be inuironed on euery side with theyr enimies immediatly they fledde and left theyr tentes standing flying downe by the shoote banke The Romans a certaine space pursued the footemen then hauing spoyled the tents making diuerse recourses through the whole prouince spoyled the fields and rifled the Townes Shortly after they inuaded and toke Tunis perceiuing that it was a very fit place for the warres lying against Carthage the prouince incamped there The Carthaginenses being a lyttle before ouercome by sea were now likewise suppressed by land of the Romans in diuers battailes not for lacke of men or strength but of pollicie experte captaines Thus they were disquieted with diuerse afflictions and in desperation of theyr health After this combate wherein they were so dispersed foyled there arose a great route of the Numidians against them hoping to get some gaines of whome they had almost as much hurt as of the Romans for they being a gredy couetous pilling snatching and rauenous nation depopulated and wasted all things before them The Carthaginenses quaking for feare of the Numidians fledde out of the prouince into the citie where as they were greatly discoraged prognosticating the furyous famine lyke to ensue as well for the multitude of people inclosed within the Citie as for feare of the long siege Now Marcus Attilius perfectely vnderstanding the great daunger that the Carthaginenses were in both by sea and by land so that the citie within a small tracte of time wold reuolte and yelde vnto him yet fearing least the new Consul then redy to come into Africa shold ascribe the facinorous worthy actes done by him to his owne glory praise thought it best to cōclude peace with the Carthaginenses which gratefully and with ioyful mindes accepted it dismissing the chiefe men of theyr citie to intreate with the Consul concerning the conclusion of the league This matter being thus brought to passe yet were the demaundes so vnreasonable that they refused to take truce with them yea they were so farre out of measure that they could not suffer the Consul to speake to them for Marcus Attilius hauing the victory and dominion ouer all things thought whatsoeuer hée offered to the Carthaginenses that they should accepte it as a gifte or rewarde but they on the contrary parte thought there could be nothing more rigorous sharpe cruell or byting than the wordes of the Consul were vnto them being driuen to the last pinch Wherefore they departed not onely enimies and peace vnconcluded but also abhorring and detesting the aunswere of Attilius as too greuous displeasant paynefull and harde also as to magnificke stately and arrogante When they hadde shewed these things in the senate house at Carthage though long before they were in dispaire and hadde no hope of prosperous successe neuerthelesse yet hearing the vnreasonable requestes of the Consul with a great disdayne they did animate them selues reuiuing theyr pristinate corages determining rather to abide extreme daunger and calamities yea and death it selfe than to suffre any reproche infamie or disworshippe eyther of their good name or of the worthie and famous actes done and atchieued by them At that same present a certaine Carthaginean by chaunce which was sent into Grecia at the beginning to hyer souldiours returned home with a greate troupe and multitude of men amongst whome there was one Zantippus a Lacedemonian who was a passing expert and cunning Souldier had ben much exercised trained in the warres which hearing tell of the conflict and ouerthrow of the Carthaginenses also perceiuing how it was fought and being enformed of the time and place wher further considering their preparance with horse and Elephants turned him to his companions sayde The Carthaginenses toke not this ouerthrow of the Romans but through their euill guiding and ignorance of their vnexpert captaines These wordes of Zantippus immediatly were bruted thorough the whole citie and came to the eares of the rulers which made him to be called before them minding to trie his counsayle Now when Zantippus was come to them had shewed the reason of his wordes and the causes why the Romans made such hauocke of their men he promised if they would be counsailed by him afterwards leauing the hills and high places keping the plaines that he would instructe them how to saue them selues and a redy way to ouercome their enimies The Carthaginean Captaines being moued with these words of Zantippus incontinently auctorized him generall ouer the whole armie and there was a great rumour noised abrode through the whole host of Zantippus wordes so that there was nothing but plesant noyse and merye talke thorough the whole armie When he had broughte the souldiers out of the citie and imbattailed them there appeared suche manifeste difference betwixte them and the other vntrayned Captaines that all the people cried oute wyth a clamorous shout they desired nothing so much as warre they had such a good hope Zantippus being their guider These things beyng thus broughte to passe the Carthaginean Captaines perceiuing the ardent zeale feruent desire of the souldiers exhorted them as the tyme permitted then wythin a fewe dayes after brought them forth against their enimies There was in the Carthaginean armie aboue twelue thousande footemen foure thousande horsemen and nygh a hundreth Elephants Marcus Attllius hauing knowledge of his enimies though he were somewhat astonnyed to see them contrary to their accustomed rate keepe in the plaines and place their tents in them yet being very desirous of battaile hée marched forwarde to méete them placing his tentes within two hundreth paces of his ennimies The next day folowyng the African Capitains tooke counsell amongest themselues what was best to be done The whole multitude turned to Zantippus callyng hym by name and sayde that they were redie and prepared to venter them selues what daunger soeuer there were desiring him to make forward to the battaile The Carthaginean captaines perceyuyng the valiaunt courage of their souldiers and the desire they had to encoūtre with their enimies cōsidering also the presence of Zantippus thought that this was a moste conuenient time to set vpon their enimies wherfore cōmanding the souldiers to prepare them selues they granted Zantippus the regiment of the army to rule at his pleasure He hauyng receiued of the captains authoritie ouer the host set towards his aduersaries in araying his armie placed the elephants euery one in his order before the forefront of the battaile a litle space after thē he placed a legiō of the Carthaginenses appointing the stipendarie souldiers to kepe the right and left corner then he appointed them of moste agilitie to fight betwixte the two wings of the horssmen The Romanes perceiuyng their ennimies in a readynesse prepared and made readye theyr armie settyng the moste valyaunt and actiue Souldiours that coulde bée pycked oute of the whole companie agaynst the Elephantes After them they fortified theyr forefront with diuers and sundry munitions pointing their horsmen in either wing
iourney first into the countrey of Scicilie and from thence vnto Carthage but sodaynly not looked for by the promontorie of Mercurie they did méete wyth the Lybian Nauie whych as I haue shewed before was sette there to stoppe theyr voyage and violently rushed vpon them immediatly seasing a hundreth fourtene fraughted prises thence saylyng to Clipea they receiued the Romane Souldiers and remained a while in Africa and then returned to Scicilie When they had prosperously passed ouer the sea betwixt Africa and Scicilie and were not farre distant from the citie Camerina there chaunced such a great calamitie and shypwracke to them as can not be well expressed for of sixe hundreth fortie and foure shippes scante foure score were saued all the rest being either drenched or rent with rockes goared vp the shore with carkases and other trafike There was neuer greater spoyle at one time before these oure dayes yet chaunced it not so muche by fortune as thorough the foolyshe boldenesse of the Consuls for mariners and lodes mē warned them oft to eschue from the out costs of Scicilie being withoute portes and very daungerous especially at that time of the yeare betwixt Orion and the can icular signes but they reiected and dyd sette light the Counsell of the Maryners and puffed vp in pride with their former victories also beyng desirous of a fewe holdes of litle value belonging to their enimies so that their glorious and triumphant victorie whiche they had obtained before was blemyshed wyth this myserable calamitie suffering seuere punishment for their vnbridled boldenesse and as they are in dede valiant so they suppose that al such exploites as they purpose to take in hand must of necessitie be finished iudging nothyng impossible for them as diuers times in this their vnaduised rashenesse they had fortunate successe so many times they erre slyde into great and manifest dangers and especially in combates on the sea for though in conflictes on the lande matching onely with men they often tymes haue the preeminēce but not alwayes yet on the seas they so harebrainely hasard them selues that ofte tymes they are pestred with great perilles as they are at this present and sundry other times and shall be hereafter except they represse and bridle their vntamed rashenesse When the Carthaginenses had knowledge of thys vnluckie chaunce happened to the Romanes they earnestly employed their whole diligence to the Nauall warre on the sea supposyng them selues nothing inferiour to the Romanes by water for this their