warriour He commaunded at the siege of places to spred the first day white pauilyons the second day red and the third blacke signifying by the white that he would take the besieged to mercie by the blacke that hee would burne their Citie and by the red that he would put all to the edge of the sword And when a certaine Italian whom for the dexterity which he found in him he had made of a meane Marchant ouerseer of his reuenewes admonished him to ioine clemency with his vnmeasurable power and felicity he answered him with a frowning looke and sparkling eies that he was the wrath of God and the deadly destruction of the depraued age To another that intreated him to take pity on Baiazet who was lately so great a king he sternely aunswered that hee did not chastise a King renowmed for many victories but a cruel and vicious tyrant who had put to death Solyman his eldest brother and depriued him of his Kingdome And to the Emperour of Constantinople offering him his person his city and seigniory as vnto him to whom God had adiudged all the Empire of the East and by whose benefit al men acknowledged Greece to be deliuered from that cruell tyrant Baiazet he said that he would not bring into bondage the most faire renowmed and riche citie of all others which had so lately bin saued out of the handes of the Turkes Adding moreouer that he was not entred into this war for execrable ambition or insatiable couetise of conquering countries or enlarging his dominions but to the end to succour the Emperour and the Lords of Greece and to maintaine it in liberty as he vnderstood it had remained That the tyrant being taken and bound endured the punishement of his wicked deeds receiuing the same measure which he meaned to haue giuen vnto others Moreouer whereas he ouerthrew and burned all that was between the South and the East he suffered none to meddle with the temples which he left entier and for reuerence of their prophet he entred not into Arabia moued with some feare of God and reuerence of the religion Yet fortune hauing allwaies fauoured him without euer hauing bin contrary vnto him seemeth among so many admirable euents which exceed the ordinary course of Conquerours to haue denyed him an Historyographer of excellent learning and eloquence agreeable to his vertues to celebrate them worthily During the raigne of TAMBERLAN began the restitution of the tongues and of all sciences The first that applyed himselfe to this worke was Franciscus Petrarcha opening the Libraries which til then were shut vp and beating away the dust and filth from the good bookes of auncient authours for being a man of great vnderstanding excellent learning he hath not onely beautified the Italian tongue for the which he is reuerenced with his disciple Bocace as a principal Authour and Illustratour thereof but also hath laudably awakened both the Latin prose and poesie After him Iohn of Rauenna a Grammarian who when he was but yong knew Petrarch an old man hath much aduanced the Latin tongue instructing and exhorting many to the loue of learning which became very learned Amongst whom was Leonard Aretin Franciscus Philelphus Laurentius Valla Guarin of Verona Pogius Omnibonus Accursius Nicolaus Peâ—otta Victorinus Feltra Franciscus Barbarus Petrus Paulus Vergerius Maseus Vega Leonardus Iustinianus Gregorius and Lilius Triphernius Antonius Panormitanus Ioannes Aurispius Petrus Candidus and Blondus Flauius Then Emanuel Chrysoloras a gentleman of Constantinople a renowmed personage in learning and all vertue being sent by the Emperour Ioannes Paleologus vnto the kings of Europe to obtaine succours of them for Greece being greatly indangered after he was rid of that painfull charge he remained at Venice seeing his countrey deliuered from the feare of Baiazet whom Tamberlan held prisoner where he taught first the Greeke tongue which was left off and vnknowen aboue seeuen yeares in Italy And after at Florence Rome and Paris instructing the most part of the Scholers of Ioannes Raueâ—nensis which prospered with him so wel that by his instruction continued a few yeres it came to passe that such as were ignorant of the Greek were from thence-forward accounted the lesse learned among the Latins But other Grecians comming after into Italy did meruailously aduance this worke so happely by him begon namely the Cardinal Bessarion a great Philosopher and Diuine who left at Venice that goodly Greeke librarie Georgius Gemistius and Georgius Trapezuntius a learned Peripatetick who forgot the knowledge of letters in his extreme olde age Theodore Gaza an excellent translatour Andronicus Thessalicus Ioannes Argyropilus Constantinus and Iohannes Lascares Demetrius Chalchondilas Sophianus Marullus a Poet and Marcus Masurius whom God hath raised vp to preserue in these parts the Greeke language and learning oppressed by the Turkishe armes in Greece hauing inuited to the knowledge of their learning not only the Italians but also the Frenchmen Duchmen Flemings Englishmen Scots Polonians Hongarians and Spaniards which haue all giuen themselues vnto it with great vehemency and affection The ITALIANS most renowmed therein haue bin Pomponius Letus Platina Callimachus Eneas Syluius who was afterward Pope Pius Campanus Andreas Alerius Domitius Calderinus Angelus Politianus Hermolaus Barbarus and Ioannes Picus called the Phenix of his time as being singular in exquisite learning and eminent in the knowledge of many tongues and of all sciences who had done great good if hee had liued longer and deserued to be compared with all antiquity Iohannes Franciscus being his nephew Marsilius Ficinus a Platonist Georgius Merula Georgius Valla Baptista Pius Christophorus Landinus Philippus Beroaldus both the Vncle and Nephew Antonius Codrus Michael Palmerus Petrus Crinita Sabellicus Iouianus Pontanus apt and fit for any kind of writing as happy in prose as in verse of many sorts a good Philosopher and Astrologer Baptista Mantuanus the two Stâ—ozzi the father and the sonne Syncerus Sannazarius Vida Fracastorius Palaiarus Scipio Capicius Octauius Cleophilus the two Celij Rhodoginus and Calcagninus Leonicenus and Leonicus Manardus Iucundus Veronensis Paulus Emilius Polydore Virgil Egnâ—cius Bembus Sadoletus Contarenus Nymphus Eugubinus Romulus Amaseus Marcus Antonius Flaminius Molsa Andreas Naugerius Hadrianus Cardinalis Andreas Alciatus Emilius Ferrettus Petrus Victorius Mancinellus Sulpicius Carolus Sigonius Robertellus Paulus Manucius Nizolius Lazarus Bonamicus and Lampridius FRENCHMEN Iacobus Faber a Philosopher and Diuine Guil. Budeus the most learned of his time both in Greeke and in Latin a most diligent obseruer of antiquity Lazarus Baisius Germanus Briensis Nicolaus Beraltius Michael Hospitalis Franciscus Connanus the two Syluij Franciscus and Iacobus Ioannes Fernelius a Phisitian Orontius Fineus a Mathematician Textor Petrus Danâ—us Iacobus Tusanus Iacobus Amiottus Stephanus Doleta Adrianus Turnebus Ioachimus Perionius Nicholaus Gruchius Petrus Bunâ—llus Marcus Antonius Muretus and Petrus Ramus Antonius Fumeus Duarinus Baro Balduinus Cuiacius and Othomannus Ciuilians Iacobus Ludouicus Strebeus Macrinus Borbonius Beza
should be immortal euen as the CHRISTIANS and SARAZENS beleeue OF THE NOBILITIE AMONGST the Egiptians Persians Assyrians Indians Scythians Thracians and other auncient and moderne Nations THey indeed were reputed noble in Egipt Persia Scythia Iberia Assyria India Thrace and other auncient Nations which made profession of Armes and medled not with mechanicall arts to whom according to the qualitie of the Countrie were appointed lands rents and reuenewes out of the publike for their honest intertainment and to the end they might not be constrained by want to exercise any other questuarie gainfull and base maner of liuing It was not lawful in EGIPT for men of warre called Culasyres and Hermotiuies to vse any other art but militarie which they taught and deliuered from hand to hand and from the father to the sonne LICVRGVS forbad the LACEDEMONIANS all Mechanical arts and occupations yea euen merchandize and traficks accounting such vocations to belong to bondmen or strangers or to men of base condition and putting Armes onely in the hands of his Citizens whom he would haue altogether free and truely militarie HER ODOTVS writeth that the PERSIANS honoured valiant men of warre more then all other Nations and that they made no account of marchandise Moreouer that not onely the Persians but also the Egiptians Thracians Scythians Lydians and almost all the barbarous Nations esteemed artisans the basest of all men yea euen their children and their whole race That the GREEKS also and aboue all the Lacedemonians and Corinthians made little reckoning of the artificers And Plato in the second and eight booke of his Common wealth and in the beginning of his Timaeus willeth the Nobles and men of warre to abstaine from tilling the ground and from Mechanicall artes and other questuarie occupations At this day the ARABIANS do vtterly detest all Mechanicall sciences And the Nobilitie or Gentlemen of FRANCE are forbidden by the auncient ordinances of the Countrie to exercise merchandize or any other questuarie art on paine of beeing depriued of their nobilitie and to pay taxe as those of the common sort The like do the NOBLES and Gentlemen of Spayne Lumbardie Naples England Germanie Hungarie and Poland holding it a thing not onely vnworthy of Nobilitie but also to be an act derogating from the priuiledge thereof to exercise in steede of Armes a mechanicall art or to vse trade of marchandize if it be not of things of their owne growing of which the traficke is permitted them The Nobles of Persia vse it in like maner possessing fees and vnderfees with vassals relieuing of them also landes castels townes and Countries which they hold either by succession of their parents or by giftes and benefites of the SOPHI their Prince for the which they are bound to serue him in his warres furnishing a number of men according to the value of their reuenewes And in INDIA the Naires are held in such reputation as the Gentlemen in these parts being constrayned ordinarily to beare swords targets bowes lances and such other armes vsed amongst them otherwise they should lose the name and priuiledge of nobilitie In TVRKIE there is no distinction of Nobilitie drawen from the auncestours but he onely amongst the Turkes is reputed noble who in matter of warre hath giuen many proofes of his valiancie When the OTTOMAN conquereth any Countrie he extinguisheth the great ones and the nobilitie and sendeth thither his Sangiacques Subassis and Spachis giuing them the fruites of the fees and appointing rents on the reuenew of his lands which are called Timarly Euery SPACHI is bound to haue so many horses and men as he hath fiue or six Aspers a day to spend both of his pay and of his Tymar or yearely rent They cannot make ouer the fees which they hold to their children without the expresse permission of the great SIGNOR And none enioyeth the nobilitie of any father whose sonne he is vntill by industrie he represent the person of his father and not in word None there possesseth any villages castles or townes after the maner of the Persians or of vs or inhabiteth strong houses or dareth to build aboue one storie or higher then a douecote In ENGLAND at this day the Nobilitie do not dwell in castels or houses of strength closed with motes and diches neither haue they any iurisdiction ouer men which is in the kings hand be it high base or meane The dignities themselues as Dukedomes Marquisats and Earledomes are but titles which are giuen at the kings pleasure whereas they which haue them possesse nothing oftentimes in those places whereof they beare the name but haue their lands lying elswhere The Gentlemen in FRANCE possesse in high base and meane iustice villages boroughes townes castels fortresses Baronies Earledoms Marquisats Dukedoms Principalities and Peereships patrimoniall with vassals holding and vnderholding of them bound by faith and homage which iurisdiction notwithstanding dependeth on that of the king and aunswereth at the last appeale to his soueraigne Courts or Parliaments In the ROMAIN EMPIRE the lands were first giuen in reward of seruice to the men of warre for terme of their liues as they are at this day in Turkie after they were made and became patrimoniall and hereditarie to their children And because they were giuen them to liue on in recompence of their seruices they were termed benefits and they which were recompenced in such sort were said to be beneficed or benefited Then by this example the Church comming to be rich by the almesdeeds and foundations of Princes and great Lords they called the Archbishopricks Bishopricks Abbeies Priories and Cures by the name of benefices because the Ecclesiastical persons possessed them after the same maner as the auncient men of warre did their fees and benefices The Emperour ALEXANDER SEVERVS was the first that permitted the heires of those men of warre to inioy theis fees prouided that they followed Armes and not otherwise ordayning most expresly that such heritages should neuer fall but into the hands of such as made profession of armes And a while after him CONSTANTINE the great at the beginning of his Empire gaue to his principall Captaines and to those by whose meanes he thought most to preuaile against his aduersaries a perpetuitie in the lands which were assigned them Whereby one may know that the estate of the Turke resembleth in many things the Romain Empire and the auncient kingdom of Persia in which the whole gouernment was in the disposition of one onely Lord seruing himselfe with meane fellowes which may without danger easily be aduanced to great charges and honours and without tumult or enuie abased withdrawen or put to death But the FRENCH king is placed in the midst of an auncient Nobilitie and companie of Princes Earles Barons and other gentlemen hauing subiects peculier to themselues and holding their preheminence in the kingdom of which they can hardly be depriued without sedition The estates also of lands which were but for life were made perpetuall vnder the last kinges
