of the Kings women that were most addicted to the Sect of the Pharisees except Salome who constantly adhered to her Brother Herod These Pharisees were a crafty people arrogant and enemies to Kings and they only of the whole Nation of the Jews refused to swear allegiance to Herod and Caesar and were about six thousand For which cause Herod fined them and the Wife of Pheroras paid their fine for them to whom by way of requital they foretold that the Kingdom should be taken from Herod and his children and be transferred upon her Husband and Her and their children these things Salome made known to Herod who examining the business put some of the Pharisees to death and with them the Eunuch Dagoas and his darling Carus who was commended to him for his handsomness and besides these all the rest of his Family whom he found to have conspired with the Pharisees Herod having punished the Pharisees called a Council of his Friends and before them began an accusation against the Wife of his Brother Pheroras and when Pheroras though to gratifie his Brother would not forsake her he forbad Antipater Pheroras his company and Antipater that he might remove all suspition from himself procured by his Friends that his Father should send him immediately to Augustus and accordingly Herod sent him with great Presents and his Will in which he declared that Antipater should succeed him in the Kingdom But if he died before him then his Son that he had by Mariamne the Daughter of Simon the High Priest In the sixth moneth after John was conceived the Angel Gabriel was sent to Nazareth in Galilee to the blessed Virgin Mary betrothed to Joseph of the same Tribe with her viz. of the stock of David and declared to her that she should bring forth the Son of God and call his name Jesus and she being more fully taught of his admirable conception by the power of the Holy Ghost overshadowing her with great Faith said Be it to the Handmaid of the Lord according to thy word Luk. 1. 26 38. and presently after she went into the Hill-Countrey into a City of Judah viz. Hebron a City of the Priests scituated in the mountains of Judea Josh. 21. 10 11. where when she entred into the House of Zachary and saluted her Cousin Elizabeth the Babe sprang in her womb and she being filled with the Holy Ghost declared that Mary was blessed c. Luk. 1. 39 56. Herod banished his Brother Pheroras into his Tetrarchy because he would not part with his Wife who swore that he would never return till he heard of Herods death so that a little after Herod falling sick and often sending for him to receive some private instructions he refuled to come for his Oathsfake When Elizabeths time was come she brought forth a Son who was called John and Zacharies speech being restored to him he prophesied saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel c. Luk. 1. 57 58. and Joseph finding his betrothed wife to be with child thought of putting her away privily but being warned by God in a dream he took her to wife Mat. 1. 24. Pheroras falling sick and Herod beyond expectation being recovered went to visit him and very kindly sought help for him but he died within a few dayes after whose Body was brought to Jerusalem and interred by Herod who honoured him with publick mourning At this time two of Pheroras's freed men declared to Herod how he was killed by poyson given him by Doris the Mother of Antipater which whilst Herod enquired into by little and little he found out greater Villanies and the manifest Treasons of his Son Antipater who when he went to Rome had delivered a deadly poyson to Pheroras that was sent him out of Egypt from his Unkle Theodore the Brother of Doris wherewithall to make away his Father that so the suspition of the Parricide should not lye upon him being so far absent Hereupon Herod put Doris out of the Palace and took from her Jewels that were worth many Talents He also put from him his Wife Mariamne the Daughter of the High Priest as a Partner of all these secrets and blotted her Son out of his Will and deprived her Father of the High Priesthood and substituted in his room Matthias the Son of Theophilus that was born at Jerusalem Presently after came Bathillus Antipaters freed man from Rome who being tortured confessed that formerly he had brought poyson and given it to Doris and Pheroras that if the first proved too weak they should be sure to dispatch Herod with the second There came also Letters from his Friends at Rome to the King written by the entreaty of Antipater in which Archelaus and Philip Herods Sons were accused for often complaining of the death of Alexander and Aristobulus pitying the misfortune of their murthered Brethren For these young men were studying at Rome and their Father had now commanded their return whereupon Antipater by great gifts corrupted those Friends that by their Letters they might make the young men suspected to their Father who if they lived might be an hindrance to his hopes About this time Augustus taxing all the Roman world our Lord Christ was born Luk. 2. 4 5. Shortly after there came Wise men from the East the Star being their guide to Herod at Jerusalem and there being taught that the birth-place of Christ was Bethlehem of Judea thither they went and entring into the house which was shewed them by the Star that stood over it they found the Child and fell down and worshipped him c. Mat. 2. 1. 12. After the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream warning him to fly into Egypt where he remained till the death of Herod Mat. 2. 13 14 15. Herod thinking that the Child was still at Bethlehem that he might destroy him amongst the rest killed all the children which were in Bethlehem and in all the Coasts thereof from two years old and under according to the time of the Star first seen in the East that he had enquired of the Wise men Mat. 2. 16. Herod receiving Letters from Antipater from Rome in which he signified that having dispatched all his business according to his own mind he would shortly return into his own Countrey he wrote back to him again dissembling his anger that he should make haste lest any thing should befall him in his absence that he should not like of and also gently complaining of his Mother he promised that he would remit all differences at his return Antipater heard uo news all this while either of the death of Pheroras or of those things that were on foot against him though there were seven months space between the wickedness proved against him and his return For in his journey at Tarentum he met with a Letter of the death of Pheroras and in Cilicia those Letters of his Father that
and favours upon all sorts of People He delighted the People with Feasts and Playes of sundry kinds going himself in person to honour them He sent Colonies into sundry parts and Provinces He made excellent good Orders for the Governours and Government of the whole Empire The like he did also for the Wars and Martial Discipline He shewed himself loving and sociable to his Friends and Familiars whom he honoured and loved much Some conspiracies against him which were discovered he punished without rigour being more prone to pardon than to punish Of murmurings and defamatory Libels he never desired to know the Authors but answered them with gravity giving satisfaction and purging himself from those things which were charged upon him He was much addicted to and affected with Learning and himself was very Learned and Eloquent and compiled some notable Books He much honoured and rewarded Wise and Learned men yet he escaped not the tainture of some Vices growing through humane frailty and his great liberty especially he was much given to Women though in his diet apparel and ornaments he was very sparing and modest He gave himself also excessively to play at Dice and other Games then in use Thus though in many things he was very happy yet besides his troubles and dangers he was very unhappy in his Children and Successours For by his four Wives to whom he was married he had only one Daughter called Julia by his third Wife Scribonia and she proved exceeding wanton and unchaste yea she left nothing undone in Luxury and Lust that was possible for a Woman to do or suffer accounting every thing lawful that pleased her Yea she came to that height of lasciviousness that she kept her Feasting even in the Courts of