our Lord be youre protectour From Borgos the .15 of October Anno .1523 A letter vnto sir Peter of Acunia Erle of Buendia wherin is declared a prophesie of a certaine Sibill. RIght magnificent Christian knight doth your honor thinke in your iudgement that the answere I shall sende you shall be as large as the letter you haue written vnto me of a trouth it may not be so for I am nowe come to that age that nothing lyketh me that I take in hand either can I performe any thing that I would do The many yeares the cōtinual studies the great trauels that I haue passed haue made in me such impression that now the eyes be tired with reading the pulses with writing the memorie with retaining and also the iudgemente with noting and compounding God knowes I would not boast my self therof but in the end I can not but cōfesse it which is euery day I féele my self much more in age and much lesse in abilitie the more I wold dissemble the more I would enable my self the more I wold grow yong the more tenderly I would deale with my selfe I can not leaue to acknowledge but that my sighte decreaseth my memorie fayleth my bodie goeth wearied the strength decayeth and also my heares grow hoare Oh my soule what be all these things but certaine cruell summoners that cite my life to inhabite the sorowfull sepulture Epaminondas the Greke sayde that vntill the age of thirtie yeares they ought to say vnto men you are welcome or you come in a good houre bicause at that tyme they séeme to bée cōming into the world from thirtie vntill fiftie they ought to say God keepe you or stande in a good houre bycause at that time they begin to haue some iudgement of the world from fiftie yeares forwarde they ought to say vnto them God speed you or goe in a good hour for from thence they go taking their their leaue of the world In these repartments of Epaminondas it appertaineth not vnto your honour and mée that wée come in a good houre nor that we stande in a good houre for we are now come to be of the number that go in a good houre I beséech the redéemer of the worlde that when we shal passe out of this worlde we may depart in a good houre take our leaue in a good houre and that we goe in a good houre For if it be muche requisite for vs to liue well muche more it standeth vs vpon to finish well I thought good to write vnto your Lordship all this to the end that if I shal answere you somewhat short ye haue me excused and to hold me blamelesse But comming to the purpose I say that I muche delighte to reade your letters on the other parte I am ouercharged with your importunities for alwayes you come to me with vnknowne demaunds and right strange questions you now sende mée a moste auncient Epitaph that a certaine friende of yours hath brought from Rome whiche hath waged with your honour a certain wager that in all Spayn there shoulde not be a man which should haue skil to reade it much lesse to vnderstand it the letters of the Epitaph be these R.R.R.T. S.D.D.R.R.R.F.F.F.F. Neyther did that Romane speake according to knowledge eyther shall he winne his wager For that notwithstanding they be moste obscure and euery letter importe one worde I will sende them so declared and so aptly distinguished that he shall remayn confounded and you win the wager The case is thus Romulus raigning in Rome and Ezechias in Iudea there was a woman borne in Tarento named Delphica which was famous in hir life and singular in the art of diuining Amongest the Hebrues such women were named Prophetesses and amongste the Gentils called Sibilles Thys Sibill Delphica prophesied the destruction of Carthage the prosperitie of Rome the ruine of Capua the glorie of Graecia and the great pestilence of Italie And for that the fame of this Sibill was spread thoroughoute the worlde Kyng Romulus sente hir great presentes made hir greate promises and wrote to hir many letters to remoue hir out of hir countreye to lyue at Rome Neyther for any intreatance they vsed with hir or for any giftes they could sende hir this Sibill at any tyme would leaue hir countrey or come to dwell at Rome The whiche Romulus perceiuing determined in his owne person to goe sée hir and with hir in certayne causes to communicate The secret that Romulus desired was to vnderstand what Fortune was reserued for him and what destenie the Citie of Rome should haue whiche at that time king Romulus began to buylde Answere better nor worse mighte the kyng receyue of that Sibille Delphica but that she gaue him fouretéene letters written in certayne barkes of trées for that in those so auncient tymes they had not as then founde oute the manner to write in parchement and muche lesse in paper the secrete and misterie of which letters neither coulde King Romulus vnderstande eyther woulde the woman declare the same But so muche she did certifie him that there was one to be borne which should vnderstand and interprete those letters King Romulus being returned vnto his Citie of Rome commaunded those letters to be set in one of his Temples vnder greate and safe kéeping vntill the tyme shoulde come that the Goddes shoulde reueale them or some other bée borne that shoulde vnderstande them Foure hundreth thirtie seuen yeares those letters stoode hydden that no man coulde reade them muche lesse vnderstand them vntil there came to Rome an other Sibill named Erithra the whiche so clearely did declare interprete and expound them as if she hir selfe and none other had composed them The letters are but fouretéene the whiche declared in Englishe sayeth Romulus reygning Rome triumphing Sibill Delphica sayde the kingdome of Rome shall perish by Sword Fier Hunger and Colde Let vs put the selfe same caracters of the letters and the exposition in Latin vppon euery one of them in the forme that the Sibill expounded them whyche was as followeth R. Romulo R. Regnante R. Roma T. Triumphante S. Sibilla D. Delphica D. Dixit R. Regnum R. Romae R. Ruet F. Ferro F. Flamma F. Fame F. Frigore Sir behold héere your letters expounded your prophesies deuined your Romane confounded and also youre wager gotten And the reward shal be that I ouer watching my selfe to séeke this history your honour shall beare away the prayse of the aunswer If he will more thorowly know of this history let him come to séeke and reade Liuius Vulpitius Trebellius and Pogius whiche haue written of the antiquities of the Romans the sayings of the Sibilles No more but that our Lord be your protector and that he giue vs both his grace Amen Amen From Madrid the .xiij. of March. 1535. A letter vnto Sir Ynigo Marrique in which is re counted what hapned in Rome betwixt a slaue and a Lion an history very pleasant
with you for the departure of your troublesome feuer and the bitter anger whiche hathe chaced it from you though I remember not that euer I red and much lesse heard the Lady Sorrowe at any time caused any good thing to happē vnto vs I certify you Sir Chanon if al the diseases might be cured like yours with heauinesse and sadnesse pensiuenesse and cares would then be more déere in our hearts than Rubarb is now in the Apoticaries shops and if we shoulde buy sighes sobbes and teares in the market for money I assure you very many both men and women woulde thereby grow excéeding riche and happie whiche nowe are poore and vnfortunate bycause sorow with euery body is so common that there is neyther corner nor place so secret wherein she is not found Touching my selfe I tell you if the sighes I haue breathed and the sorow I haue endured might serue for medicines to cure the quartaine I would be bound to set vp such a Shoppe of those merchandizes that it should serue both Spayne and Fraunce I haue séene many in this world whereof some wanted their eyes some their eares and some their hands othersome lacke houses others goodes and some other apparrell But I neuer knew nor heard of person were he neuer so poore that had not sorrow and griefe so is there no house in the world so rich that sometimes wanteth not money and of enuies and sorrowes is neuer destitute Sadnesse saith Salomon drieth the sinowes and cōsumeth the bones which by you cannot be proued since it is apparant that melancholy sullennesse hathe not wasted your bones but purged youre body of all euill humors and restored your health Now from hencefoorth if any one come to visit you whē you are sicke he cannot as I thinke more pleasure you thā to giue or minister occasiō to moue you to choler But sir I curse your complexion and hate your cōditiōs since anger enuie and sorrowe muste bée your Phisitions to cure your maladies for men that be reasonable doo vsually gyue money to inioy myrth and solace and to escape som sorrowes and troubles Now if you will beléeue mée and hereafter folowe myne aduice bée gladde for the losse of your quartayne but say not that you dryue him from you with anger gréefe For I sweare to you by the law of a fréende if you do that all men wyll therefore diffame you and saye that you are compounded and furnished with cholericke aduste and euill complexion but for this matter let this suffise There bée many things héere in the Courte to be talked of in secrete and fewe to be written openly For murmurings bée matters of counsell and my letters ofte passe through many mens fingers which when they cannot rightly vnderstand perceyue their effect then euerye one iudgeth and gloseth thereof after theyr owne deuise and opinion I praye God be your guyde gyue vs grace euermore to feare him A letter to Count Masaoth Marques of Cenolte wherin is expressed why amongst the sectes of Mahomet some be termed Turkes Sarracenes and others Moores HOnorable Lord and singular frende it is now ten dayes paste since you requested mée in the Emperours chāber to resolue you one doubt the which to doo I haue searched with payne and vsed what diligence I possibly myghte holding it but iustice to submit my trauell to your cōmaundement that neuer denyed mée any thing which I requested of you desiring you withall to respect that if I séeme long in satisfying your demaunde it is not want of diligence to searche but of good happe quickly to finde that which I séeke and you desire to haue bycause a man of youre state and calling muste bée serued with truthes and reason and not with fabling vncerteynties Your Lordships desire is to know why the greate Turke is termed the Greate Turke and wherefore the followers of Mahomets feete be called Sarracens some Mores and some Turkes being all of the lawe and religion of their only god and Lord Mahomet For the discussing of the which doubte and for that you may the better vnderstande my resolution of the same I am forced to recite the historie to you as it were from the firste or beginning Vnderstande my Lorde that Asia the lesse is a region whiche with many other Regions is inclosed all which generally are called greate Turquie it boundeth towardes the Easte on the confynes of Arabia minor on the west it is enclosed