to vpbraide vnto other their calamities miseries Wherof they that presented it being admonished tooke home the arras with them caused the names to be taken out then being brought againe he with heartie thankes receiued it commended the worke This his singular moderation of mynde and conquering of him selfe and insolencie the which very fewe of them that haue vanquished al other men could euer attaine vnto was farre more famous then the taking prisoners of the two mightie Princes then the sacking of the citie that had ben Ladie of the world and at this day also the greatest citie of Christendome then the conquest of the kingdome of Tunes in Afrike then the subduing of the Germanes and the passing ouer beyond Albis the which the proud Romanes when they were in al their greatest roialtie were neuer able to do for this victorie might he iustly vse his word Plus vltra passing not only the bounds of Hercules the Romans but also of cursed enuie the which after all earthly victories remaineth still inuincible and can not be subdued but by this sword of modestie and humilitie The xxx Chapter Of the vnfortunate fall of many great conquerours founders of Empires AND nowe that I haue declared the fearefull fall of those that I knowe not whether more wickedly or foolishly would be accounted Goddes and also of them that proudly vaunted of their victories without humble confession and acknowledging that they receiued them from heauen I prosecuting my purpose will shewe that all those that haue ben famous for victories and the fawning of fortune haue also had often admonitions of their fickle frailtie brittle blisse and tottering state Wherfore passing ouer in silence Cyrus the greate the founder of the Persian Empire who was slaine with his whole armie of two hundreth thousand by a weake woman Tomyris Quéene of the Massagets and the greate Mithridates Eupator king of Pontus who after he had augmented his fathers kingdome with the conquest of two and twentie nations and had won a great part of Gréece and the signorie of the sea from Cilicia to Thracius Chersonesus had kept warres fourtie yeres with the Romanes and vanquished their capteines Cassius Murena Cotta Fabius Triarius Sylla restrained him within his fathers kingdome Lucullus so afflicted him that for despaire he murthered his two wiues and sisters and finally Pompey quite euerted who woulde not graunt vnto him humbly desiring it of his two and twentie kingdomes not so much as the poore one of Pontus and for that also to paye a yerely tribute wherefore after that foure of his sonnes were taken by Pompey and the eldest reuolted vnto him and also one of his daughters taken and the other two poysoned by him selfe he desperately caused a Barbarian to kill him least he should haue come aliue into the hands of the Romanes and to be carried in the triumphe as a laughing stocke and an other Mithridates the great king of the Parthians who augmented the Empire with the accesse of many kingdomes and oftentimes discomfited in battell the valiant Scythes but whē he was in his greatest ruffe being returned out of Armenia the Parthians expelled him out of the kingdome for his crueltie and his owne brother inuaded the emptie siege and taking him prisoner at Babylon caused him vnnaturally to be slaine in his sight and Antiochus the great king of Syria who after great conquestes atchieued in Syria Asia and Greece was ouerthrowne in battell by the Romanes and forced to buye peace with the losse of all his dominions on this side the mountaine Taurus and the payment and the paymente of suche a mightie masse of money that not beeing able to leuie it of his owne possessions he attempted to robbe the riche temple of Iupiter Dyndemenus or as sayes Strabo of Belus where he and all his armie were slaine by a soudeine incursion of the inhabitauntes of the countrie and Pompey the Greate who more augmented the dominions and reuenues of the Romaine Empire then all the capteines before and after him was after the greate ouerthrowe giuen him by Caesar trayterously slaine by the boy kinge Ptolomey and his geldinges and Mathewe the Greate Lorde of Mylan who amonge other his variable chaunces was expelled out of the citie and constreyned twelue yeares to get liuinge by fishinge and beeing restored was at the age of seuentie yeares forced to abandon the citie of Mylan and to resigne his Empire vnto his sonne Galiazo who had vnnaturally not longe before reuolted from him and dying of this anguishe and griefe the bodie of him beeing excommunicated by the Pope was buried in a priuie and vile place his death beeing longe time kepte close leste his carcasse in the aduerse fortune of the warres mighte haue bene subiecte vnto the reproches and vilanies of the Popes cruel Legate and the greate Sforza who besides his ouerthrowes in fight at Viterby at Crixta at Aipua and his beeing taken prisoner in fight at Casaleccio and also twice in captiuitie through treason firste by Pandulpho Alepo the Queene of Naples darlinge and then kepte foure monethes in the newe castell of Naples lookinge euerie day when his breath shoulde be stopped by that effeminate lecher after wardes by Iames Earle of Marchia who had maried the Queene where he escaped as narrowly and his manie other greate daungers was at the laste drowned in the riuer of Lyris or Gariliano by the vnfortunate founderinge of his horse and the greate Gonsalues who only of all the famous warriours of our age the whiche haue yet excelled for noble chiefteines obteined the proude name of the greate this victorious gentleman after that he had cōquered out of the hands of the French men the riche kingdome of Naples for his Prince Ferdinando the kinge of Hispaine was by him ingratefully put from the gouernemente therof and almost also from his life for false suspicion of treason and euer afterwarde kept from all honour and office to leade a lothsome life farre from the courte and fielde at home as it were in an honest banishemente and there for to sée his eldest brothers heire for a light occasion banished the courte for euer and to his greater griefe his owne natiue place his nephues chiefe castle razed downe to the grounde notwithstandinge his most suppliant sute the whiche was also furthered by the earnest prayers of the French kinges honourable Ambassadours for the implacable Prince by all meanes sought to spite him and to empaire his Princely Porte and riches as one whome he suspected to be to greate so that he was aptly compared by a noble man of Hispaine vnto a greate shippe in a shalowe water the which abides in continuall feare to be loste by strikinge and sticking on the flattes and Cresus the mightie kinge of Lydia whose inestimable riches haue euer synce bene a prouerbe throughout the worlde berefte of all by Cyrus and forced to ende his long
campe replenished with inestimable riches and finally winninge the two chiefe cities of his realme Tauris and Chois The xliiii Chapter Of the Cherife of Maroccho THE Sophie doth put me in mind although somewhat out of seasoÌ„ of one Mulamethes that began also in our dayes a newe secte of Mahumetanes in Africa and with no lesse fortunate successe then the Sophie had in Persia This Mulamethes being borne of base parentage in the village of Gahen at the foote of mounte Atlas in Africa beganne aboute 1514 to be greate estéemed of the people because he gaue him selfe wholy to religion and the seruice of God which kinde of men they do call Morabuth that is an Hermite He for his singlenesse austeritie of life was singularly honoured and reuerenced of the vnskillfull multitude vnto whome hee preached the simplicitie and puritie of the lawe without receiuinge of anie glose or interpretation but onely the bare Texte And after he had by this meanes gotten him a great number of adherents in Fesse and Maroccho he woulde needes in Gods name go to preache the trueth vnto the king of Caphilet the whiche countrie lyeth nere vnto the desertes of Lybia Where although he were not suffered to preache in anie towne yet by prating in the countrie he had gotten such a traine that they were aboue 60000 fighting men And when at the last the foolishe kinge would needes one day come to heare one of his sermones the Cherife for so they nowe called Mulamethes which worde signifieth the prieste toke him being admonished by God as he saide so to do to the whiche effect he rehersed manie fained dreames and visions and did put the kinge to death and seazed vpon his kingdome and continuing still in this trayterous trade hee within three yeares gotte to him the kingdomes of Tremissen Marroche Dara Taphilet and Suse and aboute twentie fiue yeares after the mightie kingdome of Fesse the which doth vsually by Iouius his reporte bringe thirtie thousande horsemen into the fielde and within the citie of Fesse are fiue and twentie thousande houses But although Mulamethes was Prince of so manie kingdomes yet he reteined still his name of Cherife Thus liued he in iolitie beeing a terrour vnto all the Princes of Afrike and namely vnto Sala-raix Barbarossa his sonne kinge of Algier who being vnable to resiste him with force vsed this policie to dispatche him He sente vnto Marroche where the Cherife made his vsuall abode one of his capteines a Turke a verie valiant man who with two hundreth valiant Tuâ—kes for the most parte al archubussiers should seeke interteynmente of the Cherife alledging for cause of their departure froÌ„ Algier the iniurious misusage of the kinge towardes them and that after that they had by these meanes gotten interteinment they shoulde indeuour to winne euerlasting life accordinge to the promises of their lawe by sleaing of so wicked a tyrante the whiche traine did also fortunately take effecte for the Cherife who was hartely hated at Marroche kept aboute him a greate guarde of men of Taphilet Dara and Suse to whom he also adioyned these Turkes whome his counsell did greately mistrust consideringe the great hatred that the king of Algier bare towards the Cherife and also the carelesnesse for life of the Turks so that they may pleasure their Prince Whereof the Turkes hauinge intelligence were fully determined shortely to set al at sixe and seauen either to winne the horse or loose the saddle Wherefore one daye as they marched against a towne in Suse that had rebelled and the Alarbes were sente forth for forage and none lefte in the campe but two hundreth of the Cherifes guarde and they the Turkes entred the kings Pauilion where then the counsell sate with him aboute these Turkishe matters and slewe bothe the Cherife and his counsell and spoyled the campe wherein the guarde also ioyned with â—â—em This was the vnhappie ende of the Cherife when he had reigned fourtie three yeares But the Turkes that slue him beeing persued by the newe kinge his sonne were all slaine valiauntly fightinge The xlv Chapter Of Barbarossa kinge of Argier VVto the Cherife will I adioyne a nere neighbour of his Hariaden commonly called of his redde bearde Barbiressa who also in our age of a poor pirat became a mightie prince and scourge vnto all the Christians borderinge on the midlande Sea. This mate with his brother Horruccio when they could not abide their beggerie at home in Lesbos or Miteleno they solde al that euer they had to rigg forth a fragate and serued vnder Camalis an archepirate In whose seruice after they had béene enriched by takinge manie prises and had gotten certeine galleyes they becomming iolly capteines departed from their maister and did set vp for themselues going in rouing vpoÌ„ the coast of Afrike where at their first arriuall they were enterteyned by the kinge of Argier who was almoste oppressed with the armies of his brother but the Pirates hauing valiantly thorough their shott the whiche the Africanes had then no vse of discomfited the brother soudenly also turned their force on their friend the king whome they slue Lyornaio the elder brother succeeded in the kingdome where vnto he thorough his prowesse adioyned the kingdome of Circello many other places and forced the Numidians or Alarbes a people that liue altogether by the warres glad to enter in league with him But at the length inuadinge the kinge of Tremissen he was slaine in fight by the aide of the Hispaniardes who cutting off his head did beare it on a pole rounde aboute al Hispaines to the great ioy of the whole countrie Then Haruedene succeeded his brother in the kingdome whose valiaunt demeanour both againste the Africanes by lande and the Christians by Sea aduaunced him to the office of high Admerall vnto the Turke whereby he became matche vnto the Christians on the Sea and farre passed anie Prince of Afrike for power by lande then wanne he the mightiest kingdome of all Afrike Tunes where he had not nesteled one yeare but that Charles the Emperour thinking it smally for his securitie to suffer his infestious foe to growe so great vnder his nose passed thither with a power where he wan by assaulte the stronge castell of Goletta whereby he gote the hauen and all the whole nauie of Barbarossa then discomfited he him in battell wanne the citie of Tunes with the whole kingdome and finally forced Barbarossa fearefully to flie vnto Bona where hee had doubtlesse beene either taken or slaine if that either Doria the Emperours admerall had gonne thither him selfe with the strength of the fleete or his vnskilfull kinsman Adamo whome he sente to do the exploite with sixtéene galeies ill appointed had not trifled foorth the time not comminge to Bona before that Barbarossa had weighed vp sixtéene galeies the whiche he had sounke in the hauen and hauinge rigged them had launched out of the harborough or els he had beene forced to haue fledde vnto
