gaue audience out of the citie to any forraine Embassador especially in matters of peace and after they would conduct the Embassadors to shipping to preuent practises and pollicies vnder colours of peace The Romanes in this imitated the Athenians who entertained the Embassadors of the Lacedemonians in like sort but Rome and Athens were much deceiued for the cities of Italy often rebelled against Rome and the cities of Greece against Athens Much murther and slaughter was euer found in the breach of faith and much mischiefe committed vnder colour of peace Godolias being made gouernour by Nabuchodonozer ouer the rest of Iudea after Ierusalem was destroyed was deceiued by the faire words of Ismael who came with ten men with him that were sworne to him to do what he would haue them to do in Mazphah to the house of Godoliah where he was well entertained but Ismael slew Godoliah all the Iewes and all the Chaldeys that Ismael found waighting on Godoliah and the next day after that Ismael had slaine Godolias certaine men came from Sychem from Siloh and from Samaria to the number of fourescore which had shaued their beards and rent their cloathes with meate offering and incense to offer in the house of the Lord. And Ismael went weeping out of Mazphah to meete them and said Come and goe to Mazphah to see Godoliah the Gouernour where Ismael slue them in the midst of Mazphah as hee did Godoliah in the one he deceiued Godolias with faire words in the other hee deceiued them with teares to come to Mazphah to see Godoliah whom he slue all sauing tenne and threw their bodies into one pit Triphon one of Ismaels broode after he had taken Ionathan by deceit he sent him to Ptolomeu where hee tooke Ionathans children for hostage and money for his redemption So Triphon promised to deliuer Ionathan but Triphon killed Ionathan and his children against his faith and promise and the law of armes of all nations Alexander king of Syria fled to Arabia to be defended from Ptolomeu his father in lawe king of Egipt but Zabdiel the Arabian slue him most treacherously and sent his head to Egipt to Ptolomeu Bacchides and Alcinus Gouernors vnder the most cruell king Demetrius slue threescore Assideans that came to entreat Antiochus for peace against the lawe of armes In like sort Nicanor thought to deceiue Machabaeus as Antiochus did vnder colour and pretence to seeke peace Met. Suffetius Generall of the Albaines promising by oath his faith and truth to the Romanes and that his friendship should not faile to be readie at the Romaines commaundement yet breaking his oath in the same practising his treachery against the Romane armie he was bound to two toppes of trees both hands and feete and terribly pulled in peeces by the trees The breach of faith by the lawe of armes set downe was euer among the Romaines most seuerely punished in so much that the Romaine souldiers stoned Posthumius for that he denied the spoile which he promised to the souldiers The like is read that the Embassadors of the Lacedemonians being sent to the king of Persia to haue his aide against the Athenians being in league with the Lacedemonians were taken and brought to Athens and by the Athenians slaine The Embassadors of Carthage and Macedonia because they did conspire against the Romaines contrary to their league were taken and by the law of armes iustly slaine Diuers Embassadors were slaine for breaking theyr leagues against the lawe of armes as the Embassadors of the Romanes were slaine by the Illyrians the Embassadors of the Athenians by the Persians the Embassadors of the Persians by the Macedonians the Embassadors of Dauid king of Iudah by the Ammonites not slain but ignominiously abused for Dauid sent his Embassadors to Ammō the king to comfort him for the death of his father in kindnes of good will but they had halfe their beards shaued and their garments cut off at their buttocks thus were they turned back in reproach without thankes to Dauid So were the Embassadors of the Romanes without cause against the lawe of armes most iniuriously slaine by the Illyrians who were gouerned vnder a woman to the great reproach of the Romaines but the Romane Embassadors being thus slain had their statues put vp in the Oratory and their names written vpon their Images P. Iunius T. Coruncanus but the Romanes reuenged it to the losse of their kingdome Thus euery where trechery and murther was committed in all countreys vnder colour of leagues and lawes broken and most time without eyther lawe or league but with violence and trecherie practised by many false stratagems among all nations As Zopyrus practised by a dissembling stratagem to bring the Persians into the hands of Cyrus though some say it was Darius by cutting deforming his face and mangling his body in this pittiful sort cōming to Babilō saigning and dissembling that he had hardly escaped frō Cyrus army promised the Babilonians to do them great seruice to reuenge his wrong if they would vse his seruice By these subtill and craftie meanes he brought Cyrus to be king of Babilon of this Zopirus Cyrus was wont to say that he wished as many friends like Zopirus as a Pomegranate had kernels The like stratagem vsed the Grecian Sinon for Agamemnon in the warres of Troy therefore Agamemnon said he had rather haue tenne Nestors or tenne Vlixes then tenne Achilles or tenne Aiax for more doth counsell and pollicie profit in warre then force or courage and therefore when Achilles dyed Aiax made claime to his armour as one that might claime it best by the lawe of Armes clayming a combat if any one would say the contrary Aiax being warned by his olde father Telamon when he went with Agamemnon from Greece to Troy to fight valiantly to aske at the gods hands good successe and fauour but Aiax more proud then wise answered his father that slouthfull men and cowards seeke helpe at Gods handes but said hee could ouercome without Gods helpe Vlixes also made claime to Achilles armour saying that his pollicie and counsell did profit more the Grecians in the warres at Troy then the sword of Aiax Agamemnon knowing how much pollicie and wise counsell auailed in wars gaue to Vlixes the armor of Achilles for Agamemnon said had he had but ten such councellors as Nestor was he doubted not but soone to subdue Troy So Cyrus spake of Zopirus and so Pirrhus spake of Romane souldiers Plus praestant senes consilio quam inuenes armis Thus the Polymarchies of the earth seeke to cōquer another world like Alexander being not cōtented with one and couer all the seas with their sailes like Xerxes and to build castles high vnto the heauens like Nimrod who wold build Babel to reach vp to heauen to reuenge the iniury done to his predecessors by the vniuersall deludge resembling much the battell of