infortunate chance and equall with them by land bicause they had ouercome the host of Marcus Attilius Wherfore immediately they sent Asdrubal with all their olde souldiers with a Nauie of two hundreth shippes parte newe made parte hauing their stemmes and tackeling refreshed also a hundreth and fortie Elephantes with a supplement of new Souldiers into Scicilie whiche hauing his armie safely conducted to Lilybeum daily exercised his Souldiers and Elephantes continually molesting the friendes of the Romanes thoroughout all Scicilie Althoughe the calamitie of the great shipwracke had discouraged and appalled the heartes of the Romanes yet they disdained to giue place to the Carthaginenses Wherefore they prepared a new nauie of two hūndreth and twentie shyppes which was finished with suche celeritie that within thrée monethes they were vndockte and sette on the water which may be thoughte a thing almoste incredible Aulus Aquilius and Caius Cornelius being Consuls were appointed to sayle into Scicilie with that Nauie and to make warre with the Carthaginenses whiche incontinentely takyng theyr iourney came to Messana where as they did receiue the remnaunt of the Shippewracke whiche made in the whole a nauie of thrée hundreth saile From thence they did passe onwarde to Panormus the chiefe Citie of the Carthaginenses assailyng it with great power and violēce and besieged it on both sides so the within few days with their torments brakes slings they battered downe the Toure entryng in with greate violence and woon the base towne called Neapolis which being once taken the Citizens sore discouraged yelded the other partes cōmonly called the olde towne When Panormus was taken the Consuls left certain souldiers there and returned to Rome The next Caius Seruilius and Cneius Sempronius beyng chosen in their places toke the nauie and passed the seas into Scicilie from thence into Africa where ariuing in the prouince they set their armie on land in diuers places making greate hauocke euery where yet they dyd nothyng worthie writing At length they ariued in the Isle of the Lotophagians called Mirmix not farre distant from the little Syrtes or quickesandes where not knowing the places through which they shoulde sayle chaunced in a straighte angle where their shippes were grounded by the ebbing of the sea during which time they stoode in a maruellous perplexitie almost drownde in dispaire vntyll the water by flowing set them on foote againe yet could their not scape scotfrée but of constraint were compelled to emptie their ships and cast their ballesse ouer borde After that daye the Romans being pinched with so many perills made their voyages by sea as though the enimies had ben in their tailes After this they returning into Scicilye vanquished Lilybium remained at Panormus front whence as they passed towards Italye there arose such a sodayn tempest that aboue a hundreth and fiftie shippes of their nauie were dispersed by the rage of the Seas which after long tossing from post to piller were wracked and lost The Romans being daunted with these hurtes and calamities though they estemed the maiestie honour of their Empire aboue all other things yet being oppressed with these miseryes determined vtterly to forsake the seas Then they only prepared an Army on the lande which were sent into Scicilye vnder the tuition of Lucius Cacilius and Caius Curius being Consuls to whome they deliuered onely thrée score shippes for the transporting of their corne and victualls by which it came to passe that the Carthaginenses hadde the superioritie againe for the Roman nauie taken away they only ruled ouer the waters hauing also great confidence in their army and Elephantes on the land The Romans being aduertised of the battaile fought in Africa and the driuing backe of their armye onely thorough the multitude and strength of the Elephants which brake their battaile and disturbed their orders making great confusion in the host after that time they were so pauled with the feare of the beastes that for the space of two yeares next ensuing when they should haue coped with their enimies either in Africa or in other places they neuer durst encounter with them or pitche theyr Tentes in the valeyes but continually kept in the hilles and high places for no other cause but onely to shielde them selues from the Elephantes The Romans perceiuing their hoste to be thus discoraged without lingering prepared a new Nauie and hauing an election of officers Caius Attilius and Lucius Manlius were appointed Consuls Thus furnishing fiftie newe shippes
by their explorators perceiuing thē selues much their inferiors in naual cōbats drew to the nexte banke in which there was a hollow bending place by the ouershoting of the rockes vpon which the Romans stoode beating their Enimies backe with stones and slings The Carthagmenses determined to kepe thē there whilest they reuolted but perceiuing the nature of the place and how the Romans resisted them sharplyer than they loked for taking certaine of their dromundaries costed into a créeke adioyning where they determined to stop their passage While these things wer in hand that Cōsul hauing dispatched his businesse which he taried for among the Siracusans taken the Promontarie of Pachinus passed towards Lilibeum ignorant of the misfortune chaunced to his companiōs But Carthalon hauing knowledge of his cōming by his espials hasted towards him very desirous to encounter with them farre from the other company But Lucius Iunius per ceiuing that he was at hand determined not to encounter with him being afrayde of the great multitude and he was so nigh that they could not flye backe wherefore he thruste into very daungerous places and retyred to the next harboure decréeing rather to suffer extreme perill than to permit the Romane Nauie to fall into their Enimies handes The Carthaginean Captaine perceiuing his fetch desisted to pursue them and kept in a port iust betwixt the Roman Nauies supposing by that meanes to poulder their passages Within a few dayes after there began a wonderfull tempest to aryse which the Carthaginean Maryners espying for they had great knowledge on the seas and were very expert in those places counsayled Carthalon to expugnate the promōtarie Pachinus then to eschewe the immynent perill He folowing their counsayle escaped scotfrée and without daunger but the Roman Nauie being sore turmoyled with the violence of the tempest by reason of their vile harbours was all torne and rente in pieces of which great wracke nothing was saued that euer profited after The Romans being molested with these miserable calamities were now againe inferior to the Carthaginenses for being plaged dispitefully handled not long before at Drepanum and now hauing lost theyr whole nauie were glad to forsake the Sea hope for victorie onely by land of the contrary part the Carthaginenses ruled on the seas vncōtrolled hoped wel to haue a saying by the land Wherfore bothe the Romans which were at Rome those at Lilybeum though they were disturbed with these contrary chances yet intended to persist in the siege wherefore they sent from Rome such things as were necessaire the souldiers according to their power cōtinued the camp Lucius Iunius after he had lost the nauie by sinistre fortune came to Lilybeum very heauie careful addicting him self wholy to excogitate imagine some strange inuentiō with which he might adnihilate or diminish the ignominie slander wherwith his worship was shadowed Wherfore not long after by a slender occasion that was offered he cōquered that mount Erix by a pollicie This Erix is a mounte within Scicilie depending ouer the sea on that part which loketh towards Italie it stādeth betwixt Drepanum Panormus but nygher to Panormus it excedeth all the mountaines in Scicilie sauing Aetna in largenesse and bredth in the top it hath a playne in which stādeth the temple of Venus more magnificke gorgious beautiful than any other building in Scicilie A little below the top there is a Citie of the same name hauing maruellous difficult scarce penetrable passages The Consul layed one Army in the top and another at the foote of this mountaine in the passage to Drepanum hoping by that meane to kepe both the hill the Citie Erix taken the Carthaginenses appointed Amilcar surnamed Barcas general ouer their nauie which with his whole power passed into Italie where he proyed and sacked the sea coastes This was the eightenth yeare of this warre Then hauing destroied the territories of the Locrines and Brutians he returned with his whole puissance into the frontiers of Panormus where he toke a plot correspondent to the wars situate betwixt it Rhegia ioyning to the Sea and strongly defenced of nature passing fit for the defence of an armie This hill is straitly incompassed with stepe rocks hauing a plain on the very tippe twelue miles in compasse very notable a fertil soyle the ayre is very pleasant no noysome or venemous beastes able to abyde in it certaine great and huge rocks stande betwixt it the lande in the midst there is a ground wart which serueth for the watch toure the port is very cōmodious for those which passe frō Drepanum or Lilibeum to Italie There be but only 3. passages which are very difficill to this place two from the land and one from that Sea Amilcar pitched his tents there as a man desperate and of no hope in the midst of his enimies yet he permitted not his aduersaries to be in quiet but ofte times went by Sea and wasted the coastes of Italye to Cumara and in the ende brought his Armie by lande where he encamped before Panormus but eight hundreth