takes his refection alone by himselfe as most of our Kings vse to do vpon a little Table of Golde without any Cloth or Napkin and it is set in such a place as there are diuers steppes or degrées in ascending to it He is serued by sundry Pages who are of noble birth and they bring him his meat ready cut and prepared in little Baskets or Panyers He drinketh wine in a cup of gold but hee hath another kinde of drink made of sower Apples and mingled with Suger which he receiueth in a cuppe of Christall While he féedeth thrée hundred lusty young men chosen out of the seuerall kingdomes vnder his Dominion hauing the place of Archers and of his Guarde do stand round about the Tent-Royall For by an ancient custome it hath béene kept that the King continually liueth out of any Citty wherein he neuer abydeth but two dayes onely and those Tents are erected in such manner that the backe part is euermore placed to the East and the doore or opening is opposite to the West The vsuall Armes or weapons of those guards are Swords Daggers and Iauelinges theyr neckes and shoulders being gorgetted with thick skinnes of Beasts Foure Kings who by commandement do attend the Court followe each after the other the Table seruice accompanyed with many Barons and meaner Officers euen from the Kitchin to the Tent of Prete-Ian all cloathed in silke Seudal and Scarlet And there they deliuer it to the Pages who come foorth to receiue it The King and all his Court fare deliciously with Fowle Fish and all kinds of Venison So soon as he hath dined for he neuer sups but on Festiuall daies his Eunuches go to fetch diuers Quéenes according to their seueral quarters being the Wiues of the fore-named Kings to waite on the Quéene and Wife to Prete-Ian conducting her vnto his Tent to giue him pleasure and contentment and there they sing and Daunce in his presence Hee hath foure wiues who are the daughters of his Neighbour-Kings but he lodgeth but with one of them to whom he is solemnly married with many Ceremonies but if it chance that he haue no children by her then he cals to his bed one of the other When hee purposeth to shew himselfe in publique his face is couered with a Vayle of Taffata which hee lifteth vppe and pulleth downe that hardlie can his face bee wholly discerned but if it be it is very quickly couered againe He vseth to shewe himselfe vnto the people three times in the yeare that is to say on the dayes of Christmasse Easter and the holy Crosse in September and for this purpose is a gooly high scaffold duly prepared The cause of this ceremony receiued Originall from Dauid Prete-Ian Surnamed Alexander whose death was three whole yeares concealed by his chiefe Seruants that gouerned the kingdome in his time Therefore to auoide all the like succéeding inconueniences the father of Dauid Prete-Ian at the earnest intreaties of his people began first to shew himselfe on these ordained daies which hath conrinually euer since been obserued euen to Panusius Prete-Ian which is nowe raigning in Ethiopia onely excepted when hee marcheth in warre for then he goeth daily discouered He is crowned with a precious Diadem the one part whereof is Gold and the other Siluer and carrieth insteade of a Scepter a Crosse of Siluer in his hand All his Seruants are marked with a Crosse in the verie flesh on the right shoulder Hee is cloathed with rich garments of frizeled Cloath of Golde wearing a shirte of silke with very large and wâ—de sléeues as Dukes in elder times were woont to do And from the Girdle downward he weareth a wide Kirtle of silke and cloath of golde with a Linnen couer-ture after a Byshoppes manner On either side of him goe two Pages richly apparreâ—led each holding a Crosse of Siluer in the one hand and a naked sword in the other His Lords who are as Kings and carrie that Title do pay him tribute of Gold and other mettals of horsses and great Cattle of seueral kinds likewise of cloath of Gold and of wooll according to the quality and best Nature of those countries that are vnder theyr gouernment which rightes and Tributes they haue from their Subiects although they bee vassailes indéede to none but Prete-Ian himselfe and to whom they yéelde the greater part of their substance Some do pay him large quantities of Corne and of Salte for the maintaining of his Armies Others doo bring him Pepper which is a rare commodity in that Country and some do pay him slaues The Rustickes or countrey Boâ—â—es who liue in the wilde and silde-frequented Forrests do bring vnto the Court great store of Lyons Tygres and other liuing sauage beasts which are afterwarde shut vp into apt apointed places to yéeld pleasure and delight to him and his Princes As for such as dwell further off from the Court it is sufficient for them to bring the skinnes of such beasts only wherewith the Abyssines do in a brauery cloth themselues when they go to warre This Great Emperour Prete-Ian gouerneth many Countries and boundlesse Seas whereof because this place alloweth me not to make any large discourse as also of the maine matters of State concerning his kingdoms I referre ye to the Generall History of the Worlde where whatsoeuer I am compelled in this Chronicle to abreuiate not onely of this Emperor but of all other kingdomes whatsoeuer shall bee at large described Let it suffice then that I close vp this report with the onely glories of Prete-Ian and his Ethyopians which are that they doo repute themselues to be the very ancientest Nation among men because they haue alwaies liued in their innated liberty and were neuer conquered either by Semyramis nor Hercules nor Dyonisius nor the Romaines but that they themselues vanquished King Cambyses and ouerthrew his potent army Héereto they adde a more true and eminent glory indéede which is that they were one of the first Nations in receipt of the Christian faith wel néere from the very beginning therof By meanes of the Eunnuch to the famous Quéene Candace who was baptized by S. Phillip And that since their conuersion they haue constantly kept the same Religion for so manie hundreds of yeares Aibeit that during this time they haue béene generally euen as yet they are at this day mollested assaulted and enuyroned with Moores Sarrazins and the Idolatrous Worshippers of Mahomet yet notwithstanding all those cruell Tempests which héeretofore destroyed the Romaine Empire and the very greatest part of Christendome Ethiopia could neuer hitherto bee spoyled either of their Dominion or Religion albeit som Idolatrous mixture hath crept thereinto Which is the lesse to be maruailed at if we may credit their owne saying in alledging their constancy and antiquitye because they deriue this their noble Originall and continuance from the Royall Kinges Dauid and Salomon of whom the most blessed Virgin Marie Mother
contrarie to the hope of all or his owne expectation The Arsenall was burned in his time and there then also happened a very great dearth of all thinges Selim Successour to Solyman tooke occasion to breake peace with the Common-wealth demaunding of them the Kingdome of Cyprus and mooued Warre vppon this Subiect He gouerned foure yeares fiue monthes and eight daies 85 Luigi Mocenigo Warre beeing kindled against the Turke lost the Kingdome of Cyprus Nicosia béeing taken and Famagosta surrendered The Common-wealth made league with Pope Pius the fift and Phillip King of Spayne so that their Armies béeing ioyned together in the yeare 1571. they obtayned a woorthy victorie against the Turkes Soone after Henry the third King of Fraunce came to Venice where hee was magnyficently entertayned This Prince dyed in his seauenth yeare 86 Sebastiano Veniero was elected by common voyce and with such applause that dyuers Turkes ranne to him and kissed his féete Hée created fiue Correctours of the Lawes for ruling the affaires of the Pallace The Citty was deliuered of a dangerous plague and the Pallace was againe very greatly defaced by fire This Prince gouerned not aboue one whol yeare 87 Nicholo de Ponte was created Duke a man very learned in al the Sciences and whereof he had made publicke profession in Venice He passed thorow all the honours of the Common-wealth wherewith the Cittizens coulde possibly gratifie him The Seminary of S. Marke was instituted by him Certaine Princes of Iapponia arriuing then at Venice were by him most honourably entertained He builded the Bridge of Canareggio and gouerned seauen yeares nine months and thirteene daies 88 Paschale Cicogna Procurator of S. Mark was elected when he was at diuine seruice in the Church In his time there was great warres betwéene France and Spaine about Piedmont and betwéene the Emperor and the Turke for some parts in Hungaria He caused the Town of Palma to be builded in the confines of the countrey of Friuli and a newe Castle or Fortresse in the Isle of Cephalonia He hadde the honour of the wonderfull Bridge of the Rialto which hee builded And gouerned ten yeares or thereabout 89 Marino Gâ—imini Procurator of S. Mark was so highly in grace and fauour of the people that on the day of his election they declared extraordinary signes of ioy and continued them for many following daies The second yeare of his Principality he caused the Dutchesse his Wife to be crowned in great Triumph At which time Pope Clement the eight sent hir the Rose of gold In his time much ioy and triumph was made for the peace concluded betwéen the Kings of France and Spayne Vppon occasion of the Popes comming to Ferrara obtained by the Ecclesiasticall Estate the Cardinall Aldobrandino passed thence to Venice where he was most honorably welcommed with diuers other Cardinals There was such an extraordinary ouer-flow of waters in the fift yeare of his Principality that the Barks Boats and Gundeloes floated on the place of S. Marke euen as if they had béen in a ful maine riuer He dyed and was much bemoaned of the people hauing gouerned ten yeares and eight moneths 90 Leonardo Dandolo hauing by his woorthy deseruings singuler wisedom and dexterity managed passed affaires and gone through al honors of the Common-wealth giuing euident testimony of his care and faithfulnesse was aduanced in the place of Grimani the tenth day of Ianuary 1606. He had bin sent Ambassador to Constantinople to Mahomet hee being newlie come to the Empire of the East in the common-wealthes-name to salute him with accustomed complements He hath such a practiue brain and so happy a memory seated in a soule so religiously zealous for common benefite that the Senate hath referred more to him then to any other of his Predecessors The Citty hath in his time béene excommunicated by Paulus Quintus now pope about some pretentions appertaining to his Sée But it may well be saide of this Prince that against such Thunder-clappes and lightning flashes he hath shewne himselfe like an immooueable Rocke in defence of that estate in generall In like manner two principall Pillers of Christendome threatned great disaster and ruine buâ— that most Christian Henry the fourth King of Fraunce embracing those two Collombes vpheld both the one and other redressed all discontentment by the entermise of his Ambassadors and hath erected a Triumphall Arche to the immortality of his glorie This Prince now liuing happily in peace doth dayly acknowledge to Fraunce his particular affection for such fauour and may in time much better declare it God long preserue him and all other good Princes ⧠Of the Kingdome of Spaine SPaine was in her yonger daies held by sundry petty Kings and Tetrarches and afterward became deuided into many Commonweals The Carthiginians a people of Affrica hazzarding their fortune thither helde one part thereof and possessed themselues of many Citties Townes and places vntill they were expelled thence by the Romaines in the time of the Punick warres Since when it was continually subiect vnto the Commonwealth of the Romaine reduced into forme of a Prouince only in the raign of the Emperor Augustus So it remained till the Emperor Honorius in whose daies the Vandales a people of the North parts broght it vnder their command But they were soone after chased thence by the Gothes who established there the seate of their kingdom which in that kind they maintained for the space of about two hundred years nor were they then called kings of Spaine but kings of the Goths In the raigne of Roderick king of the Goths the Moores of Affrica entred Spaine in the yeare 715. they beeing brought thither by one named Iulian in very despightfull indignation and to shape out a way to his bloody reuenge because King Roderick had dishonoured his Sister or as some others say his daughter And so did the Moores possesse themselues wel-néer of al Spain seizing the city of Tolledo which was theÌ„ the capital city Thus ended the kingdom name of the Goths in Spain Nor rested they so but pursued on their conquest still there remained none but Galitia the Asturies Leon which countries king Pelagius Vnkle successor of Roderick had fled to for refuge there shut vp himself in regard that those places were inuironed with Mountaines might wel defend shelter him for some time But his successors being hardly pressed by the Sarrazins could no longer resist wherefore vnder the raigne of Alphonsus the seconde they were forced to craue the helpe of Charlemaigne King of Fraunce by whose valour and Vertue the Moores were beaten thence a great way and had bin quite cast out of the Country if the Spaniards mallice had bin no hinderance thereto Afterward the kings of Leon and Galicia for such were then their only titles being so formerly preserued began somwhat to increase in power And in regarde of this expedition performed by the French the strength of the Moores was
147. yeares hauing prophesied that Iesus Christ should come before that the Scepter were taken from Iuda or a Duke of his generation Galathes the Sonne of Hercules was King of Gaule whereof it tooke the name Prometheus and Atlas at this time were very excellent Astrologians Ioseph dyed 54. yeares after his Father The Israelites now began to be euill intreated by the Egyptians Moses the last Nephew of Leui was borne 64. yeares after the death of Ioseph Cecrops then builded the Citty of Athens and was first King thereof Also he was the first Authour of the most abominable idolatries that euer were among the Grecians The Deluge of Deucalion Princes and Iudges of Israel MOses aged 80. yeares by the commandement of God reproued Pharoah wrought many myracles in Egypt with-drew the people of Israel our of Egypt by the Red-Sea béeing in number more then sixe hundred thousand This their departure thence happened in the yeare 430. of the promise made to Abraham for the blessing of all Nations by his séede Moyses gaue the Law to the people in the Deserts of Arabia as a School-maister vntil the comming of the promised séed For this cause he ordained for the sins of the people diuers Ceremonies of sacrifices marriages punishments solemnities of feasts For the action of War he numbred more then six hundred and thrée thousand without comprehension of the Leuites to whom he prescribed theyr charge In the end he instructed the rude people in diuers commandements For Gods ordinances he constituted Iosuah his successour and rendred vp his spirit in the 120. yeare of his life and of the departing out of Egypt the 40. read Exodus Leuiticus Numbers and Deuteronomy all which are heere thus briefely collected Daâ—danus hauing slaine his Brother Iason was the first King of Troy Ianigines was then King in Italy the most cruell Tyrant Busiris King in Egypt and Mercurius Trismegistus that is to say thrée times the most great King Priest and Philosopher See M. Ficinus in his life Iosuah passed the people dry foote thorough the Riuer of Iordan into the Land of Promise The Sunne stayed while he fought the battel he slew one and thirty Kings And after he had distributed their Countries amongst the people he died thirty yeares after the death of Moyses The Israelites then left God and serued Idols Orcus King of the Molosses made then a rape of Proserpina And Cadmus brought the Charracters of Letters into Greece Othoniell of the Lignage of Iuda gouerned the people eight yeares and was the third Iudge of Israel in order and not the first as some haue supposed He deliuered the people from the oppression of the King of Mesopotamia Aiod or Ehua slew the king of the Moabites raigned eight yeares and deliuered the people from the idolatry of the Moabites In this time began but much rather encreased the Gods and Idolatries of the Gentiles according to Iosephus as Bacchus Pandion Radamanthus Aeacus Minos King of Creet Dedalus and Icarus at this time made their flight Tantalus Amphion founder and first King of Thebes Linus Barach with Debora the Prophetesse iudged 40. yeares ouercame with ten thousand men only the Army of Sisara consisting of two hundred thousand men The Argonaâ—tes sayled then to Colchos then liued Areus and Thiestes Pan also and Midas King of Phrygia abounded in Treasures Gedeon a valiaunt Captaine iudged fortie yeares and deliuered the Israelites from the seruitude of the Madianites In this time liued Circes Medea Enchanteresses with Medusa and Andromeda Euristheus first king of Mycena was slaine by Aeacides hauing commaunded well néere thorough all Greece for the space of forty fiue yeares togither Abimelech the naturall Son of Gedeon was Iudge thrée yeares he slew 69. of his naturall legitimate Brethren only that he might raigne Sparta or Lacedemon was theÌ„ builded by Spartus the Sonne of Phoroneus Others doo attribute the building thereof to Aristhenes who was their first king Thola was Iudge 25. yeares then liued Ruth Mother to the Grand-mother of Dauid then also were Castor Pollux Apollo the inuenter of Musicke Aesculapius his Sonne Orpheus and Museus who were the first Poets according to Linus Iair iudged 22. yeares during which time the people liued in maruailous quiet as they did before in the raigne of Thola But afterward there happened interregnum eightéen yeares together in all which time the Israelites were seruile to the Philistims for their idolatries Pyrrhus then inuented the Tennis Play Theseus vanquished the Minotaure and Hercules came from Spayne into Italy 55. yeares before Aeneas Iephta the Bastard was Iudge sixe yeares and being thereto compelled by his vow hee slew his onely Daughter Theseus now made his rape of Helena shee being then a very young Mayden Sybilla Aericthrea liued in this time shee that fore-told the ruine of Troy and of whom Homer telleth many goodly tales Abesan or Ibsan iudged seuen yeares The History of Ruth happened in this time Pluto Neptune then were and Paris stole Helena the wife to Menelaus king of the Lacedemonians Elon was Iudge ten years in whose time happened the Warre betwéene the Greekes and the Troyans for the rape of Helena Wife to Menelaus by Paris Sonne to Priam the last King of Troy Abdon iudged eight yeares Aeneas with his companions came into Italy and Francus if wée may beléeue Manethous and others the Sonne of Hector with his followers also came into Austria Of the one descended the Latines kings of the Romaines and of the other the Kinges of France In these dayes liued Pilades and Orestes the two loyall friends Sampâ—on the strong was Iudge 20. yeares he slew a thousand Philistims with the iaw-bone of an Asse and was deceiued by a Strumpet The Linage or Tribe of Beniamin was now almost vtterly destroyed onely thorow detestable voluptuousnesse Hely Priest and Iudge raigned fortie yeares and was punnished of God for his ouer great indulgence towards his children The Ark of Moses was then taken by the Philistims Bâ—ute the Sonne of Syluius third King of the Latines expulsed then the cruell Gyants out of the Island which after his owne name he called Brittaine now England and deuided his Land to his thrée Sonnes in thrée seuerall kingdoms to wit Loegria to Locrine Cambria now called Wales to Camber and Albania now called Scotland to his third Sonne Albanact Samuel the Prophet and innocent Iudge to those wicked children He annointed Saul to the Israelites they desiring a King t And then began the Kingdome of the Lacedemonians instituted by Euristhenes and of the Corinthians founded by Atletes Kings of all the Iewish people SAule first King of the Israelites with Samuel raigned fortie yeares Hee pardoned Agag King of Amalec his Prisoner and reserueth the spoile to Sacrifice to God
but he did as much to the men sent by Lewes sirnamed Gods guift king of France So that in a short while so great a number of the French perrished by falshood and Treason that the name of Manuell became odious among the French Roger entred in earnest vpon the Countrey of Greece besieged Constantinople and with a gallant brauado culled many floures of gold and siluer out of the Emperors garden Manuell offered outrage to an Ambassador of Venice and in one day surprised all their Marchants whom he had betraied vnder the colour of peace for which the Venetians constrained him afterward dearly to buy his owne peace He made warre against the Turks wherein he was almost taken And after hee had raigned eight and thirty yeares hee liued as a Monke and died of a grieuous disease Alexius the sonne of Manuell helde the Empire after him in the yeare 1180. vnder Andronicus his coosin-germain who then was his Tutor afterward his companion in the empire and at last his murderer for secretly he caused his hed to be cut off and threw his body into the Sea he being but fifteen yeares old Andronicus Comnenes the sonne of Isaake entred on the empire of Constantinople after his coosine germain Alexius whom cruelly he had caused to be murdered in the yeare 1183. William king of Sicily made warre vpon him to reuenge the death of Alexius And as he was assailed on all sides Isaacke sirnamed the Angell contrary to all opinion came so suddenly vpon him that he not onely foiled him but deiected him from the empyre and hauing seized vpon his person hee caused one of his eies to be pulled out and then set him vppon an Asse with his face backward crowning him with a wreath of rotten Garlicke or Onions and holding the stalke of one of them in his hand in stead of a Scepter In this order was he shewen through the Citty of Constantitinople men women and children doing many iniuries vnto him casting both durt and filth in his face smiting him also with stones and staues In this manner being cruelly bruised and murdered he was hanged vp when yet the women would not leaue him so but dismembred him into the smallest pieces Isaack the Angell tooke the empyre on him after Andronicus in the yeare 1185. He qualified the tyrranie of many and entertained magnificently Frederick Emperor of Rome who passed into Syria Hee redéemed with a great sum of mony his younger brother Alexius whoe most vnthankefully bereft him both of his eies and Empire because he séemed to fauour the Venetians He kept him likewise in prison vntill that Alexius the sonne of Isaac in despite of his vncles mallice by tears and faire intreats obtained succour of the French and the Venetians wherewith he deliuered his Father who very soon after died hauing taken too much the fresh ayre after his so long close imprisonment Alexius the Angell murderer of his Brother Isaac helde the Empire of Constantinople after him in the yeare 1195. He was most wicked cruelly handled his elder brother onely to vsurpe the Empire The like hee would haue doone to his Nephew Alexius who escaping from him was carried by Sea into Dalmatia where hee found the Nobility of France with Baldwin and the Venetians whom he moued to warre against his vncle promising them thirty thousand marks of gold and all kind of victuals if his imprisoned father or himselfe might by their meanes regaine the Empyre Hereupon those valiant lords hoysed saile towards Constantinople and tooke it hauing first broken the chain which thwarted the Sea Alexâ—us saued himselfe by flight Isaac was deliuered out of prison who died soone after and his sonne Alexius the younger was elected Emperor Alexius the yonger being sonne to Isaac was seated in the Empire in the yeare 1204. by an agreement made betwéene him and the French and Venetians It is said that then it was sought to haue the Patriarch of Constantinople subiect inferior to the Pope of Rome and that the Emperor should recompence the French and Venetians for the damages which Manuell had doone vnto them But scarcely was he entred into his gouernment of the Empire and employing his paines to accomplish his promises when as Murziphilus no Noble man yet one whom he hadde aduanced to great authority killed him And so this yong and innocent Prince died by Treason Murziphilus finding his sinne much misliked in the night time fledde away with his Wife his strumpets and treasure yet not long after hee was brought backe againe from Morea as a Captiue to Constantinople where he died miserably By this meanes both the Citty and empire of Greece remained to the French and Baldwine was the first Emperour of the French Nation Baldwine Earle of Flanders was after Alexius the younger elected emperour of Constantinople by all the warlike souldiors of Flaunders as also the Marquesse of Montferrat of Sauoy and of Venice in the year 1205. Before this election there was a condition thus determined That if the emperor who was to be elected should be of the French the Venetians should make a Patriarch as it happened Baldwine then recouered all that belonged to the Empire of Constantinople except Adrianople which Theodor kinsman to Alexius the murderer held as his wiues dowry and kept there his Empire But as the French laide siege thereto and were vpon the very point of surprizing it Baldwine was there taken and put to death hauing scarsly gouerned one yeare Henry the brother of Baldwine was made Emperor after him Hee pursued the besieging and assault of Adrianople but the Sarazins comming to succour it he retyred to Constantinople which then he strongly fortified He made peace and alliance with the Vallachians tooke their Dukes daughter in marriage and both farre off and at home guided all affaires prouidently Hee constituted William son to Boniface K. of Thessaly soon after his fathers death leauing his daughter Iolanta as his heyre who was married vnto Peter of Auxerre that succéeded him in the Empire Peter de Courtnay or to speake better of France being the yongest sonne of Lewes le gros and Earle of Auxerre by the meanes and right of his wife Iolanta in reguard that Henry hadde lefte no heyre male succéeded in the Empire of Constantinople the yeare 1216. He returning to Rome after his Coronation besieged Baudras in fauour of the Venetians But it proued in vaine for at a gallaunt Banquet hee was beheaded by Theodor Lascarus who called himselfe Emperor of Adrianople and of the Graecians This trechery was performed vnder the shadow of a feigned peace with a faithfull promise made vpon a false Oath Others say that Lascarus had laid ambushes in the Forrest of Thessaly in the place called Tempe and that he surprised Peter in such manner shutting him vp in Captiuity and that so he died His wife Iolanta during this his thraldom held the Empyre two yeares Robert sonne to the
doe affirme aboue two hundred thousand men At length he iournyed into Italy which he well-néere vtâ—erly ruined and retiring afterward into his owne Countrey of Hungary he died within fewe following moneths and on the day of his nuptials which was in the yeare of Iesus Christ 443. The Lombards were a Northerne people decended out of Denmarke as Eusebius maintaineth and no other reason had they to leaue their Countrey but onely a desire to win some other There happened in the time of Seno or Sweno as some call him King of Denmark a very great dearth or scarsity in the Land of victuals and because the people endured it very impatiently it was concluded by the King and his Councell to ease the Countrey of so many men as were ready to famish that all such persons as were vnable either for war or labor of the ground should be slaine whether they were old or young But this seuere Edict being reuoked they then resolued to make a leuy of all sorts of people that by the help of armes might trauaile to find out some other dwelling so to disburthen the charge of the Countrey This being put in execution they trauailed so far and carried themselues so couragiously in trauersing diuers lands that they came at last into Italy and there conquered the Countrey which was called Istria making themselues absolute Maisters thereof Now because these people were long and tall of stature the Italians and Istrians called them long Barbarians which by corruption of the word and succession of times made them tearmed Longbards or Lombardes Some are of opinion that vnder the raign of Valentinian the Emperor they began to make theÌ„selues first knowne which was about the yeare of Christ 385. and that they became commaunders in Istria in the yeare 570. Likewise according to Diaconus the Emperours made peace with them in the yeare 730. and euer since they haue held that Country which at this day is named Lombardy Let it here be further noted that where in any History mention is made of people tearmed Daces or Danians the Nation of Denmarke is thereby vnderstood out of which countrey many great Armies haue trauailed at sundry times and haue mightily troubled diuers kingdomes among which they continued long time in England but were thence expelled about the yeare 860. The Normanes were people of Norduegia or otherwise called Normania or Norwey a Countrey in the North being much addicted to crueltie and inhumanitie because they vsed many great Piracies on the Sea An hundred and fifty thousand men of this Nation bestowed themselues in vessels on the Sea and took possession of that part of Gaule or Fraunce which was then tearmed Neustria now Normandie which was doone in the yeare of Iesus Christ 600. others saie 884. and in the time of Charles le Gros. But bée it howsoeuer they haue since then kept it against all encounters of the Emperours Kings of France and England preseruing it still by the Name of Normandy and themselues reckoned to bee people of vndaunted courage There are diuers others that doe sauour of this their first originall and doe yet proule vppon the Seas committing many cruell Robberies The Nation which we call Swesses Zuitzers or Sweues who at this daie are auxiliarie to the French came out of Sweuia or Sweueland a Northerly Region like vnto the other They likewise by the dearth of food among them departed forth of their Countrey about the yeare of Grace 800. and went so farre as the Rhine which they would haue passed but were hindered therein by the Franconians Thence went they to the Land of the Heluetians who dispising the Suessians because they were poorely and wretchedly apparelled rude in their féeding and not looking like souldiers suffered them to wander about their Countrey At length perceiuing the kinde sufferaunce of the Heluetians they sought to abide in a certaine Canton of their Land Which when the Heluetians noted they demaunded of them to what ende they thus wandered about the World They answered that they were poore people and sought but to weare out their liues in trauaile by deluing or labouring in the Earth And séeing that there was wast Ground in those partes vnlaboured or any vse made of it béeing Hilles and Vallies enuironed with Lakes they desired the Heluetians to permit them to woorke in those rough Fieldes as yet not cultiue and they should receiue the benefit thereof onely allowing them but nourishment for their pains This was all that they séemed to pretend iustifying their requests with solemne oathes and protestations Theyr desire was graunted and not long after the Countrey wherein they liued was not onely called Suesia in regarde of the Swesians there dwelling but likewise the ancient Inhabitants had the same name giuen then and yet the country is very hilly and vnapt for Ryding Howe afterward it came to be called the Lande of Cantons or Leagues shall at large be shewne in our Generall history Iustinian and other Emperors both before after him entitled themselues Lordes of the Allemaignes for hauing receiued some victories ouer the Allemaignes But this may not be said as some doo that those victories were obtayned against the Germaines For euen at this daye when we speake or write of Allemaigne therein is comprehended all the Nations which are contained throughout Germany and that do speake the Language of the Tentones But as for Allemaigne or Almaines the Romains neuer vnderstood or meant any other people then those of Suaba And to speake vprightly they haue euer bin the true and ancient Allemaines as Cornelius Tacitus plainely confirmeth Drusus Nero was the first that styled himselfe Germanicus for hauing rather angered the Germaines then foyled them as diuers other Emperours afterward did Moreouer by Germany is to be vnderstood nine and forty great Prouinces as well of the lower part as the higher part of the sayde Germany comprizing the Countrey of the Suisses and Heluetians Now concerning the Alaines or Alans many haue supposed them to be a people of Germanie But therein they were and are deceiued for Ptolomy knew them whom he placeth in a parte of Scythia Capitolinus bestowes them in Dacia Marcelinus Plinie Dionisius the Poet giues them a being in Sarmatia of Europe Iosephus in his last Booke affirmes their aboade to bee betwéene the Riuer Tanais and the Palus Moeotides And saith moreouer that in his time the Alaines or Alanes accompanied with the Hyrcanians both robbed and spoyled all the Region of the Medes As for my selfe by that which I haue gathered from such as haue written on the actions of the Gothes I am perswaded that those Alaines were theyr companions and that oftentimes in their warres for their owne aduantage they sundered them-selues from them as one while they did with the Vandales But questionlesse their discent was from Scythia according to Ptolomies affirmation If we shall speake of the Gepides Girpedes
