singular man of God Moses to whome the lawe in Mount Sinai was giuen and by whome the lawe had full execution with whome GOD talked so familiarly that hee alone continued with GOD fourtie dayes in Mount Sinai the moste auncient Chronographer of the worlde the verye light of prophane Histories and the onely teacher of time as by his 5. bookes appeare but for that Moses must be spoken of almost in euery place for the recourse and triall of time I will nowe goe forward with the historie Nowe reigned ouer the Assyrians Ascatades the 18. king in Niniue and in the 8. yeere of this Ascatades Cancres Pharaoh the king of Egypt with all his great armie were drowned in the red sea In Moses time happened two great floods the one called Deucalion flood 784. yeeres after Noahs flood the other in Thessalia after which followed such earthquakes in Thessalie that many thousands of beasts men women and children townes and cities were destroied as both Berosus and Xenophon doe agree After which earthquake fire wasted many townes and cities in Greece called incendium Phaetontis In Moses time the kingdome of Athens beganne wherein Cecrops was the first king of Athens 350. yeeres before the destruction of Troy From Abraham to Moses 450. from Moses to the first building of the Temple 480. yeeres Thus farre Berosus writeth euen from the beginning of Noah out of the arke vntil the going of the Israelites out of Egypt yet a litle farther vntill the falling of Dathan with 250. more which held with Abiran and Chore for their murmuring against Moses After this went Moses vp from the plaine of Moab to mount Nebo where the Lorde shewed vnto Moses all the lande of Canaan according to his promise saying thou shalt see the lande of Canaan with thine eies but thou shalt not goe ouer thither and there Moses the seruant of the Lorde died for whome Israel wept 30. daies and after whome Iosua succeeded Moses was 120. yeeres of age when he died Nowe you must vnderstande that when Ioseph was dead and the Hebrewes began to be multiplied the Egyptians both feared and hated them oppressed them as you heard with all toile and slauerie and not yet contented but a law was made among the Egyptians that euery male childe of the Hebrewes should be throwen to Nilus This lawe continued from Moses birth and before vntill their God deliuered them by Moses God had appointed with Moses and after with Iosua wise and graue men as Elders Iudges Magistrates to gouerne the Common-wealth of the Hebrewes vnder Moses as Iethro his father in lawe had councelled him the head of any tribe or of any citie Conuocauit populos Israel Senatum eorum principes eorum iudices eorum Ios. 23. Hee had also the Leuites the Priest and the high Bishop a state of Common-wealth chaunged from Oligarchia which was in Abrahams time into Aristocratia by the expresse commandements of God in all the lawes of the Hebrewes Morall and Iudiciall And after God gaue the Ceremoniall Lawes to Moses at mount Sinai for the Common-wealth of the Hebrewes were of all others most principally to be allowed for that God ordeined all their lawes ordered their Iudges al their Kings and their high Priestes for these three states gouerned the Hebrewes from Moses the first Iudge vntil the last high Priest though by Moses other officers were appointed as Tribunes Centurions and Captaines some ouer a 1000. some ouer a 100. some ouer 50. by the Greekes named Chiliarchi Hecatontarchi Pentecontarchi Decatarchi The offerings which were gold siluer and brasse blewe silke purple and scarlet fine linnen Goates haire and Rammes skinnes coloured red oile spices perfumes of sweete sauour the Tabernacle the Arke the stone table and the rod of Aaron and Manna which were testimonies of Gods presence Read of these Ceremoniall lawes in Exod. 25. About this time reigned in Egypt Ramesses afterwards hauing vanquished his brother Danaus from Egypt Egyptus vsurped the kingdom of Egypt named it Egyptus after his owne name Amongst the Argiues Stelenus their 9. King and after him succeeded Danaus being driuen out of Egypt by the foresaid Egyptus his brother giuing that name to the Countrey of Egypt being before named Mizraim Nowe in Creete gouerned Axit and in Athens the 4. king Ericthonius in these daies Nowe Memphis in Egypt of one Epaphus as Eusebius doth name was builded Dardanus builded Dardania in the sixt yeere of this king Egyptus this afterwarde was called Troy-Cyrene at this time was likewise builded in Libya and Nisa a great citie in India by Dionysius In Niniue Amintes the 19. king of the Assyrians gouerned It is written by Orosius that Danaus king at this time of the Argiues hauing fiftie daughters who being married to fiftie brethren sonnes to his owne brother Egyptus wrought meanes by these his daughters to requite the iniurie of his brother they agreeing with their father conspired the deathes of their husbandes and slewe them all in one night This historie is diuersly written which I leaue to euery mans iudgement After that Moses had gouerned the people of God 40. yeeres in the wildernes hee made choise of Iosua as you heard to be their Gouernour and Iudge for there was no succession of Gouernors no election of states no Prince no Iudge to claime right amongest the people of Israel but the lawe of God was the Iudge that gouerned Israel So Gedeon saide Non dominabor vestri nec dominabitur vestri filius meus sed Dominus he was the onely ruler so they prospered all the time of good Iudges This Iosua the second Iudge of Israel whome God raised after Moses was adorned with excellent giftes as with counsell to gouerne Israel and with strength to defend Israel this bringeth them after all difficulties vnto the land of Canaan which Iosua diuided among the people he appointed their borders he established lawes and ordinances assuring them of Gods fauour if they would obey God and contrariwise of his plague and vengeance by disobedience To this good Iosua God saide my seruant Moses is dead nowe therefore arise goe ouer Iordan thou and all this people vnto the lande which I gaue them for euery place where you shall tread vpon haue I giuen you there shall be no man able to withstande thee all the daies of thy life bee thou strong and be of good courage I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee This was great comfort to Iosua to haue God to be with him to assist him to strengthen him to defend him Then Iosua commanded his hoste with their Captaines and officers to passe ouer Iordan he exhorteth the Rubenites the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasses to execute their charge saying the Lord your God hath giuē you this land which was somtime in the possession of Sihon king of the Amorites and in the hands of Og king of Bashan goe you
this tirant as Moses Iosua Dauid did to the enemies of God CHAP. VIII Of the Machabees and of the last kings of Iuda and of their gouernement vnder the Romanes and of the last destruction of Hierusalem by Titus the Emperour THey tooke courage in God they prouided to resist the violence of tyranny and when Mattathias died after one yeeres gouernement he appointed Iudas Machabeus whom hee knewe bestable in body and most willing in mind to be in armes with their God against this Antiochus and his idoles And though these brethren were not of the stocke of Dauid nor of the tribe of Iuda as you may reade in the Macchabees and in Iosephus yet they ioyned their force and power together and appointed Iudas Macchabeus chiefe captaine and ruler ouer them for in his actes he was liks a lion for the wicked fled for feare of him he killed Apollonius and Seron two princes of Syria and the most part of Antiochus armie who gathered the Gentiles and a great host of Samaria to fight against Israel who were slaine and scattered like sheepe before Iudas sworde and Iudas goeth forward against Gorgias doth the like he slue their souldiers and putteth Gorgias and the rest of his armie to flight Lysias lieftenant general of Antiochus hearing of this waxed wroth disdained his campe gathered 60000. chosen footemen and 5000. horsemen to fight against Ierusalem came to Iudea pitched his tents in Bethsura where Iudas came with ten thousand souldiers against him who with confidence in God and prayers made slue fiue thousande and put the rest to flight and Lysias himselfe escaped to Antiochus Iudas hauing these victories ouer Antiochus the great went vp to Ierusalem to repaire the Sanctuarie which lay wasted made a new altar for Antiochus had erected altar and the Image vpon it where they sacrificed according to the lawe and praysed God for their good successe Now while Iudas had vanquished the Heathens that went about to destroy Israel for they of Tyre and Sidon of Ptolemais of all Galile of the Heathens of the Gentiles were set in force against Israel after that Iudas had fought with the Edumeans Ammonites hearing of these newes Iudas gaue to his brother Simon 3000. souldiers to goe vnto Galile and he tooke his brother Ionathan with him to Galaad with 8000. and they had good successe and victorie in all their warres Antiochus in the meane season traueiling through the countrey of Persia hearing of the riches and treasures of Ptolemais besieged it but was by the Citizens forced to flee who died within a while after Lysias hauing knowledge of the kings death hee caused Antiochus Epiphanes the 2. sonne of Antiochus the great to be crowned king after his father who vsed much more extremitie in Ierusalem then his father did killing destroying the Citizens robbing the Temple and putting Idoles and images vpon the altar Being slaine in Persia his brothers eldest sonne Demetrius being at Rome came with all haste possible to Tripolis a Towne in Syria and hauing possessed the most part of Syria being their lawfull king by descent the people brought Antiochus Eupator and Lysias before Demetrius who commaunded them to bee killed before they came to his sight Now when that Demetrius was set on his fathers throne a great enemie of Iuda waxed hote to reuenge the slaughter which Iudas Machabeus made of his friends and fauourers while yet Demetrius saued himselfe in Rome Iudas perceiuing the cruell meaning of Demetrius and knowing well the power and force of the Romanes made them his friends through peace of mutuall friendship sending messengers vnto them Eupolemus and Iason brethrens children to Iudas Machabeus which of the Romanes were most louingly accepted and they sent to Ierusalem a letter written in tables of brasse wherein they had a memoriall or monument of their friendship and peace In the meane time Demetrius hauing heard of the death of Nichanor sendeth his armie against Iudas in the which battell after many ioyfull victories which Iudas had ouer his enemies he is now slaine by his enemies for he that was wont to pray to ouercome and now omitted to pray trusting to his strength and to the Romanes force was left of God to himselfe Iudas nowe being dead his brother Ionathan succeeded him and had present battell with Bacchides one of Demetrius captaines and with Alcimus and put them to flight During these broiles in Iudea Demetrius perceiuing he coulde gaine nothing by Ionathan desireth peace with the Iewes which being done Ionathan gouerned Israel quietly When Alexander the sonne of Antiochus had heard the promises which Demetrius made to Ionathan and also hearing of the courage vertue and manhood of Iudas Ionathan Simon and of the two other brethren hee sought the fauour of Ionathan and friendship of the Iewes Then Alexander maketh warres against Demetrius gathered a great host and ioyned in battell with the armie of Demetrius and the two kings fought it out vntil Demetrius was slaine Then Alexander sent his Embassadors to Ptolomeus king of Egypt signifying vnto him howe he wanne his fathers kingdome and sate on his throne requesting the kings daughter in mariage so to be in league of amitie to continue perpetual friends wherein Ptolomeus gladly consented and maried his daughter Cleopatra vnto Alexander at Ptolomais and they continued friends vntil discention fel betweene Ptolomeus his sonne in law Alexander for Ptolomeus tooke his daughter Cleopatra and gaue her to Demetrius the sonne of king Demetrius which Alexander slue a little before When Alexander heard howe that his wife was giuen to his enemie Demetrius in mariage hee came with an host against Ptolomeus his father in lawe for Ptolomeus had put two crownes vpon his owne head the crowne of Asia and the crowne of Egypt and had driuen Demetrius after the ouerthrowing of his army vnto Arabia where he had his head cut off by Zabelus and sent to Ptolomeus to Egypt who likewise died shortly after and Demetrius reigned after him All these kinges sought friendship at Ionathans hands for as Iudas Machabeus slue Nicanor Apollonius and Seron princes of Syria ouerthrewe Lysius Antiochus generall and his nigh cousin and putteth Gorgias and his host to flight as hee vanquished the heathens and ouerthrew the Citie of Ephron and wanne Bosorra with many more victories which hee had of Countries cities townes so Ionathan prospered against Bacchides Alcimus against the children of Ambrie against the princes of Demetrius so that Demetrius the king sought the fauour of Ionathan Alexander entreated for friendship with Ionathan Thus God blessed the sonnes of Mattathias because they were zealous in the lawes of God for after king Demetrius was slaine by Alexander and Alexander slaine againe by Demetrius sonne named Demetrius the Iewes all this while were quiet and so peace in Israel continued vnder Ionathan and Simon as in
the Machabees you may reade vntill contention grewe betweene the Samaritanes and the Iewes in Alexandria concerning the religion and holines of their temples which was with great malice followed standing one with an other in defiance vntill the matter was to be iudged before Ptolomeus Philometor king of Egypt the Iewes hauing one Andronicus a learned Iewe to open the priuiledge authoritie of the Temple of Hierusalem the Samaritans had also one Sabbeus a wise discreete man to pleade for the Temple of Samaria For there dwelled amōgst the Iewes at that time 3. sects of religion the first were called Pharises the 2. Saduces the 3. Esseni The Pharises acknowledged the iudgement of God to come with the reward of good and euill confessing the immortalitie of the soule The Saduces cleane contrary holding an opinion stoute against the Pharises in all points The Esseni supposed al things to be gouerned by fate and that nothing could happen to man but by destinie After this Ionathan sent to Sparta and to Rome to renewe the couenant betwene the Iewes and the people of Sparta for it was founde and knowen in their Chronicles that the Spartians came of the generation of Abraham In the meane time one Triphon that was tutor to Alexanders sonne named Antiochus a very yong man expected to be king in Syria in the roome of his father considering how falsly and traiterously he was slaine by the meanes of Ptolomeus his father in lawe and Demetrius to whom Cleopatra his wife was wrongfully giuen in mariage This Triphon by the colour of this title to yong Antiochus Sedetes sonne to Antiochus Epiphanes became very ambicious of the kingdome himselfe layd wait to kil Ionathan and take him by deceite and hauing also heard howe Demetrius calamities encreased by the Parthians sawe an easie way to obteine the kingdome by killing of the yong king Antiochus to whome he promised faith and seruice to restore him to his kingdome for that his father Alexander was wrongfully deposed and slaine For as soone as Triphon had slaine Ionathan and his two sonnes and also king Antiochus hee straight wayes maketh warres vpon Simon the brother of Ionathan who succeeded in his roome to defend the Iewes promising to followe the steps of his father and of his brethren for Simon was well beloued of the Iewes and therefore in great authoritie proceeded with the like courage as his brethren did to warre vpon the enemies and came in armes against Gazara Iamnia and Ioppa wasted them and spoyled them layde siege to Ierusalem and wanne the castle pursued Triphon which then vsurped the kingdome of Syria to the castle of Dora from whence he secretly fled vnto Apania a citie in Phenicia where he was slaine by Antiochus friendes within 3. yeeres after he had falsly vsurped Syria After this grew strife betweene Antiochus and Simon and therefore Cendebaeus was appointed Captaine by Antiochus against Simon but Simon preuailed in all his actions prospered in al his warres and conquered his enemies for the space of 8. yeeres vntill Ptolome who maried Simons daughter conspired against him slewe him and his 2. sonnes at a banquet and sent secretly to kill Iohn named likewise Hircanus the sonne of Simon But he hauing intelligēce that his father and his 2. brethren were slaine and that Ptolome had sent to slay him also he preuented that and slewe them and fled to a castle called Dagon Now Hircanus possessing the office of his father not forgetting the villenie and cruel murther of this Ptolomeus thought to reuenge it when time would serue In the meane season Antiochus sirnamed Pius being mindeful of iniuries receiued of Hircanus father Simon came with a great hoste to Iudea in the 162. Olympiad compassed the Citie Ierusalem with his armie kept Hircanus close within the citie not daring to looke out but after that Hircanus had promised 500. talents to Antiochus to depart in peace hee opened the graue of Dauid where he founde 3000. talents of siluer of the which he satisfied Antiochus which within a short time after was slaine amongst the Parthians in whose place succeeded his brother Demetrius Hircanus When he had heard that Antiochus was dead he came presently with an armie to Syria destroyed the temple in Samaria which Alexander the great permitted to be builded tooke Samega before called Samaria with the citie Sicima and many townes beside where the nations of the Cutheans dwelt which Salmanassar brought with him to inhabite Samaria in stead of the 10. tribes which he caried captiue away to Babylon for after that Samaria was destroyed first by Salmanasser the Samaritans were called Chutheans a people of Babylon and of Caldea Now it was plagued by Hircanus besieged by Aristobulus and Antigonus the sōnes of Hircanus that after one yeres siege they broght Samaria euen to the groūd and caused riuers lakes to ouerflow the place where Samaria was that no man knewe where Samaria stood so wicked a seate and so vngodly a towne full of all horrible idolatrie and blasphemie For Samaria had bene twise builded first by Omri which was destroyed by Salmanasser king of Syria after builded by Manasses the brother of Iaddus the hie Priest by the meanes of his father in lawe Sanabalat chiefe gouernour vnder Darius builded a Church to encounter with Hierusalem in mount Garizin at Samaria where from Babylon and from Assyria men and women came to dwell willing to receiue the lawes of Moses but not to forsake their Idols At what time Onias builded the 3. temples in AEgypt this was the sonne of that Onias which was the hie Priest at Hierusalem whom Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria slewe at his ransaking of Hierusalem at what time hee destroyed the citie spoyled the temple and put vp the Image of Iupiter Olympus vpon the altar of the Lord this 3. temple continued at Heliopolis in Egypt 330. yeres Reade more of this in the Machabees Beside al this I meane the tabernacle the hie hilles called excelsa the 3. temples they had certaine other meetings and seruing of God though not in temples yet in places that resembled the temple Of this no mention is made neither in the historie of the Iudges nor of the Kings and therefore it seemeth that after the Iewes were captiuated into Babylon and their kingdome destroyed many of them being dispersed some to Egypt some to Asia and some to Europa met together as many as were in one citie or countrey hauing no temples but places by themselues made like temples which were called after Synagogues and so continued for after the 70. yeeres of captiuitie the Iewes being permitted by Cyrus to returne and to reare their temple for strangers that dwelt in other Prouinces as at Alexandria Silicia Asia and in diuers other places and yet Iewes borne when they came to Hierusalem either to the feast which was thrise a yeere or vpon any
forbidden to arrest any plough harneis and such necessaries for the vse of man and yet a man that vsed these and coulde make these suffered to be arrested and to be imprisoned 16 The law against theft in Egypt was that he that would steale shoulde write his name and recorde it in a booke which the chiefe captaine or the great prince appointed for those shoulde receiue the theft and the partie that had lost his goodes should come to his captaine and shoulde set downe the day and the houre wherein his goods were lost and the captaine shoulde recorde it in his booke and appoint him a day to come againe against the which day the theft being found out hee should haue all his losse sauing the fourth part which by law the theefe had for they so iudged it better sithence it were vnpossible to forbidde theft or to hang as many as would steale 17 As for the law for mariage it was thus that the priests of Egypt might mary but one wife a piece others as many as pleased them for that they would haue their countrey populous their cities strong with people no bastardes might bee named in Egypt though diuers were borne of bondwomen esteeming onely their fathers for credit and the mothers for their nources Nowe for their Iudges and Magistrates that executed these lawes in Egypt they were elected by 30. of the best and wisest men in euery great citie as Memphis Heliopolis Thebes and the rest in euery citie one chiefe Iudge with his sociates with him as were the Areopagites in Athens or the Ephories in Sparta Of other lawes concerning the religions of their gods their burials and of their discipline and order in warres I haue written of it in the Diall of dayes There was also a lawe in Egypt before these lawes that the pictures and images of their gods painted in tables and set in brasse in their Temples should be caried in their ensigns to the field in the time of warres But as Egypt florished in the time of king Amasis so Egypt was brought subiect vnto the Persians within sixe dayes after Amasis dayes for after that Amasis had reigned fourtie foure yeeres his sonne succeeded him called Psammenitus who after he had reigned sixe yeeres was ouerthrowen by Cambyses king of Persia which came from Persia into Egypt to reuenge the wrong which hee receiued at Amasis hand who refused to giue his owne daughter in mariage to the king of of Persia but deceiued him with a daughter of Apries called Nytetis which was onely left aliue of all the stocke of Apries whom Cambyses maried supposing her to bee king Amasis daughter vntill Apries daughter opened the whole matter affirming vnto the king howe Amasis had betrayed her father the king being his master and by that reason had obteined the kingdome of Egypt and also shee reuealed howe he disdained to giue his owne daughter but tooke me vp being left desolate and comfortlesse and willed mee to faine my selfe to bee his daughter These floutes and scoffes of Amasis kindled wrath in Cambyses to come in armes into Egypt but before he came Amasis died Notwithstanding after he had conquered his sonne Psammenitus and had possessed the kingdome of Egypt hee went from Memphis vnto Sai to satisfie his wrath vpon Amasis and though he was before buried yet hee caused his carcas to be brought before him and cōmaunded it first to be whipt and scourged then thrust him through with daggers bodkins after this he haled lugged it through the Citie of Sai with all contempts that might be inuented and last he caused it to be burned which was against the maner of the Egyptians for they suppose the fire to be a liuing creature because the fire deuoureth all things and at last deuoureth it selfe Thus the olde auncient kings of Egypt continued a thousand two hundred yeeres before they were conquered by any nation and though they were by the kings of Assyria and of Chaldea which then florished chiefely often assaulted yet they neuer lost the proper names of their kings which were called Pharaos vntill Cambyses time which continued vnder the Persians a hundred thirtie fiue yeeres and after they reuoulted vnder Darius Nothus and kept of vntill by many sharpe battailes they were againe by Ochus vanquished who vsed in Egypt great crueltie About this time Tomiris Queene of the Massegets and Tarquinius superbus the last king of the Romanes reigned in Rome for the Romanes lost their kings and the Egyptians lost their kingdome about one time Cambyses this time hindred the building of the Temple by the meanes of the Samaritanes who euer enuied Ierusalem Thus briefely I haue written of the state and gouernment of the olde kings of Egypt Pharaos by name vntill the time of Alexander the great and nowe something after Alexanders dayes Egypt and their kings afterward altered and changed from the names of Pharaos to the names of Ptolomeies as you shal reade hereafter from Alexander the great vntill the time of Iulius Caesar during which time the kings of Egypt were called Ptolomei Therefore I haue gathered together all the names of these auncient kings of Egypt from Osiris time the first potentate in Egypt which was in the time of Abraham vntil Amasis time the last Pharao which was in Cambyses time the second king of Persia that is from the going of Abraham into Egypt vntil the Prophet Daniels time which was a thousand foure hundred twentie fiue yeeres for before Osiris time and long after we reade of no certeine king by the name of Pharao but of some gouernment called Dynastia at what time in euery prouince of Egypt before Egypt had the name of Egypt certeine potentates gouerned for the space of fiftene Dynasties Hence grew that vaine opinion of the priests of Egypt that they were the anciētest nation in the world that the starres altered their courses foure times and the sunne twise since they first inhabited Egypt recording in their chronicles the names of three hundred thirtie kings and before their kings the gouernment of those whom they called Heroas or Deos which reigned eighteene thousand yeeres But leauing them to their fabulous antiquitie I haue set downe all the names of Pharaos that I coulde reade in Manethon Eusebius Diodorus Herodot and Melancthon beginning at Osiris which was that Pharao to whom Abraham came vnto in the sixteene Dynastia of Egypt from the first Pharao called Amasis vnto the last Pharao called likewise Amasis as they are set downe in Functius table who followed Herodot from Cheopes vnto the last Pharao of Egypt called Amasis For the placing orderly of the kings of Egypt Manethon differeth from Eusebius Eusebius from Diodorus Diodorus frō Functius and therefore as I wrote the names of the olde kings of Egypt as Manethon laide them downe so will I nowe also write them as I found them in Functius
from Moses vntill Samsons time 400. yeeres and after Samsons death 40. yeeres kings began to raigne in Israel After that the kings ended in Sicyonum priestes raigned in that countrey of Peloponesus called Carnij which gouerned vntill the comming of that strong and ancient people called Heraclides who afterwarde grew of great force that the long ciuill warres which continued 27. yeeres to the last destruction of all Greece as more at large in Thucydides is mentioned and shal be spoken of me when the time of these ciuil warres shall come to be handled in this historie I in the meane season will returne to the state of Athens which by this time grewe to some fame though before as other parts of Greece obscured by reason of no action done worth the writing vntill Theseus time which raigned as you heard before in Poliphedes time the 24. king of Pelopones he brought vnto Athens al the whole prouince of Attica and dispersed people from other parts of Greece and made them all one corporation which were before dispersed vnto diuers villages he erected a council hall and made a towne house which the Athenians called Asti he instituted great feasts and sacrifices vnto Minerua called Panathaenea this was for all the countrey of Attica and he ordeined another feast which they called Metaecia for strangers and forreners that should come to dwel at Athens That done he began to set vp an estate of a common wealth he made distinctions of degrees and difference of states moreouer Theseus coyned money marked the coyne thereof with the stampe of an oxe in memorie of the bul of Marathon or of Taurus chiefe captaine of king Minos which Theseus subdued by combate appointed The stampe of the oxe continued in Athens vntill Pericles time at what season the owle was stamped in the coine of Athens The renowne of this Theseus was marueilously blowen through all Greece after diuers victories gotten against the Amazones the slaughter of king Deucaleon king Minos sonne of the vanquishing of the huge monster Minotaurus of the warres of Lapithes of the ouerthrowe of Captaine Taurus and of infinite more victories so that all Greece rang of Thesius fame that his acts came to certaine prouerbs in all parts of Greece Hic alter Theseus this is another Theseus Hoc sine Theseo nōfit This was not done without Theseus He discharged Athens of their tribute vnto king Minos appointed certaine games called Isthmia after the imitation and order of Hercules that euen as the Grecians did celebrate the games of Olympia in the honour of Iupiter by Hercules ordinance so they should likewise celebrat the feast of Isthmia games which Theseus made in the honour of Neptune for he imitated Hercules in all his actions The great admiration which Theseus had of Hercules courage made him in like sort with Themistocles to say that as the victories and triumphes of Miltiades would not suffer Themistocles to sleepe so the renowme and fame of Hercules could not keepe Theseus backe from the imitation thereof for they both were neere kinsmen He was so great a benefactor vnto Athens that on the 8. of October the Athenians doe most solemne sacrifice in remembrance of his returne frō Creete with the children of Athens after the killing of king Deucaleon and Minotaurus in the honor of Neptune as Plutarch saith The Athenians honour the name of Theseus which of some is supposed to be the sonne of Neptune euery 8. day of euery moneth so much Greece was beholden vnto Theseus Plutarch in the life of Theseus saith that Aegeus his father descended of the linage of the great Erictheus of the first inhabitants which occupied the coūtrey of Attica for there is no mention made that they came out of any other countrey but they were called Autochthones borne of themselues in the lande of Attica for so the Athenians would haue it This was the first that erected Athens and hauing ioyned the citie of Megara and all the territories thereabout vnto Attica he caused as Plutarch affirmeth foure square pillars to be set vp for the confines within the streight of Isthmis in Peloponesus with this sentence written on the pillars All from these pillars Eastwarde is in Ionia which is Attica and all from thence Westward was in Peloponesus to separate the countrey of Attica from Peloponesus for in Ionia Attica lay After this Theseus succeeded in Athens Mnestheus the eleuenth king which raigned foure and twentie yeeres This time gouerned Agamemnon in Mycena when Helen Menelaus his brothers wife was rauished and taken away by Paris who likewise being very yong was before rauished by Theseus I will briefly rehearse the rest of the kings of Athens for after Mnestheus Demophon succeeded in Athens the twelfth king ouer the Athenians and raigned 33. yeeres In whose time Aeneas maried Lauinia king Latinus daughter who gouerned them three yeeres and died and left to Ascanius his sonne the kingdome after him he raigned after his father thirtie eight yeeres This time raigned in Assyria Tauteus the twentie and ninth king of the Assyrians Eli the priest now iudged Israel and Samuel the Prophet was borne Oxintes the thirteenth king of Athens raigned twelue yeeres about which time Ascanius began to build a towne and named it Alba longa where he with all his Court remooued leauing Lauinium to his fathers wife Lauinia thirtie yeeres after his father Aeneas had builded the citie of Lauinium In this kings raigne the Amazones burned the temple of Diana in Ephesus Now followed in Athens the foureteenth king ouer the Athenians who raigned but one yeere after him raigned Thimoetes the 15. king he raigned eight yeeres This was the last king of the stocke of Erictheus after this time raigned Siluius the thirde king of the Latins here of all the kings of Alba were afterward called Syluij In the 70. yeeres after the destruction of Troy and foureteene yeeres after the kings failed in Peloponesus came certaine people from Greece vnto Peloponesus and possessed a great part of the countrey which were called Dores of this Thucydides onely can best report for it is his proper historie Now was Melanthus the sixteenth king ouer the Athenians which raigned 37. yeeres in this kings time raigned in Assyria Dercillus the 31. king About this time Samuel the Prophet iudged Israel with whom gouerned afterward king Saul during which gouernment the prophet Dauid was borne when Aeneas raigned the sixt king of the Latins at what time the stocke and familie called Heraclides entred Peloponesus who waxed so strong and fierce that they waged warres against the Athenians with whom they had diuers battels CHAP. III. Of the originall beginning of the kings of the Lacedemonians and of the kings of Corinth who at one time beganne their gouernment vnder the state of Monarchie and also ended about one time of
huge idole of Phaebus called Colossus solis fell In these dayes an infant was borne hauing a head like a sow and many other mōstrous things fel in the time of Antiochus as Liui reporteth Eratosthenes the philosopher florished in this time The Romans were so strong in these dayes as Carthage Numidia and all Affricke were subdued Greece Macedonia Pontus and all Asia were conquered all kings of the world almost came then to Rome to see the maiestie of the Romanes to behold their triumphes and to offer themselues in seruice The end of this great king was to be slaine by rude countrey people as he would rob the temple of Belus he that thought to conquere the stoute Romanes was conquered by silie and simple men of Syria he that brought all Greece and Asia vnder his becke had this his death by his rashnesse and folly and as Melancthon saith of Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of an ill beginning proceedeth an ill ending When this Antiochus so was killed he left behinde him 3. sonnes and one daughter maried to Ptolomey of whom Philometor was borne his sonnes were named in this sort Seleucus sirnamed Philopater was the eldest who raigned 12. yeeres of whom we reade nothing worth the memory a man giuen to all vices to all idlenes lust wickednes and powling of his subiects This history is onely written in the Macabees where Simon vttereth what treasure was in the temple and how Heliodorus was sent by the king to take them away but hee was striken of God and had the repulse with such terrible sightes and strokes that Heliodorus wished death rather then life vntill the high Priest Onias prayed for him Of this Seleucus Daniel saide In loco Antiochi stabit vilis questor c. for there was nothing left vnspoken by Daniel before hand which should happen afterward This Seleucus beganne to raigne after his father in the 125. yeere of the Grecians raigne in Syria after the building of Rome 566. After this Seleucus died Antiochus sirnamed Epiphanes the second sonne of Antiochus the great being a pledge then in Rome with Demetrius hearing that his father was dead hee secretly fled from Rome and came with al force vnto Syria vsurped the kingdome and draue Seleucus sonne out of his countrey this began his gouernment in the 130. yeere after Alexander the great his death Polibius affirmeth this man to bee such as no wickednes escaped him craftie and subtile furious and ful of al mischiefe and of the best writers named the type of Antichrist Of the furie of this Antiochus and of other kings of Syria Daniel doth fully describe them and doth foreshewe their tyrannie against Iudea Reade the 11. of Daniel where he prophecieth against the kings of Syria together with the Persians Grecians Egyptians and Romanes howe all these should afflict Iudea This Antiochus in the beginning of his raigne beingfully acquainted with the Romanes power hauing bene so long in Rome a pledge for his father dissembled with the Senators and bare himselfe a friend vnto the Romanes for feare more then for loue after that he had filled Ierusalem with blood and had killed Onias the high priest a holy godly man he tooke money of Iason which was Onias brother and made him high priest who receiued Antiochus with al reuerence duetie into Ierusalem who slew the best citizens spoiled the towne and robbed the temple this was his first voyage to Ierusalem the high priest Iason which Antiochus had made plaied the tyrants part slew his owne citizens and made hauocke in Ierusalem of his owne countreymen friends and kinsmen but this king and this priest had the like reward by God appointed shame and confusion Read the Machabees and you shal haue the historie before you that Iason after he had wandered from citie to citie like a vagabond hated of all people and beloued of none being banished from Ierusalem died most miserablie in Arabia being accused before the king then named Areta Some write that he fled from Arabia to Egypt But I wil returne to that cruel monster king Antiochus who after he had dissembled with the Romans pretended care and gouernment ouer the yong Philometor king of Egypt being his sisters sonne for Cleopatra the daughter of Antiochus the great was married to Epiphanes who had giuen her for her dowrie Coelosyria Samaria Iudea and Phenicia by whom this Philometor was gotten This yong king being yet in his minoritie and tender of yeeres and by his father when he died committed to the fidelitie of the Senators of Rome whom he made tutors ouer his sonne Antiochus Epiphanes clayming some title to ouersee the yong king his nephew led an armie frō Syria vnto Egypt vnder pretence of loue care towards his nephew the yong king but he more thirsted for the kingdom then he esteemed the king he laied garisons in Memphis and filled all the cities of Egypt with souldiers specially Pelusiū and other strong cities Philometor misdouted these endeuors of Antiochus and so suspecting his vncle to be one that waied more the kingdom then the king he fled to his yonger brother to Alexandria sent to the Romans for aide against Antiochus who perceiuing that they were put in trust to haue some care of this king by his fathers last wil and testament to them cōmitted they determined to send Popilius frō the Senators to cōmand Antiochus as his father before him was cōmanded to depart out of Egypt and to suffer king Philometor to enioy his kingdom quietly While this Romane ambassador was preparing to come Antiochus hasted his purpose in folowing fast at the heeles of Philometor which was the elder brother therfore by succession king of Egypt he shipped in Cyprus and from thence to Coelosyria thēce to Egypt and so passing ouer Nilus to Leusnies a citie not farre from Alexandria where the Romane ambassador Popilius met him and deliuered the minde of the Senators in writing to him which being read he paused and said that he would consider further and cōsult with his friends to answere the Senators Popilius hauing a white sticke in his hand made around circle about king Antiochus saying Answer the Romans before thou go out of this circle that I may declare to the Senators thy words Antiochus was so amased at the stoute words of Pōpilius that he was constrained to say I will doe that which the Senators would haue me to doe And so he was forced in great furie to depart out of of Egypt but hee reuenged his wrath vpon the poore Iewes hee so plagued Iudea with spoile and slaughter and caused them to forsake their true and ancient religion which they had from Moses hee burned the bookes of Moses and of the Prophets he made the idole of Iupiter Olympus to be set vp and to be worshipped and commaunded all idolatrie and wickednes to be had in Ierusalem
in reuerence This proude king entred into the temple of Salomon after hee had made such a slaughter of yong and olde of women and children that within three dayes 80. thousand were slaine and 40. thousand taken prisoners Menelaus the traitour the high priest a murtherer before of Onias and now a traitour to his countrey brought Antiochus into the citie guided him from place to place that after hee had taken 800. talents away from the temple he gate him away to Antiochia thinking in his pride to make men saile vpon the drie land and to walke vpon the sea The filthinesse and abomination of this beast is set foorth in the Macabees in the second booke the fift and sixt chapters from the beginning vnto the ende This was the second comming of Antiochus to Iudea and to Ierusalem in the eight yeere of his raigne two yeeres after his first being in Ierusalem whose comming and whose doings were by the Prophet Daniel before spoken for he saide that this tyrant should continue 3500. dayes in wasting and spoyling of Iudea in prophaning the temple in killing and murthering of Gods people The nomber of these dayes are sixe yeeres and sixe monethes so long endured this wolfe After this Habuit mercedem God rewarded him for he died in such torments that his bowels were eaten with wormes and himselfe brought in such miserie that he died according as he liued after hee had raigned twelue yeeres During his time the warres continued in Macedonia betweene Perseus the last king and Titus Aemilius the Consull and at length the conquerour of Perseus Prusias king of Bythinia came with his sonne Nicomedes to Rome where he commended his sonne to the Senators About this time Terentius flourished Nowe when Antiochus surnamed Eupator had entred in his fathers seate in the 150. yeere of the Greekes being in Syria and in the beginning of the 26. Iubilee he folowed his fathers steppes came with an armie to Ierusalem and besieged the castle of Sion but while he laied siege his generall Lysias tolde him that his kingdome was inuaded by the enemies Then he concluded peace with Iudea and returned in all haste into Syria brought Menelaus that wicked and cruell high priest with him who after much mischiefes done died at Beroea a towne of Syria Antiochus had not reigned but one yeere but Demetrius Soter fledde from Rome where he had bene a pledge during the whole gouernment of his brother Antiochus Epiphanes which was twelue yeeres and during some yeeres of his graundfather Antiochus the great he came to Syria entred the Citie of Tyrus where his souldiers apprehended both the king and his generall Lysias whom Demetrius commaunded to be killed before hee should see them though Eupator was his sisters sonne This Eupator ended his life after hee had reigned but two yeeres In the meane time Onias the sonne of Onias the high priest which was also slaine by Menelaus who succeeded him this Onias being of the Iewes surnamed the iust lamenting much the miserable estate of Iudea fled into Egypt to king Pto. Philometor and hauing licence of the king he builded a temple in the citie of Heliopolis to the likenesse of the temple in Ierusalem according to the saying of Esai In that day shall the altar of the Lord be in the middest of the land of Egypt and the Lord shal be knowen of the Egyptians and the Egyptians shall knowe the Lord. In that day Assur shall come to Egypt and Egypt into Assur This Demetrius sent Alcimus against Iudas Machabeus who by flatterie entred into Ierusalem and slue three score of the chiefe and greatest men of the citie after gathered a number of wicked persons together who did much harme in Iudea to whome king Demetrius sent Nicanor with an hoste of souldiers to ayde Alcimus This Nicanor blasphemed God prophaned the temple threatned the Iewes and came to Bethoron where Iudas Machabeus gaue him battell and ouerthrewe him This Demetrius was no lesse cruell to the Iewes then either his father or his brother were before him hee played the beare vntill Alexander Epiphanes Antiochus Eupators sonne came to the Citie of Ptolomais Iustine saith that this Alexander was a base man borne named Prompalus and that hee was made by others to take this name vpon him and to say that he was Antiochus sonne Atalus king of Asia Ptolome Philometor king of Egypt and Ariarathes king of Capadocia counselled Prompalus to inuade Demetrius kingdome which was done and a battell giuen in the which Demetrius was slaine after he had reigned tenne yeeres Now after Alexander had the victorie of Demetrius he claimed to be the king of Syria by succession fayning himselfe to be Antiochus Eupators sonne hee maried Cleopatra king Philometors daughter of Egypt the mariage was celebrated in the Citie of Ptolemais This Alexander was not ayded by these kings for any great affection they bare him but for the hatred they had towardes Demetrius who was so ambitious proude and cruell in the beginning of his reigne that these three kings of Egypt of Asia and Arabia had susteined losse and harme before Demetrius was ouerthrowen by Alexander he had two sonnes whom hee sent with great treasures to a friende of his named Gindius to auoide the daunger of the warres the elder of them was named Demetrius after his fathers name who hearing of his fathers death and of the riot and lust of this Alexander a man giuen to al vices and wickednesse came into Syria being aided by the king of Creete and possessed certeine Cities in Syria he appointed his generall one Appolonius who too much trusting his owne force and courage was in the first battell by Ionathas ouerthrowen Ptolome within a short time came with a great armie to see his sonne in lawe in Syria to whom all the cities opened their gates to welcome their king of Egypt they rather thinking that hee came to make peace betweene Demetrius and Alexander but Ptolome imagined howe hee might deceiue them both for a kingdome hee placed his souldiers in diuers Cities of Syria and because Alexander was then in Cicilia hee tooke occasion to offer him warres by taking his daughter away from him whome hee gaue in mariage againe to Demetrius Alexander hearing that his wife was taken from him and maried to Demetrius his mortall enemie summoned his father in lawe to battell wherein he had the ouerthrowe and was forced to flie to Arabia where Alexander was taken and slaine and his head sent by the king of Arabia to Egypt to king Ptolome Thus was Prompalus otherwaies named Alexander throwen downe from the throne of his kingdome deceiued by fortune and reuenged by iustice This reward he had to faine him selfe Antiochus sonne and falsely to alter his name from Prompalus vnto Alexander that Ptolome who ayded him to the kingdome and gaue his daughter in mariage to him the same Ptolome
and Catabria the two temples dedicated to Neptune the temple of Apollo in Actiū the tēple of Aesculapius in Epidaurū and so of others The greatnes of Pompey grew to be such in Rome as Silla who was the first that called him by the name of Pompey the great enuied his fame Lucullus who much hated the pride and insolencie of Pompey called him in scorne Agamemnon regem regū king of kings and Pompey in like sort called Lucullus Xerxem togatum This enuie bred hidden hatred in Rome and made the people to become factious sometime with Silla sometime with Marius now betweene Lucullus Pompey and after betweene Pompey and Caesar. They were so factious at that time in Rome that then Iulius Caesar a man of great prowesse and of a singuler dexteritie whose seruice was such that it seemed from the beginning of his birth that hee shoulde growe great in Rome and therefore Pompey looking into the disposition of Caesar maried his daughter Iulia and ioyned in the beginning with Caesar. While Pompey stood to Caesar his father in lawe they were too strong to be resisted either by Lucullus or by Crassus though Crassus before hee was slaine in Parthia was equall to any of them both But when Iulia Caesars daughter and Pompeis wife died and the other third champion Crassus was slaine at Carras in Parthia by Surena some square fell betwixt Caesar and Pompey for Pompey would haue no equall man with him in Rome and Caesar could abide no superiour and thus for a little demaunde made by Caesar to become Consul in Rome once for his great seruice in Fraunce and in other places being denied by Marcellus then Consul by the meanes of Pompey grewe this great ciuil warres thirtie yeeres after Sillas death Caesar hauing both friendes and enemies in Rome who became factious his enemies Marcellus Lentulus and others ioyned with Pompey and perswaded to keepe Caesar from being Consul his friendes made much meanes to the Senators and to the people to haue Caesar to be Consul as Marcus Antonius and Quintus Cassius Caesar was much agreeued to see such in gratitude shewed to him that well deserued to be Consul and came in armes against the Citie of Rome Much feare was in Rome and great tumult in Italie vpon the comming of Caesar some ranne out of the Citie to Caesar and some ranne from Italie vnto Rome vnto Pompey the maner and order of this ciuill warre betweene Caesar and Pompey frō the beginning vnto the ending is set forth in Oros. most briefely lib. 6. cap. 15. Cicero traueiled much to pacifie these quarrels but to no effect Pompey with all the Senators and noblemen of Rome departed foorth of the Citie and went to Brundusium When Caesar came in armes before he entred into Rome he besieged Brundusium Pompey secretly by night escaped Caesar and fled the Citizens yeelded to Caesar who marched to Rome without resistance entred to the Senate opened the cause of his comming not as Silla or Marius to destroy his Countrie or to murther his countriemen but perswaded the Senate to send Embassadours vnto Pompey for peace After this he committed Rome to Lepidus and Italie vnto Marcus Antonius and hee himselfe went into Spaine and forced the armie of Pompey to yeeld Lepidus made labour to the Senators to haue Caesar Dictator while Caesar was absent in Spaine Caesar at his returne to Rome made himselfe Consul and Scruilius Ismaricus the other Consul to whom he committed Italie and Rome Caesar tooke sea and sailed after Pompey to Epirus and from thence to Dyrachium where Pompey was and where also Caesar had the ouerthrowe by Pompey Caesar departed to Thessali Pompey folowed being puft vp with some pride of the last ouerthrow of Caesar and a great battell was fought in Pharsalia where Caesar gote the victorie slue fifteene thousand of Pompeis souldiers Caesar crying out vpon his captaines to spare the Citizens of Rome whereby twentie foure thousand were taken prisoners and Pompey himselfe put to the flight But while Caesar Pompey were thus in Pharsalia Celius and Milo began to quarell and make sedition against the Consul Seruilius but they were both slaine But Pompey being thus discomfited fled into Alexandria where he thought to haue certaine aide of the king of Egypt ouer whō Pompey was appointed Tutor by the Senate during the minoritie of the king But Pompey was deceiued of his expectatiō for he was killed and his head cutte off and sent to Caesar from Egypt which when Caesar sawe hee wept to see the head of so worthie a man as Pompey Melancthon sayeth that Pompey was slaine by the councell of Photinus an Eunuch and by Theodotus the kings schoolemaster Achillas and Septimius were sent from the king to kil Pompey this Septimius had beene a captaine vnder Pompey and had charge in seruice Pompey knew him spake to him As Pompey was reading of a greeke oration which he had to speake with the king Septimius thrust him through with the sword behind and brought him to Ptolomy the king the sonne of Auletes and brother to Cleopatra in the ◅ght of Cornelia Pompeis wife and his two sonnes who fled to Aphrica to Scipio and Cato Pompeis friends after whom Caesar followed and in a great battelfoure yeres after his father was ouerthrowen at Pharsalia he was slaine in Spaine The other sonne of Pompey called Sextus Pompeius liued eight yeres after Caesar was slaine Not long after Pompeis death Caesar came to Alexandria where certaine conspired his death by the aduise of Ptolome Caesar hereupon made warres vpon the king whom hee ouercame and put to flight and so drowned himselfe in the riuer Nilus Melanct. saith that those very men Achillas Photinus Septimius which slue Pompey conspired against Caesar who vnderstanding of this commaunded them to be slaine The king for feare also of Caesar fled was amōgst others drowned seeking to escape Egypt was giuē by Caesar to Cleopatra the kings sister whom hee after vsed as his paramour and returned from Egypt after Pompeis friends who fled to Affrica where Caesar had sharpe warres and very doubtfull battels for in the last battel fought at Munda with Pompeis sonne Caesar was driuen to so neere a straight that his men fled from him thirtie thousand were slaine and Caesar thought to slay himselfe Cato and Scipio Afranius and Portreius fought so desperatly that they feared no danger yet Caesar gote the victorie This Scipio which was of the stocke of Scipio Affricanus and father in lawe to Pompey slue himselfe so did M. Cato M. Petreius and Iuba king of Mauritania But Quintus Varus Pompeis lieutenant Lu. Cornelius Faustus Sillas sonne the Dictator Afranius and Cneus Pompeius the eldest sōne of Pompey the great were slaine in battel While Caesar was in Affrike in these warres Marcus Antonius made him Dictator in Rome CHAP. VII Of the alteration
so much that the kings of Egypt troubled molested and brought them in such bondage as they were made slaues and bondmen of the Egyptians vntill the time of Moses which was 430. yeeres after Abraham euen then God deliuered them from their bondage by the handes of Moses which was the fift man in discent from Abraham for Moses was the sonne of Amri the sonne of Cath the sonne of Leui the sonne of Iacob the sonne of Isaac the sonne of Abraham But to returne to Abraham who attending the voyce of the almightie was most diligent with care and feare of God to performe his dutie to his God for God had blessed Abraham and promised also to blesse them that would blesse Abraham saying Benedicā te benedicentibus c. I will blesse thē that blesse thee I wil curse them that curse thee for in thee all the kinreds of the earth shall be blessed For God had promised Abraham three great blessings that is First the land of Canaan flowing with milke and honie Secondly the incarnation of Messias tobe out of the tribe of Iuda Thirdly that his seede should be as the starres in the skies or the sands in the sea After God had blessed Abraham by the mouth of Melchisedech the high priest of God saying Blessed art thou Abraham of God most high possessor of heauen and earth to this high priest Melchisedech Abraham paied tithe of all that he had for God was with Abraham he defended him and he rewarded him About this time were the kings of Sodome and Gomorrha ouerthrowen by Amraphael king of Shinar and Lot taken prisoner but rescued by Abraham this was not the last destruction of Sodome Now raigned in Sicionia a king called Apis of whom the countrey was afterward named Apia and since called Peloponesus and now Morea In Assyria raigned Ninus the husband of Semiramis In Egypt this time was a forme of gouernment called Dinastia fifteene principall magistrates to gouerne the Egyptians About this time Ismael was borne of Agar the bondwoman when Abraham was of the age of 86. of whom many nations doe come After this time Abrahams name was changed to confirme him in the promise Circumcision then was instituted and Isaac was likewise promised by the Angels that lodged with Abraham as they went to destroy Sodome and Gomorrha who opened to Abraham how sinne cried vp vnto heauen for vengeance vpon the Sodomites which Abraham with his eies sawe he saw Sodome Gomorrha Seboim Adamah and Segor fiue great cities of Canaan burned with fire and brimstone from heauen and all men women and children destroied Lot onely with his wife and two daughters saued In that soile where these 5. cities were burned there was left a lake of such terrible sight being one and twentie miles long that Strabo in his booke and Iosephus at large describeth which in another place shall be spoken of But much deceiued for that they attributed vnto the effects of nature which was the worke of God whom they knew not at that time Lots wife by disobedience looking backe against the commandement became a pillar of salt a terrible monument of Gods vengeance to all passers by but marke how by drunkennes Lot sinned with his daughters a horrible exāple of drūkennes whom the wickednes of Sodom could not ouercome yet wine caused him to commit most abominable incest with his two daghters who making their father of purpose drunk became both with child by their father the elder bare a sonne and she called his name Moab the first father of all the Moabites the yonger bare a sonne and she called his name Ammon from whom sprang the Ammonites a people of great natiōs who as they were born in most horrible incest so were they their posteritie vile wicked enemies to God and his church About this very time Isaac was borne when Agar and her sonne Ismael was cast off For God said vnto Abraham In Isaac thy seed shal be called and not in Ismael for Isaac was a figure of Christ. Not long after Sara the wife of Abraham when she had liued 127. yeeres euen iust the double yeeres of the virgin Marie Sara was buried in Hebron where Abraham bought a field of an Ephronit◅ for 400. sickles of siluer where Abraham and all his posterities were after buried Abraham after Sara maried a woman named Kaetura by whom hee had sixe sonnes prudent and very discreete men their names you find in Iosephus and the seueral nations that issued from them Now Abraham waxed olde for he was an 100. yeere olde when Isaac was borne and he liued after the birth of Isaac 75. yeeres and then died and was buried by his wife Sara in Hebron In the time of Abraham and of the first Patriarch the Church of God was gouerned by a state called Oligarchia vntill Moses time to whom the law was giuen on mount Sinai by God for before the law was written in the Patriarchs hearts But first he saw his sonne maried with Rebecca he was the 10. from Noah as Noah was the 10. from Adam and liued fiftie yeeres with Noah he liued with Sem Arphaxad Sela Heber Peleg Regu Serug Nahor Thara which was his father He was vertuous and godly he was blessed of God and in his seed the whole earth was blessed after him Isaac had two twinnes borne together Esau which is also called Edom of whom the Idumeans came Iacob called likewise Israel of whom the Israelites came Iacob was the true tipe of the church of God Christ being the head therof Esau likewise the figure of the synagogue of Satan ouer whom Antichrist is the head Isaac loued better Esau thē Iacob but Rebecca loued Iacob as by her coūcel though needlesse to Iacob to defeat Esau of his fathers blessing appeared being therein faultie to preuent the Almightie But as Caine neuer loued Abel so Esau neuer loued Iacob for Iacob euer feared his brother Esau but God from his eternall purpose neuer changeth but standeth to his people comforteth his church The historie of these two brethren you shall read in Iosephus at large in Genesis 27. 28. In the time of Iacob raigned in Niniuie Amatrites the 9. king of the Assyrians a voluptuous wicked prince Atlas the great Astronomer and thereby fained of the Poets to sustaine the skies vpon his shoulders flouriin these dayes Osiris who is thought to bee called Mirzaim and of Berosus is named Oceanus and Diodorus names him Menam the first king of the Egyptians he gouerned Egypt taught the people to worship their gods instructed them in many faculties and sciences which then few of the Egyptians knew the daughter of Iacob named Dina was rauished of Sichem the sonne of Hemor afterward she is supposed by Philo Iudaeus to be the wife of Iob by whom hee gate fourteene sonnes and foureteene daughters but some thinke it an error saying Iob
many kingdomes as Cyrus did neither of such fauour with God for no doubt he was instructed of Daniel to know and to confesse the God of Israel as appeared by his care and diligence in ayding the Iewes after the captiuitie vnto Ierusalem in suffring them quietly to returne with wealth treasure in cōmanding all his princes of Syria and subiects to fauour to helpe them with a decree made for the building vp of their temple vnto God which had raised Cyrus to punish the blasphemie of that Chaldean king Balthasar and to make an end of his kingdome and by Cyrus to restore the kingdome againe of Israel which was ouerthrowen by the Chaldeans Cyrus being then the onely conquerour of the world hauing vnder the Persian scepter all the East kingdomes he had in mind the woonted maners of the Scythians how they came often times from Scythia and rushed in armes vnto Asia spoiled wasted and destroyed the regions and countries about Asia Cyrus made warre vpon the Massagites which were of the stocke of the Gothes of these Messagites came the Getes and the Sueuians While Cyrus was occupied in these warres Cambyses reigned in Persia sixe yeeres so that the gouernment of Cyrus and of his sonne Cambyses were compted all one for two yeeres because Cyrus tooke his warres in hand needelesse to Scythia And beside he was warned by Soothsayers by the diuination of Swalowes which were seene in the tents of Cyrus being vnluckie birdes not to goe to Scythia for Swalowes flying about the tentes of Pyrrhus in the warres of Italie and also lighting vpon the sailes of Mar. Antonius nauies in his warres against Augustus prognosticated to them both calamitie destruction nay God with whom Cyrus should haue consulted who brought him from Harpagus clawes saued him from Astyages sword defended him from Croesus snares and gaue him so many victories God vsed the like example vpon Iosias Salomon Osias and Dauid as hee did nowe vpon Cyrus for that Gods seruaunts should knowe their infirmities and confesse that God giueth victorie for as Iosias was slaine in Mageddo by Necho king of Egypt so Cyrus trusting in his owne strēgth was ouerthrowen with all his armie of the Massagites Cyrus head was cut off by Tomyris Queene of Scythia a woman and throwen into a great vessell ful of blood with spiteful wordes saying Satia te sanguine quem sitijsti yet Dyodorus saith his body was hanged vpon a gibbet his head throwen into a barrel full of blood for Cyrus before that time had taken Spargapises generall of the Massegites ouerthrowen the whole hoste of the Massegites and had slaine Queene Tomiris sonne Spargapises Of the histories of Cyrus reade Zenophon and Herodot where you may be satisfied of the whole life of Cyrus and also of his death In Cyrus time when the Hebrew prophets in Israel ended then the Philosophers in Greece began Thales with his successours after him in Ionia a man of great antiquitie amongst the Grecians who taught them first the obseruations of the starres the eclipses of the Sunne and Moone the diuisions of the yeere and the number of the dayes The other taught in the Confines of Italie they were called Pythagorici the one in Miletum the other in Tarentum There were in Greece before this time certeine wise and learned Poets as Homer Hesiodus and Orpheus and Linus that were had in great honour in Greece It is written by Aristobulus that Cyrus had vpon his tombe diuers Epitaphes as this O homo ego Cyrus Asiae Rex ne mihi sepulturam inuideas O man I am Cyrus king of Asia suffer Cyrus without enuie this seuen foote ofgroūd to couer his bones Onesicritus rehearseth in Strabo many Epigrames vpon Cyrus tombe and Cyrus himselfe in these wordes crieth out in Zenophon Non auro non argento condi sed corpus terraereddi though Zenophon reporteth other wayes of Cyrus death reciting an oration that Cyrus before hee died called before him all his Nobles to whom he made long speach concerning the immortalitie of the soule exhorting his two sōnes Cambyses the elder Smerdis the yonger whō Zonaras named Tamaraxes to vse iustice in their gouernment bequeathing to Cambyses the Empire of Persia withall the kingdoms thereunto belonging Assyria Chaldea Lydia with all the rest of his kingdomes Prouinces Territories sauing Media Armenia Cadusia which Cyrus bequeathed to his yongest sonne Smerdis Of this Cyrus read Zenophon and see how Vlisses is set forth by Homer Aeneas by Maro so is Cyrus magnified by Zenophon Cambyses succeeded Cyrus his father not in vertue and iustice not toperforme his fathers will but to breake the decree which Cyrus made after the captiuitie to the Iewes for their returne to further the temple the tyrannie of whō if you list to be acquainted withal reade Herodot the 3. booke you shal know the whole life of Cambyses who after Cyrus death vsed al kinde of murthers fomed in blood raged in tyrannie gathered an armie of Persia and of Greece mooued warres against Amasis king of Egypt The cause of this warre doth Herodot in this sort set downe Cambyses had councell to aske Amasis daughter in mariage of some backe friend of his Amasis sawe the full intention of Cambyses coulde not tell well howe to answere Cambyses hee thought this way to deceiue him there was one only daughter of Aprie king of Egypt left aliue of that stocke a wise and a very faire woman named Nitetis this Amasis the king with all sumptuous tyre with golde substance plentifully did send to Persia to king Cambyses with whom shee was in great fauour loue by the name of Amasis daughter saluting her daily by that name vntill Nitetis spake these wordes O Cambyses thou art much deceiued to take me for Amasis daughter I am king Apries daughter the last of that house whom Amasis the king sent vnto you he killed my father and he nowe thus vsed you Vpon this Cambyses sent vnto the king of Arabia to licence him with his armie to haue passage to Egypt which being then graunted Cambyses spoyled wasted and burned vntill hee came to Memphis where hee thought to finde Amasis aliue but he found his sonne Psammeticus Memphis being taken by Cambyses another battell was fought by Nilus where likewise Cambyses got the victory after a great slaughter of this Herodot doth write that when triall was made of the dead souldiers whether the Persians or the Egyptians had the harder scull it was found that the Persians heads were so soft as any small thing would breake it and the Egyptians head so hard that nothing skant might breake it the reason was that the Egyptians were woont euen from their youth to shaue their heads so hardened them by the heate of the sunne that it is a woonder in Egypt to see a balde man And the Persians were wont to beare vpon their
ladies were absent came the Macedonian lords in forme and shew of ladies and perfourmed the wil of Alexander in all points when they saw occasion offred At this time Pisistratus that gouerned Athens had a sonne named Hippias which was banished his countrey for his crueltie toward the citizens and was with Darius who hearing that his brother Hipparchus was slaine made meanes to Darius that hee would vouchsafe to ayde him to his countrey which was the rather granted for that Darius was offended with the Athenians for that they aided the Ionians against him in that warre called bellum Ionicum when they tooke Sardis and burned it He caused presently a hundreth thousand footemen and tenne thousand horsemen to accompany Hippias to Athens who whē they came within two mile of Athens the Athenians with these newes were sore afrighted stood in great doubt whether to yeelde or to resist them vntill Miltiades a famous captaine comforted them by the coūsell of Callimachus tooke in hand to fight with the Persians He had tenne thousand of Athens and ten thousand Platenses here was his whole force but in that battel that noble fellow Miltiades and Callimachus with his Greekes gaue the ouerthrowe to the Persians in the fields called Marathon to the nomber of sixe thousand three hundreth by the counsel of Callimachus Thus much Melancthon affirmeth but Iustinus saith that there were sixe hundreth thousande Persians of the which saith hee two hundreth thousande were slaine and the rest put to flight but this warrewas after that which was at Marathon when Darius vpon the hearing of these newes was three yeeres in preparing for it With this Miltiades flourished in this warre Themistocles a gallant yong gentleman of Athens this Themistocles was wont to say after that fielde fought in Marathon and the Persians vanquished that the victories and triumphes of Miltiades could not suffer him to sleepe but his sonne Xerxes perfourmed it as it shal be spoken hereafter In Esdras it is referred to Artaxerxes sirnamed Mnemon whom the Hebrewes tooke to be Asuerus Hitherunto Eusebius doeth agree In this warre Pisistratus two sonnes died Hipparchus and Hippias Hipparchus Plato so commended him that he was cōuersant with learned men he loued Simonides he brought Homers Iliads first to Athens caused the Grecians in any solemne meeting to sing Homers verses his delight was to preferre learned men and to reuerence wise men and for that onely cause he was esteemed the wisest man of Athens But to Darius againe whom Zonaras saide that he was the husband of Esther which in the Scripture is called Asuerus Melancthon writeth that Darius Histaspis was that Assuerus that maried Esther and here the history of Esther might be well brought in sauing it is in the Bible for Herodotus saith that Darius maried two women the one named Aristona which may be the name of Esther as wel as the name of Vasthi to be Atossa which was Cyrus daughter on whom he got Xerxes who succeeded after him though Artabazanes the eldest sonne by Aristona or Esther made claime to the kingdom and opposed himselfe against Xerxes yet whē Darius made warres with the Grecians and afterward with the Egyptiās in the which iourney Darius died he appointed Xerxes to gouerne Persia in his absence and to be king after him if he should die in warres for that his mother was Cyrus daughter and for that Cyrus was called by the Persians Pater patriae The goodnes of this king was fully proued at what time the Church was miserably afflicted by that wicked Haman and hindred by that cruel Cambyses against the decree of Cyrus he confirmed the decree and gaue licence and full libertie for the Iewes to build their temple according to Cyrus decree for God raised Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes Nabuchodonosor Euilmerodach to be pillars and defenders of his Church When Darius had raigned 36. yeeres he died in whose dayes the kings of Rome ended their kingdom and their monarchie fel to a new forme of state called Aristocratia In the time of Darius raigned Aristodemus in Cuma a towne of Italy not as king but as a tyrant with whom the barbarous nations had open warres This cōtention betwene Artabazanes Xerxes was ended by Instaphernes but Herodianus saith by Demaratus Ariston to both their liking iudging the crown to be Xerxes according to Darius will and the request of Persia and Artabazenes so satisfied that one loued another In Darius Histaspis time raigned in Madonia Alexander Amintas sonne their 10. king Herodotus also this age wrote his history which after it was read in Athens he was of more credite amongst the Grecians though Strabo called his booke Mythistoriam fabulous histories as Budeus writeth Sophocles and Euripides liued in Darius time and Socrates was borne Darius Histaspis a litle before he died after he had heard the newes of the Grecians victorie at Marathon being before offended with the Athenians for that they inuaded Sardis now ten times more kindled to reuenge these iniuries posting all Asia and sending to all his prouinces prepared such force that he was three yeeres in prouiding men and munitions against the Grecians at which the Egyptians reuolted from Darius which were by Cambyses before subdued he then had thought to make his voyage to Egypt and appoynted Xerxes his sonne by Cyrus daughter Atossa to gouerne in his absence Persia betweene whome and his brother Artabazanes some strife as you heard before grewe about the gouernment But Xerxes after his fathers death was the fourth king of Persia who taking that warre in hande against the Egyptians which his father Darius thought to haue taken had hee not bene by death preuented not yet thinking to reuenge the Greekes vntill Mardonius his aunts sonne had perswaded him He gathered such an armie as the like is not read sauing of Tamberlane the Scythian king of whom the history is publike this great preparation of Xerxes was consulted and throughly waighed before it was taken in hand for Artabanus Xerxes owne brother thought it not a necessarie warre Mardonius his neere kinseman perswaded the contrary saying that Xerxes with that force might bring all Europe subiect to the Empire of Asia Mardonius sentence preuailed Xerxes made readie his armies the nomber were so many as scant could bee accompted for hee had twelue hundreth and seuen Nauies the Scythians and the Persians the Phaenicians which dwelt in the lande of Palestine brought three hundreth nauies the Egyptians two hundreth the Cyprians one hundrerh the Silicians one hundreth and the Licians brought fiftie nauies Dores which dwell in Asia brought thirtie they of Caria brought seuentie the Ionians an hundreth nauies the Aeolians threescore and the inhabitants of Helespont brought an hundreth nauies so that Herodotus accompts the whole nomber of the nauies to be three thousand but Iustine writeth that Xerxes had in his companie towardes Greece
