third booke How the Almaines are entred into frauÌ„ce BEFORE that we begyne to speake of Charlemayne vnto whom according as we haue sayd the West Empyre was bequethed it behoueth to declare somewhat of the Germaines of whom he proceaded Fyrst of all it is most euident that the Germayns haue oftentymes passed the Rheine and haue entred into the French dominioâ—s to the end there to make their inhabitition because of the goodnes of the country For the Teuthons did pierce into Prouince where they were defeicted by the Consull C. Marius Synce as the Auuergnaes and they of Autun did stryue and contâ—nd for the principalitie certain bands of Almaynes hyred of the Auuergnaes and tâ—â—y of Sens came thether By litle and lytle they so encreased that vnder the king Ariouistus they possessed the most part of the country Iulius Cesar defeicted them in plaine battaâ—le And certayn yeres aâ—ter as he made war against them of Liege which is a people beyond Brabant the Germains passed again ouer the Rheine for to assaile the Romain host But they were ouerthrowen where the Maze and the Rheyne meteth Many yeares after they held theÌ„selues within their limites because that the Romain Emperours made war vpon theÌ„ But hauing gotten a certayn apt commodious time they loked vnto theyr aduantage and forraged Fraunce without ceasse So likewise in the Emperour Gallienus time a voluptuous man and of no worthines they did inuade and oppresse it by succession of time became so mightie that the Emperour Probus the fourth after Gallienus draue them out with great difficultie Iulianus also Lieutenant of the Emperour Constans dyd ioyne in battaile with them Synce in the Emperour Honorius time the Gothes entred by force of armes into Fraunce who beyng encoumbred with diuers wâ—rres graunted them the country of Aquiâ—ania to dwell in On the other syde the French Almayns entryng in armes through the country called Gallia Belgica suppressed them of Trire GilderlaÌ„d Cleaue with them of Liege of Terouane of Turney of Amiens of Beauuoys of Soissonois Which done they toke their habitatioÌ„ in that part of Gallia Paris the head Citie of FrauÌ„ce the which yet at this day beareth the name of Fraunce Wherof Paris is the head Citie nere wherto is the town of S. Denis the which was afterwards consecrated to bury the kings as it is yet at this present They being so enlarged and holding also before a great part of Germanie to witte al the country about the riuer of Mein and of Rheyne did not onely defeÌ„d themselues if any came to assaile them but also set vpon others And as the Romain Empire fel dai by day into decay in Asia Afrike the Lombards also waistig Italy they maruelously enlarged their limites in Fraunce Afterwardes manye of their kings raigned there vntil such time as the kyngdom fel into the hands of Pipine of Charlemaine his sonne Charles Martellus was the father of Pipine who was not king but one of the princes great maisters as they are commonly called He vanquished them of Bauiers of Swaine For according as the writters of the * Histories of Actes yerely done Annales of Fraunce do mention the time hath bene that the kynges haue had but only the tytle and the name as touching the whole aucthorie it was in the hands of the great Maister The Great maisters of Fraunce their credit For they were altogether degenerated from the vertue manlines of their ancestours and being addicted vnto pleasures voluptuousnes they toke no care of the publike weale Wherfore the Great maister had the administration and dyd increase so much the more hys power as the lithernes carlesnes of the king did abound Pipine who was great maister in the raigne of Childericus came to the crowne vnder such occasion The kyngs suffer the pope to displace them the thing hauing bene debated vpon before pope Zachary as they say MentioÌ„ is made hereof in the decree which they intitill of Gratianus where it is said to be lawfull vnto the popes to put the kynges out of their thrones But the tytle inscriptioÌ„ of that place is false For albeit that there haue ben two Emperours named Anastasius notwithstaÌ„dyng it cannot be attributed neither to the one nor to the other forasmuch as the first raigned more then two C. yeres before the befell the other .xxxvii. Moreouer in the last mans daies there was neuer any pope named Gelasius I thought it necessarye to adde this Contraritie in the writinges of Popes for to aduertise the readers to read intentiuely warly the writigs of popes For we find in diuers places that their chiefe end is to put their lawes in credite auctority by falsly giuing to vnderstand that they are very ancient Ouer besides this that Pipine did suppresse the Lombards in Italy at the request of the pope as is before said he made warre agaynst the Saxons and moreouer against them of Aquitania whose Duke beynge taken he slewe After the death of Pipyne they oftentymes rebelled But Charlemayne hys sonne putte ende vnto the twoo warres to wytte that of Saxonye and of Aquitania but not wyth oute greate trauayle LoÌ„g warre against the