sayenge of Helias house THe worlde shall stande syxe thousand yeres and after shall it falle Two thousande yeares wythout the Lawe Two thousande yeares in the lawe Two thousande yeares the tyme of Christ And yf these yeares be not accomplyshed oure synnes shall be the cause whyche are greate and many That is to saye the worlde shall stande two M. yeres without any prescript admynistration certayn lawe of the word of God but whan these be gone there shalbe geuen the circumcysyon and lawe besydes thys shall a certayne polytique lawe and seruice of God be institute out of Gods worde and thys state shall laste two thousande yeares After thys shall Christ folowe and the tyme of the gospell shall lykewyse stande aboute two thousande yeares but here shall some yeares want For God shall wyth the hayste of hys commynge preuent it that the yeres of this age shal not be accomplished the whiche Christe hymselfe in the xxiiii chapiter of S. Matthewe sayeth Wythoute those dayes had ben shortened all fleshe shulde not be saued We shall in wrytynge of the hystorye vse thys order and diuide the boke in thre partes whereof the fyrst shal comprehende those thinges which are chaunced betwene the tymes of Adam and Abraham For those are the fyrste thousande yeares Of these is not much written but suche thynges as are moost worthy of memory and of these times there is no certainte but of that which is found wrytten in the Byble The nexte age of two thousand yeares shalbe counted from Abraham vntill Christis commyng all though concerninge to the full numbre of the yeares the tyme is not accomplyshed For as we haue sayde before God maketh hayst to the latter day As for thys age is the propre and bery age of the worlde in the which the moost myghtye kyngdomes and monarchies haue succeded ech other by a certayn order nether hath the worlde euer so declared hys force and myght as in this age Wherfore we shall deuide thys tyme in foure monarchyes For it semeth that God wolde the worlde to be maintened by a certaine gouernaunce in hys place that a certen means of shame and honesty might be conseruid and the wicked mighte be punished and for that cause hath he institute Monarchies Such Monarchies are kingdomes where the chefe and vpper power of al thinges pertaineth to one alone for the conseruation of commune peace and ryght Such a monarchy was of so great puissaunce that the exterior of foren kinges could not withstande or oppresse it And by a certain ordinary succession were only four such monarchies The fyrst was of the Assirians y â— second of the Persians after them the Grekes at the last y â— Romanes And to the honor of such an empire or superiorite hath God exalted y â— Germanes before other nations in these latter times For though the Roman empire be some deal minished now a daies for as it was prophecyed before it was y â— pleasure of god that y â— monarchies shuld finally decay neuerthelesse the maiesty remaineth by the Romane empire nether is ther any king but he hath a respect towardes y t kingdome Moreouer though we haue not alway alyke mighty Emperoures neuerthelesse God prouidinge so there happeneth somtime an Emperour of such power y t the maiesty of the empire may be conserued and that to hold vp the religion and concorde of al natyons The Germane princes and chefely the electors ought to estime grearly this their honour that they haue such high autoritye coÌ„mitted them of God to preserue religyon iustice and commune peace For verely it is of great force that thys monarchy be preserued thoug it be not so very great Therfore ought y â— princes to beware lest ther ryse any sedes of sedition discord among them which might geue occasion to cause this empire to decay For whan this empire wyich is the head of al good gouernaunce or administratioÌ„ in the worlde now a daies shuld be diuided pulled asunder or waisted it could not be but that ther shuld folowe a perturbation of al degrees in euery part of Christendom the which is gretly to be doubted without God do preuent such misery with his last coÌ„ming For holy scripture doth coÌ„forte vs teach openly that after y t this Germaine empire shal decay faile y t latter day shal straight waye folowe This is sufficient to be spoken of monarchies lest any man be ignoraunt that al histories and al thinges done in the world must be referred to these monarchies And besides that y â— obseruing of the order doth ayde y â— memory it doth also not a litle helpe thervnto y t one may se how for what causes kingdomes are chaunged wherby is to be learned how al those things are to be eschued which coÌ„munely bring chauÌ„ges of kingdomes The last age froÌ„ y â— natiuite of Christ vntyll the worldes ende doth like wise contayne two M. yeres although we haue said before that the yeres of this age shulde not be whole that the two thousand yeres may be complete This seÌ„tence of Elias truely conteineth many notable doctrines is chefely to be considered therfore because that from the natiuite of Christe it speaketh also of that tyme in the whiche the ende of al thinges is to be loked for and therefore haue â–ª I sett it in the begynnynge of the boke that it myghte be commytted to euery mans hearing But howe that the Rhomane monarchye dyd begynne after the incarnaâ—yon of Christ and how the succession came to the Germanes also how the Mahometysh or Turkysh empire beganne and howe the Popyshnesse hath gotten encrease offoren power all these thynges shall we shewe in thys thyrde parte But thys also is chefely to be noted with diligence in readyng of histories that God hath institute two maner of kyngdomes the one a worldly kingdome the other a kyngdome of Christ and therefore it is necessary to marke here â–ª howe that the churche hath begonne euen from the begynnynge of the worlde and by whatt maner God hath alwayes kept her Therfore that godly myndes maye haue a confyrmation of theyr fayth we shall note by the state the tyme of eche of the kingdomes where and by whome the kyngdome of Christ was and what state it was in than the knowledge of whiche thinge bringeth no small profite to godlye readers Adam is sett in a Paradyse of pleasure to whome is forbyden the tree of lyfe Genesis ij Adam and Heua are deceyued by the suttelty of the serpent Thence comthe transgressyon of the commaundement and Synne The firste boke of the Cronicles whych conteyneth the fyrste two thousande yeares From Adam vntyll Abrahams tyme. HOly scrypture doeth teache vs that God created heauen and earth after that man Adam and Heua and sat them in paradyse that is that they beynge set oute of daunger of death and synne mighte lyue in the earth happely but when they forgat