thereon it wil bee founde by true reason of Cosmography that they neuer possessed the twelfth part of the earth ZENON the first authour of the secte of the Stoickes ymagined an vniuersall forme of gouernement tending to this that all men should not liue by townes peoples and nations being separated by particular lawes rightes and customes but that they should account themselues fellow citizens and that there was but one sorte of life as there is but one world no otherwise then as if it were but one flocke feeding vnder one shepheard in common pastures PLATO also wished that there were on earth but one king as there is in heauen but one God to th end that the humaine gouernement might therein resemble the diuine which Lord of the world as a true shepheard of mankind should loue al men indifferently as his naturall subiectes maintayning them with good maners lawes iudgements and assured entercourse both by sea and lande so great a prince not bearing enuy to any person and hauing no occasion to enlarge his frontiers by ambition which would be the cause of ceasing so many enmities warres slaughters spoiles and robberies happening amongst men through the pluralitie and dissentions of gouernements Which matters being by them grauely and magnificently propounded are much more easie to bee wished then effected considering the diuersity of tongues dissimilitude of maners and customes varietie of sects and vanity of opinions that raigne amongest men and make them to lose that loue which is wished amongest them hindering the establishing of one vniuersall common wealth of all and consequently a Monarchie of people so much differing in estimation of diuine and humaine right and the religion and seruice of God One man alone can not possesse all the earth the greatest part of it being drowned by the sea and in some places where it is vncouered of waters being vnhabitable thorough excessiue heate or cold And if he should possesse it hee would straight forget himselfe in so great authoritie and libertie and become proud beyond measure waxing tyrannicall and insupportable as it happened to Cambyses to Nero to Sesostris to Attila to Tamberlan and to Alexander the great who thorough extreeme ouerweening would be accounted and called the sonne of God and for his insolencie was poisoned by his most familiar friends and as it happened to OCTAVIAN AVGVSTVS who suffered Temples to be consecrated to him and diuine honours to be giuen him in his life time Considering also that there is a certaine measure and proportion of greatnes in Townes Cities and States euen as in liuing creatures plantes and instruments which when it exceedeth loseth his nature and vse As it befell vnto this ROMAINE EMPIRE which being clymed vp to an incomparable greatnesse and inestimable wealth did fall est soones into great calamities and was finally ouerthrowen as others had bin before it which we wil compare togither setting downe their similitudes and differences A COMPARISON OF THE ROMAIN Empire with the Assyrian Median Persian Macedonian and Parthian AMongest the great auncient kingdomes the ASSYRIAN was excellent in nobility mighty in armes large in compasse of land and in continuance admirable which being augmented by Belus Ninus and Semiramis and enlarged by the spacious countries of Asia was the first that amongest all other Empires which it farre exceeded obtayned the name of an established Monarchie and for the space of a thousand three hundred and threescore yeres vnder thirtie eight kinges florished greatly After followed that of the MEDES which vnder nine kings continued CClxj yeres well gouerned in peace and warre Then raigned the PERSIANS who hauing added Egypt vnto their dominion and increased their strength and riches when they had prospered two hundred and thirtie yeres they lost their state vnder Darius their fourteenth king From that time forwarde the MACEDONIANS by the successe and conduct of Alexander obtained the rule ouer Asia which they lost one hundred and twenty yeres after giuing occasion by their ciuill dissentions to the Parthians in the East and to the Romaines in the West to increase and grow great Then the Romaines towardes the West seasing the Macedonian Seigniorie which though it were great indeed yet was but weake by the diuision of the princes who had parted it betweene them established the greatest and fairest Empire that euer was For if all the famous Monarckes amongest the straungers bee compared vnto the Romaine Emperours there will not bee founde any amongest them that haue done greater thinges either in peace or warre or that haue more enlarged their Empire and longer maintained it The AssyriaÌ„s went not out of Asia The Medians endured only cclx yeres the Persians hauing ouercome the Medes obtained almost al Asia but when they assailed Europe they little preuailed And the Persians being ouerthrowen the Macedonian Empire was greater then al the former but it endured but a whiles For incontinently after the death of Alexander being deuided into many Lordships it was easily supplanted by the Romaines And although it were very â—arge yet it went not into spacious Africk sauing where it reacheth vnto Egypt neither possessed all Europe being bounded on the north with the countrey of Thrace and towards the West with the Adriaticke sea But the ROMAIN EMPIRE extended into Europe Asia and Africk from the Orcades and Thule on the one side Spaine and Mauritania on the other euen to the hill Caucasus and the riuer Euphrates and the higher Ethiopia trauersing the countrey of Egypt and of Arabia euen to the East sea being the first and only which to this present hath made the East and West his limits and hath endured longer then any other excepting the Assyrian Touching the PARTHIAN which was at the same time when the Romain opposed against it being encreased with the ruines of the Macedonian in the East as the Romain was also in the west albeit it was very great and terrible vnto all the East as comprehending eighteene kingdomes betweene the Caspian and the red sea and being far stretched out towarde the Indies and famous by many ouerthrowes which it had giuen to the Romaines as namely by the death of Crassus and shameful retreat of Antonius yet obtained it but one part of Asia and receaued some kings from Rome which being begon by Arsaces endured only cccclxiij yeres vnder twenty and seanâ—n kings And the second PERSIAN also was of no greater circuit which was set vp by the Persian Artaxerxes hauing ouercome in three battailes and in the end slaine Artabanus the last king of the Parthians and ended cccxiij yeres after it was restored being ouerthrowen vnder Hormisdas the xxviij king by the Arabians THE BIRTH OF ROME AND CONTI nuance thereof compared to the foure Ages of mans life AS the Astrologers say that cities haue their reuolutions and prefixed times of continuance which is knowen by the situation of starres at the day of their natiuities For this cause Tarucius a Romaine in the time of Cicero and of
SEMIRAMIS hauing giuen commaundment to all the gouernours of the prouinces of the kingdom of Assyria that they should be obedient to her sonne as to their king she vanished sodainly and it was beleeued that she was translated among the Gods The people of Rome buylded a Temple vnto IVLIVS CESAR neer vnto the place where his body was burned after his death and worshipped him as a God thinking that the Comet which arose then was his soule translated into heauen And if it were lawfull to mingle trueth with fables and diuinitie with humanitie MOSES which receiued so much grace and fauour of GOD as to speak vnto him and to be chosen to bring the children of Israel out of the miserable bondage of Pharaoh and to giue them the Law and forme of liuing he was soone after his birth exposed in a basket of bulrushes neere to the riuer Nilus and after miraculously saued by the kings daughter who brought him vp and adopted him as her sonne And when he died and was buried his sepulture was neuer afterwards knowen of any God by the mouth of his Prophet Esay calleth CYRVS who founded the kingdom of Persia his king two hundred yeares before he was borne promising to hold his right hand and to helpe him to take the strong Cities to subdue mightie Nations and to humble the kings of the earth And chose him amongst all the Princes of the Gentiles to reedifie the Temple of Ierusalem and to restore the people of Israel to their Countrie wherhence they had bin driuen out a long time ARSACES hauing conquered and established the kingdom of the Parthians was no lesse celebrated of them then Ninus and Semiramis of the Assyrians Cyrus of the Persians Alexander of the Macedonians Romulus Iulius Cesar and Augustus of the Romaines In remembrance and honour of whom the succeeding kings which raigned in that state were called of his name Arsacides as the Romain Emperours are called Cesars and Augustes in the honour and memorie of Iulius Cesar and Augustus A COMPARISON OF THE ROMAIN warfare with the Parthian Carthaginian and Assyrian THE militarie exercise of the Carthaginians was principally in matter of the sea By reason whereof they made little reckoning of footmen but gaue some order for horsemen because they were serued by strangers and mercenaries The Parthians vsed not any footmen neither fought in any order but by skirmishes confusedly and vncertainly On the contrarie the principall force of the Romaines consisted in their footmen and they fought close in rank and order neuer forsaking that place wherein they were appointed resolute to ouercome or to die The great champaignes and large countries which the Parthians inhabited far from the seas and where there are but few riuers being far distant one from an other were verie fit for their horsemen to run swiftly from one side to thother Where on the contrarie the Romaines being laden with armes could not keeping their order make hast without damage in such places where they found neither vittailes nor waters Who by militarie discipline and exercise surmounted the multitude of the Gaules the greatnes of the Germains the strength of the Spaniards the riches and cauteles of the Africans the wisdome and subtelties of the Grecians albeit they were lesse in all things then these Nations sauing in the art and exercise of warre And hauing gotten the seignorie of a great part of the world when their Empire was mounted vp to the highest of the wheele in the time of Augustus it began then to turne and to go downwards when the Citizens of Rome were left out of the hostes which the Emperours gathered and that they relied on the force of the mercenaries and of such as they had before ouercome And howbeit the great vertues which were in Augustus and his good wit preserued and vpheld the Maiestie of the Empire as long as he liued yet his successours learned of him to intertaine others in pay besides the Romaines as Gothes Lombards Germains Frenchmen Spaniards and others whereof came the ruyne of Rome for asmuch as the Emperours following kept an host of strangers called the Pretorian neere the walls of the Citie of Rome which maner albeit at the first it seemed for their aduantage yet in the end it was their ouerthrow For this number of souldiers disposed of the Imperiall dignitie at their pleasure beeing armed in the place against naked and vnarmed people Also the other armies which were in Gaule Germanie Pannonie Suria Africke and elswhere would be of aucthoritie whiles th one of them named one to be Emperour and an other named another in somuch that there were sometimes two or three pretēding at one time who thinking ech to consume the other consumed the Empire which had cost so much in the obtaining But considering that almost all the Emperours were of strange Nations as also the souldiers which had created them that made them to care lesse for the conseruing of it then if they had bin borne of the Citie Then aswel those which were elected Emperours as they which had chosen them marched against the Citie with the same mind as they would against their enemies doing in these changes many spoiles and murthers aswell on the Emperours themselues as on the Senatours and other great persons Whereas if the institution which the Romains had in the time whiles their vertue liued had bin still maintained which was to make their warres with their owne people and not to hire strangers nor to admit their neighbours or allies into their campe in greater number then they were themselues their Empire had not bin diuided neither transported out of their hands neither their Citie many times destroied and abandoned as it hath bin For by maintaining their former maner of fighting they should haue auoided all these inconueniences and haue comen alwaies happely to a good end of all their enterprises as they did as long as they were serued of their owne Citizens Moreouer the Romains failed greatly in the intertaining of their ordinarie armies and prolonging of general militarie charges which fault was a great furtherance to the ouerthrow of the common wealth and destruction of the Empire But the kings of Assyria changed euery yeare their armies and their Lieutenants generall prouiding wisely by such changing that the souldiers and Captaines could not so readily vnite themselues one with the other to conspire against them For the people that are continually exercised in armes and hardned vnto labour are more couragious and the Captaines which commaund alwaies ouer the same armies make them partial to themselues and draw them oftentimes from the obedience of their common wealth or the seruice of their Prince as it hath bin discoursed more at large before speaking of the Assyrians Besides they yet made an other fault no lesse then the former changing the simplicitie of the Romains into the proud ceremonie of the barbarous kings For whereas the first Emperours accomodated themselues to the Romaine libertie not