Saxons He had warre with the Saxons for thre thirtie yeares space and during this warre he was also occupied with others For he did subdue the country of Bauier the which did rebell vnder the conduction of the Captain Tassilon and made two iournies against the Lombards and passed euen into the land of Lauor in such sort that he subiected all Italy and ordayned lawes as touchyng policie He constrained also the cities of Gallia situated about the Ocean sea in times past named * The auncient name of Britaine in FrauÌ„ce Armorica and now comprehended vnder the name of lytle Britayne to do their duety Because that they refused to pay the tribute that was yerely dew vnto the kings of FrauÌ„ce He went also into Spain where he was victorious against the Saracenes but at his returne the Gascons a people of Aquitania did lay waite for him in the forestes called * Mountaines which do diuide Fraunce froÌ„ Spaine Pirenees discomfited him Finally at the eyght yeres end he vainquished the HuÌ„nes who held the country of Hungaria pacified Bohemia by hys LieutenaÌ„ts His last war was against the Danois or Normanes who wasted all that side of Germanye and of Gallia with their sea armie Through these so great actes he was surnamed the Great For before tyme the French kings did hold but that part of Germany which is betwen Saxony and Dunowe betwen the Rheyâ—e the riuer of Sala betwene Swane and Bauieres But he annexed the whole country of Saxonie moreouer the two Hungaries Demnarbe or the great Westphalyâ— Ireland and the mediteran cost of Dalmatia The aboue sayd French kings did possesse in Gallia the part which is betwene the Rheine and Loire
and pastymes And notwythstandyng they ended theyr lyues in the manner before sayde Marcus Antonius was the Nephewe of Marcus Antonius the most renoumed oratour of whom mention hath bene made Warre of the Romains in Duchelande During the raigne of C. Octauius the Romaine host made first of all warre against the Germaines yea euen in their countrye Truth it is that Iulius Cesar had twise ouerthrowen the Germains but that was in Fraunce To wit Ariouistus at Lyons in Fraunce and after that at the place where the ryuer called the Maze and the Rheyne mette together That iourny beyng wōne he made a brydge wheron he passed ouer the Rheyne but remaining not long there he incontinently brought agayne his armie into Fraunce brake down the bridge The expedition of Cesar in Germanie Two yeres after he passed ouer the Rheyne againe vpon a bridge a little aboue that place where he had before conducted ouer hys army and then he purposed to march into Swane But being well instructed certified of al things by the spies and fearing the danger difficulty yea euen the want of munitions he retired into Fraunce and brake downe one part of the bridge on the other part he built a tower with a litle bulwarke where he left good garnison for to kepe his enemies alwaies in feare of hys retourne Iulius Cesar dyd no other thing vnto the Germains euen as he himself saith But Octauius did war against the Grisons thē of Ausburgh by Tiberius Drusus bretheren from out of the country of Colaine Tiberius Drusus whych was in leage with the Romains he inuaded assalted that part of Duchland which is called Westphalia by his captaine Quintilius Varus But Ariminius the conductor of the Chiruscorans did put them almost al to the sword betwen the riuers Amisia and Luppia Horatius comforteth Vergill in a most eloquent song Ariminius ouerthroweth the Romaynes because that he was verye sore greued with the death of Varus Drusus died in Ducheland leauing behind him two sōnes of whom one was named Germanicus was a mā of singuler vertue the other Claudius Horatius prayseth Drusus in a most learned verse as it hath bene said doth refer hys originall ofspring to Claudius Nero who beyng for the second time consull with Marcus Liuius Salitor saccaged Asdruball the brother of Hannibal The victories of Augustus who conducted a new armie neare the floode Metaurus Augustus dyd assubiect moreouer the Gascons the Calmates the Sclauonyans wyth the Salassyans who dwell in the Alpes It is said that he was dyuers times minded to discharge himself of the bourden of the Empyre But consideryng on the other side that yf he did returne againe to his owne priuate estate he should not be in safetye forasmuch as he sawe it would be very dangerous to put the pub-weale into so many mens hands he changed his mind and opinyon The death of Herodes kynge of Iudea The thre and thirtye yeare of hys raygne Herodes surnamed the great whom he and Marcus Antonius had established kynge of Iudea in the third yere of their triumuiriship departed out of this lyfe and thre yeares after also hys sonne and successour Archelaus deceassed who was sent in exill to Vienna in Dolphenye there for to end hys lyfe It is found in writing that for the garrisons of the prouinces of the Empyre Octauius did kepe maintayne forty foure legyons thre in Egipt as many in Spaine eyght in Duchland Certaine haue cast the some of the yearely expenses whyche was