then what I haue read and séene written Some say that in times past there was a nation in Europe scattered dispierced héere and there who were called Cimmerians one part of them had the Name of Cimbrians another Sicambrians and a third Francs or Francions These people passing thorough the Countrey of Pannonia now deuided into two parts the one called Hungaria and the other Austria were driuen from their precedent dwelling which was at the Cimmerian Bosphorus by the Goths in the yeare of the Worldes Creation 3520. Others say that these Cimmerians tearmed theÌ„selues to bée deriued of those Fraci that appeared on the Earth after Noahs Floud viz that of those diuisions made in the whole vniuerse by partage of the Mediterranean Sea those which were in Europe distinctly on the right hand gaue to the Haebrews these Fraci euen as them on the left hand did the Affricanes There are some others who doe fetch the Originall of those Cimmerians from Gomer the Sonne of Iaphet and youngest Sonne of Noah of whom they should take their Name by change of some Letters calling them Cimmerians instead of Gomorians But howsoeuer it was that Nation of Cimmerians abandoning the vtmost Confines of Thrace and the fore-named Bosphorus deuided themselues into dyuers bands oâ—e whereof made their way to the Pannonians another to that side of Germanie where the Cimbrian Chersonnesus is described by our Geographers And the rest leauing Europe passed into Phrygia and making vppe higher into Asia set downe their rest on the Banckes of Danubie and the maine Ocean There once more they separated them-selues into two Troopes One whereof entred into Europe vnder conduct of their King named Francion And being no other then méere Vacabond persons enquiring still for noueltie of Countries after they had runne through a great part of Europe at length they rested on the banckes of Rhine where they would néeds build a Citty in semblaunce and Name of Troy the Capitall Commaunder of Phrigia They began the foundation but the worke remained imperfect The other sort that made their aboad on the banckes of Danubie elected for their K. one named Torchor by whose name they were called Torches or Torques euen as on the contrary side the other after the name of Francion their King were tearmed Francs Françions or Françons They waxing weary of their kings Empire which grew to an insupportable tyranny expulsed them liued a long time without any King vnder authoritie of their Captaines But in the end corruption ouer-swaying those Captaines and threatning a tyranicall vsurpation they did likewise cast them off and grew to their former election of Kings againe euen from the selfe-same stirp and race whereof their first Kings had bin elected They made choise then of a Man named Theudomer son to Richomer a man of strong great and goodly stature wearing his Haire long and hée was descended of the race of Priam King of Phrygia and of Francion So that if this opinion be true it should enstruct vs that the Originall of the Françons or Françions procéeded of the Cimmerians and that those Cimmerians came from Phrygia and the Troyans The Cimbrians who were descended of the Cimmerians went to the banckes of Rhine and dwelt there in those straits where in these daies are the Countries of Holland and Gueldres But they were forced thence by frequent ouerflowings and strange invndations of the waters of Rhine The Sicambrians being issued of these Cimbrians and who neuer boudged from the shoares of Rhine as these others did of whom we haue formerly spoken they passed into Italy and from thence into other Regions heretofore mentioned And it is to be noted that when the Cimbrians went first to Rhine bee it that they came from the Pannonians by Land or from Phrygia and Thrace by the Germaine Sea being in number about 489360. they were by the Teutones and Thuringians Neighbors to Rhine named Neumagi as much to say as new Kins-men or Cousins Afterward when their King Antenor a man of great power had espoused Cambra a beautifull wise and chast Lady borne in the Country of Brittaine now called England in fauour of her he tearmed his people Sicambrians This happened in the yeare of the Worlds Creation 1550. At which time Artaxerxes raigned ouer the Persians and Hanniball passed first into Italie Antenor King of the Sicambrians lest to those his people inhabiting on the Rhine his Sonne Priam for their King After whom succéeded Marcomedes who extended his Dominion from the banckes of Rhine so farre as Thuringe The other Sicambrian Kinges succéeding after these fore-named did almost all of them tearme themselues Troyans which holdeth with good iudgement to shew that the Sicambrians were issued of the Cimmerians and Phrygians There were also many Kinges of these Nations and after that the Sicambrians grew to encrease néere the Rhine both in multitude of men and riches diuers other Kinges raigned ouer them who extended the limites of their possessions on eyther side the Rhine In the raignes of Clodion Clodomire the second Meradac and Bolon vnder conduct of whom the Cimbrians forsooke the shoares of Rhine by reason of the invndations of the saide Riuer and likewise of the Sea they leagued them-selues with the Teutones or Allemaignes and departed in great troopes from their habitations leauing very few there behinde them who being afterward vanquished by the Romaines with other people of the Gaules neighbouring néere the Rhine continued peaceably in their dwellings vntill the declining of the Romaine Empire but yet they were wadged as Souldiers in the Romaine Legions and serued the Romains faithfully in all their wars Some certaine yeares after they rebelled against the Emperour Honorius who conquâ—red them in a battaile But recouering theyr losse they grew in to good fauour with the Emperour Valentinian Héereupon some haue written that in regard they gaue him good ayde against the Alaâ—nes expelled them from the Palus Maeotides they were by him called Francks and dispensed withall for tenne yeares tribute which formerly as a Due they payed to the Romaines But at the ten yeares end the Emperor sent his Collectours to them to leuy againe the saide tribute whereto they would in no wise listen but despising his commaundement they murdered his Officers The Emperor being offended at their rebellion assembled a potent Army that vanquished them in battaile wherein also Priam their King was slaine and they driuen to flight from theyr Cittie Sicambria Beeing thus expulsed thence they came into Germany which then was enimy to the Romains possessing themselues of Thuringe they liued there for some time vnder the raigne of Marcomedes son to Priam of Sueno sonne to Antenor one of their Kings thus you may sée what some haue said But as concerning the Citty of Sicambria builded néer to the Palus Maeotides not by the Françones or Françions but onely so auouched by the writings of Hunibant
returned to him againe by suruiuing his saide Brother Dagobert was in great peril of death in the life time of his father because he had cut off his schoolmaisters beard and caused him to bee grieuously beaten but miraculously he auoyded the anger of his father whereupon he builded the Church of S. Denis in France which he inriched with treasures taken from other churches especially that of Poictiers and graunted them also the Fayre of Lendit Hee was the first that gaue any patrimony of the Crown to Churches He conquered the Sclauonians who were then Idolaters and quieted the Gascoignes that had rebeld against him compelling also the King of Bretaigne to do him homage It is said that being much addicted to pleasure he would train after him a troupe of gallant maidens apparrelled like to Quéenes By a perpetuall Edict hee banished all Iewes out of France that would not bée baptised During his raigne Mahomet the false Prophet a natiue of Arabia began to shew himselfe He raigned sixtéene yeares died of a Flux in his belly at Espinay and lieth buried at Saint Denis which hee instituted as a Sepulchre for Kings 12 Clouis second of that name succéeded his Father Dagobert in the yeare of mans saluation 645. He had but one bastard Brother named Sigibert who in the life time of his father Dagobert was prouided of the Kingdome of Austrasia and raigned there but eleauen yeares leauing a Sonne whom hee dearely re-commended vnto Grimoald Maire of his Pallace But he insted of aduancing him in his right caused him to bee shauen and sent vnto a Monastery in Scotland making his owne sonne Hildebert King of Austrasia Clouis hearing this wicked act within two yeares after caused Grimoald to bee put to death and expulsed Hildebert out of the Kingdome by which meanes Clouis remained sole Monarch of the Gaules He had by his wife Baudone a Lady of Saxonie thrée Sons who were all Kings each aftâ—r other In his time there hapned in Fraunce such scarsity of victuals and consequently such an extreame famine that Clouis to redresse it took from the Church of S. Denis the siluer couertures about the Relicks and roofe and other treasures wherewith his father Dagobert had enriched it to féede the poore in so great a misery exempting thereto in recompence the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Paris He went to Ierusalem and there warred against the Infidels He raigned sixtéene yeares and dying was buried at S. Denis 13 In the yeare 663. Clothaire thirde of that name succéeded after his father Clouis Kinges in those times were so carelesse of maintaining their Maiestie Royall that they suffered themselues to be gouerned by the Maires of their Pallace who had charge of all their publicke affaires while they in meane space gaue themselues wholly to voluptuousnesse These Maires héereby tooke such authority vpon them that the king was but as their vassaile and him woulde they kéepe in some Castle or other place of pleasure neuer shewing him to the people but onely once in a yeare the first day of May and then it was done with great pompe and Royall magnificence mounted in a triumphall Chariot and the people that tooke pleasure in such sights wold salute him onely with loud acclamations This course continued till Pepin le Bref which was almost an hundred yeares During the raygne of such Kings Paris and Normandie was all their largest demaines the rest of Oâ—ule being diuorced as it were from the Kings Soueraigne prerogatiue was in the possession of many Princes making themselues Dukes and Earles in theyr seuerall iurisdiction He lieth buried at Chelles néere Paris dying in the yeare 666. and fourth of his raigne Hee did not any thing deseruing to be written but onely kept his subiects in peace For Ebroin was so terrible he being then Maire and Gouernor as neither the princes of France or any other Straungers durst attempt to rayse Warre against him The honor both of kings and Kingdome died with Clothaire for the Maires of the Pallace pretending to guard the rightes of the Crowne beganne each one thorowe his owne auarice to debate the Gouernement of publicke affaires as formerly hath béene declared 14 Childerick second of that name and sonne of Dagobert succéeded his Brother Clothaire in the yeare 666. being receiued by the French in hatred of Theodorick who by the perswasion of Ebroine was crowned King but afterward shauen and put into S. Denis Monastery as Ebroine himselfe was at Lucon in Burgundie His insolencies and cruelties hastened his tragicall ending being slaine as he was hunting with his wife Blitilda great with childe by one named Bodille a Gentleman of Franconia whoÌ„ he had caused to be cruelly beaten He raigned 12 yeares and is buryed at S. Germain des Pres. 15 Theodorick first of that name Sonne also to Dagobert and Brother to Childerick was againe made king in the year 680. He after the death of Cothaire the third raigned a yeare and more before Childerick albeit he was the younger Brother onely by the meanes of Ebroine Maire of the Pallace But in regard of his badde gouernment he was shut vp in a Monastery and so was Ebroin Maire of the Pallace whose cruelties the French could not endure But Childerick and his Quéen being murdered in hunting he was fetcht forth of the Monastery and aduanced againe to the dignity Royall in the yeare before expressed And then was Landresill the son of Archambauld made Maire of his Pallace But Ebroin forsaking his Cloister got a great Army together won the victory against them killing Landresill by Treason and taking the King and kingdome into his owne gouernment reuenging himselfe without sparing any Hee ouercame Pepin and Martine Brothers to the Duke of Austrasia and contrary to his faithfull promise killed the saide Martine himselfe also being after slaine in the night time by Hermanfroy Count of the same country Pepin Heristell was then made Maire of the Pallace who carried himselfe valiantly in his Office and greatlie augmented the kingdome This King Theodorick whom some doo call Thierry hauing raigned xix yeares died in Anno 693. leauing two sons by his wife Clotilda Clouis who was king after him and Childebert During the raigns of these two precedent kings the greatnesse of Royal Maiesty which ought to be in Kings did ouer-much obscure it selfe the Church of Rauenna dissenting from the Romain Church was yet by meanes of Pope Donus drawne to voluntary conformity which greatlie encreased the Cleargies honour and their dignities so that the Romain Church much augmented it selfe 16 Clouis third of that name and eldest sonne to Theodorick entred into possession of the Royaltie being verie yong in years An. 694. In his time Pepin Heristell Maire of the Pallace passed the Rhine with a puissant Army subduing the Saxons and Sueuians who had reuolted from obedience by reason of some troubles happening in France Hee also
impositions whereby great seditions happened at Paris Rouen and Orleaunce The King tooke into the Armes of France againe the thrée Floure-de-Luces onely and fell sicke of a Phrenzy by reason of two factions in his Court the Dukes of Berry and Burgundy against the Dukes of Orleaunce and Bourbon whereby many lamentable mishaps ensued The Princes tooke the gouernment into their hands and diuision happening concerning the treasure the Duke of Burgundy caused the Duke of Orleaunce to bee slaine at Paris and the Duke of Burgundy was slaine at Montereau Phillip his Sonne craued ayde of the English who presently tooke well neere all Normandy beside the vnhappy day to the French of Agincourt or Azincourt where many woâ—ull Tragedies were acted on the Theater of France by the English Burgundians and the Kings Mother who was imprisoned at Paris The King of England maried Madame Katherine of France The Duke of Burgundy deliuered him the King the Quéene and the Citty of Paris where he caused him to be crowned King and many other Citties and Towns were deliuered him beside King Charls hauing raigned forty two yeares died at Paris and lieth buried at Saint Denis His raigne was long but full of calamity 54 Charles the seauenth Sonne to Charles the sixt was made King in the yeare 142. Hée found his Kingdome possessed in all partes by the English Paris and the greater part of the Realme beeing then commaunded by the Duke of Bedford Regent for young Henry King of England who called himselfe King of Fraunce held his Parliament at Paris was there crowned king and made the Seale and Monies also in his own name King Charles hauing nothing else but the Countries of Poictu Berry and Orleaunce whereon the English in a mockery called him the king of Bourges They went to besiedge the Cittie of Orleaunce but they were thence repulsed by the French Captaines For they had a Maide in their Company who was called Ioan the Pucelle and they verily beléeued that she was sent of God for the succour of King Charles and to chase the English out of France The King after the discomfiture of the English néere to Partenay was conducted to Rheimes and there crowned But the English got the Pucelle and burned her at Rouen The King made peace with the Duke of Burgundy who foorthwith left the English and afterward recouered Paris and Normandy from them King Charles raigned 38. yeares and lieth buried at S. Denis 55 Lewes the eleuenth succéeded his Father in the yeare 1461. beeing then in Burgundy whence the Duke conuayed him to Rheimes where he was crowned Hée found a number of notable Enemies both Domesticall and Forraigne For his Lords made warre against him which they tearmed The Weale-publike warre he lost the day to them at Montle-hery Gransson Nancy and Guinegaste The order of S. Michaell was then instituted and Iacques d'Armaguac beheaded His raigne was full of feare suspition and treachery which so pierced his hart that in a long time of dismay after 33. yeares gouernment he died and lieth buried at Nostre Dame de Clery 56 Charles the eight succéeded his Father Lewes in the yeare 1484. being crowned at the age of 14. yeares yet the States méeting at Tours appointed that hee should not haue any Regent Hee sustained a long warre in Bretayne which termined by his marriage with Anne eldest Daughter to Fraunces Duke of Bretayne by whom he had three Sons but could not long enioy any one of them At the request of his Confessour hee rendered to the King of Spaine the Earledomes of Roussillon and Parpignan which his Father had won Being in peace he aduentured to recouer the kingdom of Naples which he did without striking one stroke in full conquest K. Alphonsus and his son Ferdinand being thence retired left Glibert de Montpensier Vice-Roy there Returning home into France he was assailed on the way by the Romans Venitians and them of Milleyne at Fornouë where his person was in great danger the enemies being tenne to one Neuerthelesse hee charged them with such courage that he bare thence the victory He deliuered the Duke of Orleaunce béeing besiedged in Nouarre and made peace with the Duke of Millaine He returned home into France where hee dyed within a yeare after at Amboise as hée stood and beheld the Princes playing at Tennis He raigned fouretéene yeares and lieth buried at S. Denis Thus ended in him the direct ligne of Valois he dying without any heires Masle and then followed the collaterall Issue which began in 57 LEwes the twelft néerest of Kinne to Charles the eight in the yeare 1499. Hée beeing Duke of Orleaunce and also of Valois He repudiated Ioane Daughter to King Lewes the eleauenth whom hee had married perforce and espoused Anne of Bretaigne Widdow to the King his Predecessour He established a Parliament at Rouen gaue orders to the Uniuersitie of Paris sent his Army into Italy tooke Genes and Millayne and Lewes Sforza Duke of Milleyne who dyed a Prisoner in France The Kingdome of Naples was re-taken vnder the conduct of Monsieur d' Aubigny And the King vanquished the Venetians Army at Agnadell where hée tooke Bartholmew their Leader albeit the Pope banded with the Venetians against him Gaston de Foix tooke Boulongne and wonne the battaile néere to Rauenna where he was slaine by chasing the enemies ouer-far and yet notwithstanding the victory remained to the French with surprizall of the Cittie and many Captaines and great persons taken Prisoners Hereupon the Pope raised many heauy enemies against him whom in the ende hee woorthily vanquished He raigned 17. yeares and lieth buried at S. Denis 58 Frances de Valois as néerest of Kin succéeded King Lewes in the yeare 1515. This King bare such affection to learning that he was sir-named The Father and Restorer of the Sciences At his beginning he ouercame the Switzers took Millaine and Fontarabie Afterward being desirous to winne the Townes belonging to the Dutchy of Millaine and to bring his siedge before Pauia hee was taken Prisoner in the yeare 1524. and carried Captiue into Spaine Fraunce was then very greatly afflicted not only by this disaster but by a great Famine because the Corne was frozen vppe in the Earth The King was deliuered by a treaty holden at Madrill and married Elianor Sister to Charles the fift Emperour peace beeing then concluded in the yeare 1535. The King possessed himselfe of Sauoy Piedmont repulsing the Emperour out of Prouence But peace beeing made for tenne yeares the Emperour passed thorough Fraunce with very great entertainement War began in the Low-Countries which after many alarmes was accorded in the yeare 1544. euen then when the English won Bullen The King deceased at Rambouillet hauing raigned 32. yeares an lieth buried at S. Denis 59 Henry the second succéeded his father Frances de Valois in the yeare 1547. No way degenerating from the laudable
whō he had not any children Much strife war and bloodie bickering happened betwéene him and the Byshoppe of Vtrecht with shrewd disaduantages on eyther side till by the meanes of some Noblemen they were reduced to amity This Duke VVilliam by what occasion it could neuer bee knowne fell distracted of his senses and slew a Knight with a blow of his Fist so that hee was shut vppe vnder good Guarde for ninetéene yeares space euen till he dyed Hauing gouerned his Prouinces of Holland Zeland and Frizeland before his madnesse seauen yeares and Henault two 26 Albert of Bauaria Brother to Duke William in the time of his distraction was sent for from Bauaria and made Gouernour of his Brothers Countries in hope of his recouery which by no meanes coulde hee compassed Hee vanquished the Frizons in many rebellions tooke the Towne of Delft and beheaded the Baron of Eughien vppon sinister informations which caused great trouble betweene him and fire bretheren of the said Baron but vpon their reconcilement Count Albert builded the Channorny of the Chappell at the Court of the Hage In his time a Sea-Woman by reason of great Tempestes at Sea and extraordinarie high tides was seene swimming in the Zuyderzee betwéene the Townes of Campen and Edam which béeing brought to Edam and cleansed from the Sea-Mosse grown about her by her long abiding there she was like to another woman endured to be apparrelled would féede on meates as others did yet sought shee all meanes to escape and get into the water againe had shee not very carefully bin tended She did learne to spin and exercise other womanly qualities being daily séene of infinite persons who haue made perfect testimoniall of this race accident and signified if for an vndoubted truth auouching that she liued fiftéene yeares and lyeth there buryed in the Church-yard In the yeare 1404. this famous Prince Albert dyed after hée had gouerned his Countries forty sixe yeares ninetéene as he was Tutor to his distracted Brother and twenty seauen as Prince Heire and Lorde of those Countries beeing buryed at the Hage in Holland 27 William sixt of that name after the death of Duke Albert of Bauaria his Father succéeded as his immediate Heire His first Wife was Daughter to Charles the fift King of Fraunce and shée dyed young without any Issue He secondly married the Daughter of Iohn Sonne to Phillip the bold Duke of Burgundie by whom he had one onely Daughtex named Iaqueline or Iacoba as the Dutch vse to call her This Count William wasted Frizeland spoiled Liege and preuailed against the Gueldres as also the Lordes Father and Sonne of Arckell at Gorrichom and reconciled the Duke of Burgundy to the French King The Dolphine of France Sonne to King Charles the sixt marryed Iaqueline Count Williams Daughter but he being poysoned by putting on a shirt of maile died without Issue As Earle William himselfe did not long after being bitten in the Legge by a mad Dogge which hurt could neuer bee cured So that Lady Iaqueline his Daughter and widow to the Dolphine of Fraunce was his true Heire in all his Seigneuries He gouerned thirtéene yeares and lieth buried at Valenciennes in Henault 28 Iaqueline or Iacoba Daughter and Sole-heire to William of Bauaria succéeded her Father in all his Earledomes and Seigneuries being then Widdow to the Dolphine of France and yet but 19. yeares of age In regard of her youth and widdow-hood she endured much mollestation in her gouernment chiefely in Holland for the two factions tooke head againe and bandied their boldnesse on both sides the Hoeckins fauouring the Countesses faction and the Cabillantines her Enemies by which meanes her rule was greatly disturbed For Iohn of Bauaria forsaking his Bishoppricke of Liege sought to make himselfe an Earle and marry his Nice Iaqueline vtterly against her will and yet to dispossesse her of her rightfull inheritance for which purpose he leagued himselfe with the Cabillantines and other powerfull Friends who neuerthelesse were slaine in their bolde aduenture at Gorrichome And to frustrate the Bishoppes vaine hope the Pope dispenced her marriage with Iohn Duke of Brabant albeit hee was her néere Kinsman whereby their Patrimoniall inheritances were the more strengthened and hée acknowledged as their Prince in Henault Holland Zeland Frizeland c. It were néedlesse here to relate the following molestations of Iohn of Bauaria the bishop to his Niece Iaqueline taking on himselfe the title of Earle and therefore by some rancked among the Earls of Holland or the after marriages of Lady Iaqueline to the Duke of Glocester Vnckle to Henry the sixt King of England the fourth and last time in great priuacy to Frank of Borsselle Lieutenant of Zeland or her no meane troubles by the Duke of Burgundy to whom she resigned vp all her Countries Let it suffice that she liued in continuall vexations 19. yeares and dying at the Hage was buried in the Chappell of the Court of Holland 30 Phillip Duke of Burgundy being both by Father and Mother rightfull yeire and successor to the fore-named Countesse Iaqueline was thus entitled Phillip Duke of Bourgogne Brabant and Lembourg Earle of Flanders Artois Burgogne Henault Holland Zeland and Namur Marquesse of the holy Empire Lord of Frizeland Salins and Macklyn He had thrée Wiues by the two first hee had no Children but by the last named Isabel daughter to Iohn K. of Portugall he had thrée sons Anthony losse who died young and Charles Martin Earle of Charolois and successor to his father This Phillip of Bourgogn instituted the order of Knight-hood of the golden Fliece had much discontent with his Son Charles whom at length he married to the Lady Margaret Sister to Edward the fourth K. of England The Rebels of Gaunt and Bruges dearly felt the valour of this Phillip he besieged Callis surprized Luxemboug subdued Liege and ouer-came the Hamecons Hee excéeded all his predecessors Duks of Bourgogne in riches Seigneuries height of Pomp and State He died the fift of Iune 1467. hauing gouerned about forty yeares In his time was the famous Art of Printing first inuented the men of Harlem in Holland do challenge the first honor thereof but it was reduced to perfection at Mentz by one Iohn Faustus who had béen Seruaunt to Laurence Ianson of Harlem as they constantly affirme it 31 Charles Sur-named the Warlique Duke of Bourgogne succéeded in all his Fathers Titles and Dignities The Inhabitants of Gant resisting him he brought them vnder obeysance defeated the Liegeois in battaile which enforced Liege to yéelde to him He made peace with the French King who doubted to be detayned at Peronne by Duke Charles Vpon a fresh rebellion of the Liegeois The Duke forced king Lewes to go with him to the siedge of their town which hee ruined and practised the like of the House of Brederode He warred against the Frizons and carried many
in his posterity amongst which were Metellus Hermoneus Ptolomeus Hiberius and Simon Brechus Passing ouer the contentions in Ireland vnder the rule of the fore-named Himecus the three sonnes of Metellus viz Hermoneus Ptolomeus and Hiberius being sent thither in defence of the iniuried Scots let vs speake of this Simon Brechus lineally descended of the Scottish blood who was the first King that raigned ouer the Scots in Ireland he brought with him thither the fatal Marble stone and was thereon crowned in signe of his full possession of that kingdome in the yeare from the worlds creation 3270. after the floud 1616.55 from the building of Rome after Brutes entrance into Brittaine 870. and before our Sauiours incarnation 697. He gouerned his subiects with great Iustice fortie yeares after whom succeeded Fandufus from whom yssued Ethion that begate Glaucus whose sonne named Nottasilus was the father of Rothsay all which raigned successiuely ouer the Scots in Ireland Rothsay to auoide the super-abounding encrease of the Scottish Nation in Ireland transported them by diuers numbers into the Isles anciently called Ebonides afterward Hebrides but now by the Scots the Westerne Isles lying on the West halfe of Scotland and named the Isle he first possessed them of the isle of Rothsay after his owne name this was 133. yeares after Simon Brechus was crowned King Nor may we forget that they also named those Islandes and an especiall part thereof by the name of Argathelia in memory of their first guide Prince Gathelus and as yet to this day it is called Arguile wherein also as all ouer the mayne and firme land called then Albion and they Albion-Scots they planted themselues albeit it was a wast and very desert dwelling Héere could I enter into a necessary declaration concerning the comming of the Pictes into those partes of Albion what people they were their combustions with the Brittains and Scots and rule of their Kings till their absolute destruction according to an ancient Prophesie That the Scots should in the end destroy all the Pictish progeny But because I haue briefely spoken of them and hauing referred their further relation to our generall History we will now goe on with our matter of the Albion Scots In the troubles of Ireland among the Scots there inhabiting one Ferguhardus a very worthy and noble Prince raigned there who sent an armie to assist the Brittish and Albion Scots vppon theyr request of aide vnder the conduct of his son Fergusius who was a young gallant Prince yet an expert Warrior and tooke with him the Marble stone because he went to a dangerous war and hoped withall that the issue of his paines should be the attaining of a kingdome As indéed vpon an assembly and parlement held at Arguile and his high merit to excéed all others whatsoeuer he was elected and sacred in that supreame office in the yeare after the worlds creation 3640. before our blessed Sauiours incarnation 327. after the building of Rome 420. and after Brutes entrance into Britaine 790. This Fergusius after he had raigned royally the space of 25. yeares sayling into Ireland to quiet a discontentment amongst the Nobility was driuen vpon a Rocke where he perished by drowning and that Rocke hath euer since euen to this day bin called Rock-Ferguse otherwise Knock-Ferguse After the much lamented death of Fergusius because his sonnes were ouer young to vndergo the waighty charge of gouernment his Brother Feritharis was crowned King being enthroned in his Kingly Ornaments with all solemnitie his two edged sworde his scepter Royall and his Crowne of Golde made in forme of a Rampire for preseruation of his Countries libertie which manner of inuesting continued without any alteration till the dayes of Achaius King of Scotland who confirming a perpetuall league with Charlemaigne Emperor and K. of France to last for euer betwéene Scots and French added to the Crowne foure Floure de Lices with four Croslets deuided in sunder with equal spaces rising somewhat higher then the Floure de Lices that thereby the obseruing of Christian Religion and sincere faith maintained by the Scottish Nation might appeare the more apparant to al that behelde it After Feritharis who raigned worthy 15. yeares not Ferlegus the eldest sonne of Fergusius succéeded but Mainus the younger sonne being then aged 24. yeares and after him his son Doâ—uadille the following succession we will thus briefely relate Doruadil raigned 28. yeares Nothatus Brother to Doruadil raygned two yeares Reuther son to Doruadill 26. yeares Reutha the Vnckles son to Reuther seuentéene yeares and then entering into a priuate life he resigned the Crowne to Thereus Thereus the sonne of Reuther who raigned 12. yeares Conanus Lord of Galloway who after the decease of Thereus in Brittaine yeelded the gouernment to Iosina Brother to Thereus and raigned 24. yeares Finnanus sonne to Iosina thirty yeares Durstus sonne to Finnanus nine yeares Ewin Vnckles sonne to Durstus xix yeares Gillus base sonne to Ewin who being expulsed Ewin second of that name was crowned K. and raigning xix yeares resigned his state to Ederus Ederus the sonne of Dothan 38. yeares Ewin the third son to Ederus 7. yeares Metellanus sonne to Carren the Brother of Ederus in the 12. yeare of whose raigne our Sauiour Iesus Christ was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary in Bethlem which was 324 yeares after the establishing of the Scottish kingdome by Fergusius This Metellanus died in the 28. yeare of his raigne Caratake son to Cadallan and Nephew to Metellanus raigned xxi yeares Corbreid yongst brother to Caratake 34. years Dardan sur-named the Great for his huge stature foure yeares Corbreid Gald eldest sonne of King Corbreid 35. yeares This was a very worthy and famous King and the Countrey where hee last fought with the Romaines in memory of his owne name was called Galdia which as some thinke is that now named Galloway Lingthake son to Corbreid Gald two yeares Mogall nephew to Corbreid Gald six and thirty yeares Conarus son to Mogall 14. yeares Ethodius Nephewe to King Mogall In this Kingsraigne Lucius King of the Brittains with a great part of his people receyued the Christian faith being according to the Scottish Chronicles in the yeare after our Sauiours byrth 187. This Ethodius raigned 33. yeares Satrahell or Serrahell Brother to Ethodius raigned foure yeares Donald Brother to Satrahell 21. years In this kings time the Scots receiued with him the Christian faith 330. yeares after the erection of the Scottish Kingdome And this Donald was the first that caused Golde and Siluer to bee coyned in his Realme stamping a Crosse on the one side and his face on the other Euthodius the second beeing Sonne to the former King Euthodius raigned 16. yeares Athirco son to Ethodius 12. yeares Natholocus a Noble man of Argile xi yeares Findocke sonne to Athirco ten yeares Donald Brother to Findock