Justice abusing those very places with lascivious acts in which her Father had made Laws against Adulterers Hereupon her Father was so enraged that he could not contain his anger within his own House but published these things yea and communicated them to the Lords of the Senate He kept himself also a long time from company for very shame He had thoughts of putting his Daughter to death but at last he banished her into Pandataria an Island of Campania her Mother Scribonia of her own accord accompanying her in her banishment Julia being at this time thirty eight years old For want of Sons to succeed him Augustus first adopted his Nephew Marcellus the Son of his Sister Octavia to whom he first married his Daughter Julia and Marcellus dying without Issue he then married her to his Favourite Agrippa who also left her a Widow but yet he had by her three Sons and two Daughters Two of these Sons having been adopted by Augustus died before him whereupon he adopted the third who bore his Fathers Name Agrippa the which adoption he afterwards revoked for some displeasure conceived against him and lastly he adopted his Son in Law Tiberius Nero and made him his Heir whom also he married to his Daughter Julia the Widow of Agrippa yet this he did more through the importunity of his mother than for any good liking that he had of him being sorry that such an one should succeed him Not long after the first Letter of his Name that was upon the Inscription of his Statue that was set up in the Capitol fell down being struck with a flash of Lightning whereupon the Southsayers foretold that he should live only one hundred dayes after which was denoted by the Letter C. and that he should be Canonized for a God because Aesar which remained of his Name in the Hetruscan Tongue signified a God Hereupon he wrote a Catalogue of his doings which he appointed to be engraven in Tables of Brass and to be set over his Tomb. Things being thus done Caesar Augustus being now seventy six years old and odd dayes having Reigned above fifty six and being the best beloved and the best obeyed Prince in the World Death overtook him which was occasioned by a Flux which held him for some dayes and so Augustus died at Nolla in Campania in the same House and Chamber wherein his Father Octavius died being the nineteenth day of August upon which day he was first made Consul and in the fifteenth year after the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. He was generally lamented and there was a universal sorrow and heaviness over the whole Empire for him For he did wisely and uprightly Govern that Monarchy which he had gotten by force and fraud He was of a mean stature of a very good shape and proportion of Body of an exceeding fair face mixed with modesty and gravity His eyes were very clear and bright He was very advised in his speeches and loved to speak quick and briefly His last Will and Testament was written a year and four moneths before he died and left in the custody of the Vestal Virgins In his life time he vvas very desirous to reform abuses in Rome and in the first place he corrected some disorders in the Senate vvhom he reduced to the number of six hundred He reformed vvhat vvas amiss in their Playes and Games in the Knights and in their manner of suing for publick Offices He set Fines upon their Heads that vvould not marry and bestovved much upon those that had Wives and Children He gave unto Hortensius tvventy five thousand Crovvns to procure him to marry that he might raise up issue to that Noble Family of the Hortenses He ordained that Maids should be at least twelve years old before they married and suffered them to kill Adulterers that were taken in the fact and condemned the Sodomites without pardon He gave order that none should be put in nomination for Offices but such as were vertuous and of good repute He tied not himself to any certain hours for his meals but used to eat when he was hungry and that which he fed upon was neither dainty nor delicate and he drank little Wine Instead of a Looking-glass he used to read or write whilst his Barber was trimming him He never spake to the Senate or people or to his Souldiers but what he had first written and premeditated though he had words at command He delighted to read good Authors but gathered nothing more than sentences teaching good manners and having written them out word for word he gave Copies thereof to his familiar Friends and sent them about to the Governours of Provinces and to the Magistrates of Rome He was too much addicted to Divinations and was marvellously afraid of Thunder and Lightning Our Saviour christ being born all the Devils Oracles ceased and the Oracle of Delphos was fain to confess it and ever after remained Dumb whereupon Augustus being astonished caused a great Altar to be set up in the Capitol with an Inscription signifying that it was the altar of the God first born To prevent the great abuse of Usury which undid many Families he put into
was contrary to an express Law But when he perceived that many of the Senators being Caesars Friends favoured his request he cunningly sought all he could to prevent them whereupon Caesar resolved rather to give over his suit for the Triumph than to lose the Consulship So he came into the City and outwitted all but Cato His device was this Pompey and Crassus were the two greatest Persons in Rome and at jar between themselves Caesar affecting to make himself greater than either of them sought to make them Friends and thereby to get the power of them both For indeed they both affected his Friendship that by his help they might supplant one another And in the end by his endeavours a peace was concluded betwixt them yet being still jealous one of another and fearing to lose Caesar they both sought to gratifie him and by this means he made himself equal to either of them and that power which they two had formerly usurped was now divided between three and in the end Caesar hereby got the sole command This league being made betwixt them Caesar demanded the Consulship being brought into the Assembly for the Election betwixt these two Noble Persons and was there chosen Consul together with Calphurnius Bibulus without the contradiction of any And when he was entered into his Office he began to put forth Laws meeter for a sedicious Tribune than for a Consul because by them he preferred the division of Lands and distributing Corn to every Citizen Gratis and all to please the People And vvhen the Senators opposed it he took the advantage Protesting that the Senate by their austerity drave him against his will to cleave to the People and thereupon he asked Crassus and Pompey in the open Assembly if they gave their consents to his Laws They answered yea Then he prayed them to stand by him against those that threatned to oppose him with the Sword Crassus said he would and Pompey did the like adding that he would come with his Sword and Target both against such which gave great offence to the Senate but the common People much rejoyced Caesar to oblige Pompey more to him gave him his Daughter Julia in Marriage who was made sure before to Servilius Caepio promising him in her stead Pompeys Daughter who also was made sure unto Faustus the Son of Sylla And shortly after Caesar himself Married Calphurnia the Daughter of Piso whom he caused to succeed him in the Consulship Cato then cryed out and called the Gods to witness that it was a shameful thing that they should make such havock in the Commonwealth by such horribly Bawdy matches hereby dividing amongst themselves the Government of Provinces and great Armies And Bibulus perceiving that he did but contend in vain Caesar being too potent for him and that his Life was in danger for opposing these Laws he kept his House all the rest of his Consulship Pompey having married Julia he filled the Market-place with Souldiers and by open force authorised the Laws which Caesar had made in favour of the People He procured also that Caesar had both the Gauls and all Illyria with four Legions granted him for five years and when Cato stood up to speak against it Caesar bad his Officers to lay hold on him and carry him to Prison thinking that he would have appealed to the Tribunes but Cato said no more but went his way And Caesar seeing that not only the Nobility but the Commons also were offended