CAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR.

CAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR the sonne of Lucius Caesar, and Aurelia was borne at Rome, in the Consulshippe of Caius Marius, and Lucius Valerius Flaccus, in the Ides of the fifte moneth, the whiche moneth at those dayes was called Quintilis, Antonius. but after the death of Iulius Caesar, it was called Iuly, by the cōmaun­dement of Antonius, The educatiō of Iulius Cesar. who was a reuenger of y ^e death of Iulius Caesar. As concerning the educatiō of Caesar, he was brought vp vnder the gouernement of his mother Aurelia, she being y ^e daughter of Caius Cotta, he wanted not also to be well trai­ned vp according to the councell of Iulia his Aunte by the fa­ther side, his great vertues manifestly shewed, that his educa­tion was singuler, his giftes of nature rare, worthy to be compared with any other, his excellencie in all respectes was such that in Rome the like was neuer. Lucius. In the .xvi. yeare of his age, Lucius his father died, Flamen Dia­lis. the yeare followynge he was chosen Flamen Dialis, which is an office of priesthode, of it the Chro­nicles of auncient tymes do shewe, that Numa Pompilius, was the firste that ordained that office of Flamines, Numa Pom­pilius. the cause that moued Numa Pompilius thereunto was this, y ^t kinges not long before the dayes of Numa did take vppon them the office both of kynges and priestes, Priamus Agamemnon. as it is noted of Priamus kinge of Troie, of Agamemnon king of Micene, and of many Princes, as Homer, Euripides and Sophocles, do shew. The whiche two offices kingdome and priesthode, many princes [Page] after those dayes enioyed together. The Grekes, the Egip­tians, Numa. and the Persians, vsed that manner. Numa ordained foure chiefe Flamines, who continually addicted them selues callinge, and kynges vnburthened them selues of that su­perstitious priesthode. An auncient religion. All this was to wante nothinge that shoulde apperteine to the moste holee veneration of their fonde ceremonies, and glorious superstition of their Goddes. This was their religion, Flamines. as they had diuers Goddes, so euery God had a diuers Flamine. Iupiter their chiefe God, had but one Flamine to serue him. Romulus, after his death being the first king of the Romaines, had also but one. These Flamines differed much in vesture one frō an other: Cossulia. Thus much as con­cerning Caesar in that office of Flamines. At this time Iulius Caesar maried Cossulia, Cornelia. but Cossulia no long time remayned with him, Cinna. being deuorced from him, whether by deserte or o­therwyse, no Chronicle sheweth. After her deuorce, Caesar maried Cornelia the daughter of Cinna, Iulia. this Cinna had ben in Rome foure times Consull: of Cornelia he begat Iulia his daughter: Silla Dictator, resisted that mariage, yet the ennemitie of Silla could not withdrawe Caesars loue frō Cor­nelia: Caesar loued his Cornelia so well, that by marieng of her, Marius. he was depriued of his office of the Flamines. Also he loste her dowry and heritage, whiche of right by her fell to him. The ennemitie of Silla made Caesar to fauour Marius. Enuie of no­ble peres. This Marius was suche an ennemy to Silla, as Silla and Rome, in all calamities felt, suche is the enuie of noble Princes, that they ioyne them selues in amitie, kindred and alliaūce, rather where they may assure them selues of staye and strength then for anye good affectiō they beare one to an other. The trouble of Cesar. At this time Silla bore suche authoritie and swaye, that by the mariage of Cornelia, Caesar was compelled to flie from his sight, a quar­tain ague thē maistring him, oftē times for feare he was en­forced to chaūge his abiding places, & many tymes to brybe y ^e priuie serchers. The heauy displeasure of Silla was mitiga­ted by the humble intercession of the virgines of Vesta. Mar­cus Emilius, and Caius Aurelius Cotta his kinsfolke, did all so appease the wrath of Silla, long it was ere that cankered en­nemitie ceased. It should seme that Silla feared Caesar muche, [Page] as his talke to those that made sute for him sheweth, where he saith. The cause why Silla re­sisted Cesar. He whose sauegarde ye seke so entierly, intime to come wilbe an ouerthrowe and destructiō to the nobilitie of Rome, the whiche estate of nobilitie was by Silla supported againste Marius. At in Caesare vno, multos videbat inesse marios, Caesar. but in Caesar alone he sawe many, Mariās to be conteined. As yet fortune frowned vpon Caesar, The enuie of the mightie. great authoritie, & the loftie countenaunce of his better frendes kept his vertues couched, wisedome nothing preuayleth where the enemitie of mightie princes contrarily affecteth, and where will ruleth and fanta­sie onely leadeth. Authoritie kept vnder Caesar, who for sacke of liuing went into Asia, and there he serued Marcus Ther­mus Pretor, Cesar driuen to seke aduen­tures. with whome Caesar was of long time brought vp, this was the first time that Caesar inured him self to war­like enterprices. Marcus Thermus knowyng the wisdome of Caesar, and his subtile politique head, sent him into Bithinia, to prepare a nauie of shippes. After this he bare office vnder Seruilius Isauricus in Cicilia, but that continued a short sea­son, for immediatly after y ^e death of Silla was bruted through out all partes, and was certainly knowen vnto Caesar to bee true, The death of Silla. he returned spedely to Rome. This Silla whyle he liued, was a cruell enemie to Caesar. Nowe conceiued Caesar a cer­tayne assuraunce of aspiring vnto some greate preferremente through a newe deuision begonne at Rome by Marcus Lepi­dus, Caesar. whiche deuision pacified, Dolobella▪ Caesar and Dolabella fell at va­riaunce, but Caesar not able to matche with the partakers & confederates of Dolabella, departed to Rhodes, where he be­came a dilligent hearer of that great learned man Apolo­nius Molo▪ an Orator most famouse, Apolonius Molo. through whose instruc­tions Caesar became excellently learned, and during his lyfe, fauoured the learned. But Caesar not contented to lyue a stu­dious life, made warre against Mithridates, Mithridates. whose forces he vanquished, and setled the state of those countries in quiet, Af­ter this he was chosen at Rome a Tribune, in the whiche of­fice Caesar bore him selfe very wysely, thē he enioyed the Que­storship, Cornelia. in his Questorship Cornelia died, & his Aunte Iulia, who in a funerall oration were greatly commended, and their [Page] progenie highly extolled, not long after the death of Cornelia he married Pompeia, Pompeia. this Pompeia was the daughter of Quintus Pompeius, and nece to Lucius Silla,. In that Cae­sar was Questor, the one part of Spayne called Bethica, was vnder his iurisdictiō. Where Caesar making his abode came vpon a certaine tyme to Gades in the ende of this Prouince, called Bethica, where there was a temple of Hercules moste sumptuously buylded, in which tēple Caesar espied the image of Alexander the great, The ambiti­ous minde of Cesar. whiche he very welvewed, & mour­ned in harte, as though he had conceiued some inward griefe, for that his actes as yet were nothinge like to the doinges of Alexander, Alexander. or rather because no famous thinge had bene at­chieued of him at those dayes in the whiche Alexander had subdued a whole worlde. After this Caesar inflamed with am­bition purposed in his harte to attempte great thinges. In the same citie Caesar dreamed on a nighte as he slepte in his bedde, A straunge dreame of Cesar. that he enforced vnto incest lust his own mother, which dreame he opened to the interpretours, who interpreted, that Caesar by this dreame should be a conquerour ouer many coū ­tries, for by his mother (they sayde) was signified the earthe, whiche is the mother of all thinges. Artemidorus. Artemidorus writeth at large of the interpretation of dreames, both Galen & Hippo­crates in their bookes do declare their grounded argumentes vpon the same, Galen. saying, Hyppocrates. when the bodie doth reste, the mynde moueth, and purifying the partes of the body gouerneth the whole house, and the mynde maketh perfecte all the actions of the body. For the bodie sleping hath no vnderstanding, fea­leth not, careth not, perceiueth not: to be brief, al such things as the bodie sleping cannot do, the mynde waking executeth, and seeth visible thinges, or heareth thinges that are to bee hearde, she goeth, she toucheth, she is sad, she perceiueth, and vnderstandeth: finally, what thinge soeuer is lyke to happen vnto the body, that is vnderstode in sleape of the mynde, with many mo argumentes, shewing the secrete diuination of thē. But as cōcerning Iulius Caesar daily more and more he was incensed to clyme to dignitie, Ambition. he made verie great sute and la­bour to haue the gouernement of the prouinces of Egipt, but [Page 3] that sute preuayled not, then he sent vnto the highe prieste no small giftes for the obteinement of his sute, of suche force is monie, to leade affectiō, for that whiche honor oftētimes can­not get, mony & gifts procure, & that which vertue meriteth, is decided by frendship. Although Caesar stoode in choyse a­gainst two mightie persones for this gouernemēt, yet money and large giftes made hym superiour. Thus Caesar by pro­cesse of tyme, ascended from honor to honor, from dignitie to dignitie, and was chosen Pretor, Pretor. but from that office he was vpon certayne causes remoued, and at the last restored thereto againe, not long after this, Consul. he was made Consull with Bibu­lus, but Caesar ruled all thinges. At that tyme Caesar maried Calphurnia, the daughter of Lucius Piso. This Piso succe­ded Caesar in y ^e cōsulship. In this season Iulia, Caesars daugh­ter, whome he begat of Cornelia, did marie Gneius Pom­peius, for Seruilius Scipio her first husbande, was put from her, nowe Caesar made him selfe stronge by mariages, their frendship couered many frendes, their linked amitie caught at a becke great & mighty supporters, Strength in mariage. by vnited frēdship rose the magnificent estate of Caesar, honor nowe chaūged Caesar, many noble actes were done of him in his consulship, muche contention & great debate, arose on euerye syde, fortune fa­uouring Caesar, Frendship plē ­tifull in pro­speritie. he lightely purchased many frendes, but yet ther were no smal nōber of those outward frēdes, cloked ene­mies, as y ^e end shewed. Honorable estate is a most happy thing to those magistrates that feare God, & in that feare know thē selues, Honorable estate. for in that estate what noble vertues may thei exercise, what compassion, howe greate wisdome, what iustice, what clemencie may they minister? as they maye be the vpholders of vertue, so many they be the destroyers of vice, the swaye of a whole Realme dependeth sometime on y ^e head of one wise ma­gistrate. A good ma­gistrate. As Caesar grew in power & strength through frēds, so outwardly he assaied by martiall attēptes to possesse y ^e seig­norie ouer many regions, he subdued the Germaines that in­habited beyonde the Ryuer Rhene, and made a brydge ouer it, he conquered the Frenche mē, then he set on this our Ilāde of Brytaine, a people very warrelike and fearce, who through [Page] discorde and diuision among them selues, fell at lengthe into the handes of Caesar, Deuision in Britayne brought ser­uitude. and for a certaine tyme payde tribute vn­to the Empire of Rome, and gaue them hostages. The whole manner of Caesars entring was thus. Whē Iulius Caesar had ended his mightie and perillous battayles, The cōming of Cesar into this Ilande. about the floudde Rhene, he marched into the Realme of Fraunce: at the same time repairing with a Frenche multitude, his legiōs, but the chiefe cause of his warre in Fraunce was, The time. that of long tyme, he was moued in mynde, to see this noble Islande of Brytane, whose fame for nobilitie was knowen and bruted, The persone. not onely in Rome, but also in the vttermoste partes of the worlde. Iulius Caesar was wroth with them, The cause. because in his warre whiche he kepte in Fraunce, The fame and glorie of Brytaine. the fearce Britaines ayded the Frenchmen, and did mightely encounter battayle with the Romaines: whose prowes and valiaunt fight, slaked the proude and loftie stomakes of the Romaines, and droue thē to diuerse hasardes of battayle. But Caesar as a noble warrier, preferring nobi­litie and worthines of fame, The prowes of Iulius Cesar. before money or cowardly quiet­nes: ceased not to enter on the fearce Britaines, and thereto prepared his shippes, the wynter tyme followyng, that assone as oportunitie of y ^e yeare serued, he might passe with al power against thē. The maner howe. In the meane tyme, Caesar inquired of the mar­chauntes, who with marchaundise had accesse to the Islande: as concerning the quantitie and bignes of it, the fashion and manner of the people, Cesars com­munication with the mar­chauntes, as concerning y ^e land of Bri­taine. their lawes, their order, and kinde of gouernment. As these thinges were in all pointes vnknowen to Caesar, so also the marchauntes knewe no more then the places bordering on the sea side. For, the Brytaines fearinge the trayterous & dissembling hartes of aliauntes, politikely repelled them by this meanes: The warre & pollitike go­uernement of the Britayns Aliauntes in tyme trayte­rous. For no straunger was suffe­red to enter from his shippe on the lande, but their marchaū ­dise were solde at the seaside. All nations sought to this land, the felicitie of it was so greate, that the Grekes knowing and tasting the commoditie of this Islande, called it by a Greeke name Olbion. Britayn some tyme called of the Grekes Olbion. whiche signified a happie and fortunate coun­trie, though of some after it was called Albion, time so chaū ­ged the firste letter, as at this daye Ebrancke nowe called [Page 4] Yorke Londō is called for y ^e towne of king Lud. Caesar theru­pon before he would marche with his armie against the peo­ple of Brytaine, Caius Volu­senus, Embassadour to Britayne. sent Caius Volusenus a noble man of Rome, a valiaunt and hardie Captaine, as Embassadour to the Bri­taines, who as he thought by his Embassage, shoulde knowe the fashion of the Islande, the manner of the people, and their gouernement. But as it semeth, the Embassadour was not welcome: for, he durst not enter from his shippe to do his mai­sters Embassage, so that Caesar could know nothing by him. Yet Caesar not so contented, sent an other Embassadour, a man of more power, stomacke, & more hardie, Comas Atre­bas by name, Comas Atre­bas, seconde Embassadous from Cesar. who would enter as an Embassadour, to accom­plishe the will & expectation of Caesar, Comas Atrebas was so welcome, that the Britaines caste him in pryson: Embas­sages were not common among them, nor the curteous vsage of Embassadours knowen at those dayes. All these thinges, made Caesar more wroth, and desirous to assaie the vncourte­ous Britaines. Cassibelan king of Lon­don, at the ar­riue of Cesar Cassibelane a worthy prince In those dayes Cassibelan was king of Londō, this Cassibelon was a prince of high wisedome, of manly sto­macke, and valiaunt in fight: and for power and valiauntnes, was chosen of the Brytaines, chiefe gouernour and king. Dis­sention and cruell warre was among them, through the disa­greing of diuerse kinges in the lande. The Troynouauntes, enuied the state of Cassibelan. The sonne of Immādrubalus, hearing of the comming of Caesar, The Troino­uantes by trea­son let in Ce­sar. did flie traiterously to Cae­sar: The Troynouauntes fauoured Immandrubalus parte, & thereupon promised, as most vile traytours to their countrie, an entering to Caesar, & to do him seruice and homage, who through a selfe wil, & priuate fauour of one, sought the ruine of their countrie, Domesticall treason. and in the ende, their owne destruction. But Cassibelan gaue many ouerthrowes to Caesar, & mightely en­countred with hym, so inuincible was the part of Cassibelan: that by treason of the Troynouauntes, not by manhode of Cae­sars power, entring was geuen. What house can stand, wher­in discorde doth broyle? Treason a cō ­fusion to the mightiest do­minions. What small power is not able to en­ter the mightiest dominions or regions: yea, to ouercome the strongest fortresse, treason opening the grate, treason geuinge [Page] passage. Although Caesar by treason entered, (so Caesar wry­teth): Treason. Yet the fame of Caesar was more commended, for his enterprise into Brytaine, & victorie there gottē: then for al his cōqueste, either against Pompeie, or any other natiō. For in a piller at Rome, A sentēce grauen of Bri­tayne, in the commendatiō of Cesar. this sentence was engrauen: Of all the do­minions, citties, and regions, subdued by Caesar, his warre attempted against the fearce Brytaines, passeth all other. Af­ter this sorte as you haue hearde, Caesar entred our Island of Britayne by treason. But let all good English hartes beware of diuisiō and foresee the plague y ^t falles euen vpō the diuisers cōsider the nobility of this our goodly Ilande, y ^e noble princes in their gouernement, the great felicitie of this land and peo­ple aboue all other nations, and nowe presently the frutes of most godly gouernement which we reape of this present state of so noble a prince, of so great wysdome, of so singuler lear­ning, of so manifolde and rare vertues, by whose blessed go­uernement we haue liued in peace onely of all other nacions, from her maiesties first gouernement: if Marcia that noble queene sometime of this Islande gouerner, be cronacled for wysdome & noble actes. if queene Helena of this lande gouer­ner, sometime the mother of Constantine y ^e great Emperour of Rome, be cōmended in histories yet in no part for learninge and nobilitie she can be equal with this our noble gouerner, who with all lenitie proceadeth in lawe and with iustice hol­deth ouer her people the Scepture. Though of late certayne vipers, not contented with so blessed state, haue sediciously sought by marciall attempt in opē armour to subuert so wor­thy gouernement: But as all rebelles haue the frutes of their enterprise to be their owne shame, destruction, and perpetual ignomini, so God who createth princes, and kepeth them in gouernemēt, hath heaped due plagues vpon their treaterous attemptes, & subuerted their purposes of whome this saying of Plato in his bookes of gouernement may be verified, Quipatriè hostis est sibi pessimus as who should saye, who so se­keth a mischiefe to his owne countrey, on him selfe chiefly the ruine falleth, that state in no part declining, & therefore bothe Homere and Plato, considring the great maiestie of princes, [Page 5] intituleth them with these names Agos Andron Diotrephe­as Poimenas that is gouernours of men, fostered vp by the tuition of God the shepeheards of his people, and as the wyse Philosophers write, Reges & sapientes fiunt à potentibus causis ideo talium vt potentes sunt, necessario valide sunt cause: kynges and wyse men are placed in gouernement to doe some great enterpryse and maruelous factes, and there­fore the causes must be great & marueilous, why those should be mighty, as who should saye, God hath created princes and wyse men to some maruelous purpose, and the ende where­unto God hath appointed them shall neuer be frustrate: let traytours surmyse what they will, & geue what attempt they dare for the prince is Gods annointed. Immediatly after the same time y ^t he warred in Brytaine his mother Aurelia died, Auraelia. then Iulia his daughter died, & not long after, his nece begot­ten of his daughter Iulia and Pompeia, Iulia. As Caesar gat honor vpō honor, so he spared no princely liberalitie, for of him were commonly geuen great offices, large fees, by which meanes he purchased more to his aduauncemēt, thē by any other way. For his liberalitie and the continuall preferrement of those that deserued wel, wanne hym greatter nombers of moste va­liant souldiers, with inuincible courages, that remayned loy­all & faithfull vnto him, as long as they lyued, then did his le­gions. Cesars waye to honor. Caesar then by all meanes sought the fauour of all peo­ple, and moste of all his studie was to linke him selfe in migh­tie kindredes & honorable alliances, whose estates were most dreaded, and whose frendshippes harbored moste frendes, as with Marius & Pompeie. The strength of noble peres And therupon to kepe the kyndred whiche was betwene Pompeie and him, though his daugh­ter Iulia was dead, Iulia. whome Pompeie had maried, he procu­red Octauia his sisters daughter to be married to Pompeie, and that he on the other side condicionally shoold marrie Pō ­peies daughter, and so it came to passe, that where as Pom­peies daughter should haue married Faustus Silla, Condicionall mariages. now Cae­sar marieth her, so honor maketh mariages, & hope of strēgth and authoritie, by frendes lynketh in noble houses crosse mar­riages, and manye tymes that are vnlawefull, all this yet [Page] notwithstanding, warres fell at last betwene Pompeie and Caesar, marriage was made of frendship, nowe ambition of Pompeie and Caesar, regardeth neither frendship nor mar­riage. Ambition. Quia Pompeius parem, Caesar non patitur. For now Pompeie wyll haue no mate, Pompeie no mate. nor Caesar cannot suffer a supe­riour. Lucan the Poete writeth at large of the warres be­twene Pompeie and Caesar, Cesar no su­periour. whiche were to long to wryte of, but in the ende Pompeie had the ouerthrowe, and desire of glorie, or the possession of kyngdomes in ambitious persones, knoweth neither God, nor obeieth nature, it maketh enemies frendes, and frendes enemies, the father hūteth for the death of the sonne, the sonne likewyse for the fathers death, desier of kyngdome in ambitious persones, neither regardeth God, nor nature, y ^e moste cruell factes of Atreus and Thyestes, for kingdomes sake are not vnchronicled, y ^e cruell hatred of Eteo­cles and Polinises, & the slaughter committed by them, is wel knowē to those which reade Euripides, Honor dissol­ueth maria­ges. Seneca, & Sophocles, for in them they shall see the bloudy and mischieuous actes cō ­mitted by noble peares: so you se in Pompeie & Caesar throu­ghly on euery syde, that where as mariage was made to the great increase of honour and frendship betwene them, nowe they are become enemies and mortall foes, that hath honour caused. Where is the mariage become nowe that was be­twene Pompeie and Caesar, Iulia is dead whome Pompeie maried, yea, the frendship died also, Caesar had then Pom­peies daughter to wyfe, Honor kno­weth no kind­red in tyrants Pompeie dri­uen to flight. honour biddeth Caesar not care for that, nowe there is no kindred, for honor knoweth no kindred. Pōpeie being dreuē to flight, set vnto Tolomie king of Egipt, requesting hym of ayde & succour in this his extremitie & nede (in recompēce of the great frendship and courtesie which his father had receiued before tyme of hym) y ^e kyng sent him word that willingly he woulde do for hym, as muche as he desired, (but vnto the miserable that are fallen from highe dignities into aduersitie, rarely is faithe obserued, and littell helpeth olde frendship) for as Pompeie was passing in a small boate towarde the shoare to fynde the kynge Tolomey, he was by his commaundement slayne before he came to lande, of Septe­mius [Page 6] and Achilla, who hoping by killing of him to purchase the frēdship of Caesar. Who now being come vnto the shoare, and entring Alexandria, had sodainly presented vnto him the head of Pompeie the great, whiche he in no wyse woulde be­holde: but loking vpon the ryng of Pompeie, he wepte for cō ­passion of him, vnto whome the same once appertayned, consi­dering the ende of the felicitie and greatnes of Pompeie, who with honour and fame had thrice triumphed, and had bene as often Consull in Rome, and had so many yeares had the go­uernement of the common weale, and had bene the greatest cittezen that euer was, and had also obteyned so many victo­ries and dignities, Caesar thereuppon as Euripides saith, had this sayinge in his mouth, lawe and right is to be broken for dominions sake, for Caesar being accustomed to cōmaunde, could not sustaine to be without an hoste.

Large are the bondes of small kingdomes, A smal king­dome. which thorow­ly do maintaine iustice, with a true and godly religion, which breadeth obedience and loue in the hartes of subiectes, for nei­ther the strong walles, nor the infinite nomber of people, nor huge troupes of horses, neither the large and mightie domi­nions, do make the prince inuincible, Loue maketh a prince inuincible. but the loue of the sub­iectes indissolublie knitte and of a pure zeale vowed vnto the princes seruice, for what saufegarde was the infinite hoste of Xerzes whiche he brought into Grece? Xerxes. was he not fayne to flye awaye alone, he was neglected abroade, contemned at home, and died in the end sorowfully. Caesar made hym strōg not only by marriage, but by all other meanes, he made the moste parte of the Senate to be his frendes, other some by giftes he allured thereto, Cesars [...] ­nes to honor. some of their owne will & affection were drawen thereto, all manner of persoues of what estate & condition so euer they were, persones guiltie of great crimes, [Page] prodigall and youthfull persones were ayded and supported by hym, none he excluded, but suche as well he durst not or weare to beggerly, for those he would saye. Ciuell warre had neade of such as they warre, whom either spoyles might helpe from their miseries, or present death shorten their calami­mities. As at Rome Caesar sought frendshippe and amitie so with foraine Princes, on all sides he ceased not to procure fauour. Caesar was nowe growen to that dignitie, and so dreaded, that without the knowledge of the Senate, or con­sent of the multitude of the Romaines, he would ayde forrain Princes with men of warre, The subuer­sion of Cesar. at their calling and his appoint­ment a meruailoos matter to beholde the doinge of Cesar in all prouinces and countries, Many prin­cely monu­mentes erec­ted by Cesar. where he came, who euer erected some famouse monument, whiche remayneth at this daye not onely in Italie, Fraūce, Spayne, but also in y ^e mightie cities of Asia and Greece, and in this our Island of Britaine, diuers holdes and fortes were made by him, as Douer, Canterbury, Rochester, the Tower of London, Chichester, the castel of Excestor, and Salisburye. Ricius Patricius noteth in his booke, intituled de Regibus Galliae, of y ^e kings of Fraūce. That Caesar being about y ^e Forrest of Arden, Cesar gaue a coller to a Stagge. toke a Stagge, and caused a coller to be put about his necke, w ^t these wordes, Caesar hoc me donauit, Caesar gaue me this. That Stagge was not killed three hundreth yeare ago, it should seme that this was done of Caesar in no other respecte but that the long continuing age of that beaste might be knowen, which before that time none or very fewe hearing of it, Rodericius Patricius. would beleue to be true. All men nowe became astonished at Caesars actes, they were so princely, and all his doinges so famouse, and so pro­sperously successe fel to him, Curio. for in al forrein warres he felt no sinister fortune, Caius Anto­nius. but by his deputies of the whiche Caius Cu­rio, died in Africa, Caius Antonius in Illiria, fell into the handes of his enemies, and so Caesar triumphed with prayse among the Romaynes. Scipio. He had to do against Scipio, whome be ouer came with Pompeie, Pompeie. and his sonnes. Fraunce felt his victories, Alexandria, Pontus, Africa, Spaine, Sueuia, Ger­manie, Cesars vic­tories. Pannonia, Heluetia, Allobroges, with many mo, [Page] whiche were tedious and ouerlong to recite, so moche in all places and regions his fame rose. In matters appertaininge to the ciuile lawe, he was a man of profounde knowledge, in iudgement seuere, but in all thinges he proceaded according to truthe and equitie, the mightie volumes of the ciuile lawe were brought into a certaine order of breuitie by him, The ciuile law corrected by Cesar. who ex­plicated the moste necessary pointes and causes of the same, & as the manner is, euery Emperour by augmenting decrees and statutes haue much enlarged it againe. Iustinian longe after Caesars dayes broughte the Code, Iustinian. the Digest, and the Pandecte into a more breuitie by the helpe of Tribunianus, Doritheus and other, Caesar did so much fauour learninge, that he augmēted plētious store of many goodly antiquities both in Greeke and Latyne: for Marcus Varro had chardge of Caesar, Varro. to get in all places the most goodlye monumentes that were to be founde in the commendation of learninge. Ignatius that famous learned man wryteth in this maner of Iulius Caesar saying, Ignatius cō ­mended Cesar in him no excellent qualitie lacked that was meete and requisite for anye noble personage, in him there was counsell, eloquence, greate and profounde wyse­dome, valiant strength of bodye, a constant heade, experte in knowledge of Marshiall attemptes, and also in the most ex­cellent artes and sciences very noble, hee was endued with a most liberall hart, where with hee purchased to him the hartes of the people, Cesars com­mendations. by the which vertue hee stepped from a meane estate, to beare the chiefe stroake and regement in the worlde. Plutarche vppon Cesar. Plutarcus intreatynge of the life of famous Princes and gouernours, noteth this Iulius Caesar to be a man of a goodly parsonage, of stature taule, in coloure white, whose body no delicatenes of pryncelye fare coulde make groose or fatte, Cesars per­sonage. his eyes in coulour black, his head was so distempered that oft hee was payned with the heade ache, in his life time twise or thrise the falling sickenes tormēted him, Cesar taken with the fal­ling sicknes. his heares of his heade so thynne, that baldnes continuallye encreased more and more, althoughe by medicine hee spared no coste to remedy that imbecillitie of nature, Cesars cōcu­bines. diuersly hee was spotted wyth adultrie as with Posthuma the wife of Seruius Sulpi­tius, [Page] with Loliae the wyfe of Manlius Gabinius, with Tarta­lin the wyfe of Marcus Crassus, Lolia. wyth Musia the wyfe of Gneius Pompeius, aboue all withe Saruillia the mother of Marcus Brutus, in forreine Countries where hee came, the like cryme of adultrie followed him, for of his men of warre hee was openly taunted for those vyces, Tertalm. in these woordes. Vrbani seruate vxores, Musia. quia Mecum caluum adduximus auro in Gallia stuprum emisti, hic sumpisti mutium. Full happy had Caesar bene if y ^e Chroniclers of ages & time could not but speake wel of him in all pointes, Seruilia. the secret doinges of Caesar as they were not vnknowē to God, so thei passed not in obliuion to the world, that whiche for feare men than speake not in y ^e life of Caesar, The secrete doing of prin­ces vnknowē to the posteri­tye. fame afterward euerlastingly bloweth abroade, and he as he was remayneth chronicled. A marue­lous and hyd secrete prouidēce of God, that in no age it hath beene seene, but godly Princes haue alwayes beene cōmen­ded, The proui­dence of God in Princes. the wicked as they were Chronicled, therefore Princes haue neede to be very ware and circūspect in their gouerne­ment that the subiect may reioyce of the actes of the Prince, the ennemy not to laughe at it, nor the Chronicles of the po­sterities in wrytinge or monumentes of antiquityes to note their follies leste that maye be sayde whyche Homere no­teth of the Greekes. Why Princes ought to be ware in go­uernment.

For all this Caesar was of diete temperate insomuch that his ennemies would report of him, and y ^e which also Marcus Cato would say, of all Princes Caesar alone came to destroy the common wealth sober. Hereuppon the Senate soughte Caesars deathe, The cause of Caesars death because hee soughte to aspier to a soole regi­mēt, their Counsels were taken now by two and thre, and so by many heades, throughe whiche meanes pryuilye they wrought their foule consultaciō, which ended a most detesta­ble [Page] conspiracie, their treason had the more speedy successe be­cause the commons for the moste parte grudged at the soole estate of tyrannye which Caesar sought for, Tyrannie. the comons open­lye spake ill of that estate, and desired instantly patrones and defendours of their aunciente libertyes, diuers billes were cast vp in the place of the Senate assembled, against y ^t estate, which Caesar hūted at, many meanes wer sought to declare the full minde and purpose of the Romaynes: Certaine mē vnder the Image of Brutus a famous Senator and Consull of Rome cast these woords: Brutus. Vtinam viueret Brutus quia re­ges eiecit, & Consul primus factus est, I woulde Bru­tus were a lyue because hee banished Tyrauntes who was made the firste Consul. Vnder the Image of Caesar thys verse was tituled, Hic quia Consules eiecit Rex Postremus factus est. Caesar. Caesar because hee putte downe the state of Con­suls was made the last kynge. The number of the conspira­tours that were againste him were 60. Tyrant. & more, the chiefe of the treason were Caius Cassius, The nomber of the conspi­ratours. Marcus Brutus, Quintus Li­garius, Decius, Marcus Spurius, Attilius Cimber: these chiefe conspyratours were long in cōsultacion in what place they might haue best oportunitye and sleight conueighances to murther him, some sought meanes that in Campo Martis a multitude beinge gathered hee myghte be caste downe the bridge sodaynly, other deuised other practises. When the Senate shoulde be gathered in the Ides of March in y ^e court of Pompeie, What marue­lous things happened be­fore the death of Cesar. a little before Caesars death many strange thin­ges apeared and wonderful. At Capua certaine monuments were cast downe throughe couetousnes whiche were erected vnto the honor of the dead wyth certaine pooses wrytten vp­pon them among which there was in one monument a table of brasse founde whereon were grauen these Letters.

VVhen the bones of Capis shoulde be cast vp and vnco­uered, A prophecie of Cesars death. it woulde followe that hee whiche shoulde be of the progenie and lyne of Iulius, shoulde be murthered by the handes of his nere kinsfolke, and forthwith Italye shoulde be plagued with many calamities This Capis was the fa­ther of Anchises, and graundfather to Eneas this was not [Page] vnknowen in Rome nor hid from Caesar, this was the first foreshowe of Caesars death. This one thinge is written for a trouth of Cornelius Balbus a very familiar frend of Caesar y ^t sone after the same time, Cornelius Balbus. a little before Caesars death, a good­ly race of horses which Caesar had consecrated holy to Mars, in passinge ouer the fludde Rubicon were sene to go wyth­out a keper, Another for­showe of his death. which horses hee did know certainly afterward neuer eate meate, but wepte muche. Spurina a southsayer warned Caesar by a strange sight which hee sawe in a sacri­fyce that Caesar should beware of one danger which woulde not be finished or the Ides of Marche were past. The war­ning of Spu­rina to Cesar The daye be­fore the same Ides, The Ides of Marche. a certaine birde named Regalis, a kynges byrde, hauing a baye bough in the mouth, flying into the court of Pompeie, was torne a sunder of many other fowles pur­sewyng the same fowle from the next woode. Regalis. The night be­fore Caesar was murthered: Cesars dreame. He dreamed that some tyme he was carried aboue the cloudes flying, and some time to be hād in hand with Iupiter, Calphurnia Caesars wyfe dreamed that she sawe in a vision the toppe of her house to fall downe, Cesars wi­ues dreame. & her husband to be woūded through his body being in her bosome, and sodainly the dores of the chambers opened of them selues. What with these thinges and his crased health, Caesar was long in doubte whether he might at home tarie and so put of and delaye all suche thynges as he was before determined to consult vpon with the Senate. Nowe marke howe his death was procured and furthered, Decius Brutus Decius Brutus the chiefe trai­tour and meanes of that conspiracie, exhorted Caesar that he would not breake of, or make frustrate so goodly and greate assemble now loking for him. Se what misfortune hong ouer Caesar, a certaine man of good wyll meating Caesar gaue into his handes a litle scrole whiche vttered the whole treason, but Caesar not perusing y ^e contētes thereof, helde it in his left hād mingling it with other wrytinges, Caesar at the same tyme entering the place where he was murthered, perceiued many sacrifices to be offered of Spurina, but Caesar setting lyght by that religion, Man purpo­seth and God disposeth. and accompting Spurina as false of his prophe­cies, because the Ides of Marche were come without harme [Page 9] (as he thought,) he sayd to Spurina: the Ides are come; but Spurina aunswered, Spurina. but they are not yet past, not doubtinge any mishappe placed himselfe in his seate, the conspiratours gathered aboute him by and by, And one whoe was of the conspiracy approched neare, as to demaunde some thinge at his handes, vnto which demaunde Caesar geuinge eare, all the conspiratours compassed him very straightlye on euerye syde. Cesars say­inge. Then Caesar forseeing what would happen to himselfe made an exclamation and sayd this is violence. Then Cassi­us woūded him beneath the necke, Appianus sayth that Cas­sius wounded Caesar on the face, other some in one place, and some in another, Caesar beinge so wounded and on euerye syde seing many more weapons drawen to wounde him with, toke part of his gowne in his righte hande, and couered his heade therewith, and with his left hande he drewe downe the skirt thereof, euen vnto his slippers, and so with all seemeli­nes fell downe dead, all partes of his body decently couered, and so hauinge receyued three and twenty wounds yelded vp his ghoste, Xxiii. Woūds none of his woundes was mortall as the Phisiti­on Antistius iudged, but a thrust which hee had in his breste. Antistius. At the first stroke he gaue a sighe without any word, but whē Brutus whom hee had substituted his seconde heyre began to set vppon him, Caesar then spake this laste worde, what thou my sonne? Beastly in­gratitude. As who should say if thou whom I loued, do seeke this villanie, If thou whom my desartes moued to beare in­tier affection towarde mee, hast so ill rewarded my benefites bestowed vppon the, what may I loke for at other mens han­des, whom neyther benefite hath moued, nor desert constray­ned? Ceasar dead. When Caesar was murthered euerye one that murthe­red him fledde away, theyr ill conscience wounded them, and theyr good desartes caused them to retyre into startinge ho­les, Now hee lyeth alone vndreaded, whom manye feared, & obeyed, hee lyeth without honour, that all people, Princes & Regions for vertue dreaded, and for worthines honoured.

Three of his seruauntes caryed him home beinge dead of all these woundes. The mynde of the conspiratours was to cast the body of Caesar dead into the fludde Tiber, and to do many

OCTAVIVS.

AFter Iulius Caesar was thus murthered, whose death the moste parte of the nobilitie re­ioyced at, The cause of Cesars death because such an one was taken away whome for his ambicious mynde to dominion they did cut of, for thei feared greatly his cruel and tyrannicall regiment, and many of them enuied his suc­cesse, & fortunate estate, other some his vertues, so that their diuerse affections in one were linked, to plucke Caesar from his throne. No trust in a kingdome for a tyrant. Nobilitie deceiued Caesar who by deathe soughte to extinguishe that hope whiche Caesar hunted at. All his ad­uersaries appeared as they were, open enemies, nobilitie be­guiled Caesar, Caesar. and all frendship lefte hym. Nowe Caesar is dead, and his enemies lyue, and whome they woulde not they after obeye, and of whome by Antonius procurement the vio­lent ende of Caesar was so reuenged, that none of them sawe any quiet tyme of reste, Murther not vnpunished. for God had raysed suche an one, as boulted out the murtherers, for as the facte was horrible to destroy so noble a gouernour, euen so their ende was moste la­mentable, Man maye purpose, but God dispo­seth. and whereas they thought to cut of all hope and practise of sole regiment: the Romaynes neuer after sawe but a sole regiment, certaine it is that before the tyme of Tarqui­nius Superbus, Tarquinius. kinges helde a sole regiment, which Tarqui­nius rauished the moste beautifull Lucretia Collatinus wife. Lucretia. After Tarquinius was banished and his stocke, the name of kinges was banished, and that forme of regiment chaunged, not that, that estate of gouernement was ill, but bycause [Page] theyr Princes placed in that sole and excellente estate, Princes ty­rauntes. after theyr will and luste rulinge, of reason and all moderation neglected, tyrannicall and outragious factes were commit­ted by them. This was the cause that, that estate of gouern­ment was dissolued, and chaunged through the euill maners of Princes, of suche force is sinne to throwe downe a Prince from his seate, Sin y ^e fall of kingdomes. to expell him from his kingdome, and therby to alter the quiet & fortunate estate wherin y ^t Romaines stode wholie, and because theyr Princes vngodly gouerned, & in al theyr enterprices tyrannically proceaded. After kinges, two Consuls succeaded, Consuls. which yearely were chosen, they were of Maiestye like vnto kinges, but of no continuance, because if theyr gouernment should not be with equitye, or at the leaste not tollerable, the office sone ceassed, which brideled many in theyr affections, and cut of from many theyr bloudy cogitaci­ous in diuerse purposes. Cesars am­bition. Cesar by ambition moued to esta­blishe in him a sole regimente, dyed in his ambitious enter­prise as it is before declared. After Iulius Cesars death, Octa­uius succeaded in a sole regimente, Octauius Emperour at the byrth of Christ. who raigned at the byrth of our Sauiour Christe. Then there was an vniuersall peace ouer all the worlde. Octauius caughte the imperiall seate in the 722. yeares after the buildinge of Rome, Rome. 722. yeares buil­ded before Octauius raigned. which was the yeare after the banishment of kings 480. this was a straūge maner of gouernmēt in the eyes of the Romaynes that wheras they detested the sole Regiment of a kinge now they haue a sole Regiment of an Emperour, Consuis con­tinued. 480. yeares. Octauius was the sonne of Octauius, this Octauius beinge a Senator, hys mothers progenye came by lyniall dissente from Eneas, by the noble house of Iulius, who by adoption of Caius Iulius Cesar hys greate vnckle succeaded. Octauius by his famous actes and large victoryes was tituled Augustus, some referre the originall beginning of Octauius to ryse at Velitre a famous towne in Italye, Emperours hath cōtinued a 571. which descended from Tarquinius priscus, a kinge of the Romaynes, whose progenye was alwayes in honourable estate. Octauius father from his yonge yeares was had in great estimation, a man of greate substaunce and wealthe, and enioyed an honourable estate, whose doinges [Page 17] were alwayes directed to iustyce and vpright dealing, name­ly to assaye that which he enterprised, Octauius his father. hee dyed sodeinly as he came from Macedonia, this his sonne Octauius beinge but foure yeares of age, Octauia ma­ior. he left behinde him two daughters Octauia maior and Octauia minor. As concerninge the time that Octauius was borne, Octauia mi­nor. it was in the Consulshippe of Marcus Tullius Cicero, and Antonius, in the ix. Kalendes of Octo­ber somewhat before the sonne rysinge. Foure tymes cyuill warres was foughte of him. The first was agaynst Marcus Antonius at Mutina, Brutus the seconde was againste Brutus and Cassius at Philippos a City in Macedonia, Cassius. the third against Lucius Antonius who was famished to deathe of Octauius, Lucius. so harde hee was besieged at Prusia: the fourthe warre was fought against Sextus Pompeius which Pompeius hee ouer­came about Cicile in warre by Seas, S. Pompeius. after that he ouercame the sonne of Gneius Pompeius. G. Pompeius As concerninge the multi­tude of those which conspired Cesars death, proclamatiō was made, that who so coulde bringe the heade of any one of them that conspired Cesars death, A Promacla­tion for the murtherers of Cesar. should receiue great summes of moneye, there was not one left almost but money brought his heade, so faythfull were all these Promoters and priuye sear­chers to plye theyr busines, for moneye made them true sear­chers some were hidde in filthye priues, some conueighed in feether beddes, The state of the conspira­tours. some killed themselues, manye faythfull ser­uanntes clothed in theyr maisters apparell were murthered for them, but all had one ende, and that in three yeares space: neyther theyr former dignitye saued theym, nor the power whereon they stayed themselues. Murther. Octauius neuer ceassed till he had rooted out the whole race of the conspiratours: Cicile. Cicile felt his warres, Alexandria. Alexandria was longe besieged, Antonye where vnto Antony and Cleopatra fledde for feare, Cleopatra. who was in the ende apprehended and there put to death. Antony sought to gette the conditions of peace at Octauius hands, but Octauius did not thence depart vntill hee sawe the deade bodye of Antony, Antonye. with whom Cleopatra was buryed, Cleopatra. Antonius harlotte in a sumptuous Tombe, which was begon longe before of Anto­ny to be his Sepulcher. But Cleopatra soughte meanes in [Page] her life time to aspyre to Herodes kingdome verye desyrous to haue some accusations against him, for she knewe Antony would be moued vppon a light occasion to beleeue her. Cleo­patra bare fayned frendshippe to Herode, Herode. and Herode recō ­pensed her with the same, for Herode soughte meanes to kill her because by subtill meanes, she sought to spoyle him of his kingdome, but by counsayle of his frendes he was prohibited they knowinge what horrible murthers she had done of ma­nye Princes and noble men of all coūtreyes where she came, but Herode was compelled with greate treasures to pacifye the bloudy purpose of Cleopatra and dissembled her mysche­ues. Herode. In the ende Antonius and Cleopatra came to a violent ende, as concerning the death of Cleopatra how she wrought her owne death, Gallen. Gallen sheeweth very excellētly in his booke Dea therica ad pisonem the eyght Chapter: when Octauius the Emperour ouercame Antony, hee was purposed to take Cleopatra aliue, and to bringe so royall a person to Rome in tryumphe, when Cleopatra vnderstode the minde of Octaui­us the Emperour, she thought it more honour and renowne to her to dye a queene thoughe she killed her selfe, then to goe to Rome in triumphe at the will of other, a captiue, a specta­cle, a laughinge stocke to all y ^t world, wherevpon she sought the way to murther herselfe, Cleopatra. she called to her the .ii. faythfull maydes she had, Naera and Carmion was theyr names, who alwayes serued to the adorninge and deckinge of her bodye, the one of them foulded her heares, the other to pare her nay­les: she commaunded that they should bringe vnto her a cer­taine Serpente called Plyas couered with figge leaues and vyne leaues whereby she thought to deceiue the keepers and watche men, and she made a proufe of poyson of her two gen­tle women Naera and Carmion they not knowing of the poi­son as sone as she sawe the poyson to take effecte sodenlye vp­pon them, she applyed y ^• same vnto her selfe, some write that she applyed ii. Serpētes vnto her brestes and so dyed of them, some write that shee made a longe and deepe wounde vppon her arme first with her teeth, and then the poyson taken of y ^e Serpent, she put it in a cuppe, and so the poyson wyth his in­fected [Page 18] qualitye, destroyed her sodainly: Cleopatra was found with her righte hande to holde vppon her heade a princelye Crowne, Cleopatra, her death. that in her death shee mighte appeare a Queene to all that behelde her, her death beinge knowne to Octauius y ^e Emperour he wondred at the loue of the gentle women that dyed wyth her, and her stoute courage in preferringe deathe before a seruile life. The .ii. son­nes of Fuluia At the same season hee put to death the .ii. sonnes of Antony begotten of Fuluia, also Cesarion whō Cleopatra did vaunt to haue borne of Iulius Cesar, diuerse he spared. Octauius beinge in the countreye of Egipte and by good occasion offered, Alexanders picture reue­renced of Oc­tauius. sawe in a certayne place the picture of Alexander the great, as conninglye as arte coule deuise pic­tured, whose body seene with a Crowne on his heade, y ^e place decked with pleasaunt flowers, Octauius made obeysance to it, this beinge done: Octauius was demaunded if he woulde see the picture of Ptolome? Ptolomes picture neg­lected. Octauius made aunswere my minde was to see a kinge & not the dead, meaninge that Pto­lome in comparison of Alexander the greate for his mightye conquest was as the dead to the lyuinge. Octauius aunswere v­pon Ptolo­mes picture. Ptolome althoughe his picture was in comparison contemned to Alexander, yet hee is not swalowed vp in obliuion. Iosephus. Iosephus a famous Hi­storiographer and Eusebius also do Chronicle with muche commendatiō this Ptolome, Eusebius. Princes famous are not buried in obliuion, Godly Prin­ces. the wicked are with the godlye to all posterities Chronicled, the good Princes are neuer forgotten nor the wicked out of memorye, the one for fame y ^t other for ignomi­ni, Wicked Prin­ces. as Octauius grewe in magnificence in glorye, and more large Dominions, euen so the malice of many men puffed vp wyth enuy, wrought treasones against him, such is the estate of Princes thoughe they haue Dominion ouer manye, Princes liue to all posteri­tyes. they are enuyed of manye, which oftentimes seeketh the decaye to the estate of Princes, factious heades neuer contented wyth anye estate, Ambition of factious hea­des. cause innouations, ambitious heades ymagine new deuises to augment theyr proper estate, ambitious hea­des surmise treasonnes, ambitious heades alwayes beynge vayne glorious do apply and settle themselues to al vanities, with ambitious heades the care of priuate luker, honour and [Page] wealth is their only study, and theyr pretenced purpose, with ambitious heades, Lightnes. the common wealthe is least thoughte of, well willinge hartes neuer desyre innouacions, Constancye. constant hea­des, in minde and state quiet do alwayes continue, in a moste goodlye harmonye directing theyr deedes and actes to the ad­uauncement and honoure of the common wealthe: And ther­fore Alcibiades whom Thucidides setteth forth with greate commendations, noteth these two singuler pointes to be pla­ced in all men, who do embrace with earnest loue and sincere affection the prosperity of the common wealth: that he be of force and power to tame and subdue pleasure: ouer money to be Lorde and maister: to make moneye to serue him, and not that his treasures, secrete, and vnknowen mynes of flotinge wealthe, should make him captiue, and bondslaue to vnsatia­ble affection, Two proper­ties meete for magistrates. hee serueth, and obeyeth, who followeth affecti­on: He onlye ruleth whose actes in well doinge tempere and bridle affection. Many treasons by these meanes were conspi­red against Octauius, which were for the moste part detected and opened before they caught theyr purpose: Lepidus. as of Lepidus, of Varro, Varro. of Murena, of Scipio with manye other, yea and sometime of meane personnes, Murena. who thought to haue destroy­ed Octauius and the whole Senate. Scipio. As concerning his mar­tiall enterprises in forraine Regions, two fields were fought of him in his owne person, Dalmacia. as concerninge his warres in Dal­macia he was but of tender yeares at that instant, and in that same he was stricken with many woundes: he caughte a stroke vppon the knee: in another battaile hee was wounded vppon the thigh, & both his armes were hurt by the fall of a bridge, manye other warres hee toke in hand by his deputies or am­bassadors, also hee was not farre from the warres foughte in Pānonia, The victories of Octauius. Germany and Cantabria were brought vnder his subiection: Aquitania & Dalmacia with all Illiria, what Na­tion did hee not bringe vnder his subiection? to note orderlye by Historyes what Nationes he ouer came, and what mighty Kinges hee vanquished, to showe also howe farre the fame of his vertues reached whereby the stoute and proude harte of his enemyes the lofty and hautye stomackes of the mightye [Page 19] Monarches yelded themselues, being rauished with his ver­tuous successe which fell vnto him on euery syde, and how the Romaynes loued him, and forraine Regions dreaded him, & were in admiration of him, how hee remoued y ^e Germaynes that inhabited behinde the ryuer Albine of y ^e which nomber were the Sueuianes, and Sicambri whoe had yelded themsel­ues, and howe hee broughte them into Fraunce and caused them to inhabite neare the borders of Rhene, and howe many Nations besides beinge full of disturbance hee made at hys becke to obeye as my skill at full to describe them is not able, or a great volume is not sufficiente to containe them. Arare prince. Howe happye had the Romaine Empyre beene if so quiet a Prince, or if the rare vertues of so vertuous a gouernour had conti­nued amonge them, then so infinite hostes and multitudes of men had not bene deuoured of so manye ambitious heades in the cyuill warres, what Prince is there not? excepte hee be a rare Prince in disposition from other, Arare prince. but that a sleighte de­uice or toye maketh a iust quarrell to warre as the Prince af­fecteth or as counsaile perswadeth, all matters in the commō wealth take effecte, The fortunat kingdome. the quiet and fortunate kingdome enioy­eth the quiet and happye Prince, Rashe heads. for rashe heades to proue ad­uentures feeleth the smarte of their deuises, Manye cala­mities of warres. longe consulta­tion brought happy successe & stedfaste estate. Warres haue deuoured manye, whom if affection to liue at home had bride­led them, they mighte haue enioyed lyuinge, the fatherlesse, the fathers slaye, the widowe her comforte, many ryche hou­ses not spoyled, many a Cittye and towne in theyr former and auncient estate should haue continued, which thereby are de­cayed. As God permitted the earth whiche gaue from her so many shapes of bodyes of life and conditions so contrary, be­inge caryed into all wickednes, to be meete burthens to ren­der y ^t to earth which earth once gaue & yelded vp so warres bringe death, Warre, obliuion graue. and death in the graue obliuion, the people are gone, the graue vnknowen the warres Chronicled, and their calamities not out of memorye, great ought the deliberation to be of them which tendereth the affayres of the Prince for that which one deuiseth, manye feeleth and tasteth be it good [Page] or badde, Whye greate deliberation oughte to be had in the af­fayres of the Prince. els that commeth to passe whiche the Greeke svtte­red of theyr Princes.