and all our famous Riuers of Britain with the Deucalion Sea and Islandes of Brittaine especially Archadia Aemonia Arachne are glorious records of Brute and the Troyans the founders of Britaine Diuers our most ancient Citties and Townes of Britaine as Oxford vpon Isis and Themis Troia-noua vppon Isis Themis and Rhea Albanorum Yorke Brigantium ciuitas Antandros turned to S. Andros Parthaon Perthe turned to Saynt Iohns Town Albanum ciuitas turned to S. Albanes Chester and Doriscestria with the auncient Townes of Derby and Leicester and Tyanton vpon Tamares Riuer of Britaine with diuers other Townes and Citties of Britaine are Records of Brute and the Troyans Founders of Britaine The diuers Nations and people of Britaine as the Troy-nouants Brigantes Scotobrigantes the people of Albania Calydonia and Aetolia the Iberi the Albani and Georgij the people of Derbie and Leycester the people of Chester that came from Cestria Epiri with the Dores loues and Cares and the Tamarites of Tyanton commonly called Tanton All these are Records of the Noble people of Greece and Asia the remaines of the Troyans that came into to Britaine with Brute To these adde a Catalogue or Register of the ancient Princes Noblemen and Gentlemen of Britaine whereof there are some remaining to this verie day beginne wee then thus Brute Corineus Locrine Camber Albanacte Madan Mempricius Ebranke and hys twentie Sonnes Brute Greensheild Assaracus and Cecilius c. Belinus and Brennus Cambra or Cambria Antenors Wife Cambra Belinus Daughter Conidagus King of Albania slewe Morgan at Glammorgan Conidagus builded the Temple of Minerua at Bangor in Wales the temple of Mars at Parthaon now S. Iohns town of Aetolia in Scotland Aruiragus in whose dayes a Ioseph of Aramithia preached in Brittaine Leile Androgeus Brother to Cassibelanus this Androgeus let Iulius Caesar into Brittaine Pirrhus Alexander Arcadius Alexander Audax Achaius Etolus Helena Coile Constantine Graye Persie Dercie Carie Busir or Bousir Cicell Cydne Dennis Bridgis Andros Carowe Caros Tracie Rhese ap Rhesus Oen or Owen King of Calydon Brent the son of Hercules Thinn Euance Bryce Hil Drake Calais Nele Gryne Dorill Hodie Crane c. These and infinite more beside whiche Brute brought with him from the Countries of Isis and Themis and from Albania Calydonia Sylua and Etolia in Greece to Albania Calydonia Sylua and Etolia in Britaine are vndoubted records of him and the Troyans Founders of Britaine Thus much out of Maister Lytes Light of Brittaine which worthy Gentleman being deceased his Son Maister Thomas Lyte of Lytescarie Esquire a true immitator and heyre to his Fathers Vertues hath not long since presented the Maiesty of King Iames with an excellent Mappe or Genealogicall Table contayning the bredth and circumference of twenty large shéets of Paper which he entitleth Brittaines Monarchy approouing Brutes History and the whole succession of this our Nation from the very Original with the iust obseruation of al times changes and occasions therein happening This worthy worke hauing cost aboue seauen yeares labour beside great charges and expence his highnesse hath made very gracious acceptance of and to witnesse the same in Court it hangeth in an especiall place of eminence Pitty it is that this Phoenix as yet affoordeth not a fellowe or that from priuacie it might not bee made more generall but as his Maiesty hath graunted him priuiledge so that the world might be woorthie to enioy it whereto if friendship may preuaile as he hath bin already so shall he be still as earnestly sollicited Brute the sonne of Siluius hauing vnfortunately slaine his father in hunting as he shot his Arrow at a Deare was therefore bannished his Countrey whereupon he went into Grece where a great number of the Troyans liuing before in seruitude resorted to him and by his valour hee gaue them liberty by conquerring Pandrasus King of that Country who was descended of the Noble Achilles Hee compelled him also to let him haue his faire Daughter Innogen in marriage with furniture money victuals and Shipping wherewith after many hard aduentures passing along the straits of Gibralterra and coasting along the shore on the right hand hee met with Corineus and another company that came with him from Troy likewise with Antenor Ioyning then their powers together they sayled on til arriuing within the riuers mouth of Loire which deuideth Aquitaine from Celtike Gallia supposed to bee Gascoigne they landed in the Dominions of a King called Goffarius and Surnamed Pictus by reason hee was descended of the people of Agathyisi who were other-wise termed Picts King Goffarius with his men dyd sharply resist those new commers but sustayned the worst twice in the last conflict Brutes Nephew named Turnus was slaine in whose memory Brute builded there a City which to this day is called Tours in Touraigne Departing thence he and his traine came to the Isle of Britaine and landed at the hauen now called Totnesse Anno. 2855. and after the destruction of Troy 66. before the building of Rome 368. years which was before our Sauiours natiuity 1116. almost ended He found this land desolate sauing a few Giants who in short time were vanquished for Corineus wrastled with the strongest of them named Goemagot or Gogmagog at a place beside Doner where hee cast him headlong downe from one of the rockes in regard whereof the place is called Gogmagogs Leap or fal Brute builded London calling it Troy-newydh or Troia-noua He begate on his wife Innogen 3. sons among whom he deuided his kingdome before his death To Locrine who was the eldest hee gaue the middle part calling it Loegria or Loegiers To Camber his second sonne he gaue the west part of the Island calling it Cambria or Cymbry deuided from Loegria by the riuer Seuerne To his third son Albanact he gaue al the North part entitling it Alban or Albania according also to his name To Corineus his deare estéemed friende and companion hee gaue that part of the Land which after him to this day is called Corinwall Lastly when he had gouerned this land 24. yeares Hee died and was buried at that new Citty which he had builded Anno ante incarnat Christi 1132. Locrine after his Father Brutes death was king of Loegria and Lorde Paramount of the whol Island of Britain In his time Humber or Humyr King of the Hunnes entered into Albania and slew Albanact But Locrine and Camber to reuenge their brothers death met in Arms with Humber neere to an arme of the Sea that parted Loegria and Albania where killing him in the fight they threw his body into the water which in memory of his name is yet called Humber Locrine married Guendolen Daughter to Corineus but falling in loue with Estrilde a strange Lady in King Humbers Campe hee reiected his wife which caused her to raise an army againste him In triall of that fight Locrine was slaine and Guendolen drowned Estrilde with her Daughter Sabrine
third moneth of his raigne was led captiue into Egypt and his Brother constituted king in his place by the king of Egypt Iocim raigned eleauen yeares For his abhominations he was chained and led captiue to Babylon by Nabuchadonoser the great king of the Assyrians Tarquinius Priscus was fift king of the Romains In Greece then liued Sapho Stesichorus Pherecydes Draco Solon and others of the Sages Ioachim otherwise called Ieconias being 18. yeares old and besiedged by the Assyrians yeelded himselfe with his Mother his Princes and the greater part of his people to Nabuchadonoser and was transported into Babylon where in prison he begat Salathiell Father to Zorobabell then liued Ezechiell Baruch and Daniell Sedechias his Vnckle was constituted king in the place of Ieconias by Nabuchadonoser by whom after the eleuenth yeare of his raigne hée was taken as a Rebell his eyes were pluckt out and then he was led with the rest of the people to Babylon In this time the Temple and City of Ierusalem was miserably burned by the Assyrians Then happened that lamentable captiuity of Babylon fore-told by the Prophets and continued seauentie yeares all which was occasioned by the contempt of Gods word false Doctrine and auarice in the Priests and Prophets conioyned with the tirrany of their Kings and sinnes of the people but especially idolatry as appeareth in Ieremy Cap. 19 22 23 29 32. Baruch 6. Ezechiell 13 22. And then was this great Nabuchadonoser for his arrogancie thrust out of his kingdome and fed with the Beasts Seruius Tullius was sixt King of the Romaines Croesus in Lydia Balthazar in Babylon and for abusing the Vessels of the Temple hee was slaine The kingdome then deuolued to Darius the Medean Vnckle of Cyrus King of Persia and Medea The Monarchy of the Caldeans Assyrians or Babylonians NAbuchadonoser the great King of Babylon in the 24. yeare of his raign and of the world 3362. was he that established the great and first Monarchy described with that of the Persians Grecians and Romaines by Daniell compared to the head of gold and to the Eagle flying It endured but seauenty eight yeares in three Kings and he that raigned longest it was but 43 yeares Euilmerodach whom Herodotus calleth Labynitus raigned thirty yeares Thales Clito Pittacus Bias Cleobulus and Periander wisemen of Greece are all referred to this time And it is an error to seperate them otherwise as some haue done Soloâ— being the most ancient Balthazar the contemner of God and renewer of the olde Caldean idolatry abolished before abusing in his feasts those vesselles which had bin taken from the temple of Ierusalem and making a mockery at the true God of the Iewes was put to death by the Medes and Persians who possessed them-selues of the Monarchy in the tenth yeare of his raigne There is great difficulty about this Monarchie which cannot heere bee declared The Monarchy of the Persians CYrus sent home the Iewes into their country with Zerobabell their conduâ—er to repayre the Temple He made warre against the Scythians for the space of sixtéene yeares in which time raigned his Son Câ—mbyses Daniell then foretolo the passion of Iesus Christ and the desolate ruine of Ierusalem vnder Vespasian after seauenty Wéekes were passed ouer which were 490. yeares after the repayration of the Citty Tarquine the proude for the violation of Lucretia was then chased out of Rome Consulles were created the year 244. after the building of Rome Cyrus raigned 29. yeares Read more of Cyrus his sonne Herodotus lib. 1 3. Xenophon 8. Cambyses raigned alone eight yeeres being a cruell man he slew his Brother and Sister and caused a Iudges skin to be flayed off because hee had iudged falsely Pythagoras the great Phylosopher sailed into Egypt to learne Diuinity and to Babylon for Astrologie and the course of the starres Many doo referre the History and ouerthrow of Holofernes to this time but according to Genebrard it is reputed to the time of Nabuehadonoser Darius the sonne of Hidaspes otherwise called Ahasuerus the husband of Hester raigned 36 yearee He entred into Greece with sixe hundred thousand fighting men afterward vanquished Miltiades being accompanied onely with eleuen thousand men Coriosanus the Romaine was now put into exile and Esope composed his booke of Fables Now liued also Anacharsis Anâ—ximenes and Heracâ—â—â—us Phylosophers Anaximander invented the Horoâ—oge and Spheare strong Milo was in this time Read more of Darius in Herodotus and Iustine Lib. 1. Xerxes raigned twenty yeares Hee assayled the Grecians with a far greater Army then that his Father had which was repulsed by Themistoâ—les In meane while his Sonne Artaxerxes hold the Kingdome by whose commaundement Eâ—â—râ—s restored the Common-weale of the leâ—es and Nehemias by strong hande repayred the walles of the Citty Now liued Câ—mon Aristedes and Pindarus the Poet as also Pericles that wise and valiant Athenian Captaine of whom read more in his life set downe by Plutarch Artaxerxes or Darius Long-hand helde the kingdom aboue twentie yeares Now did the ten men write the law of the twelue tables at Rome and now liued Empedocles Sophocles Gorgias Anacreon Democritus Euclides Hippocrares and Herodotus Greece became diuided into two factions by reason of a great contentious war Read more thereof in Thucidides Xenophon Darius the Bastard raigned 19. years in whose time liued Socrates Aristophanes Thucidides Alcibiades Lysander Conon Epaminondas Architas Timon Dionisius of Siracusa the Tyrant And now was the kingdome of the Sicambrians and Francus in Franconia according to Trithemius where raigned forty Kings Artaxerxes Mnemon raigned fortie yeares and exercised acts of Armes with his Brother Cyrus Thrasibulus chased the Lacedemonian Tyrants out of Athens Rome was taken by the Gaules vnder the conduct of Brennus that bold warriour Then liued Xenophon the Captaine Phylosopher and Orator Plato Phocion Isocrates Polybius Praxiteles Metasthenes Camillus and Crates Occhus a most cruell Tyrant raigned sixe and twenty yeares Phillip King of Macedon oppressed the liberty of all Greece At Rome was then Curtius Torquatus Decius Corinnus the hundred and sixty Matron Sorceresses Iadus was High-Prâ—est of the Iewes and then liued Berosus the Historian Arses or Arsaces raigned thrée yeares His tyrrannicall actions were the cause that all the race of great Cyrus perished Alexander the great the Son of Phillip then vanquished and demolished the Citty of Thebes And then were Demosthenes Diogenes and Epicurus Darius the last King was ingrateful and disloyall hee was also ouer-come by Alexander in the sixt yeare of his raigne The Samnites then subdued the Romaines and then was Ceius Papyrius Cursor M. Curius Dentatus triumphing in his humility of minde refused the treasures of the Samnites and he would neither be vanquished in warre nor corrupted with money Valer. Max. lib. 2. cap. 3. The Monarchy of the Graecians ALexander the great hauing one onely Army of
three yeares Antiochus Grypus the sonne of Demetrius hauing vanquished and slaine Alexander Zebin in battell raigned 29. yeares During which time his Brother Antiochus the Cyzicenian made warre vpon him without intermission After the death of this Antiochus Grypus mightie troubles were in Syria for some time because they of the royall race were in continuall warres killing and maâ—sacring one another Vntill such time as one Antiochus the sole remainder of that race dying without any successor Tigranes K. of Armenia inuaded this great kingdom wherevpon he was not long after surprized by the Romaines vnder the conduct of Pompey and the Countrey was then reduced into the forme of a Prouince the yeare of the Citty of Rome 693. Of Egypt and the Succession of the Kings there raigning PTolomeus Lagus Soter the most excellent man of all Alexanders Captains was made King raigned fortie yeares ouer Egypt Theophrastus Zeno Theocritus and Menander then liuing and the Romaines made Warre agaynst Pyrrhus Read more of this King in Iustine lib. 13 14 15. Orosius lib. 3 cap. 23. Fergusius was the first king of Scotland Ptolome Philadelphus raigned 38. yeares He first appointed that great Library in Alexandria and caused the Bookes of the Bible to be translated into the Gréeke tongue by the seauentie two Interpreters Aristeus Phalaris Chrisyppus Carneades and Aratus then liued and at Rome happened the first Punick warre Regulus Ptolomey the Liberall husband to his owne Sister raigned 26. yeares At Rome then grew the second Punick War and then liued the Scipioes Fabius Maximus and Marcellus Hanniball was vanquished by Scipio Affricanus the eldest And in this time liued the Authour of the Booke of Wisedome Ptolomey the Parricide raigned 17. yeares He slew his Mother and his Sister who also was his wife At Rome began the warre of Macedon against King Phillip and the war of Asia against the great Antiochus and Hanniball the Fugitiue Then liued great Cato Ennius Neuius Plautus Panetius And Iesus the Sonne of Syrach Author of the Booke of Ecclesiasticus Simon the Iust being Byshop of the Iewes Ptolomey Epiphanes vnder the tutelage of the Romaines raigned 24. yeares The Brethren Macchabees did then valiantly withstande Antiochus the most cruell Tyraunt of Syria his great repentance is to be read in the second Booke of Macchabees the ninth Chapter Ptolomey called Matricide raigned 35. yeares Paulus Aemilius hauing taken the Persian king made Macedon a Prouince to the Romaynes Then happened the third Punicke Warre The warre of Achaia and of Numantia in Spain vnder Scipio Affricanus the younger and Lelius Terence then liuing Ptolomey the Liberall otherwise called Physcus a verie detestable man beeing Brother to Ptolomy the Matricide raigned nine twentie yeares He married his Brothers wife and afterward her Daughter The Sects of the Pharisies Sadduces and Esseans then arose At Rome was the seruile warre And the lawes for actions of the field by the Gracchi Ptolomey Alexander hauing expelled his brother Lathyrus raigned seauentéene yeares Afterward he was thrust out himselfe by his owne people for the death of Cleopatra a wicked woman At Rome was the Iugurthine warre and three Sunnes visibly séene in this time Functius doth attribute these seauentéene yeares and this raigne to Ptolomey Lathyrus preferring him before Ptolomey Alexander Ptolomey Lathyrus beeing repealed to rule againe raigned eightéene years At Rome was the Cimbrian warre Mithridates warre and the ciuill warre betwéene Marius and Sylla Then li Lucullus Antonius and Crassus Orators Lucretius the Poet Varro Sylla dominéered cruelie who retyring himselfe to liue sollitarilie in the fields dyed of Vermine engendred in his owne bodie Ptolomey Auleâ—es raigned thirty yeares Being excluded by his owne people vnder Pompeyes authority he was reseated by Gabinius Pompey ouer-came Hieras and Sertorius the Pyrates as also Tigranes and Mithridates Then was the conspiracy of Cataline Caesar vanquished the â—aules Cicero liued in exile and Crassus was foyled by the Partheans Ptolomey Dionysius the last King raigned 8. yeares he caused great Pompeyes head to bée cut off Then liued Catullus Hortensius Salust Diodorus Siculus Cato Vtican M. Lepidus Marcellus and Marke Anthony Cleopatra helde the kingdome a-while with her Brother and afterward wholly by her selfe two and twentie yeares Shee vnderstanding that Marke Anthonie was vanquished by Augustus slew her selfe Now was the ciuil warre between Pompey and Caesar And that goodly Library that contained two hundred thousand Volumes was burned in this time Plutarch in vit Antoni The Monarchy of the Caesars or Romaines IVlius Caesar a very gracious Prince and one of the Worlds chiefest Captaines raigned fiue yeares He vanquished Pompey and his confederates Ptolomy hee slew restored Cleopatra his friend Sister to Ptolomy to the kingdom of Aegypt Returning home to Rome he was slaine in the Senate house by Brutus Cassius and other Conspirators Dioscorides then liued but if you would haue more of Caesars life read Suetonius Florus in the life of Caesar Octauius Augustus the last Nephew of Iulius by the Sisters side and his adopted Sonne raigned 56. yeares he was happy in war moderate in peace and liberall to euery one Then liued Virgill Horace Tibullus Propertius Vitruuius Mecenas And then dyed Cleopatra and her husband Marke Anthony Aegypt being then reduced into a Prouince Herod a stranger fauoured by Augustus was then King of Iudea So the Scepter being wholly taken from Iuda Iesus Christ God and man the Sauiour of the world was then borne of a Virgin in Bethlehem according to the Prophesies of Iacob Genes 49 Esay 7 Micheas 5. Iesus Christ came in the yeare of Augustus forty two and of the world 3963. Ouid was then in exile the Citty of Lyons founded and then liued Titus Liuius Valerius Maximus Strabo and Francus King of the Sicambrians in the lower Allemaigne Aquila Tuberus Galba Labeus and Caius were then Law-giuers or Law-Makers Herod the great murderer of Innocents and there were numbred then at Rome foure hundred sixty foure thousand men Claudius Tiberius the Sonne of Liuia afterward Wife to Augustus raigned 23. yeares beginning very well but proouing afterward to bée most wicked Iesus Christ for our saluation was then crucified in Hierusalem vnder Pilate the Prouost of Iudea he said that A good Shepheard should clip his Sheepe and not deuour them C. Caligula Sonne of Germanus a most wicked Man raigned thirtéene yeares This beast the ruine of men made himselfe to bee adored as God hee poysoned his Vnckle Tiberius and defloured all his Sisters leauing them then to others like abusing T. Claudius Vnckle of Caligula and Monster of Men raigned fouretéene yeares He preferred Nero before his owne Son by the treason of whom hee was poysoned with a Mushrome Messalina his first wife peerelesse in all labricity and wickednes then flourished And Saint Peter the Apostle liued reported
other in the West foure yeares togither Constantine commanded in Gaul Spaine Affrica and Italie The other in Greece Arnobius Lactantius Dorotheus bishop of Tyre Eusebius and other Learned personages liued at this time Galerius Maximianus tearmed Armentarius because he was a Neat-heards son was made Emp. being a goodly person a fortunat warrior Maximinus nephue to Armentarius by his sister was Emp. persecuted the Christians in the East Seuerus Prefect of Italy and Africke was published Emperor by Galerius fighting with Maxentius was taken at Ravenna and slaine Maxentius elected Emperor by his souldiors raigned a Tyrant and was like vnto his Father Maximinus Being vanquished by Constantine néere to Pont-Miluius he was drowned in a Gulfe and his body neuer after found Licinius Licinianus borne of Countrey Parents was fortunate in the wars which he had against Maximinus Afterward hee became a mocker of Christ and persecuted such as beléeued in him and because he was ignorant hee was a great enemy to all that were learned Martinianus was created Caesar by Licinius against Constantine he was in his camp at night but sled before next morning Constantine the great son of Helena an holy woman with Maxentius and Licinius reigned 31. yeares He was religious and affable and transported the Bible into diuers Countries He assembled the Councell of Nice against Arrius the Heretick He builded the Citty of Constantinople calling it after his owne name whither the Imperiall seate was translated and changed from Rome into Greece after he had granted Syluester to be Pope Euseb lib. 10. Niceph. lib. 8. Crispus was made Caesar by his father Constantine but being afterward falsly accused to his father he was put to death for that he would not consent to the inordinate appetite of Faustine his Stepmother Constantine the second with his brethren raigned 17. yeares ioyning thereto the thrée yeares raigne of Magnentius Themistius Donatus and Libanius the Sophister then â—iued and S. Anthony the Heremite was knowne in Aegypt by many miracles Iulian the Apostata helde the true Religion ten yeares and was named Emperor by the men of warre in Paris against his will He forbad the Christians the study of letters and being wounded to death hee cryed out At length thou hast vanquished O Galilean S. Cyrill Optatus Basile Nazianzene Epiphanius Hilarie Didimus Exuperus· all learned Diuines then flourished Iouianus a kind and learned man raigned eight months and made confession to his Warriours of the name of Iesus Christ Now was the first order of Monkes instituted by S. Basile vnder certaine rules of liuing Valentian a good and Catholique Prince and Valens his Brother raigned fiftéene years This man held the error of the Arrians and constrained the Monkes to vndertake Armes in war he died vnhappily Gratian the son of Valentinian during whose whole life time hee was an associate in the Empire Hee raigned afterward with Valentinian the second his younger Brother and Theodosius sixe yeares Maximus tearmed Emperor by his Souldiers slew Gratian and held the Empire foure yeares after which time Valentinian returned to the Empire againe fiue yeares Theodosius after that Gratian was slaine by Maximus raigned thrée yeares with his Brother Valentinian the death of whom was bemoaned by Saint Ambrose for the great zeale hee had to Christian Religion S. Hierome S. Augustine and P. Orosius then liued Arcadius and Honorius the Sons of Theodosius raigned twenty nine yeares as well in the East as in the West About this time the great Empire of Rome began to decline by the infidelity of Ruffinus and Stilico their Tutors The very greatest part thereof was vsed by the Scythians Burgundians Lombardes Hungarians French Goths and Vandals And Rome was foure times taken by the Goths and Vandals within a 139. yeares Then liued S. Chrysostom and Claudian Honorius raigned with Theodosius Sonne to his Brother sixtéene yeares Theodosius the second youngest Sonne of Arcadius raigned at Constantinople twenty seuen yeares after the death of Honorius hauing afflited Valentinian the third the Son of Constantius and Placida Daughter is Theodosius who raigned fiue yeares in the west At this time the Frenchmen leauing Franconia beganne to enter vppon the Gaules vnder Clodion their second King F. Valerius Martianus raigned in the East seauen years and Valentinian the third at the same time in the west during their raigne the Burgundians other western Nations were conuerted to the Faith The Vandals came out of Spayn into Affrica and afterward they tooke Rome vnder the conduct of their King Genserichus Attila King of the Hunnes entred into Gaul with fiue hundred thousand men deliuered battle to Meroüeus their second king who had ioined with Aetius Lieutenant to the Emperor There hee lost an hundred and fourescore thousand men fled into Hungaria not any man being wounded behind About this time was great Arthur King of Britaine Leo the first reigned 17. yeares associated by Leo the sonne of his daughter who after he had reigned one yeare alone gaue vp the Empire to Zeno his Grandsire who raigned tyrannically 17. yeares The estate of the Church was then very greatly troubled as also that of the Western Empire Italy had then nine Emperors in twenty yeares who all slue one another Anastasius raigned twenty fiue yeares Hée was an Eutichian Heretique was smitten with lightning and dyed as a iust punishment for his Heresie Fulgentius Iustine raigned 9. years he was first a Swine-heard afterward a Cow-heard next a Carpenter a Souldier a Captaine and last of all Emperor gouerning very well and godly and expelling the Arrian Heretiques Then liued Boetius and S. Bennet or Benedict began his order Iustinian raigned thirty eight yeares All his care and study was to repaire the decayed Empire and re-establish ciuill right in the execution wherof he was seconded by excellent personages especially by Belfarius Narses and Tribonianus The first chased the Vandals out of Affrica which they had held 95. years and deliuered Rome from the Gothes who had conquered it and yet were once more expulsed thence by Narses Iustine the second raigned ten yeares beloued of al men for his liberality Sophia his wife mocked him with Narses the Gouernour of Italy whereat hee beeing offended called the Lombardes by whose helpe he reuenged himselfe Now was the Kingdome of the Lombardes founded by Clebus where raigned thirty two kinges vntill the time of Charles the Great Tiberius the second raigned seauen yeares hée was a very charitable man one that loued God and his Saints and therefore no doubt was beloued of him againe Mauritius raigned twenty yeares hee was descended of very meane Parentage and in the end was murthered for his couetousnesse a vice as much discommendable in a Prince as liberality is beséeming and maketh him renowmed Phocas raigned eyght yeares And beeing the Murderer of his Predecessor himselfe was likewise murdered