at it out of respect to Cato's virtues he secretly prayed one of the Tribunes that he would take Cato from his Officers which was done accordingy Many of the Senators refused to be present in the Senate under him but left the City because they could not endure his doings whereupon one Considius an old man told him that the Senators durst not meet because of his Souldiers Why then said Caesar dost not thou also keep home out of the same fear Because said he My age takes away my fear from me for having so short a time to live I care not to prolong it further Caesar preferred Clodius a base fellow to be Tribune who sought the Office for no other end but to destroy Cicero who had discovered his Villanies and Caesar would not go to his Province till he had set them two together by the ears and driven Cicero out of Italy Yet did he deserve the name of as brave a General as any that went before him if we consider the hard Countries which he adjoyned to the Empire of Rome The multitude and power of the Enemies whom he overcame The rudeness and Valour of the men with whom he had to do whose manners yet he molliâ—ied and civilized His courtesie and clemency to those whom he overcame His great bounty and liberallity to those that served under him As also if we consider the number of Battels that he fought and the multitude of Enemies that were slain by him For in less then ten years he took by assault above eight hundred Towns He conquered three hundred Nations and having at several times above thirty hundred thousand Souldiers against him he slew a Million of them and took as many more Prisoners He was so intirely loved of his Souldiers that to do him service and to advance his honour they were invincible As appears by the example of Acilius who in a Sea-fight before the City of Marseiles boarding one of the Enemies Ships had his right hand cut off and yet he ran upon his Enemies thrusting them in their faces with his Target on his left hand and so prevailed that he took their Ship One Cassius Scaeva also in a fight before the City of Dyrrhacium having an eye put out with an Arrow his shoulder stricken through with a Dart and his thigh with another having received thirty Arrows upon his Shield called to his Enemies as if he would yield to them but when two of them came running to him he cut off one of their armes by the shoulder and wounded the other in the face and made them give back till he was fetched off by some of his fellows In Brittain also when some of his Captains were driven into a bog full of mire and dirt the Enemies fiercely assaulting them there Caesar viewing the Battel he saw a private Souldier thrust in amongst the Captains where he fought so valiantly that at length he forced the Barbarous People to fly and thereby saved the Captains who otherwise had perished there And then this Souldier being the hindmost of all the Captains marched through the bog sometimes swimming and sometimes on foot till he gat to the farther side only he lost his Target Caesar wondring at his valour ran and imbraced him But the poor Souldier hanging down his head with tears in his eyes fell at Caesars feet begging pardon for leaving his Target behind him In Africk also Scipio having taken one of Caesars Ships slew all
the Exchequer twenty five hundred thousand Crowns and suffered private men to take of it for three years without Interest putting in good security for the paying back of the principal and condemned such Usurers as had taken more than the Law allowed to pay four times as much to those who had been oppressed by them THE LIFE and DEATH OF TAMERLANE THE GREAT WHO FLORISHED ANNO CHRISTI 1400. TAMERLANE was born at Samercand the chief City of the Zagatajan Tartars His Father was called Zain-Cham or as others will Og Prince of the Zagatajans of the Country Sachithays sometimes part of the famous Kingdom of Parthia third in descent from Zingis the great and successful Captain of the Tartars which Og being a Prince of a peaceable nature accounting it no less honour quietly to keep the Countries left him by his Father than with much trouble and no less hazard to seek how to enlarge the same long lived in most happy peace with his Subjects no less happy therein than himself not so much seeking after the hoording up of Gold and Silver things of that Nation not regarded nor valued as contenting himself with the encrease and profit of his Sheep and herds of Cattel then and yet also the principal revenues of the Tartar Kings and Princes which happily gave occasion to some ignorant of the manner and customs of those Northern Nations and Countries to account them all for Shepherds and Herdsmen and so also to have reported of this mighty Prince as if he had been a Shepherds Son or Herdsman himself vainly measuring his Nobility by the homely course of life of his People and Subjects and not by the honour of his House and Heroical Vertues hardly to be paralelled by any Prince of that or the former Ages His peaceable Father now well stricken in years and weary of the World delivered up his Kingdom to this his Son not yet past fifteen years old joyning unto him two of his most faithful Councellours Odmar and Ally to assist him in the government of his State whom Tamerlane dearly loved whilst they lived and much honoured the remembrance of them being dead The first proof of Tamerlanes Fortune and Valour was against the great Duke of Mosco or Emperour of Russia for spoiling of a City which had put it self under his protection and for entring his Country and proclaiming War against him whom he in a great Battel overthrew having slain twenty seven thousand of the Muscovites Footmen and between fifteen and sixteen thousand Horsemen with the loss of scarce eight thousand Horsemen and four thousand Footmen of his own After which Battel Tamerlane beholding so many thousands of men lying dead upon the ground was so far from rejoycing thereat that turning himself to one of his familiar Friends he lamented the condition of such as commandâ— over great Armies commending his Fathers quiet course of life accounting him happy in seeking for rest and such most unhappy which by the destruction of their own kind sought to procure their own glory protesting himself even from his heart to be grieved to see such sad tokens of his Victory Alhacen in his Arabick History of Tamerlane makes this Narrative of the Battel The Muscovites saith he had a great Army which he had gathered together out of sundry Nations and Tamerlane intending not to put up such wrongs and indignities assembled all his Forces and those of his Allies The Muscovites forces were such as had been well trained up in the Wars For having lately concluded a Peace with the King of Poland he had from thence ten thousand very good Horsemen There were also with him many Hungarian Gentlemen under the conduct of one Uladislaus who brought with him more than eight thousand Horse so that he had in his Army about eighty thousand Horse and one hundred thousand Footmen Tamerlane had in his Army about one hundred and twenty thousand Horse and one hundred and fifty thousand Foot but not so good Souldiers as the Muscovites for his Subjects had been long trained up in peace under his peaceable Father and though they had been sometimes exercised yet they wanted the practical part of War Tamerlanes order in his march was this He caused all his Army to be divided into Squadrons each consisting of six thousand Horse save his own which consisted of ten thousand so that he made eighteen Squadrons besides his own The Avantguard was conducted by Odmar who led eight Squadrons which were flanked by forty thousand Footmen divided on the right and left sides who shot an infinite number of Arrows The Battel was conducted by Tamerlane who with his own led ten Squadrons and fifty thousand Footmen the best and choicest Souldiers of his whole Army The Prince of Thanais his Kinsman led the Arereward with six Squadrons of Horse and forty thousand Foot his forlorn Hope consisted of some three thousand Horse adventurers The Muscovites fought by double Ranks with Lances and they seemed to be a greater number than Tamerlanes making a great noise but Tamerlanes skill and multitude at length overcame the force and valour of the Muscovites the Victory bending to the Parthians side which they pursued hotly In this Battel