pases distante from the Romans remayning there thrée yeares during which tyme he did many notable actes to tedious to rehearse particularly The Romanes as is shewed before lying in two parts one company at the top another at the foote of Erix Adherbal by pollycie wonne the Towne which stode on the hill side betwixt the Romane Armies by which chaunce the Romanes which laye on the top were besieged and sore molested with the Carthaginenses and they them selues likewise keping the Towne were as sore beset with the two Armies hauing but one entrance and that very straite for the conueyance of victuals into the Towne Thus both the parts persisting in their obstinacie and stubbernesse suffred diuerse punishments greuous tortours and extreme calamyties When the warre in this maner hadde ben long protracte during which time Amilcar plaged the Italyans ofte times by water for they almoste for the space of fiftene yeares had abstained from the Naual warre but now perceiuing that the warre could not otherwise be ended they were moued to prepare a new nauie And bicause theyr treasury was sore impouerished the priuate Citizens according to their abilitie disbursed the money diuers of them making one Quinquereme amongst them Thus were the people of Rome affected to further their warres and mayntaine the Glory of their Empire building two hundreth shippes like to the Rhodians which as I shewed before was takē at Lilibeum Lucius Lutacius was apointed ruler ouer this armie sent against the Carthaginenses in the nexte spring which sodainly entering Scicilie with his fleete at the first arriuall obtained the porte of Drepanum the other about Lilibeum The Carthaginean shippes quaking for feare flocked aboute their Captaine but Lutacius preparing engins ordinance and instrumentes indeuored him selfe to expugnate the Citie And perceiuing how the Carthagmean Nauie was at hande he remembred theyr olde
perceiuing the Barbarians to aduaunce and boast them selues also to be proude and arrogant of the former victorie so that they dyd al things vnaduisedly foolishly and without regarde like vndiscrete and harebraine fooles he with his souldiers and a companie of exercised trained Citizens departed from the Citie comming to the fielde Nileum with a quicke and swift progression where he fought a terrible fight along the bankes of the riuer Longanus with the Campanes in which he vanquished them and tooke their capitaine Nowe perceiuing the foolish hardinesse and braynsicke boldnesse of the Barbarians to be repressed in this victorie he returned wyth the Syracusans where with one voice and common cōsent of the people he was proclaimed Kyng The Mamertines first of all as I saide before being destitute of the Romane Legions helpe then greuously afflicted and troubled with this ouerthrow were almost vtterly discoraged the most parte fled to the Carthaginenses yelding themselues and their fortresses into their handes An other company sente Legates to the Romanes notifying them that they wold yelde their fortresse with all the munitiōs belonging into their hands requiring them to assist them as their owne countreymen The Romanes a great tracte of time determined wyth themselues what was best to be done for they iudged it very absurde foolish contrary to reason that they which a little before had so cruelly tormented their owne citizens for betraying Rhegia and falsifying theyr truthe nowe to ayde succoure or helpe the Mamertines which were culpable of the lyke offence But when they considered that the Carthaginenses hadde not only suppressed with violence and force Africa but also the moste parte of Spayne with all the Ilandes of Sardinia and the Sea Tirrhenum they suspected their neighborhode which thing woulde sone be brought to passe vnlesse they sente succoure and helpe to the Mamertines Messana being once taken which by dyuers was offered them as I declared before there was no daunger in recouering the reste of the Siracusans especially bycause all other partes of Scicily were vnder their gouernance and power When the Romanes had throughly pondered these thinges they supposed that of necessitie and constraint they were compelled enforced to ayde relieue and defende Messana not permitting in any case that the Carthaginenses should edifie themselues as it were a bridge by the which they might haue frée passage to enter Italy at their pleasure Yet this matter was long in determining and in conclusion perceyuing it more dishonest than cōmodious the Senatours proroged and dismissed it without any resolute determination The people of Rome being defatigate and wearied with long warre nowe were in rest and quietnesse so that for lacke of their accustomed wages they were sore impouerished so that they shewing to their captaines the profite which should ensue by aiding them incontinently it was concluded to ioyne with the Mamertines whiche decrée was corroborate by the assente of the comminaltie so that Appius Claudius one of the Consuls was elected to con duct an armie into Scicilie in their defence The Campanes being certified of their comming partely with terrour and threatnings partely with subtile sleightes and deceiptes ertruded the Carthaginian captaine out of the citie whiche before they had receiued callyng Appius Claudius vnto them yeldyng the Citie into his tuition The Carthaginenses tormēted the Prefect of the munition hanging hym vpon a gibet bicause thorough his dastardly cowardlynesse they had loste the Citie and incontinentely with all celeritie they leuied an armye rygging theyr nauie along Pelorus pytchyng theyr tentes aboute Messana circumspectly besieging the Citie Hieron supposing at this instant a most fitte occasion to be offered for banishyng the Barbarians out of Scicilie which kept Messana toke truce with the Carthaginenses and then wyth the Syracusans pitched his tentes by the mount Galchidicum berieuing the Mamertines of that issue Now the Consull which with greate trouble and perillous dangers hadde passed the sea by night was arriued at Messana wher seing the enimies with great strength inuading the citie both by water and lande very sharply and vehemently supposing it to be very daungerous and nothyng honorable dismissed certayne Embassadours to either of his enimies campes assaying to deliuer the Mamertines with quietnesse all warre and strife appeased But perceiuing that neither of the aduersaries wold giue eare to the words of the embassage and in the ende being forced to danger himself he determined first to encounter and contend with the Siracusans Then he began to order hys Souldiours imbattayling and placing his forefronts against Hyeron giuing vnto them diuers exhortacions during which time the Siracusan Captaine made no lesse preparaunce This conflicte continued a long time very sharpe and terrible but in continuance the Romanes had the victory where hauing slaine many of their ennimies boldly pursued the kyng into his pauilion then the Consull hauing spoyled and rifled the deade bodies entred the Citie with his hoste Nowe Hyeron mistrusting all thinges in the night folowing departed with the residue of the Scicilian army Appius in the nexte morning perceyuing theyr departure intended to pursue them and musteringe his Souldiours commaunded that they shold looke to their woundes and prouide for the pursuite of their enimies against the next morning so in the dawning of the day he set forward and coaping with his enimies deuoured parte with the sword causing the rest to bestow themselues in villages adiacent Thus hauing raised the siege without interruption he made diuers incursions inuading the groundes of the Siracusans others bordering nigh foraging and ransacking and depopulating their goods and in the ende besieging them This was the first profection that the Romanes made out of Italy for the causes preceding at the which chiefly I toke my beginning bicause I thought it a most apt perfect beginning of this my work repea those things somwhat exactlier which were thought necessary lest I should pretermitte any doubtes in explicatyng the causes For I supposed it necessarie to be reueled how the Romans stode in greate danger and distresse euen in ieopardie of losing their owne citie Also after what maner hauing recouered Italy again they attempted to subdue foraine nations Also I adiudged it very necessary to declare the excellencie and magnificencie of their Empire that the florishing estate which it came to afterward might be that better credited by the true knowledge of their original Wherfore if it chaunce the sequele of this my woorke when I come to speake of famous Cities that I digresse in shewyng any thyng exactlier than the matter is thought to require let no man wonder at it seing I doe it to that ende and purpose that my narration may be such wherby we may precisely knowe and perfectly vnderstande howe and by what meanes euery one came to that state in which they are at this present according as I haue done of the Romans But nowe the time requireth to pretermit these things and that I should returne to