necessarye for the payment of so manye Souldyours The great expenses of Octauius and they brynge the totall to syxe score hundreth thousande crownes couraunte so that for euerye Legyon they assygne twoo hundrethe three scoore and twelue thousande Crownes Now they counte euerye Legion to be syxe thousande footemen and fyue hundreth horsemen Octauius is greatly praised for the good affectiō and liberalitie which he shewed towards the learned The Poetes of fame were at that time Varius Virgile Plotius Galgius Fuscus the two Gisques Pollio Messala the Bibules Seruius Furnius and Horatius who desyreth that hys Verses might be approued of the aboue named caringe lyttle or nothyng for the Iudgement of others Truely from Portius Cato and Aphricanus the first there was alwaies at Rome hetherto a continuall succession of excellent spirites But that time of Augustus is almost the last that euer helde the naturall sauour substaunce and collour of the Latin tounge Corruption of the Latin tounge without any corruption For afterwards by succession of time the tounge waxed more and more corrupt euen till such time as it be came altogether barbarous as it hath continued euen vnto our age Cicero sayeth that the natiue Poetes of Corduba spake somewhat grosely and strangely but what would he haue said or iudged of them that liued an hundreth yeres after I meane not onely of them who were borne and nourished at Corduba but euen of Rome it selfe After Augustus Tiberius his sonne in law toke the charge of the Empyre The Emperour Tiberius 3. but sore against his will as he seemed and after that in the end he was ouercome and perswaded by the supplications and requests of the Senate At the first he would enterprise nothinge hymselfe alone but dyd consulte with the Senat of al things that were of any importance Neuertheles shortly after he laid cleane a syde the care and respecte of the publike weale and gaue himself ouer vnto all maner of voluptuousnes In his raigne the Parthians did vsurpe the country of Armenia the Dacians and Sarmatians spoiled the country of Masia and the Germains the country of Faunce but he being careles was nothyng moued therwith Certaine yea euen of them that are of great reputatiō in Theologie The yeare of the death of Christ do hold that our sauiour Christ was crucifyed the fyuetene of his raygne notwithstanding Luke writeth that he was baptised of Ihon the selfe same and yere M. Cocceius Nerua florished then the father the sonne and Cassius Longinus Iurisconsulls Tiberius was the sonne of Tiberius Nero who fought in battayle for Iulius Cesar in the warre of Alexandria C. Cesar Caligula a most wicked monstrous sonne of a very good father named Germanicus succeded him Durīg the thre twentye yeres that Tiberius had the gouernement of the Empyre it is said that he had heaped and gathered an infinite number of gold al the which Caligula spent euen in one yeare About the seconde yere of his raigne Herodes Antipa Herodes Antipa Herodes Agrippa Claudius Cesar sonne of Herodes the Great and murderer of Ihon Baptise was sent in exyll to Lions had to his successour Herodes Agripa who beheaded Iames the Apostle After that Caligula was slain Claudius his Vncle was placed in his roume Who marched in to England because that the I le was reuolted hauing recouered
betwen the Ocean sea and Baleaire But he adioyned all Aquitania and the ridge of the hylles Pirenees vnto the riuer of Ebro yea euen all Italy which should haue bene before sayd from the Alpes vnto the vttermost partes of * A couÌ„trâ— ioyning to Naples Calabria Finally beyng gone for the fourth tyme to Rome he was saluted Emperour Augustus by Leo the third and by all the people the xxxiii yeare of hys raigne By this meanes then the Romayne Empyre towards the West the which was rent and torne sondrywyse especiall synce that the Emperours had placed their chiefe seat in Constantinople as it is easy to be sene by the former discourse was renued agayn by the Emperour Charlemaine and as a new body toke agayne hys collour and beautye The Empire renued by Charlemayne in that so many and so great countryes were assubiected vnder the power of one man only Nicephorus the other Emperour of the East parts was greatly wroth with thys election but Charlemaine did mollifie him by his humanity modestie and by presents entertained themselues in amitie and they did assygne the compasse and limites of both the Empyres Besydes the other assemblyes Charlemayne caused a counsell to be holden at Reims at the which it was ordayned amongst many other statutes that the Byshops shuld diligently study the holy scriptures preach the word of god Another Synode was assembled at Mense the yere before hys death before another at Tours at Caalon vpon the Saone at Arles for the râ—formation of Churches as the writers of that time say The eyght huÌ„dreth fourtenth yere after the natiuitie of Christ the lxx yere of hys age he died at Aix in Germany Ludouicus the sonne of Charlemaine 2. Emperour after he had appointed Ludouicus his sonne heritor of his raign and