74 Galeatius the first duke of Millan fol. 97 Hanniball poysoneth hym selfe fol. 21 Heliogabalus fol. 38 Hieromes sentence fol. 49 Heraclius victorie fol. 60 Henry the seconde fol. 77 Henry the thyrde idem Iulius Cesar ouerthroweth the Swicers fol. 28 Inconstantie of Cicero fol. 32 Iesus Christes byrth fol. 34 Iesus Christes death fol. 36 Iulianus fol. 47 Iouinianus idem Iustinus Emperour of Grecia fol. 56 Iohn kyng of Fraunce taken of the Englishe men fol. 97 Iohn of Bourgony delyuered by a straunge meanes idem Lysimachus fol. 12 L. Luculus against Mithridates fol. 27 Leges Iuliae fol. 32 Litorius against the Gothes fol. 32 Leo Emperour fol. 54 Lyes and falsholde in the Popes Histories fol. 56 Long warre against the Saxons fol. 69 Ludouicus the Maffler fol. 73 Learning and good letters reestablisshed fol. 99 Melius slayne for his ambition fol. 14 M. Antonius the Philosopher fol. 37 Maximinus Empe. fol. 38 Martianus Empe. fol. 52 Mauritius Empe. fol. 59 Mahomets Alchoran the beginning of his authority fol. 60 Mariage forbidden to Priestes fol. 64 Nimrod the first Kyng of Chaldea fol. 1 Nabuchodonozors power fol. 5 Notable Iurisconsulles fol. 16 Nestorius condemned fol. 5 Narses the Eunuche fol. 57 Odoacer subdueth Italy fol. 54 Ottomanus the first Emp. of the Turkes fol. 66 Otho first of that name fol. 75 Otho displaceth the Pope idem Otho the seconde fol. 76 Otho taken by Pyrates idem Otho the thyrde idem Ptolomeus Philadelphus father of good letters fol. 12 Papyrius Cursor fol. 15 Pyrchus against the Romaines fol. 16 Persta king of the Macedonians taken prisoner fol. 21 Probus and the cause of his death fol. 43 Phocas fol. 59 Pipine king of Fraunce aydeth the Pope fol. 64 Priuileges of the Emperour fol. 75 Printing inuented fol. 99 Quintus Fabius a most prudent captaine fol. 17 Resination of the Empyre fol. 43 Rome taken by the Gothes fol. 51 Rome taken by the Wandales fol. 53 Rome taken by Totilas fol. 57 Rome robbed by Constans fol. 61 Robert king of Fraunce fol. 77 Robert Palatine Emperour fol. 98 Reuelation of Antichrist fol. 104 Semiramis and her noblenes fol. 2 Sardanapalus and his ende fol. 3 Socrates the fountaine of Philosophie fol. 15 Scipios victorie in Affrike fol. 19 Septimus Seuerus fol. 38 Sapor king of Persia fol. 39 Synode or counsell at Constantinople fol. 49 Strife betwene the Grekes and the Latines fol. 88 Sigismundus Emperour fol. 98 The wynnyng of Ierusalem fol. 4 The warre of the Persians fol. 8 The Penoponicall warre against the Athenians fol. 8 The ouerthrowe of the Athenians in Sicilia fol. 9 The beginning of the fourth Monarchie fol. 12 The tyme in which Rome was buylte fol. 13 The warre of Troye eodem The beginning of the Romaines eodem The first gouernement at Rome eodem The Fabiens slaughter eodem The thyrde mutation of the Romain policie fol. 14 The first warre of Carthage fol. 16 The seconde warre of Carthage fol. 17 The thirde warre of Carthage fol. 22 The warre of Numance fol. 23 The warre of bondmen and slaues eodem The byrth of Cicero fol. 24 The lawes of Sylla fol. 26 The first pleadyng of Cicero eodem The exile of Cicero fol. 29 The fourth and last monarchie fol. 32 The yerely reuenewe of Egipt fol. 33 Tyrants fol. 44 The counsell of Nice against Arrius fol. 45 The Emperour excommunicated by the Pope fol. 50 The sixte counsell of Carthage eodem The deceipt of the bishop of Rome disclosed eodem The treason of Stilico eodem The Wandales enter into Affricke fol. 51 The Britons driuen out by the Englyshe men fol. 52 The first foundation of Venice fol. 53 The number of the dukes of Venice eodem The counsell of Calcedon eodem The West Empyre sore afflicted fol. 54 The Lumbards enter into Italy fol. 59 The fourth counsell of Toletanum fel. 60 The sixte counsell of Constantinople fol. 62 The beginning of the turkes fol. 66 The number of Emperours murdered fol. 67 The great Maisters of Fraunce and their credit fol. 68 The Empyre renued by Charlemaine fol. 70 The seuen electours of the Empyre instituted fol. 77 The sonne against the father fol. 85 The counsell of Latran fol. 88 The euenings of Sicilia fol. 93 The ouerthrow of the templers fol. 94 Two Emperours crowned fol. 95 The first tenthes eodem The golden Bull. fol. 96 The king of Hungarie defeited by the turke fol. 97 The Popes court transferred into Fraunce fol. 98 The Papacie as Cerberus hath thre heads fol. 99 The counsell of Constance eodem The prophecie of Daniel expounded fol. 101 The foure beastes eodem The tenne hornes fol. 102 The wicked doctrine of Mahomet eodem The Ramme and the Goate eodem The Pope and the Turkes enemies of them pyre fol. 103 There shal be no fifte monarchie eodem The thre hornes of the turkes fol. 104 The fury of Sathan at the ende eodem Victorie of Pompeius against Mithridates fol. 27 Victorie of Cesar in Affricke fol. 31 Vlpianus Iurisconsull fol. 38 Valerianus fol. 40 Vitigis king of the Gothes taken prisoner fol. 57 Vsurpation of the Popes ouer the Empyre fol. 63 Vitories of Charles the fifte in Affricke fol. 100 Vnstabilitie of the Lords of Millan fol. 101 Victories