Tamerlane was hurt on the side of the left Eye and had two Horses slain under him and indeed that day Odmar was the safeguard of the Prince but he lost Ally who was slain with an Arrow The Battle being ended Tamerlane returned thanks to God publickly for his Victory and the next day reviewing his Army he found that he had lost between seven and eight thousand Horsemen and between three and four thousand Footmen The Muscovites lost about twenty seven thousand Foot and fifteen or sixteen thousand Horse The Prince slacked no time after so great a Victory but marching on came into the borders of the Muscovites whom he enforced this agreement That they should become his Tributaries paying yearly one hundred thousand Duckats That the great Duke should defray all the charges of the Wars amounting to three hundred thousand Duckats That he should withdraw his Army and send back all the Prisoners and that for the performance hereof he should give pledges which should be changed every year All which being agreed to he returned with great content and glory to his Father Shortly after the great Cham of Tartary his Fathers Brother being grown old and out of hope of having any more Children moved with the Fame of his Nephew after this Victory sent him divers presents and withal offering him his only Daughter in Marriage sent him word that he would proclaim him Heir apparent to his Empire as indeed in right he was being his Brothers Son and the Daughters not using to succeed in those Empires Which so great an offer Tamerlane gladly accepted and so the marriage was afterwards with great Triumph at the old Emperours Court solemnized and consummated and our Tamerlane
time Pope of Rome against whom there was strange Sedition raised by Sylvester and Campul men of great credit in the Court of Rome These men with their adherents upon a solemn day of Procession seized upon Leo before St. Lawrence Church whom they stripped of his Pontifical Robes cast him unto the ground trod him under their feet and bruised his face with their fists and having dragged him ignominiously through the dirt they cast him into Prison where yet he stayed not long being freed by a Groom of his chamber called Albin and so having recovered St. Peters Church he sent to Vingise Duke of Spoleto intreating him to deliver him from this miserable Captivity Vingise failed him not but came to Rome and carried the Pope along with him to Spoleto where yet he stayed not long but from thence went to Charlemagne into France whom he found full of troubles He complained that many of the Romans sought to usurp his Power into their hands and advised the King to exact an Oath of Fidelity of them Paschalis was there soon after him and accused the Pope of Adultery and other gross crimes Charlemagne dismissed them both and promised to be at Rome within a few months and accordingly prepared for his Journey In December Anno Christi 800. Charlemagne was received in Rome with all shews of Honour and within eight dayes he went into St. Peters Church and in the presence of all the People and Clergy he asked who had any thing to say against Pope Leo Paschalis or Paschasires and Campalus had published the Popes crimes by Writ but knowing how Charlemagne stood affected towards both parties they appeared not so none prosecuting these crimes against him the Pope was absolved upon his Oath wherein he swore by God and the four Evangelists that all these things were false which they layed to his charge Whereupon the King declared him innocent and condemned his accusers and within few dayes three hundred of them were beheaded in the Lateran Field for their presumption and affectation of liberty on the eighteenth of December and shortly after Charles was chosen Emperour But before I speak of that I must represent you with a brief view of the present estate and condition of the Emperour of Constantinople The seat of the Roman Empire since the time of Constantine the great remained at Constantinople a City of Thrace situated in a convenient place for the Guard of the Eastern Provinces After which all the West being full of new Guests who had expelled the Romans the name authority and power of the Empire remained in the East where now the State was in a strange confusion the Mother being banded against her Son and the People amongst themselves Constantine the Son of Leo the Fourth was Emperour at this time who from his Infancy was governed together with the Empire by his Mother Irene But being now come to the age of twenty years he assumed the Government into his own hands There was then a great division in the East which had been continued from Father to Son for fourscore years together about bringing Images into the Churches The Bishops would needs bring them in But the Emperours together with the greatest part of the People opposed themselves against them This contention had its beginning under Philip Bardanes was continued under Leo Isaurus and from him was derived to his Son Constantine sirnamed Copronimus and to Leo the Fourth Son to the said Constantine This filled all the East with infinite scandals The same fire of contention continued in the minority of our Constantine who was yet governed by his Mother a Woman of a violent spirit who had undertaken the protection of Images and held a Counsel of many Bishops for the defence thereof But the people growing into a mutiny by force expelled them from Constantinople where there Assemhly was held But Irene being resolved to carry on her design assembled another Councel at Nicea City of Bithinia honoured for having entertained the first general Councel under Constantine the Great the first of that name where it was Decreed that Images should be placed in Churches for devotion But Charlemagne did not allow of this Decree and either himself or some other by his Command did write a small Treatise against this Councel the which bears this Title A Treatise of Charlemagne touching Images against the Greek Synode This crafty Woman made choise of the City of Nicea that the name of the ancient first Council held there might honour this new invention with the pretext of Antiquity For there are some that confound the first Council of Nicea with the second and Constantine the fourth with the first Constantine continued in the hereditary hatred of his Father and Grandfather against Images so as being of age and in absolute possession of his Empire he disannulled all these new decrees and caused the Images to be beaten down in all places Yet did he make all shews of respect to his Mother yielding unto her a good part of his authority and command which respect was the cause of an horrible Tragedy For this Woman being transported for two causes both by reason of her new opinion and for despight that she had not the whole Government in her own power grew so unnatural that she resolved to dispossess her Son of the Empire and to seize upon it herself And indeed the authority which her Son had left her and the free access which she had unto his Person gave her opportunity for the execution of her design For having corrupted such as had the chief Forces of the Empire at their command and won them to her with her Sons Treasure she seized on his Person put out his eyes and sent him into Exile where shortly after he died of grief and took possession of the Empire These unnatural and Tragick furies were practised in the East whiles that Charlemagne by his great Valour built an Empire in the West Irene in her Son Constantines life time would have married him with the eldest Daughter of Charlemagne but this accident crossed that design After the Death of Constantine Irene sent to Charlemagne to excuse her self of the murther disavowing it and laying the blame upon such as had done it as she pretended without her command And to win the good liking of Charlemagne she caused him to be dealt withall about marriage for at that time Festrude was dead with promise to consent that he should be declared Emperour of the West and that she also would resign unto him the Empire of the East But Charlemagne would not accept of her profers The Nobility and People of the Greek Empire did so hate Irene as having suffered her the space of three years in the end they resolved to dispossess her This Woman the unnatural murtheress of her own Child being thus publickly hated and detested Nicephorus a great and Noble man of Greece assisted by the