fall that neither their brotherly bloud nor impotent age could persuade the bofull man securitie But anon after that he had wonne Constantinople the stately seate of the Easte Empire and slaine the Emperour therein before Belgrade which he boasted that hee woulde take within fiftéene dayes whereas as his father had like a cowarde in vayne béesieged it seuen monethes bee was by a sallie out of the towne daungerously hurte vnder the pappe his armie discomfited his campe taken with all his ordinaunce martiall furniture and carriages and hee him selfe gladde to séeke safetie by the benefite of a darke night yea so great was his ouerthrowe that it was thought by men of wisedome and experience that if the Hungarians had prosecuted the victorie they might haue driuen him out of Constantinople The next morning when he was come vnto himselfe after the rage of his wound was somewhat abated and vnderstoode howe great a foile he had taken he would haue poisoned himselfe that he mighte not returne home in so great dishonour and was hardly letten by his friends from doing thereof Hee could neuer abide after to heare or speake of this foule foile as often as he vnwillingly minded it he would teare his beard fetch déepe sighes gastly grind his téeth cruelly cursing that dismall day the which he did all his life after accompt for a blacke and infortunate But after this tempestuous storme the which had néere destroyed him a wished winde gan blowe againe and he conquered the Empire of Trapezonda the Isles of the Aegean sea or Archipelago Miteleno and Bosna the Peloponesus or Morea the whiche the Venetians and two of the Paleologi possessed brake downe the strong wall that the Venetians had builte in the Isthme of Corinthe and gott those townes which the Venetians had in Morea and by bloudie assault Eubea now Nigrepont Hauing thus fortunately subdued Constantinople and all Greece with the Islands thereabouts it was a great eye sore for him to sée the royall Rhodes frée from his bondage wherefore frowning fortune pricked him forth to assaile it with many a foule bloudie foile receiued both by sea land thus when force failed hee sought to take it by treason suborning many false knaues who vnder colour of fugitiues should betray it vnto him but when that neither this foxes skinne ioyned to his Lions was long enough to reach the Rhodes hee feigned great friendship if that they would vouchsafe to pay him any trifle in the name of tribute yea or present him with any gift but when that nothing would be graunted vnto the enimie of Christe and hee had vainely spent thrée yeares in these toyes he fell againe to force inuading it with a mightie fléete and fourescore thousand men but with no better successe then that after hée had lost 7000. souldiours at the landing and two thrée thousand at euery assault of whome hée made very many during his aboade there of thrée monethes hée was forced to depart home with incredible losse of men and munition and much greater of his honour But when his hautie heart could not rest in this great dishonour but prepared for the reuenge thereof and also to conquere proud Italie as hée termed it where his mightie armie being landed had taken Otronto his purpose was preuented in the one and the prosperous course of his conquestes corrupted in the other through his sondeine death when he had liued 58. yeares and reigned 31. The xlvij Chapter Of Selime the first great Lord of the Turkes SELIME that came vnto the Empire of the Turkes by murthering of his father brothers brothers children ouerthrew in battell the mightie Sophie in the middest of his realme and toke his chiefe cities of Chois Tauris subdued the Aladuli that inhabite the mountaine Taurus conquered the Empire of Aegypt that stretched on one side vnto the desartes of Arabia the streightes of the redd sea and to Aethiope and on the other vnto Cilicia staying two Soldanes yet this man who was of rare felicitie in all his attemptes was ouerthrowen and hurt in the battel that he sought against his father and also made such an hautie retire out of the Persian dominions that it might very well be termed a fearefull flight loosing a great number of his men his ordinance and his carriages in the passing ouer of Euphrates the Persians hotly pursuing them And when hée had escaped the Sophie hée was no lesse endammaged and endaungered by the Aladuli And finally this furie of hell that threatened vtter destruction to the Christian name reigned not aboue seuen yeares but died miserably of an eating Vlcer in his reynes which consumed so much fleshe in one night that a man might turne his fist round in the hole yéelding vpp his wicked spirite at the village of Chiurle where hée had vngraciously before foughten against his father The xlviij Chapter Of Ferdinande the sixt king of Hispaine FERDINANDE the sixte king of Arragon and Sicyl that had by his wife the rich kingdomes of Castill and Lions and won by sword the kingdoms of Granata that had béene in the handes of the Moores almost eight hundreth yeares of Naples and Nauarre and an other world of rich countries in the West Indies had a great and yet an harmelesse admonition of mans tickle state at the siege of Granata For a Moore burning in desire of deliuering his countrie out of perill by a desperate attempt of killing the king and Quéene of Hispaine came out of the towne into the Hispanish campe feigning that he had brought cōditions of peace and desiring to be admitted vnto the kinges and Quéenes presence but hee was put by his purpose thoroughe a meruailous chaunce or rather by Gods special prouision for a noble man of Hispaine that lay in a goodly and riche hall sent for this Moore to come vnto him being very desirous to vnderstand what newes the Moore brought The noble man sate at that instant at dinner with his wife whome the Moore taking by their brauerie to be the king and the Quéene assaulted them sore wounding them both but yet was stayed from killing them by the rescue of their seruants But afterward whē that this victorious king returned from the glorious conquest of the kingdome of Graneta and rode into Darselona in triumphant maner with the great acclamations of the people ringing his renowne hee had in the middest of that proud pompe almost loste both life and kingdome For one Canemas a Cathelane who séemed to haue béene long time molested with the madde melancholie thincking to haue killed the king in his chiefest iolitie gaue him a great wound in the neck Neither could any other cause of doing this desperate facte be wrounge from him by all kinde of terrible tormentes then that he hoped if that Ferdinando had béene slaine to become king himself being a very poore knaue the which thing he said had béene told him oftentimes by an Angel. On so féeble fléeting a
foūdation do kingdoms stand on so tottering a stoole do princes sitt that sporting Fortune séemes oftentimes to put them into the hand of a madd man But nothing did more manifestly shewe vnto him his brittle blisse then the reuolting of all the noble men of the farther Hispaine except the duke of Alua vnto Philip duke of Burgogie who had maried his eldest daughter and heire at his arriual in Hispaine after the death of Quéene Isabell they eftsones saying that they would rather adore the sunne rising then going downe The griefe of this shamefull forsaking of him did so gripe the aged princes heart that not being able to endure the dishonour to be a subiecte where hee had long reigned he left Hispaine and sailed with his newe wife vnto Naples chosing rather to cōmit himselfe vnto the doubtfull faith of the gouernour and conquerour of that flourishing kingdome whom the report was minded to reuolt make himselfe king of Naples the which hée might easily haue done then vnto the open ill wills and rebellion of the vnfaithful Hispaniards And doubtlesse hee was in very great danger of being vtterly excluded out of his kingdomes of Castill Lions if that God had not shortly after taken out of the world his sonne in lawe who was so alienated from him that when the courteous king laden with wearisome yeares had taken a lōg paineful iourney to receiue him at the water the proud and vnciuil duke would not vouchsafe to shew him any countenaunce But after he had giuen him scornefully a word or two and them too in French which the king vnderstood not he flange away from him al the nobilitie with him The xlix Chapter Of William Conquerour BVt nowe after that wee haue romed long abroad in all forreigne lands let vs returne home vnto our owne countrie take a view of such Princes as haue by dint of sword atteined the imperial crowne thereof or enlarged the dominions least we may be thought to be like vnto the Lamiae in Poets whome they do faine to sée very exactly when they are abroad but to be starke blinde at home William bastard sonne vnto Robert duke of Normandie who left him his heire although by puissance he cōquered this land discomfited in battel the king of Denmarke forced the king of Scotland for feare to do him homage sweare him fealtie yet the often rebellions and secrete treasons of the Englishmen Normans the perfidiousnes of his owne déere brother Odo in whom he reposed his greatest trust the wicked reuolting of his eldest sonne Robert vnto the French king with his aide his daungerous inuasion of Normandie his arme thrust through in fight and his vnhorsing by that vnnaturall child and his bowelles sore brused by a leape off his horse in his last voyage against the French king of the intollerable torments whereof he died will not suffer him to be enrolled among the happie But nothing in my mind doth more manifestly bewray his infelicitie then that he had not so much ground at his death as could couer his carcase without doing an other man wrong and that which the begger hath without contradiction was denied and forbidden this mightie king Hée had built S. Stephens Church at Cane in Normandie where he would be buried vppon an other mans ground and had not payed the owner for it who being then a very poore man yet nothing fearing the funeral pompe and the great number of nobles attending on the corps did thrust through the thickest thronge of the solemne traine like vnto a madd man and got him to the Church doore wherein he stoode stoutly