death being wel set forward by Tiribazus for ill councell easely takes place as Sophocles saith But Artaxerxes had intelligence of this treason and layde waite to take them in that place where they had appointed to murther the king and thus they being preuented were adiudged to die according to the lawe both Darius and Tiribazus Nowe Darius being dead Ochus Darius brother stood in good hope to be next heire to the crowne and the rather by the meanes of his sister Atossa of whom some suspition was spread abroad of incontinencie betweene Artaxerxes her owne father and Atossa whom hee maried afterward yet hee feared the succession of his brother Ariaspes for the Persians honored him mst Artaxerxes had another sonne named Arsames a very wise and a valiant man whom his father loued dearely which Ochus well vnderstood and therefore hee determined to entrappe them both his malice and crueltie was such for that he knewe his brother Ariaspes to be simple and plaine he sent some secrete messengers with threatning wordes from the king forging terrible newes to terrifie his brother telling him howe the king was determined to execute extreme iustice vpon him for diuers pretended treasons proued against him poore Ariaspes was put in such dispaire of his life that he ended all with a cuppe of drinke King Artaxerxes vnderstanding of his sonnes death in such sort tooke it very heauily and beganne to suspect Ochus the more he then laid his loue altogether vpō Arsames one of his bastard sonnes for he had sixe score children by cōcubines and he had but three onely legitimate Ochus hauing brought to passe al his purpose sauing Arsames who being in the greatest fauor with the king could no longer abide to deferre his intent entised Harpaces Tiribazus sonne to make an ende of this tragedie to kil his brother which he performed which whēit was told the king being very weake almost gone for age he tooke it to his hart consumed the few daies which were behind of his life in great anguish sorow after he had liued foure score foureteene yeeres had reigned in Persia 62. yeres Thus the house stocke of noble Cyrus ended CHAP. IIII. Of the tyranny of Darius Ochus of his sōne Arsames and of the vtter confusion and last ruine of the Persians in the time of the last king Darius surnamed Codomanus by Alexander the great IT was found that this Artaxerxes Mnemon surnamed with the Grecians the great was a noble wise discreete prince in respect of the succession that reigned after him Eusebius tooke this to be Assuerus which maried Esher as the Hebrues did but Zonaras Bibliander Melancthon with others affirme Darius Hystaspis as before is spoken During the long reigne of this king reigned in Macedonia foure kings one after another Pausanias Amintas Argeus and the fourth Amintas againe in Egypt gouerned Nectanebus and in Sparta after the death of Agis gouerned Agesilaus a wise valiant prince who inuaded Phrygia scattered the armie of Tisaphernes the Persian and put him to flight at the riuer Pactolus In this kings time was Lysander that so much plagued the Athenians slaine by the Thebans a man of great fame amongst the Lacedemonians diuers are of opinion that he reigned not so long as Plutarch saith some attributing fourtie as Ruffinus others 36. as Functius doth but it is not materiall hee was a iust modest and a wise king Persia Asia and all Greece and specially Iudea might so say when they sawe the tyrannie of Ochus who succeeded him About this time in Rome Camillus triumphed ouer the people called Veyans when M. Manlius and Lu. Valerius were Consuls In this Artaxerxes time liued Mausolus king in Caria of whose wife named Artimesia it is thus reported that when the king her husband died she made him such a sumptuous tombe so worthie a monument so braue a building that it was compted for the rarenesse thereof one of the seuen wonders of the world for Artemesia had the most skilfullest cunning men of that age as Timotheus Scopas Brixias and Leocharas Likewise reigned in this time in Thessalia a great tyraunt Alexander Pheraeus who was wont to burie men aliue and to put others in the skinnes of beares and wilde bores and then to set houndes vpon them to teare them in pieces others hee would binde to a post naked and woulde himselfe both shoote and throwe dartes to kill them In a battell against this tyraunt Pelopidas that valiant Theban captaine was slaine and afterward the tyraunt was killed by his owne wife In this Artaxerxes time Rome was laid siege vnto and taken by the Frenchmen but by Camillus the Romane dictator manfully rescued to the ouerthrowing of the Volcos and the Hetruscans hee subdued their people wasted their townes and afterward builded vp Rome againe repaired the Capitoll after that he had repulsed the Frenchmen and made them most willing to flee from Rome About this time two great Townes in the Countrey of Poloponesus in Greece were swallowed vp by an earthquake called Helice and Burae Plato the Philosopher about this time florished Aristotle was yet a yong man Platoes scholler fourtie and foure yeeres yonger then his master Diogenes liued this time so farre doeth Xenophons historie of the Grecians reache for hee began where Thucydides left Socrates Platoes master was nowe in Athens poisoned Demosthenes borne in the one yeere with Aristotle a famous Orator afterward Ctesias a Persian Historiographer serued this king Artaxerxes in his house Artaxerxes Ochus after he had killed his two brethren Ariaspes and Arsames succeeded his father not in iustice but in tyrannie not in gouerning of his subiects but in murthering of princes of all the kings of Persia most cruell yea Cambyses coulde not match him for after hee had played the beare at home with his owne people he plaied like the lion abroade amongst other nations specially with the Iewes who liued all this time in tranquilitie enioying Halciones dayes in building vp Ierusalem in repayring the Temple in rearing vp the walles in planting againe religion and inhabiting Iudea and so possessing the libertie of the Countrey graunted first by Cyrus cōfirmed by Darius but fully permitted by Artaxerxes surnamed Longhanded Esdras Nehemias Zorobabel being instrumēts thereunto appointed authorised by these good kings But this cruel Ochus after he had destroied the stocke of Cyrus in the beginning of his gouernment he laid siege to Sidon kept them most miserably without any hearing of peace or offering of mercie though it was by the best and grauest citizens humbly entreated for whom hee most cruelly slue without respect to the lawe of armes whereat the citizens being desperate to see his tyrannie they burned the towne and themselues to the number of fourtie thousand After this Ochus tooke his voiage to Ciprus where reigned at that time a familiar friend of his named Euagoras whō he after
of Alexandria This time also was there a Councill at Carthage where the heresies of the Pelagians were quite ouerthrowen then died that great learned man S. Hierome Now in Constantinople the Arrians fell in great discord betweene themselues which continued twentie and fiue yeres and after that againe vnited and were made friends In these dayes Paulus Orosius wrote his historie and Nestorius was remooued from Antioch to be bishop at Constantinople The Iewes againe as they were by the iustice of God scattered vnto all places of the world so had they no rest in any place of the world as you heard erst of the Iewes in Alexandria so now likewise in Creete they had a false Moyses fained whom then they so honoured and whose lawes they obserued and yet Eusebius saith that a nomber of them at that time were conuerted and became Christians At this time in France Faramundus was by common consent of the people elected and named king of Fraunce who died seuen yeeres after he came to the kingdome Marcomirus succeeded him being his owne brother and he raigned eighteene yeeres of whose actions and liues you shall in the histories of Fraunce reade more The Frenchmen beganne here to record and to nomber the kings of the whole countrey of Gallia which vntill that time were called Reges Francorum kings of Fraunce being a parcel of Gallia This happened in the yeere of the worlde foure thousand three hundreth eightie and seuen and in the 300. Olympiad By this time raigned in Persia Varanes the fourth of that name and after him raigned his sonne Varanes the fift of that name and they both raigned 37. yeeres and they had warres with the Romanes also In the time of this last king Varanes began the Indictions of Constantine the great Now againe the third time the Persians begin to quaile for in the time of Corsoes and his sonne Hormisda the last king of Persia the Saracens became lords and gouernours ouer the Persians in the yeere of Christ our Sauiour 634. These are the names of these latter kings that raigned in newe Persia. 1 Artaxerxes the first king that restored the new kingdome of Persia raigned 15. yeeres 2 Sapores raigned after him being the 2. king 31. yeres 3 Ormisdates 1. yeere 4 Varanes 3. yeeres 5 Varanes the second of that name 16. yeres 6 Varanes the thirde of that name 4. monethes 7 After him Narses 7. yeres 8 Misdates 7. yeeres 9 Sapor raigned 70. yeeres this king was crowned in his mothers wombe 10 Artaxerxes the second of that name 11. yeres 11 Sapores the second of that name 5. yeeres 12 Varares the 4. 12. yeres 13 Varanes the 5. of that name 12. yeeres 14 Isdigertes 21. yeeres 15 Varanes the fift of that name 20. yeeres 16 Varanes the sixt of that name 17. yeres 17 Perozes 20. yeres 18 Canades 12. yeres Lambases Procopius doeth call this Blasen raigned 4. yeeres 19 Cosroes 48. yeres 20 Hormisda Cosroes his sonne and last king of the Persians raigned 8. yeeres OF THE ORIGINAL OF Mahomet in Arabia of his greatnes and credit not onely among the Saracens and Arabians but also in the East kingdomes of the inuasions of the Saracens of their scattering warres in Asia Europe and in Affricke and of their continuance THus the kingdome of Persia the only monarchie of the world for 130. yeeres I meane from Cyrus vnto Darius is vtterly nowe destroied by the Saracens the fourth time a sort of infidels which had their first original from Agar the bond woman of Abraham by whom Abraham begate a base sonne called Ismael whose progenies were called Ismaelites after the name of Ismael among the Hebrewes so were they in other places called Agareni after Agars name and in continuance of time from Agareni called Saraceni which name they holde to this day For euen as from Ammon and Moab two incestuous sonnes of Lot gotten by his two daughters in his drunkennes an infinite stocke of wicked and idolatrous people grew which were named after their fathers name Ammonites and Moabits enemies to God and to his people so of this bond woman Agar and her sonne Ismael all the Ismaelites and all the Saracens doe spring which people as they were in the beginning most in nomber and most able of force and power to persecute then that little flocke of Iacob at that time so now are they in the latter dayes of the world most in nomber by the names of Saracens Turkes Canes infidels and such like other names I will therefore but touch the historie of Saracens for that they were alwayes people scattered into all Asia and from thence to all parts of the world much like to the Scythians who in like maner russhed into all partes and inuaded all countreys being rude and barbarous nations praying vpon euery place they came into I referre them that wil reade of the Saracens to Augustinus Caelius who at large wrote their histories I will briefly passe the names of some few of those which beganne to raigne from Mahomet where he is named Muhamet which began his kingdome after Christ sixe hundreth twentie and foure at what time Bonifacius the fift was the fourth Pope of Rome for the great prophet Mahomet in Arabia and the great Pope of Rome beganne at one times as two tyrants to persecute the Christians These two grew so great that they ruled all Christian Emperours kings princes and states one making them to holde his stirope and to kisse his foote the other with sworde and fire tyrannized ouer kingdomes and nations encreased his fame by blood and tyrannie When Bonifacius the thirde and the first Pope of Rome altered the title of a bishop to the dignitie of a Pope Phocas then was Emperour of Constantinople for while the Emperours flourished at Rome no Pope was heard of I will returne to speake of the Saracens who at that very time that they ouercame the Persians entred into Syria slewe Bahanes with all his armie tooke Damascus brought Egypt to pay tribute layde siege to Hierusalem brought Antioche subiect to the Saracens wasted and spoyled all Syria and brought the kingdome of Persia which so long flourished vnder Mahomet who gouerned the Persians 800. yeeres and odde This poisoned scorpion and the only plague of Christians I meane Mahomet was borne in Arabia a large countrey and wide euery way here they liue after diuers maners and with diuers kinds of religion some with powled heads and hoods like miters some with beards shauen to their skinne they abstaine from swines flesh for Solinus saith that no swine can liue in that Arabia which the Greekes cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the diuisiō of Arabia into Harmenios and Erembos and the third into Scenetem which is that countrey called the region of the Saracens people that haue no houses but dwell in tents couered ouer with things made and wouen with goates haire like the maner of
leade his armie against the Boetians laide siege to Thebes and tooke it after that hearing that Lysimachus king of Thracia was taken prisoner by a barbarous nation hee went with his armie to inuade Thracia he was skant in Thracia but Lysimachus came home and beside hearing that Pyrrhus had forraged all Thessalia and had entred alreadie into the streightes of Thermopiles Demetrius was constreined to leaue both Thracia and also Thebes and to returne against Pyrrhus and for all that Pyrrhus sought Demetrius with his armie to giue him battell and Demetrius sought also Pyrrhus yet they mist both at that time but after Demetrius his lieutenant named Pantarchus a strong man and of great courage gaue to Pyrrhus battell which victorie fell to Pyrrhus the onely king that imitated Alexander the great and to him by all mens report most like in courage and prowesse After this victorie of Pyrrhus hee againe inuaded Macedonia being aduertised that Demetrius was sicke in the which iourney Pyrrhus came as farre as the citie Edissa without resistance yet Pyrrhus was driuen out of Macedonia that time with all his force Demetrius wanting leasure to fight with Pyrrhus hauing many warres in hand beside concluded a peace with Pyrrhus for then Demetrius was troubled diuers wayes Lysimachus king of Thracia inuaded the high countrie of Macedon next vnto Thracia and Ptolomei king of Egypt entred with his armie into Greece and Pyrrhus though there was a peace concluded yet stept in with Lysimachus entised the Macedonians partly through faire meanes and partly through flatterie to forsake Demetrius by this meanes Macedonia was diuided betweene Pyrrhus and Lysimachus and Pyrrhus was proclaimed king in Macedonia after they had chased Demetrius Pyrrhus reigned in Macedonia seuen moneths Againe Lysimachus made warre on Pyrrhus and after many battels Lysimachus gote the victorie and reigned king in Macedonia seuen yeeres Iustine praiseth this Lysimachus to be the rarest man of his time valiant and wise and a great Philosopher of a noble house borne of Macedonia where nowe he is become king It is written that this Lysimachus slue a lyon with his owne hand but I leaue him king of Macedonia and returne to Demetrius who for three yeeres had beene tossed with extreme hard fortune nowe for recouering of his kingdome againe hee had leuied a great armie of one hundred thousand footemen of twelue thousand horsemen and had gotten fiue hundred shippes together part in the hauen of Piraeus part at Corinth part at the Citie Chalcis and part about the Citie Pella His enemies hearing of these newes I meane three kings Seleucus Ptolome and Lysimachus ioyned themselues there together against Demetrius and beside they sent to Pyrrhus that poore Demetrius miserie from princely happinesse so ouerthrowen that his armie forsooke him himselfe yeelded vnto Seleucus his wife named Phila for very griefe poysoned her selfe and so kept as prisoner in Syria by Seleucus where Demetrius turned captiuitie into pleasure vnto his dying day who after hee had reigned sixe yeeres dyed in Cherronesus leauing behinde him by his wife Phila two children Antigonus and Stratonice and other two sonnes both named Demetrius of whom you shall heare more hereafter both Plutarch Iustine and Ruffinus affirme that the posteritie of Demetrius succeeded kings in Macedonia vntill the last king named Perseus this time also died Ptolomei Lagi king of Egypt with great fame and report Nowe Lysimachus reigned this while in Macedonia vsing such tyrannie and practising such crueltie against his owne subiects that they reuoulted from him and fledde to Seleucus then warre grewe betweene them that Lysimacus lost what hee wanne fifteene of his children and his life also by Seleucus this was the last battell fought amongst them that were of Alexanders successours Seleucus not long liued but within seuen moneths after was by Ptolomei surnamed Cheraunos brother to Ptolomeus Philadelphus the seconde king of Egypt after Alexander the great slaine for Lysimachus had maried the sister of this Ptolomei and reigned after his brother in lawe in Macedonia the space of one yeere after this Macedonia was continually plagued vntill their last king of Macedon named Perseus whom the Romanes ouercame by Paulus Aemilius and so brought Macedonia a Prouince vnder Rome Nowe this while Perdica vsed another way to bee king of Macedonia hee made meanes to marrie Cleopatra the sister of Alexander the great and thought so to ouerthrowe Aridaeus but hee was preuented by Antipater and slaine by his owne souldiers some thinkes that the ambition of Perdica was the first cause of all ciuil warres in marying Cleopatra Polybius saith that all these iolly captaines Ptolomie the sonne of Lagi Seleucus Lysimachus Ptolomie Cerannus died in the 124. Olympiad Macedonia had little good successe of their kings as you heard of Cassanders two sonnes Antipater and Alexander who reigned but foure yeeres Demetrius sixe Pyrrhus seuen moneths Lysimachus seuen yeeres and Ptolomei Cerannos one yeere after whom succeeded Meleager two moneths Antipater fourtie fiue daies yet Iustine saith he reigned one whole yeere and Sosthenes two yeeres After these kings the kingdome fell to the house of Demetrius as I saide before to Antigonus the sonne of Demetrius borne of Phila the daughter of Antipater and sister to Cassander This Antigonus was called the second Antigonus for the first Antigonus which was this Demetrius father was supposed and taken to be a base sonne of Philip and a brother of Alexander the great for so he himselfe in his decrees and statutes named himselfe Philips sonne of whose warres against Emmenes when he was king of Asia I spake in the historie of the kings of Asia and Syria The second Antigonus which was Demetrius sōne is much praysed for his iustice gouernment modestie and of such good vertuous disposition that he was surnamed of the Grecians Euergetes Of this second Antigonus issued foorth the second Demetrius which reigned tenne yeeres I will speake of the troubles in Macedonia during the reigne of Ptolomei Cerannius the seuēth king after Alexander of Meleager the eight king of Antipater the ninth and of Sosthenes the tenth king these foure kings reigned not aboue foure yeeres After Lysimachus by this false treacherie of his brother in lawe Ptolomei was deceiued and setled himselfe king in Macedonia hee concluded a peace with Antiochus and entred in friendship with Pyrrhus and by these meanes he was farre frō any feare of forraine enemies he mused howe he might destroy his owne sister Lysimachus wife and his children who of right ought to bee heires to the crowne of Macedonia hee sware that he would marie his sister and make her children by Lysimachus his owne to inherite the kingdome but he was no sooner within the Citie of Cassandria where he should marie Arsinoe the Queene but he commanded that both her sōnes the elder named Lysimachus after his fathers name of sixteene
yeeres of age and Philip three yeeres younger then his brother to be killed and their mother forced to steale away by night into Samothracia but hee was wel requited by Belgius hackt and slaine and his head cut off caried vpō a speare in opē sight of the Macedoniās which put them in no litle feare Sosthenes was proclaimed king of Macedonia a man of great courage hee resisted the furie and rage of the Frenchmen which wasted the countrie and spoyled the Cities vntill that Brennus another captaine of the Frenchmen ioyned with Belgius with a hundred fiftie thousand footemen and fifteene thousand horsemen and easily being so many might ouerthrowe so fewe Sosthenes was faine to take a holde for that time Brennus and Belgius spoyled Cities and Countries robbed their temples and had infinite treasure from the temple of Apollo Thus the Macedonians were sore plagued and had these two great ouerthrowes by Belgius and Brennus but the third ouerthrowe fell to the Frenchmen in such extreame sort that Brennus slue himselfe After this the Frenchmen againe inuaded Macedonia while Antigonus which was Demetrius brother reigned where they were vanquished ouerthrowen in most miserable sort this gote to Antigonus great credit vntil Pyrrhus gote the victorie of him and forced him to take his flight So poore Macedonia was still by one or other put to worse Pyrrhus mocking Antigonus for his brauerie to goe in purple like a king apparelled being chased out of his countrie by him and by others yet it was Antigonus chaūce to haue Pyrrhus head brought vnto him by Alcioneus his owne sonne from the siege of the citie of Argos where this great king after many victories ouer kings was slaine at a womans hand by throwing of a tyle stone When king Antiochus sawe Pyrrhus head throwen before him by his sonne in such contempt hee layed his staffe about his sonnes backe calling him a cruell murtherer and an vnnaturall barbarous beast and turning his eyes from the sight thereof weapt remembring Demetrius hard fortune which was his father and also the miserie and ende of the first Antigonus his graundfather he most honourably caused his head and his body to be burned his ashes burned Thus thestate of princes is changed sometime in the height of good lucke and fauour and sometime forsaken of their owne friends Antigonus hauing this great victorie of Pyrrhus vsed all clemencie towardes Pyrrhus sonne named Helenus sent him vnto his Realme of Epirus with honourable conuoye seasing all Pyrrhus campe and armie vsed his friendes courteously and receiued many of Pyrrhus souldiers preferred them Thus Pyrrhus who helde out against three kings Lysimachus Demetrius and Antigonus beside his magnanimitie and prowesse shewed against the Illyrians the Cicilians the Carthagineans and against the stoute Romanes and yet neuer conquered This Pyrrhus was preferred by Hanibals iudgement to be the second souldier of the worlde next to the great Alexander after whose death Greece fell to contencions as Macodonia by Antigonus florished but a short time for assoone as Pyrrhus dyed the Peloponesians yeelded to Antigonus Pyrrhus had a sonne named Alexander who burned in furie to reuenge his fathers death beganne vpon the confines of Macedonia to quarrell with Antigonus hee was no sooner returned from Greece into Macedonia but Antigonus had both lost his kingdome and himselfe by a faire battell giuen to him by Alexander the sonne of Pyrrhus Antigonus had a brother named Demetrius after his fathers name a very young man who so reuenged likewise the ouerthrowe of his brother that hee recouered not onely Macedonia from Alexander but forced him after a great ouerthrowe to flie from his owne kingdom of Epyrus so variable is the chaunce of warre and so mutable the state of man that sometime they be kings and conquerours and straight banished men Nowe Alexander fled to Arcadia from whence hee was restored to his kingdome within short space for Demetrius after the death of his brother Antigonus continued not long king in Macedonia for by time Agas king of Cyrena died and had left for his heire one daughter named Beronices whom her father espoused to king Ptolomeis sonne of Egypt but nowe Arsinoe king Agas her husband being dead and also hearing that king Antigonus was dead shee made meanes to send for Demetrius who came with all speede from Macedonia to Cyrena and hauing a sight of Arsinoes beautie hee fell more in desire of the mother then of the daughter This Demetrius being a proud insolent young king and giuing great cause to Beronice the young ladie to hate him he little esteeming that folowed his fancie to winne Arsinoe which when it was well knowen to the daughter and to many of the Court after howe Demetrius vsed himselfe Beronice and all men beganne mortally to mallice Demetrius and to turne their mindes againe towards Ptolomeus sonne They hated him in such sort that snares were inuēted for Demetrius and watches appointed to find him in the fault and so it came to passe then when he was in bedde with the mother the daughter brought certeine armed men into the chamber cōmaunded them to kill Demetrius Beronice entred not the chamber but stood at the doore spake vnto them that they should spare her mother which when Arsinoe heard after she had done what she could to saue Demetrius cōcerning his body with her body of force she was taken from him he slaine thus Beronice reuenged the wrongs spite of Demetrius done against her selfe and her mother after maried Ptolomeis sonne according to his father king Agas cōmandement this was the end of king Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius About this time Megasthenes a Persian Chronographer wrote his histories some call him Metasthenes this time the Romanes began to florish in all kind of excesse as in wearing of rings costly tires which as Plinie saith were skant before this time seene in Rome this time also was the Bible translated by the 70. interpreters into the Greeke tongue CHAP. IIII. Of the Romane warres with king Philip and his sonne Perseus the two last kings of Macedonia of their ouerthrowe by Paul Aemilius and of the ouerthrowe of false Philip and counterfaite Andriscus by Q. Metellus in the last conquest of Macedonia NOwe to returne to Macedonia after that Demetrius was slaine as you heard Philip Demetrius nephewe and sonne to Antigonus succeeded in Macedonia You must take heede least you be deceiued in the names of diuers Demetrius for the first and the greatest was called Demetrius Antigonus whose life Plutarch doeth write at large another Demetrius surnamed Poliorcetes who in his time destroyed a towne of Samaria which Perdicas builded vp againe and the third named Demetrius Phalerius which was gouernour of Athens vnder Cassander and the fourth Demetrius Antigonus sonne of whose death for adulterie with Queene Arsinoe you read of
cruel the 18. Emperour a match meete for Nero in the one the stooke of Caesar was extinguished in the other the blood of Antoninus ended and quite failed two Emperours of like condition and maners of the gouernment of them ouer Rome from Nero to Comodus during which time raigned twelue Emperours AFter Nero succeeded Sergius Sulpitius Galba the 7. Emperour a noble Senator of an ancient house he was 73. yeres old when he was chosen Emperor by the Spaniards and Frenchmen he had borne diuers offices in Rome and in the field sundry times hee had bene a captaine in most perilous battels and had gouerned diuers prouinces he was vsed to say to his souldiers Disce miles militare Galba est non Genlicus as though he said Souldiers looke to your charges Galba is present His empire was of short continuance for he was slaine by Otho when he had raigned but 7. moneths This Otho after he had slaine Galba inuaded the empire and deteined it with the sworde ninetie and fiue dayes for Aulus Vitellius being then with an armie in Germanie was made Emperour of Rome by the souldiers at the very time that Otho had slaine Galba This Vitellius attempted battell against Otho at Bebriacus where Otho was discomfited and after slewe himselfe with his owne daughter when he had raigned not eight weekes Vitellius succeeded in the empire the 9. emperour descending of a noble familie his father Lucius Vitellius had bene thrise Consul of Rome notwithstanding hee had the like forture as his predecessors Galba and Otho had that most worthily for hee was equall to Nero in great crueltie and in excessiue gluttonie he feasted foure or fiue times in one day he affected much Neroes doings and would gladly imitate Nero in gluttonie and riot for he had at one time set before him two thousand fishes and seuen thousand birds besides other charges and expences These wickednesses and vices cannot long endure in any man much lesse in Princes Hee had not raigned but 8. moneths but hee was slaine by the captaine of Vespasian for that Vitellius had slaine first Sabinus Vespasians brother whom he burned in the Capitol which hee set on fire But Vitellius had a reprochfull death for it for as hee liued like Nero so hee died like as Nero should haue died if hee had not killed himselfe Vitellius was drawen naked through the citie of Rome along openly with a sworde naked set vnder his chinne and euery man which hee mette threwe doung vpon him and with spitting in his face railed on him and after that his throte was cut and hee throwen into the riuer of Tiber. Thus the three last Emperours Galba Otho and Vitellius tyrants and not Emperours beastes and not men ended their liues when they had raigned all three not aboue eighteene moneths After this glutton Vitellius followed Vespasian the tenth Emperour a prince endued with most excellent vertues a maintainer of ciuill order who assigned in Rome certaine stipends to learned men and a man for his priuate life worthie to be had in memorie and amongst other vertues he excelled in this not to reuenge any wrong done to him hee also bare patiently the bitternesse of his friendes and the taunts and scoffes of his enemies hee maried Vitellius daughter a noble man of Rome though Vitellius was his great enemie and had slaine his brother Sabinus This Emperour was most gentle and courteous and behaued himselfe in the Empire very moderately This Vespasian at what time hee was sent by Claudius into Germanie and from thence into Britaine fought fiue seuerall great battels and annexed two mightie nations to the empire of Rome In this time was Iudea also annexed to Rome and hee triumphed ouer them he repaired the Capitol the temple of peace and the monuments of Claudius From the time of Augustus Caesar not one good Emperor raigned in Rome vntil Vespasians time This is the tenth Emperour in order and nomber but this is the second in goodnesse and vertue This Emperour Vespasian reduced Achaia Licia Rhodes and Byzantium which is now called Constantinople hee brought Samos Thracia Cilicia and Thracia into the forme of Prouinces subiects to the Romanes This Emperour was honoured of the Senate and beloued of all men and had triumphed ouer Ierusalem together with his sonne Titus the eleuenth Emperour that succeeded his father a Prince in all good vertues like to his father for what praise Chronographers do yeeld to the father Vespasian for his gentlenes courtesie patience loue liberalitie and infinite more vertues the same doe they write of his sonne Titus and therefore I neede not much commende Vespasian His mother was named Domicilla a rare woman Titus was giuen vnto all kinde of liberalitie and as soone as his father had called him to bee a magistrate in the weale publique and had giuen him charge of souldiers he contended to excell his father in all good and ciuil gouernment insomuch that he was had in great admiration for his vertues and commonly called Delitiae hominū the loue and delight of mankinde He was so excellently seene in the Greeke and Latine tongue that hee could make diuers Poetical tragedies in Greeke and pleaded causes himselfe in the Latine tongue He was so liberall that he would say that day to be lost when hee had giuen nothing And being counselled by his friendes that he should not be so liberall he answered None ought to depart frō an Emperour sorowful for not obtaining their requests but he had no long life to make proofe of his greatnes He was very eloquent of passing great sobrietie and a stoute warriour It is saide of Titus that he was an excellent archer for at the assaulting of Ierusalem he shot 12. arrowes and killed with euery arrow a man These two good Emperours Vespasian and his sonne Titus were well esteemed of in Rome but they liued not long for Vespasian the father reigned but tenne yeeres and his sonne Titus reigned two yeeres two moneths and twentie dayes after him and died in the very place where his father dyed at a Manor of his owne among the Sabines in the eightie three yeere after the death of Christ. By this Titus Ierusalem was the last time destroyed and the Iewes most miserably vanquished and scattered for Vespasian had commaunded that none of the stocke of Dauid shoulde remaine aliue in Ierusalem lest any shoulde claime the crowne which lineally descended from Dauid to hinder the Romane title This time all was quiet abroade the broiles that at this time reigned where in Rome it selfe one Emperour preuenting an other by murther poyson or by some other sleights and snares so that it was more perilous to be Emperour of Rome then to bee a subiect for the maiestie of the Senators and the dignitie of the Consuls were much obscured by the tyrānie of Emperors they durst do nothing that might offend
Maxentius vnder colour of cruel pretence thinking to goe to Fraunce as intrueth he went meaning to kill his sonne in lawe Constantinus accusing his owne sonne how he repulsed him frō Rome and would haue killed him if he had not fledde but his guile was detected by his owne daughter Faustina who disclosed all her fathers conspiracie to her husband Constantine whereupon Herculeus fledde to Massilia where hee was slaine a man voide of all humanitie hurtfull to all c. After Herculeus was slaine Galerius dyed and then the empire was gouerned by Constantinus and Maxentius whose fathers were before them emperors and by Licinius and Maximinus but so many lordes coulde not agree long for Constantine vanquished Maxentius at Miluius bridge Within a short time warre grewe betweene Licinius and Maximinus and to auoide the emunent mischiefe Maximinus dyed suddenly at Tharsus Constantinus being of a hautie courage coueting to bee a sole Emperour made warre vpon Licinius dis deare friend and his brother in lawe who had espoused his daughter Constantia with whome hee had diuers battailes the one in Hungaria the seconde in Cybale the third in Nicomedia a famous Citie of Bythinia where Licinius yeelded himselfe to Constantine and yet contrarie to the lawe of armes and to the othe and promise made betweene them Licinius was slaine nowe there was no warre in Rome but betweene the Emperours and nothing is to be written but of murthering and killing of Emperours where before men wrote of their forreigne victories of their conquests of kingdomes of their triumphs of their pompe and glorie of their port and fame in so much that the Romanes onely bragd of themselues and said Magna agere fortia pati Romanorum est Nowe Cerausius fledde before to Britaine from Maximianus where in Dioclesians time hee was slaine by Alectus his companion after hee had kept Britaine by force for three yeeres after Cerausius and Alectus Alectus was subdued by Asclepiodotus captaine of the garde and so Britaine was recouered againe within tenne yeeres after Cerausius had taken it Nowe after that Maximianus Herculeus was slaine at Massilia thinking to returne to his sonne Maxentius againe Constantine the great hauing intelligence of these practises betweene the father and the sonne presently after the death of the father Maximianus hee commenced warre vpon his sonne Maxentius and ouerthrewe him as you heard before Then the great Constantine hauing the Empire in his owne hande hee appointed Constantinus Crispus his sonne to haue the gouernment in Fraunce his other two sonnes Constans and Constantius had the rule in the East partes his three sonnes were made three Caesars and him selfe made Augustus His great fortune was such that Constantinus was surnamed the great for hee was compared for the good successe hee had in the beginning of his Empire to Cyrus the great king of Persia and to Alexander the great king of Macedonia and in like sort prospered as they did at the first but afterwarde being altered from his wonted gentle and flexible minde hee persecuted his owne blood he slue his owne wife Fausta and his sisters sonne a very notable young man hee persecuted sundrie of his friendes and many of his alliaunce Constantinus was endued with many excellent vertues hee was of such passing industry in wars that he sūdry times ouer threw the Gotes wan great praise among the Barbariās This emperor was much adicted to the study of the liberall artes and he endeuored to gaine the loue of the people There was nothing wanting in Cōstantine that should be in a good emperor he enacted and established many sound lawes to the Romanes and furthered the Church of Christ with al care diligence for he destroyed many temples of the Gentiles In his time sundry Synods were called which shalbespoken of in another place specially the great Synod at Nice in Bythinia where 318. Bishops were together at what time the heresie of the Arrians as ouerthrowen He rebuilded in Thracia Byzantiū and named it after his owne name Cōstantinople and he reedified in Bythinia a towne called Drepana named it after his mothers name Helenopolis of whom Eusebius doeth write that Helena the mother of Constantine found the crosse whereon our Sauiour Christ suffered at Ierusalem and when he had made great preparation against the Parthians he dyed in Nicomedia after he had reigned thirtie one yeres and had liued sixtie sixe yeeres and left behind him his three sonnes Constantinus Constans and Constantius to succeede him in the Empire Hee left also a very gallant young man his brothers sonne named Dalinatius which was slaine in an vprore which fell among the souldiers in Thracia The three sonnes of Constantine had the Empire among them as by will and testament Constantine had commaunded but the elder brother not long after his fathers death attempted warre against his youngest brother at Aquileia and was slaine and then the Empire fell betweene the two other brethren Constantius and Constans the one gouerning in the East the other in the West In the same sort was Constans slaine in the Castle of Helena at Magnensium as his brother Constantine was in Thracia The third brother had diuers and sundry battels against Sapores king of Persia who neuer had good successe in any battell hee tooke in hand but that battell which hee fought at Singara and yet susteyned the losse of the victorie of that battell Thus the two sonnes of so worthie an Emperour dyed without any great conquest made Nowe by this time new matters grew in Illiria for Magnentius possessed Italie Fraunce and Affrike after the death of Constans though Sextus Aurelius writes otherwayes Yet this Magnentius was made Emperour by the souldiers at what time in Rome Nepotianus sisters sonne to Constantine the great was also by the people their created Caesar whom Magnentius returning from Affrike to Rome subdued within twentie eight dayes after he was made emperor after he created his owne brother Decentius to be Caesar reigned ioyntly three yeeres and sixe moneths vntil the vnhappy battel at Marsa where a great number of the Romanes were slaine and Magnētius vanquished who shortly after slue himselfe at Louaine Which newes being toulde to Decentius hee for very griefe hanged himselfe This time Constantius deputed his vncles sonne Gallus to be Caesar ouer the East partes but shortly after both Constantius and his cousin Gallus waged ciuil wars in the which warre Gallus was slaine by Cōstantius This time Syluanus being made Caesar attempted newe matters in Fraunce and was likewise slaine within thirtie yeeres after Now Constantius was Emperour alone and hauing the whole Empire in his owne hand he appointed Iulianus his vncles sonne and brother to Gallus Caesar ouer Fraunce This recouered the spoile of the Barbariās the townes and cities which they besieged and slue a great armie of the Almaines at Argētine
from the very building of Rome vntill the ouerthrowe of their Empire about 1200. yeeres there was no stirring in these countreys that I named last for the name of Germanie where now the Empire lieth was not heard of in Rome before Augustus time to any purpose for during the time of their Consuls which was the second and the thirde age of Rome called Adolescentia iuuentus Romana they had conquered subdued all kingdomes and countreys and had made them Prouinces vnder the Romanes Now Spaine being brought vnder by the Vandoles vnder whom Spaine was gouerned 95. yeeres and after by the Gothes who possessed that part of Hispaine which Gunthericus king of the Vandales had first subdued being remoued thence further to Affrike the Gothes inhabited that countrey of Spaine which the Vandols left and were lords of Hispaine for two hundreth and odde yeres vntill the cōming of the Saracens who againe vanquished the Gothes and kept Hispaine vnder them after they had ouerthrowen the Gothes 800. yeeres And within short space Ricardus king of Vestgothes called a Sinode of 62. bishops into Tolleto the chiefe citie of Spaine where he caused the heresie of Arrius to be condemned Then in Hispaine after the Romans was Luyba chosen who raigned three yeres king of Spaine after whom within 3. yeres his brother Leogildus succeeded and subdued certaine cities of Spaine that rebelled after Luyba his death After him this Ricardus who beganne to set his seate more firmely in Spaine and to cal a Synode of bishops and to plant religion he brought all Spaine into a Monarchie vnder him but that Monarchie continued not long for the Saracens inuaded Spaine and brought them vnder their gouernment and had driuen those Christians that liued vnder the Gothes into Astura where they made a king to themselues named Pelagius not vsing the title of the Gothes but the title of Astura The multitude of the Saracens was such that they inuaded all partes of Spaine and possessed the best places in Spaine and dwelt there successiuely during the time of fifteene kings of the Saracens which gouerned Hispaine but the fifteene kings continued but 20. yeeres but this happened by the meanes of warres but after they continued lordes of Hispaine for 800. yeeres as you heard before This is the fift subiection that Spaine was brought into 1 The first time they were subdued by the Carthagineans 2 The second time by the Romanes 3 The thirde time by the Vandoles 4 The fourth time by the Gothes 5 And now the fift time by the Saracens These Saracens placed themselues in the best places of Spaine in the time that Rodericus the last king of the Vestgothes raigned at what time raigned in France Theodoricus sirnamed Cala and Leo the thirde of that name sirnamed Isaurus was Emperour of Greece and had his Court at Constantinople The Saracens were gouerned at their first arriuall in Spaine vnder one named Muza The Christian princes being sore afrighted with many sudden inuasions of such a multitude of infidels in diuers places of Christendome and specially in Spaine which they wholie possest they leauied their armies and gathered their forces and gaue them diuers ouerthrowes This time came out of Spaine into Fraunce 400000. Saracens with their wiues and children being enticed thither by the duke of Vastonia but the slaughter of them was such that their king also Abdimarus was slaine among them by Carolus Martellus anoble valiant prince of Fraunce and the remnant that were vnkilled of the Saracens fled and were by Humildus and Vaifarus ledde into Aquitania spoyled with sworde and fire all that Countrey of Fraunce but still were ouerthrowen by Martellus Againe the thirde time the Saracens inuaded Fraunce and tooke by treason Auenio but Martellus pursued them and assaulted the towne and subdued it at what time many of the Saracens were slaine and their king Athinus escaped by flight to Narbon yet Amoreus another king of the Saracens was slaine at that time by Carolus at Illiberis who persecuted them from place to place so that he ouerthrew and slewe them like sheepe and burned their townes How be it the Saracens still so encreased that the most part of Europe was in great danger of them After that Carolus Martellus had played his part with the Saracens Carolus sirnamed the Great beganne to warre vpon them tooke Augusta Pampile and many other townes and strong holdes from the possessions of the Saracens for at this time raigned king ouer the Saracens in Spaine Aygolandus with whome Charles the great had many sharpe battels for the Saracens had wasted and spoyled Sardinia and Corsica against whome Lewes sirnamed the Godly sonne to Charles the great leauied an armie and passed to Spaine besieged Dercosa but in vaine the furie and strength of the Saracens was then such that Charles the great being both Emperour and king was constrained to conclude peace for a time with the Saracens at which time Abumalach raigned king in Spaine ouer the Saracens With this king the league was made during which league Charles died All this time that Carolus Martellus and Charles the great were in warres with the Saracens after that Pelagius had raigned twentie yeeres king of Astura or of Legio for so hee willed himselfe and his posteritie to bee called quite renouncing the title of the Gothes who had raigned kings in Spaine before the comming of the Saracens after him succeeded Phasilla his sonne the seconde king of Astura this was torne in pieces of a beare as he was a hunting of wilde beasts after he had raigned two yeeres Alphonsus sirnamed Catholike succeeded in Astura the third king and raigned 19. yeeres After Alphonsus succeeded his sonne Phroilla the 4. king of Astura and raigned twelue yeeres at what time he was slaine by his brother Aurelius who raigned sixe yeeres after his brother by vsurpation and he made his heire and resigned the kingdome to Veramundus which was his brothers sonne whome hee slew for that Veramundus should not bewray the murther of his father But Veramundus mist the kingdome for his conspiracie and wicked silence Sillo raigned king who had married Aurelius sister named Egmund vntill Maruegatus a bastarde sonne of Alphōsus the Catholike by the ayd of the Mauritanes got the kingdome to whom he payed for tribute certaine nomber of Virgins yeerely during the life of Maruegatus but he died within three yeeres and that custome was disanulled Then Veramundus the sonne of Bilmarus which was sonne to Alphonsus the Catholike succeeded and raigned two yeeres and then resigned the kingdome to Alphonsus the sonne of Phroilla and became a religious man This Alphonsus was sirnamed the Chaste and raigned 36. yeres he ouerthrew and subdued the Saracens that possessed Lusitania and tooke their chiefe citie then called Olisiponis now called Lysborne Reade Aemil. lib. 2. This Alphonsus
with the Sicambrians as they had a litle before that time with the Affricans so much the Romanes were fearefull of these people that they appoynted Caius Marius Consul against the lawe being absent which was neuer seene before in Rome but once in the time of Cornelius Scipio in the warres of Affrike But to benefite a common weale lawes may well be infringed and specially when necessitie forceth the same as at that time Marius was appoynted against these stoute and strong people whom the Romanes called Cimbri but I referre you to Tritemius who onely wrote of these sixteene kings and of the people called Sicambri Likewise reade Plutarch in Marius and you shall knowe what strong warres what sharpe battels and with what inuincible courage they fought against the Romans Caius Marius Catulus Luctatius and other Romane captaines can well witnesse of the hardinesse of this nation for since the first time that this people came out of Scythia which was 400. and odde yeeres before our Sauiour Christ was borne they gaped alwayes for the Countrey of France being then inhabited with Gauls the people Celtae and the countrey it selfe called Gallia They held the warres with the Gaules nine hundred yeeres sometimes conquerours and sometime conquered they ceased not vntill they wearied all the Countrie about them and diuers places of Germanie and of Gallia waxed weake and feeble so the Frenchmen began to bee strong and to winne that which the Romanes had lost After that this Marcomirus had expulsed and vanquished the people that dwelt about Rhene and had committed to his brother Sunno the possession of that countrey hee went and passed ouer the riuer of Rhene in the foure and twentieth yeere of his raigne with a very huge armie of Sicambrians and Saxons wasted and spoyled with sworde and fire many townes and countreys in the West Gallia and after hee had made a great slaughter of the Gauls he entred in league with Britaines and returned a conqueror to see how the Germanes behaued and vsed Sunno where he died after he had reigned eight and twentie yeeres This Marcomirus was so famous had done such worthie feats in armes that thē his people after his death were called Marcomanni for so Plinie doth name them lib. 12. cap. 4. While this Marcomirus helde warres with the Gaules ciuill warres began in Greece which continued seuen and twentie yeeres Darius Nothus gouerned the Persians at what time in Rome a law was made that it should be lawfull for the Patricians and Senators to ioyne in marriage with the common people This time florished in Greece Pericles the Athenian and Socrates the Philosopher After Marcomirus his sonne builded townes and cities and made strong holdes and castles hee taught the vse of many things to his noble men and hee also taught the women which earst were rude and ignorant in Scythia to sowe flaxe and hempe and to weaue silke and other like things He made lawes to his people which neuer before heard of any law in Scythia brought them from rude and wild men to knowledge ciuilitie for this Antenor was taught by his wife Cambra Bellinus daughter king of Britaine She was wise modest and vertuous brought vp her sonne Priamus in ciuill knowledge and made him acquainted with orders and lawes insomuch that when his father Antenor died hee was able to gouerne his people with lawes for in the eight yeere of his reigne he his mother Cambra builded about the riuer of Rhene two great townes the one he named Neopagus where long the kings palace stoode and the other Neomagus in memorie of his name The Sicambrians this time beganne to speake the Saxons tongue for the maner and order of this people at that time whersoeuer they were scattred in any place of Europe or Asia they were named after the name of the place as I tolde you At their first comming into Germanie from Scythia they were of the Germanes named Neumagi after they were called Marcomani after the name of Marcomirus Then Sicambri after the name of Cambra Bellinus daughter for so long as they taried in Scythia they were named Scythians in Armenia they were called Armenians in Gallia they were called Gaules who when they had sacked Rome and taken it for seuen moneths they were constrained by Camillus to goe from thence to Galatia Macedonia or to any part of Greece they were called Gaulgreekes and so bare they as many names as those countreys had where they dwelt vntil Francus time by whom they were called Franci which to this day they holde Nowe after that Antenor had reigned thirtie yeeres and his sonne Priamus after him 27. succeeded Helenus the 4. king of Sicambria which reigned 19. yeeres This king had the Gaules in hand and plagued them he gaue them diuers repulses and in battell slue of them sixteene thousand wasted and subdued Gallia vnto the riuer Mosa for this was the countrey that they gaped and thirsted for During which time of 16. kings which gouerned after Cābra Bellinus daughter they persecuted the countrey of Gallia one king after another successiuely vntill Francus time In the time of this Helenus his father Priamus raigned in Persia Artaxerxes Mnemon surnamed the great and in Caria raigned king Mausolus a countrey in Greece In Macedonia raigned nowe king Philip. king Alexander the great his father the sonne of Amyntas this time Marcus Manlius conspired against Camillus and moued sedition in Rome and therfore he was adiudged to be throwen headlong downe from the rocke Tarpeia In the time of this Helenus Plato died in whose place succeeded Speusippus the Philosopher Aristotle the Philosopher and Demosthenes the Orator flourished and Iaddua was high priest in Iudea and continued 27. yeeres vntill Alexander the great his time Diocles the eldest sonne of Helenus succeeded the fourth king and raigned 39. yeres a seuere man bold and much giuen by nature to warres hee followed his predecessors in commencing warre in Gallia hauing like affection to the kingdome of Fraunce as his father and grandfather had before him he raigned king amongest the Cicambrians when king Alexander the great was in warre against Darius king of Persia and after Alexanders death 30. yeeres for in Diocles time the kingdomes of Egypt Asia and Syria began to flouri◅h againe vnder new kings which were souldiers and captaines vnder Alexander the great of whose ciuill warres you may reade in the histories of their kingdoms for Darius surnamed Codomanus the last king of Persia was slaine and his kingdome subdued the monarchie taken into Greece vnder the kings of Macedonia About this time the Romans begā their great wars with the Samnites when Pyrrhus king of Epirus had sailed with great nauie and entred Italie of whose warre there at that time Liui speaketh of and called it Bellum Ausonium when Pyrrhus was driuen out of Italie
M. Antoninus surnamed the Philosopher and of his sonne Cōmodus of the difference in their gouernment of the loue which the father had in Rome and of the hatred and contempt which the sonne had of the murthers and slaughter of diuers Emperours from M. Antoninus the 17. Emperor vntill the time of Dioclesian the 38. emperor 562. Of the rest of the Emperours of Rome after Dioclesians time at what time their Empire at Rome beganne to decay for that the dignitie of the olde Emperours were diminished by reason that Constantinople whom Constantine the great had so enriched and beautifiedwith their auncient monuments of Rome that olde Rome was hereby defaced and newe Rome thereby florished so that the Empire was diuided betweene two Emperours the one to be at Constantinople the other at Rome 576. Liuius Trogus Pomp. Florus Valerius Max. Eutropius Suetonius Egnatius Tacitus Voriscus Cassiodorus Blondus Iosephus Plinius Appianus Sabellicus Orosius Beroaldus Polybius Dionys. Halicar Herodianus Fūctius with others THE TRYALL OF MARTYRS OF the try all of the Martyrs of God in the primitiue Church from the first persecution vnder Tiberius the third Emperour in the which Stephen was stoned Iames beheaded Philip hanged with infinite more tormented and persecuted vntill the third persecution which began vnder Domitian the twelfth Emperour of Rome Fol. 587. From the third persecution vnder Domitian the 12. Emperour vnto the sixt persecution vnder Sept. Seuerus the 22. Emperour of the constancie of faithfull Martyrs euery where in the Church of God of their godly liues their deaths and their glorious victorie ouer Satan 593. Of the tyranny of time frō the sixt persecution vnder Seuerus vntil the ninth persecution vnder Dioclesian the Emperour of the zeale and constancie of the godly in their martyrdome and of the tyranny and wickednesse of the kings of Persia and of the Emperours of Rome at that time in the persecution of the Church 600. From Dioclesian vnder whom the vehementest persecution of any reigned vntill the reigne of Alexander Seuerus by whose good meanes and great traueile persecution somewhat sla◅kt at what time diuers heresies began fresh in many places of Asia and Europe 608. Eusebius Euagrius Ireneus and Functius table OF SPAINE OF the antiquitie of Spaine and of the originall of their kings and of their continuance from Tubal vntill Hispanus during which time they were called by diuerse seuerall names as Caetubales Hiberi Celtiberi and Hispani Fol. 617. From the time of Hispanus by whom they were called Hispaniards vntil the monarchie and the names of kings ended after what time Spaine was diuided into peculiar prouinces and seuerall dominions after the reigne and gouernmēt of 24. kings frō Caetubal the first vnto Mellicola the last 626. From the dissolution and change of the kingdome of Hispaine into prouinces and dominions vntill they were subdued by the Carthagineans and Affricanes vnder whom they were subiects vntill Scipio Affricanus time at what time both Affrica Carthage and Hispaine were made tributaries vnto Rome 633. From the time that the Romanes conquered Hispaine vnto the time of the Vandales the third conquest of Hispaine and from the Vandales vnto the Gothes victorie ouer Hispaine the fourth conquest from the Gothes vnto the Saracens the fift conquest of Hispaine 641. From the time that the Saracens possessed Hispaine vntill the time of Ferdinandus the great and Alphonsus king of Aragon which were the onely first two kings that possessed all Hispaine from the first monarchie of their kings which was 2400. and odde yeeres so base a countrie was Spaine and conquered so many times vntill Ferdinandus time 647. For the histories of old Hispaine fewe haue written of it as Annius Manethon but since they were conquered by the Romanes all Romane writers speake of them by the reason of the Affricane warres as Liui. Trogus Pomp. Lu. Florus Blondus Beroaldus Functius and many more of late But of olde Hispaine Io. Annius Manethon Diodorus Siculus Ritius Iornandus Boufinus OF GALLOGRAECIA OF the beginning and original of the natiō which was called Galgreekes or Gallograecians of their inuasions spoile and slaughter in many countries in Asia and of their ouerthrowe by Cn. Manlius who with great pompe triumphed ouer them at Rome 655. From Francus the 16. king of Fraunce then called Sicambri vntill the time of Farabertus the 12. in number after Francus of the warres inuasions and victories of the enlargement of their kingdome from one king to another vntill Farabertus gouernment during which time they were called Franci after the name of Francus 669. Of the continuall warres which the Frenchmen had still in seeking for the quiet possession and the whole gouernment of all Fraunce from the time of Farabertus vntill the time of Pharamundus during which time they were called Franci for as they were before called Sicambri from Marcomirus vnto Francus foure hundred and odde yeeres so nowe from Francus vnto Pharamundus they were called Franci foure hundred and odde yeeres that wellnigh nine hundred yeeres they were before they coulde possesse the kingdome of Fraunce 675. From Faramundus the first king that had all Fraunce in his hand and from whom al Historians and Chronographers beginne the historie of Fraunce who beganne his reigne in Fraunce in the yeere of our Lorde and Sauiour 420. of the lawes gouernment and warres from that time vnto Clodouaeus the first Christian king of Fraunce and so vnto Clodouaeus the second of that name and the 12. king after Pharamundus 684. From Clodouaeus the second who began his reigne 645. vntill the reigne and gouernment of Charles the great the patrone and onely mirror of France by whom chiefely the Frenchmen florished in famous renowme and in whō all the lawes relikes and monuments are established 697. From Charles the great the onely king of Fraunce in fame of whome all the states of Fraunce holde their lawes monuments and other ceremonies belonging to their inaugurations crowning and their seuerall pompe of his warres and victories against the Saracens of his diuers conquests euery where and of the taking of the Empire into Germany 703. Tritemius Pau. Aemilius Arnol. Ferronus Io. Tilius Ritius Blondus Beroaldus Plutarch Functius T. Liuius Diodor. Siculus The briese for Britaine I gathered out of these Authors Dionysius Halicarnassaeus Diodorus Siculus Strabo Gildas Giraldus Guidonius Ponticus Verrunnius Iu. Caesar. OF THE CREATION OF the world and of the continuance of the first age therein from Adam vnto Noah IN the beginning of all beginnings when GOD had made the vniuersal frame of the whole world of nothing the earth being without forme or shape couered with water and the water couered with darkenesse The first creature that was made was light of some learned men supposed to bee the creation of Angels for the Sunne the Moone and the Starres were created the fourth day the rest of the sixe daies workes is set
which he sinned and therefore died for it was meete in reason that the same day the second Adam for the saluation of mākind should sanctifie vnto himselfe his spouse the Church in which he had created the first Adam the father of mankind taking a ribbe out of his side made a woman for as man was formed the sixt day and did eate of the tree the sixt houre so the Lord Iesus reforming man is fastened to the tree the sixt day and sixt houre and that day wherein Christ was killed and slaine in the flesh and in the which day he was made a redeemer and a Sauiour to man that had perished It is so euident that that day the Lord obeying his father suffered death wherein Adam being disobedient vnto God died for as Adam by eating of the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge brought death to the world so Christ our Sauiour dying vpon the tree of the crosse gaue life vnto man And againe as Christ was crucified in Golgotha for the sinne of man so Adam was dead and buried in that place before by transgressing the commaundements of God Looke in what day Adam transgressed in the coole of the day was hee condemned and put out of Paradise so faith Rabbi Isaac that the creating of Adam and the commandement and the fall and the driaing out of Paradise all befell the selfe same day Many of these Analogies seeme probable for the confirming of these opinions afore spoken For as it was kept in the tree which was the instrument of life and death so is it also kept in time and place But thanks be vnto God who deliuered vs from the fal from the curse from death hell damnation and from going out of Paradise which was our portion held by the first Adam but now all things are made manifest by the second Adam by the appearing of Messias who hath abolished sinne and death and hath brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospel for as Eue being a virgin and incorrupted when she had conceiued the words of the serpent brought foorth by disobedience death so the virgin Mary full of faith and gladnesse embracing the salutation of the Angel Gabriel restored life through Christ who redeemed man from thraldome So was the promise of God before Adam was brought out of Paradise that the seed of the woman the Messias and Sauior in whom and by whom we haue eternall life should tread the Serpents head This comfort was very great vnto Adam and continued from Adam the first man vnto Abraham 1949. yeeres the first Patriarch wherein the children of God were instructed by this promise and saw through faith the redemption of man Now by the sentence of God Adam was sent from the garden of Eden to till the earth whence he was taken and being cast out at the East side of the garden of Eden the Lord God set Cherubins and the blade of a sword shaken to keepe the way of the tree of life Afterward Adam knew his wife which conceiued and bare Caine an argument to prooue of no long continuance of Adam in Paradice And againe Eue conceiued and had another sonne and called him Abel for yet the blessings of God the state of mariage and mans nature were not vtterly abolished through sinne but the qualitie and the conditions thereof was chaunged Caine was a tiller of the ground and Abel was a shepeheard they offred both to the Lord sacrifice and it is plaine by their oblation that how Adam instructed his children in the knowledge of God and how God gaue them sacrifices to signifie their saluation for so Adam confessed the Lord to be God saying I haue obtained a man by the Lord when Caine was borne God tooke not his spirit frō his elect neither did absent himselfe frō the church For the first godly Fathers had the law writē in their hearts by the spirit of God The first table where the cōmādemēts were grauē was flesh which was in Adam the secōd was giue in tables of stones to Moses But as cōcerning their oblations Caine offered vnto God of the first fruite of the groūd Abel likewise offered the first fruit of his shepe Abel with his sacrifice was accepted of the Lord and Caine with his oblations was reiected For so Paul saieth that Abel offred vnto God a greater sacrifice then Caine by the which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous because GOD receiued him to mercy and therefore imputed righteous God testifying of his gifts by the which being dead yet liueth wherefore Caine was angrie and exceeding wroth and his countenaunce fell downe because he was an hypocrite and offered onely for outward shew without sinceritie of heart yet God gaue vnto Caine the dignitie of the first borne ouer Abel But Cain contemning despising God whē he was reproued of God for the murthering of his brother Abel whom he entised to walke to the fields to be killed whose blood euen from earth cried vp vnto heauen for reuenge at Gods hand at that time the curse of God was pronounced against Caine and he went from the presence of the Lord wandring from place to place with tortures of a guiltie conscience according to Gods sentence as domesticall furies night and day seeking meanes to hide himselfe with the like guiltie conscience as Adam had when he fled from the face of God when hee was called of Iehoua in Paradise Where art thou Adam Caine went to the land of Node thinking by being farre from God he should haue lesse occasion to feare him Caine had some visible marke to be knowen of all men for God said he should not be slaine not that he loued him but for that God abhorreth murther and would haue a murtherer knowen Caine knew his wife which conceiued and bare Henoch and builded a citie and called it after his sonnes name Henoch this was the first citie of the world there hee dwelt with his wife To Henoch was borne Irad and Irad begate Mehimal and he begate Methushael and Methushael begate Lamech these children grew vngodly and wicked as most naturall and like children to Caine the last worse then the first for this contemptuous Lamech tooke to him two wiues the one named Adah the other Zillah thereby he first corrupted the lawfull institution of mariage which was that two should be one flesh Afterward he mocked scoft at Gods sufferāce in Cain saying If Cain shal be auenged seuen fold truly Lamech shall be auenged seuentie times seuen fold as though God would suffer none to punish him albeit hee was most contemptuous of good liuing most vngodly and wickedly hauing 76. children in adulterie as Iosephus writeth but by Adah he had a sonne named Iubal who was the first that taught to make tents and to dwell therein and he was the first father of such as had cattell Lamech had a sonne named Iubal who was the first
by Ioab to Dauid After this Dauid had foure great battels with the Philistines slew them and subdued them vnto the last Thus was Dauid deliuered by God from all daungers tyrannie and treason and saued from Saul Absalon and many others When Dauid had gotten by the sword peace and quietnesse and brought all nations subiect vnto him hee tooke his rest and thanked God in Psalmes Hymnes Odes Verses which Dauid sang vnto God in praise of victories which God gaue him But yet more troubles came on Dauid The Lord so suffered Satan to tempt him that Dauid commaunded Ioab to number all Israel and Iuda from Dan to Beersheba which Ioab did the people were in number of able fighting men 1100000. Gods wrath was kindled against Israel so that much it offended God that Dauid should trust in mē sithence onely God had oftentimes deliuered him and the Lord sent Gad Dauids seer with three things to take his choise Pestilence Famine or Warre Dauid chose rather to fal to Gods mercy then to trust to man Then fell pestilence in Israel from the one side of the countrey to the other and there died 70000. men Now after this Dauid waxed old and hee caused Salomon his sonne to bee annointed king before he died whom hee charged to walke before God vprightly exhorting him to serue God to vse iustice and iudgement in Israel Dauid commanded Salomon his sonne to kill Ioab for his murthering of Abner and Amasa and to take the like punishment of Semei which railed cursed me when saith he I was at the worst Dauid left to his sonne more welth in Israel to build a temple to the Lorde then Alexander the great had in Babylon by the conquest of Darius for Iosephus doth write that Hircanus the high priest a 1000. odde yeeres after Dauids death opened the graue of Dauid and brought 3000. talents to satisfie the rage of Antiochus Demetrius sonne who laying siege to Ierusalem was contēted to returne with some of these talents without any harme done And Dauid died being 70. yeres of age after he had bene 40. yeeres king of Israel seuen in Hebron and 33. in Ierusalem Dauid died 803. yeres after the death of Abrahā after the death of Adam 2000. after the birth of Christ 1070. During this time of Dauid raigned in Assyria Eupales the 32 king in Lacedemonia Argis the second king of the Lacedemonians Now failed the state of kings in Athens and there began a new forme of common wealth gouerned by Iudges which now began by Codrus sonne named Medon after whose name they were named afterward Medontidae for a while Latinus Sylaius raigned the 6. king ouer the Latines in Corinth raigned Ixeon the second king of Corinth About Dauids time there was builded in Asia a citie called Magnesia and another in Italie called Misene now called Cuma Salomon the sonne of Dauid the third king of Israel of the tribe of Iuda a man endued with singular wisdome in great fauour with God as soone as he had sit on his fathers throne he remembred the words of Dauid and with care and zeale he followed his fathers steps in seeking to please the Lord Notwithstanding the Israelites being froward and stubborne euer reuolting from their GOD were alwayes forgetfull of Gods benefites as after the death of Dauid fell out for in Dauids time Israel flourished and all things prospered in Iuda But scant had Salomon bene annointed king but Adoniah Salomons brother aspired to the kingdome secretly and subtillie seeking the good will of Bethsheba Salomons mother and by her meanes to haue Abishag which Dauid his father loued tenderly to wife But his craft was found out and his pretensed treason spied by Nathan the prophet and by Salomon himselfe who perceiuing that Adoniah was the elder brother and had Abiathar the priest on his side and Ioab who tooke Adoniahs part when he would haue vsurped the kingdome Salomon hereby was mooued to make sure waies and remembring his fathers charge before he died concerning Ioab and Semei he executed iustice first vpon Adoniah afterward commaunded Benaiah to fall vpon Ioab for the murthering of Abner Sauls chiefe captaine and Amasah a nigh kinseman of Dauid who enuying their fauour credite with the king slew them and was now iustly punished for sheading of bloud Now Adoniah and Ioab two great enimies of the king being dead Salomon banished Abiathar the priest and called to be a priest Sadock in the roome of Abiathar so the office of the high priest was taken away from the house of Eli and restored to the house of Phineas After that Salomon called Shemei and charged him with the breaking of his othe in passing ouer the riuer of Cedron being forbidden by the king charged him further with wickednesse against his father Dauid in reuiling and cursing of him and he was likewise slaine by the sonne of Iehoida called Benaia By this meanes the kingdome of Israel was established in Salomons hands and Salomon obeied God in all things and then he taketh Pharaoes king of Egypts daughter to wife Iosephus in his eight booke and 2. chapter saieth that the kings of Egypt were al called Pharaones from Minaeus time that builded Memphis vntil the time of Salomon which was 1300. yeeres for Minaeus raigned in Egypt many yeeres before Abraham came to Egypt this is the cause why Herodotus doth omit the names of the kings of Egypt euen 330. kings Salomon repaired the wals of Ierusalē and went to Gibeon to sacrifice for there their tabernacle was at that time there was no temple yet builded to the Lord in Ierusalem In Gibeon the Lord appeared by dreame to Salomon and gaue him wisedom more then any prince of the world had as by his sentence vpō the two harlots appeared Salomon flourished and prospered and farre excelled all the kings of the world for his wisedom was so abundant as the sand that is on the sea shore No Philosopher no Astrologer no Chaldean magi no Egyptian priest might apprehend Salomons iudgement for God was his schoolemaster Salomon was famous throughout the whole world hee wrote 3000. Prouerbes and bookes of Odes and Verses 1000. and made fiue and twentie songs which perished in Ierusalem when Israel was taken captiue vnto Babylon the temple then being burned and the citie destroyed He wrote of all kind of trees from the Cedar tree that is in Libanon vnto the Hysope that groweth on the wall He spake of beastes fowles and fishes He wrote of incantations and of other secret artes which Iosephus affirmeth at large And there came of all countries to heare the wisedome of Salomon and all the kings about him sent vnto him and sought his fauour Now coucerning the princes rulers and officers which were vnder Salomon the purueiance for victuals the number of his horses and the order of his house they
were almost vncredible were it not written in sacred histories Salomon raigned ouer all kingdomes from the riuer of Euphrates vnto the land of the Philistines and vnto the border of Egypt And to speake of the hospitalitie of Salomon and to set it downe as it is in the Bible read it exceeded for euery day he had 30. measures of fine floure and 60. measures of meale for bread he had ten fat oxen and 20. oxen of the pastures and one hundred sheepe besides Hartes Buckes and other diuers fat foules Salomon had 4000. stalles of horses chariots in euerie stall tenne horses which in all amount to 40000. and he had 12000. horsemen This blessing had Salomon at Gods hand for the which benefits he was much bound to set foorth Gods glory which had giuen him such wisedom to gouern such rest and peace in his gouernment that he sent to Hiram king of Tyrus an old friend of Dauid his father for Cedar trees and Firre trees to build a temple to the Lord his God Hiram satisfied Salamon to his full desire Salomon had 7000. men that bare burdens 80000. masons in the mountaine and he had three thousand and sixtie whom Salomon appointed officers and vnder officers of the worke As for the forme and frame of the Temple the height the bredth the length and the deepe foundation thereof with al things belonging thereunto as Cherubins caldrons bases cups pillars candlesticks pots vessels altars tables bowles and basons it is in order written in the kings The Temple being finished the Arke was brought to the Temple where the tenne Commaundements were written where Salomon made his praiers to God to accept their sacrifice to sanctifie the temple and to continue with Israel for euer Salomon all this while followed the Lord and therefore God appeared vnto him the second time as he appeared vnto him first at Gibeon promised him that hee would establish the throne of Israel and defend his people for euer if they would walke in his wayes in token whereof the glory of God filled the temple fire came downe from heauen and consumed their sacrifice and Gods presence was with Salomon Now the renowne of Salomon went farre so that Saba Queene of Aethiope came to Ierusalem to heare Salomon and to see his porte but after Salomon fell from God hee loued many outlandish women which were idolaters he followed the women of Moab of Edom and of Ammon and of Sydon that hee had 3. hundred Queenes and Princes that were his wiues and 700. concubines these women turned Salomons heart from GOD after the gods of the Gentiles so that hee worshipped Ashtaroth and Milcom the gods of the Ammonites his God forsooke him therefore and raised vp aduersaries euen Ieroboam a seruaunt of Salomon but an ouerseer of his worke whom Salomon sought by diuers meanes to kill But Ieroboam fled to Egypt where he kept himselfe till Salomon died Thus Salomon whom God with so many blessings had exalted aboue all the kings of the world left to his sonne Rehoboam whom he loued best the kingdom of Israel to gouerne after he had raigned in Israel 40. yeeres he died before the natiuitie of Christ 1000. yeeres before the birth of Romulus the first king of Rome 231. before Alexander raigned king in Macedonia 666. and before the last destruction of Hierusalem by Titus Vespasian 1070. While Salomon gouerned Israel Laostanes the 33. king of the Assyrians raigned in Niniuie Labotes raigned in Lacedemonia and Agesilaus in Corinth This time gouerned the Athenians Agastus the second Iudge of Athens and Alba Syluius raigned ouer the Latines the 7. king In Salomons time was Ephesus builded by Andronicus as Eusebius affirmeth and in Egypt gouerned Simendes called in the scripture Sisac to whom Ieroboam as you heard fled from Salomon for feare in the 21. Dinasteia of the Egyptians The sonne of Hiram called Baleastartus succeeded in Tyrus and liued but 7. yeeres Sadock and Ahiah were now prophets in Israel Salomon began his kingdome in the yeere of the world 2930. After the going of Israel out of Egypt 480. yeeres 12. yeeres before the beginning of the 9. Iubilie Salomon began to build the temple in the 4. yeere of his raigne before the building of Rome 300. yeeres after the calling of Abraham from Chaldea 910. yeeres Salomon builded to himselfe in Libanon a house for his pleasure and this was in making 13. yeeres and was finished 20. yeeres after the building of the Temple before the monarchie of Macedonia gotten by Alexander the great 700. yeeres and before Augustus Caesars empire 1000. yeeres Salomon died before Romulus birth 231. yeeres before Christ 1000. yeeres and before the last destruction of Ierusalem vnder Titus Vespasian 1070. CHAP. V. Of the taking away of the ten tribes from Iuda to Samaria by Ieroboam of the first diuision of Israel of their warres and last destructions of the kings of Israel by Salmanasser NOw after Salomon raigned Roboham his sonne borne of an Ammonitish woman named Noma Ieroboam now being in Egypt when Salomon died he was sent for by some of the elders of Israel God brought it to passe that when Ieroboam came from Egypt vnto Sichem the people followed Ieroboam and fled from Roboham for hee despised the counsell of the ancient wise men which folowed Salomon his father and hee onely esteemed rash and yong counsell whereby Ieroboam being strong and stoute and subtile amongst the people perceiuing the nature of the people to be drawen from the sonne of Salomon God suffering these things to goe forward for the sinnes of Israel Ieroboham builded him an house in Sichem and not long contented with that he builded another house for his dwelling in a towne called Penuel Now about this time in Ierusalem approched the feast of the Tabernacle which Ieroboam considered of and sawe it was dangerous to let the people to goe to Ierusalem least the people should take pleasure with the rites and ceremonies of the Temple with their solemne pompe and dignitie in religion with their sacrifices and feastes and therefore he erected two altars the one in Bethel the other in Dan and caused two golden calues there to be worshipped Here the tenne tribes of Israel committed idolatrie forsooke their God and they followed Ieroboam in all wickednesse Thus Dan and Bethel with all the idolatrie of Israel continued till Iosias time Roboham this while hauing but the tribe of Iuda and Beniamin vnder his gouernment repaired his Cities fortified his countrey and gathered an armie of an hundreth and foure score thousand to fight against Ieroboam and to bring Israel againe to Roboham But they were warned by the Prophet Shemaiah not to fight saying This is done by GOD who of his iust iudgement will punish offenders all this happened for Salomons sinnes Now the kingdome was deuided to two names Israel which continued two