hee was called but Agesilaus without any surname of addition among the Grecians neither other great captaines of Greece as Milciades Themistocles Cymon and others had no such surnames by their victories as the Romanes had The Hebrues also had but proper names some had their fathers name added vnto it so our Sauiour in the Gospell named Peter Simon the sonne of Ionas so was it oftentimes spoken to Esay the Prophet Esay thou sonne of Amos so all the Iewish Rabines were named after their fathers names as Iuda the sonne of Dama Simeon the sonne of Gamaliel Ismael the sonne of Elizei but among the old Hebrewes as you heard they were so named as pleased the mothers The Egiptians vsed also Greeke additions to their names as Pto. surnamed Euergetes for his good deeds and benefites to his countrey Pto. surnamed Ceraunos that is to say lightning for his quicke dispatch Pto. surnamed Aetos an Eagle for his swiftnesse and celeritie and so Philadelphus and other kings and great men of Egipt added to their own proper names Greek surnames The surnames of the last kings of Egipt began from a souldiers name who grew so great among the Egiptians that he strengthened and established the countrey being subdued and ouerthrowne before by the Persians that the Alexandrians so hououred him after his death that all his successors the kings of Egipt were called after his name Ptholomei for as all the first kings of Egipt were called Pharaones so were the last kings of Egipt called Ptolomei So Arsaces a poore Scythian borne a great souldier with a great armie of poore banished men of the Parthians ouerthrew king Zaleucus and restored the Parthians to their libertie for the which benefites he was made king and all the kings his successors were named Arsaces after his name These men seeke name and fame on earth where they haue no citie nor place permanent but houses made of clay and forget to builde immortalitie and eternitie in heauen they make sumptuous and durable tombes for their bodies like the Egiptians which make pyramides for their dead bodies to dwel for euer Some againe like the Agrigentines which build them such strōg houses as though they shuld liue alwaies and yet eate drinke as though they should die the next day But we leaue these builders that build towers in the aire with Nimrod and Iuorie houses with Achab and would lose immortalitie with Vlisses for Ithaca his country and come to Paul who would be losed from the bodie and be with Christ and with Ioshua to fixe our triumphes and tropheys in Heauen with the euerlasting Ioshua Christ Iesus the sonne of God who purchased vnto vs eternall habitations and went in bodie before vs to prepare for vs a dwelling place to him therefore with the father and the holy Ghost be all honor glory and praise for euer FINIS A Table containing a briefe summe of the whole Booke Matters contained in the first Booke THirtie nine kings ouerthrown by Moses Ioshua page 2 Of diuers combats pa. 3 Of the vow of Cherim pa. Ead. Adam rescued by the seed of the woman pa. 5 Elizeus leadeth the army of Benhadad blinde pa. 6 They that mourned in Ierusalem were marked with the letter Tau Ead. Of diuers and seuerall markes pa. 7 The time that barbours were first seene in Rome pa. 9. Abraham the first man marked pa. Ead. Abrahaham feared Abimelech and Pharao for his wife pa. 10 Abraham read Astronomie in Egipt pa. Ead. Abraham rescued the fiue kings and Lot his nephewe pa. 11 The victory and stratagem of Gedeon ouer the Madianites pa 12 Dauids victory at Bezor in rescuing his two wiues pa. Ead. Three Angels feasted at Mambre with Abraham pa. 13. Foure named before they were borne pa. Ead. The Ismaelites would not bee called Agareni of Agar but Sarazeni of Sarah pa. 14. The Tower of Babell builded by Nimrod pa. 15 Ninus the first Monarch pa. ead Alexanders voyage to India pa. Ead. Zoroastes laughed at his birth pa. 16. The first Idolatry by Ninus pa. ead Baall the first Idoll pa. 17 The male children of the Hebrews throwne to Nilus pa. 18 The tyrannie of Pharao pa. Ead. A comparison betweene the Egiptians and the Romanes pa. 19 The armies of the Lord in Egipt vnder Moses pa. Ead. The first plague of Egipt pa. 20 The comparison of the first plague with the first persecution vnder Nero pa. 21 Nero slew himselfe pa. 22. The second miracle and triumph of Moses in Egipt pa 23 The blasphemy of Nicanor punished pa. Ead. Domitianus Image set vp in the Temple at Ierusalem pa. 24 Domitianus slain in his owne house by his seruants pa. 25 Iamnes and Iambres Phoraos soothsayers pa. ead The third persecution vnder Traiane pa. 26 Philo was not heard of Nero. pa. ead The fourth army of the Lord in Egipt was swarmes of flyes pa. 27 The fighting of the Iewes with wild beasts pa. 28 The yeelding of tyrants pa. 29 Pharao and Esau compared pa. 30 Septimus and Antiochus murthered pa. 31 The tyrannie of Antiochus against the Iewes pa. ead Antiochus cōfessed the great wrong he did to the Iewes at Ierusalem pa. 32 The fable of Manetho and others concerning Moses whom he named Osarphis pa. 33 The persecution of the seuen bretheren pa. 34 The seuenth plague of Egipt 35 The comparison of the seuenth persecution vnder Decius with the seuenth plague pa. 36 Great plagues and sicknesses vpon the Romanes pa. 37 Hipocrisie of Pharao pa. ead Pericles made a lawe in Athens against straungers pa. 38 The eight persecution vnder Valerianus pa. ead Valerianus the Emperor of Rome vsed as a blocke by Sapor king of Persia pa. 39 The ninth plague of Egipt pa. 40 The dissimulation of Pharao pa. ead The ninth persecution vnder Aurelianus pa. ead Christ denied among the Romanes pa. 41 A golden target sent by the Senators pa ead The euill end of cruell Emperors pa. ead The tenth plague of Egipt pa. 42 The tenth persecution vnder Dioclesian pa. ead When persecution ended heresie began pa. 43 Arius with diuers crewes of heretiques pa. ead The foure generall Councels pa. 44 The marching of Pharao after the Hebrewes pa. 45 The drowning of Pharao in the red sea pa. ead Appians impudent lies against Moses pa. 46 The education of Moses in Egipt pa. 47 Moses chosen captaine for Pharao pa. ead Moses death sought by the Priests of Egipt pa. ead The victories of Moses in Aethiopia pa. 48 The marriage of Moses to Tharbis the king of Aethiope his daughter pa. ead Appians lyes pa. 49 Philo his speech of the Hebrewes pa. 50 The law of Armes set downe by the Lord to Moses pa. 51 The stratagems of Archidamus Epaminondas and Pericles pa. 52 Of the lawe of Armes pa. 53 Of the Priests Mantes in Athens c. pa. 54 The remoouing of the Arke pa. ead The numbring and mustering of the Hebrew army by Moses pa. 55 The Hebrewes