million of men Sigismund reigned 27. yeares a man renowned for wisedome and goodnesse Then was the Councell of Constance wherein thrée popes were deposed Iohn Hus and Hierom of Prage were then burned Albertus the second reigned two yeares well and valiantly He chased Amurath the Turke out of Hungary Frederick the third a louer of Peace raigned 53. yeares Then was Constantinople taken The Art of Printing found out Artillerie more auncient 1380. Gaza Victornius Blondus Aeneas Syluius Platina Bessarion G. Trapezoncius N. Perottus Pomponius Laetus H. Barbaxus A. Politianus I. Picus Mirandula B. Mantuanus Ph. Beroaldus Maximillian a louer of vertuous men raigned 27. yeares He was valiant and learned could deliuer his actions himselfe in the Latine tongue Then liued I. Nauclerus Volaterranus G. Valla Polydor Virgill A. Sabellicus I. Reuchlinus Iouianus Pontanus M. Ficinus P. Crinitus Amb. Calepinus Trithenius P. Bembus and others Charles the fift a most magnanimous prince raigned 35. yeares In his time happened maruellous mutinies in Germany by Peazantes and Rusticke people of which were slaine more then an hundred thousand in lesse space then 3. Moneths Beside these strange warres there insued ciuill dissentions likewise about matters of religion Erasmus Io. Lud Viues Luther Munster Camerarius Fuctius Latomus Sadoleâ—us Pagninus Eugubinus Melancthon Rhenanus S. Grineus Zozius Oldendorp Alciat Zuinglius Oecolampadius and others then liued Ferdinando a Prince wise vigillant liberall kind and a louer of quietnesse He made warre vpon the Turkes in Hungary for the space of 38. yeares and laboured to accord the Christians to the end that the enemy might be resisted by generall consent He raigned seauen yeares and then liued Gesner Lycosthenes Sturmius Gualterus Riuius Pantaleon Vadian P. Constantinus Functius c. Maximillian the second sonne of Ferdinand was a good and prudent Prince not dissolute in habits but liuing soberly hauing knowledge in many toogues good iudgement speaking discréetly and sententiously and inclined to receiue al requests as also to giue liberally Neuer curious of rich Cabinets or sumptuous buildings He reigned twelue yeares Rodulphus the second sonne to the most vertuous Prince Maximillian and raigning at this present To whom God giue grace as to al other Monarches Princes and Potentates to do those thinges that become a Christian Prince blessing him with good Councell faithfull people c. Now come we againe to the Emperors of the East Nicephorus who was kinsman to Irene got the Empire from her by craft exiling hir thence as hath béene before declared and méerely vsurping the Empire of Constantinople At his first enterance euery one hadde a singular good opinion of him because they grewe weary of a Womans gouernement Neuerthelesse he proued to bee wicked cruel and couetous therfore felt quickly his deserued punishment For entring battle against the Bulgarians he was discomfited and slaine His sonne Stauratius whom he had made fellow Emperor with him was likewise then sore wounded and dismissed of the Empire with in thrée moneths after by Michaell Curopalates who had married his sister Procopia And so hee was sent to finish his daies in a Monastery Stauratius the sonne of Nicephorus a man deformed and mishapen hauing also a simple spirit was made companion and participant in the Empire with his Father And yet notwithstanding very soone after his Fathers death he was chased from his Empire his haire being shauen off and he inclosed in a Monastery not raigning after his father aboue thrée moneths or thereabout Michaell Curopalates otherwise called Rangabus was Emperour after Nicephorus and his sonne Stauratius This Emperor Michaell was better skild in the affaires of peace pollicy and Iustice then in the action of warre For in his first battell against the Bulgarians he fled away like vnto a Coward and hid himselfe in a Monastery to which life hee yéelded himselfe and quite forsooke the Empire as not willing to meddle any more eyther with warre or the State of an Emperor He according as Nicephorus did the like sent an Ambassador to Charlemaine the new made Emperor of the west to treat of peace and alliance with him And it was agréed that the Venetians should liue according to their own Lawes Customes and ancient liberties Leo of Armenia was Emperor of Constantinople being the fift of that name and the fourth after Charlemaine Emperor of the Romaines who began with Nicephorus He was Colonell of the warlike troopes belonging to the Emperor Michaell Curopaletes and aspyring to dominion he raised a commotion and so was made Emperor by the Souldiers Hee being thus elected Emperor entring into his Pallace-Royall hee caused the priuy members of the Sonne of the said Emperor Michaell to be cut off and then banished him He Conquered the Bulgarians recouered Thrace tooke many of his enemies reprehended their boldnesse that had surprized Adrianapolis and prepared also to besiedge Constantinople Hée would by no means suffer the Images of saints but beat downe and defaced them Not long after himselfe was taken and slaine in a Church as he was assisting Diuine seruice in the eyght yeare of his Empire his wife was bestowed in a Monastery and his Children closely conuaied away Michaell the Stammerer or stutterer a wicked man and murderer of the foresaid Leo was after him made Emperor of Constantinople Hee was descended of base and vile place and there was one called Thomas a man also of as base Birth that sought to vsurpe the Empyre working so many disturbances thereto that the Emperour being halfe in despaire commanded a great chain of yron to thwart the arme of the Sea euen from Constantinople so farre as Pera. But in the ende he tooke this Thomas and caused his handes and féet to be cut off At this time the Sarazins surprised Candy had two seuerall victories ouer the Gréekes and Michaell died of a flux in his belly Theophilus sonne to Michaell the Stammerer was Emperor of Constantinople after his father He was a good Iusticer well affected towards his Subiects but he held the Images of Saints in great detestation and seuerely punnished all such as worshipped them being therein his fathers true follower Two seuerall times he gaue battell to the Sarazins that wasted and spoyles the Countries of Asia And as many times was he foiled loosing there all his Tents and Pauillions Amorium a little village of the higher Phrygia being the place of his birth was besieged taken and rifled by those Sarazins The Emperour grieued thereat so immeasureablie that hee refused to eate and woulde drinke nothing but colde water So falling into a Dysenterie hee died Theodora after the decease of Theophilus her Husband as Tutresse or Guardian vnto her son Michaell who was in his young yeares gouerned the Empire of Constantinople very sufficiently comforting the poore distressed Christians and reuoking home such as liued in exile about the question of Images She treated a peace with the
conquered by the Christians vnder the conduct of Godfrey of Bullen and those that then remained of the Turkes retired themselues to Nicea hauing neuer after any one K. of renowne vntill this man who made himselfe a Monarch hath the first place in the History of the Turkes He was but of meane descent yet of great spirit cunning dilligent and ambitious hauing euermore in his hart a desire to raigne and pondered vpon all meanes that thereto might best aduance him In this high disposition hee founde Fortune very fauourable to him for he subdued the greater part of Bithinia tooke many fortes néere to the Pontick Sea But his very greatest honour was the surprising of Sina a Citty anciently called Sebastia He died aged in the first yeare of Phillip de Valois King of France and Edward the third King of England Orchanes Son to the said Othoman was Emperour of the Turkes after his father He would not alter a iote of this newe authority no more then his father did and whom he farre surpassed in Warlike actions By his liberality and good carriage he woon the hearts of his people pursuing on very well what his father had begunne By his industry vigilancie and prouidence he woon the Countries of Mysia Lycaonia Phrygia and Caria and tooke in Warre Prusya which is now called Bursia and which was the aboade of the Kings of Bithynia where he receiued a hurt whereof he died in the first yeare of the raigne of Io. K. of France Edward the third of England stil raigning He raigned 22. yeares leauing Soliman and Amurath his sons and successors Soliman sonne of Orchanes raigned 2. yeares after his Father He made warre vpon the Greekes passed from Asya into Europe where he vanquished the Bulgarians and tooke many places from them especially in Thrace he got the Citties of Adrianople and Philopolis Some say that he died in his Fathers life time with a fall from his horse in hunting and that very soone after his father died with gréefe And this is the reason why some doe not set him in the rank of Turkish Emperors Amurath first of that name and sonne to Orchanes was Emperor of the Turkes in the year 1350. Good Fortune attended on him as shee did on his Graundfather and on his own Father likewise But he was as contrary to his graund father by the mothers side as his father had béen to his predecessor who bereft him of a great part of Cilicia by killing his sonne Amurath incited thereto by Iohn Paleologus sent twelue thousand Turkes for seruice of the said Paleologus which was the source and beginning of the ruyne of Constantinople For being allured with the riches of Europe to make another voyage he passed in the Genowaies gallies six thousand Turks vnder colour of yet giuing fresh succour to the Emperor of Constantinople and to expell his enemies out of the Empire But it was with full intention to vsurpe Greece So he crossed the arme of the Hellespont Sea to Abydos seazing Calypolis and other Citties Afterward with a verie strong power he set vpon the Emperor himselfe who no way doubted him Then tooke he Seruia and Bulgaria whose Princes he foiled comming in good manner against him But one of the followers of Lazarus Despote of Seruia in reuenge of his Maisters death slaine in the fight killed Amurath in the yeare 1378. Baiazeth King or Emperor of the Turks first of that name after the death of Amurath his Father slew his elder brother Solyman by Treason and enioyed the Empyre of the Turkes alone to himselfe To reuenge the death of his Father he made warre against Marke Lord of Bulgaria both vanquishing and killing him and subduing beside a great part of his country In short while after he ran thorow the Countries of Hungaria Albania and Valachia and doing great hurt vnto them tooke many Christians whom he carried Prisoners into Thrace In regard of most bold attempts in his Martiall businesse wherein hee was both hot and sudden hee was called Baiazeth Hildrin that is to say Heauens Lightning He subdued almost all Greece being assisted with the guifts and graces of Nature both in body and mind He besieged Constantinople for the space of eight yeares the Emperor wherof was gon into France to require assistance which was granted him Neuerthelesse Baiazeth had the victory ouer the French Hungarians Germaines Seruians Mysians at once assembled against him And so returning to Constantinople with a fresh besieging and finding no meanes to preserue the Empire of Constantinople suddenly Tamberlain came against Baiazeth and gaue him battel on mount Stella where Pompey fought with Mithridates There did Tamberlain conquer him bound him in chaines of gold placing him in a Cage of yron led him in that manner thorough Asya and Syria In which miserable estate Baiazeth died and after his decease we find that there was interregnum vntil Mahomet one of his sons came Iosuah or Cyriscelebes whom some wrongly name Calapine the eldest sonne of Baiazeth after the foyle of his Father was defeated of Asya by Tamberlain led Captiue to Constantinople for the Emperor as a singular prize But he was vsed as the sonne of a Prince and soon after with great humanity in the Emp. released and sent home into Asya where he recouered his Fathers kingdome After when he had well reestablished his forces he stoutly resisted Sigismond King of Hungary who came to assaile him and had woon diuers Prouinces from him presuming that the Turks could no way reléeue him after so great an ouerthrow giuen by Tamb. But Fortune spake no friendlier to Sigismund then she had formerly don to him when he fought against Baiazeth at Nicopolis his people being al larded with arrows before they could fall into order of battell For the Horsmen turned bridle euen at the first shocke noise of the Enemy and Cyriscelebes remained conqueror who was slaine by his brother Mustapha otherwise called Musulman in the very flower of his age the yeare 1407. Mustapha or Musulman was Emperor of the Turks a very small time for his brother Moyses possessed himselfe of the State and expelled him Som name this Mustapha Orchanes the second whom they tearme to be son and heire to Iosuah or Cyriscelebes and that he was slaine by Moyses his vncle by the fathers side but Moyses quickly did suffer his deserued punnishment For loosing both goods and life together himself was also slain by his owne brother Mahometh There be that write that this Mahometh raigned next after his father Baiazeth making no mention of Iosuah or Cyriscelebes neither of Mustapha or Orchanes nor of Moyses but after Baiazeth do make his sonne Mahometh presently to follow Moyses was expulsed and put to death by his brother Mustapha or as others say his nephue Orchanes and soone after he was likewise slaine by his brother Mahometh And these twoe by some are not set in ranke with
the Turkish Emperors because they are said to raigne very little time or not at all Mahometh first of that name brother to Iosuah Mustapha and the forenamed Moyses is said notwithstanding the rest to be Emperor of the Turkes in the yeare 1409. There are som that doo attribute only to this man all those matters which are reported of Iosuah or Cyriscelebes He ouer ran the Countries of the Bulgarians Valachians imposing great Tributes and Taxations vpon them Then he entred on the Satrapes of Asya recouering all those places which Tamberlaine had taken He chased out of Galatia and the Countries of Pontus and Cappadocia his own kindred and Allies without extending any pitty to any Princes and Lordes of his owne blood albeit it is true that he left some in their own intire dwellings Being returned into Greece hee came to Adrianople the Metropolitan Citty of Thrace and there he constituted the seate of his Empire expelling thence the Christians that had there any abiding He died in the twelft yeare of his Empire which is reckoned to be in the yeare 1418. leauing his sonne Amurath the second to be his successor Amurath the second Sonne to the forenamed Mahometh succéeded his Father in the Turkish Empire in the yeare 1418. He vnderstanding the death of his father and desiring to passe from Asya into Thrace vanquished his Vncle Mustapha to whom the Gréeks gaue fauour and succour He was the first that for the guard of his person made election of Christian Renegados to bee his Ianissaries by the power and courage of whom both he and his successors haue subdued almost the whole East He assailed with his forces and did great dammages to the Countries of Hungaria Bosnia Albania Valachia Greece He tooke Thessalonica from the Venetians He had victory against Ladislaus King of Poland against the Cardinall Iulian and against Huniades He held the Empire or Kingdome of the Turks for the space of 32. yeares and then left it to Mahomet his Sonne Mahomet the second Emperor of the Turks succéeded his Father Amurath in the year 1450. He began his reigne as an Homicide causing his younger Brother to be murthered because his fathers body should not be buried alone He was a most wicked and sinfull man not beléeuing in any God For he would say that his Mahomet was a false Prophet like vnto himselfe made a mockery of the Saintes Prophets and Patriarches He woon and left the sirname of Great to the house of the Otthomans Hee ruyned the Empyre of Constantinople which he seized by assault the 29. day of May 1453. as hath béene already declared in the report of the life of Constantine the eleauenth togither with the Empire of Trebisonde He tooke twelue kingdomes two hundred Citties from the Christians in the year 1479. He besieged the Isle of Rhodes which was then held by the knights of S. Iohn of Ierusalem but his labour was in vaine for it was couragiously defended by the said Knights their great maister Peter d'Aubusson or d'Ambois a French man At length he died of the Collick the fourth day after he sickened hauing liued 58. yeares reigned one and thirty Baiazeth second of that name and sonne to Mahomet the second by meanes of the Ianissaries was made Emperor of the Turkes in the yeare 1481. He conquered and expulsed Zizim his younger brother whom the chiefest Lordes would haue had to be Emperour but hee beeing fled for refuge to the Isle of Rhodes the great master of the Knights sent him to King Charles the eight Baiazeth vanquished Caraman and recouered all whatsoeuer hee hadde gotten from the Turkes on either side of the Mount Taurus He subdued Valachia and so went on against the Sultane of Aegipt who was too strong for him For hauing receiued the fugitiue Mamelukes after the death of Caraman and entertaining besides a great number of Arabes for his defence oftentimes hee conquered and put Baiazeth to flight Afterward Baiazeth subiected the Inhabitants of the Ceraunian Mountaines and tooke from the Venetians Lepanto Modon and Duraz. In the end his youngest sonne Selim whoe by means of the Ianissaries had gotten preferment before the eldest and was declared to be Emperor in his fathers life time enforced him to flight and afterward poisoned him in the yeare 1512. at the very same time when the battell of Rauenna was fought vnder the happy reigne of King Lewes the twelfth Selim hauing expulsed and after poisoned his Father because he liued too long was Emperour of the Turkes in the yeare 1512. To this parracide he added the murder of his brethren Achmet and Corcuthus and caused seauen of his Nephewes to be strangled that were the Children of his brothers He conquered and expelled the Sophi of Persya and in diuers battels discomfited the two Souldanes Campson and Tomombeus with the Mamelukes and Arabes Hee added Aegipt and Arabia to his Empire and tooke the great Cayro Then returning home to his countrey of Greece an vlcer ingendred in his Raines which increasing continually like a Canker procured his death in the eight yeare of his reygne Anno 1519. Soliman whom some tearme to be the second of that name Emperor of the Turks carried that name as is said because he very wisely prouided for all affaires whereunto the yssue of them was also as correspondent For this name of Soliman by som transposed sillables deliuereth the name of Salomon the most renowmed King for Wisedome There was not any before him nor of the race of the Othomans more seuere and valiaunt For the déedes and warres of Soliman came not one iote behinde those of his Father hauing recouered Syria vanquished Gazel that was reuoulted and surprised Belgrade and Rhodes then afterward Buda two seuerall times and put to the worse the Army of Austria that fled away before him And néere vnto Buda had the victory ouer Rokandolphe who had a great Army He vanquished the Spaniards at Castelnoua in Dalmatia and put to flight the Army by Sea which séemed inuinsible In the yeare 1543. he tooke Strigonia and Alba Regalis two worthy Citties of Hungaria He conquered the kingdomes of Assyria and Mesopotamia with the Citty of Babylon that might be compared with Memphis and Aegypt conquered by his Father He ouer-ran and wasted the frontiers of Armenia Medea and Persia and twice tooke Tauris the principall Cittye of Persia chasing the Sophi farre off before him into the mountaines For the rest the Turks themselues doe confesse that for 200. yeares before they neuer had Lord that was a greater Iusticer more sober wise and humane then he was But this humanity ceased in him when he caused his eldest sonne Mustapha to bee strangled to please his Concubine Rosa who desired that hir Sonne Selim might be Emperour after his Father Hee was repulsed by the Emperour Charles the fift when hee came with a powerfull Army to besiege the Citty of Vienna in Austria He
besieged also the Isle of Malta in the yeare 1565. whether the Knights of S. Iohn of Ierusalem had retired themselues after the surprisall of Rhodes But the Isle was manfully defended by their great maister being a Frenchman named Peter Parisot called also le Valette and Soliman was compelled to raise his siege In the yeare 1566. He died in Hungary at his siedge before the Castle of Sighet hauing raigned 47. yeares Selim second of that name Emperour of the Turks succéeded in the Empire by the meanes of Basha Mehemet after the death of Soliman his Father in Hungary which for a time was concealed and hee entred into possession of the Empire before the death of his Father was discouered He subdued Ainan in Arabia and took the Isle of Cyprus in the yeare 1571. In the end he lost his Nauall Army in the battell of Lepanto which he had against the Christians in the very same yeare 1571. But soone after he came vpon them againe and then renewed peace with the Venetians and their Common-wealth Afterward he recouered Thunis the Goulette which the king of Spaine had made vse of in Affrica And he died in the yeare 1574. hauing reigned eight yeares But all the forenamed memorable actions were performed by his Bashaes and not by himselfe for hee all the while tooke his pleasure being greatly giuen to women and wine Amurath third of that name and son to Selim was created Emperour of the Turkes and enioyed the Empire after his fathers death within eight daies in the yeare 1574. By a cruel and barbarous custome of the Contrey he caused fiue Brethren of his owne to be slaine and two Concubines of his Fathers whoe were great with Child to the end that he might solely reigne alone without feare or suspition and so be auoyded of all impeachments which he wel vnderstood might ensue by parity and such as shoulde laye claime to the like Fortune He began his gouernment somewhat yong being aged but 28. years being a woonderfull louer of his paternall Maâ—ometane Religion a great Iusticer and imitator of his Graundfather Soliman He tooke som citties in Hungarie and Sclauonie which afterward were regained from him Some say that he was dull and lumpish of spirit and fell oftentimes with the falling sicknesse which made his face to look blemished and of a leaden coulour He gaue himselfe to women and great feeding for he was the Father of 102. children and yet became very grosse and corpulent Hee died in Ianuary 1595. the 21. yeare of his raigne not hauing attained to fifty yeares of age Mahometh the third succéeded his Father Amurath the third in the yeare 1595. And to shew himselfe the sonne of his father and no whit to degenerate from his Auncestors he caused 19. of his brethren to be barbarously murdered and many of his Fathers Concubines to be drowned that were found to be great with childe after his decease so that no child should remaine to trouble him in his gouernment But as cruelty and barbarousnesse doth commonly dwell in a negligent spâ—rit addicted to sloth and pusillanimity euen so did not he any thing deseruing memory he being wholy giuen to his bodies voluptuousnesse He did put to death his eldest sonne and the mother of that sonne because they had inquired of Astrologers how long time hee shoulde raigne In the yeare 1603. the Sophi of Persya regained Tauris and Bages and those great countries which the predecessors of this Mahometh had invaded as hath bin already declared in our report of Selim the first and Soliman the second He died of the Plague at Constantinople in Ianuary 1604. hauing raigned nine yeares Achmet succéeded his father in the Empyre being but seauentéen years old in the year 1604. In the yeare 1605. he tooke Strigonia and some other places in the Kingdome of Hungaria It is said that in his Army he causeth his Fathers dead body to be carried embalmed and enclosed in a Coffin of Lead holding opinion that his military deseigns and exployts shall therby proue the more fortunat He hath made peace with the Emperour Rodulphus and those of the house of Austria for fifteen yeares which makes it therefore the more beléeued that hee will conuert his forces against the Sophi He now reigneth this yeare 1611. and by outward appearance couets to be feared A briefe Discourse concerning the Sarrazins the Originall of their name and what People they haue been euen to this day HAuing deliuered a shorte Suruey of the Turkish Ottomans from their first King or Emperor to the man that now gouerneth I thought it not impertinent to my purpose to say somwhat also of the Sarazins who are held to be before them and much more auncient then they Nor list I here to call in question those errors committed by Sabellicus Blondus the Tyrian Bishop Volatteranus many other graue Authors who in their writings doe tearme the Mahumetists or Turks to be Sarazins for they neuer knewe any such name neither were at any time so called but only Mulsulmans which is as much to say as people faithfull in the Law Some others who haue thought their iudgements to be much more pregnant sticke not to say that this name of Sarazin did come of Sarra the wife of Abraham of whose race the great Prophet Mahomet inuenter and deuiser of the Law or Religion helde at this present by the Sarazins and Turkes they say was discended But this opinion likewise is not receineable for they desired rather to be called Agarians in reguard of Agar handmayde to Sarra and mother of Ismaeli or else Ismaelites because they iudged themselues to be yssued of the said Ismaell bastard son to the forenamed Abraham But let vs leaue these false etymologies which neither carry or yeeld any true likelihood come to the very Originall of the name Sarazin The error grew from hence that some short while before Mahomet or Muhamet as others tearms him arose and began to extend himselfe as well towards Suria as Persya there liued then in the Rocky Arabia and Idumea certain Arabes who made their abode or dwelling and yet doe to this day vnder small Tents or enclosures and hadde not any other trade or maintenance for their liuing but by thefts and robberies which they daily exercised vpon all passengers were they Turks Christians Pagans or whatsoeuer Of which Robbers and Théeues the Countrey coulde neuer be fréeed nor can be at this day as such doe faithfully affirme who haue trauailed on pilgrymage to Mount Sinai in Ierusalem And the Turkes themselues doe confesse that when Deuotion drew them forth on Pilgrimage to the city of Medinat al Nabi that is to say the Citty of the Prophet scituate in Arabia foelix where the Sepulcher of Mahomet is and when likwise they doe yet passe thorow the very greatest solitudes and desarts as many times the Christians doe They finde them to bee peopled with these wicked
kindes of Théeues as formerly hath bin saâ—â— who name themselues Sarracenis not in regard of Religion or bloud but by an auncient appellation of the said people of whome Ptolomey makes mention and saith that their liuing is in Idumea Amianus Marcellinus in the History of Iulian the Apostat Emperour makes a description of them and saith that Those places more than two hundred yeares before the Originall of Mahomet or of his Alcoran were fully furnished with the said Sarrazins and Assyria afterward euen so farre as the Cataracts of Nylus or the kingdome of Prester Iohn where they vsed the same courses violences thefts vpon merchants and inhabitants of the neighboring Countries according as the Arabes or Alarbes doe at this day Whereupon because that their chiefest habitation was in the Desarts and Mountaines which are in Arabia and the neighbouring quarsers or Countries as Chaldaea Assyria Mesapotamia Suria and Aegipt when the Arabes arose with their new Religion and had frequented the foresaid Regions the néerer Countries supposed that these people were those former Sarazins by ignorance of their Language as also by rashnesse of some Writers who liued then in Suria and since that time in Spaine séeming to haue good knowledge of those people and therefore continually then called Sarazins Moreouer to confirme that vaine appellation those Interpreters in Spaine who by commandement of S. Bernard were appointed to interpret the Alchoran in euery place where they found the vocable Mulsulman which is as much to say in the Arabian tongue as Peaceble and faithfull towards God they interpreted the same Sarraceniâ— or Sarazins This Mulsulman then is the vocable whereby al that beléeue in the Alcoran will be called whether they bee Arabes Syrians Persians Tartars Turks or Moores Whosoeuer then would enter into any peaceable and friendly conference with them albeit none doe hate their name more than the Turks must call them Mulsulmans as we do our selues Christians or faithfull people So are they all named by the Author of the Ismaell or Ismaelitish race and by their Bastard Prophet After our manner and in respect of Religion they term a man Mulsulmam and a woman Mulsulmina or Mulsulminet albeit some say Mussim by a corrupt pronunciation As we may well conceiue by our owne selues who do vse to call those disfigured wanderers that walke among vs with deformed faces and long ilfauored lockes vsing all subtle Thefts piâ—â—eries and legerdumaines they can deuise we nick-name them to be Sarrazins Aegiptians or Gypsies I thus conclude then that when Hystorians write that the Sarrazins inuaded and made vse of Rhodes next of Thrace then of Italy Spaine and other Countries it is to be vnderstood of the Orientall people and Affricanes that were of the Mahometan Religion because they vsed the selfe same cruelties thefts and robberies as the Sarazins of rockie Arabia did And to speak truly all Europe wold at this instant haue bin haunted with those people if they had not béene formerlie expelled and spoiled It remaineth yet freshe in memory that the great Graundfather to Phillip king of Spaine not long since deceased named Ferdinand expulsed them out of the Kingdom of Granado with their king called Melen and he bestowed six whole years together in stout wars onely in foiling them And then the dominion which the Sarazins and Moores held in Spaine had finall conclusion After which time those faith lesse Mahumetists durst neuer presume any more vpon Spaine where they had held the Kingdome of Granado eight hundred yeares Before the said Ferdinand king Alphonsus in the yeare of our Lord 1233. slew in diuers places aboue two hundred thousand of them when they held strong forts and Citties in Spaine which he forced them to forsake and since then haue béene vtterly ruined Henry the Emperour made another great massacre of them in the yeare of Iesus Christ 1010. in Italy expelling them wholy out of that Countrey Among the Sarazins there were not only very generous persons but likewise some men of great learning as Auicen Mesuus Isaac Mansor Auerroes and many others Now as all things haue their vicissitude and alteration by courses so after that the Sarazins had raigned in Africa and partly in Europe for about the space of eight hundred yeares there came a people from diuers parts of Scythia which at this day we call Turks who in lesse than twoe hundred yeares ouercame in Armes those people called Sarazins with many other Christians beside not onely in Asya but in Europe and Affrica And albeit that those Turks were of the same Religion to wit Mahumetists yet did they not abstaine from vexing and troubling them with warre euen in like manner as they did the Christians For in the yeare 1012. they took Ierusalem and all Iudaea from them but the Sarazins of Aegipt recouered them againe and held them for three hundred yeares after Neuerthelesse they were yet againe deiected thence in the year 1517 by the Turks the Sarazins loosing then not onlie Palestine and the Holy-land but likewise Egipt Syria Arabya and the very same Countrey of Idumea where as the Sarazins had their original and are there subiect to the Turkes nowe at this instant For Campson their King lost the daie against Selim Emperor of the Turks and Tomombeus his successour being next chosen to bee King in his place was taken and afterward ignominiouslie strangled in the graund Caire the very principall Citty of Egypt where we may behold the end of the Sarazins not any part of them now remaining except such few as are in the Turks seruility This short discourse giues vs to vnderstand that Sarazins were not all such as are called Mahumetists but they that had their beginning in the Countries of Idumea and the desart or rockie Arabia and all those that being ioined with them commanded vnder them in diuers Countries rendring other Nations subiect to them by Armes Vncill such time as they were exterminate by the people whose Countries they vniustlie vsurped and planted their Religioâ— by war As also at length by the Turkes although they be of the same Religion For warre is maintained among them for desire of soueraignty and ambition euen as well as among vs that are Christians ¶ A briefe Collection of the Byshops and Popes of Rome from the yeare 44. to this instant 1611. With the seuerall Ages of the Church since the Ascension of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ vp into Heauen OVr Lord Iesus Christ the Nazarite God and man Messias Sauiour of the world Holy of holies Soueraigne and Eternall Highe Priest head of the Church 1 Peter called Cephas borne in Bethsaida the sonne of Iohn and first called of the Apostles is said to hold his seat seauen yeares at Antioch and afterward at Rome xxiiij yeares vnder the Empire of Claudius and Nero who caused him to be crucified in the same place Simon Magus being reputed to be