byshop succeded Ioannes The yeare of Christ vi C. lxxxvii IVstinianus the son of Constantinus the lxii Emperour raygned xvi yeres but not contynually For whan he had ruled ten yeare he was put downe and driuen out by Leontius who raigned thre yeare after that Iustinianus was chaced oute Leontius was taken prisoner of Tiberius Apsimarus who raigned after him seuen yere But thenceforth was Iustinianus restored agayn and dyd tread both vpon Leontius and Tiberius that were prisoners beyng cast downe before hym and caused openly to be cried out Thou shalt tread vpon the serpent aspis and the coccatryce Afterward were they beheaded Sergius the lxxxvii bishop of Rome was after Conon and than was great dissencion for the election In his tyme lyued Beda in England Ioannes y â— vi was after Sergius y â— lxxxviij bish Ioannes the vii was after Ioannes the vi Zosimus the xc bysh succeded Ioannes the vii Constantinus was byshop after Zosimus The yeare of Christe vij C. xiii PHilippus Bardesanes y â— lxv Emperour raigned one yeare and sixe monethes Beyng taken of his marshall was depriued of the Empyre and hys eyen put out The yeare of Christe vii C. xv ANastasius the lxvi Emperoure raygned one yeare thre monethes The same was also taken of his captayn Theodosius and depriued of the empyre and that he mighte lyue solitarely was he putt into a monastery The yeare of Christe vii C. xvii THeodosius the lxvii Emperour raigned only one yeare He forsoke the empyre whan he perceaued that he was inuaded of Leo and mystrusted he coulde not kepe the Empyre He became a monke and dyed in a priuate lyfe The yeare of Christ .vij. C. xviij LEo the .iij. the .lxviij. Emperour raigned twenty yeares He was surnamed Iconomachus that is assaulter of ymages because he had coÌ„maunded to take oute of the tempels the ymages of saynctes and to burne them The citye Constan tinopole was besyeged viij yeare longe of the Saracens in his time y t which suffered great misery in that fyege by reason of the greate hunger and pestilence Yee and were also slayn of the Bulgaries whych ayded the emperoure Besydes that also were the Saracens shippes burnt wyth fyre that was craftely made vnder the water After Constantinus was Gregorius the second made the .xcij. byshop of Rome in the tyme of Leo Iconomachus Gregorius the .vij. succeded Gregorius the .ij. The yeare of Christ .vii. C. xlii COnstantinus the sonne of Leo the .lxix. Emperoure raygned thyrty yeare he was surnamed Copronymus because that at his baptysynge he dyd hys casement in the founte He also was a destroyer of ymages The yeare of Christ .vii. C. lxxvii LEo the .iiij. the sonne of Copronymus the lxx Emperour raygned fyue yeare The yeare of Christ .vii. C. lxxxiii LOnstantinus Leo the fourth sonne the lxxi Emperoure raygned wyth hys mother Irene ten yeares She was of Athens and ruled moost sagely aboue the vnderstandyng of woman kynne and wyth the alowance of euery man After her raygned her son fyue yeares she beynge put from the gouernaunce But they of Constantinople not sufferyng hys wickednesse called the mother agayne from the aexile whych raygned after warde thre yeare Of thys wyse were Irene and Constantinus gouernynge the empyre together xviij yeares vntyll the yeare of Christ .viij. C. and i. But though the Christen Emperours were allwaye at Constantinople whiche called themselues Emperours of Rome also vntyll at the last the citie was taken in of the Turkes yet in y e meane season whan the power of the empyre began so to faid that the Emperours were notable to defende nother theyr tytle nor Italy the Romanes were constrayned to seke ayde at the Frankes whose power was than the greatest Wherefore came the maiestie of the Emperours name to Carolus And because oure Emperours haue alwaye maynteyned and defended Italy wyth stronge hande we wyll aduysedly passe ouer here the Greke Emperours for some were tangled with want on pleasure effeminate and wholy vnapt to haue gouernaunce recite orderly our Emperours which are worthy to be coÌ„meÌ„ded for their notable vertues prowesses Zacharias was the .xciiij. bish after Gregoriê° y e iij. This same wynkyng at the matter was the olde Hilderichus kyng of Fraunce pryued of the empire and put into a monastery and Pipinus was made kyng in his stead For all the power was come to y e princes by reason the kynges were enpoueryshed In the tyme also of thys zachary dyd S. Bonifacius preache in Germany Stephanus the ii succeded zachary The same prouoked Pipynus into Italy agaynste the Lombardes whose kynge he besyeged and compelled him to require peace Paulus the fyrste was after Stephanus the xcvi byshop Stephanus the thyrde was after Paulus In hys tyme happened greate stryfes and rumors at Rome for the chosynge of theyr byshop One Constantynus was chosen byshop by force and agayne putte downe and all they that he had consecrated were destitute and forsaken Adrianus the fyrste succeded Stephanus The same enticed Carolus the great to come into Italy agaynste Desiderius kynge of the Lombardes Leo the thyrde the .xcix. byshop folowed after Adrianus Whan a seditious vproure was raysed against him at Rome he fled to Carolus the great or Charlemayne by whom he was restored And the same ordeyned Charlemayne Emperoure and crowned hym ⸪ ¶ Of the Germanes Emperours Charles the greate The yeare of Christ viij C. i. The yere of the worlde .iiij. M. vii C. xlv The yeare of Rome M. v. C. li. CArolus magnus was crowned Emperour of Leo the iij. the very Christmasse daye Thys was the begynnynge of translatinge the empyre to the Germanes and by this translatynge happened vnto Italy and the Best kyngdome a moost mightye heade and a moost sure fortresse For though the Emperours of Germany were not alway of lyke power as in no kyngdome the kynges were alwaye of lyke power or lyke fortunate yet in prowesse were they such somtyme that they dyd rydde Italy out of daungers and preserued not onely in the Weste quietnesse in the commune welth but also kept the Christen religion sound in the churche And if ye wyll ponder the feates dedes and maners of oure Emperours ye shall iudge them to haue ben excellent wyse princes and not barbarous and in nothing to be estimed lesse than those excellentand allowable Emperours Augustus Traianus Adrianus and Constantinus yee yf ye do aduisedly ponder all thynges ye shall saye that ther hath bene more honestye and modestye in oure Emperours than in them Thys shall ye fynde also that ours haue enterprysed no warre of any ambicion or priuate profyte but only of necessitie to mayntayne religion to defende the liberty of the empyre and the sauegarde of the subiectes As for me beynge certayne of myne owne vnablenesse though I can not iudge nor speake of the vertues of greate men acrording to theyr
rayse an vproure thorough one Messias xcv are mooste auncient xx Ierusalem the state of it vnder Antiochus lxvij the destruction xix xcij. straunge thinges seen before the destruction of her xciij Iesus the hygh priest fo xxxv Ioachas xviij Ioachim or Ieconias ibid. Ioakim ibidem Ioachim the yong marques of Branden borough CCxxix Ioiada xv Ioachim xv Ioas. xv Ioathain xvi Ihon Hercanus lxxiij Iohn Baptist lxxvi Iohn the Apostle returneth out of Pathmos fo xciiij Ihon Stabius an Astronomer fo cxlv Ihon the eyght byshop of Ro. a woman fo cxxxiiij Ihon Chrispus fo ccxx Ihon the twelfth byshop of Ro me bostede fo clxxiij Ihon kynge of HierusaleÌ„ clxv Ihon Husse teacheth openly agayust pardons fo clxxvi clxxviij Ihon Cassels burned cclxx Ihon Humyades fo clxxxi Ihon OecolaÌ„padius clxxxviij The death of Iohn duke of Saxon. fo cxcix Ihon Wida kyng of Hungary fo ccxxxij Ihon Diasy fo cclxiij Ihon Ecke fo ccxxviij Iohaune bocher fo cclxxvij Ihon Frederike duke of Saxon taken captyue fo cclxxiiij Images and beades put doune in England fo cclxxij Iusurrectiou at Gent ccxxvi Ionas fo xvi Iona has fo lxxij Ioram a setter vp of new idolatry fo xv Iosaphat studiose in religion fo xv Ioseph a man sage and holy x. Iosias fo xvij Iones are the fyrst Grekes iiij Iouiâ—ianus a godly Emperour fo cvij Irene daughter to the Emperour of Constahtynople clxij Iren cxxv Irnerius the restorar of the lawes clvi Isake a figur of Christ fo x Ismael fo x Iuda a kyngdom fo xix Iudges at Athens dyd sweare fo lxiij Iudas Machabeus power lxix lxxij Iudyth xlviij Iulianus Apostata cvi â–ª he is made Emperour ibidem â–ª at Strasborough cvi he forbad Christen men the authorytye of warrfare cvij. hys death is an exaÌ„ple of veugeauuce cvij Iulyau the Cardynal fo clxxxi Iulius a man aduysed and a louer of peace lxxxiij he is called Cesar lxxxvi The orderyng of