They held in most straight subiection all the people of Egypt and of Suria forbidding them to haue any weapons or to ryde on horsebacke They were not aboue sixteene thousand but they intertained many seruants vnder them and being men of great force and hardynesse they had not only tamed many bordering nations and beaten the Arabians but also made many warres against the Turkes enuying their prosperitie of whome they remained often victorious and were seldome or neuer vanquished by them But when as they were deuided and bandded in partalities Selim the Turke defeated them in two battailes killing in the first the SOVLDAN SAMPSON who was gone into Suria with an armie to helpe the Sophi then prosecuting his victory he went into Egypt against him that was chosen SOVLDAN in steed of him that was dead whom hee tooke and made him ignominiously to bee caryed on a poore Camell with his face backwardes all alonge the great streete of Cair and to bee hanged at the gate of that Citie doubling his power by the Conquest of such a state much reuerenced by those of the religion of Mahomet and redoubted because of the valyance of the MAMMELVCS whoe were massacred in suche sorte that there name is almost extinguished There remayne yet other great kingdomes of this time as of NARSINGVE in the Indies and of PRESBITER IOHN in Africke called Lacâ—gue Negus of the ABYSINS being baptized and circumcised Christians and of the MOSCOVITE in the north a Christian also but after the Greeke maner The king of Narsingue which is of the auncient religion of the Bramines yeldeth to no king of the world in riches power and magnificence intertaining forty thousand horsemen of ordinary and foure hundred elephants fitt for war with infinite dromedaries Touching PRESBITER IOHN he commaundeth ouer innumerable nations different in colours and hath vnder him forty kings tributary His landes and seigniories extende toward the West more then twenty daies iourney and he hath gold shut vp in a caue enough to buy the moitie of the world and the quantity is euery day increased and multiplied without taking any thing from it In the spacious kingdome of Ethiopia being so large neuer did the kings sonnes or brothers moue any sedition for the state nor defiled their hands in one anothers bloud but the line of the bloud royall is alwaies conserued by rare hap and neuer yet communicated to any other kingdome whatsoeuer Christian Hebrew Sarazen or Pagan They say it was once reuealed to one of their kings in a dreame that if he desired to haue his kingdome long maintained in peace and vnity he must locke vp all his children which were a great number on a mountaine and that he must keep onely him that he would haue to succeed in his kingdome and this custome remained eternally to his posterity as a thing ordained of the heauens Otherwise that one part of Ethiopia which is so large would come to reuolt against the heire and put him in danger of his life and of his state The king being awaked was meruailously astonished with this nouelty not knowing where he might finde this mountaine Wherefore he had another vision reuealing vnto him that he shoulde marke thorough out al his countrey where he should see goates on the top of rockes so high that they seemed readie to fâ—ll and this should bee the place where he should shut in his children Which the king hauing put in execution the mountaine was found to be of a meruailous height and greatnesse wherein the children of Presbiter Iohn were locked vp and carefully kept for there is no lesse paine to them that come out therehence or which drawe therehence any of those that are shut vp then death hee onely remaining free that ought to raigne by his birth-right or which seemeth the most capable to succeed in that dignity Those which are shut vp doo neuer come forth except it so fall out that Presbiter Iohn depart without heires of his body to inherite the crowne For then they take out him that is next it whome they know to be the worthiest Also the great KNES or king of Moscouie is a great landed man in the North whose dominion is about three monethes iourney in compasse of ground and he possesseth innumerable people nations prouinces duchies principalities and seigniories which the Emperours of Moscouia haue gotten one after another by armes or by other meanes offered them from time to time as Wolodimeria Nouingorod Plescouia Smolenk Tuner Iugaria Permia Viakia Belgaria the lower Nouogorodia Ceruigenia Rozar Volokde Rezomia Rostomi Cazan Ostrakan and others which it woulde be tedious to recite because of the rudenes of their names They say that of all his Lordships there are seuen principall wherehence he can bring forth for a need seuen hundred thousand men of warr all on horsebacke namely out of Plescouia a hundred thousand Nouingorode a hundred thousand Tuner a hundred thousand which are the greatest seigniories that he hath out of Smolenk a duchie vsurped on the king of Poland an other hundred thousand and a hundred thousand out of the Duchy of Moscoâ—ia where is situated the great city of Mosko the seate of the prince The bounds of his empire goe a great way into Asia as far as the Caspian sea neer the lands of the Sophi And hauing won a battaile against the King of Sueuia he is entred into the countrey of Liuonia where Germany beginneth on this side and hath there conquered Riga and Riuallia two great cities pertaining to the maister Duke and Knights of the Teutonian or Dutch order He exceedeth in seuerity and rigour of commanding all the Monarches of the worlde hauing gotten such authority ouer his subiects as well ecclesiasticall as secular that he may dispose at his pleasure of their liues and goods no man daring to gainsay him in any thing They confesse publickly that the will of their prince is the will of God and that all whatsoeuer he doth is done by the diuine prouidence Therfore they name him the Porter of Paradice the Chamberlaine of God and Executor of his will By this meanes is he become so mightie within a little time that all his neighbours which are the Tartarians Sueuians Polonians Liuonians yea and the Turkes themselues doe redoubt him It would be an infinite labour to propose here all the kingdomes and Empires that haue bin or are in reputation But it shall suffice to haue touched such as are best knowen namely those that haue ioyned wisedome with power whereunto this present discourse tendeth The end of the Ninth Booke OF THE POWER LEARNING and other Excellence of this age The Tenth Booke AS the Tartarians Turkes Mammelucs and Sophians haue gotten into the East by their valiancy the glorie of Armes So haue we in these partes towards the West recouered within these two hundred yeares the excellency of Learning and set vp the studies of the scienences after they had long time remained in a manner extinguished
to haue light from the top This being done he made his wife and his Concubines and the women of his Court which he loued best to enter into it not knowing nor doubting any thing what he meant to do then went he in himselfe and there caused himselfe to be shut in without hope of euer going out But before he had caused to be brought thither a thousand myriades of gold and a myriade of myriades of siluer and a great number of royal vestures and precious stones Then his Chamberlaines and Eunuches in whom he put all his trust and of whom he had taken oathes to do it put fire in this pile which endured fifteene daies So Sardanapalus burned himselfe with all his riches doing in that thing onely the act of a man Budeus valuing it all after our maner accounteth that he spoyled the earth or would haue spoyled it of the value of fiftie Milions of gold These two Lieutenants diuided afterwards the Monarchie betwixt them Beloch was king of Babylon and Arbaces of the Medians Aristotle in his politicks doubting of the end of Sardanapalus and of the Kingdom of Assyria saith that if that had not hapned vnto him which is reported yet that it might befall to any other king gouerning himselfe after that sort Moreouer the Chaldees in Assyria were appointed to haue care of holie things and did nothing but studie all the time of their life being reputed verie skilfull in Astrologie Many among them did prognosticate things to come as if they were Prophets and were wont to know how to diuert euill fortune comming towards men and to bring them good by sacrifices and praiers Besides they expounded dreames soothsayings and prophecies wherein they were verie expert as hauing bin brought vp therein and taught by their fathers still continuing and perseuering in the same for dwelling in plaine countries where the aire is commonly without clouds or raine and where there are no hills to hinder the sight of the heauens they had meanes to applie themselues wholieto contemplation of the Starres obseruing their mutual concursions how they approach or recoile th one from thother what are their conjunctions and oppositions and what becommeth of them in what seasons and how they are hid and then appeare againe the signes of good or ill fortune to come which they bring in particular to euery person and in generall to townes and to peoples In which obseruations they affirmed that they had imploied CCCC lxxiij thousand yeares from the time when they began them vntill Alexander the great went vp into Asia which space is incredible Neuertheles all agree in this that the Chaldees were most skilfull in the doctrine of the heauens because they had continued the studie thereof longest Plato in his Epinomides acknowledgeth Astrologie to haue bin begun in Syria and Egipt where by the serenitie of the summer season almost all the starres are cleerely seen and that time out of mind the obseruation of starres had bin there continued and there hence brought ouer to the Greeks Notwithstanding Simplicius a Greek Cōmentator on Aristotle witnesseth that Aristotle did write vnto Calisthenes being in the armie of Alexander that while others were busied about the spoile and pillage of Babylon he should diligently inquire of the antiquitie of the Chaldees and that Calisthenes answered that after hauing imploied all diligence therein he found their historie not to exccede the terme of one thousand nine hundred and three yeares Others do not onely attribute to the Chaldees the praise of Astrologie but also of many other Arts and that Prometheus of that nation for hauing showed the mouings of the Planets and opened the misteries of nature was accounted vnder the couerture of a fable to haue stolne out of heauen the sacred fire of Pallas and to haue giuen a soule vnto man which he had fashioned before of earth After that in reuenge herof and punishment of this boldnes he was had by Mercurie to the high mountain Caucasus and fastned to a great rock signifying his great assiduitie in contemplation of Heauen and of nature Now the Chaldees held opinion that the world had alwaies bin that it had no beginning and should haue no end the order and forme of all things being made by the diuine prouidence and that the celestial affaires are not casually or naturally guided but by the firme and determinate will of the Gods saying that the greatest force and influence of heauen doth consist in the planets and that the knowledge of such euents is knowen aswell by their ascendents as by their colours Sometimes they showed visiblie to peoples and countries to kings and priuate persons such things as might helpe them or harme them gathering the certaintie therof by the windes or by the raines sometimes by the heats and by the Comets by the Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone and by many other signes seruing greatly for the birth of men to haue good fortune or bad and that by their nature and proprietie especially by their aspect one might easily know things to come hauing told vnto Alexander that he should fight with Darius and after to Antigonus Nicanor Seleucus and other Kings and likewise to priuate persons so euidently that which was to happen vnto them that it seemed a miraculous thing and aboue the vnderstanding of man But when the raigne of the Assyrians failed the Medes on the one side and the Babylonians on the other ruled in Asia who followed the maners and customes of those which were their Lords before hauing no peculiar singularitie either in armes or letters and therefore I will dwell thereon no longer Besides that these affaires are so auncient and so far from vs that many esteeme as fabulous whatsoeuer is written thereof Wherefore I will come to the Persians who are better knowen and to the raigne of Cyrus being the founder of their Monarchie where beginneth the historie of the Greekes and in whose time also philosophie was first manifested OF THE POWER OF THE Persians the learning and Religion of their Mages THE PERSIANS were first shepheards bornin a hard countrie which made them strong inabling them to remain in the open field to watch and trauaile in the warres They did eate nothing ordinarily but bread and herbes with some venison hauing neither figgs nor any other fruit by reason of the rudenes and barrennes of their countrie They drank no wine but contented themselues with water euery one carrying his dish to drink it in when thirst came vpon him They took no refection nor repast without doing of some exercise before which was principally hunting Their children went to schoole to learne Iustice as they do in other Countries to learne Letters All their habit or rayment was of skinns aswel for their leggs as for the rest of the bodie HERODOTVS bringeth in ARTEMBARES speaking thus to the Persians Seeing that Iupiter hath giuen you the Monarchie and to thee CYRVS power to distroy Astyages go yet further for the