of a prize so signale and beneficiall to all christendome Pope Anastasius the fourth gaue and granted verie great priuiledges to the Order of these Knights of S. Iohn of Ierusalem the first day of Nouember in the same yeare exempting them from the iurisdiction and controule of the East Ecclesiasticall Prelates which was the cause of great troubles betwéene the Bishops of the country there and the knights of this order albeit the Pope and his Cardinals maintained them still stoutly Some haue held that this Great M. Raymond was a Florentine but the most credible opinion is that hee was a French-man a Natiue of Daulphine issued of a verie Noble house called du Puy whereof namelie â—acques Bosius the Italian who hath amplie written the historie of this order is an ingenuous witnesse Hee died in the yeare 1160. with this reputation that hee had bin a man of good and vertuous life fearing god valiant wise and aduised in the affaires of the world and one wel approued in warlicke exercises 3 After that Raymond was deceased there succéeded in the Maister-ship and gouernment of the Order F. Auger de Balben of whome there is found nothing deseruing memorie but that in his time died King Baldwin the third who was not onlie much bemoaned of the christians but likewise of the Infidelles who saide That the Christians had iust cause to lament for the death of Baldwine because they had lost a Prince that had not his equall in the world This Great-Maister Auger after he had gouerned his charge in peace and repose about thrée yeares died in the yeare 1163. 4 Arnold de Comps was next elected Mayster in his place who was a man of great spirite valour and councell And in short time after his election he entered into Egypt with Amaulrie the new King of Hierusalem who made warre vpon the Califfe of Egypt because he refused to continue and pay the anuall tribute wherein hée had bound himselfe to King Baldwine the third for a perpetuall payment to the Kinges of Hierusalem Arnold after he had with great wisedom and courage gouerned the Hospitall of S. Iohn about foure yeares died in the yeare 1167. and then succeeded him 5 Gilbert d'Assaly or de Sailly who was of stout mind and so liberall that hee flowed in bounty especially to his Souldiers so that he fel into great expences and wasted the whole treasure of the house Insomuch that hee was enforced to borrow Money at interest with conditiâ—ion that if he tooke from the Infidels the Citty of Belbeis anciently called Pelusium he should stand acquitted to his Brother-hood as indéed he did and victoriously performed his promise the third day of Nouember 1168. In which yeare he held a Chapter generall in Hierusalem where perceiuing that he was greatly indebted and had charged the Hospitall with more than an hundred thousand Crownes of méere debts beeing also much grieued that his attemptes found not equall Issue to his high desires hee determined to renounce his great Maistership which he did in the yeare 1169. 6 By his resignation or renunciation rather another Knight was chosen Great Maister named F. Gastus or Castus of whom there is nothing found that makes to any purpose of this our briefe History And the breuity of his time of gouernment was the cause by reason he was not a full yeare in the charge but dyed in the very same yeare of his election and had 7 F. Ioubert a very religious man for his successor who in the yeare 1176. ioyned himselfe with Phillip Earle of Flanders that was then come into Syria to assist King Baldwine the fourth against Saladine who had a very powerfull Army miraculously vanquished by the Christians that were but few in number in the moneth of Nouember 1177. at which time the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa and Pope Alexander the third were reconciled together At length Saladine with-drew himselfe from the Countrey of Damas in the year 1179. And then dyed Ioubert Maister of the Hospitallers a man very charytable to the poore and sickly It is saide that méere conceite of griefe to behold so manyfestly the ruine of christian affaires in Syria with the shamefull and damageable truce made betwéene the King of Ierusalem and the Earle of Tripoli by his example with Saladine was the onely cause of abridging his dayes hauing gouerned the Order of Saint Iohn about tenne yeares 8 In his stead was elected Roger de Molins a man of high discretion and courage In his time happened a great dissention betwéene the Prince of Antioche and the Patriarch of the said place and this Roger was chosen to be mediator of peace and agréement betwéene them which followed in the yeare 1181. This Roger with Heraclius Patriarch of Ierusalem and Arnald de Trogo Master of the Knights Templers was sent by the King of Hierusalem in quality of an Ambassador into the West to require ayde of the Christian Princes These Ambassadours were kindly entertained by the Emperour King Phillip Augustus Gods gift sirnamed the Conquerour the Kings of Sicily England and Hungary they returned back againe into Syria all but the Maister of the Templers who dyed by the way In the yeare 1187. the Earle of Tripoli being leagued and confederated with Saladine graunted him passage and reléeued his Army with victuals And Saladine hauing besiedged the citty of Ptolomais the Knights of Saint Iohn and the Templers ioyning together disordered the whole Army and Roger the great Mayster fighting valiantlie there dyed with the fall of his Horse vpon him and smothered in his Armour as also being much troden on with the enemies Horses His body being afterward found among the dead was buried with great woe and sorrow And notwithstanding this losse of the great Maister yet the Knights of Saint Iohn and the Templers won the day of battaile against the Turkes and Sarrazins of whom died then in the field about fiftéen thousand the first day of May in the yeare 1187 After whom 9 F. Garnier of Naples in Syria which was the ancient cittie of Sichem in Canaan was elected great Maister In his time was a bloudy battaile fought betwéene the Christians and Infidels wherein the King of Hierusalem named Guy de Lusignan was taken Prisoner with the very chiefe Lordes of his Kingdome It is said also that the Christians had then the true Crosse in the battell but it was taken from them by the Infidels and almost all the Knightes of Hierusalem and the Templers were one part slaine in the battaile and the rest beheaded in cold bloud F. Garnier after he had fought verie manfully yet being mortally wounded in many places of his body by the goodnesse and swiftnes of his Horse escaped into the Citty of Ascalon where ten daies after hee departed into a better life the fouretéenth of Iuly hauing béene great Maister but two months and sixe daies 10 The twenty day of the saide moneth of Iuly 1187. the Knights
that were in Ierusalem chose F. Ermingard d'Aps to bee their Mayster The second day of October in the same yeare the Citty of Hierusalem was submitted to the power of Saladine 88. yeares two months and seauentéene daies after that it was deliuered by Godfrey of Bullen from the handes of the Infidels Frederick the first sirnamed Barbarossa then holding the Empire of the West and Isaac the Angell that of the East at Constantinople Vrbane the third beeing Pope of Rome and Phillip the second called Augustus Gods Gift and Conquerour raigning in Fraunce Then were expulsed out of Hierusalem the Knightes Hospitallers Templers and al the Latine Christians of which Christians the Hospitallers redéemed from captiuity of the barbarous to the number of two thousand with their Money All the Churches of the cittie were then polluted and prophaned except the Temple of the Resurrection which was bought with a great summe of Money by the Christians of the East After the losse of Hierusalem the Knights Hospitalers were continually in Armes faithfully assisting the Christian Princes that had put on Crosses for the recouery of the holy Land and did actions of high desert at the siedge of Ptolomais which after a long siedge of thrée yeares was regayned from the Infidels by the Christians the twelft day of Iuly 1191. And in that Citty the Knights of Saint Iohn kept then their ordinary aboad and residence And in the verie same yeare the Christians wonne a notable victorie against the Barbarians and Saladine theyr chiefe wherein they were worthily assisted by the knightes Hospitallers and Templers The yeare following beeing 1192. in Winter dyed Ermingard d'Aps the great maister in the cittie of Ptolomais and then was chosen in his place 11 Geoffrey de Duisson In his time there was truce taken for fiue yeares betwéene the Christians that were in the holy Land and Saladine by which meanes many Lords and Gentlemen of diuers Nations who had worne the Crosse and gotten great store of goodes and possessions returned home to their Countries and gaue their goods to the Brotherhood of saint Iohn which greatly did augment their renennewes And after the death of Henry Earle of Champaigne the Hospitallers and Templers remayned gouernours and administrators of the kingdome of Hierusalem howbeit that by the fewer number of Christians there abiding election was made of Amaury de Lusignan who had succéeded the king of Ierusalem in the kingdome of Cyprus with consent of the Patriarch the Prelats and Barons of the Realme in the yeare 1194. when soone after died Duisson the Great-Maister and then succéeded him by election 12 F. Alphonso of Portugall a knight of the Order of Saint Iohn and of the Royall house of Portugall though it dooth not appeare certainely to what king he was Sonne He made very worthy and commendable statutes whereof to this day there are some inuiolably kept But because he was of too stiffe nature ouer-rough surely and seuere hee encurred the hatred of the greater part of the Knights Hospitallers Which was the cause that hee renounced his Maistershippe and shipt himselfe for returne home to Portugall in the same yeare of his election But he dyed the first day of March in the yeare 1207. 13 The same yeare that Alphonso renounced the Great Maistershippe to wit in the yeare 1194. Geoffrey le Rat who was Graund-Pryour of Fraunce was chosen Mayster And Saladine then dying his Sonne Noradine Lord of Alepo succéeding him About this time Simon Earle of Montfort was sent by King Phillip Augustus with an Army into Syria where finding much disorder he tooke truce for tenne yeares with the Infidels in the yeare 1198. In the time of this tranquile estate there chanced a great difference betwéene the Knights Hospitallers and Templers grounded on this occasion The Hospitallers complayned that the Templers had enterprised too farre vppon their iurisdiction with much contempt and violation thereof Which quarrell after manie rough encounters and skirmishes was appeased accorded by the interposition of king Amaury the Patriarches of Antioch and Hierusalem and other Princes and Christian Prelats who comprimitted this difference in the name of Innocentius the third which fell out very successiuely For after that God the onely Staffe and stay of all affaires in the holy Land had permitted this friendly vnity betwéen these two millitary Orders of Knight-hood King Amaury of Lusignan so preuailed that the Great Mayster and Knights of Saint Iohn might liue with him in the Isle of Cyprus where hee graunted the gouernment of the Kingdome to them In the yeare 1205. King Amaury dyed so did Quéene Isabell who appointed her Daughter Mary which she had by Conrade of Monferrat to be her heire and he left her to be tutoured and guided by the Knightes Hospitallers and Templers In the yeare 1260. Geoffrey le Rat the Great Mayster dyed and then succéeded him 14 Guerin de Montagu of the language of Auuergne who with the Knights of his order ayded Lyuon King of Armenia against the Turkes and Barbarians that had intruded into his Kingdome In recompence whereof he gaue them the citty of Salef with the castles of Camard and new castle and their dependances Hee likewise recommended his heire and Kingdome to the Knightes of the Hospitall of Saint Iohn which guift was confirmed by the Pope the fift of August 1209. Then were Iohn de Brienna and Mary his Wife Heire to the Kingdome crowned King and Quéene of Hierusalem At length in the yeare 1230. Guerin the great Maister died in the citty of Ptolomais and during his tyme all the Christians affaires in the holy Land depended very much vppon the Knightes Hospitalers and Templers who albeit they had many contentions betwéen them yet did they still agrée together in all matters against the Infidels After him succeeded 15 One F. Gerin of whom no other name is found remembred Richard Duke of Cornewal and Brother to Henrie then King of England arryued soone after in Palestine with an Army of forty thousand men and did many worthy actions there The great Maister also and his knights with him bearing him company fought valiauntly against the Corasmine Infidelles There the saide Mayster was taken and sent as a Prisoner to the Soldane of Egypt where he died and in his place the Knights of S. Iohn elected in the citty of Ptolomais for their great Maister 19 Bertrand de Comps in the time of Pope Innocent the fourth and when the Generall Counsell was called at Lyons 1245. This great Maister was present in a furious battaile fought against the Turcomans that wasted all the country about Antioch in the month of August 1248 where hauing receiud sundry deadly wounds he ended his daies And in the Citty of Ptolomais on the 24. of Aug. was elected as Great maister 17. Peter de Villebride In his time Lewes K. of France called S. Lewes tooke on him the crosse against the Infidels with
many Princes Prelates of France who went and besieged Damieta where they were ayded by the knightes hospitallers Templers and the City was soon after surrendred to K. Lewes in the yeare 1250. Then did the Soldan of Egypt giue battel to the christians wherein King Lewes with his brethren Charles and Alphonsus the King of Cyprus as also the Great maister many knights of the hospitalers Templers were all taken prisoners Whych surprizall caused an attonement betwéene King Lewes and the Soldane the hospitall Knights lent mony to King Lewes to pay his ransom In the year 1251. Villebride the great maister dyed in the City of Ptolomais succéeded by election 18 Guillaum de Chasteau-neuf or de Castelno of the spéech of Auuergne He was a great obseruer of Iustice pope Alexander 4. gaue to the knights hospitallers the castle lands of Bethania in the yeare 1256. In his time the Christians lost their vtmost hope of any succour from the Princes of Europe and in the yeare 1280. the Great Maister of Castelno died when as the Hospitall Knights of S. Iohn elected in his sted 19 Hugues Reuelle or Reuel in the tyme of Pope Vrban the fourth who gaue to the knights of S. Iohn Mont-Tabor 1261. and in Anno 1262. they bought the Castle of Assur but in the following two yeares they tooke from the Sarazins a Castle named Lilion whereuppon the Soldan of Egypt concluded to worke the ruin of the Knights Hospitallers and as an instance he forcibly tooke from the saide Knights in the year 1265. the Castle of Assur at the surprizal wherof there were slaine to the number of 90. knights of S. Iohn which greatly abated their power and repute And in the yeare 1267. the Knights hospitallers and Temples were assailed and much confused in battaile by the Sarazins néere to the City of Ptolomais for they wasted and spoiled al the countrey thereabout In the yeare also 1270 the Knights of S. Iohn lost the Castle of Cracquo which was assaulted by the Soldane and all the knights within it were put to the sword It is likewise saide that this Great Master Reuel assisted King Lewes in the voyage to Tunis where the said King died of the plague and that in the ende about the yeare 1278. the Great Maister Reuel ended his daies hauing helde fiue Chapters or assemblies of the Brother-hoode of S. Iohn wherein manie notable Statutes were made for gouernement and reformation of the Order 20 After his decease Nicholas Lorgus was chosen Great Maister who not to swerue a iot from his predecessor wel knowing that nothing sooner procureth the ruine of Common-weales Comminalties then discord and dissention tooke such paines to reconcile the Knights hospitallers with the Templers that he drew them to accord and made them good friends In the yeare 1282 the Knights of S. Iohn woon a famous victorie against the Sarazins who proudely came to besiedge the Castle of Margate their very principal Fortresse which was very manfully defended by the Hospitallers and in the ende quitted at composition by the knights who returned with their Ensignes displayed to the Citty of Ptolomais And in the yeare 1288. Lorgus the Great Maister died with very griefe because hee saw the Christian affaires in the Holy land dailie to fall from il to worse without any means or hope of remedy 21 In the same yeare Iohn de Villiers a Frenchman borne was created Great Maister of the Order In his time the Citty of Tâ—ipoly was taken from the Christians by the Infidels as in like manner were the citties of Sidonia Baâ—uth in the yeare 1289. all which were ransacked ruined and burned and the citty of Tyre brought vnder the Soldanes subiection whereon the christians of Ptolomais were gladde to séeke their owne peace During which time the Great Maister went to Brundusium with the Great Maister of the Templers to sollicite the christian Princes of the Croisade and the Soldane came to assaile the citty of Ptolomais which was vertuously defended by the Knights of the Hospitall and Temple with many braue sallies forth vpon the besiedgers Especially the Great Maister Villiers who was sore wounded with long sustaining the whol charges of the Barbarian Infidels the Knights Barricadoing themselues in a quarter of the Citty which yet was afterward taken on Friday the 18. of May the same yeare 1292. With this great losse the Christians were driuen out of the holy land 191. years ten months thrée daies after it had bin Conquered by Godfrey of Bullen The Great M. with the rest of his Knightes fled for safety to the Isle of Cyprus where they were very kindly entertained by the K. of the Island who assigned to theÌ„ the Templers the Citty of Limosson which was a Port Towne or Hauen on the Sea There did they inhabite and there did the Great Maister assemble two generall Chapters one in December 129â— and the other in October 1293. making therein dyuers good Statutes for the Order and in the yeare 12â—â— he dyed at Limosson then succéeded him 22 F. Odo des Pins borne in Prouence in the time of Pope Boniface the eyght He incurred the hatred and disgrace of the knightes of his Order by reason of his negligence and couetousnesse And there was a purposed determination to depriue him of his Great maistershippe but it was impeached by the Pope to auoide scandall and at length he was cited to appeare at Rome in person to answere to the complaintes of the Hospitallers and thitherward he trauailed But before he could sée Italy he dyed by the way in the year 1296. hauing in the precedent yeares held two generall Chapters at Limosson Hee caried also along with him a manuscript Chronicle wherein hee had appealed certaine letters of the Popes containing excommunication whereby he pursued and reléeued his owne appeale 23 The Knights hearing the death of theyr Great Maisters des Pins elected at Limosson the twenty foure day of March 1296. F. Guillaume de Villaret to succéed him who was of the same Countrey of Prouence and Prior of S. Gilles where he was at the time of his election But hauing intelligence thereof he trauailed immediatly to the Kingdome of Cyprus and gouerned in his charge very prudently In his time Vsau Cassanus King of the Tartares became a Christian and recouered the Citty of Ierusalem where hee placed the Knightes Hospitallers and Templers in Garrison in the yeare 1300. Hée tooke the Citty of Damas likewise but it was quickly regained by the Infidels and the Hospitallers and Templers returned then to Cyprus againe where the Great Maister departed out of this life in the yeare 1308. hauing helde fiue generall Chapters at Limosson and séene the vtter ruine of the Knights Templers 24 The great Maister being dead Folquet de Villaret of the same Nation of Prouence was elected in his roome He was a man of liuely spirit and great courage and
Knights had not any assured place of abyding vntill the Isle of Malta was giuen theÌ„ by the Emperor Charles the fift For they departed first into Candie from thence they went into Sicilie and Italy where the Pope sent them the City of Vitterbo and where they held a generall Chapter Afterward they soiourned for some small time at Cornetto then at Villefranche and at Nicea While they remained at Nicea the great Maister made a voyage into England and from thence to France where being at Lyons a great sicknesse tooke him but after his recouery he went to Cambraye to hold the Baptisme Font for Phillebert Emmanuell sonne to Charles Duke of Sauoy Afterwarde comming with his Brethren-Knights to Malta on Wednesday morning the sixt of Octob 1530. he caused a Pallace to be there erected for the abiding of him and his successors calling it Castell Angelo building another pallace also in the old Citty of Malta When he had gouerned his Order thirtéene yeares and seauen months being aged seauenty yeares the 21. of Aug. 1534. he died at Malta and was buried in a Chappell which he had builded néere to Castel Angelo and then succéeded him by election 44 Pierrin du Pont a Natiue of Ast and an Italian by language Before the taking of Rhodes he was Gouernor of the Isle of Lango and after the â—osse thereof he departed with al the knights vnder his gouernment and ioyned his power in Candie with the armye of the Order In his time Charles the fift Emperor attempted to go in person to the kingdome of Tunis in Affrica where he was assisted by the Gallies belonging to the Order and the Knights also who performed there great exploits of Armes especially in the surprizing of Goletta which was helde to be a Fort vnconquerable This war being ended the great Maister aged seuenty and thrée years dyed hauing gouerned onely fourtéene months and 22. daies and was buried by his predecessor Villiers 45 Desirê or Didier de S. Iaille de Tolon borne in Prouence and Priour of Tholossa was next made great Maister when lifting vppe his eies to heauen he vsed these words O my God if thou thinkest me fit for this great charge I wil not refuse the paine and labour In his trauayling towards Malta being very aged so soone as he arriued at Mont-pellier he fel into an extream sicknesse whereof he died the 26. of September 1536. and was buried with much solemnitie in the church of the Commandery of S. Gilles without the gates of Mont-pellier when the knights were aduertised of his decease the eightéenth of October in the same yeare they procéeded to the election of 46 Iohn d'Homedes a natiue of Arragon who being then in Spaine made hast to Malta where he was ioyfully receiued Albeit he was discontented that they had not sent some of the gallies nor the great Carrack of the Order for his conduct thither wherefore he disarmed and destroied the great Carrack which caused manie complaints against him Very often would hee discourse of the siedge at Rhodes because hee gaue generall notice thereby that there he had lost one of his eies He made a goodly Parke of Dear and a very beautiful Garden in the Isle of S. Michael there would he spend the greater part of the day which raised occasion of murmuring against him that he was slacke in his publicke gouernement and no way carefull to prouide the Isle of Malta of needfull supplies against the Turks forces for he trusted too much in the strength of Castell Angello In his time the Citty of Tripoli in Barbary was lost by the Knights of the Order taken by the Turkes which droue him to no little feare and amazement In the year 1552. Leo Strozzi an especiall Commander of the Order made an attempt vpon the Isle of Zoara which had very hard successe because many Knightes were then slaine there of all Nations especiallye many French Auuergnacs and Prouenceals It being declared to the Great Mayster he grieued extraordinarily thereat and sayde That a greater losse had not happened to the Order since the surprizall of Rhodes Hee builded the Castles of Saint Elme and Saint Michaell and being eighty yeares old died the sixt of September 1558. hauing gouerned sixtéene yeares ten months and xv daies and was buried in the Great Maisters Chappell 46 Claudius de la Single borne in Fraunce was next created Great Maister and at his election there were then present at Malta aboue 400 Knights of the Order Hee gouerned verie discréetly by Counsell of fiue woorthie Knights his Officers and attendaunts to witte by his Steward Mayster of the Houshold Maister of the Horsse the Treasurer and Secretary So that the Order was in great happynesse during the time of his Maister-ship hauing obtayned the priuiledge of Neutralitie of King Henry the second and Charles the fifte Emperor who made Warre against him Hee was verye valiant Religious and a most profitable Administrator of the Orders reuennewes in whose Treasurie he left abundant store dying of a Catarrhe which had much suffocated him after he had attained to the Climacteriall yeare 63. of his age 47 F. Iohn de Valette borne in Prouence succéeded next as great Maister and his election was very pleasing to all the Order of S. Iohn because he was generally beloued of all the Nations and vniuersally desired as most woorthie of that charge and dignity In lesse space then two yeares hee was Generall of the Gallyes Bayliffe of Lango Great Commander Priour of S. Gilles and Lieutenant to the great Master and now at length great Maister also He did so affect his Knights Order that after the day he first entred in it he wold neuer more return into his country So that by making continuall residence therwith them he passed thorow al the degrées offices of honor in the profession apearing still in all his actions to bee of rare iudgement perfect integrity and incomparable valour So soone as he was aduanced to this soueraigne dignity he resolued to builde a new Citty at Malta vpon the Mountaine of S. Elme knowing that al the other Forts were not sufficiently mumted to endure the battery of a potent enemy yet this desseigne was deferred till a further time Hee fortified the Castle of the Isle of Goza and forsaking his abiding at the Castle of S. Angello came and dwelt within the Towne of Malta which he defended most valiauntly agaynst the siedge of the Emperor Sultan Soliman when he was gréeuously wounded in his leg in the yeare 1565. But the siedge being raised to the shame and confusion of the Turkes hee greatly strengthened the Isle of Malta and began to builde the new Citty which was called Valette according to his sur-name and whereof himselfe solemnely laide the first stone on Monday the eight and twenty of March 1566. And by the sollicitude of the Great-Maister the building thereof continued on still eight thousand persons being
to our Sauiour descended and he himselfe according to the flesh Of whom they kéepe a very solemne memory and aboue any other of the Apostles thinke reuerently of S. Thomas the Apostle Of the Kingdome of Persia PErsia hath carried the same name from the beginning to this day containing in it these Regions Lar and Requelmall The principall Citty thereof is called Siras in elder times tearmed Persipolis which is gouerned by the Sophy Great Lord of all Persia and Azimia called by our elders Assiria and the Kingdom of Dearbech sometime named Mesopotamia And Seroan that was Media and Parthia now called Iex with Hirca nowe tearmed Coraxan Sarmania nowe Dulcendano and Asia nowe at this instant called Hetti All these seuerall Regions with the greater Armenia which is a part also of them are gouerned by the great Sophy and their greatest or chiefest Cittie is named Tauris being built in the midst of the Mountain Taurus foure daies iourney off from the Caspian Sea Next vnto Tauris there are other Cittyes as of Soltauia Concassan Spahan Corazan Lera Mora Sarmachand Gesti Far Siras and Ormuz a Citty in the Persick Sea which at this day is called Mare Misindia In this Citty is great commerce of Merchandize made with the Portugales and there they fish for great aboundance of Pearles There are other Citties also Cureh Iex Casmine Coy with infinite Castles On the West side of Tauris are the Caspian Mountaines which are nowe called the Mountains of Arath And on the Bacchan Sea aunciently named the Caspian Sea are these Citties Sumacchia Derbent Bacchan and Mamutaga All these Prouinces and their Regions are very barren because they haue small store of Riuers the greatest whereof is called Bindarin but in former times they entitled it Bragada Concerning the gouernment obserued among the Persians it differs farre from all the other Mahumetists because they hate Nobility and relying on the seruile fidelity of slaues eyther murther their Friendes and Kindred or put out their eyes But among the Persians the Sophy is highly respected Nobility had in Honour and many wealthy Lordes are liuing amongst them whereof not one is to bee found in the Turkish Dominions The people also are the very ciuillest in all Asia men of vndaunted courage and speciall good Warriours both on Horse-backe and foote affecting Musique Learning and Poesie wherein some attaine to no meane excellency and they are much addicted to the study of Astrology So much in bréefe concerning the Persians the rest remaineth to our Generall History of the World ¶ Of the Kingdome of Thunis THE Citty of Thunis or Tunis being very great was by the Latines called Tunetum and of the Arabians Tunus but they holde that name to be a very corrupt vocable because in their Language Tunus dooth not signifie any thing This Cittie was anciently called Tharsus as that other in Asia and was at first but a very little Cittie builded by the Affricanes vpon the Lake which was formed from the Goletta distant from the Mediterranian Sea about twelue miles But after that Carthage was destroyed then did those Citties beginne to encrease both in number of habitations and dwellers in regard that the Armies which surprized Carthage béeing vnwilling to tarry there for feare of fresh supplyes from Europe came to abide at Tunis and there they builded many Houses Not long after there came thither a Captaine named Hucha di Vtmen who gaue them to vnderstand that an Army ought not to shut vppe it selfe in any Citty that shoulde touch or bee néere vnto the Sea And therefore they made a Citty which they named Cairoan about the distaunce of thirty sixe miles from the Sea and accounted to be an hundred miles from Tunis Then did the Armies forsake Tunis and inhabited this newe Citty other people gouerning those houses in Tunis that had bin abandoned by the Armirs After this about thrée hundered and fiftie yeares the Citty of Cairoan was destroyed by the Arabians so that the Rector or Ruler thereof fled thence into the West and raigned in Buggia as also ouer all the neighbouring partes but there remained still in Tunis a Family or kindred of the said Rector or Gouernour fledde from Cairoan who still possessed the same as Soueraigne Lordes thereof About ten yeares after they of Buggia were expulsed by Ioseph the son of Tessino but beholding the humility and kindnesse of the saide Lord they left the State vnto him which continued in tranquility so long as the Family of Ioseph raigned But Abdull Mumen King of Marocco hauing regained Mabdia which had béene taken by the Christians passed homeward in his returne by Tunis where hée tooke the gouernment vpon him And all the time that Abdull Mumen liued and Ioseph his Sonne with their Successours Iacob Mansor Tunis continued in peace vnder the rule of the Kinges of Marocco After the death of Mansor his Sonne Muhamet Ennasir mooued Warre against the King of Spaine but was ouercome and forced to flight escaping backe to Marrocco where after this foile hee liued but few yeares Then was his Brother Ioseph elected King who was slaine by certaine Souldiers to the King of Tebesm Now in the Interim betwéene the ouerthrow of Muhament his death as also the murthering of his Brother Ioseph the Arabians returned backe on Tunis and besiedged it But the Gouernour of Tunis gaue notice thereof to the King of Marocco that if he sent him not some immediate succour he should be constrayned to deliuer the Cittie to the Arabes The King well considering on a case of such importance did as became a man of his high spirit and experience electing aboue all other in his Court one borne in Ciuill a Citty of Granado named Habdulnaihidi whom hee foorth-with sent thyther with the same authority as if he had gone himselfe in person Béeing accompanyed with twenty goodly great Sippes he arriued at Tunis which was then euen halfe vanquished by the Arabes But by his wisedome prouidence and flowing eloquence hee foyled the Enemy pacified the State set all thinges in good order and made the Countries entrance sure against all Intruders After him his Sonne succeeded named Abu Zaccheria who in learning and wisedome excelled his Father Hée caused to bée builded in Tunis on the West side of the Cittyes very highest part a mightie great Rocke and many goodly Pallaces in the Cittie with a beautifull Temple that had an high Tower on the top thereof round engirt with strong wals This Abu Zaccheria went likewise to Tripoli where his valour won him such renowne and his wisedome made so good benefite of the Countrey that at his death hée left an infinite Masse of Treasure behinde him Hée being dead his Sonne succéeded him who was an ambitious proude young man and would no longer suffer himselfe vnder command of Marocco because he perceiued the declining and downfall of those Lords and that the family of Marino began to
