by waie of Demonstration Astronomical To this begining somthing by Crentzeim was added but verie much more by Bunting the Autor of a most elaborate Chronologie demonstrating by the Characters of Eclipses the Sun and Moons Circles and with Calculation of everie Eclips since the world began But this Art hath received greatest perfection from that excellent work of Scaliger de Emendat Temporum upon whose grounds Calvisius hath erected a most incomparable Chronologie for demonstration of time by Eclipfes and Cycles of the Sun and Moon severally applyed to everie year yet wanting so much to accomplishment as may seem to bee added by the incredible pains of Helvicus who excelleth Calvisius though otherwise excelled by him in Synchronismes infinitely added and the application of the Julian Period which why Sethus Calvisius should not measure is verie much to bee marvelled These two therefore put together make up Chronologie everie waies absolute and brought to such a perfection as needs not to bee added unto for though I doubt not but that even those also are somtimes failing as for som other necessarie and unavoidable defects so also for that they are not throughly advised whose Tables Astronomical they best and most securely may follow Yet I assure my self the differences caussed by this is but verie small and insensible that it cannot bee much amended though never so much care should bee taken and that by tampering it may bee made much wors as by the learned infinite and equally unprofitable pain of Petavius is too well known Therefore good it were that Chronologie brought to this degree of complement might exspect no extremer hand but beeing stampt with the impression of som publick autoritie might go currant in general Opinion without farther clipping or defacing upon whatsoever specious and pretending reformations CHAP. XXII Of Canon Chronological THe designation of Time secundum intervalla the Chronologers call Canon which if it set the Aera's down singly is termed Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it make a Connexion of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Example of the first is  Anni From the Aera of the Julian Period Unto that of Orbis Conditi 764. Unto the Vniversal Deluge 2419 Unto the Birth of Abraham 2711 Unto the Destruction of Troy 3530 An Example of the second is The Creätion fell out in the 764 of the Julian Period The Flood came upon the earth Anno 1656 of the Creätion and 2420 of the Julian Period Our Saviour Christ was born Anno Mundi 3949 Anno Period Jul. 4713 Olympiad 194 and 748 of Nabonassar This Connexion of things is called Synchronism whether it bee of the intervals themselvs or together with the Storie An error committed herein is called Anachronism and either saith too much and that is a Prochronism or too little and that is a Metachronism FINIS THE ASSYRIAN MONARCHIE BEEING A short Description of it's Rise and Fall By JOHN GREGORIE Master of Arts of Christ-Church in Oxon. יהוה IVSTVS VIVET FIDE DEVS PROVIDEBIT I. Y LONDON Printed by William Du-gard for Laurence Sadler and are to bee sold at the Golden-Lion in Little Britain 1649. VIA VNA COR VNVM THE ASSYRIAN MONARCHIE BEEING A short Description of it's Rise and Fall A Monarchie as the Philosopher discourseth in his Politicks is the government of one man over manie According to the degrees of this Principalitie the word Monarchie is equivocal in the prime meaning intending The Lawful Absolute Rule of som Prince either Elected or Succeeding exercising Dominion corresponding with the Law of Nature and the Right of Nations Thus His Sacred Majestie is a Monarch or sole Governor within these his Realms In a wider and unjuster sens A Monarchie is taken for The Peremptorie Autoritie of som Mightie Potentate whose Right and Title for the most part is his Sword or if hee hee Succeed 't is in the Ambition and Tyrannie of his Progenitors by which hee usurpeth power where hee pleaseth striking into the hearts of Men rather the fear then the love of him whereby hee enforceth his unwilling Vassals to an unnatural Obedience Thus the great Turk may bee called a Monarch for in this sens though it seem to secure it self under the protection of an acceptable name yet a Monarchie thus taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differeth little from that which Aristotle calleth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vice of a Monarchie to wit a Tyrannie Historians take more notice of this later becaus the more notorious of this kinde were those 4 great Monarchies unto whose Kings as to famous Epoches the stragling and unbounded affairs of the World are orderly reduced In this number the Kingdom of Ashur beareth a place and the first the Description whereof wee have here undertaken In the consideration of this wee shall observ in it a treble Vicissitude which the Babylonians and Assyrians underwent in the continuance of this Government The first from Nimrod to Ninus in which time the seat of the Kingdom was at Babel The second from Ninus to Asarhaddon and in this interim the Assyrians prevailed at Ninivie The third and last from Merodac to Belshazar in which again Babel got the better which it held till all was lost to the Medes and Persians And for the greater illustration to all this wee will promise the Description of the Land of Ashur as knowing this full well that the circumstance of Place as well as Time addeth much to the understanding of the Storie ×שור THe Land of Ashur was so called