Mambre where he feasted them and intreated them on the behalfe of Zodome that if ten godly men might be found in it the citie might be saued but none was found there but iust Lot at this verie time vnder the oake of Mambre Isaac was promised to Abraham for so the Lorde named him at that time Sarah his mother being 90. yeares old So Samuel was borne of Anna his mother so Iacob and so Ioseph his sonne were borne of barren women as Isaac was foure also were named before they were borne Ismael the sonne of Abraham by Agar Isaac Solomon and Iosias Now againe to Abraham after Lot was rescued by him Lot dwelt againe in Zodom among reprobates and wicked vngodly men being named iust Lot hard it was for Lot to liue honest or iust among such wicked Zodomites and yet in Zodom Lot saued himself but in Zoar Lot was ouerthrowne Abraham could rescue Lot at the battell at Dan from 4. kings the Angels could saue Lot from the fire brimstone in Zodom yet could not Lot saue himself from drunkennesse in Zoar so fowle a fact by so iust a man may not be much spoken off Hence grew the first beginning of the Moabites and Ammonites enemies vnto God so much may be spoken of Ismael Abrahams sonne by Agar who grew so great so mighty on earth that they would not be called Agareni from Agar the bond-woman their mother from whence they tooke their beginning but they would be called Saraceni as borne of Sarah the true wife of Abrahā as the Ammonites and Moabites were left to plague the Hebrewes as pricks in their sides and needles in their eyes so the Saracens Turkes are now left to plague the Christians with sword and fire Before the battell at Siddim no battels in a manner haue bene fought but what was by Nimrod don who liued within a hundred thirtie yeares of the flood at what time people liued not knowing the name of a king vntill Nimrod grew so mightie and so great that hee brought the people vnder subiection in such feare and awe of him that they rather worshipped him as a God then obeyed him as a king whereof Nimrod waxed so proud that it grew to a prouerbe that if any Monarke or King should waxe too insolent or proud he should be noted named hic alter Nimrod for now Nimrod hauing obtained the Monarchy into his hands without resistance he called the people together to make a Tower frō the earth vnto heauē to reuenge the iniuries of his predecessors and to defend himselfe his Empire and to resist the violence of any further deludge He for want of men to fight withal on earth made a Tower that he might ascend vp to goe fight with the host of heauen So Cyrus imitating Nimrod hauing subdued all nations and kingdomes about him went for want of men to fight against him to fight against women into Scythia Alexander also imitating Cyrus after he had subdued all men and that no king would fight against him he went vnto India to fight with Elephants Leauing Nimrod to build his Towers in the aire Cyrus to fight with women in Scythia and Alexander the great to fight with Elephants in India we come to Ninus who tooke vpon him to be the first Monarch ouer the Assirians 150. yeares after Nimrod who after hee had ioyned his force with Aricus king of Arabia hee went with his army against Babilon subdued it and brought it into Assyria led his army vnto Armenia gaue battell to the Armenians subdued them also tooke their king Barsanes and went conquering all the kingdomes about vntill he came vnto Medea where the king fought with Ninus and the battell was equally fought of both parts but after that in another battell Ninus ouerthrewe the Meades and tooke their King in the battell and hangd him his wife and his seuen children in his owne kingdome So that within seuenteene yeares Ninus subdued all Asia and became so great that if the authors write truth hee had such an armie as none is read to haue the like especially at that time when the world was not populous within 50. yeares after the flood Before Ninus the Greeke nor the Romane writers make no mention of any warre or battell who proceeded forward and marched after he had conquered Arabia Medea and Babilon vnto the Bactrians and fought with Zoroastes their king who is said to haue first found the Art of Astronomy and Magique but this Zoroastes was slain in the field by Ninus and Ninus himselfe slaine with an arrow as Orosius saith others say that hee was slaine by his wife Semyramis It is written of this Zoroastes that when all other Infants weepe at their birth he laught In Ninus time we reade of the first Idolatry in scripture and that by Ninus himselfe who set vp the Image of Belus his father in a Temple which Ninus made dedicated to his father Belus after his death in Niniuie where all the countries and people came to worship and reuerence the name of Belus which grew in such credit in Asia and the East kingdomes that there was no lawe nor religion but what by Baals Priests and Baals Prophets were allowed And at that time that Nabuchodonozer raigned in Babilon a thousand yeares after Ninus Baal was so reuerenced and honored in Babilon that if any man should speake words against Baal or not kneele to him or worship him should die for it So was Sydrach and his fellowes throwne into a hot fierie fornace to be burned So was Daniel throwne into a denne to be deuoured of Lyons but neither Lyons nor fire had power to hurt the seruants of the Lord. This Baal was the onely Idoll in the East countrey vntill Elias found out the shifts of the false Prophets of Baal in the time of Achab King of Israel who first nourished Baals prophets in Israel After Elias Daniel found out in Babilon the falshood of Baals priestes how they cousoned Nabuchodonozer for his great allowance of bread wine and meate Leauing Belus to be the first Idoll and Ninus the first Idolater after whom little mention is made of the most part of the kings of Assyria sauing a catologue of their names though the Greekes as theyr manner is speake more then needs of them for the which Berosus the Chaldean writer doth much reprehend them for it and Plato their owne countrey man called them children for that they are addicted vnto fables and not giuen to learne antiquities but letting the Assirians to sleepe in silence I will returne to the marching of the Hebrewes vnder Moses out of Egipt CHAP. III. Of the calling of Moses and Aaron to lead the children of Israel out of Egipt THe Hebrewes which were 430. years bōdmē slaues vnto Pharao in Egipt vntil they multiplied to be such in number as Pharao doubted either to let them goe