with the great lake Cynia and on the north side with the floude Euponius and on the southe coste it is walled with the mounte Pithmiaus In this Turquie néere to Armenia by the greate hill Paton was an auncient Citie named Truconia whereof the inhabitantes were named Truconians after the name of the Citie Within this Citie Gothes did come to inhabite who bycause they coulde not call it Traconia pronounced and called it Turquie and Cityzens Turkes so that the worde Turquy is a name corruptly come from the worde Traconie Within the countrey of Turquie is sundry prouinces as the Prouince of Licaonia whereof the chéefe citie is Icaonia Likewyse Cappadocia the chéefe whereof is Cosaria the Prouince Isanca whose heade citie is Solenna which now is called Briquemust the countrie called Icaonia whose chéefe citie is Fer in olde tyme named Quisguaince also Paflagonia whose capitall or Metropolicke towne is Gernapolis in which moste properly ended the whole Asia And as within this cuntry of Turquy is conteyned many seuerall countryes and prouinces so hath it euer bene peopled with men of seuerall cuntries and nations as with Asians Gréekes Armenians Sarracenes Iacobines Iewes and Christians The whiche albeit they acknowledge the Greate Turke for chéefe Lorde yet notwithstāding they were not all in obedience to one kind of lawe and religion In like manner you must note that in the kingdome of Palestina which bordereth vpon Damas there were thrée Arabies as Arabia Silapide that nowe is Siria maior Arabia deserta ioyning vpon Egypt and Arabia Petrosa which is compassed with Iudea In Arabia Petrosa by the floud Iordanus néere the mount Libanus ther dwelt an ancient kinde of people called Saracyns which were so called after the name of Sartato their chiefe and Metropolitan Citie which at this present be still so named Saracyns This kind of people in times past were much estéemed for their strength and valiantnesse in warres and were then had in reputation therefore as the Swissers are accompted of at this day in Europa in such wise that no Prince durst enterprise against any other to battell except he were ayded with the strength of Saracyns It chaunced that Heraclius a Romane Emperour passing through Asia to inuade the Persians requested ayde of the Saracyns in the same voyage and iorney to whome he promised good vsage and true pay the Saracyns agréeing to Heraclius request came throughly furnished with 40000 footemen souldiars whose Captaine generall was a gentleman of their own countrey called Mahomet a man
the name of Moores establed in Africa when the lawe of Mahomet was there first receyued Now resteth it to discouer vnto your Lordship wherefore this name Greate is attributed to the Turke seeing it is a title which none but he vseth other Princes being onely and simply called by the names of Kings or Emperours For better vnderstanding whereof knowe you that in the yeare 1308. when Michael Palealogos was Emperour of Constantinople and Bonifacius the 8. chiefe Byshop of Rome There sprang amōgst the Turkes a family of Othomans much fortunate famous ouer all Asia in such sort that those Turkes surnamed Othomans enlarged the limits of their rule and reuenewes of their crowne more in 200. yeares than any of their predecessors had in 800. These Othomans discended of base linage and were naturally of Prusea thrée dayes iorneys from Trapezoncia The first Prince of this nation called Othoman tooke this name vppon him at his erecting of a Castle in the cuntrey of Gallana which he did to perpetuate the memorie of the Othomans name This Othoman the first subdued many prouinces of the Kings his adioyning neighbours he wan all that which stretched from Bithynia vnto the Sea Cocsin He brought to his obedience many fortresses towardes the Sea Pontick and all the Cities standing on the Sea costs named Teutonica with the Towne of Sina aunciently named Sebastia Leauing to succeede him his only sonne named Orchanees second Emperour of the Turkes of the race of Othomans whiche conquered many prouinces from the Empyre of Palialogos but especially he obtained the countries of Lycaonia Phrygia Missina and Carye he tooke by force Prusia now called Bursia which was the abiding seate of the Kyngs of Bythynie in whiche he receyued his mortall wound in the firste yeare of the raigne of Iohn King of Fraunce To whome succeeded Amurathes his sonne who imitating the steppes of hys Father and Grandfather in passing an arme of the Sea Hellispont in Abidie to inuade the Greekes tooke Galiapolys with diuers other Townes and afterwardes suddaynely with a mightie power sette vpon the Emperor of Constantinople that nothing mistrusted him and wanne Seruia and Bulgaria but in the ende he was killed by a seruitor After Amurathes succéeded by succession two infants Solyman and Baiazeth which by treason murdred his brother Solyman whereby he alone enioyed the Empire of Turkie and to reuenge the murdering of his father hée attempted sharpe warres agaynst Marke the Lorde of Bulgaria whome he vanquished and flewe and subdued a greate parte more of his country Shortly after he ouercame the prouinces of Hungaria Albania and Valachia and there committing many spoyles and dammages he tooke diuers christian prisoners which he ledde in miserable captiuitie into Thracia to whiche Baiazeth succéeded in right of inheritance two infants one named Mahomet and the other Orchanees which by his vnnatural brother Mahomet was depriued of lyfe so as the gouernment of the Empire was wholly in Mahomet who by might conquered the Valachians and layde vpon them a gréeuous tribute after hée inuaded the Satrapes of Asia and recouered all the countries whiche the greate Tamberlens souldiers before had taken hée chased his owne kynred and aliaunce from Galacie Pontus Capadocia not sparing nor once pitying any noble personages or princes of his own bloud He alwaies kept himselfe in Drinople the Metropolike Citie of Thracia there placing his imperiall seate from thence exiling such Christians as were remayning and inhabiting there in the seuentéenth yeare of his Empire To this Mahomet succéeded his sonne called Amurathes hée ordayned first the Ianissayres runnagate christians to defend his person by whose valiancie hée togither with his successors haue subdued the East With force he inuaded Hungaria Bosina Albania Vallachia and Grecia he toke Thessalonia from the Venetians he obtayned victorie against Laodislaus king of Polonia against the Cardinall Iulian and against Huniades When Amurathes was deade his sonne named Mahomet succéeded in his place whiche with homicide entred his gouernement for bycause his father shoulde not be buryed alone hée slewe his yoonger broother to kéepe companie with his deade father This wicked Prince beleeued in no God hée affirmed Mahomet a false Prophete like vnto himselfe Hée also scorned all Saintes Patriarches and Prophetes This Mahomet was of hearte lyke Alexander the greate in good fortune a Cesar in trauell a Haniball in Iustice a Traian in vyces a Lucullus and in cruelties a seconde Nero. Hée was of greate courage well fauoured euyll coloured friend to Iustice and hyghly delyghted in martiall affayres Hée was in féeding a glutton and in the actes of Venus much impacient To hunting an enimie and to Musicke no friend Hée delyghted to exercyse him selfe sometymes with feates of armes and sometymes in reading histories This Mahomet conquered from the Christians the Empire of Constantinople and Trapezonda Hée wanne twoo hundred townes and twelue Realmes that is to saye Pontus Bythinia Capadocia Pamphilia Licia Sicilia Papblagonia Acbaria Lydia Phrygia Hellespont and Morea Hée also wanne the Segniories of Achaia Carcania and Epyrus and all the Fortes and Cities néere the ryuer Randabelo Hée likewyse obtayned a greate parte of Macedonia and of the Prouince of Bulgaria togyther with the lande of Roscia and the mountaynes Serbye euen to the lake Nicomante Moreouer bée conquered all the Cities Prouinces and Fortresses that were betwéene Andrinopolis and the famous ryuer Danubia and Balaquian also the Isle Mitilene and the foresayde Bosina These and muche more did this miscreaunt Mahomet vanquishe and subdue And yet notwithstanding as Historiographers reporte hée woulde amongest his wayghtie affayres consume muche tyme in abhominable vyces This was hée whiche firste acquyred to himselfe the glorious tytle and name of Greate Turke and Emperour of all the house and race of Othomans whose predecessoures before his tyme were alwayes intytuled Kings or Turkes He raygned thirtie twoo yeares and dyed of the Collicke foure dayes after hée syckened in the yeare of our sauiour Christ 1492. In whiche yeare of this Tirantes deathe was the Citie of Granado taken by the King Don Ferdinando To this Mahomet succéeded in Empyre and name of Greate Turke a seconde Baiazeth who in his Fathers lyfe by procurement of the Ianissayres and in the hope of theyr ayde purposed to vsurpe the state and Empyre to himselfe And as the father béeyng nowe verie olde coulde yéelde no remedie nor reuenge to his disloyall sonne dyed for thought so was his life whiche by enimies coulde not bée taken awaye loste by the enuyes of his children Now if your Lordshippe desire more amplie to reade the wryters of this historie I will when it please you bring them vnto you From Tolledo the .7 of Ianuarie 1533. A letter to Don Frances of Villoa expounding certayne straunge and auncient Epitaphes MAgnificent and curious Knyght for answere to the letter whiche Peter de Heredia maister of youre house deliuered mée at Carsares the 15. of