of Alexander fol. 102 Warre against Philippe of Macedonia fol. 19 Warre against Antiochus kyng of Siria eodem Warre against Iugurtha fol. 24 Warre against Mithridates fol. 25 Warre against the Pyrates fol. 27 Warre in Alexandria against Cesar fol. 30 Warre of the Romains in Dutchland fol. 34 Warre betwene the Frenchmen the Englishmen fol. 96 Xerxes the fourth Emperour fol. 8 Xerxes ouerthrowen by the Grecians eodem Zenobia the valiaunt wyfe of Odenatus fol. 4◠Zeno Isauricus fol. 54 FINIS To the Reader SIth no mans doings can auoyde Reproch at Momus hand I iudge it nedeles to craue ayde The same for to gaine stand Wherefore I will contented be The same to ouerronne With silence and simplicitie As many moe haue donne Trusting that such as be of skill Hereat wyll not disdayne But it in gre they accept will To recompence my payne ¶ Faultes escaped in the prynting Note that a. signifieth the first side of the page and. b. the second Follio 1. b. line 17 Affrica read Asia fol. 2. a. line 15 brought out read were brought out fol. 6. a. line 12. haue these two read leaue these two fol. 14 b. line 7. surmounte read surmounted fol. 14. b. line 8. was bannished read he was bannished fol. 15. a. line 22. it hathe bene read as it hathe bene fol. 19. b. line 1. to be read is to be fol. 23. b. line 3. sure read seuere fol. 28. a. line 23. adde next to thys worde grauen were molten fol. 28. a. lyne 24. the molten image read the image fol. 39. b. lyne 5. Persians held read the Persians held fol. 43. a. lyne 4. short stand read shortly stande fol. 50. a. lyne 9. Priestes read bishop fol. 90. a. lyne
nothyng doubt of the takynge of the countrey Marcellus was greatly wrathe at hys death when he vnderstode it and commaunded to bury hym As concerninge the towne he dyd not onelye leaue it whole and sounde as Cicero sayeth but also in such sort decked that it might haue bene a perpetuall monument of hys victorye gentlenes and clemencie And lykewyse he sayeth that in the victorye of Marcellus there was not so manye men slayne as there were gooddes spoyled at the commyng of Verres Pretor into the sayde Cyty But Titus Liuius saith that it was a very pituous thinge to see the villanies that were there committed by angre enuye and couetousnes A hundred thyrtie and seuen yeres after Cicero beyng Treasurour of Sicilia Cicero treasurour of Sicilia did shewe Archimedes sepulchre vnto the Senate of Saragosse the whiche he knewe by a certaine discription all be it that it was altogether ruinated and so couered with Briers and Thornes that euen they of the Citie knewe not where it was The sayde Cicero sayeth that the towne of Sarragosse is the greatest and fayrest of all the townes of Grecia and is compacte and made of foure great townes of the I le where the fountayne of Arethusia is full of fishe of Acradina where is the market place and the couered Galleries with the Palaice or Parlement house of Tyche where the temple of Fortune is of the newe towne which was laste of all buylte and it hath a very large Theatre Now amongest all other nacions the countrey of Sicilia dyd first of all encline vnto the amitie and loyaltie of the Romaines Sicilia the first ê“uince and was the first that was named a Prouince as witnesseth the sayde Cicero After the victorye of Cannes Hanniball tooke all Campania which yelded vnto hym His armie also wyntered at Capua where it was effe minated and corrupted through the abundance and superfluitie of all thynges Superfluitie wantonnes vnprofitable in an armye Thre yeres after the takyng of Sarrogosse Capua was geuen to the Romains by composition There was great and long deliberation for to know whether the towne should be rased but finally it was concluded that it shoulde be kept Not withstandynge for to take from them all meanes for euer of rebellion theyr territorie was taken from them and al office and Senate with the publyke counsell To be short they had no forme of a publyke weale left them but it was ordeyned that the towne should serue as a berne and place for to holde and house the fruite of the whole territorie there about and for to lodge the labourers Two yeres after The ouerthrowe of Asdruball Asdruball brought freshe souldiours into Italy to the succour of Hanniball but he was ouerthrowen neare the flood called Metaurus by the consulles M. Liuius Salinator and C. Claudius Nero. In the meane tyme P. Cornelius Scipio of whome mencion hath bene made prospered luckely in Spaygne albeit that his father and his vncle had bene there slaine And after that he had recouered the whole Prouince retourned to Rome where he was chosen consull He required that the countrey of Affricke might be assigned hym for to make warre there But Q. Fabius Maximus beynge of a great age dyd sharpely withstand hym and was of opinion that it behoued not to go into Affricke but that it was mete and conuenient to make warre with Hanniball Scipio was of a contrary opinion because that yf they did make warre agaynst the Carthagians in their countrey they shoulde be forced to call agayne Hanniball from Italy as