praemium piorum pax For the Philistims paied their ordinarie tribute euery yeere and the Arabians as Iosephus saieth paied yeerely to Iosaphat 630. Lambes and so many yong kids The Lord gaue to Iosaphat victories ouer the Ammonits Moabites and Idumeans for the children of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir and one slewe an other Thus God gaue vnto him marueilous victories ouer his enemies and Iuda flourished 25. yeeres the whole time of Iosaphats gouernment the time of his father Asa and the time of his Grandfather Abia three good kings of Iuda during the time of 69. yeeres Iuda preuailed against Israel After Iosaphats daies his sonne Ioram succeeded who offended the Lorde and walked in the waies of the kings of Israel and followed the steppes of his father in lawe Achab. Ioram made him selfe strong beganne in his first entring vnto the kingdome to play the tyrant for hee slewe all his brethren with the sworde and therefore Edom rebelled against Iuda because he had forsaken the God of his fathers The Philistims were stirred vp against Ioram and the Arabians he was cruell and became a tyrant euen vnto those whome by nature he ought to haue most chiefly defended But Elias prophesied to him the rewarde and iustice of God that would ensue thereof as Ioram afterwards felt for as he spared no blood but made hauocke of his brethren and of his countrey with the sworde so it happened to him to his wiues and to his children by the Arabians and other barbarous people of the Ethiopians who inuaded his countrey dispossessed him of his life and liuing such calamities which with his eies he sawe he died most miserably his guttes gushing out being in the displeasure of God and man Thus is idolatrie rewarded one onely sonne named Ochosias and that the yongest escaped the sworde and he succeeded his father as wicked as hee a very Idolater for hee could not be good being the sonne of Ioram borne of Athalia the daughter of Achab hee followed his mothers counsell and walked in the way of Achab and went with Ioram Achabs sonne to fight against Hazael king of Syria and he was in that warre wounded and after taken by Iehu king of Israel who hiding him selfe in Samaria Iehu slewe him and Ioram king of Israel for so he was of God commaunded and after a while he brake the necke of Iezabel Achabs wife and reigned him selfe king in Israel who was by God appointed to execute iudgement vpon the house of Achab. This king Iehu was annointed king for that purpose Ochosias liued but one yere which when his mother Athalia heard of she rose destroied all the kings seede to the intent that there should be none to make title to the crowne that thereby she might vsurpe the gouernment onely Iosias was saued by Iorams daughter who had maried Iehoiada the high Priest and his owne sister This time by the tyrannie of this wicked Queene the stock of Salomon the sonne of Dauid perished the kingdom of Iuda fell to the posteritie of Nathan an other sonne of Dauid of whose house it pleased God that Messias should be borne so that the posteritie of Salomon was altogether extinguished This Queene restored the temple of Baal raised vp altars nourished false prophets and priests to maintaine idolatrie in Iuda This Queene reigned 7. yeeres then was she slaine at the commandement of Iehoiada the hie Priest the house of Baal destroied and his altars broken and Mattan the Priest of Baal slaine Ioas nowe beganne to roote out all idolatrie and to set in order all thinges in Iuda hee pleased God and walked in his waies while Iehoiada the high Priest liued who was a faithfull Counsellor vnto him But after his death Ioas wanted good councell he followed flatterers and by them he was brought to idolatrie and after to tyrannie which alwaies ioyne together for Ioas killed Zacharie the sonne of Iehoiada the high Priest and a Prophet of the Lorde who had saued him from the tyrannie of Athalia This is that Zacharie of whom Christ maketh mētion in Luke saying that from the blood of Abel the iust vnto the blood of Zacharie the Prophet c. But what came of this The king of Aram he came with a small company against Ioas against Iuda and Ierusalem and destroied all the princes of the people and sent all the spoile of them vnto the king of Damascus and Ioas him selfe was of his owne seruants slaine In Ioas time Elizeus the Prophet died and Homer liued the first and most ancient learned amongest the Grecians While Ioram the sonne of Achab reigned king in Israel and Ioram the sonne of Iosaphat reigned king in Iuda being ioyned in affinitie by marriage In other countreies reigned Persusennis king in Egypt from this king and from Cheopes his predecessor in Egypt doeth Herodotus make mention not of the nomber but of the names of the kings of Egypt In Athens gouerned Mezades 30. yeeres the 6. Iudge and in Corinth likewise Agelas the 6. king In the daies of Ioram king of Iuda reigned ouer the Latines the 10. king Tiberinus Siluius 8. yeeres This king being drowned in the riuer called then Albula afterward named Tiber after his owne name Agrippa Siluius succeeded him the 11. king and he reigned 40. yeeres ouer the Latines In Lacedemonia Archelaus the 7. king who reigned 60. yeeres ouer the Lacedemonians The people of Rhodes at this time were lordes of the seas Pigmalion reigned king in Tyre 40. yeeres and in the 7. yeere of his reigne his sister Dido as Iosephus saith builded Carthage 143. yeeres after the building of Salomons Temple and before the building of Rome 135. Error is in Functius and in other in the time of the building of Carthage There was about this time of Ioas a king that reigned ouer the Tuscans named Felcinus he builded the chiefe citie of the Tuscans and named it after his owne name Felcina The Romanes long after that called that towne and the countrey it selfe was called Gallia Aurelia Nowe to the kings of Israel and Iuda After that Ioas had bene slaine by his owne seruants for the stoning to death of Zacharias Amazias Ioas his sonne succeeded him who in the beginning of his reigne shewed him selfe godly and did execute things vprightly but not with a perfect heart in respect of his predecessors he was called a good king he reuenged the death of Ioas his father and putteth them to death that slewe him he made prouision for warres and nombred all the men and hired a hundreth thousand valiant men out of Israel for an hundreth talents of siluer though he was forbidden by God so to doe But Amazias went forwards and slewe the Edomites and Amalekites euen 20000. But the men of Israel requited that slaughter they fell vpon the cities of
Iuda from Samaria vnto Bethoron as they returned from Amazias to Samaria backe and Amazias after the victorie he had ouer the Idumeans brought their gods and their idols of Seir and set them vp to be his gods and worshipped them But the gods of Edom brought Amazias to the handes of Ioas king of Israel and he was afterwards slaine by conspiracie fleeing from Ierusalem to Lachis While Amazias reigned in Iuda Ioram liued in Samaria and gouerned Israel and Ioram also gouerned Iuda of that name and at that time so two Iorams reigned together one in Iuda the other in Samaria after whome succeeded Ieroboam his sonne in Israel In the time of Amazias king of Iuda Sardanapalus reigned in Assyria their last king after whom the Assyrians lost their Monarchie for Belochus had Babylon and Niniue the two chiefe seates of the kings of Chaldea and Assyria Arbaces helde Media and Persia vnder his gouernment Hitherto neither the Assyrians nor Chaldeans molested Israel but afterwards God stirred them vp for his scourges to punish Iuda and Samaria for their idolatrie and after them the Medes and Persians were as though they were the hammers of God to destroy offenders After Amazias succeeded his sonne Vzias named also Azaria him did all the people of Iuda make king in steede of his father he was but sixteene yeeres of age when he began to reigne in Israel VVhile he obeied God he prospered in all his enterprises Hee ouerthrewe the Philistims brake downe the walles of Gath and Ashdod God helped him and prospered him against the Arabians and the Ammonites hee builded towres in Ierusalem and towres in the wildernes his fame spread to Egypt and all the nations about Ierusalem were vnder his winges but he waxed proude vsurped the Priestes office and he was punished and driuen out of the Temple and the leprosie rose in his forehead for he transgressed against God to presume to burne incense which was the Priestes office in the Temple being forbidden and resisted by Azaria and foure score other Priests Therefore he liued afterwards as a leper vnto the day of his death in a house by himselfe Vnder this king Esai began to prophecie and he prophecied 80. yeeres the fall of these great kingdomes Egypt Syria Assyria Chaldea and Tyre Hee likewise prophecied of Kittim and of the Macedonians This Prophet was by Manasses king of Iuda martyred cut in his middle with a sawe Nowe during the time of this king Vzias ruled in Israel Zachariah the sonne of Ieroboam being the last king of Israel that had the kingdome by succession of Iehu for hee was the fourth in descent from Iehu for so the Lord said to Iehu Thy sonnes shall sit on the throne of Israel vnto the fourth generation after thee Shallum reigned a moneth king in Samaria and Manahem slue him and reigned in his stead In the 39. yeere of Vzia beganne Manahem to reigne in Samaria he likewise sought not God but with money sought the fauour of Phulasser king of Ashur the father of Salmanassar and graundfather of Saneherib infidels and enemies of God and therefore God was wroth so that Manahem prospered not and his sonne Pekahia succeeded him in Israel and reigned two yeeres and died Nowe after Vzias dayes his sonne Ioatham succeeded him in the kingdgme of Iuda a man of great vertue godly and iust and seeking to please God Hee builded many ruinous things by reason still of warres and he was carefull to mend things amisse so that Ioatham became mightie because he directed his wayes before the Highest he fought with the Ammonites and preuailed and they paied him tribute The Olympiads of Greece began in the second yeere of Ioatham About which time Romulus the first king and builder of Rome was borne In Ioathams dayes beganne first the kingdome of Lydia Ezechias also was borne this time some suppose that in Greece Lycurgus the lawe maker of the Lacedemonians florished in these dayes after whom the kings in Lacedemonia failed and the gouernement was altered Nowe when Ioatham had reigned sixteene yeeres Achas succeeded in Iuda wicked vngodly cruell and a great Idolater like his predecessours hee made moulten Images for Baalim he burned his sonne and sacrificed him vnto Idols and deuils and therefore the Aramites smote him and Pekah king of Israel slue in Iuda sixe score thousand in one day and tooke prisoners two hundreth thousands and brought all the spoiles and treasures vnto Samaria Thus Iuda was destroyed vtterly almost ouerthrowne at that time Achas after this great slaughter did sende to Salmanasser king of Ashur gaue him golde and siluer and promised him more money but it helped him not for Achas sacrificed to the gods of Damascus and to the gods of Aram or of Syria which was the onely cause of his destruction which Esai the Prophet had warned him of After hee had reigned in Iuda sixteene yeeres hee dyed in whose dayes Romulus and Remus beganne to build Rome Dionysius writeth that the walles of Rome were begunne in the one and twentieth day of Aprill and in the first yeere of the seuenth Olympiad After this spoile and great slaughter of Iuda Salmanasser king of Ashur came vp against Samaria after that Hosea had reigned nine yeeres of the which he payed tribute for eight yeeres and in the ninth of his reigne he was taken prisoner and the Citie of Samaria giuen to the Babylonians and to the men of Hamath and to the men of Succoth and to the other strangers which the king of Ashur brought to dwell in Samaria in steade of the people of Israel and the tenne tribes of Israel were caried away captiue vnto the Cities of the Medes Thus was Israel dispossest from glory and libertie and caried captiue by Nabonasser vnto Assyria after they had continued two hundred fiftie and three yeeres after Salomons dayes and after the going of Israel out of Egypt seuen hundred seuentie and nine yeeres in the tenth Olympiad This last thraldome fell vpon them for idolatrie and blassphemie which Israel against their God committed hauing so often tasted of his mercie and seene his workes in defending them alwaies euen from their going out of Egypt where they were in slauerie and bondage 430. yeeres vntill nowe againe they are caried captiues and bondmen from Samaria their natiue countrey vnto Babylon 779. yeeres after their going out of Egypt for they so prouoked the Lorde to wrath euen from Ieroboams time who builded Dan and Bethel and erected golden calues therin to be worshipped vnto the time of Osea the last king during which time 19. kings reigned in Israel of the which not one walked before God sincerely but with horrible blasphemie most wicked idolatry they worshipped idols and images wherefore God gaue them ouer one to kill an other and one to destroy an other vntil Nabonasser which is Salmanassers time
who caried them prisoners vnto other strange countreies and set strangers to dwell in Samaria CHAP. VI. Of the continuance of the kings of Iuda after the kingdome of Israel was destroied Samaria taken and the 10. tribes of Israel carried captiue by Salmanassar into Assyria THis time reigned in Ierusalem Ezechias a godly zealous king who destroied idols and brake in peeces the brasen serpent he tooke away the high places cut downe the groues the altars their images and idols and walked before God vprightly and in the 14. yeere of his reigne came Senaherib with an huge host to Iuda spoiling and destroying Libna Lachis and other cities laide siege to Ierusalem threatned the king and blasphemed God most horribly challenging the gods of the nations and defying the God of Israel preferring the armies of flesh and the strength of his hoste But his bragging boasting was sharply punished by the Angel of God who slew at that time of the Assyrians an hundreth foure score and fiue thousand and Senacherib him selfe before his idoll Niseroch whom he worshipped preferred before the liuing God was slaine of his owne sonnes Adramelech Sarezer the iust iudgement of God for blasphemie After this Ezechias fell sicke and was restored to health in signe whereof God brought the Sunne 10. degrees backe in Achas diall this good king repaired the Temple instructed the Leuites in the religion he and all his princes of Iuda frequented the Temple sacrificed daily to their God oblations of thanks giuing and he commanded all the Nobles of Israel and Iuda from Dan to Bersheba to repaire to Ierusalem to keepe the Passeouer to the Lorde which Passeouer was so great that the like was not in Israel This Passeouer vnder Ezechias was 775. yeeres after the Passeouer of Moses and 775. yeeres before the Passeouer of Christ our Sauiour in the Newe Testament Now after that Ezechias had destroied idolatrie and had appointed Priestes and Leuites according to the commandement of God praied for his people and prouided for the Leuites liuings and ordained ouerseers to distribute to euery Leuite his portion Israel prospered all the daies of Ezechias and all things went well with Iuda But Ezechias being deade Manasses his sonne succeeded him not in religion nor in godlines for he followed not his father Ezechias in vertue but his Grandfather Achas in all kinde of vices for this most wicked king restored idolatrie in Israel vsed great crueltie and he erected altars to Baal and set vp images in groues he practised witchcraft and sorcerie and frequented the companie of them that had familiar spirits and those that were soothsayers This king did much euill in the sight of God he martyred the Prophet of God Esay and consecrated his sonne in fire to his idoll he shed innocent blood and filled Ierusalem with iniquitie Beholde such a good father to haue such a wicked sonne But the Lord God stretched ouer Ierusalem the line of Samaria the plummet of the house of Achab and promised to destroy Iuda as he had destroied Israel so he did with Manasses and gaue him to Assur and to his Captaines who brought him in fetters and bound in chaines to Babylon But when he was in tribulation in Babylon he called then vpon God and God heard him and deliuered him and restored him to his kingdome so merciful is God when he is called vpon for by this God instructed him to know him selfe and to humble him selfe before God whome he much abused You may read in the bookes of the Kings in the Chroniches the histories of the kings of Israel at large Manasses died and left behind him Amon his sonne who reigned 2. yeeres in Ierusalem he forsooke God also walked in the waies of Achas and he was slaine by his owne seruants which conspired against him in his owne house the people made Iosias his sonne king ouer Iuda who beganne to reigne in Ierusalem in the 8. yeere of his age and in that age he was instructed by God to haue care ouer the people of Israel he sent messengers vnto all the townes cities and countries territories to cal the Priests the Leuits the Nobles and all men of what degree soeuer to come to Ierusalem where he him selfe read the bookes of Moses vnto the people with oblations and sacrifices vnto God for the sinnes of Israel and those Priests that were not of Aarons stocke that serued idols and images he commanded them to be slaine and whatsoeuer he found in Israel of the reliques of Ieroboam he destroied and burned the bones of the false prophets vpon the altars that Ieroboam erected his zeale was prophesied of by Iaddo 300. yeeres before Iosias was borne Iosias hauing repaired the Temple and hauing found the booke of the Law he maketh a couenant with the Lord that he and his people should walke before God vprightly and iustly After that he killed their Priestes he brought downe their idols he slew the coniurers sorcerers and soothsayers and he burned the Priestes of Baal called Chemarims whome the kings of Iuda had founded to burne incense in high places euery place of Iuda to the Sunne to the Moone to the planets and to all the hostes of heauen His zeale encreased more and more he threw downe the altars of Achas and the altars of Manasses hee had put also downe the horses the charets which the idolatrous kinges had dedicated to the Sunne he ouerthrewe the abominable idolatrie of Salomon in the mount of Oliues called also in the Chronicles the mount of corruption where Salomon builded vp altars and groues to Ashtaroth the idoll of the Sidonians for Chemosh the idol of the Moabites for Milchom the idol of the Ammonits In Iosias time all Iudea flourished with the seruice of God and the lawes of the Countreies were put in practise for there was in euery citie among the Hebrewes a chiefe Magistrate as a Prince or Iudge to determine causes in equitie iustice among the people But in the Metropolitane Citie which was Ierusalem were 70. wise graue men whose court or consistorie was kept in Gazith The Iewish Talmudists named these Sanhedrin these passed both in nomber in dignitie other Magistrates these first gouerned in Silo after in Ierusalem elected by Moses by the expresse word of God these were Iudges for life death according to the custome lawes of the Hebrewes they were to condemne offendors 4. kind of waies by running vpon a man to death by stoning by burning and by strangling That day that these iudged any offender to death they obstained from meate These Councellers continued vntill Herods time and kept their Court at Gazith Beside these Sanhedrioth which were 71. were also twelue Princes ouer the people of euery tribe of Israel one which gouerned the whole twelue tribes of the people Some write that in euery Citie were
bloodshedding of brethren brought all Iudea frō a kingdome to a prouince againe by this meanes strange magistrates gouerned them and forren strength feared them that since the time that Aristobulus Hircanus sonne became the first king after the captiuitie nothing prospered with him as by the familie stocke of Hircanus may appeare one brother killing another as before you haue read Now Alexander and Antigonus prisoners at Rome with Aristobulus their father their fortune was thus that Alexander hauing escaped frō Rome to Cilicia came to Iudea and tooke a part of Galilee where hee thought to haue more force he spoiled that which Pompey spared he tooke not only the 2000. talents which was left of Pompeius but also spoiled robd ransackt the temple of treasures to the value of 8000. pounds But he was taken with Gabinius sent to Rome and after slaine of Scipio Pompeius sonne in law in Antiochia This was the end of Alexrnder one of Aristobulus sonnes Antigonus the other sonne was let loose by Iulius Caesar after the ciuil warres betwene Pompey and him he gathered an army of the Parthians thought to recouer Iudea the rather that Antipater was dead and that the Iewes had rather haue Antigonus to be their king then any of the sonnes of Antipater he toke the old man Hircanus his vncle to whom Antipater stood a friend while he liued stirring the Iewes against this Antigonus father So likewise the king of Arabia Areta to whō Hircanus fled for aid Antigonus after he had taken his vncle being high Priest had cut off both his eares had caried him prisoner to Parthia euen hee was slaine by Marcus Antonius within 3. yeeres after Herod was made king that was Antigonus ende And Herod after that called Hircanus from Parthia and caused him to bee slaine being 80. yeeres of age This was the tragical ende of the Machabees whome God endued with great haps and singular fauour to rule his people for the Iewes neuer prospered vnder kings neither before the captiuitie at what time raigned 22. kings in Iuda of the which nomber there were but seuen vnder whome Iuda flourished Dauid Salomon Abia Asa Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias Neither prospered they vnder kings after the captiuitie during the time ofseuen kings as Aristobulus Alex. Iamnaeus Hircanus Aristobulus 2. Antigonus the sonne of the last Aristobulus and last of the line of the Machabees Herod the great whome the Romanes created king And Archelaus Herods sonne After the Machabees race Antipater the Idumean and his posteritie became great in Iudea by the fauour of Iulius Caesar who at that time was in Egypt with an armie of souldiers to whome Antipater stoode in steade by good seruice at that time done vnto Caesar for he brought Memphis the great citie with all the countrey about to obey Caesar and therefore Caesar gaue him the regiment of Iudea not yet as a king but as chiefe gouernour The Iewes could not well disgest the gouernement of strangers which knewe by Moses and by the Prophets that the tribe of Iuda should rule Israel vntill the Messias were borne therefore they were mutinous and full ofsedition Antipater perceiuing the enuie and malice to strangers ruled discreetely and behaued himselfe wisely and yet hee was poysoned by a Iewe named Malchus whome afterwarde Herod the sonne of Antipater slew at Tirus this Herod sirnamed Astalomites grewe great in his fathers dayes for the Iewes thought after Antipaters death to shake off his children and not to admit any of them to gouerne Now they had called Antigonus Aristobulus sonne from the Parthians to Ierusalem but Herod ouerthrewe their purpose and forced Antigonus to flee from Ierusalem Marcus Anthonius returning from the citie Philippos where he and Augustus ouerthrewe Brutus and Cassius the murtherers of Iulius Caesar came to Bythinia where Herod and Phasaelus his brother were accused by the Ambassadors of Iudea that Hircanus the high Priest gouerned as a sipher and they as kings yet notwithstanding Herods fortune and his brothers so encreased that he and his brother were named by Marcus Anthonius the Tetrarches of all Iudea and within a while after Herod came to Rome in 185. Olympiad where he was created king of all Iudea and hee was solemnly brought to the Capitol in the midst betwene Octauius and Marcus Anthonius with al the magistrats and Consuls of Rome accompanying him In the 30. yeere of Herods raigne was our Sauiour Christ borne Herod had three sonnes Archelaus whom he left king by wil to gouerne Iudea Herodes Antipas which he appointed Tetrarche to gouerne Galilee by whome Iohn Baptist was beheaded and Philippe which gouerned Ituria or Trachenitida Herod after hee had raigned 37. yeeres and had sent infinite treasure to Caesar and to his wife Iulia died was with great pompe buried in a towne of his own name called Herodium But though Herods testament was by Caesar first confirmed and pronounced Archelaus king of Iudea afterward altered he appointed to Archelaus halfe Iudea for his regiment and the other halfe betwene Herod Antipas his brother Philip. Now while Archelaus was a gouernour of this people they were much offended with him and sent to Caesar great complaints with letters frō Sabinus that he was seditious cruel and vnobedient to Caesar which being thorowly wayed and found true by Caesar Archelaus was banished and his part of Iudea was made a prouince for Romane magistrates the other two brethren Herod and Philippe gouerned their Tetrarchies with some care and feare of Caesar and therefore to get the more fauour at the Emperours hand either of them builded a towne Philip to flatter Caesar builded a towne and named it Caesarea and Herod Antipas builded another and named it Tiberias for that the Emperours name was Tiberius Caesar two townes for one name The Romanes againe brought Iudea in subiection of the Empire and sent these deputies folowing 1 C. Coponius the first lieutenant one yeere These 3. were sent by Octauius Augustus 2 Marcus Ambinius 1. yeere 3 Annius Rufus 1. yeere 4 Valerius Gratus 2. yeere 5 Pontius Pilatus 10. yeere Vnder whom our redeemer and Sauiour suffered his last passion vpon the Crosse he was sent by Tiberius Caesar. 6 Marcellus 3. yeere Herodes was made king of the Iewes by C. Claudius the Emperour which raigned 10. yeeres After Agrippas time raigned ouer the Iewes Romanes deputies againe as after Marcellus Caspius Fadus was 7. deputie and gouerned Iuda 3. yeeres 8 Tiberius Alexander 2. yeeres 9 Cumanus 3. yeeres 10 Antonius Felix 10. yeeres 11 Portius Festus 11. yeeres 12 Albinus 3. yeeres 13 Gersius Florus being the last deputie ouer Iuda at what time Ierusalem was destroyed by Titus When Vespatian layed siege to Ierusalem euen the last ouerthrow and conquest of the Iewes at what time Caius Anthonius Marcus Cicero were consuls at Rome Hierusalem was three moneths besieged by Pompey the great but taken at
erected vp a kingdome and was the first place that was inhabited as both Zenophon and Berosus affirme for the Caldeans knew that before the flood that men liued and that the continuance of them were before the flood one thousande sixe hundreth and fiftie yeeres and more for that then Noah and his sonnes taught the second age of things done in the former age and how for sinne God had destroied the world for the Egyptians and the Phoenicians long after the flood were taught by the Chaldeans of the flood and of the former time and after more perfectly instructed by Abraham which in the time of famine trauailed from Canaan into Egypt where for a time hee read Arithmeticke to the Egyptians then rude and ignorant of any great knowledge that hearing of these things they beganne very obscurely and darkely to set downe many things which they then not perfectly knewe and yet are vnperfect for that they were ignorant of the Genesis The goodnesse of God spared Noah for 350. yeres and more to instruct the second age to preach vnto them the wonderfull workes and mercies of God before the flood and to warne the world after the flood from sinne the onely cause of Gods wrath towards man and to bring them vp in the true religion of God not as prophane writers affirme that hee wandered all the countreys of the world by diuers and sundry names as by the name of Ogyges Ianus Coelus Oenotrius Geminus pater and many such fabulous names of his lawes in euery countrey of his religion and ceremonies in euery kingdome of his being in Italy in Spaine and in other countreys cleane contrary to the nature and trueth of the history which came after the flood vnto the place where he yet liued with his forefathers Lamech Methusalem Enoch and so foorth before the flood the land of Shinear where by the consent and opinion of the best learned he liued vntil he died I wil not therefore follow Caldean fables in the antiquities of their Caldean and Assyrian kings for that they haue no sound warrant for their historie but that which Berosus setteth downe which Manethon an Egyptian priest much commendeth and maketh many supplies of Berosus lies and so doeth Io. Annius a priest in Whitenberge in his Commentaries vpon Berosus and so doth Diodorus in his bookes of Fabulous antiquitie But leauing Berosus Menathon and Annius to forge their fables I wil as briefly as I can runne through this historie for that I can finde nothing true of them but that which I reade in the Bible from the time of Phul assur vntill Balsaars time which were but 10. kings whose names I set here downe 1 Phul assur named in the Scripture Tiglat Phul-assur 2 Salmanassar which destroyed Samaria and toke the 10. tribes of Israel vnto Niniue captiue 3 Saneherib who came against Ezechias to Hierusalem with an huge armie folowing his fathers tyrannie Saneherib 4 Merodach the first king of Babylon againe broght Niniue vnder Babylon 5 Berodach his sonne 6 Nabuchodonosor which destroied Hierusalem and tooke the tribe of Iuda captiue into Babylon 7 Euilmerodach Nabuchodonosors sonne this restored Iehoakim king of Iuda vnto his libertie againe after that Nebuchodonosor his father died 8 The last of these Kings was Balsaar of these many kings in this the history of the Prophetes make mention and so much of the historie is true I will therefore set downe the continuance the nombers of their kings the change and varietie of this Kingdome for after that Nimrod had drawen people together he first laide the foundation of the Empire made lawes began to builde a great Citie and named it Babylon the first Citie after the flood which Citie though Nimrod began it his sonne Belus amplified it and last of al Semiramis finished it in such forme and stately shewe as he that is desirous to knowe the length the breadth the compasse situation the strength and beautie of Babylō let him read Herodotus Solinus where it is largely described Though it is thought that Herodotus and others in this do erre for Iosephus lib. 1. contr App. and Beroaldus 3. Chr. affirme that the olde writers erred much about the building of Babylon and of Niniue for that which Nabuchodonosor claimed to be his owne saying Nonne haec est Babylon quam ego aedificaui in robore fortitudinis meae Is not this Babylon which I haue builded the Grecians and all olde writers attribute to Nimrod to Belus and to Semiramis The like fable is of Niniue which was builded first by Assur the sonne of Semi by writers is attributed to Nynus Herein both Greeke and Lataine Historians are ouer seene aswell in the time as in the persons in that they were ignorant of the Prophetes histories howbeit Babylon was begun by Nimrod and Belus and somewhat enlarged and beautified by Semiramis but the dignitie and chiefe soueraigntie of Babylon must be graunted to Nabuchodonosor vnder whom the Caldeans onely florished ouer all Kingdomes and enioyed aureum seculum So this Countrey florished first before all other Countreis Babylon the first towne the first seate of the Empire of the world being the chiefest palace of the king for so were they called kings of Babylon and the first kings in the worlde after the flood and so continued almost two hundred yeres vntill the time of Ninus who after he had builded Niniue in the plaine of Aturia a farre greater Towne then Babylon though before it was begunne by Assur one of the sonnes of Sem yet fully by Nynus finished This Nynus waxed great and strong layed siege to Babylon subdued it and brought the Empire of Caldea subiect vnto Assyria then both Caldea and Assyria became one Monarchie and then the kings of Babylon were called kings of Assyria and then Assyria hauing conquered Babylon began to be chiefe and continued from Belus time the first king of Assyria vntill Sardanapalus time the last king of Assyria which as Eusebius writeth was 12. hundred fourtie yeeres from the first reigne of Nynus vntill the last of Sardanapalus so long the seede of Sem continued kings and helde the Monarchie of Assyria As the kingdome of Babylon was translated then from the posteritie of Cham after the first 200. yeeres vnto the posteritie of Sem so nowe againe Niniue is made subiect to Babylon as it shal be hereafter shewed when the historie of the kings of Assyria is handled Thus Assyria sometime subiect to Chaldea and Chaldea to Assyria Niniue to Babylon and Babylon to Niniue vntill both were subdued by the Medes and after by the Persians so God doth appoint and God doth disappoint states and common wealthes according to the decree of his eternall will sinne being the onely cause of Gods anger and wrath his wrath the cause of all calamities destruction and subuersion of kingdomes as Sirach saith Regnum à gente in gentem transferetur propter iniustitiam
Therefore Pompei the great being a heathen man and driuen to flight in the the battell at Pharsalia by Iulius Caesar desirous to know of Cratippus the Philosopher the euents of the warres betweene Iulius Caesar and himselfe demaunded of him an sit prouidentia whether the decree and purpose of God is vnchangeable Cratippus answered him though a heathen Philosopher yet like a true Christian saying Fatales esse imperiorum periodos the prouidence of God is most sure and certeine for then the Romane Monarchie beganne by Iulius Caesar the first Emperour of Rome which Pompei founde true within a while after and so Chaldea first and Assyria after so the Medes so the Persians so the Grecians and last of all the Romanes came to destruction by not confessing God neither acknowledging his prouidence as you shall reade in their seuerall histories But nowe to speake of the rest of the kings of Assyria for that they were at one time and gouerned together Belus the sōne of Nimrod after he had as you haue heard laid the fundations of Babylon by his father Nimrod before appointed a peaceable prince quiet gentle curteous vnto his subiects vntil about the latter end of his reigne hee became to bee ambitious most cruelly giuen to enlarge the Empire of Babylon and as Berosus saith to bring all Nations vnder the Chaldeans he went about first to destroy a mightie great king in those dayes which much hindred Belus purposes named Sabatius king of Saga This Sabatius perceiuing that Belus laid secret snares euery way for him and seeing that he could by no meanes escape the hads of Belus he hid himself in a secret place with the Caspiis Annius saith in the 5. booke vpon Berosus that this Sabatius was Saturnus Now Belus being old hauing reigned 62. yeeres grew so great and so mightie that al the nations about honored him as a god he commanded Nynus his sonne a little before he died by al meanes possible to destroy Sabatius Saga and by the sword to compell all nations and countries and al people to be vnder the Empire of Babylon for that it was the first kingdome after the flood When he had reigned king 62. yeeres he died to whom the Assyrians after his death erected his statue or image they made so many monumēts to Belus after his death that thereby they began to commit idolatry to put vp images naming them Baal Bel after the name of Belus Nynus succeeded his father Belus the third king of the Assyrians imitating his father both by nature and by cōmandement lost no time but streight in armes where his father subdued the most part of Assyria and Asia this king went further hauing conquered euery where vntill the coasts of Libya finding the people yet not able to resist him not acquainted with wars but seeking meanes to fortifie their kingdomes being as yet weake and tender without any great force not so strong as to resist Nynus being at that time the greatest king in the worlde which ouercame Aricus king of Arabia but some say king of Ellasar and after conquered Barzanes king of Armenia as Berosus affirmeth After he returned to Media where Pharnus king of the Medes and his seuen sonnes were slaine with their armie thence proceeded forward to Bactria where Zoroastres remained as king to whom Iustine ascribeth the first obseruations of the starres naming him the first Astrologer of the worlde after the flood this gaue Nynus a great ouerthrowe in the first battell putting the enemies to flight after he had slaine 100000. of the Assyrians Nynus hauing this foile returned with greater force ioyned againe in battel ouercame the Bactrians slue their king possessed the kingdome by the pollicie of Semiramis whō afterward he maried which historie you shall finde in Diodorus Siculus at large This Nynus excelled his father augmenting the Empire of Assyria by the conquestes hee did of all Asia and of all the East kingdomes vnto the Indians hee amplified the Citie of Niniue which Assur the sonne of Sem began to builde as Iosephus and Philo Iudaeus doe affirme but Melancthon saith that Nynus two hundred yeeres after builded Niniue after Assur began it that Nynus enlarged it beautified and made it so great that it conteined foure hundred furlongs of ground which is fiftie miles after our accompt it had a thousand and fiue hundred wonderfull great towres vpon the walles it had the onely soueraignetie of the worlde and there Nynus and all the kings of Assyria kept their Courtes this was called by Nynus after his owne name Niniue it was builded in the valley of Aturia not farre from the riuer Tygris this Niniue was farre greater then Babylon as you may reade in Herodotus at large and was the chiefe seate of the kings of Assyria a thousand and two hundred yeeres some write one thousand three hundred and more Howe true Berosus writes of the pilgrimage and iourneys of Noah I referre it to the reader but hee sayeth that in the tenth yeere of Nynus the third king of Babylon after that Noah had trauailed many Countries had giuen them lawes he came to Africa from Africa after that heehad taught the people for a time he came into Italie in the nineteenth yeere of Nynus at what time Noah was eight hundred and three score yeeres olde and liued after in Italie and in Hetruria 92. yeeres for so long liued Noah which was in all 950. Many Monuments and Townes builded by Noah in diuers Countries are set written by Berosus lib. 5. and by Annius in his Comentarie Abraham was 57. when Noah died After this Nynus had reigned 52. yeeres he died and was buried in his owne Citie of Nynus where his wife Semiramis buried him so honorably with such a sumptuous Toumbe that it was the onely paterne which Artimesia the queene of Caria made for her husbande Mausolus and counted for the rarenes thereof one of the seuen woonders of the worlde Wee reade in Zenophon that Semiramis caused an Epitaph to bee set vpon one of the pillars of this graue with these wordes Mihipater Belus Iupiter Auus Saturnus Babylonicus proauus Chus Saturnus Ethiops Abauus Saturnus Aegyptus atauus Caelus Phoenix Ogiges repeating the petigree of Nynus to be the sonne of Belus the sonne of Nimrod the sonne of Chus the sonne of Cham the sonne of Noah Archilogus writeth that he beganne to reigne a king ouer the Assyrians 250. yeeres after the flood In this Nynus time Abraham was borne Semiramis after her husband was dead beganne to fortifie the walles of Babylon ruled and gouerned most stoutly the Assyrians and the Caldeans 42. yeeres adding to the Empire more Regions and Countries after her husbands dayes subdued the Ethiopians ouercame the Indians and their king Staurobates which neuer was done or by any enterprised beside Semiramis but onely by Alexander the great
Berosus Mameius reigned 30. yeeres and hee likewise died without any great mention made of his name Then folowed in the kingdome of Assyria one named Sparetus vnder whom the Chaldeans warred vpon the Phoenicians as Eusebius and Berosus sayth and brought the Syrians the Phoenicians subiect to Sparetus At this time happened such a terrible earthquake as Berosus doth write throughout al Assyria and Chaldea that Babylon Niniue were much thereby frighted this Sparetus reigned 40. yeeres Next folowed Ascatades the 18. king of Assyria of whom Berosus writeth that in the eight yere of this kings reigne reigned Centres king of Egypt who with all his host were drowned in the red sea This is that Pharao that resisted Moses and plagued Israel of whom I haue written in the stories of the Iewes In his time he and all his peeres nobles of Egypt were drowned in the red sea at what time the Hebrewes had such a triumph ouer their long enemies as neither the Persians had ouer the Assyrians nor the Macedonians ouer the Persians neither yet the proude Romanes ouer the Macedonians as the Hebrewes had ouer the Egyptians and therefore I will set downe the names of the kings of Assyria in this sort from the first king vntill Moses Nimrod 56. yeeres Belus 62. Nynus 52. Semiramis 42. Zamhisninias 38. Arius 30. Aralius 40. Baleus Xerxes 30. Armatrites 38. Bellochus Priscus 35. Baleus Iunior 52. Altades 32. Mamitus 30. Mancaleus 30. Spherus 20. Macaleus 2. called of Berosus Mameius 30. yeeres Sparetus 40. Ascatades 40. Of the rest of the Kings of Assyria from Ascatades the eighteenth King vnto Sardanapalus the sixe and thirtith and the last King of the Assyrians which is since the Israelites left Egypt vntill the first Olympiad at what time Iotham reigned in Iudea CHAP. II. IN the last yeere of Ascatades began Dardanus to gouerne the Troianes himselfe being the first king and first builder of Dardania then Ilion and the third time called Troy after the flood eight hundred and thirtie yeeres for Berosus in the last yeeres of Ascatades the eighteenth king of the Assyrians ended his historie and went into Athens and read the Grecians Astronomy instructed them in the Chaldeans knowledge concerning the first age before the flood secondly the genealogie of Adam and the rest vnto the flood thirdly of the flood and of Noah by the name of Ianus of his long continuance of his traueile lawes and monuments in all Countries fourthly â—…ee taught the antiquitie to the Athenians of all Kingdomes Nations for the which the Athenians caused his statue to be made with a tongue gilded in his head and to bee put vp in the open schoole at Athens thus was Berosus in Athens honored with a statue I thinke it best therefore after that Berosus ended his historie of the kings of Assyria briefely to passe them ouer onely setting their names the time of their gouernment and the continuance of the same vntil their kingdome and Empire was taken away by the Chaldeans I haue already from Nimrod the first king vntil Ascatades the eighteenth king set downe their names now from Ascatades vnto Sardanapalus the last king I will likewise passe them ouer briefely 18 Ascatades the eighteenth king of Assyria reigned fourtie yeeres in his time Dardanus builded Dardania afterwarde called Troy whose building was after the flood eight hundred and thirtie yeeres 19 Amintes succeeded Ascatades and reigned king of Assyria 45. yeeres in this kings time Moses died in the land of Moab on mount Nebo after he had brought the Israelites out of Egypt 40. yeeres 20 After Amintes folowed Belochus Iunior which reigned 25. yeeres in Assyria he had a daughter named Actosa otherwise called Semiramis who gouerned with her father 7. yeeres The first Iubilee began in the fourth yeere of this king Bellochus after Moses for from Moses death vnto the birth of Christ are 29. Iubilees 21 Bellopares reigned 30. yeeres in whose time the Israelites serued Eglon king of Moab 18. yeeres vntill Ehud the sonne of Gera slue Eglon by whose death Israel had rest 18. yeeres 22 Lamprides the 22. king of Assyria reigned 32. yeres in whose time Shamgar â—…dged Israel who slue 600. Philistims with an Oxe goade so God still raised either Priest Prophet Iudge or a king to defend his people About this time was the Leuites wife abused at Gibeah to death for the which cause the Leuite cutteth her in 12. pieces and sendeth her to the 12. tribes of Israel for the which villanie all the tribe of Beniamin were well nigh destroyed After Lamprides had reigned 32. yeeres hee had after him a king called Sosares in whose time as Cassiod doth write the flying horse Pegasus was inuented and so called for his swiftnesse Debora and Barac ruled Israel foure yeeres at what time they fought with Iabin Iael slue Sisera the chiefe captaine of Iabin king of Chanaan and his whole armie were ouerthrowen by Barac and Debora The historie of Ruth was likewise about this time some suppose that Obed the sonne of Boas was borne when Sosares had reigned twentie yeeres Lampares succeeded him and he continued thirtie yeeres In the fifth yeere of Lampares sell the third Iubilee after Moses amongst the Iewes Many of the Assyrian kings might haue beene omitted for any memorie they left behinde sauing that by the time of their gouernment we know how euery kingdome and when euery nation began to florish for truely they were more ancient then the rest and were the first kings of the worlde and were idle without any great warre therfore is little written of them vntill Phul Belochus time for Herodotus Ctesias and Diodorus Siculus wrote more liberally of the Assyrians then either authoritie or reason warranted them therein The greatest bragge that Saneherib called Sargon in some histories could make of his predecessours the kings of Assyria at what time he laide siege to Ierusalem hee boasted to Ezechia king of Iuda the victories and conquestes of the kings of Assyria in these wordes Tu audisti O Ezechia omnia quae fecerunt reges Assyriorum c. Hast thou not heard O Ezechias what my predecessours the kings of Assyria haue done haue they not conquered Gozan Haran and Reseph haue they not subdued the sonnes of Eden which dwelt in Thalassar what is become of king Emath and of king Arphad where be the kings Sepharuaim Hena and Iuah are not these subdued and conquered by the kings of Assyria all these kings dwelt in Syria All this bragge of Saneherib who was in the most florishing time of the Assyrians Empire their kingdome their victories their glorie and all these repetitions of Saneherib extended not yet as farre as Mount Taurus and therefore Dionysius Halicar nassaeus is in this to bee both beleeued and preferred before either Herodotus or Ctesias or Diodorus and others who wrote more largely then truely of the Assyrian kings for hee saith
first yeere of Salmanasser vntill the first yeere of Nabuchodonosors raigne is 115. yeeres hee raigned but tenne yeere in the whole and then he died And after him succeeded Saneherib who dwelt in Niniue who following his fathers steppes in all tyrannie and seeking meanes to destroy the rest of Gods people came with a mightie huge armie to besiege Hierusalem against king Ezechias with most horrible blasphemies against God preferring his owne force and power being the arme of flesh before the Lord of heauen but the prayer of Ezechias the king and of the Prophete Esay was heard of God and God sent his Angels to defend his saincts and to destroy the enemies of his Church All the bragges of Sanneherib and all his horrible blasphemies the Lord at a moment with one blast blewe away his force his strength and his huge armies being one hundreth fourscore and fiue thousand were slaine by the Angell of the Lorde and Sanneherib fled to Niniue where his owne sonnes Adramelech and Sharazer slew him in the temple worshipping his god Nisroch euen before that Idole whome hee preferred before the liuing God the iust iudgement of God for blasphemie to bee slaine of his owne sonnes before the face of his god For this periured king Sanneherib sware vnto the Embassadours of Ezechias if hee might haue three hundreth talents of siluer and thirtie talents of golde hee would peaceably depart without offering of any iniurie to the Iewes this Ezechias by perswasions satisfied his demaunde but Sanneherib perfourmed not his promise but contrary to his othe returning from Egypt where hee layde siege to Pelusium in vaine fearing Tharsicos king of AEthiopia that with great power came to ayde the king of Egypt hee came as you heard and layde siege to Ierusalem but he had his reward Herodotus saith that in Egypt in one of the temples there was a statue made for Sanneherib with this sentence written in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This sentence is of some referred to Sethon king of Egypt And thus this wicked king after much mischiefe and harme done to the Church of God in the seuenth yeere of his raigne and in the 12. Olympiad died he and his father Salmanasser raigned in Assyria when Romulus and Rhemus raigned in Rome he had the ende you heard of you shall reade more of him in the second booke of Herodotus All this while Chaldea had their gouernours their lawes and all thinges free fit for the common wealth yet they payed tribute to the kings of Assyria Hitherto newe Assyria raigned as the chiefe seate of the Empire and held Babylon as subiect to their Scepter Now while this Sannehorib had in hand to conquere Iudea and thought thence to passe vnto Egypt as hee did imagining fully to subdue all those regions which his father Salmanasser thought to haue done when newes came to Babylon that all his armie was slaine at Ierusalem and himselfe killed at Niniue by his sonnes the Chaldeans being hereof aduertised tooke present occasions to set in for the Empire of Assyria Merodach being then gouernour of Babylon considering that both his two sonnes fled to Armenia after the murther of their father as Functius saith for feare of their elder brother Asserhaddon but Iosephus saith the yonger brother Nowe Asserhaddon one of the three sonnes of Sanneherib in whose time Manasses king of Iuda was borne when his father was slaine and his brethren fled he entred to his fathers seate and gouerned the Assyrians tenne yeres But Merodach the sonne of Baladan the gouernour of Babylon a discreete man looking vnto the gouernment of Asserhaddon being full of contention betweene the brethren the other two which fled before after they killed their father returne with a great armie against the king Asserhaddon their brother and helde ciuill warres within themselues so long that the Monarchie of Assyria became so weake that Merodach translated the kingdome of Assyria vnto Chaldea and brought Niniue againe subiect vnto Babylon Nowe when Merodach had raigned twelue yeeres in Babylon and after hauing the full dignitie and supremacie ouer the Assyrians and Chaldeans hee was named the first king of Babylon againe and raigned fourtie yeres in Babylon Of this Merodach there is mention made in Ieremie Capta est Babel confusus est Bel victus est Merodach which shal be more spoken of when the kingdome of Iudea is in hand Ptolomey doth call this Merodach Mardocempadus for in the Egyptian histories Herodotus differeth frō Eusebius others in the names of kings men must reade with great diligence with much care and weigh the computation of time as here betweene Metasthenes and Functius some controuersie riseth from the time of Belochus vnto Merodach But Functius following the best authoritie is best to be beleeued for he reproueth by propheticall histories the errour of Metasthenes which goeth about without warrant of Scripture to prooue histories of the Bible as these partly be for the most part both of Assyrian and Chaldean histories for after Sardanapalus time they do cōcurre with the time of the Prophets Esay doeth make mention of Merodach the sonne of Baladan who sent Ambassadours with letters vnto Ezechias with great presents to intreat of friendship and to be in league one with another where they were with all solemnitie receiued shewing vnto them all the treasures and pleasures of Ierusalem and returning to Babylon with rewards After Merodach died when hee had raigned fourtie yeeres in Babylon leauing behinde him his sonne Bemerodach who raigned one and twentie yeeres of whome litle or nothing we reade of After whom succeeded Nabuchodonosor the first father of the great Nabuchodonosor this king tooke warre in hand against Necho king of Egypt and went from Niniue to the riuer Perath which is likewise Euphrates where Necho came in person to fight against a citie of the Assyrians named Carchemish Iosias fearing Necho lest he passing through Iudea would haue taken his kingdome he not consulting with the Lord fighting with Necho was slaine in the valley of Megiddo or Magiddo as Herodotus and Functius affirme But to come to Nabuchodonosor To auoyde tediousnes I will ioyne him with his father letting the reader to the second of Herodotus where hee shall reade of this first Nabuchodonosor and his warres and for that hee ioyntly raigned two yeeres with his sonne as Functius doeth write the sonne being of greater fame and better knowen farre then the rest of the kings of Chaldea or of Assyria In the Ecclesiasticall historie I wil set downe his actions his warres his greatnes and his victories After his father had raigned 25. yeres this his sonne Nabuchodonosor the great who in the eight yeere of his raigne subdued all Syria Iudea onely excepted conquered from Euphrates vnto Pelusium and brought in subiection euen from the riuer of Egypt vnto the riuer Perath and all that pertained to the king of
Egypt so that the king of Egypt came no more out of his lande as it is written against the king of Babylon hee layde siege to Tire and wasted all the regions there about he brought vnder the king of Babylon all Libya the most part of Asia vnto the land of Armenia This king grewe so great that Philostratus doeth so set him in his histories that he passed Hercules in force and power Strabo saith that the Chaldeans esteemed more of Nabuchodonosor then the Grecians did of Hercules Nabuchodonosor made kingdomes to shake the earth to tremble and the whole worlde a forest and left almost no where vnconquered but Iudea where after all his other warres and conquests hee sendeth his deputie Nabuzaradan generall of his armie he commeth with a huge armie of the Chaldeans a great band of Aramites of Moabites of Ammonites for Nabuchodonosor had heard that Iehoiakim had rebelled after hee had payed tribute for three yeeres This was the cause of the destruction of Iehoiakim after he had raigned three yeres he was deceiued much trusting to haue ayde by Necho king of Egypt and so lost both the kingdome and himselfe This was the iudgement of God for the sinnes of Manasses and the idolatrie of Iuda not weighing the crying out of Ieremie though night and day he perswaded them to yeelde vp the Citie and to followethe Lorde for Ierusalem was full of innocent blood and therefore God vsed these wicked tyrants to execute his commandement After this Iehoiakin the sonne of Iehoiakim when he had reigned three moneths being 18. yeeres of age Nabuchodonosor fearing least he shoulde become false and so reuenge his fathers death came against him he and his mother his princes and his seruants yeelded to Nabuchodonosor by the councell of Ieremie And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah king in stead of his nephewe Iehoiakin and changed his name to Zedechia who likewise offended the Lord and would not be councelled by Ieremie but hee and his people mocked the messengers of God despised his word and misused his Prophets so long that Nabuchodonosor came and slue their young men with the sworde kild all and spared none But for the rest of Nabuchodonosors tyranny his crueltie and slaughter specially of Iewes they are read in the fourth booke of Kings Chap. 24. and 25. in in Esai in Ieremie This king is euery where mentioned with the Prophets and in Ecclesiasticall histories Likewise Iosephus orderly setteth downe his seuerall warres against Ierusalem first in the eleuenth yere of Iechonias he came with great force and slue the most part in Ierusalem killed the king and buried him in sepulchro asini threw him dead vnburied out of the Citie according to the prophecie of Ieremie saying Iehoiakim shal be buried as an asse is buried euen drawne and cast foorth without the gates of Ierusalem like a carrion neither shall any lament him neither mourne for him he tooke also the chiefe men of the Citie euen 3000. and carried them vnto Babylon amongst whom Ezechiel being yet a very young man was lead likewise captiue This was before tolde of by Ieremie the Prophet but not beleeued The second time hee came against Iehoiakin whom Nabuchodonosor aduaunced vnto his fathers seate but fearing hee would reuoult by being mindfull of his fathers death hee tooke him his mother his familie his nobles and others to the number of tenne thousand eight hundred thirtie and two and carried them vnto Chaldea yet Nabuchodonosor sware to the king to his counsell that he would spare them vpon their submission to the which the king by the perswasions of the Prophet Ieremie yelded but the tyrant kept no promise With this king Daniel Anania Azaria and Misael being of the kings stocke were taken prisoners and commaunded by the king that they shoulde bee brought vp in the Chaldean tongue to serue the king afterward The third and last comming of Nabuchodonosor was against Zedechia the last king of Iuda hee layde siege to Ierusalem eighteene moneths during which time great famine and plague with manifolde miseries more befell them and at last the destruction of the Citie men women and children slaine before the King his Princes and Nobles put to the sworde the wealth and treasure of the Citie caried to Babylon the Temple burned the King himselfe taken his children killed before the kings face then his eyes put out and caried in chaines to Babylon where hee died most miserably in prison Thus God did put his sworde in Nabuchodonosors hand as an instrument of his wrath to punish sinne Of this matter more is spoken of in the historie of the Iewes otherwayes called the Hebrewes When Nabuchodonosor had reigned fourtie three yeeres Metasthenes saith fourtie fiue yeeres the Chaldean historie reporteth that hee prophecied the destruction of Babylon being by Daniel taught and by God called to bee one of his chiefe instruments in his Church In a little before hee died hee confessed the glory and maiestie of God saying I giue thankes vnto the most High I prayse and honour him that liueth for euer who restored vnto me my kingdome my honour and my vnderstanding whose works are all trueth and his wayes iudgements for nowe I confesse that he is able to abase those that walke in pride he liued in Tarquinius Priscus time the fift king of Rome and in the eighteene Iubilee of the Iewes and in the fourtie nine Olympiads In the time of Nabuchodonosors father Dracos lawes was written in Athens Solon Thales Milesius florished the seuen Sages of Greece liued this time the Prophet Ezechiel beganne to prophecie in Babylon the fift yeere of the captiuitie For as you shall reade of the Medes and Persians and of the Romanes that they were made by God executours instruments and hammers for so the Lord spake of them saying Thou art my hammer and weapons of warre for with thee will I breake the nations and with thee will I destroy kingdomes by thee will I breake man and woman and by thee will I breake young olde you shall finde this phrase often rehearsed by God in the mouthes of the Prophets so God calles Nabuchodonosor his seruant saith I wil put my sword in Nabuchodonosors hand so Senaherib so Salmanasser and so Satan himselfe is Gods seruant to worke his will to obey his commandement and to execute his iudgements After this Nabuchodonosor succeeded his sōne Euilmerodach he reigned 30. yeres he reigned one yere together with his father it seemeth that this Euilmerodach was instructed by Daniel to feare God for after that Nabuchodonosor had turned to the Lord began to be a benefactor to the Church to the mēbers thereof this his sonne likewise when he became king of Babylon after his father in the first yere of his reigne brought Iehoiakin king of Iuda out of prison hee restored him to libertie and aduanced him to
of these scepters were made put in tables of Alabaster Iuorie Ebony in diuers coūtries where he traueiled leauing behind him his sister his wife Isis to gouerne Egypt This time began the 16. Dynasteia of Egypt which were potētates states who gouerned Egypt in many places some endured 100. some 200. yeres some 300. yeeres some more some lesse they were in Egypt as the Chiliarchi were with the Hebrewes as the Amphictions with the Grecians and as the Senators with the Romanes but when the kings of Egypt began to be mighty strong the state of the potentates began to be diminished but it stil continued vnder the kings of Egypt as chiefe gouernours which the Grecians called Polemarchi I will begin of Osiris the first king of Egypt yet Diodorus nameth Mena the first king of Egypt which Berosus cal Oceanus which is Mizraim with the Hebrewes This Osiris was maried to Isis called Iuno Egyptia for prophane writers name the first kings queenes of euery countrey by the name of Satur. Iupiter Iuno Ceres c. This Isis is supposed to be called Ceres for that she affirmeth of her self this sentence writtē vnder diuers pictures of Isis in tables pillars set vp in Egypt Ego sum Isis Egypti Regina à Mercurio erudita vxor Osiridis mater regis Ori gaude Bubastia gaude Egypte quae me nutristi these words were graued in a pillar of brasse called Columna Isidis read of this more in Dio. Sic. Orus the 2. king of Egypt succeeded his father Osiris this taught the Egyptiās many things read lectures of Astronomy and the first that instructed the rude people to obserue the orders course of the stars likewise he made many good lawes amongst the Egyptians and made them acquainted with the true God whō Abraham being then in Egypt confessed preached with whō king Orus seemed to haue conference was taught by Abraham to acknowledge the power of God hauing had sensible trial therof of his fathers punishment the plague thereby that happened by his iniurious dealing with Sara this made this king to honour Abraham much yet in his fathers dayes Abraham made no long stay in Egypt It seemed that Abraham had some liking to this Orus before he was king to whō he reuealed instructions both to know God his creatures whereby after he was made king and he taught in Egypt those good things which Abraham instructed him whereby he was called in Egypt Orus the great Melanthon saith he had a sonne called Bocchoris after Bocchoris Busiris who builded Thebes in Egypt setting forth the kings of Egypt Herodotus doth not obserue lineally their succession nor Functius in his table nor Manethon an Egyptian priest onely chronographer for the kings of Egypt wherein no true lineall successe may be set downe of the old kings of Egypt vntil Amasis where Herodotus omitteth many things of Egypt beginneth to make relation of the kings of Egypt from Chiopes the first yere of Persusennes which was in the beginning of the 11. Iubilee after Moses Menathon the historie is mentioned by Iosephus the names of the Egyptiā kings laide downe to Ramases which with him is Sethosis beginneth from Ramesses surnamed Egyptus who vsurped the kingdome hauing banished thence his brother Danaus Hee setteth downe that the lande of Egypt was then the fourth time called Mizraim at what time as Cornelius Tacitus and others say the names of Pharoes first began so Manethon affirmeth But it doth appeate by Iosephus against Appian a schoolemaster of Alexandria that the historie of Egypt is patched and forged by Manethon Cheremon two chiefe ancient Chronographers that for true histories generally remaine but fables he laieth downe the errors of Manethon written by himselfe in these wordes At what time Timaus reigned king in Egypt saith Appian came certeine people a base nation from the East and began to inhabit to build to growe strong in Egypt so that they made them a king to gouerne them the which was called Saltis this came to Memphis to Sais two great townes in Egypt seated himselfe in those townes and brought the princes about to pay to them tribute vsed great crueltie slue made hauocke of much people in Egypt After that Saltis reigned nineteene yeeres in Egypt he died after whom succeeded fiue other kings which in all were sixe whose names I set downe to your viewe 1 Saltis which reigned 19. yeeres 2 Baeon which reigned 44. yeeres 3 Apachnas which reigned 36. yeeres 4 Iamas reigned 50. yeres 5 Apochis reigned 61. yeeres 6 Assis reigned 49. yeres These sixe kings reigned first ouer these base people as Manethon writeth which were called in Egypt Hicsos shepheards they and their posteritie after them reigned in Egypt fiue hundreth and eleuen yeeres vntill the time of Alisfragmutosis by whom they wererepulsed and constrained to dwel within a place called Auaris the proportion of tenne thousand acres this compasse they held fortified many strong walles and fortes these shepheards as Manethon saith stood vpon their defence vntil Temosine the kings sōne to Alisfragmutosis laid siege to their fortes with foure hundred eight score thousande readie in armes against these Hicsos with whom the king of Egypt concluded peace vpon condition to depart whither they woulde without harme or hurt so that they would depart out of Egypt These people forced in this sort to the number of two hundred fourtie thousand to passe through Egypt with al their possession with them tooke their iourney through the deserts of Syria and fearing the power of the Assyrians which at that time gouerned al Asia they builded a Towne for them to dwell in in Iudea called Ierusalem this nation was called in Manethon Hicsos Pastores reges this squareth farre from the historie of Moses concerning their dwellings being of the Hebrewes in Egypt After the departure of these Hebrewes out of Egypt these many kings reigned successiuely as Manethon orderly setteth them downe 1 Alisfragumtosis 2 Temusi 25. yeeres 3 Chebron 13. yeeres 4 Amenophis 20. yeres 7. moneths 5 Amesses the sister of Amenophis gouerned Egypt after her brother 21. yeeres 6 Mephres 12. yeeres and 9. moneths 7 Mephramutosis reigned 25. yeeres 8 Thmosis 9. yeres and 8. moneths 9 Amenophis the 2. of that name reigned 30. yeeres 10. moneths 10 Orus 3. yeeres and 5. moneths 11 Acencheres Orus daughter after her father reigned 12. yeres 12 Rathotis reigned 9. yeeres 13 Acencheres 12. yeres 14 Acencheres the 2. reigned 12. yeeres and 3. moneths 15 Armais reigned 4. yeeres 16 Armesis reigned one yeere 17 Armesesmiamus reig ned 66. yeeres 18 Amenophis the 3. of that name 19. yeeres 19 Sethosis was the 19. king of Egypt after the going out of these Shepheards out of Egypt which was 393. yeeres from Tomusis vntill Sethosis This Sethofis was mightie strong on sea and vpon land he prepared
to the people of Egypt then his brother was who in like sort vsed them with toile and with all kinde of bondage as Cheops did and therefore the like praise they had For after they had raigned both an hundred sixe yeres during which time Egypt suffered great calamitie they disdained after their death to call them by the names of kings but suffered shepherds to lodge in their stately Piramides loathing once to thinke vpon these two kings By this time ended the gouernment of 177. vnder the Potentats during which time many things happened in other kingdomes as erection of the kingdome of Israel after Samsons time their last Iudge by appointing Saul their first king about the 60. yeres of these last Potentats of Egypt At what time the kings of Peloponesus in Greece and their gouernment of Monarchia ended priestes which were called Carni were appointed magistrates After 26. kings had raigned in Scicionum about the 80. of this gouernment the kingdome of Lacedemonia and the kingdome of Corinth beganne both at one time at what time raigned in Athens Codrus their last king after whom the state altered into the gouernment of Iudges in the 114. yeere of this Dynastia during which time raigned in Assyria foure kings and ouer the Albanes otherwise called the Latins raigned sixe kings this was the twentie Dynastie of the Egyptians this began tenne yeeres before the sixt Iubilee and ended 19. yeeres after the beginning of the ninth Iubilee In Egypt gouerned by this time Mycerinus or Cerinus in Diodorus the sonne of Cheops a iust king and gentle vsing the people with much more clemencie then either his father or his vncle did before him he opened the temples which of an hundreth and sixe yeeres were shut vp he restored all Egypt into her former libertie which had bene long in calamitie and misery vnder his father he commaunded the people to be free from their taxes and toiles and vsed them with greatlenitie hee iudged iustly and shewed himselfe such a king that all the Egyptians thought themselues happie of his gouernment for he loathed tyrannie and crueltie and was much ashamed of his fathers reproche amongst the people This Mycerinus in the middest of his good gouernment had onely one daughter that died of whom her father to shewe the great loue which hee bare vnto her made such a monument for her buriall that it past all the burials of the kings of Egypt hee caused a coffine of the likenes of an oxe to be made set ouer all with golde wherein hee layed his daughter and hanged the same vp from the ground in his pallace at the citie of Sai where euery day the priestes came with frankincense and other sweete odours to doe sacrifice the oxe of Apis which was the God of Memphis and the oxe Mneum which was the God of Heliopolis were not so set foorth as this oxe of Sai where Mycerinus daughter was buried An other misfortune was denounced by an Oracle vnto Mycerinus that hee likewise should be buried within sixe yeres after his daughter for that he altered the state of Egypt and eased the Egyptians from such bondage as they were to abide for an hundreth and fiftie yeeres of the which Cheops and Cephrim two brethren perfourmed an hundreth and sixe remayning yet behinde fourtie and foure yeeres of the calamitie which by an Oracle was appointed for Egypt and to seeke to please the Oracle Mycerinus became a little better then his father Cheops or his vncle Cephrim two tyrants that plagued Egypt After this king the priests of Egypt doe set downe a king named Asichis of whom I finde in Herodotus that he past the rest of the kings of Egypt in building and vexing of his subiects in so much that hee made one Piramides to excell the rest with this inscription This Piramides doeth passe the rest as farre as Iupiter doeth excell the rest of the gods This king is named also Anisis in Melancthon and in Functius but in Herodotus Anisis or Asichis a king who came not to be king of Egypt by succession of blood but by election of the priestes who after he had raigned sixe yeeres was driuen out of Egypt by Sabacus an Aethiopian which raigned after Anisis 50. yeeres king of Egypt this king is called Sesac in the booke of the Kings of whom you may reade more for in the fift yeere of Roboam king of Iuda this Sesac king of Egypt is spoken of After Sabacus succeeded Sethon a priest of Vulcan this king after many ouerthrowes being left and forsaken of his owne people made his complaint to Vulcan of whom he was certified in a dreame that he should haue ayde and helpe if he would meete the king of Arabia and his armie and giue him battel Being thus encouraged with a smal cōpany of Egyptiās that folowed him he camped before the city of Pelusiū where the armie of the Arabians pitched their tents while the first night they lay in their tents rats vermine and myse of al the coūtrey about deuoured their arrows their bowstrings their quiuers their targets their instrumēts which they prepared for the warres so that the Arabians in the next morning fled In memory of this victory Sethon when he died caused himselfe to be buried in the temple of Vulcan and commaunded that his statue should be made in a stone with a rat in his hand with this sentence written about it In me quis intuēs pius esto In that place where Herodotus doth intreat of this Sethon he seemed very fabulous saith that the Isle of Foemis swimmeth on a lake and that the priests of Egypt affirme that from the first king of Egypt vntil this kings time 341. kings are past which are 11. more kings then Manethon before affirmed during which time the sunne foure times altered his course rising in the West and going downe in the East with such other vaine and friuolous fables cōcerning their antiquities This Sethon is named of Eusebius Spethon with whom Manethon supposeth in his chronicles that it was he that Sannaherib had warres with and after ouerthrew him for I reade in Eusebius and Iosephus who make mention of one Tarachus king of Aethiopia which came to ayde Sethon king of Egypt against Sanneherib at what time God had raised many enemies to plague Israel and Iuda for their transgressions against their God which so mercifully had saued them oftentimes as Assar Salmanasser which in the histories of the Prophets is called Tiglat Assar to whose hands God gaue ouer Samaria and tenne tribes of Israel and afterward Ierusalem to the hands of Nabuchodonosor with the other two tribes of Iuda Beniamin for both the kings of Assyria and of Egypt made a pray of Iuda as in the history of the Assyrians is more at large declared In Egypt after Sethon the priest of Vulcan died the gouernment
