Rhyne and entred the Gallia's there to seat themselues in regard of the goodnesse of the soile For the Teuthons broke into the Prouince of Gallia and were put to flight by Caius Marius the Consull Afterwards the Aruernes and Heduies quarrelling about principality the Germanes hired with pay from the Aruernes and Sequans marched thither at first indeed but with indifferent forces but increasing by degrees in Arcouistus their Kings raigne possessed a good part of the country but them Caius Caesar ouerthrew it battell and some yeeres after when he made warre against the k Inhabiting Lâ—ke beâ—ond Brabant Eburons a people of Gallia Belgica the Germanes againe march ouer the Rhyne with intent to beat backe the Roman Armie but were by him discomfiâ—ed at the meeting of the Riâ—er Maze and the Rhyne Many yeers following they contained themselues within their owne bounds because the Roman Emperours held them in play by warres yet as oft as they could lay hold on fitting opportunity slackt not their owne commoditie but continually wasted Gallia After this manner Gallienus being Emperour one no lesse carelesse then voluptuous they made an inroade and by little and little sprung vp to that potencie that the Emperour Probus had much adoe to repell them Iulianus also Constantius his Lieutenant made warre against them Afterwards when Honorius was Emperour the Gothes broke into Gallia to whom the Emperour detained by sundry warres granted the Country of Aquitania to inhabite On the other side the l Of Frankenlandt then Franconia in Germany French-Germanes making their way through m Holland Belgia vanquishing the n In and about Triers Treuires o Of Iuliers or Gulicke Menapians Eburons p Part in Flanders part in Picardie Morines q Of Turnay Neruians r of Picardy The beginning of the French Kingdome in Gallia about 421. Amtians Å¿ of Picardy The beginning of the French Kingdome in Gallia about 421. Bellouacans t of Picardy The beginning of the French Kingdome in Gallia about 421. Soissons seated themselues in that part of Gallia which retaines their name and is called France in which Country Paris is the chiefe Citie and not farre from thence stands San-Denis afterwards consecrated for the Sepulture of the Kings of France to this day After this manner inlarged hauing formerly possession of a good part of Germany euen all the Country betwixt the Riuer Maine and the Rhyne they easily repelled not onely offred hostilitie but also made warre vpon others Besides the Roman Empire in Asia and Affrica daily more and more sliding away and the Lombards wasting Italy they almost extended their dominions quite through Gallia and after many of their Kings had raigned there in successiue course at length the Crowne came to Pipin also and to his sonne Charles Charles Martel Pipins Father who was not king himselfe but onely one of the Nobles and Gouernour of the Pallace or as they are commonly called Majors of the house vanquished the Bauarians and Sueuians For as the writers of the French Annals deliuer it the Kings there for some yeers together had nothing at all besides their title the principalitie of gouernement belonging to the Gouernour of the Kings house For those Kings degenerated from the worth of their Predecessors and gaue themselues ouer to pleasure reiecting the care of the Common-wealth whereupon the Gouernour of the Pallace bore all sway and by how much greater the kings negligence was so much more hee augmented his authoritie At length vpon this occasion Pipin who was Gouernour in Childrickes raigne when the cause as they say came to canuasing before Pope Zacharie got the Kingdome Hereof is mention made in that decree which they name Gratians to wit that it is lawfull for the Pope to depriue Kings of their principalitie but the title and inscription of that place is false seeing there were two Anastatio'â— Emperours and it cannot be referred to either of them for the former raigned about 200. and the other 37. yeeres before this happened as also there was no Pope Gelasius in the later Emperors time I thought good to adde this for the Readers aduertizement that they may wisely and warily peruse the Papall records for it is not one place alone which discouers this to be their prime practice so to fasten an opinion of antiquitie vpon their lawes that they may carry the more weight and authority Pipin besides his repression of the Lombards in Italie at the Popes request as before mentioned commenced war also against the Saxons and afterwards against the Aquitanians whose Chieferaine he tooke and put to death not long after departing his life they forthwith rebelled and King Charles his sonne with much difficultie and infinite toile at length made an end of that double warre For he was in armes against the Saxons full thirty three yeeres during which warre hee made other also Bauaria likewise with their Chiefetaine Tassilo hee brought vnder his subiection and in two expeditions against the Lombards marching into Campania subdued all Italie and setled it with lawes and reduced into subiection those Cities of Gallia lying vpon the Ocean which Caius Caesar cals Armorica but now goe vnder the name of little Brittaine which refused any longer to pay yeerely tribute to the Kings of France In Hispaine also whither hee made an expedition with an Armie against the Saracens victorie attended him but in his returne vpon the Pyrene Mountaines by a stratagem receiued a fore ouerthrow from the u Of Gascoigne Vascones a people of Aquitane notwithstanding at last after eight yeeres warre hee ouerthrew the Hunnes then in possession of Pannonia and likewise by his Lieutenants composed Bohemia And his last warre was against the Danes or * For the Normans originally inhabited Norway Normans then with a great Nauie forraging the maritime coasts of Germanie and France By the atchieuement of those so famous exploits he gained his sirname the Great For whereas before him the French Kings onely held that part of Germanie lying betwixt Saxonie and the Riuer Danow and betwixt the Rhyne and the Riuer Sala to this he added Sueuia and Baâ—arta all Saxonie afterwards both the Pannonia's Dacia Istria Ireland and the midland Country of Dalmatia whereas also the French Kings had onely that part of Gallia lying betwixt the Rhyne and the Riuer Loire betwixt the Ocean and the x Against the Ilands oâ— Maiorqâ—e and Minuerque Balearique Sea hee added all Aquitania all the top of the Pyrene mountaines to the Riuer Iber and which should haue beene named first all Italie from the Alpes to the furthest part of Calabria And this done hee sets forward to Rome the fourth time where hee was proclaimed Emperour Augustus by Leo the Third and all the people after he had raigned thirty three yeeres Thus the Romane Empire in the West rent almost into peece-meales especially from that time when the Emperours made choice of Constantinople for their Court
fortunate sea-fight in Sicilie against Hanno Publius Duillius Consul Cicero rankes this Duillius Mannius Curius and Caius Fabritius as also Attilius Calatinus Cneius and Publius both Scipioes Aphricanus Marcellus and Fabius Maximus within the list of the most renowned Consuls of Rome The yeere following Lucius Cornelius Scipio Consull took the Ilands of Corsiea and Sardinia The Carthaginian warre after it had lasted three and twenty yeeres Held 23. yeeres was at last appeased Quintus Luctatius Catulus Cercus and Aulus Manlius Consulls Two yeeres before this was Ennius borne Hee was elder then Marcus Portius Cato who cals him his familiar consort by fiue yeeres And Rome was now againe intrapt with new wars against the a Of Tuscame Faliscians b Of Tuscame vpon the Sea-coast Lygurians c Sclauonians Illyrians d Of Gallia now France Galles e Bohemians Boies f Of now Lumbardie The second warre which the Carthaginians begun Anno Mundi 3751. Insubrians whom hauing at length ouercome the second Punicke or Carthaginian warre burst forth in the twenty fourth yeere after the conclusion of peace Publius Cornelius Scipio and Titus Sempronius Longus then Consuls Hannibal was Captaine Generall in this warre who sack't the Citie of Saguntum and bending his course through Spaine towards Gallia and from thence to Italie in three seuerall battels at g Now Pauie Ticinum the Riuer Trebia and the Lake Thrasimine ouercame the Romanes But Quintus Fabius Maximus being created Dictator and marching forth against the enemie by subtle and dilatorie withdrawing from him weakened and tooke off the edge of his force and furie This was that very Fabius whose fame Ennius celebrating saith thus of him One mans delay our safety hath regained Cicero accounts him a great Politician and saies that hee could conceale keepe silence dissemble insnare and preuent his enemies in their consultations But after this the Romans receiued a very great ouerthrow at h A towne of Apulia in Italie Canna which strucke such an horrid feare in the Citie that many of the abler sort purposed to flie and forsake the Citie but were re-animated and withdrawne from their intents by Publius Cornelius Scipio Publius his sonne a magnanimous yong Gentleman and then scarce foure and twenty complete The fourth yeere following Claudius Marcellus tooke Syracusa after a long continuing siege In the sacking of which Citie the famous Mathematitian Archimides was slaine who was drawing certaine Astronomicall figures in dust not dreaming of the conquest of his country Marcellus hauing notice hereof tooke his death wonderfull heauily and commanded his body to bee buried not onely suffering the conquered Citie to remaine in safetie as Cicero writes but also left it so furnished that it should stand for a Monument of victorie humanitie and clemency Moreouer as he speakes vpon Verres the i Much like our Lord chiefe Iustices at this day Praetors arriuall there in this victory of Marcellus there were fewer men then gods slaine but Liuie reports that many abhominable examples of wrath enuy and auarice were then and there shewed Cicero when he was k Much like our office of Lord Treasurer Questor of Sicilia hauing by some description found out the place of Archimedes buriall shewed his tomb to the Senate of Syracusa 137 y. afterwards though it was quite worne out of memory grown ouer with bryars and brambles and vnknowne to the very Citizens themselues He further reports that this City of Syracusa was the greatest most beautifull city in Greece and that it was compact of foure very great Cities the Island where was the fountaine of Arethusa hauing great store of fish Acradania where the market place * Porticus The publike walking place for pleasure recreation or exercise Prado and * Curia Senatehouse stood Tyche where the Temple of Fortune stood Neapolis built last of all where the most spacious Theater was erected Moreouer this of any forraigne Nation was the first that entred into amity and allegiance with the Romans and was their first prouince as the same Cicero testifies Annibal soone after his victory compelled all Campania to bee yeelded vp to him but his Army wintering at Capua with superfluity of victualls and riot became wholy disjoynted and broken The third yeare after the ouerthow of Syracusa Capua was surrendred into the hands of the Romans and it was long and much demurred vpon whether or no they should quite destroy the City at length they agreed to preserue it yet lest it should at any time afterwards bee able to raise any rebellion their fields were quite taken away all manner of authority both of Magistrates and Senatours abrogated as also the Councell of Estate no image of a Common-wealth left but was appointed to bee a storehouse for fruit the plowmens rendezuous the Countreymens market town and the common Garner and Cornhouse for the countrey of Campania Within two yeares after this Asdrubal brought ouer new Auxiliary Forces into Italy but was slain at the riuer of Metaurum by Marcus Liuius Salinator Caius Claudius Nero Consulls In the meane while Publius Cornesius Scipio had good successe in Spaine after his father his vncle had lost their liues there He hauing recouered the whole prouince returnes to Rome and being made Consull desired to be authorized ouer Africa that he might make war there But Quintus Fabius Maximus an aged graue Senator withstood him very earnestly and vrged that it was not fit to passe into Africa but to ioyne battell with Hannibal Scipio contrariwise that if warre were made with the Carthaginians within their own Quarters they must of necessity be constrained to call home Hannibal out of Italy in whō they setled their chiefe hopes and helpes After much dispute the Senate grants Scipio the Prouince of Sicilie and permits him if it might be commodious to the Common-wealth to passe ouer into Africa He therefore at length sets forward out of Sicilie into Africa where what hee had foretold the Senate by word he confirmed by deed For the Carthiginians hauing receiued some ouerthrowes by him and being much endammaged call backe Hannibal Thus he who for sixteene yeeres together had raged vp and downe Italy and pickt out a place vnder the verie walles of Rome where to pitch his Tents was compelled to returne home though sore against his will and to his great griefe where at length in his owne country quarrell Hannibal vanquished An. mund 3797. hee was vanquished by Scipio who soone after by decree of the Senate concluded a peace with the Enemie Hereupon came his surname of Africanus But here we must consider after what manner the Romans creptout of these most intricate straights for all their fortune now hung by a most slender threed yet so it was destined that they should ouersway all force and trouble and become Lords of the whole earth Some report that Hannibal foresaw this when hee heard of his brother Asdrubals ouerthrow The