he vppon whome lay all theyr helpe and succour After long stryfe the Senate assigned Sicilia vnto Scipio and did permitte hym to take the spoyle of Affricke yf it were for the commoditie of the publyke weale He then tooke his iourney from Sicilia vnto Affricke and dyd proue by effect that which he had before forshewed vnto the Senate For the Carthagians hauynge lost certaine battayls against hym and beyng greatly endomaged The victory of Scipio 〈◊〉 Affricke dyd call agayne Hanniball So that by thys meanes he who for sixtene yeares space had not ceassed to hunt through Italy who also had encamped his army nere the walles of the cytye of Rome was constrained albeit it was soore against his will to retyre homewarde to hys countrey Finallye Scipio wan a great battaile of hym who afterwards by the wyll of the Senate made peace with the enemy herevppon the surname of Affricus was gyuen vnto hym But here to be consydered from howe great troubles the Romaines were delyuered for euen alreadye by the space of certaine yeares all their fortune hunge by a very small threde but it was before predestinated that they shoulde come to an ende of all violence and calamitie and shoulde be Lordes of the worlde The which as some saye Hanniball did foresee when his brother Asdruball was vanquished Horatius reciteth his very wordes which he then sayde in the verse by the which he prayseth Drusus and his familie And for because that the said Verse is most learned and elegant it doth well deserue that the youth should learne the same by harte The peace being concluded with the Carthagiens besides the other warres wherewith the Romains were incombred to witte in Italy Istria and Portingale they made another great warre also against Philippus kyng of Macedonia Warre agaynst Philip of Macedonia who had afflicted and oppressed the countrey of Grecia Titus Quintus Flaminius was the chief captaine of this warre who after the ouerthrow of the enemie reestablished the countrey of Grecia in her libertie by the consentinge of the Senate And amongest all other articles he charged king Philip not to go a warfare without the limites of Macedonia vnlesse he had permission of the Senate This warre ended Another war against Antiochus king of Syria another folowed it against Antiochus king of Siria Who being passed into Europa was ouercome by M. Galabrio and driuer out of Grecia For the accomplishing whereof the aboue said Philip kyng of Macedonia did geue succour to the Romaines These kinges of Asia of Syria and of Macedonia did descend of them who after the death of Alexander the great dyd diuide amongest them the Prouinces as it hath been said For after that Carthage was pacified and all Italye brought vnder the subiection of the Romains The greate authority of the romainâ— and that they had also conquered the other countreys of Europa more nearer both by Sea and by land they were growen to such power that euen the Kynges and the peoples farre of dyd craue succour and helpe of them Whiche amongest others the Egiptians did For because that their Kyng Ptolemeus Epiphanes being then but of fewe yeares was not apt to the gouernment of the publyke weale and for that they stood in great feare of Antiochus they sent Embassadours to Rome by whome they did desyer the Senate to take the lytle king into their safegard This being agreed
his kinsman The cause and beginning hereof was that Cesar shuld be put out of his Consulship Ciuill war betwene Pompeius and Cesar if he did not out of hand discharge his armie geue ouer the prouince But he was persuadid in himselfe that he could not be in safety if he did dismisse his souldiars Notwithstanding he made this offer that both he Pompeius shuld yeld vp their souldious and for asmuch as this was not accepted he toke his iourney with an vncredible swiftnes he came out of France into Italy with his hoste entred into Flaminia where he tooke diuers townes Which being knowen Pompeius the two consuls to wit C. Marcellus L. Lentulus did flye frō Rome went to Ranusiū of the coūtrie of Puell bordering on the sea Cesar came thither also but the cōsuls had alredy passed the sea wer ariued at Durazo whether also shortly after Pmopeius fled And for because that Cesar being excluded by the time and destititute of vessels of warre could not folow or pursewe them he returned vnto Rome where he holding a courte made a complainte of the iniuries done against him and did propound certaine conditions of peace But because that the Senate dyd shewe themselues slacke and colde herein he went vnto Massilia where the gates were shute against him Wherfore he hauing prepared an army by sea he beseiged the towne both by Sea and by Land The Captaines of Pompeius yelde vnto Cesar leauing there his lieutenauntes he toke his iournie towardes Spaine where finally Petreius Afranius the captaines of Pompeius dyd yelde vnto hym wyth all theyr armie Whiche beinge done he retourned backe again vnto Massilia the which then beyng voyde of all hope did yelde vnto his deuotion Straight waies after this he returned vnto Rome hauing