get fooling raigning ouer the Regions of Fez as Beni Zeiren did in Telensm and in Granado These two great Potentates beganne to warre vppon each other and to contend for priority of State But by this their discord the power of the Lordes of Tunis encreased so that they went with an Army against Telensi and compelled them to pay them tribute Whereupon the King that new arose from the House of Marino and had béene at surprizall of Marocco sent many rich presents to the Gouernour of Tunis recommending both himselfe and his whole State vnto his fauour The Gouernour accepted him as a Friende alwaies prouided that hee should be inferiour to him And so he returned in tryumph to Tunis causing himselfe to bée called King of Affrica which Tytle was thought very desertfull for him because as then there was not a more powerfull Prince in all Affrica then hée He began then to ordaine his Court Royall with Secretarie Councellers and a Captaine Generall vsing all those Ceremonies that the Kinges of Marocco formerly had done And from the time of this Prince euen to our dayes Tunis held on the same encreasing Dignity as well in habitations as ciuility so that it became the onely and singular Cittie of Affrica Where now wee leaue her to our larger History as also the Kingdome of Fez because the Originall of the one came from the other and therefore they are the more capable of an intire discourse which aryseth to a very spacious and large quantitie There also will we relate the condition and originall of sundry other remote Kingdomes which for the reason before alleadged are in this briefe Chronicle purposely omitted ¶ Of the great Prouince of Moscouia As also the Manners Religion and power of the Prince their ruling MOscouia is a very great Northerly Region containing more then fiue hundered leagues in length The principall Citty thereof beeing called Mosca or Moscuua greater then the Citty Paris in Fraunce and seated on the Riuer Mosqua There is a large Stone squared in the middest of the Cittie whereon whosoeuer can mount himselfe without beating down in the vacancy of the Crowne he is held as Prince of the Countrey and obtayneth the principality For very great fightes and combates the Inhabitants haue had one against another about the mounting on that stone Hée that comes to be Prince of the Countrey dooth not call himselfe King but Duke being contented with that popular name and differeth not in Garments from the other Noble-men of the land saue only that he weareth a higher bonnet It is a Countrey rich in Siluer and so stronglie guarded thorow out that not onely straungers but their owne natiue people likewise can passe no way without the Princes Letters The countrey is flat and plaine without any Mountains therefore that which is saide of the Ryphean Mountaines and that they are in this Countrey is méerely fabulous for there is not any such hill at all There are great store of Forrests abounding with wilde Beasts which are daily chased and great profite is made by Trafficke for the skinnes of those Beasts as of Harts Wolues Ermines Martines Zubelines Fouoynes and diuers others This Prouince confineth Liuonia on the one side Tartaria on the other on the third quarter it hath the Euxine Sea containing many other Prouinces to it so that the Prince can in very few daies leuie foure hundered thousand men on foote to begin warre withall They drinke nothing but a kinde of Béere and yet none but the rich may drinke thereof for they haue no Wine but what is broughte from other countries They be subiect to drunkennes as all other Northerly people are and Winter is there so sharpe long and extreame that if any Water be hurled vp into the Ayre it fréezeth before it can fall to the earth Their Corne â—â—uer perfectly ripens but when they haue reaped it they dry it in their stoues or hot-houses and then grinde it The Spring time is very colde with them and their Summer which lasteth but two months onely is extreamly hot They haue not any vse of money but instead thereof they haue Plates of Gold or siluer squared without anie marke or stampe thereon which is taken for as much as it weigheth in merchandize As for their Garments they go cloathed like Turks in long Gownes or Robes hauing narrow sléeues and girded about their middle Their buildings and manner of life differeth very little from them of Poland and Bohemia They are Christians like vnto the Greekes receiuing order of Priest-hood from the Patriarche of Constantinople saying Seruice in their Temples in their vulgar toong which is the Sclauonian Language and theyr Carracters are Greeke The abiding of the Prince is in a goodly great Pallace in the Citty of Moscuna built after the Italian manner being so strong and spacious as in our times the like is not to be found There are in the fore-named Citty as also in diuers other places men very learned and wise that did make their aboad whereas the Schooles be The Muscouite is Tributary to the King of Tartaria who ouercame them in the yeare of the Worlde 6745. according as their Annales doo deliuer their Chronologies are not according to our Obseruation in accounting after the yeares of Iesus Christ When the Tartarian Ambassadors doo come before the Moscouite Prince hee standeth bare headed before them and they sit couered He hath wel-néere daily Warres against the Polonois and Scythian who albeit they are subiects to other Kings yet doth he much enlarge his dominions ouer them Now although as we said at the first these Princes contented them-selues with the name of Duke vntill the time of hys Father now raigning yet would he néeds vsurp the name of King giuing himselfe these ensuing Titles as his Son also doth the same The great Lord Basilius by the grace of God king Prince of Russia Great Duke of Volodimeria Moscouia Nouogardia Plescouia Sureluchia Tuueria Iugaria Permia Vraquia Bulgaria Great Lord and Duke of the Lands in Nouagadia the lower of Cyeruigouia Rezauia Riscouia Belloya Iaroslauia Bierosolia Vdoria Obdoria Condidia c. By which large plurality of Titles it appeareth that he is farre more potent then some haue immagined him to be But concerning his vassailage to the King of Tartars he holdes it no dishonor to him for he doth it to this end That while hee kéepeth peace with him hee bringeth much more easily vnder his obedience all the néere neighboring people and with the power of the great Tartare he is ten times stronger then of himselfe For the saide Tartare bringes ordinarily a Million of men with him to the field al well appointed for warre with two or thrée hundered péeces of Cannon and thrée hundred thousand horsse c. Of the Kingdome of Poland POlonia in elder times called Sarmatia is said to receiue that name of the worde Pole which in that
Language is as much to say as plaine smooth or éeuen and so much the rather is it to bee credited because all the Countrey is plaine spacious full of thicke woodes and verie few hilles or mountaines in it The Earth is colde and fréezing whereby it produceth little store of Wine or Oyle but contrarywise it yéeldeth much Graine and diuers other kindes of Pulse c. Zechus and Lechus or Leschus were the first that euer gouerned in Polonia or there builded any Citty Castle They both gouerned for some time but after the whole race of Lechus was extirpated the Barons of the kingdome assembling to giue succession to Leschus concluded to liue at liberty and without any farther checke or controule Neuerthelesse that Iustice might be administred to the people and they gouerned as necessity required they ordained twelue Vaiuodes or Paladines which order hath continued in that kingdome euen to our daies but not without great hurt to the whole land For there was no change of these Officers but the dignitye lasted their life time although they carried them-selues badly in their authority despising their betters and euill entreating their Inferiours Such as among these Vaiuodes were Castillians Commaunders of Castelles Captaines Iudges and such like great Magistrates did what themselues pleased whereby ensued that this Kingdome could neuer haue any great progression in armes being oppressed by such petty and no mightie or potent Lords But in no long while after the faction of Lechus growing in hatred of the Vaiuodes or Paladines gouernment would néedes haue one peculiar Prince and therefore they made choise of a worthy and valiant man named Gracchus who dwelt at the foote of the Sarmatian Mountaines néere vnto the Riuer Vistula He builded a Citty calling it Graccouia which is nowe corruptly named Cracouia a Cittie greatly blessed both in beautie and Scituation as also infinite Marchandizes which is there Trafficked from all Nations of the worlde it being the Metropolis of the whole kingdome The race of Gracchus fayling it returned againe to the gouernement of twelue Paladines but with much infelicity because in contending for Competitors diuers factions grewe amongst them and consequently insurrections in armes to withstand one another wherby great damage happened to the whole lande Among these turbulent spirits there was a Polander named Pâ—â—arislaus a man expert in armes of quicke apprehension and one that could well fish in such troubled Waters The people reuolted all to his faction they made him their King and he was the fift Gouernour of that Prouince after the firste Lechus or Leschus After his death another gallant young man succéeded him tearmed by the Polacks Leschus the second who proued to be a man of singuler prudence but made olde with time and dying he left it to his Sonne Leschus the third This man made his Sonne Pompilius Legittimate but deuided the Kingdome among twenty other that were his Bastards to the great detriment of the Country But Pompilius being legittimate entred into the gouernment and leauing Cracouia appointed his seate in another City called Gneza but finding it too mollestuous he transferred the State to another Citty named Crusuicza In this Citty he died of the Stone according as himselfe had continually foretold And the chiefe Lords being assembled in Counsell they determined that no more of Pompilius his successours shoulde raigne ouer them but with one consent made choise of a Countreyman named Piastus one of no great stature but strong and well sinnewed This was the first branch of those Kings that continued to the time of Casimirus the second of Lodwick of which selfesame race were also descended the moderne Princes of Slesia This Piastus accepting the Gouernement tooke vpon him the Title of Duke onely whose succession comming at length to Boleslaus in the yeare D. CCCC XC IX hee was then made King by Otho the third Emperour But the Kingdome comming to another Boleslaus successour to the former hee was expulsed thence and dyed Whereupon the Polonians aduaunced in his place his Brother Vladislaus in the yeare MLXXXII by the Title of Duke But in the yeare MCCXCV the Title of King was taken againe by Primislaus the second who at first was Duke of the greater Poland and of Pomerauia or Pomerland and so continued the succession euen to Ladislaus the first begotten sonne of Cassimirus who while his Father liued was designed to bee King of Hungaria and of Bohemia He tooke in Marriage Anne Daughter to the King of Fraunce by whom hee had Lodwick and Anne Lodwicke succéeded his Father in both his Kingdomes and tooke to Wife Marie Sister to Charles the Emperour But in the yeare of Christ 1492. the Barons of Polonia at a dyet elected after the Death of Cassimirus his Sonne Iohn Albertus His continuaunce was but a while therefore by the greater part of the Barons Alexander Great Duke of Lithuania was elected who going in Armes agaynste the Tartares dyed in Vilua aged fiue forty yeares Sigismond his younger Brother succéeded him Anno 1500. who hadde the Title of King Anno 1506. and made great Warre vppon the Neighbouring Nations especially on the Moscouites of whom he slew thirty thousand in the yeare 1514. He deceasing Augustus Sigismond tooke his place and after him Henry the thirde Brother to Charles the ninth King of Fraunce was chosen and made King But his Brother dying and he affecting his paternall kingdome more then the other forsooke Poland and went into France to his rightfull Inheritance The Polanders being thus forsaken they made choise of Maximilian the second being Emperour to be their King But he not resoluing to accept it and the Kingdom standing on some doubtful tearms Stephanus Battori Prince of Transiluania being a man of great valor came into Poland with a slender power where he was created King and so continueth A briefe Suruay of sundry other kingdomes as they were by commaund of the Emperor Iustinian set downe in the Romaine Bookes de Iuris-prudentia THe Romaine Emperors in their Imperiall Titles of honour and renowne did not onely obserue giue to themselues the names of those Prouinces wonne by them or reduced vnder the yoke of their Empire but likewise of such Nations and people as lefte theyr owne Countreyes in abounding multitudes and entered vppon the possessions of others to expell and chase thence the Naturall Inhabitauntes to plant there their owne abyding by bidding them many Battailes in some surmounting and in others spéeding according to the Fortune of Warre Of those Nations I intend to speake in some measure of their Originall and howe they succeeded because at length they ruined the greate Romayne Empyre whereto I am the rather induced to instruct such as are little skilled in Histories not onelye Cosmographicall but likewise Geographicall and to shewe them apparantly howe much they haue iniured the greater part of our Hemisphere Wee will first beginne with the Gothes
because they were the first that forsooke their owne natiue Countrey which was called Gothia or Gothland signifying a good Land it béeing a Northerne Prouince of Germanie This Land abounded in Graine Fruites Cattle Woodes Riuers Mettals but especially in Copper and Skinnes seruing for Furres At all times and as yet at this day is to be discerned the Kingdom of Swessia or Sweuia hath bin comprized vnder the Dominion of the Gothes As the Countrey was fertile in fruites euen so were the Women thereof likewise in Children for as they were strong and of great stature so had they vsually two Children at a birth which was the cause then and so it yet continueth that they had and haue more people then can wel liue together the Country not being sufficient to find sustenance for so many In like manner they are very great féeders much more then they that liue in the Easterne or Meridionall partes The Gothes perceiuing and aduisedly pondering on this vrgent case they leuied the more part of the youngest and strongest men of their Countrey to the number of thrée hundred thousand and married such as were not to ridde themselues of the charge of Daughters as well as of Sonnes for the Countrey ordinarily abounded in the Feminine more then in the Masculine Sexe So being well prouided of all necessaries for warre and leauing a chiefe commander at home of the Royal linage they wandred abroad through the fields to win by power or compasse by loue some new habitation wherein to liue Many Authors and among the rest Trebellius sayth that the first tidings of this their straiing was vnder the raigne of the Emperour Flauius Claudius about the yeare of Iesus Christ 272. And that they passed thorough Allemaign Hungary Thrace Greece Gaule and into Italy They lost many battailes and wonne likewise as many against the Romaines and other people maintaining themselues so well that they raigned in Italie euen in despight of the Italians and Emperours the space of seauentie one yeares as Procopius auoucheth At length they went into Spaine whence afterward they would not remooue For the Catholique Kinges of Spaine that then raigned by succession and raigne yet to this present were issued from the race and line of their Kinges who were indéed very generous people Now it is not to bee imagined that in regard of such a mightie leuy of men the Countrey of Gothia or Gothland or the neighbouring borders remained without Inhabitants or the rule of Kinges For there were then left behinde so many as the Land was able to nourish who had their Kinges in authority ouer them and strength sufficient to withstand any inuasion of the Countrey As for the conquering Armyes abroad they continued in Honour for a very long time albeit they lost great store of men in battailes encounters surprisals and passages of Riuers yet were these disaduantages still supplied by the daily birth of Children among them because they had their wiues in all places with them Perhaps some strangers mingled among theÌ„ who wearing their habits learning their language holp still to supply the friâ— of this people Such as haue bin named Ostrogoths were people issued of the same country of Gothia or Gotteland froÌ„ a place which is yet cald Ostrogothia the principall Citties whereof are Scheâ—ng and Lincopt They vsed to warre alone by themselues being separate from the Goths yet ranging the world according as they did The Westrogothes in like manner came out of a Country cald Westrogothia among whom the chéefest Citties to this day are Scaris and Vernen Wisigoths or Bisigoths came foorth of a Countrey named Visbi the principall Cittie whereof iâ— yet called Visbi I was the more willing to make this discription because I haue heard of diuers who are but slenderly experienced in Cosmography that do tearme those Ostroâ—goths to bee Gothes Orientall or of the East and the Westrogoths Occidentall Gothes or dwelling in the West and so contrarywise of the other Albeit they were all descended and came out of the kingdome of Gothia or Gotteland as Munster hath very well obserued The Vandales in the erronious iudgement of Procopius a Gréeke Authour are said to bée of the same Nation and that all the people of Goths Vandales Alains Hunnes and others whom I am hereafter to describe were deriued out of one and the same Land and were comprehended all vnder the Name of Sauromates or Sarmates and haue no other difference but by the names of their Captaines or Kinges But I must maintaine against him that the land of the Vandales is distant from Gotheland aboue the space of two hundered leagues and therefore they cannot bee one people with the Gothes True it is that this Nation is Septentrionall or in the North as the others are and is a Maritime Countrey named yet to this day Vandalia but as I haue already saide very farre off the one from the other This people did almost as much hurt to the Romaine Empire as the Gothes did for ioyning diuers other people with them as the Alaines Suabes Franconians they trauerssed the Rheine Gauderichus béeing then their King and passing among the Gaules wasted and spoyled them very greatlie Then went they into Spaine and tooke possession in despight of the Gothes of the Countrey adioyning to the Kingdome of Granado which to this day is called Vandalia or by corrupting the Worlde Vandelusia albeit the Spanyards mince it more nicely and nick-name it to be Andalusia But to bee bréefe they were thrust foorth of Spayne wholly in the yeare 431. vnder another of their Kings named Gensericus and passed thence into Asia where they raigned 76. years From thence they were compelled in the seauenth yeare of the Emperor Iustinian Anno Dom. 528. by the valour of one of his Captaines named Belisarius The Hunnes departed also out of their Countrey for the selfe-same cause as the Gothes did about the yeare one hundred sixty eyght onely to séeke some Land where they might liue after the Scythians Religion making first choyce of Pannonia where they alwayes so strongly kept and guarded it till after their owne name it was called Hungaria This people came from that part of Scythia which is tearmed Hunos no long distance from the Riuer Tanais but it is a miserable estate at this day and vnder subiection of the Moscouite Hauing vsurped Pannonia they kept it manfully against the Romaines and two hundred yeares after Attila theyr King accompanied with some people of Allemaigne as Bohemians Gepides or Girpides Schlesites Werlies Thuringians Goths Ostrogothes and others making in all about the number of sixe hundred thousand men passed through Allemaigne which they much endamaged Then went he into France where hee lost a battaile in which perished a great number of his men this battel was giuen him by the Romans Gaules and certaine Goths allied together and he lost as some Authors
afterward by those of Gregory of Tours of Rheginon and of Sigisbert good Authors do make a méere mockery of it for they neuer knew any other Citty named Sicambria but that famous Citty which is in Allemaigne So that by this our instant deduction it euidently appears that the Sicambrians dwelt with the Pannonians that from thence they came into Germany to the shâ—ars of Rhine and hauing in such manner obtained their liberty they were then first of all called Francs But now to come againe to our Francs Francions or Francones admit them to be issued of the Sâ—cambrians or of the Cimbrians or of the Germans or of any other It is notorious enough that two great Prouinces were by them inhabited named to wit Orientall France or Françonia in the Country of Saxony the kingdome of France in Gaule and that the very first time that any speach was heard of theÌ„ it was in the declining of the Romaine Empire vnder the Emperors Aurelianus Probus Florianus and Proculus Which hath made some to conceit the very same matter of the Sicambrians and that the name of Francs was giuen them eyther after one of their Kings or of their bold courage or of the Hebrew Fraci The Emperor Aurelianus had to deale with them when they would needs passe the Rhine to come into Gaule and as some report slue a great number of them And yet they were not so much weakened but they could rebell againe and withstand the succéeding Emperors Now let vs come to the Etimologie of this name of Franc or Francs there are some who make no other proofe thereof but that it was only in regard of the immunity giuen vnto them by the Emperor Valentinian after they had holpen him against the Alaines Inferring also that he called them so by a Greek name François which is as much to say as bold hardy valiant and by those means were enfranchised from all touls subsidies and tributes for ten years space But there is not any Etimology receiued by our Frenchmen but such as certaine Authors by idle forged Histories of their owne braine would make them to beleeue and that they are deriued of Françus or Françion son to Hector according as we haue already declared Now to answere all these recited opinions and to begin with the word Ferocitie as deriued of the adiectiue Ferox and whereof some great estimulation is made There is no apparance at al that they shoulde deriue their name from thence this Etymologie being but puld in by the eares and so farre off from the name of Francs as there néeds no other reason to obiect against it but the very spacious distance betwéene these two words Ferocitie and Francois considering withal that all Authors haue described the French to be men milde courteous and affable and not fierce stern or cruell As for the other reason the best receyued of them that striues to make vs beléeue that they are issued of Francus or Francion the son of Hector It is most certain that there neuer was any such Francus or Francion son to Hector because Hector had but one son named Astianax who at the surprizail of Troy was thrown by the Greeks from a very high Tower to the end that no one of the Troyans race might remaine to reuenge vpon the Greekes the sacke of Troy And to say that the Etymology of the name of Francs came from the franchise and immunity which was giuen vnto them by the Emperor Valentinian It hath no likelyhood of reason because they were called so before Valentinian was borne Now albeit that the name of franchise comes néerest to that of Francs yet cannot that deriuation be receiued for authentical because the name of this Nation is more auncient by more then a thousande yeares then the worde of franchise which is but a new coynde word in respect of the other and which by Frenchmen louers of their owne language hath bin allowed to signifie the said liberty ¶ The Election of Pharamond who was the first King of France how he was elected for his Vertues and Heroyick actions only The Francs gaue ayde to the Emperor Valentinian and by that occasion were exempted from paying Tribute for ten yeares In like manner what Ceremonies were aunciently obserued in election of their Kings and of the Salique Law THe Francs Francions or Francons of whose aduentures and Etymologie wee haue amplie discoursed hauing after many peregrinations Voyages and Trauerses made choise of their abiding at Paulus Maeotides very néere thereunto and according to the opinion of the most common and receiued they builded a Citty where they inhabited vntill the time of the Emperor Valentinian whom they valiantly assisted against the Alaines that had rebelled against the Emperor and the Romaine Empire In recompence of which good succour seruice the Emperor discharged them for tenne yeares space from paying the ordinary Tribute which they owed to the Romains yet ordering that at expyrarion of such time they shoulde returne to their former seruitude The ten yeares being expyred constraint came for repayment of the Tribute But they féeling the swéetnes of such an immunity desirous to reduce to a perpetuall priuiledge that which the Emperour had but in grace graunted in pride and presumption replyed that they purposed no longer paiment of any thing but since with price of theyr bloude and no meane daunger of their lines they had fréely bought and purchased their fréedome they were not so weakely aduised to forgoe at so cheape a Market that which had cost them so deare The Emperour displeased with this their refusall brought a great Armie against them and foyling them in the fight expelled them from their dwelling So that they were enforced to assemble themselues vnder the conduct of a chiefe Captaine amongest them named Marcomir or Marcmeier which in the olde Franc Language signifieth a Gouernour of they Country Thus they withdrewe them-selues into a Prouince of Germanie at this present called Allemaigne where they inhabited and after their own name called the Prouince of their abiding Franconia There are some Authors who will not auouch that the Emperour Valentinian did vanquishe them because in verie trueth there is no such matter founde in any verye auncient Writer Contrary-wiâ—e Amianus Marcellinus an olde and true Historiographer sayeth That when as Valentinian was in Italie he receyued tydings that great Brittaine now named England was then ouer-runne and spoyled by the Pictes and Scottes And likewise that a great number of the Francs as also of the Saxons did ouerspreade Gaule But common Opinion houldeth that the Francs woulde not pay the Tribute after tenne yeares were expyred and that beeing thereuppon ouercome by the Emperour Valentinian they were as alreadye hath béene sayde expulsed from theyr abiding and compelled to saue them-selues in the sayde Prouince Being there seated they grewe desirous to choose and establishe a manner of Gouerning
one yeares and the other seuenty six after they had long time gouerned their Churches And then began Christian Religion to flourish by the holy and painefull writings of many Doctours This is all that can be saide of Pharamond first King of the Francs or Franconians who afterward were called French-men And hee after he had raigned ten or according to some others eleauen yeares died in Anno Dom. 431. Our Historyes haue not giuen him any Wiâ—e albeit some say that Clodion his Successor was his Sonne 2 Clodion second King of the Francs Franconians or French succeeded his Father Pharamond in the yeare of grace 431. He was sir-named Clodion the Hairy because hee wore his Beard and Haire long ordaining the French to weare the like in signe of liberty because the Romaines vsed to poule and shaue all such as they subdued in signe of seruitude and this fashion of wearing long haire continued in France vntill the time of Peter Lombard in the raigne of Lewes the younger fourth King of that name Clodion perceiuing the Romaines to war weak by Warres which they maintained against the Vrisigotes and loath to loose occasion for enlarging his Kingdome leuied a mighty Army subdued the Thuringians or Lorraignes took Cambray by assault putting all the Romaines to the Sword that were therein and vanquished their Army néere to the Riuer of Rhine Then passing the Forrest Charbonniere hee tooke Tournay and pursuing his purpose for dilation of his Confines he went into France conquering Burgundy Tholouse Angolesme and all Aquitain Clodion hauing raigned twenty yeares died in An. 449. 3 Meroneus third King of the French succéeded Clodion as his Sonne or néerest Kinsman Anno 450. Tritemius writeth that he was Sonne to Clodion but it is not found to bee so in the Histories of France In him the generation of the Kings of Fraunce tooke beginning which endured vntill King Pepin the Sonne of Charles Martell Meroneus like vnto his Predecessors was a Pagan yet very bold and couragious in warre as he declared by many foughten battailes wherein hee was continually present In his time Attila King of the Hunnes or Hungares who tearmed himselfe Flagellum Dei leuyed an Army of fiue hundred thousand Men and came into the Countrey of Gaule where he spoyled Coulongue and Treues with many Castles scituated on the Rhine Hee trauersed Fraunce also where hée wasted Amiens Beauuais Chaalons Troys and Rheimes bringing his siedge before Orleaunce Meroneus séeing Fraunce so much oppressed with the helpe of Aetius Lieutenant Generall in Gaule for the Armie of Theodosius the younger Emperour of Rome and of Theodorick King of the Vuisegothes gaue him a strong battaile in the Catalaunique Fieldes which is sayde to be néere to Chaalons in Champaigne in which fight were slaine about two hundred thousand Men of Warre as well on the one side as the other Attila beholding his Men in disorder and that he could not call them backe againe as he would was enforced to retire home to Hungarie where he could neuer after re-assemble them of that company This battaile was fought in the yeare 452. Others say it was in the twenty seuenth year of the Empire of Valentinian the third Meroneus hauing his hopes much more highly aduaunced by such a great and glorious victory tooke the Citties of Sens Paris and a great part of Gaule not finding any to offer him resistance So that thence forward the Countrey which before has beene tearmed Gaule began euen then to be called France He caused one of his Sonnes to be throwne into a Fire because hee hadde slaine the King of Cornewall who came in courtesie to bée merrie with him Cornewall béeing then tributarie to France as some haue reported who also doe entitle Meroneus to be the first king of the French and all his Race the Merouingians Hee dyed in the tenth yeare of his raigne after hee hadde very much enlarged his Kingdome in Anno Domini 472. Or according to others 459. 4 Childerick or as some tearme him Chilperick Sonne to Moroneus succéeded him in the year 460. The great luxurie and bad life which he led in the beginning of his raign abusing the Wiues and Daughters of many worthy Lords begot him such indignation and hatred among theÌ„ that they purposing to surprize him he was faigne to saue himselfe by flight to Basinus king of Thuringe now called Lorraigne This did he by the councell of a friend of his named Vidomarck who as a secret token betwéene them breaking a Ring of Gold gaue him the one halfe coniuring him to giue no faith for his returne but to him that should bring him that other halfe The French elected in his place a Lieutenant of the Romaines named Gillon who held Soissons and laide such heauy exactions on euery man exercising also such cruelties on the Princes of France that in the 8. yeare hée was expelled and Childerick againe restored wholly by the meanes of Vidomarch Childerick pursued Gillon his Enemy and had great victories and conquestes against him Hee fought a battaile also néere to Orleaunce against Andoacre who was Duke of the Saxons Hee enlarged his Kingdome along the Riuer of Loyre so far as Angeirs One great and irreparable errour he committed for breaking the right of Hospitality with Basinus King of Thuringe who had receiued and relieued him in the chiefest of his aduersity he caried away with him his wife Basina by whom he had a Son called Clouis He died in An. 485. the 26. of his raigne 5 Clouis first King Christian and fift King of France succéeded his Father in the year of our saluation 485. He married Clotilda Sister to the Duke of Burgundy He made warre vppon Siagrius the Sonne of Gillon Lieutenant to the Romaines who held Soissons and som other parts of Belgick Gaule from whence hée expulsed him and made him fly to Tholouze to Alaâ—ic King of the Vuisegoths who betrayed him and sending back to Clouis he had his head smitten off So the Romaines being partly fled and partly slaine held no longer dominion in France Hauing likewise vanquished King Basinus hee â—â—bdued Thuringe now called Lorraigne and amplified the kingdom euen from the Rhine so far as Seine extending her limits to the riuer Loyre The Quéene his Wife did often times sollicite him to become a Christian whereto he would by no means listen til being in a hot conflict against the Allemaignes who descended in great companies to driue the French out of Gaule and desparing of the battaile hee thought vppon the God of Clotilda his Quéene promising that he would be a Christian if that day he obtayned the victory It pleased God to grant it him and hée was Baptized at his returne in the Cittie of Rheimes by Remy Arch-Byshoppe of the sayde place with his two Sisters and more then thrée thousand of the Nobility The sacred Oyle was poured on his head