also was a motioner hauing made a very elegant Oration to the people in Pompeyes commendation Lucullus thus recalled held his triumph neuerthelesse and bestowed a very sumptuous banquet vpon the Romans soone after this leauing his Offices in the Common wealth hee liued at home privately studiing Philosophie and erected a most copiously furnisht Library In his ordinary table he was as at all times els very sumptuous and magnificent Cicero makes mention of this Library and sayes that he was wont to come thither to cull forth bookes Pompey put Mithridates to flight and pursu'd him very farre He caus'd King Tigranes to yeeld himselfe ouer into his hands and seeing him abased and forlorne in his campe aduanced him as Cicero writes and placing the * Insigne regium Diadem vpon his head again which he had taken from him vnder certaine cautions commanded him to raigne againe At length Mithridates being besieged by his owne sonne Pharnaces slew himselfe That warre which Pompey made against the Pyrates which was before hee went against Mithridates wonne him much authority This warre thus appeased presently another ciuill broile is broached for Lucius Catilina with many more conspired the ruine of the Common wealth but by Ciceroes singular industry who was then Consull his villany was discouered he expelled the City and hauing gathered together certaine bands and troopes of abiect fellowes in Hetruria was in battell by Caius Antonius Consul Ciceroes Collegue ouerthrowne and slaine Cicero euery where amongst his workes speakes much of the seruice which he then performed for the Common wealth and makes relation not onely of the firebrands then seene in the night time the flaming of the elements lightnings and earthquakes but also applies those wondrous prodigies which hapned when Lucius Cotta and Torquatus were Consulls being two yeares before his Consulship to this time when many Turrets in the Capitoll were strucke downe the Images of the gods ouerthrowne the statues of the ancient Heroes beat down the brazen tables of the Law melted as also the statue of Romes builder Romulus in forme of an Infant gaping and sucking at the teats of a wolfe was smitten Cicero describing Catilines nature and qualities saies that there neuer was such another Monster as hee vpon the face of the Earth composed of such contrary different and mutually antipathizing appetites and dispositions of nature In the time of Ciceroes Consulship was Caius Octauius borne Caius Octauius borne 3906. and Iudaea made Tributary to the Romanes after Cnelius Pompey had surprized the City of Ierusalem The fift yeare following Lucius Piso and Aulus Gabinius Consuls the x Now called Switzers Heluetians changed their habitation and leuying maine forces intended to passe thorow the Prouince of Gallia into the further parts thereof and there to seat themselues in regard of the fertility of the soile But Caius Iulius Caesar who was sixe yeares younger then Cicero hauing notice hereof preparing an Armie the Senate hauing authoriz'd him ouer that Prouince marcht thither and in pitcht battell vanquished the Enemy and afterwards going out against Arionistus King of the Germanes who had annoyed the Country of Gallia y That part of France betwixt the Riuer of Seine Garonne Celtica but more especially the z Now Walloons Heduies confederates with the Romanes ouerthrew him at Besanson a Towne of the a burgundians inhabiting about the riuer Seine Sequans not farre from the Rhyne Soone after he brought the whole Countrey of Gallia in subiection to the Romanes and forthwith striking ouer the sea into Brittaine conquered it Cicero reports that Caesar writ to him out of Brittaine on the first day of September and the Letters came to his hands the eight twentieth day of the same moneth When Caesar went into Gallia Cicero being molested by Publius Clodius Tribune of the Commons departed into exile first making an oration to the Gentry and Commons wherin he commended his children and family to their care and within a few moneths after being called backe by the Senate with exceeding great congratulation of the prople made another Oration to the Romanes wherein he rendered thanks to his friends Afterwards hee laid the blame on Lucius Piso and Aulus Gabinius Consuls for his banishment and shewed that by them hee was betrayed declaiming certaine Orations against each of them in one whereof hee counsail'd the Senate to take from them the Prouinces of Syria and Macedonia and not to call backe Caius Caesar hauing most happy successe in his wares in Gallia but to continue his authority whereby he might fully finish the warre Meane while Ptolomie Auletes King of Aegypt for his slothfulnesse and cruelty thrust out of his kingdome came to Rome and the Senate at Cneius Pompeyes entreaty restor'd him by Aulus Gabinius expelling Archelaus whom the people had ordained to be their king At length Gabinus was adiudged to pay into the common treasury 10000 Talents or as some of our times suppose 6000000. Euery Talent amounteth to 176 pound sterling because hee had receiued so much from Ptolomie And Marcus Crassus who had in charge the managing of the Parthian warre hauing past ouer the Riuer of Euphrates was ouerthrowne and soone after slaine at an enterview vpon Truce This was he who was wont to say that no man was rich except hee could maintaine an a An Army consisted of 2400 foot and 20000 horse Army at his owne charge About this time was Publius Clodius slaine by Titus Anaio Milo Cicero defended Milo Cneius Pompey being then the third time and alone Consull yet at length he was commanded to go into exile The warres with the Galles being ended which was about the eight yeare thereof that ciuill warre of Caius Caesars The ciuill warre betwixt Caesar and Pompey begunne 3916. with his sonne in law Pompey burst forth The occasion whereof was because Caesar was to be depriu'd of his Consulship except hee would first dismisse his forces and surrender his Prouince but hee was aduised that it could no waies stand with his safety to part from his Army yet hee condescended descended vpon condition that Pompey as well as hee should yeeld vp his forces but when that was refused marching out with his forces with incredible celeritie hee left Gallia and came into Italy where entring into the Country of Flaminia he tooke many townes some by force b Now Romandiâ—la oâ— hersome by dedition Vpon notice hereof Pompey and the two Consulls Caius Marcellus and Lucius Lentulus flye from Rome to BrundusiuÌ„ a Sea coast Towne in c Puell Apulia thither marcht Caesar but before his arriuall the Consuls had struck ouer the Seas to Durachium d Durace in Macedonia and not long after Pompey followes them Now Caesar being preuented by time not hauing a Nauie in readinesse could not pursue them but returnes to Rome where calling together the Senate he makes complaint of his iniuries and also propounded certaine conditions of peace but
to him Baleus Baleus subdued many Nations extending his dominions euen vnto Iudea and was therefore sirnamed Xerxes that is a conquerour and triumpher or warriour Armatrites the ninth Armatrites was altogether giuen ouer to pleasure and idlenesse There is nothing written of Belochus the tenth Belochus but that hee applied himselfe to the studie of soothsaying and diuining Baleus the eleuenth paralleld Semiramis in renown for his prowes and militarie industrie and hath the fame to haue beene highly extolled in sundry learned mens workes Altadas Altadas the twelfth of him it is recorded that he followed his ease and tranquilitie of life accounting it a point of folly to be wearied with multiplicitie of labours and fettered with varietie of cares about inlarging the bounds of his kingdome because it tended not to the weale and commoditie of any men but rather to their endammagement seruitude His successour Mamitus the thirteenth Mamitus stirred vp his subiects on fresh againe to diligence and industry in military affaires and his puisance gaue cause of suspition to the Syrians and Egyptians For Mancaleus the fourteenth Mancaleus his actions afford not argument worth the discourse Spharus Sphaerus the fifteenth is commended for his great vertue and wisedome There is no mention in writing of any memorable act performed by Mamelus the sixteenth Mamelus Sparetus In Sparetus the seuenteenth his raigne histories report that woÌ„drous accidents hapned euery where Ascatades Ascatades the eighteenth brought all Syria vnder his subiection And thus farre the suppos'd Berosus of whose writings almost all men make a doubt thinke them counterfeit but because we haue no other records extant they follow this order o See their names at the end of the Booke Others reckon 20 Kings more together with Sardanapalus making him the eight and thirtieth King of the Assyrians This King as without all compare the most effeminate of men continually sitting amongst harlots spining and carding with them and so totally plunged in voluptuousnesse that he would scarce euer shew himselfe in publike For this cause two of his Rulers Belochus of Babylon Arbaces of the Medes alienating their affection from him after they had emblazon'd his filthinesse and lasciuiousnesse vp and downe amongst the vulgar made warre against him Hee with his womanish troopes hauing scarce ioyn'd battell such was his bad successe fled to his palace and â—here causing a great fire to be made threw himselfe and all his goods into it In this deed only The Monarchy diuided as a certaine writer saith shewing himselfe a man Afterwards these two rulers diuided the Monarchy betwixt them Belochus was made King of Babylon and Arbaces of the Medes After is had stood 1300 years Thus Sardanapalus was the last king in that course when that Monarchy had stood 1300. yeares for almost all their Kings liued exceeding long Belochus the nine thirtieth Belochus 2 King 15. 1 Chron. 5. or if it seeme better the first King of the Assyrians in the new Monarchy compelled Manasses King of Israel to pay him Tribute the Scripture calls him not Belochus but Phul. Phul Assur 2 King 15. 2 Chro. 28. Phul Assur surnamed Tiglath Pileser succeeded him He tooke some certaine Cities in Iudea and caried away the people captiue into Assyria Achas King of Iuda in whose time the Prophet Isaias liued desir'd aid from this Tiglath against the King of Syria Salmanassar and sent him presents After Tiglath followed Salmanassar who after three yeares siege tooke the Citie of Samaria and caried away captiue Hosea King of Israel and his people and allowed them a dwelling place in his owne Dominions euen amongst the Medes as the Scripture saith 2 King 18. whereupon some gather that hee rul'd also ouer the Medes His successor Senacherib kept his Court in the City of Niniuie Senacherib 2 King 18. Hee made Ezekiah King of Iuda tributary to him and soone after besieged Ierusalem with a mighty Army and by his Ambassadors exhorting the people to make a reuolt 2 King 19. and scoffed at their King who hoped for helpe from his God But he escaped not vnpunisht for God by his Angell in one night slew 185000. of his men as a little before he had confirmed it to Ezekias by his Prophet Isaiah Isa 37. After his returne home hee was slaine by his owne sonnes Tob. 1. Till this time the Babylonians after Sardanapalus his ouerthrow were in subiection to the Assyrians Senacherib as we said before hauing receiu'd such a destruction at Ierusalem and not long after slaine by his owne sons there folowed a great change in the State of the Kingdome which was then diuided For the two brothers Adramalech and Sarazar who had committed the parricide fled Notwithstanding they leuied forces and prepared Armes against their brother Assaradon Assaradon 2 King 19. who after his fathers death had seized vpon the Kingdome hauing formerly gouern'd the Common-wealth in his fathers p Isa 37. Merodach absence Merodach Gouernour of Babylon taking hold on this faire occasion 2 Kings 20. 2 Chro. 32. for his own good successe reuolted proclaiming warre and hauing by degrees partly by fauour partly by force drawne in the neighbouring countries round about him to his party and ouercome Assaradon in the 12. year of his raigne annexed the whole Empire of the Assyrians to the Babylonians and raigned q Isai 39. 50. Beâ—â—nerodach Nabuchodonozor 1. forty yeares after Many reckon next after him Benmerodach and Nabuchodonozor the first of that name but seeing the holy Scripture discouers nothing hereabouts nor can we rashly giue credit to others wee le rancke that Nabuchodonozor whom the Scripture makes much mention of Nabuchodonozor the Great next in order after Merodach Hee therefore within few yeeres after his entrance made warre with the r Kings 24. Ierem. 46. Aegyptians and tooke from them the whole Countrey therefrom Euphrates to Å¿ Suidas cals this Peleusiuns the Key of Egypt It is now called Damietta Peleusium made tributary to him t 2 Kâ—n. 24. Ioachim King of Iuda and in the eight yeare of his raigne caried away captiue to Babylon his sonne Iechonias together with his chiefe men and artificers not onely of the City of Ierusalem but also of the whole Countrey In the eighteenth yeare of his raigne he tooke * Kings 15. 2 Chro. 36 Ierusalem after two yeares siege within a while after u Ierem. 52 sackt burnt it broke downe the walls caried away most part of the people putting out king Zedekias his eies and killing his sons and Noblemen Ierem. 25. The Prophet Ieremy had foretold this calamity in the first yeare of Nabuchodonozors raigne and from this time we must reckon the 70. yeares captiuity of Babylon Nabuchodonozor about the foure and twentieth yeare of his raigne hauing ouercome the kings of the x Ier. 46.