to withstand the bearing into the Church of the kings body crying out with a lowde voice Hée that in his life time oppressed kingdomes by his furious force hath hitherto with feare also oppressed mee but I that do suruiue him that hath done me the wronge will not graunt rest and peace vnto him now he is dead The place whereinto ye doe carrie this dead man is mine I claime that it is not lawfull for any man to lay a dead body in an other mans ground But if that the case do so stand that when as now at the length through the grace of good God the author of this so vnworthie a wrong is extinguished yet force still doth flourish I do appeale vnto Rhollo the founder father of this nation who alone is of greater power by the lawes which he ordeyned then is any mans iniurie And therewithal I know not whether by hap or mans fraud there soudeinly was séene a great fire which raged on the Church the houses neere adioyning then euery body spéedily running to quench the fire left the kinges corps desolate all alone onely Henrie the kings youngest sonne could not be gotten frō his fathers body who being feared with as it were the manifest wrath of God presently paid the poore mā for his ground discharged his fathers iniurious spirite But these blisselesse bones of his which so hardly obteined entumbing did afterward as vnluckily againe lose it in Anno Domini 1562. when Chastillion conducting reliquias Danaum atque immitis Achillis those that had escaped at the battell at Dreax toke the citie of Cane For certaine sauage souldiours accompanied with foure Capteynes did beate downe and vtterly deface the noble tumbe and monument of that renowmed conquerour and victorious king and pulled out all his bones which they spitefully threwe away when that they could not finde the treasure that they falsly surmised had béen layed vp there as I haue béene certainly enformed by Englishmen of very good credite faithfull fauourers of the reformed who sawe this sorrowfull sight scarse without distilling teares And also Theuet maketh mention of this matter in his vniuersall Cosmographie writing of Cane The l. Chapter Of Henrie the second HENRIE the second had by his father the Earledomes of Aniow Toures and Maine by his mother the kingdome of England and the duchie of Normandie and by his wife the mightie duchie of Aquitane and the earledome of Poitow conquered the kingdome of Ireland and toke prisoner in battell the king of Scottes but this his glistering glorie was fouly darkened by the shamefull submission of his crowne vnto the Romane Sée as Platina their recorder doth report or certes by binding himselfe vnto vnreasonable conditions to abate the enuie of the murther of Thomas the archbishop of Canterburie as our Chronicles do record and by the daungerous and wicked warres a long time kept in Normandie Fraunce and England with al his vngodly sonnes Henrie Richard Gefferie and Iohn yea and his owne wife and their mightie confederats the kings of Fraunce and Scotland with a great number of the English nobilitie and after the death of his vngracious sonne Henrie by the second reuolting of his sonne Richard vnto the French king who wan from him in those warres a great part of the duchie of Normandie and besieged him in the
that he thinks may in any poynte further his follie he curreth fauour he longeth he wéepeth he reioyceth with all men at all places at all times putting on other mens countenaunces Who hath not heard of that saying of Themistocles that the famous ouerthrowe giuen by the Atheniens vnto the Persians at Marathon would not suffer him to take rest eyther daye or night whyle he incessantly sought to matche the glory of Milciades This made Iulius Caesar plentiously to poure downe teares when he behelde the Image of Alexander the greate who at the age of thirtie thrée yeares had conquered the greatest and noblest parte of the worlde and Caesar at that age had done nothing worthy of memorie a man so desirous of the supreme place that passing by a pelting towne of Hispaine he affirmeth that he had rather be the chiefe man of that beggerly village then the seconde man in riche Rome They write also of Alexander that he shead teares aboundantly when that a Philosopher tolde him that there were innumerable worldes bycause that he had not yet throughly conquered one Caesar sayes Cicero was oftentimes hearde to rehearse and with highe commendation to like of those verses of Euripides that iustice was onely to be broken for to obteine and winne a kingdome but in all other things religiously to be obserued and kept And from what other roote I pray you doe and haue all warres wel neare both forreigne and ciuil sproung This causeth so many colde nightes to be watched abroade in the fielde so many scortching dayes abidden in smouldering armour so many intemper at countries paynefully trauelled and so many deadly daungers runne into This vice breaketh all bandes of pietie towardes friendes parentes children countrie of the whiche all histories and common life are examples as also of them who neuer left aspiring and climing vntill they had broken their neckes Yet I can not passe ouer in silence Mancinus Sabinus who for extreme sorrow and enuie that Tullius Hostilius was preferred before him vnto the kingdome of the Romanes like a madde man killed him selfe And may I aptly in this place set downe the Indian who chose rather to be hanged vp shamefully then to shoote at the commaundement of Alexander fearing bycause he had long time discontinued that exercise that he might perhappes corrupt the prayse and glorye before time won by that feate Moreouer this one thing I thinke woorthy the rehearsing that Cicero writeth vnto his brother Quintus that they which sued to be Consuls whome I doe take to be Milo Scipio and Hypseus did openly offer to giue centies sestertium 78125. l. for the prerogatiue voyce and what that was doth Ascanius Pedianus vpon Diuinatio in S. Verrem declare It was the manner sayes he that the concorde of the people might be strengthened at their Comitia or chosing of officers that there should be two Comitia held of all men which sued for office The firste tribes bycause they were firste asked whome they would haue to be officers were called the prerogatiues and the seconde they named they called of right bycause in them the people as it often happeneth following the will and mynde of the Prerogatiues all thinges were accomplished according vnto the lawe or that of lawe ought to be done And this will I make more playne vnto you out of Dionysius The people of Rome in choosing of their Consuls and their other chiefe Magistrates in their enacting of lawes and decrées touching warres for of these thrée thinges had the people chiefe authoritie did giue their voyces by the centuries or hundrethes and therefore were they called Comitia centuriata Nowe there were of all the Centuries accounting the eightéene Centuries of the equites or horsmen all the other were of footemen one hundreth ninetie and thrée who in giuing their voyces had euery one their dignitie reserued so that they which were most valued in the Censors booke and bare the greatest burthens of the warres for Seruius Tullius ordeyned that they should not pay their tributes by the pooll as they did before but euery man according vnto his wealth shoulde first giue their voyces But the first classis or companie for they were diuided into foure had in it eightie Centuries with whome also the horsmen gaue their voyces who all being in number ninetie and eight did excéede the number of halfe the voyces Whereby it came to passe that what so euer they were agréed vpon was accounted for decréed But if that the first classis or companie and the horsmen could not agrée whiche sildome times happened then were the Centuries of the second order called and so foorth other in order whereby they neuer lightly came vnto the last classis or companie Tullius his prudence vsing this equitie that they which were most charged should be requited in the suffrages and voyces from whome althoughe that no man séemed to be excluded yet all the power and sway was in the horsmen the Centuries of the first classis This order in the suffrages and gyuing of voyces doe Dionysius and Liuie write was not kept afterward in al pointes neither yet doth the one or the other expresse what order was vsed I am not ignoraunt that Gruchius and Sigonius who haue exactly written of the Romane Comitia do interpret the Prerogatiue otherwise then I haue séemed to doo wherein I will counsell no man to folow me namely séeing that I haue set it down rather to declare the auncient order of the Romane election of Officers then for that I assuredly thought that the first classes the horsmen were the Prerogatiue tribes as also I leaue vnto euery mans owne iudgement to assent either vnto Gruchius who coniectureth that Patritian officers were chosen first by Centuriata and then by Curiata Comitia But the comoner by Curiata and Tributa the first Comitia being alwayes called the prerogatiue or vnto Sigonius who thinketh that the Prerogatiue was a bande chosen out of all the tribes or else probably deuise some fourth opinion But omitting this controuersie I read in Pedianus that when Milo sued for the Consulshippe he gaue money vnto al the tribes to euery man a thousand assies that is thrée poundes now the tribes being in number xxxv If that he did corrupte but a thousande in euery tribe the summe woulde amount vnto an hundreth and fiue thousande poundes so that it is no maruell that Plinie reporteth that hee owed at his deathe Sextingenties 546875. poundes Iulius Caesar also gaue vnto Paulus the Consul to stand his fréend that he might remaine still in Office 1500. talentes whiche is 281250. poundes So swéete vnto men is the supreame swâ—y of superioritie The thirteenth Chapter Of the torments of couetousnesse ALl other earthly liuing things desire nothing but single foode to susteine their hungry bodies to haue where to shrowde them selues againste stormes colde and heate only mans immeasurable minde coueteth all that is within the compasse of heauen For fortune saies
diuers parts to giue vnto their childrē Then placing a strong garrison in Athens he gaue Archidamus the king of Lacedemonia a mightie ouerthrow and entering Laconica vanquished him againe in an other battell and besieged the citie the which he had doubtlesse taken the which neuer man had done vntill that day if that to interrupt the course of his victorie in Peloponesus sorrowfull newes had not bene brought him that his cities in Asia were assayled by Lysimachus and Cyprus also would be won by Ptolomey vnlesse that he hasted out of hande to succour his mother and children who were streightly besieged in Salamina the chiefe citie thereof Demetrius being sore moued with these heauie tydings brake vp the siege of Lacedemon But being very pensiue and sorrowfull for this mishap fortune made him merrie againe with an other good occasion For Cassanders two sonnes Antipater and Alexander contending for the kingdome of Macedonia Alexander desired Demetrius to come vnto his ayde of whome he was at the firste verie friendly and honourably enterteined but anon after Demetrius vnderstanding that Alexander layd awaites to murther him he caused his souldiers to slay Alexander as he came out from supper then the cause of his death being declared in an assembly of the people Demetrius was proclamed king of Macedonia And also Lysimachus being oppressed with the warres of the king of Thrace gaue him a part of the kingdome of Macedonie which had befalne vnto his sonne in lawe Antipater the other brother that he might not haue warres with him also seing that he was then not able to match the Thracian And to augment his good luck he was certified that Ptolomey was departed from Cyprus Demetrius hauing thus gotten Macedonia with Thessalia subdued also all the Boetians And then hauing intelligence that Lysimachus was taken prisoner by Dromichetes king of Thrace