in his absence bene made dictatour by M. Lepidus Pretor where he made an assembly of the people and was chosen Consull with P. Seruilius Isaurico Afterwardes hauinge lefte and gyuen good order of his affaires he went into Grecia to conclud he ouerthrew Pōpeius in a great battaile in the contry of Thessalia wanne his campe yea albeit his armie was much greater Pompeius vanquished by Cesar Pōpeius flying away went into the countrie of Egipte at which time raygned Ptolomeus Dionisius the sonne of Ptolomeus Auleta whome as we haue sayde Pompeius beynge Consull dyd by A. Gabinius reestablyshe in hys Kyngdome whereof he was depryued Pompeius hoped that in partye recompence of hys good deede he should finde some helpe succour in that country But the king was then but a childe Wherthrough it befell that his famillier frendes dispisynge the present state of Pompeius or at the least fearing certayne motions and vprores The death of Pompeius dyd slaye him by treason Cesar pursewing him ariued at Alexandria accompained with three thousand and two hundreth men where he was first of al aduertised of the death of the sayd Pompeius Cicero giuing his Iudgement of them both sayth on this wise If so be that Pompeius had demissed somewhat of his great grauitie and that Cesar had greatly refrained from hys couetousnes we myght haue had some certaine assured peace and some publike weale The king of Egipte was then in armes against his syster Cleopatra Cesar beynge in Alexandria would that they shoulde pleade their controuersyes rather by ryghte before hym then by armes seyng that he was Consull of the Romaines and that certaine yeares before amitie was contracted by lawe and consent of the Senate wyth Ptolomeus the kinges father The gouernours toke this thyng very greuously and complayned that the royall maiestie was greatly empeched lesned in that they were caused to appeare and pleade their cause Warre in Alexandria againste Cesar Their hartes then were so enflamed with wrath that they put themselues in armes against Cesar who after great and sondry dangers reinained victorious Notwithstanding the king being dead he ordained not neither made the kingedome of Egipte in maner of a prouince but left the kingdome vnto Cleopatra and to hys yonger brother From thence he toke his iournye into Syria and afterwardes into Pont where he defyed the king Pharnaces the sonne of Mithridates and did pacifye Cappadocia Armenia Gallograecia Pont and Bithynia This beynge done he came agayne into Italye and after that into Rome And in the middest of the winter yea in the shortest dayes therof he toke shyppe in Sicilia for to sayle into Affrike albeit that the pryncipalest and chiefest diuinor had aduertised him not to take his iournie till winter were past After the iourney of Pharsalica Scipio and Cato sōnes of the Nephewes of A. Portius Cato were retyred in to the sayd coūtry of Affrike and hauing raised a great band of men of warre they had assubiected and brought the king Iuba vnder theyr gyrdell Cesar then ariued there and beseyged and ouer threwe them both Cesar victorious in Afrike But as concerning Cato he slew himself at Vtica for feare of falling into the handes of Cesar The which Cicero approueth beyng of opinion that considering the incredible grauitie that he naturallye had it behoued hym rather to dye suche a death then to behold the face of the Tirante Cato was of the Stoical secte and sometimes he did defend in the open Senate certaine brutishe and horrible sentenses as if he had bene in the politike gouernaunce of Plato according to the saying of Cicero and not in the affaires of Rome Ceser was retourned vnto Rome hauing triumphed ouer the Galles Egiptians those of Pont and of Affrike he stirred vp warre agaynst Sext. Pompeius in Spaine where he also gaue him the ouerthrowe So therefore all his enemies beyng vanquished and the people beynge pacifyed in all parties he returned to Rome .v. yeares after the beginning of the ciuil warre And after that he had triumphed ouer Spaine he fell out of fauour and was hated of diuers forbecause that he had always kept retayned to himself the name power of Dictatour which was offered him for that also he did electe such Senatours as semed good to his fantasye and almost onely dyd conferre the honours offices of the weale publike vnto whom it pleased him After then that the estate of the publike weale was changed and that the gouernement therof was reducted vnder the power auctority of one only the cōspiraties which were made against him were so enflamed that v monthes after his returne vnto Rome Cesar slayn in the Senate the xv of March he was murdered in the court of Poinpeius where the parliment was kept euen by thē who were greatly boūd vn to him for his clemencye gentilnes lately before shewed vnto thē For he had pardoned thē theyr putting on of armes against him in the war of Pompeius The muderers were M. D. Brutus C. Cassius Cn. Domitius C Trebonius Q. Tullius Cimber the two Seruilians Casca Hala dyuers others M.