his age and raigned 30 yeers being 40. yeeres old at the beginning of his raigne His sonnes name was Cambyses Cambyses whom when hee went from home to the Scythian warre he set ouer his Kingdome He his Father being absent and in imploiments tooke Egypt In warre indeed hee was renowned but otherwise vitious and did not represent his Fathers vertues Among the rest of his filthie and sauage deeds he commanded his own brother to be slain trecherously Plato in his bookes which he writ of the Lawes reports how Cyrus was very much to blame for that he brought vp his sons effiminately amongst women who when they grew into riper yeeres being corrupted by flatterers for the most part abusing their cares did after their Fathers decease Darius the sonne of Histaspis indanger one anothers life Darius the sonne of Hystaspis succeeded Cambyces second King of the Persians who suruiued his Father but a short space And by reason that many of his subiects together with the rest the Babylonians did after Cyrus his death and so great an ouerthrow of his armie reuolt from the kingdome of Persia Hee tooke armes at the first steppe of his raigne and reunited them to his Empire hauing after a long siege taken Babylon also by helpe of a He mangled himselfe cutting off his cares nose and lippes faigning that Darius had so puâ—â—isht him for speaking in the Babylonians behalfe whe eupon they receiued him and by that policie hee got the Citie for Darias Zopyrus Within a while after he made warre against the Athenians who vpon a sodaine mustering vp their forces not expecting any aid from the Lacedemonians did at Marathon with about 10000. men Miltiades being their Leader ouercome his huge b It consisted of 600000. men armie Darius was aminded to renew the warre but death preuented him in his very first attempt whose sonne and successor Xerxes Xerxes in the tenth yeer after the battell at Marathon as Thucidides relates came with an c Some confine it to 1000000 but Justine extends it to 2000000 and Herodotus to more innumerable armie with intent to subdue all Greece Hereupon the chiefe managing of these warres was by common consent committed to the Lacedemonians because they bore greatest sway all ouer Greece but the Athenians followed Themistocles his counsaile quitting their Citie leauing their wiues and children in one place or other betooke themselues to their shippes and ioyning battell with the enemie at Salamina ouercame him That victorie was very commodious to all Greece in generall for Xerxes being also expelled their Country did by an infortunate and a dishonourable flight In a little Fishers boate returne home and the Grecians likewise after his departure But the Athenians hauing a Nauie of 400. saile or thereabouts coasting on further and pursuing their enemies tooke the towne of Sestos vpon Hellespont which the Persians held and there wintring afterwards returned home gathered together their dispersed wiues and children and repaired the walls of their Citie which the enemie burnt when hee tooke it and fortified the Port. This warre of the Persians or as Thucidides calls it of the Medes happened as Cicero writes almost at the very same time with the Volscian warre where the exild Romane Coriolanus was Generall Xerxes his warre An. Mund. 3488 and that was in the 266. yeere after the building of Rome Herodotus before Thucidides writ of this Persian warre Cicero calls him the Father of historie but reports that his writings are stuft with an infinite companie of fables The Lacedemonians were sore offended at this fortification of the Athenians but sith they could not tell how to amend themselues buried all in murmuring silence and both they as also the rest of the Grecians together with the Athenians ioyning forces tooke the I le of Cyprus and the Citie d Now called Constantinople Byzantium which the Persians held Among the rest of the Lacedemonian Captaines in this warre Pausanias was one who being condemned of treason after he was returned home and lay besieged in a certaine Sanctuarie was famished to death with hunger Themistocles also being in like manner accused fled Soone after this Greece was tossed vp and downe with sundry wars and dissentions partly forraigne and partly domesticall which Thucidides pithily relates But at length in the fiftieth yeere after Xerxes departure out of Greece as Cicero reports it after Thucidides that cruell warre sprung out when the whole Country of e Now called Morea Peloponnesus conspired against the Athenians Pericles Anaxagoras his scholler being their Leader in that warre who as Aristophanes reports lightned thundred and set all Greece on fire with his tongue For these in times past were the master-pieces of prowesse and eloquence On the other part Archidamus King of the Lacedemonians had supreame command Thucidides who writ of this warre was both equall to and emulous of Pericles Sophocles the tragicall Poet was as Cicero writes Pericles his collegue in the Generalship Now let vs returne to Xerxes He by reason of such his bad successe being growne into contempt was slain by his own subiects Artaxerxes Long-hand His sonne Artaxerxes Long-hand succeeded him To him fled the exiled Themistocles whom we spake of a little before and there f Poysoned himselfe because he would not goe with Artaxerxes to sight agaiâ—st his owne Country Darius Nothus ended his life was buried at Magnesia After Long-hand Darius Nothus raigned who married his owne sister In the beginning of this Kings raigne happened the aforesaid Peloponnesian warre And the Athenians though they had remora's enough besides yet in the fourth yeere of this warre as Thucidides recites in his third booke they sent a Nauie into Sicilie vnder pretence to aid the Leontinians against the Syracusans but their intent was to bring that Iland vnder their subiection that so they might more conueniently subdue Greece and afterwards when they were returned and fostered their owne factions Hermocrates of Syracusa was the first that moued the Sicilians to liue in peace laying aside all grudges for the Athenians had laid snares of bondage to intrappe the libertie of their whole country his perswasion tooke effect This was in the seuenth yeere of this warre Three yeeres after this the Athenians and Peloponnesians concluded a truce for fifty yeeres but it held not full seauen for euen then many outrages were broached and though the peace were not quite abolished and gappes of offences committed were euer anon stopt vp againe by truces yet in the 17 yeere they burst forth againe into open warre with full forces this second warre continued tenne yeeres Then the Athenians send ouer againe their Nauie most exquisitely furnished into Sicilie The chiefe Commanders whereof among the rest were Alcibiades and Nicias Nicias very earnestly declaiming certaine Orations to that purpose disswaded them from this voiage but Alcibiades perswaded the contrarie The Peloponnesians gaue aid to the Sicilians at
that most famous Oratour Quintus Hortensius In the time of this Iugurthine warre the q Danes Cimbrians and r Germanes vanquished by Caius Marius 3867. Teutons pierce some into Italie some into Gallia where hauing very much annoied the Romans and in certaine battels sometimes ouercomming the Proconsuls sometimes their Lieutenants were at length ouerthrowne and put to the sword by Caius Marius the fourth time Consull the Teutons at ſ Aix Aquensis and the Cimbrians on the marches of t Lombardie Insubria To this felicitie succeeded a new tumult for certaine people of Italie as the Samnites Pelignians Marsians The Sociall war 3877. Vestinians Marusinians Vmbrians Picentines Lucanians reuolted from the Romans At diuers battels at length they were reduced to subiection In the necke of this followes another mischiefe and a dangerous one to the Common-wealth The war with Mithridates 3880. for Mithridates King of Pontus expelied Ariobarzanes King of Cappadocia and Nichomedes King of Bythinia both friends and confederates with the Romanes out of their dominions and seizing vpon Phrygia a Prouince of the Romanes broke into Asia Hereupon the Senate decreed to remedie it by the sword but iust in the nicke sprung vp a faction some requiring Lucius Sylla a man of Noble parentage others Caius Marius for their Generall Publius Sulpitius Tribune of the commons aided Marius his partie but Sylla hauing command ouer the armie expelled Marius the Citie who thus exiled and lurking in the marishes about Minturnae not without very imminent danger of his life in a little Barke strucke ouer into Affrica In Sylla's absence in the warres of Asia Lucius Cornelius Cinna Consull begunne to raise an vproare and practise new seditions who after hee was banished by his collegue Cneius Octauius and expelled the Citie makes fresh head againe and ioynes with Caius Marius who vpon that occasion was returned from Affrica Cinna and Marius besiege and take Rome 3882. Thus hauing contracted their forces they ioyntly besiege the Citie of Rome on that side where the village of Ianiculum stood when many of the Citie shewing themselues not so much cowards as perfidious wretches no meanes for resistance being left giuing them entrance they made all places flow with blood and destruction and forthwith reproclaiming thēselues Consuls in that their office exercise much crueltie among the rest Lucius Cinna committed that famous orator Marcus Antonius to the sword and Caius Marius did the like for Quintus Catulus Lucius Sylla hearing of those hurly-burlies hauing in a manner recouered all that he warred for concluding a peace with Mithridates returnes into Italy but Marius seuenth time Consull dyed before his arriuall Lucius Cinna had for his Collegue Cneius Papirius Carbo on their partie who although they opposed Sylla with might and maine were together with Marius his son put to flight and Sylla being now sole Commander pursued his aduersaries very sharpely hung out a writ of proscription sels the proscripts goods and disinabled their children of all priviledge and right of bearing honours in the Common-wealth and then making himselfe Dictator caried all matters according to his owne will and enfringed the Tribunes authority and when he sould the Citizens goods declared in the publike assemblies that he sold nothing but his owne prey Briefly it came to that passe that no man without his consent could hold either goods country or life and with such bitter hatred was he incenst against Caius Marius that he caused the reliques of his body to bee scattered and strewed vp and downe the riuer u Teueron Anio and hee himselfe was the first of any Nobleman of the house of the Cornelioes that desired to be burnt by fire it may be fearing lest the same accident shold befall his owne dead bodie Cicero relates that Marius was strong and valiant and constant in his wrath but hee taxes Sylla of vehemency and Lucius Cinna of cruelty Hee further stiles Marius the terror of his Enemies and the hope and helpe of his Country Lucius Sylla made foure new lawes against forgery parricide murther and iniuries In the time of his Dictatorship Marcus Cicero aged 26 yeeres came into the Court and pleaded Sextus Rossius his cause in publicke Before him these Orators were most famous Quintus Catulus Caius Iulius Marcus Antonius Lucius Crassus In which age saith Cicero the Latine tongue was growne to full perfection in a manner This age indeede wherein Cicero liued did most of all excell in learning For to let passe so many and so worthy Orators there were famous Lawiers and amongst the rest Caius Aquilius Gallus Lucius Lucilius Balbus Caius Iuventius Sextus Papirius who were Quintus Mutius Scaeuola the * Chiefe Priest about the sacrifices Pontifies Auditors to whom Cicero also in his youth was a retainer Publius Seruius Sulpitius was well neere Ciceroes equall hee was Auditor of the aboue named men and Aulus Ossilius Publius Alphenus Varus Caius Titus Decius the two Aufidioes Caius Atteius Pacuvius Flauius Priscus Cinna and Publius Caecilius were his schollers At the same time with Sulpitius flourisht Caius Trebatius whose scholler Antisteus Labeo was Cicero extolling the deceased Sulpitius in most ample words saith That if all who euer in any age professed the law in this Citie were gathered together into one place they were not to bee compared with Seruius Sulpitius for he was experienct in point of aequity as well as strict law Amongst those who were proscribed Quintus Sertorius was one a man renown'd both for his couragious valour and experience in military affaires He begun a most fierce warre in the further parts of Spaine Sertorius his warre 3890. where ouerthrowing certaine Roman Generalls brought many Cities into subiection Hereupon the guidance of this warre was at length committed to Cneius Pompeius when after many battels with diuersity of fortune on both sides at length Sertorius was treacherously slaine and afterwards Pompey being almost the tenth yeare after the beginning of the warre recouered Spaine About this time Nichomedes King of Bythinia departing this life made the Romanes his heires But Mithridates King of Pontus who formerly in that faction betwixt Marius and Sylla had strucke a league with Sertorius seizing vpon Bythinia with maine forces renewes the war Against him Lucius Lucullus was sent with an Army who when hee was Confull had good successe in his battells of horsemen and afterwards being Proconful defeating his forces and recouering Bythinia caused him to retire into Pontus and there to Mithridates receiuing an ouerthrow in a maine battell fled to Tigranes King of Armenia yet Lucullus still following and pursuing him in some few battailes defeated both their forces but the mutinous dissentions among the souldiers by some craftily rais'd hindered him from fully finishing the warre and bringing home the wisht successe and honour of his victory For within a while after Lucullus being called home Cneius Pompey was made Captaine Generall in that warre to which seruice Marcus Cicero