Empire xiiii yeres after that he had ben first declared Emperour of the Almains At that time there was only xxi Metropolitan Cities as they are called in Italy Germany Fraunce to wyt Rome Rauenna Millane * A Citye or Country in Italye so called Forumiulii Grade Colon Mense Salisbourg Trire RouaÌ„ Sens Besonzon Lions Reims Arles Vienna Tarentasia EbrodunuÌ„ Burdeux Tours Bourges Pipine his father had taken away the Exarchship from the LoÌ„bars had left it in the custodie of the bishop of Rome as we haue said as it is found in writing But Charlemaine gaue it wholy vnto him as some say wherof notwithstanding dyuers do doubt Eginardus his secretary sworne writter Eginardus secretarye to Charlemayne who was familier with him wrytteth that aboue all he loued the Church which they call of S. Peter wherinto he caused much Golde Syluer and precious stones to be broughte For he studyed aboue all thynges to reestablyshe the Citye of Rome in her fyrst credyte and aucthoritye and that the Churche of Saynct Peter shoulde not onely be in safegarde vnder hys protectyon but also that amongest others it should abounde in ryches Eginardus sayeth thys and no more not makynge anye mention that he dyd gyue so mighty Townes and so many in number whych dyd appertayn to the Empyre yea he being made Emperour at the fourth entrye whych he made into Rome he gaue order according as we fynd in writting not onely vnto the affaires of the Citie of Rome of the Pope and of all Italy but also vnto Ecclesiasticall and perticular things Also before he was Emperour Aucthoritie of Charlemaine aboue the Pope at such time as he was but onely King of Fraunce after he had discomfyted Desiderius king of the Lombards as it hath bene sayd he came to Rome and held a counsell whereat as theyr one Bookes do mentian the Pope Adrianus the fyrst and all the Sinode dyd gyue hym the ryghte and power to electe the Pope to ordayne the Apostolyke Sea as they terme it and to confyrme the Bishops Eginardus doth attrybute vâ—to Charlemaine dyuers vertues worthye of a greate Prynce to wytte temperaunce modestye sobriety affectyon towardes relygyon Learnynge Eloquence wyth knowledge not onely of the Latine tounge but also of the Greeke Besydes thys he reporteth hym to haue bene verye circumspect and diligent to see hys Chyldren taught and instructed in the knoweledge and experyence of these selfe same thinges Albin the schole Maister of Charlemayne chiefe founder of the vniuersitye of Paris He instituted the vniuersytye of Paris aswell thorowe hys owne proper motyon and Good wyll as by the instigatyon and sute of Albin hys Master who was hys instructour in sciences as saith Eginardus He named the monthes and twelue wyndes in the Duch tounge the which names are yet vsed Before tyme as sayeth the same writter the French men vsed names partlye Latyne partelye Barbarous Hetherto I hauing made as it were a preface of Charlemaine and of the Almains from henceforth I wil briefly rounne ouer and declare how that part of the Romayn Empyre whych is towards the West the which was recollected and reestablyshed by Charlemaine is agayn fallen into decaye and beyng deuided into diuers Prouinces hath bene vnto diuers who possesse those countryes neither more nor lesse then their owne proper Heritage without considering their ofspring in such sort that this venerable and so renoumed hyghnes of Romayn Empyre is at this day no other thing then a lytle shadow of a great body synce that of so great a large compasse it hath bene enclosed in a small part of Europa to wytte in Germanie Last of all I will in few words declare how Daniell hath for shewed these mutations of Empires and the fall of the Romain monarchie Ludouicus then the sonne of Charlemaine the second Germayn Emperour renued the amitie wyth Leo of Armenia Emperour of Grecia The third yere of his raigne Pope Leo disceassed and his successour Stephan the fourth went into FrauÌ„ce and consecrated the Emperour at Reims Paschal came after to be Pope And forasmuch as the aucthoritie of the Emperour was not interposed he excuseth circumspectly and diligently that fact declaryng that he against his will was there placed The bookes of the Popes containe that the Emperour Ludouicus ratifyed vnto Paschal and to hys successours the possession of goods that he permitted the election frely vnto them so that he should be counted and holden for Pope whom all the Romains should haue Iudged worthy of that estate I cannot tell what credite a man should giue vnto such writtings for they agree so yll are placed in so yll order that none can vnderstand that whych ought to folow Ludouicus had thre sonnes Lotharius whom he toke to be compaynion of the Empyre of the kingdome Charles who succeaded in Aquitania his brother Pipine disseased he made Ludouicus lord of Bauieres Conspiraty of children agaist their father His soÌ„nes dyd conspire against him by whom he was taken and depriued of his kingdome and was constrayned to take a monasticall lyfe at Compienue a town of the