But where warres are iustlye to be moued, Why warres are to be mo­ued. as to represse forrayne ennemyes or cyuill commotions, there the Prince iustlye resisteth warres, and the subiecte aydeth the Prince, for so Bellum suscipiendum est vt in pace viuatur, warres are therefore to be enterprised and taken in hande, to make peace, and quietnes, but who so without a consideration to re­pell great iniuries, not to defende theyr countrey, nor to saue the prosperous estate both of the Prince and the vniuersall multitude do moue warres, those seeke not peace but make as it were Seminarium multorum bellorum et calamitatū, a sowinge of seede of infinite warres, Warre. and no lacke of calami­ties: for warre is alwayes lincked with these two compani­ons Loimos kai Limos pestilence & hunger, y ^t whiche warre cannot do, famine and pestilence will do, so it may be sayd tru­ly, that which was spoken of the Greekes.

Octauius therevppon consideringe the greate calamities that happened by warres, sheewed his minde to be so farre from that desier, that hee caused certaine Princes to take an othe in the Temple of Mars that none of them should breake the othe which they had made: that this was his accustomed sayinge, desyre of warres was a token of a boastinge and cra­kinge heade, and of a light brayne, by vnknowen aduentures, and hazarde of battell to throw headlonge downe the quiet estate of Cittye and countrye, for an ambitious glorye of a [Page 20] Laurell crowne, as a man would saye, for a few vnprofitable leaues who so without iust cause moueth battell, Warre wyth­out iust cause is like vnto one that fisheth with a greate golden houke, whiche beinge broken the praye gotten is nothinge. Some do thincke that this Emperour Octauius had so greate care to his common wealthe, The greate care of Octa­uius toward the common wealth. and that so great was his studye and trauaile in wel doinge, in plantinge iustice, in vpholding vertue, and repres­singe vyce, whereby his cares of minde grewe so greate, his daungers of life so manye, that he was diuers times minded to render vppe that dignitye of hye estate, but hee altered hys minde in consideringe more deepelye, that in leadinge a pri­uate estate, he should not be wyth oute daunger, and also hee sawe that at that present leauinge that state of gouernment, it would be ruled by many gouernours, Ambition. whereby Octauius a moste godlye Prince foresawe what factiones mighte aryse, what deuision by partes takinge, what tumultes mighte fol­lowe and vprores, no man bearinge with an others estate, but eche one clyminge, who maye be beste and of highest po­wer to commaunde, to rule, not to be ruled, to rule the wyll of other at commaundemente: wherein it seemeth that Octa­uius preferred for worthynes and happynes of continuinge estate, A Monarcke the best state. a Monarche accordinge to the sayinge of Vlisses the wyse Grecian.

This Octauius desiered that it might be sayde of him, the common wealthe of the Romaynes to be preserued from all peryll of daungerous estate by him, and this to be the frutes of his trauaile, y ^t I maye (quoth he) be called the Aucthor of the best estate, The request of Octauius and of al good Princes. & at my death to carye wyth me y ^e hope, that y ^e common wealthe to manye ages maye remayne in that good estate wherein I left it, suche was the great care of the good [Page] Prince Octauius as it ought to be of all good Princes, for as husbandmen, they plant for theyr posteritye, and as the say­inge is of law makers: Lawes. Leges posteritatem spectant, lawes be made for the posteritye, thoughe they were decreed pre­sentlye: Gouernmēt. And accordinge to godlye lawes, Princes oughte to frame theyr gouernment, that the posterity may speake well thereof, Rome. & take aduauncement thereby. The Cittye of Rome before Octauius dayes, was but of meane and slender buil­dinge, without the beutye of goodly houses, sumptuous Pal­laces, and gorgious Temples, but hee with all ornature and beutye builded the same, and made it fenced from the ouer­flowinge of the fludde Tyber, and from all casualties of fier. Octauius vsed this sayinge of Rome, The sayinge of Octauius vpon Rome. that is: hee might wor­thely glory of Rome, since that he had left it builded of Mar­ble stone, whiche hee receiued but builded of tyle, and mudde walles, many famous monumentes he builded as Forum et Edem, Martis Vltoris, Templum Apolinis in Palatio e­dem tonantis in Capitolio, Sumpteons buildinges. he made also a greate and sump­tuous librarye plenteous with all maner of excellent bookes of Greeke and lattine & other languages, Monuments of Octauius. manye other wor­thye monumentes hee erected of fame, as Porticus Basilij, Lucij, & caui Porticus, Liuij & Octaui, Thaeatrum diui Marcelli, with many other goodly monumentes of fame. Octauius did not erecte these monumentes of fame onlye for his commendation, but also to moue manye other noble pea­res and Princes, that euerye one accordinge to his abillitye woulde endeuour himselfe to beutifye and adorne the Cittye of Rome eyther with newe monumentes, or to repayre mo­numentes which are in decay, or other famous workes which in time are weakened and made feebell from the foundation, The monu­mentes at Rome. for many goodly woorkes were then erected whereof Rome daily showeth some fallen, many broken downe, some from y ^e foundation lifted and caryed away: as the house of Homer, the house of Diana whiche Asinius Pollo builded, the house of Saturne, the notable monument of Agrippa: Many good­ly lawes Octauius did decree and make as the Digest and the Pandect: Lawes. and the Code doth showe, certaine lawes hee did [Page 21] amende and correcte. On all sides, both Rome and all pro­uinces, yea the whole Iurisdiction of the Romaine Empyre was so excellently gouerned, Pater patriè, y ^e title of ver­tuous Prin­ces. that they gaue vnto him this ti­tle and name Pater patriè, that is, the father of the coūtrye. Octauius beinge but a yonge man, had the daughter of Pub­lius Saruilius Isauricus to be espoused to him, but y ^t brake of, & then maryed Claudia y ^e daughter of Fuluia, begottē of Publiꝰ Claudius, Claudia. he was maryed but a while to her, such was y ^e disa­greemente betweene Fuluia his mother in lawe and him, hee left her daughter vndeflowered and vntouched, after that he maryed Scribonia who was maryed before to two Consuls, Scribonia. but Scribonia was deuorced from him, her maners were o­dious, and beinge wearyed with her conditions left her, and sone after gat to his loue Liuia Drusilla, her hee loued and y ^t continually the whole time of his gouernment Octauius had by Scribonia, Liuia. Iulia his daughter, but of Lyuia hee had neuer a childe, of whom earnestly hee wyshed to haue some fruite of her body, she was with child but vntimely it perished: Octa­uius caused Iulia his daughter to be maryed to Marcellus his sisters sonne beinge but passed a lytle the limmettes of child­hoode, Iulia. hee beinge but newly maryed dyed, Marcellus. after whose death hee maryed her vnto his friende Agrippa, Agrippa. who also dyed be­fore her, but lefte behinde him v. children .iii. sonnes, and .ii. daughters of the which sonnes the .ii. eldest dyed, then to esta­blishe a quietnes in the Empyre, hee adopted the third sonne, who was named Agrippa, but his manners and conditions were so wicked and odious vnto Augustus that hee reuoked the adoption, Tiberius and for his childe did adopt Tiberius his sonne in lawe, as concerninge his daughters they were so wicked, that he vttered of them the Verse of Homer: I woulde they had neuer bene got or y ^t they had dyed vnmaryed. As concer­ninge Octauius how hee gouerned and to show what worthy victoryes he had gotte, what mightye kinges became tribu­tory to him it were a worthy matter to speake of, but to make a full discourse how, when, where, how happely he gouerned the most eloquent shall want meanes to vtter, and set forth so worthy a Prince, Octauius. so fortunate a Captayne, so wyse a counsel­lor, [Page] and so victorious an Emperour, not for lacke of matter but his worthines shall subuert the order, argument and dis­position of the most eloquente, for euen before hee was borne many thinges were foreshewed of him to succeade, Suetonius. for Sueto­nius Tranquillus in his Historye sheeweth: Quod prodigi­um Rome factum est, Prodigium, Quo denuntiabatur naturam par­turire Regem Romanorum, a wonder happened at Rome, whereby was sheewed Octauius beinge borne, that nature did bring forth the kinge of the Romaynes, many other thin­ges happened which were to tedious, & to longe to resite, & as concerninge his mothers dreame before he was borne this it was, The dreame of Accia. she dreamed that her bowelles were caryed vp to the starres, & spread ouer all the earth, and vp to y ^e clymate of y ^e Heauen, The dreame of Octauius father. his father dreamed y ^t the beames of the sonne rose vppon the wombe of his wyfe. The same day that Octauius was borne, the Senators of Rome sate vppon the treason of Catelin whervppon Octauius mother at that time traue­linge, Cateline. his father did somewhat absent himselfe from the Se­nate house, Vigidius. the cause beinge knowen, Vigidius consideringe the instante of his natiuitye, hee beinge a famous man in the Mathematicall sciences said: Dominum terrarum orbina­tum, a gouernour of the earthe to be borne, manye probable coniectures, do aryse in calculatinge and domifyinge, but so many foolishe errors as that they which seeme to tell other, of theyr fortune and state to come, are most ignoraunt of theyr owne, and none more feele the vanitye thereof, then the vaine calculator. The death of Octauius. He dyed the fourtenthe daye of the Kalendes of September, the nynthe hower of the day, in the fourtye and sixe yeares of his age, The lamēta­tion for the deathe of Oc­tauius. Octauius beinge deade great lamenta­cion was made for hym of all the Romaine kingdomes and nations farre of, the mightye Princes mourned for his fune­rall, The deathe of noble Prin­ces. all that knewe him mourned, and those that neuer sawe him full bitterly lamented, such was the worthynes of his so noble gouernmente. Tyberius who succeded in the Empyre after him was aduaunced by this Emperoure, Tiberius. his gouerne­mēt was called Aureum seculum Augusti, Aureum se­culum. the goldē world of Augustus: Drusus the sonne of Tiberius commēded with [Page 22] eloquent Oration this Emperour: this done his corpes was carryed on the shoulders of the Senatours in an appointed place, Octauius. and there consumed to asshes, great was the pompe, & no small lamentaciō in the funerall of so victorious a Prince, who in time gouerned many Nations, now he geeueth place to duste. How many reioyced of him lyuinge so many lamen­ted his departinge, Fame after death preser­ueth Princes in memorye. his fame so remayned, as neyther deathe vglye, nor time auncient, or enuye malicious mighte euer let fame abolish, such is the fame of the worthy, & vertuous: & of the Godly Princes, The fruite of good life. this onlye is the fruite, els vaine is theyr glorye, Noble fame the fruite of kingdome. theyr actes base and meane, whom no worthines can saue from obliuion, neyther whom a perpetuitye of noble actes cannot blesse, hee dyed in the Consulshippe of Gneius Pompeius, and Sextus Apuleius: Hee lefte his Realme in greate quietnes, and also in great felicitye, great were his victories, and his large Dominions, his peo­people not to be nombred, What losse the Romaynes had by the death of Au­gustus. they lost fortunate Augustus when hee dyed, Rome lost her father, the golden worlde, and of Augustus a victorious Prince. ⸫

TIBERIVS.

DYuers opinions were spred of Octauius death, Tiberius. some thoughte one waye, other some another, muche it was to be lamented, so good an Em­perour to fall into the handes of so vnnaturall a wyfe. After Octauius death Claudius Tibe­rius the sonne of Liuia succeded, Liuia. beinge the steppe sonne of Caesar Octauius: the meanes whereby hee succeded was sub­tillye compassed by many sleightes, and wilye pollicies of his mother Liuia, but the chiefe cause that he succeded was this his famous actes and nobillity in the late Emperours affay­res, caused both the Senate and the vniuersall multitude of the Romaynes, wyth earnest affection, & moste willinge har­tes to create him Emperoure: Tiberius maners chaun­ged. but as sone as Tiberius was in the dignitye placed, bothe the Senate and the vniuersall multitude of the Romaynes felt him a chaungelinge in al his doinges. Whereas before vertue and nobilitye in him sprede great glorye and renowne to the common wealthe of the Ro­maynes, now vglye vyces, his monsterous life in gouernmēt. ouer whelmeth that fortunate estate, The fortunat Region. hys vertues did not so muche good as his vyces hurt, most fortunate is that Region wherein by longe continuance, and by longe descente Godlye Princes remaine successors famouse. The godlye Prince. For, what the god­lye Prince procureth in his gouernmente, the wicked Prince dissolueth, marreth, and pulleth downe, so brittle is the estate of kingdomes, The wicked Prince. so vnsted faste the forme of common wealth, be­cause at the maners of the Prince, the kingdome eyther ry­seth [Page 23] or falleth, One Prince many Domi­nions. so muche the life of one, the maners and condi­tions of one, frameth manye mightye Dominions: As this Tiberius who if hee had continued in his former doinge, had beene nombred amonge the most excellent Princes, but now highe estate of dignity setteth out Tiberius in his proper con­ditions, Tiberius in his coullours in his naturall disposition, that which hee seemed, is now chaunged to another hewe with his estate, his maners, and conditions be also altered: now cruell and bloudy factes, most beastly lyfe, braste oute in him to vtter what hee was: for certaine it is the Romaynes neuer loked for these thinges at Tiberius hands, so difficult a matter it was to iudge throughly what hee wyl proue in gouernment, because that free state in him beinge commonly after will and luste, Why it is a hard thing to iudge of the Prince. did vtter in do­inge secrete and hid cogitations of his tyrānicall minde, with the perfecte dispositions & naturall inclynations of a tyrante: as it appeareth by many Princes, which in like sort gouerned as this Tiberius, Nero. Nero, Cōmodus, Bassianus, that this Em­perour Tiberius might thorowly be knowen: Domitianus. I will orderlye procede to showe what hee was, Commodus. his stocke had beginninge at a certaine towne of the Sabynes called Regilis, Bassianus. frō the which his auncestours fled to Rome: The begin­ninge of Ti­berius stocke. Rome then beinge but newe builded, so is referred the beginninge of his stocke to Appi­us Claudius, and that he was of that discent: which time was in the sixt yeare after the banishment of kinges they that dys­cended of this race or progenye were called Nerones. Appius Clau­dius. Quia lingua Sabinorum Nero strenuus appellatur: Nerones. Because in the Sabyne tongue Nero by the true Etimologie and inter­pretation is named stronge or stoute, there were two houses: vna plebeia, Plebeia. but yet very worthye: the other pulchrorum, which were of the order of the Senators, Pulcrorum▪ of those which dys­cended of the families called Claudij, many famous actes re­mayne, and contrarywyse actes not registred w ^t noble fame, sometime endueeth to noble houses & longe auncientrie, not like discente of worthines nor equall desarte, but for theyr e­uill gouernment, ignominye and reproche, thoughe the wic­ked, wante that true renowne of honour, True nobili­tye. whiche for vertues sake was attributed vnto theyr auncestours, yet they accompt [Page] them selues of the same with discente of equall worthynes of bloude, and tytle of longe auncientrye, but it is neyther the bloud, nor the bones of theyr auncestours, longe tytles from many discentes, Noble armes nor noble armes which from most aunciente time haue beene in price that can make any one, wanting the like renowne of his noble house, or the vertues of his prede­cessours to clayme lyke honour, True nobili­tye. or to enioye like title and ar­mes: For the vnworthye gentleman moste of all neglecteth that, which his noble progenitours attayned vnto, who were made worthye by vertue, Vertue firste createth nobi­litye. and fame: fame gaue it theym to clayme, where is then the tytle? what can be theyr clayme? when there is no sparke of desarte y ^t respecteth the renowmed merites of theyr auncientrye. Discent of noble houses. If descente of nobilitye shoulde fall out, as merite & singuler vertue did craue, then were rare all the true and perfecte nobilitye, onlye prudente nobi­litye, Learned no­bility. learned, full of counsayle, grauitye, modestye, tempe­raunce, aboundance in all knowledge, meete to administer and execute the lawes, yea for as fame firste taughte nobility by merite, Fame. so lacke of like worthynes, doth abase and make them vnworthye to enioye like clayme of nobilitye. True clayme of nobilitye.

Reade the Oration of Marius as concerninge nobilitye in Sa­lust, entreatinge vppon the warres of Iugurtha, and as con­cerninge Appius Cecus, Appius Ce­cus. Appius the blinde, whom Tulli maketh mention of, in his Booke de senectute: Appius Ce­cus made y ^e league which should be concluded wyth Pirrhus, Pirrhum most shamefull to y ^e Romaines to be finished. Claudius Cau­dex was the first amonge the Romaynes that passed the seas with a greate nauye, Ciaudius Caudex. and expelled the Carthagimanes from Cicile, Claudius Nero. Claudius Nero ouercame Hasdruball marchinge out of Spayne with a greate power, before hee ioyned his power with his brother Hanniball, with many other famous actes of that auncient house, Hanniball. which were to longe to entreate. Ti­berius came of this house and progenye by the mothers syde, for his mother came from Appius the fayre, Appius pul­cher. his fathers pro­geny came from Nero the father of Tiberius, who was some­time treasuror to Iulius Caesar in his warres fought in Alex­andria, he was besydes the chiefe of his Nauie, his excellen­cye [Page 23] in his Princes affayres was suche, y ^t the greate renowne of his victoryes was much furthered by him, his secrete pol­licyes in the Emperours affayres, his wysedome, his fayth­full seruice merited muche estimation with Iulius Caesar. Tiberius. Ti­berius being well lyked of Octauius the Emperour, was ge­uen vnto him of his father in adoption. Immediatlye after y ^t Tiberius father dyed, Drusus. leauinge behinde him two sonnes, this Tiberius and Drusus, this Tiberius was borne at Rome, at suche time as Marcus Emilius Lepidus, and Mucius Plauca were Consuls, hee had then to wyfe Agrippa, the daughter of Marcus Agrippa the nyce of Pomponius Atticus, some­time a kinge of the Romaynes. Agrippa. Agrippa did not longe tyme continue with her husbande Tiberius, for shee was at the length put away great with childe. Forced ma­riage. Tiberius at those dayes beinge enforced thereto to take Iulia the daughter of Augus­tus to wyfe. So matrimonye was made by pollicies, lincked and relincked, Mariages for honour. not as godly affection did leade, but as hope of honour moued, so maryages were made, often vnder pretēce of amitye, & adulation of poysoned hartes, deepe and cloked emnities lye lurkinge, which time vttereth afterward. This was the pollicye of Liuia that wicked Empresse, she hauinge further fetch to bringe thereby y ^e estate of the Empyre, to her sonnes handes. Iulia. Iulia was hated of Tiberius for her conditi­ons, she was proude, loftye, disdaynfull, wrathfull, geeuen to all voluptuousnes, light of countenaunce, light of chastity, & fruitlesse of good maners, aboūdant in bloudy imaginaciōs, cruell in her purposes, sone turned to folly, constant and sted­fast to wickednes. Agrippa. Agrippa pleased the eye of Tiberius, shee in maners contēted him, shee was beutifull, sober, discrete, of goodly personage, chastitye possessed her whole bodye and an humble loke, not proude, gentle, full of courtesye, pitifull, so adorned with vertue, The frutes of honest life in women. that her breste was a pure fountaine of vertues, of yeares tender, a matrone in manners, excellinge in all goodly qualities, Her vertues sheewed what she was, & time vttered her chastitye. Iulia leadinge a wanton life, in the ende vttered her follye, whiche beinge knowen a deuorce en­sued thereof. Tiberius as hee vnwillinglye caughte her, so [Page] willinglye he left her▪ The fruites of forced ma­riages. frends, aucthoritye, and moneye made the mariage, her vyces did vndo that which Tiberius in hart well wisshinge could not do, vntill such time as her naughtye life could merite no pardon, nor frendshippe make any excuse. Octauius was muche plagued with his daughters of whom he was so ashamed through theyr follye and wicked life, that hee would tytle them by many monstrous names, and would wishe that they had neuer beene gotten, or dyed vnmaryed. Now as concerninge Tiberius, diuers straunge things hap­pened which foresheewed y ^t the estate of the Empyre shoulde come to his handes, Scribonius. for Scribonius a famous man in the Ma­thematicall sciences, groundinge his knowledge vppon his calculation in the Iudgement of Astrologye, sayde: that Ti­berius shoulde succeade nexte in the Empyre, but withoute a Diademe: and so it came to passe an Astronomer, otherwise called Thrasibulus, Thrasibolus. excellente in the like facultie but euerye thinge not happeninge in all pointes to Tiberius as hee pro­phesyed. In a rage Tiberius was like to breake his necke so­dainly: whiche mishappe towardes him if Thrasibulus had foreseene by his owne calculation, hee woulde not haue beene present in that peril, The vncer­tentye of A­strologye. but they vncertaine of theyr owne estate do make a certaine calculation of other mens, and not able in deede to withstande perilles, do yet boast of theyr faculty and science as thoughe it preserued them, The estate of all those which cast natiuities. wherein euerye one of them is deceiued & do fall to manye vndoinges: & they which cā domify to all felicity for other a bare & nedye estate, theyr owne deuises haue wrapped them with many myseries, such is theyr vaine glorious calculation, so deceiptful is their arte, and so vaine is theyr knowledge, replenished wyth illusions, and suche is theyr vaine studye, The castinge of Natiuities. deceitfull inuentions, subtill illusions, coniecturall practises: which Theodoretus a most famous writer in his booke of questions vppon Genesis, con­demneth as vaine, Theodoretꝰ in questione 1 [...]. Genesis. most wicked & detestable in these wordes: As concerninge the vaine contention vpon a calculation, cast vppon the natiuity of any mā, Pithagoras. neyther Pithagoras nor Plato, Plato. nor the Stoikes haue receyued anye suche kinde of science: Stoikes. Who then hauinge theyr fayth in the holy Scriptures: will [Page 25] not receiue these things not onlye as wicked but as vaine and folishe. Thus much as concerninge that part of Astrologye, or the calculation vppon the natiuitye of any man, how wyc­ked, folishe, and impious it is. As concerninge the thinges whiche did foreshewe Tiberius successe in attayninge to the Empyre, this was one, A foreshew of Tiberius to succede in the Empyre. at his returne to Rome Tiberius be­inge at Roodes, an Egle neuer seene before in that coast, fate vppon the place where Tiberius lodged, with manye other tokens: wherevppon a coniecture was taken, the Empyre to fall to Tiberius handes. At that instant when Octauius the Emperour was at the point of death, A manner of foreshewe a­monge the Romaynes. but of perfecte remem­braunce: he caused Tiberius to be called for to common with him, manye do thincke that Octauius neuer minded to create Tiberius Emperour, but beinge ruled by Liuia the Em­presse: Liuia. For Octauius could better rule the large Dominion of the Romaine Empyre, yea the mightye Region of Greece was more in feare of him, then the frowarde and dissolute minde of Liuid, so harde and difficulte a matter it is to rule a creature with whom wyll, luste, and apetite was as a lawe, and especially where suche a one hath aucthoritye and stroke to affecte and dispose as nature and wyll lysteth to rule aboue the Prince. Othersome do say that the nobilitye of hart and courage of Tiberius, his noble actes in the affayres of y ^e Em­perour Octauius, moued him thereto, manye are the commē ­dations of Tiberius in certaine Epistles written by Octaui­us, in his affayres and busines, The commē ­dations of Tiberius. if other Chronicles be serched you shall finde the commēdations of Tiberius before he came to be Emperour to be very greate. This is one of many: Ni­hil interest valeam nec ne, si tu non valebis: if thou Tiberi­us do not well, I my selfe cannot do well: with many words of commendations. Dyuers suspitions were surmised of Tiberius in attayninge to the Empyre, for the death of Au­gustus was not knowen before Agrippa Agrippa. beinge adopted of Octauius was murthered, which thinge comprehended in it a full suspition, Deuises for kingdomes sake. that bothe Tiberius and Liuia had vsed theyr subtilities, such are the deuices manye times for kingdomes sake, for true it is, no cruell beaste seeketh so egerlye for hys [Page] preye, as bloudy hartes puffed vppe with ambition, do deuise purposes to establishe in some securitye theyr estate, there is no regarde of right, lawe, nor kindred, noble parentage, the foole and the wyse, the cowarde with the politicke person are a like, Ambition a bloudy beast. where ambition with stronge hands armed doth gette mastrie, nature, discent, righte and lawe is ouerwhelmed by ambition in tyrantes. The Chronicles are full of suche testi­monies of ambitious examples, Iugurtha. as of Iugurtha towardes y ^e children of Misipsa, Romulus. of Romulus and Remus, Polinices. brethren of Polinices, Eteocles. and Eteocles brethren, Clitemnestra of Clitemnestra and Egi­stus, Egistus. & those that succeaded Alexander the greate, of Bessus Bessus. towardes kinge Darius, Herode. of Herode against his owne sonne, Antonins. of Antonius Caracalla, Henrye the fourth. against his owne father Seuerus Em­perour of Rome: Our Chronicles want not the like deuises, call to minde the late dayes of Henrye the fourthe towarde Richarde the seconde, and of his nobilitye: Of Owen Glen­doure vsurpinge in Wales agaynst Henrye the fourthe, Owen Glē ­doure. Ri­charde the thirde against Edwarde the fourth children, Richarde the thirde. for both they were murthered by Richarde the thirde, Ambition. so stronge is ambition to inflame the hartes of the ambitious, to seeke innouation againste the state of the Princes, to rayse from meane to greater, and so with all excesse of vnsaciable desyre from better do minde as Iuste in them kindleth to enioye the highest throne alone to commaunde, Ambition. not of one Cittye or coū ­trye, but of large Dominions, and of infinite Regions.

At suche time as Tiberius should take vppon him the state of the Empyre by the consente of the Senate, The dissimu­lation of Ti­berius. hee seemed to re­fuse it for manye daungers hanginge ouer his heade, and also because be woulde be thoughte free from all suspition before time surmised: and that he might know his frendes from his foes. Diuers wrought conspiracies against him as Clemens the seruaunte of Agrippa in his maisters quarell had gathe­red no small strengthe and power to reuenge the murther of his maister. Scribonius. Also Scribonius a noble peere began a sedicious tumulte, besides that his men of warre which were in Illiria were at discorde, and those in Germanye were moued to se­dition in that their stipende of wages was not equall to the o­thers [Page 26] longe hee was in that feare, but by litle and litle hee crept out of all mistrust: At the first he detested flatterye and flatterers, insomuch that he would not suffer any to call him Lorde, thoughe was by estate an Emperoure, so greate was his dissimulation, The dissimu­lation of wic­ked men. for the wicked wil seeme that they least de­syre to be, the couetous manye times will shewe themselues liberall, yea more then liberall, princely in giftes, full of ma­ny deceites, Adulation. the voluptuous temperate, Couetousuespunc; y ^e prodigall sparinge, the irreligious full of holines, by processe of time his condi­tions sheewed fourth his hidde cogitacions, his dissimulation gaue an open truth to vtter what he was truly: where vppon the Romaynes seinge so greate alteration in the lyfe of the Prince, The estate of wicked Prin­ces. his manners so beastlye, and his purposes in all respectes so wicked, that manye spake freelye, more rashlye, then wiselye, more boldlye, then circumspectlye, againste the beastly life of theyr gouernoure, the most parte thoughte more then they spake, the godly and welwilling hartes helde theyr peace, because they feared the lawe and displeasure of the Prince, other some there were, whom neither lawe nor displeasure restrayned. Reade the whole Chronicles of eue­ry age, the good and godlye Princes were euer for fame and worthyues of Actes commended in theyr present age, aduaū ­ced throughe deserte of worthines reserued from obliuion to all ages, and to all posterityes: the wicked Princes as they liued so they remayne Chronicled to all ages. The like re­mayneth of Tiberius, for as he deserued by worthynes, so af­terwarde contrary desart purchased iust cōmendation. This thinge was muche to be commended of Tiberius before hee chaunged his maners in gouernmente, when as he was wil­led of diuerse who bare great aucthoritye in many of his pro­uinces, that he should laye on his people great & heauy tribu­tes, He wrote againe vnto them in these words: Boni Pasto­ris est tōd ere pecus, nō deglubere. A good sheepe heard ought to sheare his sheepe, The godly prince. but not to swallow them: Good Princes may do to theyr behoufe and commoditye take of the subiecte to the furtheraunce of his estate, The tyrante. with the common wealthe: for therein the good Prince and the tyraunt differre, the one [Page] regardeth the common wealthe, The good Prince. thother his priuate commo­ditye: for the tyraunte lyueth to himselfe, the good Prince to manye, & therefore hee is loued of many. As concerninge the externall ceremonyes of the Iewes hee prohibited the vse of them in all his prouinces and all suche as addicted themsel­ues to theyr Religion and ceremonyes, and who so therein o­beyed not his commaundement was in the perill of perpetu­all bondage. He banished out of the Cittye all such as by ga­singe of the Starres foreshewed thinges to come, after these thinges, Germanicus. his two sonnes Germanicus and Drusus dyed: Ger­manicꝰ dyed in Syria, Drusus. Drusus died at Rome for whose death he toke so greate pensiuenes and thoughte of minde, that hee left the Cittie of Rome with all his pleasures, for that all his ioye, his delight, and comfort was takē from him, not longe after that mishappe, an other great misfortune fell vnto him: Tiberius being at y ^e Cittye of Anxur otherwyse called Ter­rachina, beinge in the place of the Pretor not hauinge as yet supped, manye mightye great stones fell downe from the vp­per parte of that place, by whiche mishappe manye of those whiche were at that bancket and of theyr seruauntes were crushed to death, and hee alone beyonde all exspectation esca­ped. At the same time hee made a progresse throughe Cam­pania: Capua. he made at Capua a goodlye and sumptuous Temple or Capitoll, Nola. at Nola hee crected a Temple in a perpetuall memory, of the Emperour Augustus his predecessor: which was thoughte to be done for this cause that Octauius dyed there. After that he went to the Ilande Capreas a pleasaunt Islande: whiche was on the one syde closed with hys rockes, on the other syde, the sea closed it in. The absence of y ^e Prince was much desyered, by reason of a certaine greate calamitye and misfortune which fell at Fi [...]enas an olde auncient towne builded of the Albanes, for in that place aboue twentye thou­sande men perished by the fall of the Amphitheatrum, hee gaue ouer by reason of his foresayde pensiuenes for the death of his two sonnes, the care of his common wealthe, hee had no consideration of the estate of Spayne, and Syria, whiche was then in the iurisdiction of the Romayne Empyre, it was [Page 27] without Embassadors, Armenia was possessed of the Parthi­ans, which Armenia obeyed the Romaynes vntill such time as they carelesse neglected the same. Mesia was spoyled of the Dacians and Sarmatians, Fraunce was also ouer runne of y ^e Germaynes, with no smal infamy, not onlye to this care­lesse Emperour Tiberius but to the whole Empyre. The greate care of Prin­ces [...] Greate ought the cares of a Prince to be, who beareth Scepter ouer ma [...]y, for the great care and ware deliberation, preserueth in fortunate estate his Dominion: whereas the carelesse lyfe of a Prince, his wanton and dissolute maners pulleth downe & destroyeth. It was not without consideration that Homer y ^e famous Poet, settinge forthe the full and absolute maner of gouernment wrote these wordes.

Nequaquam oportet virum cōsularem, totas noctes som­no indulgere, cui populus curae est & tanta reipublicae ne­gotia: A good Prince most not lye all the whole night drow­sye who hath a charge ouer people and kingdomes.

Tiberius thus geeuinge ouer the care of the cōmon wealth appeared then as nature inclyned him to all beastlines, and follye, vndecente for that estate: First he gaue himselfe to ex­cessiue riote and quaffinge, wherevppon throughe follye a dronken name was geeuen vnto him, beinge called for Tybe­rius, Biberius, Biberius. as one delightinge in drincke, a banketinge Prince, Caldius. a quaffer, hee was called also for Claudius, Caldius, for Nero, Mero. Mero. He gaue himselfe to such companye as y ^t de­lighted in the like follye with whom day by daye he accompa­nyed himselfe in banketinge, suche were his frendes and hys delight, and for their great excellencye therein he woulde be­stowe vppon them greate offices of greate aucthoritie, for to Pomponus Flaccus he gaue the gouernment of Syria, Pomponius being one of them who procured these kinde of follies, he gaue also to Lucius Piso, Lucius Piso. the chiefe office ouer the Cittie of Rome, hee was also in loue with Sextus Claudius, who was banished from the Emperour Octauius for his beastly life, Sextus Clau­dius. such nowe are his frendes and hye counsaylours. The Prince cannot lacke his mates, for as he inureth himselfe, so many followe & fashion themselues to the doinge of the Prince. This Sex­tus [Page] Claudius was an old man, vnthriftye, geeuen to all beast­ly pleasures, with Tiberius on a time he made a couenaunte to geue him a sumptuous bancket, if hee woulde suppe with him: where many fayre maydens serued him at the borde na­ked, many other there were in whom he delighted, such espe­cially as could finde out newe and fonde pleasures, straunge deuises, The follye of Tiberius. beastly pastymes, and such were most esteemed with him as passed other in follye, hee made a newe office whiche was called a voluptatibus, rewardinge all suche as inuented delightes for the Princes tothe, A voluptati­bus. who furthered therein hys estate and heaped by inuention, store of such pleasures. The beastlynes of this Prince was in all respectes suche, as that nature abhorreth to vtter his condicions: besydes this as he suffered filthye life commonlye, so openly he both vsed and al­lowed it, It may be thought that no follye could be greater, but who so readeth the Chronicles, and wayeth thorowly his lyfe, shame fastnes will prohibite him to bestowe his time in readinge so filthye matter. After this hee behaued himselfe wyth all tyrannye, not onlye against Caius Lentulus Augur, but also against Lepida: Tyrannye. with all tyrannye he vsed the Prin­ces of Greece, Syria and Fraunce, he caused the kinge of the Parthians, who was expelled from his owne country, and fly­inge to the trustye handes of the Romaynes to be murthered and spoyled of all his ryches, Fayth to be obserued in Princes. hee was at defyance with Liuia his mother, by whom he purchased that aucthoritye, hee was muche greued with the Senate, in that in actes and decrees, he was called the sonne of Octauius and Liuia, yea such was his hatred towarde her, that she beinge dead, he cruelly han­dled all those to whom Liuia gaue charge ouer her funerall: Liuia. his wicked life was suche that manye wrote against him, and not vnworthely, his tyrannye passed all other, no daye passed withoute bloudsheddinge, A tyrante. manye women and children killed themselues, fearinge to fall into the handes of such a tyrante, his crueltye was suche that Artabanus the kinge of the Par­thians reuiled him in lettters, Artabanus. placing before his eyes, his fil­thye lyfe, his murthers, and liuinge not to be named, of whiche hee was ashamed. This is that Tiberius by whom [Page 28] Valerius Gractius was made gouerner ouer the Iewes, the successor of Annius Rufus. Pilate. Pilate was accused of the Iewes, and sente by Vitellius to Rome, but Tiberius was deade be­fore Pilate came to Rome. Isis. The famous Temple of Isis was destroyed at the commaundement of Tiberius, and the Ima­ges of Isis throne in the Tiber at Rome, because of the great mischieuous acte committed in the Temple of Isis, Munda. againste Paulina a chaste woman, by one Munda a yonge man, to the which facte, the priestes of the Temple were priuye baudes, the beastlye practise vnknowen to the good woman Paulina: Iosephus telleth the whole storye at large. Tiberius made Vitellius chiefe gouernour vnderneth him, as the vice Roye in Hierusalem: Vitellius. who wrote letters to Vitellius, to make a leage of amity with Artabanus the kinge of the Parthians, because he feared him, but vppon that condition a leage to be made, so that the sonnes of the Emperor of the Parthans be deliuered as pledges to Vitellius. Vitellius forthwith per­swadeth two Princes with great giftes without all delaye to enter battaile against Artabanus, king of the Parthians, but they woulde not moue battaile against him, but they suffered the Scithians to enter, geuinge them passage and entrye by straites of the Cuspians sea, to inuade the countrye, by whose inuasion the whole countrye of the Armenians was spoyled and wasted, and the lande filled with the slaugh­ter of the Parthians, his chiefe nobles being at that battaile fled, the Emperors sonne of the Parthians was slaine there. With this meane Vitellius by greate giftes, had wonne to him all the Princes borderinge vppon those partes, to be­traye Artabanus the Emperour, but as sone as Artabanus vnderstode his falsehode, bee fledde with a fewe faythfull people, to other Princes a farre of, who of themselues prepa­red a great power and defended his owne Dominion, as sone as Tiberiꝰ vnderstode that Artabanus▪ was of force to ioyne warres with the Romaynes, he willinglye made peace with him, the league was made at the floude Euphrates, betwene Artabanus and Vitellius, eche of them with a few meetinge, Herode made a sumptuous bancket to Vitellius, and Arta­banus [Page] kinge of the Parthians: & Artabanus to the full confir­mation of this league, gaue to the handes of Vitellius his .ii. sonnes, Darius and Artaxerxes, with whom he sente manye ritche giftes and princely, with whom he sent a man of highe stature, vii. cubites high, his name was Lazarus, who for his highe stature was called a Gyante, the league confirmed, Vitellius departed to Antioche, Artabanus to Babilon re­turned. Herode false in all his doinges to preuent Vitellius, Herode. by letters sent to Tiberius the Emperoure as concerninge y ^e league confirmed, for vnto Vitellius letters, Tiberius ma­keth aunsweare that hee knewe longe before of those newes, by the letters of Herode: where vppon great enuye & grudge rose betweene Herod and Vitellius, secrete pollicye of de­structin against one another, Vitellius. Vitellius neuer vttered his malicious intente, but keepinge close his malicious purpose and kindled Ire, vntill suche time as oportunitye serued to subuert Herode, and that was in the gouernment of the next Emperoure. Caius succedinge this Tiberius: this was hee that put to death that holyman Iohn Baptiste, and because Herode sawe the people to be parswaded by him (his beastly lyfe reproued of the Prophete) he thought it befte to put him to death, for no man durst rebuke Herode, great plagues fell vppon Herode & his power. Tiberius vsed to geue offices for terme of life not w ^tout great cause remouing any officers: Who being demaūded why he did so? he made this aunswere by a fable: There was a certaine man woūded, vnto whose woūde many hūgery fleshe flees in great nōber flew & sucked his wound, this being seene of another man y ^t passed by, who lamented the mischaunce of the wounded person, moued with pitty & compassion came vnto him, both w ^t helpinge hand and coūsaile to ease him, thincking y ^t through weakenes, hee was not able to driue them from him: but the woūded mā aunswe­red greater harme and payne will insue to mee if freshe and greedye flyes do come to my wounde, for these filled with my bloude are not so greuous, hauinge theyr fill of it, but if hun­grye flyes do gather to my wounde, Couetous officers. they will with such hun­grye desyre sucke my wounde, that they wyll increase a newe [Page 29] payne to me, so officers where they be oft remoued, hauinge no assurance of office nor perpetuitye fearinge of remouing, they do for theyr time more gredily hunte for gaine, & searche more narrowlye, the hidde and inwarde bowels of gain [...]. Tiberius returninge to Caprias, fell sicke of an ague where­of in the ende he dyed, who hauinge but two sonnes and those only by adoptiō, for Drusus his owne sonne was dead at that instante time, whose sonne Tiberius had made his adoptiue sonne, and he made Caius the sonne of his brother Cermani­cus his other adoptiue sonne: this Caius was broughte vp in all excellencye of learninge, interelye beloued of the people, both for his owne vertues, and for his fathers noble actes: these iii. excellent vertues promoted his father Germanicu [...], to high dignity: Morū mansuetudo Affabilitas, Humilitas, that is to say, of conditions gentle and meeke, easye to be tal­ked with, and humble or lowlye, by these vertues, hee was in greate estimation and honour, both with the Senate and the common multitude, greate lamentation was made for the death of Germanicus. Tiberius the Emperour commaun­ded Enodus to bringe earlye to him those two yonge children Caius and Tiberius, praying to God that he might see some manifeste signe, who shoulde succede him in the Empire, of these two desirous to leaue to his nephewe his Empire, but the purpose of man is nothinge, the prouidence of GOD to dispose all things at his will and counsaile, yea the migh­tiest state of Dominions, kinges and kingdomes are in his handes, to be created as hee seeth cause and time. This was shewed to him, the sway of the Romaine Empyre to fall to him who should come first to him, the next day followinge, Tiberius knowinge this, sent vnto the Scholemaister of his nephewe Tiberius, cōmaunding him very earnestly to bring Tiberius his yonge nephewe to him, Nephewe. thinking thereby to sa­tisfye the sentence of the oracle which he had vttered, but God contrarywyse disposed for the succession of the kinge. The next day following, Tiberius y ^e Emperor cōmaunded Enodꝰ to bringe to him which of these .ii. yonge children came first, Enodus departed from y ^t Emperour, Tiberius & found Ca­ius [Page] before his tente, Iosephus. for Tiberius was not as it presente be­inge more desirous of his breakefaste, Enodus not knowinge the secrete cogitation and hid purpose of the Emperoure Ti­berius, come hyther Caius sayth hee, the Emperoure thy fa­ther calleth thee, and forthwith Caius with Enodus entered in to the Emperor, assone as the Emperoure Tiberius saw Caius (sayth Iosephus:) Tunc primū intellixit maiestatis diuinae potentia, et quod non [...]it in hominū potestate de im­perij cōstitutione decernere: Then the Emperour Tiberius saw the power of almighty God, & that it is not in mans po­wer to dispose the seate of gouernmente, as we maye see in all Histories how contrarilye to all expectation, those that haue bene deade in all considerations and respectes of hope to the world of enioyinge kingdome, Succession of Princes in y ^e counsayle of God. haue obtayned kingdome and triumphed. Tiberius muche lamented himselfe because his counsayle, his will and determination was frustrate, whiche be longe purposed, and that in his life time, he was not of po­wer to establishe in trone whom hee wyshed, agayne bee sawe what perill woulde happen to Tiberius beinge put from the succession of the Empyre, and the enuye agaynst many noble peares against Tiberius the Emperour, Tiberius much bla­med himselfe in that he made such request and peticiō to God, Iosephus. for the succession at his owne will, for with greate griefe of minde he departed his life, yet Tiberius vsinge dissimulation to appease the wrath and enuye that might rise betweene Ca­ius and Tiberius, spake these words: O my sonne Caius, al­thoughe Tiberius my kinsman be nearer to mee then you be, yet the secrete counsaile of God, his ordinance and my decree doth resigne and geue ouer to the: this our Emperiall seate, I do request of the that thou beare in minde no euill against anye man, that hath beene seruisable to me or loued me, ney­ther hurt any man for my sake. I haue aduaunced the only to this state of royall trone, be not vnfrendly to Tiberius, some­what kinred moueth you to that loue, and I especially ought to perswade you therto, in that I haue beene y ^e chiefe patrone and aucthor of this Emperiall seate, and that for my sake you shewe loue to those whom I haue loued, and also to haue a [Page 30] [...]are of Tiberius in that he is your kinsmā, and in honouring Tiberius you shall make your selfe stronge. Nam solitarius quisque amplius periculis patet maxime, cum in tanta rerū celsitudine fuerit cōstitutus, ad haec quoque quia nec dij im­punitum quidquam relinquunt, quod contra faedus natu­rae fuerit perpetratum. For what Prince soeuer be wythout some one assured staye or stronge arme neare vnto him, Iosephus. hee is alway in perill beinge in such loftye estate, neyther doth God let go vnpunished anye thinge committed against the lawe of nature. Tiberius the Emperoure spake this to make a con­cord betweene Caius and Tiberius his kinsman, fearinge af­ter his death this subuertion of Tiberius, Caius for that time made aunswere to the Emperour Tiberius very curteously, and promised to do all thinges that the Emperour Tiberius exhorted him vnto, all the Emperoure Tiberius spake wyth dessimulation to Caius, so Caius with dissimulation requited the talke of the Emperoure Tiberius. For assone as Caius was created Emperoure, Murther. Caius killed Tiberius, and Caius not longe after was also murthered. Tiberius raigned 22. yeares. 6. monethes and thre dayes. The Romaynes hea­ringe of the death of Tiberius, they were very ioyfull, but o­penlye they durste not shewe theyr ioyfull hartes, till it was manifest to all men, for much would be geuen to heare of that tyrantes deathe, the cause why the Romaynes reioyce of Ti­berius death was greate, for he had murthered manye of the great Peares & nobles of Rome wythout cause. His euilles were so great, they were not to be borne, no counsayle could withdraw his wrath, neyther any meanes pacifye his Ire, as he listed so was he without discretion ledde to all euill, w ^tout reason inuenting the occasion of euill, Tiberius. beastly & barbarous in all his doinges, these were the causes that made Kenas glad of his death, Machias the free man of Agrippa, bringinge y ^e firste newes to Agrippa of Tiberius death, hee declared the deathe of the Emperour Tiberius, speakinge this in the He­brew tongue: Mortuus est inquit Leo, the Lion is dead. For Agrippa was put in prison of Tiberius, Caius enioyinge the kingdome extolled to greate honour Agrippa. Before his [Page] deathe diuerse thinges happened, as an earthquake whiche swallowed vp the Tower of Pharus, wyth manye other like thinges: As concerninge his deathe some thincke that Caius poysoned him, some saye one waye, some another, hee dyed in villa Luciana, in the seuenty & eight yeare of his age, y ^e whole time of his gouernmente was three and twentye yeares, hee dyed in the seuentene of the kalendes of Aprill: Caius Asero­nius proculus, and Caius portius niger beinge Consulles.