from him that first planted a Colonie from Babel in those parts whose name was Ashur the Son of Sem. It is the opinion of that learned Rabbin Don Isaac Abarbinel in his Commentaries upon the first Book of Moses called Bereshith in Parasha Noach fol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Assur the son of Sem dwelt in Assyria and from his name it was so called To this opinion among the Antient Greeks onely Eratosthenes attain'd as hee is introduced by the Scholiast of Dionysius the Alexandrian a Geographical Poet his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the Modern Suidas hath embraced this conceit there where hee pleaseth to retract his own in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So also amongst manie others Gemma Frisius for the Latine Writers in his 22 Chapter of the Division of the Earth from the Jew Josephus who also favoureth this Assertion The Etymologist therefore who ever hee were hath deceived himself in assigning the Etymon of this word Assyria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. vide Etymologicum magnum in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychium in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while hee forgeth this distinction between it and Syria that Syria should bee that part of Asia which was overwhelmed in the Deluge and was therefore so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which also are the words of Hesychius but Assyria saith hee was that part which having escaped the Flood was
ours Here followeth a Custom most detestable and unfit for anie Everie woman throughout all the Countrie was bound once in their lives to repair to the Temple of Venus and there to prostitute their bodies to whomsoever that would but throw down a certain piece of monie were it less or more which monie was given to the Temple and to the honor of the Goddess Their manner was thus The Women sate down in the Temple distinguished one from another by little lines of Cord which hee that would might take awaie or break if the Woman seem'd to bee coie and so take their Strumpet out of the Temple into a by-corner c. The Epistle of Hieremie if that bee his which wee finde annexed to the Apocryphal Baruch maketh mention of this horrible and impious practice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the women encompassed with lines sit down in he Allies burning Bran for perfume but if anie of them drawn by som that passeth by lie with him shee reprocheth her fellow that shee was not thought as worthie as her self nor her Cord broken This Venus also they called Mylitta as they might for as good reason as they did the Moon but as in their Gods so in the names of their Gods hee that readeth shall finde notable confusion Master Selden understandeth by Succoth Benoth nothing els but this Temple or Tabernacle of Venus from Benoth also hee deriveth her name Let the Learned examine it Bee the conceit true or fals it is attended with an egregious dexteritie in the cariage and probabilitie in the conjecture The Assyrians burie their dead Corps in Honie for the most part and cover over the bodies with the Wax their manner of Lamentations for the Dead is to beat their breasts and to besmear their faces with dirt not unlike in this to the Egyptians Strabo Herod of whom see what Herodotus writeth in Euterpe Arrian maketh mention of certain Sepulcres of the Kings of Ashur found by Alexander amongst the Fenns in Babilonia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 7. expedit Alex. A like place to this I have not as yet found c. Their Habite in Apparel was to wear long garments one without of Woollen another under that of Linnen wee may call the first a Goat the other a shirt they had without these a white Mantle They alwaies wore rings upon their fingers not without a seal they never walked without a staff and their staves had knobs carved with a Rose or Lilie or such like Herod Strabo ibid Against Ashur prophecied Balaam the Magician Esaie Jeremie Zephanie Nahum and others And this was the State of antient Ashur in her florishing times under the famous Rulers of the first Monarchie In this Countrie these Kings acted their parts especially at Babel and Ninive the Assyrian one while bearing Rule otherwhile the Babylonian as hereafter shall appear Having thus briefly and rudely surveied the position and disposition of the Land of Ashur peculiarly and properly taken especially the two famous and Royall Seats of the Assyrian Monarchie Ninive in Ashur and Babel in her borders it remaineth that wee address our selvs to discours the succession of her Kings which Chronologically undertaken ought according to the rules of that Art to proceed either per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the master Chronologer Eusebius hath don in his first books or els per annos expansos as the same hath don in his second Upon which see Scaliger's most learned Animadversions and his Notes upon the first But the injuries of time have so far prevailed against the Method of this Monarchie that wee cannot make use of anie of these artificial waies the wounds in our golden head beeing so near to mortal that no Principle or Rule in Art may touch them to the quick and therefore our industrie must attemper it self to the necessitie of this Ataxie and confusion which the neglect of Ages past hath breed in this unfortunate portion of Historie The first therefore and most Antient Description of this Kingdom of Ashur was performed by God