he inuaded his kingdome The which occasion the Boetians hauing gotten rebelled the whiche reuoked Demetrius into Gréece while he was busied in subduing of the Boetians Pyrrhus king of Epyrus soudenly becomming his enimie wasted Thessalia Wherefore Demetrius after he had wonne Thebes and made a rode into Aetolia leauing a part of his power in Aetolia vnder the gouernment of Pantachus went foorth him selfe with the rest of his armie to reuenge the iniuries of Pyrrhus whose countries he wasted But Pyrrhus marching in array of battell to fight with Demetrius I knowe not by what aduenture happened on his Lieftenant Pantachus whome he slue in combate wherevnto Pantachus had challenged him and then the armie being dismayde with the losse of their capteine incontinently fled The fame of this ouerthrowe got Pyrrhus a great name among the Macedons whose hearts Demetrius his pryde had muche alienated from him in so much that when he fell sicke at Pella Pyrrhus spoyled wasted almost all Macedonia and not one man wold go out into the field against him vntil that Demetrius was recouered who hauing greater matters in his head dissembled this iniurie made peace with Pyrrhus preparing a mightie armie of 100000. footemen and 10000. horsmen and a nauie of 500. ships among whome were galleys with sixtéene bankes of eares for to inuade Asia and to recouer his fathers kingdome But this huge armie was almost oppressed before it did set foorth For Seleucus Lysimachus and Ptolomey being feared with this so great preparation did knitte them selues in a league together against him and did set foorth both by sea and lande all the power they were able to make they had also wonne by ambassage Pyrrhus to inuade Macedonia telling him plainely that Demetrius would no longer haue peace with him then vntill such time as he had done his exploites in Asia and then wold he vpō him with al his power to hurle him out of his kingdom all the which things they easily persuaded Pyrrhus to beléeue Wherevppon he at one side and Lysimachus on an other at one time inuading Macedonie and also a fléete sent by Ptolomey soudenly setting vppon the sea coast of Gréece filled all places full of feare and trembling Then Demetrius leauing his son to guard Gréece went him selfe in person against Lysimachus But before he was come vnto this enimie behold news was brought with a great vprore that the citie of Beria in Macedonia was taken by Pyrrhus and all the countrie neare aboutes miserably wasted with fire and sworde This newes much troubled Demetrius mynde but the reuolting of the Macedons farre more who nowe began to refuse to serue in that voyage Wherefore Demetrius to reteine them in their duetie promised that he would goe against Pyrrhus to saue Macedonie from spoyle This he pretended but the very cause in déede was for that he woulde be farre off from Lysimachus to whome the talke was that the Macedons minded to reuolt bycause he was their countriman Wherefore thinking that they were not so much inclined vnto Pyrrhus he had retyred from Lysimachus when that certaine Macedons comming into the campe from Beria had by extolling Pyrrhus with singular prayses and commendations brought their countrimen vnto that point that they brake out into an open mutinie and rebellion Demetrius hauing intelligence of those thinges which were in bruing and thinking it not good to expect a more hostile and woorse chaunce did put off his royall robes and ensignes and fled with a small traine in a blacke cloake vnto the citie Cassandria where his wife wearied with woe killed her selfe with poyson Not long after that Demetrius was crept away Pyrrhus setting vpon his armie the whiche was forsaken by their capteines at the first shout scattered them and being honourably receiued of the Macedons got both the campe and the kingdome the whiche had bene vnder Pyrrhus sixe yeares but nowe was diuided betwéen Pyrrhus Lysimachus Then fled Demetrius vnto Thebes where one scoffingly applyed vnto him that verse of Euripides he came vnto the Dyrcean springs and Ismenus his diuine and godly fourme and shape being chaunged in to a mortall But Demetrius gathering together all his ships whome the cruell tempest whiche about the same time had almost drowned and destroyed his whole fléete had lefte him and also the remnants of his lost armie wearied a little while with siege of the citie of Athens the whiche with fortune had chaūged their fidelitie but at the length through the persuasion of Crator the Philosopher he brake vp the siege and hauing almost eleuen thousande men vnder his banner wasted ouer into Asia to auert Caria and Lycia from the dominion of Lysimachus And hauing gotten Sardis the chiefe citie of Lydia and other places of that Prouince he had wel increased his armie when fearing the approche of Agathocles Lysimachus his sonne he diuerted into Phrygia thinking that if he coulde get Armenia that then the state of the Medes woulde easily be disturbed He marched in the Champain countrie often skirmishing with Agathocles who followed him stil at the harde héeles and Demetrius was victor
commaunded for to cease to execute his office because he so stubbernly stoode with Metellus the troublesome tribune who obstinately went about to set foorth seditious lawes against the wil of all his Colleges yea and of all good men But when that Caesar notwithstanding this iniunction persisted stil in hearing of matters and administering of thinges apperteining vnto his office the Senate sent armed men to represse his insolencie for feare of whome he sent away his sergeants and casting off the robes of his office priuily stole home And vppon the necke of this was he accused by Cato to be one of the conspiracie with Catiline the whiche was confessed by two of the same coniuration but he very well escaping this daunger was made Pretor of the farther Hispaine where he was driuen to suche pouertie that he shamefully begged money of the Proconsul and the Alies of the people of Rome in those partes to pay his debtes at home At his returne out of Hispaine gotte he the Consulshippe and by confirming of all those thinges whiche Pompey had done in these the which the Senate would not before assent vnto he wonne his good wil and then they two and Crassus conspired together to haue the gouernment of the whole common wealth of al the men of warre hauing the greatest Prouinces allotted vnto them first for fiue yeares and then for other fiue Caesar hauing both Gallia cisalpina and also Comata with Illyrium Pompey the Hispaines and Crassus Syria this was the foundation of his Godhead but the infirmities of his humane frailtie was the incontinencie of his wife for the which he did put her away such a cruel corosiue vnto some men that it makes them for impatience therof to murder them selues but more did the feare of due punishmēt for his demeanour in his Consulship molest him to escape the which he began to raise the ciuil wars and to inuade his countrie in the which wars in what difficulties and woes was he often wrapt and firste in Hispaine before Ilerda when that the riuer of Sicoris had ouerflowen all the countrie about and brake downe the bridges built by him vpon it whereby not only many of his men were intercepted by the enimie but also his whole host for the space of many daies was brought into extréeme penurie of all victuals almoste quite starued vp In so muche it was bruted at Rome that the ciuil warres were happily ended Caesar and his armie being quite tamed with sword and famine Yet when that he had afterward become vanquisher in Hispaine his trustie fréend Cicero was slain with all his whole power in Africa and an other of his Lieueftenants C. Antonius discomfited and taken with his fléete by Sea vpon the coast of Illyria he himself with his armie brought into pincheing penurie before Dyrrachium so that a long time they susteined their starued bodies with onely bread made of an hearbe called Lapsana whereof came the prouerb afterward Lapsana viuere to liue hardly But yet here staied not fortune her frowning for Pompey gaue him such a foule ouerthrow in fight that by Caesars own confession if he had vsed the victorie he had that day ended the wars And so great was Caesars foile that he was forced to prouide for his safetie by shameful dislodging flight Neither was his danger lesse when that he persued his discomfited fléeing enimie the great Pompey in to Egypt where he was soudenly quite contrary vnto his expectation circumuented with the whole power of that mightie and riche kingdome he hauing not there aboue 800 horsemen 3200. footemen wherfore when that his sword would not saue him he procured his safety by fire burning the kings palace with that famous librarie of the world of 700000. books And although for breuities sake I omitt his manifolde perils in those wars yet can I not passe ouer in silence when at a conflict by sea betwéene his nauie the Alexandrines he standing vpon the bridge could not by adhortation nor threttes stay the flight of his men he leaped off from the bridge to haue lighted into one of his shippes but was forced to leape short through the violence of his enimies who shot all of them thicke and thréefolde at him being notorious for his purple mantle and to swim 200. paces vnto the next ship among so many thousand shot of his enimies also being clogged oppressed with his wet clothes he holding vp his left hand aboue the water that he might kéep drie certaine libels which he held therein also with the drawing of his coate armour after him with his téeth that the enimie shoulde not get his spoile But hauing fortunately tamed the Egyptians and also the king of Pontus quieted al the East discomfited the Pompeians in Africa with Iuba king of Mauritania and returned victor to Rome where he triumphed foure times within one moneth at the battel of Munda in Hispaine against the two young Pompeyes he was in suche an agonie of minde that when he coulde not make his souldiers to go forth to fight neither by adhortation and intreatie nor yet by thundering threttes he woulde haue murdered him selfe and in that madde moode to die desperately hee gaue the charge himselfe alone vppon the whole Pompeyan battelles crying vnto his Souldiours here shal be the ende of my life and of your warres But then all his armie either moued with their Generalles daunger or their owne shame did couragiously sette forward and vanquished their enimies They do write that by Caesars only impression the Pompeyan battels gaue backe ten foote of ground and within a shorte space 100. shot lighted on him the greatest part of whom he receiued on his target Then straight after his returne out of Hispaine and those godly honours giuen him at Rome that I spake of before the shameful and terrible disease of the falling sicknesse tooke him wherby he was admonished of his fall who fell so often and of his death who séemed so often to be dead In this place I can not omitte that golden saying of Charles the fift who when certaine of his familiars tolde him that they came from a noble man that was so extréeme sicke that he had giuen ouer the world and thought that he must needs die answered what did he not knowe that before nowe I thank my God quoth this good Emperour that he hath sent me store of diseases the whiche do daily admonishe me of my mortalitie But to returne vnto Caesar I wold be ashamed to alledge his boldenesse and the disorderly growing of hayres as infortunities and incōmodities if that they had not so muche vexed his vaine minde that of al the honours that the impudent flattering Romanes heaped on him he had reioyced so muche at none as that they had granted him to weare cōtinually on his head a garland of bayes the which did couer his deformitie also that he was so wayward in trimming of himselfe that