euen in his Baptisme and all his successours at their Coronations haue in like manner béene sacred Clouis changed his former Coate of Armes taking thrée Golden Floure-de-luces in a fielde Azure where-with hée first warred vppon Gondebant King of Burgundy who was Vnckle to his Wife and discomfited the Vuisegothes before Poictiers hauing slaine with his owne hand Alaric theyr King and wonne from them the Countrey of Aquitaine so farre as the Pyrenean Mountaines and almost all Gaule and Allemaigne Héereuppon the Emperour Anastasius sent him a Crowne of Golde with th◠Title and vesture of Patritius and Consull He made a choyse of Paris for his ordinarie abyding and commaunded it to bée the chéefe Cittie of his Kingdome where he dyed in Anno 514. béeing aged eyghty yeares And was buryed in the Church of S. Geneuiefue du mont de Paris which himselfe had founded in memory of Saint Peter and Saint Paul leauing four Sons and two daughters 6 Childebert succéeded his Father Clouis in the yeare fiue hundred fiftéene but not in the whole kingdome For he leauing foure Sonnes liuing it was deuided into foure partes among them and each one was King of his seuerall portion Childebert hadde for his part Paris where hée held his Seate royall with other dependaunces as Poictu Maine Touraine Champaigne Aniou Guienne and Auuergne Clothaire was King of Soissons Clodomire King of Orleaunce and Theodorick the Bastard béeing the eldest was King of Metz. They made Warre by the procurement of Clotilda their Mother on Sigismond King of Burgundy who was slaine with his Wife Child by Clodomire king of Orleaunce who likewise in another battaile was kild himselfe by Gondemar vnder a feigned pretence of friendshippe but for this in the end Burgundy was taken and destroied Clothaire assisted by Childebert possessed himselfe of the Kingdom of Orleaunce and slew his Nephewes Clothaire and Childebert had great wars together which in the ende was accorded and they passed with their armies into Spaine against Almarick who vsed their Sister very hardly because she would not bee an Arrian And killing him in the battaile they brought her backe with them into France Hée raigned 45. yeares and dyed without any Children hee lieth buried at S. Germaine des Prez which he founded by the name of S. Vincent 7 Clothaire the Sonne of Clouis succéeded his Brother Childebert in the yeare 559. or as some say 560. hee had before béene King of Soyssons fortie fiue yeares and suruiued all his Brethren and their Children so that at length he remained sole-king of France He was luxurious and cruell in the death of his two Nephews Children to Clodomire King of Orleaunce He likewise with much disgrace vpon a Good-Friday slewe Gauliter d'Yuetot in a Church For reparation of which wrong he aduanced or erected the Land of Yuetot which is in Normandy into a kingdome to the heires of the said Gaultier Clothaire séeing himselfe Sole-Monarch of the Gaules would néedes leuy the third part of the Churches reuennewes Against which the Arch-bishop of Tours made resistance telling the King boldly that the reuennewes of the Church were the goods of the poore He lost a battaile against the Saxons and Thuringians because hee would not take them to mercie and suffer them to depart with their liues saued Hee ouercame in warre Cran his Bastard Sonne who rose in armes against him causing him his wife and Children to be burned hauing also formerly slaine the Duke of Bretaigne whom he had caused to reuoult Hee raigned 51. yeares dyed at Compeigne and lieth buryed at S. Medard de Soyssons Anno 567. 8 Cherebert or Aribert succéeded his Father Clothaire in the yeare 567. Paris fell to him by partage He was very vnchast of life repudiated his Wife to entertaine two of her waighting women for which Germaine Byshoppe of Paris excommunicated him Hee raigned nine yeares died without any heires And lieth buried at Saynt Romaine néere Blaye in Gascoigne 9 Chilperick succéeded his Brother Cherebert in the year 577. hauing before raigned nine yeares King of Soissons He had thrée wiues the first whereof he diuorced from him compelling her to enter into Religion The second beeing named Audoüera he banished And the thyrde called Athanagilde he caused to be strangled in her bedde All which was done by the procurement of Fredegonde his Concubine whom hée then married and had a Sonne by her named Clothaire His Brethren warred againste him for his inhumanities and woulde haue deposed him but in the ende they were pacifyed Chilperick perceiuing his Brother Sigibert king of Metz to be much molested by the Allemaigns tooke many Citties from him whereat Sigibert being iustly offended neuer ceased till by the helpe of Gontran hee recouered all that was taken from him pursuing him still in such sort that Theodebert his Son was slaine and hee glad to saue himselse in Iournay where Sigibert besieged him Sigibert was slaine in his Tent by two Traitors hyred thereto by Fredegonde In short while after Fredegonde knowing that the king had noted ouermuch familiarity betwéene her and Landry Maire of the Pallace her adulterer she caused the king to be murdered by the said Landry at Chelles néere Paris as hee returned somewhat late one night from hunting hauing raigned in all 23. years and lieth buried at S. Germaine des Prez 10 In the year 587. Clothaire second of that name the son of Chilperick Fredegonde being but foure months old was acknowledged for Legitimate and made king vnder the gouernement of Gontran King of Orleans his Vnckle who made Landry Maire of the Pallace Tutor to the young King and because he should bee norished with his Mother Fredegonde Childebert King of Metz endeuoured by Armes to get the gouernment of the kingdome and as much as in him lay to haue Fredegonde punished for the death of his Father Sigibert and of his Vnckle Chilperik whom she had caused to be both murdered Gontran appeased him by making hym his heire yet notwithstanding in short while after he began war againe against which Landry with Fredegonde who was a woman of admired courage opposed themselues And she to imbolden the French carried the young king hir son in her armes walking so with him thorough the thickest of the battell and shewing him vnto the soldiors she would say Fight for your younge King and defend his kingdom by which means Sigibert was foiled and driuen to flight Brunehault hauing put to death many children of the bloud Royall was deliuered to Clothaire who caused her to be torne with four horses He reuenged himselfe on the Saxons leauing no male child aliue that was taller then his sword He raigned 44. yeares and lyeth buried at S. Germaine des Pres. 11 Dagobert first of that name succéeded his Father Clothaire in the yeare 631. he gaue to his brother Aribert the kingdom of Aquitaine in partage which
conquered the Frisons with their Duke and made them to receiue the Christian faith He raigned foure yeares and his buriall is not recorded 17 Childebert second of that name succéeded his Brother Clouis in the yeare 698. Of his déeds there is little set downe in writing for Pepin Heristell Maire of the Pallace ruled then the whole kingdome and mannaged all the affayres of Fraunce at his pleasure He heard Ambassadors and gaue them aunswere according peace or truce as to himselfe séemed best In these raignes the Maires of the Pallace held such authority as it was not lawful for any to contradict them And yet Lambert Bish of Vtrecht whom Pepin had reuoked from bannishment notwithstanding al his power did not forbeare to reproue his adultry but it cost him his life for hee was slaine by Dodon brother to his concubine Pepin made his own son Grimoald Mair of the palace in which office he was soone after slaine Then he made his bastard son called Charls Martel duke of Austrasia and Maire of the pallace Pepin died in the 17. year of his gouernment as Maire of the Pallace And Plectrude his wife being desirous to rule with her young sonne Thibaulte caused Charles Martel to be imprisoned at Colougne Childebert die◠hauing raigned 18. yeares and lieth buried at S. Stephens of Naucy as some haue supposed that his brother Clouis doth also 18 Dagobert second of that name succéeded his father Childebert in the yeare 716. He was gouerned by Plectrude widdow to Pepin Heristel and by Thibaulte Sonne to his sonne Drogon Some French men Crowned as their King one named Daniell or Chilperick hauing the Counte Hermanfroy Maire of the Pallace that had slaine the cruell Ebroine Charles Martell was still kept Prisoner at Coulongue by Plectrude who hindred him by that meanes from enioying his Dukedome of Austrasia Thibault the youngest Sonne of Plectrude aspyring to bee Sole-Maire of the Pallace as also to expell Hermanfroy and his King Chilperick raysed an Army against them But Hermanfroy withstood him so couragiously néere to the Forrest Charboniere that Thibaulte was glad to fly with losse of his people By this meanes Hermanfroy like a Conqueror supported the raign of Chilperick vntill that Charles Martell was escaped out of Prison Dagobert raigned foure years leauing two Sons who by the factions of diuers Princes affecting the gouernment were made Monkes 19 Clothaire fourth of that name was king in Anno. 720. After that Charles Martell had escaped out of Prison wherein he had béene detained by Plectrude his Step-mother he came presently into Fraunce with a strong Army to re-seaze his Lordship of Maire of the Pallace and to exclude Chilperick called Daniell with duke Hermanfroy Maire of the Pallace who hadde made him King of France after the death of Dagobert the second They encountred together and by the ayde of the Duke of Frise hée was discomfited and fled But yet his courage was not quailed for afterward hee foiled Chilperick néere to Cambray who hauing revnited his forces with the helpe of Eudo Duke of Aquitaine was once more vanquished in Champaign The Duke of Aquitaine retyring tooke Chilpericke home with him into his Country Hermanfroy called by some Rainfroy was pursued and taken in the Cittye of Angiers where Martell in kindnesse left him to finish his daies Charles Martell hauing preuailed against all disaduantages was receiued in Fraunce for Maire and great Gouernor After the first victory which he had against Chilperick he made Clothaire the fourth King of France whom some do tearme to be Brother and others Vnckle to Dagobert the second He raigned two yeares and lieth buried at Nancy 20 Chilperick second of that name otherwise called Daniel hauing bin nourished young in a Monastery had formerly raigned two yeares before Clothayre the fourth Charles Martell after the death of the said Clothaire sent for him out of Gascoigne and acknowledging his lawfull right caused him to be constituted King in the yeare 722. This did he the rather nowe in the fresh Sun-shine of his reconfirmed power to hold him as King in apearance onely that he dying without issue might leaue the Crown to his Brother He raigned almost fiue yeares and lyeth buried ot Noyon 21 Theodorick second of that name or Thierry as some call him eldest sonne of Dagobert the second was made King in the yeare 727. Charles Martell sent to fetch him forth of a Monastery whereinto he had bin put when he was young and created him King in bare Title only For Charles Martell beeing Maire of the Pallace did mannage the whole businesse of the Kingdome and carried himselfe therein with very good credit Thus did the Maires take such aduantage of the Kings carelesnesse as in the end they expelled them from the Royall dignity and vsed it only for themselues Charles Martell subdued the Saxons and those of Bauaria that entred into rebellion Eudo Duke of Aquitain raised the Sarrazins who then bare great sway in Spayne to come with him and Warre in France making open passage for them They came thether to the number of foure hundered thousand persons with Women Children and Seruaunts with purpose to inhabite the Country wasting it al along as they went But Charles Martell met them néere Tours where hee vanquished and slew 350000. with very small losse of his owne followers Afterward hee preuailed against the Frisons and once more hee foyled the Sarrazins before Auignon expelling them in the ende quite out of Fraunce This king hauing raigned fiftéene yeares dyed and lieth buried at S. Denis 22 Childerick thirde of that name Surnamed the Insensible in regard of his blockish neglect and carelesnesse beeing likewise brought from the Monastery succéeded his brother Theodorick in the yeare 741. In which yeare Charles Martell Maire of the Pallace and Gouernour of Fraunce after many famous and woorthy victories by him obtained dyed and was in Royall habite interred at Saint Denis in the ranke of Kinges albeit hee neuer had the Name nor Title He left thrée Sonnes Pepin Carloman and Griffon Pepin being Maire of the Pallace lost not a iotte of that authoritie which his Father hadde formerly exercised ouer the Kinges but gouerned the Realme with his Brother Carloman Griffon thinking himselfe not sufficiently remembered by his Father seazed Laon to himselfe and helde it stronglie but in the ende hee was constrained to agree with his Bretheren Carloman contemning the goodes and honours of this Worlde went to Rome to Pope Zacharie and receiued the habite of Religion at his hands Pepin succéeding as heyre to that which Carloman had forsaken and hauing the fauour of the chiefest in the Kingdome sawe occasion smile vppon him to make himselfe a King and therefore woulde not let slippe so fayre an opportunity Héereupon by his Ambassadors hee gained the consent of Pope Zachary whom hee thorowly acquainted with the pusilanimity and dissolute life
Prinâ—es in hope of his daughters mariage The French K. and the duke sought to deceiue each other and the Constable of S. Paul waxing hatefull to them both they resolued his ruine and on a truce taken for 9. years betwéen the King and Duke the Constable was beheaded at Paris The Duke warred against the Swisses and was defeated by them both at Granson and Morat wherewith the Swisses were enriched The Duke besiedged Nancie and was there slain in battel by the Treason of the Earle of Campobachio an Italian where being engirt with a great troupe of Lanciers he receiued thrée wounds one in the head the second in the thigh and the third in the fundament He left one onlie Daughter and heire 32 Mary Daughter and Heire to Duke Charles the warlike Duke of Bourgogne succéeded her Father in al his Countries being but 18. yeares old when he was slaine before Nancy wherefore shee remained vnder the charge of the Duke of Cleues and his Brother the Lord of Rauestein The French King seized Piccardie and Arthois she happening into the Ganthois power endured much trouble by putting her chiefest seruants and Councellers to death the Flemings were defeated and the young Duke of Gueldres slaine Afterward a marriage was concluded betwéene Maximilian Arch-duke of Austria Son to the Emperor Frederick and the Lady Marie of Bourgogne albeit shee would more gladly haue matched with the house of France 33 Maximilian Arch-Duke of Austria and Son to the Emperour Fredericke marrying the Princesse Mary of Bourgogne was thereby wedded to much war and trouble For first the Gueldres reuolted from the house of Bourgogne Next happened the battel of Guinegate wherein the Arch-Duke was the Conquerour Then Turnay yéelded to him truce was taken betwéen him and the French King and the new tumults of the Cabillaux and Hoecks were likewise by him pacified Dordrecht was surprized by the young Lord of Egmont also many Townes in Guelders yéelded to the Arch-Duke and not long after followed the death of the Arch-Dutchesse Mary who had the first yeare of her mariage a Sonne named Phillip Father to Charls the fift the second yeare a Daughter called Margaret betroathed in her infancye to Charles the Dolphin of France Sonne to King Lewes 11. and the third year a Sonne named Frances according to the name of Fraunces Duke of Brittaine his Godfather Maximilian beeing chosen King of the Romaines he made Engelbert Earl of Nassau Gouernour of the Netherlands in his absence And afterward vpon the bold insolency of the Ganthois and Bâ—ugois kéeping the King of Romaines prisoner Albert Duke of Saxonie was made second Gouernor of the Netherlands and General for the Emperor Frederick against the Flemings But Frederick dying his Sonne Maximilian succeeded him in the Empire by which meanes Phillip of Austria son to the said Maximilian inherited his right in Holland Zeland Frizeland c. 34 Phillip second of that name being but 16. yeares olde and succeeding his father Maximilian Emperor in the Netherlands had these Titles Phillippe Arch-Duke of Austria Duke of Bourgogne Lothier Brabant Styria Carinthia Lembourg Luxembourg and Guelders Earle of Haspourg Flaunders Arthois Bourgogne Ferrette and Kiburch Palatine of Henault Holland Zeland Namur and Zutphen Marquesse of the Holie Empyre and of Bourgan Landtgraue of Elsaten Lorde of Windismarke Portenau Salynes and Macklyn Vpon his full possession of the Netherlandes peace was made betwéen him Charles the 8. King of France warre happening betwixt the Arch-duke and the Duke of Guelders great inconueniences followed thereon but Duke Albert beeing slaine before Groningen the Arch-Duke inherited the realme of Spain by his wife being made King of Castile and George Duke of Saxonie being then made gouernor of the Netherlands for the Arch-Duke Phillip continued the warres in Frizeland For vpon the death of Isabell Q. of Castile Iane her daughter being onely heyre and married to the Arch-Duke Phillip she héerby inuested him in the Realmes of Spain Leon Granado c. as absolute King But he enioyed that dignity not long for in the yeare 1506. the 27. of September hee died suddenly in the Citty of Bourgos suspected to be poysoned After the death of Phillip King of Castile the Emperour Maximilian tooke vppon him the gouernement of the Netherlandes as Guardian vnto Charles and Ferdinand his Grand-children being the Sons of Phillip and Iane King Quéen of Castille 35 Charles of Austria second of that name succéeded rightfully in all his Fathers Landes and Seigneuries and by the Emperors appointment his daughter the Ladye Margaret Dowager of Sauoy and Aunt to the Princes Charles and Ferdinand was Regent of the low countries Afterwarde Prince Charles tooke possession of the Netherlands and being crowned K. of Spain and Arragon soone after followed the death of the Emperor Maximilian and in an assemblye at Francfort for choise of a new Emperor Charles King of Spaine had frée election by the name of Charles the fift Then was Ladye Margaret Widdow both of Castile and Sauoy and Aunt to the Emperour Charles accepted as sole Gouernesse of the Netherlandes in her Nephewes absence Troubles happened in Spaine by reason of the Kings departure thence and not onelie warre in Frizeland but likewise betweene the French and Bourguignons as also the warre of Boores or Peazants in Germany and the Groningeois reiecting the Du. of Guelders did yeild themselues to the Emperor then hapned the 2. bloody edict froÌ„ the Emp. against the Netherland protestants then was the imperial diet at Ausbourg wher the protestant princes presented the confession of their faith After followed the deuouring inundation in the Netherlands the death of the Lady dowager Margaret whereby Mary of Austria 2. daughter to K. Phillip and Q. Iane of Castile succéeded in the gouernment of the Netherlands Warre happened betwéene the Emperor and the French King but vppon the comming of Quéene Elenor of Fraunce to the Emperor her Brother peace was concluded betwixte them 36 While Mary of Austria gouerned the Netherlands for the Emperor Charles her brother great troubles happened to the Protestantes by opposition of the Pope and Emperour againste them The Emperor affected the Empyre for Prince Phillip his Sonne which bred a quarrel betwixt the Emperor and his brother Ferdinand King of Hungary to whome the Princes of the Empire were more enclined then to Phillip and then the Protestantes denied their comming to the Counsell of Trent Phillip King of Spaine married Mary Quéene of England And not long after the Emperor resigned the Netherlands to his Sonne King Phillip whereby he was reckoned the 36. Earle of Holland Zeland c. and the Empire to his Brother Ferdinand K. of the Romans and Hungary departing out of the Netherlands to end his daies quietly in a Monastery not far from Placentia He reserued 100000 Crownes yearely to himselfe employing
was also yeelded vp after it hadde endured 17000. Cannon shot and more Beside vpon some discontentment betwéene the Earle of Leicester and the States the Quéene called home the said Earle into England and the Lord Willoughby remayned there Generall of the English forces The sundry worthy seruices both by him and the English performed with the Spanish vndoubted hopes of Englands coÌ„quest in the dreadfull yeare of 1588. Prince Maurice his entrance into the Netherlands regiment and the Duke of Parmaes wars in France all these I passe ouer referring such as desire farther satisfaction therein to the large History of the Netherlands The Prince of Parma dying at Artas after his retreate from Rouen the second of September 1592. Maurice of Nassan borne Prince of Orange Marquesse of La Vere and of â—ing c. was made great Captaine and Admirall Generall of the vnited Prouinces of the low-Lowâ—countries by the Estates And Ernestus Arch-duke of Austria was also made Lieutenant Gouernour and Captaine Generall for Phillip King of Spaine Prince Maurice proouing very successefull in his warlike artemptes a Renegate or Apostat Priest in the habite of a Souldier was corrupted by the Arch-Duke Ernestus to murther the Prince Maurice at Breda and vppon his owne confession thereof hée was executed at the Hage Afterward vppon Prince Maurice his valiant surprisall of Gronning Ernestus hadde dealt in like manner with a Souldier named Peter du Four who had sometime serued in the company of the Guarde to Prince Maurice â—o vndertake the murdering of him at Lillo the which treason beeing confessed by the man himselfe he was executed in the Towne of Berghen vp-zoom Here might much be said of the honorable seruices of Sir Frances Vere and others but our purposed breuity is the onely imbarment and the Netherlandes History at large may thereof discharge me The Arch-Duke Ernestus dyed the twenty one day of February 1595. Moâ—dragons forces defeated by Prince Maurice and La Motte slaine before Dourlaus the Estates vnder the King of Spaine gladly sought peace with the vnited Prouinces and sent Articles in writing to Prince Maurice for consideration of their motion This was not done but vppon good aduise in the King of Spaine perceyuing the Netherlandes and Prince Maurice his great fortunes against him adding euery daie more and more to his vtter abolition thence Hereupon Albertus the Cardinall Brother to deceased Ernestus Arch-Duke of Austria was sent by the King to gouerne there for him many Easterlings and Netherland ships which had bin staied in Spain to méet the Indian fléete were suddenly released and Phillip of Nassau who is now Prince of Orange and Earle of Buron that had long time béene restrained of his liberty in Spain for better countenancing the intended businesse he likewise was sent along with the Cardinall Albertus The Cardinall being made Gouernour for the King de Spaine tooke Callice from the French King as his first peece of seruice but for losse thereof he recouered La-fere from the Spaniards Whereuppon the Cardinall besiedged Hulst in Flanders which yeilded in the end but it was a deare purchase to the Cardinall for this siedge continuing some two months cost him the liues of aboue threescore valiant Captaines besides other Commanders Collonels and men of mark and â—bouâ— fiue thousand well approued souldiers Then did the king of Spaine dispense with himselfe for payment of his debtes which made many Merchants in Spaine Italy Antwerp Amsterdam and Middlebourg to become Banquerouts A league was made betwéen the French King the Quéene of England and the States against the Spaniardes and then did Prince Maurice goe to Tournhoult where the Earle of Varax was slaine Amiens also was surprised by the Spaniardes but soone besiedged and recouered by the French King albeit the Cardinall offered succour which prooued in vaine Prince Maurice besiedged and tooke the Townes of Alpen Meurs Rhinberg Groll Brefort Enscheyde Oldenzeel Otmarsom Goor and Lingen all which seruices he performed in thrée monthes Then hapned another treacherous plot against the life of Prince Maurice by perswasion of the Iesuites at Doway and vnder-taken by Peter Panne a Cooper by Trade but beeing then a Broaker or Banquerout Merchant who hauing receiued the Sacrament to performe the déede either with Knife Ponyard or Pistoll the Prouinciall of the Iesuites made a long Sermon to encourage him in the action and assuring him of Paradice if he performed it vsed these wordes to him besides Goe in peace for thou shalt go like an Angell in the guard of God But the man beeing terrifyed in conscience discouered the whole Treason without any compulsion and was therefore executed at Leyden in Holland The King of Spaine growing weake and sickly gaue his Daughter the Infanta named Isabella Clara Eugenia in marriage to the Arch-duke Cardinall Albertus with transaction of the Netherlands and Bourgogne whereupon hee left his Cardinals habit went to fetch the Infanta Soone after died the King of Spaine on the 13. day of September Anno 1598. being seuenty one yeares old add foure months The Arch-Duke and the Infanta beeing come into the Neatherlandes had their instalment at Brussels Louaine Antwerp c. The Emperour sent to the States concerning a peace but theyr resolution held to make warre in Flanders Then happened the siedge and memorable battaile of Nieuport where Prince Maurice tooke dyuers Fortes from the Spanyards and ouer-threw the Arch-dukes Army he being there in person but gladly fled away leauing his Armes Horse of Combate all his Houshold Artillerie and baggage behind him and lost 6000. men beside 800. taken Prisoners among whom was Don Francesco de Mendoza Admirall of Arragon Marquesse of Guadaleste and Lieutenant Generall of the Arch-Dukes Army who was led to Oostend Don Baptista de Villa noua led to Horne in Holland Don Alonzo Ricquell to Delft Don Gonzalo Hernandes de Spinola to Vtrecht Don Pedro de Montenegro to the Hague Don Pedro de Valasco to Berghen with Don Francisco de Torres Don Antonio de Mendoza Don Pedro de Leusina to EnchuiseÌ„ besides the Arch-dukes thrée Pages Count Carlo Rezi Don Diego de Guzman and Mortier Don Pedro de Monte-maior his chiefe taster likewise his Phisition Barber Harbinger Rider Cook Porter the Grooms of his Chamber most of the Archers and Halberdiers of his Guard and in a manner all his houshold with thrée Priestes or Monkes 40. Auncients and 37. Pentioners tearmed by them Ancient and Sergeants reformed He lost also sixe pieces of Ordynance 136. Ensignes of foot taken and fiue Cornets of horse comprehending the Mutiners Standerd and the recouered lost Colours Moreouer on the Arch-Dukes side were slaine the Earle of Saume the Earle of La Fere the Seneshall of Montelimar the Baron of Pimereull Chassy Ortigny Son to the President Richadot Don Gaspar de Sapena Colonel who dyed at Oost-end
