stories And though I have not pretermitted any Town of note fit to be specified and insisted on in a work of this nature yet would I not have the Reader look for such a punctuall enumeration and description of them as he may meet withall in those who have written the Chorographie of some Countrey onely or think himself unsatisfied in his expectation if he find not here the situation and affairs of each Town of War or the Quartering place of every Company or Troop of Souldiers which are presented to him in the Weekly News-Books In all Countreys there are many places which either by the advantage of their situation or some present exigency of affairs are fortified and made Towns of Warr or otherwise remarkable for some signall battell in these late bustles and commotions of the Christian World of which no notice hath been taken in former times and consequently not within the compass of this Discourse and yet perhaps may grow as famous and considerable in the times to come as many of the mightier Cities now decayed and ruined He that shal think the work imperfect though I confess it to be nothing but imperfections for some deficiencies in this kinde may be likned to the Countrey-Fellow in Aristophanes if my memory fail not who picked a great quarrell with the Map because he could not finde where his own Farm stood And such a Countrey-customer I did meet with one a servant of my elder Brothers sent by him with some horses to Oxon to bring me and a friend of mine unto his house Who having lost his way as we passed thorow the Forest of Whichwood and not able to recover any beaten Tract did
Roman Emâ—ire or that of the Sultans under the Mahometan Caliphs and the Vice-Roys of the old Egyptian Pharaohs An office which had been born by the Ancestors of this Martel ever since the reign of Clotaire the second in whose time the Palatine or Mayre was one Arnulphus descended lineally from Vâ—ilo the second Sonne of Adalgerio the first King of the Boiarians or Bavarians Which Vtilo being a military Prince and having done good service to Theodorick the first King of Austrasia or Mets against the Danes then grievously infesting the Coasts of the Lower-Germany was by him made Warden of those Marches and honoured with the mariage of his Daughter Clotilde and liberally endowed with fair possessions in this tract The fourth from Vtilo was this Arunlph the first Mayre of this house which Office having long enjoyed he resigned it to Ansegisus his eldest Sonne the first who drew unto himself the Managery of the whole Estate and bidding farewell to the affairs of the World became a Priest and dyed a Bishop of Mets Anno 641. Afterwards Canonized a Saint Ansegisus dying in the year 679. left his authority and Office to his Nephew Martin Sonne of Ferdulphus his younger Brother But he being slain by Ebroinus one of the Competitors who a while enjoyed it Pepin surnamed the Pat Sonne of Ansegisus revenging his Cozins death upon Ebronius and crushing all the opposite factions which were raised against him obtained that honour for himself And having much advanced the affairs of France by the conquest of the Sueves and Frisons died in the year 714. Succeeded to in this great Office after his decease for Grimold his only lawfull Sonne and Theobalaus the Sonne of Grimold whom he had successively substituted in the same died not long before him by Charles his natural Son begotten on Albieda his Concubine from his martiall prowess called Martel Who in his time did to the Kings of France great service especially in routing that vast Army of the Moores and Saracens in the battel of â—ours before mentioned thereby not only freeing France from the present danger but adding Languedâ—c to the Crown formerly in possession of the Gothes and Moores for which he was created Duke or Prince of the French yet would he not usurp the Kingdom or the title of King though both at his disposall wholly it being his ordinary Saying that he had rather Rule a King than be one To him succeeded Caroloman his eldest Sonne Anno 741. who held the office but a year and then left it to his Brother Pepin Who being of less moderation than his Father was made such use of his power that partly by that means and partly under colour of an election confirmed by Pope Zacharie the first he took the Kingdom to himself and the unfortunate King Chilperick had his powle shaven and was thrust into a Monasterie For this investiture both Pepin and Charles his Son did many good services for the Popes destroying on their quarrel the Kingdom of the Lombaerds and giving them most of the Lands which formerly belonged unto the Exrohs of Ravenna And on the other side the Popes to requite these curtesies confirm'd the former in this Kingdom by their Papal Power which then began to bear some sway in the Christian World and gave the last besides the opportunity of attaining the Western Empire the Title of Most Christian King continued ever since unto his Successors And to say truth he well deserved those honours and had they been farr greater by many victories obtained against the Enemies of rhe Gospel the several Heathens by his means converted to the Faith of Christ the great abilities he had of estate and judgement inabling him to support the Majestie of the Roman Empire For he not only was sole Monarch of the Kingdom of France not parcelled out as formerly and in times succeeding into several petit Kingdoms and Principalities but had added thereunto by his own proper vertue the greatest part of Italie the best part of Germany all Belgium the two Pannonia's and a great part of Spain But this vast Empier falling into weak hands which were not able enough to manage it decaied in as little time as it was in raising partly by the unnaturall Ambition of the Sonnes of King Lewis the Godly the next Successor of this Charles who to make themselves all Kings first deposed their Father and then divided his Estate amongst them into the Kingdoms of Italy Burgundy France Lorrain and Germany four of which falling at last into the hands of strangers ceased to be French and passed into such Famlies as proved the greatest enemies of the Crown of France partly by alienating the best and goodliest Provinces of France it self never again united till these later dayes which made the French Kings less considerable both at home and abroad which we have touched upon before and partly by the weakness and unworthiness of the Kings of this race there being no question to be made but Lewis the Stammering Charles the Balâ— the Gross and the Simple would have found better Attributes if they had deserved them For by this means the issue of this brave Prince grew so despicable in the eys of their Subjects that first Eudes the Sonne of Robert Duke of Anjou and after Rodolph Duke of Burgundy the Vncle of Eudes both of the race of Witikindus the last Prince of the Saxons and consequently both Aliens to the House of Charles possessed themselves severally of the Kingdom And though they did not hold it long being depressed and overborn by their opposite factions yet did they lay a fair ground for Hugh Capet to build his hopes on Who being Sonne of Hugh the Great Constable of France and Earl of Paris the Sonne of Robert Duke of Anjou younger Brother of Eudes and neer kinsman of Rodolphe never left practising his party in the Realm of France till he had got possession of the Regall Diadem wherewith two Princes of his house had been invested formerly by the like Elections But for the Kings of this second Race founded by two brave Princes but on the unjust grounds of an usurpation they are these that follow The second race of the Kings of France of the Carolovinian or Boiarian Line A. Ch. 151. 1 Pepin the Sonne of Charles Martel succeeded in the Office of Mayre Anno 742 and having got the Regal Crown vanquished the Lombards made the Boiarians tributarie and crushed the Saxons 18. 769. 2 Charles surnamed the Great the Sonne of Pepin subdued the Kingdoms of the Lombards and Saxons conquered the Boiarians and Avares and vanquished the Saracens of Spain Crowned Emperour of the West upon Christmas day by Pope Leo the third Anno 800 46. 815. 3 Lewis the Godly Sonne of Charles King of France and Emperour the last sole Monarch of the French deposed by his ambitious and unnaturall Sonnes the Empire of the French after his decease being divided into the Kingdoms of Italie Bâ—rgundie Germanie
beatissimum autem Archiepiscopum Constantinopoleos Novae Romae secundum habere locum that is to say that the Pope of Rome should have the first place in all Generall Councels and the Bishop of Constantinople or New Rome should have the second Encouraged wherewith and with the countenance and favor of the Emperor Mauritius John Patriarch of Constantinople in the time of Gregory the Great took to himself the title of Vniversal or Oecumenical Bishop the Pastor Generall as it were of the Church of CHRIST And though Pope Boniface by the grant of that bloody Tyrant PHOCAS got that title from him yet the Patriarchs of Constantinople made good their ground never submitting either themselves or their Churches to the Popes Authority for that cause specially accounted by the Church of Rome for Schismaticks accordingly reviled and persecuted with all kind of indignities How it succeeded with these Patriarchs in the times ensuing and by what means their jurisdiction was extended over all Greece Muscovie part of Poland and many other Churches in the North and East hath been said already Certain it is the constant residence of the Emperours from the time of Constantine gave great ground unto of whom I should here adde the names but that I must first summe up the affairs of Thrace before the building of this mighty and predominant City and take a brief view of the rest of those Provinces which we have comprehended under the name of Greece Concerning which we are to know that the antient Inhabitants of it had the names of Strimonii Bardi Doloâ—gi Sapaei Saii and some others united by most writers in the name of Thracians Governed at first by the Kings or Princes of their severall Tribes as most Nations else distinguished from the common people as in other pompes so most especially by their Gods which their Kings had to themselves apart and were not to be worshipped by the best of their Subjects These not agreeing well together for the common good gave the Athenians Spartans Thebans and other Nations of the Greeks a good opportunity to invade their Country to seize on the Sea-townes thereof and plant Colonies in them the Country in those times being meanly peopled and consequently giving that advantage unto the Grecians as the Indies in these later times have to the Spaniards Portugueze English Hollanders and all other Adventurers Such of them as lay next to Macedon proving bad neighbours here unto upon all occasions at last provoked Philip the Father of Alexander to put in for a share who being chosen Arbitrator betwixt two competitors for that Kingdome drawn at last into fewer hands came not unto the Councell with such poor attendants as Justice and Piety but with a great and puissant Army wherewith having vanquished and sâ—ain the two Pretenders he pronounced sentence for himself and made Thrace his own compelling the Inhabitants to pay him the tenth part of their Revenue for his yearly Tribute After the death of Alexander this Country was seized on by Lysimachus as his part of the spoil who here built the City Lysimachia from hence invading Dacia Macedon and the neighbouring Regions and he being dead the Thracians now accustomed to a forrein yoak were either Subjects or at least Tributaâ—ies to the Macedonians Aiding them in their warres against the Romans they incurred the displeasure of that people who having setled their affairs in other places and repulsed the Cimbri thought it fit time to call the Thracians to accompt for their former Actions but sped so ill in the attempt that Porcius Cato lost his whole Army in the onset cunningly intercepted in their woods and fastnesses Didius the Praetor coming in whilst the Thracians were