Court as well for the reasons abouesayd as also for that your people shal be indoctrined and maintayned in better behauiour and your haule and buttry more throughly furnished Farther you commaund me to write vnto you particularly whē the Carthaginians entred into Spayne at what time Scipio the African did take Carthage the chiefe Citie of youre Bishoprick and that you haue layd a wager with the Lord sir Peter of Mendoza gouernour of the same Citie vpō the same matter being of cōtrary opinions haue chosen me for iudge or arbitrator of your contentiō Certaynly these be things very farre from my profession for being religious as you know it shoulde serue much better to the purpose to sit and vnderstand of the time that my religion was inuented and in what countrey S. Francis was borne than to vnderstande when the Carthaginians entred Spayne at what time the Romaynes did sack subuert Carthage But since you haue chosen and established me for your iudge will that I shal say my opiniō that which I know I shal not fayle to yéeld rēder my endeuor without any remissiō of the Mule which you promised me But comming nowe to the purpose you haue to vnderstād during the warres betwixt the Gaditains the Turdetaynes the Gaditains sent their embassadors to the Carthaginians to draw thē to their party to haue succour from them whervnto the Carthaginians consented and at the instant sent Marhaball a man very valiant to go into Spayne to the succour of the Gaditains This Marhaball vnder the colour of giuing aide vnto the Gaditains brought himself in possession of a certayne part of Andolozia and reduced the same vnder the gouernmēt of the Carthaginians folowing his secret commission and the order which was giuen him in his eare This was broughte to passe in the yeare of the general Floud M. D.CCCX This was the first discent of the Carthaginians in Spayne In the days when the Romaynes expelled their kings But afterwards the Carthaginians diuers times by diuers Captayns did inuade had possessiō of many countries cities of Spayne which they held vnto the time that the Romayns comming vnto the succour of the Saguntines where the Carthaginians wer discomfited distressed driuen away both the armies being conducted by Hanniball Scipio the first being the leader and Captayn of the armies of Carthage the other for the Romains This Scipio was thē intituled Scipio the great renoumed with the surname African for that after he subdued the great Carthage did take the same by diuers assaults This City as is knowen to your Lordship it holdeth on the East part a certaine hill with a ridge compassed with the Sea and on the other side wher this hill or ridge ioyneth vnto the Citie there is a lake on that side of Bize The Carthaginians supposing theyr Citie to bée sufficiently strong vpon that side gaue no order thereof either for watche or ward As Scipio battred the Citie by Sea land he had aduertisemēt by certaine fishermen of Tarresko which at othertimes had repaired and gone to Carthage that the water of the lake did vse to fall at an houre By whiche aduertisement Scipio caused the water to be sounded and hauing found the greatest depth but to the girdle in most places but to the knées he caused certayne chosen souldiers to enter the water whych passing without impediment did climbe the walles entred the Citie obtayning thereby possession with small losse hauing executed great slaughter of the people thereof and Hanno the Captayne of the Citie being taken prisoner And as the Romaines did prosecute and performed the destruction of the Citie forcing to passe by the edge of the sword al that euer they met a Damsel of Spayne of a noble house the wife of Madonius brother to Indibilis Lord of the Illergets did yéelde hir selfe prostrate and groueling at the féete of Scipio most humbly beséeching that it might please him to vouchsafe to recommende the honor of the women vnto the souldiers And as Scipio answered that he woulde gladly performe the same this Lady replyed saying after this manner O Scipio I am charged with one particular and right sorrowfull griefe whiche pearceth my heart in this present fortune to solicite thy excellēcie to vse thy mild fauour with great diligence for I haue héere my two nices shewing two most excellent right singular yong Ladies daughters of Indibilis which hold and estéeme me as their onely mother who teare mine entrayles and breake and pearce my hart to sée them in seruitude amids the armies Whereof Scipio being moued by great compassion and no lesse reuerence made answer vnto this Lady Madame you haue to vnderstand that notwithstanding the common courtesy of the Romayne people and my naturall condition doe prouoke me to defend the honor of Ladies yet therewithall youre great vertue and dignitie constraynes me to vse more spéedy diligence therein considering that in the mids of youre aduersities you forget not the chiefe poynt of honor whiche al Ladies of chast renowne ought to mayntaine kéepe defend The which being sayd he commended these thrée Damsels to the gard and defence of a gentleman of name and much estéemed for his vertue straightly commaunding the same to entreate and serue these Ladies with no lesse courtesie than if they were the wiues or daughters of gentlemen of Rome And nowe since you haue bin aduertised of one vertuous acte of Scipio I will yet recite another right famous déede of great vertue to shew vnto the world that Scipio doth worthily deserue eternall prayse to serue as an example and perfect spectacle of continencie to all yong Captaynes The cause was thys at the very instant that Scipio hadde dispatched these thrée Ladies aforesayd the Souldiers brought vnto him a certayne yong Damsell the fairest that euer they had séene but Scipio vnderstanding that she was betrothed to Lucius Prince of the Celtibires and that she was discended of parents very noble would in no wise touch hir but rather had a duble care to defend hir honor And hauing commanded the father and the husband of the sayd Lady to be called vnto hys presence and also vnderstanding the sayd Prince to loue with an ardent desire and an inflamed affectiō said thus vnto him O Lucius hauing thy loue in my power and being yong as thou art I might well enioy the delight of hir beauty but hauing aduertisement that thou bearest hir great and most perfect affection I haue thought good not only to defende but also to preserue hir for thée and render the same into thy handes as chast a virgin as she was deliuered vnto me And I wil no other recompence at thy hands but that thou cōtinue a faithfull friend vnto the Romaines for thou shalt not find a Nation in this world of so perfect friendship as are the Romayne people neither of
not putte to flyghte or weakened The sensualitie makes vs warre with his vices Reason fyghteth with oure wickednesse Our bodie contendeth with his appetites The hart striueth with his desires For whiche cause it is necessarie to giue place to the one that they bring vs not to oure ende and to dissemble with the other that they leade vs not to despaire This I saye to your imperiall Maiestie for the magnificent meanes whiche your excellencie vsed to passe the tyme whē it pleased you to cōmand that I shuld be called to your chāber presēce And for a trouth the recreatiō of princes ought so to be measured limited that thei may recreate without offēce to the world Arsacidas king of the Bactriās his pastime was to knit fishing nets of king Artaxerxes to spin And of Arthabanus king of Hircans to arme for Rats And of Viantus King of Lidians to fishe Frogges And of the Emperour Domitianus to chase Flies Princes hauing their times so limitted also of all men so beholden and considered that imploy themselues in such pastimes and vanities we cannot well saye that therin they passe their times but loose their times The case is this that your Maiestie presently after you felt your selfe deliuered of your quartaine commaunded to be set before you a certaine little table all full of stamped metals aswell of gold as siluer of brasse as also of Iron A thing surely worth the beholding and much to be praysed I did not a little delight in seing your Maiestie take pleasure in beholding the faces of those metalles in reading the letters they held and in examining the deuises they did containe All which thinges might not easely be read and much lesse vnderstood There were amongst those stamped metalles certaine that were Gréeke some Latin some Caldée some Arabick some Gothick and other some high Dutch your Maiestie cōmaunded mée to vew them reade them and the most notable to expound assuredly the commaundement was directed very iustly and in me more than another moste aptly imployed For being as I am your imperiall Chronicler it is my part to render accompt of the thinges you shall doubt and to declare the meaning of that which you reade I haue vewed thē read them and studied them and although some of them be very hard to be read and very difficult to bée vnderstoode I will trauayle with such playnesse to declare them and euery parcell so diligently to examin and distinguish that not only your Maiestie may vnderstand to reade the stampe but also comprehend the blason and originall therof It is to be vnderstoode that the Romanes more than all other nations were couetous of riches and ambitious of honoures whereby it came to passe that to haue to spend and to magnifie their names they hild warres sixe hundreth and fortie yeares with all nations and kingdomes In two things the Romanes did trauell to leaue and perpetuate their memorie that is to wit in buildings they made and in their Coines they did graue or stampe neither did they allowe the grauing or stamping of any money but vnto him that had ouercome some famous battaile or done some notable thing in the cōmon wealth The buildings they most vsed to make were wals for Cities cawsies in high waies Bridges ouer Riuers fountaines artificially made statues or greate pictures ouer gates Bathes for the people arches for their triumphes and Temples for their Goddes Much time passed in the Empire of Rome wherein the Romanes had no money but of brasse or of yrō Whereof it procéedeth that the true and most auncient metalls be not of golde but of Iron For the first coyne that was made to be melted in Rome of gold was in the time of Scipio the Africane The auncient Romanes vsed to stampe or graue on the one side of their money their faces drawne most naturall and on the other the kingdomes they had ouercome the offices they had held and the lawes they had made And for that it shall not séeme that I speake at large or of fauour it is reason I giue account of all I haue said The letters of one of these stamped mettals doth say Pboro dact Leg. Your Maiestie hath to vnderstand that this stampe is the most auncient that euer I saw or redde which appeareth very well by the mettall it is made of by the letter it is written in for declaration whereof it is to be vnderstoode there haue bin seuen whiche inuented to giue lawes to the world that is to wit Moses that gaue lawes to the Hebrewes Solon to the Athenians Licurgus to the Lacedemonians Asclepius to the Rhodians Numa Pompilius to the Romanes and Phoroneus to the Aegiptians This Phoroneus was King of Aegipt before that Ioseph the sonne of Iacob was borne And as Diodorus Siculus doth say he was a King very iuste vertuous honest and wise This was he that first gaue lawes in Aegypt and also as it is thought in all the worlde whereof it dothe procéede that all Coūsellours and Lawyers of Rome did call the lawes that were iuste and moste iust Forum in memory of king Phoroneus And so the letters of this mettall would thus much say This is King Phoroneus whiche gaue lawes to the Aegyptians The letters of the other stampe Genuci D. vi Leg. For the vnderstanding of this stampe it is to be considered that the Romanes conceiued so great shame and disdaine of the filthinesse of king Tarquine cōmitted with chast Lucrece that onely they would not that in Rome there should be any more kings but also that the name of king and the lawes of kings should for euermore bée banished and in the common wealth forgotten So the Romanes not meaning to obey the lawes they had receiued of their good King Numa Pompilius sent a moste solemne imbassage to Grecia to bring them the lawes that the Philosopher Solon had giuen to the Athenians Which being brought to Rome accepted and obserued were afterwards intituled the lawes of the twelue tables The Embassadours that were sent to bring these lawes from Greece were ten moste sapient Romanes whose names are Apius Genutius Sextus Veturius Iulius Mannilius Sulpicius Curius Romulus Postumus and bicause Genutius was one of those ten notable men for that great act so famous he stāped those words on the one side of his money The whiche would say this is the Consull Genutius one of the ten men of Rome that was sent for the lawes of Greece The words of the other stamp following are Con Quir Ius Mos Le Obs. To explane these words which are very darke it is to be vnderstood that al the lawes of this world are reduced frō thrée maner of lawes which is to wit Ius naturale lex condita mos antiquus That whiche in the old time was called the Law of Nature is That thou wish not for another which thou wilt not for thy self also to shunne euil approch to do wel which