without his aid and protection as concerning any danger he need not trouble himselfe For all of vs saith he doe not onely promise to watch about and guard Thee but also to interpose our owne sides and bodies But for all this after Cesars death hee reioyced wonderfully and boasted that they who had slaine him had obtained that glory which could scarce bee contained within the heauens This therefore is the fourth and last Monarchy in which place we must note how this citie which was built by Shepheards from most slender beginnings by little and little increased to the height of potencie and grew to bee Empresse of the whole world Now hereafter I will briefly as farre as I may declare after what manner it fell off by degrees from this most high estate vnto ruine The end of the first Booke IOHN SLEID AN of the foure chiefe Monarchies OR The key of History The second Booke CEsar being slain Octauius Cesar begun his raigue Anno mundi 3925. and raigned An. 57. his sisters sonne Caius Octauius hauing drawn about the militarie bands to his partie persecuted the murtherers most bitterly And at first seemed to take armes in defence of the Commō-wealth against Marcus Antonius but afterward diuding the Empire with him and Marcus Ledipus ordained a i Gouernment by three Cicero put to death An. 3926. Triumuirat in which Marcus Cicero was by Marcus Antonius whom he had very vehemently opposed put to death being sixty three yeers of age which was eight yeeres after Quintus Hortensius his death who was so many yeers elder then hee as abouesaid Cicero directly ouershot himselfe in his owne policies for when Marcus Antonius molested the Common-wealth after Caius Cesars death he with exceeding great praises commended to the Senate Caius Octauius Cesars kinsman a yong Gentleman of twenty yeeres of age and begunne to vrge to haue him created Consull without any regard had to his age producing examples of ancient times how it might be done and refuting such obiections as might seeme dangerous professing to be bound to the Senate vpon his honour that he should alwaies couernue such a Common-wealths man as he then was and such an one as they ought chiefly to wish and desire him to be but afterwards forsaken by him hee fell into Marcus Antonius his hands Marcus Brutus reprehends him sharpely for such his flatterie Then as it is common certaine grudges arising in emulation of the Empire when as Marens Lepidus for conspiracie against Octauius was formerly remoued out of the Triumuirat and banished Octauius made warre against Antonius his other Collegue and after his victorie at k A town in Epirus Actium ouerthrew both him and Cleopatra beforementioned at Alexandria forcing them both to kill themselues and made Egypt a Romane Prouince Authors report that in Ptolomie Auletes raigne the yeerely reuenues of Egypt came to 12500. talents which summe the learned of our times reckon to 7500000. crownes but when it came in subiection to the Romans they iudged it to be farre more rich in regard of the traffique with India and Aethiopia Antonius thus ouerthrowne and cut off Octauius alone gouerned the Common-wealth forty foure yeeres and in 29. yeere of his Empire and of the world 3954. Christ born An. mundi 3954. as most account was our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST borne Herod sirnamed the Great hauing seuen yeeres before most sumptuously re-edified the demolished Temple of Ierusalem Marcus Antonius was married to Caius Octauius his sister but afterward being intangled with Cleopatra's loue forsooke his wife and married her which partly was cause of the warre Both of them were exceeding riotous and Authors relate almost incredible stories of their banquets delights and pleasures but such as I before set downe was the vp-shot and end of their liues This Marcus Antonius was that most famous Oratour before-mentioned Marcus Antonius his Nephew In Caius Octauius his raign the Romans had their first war in Germanie within their own territories Caius Iulius Cesar indeed ouerthrew the Germanes twice but it was in Gallia to wit Ariouistus in the Country of the Celts and afterwards at the meeting together of the Riuer Maze and the Rhyne After this victorie he built a bridge and past ouer the Rhyne but resting there a few daies brought backe his Armie into Gallia and broke downe the bridge Two yeers after he passed again ouer the Rhyne on his second bridge a little aboue that place where hee formerly had led ouer his Armie and then fully intended to haue gone against the l Now of Pomerania in Germanie Sueuians but being certified by his Scouts of all affaires and fearing much difficultie and scarcitie of prouision returnes into Gallia breakes downe some part of the bridge and in the other part built a Tower and a Castle and fortified it with Cittadels that hee might not altogether free his enemies from the feare of his returne And this was all that Cesar did against the Germans as he himself writes But Octauius by the two brothers Tiberius and Drusus made warre against the m Germanes bordering on the Alpes Rhaetians and n Vandals Vindelicians and with o People about Colen Vbian forces who were confederates with the Romanes Quintilius Varus being their Captaine Generall inuaded that part of Germanie now called Westphalia howbeit Arminius Chiefe-taine of the p Germanes neere the riuer Elbe Cheruscans almost vtterly ouerthrew him betwixt the Riuer q Ems. Amasia and r Necchar Horat. lib. 1 Ode 24. Lupia Horaee in a most elegant Ode comforts Virgil lamenting his death Drusus died in Germanie leauing behinde him two sonnes Germanicus a most worthy soldier and Claudius Horace in another most elegant Ode as wee said before Horat. lib. 4 Ode 4. extols him and deriues his pedegree from Caius Claudius Nero who when hee was the second time Consull together with Marcus Liuius Saelinator slew Asdrubal Annibals brother at the Riuer of Metanrum as he was bringing ouer a supply of forces ſ Octauius so stiled in honour as much as Soueraign at this day Augustus also subdued the t Of Biscay in Spaine Cantabrians u Of Aquitane in Gallia Aquitanians * Hungars Pannonians x Inhabiting Wendenland in some parts Dalmatians y Of Sclauonia also or Wendenlond Illyrians z Inhabiting neere Lombardie Salassians and inhabitants of the Alpes It is reported that he often intended to lay off the weightie charge of the Empire but againe considering with himselfe that it would be rashly committed to many mens authority changes his minde In the thirty third yeere of his raigne deceased Herod the Great whom hee and Marcus Antonius in the third yeere of their Triumuirate had made King of Iudaea and in the eight yeere after his death his sonne and successor Archelaus was banished to Vienna a Towne in Gallia It is written that Octauius maintained forty foure legions of soldiers in protection of the Prouinces
To Antonius Pius his sonne Marcus Antoninus surnamed the Philosopher succeeded Antoninus the Philosopher 160 an 19. m. 0. d. 11. He tooke his c Carien calls him his brotuer kinsman Lucius Aurelius Verus to be his Associate in the Empire By him hee had happy successe in his warres in Parthia hee himselfe looking to the affaires of the Common-wealth at home and in the City but soone after Verus dying he raigned alone and ouercame in his warre against the Germaues ouerthrowing also the f Now Morauians Marcomannes Sarmatians Vandalls and g Inhabitants in and about Silesia Quadies who had inuaded the h Vpper lower Hungaria Pannonia's For at this time almost all the nations from Illyricum to Gallia had conspired against the name of the Romanes Commodus Antoninus the most lewd sonne of this most laudable Prince Commodus Anteninus 79. an 12. m. 8. d. 15. by his Leiutenants ouerthrew the i Of Mauritania or Morisco in Barbary Pertinax m. 3. Didius Iulianus m. 7. Septimius Seuerus 192. ca. 17. m. 8. â— 5. Moores and Dacians quieted the Pannoniaes Germanie and Britanie which Countries cast off their subiection He himselfe in the meane while wallowing in all manner of filthinesse and crueltie Septimius Seuerus had ciuâ—ll warres with Niger and Albinus who procured Asia and Gallia to make a reuolt he had good successe in his warres against the Parthians vanquâ—shed the Iewes throughout Syria subdued Abagatus King of the Persians and compelled the Arabians to come to composition He fortified Brittanie with a wall crosse ouertwart the Iland reaching to the Ocean on both sides and hauing subdued those people that annoyed the Country dyed at Yorke His son Antoninus Bassianus Caracalla Caracalla 210. an 6. m. 2. d. 5. made warre against the Parthians and Armenians This was hee that commanded Pupinianus * PrafectuÌ„ praetorij Gouernor of the pretorian Cohort Captaine of the Guard to bee put to death for refusing to defend his k For Caracalla slew his brother Geta. fratricide In his time flourisht many Lawyers and most of them Pupinianus his Auditors as Tarruntius Paternus Macer Papirius Fronto Anthius Maximus Hermogenianus Africanus Florentinus Triphoninus Iushts Callistratus Venuleius Celsus After Caracalla was slaine Macrinus succeeded Macrinus 216. An. 1. m. 1. d. 28. who hauing bad successe in his warres against Artabanus King of the Parthians and perceiuing the legions encline to Heliogabulus Bassianus his son Heliogabulus 217. an 3 m. 9. d. 4. Alexander Senerus 221. an 13. m. 0. d. 9. concluded a peace Alexander Seuerus a stout souldier successor to Heliogabulus that most brutish of men ouerthrew Artaxerxes King of the Persians in maine battle and recouered Mesopotamia which was lost by Heliogabulus Hee made warre by his Lieutenants in Mauritania Illyricum and Armenia and had good successe but afterwards in his expedition against the Germanes who had forraged the Countrey of Gallia was murthered by certaine of his owne souldiers Vlpianus the Lawyer Pupinianus his scholler was very intimate with him and in his time liued Paulus Pomponius and Modestinus To this Alexander Maximinus succeeded Maximinus 234. An. 2. Hee with maine forces marches into Germanie his Army consisting not onely of Roman souldiers but also of Moores Osdronians and Parthians who had serued vnder Alexander He burnt the Dorps in Germany farre and wide put very many of his enemies to the sword and tooke many more prisoners returning with a wealthy Army Germany being at peace he marches to Syrmium and was purposed to haue made warre against the Sarmatians not onely so but his further intent was to haue brought all those Countries which lye northward euen to the Ocean in subiection to the Roman Empire but his souldiers not enduring his cruelty Gordianus 236. m. 1. d. 6. created Gordianus their Captaine Generall which the Senate bearing no good will neither towards Maximinus ratified and proclaimed the other enemie to the Common-wealth He going about to reuenge this fact first made an Oration to the armie and then set forwards towards Rome the Senate vpon notice hereof proclaime Pupienus and Balbinus their Emperours Pupienus Balbinus 236. an 1. some moneths and to Pupienus was committed the charge of the warre against Maximinus who together with his sonne was at the siege of l A Citie in Italie Aquileia slaine by his owne soldiers as hee lay asleepe in his Tent. After this Pupienus and Balbinus being both slaine in a mutinie amongst the soldiers in the second yeere of their raigne the gouernement of the Empire was