seperation being perceiued of the Carthaginenses there was a signe made out of Amilcars shippe as they were agréed before at which sight with a sodayne inuersion they returned inuading the Romans which pursued them The battayle was very terrible and cruell The Carthaginenses farre exceded the Romans in subtill fleights and swift rowing but after that it came to handblowes the shippes were grapled the Romans passed in strength worthinesse According as I haue declared was the beginning of the nauall warres Hanno which as I declared before was captaine of the right wing espying the battaile to be begonne with the forewarde of the Romans set forwarde to inuade the rearewarde where was a terrible perillous conflict during long very douteful Then the fourth warde of the Carthaginenses set towards their enimies incountred with that fléete which had the ferry botes who letting the ropes slippe assailed them very fiercely Thus was the battaile deuided into thrée partes there was thrée nauall conflictes at one tyme euery one farre seperate from another In the which the fightes were alike bicause of their equalitie eche parte encountred other couragiously all things went alyke on bothe sides Then in continuaunce Amilcar with his company were put to flight Lucius Manlius persisted in pursuing hys enimies but Marcus Attilius espying the conflictes in the rearewarde and amongst that Hulkes hasted him to aide them with the second ward the rearewarde which had ben in great perill daunger and almost supprest by Hanno were so incoraged and animated by the Consuls comming that they fought couragiously The Carthaginenses being thus sodainly intrapte with their enimies on euery syde trusting to the celeritie and swiftnesse of their shippes thrust into the déepe and fled away During this time the third nauie of the Romanes which laye by the shore was sore assauted grieuously oppressed by the Carthaginenses but Lucius Manlius and Marcus Attilius hauing set the reareward and the other in safetie toke their course a contrary way to ayde them being in distresse which laye as though they had ben besieged almost ouercome which had chāced in déede but that the Carthaginenses being afraid of theyr crowes durst not graple with thē so that they onely studyed to driue them to the shore But the Roman Consuls hauing at vnwares incompassed them tooke fiftie of theyr fraughted pryses the residue being driuen to the shore fledde away Thus these thrée battayles were foughte seuerally betwixt the Romans and the Carthaginenses on one day according to thys prescript order in which the Romans were conquerours of whose Nauie there was foure and twenty Shippes wracked of the Carthaginenses aboue thyrtie The Romans had no fraughted shippes taken but they tooke to the number of thrée score and moe After this combate hauing repaired theyr taken shippes and ioyned them to theyr armye hauing victualles and other necessaries collected departed towardes Libia There is a place in Africa called the Promentary of Mercury reaching into the sea towards Scicilye ther the Romans arriued first from whence hauing repayred theyr shippes they sayled to Clypia and there not farre from the Citie hauing disbarqued the souldiers begonne to enuironne the Towne with dytches and trenches They had prepared all things redie to besiege the Towne but the defendants yelded them selues willingly to them Now the Carthaginenses which had before fled from the nauall conflict were arriued at Carthage supposing the Roman army after theyr prosperous successe to haue gone immediately thyther for which suspection they leuied a great number of horsemen footemen and shippes to defende the necessarie places of the Citie After all this preparaunce being finished it is to vnderstanded how the Consuls had besieged the Citie of Clipia reiecting all domesticall feare they prepared men redy to their warre both by water and lande pretermitting nothing belonging to the safetie of the prouince or citie In the meane time the Consuls hauing ouercome the Citie of Clipie and put souldiers into it they sent legats to Rome which should certifie the Senate of their affairs bring them word what they should then take in hand Finally they brought their whole army to the Frontiers of Carthage inuading the prouince without interruption pilling forraging and wasting the region before them burning destroying the sumptuous buildings seasing all kinde of praies and booties bringing aboue twentie thousande laborers to their shippes In the meane time the legates sent to Rome were returned making relation how the senate willed one of the Consuls to remaine in Africa with the hoast and the other to repaire to Rome with the nauie The Consuls perceiuing the mindes of the Senate agréed that Marcus Attilius Regulus shold remaine in Africa with fortie shippes fiftene thousande footemen and fiue hundreth horsemen and that Manlius with the residue of the nauie and hoast with all the multitude of captiues should retorne to Rome The Carthaginenses perceiuing by the great preparation of the Romans that this warre shold be of long continuance appointed Asdruball the sonne of Hanno Bostarus captaines of their host Then they sent to Amilcar to Heraclea which immediatly came to Carthage with fiue thousande footemen and fiue hundreth horsemen was associate the thirde captaine to them The thrée generals beganne to consulte amongst them selues concerning the administration of the warrs in which cōsultation they determined to ayde the prouince and not to suffre such hauocke and waste to be made of the Region Then Marcus Attilius within a few dayes after went to the Citie Adis indeuoring him selfe to besiege and conquere it of which the Carthaginenses hauing knowledge employed their whole diligence to receiue and deliuer it from the siege marching forwarde wyth their whole Army towardes the Romans to such tyme as they came to a hyll standing on the right wing of theyr enimyes on the which for certayne considerations they pighte theyr pauilions supposing it to bée a place most expedient and apte for theyr purpose All theyr truste and confidence of victorie were in theyr Horsemen and Elephantes Thus forsaking the playnes and valeys they ascended with theyr Armye into a highe huge and stéepe platte euen as it were teaching theyr enimies what they should doe as without doute it chaunced after for the Romans perceiuing how the Elephāts in the which theyr enimies putte theyr chiefe confidence were altogether vnprofitable for battayle and of no force in the mountaines supposed it to be best not to deferre or prolong the tyme any longer eyther to permit them to descende into the plaines but incontinently pretermitting no oportunitie incompassed the hyll on eyther side by which deuise it came to passe that the power of the Elephantes and Horsemen were of no force and to no purpose so that onely the mercynarie souldiers fought out of the higher places constrayning the Romane souldiers a lyttle to retyre but the other part of the hyll was sodainely vanquished and the Romans ascended The Carthaginenses perceiuing them selues to
lead me thus againe Fare you well From Gaudy Hall in Norfolke Franciscus Asulanus Lectori salutem EA semper humani generis est infelicitas id infortunium ea calamitas vtsi quid grato deorum munere mortalibus nobis datum sit eo nequaquā diutius frui possimus Sed simulac illius iucunditate oblectari coepimus id extemplo euanescat ac ueluti rapaci quodam inuidentis fortunae liuore nobis incautis auferatur Quo fit vt quo quid vel dignius vel charius habemus hoc citius eo priuemur miseri Hoc vero ipsum rebus in omnibus clara videmus luce nam quid in humanis adeo firmum est in quo spem certam ponere possumus quid adeo stabile in quo placido securi otio quiescamus Dij boni ipsamet tam dubia tam fallax est vita vt nemini ne horulam quidem viuere certo sit exploratū Sed ne pluribus ego exemplis rem manifestam prosequar hoc vel in hisce Polybij libris quorum causa haec scribimus facile cognosci potest Hij profecto vt optimi erant ita breuissimo iniqua hac sorte inter mortales tempore viguerunt vix à priscis suae tempestatis hominibus semel aut iterū fuerunt lecti Adeo nobis infestam tulit fortuna legem vt optima quaeque tam raptim è nostris effugiūt oculis Id vnum autem dira hac in pernicie nos potest solari quod si maxima huiusce operis pars deperdita sit erant enim quadraginta historiarum libri quinque tamen adhuc nobis supersunt concinno scripti stilo qui caeleberrimū Polybij nomen vulgatis passim testantur laudibus His hercule facile videmus praeclarum hunc scriptorem longé omnes alios tā immensa voluminum magnitudine quam optimo dicendi genere excelluisse Hic profecto ille est quem optimum scribendis in historijs ducem Grauissimus inter Romanos Titus Liuius vbique ferè imitari voluit Accipe igitur Polybium nunc Britannia loquentem lingua Quem propediem patrio ipsius sermone historias enarrantem fata adsint audiueris Sis fortunatus R. W. in laudem Histor Polybij Anglico Lectori IF famous factes or worthie actes Reioyce thy daunted minde Polybius reede VVhere as in deede Good Physike shalt thou finde For there is pende which to the ende Of mortall men shall last By chieftains handes Done in straunge landes In alder tyme now past Of Captaines stoute which fought it out Their countrey to defende whose good name shall at no time fall Vnto the worldes ende Of Consuls strong Here all along The doughtie deedes are set VVhiche by no craft shall be out raft Their honour for to let Then Vertue learne That thou mayst earne Suche glorie for to haue As Momus sect Can not reiect VVhen thou arte closde in graue Thales Milesi Gloriam sectato The Histories of the worthie Chronographer Polybius IF it had chanced that those Historiographers whyche haue writen before me had pretermitted the commendation of Histories it might bée thought that I of necessitie constraint in the beginning of thys my worke should haue erhorted euery man to the reading of them especially bicause there is no more plaine or ready waye to the right instruction of life than facts doon in former passed yeres but bicause that not only part but all