neuer gaue obedieÌ„ce to any but alwaies made a Seigniory of it selfe The seate of the Citie of Sagunto was foure leagues from Valentia where is now Monviedro he that shall say that which we call now in Castile Ciguenca was in time paste the Citie Sagunto it shall be because he dreamed it not to haue read it Being Inquisitor of Valentia I was many times at Monviedro as well to visite the Christians as to baptise the Moores And considering the sharpnesse of the place the antiquitie of the walles the greatnesse of the colledge the distaÌ„ce from the Sea the statelinesse of the buildings and the monstrousenesse of the sepulchers there is none but he may vnderstand that to be Monviedro which was Sagunto and that which was Sagunto is now Monviedro In the fields of Monviedro and in the ruinous buildings that be there at these daies there are found many stones ingraueÌ„ and many auncient Epitaphes of the Hannibals of the Asdrubals that died there in the siege of Sagunto the which were two linages of Carthage very notable of bloud and also famous in armes Neare to Monviedro there is a certaine place that in those daies was called Turditanos is now named Torres torres for that they were mortall enemies of the Saguntines Hanniball put himself in with them and from thence did make his batterie did throw downe burne the citie of Sagunto not succoured then of the Romanes or euer after reedified Behold here my Lords how your contention was which was Sagunto and not whiche was Numantia So that Soria and Samorra doth rather giue doubte whiche was Numantia and Monviedro and Sigentia which was Sagunto But the resolution and conclusion of all the aforesayde considering the merites of the processe and what eyther partie hath alledged for him selfe I doe say and declare by my definitiue sentence that the Archbishop of Ciuile did faile and the Duke of Naiara did erre in the thing that both did contend and lay their wager And I condemne either of them in a good Mule to be employed vpon him that shall declare whiche was the greate Numantia I my Lordes will now recount and declare whiche was that Citie Numantia and also say who was the founder therof where it was foÌ„nded how it was founded and what time it lasted and also how it was destroyed for that it is an history very delectable to read worthie to be vnderstood pleasant to recount and lamentable to heare VVhich was the great Citie Numantia in Spaine THe Citie of Numantia was founded by Numa Pompilius the second king of Romanes in the fiftie and eight yeere after the foundation of Rome and in the eightenth yeare of his raigne in suche sorte for that the founder thereof was called Numa it was named Numantia In the old time they did much vse to name their Cities they builded by their owne proper names as Ierusalem of Salem Antioche of Antiochus Constantinople of Constantine Alexandria of Alexander Rome of Romulus and Numantia of Numa Onely seuen Kings there were of Romanes The first of the which was Romulus the seuenth was Tarquine of these seuen the moste excellent of them all was this Numa Pompilius for he was the first that brought the Goddes into Rome he did inclose the vestall Virgins builded the temples and gaue lawes to the Romanes The situation of this Citie was neare the riuer of Dwero and not farre from the head of the same and it was set vpon the heigth of an hill and this heigth was not of a Rocke but vpon a certaine plaine Neither was it towred within nor walled without onelâ— it was compassed about with a broade déepe dischâ—… was inhabited with more than fiue and lesse than sixe thousand households two partes of the which did follow the warres and the third parte their tillage and labour Amongst them exercise was much praised and idlenesse greatly condemne which is more not couetous of goods and yet very ambitious of honour The Numantins of their naturall coÌ„dition were more flegmatike than colericke suffring dissembling suttle and of great actiuitie in such wise that that whiche they did at one time dissemble at another they did reuenge In their Citie there was but one crafts man that was the Smith Goldsmiths Silkworkers Drapers Fruters Tauerners Fishmongers Butchers such like they would not coÌ„sent to liue amongst them For al such things euery maÌ„ ought to haue in his owne house not to séeke them in the common wealth They were so valiant and so doubtie in the affayres of warre that they neuer saw any Numantine turne his barke or receiue any wound in the same in such wise that they did rather determine to die than to flée They could not go a warfare without licence of their common wealth and those also must goe altogether and followe one quarell for otherwise if one Numantine did kill another Numantine the murtherer afterwards was put to death by the common wealth Foure kind of people the Romanes had very fierce to tame and very warlike to fight that is to wit the Mirmidones whiche were those of Merida the Gauditanes whiche were those of Calis the Saguntines whiche were those of Monviedro and the Numantines whiche were those of Soria The difference amongst these was that the Mirmidons were strong they of Calis valiant the Saguntines fortunate but the Numantines were strong valiant and fortunate Fabatus Metellus Sertorius Pompeius Caesar Sextus Patroclus all the other Romane Captaines that by the space of one hundred and foure score yéeres held warres in Spaine did neuer conquere the Numantins neither at any time had to doe with them Amongst all the Cities of this world onely Numantia did neuer acknowledge hir better or kisse the hands of any other for lord This Numantia was somewhat Rockie halfe coÌ„passed with out-towers not very well inhabited and lesse riche With all this none durst hold hir for enemie but for confederate and this was the cause for that the Fortune of the Numantins was much more than the power of the Romanes In the warres betwene Rome and Carthage Caesar and Pompey Silla and Marius there was no King or kingdome in the world that did not follow one of those partes and against the other did not fight except the proude Numantia which always made aunswere to those that did persuade hir to followe their opinioÌ„ that not she of others but others of hir ought to make a head In the first Punick warres neuer would the Numantines follow the CarthaginiaÌ„s or fauour the Romanes for which occasion or too say better without any occasion the Romanes determined to make warre vpon the Numantins not for anye feare they had of their power but for enuie of their great fortune Fouretene yeares continually the Romanes besieged the Numantins in which great was the hurt the Numantins receiued but much more meruelous of the Romane Captaines that there died There were slaine in
life and iust in youre tribunall or iudgements I wold not gladly heare that those that do praise that which you do should complaine of that whiche you say with a Lorde of so high estate and with a iudge of so preheminent an office my pen should not haue presumed to write what it hath written if your Lordship had not commaunded My Lord I saide it bycause if this that I haue here written vnto you shall not like you that it may please you to sende too reuoke the licence that you haue giuen Also you will that I shall write vnto youre Lordship if I haue founde in anye auncient Chronicle what is the cause wherefore the Princes of Castile do call themselues not onely Kings but also Catholique Kings And that also I write vnto you who was the first that called himself Catholique King and what was the reason and the occasion to take this so generous and Catholique title There were ynowe in thys Court of whome you might haue demaunded and of whome you might haue vnderstood in yeares more auncieÌ„t in knowledge more learned in bookes more rich and in writing more curious than I am But in the end my Lord be sure of this one thing that that which I shall write if it be not written in a polished stile at the least it shall be all very true Comming to the purpose it is to be vnderstood that the Princes in olde time did always take proud ouer-names as Nabugodonozer that did intitle him selfe King of Kings Alexander the greate the king of the world the king Demetrius the conqueror of Cities the great Haniball the tamer of kingdomes Iulius Caesar the Duke of the Citie the king Mithridates the restorer of the world the king Athila the whip of nations the king Dionisius the host of all men the king Cirus the last of the Gods the king of England defender of the Church the king of Fraunce the most Christian king and the king of Spaine the Catholique king To giue your Lordship a reckoning who were these kings and the cause why they did take these so proude titles to me it should be painfull to write and to your Lordship tedious to reade it is sufficient that I declare what you commaunde me without sending what you craue not It is to wit that in the yere seuen hundreth fiftie two the fift day of the month of Iuly vpon a sunday ioyning to the riuer Bedalake about Xeres on the frontiers euen at the breake of day was giuen the last and most vnfortunate battell betwixt the Gothes that were in Spaine and the Alarues that had come from Africa in whiche the sorowfull king Sir Rodrigo was slaine and all the kingdome of Spaine lost The Moore that was Captaine and that ouercame this famous battell was named Musa which did know so well to folow his victorie that in the space of eight moneths he did win and had dominion from Xeres in the frontieres vnto the rocke Horadada which is neare to the towne of Onnia And that whiche séemeth to vs most terrible is that the Moores did win in eighte moneths which in recouering was almost eight hundred yeres for so many yeares did passe from the time that Spaine was lost vntill