busie in the chase gave them such a stop that he deserved a Triumph for it and the Victory more easie to Metellus who succeeded Cato in that charge and triumphed also over them as also did Lucullus on another Victory A. U. C. 680. Broken with so many ill successes they were finally subdued by Piso in the time of Augustus becoming so obsequious to that fortunate Prince that Rhitemalces a great and puissant â—ing hereof aided him with a strength of Horse against the Pannonians and Illyrians who had then rebelled Afterwards made a Province of the Roman Empire in Constantines new modell it became a Diocese under the Proefecius Proefetorio Orientis Thrace it self being cast into four Provinces that is to say Thrace specially so called Hamimontum Rhodope and Europa Scythia and the Lower Moesia spoken of before being added to it of which the Presidents of Rhodope and Haemimontum were not to be appealed from to the praefectus Praetorio as the others were but onely to the Praefect of Constantinople the Imperiall City But as Alfonsus King of Castile surnamed the Wise was once heard to say never the Wiser for so saying That had he stood at the elbow of Almighty God when he made the World he would have shewed him how some things might be better ordered so give me leave to play the fool and to say this here that had I stood at Constantines elbow I would have counselled him to lay the Diocese of Thrace to the Praefecture of Illyricum who had originally onely the Dioceses of Macedon and Illyricum under his command and not have placed it under the Praefect of the East who had both Asias and all Aegypt under his Authority For being that there lay Appeals from the Vicars of Lieutenants of the severall Dioceses to their severall and respective Prefects how great a trouble must it be to the subjects of Thrace on every occasion of Appeal to post to Antioch there to complain unto the Prefect of the Orient when Sirmium and Thessalonica the ordinary residences of the Praefectus Praetorio for Illyrirum were so hard at hand But Constantine was an absolute Prince and might doe what he listed He had not else removed his seat so farre towards the East and left the western parts of the Empire open to the barbarous people out of a fancy onely to preserve the Eastern For that it was a fancy onely the event did shew the Persians for all this prevailing more then ever formerly and Thrace it self though honoured with the Imperiall City and planted with so many Roman Colonies so ill inhabited that a great part thereof lay wast and desert many Ages after Insomuch as the Goths being by the Hunnes driven over the Danow where by the Emperour Valens plainted in this Country the Emperour having a designe to use them in his following warres where not contented with the portion allotted to them they bid fair for all wasting the whole Province taking divers townes and endangering Constantinople it self from whence not driven Valens himself being killed in the warre against them but by the coming of some Saracens to the aid of the Citizens Nor could the residence of the Emperours so protect this Country but that it was continually harassed and depopulated by the Sclaves Bulgarians Rosses
Neither would he be called Romulus though he much desired it lest they should suppose that he did affect the Tyranny When the people called him Dictator he rent his Garments desiring them to discharge him of a name so hated and being once called Lord Dominus he forbad also that Title by publike Edict Princeps Senatus was the only Title he admitted well knowing that the like glorious attributes were heaped on his Father julius by them which least loved him onely to this end that growing more and more into hatred he might the sooner be dispatched Nor was he ignorant that the Common people led more by appearances than truth discorned names more plainly than executions and that the onely course to make greatness stand firmly was to receive extraordinary power under a Title not offensive The name also of AUGUSTUS conferred upon him by the Senate as if there had been something in him more than mortall he refused not as a Title expressing more dignity and reverence than authority And having pleased himself in the choice of his Title he next proceeded to the establishment of his power which he thus pursued 20. When first at the hands of the Lords of the Senate he had for ten years received the Government there was appointed unto him two Cohorts of Praetorian souldiers for the guard of his person to whom the Senate allowed the double wages of a Legionary souldier to make them the more vigilant and needfull in their charge Over these he appointed two Prefects or Governors Captains of the Guard we may best term them To commit the charge to one only might breed danger to more confusion Agrippina to settle Nero in the Empire prevailed with Claudius to make Burrus whom she had at her devotion the sole Captain and Nimphidius fallen from his hopes of setting Galba besides the quishon desired the command of the Guard as the next step to the Soveraignty In choice of these Captains he observed two Rules First he ever chose them Ex ordine Equestri not Senatorio lest that so high a dignity joyned to so high a birth might startle their resolutions to some designs against his quiet Secondly he made choice of two such which were of contrary humors and somewhat at odds that so the ill intents of the one if they should harbour any might be thwarted and revealed by the other and both in a noble emulation should contend to be most forward in his service The next course which he took for his own security was a law he made to curb the wills and attempts of the great ones For whereas it had been formerly unlawfull to question a Bondman in matters concerning the life and death of his Lord AUGUSTUS passed an Act that all such Bondmen should be first sold to him or the Common-wealth By means whereof he kept the Lords before presuming on the secresie of their slaves from all close and private Conspiracies against him Having thus strengthened his person he assumed to himself the Imperiall Censoriall and Tribunitian authority together with the Sacerdotall dignity As Emperor and Generall of the Men of War he could press Souldiers raise Taxes proclame Wars make Peace yea and put to death the very best and stoutest of the Senators as Censor it was in his power to reform corrupt manners enquire after mens carriage to take in and put out of the Senate whom he listed to place displace the people from an honorable Tribe to a less honorable Yet would he not be called Censor as a name too inferior but accepted the Prerogatives of it after the surrendry of Manutius and his associate two men so unfit for that Magistracy that they could object no crime to old or young of which themselves were not guilty The Tribunitian authority enabled him to hinder any thing attempted against his liking It preserved his person from all contumely and injury giving him power to pvnish as an exerable person yea and without any formality of the Law whosoever had offended him either in word or deed As for the Pontificall Dignity it made him a little more reverenced not more potent Onely it added to his title the stile of Pontifex Maximus or Chief Bishop and made him of authority amongst the Priests and in sacred matters things that concerned Religion The light of Reason taught him that it was convenient for him being a Prince to have command on all his people He had been els but half a Monarch such as some Princes are with us who quit their Clergie to be governed by a Forrain Head 21. These severall Prerogatives annexed together seemed not yet sufficient and therefore he so cunningly dealt with the Senators that they gave him a generall Exemption from the Coactive power of the Law Which once obtained he seriously bends his thoughts to settle the Common-wealth and so to settle it that by uniting all parties and giving satisfaction to all Interesses it might not be obnoxious to such frequent and tumultuous alterations as it had been formerly But herein when he had consulted the antient Platforms he found no small difficulty The Form described by Plato shewed rather how a Citie ought to be governed than how it may be Aristotle though bred in the Free States of Greece was a friend to Monarchie but his discourses dark and speculative and not easily reduced to practice Solon afforded the People too much Authority the Nobles too little the King none The old Cartlâ—â—ginian Legislator attributed too much to Riches too little to Vertue The Persian Law-makers indulged the King too much to the Subject nothing And on the other side Licurgus in his modelling of the State of Sparta ascribed too little to the King and too much to the Senate Zaleucus was rather the Author of some particular Laws than the Framer of a Common-wealth Phaleas and Hippodamus as unimitable altogether as Plato Seeing therefore that none of the old Patterns did come home to his purpose and withall considering with himself that the â—â—nixt Forms of Rule were not equally ballanced and by consequence subject unto change he resolved to frame his Common-wealth out of the perfections of the three good Forms their imperfection being rejected reserving to himself the Supreme Majesty to the Senate eminent Authority to the People convenient Liberty all in a just and fit proportion And to say truth he did so mix the Soveraignty of one with the Liberty of all that both the Lords and People without fear of bondage or sedition injoyed their accustomed Freedoms The Consulls and Nobles of the City assembled as formerly they used matters of State they handled by themselves Ambassadors of Forrain Nations they heard and dispatched The Commons assembled in the Comitia to enact Laws and elect Magistrates as in the free Common-wealth Yet so that nothing was done without the consent and privity of the Prince who for the most part nominated the successive Magistrate leaving the confirmation of him to that people So that
begun by Trajan 20. 16 Antoninus Pius whose friendship was sought by the very Indians 24. 17 Marcus Antoninus surnamed the Philosopher associated L. Verus in the Government by whose valour he subdued the Parthians he raised the fourth Persecution against the Church An. 167. 19. 18 L. Antoninus Commodus sonne to Marcus the first Emperour that had been hitherto born in the time of his Fathers Empire 13. 19 Aelius Pertinax made Emperour against his will 20 Didius Iulianus who bought the Empire of the Souldiers 21 Septimius Severus took Ctesiphon from the Parthians subdued the Province of Oâ—roene and raised the fifth Persecution An. 195. 18. 22 Bassianus Caracalla sonne to Severus 23 Opilius Macrinus made Emperor by the men of War 24 Varius Heliogabalus the supposed sonne of Caracalla 25 Alexander Severus Cosen of Varius 26 Maximinus a fellow of obscure birth who being advanced to the Empire raised the sixt Persecution An. 237. 27 Gordian elected by the Senate against Maximinus 6. 28 Philip an Arabian supposed by some to be a Christian 5. 29 Decius slain in war against the Gothes the Author of the seventh Persecution raised against the Church An. 250. 2. 30 Gallâ—s Hostilianus 2. 31 Aemilianus the Moore 32 Valerianus the Author of the eighth Persecution An. 259. He was taken prisoner by Sapores King of Persia and made to serve him for a footstool 33 Gallienus sonne to Valerianus in whose time the 30 Tyrants ingrossed unto themselves severall parts of the Empire 34 Claudius II. who after a short and troublesome time left it to 35 Quintillus his Brother who enjoyed the same but 17 daies 36 Valer. Aurelianus restored again the antient discipline suppressed all the Invaders of the Empire and vanquished the Gothes but was a great persecutor of the Church An. 278. 6. 37 Annius Tacitus descended from Tacitus the Historian 38 Florianus an Emperour of two moneth only 39 Valerius Probus 6. 