and in Lydia Haliates their eight king Hitherunto the liues of Pharaos kings of Egypt which continued from the first Amasis in the beginning of the eighteenth Dynastia which was about the time of the going of the Patriarch Iacob into Egypt vnto his sonne Ioseph vntil the time of this Amasis the last king of that name about twelue hundreth yeeres so long continued the names of Pharaos This Amasias as the rest of the kings before him was so idolatrous and so addicted to obey Oracles that hee also imitated his predecessours in such fonde buildings to carie huge stones from Memphis and from Elephantina to builde a temple vp vnto Minerua in the citie of Sai that hee much mused how he might passe the rest with the monstrousnesse of the great huge stones to build temples images colossus wherein he in one monument excelled the rest He caused a house to be made of one stone to be brought from the citie of Elephantina to the citie of Sais which is as Herodotus writeth twentie dayes sayling two thousand chosen men were three yeeres in bringing this house to Sai of all other workes most to bee wondered for this stone was one and twentie cubites in length and fourteene in breadth and also hee made a colossus or an image in Memphis before the temple of Vulcan of seuentie and fiue foote long he builded likewise a large temple for Isis in Memphis Thus the kings of Egypt stroue one after another to excell in their workes and vaine monuments In the time of this king a lawe was made in Egypt that in euery Prouince of Egypt the President thereof should take accompt and examine the youthes of their prouinces how and after what sort they liued for to see an idle man in Egypt that could not answere for himselfe howe hee liued it was death and therefore to auoyde idlenesse they were thus compelled by the Kings of Egypt to carie stones to the building of Piramides temples Colossus Labirinthes and such like This law afterward was by Solon brought to Greece for Solon was in Egypt in the time of the last Amasis Pomponius Mela saith that in the raigne of Amasis were twentie thousand cities Herodotus saith one thousand and twentie cities for old Egypt in times past was very great and large for hard by the marches of Affricke in the shore standeth Alexandria on the borders of Arabia is the citie of Pelusium other faire cities are farre from the sea as Memphis Sai Bubastis Elephantina and and Thebes which is reported to haue an 100. brasen gates and so many princes pallaces Many good lawes are written among the Egyptians by Sasiches and by Sesostris but specially by Bocchoris of whose lawes I wil set dowme some few as Diodorus wrote them to the nomber of 17. 1. The first law was that none might violate their gods with othes the offenders herein were punished as false to God and man 2. If any ayded not a man iniuried or beaten or robbed by any man either vpon the way as he trauailed or in the place where he dwelt he was to die for it if he might haue helped it else to publish and to call for helpe 3. False witnes was so punished by a decree made for that purpose the punishment that hee that was accused should haue being proued should be for the false accuser not being proued 4. Against idlenes all the names of the citie parish or countrey are brought and recorded with the magistrates of the prouinces are examined how they are occupied how they liue of what trade or trafique he or they be of if he be found idle he shall die by the lawe in Egypt this law Solon caried with him from Egypt to Athens 5. If any man killed a freeman or a seruant death was his punishment 6. If the father killed the sonne he was free frō death but he should for three dayes be punished as the decree was made in that behalfe for the Egyptians thought not the father worthy of death for killing of his sōne quia auctor fuit 7. For the sonne that killed his father the greatest torments that might be deuised was by lawe appointed for him for to take the life of him away which gaue him life 8. If a woman with child by law be condemned to die she is reserued vntill the childe be borne for the Egyptians thinke it not fit that two should be punished when one had offended and that the giltlesse with the giltie should be condemned Iniquum enim iustum cum iniusto poenam pati This law was caried from Egypt into Greece from Greece into other countreis 9 The souldier that offended his captaine in the fielde or had transgressed the commandement of the officers he should not die but with all infamie and shame he should haue two letters printed in his forehead as cōmon markes of infamie but if hee had reuealed any secrets to the enemies the lawe had commaunded his tongue to be pluckt out of his head 10 If any had clipt any lawfull coine or counterfaited the like or diminished the weight by lawe he should die 11 If any man had counterfaited the hand of any man or had taken away any letters or had put in any letters in any writings or found faultie in forging any deede or letters he should haue both his hands cut off 12 If any had violated by force any maid or free woman he should haue that member punished that had offended his priuie members cut off if by consent the man and woman sinned it was by lawe appointed that the man should be beaten with roddes to the nūber of a thousand stripes and the woman should haue her nose cut off for a marke of a whore 13 For satisfiyng of creditors in borowing of money it was by an othe confirmed not with obligations made that the money shoulde be paide vpon the day appointed for a sacred othe sincerely inuiolated was more esteemed in Egypt then any writing or bond made for it was a wonder to see in Egypt a man forsworne 14 For it was not lawfull to arrest any man in Egypt for debtes by the lawe of Bochoris but to seize vpon the goods or substance for whatsoeuer passed in secrete writings betweene the partie and creditour no arrest was admitted for all the people of Egypt were diuided into foure partes which were husbandmen craftesmen shepheards and souldiers payment was made to the creditors by the goods of the debtors and not by arrest for they thought that a man free borne shoulde for no money be imprisoned specially the souldiers which with danger of life defendeth his countrey 15 The like law was in Egypt for vsurie by Bochoris which was brought to Athens by Solon which lawe was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this lawe Solon commaunded that no Citizen in Athens should be put in prison for vsurie for the Egyptians condemned much the Grecians that had by the law
should claime more dignitie then was set downe by Alexander in a table which the Romanes afterward kept vsing the same order for a time as Alexander did It is written that the great Alexander had yeerely tribute paide vnto him during his life the summe of sixe thousande talents for Plutarch in the life of Agesilaus speaketh of a king named Tachus in Egypt to whom Agesilaus came from Sparta for Nectanabus was a nephew of king Tachus and one of his chiefe captaines who rebelled against the king and being chosen by the Egyptians their king he desired the aide of Agesilaus who ioyned with him being an olde souldier hauing had in hand greater battels in Greece against Pelopidas and Epaminondas then at that time with Nectanabus against Tachus Therefore Nectanabus committed all into the handes of Agesilaus by whom the victorie fell to Nectanabus Tachus the king forced to flee After this the affaires of this Nectanabus had good successe and hee was quietly stablished in his kingdome by the meanes of Agesilaus king of Sparta to whō Nectanabus gaue two hundred thirtie talents of siluer in readie money to defray the charges of his souldiers Thus Nectanabus reigned quietly in Egypt though vnder Darius the last king of Persia Mezabes gouerned Egypt who yeelded into the hands of Alexander the kingdome of Egypt assoone as hee had heard that his master king Darius was slaine and al Persia subdued by Alexander who as you heard before possessed Egypt without warres being yeelded of the state of Egypt From the time of Alexander the great vnto Iulius Caesar that is from the Monarchie of the Grecians vnto the Romanes is two hundred eightie two yeeres After the death of Alexander his kingdomes were diuided chiefely betweene foure of his graund captaines specially those kingdomes which were of the greatest fame and renowne as Macedonia to Cassander Asia the lesser to Antigonus Babylon and all Asia the great to Saleuchus furnamed Nicanor Egypt with the most part of Syria to Ptolomei the sonne of Lagi This was the first king of Egypt after Alexanders death after whose names all the kings of Egypt vntill Iulius Caesars time were called Ptolomei This king grewe great and mightie in Egypt and beganne strongly vpon the next nations vnto him to make warre and brought diuers subiects vnder the Empire of Egypt whose good successe in the beginning Perdiccas began to enuy This Perdiccas was the chiefe gouernor of Macedonia and as it were left a tutour ouer Arideus the base brother of Alexander the great to whom by common consent the kingdome of Macedonia was appointed Perdiccas supposing to keepe Egypt subiect to Macedonia and to bridle the insolencie which he sawe in Ptolomei he leauied a great armie of souldiers made a voiage into Egypt against whose comming Ptolomie with al celeritie gathered his army and gaue him battel wherein Perdiccas was slaine and his whole company ouerthrowen Vpon this ouerthrowe of Perdiccas Ptolomei king of Egypt waxed insolent of the victorie entred into Syria by strong hand brought Syria vnder Egypt after hee went to Ierusalem he plagued the citizēs wasted spoiled brought diuers out of Iudea captiues into Egypt Of this king the Prophet Daniel spake in this sort The king of the South shal be mightie and his dominion shal be great reade more in Daniel of this Antigonus being aduertised of Ptolomeis great victories howe he had vanquished Perdiccas subdued Syria sent his sonne Demetrius a young man of 22. yeeres and the first time that he tooke the charge of a General in hand and that against an old souldier of the great Alexander trained vp in discipline of warres alwaies Demetrius was put to flight 5000. of his men slaine and almost eight thousand taken by the Citie of Gaza Antigonus hearing howe his sonne was ouerthrowen said that this Ptolomei ouerthrew beardles men said further he should fight with bearded men And it came to passe that Demetrius being before put to flight was not quiet before he requited the last foile by the king of Egypt receiued with the like ouerthrow wherein Demetrius had the victorie of Ptolomei and of his army which victorie did put Ptolomei out of al Syria and brought Antigonus in againe By this time Seleucus whō Antigonus had driuen out of Babylon before came againe and entred into Babylon Cassander likewise fearing that young Hercules the sonne of Alexander the great being nowe of fourteene yeeres of age should be by the Macedonians so fauoured for his fathers sake that hee should be king in Macedonia therefore hee secretly commaunded that both Hercules and his mother Arsine should be murthered yet Cassander was not quiet vntill hee practised the like murther against Olympias Alexanders mother and against Roxana Alexanders wife Antigonus and his sonne Demetrius were much enuied for their victories this time in so much that all these kings after Alexanders death destroyed one another with continuall warres Lysimacus was slaine by Seleucus Seleucus was slaine by Ptolomei whose sister was maried to Lysimachus Polibeus writeth that in the hundred twentie fourth Olympiad Ptolomie Lagi king of Egypt Seleuchus Nicanor king of Syria Lysimachus king of Thracia and Ptolomei Cerannon brother to Philadelphus chiefe souldiers vnder Alexander the great were slaine one of another Thus Ptolomei the sonne of Lagi after hee had conquered Perdiccas ouerthrewe Demetrius subdued Syria and the most part of Iudea when hee reigned fourttie yeeres died during which time Demetrius Phalerius ruled Athens vnder Cassander and Demetrius surnamed Poliorcetes destroyed a Citie in Samaria which Perdiccas builded This time the people of Alexandria sent to entreate for the Romanes friendshippe to aide them if neede required This was the first request made to the Romanes by the Citizens of Alexandria in Egypt for the Romanes beganne to bee strong and they of Alexandria perceiuing the great warres and tyrannie that was in all partes of the worlde at that time And also hauing seene within Egypt more blood in the time of one Ptolomei then in twentie Pharaos for then Egypt had nothing to doe but to builde Piramides and to make Labirinths monstrous and needelesse monuments but nowe sworde and fire came into Egypt In the time of this king florished Theophrastus a famous Philosopher one of Aristotles schollers and Menedemus another Philosopher in the same time liued Menander the Tragedian Atheneus the Historian and Demetrius Phalerius In Egypt succeeded after Ptolome Lagi his sonne Philadelphus a learned prince and a great fauourer of learned men this king was iust discreete and gentle bent more to mainteine peace then to procure warres and therefore so beloued of his people and hee to them againe so louing that during his whole gouernment which was thirtie eight yeeres the Egyptians liued quietly without trouble or warres where before Egypt for a thousand foure hundred yeeres was brought vp vnder blind priests
nor their countrey so simple a beginning the Parthians had vntill they scattered themselues to serue as mercenarie souldiers then beganne the Parthians to haue some fame by their seruice which were as I saide before scant knowen It is written by Solinus that Parthia grew into so large an Empire that it conteined 18. kingdomes these kingdomes are deuided into two partes eleuen of the eighteene called the vpper kingdomes beginning from the borders of Armenia passing along the Caspian sea coast to Scithia the other seuen kingdomes haue on the West the Medes on the South Carmania on the North Hircania the language of the Parthians is mingled partly with the Medes and partly with the Scithians their apparel after the custome of Scithia their souldiers in fight were their seruants of whom the Parthians had as great care as of their children teaching them in their youth to ride to shoote and to doe all other martiall exploits for of fiftie thousand souldiers which they had against M. Antonius were none free men but 450. all the rest were seruants The Parthians began to erect a kingdome at what time raigned in Egypt Euergetes the thirde king and in Macedonia raigned king Demetrius likewise in Asia and Syria raigned Seleucus Gabinius the forth king About this time the Carthagineans had great warres with the Numidians which endured foure yeeres of these warres Polibeus writeth In the time of the first king of Parthia which was named Arsaces Eumenes king of Bithynia inuaded Asia This king Arsaces deserued no lesse fame by his great prowesse and valiant deedes by his fortun at warres and good successe amongst the Parthians then Cyrus did amongst the Persians or Alexander the great amongst the Macedonians The Parthians so loued this Arsaces aliue and so honoured him dead that all the kings of Parthia after him were called Arsaces with no lesse dignitie then the Caesars of Rome or Pharaoâ—…s of Egypt and yet a meane man in the beginning who might more bragge of vertue knowledge then of dignitie or parentage for before these Parthians followed Eumenes in the warres of Asia after Eumenes they followed Antigonus after Antigonus they followed Seleucus Nicanor after him Antiochus At what time the Parthians reuoulted and made a choise of this king named Arsaces who brought such renowne to the Parthians such credite to the countrey as enlarged their confines and augmented their Empire This time one Theodotus being but then President ouer 1000. Townes and Cities in Bactriana proclaimed himselfe king of the Bactrians with this king Theodotus Arsaces entred in societie and with his sonne after him nowe when Arsaces had setled himselfe quietly in Parthia he gaue them lawes to liue by he did set and frame all things in order hee builded Townes and Cities and one chiefe Metropolitane Citie and named it Daram This king had a sonne named Mithridates who after his father reigned in Parthia with no lesse fame then his father he leauied an armie of a hundred thousand footemen and twentie thousand horsemen fought with Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus king of Syria with such inuincible courage that Antiochus thought it his best way to haue peace with him When this king died succeeded him Pampatius the third king in Parthia who when he had reigned twelue yeeres left behinde him two sonnes the one named Pharnaces the other Mithridates the elder brother after the Parthian maner enioyed his fathers seate and his father surnamed Arsaces as the other kings were This king ouerthrew a very stout Nation called Mardi and did as his predecessors had done adde some people or wanne some countrey to Parthia who hauing many children when hee died and hauing more care of his countrey then of his children appointed his brother Mithridates to be king of Parthia a man of great courage and singular vertues The same very time when Mithridates entred into Parthia as king did Encratides likewise enter to the kingdome of the Bactrians but these two kings prospered not alike for Encratides after diuers and sundry battels giuen to him by the Sogdians Dranganites and Indians wherein he gaue diuers repulses vnto his enemies but at length so wearied with continuall warres hee was ouerthrowen and vanquished In Parthia with better successe fought Mithridates with the Medes whom after many doubtfull battels Mithridates subdued the Medes and brought them subiect vnder the Parthians and appointed in Medea Bachasus to be lieutenant and went himselfe into Hircania and then waged warres with the king of Elymees which he vanquished and all his countrey and ioyned them to the Parthians so that Parthia was so strengthened by the Medes the Elimees other nations that they gouerned from mount Caueasus to the riuer Euphrates so that poore Parthia before a base people and a rude countrey are nowe become lords ouer the stoute Medes so by Gods appointment kingdomes and Empires doe both flowe and ebbe during this time Masinissa was by sundry battels driuen out of his kingdome by Syphax king of Numidia At that time reigned in Syria Seleucus Philopator their seuenth king and in Egypt reigned Ptolomei Philometor the sixt king Cornelius Scipio about this time triumphed ouer Asia After this Mithridates death succeeded his sonne Phrahartes who had not the fortune which his father had for Phrahartes was sore vexed by the Scythians who at the first came to aide the king of Parthia against Antiochus king of Syria the souldiers fell to mutinie for want of pay and therefore wasted and spoiled the Confines of Parthia burned townes and robbed countries that Phrahartes was constrained to leauy an armie and to make warres vpon the Scythians whose lucke had beene better if hee had taried in Parthia where hee left behinde him Himerus too young a man to gouerne a kingdome who lost at home in Parthia asmuch as Phrahartes lost in Scythia After Phrahartes was ouerthrowen by the Scythians Artabanus succeded who likewise shortly was slaine in the warres at Colchata after whom succeeded his sonne Mithridates the second of that name who for his noble deedes and valiant actes was named Mithridates the great and yet not so great as infortunate for when he had reuenged the death of his father vpon the Scythians plagued the Armenians and had gotten diuers Nations subiect vnto Parthia yet hee was banished from Parthia and his kingdome giuen to Horodes his brother Horodes hauing the kingdome of Parthia in his hand hearing that his brother Mithridates had fledde into Babylon to auoide further feare hee besieged Babylon vntill by famine they were compelled to yeelde the Citie Mithridates hoping for pardon yeelded himselfe to his brother but Horodes supposing that he would prooue rather an enemie then a brother commaunded him to be slaine before his face By this time the Parthians grewe so great and waxed so strong that their fame extended into Rome a Citie that coulde neuer abide no kingdome nor no
all countreis and became the only kingdom of force power whose fame and renowne was spread ouer the whole world After him succeeded Ciaxares the 7. king of the Medes this passed all the kings of Media before him and obscured the fame of his predecessors this king is named in Daniel Darius Medus as Melancthon doeth note This was he that subdued Asia and deuided Asia into nations countreys prouinces and kingdoms and the first among the Medes that deuised spearemen bowmen and horsemen and taught the Medes many warlicke feates he vanquished all the regions about Media and gathered all the force hee could against the Lydians and after brought all his armies ouer the riuer Halis and went to reuenge his fathers death Phaortes vpon the Assyrians besieged Niniue and as Eusebius testifieth he tooke the citie of Niniue and conquered the most part of Assyria except Babylon and fewe prouinces about Babylon It is written in Ruffinus that while Ciaxares layed siege to Niniue Madies king of Scythia came with great power against this Ciaxares with whom he encountred and put him to the worst scattered his armie and wan the field and remoued their siege frō Niniue in so much that the Scythians ruled gouerned al Asia for 28. yeres but afterward slaine and ouerthrowen by the Medes About this time Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon layed siege to Ierusalem tooke Zedekias the king burned the citie and destroyed the temple and the most part of the best Iewes were caried captiue into Babylon where Ezechiel began to prophecie both against Egypt and Babylon where likewise he prophecied the rebuilding of Ierusalem and the restoring of the Iewes after 70. yeres captiuitie There folowed in Media Astiages the 8. and last king of the Medes who raigned ouer the Medes 35. yeeres hauing onely one daughter named Mandanes of this her father thought so wel that he iudged no man among the Medes worthy of his daughter but gaue her in mariage to Cambyses king of Persia which then payed tribute vnto the Medes and were broght vnder their monarchie by cōquest Now Astiages the king being in his town Ecbatana dreamed of his daughter Mādanes in this sort he thought in his dreame that his daughter made so much water at one time as filled al the streets of the city Ecbatana that it did ouerflow all Asia who when he awaked mused much at this dreame fearing the successe thereof tooke order with one Harpagus a friend of his that when his daughter Mādanes should be brought to bed the child should presently be killed This cōmandement of the king troubled Harpagus insomuch that he himself detested so foule an act caused one named Mitridates a heardman of Astiages to come to his house to whō he imparted the kings cōmandement charging him to take the child and to bring him to some place where the childe might die to auoyde the displeasure of the king This poore man obeying Harpagus tooke the child delighted much in his fauour thinking in his heart that he was of some great parentage tooke it with him and hauing that time by his wife a childe borne dead hee tooke it and made as though it were Cambyses sonne buried him in a desart place and cōmanded his wife to bring vp Cyrus as her owne childe Now when Harpagus was throughly certified that Cyrus was killed buried by this his trusty friēd who saw the place where the dead childe was buried supposing it to be Cyrus Harpagus therof was very glad told the king that in al things his cōmandement was executed The king was merie al things very quiet and he doubted nothing While this Astiages was lustie and frolike Cyrus grew in the meane while to some stature being about tenne yeeres of age hauing some cause to be brought before Astyages he had some impression in his head and conceiued by imagination considering the time that Cyrus should haue bene killed and the age of Cyrus then present hee beganne to examine the matter with Harpagus and Harpagus with Midridates vntill the trueth was found Astiages being much disquieted with this Harpagus was troubled in minde fearing some mischance should happen vnto him by the meanes of this Cyrus of whom he dreamed as you heard commaunded him out of his sight and to goe vnto Persia to his father Cambyses and to his mother Mandanes and there vpon his allegeance to stay Cyrus began to feele his stomacke being very young to be very great yet for that time he obeyed the king and went to Persia where he consulted with Harpagus about the recouerie of the kingdome of Media For when Cyrus had heard how that Astiages had commaunded Harpagus to kill him and to haue him out of the way hee thought now being in yeeres fully to reuenge the said wrong he gathered his power together and had his souldiers in armes and was ready with his force to march against Astiages The bruite and great report of Cyrus preparation came to the eares of king Astiages who not being therewith a little frighted sent messengers vnto Cyrus commanding him vpon his allegeance to repaire to king Astiages To whom answere was made by Cyrus that Astiages should see Cyrus before hee wished to see him and that Cyrus would come before Astiages would haue him to come This answere of Cyrus being giuen to the king he straight commanded all Media to be in armes and with great hast with no lesse feare made his souldiers readie Nowe Harpagus hauing determined to flee from his charge being generall of the Medes vnto Cyrus When both the armies came to ioyne in battell Harpagus perfourmed promise with Cyrus forsooke the Medes and came to the Persians This first battell by reason of Harpagus and diuers noble men more of Media which reuolted was ouerthrowen by Cyrus Astiages againe gathered his force renewed his armie and came in field himselfe being general in person against Cyrus where hee was with all his souldiers ouerthrowen and his kingdome taken from him and the Empire of Media which before gouerned Persia is nowe againe brought by Cyrus vnto Persia. This was the vncertaine state of the worlde then sometime conquerours and sometime straight conquered as before you haue read of Assyria and Chaldea sometimes the Assyrians mastered the Chaldeans and againe the Chaldeans ouercame the Assyrians and so of the Medes and of the Persians for now the Persians are become lords of Media Lydia Chaldea Assyria all Asia and the most part of the East which the Medes hitherto for the space of an hundreth and thirtie yeres gouerned Asia about the riuer Halis Thus Media after it had in all continued three hundreth and fiftie yeeres from Sardanapalus vntill Cyrus time by Cyrus was ouerthrowen in the thirtie and fifte yeere of the raigne of Astiages two hundreth yeeres after the building of Rome at what time
were the Camerines subdued hauing once or twise before reuolted against the Romanes ouer whom Romulus the second time triumphed their cities taken and their countrey made a prouince to the Romanes By this time the people of Vienna mooued warres against Romulus but being ouerthrowen Romulus made his third and last triumph of these three triumphes reade Dionysius Romulus died to whom many townes cities and prouinces yeelded themselues vnto Romulus for the fame and report they heard of him for he was both religious and vertuous Hippomenes the fourth prince or magistrate then gouerned Athens After that Meles had gouerned the Lydians 12. yeeres there folowed the fourth king named Cādaules a foolish and a vaine king of whom this historie is of Herodotus written This Candaules whō the Greciās called Mirsilus had a passing faire woman to his wife of whom he ioyed much esteeming her to be the onely woman of the world for beautie and hauing a deare friend and one of his owne seruants named Giges from whom he could conceale nothing he perswaded this Giges to be an eye witnes of his wife whose perfection in al points he could not with tongue expresse vnto Giges but willed him to be in some secret place where and when he had appointed him to behold the rarenesse of her beautie Giges after three or foure denials being vrged thereunto by the king his master cōsented to the kings request secretly came to the place where the king had appointed him where he saw the queene naked as shewent to bed to whom Candaules when he knew that Giges suffficiently had viewed his wife he saide Esto fidelis Giges at the which wordes the Queene looked backe being amazed of his speach and saw the backe of Giges by chaunce as he went away requesting the king to tell who hee was after much entreatie he saide it was his seruant Giges The Queene dissembling the matter that night said nothing but in the morning shee did send for certaine of her chiefe friendes and told the cause and willed them to be in a place appointed ready against Giges came whom she sent for to whom she said these words Giges thou hast to chuse of two offers either to kill the king my husband and to marrie me and become king thy selfe in Lydia or els to be killed and lose thy life presently for in that place where he shewed me naked thou shalt destroy him there shalt thou haue a dagger ready which being perfourmed by Giges he married the Queene and became the fift king of the Lydians according to the oracle of Delphos who had afore told that Cādaules should be the last king of the stocke of Heraclides and Giges the sonne of Dascilus of the house of Memnades the fift king of Lydia which gouerned not long without due reuenge which fell in the time of Cyrus Thus the ancient stocke and the long succession of Heraclides euen from Hercules vntill Candaules the sonne of Mirsus was of fiue hundreth and two yeres continuance during which time raigned 22. kings one after another of the line of Hercules reade Herodotus Taurentum was builded by Philautus in the time of this Candaules by the Parthians reade Iustinus the thirde booke After that Giges had by wicked meanes obteined the kingdome of Lydia and had sent to Delphos great presents and rich rewards to Apollo for the oracles giuen he went in armes against Miletum and Smyrna two cities in Greece besieged Colophonem and subdued it No other action of any importance hath bene written of him he died when he had raigned 36. yeeres In Giges time Bizantium otherwise called Constantinople was builded About this time the tyrant Phalaris gouerned the Agrigentines Tullus Hostilius raigned thirde king of Rome in the last yeeres of Giges In Iuda raigned Amon. And amongst the Egyptians Psammeticus this Psammeticus when he had obtained Egypt into his owne handes being before but one of the twelue that gouerned Egypt he ioyned with the people of Caria and Ionia and thereby he much augmented the state of Egypt From this king vnto Cambyses time the historie is set foorth very plaine in Herodotus The Grecians about this time first frequented the oracle of Iupiter called Dodonaeū oraculum Archilocus the historian Aristoxenes the musition Simonides florished in these dayes In the seuenth yeere of Giges the state of Decennales principes ended and the common wealth of Athens was gouerned after-terward by a popular state called Democratia Now Ardis the sixt king of Lydia and sonne to Giges succeeded in the kingdome of whom there is litle or nothing mentioned In the beginning of this kings raigne in the 29. Olympiad and in the 16. Iubilee Zaleucus king of the Locresians decreed a lawe to his subiects concerning adulterie that whosoeuer should be found faultie in this offence should lose both his eyes His sonne violating this law was of his owne father the king iudged to loose both his eyes his nobles and his great men entreated for the yong mans fault but the king not neglecting to do iustice according to the law by him made and according to his sentence giuen vpon his sonne by the lawe he caused his sonne to be brought before him where in presence of his subiects the king shewed both mercie and iustice for hee commaunded first that one of his owne eyes should be put out and the other eye to be taken from his sonne A rare example of Iustice and mercie and the like not to be found in our dayes At this time in Rome triumphed Tullus Hostilius ouer the Fidenans the Vients and entred Rome triumphantly the ninth yere of his raigne Now raigned in Iudea Iosias a godly king who purged Ierusalem and all Iewrie from abominations and idolatrie and brought them to knowe the Lorde againe in whose time the Prophet Ieremie began to prophecie the destruction of Ierusalem and other kingdomes In Corinth raigned at this time Cipselus and amongst the Medes gouerned Phaortes their sixt king whom the Assyrians ouerthrew as Herodotus doeth affirme In the realme of Pontus there was this time builded a towne called Hystris and in Asia two other townes called Chautus and Stagera Terpander an excellent mufition at this time liued and Thales Milesius a great Philosopher whom Eusebius affirmeth to haue liued from the 30. Olympiad vntill the 58. Olympiad About this time the Sabines after much slaughter were againe vanquished by Tullus Hostilius then the Latins made warre against the Romanes which continued fiue yeres about which time Tullus Hostilius the thirde king of the Romanes with all his familie was burned in his owne house Solinus saith that he died in the 35 Olympiad Numa Pompilius a Sabine borne in the city of Cures the second king of Rome was consecrated by the soothsayers called Augures in his time bishops called Pontifices were created in Rome holy
fire vestall virgines and religious men and priestes of diuers orders as Salij Faeciales and Flamines which he instituted to serue his gods for hee was vertuous and good for when Rome was builded by Romulus Numa was borne The Cimmerians were now at this time ouerthrowen by the Scythians the Scythians entred vnto Asia and tooke Sardis the chiefest citie of the Medes and came conquering countreys and regions as farre as Palestina About this time Necho king of Egypt who a little before ouerthrewe the good and godly king Iosias is now by Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians vanquished by the riuer of Euphrates CHAP. II. Of the rest of the kings of Lydia from Ardis the sixt king vntill Craesus the last king of Lydia and of their destruction by Cyrus and the kingdome brought subiect to Persia. NOw succeeded Ardis his sonne named Sadaites the 7. king of the Lydians who as Herodot saith raigned 12. yeres but Functius saith 15. yeres Of this king nothing is mentioned with Historiographers but that in his time Ancus Martius the fourth king of Rome brought a huge armie against the Veientines which being by Martius ouerthrowen had his triumph graunted vnto him by the Senators This Martius made vpon Tiber a hauen called Hostia foure or fiue leagues from Rome and a passage frō thence to the sea The Sabines were ouerthrowen by this king as before oftentimes by his predecessors This time was Dirachium builded and Perosina Aulus Gelius an ancient writer reporteth an historie of one Arion a Lesbian borne a man of great skil in musicke a deare friend of Periander king of Corinth trauailing Sicilia and Italy he grew in great fauour with all men in all countreys and hauing in time heaped great wealth by his arte longed againe to be with Periander in Corinth Now being shipped and well forward toward Greece the mariners vnderstanding that he had much money spoyled and robbed him of his money and after being ready to kill him he befought them with teares to spare him so much time vntil he had attired himselfe in his best apparell and to licence him to play vpon his lute and to sing two or three songs before he died to the Muses which being graunted he prepared to play and sing very loude and in the midst of his song he leapt as farre as he could into the sea where the great Dolphine a fish as histories record very much entised with musicke greatly delighted with mans voyce caried him cleane vpon his backe from the water and brought him vnto an hauen of Lacedemonia called Tenarum from whence he trauailed to Corinth and opened to Periander the king the whole course of his fortune About this time Tarquinius Priscus the fift king of Rome began his gouernment in the 41. Olympiad as Dionysius writeth in the which Olympiad Cleonides a captaine of Thebes got the victorie in the games of Olympia After Sadaites folowed Haliates the 8 king of Lydia he raigned 49. yeeres in whose time though he himselfe did nothing worth the writing yet the most part of the kings of the worlde were busie the king of Assyria was in warie with the king of Egypt This time raigned in Babylon Nabuchodonosor to whose gouernment not only Assyria but al the East kings were broght vnder his becke Likewise about this time a great band of the Scythians were driuen to flee to the Medes where they were kindly harboured much made of and well intertained vntil such time as by some cōspiracie they were found rebellious vnto the king of the Medes then they fled from thence vnto Lydia to this king Haliates and being by him there succoured great warres grew thereof betweene the king of Media and the king of Lydia and continued vntil Astiages maried the daughter of Haliates vpon the which peace and great affinitie began to be betweene the Medes and the Lydians Herodotus who writeth this historie is thought of Functius and others to erre in the time In Egypt there raigned Apries whom Ieremie calleth Hophra whose name he ought to knowe for by this king Ieremie was put to death in Egypt In the 7. yeere of this king Haliates this Apries king of Egypt in the middest of his tyrannie God gaue him into the hands of his enemies so the Lord said I wil giue Pharao Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies as I gaue Zedechias king of Iuda And in another place the Lord saith I will giue the land of Egypt vnto Nabuchodonosort king of Babylon and Egypt shal be the wages for his armie to spoyle her spoyle and to take her praye For to Egypt flead Iuda for succour where they were put to the sword and not one escaped Now againe in Rome beganne Tarquinius Priscus the fift king of the Romanes he on the other side beganne to lay on about him with the Latins and with the Sabines that after he had brought the Latines with long warre to seeke fauour at his hande and being driuen out of the countrey by Tarquinius were forced to intreate for peace and to craue the Romanes friendship who by this time waxed so strong that all the West part of the world began to heare of the Romanes Now after that the Latins were vanquished the Sabines againe being olde auncient enemies of Rome a very warlicke nation with all force came against Tarquinius at what time their bridge was burned their tentes taken and themselues slaine and forced to intreat for truce for six yeres After the Sabines the Hetruscanes armed them against Tarquinius whose warre continued 9. yeres About this time the seuen sages of Greece florished whose names I thought good to put downe together for that they liued at one time Solon of Athens Thales of Milesia Pitacus of Mitilena Periander of Corinth Bias of Prienna Chilo of Sparta and Cleobulus of Lindia These singular wise men were in those dayes esteemed the rarest men of the world In this time the kingdome of Corinth failed in Periander the last king or rather the last tyrant and the gouernment was altered to a popular estate About that time Polymnestor a very yong man and as the historie hath termed him a boy being a feeding his fathers goats a hare by chance rūning by the boy folowed ranne so swiftly that he ouertooke the hare and brought her home to his father declaring the race the running betweene him and the hare to his father The matter being spread abroad the yong man was brought to the games Olympical where he wanne the victory in running and had a garland on his head as Solinus doth write Ciaxeres sōne vnto Astiages some say his father as Zonoras in his first booke but Zenophon likewise affirmeth with Iosephus that this Ciaxeres was Astiages sōne called by the name of Darius Medus of Daniel and of Iosephus but the Grecians named
of these two Iustine called these two Magi Comaris and Oropastis Herodotus doeth call the one Patizites and the other Smerdis Zonaras nameth the elder Tanoaxeres but it is not materiall for Eusebius doeth not nomber these two amongst the kings of Persia. But in the eight moneth one of the seuen princes or gouernours of Persia ouerthrew these Magi then these seuen princes being vertuous and welbeloued of the people agreed in loue and faith one with another one preferring another to the kingdome that it was hard for the people to make choise of any of them yet to them the election was referred Otanes one of the seuen princes thought that it was not necessary to haue a king to make a free common wealth bound to a Monarchia he perswaded the countrey to liue vnder the law of popular state called Democratia euery city to haue their magistrate and euery prouince to haue such gouernours as might defende the countrey with lawes and armes affirming the greatnes of a king to approch the nature of a tyrant and therfore most dangerous for when they giue ouer to be kings in doing iustice then they begin to be tyrants in committing rage and furie Megabisus held a contrary opinion allowing not a popular state who are neuer quiet neuer constant drawen one day of this side to morow of another affirming the furie and rage of the people to be intollerable and like the streame of a violent flood without wisdome in gouernment without reason in iudgement and euen like Hidra that monstrous beast of Lerna neuer satisfied neuer cōtented neuer quiet and compared it to the saying of Demosthenes that populus was one of the three monsters at Athens which raigned at one time Noctua draco populus the owle the dragon and the people Megabisus therefore disliked a Democraticall cōmon wealth perswaded that some of the wisest and best learned should be chosen for a state for to good men belong good counsell said he and they will in conscience and trueth refourme things amisse his reason tended to haue a common wealth called Oligarchia or Aristocratia and not a popular state The thirde Darius spake disanulling both Otanes and Megabisus opinion declaring by examples of diuers kingdomes the defect of kings as Zenophon and Herodotus most largely discourse and amongst Philosophers approued the best state of a common wealth to be a Monarchie alleadging also by Cyrus last will and Cambyses that while any of Cyrus stocke liued that they by succession should enioy the Scepter of Persia and if the house of Cyrus should faile then to make an election of a king by the seuen princes of Persia and the people And therefore both in reason a king is to be elected and by them commaunded of Cyrus to be confirmed The other foure which yet had spoken nothing but diligently hearing these three before they all consented with Darius and supposed that common wealth to be best where a Monarchie is the soueraigntie whereof is in a king and therefore they agreed all to elect a king and to auoyde contentions and quarrels they committed to Fortune their election in this sort That all the seuen princes should be a horsebacke the next morning in the suburbes of the citie to talke of this matter and that whose horse should neigh first after Sunne rising he should be king in Persia. They all to this consented and euery prince rode sumptuously to the place These were the names of the seuen princes Otanes Intaphernes Gobrias Megabisus Astphatines Hidarnes And Darius The night before they should ride to the place in the morning Darius consulted with the master of his horse opened the whole cause and asked his deuise by arte Oebarus so his name was assured Darius of some secret helpe hee brought Darius horse that night to a mare to that place where they should meete in the morning Darius riding vpon that horse by the counsell of Oebarus the next morning met according to their agreement altogether Darius horse hauing bene with the mare in that place beganne lustily to praunce and to neigh lowdly whereat the other sixe princes lighted immediatly from their horses and saluted him as their king This Darius now king of Persia had maried a daughter of Cyrus named Atossa of whom hee had Xerxes Within some space after Darius came to the kingdome the Assyrians beganne to reuolt from him hee layed siege to Babylon twentie moneths and could not preuaile vntill one Zopirus a subtile Persian who yeelded Babylon to Darius hand by this policie he himselfe did cut off his owne eares his nostrels and came all bloodie to Babylon accusing Darius crueltie who for perswading him to raise his siege and to spare blood he vsed me as you see The Babylonians light of beliefe thought it trueth made him captaine ouer a band of souldiers who for his more credit with the Babylonians gaue two or three light ouerthrowes to Darius men and by this meanes brought Babylon to Darius hand Of this Zopirus was Darius wont to say when he held a pomegranate in his hand that he wished nothing more in the world then to haue so many Zopirus as the pomegranate had kernels Now is Babylon the second time taken by the Persians When Darius was quietly setled in Babylon he made warres vpon the barbarous Scythians for euen as Cyrus was wont to driue the barbarous nations from Asia which came from the region of Arctoa so Darius tooke that course by his chiefe captaine Megabisus to clense Persia from strangers the Getes the Cimmerians and the Sauromats inhabited in Asia and about Thracia For of the Cimerians came those Germans called Cimbri and from the Getes came likewise the Gothes These Getes yeelded to Megabisus the Scythians he could not vanquish But after some warre he returned vnto Greece sent ambassadours vnto Amintas king of Macedonia to haue free passage through his countrey which being graunted more for feare then for loue Amintas entertained the ambassadours of Persia very liberally brought them to a banquet where after much rioting of wine they handled rudely the Macedonians ladies that beare them companie Alexander the sonne of Amintas and the great grandfather of Alexander the great being discontented with their beastlines desired the king his father to take his rest that night taking vpon him the entertainment of these Persians who after his father was gone he consulted with certaine noble men of Macedonia that they should come in most gorgious and sumptuous attire like women in the apparel of women with their naked weapons close vnder their garments commanding them when they should so beastly handle them next to stabbe them vnto the heart In the meane season Alexander desired them that the ladies might withdraw themselues for a time promising them they should presently returne to beare them companie in the meane time while these
tenne hundreth thousand nauies insomuch that the Persians bragged that the Ocean seas had scant sufficient roome for their nauies that all Greece was not able to giue them ground ynough and scant place for their shotts in the aire with this insolencie the Persian armie marched While Xerxes this time was in preparing such a huge host the Grecians bestirred themselues with all care and diligence to call their force together and to gather their strength together from all parts of Greece The Athenians made fourtie nauies the Magarenses made twentie nauies the Chalsidenses so many as they of Athens made which was fourtie the Peloponesians twelue nauies the Lacedemonians tenne the Epidaureans eight and the inhabitants of Agineta two and twentie the Traezeneans made fiue nauies so that the whole nomber of the Grecians nauie was but two hundreth seuentie and ons The Athenians appointed to be their generall Themistocles and the Lacedemonians made Euribiades but the Persians could not finde a fit generall for so great an armie for as Herodotus doth record it there was in the campe of Xerxes an hundreth and seuentie Myriads of souldiers You must vnderstand that euery Myriad is compted for tenne thousand so that a hundreth and seuentie Myriads are to be taken for seuentie hundred thousand men which Xerxes had in his voiage to Greece which was in the seuenth yeere of his raigne when he sailed on the sea of Helespont and marched with more boldnesse then wisedome drinking a bowle of wine to the Sunne and throwing the cuppe after his draught into the sea making a vowe that hee would not returne from this iourney before hee had brought all Greece and Europe ioyned with Asia subiect to Persia. But hee was soone deceiued for the Persians fought for money to augment their treasure the Grecians fought for vertue to defende the libertie of their Countrey for this warre of Xerxes was more taken in hande for ostentation then for necessitie to doe iniurie and not to defend iustice The authours whereof God hath from time to time punished as Iosias that good king yet for such a fault hee was giuen to the hand of Necho king of Egypt an infidel Cyrus this Xerxes grandfather for taking vnnecessarie warres in hand against the Scythians was slaine by Tomyris a woman and now this king needlesse without cause offered thought to haue eaten vp all Greece he was made a runnagate and to flee from Greece his souldiers slaine his captaines drowned and himselfe hardly escaping for within two yeeres the Persians had foure ouerthrowes The first ouerthrowe was at Thermopila where hee lost twentie thousand Persians by three thousand Grecians After they were vanquished in two sundrie great battels vpon the sea the one hard by Artimesium in Thessalia the other by the Isle Salamines from whence Xerxes himselfe was secretly forced to flee in a little boate after he had lost the last battel to his great ignominie and shame which hee neuer recouered during his life Afterward leauing Mardonius behinde him with three hundreth thousande Persians the fourth battell was giuen him at Platea where the Persians likewise were ouerthrowen Mardonius slaine by a souldier of Sparta and all Greece triumphed of that victorie CHAP. III. Of the successors of Xerxes in Persia of their warres victories and gouernment of the state of Greece and of the prosperities victories and fame they had in Xerxes time THis time flourished Greece for it had many Themistocles which was wōt to say I ouercome my friends with patience my foes with celeritie after this victory it began to be strōg and to florish in same before al nations vntil ciuil warres for Caesar was demaunded by a Romane a friend of his how he conquered so many nations in so short a time he answered by celeritie for said Caesar it was a fault found in Hanibal that after he had taken Capua that he had not layd siege to Rome This great and mightie voyage of Xerxes being thus with losse and shame finished euen hee who was a terrour to the whole world and so called terror gētium before this time was now had in contempt despised of all Persia. Artabanus who then perswaded this iourney had 7. sonnes well esteemed of the Persians and perceiuing the contempt of Xerxes with the people and how he slew his brother after this great infamie of the warre when he returned home he tooke his brothers wife and his brothers daughter and committed incest with them both but his owne vncle Artabanus his fathers brother slew him after that Xerxes had raigned in Persia 21. yeeres But Mardonius could not perswade Xerxes before his going to Egypt for he went to Egypt in the second yere after Darius death and after he had subdued them brought them into a straighter seruitude then they were vnder Darius he made his returne towards Greece leauing behinde him in Egypt his brother Archemenes to gouerne the countrey After he had bene foure yeres in subduing Egypt the fift yere he tooke this voyage with great expedition to Greece Greece then flourished for euen at that time and specially after Xerxes time their fame grewe greater by their great victories had ouer Xerxes for in Greece euery citie seemed a kingdome and so continued vntil the Peloponesian warres such magistrats such captaines as Themistocles who by Thucydides was thus commended that he excelled for his wit that he wanted neither foresight of things to come neither memorie of things past neither vnprouided of things present and what hee knewe not he would learne and what he was taught he could performe ready of wit quicke of actions and circumspect in all his doings the honor and glory of all Greece After whom Pericles was had in great estimation in Athens So of Agesilaus and Cleomenes in Sparta of Epaminondas Pelopidas in Thebes and so the rest at that time in Greece of whom I haue written in the historie of Greece After him succeeded his sōne Artaxerxes the long handed for that the right hand was longer then the left a noble and a courteous prince and the first of this name of al the kings of Persia he began to gouerne Persia after Xerxes his father at what time Perdicas the second of that name the 11. king of Macedonia raigned To this Artaxerxes fled that worthy man Themistocles being banished from Athens whom often from destruction he saued and by whom the great ouerthrow was giuen to Xerxes and to his nauie to the glory of Greece and shame of Xerxes In this Artaxerxes time florished two great Philosophers Empedocles and Parmenides Many learned men of great fame liued in Artaxerxes time as Democritus and Heraclitus two philosophers the one laughing alwaies at the folie of the world the other alwayes weeping at the misery of the world Hipocrates that famous phisition serued this Artaxerxes in Court Gorgias and Pherecides Policlitus
and Herodotus Greece began to florish in philosophie and in all knowledge about this time In this kings time the Romanes sent to Athens for the lawes of the twelue tables at what time the Romanes created tenne men named Decemuiri to interprete the lawes About this time Titus Liuius writeth that the Frenchmen came out of Scythia first with one Marcomirus to the nomber of 489. thousand to the confines of Germanie where they were called first Nemmagi by the Saxons the second name they had of Cambra the Queene and were called Sicambri and the third name of Francus a king they were named Franci as you may reade more in the history of France But to returne to Artaxerxes whose zeale to the Church was such that he commaunded the Edict of Cyrus to be performed which was hindred by Cambyses and by Darius Histaspis his owne grandfather who after once he had permitted the Iewes to haue Cyrus decree performed a good king yet he was letted to doe that which now his sonne doeth by reason of the warres which hee had in Egypt and Greece for then warres were put to silence in Asia and in the East part At this time Artaxerxes did send Esdras with great treasures and substance to Ierusalem in the seuenth yere of his raigne to build vp againe Ierusalem to repaire the temple to restore to the Iewes their common wealth This Artaxerxes is named in Esdras to be Darius by the prophet Aggeus and Zacharie at what time a great multitude of the Iewes came from Babylon with Esdras to Ierusalem though Sisines the gouernour of Syria and Phoenicia would had hindered them had not Artaxerxes commanded to helpe them All this time Artabanus mused how he might destroy Artaxerxes to haue the kingdom for to that end before he slew Xerxes this kings father that imagination was strong with Artabanus laying the like snares to murther Artaxerxes but Artaxerxes hauing intelligence of the same and fearing Artabanus sonnes seuen stout and gallant gentlemen he gathered an armie of souldiers as though he had some secret voyage in hand amongst whom Artabanus was soonest and readiest armed and as Artaxerxes vewed his armie he spied Artabanus in armes of whom stil he stood in feare vntil he preuēted the danger with Artabanus death to saue his owne life The Iewes toke this Artaxerxes to be Darius Histaspis sonne whom they called Assuerus by queene Esther By this good king Nehemias was sent after Esdras to Ierusalem with the like rewards as before From the seuenth yeere of this Artaxerxes sirnamed the long hand some do beginne the seuentie weekes of Daniel concerning the comming of Messias About this time Pericles died a noble Captaine of Athens that succeeded Themistocles and Plato was borne whose master Socrates flourished at that time Thucydides which liued in the time of Artaxerxes saith Themistocles was driuen from Athens and banished vnto Persia yea to come to serue this king whose father he anoyed so much and whose people he vanquished in foure great battels so vngrateful Athens was towards Themistocles Aristides Alcibiades and others of whom I do speake in the historie of Greece The Iewes had some quietnes from Artaxerxes time the fift king of Persia vntill the time of Ochus the eight king of Persia. Likewise the Grecians were in rest and had the cities countreis to vse with free libertie by meanes of this king Artaxerxes for the Athenians and the Peloponesians were made friends for fourteene yeeres of whose warre afterwarde Thucydides continueth his history and writeth the calamitie of Greece which ensued the ciuill warres of the Grecians After folowed the Peloponesian warres which continued 27. yeeres to the ouerthrowe of all Greece In the seuenth yeere of this warre died Artaxerxes after he had raigned fourtie and foure yeres this warre began before Augustus Caesar foure hundreth yeres About this time Capua was taken of the Samnits and Macedonia was in many places wasted and burned by a Thracian captaine called Sitalices Agis was king in Lacedemonia this time and Archidamus raigned in Sparta There liued more learned men in Artaxerxes time then in any one kings time and that in euery part and coast of the world and therefore it is not amisse to put them in one place for that they were at one time I meane one age especially of Romanes Grecians Esdras and Nehemias two noble Iewes Aggeus and Zacharias two godly Prophets Empedocles and Parmenides two great Philosophers Phericides an Historiographer of Syria Cratinus a great writer of Tragedies and Comedies Sophocles and Euripides the Tragaedians And Proclitus a Philosopher Democritus and Heraclitus two Philosophers Hippocrates a famous Phisition attendant vpon king Artaxarexes Ctesias a Persian Chronographer and one of Artaxerxes houshold Socrates flourished this time and Plato his scholer was yet but yong Herodotus and Thucydides two great writers Aristophanes and Protagoras whose bookes were burned in Athens by a publique Edict And a litle after Pindarus and Diogoras the Philosopher Zeuxes and Phidias two renowmed cunning men in cutting or grauing Images statues in painting most excellent which skill amongst the Grecians was much esteemed In Artaxerxes time liued Miltiades Themistocles Cimon and Pericles foure famous Athenians In Rome Lucius Sicinius dentatus a very strong man Tribune of the people of whose strength Plinie in his seuenth booke Cap. 28. and Solinus Cap. 6. In Artaxerxes time the Romanes sent to Athens for the twelue Tables which Solon had made to be had in great reuerence amongst the Grecians In Persia after Artaxerxes succeeded Darius Nothus this maried Artaxerxes sister Bibliander thought him to bee Xerxes sonne others named him Xerxes the seconde others affirming him to be Artaxerxes sonne but it is not much material for Chronographers omit to put him amongst the kings of Persia so Ctesias himselfe a Persian writer who liued in his dayes and serued his predecessour Artaxerxes While this Darius raigned in Persia the Egyptians againe began to reuolt at what time Amartheus gouerned Egypt and Orestes raigned king in Macedonia The Athenians made this time a league with the Lacedemonians likewise they concluded a peace with the Argiues and with the people of Mantinea by the counsell of Alcibiades This time gaue the Lacedemonians a great ouerthrow to the Argiues whereupon peace was concluded Agis being then king in Lacedemonia and himselfe generall in the fielde at Tegaea The state of Greece was to be lamented from time to time for as they did thinke all the world to be barbarous beside themselues so of themselues they could not agree vntil all Greece was through ciuil warres destroyed and wasted one countrey bickering at another and one citie enuying an other that they who triumphed oft ouer the strong Persians are now troden vnder foote of their next neighbours For in this Darius Nothus time when the Athenians had giuen an ouerthrow to the Syracusans the Lacedemonians
enuied so much Athens that they sent a great companie of souldiers with Gilippus their captaine to bring downe the victories of the Athenians at what time the Athenians were ouerthrowen and the Syracusans triumphed In this warre died that noble fellow Nicias the generall of the Athenian armie with many mo famous Athenians which shal be more at large in another place when we speake of Greece be declared The Rhodians this time did reuolt from the Lacedemonians whereupon the Lacedemonians sent ambassadours to Persia to this Darius to haue his friendship and to ioyne with the Lacedemonians in a league of peace for the Medes likewise as the Egyptians did before them reuolted from Darius for at that time Egypt and Media began to rebel against Darius About this time Alcibiades who succeeded Nicias in Athens had gotten a great victorie at Chalcedon ouerthrew the captaine Pharnabazus taken by Zantium and was thereby made chiefe captaine of the Athenians being absent from Athens Now when Darius had raigned nineteene yeeres in Persia he left behind him two sonnes Artaxerxes sirnamed Mnemon to whom he bequethed the kingdome of Persia being his eldest sonne and Cyrus his second sonne to whom likewise he gaue certaine cities and prouinces vnder his gouernment Cyrus not well contented with his fathers will hee secretly rose in armes against his brother his father yet liuing who commaunding Cyrus to be brought vnto him layd him for a time in prison and kept him in fetters of golde But after Darius time it grew to further malice and to open warres for Cyrus bearing the name of the former auncient Cyrus which was a deare name among the Persians was the bolder to fall out with his brother supposing that the Persians would the more fauour him for the names sake which in trueth among the Persians was much honoured Cyrus was from his cradle of a hot stirring minde Artaxerxes milde and gentle in all his actions hee was named first Arsicas and is with many writers so called Now when Artaxerxes was consecrated king at Pasargardes in the temple of Minerua by the priestes of Persia reports were made vnto him that Cyrus his brother had conspired his death and had layed waite to kill him of the which Artaxerxes was by his counsell perswaded to trie out the treason of Cyrus which being found out yet by the meanes of his mother Parysatis who loued Cyrus dearely hee was of that fault pardoned Notwithstanding the great courtesie of Artaxerxes towards Cyrus he after this thirsted more for the kingdome of Persia then before for this king Artaxerxes Mnemon following his grandfathers steps Artaxerxes the long handed in all goodnes and vertue hee was much beloued of his subiects honoured of his countrey and of all countreys much esteemed he gaue himselfe to heare suiters causes and to let his poore subiects to haue accesse vnto him to open their causes Now such as desired innouations and change gaue out that the greatnes of the Empire of Persia stood in neede of a king that should be alwayes in armes such a prince as Cyrus was these people stirred vp Cyrus to open warre against his brother who leauing the gouernment of Lydia being also generall lieutenant of all Asia giuen vnto him by his father Darius sent messengers vnto Lacedemonia for helpe gathered of Greece and of barbarous nations to the nomber of thirteene thousand beside his owne force and marched boldly forwarde vntill hee heard that Artaxerxes had an armie of nine hundred thousand fighting men yet Cyrus went forward and gaue him battell and diuers sore assaults but preuailed not this warre is of Xenophon excellently described and set foorth in all points In this battell was Artaxerxes hurt by Cyrus his owne hand but afterwarde the miserie and the extremitie of Cyrus was such as by Plutarch is set in the life of Mnemon The cause of this warre was ambition and the desire of Cyrus to the kingdome but as Melancthon saith the rather moued hereunto by his mother Parysatis who hated Statira Artaxeres wife to the death The great magnanimitie iustice modestie liberalitie and other singular vertues which shined in this Cyrus is of Xenophon not forgotten in his booke de Cyriminoris expeditione for after Cyrus death all those that boasted to haue slaine him were by Parysatis meanes Cyrus mother so persecuted that they died most miserably as Artasyras and Mithridates To be short this Parysatis the kings mother found no rest vntil she had poisoned the Queene Statyra her daughter in law In the meane season Agesilaus king of Lacedemon maketh warres with the Persians Artaxerxes wisely looking to the warre sendeth Hermocrates to the most part of the cities of Greece with great treasures of gold and siluer to raise the rest of the Grecians against the Lacedemonians During this garboile betweene Artaxerxes and Agesilaus Parysatis was sent to Babylon to come to the Court for the king kept not his anger long against his mother After this Artaxerxes tooke a iourney against the Caduceans sent an armie to Egypt who had reuoulted from his father and thought to recouer both Media and Egypt Nowe the King entering into some yeeres hearing of some sturre and contention betweene his two sonnes Darius and Ochus either of them aspiring into the kingdome the yonger being Ochus a valiant man but of a hot nature had some in the Court that wrought both with the king with his sister Atossa who loued him dearely as Plutarch saith too dearely by a crime betweene them both suspected Notwithstanding Artaxerxes proclaimed Darius his eldest sonne to be king to see whether the like contention and rebellion would grow betweene his children as fell betweene him and his brother Cyrus to put Ochus his younger sonne out of all hope to succeede in Persia a king after his father he commaunded according to the lawe of Persia that his sonne Darius should weare the point of his hatte right vp in token of his succession for it was not lawfull to any sauing to the king or to his successour to weare his hatte with the point vpward There was likewise a custome in Persia that when any should be proclaimed successour or heire apparant to the crowne he should request any one thing at the kings hand and haue it there was a very faire gentlewoman taken after Cyrus death in the campe by Artaxerxes who had beene in great fauour with Cyrus a Grecian borne in Ionia named Aspasia called for witte and beautie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This woman did Artaxerxes so esteeme as when his sonne Darius craued this woman for his gift he was much offended thereby and yet must of force depart from her according to the lawe of Persia but it cost Darius his life for after Aspasia was taken againe from Darius by his father he began to be moued herein and to conspire the kings
he had taken Ciprus and made slaughter most cruelly of the citizens killed without respect of olde amitie and acquaintance Of this Euagoras there is extant an eloquent oration of Isocrates hee proceeded forwarde in armes to Egypt where he exercised the like tyrannie with sword fire without mercie vntill he had subdued Egypt thence he went fomed in blood vnto Phoenicia with all tyrannie he could deuise Nowe after he had subdued Sidon Ciprus Egypt Phoenicia he woulde not spare Iudea the next prouince vnto Phoenicia which had beene in great rest from Artaxerxes the long handed vntill this time at what time cōtention grew betweene two brethren about the office of the high Priest at Ierusalem Iohanna who was then the high Priest and Iesus who sought ayde at Vagoses hand the Persian to auoide this helpe Iohanna slue his brother in the temple of Salomon Thus they did prouoke God to anger and God raised Vagoses Ochus lieutenant to be their enemie brought him to Ierusalem went to the temple which was prophaned and polluted with blood Vagoses spoiled it caried the treasures with him to whom the high Priest had tolde him that he did most wickedly so to defile the temple hee answered Not so wickedly as thou in killing thy brother Whē he had both spoiled Ierusalem and the temple and brought the Iewes vnder Ochus foote to pay tribute vnto the Persians for the space of seuen yeeres after this he brought diuerse families of the Iewes captiues with him vnto Hircania this great calamitie endured vnto Alexander the great which when he came to Ierusalem made all things well againe Of this Ochus there is no good thing to be written though Herodot doeth not altogether omitte him Ctesias doth make likewise mention of him and doth write of his birth of his life and of his gouerment and doeth much varie from others for Ctesias euer flattered the Persia kings forwhich Plutarch in many places reproueth him In this time reigned king in Macedonia Perdiccas who was taken by the Illyrians in battell after him succeeded Philippus Amintas sonne and father to Alexander the great who began to moue warre against the Athenians and continued after against other cities of Greece for three yeeres In the eleuenth yeere of Ochus was Alexander the great borne the same selfe day was the temple of Diana in Ephesus burned at the which time Philomelus a captaine of Phocea in Greece spoiled the temple of Apollo at Delphos thereby grew great warres called sacrum bellum which continued tenne yeeres in Greece About this time Clearchus the tyraunt reigned in Heraclia and Spartacus the sonne of Leuconis reigned as king in Pontus In the eleuenth yeere that Phillip reigned king in Macedonia Greece was sore troubled and vexed for Philip with an armie of Macedonia tooke Myciberna Tiro and Olynthus three great townes of Helespont hee pursued the Phoceans vnto the temple of Apollo at Delphos who thinking to haue sanctuarie were burned the rest of Phocea yeelded to Philip. Timoleon a noble captaine of Corinth sailed to Sicilia ouerthrewe the castell of Syracusa and made a popular state of Syracusa he deliuered the Greekes that were in bondage in Sicilia vnder the Carthagineans vnto their countrie banished the thousand traiterous souldiers that had forsakē Timoleon in Sicilia This time Philip subdued the Illyrians vāquished the Thracians and deliuered Thessalie from tyrants that long gouerned in Thessalia he made free al the cities of Greece frō all the incursions of barbarous nations concluded a peace with the Greekes The olde Persians had this custome when they went to warres to goe in red cassockes according to the Persians maners so did Artaxerxes enter to battell with his brother Cyrus at what time euery souldier should put an arrowe with his name written on it into a large great coffer that stood in the kings Court which arrowe if he returned aliue from the warres hee shoulde at his comming to Persia take his arrowe out of the coffer for by arrowes left in the coffer they knewe who they were and howe many that died in their warres This time died Plato and Speusippus succeeded him in his schoole after whom succeeded Xenocrates Aristotle the Philosopher florished in this time Demosthenes and Aeschines two famous Orators bore most swaynowe in Athens After Ochus had reigned in tyrannie twentie sixe yeeres he was vsed euen as he had vsed others slaine of Bagoas and his sonne called Arsames being very young succeeded him who when he had bene foure yeres king and had growen into some stature of body Bagoas feeling a gilitie conscience for that he had killed Ochus the kings father fearefullest some reuenge would fall vnto him he to preuent the danger thereof practized the like conspiracie against the sonne as he did before against his father slue the young king this was the ende of Ochus and his sonne Arsames no marueile to see tyrants die by tyrannie This Bagoas would haue had translated the kingdome of Persia after this murther of the father and the sonne and his great tyrannie vnto one Darius gouernor at that time of Armenia for he had murthered al them that issued out of Cyrus for whē Artaxerxes Mnemon had made warres with the Caduceans one of those nations chalenged Monomachian which is a combate with any one Persian that durst take him in hand Darius one of Artaxerxes captaines fought with this Caducean and slue him to whom the gouernment of Armenia was giuen for that seruice by Artaxerxes Nowe Bagoas when he had brought Darius to be king in Persia stil his conscience tormented him and doubted much Darius fearing lest he should haue the reward of a traytor hee deuised to poyson Darius but of the conspiracie Darius had such intelligence as Bagoas was forced to drinke that draught which hee had prepared for Darius and so Bagoas dranke his owne poyson and dyed Nowe the great kings of Persia for so were they called in respect of their force and power continued no longer their race ended their kingdom cameto an Aliens hand a forreine prince who in short time waxed strong and stout withall not inferiour to any of his predecessors who hauing intelligence of a great armie of Macedonians and Grecians by Philip king of Macedon sent to Asia hee gathered his force and hauing already a huge hoste of Persians hee appointed a generall ouer them called Memnon a Rhodian a singuler skilfull souldier In the meane season Philip died and his sonne Alexander the great succeeded him a yong gallant king of twentie yeeres of age this stept in into his fathers roume he enterteined his fathers souldiers and tooke the warres of Asia in hand Darius hearing of Alexanders setting forward made him ready stirred the cities of Greece against him so that diuers of Greece vnderstanding the force power and florishing state of Persia dehorted their countrie men from Alexander