the yeare was begoen lxxxiiij Iulius byshop of Rome was discomfyted in a battayl by the cyte Raueunas vpon Easter day fo clxxxvi Iupiter called vpou agayust tempests xxiij Iustmus cxviij the second cxx Iustinianus cxviij cxxiiij he restored the lawes fo cxix K The kyngdome of the worlde and Christes kyngdome * xvi Queâ— Katheryn dowager dyeth fo ccx The institution of kyngdomes and of kynges is of God xiij The chaunsyng and reâ—â—ynge of kyngedomes displeaseth God riiij What the mutations of them do signifie cxcij Kyng of Anabaptilles Knypperdullynge Crafting fo CCviij L Lacedemonians valiauntnes xlv they fyght with the Thebaus and are discoâ—syted lvi Landersey Landtgraue fo CClvij Latiâ—er at libertye fo cclxxiij Latium fo Cxxi The institution of cyupâ— power and of all lawes i. clvi Lawes cyuyll restored by Iustinianus fo Cxix Law was geuen fo xi Lawes of Solou concernyng vagabounds fo xxxviij Lawes of the Romaynes lviij the occasion of them lviij Lawes of Draco xxxviij Lawfull callyng must be ensued fo lxv Leâ—t fo xcv Leo the thyrde named Leouomachus fo Cxxv Leo the fourth Cxxv. Leoâ—tâ—â—s ibidem Lewes the gentyll cxxxij he is taken by hys sonne Cxxxiij Lewes the seconde buryed at Mylan Cxxxiiij Lewes the thyrd Cxxxvi. he is restored to y e realme of frauÌ„ce Cxlij Lewes the berdyd Cxliâ— Lewes the Landtgraue Clxv Lewes the Bayer fo Clxxi Lewes is excoÌ„municated clxxij Lewes the Romayn Clxxiij Lewes king of FrauÌ„ce clxxxvi Liberius bysh â–ª of Rom. cvi Linus bysh â–ª of Rom. xci Lombardy fo Cxv Longimanus wyth the long haud fo xlviij Lothoâ—ius Cxxxij the Saxon Cxv. the brethren of hym were these Lewes Germanicus Charles the bolde Cxxxiij Lothring ibidem Laurentius Miniatensis an astronomer fo Cxc Lubâ—cke fo Clix Lucius Warrus fo xcv Lucrece xxvij Lupoldus â–ª Clxxij duke of Eastenryche Clxxv. was slayne by the Swytzers ibid â–ª Luxsborough parliamente foâ— fo CCxlij Lysander fo liiij M The Macedonians iiij the occasyon of the warre of Macedonia lxxviij Machabees lxxiij the power of them lxix ther kyngs lxxiij Macrinus fo xcvij Magi fo iiij Magog fo Cxxiij Magnentius an example of vn kyndnes Cvi he slayeth hym selfe fo cvi Mahomete xcvi wounders seen in Italy before hys commyng Cxx. the occasions of hys kyngdome Cxxi why his religion is accepted lxix the form of his relygioÌ„ Cxxij an ArabiaÌ„ prophet Cxxi he subdued Arabia Cxxij Why he wold be called a Saraâ—en for an Agaren ibidem they besieged Hadriantum Clxxxiiij the place of Danyel of Mahomet Cxxij what he sygnifyeth fo Cxxiij Manfyld battayll Câ—â—iij Manasse a wycked kyng xvij an example of repentaunce fo xvâ—â— Manes begynner of the Manacheâ—s sect borne in Persia Ci. hys doctryne ibidem Manichei ibidem Mantua fo cxcix Marcus Cicero fo lxxxvi Marcus Antonius fo xcv Mardonius a capitayne xlvij Mariages of priestes CClxxv Maran fo CCxxxix Mary lady Regent fo Cxivi Marques of Brandenborough receaueth the gospell CCxxx Marius was made captayn agaynst the Cimbry lxxxi he was causser of an vproure lxxxi hys tyranny lxxxij Martyn Luther Clxxxvij dyeth fo CCix Marten of Rosheim CCxliij Mary Lady Regent enuadeth Picardy fo CCxix Mathathâ—â—s fo â—xxâ—j Mathematica ars dryuen oute of Rome fo xciij Maurice duke fo CCxl cclvi cclxviij Mauritius Emperour Cxx. Maximianus fo Cii Maxentius ibid. he was drowued in the Tybur fo Ciij Maximilian Clxxxiij is taken at Brudges Clxxxiiij he war râ—eth agaynst the Venetians fo Clxxxvi Maximinus subdued Germany fo xcvij Maximinus and Arbogastes are examples of disâ—oyalte Cviij he warreth agaynst the Venetians fo cviij Meghlyne burned fo cclxv Moâ—taâ—â—te behedded ccxxv Melanthon Eckius ccxxxiij the reason concernyng religion ccxxviij Men tenne in nomber were sent to Grece lviij they were deposed fo lix Metasthenes fo xxix Mesius suffesius death xxvij Micheas fo xvi Melciades counsell xliij He was yll entreated of the Athenians xliij hys renowmed victory ibidem Mylane Clix ccxi the duke maryeth y â— kyng of Denmarkes daughter CCvi ccxi Minia fo xxij Myns of syluer in Misia who found them fyrst cxliij Mithridates fo lxxxi Monarchies what they are and of what puissance* xiiij there be onely foure Monarchyes xiiij they are propoued to Dauyell v. the ende of the fyrste Monarchy xx a monarchye is the best forme of an empyre or realme xl the begynnynge of the thyrde Monarchy lix Wherefore Monarchyes are chefly ordeyned of God cxxâ—i Wherfore Monarchyes and princes are sent of God lxxvij Monasteryes were scholes in tyme past fo cxxxi Syr Thomas Moore Chauncelor of England and the byshop of Rochester behedded fo ccix The bâ—â—es of Moses are found fo xvij Moonkes are brought to wryte clvij Maurus duke fo ccxl cclvi cclxviij N Nabuchodonesor xviij He was conuerted by Danyell fo xix Narses fo cxiiij cxviij Nathan Dauid sonne â–ª fo xv Nauâ—â—u fo clxxxiij The Counte of Nasowe ccxiii Naxus ccxx 〈…〉 oth gods hooâ—ter vi Nero fo xc 〈◊〉 fo xciij Nyce Counsell fo ciij The Emperour enterteyned at Nyce fo ccxxij Nicolaus the
those that were the true successors For which cause was this people greueously punished agayne of God This was the fyrst yourney of Antiochus to Ierusalem in the whiche he ordeined a hygh priest and spoyled the temple â–ª slew many This happened the syxte yeare of Antiochus the which was the hundreth and thre and fortyeth yeare after Alexanders death Two yeare after which was the hundreth and fyue and fortieth yeare after the death of Alexander made Antiochus ready hys seconde yourney into Egypt For the cities had yelded themselues agayne to the yonge kynge the which also had sought for ayde of the Romanes Nowe whan Antiochus inuaded Egypte the Romanes sente an ambassador Popilius which shuld shew Antiochus in the name of the Romanes to auoyde out of the coastes of Egypte nether to warre vpon the yonge kynge Philometor For the Romanes were mynded to retayne him in the kyngdome wyth theyr ayde Wherevpon answered Antiochus he would deuise wyth him selfe what he would do But Popilius wold graunt hym no space to deuise but makyng a rynge wyth hys speare aboute Antiochus commaunded hym to saye strayght waye before he went out of the cyrcle whether he wold auoyd out of Egipt or no. Antiochus being abashed with this seuerite constance of Popilius for he knew was afeared of the Romane power he promised frelye to go out of Egipt â–ª Wherfore he was constrayned to leaue Egypt the second tyme with great shame But inflamed with â—re for the impacience of the grefe he went agayne to Ierusalem and this was hys seconde yourney to Ierusalem for he was there twise and than vsed â—e his tyranny much more cruelly than before For he commaunded the Iewes to worshyp the Idols of the Heythen he commaunded to burn the bokes of the Bible and left a great deale of noughtypackes to possesse the citye Ierusalem in steade of a garnyson the which tormented then very cruelly that wolde not fall from theyr fayth and to thys thinge dyd they assist them that were deceuered from the Iewysh religion The temple also was turned to a prophane vse fore an image was sett therein of the Gentils superstition But what nedeth many wordes They busyed to roote out the worde of God and the whole lawe and in steade thereof to bringe in the maners of the Gentyls Nether dyd Antiochus vse that counsel rashly but with a great wytt policye For he perceaued that the Iewes wythstode the Heythen kynges because of theyr religion and therfore wolde he auoyde the diuersitye of religion Of thys wyse do mens thoughtes dalye in matters concernyng God and wyll set vp religion after theyr wyll iudgement Moreouer vnder y e example and figure of thys Antiochus doth Daniel also describe