nothyng doubt of the takynge of the countrey Marcellus was greatly wrathe at hys death when he vnderstode it and commaunded to bury hym As concerninge the towne he dyd not onelye leaue it whole and sounde as Cicero sayeth but also in such sort decked that it might haue bene a perpetuall monument of hys victorye gentlenes and clemencie And lykewyse he sayeth that in the victorye of Marcellus there was not so manye men slayne as there were gooddes spoyled at the commyng of Verres Pretor into the sayde Cyty But Titus Liuius saith that it was a very pituous thinge to see the villanies that were there committed by angre enuye and couetousnes A hundred thyrtie and seuen yeres after Cicero beyng Treasurour of Sicilia Cicero treasurour of Sicilia did shewe Archimedes sepulchre vnto the Senate of Saragosse the whiche he knewe by a certaine discription all be it that it was altogether ruinated and so couered with Briers and Thornes that euen they of the Citie knewe not where it was The sayde Cicero sayeth that the towne of Sarragosse is the greatest and fayrest of all the townes of Grecia and is compacte and made of foure great townes of the I le where the fountayne of Arethusia is full of fishe of Acradina where is the market place and the couered Galleries with the Palaice or Parlement house of Tyche where the temple of Fortune is of the newe towne which was laste of all buylte and it hath a very large Theatre Now amongest all other nacions the countrey of Sicilia dyd first of all encline vnto the amitie and loyaltie of the Romaines Sicilia the first ê“uince and was the first that was named a Prouince as witnesseth the sayde Cicero After the victorye of Cannes Hanniball tooke all Campania which yelded vnto hym His armie also wyntered at Capua where it was effe minated and corrupted through the abundance and superfluitie of all thynges Superfluitie wantonnes vnprofitable in an armye Thre yeres after the takyng of Sarrogosse Capua was geuen to the Romains by composition There was great and long deliberation for to know whether the towne should be rased but finally it was concluded that it shoulde be kept Not withstandynge for to take from them all meanes for euer of rebellion theyr territorie was taken from them and al office and Senate with the publyke counsell To be short they had no forme of a publyke weale left them but it was ordeyned that the towne should serue as a berne and place for to holde and house the fruite of the whole territorie there about and for to lodge the labourers Two yeres after The ouerthrowe of Asdruball Asdruball brought freshe souldiours into Italy to the succour of Hanniball but he was ouerthrowen neare the flood called Metaurus by the consulles M. Liuius Salinator and C. Claudius Nero. In the meane tyme P. Cornelius Scipio of whome mencion hath bene made prospered luckely in Spaygne albeit that his father and his vncle had bene there slaine And after that he had recouered the whole Prouince retourned to Rome where he was chosen consull He required that the countrey of Affricke might be assigned hym for to make warre there But Q. Fabius Maximus beynge of a great age dyd sharpely withstand hym and was of opinion that it behoued not to go into Affricke but that it was mete and conuenient to make warre with Hanniball Scipio was of a contrary opinion because that yf they did make warre agaynst the Carthagians in their countrey they shoulde be forced to call agayne Hanniball from Italy as he vppon whome lay all theyr helpe and succour After long stryfe the Senate assigned Sicilia vnto Scipio and did permitte hym to take the spoyle of Affricke yf it were for the commoditie of the publyke weale He then tooke his iourney from Sicilia vnto Affricke and dyd proue by effect that which he had before forshewed vnto the Senate For the Carthagians hauynge lost certaine battayls against hym and beyng greatly endomaged The victory of Scipio 〈◊〉 Affricke dyd call agayne Hanniball So that by thys meanes he who for sixtene yeares space had not ceassed to hunt through Italy who also had encamped his army nere the walles of the cytye of Rome was constrained albeit it was soore against his will to retyre homewarde to hys countrey Finallye Scipio wan a great battaile of hym who afterwards by the wyll of the Senate made peace with the enemy herevppon the surname of Affricus was gyuen vnto hym But here to be consydered from howe great troubles the Romaines were delyuered for euen alreadye by the space of certaine yeares all their fortune hunge by a very small threde but it was before predestinated that they shoulde come to an ende of all violence and calamitie and shoulde be Lordes of the worlde The which as some saye Hanniball did foresee when his brother Asdruball was vanquished Horatius reciteth his very wordes which he then sayde in the verse by the which he prayseth Drusus and his familie And for because that the said Verse is most learned and elegant it doth well deserue that the youth should learne the same by harte The peace being concluded with the Carthagiens besides the other warres wherewith the Romains were