40 Aurelius Carus together with his two sonnes Carinus and Numerianus 41 Dioclesian first associated Maximianus by the name of Emperour or Augustus and afterwards Galerius of Dacia and Constantinus Chlorus by the name of Caesars He had continuall Wars against the Persians and raised the tenth Persecution against the Church An. 295. Which held so long and was so vehement withall that as St. Hierom writes there were 5000 slain for every day in the year save the first of January He afterwards resigned the Empire and lived in private at Salona 20. 41 Constantinus Chlorus a friend to Christians 2. 42 Constantine sonne of Chlorus surnamed Magnus or the great the first Emperor that countenanced the Gospel and embraced it publickly which he is said to have done on this occasion At the same time that he was saluted Emperor in Britain Maxentius was chosen at Rome by the Praetorian Souldiers and Licinius named Successor by Maiminus the associate of his Father Chlorus Being pensive and solicitons upon these distractions he cast his eyes up towards Heaven where he saw in the Air a lightsome Pillar in the form of a Cross wherein he read these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hoc vince and the next night our Saviour appearing to him in a Vision commanded him to bear that figure in his Standard and he should overcome all his Enemyes This he performed and was accordingly victorious from which time he not only favoured the Christians but became a very zealous professor of the Faith and Gospel I know Zosimus an Heathen Historian partly out of malice to the Christians in generall and partly a particular grudge to the Emperor Constantine reporteth otherwise of the causes of his Conversion But the authority and consent of all Christian Writers who deliver it as before is told is far to be preferred before the testimony of one single Heathen had he not been biassed as he was by his disaffections Before this time it is observed that few if at all any of the Roman Emperorâ— died a naturall death as after they generally did From Julius Caesar unto Constantine there were 40. in all Of which Julius was openly murdered in the Senate Augustus made away in his wife Lavia as Tiberius afterwards by Macro Caligula was slain by Cassius Chaereas Claudius poysoned by his wife Agrippina Nero and Otho layd violent hands upon themselves Galba and Vitellius massacred by the Souldiers Domitian by Stephanus Commodus by Laetus and Electus Pertinax and Julianus by the Souldiers of their Guard Caracalla by the command of Macriuus Macrinus Heliogabalus Alexander Maximinus Maximus and Balbinus successively by the men of War Gordiauus by Philip Philip by the Souldiers Hostilianus by Gallus and Aemilianns and they by the Souldiers Valerianus dyed a prisoner in Parthia Florianus was the author of his own end Aurelianus murdered by his houshold servants Gallienus Quintillus Tacitus and Probus by the fury of the military men And yet I have omitted out of this Accompt such of the Emperors as were tumultuously made by the Army without the approbation of the Senate as also the Caesars or designed Successors of the Empire most of which got nothing by their designation and adoption but ut citius interficerentur Some of these were cut off for their misdemeanours some for seeking to revive again the antient Discipline and some that others might enjoy their places The chief cause of these continuall massacres proceeded originally from the Senate and Emperors themselves For when the Senators had once permitted the Souldiers to elect Galba and had confirmed that election Evulgato saith Tacitus imperii arcano principem alibi quà m Romae fieri posse more Emperors were made abroad in the field by the Legions than at home by the Senators Secondly from the Emperors who by an unseasonable love to their Guard-souldiers so strengthened them with privileges and nusled them in their licencious courses that on the smallest rebuke they which were appointed for the safety of the Princes proved the Authors of their ruin so truly was it said by Augustus in Dion Metuendum est esse sine custode sed multò magis à custode metuendum est The last cause be it causa per accidens or per se was the largess which the new Emperors used to give unto the men of service a custom begun by Claudius Caesar and continued by all his Successors insomuch that the Empire became saleable and many times he which bad most had it As we see in â—â—on when Sulpitianus offering twenty Sestertiums to each souldier was as if they had been buying of a stock at Gleek out-bidden by Julianus who promised them five and twenty Sestertiums a man So that Herodian justly complaineth of this Donative Id initium causaque militibus fuit ut etiam in posterum turpissimi contumacissimique evaderent sic ut avaritâ—a indies ac principum contemptus etiam ad sanguinem usque proveherent
from the Eastern parts as his occasions did require These Exarchs having divided Italie into many Governments appointed over each some supreme Commander dignified with the name of Dukes And even the City of Rome it self so far then was it from being subject to the Pope in Temporall matters had a chief Officer of this kinde accomptable to the Exaroâ— and subordinate to him whose Government was called the Roman Dukedom They which they kept unto themselves as their own peculiar contained the Cities of Ravenna Rbegium Mutina Bononia Classi Forli Fâ—â—limpoli Sarcino Parma and Placentia which ten Cities with the Territories belonging to them made up that District which properly was called the Exarchate of Ravenna much mentioned in the Histories of the middle times by reason of the continuall wars which they had with the Lombards but newly entred when this Magistracy had its first beginning The names of these Exarchs are as followeth The Exarchs of Ravenna A. C. 570. 1 Longinus 21. 591. 2 Smaragdus 4. 595. 3 Romanus Patricius 596. 4 Callinicus 13. 609. 5 Smaragdus 3. 612. 6 Joh. Lamigius 4. 616. 7 Elentherius 5. 621. 8 Isaacus Patricius 24. 645. 9 Theod. Calliopa 10. 655. 10 Olympius 2. 657. 11 Theod. Calliopa II. 30. 687. 12 Joh. Plotina 15. 702. 13 Theophilactus 25. 727. 14 Paulus 728. 15 Eutipenus 12. In the days of this Exarch Ravenna was taken from the Empire by Luitprandus King of the Lombards Ano. 740. but regained by Charles the Great and by him given to the Bishops of Ronne together with Anconitana and Spoleto as a requitall for the Kingdom of France confirmed unto King Pepin his Father by the consent and authority of the Popes The donation of this Exarchate to the Popes partly to blot out the memory of the Exarchs and partly to make the people obedient to those Prelates changed the name of the Countrey from Flaminia by which name it was formerly known to Romadâ—diola and now to Romagna Notwithstanding which Donation or Originall Grant the Popes injoyed not long the possession of it the Emperors of Germanie and their Vice-gerents in Italia wresting it by strong hand out of the possession of the Church and giving it to such as deserved well of them and were most likely or most able to uphold their Faction And so it stood till the last Popes conspiring with the French Kings Lewis the twelfth and Francis the first brought them into Italie and by their aids and by the censures of the Church so prevailed in fine that they extorted Ravenna and some other places out of the hands of the Venetians erected many petit Princes out of other Cities which they pretended to belong to S. Peters Patrimony and thereby got possession of all those Territories which lie betwixt the State of Venice and the Marches of Ancona 2. The Territory of FERRAARA lieth in the very skirts of Romandiola towards the Venetian extending one hundred and sixty miles in length and about fifty in breadth the soyl thereof exceeding rich but subject to the overflowings of the River Po which makes the air in many places to be somewhat unwholesome And though as well the former Dukes as the Popes who are now Lords hereof have been at great charge in raising high Banks and Ramparts to keep in the waters yet could not this resist the violence of the River falling from so high a Springs and seconded with so great Land-floods as sometimes it is but that it makes many breaches in them do they what they can The places of most note herein are 1. Graffignan in the borders of Tuscany neer the Apennine 2. Carpi a place of great importance seaâ—ed in the midst of this Dukedom belonging heretofore to the House of the Picâ— but partly by exchange made with Marcus Pieus partly for one hundred thousand Crowns in ready money given unto Lionel Pico once the Lords hereof it was by Charles the 5th incorporated into this estate 3. Commachia seated in the Marshes of the Adriatick from which the Princes of this Family of Este were at first called only Lords of Commachia a place which yeelded great profit to the former Dukes by the fishing of Eels 4. Saxole given by Duke Alphonso in exchange for Carpi Here is also the Territory and Lordship of the Polesine the cause of so many quarrells and contentions between the antient Dukes of Ferrara and the State of Vonice But the chief honor of this Dukedom it in the Capitall City that which denominates the whole Ferrara a City of five miles in compass so called from the Iron Mines which are about it commodiously seated on the River â—o which by reason of its breadth depth and violent swiftness of the current is a sufficient rampart to it on that side the other fides being fortified with a strong wall and a spacious mote In the middle of the City is a fair and spacious Market-place into which do open on all fides about twenty streets all of them half a mile in length and all so strait and evenly built that the furthest end of each of them may be easily seen Neer to this Market-place is a little Iland in which the former Dukes had a stately Palace called Belvedere from the fair prospect which it had or gave to the whole City and on the North side of the City a large Park for pleasure The other houses are for the most part built of fair Free-stone not joyning unto one another as in other Cities but at a pretty distance with neat Gardens between Ariosto the Author of that ingenious Poem called Orlando Furiosâ— and Hierome Savaniarolo the Propheticall Fâ—ier were both of them Natives of this place of which the first lieth here entombed the last for preaching against the Pope was burnt at Florence In the declining of the power and Empire of the Lombards this City together with Favenza was given by Desiderius their last King to the Church of Rome the better to oblige the Popes by so great a benefit But being taken from them by the Emperors of the House of Schwaben it was again recovered by the prowess of the Countess Mathildis Ano. 1107. who took it with many other Towns in Italie from the Emperor Henry the 4th and at her death conferred the same upon the Church The Popes once more possessed hereof and not able to hold it gave it in Fee for ever unto Azo of the House of Este a man of great sway in the affairs of Italie who valiantly had defended it against Ezelinus Vicegerent of Frederick the 2d. This was the first of this Family who had Ferrara in propriety His Ancestors being called before the Marquesses of Este and sometimes Marquesses of Ferrara but in title only as Governors hereof in behalf of the Popes of Rome Obizo the Grand-child of this first Azo obtained of Rodolfus the first who was willing to make what money he could of his lands in Italie the Cities of Regium and Modena