they ill obserued For after Darius his sonne XERXES comming to rainge which had bin brought vp in the same Kingly delicacies as Cambises hee likewise fell into the like inconueniences For possessing togither whatsoeuer Cyrus and Darius his father had gotten and seeing himselfe exceeding riche and mighty hee purposed to conquere Greece and came thyther with an inestimable army hauing by Sea fiue hundred and seuenteen thousand sixe hundred men by land a milion and seuen hundred thousand foote and fourescore thousand horsemen with twentie thousand Arabians and Africans vnto whom there ioyned of Europe three hundred thousand the whole multitude comming to two milions sixe hundred seuenteen thousād fighting mē the greatest that euer was in field after those of Ninus and Semiramis at the least of which we haue knowledge by histories Insomuch that we need not to maruaile at that which is sayd that running ryuers were dried vp by the infinite number which dranke of them and that there were so many sailes that one coulde not see the Sea by reason of them But therein the riches of Xerxes was more to bee admired then his conduct to bee commended because he was alwaies seen to bee the first in flying and the last in comming to fight being fearefull in daungers couragious and stoute in security and before hee came to the hazard of the warres Trusting in his forces as if he had bin Lord ouer nature hee leueled mountaines with the plaines filled and raised vp vallies passed ouer armes of the Sea on bridges which he caused to bee made and tourned the course of others by newe channels to saile at his pleasure But by how much more his comming into Greece was terrible his departure thence was so much the more dishonourable For being astonyed by the discomfitures of his people both by Sea and lande hee went backe into Asia euen almost alone in a fisherboate Which retraite deserueth well to bee considered with admiration for knowledge of the trueth of mens deeds to see him hidden in a little Schiffe whom but a little before the whole Sea could not suffice and to see him destitute of seruants whose armie all Greece coulde scarse intertaine In this manner Xerxes who had bin the terrour of the worlde began to bee despised of his owne people after he had bin so vnhappy in the expedition of Greece In so much that Artabanus an Hircanian a man of great credite with him and Captaine of his Guarde slue him and Darius his eldest sonne after him hoping to make himselfe King but setting vpon Artaxerxes the second sonne and hauing giuen him a stroke with his sworde ARTAXERXES feeling himselfe wounded but not to death est soones tooke his sword in hand for his defence and stroke Artabanus such a blowe that he fell dead to the ground So ARTAXERXES being almost miraculously saued and hauing also therewith auenged the death of his father succeeded him in the kingdom and Empire of Persia where there hath not bin since any king that hath bin great in deed as Plato sayth nor of any reckoning or renowne For taking away from the people to much of their liberty introducing a more absolute authority of ruling ouer them then was conuenient they lost the amitie and communion of the state Which things being lost the Princes looked no longer to the profit of the subiects or of the people but for the conseruation of their authoritie whatsoeuer little profit was offered them they razed the townes and consumed with fire the nations that were their friends and hating spitefully and without mercy they were hated in like maner And when it was needful that their people should fight for them they foūd them not of accord to hazard them selues willingly and to fight but ruling ouer almost innumerable men they made them vnfit for war and as hauing need of men they hyred others thinking to preserue themselues and their state by mercenary and straunge Souldiors who likewise forgat themselues shewing by their deeds that they preferred riches before vertue The tyrannies which they vsed towards their subiects for their pretended conseruation are recited by Aristotle in his Politicks but not approued as to abase and pull downe the highest and to take away the most couragious not to permit their bankets assemblies disciplines nor any such thing but to take heed to whatsoeuer is wont to ingender these two highnes of minde and confidence to forbid them Schooles and all other companies and meetinges and to prouide in any case that they came not acquainted one with another considering that knowledge and acquaintance maketh men to haue more affyance one in another That all the archers of the Guard being straungers should shew themselues in the streets and walke before the doores of houses wherby that which the subiectes imagined or practised should not be kept secret and they would come to haue lesse courage by being continually kept vnder Moreouer to endeuour to discouer what they said and did and to haue spies listeners and referendaries dispersed thorough out the Countries and whersoeuer there were any assemblies for they become lesse hardy by fearing such maner of people and if they should waxe hardy they be yet lesse secret Also that they should accuse and slander one an other and friends fall to debate with friends the common people with the Nobles and the riche amongst themselues And to impouerish the subiects serueth that they be not constrained to keepe a guard and that being euery day busied they may haue no leasure to conspire and that being vrged with some war they may alwaies haue need of their king as their head and Chiefetaine Not to suffer about him graue persons and free of speech because that such diminish the excellency and authority of the Lord which would only seeme to be such a one himselfe All which meanes and such other like being drawen out of the gouernment of the Persians are tyrannicall and most pernitious gathered by Aristotle not to the end to teach them vnto others but rather to beware of them by knowing the misery of tyrants which are constrained to fly to such euils thereby to assure their parsons and estates which when they thinke by these meanes to bee surest and safest are then soonest ouerthrowen at vnawares thorough the hate which their tyrannies haue engendred By which rough and hard vsage the Persians being degenerated suffred them selues to bee ouercome in many partes of Asia bordering on the Sea and hauing passed into Europe they were beaten backe some of them perishing miserably and others flying shamefully as they were worthy and had wel deserued For it is impossible saith Isocrates in his Panegyrick speaking of them to finde in people so brought vp and gouerned any vertue or prowes to triumphe ouer their enemies How should there be amongst such maners either valiant Captaine or good Souldiour the greatest part of them being but a confused multitude and not accustomed to perills being too soft
industrie they built their magnificent palaces both in PERSEPOLI and in SVSA And the Macedonians vnder Alexander burned Persepoli to the ground and tooke away all the treasures precious moueables other ornaments of Persia. But as these great Lordships were begun and maintained by vertuous Princes accompanied with men at armes on horseback and on foote hardned vnto all labours accustomed to watch to endure hunger and thirst paciently to drink water being skilfull and exercised in armes so ended they vnder loose and voluptuous Lords hauing their subiects depraued and corrupted by deliciousnes proceeding of too much riches NINVS interprising the Conquest of Asia exercised the strongest and lustiest young men of his kingdom long before vnto armes to the perils and dangers of warre and to endure paciently all paines and trauailes The father of SESOSTRIS being aduertised by reuelation that the sonne which should be borne vnto him should be King of the whole world gathered together out of all Egipt all the children that were borne the same day that he was and caused them all to be taught and brought vp in the same discipline and exercises accustoming them to paine to make them endure it continually and to abstain from eating and drinking and to make them by such bringing vp both stronger of bodie and hardier of courage then the rest of whom as being from their youth giuen to vertuous things he was in all his conquests serued valiantly with fidelitie and affection CYRVS being by nature noble and valiant was brought vp after the auncient Persian maner with the young Persian gentlemen called Omotimes because they were all equall in honours in all sobrietie and laborous exercises afterwards when he went to warre making choise of them to accompanie him they were a great helpe vnto his greatnes ARSACES being accustomed to liue on pray in the mountaines and forests with people of like bringing vp established the kingdom of the Parthians Such were the Authors or promotours of these Monarchies alike in vertue and education euen as they also in whose raignes they ended resembled one another in pleasure and pusilanimitie and died wretchedly SARDANAPALVS burning himselfe with all his treasures ASTYAGES vanquished and taken in warre afterward bound with chaines of gold DARYVS the last hauing lost three great battailes and seen prisoners his mother his wife and two daughters as he thought to gather together his forces taken prisoner by thē in whom he had most confidence being in prosperitie then miserably slaine with iauelins and left dead in the way As then these later Princes ran by their vices into most piteous fortunes and little differing th one from thother so the other by their vertues got great praises NINVS was the first that established the greatnes of that domination which was gotten by continuall possession where the former sought not the Empire for themselues but for the glorie of their people and being content with the victorie let alone the Lordship and Seignorie CYRVS is thought alone amongst all the Lords that haue sodainly growen great to haue knowen how to obserue modestie in his prosperities and to bridle his absolute power and aucthoritie with equitie and clemencie SESOSTRIS was so braue and haughtie that whensoeuer he went to the Temple or any whether in publike he caused his chariot to be drawen by fower tributarie kings or other great Lords in steed of horses shewing thereby that none of the other Kings or Captaines was to be compared to him in vertue and prowesse Also the goings of CYRVS out of his pallace which haue since bin imitated by the kings his successors were most magnificent and seruing much to the honour of a Prince and his gouernment SEMIRAMIS as soone as she was borne was cast out into a desert place and full of rockes where there was great store of birds by whom through the will of God she was nourished almost a yeare then found by the Shepheards and brought vp by them In like maner CYRVS euen in his cradle was exposed to the beasts and left in the midst of a forest where a bitch gaue him suck and kept him till such time as a shepheard finding him brought him to his Cabin SEMIRAMIS purposing to conquer the Indies and knowing how great an interprise it was and that to put it in execution it behoued her to leuy great forces she assembled an armie of three Millions of foote fiue hundred thousand horsemen and one hundred thousand chariots with which going into India she was put to flight and lost many of her people returning without doing any thing XERXES also going out of Asia into Greece with two Millions three hundred seeuenten thousand fighting men whereof there were fower score thousand on horseback fiue hundred seuenteene thousand on sea was constrained shamefully to retire himselfe seeing his Armie discomfited in many places Likewise DARIVS his father assailed the Scythians accompanied with eight hundred thousand men without reaping any praise of that voiage And CYRVS warring against the Massagetes was by THOMYRIS their Queene discomfited with two hundred thousand Persians and slaine the thirtieth yeare of his raigne SEMIRAMIS and THOMYRIS amongst the women of this former age deserue to be accounted chiefe th one hauing ruled the kingdome of Assyria thother that of the Massagetes and they hauing surmounted in glorie and great deeds all other Queenes that euer were SESOSTRIS diuided Egipt into six and thirtie Prouinces establishing in each of them a Gouernour aswel to receiue the reuenewes of the Crowne and royal tributes as to take careful heed of the affaires concerning the good and conseruation of them DARIVS the first diuided the kingdom of Persia into twentie Satrapies and in euery of them established a Satrape or gouernour parting betweene them his yerely tributes where and how the contribution should be made This Darius going about to set vp his statue aboue that of Sesostris in the Citie of Memphis was put back by the high Priest saying that his deeds were not yet equall vnto those of Sesostris The armies of Cyrus and Sesostris were equall in number of footemen each of them hauing six hundred thousand But Cyrus exceeded Sesostris in horsemen assembling together six score thousand where Sesostris had but fower and twentie thousand but he had xxviij thousand armed Chariots whereas Cyrus had but two thousand OF THE EGIPTIAN PRIESTS or Prophets and of the Chaldees Mages Brachmanes Druides and other Religious and learned people among the Auncients IN auncient time Religion onely was counted wisdom and there were no other esteemed wise but such as deliuered and interpreted it vnto men for ordinarily three things follow each other RELIGION WISDOM and POWER and little would either Lawes or Armes preuaile if they were not holpen by Religion which is the foundation establishment and conseruation of euery common wealth RELIGION imprinteth and retaineth in mens harts the reuerence of GOD and loue of their neighbour ruling the exposition of the holie books and the charges of