with a Dart with such force as breaking the Wood he left the Iron Head sticking in his Body Having received this deadly wound he fell immediately to the ground But then was there a more cruel fight about him than ever there was before which occasioned great Slaughter on both sides till the Thebans by fine force made their enemies to flie for their lives and when they had pursued them a while they returned back to their Camp that they might keep the dead Bodies in their Power which was a certain Sign that the Victory was theirs and then they sounded a retreat and so the Battel ended Both sides challenged the Victory and made Triumphs for it The Lacedemonians did it because the Athenians had slain those of Negropont that were sent to seize upon the Hills before mentioned and kept their bodies in their power The Thebans on the other side having overcome the Spartans had the bodies of them that were slain in the Battel in their power which was by far the greater number wherefore they said that they were the Victors Thus both standing upon their tearms it was a good while before either would send a Trumpet or Herauld to the other for leave to bury their dead Yet at last the Lacedemonians sent first and then they all betook themselves to give the dead an Honourable Burial And as for him that had killed Epaminondas he was highly esteemed and honoured for his Valiant Act and the Lacedemonians gave him many rich Presents and made him and his Posterity free from all publick Taxes and contributions in the Common-wealth As for Epaminondas he was brought yet alive into his Tent howbeit his Physitians and Surgeons being called together to dress his Wounds they all concluded that so soon as they plucked the Head of the Dart out of his body he must needs die And truly he made a most noble and worthy end For first he called for his Target-bearer who was always at his hand in the Battel and asked him Is my Target safe He brought it straight Then he asked Who had the Victory The Boeotians answered the Target-bearer Then he commanded them to bring to him Diophantus and Jolidas they told him they were both dead Upon this he advised his Citizens to make Peace with their enemies for that they had not any Captain of skill to lead them to the Wars And now said he it is time for me to die and therefore pluck the Dart Head out of my Body At this word all his Friends that were about him fetched grievous sighs and even cryed out for sorrow and one of them weeping said unto him Alas Epaminondas Thou diest now and leavest no Children behind thee Yea said he that I do For I leave two fair Daughters behind me whereof the one is the Victory at Leuctres and the other this of Mantinea So they pulled out the Dart and immediately he gave up the Ghost without shewing any sign that he was at all troubled at it He used often to say That War is the Bed of Honour and that it is a sweet Death to dye for ones Country He was one of the bravest Captains that ever we read of For whereas others excelled in some one or two Virtues by which they made their Fame great and glorious he excelled in all the Vertues and good Parts that could be desired in a Grave Politick and great Captain to make him compleat in all things that could be expected in an Heathen In his time he advanced his Country to the Principality of all Greece But after his Death they soon lost it and not long after Alexander the Great utterly brake them in pieces made Slaves of those that survived and razed their City to the very ground As in his life time he had always detested covetousness so after his Death the Thebans were faign to bury him at the common charge of the City because they found no mony in his House to defray the least part of the Funeral expences THE WICKED LIFE AND WOFUL DEATH OF HEROD the GREAT In whose time Our LORD CHRIST was Born HEROD sirnamed the Great was the Son of Antipas or Antipater an Idumaean a prime man both for birth and wealth amongst them His Mothers name was Cyprus born at an eminent place amongst the Arabians so that when this Herod acquired the Kingdom of Judea that Prophesie of old Jacob was fulfilled Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come This Antipater riding his circuit about the Province of Judea whereof Julius Caesar had made him Governour repressed them who were desirous of innovation both by threats and counsel telling them that if they would be content with their Prince Hyrcanus whom Caesar also had confirmed in the High-Priesthood they might live happily in their own possessions but if they promised themselves new hopes and thought that they should gain much by innovations they should have him a Master instead of a Governour and Hyrcanus a Tyrant instead of a King and Caesar and the Romans bitter enemies instead of Princes for that they would by no means suffer any thing to be altered from what they had setled But Antipater perceiving Hyrcanus to be dull and idle he settled the state of the Province as himself pleased making his elder Son Phasaelus Governour of Jerusalem and the Countries adjoyning and to Herod his second Son being then a very young man he committed the care of Galilee Herod being Praefect of Galilee there was one Esekias a Jew who associating to himself many other lewd persons exercised thievery and used to make incursions into Syria in Troops These Herod pursued and having taken Esekias he put him to Death which fact of his gat him much favour with the Syrians which Province also was then under his Government The violence and bold nature of Herod who was desirous of the Tyranny much terrified the Princes of the Jews wherefore they addressed themselves to Hyrcanus and openly accused Antipater but especially they complained of Herod for that he had put to death Esekias with many others without any Commission from Hyrcanus in contempt of their Laws by which no man ought to suffer though never so wicked unless he were first condemned by the Judges The Mothers also of them that were killed ceased not daily in the Temple to weary both the King and the people with their continual exclamations desiring that Herod might be made to give an account of these his doings before the Sanhedrim whereupon Hyrcanus moved herewith commanded Herod to be called before the Council and to plead his own cause Herod having ordered the affairs of Galilee as he thought best for his own advantage being fore-warned by his Father that he should not come into the Council as a Private Person he took with him a moderate but yet a sufficient Guard not too great lest he should
gave direction and was very diligent in all things touching Justice Customes Religion and publick buildings so as in all things his Reign was happy peaceable and quiet during all his Life Yet in this so happy a time some People and Nations still affecting Liberty laboured to shake off the Roman yoke and thereby molested and disquieted the Empire as the Spaniards the Inhabitants of Illyricum and the Pannonians In Spain the Cantabrians the Asturians and part of Gallicia passing their bounds began a War against the Empire Augustus being informed hereof judging it to be a doubtful War and of importance commanded the Temple of Janus to be opened and determined to go against them in Person and to send other Captains to follow his other Wars And accordingly Augustus went into Spain and with three Armies made War against the People aforementioned which proved very doubtful and desperate and lasted five years and though he suppressed the Cantabrians and Asturians and drave them to their Rocks and Mountains yet before he could wholly subdue them he was fain to bring a great Navy upon the Coast of France to invade the Sea coasts of Cantabria and Galizia by which means he drave them to such extremities by Land that they were at last forced to submit to his obedience Augustus his great favourite Agrippa served him faithfully in this War whom therefore he married to his Daughter Julia who was the Widow of his Nephew Marcellus the Son of his Sister Octavia And thus he brought all Spain into subjection to him above two hundred years after the Comans began to make their first Wars there So as no Province cost Rome more Treasure more bloud nor more time than Spain This long and doubtful War being so happily finished Augustus was so