in generall not by a few meanes and reasons haue practised it both in their begynnings and endings declaring that the knowledge of them is the best guide and scholemaster to ciuilitie that they onely are the cause why men with equall and indifferent mindes suffer the varietie and change of Fortune takyng example at other mens damage waying these thyngs I thought none would iudge it necessarie to recite them againe whiche haue bene inculcate of so many studiously affecting this kinde of learning especially not of me bycause the noueltie and strangenesse of the matter which I determine and deliberate to intreate vpon is of efficacie and force inough to drawe the mindes bothe of yong and olde to the reading and diligent digesting of this my worke For what man is there so dispising knowledge or any so idle and slouthfull to be found which will eschue or auoide by what policies or by what kinde of gouernment the most part of nations in the vniuersall world were vanquished subdued and in space of thrée and fiftie yeares made subiect and obediēt to the Romanes which before that time was neuer séene or heard For who is there so studiously bent eyther that hath such an ernest affection or zeale to other discipline or studie that hée supposeth any kynde of knowledge to be of more value either worthy to be estéemed or preferred before this But the antiquitie worthinesse of this my worke shal be more manifest if the soueraigntie seignorie of those men that flourished in so great glorie and dignitie of the which the Historiographers haue written at large should be compared to the excellencie of the Romane Empire aboue other these are most worthy for that comparison The Persians in auncient tyme were of greate power and authoritie of maruellous might riches notwithstanding as oft as they passed the bounds lymits of Asia they not onely douted the perdition of their principalitie but also the losse of their owne lyues The Lacedemonians after they had made many conflicts bickrings for the Regiment of the Grecian Empire And at the last hauing obtained their heartes desire they could scantly kepe it twelue yeares in tranquillitie quietnesse without great grief trouble and vexations The Macedonians had the soueraignetie ouer certaine partes of Europa from Adria to the greate riuer Isther which is but a smal portion of that region but afterward hauing vanquished and suppressed the Persians they enioyed the principalitie of al Asia These also though they ruled ouer sundry natiōs and diuers places yet they left a great part of the worlde vnconquered for they neuer endeuoured them selues to subdue Sicilia Sardinia or Affrica scantly euer heard they tel of the other fierce vntractable Nations which inhabite towardes the Ponent or west parts But the Romanes not only conquered a fewe partes but subdued brought the most part of the world in subiection As concerning the times thys my historie shal begyn at the hūdreth and fortie Olympiade Concernyng the warres at the conflicte of the confederates and allies called amongste the Grecians the sociall warre which Philip sonne of Demetrius and father to Persius first made against the Achaians and Aetolians Of the factes perpetrate by the Asians at the battaile of Syria which Antiochus and Ptolomeus Philopater made the one against the other Concerning the facts of the Italians and Affricans at the warres betwixt the Romanes and the Carthaginenses commonly called the battaile of Hanniball for these consequently doe depende of those which are last written by Sicionius
they all began and lefte of togither Accordyng to this rate they lerned to rowe then the shippes being finished they entred the sea within a fewe dayes after made a true trial in the waters Gaius Cornelius the Consul which not long before was made generall of the Nauy hauing brought all the shippes into the déepe passed the seas to Messana with seuentene sayle leauing the residue about the coastes of Italy Whē he had prepared all things necessary to his Fleete at Messana spying a conuenient time he passed wyth the same shippes to the Ilands Hyparides About that time Hanniball the Carthaginean capitaine was ariued at Pauormus He hearing tell of the Consuls arriuall sent one Boodius a Senatour of Carthage thither with twenty ships which comming vpon them sodainly in the night finding the Romanes ships in the Hauen enuironed them The Consull thus being preuented at vnawares wist not what way was the best to take but in the ende yelded himselfe as ouercome to his enimies which incontinently conueyed him the prises to Hannibal Within a few days after this ouerthrowe of Cornelius Hannibal vpō whom fortune as yet through hir benignitie had smiled not oppressing him with any sinister chance hearing tell that the Romane Nauie rode in the coastes of Italy not farre distant from Scicily earnestly desired to beholde the multitude order and buylding of his ennimies Nauie for the which purpose he elected fiftie shippes and passed into Italy but in stede of the Italian coastes Fortune now turning hir tippet he was driuen amongest the fléete of his enimies which being well prepared and ready at all points assailed him immediatly so that loosing the most part of his shippes he escaped away very hardly yet better than he did hope for After this the Romanes setting towarde Scicilie were aduertised by the captiues of the misfortune chaunced to the Consul wherfore they sent a poste to Caius Duellius his companion and capitaine of the footemen But whilst thei houered for him word came that the power of their enimies was at hand therfore they dressed thēselues towards the naual conflict But considering how their ships were very slowe and nothing apt to celeritie they inuented certain munitions and defences for euery one of them afterward called Crowes The munition was founde in this sorte There was a piller of wood erected in the sterne of the ship four elles in length and thrée hands in bredth hauing in the toppe a pulley with stayres made of planckes adioyning to it which were four foote in breadth and six elles in length the stayres were made hollowe hauing munitions in fashion of battlements vp to the toppe of the cannes and knée plates in the ende of the piller was a sharpe instrument of iron tyed to the stayres wyth a rope in a ryng and it was in fashion much like to a mattock so that this engine resembled much those with the which corne is hoysted out of shippes with the which inuention as sone as they ioyned with their enimies slacking the rope and letting it downe it fastned insolubly in theyr aduer aries Barke by the heauinesse of the weight so that if the forepartes met two men descended together by the staires the two formoste always bearing targets with which they defended the rest If they met crosspath or ouerthwartes they easily skipped out at all parts After this preparance to the Nauall warre Caius Duellius hauing knowledge of the infortunate chaunce happened to hys companion captaine of the nauie left his hoste with the Tribunes hasting hym selfe towardes the fleete and hearing saye that the Carthaginenses were not verie farre from Mylis with great spéede made thyther wyth hys whole power The Africanes as soone as they heard tell of theyr enimies comming were in hope to haue good successe supposing the Romanes to be vnskilfull in gouerning a Nauie wherefore they prepared thirty ships putting them forth to maete their enimies without al feare as though they had gone forth to fetch home some wonne booty their captain was Hanniball which as I haue shewed a litle before conducted his army out of Agrigentine in the night time through his enimies campe He had a Septireme which in time past belonged to Pirrhus king of Epirotes Nowe when the Nauies were within prospect one of the other and that the engins were espied in euery ship sterne the Carthaginenses were sore discouraged at the aspect of such a rare sight but at the length reiecting all fearfull and dastardly cowardnesse little esteeming the newe inuented engines set vpon their enimies with a bolde courage The shippes being grapled togither the Romanes assayled their enimyes descending out of their owne shippes into theirs by their newe inuented engins Many of the Carthaginenses were slayne the rest amazed at the pollicy of their aduersaries yelded to them This conflict resembled much the conflicts and skirmishes made on the lande and not much vnlike in danger Thus were the thirty shippes taken which assayled the Romanes wyth the Pretors which as I shewed before bēlonged to king Pirrhus Hannibal séeing all things chaunce contrary to his expectatiō with hard shift in this troublesome tumult slipping into a skiffe or shippe bote fled away The residue of the Carthagenean Nauye entred accordingly vpon their enimies but perceiuing how the former company wer entrapped with their enimies engins began to practise their fraudulent fetches deceitful wiles not entring according to the accustomed guyse but ouerthwartly vsing the celerity of their shippes supposing therby to escape the daunger But the inuentions were so aptly disposed and placed that they easily clasped them which waye so euer they entred with which strange sight the Carthaginenses beyng amazed toke their flight hauing lost fiftie ships in that conflict The Romanes hauing thus obtained the domination of the seas persisted in their warres and earnestlier employed their busines sailing into the coastes of Segestana deliuering the towne there from besieging then setting from them they wonne the citie Macella After these warres on the sea Amilcar captaine ouer the Carthaginean army which then lay in Scicilie hearing tell how there was a contention sprong betwixt the Romane souldiers and the aydes sent from their confederates contending of their prowesse and worthie acts insomuch that the forainers their adiutours beyng vanquished were incamped by them selues Wherfore Hanno with al diligence hasted towardes them so that sodaynly ere they were aware he destroyed about foure thousande After these factes thus finished Annibal with the remnant whiche were escaped from the conflict came to Carthage from whence soone after accompanied with certaine noble captaines a nauie of triremes he was sente in to Sardinia where within a fewe days after being inclosed in a certaine porterangle by the Romanes lost the most part of his shippes him selfe escapyng the hands of his enimies but shortly after being taken of the Carthaginenses he was hanged for his euill doings on the gallows The Romanes as soone as they had obteined the