persons appointed for diuine seruice POLICIE conducteth the affaires of peace and warre in the which would not be found any iustice or fidelitie without the feare of God and loue towards men which are especially commaunded in all Religions Wherfore in all Lordships both auncient and moderne the first care hath alwaies bin of Religion and diuine seruice and such as haue had the chargethereof haue alwaies bin reputed the chiefest in aucthoritie much honoured and well intertained being both they and their children exempted from subsidies and militarie labours The PRIESTS or PROPHETS of Egipt inioâ—ed a third part of the reuenew of the kingdom and had great credit both with the king with the coÌ„mon people aswel for that they had the care of diuine things were very learned and teachers of others as because they were called by the king to giue counsaile in great affairs foretelling of future things which they knew by the Sacrifices and by the starres The Roialtie was mingled with sacrificing and none could be king but he were also a PRIEST as Plato saith in his Politiks The CHALDEES in Assyria and Media had such aucthoritie as the Egiptian priests in Egipt being reputed most skilfull and expert in Astrologie by which they did prognosticate of things to come and by sooth-sayings and sacrifices turned away euill fortunes and made good to come The BRACHMANES amongst the Indians held the chiefe place to whom great honour was borne and great giftes were giuen as to men that were acceptable to the Gods and thought to know whatsoeuer was done in Hell They foretold at the beginning of the yeare droughts raines windes and diseases And they indure still at this present in those parts perseuering in the cerimonies of their auncient Religion and holding the chiefe places in honour calling themselues BRAMINS which go before the NAIRES that is to say the Nobles The King of Calecut is their high Priest and head of his Religion going for this cause before all the kings of India and being called SAMORY that is God in earth The MAGES gouerned the Religion and estate of the Persians with such aucthoritie that they interprised sometimes to vsurpe the kingdom during Cambyses his absence in his voiage of Egipt and to make one of them king It was the custome also that the king of Persia should learne their Magicke without the which he might not raigne The DRVIDES of Gaule being ministers of Religion and of iustice discoursed of the starres and of their mouings of the nature of things and immortalitie of soules as also of the diuine aucthoritie and prouidence being greatly respected of all the rest and verie well intertained At Rome the SACERDOTES ARVSPICES AVGVRES FLAMINS SODALES and virgins VESTALES which kept the eternall fire the high Priest and inferiour Priests super-intendeÌ„ts of their cerimonies sacrifices and supersticions had knowledg of the Ciuil law and managed the publike affaires The first kings of Rome were sacrificers and the Emperours to make their greatnes aucthoritie more venerable called themselues high Priests The PRIESTS both men and women ordained both in Greece and elswhere to see to the obseruation of the pagan Religion founded on Oracles were in great aucthoritie and receiued mightie offerings The Roialtie in Lacedemon was a superintendence in warre and preheminence in sacrifices The LEVITES in Iurie separated from the other Iewes to exercise sacrificing and the office of Priesthood in the race of AARON receiued dueties of inestimable value The THALISMANS PARACADIS CADIS Priests and Iudges in the Law of Mahomet MENITSSMARLS and IMANS were wel priuiledged freed from all subsidies At the beginning the CALIPHES in that religion were Kings and Priests one in Bagdet another in Caire Sithence the Sultans haue taken the royal aucthoritie and haue brought in the MVPHTIS accounted as Patriarches in steed of the CALIPHES super-intendents of the Religion and iudging soueraignly in matters of the Law by which are not onely occained the praiers and diuine ceremonies but also the politike and militarie affaires They haue power to retract the ordinances of the Sultans and sentences of their Diuans or Counsailes which are not conformable or seeme repugnant to the ALCORAN Euery Mahometan Prince keepeth one alwaies neere about him or in his principal Citie with great pension The great CHAM of the Tartarians Zauologues keepeth his at â—â—â—â—rcand The SOPHI at Tâ—â—ris There are also in Africk at Fez Caroan â—â—â—â—â—ssen and elswhere The TVRK beareth vnto his greater reuerence then to any man of his Empire The ECCLESIASTICAL persons throughout Germanie Fraunce Poland England and Hungarie hold at this day the chiefe places in the counsaile of Kings and administration of iustice Among the seuen Electors of thempire there are three Ecclesiastical Amongst the Peeres of Fraunce there are six The chiefest of the Counsaile in Poland are the Archbishops and Bishops The Emperour is confirmed consecrated by the POPE The French king consecrated by the Archbishop of Rheimes The king of England by the Archbishop of Canterbury The king of Poland by the Archbishop of Gâ—esâ—e For considering that the Archbishops and Bishops are established amongst the people as messengers of God and interpreters of the Law and will of God to their aucthoritie being great in it selfe haue bin added great honours in the common wealth to the end that the publike couÌ„sailes and constitutions should by their presence be made more venerable The POPE commaundeth ouer the temporall of the Church called S. Peters patrimonie as king and is reuerenced by the rest of the Latin Christendome as head and chiefe of the Religion in those places where he is acknowledged for such But before we make an end of this matter we will set downe the agreements and differences which were betweene the Egiptian Priestes and the Chaldees Mages Brachmanes and the Druides The EGIPTIANS and BABYLONIANS dwelling in spacious plaines and hauing nothing to hinder them from the whole view of the Heaueri bestowed great studie in obseruation of the starres in the which both th one and the other were most skilful and expert The Egiptians said that the CHALDEES came out of Egipt and had learned Astrologie of them The MAGES and BRACHMANES agreed in sobrietie and austeritie of life and the Brachmanes were thought to haue discended of the Mages There was also the like similitude betweene the MAGES and DRVIDES namely those of great Britaine that they seemed to haue deliuered Magick to the Persians and not to haue learned it of them The bodies of the MAGES when they were dead were left to the doggs and birds to pray vpon before they were buried The BRACHMANES voluntarily ended their liues by fire The CHALDEES and EGIPTIANS had faire great and magnificent Temples The MAGES had no temples altars nor images The Mages were common both to the Persians and Parthians The CHALDEES to the Assyrians and Medes The EGIPTIANS and the PERSIANS beleeued the Resurrection and that men beeing raised from the dead
of the race of Charlemaigne and shortly vpon the comming of Hugh Capet Then such Lords as held the great fees of the kings they subdiuided them to other persons of whom they expected seruice and both th one and thother gaue their lands to the peasants with dueties of rents and with condition to receiue iustice of them Wherehence are come the termes of fees and vnderfees of vassals and vndervassals for a difference from them which relieue directly and without any meane of the king Consequently of Ban arriereban and of liege or bond men who without exception do promise all duetie of fidelitie to their Lords and of those which are not bond or liege which do onely promise a duetie by reason of superiour estate or fee of which theirs which is inferiour dependeth And although at the beginning it was not lawfull for any Roturier or common person to possesse any fee simple but to meddle onely with his traficke tillage or husbandrie and to pay his Lords dueties notwithstanding by succession of time the fees contrarie to their first and auncient institution fell without any difference or distinction into the hands of men of armes and such as were estranged from the exercise of armes of noble and vnnoble of gentlemen and vngentle as merchants practicioners and other rich commoners that had meanes to buy them Moreouer whereas many fees with their dueties were giuen by Kings Princes Lords and Gentlemen to Bishoprickes Abbeies monasteries couents priories chanonries commaunderies hospitals spittels and to other Ecclesiasticall persons which are people of Mortmaine and altogether estraunged from armes the Ban arriereban hath bin much weakned thereby and at length is so low brought and so dispised that euen they which are bound therevnto thinke themselues dishonoured if they appeare there and so send thither their seruants or other mercenarie folkes the most part so euill appointed and in such poore equippage that it is a mockerie to see them whereas in times past the chiefest of Fraunce accounted it a great honour to be there themselues in person So farre haue these sees and vnder fees straied or so ill bin imployed which were erected and ordained for the safetie of the Countrie to the end that such as held them should in all occurrents of businesse be readily furnished with armes men and horses in such number and order as is requisite either to resist the approches of the enemie or to set vpon him if need were By reason whereof the forces of the kingdom are lessned and the Lawes militarie by little and little brought to naught in such sort that the Kings haue bin constrained to ordainè those companies of waged men of armes called ordinances and for their intertainment to impose on the people taxe and tallage Moreouer it is seuen or eight hundred yeres since the Nobilitie hath taken vp the vse of Armes and scutchions with figures of beastes and other things blazoned with diuers colours with termes fitting therunto to th end to discerne and make difference betweene them of their Nobilitie and the antiquities thereof their alliancies and kinreds Which maner was not in vse before CHARLEMAIGNE and hath not gon out of EVROPE being yet vnknowen throughout AFRICKE and ASIA where their Religion forbiddeth them to make the pourtraitures of beastes The Armes in the which ther are Lyons Leopards Tygers Eagles Kytes Faulcons and other rauenous beastes are accounted more noble then those which haue but trees flowers starres barres files or which are onely distinguished with colour or taken from the names of families because they seeme not to haue bin gotten by militarie prowesse or any other vertue To make them correct and expound them are appointed the Herauldes and kings of Armes curiously discoursing of the figures and colours which are in them euen to the mingling and accomodating according to the measure of their vnderstanding and knowledge both Physicke Astrologie and Diuinitie THE ARTISANS AND EXQVI site workes of the Auncients IN EGIPT INDIA and elswhere the gouernment being diuided into many orders or estates it was not lawfull for any to take a wife of other estate but his owne nor to change his vocation because it seemed not reasonable vnto them that a man of armes should labour the earth or that a learned man should become an Artisan Then the Artisans there wrought their workes seuerally euery one by himselfe and not indifferently mingling one occupation amongst the other The like did the husbandmen fishermen and huntsmen and it was not lawfull for one to exercise many trades As then they applied not themselues but vnto such workes as were permitted by the law and which they had learned of their fathers continuing the same all their life they became excellent therein Especially the EGIPTIANS whose workes were meruailously well wrought and euen come to their perfection The great and magnificent buildings made at that time both in ASSIRIA EGIPT and elswhere do euidently show the abilitie of their architects masons statuaries imagers grauers painters caruers carpenters and smithes The same distinction of the multitude by diuers orders and kindes of exercise is vsed at this day at CAIR FEZ MARROCCO and in many other great Cities of Asia and Africk Others account the maner of PARIS more commodious where the Artificers dwel intermingled one amongst the other At this day the Artisans of CATHAY and of CAIR and of PERSIA are found verie exquisite making works so neere approching vnto those of nature that they seeme to be naturall The end of the fowerth Booke OF THE LEARNING POESY Eloquence Power and other excellencie of the Grecians The fifth Booke AT the same time that the Persians swaied by their armes in Asia and that Cyrus founded the Persian Monarchie good letters and Learning were raised vp in Greece and the Countries there about aswell in the Isles as in the maine land and by the learned and renowmed Pythagoras began Philosophie First of all men considering the admirable ornament of the whole world the continuall and peâ—durable motion of the Heauen the varietie and distinction of the starres the intercourse of daies and nights of monethes and yeares continually succeeding the vital power of fire diffused thorough out the whole world the variable aire sustayning with spiration and respiration all liuing creatures the sea beating the bankes with his reciprocal waues receiuing and casting out the other waters without ouerflowing or diminishing the earth which is heaped together on each side thereof for a bound vnto it The vicissitude and order of things both simple and compounded contayned in the circuit of the world being innumerable in multitude and meruailous in beautie They indeuored to search out their properties conueniences and contrarieties as to know whereof they were made and engendred how long they indured what became of them when and how they perished what in them was mortall and corruptible what diuine and perpetual They obserued the course of the starres and the power which they haue heer