Nero sought the destruction of the Christians within all the Empire of Rome Achab was not so greedie to haue his wrath and anger satisfied vpon the Prophet Micheas nor Iezabel vpon the Prophet Elias as Nero was to haue Paul the Apostle and Peter slaine in Rome who fild all the streets of Rome with the blood of Christians as Manasses king of Iuda filled all the streets of Ierusalem with innocent blood so that Nero could not be satisfied vntill he had ended his tragedie killing his mother his wiues his sisters and after himself as Mithridates king of Pontus had done before him The second message of Moses was to command Pharao to let the Hebrues depart out of Egipt which being refused denied the Lord vsed a stratagem began to vexe them with a second plague with an vgly armie of Frogges which assaulted Pharao and his country so fiercely that all the Riuers and all the land of Egipt were couered ouer with loathsome Frogges Pharaos Court his priuie chamber his victuals vpon euery man these Frogges scrawled climbed vpon Pharao his Peeres his States and vpon all his people without respect of persons they spared none that all the force strength of Egipt could not resist the force violence of these simple creatures but were constrained to forsake their houses their beds and to seeke to escape these filthy Frogs who left no secret place vnsought but the Hebrews in the land of Gosen were free from these plagues Pharao being dismaied and fearefull to see such vgly sights terrible stratagems was forced to yeeld himselfe to Moses the Captaine and leader of this armie at what time Moses had his second tryumph in the midst of Egipt This was the second victorie and tryumph which the Hebrewes had in Egipt by an armie of Frogs weake souldiers of themselues but there is nothing so weak that the Lord cannot cause to ouercome the greatest power of man Yet Pharaos heart was so hardned that hee answered Moses message from the Lord Quis est dominus Who is the Lord saith Pharao most blasphemously much like to the blasphemy of Nicanor who doubted of the Lord being in heauen and demaunded of Iudas Machabaeus Is there a Lord in heauen that can commaund you to keepe the Sabboth day But I haue power on earth to execute the kings commaundement Nabuchodonozer besides him there is no Lord in heauen nor in earth that can defend you out of Nabuchodonozers hand but that tongue which blasphemed the Lord was cut off and cast to the sowles of the aire to be eaten the head and the hand that fought against the Lord were cut off he being slain in the battell by Iudas Machabeus and hangd vpon the Temple in Ierusalem This secōd plague may be well resembled to the second persecution vnder Domitianus the Emperor who with no lesse crueltie persecuted the Christians in Rome then Pharao did the Hebrewes in Egipt or as Nero his predecessor did in Italy but as in Egipt all men fled from their houses their beddes their tables to seeke some rest from the Frogges so in Rome and in Italy the poore Christians fled euery where frō place to place to hide themselues in secret caues and dennes to escape the cruell sword of this swelling toade Domitianus who excelled Pharao in tyrannie Pharao saide Quis est dominus Who is the Lord I know not the Lord. But Domitianus named himselfe Lord and god Domitianus and by a decree commanded so to be named of all mē in Rome and throughout the Empire of Rome and therwithall caused his Image to be set vp in the Temple at Ierusalem This cruell and blasphemous Emperour Domitianus so persecuted the Christians and so vexed the whole Empire that not only the Citizens of Rome but also all Italy sought other places in other countries as banished men to seeke to auoyd the sword of this bloodie Emperor who passed Pharao in blasphemy and Nero in tyrannie but his end was no better then Neroes for as Nero slue himself with his own hand so was Domitianus in his owne house murthered slain by his owne seruants for he that killeth many must of some be kild and so Domitianus was for blood is reuenged with blood and is one of those foure sinnes that crieth vp to heauen for vengeance but Rome was euer full of blood betweene their forrein warres abroad and their ciuill warres at home CHAP. IIII. Of the third and fourth plagues of the Egiptians compared with the third and fourth persecutions of the Christians MOyses againe after two denialls marcheth with his armie against Pharao to his third battell which was with more simple and weake souldiers then the second battell was for the Lord commaunded Moses to smite the dust of the earth with his rod that all the dust of the earth became Lice throughout all the land of Egipt and these were the armies of the Lord the which crept vpon euery man and vpon euery beast and went as in battell raie and well instructed souldiers vpon Pharao his Lords and his Courtiers and ouer all the land of Egipt this armie spared no place feared no man but the land of Gosen and the Hebrewes there dwelling To this were Iamnes and Iambres and all Soothsayers and Charmers of Egipt publikely forced to say that it was digitus dei the finger of God and Pharao after them was as afore twise now the third time constraited to yeeld to Moses but still without grace or repentance Thus euery victorie had his triumph and euerie triumph was solemnized without either a stroak giuen or a sword drawne but with a white rod in Moses hand so that it seemed rather a combat betweeene Moses and Pharao then a set battell betweene the Hebrewes and the Egiptians The third persecution vnder Traiane in Rome in all points is to be likened to the third plague vnder Pharao in Egipt for the bloud of the Christians in Rome and the plague of the Hebrewes in Egipt crie for equal vengeance and iustice vpon wicked Tyrants and murtherers vnto heauen Though Traiane was wrote vnto by Pliny the second to admonish him to mittigate the vehement persecutidus of the Christians certifying Traiane that the Christians liued soberly and quietly not offending the Romane lawes but by professing their religigion and the name of Christ. Notwithstanding Pliny could do litle good with his Letters to Traiane the Emperour in the behalfe of the Christians at Rome no more then Philo could do with his perswasions to Nero for the Iewes in Alexandria though Philo himselfe being learned and graue and of great authoritie with the Iewes spake in person to Nero and yet Appian the Egiptian being but a schoolemaister in Alexandria a man of no reputation had audience of Nero which was denied to Philo so much Rome hated the Christians Egipt the Hebrews that their plagues