and in lawfull Wedlock of the Romish Church and without note of infamy Their Robe is of white Chamlet with a red Cross on their left side as well upon their Military Garments as their wearing Cloaks intended principally against the Turks and Moores for which cause setled first at Pisa being neer the Sea but after at Cosmopolis in the Isle of Ilva The number of them is uncertain the great Duke the Supreme Master of it Other Orders are commonly simple but this mixt being partly religious partly honourary What the Revenues of it were in the Free Estates I am not able to determine That they were very great is manifest in that having in those five yeers wherein they waged war against the Duke of Millain spent three millions and an half of Florens their Treasurie was so far from being exhausted that the next yeer they besieged and indangered the City of Luca. Since the altering of the Common-wealth into a Dukedom and the addition of the Territory and City of Sienna the Revenues of the Duke are conceived to be a million and an half of Ducats yearly Of which 600000. Crowns are raised yearly out of the Dominion of the Citie of Florence 150000. more out of that of Sienna the customs arising out of the Port of Ligorn amount yeerly to 130000. Ducats the toll of Milstones onely unto 160000. that of Salt Mines and Iron falls not short of that in all a million and 200000. Ducats Then hath the Duke his stock going amongst the Bankers and trades as much as any in the way of Merchandizing whereas in other Countreys he loseth the privileges of a Nobleman that betakes himself to Trade and Merchandize He useth also to buy up almost all the Corn which is brought into the Countrey out of other parts and sell it again at his own price forbidding any to be sold till all his be vended The rest is made up by Excize upon all Commodities even unto very herbs and Sallads which lies very heavy on the Subject the poor especially insomuch that it was taâ—tly said and perhaps not untruly Qui sub Medicis vivit miserè vivit applying an old Rule in a new sense The Arms are Or five Torteaux Gules two two and one and one in chief Azure charged with three Flower de Lyces of the first Here are in this Estate Arch-bishops 3. Bishops 26. The State of LUCA IN the West part of Tuscany betwixt the Estate of the Great Duke and the Common-wealth of Genoa lieth the City of LUCA so called from Luca a King of the Tuscans who is said to have built it situate on the River Serchius not far from the mountains of Luna whence the Countrey is at this day called Lunagiana It is about three miles in compass and contains about 24000. Inhabitants who generally are a courteous and modest people men of good judgement and discreet and by their wisdoms have preserved themselves a free Common-wealth notwithstanding the attempts of more powerfull Neighbours and they are very industrious also and well seen in Manufactures especially in weaving silks and cloath of gold which they taught the Florentines The City seated in a plain compassed with Mountains on all sides except towards Pistoia so strongly fortified by the help of Art and Nature that this City Zara in Dalmatia Canea in the Isle of Candie and the Town of Ligorn were thought in former times when the Art of Fortification was less known to be the four strongest Towns in the Christian World The streets thereof are narrow but paved with broad free-stone and most easie to walk on the buildings very fair built of free-stone also and beautified with pleasant gardens On the North-West stands a very strong Castle neer which lieth the Cathedrall stately paved with Marble but very dark as most of the Popish Churches to give the better colour to the burning of Tapers in the day In this Town was the meeting of the three great Captains Caesar Pompey and Crassus so pernicious to the Roman Republick For Pompey desirous to maintain his authority Caesar to get honour and Crassus to increase his wealth here united their Counsels Pompey's authority to be upheld by Caesar's Arms and Crassus his riches Caesar's continuance in his Province to be maintained by Pompey's power and Crassus his money and Crassus his estate to be secured by Pompey's greatness and Caesars military reputation This done they made a partition of the Roman Provinces among themselves assigning Gaule to Caesar Spain to Pompey aod to Crassus Syria which strong confederacy was the cause of that alteration which after followed in that State For Crassus being slain not long after Pompey and Caesar wanting a third man to poize the ballance fell first to discontents then to Civill wars which at last made Caesar Lord of Rome Upon which meeting and the breach which succeeded afterwards was grounded that so memorated speech of Cicero that is to say Utinam Pompeius cùm Caesare societatem aut nunquam iniisset aut nunquam dirimisset But to return again to the Affairs of Luca in the declining of the Empire it became possessed by the Gothes from them recovered by Narses with the rest of Italie After this it again followed the fortune of the Empire till taken by Count Boniface the Father of that notable Virago the Countess Mathildis who being deceased without issue and the Emperors pretending to it as to an Escheat the Citizens made a common purse and bought their Liberty of the Emperor Rodolphus for 10000. Crowns Some say the money was disbursed for them by a Cardinal But notwithstanding is purchase and their title by it the Emperor Lewis of Bavaria seized upon it again under pretence of freeing it from the faction of Castruccio who had made himself absolute Master of it By a German Garrison there left it was sold to the Genoese and having passed through many hands the Emperor Charles the fourth got it once again of whom they once more purchased their desired Liberties for 25000 Florens of Gold and to secure themselves thereof demolished the Castle built by Castruccio But being not able to maintain it by their proper strength they have put themselves under the protection of their potent Neighbors changing their Patrons as conduced most to their preservation and finding no security from Genoa and as little from Florence both which they severally tried they put themselves at last into the protection of the Dukes of Millain and in that right are patronized by the Kings of Spain The Territories of this City extend in compass eighty miles the chief Town next to Luca it self being that of Luna a Bishops See all the rest ordinary Farms and Villages but of a good air and very well peopled which yeeld a Revenue to the publick Treasury of 80000. Crowns per annum and out of which the State is able to raise if there be occasion about 15000 Foot and 3000 Horse A great strength for so small a
at vvhat time he defended Rhodes from the Turks An. 1409. Their Collar is of fifteen links to shew the fifteen mysteries of the Virgin at the end is the portraiture of our Lady with the history of the Annunciation Instead of a Motto these letters F. E. R. T. id est Fortitudo Ejus Rhodum Tenuit are engraven in every plate or link of the Collar each link being inter-woven one within the other in form of a True-lovers knot The number of the Knights is fourteen besides the Duke who is the Soveraign of the Order the solemnitie is held annually on our Lady-day in the Castle of Saint Peter in Turin So from this victory for every repulse of the besieger is a victory to the besieged there arose a double effect first the institution of this order secondly the assumption of the present Arms of this Dutchy which are G. a Cross A. This being the cross of Saint John of Hierusalem whose Knights at that time vvere owners of the Rhodes Whereas before the Arms vvere Or an Eagle displayed with two heads Sable armed Gules supporting in fesse an escotchion of Saxony that is Barrewise six pieces Sable and Or a Bend flowred Vert. A coat belonging to the Emperors of the house of Saxony from whom the first Earles of Savoy did derive themselves 3. THE SIGNEURIE OF GENEVA GENEVA is a City in the Dukedom of Savoy formerly subject to its own Bishops acknowledging the Dukes of Savoy for the Lord in chief now reckoned as a Free-Estate bordering close upon the Switzers and with them confederate and so more properly within the course and compass of these Alpine Provinces It is situate on the South-side of the Lake Lemane opposite to the City of Lozanne in the Canton of Bern from which it is distant six Dutch miles the River Rhosne having passed thorow the Lake with so clear a colour that it seemeth not at all to mingle with the waters of it running thorow the lower part thereof over which there is a passage by two fair bridges This lower part is seated on a flat or levell the rest on the ascent of an hill the buildings fair and of free-stone well fortified on both sides both by Art and Nature in regard of the pretensions of the Duke of Savoy whom they suffer not to arm any Gallies upon the Lake and other jealousies of State The compass of the whole City is about two miles in which there are supposed to be about sixteen or seventeen thousand soules One of their bridges is more antient and better fortified than the other belonging antiently to the Switzers or Helvetians the old inhabitants of that tract but broken down by Julius Caesar to hinder them from passing that way into France The people of the town are generally of good wits in the managery of publick business but not very courteous towards strangers of whom they exact as much as may be modest and thrifty in apparell and speak for the most part the Savoyard or worst kind of French So that the great resort of young Gentlemen thither is not so much to learn that Language which is no where worse taught as out of an opinion which their parents have that the Reformed Religion is no where so purely practised and professed as there By means whereof the frie or seminarie of our Gentry being seasoned in their youth with Genevan principles have many times proved disaffected to the forms of Government as well Monarchicall as Episcopall which they found established here at home to the great imbroilment of the state in matters of most near concernment The women are sayd to be more chast or at least more reserved than in any other place in the World which possibly may be ascribed to that severity with which they punish all offendors in that kind Dancing by no means tolerated in publick or private Adulterie expiated by no less than death Fornication for the first offence with nine dayes fasting upon bread and water in prison for the second with whipping for the third with banishment But notwithstanding this severity they make love in secret and are as amorous in their daliances as in other places The Territories of it are very small extending not above two Leagues and an half from any part of the Town but the soyl if well manured bringeth Grain of all sorts and great store of Wine There is likewise plenty of pasture and feeding grounds which furnish the City with flesh-meats butter and cheese at very reasonable rates the nearness of the Lake affording them both Fish and Wild-fowl in good measure and amongst others as some say the best Carps in Europe But the main improvement of this State is by the industry of the people and the convenient situation of the City it self the City being situated very well for the trade of Merchandise in regard it is the ordinary passage for transporting Commodities out of Germany to the Marts at Lions and from thence back again to Germany Switzerland and some parts of Italy And for the industry of the people it is discernable in that great store of Armor and Apparell and other necessaries brought from hence yearly by those of Bern and their Mannfactures in Satten Velvet Taffata and some quantities of Cloth fine but not durable transported hence yearly into other places The Soveraignty of this City was antiently in the Earls hereof at first Imperiall Officers only but at last the hereditary Princes of it Betwixt these and the Bishops Suffragans to the Metropolitan of Vienna in Daulphine grew many quarrels for the absolute command hereof In fine the Bishops did obtain of the Emperor Frederick the first that they and their successors should be the sole Princes of Geneva free from all Taxes and not accomptable to any but the Emperor Which notwithstanding the Earls continuing still to molest the Bishops they were fain to call unto their ayd the Earl of Savoy who took upon him first as Protector onely but after by degrees as the Lord in chief For when the rights of the Earls of Geneva by the Mariage of Thomas Earl of Savoy with Beatrix a daughter of these Earls fell into that house then Ame or Amadee the sixt of that name obtained of the Emperor Charles the fourth to be Vicar-generall of the Empire in his own Country and in that right superior to the Bishop in all Temporall matters and Ame or Amadee the first Duke got from Pope Martin to the great prejudice of the Bishops a grant of all the Temporal jurisdiction of it After vvhich time the Bishops were constrained to do homage to the Dukes of Savoy and acknowledge them for their Soveraign Lords the Autority of the Dukes being grown so great notwithstanding that the people were immediately subject to their Bishop onely that the Money in Geneva vvas stamped with the Dukes name and figure Capitall offenders were pardoned by him no sentence of Law executed till his Officers were first made acquainted nor