committed to Gordianus a yong Gentleman Gordianus iunior 237 Ann. 6. He in the fourth yeere of his raigne marched through Moesia and Thracia against the Persians in those countries subdued the enemies of the Romans from thence striking through Syria came to Antiochia which was then held by the Persians There he fought diuers battels in so much as hee compelled the Persians who were in a manner accounted the terror of Italie to containe themselues in their own limits At length in the sixth yeere of his Empire hee was slaine being betraied by Philip Captaine of the Gâ—ard Philip 243. An. 5. who had raised a mutinie amongst the soldiers And this Philip also who sent ouer his Lieutenants with an armie against the Scythians that were vp in armes against the confederates of the Romans and their free-boroughs came to the m He was slaine by his owne soldiers at Verona Decius 248. An. 2. like end Decius succeeded him who being created Emperour by the Legions of Illyricum and afterwards by coÌ„sent of the Senate first of all appeased the troubles in Gallia Afterwards commending the care of the Common-wealth to the Senate Hee together with his sonne whom hee had made his Collegue in the Empire sets forwards hauing the Senates consent thereunto on his expedition against the Scythians who both by sea and land forraged the country of Thracia and other dominions of the Empire from whence after some battels hauing got the vpper-hand and drawne the enemie into a narrow straight place he had returned with complete victorie had not Gallus Hostilianus Gouernour of the furthest parts of Moesia reuealed his counsell to the enemie whereupon it came to passe vpon ioyning battell that both hee and his sonne by trecherie circumuented were slaine After this Gallus 250. An. 1. m. 6. Gallus made Emperour by one of the Legions and the remainder of the furuiuing soldiers concluded a peace with the Scythians to the dishonour and ignominie of the Romans in that he promised to pay them tribute neuer heard of before and altogether vnworthy the Maiesty of so renowned a State The Scythians hereupon growne more fierce broke the league ouer-runne Dardania Thrace Thessalie Macedonia not resting there but Asia also â—ouerthrowing and subuerting very many Cities At length many other Countries after the example of the Scythians turned enemies to the Romans and many rebelled
The Parthians broke into Syria and seized vpon Armenia putting their King Tyridates to flight And such was the insolencie of the Seythians that they threatned Italie also and were likely to haue done much mischiefe had not Aemilianus Gouernour of Moesia vpon the coast of Sarmatia encouraging his soldiers with faire promises and hope of rewards giuen them an ouerthrow and pursuing them very farre Aemilianus 252. m. 4. tooke from them their owne Territories for this cause the soldiers proclaime him Emperour and Gallus vpon notice hereof marching forth to resist them was slaine together with his sonne Volusianus his Collegue in the Empire In this age flourished Cyprian Bishop of Carthage certaine of whose Epistles to Lucius Bishop of Rome whom hee calls his brother and collegue are amongst diuers others yet extant and many more of his to Cornelius where amongst other matters hee complaines of those who being for their offences condemned by the Bishops of Affrica and degraded from their Priesthood had appealed to Rome for it is fit saith hee that where the crime is committed there the cause should bee discussed Sithence euery Pastor hath a certaine portion of a flocke committed to his charge whereof he must render an account to the Lord therefore the concord of Bishops is not to bee abrogated Valerianus 252. An. 7. nor their decree to be annihilated who had alreadie giuen sentence in the cause in Affrica In the meane space another armie lying in the Alpes creates Valerianus Emperour a man of Noble parentage which when it came to the cares of Aemilians soldiers they to shake off all danger from themselues kill their owne Emperour and flie to Valerianus his partie This Aemilianus when hee was made Emperour sent his letters to the Senate wherein hee promised to deliuer Thracia and Mesopotamia from the enemy to recouer Armenia and on euery side to repel the enemies of the Roman State Valerianus making warre against the Persians was by fault of one of his Captaines taken prisoner by Sapor King of Persia whom the neighbouring Princes and confederate Nations counselled but all in vaine to haue dismissed For it was the destinie of the Romans to grow more valiant in resistance after they were conquered Valerianus thus taken prisoner Gallienus 295. An. 8. his sonne Gallienus succeeded He wholly gaue himselfe to his pleasures neglecting the Common-wealth insomuch as the armies which lay dispersed in the Prouinces elected euery one a new Emperour as in Gallia Spaine the Pannonia's Illyricum Egypt Affrica and the rest but partly by him partly by ciuill dissentions amongst themselues all those were ouerthrown In his raigne the Gothes seize vpon Thracia forrage Macedonia and besiege Thessalonica the Scythians inuade Bythinia Cappadocia and Asia and striking through the n Which parteth Europe and Asia Euxine sea into o A Riuer in Jllyricum which begins in Germany and is there called Danubius or Danow Isther offer hostilitie against the free-borroughs of the Romans but so excessiue was his rechlesnesse then when these newes of the Prouinces reuolt and publike calamitie came to his eares his reply was in derision and scorne as though all this could not hinder the subsistance of the Common-wealth or the preseruation of the dignitie thereof or the state thereof bee any whit impaired thereby Thus by this dishonourable course of life growne into contempt as well at home as abroad hee got himselfe many enemies in the Common-wealth the Scythians and Gothes mixt together with other Nations being about 320000. strong were then vp in armes and had conspired the destruction of the Romans Flauius Claudius 167. An. 1. m. 9. Aurelianus 269. An. 6. but Flauius Claudius who succeeded after Gallienus was slaine with much adoe vanquished all those in Moesia and other places Hee was a man of great prowesse and worthie of a longer life After Claudius followed Aurelianus because his worth was eminent hauing made euident proofe thereof in Claudius his raigne against the enemie in many places He made warres in Insubria and with the Marcomannes at the beginning indeed with much hazard and ieopardie but at length after the Sibylla's bookes by his command were perused and the Senate had purged Religion with happy successe After his returne from thence to Rome where hee inflicted a penaltie vpon those who in his absence had raised an insurrection he made warre for recouerie of those Prouinces which lay eastward and in Syria which Zenobia held a puissant and magnanimous Queene and her owne childrens Tutrix being left to her by her husband Odeuatus who in Gallienus his time behaued himselfe very couragiously and stoutly in those parts Wheresoeuer this Emperour set his foot there he ouerthrew the enemies of the Romans as in Illyricum Thracia and the rest and at length arriuing in the p Syria enemies country after no lesse doubtfull then dangerous battell ouerthrew and tooke the q Zenobia Queen who relying vpon the Armenian and Persian auxiliars most valiantly resisted him The chiefe Citie in that Country which he subdued was Palmyra the Citizens whereof vpon the Emperours returne out of Asia into Europe rebelled killing their Gouernour and maintaining a Garrison for their defence But the Emperour making another expedition thither demolished the conquered Citie put all to the sword not sparing any age or sexe After this he recouered Egypt which then had reuolted and of a new reduced the Gallia's into the Roman subiection Then hee triumphed at Rome and from thence marching through Illyricum proclaimed warre against the Persians but in his iourney was slaine by his owne familiar friends After his death there was a * Jnterregnum vacancie for a r For sixe moneths Tacitus 275 m. 6. space which had neuer happened before since Romulus his decease At length Tacitus succeeded who continuing Emperour but a few moneths atchieued no memorable exploit him the Senate requested that he would not ordain his children his successors after him in the Empire Florianus m. 2. Probus 276 an 6. m. 4. but some man of approued worth and integritie which was Probus who being confirmed as well by the Legions as the Senate recouered Gallia and in diuers battels ouerthrew the Å¿ Inhabiting Franconia now called Frankenlandt French a people of Germanie who had gotten possession thereof He vanquished the Sarmatians and other Nations in Illyricum and coasting through Thracia with the very terrour of the name of the Romans and the greatnesse of his noble exploits obliged the barbarous people to his subiection In Asia hee setled a peace and the fame onely of his name made the Parthian King sue for peace Hee concluded a peace with the Persians and from thence returned into Thracia and transplanted those forraigne nations whom he had subdued into the Roman territories some whereof continued in subiection but others contrariwise notwithstanding afterwards hee vanquished all or the greatest part of them and hauing composed the rebellions in Gallia Hispaine and
Innocent the first of that name excommunicated Arcadius the Emperor for that hee gaue consent to haue Saint Iohn Chrysostome expelled out of his Church as it is related in the Papall Law At this time flourisht Saint Augustine also Bishop of Hippo who was present at the third and fourth Counsell of Carthage where amongst others those decrees passed That the Bishop should haue a little mansion house neere to his Church That his housholdstuffe should be meane his table and prouision poore and by his vprightnesse and integrity of life should get himselfe authority That he should vse the vtensils of the Church as things committed to his charge and not as his owne This Innocent the first writ also to Saint Austine and to Aurelius Bishop of Carthage where exhorting them to mutuall prayers he cals them brothers and fellow-priests After Innocent followed Zozimus who commending the decrees of the Fathers and of antiquity saith that it is not lawfull no not for the See of Rome as they call it to make any alteration therein or any contradictory decree Hee also reprehends corrects the custome of his time that many men of no learning aspired to the order of Priesthood Boniface the first succeeded Zozimus in whose time the sixt Councell of Carthage was assembled whereto there was great concourse wherein Saint Austine also was present Boniface sending his Legates thither declared that the Councell of Nice had granted such priuiledge to the See of Rome that all Prouinces euery where should appeale thither and therfore requested the Fathers there assembled to establish and confirme the same Their answer was that as far as they knew there was not any such decree at Nice but that the certaine truth might be sifted out and knowne they were agreed to send for a true copy of the Councell from the Churches of Alexandria and Constantinople which being at length produced the decree was found quite contrary to wit each Prouince should haue the cognizance of their owne causes and that an appeale should lye from the Bishops to the Councells of the Prouince or else to the Oecumenicall Councell as they call it St. Cyril was then Bishop of Alexandria Boniface died before the copy came and his successor Celestinus vrging the same had his answer according to the tenor of that decree Arcadius dying his sonne Theodosius the II. succeeded Theodos II. 408. an 42. m. 2. d. 28. in whose raigne and by whose command a Councel was held at Ephesus in which Nestorius was condemned who denyed that Christ was borne God of the Virgin Mary and at this time dyed St. Augustine On the other side Stilico Honorius his Protector dealt no lesse perfidiously then Ruffinus For hee not onely gaue the Gothes leaue to inhabite and seat themselues in Gallia but also instigated them to march into Italy with their Leader Alaricus and took the City of Rome which happened in the yeare of Rome built 1162 and of our Lord 412. The Gothes keeping their Rendezuous at Rome for a while and harrazing the Countrey till they came to n A seacoast towne in Italy now called Reggio opposite to Sicilie Rhegium from thence sayld ouer into Sicily where they suffered shipwracke and lost their King But Stilico still continuing his villainous and treacherous practices with intent to translate the sway of gouernment into his owne sonne Eucherius his hands was vpon discouery of his