In the xvii. yere of his raigne Christ our Sauiour was cru­cifyed of y ^e Iewes. His death shewed what good hartes y ^e peo­ple bare to him, some cryed throw him into the floude Tiber, many thought the earth vnmete to receyue his bodye, in such sorte are wicked Princes loued, theyr life ceassinge, thē spake they freely which before his crueltye had couched in sylence, Euill life. his ende was as his life beastly in all infamye, the earth vnmeete to receiue a nature and bodye so monste­rous. Vnto Rome was hee broughte, and there ended the funerall Exequies with ioye, whose crueltye all men had felt, and whose beastly life al honest natures abhorred. This was the ende of Tiberius. (⸫)

Caius Caligula.

CAius Caligula raigned foure yeres, this Ca­ligula was the sonne of noble Germanicus, Germanicus. the father was not so vertuouslye inclined as his sonne Caligula to al wicked rapted: great be the commendations of his father Germa­nicus, whose death was procured by the Em­perour, and by Cneius Piso, which Piso had the gouernmēt of Syria vnder Tiberius, Piso. this Germanicus was made by the wyll of Octauius, to succede in the Empyre as Tiberius did. In fortunate estate had Rome beene in, if Germanicus after the death of Octauius had preuented Tiberius, so it came to passe that Caligula succeaded Germanicus, his father beinge dead, this name Caligula was geuen him of the mē of warre, the mother of Caligula to allure the loue of the people would sometime shewe him to the armye, this Caligula followinge the like steppes of Tiberius was entirely beloued of all men before he was Emperour, but in the gouernment hee was so wicked, that not without desarte the fame of him wente, that in Rome there came neuer such a tyrant. A sodaine chaunge. Caligula was borne the daye before the kalendes of September, his father Ger­manicus, and Caius fonteius Capito beinge Consulles.

When he came to age he maryed Iunia Claudilla the daugh­ter of Marcus Sillanus a noble man, Iunia Clau­dilla. this Iunia Claudilla dy­inge in childbed, he did allure to vnlawfull lust Enia Neuia y ^e wyfe of Macron promisinge her mariage, if hee obtayned the Empyre which after he came to enioye, Pride. pride gate such mai­strye [Page] ouer him, that one title or name of dignitye contented him not, but he would be called Pius Caesar, Castrorum fili­us, pater excercituū & optimus maximus Caesar. Nowe he beganne to challenge honour, Lacke of knowledge. not as a man but as a God, for the which cause hee commaunded certaine of his Gods to be brought oute of Greece as Iupiter and Olimpicus, whose crowne beinge taken from the head, he put it on his, & would place himselfe betweene his Gods to be honoured as a God, he caused a Temple proper to his Godheade, Pride. to be erected & Priestes to honour him, & also meete sacrifices to be offered, the Image was apparelled in y ^e Temple as he went himselfe, he would seeme also to talke with Iupiter y ^e God, be defamed his mother, and cruelly vsed himselfe and beastlye, this Cali­gula deflowred three of his owne sisters, followinge therein the like fashions in apparell of Iupiter, Iupiter. whom he followed in apparell, Bacchus. and somtime he went like dronken Baccus, vsinge Baccus dronken and beastlye daunce. This Caligula was so wicked his beastlye life in all pointes considered, that the Hi­storiographers haue beene in doubte whether it were best to leaue anye memorye of him. But seinge it is profitable to the posterity of all ages followinge, Why wicked Prīces ought to be Chroni­cled. y ^t they by Chronicles might know the life, maners, and conditions of Princes and gouer­nours. For wicked Princes knowinge theyr wicked life to be in perpetuall memorye, after what sort soeuer it be, they will thereby be afrayde and leade their life more vprightlye and vertuously, least theyr filthy body dead in graue, should leaue like fame to brute theyr worthines. This Caligula was the first Emperour that put on his head a Crowne or Diademe, The Crowne first vsed. and cōmaūded himselfe to be called Lord, to entreate at large his beastly life, it were not onlye [...]ediouse to scyte, but a mat­ter to filthye for anye, to thincke that anye Prince had spente his dayes in such beastlynes, Beastlines. not vnlike to vnreasonable crea­tures, who as they be ledde by nature, so they obeye vnto na­ture, Murther. besydes this, horrible was his murthers as the Chro­nicles do shewe at large: As Suetonius Tranquillus recor­deth, suche was his crueltye that hee woulde compell the parentes to be presente at the tormentes of theyr children, [Page 32] hee burned the Poete Attalina, for a Verse which hee suppo­sed priuilye did not his follye. Attalina. A certaine knighte of Rome at his commaundemente being caste to cruell beastes to be deuoured, (who in his tormente cryinge oute to dye an inno­cente) hee caused him to be broughte to his presence, whose tongue beinge cutte oute commaunded hym agayne to be throwne to the beastes.

A certayne man beinge called home from banishmente was demaunded of Caligula howe he passed his time in exile? (hee aunsweared with flatterye,) my prayer was alwayes to the Gods, Adulatiō re­warded with death. (that as it happened in deede) Tiberius your pre­decessor mighte dye, and you to raigne after him, Caligula ponderinge that his banished menne mighte wishe in theyr prayers the like ende to him, sente therefore into all the I­lands where vnto they were banished, that euery one of them mighte be murthered, of infinite murthers, these are a fewe to shewe his cruelty, as he herefte them of theyr liues, so hee spoyled other of goodes and landes. This was one thinge that might shewe his crueltye, that to his mother or aunte he would commonly say: Tam bona cernix simul ac iussero de­metur. Crueltye. Your neckes are at my pleasure be they neuer so fayre. As he passed in beastly crueltye, so also he laboured and ende­uored to extinguishe learninge, for the woorkes of Homer were by him quighte abolished, defendinge himselfe by the Bookes of Plato intreatinge of a perfitte common wealthe, Tyrants hate learninge. who expelled Poetes, Virgill the famous Poet, and Titus Liuius a notable Historiographer, were throughe the con­tempte of the wicked Emperoure almost throwen oute of all Liberaries, Virgil. Virgill hee regarde not, sayinge that he was of no witte and lesse learninge, Liuie. & Liuie because he was tedious and not circumspecte in his Histories. This Caligula also vn­der an outward pretence of right sought to abolishe all lawes and monumentes thereof sayinge: Se effectū ne quid re­pondere possunt leges preter equum, that hee woulde re­dresse lawes and that they should pronounce nothinge but righte, yet hee soughte by all meanes to extinguishe lear­ninge, these thinges are but a parte to shewe oute of infinite, [Page] his abhomination, crueltye, dispisinge of God, and contempt of man, many wonderfull tokens wente before his deathe, to shewe his ende, a certaine experte man in the Mathematicall sciences did foreshewe vnto him his violente death to be pro­cured, hee was warned of one who would slea him: whom for feare he put to death, but by another Caligula his death was wrought, The dreame of Caligula. the daye before he dyed Caligula dreamed, that hee stode in Heauen before the throne of Iupiter, and with Iupi­ters right toe was throwen downe to the earth, Caligula was but xxiii. yeares of age when he dyed, Caligula. his gouer [...]emente con­tinued but three yeares and tenne mouethes, some write .iiii. yeares, hee was killed by one Kyria and Sabinus with other moe, who strake him with thirtye woundes, some thrust theyr weapons throughe his priuie members: In the house where hee dyed no night passed withoute terrible sighes, vntill suche time as fyer had consumed it. (⸫)

Claudius Tiberius the sonne of Drusus.

CLaudius Tiberius the sonne of Drusus, was borne in the Kalendes of Auguste at Lugdu­num a Cittye in Fraunce, in the countrye of Aquitania, y ^e same day there was an Aulter (as theyr olde maner of superstition was) e­rected to Augustꝰ: at which time Iulius An­tonius, and Fabius Africanus were Consulles, hee was cal­led Tiberius Claudius Drusus, this Claudius was brother to Tiberius the Emperour before Caligula, this Claudius was also vncle to Caligula by the fathers syde, hee raigned foure­tene yeares, Claudius Ti­berius. by nature he was vexed with many infirmityes, alwayes disseased of bodye, and ill affected in minde, and as it should seeme, the disposition of his minde following y ^e frame of his diseased body, his wit was such that he was more meete in fielde to be a sheepehearde, then in place to gouerne: cer­taine it is as Histories do note, that when this Claudius Ti­berius was bruted to be placed in the seate of the Empyre, his sister sayde: Detestata sum tam iniquam populi Roma­ni sortem. I detest (sayth shee) such abhominable and wicked state to fall on Rome, Claudius Ti­berius. his mother was also wont to call him: Portentum hominis, nec absolutum, à natura tantū incho­atum: That is, a wonder and monsterous thinge in respecte of a man, whom nature had not finished perfectly, but left vn­perfecte: who if at any time shee had reproued any for follye, Claudius. she would saye he was as folishe as Claudius her sonne.

[Page] Octauius also wrytinge diuerse Epistles to Liuia his wife, noted much his follye, none there were that hoped any good­nes of him, and yet he was broughte vp in learninge, but ney­ther anye education, feare, nor the teacher, coulde enter into such a monsterous nature, and so vntoward a parson, to plant in him vertue, knowledge or excellencye, a maruaylous mat­ter that such a one in whom neither vertue nor any excellente quallitye, whom nature had framed with conditions monste­rous, whom his owne kinne (for vntowardnes and wicked disposition) dispysed and contempned to enioye such dignitye, Man purpo­seth, God on­ly disposeth. but such is oftentimes the estate of kingdomes and Empyres that they discende as other possessions and landes do to fortu­nate fooles. Rome. Rome hath smarted by folishe Princes, and by such also as after good education haue applyed themselues to practise mischeues, The estate of kingdomes. by such the frailty of kingdomes and mu­table estate is knowen, he raiseth the foole to beare Scepter, not alwayes the wise, he huffeth to the like estate. Ab armen­to, a gregario milite, a compedibus, ab horto, that is, from the droue, as Galerius Armentarius, from a base and meane souldiour, as Mauricius and Phocas, frō a Gardeners sonne, as Probus, so the estate of kingdomes in time to come is vn­knowen, The estate of kingdomes in succession. when personnes so vnlikely, so base for dignitye, are aduaunced to beare Scepter, and to haue Dominion, ouer kingdomes. The secrete prouidence of God reserueth ma­ny times vnknowen persons, and suche as in respect of other, the worlde contemneth to do mightye thinges, this mightye Empyre of Rome, The proui­dence of God in kingdomes caughte to rule them a Prince vnmanlye, withoute courage or wysedome, who was placed to gouerne in the Empyre beinge fiftye yeares of age, and for xiiii. yeares space bare Dominion: who for feare at the first hidinge him­selfe was brought forthe by certaine of the souldiours and sa­luted Emperour, for in those dayes the Senatours were by force compelled to stande to theyr election and choise, suche a broyle theyr warrelike stomackes raysed, and theyr stoute courages moued, Forced elec­tion. not by reason ledde, not by counsayle, not by good perswasions, but rashly placinge whom they wilful­lye allowed, as it doth appeare by manye Emperours, who [Page 34] were in the like sorte chosen, who manye times as they were by theyr wilfull heades created to such estate and dignitye, so likewise sodenly displaced, many treasons also were wrought against this Emperour Claudius. For Gallus, Asininꝰ, Sta­ti [...]ius, Coruinus with other moued seditiouslye against him. Rome also was infected with ciuill warre by Furius Camil­lus, and Scribonius an Embassadour of Dalmacia: but with­in the space of fiue dayes they were repressed, this Emperour beinge very yonge was espoused to Emilia Lepida: Emilia Lepi­da. Hee was also betrothed to Liuia Medullina, hee made a deuorce from Emilia Lepida, Liuia Me­dullina. Liuia Medullina dyed on the mariage daye: After this he maryed Plausia Herculanilla, and beinge wee­ry of her, Plausia Her­culanilla. he maryed Elia Petina, none of these two liked him, for both were deuorced from him, Elia petina. Petina vppon light occasi­on was deuorced, but Herculanilla for her spotted life towar­des him who was suspected to woorke the destruction of his life, was put from him, after all these hee maryed wyth like vnfortunate estate Valeria Messalina, Messalina. by her in myserable estate was the Romaine Empyre. In the dayes of this Mes­salina, although so folishe a Prince, suche a meacocke, suche a coward of stomake, for want of wit so folishe, for knowledge, so ignorantlye gouerned, yet wanted hee not crueltye, moued thereto by Messalina and other, Messalina. who ruled him: all abhomi­nation, whoredome, bloudsheding, iniuryes, toke place by his follye: The Courte of Tiberius. his wyfe Messalina made his courte and Pallace a place of baudrye, of all vncleanes, the wyfe and seruauntes, ruled to theyr pleasure, profite, and aduauncement: no time hath sheewed the like beastlye behauiour, as in the dayes of this Emperour: his euill officers were not withoute cause glad that theyr chiefe Prince, and gouernour wanted stoute courage to beare the stroke & swaye in gouernmente, he wan­ted wysedome, learninge and knowledge: for in a Prince, stoutnes▪ and valiant stomacke are necessarye to commaunde in, els the multitude lacketh obediēce, and the life, maners, & conditions are dissolute of them, a Prince muste be both fea­red and loued, Feare. workinge with equitye and iudgemente: It was right well to be thought, Loue. that this Emperour Tiberius [Page] folishe and hauinge no regarde of the common wealthe: that his officers whom he put in office vnder him woulde yll go­uerne the Romaine Empyre with vertue and godlynes, but rarely, or neuer it happeneth in a Region, Countrye, or com­mon wealthe to be sincerely gouerned where y ^e Prince is not worthely instructed of himselfe, nor inclined by nature or stu­dye, to wisedome, godly pollicies, & coūsayle. Theyr subiects wilbe as Princes to rayse vnto themselues peculiar profite, priuate aduauncement, segniorye, & encrease of reuenewes, they wyshe a continuance of such estate, wherein they with all securitye may enriche themselues, such were the officers vn­der Claudius Drusus: Felix. as Polibus, Felix, Possideus, and Pal­las, Felix who was made liefetenaunte and chiefe Captayne ouer his Legions. Possideus. Possideus his eunuche was in hye repu­tacion with him, as one that was chiefe partaker of his victo­ris: Polubus. Polubus was placed in the middest of his Consulles, but Narcissus passed them all, Narcissus. who was this Emperours Secre­torye, for he was maister ouer his Lord. Pallas. Pallas puffed with pride, by sumptuous apparell whiche hee woare by his office beinge Pretor, was made so riche that hee made his Lorde a pore Emperour, whervppon a rumor commonlye wente on him, and as it were a nippinge taunte that Claudius Tiberi­us coulde not want treasure, if he mighte be receiued into the societye of his officers.

And now as concerninge Messalina, Messalina. who was so beastlye that she vsed her adulterous lust openlye, for the which abho­minable facte many good men withdrewe themselues, from thence and therefore they were murthered. Messalina kin­deled with greater crueltye did allure by force noble women of Rome, that were maryed, and maydens who by her wyll and commaundement were apparelled and tyred as harlots, and were constrayned to do that which nature abhorreth, & shamefastnes closeth in sylence to vtter, if it so happen that a­ny good man or well affected matrone did abhorre and detest that villanye, The beastlye life of Messa­lina. a cryme was forged and crueltye was sheewed without mercye vppon theyr familye, wyfe and goodes.

Messalina rulinge Tiberius thought that she mighte so con­tinue [Page 35] rulinge him: but Tiberius knowinge her follye mur­thered her, hee made a promise, vppon protestation (because so greate was his misfortune by mariage) to remaine in sin­gle life, who if he should mary at anye time woulde not refuse to dye at theyr handes, but that continued not, for he was im­mediatlye allured with the loue of Petina. Petina. Lollia Paul­ina wonne also his loue, Lollia Pauli­na. but with these he maryed not. Agrippi­na wonne his fauoure to marrye with him, thoughe against the consent of the Senate, incest marryages were permitted by him, because he might the more quietlye enioye her whom manye denyed, these were his children whiche hee had by his thre wyues: Drusus. Of Herculanilla he begat Drusus and Claudia, Claudia. of Petina hee begat Anthonia, Anthonia. of Messalina hee begat Octa­uia, whiche Octauia was after marryed to Nero sonne to A­grippina his stepsonne. Octauia. In the ende of his life by reason of his vexatiō in sickenes he was minded many times to slea him selfe. The qualites of Tiberius. He was riotous and geuen to all excesse in banke [...]inge, litle sleape sufficed him, verye studious in dyceplayinge, and so excellinge in the same, that he made a Booke of that arte, which dyceplaye came first from the inuention of the idle Ly­dians. Dyce playe. This Tiberius was cruell by nature, bloudye in all his doinges, so fearefull that hee woulde assaye to goe to no place but he would sende forth spyes to searche and viewe the place, Mistrust in tyrantes. they also whiche wayted on him were as souldiours in the fielde armed, such was his feare, lighte of credite, where­by manye were murthered by him, full of forgetfulnes, euen towarde those that he murthered, forgettinge what hee had commaunded to be done of theym, as of Messalina beinge slayne through forgetfulnes after death hee asked for her, Forgetful­nes. as he did the like of manye other.

This Tiberius was well broughte vp in learning, who in no parte framed himselfe to do what good education did nurter him in, hee repented him at the last of the maryage of Agrip­pina hauinge no sonne by her, hee repented that hee made Nero his adopted sonne, longe after as it shoulde seeme ha­uinge a foreshewe of death, Repentance. hee made his Testamente: before hee finished other thinges which hee determined, for Agrip­pina [Page] his wyfe preuented him wyth poyson, but his death was not knowen vntill such time as Nero the sonne of Agrippina was knowen to succede, he dyed in the thirde Ides of Octo­ber, Afinius Marcellus, Aulius Auiola beinge Consulles, when hee was threescore and fower yeares of age, the fouretene yeare of his raigne. A blasinge starre ap­peared before his death, and diuers other thinges happened, and of all estates at that time ma­nye dyed aswell of noble peares, as of other. (⸫)

Domitius Nero.

DOmitius Nero was the sonne of Domitius E­nobarbus, Agrippina was his mothers name, Agrippina. whiche Agrippina was the wyfe of Claudius Tiberius Drusus the Emperour before whom shee poysoned, and murthered his children, to make this Nero Emperour. This Nero was borne ix. mo­nethes before Tiberius dyed, in the xviii. of the kalendes of Ianuarye, euen at the sonne rysinge. As concerninge his byrth straunge it was, that whereas Nero beinge borne, ma­nye with frendly gretinges reioysed and saluted his father, but Enobarbus sayde: Neque quidquam ex se & Agrippi­na [Page 36] nasci potuisse nisi detestabile, & malo publico. Nothing surely cold be borne of him and of Agrippina, A prophesye▪ vppon Nero but that which is detestable, and a decaye of a publike wealth, an ill Prophe­sye of y ^e father vppon his owne sonne, but afterwardes Rome felt him, Detestabile, & malo publico, both detestable and a destroyer of the common wealth. Straunge thinges hap­pen of Princes both in theyr byrth and death, Why strange thinges hap­pen in the birth & deathe of Princes. and not without cause seinge that on them mightye Regions depende, and as they gouerne, so the frame sometime of a whole world is ru­led, God not without cause in them alone by straunge signes and by diuers wonders, foresheweth eyther maruailous suc­cesse or monsterous enterprises, and therefore by good reason the good Prince aboue all other, The good Prince. is behelde and loked at, as a perfecte myrrour and similitude of God, as by maners so by estate, on the earthe as a God rulinge. The wicked Prince thoughe in like estate gouerninge, The wicked prince. yet his maners the contra­ry do worke, and contrary successe pulleth downe his estate, ouerwhelmeth his kingdome, good thinges alwayes fore­shew of good Princes, of their race, of theyr gouernment and of an happye continuinge estate, monstrous are those whiche are foresheewed of monstrous Princes, A foreshew for Princes. as the Chronicles do shewe at large of many. This Claudius Nero the eleuenth yeare of his age, was made adoptiue sonne to Claudius, and at the same instante geeuen ouer to Annius Seneca, Annius Se­neca. whoe was a Senator both wyse and graue, singularlye learned, whose excellent Tragedies for worthye argumente, and sen­tence, do excell. It is sayde of Lactantius Firmianus, that Paule the holy Apostle wrote to learned Seneca as concer­ninge Nero, Paule. the first night that he was geeuen ouer to the tui­cion of Seneca. Seneca y ^e sa [...]e night by a vysion in a dreame sawe that Nero did seeme in wordes to cōmaunde the Empe­rour: Nero. wherein he noted his beastly behauior in time to come. Seneca bestowed much care and diligence to frame so monste­rous a nature into an excellent parsō worthy to rule, Seneca. but edu­catiō toke small effecte in him, whē opportunitye was geuen that his nature might shewe frelye what hee was, for a king­dome beinge a free estate, geueth many occasions vnto y ^e wan­ton [Page] & dissolute natures to followe theyr inclynation, though otherwise y ^e godly, by theyr tutors education do alter & turne theyr lewde affection. Certaine Chroniclers do write that as concerninge the gouermente of Nero for fiue yeares space, he excelled in all vertues. Traianus. Traianus a godlye Emperour after Nero, was wont to saye: that there was no Prince like in go­uernment to Nero for fiue yeares space, a lamentable case y ^t a Prince for gouernmente famous, Nero. for life vertuous, and well learned, that so sone in fiue yeres space, both vertue & godlye lyfe shoulde cease in him, and horrible vices to raigne in theyr places, and whereas before he was a light to all Princes for his gouernment, now a life most beastlye chaungeth him frō a worthye man, Why Princes ought to liue warelye. to a brutishe beaste, from a Prince and chiefe gouernour, to a bondslaue, daungerous is that estate and full of perill wherein dignitye shall so exalte that, excepte the go­uernor daily do liue warely and circumspectly, obliuion will sone cast him downe from knowledge of himselfe: Such is y ^e brittle estate of kingdomes. All kindes of villanye and cru­eltye hee exercised, Nero. Tauernes and quaffinge houses was hys delighte to haunte, and also to vse lighte companye, murthe­ringe as many as happened to meete him, beinge armed with his beastly follye, and beinge thereby in perill of his life day­lye, his follye so encreased, and his beastlye life, that he raui­shed Ruberia a certaine mayde professing chastitye to Vesta. Ruberia. He would haue maryed Acten who was made of a bonde wo­man a free, Acten. and also would haue forced certaine Senators by othe to foreswere them selues, and to say that she was discen­ded of a kings bloud, but that would not be. Against nature he would haue framed Sporus his eunuche out of kinde to be a woman, Sporus. and would haue maryed him, wherevppon this ru­mor went, It had bene better with the estate of Rome, if his father Domitius had had suche a wyfe, meaninge that then this wicked and beastly Noro had neuer bene borne, be deflied his owne mother hauinge no consideration of his owne kin­dred neither respecte of any other, Nero. in continuance hee grewe so full of follye, that he himselfe as Sardanapalus was wonte to do that voluptuous Prince of Thassirians, was tyred as [Page 37] Virgins are when they marrye, and for that cause he called the assemble of y ^e Senate, who as it seemed durst do no other, but geeue eare vnto his follye, and to seeme contente there­with, by holdinge theyr peace, for therein they thought more wisedome to kepe secrete & as to seeme not to know the great follye of so beastly a Prince with whom, godly counsayle and profitable perswasions could nothinge availe: Tyrantes. Besydes this he added more beastlines, he vsed to cladde himselfe with the skinne of a beast, and beastly did vse that, Nero. which nature remo­ueth from sighte, and as he defiled himselfe with his mother Agrippina, so he killed her immediatlye, & euen as Clytem­nestra murtheringe her husbande, was murthered by her sonne Orestes, euen so Agrippina murthering Claudius her husbande, Bloudy end. was at the lengthe at the handes of Nero in like sort murthered, The secrete counsaile of God. so by one meanes or other God permitteth a­waye and rayseth vppe those whiche are leaste thoughte of to scourge y ^e wicked, he rewarded very vertuously his Schole­master Seneca beinge a Senator not for any desarte in trans­gressinge the Lawes of the Romaine Empyre, but because wyth chastisemente and correction while age and tyme suffe­red he did force him to learninge and vertuous life, Nero. but now he sheeweth what a cruell hart, what beastlye conditions his childishe body harboured, that which the feare of the rodde, the awe of Scholemaster repressed, nowe the free state of life setteth out in him at large and pictureth him in his owne na­ture & proper conditions, Seneca. y ^e reward of Seneca must be death, because he taught him vertue, and hee loued vyce: wherevp­pon Seneca finding so cruel a iudge, desyered his owne death, who dyed in a bathe, his vaynes beinge cutte: his death was easye thoughe the iudgement cruell, no doubt but that Sene­ca made longe protestation, of his trauaile and diligence be­stowed in the education of him: for the whiche rather there was cause of aduauncement to honour in Seneca, Nero. then so cru­ell a sentence to procede from so bloudy a tyrante. No estate of life is so necessary, no state for worthynes so profitable, The state of the Schole­master. to all partes of the common wealth as the state of the Schole­master is, he beinge of good life and well learned, for euen as [Page] good education was the first cause that made brutishe people cyuill, the fierce, meeke, the foolishe wyse, the ignorante lear­ned. Education. Euen so continually the same education preserueth men in that good estate to knowe God, to learne wisedome, and to excell in all excellencye of arte, where otherwyse it could not but followe, that the posteritye woulde be as brutishe in time to come, as that these ornamentes and giftes of God had ne­uer bene: Learninge. For by learninge, the Prince himselfe, his nobles & pieres do knowe God, and in theyr estate are taught to rule y ^e populous, rashe, and heedelesse multitude to obeye, onlye by learninge pollitike lawes, Learninge. godlye gouernmente, wyse & sage counsaylours are made: and yet of all estates moste thancke­lesse is that office, least accepted and commonlye iniuriouslye rewarded. There was no vyce to be named that he wanted, as he was lasciuioūs so he was prodigall, hauinge no medio­critie in his expences, Caius. he praysed therefore his vncle Caius in that he had riotouslye spent the innumerable treasures of Ti­berius the Emperour in so short space. As hee was straunge and sumptuous in his apparel, for he neuer vsed to weare one garment twyse, Prodigalite. so manye other thinges also be receyued of his prodigalitye: More thinges of his murthers, and also of his beastlye pleasures, which to recite woulde be to tedious, some also of his maners, it is better to couer with sylence, thē to make manifest to all men by wrytinge. Nero. Domitius Nero maryed two wyues besides Octauia, one was called Poppea Sabina, and also Statilia Messalina who had murthered their husbandes, Murther. and them also at lengthe he murthered, and suche as were of his kinred he also slewe, his insolencye was suche, that no meane obserued, no estate spared, but whom beastlye Iust affected, Tyrannye. them he spoyled of life: He burned also (through follye with his owne handes) many houses and streates of the Cittie of Rome, sayinge the fashion of the houses and the by lanes lyked him not, many thinges were written in lattine & Greeke, and openlye set forth of him in these wordes:

Nero alter orestes, Nero. matricida, nouus sponsus. Nero propri­am matrem occidit. With many other thinges. At the same time a Comette or blasinge starre appeared, the which Nero [Page 38] beinge not ignorante of, what it commonly did foreshew, fea­red his owne estate mistrusted his owne life, A Comete. for as Pontanus wryteth. Ventorum quoque certa dabunt tibi signa, cometae, illae etiam belli motus fera (que) arma minantur, mag­norum & clades populorum, & funera regum, aquarū sig­nificāt penuriam. Comets (sayth he) do geue certaine sig­nes of stormye wyndes, cruell and bloudye warres, a slaugh­ter of people, death of kinges, and scarsitye of water.

Lucan writinge of the warres of Pompeie and Caesar, Comets. shee­weth in Verse that Comets, Sunt magnorum Regum fata­lia signa: Comets (sayth hee) be the deadlye signes of Kin­ges, for immediatlye after they were seene, Pompeie dyed, and Caesar dyed, and the most of the nobility of Rome, as the Historyes of those times do note. Of late dayes after y ^e death of Edward the sixte, in the first yeare of the raigne of Queene Marye, a blasinge starre appeared, but what terrible things hath followed, what chaunge of kingdomes, and what death of Princes? Comets. two Emperours haue dyed since, Fraunce loste two kinges, many other Regions had by death lacke of their Princes, what plagues besides hath happened in other Re­gions, what bloudshed by deadlye hatred of ambitious Prin­ces? As concerninge the blasinge starre, Nero seekinge to put the mischiefe from himselfe, as sone as he learned of one Babilus (beinge experte in Astrologye) that these Comets did signifye the lamentable estate of some Princes, Babilus. he there­vppon put to deathe the mightiest and the moste noblest in the Romaine Empyre, Man purpo­seth and God disposeth. but his pollicyes preuented not deathe, for immediatlye after, his lamentable life caught a lamenta­ble death. After that Nero had raigned xiiii. yeares through his ill gouernment he was neglected, the fauour of people de­clyned from him, Vertue. as vertue kindeleth l [...]ue, so vice moueth ha­tred, Vice. the prouince of Fraunce fell from him, and many other Regions: it was also foreshewed by the Astronomers, that Nero should cease shortly from his estate. Immediatlye vp­pon that Spayne shranke from him and theyr Captaine Gal­ba was vsurpinge: Galba. Which thinge as sone as Nero hearde of, as a mad man depriued of witte and sences, rentinge his clo­thes, [Page] beatinge himselfe sayd: that he was vndone, whose la­mentable estate manye did seeke to ease by comfortable per­swasions: sayinge, this was no newe and straunge thinge, for y ^e like happeneth dailye to all Princes: but Nero aunswe­red the like happened to no Prince, for he lyuinge should lease his kingdome. For all this his bloudye harte ceased not to worke his pretenced mischiefe, he went about to poyson all y ^e Senate in bankets, Nero. to destroy by fyer the Cittie, and by cru­ell beastes to deuoure them. Night by night, hee was trou­bled with terrible dreames, A dreame. in a vision it seemed to him that he gouerninge a shippe, the tacle of it was taken from him by violence, and himselfe drawen of Octauia his wyfe whom hee murthered before into a darcke dungion, another time hee dreamed that he was couered with an infinite nomber of an­tes: and many other thinges besydes happened vnto him ter­rible both in vision and dreames, his estate afterwarde decli­ned, his power decayed, there was no frende to defende him, his beastly life, The feare of tyrantes. his bloudye slaughters vexed his conscience, which put him from all hope, often times he had in minde to flea himselfe, Galb [...] ▪ and hyde him for feare of Galba, who sought to displace him, what with feare and myserye and hunger this newe vnaccustomed life pearsed him, Myserye. so that hee was compel­led for thyrst to drincke the filthye puddle water, and sayde with lamentable voyce: An haec Neronis decocta, what is Nero come to this to eate of such brothe, he wāted his Prince­lye bedde, his cloake was his pallet, and strawe his pillowe. The Senate of Rome did determine that Nero shoulde be whipped to deathe with roddes, accordinge to the olde vsage of theyr auncestours, his necke yoaked with a forke. Nero se­inge himselfe forsaken of all his frendes, at midnighte depar­ted out of the Cittie, Ephannius & Epaphroditus waytinge on him, with Neophitus and Sporus. This was the ende of Nero, tremblinge he thrust himselfe through with his owne sworde, his wicked man Sporus did thruste for warde his sha­kinge hande, and beinge not all deade a chiefe Captayne of Galba comminge to him fayninge by wordes to haue come to helpe him sayde: The sayinge of Nero. Sero, & haec est fides: to late (sayth Nero) [Page 39] who shoulde a man trust? meaninge by Galba who hauinge the chiefe gouernment vnder him did shrincke from him, and so he dyed hauinge his funerall without any pompe: when he was but a childe, hee was excellentlye trayned vp in all lear­ninge, a good Poete but euillye he vsed the same, being a wic­ked Prince was desirous of fame in tytlinge his name to ma­nye things. Neronius. He called the moneth of Aprill Neronius: Rome also hee woulde haue called Neropolis, that is, the Cittie of Nero, as at this daye Constantinople is called by the name of Constantine Emperoure, whiche is as muche to saye in Greeke as the cittye of Constantyne. Hee was withoute all Religion and feare of God, The first par­secution of y ^e Christians. tormentinge cruellye the Chris­tians, puttinge there to death Peter and Paule. He dyed the xxxii. yeare of his age the same daye that hee murthered sometime his wyfe Octauia, but Vologesus the kinge of the Parthians as it seemeth, Vologesus. loued him in his life, when as in death he had more care of him then the Romaines, with whō he gouerned: He sente Embassadours desyringe lysence to e­recte to him a monumente, but all countreyes and pro­uinces that were in the iurisdiction of the Romaine Empyre, did so much reioyse of this wicked Nero his deathe, that they all did put on theyr top­pinge tanke hattes, The death of Nero. (which bonde men do vse to weare when they be set at liberty) and so they triumphed of his death beinge deliuered from so wic­ked a tyraunte. (⸫)

THis Sergius Galba descended from the noble house of the Sulpitians, who raig­ned but seuen monethes and seuē dayes, Ambition. beinge of no aliance or kindred vnto Ne­ro, but commonlye as couragious sto­mackes ambitiously minded, do alwayes by diuers perswasions moue, & procure to subuert the estate of the lawfull Prince: Euen so the wic­ked Galba not content with his estate, not by vertue, or good consideration, was moued to seeke innouation and change of this estate in Nero, but was wickedlye also in hart disposed, of life also beastly, and sought as wicked men do, to catche to himselfe an estate more mightye, to a name more glorious, & to haue a tytle of greater worthynes, but sone his estate and title fell who so vniustlye for ambition sake and degree of ho­nour displaced his maister and Emperour Nero: Ambition. Ambitious heades are beaten with stormye blastes, they liue and dye vngloriouslye that subuerte the estate of anye Prince, yea thoughe it be of the most wicked, neyther haue they securitye of estate, The ende of ambitious heades. or continuance that by false meanes and bloudy fac­tes do ascende to honour: who so readeth the whole Chroni­cles, euen from the beginninge of Thassyrian Empyre, let him note the Persian kingdomes, and reade of the Greekes, and so ende with the Romaynes: way also the Chronicles of other Princes and estates of time: And this shalbe founde a truthe, a historye moste certaine: Waye the Chronicles of [Page 40] Fraunce from Faramundus the first kinge, Carolus Cal­uus. to Carolus Cal­uus, from Carolus Caluus to Pipinus, from Pipinus to these dayes: Brutus. Cōsider also our noble Island of Britaine, from Bru­tus to Cadwallader, note the estate of the Saxon Princes euē to these dayes, Ambition. and you shall finde y ^e like successe of kingdome, the like estate of Princes, and fall of ambitious heades.

Sergius Galba in like sort framed the kingdome to himselfe, & so in like wyse ended it: Galba succeded Nero descendinge of a noble house and was borne, Marcus Valerius Messala, and Gneius Lentulus beinge Consulles, in the ix. kalendes of Ia­nuary neare to Terrachina, hee was made the adoptiue sonne to his stepmother, & was called by the name of Liuius, which name he kept vntill he became Emperour, and he was called Lucius for Sergius, Lucius. it is sayd that Augustus the Emperour, ( Sergius beinge but a childe, in the companye of other chil­dren) saluted him, Augustus takinge him by the cheeke said: Et tu fili imperio nostro cresce, A Prophesy. And thou sonne growe vppe to rule this kingdome, the which thinge Augustus knewe by this meanes: The graunde father of Sergius in a greate tem­pest of lightninge, as his office was in sacrifice, makinge ex­piation: an Eagle flewe vnto him and caughte the sacrafice from his handes, and caryed it to an oake. Talke then wente: Summum sed serum imperium portendi familiae sue: That is, the Empyre should fall to some one y ^t shall discende of his familye or noble house though longe after: his graund father smylinge sayd: Mules. Cum mula pepererit: That is, when a Mule shall haue a foale: meaninge thereby neuer: As Aristotle & Plinne, both shew causes that by naturall course, barrennes is founde to be in them: but the Chronicles do shewe diuerse times the contrarye, but in maner of a wonder. For Hero­dotus sheweth that at the same time, Cyrus. when Cyrus the kinge of the Persians did winne the mighty Cittye Babilon, a mule broughte forthe a foale: At suche times as wonders be fore­shewed, beastes haue broughte forthe creatures of contrarye kinde, as at the destruction of Hierusalem many like strange thinges appeared, a sheepe to bringe forthe a calfe, not so straunge then a Mule a foale, though commonlye nature de­nyeth [Page] it. Arcadia. Yet Theophrastus affyrmeth that in Arcadia Mu­les commonly haue theyr foales. Galba bearing in minde the Eagles flight, Fonde Pro­phesyes a­monge the Romaynes. and the aunswere of his graundfather, did the more bodlye assaye that enterprise, because hee doubted not of the enterpretation of that wonder. In the ende it happe­ned that Galba aspyred to the Empyre, his education was sin­guler, in all liberall artes and sciences very studious, especi­allye in the ciuil lawe. As sone as hee came to age and rype to mariage, Lepida. he toke to him Lepida, which Lepida dyinge and leauinge to Galba two children, he remayned the reste of his life without mariage, as concerning what degree & estate he passed in Rome by office it were tedious to scite: but nothing was done of him before he came to be Emperour, but y ^e equi­ty, Ambition ro­teth out ver­tue. iustice, clemēcy, vpright dealing maistered his affections: He ruled Affrica and Aquitania, Germany also by his office obeyed him, & noble fame by worthines then bruted him: but afterward these thinges ceased in him: for wysedome follye, for vertue vice, for famous actes, ignomye, longe hee ruled not, and many things happened which foreshewed his death. This Galba was accompted in life a glotton, geeuen ouer wholly to bellye cheare, to immoderate excesse of eating and drincking, to beastly life so excessiuelye to serue the bellye, as beastes, whom nature hath framed, to the earth onlye lyuing to eate, seruinge the bellye, obeyinge with luste and pleasure altogether the same. The Emperour Galba was ruled al­wayes in all thinges by the counsayle of three whom hee en­tyrelye beloued Iulius, Iulius Cor­nelius. Cornelius, and Celius, in so muche y ^t in his Pallace and all places els, Celius. these thre were called ( Gal­ba his scholemaisters) because as it seemeth hee woulde at­tempte nothinge without the counsaile and procuremente of them: No doubt but that the Empyye of Rome was in my­serable estate when the Emperour was ignorante, The happye gouernment in a wyse Prince. howe to beare Dominion and regimente: Sildome times they had fortunate successe in theyr enterprises, when the witte, polli­cye, counsaile, and sure affiance of the Emperour did depend vppon the wittie conueyance, and pollicy of his counsellours, who in his princelye affayres, ought to be inferiour to no coū ­sellour, [Page 41] in vertue, learninge, pollicye and counsaile. In our Englishe Chronicles it is most manifest in Henry the fift his dayes, Henrye the fifte. what fortunate successe hee had in his kingdome, with what conquest of other Realmes, how in glory and felicitye, hee triumphed against his ennemyes? the Scottes and the French men were ouerthrowne by him: theyr Realmes and Dominiōs spoyled: The wyse Prince. he beinge Crowned in Paris. This Hē ­ry had coūsaile, wisedome & pollicye in himselfe to atcheiue a­ny enterprise, he was a kinge ouer his people, & both dreaded and beloued, and also a counseller to his counsailours, of a Princelye harte, feared without bloudshed, wittelye & with a dreaded maiesty he aunswered theyr Embassages, they more desyrous of his absence then couetinge his presence, but then afterwarde in his sonnes dayes (which was Henry the sixte) who was a Prince of no courage, Henry the vi. of small pollicye, in coun­sayle to worke and conueye, his great enterprises wanted sto­make to commaunde: his domesticall gouernment was may­med at home, & for lacke of courage put out of his kingdome, throwne into the Tower and there ended his life. Henrye y ^e vii. Henry the seuenth a Prince of greate wysedome, in how great felicitye was his kingdome, the Prince himselfe endued with all coū ­sayle, whose breaste was full of knowledge: singularlye lear­ned, graue, constant in his doinges, that his enemyes feared him for his vertues, his subiectes loued him at home, in all Regions he was commended, and of al famous Princes wel liked. Henry y ^e viii. Henry the viii. deseruinge perpetuall fame of memo­rye to whom neyther Achilles, Galba, Epaminondas, ney­ther Sarpedon the mightye, neyther Caesar, nor Pompeie, for suche matters as he for the estate of his kingdome atchie­ued, Fraunce. might be compared: For as Fraunce recordeth his mar­tiall enterprises, Scotlande. so Scotlande hath not forgot his victoryes: hee in all partes directed his princely hart to vertuous vsage, and clemencye, with all bounteousnes rewarded theyr nobi­litye, bestowing vppon them Princely giftes, Scottes. and large pen­tions, but they falsely misused so royall a harte, like periured truse breakers, as witnesseth their kinge Iemye, whose bones lyeth here, King Iemy. a perpetuall memorye of the same: but sithens y ^t [Page] time manye like sleightes and false conueyances haue beene wroughte of the Scottes towards the Princes of this lande.

Kinge Iemye mighte well haue be contente with his owne lande, rather then periured of his sacrede othe and pro­mise of a Prince, The othe of a Prince. which ought to be inuiolable, in the absence of our noble gouernour to seeke innouatiō, to make an vprore and moue sedition, the Prince beinge absente: hee soughte to winne all, but he lost his life, he purchased hatred, perpetuall ignominye to himselfe and to his Realme, not thoughte wor­thye of buriall, A Scotishe Prophesye. his false Prophesye deceyued him, Ibis, redi­bis, non sed in bello peribis: His body beinge founde deade, a fayre Agathe of gold was founde about his necke with these wordes in lattine: Nulli seruire cupiat, qui sui dominus esse possit. He that maye be his owne man, and liue at his owne will, let him be a seruaunt to no man: A sentence meete for a Prince. And he that will liue of his owne, let him not [...]eeke vnlawfull meanes to spoyle from other. Galba. Galba likewise vn­iustlye seekinge, (being a subiecte) to put downe his maister Nero was at the length (rulinge but seuen monethes and se­uen dayes) murthered, great was his cōmendation for war­fare, if he had well vsed himselfe, great was his prayse in go­uernment before he was Emperour, wherevppon he coulde not so sone enter his pauilion or tente, but immediatly a voice was hearde commonly: Disce militare miles, hic est Galba, non Getulicus, learne to be a warriour, for this is valiante Galba not Getulicus whiche name was geuen to the laste Tiberius, Galba. who was a foolishe man withoute stomacke.