call them should be receyued into twoo Churches The pluralitie of benefices were then vnknowen the whiche at this daye is so common as nothinge more yea almost euen in our memorie amongst the other spots of the Churche this allso hathe bene introducted that the Pope hathe made no dificultie to graunt two bishoprikes vnto one man If he did agayne establishe the coustoume lately obserued herein he shoulde do his dewtie But in asmuche as he can not abyde that do we thynke that he wyll euer suffer that the things should be refourmed accordyng to the holy scriptures decrees of the Apostles and of the primatiue church No doubt they labour in vayn who seke to rule and frame the Popes doings accordyng to the maner of the auncient religion Martianus dyed the seuenth yere of his raign and Leo succeded hym Leo Emp. As touchyng Rome and the West parties after the taking of the said citie by Gensericus his retourne into Affrike Auitus succeded Valentinianus after hym Maiorianus and after him Seuerus after him also Authemius and consequently others of small name who slew one another by treason and ambushments The Wes◠empyre sore afflicted so that none of them raygned long wherthrough that part of the Empyre towards the West was very soore afflicted and vexed There is found nothyng wrytten of the Emperour Leo whych is worthy of memory but that he made an atonement and league wyth the Gothes who forraged in Sclauonia There are yet found one or two Epistles of Leo bishop of Rome which are directed vnto hym The sayd Emperour had Zeno Isauricus to hys successour Zeno Isauricus Amongest them who after the death of Valentinianus had the domination of Rome there was one also named Augustulus At this tyme Odoacer bryng accompanied with a great armye of Herulois and Scyrois passed from Hungaria into Italy by force of armes He stewe Orestus a gentle man of the chiefe bloud of Rome whom he had taken in Pauie where he was retired wyth his souldiours not content therewith he proyed and brunte the towne and procedyng onwards he subdued the whole countrey euen vnto Rome Augustulus seyng these thyngs hys corage fayled hym and willingly euen of his owne accorde he depriued him self of the Empyre Odoacer subdueth Italye Odoacer made his entrye into Rome and after he had obtained the domination of Italy he enioyed it raigned peaceably ouer the same for the space of xiiii yeres That time passed the Emperour Zeno did send Theodoricus king of the Ostrogothes from Constantinople In his way he vanquished Gepides and Bulgares who did resist him Theodoricus king of the Ostrogothes Afterwards passyng by Mysia and Hungaria he entred into Italy and encamped before Aquileia where Odoacer went to mete hym and they fought earnestly together wyth all theyr myght and power Odoacer had the worst and was put to flyght But he renewed his army presented agayne the battayll about Uerona Where he being also the second tyme ouertorowen and put to flight he hastened towards Rome leauing the greatest number of his men behind him partly slaine in the field and partly drowned in the ryuer of Athese He being excluded from Rome spoy led the fields and medowes there abouts and retyred to Rauenna where he was beseiged almost thre yeres and finally hauyng yelded hymself was slain He being dispatched Theodoricus remained maister of Italy and made his entrye into Rome where he held two cousells of bishops whome he had made to come thither out of diuers Prouinces of Italy for to iudge vppon the cause of Symnachus bishop of Rome whome many did reiect as vnworthy and euill elected This Theodoricus was an Arrian as the bokes of the Papistes report It is he who was surnamed Veronensis and was kinsman to that Theodoricus who as it hath bene said was slaine in the battell against Athila Odoacer was a Rugien which is a certain people of Germany towardes the sea of * It is the ocesian sea towards y◠countrey of Prusse Balthicus Theodoricus seking to fortifie him selfe did ioygne the kinges of the Wandales Visigots and of Bourgony in affinitie and league with him Whilest these thyngs were a doyng in Italy great tumults were raised in Thracia Affricke and England in which finally the Saxons were maisters Anastasius succeaded Zeno who was disceassed at Constantinople He mainteyned certayne Anastasius who helde the opinion of Eutyches Whereof sprong great dissention betwene hym and Gelasius bishop of Rome who accordyng to theyr bookes dyd admonysh hym by large and long letters not to maintayn or defend such men For there are two principall thyngs which are concurrant in the regiment of this world the sacred authoritie of bishops and the regall power As touchyng the byshops they haue the greater charge in as muche as they must once render an accompt for the residue Truth it is that he presedeth in ciuill pollicie but not withstandyng he is subiect to the ministers of sacred thyngs and dependeth vppon theyr iudgement And seyng that the Priests do obey the polityke lawes it is mete that he for his part do not refuse that whych the Dispensatours and Presidents of sacred thyngs do decerne Also for as much as thys