plot taken and by Honorius his command put to death King Alaricus thus dispatcht the Gothes elected his kinsman Adolphus their King and vnder his leading marcht backe againe to Rome where what remained they spoile He being slaine Gensericus raigned after whose death followed Wallis with whem Constantine Honorius his sisters husband and Leiutenant for the Gallia's as afterwards Collegue in the Empire entered into amitie and league granting them Aquitania a part of Gallia to inhabite At the same time the Scots and Picts infested Brittaine but were put to flight by the auxiliary forces sent from Honorius the Emperour likewise the Vandals and Alans with their chiefetaine Gense ricus pillaged vp and downe Hispaine After Honorius his decease at Rome his sisters sonne Valentinianus succeeded him in the West and at Rome Theodosius Arcadius his sonne as aboue recited in the meane space gouerned the other part of the world at Constantinople About this time the Vandalls and Alans prouoked by the dissentions and factions of the Roman Captaines in Africa breake forth out of the Hispaines into Africa and wasted the country w th fire sword After with destruction a certaine part of Africa was giuen them to inhabite The Gothes who by Honorius his permission and consent as a little abouementioned inhabited Aquitane in Gallia not satisfied with their owne bounds offred violence and injury to their neighbours and wearied Narbon with their siege But Litorius being dispatcht thither with forces raised the siege set the Town at liberty brought in prouision and giuing them battell at the first sped well but afterwards was taken with the losse almost of his whole Army so great was this ouerthrow that the Romans were forced to sue for peace In like manner Gensericus King of the Vandalls breaking the league made with the Romans in Africa as before mentioned on a sudden surprizes Carthage where he exercised much cruelty which City had then continued in subiection to the Romans for 585. yeares Thus hauing got possession of Carthage hee strikes ouer into Sicilia which hee made flow with blood Hereupon Theodosius the Emperour rigging a Nauie prepares for warre against the Vandals but by reason the Hunnes forraged Thrace and Illyricum the Armie was recalled out of Sicilie to defend those parts The Scots Picts then againe make an irruption into Britaine and the inhabitants despairing of aid from the Romans desire helpe from the English The Saxons inuade Britaine about 448. a people of Saxonie who being allured with the beautifulnesse of the country by little and little conueying ouer more forces oppressing the Britaines brought the greatest part of the Iland into their subiection Not long after this Theodosius the second died at Constentinople in whose raigne as it is written the Sunne was doubled and a comet appeared almost from the Ides of Iuly till the moneth of September Martianus succeeded Theodosius in the East Martianus 450. an 6. m. 6. Wee haue aboue mentioned Gensericus with whom Valentinianus concluded a peace diuiding Affrica betwixt them About this time Athila King of the Huns hauing got Ducia and Pannonia most cruelly harrazed the neighbouring Countries Macedonia Mysia Thracia intending to conquer the Easterne part of the Romane Empire But perceiuing that the warre would be extreame difficult in regard the Gothes who then were in league with the Romans and inhabited part of Gallia as abouesaid aided the Romans therefore by his Ambassadours hee requires their amitie and confederacie but Aetius Valentinianus the Emperours Lieutenant preuented that who corroborating the league with Theodoricus
king of the Gothes wholly bent himselfe to the warre Athila neuerthelesse proceeds and in the Downes of Chaalons which part of France in regard of the plaines is Champaigne was this most dismall battell fought in which as it is recorded 180000. men were slaine And Athila losing the day determined to kill himselfe lest he should fall aliue into the hands of his enemies Howbeit king Theodoricus his sonne following Aetius the Lieutenants counsaile returned home with his forces to succeed his deceased Father whereby Athila getting time to recollect himselfe retires into Pannonia and leaying new forces marches full swoln with reuenge into Italiâ— where at length winning the Citie of Aquilleia first wearied out with a long-continuing siege sackt and burnt it Then forthwith he takes Concordia Padua Vicentia Verona Brescia Bergamo Millaine and Pauie and so pillaging vp and downe o Romandiola Flaminia incamped at the meeting of the Riuer of Mencius and Po where deliberating about his passage to Rome with his Armie Leo the first of that name Bishop of Rome comes to him and so farre preuailed that altering his intent he not onely surceased his expedition to Rome but also quite remouing out of Italie returned into Pannonia where within a while after he ended his daies This was that Leo many of whose Epistles to Theodosius the second and Martianus the Emperour are extant wherein he partly apologizes for his absence from the Councels by them conuocated and intreats them not to bee offended for sending thither of his Legates and partly also requests that they would designe some place in Italie rather then in Asia for the celebrating of Councels but he obtained nothing Whilest Athila thus raged vp and downe Italie the Citie of Venice was builded Venice begunne to be built An. 430. when many of the abler sort leauing the adioyning places betooke themselues to those sea-sands little Islelands and hillockes as into some harbour Thus meane and in a manner desperate and miserable was the beginning of this Citie which now as we see is growne to a wonderfull greatnesse They reckon 805. Dukes till this time the first whereof was p Some Authors call him Paulutius Anafestus and write of his beginning in Anno Dom. 697. and after their Citie built 282. Paulus Anazatus in the yeere of grace 706. being 252. yeeres after the beginning of the building of their Citie Afterwards when Valentinianus was slaine Gensericus King of the Vandals sailing ouer with a Nauie from Affrica into Italie marches with an exceeding great armie being aided by the Moores towards Rome and takes the Citie in a manner left quite desolate but at the earnest request of Leo the Bishop who also as aforesaid appeased Athila hee forbore fire and sword The Citie-sackt captiues were transported to Carthage in great troopes The enemies after this infest Campania with grieuous outrages rase Capua Nola Naples and other Cities those who suruiue the sword they condemne to the irons and growne rich with the wealth of Italie returne into Affrica Martianus Emperour of the East a Prince of a calme nature inioyed peace hee was wont to say That it was not sitting for a Prince to take armes as long as he might liue in peace In his raigne The fourth Councell at Chalcedon in Bythinia and by his command a very great Councell was assembled at Chalcedon wherein Eutyches who confounded the two natures in Christ was condemned There amongst the rest it was decreed that no Clerke as they call them should bee admitted to the Churches of two Cities Pluralitie of liuings as wee tearme it was not then heard of which now is growne so ordinarie as nothing is more common And almost within our memorie that custome crept in amongst other blemishes of the Church that the Pope may conferre two Bishoprickes vpon one man If now therefore he would restore the custome in this behalfe which was held in the next precedent age hee should doe his dutie but seeing that cannot be can we suppose it euer to be granted that matters shall be amended according to the holy Scriptures and decrees of the Apostles and primitiue times No they toile in vaine that ballance the deedes of the Popes with the rules of ancient Religion Martianus dying in the seuenth yeere of his Empire Leo 457. an 17. Leo succeeded him and Auitus when Gensericus after the taking of Rome was returned into Affrica succeeded Valentinianus at Rome and in the West next to him Majoranus then Seuerus and after him Anthemius after those followed others but nothing eminent who perished in their mutuall massacres and treacheries and raigned but a while insomuch that now the other part of the Roman Empire in the West stood in great danger Nothing memorable is recorded of Leo the Emperour but that he entred into amitie and league with the Gothes then wasting Illyricum and an Epistle or two of Leo the Bishop of Romes to him Zeno 474. an 17. m. 2. d. 7. are extant Zeno q Called Isauricus because he was borne in Isaurica in Cicilia Isauricus was his successor Among stthose also who ruled in Rome after Valentinianus his death Augustulus was one in whose raigne Odoacer with a maine armie of Herulians and Syrians out of Pannonia inuades Italie takes Orestes a Nobleman of Rome who was fled to Pauie with his forces puts him to death sackes and burnes the Citie and marching on takes in the whole Country as far as Rome Augustulus deiected in minde voluntarily resignes his Empire Odoacer enters the Citie and obtaining the kingdome of Italie gouerned without resistance fourteene yeeres But at length Theodorieus King of the East-Gothes sent by Zeno the Emperour marching from Constantinople ouerthrew the r Part of the Gothes Gepides and Bulgarians opposing him and so making his way through Mysia and Pannonia arriues in Italie and incampes himselfe not farre from Aquileta whither Odoacer afterwards repairing a sharpe battell insued Odoacer losing the day fled but recollecting his forces ioynes battell on fresh and is againe ouerthrown most part of his armie lost some whereof perished in battell others in Å¿ A Riuer running through Verona Athesis Hee flies amaine towards Rome where shut out he spoiles the Country about and comes to Rauenna there at length after three yeeres siege vpon the Cities yeelding she was taken and put to death Odoacer thus cut off Theodoricus became Lord of Italie marches to Rome where hee assembled two Councels of Bishops whom hee called together out of sundry Prouinces of Italie to sit vpon t Pope of Rome Symmachus his cause whom the greatest part refused as one vnworthy and falsly created This Theodoricus was an Arian as the Papall bookes haue it His sirname was u Because of his victory at Verona Veronensis and was descended from that Theodoricus abouementioned who was slaine in the battell against Athila King of the Hunnes Odoacer was a * Of Rugerland in Pomerania Rugian a people
all matters were caried after this boisterous manner the Sarazens laying hold on this fit opportunity march out of Egypt with an huge Army and againe surprise Africa and Lybia and welnigh all Hispaine Iustinianus hee whom I aboue spoke of Iustinian the II. againe 706. An. 6. expeld and bannisht by Leontius by helpe of Tribellius King of Bulgaria at length takes Constantinople and therein Leontius and Tiberius whom hee put to death c First causing them to be caried vp and downe the city bound in cords then trampling vpon their necks and lastly beheading them Philippius Bardanes 712. an 2. m. 9. d. 7. after which hee raigned sixe yeares cruelly prouing also ingratefull to King Tribellius and at length ioyning battle with Philippicus Bardanes to whom the souldiers had reuolted both he and his sonne Tiberius were there slaine Pope Constantine pronounced this Philippicus for difference in Religion a Schismatick whose eyes being afterwards pluckt out by his owne seruants Anastatius the II. was his successor Anastatius the II. 715. an 1. m. 3. Hee sent a strong Nauie to the Rhodes to make warre with the Sarazens constituting an ecclesiasticall person Generall thereof whom the souldiers refusing to obey a mutinie arose and one Theodosius of obscure parentage was created Emperour Theodosius Adramittenus 716. m. 7. d. 16. who changing the voyage marches to Constantinople takes the City and confines Anastasius whoÌ„ he ouerthrew in battaile to a Monastery but not long after being expulst by Leo Lieutenant of his forces Leo Conon 717. an 24. m. 2. d. 25. hee also betakes himselfe to a Monasticall life About this time which was in the yeare of Grace 717. the Moores with their whole powers breake into Spaine and subdue it Rodericke being then King of the Hispaines whom the Gothes had elected The Sarazens in Leo's raigne hauing ouerrunne Thrace besiege Constantinople both by sea and land for three yeares space but at length being well nigh destroyed by the plague were constrained to retire home This Leo was a mortall aduersary to Gregory the II. Bishop of Rome and charged his Vicar or Exarch in Italy by all meanes to cut him off but the Lombards defended the Pope not for any loue they bare him but