Granado was wonne The fewe Christians that escaped out of Spaine came retiring vnto the mountaines of Onnia neare vnto the rocke Horadada vnto which the Moores did come but from thence forward they passed not either did conquer it for there they found great resistance and the land very sharp And when they of Spaine did see that the king Sir Rodrigo was dead and all the Gothes with hym and that without Lord or head they could not resist the Moores they raysed for king a Spanish Captaine that was named Sir Pelaius a man venturous in armes and of all the people very well beloued The fame being spread thoroughout all Spaine that the mountaine men of Onia had raised for king the good Sir Pelaius all men generouse and warlike did repaire vnto him with whome he did vnto the Moores greate hurt and had of them glorious triumphes Thrée yeares after they had raysed the good sir Pelaius for King hée married one of his daughters with one of the sonnes of the Earle of Nauarn who was named Sir Peter and his sonne was called Sir Alonso This Earle Sir Peter descended by right line of the linage of the blessed King Richardos in whose tyme the Gothes did leaue the sect of the curled Arrius by the meanes of the glorious and learned Archbyshop Leonard The good king Pelaius being dead in the eighteene yeare of his raigne the Castilians exalted for king a sonne of his that was named Fauila the which two yeares after he began to raigne going on a certaine day to the mountaine meaning to flea the Beare the Beare killed him And for that the king Fauila died without children the Castilians elected for king the husband of his sister whiche is to wit the sonne of the Earle of Nauarne who was named Alonso the whiche began his raigne in the yeare .vii. C.lxxij hys raigne endured eightene yeares which was as much tyme as his father in law the good King Sir Pelaius had raigned This good King was the firste that was named Alonso which tooke his name in so good an houre that since that daye amongst all the kings of Castile that haue bin named Alonso we reade not of one that hath bin euill but very good Of thys good king Alonso the historiographers do recite many landable things to recompt worthy to be knowen and exemplars to be followed The King sir Alonso was the first that out of Nauarne entered Galizia to make warre vppon the Moores with whome be had many encounters and battells in the ende he ouercame and droue them out of Astorga Ponferada Villa franca Tuy and Lugo with all their Countries and Castelles This good king Alonso was he that did win of the Moores the Citie of Leon and builded there a royall place to the ende all the Kings of Castile his successors should there be resideÌ„t and so it came to passe that in long time after many Kings of Castile did liue and die in Leon. This good King Alonso was the firste that after the destruction of Spaine began to builde Churches and to make Monasteries and Hospitalles in especially from the beginning the Cathedrall churches of Lugo Tâ—y Astorga and Ribeâ—ew the which afterwards did passe to Mondonedo This good king Alonso did buiâ—d many and very solempne Monasteries of the order of saint Benet and many hospitalles in the way of saint Iames and many particular Churches in Nauarne and in the Countrey of Ebro whiche he endewed all with great riches and gaue them opulent possessions This good King Alonso was the first that did séeke and commaunded to be sought with very great diligence the holy bookes that had escaped the hands of the Moores and as a zelous Prince commaunded that
the moneth paste I say that after I had opened it I stoode long in doubte whither it shoulde be a letter sent mée from a friende or the laste will and testament of some one departed but then when I better aduised the superscription I founde it a letter come from Don Frances de Villoa a friende nay a singular friende to Fryer Anthonie Gueuara and to saye truely after I had perused and considered it I rather wished twoo dosen of Quailes and a gammon of Bacon whereof you haue plentie than a shéete of paper for they woulde haue delyghted myne eyes and nothing haue troubled my memorie But notwithstanding this my pleasaunt speacke I delyghted muche in the receyte of your letter whereby I perceyue that your hurte legge is cured and that presently you omit all tedious affayres and onely applye your selfe to pleasant pastymes Also I gather by your letter that you muche desire to vnderstande of the destruction of Spayne and the signification of certayne Epitaphes whiche you haue found written in a booke in your coffers and now you sende thē to me to be expounded For which I cannot yéeld cōdigne thāks to your gentle hart which conceyueth of my abilitie suche good opinion that you iudge my knowledge sufficiente to satisfie you in so high matters Wherefore to arme my indeuor to incounter your curtesie I haue most willingly in this my letter sent you the exposition of those Epitaphes and the discourse of the history which you so much desire beginning with the Epitaphes and ending with the rest The first Epitaph MIhi pater Iupiter Belus auus Saturnus Babilonicus proauus Chus Saturnus Aethiops Abanus Saturnus Aegiptius Atauus Caelus Foenix Ogiges Ab Ogige ad meum auum solorbem suum circumlustrauit semel ac tricies centies Ab Auo ad patrem sexties quinquagies A patre ad me bis sexagies Columnam templum statua Ioui Belo Socero matri Rheoe in olimpo Semiramis dicaui Semiramis Quéene of the Assyrians graued this title on a piller and dedicated it vnto Belus hir father in law in the name of hir late husbande Ninus as then it was vsed amongst thē which words englished signifie as followeth My father was Iupiter named Belus my grandfather Saturnus Babylonicus my great grandfather was Chus Saturnus Aethiops The father of my greate grandfather was Saturnus Aegipriacus and the grandfather of my great grandfather was Celus Faenix Ogiges From the time of the fludde vntill Ninus the sunne hadde performed his course .330 times Nemroth raigned .56 yeares Belus my father raigned .62 yeares I Semiramis haue dedicated this piller temple and Image vnto Belus my father in law and Rhea his mother in law in Olympia Now better to make you vnderstand this antiquitie so aūcient and this age so old you must note that these wordes Saturnus Iupiter and Hercules were not proper names as Peter and Iohn be but they were common names or titles attributed to men for their excellencies and dignitie as the names of Emperours Kings and Dukes The most ancient kings that founded any chiefe Towne or Citie within their Realmes or dominiōs were called Saturni and their eldest sonnes Iupiters and their daughters Iuno Their Nephewes and the infants of their children if they were valiant were called Hercules And therefore when any Princes successors of the sayde firste founders did place themselues at any time in other countries to inhabit the same and founded any new Cities or Townes as oftentimes they did when their auncesters and predecessors had sufficiently peopled such as they before had buylded such Princes enioyed a duble title kéeping the name of Iupiter by right of succession and the name of Saturne by reason of their new foundatiō and so likewise the Princes which sprāg of them by succession were also named Iupiters in one respect and Hercules in another whereof procéedeth the greate number of Iupiters Saturnes and Hercules wherewith histories be so replenished Belus was therefore héere intituled by the name of Iupiter for that he was sonne and successor to Nemroth in the Assirian Empire Nemroth also was tearmed Saturne Babylonicus bycause he first founded the Citie and peopled the Realme of Babylon Chus was also tearmed Saturnus Aethiopicus for that he first peopled Aethiopia and there founded townes and Cities C ham for that he first peopled Egypt was called Saturnus Aegiptiacus These Saturnius were called children of the Heauens and of Earth Thus haue you now heard the first Epitaph expounded The second Epitaph C. man C. man F. inferno Plutoni tricorpori charissimae Proserpinae tricipitique Cerbero munus mecum ferens damnatam dedo animam vitamque Hoc me condo monumento ne obrutis domus lapsu filijs sex quos Pûblius Scipio patrijs Camertibus ad Salid ex Libia incolumes restituerat in desolata orbitate supersim Vixi An. 56. M. 1. D. 5. boras scit nemo vale vita The exposition of the same ICaia Manlia daughter to Caius Manlius do carry with me mine owne present for I gyue my condemned soule and life to the infernall three bodied Pluto and to Proserpina hys most deare spouse to the threeheaded Cerberus I haue enclosed my self in this Sepulchre to lyue in care and griefe abandoned and afflicted I haue vj. Children slayne most miserably by the fall of a house after that Publius Scipio had led them into their countrey of Camerin out of Libia trauelling towardes Salia I lyued lvj yeares one moneth and fiue dayes but how many houres no man knoweth Farewell life Nowe if memory deceyue me not and that my bookes bée true this Epitaph was found in our time in Rome which was of a woman of Camerin that was burned liuing bycause in those dayes they were so foolishe and faythlesse that they estéemed it a thing deseruing prayse and muche honorable to be buried quicke or violently to murther themselues with their owne handes and thus they did to please themselues and serue the Deuill But lawe diuine and humane doth manifest nowe vnto vs howe execrable a vice this is and forbiddeth euery man to procure his owne death since we haue our sauioure Christ the author of our life The third Epitaph Belli potens valida natus de gente Gothorum Hic cum sex natis Rex Athaolphe iaces Ausus es Hispanas primus descendere in oras Quem comitabantur milia multa virum Gens tua tunc natos te inuidio sa peremit Quem post amplexa est Barcino magna gemens To vnderstande this Epitaph you must note that when the Gothes which were a barbarous and cruell nation of the North had sacked Italy as by the ruines remayning it appeareth Athaolphus the 24. their King determined to haue ouerrunne Spayne and to haue spoyled it as they had done Italy and other places in their way But when he came and was arriued at Barcelona he with vj. of his children were there by hys owne souldiers trayterously