of his person affable and as liberall as any prince might be Touching his sonne ALEXANDER hee did in a little time many great things and by his good wit and valure excelled all the kings that were euer renowmed for their great deedes since the world was first a worlde For in the space of twelue yeres which he raigned and no more he conquered a good parte of Europe and euen almost all Asia thoroughout whereby he got of good right exceeding great glory and not inferiour to the greatest Princes of auncient time who for the greatnes and excellency of their deedes and vertues haue bin reuerenced by their posterity as demy Gods From his childhood he gaue euident tokens of his greatnes to ensue Hee tooke no pleasure in women nor in plaies nor any other kind of pastime but his whole and onely delight was in armes And the more he sawe his father Philip to prosper the more sory he was saying that hee would leaue nothing for him to doe When the other yong Lordes of his age inuited him to goe to the Olympian games he aunswered them that he would willingly goe if hee thought he shoulde finde any Kings there with whome he might combat and iust The Ambassadours of the king of Persia hauing talked with him said that they founde in him more magnanimity then his age could beare King Philip being desirous to knowe who should be his successour sent to the Oracle of Apollo at Delphos where hee had aunswere that he should succeed him in his kingdome and enjoy the empire of the whole world whome the horse Bucephalus would suffer to get vp on him The which fell out to be true in Alexander For this Bucephalus was a horse of singuler beauty but fierce and not to be ruled by others which showed himselfe so tractable vnto Alexander that hee might doe with him what he would who kept him long reseruing him for battails or daungerous passages But such was the hap of Alexander that he neuer sought battaile but he wan and neuer besieged fortresse but he tooke it While he was yet but yong and euill-furnished with money and hauing but thirty fiue or fortye thousand men of warr he was so hardy and aduenturous as to passe the sea and to goe into Asia to assaile the king of Persia the greatest and most mighty king of the world very farre into his owne kingdome whome he discomfited three times putting to flight the armies of his aduersarie whereof the least was of foure or fiue hundred thousand fighting men After which ouerthrowes the king of Persia offred him two thousand talents and a part of his kingdome to raunsome his mother his wife and his daughters but he would not restore them giuing a magnanimous aunswere that as the worlde could not be guided by two sunnes so that there could not be two soueraigne kingdomes while the habitable earth remained Hauing conquered the whole estate of Persia he marched with his army euen to the extremities of the East thorough such rough and long waies for the most part and amongest so many different nations that with great difficulty might one goe thithen being lightly furnished on horsebacke or on foote besides the daunger of fighting Then retourning out of India to Babylon he was saluted king of all the world being about xxxiij yeares of age by Ambassadours sent from Carthage and from the rest of Africke from the Spaynes and Gaules from Sicilie Sardigna and Italy Such was the terrour of his name and the reputation of his greatnesse and felicity And hauing ouercome the East he threatned Carthage preparing great armies both by sea and land to conquere the West hauing purposed to marche thorough Africke euen to the pillars of Hercules and to passe at the straights into Spaine then from thence to retourne by Gaule and Italy into Greece when he dyed in the midst of his enterprises and victories He was so ambitious that vnderstanding how the Philosopher Democritus affirmed that there were many worldes he lamented that he was so long in getting of this one and was sory that he could not sooner inuade the rest He called himselfe the sonne of God and would be worshipped accordingly And after he was dead his body remained seuen daies without stinke or corruption which confirmed the opinion that was held of his diuinity Thus much touching the excellency of armes that was then and it shal not be besides our purpose to treate a little of that of learning which wil be found to be no lesse in Plato and Aristotle according to their quality These two then set Philophy as high as euer it was and haue surmounted not only the other former Philosophers both Greeks and straungers but also had neuer since their equals In so much that the world holdeth of them at this present the most part of that knowledge which it hath those books of theirs which remaine being translated into all languages and dispersed into all nations They haue knowen whatsoeuer it was possible to know in their time and whereunto the vnderstanding of man could then attaine There is no liberal knowledge nor art nor science whatsoeuer wherof they haue not spoken pertinētly properly There is nothing in the heauen in the earth nor in the sea which they haue omitted Wherunto the better to attaine they chose a maner of liuing quiet and peaceable fit for learning and contemplation which as neerest approaching to the heauenly life they thought worthiest of a wise man They shunned publick charges full of enuy and of trauailes seeking rest that they might study and write PLATO after he had long time conuersed with Socrates and hauing bin in Italie Sicile and Egypt although he loued well his Countrey and vnderstoode well matter of gouernement yet notwithstanding would not meddle with the common wealth because hee sawe the people of Athens euen to dote with old age and to be neere their end but employed all the time of his life in learning and seeking of truth showing by wordes by writing and by deedes the way of vertue to those that would follow it There is such maiesty in his speach that it hath bin thought if God would haue vsed the language of men that he would not haue spoken otherwise then as Plato did And Cicero calleth him the Father not onely of knowledge but also of speaking well hauing a stile in a meane betwixt prose and verse yet som-what neerer approching to that of Homer And where the Greeks went before into strange countries to study the strangers began in his time to come to Athens to learne knowledge Likewise ARISTOTLE was honourably sent for by King Philip who esteemed it much that he had such a person borne in his owne kingedome and in his time And especially for the instruction of his sonne Alexander where hauing remained eight yeres howbeit he had great credit in the Court of Macedon and might haue come to great Offices and riches he retired himselfe notwithstanding to
honestie In somuch that Plato and Aristotle haue not better plaied the Philosophers in their schooles then he did in publike assemblies and iudgements But as this age was admirable in power and wisdom and in all arts so was it also full of wickednes extraordinarie changes As if it had bin of necessitie that the same age must bring forth horrible monsters notable wonders for it is commonly seen that where mens wits are most excellent there are found together men notably vicious vertuous the authours of great good things of euil as if vertue and vice which are things so contrary repugnant had their extremities neer one an other In such sort that where th one is the other estsoons accompanieth it they leaue not one the other for euen as noble generous natures being duly instructed becom perfectly good are causes of great good things In like maner those that are euill brought vp become exceeding euill and do great mischiefes by reason that the exorbitant wickednesse and extreme vices proceede not of weake and simple natures but of the noble and generous being depraued by institution As appeared in this season replenished with all good artes and excellent wits by the extraordinarie mutations which happened therin Wherof the Orator AESCHINES complayning cried out that they led not then the life of men but that they seemed to be born to that end that their posterity might tel of thē strange and vnlooked-for maruailes And DEMOSTHENES answering him acknowledged the fortune of his time to be verie aduerse and hard and that there was neither Greeke nor Barbarian but had suffered much for not onely euery one in particuler but publickly the kings Cities and Nations receiued great calamities First of all what troubles raised king Philip thorough out all Greece corrupting by giftes the Magistrates and Gouernours of Townes and nourishing amongst the Greekes diuisions and parcialities In such sort that he himselfe confessed that he had much more inlarged his kingdom by gold and siluer then by armes And albeit the Athenians hauing alwaies in suspition his greatnes were exhorted continually by DEMOSTHENES to take vpon them the protection of the common libertie and to punish with death those Citizens whom they should find to go about to betray the common wealth Notwithstanding this great Orator could not with all his diligence refraine the euill inclination of some particulars which sought but how to sell their Countrie Such abundance of Traitours there were found in that season Afterwards as Philip being become proud by many prosperities for the greatnes of his power placed himselfe amongst the twelue Gods he was killed by Pausanias a Macedonian gentleman to whom he had denied iustice at the mariage of his daughter Cleopatra which he solemnized with great triumphe beholding the plaies which were made and euen in the midst of his guard betweene the two Alexanders the one being his sonne and thother his sonne in law whom he had made king of Epirus The fault of which murther was for the most part imputed to the Queene Olympias who being diuorced from him stirred vp the youngman boyling before with anger to do it But there was also some suspition which touched Alexander doubting least he would leaue the kingdom to an other Who likewise after he had turned all topsie turuie in Europe and in Asia because of his insolencie was poisoned by his most familiar friends Olympias wife of the one and mother to the other was massacred by Cassandra for the great arrogancie which was in her and cruelties which she had committed Seneca calleth Alexander a furious young man hauing in steed of vertue a fortunate temeritie and that from his youth he was a theese and a distroier of people being the ruine both of his enemies and friends who placed his soueraign felicitie in astonishing and making himselfe feared of all men Furour saith he stirred vp the wicked man to vndoe other men and made him to march thorough vnknowen places Account you him wise that began with the ruines of Greece in the which he had bin bred and brought vp taking from euery one that which was his good He constrained Lacedemon to serue and Athens to be silent Not content with the ruine of so many Cities which Philip either bought or ouercame he ouerthrew others also and beareth armes thorough out the world without satisfying his crueltie after the maner of sauage beastes which bite being not pressed with honger He hath alreadie gathered many Kingdomes into one alreadie the Greekes and Persians do feare one king and notwithstanding passing beyond the Ocean he is sorie and loath to bound his victories by the footsteps of Hercules and of Bacchus but will force nature and can not stay as heauie things which do not cease to roule vntill they meete with some stop or hinderance He saith that Philip and Alexander and other such like renowmed thorough the ruine of people haue bin no lesse plagues vnto men then the deluge by which the earth was drowned or then the burning which consumed by heat and drougth a great part of lyuing creatures Lucan thinketh that he gaue a pernicious example to the world shewing the meanes how to reduce so many Countries vnder one Lord calling him the fat all euil of the world and a lightning which strook all Nations whose insatiable ambition could not be staied but by death Therefore the Scythians spake thus vnto him What neede hast thou of riches which constraine thee alwaies to desire Thou art the first which of abundance hast made indigence to the end that by possessing more thou mightst more earnestly desire that which thou hast not Who would euer haue thought that the Greekes should haue ruled Asia and that so meane a king as that of Macedon could haue ouerthrowen the Monarchie of Persia of inestimable largenesse and power both by land and sea In like maner the Lordship of DIONISE in Sicile was ouerthrowen by DION with little meanes against the opinion and expectation of all the world which was the greatest and mightiest that was then in Europe for who could haue beleeued that he which arriued in Sicile onely with two ships of burden should haue ouercome a Lord that had in his disposition fower hundred vessels with oares a hundred thousand foote and ten thousand horsemen with prouision and munition of armes corne and money as much as was needfull for intertainment of so great power and who aboue all the forenamed things had vnder his obedience one of the greatest and most mightie Cities which was then in all Greece which had-so many ports so many arsenals or store-houses so many impregnable castles and who besides all this was allied with many great and mightie confederates But that which gaue DION the victorie in this interprise was principally his magnanimitie and greatnesse of courage with the loue and good will which was borne him of those whom hee came to set free And that which holpe him