the puisance of whose armes the Almaines the Italians the Lumbardes the Hispaniardes the Moores the Bohemians the Bauares the Hunnes the Slauoines the Saracenes the Greekes did féele of whom did he triumphe Moreouer he reigned fourtie seuen yeres and liued thréescore and twelue and had thrée valiaunt sonnes and with rare felicitie loued also to haue the triall of the valiancie of their sonnes and yet was he forced to féele the manifolde incommodities of wretched man First the Colonie of Eresburg was won by the Saxons and almoste all the Garison slaine that was placed there to bridle their irruptions and the Prouinces adioyning wasted and the sacred churches euery where burnt All the heauie carriages of his armie as wel his owne priuate plate and housholde stuffe as of all the whole armie were lost in his returne out of Hispaine in his first voiage thither Guielo his highe Constable was slaine with all his power by the Saxons eight thousande horses were lost by contagion in an expedition againste the Hunnes Two daungerous conspiracies were there made to murder him the one by certaine noble men of the house of Austratia the other by his owne base sonne Pipine and his adherents Then at one time were foure heauie messages brought him that the commissioners that he had sent to take vppe souldiers in Saxon to serue against the Hunnes and also his olde officers there were slaine by the rebelling people and that a power of the Abrodites a fierce nation in armes comming to staie this tumult was slain with their King Vizen by an ambushe that his souldiers that kept the frontiers of Hispaine had a great ouerthrowe at the siege of Burselona finally that Gerolde Liefetenant of Bauare was slaine with a chosen bande of fiue hundrethe horse by the rebelling Hunnes Moreouer he coulde come no farther from his creation and Coronation of Emperour at Rome then Spoleto but that an horrible earthquake tooke him aboute the seconde houre of the nighte to the greate terrour and dammage of Italie Fraunce and Germanie For some hilles suncke into the ground in other places newe mountaines were raised vppe by prodigious casting vp of the earth some towns were throwen down other swallowed vp with hideous gulfe the swifte course of Noble riuers was driuen backe the Sea in some places ranne backward and forsooke the shore but in other ouerflowed and drowned al the countrie The citie of Rome was fowly deformed with ruines and the Churche of Saint Peter almoste quite destroyed The times seasons of the yeare were also turned into their contraries for the winter was warme and of the temperature of the spring and vpon Midsummer day was there a hoare frost hard frosen as if it had beene at Christmas and after this trembling of the earth and the threttes as it were of pleasant Summer taken away from the worlde did there a pestilent Autumne or haruest folow to shew vnto this new Emperour the power of the almightie Emperour that his aduancement vnto the highest degree of earthly honour shoulde not make him forget the reuerence seruice due vnto the heauenly highenesse Then foure yeres before he died buried he almost with continuated funerals his two valiaunt sonnes Pipine and Charles the one at Millan the other in Bauier And two yeres after this domestical incomparable dammage followed the cutting off of the thirde battel of his armie at Ronceual at their returne out of Hispaine no place is more famous for the discomfiture of the Frenchemen nor more celebrated in bookes and songes in all countries of christendome namely for the death of his cosen Rouland and other the floures of Fraunce and that whiche doth heape the harme he was nowe so worne with withering age that he was not able to stirre to séeke the reuenge therof but died in this dishonour The xxxix Chapter Of Charles the fift CHarles the fift was the mightiest Emperour since Charles the great bothe for his large dominions and also Martiall actes His fortunate byrth gaue him the kingdomes of the Hispaines Mallorca Minorca Sardina Sicyl Naples and of the West Indies and the riche and large dominions of base Germanie or the lowe countrie and his great towardlinesse the Empire but his valiaunce the Duches of Mylan and Placentia with the rich and mightie kingdomes of Mexico and Peru in the North and South parts of the West Indies with many other countries in those regions and the kingdome of Tunes in Africa He sacked the proude Ladie of the world Rome he subdued the Florētines and the Senese depriuing them both of libertie and brought the stately states of all Italie to be at becke He made the stout Almanes to stoupe and atchieued an absolute conquest of Germanie he recouered the Duchie of Geldres and the Earldome of Zulphen from the Duke of Cleaue and forced him suppliantly to sue for pardon and peace He often discomfited the french power made many honourable voyages into Fraunce and valiantly with great detriment repelled the Turke when with a huge power of seuen hundreth thousande men as it were with monstrous gaping iawes he thought to haue deuoured all Germanie yea and with rare felicitie he tooke prisoners almost all the Christian princes that were or had bene his enimies Frauncis the french king Henrie the king of Nauarre Clemens the Pope Ihon Frederick Prince electour of Saxon Eruest Duke of Brunswicke the lustie Lantgraue of Hessen and William duke of Cleaue came in and yealded them selues vnto his mercie And yet did this fondling of fortune as it may yet séeme often féele her ficklenesse For his Admirall that brought him out of Hispaine into Italie to be crowned Emperour at Bologna was in his returne taken with all his fléete by Turkishe pyrates then made he in person a frustrate and fruitlesse expedition into Prouince where he lost aboue 20000. men and afterwarde a more infortunate vnto Angier in Africa from whence he departed the citie not won losing by tempest a great parte of his nauie yea within fewe houres 140 shippes and 15. galleys and almost all his ordinaunce and Martiall furniture and prouision and hardly susteyning the incessant inuasions of his fierce enimies and more hardly the violent surges of the raging sea which now againe drowned many and threwe thereon the pernicious of the enimie in so much that it was the newes in all places that the Emperour was drowned and also during all the time of his aboade on the land it rayned continually so that the souldiers could not rest their tyred bodies on the wet and ouerflowed ground but only a little refreshed their decayed strength by slumbering on their weapons and also the shippes in whom their victuals were being lost by tempest they were forced to kyl many of their horses to sustaine their starued bodyes and to cast the rest into the sea at their departure for lacke of shipping After this followed the great discomfiture in battell giuen vnto his valiaunt capteine the Marques
often ruthfull roades and wastinges to disturbe the quiet state of hofull Solomon but the rebellion of his owne seruaunt Hieroboam whome he had aduaunced from base birth to beare the honourable office of Lorde Stewarde of his housholde more brake the dismaide king who had not béene vsed vnto such furious fittes oâ—â—aging Fortune This Hieroboam béeing tolde by Ahias the Prophet that he should haue tenne of the Tribes after the decease of Solomon thought it too long to staye vntill hée was dead but solicited the souldiours and people to reuolt and depriue Solomon of his royall dignitie but attempting it vntimely he was forced to séeke safetie by flying into Aegypt but yet would not Solomons feare conceiued of him cease vntill that friendly death had ridde him out of worldly troubles with whome his heauie heart was nowe wholly oppressed The xli Chapter ¶ Of Herodes king of Iudea NOne of all the successours of Solomon did come so neare vnto his greatenesse as did Herodes who yet for Martiall glorie strength of bodie and valiant heart did more resemble his father Dauid He béeing descended of the royal bloud was the first straunger that reigned ouer the Iewes hauing the kingdome giuen vnto him by the Romanes when that the Parthians had expelled Hyrcanus carrying him awaye with them in yrones beeinge defourmed of his eares and placed there his enimie Antigonus whome Herodes thorough the aide of the Romaines foylinge in manie fightes tooke prisoner in Ierusalem and sent vnto the Romaines to be murdered he also augmented the bounds of the kingdom through the liberalitie of Augustus with Sadara Hippon Samaria Gaza Anthedon Ioppe Pyrgos Stratonis and afterwarde with the countries of Thracos Bathanea and Auranitis and his immesurable riches do his beautifull buyldings blase First he buylte the great and faire cities of Sebaste and Caesaria at whiche Caesaria he ouercomming nature with charges made the goodliest hauen of the Easte wher before no man coulde sayle all along that shore for the fléeting quicke sandes and although that all the whole place did withstande his purpose yet he did so striue with the difficulties thereof that the strength of the worke did not giue place vnto the violence of the Sea and the beautie of the buyldinge was so greate as though no harde thinge had hindered the garnishing thereof For all that greate space that he had appoynted for the safe roade of the shippes he piled or paued twentie fadome deepe with stones euerie one of whome beeing fifty foote long and ten broad and manie of them greater then inlarged he a wall into thrée hundreth foote of the whiche one hundreth was caste vp before to repell the surges of the Sea the rest lay vnder the wal that inclosed rounde the hauen mounting with manie verie goodly and beautifull towers there were also manie vaults or arches through whome suche thinges as were in the hauen might be caried foorth and before the vaultes a sumptuous galerie or walking place At the mouth of the hauen were set vp thrée Colossi stayed vp on both sides with pillers on the left hand of whom as a man came into the hauen stoode a tower but on the right two high stones the which did passe the tower in greatnes And vnto the hauen he adioyned great houses of white stone and ouer right against the hauen a temple vnto Caesar a singular péece of woorke both for beautie and greatnes and therin was there a Colossus of Caesar no lesse than Iupiters at Olympia by the whiche paterne it was made Hée also built therein a market place or a towne house a Theatre and an Amphitheatre and what charge it was to builde a Theatre may appeare by Plinie the younger in his epistle vnto Traiane where hee writeth that the Theatre at Nicen had consumed Centies sestertium that is thréescore and eightéene thousand one hundreth twentie fiue pounds yet was not finished but vnperfecte And doubtlesse an Amphitheatre spent double the charges as that which was as who would say two theatres ioyned in one Besides these cities he built also Agrippium and Antipatris the sumptuous castels the which might compare with townes of Cyprus Phaselis and Herodion Hee also newe built the temple of Hierusalem making it as faire as euer was Solomons and adioyned vnto it double as much ground as it had before being inclosed with a wall where he built stately walking places which the Romanes called Porticus whereunto he adioyned a goodly castell Hee also built for him selfe a sumptuous palace wherein were two chappels dedicated vnto Caesar the whiche might for beautie and greatnesse compare with any temple of the world Finally in all fit places of his kingdome did hee erecte goodly Churches and other sumptuous monumentes in the honour of Augustus Neither was he contented to beautifie his owne realme with goodly buildings but also in forreigne cities hée shewed his magnificence building at Tripolis Damascus Ptolomais publique baines a kinde of building in that riotous age of all other most costlye both for the garnishing and also for the stately walkes gardenes places of exercises and other such like thinges vsually adioyned vnto them Byblus hee walled about at Berithus and Tyrus he built burses towne houses and temples and at Sidon and Damascus Theaters and at Laodicea a conduite the which had béene no great princely worke if that they had béen no more chargeable in those countries then they be in ours but they being there brought vppon mightie arches of stones galantly garnished were of inestimable charges in somuch that Claudius Caesar bestowed vpon a conduite at Rome Quingenties quinquagies quinquies of oure monie foure hundreth and thirtie thrée thousand fiue hundred l. and fiftéene shillinges the whiche as it is a great summe of monie to be bestowed vppon a conduite so doth it drawe nothing néere vnto the summe of vij millions and eighte hundreth thousand pounds set downe by William Thomas But to returne vnto Herode hee also built baines and cesternes for water at Ascalon with other edifices worthie to be wondered at for their workemanshippe and also their greatnesse Moreouer of his magnificent liberalitie in kingly giftes the Rhodians the Lycians the Samians the Ionians the Athenians the Lacedemonians the Nicopolitanes the Pergamenians were partakers And besides these goodes of Fortune had God also bountifully blessed him with tenne sonnes and fiue daughters and with long life to reigne 37. yeares and to sée his sonnes sonnes and daughters married he liuing vntill hée was seuentie yeares old But yet this man vppon whom fortune had thus prodigally throwen her gifts was often sore shaken with many aduerse tempestes For while he was a priuate man but in déede ruled all the kingdome of Iurie vnder Hyrcanus was he in daunger of death being accused by an honourable Embassage of an hundreth Iewes before Antonius the Triumuir for oppressing of the realme and subiectes and also the which touched Antonius more that he had béene his