Martij Anno primo Edw. 6. Sir Edward Bellingham Lord Deputy 22. Aprills An. eodem Sir Francis Brian Lord Iustice Sir VVilliam Brabeston Lord Iustice Sir Anthony Seutleger the third time Lord deputy 4. August Sir Iames Croftes Lord Deputie twenty nine Aprilis Sir Anthony Sentleger the fourth time Lorde Deputy September 1. Anno primo Reg. Marie Thomas Lord Fitzwalter Lorde Deputie 27. Aprilis Sir Henry Sidney Lordes Iustices Doctor Coren or Corwen Lordes Iustices Sir Henry Sidney Lord Iustice alone eightéen Ianuary Thomas Earle of Sussex Lord Lieutenant 19. Martij Sir William Fitz-Williams Lord Iustice Thomas Earle of Sussex Lord Deputy 6. Maij Anno primo R. Elizab. Sir Nicholas Arnold Lord Iustice Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputie the third time Doctor Weston Lord Chancellour Sir William Fitzwilliams Sir Henry Sidney Lorde Deputy the fourth time Sir William Fitz-williams Lord Iustice Sir William Fitz williams Lorde Deputy 11. Decemb. Anno. 14. Elizab. Sir Henry Sidney Lorde Deputy the fift time August 3. Sir William Drury Lord Iustice 14. Septem by patent 18. May. Sir William Pelham lord Iustice The Lord Arthur Gray Adam Arch-Byshoppe of Dublin Lordes Iustices Sir Henry Wallop Lordes Iustices Sir Iohn Perot Lord Deputy Sir William Fitz-Williams Lord Deputy Sir William Russell Lord Deputy Thomas Lord Burrough lord Deputy Robert Earle of Essex Lord Lieutenant Charles Blunt Barou Montioy Lord Deputie Sir George Carew Lord Deputy Sir Arthur Chichester Lord Deputy who yet to this day continueth in that honourable office ¶ Of the Kingdome of Scotland ACcording to the ancient Historiographers of Scotland in description of their Nations first off-spring and originall after Brutes first deuision of Brittaine to his Sonnes they make relation of a Noble man among the Grecians that was named Gathelus the sonne of Cecrops in the iudgement of some who builded Athens but according to the conceite of others the Sonne of Argus Nealus fourth King of the Argines This Gathelus being banished by his Father for some matter of disobedience departed thence into Aegypt in the thirty three yeare of Pharao Orus then King of that Countrey and there carried himselfe with such valiant and extraordinary successe against the Countries Enemies in the company of Moses Generall vnder the King himselfe that Pharao bestowed his faire Daughter named Scota on him in mariage hauing also then giuen him and his follâ—wers the Citty Thebes Aegyptiaca reported to be taken from the Israelites Vpon iust occasion Gathelus after his Fathers in Lawes decease leauing Egypt being prouided of Shippes and other apt necessaries tooke his Wife Children and a great multitude both of Greeks and Ethyopians and setting forth of Nilus determined to séeke his fortune in other Countries This was in the year of the worlds creation 2453. and after his abiding in Egypt aboue 39. years what accidents befell him in this voyage is néedelesse to report his first arriuall was on the Coastes of Numidia in Affrick now named Barbary but being not able to settle there he came into a part of Spaine long after termed Lusitania It is said that the place of his landing there was called Port-Gathele after the name of Gathelus which afterward became corruptly to bee called Portgale or Portingale the certainty whereof I referre to better iudgements The people there inhabiting gaue both him and his at the first a bold repulse but in the end hee preuailed victoriously and after further friendly conference with the Spaniards he began to builde a Citty named Brachara on the bankes of the Riuer Mundus and so at the first did hee name the Citty it selfe Gathelus by the Spaniards further perswasions promise of assistance to their vttermost whatsoeuer disasters should betide him and his remooued to the Northside of Spaine on the Cantabrian Sea coasts now called Galitia where he builded likewise another Cittie named Brigantia afterwarde called Nouium and nowe Compostella Héere did Gathelus bear the Title of king and gaue lawes to his people commanding that they should all be called Scottish-men to honour the name of his deare beloued wife Scota as hee had alwayes so tearmed them in the time of his trauailes In time they grew to be so great a Nation that the Spaniards warring with them for their owne safety sustained the worst though victory remained to the Scots yet such good Orders were agréed on that both Scots and Spaniards should obserue their own lawes without inuasion offered on either side Then did Gathelus liue in peace with his neighbors sitting daily on his Marble stone in Brigantia administring Lawes and Iustice to his people which stone was fashioned like a seat or chaire hauing such a fate thereto belonging as is said that wheresoeuer that stone should be found there shoulde the Scottishmen raigne and hold dominion Héereof it ensued that there first in Spain afterward in Ireland and next in Scotland the Kings ruling ouer the Scottishmen receiued the Crowne sitting vppon that stone vntill the time of Robert the first King of Scotland On the stone was this inscription engrauen Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Inuenient lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem Englished thus Except olde Sawes doo faile and Wizards wits be blinde The Scots in place must raigne where they this Stone shal finde This quiet life of Gathelus did so daily encrease the aboundance of his people that the bounds of his dominion was not able to containe them and he beeing religious in couenant with the Spaniards auoiding all meanes of breach of the peace hauing intelligence of an Island lying North ouer against Spaine and wherein was but fewe inhabitantes made readie his shipping leuyed an Armie of his subiectes and vnder conduct of his two sonnes named Hiberus and Himecus or Hermion which hee had by his Quéene Scota conueyed them ouer into that Island which after-warde was named Hibernia after the name of Hiberus The History recordeth that the Scottishmen offered no violence to the inhabitants but fought all meanes to win them by gentlenesse which in the end was easilie compassed and all thinges appointed in decent order which made Hiber leaue his Brother to gouerne there in Hilberland or Ireland and return backe to Spaine There he found his Father Gathelus to be dead and hee with the peoples ioyfull consent was admitted to succéed him as his son but in regard of his admirable courage not satisfied with those bounds that pleased his father he made conquest of other Citties Towns neere about him so that they were inforced to sue vnto him for peace and agreed to such conditions that a league concluded amity and mariage contracts betwéen both Scots and Spaniards causing them to become as one people continuing their succession of Kings after Hibers death
the Worshipfull Maister William Dios Esquire Remembrauncer of the Honourable Citty of London WHether this Lande were peopled before the flood or no it is no part of my purpose to argue heer thereon albeit Dominicus Marius Niger and Berosus do affirme that well as this Islande was inhabited with people long before the dayes of Noah as any other Countrey or part of the world beside But after the floud according to Annius de Viterbo Berosus and others when Noah deuided the earth among his thrée Sonnes that part which is now knowne by the name of Asia fell to the lot of his eldest Sonne Sem Affrica to his second Sonne Cham and Europe withall the Isles thereto appertaining to his third Son Iaphet among which this Island now called Brittaine with other Isles thereto belonging was certainely numbred Iaphet Noahs third Sonne by some called Iapetus by others Atlas Maurus because hee died in Mauritania in the iudgement of Bodinus auouching the consent and authority of the Hebrew Greeke and Latine Writers was the first that peopled the Countries of Europe deuiding it also by the Grand-fathers example among his Sonnes of whom Tuball according to Tarapha had the rule of Spaine Gomer the Italians and Samothes was the founder of Celtica which contained in it as Bale testifieth a great part of Europe but especially those Countries now called Gallia and Britannia which peopling of this Island by Iaphets Children is affirmed to be 200 yeares after the floud Samothes being the sixt Sonne of Iaphet and called by Moses Mesech by others Dis had for his portion as Wolfangus Lazius auoucheth the Countrey betweene the Riuer of Rhine the Pyrenean Mountaines where hee founded the kingdom of Celtica tearming his people Celtae which name was as indifferent to them of Gallia as to the Inhabitantes of the Isle of Britaine This King Samothes is reported to bee a Man excelling all other in that age in learning and knowledâ—e that of him theÌ„ arose a sect of Philosophers both in Britaine Gallia which were cald Samothei as Aristotle and Secion do say were surpassing both in the Law of God man and therefore greatly addicted to religion especially them of Britaine which not onely made the whole nation to take name of them but as Bale and Doctor Caius affirme the Island it selfe was named Samothea which was the first peculiar name it had before the arriuall of Albion Magus the Sonne of Samothes was second King of Celtica after his Father This Magus was likewise so famous for his learning that the Persians Magi or Diuines are said to come of him Sarron succéeded his Father Magus in the Countrey of Gallia and the Isle Samothea of whom Diodorus Siculus reporteth that a sect of Philosophers descended among the Celtes who were called Sarronides Druis or after Seneca Dryus raigned after his Father Sarron indifferently ouer the Celtes and Samotheans Of him came the Philosphers called Druides whom Caesar anoucheth to haue the charge of common and priuate sacrifices the discussing of pointes of Religion the education of youth the determining of matters in variance and full power to interdict so many from the Sacrifices to their Gods and societie of men as disobeyed their award If any doubt arose in the Countries about matters of Discipline they alwayes resorted to these Druides who as Humphtey Llhoyd witnesseth made theyr chéefest aboade in the Isle now called Anglesey and there at all times receiued their resolution Bardus the Sonne of Druis was the fifth King ouer the Celtes and Samotheans a man much renowmed for inuention of Musique and Ditties and he made an order of Philosophicall Poets or Herauldes calling them Bardi after his owne Name Of these Bardi Nonnius Strabo Diodorus Stephanus Bale and Sir Iohn Price doe thus record That they vsed to Register the Noble exploits of auncient Captaines and to draw the pedegrées and Genealogies of such as were liuing They did so excell in singing swéete Songes and Ditties to theyr Harpes that if two Armies had béene ready to ioyne battaile and any one of these Bards by fortune entred among them they had not the power to strike vntill he left singing and went from the Armies When Bardus was deceased the Celts began to affect liberty and addicting themselues to pleasure and ydlenesse would liue no longer vnder the strict orders of their auncient Kinges which brought them the sooner vnder subiection to the Gyant Albion who straited Celtica and the Celtes within the boundes of Gallia tearming this Island formerly called Samothea Albion according to his owne name and subdued the people albeit the Title of Samotheans according to the iudgement of diuers Writers had continued from Samothes to Albion the space of 310. yeares This Albion was the fourth Sonne of Neptune whom Moyses calleth Nepthuim and who did put his said Son in possession of this Island by conquering the Samotheans as he did the like to his other Sonne named Bergion in Ireland and the Orkenies which were brought vnder his obeysance Concerning the Historie of Hercules Lybicus whom Moyses nameth Laabin his Conquests in Spaine his passage into Italy against Lestrigo and lastly his killing Albion and his Brother Bergion it being nothing incident to my present purpose I leaue it Also the Story of Danaus Daughters being fifty in number that they should arriue in this Island after the slaughter of their Husbandes the fifty Sonnes of King Aegyptus and that one of those Ladies should bee named Albina of whom this Land should bée called Albion I passe it ouer likewise and will now procéede to the knowne History of Brute Yet not daring to enter into so rich a Mine of hidden treasure till being guided by the Light of Brittaine the learned labour of a worthy Gentleman and Antiquarie Maister Henry Lyte of Lytescarie Esquire and which with his owne hand hée presented to our late Soueraigne Quéene and matchlesse Mistresse on the day when shee came in royall manner to Paules Church I be guided therein for my better direction vsing his owne words The Light of Britaine BRitannia Maior the Countrey of the bright Britona called Britomartis the president of Britaine that is to say the chast Diana of Calydonia sylua Astrorum decus Syluarum dea casta et innupta custos et cultrix nemorum metuenda Virago terror syluestribus apris This Britannia maior was first found by Brute of Albania the Conqueror of the Greeks the mightie deliuerer of the Troyans and first founder of the Noble Britaines Who by the Oracle of the bright Britona called Diana of Calydonia sylua Astrorum decus brought the remaines of the Albanian Troyans of Asia from Albania Calydonia sylua Aetolia in Greece to Albania Calydonia sylua and Aetolia in Briraine Before whose most happy and fortunate arriuall there was neither Towne Citty Countrey Riuer Region or place of name in Britannia for Britannia
at Brutes arriuall was no Britannia but a rude and solitary Desert or wildernesse without name Ferarum altrix a verie nursery or place of store for wilde Beastes The Countries and Regions of Britayne were then all ouer-growne with Woodes replenished with all kindnes of sauage and cruell beasts as Lyons Beares Wolues Foxes wild Boares and all other game belonging to the Chase Beside diuers other kind of wilde Beastes and Cattell especially a certaine kinde of white monsterous wilde Buls and Kine with long shagd curled haire and maines which kind of Cattel were as fierce and cruell as Lyons and could neuer be tamed by mans art as you may finde it registred and recorded in our ancient Chronicles and noted in the very common Dictionaries vppon these wordes Caledonia and Caledonia sylua Britanniae alwayes mistaken and corruptly Written Caledonia for Calydonia because the reason why our Countrey was first called Caledonia sylua was no better knowne to the auncient Romaines in Iulius Caesars time then it is at this day knowne to dyuers of our Antiquaries and Chronicles of Britayne For one deriueth Caledonia sylua from Calden and another fetcheth Calydonia sylua from Kaled But the ones faire Daughter Kaled is too young to bee the Mother of Calydon or Calydonia sylua Britanniae And the others Calden or Hazellsticke is as weake to be the Mother of Calydon For Calydon of whom Calydonia sylua by Aetolia in Greece tooke name was the Sonne of Aetolus who was the Sonne of Mars the God or Patron of battaile Mars was the father of Aetolus of Parthaon of the bright Britona called Britomaris the president of Britayne Aetolus the Sonne of Mars and Brother to bright Britona was Father of Calydon of whom Calydonia sylua by Aetolia in Greece Mother of our Calydonia sylua the generall name of all Britayne tooke name but especially of Calydonia sylua secunda which is Scotland called Britannia secunda In which part of Brytaine at this day is the most ancient Towne of Parthaon now called Perth and Saint Iohns Towne the principall Towne of Aetolia now called Atholl a Region or Countrey of Britannia Albania or Calydonia sylua secunda where the great Calydon Wood which beginneth at Striueling called the Dolorus Mount runneth foorth thorough Mentieth and Stratherne to Aetolia that fruitefull Region of Grampius Mount which reacheth to Lochquhaber and to Calydonium Promontorium which is Cathnesse or Orcha the angle point cape foreland or lands end of Scotland This Calydonia sylua Brytannia was the daughter of Calidonia sylua by Aetolia in Greece who tooke his originall from Calydon the Sonne of Aetolus Aetolia now called Atholl in Britayne is the Daughter of Aetolia a Citty of Albania and Calydonia sylua in Greece so called of Aetolus the Sonne of Mars Parthaon now called Perth or Saint Iohns Towne the principall Towne of Aetolia in Scotland tooke his glorious name of Parthaon the Brother to bright Britona called Britomaris the president Brytaine Of whome all Britannia contayning all the Countries and Regions of England Scotland Wales and Cornewall called by Alexander Necham in his book De diuina sapientia Bruti tellus took the most glorious name of Britaine For Brute of Albania the Founder of Brittaine came to this Isle by the Oracle of Britona called Diana of Calydonia sylua therefore hee called this Isle of Britannia of the bright Britana c. The same Brute also who was borne in Albania bannished to Albania and the first founder of Britayne called Albania called all our Countrey of Britayne Albion seu Albania not of the White Rockes and Cliftes as some men suppose but of Albania in Asia and Albania Epiri in Greece the Countrey of Helenus and Andromache Quéene of Albania Epiri from whence Brute of Albania brought the Albanian Troyans the founders of Britayne To approue what formerly hath béene sayde without any néede of repetition wée haue a multitude of most glorious Recordes and Chronicles Written and Printed confirmed by the Testimony of Iulius Caesar by Pope Eleutherius by a Parliament holden at Norham vppon Twede and another at Lincolne in the time of King Edward the first who by his Letters sent from Lyncolne â—o Pope Boniface dooth approoue Brutes Historie to bee no Fâ—ble as some Criticks of our time haue done who will not beleeue our ancient written Records although confirmed by Emperors Kings Popes and Parliamentes neyther the Testimony of Strangers Wherefore by the Oracle of Diana called Britomartis the President of Britayne and by the Oracle of Diana Lucifera that is to say Venus called Bosphorus the bright Quéen of Phrygia and Caria Mother of Eneas and the Graces of whom came Brute of Albania founder of Britaine who brought in Carius a Noble Prince of Lydia and Caria with the people of Caria and Swannes of Carie in Britaine By the Oracles aforesaide the Swans of Carie in Britaine are now stirred vp to maintain the verity of the Brittish History The Goddes of the Gentiles whose Temples our fore-fathers of the Troyan race erected in diuers Countries and regions of Britaine especially at Troia-noua now called London in Britaine where the Troynouants did sometimes Sacrifice Buls Bullocks and Stags to Diana Tauropolia whome the Gentiles called the Quéene of Heauen whych was the same Diana called Bellona whome the Brigantes honoured at Yorke Brigantium Ciuitas And what were these Brigantes I pray ye Herodian saith that the Briges Phryges and Brigantes were all one Whereupon I conclude that the Brigantes that is to say our Northerne Britaines were Phrygian Troyans The Brigantes of Brittaine are the people of Yorkshire Richmondshire Lancashire Dutham westmerland and Cumberland hard to the Pictes Wall where the Abij and Picti Agathyrsi dwell about Abus AestuariuÌ„ now called Humber And what were those Abij but Albanian Troyans that came also from Abus a Riuer of Albania Epiri And the auncient Brittaines called Picti Agathyrsi what were they Euen Scythian Troyans of Albania who sprang of Scythes and Agathyrsus the Sonnes of Hercules that sometime raigned in Troy for the famous Cittie of Troy in Phrygia the head of all Asia was in Scythia The noble Troyans were called Taurini and Tauroscythi of a famous mountaine of Asia called Tauâ—us Mount which runneth thorough all Asia a great part of the Mountain Taurus endeth in Caria which is a countrey of Asia belonging to Troy Venus called Bosphorus the mother of Eneas and the Graces of whome came Brute of Albania the founder of Britaine was Quéen of Phrygia and Caria The famous Riuer of Maeander is in Caria which riuer hath Golden sands and singing Swannes that sometime serued Venus Quéen of Phrygia and Caria wherefore the Swans of Caria and Signets of Troy in Britaine must alwayes sing of Troy Troyans The daughters of heauen and earth Isis Themis Rhea Thetis Abus Arius Alanus Ax Tameres
second of Sauona called Iuliano de Rouero sonne of Raphaell Brother to Pope Sixtus the fourth of Cardinall-Priest became Byshoppe of Alba afterward Byshop of Ostia and great Penitentiary vnder Maximilian Hee held the See nine yeares three moneths twelue dayes vacante seauenteen dayes The generall Councell of Laterane was then 226 Leo the tenth a Florentine called Iohn de Medicis sonne of Laurence Cardinall Deacon vnder Maximilian and Charles the fift He held the see eyght yeares eight months twenty one dayes vacante one month seauen daies 227 Adrian the sixt a natiue of Vtreicht in Galia-belgica sonne of Florent of Byshop of Ertusa was made Cardinall-Priest vnder Charles the fift to whom hee was Schole-mayster he held the see one yeare eight months sixe daies vacante two months foure daies 228 Clement the seauenth a Florentine called Iulius de Medicis Knight of Hierusalem nephew to Pope Leo the tenth elected Arch-Byshoppe of Florence Cardinall-Deacon afterward Priest Chancellour of the Church vnder Charles the fift he celebrated the ninth Iubilie in the yeare 1525. And helde the see ten yeares tenne monthes eyght dayes vacante sixteene daies 229 Paule the third called Alexander Farnese sonne of Peter Lewes Cardinall-deacon was afterward Byshoppe cardinall of Tusculanum Palaestrina Sabina Portua and Ostia and Deane of the cardinals vnder Charles the fift and Ferdinand Hee held the see fifteene yeares nineteene daies vacante two months 29. daies The generall councell of Trent beganne Anno. 1525. 230 Iulius the third borne at Arezza called Iohn Maria de Monte sonne of Vincent Arch-Byshop of Sipontum cardinall-priest and afterward Byshop of Palaestrina vnder Charles and Ferdinand Hee celebrated the tenth Iubilie in the yeare 1550. and held the see fiue yeares one moneth sixteene dayes vacante seauenteene daies 231 Marcellus the second a Tuscane called Marcellus Ceruinus sonne of Richard of Byshoppe of Castello Nouo hee was made cardinall-priest vnder Charles the fift and Ferdinand He held the See twenty two daies vacante seauenteene daies 232 Paule the fourth a Neapolitane called Iohn Peter Caraffa sonne of Iohn Alphonso Count of Mataluna of Archbyshop of Naples he became Cardinall Priest of Alba Sabina Tusculanum and Ostia and Deane of the cardinals vnder Charles the fift and Ferdinand he held the See foure yeares two Moneths seauen and twentie daies vacante foure monethes sixe dayes 233 Pius the fourth a Milainois called Iohn Angelo de Medicis sonne of Bernardino Cardinall Priest vnder Ferdinand and Maximilian the second he helde the Sée fiue yeares eleauen moneths eight daies vacante nine and twentie dayes In his time the counsel of Trent was concluded an 1563. 234 Pius the fift an Alexandrine Lombard of the preaching Fryers order called F. Michael Giller of byshop of Surrina and Nepesina became cardinall Priest Graund Inquisitour and byshop of Montrâ—all vnder Maximilianâ— Hee held the Sée six yeares three moneths sixteene dayes 235 Gregory the thirteenth a Bolonois called Hugo Bâ—n-compagnio son of Christopher Cardinall Priest vnder Maximilian the second and Rodolphus the second He celebrated theeleauenth Iubilee in anno 1575. and helde the See twelue yeares xi months xii daies vacante eleauen dayes 236 Sixtus the fift De la Marche d' Ancona cardinall de Montalto called F. Foelix Peret of the Friars Minors order cardinall Priest vnder Rodolphus the second Hee helde the Sée fiue yeares foure months xxi dayes vacante fouretéene daies 237 Vrbane the seauenth a Romaine called Iohn Baptista Castagnia Sonne of Cosimo cardinall of S. Marcellus vnder Rodolphus the second He helde the Sée fifteene dayes vacante two months 238 Gregory the fourteenth a Milanois called Nicholas Sfondratus cardinall of S. Cecilia vnder Rodolphus the second Hee helde the Sée ten monethes tenne dayes vacante fifteene dayes 239 Innocentius the ninth a Bolognois called Iohn Baptista Fachineti cardinall of SS quatuor vnder Rodolphus the second he helde thee Sée two months vacante two months 240 Clement the eight a Florentine called Hyppolito Aldobrandino Sonne of Syluester Auditor of Rota and Datary or Almoner to the Pope was made cardinall Priest of S. Pancratia and great Penetentiary He was sent Legat into Poland by Pope Sixtus the fift in the yeare 1592. Hee was elected Pope vnder Rodolphus the second and held the Sée thirteene yeares one moneth fiue dayes vntill the thirde of March 1605. and then died During his Pontificacie which deserueth to bee noted hee procured peace betweene the two Kings most Christian and catholicke and the Duke of Sauoy hee reduced Ferrara vnder obedience to the S. Sée and celebrated the twelft Iubilee in the yeare 1600. 241 Leo the xi a Florentine likewise called Alexander de Medicis Sonne vnto Octauian of the most famous house of the Medici of Byshoppe of Pistoya became Byshoppe of Florence and Ambassadour of Fraunces de Medicis great Duke of Tuscany vnto Pope Gregorie the thirteenth Hee was made Cardinall beeing entitled with Saint Quirice and Saint Iulita after of Saint Iohn and Saynt Paule and in the ende of Saint Praxedes Beeing sent Legate into Fraunce by Pope Clement the eyght Hee mediated the peace with the Spanyarde and returning to Rome hee was made chiefe of the Congregation of Byshoppes And the second of Aprill 1605. hee was created Pope But his Pontificate was of small continuance because he helde the See but seauen and twenty dayes onely and dyed the seauen and twenty day of the sayde moneth vnder the same Rodolphus the second 242 Paule the fifte a Romaine Originally descended from Sienna called Camillo Borghese who had beene Referendary vnto eyther Signature Vicar of the Patryarchall Churche of Saint Maria Maior Vice-Legate to Bolognia Generall Auditour of the Apostolique Chamber and Nuntio from the S. See into Spayne Hee was made Cardinall Priest of Saynt Eusebius in the yeare of our Lorde 1596. by Pope Clement the eight and afterward Byshoppe of Esino in the Marchia d'Ancona After the decease of Pope Leo the eleauenth Hee was elected in his place the sixteenth daye of May 1605. As yet to this present yeare 1611. Hee remayneth lyuing and hath held the Papacie the space of fiue yeares and somwhat more TO THE HOnourable Company of the Marchant Taylors being the Society of Saint Iohn Baptist ¶ A briefe Collection of the Originall and Progresse of the Knights of the worthy Order of S. Iohn of Ierusalem who were afterward called Knights of Rhodes and Knights of Malta Likewise their exployts in warre vnder the conduct of their Great Maysters from the yeare 1099. vntill this present With some as briefe report also of the Knightes Templers and all other Orders of knight hood thorough the world THe Militarie Order of S. Iohn of â—erusalem had her byrth and firste Originall in the holy Citty of Ierusalem and passed there her first yeares of Infancie with a great part of her adolescentie When as the Sarazins were Maisters of the holy Citty and of the
country all about the sacred Sepulchre of our Lorde which was ruined about the yeare of saluation 1012. by the commandement of Equin Califfe of the Sarrazins and continued so ruined vntill the time of Constantine Monomachus Emperor of Constantinople who at the intreaties of the christians which then dwelte in Ierusalem with the consent of Bomensor Elmonius Stensabus Califfe or Soldane of Egypt built it againe at hys owne charges in the yeare 1048. About which time certain Gentlemen and Italian Merchants of the Citty of Melphes frequenting the Portes and Maritane Citties of Syria and Egypt and bringing good Marchandizes into those Countries woon themselues much loue and liking not onelie of the citties Gouernours but also of the Califfe of Egypt and being wel disposed christians they would oftentimes goe to Ierusalem to visit the holy memorable places and hauing no place of retirement in the citty they obtained fauour and permission of the Califfe to builde there a Church and a Pallace for their owne vse and habitation as also for others of their Nation in that quarter of the cittie where the christians might dwell neere to the holy Sepulchre There they erected two Monasteries one in honor of the blessed Virgin Mary called S. Maria de la Latina differing from the Greeke churches whych were in Ierusalem and placed there an Abbot of Mont-Cassina and was builte to lodge christian Pilgrims therein The other was dedicated to S. Mary Magdalen as a place of entertainment of all such women as should aduenture thither in pilgrimage they being both Religiously gouerned Not long after they builded an Hospital wherein to lodge as well all sickly trauaylers as any other Pilgrimes of honest disposition with a Church also thereto belonging beeing both dedicated to S. Iohn Baptist These Monasteries Churches and Hospitals were long time mayntained by the care and cost of the Amalphitanes who founded them and vntill such tune as the Citty was conquered by the Christians from the Infidels and that Godfrey of Bullen was there elected King which was in the yeare 1099. 1. The Citty being thus woonne F. Gerard was the first Rector or Gouernor of the hospital of S. Iohn who when the Citty was besiedged by the Christians was very ill dealt with by the Infidels was long time by them kept a captiue prisoner because they distrusted that he had some secret intelligence with the Christians which beleagered the Citty But after that the Christians were maysters thereof he was delyuered out of prison and gouerned both wisely and charitably the Hospitall of S. Iohn perswading and induring Christian Kinges and Princes to enrich and endow it with their liberality which indéed they did in bountifull manner so that in France Italy Spaine and other Prouinces of christendome the Hospitall of S. Iohn founde good Benefactors and attained in short time to great reuennewes and possessions In the yeare 1113. Pope Paschall the second receiued F. Gerard and the Knights of S. Iohn vnder protection of the Apostolique Seate and graunted them great priuiledges ordayning that after the decease of F. Gerard they shold proceed cannonically to the election of another Rector or Gouernour who was afterward called Great Mayster of the Order or military hospitall of S. Iohn of Ierusalem a name which continueth yet to this present after fiue hundred yeares from the beginning thereof 2 In the yeare 1118. F. Gerard departed out of this life in the Papacie of Gelasius the second and when as the order of the Knights Templers began After his decease there succéeded him by election F. Raymond de Puy who was a professed Knight of the Order Albeit some holde opinion that F. Roger succéeded deceased Gerard and gouerned the hospitall of S. Iohn from the yeare 1118. vntill the death of Baldwine second of that name King of Ierusalem who died in the yeare 1131. F. Raymond in a generall Chapter assembled in Ierusalem with aduise of the other Knights made Statutes for the Order formed and instituted a rule of life which all the following Knights were to obserue Hee was called Great Maister of the Order and yet he qualified that Title by calling himselfe Seruant vnto the poore of Christ Iesus and Guardian of the hospitall of Ierusalem This Great Maister perceiuing that the reuennewes of the Hospitall did daily encrease and that hee could not better employ such wealth then against the Infidelles by making war vpon them he made offer to the K. of Ierusalem of himselfe his strength and all his Knightly Brethren who bare in their streamers Ensignes a Crosse Argent in a fielde Gules And thence forward these religious brethrē were distinguished into thrée degrees for one company were knights another Captains the third Seruants not hauing from the beginning any other difference among them but that some were Ecclesiastical persons the other Layicks And from that time forward there was not any enterprize in Palestine against the Infidels but the Great-Maister was present thereat in person with his religious Knights who were first called knights Hospitallers or of the hospital of S. Iohn of Ierusalem afterward knights of the Rhodes lastly knights of Malta They grew into so great credit and reputation that they were employed in the managing guiding al affaires of chiefest importance Among others Gerard Gebert Knight of this Order was sent by Foulkes K. of Aniou into England to treat on the marriage of Constance Princesse of Antioch Néere to the Q. Melisenda daughter to Prince Boemond with Raymond son to the Earle of Poicters who was then in the Court of Henry King of England In like maner this mariage being thus concluded by the ingenuity of this knight at the same time Raymond Berengarius earl of Barcelona Prince of Cathalonia who had cōquered the isles of Maiorica Minorica from the Mores in single combat defended the chastity honor of Mahauld wife to the Emperor Henry the fift against two Allemaigne Knights that had falsely accused her of Idolatry to shut vp the conclusion of his dayes resolued to take the habite of this famous Brother-hood and in that sacred profession he perseuered al his life time after which was in the year 1131. Not much differing from this time it is reported that three Knights of this Order beeing natiue Frenchmen of Picardie detained then by the Soldan of Egypt in captiuity were admirably deliuered and trans-ported out of Egypte with Ismeria daughter to the saide Soldane to the place where at this instant is the church of Nostre Dame de Liesse and this hapned in the yeare 1139. In the yeare 1153. Raymond the Great Master caused the siedge to be continued before the cittie of Ascalon which the Infidelles had defended against the christians more then fiftie yeares and at length it was yeilded to the saide Maister the 12. day of August 1154 which was in the tenth yeare of King Baldwine the 3. In acknowledgement