is not to be learned by lesson but by reason Lex condita are the lawes that kings haue made in their Kingdomes and Emperours in their Empires Some of the which consiste in Reason and other some in opinion Mos antiquus is when a Custome by little and little is brought in amongst the people the force whereof dependeth vpon the well or euill obseruing thereof Of the aboue sayd it is to be gathered wée call Ius naturale the lawe whiche reason doth direct we name Lex Condita whiche is ordayned and written and we terme Mos antiquus the custome of long time vsed and presently obserued this presupposed the letters of this stampe do signifie This is the Consull Quirinus the which in the time of his Consulship did obserue and caused to be obserued that which right requireth lawe commaundeth and custome hath brought in The wordes of the other stampe are these Popil Con. Iu. Mill. fecc for the vnderstanding of these wordes is to be vnderstood that the auncient Lawyers did ordaine seuen manner of Lawes which is to wit Ius gentium Ius ciuile Ius consularis Ius publicum Ius quiritum Ius militare Ius magistratum In the old time they did call Ius Gentium to occupie that which had no owner to defende the Countrey to die for the libertie to endeuer to possesse more than others and to be of more abilitie than the rest This was named ius Gentium bycause in all Kingdomes and Nations Greekes Latines and Barbarians this manner of liuing was vsed and obserued Ius Ciuile was the order and manner in old dayes to forme their plees in lawe that is to wit to cite aunswere accuse proue denie alledge relate to giue sentence and to execute to the end eche one might obtaine by iustice that which was taken by force Ius Consulare was such orders as the Consuls of Rome did vse amongst themselues for themselues which is to say of what number they should bée what garments they should weare what company they should kéepe where they should congregate and how many houres they should assemble of what things they should conferre howe they should liue and to how much goods they should attaine This Ius Consulare did serue but for the Romane Consuls that were resident in Rome for notwithstanding there were Consuls in Capua they would not consent they should liue as those of the Senate of Rome Ius Quiritum was the lawes and priuiledges that the Romane Gentlemen did vse or enioy that did liue within the cōpasse of Rome or had the priuiledge of a Romane Gentleman which is to say that the Gentlemē and knights of Rome had foure names that is to vnderstand Patricios Veteranos Milites Quirites The which foure names according to the varietie of the time was giuen them The priuiledge or law Quiritum that the Knights of Rome enioyed was that they might sit in the tēples thei might not be arested for debt or pay for lodging or prouēder where they went to be maintained by the cōmon treasure if they became poore to make a testament without witnesse not to be accused but in Rome to pay no impost in time of tribut and also that they might be buried in an highe Tombe All these preheminences no gentleman did enioy but only such as were Citizens of Rome Ius Publicum was the ordinances and constitutious that euery people in particular did vse amongst themselues and for themselues that is to saye how they should repaire their walles conserue their waters measure their streates build their houses prouide necessary thinges to haue store houses to gather money to make their fifes to watche their cities They called these ordinances Ius Publicum because they were made by all and obserued by all Ius Militare was the lawes that the anciēt Romains made for the times that kingdoms did breake peace and entred into warres one with the other bicause they estemed muche to be wise in gouernment and to fight as men determined in order The lawes of Ius militare were how to proclaime warres to confirme peace to take truce to leuie their souldiours too pay their Campe to giue order for their watches too make their trenches to giue battaile to retire their host to redéeme prisoners and how the Conquerours should triumphe They called these lawes Ius militare which is to say the order of Knightes because they serued no further but too giue order vnto those that did follow the warres and with armes did defend the common wealth Comming now to the exposition of the stampe it is too be vnderstood that in the daies of the first Romane Dictator Quintus Cincinatus ther was also in Rome a certain Romain Consull named Popilius Vastus a man very well learned and no lesse expert in armes This Consul Popilius made lawes to be obserued in warres and gaue it in stampe in his money that which is conteyned in the stampe before rehersed in the letters hath this signification This is the Consull Popilius which made lawes for the captaines that should goe to the warres for defence of the common wealth Also it may please your Maiestie to vnderstand that if any Prince or Romane Consull did chaunce to make any law either necessary or very profitable for the people they did vse for custome to entitle that lawe by the name of him that did inuent and ordaine the same for that in the worldes to come it might bée knowen who was the author therof and also when it was made After this maner the lawe that they made to eate with dores open was called Caesaria The lawe that Pompey made too giue tutors to Orphans was named Pompeia The lawe that Cornelius made for parting of fields was intituled Cornelia The law that Augustus made to take no tribute but for the profit of the cōmon wealth was writtē Augusta The law that the Cōsul Falcidias made that none might buy the dowry of any other mans wife was nominated Falcidia The law that the Dictator Aquilius made that no Romāe should be put to death within Rome was cleped Aquilia The lawe that the Censor Sempronius made that none might disinherit his son but if he were a traytor to the Empire of Rome was termed Sempronia The wordes do followe of the other stampe Rusti prie tris ple. For the vnderstanding of these wordes it is to be noted that the order whiche the Romanes did vse in creating dignities and offices was as followeth First they had Kyngs afterward Decemuiri then Triumuiri after that Consulles and thē Censores then Dictators afterwardes Tribunes and lastely Emperoures Of their Kinges there were but seuen their Decemuiri endured ten yeares their Triumuri continued fortie yeres their Consulls foure hundreth thirtie and foure yeres their Censor one yere their Dictator halfe a yere their Tribune thrée yeres That which wée call the procurer of the people the auncient Romanes did name the Tribune of the people whose office was euery day to
that Numantine warre Caius Crispus Trebellius Pindarus Rufus Venustus Eskaurus Paulus Pilos Cincinatus and Drusius nine Consuls that were very famous and Captaines of much experience These nine Consuls being slaine with an infinite number of Romanes it happened in the twelfth yere of the siege of Numantia that a Romane Captaine named Cneius Fabricius did ordaine and capitulate with the Numantins that they and the Romanes for euermore should be friendes and in perpetual confederation And in the meane time while they sent aduertisement therof to Rome they confirmed a long truce But the Romanes vnderstaÌ„ding the whole order to be greatly to the honour of the Numantins and to the perpetuall infamie of the Romanes they commaunded the Consulles throte to bée cut and to prosecute the warres Then in the yere following which was the thirtenth of the siege the Romans did sende the Consull Scipio with a newe armie to Numantia the whiche being come the first thing he did was to deliuer the Campe from all maner men that were vnprofitable and women that were leude of disposition saying that in greate armies more hurte is done with prepared vices than with determined enimies A yere and seuen monethes was Scipio at the siege of Numantia all which time he neuer gaue battaile or skirmish but only gaue order that no succour might come at them or vitayles might enter to them When a certain Captaine demaunded of Scipio why he did not skirmish with those that came foorth neither fight with them within He made answer Numantia is so fortunate the Numantins so luckie that we must rather think their fortune to come to an end than hope to ouercome them Many times the Numantins did sallie to fight wyth the new Romaines and it hapned one daye that there passed betwixt them so bloudie a skirmishe that in an other place it might be counted for a battaile And in the end the Romanes receyued suche foyle that if the fortune of Scipio had not holpen that day the name of Rome had ended in Spaine Scipio considering the Numantins to encrease in pride and the Romaines to discourage aduised to retire his campe more than a myle from the citie bicause they should giue no attempt vpon the sodaine and to auoyde by the néernesse of the place the hurts that might happen But in the end the Numantins waÌ„ting vitayles and hauing lost many of their men did ordeyn amongst themselues and did make a vowe vnto their gods no day to breake their faste but with the fleshe of Romaines neither to drinke water or wyne before they had tasted and dronken the bloud of some enimie they had slayne A monstrous thyng then to sée as it is nowe to heare that euen so the Numantins euery daye went in chase of Romanes as hunters doe in hunting Coneys and with as great apetite they did eate and drinke the flesh and bloud of enimies as if it had bin shoulders and loynes of mutton Verie greate were the hurtes that euery day the Consul Scipio receiued in the stege bicause the Numantins like most fierce beastes with Romanes bloud imbrued did not fighte as enimies but as men desperate Among the Numantines hée was holden excused that tooke any Romane alyue and muche lesse to giue him a buriall For at the houre that anye were slaine they did take hym slay him quarter him and in the shambles did waigh him In suche wise that a Romane was more being dead than alyue and raunsomed Verie manie tymes Scipio was perswaded prayed and importunated of his captaines to raise his siege and to â—…urue to Rome but hée would neuer doe it neyther could in any wise abide to heare of it for at his comming out of Rome a Nigromantik priest did aduertise him that he should not dismay neither retyre from that conquest although in the same he shoulde passe immeasurable perilles bicause the goddes had determined that ende of the fortunate Numantia shoulde be the beginning of all his glorie Howe Scipio dyd take Numantia SCipio perceiuyng the Numantins not to be ouercome by prayers neyther by armes he caused to be made in compasse of the citie a stately ditche the which was in depth seueÌ„ fadoms and in bredth fiue in such sorte that to the discomfortable Numantins neither mighte there any vitayles enter that they mighte eate neither they come out with the enimies to fighte Many times did the Consull Scipio requeste the Numantines to commende themselues to the clemencie of Rome and that they shoulde credit and giue faithe vnto his words to which thyngs they made answere that since they had liued thrée hundred and thirtie eight yeres free they would not now die slaues Great cryes did the women giue within the citie greate clamoures did the Priestes make vnto their Gods with great and loude voyces did the men exclame vpon Scipio that he should lette them out to fight as men of worthynesse and not to kill them with hunger like wretches And said more thou oh Scpio being a yong man