Galba had valiantnes and strength of bodye, but strengthe of bodye withoute wisedome, is as armor to a madde man, as Isocrates wryteth therof to kinge Demonicꝰ sildome times also valiantnes and wysedome are possessed in one bodye, for both Aiax and Hector wanted the wysedome of Vlisses, Wisedome. and the graue counsaile of Nestor: & so did Diomedes also, Sar­pedon the mighty, Valiantnes. Paris the beautifull, and lustye Troilus. Galba althoughe by nature he was framed to all excellencye in feates of warre, wysedome & pollicy, yet lacked he the dis­cretiō to gouerne, Galba. he was murthered at y ^e length at a certaine [Page 42] lake called Curcius, of his men of warre, who when they ranne vppon him violently, he said: Ego vester sum, vos mei, I am your gouernour, & you my people, but nothinge per­swaded them, certaine Germaynes full willinglye woulde haue holpen him, but they came to late, to whom as it seemeth he shewed himselfe a mercifull Prince. Galba being deade a certaine meane souldiour cut of his heade & brought it Otho who vsurped vppon Galba, and dyed afterwarde violentlye as Galba did, Of ambition the frutes. for he killed himselfe. Well, the head of Gal­ba beinge brought to Otho, he gaue it to his blacke guarde, who takinge it on a speare, caryed it about the Tentes with mockinge and spitefull woordes, makinge an exclamacion or shoute: Galba cupide fruaris etate tua. Galba well haue you wished longe life and well might you fare, whiche scoffe and tauntinge wordes rose herevppon, that he being praysed of a certaine man for his bodye being in well lykinge, & of goodly complexion, and though aged, yet lustye and full of strength: Galba made aunswere, thoughe I be well striken in age, yet strengthe fayleth me not. This he woulde speake in his life time. This Galba was of a goodlye sta­ture, bauld, his eyes somewhat grene of colour, houke nosed, his handes and feete croked by a longe ioynte sickenes, hee was seuentye and three yeares of age when he dyed, rulinge seuen monethes and seuen dayes. (⸫)

SIluius Otho, a man discended of noble bloude, and from the Princes of Hetru­ria, his graundfathers name was Marcus Siluius Otho, a knight of Rome, his mother was but of meane parentes, his fathers name was Lucius Otho, whose mother did lyneallye discende from aun­cestours of hye nobilitye, this Lucius Otho was not vnlike to Tiberius the Emperour, for manye by Phisiognomye and stature of bodye, affyrmed him to be y ^e sonne of Tiberius. Siluius Otho. This Siluius Otho, whom nowe I in­treate of as Emperoure succeaded Sergius Galba, not by right succession or by merite, whereby he could challenge any such thinge, neyther yet throughe any famous enterprise that might inflame the hartes of the wyse, and graue Senatours towards him, but by the rashe and brutishe fauoure of y ^e men of warre, who more by will, then by counsaile, more by rashe and vnaduised meanes, then by wittye perswasions, disposed that estate, not beinge meete for euery parson, nor for euerye one that is by bloude noble, since onlye the worthy in life, the parson renowmed by desarte of worthye fame meritethe to possesse and enioye, the Scepter, power, and aucthoritye of so highe an office. The seate of Princes. So thestate of kingdomes is tossed from the worthye to the vnworthye, from noble to base, from base to meane, & from meane returneth againe to noble: The childe enioyeth sometime not beinge rype of yeares, the throne and [Page 43] Scepter of the hore heared Prince, and greate and mightye thinges God suffereth to be compassed and wrought in suche weake bodies of witte, not rype for counsaile throughe theyr tender yeares, and wher as kingdomes haue fallen frō migh­tye Princes, vnto women, God hath so wrought for them, y ^t the puisante kinges in their gouernment haue dreaded them, yea large and mighty haue beene theyr victoryes, Women. their tytles famous, theyr name in perpetuall memory, so it is that where strength is not loked for, nor stomacke by force to cōmaunde, yet by the prouidence of God, alwayes the most mighty haue geuen place to the weake, & the furious & couragious Prin­ces haue bene at a becke, Alexander. ready to serue them, (except Alex­der.) Who euer entered so farre into India? who did more valiantlye in Ethiopia? Who with greater felicity hath as­sayed so great thinges? & for successe obtayned like victories? as Semiramis the wyfe of Ninus the first? Semiramis. who ruled xlii. yea­res after Ninus, beinge a woman, in the apparell of a man, causinge one kinde of attyre commonly to be vsed amonge all Thassyrians: and as it appeareth by many Histories of great antiquitye, no counsailour of Assyria passed her in pollicye, no meanes wāted in her to inuente, to assaye great and migh­tye thinges, and so greate, as that the posteritye followinge, did wonder of the same, and this present age as thinges most maruailous do behold them. Kingdome. What be kingdomes? of what force be the mighty Princes, where God geeueth not successe to theyr enterprises? Alexander. Alexander was farre inferiour for wisedome, for pollicye, for graue and profounde knowledge vnto Iulius Caesar, Iulius Caesar. to Augustus, to Hanniball, and Scipio: yet how inferiour were theyr actes, Augustus. the successe of their enter­prises, Hanniball. and tytle of conquest to Alexander? Darius the wise Prince of Persia to whom God had geuen wisedome and va­liantnes, Scipio. contemninge the yonge age of Alexander, Darius. by an E­pistle admonished him to leaue of his bragging toyes & chil­dish boastinges: thinking it a thinge impossible Alexāder to ouercome him, he made no accompt of Alexander, but in the ende he was content to geue a great part of his? Dominiō euē vnto the floude Euphrates, and his daughter to wyfe: but A­lexander [Page] refused the offer, seekinge to haue Darius seconde to him: in the ende Darius was put to flighte, his kingdome possessed of Alexander, his wife and children taken, & in flight he was murthered, Bessus. not of Alexāder, but of Bessus, who was chiefe vnder him: finallye his estate wholye thus did decline. As concerninge the Amazones, The Amaz [...] ­nes. howe farre stretched theyr kingdome? what mightye Citties builded they? and what great conflictes had they with Princes? and what ouerthro­wes did they geue them? And as they w ^t diuers others mar­uailouslye beyonde all expectacion haue rysen sodainlye vnto great fame, Man purpo­seth, God dis­poseth. Dominion and power, through the fall & ruine of other, whom God would not permit lenger to gouerne, e­uen so contrarye to the expectation of all men succeaded this Otho Siluius, a man farre vnmete, and not thought of y ^e Ro­maynes worthye to possesse that estate. To make a full dis­course of him, Otho. Otho was borne the .iiii. kalendes of Maye in the Consulshippe of Camillus Aruntius, and Domitius Eno­barbus, euen from his first childhode vices had deepe roote in him, whose wicked and lewde disposition was oftentimes by his father recompensed with sharpe correction, who follow­inge voluptuousnes, ledde his life with a fine strumpet of Ne­roes Court, which was aged, in face olde wythered, and with vnpleasant and croked limbes maistered, by whose fauoure, acquaintance, and frendly entertainment, he was so accepta­ble and in such highe reputacion with the wicked Emperour Nero, as both his maners, his nature, and whole disposition, seemed to be framed as Nero himselfe was inured. Nero. Nero so well lyked the behauiour of Otho, that he made him priuie of his secrete villanyes and counsayles, and of the destruction of his mother Agrippina. Otho growing to lustye age bore great enuye and deadlye hatred against Galba, by whom Ne­ro losse his kingdome and dispayred of his life: but Otho Sil­uius wanted courage and hardye stomacke to assaye Galba, he hated Galba, Galba. but he dreaded him. Seleucus also a famous man in the Mathematicall sciences by a coniecturall natiui­tye, comforted Otho Siluius, and procured forwarde his co­wardlye harte perswadinge him not to feare Galba. Quippe [Page 44] audaces fortuna Iuuat timidosque repellit Aude, potenti esto animo. hoc fretus Galba Neronem deuicit. For (sayth hee) fortune exalteth the boulde venturour, and repelleth a cowarde: Galba beinge couragious, destroyed Nero: and thou procedinge prosperouslye shalt Galba subdue, Be bould therefore and assaye greater thinges, your natiuitye also gee­ueth fortunate successe: This one thinge moued Otho Sil­uius against Galba, for whereas he hoped to succede his heire by adoption, Piso was preferred before him, and therevppon immediatlye hee thoughte in his minde to kill Galba, Ambition. but Galba was well defended, and so wayted on, as that coward­lye Siluius durste not enterprise or make anye attempte, not longe after the souldiours of Germanye conspired on Vitel­lius syde, Murther re­compensed [...] murther. and daylye diuers conspiracyes were wroughte by them to bringe downe Otho: It was not for the Senators of Rome to make election, where so manye legions of wilfull heades armed shoulde geeue the choyse, the souldiours fell in contempt of Otho because hee was an vnmanlye Prince, for the Historye doth note, that if Otho should heare at any time terrible newes, of the dalefull and lamentable ende of Prin­ces, or of Captaynes, or meane souldiours, as the lamentable ende of Caslius and Brutus and of other, his faynte harte soū ­ded, and woulde be in an agonye: He neuer durste attempte anye enterprise against Galba, Cowardli­nes. but when he perceyued him to be as it were vanquished. Vitellius whom they in minde pre­ferred was more childishe then Otho, inferior in manlye cou­rage. Vitellius. But Otho seinge the whole ende of theyr conspiracye, for feare in the ende killed himselfe: For earlye in the mor­ninge hee did strike himselfe with a dagger vnder the lefte pappe, and beinge halfe aliue as the souldiours rushed into him, immediatlye dyed, who had his funerall at Veleterna, and dyed in the xxxviii. yeare of his age being a man of meane stature, Otho. baulde, weake legged, his face without heare, wan­ton in loke and effeminate: and hee enioyed the seate but .iiii. monethes. This Otho had diuers conflictes in battaile with the conspiratours of Vitellius who nexte succeded him: first at Placentia a Cittie in Liguria, afterwarde hee was o­uercome [Page] at a certaine towne in Italye lyinge betweene Cre­mona and Verona, and in the same place, hee ranne himselfe through with his owne sworde. Thus some wryte that some of his men of warre did so entyrelye loue him, as that manye of them murthered themselues when they saw his deade bodye. (⸫) [...] (⸫)

Aulus Vitellius.

IVlius Caesar dyed by violent hande, Iulius Caesar. Octauius succeded Caesar, Octauius. with all royaltye gouerning, and his funerall likewyse solemnised: Tiberi­us succeaded Octauius, Tiberius. a wicked Prince. Ca­ligula killed Tiberius, Caligula. Caligula was slaine by the handes of Tiberius Drusus, Tiberius Drusus. who in his place gouerned. Nero by the meanes of Agrippina his mo­ther, who was wyfe to Tiberius Drusus (whom she poyso­ned) obtayned the Empyre. Nero. Galba displaced Nero, who ther­fore desperatly dyed: Galba. Galba gouerninge, Otho gaue him his deathes wounde. Otho succedinge: Vitellius in likewyse v­sed him, Otho. who vsurped but a shorte space, for his souldioures threwe him into y ^e floude Tiber. This Aulus Vitellius came from a noble lynage, Vitellius. his gouernment was short, cōtynuinge [Page 45] but viii. monethes, some saye that his progenye came from Faunus kinge of the Aborigines and Vitellia who was estee­med for a Goddes in manye places, of this is his progenye sayde to come, Cassius Se­uerus. eyther as Cassius Seuerus sayeth y ^t hee was a coblers sonne, and hee by arte a shomaker: This Vitellius was borne the viii. kalendes of October, or as some do saye: the vii. Ides of September, in the Consulshippe of Drusus Caesar, A vaine in­quisition. and Norbanus Flaccus. His father Lucius Vitellius, desired to knowe by calculation of his nauitye, the proufe, the maner of life, the disposition, ende and nature of his sonne, y ^e iudgement thereof sheewed a nature monstrous, a parsonne beastlye, and geuen to all wickednes, a scourge to Rome, a calamitye to his parentes, Petronius. hee maryed one Petronia a noble mans daughter, by whō he begat Petronius who was blinde of one of his eyes, Vitellius murthered his sonne. which Petronius after he murthered. Pe­tronia his wife dyinge, he maryed Galeria Fundana, by whō he had two children, a sonne and a daughter: his sonne by na­ture stutted and stāmered. As concerninge his gouernmente cruell it was, Crueltie. and so cruell as that he delighted not only in y ^e bloudsheddinge and cruell handelinge of his ennemye, but also of his owne subiectes whom he tormented and miserably vsed, wherevppon this cruell sentence was alwayes vsed of him: Optime olere occisum hostem, & melius Ciuem, The sauour (sayth hee) of an ennemye slaine, A bloudy sē ­tence. sauereth beste, but of a Citizen better: What coulde be more cruelly spoken? or what thinge can shew and vtter the hart of a tyrante more manifestlye? then that whiche in this sentence hee vttered: whose harte passed in all crueltye, whose lyfe for bloudye ty­rannye God shortened: his raigne was but viii. monethes, vnto whom if time, if successe, and oportunitye had beene of longe raigne left, he woulde haue made full slender the mul­titude of the Cittizens of Rome, and of those in all other pla­ces where he by aucthoritye held tyrannicall gouernmente, Euill Prin­ces. suche be those Princes, who neyther feare God, nor knowe themselues, Phalaris. the like was cruell Phalaris, Dionisius the ty­rante, Thiestes, Dionisius. & Atreus, Antiochus, Iulianus who was y ^e greate Apostata. Nero with Comodus, Decius and Domi­tianus. [Page] Godlye Princes who are endued with vertue, who also do beare a tender zeale to theyr kingdome, country, and common wealth: Godly Prin­ces. do with all gentlenes, with all clemencye and mercifull dealinge, intreate theyr subiectes. For cruelty in a Prince is contrary to lawe, contrary to iustice, it maketh him to be hated of his commons, Crueltye. weake against his ennemye, and contemned at home. The louinge and zelous subiecte as he loueth hartely, so he defendeth valiantly and stoutelye his gouernour: What be walles? of what force be towers and fortresses, Loue of sub­iectes. where lacke of harte in the subiecte worketh faint­lye? he neglecteth the Prince, an outwarde frende, but a se­crete ennemy, for surely where loue affecteth not the subiect, there the Prince and the kingdome is weake, his estate may­med, his common wealthe in ruine, his throne and Scepter fallinge: A weake kingdome. Such was the estate of Vitellius and also his ende, both Claudius Tiberius, Caligula, Tiberius Drusus, Nero, Galba, and Otho with tyrannye exercising theyr gouernmēt, were hated and detested, and dyed not onlye violently, but al­so lamentablye: where contrarilye godlye Princes dye wyth perpetuall fame of glorye and renowne, Godly Prin­ces. time forgetteth not theyr memorye, and the posterity commendeth it to allages. This Aulus Vittellius addinge no meane to crueltye, had so great delight in tyrannye, as that the murthers of them was sayde to delight his eyes, Tyrannye. and please his fantasy: as he would, so he commaunded, his will stode in all respectes for a lawe: As concerninge his adulterous luste with women, it was so beastly and so common, as y ^t shame forbiddeth to write there­of as for that which hee did against nature, it is not to be put in Chronicle. nor cōmonly to be redde, his violente death was prophesyed of, wherevppon he banished all those that profes­sed the science of Astrologye. After hee had ruled viii. mone­thes, this wickes Prince beganne to be contemned, his name and power weakened, his men of warre that came from Me­sia, & Pānonia, & they also that came by sea from Iurye and Syria, cōspired with Vespasianus who after succeded. Short was the raigne of Vitellius more dreaded, then loued, so God at a sodaine displaceth tyrantes and chaungeth theyr seate. Tyrantes.

[Page 46] Nowe Vitellius for all his beastlye gouernment, his cursed tyrannye, and discente from a noble house, geeueth place to Vespatianus, Vespatianus. who from a lowe and meane estate, ascended with all honour and famous actes vnto gouernment, beyond all expectation both in himselfe, Titus. and his sonne Titus Vespa­tianus, who gaue the ouerthrowe to the greate and mightye Cittye Hierusalem, Hierusalem. theyr famous and sumptuous Temple he destroyed, as afterwarde in theyr liues shalbe delcared. Vespasianus by this meanes (ayded with his men of warre) vanquished Vitellius. Vitellius was drawen out by them frō his Pallace and Courte, his handes bounde behinde him, and nowe feeleth tyrannye, Vitellius. beinge before tyme inferior to none in tyrannye, whose highe dignitye nowe ceased & name vndrea­ded, is mocked with the meaneste, and of abiecte persons not regarded: so God leaueth tyrauntes (who knowe not him) & they feele the stroke & power of him who geeueth aucthority to the mightiest: for by God onlye standeth y ^e kingdome of the Prince, his seate thereby florisheth, and his people throughe him prosper, hee is onlye the meanes that kingdomes moste brickle, continue not theyr estate, name or title, and that their progenye endure not, and that is sinne the cause. Vitellius without all shame, in this extremitye was nothing dismayed, but in the ende desperatly sought to kill himselfe, his clothes were rente from his bodye, so that hee was lefte halfe naked, no filthe wanted that was not cast vppon him, they drew him vnto the place from whence the bodyes of parsons condemp­ned, were throwne downe at Rome, & in that place where he commaunded Sabinus the brother of Vespasian to be put to deathe, Sabinus. so it came to passe that in the same place Vitellius a murtherer of other, Vitellius death. was thrust throughe with manye woundes, at the same time his brother and sonne dyed, hee being fiftye and seuen yeares of age, receiued his ende, The ende of a tyrante. who tyranniouslye had go­uerned, and shedde in that short tyme much bloude. ⸫

Vespasianus.

THe Empyre of Rome beinge full of mu­tabilitye, hauing no permanent successi­on: Permanent succession, or kingdome of heritage. as kingdomes which descende by he­ritage, but many times according to the election of seditious heades and vnmete parsons, vnto some one the possession of that place and roume was geuen, Kingdome. which onlye vertue and worthines in actes merited. Nam virtus nobilitati locum, Vertue. & regibus solium distribuit: Vertue first gaue the title and place to nobilitye, True nobili­tye. and to kinges their sea­tes: For God of whom all excellencye is geuen, from whom all goodnes, all pure and sincere holynes floweth and proce­deth, only ordayned that Princes should gouerne the earthe, and beinge as chiefe vnder him, might rule the people: and also that they being highest in aucthority, Why kinges be most ho­noured. in all vertues most excellinge, directinge theyr estates and gouernment vnto iu­styce and equitye, should therefore be accompted as Gods vp­pon the earthe, and aboue all other creatures most honoured, wherefore godlye Princes the more that they excell in all in­tegretye, the greater theyr wysedome is, and moderation of life, the nearer they aspyre vnto God: The wicked Prince in­iuriously possesseth that estate of maiestye, The wicked Prince. where vertue doth not adorne the seate of the Prince. From Octauius, what beastlye gouernours haue helde in possession this Empyre? how hath the Empyre bene tossed by the gouernours? euery one of them throughe ambition and desyre to raigne, procu­cured [Page 47] one an others death, not regardinge how vniustly and wickedly they obtayned the same: Ambition. For rebellion placed Gal­ba, Rebellion. by rebellion Otho obtayned, by rebellion Vitellius suc­ceded, Tyr [...]ye. as theyr wicked enterprises are knowen, so theyr my­serable endes remayne, as brydles vnto all that desyre by ty­rannye to vsurpe. Vespasianus descendinge from no nobi­litye of bloude, nor from any noble progenye, for the estate of his parentes were but meane, yet all Chronicles recorde the highe commendations and great worthines of this Vespasi­an, honour and worship followed him in all his enterprises, a zelous harte incensed him to seeke the aduauncemente of the Romaine Empyre, Vespasianus. vnto all those things vertue allured him. This Vespasian was borne the Kalendes of December, in Samis beyonde Reatin a small village, whiche otherwyse is called Phalacryne, in the eueninge, at what time as Quintus Sulpitius Camarinus, and Caius Pompeius Sabinus were Consuls, this Vespasian was but fiue yeare olde at the death of Augustus, his education and bringinge vp, was vnder his grandmother by the fathers syde, Tertulla. Tertulla was her name. Vespasianus growinge to mans estate, ioyned to him in ma­riage Flauia Domicilla, Flauia Domi­cilla. of her hee begatte two sonnes, Ti­ [...]s and Domitianus, and a daughter called Domicilla: His wife Flauia Domicilla dyinge, hee enioyed the companye of another, (not by mariage) but otherwyse: He greatlye af­fected a gentlewoman named Cenides. This was one dete­stable vyce in Vespasian a gouernour, otherwyse for actes fa­mous, and amonge the best Emperours for worthines Chro­nicled, to serue herein an adulterous mind, which in a Prince is so much the more haynous, as he by estate is most highest in degree and aucthoritye. In the dayes of Claudius Tibe­rius Drusus, Narcissus. Vespasian beinge in highe fauoure with Nar­cissus, chiefe secretarye to this Claudius, was sent Embassa­dour in greate and waightye matters from the Emperoure Claudius to Germany: Claudius. His charge and office there finished, he was sent into Britaine this our Islande called England, who had there mightye conflictes with the Britaynes, for as it seemeth the Romaynes by an olde conquest whiche Iulius [Page] Caesar had of the Britaynes, as he recordeth himselfe, and let in by the Troye nouantes fauouringe Mandubracius, Mādubratius Cassibelan. whose father Cassibelan put to deathe, Caesar thereby enteringe, & chiefely throughe deuision and treason obtayned a conquest, Cesars con­quest by trea­son. as I haue declared before in the life of Iulius Caesar, sithens those dayes, the Romaynes makinge clayme and title to this our noble Islande, from Iulius Caesar, haue not ceassed ma­nye times to warre on the Britaynes, to enioye theyr olde clayme and title, as it appeareth in all Emperours from Iu­lius Caesars time, for in all theyr time mention is made of this our Islande of Britayne, by whom many times the Romay­nes were ayded: but at the lengthe the Britaynes contente with a Prince and gouernoure of theyr owne, woulde no lon­ger be vnder the iurisdiction of the proude Romaynes, ney­ther the Romaynes themselues had greate encouragemente to warre on the Britaynes, who resisted them in the dayes of kinge Arthur they demaunding tribute of this our Islande, Arthur. but Arthur valiantlye with his couragious men of warre in the partes of Fraunce, so discomfited the Romaynes, beinge a great nomber of mē of warre, conducted by Lucius a chiefe Consull, Lucius. that Lucius was put to flighte, and great hauoke & bloudye slaughters were made on the Romaynes: Sythens those dayes neyther with force of hande, neyther by clayme or tytle, haue the Romaynes chalenged anye tribute of this I­lande. As concerninge Vespasian whom I spake of, who had three greate conflictes with the Britaynes, Suetonius. Suetonius Tranquillus recordeth, who liued in those dayes that Vespa­sian brought into his subiection two mightye Nations, and aboue twentye greate townes, and also subdued the Isle of Wyght, The Isle of wyghte. which lyeth neare vnto this our Island of Britaine, which Isle of Wyght is now vnder the iurisdiction of the go­uernours of this lande. Vespasianus obtayned greate re­nowne in many Dominiōs: Achaia obeyed him, Licia, Rho­des, Vespasianus. Bizantium, Samos, Thracia, Silicia, & other countries, many thinges were done by him famouslye in the gouernmēt of the Romaine Empyre: who thoughe he were clothed and endued with vertues, most excellent and singuler good qua­lities, [Page 49] yet this one vertue was in him worthy chiefe commen­dation, that was to forgeue iniuryes & displeasures wrought againste him, A rare ver­tue. and not to reuenge him of them, for althoughe Vitellius the Emperour before him, was a moste wicked and cruell ennemye to Vespasian, and had vniustlye put to deathe Sabyne, Vespasianus brother, yet notwithstāding that cruell facte. Vespasian after y ^e death of Vitellius caused his daugh­ter (enrychinge her with great dowryes) to be maryed to one of highe estate and dignitye. Certainlye a rare vertue in a Prince in not reuenginge, the death of his brother so vniust­lye procured: He was as it seemeth Lord ouer affections, and a kinge ouer rashe, cruell, & malicious perturbations, what other in the worlde placed in suche estate, whom the people & lawes do obeye, hauinge the sworde, the lawe and aucthori­tye on his syde, and vnder his gouernment woulde not moste cruellye haue handeled such as were lyuinge of his enemyes ofspringe? A rare vertue This Vespasian also with all facilitye of minde & patience, did beare with the vnquietnes of his frendes, and woulde reproue theyr contumelyes, Vespasianus. with the quippes and plea­sante aunsweres, for he was of his owne nature framed to all pleasantnes of minde and pacience. There was a certaine mā whose name was Licinius Martianus, by this Licinius Mar­tianus, Vespasian was furthered and promoted to the seate imperiall: For which frendlye desarte Licinius Martianus, was become insolente and pro [...]de: but Vespasian mollifyed his arrogante and lofyte minde, in the presence of his moste frendlye sayinge, Ingratiiude. you are not ignorante that ingratitude in a man, betokeneth great beastlynes: for to commit the benefit of any man vnto obliuion, Xenophon. amongest the Persians, (as Xeno­phon sayth) was the most haynous cryme that might be ima­gined, so much was ingratitude abhorred, Ingratitude most beastly. because nothinge more betokeneth brutishnes and beastly behauiour, then to ex­tingnishe societye, Ingratitude. frendshippe, and amitye. Ingratitude neg­lecteth frendshippe, frendshippe neglected, society of life must presentlye be dissolued, and where the societye is dissolued, there the conuersatiō of people is cruell, without order & rea­son, brutishe, wilde and beastlye: but he did not forget his be­fite, [Page] neyther y ^e same perished vnrecompenced: but what mar­uaile is it if Vespatian did beare that in his frend when as he little wayed and lesse regarded the peruerse sayinges of those which pleaded iudiciall causes, and the stoute libertye of the arrogant Philosophers. This Emperour Vespasian in that shorte time whiche hee gouerned, broughte from decaye and ruine the vniuersall world: His mercifulnes was such, that by all gentle parswasions, he sought to withdrawe all arche­tyrantes from theyr cruell and beastlye doinges, with ex­hortinge them to embrace mercye and pittye, those onlye hee would torment and greuouslye punishe, whose crueltye by no meanes he might molifye: for he thought it a pointe of singu­ler wisedome to vse this lenitye, Lenitye. where he parceiued any hope of amendement, as he iudged it rightfull to mynister y ^e lawe vppon such as were past amendment, Rigor. obstinate, and rebelli­ous against his maiestye: for suche, as rotten, hurtfull, and venemous herbes, Rebels. be extirpated and rooted out from the cō ­mon wealthe: The common wealthe is like vnto a garden, wherein nature hath planted goodly herbes and seedes, plea­sante, necessarye, and profitable, in the which also are manye weedes, vnsauerye, neither necessarye, nor profitable whiche for lacke of vertue are cast oute when they growe vp: euen so suche members as are the decaye ruine and destruction of a common wealth, Euill men. are not to be tollerated, but the law, sword, and aucthority of the magistrate must cut them of, els a good common wealth, a perfecte estate cannot be established: Lawes. His lawes were with all equitye and iustice ordayned, with the which he greatlye profited his common wealth: but chieflye his life was so vertuous, so godlye, that many vices were ex­pelled, and euerye man practised daylye to followe in vertue and vprightnes of life their Emperour, for in a cōmonwealth the vertuous life of the Prince chieflye maketh countryes of strengthe and force, Lawes. for lawes are of theyr force and strengthe maymed, excepte the Prince in godlye life, yelde to lawe and aucthoritye: Aucthoritye. Lawes can do nothinge withoute aucthoritye, but aucthoritye maye do muche withoute lawes, as diuers Princes followinge theyr owne will, affection, and headdye [Page 49] aucthoritye haue commaunded thinges withoute lawe, who in so doinge haue dishonoured lawes, when they & theyr auc­thoritye ought to be vnder the lawe.

This Emperour Vespasian builded vp againe the Capitolle of Rome, the house of peace, the monumentes of Claudius, y ^e like he did in all partes of his Dominions, where the lawes of Rome were of force. Also manye famous Citties were newly adorned with sumptuous and gorgious buildinges: Also the highe wayes and common passages, were made in his time of gouernmente, for in his time a passage was made throughe the hilles and mountaynes, Tyrannye. by a highe waye which leadeth from the Cittye which is called Areminum. The ty­rannye of Princes whiche afore this Emperoure gouerned, was so cruell, that of many Nations he scarcely founde two hundreth remayninge aliue. Vologesus. Vologesus the kinge of the Par­thians was for feare of his Maiestye, driuen to make peace w ^t him: Syria otherwyse called Palestina, also Cylicia a coun­treye in Asia, and Thrachite Comagene beinge a parte of Syria, which at these dayes is called Augusta Phratensis, all these places and Realmes were prouinces vnder his Domi­nion: Iewrye in like sort was vnder his Dominion. On a certaine time it happened his frendes to geue him counsaile & admonition, to beware of one Mutius Pomposianus, of whō a rumor was raysed that he would vsurpe y ^e Emperiall seate: furth with he exalted this Mutius Pomposianus vnto great honour, for he made him a Consull, and herein sayth Vespasi­anus: he wilbe mindfull of receyuinge at my hands so great a benefite, by the wysedome of Vespasian all the whole Em­pyre of Rome was gouerned one fashion. This Empe­rour Vespasian did vse muche to watche by nighte in accom­plishment of the affayres of his Empyre: which ended opor­tunitye was geuen to talke with him in the morninge, while he arrayed and adorned himselfe with his Princelye roobes. The greatest part of his affayres ended, he did accustome him selfe to the exercise of his bodye, & as sone as he had wasshed, with much quietnes of minde he toke his repaste. Vespasianns. Verye loue of this Emperours vertues, compelleth mee to speake much [Page] of him who luckely chanced to y ^e Romaine Empyre, Vespasianus. the lvi. yeare after the death of Augustus y ^e Emperour. The cruelty & tyrannicall dealinge of tyrauntes, was brought to ruine by this good Emperour, who by the prouidēce of almighty God was geuen to gouerne. This Emperour Vespasiā being 70. yeares of age dyed, who a little before his death talkinge of graue matters of the cōmon wealth according to his pleasant nature, did also merilye geste. At the time of his death, there appeared a blasinge starre in Heauen, A comete. whiche was like vnto longe lockes of heare [...]. Vespasian the Emperour hearinge of that merelye sayde, the appearinge of this blasinge starre doth signifye nothinge of mee, but of the kinge of y ^e Persians who weareth a longe heare, imme­diatelye beinge greeued with the payne of his bodye, The death of Vespasian. rose vp and merelye sayde: it shall become an Emperoure, to dye standinge on his feete, and so this good Emperoure de­parted his life. (⸫)

Titus Vespasianus.

TITVS who also was called Vespasi­an, Domicilla was his mothers name, she was made of a bonde woman a free. This Titus was borne the thirde kalen­des of Ianuary, Caligula▪ the same yeare that Ca­ligula was slaine, his education in al sin­gularitye, for the knowledge of all Ar­tes and sciences was exceadinge, the giftes of body, and of the minde, nature had so exactlye framed them in him, as that he was inferiour to none, fauoure, beuty, personage, lacked not in him, his memorye in thinges to apprehende and remember was so rare, that fewe attayned vnto the like, for wisedome for graue counsayle, Titus. and for feates of warre, he was passinge in the lattine and Greeke tongues, with all eloquence he ex­celled, nothinge wanted in him that was to any excellencye, A wise coun­saylour. he was both a wyse counsaylour, & a valiant warrior, (which two thinges do seldome times happē in one parson. Valiant cap­taine. This Ti­tus Vespasian in the time of Claudius Tiberius Drusus, (thē Emperour of Rome, came to this Islande with his father Vespasian of whom I made mention of before, whose actes there, deserued for worthynes greate commendation and re­warde amonge the Romaynes: to reade from the beginning of the lowe progenye, and meane estate of theyr auncesters, and of theyr great and mighty enterprises, The secrete counsaile of God. of theyr large and mighty Dominions, of theyr victoryes & conquestes it would seeme so straunge a wonder that fewe would beleeue it: So [Page] God rayseth (contrarye to the expectation of all men) from a meane and lowe estate a chiefe gouernour, The power of God. to whom so happy successe is geuen, that the noblest haue geuen place. Who so readeth the whole Historye of Iosephus, shal finde what thin­ges were wrought by this Titus and his father Vespasian. Hierusalem. Iewrye and all partes there aboutes felt theyr power, Vespasianus. Titus was at the destruction of Hierusalem, in the seconde yeare of the raigne of Vespasian: Titus. Vespasian beinge there himselfe & Domitian his brother: Domitian. by them was wrought y ^e dolefull ende & lamentable ouerthrow of the Iewes foresheewed of longe time by the Prophetes, and by Christ himselfe. A madde mā who in the eyes of all men seemed bestraught of witte and sen­ses, seuen yeare before the siege, cryed in the open streates: Ve tibi Hierusalem, A madde mā. oftentimes repeated, wherat the whole Cittie was muche disquieted, sinne so abounded in it, and all iniquitye euen amonge the clergye and Seniors, The temple. the Tem­ple of God was nowe become a Tabernacle of vncleane spi­rites, a denne and lurkinge place of theeues, the good there­fore looked for iustly a plaine desolation, the wicked for sinne­full life, and wicked conscience dreaded the same: This poore sillye man ceassed not day by daye, cryinge manye times: Ve tibi Hierusalem. The maiestrates full of all securitie, re­warded him as a madde mā, oftentimes scurging him, there­by thinckinge his franticke heade to cease this exclamation, but no threatninge, neither the rodde, nor cruell scourginge, neither imprisonment, could cause that to ceasse in him which afterward dolefully did faule vppon Hierusalem, Hierusalem. as ye haue reade, before the lamentable crye of terrible cryes he ceassed not, vntill such time as the armye of Titus was neare y ^e wall: this madde man last of all cryed, Ve tibi Hierusalem & mi­hi ve, Wo to the Hierusalem and to me likewyse wo, and im­mediatly he being stricken, there he dyed on the wall. Sibilla in a furye, seeminge madde, prophesyed longe before of the estate of all kingdomes, and from the beginninge of theyr fall also, and the ende of the world euen from Adam: makinge a full discourse of Rome what should be fall vnto it. Sybilla. This Si­billa did close in darke and obscure Verses the destruction of [Page 51] Troye, longe before it fell. Of fewe the pore mans woordes were regarded, God reuealeth oftentimes to y ^e abiects of the worlde secrete thinges, The secrete counsaile of God. which lye hidde from the wysest, the world regardeth not threatninges prophesyed, as they liue in all securitye, so they hope and loke for like estate. The Pro­phetes therefore were not regarded because they foreshewed thinges vnpleasaunte, and troublesome newes: The worlde loueth securitye, Securitye. and they like them best that tell them of the like thinges meete for wordlinges. In Sodome and Gomor­ra, and in thother Citties about them, Sodome. theyr worldly felicitye was so aboundant, Gomorra. theyr soyle so fatte, and store so plentifull, suche securitye of estate, so contented mindes therein, as that the holesome counsayle of the good mā Lotte was not regar­ded, theyr wyse heades could not foreshewe theyr daungers & destruction. Lotte as one most abiecte and vile in the eyes of the Sodomytes, (yet in fauour with God) warned and exhor­ted them to repentaunce, foreshewed them theyr plagues, all was lightlye regarded, but immediatlye fyer and brimstone consumed the place, with fyue other Citties, and all the inha­bitauntes, the childe perished, and the infant but then borne: In a moment the olde and the yonge fell, the mightye & great personages, the Princes also, the elders and counsellours, fiue kinges tasted with their peeres the like destruction, sinne so abounded in the place and in all the inhabitors, Sinne. the childe that neuer spake, was in that destructiō partaker, So vglye a thinge sinne is in the sight of God, that therby no kingdome is spared, no estate vnscourged, no Citty free of punishment, where God taketh heauye displeasure to punishe. The wrathe of God. Mightye Empyres thereby are fallen, and wealthye Citties made a plaine soyle, their kinges and theyr people turned into duste are forgotten, forgetfulnes for lacke of worthynes, rooteth them from memorye of fame, Vertue. theyr vertues are deade, theyr vyces liue in perpetuall memorye. Vice.

As concerninge this Titus whom I make mention of, did marrye Artisidia, who dyinge, hee toke to wyfe Martia Ful­ [...]ia, from whom he was deuorced: greate thinges were done by this Titus not onlye in Hierusalem, but also in all y ^e East [Page] partes, his vertues were not so excellent, but his vices for a time were so odious: As that openly Alium Neronem opi­nabantur & predicabant, for his wickednes they called him another Nero, but afterwardes so greate was his chaunge as that nothinge of vice remayned in him, his fame by good desarte gate great commendation, his gouernment (though shorte) was with all equitie towarde his commons execu­ted, lawes by iudgemente rightlye ordered, a father hee was and a great patrone to the Romaynes. This Titus dyed in the xli. yeare of his age in the Ides of September, his go­uernment continued but two yeares .ii. monethes & xx. dayes, the death of Titus was with greate sorrow and lamentacion receiued, for all countries and prouinces bewayled his fune­rall, Titus. in his life time they called him the delight & ioye of theyr common wealth: theyr lamentacion was so great that it see­med they lost the chiefe patrone, ayde, succoure and safegarde of the whole world. Iosephus wryteth that Vespasian be­inge in y ^e East partes at the death of Vitellius, the good fame of his worthynes bruted him Emperour so he wanne the har­tes of all people, al citties made festiual dayes & as theyr ma­ner of ioye was, did solemnise sacrifices, as tokens of greate ioye the Legions of souldiours whiche remayned in Metia & Pannonia were sworne with greate ioye to him: Vespasian wente from thence to Cesarea, Vespasianus. and came to Betritum where manye Embassadours mette him out of Syria and oute of o­ther prouinces, offeringe to him Crownes & thinges of great gratulation. Musianus the greate gouernour of that pro­uince by all meanes furthered him, when Vespasian sawe all thinges so luckelye happen vnto him, hee considered that this Empyre could not fall to him, without the great prouidence of God, and as it were by fatall destenye broughte to him, then also he remembred Iosephus, Iosophus. who at that presente was captiue, a godlye man and a priest of the Temple, what won­derfull thinges he had foresheewed of him whiche thinges in him takinge effect, Titus Vespasianus sonne, beinge present with Vespasian his father, sayde. Iustum est inquit pater vna cum ferro, etiam probum Iosephum solui: And so it [Page 52] followed Iosephus was deliuered, his fetters beinge bruste went at libertye with Vespasian. After Vespasian had aun­swered the Embassages, he went to Antioche, from thence to Alexandria, he sente into Italye Lucianus, with a greate companye of horsemen and footemen, and passed by Cappa­docia and Phrigea, in those partes Anthonius first of all ha­uinge his third Legion of souldiours, came to him which did remayne about Mesia, for hee did gouerne that prouince and with that power he made hast to make warre vppō Vitellius. Vitellius sente with a great armye Cicinna to meete Antho­nye, but at last Cicinna Cicinna. with his men of warre, fledde to An­thonye fauouringe Vespasians parte, in the ende the souldi­diours of Cicinna repentinge theyr facte, woulde haue slaine Cicinna, but being otherwyse aduised, they [...]t him bounde to Vitellius, but Anthonye pursuinge vppon them, caused them to retyre to Cremona, the which Cremona was spoy­led, & all the armye of Vitellius, to the nomber of .xxx. thou­sande and two hundreth were slaine: Cicinna. Cicinna was deliuered and brought to Vespasian, not onlye commended but highly rewarded. Sabinus. Sabinus the brother of Vespasianus, hearinge Anthonye to draw neare to Rome, by night toke the Capi­toll: but in the ende Sabinus beinge taken, was broughte to Vitellius and slaine by him. The nexte day followinge, An­thonye comminge to Rome, foughte with the souldiours of Vitellius in three partes of the Cittie: Vitellius. Vitellius then in this extremitye came for the druncke, who was cruellye handeled and slaine in the middest of the Cittie. Mutianus. The next daye Musia­nus enteringe Rome with a greate armye, and all thinges there set in quietnes, did make Domitianꝰ chiefe gouernour of the Cittie, vntill such time as Vespasian his father came, whom they proclaymed Emperour. As sone as Vespasian came to Alexandria, the estate of all thinges at Rome was declared vnto him, Embassadors came to him from all par­tes of the worlde reioysinge of his estate. As sone as all thin­ges were quietlye settled at Rome, Vespasian did meane to warre on the Iewes, who as sone as winter was done, sente Titus his sonne with a great power of chosen souldioures, to [Page] destroye Hierusalem. Titus. Titus makinge his passage bothe by Nicopolis and other places (as good oportunitye serued him for his souldiours) passed to Cesarea, and there sette in order his men of warre, hee caused the Legions of souldiours to be dispersed in diuerse partes, whereby with more fortunate suc­cesse he mighte set vppon the Iewes. To resighte the whole Historye howe Hierusalem was taken, the Temple spoyled, and then by fyer destroyed, it woulde ryse to a volume: Iose­phus writeth of it at large, and also this is his which is writ­ten thereof in a briefe. In this maner Hierusalem was ta­ken, in the seconde yeare of the raigne of Vespasian, the viii. daye of the moneth of September, which had bene taken fiue times before and then spoyled. Asocheus. Asocheus kinge of the Egip­tians first toke it, Antiochus. after him Antiochus, then Pompeie, after those Socius with Herode toke it, Socius. the kynge of Babylon first of all by stronge hande possessed and destroyed it, in the thou­sande three hundreth and threescore yeare after the buildinge thereof, the eight moneth and sixt daye. The first founder of the same was Cananiorum Vinasta, who in theyr moother tongue is called the iust kinge, hee called it the Cittie Hieru­salem, the Temple first was builded there, the Cittye before was called Solyma. Solyma. After this Dauid beinge kinge of the Iewes, hauinge expelled the Cananites, gaue the same to the inhabited of his people, which Cittie Hierusalem in y ^e foure hundreth threscore and foure yeare and three monethes, from kinge Dauid was destroyed of the Babilonians, whose kinge beinge a Iewe, first raigned in the same, vnto that time that Titus destroyed it, which was a thousande, a hundreth seuen­tye and nyne yeares after. From the first buildinge of the same, vnto the last destruction was two Thousande yeares a hundreth seuentye and seuen. Iosephus resyteth that ney­ther the antiquitye of the Cittie, neyther the great treasures and ritches, neyther the fame of it spredde in all places of the worlde, neyther the great glory of theyr Religion colde saue it. Thus farre Iosephus wryteth of it in a briefe, thoughe o­therwyse he setteth it furthe at large, sheewinge the lamen­table estate of the inhabiters, the great famyne fell on them, [Page 53] that for lacke of victuels women eate theyr owne children, (filthye thinges not to be eaten) then in this necessitye was theyr fare, the bloudye spoyles and slaughter the lamentable crye moste pitious, The faule of Hierusalem. the terrible thinges that happened bothe then and afore, will make in readinge the st [...]uteste courages for pittye to lamente, such is the estate in time, not onlye of mightye Citties, but of mightye kingdomes and Princes: The wrathe of God. where the almightye God taketh his displeasure, bothe Cittie, kingdome and Prince feeleth his stroke, they decaye where God terriblye frowneth.

Domitianus.

DOmitian y ^e brother of Titus, was after his death created Emperour, who in the beginninge of his gouernment, counter­faytinge a vertuous person, was gentle, pitifull, and vertuous: With good suc­cesse he ended all y ^e warres y ^t were begon, and finished manye goodlye Pallaces in Rome, & builded many euen from their foundations, in suche sort that in the beginninge of his Empyre, he purchased a ve­ry good fame, and credite of a singuler and vertuous person. [Page] But after chaunginge his conditions, he became so cruell, so vniust, and so greedye, that he would put to death men for ri­diculous or tryflinge matters, to thende they beinge dead, he might enioye theyr goodes: sayinge, he was theyr heyre. He persecuted the Iewes, and especiallye those of the stocke of Dauid, because that hee had vnderstode that of that stocke should be borne a mā which should gouerne the whole world. Also he was a great persecutor of the Christian Religion, The seconde persecution of the Christi­ans. in such sort that in his ryme there were martyred many godlye men. He vexed all thinges, not so muche as flyes coulde es­cape him, where vppon one of the Courte beinge demaunded, who was with the Emperour: hee sayde, there was not so muche as one flee. He was a greate professor of Astrologye, and a great frende vnto those which professed that science, al­though he entreated one Astrologian verye cruellye, whiche tolde him that within short space he should dye. Hee liued xl. yeare, and gouerned the Empyre xv. yeare: And in the ende by the conspiracye of Stephen the stewarde of his house, and of certaine other amonge whom his owne wyfe was one, he was slaine in his Pallace, of whose deathe the com­mon people were neyther heauye nor ioyfull, but the gentlewomē and Senators toke such con­tentation thereat, that in the verye same day they caused all his Images which were of golde, to be caste downe. (⸫)

Cocceius Narua.

COcceius Narua succeaded Domitianꝰ being 66. yeares of age, he gouerned but one yeare 4. monethes and 9. dayes. This Narua was a iuste Prince and bounteous, hee restored all such as were vniustlye condemned of Domi­tian, he seaced the crueltye which was exerci­sed againste the Christians, hee was verye bounteous to the poore and mercifull, he made Vlpius Traianus beinge borne in Spaine, his adoptiue sonne: and made him his successor before the assemble of the Senate, and sente to him beinge in Germanye, the ornamentes of the Empyre to Coullen, Nar­ua dyed sone after of an Ague: Dyuers do write that in the time of this Narua, Iohn the Apostle returned from Path­mose to Ephesus, this Iohn liued after the deathe of Narua 4. yeares. This wyse Emperour was borne in the Cittie of Narni, neither is it certainly knowne whether hee was an I­talian or no, but all aucthors agree, that he was discended of a noble progenye, hee was created Emperour when he was verye olde, who in the beginninge of his raigne had newes broughte him that Domitian was not deade, (but that was an vntrue reporte, and caused muche vnquietnes. He reuo­ked from exile the Christians, hee vnburdened the Romay­nes of theyr taxes, and caused the children of the deade, and of suche as were verye poore to be nourished, and broughte vppe at his proper costes and charges, to be short hee did ma­kye [Page] vertuous actes. There was onlye one conspiracye wroughte against him, The ende of treason. whiche gaue vnto the conspirators a most vnfortunate ende. In his tyme were most cruellye slaine all those that murthered Domitianus (although he consen­ted not thereto) hee adopted for his adoptiue sonne Traian, Murther. because he had no children of his owne, vnto whom he might commit the Empyre. He gouerned the Empyre but xiii. mo­nethes, and dyed of choller which he toke for the loue he bare vnto a Senator named Regulus, which choller caused him so extremelye to sweate that it killed him, Eclipse. and the verye same daye that he passed out of this life, there was a great E­clipse of the Sunne. (⸫)

Vlpius Traianus.