enimies as well for the goodlinesse of the towne as for the commodiousnesse of the port and it is distant from Lilybeum but fiftene myles Now the captains were wonderfull desirous to know howe all things fared with their companions but the entraunce was so narrowly watched since Annibals departure that it was impossible for any man either to enter in or issue out of the citie At that time there was a certaine Rhodian named Annibal a man surely very famous which perceyuyng the minds of the Carthaginenses promised to take vpon him in spite of all the Romanes to enter in to Lilybeum where hauing viewed all things and knowyng their state he wold returne and certifie them The Carthaginenses thoughe they were iocunde to heare hym talke of this enterprise yet they thoughte it impossible bicause the Romanes compassed the entrance of the porte But the Rhodian without feare went aboorde and set forwarde arriuing in the next I le ouer against Lilybeum from whence the day folowing he sayled towardes the Citie in the sighte of all his ennimies whiche employed theyr whole diligence to lette his entrance but he obtained the hauen fulfillyng his former promise The other Consul wondering greatly at his bold enterprise prepared ten of the swiftest shippes to watche in the hauen all nyght in the whiche he him selfe remained for his departure commaundyng all the rest of the Nauie to do accordingly Then al the ships that were in the entrance along both the sides lay with rowers stretched out looking for his forth cōming supposing verily that he should not escape them But the Rhodian picked not out by night neyther at a corner but at middaye and through the thicke of his enimies so well prepared escaping without all daunger by his boldnesse and the swiftnesse of hys Barke and hauing passed them a litle he was not content to escape frée but turned his stemme and began to brag neither durst any of the companie vēter vpon him his Galey was so wonderfull swift The Rhodian as it were triūphing ouer his enimies with one poore boate cam to Carthage declaring in the Senate al things that he had either heard or séene after that many being incouraged through his example toke the same enterprise in hande so that nothyng was done at Lilybeum but incontinently it was knowne at Carthage The Romanes maruellously grieued that they shold stiil be thus deluded with their enimies assayed to stoy vp the entraunce of the port fyrst casting in many of theyr hulkes and cartes fraught with sande into the mouth of the same with infinite other matters but al was in vayne for the profoūd déepenesse therof glutted vp the bubblyng of the water dispersed it into sundry places yet in continuance with great labour there stode a great péece of their munition vpon whiche one of the swiftest ships belonging to the Carthaginenses lyght with a great violence and being taken by the Romanes and made ready at all pointes was retained in the porte watchyng for the comming of the rest but specially of the Rhodian which by chaunce came thither by night and entred the hauen with accustomed celeritie but when he purposed to depart the taken shippe pursued him so sharply that he was almost taken first he maruelled at hys swiftenesse but viewyng hir well and perceiuyng that she was one of the Carthaginean Quadriremes taken by the Romans he trusted no more to the swiftnesse of his shippe but began to encounter with hys enimies after that it came to handstrokes the Romanes being bothe more in number and valianter men prised hir without labour and toke the Rhodian The Romanes hauing gained this prise ioyned hir to the Quadrireme bothe well furnished of all necessaries kept them continnally in the entraunce prohibiting withoute any difficultie the easie entrance of their enimies into Lilybeum During this time thei besieged the town very sharply ouerthrowing the walles of their ordinaunce so that Imilcon hadde no more hope to réedifie them or to barre the engins of his enimies After these things had continued in this estate a good while there arose sodainly such a tēpestuous winde that al the ordināce other thyngs were beatē dashed together with the violēce thereof and one of the highe bourded toures blowne ouer A certain Grecian a souldiour of those which were in the Citie supposing this a time moste expedient to destroy the instruments of their aduersaries went and declared his deuise to the Captaine who allowing it very well immediatly hauing all things prepared issued out of the Citie commaunding them to fire their enimies ordinaunce in thrée sundrie places The Soundiours hauyng wrought their feate immediately the fire caught such hold with the violēce of the windes for the engines were very drte and had stoode long against the Sun that they were soone consumed for as long as the winde blew it was impossible that any man should rescue them The Romanes were wonderfully agast with this sodain chaunce and wist not what to doe being desolate and abandoned of al good fortune many of them were driuen to the ground with góbbets and trunchions of tymber that fell downe many were blinded and almoste smothered with the smoake when they preased to rescue the ordinance The harder that the Romanes were bestead with their myschaunces the more commodious was it for the Carthaginenses purpose for they not onely behelde their enimies and the ordinaunce flaming aloft but what soeuer they hurled at them the winde caried it with maine violence to their great damage and hurt At the length the fire waxed so outragious that the pillers and foundations of the Toures were set on fire and the heades of the rammes were melted After this the Consuls neuer intended to réedifie their engins but enuironed the towne with ditches and hilles purposing to take their enimies with a slowe siege and not to remoue their tents before they had ouercome the holde The inhabitants hauing repaired their walles shifted well wyth this their lingering off When relation was made at Rome of these things ther was a Senate summoued in which they decréed to send a supplement of ten thousande men bicause many were destroyed at the siege the nauy almost desolate This crew arriued first at Messana from thence went by land to the campe at Lilybeū Now was Appius Claudius entred into the Consulship and the other returned to Rome so that he ruled the hoste at Lilybeum and perceiuing the vacant places to be supplied called the Captains together and shewyng thē that be thought that a very expedient time to sayle to Drepanum and at an vnwares to set vpon Adherball suspecting no such thing for not knowyng of the new supplement ariued in Scicilie he supposed that the Romanes wer not able to conduct their fléete for lack of men After that the Consul had disclosed his minde they allowed it very well and picked oute the moste actius Souldiers that were in the whole armie and put them in the swiftest
prowesse and hautie courages yet peraduenture there are some which doubt what the cause is seing the Romans now excel both by land and water more than they did at that time hauing also dominion ouer the most part of the worlde are not able to builde so many shyps or make suche a Nauie at one tyme. But this thing shal be plainly declared when I come to intreat of the state maners fashions of their cōmon wealth But to speake of them now should neither be profitable or cōmodious to the readers of this my historie for the things being large would require a long digression And yet vnto this daye that I may speke as I think they ar drowned in the gulfe of obliuion thorough their default which wrote the histories For parte wyst not what things they should write other though they knew what to write yet they were obscure in penning them so intricately that their works wer vnprofitable for no vse Verily if ther be any which attētiuely note this warre he shall perceiue that these ij worthy cities wer equiualēt at the beginning in al points they both burned with one fire bothe were desirous of renoume both wer of like hautie corages The Roman souldiers wer more excellent actiue fellowes But Amilcar surnamed Barcas the Carthagineā captain father of Annibal which after fought against the Romans was in ferior to no mā in valiantnesse wisdome After they had taken truce they had either like fortune for the Romans began to warre against the Faliscians but within a shorte tyme hauyng subdued theyr Citie the warres brake vp and they lyued in peace Thus endeth the warres betwixte the Romanes and the Carthaginenses for the principalitie of Scicilie and the Samnites The second part of Polybius his first Boke intreatyng of the warres betwixte the Carthaginenses