honour vndoubtedly ought to be referred to al the ministers of the Church How much more then vnto hym whom God fyrst of all by hys voyce and after by the consent of the church The arogācie of the bishop of rome would haue to be aboue all order of Priesthode Let hym therefore refrain and heare hym rather as an intreatour in this life then as an accusour in the other Hys decre as touchyng the holy Byble is ioygned next after Wherein he attributeth chief authoritie vnto the Romain sea so they name it secondly vnto Alexandria and thyrdly vnto Antioche In Anastasius raigne great seditions and motions of warre were styrred vp in Cilicia the which were asswaged and pacified after that the author was dispatched The Hunnes dyd then also spoyle Armenia and Capadocia The Getes Macedonia Thessalia and Albania in such sort that the Emperour was constrayned to pacifie ech of them with gyftes and great losses About thys tyme to wit the yere of saluation CCCCC Clodoueus kyng of Fraunce receyued fyrst of all the religion of Christ after he had bene long tyme solicited by hys wyfe who was of the house of Bourgony to forsake the Idols and superstitions Clodoueus the first christen kyng of Fraunce There remaineth yet a counsell of Orleans holden in his raigne by .xxxiii. French byshops by the whych amongest other thyngs it is ordeyned that if any hauing rauyshed a mayde flye and take Sanctuary in the temple yea albeit he haue enforced her that he should not dye but that he should eyther be as a bondman or els redeme hym self by her The ryght Canon sayth that Anastasius braste a sunder and so dyed others say that he was striken wyth lyghtnyng Iustinus folowed hym
second was byshop of Rome There remaineth a certain Epistle of him wherin he sharply rebuketh taxeth Aurelius who at the foresayd counsell was bishop of Carthage sayth that by the motion instigation of the deuyll he wyth hys fellow Byshops straue against the church of Rome Also he giueth god thanks the Eulatius Aurelius successour then Byshop of the sayd place was reconciled with the Church of Rome Moreouer he reciteth a certayn writting of Eulatius by the which he protesteth that he coÌ„demneth aswel his elders as his successors who haue gone or shal go about to subuert deminyshe the priueleges of the holy and apostolike church Agapetus successour of Bonifacius the second did dysplace Authemius patriarch of CoÌ„stantinople who denied two natures in Christ Theodora the Emperours wyfe was sore displeased therewyth and by Belisarius warned Syluerius Agapetus successour to reestablyshe hym And because that the sayd Agapetus was accused of certayne other matters Belisarius dysplaced hym and putte Vigilius in his towne But because that he beyng called to Constantinople The Bysshoppes of come were in the Emperours power would not restore Authemius to hys offyce he was serued wyth the lyke Whereby it is euydent ynoughe that then the Byshoppes of Rome weare in the Emperours power In the raigne of Iustinus the second the Parsian warre was renued And because that it went yll and vnfortunallye on the Emperours part Auchelaus his Lieutenant did again make peace Narses the other Lieutenant of the Emperour dyd enioye Italy for .xvi. yeares space after he had driuen out the Gothes and that Totilas was disceassed Afterwards he beyng called from thence by the Emperour and hauyng receyued vnpleasaunt letters and conceauing great ingratitude in them he not onely not returned but also to auenge hymself he sent Ambassadours for to entyse and draw the Lombardes into Italye in propoundyng vnto them great profytes and commodities and declaryng vnto them that Italy exselled all other counttryes in beauty and fertilitie The Lomberds enter into Italy They had at that tyme taken their inhabytation in Hungaria At such tyme as they were thether ariued they dyd possesse that parte of Italy which beareth theyr name euen to thys day The Hystoriographers wrytte that thys Iustinus dyd instytute a Magystrate in Italye named * That is to say lorde or gouernour Exarche who was as the Vicemperour He remayned for the most parte at Rauenna not passyng for Rome and placed in euery City and Towne a gouernour The Italyen wrytters sayd that thys new institution was cause of the ruyne of Italye and of Rome Narses afterwardes dyed at Rome Tiberius Emperour Tyberius who had allreadye bene made compaynyon of the Empyre succeaded Iustynus He ouerthrewe the Parsyans in twoo battayls He made peace with the Lombardes who raigned from the * A couÌ„try in Italy called now Aprucium Samnites eueÌ„ to the Alpes the City of Rome excepted the which they had straightly beseiged for a certayn tyme but fynally were coÌ„strained to raise their campe through the greatnes of teÌ„pests vnseasonable weathers great raynes Mauritius Mauritius Tiberius sonne in lawe was Emperour and in certayn battayles vanquished the Parsians by his Lieutenants fynally he made peace with them Afterwards hauing called back agayn hys army he draue the Scythes from Misia He kept the Lombards vnder by force in Italy displaced the HuÌ„nes