incombred to witte in Italy Istria and Portingale they made another great warre also against Philippus kyng of Macedonia Warre agaynst Philip of Macedonia who had afflicted and oppressed the countrey of Grecia Titus Quintus Flaminius was the chief captaine of this warre who after the ouerthrow of the enemie reestablished the countrey of Grecia in her libertie by the consentinge of the Senate And amongest all other articles he charged king Philip not to go a warfare without the limites of Macedonia vnlesse he had permission of the Senate This warre ended Another war against Antiochus king of Syria another folowed it against Antiochus king of Siria Who being passed into Europa was ouercome by M. Galabrio and driuer out of Grecia For the accomplishing whereof the aboue said Philip kyng of Macedonia did geue succour to the Romaines These kinges of Asia of Syria and of Macedonia did descend of them who after the death of Alexander the great dyd diuide amongest them the Prouinces as it hath been said For after that Carthage was pacified and all Italye brought vnder the subiection of the Romains The greate authority of the romainâ— and that they had also conquered the other countreys of Europa more nearer both by Sea and by land they were growen to such power that euen the Kynges and the peoples farre of dyd craue succour and helpe of them Whiche amongest others the Egiptians did For because that their Kyng Ptolemeus Epiphanes being then but of fewe yeares was not apt to the gouernment of the publyke weale and for that they stood in great feare of Antiochus they sent Embassadours to Rome by whome they did desyer the Senate to take the lytle king into their safegard This being agreed
conspiraties of the Souldiours which certain did craftely moue that he came not to the end of the warre and to haue caryed away the glory and triumphe of the victory For shortly after he was called back againe and this commission was geuen vnto Cn. Pompeius Of the doyng whereof Cicero was also one of the perswaders who had made the people wyllyng herevnto by a certayne excellent oratiō which he made in the prayse of Pompeius Luculus being called home again he letted therfore not to triumphe The sumptuousnes of L. Luculus made the Romains a notable and sumptuous great feast Since that tyme he would no moore entermeddle or be occupyed with publyke affaires but did leade hys lyfe at home in the study of Philosophie beynge not withstandyng very sumptuous in hys ordinary lyuynge as he was alwayes He garnished a most ample and magnificall library of the whiche Cicero maketh mencion The victory of Pompeius against Mithridates and sayeth that he went thither often tymes to fetche certayne bookes Pompeius gaue Mithridates a cleane ouerthrow and droue hym farre of and receyued Tigranes who did yeld and render himself vnto his deuotion clemencie Cicero reciteth that Pompeius seyng in hys campe this kyng prostratinge himself and demaunding pardon he lifted hym vp and put againe the crowne vppon his head which he had cast of Afterwarde chargyng hym with certaine thinges he commaunded him to hold and kepe alwayes his kyngdome Mithridates finally beyng beseiged of his sonne Pharnaces did slay him selfe The warre against the pyrates Cn. Pompeius had gotten great credite and estimation for the warre which he made against the pyrates before that he went agaynst Mythridates The conspiratie of Catilina This war being ended sodenly another fier began to kindle for L. Catilina had conspired with diuers others to destroy the publyke weale But his wickednes beyng disclosed by the dexteritie and industrie of Cicero who was then consull he was bannished the citie and hauyng gathered an armie and bande of desperate Villens in the countrey of Toscane he remained slaine in the fielde beyng vanquished by C. Antonius consull and fellow in office with Cicero Who through out all his writings doth praise and magnifie the paine and labour that he tooke for the publyke weale and sayeth that than not onely appeared in the night flames of fyer with burnyngs in the Element thundrings and earthquakes But also he applieth and maketh serue to this purpose the straunge and vnaccustomed Sygnes that came to passe and befell twelue yeares before that he was Consull at such time as L. Cotta and Torquatus were in that office In the which time vehement flames of lightning fell vppon diuers towres in the palaice of the city of Rome diuers Images of gods were displaced diuers pictures of men of old tyme throwen downe The tables of brasse wherein the lawes were grauen the molten Image also of Romulus founder of Rome which was as it weare sucking and hanging ouer the Wolfes dugges was striken with thunder Cicero describing the spirite and nature of Catilina sayth that there was neuer the lyke monster in the world that was compact and mixed with such couetousnes so many contrary sundry cōplexiōs repugning one against another The same yere that Cicero was consull C. Octauius was borne The byrthe of C. Octauius and the countrey of Iudea was made tributary to