free Chappels and 645 Abbeys and Monasteries more than half of which had above the yeerly income of 200 l. in old rents many above â—0â—0 and some 4000 almost So studious were our Ancestors both in those times of blindness and these of a clearer sight to encourage men to learning and then reward it The Soldierie of England is either for the Land or for the Sea Our Victories by Land are most apparent over the Irish Scots Cypriâ—ts Turks and especially French whose kingdom hath been sore shaken by the English many times especially twice by King Edward the 3d and Henry the 5th this latter making so absolute a conquest that Charles the 7th like a poor Royâ—d ' Ividot confined himself to Boâ—rges where having casheered his retinue he was found in a little Chamber at Supper with a napkin laid before him a rump of mutton and two chickens And so redoubted even after our expulsion from France our civil dissentions rather causing that expulsion than the French valour was the English name in that Countrey that in the Wars between K. Charles the 8th and the Duke of Bretagne the Duke to strike a terrour into his Enemies apparelled 1500 of his own Subjects in the arms and Cross of England But as the Ass when he had on the Lyons skinne was for all that but an Ass and no Lyon so these Britons by the weak resistance they made against their Enemies shewd that they were indeed Britons and no English men Spaâ—n also tasted the valour of our Land-Soldiers when John of Gaunt pursued his title to 〈◊〉 was sent home with 8 Waggons laden with gold and an annuall pension of 10000 marks as also when the Black Priâ—ce re-established K. Peter in his Throne And then also did they acknowledge though they felt not the puissance of the English when Ferdinand the Catholique surprized the Kingdom of Navarre For there were then in 〈◊〉 a Town of Guipuse English Foot 〈…〉 there to joyn with this Ferdinand in an expedition against France Concerning which 〈…〉 giveth this 〈◊〉 That the Kingdom of Navarre was yeelded rather for the fear and re 〈◊〉 〈…〉 English Forces that were at hand than by anâ— puissance of the King of Aragon Since those 〈◊〉 the Spaniard much esteemed us as appeareth by this Speech of theirs to our Soldiers at 〈…〉 You are all tall Soldiers and therefore when you come down to the Trenches 〈…〉 and look for blowes but as for these base and cowardly French when they come 〈…〉 nothing to doe but play or 〈◊〉 our Ramparts The like the Netherlanâ—◠〈…〉 onely this is the grief of it The English are like Pyrrhus King of Eâ—yrus fortunate to conquer kingdomâ— but unfortunate in keeping them Not to say any thing of the late but great experience which the English Soldiery hath gotten by the Civill broiles among them 〈◊〉 At which my heart so â—keth and my hand so trembleth that I shall only adde in the words of 〈◊〉 Heu quantum potâ— it coeli pelagique parari Hoc quem Civiles fuserunt sanguine dextrae That is to say How much both Sea and Land might have been gain'd By that dear blood which Civill Wars have drain'd As for their valour at Sea it may most evidently be perceived in the battel of Scluse wherein King Edward the 3 d with 200 Ships overcame the French Fleet consisting of 500. Sail of which be sunk 200 and slew 30000. Souldiers Secondly at the battel in 88. wherein a few of the Queens Ships vanquished the invincible Armado of the King of Spain consisting of 134. great Galleons and Ships of extraordinary bigness Sir Francis Drake with 4 Ships took from the Spaniard one million and 189200 Duckats in one Voyage Anno 1587. And again with 25 Ships he awed the Ocean sacked S. Iago S. Dominieo and Cartagâ—na carrying away with him besides Treasure 240 Peeces of Ordnance I omit the Circumnavigation of the whole World by this Drake and Candish the voyage to Cales as also how one of the Queens Ships named the Revenge in which Sir Richard Greenvile was Captain with 180 Souldiers wherof 90 were sick on the ballast maintained a Sea-fight for 24 hours against above 50 of the Spanish Galleons And though at last after her Powder was spent to the last barrel she yeelded upon honourable terms yet she was never brought into Spain having killed in that sight more than 1000. of their Souldiers and sunk 4 of their greatest Vessels I omit also the Discovery of the Northern passages by Hugh Wâ—lloughby Davis and Frobisber concluding with that of Kekerman Hoc certum est omnibus hodie gentibus navigandi industria periâ—â—ay superiores esse Anglos post Anglos Hollandos Though now I acknowledge not by what neglect and discontinuance of those honourable imployments the Hollanders begin to bereave us of our antient Glories and would fain account themselves Lords of the Seas and probably had been so indeed had not His Majesty by the timely reinforcing of his Navall Power Anno 1636. recovered again the Dominion of it The English Language is a De-compound of Dutch French and Latine which I conceive rather to adde to its perfection than to detract any thing from the worth thereof since out of every Language we have culled the most significant words and equally participate of that which is excellent in them their imperfections being rejected For it is neither so boystrous as the Dutch nor so effeminate as the French yet as significant as the Latine and in the happy conjunction of two words into one little inferior to the Greek The Christian Faith was first here planted as some say by S. Peter and Paul more probably as others say by Ioseph of Arimathea whose body they find to have been interred in the Isle of Avalo where the Abbie of Glastenbury after stood But that of his plantation being almost rooted out by long Persecutions and no supply of Preachers sent from other places Lucius a King of Britaine and the first Christian King of Europe Anno 180. or thereabouts sent his Ambassadours to Eleutherius the then Pope of Rome to be furnished with a new supply of Pastors if not to plant yet at the least to water and confirm the Gospel planted here before but almost rooted out again by prevailing Gentilism At which time Lucius did not only receive the Faith himself but by the piety of his example and the diligence of the first Preachers sent from Rome being both of them naturall Britans it spread by little and little over all his Dominions and in some tract of time over all the Iland Which being thus recovered to the Faith of Christ was forthwith furnished with Bishops and Metropolitans according to the number of the Provinces and principall Cities twenty eight in all continuing here as long as Christianity it self For not to trust herein to the autority of the British History we find three Bishops of this Isle subscribing to the
give him so long a life as to see it in his own dayes remedied wherein he got a greater victory over that stubborn people than ever did any forein Prince or any of his Predecessors could doe before him an act indeed truly royall and worthy himself Another custom they had of that nature that the like was hardly ever heard of amongst the Heathen and much less in Christendom which took beginning as the Scoâ—ish Historians affirm in the reign of Ewen the 3d who is the fifteenth King in the Catalogue after the first Fergus This Ewen being a Prince much addicted or wholly rather given over unto lasciviousness made a Law that himself and his successors should have the maidâ—nhead or first nights loâ—ging with every woman whose husband held land immediately from the Crown and the Lords and Gentlemen of all those whose husbands were their tenants or homagers This was it seems the Knights service which men held their states by and continued till the dayes of Mâ—lcâ—lm Comnor who at the request of his wife Margaret she was the sister of Edgar Aâ—heling abolished this Law and ordained that the tenants by way of commutation should pay unto their Lords a mark in money which tribute the Historians say is still in force It was called Marchetâ— mulieris but whether from Mark a horse in the old Galliqne implying the obscene signification of â—quitare as Mr. Selden thinks or from Marca the summe of money by which it was afterward redeemed I cannot determine Certain I am that this last custom was of such a barbarous and brutish nature that the custom of the Indians in giving to the Bramines the first nights lodging with their Brides and that of many Savage unconverted Nations in prostituting their Wives and Daughters to the Lusts and pleasure of their Guests have not more unchristianity in them than this of those Scotish Christians if I may so call them These Customs shew the antient Scots to be rude and barbarous partaking little of the civilitie of the Neighbouring Nations nor are they so broken of the former but that they are observed by a modern Writer to be still greedy of revenge where they find means to take it as also to be a subtile and politick people inclined to Factions and Seditions amongst themselves which he that reads their Stories cannot choose but see A people as King Iames observeth in his Bafilâ—con Doron ever weary of the present state and desirous of novelties accustomed to judge and speak rashly of their Kings and Princes towards whom they have alwayes caried themselves with such untractableness that more Kings have been betrayed murdered and deposed by the Scots than by all the Nations in the World But take them in themselves without these relations and they are said to be an industrious people capable of all Sciences which they give their minds to and generally well versed in Grammâ—ticall Learning of which most of their Gentry have a smattering And of most note in point of Learning have been 1 Marianus surnamed Scotus and 2 Hector Boctius the Historians 3 Iohn Major a well known School-man for the times before the Reformation And for the times that followed 4 George Buchanan an ingenious Poet but an unsound States-man whose Historie and Dialogue de jure Regni have wrought more mischief in the World than all Marchiavels Works Not to have been remembred here but because he was Praedagogue to 5 Xing Iames of most famous memory whose printed Works declare his large abilities in all kinds of Learning 6 Napier the Laird of Marchiston 7 8 Barclay the Father and the Sonne 9 Iohn 〈◊〉 the best Antiquary of this Nation 10 Doctor Iohn Maxwel the late learned Bishop of Ross and my very good Friend besides some others of less note The Christian Religion was here planted by divers men according to the severall Nations who did here inhabit amongst the Low-Landers or Saxon-Scots by Aâ—â—an the first Bishop of Lindiâ—farn or Holy Iland amongst the Picts inhabiting the South-Eastern parts by Ninâ—as Bishop of Candida Casa or Whit-herne in Galloway amongst the Northern-Picts Anno 555. and finally amongst the Scots by Pallâ—dius a Deacon of Rome sent to them hither for that purpose by Pope Celestine Anno 435 or thereabouts And for the Reformation of Religion over grown with the rust and rubbish of the Romish Church degenerated from it self in the later dayes it was here made by a strong hand according to judgement of Knox and others not taâ—ing counsell with the Prelates nor staying the leisure of the Prince as they did in England but turning Prince and Prelates out of all autority made by that means more naturally subject unto alterations than it had been otherwise or only to be made good by the same violence which first introduced it T is true that for a while being in danger of the French and of necessity