VLpius Traianꝰ y ^e adoptiue sonne to Coc­ceius Narua, caughte y ^e Emperiall seate after the discease of him. Traianus. This Vlpius Traianus was borne (as some write) in Spayne, in a Cittye adioyning vnto Ci­uilla. This Emperoure was called Vlpius by his graunde fathers name by one Traius, his other name was called Traianus, who was [Page 55] was the first aucthor of his fathers progenye, or els it may be he was called Traianus by his father who was called Traia­nus, the tyme of his raigne was twentye yeares. The go­uernment of this Emperour Vlpius Traianus was so singu­ler and famous, for his wisedome, politicke gouernment and vertues, that the most famouse monumentes of writers, can not well and sufficiently set forth the worthye prayse commē ­dation and glorye of him: A rare com­mendation of a Prince. this Emperour Vlpius Traianus, toke vppon him y ^e seate of the Empyre at Agrippina: Agrippina. In fea­tes of warre, and in all thinges partayninge to chiualrye he was industrious: In iudiciall matters and controuersis of y ^e lawe with all equitye and iustice, hee tendered the estate of e­uerye mans cause, in repayringe of his Citties bounteous & liberall. In a Prince or gouernor two thinges are most re­quisite and necessarye, in peace godlynes, in battaile and time of warre strength and valiantnes, Thinges re­quisite in a Prince. and both in peace & warre prudence and wisedome. The modestye of him was so singu­lar, and such the temperature of his most excellent giftes and vertues, that hee seemed to haue mingled one with an other, onlye this fault was in him, The third persecution o [...] the Christiās he gaue himselfe to bellye cheare and to persecute the Christians, to the excessiue drinckinge of delicious wynes: in the conuersation of his life, and in the so­cietye thereof most fellowlye towarde his frendes, Traianus manners. and verye liberall. This Emperour Traianus in the honour and me­morye of Licinius (by whose furtherance he came to be Em­perour) builded a place of whot bathes, necessarye for the cu­ringe of sundrye diseases. If the prayse of this Emperoure should in all partes be resighted, it would be a longe volume to speake of him: but thus much in fewe wordes maye be re­hersed, In labour he was inuincible and pacient, very studi­ous to preferre the best men, and all such as were warrelike, he loued the simple natures, and the professors of learninge: He was of no great learninge, a keper of Iustice, an inuentor of lawes partayninge to Religion, of the olde lawes a dilli­gent obseruer, all these vertues and good quallities were so­muche the greater, because the estate of the common wealthe in the Romaine Empyre before time, had beene broughte to [Page] ruine by many cruell tyrantes, and who for the remedye of so great euils, in good time seemed to be geuen of God. For at what time as Traianus came to the Emperiall seate, Good Prin­ces. manye maruaylous thinges happened in moste wonderfull wyse, a­mongest many this one thinge was chiefe: From the toppe of the Capitoll, Thus some write. a crowe spake in Greeke wordes Kailos esta [...]: That is, full happye and fornunate shall Rome be, Traianus beinge Emperour: Traianus dyed, and when the bodye of him was burned, (as the maner of y ^e Romaynes was at that time his ashes were brought to Rome, and layed in the same place where the asshes were buryed of the father of this Tra­ianus, and vnder the same mightye pillar the Images of him were set vp (and as in triumphes they are wont to do) y ^e same daye his picture was brought to Rome, the noble order of all Senators goinge before him, The buriall of [...]raianus. and his legions of souldiours: At the deathe of this Emperour Traianus, the great floudde Tyber of Rome did ouerflowe his banckes, more aboundant­lye then it did in the time of Narua, with greater destruction and damage: also at the same time a great calamitye chaun­ced vnto the Citties, Straunge thinges hap­pen at the [...] of Princes. an earthquake most terrible happened in many of his Regions, and in his prouinces a sore infectiue plague or pestilence did raigne. Also in the same Regions a­rose a famine, and casualtyes by fier. This Emperour Vl­pius Traianus, in his life time had politikelye prouided, and wiselye for the sodaine casualties of fyer, whereby hee eased much the forces and daungers thereof: this was his order, y ^t the height of euerye house should be but lx. feete and not aboue, because the pluckinge downe of them should be easye, and the charges after suche casualties might be the lesse. For the prosperous estate and felicitye of his gouernmente he was called the father of the counsaile, his whole life was threscore and foure yeares. (⸫)

Aelius Adrianus.

AElius Adrianus (as Eutropius and Eu­sebius affirme) was by byrth, & progenye very noble, he was also borne in Spaine and was cosyn to Traianus the Empe­rour. But as other affirme, this Empe­rour Aelus Adrianus was borne at A­dria a Cittie in Italye, which bordereth vppon Marca Ancona, the sea neare adioyning, is called by y ^e name of the place Mare adriaticū. Aelius Adrianus ware y ^e Emperial Crowne xii. yeres: Adriānus. this Emperour Aelius so much did employ his studye in y ^e knowledge of the Greeke tongue, & in the copious & aboundant eloquence therof so much excel­led, that of manye he was named for his exquisite knowledge therein: this is our Gretian. Aelius Adrianus did set forth alwayes the noble artes and studies of the famous Atheni­ans, theyr lawes and maners, not onlye in versifyinge, but also in all other artes and sciences, as in musicke, in play­inge and singinge to the instrumente, in Phisicke, and in all kinde of harmonye: Besydes in Geometrye, in painting con­ninglye, in grauinge, and in all other singuler inuentions, & artificiall doinges, he passed in mettel, and working in Mar­bell like to the famous Polucletus and Euphranoras who were moste cunninge. A rare thinge, an Emperour to be so singuler and famous in all kinde of learninge, The rare ver­tues of A­drianus, vppon whom no priuate gouernment, but the protection of all men, of ma­nye [Page] Regions, Citties & townes did depende. Euerye Prince therefore ought to haue iudgement, knowledge, faculty, and experience in all thinges that are requisite in a maiestrate, but especiallye such a one, which vnder God is a chiefe maie­strate of all maiestrates, a ruler of rulers, a highe iudge ouer Iudges. Ad [...]ianus. This Emperour Adrianus was so excellently fra­med of nature, that nature could neuer in anye one man shew a greater perfection, neither at anye time hath bene founde a man that was with so singuler qualities, and vertues indued. The memorye of Adrianus was so greate and famous, that no man mighte comprehende the manifolde vertues in him contayned, more ouer diuers places, infinite Regions and countryes, desyred to beholde his picture & stature, his highe and weightye affayres coulde neuer be extinguished with ob­liuion: the whole power of his armye was knowne vnto him, and furthermore he coulde recite the names of all beinge ab­sent, Memorye. which was a difficult matter, he was in labour so pain­full that hee in proper person visited all partes of his prouin­ces. In iourneying he alwayes marched one foote before his armye, and as he restored his townes and Citties, & brought them to a good estate, so hee set in euerye one of them good or­ders, and sundrye occupations, for as he did in the disposinge and ordering of his legions in time of warre, Order. so in peace some companyes he appointed to be Smythes, other Masons and Carpenters that wrought by lyue, other to be chiefe masters and ouerseers ouer theyr workes, and also ordayned all ma­ner of artificers meete for their science, as to make the wal­les and fortresses, or suche deuises as serued to the buildinge or settinge oute of anye thinge, all these practises hee deuided into certaine sortes and companyes. This Emperour Aeli­us Adrianus was a man of a straunge nature and condition, of a subtill and wyse heade, towarde vertue and vice diuerse­lye affected and enclyned, with reason geuinge arbitrement or iudgement, in matters of controuersy: for with wisedome and temperance, he would bridle and keepe vnder the violent mocions, and sodaine perturbations of the minde, and of his owne nature hee was enuiouse, pensine and sadde, at other [Page 57] times, in pleasure lasciuious, in the aduauncemēt of himselfe, in extollinge his owne fame, Adrianus. glorye, and commendation inso­lente: yet with all closenes he shadowed the same: He would appeare continent, cyuill and gentle, louinge and courteous, also he would not seeme that he was to be, for being inflamed with the whot and burninge desyre of honour and ambitious glorye, yet he would dissemble the same, he was stoute to pro­uoke, and redye to shape an aunsweare in waighty and graue matters, in sport and pleasaunt talke readye and prompte, in nippinge talke no verse wanted for verse, Adrian [...]s. no sentence for sen­tence, nor theame for theame, or word for word, whose wit or nature was so singuler and pregnant that in all these thinges it would seeme that with deliberation and inuention hee had deuised therevppon. Sabina. Sabina the wyfe of Aelius Adrian [...]s, beinge wythout all reason or modestye, was cruellye entrea­ted, and with extremitye driuen to desperation, and to mur­ther herselfe. For she openly did report and affirme, that Ae­lius Adrianus her husbande, was of minde and maners cru­ell, ferce and beastly: Furthermore she sayde she did refraine from procreation and issue of children from him, least that of­springe whiche mighte discende from him, shoulde be the de­struction of mankinde.

At the last Adrianus was diseased of a dropseye goute, the which disease of longe time he bare quietlye, y ^e griefe thereof encreasinge, and with the payne beinge made furious hee wrekked his anger on the Senate, for he murthered many of them. Manye kinges and Princes from farre of, sought for peace with Adrianus, so muche they feared his name, and dreaded his maiestye, they sente vnto him greate and infinite sommes of money, wherevpon this Adrianus did opēly boast that whilest the common wealthe was in quiet estate, he gate more then all other Princes, in warre and destruction of Realmes and Countryes. In the common wealth of Rome [...]e ordayned diuers offices and dignityes, and likewyse in his royall Pallace, and Princelye Courte. In warre also hee did appointe officers, the whiche after of longe time did re­mayne, some of them were chaunged by Constantius.

[Page] Adrianus liued 62. yeares and at the last he dyed, being pay­ned and tormented in all partes of his bodye, this griefe was so greate, that he prayed those that were faythful to kill him, alluringe some therevnto by gentle perswasions, and threat­ninge other if they would not do it, Sickenesse. but there was none that would obeye him therein, neyther was he of force him­selfe to do it, in the ende for his best remedy, through the counsaile of the Phisitions, hee abstayned from meate, and drincke, and became so weake thorrow fastinge, y ^t he dyed.

Antonius Pius.

AFter the deathe of Adrianus y ^e Romaine Empyre came to the gouernment of Antonius Fuluius, Antonius Pi­us. his vertues and godlye life caused him to be called Antonye the godly Prince. The glorye of the Em­pyre continued with him xx. yeares: A­drianus the Emperour made this An­tonius by adoption his sonne to inherite after him, for the which he was greatly commended. This Antonius was his wyues sonne by her first husband: In the administratiō & go­uernment of the Romaine Empyre, his fame for his worthi­nes [Page 58] flourished so, that manye which were vnder his gouerne­ment did compare him to Numa, Numa. the seconde kinge of the Ro­maynes. Antonius for the space of xxii. yeares with highe aucthority gouerned all his Realmes, by him all warres tur­ned into peace and tranquilitye, A fortunate estate of king do [...]s. all kinges feared him, and with feare they loued him, all Nations, people, and prouin­ces dreaded him, for his vertues they called him the father & patrone of the Romaine Empyre, but rather a patrone then Lorde or Emperour, and all with one consent and voice as a God they honoured him: Such was his goodnes, as he was so oughte all kinges, Princes, and Emperours to be: for by vertuous gouernmente and godlye life, Godly life in a Prince. they shall not onlye winne the hartes of theyr subiectes to loue and obedience, but also they shall vanquishe and ouerthrowe (with the maiestye of the same vertues) theyr stoute and obstinate ennemyes. Assone as Antonius began his gouernmēt, he made present­lye a declaration of his proper and naturall goodnes, for hee chaunged not one maiestrate vnto whom Adrianus had geuē anye office, but did establishe them in the same. Hee gaue so muche of his owne substance before he was Emperour, that he was reproued for y ^e same of his wife Annia Faustina, the daughter of Annius Verus: vnto whom he aunswered, thou must vnderstande, that after I was chosen Emperour, I lost all those goodes which beinge a priuate person I possessed.

He neuer determined to go out of Rome into any countrye, for he would say that the countryes, and people which did fol­lowe the Emperoure, were greuous and hurtefull vnto the prouinces and countryes where they passed. By this circum­specte abode, he appeased manye rebellious and seditious vp­rores, both in Englande, Dacie and Germanye, whereby he obtayned great reputation, that in all controuersyes and de­bates that happened betweene Princes, with mutiall assente they alwayes referred the whole determination & agreeinge thereof, vnto his noble discretion. This Antonius was of stature taule, valiante, and stronge. In the morning this Em­peroure Antonius before he would accupye himselfe in anye publicke matter of his common wealth, or be in companye of [Page] his nobles to be saluted, his custome and vsage of dyet was to comfort his hart with bread, least with ouermuch abstinence from meate his bloude should waxe could aboute his harte, & thereby his strength consumed he should be feeble and fainte: through which he should not be able to trauaile and wade, in his publicke affayres of his common weale, fewe would take the paynes that he did, with so great laboure and carefull di­ligence to prouide for his house kepinge, glorye dignitye, and highe renowne followed him, he beinge voyde of all ambitiō, he was nothinge spotted with any spyce of ostentation, so gen­tle and mercifull he was, that when certaine had conspired a treason against him, the Senators moued him to apprehende them, Antonius pacifyed theyr instigations and withdrewe theyr intentes, for hee sayde it was not good nor necessarye to make any inquirye, to take anye suche as were desyrous to worke destruction against his maiestye, for so it might happē (sayde he) a greater nomber of traytours inhabiting all par­tes of the worlde, might vnderstande of howe manye hee was hated and of what noble men, whē the age of this Emperour was complete to lxxi. yeares, The death of Antonius Pius. he dyed at a village of his owne xii. myles from Rome of an ague, withinge three dayes after it toke him. When he had gouerned the Emperiall seate 29. yeares, (with a perpetuall fame, and all memorye of honour that mighte be) Temples were builded, and priestes appoin­ted to signe for him, As theyr re­ligion taught them. & many other solemnities were decreed and ordayned: Of gentle nature he so much excelled, y ^t when the meane commonaltye of Rome did vniustly and withoute cause suspect him to be the cause of a dearthe and scarcitye of corne in the Cittie, and was cast at with stones of the people, he in that case rather pitied them, then procured theyr vprore tumulte, & sedition to be punished. And when in contempte of him the valiaunte actes of Iulius Caesar, and of Hanniball were rehersed, A wittye sentence. he would aunswere with Scipio, that hee did more dearelye accompte the defence of one of his frendes, then the death of an hundreth ennemyes.

Marcus Antonius.

MArcus Antonius called Marcus Aure­lius, succeded Antonius Pius in y ^e Em­pyre without any contradiction, he elec­ted for companion and equall gouernor in y ^e Empyre Lucius Commodus, who was adopted with him by Antonius. This Emperour was of nature and dis­position right godlye, the vniuersall ca­lamitye of Rome founde him a singuler succoure and defen­dor: In good time the Cittie of Rome may saye that hee was borne to be Emperour, els at a sodaine the estate of Rome had for euer perished and bene prostrate, A good Prince. in all the time of his gouernment battaile and mortall warre neuer ceassed, for in all the East partes and in Britannye, in Italye and Fraunce, warres were very fierce, and vppon the countryes of Italye at the same time earthquakes happened, with the which ma­ny a Cittye was ouerthrowne, great and mightye flouddes o­uerflowed their banckes, and drowned bothe Towne & coun­trye, fewe places escaped y ^e rotten and infectiue plague, their lands and frutes were destroyed with locustes, Plagues. there was no plague or calamitye which happened amongest men at any o­ther time, or any kinde of miserye that euer was harde of, but in the time of his gouernment the like was felte: So God in the dayes of the Godly and vertuous Emperour sent his pla­gues, for theyr offences which longe before had transgressed, and neglected his lawes. God oftentimes punisheth the po­steritye [Page] and ofspringe, not only by plaguinge them with wic­ked gouernours and Princes, but also vnder the vertuous & moste godlye, for the abhominable life passed and wickednes before committed, God sendeth diuers plagues and punish­mentes: Good Prin­ces in euill times. yet hee in these myseries & calamityes, doth ordaine vertuous, graue and pollitike heads to be ouer his people, as in these troubleous times the godlye and wyse Prince Anto­nius was reserued to beare regimente ouer the Romaynes, wherevppon manye will iudge that God by his eternall pro­uidence foreseinge the plagues and calamities, that in time to some shall happen and fall vppō any Cittie, hath ordayned as one by whose power, lawes & ordinances, the whole world is gouerned, to leaue such heades and rulers as that by theyr wysedome, their vertues and politicke administration, the greuous plagues of his displeasure might be mittigated and healed, as by remedies for the same ordayned. This Empe­rour in the thirde yeare of his raigne, had verye daungerous warre with the Parthians, (a kinde of people alwayes verye much feared of the Romaynes) against whom was sent Lu­cius Verus his companion, who throughe his surfetinge and other disordered lyuinge, Lucius Ve­rus. fell sicke by the waye, whose slacke­nes caused the Romayne legions to receiue much damage of the Parthians, with the deathe of theyr captaine: But after Verus was come with his populous armye and valiante cap­taynes, the Romaynes recouered theyr damages, and gaue vnto the Parthians and other kinges which ayded them, ma­ny greate ouerthrowes. Marcus Aurelius remayninge all this while at Rome, did with great diligence and pollicye go­uerne the same, and verye carefullye prouided all thinges ne­cessary for the warres: At which time as Eusebius and Oso­rius do write, The fourthe persecution of the Christiās this Emperour caused y ^e Christians to be per­secuted, for y ^e which it may be supposed, that God so plagued his subiectes & whole Empyre, with earthquake, pestilēce, famine and warres. After Lucius Verus had ended the war­res in Asia, he returned vnto Rome, where with all ioye hee and Marcus Aurelius, triumphed together for theyr greate victories. Aurelius neuer did any thinge withoute the con­sent [Page 60] of y ^e whole Senate, for he would say that it was more re­quisite that hee beinge but one, shoulde▪ be ruled by the coun­saile of so many wyse men, The counsell of many hea­des. then that so manye wyse counsay­lours should obeye vnto the will of one alone. This Empe­rour sustayned not plagues onlye by famyne, pestilence, war­res and earthquakes, but he had a continuall plague, which hee nourished in his owne Pallace, which was his wyfe Fau­stina, Fuastina. who was (as all aucthours affirme) dishonest, and a­boue all measure dissolute. After the barbarous Nations had intelligence of the great mortalities which grewe dailye more and more in Italye, (as it were with one consent) all the Northe regions rebelled against the Romaines, against whō with all speede marched Marcus Antonius, and his compa­niō Lucius Verus, who beinge in the way was taken with an Apoplexi & sodainly dyed, Lucius Ve­rus. ix. or x, yeres afore they had ruled y ^e Empyre together. Cassius. In this Marcus Antonius dayes Cassi­us seekinge to vsurpe to the Empyre was slaine. This Em­perour had two sonnes, Verissimus and Comodus: Verissi­mus dyed very yonge, but Comodus was broughte vp wyth great care and trauaile of the noblist teachers in learninge & vertue: his daughters he maryed to Senators, who was as well endued with vertue, as titled with nobilitye: learninge encreased excedinglye in all partes of the Romaine Domini­ons hauinge so wyse a Prince, the example of this gouernour moued with greate force, infinite people to followe his ver­tues. Galene. This was that Emperour whom Galene the famous Phisition in those dayes noteth to haue delighted in the vse of triacle, to preserue him from all poyson, to whom Demetrius was a Phisition while hee liued, after whose deathe Galene made vnto him that compositiō of triacle: To be briefe of his warres and greate victoryes, happye successe alwayes fell to him in the same. Marcus Antonius beinge aged and remay­ninge in Pannonia, beinge greued with sickenes and hauing present death before his eyes, called y ^e Senators and wise coū ­sailers, The wise­dome of this Prince. beinge moued with the estate of the Romaine Em­pyre, and also with the brittle and the dissolute youthe of Co­modus his sonne: in the presence of those he gaue godly coun­saile [Page] to his sonne Cōmodus, exhorting him that the counsaile of so godlye and graue parsons mighte rule him sayinge that thereby both the gouernour and the kingdome should be ad­uaunced to most fortunate estate: hee placed before his eyes the example of godlye Princes, willinge him to follow theyr steppes and vertues, hee tolde him also of the beastly gouern­mente of other Princes that were wicked, as of Dionisius, Ptolomeus, Antigonus, Nero, Domitianus &c. Hee shewed theyr liues, The godlye admonition of Marcus Aurelius to his sonne. he resighted also theyr endes, mouinge by these examples the grene youthe and vnconstant heade of Cō ­modus to godly gouernment. This exhortacion ceassinge hee made a wittie oration and a godly, meete for a gouernour lea­uinge his estate, he exhorted them to be fathers to his youth­full sonne Cōmodus, and to adde by theyr wisedome a perfect frame of gouernmente, to him that was of age to be gouer­ned, beinge as one that was but newe borne to counsaile.

Immediatly after this Marcus dyed, when hee had ruled the Empyre .xviii. yeares, lyuinge but a daye and a nighte after, for his vertues in gouernmēt, they called him Parentem probum, other Bonum Imperato­rem, and some fortissimum ducem, manye called him Continentem moderatum (que) principem, great lamentacion was in all partes of the Romaine Do­minion, so vertuous a go­uernour to be taken from them. (⸫)

Aurelius Commodus.

TWo hundreth yeares were almost passed from Augustus to this Emperour. Frō Augustus who succeaded Iulius Caesar his great vncle, the gouernment of one in a Monarche preuailed: Monarchia▪ thoughe in those .ii. hundreth yeares there had bene manye wicked gouernours, yet from the time of this wicked Emperoure Cōmodus, Comodus. to Gordianus who was the xxviii. Emperour, greater were the troubles & stormy seasons of the Romaine Empyre in these Emperours followinge then before: for then was the brittle estate of kingdomes seene, The trouble­some state of Emperours followinge. bloudye conspiracies to vsurpe ambitious­lye, so many calamityes, suche slaughters of noble peares, a souldiour to daye, to morrowe and Emperour, a Prince fallen from throne y ^t yester day enioyed: rashnes made choice of Em­perours, Troublous times. and money brybed the electors, by the often faule of tyrantes, the ouerthrowe of the Empyre of Rome manye ti­mes was like to followe, great were the calamityes of those dayes, the people & kingdome in myserable estate, when such broyle and stormy seasons followed. As the maner was this yonge Emperour (his father Marcus beinge deade) was broughte vnto the armye to be seen of them, at whose sighte they greatlye reioysed, hopinge in him the like estate of king­dome and felicitye, beinge so vertuouslye broughte vppe: to whom he made an oration alluringe by all meanes theyr loue and stedfast fayth, by the which Princes haue theyr strongest [Page] [...] [Page 61] [...] [Page] holde, The strōgest hold of Prin­ces. at this present the godly exhortacion of Marcus his fa­ther was layed vp in his brest, y ^e graue counsaile of those whō Marcus left fathers to him as yet brideled him, and ruled his doinges, dissolute libertye and wanton pleasures were as yet banished from the Courte of this Prince, great was the hope of the godly, to haue and enioye a wyse and godly gouernour, the wicked feared that godlynes harboring the Prince, their practises (enemyes to vertue) woulde shut them out by little and litle, wherevppon there crept in euen those who soughte by pleasant inuention and courtly toyes to delight the yonge Prince, Flatterye. flatterye saluted the kinge, and pleasure followed to banket with him: Pleasure. at a sodaine these two diuerslye moued and incensed this yonge Prince from godly exercises, placinge be­fore his eyes the noble libertye of Princes, the free lyfe, the voluptuous estate, by aucthoritye to commaunde as will ly­steth to beare aucthoritye, theyr pleasaunt counsaile, toyes & fantasyes, drewe the heade of this yonge Prince to dissolute libertye, his owne minde gaue him counsaile to fansye what liked him: Adulation. graue counsaile gaue place to adulation, and plea­sure was chiefe gallant to the kinge, Pleasure. so much flattery and lust draweeth frō vertue godly Princes, that very fewe are found whiche yelde not therevnto, The destruc­tion of king­domes. so harde a thinge it is to put of y ^e plague which pulleth downe kingdomes & destroyeth Prin­ces. Cōmodus pricked forward w ^t these instigations, was de­sirous to leaue the roughe and barren countrye of Pannonia, and to see the pleasures of Rome & delightes thereof: whose comminge to Rome, was with all ioye and princelye enter­taynment receiued. This Cōmodus discended from an aunci­ent race of Senators by byrth, his mother was called Fausti­na the daughter of Antonius Pius, nyce to Adrian the Em­perour, Traian the Emperour was her great graundfather: nothinge wanted in Cōmodus that nature coulde geeue, for hee was adorned with a most beutifull personage, a manlye coūtenaunce, grauetye, learninge and wisedome: yeares one­lye wanted in him, for affectinge to be at libertye, his yonge heade began to rule the counsayle of the graue: pleasure shee­wed wherein he delighted, and then pleasure chosed him ma­tes: [Page 62] the care which he ought in gouernment to haue was ne­glected, Pleasure. how happye had it bene for him if hee had submitted himselfe to the tuition of those graue and fatherly Senators, whom his father Marcus had chosen him? Cōmodus nowe enduced by euill perswasion, Perennius. made Perennius an Italian chiefe ouer his souldiours, who perceyuinge Cōmodus who­lye enclined towardes him, suffered the Emperoure as luste ledde him to dispose his life, his counsaile ruled the Prince & suffered him to exceade in al wanton pleasures, ryote, whore­dome and all abhomination: This euill counsellour Perenni­us, Ambition. moued with ambitious desyre neglected the Prince, see­kinge his priuate aduauncemente: the sage and graue Sena­tors are now put out of place, onlye Perennius beareth sway to rule the dissolute minde, by whose conueyance ambition so broyled in his breste, that hee wroughte treasons against Cō ­modus, for his ambition not content with lofty estate, sought to murther this Emperoure Cōmodus: Perennius. but his conspiracye came to light, wherevppon he was beheaded of Cōmodus. Many treasons also were wrought against him, as of Mater­nus, Maternus. and Cleander Cleander. who in like maner by ambition moued, sought to vsurpe aboue the Prince, but theyr sodaine ambiti­on brought them vnloked for a sodaine death. At this tyme a great pestilence fell in Rome which deuoured infinite people by infection, greate fyers also destroyinge houses continued many dayes, and because this Emperour abhorringe vertu­ous life gaue himselfe to all abhomination, eche one cryed out these plagues to faule for y ^e iniquitye of theyr Prince. What greater pride coulde be then to refuse his name Cōmodus, commaunding himselfe to be called Hercules the sonne of Iu­piter, Pride: and leauinge of his princelye robe to clothe himselfe with a Lions skinne: great was the follye of this Prince if it were in all pointes at large resighted. In the quallity of sho­tinge Comodus excelled all men, whom in that gifte neither the moste worthye archers of the Parthians, neyther of the practised Numidians coulde in anye respecte be equall, He­rodian resighteth at large his excellencye therein. Cōmo­dus leauinge the care of gouernmente, gaue himselfe to all [Page] dissolutenes, who beinge counsailed of his frendes to auoyde the infamye & euill fame that his wicked life did procure him, those priuily not onely he expelled from him, but also sought to murther them: Letus. as Letus and Electus his chamberlaynes, Electus. with Martia his harlotte: Cōmodus (as his maner was) did vse oftentimes the bathinge house, whom at a certaine time returninge from the same Martia by drincke poysoned him, which poyson whether it were by force of nature, (or as the maner of Emperours was) by vsing a preseruatiue against poyson, at that instance hee was preserued and began to re­couer, but they that were priuye of this treason, (seinge the Emperour beyonde theyr expectation to escape the poyson) brybed with great rewardes one Narcissus a hardye & stoute man to strangle him, Narcissus. who for money accomplished theyr desyre: This ende Cōmodus had for the leadinge of a filthye and abhominable life, after he had ru­led thirtene yeares, whose nobilitye and goodlye giftes of nature, by adulation and pleasure were destroyed, & he by folly subuerted. (⸫)

Pertinax.

COmmodus being deade in this sorte as you haue harde, the conspiratours toke counsell how they might conceale the murther: wher­vppon by night they conueighed his body in a chest as if it had bene some other thinge ne­cessarye to be caryed forth by two whom they trusted. The murder as yet vnknowen, and least of all suspec­ted, neither searche or vewe was made to know what thinge was caryed oute: but the bodye of the slaine Emperour was caryed vppon a carte into the fielde. Martia the harlotte of Commodus, with Letus and Electus poletikelye deuised for theyr safegarde, Commodus. considering that Commodus excessiuelye pampered his body with surfetinge, obseruinge no meane but as a most be astlye glotton was destitute of all reason, so­brietye neuer tempered the Prince, but as Sardanapalus or Epicurus, placed all his ioye and felicity in that excessiuenes, therefore because his disordered life was knowne to all peo­ple, Pollicye. his continuall surfetinge reserued in memorye, they bru­ted abrode that he died sodainly of a disease called Apoplexia: Apoplexia. the which fame was sone beleued, The death of tyrantes. because eche one knew this Prince to be geuen to all beastlines, the plagues also that fell before time were thoughte to happen on them for the wicked life of the Prince: the multitude not regardinge the sodaine ende of Commodus life, was most glad thereat, the godlye wished for a better estate through a more godly and vertuous gouernour: the wicked were very glad of a chaunge, eche one [Page] rather desyrouse to heare and carrye newes, then to regarde the manner of his death: After this consultation was had a­mongest the conspirators, no heyre being left to succede in go­uerment, a longe pause taken, they thought it good to chuse out some one whom wisedome, & horeheaded age had caught, thereby hopinge for full securitye of estate, and a deliuerance from tyrannicall gouernment, amongest many graue & sage peares: Pertinax. Pertinax a noble Senator aboue the rest appeared, whom Marcus Antonius before vsed familiarly for his graue counsaile, makinge also greate price of him, this also was a greate proufe of his worthines, that beinge a sage, graue and wise man, obtayninge greate dignities in Marcus Antonius dayes, a noble warrior a valiant captaine, a fatherlye Sena­tor preferred vnto manye highe dignityes by offices, and be­inge become possessor of greate and ritche reuenewes whiche had fallen to him: Pertinax his life. yet he was in goodes and substance poore, well he vsed the same when vertue dispended his reuenewes: wherevppon hee was thoughte most worthye to beare chiefe stroke of gouernmente, Couetousnes in maiestra­tes, is the o­uerthrowe of a common wealth. beinge not couetous and by neglec­tinge his owne estate to preferre y ^e state of the cōmon wealth. In the night they went to Pertinax, who fearinge to be mur­dered because of so sodayne a comminge, the deathe of Com­modus not knowne: who before had sodainlye murdered ma­ny Senators, but theyr comminge beinge thorowlye vnder­stode and the writinge of Commodus seene, what murthers he pretended: The acte of [...]rantes. he gaue credite vnto them, and was content to obey vnto theyr choise: eche one was glad that so vertuous a Prince should succede, great were the numbers of souldiours at these dayes in the Romaine Empyre, for continuallye ha­uinge warres, they were enforced to maintaine garisons of souldiours to content whose mindes, Letus made an Oratiō to them in this wyse: Commodus your Emperour daily sur­fetinge dyed sodainlye, his disordered life hasted his deathe, (and as ye knowe) euery one hath some or one impediment to vntwine the brittle threade of life, you knowe his liuinge, ye see his ende, Commodus. [...] ▪ his wilfull heade obeyed no counsayle, he was a banketing Prince, ryote was his mate, and ryote hath killed [Page 64] him: who by bellye cheare choked, the earthe presētlye hath swallowed vp: thus muche he sayd vnto them, commendinge with longer talke Pertinax, whom all men loued, whose ver­tues they embraced. Pertinax. Pertinax also made an Oration vnto them, whereby he might pacifye theyr mindes, & winne them to obedience. Forreine Princes knowinge of the election of so vertuous a Prince sent theyr Embassages, reioysing there­at. This Pertinax was an Italian borne, and valiantly she­wed himselfe against the Germaynes, and vnto manye other Regions in time of his gouernment, he behaued himselfe as a vertuous Prince and mercifull. Beastlye souldiours. But the nomber of souldi­ours prohibited of theyr olde liberties, which they before en­ioyed vnder Commodus, who then liued voluptuouslye as he did, in workinge iniuryes, robbinge and spoyling from other like rashe heades and warlike stomackes, not bearinge the gouernment of so vertuous a Prince, they disobeyed him, and contempned his gouernment, ponderinge more the restraint of their folishe libertye and voluptuous life, then his godlye and vertuous rulinge: happye had the Romaine Empyre bene if he had longe continued in gouernment, beinge repleat with iustice, A godly ma­iestrate. voyde of ambition, carefull of the cōmon wealth, louinge learninge: oftentimes frequentinge the Scoles and disputations of the learned, the base multitude of souldiours voide of counsayle, full of beastly maners in a tumulte rose a­gainst Pertinax and slue him in the ende, and cut of his head: those that conspired his deathe inclosed themselues in holdes for feare of reuenge of theyr wickednes. This thinge paci­fyed, they made Proclamation the Empyre to be his, that would geue most moneye for it, Iulianus hearinge at his ban­quet and feast, that moneye would bye the Empyre, Iulianus. his wife and daughter with manye other perswadinge him with mo­neye to purchase that moste noble dignitye, for that Iulianus in heaped ritches passinge all other might the better obtaine it: Moneye. Thus was the Empyre, which by vertue and merite one­ly was to be geuen to Princes, was nowe boughte with mo­neye, but no office or dignitye purchased with moneye, Bought offi­ces. can shewe anye hope of a good maiestrate: for dignity boughte, [Page] sheeweth an ambitious minde, a corrupt cōscience, a purpose grounded vppō priuate gaine: Priuate gaine. priuate gayne without medio­crity is the marke & ende at the which all they shote at, which procure y ^e same with moneye, as did this Iulianus: The good and fatherly Senators bewayled y ^t estate, and all other good men lamented to see so noble an Empyre brought to the elec­tion of moneye. The death of Pertinax was muche bewayled of the godly, who were not able to beare sway amongest those barbarous Legiōs of rash & bloudy souldiours, whose cruel­tye was extreame toward so graue & fatherlye a Prince, for his head cut of, was caryed about as a laughinge stocke: but the godlye Pertinax beinge deade, the people vttered these wordes with great lamentation, as longe as Pertinax liued we liued in all securitye, Pertinax. we feared no man, Pertinax was a godly Prince, a father amōgest Senators, a defender of good men. The Romaynes thought themselues fortunate hee ru­linge, Sinne. but sodainly they lost that Iewel, so God for the iniqui­tye of sinne, taketh from the earth godlye Princes, and in the ende hee scourgeth wicked gouernours, The power of God. treadeth downe the mightye, and pulleth downe the proude, he rayseth out of prison to commaunde the pui­saunte, such is the estate of kingdomes, the cause, the time, the person, the conti­nuance of succession vnknowen, ex­cepte onlye to God. (⸪)

Didius Iuliauus, and Seuerus.

DIdius Iulianus was borne at Milane, who bought the Empyre with money as it is sheewed before, hee continued seuen monethes, who in all the time of his go­uernmente gaue himselfe to all beastly­nes and wicked life he descended of a no­ble byrthe, hauinge great cunninge and knowledge in the ciuill lawe, who because he coulde not paye those greate sommes that hee promised in byinge of the Em­pyre, the men of warre murthered him, for hee was beheaded in his Pallace, Iulianus. his head set vp before the courte of Hostilius, and there as an open spectcle and laughinge stocke was de­rided: this was his ende, but the Romaynes beinge in this estate fansyed an other gonernour called Niger, Niger. at the same time beinge the liefetenaunt in Syria, for all Phenitia and all the Region to the floudde Euphrates was vnder his gouern­ment: Niger was greatly commended in those whom he go­uerned, Embassadours also came to Antioche, kinges and noble Peares resorted from beyonde Euphrates reioysinge of Niger his successe. Niger therevppon fully hopinge to enioye without resistaunce the honour of that dignitye which he lo­ked for, Delaye. somewhat delayed the time: Furthwith the glory of that Empyre, Seuerus. moued a valiante Captaine Seuerus by name, who was not only valiaunte in strength, but also wyse and ex­perte to assaye & finishe that which he enterprised, his dreame also which he dreamed at the choise of Pertinax made him e­gar [Page] to assaye his enterprise, Seuerus with all pollecye per­swaded y ^e whole multitude that he wente to reuenge y ^e death of Pertinax, Seuerus was a great dissembler, circumspectlye groundinge his pollicies, Vsurpers. as those are, who by vniuste mea­nes seeke to vsurpe: preparation was made on euerye syde, forth wente Seuerus, who at a sodaine enteringe into Italye dismayde them so, that therevppon they yelded them selues. Iulianus hearinge of this, Iulianus. (voyde of all preparation) dispay­red of himselfe, the Romaynes seeinge Seuerus so valiantlye to haue successe, and all thinges to go forwarde with him, ac­compted Iulianus a cowarde, they neglected Niger because he delayed the oportunitye geuen. Iulianus drawinge neare to Rome, Iulianus death. was commaunded to be beheaded of one of the Try­bunes, which thinge assone as Seuerus hearde, hee drewe to­warde Rome with more hast, where he soughte out the mur­therers of Pertinax, by commaundement expellinge them. This ende Iulianus had, Moneye. his kingdome bought with moneye continued not, y ^e men of warre disceaued of theyr pray murthe­red him. Niger seinge a mightier to ryse, whō also many vic­tories followed with felicitye of estate, and hauinge receyued letters in the which was declared vnto him, that Rome was enioyed of Seuerus, and that y ^e whole Senate saluted him as Emperour, these thinges being knowen to Niger, which be­fore were vnloked for: Suche is the fauour and strengthe of brittle kingdomes, so vncertaine is the staye of ambitious go­uernours and seates sone remoued, nowe sodainlye fortune which laughed vppon Niger, Prosperitye deceitfull. frowneth on him, the mightye armyes and garisons of warrelike souldiours fostered in Illi­ria both by sea and lande buskled themselues to bringe downe Niger, Niger beinge amased at this great and sodaine blast, seeketh frendes, and warneth the Presidentes and chiefe go­uernours of those prouinces to see vnto his portes, to fortifye all those places where the ennemye might haue best opportu­nitye to enter in, Niger his practises. he sent vnto the kinges of Parthia, of Arme­nia, Byzance. & other Princes for ayde, hee made Bizansium his forte, a Cittie most wealthy and great, fortifyed aswell with men as moneye. Seuerus by all meanes slackinge no time as Ni­ger [Page 66] did, forthwith approched to the Cittie of Bizance, because he knew it a Cittye for strength passinge other: to withstand his passage Niger sente Emilianus, who foughte diuers bat­tailes w ^t the souldiours of Seuerus, Emilianus. but in the ende Emilianus was by him vanquished, so all thinges went against Niger, greate was the slaughter of Niger his souldiours, none esca­ped but such as fledde: Manye battayles were also fought be­twene Niger and Seuerus, but Seuerus for successe preuailed, Niger for lacke of men and money, Niger. fled to Antioche for ayde, but all this preuailed not, for neither munitiō, neither valiant souldiours which he had plentye of, did anye thinge preuaile, so hard a thinge it is to trust vnto loftye estate, or the fauoure, power, and aucthoritye of the mightye, where God rayseth a kingdome, the weake shall chase awaye the mightye, and the nedye robbe the wealthye, Kingdome. folishe heades shall subuert y ^e sage and prudente counsailes of the graue and wise: The secrete counsaile of God. no counsaile stayeth victorye, nor pollicye putteth of the enterprises of ab­iecte parsons where God refuseth y ^e estate. Well so vnlucke­lye all thinges wente on Nigers syde, that neyther the fauour of the Romaynes which first chose him, neither strengthe of men or moneye preuailed, but the greate calamitye whiche happeneth vnto the miserable, for hee in the ende was forced to flye backe to Antioche: Calamities of warre. great lamentacion was made and pitifull showtes for the death of so many souldiours, the child for his father cryed alas, the father for his sonne, the wyfe for her husbande, brother for brother, the frende for frende. Niger then sought an out corner to hide himselfe in, he that li­ued in the face of many nowe hydeth himselfe for feare, one y ^e ruled many, The faule of a mightye Prince. nowe feareth to be murthered of one, but Niger pursued of Seuerus horsemen was taken & beheaded of them. These thinges set in quietnes, Seuerus had but one ennemye to assaye, Albinus by name, whom also by deceit he murthe­red: Albinus. then Seuerus was onlye, but as concerninge Albinus assone as he heard y ^t Seuerus did stoppe the narrowe straigh­tes and passage of the Alpes, hee as yet in all voluptuousnes leadinge his life, was sodainlye stricken with feare and forth­with hee remoued his armye oute of Britayne into Fraunce, [Page] sendinge letters to the Princes that dwelled by him, Albinus. for ayde of men and moneye, manye refused to ayde Albinus fearinge the successe of Seuerus. When Seuerus came into Fraunce diuers skirmishes were made, but in y ^e ende Seuerus pitched his tente neare to Lugdunū a Cittie in Fraunce in y ^e partes of Aquitania, a Cittye of great wealthe of people populous, wherein Albinus closed himselfe for his safegard, & sent forth a sufficient multitude to fighte for him, valiaunt was the cou­rage of euery souldiour, theyr fight manlye, none gaue place to other a longe season, this doubtfull estate of battaille con­tinued, at the lengthe Seuerus (though most manlye) was vn­horsed, and castinge his Princely cloake from him was there­by vnknowen, assone as Albinus hearde that Seuerus was in that extremitye, he came out of the houlde, not as a manly Prince but as a cowarde the fielde wonne, but vnloked for, reskue was made of freshe souldiours to ayde Seuerus: Albi­nus and his souldiours at a sodaine retyred beinge chased of Seuerus men to the Cittye of Lugdunum the which Cittye they burned, The death of Albinus. and beheaded Albinus and broughte the heade vnto Seuerus. This Seuerus most victoriously hath put downe three Emperours, Iulianus, Niger and Albinus: who maye be compared with Caesar against Pompeie, who were vali­ante captaynes, eyther with Augustus against Antonye, and the noble sonnes of Pompeie, eyther with Silla and Marius in pollicye or counsayle, for hee excelled them: And because Albinus had many frendes at Rome he sent the heade of Al­binus thither: cōmaundinge it to be hanged vp in the sight of all men, & in the same letter wherin he certifyed the Romay­nes of his successe, he wrote in the ende thereof these wordes: Ideo caput Albini publicae in patibulo spectandum mitto, vt exemplum capiant eius amici, quid ipsis patiendum fo­ret. Therefore I do sende the heade of Albinus in sight to be hanged vp, A terror. that his frends may loke for the like: Immediat­lye all thinges set in quiet estate, he marched toward Rome with a terrible hoste, and with all hast taking his voyage fol­lowinge therein Caesar. Seuerus enteringe Rome, all the Romaynes outwardly reioysed and the Senate, forthwith he [Page 67] put to deathe all the fauourers of Albinus. Seuerus was a cruell Emperour, Crueltye. nothinge regardinge the life of any whom his cruell harte did fansye to murther, in trauaile and paynes he was inferiour to no souldiour in sufferinge of colde, heate, honger, Couetousnes thirste, he passed all other in these extremityes, in co­uetousnes he went beyonde all Emperours, wherevppon not content with his estate, ambitiouslye he soughte larger king­domes, and vnder pretence to worke his heauy displeasure a­gainste certaine which fauoured Niger, hee entered againste Barsemius, he ledde his armye into the Easte, he passed also into Armenia subduinge Augarus and his kingdome, Augarus. and ca­ryed his children with him for hostages, Seuerus was ayded by him with a greate nomber of mightye Archers, hee passed from thence to Felix Arabia, Arabia. burninge & spoylinge the coun­tryes, Arras. hee layde siege to the Cittie Arras where the Romay­nes were myserablye afflicted, and Seuerus with the greate slaughter of his souldiours discomfited left the siege: the mē of Arras were noble Archers, wherby Seuerus nothinge pre­uailed, the men of Arras also vsed diuers pollicies whereby they poysoned his men, hee passed from thence to Parthia to kinge Artabanus, Artabanus. whom against the lawe of Armes he ente­red vpon, beinge in league with him, he spoyled his countrye, destroyed his people and ledde them captiues awaye, only the kinge Artabanus with a few horsemen escaped, The lawe of armes to be kept. but his trea­sure and ritches fell to the praye and spoyle of Seuerus soul­diours, then from thence hee passed home to Rome, who cau­sed the whole maner & estate of his conquestes, to be set forth in Mappes and cardes to be seene of all men, Seuerus beinge receiued with all solemnitye, quietly setled himselfe to make his abode there, geuinge sentence in all controuersyes of the lawe, carefull in the education and bringinge vppe of his two sonnes Marcus Antoninus & Geta, Mareus An­toninus. Geta. these two in the absence of theyr father with all libertye hauinge free passage, to fan­sye that liked them, theyr natures were corrupted: Delicijs, victu vrbano, spectaculis, studio saltationis. That is, with delicious fare, ryot, sightes, and daunsing, and surely where these things be in vse, beastly life followeth, because pleasure [Page] which destroyeth vertue incenseth them, and where pleasure harboreth, Pleasure. vertue with all sobrietye, temperancye and pru­dente counsaile is expelled. Constantinus the greate refor­minge his Courte and purginge it, expelled from the same Aliatores, The rattes of Prīces Courtes. saltatores, & adulteros, quia inquit hij sunt Sori­ces Pallacij. That is, dysers, daunsers, & adulterous parsons, saying these be y ^e rattes of my Pallace: the like also sayd Pria­mus, Priamus. Hector, Nestor, and worthy Troilus being slaine, these valiaunte parsonages (sayth he) cruell Mars hath slaine, but I haue left me reprochfull children, drosse, and refuce full of filthye spottes, detestable lyars, dauncers, & robbers of other. The like we reade of Henrye the fift kinge of Englande, Henrye y ^e v. who conquered all Fraunce, this Prince (as the Histories do note) banished all dissolute parsons frō his Court, being sometime a wantō Prince himselfe, yet receiuing charge of kingdome, he gaue himselfe to all wisedome, grauety, & temperancy, his kingdome prospered, The wyse Prince. and people flowrished, large were his victories in Fraunce, vertuous life ruled his commons, and quailed his ennemyes: A voluptuous Prince is neuer drea­ded of his ennemyes, The volup­tuous Prince he is hated and accompted of little force, the weake Prince beinge godly winneth by vertue, and pro­cureth thereby the loue of his ennemye, small are the holdes, and weake are the fortresses of the voluptuous Princes, as the Chronicles testifye, concerninge Antoninus and Geta the two sonnes of Seuerus by disposition and nature contrary, continuallye were at discention in all games and pastymes, not as children sone ceassing displeasure, but maliciously eche one hatinge deadlye thother. The destruc­tiō of a king­dome. Seuerus feared theyr naturall dispositions, least at anye tyme theyr malicious hartes should worke on thēselues mischiefe. Antoninꝰ Antoninus. was by nature wic­ked, cruell, beastly, Geta gentle, lowly, & curteous, this An­toninus afterwarde in his owne life shalbe Chronicled what he was. Geta. At y ^t time Seuerus maryed Antoninus to the daugh­ter of Plausianus against his will, wherevppon Antoninus threatned assone as Seuerus his father dyed, to slea his wyfe & her father Plausianus, Plausianus. which thinge Plausianus hearinge of, fearinge y ^e cruell head of Antoninus, determined in minde to [Page 68] slea both the sonnes of Seuerus, his conspiracye came to light Seuerus yet liuinge: Plausiauus. This Plausianus had bene exalted from poore and needye estate, to greate dignitye, who not contente with his estate sought by ambition, to be aboue his Lorde and maisters childrē, Ambition. the age of Seuerus moued him thereto part­lye, and the great & infynite treasures gathered by the spoile of manye Regions, and captiuitye of kinges moued him also, but this conspiracye beinge knowne to Seuerus & vttered by Saturninus a Tribune, Saturninus. who should haue done y ^t wicked facte, therevnto beinge hyred, Plausianus was apprehended as the Historye noteth at large, Plausianus his death. and forthwith was beheaded.