to the end that by these dissensions they might enlarge their owne Territories For vpon this occasion they surprised many townes belonging to the Exarchie-Certaine of this Gregories Epistles to the Clergy and Laity of Thuringia d A part of Saxony where the City Erford stands are extant whereby he admonishes them more and more to encrease in the knowledge of God as also to the Saxons sharply deterring them from worshipping of Idolls in which employment hee vsed one e An Englishman borne in Deuonshire Boniface his helpe whom he had sent into Germany The Emperour Leo throwes all statues Images of Saints out of Churches and enioynes the Pope also to doe the like but hee not onely disobeyes but also denounces sharpe punishment against him perseuering in his purpose Constantine the V. 741. an 35. m. 1. d. 27. To Leo his son Constantine of that name the V. succeeded surnamed Copronymos of the same Religion with his father He setting forth with a great Nauie against the Sarazens for recouery of Alexandria in Egypt vnderstanding by a messenger of the insurrections hatched at home and of Artabastus the new elected Emperour retires to Constantinople takes the City by force and puts out Artabastus his eies He also as his father Leo liued in vehement discord with Gregory the III. Bishop of Rome who forthwith sending his Nuntio's excommunicates him and they being cast in prison hee made a decree in the Councell thereupon assembled That whosoeuer should hereafter demolish the Images of Saints or contumeliously abuse them should be vtterly excluded from the Communion of the Church after this with all diligence and endeauour he erected Images in diuers Churches and as farre as he could sumptuously adorned them After Gregory the III. Zacharias succeeded An Epistle of his is extant to one Boniface a Bishop in Germany the same man as it appeares whose helpe Gregory the II. vsed as a little aboue mentioned Zacharias satisfied his requests and permitted Bishopricks at Merburgh Bamberg and Erphord and also gaue him leaue to goe to Charlemaine Charles Martel his sonne who was desirous to haue a Councell held in some City of the French Kingdome and that he might diligently reforme the abuses of the Church but most especially remoue adulterers and those that had many wiues from the order of Priesthood for sithence after the vndertaking of the holy Ministery they ought not to haue or touch so much as one wife much lesse at one and the same time they should haue more for Pauls words that a Bishop should bee the husband of one wife is to bee vnderstood not of the time present but past to wit that hee who desires to be admitted into the ministeriall function should haue no more wiues then one To this Epistle Charlemaines Edict who stiles himselfe Duke of the French is annexed wherein hee ordaines that a Councell should be held euery yeare in his presence and commands that adulterous Priests and whoremongers should be remoued out of their places and likewise prohibits them from hunting and hawking and charges them not to maintaine any whore at home but concerning wiues not a word From this time Aistulphus King of the Lombards required a tribute from the Romans sharply menacing them in case of non-payment Stephen the II. of that name then Bishop of Rome seeing hee could not stop his mouth neither with flatteries nor rewards sues to Constantine the Emperour for ayde but no helpe comming from him hee sollicites Pipin lately as we below shall mention made king of the French to lend him his hand He marching with an Army into Italy besieges Pauie and compells Aistulphus to come to composition but the Enemy after Pipins returne home growne more kene againe takes armes whereupon Pipin againe solicited marches into Italy then at length Aistulphus surrenders the Exarchie to Pipin in which Country those Cities are of chiefe account Rauenna Fauentia Caesena Forli Forlimpopoli Bologna Reggio Parma and Placentia It is written that Pipin deliuered all this Countrey into the Popes hands though the Emperor first required him to restore them to him as belonging to the Empire not to the Church of Rome To Constantine â—â—o the IIII 775. an 4. m. 11. d. 26. his son Leo the IIII. succeeded He vndertooke one only expedition into f Against the Sarazeni Syria where discomfited he retires home and not long after dyed of the same religion with his father leauing behind him his son Constantine the VI. who by reason of his nonage not of ability to raigne his mother Irene gouerned the Common-wealth but he waxen warmer in g 20 yeares of age yeares deposing his mother tooke the Empire vpon himselfe with no lesse insolency
Emperour after this trayning vp his subiects in feats of Armes vanquishes the Dalmenincians takes the City of Prague together with Wenceslaus Duke of Bohemia making that countrey tributary to him In maine battell he ouerthrew the Hungars then againe after the truce ended breaking into Saxony and distributed the tribute which the Saxons paid them amongst the poore He intended to haue gone to Rome Otho the Great 936. an 36. m. 10 d. 6. but hindered by sicknesse constitutes his elder son Otho heire of the Empire He commenced wars many yeares together against the Bohemians then in rebellion as also vanguisht and put to flight the Hungars who then also striking ouer the Rhyne in the Vangions Countrey Of Worâ—â—bs had made an inroad into Franconia with intent to march on from theÌ„ce and pillage in Saxony Hee brought Burgundy vnder his subiection and afterward marching with a great Army into Italy and vanquishing the Berengarians there maried his second wife Aditheida Luitholdus his sonne hereat displeased practises treacherie against him hauing Coadiutors euery where in readinesse to serue his plots and amongst the rest Conradus Duke of Sueuia his sisters husband But his father besieging him at Ratisbon he first brought into distresse humbly craues and obtaines pardon After this the Hungars hauing forraged France breake into Germany in greater multitudes then at any time before and encampe themselues neere Auspurgh on that place which takes name from the Riuer Lych. The Emperor marching thither with the Saxons Franks Sueuians Bauarians and Bohemians after a doubtfull and long battle put almost all the enemies forces to the sword and caused some of their Chieftaines to bee hanged Then returning into Saxony after he had setled the affaires there makes a new expedition into Italy but before his iourney constituted his sonne Otho Collegue in the Empire At length arriuing at Rome he assembles a Councel where hee sate President and deposed Pope Iohn the XII for his offences in whose place he appointed Leo of that name the VIII A decree of his is extant incerted in the Papall Law where he sayes that hee conferres to Otho the Emperor and to his successors for euer the authority of choosing Popes disposing of the See Apostolike and confirming of Bishops as also pronounces a most seuere punishment against those who not expecting the Emperors approbation consecrate Bishops See here another Decree contrary to some other before After this there is the forme of an oath added by which as they report the Emperor Otho bound himselfe to Pope Iohn but it s not added who this Pope Iohn was nor of what numbâ—r â—n name either this Iohn or Otho were And surely it is wonderfull that matters of such importance and moment should be so negligently put into writing Now if Otho the I. tooke this oath then this obiection may hold against him That whereas in this forme before-mentioned amongst other things he sweares not to procure any danger to the Popes life nor to abrogate his honor and dignity but how can this appeare when as he as we said before remoued Iohn out of his place and ordained another Let him that can reconcile this Otho by reason of the new broiles marches againe into Italy where hauing setled the affaires and returning home dyed about the beginning of May and was buried at Maidenburg in the yeare of Grace 974. In regard of his noble exploits and surpassing prowesse Hee 's stil'd the Great Henry D. of Bauaria rebelled against Otho the II. Otho II 973. an 10. m 7. d. 2. but the sword reduc'd him to his duty Lotharius was then King of France whose brother Charles was by the Emperour created Duke of Lorraine vnder condition that hee should bee a * Beaesiciarius Leige-man of the Empire Henry the Emperour as the Annals report got this Prouince from Charles the Simple King of France and entailed it to his successours in order But Lotharius displeased hereat on a sudden leauying an Army speedily meets him at Aix and had almost discomfited the Emperour before hee was aware The Emperour to reuenge this affront musters vp forces marching on as far as Paris at length not without great blood-shed on both sides concludes a peace Returning home and from theÌ„ce making an expedition to Rome hee commenced warre against the Greekes who held Calabria and Apulia where after his Army was defeated he was intercepted by Pyrats as he fled by sea but not being knowne who he was they dismist him vpon a summe of money paid in hand and so returning to Rome besieges Beneuento with the remainder of his forces takes and sets fire on it And not long after wounded with a dart in a battle against the Greekes and Sarazens departed his life and was buried at Rome To him his sonne Otho succeeded by consent of the Nobility Otho Iâ—I 983. an 17. m. 1. d. 21. and was consecrated at Aix He created one Bruno a Germane Pope afterwards called Gregory the fift But Crescentius a Consull of Rome set vp Iohn Bishop of Placentia in opposition to him The Emperour therefore comming to Rome inflicts a heauy and ignominious punishment vpon Crescentius and his Complices and caused Iohn of that name the XVII his eyes to be put out The Emperour in regard of the perpetuall dissensions about succession in the Empire ordained with the Popes help That certaine of the prime Nobility in Germanie should bee authorised with right and power of electing the Emperours lest that any man hereafter should set vpon that dignity as hereditary The Electorall Princes of Germany constituted 〈◊〉 the yoâ—â— of Christ 1000. This Decree was made about a thousand yeares after Christs birth Robert then raigned in France a Prince that loued peace and learning The Annalls exâ—oll him for building many Churches and amply endowing them as also going in pilgrimage to Rome This Emperor Otho granted to Bâ—leslaus Duke of Polonia regall dignity and immunity The beginning of the kingdome of Polonia 9 â— as their Annalls haue it This therefore is the beginning of that Kingdome Otho after this returning out of Italy g He was poisoned by a paire of gloues giuen him by Cresentius aforesaid his widow Henry II. or the Lome 1001 an 23. m. 5. d. 16. dyed The next Emperour after him was Henry of that name the II. Duke of Bauaria kinsman to Otho the great D. of Saxony and Emperour He hauing setled a peace in Germany and drawne on some of his aduersaries into amity by his extraordinary kindnesse and subdued other some marched into Italy there restoring Apulia to the Empire which the Sarazens had taken Then after his consecration by Benedict the VII sending away his Army into Germany He himselfe taking his iourney through the Sequans Countrey came to an enterueiw with Robert the French King where a confirmation of amity was established on both sides This Emperour was greatly loued of the Clergie for hee was very liberall