to support themselves by the power and favour of the English they bound themselves by a solemn Subscription to adhere only to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England and to observe that form of Worship which was there established Religionis cultuâ— Ritibus cum Anglis communibus subscripserunt as is affirmed by Buchanan their own State-Historian But no sooner was that danger over but they â—ound opportunity and leisure to effect their end and have endeavoured ever since by practices and correspondencies with that party here and finally by Force of Arms to thrust their Constitution and Form of Worship on the Church of England As for the Government of the Church it was originally by Bishops as in all parts else but so as they exercised their Functions and Iurisdictions in all places equally wheresoever they came The Kingdom not being divided into Dioceses till the time of Malcolm the 3d Anno 1070 or thereabouts Nor had they any Arch-Bishops till the yeer 1478. The Arch-Bishop of York being accounted and obeyed before that time as the Metropolitan of Scotland But being once setled in an orderly constant Hierarchie they held the same untill the Reformation began by Knoxe when he and his Associats approving the Genevian plat-form took the advantage of the Minoritie of K. James the sixth to introduce Presbyterian Discipline and suppress the Bishops forbidding them by their own sole autority to intermedle any more in matters which concerned the Church cantoning the Kingdom into Presbyteries of their own assigning and that the King might not be able to oppose their doings they kept him under by strong hand imprisoned him at Sterlin made him fly from Edenburgh removed from him all his faithfull servants and seized upon his principall Fortresses and in a word so bafled and affronted him upon all occasions that he was minded many times to have left the kingdom and retire to Venice Which doubtless he had done as I have heard affirmed by some of great place and power had not the hopes of coming at the last to the Crown of
the Councell of Colen in the reign of Constantius the son of Constantine the Great anno 347. But the light hereof being extinguished for a time by those barbarous nations who fell upon these out-parts of the Roman Empire began to shine again on the conversion of the French in all parts of this countrey the Conquests and example of this puissant Nation giving great incouragement thereunto In which as those of other Countries doe not want their honour so the greatest part thereof belongs to the English Saxons Willibrod the first Bishop of Vtrecht Willibald of Aichstat Swibert of Virden Willibald of Breme and specially Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz being most gloriously fortunate in that sacred service The Moravians Boâ—emians and others farther off came not in till afterwards Not fully converted to the faith they began to suck in the corruptions of the Church of Rome discerned and opposed by John Husse and Hierome of Prague Bohemian Divines who by reason of the marriage of King Richard the second of England with the daughter of Wenceslaus Emperour and King of Bohemia had opportunity to be acquainted with the preachings of Wiclef the points of whose Doctrine they approved and propagated But these two being burnt at Constance by the decree of that Councell their followers in Bohemia would not so give over but after many sufferings and much bloudshed obtained at last a toleration of the Emperour Sigismund their King more able to make good his word in his own dominions then he had been to save the two Martyrs from the fire at Constance to whom he had granted his safe conduct for their comming and going In this condition they remained under the name of those of the Sub utraque or Calistini because of their Administring the Sacrament in both kindes till the rising of Luther who justly offended at the impious and unwarrantable Assertions of Frier Tekel and others of the Popes Pardon-mungers first opposed their doings and after questioned that authority by which they acted falling from one point to another till he had shaken the foundations of the Roman Fabrick Of the successe of his undertaking we shall speak more punctually in the Dukedome of Saxony the place of his birth the Scene of this great Action and the proper Sphere of his Activity Suffice it now to say that his doctrine was so well approved of that the Dukes of Saxonie Brunswick Lunenbourg Wirtenberg Mecklenberg and Pomerania the Marquesse of Branderbourg the Lantgraves of Hassia and most of the Free and Imperial Cities did adhere unto it who from their Protestation made at Spires the Imperiall Chamber to that effect anno 1529. had the name of Protestants The next year following they delivered in the Confession of their faith at Auspurg a City of Suevia thence called Confessio Augustana authorized or tolerated at the least after a long war with variable successe on both sides by the Emperour Charles the fift at the Pacification made at Passaw anno 1552. and afterwards more fully at Ausbourg where their Confession had first been tendred anno 1555. In the mean time arose up Zuinglius amongst the Switzers of whose both Doctrine and successe we have spoken there These not communicating Councels went two severall waies especially in the points of Consulstantiation and the Reall presence not reconciled in their times nor like to be agreed upon amongst their followers For Calvin rising into the esteem and place of Zuinglius added some Tenets of his own to the former doctrines touching Predestination Free-will Vniversall Grace Finall perservance points fitter for the Schooles then a popular Auditory by which the differences were widened and the breach made irreparable the cause being followed on both sides with great impatience as if they did not strive so much for truth as victory And of the two those of the Lutheran party seemed more violent though the other was altogether as irreconcilable who could not choose but stomach it to see themselves undermined and blown by a new form of doctrine not tolerated in the Empire but under colour of conformity to the Confession of Ausburg For Zuinglianisme being entertained amongst the French a busie and active people spread it self further in few years then it was propagated by the Switzers men of the same temper with the Dutch in all times before Insomuch as it did not only prevail in France but by the reputation of Calvin and the diligence of his followers was wholly entertained in the Kingdome of Scotland the Netherlands and even in Germanie it self in which it got footing in all the territories of the Counts Palatines of the Rhene in some of the Lantgraves of Hassia in the Imperiall City of Strasburg many of the Hanse-towns and amongst other Princes and Free Cities of inferiour note The rest of Germanie containing the Patrimoniall Estates of the house of Austria the Dukedomes of Bavaria and Lorrain the territories of the three Spirituall Electours and of all the other Bishopricks in the hands of the Clergie some of the Marquesses of Baden part of the subjects of Cleve and but three of the Imperiall Cities and those small ones too that is to say Gmund Vberlinque and Dinekell-Spuell unlesse some more be added by the late great successes of the house of Austria remain in their obedience to the See of Rome yet so that there be many Protestants in Bohemia Austria and in other the Estates of the Popish Princes as there be Papists in the Free Cities of Frankford Nurenberg Vlm Aken and some other places besides the late increase of them in both Palatinates As for the Government of their Churches those that continue in obedience of the See of Rome are under the old form of Archbishops and Bishops co-aevall in all Germanie as in most places else with the faith it self The Calvinists by which name the Zuinglianâ—st now also passeth if not eaten out submit themselves for doctrine discipline and formes of worship to Calvins Modell whereof we have spoke more at large when we were in Geneva And for the Lutherans they have divided the Episcopall function from the Revenues giving those last to some of their younger Princes with the title of Administrators of such a Bishoprick the function or jurisdiction to some of the more eminent Clergie with the title of a Superintendent assigning to them a priority both of place and power before other Ministers which they enjoy for term of life together with some liberall maintenance in proportion to it In other things as habit and title of dignitie they differ not at all from the other Ministers and over them in place of Archbishops they have their generall Superintendents all of them of each sort accomptable to the supreme Ecclesiastical Consistory as formerly to the Provinciall or Nationall Synod made up of Counsellors of State and the heads of the Clergie so that the form is much the same as in elder times the greatest Alteration being in the names and that no other in
seated on the Erp not far from its fall into the Rhene the break-neck of the glories of Charles Duke of Burgundie who being resolved to get this town into his hands as a convenient passe into Germanie lay so long before it that he lost the opportunity of joyning with King Edward the 4. of England whom he had purposely invited to the war of France and yet was fain to go without it By means whereof he grew so low in reputation that he was undermined by the French defied by the Lorrainer forsook by the English baffled by the Switzers and at last overthrown and slain by that beggerly nation 3. Ernace or Andernach by Marcellinus called Antenacum one of the ten Garrisons erected by the Romans on the banks of the Rhene to secure their Province from the Germans the other nine being Confluenz Bopport Wormes Bing Zabern Altrip Selts Strasburg and Wassenberg 4. Lintz seated on the same River also 5. Sontina a town of good repute 6. Zulp now a village of no esteem but for the Antiquities of it by Tacitus and Antoninus called Tolbiacum most memorable for the great victory which Clovis the first Christian King of the French upon a vow made in the heat of the fight to embrace the Gospell obtained against the whole power of the Almans never presuming after that to invade his territories 7. Rhineburg commonly called Berck the most northern town of all the Bishoprick situate on the Rhene as the name imports there where the lands of this Bishop as also of the Dukes of Cleve and the Earls of Muers meet upon a point A Town which for these 60. years hath been of little use or profit to the right owner possessed sometimes by the Spaniards sometimes by the confederate States for each commodiously seated as opening a passage up the River and receiving great customes on all kinde of Merchandise passing to and fro But having finally been possessed by the Spaniard from the year 1606 till 1633 it was then regained for the States by Henry of Nassaw Prince of Orange with the losse of no more then 60. men there being found in the Town 30. Brasse peeces of Ordnance 70. barrels of powder with victuals and ammunition of all sorts thereunto proportionable 8. Colen situate on the Rhene first built by the Vbii before mentioned and by them called Oppidum Vbiorum afterwards in honour of Agrippina daughter of Germanicus and wife of Claudius who was here born made a Roman Colonie and called Colonia Agrippina and sometimes by way of eminency Colonia only thence the name of Colen A rich large populous and magnificent City containing about five miles in compasse in which are numbred 19 Hospitals 37 Monasteries of both Sexes 30 Chappels of our Lady 9 parishes and 10 Collegiate Churches besides the Cathedrall being a Church of vast greatnesse but of little beauty and not yet finished the Metropolitan whereof is Chancellour of Italy the second of the three Electors and writes himself Duke of Wâ—stphalen and Angrivaria Nigh to this Town did Caesar with incredible expedition make a bridge over the Rhene which more terrified the barbarous enemy then the reports of his valour so powerful is