Seuerus by all meanes sought to ioyne amitye and concord with his two sonnes, fearinge the perill that would followe, and the greate calamitye on the Romaynes, these two Prin­ces beinge at discorde, Discorde. liuinge with all libertye, flowed in all wanton pleasures and fonde pastimes, all which things with theyr wicked behauiour made Seuerus a carefull Prince, hee perswaded them to loue, geeuinge them admonitions and fa­therlye counsaile, The ruine of kingdomes. hee called to minde before them the greate ruine of kingdomes, the faule of Princes, the destruction of noble houses which happened by discorde, hee badde them be­ware by them, he shewed to them the glorye and fame of good kinges and Princes, the ignominye and spotted life of y ^e wic­ked: Discorde. discorde he sayde pulleth downe in a momente more then concorde in manye yeares purchaseth, and aduaunceth. His greate victoryes and large conquestes he sayde, woulde sone faule in the handes of other Princes, his two sonnes beinge at discorde, Deuision. theyr deuision makinge them weake, would rayse strength in other, to pull them downe, to spoyle them of their ritches, Strēgthe ar­med with cō ­corde. and to dissolue theyr kingdomes: strengthe armed w ^t concorde preuaileth mightely, but great armyes deuided are chased awaye and loase oftentimes theyr honour in the field: so much discorde preuayleth being in force to dissolue vnitye, but all this counsaile of Seuerus was in vaine: for dailye, for lyuinge sake, Flatterye. there crepte in those that moued by flatterye, deuision & discorde betwene the two brethren, diuers of them Seuerus put to deathe, that thus gaue counsaile to moue that [Page] broyle of discorde. Britaine. Seuerus thoughe he were very aged hea­ring that the Britaynes denyed obedience to the Romaynes, forthwith marched from Rome to warre on them, but the Britaynes sought peace, and sent Embassadours to Seuerus to purge themselues, but Seuerus entered on them, they ta­kinge the marish ground resisted him, but Seuerus politicke­lye deuised meanes to fighte with them, Getā. and in the ende con­quered them, all thinges set in quiet estate, he lefte Geta his yonger sonne chiefe gouernour there, with a nomber of wyse counsailours to instruct Geta, and to order the Ilande: The people of the Ilande knewe no vse of apparell, The maners of the Bri­taynes. but they had a hoope of Iron about theyr necke and middle, which was coū ­ted an ornament with them, and a token of great riches: their bodyes were pictured and painted with diuers shapes of bea­stes, As Caesar doth note in his Commentaryes vppon the people of this our Ilande, a nation very warrelike, cruell & bloudye. In this Emperours dayes the Christians were persecuted. The fifte per­secution of y ^e Christians. Croked age comminge vppon Seuerus, and also the goute troublinge him, he drewe to Rome, age forbidding him any more to warre, he sent his sonne Antoninus as liefe­tenaunte and chiefe gouernour to forraine warres, Antoninus. now An­toninus (mindinge that hee alwayes coueted) soughte to be honoured as Emperour of all men, sorye he was that Seue­rus his father liued so longe, diuers wayes he soughte by the Emperours seruauntes and Phisitions to slea him, but none obeyed his counsaile: Seuerus hearinge of his sonnes wicked purposes dyed more vpon thought then sickenes, after hee had raigned xviii. yea­res. This was the death of that valiante Emperour Seuerus: Seuerus. but Charion wri­teth that Seuerus comminge to this Ilande, dyed heare and was buried at Yorke. (⸫)

Marcus Seuerus Antoninus.

ROme lost a wyse gouernour Seuerus be­inge dead, the ennemye also and forreine Princes had such an one taken awaye as they dreaded, who for pollecye, counsaile and all qualityes meete for such a parso­nage was inferiour to no Prince, The commē ­dation of Se­uerus. greate was his fame for his noble victoryes, all Italye, Fraunce, yea all Europe, Affricke and Asia, eyther dreaded his name or obeyed his gouernement. At the time of Seuerus death, Antoninus and Geta were in Britayne this our Ilande, immediatlye they made preparation to Rome to solemnise the funerall of Seuerus theyr father: Nowe began that discord to broyle, which longe time was in the hartes of these two brethren, for in all their passage to Rome, eche one feared other, hauing together no mutuall society, such was y ^e feare of the brother with the brother, both feared treason, the one dreaded to be poysoned of the other, Discorde. wherevppon seueral­ly they toke their repaste and banquetes, they feared in drinc­kes and meates poysoning, feare suspected the hartes of these that serued them, assone as they came to Rome theyr lodgin­ges were seuerallye appointed, Discorde. eche owne feared y ^t the great discorde of these two Princes, would worke great calamities to all the Romaynes, and destruction to themselues. As con­cerning the funerall of Seuerus, the Romaynes did celebrate it w ^t all due honour, (meete for so worthy an Emperour) lay­inge his corpes in the place of the Romaine Emperours, this [Page] funerall once ended, then Geta and Antoninus openlye vtte­red theyr discorde, eche one makinge traynes and craftye con­ueyance to entangle the other. Antoninus. Antoninus beinge the elder brother, feared Geta his yonger brother, Geta (thoughe yon­ger) ambitiouslye sought by manye pollicies, to occupye the place and kingdome of his elder brother, Nature. nature made them bretherne, reason woulde that concorde shoulde haue obeyed vnto nature: Lofte estate. loftye estate depriueth nature of right, kingdo­mes manye times obeyeth not nature, ambition in loftye go­uernours casteth of kindred and grudgeth to haue his mate, Ambition. euen as Pompeie broked not his like, and as full euill Caesar coulde beare his superior, so ambition in these two bretherne seeketh a sole regiment alone without the other, thoughe dis­corde possessed these two Princes, yet they had subtill heades and flatteringe tongues, whiche frequented them, counsaile lacked not on both theyr sides to worke mischiefes, Adulations but yet y ^e loue and fauoure of the greater parte of the Romaynes was well affected to Geta, because Geta gaue a good opiniō of god­ly behauiour, Geta. in talke and gesture ciuil, gentle, and curteous, his delectacion was in thinges worthye commendation, the company of the sage and wise delighted him, his vertues gate him loue and his gentle behauiour with all men purchased him fauoure, but Antoninus Antoninus. by nature cruell, excercised cru­eltye, with tyrannye commendinge: warrelike in all his con­ditions, Irefull, mightely threateninge, with feare not with loue seekinge obedience, euē as violent kingdomes lacke loue of subiectes to obedience, so violente gouernours are more dreaded then loued, Violent go­uernours. miserable is the estate of those Princes, yea the kingdome vnfortunate, where discord prepareth mis­chiefe, where cloked hartes grounde pollecies to deminishe y ^e estate or depriue the honoure thone of the other: Discorde. that that Se­uerus by large victories gate, that which by concorde he ray­sed to the aduauncement of the Romayne Empyre, now dis­corde in these. ii. brethrene bringeth defamation, weakeneth theyr strength, shortneth theyr life, pulleth downe theyr king­dome, theyr discorde caused diuision of countryes, for diuers Regions were lymitted vnto eche of them, as all Europe to [Page 70] be in the iurisdiction of Antoninus and Asia was lymitted for the possession & patrimonye of Geta: Bizance. Bizance had a great garrison of souldiours for Antoninus, Calcedon. and Calcedon a Cit­tye in Bithinia was the forte of Geta, Antioche and Alexan­dria the kinglye seate for Geta, Mauritania and Numidia be­longed to Antoninus, this the Senators of Rome (ledde w ^t all deliberatiō) thought good to make this equality betwene them, the Empresse with great sorrowe suspectinge discorde oftentimes admonished them, Vnitye. and gaue them exhortacion & as a wyse Empresse mindefull of vnitye allured them to con­corde, but her counsayle nothinge preuailed, dailye theyr dis­corde, hatred, and bloudye practises encreased, thone fearing thother, both liued warely from hurt and poysoninge because they feared: Ambition. but at the lengthe Antoninus not contente with the estate of Geta, nor with the fauoure wherewith hee was affected, therevppon incensed to possesse a sole kingdome, at a sodaine by violence entered his brothers chamber by nighte, Geta mur­thered. and at vnwares before his mother beheaded him: Nowe is the hart of Antoninus seene, nowe hath discorde caughte his ende which hee loked for, then Antoninus (the murther vn­knowen) ranne forth makinge great exclamation cryinge out for helpe: sayde, that Geta with a companye entered vppon him to slea him, but his strength preuayled and so he escaped, great was the tumulte and busines of Antonye in this sturre then he allured the hartes of the men of warre geuinge them princely giftes, (by which they beinge ouercome) proclaymed him Emperour. Antoninus with an eloquent Oration par­swaded the multitude, appeased theyr Irefull hartes, and as­muche as laye in him altered theyr suspition. Tyrannye. As sone as hee was created Emperour and in quietnes settled, hee murthe­red all the frends of Geta sparinge no age, yea not the infant, so y ^t not one remayned on liue in the cōmon wealth of Rome, that had any frendship w ^t Geta. Then he made hauoke of the Senators of Rome, espetiallye on those who eyther in nobili­tye or ritches excelled, small was the cause, and full lighte the occasion that procured the murther of any put to death, ma­ny noble peares and women also he put to death, as his owne [Page] wyfe the daughter of Plausianus, the sonne of Pertinax, his crueltye was intollerable, that hatred whiche he bore toward Geta was so great (that he being murthered) yet he ceasseth not to destroye and slaye all the chiefe gouernours and Presi­dentes of the prouinces as frends to Geta: Tyrannye. the day time was not sufficient for his murthers, but also he bestowed the night seasons in that crueltye, manye were his slaughters, and his beastlines intollerable, the barbarous souldiours loued him, bothe for his prodigalitye and bountifull giftes, Mē of warre wherewith theyr fauoure was incensed to loue him, hope of praye and spoyle, The warri­ars life. leadeth to extreame perill and hasarde the accustomed warrior: contrary to that which peace procureth, and furthe­reth to those whiche liue by peace: Euenso these sonnes of Mars, do pitche theyr sure holde in the great calamities of o­ther, and as reueninge foules do loke after praye. Antoni­nus wrapped in all monstrous vices, left the partes of Italy, and toke his voyage to Danubius, wher in all pleasure for his delight he did flowe at will. The Germaynes he made fren­des to him, to ayde him in warres he chose oute of them those which were of goodliest parsonage to garde him in all poin­tes, and in dyet, apparell & maners he became a Germaine, and to winne the fauoure of the souldiours to make them the more painefull in all trauaile: A greate pol­licye. hee digged, he delued manye times with his owne handes, on foote he trauailed bearinge burthens, vsinge most slender fare wherewith his commen­dation entitled him a rare captaine. These were rare & sin­guler practises in so noble a peare, which Zenophon noteth in his Historye, saying that this onlye is the meanes for those which in martiall feates seeke to go beyonde other, to be in labour equall to other, and because he woulde be an other A­lexander, Alexander. in all Citties he caused the Images of Alexander to be set vppe, yea at Rome in the Capitolle and Temples.

Herodian wrote the Historye at large, and sayth that hee in those dayes with manye other, sawe diuers pictures whiche in one bodye had ii. faces the face of Alexander and of Anto­ninus, hee wente to the Tombe of Achilles honouringe him, but aboue al he commended Silla and Hanniball to whom al­so [Page 71] he made pictures, he wrought much villanye to the men of Alexandria as the historye noteth at large, because they of Alexandria mocked him, in that so vainlye he would matche himselfe with Alexander and Achilles, which contumely he not bearinge, murthered an infinite sort of them by a gyle, af­ter this he sought to marye the daughter of Artabanus king of the Parthians, Dissimulatiō ▪ shewing what strength it would be, the Ro­maine Empyre and the mightye kingdome of Parthia to be ioyned in one, but this was only a guile and trayne to winne Parthia. Kinge Artabanus thought, that vnfaynedly An­toninus made that request of mariage, but in the ende he had welnighe destroyed the kinge, makinge greate hauoke with his people. Then Antoninus after that he had murthered y ^e people & spoyled the country, went into Mesapotamia, where hee had his delectation in hunting straunge beastes, at that time Macri [...]us and Audentius beinge liefetenantes of his armyes, Macrinus. had the doinge of those matters onlye, Autentius. wherby they were the onlye rulers. Antoninus curious in his doinges was not content to aspyre to the knowledge of humaine mat­ters, but also he soughte to learne of sprytes, and because hee feared by other to be murthered, he talked with the most ex­perte southsayers, Vanitye. Astrologians, inchaunters and witches, none excelled whom he talked not with to knowe his estate & ende of life, but not cōtent with theyr aunsweres because they seemed to flatter him, he caused certaine to coniure vp spiri­tes, to knowe of them what ende hee shoulde haue, or if anye wrought treason to his person or kingdome, amonge manye coniurers Matermanus aboue the rest excelled, who learned of his coniured spirite, that one Macrinꝰ who bare chiefe auc­thoritye vnder Antoninus, did seeke the Emperours death, and whether that he learned so of the coniured spirite, Coniuringe. or that some other for hatred vttered the same to kill Macrinus it is vncertaine, Macrious. but the Chronicles do note that Macrinus was in the ende the deathe of Antoninus: Austine wryteth a Booke De diuinatione demoniorum, sheewinge that deuils do knowe of thinges to come, declaringe great proufes of the same. Palingenius wryteth also thereof, sheewinge by good [Page] argument the same, and herein for a manifest [...] example is that Historye of the spirite coniured in the bodye of Samuell, Saule. who shewed that Saule the kinge should dye in the next battaile.

But nowe as concerninge Macrinus the letters which the coniuerer sente to Antoninus the Emperour, came at suche time as Antoninus was otherwise occupyed, he willed there­vppon Macrinus to reade the letters: Macrinus readinge the letters sawe his death that would followe, by the instructiō of the coniured spyrites, Martialis. but he preuentinge the matter, per­swaded a certaine yonge man named Martialis, to seeke apor­tunitye to murther Antoninus, who at a sodaine killed him, beinge at his priuye, but Martialis escaped not, for hee was slaine of the Germaynes who were his garde, the murther done, Macrinus. Macrinus thoughe he wrought the treason, yet hee see­med by lamentation and outwarde behauiour sorrowfull of y ^e death of Antoninus: for causes there were that might seeme vppon some priuate displeasure taken, to procure that mur­ther. Antoninus beinge deade, the men of warre not know­inge what gouernours they mighte obeye (for .ii. dayes they were without an Emperour) then they toke aduisement who were moste meete to gouerne, Antoninus recompensed with bloude for bloud. at the firste Audentius was thoughte aboue the rest meete to occupye that roume, for hee was a wise and valiaunte captaine, Audentius. longe age with greate ex­perience excelled in him, but by reason of age he refused y ^e of­fer, preferringe a quiet and priuate estate, before that digni­ [...]ye, then the Tribunes fauouringe Macrinus, obtayned so greate fauoure that Macrinus enioyed the same. At the same time Artabanus kinge of the Parthians to reuenge the olde iniuryes, Moerinus chosen Em­perour. made preparation against the Romaynes, where­vppon the more willingly they chose Macrinus Emperour, because he was liefetenaunt in the warres before. Artaba­nus with a great power came vppon the Romaynes hauinge a great bande of valiant horsemen, stronge Archers, mighty Camels, theyr power was great and noble for parsonages. Macrinus made an Oration to the Romaynes, vtteringe the causes of Artabanus comminge, and to encourage the Ro­maynes, hee did extoll theyr inuincible strengthe, shewinge [Page 72] them also the decaye of the Romayne Empyre if Artabanus preuayled, Parthians. he layed before theyr eyes the bare and rude polli­cye of the Parthians, he extolled the wittye practises and no­ble enterprises of the Romaynes, in all Regions theyr victo­ryes and large conquestes. After this the hoaste of Artaba­nus enteringe on y ^e Romaynes, his Archers and other souldi­ours greatlye did hurte and made hauocke of them, the Ro­maynes on foote hande to hand, were more valiante then the Parthians, Parthians. the successe that fell to the Parthians, was by their Archers and Camels, from whom many threw dartes, then the Romaynes greatly endamaged by the horsemen of y ^e Par­thians, made sharpe pykes, priuelye to be set to annoye the horsemen of the Parthians, whereby manye were destroyed, mightye were the warres on bothe sides, for two dayes the battaile continued vntill nighte: the thirde daye also a newe they made a freshe battaile, where greate was the slaughter as appeared by those that laye dead in great heapes, not one­lye of men but of Camels, in this extremity Macrinus know­inge that the iniuries of Antoninus (beinge deade) was the onlye cause that moued Artabanus to warre on the Romay­nes, sente Embassadours to Artabanus the kinge of the Par­thians signifying by letters, that Antoninus the Emperour who was the cause of theyr iniuries, was deade, and now the Empyre to be in his hands, and that he liked not the doinges of Antoninus, The petition of Macrinus wherefore he promised to geue to Artabanus all the captiues and spoyle which Antoninus had from him, and that willinglye he desyered to ioyne amitye with Artaba­nus, the letters redde, he receyued the Embassadours of the Romaynes honourablye, Artabanus was contente with the offer, and ioyned league with the Romaynes, and shortlye af­ter he returned into Parthia, & Macrinus marching with his armye oute of Mesapotamia wente to Antioche. In this sort at large wryteth Herodian the true and faythfull Histo­riographer, sodaine was the death of Antoninus the wicked Emperoure, and at a sodayne the choise of Macrinus, rashe were the heades of those warrelike souldiours, A rashe chois [...] ▪ to chuse the murtherer of theyr Emperour to gouerne them.

Macrinus.

MAcrinus comminge to Antioche (as Herodian writeth) immediatlye sente letters to the Senate & people of Rome and as it should seeme was moued there to, to thende good opinion might be bru­ted of him wherby he might winne their fauoure, and possesse theyr louinge har­tes: and because hee was giltye of the deathe of the Emperour Antoninus, with other of the Tri­bunes, as afterward time vttered y ^e close conspiracye of their treasons, against theyr Lorde and kinge (thoughe hee were a wicked Emperour) & euen as God leaueth no estate vnscour­ged, but for sinne and iniquitye destroyeth Citties, ouerwhel­meth Regions, displaceth Princes, so he vttereth in time all treasons, Treasons. as in these conspiratours hee opened theyr beastlye facte and bloudy practise, it is no rare thinge, but yet for wō ­der rare a captiue and abiecte parsonne to the worlde (yet in vertue excellinge) throughe the secrete prouidence of God to be aduaunced vnto a kingdome, a wicked Prince in all glory and strength flourishinge expelled from Dominion, The secrete counsaile of God in king­domes. and the estate translated to an vnknowē parson, and to a straunge na­tion: O howe happye therefore is it a kingdome to possesse a godly Prince & a vertuous, God defendeth the estate of suche whose kingdome is beautifyed with a godlye Prince, the onlye cause of the chaunge of kingdomes, A godlye Prince. and the ouerthrowe and plague of mightye Regions doth come throughe wicked go­uernours, [Page 73] for as a good Prince heapeth great glorye and feli­citye to his kingdome, The wicked Prince. so the wicked Prince subuerteth de­stroyeth and pulleth downe more in a moment and short time, then the godly gouernour is able to establishe and ordaine in a longe continuance, so muche the life of one chiefe gouernor is of force to preuaile in kingdomes.

As concerninge Macrinus in his letters to the Senate of Rome, he altogether reproued the beastly life and vngodlye behauiour of Antoninus, hee aduaunced his owne glorye by good successe which he aspyred to in forreine warres, because he rose from no noble parentage, to defende him thereby frō base reputacion: which people commonlye do beare in minde (a man of meane and lowe estate promoted to dignitye) who better cōmonlye can honour and accompte of any one though neuer so base, Men of lowe estate promo­ted. being an aliant. thē of such an one borne in their owne countrye, whose low condition of life vnto them is kno­wē, although his vertues, & worthines in actes haue extolled him to that dignitye. The race of noble kinges. The race of many kinges is by age out of minde, not knowen from what pore cotage they descended, time oute of minde entitleth them with honoure, and age for memorye Chronicleth them royall, God by a secrete proui­dence hath raised from all estates to beare Scepters, longe descent rayseth nobilitye to fame, but vertue and valiantnes of actes, are onlye the causes that shoulde make nobilitye.

Macrinus therefore to proue himselfe noble wryteth this ar­gument: True nobili­tye. Let no man thincke me vnworthye the place of the Emperour, because from lowe estate I haue ascended, for what is nobilitie excepte vertuous conditions, and noble ac­tes do make the parson glorious, for we see daylye many who as beastes liue vnto the earth destitute of all excellency, Glorious talke of a ty­raunte. with­out good fame, yea the ignorante to aspyre to heaped ritches, to honourable reuenewes, and wealthy patrimonye, vnwor­thye parsons also to enioye fortunes flotinge wealth & blessed maintenaunce, because they are thought to descende from no­ble progenye: Maruaile not therefore if the chiefe glorye of worthye fame requisite for a noble man, happen vnto one des­cendinge of meane parentes, from a meane cotage in a despi­sed [Page] body, whō fortune seemed to haue cast of, if that in prowes & valiantnes both in feates of armes, & in all other noble qua­lities, apt for the defence and gouernmente of a countrye, hee flowrisheth more then anye other. Riches not in admiration with y^ wise. The brittle giftes of for­tune are not with wise men in admiration, for fooles as bea­stes without sences accordinge to theyr owne vnderstandinge are in admiration of the riche, and place all felicitye in king­dome, ponder with oure selues these fewe examples, what a­uayled the longe race of the Aslyrian Princes to Sardanapa­lus? Sardanapa­lus. or the nobilitye of the kinges of Lidia to Candaules': Candaules. or the valiante prowes of the whole race of the kinges of Persia to cowardlye Zerxes? Zerzes. or the nobilitye of Commodus, Commodus. who in outwarde kingdome noble, did degenerate from the true nobilitye that was in Marcus his father, which Marcus was a wise, noble, godly and valiante Prince: Commodus was a rashe, foolishe and beastly gouernour. Wherevnto is come the nobilitye of Seuerus, Seuerus. Geta, Geta. and Antoninus, Antoninus. being once in glorye, who orderly by succession woulde clayme withoute iust cause the titles of kingdomes? these altogether without descente, withoute good qualities, entered by innouations to succede in kingdome: This tale being told to the Senators and people of Rome, he wrote also that he woulde be ruled in all thinges with the wisedome of the Senators, & that theyr aucthoritye should moderate the whole frame & order of his gouernment, and he promised that they should liue in that li­bertye, Dissimulatiō wherein godly Princes before him, had settled y ^e estate of the Romaine Empyre: As Traian, Vespasian, Adrian, Nerua, Marcus Antoninus, and Pertinax, these letters be­inge redde they proclaymed Macrinus Emperour: thoughe Macrinus were at Antioche, all the Romaynes were glad that cruell Antoninus was murthered, then inquisition was made, A iust reward for promo­ters. the Senators beinge godly disposed therto, to searche out al promoters, which in the time of the bloudy Emperour Antonye, procured the death of many, and also accused their maisters before that Emperour and shortned theyr liues, all suche were hanged on gybbets, the common wealth of Rome was throughlye purged of all wicked persons, more by the [Page 74] pollicye and counsayle of the Senatours then throughe Ma­crinus: For Macrinus at y ^e first enteringe of his gouernmēt, gaue himselfe from all vertue, lyuinge in all pleasure at An­tioche, nowe his priuate state is forgotten, honour and digni­tye haue chaunged him, and that great ignobilitye which hee reproued in other is forgotten, and the nobilitye for which he gloried in himselfe is now lackinge, his behauiour waxed proude, his countenaunce hautye, and maners insolent: now he will not be spoken with in maters of grauitye touchinge a common wealth, pleasure and fonde delightes drewe this vo­luptuous Emperour from care of kingdome, A sodaine chaunge. pleasant flatte­rers, iesters, dauncers, prodigall and riotous persons were his delight and companye, the lasciuious life contented not y ^e warriors and souldiours, for the pampered life of the delici­ous Prince and his wanton behauiour, caused him to be con­temned, he now renued the euill examples and tragicall par­tes of Antoninus, Wanton be­hauiour. whiche before he so muche despised. Ma­crinus this ill gouernour raigued a shorte time, throughe his wickednes he continued but a yeare in gouernmente, the vertuous life in a Prince hath no cause to feare what the en­nemye can do, Vertuous life in a prince. neither can the malicious heade assure anye en­terprise. Well, Macrinus was deceiued of the Romaynes, & those barbarous and warrelike souldiours, pondred howe to place another in that roume by murtheringe Macrinus.

A certaine honourable womā named Mesa the sister of Iulia, Mesa. mother in lawe vnto Antoninus, (who afterward maryed y ^e same Antoninus the late Emperoure) had two daughters, Semiamira Semiamira. whiche was mother to Antonius Bassianus, Mammea. and Mammea which Mammea was the mother of Alexianus af­terwarde called Alexander, both these two yonge men were Sacerdotes solis, priestes or dayned to the honour of y ^e Sunne, to whom the Phenitians did build a sumptuous Temple, the Princes also of other Nations therevnto a dioyninge, did ho­nour the Sunne for a God, the Parthians also (as the Histo­ryes note) did the like. Bassianus beinge in yeres youthful, of a goodly personage, Bassianus. of visenomye very amiable, at such time as the Romaynes had a garrison of noble warriors in Phe­nitia, [Page] whiche warriours also makinge theyr abode there, re­sorted many times to y ^t goodly Temple builded to y ^e Sunne, where by theyr oft resorte, they vewed well the personage of Bassianus, whose grandemother was sister to Iulia Iulia. the Em­peresse, which Iulia was mother and wyfe to Antoninus the Emperour before, they that bare chiefe aucthoritye ouer the souldiours vnder Macrinus in Phenitia, seinge that this Bas­sianus was of noble byrth descended (thoughe a prieste) The mother also of Bassianus sayd that he was the bastard sonne of Antoninus, Antoninus. whether it was fayned of her or no, it is vncer­tayne, but as for y ^e life of Antoninus his beastlines was such, that hee spared not his owne kindred, no not his daughters, but had with them his pleasure in theyr tender yeres, These wordes beinge credited that were spoken by the Ladye, the souldiours presentlye determined to make Bassianus Empe­rour, for that they knewe his mother to be greatlye enriched with infinite treasures, Murther for murther re­quited. with whom also they talkinge, the murther for money was agreed vppō. And so desyringe to ac­complish theyr promise made for gaine, they conueighed Bas­sianus into theyr tentes & called him by they name of Anto­nye, clothinge him in Princely apparell, preparinge all thin­ges necessarye to repell the ennemye, if theyr forte shoulde be besieged, forthwith it was knowen to Macrinus what thin­ges were done in Phenitia by the bastarde sonne of Antoni­nus, he had vnderstandinge of the whole meanes of theyr con­ueyance, and of the large promise of Mesa, at the first Macri­nus regarded not the newes, but at the lengthe iuste occasion was geeuen to credite that reporte, and then he sente forthe a chiefe and valiaunte captaine: I [...]lianus. Iulianus by name, to represse those rebelles and to deface theyr rebellion, to pull downe the estate vsurped by the bastardly priest Bassianus, who leauing his estate of priesthode, A priest Em­perour. coueted to be an Emperour. Iulia­nus doinge Macrinus commaundemente followed his pur­pose, assaulted the forte, where the souldiours sheewed on the wall this Bassianus called Antoninus, and great bagges of moneye with infinite summes, which procured the treason. Iulianus as a valiaunte Captaine, assayinge by all meanes to [Page 75] deface the vsurper, and to win the forte, in the ende he lost his heade, Iulianus. & in spight they sent it to Macrinus, the men of warre which came with Iulianus fled to Bassianus, then Macrinus made preparation in his owne parson to fighte against them, but he was fayne to flye chaūginge his apparell, and shauinge his bearde that he might not be knowne, the souldiours in the meane time fought for theyr Lord a longe time: it was longe vnknowen that Macrinus was fledde, but as sone as Bassia­nus hearde thereof, he sent certaine to pursue after him, who founde him in Calcedon Calcedon. a Cittye of Bithinia very sicke, wher they cut of this heade with his sonne Diadumenus, whō in his life time he created Emperour. Macrinus thus is re­compensed with violente deathe, and for murtheringe Antoninus the Emperour before, Murther. was murthered by Bassianus called the bastard sonne of Antony, who euer after he was made priest, was called Heliogabalus. Macrinus ruled but one yeare, a Prince withoute care of the common wealthe geuen to vo­luptuousnes and all fonde pleasures, thus caughte a miserable ende.

Heliogabalus.

HEliogabalus called the bastarde sonne of Antonye, y ^e sonne of Semiamira, she be­inge sister to Iulia the Empresse before, which Heliogabalus beinge a priest: In honorem solis, made to the honour of the Sunne, for amongest the Phaenitians) as you haue hearde) the Sunne was comp­ted a God, beinge but a planet, they did honour the same at y ^e rysinge & going downe, to whō for honour, superstition amō ­gest them had made apriesthode of great renowne. Helyogaba­lus by inter­pretation sig­nifieth a priest of the sunne. This He­liogabalus howe he came to be Emperour, the History before sheeweth in the life of Macrinus, he was but sixtene yeares of age when he was chosen Emperour, and sixe yeares he conti­nued therein: in the ende was slaine with his mother Semia­mira, who procured with greate summes the Empyre to her sonne, whom shee fayned to be the Emperours childe. This Heliogabalus immediatelye vppon the deathe of Macrinus (the armye of souldiours brybed with greate summes of mo­ney) was proclaymed Emperour, Semiamira. though the Senatours at Rome had no choice therein, Necessities. for assone as the Senate hearde thereof, of necessitye they obeyed the choise, hauinge proufe dailye that vertue and worthines created not Emperours a­mōgest them, Election. forced. but as fansye in those warrelike stomakes gaue election, herein by force they obeyed election, seinge so sodaine choise of Emperours by them, and so sodaine the faule from their estate throughe them, cruell and bloudye hartes displa­ced [Page 76] the chosen, and hartes bribed with moneye made a newe e­lection, as Marchandise of cattell and wares they solde the Empyre, as money made the Emperours, so moneye made choyse of officers: Money. so great was the calamities of those dayes in the often chaunge of Princes and officers, that Princes v­surped by moneye and officers by bribes grewe wealthy, pri­uate gaine with eche one was in steede of a common wealth, Welthye offi­cers. the Empyre bore a name of estate, but priuate gaine with eche one bore awaye the maystrye. As concerninge Helio­gabalus after hee was created Emperour, remayned vnder the tuition (for lacke of wisedome in those tender yeres) of his grandemother Mesa, Priuete gai [...] ▪ and his mother Semiamira, the estate of the common wealth wel settled and in quietnes in the East partes, hee was counsailed (by those vnder whose tuition hee was gouerned) to make hast to Rome: Mesa▪ they sheewed him that delay in Niger, folly & tirāny in Macrinus, & vnaduisednes in Albinus, was theyr destructiō, then this Bassianus being vn­der the gouernmēt of other, obeied what they willed for a sea­son, Follye. the departure of Heliogabalus towarde Rome was bru­ted in all coastes, Delaye. the armye of souldiours vnderstode y ^e same, forth he passed from Syria, and made his winter abode in Ni­chomedia, suche was the season of that yeare, that it letted y ^e passage of the Emperoure to other coastes, Vnaduised­nes. and in y ^e end ther he wintered. Thoughe his graundmother and mother, had chiefe iurisdiction ouer this priestlye Emperoure, yet there crept in certaine gallantes both warelye and secretely, whose pleasure was in Courtly behauiour, and all thinges delecta­ble to delight a Prince, they founde fauoure with Heliogaba­lus, Courtly gal­lantes. so muche theyr demeanes and lighte toyes sancke in the heade of that yonge Prince (thoughe his graundmother with other endued with all grauitye and wise counsayle, vsed oftē ­times exhortacious mete for his estate) but yonge Princes o­beyinge fansyes, and refusinge counsayle do commonly flowe in free passage to vice, wher counsaile preuaileth not, (plea­sure following) fansye beareth rule & weakeneth the stronge Prince, Pleasure. & pulleth downe the mightie from theyr kingdomes, whom noble vertues and temperancye hath exalted, the em­brasinge [Page] of the meanest pleasure hath caste downe fortes, Pleasure. and demynished the estate of the mightye, vertue harboureth not wher vice dwelleth, Vertue. pleasure geueth no abode wher vice raū ­geth, suche mates hath the Emperour chosen, as pleasure & vice liked: Vice. those two disposed y ^t frame & order of his houshold, and in like sort schowled the common wealth, he might well be the sonne of Antonye, who in beastly behauiour did so wel resemble that beastly Emperour Antoninus, his holy priest­hode is forgotten, Gawish a­parell what it betokeneth. and the deuoute ceremonyes of his strange God, and he as a ruffyne with all sumptuousnes in lighte and gaudishe apparell of diuers coullers clotheth himselfe, ry­baldrye was affected in all his doinges, Daunsinge. daunsinge was the delectation of the Prince, and therewith followed like plea­sures, hee despysed the vestures and apparell of the Romaine Emperours, a newe fashion is inuented to please this fonde Emperour, his apparell was not wholye after the maner of the Phenitians, but somewhat like the Medes and the Pheni­tians, a mingle mangle of both: As for the apparell of the Ro­maynes, which the Emperours before vsed, he would saye in reproche: New fashion of apparel de­vised of strang heades. De lana vilissima confe & as Imperatorum vestes, gresye woll (sayth he) before clothed Emperours of Rome, & as newe fashions for apparell crepte in by vaine heades, so the sober mediocrite, and vertuous meane was despised, and now fonde pride, monsterous vices in all estates flew abrode, riche ought the ornamentes to be, & full sumptuous the clothinge of Princes and noble peares, when the meane sorte, leauinge all meane and consideration of estate, as players on a stage, aboue Princes & Princes mates do clothe themselues, Pride. yea when amongest the meane sorte, eche one striueth to be a rare gallant, Princes may go as Princes, & as nobility leadeth no­bles, and of highe estate enioye theyr vestures, the meane sort in comparison without nobilitye, The pride of these dayes. do matche with sumptuous­nes theyr nobles, so pride hath broughte in sumptuous clo­thinge, wherewith a greate and wealthye patrimonye that fostered many, lyeth all in gaye clothes. Mesa being grand­mother to this Hehogabalus, Mesa. was verye muche greued with the insolente maners, excessiue pride, and garishe apparell of [Page 77] of her nephewe, mouinge him to haue consideration of his estate, by callinge to minde the faule of proude Princes, the decaye of folishe gouernours: she warned him with longe and humble intreatye, to vse the accustomed robe of the Romaine Emperours, Pride. shewinge also how light he would seeme to the Romaynes, whose apparell as childishe, woulde be thought & womanlye rather then for anye man, and muche lesse for a Prince. The schole of folly. But Heliogabalus was now throughlye scholed of his mates, whereby he despised Senators, and men of graue­tye and wisedome were put farre from him, such was his de­lectacion as in pride, rybaldrye, ryote and beastlye demeanor. these he embraced as companions, and because he would not enter Rome with his straunge apparell to be wondered at, cunninge men were serched out: who most liuelye and artifi­ciallye could set forth his very visenomye, parsonage & come­lye stature, the very apparell thoughe lighte and gawishe, w ^t his priestlye robe which he vsed, the picture also of y ^e Sunne, in whose honoure he was consecrated priest, he gaue also com­maundement that his picture shoulde be set on highe, where the assemble of the Senate should be gathered, and that eue­rye one of them to him as a God, shoulde burne incence, and that the Romaynes before all goddes, should entitle him the greate God Heliogabalus, Heliogaba­lus, a man, a priest, a great God. this thinge at Rome (as he com­maunded) was done of the Senators and multitude. Eche one toted and loked at the picture, the sight was rare, the fol­lye of a mortall man ridiculous, and worthye to be hissed at, of an Emperour intollerable, no man liked the greate follye of that Prince vnknowē to the Romaynes, chosen by manye of y ^e souldiours, the Romaynes loked for some singuler mat­ter, they wondered a mortall man to fansye a Godheade, chil­dren laughed in theyr sleeues, Pride. and olde men for feare ducked, as prostrate to honour a mā as a God, an Emperour, a priest, and bastarde sonne of Antoninus. Wicked gouernours. Neuerthelesse such is the estate of wicked times, wherein vngodlye and beastly gouer­nours do raigne, that for feare eche one obeyeth theyr com­maundementes, Rome receyueth him with honoure, and the Senatours wishe him (faynedlye) longe life, full Princelye [Page] was the Courte of this yonge prieste, who in his accustomed priestly apparell entered bearinge y ^e estate of an Emperour, fayninge with all men a Godheade: to winne the fauoure of the Romaines, princelye were the giftes whiche hee gaue to winne theyr loue. Forth with in the honour of his God, he e­rected a mightye, huge and sumptuous Temple, and rounde aboute the Temple Al [...]ars, doinge therevppon sacrifyce of Oxen and sheepe, and with incence oderiferous perfumed his God, certaine women of Phaenitia playinge on cymbals and instrumentes, did solemnise the sacrifyce, the wickednes of him was such, that he murthered all those which reioyced not at his follye, and all suche as reproued and spake euill of him: secretely this Emperour was desyrous of mariage, Iyranny. & would haue had to wyfe a noble Ladye of Rome, with whom after­ward he maried, but not continuinge with her, he made a de­uorce depriuinge her of all dignitye and honour. After her he fell in loue with a Nunne seruinge the Goddes Vesta, profes­singe virginitye, A Nunne. which also the lawes both Ciuill and Com­mon, do binde to perpetuall virginitye, whom Bassianus ta­kinge from her holye sell & Temple maryed, that crime was full reprochefull, the facte detestable, wherewith the Se­nate beinge greeued accompted it horrible, in those dayes it was so haynous, & the lawes also gaue this sentence: A vowe broken in virginitye y ^e party so offending to be buried quicke. The first kinge of the Romaines was borne of one professing that holy virginitye, Romulus. his mothers name was Rhea, who ser­ued Vesta the Goddesse. Heliogabalus aunswered in these wordes. Sacerdotis nuptias congruere sacerdoti ob id magis venerandas & augustiores esse nuptias. The mariage of a ho­ly Nunne would wel agree to ioyue in matrimony with a ho­ly priest, for wher two holy ones be ioyned in mariage, there the mariage must nedes be moste holy. This Emperour as it semeth followed fancye, wherin pleasure ruled mariage, forlōg he cōtinued not with her being such a holy one, for her he put from him by deuorce, then afterward he maried one who descendid from the house of Cōmodus the Emperour, Follye. her al­so he put from him, then would he nedes haue the Image of [Page 78] a goddesse which was Pallas, Pallas. to be broughte to his chamber, that same Image was of great antiquitie amongest the Ro­maines, the Grekes when Troye was burned saued the Im­mage of Pallas, Troye. of the which the Romaines attained to haue the possession, this goddesse he called the wife of the sunne his God, this Image was coumpted of that holines that no man durst remoue it from the place where it was set, such was the supersticion of those daies in Images and forged godheads of antiquitie, Superstitiō ▪ as in manye other ages superstytion hathe borne such rowte, not amongest the simple and princes onely, but fancied, vpholded, and allowed of the learned, which mainte­naunce of fond goddes of deuotion in Images, Images. spronge from those that knewe not God, and yet mainteyned as clarkelye as tong could forge of those, which would seeme to holde of a religiō pure and professe god, & euen as y ^e heathen were in ad­miration of honouringe straunge goodes by force and blodye practises, grownding a perfite religion vpon their goddes, e­uen so from tyme to tyme there haue remayned suche as haue brought in amonge christians a supersticious deuotion of infi­nite sainctes, not as merite but as fancye and auctoritie stau­led them sainctes: Sibilla. lib. [...]. but Sibill who perfectlye set forth suche su­perstitions calleth them. Deos mortuos, Idola mortuorum. Dead goodes, and patternes of the dead: as concerning that matter more largely it shalbe spoken of, Irenae. in the lyfe of the blo­dye and superstitious Empresse Irenae, who for y ^e lyke super­stitiousnes practised the terrible persecution vpon christians.

As concerninge the laste mariage of Bassianus for his god, now he putteth of Pallas as vnmete to match with the sunne his god saing. A lamentable state when God is neg­lected of a Prince. Belligera dea & armata, vxor esse non possit pacifici dei. A wyfe all in armoure and warlike, was an vn­meete wife for a quiet god, then as folly grewe vpon folly he commaunded a certaine Image whiche had no name, but be­cause it was found, & no man knew frō whēce it was, and at y ^t time being full of bewtye, An old deuise of the supersticious. gorgeous, and sumptuouslye clo­thed as a quene, bearing chiefe route amongest her she gods, and because the finding of that Image was strange, they said it came from heauen, leauinge immortall creatures to vysite [Page] the mortall, and therfore they called her the heauenlye god­desse, other histories write that Dido building Carthage pla­ced her there, at what time as she firste erected Carthage the Carthaginians, and Phenitians, called her the gouernour of of the starres, Follye. which is the mone, so Bassianus blynded wyth folly thought it a meete matche to marry the Moone and the Sunne together, such was his folly led with pleasure, caste from the knowledge of God to do thinges againste God, to y ^e which solempnity he ordained a festiuall daye and a greate so­lempnity for all people of all estates, younge and olde, tagge and ragge to se this mariage, he made also a sumptuous tem­ple: it were to long to set forth his beastly manners, his hor­rible life in all respectes, and wheras by nature he was ami­able and beautifull he paynted his face with diuers collours, wherwith his dignity for his beastly lyfe was not dreaded, he was contempned, the loue was not so greate in y ^e beginninge as is now the hatred of those who chose hym, so brickle a hold, and weake strength it is for a prince to trust in people or king­dome, The vertu­ous Prince. the vertuous prince shall neuer haue cause to feare his enemy, to doubte of his kingdome, or to stande in awe of hys subiectes, all these thinges wicked princes feare.

The gouernment of Bassianus being in this sort, his graund­mother Mesa feared that by indignation of the men of warre, the faule of Bassianus woulde happen, wherby also she sawe that if Bassianus were murdered, hir owne estate would fall in like perill, yea, to hasarde her life, and lease her dignitye, wherupon in that extremity, full wisely she commoned wyth Bassianus and by pollicye perswaded him to make hys Cosin who was the sonne of Mammea her other daughter, compa­nion with him in the Empire: sayinge the cause that enforced her to moue him therto was the tenderinge of his estate, and procurement of his liberty, she extolled therwith his free es­tate: saying it shalbe mete for you Bassianus to leaue the care of worldly thinges whiche are farre vnmeete for youre highe estate, being holy addicted to the honor of your god the sunne, as for Alexianus he shalbe an ease vnto you in al your busy­nes, Subtill coū [...]. wherby with more quietnes and lesse care lyeu maye exe­cute [Page 79] your other affayres, she declared vnto him that she sought out no straūger nor aliante to perticipate with him in y ^e king­dome, but his kinsemā Alexianus, who w ^t all profit, aduaūce­ment, loue and sinceritye, would execute y ^t office: The grand­mother Mesa signifyed vnto the men of warre, that Antoni­nus the Emperour before, begat Alexianus of her daughter Mammea, Pollicye. whereby she knewe that the men of warre woulde more feruently loue Alexianus, the memorye of Antoninus not forgotten: therevppon Alexianus was called also by the name of Alexāder, Bassianus. & was entitled Emperour. Bassianus pur­posed to trayne his yonge cosyne, to runne y ^e race throughe all beastlye pleasures wherin he ranged, but Mesa (as discret Ladye, & grandmother to both) kept backe Alexianus from all such villanye, Godlye edu­cation in a Prince. priuelye she brought Alexianus vppe vnder vertuous gouernours and teachers, which gaue him educa­tion, meete for the estate of so noble a parsonage, no excellen­cye wanted wherein his yonge yeares was not dailye instruc­ted. Then Bassianus full of vyce, & flowinge in all beastlynes, was greued muche at the vertuous education of Alexianus, whose life hee woulde haue framed to his owne fashion, and therevppon he repented him that hee had exalted him to that fellowshippe in kingdome: Now it was to late to chaunge y ^t which the Romaynes, the whole Senate and the warriours had decreed, now was the estate of Heliogabalus most weake, the Romaynes possessinge a Prince whom they loued, being learned, broughte vp vertuouslye, excellinge in all Princelye qualities: this wicked Emperour Bassianus therevppon ba­nished from his Courte those that furthered this yonge Em­perour to wisedome, and godlynes, to learninge and other princely qualities: some he put to death for the same cause, he sayde they corrupted the tender yeares of his sonne, he sayde these are onlye meete qualities: Principem agitare choros, bacchari & scortari. It shall behoue a Prince (sayth he) to be an excellent daunser, a riotous parson, & to vse many womē. Bassianus onlye promoted to dignitye inuenters of pleasures delightinge in beastlye follye, and all suche as be out castes from the Courtes of godlye Princes, Follye. and from all common [Page] wealthes: the wickednes of this Prince brought him in con­tempte of all men, then Heliogabalus seinge all the Romay­nes with the Senate, and mē of warre to be wholy geuen to y ^e fauoure of Alexianus otherwyse called Alexander, soughte diuers times to murther him by diuers traynes as by poyson, but Mesa his grandmother warelye preuented by discrete of­ficers to put of all these mischiefes, Mesa. whereby shee preserued him: Heliogaba­lus. also Heliogabalus would openlye disclose what secrete­lye he pretended diuers times, also he woulde haue depriued his vicegerent of estate, but the men of warre not bearinge it, deliuered this Alexianus otherwyse called Alexander from the handes of the Emperour, then in these his extremityes, he woulde haue put to death those as traytors, and ennemies to his parson, but what is it for a Prince or chiefe Emperour to stande, beinge striken downe: for as loue created him Em­perour, so sinne, vice, and beastlye gouernmente, haue caste him from dignitye. They apprehended Heliogabalus with his mother Semiamira, drawing theyr bodyes with all spight throughe the Cittie of Rome, cruellye theyr bodyes were handeled, torne in peces, and at the length cast into the open priuyes of the floudde Tiber. Thus at large y ^e life of Heliogabalus is set out in historye. Sixe yeares hee gouerned, his election is well knowen, The death of Heliogabalus. his ende likewise Chronicled, now openlye Alexander is chosen, saluted and obeyed for an Empe­rour, who was alwayes called Alexander Seuerus.

Alexander Seuerus.

ALexander succeded Heliogabalus, by y ^e pollicye of his graundemother Mesa, by whose godlye counsayle, his tender yea­res were altogether trayned vp in lear­ninge vnder famous teachers, in the Greeke and lattine tongues also singu­lerlye instructed, Godly educa­tion. & as his education was vertuous, so his naturall disposition from tender yeres, gaue great proufes of his excellent vertues, for he was gentle, low­lye, curteous, and indued with all humanitye. The beastlye lyfe of Bassianus was the vtter decaye of his estate, the ver­tuous behauiour of this Alexander preuayled to purchase vnto him the fauour of the Romaynes, as he was vertuously brought vp, so he vertuouslye gouerned, nothinge lackinge in him to all nobilitye & excellencye of estate for gouernmente, The coūsaile of women in the courte of Princes. if he had not bene obedient to follow the fansye of his mother Mammea, who with infaciable couetousnes, procured many times thinges which delighted her greedye purposes, the o­beyinge of her was the decaye of this Emperour in the ende.