of Rome valiant and bolde considerest not what thou dost neyther do they counsel thée what thou oughtest to doe For to kéepe vs in as thou doest is but a pollicie of warre but if thou shouldest ouercome vs in battel it shold be for thée an immorall glorie But in the ende the Numantins séeing them selues so infamously and miserably inclosed and that now their vitayles fayled them the moste strongest did ioyne themselues together and killed al the old men children and women and did take all the riches of the Citie and of the temples and heaped them vp in the market place and gaue fire to all partes of the Citie and poysoned themselues in suche wise that the Temples the houses the riches and the persons of NumaÌ„tia ended all in one day A monstrous thing it was to sée that which the Numantins did while they were aliue and a thing no lesse fearefull whiche they dydde when they were a dying Bicause they left to Scipio neyther goods to spoile neyther man or woman of whom to triumph During the tyme that Numantia was besieged no Numantin entred into prison or to any Romane was prisoner but suffered death before he consented to yelde When the Consul Scipio did sée the Citie burne and entred the same founde all the Citizens dead and burned there came ouer his heart great heauines and out of his eyes he poured out many teares and sayde O righte happie Numantia whyche the goddes willed to haue an ende but not to bée ouercome Foure hundreth threescore and syxe yeares endured the prosperitie of the Citie of Nmantia For so manye yeares had passed since the foundation thereof by Numa Pompilius vntill it was destroyed by Scipio the Affricane In those old tymes there were thrée Cities verie enemies and rebelles to Rome that is to wit Helia in Asia Carthage in Africa and Numantia in Europa the whiche thrée were vtterly destroyed but by the
Romaines neuer possessed or inhabited The Prince Iugurth of the age of .xxij. yeares came from Africa to the warres of Numantia in fauor of Scipio and did there suche and so notable feates in armes that he deserued with Scipio to be verie priuate and in Rome to be esteemed Al the Historiographers that write of the warres of Numantia saye that the Romaines did neuer receyue so muche hurte or lose so many people or were at so greate charges neyther receyued so great shame as they did in that conqueste of Numantia And the reason they giue for this is for that all the other warres hadde their beginning vppon some iniurie except that of Numantia whiche was of méere malice or enuie To say that the Citie of Samorra was in tyme past Numantia is a thing verie fabulous and worthie to be laughed at bicause if stories do not deceiue vs from the time that Numātia was in the world vntil the time that Samorra begā to be there did passe seuen hundreth thirtie thrée yeres If Plinie Pomponius Ptholomaeus Strabo had said that Numantia was néere to Dwero there had bin a doubt whether it had bin Soria or Samorra But these Historiographers doe saye that the foundation thereof was néere to the head of Dwero wherof it may be gathered that séeing Samorra is more than thirtie leagues from the heade of Dwero Soria is but fiue that it is Soria and not Samorra There be thrée opinions where the situation of the citie of Numantia should bée in whiche some doe saye that it was where nowe is Soria others affirme that it was on the other side of the bridge vpon an hill some do auouche that it was a league from thence on a certain place named Garray and in my iudgement as I consider of the thrée situations this opinion is moste true bycause there is founde greate antiquities and there doth appeare auncient greate buyldings Those that wrote of Numantia were Plinius Strabo Ptholomaeus Trogus Pompeius Pullio Trebellius Vulpicius Isodorus Instinus and Marcus Ancus A letter vnto the Constable Sir Ynigo Valasco in the whiche the Authour doth perswade that in the taking of Founterabie he first make proofe to profite his wisedome before he do experiment his Fortune MOst renoumed Lorde and Captaine to Caesar about the dead of this night Peter Herro deliuered mée a Letter from your Lordship the whiche althogh it had not come firmed or with superscription by the letter I should haue knowen it to be written with your owne hand bicause it conteined few lines many blots While you are in the warres it is tollerable to write on grosse paper with crooked lynes euill ynke and blotted letters For good warriers doe more esteme to sharpen their launces than to make pennes Sir you write vnto me that I should pray for your health and victorie for that at the commaundemente of Caesar you goe to besiege Founterabie which was taken by the Admirall of Fraunce the same béeyng of the Crowne of Castile Thys youre seruaunt preaceth with such diligence for this letter that I shal be forced to answer more at large than I can and muche lesse than I woulde As touchynge Founterabie I doe certaynly beléeue that within these two yeares the takyng and susteynyng of it hathe coste the French King more than it would haue cost to haue bought or else to haue buylt it Wherof there is no cause to haue maruell for that great Lordes and Princes do spend much more in susteyning the opinion they holde than the reason that they vse In all christendome at this presente I fynde not an enterprise more dangerous than this of Founterabie For either you muste ouercome the French king or else displease the Emperor I wold say that ye take in hand to deale with the might of the one and with the fauour or disgrace of the other To be a Captain generall is an estate verie honorable and profitable although ryght delicate For notwithstanding hée doe all that he can and all that is méete to bee done it by the mishap of his sinnes hée giue any battel and carie not away the victorie it is not sufficiēt that the sorowfull man doe lose his lyfe but also they séeke some faulte by the whiche they say he lost that battell Be it that euery man be what he can and fight what he may yet neuer to this day haue we séene a conquered Captain called wyse neyther him that ouercame termed rashe It is verie good that the Captaines which fight and the Physitions that cure be wise but it is muche better that they be fortunate For these bée two things wherein many tymes wysedome fayleth and fortune preuayleth Sir you do take in hand an enterprise iuste and verie iust bicause from tyme out of mynde to this day wée haue neuer heard or séene the towne of Founterabie possessed by any king of France neyther any king of Castile to haue giuen it them In suche wyse that it is a conscience for them to holde it and a shame for vs not to take it Sir consider well for your owne part that a warre so iust be not lost through some secrete offence bycause the disgraces and ouerthrowes that do happen in such like enterprises doe not chaunce bicause the warre is not iust but for that the conductours thereof bée vniuste The warre the Hebrewes made with the Philistines in the mount of Gilboa was a war verie iust but king Saule that had the conduction therof was a Kyng verie vniuste for whose cause the Lorde did permit that noble battayle to be lost to the ende the kyng should be slayne in the same But as the iudgements of God are in them selues so high and of vs so vnknowen many times it dothe happen that a king or prince doth chose out one of his seruāts to make him general of an armie to the ende he be honored and his state more amended than the rest And on the other side God doth permit that there where he thought to obtayn most honor good happe from thence he dothe escape moste shamed and confounded Let it not bée thought of Princes and of great men that séeing they woulde not abstaine from sinne they shall more than others auoyd the payne For God doth compasse them in suche wise that they come to make paymente in one houre of that whiche they committed in all their life In the house of God there hath not is not neyther shall be merite without reward or fault without punishment And if it hap that presentely wée sée not the good rewarded eyther the euill chastised it is not for that God doth forget it but vntill an other tyme to deferre it The Marshall of Nauarre with his band of Agramontenses wée vnderstande is in the defence of Founteraby it séemeth not to be yll counsell to make youre siege openlye and to practise wyth them secretely For although they be nowe seruauntes to the Frenche Kyng
lickt his handes fauned with his tayle helde downe hys head and couched downe vpon the ground shewing signes of old acquaintāce and that he was in his det and beholding vnto him The slaue séeing the fawnings and the curtesies that the Lion vsed with him cast himselfe downe vpon the groūd and créeping to the Lion and the Lion comming to the slaue they began one to imbrace the other and to faune as mē that had bin of old acquaintāce that had not séene in many yéeres To sée a thing so monstrous and strange at the sodain which the eyes of man had neuer séene neither in old Bookes had euer bin read the good Emperour Titus was amased and all the Romane people grewe astonied and did not presently imagine that the man and the Lion had bin of olde acquaintance and there knew ech other but that the slaue shoulde be a nigromantike and had inchaunted the Lion. And after the Lion and the slaue had played together renued their olde acquaintance and the people of Rome beholding a greate space the Emperour Titus commaunded the slaue to be cald before him the which comming to accomplish his commaundemēt the cruell Lion came after him so quiet and so gentle as if it had bin a house lamb brought vp by hand The Emperour Titus said vnto him these words tell me man what art thou of whence art thou what is thy name to whome didst thou belong what hast thou done what offence hast thou committed wherefore wast thou brought hither and cast vntoo the beastes may it happen that thou hast bred this most cruell Lion or hast thou known him by chaunce in times past wa st thou present when he was taken or hast thou deliuered him from any mortall perill perchaunce thou art a Nigromantike and hast enchaunted him I commaund thée that thou say vnto vs the truth what hath passed and deliuer vs of thys dout for I sweare vnto thée by the immortall gods this matter is so mōstrous so strange that it séemeth rather that we dreame it than behold it With a good courage with a hygh cleare voyce the slaue made aunswer to the Emperour Titus as followeth the Lion being layd at his foote and all the people in admiration Andronico recompteth by discourse all his life IT may please thée to vnderstande most victorious Caesar that I am of the countrey of Slauonia of a certayne place that is called Mantuca the which when they dyd rise and rebell against the seruice of Rome we were there al taken condemned to seruitude bondage My name is Andronico and my father was named Andronicus and also my grandfather