making the Arke saued himselfe and his family from the deluge Abraham for that he obeyed the Lord and was readie to offer and to sacrifice his sonne Isaac the whole world was blessed in his seed therefore the Lord said to Salomon If thou do all that euer I shall commaund thee thy throne shall be established for euer in Ierusalem The Lord commends the Rechabites for their obedience to Ionadab their father because Ionadab said Non bibetis vinum Mattathias his children answered Antiochus messenger saying Wee had rather obey the lawes of the Lord giuen to Moses and to our fathers then to obey the king So the seuen brethren answered that they had rather die then disobey the lawes of the Lord. The Prophet saith Fire haile snow Ise obey the commaundements of the Lord hee commaunds seas and windes and they obey the Lord he commanded rauens to feede Elias and they obeyed Cyrus King of Persia obeyed the Lorde for Cyrus confest that hee was commaunded to set forwards the Iews to build vp the temple in Ierusalem and as obedience is vnto the Lord most acceptable so is disobedience euen in the least things extreamly punished He that gathered sticks vpon the Sabboth day was stoned to death And the man of God for that he eate bread in Bethel against the Lords commaundement he was deuoured of a lyon and Ionas the Prophet for that he fled from the presence of the Lord he was throwne for his disobedience into the sea and swallowed vp of a whale And Moses the seruant of God with that rod that strooke the rocke that water gushed out with that rod which diuided the red seas that turned all the riuers and waters of Egipt to blood that turned all the dust of Egipt into Lice brought Frogs Flies Grasse-hoppers and wrought so many wonders in Egipt yet for that Moses disobeyed the Lord at the water of Meribah the Lord was so offended with Moses Aaron for their incredulitie and disobedience before the people that the Lord told them that they should not enter into the land of promise and that Moses should die in mount Nebo and Aaron his brother in mount Hor such was the exact iustice of the Lord and his seuere punishment against wilfull and disobedient people that he spared none no not Moses his owne seruant Aaron his owne Priest Ionas his owne Prophet nor Israel his owne people CHAP. XIIII Of the martiall lawes and military discipline of the Gentiles IN all Countries among all Nations where militarie discipline was not obserued there martial lawes were executed As among the Egiptians the Souldier that brake militarie rules to forsake the ranke to goe out of the campe and would disobey the chiefe magistrates officers captaines of the armie and would any waies offend the martiall lawes he should be displaced from his place were he either Serieant Lieutenant or any other officer and be placed in the meanest place of the armie and if he should bewray the counsell of his captaine or speake any thing against the generall he should haue his tongue cut off and sowed vpon his helmet Among the Persians there was a martiall law written that if any cowardly souldier should steale secretly from the campe and become a vagabound or a runnagate frō place to place he should being taken be cloathed in a womans apparell and be chained fast with an Iron manicle vpon his hands sitting with both his legs in a paire of stocks in the midst of the campe to be flouat and scoft at of all the whole armie which in like sort the Thrasians obserued and after hee should be taken for a woman and not for a man The Romanes were somewhat more seuere against disobedient souldiers especially against seditious fugitiue souldiers and against them that forsooke theyr standart and turned their backes to the enemies and from the camp to flee to the enemie these amongst the Romanes were punished with death The law in Sparta was if any soldiers of theirs should in any great and shamefull faultes in the warres offend they should be so noted and defamed that they might not borrow so much as a cup of water or a brand of fire with their next neighbors nor light a candle besides it was not lawfull for any man that met thē in the streets to speak to them These punishmēts far differ from the former punishmēt of the Lord fire frō heauen the opening of the earth the throwing into the feas deuouring by lions such of which I shall speake in another place Now to the marching of Ierusalē vnder Ioshua to whō a charge was giuen of a new army which was borne in the wildernesse after their fathers came out of Egipt to whom the Lord said Moses my seruant is dead as I was with Moses so will I be with thee and will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee be strong and bold feare not and shewe thy selfe stout and valiant therefore obserue and do according to all the lawes which Moses my seruant commaunded thee What is spoken here to Ioshua was spoken after Ioshua to Iudah and after Iudah to Gedeon to Dauid and others so carefull was the Lord ouer his people that they should not choose them a Generall without the consultatiō of Vrim Thummim to guide and gouerne the armie to fight the battels of the Lord. So among all nations in all ages they were very carefull to haue and to choose wise stout and skilfull Generalls For as the Romane captaine Fabritius said that it was Pirrhus skil that ouercame Leuinus the Consull and not the Epirotes the Romanes and besides the straunge sight of the Elephants which the Romanes neuer sawe before that battell at Heraclea which the Romanes called Boues Lucanias Fabritius thought it a scorne that the Romanes should be ouerthrowne by any nation in the world if they had discreet valiant stout generals The like imaginatiōs the Romanes supposed that they were ouerthrowne at the battels of Trebeia Trasimen Cannes either by the subtill and deceitfull policie of Hannibal or else for that their gods were offended with them and not by the strength of the Carthagineans nor the Affricans But Pirrhus after foure yeares warres with the Romanes was constrained to forsake Italy after his ouerthrow at the battel of Arusina to leaue his Elephants behinde to beautifie Curius Dentalus tryumphe which was the first sight of Elephants in Rome for before nothing could be seene in Rome in former tryumphes but cattels of the Volscians flocks of beasts of the Sabines broken weapons and old armour of the Samnites coaches and couerings of the old Gaules Hannibal the greatest enemy that euer the Romanes had yet after seuenteene yeares warres hee was forced to retire from Italy to Carthage and there in his owne countery to be ouerthrowne at the battell of Zama by Scypio Affrican Hannibal so straightly