laborious industry that it overcometh all dysasters and maketh the mostunpassable waters yeeld to Heroick resolutions In this Town also are said to lie the bodies of the three wisemen which came from the East to worship our Saviour vulgarly called the three Kings of Colen The whole story is at large written in tables which are fastned unto their Tombes The pith whereof is this The first of them called Melchior an old man with a large beard offered Gold as unto a King the second called Gasper a beardlesse young man offered Frankineense as unto God The third called Balthasar a Blackmoor with a spreading beard offered Myrrhe as unto a Man ready for his Sepulchre That they were of Arabia the tale saith is probable firs because they came from the East and so is Arabia in respect of Hierusalem and 2. because it is said in the 72 Psalme The Kings of Arabia shall bring gifts As for their bodies they are there said to have been translated by Helena the mother of Constantine unto Constantinople from thence by Eustorfius Bishop of Millain removed unto Millain and finally brought hither by Rainoldus Bishop hereof anno 1164. This is the substance of the history which for my part I reckon among the Apocrypha except it be their comming from some part of Arabia but have not leisure in this place to refell the Fable 2 Next to the Bishoprick of Colen lieth the land of TRIERS extended all along the course of the Moselle from the Dukedome of Lorrain on the South to the influx of that River into the Rhene at the City of Confluentz where it bordereth on the Land of Colen and being bounded on the East with Luxembourg as on the West with some part of Franconia The Countrey towards Lorrain and Luxembourg somewhat wilde and barren more fruitfull about Triers it self and the bank of the Rhene in all parts generally more pleasant then profitable the greatest riches of it lying in woods and Minerals The Bishops See here first erected by Eucherius a Disciple and follower of S. Peter The reality whereof not only testified by the Martyrologies but by Methodius a writer of approved credit who addes Valerius and Maternus for his next successours the line Episcopall continuing till the Councell of Arles anno 326 Agritius Bishop of Triers subscribing to the Acts thereof From this time forwards and before the Bishop had the reputation and authority of a Metropolitan the City of Triers being anciently the Metropolis of Belgica prima within which it stands increased exceedingly by being made one of the three Electors of the Spiritualty though the last in order and Chancellour to the Emperour for the Realm of France the fortunes of which Realm it followed till wrested from it with the rest of the Kingdome of Lorrain by the German Emperours Places of most importance in it are 1. Confluents now Cobolentz the Confluentes of Antoninus so called because seated on the confluence or meeting of the Rhene and the Moselle the station anciently of the first Legion A populous and well-built town and seated in a pleasant and fertill Countrey 2. Embretstein over against Cobolentz on the other side of the Rhene beautified with a strong Castle of the Bishops mounted upon a lofty hill which not only gives a gallant prospect to the eye but commands both the Town and River 3. Boppart seated on the Rhene and called so quasi Bonport from the commodiousnesse of the Creek upon which it standeth for the use of shipping one of the forts as Confluents before mentioned was erected by the Romans on the Rhene for defence of Gaul against the Germans occasioning in time both Towns It was once miserably wasted by Richard Earl of Cornwall and King of the Romans because the Bishop of Triers agreed not
of in succeeding times at the will of the Emperours and given from one family unto another as their fancies served them Not fixed in any house till it came to Henry the sonne of Engelbert President or Prefect of Histria in which family it continued under this Henry and his brother Englebert Vlric the first Henry the second Herman and Vlrick the second the last Prince hereof who being old and without children sold his estate herein to Ostocar King of Bohemia and Duke of Austria by whom these Countries were surrendred unto Rodolphus of Habspurg on the conclusion of the peace which was made between them And though Rodolphus gave Carinthia to Mainard Earl of Tirol in right of whose daughter Elizabeth Albert the sonne of Rodolph was possessed of Austria on the death of Henry the sonne of Mainard without issue male it fell according to the contract unto Albert the Short eldest sonne of Albert and Grandchild of Rodolphus continuing ever since in that family though not alwayes in the chief house of the Dukes of Austria TIROLIS is bounded on the East with Friuly and Marca Trevigiana on the West with the Grisons and some part of Switzerland on the North with Bavaria and the South with Lombardie Extended over the greatest part of the Alpes Rhaeticae and some part of the Juliae yet intermixt with many rich and fruitfull valleys those specially which lye on the bankes of the Inn and the River of Adise Nor are the hils so void of profit unto the Inhabitants but that they afford good store of metals digged out of them especially of Brasse and Silver which last have yeelded to the Archduke 230000 Crowns yearly Towns of most note 1 Oenipus or Inspruch seated on the Inn or Oenus which gave denomination to the second branch of the house of Austria descended from Ferdinand the second sonne of the Emperour Ferdinand the house of Gratz issuing from Charles the third sonne of that Emperour Most memorable for the hasty flight of Charles the fift upon the news that Duke Maurice whom he had lately made Electour of Saxonie was coming against him with his Forces which so terrified him that he fled away by torch-light with some few of his followers the residue of his Court most of which were persons of great eminency trudging in the dark on foot with the Black Guard and the Skullerie the Town being many times the Residence of the Dukes of Austria who have here a very Royall and magnificent Palace And to say truth the town deserveth to be so honoured amongst pleasant Meadows spacious cornfields and shady mountaines sweetly seated the houses fairly built of stone enriched by the Courts of Judicature here setled for all the Countrey and provided of a gallant Armorie 2 Trent Tridentum it is called in Latine situate in the confines of Germany and Italy for which cause the Inhabitants speak both languages Built on the bankes of the River Athesis or Adice honoured with an Episcopall See but made more famous by the Councell which was there begun by Pope Paul the third anno 1545. against the Lutherans For 22 yeares together before their meeting dashed by one Pope and intimated by another advanced by Charles the fift upon worldly Policies and for as worldly policies retarded by the Court of Rome for 18 years after this first Convention of it at sundry times assembled suspended and dissolved And finally when fixed here seriously by Pope Pius the fourth anno 1562. managed with so much art and cunning by the Papall partie that nothing was determined among the Prelates but what had formerly been resolved on in the Roman Conclave and certified accordingly by especiall Posts occasioning that most bitter jest of one of the Hungarians Bishops who was present at it that the Holy Ghost was sent unto them in a Cloak-bag from Rome The effects of which Councell so artificially carryed on by the strength of wit I cannot better describe then in the words of the History of it which are as followeth This Councell desired and procured by godly men to re-unite the Church which began to be divided hath so established the Schism and made the parties so obstinate that the discords are irreconcileable And being managed by Princes for Reformation of Ecclesiasticall Discipline hath caused the greatest deformation that ever was since Christianity did begin and hoped for by the Bishops themselves to regain the Episcopall Authority for the most part usurped by the Pope hath made them lose it altogether bringing them into greater servitude On the contrary feared and avoided by the See of Rome as a potent meanes to moderate the exorbitant power thereof mounted from small beginnings by divers degrees to an unlimitted excesse it hath so established and confirmed the same over that part which remained subject unto it that it was never so great nor soundly rooted So far the words of the History The next of note is 3 Falkenstein remarkable for mines of Brasse as 4 Hal upon the Inn for Salt-witches and 5 Schwas for the richer mines of Silver 6. Malk near the head of the River Atâ—esis 7 Pollen upon the borders of Italy by the people whereof called Folgiano and Bolsano 8 Tirol an ancient Castle the first seat of the Earls or Governours hereof and giving name for that reason to the Country adjoyning The Earls hereof were at the first no other then Provinciall Officers when made Proprietaries I am yet to seek The first of whom we have any certainty was Mainard Earl of Tirol and Goritz who dyed in the yeer 1258 leaving his Earldomes to that Mainard who by Rodolfus Habspurgensis was enfeoffed with the Dukedome of Karnten But Henry the sonne of this last Mainard dying without issue male his daughter Margaret by the consent of all her people setled her estate therein on the sonnes of Albert called the Short continuing ever since in the house of Austria though sometimes made the portion and inheritance of the younger Princes By Ferdinand the first it was given in Apennage to his 2 d son Ferdinand surnamed of Inspruch for that reason who by marrying with Philippina a Burgers daughter of Augsburg so displeased his Brethren that to buy his peace of them and enjoy his own content with her it was finally agreed upon amongst them all that Tirol should not descend upon his Children of that venter In pursuance whereof after his decease Tirol fell to the house of Gratz his eldest son Charles being made Marquesse of Burgh and Andrew his youngest Cardinall of Brixia The Armes of these Earls when distinct from the house of Austria were Argent an Eagle Sable membred Or. Those of Carinthia united for a time unto them as before was noted being Argent three Lions Leopards Sable Thus have we seen by what means all these Provinces belonging unto severall Lords became united and incorporated into one estate Besides which there was added to it by Rodolph of Habspurg all the Vpper Elsats the