As concerninge the whole maner of his gouernment thus will I orderlye procede, Mesa. his graundemother was called Me­sa, sister to Iulia the Empresse the wife of Seuerus: This Me­sa in the dayes of Seuerus and Antoninus his sonne, Empe­rours of Rome, with great dignitye and estimation liued in­theyr Courte, and so longe as Mesa liued with this Empe­rour Alexander, her dignitye was such, and counsaile of such [Page] value, her maners of so greate grauetye, and her estimation with the wysest Senators of such credite, her countenaunce framed with such a maiestye, A rare singu­lertye in a woman. that for a woman so many ver­tues in one body was straunge and marueylous, so God in di­uers ages to many kingdomes, & to diuers commō wealthes, hath geuen of that sexe and kinde such maruailous successe of estate, as the mightye frame of many Regions, of populous people, The gouern­mente of wo­men. or infinite nations, yea the mightye Princes of the world haue obeyed theyr gouernment: for it is not to be sup­posed (much lesse to be beleued) y ^t men in theyr estate, do passe and excell women in theyr gouernmente: the moste mightye Princes cannot of theyr owne power and proper strengthe, worke anye marueylous thinge, if GOD giue not a stronge grounde and a stedfast foundation to theyr kingdomes: often­times wee see Princes base (in no point worthy to be compa­red vnto noble Ladyes adorned with reason and vertue) as y ^e Macedonians, The estate of kingdome. the Meades, the Mores and the Bactrianes to haue rysen from theyr base estates, to beare Sceptures ouer many Regions, and to rule mightye Princes. Howe meane was the estate at first, when Aemilius vncle to Romulus first kinge of the Romaynes gouerned? euen as the estate of small kingdomes haue rysen by meane personnes, in time to runne a race in title and longe descente from manye kinges ouer di­uerse Nations: so the most noble and vertuous race of wo­men haue in many ages obtayned maruailous successe, to as­spyre to mightye kingdomes, The gouern­ment of wo­men. and to gouerne many Princes: as the Amazones & Semiramis, the Queene of Halicarnas­sus, who ruled worthely, & foughte more valiantly then durst Z [...]rzes w ^t all his huge hoastes: consider ye the noble actes of Debora, of Iudeth against Holopharnus, of Queene Mertia queene of England, & Hester for the Iewes. The gouernmēt of this Alexander was vnder the tuition of Mesa and the o­ther noble Ladyes, who altogether directed and disposed the whole frame of his dominion to all excellencye, and these no­ble Matrons beinge vertuouslye inclyned to tender the state of the Emperour, A worthye gouernment. and the whole iurisdiction of the Romaine Empyre, with greate consideration chose [...] vnto them sixtene [Page 81] Senators being men of grauity, in whose brestes experience of long time had layed vp plenteous store of great wisedome, without whose counsayle nothinge passed to be done, or deter­mined in anye matter, suche is the care of those who go­uerne kingdomes in all godlynes, to procede with graue and sage counsaile of the wysest, of the most experte and godliest affected, A godly coū ­saile. in all affayres couchinge the common wealthe: the time before the gouernemente of this Alexander, was with tyrannye maintayned, as vnder Antoninus the sonne of Se­uerus, and vnder Macrinus and Heliogabalus: nowe was Rome thoughte to be in greate felicitie of estate, when it was thus changed from tyranny, to the best order that might be in a common wealthe, for one yonge heade did not rashlye determine matters, but hore age with longe experiēce, wise­dome and godly counsaile, The best coū ­sayle. which before was contemned, did now beare the swaye, and yet in the hart of euerye Senator, superstition remayned in those dayes of straunge Goddes, for God was not then knowen: the estate of such people perfect­ly knew not God, but outwardly and politikelye to a common wealthe gouerned. Antoninus withoute anye zeale or true knowledge (as fantasticall superstition blindeth) both set vp, Ignoraunce the mother of this deuotiō. and pulled downe the Image of his Gods. Alexander (such was the ignorance of those dayes) renued the due and proper honour of his Gods, restoringe eche one to his proper place & deuoute Tabernacle. Of longe time their superstitiō remay­ned, Blinde deuo­tion. theyr blinde consciences was puft vp with blinde deuoti­on & inuented dailye as eche one fansyed in Religiō of strange ceremonyes, the Histories do note that in the dayes of the go­uernment of this Alexander, superstitiō was vpholded with famous men of great learninge, for many sage, pollitike and deepe grounded heades, flowed plentiouslyin those his dayes, manye noble, valiaunt, and rare Captaynes eche one in theyr estate, the one for counsaile, the other in armes did endeuour themselues manfullye to vpholde the estate, and to preserue y ^e Romaine kingdome a longe season, Mesa a rare Ladye. the gouernmente of this prosperous estate continued as longe as Mesa the graunde-mother of Alexander liued. For counsaile, and deepe me­morye [Page] neuer failed in her croked age, nor noble courage neuer ceassed in seekinge to make perfecte a common wealth, till withered age gaue vppe her ghoste: her death was much lamented: Rome lost of her a Ladye of rare vertues. Alex­ander was maymed, by her death he lost his chiefe staffe, the meane & strongest grounde to establishe his Empyre thoughe his mother Mammea liued, and well affected in hart to seeke the prosperous estate of Alexander her sonne. A perfect to­ken of a wise Prince. Mesa neuer enterprised any one thinge but by the counsaile of many wyse­men, and their experience disposed and ruled the same. Mesa beinge deade, Mammea the mother of Alexander in like sort sought to gouerne her sonne beinge not of yeares rype to go­uerne. Mammea. Mesa was ledde aduisedlye by counsaile of other, but Mammea made her owne counsaile of force to rule Alexan­der and other, though at the first she pretended otherwise, this thing was not cōmendable in Mammea his mother, his edu­cation continued altogether in vertuousnes, in learninge, and all qualities meete for a Prince, she expelled from the Court all suche, whose insolent maners, whose proude behauioure, whose beastlye follye, might sone corrupte and inure to horri­ble life her sonne, beinge vertuouslye broughte vp, so daunge­rous is the Court of Princes, The Courte of Princes. where close, & secrete pleasu­res lurcke with haultye lokes, straunge deuises, idlenes and all gallant demeanour ranginge: most cōmonlye courtly be­hauiour by all meanes indeuoureth throughe courteous ciui­litye, and by frendshippe of the mightye to be most honoured. The Courte receaueth all sortes, wherin eche one laboureth to excell in that behauiour which the Courte commonlye fa­uoureth, Courtlye be­hauiour. wherevppon the mother of this Emperour, ponde­ringe the perill of Alexander, and knowinge his estate to be subiecte to many suche, who vnder a certaine excellencye and singularitye of rare qualities, creepe into the Court of many Princes: As in the Courte of Tiberius, Drusus, Claudius, Nero, Domitianus, Commodus, Antoninus and corrupted those Princes, whereby she sawe theyr estate of gouernment prospered not, theyr kingdome was weakened, theyr life shorte ned, she ledde with these perswasions, did therevppon take y ^e [Page 82] greater head: for after Alexander came to those yeres, as y ^t in his owne hands the gouernmēt was wholy settled, amon­gest many a certaine Senators daughter descending of noble bloud, was chosen of him in mariage, wherein also he obeyed the counsayle of his mother, who thoughe she was commen­dable in manye thinges in time passed, Couetousnes and pride. yet now pride and co­uetousnes possessed her and she not bearinge the estate of the Empresse to be aboue hers, chalengeth to haue that name a­lone to her selfe, wher vppon great discention fell, and the fa­ther of the Emprisse (throughe the instigation of Alexander his mother was put to death. The mother of Alexāder bore such swaye, so terrible was her cōmaundement, and maiesty dreaded, that she banished from the Courte and bedde of the Emperour the Empresse, vnto the vttermost coastes of Af­frica: Thus was Alexander the Emperour ruled, (who as it seemeth stode in great feare of his mother, not beinge able by aucthoritye to retayne with him his wyfe the Empresse, Crueltye. nor to saue his wiues father from death, Pride. pride onlye was the cause y ^t moued his mother Mammea herevnto, who against order of estate, lawe, and right, challenged the sole title of the Emperesse, the like pride also moued Lucilla the sister of Cō ­modus Emperour of Rome, shee beinge wyfe to Pōpeianus, but first to Lucius Verus, who was associate in the Empyre with Marcus her father (that she puffed with pride) accomp­tinge herselfe the aunciente Empresse in Lucius Verus time, disdayned nowe to follow the trayne of the yonge Empresse, wherevppon great mischiefe was practised. Pride. Nowe beganne the maners of Alexanders mother to be had in great indigna­tion, his gouernmente muche contempned, in that so fondlye he obeyed, it shoulde seeme greate was her aucthoritye so to dispose the gouernment of her sonne Alexander, who manye times by iust occasiō moued thereunto, reproued his mother, the brute and talke of people was so heauy against her, Couetousnes▪ for her intollerable couetousnes, wherrewith the estate of the migh­tye was brought downe, and the estate of the poore and infe­riour sort much decayed. All these thinges were done against the will and counsayle of Alexander, his mother (thoughe [Page] couetous) by heaped ritches thought to make him a wealthy Prince, True nobili­tye vpholded by liberality. and for his rare & infinite treasure a rare gouernour: This in cogitation she minded farre cōtrary to the noble La­dye Mesa, who otherwise, in true nobility, in faithfull loue & sincere affection of his subiectes, placed the strengthe of king­dome, Couetousnes▪ couetousnes neuer harboreth in noble stomackes, but as Aristotle doth say: Omnis imbecillitas facit auaros. Peu­linge hartes affecteth couetousnes. The true nobility of cou­rage hath not respecte to ryches withoute meane, True nobili­tye. or heaped treasures without mediocretye, but as vertue in all affayres shall geue out an excellencye in vsinge to dispose the same, so this onlye was y ^e chiefe cause that there arose reprehension in Alexander, who for the space of xiii. yeres might be for vertu­ous gouernment that whole time placed aboue all Princes: crueltye & bloudye factes were most abhorted in his gouern­ment, as it becommeth the wyse and noblest Princes with le­nitye and all gentlenes to intreate the hartes of those whom they gouerne, so he with equity and iustice ordered the frame of his Dominion, wherewith Iustice from eche one proce­ded to geue sentence vppon lawes: in all this time such was y ^e quiet estate of those xiii. yeares wherin Alexander gouerned, as that no Chronicle or aunciente Historye can recorde anye time more noblye or with greater excellencye gouerned. If ye consider the antiquitye of times and order of all common wealthes, from Iulius Caesar through the whole race of Em­perours to those his dayes, the like quiet estate of the Ro­maine Empyre was not knowen. For many tyrantes & blou­dye gouernours succeded in that Empyre before the dayes of this Alexauder, Alexanders happy gouer­mente. who destroyed for theyr time the common wealth, they deminished the estate and name of the Romaine Empyre: The happye dayes of this godlye Emperoure A­lexander, deliuered from all stormye seasons and troubleous times, the miserable estate of Rome, thus longe Rome was by him fortunate, though at the length contrary successe fell: Kingdomes do not alwayes enioye a like securitie of estate, Kingdomes. but many times stormye seasons, and sinister successe doth fol­lowe in kingdomes. Nowe at a sodaine heauye newes was [Page 83] sente him from his deputies, who gouerned in Syria and Me­sapotamia, The death of Artabanus. who in their letters signifyed, that Artabanus y ^e mightye Prince of Parthia, (who sometime inuaded with maine hoast the Romaines) was murthered of Zerxes kinge of Persia, his people slaine, and countrye wasted and spoyled, & in the possession of Artaxarxes kinge of Persia. The newes was the more terrible, Artabanus. because Artabanus who was titled y ^e first of all kinges, the great and mighty Prince of the world, who for his dreaded maiesty & large conquestes wore a double Crowne, was murthered. These thinges made y ^e Romaines afeard, Artaxarxes. because Artaxarxes ceased not with y ^e cōquest of Par­thia, but threatned to assay all the world, to get fame by con­quest, Cyrus. he challenged much frō Cyrus sometime kinge of Per­sia, who first reduced y ^e kingdomes of y ^e Meades, as in one lin­ked vnity to the Persians. This yonge Emperour Alexander broughte vppe in all securitie of estate, to whom neither ciuill warre at home, neither foreine ennemye did at any time mo­lest, now at a sodayne mightye warres are threatned: y ^e let­ters being redde and consideration had on euery syde through the counsaile of his noble Senators, answeare were made in these wordes: The sayinge of Alexander. A Prince ought to be content w ^t his owne Do­minion, & not to moue any sparcle of warre to seeke innouatiō ouer other Regions, therby through vaine hope to seeke after leasinges & decaye of his owne estate, wiselye also he admoni­shed y ^e kinge Artaxarxes, declaring what foyles the Persian kinges caught at the handes of the Emperours of Rome: he called to minde the greate ouerthrowe that Augustus gaue them, and what Traian the Emperour did, what Lucius va­liantlye assayed, and how great an ouerthrow Seuerus gaue them, Alexanders letters. This was the effect of Alexanders letters to Artaxar­xes, sente by famous Oratours from Rome to Parthia, they redde the letters, they contemned the argument and the Em­bassadours: For Artaxarxes the sonne of cowardly Zerxes, by nature puffed vp with vaine glory, ledde with flattery, no­thinge knowing God, forgetfull of his estate, thought by his mayne hoast to subdue all the whole worlde: Pride. At the first all thinges went luckelye on his syde, Parthia a mightye Regiōe [Page] gaue place to him by conquest, many Regions for feare of in­uasion, yelded vppe theyr Crowne and title before they were assayed, neglectinge theyr owne and proper gouernours, all thinges went with Artaxarxes, feare abandoning munitiō, they opened the gates of euery Cittie, fortes not assayled yel­ded to an vnknowē Prince, so it fauleth out many times vnto kingdomes, The secrete counsaile of God. wher God hath prepared a scourge by a forraine Prince, by an vnknowen enemye to subdue and bringe to sub­iection mightye Nations, so many times ambition raigneth in many Princes, who desirous of more loftye estate, and lar­ger Dominions bringe in thende theyr owne kingdomes and people to ruine, Ambition the ouerthrow of y ^e ambitious. in seekinge larger Dominions. This great successe of Artaxarxes amased Alexander, who continually in his gouernment had securitye of estate, peace and quietnes by sea and by lande, wherevppon generall musters were ta­ken in all the prouinces and iurisdiction of the Romaine Em­pyre, nowe noble courages were redye to ayde theyr Prince whom they loued entierlye, and obeyed willinglye, eche one for sincere harte both lamented and wept for his troubleous estate. Assone as a great armye was prepared of the Romai­nes, noble Captaynes who had proued diuers aduentures by longe experience in manye bloudye warres, were appointed to their bandes, nothinge for munition wantinge, then they passed from al coastes to arriue at Antioche, where all thin­ges were set in readynes both for men, victuels and moneye. Alexander as a most godly Emperour abhorringe from effu­sion of bloud, euen in his ennemye sought by all meanes to put of bloudye slaughters in those deadlye warres, wherevppon he sent another Embassage to y ^e proude and lofty Prince Ar­taxarxes kinge of Persia, Artaxarxes. to entreate him to peace, & to will him to concorde, but nothinge preuayled, he set at nought the Embassage and Embassadours, who immediatly vppon that to shewe his Princelye courage and glorious vaunte, sente a newe Embassage from himselfe .iiii. hundreth of the mighti­est parsonages for stature that hath bene seene in Princelye robes, A proude at­tempte. with whom gold and treasure was at will plentifull, with fearce and barbed horses, with bowe & arrowes armed [Page 84] in theyr Embassages, to bring terror to the Romaynes, who by consideringe of them, might imagine what the maine hoa­stes of the Persians were, Embassadors ought well to be vsed. Alexander receyued the Embassa­dours as a good Prince, retayninge them Princelye: farre vnlike to his Embassadours receyued of the Persian kinge, y ^e next daye followinge those braue Embassadours came before Alexander to declare theyr Embassage, silence beinge geuen one amongest them who for wisedome, counsaile, grauetye & valiant courage, had charge to tell his Embassage before the other, thus hee beganne. The greate and mightye Prince Artaxarxes kinge of Persia, beinge Lorde of Lordes & kinge of kinges, The Embas­sadour of the Persians, his Oration. commaūdeth the Romaines & their gouernours to depart and geue ouer the title of all Siria, Asia, & all the par­tes neare to Europe, and also to suffer the Persians to be Lor­des ouer Caria and Ionia and all those countryes whiche the Mare aegeum and the Isle Pontus seperate, which some time the olde Princes of Persia, otherwise ouermatched with for­raine ennemyes lost by rebellion, who for lacke of oportunity, and throughe diuers calamities chauncinge vnto theyr Prin­ces, haue hitherto ceased to claime theyr right. This is there­for to admonishe them, least Artaxarxes moued with iuste in­dignation, do destroy them and leade away the rest captiues, and as villaynes to serue him, this was the effecte of his Em­bassage. Alexander the Emperour toke great consideratiō, the whole nomber of Senators assembled, & consulted what they were best to do therein, they thought it haynous to slea y ^e Embassadours, for it was against the lawe of armes they be­inge but messengers, Embassadors ought curte­ouslye to be vsed. the which like facte the Athenians ab­horred from, being moued of all the Greekes to slea the Em­bassadours of Corinthe. Achilles also beinge iniuriously han­dled of Agamemnon receyued his Embassadours curteous­lye, for Talthuuius and Eurubates louingly and frendlye en­tertayned them with these wordes: You who are Embas­sadours bothe of God and man are welcome, you are not the cause of this, Whye Em­bassages were first or­dayned. but Agamemnon your maister, and seing that Embassages were first ordayned, not onlye to ioyne amitye w ^t Princes, and to make leage, and for the weake to seeke ayde [Page] of the mighty: but also the estate of gouernment, the maners of people, the forme and fashion of the best common wealthes are knowne to Prīces by Embassages: iniuries also wrought by manye Princes are preuented, diuers conspiracies of for­rayne ennemyes are cutte of: whiche thinges also considered of Alexander, hee commaunded the Embassadours to be en­tertayned, geuinge vnto them large reuenewes in the coastes of Phrigia there to remayne perpetuallye, thus hee prouided for them, yet contrarye to the maners of a good Prince: for Artaxarxes a proude and loftye Prince gaue free passage to his Embassadours to carrye home with theym theyr bodyes with aunsweare of the Embassage. Free course to Embassa­dours. After this Alexander deuided his hoast in thre partes, as he thought good, sending one part by Armenia, another by Medea, & the thirde by Eu­phrates w ^t the which y ^e Emperor went, who in sundry coastes arryuinge, much dismayed the Persians, and greatlye enda­maged them, this strength also had the Romaynes aboue the Persians, to haue continuall ayde from other Princes: for y ^e Persian kinges at those dayes gaue no wages to theyr soul­diours, but the spoyle of warres maintayned them, women also bore armor to fight for theyr Prince. Valiant peo­ple in y ^e Prin­ces quarrell. And that Prince is most stronge, whose subiectes haue wealthye estate at home and patrimony to care for, who so fighteth for any Prince, and knoweth y ^t other shall possesse the followinge felicitye, they fight but faintlye, The stronge Prince. because the daunger is theirs and the profite for other, but who so fighteth for his country, he doth the more egarlye & manfully fight for his Prince, to the ende hee maye vpholde that whiche hee possesseth, and there­fore valiante courage assayeth so greate aduenture as ne­cessitye enforceth, for the maintaynance of priuate profite to geue great assayes. The Persians did not vse as the Romay­nes are wonte, to wage theyr subiectes in battaile, the Ro­maynes did it for that they knewe of most strengthe that peo­ple to be, Couragious people. that hath great maintenaūce and succour in warre, as Isocrates noteth in his Oration written to the Athenians.

As sone as worde came to Artaxarxes that the Romaynes were in diuers coastes arriued, he gathered a greate nomber [Page 85] of souldiours and sette vppon them where they arryued in all coastes, happye successe fell on the Persians side, great slaugh­ters were made on y ^e Romaynes, wherewith Alexander op­pressed, (as with the great griefe and heate of the countrye) returned with great losse of men: and the valiante courages of his souldiours being much dismayde. Alexander returned to Antioche where with Princely giftes geuen and destribu­ted to his men of warre, The louinge Prince. hee comforted and reuiued theyr spirites, and there prepared freshe souldiours, where all care of warre for a time ceasinge: Alexander in pleasure & prince­lye delightes passed the time, thinkinge immediatly vppon y ^e dismissinge of the Persian armye to set vppon them. At that instant when he thought to haue proceded further against the Persians, letters were sent him from Illiria from his chiefe de­putye there, wherein he redde that the Germaynes were pas­sed beyonde the floud Rhene, The sinister fortune of Princes some times. and the floud Danubius, spoy­linge and wastinge the Countrye and prouinces of y ^e Romay­nes cōmittinge many slaughters, townes and villages were destroyed: whervppon they requested tht Emperour his pre­sence, Ciuill warre worste. this heauye calamitye did muche dismaye the Romay­nes and the Emperour Alexander, yea more then the greate misfortune that fell in the former warres againste the Persi­ans. It is commonlye seene (suche is the wickednes of men) that it is a weake staffe for a kinge to trust to the league and a­mitye of other Princes, The league of Princes. for ambition neuer ceaseth to assaye enterprises, but taketh occasion to fasten aduenture, if anye pretenced cause may be surmised, as the Thebanes did, inua­dinge Pelloponesus, Phillip into Thracia, Antoninus into Parthia, of kinge Iemye into Englande. In this misfor­tune and heauy estate of fierce warres, the rashe multitude of souldiours blamed Alexander, because eyther throughe neg­ligence and lacke of counsaile, or by his cowardlye harte, the forraine Princes were encouraged to diminishe the estate of the childishe Emperour and cowardlye Prince. After he had set in order al thinges necessary to resist the seditious vprores of the Persians, he passed ouer Rhene makinge a bridge ouer it, for the readye passage, as Caesar did in his warres against [Page] the Germaynes, these two flouddes Rhene and Danubius be thoughte the greatest vnder the Northe, Rhene. Rhene passeth by Germanye, Danubins. and Danubius passeth by Pannonia: but Volga in Russia is greater, Volga. which is in lengthe .iiii. thousande miles and more, and a goodly ryuer, wherevppon they passe euen to Persia, Mare Caspiū. by the Mare Ca [...]pium nexte vnto it. I may selfe haue passed a thousand myles vppon a great riuer called Dwina in Russia, Dvvina. & yet but vppon a part of it for a monthes space, frō S. Nicholas to Vologda, Vologda. where the great Emperour of Russia hath a mighty Castel. I haue also passed ouer y ^e Volga other­wise called the Rha, Rha. ouer against the Cittie called laroslaue, where it is twise as brode as the Thames at London, & very deepe: Moneye. which at large I will set out in another Booke, of the mightie estate of that Dominion. Then Alexander prepa­red a great nomber of Mores excellinge in swiftnes of foote, being noble darters & out of Parthia he had noble Archers, Innouation of estate. which in those dayes gaue most noble and worthye aduentu­res in caryinge away the honour of the field. Alexander ha­uinge his armye prepared and readye to encounter with the Germaynes, not desirous of any slaughter, sent Oratours to entreate of peace, and because Alexander was feareful of na­ture and tymerous, promised to geue vnto the Germaynes what they requested, Peace. knowinge that diuers Princes haue re­pressed theyr iniurious offers by bribinge them with moneye: but the Romaynes in martiall enterprises geeuinge place to no Nation, not onlye reproued Alexander, but also began to disceauer themselues from obedience, fansyinge rashlye an o­ther gouernour, so vnconstant are the heades of the rashe and bace multitude to seeke innouation of estate and chaunge of Princes, as fansye leadeth them to refuse nowe that Prince, throughe whose vertuous education and godly gouernment, the quiet and prosperous estate, longe time flourished in the Romayne Empyre: those rare vertues are not with them in price, Maximinus. a Prince desyrous of peace is contemned, his dignitye & counsaile derided, bloudy warres, spoyle and robbinge is the marke whereat they shot: thus the Romayne Empyre by vn­constant heads was brought to miserable estate, at a sodaine [Page 86] they made choise where fansye ledde them, and w ^t like conside­ration displaced the chosen. At the same time there was one a chiefe captayne, who bare chiefe authoritie called Maxi­minus a Thracian, borne of base estate, a shepeheard, whose mighty stature of body & stiffe sturdines, had aduaunced him by diuers aduentures to all orders and degrees of chiualrye, who for his excellencye & dexteritye in feates of warre, was the chiefe to traine vppe yonge souldiours, of whom by dailye familiaritie and diligence, with industruous trauaile, he pur­chased great fauour and earnest loue, who also to winne their fauour vsed this meane, liberality & great giftes, then all the men of warre did contempne & disobeye the godly Emperour Alexander, A miserable ende for so vertuous a Prince. ascribinge to him the euill successe of y ^e warres, & to the childishe stomacke of him followinge only the aduise & counsaile of his mother Mammea: treason thereby was con­spired to place Maximinus Emperour, and to murther A­lexander. Who now but Maximinus, Alexander the god­lye Emperour is forgotten, nowe the princelye robe clotheth Maximinus, Note the ende of the vsur­per. who as vnwillinge seemed, by force compel­led thereto (as the maner of diuers ambitious Princes is noted in Historyes) some recorde that the men of warre did threaten to murther him refusinge the choise, immediatlye after by violence they beganne to set vppon Alexander who at a sodaine amased, seinge himselfe thus forsaken wept, and trembled for feare, he also consideringe y ^t hee had aduaunced Maximinus from a base sheepehearde, from the dungehill to be a chiefe captaine, A most detes­table facte. reproued his ingratitude and falsehode: & blamed also the other souldiours (who leauinge theyr liege Lorde) soughte to promote an vsurper trayterouslye. Alex­ander spake vnto them manye thinges mouinge obedience, he shewed also a full discourse by what lenitie many yeares he gouerned the Romayne Empyre: hee shewed vnto them his education from tender yeares. Couetousnes y ^e ouerthrow of kingdome and people. Some good hartes moued w ^t his Oration lamented his case, and with willinge hartes o­beyed him, but the mayne route of souldiours swarmed to Maximinus, Maximinus onlye exalted by this good Empe­rour Alexander, from a base sheepehearde and base pesante [Page] to that dignitye, was the destructiō of Alexander and Mam­mea his mother, he left not one aliue that fauoured Alexan­der, so deadly is the enmitye of those which wickedly aspyre, displasinge and murtheringe whom fansye leadeth. Thirtene yeares Alexander ruled vertuouslye withoute bloudshedde, lawes proceded with equitye, godlye was the gouern­ment hee beinge most godlye, he was a rare Prince, of whom greater vertues in other cannot be recy­ted, Couetousnes ought to be a­uoyded. onlye the couetuousnes & greedye appetite to infinite treasures of his mother Mammea, was the first occasion that extinguished the faithfull obedience and sincere loue of the men of warre.

Maximinus.

MAximinus was of base condition of life a sheepehearde in his childhode, his pa­rentes verye poore and needye, but hee wearye of that base and rustical life, be­ganne to applye himselfe to the exercise (for lacke of lyuinge) of the arte of a souldiour, and because nature had made him of personage mightye and taule, of strengthe the valiante, hee fansyed in himselfe, accordinge to his [Page 87] sturdye estate, great aduauncement, for in processe of time be­inge hardye, he assayed most manfullye all perils obiected to him, the daungers which he passed brought him to great ad­miratiō, The couragi­ous man. as it doth all those whom noble fame in martiall en­terprises vpholdeth, for they refuse no daunger, the successe of theyr aduentures tytleth them with greate commendation, they passe those daungers which courages feareful, and har­tes timerouse do flye and avoyde, the good successe which beu­tifyeth them, bringeth fame and nobilitye of actes in the eyes of all those which pondereth theyr practises, Fearefull hartes. fearefull and ty­merous hartes neuer asspire to large kingdomes, splayed cō ­quest, or renowmed victoryes: fortune taketh by the hand the boulde and hardye souldiour, The hardye souldiours. and maintayneth him in all his enterprises. Thus Maximinus purchasinge fame and honor, was promoted by y ^e last Emperour Alexander to greate dig­nitye, to rule ouer many, but in the ende with all ingratitude from shepehearde exalted by Princely fauour, both loued and accepted, in the ende was the deathe of this good Emperour, so great was his ambition to diminishe the estate, to depriue of honour and to take away the life of so good an Emperour. This Maximinꝰ being made Emperour, Maximinus. for a time w ^t great liberality purehased to himselfe theyr hartes, but after a sea­son beinge settled in gouernment, Alexander. he was not so gentle as A­lexander whom he ouerwhelmed & with all tyrannye slue. Alexander deserued at his handes great obedience, faithfull seruice, but thus hath he rewarded him, Alexander promo­ted him to dignities, but Maximinus framinge diuers con­spiracies, catched to himselfe the dignitye of his Lorde and maister, most traiterouslye hee robbed him of estate, and spoy­led him of life, his mischiefes so ceased not, for he murthered all who eyther by frendshippe, Tyrannye. alyance or kindered, eyther fa­uoured, loued or obeyed the Emperour: his great tyrannye appeared in the eyes of all the Romaynes, the chaunge was sodaine, Rome thus to be plagued with a detestable tyraunt, yet that great tyrannye could not represse the talke and brute of the people, A hard thing to remoue a tyraunt. his tyrannye was suche in his enteringe, that eche one reproued him, then they lamented the dolefull ende [Page] and pytifull misfortune of Alexander, whose gouernmente longe they enioyed in felicitye of estate, nowe saye they, abase sheepehearde, a runegate from his owne country, a barba­rous Thratian, a righte Thratian by nature and bringinge vp, desyrous of bloudshed, practiseth y ^t, which the vile Thra­tians in theyr countrye do, and the more they contemned him with blasinge vnto all the world, the base estate of his paren­tes, with whom he was brought vp: the more fearce he was, for the bloudy harte of Maximinus quailed not in all his ty­rannye, but on sheepe, so on men he played the butcher, thin­kinge to place himselfe in securitye of estate, A butcherlye Prince. and to purchase rest (all those beinge murthered whom he hunted after) hee chaunged the estate of Rome, he put in and put out offices and officers, his manners contented him whom hee promoted to dignitye, manye for feare fledde from his tyrannye, manye ta­ryed clokinge and dissemblinge a fayned loue, and sincere obe­diēce, they flattered him that in the ende conspired his death, A iuste re­ward for a tyraunt. they in all pointes obeyed him that wished him fainedly long life, such is the estate of tyrantes, who thinkinge themselues by aucthoritye mightye, in the harte of eche one accursed and detested, whose death they wishe and seeke after rather then longe life, in the ende his tyrannye prouoked many treasons, manye also were accused before him of diuers conspiracies, none escaped against whom accusation was broughte before him, also he was brought to extreme perill by treasō, passing ouer a bridge into Germanye, but that conspiracye came to light, the aucthors thereof taken and put to death, the tyran­nye of Maximinus was so great, Tyrannye. that the barbarous souldi­ours cōspired his death many times. There was one ambiti­ous parsō (who as y ^e History noteth) was enforced by cruell meanes to vsurpe, whom one that seemed to be his frend murthered, and brought his head to Maximinus, thinking there­by to obtaine great prefermente with the loue and fauoure of the Prince: for althoughe Maximinus had great cause to re­ioyce to see his ennemye slaine, yet in like sort he recompensed with death him that broughte his heade, iudginge that same parsō a chiefe aucthor of the cōspiracy, who also was thought [Page 88] to haue done y ^• murther onlye for hope of preferment, no loue and sincere affection leadinge him thereto. Iulius Caesar like­wise recompēsed those, which vppon hope murthering Pom­peie thought at Caesar his hand to be thanckefully rewarded, but Caesar knowinge the great trust that Pompeye put in them who murthered him, beinge neyther by othe nor allegi­ance bounde to Caesar, but frends to Pompeie, whose cloked hartes well vewed and dissimulation towards so noble a go­uernour vttered, death for honour and rewarde at Caesar his hand, they receyued theyr deadly facte, which worthely pur­chased them a deadly dome. These cōspiracies moued Maxi­minus to greater crueltye and more detestable tyrannye, it encreased rather then dimynished in him, thoughe he was at that instant oppressed with great warres against y ^e Germay­nes, against whom when he had prepared noble warriours & most worthiest captaynes, he entered vppon theyr territorye in the Haruest time, destroyinge theyr Haruest, theyr Tow­nes and villages were quite burned, this one thinge the men of warre commēded in Maximinus, that with large & migh­tye spoyles he fed continually the souldiours, The barba­rous souldi­ours. whose riotous and dissolute life, affecteth sincerelye such a one as procureth most spoyles, the doinge of Maximinus was so terrible a­gainst the Germaynes, y ^t they retyred into the marish groun­des, great hauocke he made of them with manye slaughters, such spoyle and destruction of theyr countryes, such burninge of houses and ruine of whole villages, hath not bene seene: he might well be the sonne of bloudye Mars that was in actes so bloudy, his victoryes not onelye was set out in letters to the Romaynes, but to be sene in Mappes & Cardes, his victories might with commendation be celebrated, if that his crueltye had not passed towarde the Romaynes: Flatterye. for by flattery (wher­with he was altogether ledde) hee sought the destruction not onlye of the commons, but also of the nobilitye, wherevppō diuers prouinces being vnder the iurisdiction of the Romay­nes rose against him, Tyrannye. such was his tyrannye both by officers & other meanes, suche onlye were fauoured of Maximinus as were most wicked, at a sodayne he rose, and murthered Pro­curatorem [Page] Africae, then beinge in that extremitie they chose Gordianus against his will Emperour, after whose creation throughe the tyrannye of Maximinus, the fame and dignity was sone remoued, and honour and renowne taken awaye, Gordianus enioyed fully the dignitye of the Emperour, who enioyinge that estate and settled therein, wrote letters vnto Rome reprouinge the tyrannye of Maximinus, and because he began vertuouslye to gouerne, great was the commenda­tion of him, in puttinge to deathe all those detestable promo­ters who by vniust meanes had sought the death of many mē, Promoters. then hee put to death Vitellianus, who was a chiefe doer vn­der Maximinus, forthwith the Romaynes saluted Gordia­nus Emperour and his sonne, who endeuouringe to appease all partes of the Romaine Empyre, and in theyr letters sette forthe the beastly life of Maximinus, his crueltye and bloudy tyrannye, these thinges beinge knowen to Maximinus, he be­ganne forthwith to make an oration vnto his souldiours, to appease and quiet theyr mindes, sheewinge vnto theym the vnconstante heades of the Carthaginians, theyr natures prone to treason, he contempned and set light by Gordianus an vnmanlye Prince, a deceauer, an vsurper, then hee prepa­red an armye against Gordianus towarde Carthage, and at y ^e same time a certaine Senator beinge an enemye to Gordia­nus of longe time hauinge greate auchoritye in those partes prepared also an army against Gordianus: as sone as Gordi­anus heard that Maximinus the Emperour came with great power against him and y ^• other Senator, Gordianus. beinge in vtter dis­payre, vnmanly hanged himselfe for feare, those that created Gordianus Emperour seinge him thus dead, did keepe close his death and obeyed his yonger sonne Gordianus: who also in battaile dyed, for Capilianus the Senator whom I spake of before, made hauoke on Gordinaus sonne, w ^t great slaugh­ters of the Romaynes, who also in y ^e ende woulde haue vsur­ped, so great was his ambition vnder the coloure of obedience and a sincere harte of atrue subiecte. Ambition. After the Senate vn­derstode of the deathe of Gordianus and his sonne, preuen­tinge the crueltye of Maximinus, who was nowe comminge [Page 89] against them like a Lyon, they elected two Emperours, Maximus Puppienus, and Claudius Balbinus, both men of great auctoritye, whom manye by voice and election woulde haue succeded, but the Romaynes cryed oute against them, & would haue slaine them, being not content w ^t theyr gouern­ment, in great tumulte was Rome and the Empyre in myse­rable estate, diuers ambitiously would haue vsurped, and di­uers also sought to possesse, A myserable estate. they chose a child Emperour but that continued not, Gallicanus by force would haue vsurped, ambitious heads wrapped Rome in great calamities, y ^e wealthy were made pore, the most beggarlye sort made rytche by spoyle, the Cittie also in diuers partes was fyred, greate ha­uoke Maximinus made by slaughter vppon the nobilitye of y ^e Romaynes, as he cared not for man, so he regarded not God, for he persecuted the Christians also, The vi. per­secution. tyrannye was the whole estate of his gouernment, his fansy ruled lawes and all thin­ges proceded as him listed, at the same time diuers other con­spiracies were wroughte against him, and as hee by murther vsurped, so also by murther seekinge innouation and chaūge of estate they sought to displace him, hee passed with a greate armye by the highe Alpes of Italye to Aquileia where his ennemyes had theyr abode. Aquileia. Aquileia is a noble Cittie popu­louslye inhabited, a Cittye of great ryches, and a marte most highest in price of all Italy, situate by the sea, to whom frō al coastes and coūtries strongers for marchandise haue had ac­cesse, and because at that time they heard of the comminge of Maximinus, all the countrye there aboutes leauinge theyr houses, fledde with all theyr riches and store to Aquileia, pla­cinge therein theyr great forte of strengthe, Aquileia beinge an olde auncient Cittie was muche in ruine, but the necessity of that time sone repayred it with infinite handes, for the peo­ple were infinite in nomber, theyr prouision was not lackinge to continue a longe siege: the chiefe of this enterprise were Crispianus Chrispianns. and Menephelus, Menephelus. by whose counsayle and polli­cye, all thinges were in a readynes to vpholde manfully their estate, and to put of violently theyr ennemy.

Maximinus ponderinge the stronge and fenced forte, the no­ble [Page] Cittie Aquileia wherein they were enclosed, assayed first by a flatteriuge Embassage to ouer come them, and by great giftes to bribe them, hee sente vnto them in these woordes: Maximinus beinge theyr Emperour commaundeth them to leaue theyr forte, to yelde vp theyr armoure and to take hym theyr frinde, not an ennemye, hee seeketh not theyr slaughter but peace, quietnes, and aduauncement to the estate of y ^e Ro­maynes: muche also they vttered in commendation of Maxi­minus, Neuer truste a tyraunt. and exhorted the men of warre not to neglecte the li­berall and Princely offer, but Crispianus fearinge the subtill practise of Maximinus, gaue exhortociō to the men of warre and people inhabitinge Aquileia to withstande the violente tyrante, who vnder fayre wordes and fayre promises, woulde destroy them as he hath before time handeled diuers yeldinge to him: Crispianus. This Crispianus was one in great reputation with y ^e Romaynes & vertuous in his gouernment, of talke wittye, of counsayle graue, whose wisedome they obeyed and resisted valiantlye Maximinus: they cut of all theyr bridges the wa­ter by stormye seasons beinge mightye, and of greate depthe, ouer the which Maximinus and his armye coulde not passe, but many of the Germaynes more rashlye then wiselye, assay­inge to passe that water perished in it, but afterwarde by pol­licye of a shipwrighte, meanes was found to come to the wall of Aquileia, Necessitye. where the men of the Cittie defendinge theyr walles, foughte from aboue, no age or kinde wanted to beare armour for the fasegarde of Aquileia. Maximinus destroyed all the countrie about Aquileia, so great was his displeasure against them, which the souldiours of Maximinus felte, be­inge glad to returne with great losse, and little honour.

This Maximinus beinge in this sort Emperour after Alex­ander throughe crueltye his life was shortned, Maximinus. who raigned but three yeares, and no maruaile he murthered his kinge, & also exercised cruelty towarde his friendes. Crueltye. As concerninge his excesse in glottonye, Glottonye. euerye daye fortye pounde of fleshe was his repaiste, fiue gallons of wyne his drincke, as he was mightye of stature, Germanye is vanquished. so in warre manlye, and fortunato, for his time, at the length he vanquished the Germaynes, and on the [Page 90] Romaynes also he shewed great crueltye. This tyrante made greate persecution vppon the Christians: in the time of this Emperour was Origine the great learned mā, Origene. who through his excellent knowledge in learninge and deepe parswation, brought to the vnitye of the true Churche, Berillus. one Berillus a bis­shoppe in Arabia, which heritike taught that Christ neither was before his mother, Heresye. nor had a Godheade, as one parson of the Trinitye but that the Godhead did remayne in him a cer­tayne season. Antherus in the time of Maximinus and Fabian. At this time the bishoppe of Rome was called Antherus, whoe enioyed his seate but one moneth, after An­therus succeded Fabian and he was bishoppe xii. yeares. As you haue heard before, there was chosen of the Senate at one time to be Emperours Maximus and Balbinus, Three were chosen at one tyme. and of the commons Gordian a childe, vnto which election the Senate yelded, that they might appease the furye of y ^e people: Maxi­mus was slayne of his people in Aquileia, and Maximinus & Balbinus not fauoured of the souldiours were slaine at Rome.

The kinge of Britayne at this time was one Ascleprodo­rus who raigned .xxx. yeares, who besieged London beinge driuen oute thereof before by the manhode of Lucius Gallus, but Lucius Gallus was after slaine by Asclepiodorus, and caste into a broke that ranne where Walbrooke standeth, Walbroke whereof it toke y ^• name. for this Lucius Gallus being cast into the same, it hath euer since bene called Gallus broke, though now Walbroke or Walles­broke, but the cause that moued Asclepiodorus to make hys warre, was one Alectus a Romaine who gouerned Britaine and subdued to the Romaynes this kingdome, whose gouer­mente was cruell, Alectus. and the Britaynes were moued that this noble man should vsurpe as a kinge, where vppon they chased the Romaynes with theyr kinge from place to place by migh­tye force, Alectus. Alectus went towardes London because there hee was the most surest, but in y ^e ende he was slaine with a great nomber of Romaynes. This Alectus was before a Duke in Rome, in great estimation with Maximinus, and sent to the Britaynes to subdue Carassus, Carassus. whom hee slewe and vsurped after viii. yeares. Altharco after the murther of his father was kinge of Scottes & raigned xi. yeres, a dissolute Prince, [Page] a flute player, & minstrillike in all his dayes, hee was slaine for rauishinge of a mayde, a noble mans daughter.

Gordian.

THe cruell tyrant Maximinꝰ beinge thus deade, Gordian who was chosen with o­ther two, onely came in fauour to enioye the Empyre, the souldiours fauoured neyther the godlye Princes, neyther yet they loued y ^e vngodly, but alwayes they bore sway, spoyle large & greedye praye contented them, The maner of souldiours luker and prodigall gaines made them chose gouernours, so was theyr kingdome boughte and soulde for moneye, and surelye where such brainlesse people beare sieg­norye, there the like is practised, for what confusde heades do determine vnaduisedly mischiefe executeth, The beste point of chi­ualrye. it is the happiest part in all chiualry and mortall warres, souldiours to obeye the counsayle of the wyse and happye Captayne, els perisheth the armye, and counsaile is no counsaile, when rashe heades vppon a sodaine bringe the kingdome to dissolution, Desperate souldiours. neither is the desperate souldiour of anye price, beinge a beastlye ly­uer, he can bringe no glorye to the Prince that is not beloued of God, The feare of God. all honour and renowne flyeth from him that fea­reth not God and lyueth wantonlye: sodaine is the faule of [Page 91] Princes, & vnloked for, disolation happeneth both to y ^e kinge, the Prince & the people, the godly onely seeth the cause, some­time: Quicquid delinquunt Reges plectūtur achiui, The sentence of Ouide. & some­time contrarywyse: Scaelere grecorum plectuntur Reges achiui. As a wicked Prince bringeth dissolution to his people (God scourging sinne) so mischeuous people is a rewyne to y ^e good Prince, and to the most flourishinge kingdomes, there­fore both muste be amended, Remedies to auoyde pla­gues in king­domes. for as a certaine godlye man writeth. Ergo fames, pestis, bellum grassantur in omnes: viuere si vultis viuite iam melius. No Region can quietlye be gouerned where there is vncertaine succession to be placed in estate, Vertuous succession. y ^e Prince by death ceasinge to rule, note these trou­blous tymes of the Romayne Empyre, wherein so often chaunge and pullinge downe of estate haue followed, in fewe dayes to see manye possessinge kingedomes, some by fauour, other by enuye, manye by kindred moued to vpholde, or pull downe the exalted from kingdome, and as all these be causes, so ambition is the roote of all other, Ambition. that geeueth moste as­sayes to aspyre and trouble kingdomes, ye see the ende of ty­rauntes as in Maximinus, Bassanus, Commodus, and so in all other what lamentable sayinge was this Maximinus a most cruell tyraunt beinge murthered, & his sonne also slaine with him. Ex pessimo genere ne catulum habendum, full sodainlye was the ende of Puppienus Balbinus ambitious­lye inuadinge the Empyre. Puppienus. In this troubleous season Gor­dianus the nephew of Gordian, Balbinus. borne of his daughter, whose father and grandfather, were famous Senatours, in hye re­putation of wysedome and graue counsayle amonge the Ro­maynes, Gordianus. beinge wel brought vppe of his father, chosen of the Romaynes to succede in this troubleous tyme, y ^t name was welbeloued. This Gordian the seconde yeare of his gouern­ment, Misitheus. maryed the daughter of Misitheus who was excelling amonge the Romaynes, in rare wisedome and learninge, by estate & dignitye a Senator, the Empyre of Rome was with all nobilitye stayed by the counsaile of Misitheus, the Empe­rour Gordian was ruled by him, of so great force is counsaile and wisedome to vpholde and staye the Prince: all partes of [Page] the common wealthe prospered, where such graue and wyse heades be in estimation, the Prince ruled by one good man, geueth good example vnto other, howe manye wayes dothe that kingdome prosper that is gouerned by wisedome, but ruine and dissolution followeth many times for lacke of wise­dome in maiestrates and counsailers: in the gouernmente of Gordian warres were proclaymed against the Persians, at y ^e same time y ^e fierce Thrasians were subdued, Sapor. Sapor also kinge of Persia was put to flight and drouen into Ciuillia, he recoue­red many Citties and countryes lost before tyme of tyrantes, so great was the wysedome of Misitheus in the Emperours affayres: as he was loued so he was dreaded, not onlye of the Romaines, but of many other Nations, of such value is wor­thy counsaile, all thinges went luckelye w ^t him whilest his fa­ther in law Misitheus liued, for at a sodaine the former estate declyned, The death of one wise coū ­sailer, is a plague to a whole realme Misitheus beinge deade: Gordianus made greate lamentacion and also the Romaynes, who depelye considered the former state and beutifull gouernment, wherein the Ro­mayne Empyre flourished as longe as he liued. Howe sone was Gordian maymed? his great comfort gone from him? the office and dignitye whiche Misitheus enioyed, Philippe. Philippe. was preferred vnto, who in the ende slue Gordian the Em­perour. As longe as Misitheus liued, no treason was assayed against Gordian, so it is seene manye times in kingdomes, hee whom the Prince promoteth, Ambition. seeketh sometime to be a­boue the Prince, and for a sole regimente to slea his kinge.

Gordian was slaine by the traiterous souldiours of Philippe in an vprore, Gordian was but xx. yeres of age when he dyed, he gouerned but vi. yeares, hee was buried in the vttermoste ende of the Romayne Empyre, neare to the Persian kinge­dome: who had a monument erected vnto him, w ^t this super­scription written in Lattine, Persian, Hebrewe and Egipti­an letters. Gordiani hoc posteris monumentum relictum: This monument of Gordian is lefte to the posteritye.