out of Hungaria He grew in hatred of hys souldiours because of hys couetousnes Wherfore he was constrayned for to auoyde the sedition begoÌ„ne to fly to Chalcedon where fynally he was slayne wyth hys wyfe and chyldren and all his race by a certayn centurion named Phocas who afterwards was choseÌ„ Emperour by sediâ—ioâ— Phocas In Mauritius raign there appeared a blaysyng starre for syxe Monthes space And as certayn writings do mention Mahomet was then borne of whom we wyll shortly hereafter speake At that time Iohn Byshop of CoÌ„stantinople dyd name himself the vniuersall Patriarch Quarells for the supremacie Gregorie the fyrst against the ambitioÌ„ of the Pope Whom the Byshop of Rome Pelagius the second did stroâ—gly and stoutly withstand pronounced his decrees to be of no vallewe Gregorius the fyrst his successor doth sharply reprehend that in him and saith that this title and honour was attributed to his ancestours at the counsell of Carthage howbeit neuer any of them would euer vse it He wryting also vnto Mauritius the Emperour he exhorteth him to restrayne and kepe him vnder inas much as it lyeth in his aucthoritie the whych is sore minished by the power that the other vsurpeth It is sayd that Bonifacius the thyrd who folowed Gregorye dyd obtayne the supremacye of Phocas Wherof he published patents laws The entry of the popes In Phocas raygne the Persians did greatly endomage the publike weale For they possessed Mesopotamia and Assyria passed euen into Asia the lesser so great was the negligence of the Prynce Moreouer Germany Fraunce Spaine and the most part of Italy dyd reuolte The Saracenes spoyled and proyed Egipt Wherof it befel that he was slain for his cruelty for neglecting the publike weale In Heraclius tyme hys successour Heraclius the Parsians made great roades From Egipt they marched into Affrike the whych they subiected vnto them The Scithes dyd dismember rent Europa in pieces diuers sondry wyse Heraclius fynally toke iourney into Asia and seyng that he could not obtain peace no not in offering meanes finally râ—douÌ„ding to the Romayns honour Heraclius victorie he entred eueÌ„ almost by constraint into plaine battaile against the sayd Persians who then spoyled oppressed Iudea and ouerthrew them in two battailes From thence forthwith passed the floode Tiger spoiled the whole country of Persia vntyll such tyme as he made aliaunce wyth Sirochus the kyng of Persyans sonne who hauyng killed his father had made himself king By thys meanes the country of Affrike Egipt all that the Parsians had subdued was rendred and it was agreed that the flood Tiger should seperate the Parsians dominioÌ„ from that of the Romains About that time a great multitude of Saracenes who were at the wags of Heraclius did reuolt because they were defrauded of their payment robbing proiyng in Siria vnder the conduct of Mahomet they possessed Damascus proied Egipt subdued Arabia fought luckly agaynst the Parsians The beginning of Mahometes authoritie Mahomet proceded from out of a poore towne familie notwithstanding he was subtil audacious afterwardes was enriched by his mariges being had in estimatioÌ„ for the proÌ„ptnes dexterity of his spirit The Alchoran of Mahomete he propouÌ„ded a new doctrine very pleasant to humaine reason but worthy to be mocked and laughed at and also wicked for the most part to the end that therby he myght more more allure mens minds vnto him fortifye his kyngdome And albeit that at the first it was very
Germany An outragious Pope The Pope who could not chaūge his nature wasted Viterbe again excommunicated the Emperour Who being greatly moued therewith retourned into Italy very furiously punished all the rebells through Toscane Vmbrie the syde of Pauie By reason whereof the Pope redoubled his excommunication ioyned in league with the Venetians The Emperour forragyng through Italy hauyng brought almost all vnto hys obedience came encamped before Rome and as these thyngs were a doyng Pope Gregory dyed who a lytle before had called them that toke hys part vnto the counsel at Rauenna whether they coulde not arriue because that the Emperour kept the wayes stopt and that also he had taken certayn Thauthour of the decretals This is that Gregory who collected the Epistles named Decretalls which is the greatest part of the right Canon loded with great store of commentaries Wherin a man may greatly meruel that there are men who apply addict them selues wholly vnto writings euyll adapted vnorderly placed and lesse prudently or religiously let me not say worthy of mockedge derision as if they were oracles from heauen and employ all theyr labour industrie to enterprete and expounde them The folly of the Canonistes so that they seme to be hyred for to defend by theyr watches and trauayles anothers foolyshnes and errour and for to lose all shame in anothers inpudencie That which they call the decre of Gracianus conteyneth among other things in diuers places The impieties of Gratianus decree that the rule of the romain church ought to be folowed of all because that it is the seat of