Antichriste that such a kyngdom shuld be where in Christen men shuld be put to distresse and Gods word shuld be quenched and lykewyse shuld be set vp a religion for a shewe which might be contrary to gods word by y â— which may be had an occasyon to optayne power great ryches Euen as it is euident that Mahomet hath set vp a false religion and vnder pretence thereof haue ordeyned a newe kyngdome And this religion semeth to be folysh religion for it doeth greatly flatter mens reason For passing ouer nearehande all the hygher sentences and articles of the fayeth it hath kept onely that doctryne whyche teacheth morall vertues Wonder it is verely howe muche that same doth flatter mans reason wherefore also it doth vse to crepe more easely into mens mindes than the doctryne of fayth As for the tyranny of Antiochus thereof is written in the bokes of the Machabees Danyel wytnesseth that the people of the Iewes had deserued thys punyshment because of theyr synnes And allthoughe God dyd punyshe hys people yet for all that he dyd not destroye them vtterly For God raysed Iudas Machabeus whych gatheryng a small army inuaded Antiochus captaynes and by Gods assistaunce ouerthrowynge the enemyes he recouered the temple the thyrd yeare after that Antiochus had sett an Idoll therein Daniel hath comprehended all this tyme of the Iewysh affliccion in two thousande and thre hundreth dayes whych make syxe yeares and syxe monethes and some dayes ouerplus For the persecution lasted from the thyrde yeare of Antiochus vntyll the eyght yere some monethes Daniel dyd vse thys diuision of the tyme also that the Idoll should stande in the temple a thousande two hundreth and nynety dayes whyche make thre yeare and syxe monethes And y â— temple was recouered an hundreth eyght and forty yeares after Alexanders death Thys was the thre hundreth and eight and fortieth yere after that the Iewes were delyuered oute of the Babylonicall bondage and the hundreth and two and fyftyeth yeare before Christes byrth But Antiochus deserued wyth hys vngodlinesse and blasphemy agaynst God not only the vtter extinguishment of hys kynred but also the ouerthrowynge of the whole kyngdome of Syria For after Antiochus death there was euer warre betwene one or other and after manye tymes for the succession in the kyngdome That it maye be playnely sene by thys example ho we begynneth matters to sprynge for the whyche kyngdomes be ouerthrowen as we se nowe a dayes to befall in Hungary Antiochus Epiphanes dyed in that yourney whyche made readye agayne to come agaynst the Iewes to reuenge the dammage done After hys death hys brother Demetrius fled from Rome toke in the kingdome kylling the yong Antiochus surnamed Eupator sonne to Antiochus Epiphanes Alexander the capitayne raysyng a sedition agaynst Demetrius slewe hym Demetrius left two sonnes after him Demetrius and Antiochus Sedetes Of this Demetrius verely was Alexander slayne lykewyse Afterward was a sedition raysed by one Tryphon agaynst Demetrius the whych droue him out of the kyngdome but Demetrius came agayne into the kyngdome and dyed stryken thorough wyth a sworde Antiochus Sedetes was slayne of the Parthes As for this Demetrius had a sonne Antiochus Gryphus Antiochus Sedetes left after him a sonne Antiochus Cyzicenus These stroue for the kyngdome of Syria and were both slayne Afterward dyd their children warre one agaynst the other for y â— kindome wyth no lesse stryfe than their elders and had at the last so febled eche other that Syria was constrayned to yeld it selfe to foren kinges For it ioyned it selfe to Tigranes kyng of Armenia And of this wyse is the kyngdome of Syria transferred from Seleucus posterity to foren princes But finally whan Tigranes was slayne by Pompeius Syria was broughte vnder the Romane power Hetherto is ynough spoken of the kyngdome of Syria Of the kynges of Egypt after Alexander PTolomeus the sonne of Lagus wherof Pausanias wryteth whych calleth hym the bastarde of Philippe father to Alexander ij Ptolomeus Philadelphus Greate prayses are of thys kynge by reason of his endeuour of peace and also because he delyted in all kynde of
by Iulius but longe after was he commaunded to be put to death at Antiochia by Antonius euen the third yeare when Herode was made kyng And yf the whole tyme that Hircanus was high priest bee wel rekened it shalbe euen foure and thirty yeares finally was he put to death by Herode It is a dredful thyng verely to senerehande in al histories that not only the moste renow medest kynreds and families amonge men decay but that also the successours of holy men cleane doth degenerate from the honestie of there elders and fall to all fylthynesse of mische ue and synne What tyme the Phariseys and the other sectes began with the Iewes WHen now the soueraintie and priesthode by the Iewes began to be toren and pulled asunder by the tyraÌ„ny the warres of Antiochus I passe ouer that the Machabees ioyned them with Heythen kynges the which ordeined or deposed princes high priestes at their pleasure the whiche cared for nothing lesse then the endeuour of the religioÌ„ it could not be â—â—â—t that sectes and sundry dissensions must yse in the Iewysh religion For uedes must it happen so wheÌ„ether we want a certain head in the religion or wheÌ„the heades of the churche or congregatioÌ„ do not regarde the studies of Godlinesse and seke onely outward puyssaunce as prophane nacions do The sectes that were sprong vp were of thre sores the first wer called Phariseis that is Seuered of the word Phares These vsed for they were better learned then the other certain constitutions of men aboue the lawe of Moses whereby they were seuered from the other people Howbeit their doctrine was a litle better righter theÌ„ the other For they taught immortalitie after this life that God will punysh synnes they beleued also that Messias should come a saueour for the faithfull and a iudge for the synnes To the men of this secte also was coÌ„mitted the coÌ„mon welth before other and they wee of more aucthoritie The second secte was of the Sadduceis These hidde their wickednesse with a very noble not able callyng theÌ„selues For zaddik signifieth righteous Sadducei they that be righteous or holy So is it moste commonly receaued in vsage in this worlde that those that be moste wycked of all do cloke their couetousnesses wyth moste honeste names They taught that after death was no lyfe That God had onely geuen the lawe to the intent we shoulde liue honestly quietly receiuing of God in y â— meane season in this lyfe the rewarde of righteousnesse They did expounde y â— scriptures wholy according to mans iudgemeÌ„t nether would they heare ought els as concernyng for the maners that appertaâ—ned vnto man very Epicures that is to saye suâ— as did put the principall goodnesse in voluptuoâ—â—tie as Epicurus the Philosopher dyd And thaâ— more is when they at the length had gotteÌ„ power â–ª they troubled not a litle the Phariseis It is a fearfull thyng verely to heare that among the peculiar and chosen people of God are crept in euen heythenysh doctrines insomuche that coÌ„stantly they were not ashamed euen openly to teache and saye that after this lyfe was none other lyfe The thirde were Essey the whiche when they perceiued that both the Phariseyes and Sadduceyes folowed their appetites vnder the coloure of honest titles nether did ought in a maner that were worthy their profession therfore semed it them good to declare the straitnesse and seueritie of lyfe with the dede and would be called Essey that is workers or doers For Assa whence the name Essey commeth sygnifieth to worke as in these times the