pleased with it that he gave commandment that the Temple of Janus should again be shut and came to Rome in great Triumph But this Temple continued not long shut for some Nations of the Germans rebelled so that it was again opened These were the Inhabitants of Noricum now Bavaria and the Pannonia's now Austria and Hungary and the two Missia's now Bulgary and Servia as also Illyricum now Sclavonia and the Province of Dacia now Transylvania and Walachia and some others though at several times Against these Augustus sent his Generals and Armies amongst which were his Sons in Law the Sons of Livia Tiberius Nero who succeeded him in the Empire and his Brother Drusus Nero of whom Livia was with child when Octavian married her and these two Brothers though the War lasted somewhat long vanquished those Nations and obtained great Victories in Germany and the confines thereof especially Tiberius who in three years space subdued the Pannonia's Illyricum and Dalmatia for which Victories he afterwards entred into Rome in an Ovation Triumph with great Pomp and Honour Marcus Crassus also overcame and put to flight the Missians a People who had never seen the Romans before And when they were ready to give Battel they said Tell us who you are that seek to molest and disquiet us We are said they Romans the Lords of Nations whereupon they replied It shall be so if you overcome us which fell out accordingly But Augustus obtained not these Victories without some crosses For in these Wars died his Son in Law Drusus who was highly esteemed for his Noble acts and great Victories for the loss of whom both Augustus and Livia were much afflicted But yet his grief was greater for the mishap which befell Quintilius Varro who was General of three Legions in Germany and being careless was surprized by the Almans and himself his Legions and all his Auxiliaries were slain and two Standards with the Imperial Eagles taken for which he was so immoderately grieved that he knocked his Head against the Wall and cryed out unadvisedly Quintilius Varro Give me my Legions again For certain months also he suffered the hair of his Head and Beard to grow carelesly And the very day of this unhappy accident he did every year observe mournfully with sorrow and lamentation Of his Son in Law Drusus there remained two Sons Germanicus and Claudius which he had by Antonia Augustus his Neece and Daughter of his Sister Octavia and Mark Anthony of which Claudius was Emperour And Germanicus married Agrippina the Daughter of Julia Augustus his Daughter by whom he had Caius Caligula who also was afterwards Emperour Augustus after many notable Victories compelled his Enemies at length to sue for Peace whereupon again he commanded the Temple of Janus to be shut up and from thenceforth all things succeeded prosperously with him The Subjects of the Empire were now very obedient to him and all other sent their Ambassadours seeking his Favour and Friendship The Indians in the remotest parts of the East and the Scythians that inhabited the North and the Parthians an untamed People sent their Ambassadours to him giving security to keep the Peace and restoring to him the Standards and Eagles which were taken when Marcus Crassus was slain There came also Kings who were Friends and Subjects to the Roman Empire to do him Homage laying aside their Ensignes and Royal Robes and many of them bult Cities to his Name and for his Honour calling them Caesaria So did Herod the Great in Palestine King Juba in Mauritania and others The World being thus at Peace and quietness forty and two years being expired since that Augustus after the Death of Julius Caesar came to Rome In the time of this general Peace was the Prince of Peace our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ born in Bethlem of the Virgin Mary Herod being King of Judea placed there by the Romans of whose blessed Life and bitter Death as also of the order of his Ministry and Miracles see his Life published by me Anno Christi 1664. At which time there came forth a command from Caesar Angustus that all the Roman World should be taxed which taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria Luk. 2. 1. Out of which a little Book was made by Augustus in which all the publick riches were contained as also how many Citizens and Allies in Arms what Navies How many Kingdomes and Provinces what Tribute and Customes there were what necessary charges and Pensions went out Shortly after Augustus was called Lord by the People but he did not only refuse that Title but forbad it by a publick Edict Augustus enjoying so great prosperity was yet nothing altered in his qualities and behaviour as often it happens in other Princes but rather became more mild just and affable more courteous liberal and temperate He established very good Laws and Orders for the reformation and abuses and evil customes He erected both within and without Rome many stately and sumptuous Edifices which made him to boast concerning Rome Latericiam inveni Marmoream reliqui I found it built with Brick and left it built with Marble He bestowed great gifts
I will direct you in a way whereby fifty thousand of your men may go into China whom I my self will conduct and they shall come upon those which guard the Wall in a manner before they are discovered In the mean time you shall lead your Army to a place which I will direct you to where you may win easily a Mountain which will give you great advantage against the Chinois For I assure my self that when they shall perceive your men to be passed they will lose their courage so that you may easily win the passage to assist your Army which shall be led by me amongst them and to assure you of my fidelity I will deliver into your hands my Wife my only Son and two little Daughters I have also one Brother who I assure my self will follow me to do you service The Emperour having heard this much rejoyced at it hoping that his affairs would succeed happily and kept this very secret no revealing it to the Prince of Thanais himself none being present at the discourse but the Lord and his Interpreter and so heaping new favours upon him he was conducted back by the Prince of Thanais with all the honour that might be Then the Emperour returned to his Quarters and the next day imparted the whole matter unto Odmar and then calling Calibes he asked what he had learn'd concerning China during his abode there To which Calibes made this Answer Know my Lord that I am your slave to obey you but seeing you command me to give you an account of all I know concerning the Kingdom of China for that I have remained these six moneths upon the borders I can assure you that the King of China who now reigneth is of great reputation and hath encreased the Limits of his Kingdom more than any of his Predecessors His strength consisteth in this wall opposed against us which he hath made to prevent the inrodes of our Nation I believe there are above fifty thousand to defend it and that of his best trained Souldiers and I know no good means to force this Wall without much hazard and great loss of your men To this Tamerlane answered I hope that the great God whose honour I will defend against those Idolaters will find out means to effect it and so dismissing Calibes he appointed his Army to remove to a certain place where he meant to chuse out fifty thousand men whom he would deliver to the Prince of Thanais and Axalla which accordingly he did and directed them to follow this Chinois Lord who was now again come to him and to do as they should be directed by him In the mean time himself with all the rest of the Army approached the Wall directly over against Quaguifou The Army led by the Prince of Thanais having marched ten Leagues by the conduct of the Chinois Lord entred without resistance and after a short repast they marched directly towards those that guarded the Wall who suspected no such matter but only had an eye to those which came to force the Wall But it fell our far otherwise for just as Tamerlane with his Army came to the Wall they saw Axalla with twenty thousand being followed by the Prince of Thanais with thirty thousand choice Souldiers more who without any words fell upon the Chinois and Odmar who gave the first assault upon the Wall easily in that distraction brake through and so the Chinois were cut off between the two Armies