and their hired Souldiers AFter that peace was concluded with the Romanes the Car thaginenses wer sore oppressed with intestine hostilitie moued by sundry of the Africanes their Countreymen they were also sore molested by the Numidians and other neighbours adiacent which almost vanquished them so that they wer constrained to fight not only for them selues for their prouince for their natiue soile and lawes but for their libertie and the safegarde of their children Which bataile bicause it is worthie of remembrance I shall shewe it compendiously as I purposed in the beginning for how cruell despitefull and deadly a warre it was which euery man calls bloudy and detestable any man may gather by the facts done in his time Here shal plainly be shewed how vigilant and circum spect captaines ought to be howe they ought to prouide for afterclappes also what difference it is to make warre with rude and barbarous nations ignorant in the law of armes and those which be ciuile knowe good maners Finally by shewing this battaile the fountaine and originall cause shall be apparaunt why Anniball made warre with the Romans which bicause it was not only obscure to such as haue written histories of it but also vnto them which were there present for in battaile there falleth many secrete chaūces I thought it néedefull to shew the veritie to the studious readers of thys my worke Amilcar hauing concluded peace with the Romanes disancored sayled from Erix to Lilybeum where he gaue vp his rule deliuered the armie to Gesto which was captain there to trāsport them into Africa which fearing some euil to chaūce amongst such a multitude as they were especially being behind with their wages which the treasure house was not able to discharge it was so sore impouerished he politikely prouided that they shold not al go together but in diuers cōpanies to the ende that they might be the better dispatched suffering one company to depart home before he dismissed an other But the Carthaginenses partely through negligēce partly through pouertie did not only not dispatch them but cōmanded them to remain in the city vntil their felowes came that they might al receue their wages together during which time the souldiers did very much hurt in the citie bothe by day and night and the multitude augmented so faste that their factes were intollerable Then the citizens sent for their Captaines desiring them to conueye the Souldiours to Sicca and to remaine there vntil the rest of the armie were come into Africa commaūding certaine money to be distributed particularly amongst them that they mighte suffer more paciently the protracting of the time The generalls obeyed their commaundement incontinently beginnyng to leade forth the Souldiers They accordyng as they had done before would haue left their cariage and other impediments in the Citie thynkyng to returne for theyr wages But the Carthaginenses being afraide that if they shold graunt them that libertie parte would tarie wyth their wiues other for loue of theyr children would either not departe or returne incontinently and so they to remaine in as euill a case Wherfore they droue them out by violence with all their baggage When the Souldiers wer in Sicca they liued licēciously and in drousy idlenesse which ar most pernicious in an hoste springs of rebellion many of thē asking their wages with proude boasts much more they dyd before being mindfull of the great gifts promised by their captains when they exhorted them to battaile so that nowe they looked for ample rewardes beside their stipends but their opinion was frustrate for as soone as all the companie were congregated in Sicca Hanno the Carthaginean Pretor was sēt vnto them not only without the gifts which they loked for but also talked very much of the scarcitie in the treasure house requiring them to remit part of their wages The multitude moued with these words began a great vprore and a clamorous noise There was a great cōtention and debate and no wonder considering the company and their diuers languages for the Carthaginenses had gathered an armie of sundry foraine nations and partly not without a cause for the armie coulde not conspire any thyng amongst them selues for the varietie of their speaches and were more obedient at the commaundement of the generall But if there chaunced at any tyme either seditiō or insurrection in the armie no one man could quenche it for the barbarous clounes wold not be qualified and beyng once angred the brainsick fooles waxed vntractable continually outragyng like brutishe beastes without all measure as they did at that present there was in the armie Spanyards Frenchmen Ligurians Baliarians and a greate troupe of Grecians diuers vagabondes of Africa with innumerable roges fugitiues for which cause it was impossible that one man shoulde rule them all The Pretor vnderstode not al their lāguages and to haue many speakers vnto them it was coūted mere fooilshnesse wherfore onely their captaines muste nedes do it so that Hanno laboured in vain for some of them vnderstode not the commandement of their general an other company bruted it clean contrarywise some through ignoraunce other
inestimable aduauncement of pure religion calling his high court the last daye of Aprill in the towne of Leicester In the whiche parliament many commodious lawes were concluded diuers petitions moued were for that time deferred amongst which requestes one was that a complaynte exhibited in the parliament holden at Westminster in the eleuenth yere of Kyng Henry the fourth which by reason that the King was at that instant vexed with ciuile diuisiō intestine discord domesticall discention the prorogation of the parliament came to no effect might now be wel studied pondred and resolutely concluded The effect of which supplication was that all the temporal lands which in auncient times had ben deuoutly giuen nowe disordinately spent by the rude religious rablement other spiritual spitesoules whiche apishly vsurped the names of spirituall pastors myght well suffise to maintein to the honor of the Prince and defence of the realme fiftene honorable Erles fiften hundreth worshipful Knights six thousand and two hundreth gentle Esquiers and a hundreth almes houses for relief only of the poore néedie and impotent persones and the King to haue clerely to his priuate cōmoditie and amplifiyng of his tresury twenty thousand poūds with many other ample prouisions large values of the rakehellish otherwise called religious houses whiche I pretermit that was riotously spent by the panchplying porkheads This before remēbred supplicatiō was attentiuely noted much feared amongst the cursed companie of drousie dreaming Dromos I mean Baals Baldons that mungrel Massalians cruel churchrobbers whome it touched most in effect in so muche that the grosse Gospeller Ethnike Epicures beastly bellygods wic ked worldlyngs and spirituall shauelyngs were fallen in a pelting chafe the bloudy Bishoppes broyled the cullionly Cardinalles coured the proude Priours frouned the fat Abbots swet the pore Friers cursed the white Chanons chafed the poore Nunnes puled like Puttockes in conclusion all the sectarie Sathanists were sore displeased Now to finde a present preseruatiue for a mischeuous chaunce and a sanatiue tent for a déepe wound Caiphas clergie clustred mynding rather to play with the pliant réede thā stubburnely to stande with the stiffe Oke purposed rather to bowe than breake so that they agréed to offer vnto the King a mighty masse of money to stay the newe moued demaund The cause of this offer séemed to some of the craftie cullions and periured pilates neyther decent nor conuenient for the paterne lay so plaine before their eyes that they well foresawe and perfectly knew that if the commons once perceiued their legierdemaine and that by rewardes and offer of money they endeuoured them selues to resiste their request and petitiō that then they being stirred kindled with furie would not onely asprely raile but also worthily contemne them as priuy corrupters of Princes and ennimies to the publike vtilitie and importunatly cal vpon the Kings Maiestie and his honorable Lords temporall that they were like to bestowe both laboure charges and liuing Wherefore they determined vigilantly to forecast all chaunces that might preuaile or further theyr pretensed purpose and like an vngracious garde and as auctors and procurers of all mischieues and facinorous factes they intended to exterminate this the commons request oute of the Kings minde to obnebulate his senses with some glistering vaile or to replenish his brayne with some newe toy lest he shoulde fantasie or regarde their importunate petition The performance of which tended so much to Gods glorie and the aduancement of true religion and vertue Wherefore vpon a daye when the Kings Maiestie was set the parliament house vpon his imperiall throne Henry Chickley Archbishop of Cāterbury therto newly preferred which had ben a Monk of the cankred Carthusians sect a manne which had professed wilful pouertie in religion but to speake congruely in the relegation of religion yet hopping abroade waxed as lustie as a Marche hare or rather madde as wée maye tearme it hys mynde was incensed wyth the furious flames of lordelyke honoure Also thys peruerse Paule beyng a verie Saule accordyng to the rule of blessed Becket was so zealous in Gods religion that he regarded ten tymes more hys owne priuate commoditie than the sincere euangelicall doctrine as all the trayne of the dimigod hys filthie fraternitie did always concealyng double faces vnder theyr hoodes and counterfeacte