Anabaptistes do reproue bothe the Lutherians and papistes and endeuour to seme more holier then ether of them For the Essey lyued in a maner in all thinges as the Anabaptistes lyue they maryed not and woulde haue all thynges common among them This was an vtter foolysh and dotish supersticion of monkerye and whiche could not last long Of this wyse nerehand is the church deuided in thre partes also now a dates for because y â— second commyng of Christe also is harde by The Anabaptistes resemble the Esseyes and on the other parte some be Phariseyes some are Sadduceyes For the thniges that happened amoÌ„g the Iewes â—â—e a figuce of the ChristeÌ„ religion These sectes rose first among the Iewes vnder Ioannes Hircamus the sonne of Simon before the byrth of Christ an hundreth and fyue and twenty yeares Of Herodes kynred WHen Iulius Cesar had warre in Egypt that was euery where full of daunger Antipater prince of Idumea ayded him very faithfully and for a remembraunce of this benefite made hym Iulius gouernoure of Iewry the whiche was now constrayned to obey foren and straunge princes in her owne royalme The Iewes set themselues agaynst it with great force at the first sufferyng very disdainfully the rule of the Idumean prince insomuche that he was poysoned at the last by a Iewe called Malchus and dyed Herodes reuenged the death of his father Antipater and demaunded the succession of the Iewysh kyngdome of Augustus and Antonius in the hundreth foure score and seconde Olympias and this was after Alexander two huÌ„dreth foure score and twelue yeares This was the occasion wherby Iewry receuied foren kynges out of Idumea and afterlong siege compelled Herode them of Ierusalem to yelde theÌ„selues nether was there litle bloud shedde before the Iewes yelded themselues frely to Herodes dominion As for Christ was borne in the thirtieth yeare of Herode These are nerehand the greatest and chefest mutations of the kyngdom brefly comprehended the whiche happened in Iewry in the tyme of this monarchie vntill the last monarchie and the tyme of Christes birth And though it is euident ynough that the Iewysh kynges after Christes birth were of Herodes kynred yet wyll I set them euery one orderly that the reader may more easely knowe how the one is borne of the other and haue ruled the kyngdome lawfully by a certayn succession vntyll the destruction of the citie Ierusalem though as concernyng the iust order of the historie I am not come so farre For I haue yet to reherse these thynges of the Romanes which happened in the tyme of the Grecian monarchie Herode the first whiche was also called Ascalon had many children among the whiche he hymselfe caused thre to be slame Aristobulus Alexander and Antipater by reason of a conspiracy that they had made against their father But after him remained aliue Archelaus Herodes whiche was surnamed Antipas and Philippus These parted the kyngdome amonges them Archelaus was chosen by a testament to succede his father Herode in the kyngdome but Augustus the emperour would not confirme or ratifye thys wyl of the father but made hym prince howbeit vnder this hope that he should be made kyng yf he ruled honestly And so ruled he nyne yeares and vsed great tyranny he set vp and deposed high priestes and rauyshed his
haue referred to that tyme when the kyngdome of Babilon and Niniue the citie were not yet diuided euen when the Assyrians reygned only at Babylon Agathias wryteth in the seconde booke of the Gothian warre that Ctesias set the nomber of the yeares and the order of the Monarchies of thys wyse As for Ctesias was a Grecian who when Artaxerxes Mnemon and Cyrus the yonger warred with eche other he was also in the army and was a Phisician Beynge taken in warre he was at the last caried to Babylon where he was honestly entreated and then readynge the hystoryes of Babylon he set the nomber of that kyngdome in an order of this wyse From Ninus vntyll the begynnyng of the Medes kyngdome wiche did deciuer from the Assyryans the fyrste are M. CCC lx yeares and this order do all those obserue that wrote afterwarde Diodorus Siculus and Iustinus Diodorus Siculus wrote of this wyse in his thyrde booke Lyke wyse also the resydue of the kynges thyrty in nomber helde the kyngdome vntyll Sardanapulus by whose tyme the kyngdome of the Assyrians which had lasted M. CCC lx yeares as wryteth Ctesias in the seconde booke fell to the Medes Iustinus sayeth of this wyse The assyrians who afterwarde were called Syria had the gouernaunce M. CCC yeres Herodotus doth passe ouer somthynge in the meane tyme that the decayeng kyng dome of the Assyrians came to the Medes I thynke this also that these yeares of Ctesias concernyng the begynnyng of Babylon to be vnderstand from the tyme of Nembroth not Ninus The Medes reigned after the fallyng from the Assyrians vntil Cyrus about thre hundreth yeres as Agathias gathereth out of Ctesias The kyngdome of the Perses vntill Alexander dyd last CCxxviij yeres as witnesseth Agathias and some Grecian wryters Alexander and his posteritie kept Babylon vntyll the tyme that the power of the Parthians beganne to grow and Agathias setteth CCC yeres seuen lesse and that is from Alexander vntyll Augustus tyme. Afterward raigned the Parthians in the Easte hundreth yeares vntil the tyme of Alexander Seuerus the Emperoures and then dyd Artaxerxes the Persian stick through and slaye Artabanus the last kyng of the Parthians And of this wyse came the East kyngdom agayne to the Perses which were myghty vntyll Mahomets tyme. For the successors of Mahomet inuaded the Perses and teke in the empire of whole Arabia But the Turkes toke from them afterwarde Syria and Asia the lesse And thus were the kyngdomes of the Easte tossed finally with diuerse mutaciōs the one people was oftymes remoued to the other It is greatly necessary to ouerlaye all these thynges and often to consyder them that the order of all tymes and histories may be knowen aryght An addition vnto the Cronicle of Iohn Carion contaygnyng the actes and histories come to passe in dyuers and sundry partes of the worlde from the yere of our lorde MDxxxij vnto the yeare of our lorde MD. L. excerpted and gathered out of the best historiographers by Iohn Funke of Nourenborough And caused to be translated by Gwalter Lynne AT the entraunce or beginning of the conuocation holden at Ratisbone or Raynesborough in the yere of our lorde MD. xxxij in lent ther lay at Nurrenborough certayn princes electours with many other nobles of the empire among whom were as principall Albert Archebyshop of Mogunce or Mence Lodowike Palatine of the Rhyne Iohn Frederike duke of Saxon and electour imperiall whiche princes nobles did there treate and consulte vpon matters of religion and about the establishing of kyng Ferdinandus to whose election as to be king of the Romains the said Iohn duke of Saxō electour imperiall would not accorde nor consent and after much intreataunce they obtayned of themperours maiestie a graunt and promes of a sure and stedfast peace vntil the next general coūsail that was to come yea and is to come yet euen at this day Other notable actes cōcerning matters of religiō was there none concluded in that conuocation For Soliman Emperoure of the Turkes was vp with all his power and inuaded the lande of Hungary wherefore the Christian princes were constrained with all spede and strenght possible to prepare themselues to resist the said aduersary Insomuche that there was prepared suche an armie and hoost of men of diuers nacions as neuer was sene before in all Germany y ◠beginnyng wherof was about the feast of S. Iohn the baptist the warriours of the towne of Nurenburgh