die Ieremies speech was performed to the ouerthrow of the whole kingdome of Iudah neither could it be otherwise considering they sinned still against the Lord and the long ciuill warres betweene themselues which continued so long from Ieroboams time who caused Israel first to sinne vnto the last king of Israel Elias after he had destroied two captains one after another with their 50. souldiers seuerally with fire froÌ„ heauen after he had subdued 450. of Baals Prophets after all these great conquests and many other such he feared so much one woman that for very feare hee fled from place to place from her being wearie of his life he lay vnder a Iuniper tree wishing to die and prayed to God that hee might die complaining vnto the Lord that there was none left of the Prophets of the Lord but himselfe but hee was aunswered by the the spirite of God that there was seuen thousand more in Israel that yet neuer once bended theer knees vnto Baall The like may bee spoken of Ionas beeing like Elias wearie of his life hee sought meanes to forsake his Countrey and to flye by sea to other Countreys but the sea could not brooke him but deliuered him to be deuoured of a whâ—… and the whale could not keepe him but was compelled to vomit him vp from the bottome oâ—… his bâ—…y to goe to preach to Niniuie so that Elias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 die vnder the Iuniper tree and Ionas would 〈◊〉 be throwne and drowned in the Sea â—…leane contrary to the purpose and prouidence of the Lord. Eâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ly of his life to see the Prophets of the Lord so destroyed and Ionas to see his labour in preaching profit nothing that he should be â—…pured a false Prophet the Lord not destroying the Citie after fortie daies according to his word but sparing it in mercie as he did pittie the gourd in mercy After the Lord had giuen great victories to many of the kings of Iudah to Asa ouer Zerah king of Aethiope to Iosaphat ouer Shesak king of Egipt to Ezechiah ouer Senacherib yet Iudah still forsooke the Lord though Ieâ—…emy tolde them from the mouth of the Lord their destruction when they rather threatned then beleeued But neither Ioachim nor Zedechias would neither heare nor beleeue the Prophet and therefore the Lord deliuered them both into Nabuchodonozers hands the one was slaine in Ierusalem and his body commaunded to be cast out of the citie and to be left vnburied like an asse the other Nabucho tooke prisoner and caused his owne children all his chiefe friends to be slaine in his sight and after hee sawe this tragicall sight with his eyes Nabuchodonozer being then in Rebla before whom Zedechia was brought after he reprehended him for his periurie and trecherie and accused him for his falsehood caused his eyes to be put out and so bound in a chaine and carried prisoner to Babilon where hee lay and dyed in prison being the last king of the line of Dauid and the twentieth king after Saul There was a mightie king in Damascus ouer the Syrians called Adad who after many great battels with Dauid was subdued in a great battell at Euphrates This Adad was so great for his great victories among the Syrians that they named euery king after his name Adad to the number of tenne and the tenth king was that Benhadad which besieged Samaria in the time of the Prophet Elizeus whom this king Adad could no better fauour then Adad his predecessor could fauour Dauid or king Achab did Elias After this great victorie Dauid imposed tributes vpon the Syrians as he did before vpon the Idumeans Moabites and others hee returned to Ierusalem dedicated and consecrated as a trophey of his victorie the armours and rich spoile of Adad king of the Syrians in Ierusalem to the Lord. So the Philistines vsed the body of Saul slaine in mount Gilboa after they had sent his head to the Land of the Philistines and hanged his body on the wall of Bethshan they would be sure to lay vp his Armour in the temple of their god Ashtaroth according to the customes and manners of the Gentiles for they vsed to hang the armors and spoiles of their victories in their Temples to their Gods CHAP. IIII. How Achab though a wicked king had two great victories against Benhadad king of Syria who had 32. kings in his armies Of diuers great blasphemers punished Of the Idolatry of Israel And of the prophecying against Ierusalem BEnhadad king of Aram assembled an army against the Lorde hauing two and thirtie kings which were gouernours and rulers of prouinces with horses and chariots without number came and fought against Achab king of Israel a most wicked king And yet the Lord seeking to winne this wicked king as well by victories now as by myracles before sent a Prophet to Achab promising him ouer Benhadad king of Aram a great victorie For the army of the Syrians were so many that Benhadad sent a Herald vnto Achab commaunding him to deliuer vp to his hand Samaria and all the cities of Israel or else hee would come with such an armie that the dust of Samaria should not be inough for euery souldier a handfull much like Xerxes king of Persia for his vaunts and bragges who doubted that the sea Hellespont had not roome ynough for his nauies nor Greece had land inough for his armies nor the aire wide inough for his shottes but Xerxes was answered by Demarathus the Philosopher as Benhadad was by Achab Let him not brag that putteth on his harnesse as he that puts it off but the king of Syria bragged as Xerxes did before he wan the victory for the Lord gaue the victory to Achab and such a victory by slaughter by chasing by taking of men horses and chariots that the king of Syria fled and escaped narrowly with fewe horsemen that were his guard and said that the gods of Israel were the gods of the mountains therfore they ouercame vs chalenged a battel with Israel in the valleys where they assured themselues of victory thus they blasphemed the Lord in their furie but to their losse great ouerthrow The blasphemy of Rabsacis of his maister Senacherib king of the Assirians saying to king Ezechiah let not thy god deceiue thee in whom thou hopest and puttest thy trust was not he slaine praying before his god Nesroch in Niniuie by his owne two sonnes The blasphemy of Nabuchodonozer saying What God is hee that is able to take you out of my hands was not he punished with the losse of his kingdome and to liue among beasts like a beast and not like a king vntil he acknowledged the Lord The blasphemy of Holofcrnus saying there was no god but his maister Nabuchodonozer was not his head cut off by Iudith a womaÌ„ put vpoÌ„ the wals of Bethulia And likewise the blasphemy of Nicanor which said is there a