enimies Cassius lieftenaunt in Syria But not long after that he had fortunately escaped this doubtful perill fell hée into a greater when that the Parthian tooke Hierusalem with king Hyrcanus and placing there in his roome Antigonus forced Herodes his brother Phaselus to dashe out his owne braines against a wall that he might not come aliue into their bondage and Herodes himselfe very hardly escaped their hands and fearefully fledde vnto Rome where he was created king of Iudea The whiche he had not long enioyed but that he was sent for to come before Antonius at Seleucia to be arreigned for the vnworthie murther of his wiues brother Alexander the high priest at what time he knowing the great hatred towards him of Antonius his swéete heart Quéene Cleopatra who insatiably thirsted for his kingdome he was almost in vtter despaire of returne But not long after he fell into greater perill of his state through ayding of Antonius against Octauian wherefore after that Antonius was ouercome he sailed into Rhodes vnto Caesar and there in priuate apparell without diademe suppliantly desired pardon of Caesar the which being happely obteined and his kingdom also by his liberalitie augmented hée fell in his old age into many domesticall dolours the beginning whereof came thorough his wife Mariemne one descended of the auncient bloud royal whom he loued as immoderately as shee hated and abhorred him both hartily and openly vpbrayding him often with the cruell murthering of her graundfather and brother but in the ende hee did wrongfully put her to death for sinister opinion of adulterie betwixte her and his vncle Iosippus and then as immoderately bewailed and lamented her death as before he had rashly slaine her This vnworthie murther of their mother did her two sonnes whome Herodes had appointed to bee his successours in the kingdome stomache in so much that they fled to Rome and accused their father vnto Augustus who made an attonement betwéene the wretched father and his wicked sonnes but it was not long but that Herodes accused them for treason against his person before Archelaus king of Cappadocia whose daughter the one of them had married but Archelaus againe reconciled them but the ill patched friendshipp brake out againe not long after to the destruction of the two innocent sonnes After the dolefull death of his two déere sonnes Alexander Aristobulus the wofull father found out the treason of his sonne Antipater whome he had nominated his heire and how he not onely had caused him by suborning of false witnesses wrongfully to murther his two brothers Alexander and Aristobulus and exasperated him also against two other of his brothers Archelaus Philippe the poison was brought where with Antipater had gone about to poison him whereuppon he obteyned of the Emperour that he might worthily be put to death This domestical calamitie and continual treasons and murtherings of his sonnes did so afflict the aged father that hee ledde a lothsome life wrapped all in wailefulnesse taking no ioy at all in his large Empire great heapes of treasure and beautifull and pleasaunt buildinges And this heauinesse was heaped by long cōtinuance of many dolefull diseases He had no smal ague and an intollerable itche thoroughout all his body then was he also vexed with a painefull torment in his necke and his féete were swollen with the dropsie and his bellie as bigge as a barrell with winde the whiche griefes were augmented with a filthie putrefaction of his priuie parts the which bred aboundance of stinking wormes Moreouer he was very short winded sighing often and had al his lymmes contracted and cramped the tormentes were so intollerable that he thought his friendes did heynously iniurie him when that they did let him to ende his wofull life by friendly stroke of fatall meate knife And then to double his tormentes came this toy into his heade that all the Iewes and people woulde reioyce at his desired death wherefore he commaunded that out of euerie village and towne of the Iudea should the gentlemen be brought into the castell and be all slaine when he shoulde yelde vp his cruell and gastly ghoste that all the whole lande yea and euerie house might weepe and lamente at his death against their willes The xl Chapter Of Mahumet MAhumet the first founder of the secte of the Mahumetanes who possesse nowe farre the greatest parte of the worlde of a beggers bratt and slaue became conquerour and kinge of all Syria and Aegypt and by the consente of the moste of the beste approued authors of the whole Empire of Persia and yet had he also sowre often mingled with his swete for when he firste preached his seditious superstition at Mecha he was driuen by armes out of the towne with his bande of bondmen Neither founde he fortune more friendely at Medina Thalnabi whether he fledde for the Iewes taking armes against him discomfited him in manie skirmishes in one of whom they wounded him in the face strucke out his fore teeth and hurled him into a diche And afterward also in his first inuasion of the Persian was he foiled in fight and forced to retire home where entring in societie with the Sinites that had lately for reprochfull wordes reuolted from the Greekes and returninge with them into Persia fortunately atchiued his exploite But howe pitifully he was tormented with the terrible fallinge sicknesse I thinke it vnknowen vnto fewe Moreouer verie shorte was his reigne for sixe yeares after he beganne his conquestes he died and in the fourtéenth yeare of his age But what cause did depriue this furious fierbrand of mankinde of his enuied life authors do not agrée Some holde that he was poysoned by a Greeke other that he died madde But the cōmon opinion in the East saies Theuet that he was sicke thirty daies of a Pleuresie in seuen of whom he was distraught of his witts but comminge vnto him selfe a little before hee died he tolde his friendes that within three dayes after his death his bodie shoulde be assumpted into heauen The which wordes did witnesse that he was starke madde still as the euente did after proue for when his illuded sectaries had longe time in vaine expected his assumption at last they washing embaulminge his stincking bodie were forced to burie it The xliii Chapter Of Hismaell the Sophie HIsmaell who beganne in our age a newe secte of Mahumetanes amonge the Persians whereof he and all his successors are called Sophies as we shoulde say the wise men thorough the helpe of his folowers threwe downe from the Emperiall siege of Persia the auncient bloude royall and placed himselfe therein making also subiect therevnto manie other countries borderinge there on but Selim the Turke plucked this Pecockes taile discomfiting and woundinge him in a bloudie battell fought in the boweles of his realme the which he himselfe had caused to be all wofully wasted that his fierce enimies shoulde finde nothinge to susteine the necessities of them selues and their horses and also takinge his
Argier a longe iourney by lande thorough the Alarbes and Africanes who beeinge his cruell enimies woulde neuer haue suffered him to haue come to Argier longe time after to trouble and spoile the Christians The xlvi Chapter Of Tamerleyne the Tartar. AMounge these roge kinges will I inrolle Tamerlaine the Tartar. This man whome Theuet calles Tamirrhan and Tamerlanque Sigismundus Liber Themirasscke and Chalcondilas Temer was sonne vnto a poore man called Sangalis a Massaget sayes Chalcondilas but a Parthian affirmes Theuet borne at Samerchanden At the first he was the heardeman of a towne for horses but after warde conspireing together with other heardmen he became a strong théefe stealinge horses and other cattell But climinge one nighte a wall to enter into a stable and beeing espied of the good man of the house he was forced to leape downe from the wall and brake his legge Campofulgoso sayes that he brake his thighe whereof hee had his name for in his countrie language Temer is a thigh and Lang is lame or maymed the which two wordes beeing put together make Temerlang but the Latines keeping the proprietie of their owne tounge corruptly call him Tamerlan But Sigismundus Lyber saies that one whose shéepe he was aboute to steale brake his legge with a greate stone and because hee bounde the bones together with a hoope of yron he was called Themerassacke of yron and halting for Themer in the Tartarian tounge is yron and Assacke halting But whether hee had his name of the one thing or the other herein they do both agree that hee could not when hee came to be Lorde of all the Orient and a terrour vnto the whole worlde steppe foorth one foote but that he felt his infirmitie nor record his owne name but that he was put in minde of his infortunitie But after this mishappe he waxing wiser fortified a place where he and his might haue safe refuge when that they were persued At length he being meruailously enriched by robbing of all men that trauailed within his walke and also by stealing of all kinde of cattell hee gathered together a faire bande of Souldiours and associatinge him selfe with two capteines called Chardares and Myrxes did set vpon a power of the enimies whiche spoyled the countrie and gaue them a greate ouerthrowe the like whereunto he also often times did afterwarde whereby he became so famous that the king of the Massagetes made him capteine generall ouer his armies the which office he administred both valiantly and fortunately and namely a little before the kinges death hauing driuen his enimies into the cities of Babylon and Samarchen and then the king dying he marryed the Quéene and tooke Samarchen or Semerchanda and enioyed that mightie kingdome and also Babylon yea and then with continued course conquered Hiberia Albania Persia Media both Armeniaes Mesopotamia Syria Damascus Aegypt euen vnto Nilus and Capha vppon the coast of the Euxine Sea Cilicia Asia the lesse where hee discomfited in battell Baiazett the Turke with tenne hundreth thousande Turkes neither was his owne ordinarie armie any thing inferiour in number But while he was busied in those partes about taking of the Turkishe townes heauie newes was brought him that one of his confederates a kinge of India called the kinge of Tzachataa passing ouer the riuer Araxis had subdued a greate parte of the countrie thereaboutes which were subiect vnto Tamerlane And amonge all