Macedon 3153 11 Agamestor 3173 12 Aeschilus the son of Agamestor After whose death an mun 3195. the Athenians weary of these Governous for term of life as being lesse obnoxious to the check and censure of the people chose themselves Officers or Archontes for ten years onely at the end of which time they were to yeeld up their places and make roome for others But being a people greedy of Novelties and desirous of change they had onely seven of those Decenniall Archontes their Officers from that time forwards being chosen annually which Officers being nine in number we may call most properly the Provost the Chief Bishop the Marshall and the six Chief Justices all chosen out of the Nobility And so it held for the space of 170 yeares till the time of Solon who was the first which put the Supreme authority into the hands of the People and gave the first hint unto that Democratie which afterwards prevailed in Athens by the helpe of Pericles who being one of the great Councell of the Areopagites took from them a great part of their power in deciding Controversies and suites in Law putting them over to the judgement of the common people A Government so dearly loved by the Athenians that in all the Cities which they conquered or restored to liberty or wonne to their partie from the Spartans they caused it to be admitted as on the other side the Spartans introduced and confirmed the Aristocratie their own loved Government in all the places where they prospered As for the Court of the Areepagites of much fame in Athens it â—consisted from the first beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of such as had born some of the nine chief Offices who being once admitted held for term of life First instituted in the time of Demophoon the son of Theseus and called by the name of Areopegites either for that they held their Court in the street of Mars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned Act. 17. 22. or because Mars being accused for a Murder did first plead before them A Court which held in estimation under all these changes and so continued till the time of the Roman Empire But to return againe to the story of Athens in or about the later end of the liâ—e of Solon Pisistraas altered the Free State and made himselfe the absolute Master of the City but he once dead the People regained their libertie driving thence Hippias the sonne of Pisistratus who hereupon fled for accour to Darius the Persian Monarch occasioning by that meanes the first coming of the Persians into Greece What successe the Persians had in Greece these Histories of the times aboundantly inform us Daâ—tus being vanquished by Miltiades at Marathen and Xerxes by Themistocles at Salamis yet did not Athens scape â—o cleare but that it was taken by Xerxes though indeed first abandoned and voluntarily dismantled by the Athenians When the Persians were retired homewards the people of 〈◊〉 reedified their towne and strongly fortified it with high and defensible wals which done they put their Fleet to Sea and spoiled the coasts of Persia in all quarters inriching their City with the spoiles and enlarging their power and Dominion by the addition of many Islands and Sea townes Hereby they grew unto that wealth and potency that they were suspected by their weaker neighbours and envied by their stronger the Lacedoemonians especially who fearing to lose their antient priority over Greece but pretending the surprisall of Potidea a City of Thrace from the Corinthians and some hard measure by them shewed upon the Megarenses made warre upon them In the beginning of this warre the Athenians not onely resisted the whole power of all Greece confederate against them but so exceedingly prospered that the Spartans sued for peace and could not get it But the scales of fortune turned For after they had held out 28 yeares they were compelled to pluck down the Walls of their City and submit themselves to the will and pleasure of the Spartans now by the puissance and good fortune of Lysander become their Masters by whom the Government was changed and an Aristocratie or rather Oligarchie established under 30 Magistrates known commonly by the name of the 30 Tyrants expelled not long after by the valour of Thrasibulus and his Associates as hath been touched upon before Not long after the end of this warre which the Historians call Bellum Peloponnesiacum the Persians seeing how the Spartans not having now the State of Athens to oppose them began to work upon their Empire furnished Conona Noble Athenian Gentleman with a Navy so well provided that they overcame the Lacedemonians in a sight at Sea and thereby put his Countrey-men into so good heart that they once more reedified and repaired their Walls Which work they had no sooner ended but they made a partie in the warre called Bellum Sacrum composed at the last by Ihilip of Macedon who brought not onely the Thebans whom he came to aid but the Athenians Spartans and the rest of the adverse partie under his command A servitude from which they were never freed till as well Macedon as the rest became fellow-servants unto Rome But though this brave City had then lost her power in point of Armes yet she still kept her credit as an University in point of Arts Origen Chrysostom Basil and Gregory Nyssen men of renown and eminence in the Primitive times are said to have studied at Athens the like affirmed of Pope Joane if the Tale be true for the middle ages And so it held as I conjecture though not so eminently as before till the year 1440. when taken by Mahomet the Great who wondred much as my Authour telleth at the extreme beauty of the Castle and the strength of the walls not having lost in so long time their former excellencies Since that it sensibly decayed and is now an ordinary Burrough by the Turkes called Selines but still preserved the Reputation of an Episcopall See the Bishop of it holding up the title of Atheâ—â—sis 2 MEGARIS is bounded on the East with Attica on the West with the Bay of Corinth on the North with Boeotia and on the South with the Isthmus and the Golf of Engia So called from Megaris the chief City This the least Province of all Greece and not very fruitfull the Countrey for the most part being hard and rocky Not beautified with many Cities the principall of those which were 1 Pega or Pagoei situate on the Bay of Corinth and spoken of both by Pliny and Ptolemie but not otherwise memorable 2 Megaris now Megra first built by Megareus the sonne of Apollo and from him thus named Remarkable in former times for a Sect of Philosophers called from hence Secta Megarica founded by one Euclide a Disciple of Socrates of whom see Laertius More memorable in the Poets for Nisus once the King of this little Territorie on whose head there is said to have grown a Purple Haire on which the preservation of his
Iarsey by the Dean thereof Suffragan heretofore to the Bishop of Constance now to the Bishop of Winchester in Gernsey by a mixt Consistory of Clergie and Lay-Elders according to the new Modell of Geneva introduced in both Ilands Anno 1565. being the eighth yeer of Queen Elizabeth and abolished again in Iarsey Anno 1619. being the 17th of King James But to return again to the storie of France thorow which we have now made our Progress both by Sea and Land It took this name from the Frankes or French a German People who in the War of the Roman Empire possessed themselves of it not mentioned by that name by Caesar Strabo Ptolomie or any of the more antient Writers Nor was it taken up by them for ought appeareth till an hundred years after the death of Ptolomie the first express mention of them occurring in the reign of Gallienus then ransacking the coasts of Gaul and joyning with Posthumus the Rebell against that Emperour Afterwards often spoken of in the course of the Roman stories under the Empire of Claudius Probus Dioclesian and the Sonnes of Constantine though only in the way of pillage and depredation Their habitation in those times was from the meeting of the 〈◊〉 with the River Moenus not far from Frankford where they confined upon the Almans to the German Ocean conteining the particular Nations of the Bructeri Sicambri Salii Cherusci Frisit and Teucteri besides some others of less note and taking up the Countries of Westphalen Bâ—rgen Marck and so much of Cleve as lieth on the Dutch side of the Rhene the Lantgravedom of Hassia the Dutchie of Gueldres the Provinces of Zutphen Utrecht Over-Yssell both Frieslands and so much of Hâ—lland as lieth on the same side of the Rhene United in the name of Frankes to shew that Libertie or Freedom from the yoke of servitude which the Romans had endeavoured to impose upon them and wherewith all the Nations on the other side of the River were supposed to suffer Governed by Dukes till the yeer 420. when Pharamond first took upon himself the name of King Meroveus their third King having dispossessed the Sonns of Cledion the Sonne and Successor of Pharamond was the first that set foot in Gaul when seeing the Romans on the one side put to the worst by Theodorick and the Gothes and on the other side by the Burgundians they passed over the Rhene and possessed themselves of the Province of Germania Secunda containing all the Belgicâ— Provinces on the French side of that River together with the District of Colen Gulick and the rest of Cleve them passing in the accompt of Gaul His victories and fortunes were inherited by Chilperick his Sonne Successour who added Picardy Champaine and the Isle of France to the former conquest took Paris made it the seat of his Kingdom Afterwards when they had fully seated themselves here and thereby opened a free passage to the rest of the Country they quickly made themselves Masters of al that which formerly had been possessed by the Romans whom they outed of their last hold in Soissons under Clovis their fift King who also took Aquitain and the parts adjoyning from the Visi-Gothes or Gothes of Spain for these and many signal victories against the Almains deservedly surnamed the Great but greater in submitting to the Faith of CHRIST and receiving Baptism than by all his Victories Childebert and Clotaire the Sonnes of this Clovis vanquished the Burgundians adding that Kingdom to their own as Theodebert his Grandchild King of Mets or Austrasia did the Country of Provence resigned unto him by Amâ—lasunta Queen of the Ostro Gothes or Gothes of Italy by whom it had been wrested from the Gothes of Spain In the person of Clotaire the second the Realm of France improvidently dismembred into many Kingdoms amongst the Children of Clovis the first that is to say the Kingdoms of France Soissons Orleans and Austrasia of which Orleans and Austrasia were of long continuance were again united Whose Successor Dagobert the first was the last considerable Prince of the Mergovignians After this time the reputation of the French Kings of this line began to diminish scarce doing any thing that might ennoble and commend them to succeeding Ages or leaving any monument behind them but their empty Names which I shall represent in the following catalogue according to their severall times first taking notice that though the Kings of this first race did many times divide the Kingdom as before was said yet none of them were called Kings of France but those that had their Royall seat in the City of Paris the rest being called only Kings of Soissons Mets or Orleans according to the Name of their Principall Cities And therefore leaving those to their proper places we will here only take a Survey of those who passed in common estimate for the Kings of France The Kings of France of the French or Merovignian Line 449 1 Meroveus Master of the horse to Clodion the Sonne of Pharamond from whom this Line of Kings were called Merovignians 10. 459. 2 Chilperic the Sonne of Morove 26. 485. 3 Clovis the first Christian King of the French 30. 515. 4. Childebert eldest Sonne of Clovis his other Brethren Reigning in their severall places 45. 560. 5 Clotaire Brother of Childebert first King of the Soissons afterwards sole King of the French 565. 6 Cherebert Sonne of Clotaire 574. 7 Chilperic II. King of Scissons and Brother of Cherebert whom he succeeded in the Kingdom 14. 588. 8 Clotaire II. Sonne of Chilperic the second 44. 632. 9 Dagobert Sonne of Clotaire the second 14. 645. 10 Clovis II. Sonne of Dagobert 17. 663. 11 Clotaire III. Sonne of Clotaire the second 4. 667 12 Chilperic III. Sonne of Clotaire the third 680 13 Theodorick Brother of Chilperic 14. 694 14 Clovis III. Sonne to Theodorick 5. 698. 15 Childebert II. Brother to Clovis 18. 716. 16 Dagobert II. Sonne of Childebert the second 722. 17 Chilperic IV. opposed by Charls Martel in behalf of Clotaire the fourth 5. 727 17 Theodoric II. Sonne of Dagobert the second 742 19 Chilperic V. Sonne of Theodoric the last of the Merovignian Family Deposed by Pepin Sonne to Charles Martel the Pope giving approbation to his proceedings This Pepin and his Father Martel were Mayres of the Palace to the former Kings which Mayres were originally Controllers of the Kings House and had nothing to do with the affairs of State But Clotaire the third to ease himself and his successours of a burden so weighty made the Mayres Vicars generall of his Empire From henceforward the Kings followed their pleasures shewing themselves only on May-day and then being seated in a Chariot adorned with Flowers and drawn by four Oxen. As for the Mayâ—e he openeth packets heareth and diâ—patcheth forrein Ambassadours giveth remedy to the complaints of the Subjects maketh Laws repealeth them An authority somewhat like that of the Praefecti Praetoâ—io in the declining times of the