beinge the firste that arryued at Weene in Austriche for there was all the whole hoost appointed to assemble and come together the same assembling continued vntil the feast of saint Bartholome we next ensuyng The nombere of Duche pietons or footemen was about foure score thousande stoute and valiaunt fyghting men And of the horse men there was about .xxiiij. thousand The Bohemes were in the nomber aboue twenty thousande All these lay about Wyene by the ryuer called the Danube a lycle myle frō the towne Their chefe capitaine was the right noble and mighty prince lord Frederick Palatine of the Rene c. nowe being electour imperiall About the said towne laye also vpon a fifty thousand Spanyardes whiche in these affayres vsed but small kyndnesse towardes the germaynes For in their passage from the Countie of Tyroll ouer the Eye and the Danube into Austrich they burned certayn strong holdes and townes well inhabited and some they pylled and with women and maydens they wrought suche vylanye and enormitie whiche is horrible to be spoken that many of them dyed thorough their said outtragiousnes The goodly and plesaūt Citie of Krembes was vtterly by thē subuerted and brent vp except fourtenne houses wyth certayne walles After this when they lacked vitualles in their campe for the space of one daye they russhed with violence before the Cytie of Wyene wherein the Emperoure and the kyng had theyr beyng wyth a great nombre of other greate men of armes and warriours whiche were come thether wyth them and would haue assaulted and ouerrunne the same towne if the Germaynes had not the sooner resysted them and letted their enterpryse In the meane season the Turke layde syege to a certayne lytle Towne called Guns whiche lyeth about twelue or thirtene myles from Wyene in the coastes of Hungary and assaulted the same most fiercely by the space of twelue dayes during the which tyme he sought all meanes possyble to subuerte and ouerthrowe the same But the right noble and worshypfull Syr Nicolas Iuristhi knight and Ruler of the sayed towne dyd so manfully and valiauntly behaue hymselfe in those affayres wyth hys cytesens or bourgeouses beyng in nombre about eight hundreth men and one hundred souldiours whiche were layde there in garnison for the sauegarde of the same towne that the Turke maruayled not a lyttell of it Wherefore he promised vnto the sayed Ruler fre passage and saulf conduct and hauing personally himself talked w t him did highly prayse him for his
Gate of triumphe sett full of goodly sayenges and Latyne verses made for the Emperoures pleasure and to his honoure And aboue vppon the toppe of the Gatether was asplayed Eegell made whiche a man gouerned and when the Emperoures maiestie came to the Gate the Egell plucked in his Whynges and bowed hymselfe to the Emperoure reuerently with his body And dyd lykewise on the other syde when the Emperoure was ridden through the Gate The day folowyng did the Emperour ride to the counsail house There was a royal seate cloth of estate set vp in the streate ouer against the shewing place whereuÌ„to the Emperour was leadde by certen of the Aldermen Thether came the comens of the citie before the councell house whiche after the priueledges liberties of the citie were coÌ„firmed made better did there sweare vnto y e Emperour After that y â— Emperours maiestie toke his iourney to Regensburg where the parliament was appointed Thither came many dukes lordes both spirituall temporall the kyng Ferdinandus And when the most part was come together the Emperours maiestie deliuered vnto the states degrees of thempire a boke wherein y e articles of our christen beleue were contained willing theÌ„ to shewe it to their learned meÌ„ that they might agree in all these Articles but with this condicion that all that was said done on both sydes should againe be deliuered vnto the Emperour in writing And after the states degrees of the Empire had willingli agreed thereuÌ„to werther learned meÌ„ chosen to coÌ„men together to agree therein On oure syde were chosen Phillipe Melanthon Marten Bucer Iohan Baker superintendent of Nidda And on the other syde Doctor Eckius Doctor Iulius pâ—â—ng and Iohan Groepper These after muche and long disputacion agreed concernyng the most part and chefe of the Articles of the Boke as of these folowing The first of the power of the fre wil of man both before and after the regeneration newe birth The second of the byrth synne or Original sinne The thrid of Iustificacion and righteous making before God which is the summe and the chefe and principall pointe The fourth of the new birth and of the working of the holy ghost in them that be newe borne The fyfth of belefe of the grace of God and of the merytes of Christ The syxth of good woorkes and their merites The seuenth of the churche of Christ and of the tookens thereof and also of the falsse membres of the churche The eigth of the Cannonical scripture and their aucthoritie The nyneth of the aucthoritie of the churche and of the counsayls that is to saye that they must alwayes agree with the holy scripture The tenth of the power and vse of the Sacramentes The leuenth of Repentaunce The twelueth of the ministers of the churche their aucthoritie The thirteÌ„neth of the Ceremonies of y â— church The fourtenneth of the commemoracioÌ„ and remembraunce of the Sainctes The fyftenneth of Images The syxtenneth of the Masse The seueÌ„tenneth that the SacrameÌ„t of the supper ought to be deliuered vnder both the kindes to the laye people The eighteÌ„neth of the discipline and Nourtour of the churche both of the spirituail and temporall the .xix. Of the visitacion of the Christen The tweÌ„tyeth that euery nacion should holde a counsayll among them selues euery yeare to the coÌ„seruacton of relligion and condempnacion of Errowers Of all these Articles they agreed on both parties as appeareth by the â—reatie thereof whiche is put out in prynte And when the treatie and consul tacion of both partes was desiuered to the Empetours maiestie he she wed it to Gaspar Contarenus Cardinall S. Apolinaris the byshop of Romes Ambassadour and desyred hym to coÌ„sent therunto But forasmuche as it is not the byshop of Romes incanyng to haue any agrement made accordyng to the scripture the Cardinal wold no nother wyse consent â–ª but so that the Articles should be sent vnto the Byshop of Rome that he myght conclude therein what should please him at the next general Counsaill that should be holden And in as muche as many of the States and de grees of the Empyre were discontent there wyth for they knewe that the Pope woulde neuer be contented wyth that Agreement seyng it woulde do no small barme and dammage too hys kyngdome they desyred the Emperoures Maiestie to geue them leaue that they myght haue those Articles that were agreed of to bee openly taught in their Churches whiche thynge also was graciously graunted them to do as the dissolycyon of thesame Parliament declared Whereupon also the Princes hereafter named caused the sayd Articles to be preached in their landes and dominions Fyrst Duke Otho Henrick of Bayer Countie Palatine on the Rene. Phillip his brother The Citie of Regensburg The Citie of Swyneforth Whom the Cytie of Rottenburg on the Tawber folowed in the yeare of oure lorde a thousande fyue hundreth fourty and foure And there woulde vndoubtedly moa haue folowed if the deuell had not hyndered them thorou hys membre Doctour Eckius For he after he had all the whyle the disputacion lasted done all hys diligence to disanulle the whole booke that the Emperoure gaue theim to agree of as Erroneouse but coulde not brynge his purpose aboute and yet muste bee