himself who upon a time discovered to the King of Babel in the night Visions the State and nature of this Monarchie under the form and figure of a golden Head under the form of a Head becaus it bare the first and chiefest place among those Governments which were eminent in the World A Head of Gold First becaus it was the most renowned among the Monarchies as Gold among the Metals 2. For it 's great and admired Strength Gold beeing the strongest of all Metals becaus best and most neerly compacted And for this caus also this Kingdom in another Dream of the Prophet's own is compared to a Lion 3. For it's Perpetuitie Gold beeing the most durable Metal and this Monarchie of the longest continuance which also seemeth to bee intended by the Eagle's wings upon the Lion for the Eagle is observed to bee of a lasting constitution as King David intimateth in the 5. vers of the 103 Psalm and notwithstanding this bird continued long yet shee might live much longer but that her upper beak crooketh in time over the lower and so shee faileth not with age but hunger See here the Prophets own Monument as it is preserved unto us in the tongue of the Chaldeans ×“× ×™×ל 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nehuchadnezar's Vision Thou O King art this Head of Gold This Images Head was of fine Gold After thee shall arise another Kingdom inferior to thee His Brest and his Arms of Silver And a third Kingdom of Brass His Bellie and his Thighs of Brass And the fourth Kingdom shall bee hard as Iron His Legs of Iron And whereas thou sawest the feet part of Iron and part of Claie the Kingdom shall bee divided partly strong and partly broken His Feet part of Iron and part of Claie In this choice Lecture of Antiquitie which the Antient of daies vouchsafed to read to his Prophet Daniel to illustrate the night and darkness of the King of Babel's dream wee finde the vast affairs of the wider World summ'd up into a Microcosm a stately statue of Heterogeneous structure indigitates the various passages and different occurrences which had been or were to bee in the world and all this in a Dream becaus all these things should pass awaie like a Vision of the night In the Golden Head behold pourtraied as it were the face of the first Monarchie In the breast of Silver behold the second stretching out her two arms over the two mightie Kingdoms of Media and Persia The brasen paunch swels out in the ambition of proud Alexander The thighs of the same Metal but weakned by division represent the Successors of that great Captain in special the 2 more noted Rulers of the North and South The Iron-leggs lighting upon an Age like themselvs stand out for the So most of the Writers determine though I will not as yet but in the mean time I have set down the most ordinarie Romane
Aera or Epoche doth restrain matters noted in Antiquitie to that certain time which is so called Concerning the Circle of the Sun and Moon each Almanack can tell as for Eclipses Simplicius in Secunâ— lib. de Coelo the Babylonians beeing great Astronomers observed the most that were visible in the Horizon of Ashur during the space of this Monarchie as Misthenes searched out in the Chaldean Archives at the request of Aristotle in the time of Alexander but these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came not to our hands where anie such observation shall bee found to bee wee will make use of that which is left and griev for what is lost That which first require's our diligence is to finde out whither this Monarchie were the first which will prove a question though it is not ordinarily doubted of The reason of the Question is the account of Affricanus which Scaliger following findeth it to reach backward beyond the Flood and therefore hee setteth down according to Julius Affricanus two Dynastics before this of the Assyrians the first of the Chaldeans whose State was overthrown by the Arabians In libello Canonum Isagogic and then theirs by the Babylonians The Scripture maketh no mention of anie King before Nimrod and this Monarchie of Syria is amongst all the Greeks and Latines accounted the most antient yet if it were as Julius saith then were they but som petit governments or els which is most true this Assyrian Monarchie was the first after the Flood R. Aben Ezra which also is the verie minde and speech of a great Doctor among the Jews The second thing to bee don is to finde out the Aera of this Monarchie when it first began which that it may bee the better performed wee must first make sure of the great and grand Epoche of the World's Creätion unto which the most of Nations direct their Chronologies Supposing therefore out of Christian Philosophie that this World had a begining 't is most probable that it began in som Cardinal point of the Celestial Motions either in the Solstice or in the Equinox Gerard Mercator supposeth the Worlds Creätion to have been about the Summer Solstice the Sun beeing in Aries but the Contrarie will appear The greatest controversie hold's to the Equinoxes the most holding that the Creätion was in the Vernal Equinox the best in the Autumnal The Saeder Olam or Jewish Chronologie relates that there was a great disputation between Rabbi Josue and Rabbi Eliezer concerning this Aera Rabbi Josue striving for the Vernal Eliezer for the Autumnal The Latter will bee found to bee the most Orthodox in the opinion as shall thus appear And first no man can Question but that the world began in that Period from whence the old world reckoned their