other manifolde detrimentes had miserably defaced the citie of Cheria and had taken Tamerlanes his treasure and returned home but yet so that hee still threatened that hee woulde bee his confederate no longer This sorrowfull message did put Tamerlane in greate feare least that the kinge of India woulde returne againe and sweepe him out of all his dominions at hoame while hee was busied abroade with forreigne warres and herewithall the cursed condition also of humaine affaires and mannes tickle state the which doeth not suffer any man long to enioye here on earth the blisful blast of friendly Fortune appalled his hearte wherefore hee hasted homewarde and whereas before hee iniuried al men nowe did hee not onely put vpp cowardly the Indian wrong but also made greate sute to recouer his auncient friendshippe But after that Tamerlane had thus recouered his countries loste and quieted them and buylt that renowned citie of the worlde Samarchanden in the village where hee was borne whiche hee beautified and enriched with the spoyles of the whole Orient and had throughly peopled it hee prepared a voyage against the Turkes and Christians from the goyng forwarde wherewith hee was stayed bothe by a mightie Earthquake and also two celestiall signes and prodigies the one of a man appearinge in the ayre holdinge in his hande a Lauâ—â—â— and the other of a blasinge Starre terrible for his greatenesse the whiche stoode directly ouer the citie by the space of fiftéene dayes Hee consultinge with the Southsayers and Astrologians about these wounders was tolde by them and namely by one Bene-iaacam a man of greatest authoritie and credite amonge them that they were tokens either of his owne death shortlye after to ensue or else of the vtter ruine and bringinge to naught of his Empire But muche more was he in short time after amazed by a vision that hee had one night the whiche was the cause of his fatall sickenesse and in the ende of his death For hee dreamed one night that Baiazeth the Turke whome hee had made to die miserably in an yron cage came vnto him or else the diuell in his likenesse with a countenaunce sterne and terrible to beholde and saide vnto him nowe it shall not be long villaine but that thou shalt worthilye bee payde for thy manifolde outrages and I too shall be reuenged for the werisome wrong that thou diddest vnto mee making mee to die like vnto a beast in mine own doung And when hee had thus sayed Tamerlane thought that Baiazeth did beate him verye grieuously and troade and trampled vppon him with his féete sore brusing his belly and bowelles in so muche that the nexte morninge when hee had thought to haue risen hee remained still attainted with the apprehension conceiued in his sleape the whiche did néere quite bereue him of his wittes and so rauinge al wayes vppon Baiazeth dyed leauynge his large Empire vnto his two sonnes begotten of diuers venters who consuming them selues with ciuill wars one vppon another left an easie way for all those princes and countries whome their father had spoyled and conquered to recouer all that which they had before lost The xliiii Chapter Of Mahumet the second the greate Turke MAhumet the seconde the greate seigniour of the Turkes that wanne Constantinople Pera Capha and the Empire of Trapezonda the kingdome of Cilicia or Caramania and Bosna and pierced Illyria or Slauonia euen vnto Forum Iulij nowe Friali where he discomfited the Venetians with the flower of al Italie began his reigne with the murthering of two infants his brothers so fearefull was he of
mourning of the Romanes and diuers barbarous nations for the death of Germanicus In 6. Ae. Romane rites at burials In. 5. Aeneid Virg. Aenei 11 Pers satyr 3. Alex. Aphrod in Proble Hist lib. 5. Lib. 8. cap. 18. The funeralles and deification of the Romane Emperours The funerals of Augustus Plu. in vita Numae Pomp. The funeral of the Iewes The funerals of king Herode 2. Reg. 1.13.9 E. 20.22 Ezech. 24 Mich. 1 Iob. 1.2 Tob. 4. Pro. 13. Her. 16. Num. 6 Leui. 21. Of tumbes The tumb of Isocrates The tumbe of Augustus De cur bre affect lib. 8. The tumbe of king Mausolus The tumbe of the king of Mien The tumbe of king Simandius Great riches buried with Princes Co. in Ieroni cap. 8. Ioseph de Ant. Iudi. li. 7. ca. 12. The burial of the christians In 9. ad Rom. serm 17 Lib. pri de mor. Eccle. Cath. cap. 34. Ioan. Macrus de Ind. hist lib 3. cap 16. Ioan. Boc de om gent. mo li. â— cap. 10 Musc lib. 4. The burial of the inhabitantes of Meotis Musc li. 3. The buâ—ial of the Liuonians The burial of the turkes ye and of all the mahumetans Must lib. 5. Ioan. Boe. lib. 2. cap. 12. The burial of the greate Cham. The burial of the kinges of the Moores Hist lib. 3.3 The burial in Tangute The burial of the Tarnassereus The burial of the wilde men of America Theuet Theuet The burial in the Isle Cephale The burial in the Isle of Heremites Theuet Bell Forest The burial of the kingdome of Fesse Sanseuino A vaine feare of the Romanes The degenenerate feare of Augustus and the Romanes The feare of the Greekes before Patras The feare of the Greekes at Philocrene The feare of the Greeks at Trâ—pesunt The feare of the Greekes at Argos The feare of the FrenchmeÌ„ Paul. Aemyl Phil. Com. Histo lib. 37. The feare of the Emperials at Villa Francha Eras in Chili The fearfulnes of Pisander Of one that died with the sight of Hercules The fearfulnes of Artemon Brusonius The feare of Cassander Sabelie The wrath of Walter Earle of Breme The wrath of Mathie King of Hungarie Munster Hor. od 16. A wittie deuise of Poets Anger a short madnesse It is good for a man to look in a glasse when that he is angrie Prou. 28. Dauid Edgar Marie Magdalene Fabiola Iero. de morte Fabiolae The tormeÌ„ts of those that do despaire of Goddes mercie The tormeÌ„ts of a guiltie conscience The tormeÌ„ts of superstition Trall Aegineta Galen Matth. de grand Amat Lusit Lewes the eleuenth Charles the seuenth Dionysius the tyrant Massinissa Dionysius Aristippus Dionysius Commodus Iulius Caesars sentence Alexanders worthy saying Vitellius and Andronicus Papyrius Carbo Epi. lib. 7. epi. 11. Valer. Pli. Fulg. Hippon Fulg. Munster Ger. Cambr. in Itin. Sueton. Zonoras Vgoline of Pise his felicitie Fredericke the seconde The modestie of Epaminondas Henrie the French king Philip feareful of prosperitie The worthie wordes of Aemilius vnto the yong Gentlemen Paulus his Oration vnto the people Camillus his feare of fortune A slaue rideth with the triumphing consul A whip and a bell hanged at the triuÌ„phant chariot Cyrus the great Michridates the great An other Mithridates the great Antiochus the great Pompey the Greate Mathewe the Greate Sforza the Greate Gonsalues the greate Cresus king of Lydia Philippe kinge of Macedonie Antiochus Epiphanes Milciades Themistocles The two Scipiones Romulus Lysander Epaminondas Pelopidas and Conon Hanibal Brennus Aurelianus Alboinus Enghiste Belisarius Orchanes Amurathes Baiazet Swatoslawe Alexander di medici Peter Luigi Caesar Borgia Euseb in vita Const Com. Ludo. Guiacciard The charges of a conduite Polydore A Table shewing what is conteined in euery Chapter of this booke The first Chapter Of the essence vnchangeablenesse singlenesse and almightinesse of God. The second Chapter Of the wonderful pride of Psapho Menecrates Alexander CoÌ„modus Caligula Domitian and Cosdras who woulde be adored for Gods of a wittie decree of the Lacedemonians touching Alexanders deification howe Philippe of Macedonie dolted Menecrates and also to represse his owne pride gaue in commandement vnto one to tell him euery morning that he should remember that he was a man Of a free speeche of a botcher vnto Caligula and of a worthy saying of Antigonus The third Chapter Whereof false Gods had their first grounde and the causes that moued diuers nations to account men for Gods after death and also some while they liued as Demetrius Iulius Caesar Pycta Lysander Simon Magus and Appollonius and of the extreeme madnesse of the Egyptians in chosing of their Gods. Of the impudent flatterie vsed by the Embassadours of Palermo vnto the Byshop of Rome and of the people vnto Herodes Agrippa and the grieuous punishment of God for his accepting thereof Of the greate reuerence that the Persians gaue vnto their kings and of the rare loue that the Galles and the Aethiopians bare vnto their Princes two worthie sayinges of Antigonus Canute The fourth chapter Of the manifolde miseries of man. The fifth chapter The immoderate mourning of man and examples of men that haue died of sorrowe conceiued for the decay of Gods glorie Countries calamitie and infortunitie of parentes children brethren wiues maisters and freendes The sixth chapter Of the great riot of man in apparel and particularly of the excesse therin of a Cardinals harlot of Poppea of the souldiours of Antiochus of Caligula Heliogabalus Charles Duke of Bourgongne of the Marques of Astorga Agrippina Lollia Paulina of the auncient Romanes Greekes Alexandrines of the great prices of a pearle a precious stone And also howe man doth alter the naturall constitution and ornamentes of his bodie of Poppea her bath and of a Patriarche and Cardinall that made themselues to looke pale The seuenth chapter Of the vnreasonable riot of man in buildinges and namely of the Romanes Nero Caligula Heliogabalus Lucullus Clodius of the rare riot in houshold stuffe of the Romanes Greekes Asians specially in their counterfeites bothe painted wrought in metal with the incredible prices of diuerse of them in curiously wrought plate hangings beds bedsteds chaires stools tables with the excessiue prices of many of them Of the great riot in plate of Antonius Bassus Sopus Heliogabalus the libertes of Claudius a Cardinal and againe the sparenesse therin of the ancient Romanes of Scipio Africanus and his brother and of Aelius Catus and what siluer was found in Carthage when it was sacked and of a costly peece of Arras bought by Leo the tenth The eighth chapter Of the great riot of the Romanes in their feastes with the incredible prices of their Acates of the intemperancâ—e therein of Timocreon Crispinus Vitellius Nero Heliogabalus Lucius Verus two Antiochi Marcus Antonius Cleopatra of Aesopus a player and his sonne Clodius Lucullus Galeazo a Venetian two Cardinals and Muleasses king of Tunis and againe the frugalitie in diet of the auncient Romanes of Augustus Pertinax Iulianus and Alexander Seuerus also the daily