This linage of Andronicos wer in our Countrey so noble and generous as Quintus Fabius and Marcus Marcellus be nowe in Rome But what shall I wretche do vnto fortune which do sée the sonnes of seruants there to be knightes and my selfe that was there a Gentleman in Rome become a slaue It is twentie six yeares since I was taken in my Countrey and so long agoe since I was brought vnto this Citie and also other twētie six since I was sold in the field of Mars and bought of a sawyer which when he perceyued that my armes were better giuen to handle a launce than to pull at a sawe he sold me to the Consull Dacus father to the Censor Rufus that is now aliue This Consull Dacus was sent by thy father Vespasian to a certain prouince in Affrica whiche is called Numidia as Proconsull to minister Iustice and as Captayne of the horsemen to vnderstande in causes of warre for that in verie trouth in the warres he had great experience and in gouernment muche wisedom Also great Caesar it may please thée to vnderstād that my maister the Consull Dacus ioyntely with the experience and wisedom that he had was on the other side proude in commaundemente and couetous in gathering together And these two things be brought to passe that he was yll serued in his house and abhorred in the common wealth and his principall entente was to gather money to make hym selfe riche so that although he had many offices and muche businesse he had no more in his house but my selfe and an other to do all the same in so muche I gathered and caste abroade did grynde fift and bake the breade And besides all this I dressed the meate I washed the clothes I swepte the house I dressed the cattel and also made beddes What wilt thou that I shal say more O most victorious Caesar but that his couetousnesse was so great and his pitie so little that he gaue me neither coate shoes or shirt and moreouer beside al this euery nighte he made mée to weaue two baskettes of Palmes which he made me to sell for eight Sextertios towardes his dispences And that night that I had not performed the same he gaue me nether to eate either left me vnwhipt But in the end séeing my master so continually to chide me so oft to whippe me to kéepe me so naked so to ouer worke me and so cruelly to deale with me I will confesse the troth vnto thée oh inuincible Caesar whiche is that séeing my selfe in so desperat a state and in a life so miserable I desired hym oftentimes that it mighte please him to sell me or else to giue order to kill me Eleuen yéeres continually I passed this wretched life with him without receyuing at his handes any rewarde or at his mouth any milde word And farther séeing in the Proconsul my master that euery day his anger increased and vnto me there was no trauell diminished and ioyntly with this féeling age cōming vpon me and my head to be hore mine eyes blinde my strength weake my health wanting and my hart desperat I determined with my selfs to runne away vnto the cruell deserts of Aegipt to the intent that some rauenous beast mighte eate me or that by pure hunger I might die And for that my master did not eate but what I drest him or drinke but what I broughte him wyth great suertie I might haue killed him and reuenged my selfe but that hauing more respect to the noblenesse of bloud from whence I was descended than to the seruitude that I suffered I thought it better to put my life in perill than to do treason to my noblenesse In the end my master the proconsull going to visite a certaine Countrey named Tamatha which is in the confines of Aegipt and Affrica when on a night he had supped and I saw him a bed I departed without knowing any high way but that I tooke care that the nighte might be very darke and did beholde the daye before whiche mountayne was most sharpe where I myght be most hidden and least sought for I caried with me but a payre of sandalles to weare a canuas shirt to put on a bottell of water to drinke and a little bunch of grapes to eate with whiche prouision I might haue bin
murdred and buried vpon whose Tomb was placed this Epitaph with his armes whiche englished importeth as followeth Here lyeth the valiant Athaolphus with sixe of his children issued of Gothick bloud this was the first that aduentured to enter Spayne with an Army slayne with his owne men and buried with great teares in the great Citie of Barcelone Sée here the exposition of your Epitaph and the cause of the fame It resteth now to reueale the occasion of the destruction of Spayne and how the Christians lost the same to the Paynims concerning which you muste vnderstande that in the tyme of the raigne of king Roderic whiche was of the line of the Gothes there was in Spayne a Prince called Iulian Earle of Cepta and Lord of Consuegra whiche had a daughter of excellent beautie and incomparable wisedome named Caba Thys Damesell beyng sent to the Courte to attende vppon the Quéene to serue hir according to the manner of the Countrey was cause of the destruction of Spaine For the king being surprised with hir loue when shée woulde not agrée to accomplishe his inordinate desires determined by force if not by loue to inioy hir béeyng thus drowned in extreme passions hée defloured hir within his royall Palace The which when Count Iulian vnderstoode hée was hyghly offended therewith and féeling himselfe muche iniured thereby determined reuenge vpon the kings owne person to the ende he myght make a perpetuall remembrance of the wrong done by the Prince to him and his defloured daughter This Counte Iulian kepte secretely in his stomacke the mortall hatred hée bare vnto King Roderic and when hée sawe conuenient tyme hée made semblance to passe into Africa with an armie whiche the King had committed vnto him where with to repulse the Moores whiche then inuaded the borders of Spaine And hauing conferred of his determinations with Muzza Liuetenaunt generall of that Prouince to the greate Miramamolyn Vlit hée secretely practyzed with him in this sorte that if hée woulde yéelde him sufficient supplye of souldiers hée woulde put all Spaine vnder his obedience The whiche when Muzza vnderstoode hée gaue intelligence thereof to King Miramamolyn who did not onely in curteous wise accepte the offer of the Count but also sent him a sufficient army to bring his deuysed practize to effect The countrie béeyng néere the straites of Giberaltare was well furnished with men of great courage He then folowing fortune béeyng stirred forwarde by his wife and the iniury whiche he had receyued reiecting all loue of his cuntry renouncing obedience to his Prince Sodenly as hée had imbarked his army of Moores in foure ships and strongly fortified himselfe he reuealed to his friends and kinred the iniury which the king had done him by deflouring his daughter and requested their friendly succour in his enterprise so waighty Wherevnto they assenting sent him aide both of men monie Sée here the exposition of your Epitaph and the cause of the fame It resteth now to reueale the occasion of the destruction of Spaine and how the Christians lost the same to the Paynims concerning which you muste vnderstande that in the tyme of the raigne of king Roderic which was of the line of the Gothes there was in Spaine a Prince called Iulian Earle of Cepta and Lorde of Consuegra whiche had a daughter of excellent beautie and incomparable in wisedome named Caba This damsell beyng sent to the Courte to attende vppon the Quéene to serue hir according to the manner of the cuntrie was cause of the destruction of Spaine For the King being surprised with louing hir when shée woulde not agrée to accomplishe his inordinate desires determined by force if not by loue to inioy hir so as béeyng thus drowned in extreme passions hée defloured hir within his royall Palace The whiche when Counte Iulian vnderstoode he was highly offended therewith and féeling himselfe muche iniured thereby determined reuenge vpon the kings owne person to the end he might make a perpetuall remembrance of the wrong done by the Prince to him and his defloured daughter This Counte Iulian kepte secretely in his stomacke the mortall hatred hée bare vnto king Roderic and when hée sawe conuenient tyme hée made semblance to passe into Africa with an armie which the king had committed vnto him where with to repulse the Moores which then inuaded the borders of Spaine And hauing conferred of that which he woulde do with Muzza Auuenokair Liuetenaunt generall of that prouince to the greate Miramamolyn Vlit hée secretely practyzed with him in this sorte that is if hée woulde yéelde him sufficient supply of souldiers hee woulde put all Spaine vnder his obedience The whiche when Muzza vnderstoode hee gaue intelligence thereof to King Miramamolyn who did not onely in curteous wise accepte the offer of the Counte but also sent him a sufficient army to bryng his deuised practize to effect The Ilandes of this country beyng néere the straites of Giberaltare were wel furnished with meÌ„ of great courage He theÌ„ folowing fortune being stirred forwarde by his wife and the iniury which he had receyued reiecting all loue to his cuntry renouncing obedience to his Prince Sodenly as he had imbarked his army of Moores in foure shippes strongly fortified himselfe he reuealed to his friends and kinred the iniurie which the king had done him by deflouring his daughter and requested their friendly succour in his enterprise so waightie Whervnto they assenting sent him aide both of men and monie so as he tooke all the coastes of Spaine and much of the cuntry for the Moores whiche was the firste entrie of the Moores into Spaine and was in the yeare of grace 712. When the miserable king Roderic had vnderstaÌ„ding hereof that if with speede he ordered not his affaires he shoulde be in daunger to loose his realme and state with all the hasâ—â— possible he assembled an armie to encounter the Moores and made a nephew of his Captaine generall But the Moores giuing them the ouerthrow mangled him his men in péeces About which time another armie of Moores which the fornamed Muzza had placed in garison in places before subdued entred and tooke another countrye or prouince Whiche King Roderic vnderstanding and perceyuing the Moores daylye to aduaunce their force committing to fire and swoorde all the countrie that they subdued he gathered togither another army in whiche himselfe in person togither with all the Nobilitie of Spaine woulde go to searche out the Moores which then remayned at Seres and did so in déede where hée made greate slaughter both of the straunge Moores of his owne Christians But in fine the Christian army was vtterly destroyed the king loste in suche wise that afterwards he could neuer be founde quicke or deade From this tyme Spaine fell into the subiection of the Moores This battell was ended on a sunday the fourth of September in the yeare of our Sauiour 714. so as the Moores beeyng then victors might