years which hee that maketh trial shall finde to bee from the Autumnal intersection as is most apparant in accounting the time of the Flood Scaliger in Cap. de Cond Mundi This manner of Computation Abraham taught the Egyptians as an Antient Autor Alexander Polyhistor testifieth Euseb l 9. de praep This Custom the Egyptians long reteined the Opinion alwaies for so according to their minde Julius Firmicus the great Astrologer reporteth that this was current that the World was Creäted in posterioribus Librae as wee finde saith hee in the Barbarian Sphear Hee spake with a respect had to the Phaenomena of his time but it appeareth plainly what the Egyptian Sphear which hee calleth Barbarian See for the reason the great Critick upon the Sphoera Barbarica of Manilius had determined for the Epoche of the World's Creätion The like Attestation may bee observed in the Antient Hetrurians whose custom was at the begining of everie Year in stead of other Kalendars to fix a Nail in their great Temple which Festus Rufus and Livie witness to have been don in the Autumn Add hereunto that Moses calleth that the seventh Moneth which in som part answereth to the Autumnal Equinox This Moneth was called Aethanim which the Chaldie Paraphrast expounding confirmeth all that hath been said in these words The Moneth Aethanim which is now the seventh was antiently called the first Moneth Wherefore the Almightie God layed the foundations of this greater World in the first daie of the Week at Even begining the 26 of October the first portion of Aries beeing in the first Hous and the first of Capricorn in the tenth Libra in the seventh and Cancer in the fourth The Sun if then hee had been should have entred the first degree of Libra Mercurie the twelfth and Venus the fourteenth The Moon at the Conjunction Saturn in the first of Aries Jupiter in Virgo Mars in Leo and the Dragons-head in Pisces This was the figure of the Heavens when they were first formed the same beeing Astronomically calculated and erected according to Tycho's Tables See Calvisius The Aera of the Deluge reckoned from hence will easily appear out of Moses who listeth to search his Genealogies of the old World shall finde the summ to bee 1656 years with a fraction of 46 daies The Septuagint accounteth more the Samaritans less 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Computus Samariticus ad Scaligerum id est Min Adam el Mocho Meeth Shanah c from Adam to his death are 130 years c. Saeder Olam Rabba Zâ—tah That which wee have set down is the account of the Hebrews both in their great Chronologie and the less and is most agreeable to their great Prophet Moses These things beeing don wee shall the better finde out to what Aera our Kingdom of Ashur must bee referred which shall bee found out in this manner A priori this cannot bee but à posteriori thus It must bee observed in what year the Citie of Babylon was taken in the time of Alexander the Great and that may easily bee accomplished by the help of the Olympiads and Nabonassar's Aera Calvisius with others hath don it to our hands and it is exact It was saith hee in the 3619 year of the World This year of the World was the 1902 year of the Babylonish Monarchie as the Chaldeans themselvs declared to Calisthenes the Philosopher who was imploied in this search at the intreatie of his Tutor Aristotle the latter summ beeing deducted from the former Simplicius in Secund. lib. de Coelo there remaineth 1717 the Epoche or Aera which wee sought for within a smal matter And for this wee are greatly engaged to the dextrous care of our great Philosopher whose diligence if it had not here also helped us the begining of this Kingdom had put Chronologers to an endlels labor And now wee dare believe Diodorus hee saith that the state of Ashur stood from the first to the death of Sardanapalus 1360 years from thence to the taking of Astyages by Cyrus Clesius a Physitian of Cnidus accounteth 313 years which thing happened in the year of the world 3391 in the first year of the 55
lascivious Prince set forth not onely in his nature but his name also as Cicero hath observed Justine relateth his wanton and enormous practices so Diodorus and Athenaeus Suidas and manie more scarce an Autor that past by his infamie without a reprehension and reproch An Antient Autor Duris in Athenaeus deserveth to bee read concerning the manners of this womanly and effeminate Prince Hoc solo imitatus virum saith Justine in this onely hee was like a man in that hee burned himself Of the manner how read Athenaeus and of the reason why see Causabon's discours upon that place The most renowned Atchievment that ere this Prince brought to pass was that hee built two Cities in one daie Tarsus and Anchialus as the Epitaphsi make mention in the Autors aforenamed For so Aristobulus report's that his Tomb was set at Anchialus thus inscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Sardanapalus Anacyndraxi filius Tarsum Anchialum eodem die condidit Ede bibe lude nam caetera omnia nec hujus sunt that is not worth a sillip For so his Statue was carved as if his hands had given a fillip and his mouth had spoken those words The like Epitaph was inscribed upon a statelie Monument in Ninive in the Chaldee tongue which the Greek Poët Chaerilus thus translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caetera vide apud Amyntam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenaeus The like was at Tarsus where S. Paul was born at which this Apostle without