the Scythians who likewise had no houses but their wagons in the which they carie their wiues their children and themselues into any coūtrey where they take warre in hand Nowe of the Arabians trafique and marchandise and of their frankincense myrrhe and many other kinde of spices of their birdes Phoenix and Cynomolgies of their precious stones of their hilles sweete riuers and other rare things in Arabia I referre you to Strabo he leaueth nothing vntoucht within Arabia But I wil returne to Mahomet a poore man of a base and meane parentage brought vp a seruant to feede and to attend camels a young man of a wonderfull craftie subtile wit hauing married his mistresse and thereby growen wealthie he vsed the company of one Sergius a Monke with whom he was taught to accuse the Iewes as wicked cruel tyrants to kill a great Prophet and to accuse the Christians of ignorancie and of much simplicitie scoffing them for their superstitious ceremonies and meere fantasies in their religion as he said of their God Christ. This Mahomet vomited his malice in such sort that not onely Asia but Affricke and Europe were by him infected hee settled himselfe in the richest regions of all Arabia named Scenites where in short time through the craft and subtiltie of his fained religion and by the dayly accesse of a white pigeon in the eare to eate graines of wheat which he vsed to deceiue the simple supposing the pigeon to bee some spirit from God that instructed Mahomet in all good discipline and religion that whatsoeuer Mahomet did it was taken as done by a prophet He grew of such credite within Arabia that he made lawes and decrees he altered the whole course of the Arabians gouernment and brought the Saracens to beginne their yeeres and their accompt from the beginning of Mahomets raigne For as the Grecians were wont to nomber yeeres by their Olympiads the Romanes by their Lustrum so the Arabians and the Saracens vsed their accompt by Hegira begunne in the time of Mahomet at what time he escaped hardly the hands of the chiefe men in Arabia called Philarchi who thought to kill Mahomet for his newe doctrine against the religion of the Arabians But after he had escaped he gathered a great armie by meanes of many that tooke him and honoured him as a diuine prophet and entred with force and maine strength againe vpon his enemies and had the victory ouer them From the which time the Arabians beganne to accompt their yeeres in memorie of the escape of Mahomet by flight which the Arabians call Hegira and after by Mahomet commaunded in the time of Heraclius the Emperour and Pope Honorius in the yeere of our Sauiour sixe hundreth twentie and one to bee kept of the Saracens and of the Arabians in great honour and accompt and to beginne all their accompts trafiques and marchandise by Hegira And as wee vse the yeere of our Lorde at the very day that he was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgine by the holy Ghost so the Arabians from the time of this Hegira by Mahomet commaunded vsed their yeeres MAhomet the great prophet and the only Prince of Arabia began his gouernment in the yeere of our saluation 624. At what time Heraclius gouerned as Emperour in Constantinople he raigned nine yeres died and was honoured as a God to this day among the Saracens After this Mahomet raigned in Arabia Ebubezer three yeeres during which time he subdued the citie of Gaza and brought that prouince altogether vnder the Arabians who at this beganne to be sirnamed Amiras a name of dignitie as Caesars among the Romanes or Pharaos among the Egyptians this raigned the first Amiras The second Amiras was called Haumar which raigned 12. yeeres this enlarged the countrey of Arabia from Egypt vnto the riuer Euphrates this brought Persia subiect to Arabia and forced Hormisda their last king to take his flight and to leaue behinde him all his treasures and all the wealth of Persia. This Amiras tooke Caesarea a citie in Palestina after he had besieged it seuen yeeres by his lieutenant Muhanias who was his Generall from the confines of Egypt vnto Euphrates This Haumar after hee had destroyed the temple of Hierusalem caused the Crosse which hee found in the temple to be set vp in Mount Oliuet to scoffe there the Christians who beganne at that very time to worship euery where the Crosse that was the first Crosse and the first time that the vse of Crosses beganne from that in Mount Oliuet But after much harme done by this Haumar hee was slaine by a Persian woman named Margaret as hee was praying kneeling before the newe erected idole of Mahomet After this Haumar succeeded Hotaman the fourth Amiras this inuaded Affrica possessed diuers places and filled many townes with Saracens at what time Muhanias the chiefe Generall of all the Arabians territories sailed with a great nauie into Cyprus inuaded the whole Isle and tooke the citie Constantia and the citie Aradus and at his returne came to Rhodes destroyed the huge and monstrous image of Phoebus called Colossus Solis accompted one of the seuen wonders of the world While Muhanias was in warres with the Cyprians and the Rhodians the very same time another Prince of Arabia named in the Chronicles Busor inuaded Isauria destroyed the countrey made a great slaughter of the people and brought fiue thousande captiues prisoners into Arabia but within fewe dayes Hoaman was slaine through the treasonof his owne housholdes and chiefe friends This time raigned king in Fraunce Clodoueus the second of that name which Clodoueus was called Lewes the first and in Constantinople raigned Emperour Constans which was sonne to Constantius the third who had a great ouerthrowe in battell by sea by Muhamias with his armie of Saracens Eugenius then was elected the tenth Pope of Rome Hali who gouerned the Saracens after Hoaman with Muhamias for 3. yeeres at what time he was slaine by a conspiracie of souldiers after whose death Muhanias became the fift Amiras ouer the Arabians who gouerned foure and twentie yeeres and kept his court all that time at Damascus This Muhanias grew mightie and strong inuaded Affrica slew fourescore thousand Africanes spoyled the territories of the Romanes entred into their confines but the Romanes forced him to flee pursued him and compelled him to seeke the Romanes fauour paying three thousand pound in golde and fiftie Saracens for yerely tribute Constantine the fift sirnamed Pogonatus held then the Empire at Constantinople Gizid the sonne of Muhanias succeeded his father and raigned after him 3. yeeres this had not such successe as Muhamias his father had but after Gizid succeeded Habdella the seuenth Amiras against whom Marnan was elected the eight Amiras who died within nine moneths after and left his sonne Habdimelech to be the ninth Amiras this raigned two and twentie yeeres The Saracens about this time inuaded so
time the Hunnes people from Scythia made seuen seuerall iournies from Scythia to Pannonia and at last seated themselues whose chiefe captaine was named Arpat of this reade more in Ritius and in Bonfinus Now in Arabia reigned Muhamat the 18. Amiras at what time gouerned in Constantinople Constantine surnamed Copronimos as Emperor and Aistulphus reigned king of Lumbardie was at that time the thirtie one king in number the which had reigned kings in Lumbardie This Lumbardie is a pleasant fertil countrie called of some the Paradice of all Eorope which reacheth from the Alpes to the riuer of Rubicon But to Arabia againe where nowe reigned Habdallias the ninetenth Amiras of the Saracens this reigned twentie one yeeres and gathered an armie of eightie thousand inuaded Cappadocia vnder captaine Salimie who was appointed Generall ouer the Saracens This Amiras vexed the Christians sore the Arabians waxed so mightie at home and abroade that almost no place was free from the Arabians they had warres this time with the Armenians and with the Turkes who yet had not erected their Empire vp but were such scattering infidels and like in all maner of life and liuing to these Saracens and to the Scythians which dispearsed them selues ouer all the whole worlde as Caterpillers to destroy and spoyle all Nations and Countries one succeeding the other Mady succeeded Habdallias this was the twentie Amiras who reigned nine yeeres in the which time hee prepared an armie for warres against Asia but hee was then intercepted and returned into Arabia without any thing done howe be it Aaron his sonne inuaded Armenia and Ithuma entred Asia and was slaine with all his armie by the Romanes Againe Aaron the sonne of Mady entred into Asia and gote diuers victories and constreined Eirene with her sonne Constantine the Emperour to seeke peace and to pay tribute vnto the Arabians After Mady succeeded his sonne Moses and reigned Amiras one yeere after whom folowed Aaron the brother of Moses he reigned twentie three yeeres during which time the Arabians inuaded Cyprus subdued Cappadocia tooke two notable Fortes and strong Castles Amachan in Armenia and Sebasan this time florished in Fraunce Charles the great to whom this Amiras sent many rich presents withal a mighty huge Elephant This Arabian prince had such great victories that Nicephorus the Emperour had much adooe to escape from his hand in Crason which is a Towne in Phrygia besides the Arabians had spoiled Sardinia and destroyed Corsica and also the Saracens that were nowe dispersed into al Countries specially into Spaine where they gouerned as kings and in Fraunce where likewise they bare such great sway and soueraigntie that Charles the great was well contented for the time to conclude a peace with Abumalach king of the Saracens Well to finish shortly his great exploites of long histories I passe to the 23. Amiras Muhamad the sonne of this Aaron the twentie three Amiras of the Arabians in whose time great ciuill warres began in many Countries that hee had much a dooe to keepe his owne Countrie from ciuill inuasion for fiue yeeres After him succeeded in Arabia Habdallias the third of that name and the twentie foure Amiras this reigned 17. yeres During this time the Saracens gaue two great ouerthrowes to the Greciās at what time they tooke the Isle of Creete spoiled Palestina possessed many Regions diuers countries wasted much the countrie betweene Vtica and Carthage so that the Arabians waxed the only nation in strength force in all the East kingdomes for by this time Africa which was ful of the Saracens was forced to yeeld to them aswel as Spaine for still came from Arabia supplies to euery Countrie and place where the Saracens had planted them selues aswell in Europe and Africke as they did in Asia for nowe Abderana king ouer the Saracens in Africa was not contented to liue quietly ouer his people in Africa neither Abumalach nor yet Aigolandus with whom Charles the great had long and terrible warres could be satisfied with any one kingdome of the world vntill at length God so strengthened the Christians that they were sore afrighted and amazed by the meanes of these infidels that they ioyned together their power and force and were by Gods prouidence after 800. yeeres deliuered from the tyrannie of these cruell Saracens Now reigned king in Fraunce Lewes surnamed The holie sonne to Charles the great who succeeded his father both in the kingdom of Fraunce in the Empire of Rome which was taken away into Constantinople vntill the time of Charles the great at what time Leo the 3. of that name and the 30. Pope of Rome renued the Empire and was called Imperium Romanorum nouum Nowe in Arabia reigned Muhamat the twentie fiue Amiras for fourtie yeeres during which time the Saracens rushed into Italie spoyled and destroyed the countrie with sword and fire at what time they came to the suburbes of Rome and did great harme spared no place but as Blondus affirmeth Ferro flamma totam deuastarunt Italiam this time the Danes inuaded England in the time of Edelbertus who valiantly resisted the Danes and constreined them with great losse and slaughter to retire reade more in Polidore of this After this time the Saracens began in many places to bee slacke and specially in the most part of Europe though in Spaine they continued vntill the great Ferdinandus time but for that the Saracens are sufficiently spoken of in the historie of Spaine I will therefore here no further proceede therein onely laying downe so many as reigned kings in Arabia called by the name of Amiras from Mahumet the first prophet and prince vntill Muhamat the twentie fiue Amiras which continued 253. yeeres these names followe in this sort as you see set here downe Mahomet reigned nine yeeres the first Amiras of the Saracens Ebubezer 2. Amiras three yeeres Haumar 3. Amiras twelue yeeres Hoaman 4. Amiras tenne yeeres Muhamias 5. Amiras 24. yeeres Gizud 6. Amiras three yeeres Habdalla 7. Amiras one yeere Maruan 8. Amiras one yeere Habemelech his sonne twentietwo yeres Vliud nine yeeres Zulzimim three yeeres Haumar the 2. of that name two yeeres Gizud the 2. foure yeeres Euelid his sonne eighteene yeeres Gizud the 3. one yeere And his sonne Eices after him reigned one yeere Maruan the second sixe yeeres Abubalas fiue yeeres Haldalla twentie one yeeres Mady nine yeeres Moses the sonne of Mady reigned after his father one yeere Aaron the younger sonne of Mady reigned after his brother Moses twentie three yeeres Muhamad the sonne of Aaron reigned fiue yeeres Habdalla the 3. reigned 17. yeeres Muhamat the 25. Amiras reigned fourtie yeeres Thus farre I thought good to write the beginning of Mahomets kingdome and his successours in Arabia and of the Saracens spread from Arabia vnto Africke and vnto Europe and nowe a litle of the Turkes historie and that briefely OF THE GREAT TURCKE
and of his kingdome from Othoman the first vntil Selimus the eleuenth of the two Empires of Constantinople and Trapezumtium which now the Turckes doe gouerne of their beginning and of their first seruice vnder Basilius Macedo Emperour of Constantinople THe Turckes historie is like the Saracens or like the Scythians people without guide or gouernours vntil of late time they inhabited first about mount Caucasus from thence to the Caspia sea a nation mingled of the Scythians of the Hunnes which nowe are called Hungarians obscure and base people without any mencion made of them any where but of their bare names in Plinie a people scattered in Scythia and after into other Countries rather called Latrocinantes quà m belligerantes as Egnatius nameth them of whom as I saide Pomponius Mela maketh but little more mencion then Plinie did The first seruice which they did was vnder Basilius surnanamed Macedo then Emperour at Constantinople in the yere of our Sauiour eight hundred fourtie at what time they inuaded Armenia and within a while after gaue a battell to the Arabians vnder their first captaine called Mucaletius After twise or thrice good successe had against the Arabians and the Saracens they gathered together vnder a head at Tangrolipix where diuers more heaped and flocked to them from the streight of Caspia and from Caucasus there they waxed strong and began to inuade Asia vntill the time of Ottoman the first a man base and obscure borne cuius parentes agrarij but very valiant wise and fortunate he first beganne to aduaunce the name of the Turckes and to set foorth his force and power being much inflamed with desire of soueraigntie and very ambitious of honour and dignitie After hee had subdued a part of the kingdome of Bythinia and had taken certeine Cities and strong Townes towards the Sea Euxinus at what time reigned in Constantinople Michael surnamed Paleologus Emperour in the yeere of our Sauiour Christ a thousand three hundred this Ottomanus within twentie eight yeres which he reigned had strengthened his Cities Townes and had builded many strong Fortes and specially one inuincible Castle which hee named after his owne name Ottomanni Castrum This Othoman left behinde him a sonne named Orchanes in whose time contencion grewe betweene Paleologus and Cantachuzenus about the Empire of Greece whereby Orchanes power and force so encreased that while these two contended about the Empire hee tooke Prusia out of their handes a large strong Citie and finding his father in lawe Caramanus false and deceitfull hee ouerthrewe him and killed his sonne a young gallant youth but after that Orchanes had reigned twentie two yeeres hee was slaine in Bythinia After him succeeded his sonne Amurathes a man of singular courage and fortune who forgetting not his father nor graundfather Othoman imitated them in all manly exploites and presently armed him selfe against his owne graundfather Caramanus whose daughter was his naturall mother This Amurathes was solicited by the Emperour Paleologus being nowe a very olde man to aide him against the Bulgarians hard olde souldiers brought vp alwayes in warres to this hee quickely consented and prepared an armie of twelue thousand Turkes and brought them into Europe and did great seruice to the Emperour ouerthrewe the Bulgarians and reuenged the Emperour vpon the enemie but being after these victories tickled with the wealth and pleasures of Europe hauing giuen the repulse to Cantachuzenus which affected the Empire while he fained this seruice hee passed ouer the sea Helespont tooke Callipolis with other cities as Adrianopolis Bydus and Philippolis ouerthrewe and conquered euery prouince as he traueiled hee entred Bulgaria inuaded Seruia and slue the princes of the countrie named Lazarus with a great slaughter of his people but Amurathes escaped not long for hee was slaine by a seruaunt of Lazarus prince of Seruia who reuenged his masters death stoutly Thus Amurathes died after he had reigned twentie three yeeres after whom liued two sonnes of his the one named Paizates the other Soliman These two brethren coulde not agree they fel at such variance that Paizates slue his brother Soliman and presently after tooke in hand to reuenge his fathers death vpon Marcus Craienicius prince of the Bulgarians whom he subdued and after slue him in the fielde by which conquest he obteined the most part of Bulgaria And yet not therewith contented hee inuaded Bossina Croatia and other partes of Illyria wasted and spoyled all places into Thracia yet he could not quiet himselfe but laid siege to Constantinople and continued the same for eight yeeres and had at that time taken the Citie if hee had not beene preuented by two great armies of Frenchmen and Vngarians to whom this Pazaites gaue such a terrible battell that hee ouerthrewe both the armies and tooke the most part of the French captaines with their Generall the Duke of Burgundie with an infinite slaughter of the souldiers and had also at that time taken Sigismundus king of Hungaria vnlesse he had bene saued by the Venetian nauie From this great victorie hee againe returned to Constantinople endured his siege and laide hard at it When newes came that Tamberlanes the Scythian inuaded his Countrie he remoued his siege at these newes and made more haste then good speede for in that battell betweene Tamberlanes and Pazaites two hundred thousande Turkes were slaine at mount Stellum in the confines of Bythinia the Turke taken and set in fetters of gold and bound in chaines of gold and so kept all the dayes of his life in a Cage which Tamberlanes caried into euery forreigne warre out of his Countrie and vsed as some write as a blocke to mount on horsebacke This time reigned in Constantinople Andronicus as Blondus affirmeth this great victorie of Tamberlanes fell in the yeere of our Sauiour Christ 1397. at what time Charles the sixt surnamed Beneamatus was king in Fraunce and Vladislaus had taken the Empire of Germanie into his hand In Rome Pope Bonifacius the ninth of that name reigned This Pazaites had two sonnes the elder named Orchanes of some called Calepinus the younger named Mahomet which was also named Moses this by conspiracie and treacherie slue his brother Orchanes within two yeeres after his fathers death and reigned alone recouered and possessed all that Tamberlanes had gotten of his father This Mahomet had spite to the Bulgarians and to the Valaches and began with no lesse good successe to aduaunce the name of the Turkes then his father did hee waxed mightie and after hee had brought all these Prouinces and Regions about to be vassalles of the Turkes and had quieted himselfe after many victories hee made Adrianopolis to be his chiefe Citie where hee all his life kept his Court where after hee had reigned seuenteene yeeres hee dyed at what time Emanuel gouerned as Emperour in Constantinople and Sigismundus king of Hungaria reigned
was so full of renowmed cities famous riuers notable mountaines a countrey of singular rarenesse in althings that it were to much labour to write the due praise of Greece But I referre him that would reade the setting forth of Greece to the eight ninth booke of Strabo to the second booke of Pomponius Mela where all Greece is particularly described at large and I will proceede to the seuerall gouernment of Greece in seuerall countreis and will set downe the continuance of euery Region with the names of the kings where and how long they raigned and for that the countrey of Morea is the first inhabited countrey of Greece and the largest region of the same called in Strabo Arxtotius Greciae I wiâ—… beginne with their common wealth This region was first named Aegialia by the name of Aegialeus their first king and continued so vntill the time of Apis the 4. king after whom this region was named Apia which name continued vnto the time of Sicyon the 19. king of Morea After this king Sicyons time the countrey was called Sicyonium and continued vntill Pelops time by whom againe the countrey was called Peloponesus and now at this time is called Morea so that Peloponesus had fiue seueral change of names from the first gouernment vnder Aegialeus the first king vntill Xeuxippus raigne the last king of the Peloponesians And although the kings of that region did nothing worth the memorie hauing bene twentie and sixe kings successiuely yet they are the very way to come further vnto Greece for all this while the whole countrey of Greece was inhabited with barbarous people and was farre from the fame which they gained afterwarde therefore I will briefly passe ouer the historie of their kings and their raigne because I might speake of other countreys in Greece which flourished together with Morea For the first king of this region was named Aegialeus he gouerned that part of Greece at what time Ninus raigned in Assyria and as Eusebius writeth Thebaei ruled Egypt in the yeere of the world two thousand one hundreth and seuen yet Bibliander would not allow so many yeeres by two hundreth and odde which is rather to bee followed for that it doeth with the Genesis agree For in the fiue and twentieth yere of this king Ninus was Abraham borne which was within two hundreth and ninetie yeeres after the flood and therefore better agreeth with Ninus time The second king after Aegialeus was named Europs hee raigned fiue and fourtie yeeres this time flourished Zoroastes the great king of the Bactrians he was thought to be the first that read Astrologie and taught to others Astronomie in whose time Tribeta the sonne of Ninus by Semiramis was expulsed out of the kingdome of Assyria and hee builded a towne in the coast of Gallia and called it Treueris The thirde king of Sicyonium was named Stelchium hee raigned twentie yeres at what time the kingdome of Creete beganne and had for the first king one named Cres after whose name the countrey of Creete was called This Cres builded a citie in Creete and named it Nosus in the which he also builded a temple to the goddesse Cybeles After him succeeded Apis the fourth king of that region after whom as I haue written before it was called Apia hee raigned then when Ninus the sonne of Ninus and Semiramis gouerned the Assyrians After him followed the fift king named Telasion in whose time died Noah the righteous preacher and patriarch and at which time Abraham begate Ismael vpon Agar the bond woman of this Ismael came all the Ismaelites a wicked nation that offended the Lorde In time afterward they were called Agareni after the name of Agar and now are called Saraceni which are infidels and heathens Now succeeded Telasion the sixt king of Peloponesus named Aegidius at what time raigned in Assyria Analius About this season Isaac the sonne of Abraham begate two twinnes vpon Rebecca his wife Esau which was also called Edom of whom the Idumeans came and Iacob afterwarde called Israel of whom issued the twelue tribes of Israel In this kings time Sodom Gomorrha Zeboim Adama and Zoar fiue principal great cities in the lande of Palestine were destroyed and burned with fire and brimstone from heauen the iust iudgement of God for sinne Thurimachus the eight king raigned 45. yeres in this kings gouernment Eusebius noteth the seuenteenth Dynastia of the Egyptians to begin where Shepheards gouerned as chiefe rulers for the space of 103. yeeres soueraigntie About which time the kingdome of the Argiues first sprang vp where Inachus raigned the first king within the kingdome of Argiue and afterwarde continued from Inachus vnto the time of Tenelanthus the last king of the Argiues as Marianus Scotus writeth foure hundreth yeeres After this Leucippus succeeded Messapius in Peloponesus at what time Bellochus raigned King in Assyria and Thelassus gouerned the countrey of Thessalia Among the Argiues raigned now Phoroneus the sonne of Inachus and Niobes the second king after his father this made lawes first to the Argiues and instituted orders in gouernment and wrote decrees for his subiects and ruled the Argiues to his great fame as Eusebius in his histories setteth forth In Licippus time Sem the sonne of Noah died after hee had liued sixe hundreth yeeres and had seene much miserie and great calamitie but not so much as his father before him had seene he liued after Abrahams dayes thirtie and fiue yeeres Osiris whom the Egyptians call Apis and sometime Serapis for that they adored this as their God liued about this time and destroyed that monster in Thracia called Licurgus Reade more of this in Herodotus Ismael Abrahams base sonne by Agar the bondwoman died now and left behinde him twelue sonnes great princes ouer many tribes and nations which began in time to grow enemies to the Church of God and to persecute the people of God and were named Ismaelites In this time raigned in Assyria Bellochus sirnamed Priscus their twelft king and in Egypt gouerned Menam the first king that taught the Egyptians many ceremonies as newe sacrifices to their gods religions and seruice and instructed them in many things for this time Egypt was raw and rude in skil and knowledge This Menam was thought of Functius to be that which is read in Scripture to be Mizraim and of Berosus called Oceanus There is nothing to be written of these kings worth the memorie of man for all this while Greece was inhabited with barbarous people nay the most of Greece was not yet inhabited Athens was not builded neither Sparta nor Corinth for the kingdom of Lacedemonia and the kingdome of Corinth began about Dauids birth The Argiues were the most ancient people in Greece next after the Peloponesians for they beganne to raigne in Argos in the time of Iacob the Patriarch at what time Baleus sirnamed Xerxes gouerned in Assyria
furie of Cyrus souldiers and Artaxerxes himselfe had a wound giuen him by Cyrus his one hande but afterwarde Cyrus was taken and was bound with fetters of golde and had at that time died if his mother had not most earnestly entreated for him Cyrus by his mothers meanes being let at libertie with great furie followed his first purpose gathered a farre greater armie wherein were tenne thousand Grecians vvell and strongly furnished which came out of Greece to ayde Cyrus To be short it was in vaine Cyrus was slaine in that battell and his armie ouerthrowen yet Iustine saith that the Grecians valiantly stoode to it vnconquered in that wing of the battell where they stood Of this warre doeth Xenophon most amplie entreate with whom Cyrus the yonger himselfe was brought vp of this Cyrus and of his actes Xenophon wrote sixteene bookes eight of discipline militarie and other eight of his warres Now to Athens againe where tyrannie all this while gouerned but Thrasibulus was not carelesse how to represse these tyrants whome Ismenias a prince of Thebes secretly ayded and when that Sparta had made a decree that no citie of Greece should suffer any exiled Athenians to enter into it the Thebans resisted the decree and they also made not onely a decree within Thebes and in all Boetia that no house should be shut to the Athenians but ayded them with men and money Likewise Lysias an oratour of Syracusa bestowed 500. readie and well furnished souldiers to ayde Athens When this preparation was heard of in Athens the Tyrants sent to Pausanias king of Sparta to defende them which hee with some conscience refused for the which afterwarde Pausanias was accused by the Lacedemonians In the meane season Thrasybulus gaue battell to the thirtie Tyrants ouerthrewe them and tooke the citie of Athens restored libertie to the citizens at what time hee brought in Solons lawe to forget the iniuries past of friendes of parents and of children which were slaine in Athens vnder these thirtie Tyrants This lawe of Thrasybulus was reuiued by the Senatours of Rome which were in the time of Trium viri which were Octauius Augustus Marcus Antonius Lepidus Aemilius when Iulius Caesar was slaine to forget the reuenge of Caesars death to auoyde ciuill warres within Rome A litle after this Conon againe scattered the force of Sparta and after much hurt to the Lacedemonians he came to Athens and ioyned with Thrasybulus by whose courage and valure Athens by degrees reuiued for yet the ciuill warres in Greece were not ended for as these afflictions and miseries happened to Athens by ciuill warres so after to euery citie of Greece the like happened that of the onely countrey of the worlde it was brought into a most miserable destruction And for that you may reade the strength and force of Greece while they held together I wil set downe the warres and the victories which the Grecians haue had ouer the Persian kings and ouer all other barbarous princes in Asia and in all partes of the East at that time when that the Persians were lords and princes of the whole worlde and helde the Monarchie onely without resistance of any king or countrey yet in the most flourishing time of the Persians the Grecians had these victories of them which are layde downe before you viz. THe great battell at Marathon where Miltiades got the victorie ouer Darius Histaspis the thirde king of Persia. The famous enterprise and victorie of Leonidas at Thermopila where hee slewe twentie thousande Persians with three hundred Grecians The two terrible battels at Salamina where Themistocles and Aristides had the victorie against Xerxes both by sea and land The battell fought before Platea against Mardonius where was slaine sixe and twentie thousande and Mardonius the king of Persias lieutenant The victorie hereof was giuen to the Athenians yet the honour of the victorie by common report yeelded to the Plateans at what time Aristides was generall of Athens and Pausanias king of Sparta was generall of all Greece The warres of Chalcedon against Pharnabasus where Alcibiades wanne the victorie The warres betweene Ptolomey king of Egypt and Alexander king of Macedon the sonne of Amintas pacified and ended by Pelopidas and tooke the kings brother called Philippe which was Alexander the great his Father and thirtie more of the noblest mens sonnes in Macedon to Ostage and brought them to Thebes to let the worlde see the reputation of Greece then The victorie of Aristides gotten at Psittalia where he tooke three Persian lordes sonnes to Sandauce king Xerxes sister and the Grecians were of one minde and thought with such courage to bring Asia vnder the Empire of Greece The victorie of Cimon in the countrie of Thracia where he vanquished certeine great men of Persia allied to the king himselfe and kept the Citie of Eronea vpon the riuer of Strymon ouerthrewe the barbarous people inuaded the Thracians droue the Persians away and possessed al Thracia and appointed Grecians to inhabite the Countrie thus had the Greekes victorie out of Greece before their ciuill warres began this Cimon plagued the Persians past into Asia and returned with diuers victories into Greece againe When Nicias wanne the hauen of Syracusa and besieged the Citie in such sort that Euripides made an Epitaph vpon the graue of Nicias and had gotten eight seuerall victories ouer the Cicilians The victorie which Agesilaus had of Sardis the chiefe Citie of Lydia and the victorie ouer Tisaphernes lieutenant of all Persia who gaue battell to the Nation that dwell in Acarnea ouerthrewe them and destroyed them and had victorie and after went to Egypt being an olde man to Tachos king of Egypt where hee vsed a Stratageme that hee gote victorie of Tachos vnto Nectanebus nowe when Persia Asia Egypt Lydia felt the force of Greece then was Greece renowmed The victorie of Phocion in the Isle of Naxes in a battell by sea and another victorie of the Macedonians in a battell that Phocion had with Antipater where Leonatus who came out of Asia to ioyne with Antipater was killed The battell at Mantinea the chiefe Citie of Arcadia the victorie hereof fell to Epaminondas and to the Thebans CHAP. VII Of the last destruction of Greece by the Macedonians by meanes of ciuill discorde and the Peleponesian warres the onely cause of their ruine and confusion at what time king Philip brake their backes and his sonne Alexander their neckes and after them the Romanes kept them in perpetuall seruitude WHat should I write of the victories of Epaminondas Agis Cleomenes or of others which fell before the ciuil dissension of Greece I meane chiefely the Peloponesian warres though some of those victories were after the warres of Peloponesus yet certeinely while the Grecians helde as some time they woulde then was Xerxes driuen out of Greece and beaten in his owne
is the onely ruine of a kingdom as in the warres betwene the Phocians and the Thebans was truely prooued and by Philip fully performed After this it happened that two brethren contended about the kingdome of Thracia which to auoyde warres both consented to the iudgement of Philip who not like a Iudge in giuing iudgement but like a foxe came with an armie and subdued both the brethren and so got the kingdome of Thracia subiect to Macedonia by these subtile dealings he also wanne Cappadocia and Epire and made warres against the Scythians All the endeuours of Philip was to this purpose that he might be the lord of Greece and vpon that he called all Greece to the citie of Corinth and offered to make warres vpon the Persians in his owne person This was to flatter Greece but Virtus an dolus quis in hoste requirit for the Persians euer annoyed Greece After that Philip had won Athens hee was sure of the Thebans and of the Boetians who alwayes were in a league with Athens by meanes of Demosthenes who euer perswaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as tongue could doe to stand against Philip but when Philip waxed strōg who sought with flatery with his friends and with golde with his enemies and Greece waxed weake by reason of their ciuill warres and spoyling one of another he had free passage euery where being made gouernour of all Greece he then easily subdued the Illyrians and the Olynthians conquered Amphipolis Pyrinthus and Byzantium and by this meanes Philip became the onely king of all Macedonian kings before him He grew so great after his victory at Cherronea that he made then ready an armie to Persia and he deuised to bring the monarchie frō Persia to Macedonia which his sonne Alexander did within a while after Philip being thus aduaunced with many victories and triumphes leauing behind him at euery victorie some triumphant pillar or arch as trophes and monuments of his fortune was in the midst of his glory by the Oracles of Pythias warned of his death at what time he sacrificed to his gods a crowned bull Reade more of this in Diodorus After that Philip had much mooued all the cities of Greece to resist the Persians and to make one chiefe generall ouer all Greece against the Persians for Plinie writeth that Philip in the hundred eleuenth Olympiad had much weakened the state of Greece and therefore hee was the sooner chosen their captaine which being obteined he had what he sought Vpon this he returned into Macedonia prepared souldiers made ready his armie and was in the midst of his greatnesse when Pausanias for an iniurie receiued before for want of iustice betwene Attalus who had most horribly abused him and Philip being king to whom hee appealed of whome hee had though oftentimes he sought no remedie but rather flouts and scofs which kindled in Pausanias such hatred that hee reuenged the foule fact of Attalus vpon king Philippe and that with death Thus Philip raigned in Macedonia 23. yeeres at what time Ochus raigned in Persia and recouered Egypt and Camillus triumphed in Rome and ouerthrew the Frenchmen About this time died that noble Philosopher Plato after whom succeeded Speusippus after him Zenocrates Demosthenes and Aeschines two famous Orators flourished in Greece CHAP. II. Of the renowme and fame of Macedonia during the raigne of Alexander the great of his conquest and victories ouer all the East of his dangerous warres in India Egypt and in Scythia and of the subduing of Darius and the taking away of the Monarchie from Persia into Macedonia ALexander the great being of twentie yeeres of age succeeded and exceeded his father Philippe both in vertue and in vice they were thus farre one from another in nature that what Philip did through pollicie and subtiltie that Alexander would doe with open strength and courage Philip reioyced when hee might deceiue the enemie Alexander when he coulde ouerthrow them Philip more politicke like afoxe in council and deuice Alexander like a lion more fierce and couragious in conquering and subduing Philip sought meanes to be beloued of his enemies and to make his foes his friendes Alexander sought to be feared and to make his friendes his foes These and such other comparisons doeth Iustine setforth betweene the father and the sonne Alexander beganne to raigne by Curtius computations after the building of Rome foure hundreth twentie and fixe yeeres at what time Ca. Sulpitius and Lu. Papyrius were Consuls of Rome in the hundreth and eleuenth Olympiad when Iaddus was hie priest in Hierusalem Plutarch writeth that Alexander was descended from Hercules by Caranus side and that of his mothers side he came of the blood of Aeacides by Neoptolemus Olympias his mother dreamed the first night that she lay with Philip that lightning fell into her bellie and that light fire dispersed it selfe in diuers flames about her and king Philip also dreamed that he did seale his wiues bellie and that the seale left behinde it the print of a lion Alexander was borne the sixt day of Iune on the very same day that the temple of Diana was burned he had diuers graue tutours and gouernours Leonidas was chiefe gouernour vnto Alexander for that hee was a noble man and a kinsman to the Queene Olympias Aristotle was his chiefe tutour one of the greatest Philosophers and best learned men in his time King Philip had taken before the citie of Stagira where Aristotle was borne While this Alexander was yet yong one Philonicus a Thessalian had brought Bucephalus a gallant horse to be solde vnto Philip the price was thirteene talents they brought the horse to the fielde to be ridden whom they founde so rough that the riders said he would doe no seruice affirming that it was vnpossible to tame him they found him so churlish yerking out and suffering no man to come nigh him King Philippe commaunded them to take the horse away Alexander misliked the riders and tooke the horse in hande being a very yong man and turned him towards the sunne for that Alexander saw before that the horse started at his owne shadowe Alexander vsed the horse so that he rode him and made him as gentle as could be both with the spurre and with the bitte and so lighted from the horse to whome Philippe his father then said for ioy weeping Seeke a greater kingdome sonne then Macedonia is for Macedonia is to litle for thee This Aulus Gellius Plutarch and Plinie doe affirme This horse Alexander kept for his owne saddle vntill the warres of India where the horse with sickenesse died where hee made a monument in memorie of Bucephalus a towne after the name of the horse and named the citie Bucephalia which hee builded vpon the riuer Hidaspis Reade the whole 16. booke of Diodor. Siculus of the warres and gouernment of Philip. Now as soone as Philip
maried Statira Darius daughter hee married in Susa eightie and two nohle men of Macedonia vnto the Ladies of Persia and Media vpon one day and made a braue large tent of foure furlongs about and appointed an hundreth gorgeous riche beds where also the kings bed was furnished with too much riches to be spoken of I will they should reade Quin. Curtius and Diod. Siculus of the riche and sumptuous solemnitie of this feast of the regall magnificence of Alexander of the pompe and glorie of these Macedonian mariages with these Persian Ladies After these great mariages of himselfe and of his nobles and of his sumptuous feast which continued fiue dayes hee made also a solemne feast of cōmon mariages where 9000. were maried to whom Alexander gaue a cup of gold to euery one to honour the feast He became from a famous conquerour a voluptuous man a drunkard furious and fell at last in his rage to kill and to murther his dearest friendes as Hermolaus Parmenio yea Clitus his owne foster brother who saued Alexanders life at the battel at Granicus at what time Rhosaceris a Persian captaine had slaine Alexander had not Clitus bene he slewe Calisthenes the Philosopher for his good counsell Alexander saide Odio qui sibi non sapit he could not abide to heare any praise of his owne father Philip he would be called the sonne of Iupiter disdained his noble men and olde souldiers of Macedonia that serued his father he forgote to doe good as Pindar truely said and gaue himselfe to be a tyrant after Babylon was taken Alexander was modest discreet wise iust in iudgment temperat in diet for a time but the reward of sinne fel vpon him many hated him and many conspired his death as Sostratus Philota Antipater Epimenes Nicostratus and Anticles but Epimenes disclosed his conspiracie to his brother named Eurilochus to whom Alexander gaue 50. talents for these newes and pardoned Epimenes but the rest he executed Yet still more conspiratours grewe in so much that Antipater his lieutenant in Macedonia yea as some do suspect by Aristotles counsell poyson was sent from Macedonia vnto Babylon and deliuered to Cassander which was Antipaters sonne to Iolla and to Philippe which were Antipaters brethren which were of the kings priuie Chamber and these when they sawe their time bestowe a cuppe of drinke vpon Alexander for his last farewell which when he perceiued that there was no helpe he tooke his ring from his finger and gaue it to Perdica with a commandement giuen that his body should be caried to Iupiter of Ammon Yet some write that he died of a hot feuer A little before hee died he was demaunded who should raigne king after him he answered euen he that is most worthie to come after me And then being againe asked at what time he would haue his body buried he answered when you are at rest and quietnesse And so it came to passe that hee was left vnburied in Babylon vntill Olympias his mother came from Macedonia and caused his bodie to be caried to Alexandria for assoone as Alexander died they contended to bee kings and so forgot to burie Alexander according to his commaundement Thus Alexander after hee had liued thirtie two yeeres and raigned twelue he died at what time happened the saying of Demades to be true that the kingdomes and souldiers of Alexander should be like a Ciclope without an eye surely so it came to passe that after Alexanders death the most part of the worlde was without a king for Alexander had so many kingdomes that when hee died hee left no king behinde him vntill againe they beganne with the sworde to claime kingdomes After Alexanders death who died two hundreth and eight yeeres before Iulius Caesar was slaine during twelue yeeres which Alexander the great raigned in the whole hee raigned sixe of these twelue yeeres king ouer the Chaldeans and the Assyrians ouer the Medes and the Persians leauing Roxana king Darius daughter great with childe for the which the Macedonians did her great honour for king Darius had three daughters Statira Roxana and Bersene who were all married vnto Alexander This time beganne the Romanes to flourish and had conquered the Sabins the Samnits the Latines the Fidenats the Hetruscanes the Volscanes and diuers other countreys and beganne to looke further from Rome vnto other kingdomes of the worlde For nowe had triumphed in Rome during the raigne of Alexander these many gallant fellowes 1 Marcus Valerius Corinus 2 C. Mar. Corolyanus 3 Tit. Manlius Torquatus 4 Lucius Papyrius 5 Fabius Maximus 6 Mar. Curius 7 Lucius Voluminus 8 Caius Sulpitius And 9 Caius Decius And as Liuie saith al these seemed in courage and prowesse to be yong Alexanders CHAP. III. Of the diuision and parting of the kingdomes of Asia and Syria after the death of Alexander betweene his captaines for hee left no king to succeede after him but the sworde so many kingdomes were voide by his death that his captaines that fought then vnder Alexander for wages and spoyles fought nowe for kingdomes and Empires of their warres and of their continuance BVt to come to Macedonia againe where these great captaines fell at variance after the death of Alexander howe the kingdomes of Alexander might bee diuided sixe dayes they were in discoursing of these causes who should succeede Alexāder in the kingdome of Macedonia some greedie of praie some of ease some after long warres some of one thing and some of another the noble men and chiefe captaines they had an eye to the treasure of Alexander which was one hundred thousand talents beside his reuenues yerely which was three hundred thousande talents Perdiccas thought Roxana being great with childe by Alexander if it should be a sonne that he should be king of the Macedonians Meleager contraried Perdicas saying That Alexāder had a gallant youth to bee his sonne by Arsine named Hercules more fitter for the crowne of Macedonia then to expect a doubtfull chaunce by Roxana others thought that Aridaeus a bastard brother of Alexanders shoulde succeede in the kingdome Reade Q. Curtius of the orations and perswasions of seuerall Dukes and captaines concerning the succession after Alexander in the kingdome of Macedonia After long debates seuerall opinions touching Alexanders posteritie it came at last to the murthering of his wife Roxana being great with childe by Alexander to the killing of young Hercules Alexanders sonne by his wife Arsine to the slaughter of his mother Olympias and of his base brother Aridaeus it came in fine to bloodie ciuill discord that the calamitie and miserie of Macedonia after Alexanders time passed farre the felicitie and iollitie of Macedonia during the time of Alexander for after that Antipater had murthered all Alexanders stocke his wife children mother brother and all Alexanders nigh kinsemen hee armed himselfe against Lysimachus by whom Antipater was slaine
droue him out of the kingdome and had both his head and his crowne giuen him But Philometor enioyed not long these great honors for within three dayes after he had receiued Alexanders head Ptolome died so long he ware the crowne of Syria When the Syrians heard that Alexander was dead in Arabia and Ptolome dead in Egypt they slue all the souldiers of Ptolome which were left in garisons in the Cities of Syria and receiued Demetrius Nicanor to be their king which was Demetrius Soters sonne Nowe when Demetrius had recouered his kingdome againe he fel in short time in as great contempt with all men for his slouthfulnesse as his father before him was for pride and to auoide that fault he waged warres with the Parthians to whom he gaue two seuerall ouerthrowes by the aide of the Bactrians and the Persians but afterward he was taken and sent prisoner into Hircania to Arsaces king of Persia. While Demetrius was in these warres Ionathas the high priest was by deceipt slaine by Trypho also he slue young Antiochus ouer whom he was tutour and reigned three yeeres king in Syria Cleopatra Demetrius wife fearing the tyrannie of this Trypho and knowing her husband to bee captiue in Hircania shee maried Antiochus Soter her husbands brother shee being then in the citie of Seleucia Antiochus leuied an armie came to Syria pursued Trypho from whom reuoulted all his souldiers and he himselfe fled Antiochus possessed Syria quietly and calling to mind the pride of his father the slouthfulnesse of his brother for which faultes they were both hated of their subiects hee vsed great diligence and faire meanes to winne those cities which had reuoulted from his brother yet according to his predecessours the kings of Syria he beganne shortly after this good mind to molest Iudea he besieged Hircanus the high priest in Ierusalem but he tooke money and remoued his siege In the twelfth of his reigne Antiochus beganne to warre against Phrahartes king of the Parthiās leuied an armie of eightie thousand men Phrahartes had Demetrius the brother of Antiochus in custodie with him to whom his father Arsaces had promised him before he died to restore him to his kingdome and thereupon gaue his daughter in mariage The king of Parthia was ouerthrowen and driuen to slight in two or three battels leauing al Parthia wasted and spoyled by Antiochus In the meane time Demetrius was sent by Phrahartes to his kingdome while Antiochus was absent from Syria In this warres of Parthia Antiochus came to Babylon where many kings gaue him the meeting for hee waxed great and strong and there hearing that his brother Demetrius was commen to Syria from Parthia and was receiued againe to his kingdome he made haste to returne with his souldiers to Syria but Phrahartes had prepared an armie vpon the way to meete him and to giue him battell where Antiochus was slaine CHAP. III. Of the last destruction of Asia and Syria through their ciuill dissention and long warres one with another the onely cause of their bondage afterward to the Romanes vnder whom they liued as subiects and all Asia and Syria made Prouinces vnder Rome WHen the king of Parthia had the victorie hee much repented him that he let loose Demetrius but hee coulde not helpe it When Demetrius had bin from his kingdome thirteene yeeres captiue but with great honour for that he maried Arsases daughter king of Parthia his returne to Syria was in the sixe hundred twentie seuen yeere after the building of Rome and hee reigned afterward foure yeeres for in the fourth yeere after his returne from Parthia where hee had bene thirteene yeeres captiue he leuied an armie against Hircanus but Demetrius woonted and intollerable pride was such that the Syrians by no meanes coulde abide him and therefore they sent to Egypt to king Ptolome that he would appoint them a king of the blood and house of Seleucus Such were the maners of the Syrians that vpon any broile or diffidence they had in their king the kings of Egypt shoulde be their shield and defende them and by that meanes onely diuers kings of Egypt became kings of Syria The people of Syria hauing sent to Egypt Ptolome prepared Alexander Zebenna with a great hoste against Demetrius from whom most of his subiects reuoulted and therefore the easier to be vanquished as it came to passe in the very first battell betweene him and Zebenna This Zebenna was one Protarchus sonne a meane man and such a one as Prompalus was of whō you reade before These false pollices and craftie deuices are alwayes in courtes about kings and princes as in Macedonia a false Philip and after him againe a fained Perseus so in Syria a false Prompalus and after him a false Zebenna of whom reade the fable in Iustine and in Functius When this Alexāder Zebenna had ouercome Demetrius he enioyed the kingdome of Syria two yeres quietly but shortly he waxed so proud and arrogant that he litle esteemed king Ptolome who only made him king in Syria Ptolome hearing of these newes recōciled himselfe first to his sister Cleopatra who had bin maried to both the brethren Antiochus and Demetrius kings of Syria and straight after sent an armie to ayde Gryphus who was by his mother appointed king which gaue battel to Zebenna ouerthrew him and forced him to flee to Antioch where for want of money to pay his souldiers he robbed the temple of Iupiter from thence he was driuen by the countrie to take his flight Againe his souldiers forsooke him and left him he was taken and brought to Griphus and by commaundement slaine Nowe Griphus hauing obteined his fathers kingdome doubted nothing of his mother Cleopatras treason being busie in other affaires of his kingdome vntill hee was made acquainted with his mothers intent of whō he had some triall both towards his father whom shee betrayed being her husband his brother whō also she slue being her owne sonne her ambitions impietie was so found that when she offered a cuppe of drinke to her sonne the king she was cōmaunded to drinke the same her selfe and so the poyson with the which she thought to poyson her sonne was made to be her owne draught and her owne death After this Griphus reigned king in Syria eight yeeres very quiet before Cizicoenus his brother beganne to warre he was his brother by the mother side borne by his vncle Antiochus Sedetes while the state of Syria was thus afflicted with continuall warres betweene brethren and brethrens children Ptolomeus Physcon died who left behinde him the kingdome to his wife and to his sonne of whō I haue entreated in the historie of Egypt But now the ciuill warres being in Syria betweene Antiochus Griphus Demetrius Nicanors sonne and Antiochus Cizicenus Antiochus Sedetes sonne though they were brethrē by the mothers side cousin germaines by the fathers yet their
ambition was such to the kingdom of Syria that they forgate fraternitie in blood fel to strokes one persecuting the other with cōtinual warres sundry battels vntil at lēgth Antiochus Griphus was slaine by the treacherie of Herodianus in the 662. yere after the building of Rome in the 29. yere of his reigne I remēber a history in Dionisius Halicarnassaeus in the which historie Rome is much commended in respect of other countries as Persia Greece Maccdonia Syria Asia kingdoms of ciuil warres the very cause of their ruine but in Rome no ciuil warre was knowen no mutinie no discord was seene for 620. yeres frō the time of Romulus the first king of Rome vntill the time of Tiberius Gracchus which was the first that died in an vprore which he himselfe beganne But while these ciuill warres endured in Syria Masinissa king of Numidia was occupied in Affrike hauing great wars betweene the Carthagineans the Numidians Aristonicus also the sonne of Attalus king of Pergamus brother to that valiant king Eumenes inuaded Asia as his owne kingdom fallen to him by succession of his father At that time reigned in Bythinia Nicomedes in Pōtus Mithridates the sōne of that great Mithridates who held warres with the Romanes of a long time About this time began the sects of people in Iudea the Pharises the Saduces and Esseni Of these Iosephus writeth beside we reade of them in the new Testament In the time of Antiochus Griphus Mecypsa king of Numidia died who left 3. sonnes behind him named Adherbalis Hiempsalis Iugurtha of this Salust maketh mention in the warres of Iugurth which warre happened in this time of Griphus for Marius the Romane Consul about this time triumphed ouer Iugurth Pompey the great was borne about the time of that triumph Lucretius the Poet also But I will come to Syria where after king Antiochus was slaine his sonne Seleucus succeeded him this prepared to reuenge his father vpon his vncle gathered his force gaue him battel and slue his vncle Antiochus Cizicoenus whose sōne reuēged vpō his cousin his fathers death he gaue him battel ouerthrewe him droue him out of Syria to Cicilia where hee was burned in his owne house and all his friendes with him Skant was this mischiefe done but straight another folowed Seleucus brother named Antiochus folowed fast Cizioenus sōne and slue him with all his armie Then Philip the third brother of Seleucus tooke much of the kings treasure and went priuately and dwelled in a part of Syria vntill that Ptolome who by his owne mother before that time was expelled out of Egypt though afterwarde hee was receiued king againe in the 663. yeere after the building of Rome This I say brought the fourth brother of Seleucus named Demetrius Eucerus to Damascus where hee was crowned king who ioyned with Philip ouerthrew Antiochus their brother and the eldest after Seleucus This murthering one another in Syria with such tyrannie and bloody treason betweene brethren and brethrens children that all the kings of Syria euen from Antiochus Epiphanes the eight king of Syria vntill Philip the seuenteenth king no forraine enemies needed to inuade Asia but one king destroyed an other by ciuill warres About this time Cneus Pompeius father to the great Pompe subdued the Picents and the Marsies and Silla ouercame the Samnites Betweene this Silla and Marius beganne a great quarrell about the warres of Mithridates these two though they did much good to their Countrie and were equal to the best yet they past al men in offence and harme towards Rome so that they onely were the two fire brandes of Italie Mithridates king of Pontus inuaded Asia obiected himselfe against the Romanes but Silla who at that time triumphed ouer all the countries and almost ouer Rome staied Mithridates Lucullus waged warres this time with the Parthians Nicomedes king of Bithinia in those dayes died and made the Romanes his heire as Attalus king of Asia did Mithridates Nowe Philip and Demetrius two brethren reigned the last kings of Syria of the blood of Seleucus which reigned not long for Demetrius went against Alexander king of the Iewes by whom he and his company were vanquished and driuen out of Iudea Demetrius being thus expulsed gathered those scattered souldiers which Alexander king of Iudea dispearsed and laid siege to the citie of Berea where his brother Philip lay where Demetrius was taken by the Parthiās sent to Parthia to be kept as a prisoner where he died After that Demetrius was sent to Parthia Philip came out of Beroea entred into Antioch and obteined the whole kingdom of Syria into his owne hand but he was shortly vanquished ouerthrowen by Gabinius the Romane The Syrians were cōpelled by this ciuil warre to cōmit themselues to forraine kings to auoid the tyrāny which lōg endured betweene the kings of Syria so that both the kings the kingdom of Syria were at the last breath some willing to call Mithridates king of Pontus some Ptolome king of Egypt and some Tygranes king of Armenia At length they made a choise of Tygranes to be their king the rather for the societie of the Parthiās the affinitie of Pōtus which were the next kingdōs vnto Armenia While these brethrē Philip Demet. were at variance such an earthquake was in Syria that 170000. men perished thereby many cities laid prostrate to the groūd Tygranes gouerned the Syrians 18. yeeres quietly without any warre or busines though in deede diuers there were that hoped for a day specially Antiochus Cizicoenus which all this time lay close in Cicilia Tygranes had thought to subdue Palestina and so after some leasure to warre vpō Iuda but hearing that Lu. Lucullus after that Mithridates was by the said Lucullus conquered marched forward into Armenia Tygranes was driuē to forsake Syria in al haste to returne to defend his owne coūtrie where he was ouercome in two or three great battels and at length taken in his chiefe citie called Artaxa Nowe Tygranes could not returne to Syria but he was led captiue to the Romanes by Pompei the great who after that wēt in person into Syria brought it to the forme gouernment of a prouince for that Syria as Plutarch saith wanted a lawfull king He made a prouince of Syria to the Romane Empire he cōquered al Iurie builded certeine cities in Iudea this very time M. Crassus with his sonne with all his armie was ouerthrowen and slaine in Parthia Likewise Iulius Caesar came into England called then Brittaine and conquered it at what time reigned in Brittaine Cassibelane who after two or three repulses giuen to Caesar yeelded consented to pay tribute At the cōming of Pompe into Syria Diodorus Siculus a great writer wēt to Egypt where he wrote in a booke of his the antiquitie of the Egyptiās About this time Titus Liuius the historiographer
more then they wanne by the foure victories In the fift yeere after Regulus was taken by the Affricanes Metellus was sent from Rome to Sicilia where the Carthagineans came with 130. elephants of the which nomber Metellus got 26 he slew 2000. Affricanes as Eutropius saith but Melancthon in his chronicles saith that Metellus slew 36. elephants and tooke aliue 146. elephants which Metellus in great triumph brought with him to Rome The Affricanes after these great mischances required Regulus a Romane captaine whom the Affricanes tooke captiue and kept in prison vntill this time him they sent vnto the Senate to entreate for peace who when he came to Rome perswaded the Romanes that peace by no meanes should be granted to the Affricanes alledging that they were voyde of all hope to recouer their former estate they were quite quailed and dismayed and readie to yeeld all Affrike vp to the Romanes hee refused to tarie in Rome though the Senate sought him but returned to Carthage according to his othe promise with a denial of peace where he was with most cruel torments put to death Thus Regulus that might haue saued his life in Rome lost it in Carthage and that most willingly After this the Senate sent Publius Claudius and Caius Iunius with an armie of Romanes but not with such good successe as Metellus had for in this iourney the Affricanes ouercame the Romans so that of two hundreth and twentie sailes they saued but thirtie 89. were taken and all the men which fought in them the residue were sunke besides the Affricanes tooke 20. thousande of the Romanes prisoners Thus sometime the Carthagineans and sometime the Romanes preuailed and so still continued with mortal malice Caius Luctatius was sent presently with 300. sailes frō Rome after this great losse that they had by the Affricanes in the 9. yeere after the victories of Metellus This Luctatius with great courage perceiuing the Affricanes to be puft vp with pride of their last victorie and now againe that they sent Hamo frō Carthage with an armie by land and an other to Amilcar Hanibals father by sea Luctatius before these armies came together gaue to the Affricanes a sore battell which was fought ouer against Lylibium a citie of Sicilia with such passing valiantnes of the Romanes that they toke 73. ships of the Affricans they sunke 125. they tooke 32. thousand men prisoners and slew 13. thousand with an infinite deale of gold and siluer which Luctatius broght with him to Rome After this great ouerthrow of Hanno Luctatius hasted to the citie of Erix where Amilcar stayed with his power whom hee forced to forsake the towne to his great losse the residue of the Affricanes were by Luctatius solde for eighteeene pence a piece The Affricanes being thus spoiled and ouerthrowen by Luctatius entreated for peace which was to them by the Senate graunted which peace continued betwene the Affricanes and the Romanes 26. yeeres Thus ended the first warres of the Affricanes which endured 24. yeeres During which time Ptolomey Euergetes raigned in Egypt and Seleucus Gallinicus raigned in Syria The Parthians began to set vp a kingdome this time and Antigonus sirnamed Doson raigned then in Macedonia About this time Aratus an excellent Greeke the gouernor ouer the Achetans exempted al kinde of tyrannie out of the citie of Corinth and brought the Megereans in societie with the Corinthians About the latter end of this first warre betwene the Affricanes and the Romans came Hiero the mightie and puisant king of Sicilia to behold the enterludes at Rome where he distributed amongst the Romans two hundred thousand bushels of wheat During this first warre of Carthage M. Claudius gaue a great ouerthrow to the Frenchmen and slew their king called Viridomarus with his owne had as Eutropius saith The greatnes of the Romanes was such then that they had warres with Illyrians with the Istrians with the Frenchmen with the Affricanes and with diuers others ouer whom the Romanes triumphed at which time they concluded a peace with al nations which neuer happened to the Romanes since the first building of Rome but onely in Numa Pompilius time CHAP. II. Of the second Affricane warres betweene the Carthagineans and the Romanes which endured 17. yeeres During which time Hanibal held terrible warres with the Romanes which brought the Empire of Rome wellnigh to Carthage but at last by Scipio Affricanus the warres were ended Carthage ouerthrowen Affrica wonne and Hanibal forced to flee NOw after that Hamilcar died in Spaine a man of great skil to whom the Affricans in the first Punicke warre committed the whole gouernment of Affrike this Hamilcar made warres with the Romanes in Sicilia a longer time then it was looked for After that he kept them play in Affrike and from thence he was sent gouernour and generall for the Affricanes into Spaine This Hamilcar was sirnamed Barcha after whome succeeded Asdrubal his sonne in lawe for that Hanibal Hamilcar his owne sonne was but yong tender notwithstanding he was hardned now against the second warres of Affrike where he farre excelled his fathers doings in his first warres After the first warre ended Hamilcar Hanibals father died hee continued three yeeres in the seruice of the warres vnder the conduct of Asdrubal his brother for at what time his father had him first to Spaine he was but nine yeeres olde and after that to Asdrubals death as Polibius affirmeth seuenteene yeeres so as Plutarch and Polibius agree he was 26. yeere olde whē he was chosen lieutenant general against the Romans but Eutropius saith he was but twentie but he was no sooner chosen generall but he bent himselfe fully against the Romanes to whom he bare a secret malice for the losse of Sardinia and Sicilia but specially for his fathers Hamilcars sake who hated so the Romanes that he compelled Hanibal his sonne being but a boy to sweare at a sacrifice which Hamilcar made that hee would be a mortall enemie to the Romanes The remembrance of which things enticed Hanibal to attempt warres against the Romanes at what time Hanibal sware vpon his fathers graue that he would be an enemie to the Romans and performe the othe which he sware to his father Hamilcar This inheritable hatred made Hanibal to practise innouations and to finde occasion to begin this second warre There was a towne named Saguntum the people hereof confined indifferently betweene the Romanes and the Carthagineans this towne Hanibal assaulted to whom the Romanes sent ambassadours to will him to cease from battell for the Romanes were alwayes lothe to vse force if either intreatie or courtesie might take place but Hanibal refused to speake with them The Senate sent to Carthage willing that commaundement might be giuen to Hanibal to spare the Saguntines which were in league with the Romans but they had the like answere in Carthage as they had of
kings in Italie at one time From this Italus whom the Greekes called Atlas and by whō the countrie was named Italia from which time to the last destruction of Troy were 454. yeeres from the ruine of Troy to the building of Rome foure hundred and thirtie yeeres So long Italie was by the Thuscans Hetrurians Samnites Sabines Fidenats Vuiens Volscans Latines with others inhabited before the name of the Romanes were knowen for first in Italie dwelt Greekes Arcadians Salentines Lacedemonians Cicilians Rutilians with many more nations as Myrsilus a Lesbian writer doth note of the which Annius in his institutions of the antiquitie of Etruria of their lawes and gouernment during the time of their magistrates called Lucumones hath more then is necessarie written In like maner Fab. Pictor a noble learned Romane of the stocke and house of Fabians endeuoured with all his studie to proue the antiquitie of olde Italie from Ianus time which he most surely accompted to be olde Noah attributing to the Thuscans so much as Annius before In his first booke hee entreateth from Ianus and Saturnus time vntill Romulus time in his second booke from Romulus forwarde for all agree that the late Romanes after Romulus time haue had their discipline their religion their lawes their diuination and all such ceremonies from the Hetruscans The like traueile M. Cato in in his fragments De originibus tooke the like paine as the before named Annius and Fab. Pictor did for the antiquitie of olde Italie I will come therefore to the kings of the Latines which were the first kings that wee reade of in Italie where reigned before Aeneas comming to Italie fiue kings as Ruffinus affirmeth but as Annius Fabius Pictor and M. Cato reigned twelue kinges and from Aeneas vntill the time of Romulus sixteene kinges reigned of the which briefely I meane to speake a litle setting downe the names of their kinges the number of the time that they reigned and for that Aeneas was prima Imperij Romani origo the first beginning and the originall of the Romane Empire and the onely authour of gens Iulia from whence Iulius Caesar Augustus and the Emperours of Rome come off I will therefore set downe the time of his comming into Italie his continuance and his posteritie after him vntill Romulus time the first builder and founder of Rome Aeneas after the Greekes had taken Troy hauing gathered the noblest and best men with all the strength and treasures of Troy tooke the Castle Ilion for his defence vntill hee perceiued that hee coulde not resist the violence of the Grecians determined to escape the enemies and to sende some of the best before with abundance of treasures to mount Ida and there to tarie vntill Aeneas and the rest sawe their time to escape which being perfourmed they departed from Ida tooke the sea Helespont into Thracia from Thracia to Macedonia as Beroaldus affirmeth from Macedonia to Cicilia from thence into Italie where then Latinus reigned King of the Countrie with whom the Rutiles people dwelling at Ardea a Towne distant from Rome a hundred and three score furlongs held warre Of this Latinus Aeneas was so enterteined and his armie that hee graunted Aeneas a place to inhabite not farre from Laurentum where Latinus might vse Aeneas aide in this warre Aeneas builded a Towne for his ayde against the Rutiles and named it after his wifes name Lauinium for hee grewe in such fauour with king Latinus then being in warres with Mexentius and with others that after two or three ouerthrowes by the Troianes giuen to Mexentius king of Tyrrhenum and to Turnus king of the Rutiles who shoulde haue maried Lauinia before Aeneas for that shee was espoused to Turnus first Aeneas good successe in warres was such being king ouer all the Troians and so named of his souldiers that Latinus gaue his daughter heire of the kingdom to Aeneas that after Latinus was slaine in battell Aeneas was the right and lawfull king of the Latines where he reigned three yeeres and died leauing his sonne Ascanius to succeede him king of the Latines Nowe before Aeneas time reigned fiue kings ouer the Latines by the names of Ianus Saturnus Picus Faunus Latinus the sixt Aeneas These kings reigned about 150. yeeres in Italie before Aeneas came to Laurentum which was about the time of Dauid who beganne his kingdome in the foure hundred thirtie foure yeere after that the Israelites left Egypt in the beginning of the eight Iubilee Yet Annius in his Chronicles of the Hetruscanes saith that after Hesperus died his brother succeeded him named Italus in Vetulonia the chiefe Towne at that time in Italie this Italus had a daughter named Roma who builded Capua in Latio in the place where nowe Rome is builded vpon the one side of mount Auentine as Fabius Pictor affirmeth in his booke De origine Vrbis Romae this doeth Annius set downe in this sort 1 Roma reigned in Latio yeeres 46. 2 After Roma her sonne Romanessus 79. 3 After him Picus Priscus 57. 4 After Picus Faunus Priscus 30. 5 After Fannus his daughter Agilla 54. 6 Then reigned Vulcanus 36. 7 After Mars surnamed Ianus iunior 23. 8 After Ianus succeeded Seculus surnamed Saturnus 36. 9 Picus Iunior 34. 10 Fannus Iunior 24. 11 Latinus Aeneas father in lawe 38 12 And after Latinus reigned Aeneas as his heire maried to his daughter 3. In this both Annius and Fabius Pictor do agree which yeres amount to 454. yeeres that Aeneas predecessors reigned before the destruction of Troy and before he was king of the Latines Of this Roma which was Italus daughter Rome was first named as Sempronius in his booke of the diuision of Italie affirmeth and sayth further that Romulus had his name giuen by the place named Roma and not Roma from Romulus But Ruffinus and Functius sayth that Ascanius beganne his kingdome ouer the Latines when Samson was Iudge in Israel in the sixt Iubilee after Moses which is an hundred yeeres before Dauids kingdome But omitting controuersies Ascanius being in quiet possession of the kingdome hee caused a monument to be erected vp in maner and sort like an arche or a pillar whereupon he caused this sentence to bee written rounde about that monument as followeth Patri deo Indigeti qui Numici amnis vndas temperat This pillar is made and consecrated to the god of the Latines who hath power and soueraigntie ouer the riuer Numicus Some say that Aeneas made this in memorie of his father Anchises other say it was Ascanius doing in memorie of his father Aeneas who vanished away at the riuer Numicus others say that the Latines did it in remembrance of their last king Latinus but howe so euer it is a graue there is as Halicarnassaeus sayth that it is composed fine and artificially made of wood and stone in most curious maner but I will be briefe and omitte these