Mark Varro being a friend to them both and a great Philosopher and Mathematician after the manner of the Chaldees by the cunning of Astrologicall calculation cast the natiuity of Rome from the day wherein Romulus first began it which was the ninth of Aprill betweene two and three of the clocke in a pastorall feast called Palilia and rehearsing her passed aduentures foretold those that were to come The same Varro a very learned man and one who read the Romaine histories as much as any Romain that euer was writeth that the continuance of Rome was foreseene and knowen by the twelue Vultures which at the foundation thereof flew ouer Romulus namely that it should be of twelue hundred yeres euery vulture signifying an age or a hundred yeres and that in his time be had heard of one Vectius Augur that Rome should attaine to twelue hundred yeares seeing it had escapeâ— one hundred and twentie in which te 〈…〉 it was taken spoyled and destroyed many and sundry times The times of the continuance therof were diuided into ages after the similitude of mans life wherof the first which is called infancy or childhood weâ— vnder Romulus who founded it and brought it vp The puerilitie or boytâ—ie vnder the other Kings who augmented and instructed it in good manners customes lawes and disciplines But being growen vp vnder Tarquine it would no longer endure the yoâ—â— of subiection vnder proude domination and from that time forwarde chose rather to be obedient vnto lawes then vnto Kings Then the striplings age being ended in the ende of the Punicke warre and the strength more setled it entered into the age of manhood for hauing distroyed Carthage which of long time had bin her enemie she stretched out her seigniory by land and by sea into many countries till such time as wanting matter of foraine warre shee abused her strength employing it to her owne destruction Then was her first olde age when being afflicted with ciuile warres and oppâ—â—ssed with inwarde euils she fell againe into a Monarchy and came to another childhood or infancie And remained in vigour till the time of Traian of the Antonines and of Theodosius the first and then became aged vnder Honorius and Arcadius and the 471. yeares after that the Monarchie had begunne in Augustus it finished in Augustulus being vtterly lost in respect of Italy A COMPARISON OF ROME with Babylon and Constantinople TO this purpose it is obsermed that ROME and BABYLON had almost a like beginning increase continuance and ending such affaires being disposed by the ineffable mysteries and profound iudgements of God and not happening casually or by humaine power In such sort that vnder a like disposition of time BABILON fell and ROME arose Thone suffered the Lordship of strangers and thother despised that of her owne citizens Thone as it were dying left the heritage and the other growing acknowledged her selfe heire And then when the Empire of the East died the Empire of the west was borne And as BABYLON eleuen hundred threescore and foure yeres after it was built was by Arbaces the Median dispoiled of her kingdome and depriued of her king In like maner ROME after she had as many yeres endured was assailed and taken by Alaricus king of the Gothes After this maner was the beginning of BABILON and ROME alike their power alike their greatnes alike their time alike their good and euil alike their downefal alike and alike their destructioÌ„ We may say as much of CONSTANTINOPLE the heire of them both which about xj hundred sixtie and foure yeres after it was built by Constantine who called it new Rome was taken spoiled and depriued of the Greeke Empire and of her Emperour by Mahomâ—â— king of the Turkes wherein hath bin obserued a singular me 〈…〉 that as it was built by Constantine the sonne of Helen so it was also conquered by the Turkes vnder another Constantine the sonne of Helene A COMPARISON OF THE ROMAIN common wealth with the Lacedemonian and Carthaginian AS a Common wealth which is well ordained to endure a long time ought not to be single or of one kinde onely but must also haue the vertues and properties of others assembled in hit to th end that nothing therein be vnduely or vnproportionably increased which may make it to fal into the euill that is next it and consequently come to ruine for this cause Lycurgus instituting the LACEDEMONIAN common wealth mingled therein a Monarchie Aristocratie Democratie so conueniently that it remained almost seuen yeres in the same maner retayning still the integritie of his first institution In the which the king the Ephori and the Senate had their preheminences and powers in such sort intermingled and balanced togither that one could not well discerne vnder what kind of gouernment it was established The CARTHAGINIAN common wealth was thus ordained from the beginning It had kings the Aristocratie â—e power of Senatours and the commons hauing also their preheminence in things appertaining to them In such sort that as touching the assembling of the three estates it resembled the Lacedemoniâ—n Also the ROMAIN had these three estates so equally and conueniently tempered that one could not say whether it were an entier Aristocratie or a Democratie or a Monarchie Considering the power of the Consuls one would haue iudged it Monarchical and â—oial regarding that of the Senators Aristocratical and respecting that of the people Democratical But the Seigniory being seized on by the Emperours they first tooke from the people the authoritie of medling in publicke affaires and transported it to the Senate then reduced that of the people and of the Senate to their absolute power The Lacedemonian was sufficient onely to conserue their owne and to keepe their libertie but insufficient to augment and to enlarge their Empire wherein the Romain was most excellent For the Lacedemonians assaying to conquer the principalitie of Greece they sodanly put their liberty in danger where the Romains after they had brought Italy vnder their obedience subdued in a little time a great part of the world being abondantly furnished with all preparations requisite for such an enterprise Touching the Carthanginian then when it began to haue wars with the Romain it was in declining and the Romain in his vigour seeing that all common weales haue a certaine augmentation and vigour and afterwardes a diminution For Rome florished then especially in order of gouernment The people in Carthage had vsurped to much authoritie in the Counsails At Rome the Senate conducted the greatest part of the affaires which prospered the more for being gouerned by the wisest and by such conduct they finally ouercame the Carthaginians Besides that the Italians are of a more excellent nature then the Lybians both in shape of body and in hardinesse of courage and that the Romains were serued by their owne nation which were taught to war with the best discipline in the world The Carthaginians vsed none but straungers and mercenaries putting all
outrage done by King Rodericke to his wife caused them to passe ouer the streight of Sebiâ—a and to come into Spaine where at their first coming they gaue many battailes to the Visigoths and in the last slew all their Nobilitie In such sort that Spaine came into their possession all except Esture and Biscay The other Saracens sailed into Thrace and held Constantinople three yeares besieged which they were constrained to abandon being consumed by famine and pestilence An other time they came into Italie and hauing seized on Apulia they ouerran the countrie as far as the port of Hostia and entring into Rome burned the Churches of the Apostles possessed the coast of Tuscane of Prouince and Languedock spoiled Genua Auignon and Narbona went into the gulf of the Adriatick sea where they ouercame the fleete of the Venetians After so many conquests they promised theÌ„selues the entier Monarchie of the whole world For hauing vanquished the East subdued Africk ouercome Italie and tamed Spaine they did not think there were any Nations or kings on the earth which durst vndertake to resist them making account to subdue all others in short space by the onely feare of their name Ten yeares after they had bin in Spaine they determined to passe farther and taking for a good presage the request which Eudon the Duke of Aquitaine made vnto them thinking to find a better and fairer countrie they went to the number of fower hundred thousand into Gascony carrying with them their wiues and children as if they had the victorie already assured For seeing all things at the first to succeed vnto them prosperously they became so proud that they vtterly disdained the Christians They had already ouerrun and spoiled all the countrie as far as Tours whither being come with their great armie they were encountred by CHARLES MARTEL leading the forces of France and Germanie where he discomfited CCCLxx thousand hauing lost but fifteen hundred of his It is not remembred that the Saracens were euer better chastized or lost so many braue men and valiant Captaines All passed the edge of the sword euen women and little children Whiles the Saracens wasted and ouerran the Gaules two Comets appeared in heauen for the space of fourteen daies whereof the one was seen in the morning before the sun-rising and thother in the euening after the sun was set which flaming looked towards the North. There remained of these Saracens euen to our time holding the kingdome of Granado where hence they were driuen out about a hundred yeares sithence and cleane banished Europe by king FERDINAND Others remayning in Africk and hauing lost their domination are diuided into many Seignories and into two sorts of people whereof th one inhabite the plaines the Cities the other wander continually on the mountaines They are much fallen from their former power and militarie reputation and likewise from their excellencie in learning A COMPARISON OF MAHOMET with Lycurgus Minos Numa Zoroaster Zamolsis Charondas Zaleucus Trismegistus and other Pagan Lawmakers or founders of Cities and Empires ALmost all the auncient Lawmakers which gaue Lawes and maners of liuing vnto people in diuers Countries and seasons fayned that they were sent by the commaundement of GOD thinking by this meanes to giue their Lawes the more authoritie and to make them be the easier receiued And they attributed them vnto the diuinitie vnder different names according to the opinions of the Countries where they were as Zoroaster the Lawgiuer of the Bactrians and of the Persians to Horosmades Trismegistus of the Egiptians to Mercury Zamolsis of the Scythians to Vesta Charondas of the Calcides to Saturne Minos of the Candians to Iupiter Numa of the Romains to Egeria and such other personages who hauing to deale with rude and rough people and intending to bring in great nouelties into the gouernments of their couÌ„tries fained that they had communication with the Gods as if that fiction had bin profitable to those whom they made so to beleeue So Mahomet purposing to giue Lawes to the rude and grosse Arabians liuing for the most part of robberies on the mountaines made them beleeue that he receiued them from God by the Angel Gabriel to make them obey them the more willingly And as Pythagoras had made an Eagle tame which was vsed to come downe to him by a certain voice as she flew in the aire aboue his head and as he passed thorough the Olympian games suffered his thigh to be seen which seemed all of gold and many such other deuises which are told of him seeming to be miracles So Mahomet had tamed and taught a pigeon which came to eate corne out of his eare which to deceiue the people he said was the holie Ghost who inspired him with these precepts Almost all founders or reformers of common weales and kingdomes going about to bring in new lawes and maners seized on the soueraigne force and authoritie to the end to feare and to refraine such as would oppose themselues against it knowing that such alteration could not be made without violence and force and that otherwise they should neither haue bin heard nor followed So Mahomet calling himselfe the Prophet and messenger of God sent to giue the Law vnto men made himself beleeued not onely by word but also by force and fought oftentimes against his aduersaries Lycurgus referred all his Lawes to the warre and to victorie And Mahomet all his discipline to fighting and commaunding placing the felicitie of man in great power and largenes of Empire Pythagoras was of opinion that the first cause was not sensible nor passible but inuisible incorruptible and onely intelligible And Numa following him forbad the Romains to make the forme of God like to any man or beast in such sort that at the beginning there was not at Rome any Image of God neither painted nor molten And a long time they had not in their Temples any statue or figure of God accounting it sacriledge to seek to represent heauenly things by the earthly as Plutarch saith considering that it is not possible any way to attaine to the knowledge of the diuinitie but by the vnderstanding For the same reason Mahomet saith he forbad all images and figures of things that haue life not suffering in his Mosgedes or Temples any corruptible thing whatsoeuer sauing lampes burning on high all in a rank and matts below to kneele vpon that comming thither barefoote they should not hurt themselues with cold Solon did write in Greek verse the Lawes which he gaue to the Athenians and Mahomet his Alcoran in Arabian meeter which is altogether poetical The Assyrians inuented many fictions of their Queene Semiramis which had built Babylon The Persians of Cyrus who founded their kingdome The Romains of Romulus who began Rome and the Romain Empire to the end to make them more admirable But the Mahometists haue exceeded the fables of all the rest in their Mahomet exalting him infinitely as the most excellent personage of the