the Romaines after that Ierusalem had bene assaulted and wonne by Cn. Pompeius Fyue yeres after at such tyme as Piso A. Gabinius were consuls the Swicers dyd chaunge their dwellyng place and did purpose to passe by prouince for to enter and perce through the residue of Fraunce and there to make theyr habitation because of the goodnes and fertilitie of the countrey This beyng knowen and disclosed C. Iulius Cesar yonger then Cicero by sixe yeares did raise vp his army for as much as the Senate had assigned him that Prouince and went to mete the enemy The Swicers ouerthrowen by Iulius Cesar whome he ouerthrew in playne battayle And shortly after he dyd the lyke vnto Arionistus king of the Germaines who had oppressed the countreys of Lions in Fraunce but especially the Burgonions the frends and companions of the Romains for he ouerthrew hym neare vnto the riuer called Rhyne being departed from Bessanson a towne of Burgonie Which being done he brought the whole countrey of Gallia vnder the subiection of the Romains Afterwards sayling into Britan he assubiected the Ile Cicero reciteth that Cesar did write to him out of Britan the first of September and that he receyued the letters the .xxviii. day of the sayd moneth About the time that Cesar was departed into Gallia Cicero was so vexed troubled of P. Claudius Tribune of the people The exile of Cicero that he flede and went in exile after that he had made an oration vnto the people horsemen by the which he commended vnto them hys chyldren and familye Certayn monethes after he was to the great ioye and gladnes of the people called home againe And then he made another oration vnto the Romains by the which he gaue thanks vnto his frends Since he layd the cause of his bannishement vpon L. Piso and A. Gabinius beinge then Consulls and proued by the orations whych he pronounced against them both that he was betrayed by them In one of the sayde orations he counselleth the Senate to take from them the Prouinces of Syria and of Macedonia and not to call backe againe C. Cesar who prospered in the warres that he had in Gallia but rather that they should continue him in this gouernment to the entent that he might bring the warre to an end Ptolomeus Auletus During these enterprises Ptolomeus Auletus king of Egipt beyng dryuen out of his kyngdom for his cowardnes and crueltie he fled and retyred vnto Rome The king of Egipt re-established by the Romaines where the Senate through the perswasion of Cn. Pompeius dyd reestablishe him by A. Gabinius in puttyng downe Archelaus who raigned by the consent of the people Gabinus was afterwardes condemned to paye vnto the publyke treasour ten M. talents or accordyng to the reckning of certain of our tyme .vi. millions of gold for because he had receiued as much of Ptolomeus M. Crassus vnto whom the commission of the war of Parthia had bene geuen was also vanquished beyond Euphrates slaine contrary to the law of armes as he communed and reasoned of matters Crassus slaine by the Parthians This is he who vsed to say that none was riche yf he could not maintain an army with his own reuenew In the selfsame time P. Clodius was killed of T. Annius Milo And albeit that Cicero did defend the cause of Milo Pompeius being for the third time Consull yea him self alone not withstanding he was bannished The French war beyng once ended which was about the viii yere ciuil war was raised betwene C. Cesar and Cn. Pompeius
a certaine part of Affrike was assigned thē to dwell in The Gothes who by the good will permissiō of the Emperour Honorius did possesse Aquitania in Fraunce as we haue sayde not beyng content with their limites they did wrong violence vnto their neighbours and kept Narbona straightly beseiged But Litorius beynge sent thether with an armie he made the seige to be raised Litorius against the Gothes vittelled the town He was also prosperous in the fyrst battaile But afterwards he was takē almost all hys armie put to the sword The ouer throw was so great that the Romains were constrained to demād peace On the other syde Gensericus king of the Wandales violating the peace which he had as we haue sayde made in Affrike with the Romaines he toke Carthage suddenly being vnloked for wherin he did dyuers sondry cruelties This Citie had bene vnder the Romains for the space of fiue hundreth foure score yeares After he had gotten Carthage he passed into Sicilia where he did exceding much hurt Where through Theodosius did then prepare furnishe hys nauye for to goe and warre agaynst the Wandales But forasmuch as at the same instant the Hūnes dyd spoyle and oppresse Thracia and Sclauonie the armie was called frō Sicilia for the tuition defence of those countries At that time the Scottes Pictes dyd enter Perce into great Britaignie forasmuch as the inhabitants did despaire of the Romain helpe succour they demanded aide of the Englishe mē a people of Saxonia But they dyd so affectionate the plentifullnes fearnes of the coūtry that by litle lytle landyng new souldiours and increasyng their armye The Britons dryuē out by