the iarres betwixt them Now this Emperour standing vpon his owne right and power a great tumult arose at Rome in so much as the Emperour raised vp in the night was constrained to aide his owne men who fell by the sword all the Citie ouer But these factious persons once supprest he takes Paschal the II. and dismist him not till he had giuen him satisfaction by entring into a league but after the Emperour was returned into Germanie the Pope flies off from the league Henry the V. excommunicated by Paschal the II. 1115. whereto he had sworn in most sacred words and excommunicates the Emperour which stirred vp many of the Germane Princes to rebellion and amongst the rest more especially the Archbishop of Mentz The Emperour marching downe into Italie sends his Ambassadours to the Pope about a peace But whilest the matter was in hand the Pope dies To him Gelasius the II. succeedes The Emperour for that he was not called to the election marches to Rome and sets vp another Gelasius thus deposed excommunicates both him as also the Pope by him constituted and the Emperour in regard the Popes Legates solicited the Germanes to reuolt was constrained to retire home But Gelasius dying in the interim the Romans choose Calixtus the II. Hee thrust him out of his place whom the Emperor in hatred to Gelasius had created and after much interession compounds with the Emperour To Henry the V. Lotharius Lotharus II. 1125. an 13. d. 18. of the house of Saxony of that name the II. succeeded Him Conradus Duke of Sueuia opposed storming that the sway of gouernment was falne againe into the Saxons hands who marching into Italy to settle himselfe in that Kingdome whilst Lotharius in the interim held Germany fast destitute of aide returned home and made his peace with the Emperour Innocent the II. was then Pope of Rome Him Anacletus resisted to whom because he was descended from noble parentage Innocent was forced to yeeld but imploring the Emperors ayde was restored The Emperour returnes into Germany where hauing seâ—led the affaires hee marches downe againe into Italy with a mighty Army subdues some Cities then in rebellion and amongst the rest Ancona and Spoleti chased Roger King of Sicilie out of Apulia and Campania and as fame speakes of him scarce any Emperor since Charles the Great archieued more worthy exploits throughout Italy It is written that then also the ciuill law which as we mentioned was collected by Iustinian the Emperors command hauing been borne downe by stormes of warre was brought to light againe Conradus D. of Suenia succeeded him Conradus III. 1139. an 12. m. 10. d. 15. at what time Henry sirnamed the Proud was Duke of Bauaria and by mariage with the Emperour Lotharius his daughter Duke of Saxony also who affecting the Empire and plotting much mischiefe against the Emperour was proscribed and his lands giuen to others But Duke Henry hauing recouered Saxony as hee was marching into Bavaria dyed leauing behind him his sonne in fauour of whom the Saxons rose vp in rebellion against the Emperour and not so onely but Welpho also brother to the deceased Duke Henry by force of Arms challenged Bauaria excluding Ludolphus vpoÌ„ whom the Emperour had conferred that Prouince A little aboue wee mentioned how the Emperour expelled Roger King of Sicilie but whilst Germanie was thus turmoiled King Roger laying hold on the opportunity inuades Sicilie and chases out the Emperours Deputie and then spurres on Welpho with large promises to proceed and hold the Emperour in play The King of Hungarie too tooke the same course who also stood in feare of the Emperour At length the Emperour marching out against the Sarazens lost his army and returnes home from whence intending to goe downe into Italy hauing all in readinesse dyed at Bamberg m Commonly called Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa 1152. an 38. m. 3. d. 7 Frederick Aenobarb or Red-beard Duke of Sueiua of that name the first succeeded him a man of heroicke spirit He in the beginning of his raigne made a peace among the Princes of Germanie and ended the controuersie about Saxony and Bauaria afterwards with a maine Army marches downe into Italy sets a mulct vpon the Veronesses who had contemned him and for example sake hangs some of the chiefe vpon gallowes He commanded a Court of Guard to bee kept about him neare Placentia by all the Leige-Princes of the Empire besieges Millaine rases Asta and layes Deitona leuell with the ground Going to Rome is consecrated by Adrian the IIII. suppresses the rebellious Citizens subuerts Spoleti and made a great slaughter subdues the Lombards and hauing broken the snares laid for him by the Veronesses returnes into Germany inflict an ignominious mulct vpon the Prince Palatine who in his abscence had raised some commotions The beginning of the Kingdome of Bohemia about 1â—00 and after that he made the Duke of Bohemia King In the meane space the Millanois practised many insolent outrages against their neighbours and againe reared vp Deitona demollshed by the Emperour whereupon hee returning with a strong army sacks Millaine by the ayde of the Cremonesses Pauians and Nouarians The City thus taken the multitude at the Princes of Germanie their intercession to whom they had petitioned was spared All Lombardy was reduced into his subiection from hence hauing setled the City with Lawes hee remoues to other people thereabouts After his returne they rebell contemne the Lawes by him established and demolish the Forts by him raised whereupon againe marching thither he harrazes the whole Country and rases all places within their Dominions In the meane space mortall conspiracies were in hatching against him all Italy ouer in which Pope Adrian before-mentioned was one who as soone as hee had absolutely resolued to excommunicate him a Drinking of water wherein a flie were drowned dyed The Emperour marching into Italy the third time vtterly euerts Millaine puts the Author of the rebellion to death and compells the rest of the multitude to goe into exile then besieging the City of Rome lost a great part of his Army by contagious sicknes For that cause raising his siege and placing garisons throughout Hetruria setting ouer at Spoleti Ancona and Rauenna such as hee pleased should gouerne the Common-wealth he returnes into Germany Pope Adrian dying two contend for the Papacy Victor and Alexander the III. the Emperour being absent who indeed enclined more to Victor but Alexander first excommunicates his Competitour and afterwards the dissention increasing the b Afterwards wheÌ„ the Emperour came to him to Venice for his absolution the Pope trode vpon his necke and caused that place in the Psalmist to bee sung Thou shalt tread vpon the Aspe and Basilisk c. The Emperour exclaiming that he did not this honour to him but to S. Peter the Pope replied To me and to Peter too Emperour also The Millanois perceiuing this occasion breake into rebellion and in many places in Italy
subiect most beautifull and altogether necessary for the societie of mankinde yea this gift euen heauenly drawne out and conuaied from the mid-fountaines of Philosophie to it 's former splendor and equitie which their indeauours merit not onely publike commendation but also remuneration After his death there was a vacancie for almost 22. yeeres A vacancie in the Empire for the space of 22. yeers after Fredericke the II. his decease first one then another being elected who notwithstanding held not the sway of gouernement in those troublesome times In the meane time the Kingdome of Naples fell from the Emperour Frederickes house into the hands of the French and afterwards Sicilie also For the Popes relied vpon the French power though soone after most cruell warres insued about those Kingdomes betwixt the house of Arragon and the house of Angiers in France but that appertaines not to this place When the Common-wealth had floated in this state as aforesaid for so many yeers together Rudolphus Habspurgh 1273. an 17. m. 9. d. 16. Rudolphus Habspurgh is created Emperour He in the beginning of his raign appeased those commotions spread throughout Germanie And after some Diets ended marches out against Ottacar King of Bohemia then in rebellion whom he inforced to conditions of peace which he notwithstanding by his wiues instigation not long after breakes and marching the second time into Austria is slaine in battell Ladislaus Cunus King of Hungary aided the Emperour Rudolphus At length a peace being concluded with the Bohemians by r Iutta the Emperous daughter was married to Wencislaus King of Bohemia Ottacars sonne marriage the Emperour gaue Austria which the King of Bohemia had held many yeeres together to Albertus his sonne and being hindred by diuers businesses in Germany went not downe into Italie neither was he inclined much that way howsoeuer for it is reported of him that hee would sometimes merrily tell a tale of the Foxe that would not visit the Lyon lying counterfeitly sicke in a certaine denne because hee was affrighted with the footsteps of other beasts of which none had returned notwithstanding he deputed a Gouernour in Italie in manner of Vice-Emperour and as it is written confirmed the often mentioned Countrey of Flaminiae and the Exarchie to the Church of Rome when hee saw very small commoditie returne to him from those parts For the Emperours wearied with perpetuall dissention and variance with the Popes became more remisse neither would the Popes euer bee at quiet till they had remoued them forth of the Coasts of Italie and therefore in a manner shelrring themselues vnder the wings of the French Kings and fostering their factions by the Bishops of Germany at length effected their owne wished desires But here by the way let vs call to minde the interchangeable course of estates when as they who were secure had their being and held their place and dignitie by fauour of the Emperours were inriched by their goods and liberalities both arrogated dominion ouer them and also defrauded them of their patrimony For they keepe to themselues not onely a good part of Italie but haue also strictly obliged the Kings of Sicilie and Naples to their partie which two kings both pay thē yeerely tribute and also are forbidden to vndertake the imperiall dignitie without their permission and when they receiue possession from them amongst other clauses that is one part of their oath That memorable massacre of the French through out Sicilie happened in Rudolphus the Emperours time For they being in possession of that Country where after soldiers fashion playing many insolent and outragious prankes were by secret conspiracie after a signe giuen all put to the sword when the Bell rung to euening prayers This Massacre is cōmonly called the Sicilian Vespers The Sicilian Vespers 1281. which was committed vpon Easter day in the yeere 1281. Rudolphus vpon a summe of money paid infranchised and set charge-free many Cities in Italie belonging to the Empire as the Bononians Florentines Genowaies Lucans and others After this assembling the Princes at Franckeford he desired but in vaine to haue his sonne Albert assigned his successor Rudolphus dying Adolphus of Nassaw 1292. an 6. m 5. d. 7. Adolphus of the house of Nassaw succeeded who not long after beganne to picke quarrels with Albertus Arch-duke of Austria and moreouer offending the Princes of Germanie by his demeanour as also the Archbishop of Mentz by whose helpe hee was made Emperour is deposed and Albertus Arch-duke of Austria Rudolphus his sonne is elected who vniting his forces hauing the Princes aid makes forward toward Adolphus when giuing him battell in the Bishopricke of Spire Adolphus being grieuously wounded by Albertus was soone after slaine by the rest of the souldiers After this victorie Albertus 1298 an 9. m 9. d. 5. Albertus to confirme his owne title lest any might report that his former election was vniust desired to bee solemnly created Emperour which done Pope Boniface the VIII reclaimed denying to ratifie what the rest of the Princes had done but within a while after when Philip the Faire King of France and hee fell into bitter dissention hee approoued of Albertus and spoke much in praise of his progenitours At length Albertus was slaine by his owne kinsmen as hee was marching into Bohemia hauing all in readinesse to intrude his sonne Fredericke into that kingdome This Pope Boniface added a sixth Booke to Gregory the IX his decretall Epistles which are contained in fiue Bookes Amongst the rest he made a decree that it might be lawfull for the Pope to dispossesse himselfe of the Papacie for is written that he himselfe by sinister meanes perswaded Caelestine the V. thereunto whom hee succeded After Albertus Henry Henry the VII 1308. an 4. m. 9. of that name the VII of the house of Luxemburgh is created Emperour He hauing by marriage made his sonne King of Bohemia goe downe into Italie the estate whereof was at that time most miserable For euer since Fredericke the II. his decease about 57. yeers the Emperour neglected Italie which caused the sundry dilacerations therof from them by the greater Nobles especially by the ſ Two Noble families in Sueuia which afterwards remoued into Italie Guelphs and Gibelines which two factions haue many retainers in those parts He therefore first of all constitutes Gouernours ouer the Cities and free burroughs throughout Lombardie and swore the inhabitants to his subiection then resting a while at Millaine indeauouring but all in vaine to reconcile the before-mentioned factions where when Turianus Gouernour of the Citie had complotted to assaile him vnawares after discouerie of the conspiracie and suppression of his aduersaries hee commits the gouernement of the Citie to a Vicount All the Cities in that Country yeelded into his power and protection onely Brescia rebelled the walles whereof hauing after a long siege taken it hee demolisht Then marching through Genua and so striking ouer to Pisa arriued at Rome and