question alluding to that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us eat and drink for to morrow wee shall die The great Enormities of this King brought forth the Confusion of the Kingdom the instrument whereof was the Rebellion of his Captain Arbaces Governor of the Medes with whom Sardanapalus fought for the Monarchie and got the victorie once and the second time upon which success the effeminate Prince presuming the third time in a secure disdain went not in person becaus also the Oracle had undoubtedly fore-told that the State of Ninive should never totter till the River Tigris proved hostile which in the Kings judgment could never bee But it fell out otherwise for in this third Skirmish Tigris swelling over his bounds by the vantage of a greater flood then ordinarie plaied an unneighbourly part and battered down his own borders at whose irruption a great part of the impregnable wall was laid level with the ground the citie it self opening to her adversaries to check the vice of her Governors Synchronismi Tarsus and Auchialus founded by Sardanapalus in one daie In the time of Sardanapalus Arbaces was Governor of the Medes and Belochus of the Babylonians Much question might bee made in this place what King continued the Monarchie whether Belochus were Phul or no or if not who this Phul might bee A question to this purpose is largely discussed in Sir Walter Raleigh's Historie yet notwithstanding that and what hath been elswhere said of that I ingeniously profess that I am ignorant at this time where to place this Phul yet for the present I observ the common order PHUL Circa Annum Mundi 3182. Phul IS an Assyrian name as Scaliger witnesseth somtimes used alone as here elswhere in Composition as in this Kings Successor Tiglath Phul Afer Synchronismi IN the time of Phul Menabem was King in Israël 2 Kings 15. Josephus Sed. Olam In Egypt reigned Mycerinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Life and Acts are recorded by Herodotus in Euterpe The Oracle brought word to this King that hee should from thenceforth live but six years and die in the seventh The King hearing this commanded that certain Lamps should bee made for the night time which hee had purposed to spend in jovialtie whilest others slept that so hee might delude the Oracle and live twice the longer by taking so much more notice of his daies See Herodotus in Euterpe pag. 140. circa ista verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. About this time Nabonassar lived of whom see Ptolomie but hee was not yet King Vzias was now King of Juda in whose daies hapned that notable Earthquake of which Josephus relate's that in the horror thereof a Mountain toward the West cleft in sunder and removed from it's proper place the space of four Furlongs or half a mile and further it had proceeded had not a greater Mountain toward the East staied it's Cours Of this Earthquake the Prophet Amos maketh mention by occasion whereof see what Aben Ezra saith upon that place page 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also what Kimchi saith in the next side in that Edition which Robert Stephanus put forth Tiglath Philassar THis King subdued Galilee Hee also carried the Tribe of Napthali into Captivitie Synchronismi IN the time of Tiglath Philassar Achaz reigned in Judah 2 Chron. 28. This King had a famous Dial and therefore the invention of the Sciateries is more Antient then Anaximenes This Dial was a South Vertical placed upon the wall of the Kings Palace So à Lapide and it stand's well with the explication of the Phaenomenon of the Sun's Retrocession And that it was a Dial see Peter Novius and Clavius two incomparable Mathematicians the one in his second Book of Navigation the other in the first of his Gnomonicks Salmanassar ORdinarie Chronologers commonly conceived this Salmanassar to bee Nabonassar of whom Ptolomie speak's But Scaliger dispute's the point against all Calvisius also but this last especially against Funccius Both agree that this Salmanassar was not that Nabonassar Scaliger giveth the reason both from the name time and other Circumstances which though Sir Walter Raleigh admire's yet hee condemn's Time now giveth not leav to enquire much less to determine the differences Sethus Calvisius placeth the Prince about that time wee have set him His time is much to bee enquired after it beeing a most famous Epoche from whose time Chronologie can demonstrate by the aid of Astronomie that the Affairs passed since that time are registred in Heaven Who so saith that Salmanassar was Nabonassar is deceived as afterwards shall appear neither is hee anie other but himself and none otherwise called Scaliger was bold to call him Merodac but hee repented of that in his Canons Isagogical Synchronismi HEre begineth or not far of that Nabonassar's famous Aera from whence Ptolomie in his Almagest accounteth the Celestial motions Hee ruled in Babylonia in the year of the world 3203 the Circle of the Sun beeing 19 and the Circle of the Moon 15 the Dominical Letter E. Upon the 26 of Februarie at Noon the Sun 's mean motion beeing 45 Minutes in Pisces the Moon in the eleven degree of Taurus and 22 Scruples The Original of the Samaritans out of a Colonie transplanted by the King of Ashur they were called Cuthaei becaus there came most from Cuth as Elias Tisbites in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuth Sennacherib OF his behaviour to King Hezechiah see the Prophet Esaie and the High Priest's Annals or Chronicles