the graue of their dead parents or their great friends and next kinsmen which graue they deckt with flowers nosegaies and all kinde of sweet hearbes and garlands going about it naked and after sitting about the graue of the dead banketting feasting much like to the feast called Lemuralia where among the Grecians they drinke to the soules of the dead The Iewes held an anuall feast called Purym in memorie of their deliuerance from the malice of Ammon who had obtained frō king Ashuerus lycence to destroy all the Iewes dwelling in 127. prouinces in Persia vpon that very day that Ammon thought to kill the Iewes and hang Mardocheus vpon a gallows which he made of ten cubits high was Ammon himself withhis ten sonshāgd vpon the same gallows which he made for Mardocheus But to return to the victory at Marathon for the which victory strife grew between the Lacedemonians the Athenians at what time Milciades was Generall for the Athenians Pausanias for the Lacedemonians but the victory was by Aristides by all men giuē to the Plataeans to end the strife This battel of Marathon was in the morning and in the euening of the same day was the battel and victory at Mycala though some hold opinion there was some distance of time betweene them Vpon the very day that Lu. Crassus was slaine by the Parthians at Carras and his Romain army ouerthrown vpon that very day fewe yeares after were the Parthiās ouerthrown by Pub. Ventidius which so reuēged Crassus with such a slaughter of the Parthians the Pachorus the eldest son of the king was slain And vpō the very day that the Cymbrians gaue the ouerthrow to the Romain Cōsull Caepio and his army vpō that very fame day Marius afterwards with terrible slaughter of the Cimbriās requited it Again the secōd victory which the Greciās had ouer the Persian nauy by sea at Salamina at what time armed men were seen in the aire that did reach out their hands from the I le of Aegina towards the Grecian galleys also songs were heard in the aire in the praise of Bacchus and flames of fire were seen in the Element with many moe wonders which appeared towardes the Citie Eleusina this was one of the most glorious and greatest victories that euer the Greekes had chiefly gotten by the pollicie and cunning of Themistocles the Athenian Artemidord Queene of Alicarnassus came to aide the Persians against the Grecians as Pentheselia Queen of the Amazons came to aide the Troians in their wars against the Grecians but the one died in Greece taking part with the Persians and the other died in Troy in the quarrell of the Troians yet some writers affirme that Artemisia was not slaine in Greece In this battell Xerxes king of Persia had a thousand shippes of warres of the which he lost eight hundred of them and his Admirall called Ariames taken the wisdome and foresight of Themistocles in this battell was honoured of all the Grecians for it was equall to the famous battell at Plataea for renowne and fame though not so great a victorie and yet Themistocles being but a young man at the battell at Plataea vnder Callimachus and Milciades two noble captaines of Athens shewed himselfe so valiant that all Greece much commended his courage Themistocles was euer wont to say in his youth that the fame of Milciades victories triumphs would not suffer Themistocles to sleep nor to rest in his bed So likewise was Themistocles the cause of the most renowned victory of the Greekes ouer the Persians by sea at Artimisium where Xerxes with all his whole nauie was ouerthrowne This victory made Themistocles to be so honoured of the Grecians that the Captaines after sacrifice done gaue him an Oliue braunch in token of victorie and they sent three hundred of their lustie youthes to accompany Themistocles His renowne grew such by this victory that when Themistocles came to the next feast of the Olympicall games all the people cast their eyes vpon him clapping their hands and shewing him vnto straungers that knew him not but Themistocles onely at Artemisium was the originall cause of the sauing of all Greece and did then most aduance the honour and glory of the Athenians and was after battell done honoured aboue all the Grecians and also all the Grecian captaines hauing vpon the Aultar of their sacrifice sworne that Themistocles best deserued the glorie of that victory yet was hee banished from Athens though his victories were so great ouer the Persians as Hanibals victories were ouer the Romanes CHAP. XV. Of straunge apparitions in the ayre and prodigious myracles Of seuen signes seene before the ouerthrow of Ierusalem with the last destruction thereof Of diuers great Captains by the Lord appointed to fauour Ierusalem and the Iewes MAny strange apparitions were seene in the ayre in many places of Greece before the victories which the Grecians had ouer the Persians and before the victories which the Affricans had ouer the Romanes And first at the battell of Salamina as you read before where flames of fire were seene in the element songs were heard in the ayre in the praise of Bacchus and armed men were seene in the aire as you read before that did reach out their hands from the I le of Aegina towards the Grecian galleys So at the battell at Thrasymen at Arpos the likenesse of bucklers were seene in the heauens and the Sunne seemed to fight with the Moone at Carpena and two Targets sweat bloud at Sardinia and at the very battell it selfe such earthquakes hapned that townes and rocks fell to the earth mountaines were carried frō one place to an other and the riuers ranne backwards yet in the battell it selfe it was neither knowne nor felt of the Romans nor of the Affricans for among the Romanes seldome happened any earth-quakes without great losse or harme either by ouerthrowning of towns and cities or losse of victories as the Romanes supposed and yet in the second Affrican war 57. earthquakes hapned amōg the Romains in one yeare also an oxe spake said Caue tibi Roma In Piceno it raigned stones In Cicilia two Targets sweat bloud At the citie Antium in Italy bloud flowed out of the eares of corne many such prodigious signes and yet not so many as were equall to the Romanes calamities during the time of the second punike warre but it was euer the greatnes of the Romanes to be most valiant in their greatest afflictiō And as in the second Punike war an oxe spake so in the time of Torquine the proud after his ouerthrows in 2. battels a dog spake a serpēt barked At the destructiō of Cōstantinople by the Turks a great multitude of dogs were seen in the aire after which followed a great nūber of diuers kinds of beasts in maner and form of light armed souldiers after them followed an other cōpany of beasts with spears targets