and Axalla before the Prince of Thanais came up to him had routed them Great riches were gotten that day and the King of China's Cozen was taken Prisoner much Gold was found as well on their Arms as on their Horses Furniture but they shewed no great valour The news of this overthrow being carried to the King of China who was now at Quantifou it brought great astonishment to him for that he judged it impossible to have been effected so that every one was filled with tears fears and lamentations for their friends Yet the King gathers forces from all parts calling also the Priests and such as had the charge of his unholy holies to come unto him commanding them to offer sacrifices to their gods whereof the Sun is principal requiring the same to be observed through all the Cities and then that every one that was able to bear Arms should mount on horseback and speedily repair to the King at Paguinfou whither he suspected that Tamerlane would march for that it was one of the Cities nearest to the borders In the mean time Tamerlane beat down the Wall the better to assure his return as also the Forlresses upon all the passages all which upon his Victory were easily surrendred to him He shewed himself very courteous to the people upon the Mountains and gave to the Lord that had conducted his Army a Country which bordered upon his wherein were seven or eight good Towns who came and delivered the Keyes to him He gave him also the Government of the Frontier-Province of Xianxi shewing himself to be a Prince of his word and reserved the rewarding of his Brother till he had farther opportunity Whilst he was thus employed news was brought him that the King of China had assembled his Forces and was marching forward himself being there in person as also that he had strengthened the Garrisons in all his Cities which of themselves were well fortified Upon his intelligence Tamerlane called a Council of War and having heard the opinions of all his Captains he resolved to take in some famous City that thereby his Army might be better provided for and then to give the King of China battel in the field For the effecting of the first he resolved to assault Paguinfou which was a great City strongly fortified and well replenished with people and for this end he sent Odmar with forty thousand Horse to summon it and to prevent the farther victualling of it and to hinder the driving away of the cattel out of the Champion-countrey about it which might nourish his Army He also caused the Lord Axalla whom now he had made Lieutenant General of all his Foot to follow Odmar vvith all his Foot which vvere near a hundred and fifty thousand men well trained and expert in War himself marching immediately after vvith all his Horsemen Artillery Engines and other Ammunitions belonging to the War directly to Paguinfou Odmar made such haste that he arrived unexpected by the Citizens vvho rather looked for their King than for an Enemy and having taken much cattel vvherevvith that Countrey abounded he pitched his tents on the farther side of the City There he continued two or three dayes giving the City many Alarms till the Infantry led by that brave Christian Genuois shewed themselves in the Plain of Paguinfou Then was the City summoned but they returnd ansvver That they were resolved to live and die in the service of their Prince By
to him But these his fair shews continued not long There was at this time at Rome a Governour for the Eastern Emperour called Paul Ephialte him Didier corrupted and the administration of Justice being in his hands he made use of him so cunningly as that in the presence of Pope Steven he caused him to seize upon two of his chief Secretaries Christopher and Sergius whom Didier accused of some pretended crimes and presently to hang them in an infamous manner Their greatest offence was because they favoured the French Neither did he rest here but caused all the principal Citizens to be banished whom he observed to be of the French faction that so having removed all hinderances he might be Master of Rome in despite of the Pope Steven was not so dull but he discovered the Lombards practice exceedingly to tend to his prejudice whereupon he sent to Charlemagne beseeching him to prepare an Army against Didiers force This Charlemagne easily assented to and fully resolved upon But Didier had provided a divertisement in France by the means of Caroloman to stop Charles his passage into Italy making work for him in Guienne where there arose a perilous War upon this occasion Though the Country of Guienne depended upon the Crown of France yet were there many Tumults raised by the practices of some Noblemen of the Country who frequently stirred up the people mutinous enough of themselves to Rebellion The cause of these Troubles was the abuse of the former Kings Clemency and Bounty who suffered such people as he conquered to enjoy their priviledges and liberties Eudon a Nobleman of Guienne began first under Martel Jeffery and Hunalt his Children and heirs of his discontent had continued it under Pepin and Jeffery being now dead Hunalt succeeded him with the like hatred which Caroloman fomented that he might imploy him against his Brother Charles Guienne was a part of Charles his portion But Hunalts design was to withdraw that Country wholly from the Crown of France and for that end he pretended a Title to the Dukedom thereof labouring to procure the people to Elect him having the promise and assistance of Caroloman to further him therein Indeed the countenance of Caroloman could do much but the wisdom and courage of Charlemagne prevailed more For being advertised of Hunalts practice and of his Brothers secret designs he armed with such speed as that he surprised the Towns of Poictiers Xante and Angoulesm and all the Country adjoyning Hunalt who had reckoned without Charles finding himself thus prevented fled to a Noble man of that Country called Loup whom he held not only to be firm to his faction but also his trusty and affectionate friend Charlemagne being informed hereof sent presently to Loup requiring him to deliver Hunalt into his hands who was guilty of high Treason and in the mean time he built a Fort in the midst of the Country where the Rivers of Dordonne and Lisle do joyn which he called Fronsac the better to secure his Country against such Invaders Loup not daring to refuse delivered up Hunalt and all his Family into the hands of Charles who pardoned Loup and all that obeyed him thus ending a dangerous War without blows And to Hunalt he granted life and liberty and the enjoyment of his goods leaving a memorable example to all Princes how to carry themselves in a Civil War preventing a mischief by prudence and diligence and not to thrust their vanquished Subjects into despair by rigour Caroloman seeing his practices against his Brother to succeed so ill undertook a journy to Rome with an intent to cause some alterations there which yet he covered with a pretence of devotion He also took his Mother Berthe along with him and in their passage they were hourably entertained by Didier King of the Lombards where Berthe treated and concluded a marriage between her Son Charlemagne and Theodora Sister or Daughter to this Didier who was one of the greatest enemies to her Sons good fortune Yet Charlemagne to please his Mother received his Wife but soon after put her away as neither suiting with his affects or affairs and so that which was intended as a cause of love bred a greater hatred betwixt these two Princes Caroloman having affected nothing at Rome answerable to his desire but only discovered his foolish and malicious jealousie too apparent under his feigned devotion returned into France and there soon after died Anno Christi 770. Leaving the intire Kingdom to his Brother who had how no Corrival Charlemagne having put away his Wife Theadora upon suspition of incontinency he married Hildegard or Ildegrade Daughter to the Duke of Sueve his Vassal by whom he had Charles Pepin and Lewis and three Daughters Rotrude Berthe and Gille who were the Nursery of his Noble Family But Carolomans jealousie died not with him but survived in his Wife Berthe who being impatient of her present condition and thrust headlong with a spirit of revenge against her Brother in Law Charles retired with her two Sons to Didier King of Lombardy as to the most