S. Peter that it is not lawfull to hold a counsel without the popes permissiō that the lawes of the romain church ought to be obserued fully asmuch as yf they were pronunced by the mouth of S. Peter the yoke and bondage which the romain church doth put vpon any yea albeit it wer not tollerable ought to be borne the ministers of the church ought to vowe chastitie for feare that they marry not and to be lawful vnto hym that hath no wyfe to haue a concubine Whoredom permitted that the pope who is slack careles in his estate hurteth aswell hym selfe as others But not withstanding he can be iudged of any because that he iudgeth the whole world that the emperour ought to be vnder the pope and not aboue that al other men are iudged of men but that the pope S. Peters successour is iudged onely of God that it is lawful vnto the pope to absolue the people of the faith and othe which they owe vnto their Prynce Amongst other thyngs there is in the epistles decretals of Gregory in the Sixtes of Bonifacius in the Clementines and extrauagantes as they call them that the popes authoritie is not subiect vnto the Decrees of the Counsell that it appertayneth vnto the sayde Pope to approue the Emperour elected or to reiect hym yf he be not fit or apt that there are two great lights which gouerne the worlde to witte the Sunne and the Moone that the pope is in place of the Sunne the Emperour in place of the Moone that it is lawfull vnto bishops to giue pardon vnto them that are fallen into adultery or other crimes but where question is of the priuileges of the romain church none other oght to take knowledge therof but the pope that the bones of the excommunicated already buryed ought to be taken vp and cast farre of that it is in the popes power to put the emperour from besides his estate dignitie that the Emperour is bound to promise faith and fide litie by othe vnto the pope that the church men must be free discharged from all charges troubles hinderances that a man may be pronounced an heretike after hys death his goods confiscate that the children of heretikes ought not to be receyued into any dignitie either ciuill or ecclesiasticall that for to be saued it necessarily behoneth that all shoulde be subiect vnto the pope There is no man of sounde iudgement that seeth not what these few articles be which ar takē frō out of infinite others The definition of the lawe as most learned men saye is a singuler reason engraffed in nature Difinitiō of the law the whych commaundeth the things that ought to be done and forbiddeth the contrarie Nowe euery lawe ought to be referred vnto the common vtilitie the lawinaker ought to be affectioned towards the publyke weale as the father towards hys chyldren but who seeth any such lyke in the thynges aboue sayde Nowe I pray you what folly is thys wythout speaking any sharplier not only to excuse them The villany of the popish lawes but also to decke adorne and illustrate them with new commentaries and to be carelesse what is sayde so that theyr dignitie be not lessned If pryde couetousnes desier of authoritie and ignorance of letters hath caused thē to make such decrees if they be of diuers opinions and wyll not be bound the one to the others lawes because that they are of lyke power I pray thee why doest thou torment thy self for to accorde ouerthwarte and contrarye thyngs I omit this sea or rather filthy pumpe to wit the part of the right Canon which cōteyneth the traffike merchaundise of benefices as they call them and other ecclesiasticall reuenewes Traffike of benefices For who can number the deceipts subtelties therein written Euen they truely who haue a longe tyme thereto employed their study are dayly occupied in them do not vnderstande nor knowe them all seing that day by day new are inuented But thys argument would requier other tyme and leasure and also a whole booke Let vs now retourne to our purpose The king of Fraunce in Syria The king of Fraunce Ludouicus the ninth of that name had perced into Syria and Egypt as well as the Emperour Fridericus and afterwardes dyed at the siege of Tunes the yeare of saluation a thousande two hundred three score and tenne In hys raygne Wyllyam Byshoppe of Paris propounded a question of ecclesiasticall benefices And after that the matter had bene generally disputed vpō the opinion that it was not lawful for any to haue more then one Against pluralities of benefices had the maisterie But it suffiseth that such ordinaunces be only recited and written Innocent the fourth succeded Gregory who as by right of heritage entred in possession of the hatred against the Emperour Wherefore he assigned a counsell at Lyons wherevnto he summoned the Emperour The Emperour sūmoned by the pope and because he appeared not excommunicated hym depriuing hym of the dignitie exhorting therewithall the Prynces of Germany to procede to the election of another This his decree is prynted with certaine others also there are found sundry of themperours epistles written vnto diuers kynges by the whiche he declareth at large on the one syde the wickednes of the