a tyrant but a very short for a man to thinke that he had such assured tryall of Fortune that he should neuer féele her vnfaithfulnesse but be aduaunced into the vnchangable felicitie of the gods His body was carried out of the citie in the common bere by the sextens the which his nurse burned at home at her owne house but afterward priuily conueyed the ashes thereof into the sepulchre of his house in their churche For if that the Senate had knowne thereof they woulde haue withstoode it as they whiche decréed that all statuies and arckes set vp in his honour should be broken downe and al titles scraped out and all memorie of him quite abolished for euer The xxvi Chapter Of Commodus BVt what penne can display the continuall hofulnesse of Commodus a God without Martiall glory howe greate a number of conspiracies were there made to deliuer the people of Rome from the bondage of this tirant from howe many good men tooke he life away to prolong his owne hated yeres It is left in memorie that he left not any man aliue that was in authoritie eyther in his fathers or the beginning of his owne reigne but Pompeyanus Pertinax Victorius He became so fearfull that he durst let no body eyther clip his haire or shaue his berd but burnt them off him selfe with a flaming coale And yet this warinesse could not saue him from being poysoned by his minion Martia and being sicke thereof and layde vpon his bed from being strangled by Narcissus in the twelfe yeare of his reigne and one and thirtie of his age But the iust anger of the Senate and people became so hot against him after he was deade that they all cried out with one voice vnto Pertinax his successor Heare O Caesar wée desire thée that all honours may be taken away from the enimie of his countrie that all honours may be taken awaye from the pariciâ—e we request O Caesar that the enimie of the Goddes the sword player the butcher may be drawn along the channels of the citie with an hooke Let him that was more cruell then Domitian and more filthy then Nero be drawne along the channels with an hooke He that murthered all sortes of men let him be drawne among the channels with an hooke He that spoyled the temples let him be drawne along the channels with an hooke and throwne into Tyber But Pertinax who had caused his body to be priuily buried in the night desiered them séeing that his body was already buried not to meddle with it although they cryed out it was vniustly buried and therfore it ought to be taken vp againe but the Emperour would not permit them to doe any vilanie vnto his body but to breake downe al statuies and monuments of him and to abrogate al things before decréed for his honour and to abolish his name out of all places as well publike as priuate Thus the thrée Romane Emperors that woulde néedes vniustly be adored for Gods while they were aliue not only lost the honour of being canonized for Gods after death the which was common vnto the rest of their predecessours and successours but also the due funerals of a noble man although I do reade that Seuerus to anger the Senate whome he hated did afterward canonize Commodus for a God and coÌ„maunded his byrth day to be kept holy The xxviij Chapter Of Cosdras king of Persia NOwe am I glad that I haue passed these Romane monsters and am come vnto the last of my counterfeit Gods Cosdras the mightie monarche of Persia whose sight had fortune blinded with greater flatterie For he liued vntill he was aged and had towardly sonnes both which things prouident and louing nature had denyed vnto those other Tygres least that they should quite haue destroyed mankinde and also surpassed in Martiall glory all the kinges that had reigned in Persia before him For he wanne from the Romane Empire Mesopotamia Syria all the south side of Asia all Aegypt and Africa But as it was soone won almost with continued course of victories so that after he became proude and would not acknowledge that he receiued these victories of God but woulde néedes be adored for a God he lost them againe in as short time and Empire and life withall for Heraclius the Emperour of Constantinople being broken with so many and great foyles supplyantly desired peace of him although the conditions were verie dishonourable and shameful but when that proude Cosdras vtterly refused to make peace with any conditions and wickedly vaunted that he would neuer spare the Christians vntill that he had made them all to denie him that was crucified and adore the sunne then Heraclius rather impelled by necessitie the pricked forwarde by prowesse prepared a power and after many holy supplications and generall feastes helde did set foorth against his insolent enimie who was then at Azotus a citie of Syria in those dayes verye riche whether Heraclius marched for to darreine battell with him But this dastardly God before that Heraclius coulde come thither retyred backe into Mesopotamia almost in flying fourme destroying euery where the standing corne that was nowe as good as ripe that he might take from his enimie all facultie of following him Yet neuerthelesse Heraclius persued him who stil fled before him so fast that Heraclius could not ouertake him Wherfore he wisely left folowing of him and turned all his force vnto the wasting of the countrie with fire and sword But when he vnderstood that the Persian had left two capteines with two greate armies who trusting to the aduauntage of the hilles should stop his passage ouer the mounteines he leauing a part of his power to subdue the cities and places the which were behind vntouched hasted him self with the strength of his armie vnto Taurus the which being spéedily passed ouer he fought with one of the Persian capteines called Salbarus at the riuer of Saro whom he discoÌ„fited in a bloudie fight forced to flée into Persis The gouernment of the remnants of whose armie augmented with a strong supplement of fresh souldiers did Saias take and fought a pitched field with Heraclius who still marched forwarde the which fight continued from the dawning of the day vntil it was late with great slaughter on both sides but at the length the Persians had the better when that a mighty shoure of raine mixed with wind haile terrible thunder lightning was sent from heauen into the faces of the Barbarians the which taking from them the vse both of eies eares yea also depriuing them of al their senses they were beaten down by the Christians as thick as hops so that of so mightie an armie there escaped very fewe but either they were flaine or taken Yet after this great discomfiture Cosdras repayred his armie with al the power of his empire created one Razanes general therof who fought with greater endeuour then his predecessours but with like euent for he him selfe
with his whole armie was slain after they had fought with equal fortune an whole day Then Cosdras being brokē with those manifold discomfitures fled ouer Tygris proclaming his younger sonne Medarses his consort in the kingdome The which reproch iniurie caused the elder son Sirochus a towardly young prince to ioyne in league with Heraclius with the conditions that they should prosecute the warres against Cosdras Medarses they finished Sirochus shuld restore vnto Heraclius all that had ben won frō him his predecessours to bound his kingdome with the riuer of Tygris This league being confirmed certeine horsemen were sent to pursue Medarses his father who brought them both backe with their wiues were by Syrachus cast into painful prison where not long after they were both slaine by his cruel commaundement Suche was the fearefull fall of him who in mockage of the Trinitie had built him a sumptuous house in fourme like vnto the heauens and at the right side thereof had placed the crosse wheron Christ our Sauiour was crucified the which he had lately taken at Hierusalem and on the left a cocke and did set him selfe in the middest betwéene them saying that he was the Father of Heauen that did sit in the middle betwéene the sonne and the holie Ghost I haue the more at large declared the particularities of Cosdras his ruine bycause that euerie degrée and step therevnto may rightly séeme to be of Gods speciall working to the feare and terrour of al those that shall insolently reioyce at a deceitfull gale of fickle fortune as though that were done by their owne force and strength whiche is eyther wrought by Gods owne arme or else permitted by his long sufferaunce The xxix Chapter Of the insolent exulting of Vgoline Earle of Pise Fredericke the second and Henrie the second of their good fortune their falles and againe the moderation of mynde of Epaminondas Philip king of Macedonie Camillus Paulus and Charles the fift in their fortunate concourse of victories and why at Rome a bondman did ride in the chariot with him that triumphed VGoline Girardescus a citizen of Pise in Italie chiefe of the faction of the Guelphes hauing partly expelled and partly subdued the Gibelines came to that power that he administred at becke all things in that riche and mightie citie and became lord therof and also of Lacoa a man of great power for riches nobilitie fame of his wisedome and authoritie and séemed vnto himselfe and vnto others for wife children and childrens children and all other things that be desired in mans life to be a happie and blessed man and reaping the fruite of thinking on his felicitie was fraughtfull of ioy and confidence and tooke a delight to be stil talking of it insomuche that at a magnificent feast whiche he helde on his birthe day where he had all his fréendes and kinsfolkes he extolled with wordes his fauourable fortune admiring and aduauncing it vppe to heauen yea he durst aske an intire fréende of his called Marcus what he thought to be lacking and away Marcus whither moued by mature consideration of the fraieltie and vnstabilitie of humane thinges and howe deceitefull their shewe is and with how swift a swinge they are carried about on fortunes whirling whéele or else cartes admonished from heauen answered nothing but the wrath of God whiche can not be long away from so great prosperitie and it must néedes come to passe séeing so many fortunate thinges are heaped together vppon one man who neuer yet felt the contrarie fortune that he must one day bee ouerwhelmed with some notable calamitie The which prognostication fell out shortly after to be to true For the power of the Guelphes decaying the Gibelines arose vppe in armes and besieged and assaulted his house and slewe one of his sonnes and another of his nephues that defended force from their parent But at the length they taking prisoner Vgoline with his two other sonnes and thrée nephues did shutte them vp in a towre the gates whereof they locked and then threwe the keyes into the riuer of Arno that raune thereby There the vnhappie Father dying for hunger saw his déere pledges dying also starued in his lappe and when he crying out requested his enimies to be contented to exact only humane punishment they would not suffer him to receiue the sacred rites due vnto Christians I finde also recorded that in the great discorde betwéene Fredericke the second Emperour of Almaine Innocens the bishoppe of Rome the citie of Parma that stoode stiffe on the Popes part did shut their gates against Fredericke as he passed that way from Sicyl vnto Burgonie Wherewithall he being fore chafed besieged them with determination not to depart thence before he had taken and razed it flat to the grounde to deterre al other from staying his course This siege helde him an whole yeare and more Before Parma in the place where he incamped had he laide out a plotte to builde a newe citie on and appointed places for churches and the highe and chiefe churche he dedicated vnto Saint Victor for a good abodement of happie successe and the other bothe publike and priuate buildings beganne to goe vp sumptuously This citie called he Victoria He coyned also money with the Image of Saint Victor whiche hee named Victoriates Hée did also set forth spectacles after the manner of the olde Romane Emperours and suche in déede as might compare with those auncient shewes being gloriously adorned with Elephants and a great number of suche other wilde beasts the whiche when the Romanes florished were Lords of the worlde were knowen in Italie but in those dayes were straunge sightes vnto the Latine eyes These straunge beastes were sent him by the Sultanes of the Orient and the kinges of Afrique to whome he was a fréende and confederate He also made magnificent games and playes and brought foorth and shewed vnto the people men of vnknowen tounges and Countries such as they neuer heard of before apparelled also in as straunge attire in this manner proudely triumphing and requesting the fruite of victorie the which is the gyft of God before that he had ouercome Thus going aboute to matche the magnificence of the auncient Romane Emperours but attempting it in a wrong time he fell into great lacke of money Then the Victoriates which were before of golde nowe beganne to be made of leather with a very small and thinne Image of siluer making proclamation that they should be taken for fine golde for his mint woulde so valewe and take them And to seale vppe the mischiefe the Parmesans and their alies falling out of the Citie wanne his campe the newe Victoria and put the Emperour vnto a foule flight and so the Citie of Victoria fell before it was finished Yea it was ouerthrowen before it were reared vppe and quite destroied before it was built and with his Victoria his Empire also flewe away and not long after his