affraied of the Emperoures Maiestie whiche had caused the Booke to be diligently wrytten thorowe the counsall of hys learned men or muste elles hane bene proued a lyer wyth the playne truthe thoroughe the wytnesse of the disputers of oure syde and of his awne felowes wrote vnto those states and degrees that leyned to the Byshoppe of Rome after this soarte That vnmeete Booke neuer lyked me ner yet dothe nor euer shall wherein I haue founde so many errours and fawtes Wherefore I wyll geue this sentence that it shall not bee receaued of the Catholikes as whiche dispyseth the veyne of the old fathers and smelleth vtterly of Melancthon And I Eccius haue not agreed thereunto nor haue also seene the Booke that was delyuered to the Emperours maiestie but that certer of the Lutherians Articles were read vnto me much lesse haue I agreed vnto the wrytyng that was as I heare saye delyuered to the Emperoures Maiestie with the Booke whiche I neuer sawe This wrote Eccius as is mencioned but howe vntruely his awne companions in a supplication wrytten vnto the Vmpeeres and presidentes of the disputacion wyt nesse wherein they complayne of Eccius and of hy sfalsheede excusyng them selues besydes that the presydentes also as the Lorde Frederick Countie Palatyne Electour on the Rhene and the Lord Granuell one of the Emperoures Maiesties counsayll and the Emperoures Maiestie hym selfe excused Eccius companyons and praysed them that they had done truely and honestly and confessed that Eccius had agreed and consented to that that they dyd as then all these thynges maye suffyciently be sene in the treatye it selfe Nowe the whyle the matter stoode thus as touchyng Rellygion
earth In the moneth of Aprill came the Emperoures maiestie to Raynesburgh on Saturday after mydlent Sonday where he founde but fewe princes of the Empyre besydes a small nombre of certaine byshoppes Consequentely after Easter when certayn princes and Ambassadours or Legates of other were come thither the conuocation was begonne and the propositions were of the agreement of the Articles in controuersy in religion of the ordre and establyshment of the chamber court and of the Coyne Item howe the Turke myght be resisted But in the meane season when there was great prouision and preparation made to take vp men warriours in the name of themperours Maiestie thoroughout all Duchelande the Electours princes and estates of the confession of Ausbourgh desyred moste humbly at Whitsontyde to knowe of the Emperours Maiestie against whome suche preparation of warre was intended whereupon they receiued this darke aunswere that the Emperoures Maiestie woulde punishe certayne rebelles of the Empire After this darke aunswere when many thyngs were feared and the sayde warriours were in a redynes the conuocacion toke an ende and another was instituted and appointed against the next yere to begynne the fyrst day of February Forasmuche therfore as Duke Iohn Frederike Electour in Saxon and Lorde Phylyppe Landgraue of Hessen with the other Princes Lordes estates and townes of the confession and confederation of Ausburgh perceiued that the saide great preparacion of warres was enterprised and intended against no man but against them they prepared also an hoste of men for their necessary defence for the mayntenaunce and preseruacion of the pure and sincere doctrine of the Gospell for the defence also of their Landes dominions and subiectes and for the continuacion of the liberties and priuiledges of the Germaine nacion and went furth in the moneth of Iune ouerthrowen and destroyed Fyftely the Postmaysters house where themperour was wont to haue hys posthorses when he had nede of them wyth the stables and the horses in the same at that tyme was quyte stryken awaye by the thonder and burned vp Syxtely Saynt Barnardes place wherin the Abbot of S. Barnarde had hys lodgyng when he came to Meghlyne was vtterly destroyed by the thonder and the cloyster of the Augustyne freers was a great parte ouerthrowen and destroyed Seuently The Voogstrete which was a fayre large strete was also in lyke maner ouerthrowen that there remayned neuer a house standyng nor yet as they sayd block nor stone Eightely The Palace of Hyghstrete whyche was an excedyng fayre and strong buyldynge belongyng to a certayn great lorde was quyte and clene ouerthrowen and destroyed And as the inhabitauntes of the sayd towne of Meghlyne do affyrme yf the sayd Palayce of Hyghstrete wyth other places and greate buyldynges had not bene there standynd The hole towne of Meghlyn must nedes haue ben vtterly ouerthrowen and destroyed so that nether house stycke nor stone shuld haue remayned in the same For the sayd hygh and strong buyldynges were a greate defence to the towne Besydes thys there were also other places and great buyldinges whose names to auoyd prolyxite are not here rehearsed whych were in lyke maner ouerthrowen destroyed of the thonder as the other together with seuen hundred houses Insumme almoost all the houses of the towne were endamaged fewe or none excepte that hadde not some hurte done by the thonder Nyntly the nexte daye after when the sayde piteous calamite was done whiche was the. 8. day of August when they beganne to make rowme there were founde about thre hundred persons men women and children which were slaine by the meanes of the thondre whome they loded in wagens cartes and buryed them in great holes that were digged for the same purpose There were also founde aboue 150. persons sore wounded and harmed And there happened one thing in the sayd toune specyally to be meruayled at which is that certayn gestes sate in theyr hostes hous drynkynge to gether and plaieng at the cardes and while they called for drynke and theyr hostesse went doune into the seller to drawe them a pot of byre in the meane season was the house stryken awaye by the thonder and the players found dead wyth the cardes in theyr handes as though they had ben styll playeng but the hostesse saued her lyfe by the meanes y ◠she was in the seller whan the sayd hurt was done Tenthly There was also a man founde in a corner the thyrd daye after that the sayde hurte was done hauyng no harme whych asked whether the world were yet standyng or not There was also a woman founde dead beynge great wyth chylde whych was afterwarde cut opē and the chylde taken out of her belly was baptised Muche harme was there done besydes not onely within the towne of Meghline but also without the towne as in the townes villages castels and boroughes lyeng there about where thesaide wether hath done much harme and there were many innumerable fearfull and wonderful sygnes and to kens sene so that bothe the Emperoure and the lady Mary had nede to remembre them selues for it is to be feared that God will beginne to reuenge the innocent bloude whiche is very piteously shed in the lower partes of Duchelande for the Gospels sake for it crieth into heauen and so fylleth the boso me of Gods high matestie that he can suffre it no lōger yea he wyll laye on yet greater loades oneles they repente and amende in tyme for he hath suffered them long ynough When this warre betwene themperour the electour of Saxon the Landgraue of Hessen had continued into the first moneth themperour had declared hymself an open enemy both to the forsaid princes onely of his owne mynde without either right reason or warnyng and without the knowledge consent of the estates membres of thempire In the meane seasō did Maurice duke of Sax on with great feruentnes prepare a great nōbre of horsemen pietons wherefore al men stode in great feare not knowing against whom he made the same preparation And forasmuche as the electour of Saxon was out of his lande duke Maurice was next of hys bloude and his nere kisman bothe on the fathers the mothers syde was also by bym brought vp had receiued many benefites at his hand many were of this hope iudgemēt that thesaid preparatiō was made for the defence succour of the landes subiectes of the electour so that fewe or none suspected any gyle in duke Maurice In the meane season did kyng Ferdinando also endenour hymselfe to stirre vp the Lusenitianes Bohemianes against the lande of the Electour of Saxon but with honest vertuous men coulde he litle preuayle notwithstāding by the meanes of his importunate labour and instaunt intreataūce he assembled a sorte of Pietons in Boheme being in nōbre about eyght thousand men in Hungary aboue a thousand husbandmen a wicked rauenish generation to destory waste the landes