the Englyshemen they at the last dyd assubiecte the most part of the I le after they had defeicted the Britons Shortly after Theodosius the second dyed at Constantinople In his raigne the sūne was obscured or darkned as certayne say almost from the fyfetenth of Iuly vnto the month of Septēber appeared a blaysing starre Martianus Emperour Martianus succeded Theodosius in the regimēt of the East partes We haue herebefore spoken of Gensericus king of the Wandales Valentinianus entred in leadge wyth him and dyd deuide part Affrike betwen them The forcastes of Athila king of the hunes About thys tyme Athila kyng of the Hūnes who hauing violenly possessed Dacia Hungarie most cruelly assaulted the next countries there about to wytte Macedonia Mysia Thracia purposed to bring vnder his subiection that part of the Romaine Empyre which lyeth towards the Weast But because he perceaued that this warre should be very difficil yf the Gothes who were in peace with the Romains and did inhabite a part of Fraunce as it hath bene sayd should ayde and succour theym he hastened out an ambassadour towards them for to require them to be his frend and aliaunte but Atius the Lieutenant of Valentinianus the Emperour preuented hym by fyrst ariuing thether and hauyng confyrmed the allyaunce with Theodoricus kyng of the Gothes he prepared hymself to the battayle wyth all his power Athila neuertheles pursewed that which he had taken in hand and they fyersly ioygned in battayle in the playne of Chalons in Campania which is at this day so named through the great slaughter that was there committed Terrible warre in Cāpania It is said the there remained slain in that battaile almost foure score thousand men amongst others Theodoricus king of the Gothes Athila seyng himself van quished thought to slay hymself fearing to fall a lyue into hys enemyes handes But as king Theodoricus sonne folowyng the coūsell of Etius dyd retyre homewards with his armie for to succede his father disceassed Athila had leasure to take agayne hys breath and to retourne into Hungaria where hauing gathered a new armye he entred very furiously into Italy and beseiged long tyme Aquileia which fynally he subdued spoyled and brunt At one voyage he toke Concordia Padua Vicentia Verona Brixia Bergome Myllane and Pauye From thence spoyling all thorow out Flaminia he fynally encamped ouer agaynst the floode Mincius and that of Apia In the which place as he consulted whether he weare best goe to Rome with hys army the Byshop of Rome Leo the fyrst of that name came vnto hym leo pacifieth Athila so handled the matter that he not onelye wyth drew himself from goyng to Rome but also leauing the country of Italy he retourned into Hungarye where shortly after he dyed This is that Leo of whom diuers Epistles are yet found wryten vnto Theodosius the seconde and vnto Martianus Emperours wherein he partly excuseth hymself for that he could not be assystaunte at the Councells by theym published desyryng theym not to be offended in that he sendeth thether Ambassadours and partly he requyreth and prayeth theym to assygne the place of the Counsell rather in Italye then in Asia But he obtayned nothing The fyrst foundation of Venise At such tyme as Athila dyd in such fort vexe and trouble Italye The towne of Venise was built because that dyuers Ryche and noble men of the countrye there aboutes dyd retyre as into a place of resuge into that arme of the Sea Iles and hylly places The begynnynge then of this towne was pitifull poore and almoste in dyspayre and at thys present it is growen to suche greatnesse as we see it The number of the Dukes of Venise The number of their Dukes are hetherto counted to be foure score fyue of whom Paulus Anazatus was the first in the yere of saluation seuen hundreth syxe two hundreth fyfty two yeres after the foūdation of the towne Valentinianus was afterwards slaine and Gensericus Kyng of the Wandales passed forth from Affrike into Italy wyth a most myghtye armye beyng ayded of the Maures he went to Rome toke the towne beyng destitute and abandoned almost of all her inhabitants Rome takē by the Wandales Notwithstanding he beyng intreated by the Bishoppe Leo who had also pacifyed Athila as it hath bene sayd did not put the towne to fyer and sword Howbeit he proied it caried a great nūber captiue into Carthage Afterwards the enemies did much cruelty to the coūtry of Lauor and did ruinate Capua Nola Naples and other Townes byndyng them in cheynes whom they left a liue That is great Campania And beyng loden with the proy of Italy they retourned into Affrike Martianus who was Emperour in the East dyd kepe hym self in peace accordyng to his quiet peaceable nature He vsed to say that it was not decent nor honest for a Prince to put himselfe in armes A notable sentence as long as he myght lyue in peace In hys raygne a very great Coūsell was assigned at Chalcedon by his commaūdement The coūsel at Calcedō where Eutiches who confoūded the two natures in Christ was condemned There amongst other thinges it was ordayned that no clerke as they