it selfe gaue passage and drowned the Egiptians pursuing after them Iosephus writeth also that the Sea of Pamphylia opened vnto Alexander the Macedonian when hee marched with his Armie against the Persians But the Tartarians being passed ouer their Cham fell sick and died hauing before commaunded concord between his twelue children by the similitude of arrowes which could not be broken altogether but being separate they brake them easilie saying to them that as long as they agreed their Empire should endure and should be ouerthrowen as soone as they were diuided And before his death made his eldest sonne called HOCOTA the best and wisest of them to be receiued as their Lord and his successour who purposing to march further wan the Caspian gates being placed there and continually kept and shut vp to the end to stop the passage into Asia of infinite people dwelling beyond it as it were in an other world Afterward he dispatched three armies and gaue them to three of his sonnes commaunding Iacchis being the eldest to go toward the West Batho toward the North and Tagladais toward the South He himself abounding in men marched with a mightie armie into the East conquering all the Countrie as far as Catay where he established that most mightie and rich Empire which is there at this present and held by those which discended of him He ouercame also the kingdome of Persia in which voiage the Tartarians learned the knowledge of letters the vse whereof was before vnknowen amongst them He fauouring the Latin Christians which raigned at Hierusalem came to succour them But being preuented therof by their ouerthrow before he came he drew towards Bagdet where he took the Caliphe being a Turk by nation whom he made to die of famine and thirst hauing shut him vp into the chamber of his treasures as a man vnworthy to possesse that riches wherby he could not help himselfe TAGLADAIS going into the South caried armes euen into Ethiopia where he had euill successe for being ouercome in battaile by the Ethiopians and driuen into desert countries he lost there the greatest part of his people Then he turned him towards the West and ioyned with his brother IACCHIS who had much afflicted the estate of the Turkes in Persia Assyria and Mesopotamia The voiage of BATHO was more succesful renowmed who hauing in a great battail ouercome Gonata king of the Turks he supplanted eft soones by armes the whole raigne of that nation He vanquished the Rosullanois Lapiges Polaques Lithuanians and pierced euen into Hongary Austrich and Germanie putting all wher he went to fire and sword Such were in a little time the terrible expeditions of the TARTARIANS in the North South East and West thorough the great emotion and mutation of humaine things Wherefore the Christian Princes and the Pope especially fearing their returne sent Ambassadours to their Emperour to thend to pray him that he would acknowledge and worship the GOD of all and Iesus Christ whom he had sent and vse no more such crueltie against the Christians as he had done in Polonia Hongaria and Morauia He aunswered that in fiue yeares he would not molest them After the departure of the Ambassadours of the Christians came those of the Saracens to perswade the Tartarians to receiue the law of Mahomet as easier more conuenient for militarie people Saying that the Law of Christians was of idle effeminate idolaters and worshippers of Images that theirs was full of all commodities and pleasures a conquerer of other religions by force and armes with beating down the proud imposed tribute on such as were humbled That pleased well the barbarous people being of nature couragious and giuen to sensualitie And so they receiued the Law of Mahomet which they obserue at this day They hold much land in Europe ioyning to Russia Lithuania and Polonia In Asia all that lieth from the riuer Tanais and the bounds of Pontus and Bacchu vnto Cathay and Chyna The ZAGATHAINS confining on the Persians are more ciuile sowing planting buylding traficking being gouerned in a kingdome and haue for the seat of their king called CVSILBAS enemie to the Sophi the Citie of Smarcand being meruailous great faire and rich situated in the riuer Iaxartes fower daies iourney from the Caspian sea where the great Tamberlain was borne of whom we will speak hereafter The great CHAM of Catay is also a Tartarian discended of the race of Ghanguis of whom seeing it commeth to purpose we will here intreat albeit he be no Mahometist but hath a religion separate and different from the Mosaical Christian and Saracen It is not without cause that he is called great for he exceedeth in politike gouernment power wisdome reuenew and magnificence all the Princes of Europe Asia and Africk yea euen the Turk himselfe And if all the Christian and Saracen Seignories were reduced vnder one obedience yet could they not be compared vnto his He commaundeth ouer more then seuen hundred leagues of Countrie well inhabited and peopled full of faire buyldings after our maner villages boroughes castels rich and strong townes abundance of vittailes of all sortes and exquisite Artisans The CATHAYANS or men of CHINA haue such an opinion of themselues that they account themselues to be the chiefe men of the world thinking other men to be but halfe sighted as if they sawe but with one eye and that they only see cleerely with both eyes by reason of their subtilitie and dexteritie making such perfect and liuely workes that they seeme not to be made by mans hand but by nature her selfe They haue learning and the sciences in singular recommendation honour and estimation receiuing none to the soueraigne dignitie nor to publike offices but such as are learned Considering that in the distribution of their offices and Magistracies they respect not nobilitie nor riches but learning and vertue onelie OTTOMAN the first authour of the familie of the OTTOMANS and founder of the Turkish Empire which is so mightie at this day hauing againe set vp the name of the TVRKS which before was abolished serued in the warres at the first vnder the great Cham He came but of meane place and was poore in possessions but strong of bodie and of courage audacious Thinking that he had some wrong done him he parted from the Tartarians and accompanied only with fortie horses he seized on some straight in the mountains of Cappadocia Then being holpen by the commoditie of place and opportunitie of time he began to make rodes in the plaines adioyning getting great spoiles To whom there ioyned many theeues multiplying from day to day Then seeing himselfe reenforced with men he did manifestly and in open warre that which he did priuily and by stelth before conquering townes people and countries without any great resistance In such sort that in short space he got a great Seignorie in Asia which hath bin valiantly and happily maintained by his successours discending of him and bearing his name which haue alwaies augmented it
the common wealth of Rome Hannibal to Italy and the countrie of Lybia TAMBERLAN brought the Turks to a piteous state out of which they soone arose and became more mighty then before as the Greekes and Romaines oppressed by Xerxses and Hannibal when they thought themselues vtterly ouerthrowen came to greater glory A COMPARISON OF THE KING doms Empires or Monarchies and common weales of these daies with those of auncient time IT is mencioned in the holy scripture how Nabuchodonosor saw an Image of an exceeding greatnes the head whereof was of gold the brest and armes of siluer the belly and thighes of brasse the leggs of yron the feete part of yron and part of earth And when he was awaked because he could not remember his dreame and yet founde himselfe sore troubled and fryghted therewith hee called togither his deuinours before him whom he commanded to expound vnto him what his dreame was and the meaning thereof and if they failed herein he threatned to put them to death Which being vnderstood by Daniel a yong man that had bin brought thither as a Captiue from Hierusalem he made it knowen that he could fulfill the kinges desire and being presented to the king he declared first what the king had dreamed and then interpreted the meaning of his dreame saying that the Image signified the foure soueraigne Empires of the world which should succeed in order one after another namely the Babylonian Persian Greeke and Romain Thereupon he spake vnto the king in such termes Thou art certainly the golden head of this Image thou I say whom God hath decked with supreme power and glorie to whom he hath giuen dominion ouer all men ouer the beastes of the field and the birds of the aire And after thee shall come another kingdome of siluer that is to say worse then thine which is present The third shall be of brasse which shall be stretched out farr and wide the fourth of yron for as yron bruseth and ouercommeth al things so likewise this fourth shal bruse all the rest and subdue them to it selfe The power of Nabuchodonosor is compared to a high tree reaching vnto heauen and couering the vniuersall world with the shadow thereof whose leaues are singularly faire and the fruit so plentiful that all beastes are fed and fatted therewith In whose boughes and branches all sorts of birdes do build their nestes and make their resorte Whereby the scripture signifieth the Assyrian Monarchie which was augmented vnder this King and exalted to the highest Daniel also sawe in a dreame foure beastes comming out of the sea a Lyon a Beare a Leopard and the fourth being terrible and horrible to behold The Lyon signifieth the raigne of the Assyrians and the two winges which hee giueth him are as the two members of this Empire Babylon and Assyria By the Beare is meant the kingdome of Persia by which that of Babylon was destroyed The three ribbes which he sayth were betweene his teeth are the principall Kings of this Monarchie Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes excelling aboue the rest which haue eaten much flesh that is to say haue ioyned many nations to their dominion The Panther or Leopard is the Empire of Alexander the great or of the Grecians The foure winges and heades are the foure kingdoms issued out of this Monarchie after the death of Alexander The fourth and last beast is the Romain Empire the ten hornes are the members or parts thereof Syria Egypt Asia the lesser Greece Africke Spayne France Italy Germany and England for the ROMAINS ruled ouer all these Nations Amongst these ten hornes ariseth and groweth vp another little horne which taketh away three of the otherten whereby is vnderstood the kingdome of MAHOMET or of the TVRKES which being risen from a small beginning in the Romaine Monarchy hath seized the three principall partes thereof Egypt Asia and Greece Moreouer this little horne hath eies and is iniurious against God for Mahomet proposed new Doctrine hauing the appearance of wisedome which is signified by the eies and yet notwithstanding blasphemeth God abolishing the Christian doctrine and outraging of his Saincts vntil such time as the Auncient which hath neither beginning nor ende commeth vnto Iudgement Whereby is euidently to bee vnderstood that the course of this world shal end in this Empire that there shal not folow any other But that al principalities of the world being abolished that euerlasting kingdome shal come whereof CHRIST is the Author and conductour Thus haue some Diuines expounded Daniel Others accommodate it onely vnto Babylon which fell vnder the dominion of the Persians Medes Greeks and Parthians which hath bin often desolate and finally ouerthrowen not thinking it good to reduce all Empires vnto foure considering there haue bin others of great power and largenes As of the Medes who supplanted the Assyrians of the Parthians which ouercame the Macedonians oftentimes vanquished the Romains as hauing parted the world with thē obtained the East ruled al Asia between the red sea and the Caspian a good way toward the Indies Of the Egyptians whose kings excelled in praise of valiancy deeds of armes al other nations which would blot out deface the great excellent victories of the Persians Macedonians Romains if the long course of yeres would permit their renown to endure till this time the rest no way surpassing them but in the happines of their Historiographers who are more read by a fresher memory of their antiquitie Of the Arabians or Sarasens which possessed Persia Babylon destroying the Romain Empire in the East and enioyed a great part of Asia Africke and Europe planting there not onely their armies and seigniories but their religion also and their tongue Of the Gothes who inuaded not onely the prouinces of the Romaine Empire in the West but tooke and sacked Rome the seate of the Empire raigning in Italy lxx yeres although Alexander who ouerthrewe the kingdome of the Persians raigned but twelue yeares who like a lightening thunder leaped into diuers parts leauing his state to many successours disagreeing amongst themselues who lost it incontinently Finally of the Tartarians who may be compared with all the former who won Bactriana and Sogdiana the prouinces of the Babylonian Persian and Parthian Empire and destroied Babylon it selfe vnder the conduct of their Lord Halao At this day there are great estates namely toward the East Of Cathay or of China in the Northren India and of Narsingue in the Southern whereunto the Persian is neere That of the Moscouite in the North and the Abyssin or Ethiopian in the south In the West the Spanish and French The Turkish is as it were in the middest of all very great and riche which notwithstanding is not to be compared to that of the Romaines who ruled from the Orcades and Thule on the one side Spaine and Mauritania on the other as far as the hill Caucasus and to the riuer Euphrates and the higher Ethiopia trauersing