dominiōs of thesaid Electour which mē did first inuade Voyt land there toke the townes vilages and liberties pertaining tothe Electour piteously spoyling roauingburning destroieng many men young olde And specially therwas an execrable madnes murther cōmitted vpō an honest Curate minister that feared God at Newechurche whom when thesaid husbād mē had mostcruelly martyred murthered and sawe that he was fatte they cut him in peces after the maner of a fatte Swyne casting the peces from one to another and sayeng Lo brother there hast thou a good roastyng pece of an hogge Of whiche innocent bloud are gilty all they that do helpe or consent to the sayde murtheryshe and intestine warres whereof doutles God wyll take vengeaunce in tyme conuenient Nowe when the matter as it was fyrst begonne and purposed against the Electour his dominiōs for Duke Maurice had bene first with the kynge in Bohemy toke effect and apeared euidently as though the kyng woulde ouercome and take in all the Landes and dominions of the Electour Duke Maurice exalted hymselfe with his army and first toke the townes lyeng to warde the mountaynes and then he went with thesayde Bohemians and husband men to besege the towne of Zwickowe But least I be demed to stande to muche in myne owne conceite and to take vpon me to Iudge other wise than it becometh me in this matter I will set hereafter the true Copye of his lettres whereby he required and admonyshed the towne of the Electour to yelde them selues vnto hym by the cōsentes whereof men of honestie and vnderstanding may easely perceyue what good grounde and sure foundacion he pretended in these affaires By the grace of God we Maurice duke of Saxō Land graue of During and Marquis of Myssene aduertyse you our welbeloued and trusty counsayl and commons of Saron c. That forasmuche as the myghty Prince our Cosyn Duke Iohn Frederike the Elder hath ben founde negligent in doing of hys dutie and it is manifest that men are about to bryng you from the house of Saxon into the power of straungers and we beyng a borne prince of Saxon hauing also parte in the lande wyth our for sayd Cosyn and be charged by earnest commaundement of the Emperoures Maiestie our moste gracious lorde for the auoydyng of greuous penalties and corrections and also by the losse of our Regaltie and preeminēce our seiues to take the same land in possession or elles to permitte and suffre other to do the same whereby oure owne Landes and dominions must nedes come in daunger and destruction Wherfore we require you to sutmitte your selues vnto vs as Prince of Saxon and to receyue vs accordingly with due solempuisation And we are prone graciously inclined to desen de you in the Christen religion wherein ye bee and lyke mayer your bodyes goodes and possessions and to leaue you by youre olde liberties and priuiledges And when the matter or controuersy betwene the Emperoures Maiestie the Romyshe kynges Maiestie and our forsayde Cosyn shall come to an agreement we shalbe ready as touchynge the landes whiche we shall haue taken in possession of hys by the knowledge and wyll of their Maiesties and as muche as maye be done without their preiudice thorough our owne dominions to be intreated ordered accordyng to ryght and reason But yf ye should refuse so to do it should apeare vnto vs as though ye would wylfully be put from the house of Saxon whiche may not be suffered of vs. Wherefore we require herein your directe aunswere by the bearer of the letter in hast whyle oure enemy is at hande that we may auoyde the daunger Geuen in our Towne of zwickowe the syxt daye of Nouēber Anno a thousand fyue hundreth fourty and syxe Duke Maurice of Saxon. Manu propria When zwickowe had yelded vnto him the syxt day of Nouember he toke also the townes lyeng there about and consequētly Aldenbourgh Ilenbourgh Grymme Torgawe c. the .xvi. day of Nouember duke Maurice sent a Trompetter with two lettres the one to the Deputie and the other to the Communaltie of Witten bourgh directed betwene thre foure of the clocke at after none before the Elue gate but before the lettres were receyued the suburbes were set on fyre whereby was sygnifyed that they intended to stande to their defence The same daye dyd he also aduertise thinhabitauntes of Torgawe whiche lay in gareson for the defence of Wittenburgh that oneles they woulde come home by the next daye before Sunne set he would sende their wyues and chyldren after them and besydes that depriue them of all their goodes The ende of the Appendix or addition compyled by Maister Iohn Funke Brefe Annotations added vnto the premisses gathered out of dyuers historiographers IN the sayd yere of our lorde MD. xlvi apeace was concluded betwene Englād and Fraunce whiche on Whitsondaye was proclaimed For conclusion whereof the Viscount Lisse high Admiral of England with the Byshop of Duresine and a goodly company of Gentylmen went out of Englande into Fraunce after whose retourne Monsure Denball high Admirall of Fraunce the Byshop of Eureux and two Erles came into Englande with the Sacre of Depe and .xij. galleyes and were honorably receiued The saide yere also in lent before was the Stewes at London put downe and abolysshed by the kynges commaundement the .ix. daye of Iuly was burned at London in smithfielde Anne Askew a gentill woman Iohn lassels of the kynges preuy chambre Iohn Adlam tayler of Suffolke and Nicolas Belenyam priest for opinions consonaunt to the trueth and contrary to the acte of the syx Articles At whiche tyme al so Doctour Nicolas Schaxton somtime Byshop of Salisbury recanted and denied the trueth whiche before he had professed Whiche thing also one Doctour Crome whiche had bene a great and famous preacher had done at Paules Crosse the xxvij daye of Iune before affirming openly that he had bene seduced by noughty bookes c. In England also in Nouember was the duke of Northfolke and his sonne the Erle of Surrey attaincted of treason for the which his sonne was put to execution in Ianuary after and hym selfe cōmitted to the Towre where he doeth yet remayne IN the yere of our lord God MD. xlvij there were in Germany dyuers and wonderfull innouacions of thinges chaūces of warres chaūges of fortune yeldynges of Princes ouerthrowinges and subuersions of townes and castelles fallinges of great men conuocatiōs of Synodes and counsayles which I do here omitte partely to auoyde prolixite and partely for that the certaintie of suche thinges taken by heare say onely is oftentimes deceiuable Trusting to haue occcasion and oportunitie hereafter to declare and set furth the same matter at large The inhabitauntes of the countie of Tiroll and Isebredge were this yere sore plaghed with wonderfull locustes and grashoppers both creping and flyeng whiche were there in suche aboundaunce that the creping sorte couered all