coules but truelyer termed calues cases after lowe obeysaunce and double duckyng made to the Kings honour spake after thys maner in effect When I consider our moste intierly beloued and lesse dread soueraigne lorde and natural Prince the louyng kindnesse the dayly labour and continuall studie whiche you incessantlye implore both for the aduauncemente of the honour of your Realme and also profite of your people I can not or oughte not excepte I woulde be noted not onely ingratefull to your royall person beyng my patron and preferrer but also a neglecter of my dutie a secrete mummer of suche thynges whyche doe touche youre inheritaunce holde my peace or kéepe sylence For all Authours doe agrée that the glorye of Kyngs consysteth not only in high bloud and hautie progenie not in abundance of riches and superfluous substance nor in pleasant pastime nor in ioyous solace but the verie type of the magnificencie in a prince resteth in populous riche regions subiects beautiful cities and townes of the which thanked be God although you be conueniently furnished bothe within your realmes of Englād and Irelande and the principalitie of Wales yet by lineall discent by progenie of bloude and by very inheritance not onely the Duchie of Normandie and Aquitane with the Counties of Aniow and Mayne and the countrey of Gascoyne is to you as true and indubitate heire of the same laufully deuoluted and lineally descēded from the high and most noble prince of famous memorie Kyng Edwarde the thirde your great grandfather but also the whole realme of Fraunce wyth all the prerogatiues and preheminences to you as heire to your great grād father is of right belonging and appertaining In which Realme to rehearse what noble persōs what beautifull Cities what fertill Regions what substanciall marchauntes and what plentiful Riuers are contained I assure you that time should rather fayle than matter waxe scant The fraudulent Frenchmen to defraude take away your right and title to the Realmes of Fraunce in the time of your noble progenitour King Edward the third alleaged a law vntruly fayned falsely glosed and sophistically expounded whereof the very words are these In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant Which is to say let not womē succede in the lande Salique This land Salique the deceitfull glosers fained to be the Realme of Fraunce This lawe the logicall interpreters assigne to derect the Crowne and Regalitie of the same Region as who would say that to that preheminēce no woman were able to aspire nor no heire female is able to inherite The French wryters do affirme that Pharamonde king of the French Gaulles first instituted this law which neuer was
daughter to King Phillip the faire sister and heire to thrée Kings deceasing without any issue which enheritaunce of the woman is declared to be iust by the Mosaicall law and vsed and approued by the Gallicean descēt as I haue before declared Therfore for gods sake léese not your patrimonie disherite not your heires dishonor not your selfe diminish not your title which your noble progenitours so highly haue estemed Wherefore with courage aduance forth your victorious banour fight for your right conquere your inheritance spare not sword bloud nor fyer your warre is iuste your cause is good your claime true Therefore couragiously and spéedely set forwarde your warre against your capitall enimies for maintenāce of the which we your louing Chaplaines and obedient subiectes of the Spiritualtie to shew our selues willing and desirous to minister aide and succour to you for the recouery of your auncient right and true title to the Crowne of Fraunce we haue in our Spiritual Conuocation graunted to your highnesse such an infinit tresure sūme of money as neuer by that Spiritualtie was graūted to any prince before your dayes to serue for an assurāce caution pawne gage pledge also for a witnesse attestatiō approbation of the vnfained fauour which we your true Chaplaines beare towards you beside our songs himnes odes cantels collects with diuers other dayly prayers continual precations dedicate cōsecrate attribute to god his Saints that prosperous successe may ensue your martiall exployte royall passage When the Archbishop had finished this his oratiō which rightly may incense the hearts of all true English men make them to be redy at the princes pleasure not onely to endeuor thē selues to restore the which of right belongeth to the crowne of Englande but also to enlarge the bonds of their natural coūtry like faithful harted Philines neuerthelesse he vsed it wickedly as a vele of his wicked purpose The honorable lord Rafe earle of westmerlād a noble of no lesse grauity thā experiēce a champion of no lesse experiēce than stomacke which was at that instante worthy high warden of the Marches toward Scotland and therefore considering if that the King with his whole power and chiualry of the Realme should passe ouer into Fraunce as Chickley had craftely conueyed the matter that the remnante should be to weake to withstand the strength and power of Scotland if during the kings absence they should inuade that Realme Wherefore as a true Curtius toward his coūtrey he arose vp and after making of due obeisaunce to the Kings highnesse he spake this vnpremeditat Oration not without the great solace of all the Conuocation house as here foloweth Surely syr as my lorde of Canterburie hath clarkely and curiously declared the conquest of Fraunce is very honorable and when it is gotten and obtained very profitable pleasant But sauing your graces reformation I say and affirme that to conquer Scotland is more necessarie more apparant easy and more profitable to this Realme than should be the florishing gaine obtained by the conquest of Fraunce For although I am not so wel learned as my lord Archbishop is haue not ben Laureate in the Vniuersitie neither proceded to basest degrée in scholes yet haue I eftsones read and hard the opinions of famous and great clarkes in the which they douted not to affirme that strength knit combined together is of more efficacie and force than being seuered dispersed As for an example sprinkle a vessell of water and it moysteth not but cast it out wholy together it not only washeth but also nourisheth This notable example and saying before this time hath encouraged kings animated Emperours inflamed princes allured couragious Captaines to conquere Realmes to them adioyning to vanquish nations adiacent to their dominions to subdue people eyther necessarie to their purpose or being to them dayly enimies either continuall aduersaries for attestation whereof beholde what was the chiefe cause and occasion why rulers and gouernours so sore labored thirsted coueted to bring all regions to them adioyning into on rule or Monarchie was it not done to this intent that the conquerours might haue onely power entier gubernation of all the landes and people within their clymate gouerne them in time of peace also their aide in the time of warre which monarchie was of that maiestie and estimatiō in the world that no other foreine prince either exterior potētate either had audacitie or yet was able to attēpt any thing within the territorie or region of the Monarchiall prince and adorned King Let the Kingdome of the Assirians be your example and if that suffise not then looke vpon the Persians after vpon the Grekes and lastly view the Romans which euer desired coueted more to obtaine the litle yle of Scicilie the territorie of the Numidians the meane Citie of the Samnites lying vnder their wings rather than to obteine populous Gaull plētuous Pannouie or manly Macedonie farre distant from theyr sight and oute of their circle or compasse This desire séemeth to rise of a greate prudent and vigilant pollycie for as a prince is of more puissance when his countries ioyne so is he of more strength when his power is at hand And as men destitute of cōfort be more relieued by frends which are present than by kinsfolkes dwelling farre distant and in forayne regions so Princes haue commonly coueted and euer desired to haue theyr dominions lying aboute them and at hand rather than to heare by reporte from them being farre distante Yf this hath ben the pollycie of conquerers the appetite of purchasers and the studie of gouernours why doeth your most noble grace desyre Fraunce before Scotland or couet a countrey farre distant from your sight before a Realme lying within your leape remember you not how the Ile of Britaine was an intire monarchy in the time of your noble auncetour King Brute the first royal ruler of this your famous Empire and glorious region which deuiding his realme to his thrée sonnes indued Lothron the eldest with this part of Britaine which your honorable highnesse now enioyeth gaue to Albanacte his second sonne the coūtrey of Albanie now nominated Scotland and to Camber the yongest he appointed the countrey of Cambria now called Wales reseruing always to him and his heires homage liege and fealtie loyal for these same countreys and dominions By this diuision the glory of the Monarchie of Britaine was obscured and clearely defaced by this seperation the strength of the British kings were sore diminished weakned by this dispersion intestine more warre began and ciuile rebellion budded firste with bloudie shoures wythin this region For duryng the time that it was wholy vnder one no forain nation durst once either inuade or attempt warre against the Britaines but the region being discided and the monarchiall estate once seuered outward enimitie and externe hostilitie no whit so muche infested grieued or troubled our valiant and