things and will as I haue promised onely set downe the names of the kings of the Latines 2 Ascanius Aeneas sonne reigned after his father the second king of the Latines this Ascanius had a sonne named Iulus of whome doeth Gens Iulia spring out Ascanius is called in Halicar Eurilion who reigned twentie eight yeres 3 After Ascanius succeeded Syluius a brother of Ascanius a sonne vnto Aeneas by Lauina king Latinus daughter whom Aeneas left great with childe when he died she for feare of Ascanius hidde her selfe in mountaines and in wooddes vntill she was brought to bed and therefore her sonne was named Syluius after which name all the kings of the Albans were named Syluij this reigned king after Ascanius Iulus which was Ascanius sonne who became a priest and a religious man vnto the gods which vntill the time of Augustus the familie and stocke of Iulia remained and continued as great Bishops named mag ni Pontifices or else as high priests named summi Sacerdotes amōg the Romanes the onely men of great renowme and fame This Syluius reigned twentie nine yeeres and dyed and left behinde him Aeneas Syluius 4 Aeneas Syluius reigned thirtie one yeeres and left behind him a sonne named Latinus Syluius the fifth king of the Latines 5 Latinus reigned after his father fiftie yeeres and left behind a sonne named Alba Syluius which was the sixt king of the Latines 6 Syluius Alba reigned thirtie nine yeeres 7 After him succeeded Capetus Syluius the seuenth king of the Latines 24. yeeres Eusebius named this king Atyn Eutrop. lib. 1. doeth call him Epidum so doeth Ouid in Metamorph lib. 14. 8 Capetus left behind him Capis Syluius the 8. king of the Latines who reigned 28. yeeres of this king Capua a Citie in Italie was first builded 9 After this succeded Calpetus Syluius the ninth king of the Latines who reigned thirteene yeeres and left behinde him a sonne named Tiberinus 10 Tiberinus the tenth king of the Latines reigned 8. yeres and was slaine in a battell fought by the riuer Albula some say that he was drowned in Albula and therefore the riuers name was altered and named Tiber after the name of Tiberinus which is that riuer that runneth through Rome this Tiberinus left a sonne to succeede him called Agrippa Syluius 11 Agrippa Syluius reigned fourtie yeeres being the eleuenth king of the Latines 12 Alladius Syluius the twelfth king of the Latines succeeded Agrippa and reigned nineteene yeeres whom Eutrop doeth call Remus Syluius a wicked man and a cruell tyraunt vsing many horrible attempts against God therefore was worthely slaine by a thunder boult for he went about to make the people beleeue that hee was a God hee would gape and receiue the lightning into his mouth but he and all his house was therewith consumed 13 After him succeeded the thirteenth king of the Latines which was named Auentinus Syluius which reigned thirtie seuen yeeres of this king mount Auentine one of the seuen hilles in Rome was named for that this king Auentinus was buried there This time reigned Amazias king of Iuda brother to Amos Isaiah his father at what time reigned in Assyria Sardanapalus their last king 14 Procus Syluius succeeded the fourteenth king of the Latines which reigned twentie three yeeres who left the kingdome to his eldest sonne Numitor Syluius and left to his other younger sonne money and great wealth but this Amulius draue his elder brother Numitor out of his kingdome and Numitor was constrained like a priuate man to leade his life in the Countrie Amulius hauing vsurped vpon his brother studied to roote out and to make an end of his brothers house to bee the surer in his kingdome but hee was slaine in the Towne of Alba by Romulus who came of the body of Numitor by his daughter Rhea and as Annius doeth write begotten of Amulius his vncle by whom the kingdome of Alba descended vnto Romulus and was the seuenteenth king from Aeneas This I haue laide downe as I founde in Annius and Halicarnassaeus worde by word whereunto agree Fabius Pictor and M. Cato in his fragments CHAP. I. Of the first building of Rome by Romulus of his gouernment lawes and appointing of Magistrates after he had founded the citie of his warres with the Sabines of his conquestes and victories ouer these Sabines Fidenats and of his triumph ouer king Acron IWill omit to write of the prophane antiquitie of the Tuscans and of their chiefe citie Hetruria of whom you may reade Sempronius M. Cato Fabius Pictor and many others where you may satisfie your selues of many such fables as are to bee founde in prophane histories and therefore I will begin the historie of Rome frō the Latines and so briefly passe vnto Romulus the first builder and first king of Rome whose lineall race descended from the kings of the Latines in the which kingdome reigned successiuely sixteene kings before Romulus builded Rome from Aeneas time as in the histories of the kings of the Latines is declared And nowe in what Olympiad Rome was builded the Chronicles crie out one against another in such sort that some say that Rome was builded in the fift Olympiad some in the sixt Olympiad some in the eight some in the ninth and some in the twelfth Olympiad But the best agree that Rome was builded in the seuenth Olympiad for yet prophane histories were not acquainted with the actions of time for fewe or none wrote in those dayes or within three hundred yeeres after for Rome in the beginning was but a little towne and so frō time to time encreased her Territories and enlarged her Confines first by Romulus pollicie in warres and secondarily by Numa Pompilius wisedome in religion and peace At what time Phul Assur reigned the second king of newe Assyria for now the monarchie of the Assyrians was takē away into Babylon after Sardanapalus time by Phul Belochus the father of this king for the kingdomes of newe Assyria or of Babylon of the Medes and of Macedonia began before the kingdome of Rome the space of one Iubilee which is but fiftie yeres and the kingdom of Lydia began 26. yeres before Rome in the first Olympiad Thus at one time almost fiue kingdomes begā their gouernment About the name of Rome diuerse opinions are some say that the Pelagians after they had ouercome the greatest part of the world and had subdued many nations in the end did stay there and named it Rome first some say that after the destructiō of Troy certaine Troians to saue themselues frō the sword with their wiues tooke sea were driuē by winde to the Thuscan shore neere to the riuer Tiber that one Roma a Troiane lady named Rome after her owne name others hold opinion that it was Romanus the sonne of Vlisses and of Circes that first named Rome other say otherwayes Reade Plutarch Fabius Pictor
frō the citie of Rome then Veiena and Fidena the one 6. miles the other 18. miles distant from Rome had enlarged the citie with these confines and territories more then Romulus did he was striken with lightning that both hee his wife and all his house were burnt when he had raigned 32. yeres in the 35. Olymp. When this king raigned in Rome Zaleucus gouerned the Locresiās who for his law making law keeping is much mentioned in histories for in that law against adulterie his owne sonne first offending should haue lost both his eyes but his nobles made great intercessiō for the kings sonne the king to satisfie their requests shewing himselfe a naturall father to his sonne and a iust king to his people caused one of his sonnes eyes and another of his owne eyes to be taken out to performe the lawe which he made In the time of Tul. Hostilius Manasses king of Iuda was conuerted vnto his God and thereby restored to his kingdome when he expelled idolatry and serued God the rest of his life In Chaldea raigned Nabuchodonosor the father of the great Nabuchodonosor and in Media Phaortes the 6. king of the Medes During the time of this king in Rome raigned in Lydia Ardis their 6. king and in Macedonia Philip their 6. king also for the Medes the Macedonians the Lydians and the Romanes began their Empires within 60. yeres together Tullus Hostilius the third king appointed two Quaestors as it were two Treasurers to sease by the pole euery citizen of Rome to leauie and to keepe the same money to the vse of the citie he created also 2. Iudges which were called Duum viri these should determine causes for life and death In like sort of Ancus Martius with his lawes Tarquinius Priscus and his decrees you may reade in Pomp. Laetus and Fenestella Euen so Seruius Tullus the 6. king of Rome perceiuing that the Senators had more to doe then they could well accomplish especially in priuat causes of the citie he instituted two men called Censors to record and to write the nomber of all men in seruice to take view of such offenders within the citie and to punish crimes and offences and if any Senators should not execute iustice he should be depriued out of the Senate If any of the magistrats created by Romulus should not imitate and liue within the lawe of Romulus they should be by the Censors punished If any of the religious officers and the priests which Numa instituted should transgresse the lawe of Numa he should also by these Censors be reformed this office cōtinued 5. yeres and vpon the fift yere new Censors were made this was called Lustrū at what time althe citie was visited all faults opened vnto them and all iniuries done reformed by them as C. Fabritius being Censor remoued frō the Senate P. Cornelius Ruffinus for the expences of 10. pound more then was allowed by these Censors and so M. Cato banished C. Flaminius brother from the Senators for the fauouring of a prisoner at the request of a woman The auctoritie of those Censors were such as might reforme all things by law The old Romanes vsed to accompt their actions to nomber their yeeres euery fift yeere which they called Lustrum as the Greciās vsed to nomber the yeres by their Olympiad which the Greekes named Penterides This office of Censors continued for a time in Rome being renued euery fift yeere which was a great day in Rome and appointed by Seruius Tullus the sixt king of Rome and endured vntil Vespatian the Emperours time the last conquerour of Ierusalem 650. yeeres yet I reade not but of 75. Lustrums which is 360 yeres For Eutropius saith that both Lustrum and the Olympiad endured no longer then Sillas time But yet compted vntil Constantines time Tarquinius the proud appointed 3. men to keepe the Sibillas books after they were augmented from 3. to 10. and at last frō 10. to 15. These were chosen out aswel of the Patricians as of the vulgar people they should once a yere in the moneth of Februarie reade these bookes and after they should see the bookes safelie kept vntil Februarie againe Now after that Tullus died succeeded in Rome Anc. Martius the 4. king one in nature like vnto his grandfather Numa Pompilius and one that in the beginning of his gouernment imitated Numa in all points commanding the people to obserue the lawes and ceremonies of his grandfather thinking therby to haue the like successe of quietnes and peace commaunded Numas lawes to be written in tables and be set on postes and pillars in the market place studied diligently to keepe his people in peace thoght to liue quietly with that litle territorie that then the city of Rome gouerned But it happened otherwise for scant he had established himselfe in his kingdom whē the Latins vnder their gouernour there waged warres against the Romans and brought an army to the very towne of Medullia which they tooke and possest for 3. yeres in spite of Ancus Martius Now this king was forced to forsake Numa which liued in peace and to folow Tullus his predecessor in warres and therefore he altered his minde and gathered force together and began stoutly to answere the Latins and to giue them so many battels that he destroyed vanquished and wan their chiefe cities as Politoriū Telena Ficania and diuers others he recouered Medullia gaue diuers ouerthrowes to the Latins then straight he was much troubled with the Sabines and Fidenats the Veients and the Volscanes these people euer warred against the kings of Rome for yet Rome was not come to any greatnes But when they had quite conquered the Sabines Latines Veients Volscanes Fidenats and other nations next vnto them which oftentimes they did and they stil reuolted then the citie of Rome began to looke vnto other kingdomes but during the time of their kings their owne neighbours annoyed them most This king Ancus Martius had no rest during his whole gouernment vntill he had brought these people before spoken vnto subiection then he began to build to enlarge the city of Rome by taking mount Auentine vnto it and the hil Ianicula a large ground of 18. furlongs about ful of diuers yong trees specially laurel but by An. Martius made habitable and populous there vpon the hil Auentine a faire temple was builded vnto Diana and to this moūt Martius brought frō Telena and Politorium and other townes men and women to dwell there After this the king builded a towne fast vpō the sea shore called Hostia 6. miles frō Rome made a bridge ouer the riuer of Tiber which ranne by Rome he also builded a prison house to punish offenders diuers other monumēts which you may read in Halicarnasaeus whē he had raigned 24. yeres he died leauing behind him 2. sōnes the one an infant and
he was wise eloquent and discreete whom the people honored much and whose counsel Tarquinius vsed in any doubtful action as an oracle he was brought vp in militarie discipline as both the Sabines and Hetruscans can testifie This king perceiuing that Ancus Martius sonnes had slaine king Priscus his predecessor and his father in lawe vnderstanding himselfe to stande in the like danger if they should liue they being right heires to the Empire of Rome Seruius by decree banished the sonnes of Martius out of the territories of the Romanes yet Fabius Pictor saith that they were the sonnes of Tarquinius Priscus but hee is reprehended and conuicted with probable reasons by Halicarnassaeus But howsoeuer it was the like ende that Tarquinius Priscus had by Ancus Martius sonnes the same had Seruius Tullus by Tarquinius sonnes both murthered As touching the gouernment of Seruius Tullius in the warres against the enemies of Rome he excelled his predecessours and brought the people the townes and cities about Rome most willingly to yeeld themselues after that he had triumphed ouer them with 3. solemne triumphes for this king for the space of 20. yeeres waged warres with the Hetruscans with the Sabines and others so that he conquered at length all places about Rome without blood for the Romans yet had no great force to make warre farre from Rome for during the time of their kings which was 244. yeeres which was the first infancie of Rome they had their handes full to answere those next cities and their next neighbours dwelling about them This king was the first that inuented mustering of men which before this time was not knowen as Eutropius saith in al the territories of Rome for in Seruius Tullus time the names of all the inhabitants of Rome were taken and accompted by the pole there were found in the Citie of Rome eightie foure thousand Citizens able men In Seruius time brasse was coyned in Rome and after Seruius time two hundred yeeres there was no siluer coyned in Rome By this king three hilles were annexed to Rome the one was called Quirinalis the seconde Viminalis the third called Esquilinus By this king the walles of Rome were entrenched rounde about and by this king was a faire Temple builded vpon mount Auentine to the godesse Diana Reade more in Dionysius Halic but the end of this king was as I saide before to be slaine by the wickednesse of his sonne in lawe Tarquinius who was sonne to the last king Tarquinius Priscus whō this Seruius Tullus succeeded the treacherie of his owne daughter whō he had espoused to the said Tarquinius Thus was he slaine when hee had reigned fourtie foure yeeres king of Rome During which time reigned in Egypt king Amasis and in Macedonia Alcetas In the time of this king Seruius Croesus the last king of Lydia was conquered by Cyrus and the kingdome of Lydia brought vnder the Persians at what time Cyrus beganne his Empire in Persia after he had conquered Astiages the last king of the Medes and made Medea as Lydia was subiect vnto Persia at one time for Cyrus grew in Seruius time the strongest king and the onely Monarch of the worlde for after he had conquered these two great kings Croesus king of Lydia and Astyages king of Media he also at that instant subdued Balthasar the last king of Babylon so that he adioyned to the Empire of Persia the kingdomes of Media Lydia and Babylon This time did Daniel prophecie of the foure Monarchies by the foure beastes rising out of the seas the very ground of all Chronicles In Seruius Tullius reigne happened the renowmed and famous battell betwixt the Argiues and the Lacedemonians three hundred against three hundred on either side to trie and to make a full conquest by them of all their warres which happened to the Lacedemonians for that three of the three hundred escaped and all the rest on both sides died manfully in the fielde This time florished Stesichorus and Hiponax likewise Anaximenes the Philosopher and Chilo one of the seuen wise men liued in this age Nowe I will returne againe to Rome and speake of Lu. Tarqninius surnamed the proud who succeeded Seruius Tullus in the kingdome not lawfully but by force and strength in the 601. Olympiad sixteene ye◅es before the begining of the nineteenth Iubilee In this Olympiad Agatharchus wanne the victorie in the games of Olympus This king as hee entred vnto the kingdome of Rome with force and violence so hee continued with crueltie and tyrannie farre differing frō Tarquinius Priscus his graundfather This king planted himselfe in Rome against the Senators and the people and garded himselfe with wicked and lewde people translating the whole gouernment of the kingdome into tyrannie he maried his daughter to the Gouernour and Dictator of the Latines named Octauius Mamilius of the stocke of Telegonus the sonne of Vlisses by Cyrses to strengthen himselfe against his enemies This Tarquinius was maried to Seruius daughter a very vertuous and modest lady and his yonger brother named Arnus maried the yonger daughter of Seruius a wicked and lewde woman not of the disposition of her elder sister a match vnfitte for so quiet a husband not like his elder brother the difference betweene Tarquine the proud and his brother or his sōne as some suppose also the differēce betweene the two sisters was great the one rash cruell wicked false and full of all impietie to whom happened an honest sober and vertuous lady and yet could not doe any good vnto him and to his good brother being gentle courteous good godly happened as I tolde you that wicked scorpion the yonger sister who when that she coulde not perswade her husband to any wicked acte shee came to him I meane to Tarquine the proude who was as ready as shee to kill to murther and to commit any wicked thing else shee councelled him and shee furthered him to murther the olde king her father and to take the kingdome into his hand What should I rehearse the number of this womans faultes Reade ◅iui and Halicarnassaeus and you shall reade how Tarquinius slue the king his father in law and vsurped the kingdome and afterward how tyraunt like he gouerned the Citie of Rome vntill he became so odious as he was deposed from his Throne and banished from Rome aswell for his owne tyrannie and murther as also for his sonne Arūtius Tarquinius his rape and wicked incontinencie for when he had forced a noble woman named Lucretia the wife of Colatinus who when shee had of this iniurie complained to her husband and other her friends in the presence of them all she slue her selfe the filthines and horror of this wicked acte kindled the heartes of the Senators and the people against Tarquinius Sp. Lucre. Pu. Val. Publicola C. Lu. Iunius Brutus sware in that place the destruction of Tarquinius and hee himselfe
became generall for the Citizens that they deposed him frō his kingdome such was the seueritie of the Romanes in punishing adulterie being the only cause of the first alteration of the state publique in Rome For before Arūtius Tarquinius had cōmitted this abominable actiō with Lucretia the Romanes had forgotten the faults of the father in killing his father in lawe for he had conquered the Volscans he subdued the Citie of Gabios and of Suessa and after hee ouercame the Thuscans hee made peace with them and he builded Iupiter his Temple in the Capitol and he was laying siege to the citie of Arde tenne miles from Rome when his sonne Arūtius did defile Lucretia the foulenes of the fact was such that the souldiers forsooke the father for the offence of the sonne and the gates of the Citie were shutte against Tarquinius at his returne from the siege of Arde. Thus when he had reigned twentie fiue yeeres he fledde with his wife and children he was the seuenth and last king of the Romanes though afterward he sought the helpe of Porsenna king of Thuscia and thought to recouer his kingdome againe But when he perceiued that the Romanes would not accept him longer for their king and that Porsenna woulde aide him no longer to his kingdome hee departed to Thusculi a Citie not farre distant from Rome where hee liued with his wife a priuate man for the space of fourteene yeeres and then dyed his sonne Sextus was slaine in his owne citie Gabia whither he fledde for refuge In this sort reigned in Rome seuen kings for the space of two hundred fourtie foure yeeres as you heard before who for all their force and courages for all their long warres and sharpe battels their Empire extended not aboue fifteene myles from Rome the reason was that they fought with Romanes like them selues though they were called first by the names of Sabines Volscans Thuscans Veients Fidenats Samnites and Latines for vntill Romulus time the name of the Romanes was not knowen the Latines were the first auncient name of the Romanes from them Romulus and his brother Remus had their beginning for as you heard before Romulus builded Rome reigned amongst the Latines fifteene kings Thus much for the kings of Rome of their continuance and of their gouernment Nowe what was done in other Countries and what kings reigned while Tarqui the proud gouerned Rome Herodot and Iustine doth write that Cyrus the great king of Persia was conquered and slaine by Tomyris Queene of Scythia Psammenitus the last king of Egypt was subdued and all the kingdome of Egypt made tributarie vnto Persia by Cambyses who at that very time hindred the building of the Temple of Ierusalem vntil the second yeere of Darius Hysdaspis the third king of Persia. That Darius in the time of Tarquinius Superbus made warres against the Scythians by whō he was forced to take his flight This time wicked Haman vsed great meanes to destroy the Iewes with king Ahashuerosh which in prophane histories is named Darius the sonne of Hisdaspis but his councell then against Mardocheus happened to himselfe and to his tenne children the historie is written in the booke of Hester This time reigned in Athens Hyparchus the tyrant which afterward Harmodius and Aristogiton slue In the time of this Tarquinius the Persians reuoulted from their king Darius the sonne of Hysdaspis but by the subtiltie and sleight of Zopirus recouered and afterward the Persians by the meanes of Megabisus Zopirus some chiefe captaine of Darius tooke the Citie Perinthus and subdued Thracia and Peonia Here I haue set downe the names of the seuen kings of Rome and their continuance in gouernment Romulus reigned 38. Numa Pomp. 43. Tullus Hostilius 32. Ancus Martius 24. Lu. Tarquinus Priscus 38. Seruius Tullus 44. Tarquinius the proud 25. Nowe during the whole time of these seuen kings which were two hundred fourtie three yeres which was the first infancie of Rome for all their warres their victories and triumphes had first ouer the Hetruscanes the Sabines the Latines the Fidenates Antenates Veients and the Albanes their Empire extended no further then Ostia eighteene miles distant frō the citie of Rome After that the name of a king was banished and two Consuls were created to gouerne and to commaund with Serieantes before them with the authoritie and full power of kings CHAP. III. Of the first change of gouernment in Rome from a Monarchie vnto Aristocratia at what time one Dictator and two Consuls were appointed to gouerne the people in the roume of kings of their good gouernment lawes warres and victories vntill the Tarentine warres where Pyrrhus beganne to ayde the Tarentines against the Romanes AFter these kings were thus banished frō Rome they created in the place of one King two Cōsuls which continued after it was first instituted vntill Iulius Caesars reigne which was 464. yeeres it was decreed that these two Consuls should not rule aboue one yeere least the continuance of the office shoulde make them waxe hautie In the first yeere after the expulsing of the kings Lu. Iunius Brutus who had of all others procured most the banishment of Tarquinius was made the first Consul in Rome and with him Tarquinius Collatinus the husbande of Lucretia howe bee it Collatinus was forthwith depriued of his Consulship for that it was agreed that none should remaine within the Citie that bare the name of Tarquinius whereupon Valerius Publicola was elected Consul in his roume These two Consuls were not long in their office but Tarquinius who a little before was banished assembled a great armie to ayde him to recouer his kingdome in this battell Brutus the Consul and Arūtius Tarquinius his sonne slue one an other This battell seemed doubtfull for a time on both parties but at last the victorie fell to the Romanes The death of Brutus was much lamented in Rome for he so loued the libertie of Rome that hee caused his owne sonnes who for that they seemed to fauour Tarquinius case In. Brutus their father brought them into the market place and there Publicola being Consul at that time commaunded them first to bee beaten with roddes and after to bee beheaded before all the people for that they preferred the case of Tarquinius before the state of the Citie and therefore the women mourned for Brutus death a whole yeere in whose place Publicola hath chosen Consul in Brutus roume Spurius Lucretius Lucretias father who dyed by sicknesse After him Horatius Puluillus was made Consul for in the first yeere of Consulship siue Consuls reigned one after another againe warre was attempted by Tarquinius against the Romanes In this warre Porsenna king of Thuscia ayded Tarquinius but to no effect and therefore Tarquinius gaue ouer longer to warre against his Countrie contented himselfe to liue the rest of his time a priuate man and troubled not Publicola who being lefte quiet by Tarquinius when hee sawe that
Fabritius hands and this was hee that forced Pyrrhus to flee to Sicilia and after hee had subdued the Samnits and the Lucanes hee had his triumph graunted him While Pyrrhus stayed musing in Sicilia Curius Dentatus and Cornelius Lentulus being Consuls were sent to meete Pyrrhus and to giue him battel for the Romanes suffered him to haue no rest within Italy In this battell the armie of Pyrrhus was slaine his tents sackt and hee himselfe driuen to Tarentum he lost 23. thousand that day ouer whom Curius Dentatus triumphed in his Consulship hee brought foure elephants into Rome which were the first that euer were seene in a triumph at Rome for before Pyrrhus warres the spoiles and the treasures of the Volscanes and the Sabines were but cattell the spoiles which the Romanes had of the Gaules were Carpenta the spoyle of the Samnits were but armours and broken weapons The like poore spoiles and praies had the Romans ouer the Fidenats poore townes not yet wel enriched for the ciuill warres which they had with the Romanes But Pyrrhus brought the strength and treasure of a king his golde and siluer his elephants and camels that the victorie which Curius Dentatus and Fabritius then Consuls at Rome had ouer Pyrrhus so reioyced Rome that their triumph then ouer Pyrrhus was the most ioyfull and acceptable triumph that euer Rome saw at that time To this ende came the vaine hope of king Pyrrhus who thought to haue conquered Italy and thereby to be king of Rome After he had spent 6. yeeres in continuall warres with the Romans he fled after whose flight immediatly all Italy was conquered and Sicilia Not long after Pyrrhus was slaine at Argos a citie of Greece for after Tarentum was destroyed then the Picents and their towne Asculum were also subdued by Sempronius After the Picents the Salentines and their chiefe port Brundusium was conquered by Mar. Attilius and last of all the Volscanes were also ouerthrowen by Fabius Gurges Thus was all Italy soone subdued after the ouerthrowe of Tarentum At this time flourished in Greece Agesilaus a noble man of Sparta and after the death of king Agis he was elected king in Sparta ouer the Lacedemonians with whome flourished for a time Lisander a valiant captaine of Sparta and a great enemie of Athens Alcibiades was famous in Camillus time and Niceas the Athenian who during Camillus warres in Rome and before his time a litle all Greece were busie in the Peloponesian warre This time Diogenes the Cynicke Plato the Philosopher liued and his scholer Aristotle was borne In Persia raigned Artaxerxes Mnemon sirnamed the great who helde warres for a short time with his brother Cyrus whom he slew Reade of this king in Xenophon his fift booke and after his sonne Ochus raigned king in Persia. In Macedonia raigned Philippe Alexander the great his father who subdued and conquered many nations in the time of Camillus and after succeeded him his sonne Alexander the great whose renowme and fame are in all bookes manifest This time liued Mausolus king of Caria whose tombe when he died the Queene his wife Artimesia made so gorgeous and so sumptuous that it was reckoned in the nomber of the seuen wonders Alexander Pheraeus the tyrant of Thessalia raigned at this time with whom Pelopidas had battel and who by Epaminondas his friend was rescued Likewise gouerned in Egypt as reuolted kings from the Persians since Cambyses time the second king of Persia vntill Darius Ochus raigne the eight king of Persia Nepherites sixe yeres Achoris twelue yeres and Nectanabus eighteene yeeres When now that Camillus was dead there succeeded a nomber of valiant Romanes as 1 Tit. Quintius Cicinatus 2 Tit. Manlius Torquatus 3 M. Val. sirnamedCoruinus 4 Q. Fabius Maximus 5 Luc. Papyrius Cursor 9 And Curius Dentatus With many more valiant Romanes that augmented the glorie of Rome in subduing the nations about them as the warres of the Volscans Thuscans Samnits and Torentines can witnes of which you may reade in Liuie in Halicarnassaeus in Eutropius and in others During which time the kings of Egypt after Alexander the great with the kings of Syria and Asia were as well occupied with warres in their owne kingdomes as the Romanes were in Italy so likewise were the kings of Macedonia and all the states of Greece for Alexanders souldiers and his captaines had filled all the East part of the world with warres for Alexander had subdued and conquered the most part of all the kings then liuing and brought them to pay tribute to the kings of Macedonia So that after his death they fought for kingdoms and euery king sought by warres to become like vnto Alexander and so by that meanes one destroyed another that then proud Persia which had the Chaldeās Assyrians Lydians Medes Egpptians all Asia and all the world vassals and subiects vnder them were then made to yeeld to the Macedonian empire You haue read how hitherto the Romanes haue from a litle towne in the beginning crept ouer all Italy and now are readie to trie their valour abroade and so to set foote in Affrike and Lybia countreis farre from Rome for yet the Romans had neuer waged warre forth of Italy And to the end they might vnderstand what power they were able to make there was a muster had and the names of the Romanes were nombred by the pole which amounted to the nomber of three hundreth thousand citizens In the 480. yere after the building of Rome the name of the Romanes became famous insomuch that they proclaimed warres against the people of Affrike at what time Appius Claudius sirnamed Caudex and Q. Fuluius were Cōsuls This warre endured vntil Q. Luctatius Aulus Manlius consulship which was 22. yeeres Of these 3 seueral warres which the Romans had with the Affricanes I haue said some thing in the Affricane historie The first warre was against Hamilcar Hanibals father a famous Captaine at that time of the Carthagineans with whom Hanibal in his youth was brought vp in Spaine at what time the Romanes pretended warres against Hieron king of Sicilie But he together with the residue of his nobilitie made peace with the Romans and gaue them in cōsideration thereof 200. talents of siluer and then the Affricans were ouercome in Sicilia which was the second time that the Romans triumphed ouer them After ◅his the Carthagineās were discomfited on the sea in the third battel where the Romans toke 31. ships and sunke 18. beside the slaughter of 3000. and the taking of 7000. with fewin dayes after This time Caius Aquilius and Lucius Scipio were Consuls for then Scipio wanne Corsica and Sardinia and led with him many thousande prisoners and triumphed in the second battell by sea Hamilcar the generall of the Carthagineans lost 64. ships and was forced to retire backe at what time Clipea the chiefest citie in Affrike was yeelded vp to the Romanes
After this triumphs Scipio was sent to Spaine to the Numantines who had a little before discomfited Q. Pompeius the Consul ouer whom he had his second triumph but shortly by Scipio the citie of Numantia was subdued hee had triumphed ouer Affrike About this time Attalus king Eumenes his father some say his brother died and made the people of Rome his heire and so by testament Asia was annexed to the Romane Empire notwithstanding warre ensued in Asia by Aristonicus a base sōne of Eumenes in that warre Pub. Lucius Crassus was slaine his head cut off and brought to Aristonicus and his body buried at Smirna It is written of this Crassus that he might brag of 5 principal great gifts To be most noble The most wealthiest The most eloquent To be the most learned ciuillian And to be the most high Bishop About this time Carthage in Affrike was reedified by the cōmandemēt of the Senat after that it was subdued by Scipio 22. yeres and as writeth Polib diuers Citizens of Rome went to dwel in Carthage Not long after this Scipio was found dead in his house not without great suspiciō of Caius Graccus now warre was by the Romanes cōmenced against the Thraciās at what time triumphed in Rome the two brethrē Metelli in one day the one ouer Thracia the other ouer Sardinia the wars of Iugurth immediatly after this ensued of whō Salust maketh menciō This was the sōne of Micipsa king of Numidia who hauing two other brethrē beside himselfe named Adherbalis and Hiemsalis these Iugurth slue and vsurped the kingdome for this fact the Romanes sent Lucius Calphurnius then Consul against Iugurth but hee did no good for hee was corrupted with money After Spurius Albinus Posthumus was sent by the Senators who fought with Iugurth but with great dishonour The thirde time Quintus Cecilius Metellus was sent who vanquished Iugurth and subdued Numidia at last tooke him and brought him prisoner to Rome Of this Iugurth you shall reade more in the Affricane historie and I will lay downe the names of the Romane Consuls captaines and generals that triumphed from the ende of the second Affricane warre which was from Scipio Affricanus the elder vntill the time of Scipio Affricanus the yonger which was 56. yeeres 1 Ti. Quin. Flaminius 2 Lu. Flamin his brother 3 Lu. Cornelius Scipio surnamed Affricanus 4 Lu. Valerius Flaccus 5 M. Portius Cato 6 Lucius Manlius 7 Scipio Nasica 8 Ti. Sempronius Longus 9 Spu. Posthu Albinus 10 Quintus Martius 11 M. Aemilius Lepidus 12 M. Sempro. Tuditanus 13 Lucius Anitius 14 Au. Manl. Torquatus 15 C. Lu. Crassus 16 Quintus Opimus 17 Sci. Affrica the yonger 18 Q. Cecilius Metellus 29 C. Cecilius Metellus 20 Lu. Cornelius Cnima 21 M. Liuius Drusus 22 C. Papirius Carbo 23 Lu. Celius Metellus 24 Cneus Octauius These with many other noble Romanes florished in those dayes for nowe the Romanes after all their wars in Affrika brought all kingdoms vnder the Empire of Rome for frō that time forward the glory of Rome did excel sauing for some ciuill wars that grew beeene Marius Silla after beweene Pompey Caesar els Rome was in her greatnes for in the 646. yeere after the building of Rome Caius Marius a man of great seruice amongst the Romanes in consideration that he had bene seuen times Consul in Rome was the onely cause of the first ciuil warre in Rome vpō indignation taken that Silla was preferred in the wars then against Mithridates king of Pontus who had already done good seruice in Asia Achaia though Mithridates had perswaded the Atheniās to resist Silla for at that time Mithridates held a great part of Asia in his hand and of Thracia so that many thought that Mithridates should in time conquer the Romane Empire for he was eager and cruell against those that loued the Romanes But Silla in spite of Mithridates his philosopher Athenius his successor Aristo the tyrant besieged Athens and wanne it where he killed a number of the Citizens many before were famished for a measure of wheate called Medinus was sold in Athens then for a thousand Drachmes which doe mount to a hundred crownes which before in time of peace was sold for fiue Drachmes After he had taken Athens he marched to Beotia and ouerthrewe Archilaus Mithridates generall slue a hundred thousand of his men and from thence to Thebes and did much harme both to the Citie and Citizens Marius disdaining the good successe of Silla made meanes to the Senate to haue that warre into his hand which Silla had against Mithridates This was graunted to Marius whereupon Silla in a great furie with all his armie returned backe to Rome entred the Citie killed Sulpitius slue many and draue Marius to flight and secretly went to Apheca Silla and Marius beganne nowe both to neglect the warres abroade against Mithridates and like two furious enemies of Italie spoyled their countrie and gaue libertie to the enemie to vanquish and subdue in this time Armenia the lesse and all the sea coastes called Ponticum and Bosphorus Silla by consent of the Senate tooke his iourney against Mithridates recouered Greece as you heard and other prouinces But to be short Silla ouercame Marius after many hotte broiles in Italie concluded peace with Mithridates returned to Rome at what time Lu. Scipio and Norbanus were Consuls in Rome These both thought to resist Sillas comming to Rome but Lu. Scipio with all his armie went and yeelded to Silla and the other Consul fled to Rhodes where for feare to come to Sillas hand hee slue himselfe That yeere Silla was made Dictator in Rome sixe hundred seuentie three yeeres after the building of Rome at what time he tyrannized against the Citizens of Rome so that Silla after much good seruice first done to his countrie afterwarde fell to such slaughter and tyrannie that he had beene better vnborne then borne And so of Marius may be spoken who plaied the like part before Silla and were both called faces faeces Italiae for their bloodshed in their coūtrie for Marius before Sillas slaughter and murthering of the Citizens of Rome hee killed Cneus Sulpitius and others so Sulpitius and others slue in Rome Cneus Octauius and many of the best of Rome aswell Noble men Senators Consuls as others This ciuil warre in Rome as Eutropius and Melancthon affirme endured tenne yeeres in the which were slaine aboue fiue hundred thousand souldiers twentie foure Consuls seuen Pretors fourtie Tribunes and as they write three hundred Senators beside Reade Melancthon of this warre Now after that Silla had these tenne yeres fomed in blood and had subdued both Marius and his sonne the yonger Marius hee triumphed ouer Mithridates with great glory In the latter yeeres of Silla young Pompey afterwarde surnamed the great for his prowesse courage was much honored of Silla
ciuil warres betwene themselues as betwene Marius and Silla in the first warres betwene Pompey Caesar in the second warres and betweene Mar. Antonius and Octauius Augustus in the third warrs to the ouerthrow welnigh of the whole Romane empire For histories do report that in these three ciuil warres before mentioned died more Senators Consuls magistrats noblemen and gentlemen then in the three great Affricane warres the first by Hamilcar which endured 22. yeeres most cruell the second by Hanibal which endured 17. yeeres most terrible warres the thirde and last by Asdrubal which continued foure yeeres all which annoyed not Rome so much as did these three ciuil warres But let vs returne to the happie raigne of Augustus called the Prince of peace the father of the countrey and Emperor of Rome whose happie gouernment made vnhappie Rome happie and raised vp Rome from the ground vp to the heauens To this good Emperour the Persians and the Parthians sent ambassadors with presents to this the Scythians the Indians and the Garramants people that neuer heard before any speach of the Romanes sent both Legats and presents What shal be spoken more of this Emperour In his dayes in the two and fourtieth yere of this Emperours raigne the Emperour of all Emperours and King of all kings was in Bethleem a towne of Iurie borne of the Virgine Mary the onely begotten Sonne of God and the onely Sauiour of the worlde This is the true Messias sent from Heauen to earth to satisfie the wrath of his father This was the Lambe of God which tooke away the sinnes of the world And therefore Augustus was the happier for that in his time IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of God was borne as the Prophetes had before spoken Now after that this good Emperour had liued eightie sixe yeeres whose honour and loue was such in the whole world that townes were builded and named after the name of Caesar one by king Iuba in Mauritania another by Hero in Palestina and many kings left their owne kingdomes came to Rome to do seruice to Augustus He raigned fiftie and sixe yeres Emperour he died at Atella a towne of Campania was brought to be buried at Rome and was canonized after his death as a god Augustus had three things in Rome graunted the first to be Consul of Rome before he was twentie yeeres olde the second he was freed from any decree or law of the Senators and the thirde hee had his image on horsebacke set vp in the market place which was granted to none but to Silla and Caesar In this Emperours time flourished in Rome many notable learned men whose names are here subscribed Virgil this time flourished Horace also and Tibullus Propertius and Vitrimius Titus Liuius and Ouid. Valerius Maximus And Strabo When Augustus died there was peace ouer the whole world for the Sonne of God was then borne the king of all peace whose fame by miracles filled all the earth At what time raigned Tetrarche in Iudea Archelaus the sonne of that Herode who slewe so many infants thinking thereby to kill the Sonne of God and therefore spared not his owne sonnes Aristobulus and Alexandeer I haue spoken of this more in the historie of the Church In the time of this Emperour Augustus the kingdome of Fraunce beganne to be so named after the name of one Francus the sonne of Antharius king of Sicambria This Francus after that his father died made a decree that Sicambria should be called Francia after his owne name of whom I shal speake in the historie of Fraunce And now I will returne to Tiberius Caesar who was Liuia Augustus wiues sonne and Augustus sonne by adoption the successour of Augustus and the thirde Emperour of Rome of whom we reade that he was very eloquent and well learned but a great dissembler who gouerned the Empire with auarice crueltie lust and cowardlinesse for he waged battell no where himself in person but by his deputies and lieutenants He beganne his Empire in the 768. yere after the building of Rome and in the 15. yeere after Christ was borne at what time Sextus Pompeius was Consul in Rome This Tiberius had some warres with the Germanes which were before subdued by Augustus but nowe againe rebelled and brought to subiection by this Emperor Tiberius Of these warres reade Cornelius Tacitus Hee had warres before in Illyria in the time of his father in lawe Augustus ouer whom hee triumphed In the last yeere of Tiberius Nero was Domitius borne Tiberius was certified by Pilate from Hierusalem where hee gouerned vnder the Romanes of the miracles of Christ of his fame and of his life and doings Pilats letters were shewed to the Senators and Pilate was blamed and reprooued for that he suffered that IESVS to do any miracles without the consent of the Senators for Pilate put vp the Image of Tiberius in the temple at Ierusalem But in the latter ende of his raigne hee fell to great negligence of gouernment he gaue himselfe to be idle and thereby became vntemperate with inordinate lust in so much that hee was flouted and scoffed and called Biberius Mero in stead of Tiberius Nero and after he had raigned twentie and three yeeres he died in Campania as is supposed by the meanes of Caligula who succeeded him in the Empire This Caligula was sonne to Germanicus a lewde Emperour and a wicked who farre exceeded Tiberius in crueltie and in horrible life he commaunded his Images to be put vp euery where and altars to be consecrated to him and caused his Images to haue diuine honours and hee sent to Iudea and commaunded that his Image should bee set in the temple boasting of his filthie life and gouernment naming himselfe Iupiter for his incestuous life and naming him Bacchus for his drunkennesse Hee had carâ—…all copulation with all his three sisters and with his daughter whom hee begate vpon one of his sisters he defiled noble women and chaste matrones and gaue them after to others to be defiled hee was called the beast of Rome who after hee had raigned foure yeeres vsing great crueltie auarice filthie lust and horrible incest he was slaine in his Pallace by his owne souldiers as Iosephus writeth in his nineteenth booke His birth his life and his death is set foorth at large by Suetonius who also wrote of all the liues of all the Emperours most amplie omitting nothing that belonged to the Romane historie during the time of the Emperours What were done in other countreys since the death of that good Emperour Augustus what wickednesse ensued in Rome by his successours Claudius Tiberius and Caius Caligula Tacitus Suetonius Liuie and other writers haue written very largely In the time of Tiberius Nero within two yeeres of Augustus death happened such an earthquake in the night time that twelue great cities in Asia fell prostrate to the ground at what
time Piso was Praetor in Syria and Pontius Pilate was President in Iudea This very time the Parthians required of the Romanes king Phraartes sonne named Vonones which was by his owne father put to the Romanes in pledge of loyaltie to come againe to his kingdome which being graunted hee shortly after was despised and driuen out of his kingdome by Artabanus Mithridates waged warre and died in the Isle of Thiae banished from Rome for at that time there was a lawe made in Italy for the banishing of Sooth sayers and Mathematicians Within a litle while after fell sharpe and cruel warre of this warre betweene the Parthians and Hiberians Reade Tacitus At this time many great terrible earthquakes chaunced and many great wonders were seeene a little before Christ Iesus suffered his death and passion for after the last earthquake spoken of before fell againe thirteene great and famous townes by another earthquake whose names Eusebius setteth downe in this sort as in the margent you may reade Our Sauiour Christ died in the Emperour Tiberius his raigne at what time were finished the seuentie weekes spoken of in Daniel about which time Philo Iudaeus was sent from Alexandria to Rome to entreate the Romanes to bee friendes to the Citizens of Alexandria This Philo Iudaeus was of great authoritie in those dayes being a Iewe borne his first comming to Rome was accepted the fifteenth yeere of the raigne of Tiberius the seconde comming was in the second yeere of the raigne of Caius Caligula where hee was but litle welcome and with threatning wordes of Caligula he returned backe to Alexandria In the time of this C. Caligula came Herode the Tetrarche from Iewrie to Rome and was by Caligula then banished from Iudea to Lugdunum a towne in France and Pontius Pilate who gaue sentence of death vpon the Sonne of God our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST in Ierusalem this time fell into such miseries and calamities that hee with his owne hande killed himselfe Matthewe the Euangelist wrote his Gospell in Iudea in the Hebrewe tongue in the last yeere of the Emperour Caligula at what time Simon Magus the Sorcerer flourished and was honoured as a god in Rome and in many other places I will returne to the successour of Caligula Tiberius Claudius hee sawe Drusus an vncle by the father side to Caligula and brothers sonne to Tiberius Nero this made warres vpon the Britaines which is now called England ouer whom he triumphed at Rome and at that time hee annexed certaine Ilands situate beyond Britaine called Orcades to the Empire of Rome he appointed playes in Rome at what time ciuil warres grew amongst the Parthians In the time of this Claudius diuers and sundry great famines were in many countreys great famine was in Iudea and the Apostles suffered much persecution but they were comforted by the brethren Of this famine spake Agabus in the Acts of the Apostles In Rome also was great famine and in Greece This Claudius Tiberius had a wife named Messalina a woman most vntemperate giuen to much filthie lust neuer satisfied with venerie nor neuer wearie by this lewde Empresse many were destroyed Many things did this Claudius very quietly and many things hee did very cruelly without discretion and behaued himselfe very courteously towards diuers of his friendes and therefore was thought of many not to be wise Eutropius saith that there was a most honorable tombe made to him at Mentz in Germanie This Emperour liued 64. yeeres and raigned in Rome Emperour foureteene yeeres after whome succeeded Claudius Domitius Nero who was sonne in lawe vnto Claudius Drusus who adopted him to be his successour in the Empire after the building of Rome 807. yeeres some say 809 and after that Christ died 57. This was the sixt Emperour of Rome who excelled all good Emperours for fiue yeeres gouernment for Traian the Emperour was wont to say Omnes principes procul à Neronis quinquennio distare for hee builded the Anephitheaters and founded Bathes and named them after his owne name at Rome he ordeined certaine places euery fiue Quinquenale imitating the Greekes in their Olympiads and named them Neronea the playes of Nero hee much resembled his vncle Caligula a man much giuen to all kinde of riot charges and expences hee poysoned the sonne of Claudius whom his father sirnamed Britanicus in remembrance of his victorie ouer the Britaines hee married Octauia and slew her husband and as Eusebius saith slewe her also hee married a courtezane named Poppea and slew her hee had carnall copulation with Agrippina his owne naturall mother and after slew her he also slewe a great nomber of the Senate and diuers other worthie citizens This Emperour exceeded all tyrants in crueltie hee committed diuers murthers vpon his owne kinsefolkes and slewe his scholemaster that graue and learned man Seneca When that this Nero had giuen himselfe wholy to all tyrannie and became an enemie to all good hee would daunce and sing openly with strumpets in the apparell of a cōmon minstrell Now when hee had murthered Senators citizens and diuers gentlemen and had slaine his owne brother his wife and his mother he set the citie of Rome on fire and let it burne for 6. dayes to make him know how the citie of Troy burned when it was on fire by the Grecians And when he had left no euill thing vndone on earth hee beganne to persecute the Church and to murther the saincts of God as shal be spoken in the History of the Church of Paul Peter and others Reade Tacitus of this wicked Emperour While he fomed in blood at Rome the Parthians bereft him of Armenia and he had almost as Eutropius saith lost Britaine he durst do nothing in feates of armes for these cruel facts he was abhorred of all men and cleane forsaken of his owne friends he was adiudged of the Senate to be an enemy of the weale publike Nero hearing that he should be drawen naked through the citie and be whipt til he were dead hee fled secretly forth of his Pallace by night with his Eunuch Sporus and slew himselfe 4. miles from Rome In the time of Nero fell by an earthquake three townes in Asia called Laodicea Hieropolis and Colossa Diuers earthquakes and many wonders were seene in Rome murther and slaughter in Iudea battels and blood At what time Albinus gouerned the Iewes vnder the Romans In Neroes time gouerned in Britaine Aruiragus in whose dayes many Britaines were conuerted to the faith by Ioseph of Arimathea a Iew borne and one of them that buried our Sauiour Christ. Thus the tyrant Nero which wished that all the citie of Rome had but one necke that he might with one stroke cut it off died after hee had raigned fourteene yeeres Emperour and liued one and thirtie yeeres CHAP. VIII From Nero the tyrant the sixt Emperour of Rome vntill the time of Lu. Antoninus Comodus the
Basilides and Menander the successor of Simon Magus of whom in Ecclesiasticall historie you may reade more The fault of this Adrian was that hee enuied the glory of Traianus and was most ambitious of honor and fame otherwise he aduauntaged the common weale of Rome more then any for as I saide he was called the father of the Countrie and his wife Sabina was also called Augusta hee ordeyned lawes to the Athenians which hee himselfe pickt out of Draco and of Solons lawes hee in person traueiled all the Empire of Rome hee builded a faire Temple vnto Venus hee was very circumspect about the treasurie and when hee had reigned twentie two yeeres hee died in most miserable paines in Campania about the age of threescore offering himselfe to bee slaine to any of his deare friendes These were the chiefe men in Rome when Adrianus reigned Amilius Aelianus Lucius Verus Acilius Auiola Cornelius Pasna C. Bellicius Torquatus Catilius Seuerus Titus Aurelius Fuluius which succeeded Adri anus in the Empire Titus Appronianus Quintus Agulinus Salinator and Rusticus Att. Titianus M. Acilius Glabriotus Auius Libo Iuuentius Celsus and Neratius Marcellinus Lenas Pontianus Antoninus Ruffinus Sergius Seruianus Seruilius Hasta and Valerius Messala With many other great men which then gouerned as officers and magistrates in Rome when Adrianus raigned in whose time such earthquakes fel that Nicopolis and Caesarea 2. great townes in Palestina fell to the very grounde in the one and in the other earthquake in Macedonia a great city and the most part of Nycena lay prostrate on the ground which was rebuilded by Adrianus This time reuolted the Brytanes from the Romanes but were by Trebelius as Spartianus writeth mitigated and brought againe to subiection Titus Aurelius Fuluius succeeded Adrianus in the Empire by adoption This was also called Antoninus Pius for the great pitie and gentlenesse which he vsed towardes all men A good Emperour compared of writers to that religious king Numa Pompilius in like sort as Traianus was likened to Romulus he was beloued as a father and feared as a king He was borne in Gallia Transalpina in a citie named Nemesa which in the time of Iulius Caesar was established a Colonie of Rome The Indians Hircanians and Bactrians sent Embassadours with giftes and presents to honour him He was wont to say that he had rather saue one friende then destroy a thousand enemies The people woulde often call him by these names Lord King Emperour Iudge Patrone and father he endeuoured himselfe rather to defend then to amplifie and the Empire he assigned to the most honest men the graue the learned and the iust men to haue offices and to beare rule in the citie he aduanced good men and detested euill men and vsed no rigour nor crueltie to them Kings and captaines in his time laide aside their warres and would bring their controuersies and quarels to be decided by the Emperour Antoninus Pius he was so iust and so pitifull in all causes towards all men that therein he farre excelled all the Emperours he much honoured learned men and had in his dayes many of them in his Court with him In his time was Alexander Seuerus borne which after was Emperour of Rome During the time of his whole gouernment which was 23. yeeres and 3. moneths there was neither warres nor quarels in Rome In this time flourished many excellent men as these vnderwritten Galenus the mirrour of Phisitions Ptolomeus the great Astrologer Apolonius Basilides 2. great Philosophers and scholemaster to the Emperour Verus Nesomedes a Musition Taurus a Philospher of Platoes sect Arrianus a Philosopher in Nicomedia Maximus surnamed Tyrus likewise a great Philosopher At this time the Iewes beganne to fall into a furie to kill both the Greekes and the Romanes and to practise much tyrannie both in Egypt and Alexandria and in Palestina at what time gouerned Tinius Rufus in Iudea vnder the Romanes but they were soone pacified and quieted CHAP. IX Of the good Emperour Ma. Antoninus surnamed the Philosopher and of his sonne Comodus of the difference in their gouernment of the loue which the father had in Rome and of the hatred and contempt which the sonne had of the murther and slaughter of diuers Emperours from M. Antoninus the 17. Emperour vntil the time of Dioclesian the 38. Emperour AFter Titus Antoninus succeeded Marcus Antoninus Verus in the Empire a man of rare vertues borne of a great stocke for his descent was by the fathers side from Numa Pompilius and by his mothers side from king Salentinus This Emperor was a very learned man and he raigned ioyntly with Lucius Antoninus for in his dayes the Romanes began to haue two Emperours of equall authoritie to gouerne the common weale These two were as Eutropius saith brethren and they waged battell against the Parthians which neuer rebelled from Traianus time by whom they were conquered vntill Marcus Antoninus time But they also conquered the Parthians rounde and brought a triumph and did solemnize the same with his brother This Verus Antoninus atchieued sundrie victories he wan Seleucia a famous citie of Assyria by meanes of these noble captains Statius Priscus which subdued Armenia that then rebelled and Auidius Cassius which likewise kept Media and Babylon in subiection But as this Lucius departed from the citie Concordia he died of an issue of blood after whome againe Marcus Antoninus gouerned as Emperour more to be maruei led at for his rare vertues then to be commended for his singuler learning This professed not in outwarde shew to be a Philosopher but in liuing He was had in such admiration euen from his infancie for his graue behauiour and sober life that Adrianus purposed then he being but a childe to leaue him as his successor In philosophie he was instructed by Apollonius a Chalcedonian Philosopher and he was brought vp in the Greeke tongue by Sextus Cherronesus nephewe to Plutarch the Emperour in the Latine tongue he was brought vp with Frontus a very great Orator so that Marcus Antoninus excelled all other Emperours in all kinde of knowledge he was exceeding liberall as at his warres which he had against the Marcomenes where the Vandales the Sarmatians and al Barbarie were ready to mainteine warres against the Romanes were seene for he made open sale of his plate he solde all his apparell and solde diuers iewels and ornaments of precious stones he solde all his substance to auoyde the exactions of his subiects But the victorie which then he obtained repayed all his debtes and brought againe his plate his iewels and all other his substance home for it is written that these warres continued three yeeres and were the most terrible warres and equall to the warres of Carthage And when he had reduced Rome to a most fortunate state and had raigned to the contentation of all men 18. yeeres and had liued 61. yeeres
he died and was canonized at the earnest labour of all the people after whom many mourned in Rome aswell of the people and citizens as Senatours He was also called Pater patriae with Traian Adrian Vespasian and with Augustus During the reigne of this good Emperour fell such a great pestilence in Italie among the inhabitants thereof and other prouinces about Rome that there were new lawes made and ordained for the buriall of the dead At this time Asianus and also Appollinaris Bishop of Hieropolis wrote both two bookes in defence of the Christian religion dedicated them to the Emperor Antoninus In Fraunce vnder Farabertus the 28. king then raigning in Fraunce dyed many by persecution for profession of christianitie at what time Lucius the sonne of Coyllus reigned king among the Brytanes who in the 13. yeere of his gouernment receiued the Christian faith as both Gyldas and Beda affirme Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna the disciple of Iohn the Euangelist came into Rome in Antoninus time whom Ireneus much commendeth Now for that the name of Antoninus was so much honored of the Romans it was decreed that none should be so named but by consent of the Senators such Consuls as then raigned for Antoninus became as great a name in Rome as Augustus was such was the loue and honour that the Romanes yelded to this name The Senators had no greater present to present Alexander Seuerus then to offer him that name and so to be called Seuerus Antoninus The vertue and rarenesse of the men made the name so honourable and therefore I will put them downe with the magistrates and Officers that ruled in Rome during the time of these two rare Emperours Antoninus Pius and Antoninus surnamed the Philosopher Plautius Syluanus Iulius Seuerus Marcus Aulius Antoninus Herodes Atticus Lollianus Auitus Grauius Maximus Seleucus and Ruffinus Gallicanus Glabrio Torquatus and Camerinus Marcus Vibullius surnamed Augur Atidius Cornelianus who had charge in Syria at Antoninus death Quintilius and Priscus Pescenius niger Metilius Bradua and Lucius Aelianus Lucius Aelius Verus Stacius Priscus and Auidius Cassius two notable captaines Aufidius Victorinus Iunius Rusticus and Elius Celsus Erutius Clarus Flaccus Piso and Iulianus which was afterward Emperour Claudius Pompeianus and Cethegus Heren Apronianus and Quintilinus These with many moe notable men that gouerned in Rome when Antoninus Pius raigned This Quintilinus whose house stocke Commodus the emperour after destroyed who likewise was by his father made Caesar and had triumphed before with his father These were the chiefe men that then bare rule in Rome in the time of Marcus Antoninus fewe such Emperours were founde in Rome after they dyed In time of Marcus Antoninus Smyrna a famous towne of Asia fell by an earthquake to the repayring whereof this Emperour bestowed much money and the Temple of Serapis was this time in Alexandria burned Nowe when Lucius Antoninus Commodus beganne his Empire after his father the vertue of his father shined the more beyng dead by the vices of the sonne that succeeded after who from his cradle was wicked cruell and beastly he so defamed himselfe with ryot and ribawdry that hee had three hundred concubines and three hundred delicate males youthes which he vsed as women he commanded his Colossus or image to be put vp and withall made a decree that he should be called God Hercules This shamelesse Emperour vnwoorthie of the name of Antoninus woulde play openly vpon the Theater with fencers and he vsed himselfe so hatefully that he was abhorred of all men and enuied as an enemie of mankinde and so he ended his life being either thratled or poysoned after hee had reigned thirteene yeeres For it was a woonder to see two good Emperours to succeede one another in Rome nay wee cannot reade but of onelie two which were good Vespasian and his sonne Titus all the rest cruell tyrants degenerated from kinde and in whom appeared nothing more then treason or murther After whome followed the Emperour Pertinax an aged man who had done much seruice and therefore aduaunced to the empire much against his will for he was 69. yeres olde when he was chosen Emperour scant hee had reigned eightie dayes but he was slaine of the souldiers and his head cut off and caried rounde about Rome by the commaundement of Iulianus who was the wolfe that caused this murther but he was well requited The like death happened to Iulianus being a man very factious and seditious and very ambitious this was nephew to that Iulianus which liued in Adrianus time he was discōfited by Seuerus Septimius at a place called Miluius bridge soone after slaine in his owne palace his head cut off and put vp in the market place at what time Pescennius was in Antioch and Septimius Seuerus was in Panonia both created Caesars But after that Seuerus slue Pescennius hee tooke the rule gouernment of the Romane empire was the first Emperour created forth of Affricke This was of great credite for he had bin treasurer and Tribune of the souldiers and at the last had the charge of the whole weale publike This the Senate gratified much according to his request and gaue him the name of Pertinax whome Seuerus loued so well that he both desired and commanded to be called Pertinax whose death Seuerus reuenged vpon Pescennius others He was a valiant man for he ouercame the Parthians and the Arabians and therfore was surnamed Parthicus Seuerus he subdued Britaine who then after the death of Lucius began ciuil wars betweene themselues and were almost vtterly conquered by Seuerus by reason the noble men and Britaine held ciuill warres During which time Clodius Albinus created himselfe Caesar in Fraunce whom he slue at Lugdunum whose head he sent to Rome and whose friends in Rome at his returne he persecuted to the last This Emperour was well learned and a great Philosopher This Emperour Seuerus after he had repayred many things throughout the Romane empire and had made Rome againe chiefe mistres of those prouinces lost he passed ouer the Sea vnto Britaine where after he had subdued them hee dyed among them in the citie of Yorke in the eighteenth yeere of his reigne Polidore doeth not agree with Eutropius in this but in the Romane historie Eutropius must be beleued After Seuerus succeeded his sonne Aurelius Bassianus who also was called Caracalla he was in conditions much like to his father but more sharpe he was out of measure giuen to sensualitie and carnall concupiscence he espoused his mother in lawe named Iuba of some named Iubba though vnder colour to demaund Artabanus his daughter king of Parthia in mariage which he falsly deceiued beside the expectation of Artabanus he slue many of the Parthians This Antoninus Caracalla hauing had a sight of Alexander the great his picture wherin he noted his sterne countenance with his head somewhat leaning to
the left shoulder he caused the like picture to be made for himselfe and commanded all his souldiers to call him Alexander This Emperor died as he was preparing a voyage against the Parthians at Edessa when hee had liued 43. yeeres Presently after the death of Caracalla Opilius Macrinus and his sonne Diadumeus were created Emperours who after they had reigned ioyntly fourteene moneths they were both slain in a sedition which fel among the souldiers without doing any thing worth the writing After them stept to the empire Marcus Aurelius surnamed Heliogabolus well so named for in all beastlinesse he resembled his predecessors these vnderwritten Nero Caligula Sergius Vitellius Domitianus Commodus This Heliogabolus was supposed to be the sonne of Caracalla he likewise defamed himselfe with all kind of shame and reproch whose filthinesse and lewd behauiour you may reade in Herodian He was slaine in an vprore which the souldiers made at what time also his mother Semia Sira called of some Semiamira died after he had liued very vnchastly and filthily for 4. yeres but Eutropius saith 2. yeres 8. moneths During the raigne of these 3. last emperors there were no good things done in Rome but vprores and sedition of souldiers creating whom they would to be Emperour one day and the next day deposing them from life empire Only this happened that the Amphitheator was set on fire and few fellowes were quiet at Rome The great men of authority then were these Titus Saturninus Marcus Noninus Mutianus Cornelius Amulinus Lu. Torpilius Dexter C. Gallus Gentianus and Bassus Gentianus Clodius Albinus Balbinus chosen Emperour against Maximinus Aur. Alex. Seuerus and Maximus were both made Emperours Aurelius Alexander Seuerus was chosen Emperour when he was but twelue yeeres of age whome the souldiers named Caesar and the Senate created Augustus he was a very vertuous Prince and one that fauoured all good men he gaue him selfe to martiall pollicie and tooke in hand about the 9. yeere of his raigne warres against Artaxerxes king of Persia who had before vanquished Artabanus king of the Parthians who then gouerned the Persians And as Artaxerxes ouercame Artabanus was the first king of Persia after Darius who before was conquered by Alexander the great so this Artaxerxes was subdued by this Alex. Seuerus with great glorie and had his triumph graunted him in Rome being but 21. yeeres of age he had such care of the Empire and such diligence that he committed the charge of Armenia to a noble captaine called Iunius Palmatus he committed the prouince of Illyrica vnto Varus Macrinus and the countrey of Mauritania to Furius Celsus Of these 3. Captaines victories in these countreys reade Lampridius This was the first Emperour that fauoured Christians and being so yong an Emperour he associated with him to assist him in iudgement Vlpianus a great Ciuilian a lawe maker and had an office called Magister Scrinii as it were Master of the Rowles he had in those dayes in his Court a number of learned men whose names Lampridius setteth down in this sort whome he vsed as Counsellers Fabius Sabinus Domitius Vlpianus Aelius Gordianus Iulius Paulus Modestinus Pomponius Alphenus Africanus Florentinus Proculus Martianus Callistratus Hermogenes Tryphonius Metianus Celsus The most part of these were Ciuilians and scholers to Papinianus Besides these lawyers florished in Seuerus Court Quintilius Caius Marcellus Aelius Seuerianus Cutilius Seuerus three singuler learned Romanes but he reigned not long for he was slaine in Fraunce in a tumult that grewe amongst the souldiers hee and his mother Mammea in a towne called Moguntia after he had reigned 13. yeeres After this good Emperor Seuerus succeeded Iulius Maximinius a man of meane parentage whose beginning was to be a shepheard in Thracia and after came to be a souldier and in processe of time came by the meanes of the souldiers to be Emperour without consent of the Senators who in the beginning had some good successe against the Germanes but not long after slaine by Pupienus at Aquilea and his yong sonne called also Maximinius when hee had reigned three yeeres After him succeeded Pupienus Balbinus Gordianus three Emperours together in Rome but Pupienus and Balbinus were slaine at Rome and Gordianus obtained the empire and held it sixe yeeres alone he espoused Tranquillina Masetheus daughter and after tooke his voiage into Persia and ouerthrewe Sapores king of Persia tooke diuers cities and in many sundrie skirmishes did greatly afflict the Persians But as hee returned thence he was likewise slaine through treason of one Philip who succeeded him in the Empire but his monument is erected vp by one of his souldiers in memoriall of him and that place is called Gordianus graue Marcus Iulius Philippus after he had slaine Gordianus he and his sonne Philip came to the empire and reigned ioyntly fiue yeeres In the time of these two Philips there was celebrated in Rome great solemnitie and preparation of Gunnes and shewes with such pompe and magnificence as Capittollius affirmeth that the like before in Rome scant had beene seene Philip builded a towne in Thracia named it after his owne name Not long after both the father and the sonne were slaine the father at Verrona and the sonne at Rome being of the age of 12. yeeres About this time liued Iulius Africanus a great Historiographer and that godly man Origen wrote his booke of Martyrs After these two Philips succeeded Decius borne at Bubalia a Towne in Hungaria a man well instructed in all kinde of sciences but hee was the eight Emperour that persecuted the Christians and beside commaunded by an Acte that all that worshipped Christ shoulde be slaine hee repressed some warres that were cōmenced in Fraunce and made one voyage against the Gothes at what time hee caused his sonne to be created Caesar. This Decius founded Bathes in Rome who when he had reigned two yeeres both he and his sonne died in Barbaria Some iudged that hee was swallowed vp in an earthquake and some affirme that hee was drowned in a riuer of Thracia called Abricium Then were created Emperours in Rome Gallius Hostilianus and Voluntianus his sonne they committed no act worthie of writing but they were likewise persecutors of the Christians and in their time fell great plagues and sundrie other diseases in the Romane Empire and after they had reigned scant two yeeres they were slaine and within three moneths after them Aemilianus who succeeded them in the Empire was in like sort slaine so that of 30. Emperours which reigned since Octauius Augustus time vntill Licinius Valerian sixe of them escaped not the handes of murtherers Such was the enuious estate of Rome from time to time such was their tyrannie and auarice vntill the Romanes fame and dignitie was much obscured and so little esteemed of the kings about ouer whome they had before so long triumphed euen
of any things worth the memory After whom succeeded Probus a singuler souldier a man most expert in warfare for he subdued the Germanes the Sarmatians the Illyrians He ouercame the Gothes in Thracia he vanquished in sundry skirmishes diuers which attempted to vsurpe the state imperial as Saturninus in the East couÌ„trey Bonosus and Proculus which affected much the kingdome of Fraunce and Agrippina that claimed a title to Hispanie and Brytaine he vanquished them and triumphed ouer them this emperor licenced the Frenchmen and the Hungarians to haue vineyards This emperour was a iust and a stoute man equall in all pointes to Aurelianus his predecessor was slaine also in an iron towre at Sirmium in an vprore which grew amoÌ„gst the souldiers after he had reigned 6. yeres and 3. moneths After this emperour was Carus elected to gouerne the Romane empire who presently after he had obtained the empire made his 2. sonnes Carinus and Numerianus Caesars and commenced that warre against the Persians againe which Probus thought before he died to haue taken in hand which Carus perfourmed and subdued Mesopotamia and atchieued thinges manfully against the Persians He wanne Seleucia the chiefest citie of Syria and Ctesiphontes a towne in Persia. And when he had raigned two yeeres he was stricken with lightning and his sonne Numerianus was slaine being very yong with his father in the warres of Persia by the perswasion of Aper his father in lawe The other sonne of Carus called Carinus being deputed Caesar ouer Illyria Fraunce and Italie defloured noble women put innocents to death and practised all kind of mischiefe vntill he was ouerthrowne by Dioclesian the emperour who next succeeded his father Carus During which time Rome was in great trouble and the empire in great danger at what time these Magistrates and noble men flourished and some of them became emperors Patrenus Volisianus Pomponius Bassus Flauius Aclianus Annius Tacitus afterward Emperour Lucius Ragonius Vrinatus Gallius Hostilius afterward Caesar. Numus Albinus Maximius Dexter and Arcesilaus Iunius Tiberianus Pomponius Victorinus Aurelius Probus after made Caesar. Iunius Messula Oniuius Paternus Iunius Maximus Lurius Orphitus Pomponius Ianarius These bare most sway in Rome during the â—…e of these seuen Emperours which raigned no more but 18. yeeres All these seuen Claudius Florianus Quintilus Probus and Aurelianus Carus Tacitus  So short a time the Emperours of Rome then reigned that any Caesar was slaine sooner then any common souldier At the which time Germanie and Fraunce waxed so strong that the Romanes had their handes full to resist them and to keepe theÌ„ from Italie now they had entred Italie with great force spoyling and wasting the countries about vntil they came to Rauenna and Valerianus possessed Pannonia and Carausius gouerned the Brytaines which he detained by force when he fledde for feare of Maximianus CHAP. X. Of the rest of the Emperours of Rome after Dioclesians time at what time their Empire at Rome beganne to decay for that the dignitie of the old Emperours were diminished by reason that Constantinople whom Constantine the great had so enriched and beautified with their ancient monuments of Rome that olde Rome was hereby defaced and new Rome thereby flourished so that the Empire was deuided betweene two Emperours the one to be at Constantinople the other at Rome NOwe to Dioclesianus who beganne his reigne after that Carus Augustus was stricken with lightnings and his sonne Numerianus slaine by treason he was created Augustus he was borne at Dalmatia a Scriueners sonne as Eutropius saith but others affirme he was a bondman to Amulinus the Senator This Emperour assoone as he had obtained the Empire to his hande he reuenged the death of Numerianus slue Aper his sonne in lawe after subdued Carinus least he would claime the Empire being Carus his eldest sonne he associated to himselfe in the Empire Maximianus surnamed Herculius and made him Augustus who was before but Caesar. Beside he created other two Caesars Constantius Clorus and Maximianus Gabrius borne in Dacia for that in diuers countreies warre waxed hote and that Dioclesian of necessitie must needes appoynt these two Caesars and take Maximianus to be his fellow in the Empire This Dioclesianus caused Galerius to take to wife his daughter Valeria and caused Constantius to marry Theodora daughter in law to Herculius This time gouerned in Egypt Achilleus whom Dioclesian subdued and after tooke Busiris and Copon two cities of Egypt slue a number of their nobles and gaue Achilleus to be deuoured of wilde beastes In the eight moneth of his warre in Egypt he tooke Alexandria and after he had pacified Egypt hee returned to Rome at what time Herculeius returned froÌ„ Affrike and after he had finished his warres where he had subdued the QuinquagentiaÌ„s concluded peace with them afterward these two emperors liued and reigned together twentie yeres they ouercame Narses king of Persia they subdued the Caspians and the Basternes and coÌ„quered the Sarmatians and did triumph ouer them After this triumph DioclesiaÌ„ waxed so proud that he would be worshipped like a god and would be called brother to the sunne to the moone he had his shooes wrought with gold and precious stones caused people to come kneeling and kisse his feete Yet Eutropius writeth that after these great triumphs which both Dioclesian Herculeius had at Rome ouer Narses concubines his sisters and his children they resigned vp the imperial state and liued a priuat life the one in the citie of Solona and the other in Lucania for the which cause Dioclesianus was canonised after his death though he dyed a priuate man which was neuer graunted in Rome to any priuate man Then ConstaÌ„tius and Galerius which were but Caesars during the reigne of Dioclesian were both made emperours and the whole gouernment was deuided betweene them both Fraunce and Italie and Affrike were coÌ„mitted to Constantius Illyria Asia and the East partes to Galerius but Constantius a man of great modestie declared his worthinesse refused the trouble and toile of warres that he should haue in Affrike Fraunce and Italie and contented himselfe with the name of Augustus and after hee had reigned two yeeres deceased at Yorke in Britaine where Constantius had a base sonne that became gouernour in his fathers roome in Britaine Galerius when hee heard that Constantius his fellowe in the Empire died in Britaine he substituted vnder him two Caesars This time some commotion began at Rome where they nominated Maxentius sonne to Herculeus late Emperour which when his father heard of he came in all haste from Lucania to Rome and by all meanes possible perswaded Dioclesian to resigne the Empire into his hand againe which hee refused to doe Then Seuerus Caesar was sent to appease the commotion which the gard had made where he was slaine then Herculeus seemed as though he woulde depose his sonne