the Gyants who challenged Iupiter and the rest of the gods to battell but though this be fabulous cōcerning the Gyants yet the building of Babel is written by Moses that Babel was builded so high by Nimrod both to auoyd a second deludge and to reuenge his stock and family destroyed in the first but the Lord saw their folly confounded their workes by a confusion of one language into many Philo might aske a questiō aswell now why the Lord did not ouerthrow the tower of Babel with winde tempest and thunderbolts as he did aske why the Lord did not destroy Egipt with Lyons Tygres Beares and such But as Philo answered his owne question that it was to fright them with Frogges Flies Grashoppers and suche simple vermines to shewe his mercie and to saue them to repentance and not to destroy them with wilde beasts And so with the like reason Philo or any man for Philo may now answere that the Lord would not destroy the Tower of Babel with tempest and wind to destroy the people but by diuiding of one tongue into many that they might acknowledge the Lord to be God and to confesse their owne folly If Nimrod had confessed his sinne and said I haue sinned as Dauid spake to Nathan the Prophet or with Daniel who said Peccauimus iniquitatē fecimus or with Nehemias who said I and my fathers house haue sinned to whom the Lord shewed mercy Wicked Pharao also said to Moses I haue sinned against the Lord and the Lord is iust I and my people are wicked Saul said I haue sinned and haue done foolishly So Iudas the traytor said I haue sinned in betraying innocent blood but the Lord accepteth not the fained confession of wicked men CHAP. XIII Of securitie of Generalls in warres Of celetitie in victories Of diuers dreames and names giuen TWo much securitie was in Pompey his souldiers after he had giuen two repulses to Caesars souldiers at Dyrachium as Caesar said himself the victory might haue bene Pompeys if he had followed his good fortune So againe if Pompey had followed his good lucke and had not staied the Romane youthes being fierce to goe forwards at the battell at Pharsalia he had put Caesar to greater daunger then he was at Dyrachium So Hannibal was toucht with that fault by Hamilcar the Affrican that if he had gone forwards and brought his armie after the battell at Canne before Rome as Scipio after his ouerthrow of Hannibal brought his force before Curthage Rome might haue bene in as great a daunger as Carthage was Nothing abused Pompey so much as his owne captaines flattering him and calling him the great Agamemnon king of kings by Domitius Scypio Spinther and others after the victory at Dyrachium assuring themselues soone to ouerthrow Caesars armie and contending in brauery for offices at their return to Rome drawing lots who should be Consuls Praetors Quaestors or high Bishop which Caesar himselfe was at that time It should seeme that Pompey and his captaines made no doubt of the victory for when his campe was taken his tents and pauilions were full of nosegaies and garlands of mirtle and their coaches all couered with flowers their tables full of bowles of wine as men more readie to doo sacrifice for ioy before the victorie then armed and prepared to fight for the victory At Fortuna vitrea cum splendet frangitur So also Tigranes king of Armenia was flattered with his Leiftenants Captaines and other Parasites who scoffed and flowted the Romanes they sported and made a May game of Lucullus army some deuiding the spoile and drawing lots before the battell began much like to the Cherussians the Sueuians and the Sycambrians who gathered themselues together in a great army they likewise like the Armenians little esteeming the Romaines deuided the Romane spoiles betweene them before they fought for it the Cherussians would haue all the Romane horses the Sueuians would haue all the gold siluer of the Romanes the Sycambrians all the Romain captiues taken prisoners in the wars Thus had they fully concluded before the battel began but it fell out otherwise for Drusus the Romaine Captaine ouerthrew them that their horses their cattels their chaines their gold and siluer and they themselues were a spoile and a pray to the Romanes Incerti exitus pugnarum Mars communis said Cicero it was euer found in all warres that Nimia fiducia semper noxia The like victorie had Lucullus ouer Tigranes king of Armenia whose captaines before scoffed and flowted Lucullus army deuiding the Romane spoyles before the battell beganne but they were ouerthrowne by Lucullus to the slaughter of a hundred thousand footemen and the most part of the horsemen slaine and the king himselfe hardly escaped and for that so many were slaine of the enemies and so fewe of the Romans Plutarch saith that the Sun saw not the like ouerthrow that such varietie of shews were seen of Chariots Coaches and of infinite number of Cartes that carried the spoiles of Armours of Ensignes of battering peeces besides twentie cupbords full of siluer plate thirtie cupboords full of golden vessels eight Moiles laden with golde a hundred and seuen Moiles loaden with siluer coine Crassus at the sight of this Lucullus triumph was afterwards when he was Consul with Pompey the great so beyond all measure most desirous with all celeritie to take his iourney against the Parthians with more haste then good speed In like sort the sight of Milciades triumphe mooued Themistocles in his youth to say that he could not sleepe in his bed before he had obtained the like triumph and so he proued among so many great captaines in Greece one of the greatest for he was being but a young youth at the battell at Plataea being the first battell and the first victorie that the Grecians had ouer the Persians Hee was also at the battell at Marathon with more commendatiō then he had at Plataea but in the battels at Salamina and Artemisium all Greece gaue him the honour and fame the one by sea the other by land he did all thinges with such celeritie that Themistocles himselfe would say that whatsoeuer hapned to him well hapned by celeritie But it seemed that Themistocles with all celeritie missed to borrowe money in the I le of Andria though he brought two great and mightie gods with him from Athens the one called the God of Loue the other the God of Force requesting the Andrians to lend some money to please to satisfie the want of their Gods But he was answered by the people of Andria that there were two as great goddesses with them in Andria as there were in Athens the which commaunded the Andrians neither to lend nor to giue any money to Themistocles gods saying our goddesse of Pouerty weigheth not for loue neither doth the goddesse of Impossibilitie weigh for force The Lacedemonians were not so religious as