bitter and irreconcilable enemy of her Brother Charles Didier intertained her and her Children very courteously hoping by them to promote his design But it proved the leaven of his own destruction His practice together with the Widows was to procure the present Pope who Steven being dead was one Adrian a Roman Gentleman to Crown and confirm the Sons of Caroloman for Kings of France wherein the Lombard had two designs First by this means to bring the Pope in disgrace with Charlemagne that he might the easilier suppress him being destitute of the French aides whereon he chiefly relyed and Secondly to set France in a flame by setting up new Kings in it Didier therefore earnestly besought the Pope to grant this favour to the Sons of Caroloman for his sake besought the Pope to grant this favour to the Sons of Caroloman for his sake But Adrian well acquainted with the Lombards humour was so resolute in denying his request as that they fell into open hatred And Didier being much displeased with this repulse took Arms and with his Forces entred into the Exarchy being a Signory under the Popes jurisdiction and besieged Ravenna the chief City of the Exarchy Whereupon the Pope sent his Nuncio to him to expostulate the cause of this so sudden War against his Subjects desiring him to restore what he had taken and not to procced in this Hostile manner without any reasonable cause and that upon the pain of Excommunication At the same time there fell out a great occasion to encrease the hatred between Charlemagne and Didier For that Hunalt who had been before vanquished in Guienne and to whom Charles had shew'd so much favour very ingratefully retired himself to Didier who did not only receive him courteously but honoured him by making him General of his Army which he had raised against the
other Doctors of the Church He resided also at Paris that he might have opportunity of conferring with learned men There he erected a goodly University which he furnished with as learned men as those times could afford and endowed it with great priviledges For he had an exceeding great care to make it a Nurcery for the holy Ministry that from thence the Church might be supplied with able Teachers whence also grew so many Colleges of Cannons with sufficient revenues annexed thereunto Thus Charlemagne spent three years happily in the only care of his Soul leaving an illustrious example to all Princes to moderate and ennoble their greatness with Piety and so to enjoy their Temporal estates as in the mean time not to neglect their eternal concernments and to think of their departure out of this Life in time Foreseeing his Death whereunto he prepared himself by these exercises he made his last Will and Testament leaving his Son Lewis the sole Heir unto his great Kingdoms and bequeathed to the Church much Treasure But all things and Persons in this World have an end His Testament was but the Harbinger to his Death for presently after he was taken with a pain in his side or Plurisie and lay sick but eight days and so yielded up his Spirit unto God that gave it Anno Christi 814. and of his Age seventy one and of his Reign forty seven including fifteen years of his Empire His Body was interred in a sumptuous Church which he had caused to be built in the City of Aquisgrave or Aix la Capelle where he was born and his memory was honoured with a goodly Epitaph He was one of the greatest Princes that ever lived His virtues are a pattern to other Monarchs and his great successes the subject of their wishes The greatness of his Monarchy indeed was admirable For he quietly enjoyed all France Germany the greatest part of Hungary all Italy and a good part of Spain At the time of his Death he was in peace with the other Kings of Spain as also with the Kings of England Denmark Bulgary with the Emperour Leo of Constantinople and with all the Princes of that time This Noble Prince was endued with so many excellent Virtues that we read of very few in antient Histories that excelled him so that he may be justly compared with the best of them For in Martial Discipline in Valour in Dexterity in Feats of Arms there are none that exceeded him He obtained as many Victories fought as many Battels and subdued as many fierce and Warlike Nations as any one we read of and that both before and after that he was Emperour He was tall of Stature very well proportioned in all his members passing strong of a fair and grave countenance valiant mild merciful a lover of Justice liberal very affable pleasant well read in History a great Friend of Arts and Sciences and sufficiently seen into them and a man who above all loved and rewarded Learned men He was very charitable in his Kingdoms yea in his very Court he harboured and relieved many Strangers and Pilgrims In matters of Faith and Religion he was very zealous and most of the Wars which he made were to propagate and enlarge the Christian Faith He being mis-led by the darkness of the times wherein he lived superstitiously honoured and obeyed the Church of Rome and the Pope that was Bishop thereof together with other Bishops and Prelates commanding his Subjects also to do the like He was also very devout and spent much of his time in Prayer Hearing and Reading In his Diet he was very temperate and a great enemy to riot and excess and though he was Rich and Mighty yet fed he his Body with what was necessary and wholesome not rare costly and strange And yet his Virtues were not without their blemishes as the greatest commonly are not without some notable Vices For in his younger dayes he was much given to Women adding Concubines to his lawful Wives by whom he had divers children but this was in the time of his Youth For afterwards he contented himself with his Wife and for a remedy of this imperfection though he was three or four times a Widower yet he ever married again the Daughter of some great Prince or other To conclude all he was an excellent Emperour that loved and feared God and died when he was very Old and full of Honour leaving Lewis the weakest of his Sons the sole heir of his great Empire but not of his Virtues So that this great building soon declined in his posterity He had engraven upon his Sword Pro Deo Religione For God and Religion He used to set his Crown upon the Bible as our Canutus sometime put his Crown upon the Rood both of them thereby intimating that as all honour was due to God so true Religion was the best Basis of Government and that Piety was the best Policy The Epitaph which I spake of was this Sub hoc conditorio situm est Corpus Caroli Magni atque Orthodoxi Imperatorisqui Regnum Francorum nobiliter ampliavit per annos Quadraginta septem foeliciter tenuit Decessit Septuagenarius Anno Domini 814. Indicti one 7. Quinto Calend. Febr. Under this Tomb lieth the Body of Charles the Great and Catholick Emperour who most Nobly enlarged the Kingdom of the French and most happily ruled it for the space of forty and seven years He died in the seventy and one year of his Age In the year of our Lord eight hundred and fourteen the seventh Indiction on the fifth Calend of February He had five Wives the first was called Galcena the Daughter of the King of Galistria by whom he had no Children The second was Theodora the Sister or as others say the Daughter of Didier King of Lombardy whom he kept not long but repudiated her for sundry reasons The third was Hildebranda Daughter of the Duke of Suevia whom he loved exceedingly and had by her three Sons viz. Charles his Eldest whom he made King of the greatest and best part of France and Germany Pepin his Second whom he made King of Italy Bavaria c. Lewis his Youngest to whom he left the Empire intire his Brothers being both dead in their Fathers Life time This Lewis was sirnamed Debonaire or the Courteous He had also three Daughters the Eldest was called Rothruda the Second Birtha and the Youngest Giselia who would never marry His fourth Wife he had out of Germany called Fastrada And his fifth and last was also a German Lady called Luithgranda of the Suevian Race by whom he had no Children He shewed his love to Religion by having one during his Meal-times that either read to him some part of the Holy Scriptures or else some part of Saint Augustines Books especially that De Civitate Dei or some History He was also a great Friend to Learning and therefore erected three