a citie in Fraunce The ouerthrow was such that their king was taken prisoner Fraunce againe recouered This time was Cōstantius occupied against the Parthians and returning home from thence to pacifie that cōmotion he died by the way after he had reigned 38. yeres at what time Iulianus was made Augustus But let vs know who florished in Rome during the reigne of this great Constantinus and his three sonnes which was seuentie yeeres Ruffinus Volusianus Arcadius Rufinus Anicius Iulianus Acilius Seuerus Paulinus Probianus Valerius Maximus Septimius Bassius Syluanus Caesar. Faecilianus and Tacianus who were Consuls when Constantine the great dyed Crispus Caesar. Ouinius Gallicanus Annianus and Anicius Rufinus Metilius Halarianus Dalmatius Caesar. Nepotianus Caesar. Catulinus Philomanus Publitius Optatus Lucinus Caesar. Magnentius and Decentius both Caesars Gallus Caesar. Cornelius Sergius Daelius Probinus Valerinus Proculus Fabius Titianus Mereatius Caerealus Claudius Iulianus Caesar who was next Emperour after Constantinus and his sonnes made great preparation against the Parthians at what time sundry Townes and holdes were peaceably yeelded to Iulianus hee returning from Assyria as a conquerour was slaine by his enemies in the seuenth yeere of his reigne This Emperour Iulianus did excell in the Greeke and in the Latine tongue he was passing well seene in all the liberall artes he was very eloquent and a great Philosopher Eutropius saith that Iulianus resembled much Marcus Antonius whom this Emperour in all points endeuoured to imitate but he was a persecutour of the Christians Iouinianus succeeded next Iulianus being chosen by consent of the souldiers hee was a very good Emperour and a great fauourer of the Christiās but being once or twise vanquished by the Persians he susteined such reproch that hewas forced to make peace with a great portiō ofhis empire which was not seene since the foundation of Rome This Iouinianus was borne in a prouince of Pannonia the sonne of one Verromanus who in his sleepe was warned that this Emperour should be named Iouinianus who after hee reigned eight moneths died but Eutropius affirmeth that he reigned Emperor seuen yeeres After him succeeded Valentianus the sonne of Gratianus a meane man of birth in whose time the West kingdomes began to annoy the Romane Empire for hitherto the Romanes kept the sole Empire in Rome vntill the time of Theodosius the great which was the fiftie Emperour from Iulius Caesar. Valentianus and his sonne together had the Empire betweene them twentie one yeeres Valentianus the father reigned of those fifteene yeres and his his sonne named also Valētianus being a yong boy proclaimed Caesar by the souldiers reigned the other sixe yeeres After them succeeded Theodosius Iunior in whose time the Gotes the Vandales began to be gouerned vnder kings The Longobards and the Hunnes at that very time began their kingdoms Many other kingdoms began this time as Britaine and Scotland and diuers nations in Germany waxed so strong so mighty that by often quarreling long tedious warres the Empire was not only diuided but quite taken into the West partes of the world so that frō the name of the Emperour of Rome he was long named the emperor of Constantinople and after that named the Emperor of Almaine where betweene these Gotes Vandales Longobards Hunnes Polonians and diuers other Potentates of Germany beside Fraunce Spaine England the empire still remaineth in Germany so that the dignitie of Rome the great glory and long renowme thereof is fallen frō an Emperour to a Pope after that Rome had florished vnder kings 243. yeeres vntill the time of Consuls vnder Consuls and Dictators 467. vntil the time of emperors vnder emperors 447. yeres Now I wil end this Romane historie for that the glory of the Romanes died the dignitie of the empire taken away nothing to be spokē of the Romanes after Iouinianus time which was the 43. emperour after Augustus reigne which gouerned Rome with glory fame for the space of 407 yeres as Sex Ruffi affirmeth yet these emperors whose names I haue subcribed gouerned as emperours vntill Charles the great at what time the empire begā to quaile the Germans began to florish and Rome quite forsaken and decayed And nowe for that the Empire is fully come to Germanie I will onely put downe the names of the emperours of Rome from Iu. Caesar vntill Theodosius the great which are these Iu. Caesar fiue moneths Octauius Augustus 56. yeeres C. Tiberius Nero. 23. yeeres C. Caesar Caligula 4. yeeres Tib. Clau. Drusus 13. yeeres Cl. Domitius Nero 13. yeeres and 8. moneths Serg. Sulp. Galba 7. moneths Siluius Otto 95. dayes Aul. Vitellius 8. moneths Fla. Vespasianus 12. yeeres Tit. Vespasianus 2. yeeres Fla. Domitianus 15. yeeres Coc. Nerua 16. moneths Vlpius Traianus 17. yeeres Aelius Adrianus 21. yeeres T. Antonius Pius 23. yeeres M. Aurelius Antoninus surna med the Philosopher 19. yeeres Lu. Aurelius Commodus 13. yeeres Aelius Pertinax and Didius Iulianus both these 2. Emperours reigned 5. moneths L. Septim Seuerus 18. yeeres Au. Antoninus Bassianus who was also named Caracalla 7. yeeres Opili Macrinus with his s◅ne Diadumeus both Emperours slaine by the souldiers within 14. moneths of their reigne these with others are omitted among writers by reason of their short gouernment one murthering of an other M. Aurelius Heliogabolus 4. yeeres Au. Alex. Seuerus 13. yeeres Maximinus with his sōne named also Maximi was of a meane souldier made Emperour without the authoritie of the Senate and reigned 3. yeeeres Balbinus Pupienus reigned one yeere and were both slaine in an vprore of the armie Gordianus reigned Emperour 6. yeeres M. Iulius Philippus with his sōne named Philip reigned 5. yeeres this was the first Christian Emperour Decius and his sonne 2. yeeres Gallus Hostilianus with his sonne Volusianus 2. yeeres Lucius Valerianus and Gallienus reigned both Caesars ioyntly 15. yeeres Fla. Claudius reigned 20. moneths his brothea Quintilius reigned after him but 17. dayes both good Emperours and yet according to the custome slaine by them who made them and proclaimed them emperors Val. Aurelianus raigned sixe yeeres and was slaine Annius Tacitus raigned sixe moneths and was slaine Florianus raigned 84. dayes and was killed Aurelius Probus raigned sixe yeeres 3. moneths Carus with his two sonnes Carinus and Numerianus in like sort slaine within two yeeres after hee was made Emperour Dioclesianus Iouius raigned 20. yeeres with whom raigned Maximianus Gallerius and Cōstantius Chlorus Constantinus the great raigned 31. yeeres This appointed the first order of the accompt called Indictiones after the Olympiads were expired After Constantine th◅ great raigned his sonne Constanstine and his two brethren Constantius and Constans 14. yeeres Magnentius raigned 3. yeres Beraldus saith that he raigned more yeres Iulianus raigned 7. yeeres Iouinianus raigned eight moneths Valentinianus raigned ioyntly with his brother Valens 15. yeeres Theodosius the great raigned 17. yeeres After this Theodosius no mention
heresies began the one being in Antioch the other in Alexandria the first schole of the Christians The heresies of these two filled all Egypt and Syria euen in the first place where Christ was preached but it was by God so appointed to exercise his people so that both heresie true doctrine doeth encrease with persecution Now beganne Basilides Carponates and Saturninus 3. great heretikes successors of Menāder Of these and of their fundrie sects I haue to speake in their place Now Antoninus Verus succeeding his father Antoninus Pius raigned in Rome vnder whom that godly bishop Polycarpus suffered martyrdome in Smirna little esteeming the threatning of the Romane Proconsul vnder Antoninus Verus the people that were Iewes in Smirna crying to haue him throwen to the Lions Saying that hee onely was the father of all Christians in Asia a contemner of our gods and a teacher of false doctrine but neither the fire that should burne him neither beastes that were threatned to deuoure him neither any torment might feare Polycarpus so that he most constantly withstoode their torment So did Metrodorus and Pionius two other constant Martyrs at that very barre with Polycarpus and companied him into the middest of the flame where confessing their God they died like good Christians in Smirna where Polycarpus was bishop Likewise at that time in Pergame a towne of Asia Papilus and Carpus two valiant souldiers of Christ Iesus and Agathonicus a constant Christian endured the force of the flame and died and were crowned with martyrs Iustinus the Philosopher and a worthie Martyr of the Church of God reciteth in his Apologie other 3. faithfull Martyrs named Centurio Ptolomeus and Lucius who altogether most boldly stoode to the face of Vrbicius then Proconsul of Rome and said that he iudged neither like the godly Emperour his father neither like an Emperours sonne being a Philosopher neither in any part like a sacred Senator making no accompt of his insolent speach but died like martyred Christians In the 17. yeere of this Antonius Verus diuers parts of Asia and Affrike were with persecution visited insomuch that the congregation of the faithfull dwelling in Louaine and Vienna partes sometime of Gallia sent letters to comfort the brethren euery where dispersed in Asia and Affrike amongst whom I found these many professing the Name of Iesus offering themselues vnto God as sacrifices readie to the fire to the sword to beastes or to any other torments for Christ Iesus sake Among whom was Vetius Epagathus a yong man who liued so to God that many followed him with great triumph into the fire Potinus bishop of Lugdunum ful of the spirit Zacharias the priest Sanctus a deacon of Vienna Attalus borne in Pergamus and Maturus These contended for victorie and to weare the glorious crownes of Martyrs for they sawe before their faces howe constantly Blandina did stande to the tortures and how she was bound to a tree that fierce and wilde beasts might deuoure her But God turned the furie and rage ofbeastes to spare and fauour his Saints The like we reade of Alexander a Phisition borne in Phrygia which for the Gospel was iudged to bee deuoured of beasts Infinite was their ioy which they receiued by the spirit of God in their torments and innumerable were the multitude of the Saincts that dayly more and more encreased And as among the olde Iewes sundrie sects of heretikes beganne to vexe and trouble the Church of God as the Saduces Pharisees Samaritans Essaei Masbothia and other so at this time sprang many sorts of heresies first from Simon Magus the Samaritane from Menander his disciple and successour from Saturnius Valentianus Cerdon and many other whereby many false prophets false apostles false antichrists sowed sedition in the Church and opposed themselues against Christ and his Church But in vaine were all the shifts of Satan for God raised such armies against them of men of women of children that confirmed their doctrine with their blood The more they wrote the lesse credite it had the more they stirred the lesse they accomplished for the Martyrs of God amazed their fleshly cogitations and fully vanquished their wicked deuises God raised good and godly men and singular wel learned as Hegesippus Appolinarius Meliton bishops of Sardis Pinitus bishop of Creete Dionisius bishop of Corinth and Irenaeus with many others And for that Irenaeus himselfe wrote a catalogue of the succession of the bishops of Rome after the time of the Apostles I haue set them orderly downe as I found them in Eusebius 1 Linus 2 Anactelus 3 Clemens 4 Euaristus 5 Alexander 6 Xistus 7 Telesphorus 8 Higinus 9 Pius 10 Anicetus 11 Soter And 11 Eleutharius I will set downe in order the names of other godly bishops as of Ierusalem and other places where God hath bene glorified by his Martyrs because they shal go together for after the 15. bishops which were in Ierusalem before the destruction thereof by Vespasian others folowed good and godly which stood to the Church of Christ most constantly and boldly their names are thus named of the Gentiles 1 Marcus 2 Cassianus 3 Publius 4 Maximus 5 Iulianus 6 Gaianus 7 Symachus 8 Dolychianus 9. Caius And Iulianus the 10. the 2. of that name 11. 12. Capito Valeus 13 Narcissus After the destruction of Hierusalem in Alexandria in the ninth yeere of Comodus the Emperour was Iulianus bishop of Alexandria after Agrippinus at what time Pautenus read the Diuinitie lecture to the Christians a great scholer and a Philosopher of the sect of the Stoikes a man full of godly zeale that trauailed from Alexandria to Iudea to preache and to teach Christ. Likewise in Antioche Cornelius the fourth bishop Heros the fift with the successours of them flourished this time And in the tenth yeere of Antonius Comodus the Emperor many learned graue and godly men flourished in this blasphemous time among so many wicked and lewde heretiques that liued now in the worlde as Theophilus bishop of Caesarea some say of Antiochia Banchillus and Policrates the one bishop in Corinth the other in Ephesus Demetrius of Alexandria and Serapion of Antiochia the eight bishop After the Apostles there was no part of Asia emptie from godly men of whom particularly to speake how they liued and bowe they died I may not for that their number is infinite and noting onely the chiefe bishops and learned men and fewe Martyrs in respect of the whole I will but briefly touch them In this Emperours time the Church had some quietnesse and in respect of much persecution before they were called Halcyonia sub Comodo Ecclesiae and yet Comodus a wicked Emperour as euer liued at what time they receiued the faith for euen then Appolonius a Philosopher a Senator of Rome a man of singuler learning and zeale who before Perenius the Iudge in the Senate before al the Senators of
Rome mainteined his apologie of Christianitie and read his writing before them and confirmed the same with his death for hee was at that time by decree of the Senate beheaded in Rome About this time Smirna a towne of Asia fell by an earthquake and the temple of Serapis in Alexandria was burned By this time raigned in Rome 13. bishops after the time of the Apostles in Alexandria tenne bishops in Antiochia eight bishops besides many bishops of Corinth of Creete of Ephesus of Caesarea in Palestina many of these bishops And specially of Hierusalem are not found in Eusebius distinctly Hitherto the Romane bishops stood constant and stoute in the faith with all humilitie and zeale after this time by degrees they waxed worse and worse vntill they became worst of all CHAP. III. Of the tyrannie of the time from the sixt persecution vnder Seuerus vnto the ninth persecution vnder Dioclesian the Emperour of the zeale and constancie of the godly in their Martyrdome and of the tyrannie and wickednesse of the kings of Persia and of the Emperors of Rome at that time in the persecution of the Church I Will passe to the Martyrs of the Church in all countreys which nowe againe beginneth what in Alexandria and in Egypt in the time of Septimius Seuerus the Emperour At what time Leonides the father of Origene was beheaded for the profession of his faith leauing his sonne a young man behinde him who vehemently perswaded his father to stande constantly to Christ and after being growen to some yeeres taught in Alexandria Christians that came vnto him as Olutarchus who to prooue his zeale and to shew himselfe a Christian became willingly a Martyr of Iesus Christ. Also his brother named Heraclas who being instructed by Origene came in time to be a bishop of Alexandria so many zealous men flocked to this vertous and good man that he gaue vp his other prophane studie as Grammer Rhetoricke which Demetrius then bishop of Alexandria committed to his charge and taught Christ to the brethren and Christians that came from â—…uery part vnto him in so much that diuers of his scholers proued themselues coÌ„stant Martyrs as these Serenus Heraclides Heron Serenus an other froÌ„ the first and Rhais a woman these were crowned as victorious Martyrs After whom folowed Potamaena a very faire vertuous virgine who together with her mother Marcella offered themselues to the like torments for Christ Iesus but being pitied of many that so faire and a beautiful virgine should die she litle regarded her beautie but said Gratior est pulchro veniens è corpore virtus and so was with her mother Marcella burned whose constant zeale mooued many in Alexandria to professe the Christian faith as Basilides a souldier and euen he who brought Potamiaena to the stake was within foure dayes after put in prison and there baptized and after beheaded as a Martyr Diuers beside by the instructions of Origen became faithfull Martyrs in Alexandria and in other places for during the reigne of Septimius the Emperour great persecution fel euery where in whose time this Origen florished amongst the Martyrs of the Church a man singularly well learned most zealous and most godly in al his life euen from his childehood whose fame grewe such that Mammea Alexander Seuerus his mother came to Antioch for to see Origen was in the tenth yeere of Alexander Seuerus made priest at Caesarea in Palestina Tertulian was in the time of Origen in the first yeere of Antoninus surnamed Caracalla where hee came to Alexandria hee commaunded that all the young men shoulde be called before him and being together in one place he gaue a signe or a watch worde to his souldiers to kill them as both Herodianus and Functius doe affirme In the time of Origen Asclepiades was the ninth Bishop of Antiochia Calixtus the fifteenth and Vrbanus the sixteenth Bishops of Rome Philetus in Alexandria the tenth Bishop At this time Nicopolis a towne in Palestina was builded being before called Emmaus In the time of Maximinius the Emperor Origen made a booke of Martyrs for during the whole reigne of this cruell emperor continued a vehement persecutioÌ„ of the Church Origen confuted many Philosophers and conuerted many heretikes disputed wrote in the face of the aduersaries insomuch that he reduced Berillus Bishop of Bosterna in Arabia after sharpe and seuere disputation in the doctrine of the true Church from his errour concerning the diuine nature of Christ his fame was such that Athinedorus and his brother Gregorie Nazianzenus with other many became his schollers Dionysius also Bishop of Alexandria in the time of Decius the Emperour which was a vehement persecutour of the Christians wrote this of himselfe in an epistle to Fabius Bishop of Antiochia howe he by Gods prouidence was wonderfully deliuered from great dangers and many of the brethren with him and howe constant in the faith many at that persecution in Alexandria continued and stood most boldly vnto the last breath as Metra a priest being taken was commaunded by the Romane Iudge to speake some wicked blasphemous words which he refused and therefore he was beaten and bruised with clubs and after pricked in the face and in the eyes with sharpe needles and at last haled drawen through the towne and stoned to death Metra Quinta a faithfull woman was likewise taken and brought into the temple and there commaunded to worship their idoles but shee lothing their idolatrie refused to obey them she was therefore bound both her feete together and drawen naked through the streetes where sharpe picked stones were for the purpose set in the way certein torturers with whips in their hands scourging her as shee was haled Appollonia a virgin of ardent zeale refusing to blaspheme her God with idolatrie and with wicked spâ—…ches after them in their temple they brake her chawe bone and all her teeth they violently knockt out and brought her vnto the stake where fire was ready kindled for her and there being demanded by the magistrates whether she would conuert from her God and from his religion shee looked on them and saide When I come from my God vnto you againe I wil answere you and withall leapt into the fire and ended her life with a glorious death and to bee short innumerable were they at that time in Alexandria that willingly confessed themselues to be Christians and so bent to offer their bodies to any torment for the proofe of the same that at that very tumult and sedition the wicked and vngodly fedde on the Christians and deuoured them as wolues or lyons deuoure their praye nay wolues lyons beares and other sauadge wilde beastes spared the people of God and had no power to touch them for God so stopt their mouthes that tyraunts and cruel murtherers might be warned thereby and for that it is infinite to prosecute the whole histories of Martyrs I passe ouer
mines siluer and gold The length of Spaine from the West into the East is 6000. furlongs the breadth of Spaine is almost 5000. in some place scant three Of the description of Spaine of the aboundance and plentie of things of their cities townes riuers mines lakes mountaines and mounts reade Strabo Pomponius Mela and Iu. Solynus Of the antiquitie of these people and of their first arriuall into Spaine I finde some controuersie and in many things apparant errors Both Plutarch and Liui affirme that in antiquities men may most easily erre specially in these first actions of time when kingdomes first beganne Therefore I beginne from the Centre and ground of all true and perfit Chronicles the 10. of Genesis where we reade of the encrease of mankind after the flood and of the beginning of countreys and cities and here all countreys were deuided one from another in language and in kinred And had not Moses set downe the names of the first princes and their children and the coūtreis and kingdoms by them first inhabited we had bene as blinde men not able to iudge of colours or as they that neuer sawe the Sunne not knowing light frō darknes and they that wander with prophane writers frō Moses and from the prophetical histories shal be in no better case for of necessitie we must be forced to conferre with diuine histories for the certaintie of trueth in many things in the beginnings of kingdoms and countreys for otherwise men do erre most grossely folowing their owne fancies one reprehending another more to encrease cōtrouersies then to finde out the trueth as Appion accuseth Herodot for his meere fables in the history of Egypt and Iosephus reprehendeth Appion for his great lies in the history of the Iewes And here Berosus who setteth downe the first beginning of Spaine and of Chaldea and Syria is of many cried out vpon as a fained and lying Berosus yet many alleadge him and followe him of the best writers as Functius Ruffinus and others Berosus saith the Spaniards tooke their beginning from the Caspians a people in Scythia as the Persians the Phoenices people in Syria Celtes people now of France and the Mores and that is probable for after the flood the arke of Noah resting in Armenia not far frō Scythia after 150. yeres people being then multiplied came from thence to seeke countreys and to inhabite euery coast of the world Chus the father of Nimrod went to Aethiope Mizraim the sonne of Chus went to Egypt possessed about the riuer Nilus Gomerus the eldest sonne of Iaphet into that countrey afterward called Italy and Tubal the fift sonne of Iaphet came into that countrey which is now called Spaine Because I wrote of this in the beginning of euery kingdom I neede not much to speake of them and therfore I wil leaue the sonnes of Sem and the sonnes of Cham in their first possession I wil folow Iaphets sonnes which came here to Europe of whom I haue spokē sauing of Tubal who came into Spaine in the yere after the flood 143. within 12. yeeres after Nimrod began his kingdome in Chaldea within two yeeres after his eldest brother Gomerus came into Italy and 3. yeres before Mizraim which is called Oceanus went to Egypt as Functius setteth it downe in his tables This Tubal began to build and to inhabit first in Celtiberia a countrey in Spaine which is now called Byskay hee made a towne and named it after his owne name Tubal in that Prouince of Spaine which is called Baetica and kept many sheepe and cattel for that they are most necessary for man to liue by both for clothing of the body and for feeding of the belly for in the first beginning of time men were not so ambitious as to aspire great things When Tubal was settled in his owne towne he made lawes for his people to liue by taught the Celtiberians the people named Samotes To Tubal came one Samotes sirnamed Disteltas a most wise man yet not knowen but supposed to be Tubals brother one of Iaphets sonnes yet Moses maketh no mention of him Of the comming of Ianus which Berosus and other affirme to be Iauan frō Phaenicia to Affrica and from Affrica to Celtiberia to his sonnes sonne and with the people which he brought with him to dwel in Celtiberia I referre you to Berosus and to Annius Thus Tubal being 155. yeres old died fiue yeeres before Abraham was borne which was in the 43. yeere of Ninus The people were called Caetubales after Tubals name vntill Iberus time the 2. king of Celtiberia after whose name both the countrey and the people changed as Functius saith other say they were called Iberi of the riuer Iberus but Berosus whō Functius in all this historie doth folow saith of Iberus the king the riuer also was so named and the people that dwelt about the riuer were called Iberi So likewise of Celtiberia some writers affirme that it was so named because it is next to those people of France called Celtes and therefore called Celtiberia and surely the best coniectures in things vnknowen are best to bee allowed This Iberus raigned 37. yeres and died in the 37. yere of Semiramis Queene of Babylon During the life of Tubal Samotes had a sonne called Magus he raigned then ouer the people Celtes where he builded many townes and gouerned the people with care and great diligence Also in the 22 yeere of Semiramis Sabatius Saga after that he came to Italy to old father Ianus and had taught the countreymen tillage and other kinde of husbandrie he sent Sabus to that people which were called Sabines after and continued by that name vntill they were subdued by the Romans In the time of this king Iberus Isis was borne in Egypt the wife of Osiris of whome the Egyptians did glorie much for they found in a pillar of brasse this sentence written of Isis as an Epitaph ouer her graue I am Isis Queene of Egypt wife of great Osiris and mother to great king Orus taught of Mercurius to giue lawes to my people which none shall infringe to inuent the vse of sowing of corne I haue builded the famous citie Bubastia Reioyce Egypt that hath brought vp such a Queene I haue liued with you your Queene and now being dead I am placed among the glittering starres by the name of the starre Canis This monument was of the Egyptians much honoured Now followed in Celtiberia Iubalda the sonne of Iberus and the 3. king of Celtiberia he began his raigne in the yere 1993. after the creation of the world he dwelt hard by the mountaine Iubalda which he named after his owne name This is since called of the Mauritaines Ibiralta and of others corruptly he raigned 66. yeeres of whom nothing is to be written but that he at that time encreased by litle and litle his territories not by the
17. Dynasteia of the Egyptians which endured 103. yeeres During which time the shepherds had gouernment 7 Gerion surnamed Deabus raigned 35. yeeres he inuented the vse of many good things found first the vse of mynes of gold siluer and other mettals 8 After whom succeeded his three sonnes surnamed Lomuini which builded a towne after their owne name Lomuinia they also raigned 42. yeeres after their father 9 Hispalus the sonne of Hercules Libyus and the 9. king of the Celtiberians he raigned 11. yeeres he beganne his gouernment in the 36. yeere of Baleus Iunior the II. king of the Assyrians he did nothing but builded a towne and named it after his owne name Hispalis 10 After Hispalus succeeded the tenth king named Hispanus which raigned 32. yeeres by whom the whole countrey was called Hispania This time Iacob with his children went to Egypt when the great famine was almost ouer the whole world so long the name of Hispaine continued 11 Hercules after the death of Hispanus being verie aged raigned 19. yeeres at what time Mamitus the 13. king of the Assyrians gouerned at Niniuie 12 Hesperus raigned after Hercules 11. yeeres In Egypt began this time to raigne Mispharmutosis about which time Ioseph being an hundred yeres old died in Egypt Narbon raigned in that part of Fraunce which was called Celta after whome the countrey was after called Narbon 13 Kittim called in some places Atlas after hee had forced his brother Hesperus to forsake the kingdome and to flie into Italie raigned in Spaine 11. yeeres With this Kittim beganne to raigne in Assyria Maucaleus the 14. king and ouer the Argiues Crassus the fiftking 14 Sicorus raigned after Kittim Atlas who raigned 45. yeres for Kittim hauing his sonne in his steede to gouerne Spaine went to Italie and raigned there and was called for his great vertue and excellencie of minde of that countrey Italus This maried his daughter Electra to Cambo Blaston a Prince of the Ianigenes During the time of Sicorus Kittims sonne in Spaine raigned in Egypt Amenophis a cruel king who made a lawe that all the male children of the Israelites which then were in great cruell bondage in Egypt should be drowned in the riuer Nilus at which time Moses beyng borne then in Egypt was throwen to Nilus but he was preserued by the appoyntment of God This time reigned in Assyria Spherus the 15. king 15 Sicanus the sonne of Sicorus raigned after his Father 12. yeres king of Hispaine Phorbas the sixt king of the Argiues began in his kingdome to raigne and Sparetus the 17. king of the Assyrians 16 After Sicanus succeeded Siceleus which raigned in Spaine 44. yeeres this king came with the Sicilians to aide Iasius against Dardanus who both were in armes for the kingdome of Italie and did no other great thing In the beginning of this Siceleus raigne the kingdome of Athens beganne vnder Cecrops their first king in the fourth yeere of Sparetus the seuenteenth king of the Assyrians and in the sixte yeere of Marathus the thirteenth King of Peloponesus At what time Troyphas raigned the seuenth king of the Argiues and Acengeres raigned king of Egypt Functius sayeth that Mercurius Trismegistus an Egyptian Philosopher flourished about this time a great learned Priest whose bookes yet are to this day extant though some doe doubt of the same as in so ancient a thing men may easily doubt I thinke there was not so much diuinitie then in Egypt as Trismegistus seemeth to write in his bookes 17 After that Siceleus had raigned 44. yeeres his sonne named Lusus succeeded him and reigned thirtie yeeres this dwelt in that part of Spayne which he called after his owne name Lusitania thither he brought manie from Italie and other places to inhabite This Lusus beganne to reigne in Spayne in the thirteenth yeere of Ascatades the 18. King of the Assyrians in the verie yeere that Dardanus slue by deceit his brother Iasius and after fledde to Samothracia In the beginning of the reigne of this King the Israelites were deliuered from their bondage and great miserie vnder Pharao in Egypt after they had continued foure hundred thirtie yeeres there in seruitude This time reigned in Athens Cranaus their seconde king and ouer the Argiues Crotopus their eight king 18 Siculus the eighteenth king of Spayne succeeded Siceleus and reigned 64. yeeres That time that he beganne to gouerne Spaine then Dardanus beganne to erect a kingdome in Dardania which afterwarde was called Troy which was in the last yeere of Ascatades the 18. king of Assyria 830. yeeres after the flood of Noah This Dardanus after he was fledde to Samothracia for the killing of his brother Iasius for the gouernment of Italie he sought no right in Italie but resigned the same to Turrhenius who sailed into that part of Italie called Ianigena and possessed it and reigned 51. yeeres and Dardanus began his kingdome and was the first king of Dardania after called Troy This time Faunus Priscus reigned ouer the Latines then called Aborigenes for Latinus was the fift king after Faunus after whom they were called Latins after Latinus name their first king 19 Testa succeeded Siculus in Spaine and reigned seuentie yeeres During which time Manethon which onely writeth of the first 24. kinges doeth set downe nothing worth the writing for these kings were not heard of any way out of Spaine they liued so simply vnpeopled without any war or other exploits done the best is the noting of time thereigne of other kings the histories of the East coūtreys are by this historie briefly passed ouer During the 70. yeres of these kings Bellopares the 21. king and Lamprides the 22. king of the Assyrians reigned at Niniue Menophis gouerned Egypt Minos in Creete Abas ouer the Argiues Erictheus the sixt king of the Athenians In the latter yeeres of this king Samgar which succeeded Ehud iudged Israel after Samgar Debora and Barac 20 Romus the twentieth king that gouerned in Spaine he raigned three and thirty yeeres at what time raigned in Assyria Lampares the 24. king and ouer the Argiues Agrisius their fourteenth and last king In Dardania raigned Tros their thirde king who enlarged the citie of Dardania verie much and altered the name of Dardania after his owne name and called it Troia I take little heede to Manethon for hee doeth much differ from others in manie thinges and I make as much haste as I can to come to an ende Nowe after that Romus dyed Palatinus succeeded and raygned eighteene yeeres in whose time the kingdome of the Argiues was translated into Mycena where for a long time it continued 21 This time raigned in Troy Ilus after whose name Troy was called Ilion and in Assyria gouerned Paninas their 25. king Gedeon iudged Israel This Palatinus beyng a young man was driuen out of his kingdome by Cacus into Italie from whence
kept the Saracens in some awe and gaue diuers ouerthrowes vnto them during his time After whom succeeded Raimiris the first of that name and 9. king of Astura and Legio he raigned sixe yeres In his time Abderana king of the Saracens sailed with a nomber of ships from Affrica and inuaded many places in Italie and vsed great crueltie of whose tyrannie and spoiles euery where you may reade in the Historie of the Saracens I name none here but such as troubled Spaine whose historie I haue in hande during the time that they raigned in Spaine This time Theophilus helde the Empire at Constantinople and Lewes sirnamed the Godly the sonne of Charles the great was king of France and Emperour of Rome as his father was Now succeeded in Spaine Ordonius the first of that name who raigned king after Amiris 10. yeres During which time the Normanes and the Danes rushed into France and annoyed the countrey much burnt Antwerpe and afflicted the Friseans most miserablie All this while the cruel Saracens were no where quiet especially in Italy where they spoiled and killed all that they came vnto with sword and fire euen vnto the very gates of Rome burning all the suburbes of the citie About this time Anno 838. the Danes inuaded England but they were to their great losse ouerthrowen and vanquished by Egbertus at which time died Lewes king of Fraunce sirnamed the Godly After this Ordonius succceded Alphonsus the thirde of that name sirnamed the Great he raigned as a wicked cruel king who to auoyde suspition of his tyrannie fained a conspiracie to bee done of his owne brethren against him and therefore caused that all his three brethrens eyes should be plukt out thinking thereby with lesse danger to gouerne his kingdome Then succeeded Garsia who raigned 3. yeres after whom Ordonius the second of that name folowed king of Astura and Legio This king also vsed crueltie and caused 4. of the chiefe noblemen in the Prouince of Castile to be imprisoned and in prison to be slaine for which cruel fact the Prouince of Castile reuolted from Ordonius and they elected foure Iudges to gouerne the Prouince of Castile since which time which was 900. yeeres after Christ kings beganne a kingdome in Castile for now was Spaine gouerned as England was by 7. kings the gouernment whereof was called Heptarchia and therefore I wil passe ouer the time and infinite quarels and toiles which continued for a long rime in Spaine First betweene the Vandols and the Spaniards after betweene the Gothes and the Spaniards and then last betweene the Saracens and the Gothes CHAP. V. From the time that the Saracens possessed Hispaine vntill the time of Ferdinandus the great and Alphonsus king of Arragon which were the onely first two kings that possessed all Hispaine from the first Monarchie of their kings which was 2400. and odde yeeres so base a Countrey was Hispaine and conquered so many times vntill Ferdinandus time AT what time in diuers Prouinces of Hispaine dwelt seuerall kings which then gouerned and possessed Hispaine whose names are these that follow The first king after the inuasion of the Saracens which was driuen out of the kingdome was Pelagius who raigned twentie yeeres in Astura Phafilla Pelagius sonne raigned two yeres and was slaine by a beare in hunting Alphonsus sirnamed Catholike the first of that name raigned 19. yeeres His sonne Phroilla succeeded his father in Astura and Legio and raigned twelue yeeres and after was by his brother Aurelius slaine Veramundus Phroillas sōne succeeded but was forced to flie by Sillo which gouerned the kingdome after Phroilla 6. yeeres Mauregatus a base sonne of Alphonsus the Catholike tooke the kingdome of Austria by the meanes of the Mauritanes and raigned three yeeres Veramundus the sonne of Bilmarus which was sonne to Alphonsus raigned two yeeres Alphonsus the seconde sirnamed the Chaste raigned thirtie and six yeres This king raigning the Saracens spoiled and wasted all Sardinia and Corsica After him succeeded Raimirus the first of that name and raigned sixe yeeres in whose time Abderana king of the Saracens with an huge armie vsed great crueltie and tyrannie in many places After him Ordonius the first which raigned also tenne yeeres after whom Alphonsus the thirde sirnamed the great which raigned 46. yeeres Then succeeded Carsia the first of that name and raigned three yeres After whom succeeded Ordonius the second who vsed tyrannie in Castile the onely cause of their reuolting and of the change of their gouernment in chusing first to them foure Iudges and after erected kings At what time the kingdome of Castile beganne Reade Ritius more of this historie Then succeeded Ordonius Phroilla the seconde which raigned two yeres and after him Alphonsus the fourth which gouerned in Astura and Legio fiue yeeres Raimirus the second of that name raigned nineteene yeres this caused his brother Alphonsus eyes to be pluckt out and after to bee in close prison for that Alphonsus denied to become a Christian. In this Raimirus time the Hungarians ouercame Lodowicke king of Germanie and both Luitboldus duke of Bauaria and Burgardus duke of Thuringia were slaine at that time of the Hungarians Ordonius the thirde of that name raigned fiue yeeres and Sanctius the first of that name raigned 11. yeeres king of Astura Raimirus the thirde being a childe obtained the kingdom and raigned 25. yeeres by whome Abdera then king of the Saracens in Spaine was vanquished but Luiterus saith that one Ramirus king of Galatia vanquished the Saracens and their king whome he named Abdamara This time Enechus Countie of Bigora gaue a great ouerthrow to the Saracens and made the Saracens to forsake their cities and to flie from many partes of Spaine This Enechus founded then the kingdome of Nauarra as Ritig affirmeth Then succeeded in Spaine Veramundus the third who raigned 17. yeere This king after he had once or twise vanquished the Saracens yet they so preuailed that he was vāquished and ouerthrowen his citie of Legio assaulted and taken Lusitania possessed againe and the most places of Spaine wonne againe which the Saracens lost before This time the kingdom of Polonia beganne Alphonsus the 5. reigned 37. yeeres during which time the Saracens entred into Italie tooke Capua assaulted Barū destroyed many places and spoiled cities In this Alphonsus time the kingdome of Hungarie beganne in whose time reigned in Fraunce Hugo Capetus the first king of the Gaules Veramūdus the 3. of that namereigned after Alphōsus 6. yeres and Ferdinandus gouerned at Astura and Castile 40. yeeres Sanctius the 2. king of Castile and Alphonsus the 6. king of Astura the one reigned 13. yeres the other seuen yeeres but Sanctius being not contented with the kingdome of Castile draue Alphōsus out of his kingdome and possessed both Legio and Astura who fledde to Toletum to the king of
neighbors by whom the Romanes were put to flight with a great slaughter of Lollius souldiers In the mean time Francus when he had driuen out the Gothes from Germany after he had plagued the Gaules and had most miserably wasted and spoyled the countrey vnto the riuer Mosa as histories affirme slue 200000. Gaules which newes frighted much the Romanes In the 24. yeere of his raigne after he had concluded peace with diuers nations in Germany he made a decree that Sicambria shoulde be called Francia after the name of Francus which to this day continueth a strong and a stoute nation and the onely kingdome of the world for all commodities During which time ciuill warres waxed hoate betweene Iulius Caesar Pompeius the great which being soon extinguished both by the murthering of Pompey in Egypt and by the like murther of Caesar at Rome in the Senate after which began another new ciuil warre betweene Augustus Caesar and Marcus Antoninus which endured 12. yeeres at what time Ianus Temple was shut the third time and peace was then graunted to all nations by Augustus But the antiquitie of the name of Fraunce beginning from Francus time in the 190. Olympiade and in the beginning of the 29. Iubilee at what time Augustus Caesar subdued all Spayne and brought them vnder the Romane Empire Nowe the names before named Neumagi Marcomani Cimbri Celtae Sicambri and Samothei are now changed to be called Franci after this Francus succeeded his sonne Clogio the seconde king of Fraunce which raigned 30. yeeres a wise man and a great Astrologer a Southsayer and for skill and knowledge in many thinges he was named Magus In the fourth yeere of Clogios raigne Tiberius was sent by Augustus to Germanie with a very high hoste of Romanes who destroyed all places where they came into Clogio with an armie gaue vnto Tiberius a battell in the which Tiberius wanne no great conquest but rather losse and at that time departed from field without victorie yet the name of Fraunce was skant knowen a farre off for the newnesse and late change of the name and therefore the nations rounde about called Clogio a Germane and not a Frenchman Notwithstanding Clogio beyng growen to so great a name that he was feared as his father was before him of the verie Romanes he made his sonne named Phrisus a king and named the region where he gouerned Phrysia which at this day is called Frizeland this was made subiect to Fraunce at that very time paying yeerely tribute vnto Fraunce 260. oxen this was done by consent of all Fraunce for this Phrysus was the second sonne of Clogio Nowe Fraunce beganne to bee knowen by the name of Fraunce for Clogio hauing some ayde of the Saxons ouerthrew the Romanes armie and slue Marcus Lollius their generall in the fielde and after vanquished still the Gaules vntill hee became so mightie that hee left behinde him his second sonne king of Phrysia and his eldest sonne and heyre king of France named Herimerus who raigned after his father twelue yeres whose successe was neyther like to his father Clogio nor to his brother Phrysus who flourished in his newe kingdome and gaue diuers expulses to the Romane force insomuch that Friselande beganne to be spoken of through the prowesse and martiall feates of Phrisus their first king For Herimerus the elder brother fighting against his enemies very vnfortunately was slayne when he had raigned twelue yeres he died in the 32. yeere after Christes birth at what time gouerned in India Pontius Pilatus President to the Romane Empire About this time Herodes builded a citie in the honour of Tiberius Caesar the Emperor of Rome and named it Caesarea which was before called Turris Stratonis In the time of this Herimerus in the citie of Fidena a Theater fell downe at the play of an enterlude which the Romane Attilius builded for sword players where fiftie thousand were sore bruised maimed and slaine The fourth king of Fraunce was Marcomirus which raigned eighteene yeeres and had the like dealings within Gallia as his predecessors had In the seuenth yeere of Marcomirus raigne was Caius Caesar Caligula made Emperour in Rome Reade Tritemius of this Marcomirus and of his sonne Clodomirus who helde sharpe warre with the Romanes in Maguntia and manie sore battels within Gallia This time Guidericus king Bellinus sonne raigned king in Brytaine after whome succeeded by force of armes in Britayne Armiracus whome Claudius Caesar vanquished and triumphed ouer but let vs returne to the kings of Fraunce After Clodomirus succeeded his sonne Antenor the 2. of that name raigned 6. yeres who in the last yere of his raigne hauing occasiō to passe ouer the riuer of Mosa the bridge thereof being broken with the weight of the kinges companie hee more of his Princes were at this instant drowned threescore noble men more of Fraunce beside other Gentlemen and Captaines after whom followed Rhaterus the eldest sonne of Antenor who raigned in Fraunce 21. yeeres hee also did handle the Gaules in like sorte for before his predecessors had won that countrey which lay beyond the riuer Mosa had brought the Gaules most miserably vnder foote yet stil they held long wars and many sharpe battels with the French men vntill Faramondus time who was the first king named of Gallia which was 400. yeeres and odde After Francus time this Rhaterus after he had bestowed 21. yeeres in warres against the Gaules they renued the league which his predecessors had made with the Germanes Saxons and an other nation called the Dorings he builded a towne and named it Rhaterodamum and died This kings life and doings is set forth by Arebaldus in verse and after augmented by Hunibaldus In the second yeere of this Rhaterus raigne Nero then Emperour of Rome played his bloody tragedies against the Christians persecuted and tormented them and slue them with diuers kindes of death this time Alani a people of Scythia inuaded Media and made hauocke vnto the confines of Armenia at what time all the Philosophers and Mathematicians were banished from Rome and Italie in this kinges later time was Quintilianus brought to Rome by the Emperor Galba from Spaine After Rhaterus succeeded his sonne Richimerus which raigned 24. yeeres and had great warres both against the Gaules and against the Romanes and beyng ayded by the Germanes gaue a sharpe battell both to the Romanes and to the Gaules not farre from the citie of Basana Tritemius affirmeth that in that very yeere the Gothes had inuaded the coastes and confines of Germanie and were by this Richimerus king of Fraunce and Fernefrides kinges of the Dorings Turings and by Vidikindo king of the Saxons ouercome But in trueth the crie of Chronicles is against it and sayeth that these kinges of the Saxons and the king of Turings were long after Richimerus time but it is most
certayne that at that time the Germanes the Saxons the Turinges and Frenchmen tooke possession in that Countrey which is nowe called Marchia Bradenburgensis where Sunno the sonne of Richimer did first and before any man inhabite there and was the first prince that gouerned the Countrie and ruled the people and as Tritemius sayeth hee was set there by his father and the other kings before named to withstand and resist the forreigne armies and other people comming from the East into Germanie This Richimer was a very notable stoute captaine a boulde man and a seuere king who during the whole reigne of twentie foure yeeres which hee gouerned in Fraunce the Gaules and the Romanes were by him sore plagued and sore afflicted sometime with slaughter and victorie ouer them and sometime with repulse This time Traiane the Emperour had warres in the East part and subdued the Sauromaties the Arabians the Agarens the Bospherans and was ready to make his voyage to the redde sea and so to conquer India The fourth persecution fell in the time of Richimer after whom succeeded his sonne Odemarus the ninth king of Fraunce hee reigned fourteene yeeres and began to gouerne Fraunce in the yeere after Christ a hundred fourtie foure This king Odemarus was much giuen to seeke peace and by all meanes studied to maintaine the same for after hee had concluded peace with the Romanes and with the Gaules which peace during his life he kept inuiolated for he thought himselfe contented and fully satisfied to defende that coast of Gallia which his predecessours had with long and sharpe warres gotten Neither Tritemius Lazius nor Functius do write any thing of this king worth the memorie but his care and diligence of peace keeping for since Francus time the first king of the name of Fraunce vntill Odemarus the ninth king not one of them sought peace but warres and therefore they succeeded one after another with othes vowing to come to possesse all Gallia by the sword And hauing now subdued diuers parts in Gallia being a large kingdome euen frō the riuer of Rhene vnto the mountaines called Pirenaei and naming them kings of Fraunce for that they coulde not yet conquer all Gallia though as I sayde before one king after another shotte at it for nine hundred yeeres space vntill all the realme of Gallia became the kingdome of Fraunce But while this Odemarus reigned in Fraunce the Romanes whose force more more grew in the Countries of Germanie vntil the Gaules Saxons Gothes Vandales Hungarians and diuers others waxed very strong in the West Countries that the Romanes were constrained to neglect the East parte and to looke about home for it is in all histories knowen that the kingdome of Fraunce beganne to florish when the Empire of Rome beganne to decay But to my French historie againe first setting downe the names here vnder of those kings that reigned in Fraunce from Francus vntill Farabertus time as foloweth 1 Francus the first king after the name of Sicambri was finished and after whose name Sicambri were called Franci he reigned 28. yeeres 2 Clogio the sonne of Francus reigned after his father 30. yeeres 3 Herimerus the sonne of Clogio reigned 22. yeeres 4 Marcomirue reigned 18. yeeres 5 Clodomirus the sonne of Marcomirus reigned 12. yeeres 6 Antenor reigned after his father Clodomirus 6. yeeres 7 Ratherus succeeded his father Antenor and reigned 21. yeeres 8 Richimerus his sonne reigned 24. yeeres 9 Odemarus reigned after his father Richimerus 14. yeeres 10 Marcomirus the second of that name and sōne to Odemarus reigned 21. yeeres 11 After Marcomirus succeeded Clodamirus and reigned 17. yeeres 12 After Clodomirus succeeded Farabertus his sonne and reigned 20. yeeres CHAP. III. Of the continuall warres which the Frenchmen had still in seeking for the quiet possession and the whole gouernment of all Fraunce from the time of Farabertus vntil the time of Pharamundus during which time they were called Franci for as they were before called Sicambri from Marcomirus vnto Francus foure hundred and odde yeeres so nowe from Francus to Faramundus they were called Franci for foure hundred and odde yeeres that well nigh nine hundred yeres they were before they could possesse the kingdome of Fraunce WHen Odomarus dyed his sonne Marcomirus the tenth king succeeded him who reigned twentie one yeeres after whome succeeded Clodomirus the eleuenth king and reigned seuenteene yeres After Clodomirus succeeded Farabartus the twelfth king of Fraunce which reigned twentie yeeres during which time of these three kings which was fiftie eight yeeres the Romanes being yet in full strength and courage kept their Empire on foote and kept other kingdoms vnder foote that the French kings were forced to make peace at home with their neighbours to keepe warres with the Romanes So Farabartus did confirme the first league which Francus the first of their name had in his time agreed vpon with the Germanes Saxons Dorings Tretones Marcomans and Cimbrians They ioyned their forces together for to resist the Romanes who were alwayes so greedy of countries and kingdoms and so desirous of Territories that they sought to make themselues lords ouer all the West kingdome of the worlde as in trueth they were at that time kings emperors ouer the East countries vntill they had lost both their soueraigntie dignitie in the East and in the West at last lost the Empire it self The Romanes hearing of this strong league confirmed betwene these Frēchmen the Germans Mar. Aurelius Antoninus surnamed the Philosopher prepared a great armie vnder the conuoy of his fonne Aurelius Commodus being at that time appointed Caesar and commaunded by his father the Emperor to passe into Germany and to commence warre against the Daces the Saxons Marcomanes the Frenchmen and other in Germany in the which voyage Commodus gained but litle credite for he was with shame forced to forsake the fielde with great losse of his men This battell is mencioned in many histories for it was so great and so terrible that Functius and Orosius affirme that bellum Marcomannicum the like is skant read of Againe in the next yeere being the 11. yeere of Farabertus reigne an armie of Romanes was sent into Germany of whom the like almost is read sauing that of the parties the slaughter was great This warre continued vntill the good Emperour Antoninus dyed yet hee and his sonne Commodus had triumphed ouer the Marcomanes which are thought to be Boremians before hee dyed but while these warres endured of these three last named French kings Marcomirus and his sonne Clodomirus and his sonne Farabertus the Britaines made some insurrections for their former libertie and were in armes vntill by Lollius Vrbicius the Romane Embassadour they were againe repressed Sunno by this the sonne of Clodomirus florished in that gouernment which he had in Marchia and builded a great Citie in memorie of
being most glad thereof accepted the offer and remooued from the riuer of Rhene where they first dwelled after they came out of Scythia vnto the number of 30000 armed men 2686. husbandmen with their wiues and children ouer whom Clodomirus appointed his brother called Genebaldus gouernour vnder the lawe and condicion that Genebaldus and his successours for euer shoulde be subiect to the kings of Fraunce paying yeerely tribute vnto Fraunce and to be readie in any seruice of warre This Countrie was called Menigauia and lyeth about the riuer Meanum and after East Fraunce which in time grewe to be one of the strongest dukedomes in all Fraunce Here Genebaldus reigned quietly 20. yeeres of this king Hunibaldus and Tritemius write at large for I finde that 20. dukes successiuely of one stocke reigned in the dukedome vntill the time of Pipinus which was 414. this is called nowe Franconia Nowe while Genebaldus ruled this part of Fraunce his brother Clodomirus died after whom succeeded his sonne Richimerus and reigned thirteene yeeres at what time Constantinus the great was Emperour of Rome Gebrich king of the Gotes and Visumoar king of the Vandales he in the fourth yeere of his reigne entred into Gallia with an armie of 200000 souldiers wasted spoyled and subdued many places in Gallia hee gaue battell to Tiberiunus the Romane lieutenant and gaue him the ouerthrowe and in the sixth yeere of his reigne Richimerus againe came in armes against the Gaules and Romanes in the which battell in the first time the Romanes were victors but in the seconde time were conquered but in the thirteenth yeere of this kings reigne at what time Constans the eldest sonne of Constantine the great reigned Emperour of Rome Richimerus was slaine in the fielde fighting valiantly against the Gaules and the Romanes After whom Theodomirus came to the gouernment of Fraunce and reigned tenne yeeres during which time he had sundry conflictes with the Romanes but in the tenth yere of his reigne he and his mother Hastila was takē by the Romans put to death After the death of Theodomirus Clogio tooke the gouernment of Fraunce who raigned 18. yeeres and left three sonnes behinde him but I will write of him who succeeded his father which was named Hector sirnamed Degenbart of whom lineally discended king Pipine and Charles the great as Tritemius affirmeth For Marcomirus the sonne of this Degenbart was a very notable souldier and a valiant man and bridled the Romanes 4 yeeres with continuall warres ouer whom hee had diuers victories But one great victorie hee had at Agripina with incredible spoile riches for this Marcomirus was both a luckie name and a great name amongst the Frenchmen In Degenbarts time the Hunnes inuaded the Gothes at what time the Gothes had passed the riuer of Ister inuaded Thracia And the Saxons also inuaded that time the Romane confines for by this time these kingdomes beganne to be mightie and strong in Germanie the kingdom of the Vandols of the Gothes of the Hunnes and of the Longobards At what time Rome beganne to shrinke and to be much defaced of her former dignitie for nowe by litle and litle the Empire yeelded to these West kingdomes vntill the whole Empire was transposed into Germanie But to Marcomirus againe who after he had good successe in many and sundrie battels with the Romanes hee turned his force into Gallia hauing Antenor Priamus Sunno and Genebaldus foure worthie captaines to leade his armie committing seuerall charge to either of them whose prowesse and exploits were such that at that time they wanne and subdued much of the countrey and ioyned the same to the kingdome so that Gallia was daily weakened diminished of her power and Fraunce was strengthened and encreased in greatnesse and force For as I said before the fall of Rome was the rising of Fraunce Nowe after Marcomirus had recouered these townes and countreys which were by his predecessours lost to Maximus and to the Romanes and after hee had done great harme and spoile to the Romanes he was slaine in the fielde valiantly by Valentinianus and his armie after whose death the kingdome of Fraunce was gouerned for the space of 26. yeeres without a king by the states of Fraunce which is called Interregnum During which time Valentinianus the Emperor seeing great oportunitie demaunded of the Frenchmen tribute being due to the Romanes which the Frenchmen denied affirming beside that they would lose both liues and liuings before they would lose their libertie And also boldly againe affirming that they were neuer conquered by the sworde but with deceite By this meanes new warres freshly beganne betweene the Romanes and the Frenchmen This time in Fraunce were appointed two chiefe gouernours called Interreges the one named Dagobertus the other Genebaldus who gouerned discreetely and soberly with the rest of the nobles and Barons of Fraunce for 21. yeeres vntill Faramundus time who then gouerned East Fraunce vnder the kings of Fraunce this was by common consent of the States of Fraunce taken from his dukedome and made king of France in the 299. Olympiad At what time raigned in Rome the Emperour Honorius and Arcadius Emperour at Constantinople and in Persia gouerned Vararanes the fourth of that name and 14. king with whome the Romanes this time had great warres About this time certaine Iewes were banished foorth of Alexandria likewise this time S. Hierome died and Augustine his scholer florished and was made bishop of Hippo in Affrike Thus farre the kings of Fraunce from Francus time continued successiuely after Francus name vntill this Faramundus which was foure hundreth yeeres during which time raigned foure and twenie kings And from Marcomirus the first of them that came out of Scythia vntill Francus time another foure hundreth yeeres so that from the beginning of this nation being by so many names called as the names of the countreys were where they dwelt where eight hundreth yeeres passed before they coulde be called kings of Gallia for all their long warres and continuall battels And for that it may be with more ease knowen how when and where they raigned I will set downe all the names of those kings that raigned from Francus time which was in the time of Pompey the great vntill Faramundus in like sort as I haue layd downe the 16. kings of Sicambria For lineally did 24. kings raigne from the father to the sonne for the space of 404. yeeres euen from Francus vnto Farabertus 12. and from Farabertus to Faramundus 12. which was the first king of all Gallia for as the first name continued after the name of Cambra by the name of Sicambri or Cimbri as the Romans called them vntill Francus time so frō Francus time vnto this Faramūdus time the name of Franci cōtinued so now from Faramundus forward they were named Galli and became the greatest kingdome of Europe especially since the Romane
those countreys and territories which were ioyned to the kingdome of Fraunce by his father but also enlarged the same with the vanquishing and subduing of the Romanes in many places These French people by this time became so strong and so mightie that they were feared of all Northren nations and therefore certaine countreys conspired against them and commenced warre against them as Attila king of the Hunnes who slew his owne brother called Bleda which ioyntly raigned in the kingdome for to haue the sole gouernment with him that time ioyned Vualaricus king of the East Gothes Ardaricus king of Gepida and other nations of the North. These commenced warre vpon Meroueus with fiue hundreth thousand souldiers but he was ayded with Theodoricus king of the Vestgothes and with Aetius the Romane lieutenant And the battaile was terrible and great and endured from Sunne rising to Suune setting where 188. thousande were slaine but the victorie fell to the Frenchmen with great slaughter on either side for in that battaile was slaine Theodoricus king of the Vestgothes whose bodie was brought with great pompe and solemnitie to Tolosa to be buried In the next yeere after this great battaile Attila king of the Hunnes being of the mightiest power and of the greatest force of all Germanie inuaded Italy ouerthrowing and vtterly spoyling all partes and places of Italy where hee came into the harme and spoyle he did was such that Leo the first of that name then Bishop of Rome came in his pontificall robes and met him to whom Attila vsed great reuerence and obtained peace The like is written of the great Alexander who with the like honour reuerenced the high Priest at Hierusalem by whom Alexander was pacified and his warre turned to peace Now after in the eleuenth yere of Meroueus he besieged Augusta the chiefest citie of Treueres which Attila a litle before tooke with the sword and possessed it but recouered into Fraunce againe so that the Frenchmen by this time grewe so great so strong since the time they came first from Scythia into Germanie when they dwelt about the riuer of Rein in those places which are now called Holland Gilderland Cliueland and Frizland that they beganne to aduance themselues and to extol their kingdom aboue the Empire for with continual warres of almost 870. yeeres with the slaughter of many of their kings dukes and barons when they were yet called Sicambri and after Franci and now Galli they became at length so strong that rather the empire was subiect to France then France to the empire For this French nation as I said before behaued themselues so in all places where they dwelt that they would both vse their maners and speach and therefore were they called by so many names as Neumagi Marcomani Sicambri Germani Franci and Galli But this word France was encreased more and more and what victorie or conquest soeuer these kings obtained stil they ioyned it to that part of Fraunce where they first inhabited vntill they had conquered all other names within Gallia to be France and that euen from Francus which raigned but fewe yeeres before our Sauiour Christ. Now after that Merouaeus had raigned 12. yeres he died after whom succeeded his sonne Childericus who after he had raigned king for one yeere hee vsed such an inordinate filthie life and insolencie that he was dispossessed of his kingdome in whose place Egidius a Romane was elected who raigned eight yeeres some say but 3. yeres after But before he went he reposed all his trust in Virodomarus his friend an excellent souldier to whom he gaue halfe a piece of gold kept the other halfe himselfe willing him to beleeue no message without he sawe that halfe piece of golde But reade this historie in Aemilius and you shall finde howe Childericus was by Virodomarus restored to his kingdome againe and how Virodomarus was brought from Turingia with all the nobles of France into his kingdome where Childericus was placed againe in his kingdome being then gone to Bisinus king of Turingia for refuge and succour and with him came from thence Basana the kings daughter some say that she was Bissinus wife the king The histories say that she came and followed after Childericus from her father whom Childericus married and by whom hee got Clodoueus which was the first king that receiued the Christian faith Childericus after his returne to his kingdome remembring the victories and cōquests of his father began valiantly to recouer those places and townes frō the Romans which Egidius while he gouerned Fraunce had willingly lost He layd siege to Coloni◅ and ouerthrew it he remoued Odoacer from Fraunce which hee inuaded with a huge armie and put him to flight and when he had recouered all Fraunce from the Romanes subiection hee appointed lieutenants and generals in euery prouince of Fraunce and left all Fraunce free from the Romanes to his sonne Clodoueus and died when he had raigned 26. yeeres others say 23. yeeres Paul Aemilius affirmeth 30. In the time of this king came Ambrosius Aurelius the Romane and tooke the gouernment of Britaine after 20. conflicts hee was slaine by the English Saxons at what time certaine Britaines sailed ouer and came possessed Aquitania For now raigned in Italy Odoacer Hercules being driuen before out of Fraunce as you heard by Hildericus this Hercules hauing setled him selfe in Italy and assuming there the name of a king the Empire was remoued at that very time into Germany and Rome and all Italy were gouerned by strangers All the West kingdomes were much molested and sore vexed this time for as you heard Vortiger and after Hengistus scattered the Britaines to seeke new dwellings so me into Cambria which is now called Wales where they euer dwelt since that time and some to France which is called in France to this day litle Britaine Againe the Longobards setled themselues about the riuer Danubius and diuers other nations in Germanie and in the West countreys were placed and againe displaced by warre But to Clodoueus the son of Childericus by Basana who came to the kingdome of Fraunce at the age of 21. yeeres and raigned 30. yeeres he liued 15. of them a Pagane vnchristened in the other 15. he was christened and was the first that receiued the Christian faith into Fraunce and also the first king that possessed all Gallia vnder the crowne of Fraunce for in foure great battailes he had these victories The first against the Romanes whose lieutenant was called Siagrius who was taken in the bat◅aile and slaine and the armie of the Romanes put to flight and slaine The second warre was against Gothemarus and Gotegiseleus who before had slaine in warre Chilpericus his wiues father and Sigismundus his wiues vncle this warre Clodoueus tooke in hande at the suite and earnest request of his wife Clotildis for
of his three brethren and their children and died as Blondus saieth at Tridentum after whose death Fraunce was againe deuided betweene the sonnes of Lotharius who is called in Beroaldus Clotarius which raigned 5. yeres after Childebertus and died was buried in the church of S. Medardis in Suetia which Church he began to builde a litle before he died After whom succeeded Cherebertus the sonne of Clotarius a wicked vicious king who after he raigned 9. yeeres died in the armes of his concubine at Paris after him Chilpericus raigued 14. yeres as vitious and wicked as his brother yet of him lineally do discend the line of the kings of France vntil Childericus time he was caused to be slaine betweene Landricus and his strumpet Fredegunda and was also buried in Paris Now Iustinus the yonger a daughters sonne of Iustinianus gouerned in the empire warrre was proclaimed by the Romanes against the Persians at what time Hormisda raigned king of Persia who was vanquished by Tiberius Constantius and againe the Persians lost those townes which they had gotten during the gouernment of Iustinianus This time Chilpericus left a childe of the age of 4. moneths called Clotarius the second of that name and the 10. king of Fraunce who raigned 44. yeeres this king being yet an infant vnder the protectiō of Landricus whom Guntrandus the kings vncle had made master of the horse Childebertus king of Mediomatrices sought to attempt through force to gouerne France but in vaine for he mist of his purpose for he his wife died within a while after vpon one day supected to be poysoned Howbeit when Clotarius came to any estate ciuill warres began in France betwene the king and Theodobertus and Theodoricus two sonnes of Hildebertus these two brethren plagued sore the king vntill they were deuided one against another and then al France was afflicted But during these ciuil vexations in France the Persians wasted Palestine tooke Ierusalem and their patriarch Zacharias they raged against the Egyptians and they subdued Alexandria and Libya vntill Aethiope tooke Carthage and proudly denied the Emperour Heraclius peace but the Persians and their king Cosroes repented their denial for Heraclius prepared warre and leuied an armie and entred into Persia flew in that voyage 50000. Heraclius the second time persecuted the Persiās with sword and fire so hard that Cosroes their king was slaine By this time the Persians were on euery side so assaulted so weakned that they were most miserably slaine and destroyed their kingdom taken by the Saracens About this time Caddwalader the last king of the Britaines was by a dreame admonished to leaue his kingdome and to passe ouer sea to Rome at what time the English Saxons possessed the whole Isle of Britaine sauing Scotland and the Picts Let vs leaue France for a while in their ciuil dissentions betweene Clotarius and the two sonnes of Childebertus named Theodoricus Theobertus who after they constrained the king to accept what cōditions of peace they lusted these two brethren fell out that againe all France was in armes for a time France was most miserablie afflicted Now Persia being destroied the third time by the Saracēs we wil passe ouerthe Pope in Rome Mahomet in Arabia and returne to Germanie a coūtrey so famous of late that the Monarchie sole empire flourished there though the Romans in Iulius Caesars time made no accompt of them calling all those nations which are called Vandols Gothes Hunnes Hungarians Danes Sueuians Russians and others by one name Germanes These coūtreis and kingdoms flourished when the East kingdoms decaied and that within 500. yeres of Augustus time when Rome was in her most glory dignitie and for that the names of their kings may be read in Functius I wil not set them down for those that were of any great renowme in histories chiefly the Gothes and Vādols who hitherto had 24. kings and the Longobards who had 17. kings Diaconus writes of them Functius in his table records them and therfore I wil returne to Clotarius who when he had raigned 41. yeeres he assigned Dagobertus his eldest sonne king of Austratia ioyntly to gouerne France with him for three yeeres more and then Clotarius died in the 44. yere of his raigne This Dagobertus was the 11. king frō Faramundus and had a brother named Aribertus to whom he gaue Aquitania in possession and gouerned himselfe after his father in Fraunce 14. yeres he was very vitious and so giuen to women that when he would trauaile he would haue his womē caried with him Agmina Scortorum a whole armie of concubines who went in habits of Queenes and dwelt in pallaces made vnto them by the king Dagobertus And with this vice there was ioyned an other vertue which was to banish all those Iewes out of Fraunce that would not become Christians for nowe Fraunce hath their vines and grapes and all the countrey of Fraunce flourished since Probus the Emperours time who first suffered them to haue the vse and benefites of all vines By this time his brother Aribertus died in Aquitaina and left a sonne behind him named Hilpericus who likewise died after his father shortly and all Fraunce fell to Dagobertus who at that time placed his eldest sonne Sigebertus king of Austrasia where sometimes Dagobertus gouerned during three yeeres of his fathers raigne Dagobertus had warres with the Vuindos whom he vanquished by the ayde of the Saxons and also hee had warres against the Vascons who though they reuolted as Tritemius affirmeth yet receiued them into fauour In Rome now had raigned 9. seueral popes whose names are set down in the history of the church and ouer the Saracens who quite had subdued all Persia before raigned already foure Amyras of Mahomets sects Thus in Rome a silly priest became a great Pope and in Arabia a false Prophet of one age with the pope became a mighty king which by his greatnes attained a surname called Amyras of whom likewise I haue spoken in the historie of the Saracens 1 Pharamundus reigned 8. yeeres Beroaldus saith 11. yeeres 2 Clodius Faramundus sonne surnamed Criuitus reigned 18. yeeres 3 Meroueus succeeded his father Clodius and reigned 10. yeeres 4 Hildericus the first reigned 26. this is called of many Childericus 5 Clodoueus reigned 30. 6 Childebertus reigned 45. yeeres 7 Lotarius or Cotarius 5. yeeres 8 Heribertus reigned 9. 9 Hilpericus or Chilpericus 23. for marke whō Beroaldus Ruffinus and others doe name Chilpericus that same doeth Functius name Hilpericus so of Cheribertus Functius he nameth Heribertus 10 Lotarius 2. the sōne of Hilpericus 14. yeeres 11 Dagobertus succeeded his father and reigned 14. yeeres CHAP. V. From Clodoueus the 2. who began his raigne 645. vnto the raigne and gouernment of Charles the great the patrone only mirror of Fraunce by whom
chiefly the French men flourished in famous renowne and in whom all the lawes relikes and monuments are established NOwe I will goe forward with the histories of Fraunce and speake of Dagobertus who when he had raigned 14. yeeres died Aemilius saith 16. yeres for he raigned 2. yeres in Austrasia is buried in S. Denis which he himself had builded the seconde of that name and the twelfth king after Pharamundus succeeded This was called Lewis the first of that name This time raygned king of the Gothes Sisenandus who was by them and of Dagobertus aduaunced to gouerne the Gothes The Emperour Constantinus surnamed Iunior was by his stepmother Martina poysoned after hee had reigned foure moneths for that shee practised to haue her sonne Emperour who reigned with his mother two yeeres and then the treason of Martina was founde which was in this sort reuenged his nostrels were cutte and his mothers tongue was taken out and so were both least againe they might bee forgotten and bee receiued to the Empire banished from Constantinople By this time died Sigibertus king Clodouaens brother who adopted before his death Ildebertus the sonne of Grimoaldus supposing that he should haue no heire of his bodie but his wife being with childe when he died had a sonne named Dagobertus who was sent to a Monasterie in Scotland secretly to be brought by Grimoaldus for which cause Clodouaeus waged warre with Ildebertus the king and with his father Ildebertus was slaine in the field in battell and his father taken and put in prison in Paris where he died at what time Clodouaeus appoynted his owne sonne Childericus king in Austrasia This time in Fraunce the famine was such that the king Clodouaeus ooke all the gold and siluer which his father Dagobertus had set vp in Saint Dennis and other places and all the treasures out of the Temples in Fraunce to helpe the poore of Fraunce After Clodoueus had reigned seuenteene yeeres succeeded Clotarius the third of that name hee died and is buried with his father in S. Dennis and in Beroaldus table named Dagobertus the second who reigned foure yeeres After whome succeeded his brother Theodoricus who was in the first yeere of his raigne banished out of his kingdome for his incontinencie After him Hildericus Theodoricus brother was elected king of all Fraunce he reigned 12. yeres Beroaldus saith fiue he was slaine in hunting by one Bodillus whome the king had before most cruelly caused to be bound to a stake and to bee whipt with rods which he requited to the king with death Which newes being heard of Theodoricus the kings brother being before as you heard banished returned from a Monasterie and tooke againe the kingdome of Fraunce and reigned fourteene yeeres The kingdome of the Saracens had not onely vexed and molested the East kingdomes but also afflicted and persecuted the West countries and had diuers and sundry battels with the Emperours the Gothes and the Longobards and are nowe become nations most mightie and strong in all the West of whom reade Diaconus de gestis Longabardorum After these thinges reigned Clodouaeus the thirde of that name who reigned foure yeeres after whom Hildebertus Clodouaeus his brother succeeded and reigned eighteene yeeres but here some of the good and the best writers doe disagree for the state of Fraunce aswell for the names of their kings as also for the historie it selfe as some following Tritemius and some imitating Paulus Aemilius that one Chronicle cries against another During the reigne of Hildebertus Muhamad the Saracen inuaded Armenia and entred into Affrica for nowe the kingdome of the Saracens grewe so mightie and so strong that they troubled all the Nations of the worlde as you may reade in their histories This time reigned ouer the Longobardes Chimibertus and ouer the Gothes Vitiza for these two kingdomes florished nowe in Germanie and beganne to match the Empire After this reigned king in Fraunce Dagobertus the seconde of that name foure yeeres after whome Lotharius Dagobertus his brother reigned two yeeres some say seuen yeeres Beroaldus in his table affirmeth that for these two yeeres Fraunce had no king therein crowned but Interreges were appointed after which Chilpericus surnamed Daniel by the ayde of Carolus Martellus was crowned king of Fraunce and reigned fiue yeeres After him gouerned Theodoricus surnamed Cala the sonne of Dagobertus the seconde hee reigned fifteene yeeres Anastasius the seconde surnamed Artemius helde the Empire for two yeeres and after Theodosius the thirde of that name other two yeeres This time Gizid the twelfth Amiras who reigned foure yeeres and his sonne Euelid after him played their partes in Asia and in Europe as sometime the Scythians were wont to doe they laide siege to Constantinople but were thence expelled by hunger and colde and with all their whole nauies were burned and destroyed vpon the seas In the time of this Theodoricus the Cities of Italie beganne a newe regiment vnder Dukes euery Citie elected and made a choise of one gouernour vnder whom and to whom they liued as to their king laying aside the last kinde of gouernment called magistratus exarchatus This time the Scots and the Picts quieted themselues within their limittes and spared their often inuasions into Englande at what time Ceolulphus reigned in that part of Englaud called Northumberland With this king Beda a learned man amōgst the Britaines was in great reuerence and honour and dedicated to him the historie of the Church in English and by Bedas meanes Ceolulphus deliuered the gouernment to his vncle Egbertus and became a Moncke In the time of this king the Saracens which inhabited in diuers partes of Affrike and Spaine were driuen thence foorth to the number of foure hundred thousand by Edo at what time they inuaded Fraunce and were so miserably persecuted euery way that they lost Abdimarus their king with a great number of the Saracens but more is written of this in their owne historie Now to Hildericus the third of that name surnamed Stupidus the sonne of Theodoricus Cala who reigned nine yeres and after was by consent of all the princes of Fraunce deposed from his kingdome and in his place gouerned eighteene yeeres Pipinus during which time Hildericus liued priuately and secretely in an Abbie By this time died Carolus Martellus a great Prince of France and lieth buried among the kings at S. Denis Of whose valure fame and courage not onely in Fraunce but euery where Reade of this Noble Martellus and of his diuers worthy and renowmed victories ouer the Saracens in Paul Aemilius in the beginning of his 2. booke after whom succeeded Carolomanus which then yeelded all his signories and titles of dignities vnto Pipinus who presently thereupon called a Parliament of all the Princes and Barons of France to stablish lawes and decrees for the receyuing of the
the first king borne of those that were called Galli for hitherunto the lineal sucession of Francus endured 36 After him his sonne Robert raigned 34. yeeres In the beginning of whose time the kingdome of Hungarie beganne 37 Henry the sonne of Robert succeeded and raigned after his father 30. yeeres 38 Philippe the first of that name and sonne to Henry raigned 49. yeeres In whose time beganne the kingdome of Bohemia In the time of this Philippe the first two most famous men and worthie Captaines tooke their voyages the one named Godfrey of Bullen with an armie from Fraunce into the holy Land which was Ierusalem so called after Christs time on earth this warre is called bellum Sacrum the sacred warres against the Saracens Reade Tilius Chronicles of the French kings where you shall finde a Catalogue of the nobles peeres and gentlemen of France and of diuers other countreys that went on that voyage with Godfrey of Bullen to Hierusalem the other Captaine came to England William the bastarde of Normandie afterward called William Conquerour of whom our English chronicles can testifie But I wil briefly passe ouer the kings 39 Lewes sirnamed Crassus raigned 28. yeeres 40 Lewes sirnamed Iunior 43. yeeres 41 Philippus Augustus sirnamed Deodatus 43. yeeres In whose time the Iewes were banished out of Fraunce 42 Lewes the eight of that name 4. yeeres 43 Lewes the ninth sirnamed Holy 43. yeeres 44 Philip the 3. sirnamed Audax son to Lewes 9. 15. yeres 45 Philippus the 4. sirnamed Pulcher the faire and sonne to Philip the thirde raigned 28. yeeres In this kings raigne began the kingdome of Ottoman the Turke 46 Lewes the 10. sirnamed Vtinus king both of Fraunce and of Nauarre raigned almost 2. yeeres 47 Philip the 5. sirnamed Longus raigned 5. yeeres 48 Carolus Pulcher king of Fraunce and Nauarre 7. yeeres Now after this Philip the first of the house of Valois began in the 1328. yeere of our Sauiour whose line hath continued euen frō this Philip of Valois the first king of that house vntill Frances Valois last king of Fraunce and the last of that stocke which continued 263. yeres whose names successiuely are here set downe in Tilius Chronicles as followeth 49 Philip of Valots the first king of that name 22. yeres 50 Whose eldest sonne named Iohn was the first Dolphine of Fraunce which to this day doeth continue Hee raigned after his father king of Fraunce 14. yeeres 51 Carolus the 5. sirnamed the wise raigned 18. yeeres Whose brother named also Philip was made duke of Burgūdy About this time Iohn Wicleue opened much falshoode yet vnknown of Papistrie both disputing writing against it 52 Carolus the sixt sirnamed Bene amatus raigned 42. yeeres this ordeined first the 3. Floure deluce This time raigned in England Richard the second 53 Charles the seuenth raigned 38. yeeres This king commenced warre against England at what time Henry the 5. raigned who subdued all Fraunce and was crowned king in Paris 54 Lewes the eleuenth raigned 23. yeeres 55 Carolus the eight raigned 14. yeeres 56 Lewes the 12. raigned 17. yeres in France being the 1500. yeere of our Sauiour Christ Reade of this king Arnoldus Ferronus all his thirde booke which hee onely wrote of this Lewes the 12. At what time raigned in England Henry the 7. Thus farre briefly Iranne ouer the state of France omitting many thinges willingly and wittingly which I particularly touch in the historie of Spaine for I tooke not in hand to write at large or to set foorth great volumes of superfluous histories but onely as I saide before to note the antiquities and first beginning of kingdomes and to marke the errours of prophane histories in many things dissenting from Moses from Daniel and from the Propheticall writings who opened all Chronicles for they coulde not agree in the chiefest pointes of all true Chronicles neither the Romanes in the building of Rome from whence they ground their histories neither the Greekes by their Olympiads neither the Persians of Cyrus time neither Spaine in their accompt of A. E R. A neither the Arabians of their Hegyra In fine vnpossible it is to finde the trueth of Antiquities in prophane writers without conferring of the same with the Sacred histories of the Prophets who reueiled the trueth of time by their Iubilees A BRIEFE FOR BRITAINE SEeing that I haue written of other countreys I can not tell how to answere my countreymen well if I should not also somewhat speake of the Britains though in trueth many haue sufficiently written of the comming of Brutus vnto this land of his kingdome and succession of kings and continuance which though of some denied which do now as they then did in the time of Halicarnassaeus who after he had trauailed his histories from Sempronius Fabius Pictor and from M. Cato and proued euidently the comming of Aeneas into Italy of his kingdome and posteritie in Alba longa vntill Romulus being 17. discents after him yet some gens inuidiosa Traianis as Halicarnassaeus calleth them seemed not to allow the historie though they knewe it themselues also read it by so many proued because they would be named antiquaries and the credite of the histories should come from them Such was Polidor Virgil in his history of Britaine such was Berosus in the historie of Hetruria being two strangers and such was Manethon to write of Spaine So there were among the Iewes Talmudists who among other matters which they wrote for they were the onely men among the Iewes would also by this credit that they had amōg the people write what they listed that they became thereby very fabulous in their histories So among the Egyptians their superstitious priestes filled their bookes with lies and so of diuers other countreis men wrote rather fables then histories of their coūtreys But these are reiected from sound approued authors tanquam Mithici for in reading of histories I find nothing so readie as errors in antiquities of countreys and in original of nations And surely it is not to be wondered at concerning the antiquities of time euen from the beginning of the world and the late beginning of writers from Cyrus time or rather Alexanders time for in the first age from Adam to the flood no trueth is had nor knowen but onely by Moses in the Genesis and 1650. yeeres frō the flood vnto the time of the Olympiads men wandered in no true accompt of time nor of histories excepting that which is written in the bookes of Moses and the Prophets nothing seemed sound nor certaine but cōiectures and fained fables as in the historie of the Chaldeans Assyrians Aegyptians and diuers other nations many things are written which is named Mythycum very licentiously and to liberally and after the time of the Olympiads how vntrue prophane historians wrote vntil Daniels time who seeth it not Since which time a briefe of al true
towne hard by the hill Alba and named it Albalonga leauing his fathers wife Lauina in that Citie which Aeneas builded thirtie yeres before Ascanius builded Albalonga where during his life Ascanius kept his Court and it became the king of Albans Pallace at what time the names of the Latines were changed to the kings of Alba which endured foure hundred yeeres and odde vntill Tullus Hostilius the third king of Rome conquered them so that the right line and blood of the kings of Alba descended also from Aeneas by succession from the father vnto the sonne vntill Romulus time as Halicarnassaeus saith whose names are set downe orderly in Annius chronicles and in Berosus with whom Dyonis Halicar doeth in all points agree as well for the continuance of time as also for their sure naming of their kings which reigned betweene Aeneas and Romulus So doeth M. Cato in his fragments men of great credite in other histories to be skant in the Britaine historie allowed hinc liuor the cause thereof I take it in some rather negligence then ignorance for in trueth the Phisicion must study to ease his patients the Lawyer to please his client the Diuine to feede the soules so that few haue time to studie histories Yea many that read histories are to seeke in histories other wayes then the histories of Englād but I wil returne to Aeneas which is as Annius saith Imperij Romani origo and therefore I will begin from the comming of Aeneas into Laurentum in Italie Nowe as concerning the comming of Aeneas into Italie his toyles and trauailes reade Helanicus an olde auncient writer My onely purpose is to set downe the true histories of the Britaines hauing that name from Brutus euen as the Frenchmen were named of Francus and the Hispaniards from Hispanus If you reade Fab. Pictor de aureo seculo and Portius Cato you shall finde the kindred and predecessours of Romulus the first king of Rome so plainely to come out of the very house and stocke that Brutus the first king of the Britaine 's came out of so that the last king of the Latines I meane Aeneas and his sonne Ascanius the first king of Albalonga are of that antiquitie and continuance in Italie as Brutus is in Britaine now called Englande For as Romulus and the kings of Rome and after the Emperours and the Romanes were offsprings of the kinges of the Albanes and Latines and the Albanes and Latines offsprings of the kings of Troy so is it prooued that the Romanes came from Troy for Ascanius was graundfather vnto Brutus who first came into this Isle named then Albion but by Brutus after named Britaine Some take this for fables certeine it is that the beginning of antiquities seeme fabulous for that the errors of time haue obscured many things as is proued of the Romane histories whom the Grecians neuer knewe nor neuer heard of for neither Thucydides nor Xenophon two of the greatest writers in the florishing state of Greece yea and late after the foundation of Rome 360. yeeres neither Herodot after them made any mencion of Rome Euen so the Grecians were to the Persians and the Persians to the Grecians most ignorant not one knowing another before Xerxes with his huge armie thought to inuade Greece for these be the words of Strabo Nec Graeci Persas nec Persae Graecos agnorunt And as for Fraunce and Spaine they were taken but for two cities the one named Gallia the other Hesperia as Iosephus affirmeth Many men write very fables of their countries as Berosus if it be Berosus being a Chaldean priest wrote of the Chaldeans meere fables and more licencious of the kings of Assyria without any warrant of trueth not knowing the Scriptures where the best and soundest warrant of Chaldean histories are to be found In like sort Ctesias the Persian wrote of his countrie 23. bookes both vaine and foolish in setting foorth the antiquitie gouernment and greatnesse of the king of Persia then is truely prooued by true accompt of time as Plutarch affirmeth So Manethon an Egyptian priest wrote so many lies of his countrie of Egypt that accompteth 340. Pharoes successiuely from Amasis the first Pharao vnto Amasis the last Pharao but he is reprooued to his face by Iosephus in both his bookes against Appion the Egyptian and a scholemaster of Alexandria yet Manethon founde great fault in Herodot for his fables and lies of Egypt But let controuersies passe all countries haue their fables mingled with trueth and so I will returne to the histories of the Britaines whose certeintie and trueth is as sound and as true to bee prooued as either Fraunce Spaine or any other countrie whose continuance was without change of name for lōger time then many bragging kingdoms whose lawes whose kings whose countrie vnconquered longer then any of them both easie to be prooued by all sound writers for Spaine was conquered and subdued first by the Carthagineans and Affricanes secondly by the Romanes thirdly by the Vandales fourthly by the Gothes and fiftly by the Saracens who possessed almost all the kingdome of Spaine for 800. yeeres So may it be said of the change of their names as Catubales Iberians Celtiberians Hesperians and Spaniards which during the time of this change serued the Carthagineans the Romanes the Grekes the Gothes and the Saracens The Britaines neuer changed their names since Brutus time which is 2700. and odde yeeres which no one kingdome of the worlde can say so much though in some part it was subdued by the Romanes and then by the Danes and last by the Normanes yet they reserued their names vnchanged all the whole countrie of Camber the second sonne of Brutus vncōquered which of late is called Wales their auncient name vnchanged and their language vncorrupted So may I speake of the Frenchmen which were called at their first arriuall from Scythia into Germany Neumagi then were they called Sicambri thirdly Franci and fourthly Galli So were the Persians Elamites Artaeans and after Cephancs and last of all Persians so Egypt was called Oceana Nilea Aerea and last of all Egypt To conclude there is no nation that I can reade of but were subiect to diuers names therby knowē sauing onely the Britaines which continue vnto this day though the Danes beganne to call them Welsh as they call all strangers Welsh which was 1800. yeres odde as the reignes and gouernmēt of the kings of Britaine do manifestly proue whose names I neede not to write for that they be set downe to your viewe in tables printed with the pictures of all the kings of the Britaines Now after 1 Brutus 2 Locrinus 3 Madan 4 Mempricius 5 Ebrancus and 6 Brutus surnamed Viridescutum and so forward vntill Rudacus time the 20. king after Brutus at what time the kingdome was diuided into foure parts and gouerned by foure seuerall kings for fiftie yeeres Rudacus
vnto Ezechâ—…as Ambassadors Iâ—…seph lib. 10. cap. 3. 2. Chron. 35. Melancton lib. 2. 2. King 24. Functius Ruffinus Strabo lib. 15. Nabuchodonosor greater then Hercules The greatnes of Nabuchodonosor 2. Chron. 36. The first comming of Nabu vnto Ierusalem Ieremie 22. The 2. comming of Nabuchod vnto Ierusalem Ioseph lib. 10 cap. 9. Iosâ—…ph lib. 10. cap. 9. The third and last comming of Nabuchodo Ioseph lib. 10. cap 10. 11. Daniel 4. Bucholcerus Ruffinus Ieremie 51. All creatures obey God Melancthon lib. 2. Chron. Ieremie cap. 52. 2. Reg. cap. 25. Funct Lib. 〈◊〉 comment Barachias surnamed Zorababel Euilmerodach Herodâ—…t lib. 〈◊〉 Daniel liued this time and sawe the destruction of Babylon Daniel 5. Balthasar the last king of Babylon Herodot lib. 2. Straâ—…o lib. 17. Pompo Melâ—… lib. 1. Cap. 44. Diod. lib. 1. 〈◊〉 3. Pompo Mela. lib. 1. The old Egyptians counted a moneth for a yeere sometime 2 sometime 3. some time foure mo neths Herod lib. 2. Herod lib. 2. Pompo Mela. lib. 1. Strabo 17. Reade Diodo lib. 1. cap. 4. The sundry gods of Egypt Their burials The wonders of Egypt Herod lib. 2. Bâ—…roaldus lib. 4. Iosephus lib. 〈◊〉 in Appionem Errors in all antiquities of prophane writers 330. kings in Egypt â—…nesis cap. 12. Osiris The sundry names of Osiris Diodâ—…r lib. 2. Isis. Polimarchi chiefe officers with the king in warres Diodo Siculus lib. 1. cap. 1. Orus the 2. king Melancth lib. 2. Chron. Of Abraham being in Egypt Orus surnamed the great Lib. 2. Iosâ—…ph lib. 1. in Aâ—…pion Manetâ—…n lib. 3. Egyptiaâ—…oruÌ„ Manethon lib. 2. Egyptian Alisfragmuto 480000. Manethon callâ—…th the Hebrewe Hicsos Manethâ—…n lib. 3. Egyptian Cheremâ—… Iosephus lib. 12. contra Appionâ—… Dynasteia pâ—…siorum No mention of kings in their Dynast The first names of Pharâ—…es Amasis Chebron Amenophis Mephres Mispharmutosis Thutemosis Amenophis Moses was borne 350 yeeres after the calling of Abraham from Vr. Functius Diod. lib. 1. Herod lib. 2. Busiris Mercurius Trismegistus Acengeres Achorus Chencres Exodus cap. 14. Rameses The names of Egypt Manethon Mosâ—… called Onarsyphus Maneâ—…hon lib. 3. Aegyptiorum Myris Hâ—…rodot lib. 2. Melancâ—…hon lib. 2. Sâ—…sostris Herod lib. 2. Melancâ—…n lib. 2 Chron. Sâ—…rabo 17. Sesosâ—…ris the onely Hercules of Egâ—…pt 4. Larthâ—… Dynastia Larthes 194. Larthes were gouernours and principaliâ—…ie in Egypt Proteus named Cetes Ioseph lib. 1. contra Appio Herodot lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annâ—… Mundi 1783. Ramâ—…sinitus Good instructions of the father to his sonnes Herodotus lib. 2. Wine must be vsed and not abused Rewards doe trie skils A pretie deuise Theft rewarded with the mariage of a kings daughter Cheops Herodotus lib. 2. Cheops daughter 〈◊〉 Saul Egypt often gouerned by Potentates and pâ—…incipalitie called Dynasteia Herodlot lib. 2. Mycerinus Mycerinus Apis. Mneum Egypt ruled by Oracles Asichis Anisis Sabacus 3. Reg. cap. 14. Sethon Melancthon lib. 2. Chron. Herod lib. 2. Herodotus fabulous Iosephus lib. 10. cap. 1. Diodorus lib. 1. Psammiticus A Labirinth Pâ—…ramides and Labirinthes were made for kings burials A Labirinth described Herodotus lib. 2. Ezechiel 30. The citie of No is nowe called Alexandria Necho Psammis Apries Ieremie 44. cap. Melancthon lib. 2. Chron. Herodotus lib. 2. Ezechiel cap. 29. Ancus Martius Amasis The kings of Egypt contented one to excell another in building Idlenesse in Egypt punished 20000. Cities in Egypt Bochoris lawes A lawe for vsurie A law against theft A lawe for mariage Diodo lib. 2. cap. 3. Amasis the last name of Pharaoes Psammenitus Herodot lib. 3. Cambyses The crueltie of Cambyses Melancth liâ—… 2. Chron. Diodo lib. 2. The names of Pharaos changed to Ptilomeis 1425. The Egyptians then compted their yeeres sometime by 2. moneths sometime by 3. and sometime by 4. moneths Diodo lib. 1. cap. 1. The first king after Israel left Egypt Necho The maners of Egypt The maners in Egypt Diodo lib. 2. The whole time of the kings of Persia was but 130. Diodo erred Cambyses Melancth lib. 4 Melancth lib. 2. Chron. Nectanabus Agesilaus Diodo lib. 18. The kingdomes of Alexander diuided Functius lib. 3. Diodo lib. 18. Iosephus lib. 12. cap. 1. Daniel cap. 11. Ptolomeis victories ouer Demetrius Ptolomei ouerthrowen by Demetrius Iustine lib. 15. The tyranny of Cassander Polibeus lib. 2. The Romanes were of all nations feared The praise of Ptolomei Philadel Functius lib. 3. Coment Melancth lib. 2. Diodo lib. 1. Philadelphus the onely king of all the Ptolomeis Iosephus lib. 12. Cap. 2. Sirach and his sonne Ptolomei Euergetes 3. king of Egypt Daniel cap. 11. Floralia Rubigalia These feastes are set foorth in my dyall of dayes Plini lib. 18. cap. 29. Plutarch 〈◊〉 Numa Ptolomei Thilopator 4. king of Egypt Iustine lib. 29. Functius lib. 3. Antiochus the great Iustine lib. 3. Machabees Daniel cap. 4. Tyrants were euer warned Polibeus lib. 5. Ptolo. Epiphanes 5. king of Egypt Functius lib. 3. Comment Melancthon lib. 2. Chron. Iâ—…sephus lib. 12. cap. 13. Philometor the sixt king of Egypt Functius lib. 3. Comment Melancton lib. 2. Aristobulus a Philosopher Ptolomey Euergetes the 7. king Ptolomey Phiscon the 8. king Functius lib. 3. Comment Iustine lib. 38. Cleopatra Queene of Egypt Iosephus lib. 13. 30000. Iewes slaine by Lathurus Simeon Zacharias Ptolomey Lathurus the 10. king Ptolomey Auletes the 11. king Catos saying of Rome Ptolomey Dionysius the 12. king of Egypt Strabo lib. 17. Melancthon lib. 2. Cleopatra Augustus lawes in Alexandria Solinus cap. 60. 61. Pomponius Mela lib. 3. Beroaldus lib. 4. cap. 5. Berosus lib. 2. Plinie cap. 17. Iustine lib. 2. Herodotus lib. 2. Scithians Ruffiâ—…us de 〈◊〉 origine Functius Vexores Iustine lib. 2. The women of Scithia maried their seruants Iustinus lib. 2. Otrera the third Queene of Scythia Antiop the Queenes sister Iustinus lib. 2. Penthesileia the 4. Queene of Scythia Thalestris Cyrus Spargapises Tomyris soÌ„ne Strabo lib. 11. Sacaea Herodot lib. 1 Iustinus lib. 1. Lâ—…thinus king of Scithia Darius Histâ—…spis ouerthrowen Zopirona ouerthrowen Eight townes builded by Alexander Diuers countreys ouerthrowen by the Scithians The praise of Scithia Trophes set vp in Scithia Diodorus lib. 2. cap. 11. Paâ—…thia Parthians not esteemed Solinus cap. 68. Iustinus lib. 41. Polibeus lib. 2. Arsaces the first king of Pâ—…rthia Parthia by Arsices renowmed Iustine lib. 41. Mithridates 2. king of Parthia Pampatius 3. king of Parthia Pharnaces 4. king of Parthia Mithridates 5. king of Parthia Iustine lib. 4. Masinissa Phrahartes 6. king of Parthia Iâ—…stine lib. 42. Artabanus 7. king of Parthia Mithridates 8. king of Pathia Hâ—…rodes 9. king of Parthia Crassus sent to Parthia The answere of a Parthian vnto Crassus Surena captaine generall of the Parthians Crassus slaine and his head sent to the king of Parthia Enuie at Rome Plutarch in the life of Crassus Ventidius victorie ouerthe Parthians Pacorus slaine Ventidius victorie ouer the Parthians Horodes dumb Phrahartes the 10. king of Parthia Many reuoulted froÌ„ Phrahartes The great armie of Antonius Cleopatra Antonius depaâ—…ture from
Parthia Tiridates Caesars clemencie andiustice Diodo lib. 42. Strabo lib. 11. Iosephus lib. 1. cap. 6. The Medes first by Cyrus vanquished Deiocis the 〈◊〉 king of the Medes Arbase subdued the Assyrians and made them subiect to the Medes Arbaces Bellochus Sosarmus 3. king of the Medes Aristeus 4. king The Parthians were vanquished by the Medes Astiages the last king of Media Iustinus lib. 1. Diodor. lib. 2. cap. 7. Arbases the first gouernor of Media Controuersie of the gouernment of the Medes Sosaramus 2. king of Media Orosius lib. 1. cap. 24. Great warres betweene the Pelopon and the Athenians Romulus borne King of Tyre Menander de bello Salmanasser Dyonisius Hal. lib. 1. Sancherib ouer throwen Cardiceas 4. King of Media Merodach 4. king Manasses a tyrant Lib. 10. ap 1. Dionis lib. 2. Sosarmus Deiocis the 1. king of the Medes Diodorus Siculus lib. 3. Strab. lib. 11. Russâ—… de Medor origine Deioces praised Diodo lib. 1. Herodot lib. 2. The Egyptians The Indians The Persian The Macedonians The Romanes The olde Germanes The seuerall ensignes of kinges and great captaines Watchwords at seâ—…raln 〈◊〉 or â—…eat 〈◊〉 Phaortes slaine at Niniue Phaortes Strabo lib. 11. Ciaxares the sonne of Phaortes and the 7. king of Media Ruffinus de Medorum origine The besieging of Ierusalem by Nabuchodonosor Astiages the 8. and last king of Media Astiages dreame of his daughter Harpagus Mitridates Cyrus brought vp with a poore heardman as his owne childe astyages hath knowledge that Cyrus was not slaine by Harpagus Cyrus is banished from Media vnto Persia. Cyrus is father to Cambyses and not his soane in all writers but in Herodotus Cyrus maketh this force in a readinesse Messengers sent vnto Cyrus Cyrus answere The first battell of Astyages with Cyrus The second ouerthrow of Astiages and the last The last ende of the Medes The riuer Halis The 56. Olympiad Zonar lib. 1. cap. 19. Iosephus lib. 10. cap. 13. Herod lib. 3. zenophon lib. 8. Padago Howe the Medes fed Strabo lib. 11. Of their husbands Herodot lib. 1. cap. 7. Iosephus lib. 1. 14. antiq Zonaras lib. 7. Strabo lib. 13. Plini lib. 5. naâ—… histor Dionysius lib 2. Plâ—…t in Romule The Lydians the Romanes and the Medes beganne to raigne together The Lacedemonians ended their kingdom now Arsidius the first king of Lydia Lydians became idle and slouthfull Budaeus de asse lib. 3. Aliagtes the second king of lydia Warres betwene the Lacedemonians and the Messanians Orosius lib. 1. cap. 21. Herodot lib. 8. in fine Liuius lib. 1. Dionysius 2. The first triumph of Romulus Dionysius lib. 1. The thirde alteration in the gouernment of Athens Decennales principes Meles the third king of Lydia The second triumph of Romulus The third tri umph of Romulus Dionysius lib. 2. Candaules the fourth king of Lydia To bragge of beautie is dangerous The foolishnes of Candaules Two offers vnto Giges Giges the fift king of Lydia Heraclides stocke ended in Candaules the 4. king and coÌ„tinued 502. yeeres heâ—…odot lib. 1. Iustinus lib. 3. Constantinople builded Herodot lib. 2. Dodoneum oraculum at this time The state of Athens againe Ardis the sixt king of Lydia Zaleucus lawe for adulterie A iust king A rare example of iustice Tullus Hostilius triumphed ouer the Fidenans and the vients Herodotus lib. 1. Terpander a famous musition Thales a great Philosopher liued long Dionysus Halica lib. 3. Solinus cap. 2. The Cimmerians subdued by the Scythians Sadaites the 7. king of Lydia Herodotus lib. 1. Ancus Martius the 4. king of Rome Dirachium builded The history of Arion the musition Aulus Gellâ—…us lib. 16. cap. 19. Orthium carmeâ—… 〈◊〉 Arion Herod lib. 1. Arion caried by a Dolphine in the sea Cleonidas Thebâ—…s in Olympiâ—… rictâ—…s The Scythians caused warre betweene the Medes and the Lydians Astiages maried Haliates daughter Heredot lib. 1. Ieremie cap. 44. Ezâ—…chiel cap. 19. The Latins vanquished by the Romans The Sabines ouerthrowen Hetruscans The 7. Sages Alteration in the gouernment of Corinth Polimnestor Millesimus as swift as a hare Solinus cap. 6. Zenophon lib. 8. pediae Ioseph lib. 10. cap. 12. Some controuersie of Ciaxeres An error in Herodotus Niniue taken by Ciaxares Solinus t p. 4. Massilia builded Iustine lib 43. Budae de asse lib. 1. Strabo de moâ—…ibus Gallorum Tarquinius Priscus slaine Cressus the 9. king of Lydia Babylon besieged by Cyrus Babylon taken by Cyrus Balthasar slaine Cressus fled Heredot lib. 1. Sardis taken and Cr. the second time conuâ—…cted Errors in the Olympiads Dyonis lib. 4. Media at this time was made subiect to Persia by Cyrus Lacedemonians and the Argiues A braue combat Herodot lib. 1. Dracos lawes mitigated by Solon Solons lawes of vsurie Melancthon 2. Chron. Thales in Miletum Pithagoras taught in Italie Croesus to SoloÌ„ Lydia did rebell against Cyrus The first conquest of Lydia Croesus fauour with Cyrus The good opinion of Cyrus toward Croesus Cambyses tyran nie to his souldiers Croesus councell to Cambyses Herodo lib. 3. Lydia is made a prouince of Persia by conquest Strabo lib. 15. Pomponius Mela lib. 3. The description of Persia. Alex. lib. 3. cap. 16. The kings of Persia all called Acheminides The Persians called first Cephenes Artaei Perse. The Persians before called Elamites Diodo lib. 13. Iosephus lib. 11. cap. 6. Curtius lib. 5. The wealth of Persia in the time of Cyrus Zenophon Paeda lib. 8. Cyrus began his Empire Fiftie talents are three thou sand crownes Xenophon lib. 2. 3. Paedag. Homotimi Argyraspides Myrmidones Dolopes Cyrus by David instructed Cyrus Swallowesvnlucky birdes Melancthon lib. Chron 2. Diodor. lib. 2. cap. 11. Herodot lib. 1. The first infancie of Greece The death of Cyrus Zenophon lib. 8. Paedago Zonar lib 1. cap. 29. Cambyses the 2. king of Persia Herod lib. 3. Nitetis sent to Cambyses Memphis takeÌ„ by Cambyses Difference betweene the Persians and the Egyptians Strabo lib. 15. The tyrannie of Cambyses The Persians worship the fire Herodot lib. 3. Silla Nouen liales puluâ—…res Genesis 2. 3. Abrahams field for buriall A counterfait Smerdis Cambyses by his owne sword slaine Alex. lib. 3. cap. 26. Oracles are doubtfull Herodot lib. 3. Sisamnis skin Melancthon 2. Chron. His sonne Otanes Two Magi gouerned Persia 7. moneths Herodot lib. 3. What state should gouerne Persia. Otanes for Democratia Megabisus the second for Oligarchia The three monsters of Athens Darius perswasion for a Monarchie Lib. Paedag. Herodotus 3. Cyrus last will A deuise for the ection of a king in Persia. The names of the 7. princes of Persia. Oebarus policie Darius king of Persia. Babylon besieged Zopirus subtiltie Darius saying of Zopirus Cimerians Getes Scythians Persian ambassadors sent to Macedonia A worthie historie of Alexander Amintas sonne Iustinus lib. 7. Herodot 5. Pisistratus Hippias by Darius ayded Melanct. lib. 2 Chron. Herodotus 7. Iustine erred Hipparchus a wise man Aâ—…an lib. 8. Lib. 1. cap. 16. Herodot lib. 7. Melancton lib. 2.
chron Herodot lib. 7. Good kings by God raised Dionysius lib. 7. Lib. de esse Melancton lib. 2. Xerxes a king of Persia. Mardonius The huge armie of Xerxes Herodotus 7. Iustinus lib. 2. The vaine brags of Xerxes Diodor. lib. 11. The Grecians preparation for Xerxes Myriad is 10000. Seuen hundreth thousand men Xerxes needâ—…lesse warre Xerxes lost foure great battels First at Thermopila 2. At Artimesium 3. At Salamines 4. At Platea Caesars saying of Hannibal Reade Herod his sixt booke to the end of this Xerxes Herodot lib. 7. Functius lib. 2. Themistocles Artaxerxes the fift king of Persia. Thucyd. lib. 1. Many learned men flourish Leges duodecim tabularum Artaxerxes good benefits to the Iewes Esdras coÌ„meth from Babylon Artabanus snares Melancthon lib. 2. Chrâ—…n Pericles Artaxerxes Mnemon liued about 400. yeeres before Augustus Caesar Thucidid lib. 2. Darius Nothus Thucidides lib. 5. The Syracusans Alcibiades victorie at Chalcedon Darius Nothus died Artaxerxes Mnemon The name of Cyrus Plutarch in Artax Cyrus warres against Artaxerxes Diodorus lib. 14. Cyrus armie â—…3 thousand Artaxerxes 9 hundred thousand Melaâ—…cthon 2. Chron. Pary sâ—…is Artax mother Lib. 8. Sâ—…atyra Artaxerxes wife Agesilaus Parysatis sent for to Babylon Diodor. lib. 15. Ochus A custome among the Persians Melancthon 2. Chron. Plutarch in Artax Atossa maried to her father Artaxerxes Ariaspes Artaxerxes Mâ—…n had 60. children by concubines Arsames killed by Tiribazus sonne Artax reigned 62. yeeres Ruffinus de origine Persar Camillus triumphed Mausolus tombe Pâ—…nij lib. 36. Alex. Pheraeus a tyrant Eutropius lib. 2. T. Lini lib. 6. Eutrop. lib. 1. Ochus 8. king of Persia. Darius Ochus compared to Cambyses Reade this miserable historic in Diod. Oros. lib. 3. cap. 7 Melancthon 2. Chron. Vagoses Ochus lieutenant The Iewes plagued by Ochus Ochus a cruell king Iustinus lib. 8. Functius lib. 3. Philip of Macedon Plutarch in Timoleon If you will know of Cyrus fully reade Xenâ—…phon de 〈◊〉 l. and also de expâ—…dt Cyri. Ochus slaine of Bagoas Arsames Ochus sonne slaine by Bagoas Darius the last king of Persia. Bagoas dranke of his owne poyson Diodod 17. Alex. the great Melancthon 2. Chron. Thebes destroyed Demades sent to Alex. The first battell betweene Alex. and Dari. at the riuer of Granicus Melanct. lib. 2. Chron. 600. thousand n the 2. battel of Darius in Cicilia Darius contemptuous words of Alex. Alexand. hurt Darius his wife his mother his daughter taken Darius sent Embassadors Reade Curtius of Alexander An other armie of Darius of 10. hundred thousand Diod. lib. 17. Functius Xerxes omitted by Metasthenes Melancthon 2. Chron. 11â—… Olympiad Alex. Seuerus anno Christ. 225. Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 18. Olymp. 251. Agath lib. 2. 4. de bello GothoruÌ„ The Persians without king from the 112. Olymp. to 251. Olymp. Herodimus Hildegastus Herodian lib. 6. Origâ—…ne Iu. Affrican Gordianus Eutrop. lib. 8. 257. Olymp. Eusebius Hist. eccle lib. 6. cap. 2. Ciprian lib. 1. epist. 2. Trebellius Oros. 〈◊〉 cap. 22. Sapores taken Zenobia Odenatus wife Paulus Samosatenus Ormisdates the third king of Persia. Aurelianus great victories His persecutions against the Christians Ecclesiast 7. cap. 26. Orosius lib. 7. cap. 23. Vararanes the fourth king of Persia. Narses the sixt king of Persia. Constantius Maximinus Eutrop. lib. 10. Misdates the eight king of Persia. Dioclesians persecution Pomponius Laetus Ruffinus de orig Perfi Eutrop. lib. 10. Ammia lib. 19. 20. Constâ—…ntine the great Helena Eusebius trip lib. 2. cap. 18. Helenopolis and Constantinopolis builded by Constantine the great Diuers sects of heresies Artaxerxes the tenth king of Persia. The kingdom of the Gothes the Vandales and of Lombards at this time began Ambrose bishop of Millaine LugdunuÌ„ is Lions in France Sapores the 11. king of Persia. Augustinus Of heresies and of Councils The Persians foure times subdued Auricular confession abrogated Tripar 9. cap. 35. Trip. 10. cap. 24. Ioan. Chrysostome Isdigertes the 13. king of Persia. Trip. 8. Honorius Constantine died in Britaine Tripar cap. 12. S. Hierom died Paulus Orosius Tripar cap. 9. Faramundus The Frenchmen began to be kings of all Gallia When the Olympiads ended the Indictions of Constantine began Agareni then are called now Saraceni Ismaelites and Saracens alone The first Pope of Rome began in the time of Mahomet Hierusalem Sâ—…nets people in Arabia dwelling in tents Solinus 45. Strabo lib. 16. Mahomets education Sergius a Monke Hegira Beroaldus lib. 4. cap. 5. 1 Mahomet 2 Ebuzer 3 Haumar 4 Hotaman Busor Muhamias the fift Amiras 6 7 8 Habdimelech the ninth Amiras The Saracens called Agareni and before Ismaelites Habdimelech the 9. Amiras Clodoueus the thirde and Hildebertus 78. 10. Amiras 11 Zulzimin 12 13 Gizid Vincentius lib. 24. 14 Euelid The Saracens 14 Gizid 15 16 Three kings of the Saracens slaine Maruan the 17 Amiras The Hunes now in Germany Muhamat 18. Amiras Habdallias 19. Amiras The Saracens the Turkes alike The Romanes paid tribute to the Arabians Amy. lib. 3. Muhamad 23. Amiras Habdallias 24. Amiras Blondus lib. 12. Abumalach Aigolandus Muhamat 25. Amiras Blond lib. 12. Polid. lib. 5. Egnat lib. 2. The first seruice of the Turkes Ottoman the first of the Turkes Egnat lib. 2. Orchanes 2. Prusia taken by Orchanes Amurathes 3. Palealogus Egnat lib. 2. Pazaites 4. Soliman Pazaites victorie ouer the Frenchmen and the HuÌ„garian Pazaites the Turke kept in a cage by Tamberlanes Functius Mahomet 5. Egnatius lib. 2. Adrianopolis Amurates 6. Scopia nowe Nouemontum Egnat lib. 〈◊〉 A great ouerthrow by the Turke to Polonians Hunnes Hungar c. Calibassa This Scanderbeg is called Castriotus Barletius lib. 13. Functius Mahomet 2. The great victorie of the Turkes Egnat lib. 2. The Turkes ouerthrowe Pazaites 8. Egnatius lib. 2. The Soldan of Egypt Chrom Polo lib. 3. cap. 31. Croacia Egnat lib. 2. Selimus the 9. Emperour of the Turkes Soliman 10. Emperour Functius Egnat lib. 2. Nicosia Famagusta Greece Alexander Genesis 10. Solinus cap. 11. Strabo lib. 8. Hellas The praise of Athens The praise of Thessalia Solinus cap. 11. Strabo lib. 8. 9. Fiue seuerall names of Peloponesus Marianus Scotus Zoroastes Marianus Scotus Apis a king of Apia Telasion the 5. king Aegidius the sixt king Pentapolis burnt Argiue begun Ruffi de orig Graeco Herodot 2. 3. Diodor. de sub auâ—… lib. 2. Corinth Lacedemonia Functius Genes 36. Heratus the tenth king of Poloponesus Celtiberia Pharaones Sparta builded Corne first sowen in Greeâ—… The naked Empires of the world Ruffin de orig Grecor Tacitus lib. 3. Atlas 2373. Thessalia Athens Metondidae Decennales principes Iustinus lib. 2. Strabo lib. 8. Ruffinus de origine Grecorum Thucyd. lib. 2. Deucal flood Hermes Trismegistus Erictherus Functius Called first Mariandina Ruf. de orig Graecor Dardania Labyrinth Diod. lib. 1. cap. 2. Creete The names of the kings of the Argiues Euristheus accompted another Hercules Mycena The kings of Mycena and of Dardania Ruf. de orig Graecor The
in 5. places warres at one time The third warre of Affrike Catoes councel concerning Carthage Phanea Hamilcar and Asdrubal a great name in Carthage Andriscus named Psendophi lippus vanquished by Metellus Mummius Perseus ouerthrowen Eutrop. lib. 4. Iustine lib 37. Gellius lib. 1. cap. 13. Fiue great gifts in Crassus The two brethren Meielli triumphed Reade Salust of Iugurth warres Marius the first cause of the ciuil wars Silla and Marius two enemies 10 Italie Melancthon Chron. lib. 2. Eutrop. lib. 5. Cilla and Marius ciuil wars Norbanus the Consul slue himselfe Silla made Dictator in Rome Faces Italiae Eutrop. lib. 5. Melanct. lib. 2. Reade Val. Max. lil 3. cap. 2. de Mario Silla triumphed ouer Mithridates Pompey triumphed ouer Affrike Sertorius a valiant captaine of Marius side fled to Spaine Pub. Seruilius sent to Cilicia Mithridates infringed the league Eutrop. lib. 6. Plutarch in Pompeio Mithridates a great enemie to the Romans Iustine lib. 37. Both Luculli triumphed Mithridates vanquished by Pompey the great Tigranes yeelded to Pompey The victories of Pompey the great 3500. Myriads the reuenues of Rome augmented The triumphs of Pompey the great Catelines conspiracie Anno 689. Lentulus Cethegus and many mo of Catelins conspiracie slaine Alcetes Piracie by PoÌ„pey the great subdued Pompey called Agamemnon by Lucullus Lucullus called Xerxes Togatus by Pompey Melanct. lib. 2. Lucullus Crassus and Pompey the onely three that bare sway in Rome when Caesar came in The cause of the ciuill wars betweene Pompey and Caesar. Caesar came in armes against the citie of Rome Of this warre reade Appian lib. 5. Eutro lib. 7. Iu. Caesars request vnto the Senators The victorie of Caesar ouer Pompey in Pharsalia Plut. in Alex. Eutrop. lib. 6. Pompey slaine in Egypt Melancthon Chron. lib. 2. Pompeis sonne slaine in Affrica Caesar had a sonne by Cleopatra called Caesarion Melanct. lib. 2. Chron. Lu. Florus lib. 4. The humanitie and great courtesie of Caesar. Conspiracie against Caesar by Brutus and Cassius Calphurnias dreame Destinies hardly auoyded Caesars death Caesars fiue triumphes The glory and fame of Rome during the time of Consuls These kingdomes made Prouinces to Rome by Consuls Asia and Affrike brought subiect vnder the Romanes Aegyptus Horreum Romae The warres and victories of Caesar. Caesars greatnesse The ciuill warres betweene Caesar and Pompey continued fiue yeeres The third ciuil warre betwene Octauius Augustus and M. Antonius These were called Triumuiri Octauius at 20. yeeres made Consul Cassius slaine at Philippos Pompey welbeloued of the people The most part of Romane geÌ„tlemen died in the warres of Brutus and Cassius Antonius vanquished by Octauius Reade Oros. lib. 6. cap 19. Augustus in his fourth Consulship had three seuerall triumphes Augustus saluted of the people as Pater patriae The moneth Sextilis called August Suet. in Aug. The conquest of the Romans The fame of the Consuls of Rome Ciuill warres Augustus the prince of peace CHRIST borne the 42. yeere of Augustus Eutrop. lib. 7. Reade Suetonius in Augusto Augustus died at Atella Augustus great loue and honour in Rome at his death Vitrâ—…uius Augustus died the 14. Kalend. of October Fraunce first named Tiberius the third Emperour Suetonus is Tiberi Tacitus lib. 2. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 2. Tiberius died the Kalend. of April Oros. 7. cap. 6. Eutrop. lib. 7. Oros. lib. 1. ca. 6. The incestuous beast of Rome Caligula Caligula slaine the ninth Kalend of Februarie Of these 12. cities reade Tacit. lib. 2. This earthquake happened in the raigne of Tib. Caesar. Tacitus lib. 2. Iosephus lib. 18. cap. 7. Ephesus Magnesia Caesarea Apollonia Dia Hircania Philadelphia Mâ—…rthina Mostheme c. Temis Cumae Sardis Himulus And Megachiero Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 7. Pilate killed himselfe Claudius Drusus Emperour Eutrop. lib. 7. He triumphed in Rome ouer the Britaines Euseb lib. 2. cap. 8. Messalina an vntemperate woman Claudius tombe Of the first 5. yeeres of Neroes gouernment the saying of Traian Playes made by Nero on euery fift yere called Quinquenale Nero beganne well and ended ill Suet. in Nero. The great murther and tyrannie of Nero. Tacitus lib. 14. 15 16. Nero slewe himselfe Plini lib. 2. cap. 8. Neroes wish Galba the 7. Emperour of Rome Otho the 8. Emperour of Rome Auâ—…us Vitellius the 9. Emperour Eutrop. lib. 7. The excesse of Vitellius Sabinus Vespasians brother slaine by Vitellius Vitellius drawen naked through the streetes of Rome Oros. lib. 7. ca. 8. Vespasian a good vertuous Emperour Eutrop. lib. 7. Vespasian a good Emperour Ioseph lib. 7. cap. 24. Reade of the father and of the sonne in Egnat and in Sueton. Eutrop. lib. 7. The saying of a good Emperour Titus died Euseb. lib 3. cap. 12. Howe Rome florished in the time of Kings CoÌ„suls Emperors â—…lauius Domitianus 12. Emperour Sextus Aurelius Dominianus called a secoÌ„d Nero. Domitianus exercise called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reade Sueto of this Emperor Domiti was vsed as Vitellius was after his death IsiuÌ„ and SerapiuÌ„ two galeries made by Domitius Iren. lib. 1. cap. 21. Ireneus lib. 5. Suetonius doth set forth the liues of these 6. Emperours at large West couÌ„tries waxed mighty and the East decayed by degrees Dion writes of these 3. good Emperours Lampridius wrote The Romane historie The conquest of the Romans Rome florished most vnder Consuls HiddeÌ„ hatred priuat wealth and yong couÌ„cel three dangerous monstersin a common wealth The reward of idolatrie is destruction Wpius Traian 14. Emperor Oros. lib. 7. cap. 11. 12. Traiane the mirrour of Emperours Eutrop. lib. 8. The affabilitie of the good Emperour Traian Traiane The Senators wordes The loue of TraiaÌ„ in Rome Traian wanne recouered many countries by his predecessors lost Traians monument in Rome to this day called Traians pillar The fourth persecution Oros. lib. 7. cap. 12. A great earthquake in Traians time Adrian sister sonne to Trai Princely qualities AdriaÌ„ praised Oros. 7. cap. 13. Ierusalem was named Aelia by Adrianus Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 6. Heretikes trouble the Church The care and trauell of Adrian Adrian died Titus Antoninus Pius Antho. Pius compared to Numa Pomp. The saying of Anto. Pius Reade Sueto of this good Emperour Alexander Seuerus borne Eutrop. lib. 8. Great oddes betweene Verus and Commodus two brethren Sueto in Antoninis Oros. lib. 7. ca. 15 M. Antoninus Reade Egnatius in Adria M. Antoninus excelled all Emperors in all kinde of knowledge Orosius lib. 6. cap. 15. These 5. Emperours were called one after another Pater patriae Ireneus lib. 3. cap. 4. The name of Antoninus much honoured in Rome Commodus 9. Emperour Reade Lampridius and Herodia lib. 1. Vices most odious in a magistrate A rare sight in Rome to see a good Emperour Pertinax Reade more of him in Eutrop lib. 8. Iulianus Lucius septimius Seuerus 22. Emperour Sept. Seuerus would be called Pertinax Albinus head sent from France to Rome Reade Polid. in lib. 2. Antoninus Caracalla 23. Reade Victor Aurel. Caracalla commanded himselfe to be called
inuenter of Musike as the harpe the organes and other instruments Zillah bare him a sonne named Tubal Caine he found first the vse of iron and brasse he was the first author of cunning craft in grauing Here is Plinie much deceiued to name Amphion the first Musition here was Diodorus ouerseene to preferre Apollo and the most part of prophane histories doe greatly erre attributing to Mercurie to Orpheus to Linus and to others which are read in Genesis in the first age found for Propheticall histories are farre more auncient then prophane by 2000. yeres beside the first age and first Fathers liued so long a time therein they must of necessitie be first acquainted with all things for the chiefest cause of long life in the first age was that all men vniuersally might praise the Lord God in magnifying his name acknowledging his workes in his creatures Thus did Adam Seth Enos Henoch Methusalem Lamech and Noah see yea and foresee the workes of God in his creation in his Church in his redemption in his promise and in his election for Iosephus writeth that the creation of man the commandement the state the Church institution of mariages all other gouernments fit for the children of God were by Adam in two tables of stones and some olde ancient writers affirme as Melancthon that the first age was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that they excell in wisedome iustice gouernment and authoritie full of inuentions full of of artes and sciences and therefore a long life was by God granted vnto them for no doubt Adam before his fall had that full and perfect knowledge of God in his workes that he his posterities taught afterward in the word The second age was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein began the magnanimitie and fortitude in warres force and violence In vvarres Empires and kingdomes tooke beginning in the vvorld and this second age began in Nimrode and continued vntill Iulius Caesars time The third age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 endureth the vvhole time of the fourth monarche giuē to delicacie pleasure for though the vvorld be full of secret contention and hidden enuie full of open vvarres one kingdom against another yet not accomplished as in the fore ages But to returne to Caine and his posterities hovv they grevv from the beginning in idolatrie in superstition in outvvard pompe of vaine ceremonies framing to themselues a nevv kind of religion not in sinceritie and trueth but in externall forme and fashion being ignorant of God and of his vvord Christ the Messias that vvas to come This idolatrie began in the house of Caine from Caine himselfe vnto the time of Belus 150. yeere after the flood This Belus being dead his sonne Ninus erected vp his fathers image or statue vvith such honour and vvith such priuiledge and vvith such solemne pompe as he that vvas guiltie of any great crime might flee Adstatuā Beli to the image of Belus as to a sure sanctuarie of his safetie vvhat fault soeuer he committed Here began the second cause of idolatrie here images vvere made idols set vp and all kind of grauen vvorke in stones or trees vvere honoured as gods amongst the Gentiles deriued frō the name of Belus some calling them Baal some Bel some Belcebuc according to the varietie of tongues as Eusebius vvriteth And this idolatrie continued frō Belus vntill Alexander the great to vvhom at the siege of Babylon certaine Astrologers called Magi signified vnto Alexander vnlesse hee vvould restore the tombe of Belus being spoiled and defaced by the Persians he should haue no good successe at Babylon but Alexander litle esteeming their Chaldaicall diuination as Diodorus at large doth report marcheth forward with his siege At what time vvas Lucius Cornelius Quintus Pompeius Consuls at Rome so the first idolatrie of Cain and his posteritie vvere vvel and iustly revvarded by the flud The second age vvhen idolatrie began in Belus ended in Sardanapalus 12. hundred and odde yeeres being the 36. king and last king of Assyria as Eusebius affirmeth All this vvhile God had his Church for his elect the Lord had appointed another seede vnto Adam for Abel vvhich vvas Seth in vvhose time men began to call vpon the name of the Lord and the Lord did moone the hearts of the godly to restore religion The posteritie of Seth vvhich vvas by Caine and his familie suppressed and continued seuen generations vntill such time that Naema the daughter of Lamech and sister of Tubal Caine taught men the vse of fine flaxe to be soft clothed and to be trimme attired vvith cloth and linnen vvhere before men vvere clothed vvith leather and skinnes Novve the posteritie of Caine became right vvorldlings in follovving their fancies and pleasures from vice to vice nothing acquainted vvith the afflictions and crosses of the true Church so vvhen men began to bee multiplied vpon earth and had daughters borne vnto them then the sonnes of God as Moses calleth them vvhich Iosephus calleth the angels of God meaning the seede of Seth vvhich began to forsake the godlines and simplicitie of their forefathers savv the daughters of men vvhich issued out from Caines house that they vvere faire tooke them to their vviues of all that liked them of this vnlavvfull and vvicked mixture of the good vvith the bad of this holie seede vvith profane blood of godly men vvith vvicked vvomen sprang vp an huge people much like vnto the gyants or as Homer saith in his sixt Odysse speaking of the Cyclope Poliphemus to vvhom Moses compareth them alluding the course of their life ad Cyclopicam vitam men more to be feared then to be follovved yet Seth a man singularly beloued of God endevved much vvith Gods blessings studious to please God desirous to plant true religion and giuen to all kinde of vertuous practising all godly exercises and liuing in all felicitie left behind him godly children as Enos godly and vertuous like Seth his father vvhome Moses preferreth to be the first that earnestly called vpon the Lord Iehouah detesting the house of Caine as dead Then Henoch a godly sincere man led an vpright life before God the seuenth from Adam prophesied of such wicked men saying Behold the Lord commeth vvith thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement against all and to rebuke all the vngodly of their vvickednesse and of their cruell speaking against him for euen that Henoch saieth Paul vvas taken avvay to shevv that there vvas a better life prepared and to bee a testimonie of the immortalitie of soules and bodies and that hee shoulde not see death for his faith towardes God for before he vvas taken avvay he vvas reported that he had pleased God he was seene no more for God tooke him avvay Henoch vvalked vvith Lamech the father of Noah hauing respect to the promise desired to see the Messias vvhich should be sent and yet he savve but a
figure thereof he said by the spirite of prophesie that vvhen his sonne Noah vvas borne this should comfort vs concerning our vvorke and sorovv of our hands as concerning the earth vvhich the Lord hath cursed The last man of the first age vvas Noah a iust and vpright man in his time before God hee likevvise vvalked vvith and obeied GOD in all things and therefore found fauour vvith God vvith vvhom God made his couenant established the same vvith a signe for thee only haue I found iust and righteous in this age vpon the earth for Noah vvas called the righteous preacher preaching vnto the vvicked for amendment of life and because they vvere luld in all kind of securities and feared not God Noah departed from them and vvent to another land for hee vvas vvarned of God of things that vvere not seene as yet concerning the Arke God vvas so much offended vvith the vvickednesse of the vvorld that his vvrath vvas kindled to see such iniquitie vpon earth for the whole world was corrupt before God and vvas filled with crueltie all flesh had corrupted his way and all imaginations of mans thoughts were so euil and wicked that it repented the Lorde to haue made man and as it were disauowing man to be his creature they were so addicted to intemperancie lust gluttonie and securitie the foure principall causes of the flood which for sinne destroied man and beast and yet in mercie God spared man 120. yeeres to repent before he woulde destroy the worlde No dout many things haue bene written of the olde Patriarches in the first age and thought of many writers that Adam and his sonne Seth had made two tables of stone wherein they wrote many goodly things to their posterity The best warrant is read in Iosephus for that he trauailed much in the historie of the Iewes and their other histories called Drash for their Rabbies heape many fables beside the historie of Moses in their Chronicles called Drash so Philo Iudaeus Herodot and Melancton from them affirme It is written againe that Adam and Seth foreseeing the deluge of the world caused two pillars to be set vp the one of brickes the other of brasse one to resist the violence of the water the other to endure the rage of the fire but I see no reason that Adam should prophecie the same to be from God and yet he being man sought meanes by naturall reason and waies by arte to preuent the euerlasting decree of the Almighty Iosephus might wel erre in that I thinke that many things are written of the Iewes which doe not agree with the purpose of Gods prouidence nor his counsell for the Iewes recorded in their bookes of histories called Drash any thing that might be coniectured true and which they themselues supposed in opinion to be true as the maners of their Talmudists were Iosephus a great writer of the Iewes antiquities the best Historiographer of Chaldean histories who wrote more and is more to be commended then any other and because he thinketh much amisse for any man to seeke recordes of antiquities amongest the Graecians men of late knowledge hauing their beginning and first originall from Egypt and Chaldea specially Assyria and Chaldea the first seate of man after the flood for the Greekes began to flourish in the declining age of the world when that Assyria Chaldea Egypt and other places of the East were wasted consumed with sword and fire for so it seemeth by the Philosopher Calisthenes report then being with Alexander the Great at the siege of Babylon writing vnto his cosin Aristotle who had bene his preferrer vnto Alexander to that purpose he might search out the Libraries of Babylon and to certifie Aristotle of those antiquities specially of Astrologie wherein the Chaldeans past and of their monuments wherein the Greekes were ignorant for Calisthenes sent vnto Aristotle howe that Babylon was farre more famous for all kind of learning and knowledge twelue hundred yeeres past then it was when Alexander the Great did besiege it certifying him with recordes of 19. hundred yeeres before Alexanders time Berosus an ancient writer and a man of great authoritie amongst the Chaldeans saith that Arphaxad one of the sonnes of Sem whose birth vvas 2. yeeres after the flood christened the first name of this Countrey after his ovvne name aftervvarde it vvas called Cephem and novve last named Chaldea of the situation of this Countrey and the seate of Babylon I vvill let the reader reade of it in Ptolom◅us and in Pomponius Mela. I vvill goe on vvith my historie When C ham the second sonne of Noah had begotten a sonne named Chus and Chus had begotten a sonne named Nemrad this began to take armes and to become great in his doings he became mightie in earth vsing violence and force against all people framing himselfe to be first Emperour of the vvorlde so full of crueltie and tyrannie that it grevve vnto a prouerbe as it is in the Genesis as Nemrod the mightie hunter before the Lorde his oppression vvas such that he passed not to commit crueltie euen in Gods presence This Nemrad began to rule in Babel in the land of Shinear aftervvard called Chaldea vvhere he and his companie returning from Armenia vvhere they after the flood began to build vp an high tower whose top should reach vnto heauen to get them a name vpon earth least they should be scattered ouer the whole earth thinking through pride and ambition to preferre their owne glory before Gods honor but vaine is the helpe of man their wicked enterprise was ouerthrowen for God sawe their follie and so confounded them in their deuises in their speach that one could not vnderstand another Then were they deuided and scattered then confusion of tongues began which was then in the house of Heber onely the Hebrew tongue then began people to seeke out countries and to inhabite the earth The posteritie of Sem to great Asia Persia Assyria and Chaldea and all the regions about Euphrates towards the East part of the world The posteritie of Cham went to Egypt Aethiope Libya and possessed all places about Nilus and reached towards the South vnto the furthest part of Affrica and the posteritie of Iaphet possessed all the Westcountrey the lesser Asia and all Europa of whom all the Gentiles sprang out Thus much for the first age from Adam vnto Noah 1656. Now I meane particularlie to follow my historie as the reason is offered vnto me by following the sonnes of Noah their children and posterities frō the land of Senaah vnto euery part of the earth CHAP. I. Of the most ancient and true historie of the Hebrewes after called Israel of their lawes and originall gouernment called Oligarchia from Abraham vnto Moses THE historie of the Hebrewes for that it is most ancient from Hebers time the fourth from Noah and most true for that it is written by Moses and confirmed by the
Ascatades the eighteenth king of Assyria at which time Moses died in the plaine of Moab Then Tros altered the name of Dardania after his owne name being the third king of Troy and called it Troia and nowe last of all by Ilus the fourth king called Ilion Dedalus of whome the Poets fained much flourished likewise about this time and fled with his sonne Icharus from Greece vnto Creete vnto king Minoes Mydas gouerned nowe in Phrygia This was he of whome the prouerbe is made Midas eares c. And in Sicyonia reigned Polybus their second king in Gedeons time Cadmus who for ielousie of his wife Armonia the sister of Iasius brought letters first into Greece from Phenicia as Xenophon sayth 17. letters Nowe after Gedeon had gouerned Israel fourtie yeeres he likewise died hauing left behinde him three score and tenne sonnes lawfully gotten by wedlocke and one bastard by his concubine Druma a woman of Sichem This bastard was named Abimelek a wicked and a cruell tyrant full of all mischiefe and bent to all wickednes hee slewe by his treacherie conferring with his mothers kinsfolkes all his brethren onely Iotham by fleeing escaped who a little afterwards tolde the people of Sichem the parable of the trees of the figge tree and of the vine tree and of the bramble This Abimelek when hee had vsurped the kingdome and put all his brethren to death vsing all kinde of tyrannie in such sort of wickednes that after he had slaine all the Sichemites and taken the Citie and burned a thousand of men in the Towre he then destroied the Citie and sowed salt therein that it might bee vnfruitefull and neuer serue to any vse Thus was Sichem destroied for their vngratitude to Gedeons sonnes Then Theber and Abimelech besieged it where a woman threw a peece of a milstone vpon Abimelechs head and slewe him after he had vsurped three yeeres the gouernment Thus God taketh vengeance on tyrants by such miserable death for marke the calamitie that fell vpon the posteritie of Gedeon a man of singular fauour with God and yet three score and tenne of his sonnes by wedlocke slaine and his bastard the tyrant that slewe them to succeede him The sinne of Israel was the cause thereof and of many more plagues Miletum a towne in Miletia the Countrey of Thales one of the seuen wise men of Greece was about this tyme builded and Tyre an other famous towne was builded in Phenicia this was builded 240. yeeres before the Temple of Salomon was builded Thola of the tribe of Isachar nowe iudged Israel three and twentie yeeres during which tyme the people liued in tranquillitie and peace in the beginning of the fourth Iubile at which tyme flourished Orpheus the Thracian and the great Musician Sosarinus the 26. king of the Assyrians reigned in Niniue at this time Hercules the sonne of Amphitrion was likewise in this age borne After Thola succeeded not by succession as I wrote before but by the election of God for the will of the Lorde should be a lawe to his people Iair the Gileadite of the tribe of Manasses the 8. Iudge of Israel vnder whom likewise the Israelites liued quietly all the time of his gouernment which was 22. yeeres who ruled Israel in prosperitie hauing 30. sonnes that rode on 30. assecoltes men of great authoritie and they had 30. cities in the land of Gilead As soone as Iair died Israel wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord they serued Baalim and Astaroth the gods of Syria and Sidon and God was angrie and gaue them to the handes of the Philistims and the children of Ammon who vexed and oppressed Iuda Beniamin and the house of Ephraim against whom the children of Ammon went ouer Iordan to fight with them so that all Israel specially they that dwelt in the lands of the Amorites beyond Iordan were sore tormented Then they cried then they praied then they confessed their sinnes and sayde they had serued Baalim God most mercifully heard their crie and appointed them Ieptha a valiant Captaine the sonne of a stranger and therefore was chased away by his brethren and nowe by God appointed their Captaine whome they reiected before as no body nowe God hath chosen to doe these enterprises Men often desire helpe euen of those whome before they haue refused This poore abiect exiled and banished by his brethren slewe and destroied the Ammonites and tooke twentie of their cities for the which fact Ieptha was much enuied by the men of Ephraim in the like sort as they of Sichem did enuie Gedeon notwithstanding he killed 42. thousand Ephramites Thus Ieptha ruled Israel 6. yeeres and ended his gouernment most happily Tantanes reigned and gouerned the Assyrians about this time and Theseus the 10. king of Athens ouercame the monster Minotaurus The historie you shall reade in Plutarch in the life of Theseus for the Athenians paied tribute to Minoes king of Creete for the death of Androgius his eldest sonne who was by treason slaine in the Countrey of Attica for the which cause Minoes pursuing the reuenge of his death the Athenians by entreatie of peace to appease Minoes wrath sent to Minoes which peace being granted vpon condition that the Athenians should be bound to sende him yeerely vnto Creete 7. yong boies and as many yong girles some say to feed Minotaurus the huge monster others say they were shut within the Labyrinth wandring vp and downe and could get no place to come to vntil such time as they died some others say that king Minoes kept these youthes of Athens as prisoners within the Labyrinth in memorie of his sonne Androgeus Howsoeuer it was Theseus after he had fortified Athens with people to whome he gaue lawes and coyned money with moe things sailed from Athens vnto Creete and wanne the citie of Gnosus slewe Deucalion with all his Garde and Officers and killed Minotaurus About this time Hercules instituted certaine games or masteries called afterwards Olympiades in respect of Mount Olympus the place where these exercises were appointed This was 430. yeeres before any Olympiade began Likewise in the time of this Iudge Iephthe Theseus rauished Helene Menelaus wife was by Aedoneus king of the Molossians taken and imprisoned but by his companion Hercules he was rescued and deliuered Hercules tooke Ilion killed Laomedon the king and gaue the kingdome to Priamus his sonne At what time the Amazones a people of Scythia mooued warres against the Thebans here is the first mention made of them in histories of whose originall you may reade Iustine where you shall see more Nowe after Ieptha had gouerned Israel 6. yeeres obeying God in all thinges saue in his rashe vowe in sacrificing his daughter he died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead Abesan the Bethlemite of the tribe of Iuda gouerned the Israelites 7. yeeres Certaine
writers suppose this Abesan to be the Prophet Dauids Grandfather for Ishai Dauids father was borne in the time of Iair in the which time happened inter regnum for 18. yeeres whereby the Hebrewes were compelled to serue the children of Ammon and the Philistims They were in great miserie this time vntill Israel repented which was the onely repentance acknowledging of sinnes we can reade of Israel described in the Iudges at large This Abesan had 30. sonnes and 30. daughters and he sent his 30. daughters to bring other 30. more for his sonnes and when he had gouerned 7. yeeres he died and was buried at Bethlehem Then Elon came in steede of Ieptha he was of the tribe of Zabulon and he iudged Israel 10. yeeres and died and was buried in the Countrey of Zabulon After him Abdon of the tribe of Ephraim iudged Israel 8. yeeres Of these three last Iudges there is nothing left in memorie woorth the writing During this time in Niniue gouerned Tanteus the 29. king of the Assyrians Mezentius gouerned the Tuscans but being driuen by the people called Vitulones out of his chiefe citie he fled vnto an other citie of his called Carites and from thence gathered a great armie and went in armes against Aeneas with Turnus Protheus the Egyptian a Priest of great Ianus flourished this time Likewise happened this season a great deluge in Egypt called diluuium Pharaonicum in so much that the Isle of Pharaoh was drowned with water Agamemnon reigned nowe in Mycena of whom Thucidides doth make mention in the preface of his first booke About this time Helene againe was taken away by Paris hereby the Grecians did gather a great armie for rescuing of Helene after Messengers being sent vnto Priamus and being denied of restoring of Helene the Greekes prepared for warres 1210. nauies as Dares Frigius writeth After this greatwarre the Latines beganne their kingdome ouer whome Aeneas after Latinus time was the first king hauing married Lauinia Latinus daughter All these things were done in the beginning of the sixt Iubile at which time reigned in Athens Demophon the 12. king of the Athenians and one Mopsus reigned in Cilicia of whome they were named afterwarde Mopsecrenae Then after Abdons death Israel had no Iudge for fourtie yeeres but continued in their wickednes and offended the Lorde whereby they were oppressed by the Philistims vntill the birth of Samson of the tribe of Dan whom God had blessed with many vertues as strēgth courage godlines zeale to reuenge the people of god vpō the Philistims This was the last Iudge of Israel but for that the historie is written in the 13. 14. 15. and 16. of the Iudges I will omit other things for during the time of Samson which was twentie yeeres Israel was by the Philistims much molested and fourtie yeeres after Samson when the Israelites were gouerned vnder Ely the high Priest Nowe the Iudges of Israel ended that gouernment which God deliuered them euen from Moses death vntill the birth of Samuel 357. yeeres adding thereunto 40. yeeres of Moses gouernment doeth make the continuance of the Iudges of Israel to be 380. and 17. About this time Orestes the sixt king of Mycena slewe Pyrrhus the sonne of Achilles in the Temple of Apollo for after Orestes time there reigned no more kings in Mycena but Orestes sonne named Tisamenus after whome succeeded Penthilus and after him Cometes the last king of Mycena After this Cometes descended the stocke of Heraclides which afterward came from Peloponesus and tooke Mycena Thus ended the kingdome of Mycena who beganne their gouernment in the time of Gedeon at what time the kingdome of the Argiues was translated vnto Mycena where reigned 10. kings whose names are these Perseus Stelenus Euristheus who was accompted a second Hercules for his worthines After him Atreus Theistes Agamemnon Orestes Tisamenus Penthilus And Cometes the last king The continuance of these kings was from the beginning of Gedeon vntil the beginning of Elie the high Priest which was 157. yeeres so long continued the kingdome of Mycena Now after Samsons daies the house of Israel began according to their vse not to thanke God for his benefites but stil discontented murmuring against God seeking newe Magistrates newe lawes wearie of their gouernment and of their Iudges most desirous of change stubborne people and a wilfull nation idolaters rebellious and factious alwaies by disobedience offending their God God followed their humors they had what they would and they did what they listed they had Elie the high Priest for their Iudge 40. yeeres in his time the Arke was taken by the Philistims his sonnes slaine and himselfe fell from his stoole and died After Elie the high Priest died they had Samuel for their Prophet but they still cried out for a king for neither Iudge Priest nor Prophet might please them but a King and therefore God commanded Samuel to anoint Saul to be their king But first I will lay downe the names of all the Iudges that iudged Israel from the first vnto the last After Moses and Iosua succeeded 1. Othoniel of the tribe of Iuda 2. Ehud of the tribe of Ephraim 3. Debora of the tribe of Ephraim 4. Barach of the tribe of Nephthal 5. Gedeon of the tribe of Manasses 6. Abimelech the bastard of Gedeon the tyrant that slew his 70. brethren 7. Thola of the tribe of Issachar 8. Iair of the tribe of Manasses 9. Iephthe of the tribe of Manasses 10. Elon of the tribe of Zabulon 11. Abdon of the tribe of Ephraim 12. Samson the last Iudge of the tribe of Dan. After these Ely the Priest and Samuel the Prophet Now God had commaunded Samuel to annoint Saul their king saying vnto Samuel They haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away euer since I brought them out of Egypt to this day because they were not content with the order that God had appointed but would be gouerned as the Gentiles were CHAP. IIII. Of the third change of the common wealth of the Hebrewes first from Oligarchia vnder the Patriarchs secondly from Aristocratia vnder the Iudges now to a Monarchie vnder Kings which Israel cried out and neuer ceased vntill they had a king NOw Saul was king of Israel in the beginning of the 7. Iubile at what time Tineus gouerned the Assyrians and Melanthus gouerned Athens for though Saul Samuel gouerned together 40. yeeres yet Saul gouerned as a king as both Iosephus and Ruffinus affirmed not ten yeeres He had good successe in the beginning of his warres for God gaue him the spirit of strength and courage against the Moabites Edomites Ammonites and against the Philistines till Saul disobeied God in sparing of Agag for the which Samuel reprooued Saul and the lord reiected Saul and his kingdome was gluen to Dauid For after the great victories of Saul of those afore rehersed nations he