The kinge of Scottes was at this time called Altarchus a wicked Prince. Altarchus king of Scot­tes. The kinge of Britayne was called Asclepio­dorus who killed Alectus the Romayne, who manye yeares [Page 92] with tyrannye ruled Britaine, Alectus. and slue at the same time Luci­us Gallus, and drowned him in Walbroke, (Walbroke being a part of the Thames then at that time) in the seconde yere of his gouernmente. The deadlye ennemye of Christian Religion was flourishinge at Rome Porphirius by name, Porphirius. who caused great persecutiō, this Porphi­rius was a Philosopher of great subtiltye & knowledge in all artes, who made a nota­ble Booke of the Predicables commō ­lye red in all Vniuersities in Greke, manye other famous men there were at that time.

Philippus.

PHilippus, of other called Marcus Iulius Phi­lippus, descendinge from a noble house, but of verye poore parentes, for his father was a­monge theeues y ^e chiefe ringeleader and Cap­tayne, barbarous and fierce in his conditions, brought vppe in bloudye practises and deligh­tinge therein, his sonne who was this Emperour Philippus for feates of armes, was aduaunced and fauoured of the Cap­taynes: although he murthered Gordian: The men of warre at the first chose one Marcus to be Emperour who dyed with­in [Page] fewe dayes after Marcus beinge deade, they chose in his place Seuerus Hostilius, then was preferred vnto that roume Philippe which murthered Gordian, the Historye before de­clareth ( Misitheus beinge dead) that this Philip was placed in his roume, thoughe by him a detestable facte was commit­ted, so to rewarde his Lorde and Emperour of whom he was promoted: but that purpose & fact as in all other payeth home with like recompence, Murther re­compensed [...] murther al­wayes. euen bloud for bloude: Philippe mur­thered Gordian, and Decius murthered Philippe, so bloudy handes receiue meede of bloude. Some Histories write that this Philippe beinge made Emperour, in his gouernment of all Emperours firste professed the Christian faythe, and was baptised with his wife and children, certaine Epistles of Ori­gene shewe that Origene wrote to this Emperour as concer­ninge Christian religion. Origene. Certaine it is that persecution cea­sed against the Christians, and the Scriptures preached, and the godlye were maintayned in his Dominion. The fourthe yeare of his gouernment, was the yeare since the first founda­tion of Rome by computacion of yeares a full thousande, in Rome at the same time great solemnitye and triumphe were for the same, euen as Philippe sought by vniust meanes to v­surpe ouer his Lorde and maister, so nowe Decius seeketh a bloudy purpose against Philippe: I iust recom­pence. Thus Philippe raigninge but fiue yeares was cruellye murthered of him, his heade be­inge clouen: his sonne also was murthered beinge but .vii. yeares of age. Cyptian. In the dayes of this Philippe was Ciprian y ^e famous bishoppe of Carthage, whose woorkes remayne of great value: this is that Cipriane whom Gregory Nazean­zene writeth of, she winge what knowledge hee had in coniu­ration of spirites, who amonge many practises of cōiuration, coniured a spirit to winne to him y ^e loue of a mayde, that not preuailinge, the foule spirite possessed Cipriane, as y ^e History telleth at large, The conuer­siō of Cypri­an. who afterward conuerted to God, became a true professor of Christian Religiō, a most famous Deuine, and burned openlye his Magicall bookes detesting the same.

At this time Dionisius was bishoppe at Alexandria, and [Page 93] also those heretiques whiche denyed certaine Scriptures, & reiected them as false Epistiles, were confounded by Ori­gene. Asclepiodorus as yet gouerned Britaine. Fabi­an was bishoppe of Rome at that time.

Decius.

AFter the death of Marcus, and so of Seue­rus hostilius who raigned but a fewe dayes Emperours, althoughe orderlye they are not noted in the Chronicles af­ter Gordian: It is to be noted that Mar­cus succeded Gordian, he raigned but a fewe dayes, & no famous thinge of him Chronicled, likewise Seuerus hostilius, and of him nothinge worthye memorye recited, these by deathe ceasinge, Decius came by fauour to enioy the Empyre, (who as the Histories do note) murthered Philippe. This Decius was borne in Pannonia bubalia, Decius. who raigned but .ii. yeares, he was in ar­mes valiant, a great ennemye to God and against his sincere Religion, The vii. per­secution. for immediatlye in enteringe to that estate, he pub­lished a terrible persecution against Christians, in what place soeuer they mighte be founde oute, in that persecution manye learned and godly fathers were tormented, Fabian. Fabian bishop of Rome was martyred, Cornelius, Cornelius the other bishoppe after Fa­bian [Page] martyred, and that in the profession of Christe, at those dayes the great aucthority which the bishoppe of Rome hath sence chalenged was not, The auctori­tye of the by­shop of Rome for Fabian bishoppe of Rome was martired for the profession of Christ, who to death submitted himselfe to the aucthority of Decius. This is the greatest pre­heminence y ^t the Prelates in Christ can chalenge, not to fight against Princes, no not against the cruelist tyrauntes & most terrible persecutors, and as for the desyre of highe and loftye estate, it ought not to harbour in theyr brestes, whō God hath placed pastours & feders of his congregation. Humilitye in the clergye. Christ in him­selfe and to his Apostles gaue that example of this perfit hu­militye to contemne so highe a seate, for howe shoulde they learne and teache others to despise the world, they most of all stryuinge for honour, Pompe. for pompe and domination, who not as followers of the flocke do liue, but as Gods in earthe, and ru­lers ouer Princes. Prelates Princelye. The Chronicles shewe from all times y ^e before those Lordlye and Princelye reuenues came to Prela­tes, greater was the care of Christe, and they of a more pure Religion, but sithens those dayes theyr doctrine hath beene but all in fancies and vaine constitutions made to searche out golden mynes, Decius. and delicate wayes of lyuinge. If there were a cruell Decius, Nero. a Nero, Iulian. a nother Iulian to scourge the true preachers, Domitian. or a terrible Domitian, they must do as Fabian y ^e bishoppe of Rome did, to dye in the holye profession of Christ, as Peter and Paule did, Iames and Iohn, teachinge all pre­lates to be Fabians, that is to feede, and suffer deathe for the defence of Christes flocke, and not as raueninge wolues to destroye them. In many and sundrye Citties, all kinde of tor­mentes were inuented, Bloudye ty­rauntes. to make the professours of God to for­sake theyr Christian Religion, diuers famous bishops put to deathe. As concerninge Decius, hee was xlviii. yeares of age when he began to gouerne, he continued but .ii. yeares, his sonne called also Decius was made partaker in the Em­pyre with him, Fraunce. the Frenche men made warres against Deci­us, who were maruailouslye discomfited of him, greate was their ouerthrowe, theyr goodes confiscated, theyr Citties and Townes burned, then Decius departinge from them left di­uers [Page 94] garrisons, to keepe vnder the Frenche men, after that by occasion and necessitye offered, he was forced to make war­res on the Gothes, but the Gothes preuayled against him, the cruelty also of Decius did also dyminish his power in the Ro­mayne iurisdiction. Crueltie ma­keth a Prince weake. Thus Decius with his whole hoaste put to flight, but Decius in his flight passinge a ryuer of Thracia in the same was drowned, his sonne slaine in the same battaile, all this time Asclepiodorus was kinge of Britaine, and Nathalac kinge of the Scottes.

Virius Gallus.

AFter the ouerthrowe which the Romay­nes receyued of the Gothes, as many as escaped, fledde vnto the place wher Gal­lus was encamped, whom vppō a sodaine they created Emperour, who together with his sonne Bolussenus continued in gouernment xi. yeres the Romaine Em­pyre was at this tyme in greate trouble, not onlye with warres, but the like tyrannye that was in the gouernment of Decius against the Gospell, Tyrannye a­gainst the Gospell. was executed of Virius Gallus, no estate of parsō, sexe or kinde was in safe cō ­dition from his tormenters, neyther did there wante parsons [Page] meete to satisfye the pleasure, lust, and appetite of so cruell a tyraunte, Christian Religion persecuted, the Christians fled, those that abode felte the tormentes of this tyraunt, all mea­nes were inuented oute, to make this tyraunte possessor and Lorde of innocentes goodes, they were most in price that in­uented delectacions & pleasures for this Prince, and because God was not knowen amonge them, beastlye was theyr go­uernment, Tyrannus. miserable theyr common wealthe, no care of true Relition, but eche one gaped who might ambitiouslye to the highest roume aspire: for manye at a sodaine rose to demaūde the seate of Empyre, some by treason, other some wanted no title, many by might would aduaunce themselues to be moste mightye, Vsurpers. as Hostilianus perpenna was by the fauoure and will of the Senatours chosen against Virius Gallus, for now the cruelty of Virius Gallus was abhorred of the Romaynes, so detestable is tyranny that neyther the fortresse, nor stronge garrisons can vpholde the tyrauntes, nor manye frendes lin­ked in amitye, The estate of tyrantes. all hope in the ende fayleth them: Who ones hath redde the estate of tyrantes to be quite? theyr ende not miserable? and dolefull to themseues, & the condition of their subiectes not enclyned vnto all wickednes? & many plagues followe theyr gouernmente. In this vprore and tumulte E­milianus by nighte, enterprised to take vppon him the estate of the Emperour, Scithians. in Mesia the beggarly Scithians rose mightely, who brought a scourge to the Romaynes, for in passing they spoyled many partes of the Romayne Empyre, who by a secrete prouidence of God became most mightye, and made other tributory vnto them, great was theyr cruelty, for in one cittie called Adria they slue most cruelly of all sortes of people 100000. Virius Gal­lus. Virius Gallus was but a cowardlye Prince who ouermatched of y ^e Scithians, made great meanes to conclude a peace, & consented to paye them great tribute, these calami­ties did not onlye scourge the Romaynes, but also a greate pestilence fell which infected all partes of thempyre whereby they perished infinite nombers, Pestilence. suche plagues followed the persecutions of Christians, the same plague beganne in the Citties of Ethiopia and Egipte, and continued tenne yeares. [Page 95] As concerninge Emilianus vsurping: Virius Gallus and hys sonne leuied a great power againste him: but in the battayle they were both slaine, at this time rose a greate controuersye in the churche betwene Ciprianus the greate learned father, Cyprianus. and Cornelius a Bishoppe, Cornelius. if heretikes returninge into the faith might be baptised or no againe, reasons were alleged on bothe sydes. As yet Asclepiodorus was kynge of Brit­taine, Nathalac king of the Scots, and the bishop of Rome was Lucius, immediatly after him was Stephan. (⸫)

Licinius Valerianus,

AFter the deathe of this Emperour, who was slaine w ^t his sonne in his enterprise against Emilianus, who is not nombred amongest y ^e Emperours, because of his shorte raigne, for hee was immediatlye slaine of the souldiours. Licinius Vale­rianus who was otherwise called Colo­bius enioyed the Empyre, Colobius. of him the Historyes note diuersly: Some write that he was of witte dull, most simple in his do­inge, and farre vnmete for that office, as the Historye of Eu­teopius and of Sextus Aurelius Victor affirmeth, but Tre­bellius [Page] affirmeth, that this Valerianus was a wyse and vali­ante Prince, a vertuous Emperour, thoughe on him fortune frowned, no Prince amonge the Romaynes felte more mise­rable calamities thē he, neither the like thraldome, who sone out of a Princelye throne was throwne and made viler then a slaue, as it is sheewed at full afterwarde: This Emperour Valerianus was also a persecutour of the Christians, like vn­to Decius in maners, and in beastlye lyuinge like to Domiti­an, the Christians liued in greate feare, beinge so longe time scourged with these tyrantes, The viii. per­secution. but in the ende the tyrauntes haue tasted of the like plagues, wherewith they scourged o­ther. Valerianus made his sonne partaker in gouernment w ^t him, and also Cornelius his nephewe. It is sayde that Vale­rianus came from a noble house: greate vprores and tumul­tes were raysed in diuers partes of his Dominiō. Religianꝰ vsurped in Mesia, Cassius Labienus Posthumus in Fraunce, Emilianus in Egipte and in Macidonia, Vsurpers. Valens Aureolus v­surped in Millane, all these mightye personages put in truste vnder this Emperour, ambitiouslye sought to place themsel­ues in kingdomes, Mesapotamia was in this troublous estate inuaded of the Parthians, Sapor then kinge ouer them, who made fierce warre against the Romaynes, Valerianus y ^e Emperour beinge in Persia with the Romaynes, gaue also the Parthians a battaile, but the battaile was dishonourable to the Romaynes, for the most part of them was slaine, and y ^e Emperour made a captiue, who of longe time in vile bondage with Sapor the kinge of Parthia, Sapor. was made his foote stole or treadinge blocke, so he continued a longe season in miserable captiuitye with his ennemye, Crueltye. whom the Romaynes neuer as­sayed to bringe home from bondage, so muche the hartes of them abhorred him for his crueltye, neyther his owne sonne who was made partaker with him in gouernmente, neyther Cornelius his nephewe beinge mightye amonge the Romai­nes, in his captiuitye would redeeme him. The life of Galie­nus was most beastly, exercisinge the like crueltye as his fa­ther Valerianus did, who thereby in the ende was abhorred, this Galienus raigned xv. yeares, Galienus. vii. yeares with his father, [Page 96] and viii. yeres alone. As concerninge Aurelius who vsurped in these dayes, he enioyed for a season, in Egipte, Emilianus seeinge to vsurpe, was cutte of from his ambitious hope, by Theodotus, manye other there were whiche vsurped, as in Fraunce certaine Almaynes who by theyr enteringe spoyled the Romayne Empyre, in Slauonia, Macrinus was chosen to be theyr Emperour, but he prospered not, for Aurelius in bat­taile slewe him: thus manye mischeues rose one of another, & all for kingdomes sake, Greece, Pontus and Asia were ruled by the Scithians: Scythians. Euen as the estates of gouernmente were troublous, so also like constitutions of the ayre, according to this gouernmente, in Asia earthquakes, in Italye darcknes of the ayre, cold filthye and stinckinge mistes, a rottinge pesti­lence in many countryes, destroyinge man & beast, God fore­seinge the decaye of the Romayne Empyre, Odenatus. raysed Odenatus who mightelye preuayled against the Parthians, and ouer­threw many other coūtries, Galienus moued w ^t the valiaunt successe of Odenatus, proclaymed him to be his vicegerente & chiefe deputye in the tytle of Augustus, in this Odenatus name moneye was coyned.

After manye fierce battailes and noble victoryes atchiued and wonne to the Romaynes, Odenatus dyed beinge in the affayers & warres of y ^e Romaynes, whose death they did not without cause lamente, his sonne a worthye captayne dyed w ^t him: Zenobia. when Odenatus was thus deade, Zenobia his wyfe a Ladye of great courage, and of maruailous pollecye succea­ded: This Zenobia with two of her sonnes (against the will of Gallienus Emperour of Rome) toke on her the gouern­ment of the East, and was called Empresse, the like vertues raigned in Zenobia, that did in her husband Odenatus: but Gallienus the Emperour of Rome (accordinge to the vsuall maner of his gouernmente) gaue himselfe to all beastlynes, whose life decayed much the Romayne Empyre, at this time the great heretike Paulus Samosatenus was, Samosatenus whose heresye was haynous, That is, that Christe was not before our La­dye, and was but a man: his heresye was condemned by a ge­nerall counsaile, Samosatenus an heretike was excommuni- [Page] then Aurelius began to vsurpe ouer the Romaynes, and to be their Emperour & to displace Gallienus: Armyes were pre­pared on both parties, and deadly conflictes fought betwene them, in the ende Gallienus the tyrante was murthered with his brother neare to Millane, Aurelius not longe endu­red after the death of Gallienus, The death of a tyrante. but hee ambitiouslye inuadinge, was with death rewarded at the handes of Claudius, who next succeded this Aurelianns who vsurped many yeares in Pannonia.

Claudius, the seconde of that name,

CLaudius raigned .ii. yeres, this Claudius by some Historyes, is thought to be the sonne of Gordian, his mothers name was Licista.

This Claudius subdued Aurelius, and also discomfited him: Claudius. by this valiant Claudius y ^e terrible hoast of y ^e Scithians and Gothes was discomfited, which was in nomber 3200000. fightinge mē, and diuers other Nations he ouercame, some write that hee raigned but one yeare, he deserueth immortall commendati­ons for his worthines, in y ^t he reduced the Romayne Empyre to so fortunate estate, from the crueltye of tyrantes, from the spoile of forrayne Princes and aliantes.

Quintilius.

CLaudius dyinge with honour and greate glo­rye vnto the Romaynes. Quintilius his bro­ther a noble yonge gentlemanne succeaded, who raigned but xvii. dayes, a barbarous, cruell, and bloudye souldiour, murthered him at Aquileia, not contented with the vp­righte and iuste dealinge of this Prince, who endeuoured to conuerte vnto vertue, the dissolute lyfe of the souldiours.

Aurelianus,

AVrelianus succeded Quintilius, this Au­relianus was of lowe byrthe descended, his father was an husbandman, hee go­uerned fiue yeares, his nobilitye of actes aduaunced him and for his valiante pro­wes and experience he was made Empe­rour, y ^e Chronicles do shewe that he was [Page] a vertuous gouernour, of whom vice was corrected, in all partes, with all men it was bruted that the Emperour was a good Phisition, but that his medicines were to sharpe & bit­ter, the worthy successe that followed him, made him not vn­like to Alexander the great, or to the valiante Iulius Caesar, for the Cittie of Rome was saued by his wysedome, pollitike practise and valiantnes, from vtter destruction beinge thrise besieged, the Historyes recite at large, in howe manye & sun­drye places hee triumphet ouer his ennemyes, diuers also v­surped who by his wysedome were repressed.

This Aurelianus was the first Emperour y ^t wore crowne Emperiall, clothinge of golde and pearle, which ornamentes were as then straunge to the Romaynes. In Thracia and Illiria he subdued the Gothes, & the kinge of Bithinia was cō ­quered of him. Aurelianus was a vertuous Prince, and en­larged the Cittie of Rome, and made it stronge with walles: Rome at those dayes was 50. miles in compasse, this Aure­lianus did first ordaine amonge the Romaynes, the eatinge of swynes fleshe. The ix. per­secution of y ^e Christians. This Emperour not fauouringe true Re­ligion persecuted the Christians, but in the ende by meanes of his secretarye hee was murthered, be­twene Heraclea and Constantinople, after his death by the space of viii. monethes there was no Emperour chosen. Eusebius a famous bishoppe in Laodicia flourished in the time of this Emperour, whose lear­ned workes remayne at these dayes in great price.

Tacitus.

TAcitus was made Emperour after Au­relianus, Tacitus was endued with all humanitye, who gouerned but v. mone­thes, and also Florianus his brother go­uerned two monethes, some Historyes note y ^e Tacitus dyed of an ague at Thar­sis, other do write that hee and his bro­ther was murthered of theyr souldiours, the one at Pontus, the other at Tharsus. Victor affirmeth that Florianus dyed by cuttinge his owne vaynes.

Probus.

PRobus a Gardeners sonne was borne in Dal­matia, his gouernment was verye short, in his dayes Saturnianus vsurped in Egipt, & Pro­culus and Bonosus in Fraunce and Germany, but they were subdued, the prayse of Probus is in highe commendation, in that his godly gouernment did astablishe y ^e Romaine Empyre in so great quietnes, y ^e Sarma­thians [Page] (now called Muscouites and Poles, in which name are contayned many other people also whiche rebelled) but they were maruailouslye scourged of hym, hee slue of the Ger­maynes in theyr Commotions. 400000. The Pollonians were subdued by him, he ouercame the Gothes in many nota­ble battayles, hee restored to the Romayne Empyre, diuers Regions and sondrye countryes, whiche were vnder the go­uernment of tyrantes, the care of Probus was great to bring glory to the Romaynes, for by the industrious trauaile of his men of warre, he caused the great hill neare to Smirnato to be planted with vynes, some do write that the great seruitude wherewith hee oppressed the Romaynes was the cause of his death, this was his vsuall sayinge to them: Souldiours must not spende victuels, excepte they labour to profite the commō wealthe, this was also his sayinge. Quid opus est militibus cum desint hostes? Souldiours oughte al­waies to be maintayned. What neede is there of men of warre when there lacked ennemyes? Which sayinge beinge vnder­stode of the souldiours & men of warre, it caused them to hate him, and to conspire his deathe: For the Emperour hauinge reduced all his Empyre into a maruaylous quietnes & peace­able estate, marched towardes the Persians, and Parthians, mindinge to subdue and chastise those proude ennemyes of the Romaynes, but his souldiours slewe him by the waye, when he had gouerned the Empyre vi. yeares and .iiii. monethes. Suche is the force of suche as be barbarous souldiours, who beinge trayned vp in bloudshedinge, do alwayes thirste after the same, hauinge no regarde of any estate, neyther obeye the wise captayne nor Prince: Of this minde Scipio was, when he woulde not haue Carthage to be destroyed of Romaines, sayinge: It was a thinge very necessary that the Romaynes shold haue such an enemy as Carthage was, A forrayne ennemye. wherby y ^e people of Rome might for feare of such a forraine enemye, be moued to all prowes & excellency, wheras otherwise ciuill warres at home woulde bringe them to vtter destruction: Through peace, both pollicy and feates of armes, woulde be to seeke in Captaynes, and the souldiours maymed from al dexterity excepte they haue an ennemye abrode whō they maye feare.

Carus.

CArus was borne at Narbona, he raigned but ii. yeares, who immediatlye made his sonnes Ca­rinus and Numerianus Caesars with him, hee continued the like enterpryse that Probus did against the Persians, Carus not contente with his prosperous estate, but still ambitously min­ded, Ambition. proceeded in larginge the Romayne Empyre, wyth the calamities and myseries of other Princes, but sodainly in his enterprise, he was from Heauen striken with lightninge and thunder at Ptesiphon & thereof dyed, Numerianus his sonne bewailed the lamentable death of his father, in such extreme sorte, that his eyes became so sore as he was not able to abide the light, but was caryed in a Waggen, and after murthered of Aper his father in lawe, which murther came to light in the dayes of Dioclesian the Emperoure followinge, Murther re­compe [...]d w ^t murther. for the which Aper was put to death. As concerninge Carinus who was made partaker in the affayres of the Empyre with his brother: This Carinus was polluted with all filthines of life, he put to death the good and godly Senators by crimes forged: by his beastly and corruptible meanes, diuers chaste Matrones and manye an honourable Ladye was rauished, this beastlye person was so outragious and wicked in gouer­ninge in Fraunce (when he hearde of his fathers deathe) hee expelled all wyse and graue counsayl [...]urs from him, lyuinge most wickedly in all kinde of vices, but his mischieuous life, caught a mischieuous ende, for after his longe cruel, & beast­lye [Page] life, euen of the Romaynes he was detested and slaine in a battaile of Dioclesian, who after succeded in y ^e Empyre: such is the ende of tyrantes and beastly liuers, whom God sodain­lye striketh, The sundrye deathes which hap­pened vnto diuers Em­perours. as an example of his wrathe and heauye displea­sure conceyued agaynst them. For in all the Chronicles whiche haue beene redde, of kinges and Princes, there haue not beene mentioned the like sortes of deathe, as happened vnto Romayne Emperours, for it is certaine that there is no kinde of straunge deathe, but it hath happened vnto one of them: For Carus was slaine by thunder, Valens burned in y ^e fiere as hereafter you shall heare, Bonosus who vsurped in y ^e time of the Emperour Probus, was hanged: Heliogabalus was rente in peeces: some were poysoned, as Tiberius and Drusus: Valerianus kept in prison, dyed there as a most mise­rable and vile slaue: Quintilius and Florianus, dyed by incisiō of veynes: Decius drowned himselfe: Iulius Caesar was mur­thered in the Senate house: Commodus was strangled to death, amongest which vnfortunate nomber of Emperours, maye also these two sonnes of Carus, Carinus and Numeria­nus (who were called Caesars as longe as they liued) be nom­bred. In such sort y ^t hauing described but y ^e liues of xl. Empe­rours, it may appeare how doubtfull is the estate of Prin­ces, & what calamities followeth them, if God frowne on them: God respecteth no parson, the secrete coun­sayle of God, seeth onlye the cause and ende. The sequele of oure Historye, shall shewe vnto you the endes of other Emperours, no lesse straunge and fearefull, then those which alreadye you haue hearde of.

Dioclesianus.

DIoclesian was a Dalmatian borne, some tyme in estate a bondeman, but hee was made free by Emilianus a Senator, his mothers name was Dioclea, & the towne wherein he was borne is called also Dio­clea, whereby he was called Diocles vn­till such time as he came to be Emperor, theu this name Dioclesian was geeuen vnto him, bee conti­nued in gouernmente .25. yeares, hee was before his crea­tion, a Notarie. This Dioclesian was by nature wittye, quicke, subtill in his gouernment, cruell, and a great ennemy to Christian Religion, The .x. perse­cution of the Christians. and because the boundes and Domi­nions of the Romayne Empyre, were large hee made diuers partakers with him in the Empyre: In the 3. yeare of his go­uernment, Dioclesian sente into this our Ilande, a Duke of Rome called Constantius▪ Constantius. for certaine tribute due to y ^e Ro­maynes sence the deathe of Alectus, who beinge a Romayne ruled this lande, Alectus. and was killed in a battayle not farre from London, by the handes of Asclepiodorus (who as I shewed before) after him ruled this lande. At the same time as this tribute was demaunded, Coilsucceding Asclepiodorus who was king of this land, this Coil was sometime Duke of Col­chester, Cost Duke of Colcester. but then dyed at the comminge of Constantius, whē he had gouerned this lande xxvii. yeares, but of him in Histo­ryes no notable thinge, or any worthy factes remayne Chro­nicled, but this onlye, which is worthye to be remembred the [Page] great fauoure which he bore to learninge, also his daughter Helena a Princesse of great worthines by him broughte vp in learninge to all excellencye, a Ladye of greate beautye: This Helena (Coil her father beinge deade) was chosen to gouerne this land, Helena. the Britaynes beinge in troubleous estate with the Romaynes, caused Helena their Queene to marrye with Constantius a Duke of Rome, to make quietnes with the Romaynes: the mariage was concluded by a common cō ­sente of the Britaynes, for an vniuersall peace and quietnes. This Princelye marryage solemnised, peace & quietnes set­tled, Constantius returned to Rome with the tribute and his wife Helena. Constantius. Constātius was made gouernour of this land, his receyuinge at Rome was with great triumphe, and He­lena accordinge to the estate of a Queene entertayned. Her wisedome, learninge and Princely maiestye, was in admira­tion with the Romaynes, her knowledge in many languages right commendable, her outward Princely gesture, within y ^e Princely body shewed to be reposed secret & maruailous ver­tues. Thus was the troubleous estate of Britanye quieted, by a maryage lincked with the Romaynes, the Romaynes also reioyced of their tribute & iurisdiction wonne of the Bri­taynes: But as no estate can alwayes be settled in quietnes & securitye, & as no glorye is stedfaste, so nowe in the middest of this ioyfull estate wherein the Romaynes thought themsel­ues, Carausus vsurped to be Emperour in Fraunce, Achil­les in Egipte, and Iulius in Italye vnder the eyes of Dioclesi­an vsurped: Vsurpers. But see wherevnto the ambition came of those, who without righte or title, clayme Princelye seate, all these at the laste came to a myserable ende. Iulius. Iulius who vsurped in Italye killed himselfe, & the other caught like ende: through these Commotions and bloudy vprores, Dioclesian was en­forced to associate manye partakers in the Empyre with him, Galerius was made chiefe gouernour in the Easte, Constan­tius y ^t maryed Quene Helena of Britayne chiefe presidente, and in Fraunce Carausus there vsurped: By this order ta­ken nowe againe, all thinges began to prosper with Diocle­sian, Dioclesian. and in the warres all victoryes fell on his side, his enne­myes [Page 101] came to nought, the name of the Romaynes was in his olde auncient strength and glorye: But what is it, a Prince blessed of God by the good successe that floweth to him in lan­des and people, when by pride he falleth from God? Dio­clesian in pride puffed, commaunded himselfe to be called a God, and sometime brother to the Sonne and the Moone, by cōmaundemēt he was kissed, Pride. as many Popes haue since those dayes compelled kinges to kisse theyr feete, they passe to be brothers to y ^e Sonne and Moone, beinge the chiefe and moste Lordliest vicars, moste pontificall, and moste vaine gloriouse Prelates vnder Christe: Popes. If Dioclesian had liued in a proude Popes dayes, where had his title beene, of beinge brother to the Sunne or Moone? surely his necke should haue bene ben­ded to smacke at a Popes foote, and bene content to geue sub­mission to theyr proude & blasphemouse sayinges: Et mihi & petro. Pride. They also in title of sanctitie, wilbe aboue Christe, not as Christ sanctus, but sanctissimus: The Apostles woulde not prostrate be worshipped, neyther the Angell of Iohn, as in the Apocalipes, but the Popes muste, wherein they shewe themselues not followers of the Apostles, but ra­ther successours of Dioclesian and Domitian in pride and ty­ranny. Their apostolicke vsage of Frederike the Emperour, & of Henry y ^e second Emperour, shew whose vicars they are: they immitate Sapor the Parthian kinge in abusinge Empe­rours: For the Pope dyninge or banqueting, the Emperour Fredericke was tyed in chaynes at his feete, that was his bā ­quet. The pride of of Popes. Henry the second waytinge the Popes absolution, was enforced with his wife and childe barefoote to do penaunce certaine dayes. If vertue had bene the scope & marke wher­at the Prelates did shoote, theyr humilitye would haue shee­wed them in humility otherwyse affected, Humilitye. not commaunding Princes, but obeyinge to death tyrantes for the Gospels sake, which trulye is professed in obedience, in holy title, in perfect humility, and not in a glitteringe Crowne, sworde, armour, fiere & faggote, & contente to let theyr doctrine abide the tri­all, The life of prelates. theyr bodyes at the will and commaundemente of tyran­tes, and theyr minde inuincible to deathe in a good cause:

[Page] Quia non mors sed causa facit martyrem: For it is not death but the cause y ^t maketh a martyre. The obedi­ence of Chri­stians. The obedience of Chris­tians amaseth tyrantes, ouerthroweth theyr power, and bringeth plagues on them and theyr people, and for a iuste triall note the ende of all tyrantes, euen from the beginninge, who not conuerted, dye most miserable.

As concerninge Dioclesian who forgot God in his glorye and fell most beastly, was become a most terrible persecuter of Christians, his persecution continued .x. yeares, hee ouer­threwe Churches of the Christians, A terrible persecution. hee gaue commaunde­ment that the holye bookes of Scripture shoulde be burned, Images to be worshipped, by him all meanes were soughte to ouerthrowe Christian Religion, as by tyrannye, by promi­ses, by promotions, and by promoters, but to passe ouer the longe persecution wherewith the Christians were tormen­ted, at the length Dioclesian filled with the bloud of Christi­ans, gaue ouer his gouernmente into the handes of Galerius and Constantius. Galerius. Galerius was also a persecutor, and as a raueninge wolfe sought out his praye, and did thriste after the bloude of Christes professors: Galerius also at the length fil­led with his bloudye persecutions, gaue ouer to persecute, but hee was firste plagued of God, The death of a persecutour and by greate affliction, enforced to reuoke his terrible persecutions and proclamati­ons: his filthye beastlye life made him to [...]tincke aboue the earth, who not able to abide his owne stincke killed himselfe.

Galerius beinge dead another persecutor rose to plague the Churche of God, who also dyed most miserable: all these per­secutors beinge thus deade, the gouernmente consisted in the handes of Constantius & Licinius: Constantius. This was that Constan­tius that marryed Helena Queene of England & the daugh­ter of kinge Coil, of this Constantius and Queene Helena, was Constantine the great, I wil orderly entreate of Maxi­mianus, of Galerius Armentarius, of Maxentius & of their deathes, because they were as partakers with Dioclesian in his Empyre: The gouernment was together, but to auoyde confusion, I haue placed them as Emperours seperatlye. [Page 102] Dioclesian beinge at Salna for feare, murthered himselfe, and dyed without issue. Immediatlye after whose death also dyed Constantius the father of Constantine the great.

Maximianus.

MAximianus surnamed Herculius being besieged of Constantinus at Masilia a countrye in Affricke, and at the laste ta­ken prisoner, was sore punished and in y ^e ende hanged, Galerius. Galerius was murthered, (but as some write) hee slewe himselfe: Maxentius while hee waged battaile a­gainst Constantius, Maxentius. somewhat aboue a bridge which hee had made, makinge haste to take shippe at a hauen, & so to enter on the other syde, by the faule of his horse was drowned in the deepe, his bodye with muche difficultye founde beinge soncke into the mudde with the waighte of his harneys: Maximinus, Maximinus dyed at Tharsis by sickenes, Valens. Valens was murthered of Licinius, and Licinius Licinius. afterward of Con­stantinus: Suche lamentable ende, fell to these ambitious Princes, seekinge by all meanes to themselues regimente, & preheminence of Dominion, Vsurpers. but kingdomes will not beare perticipation or fellowshippe, so that it is a matter of impossi­bilitye, and neuer seene in any estate of kingdome, that vnity [Page] or concord hath taken rote in y ^e hartes of many gouernours, but that after theyr fayned frendshippe and concord, murther of people, waste, spoyle and desolation of the countrye, with a lamentable and dolefull ende hath ensued to them.

This Maximianus was a man of nature fierce, Maximianus. raginge in all lust, a very foole in matter of counsaile, of low byrth, and by countrye a Hungarian, for at these dayes not farre frō Sirmius the place is to be seene, a Prince­lye house there builded, where his parentes be­fore did liue, by theyr handye crafte: He dyed when he was lx. yeares olde, he was Em­perour twentye yeares.

Galerius Armentarius

THis Emperour Galerius was very wor­thye of cōmendation althoughe his equi­tye and vpright life, was without ciuili­tye, rude and homelye accordinge to his education, hee was beutifull in com­plexion, of bodye fayre, for vertuous gouernmente luckye and fortunate, his parentes were of byrth bace, liuinge by kepinge of cattell, for he was so brought vppe. And because this Emperour Gal­lerius was sometime a keper of beastes, therfore his syrname [Page 103] was Armentarius, so the prouidence of God disposeth times and seasons, Armentarius. placinge in y ^e throne & maiestye of kinges, bond­men, and sheepeheardes sonnes, to beare in the worlde swaye and Dominion, thereby shewinge his will and omnipotente might, so to aduaunce rude & homely men aboue the mightye estates & peares of the Realmes somtime: The secrete counsaale of God. In time & seasons extollinge and puttinge downe mighty kingdomes, shewinge thereby also no kingdome or estate of gouernment, to be fixed or stablished to any one man, but as his prouidence. seeth time and cause alteringe the estate and forme of common weal­thes: What kingdome hath so prospered that hath not seene a chaunge or alteration, & felte at the last subuertion of theyr estate? what lyne or progenye of kinges hath helde Scepter of so longe time, but that in the ende it hath lefte the successi­on out of theyr titles, and geuen the regemente to an vnkno­wen parsonne, base and meane in comparison? This Em­perour was borne in Hungarye, which lyeth towardes the hilles neare to Arcadia, which place was called Romulianū by his mother name Romulia. This Galerius would cracke proudly, that in his con­ception his mothers did dreame that she con­ceyued him beinge begat of a Dragon: as Olympias the mother of Alex­ander the great did dreame of his byrthe.

Galerius Maximinus.

GAlerius Maximinus was borne of the si­ster of Galerius Armentarius who was Emperour before, this Emperour was called Daza by his true name: before he was created Emperour, hee was Caesar for the space of .iiii. yeres, and afterward in all the East parte for .iii. yeares raig­ned Augustus: he was broughte vp: as a shepeheards sonne, his father was a sheepehearde, beinge aduaunced to the Em­pyre, he became a great fauourer of learned men, and such as were wyse, it is a token of a flourishinge and happye estate of kingdome where learning is in price, The florishīg estate of a kingdome. estimation and honour, who so careth not in his time to plant learninge, and geeueth not honour reward and maintenaunce to further the studien­tes thereof, sheweth himselfe to be depriued of all lerninge & vnderstandinge: For honour onlye and rewards nourishe ar­tes, and plante wisedome, withoute the which two, the king­dome would be beastlye, without order, lawe and discipline: and in that he gaue such honour to learning, he loued and ten­dered the wise, for these two in one knit and consociate, for a kingdome flowinge and aboundinge, with famous & learned men, Wysedome. muste of necessitye be vpholden by wisedome: What Prince therefore fauoureth learninge, cannot but tender and loue wise, sage & discrete personnes. He was of nature quiet, an immoderate drinker of wyne, and because with excesse of wyne beinge sometime droncke, he did beastly gouerne, seing [Page 104] at the last his owne fault, he enforced himselfe to repentance, and what affayres or busynes of the Empyre came to his han­des beinge in that case, he would differre them till he was so­ber, or vnto the next morninge.

Constantine the great.

COnstantine the greate, was sonne to Con­stantius a Duke of Rome & Helena a queene of Britayne, her father was Coil kinge of Britaine, & sometime a Duke of Colchester. Constantius was Emperour of Rome, but hee dyed in Britaine in the Cittie of Yorke, who gouerned the Island, and other partes of his prouinces w ^t such wisedome and pollicye, Constantius. y ^t in all the time of his raigne, there was neuer moued againste him anye rebellion. This Constantius father of Cōstantine, after longe sickenes dyed of a feuer: at whose death the nobles and Princes that were [Page] present, toke counsayle to bringe the whole gouernment of y ^e Realme to his sonnes handes: Crocus. Crocus kinge of the Almay­nes, came with him into Britaine to further him to the king­dome, wherein he so muche preuayled, that his father beinge deade, and all Princely solemnitye in his funerall ended, the Britaynes enioyed Constantine theyr kinge, who was Em­perour of Rome afterwards, and did great thinges in the ad­uauncement of the Romayne Empyre, whose great glorye & worthynes of actes, titled him Constantine the great, which name rose by the great successe that fell to him in the conque­ringe of kingdomes, Constantine the great. and subduinge of Nations. At suche time as Constantine the great, was both kinge of this oure Islande, and also Emperour of Rome, hee ioyned with him as partaker of his gouernment Licinius, Licinius. so greate loue was betweene Constantine and Licinius, that he did not only au­thoryse him with equalitye in gouernment, but also Constā ­tine maryed his sister Constantia at Millane. But in all this greate amitye and fellowshippe, yea thoughe a mar­riage was linked to make the stronger bandes of amitye, loue and strengthe in kingdomes, yet at a sodaine, cruell hatred, warre and discention, spredde on eche syde the banners, & no ende made till Constantine was a sole gouernour, and Lici­nius slaine, this amitie of Princes is not so stronge lincked, but as ambition kindled, so the same breaketh the knot, and maketh the hate to be more deadlye and cruell: For Princes are most deluded by suche lincked marryages. At this pre­sente the gouernment of the Empyre consisted in the hands of Constantine & Licinius, Licinius. Constantine ruled all Asia at that time, who beinge most godlye minded, reuoked from banish­ment the Christians, and ceased the persecution continued of manye tyrantes: But Licinius who was partaker with him in the gouernment of the Empyre, begā a most haynous per­secution, because hee sawe Constantine more beloued of the Christians then he was, and sayd the Christians prayed more for the life and good successe of Constantine then for him: im­mediatlye great contention rose, betweene Constantine and Licinius at Ryball neare to a fenne called Hiulca: in the [Page 105] night season, Constantine did breake into the tente of Licini­us, but Licinius fledde to the Cittie Bizanze, & made Mar­tianus master of the requestes Caesar: But Constantine pre­naylinge in warre agaist Licinius, forced him to flye into By­thinia, wherevppon a condition to saue his life, hee consented to geeue vnto Constantine his Princelye robe by his wyues handes: from Bithinia he was sente to Theslalonia, not ma­nye dayes after Constantine commaunded Licinius & Mar­tianus (whom I spake of before) to be murthered: Licinius. Licinius gouerned xiiii. yeares, Martianus. he dyed neare xl. yeares of age, in coue­tousnes he was most beastlye of all men, in adulterous lustes spotted excedinglye, of nature bitter and roughe, nothinge paciente, The ignorāce of Licinius. a detestable ennemy to all artes and learninge, who wrapped in most ignorance, called learning Virus & pestem publicam: But especiallye with those execrable names hee titled the pleadinge of iudiciall causes, a rare thinge to see in beastly parsonnes learning loued, maintayned or aduaunced, though sometime learninge hath beene maruaylonsly extol­led of the ignoraunt, as well as of the most glorious. Iustinian. Iustini­an Emperoure of Rome, whose actes and carefull studye for the maintenance of a good common weale, the mightye vo­lumes of the ciuile lawes recordeth. Galerius. Galerius Armentarius, did both fauour and loue learninge beinge vnlearned: This one thinge in Licinius in despisinge learning, was according to his bringinge vppe, he was in all respectes to husbandmen verye profitable, and gracious: to the warriour in all order & ceremonyes to chiualrye appertayninge, a seuere arbitrator, he was a scourge to the Enuches, and lasciuious Courtiars, he called them the moathes and rattes of Princes Courtes. The rattes & moathes of princes cour­tes.

Some Historyes note that Licinius was murthered of his owne men of warre, (who beinge dead) the sole gouernment of the Romayne Empyre was fullye settled in the handes of Constantine, fortunate successe of victorye fell on euerye syde to him, enemyes preuayled not that displayed banner against him, fortune almost in all thinges was a companion to Con­stantine, but that a wicked wyfe was a great plague to him, whose name was Fausta: Fausta. by whose bitter parswatiō and exe­crable [Page] request, he commaunded his sonne Crispus a bastard, borne of his concubine Mineruina to be murthered: Bloudye practises re­quited. but her blinde practises wroughte her a cruell ende. for her forged ac­cusation, for the truth beinge knowen vnto Constantine, she was caused by him to be cast into a hoate bathe, and so slayne: Helena his mother did muche reproue him, Helena. for his crueltye against his bastarde sonne Crispus, whō shee loued entierlye. This faulte remayned in Constantine, hee was enflamed w ^t the selfe loue of himselfe, and desirous of commendation and vaine glorye: Constantine beinge a vertuous Prince, called an assemblye and counsayle of most graue & learned bishops to a generall counsayle, at the Cittie of Nyce, in the whiche Cittie and most godly assemble, Counsaile at Nyce. Constantine the Emperour in his owne parsonne was presente, and 318. bishoppes, they all consulted against Arrius the great heretike, they excom­municated him and banished him with sixe other bishoppes.

In this assemblye maryages began to be odious amonge y ^e Clergye, Mariages in priestes. in so much that some of them would haue such prie­stes as were marryed alreadye, not to companye anye more with theyr wiues, many to the contrarye wythstode it, but es­peciallye a vertuous & learned father withstode y ^t demaunde mightelye, sayinge that the lettes and prohibition of priestes marriages, would worke great whoredome, & all filthye ab­homination in y ^e clergye. This was y ^e first time wherein prie­stes began to be prohibited of marriages, where the auncient estate of the Church alwayes allowed marryages as a thing in all estates honourable, Prohibition of mariage. and the beddes of holye wedlocke to remayne vndefiled. Since those dayes that filthye opinion with fayned hypocrisye, in all Regions vnder the Popes iu­risdiction hath preuailed, the perfite life in chastitye, the holy conuersatiō therof hath not so much bene regarded in y ^e sight of the world, as a fantasticall sole life of priestes, bearinge an outward shew of holynes, but y ^e great abhominatiō y ^t flowed from those chaste Prelates, the Sodomitical actes, the mur­theringe of infantes in their holy selles cōmitted, theyr ouer­throwinge of the chast conuersation of vertuous Matrones, y ^e defēce of Stewishe houses, which harboured their secrete ab­hominations [Page 106] for theyr sole chaste recreation, haue in all ages bene Chronicled. A whore as a most holy Pope, stauled in y ^e high Princely dignity, & in theyr solemne procession deliuered of a childe, Pope Ioane. Pope Ioane by name: this whorish woman is be­come a mytred Pope, she sheweth in her whorishe body y ^e Ro­maynes chastity, frō time to time the actes of Popes with o­ther like, in most learned Histories are recorded. But as con­cerninge the defence of Priestes marriages, Theophilacte in this wise speaketh of y ^t texte of Mathew, where Christ cō ­minge to Peters wyfes mother, whom being sicke of an ague hee healed. Thus Theophilact sayth: the Prince of the Apo­stles had a wyfe, neyther doth mariage let from vertue. In the xxi. yeare of the gouernment of this greate Constantine, he made a great solemne triumphe with Princelye banquet­tes, in the whiche the sinode of those bishoppes that were at y ^e counsaile. 318. were presente. God blessed Constantine mightelye in his doinges, both in the quiet estate at home & also in externall affayres whiche he toke in hande against his ennemyes: Constantine baptised. Constantine embrasinge Christian Religion, was baptized of Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia, in the which Cittie he dyed, but his body was buryed at Constantinoble.

As concerninge the heresye of Arrius, Arrius. it grue mightelye and manye fauoured it, but sodainlye God plagued him, who before the disputacion dyed at the siedge of nature, and by a­uoydinge his guttes dyed myserablye. Lactantius. Lactantius florished in those dayes, Athanasius. and Athanasius also the famous bishoppe of Alexandria, Iuuencus a notable learned Poete flowrished at Rome. Also it is not to be put in silence, that Constantine made a bridge ouer the great floude Danubius, Danubius. Constantine vsed continuallye Princelye robes decked with Pearle, on his head alwayes he wore a Crowne: This Constantine was to be commended for many notable vertues, as to cease strife and contention, not onlye with the Romaynes, but with for­raine Princes to make frendshippe, he nourished all excellent Artes, encouraginge by great preferments, studientes ther­unto, wherein hee declared himselfe to be a carefull Prince, not onlye of his priuate estate or gouernmente, but of that [Page] which to the posterites mighte be glorious by learninge. The worthy care of Prin­ces. This Constantine vsed muche to reade, especiallye in the ex­cellent knowledge of Historyes, the liuelye glasse of Princes wherein is contayned the memorye of all ages, a scolemaister to manners, Histories. the light of all truth, y ^e counsayle house of Prin­ces, the perfecte spectacle of all gouernmente, aswell of the florishinge estate of kingdomes, as of theyr decaye, vnto ver­tuous Princes a perpetuall example, and a continual memo­rye of the wicked: of all theyr enterprises a perfecte rehear­ser, a directour of wysedome, & to counsaylours a liuely regi­ster. This Constantine woulde heare the Embassages of Princes, & theyr complaintes, he liued lxxxix. yeares, he made in the ende his sonnes Constantine, Constantius and Con­stance, with Adalmatius his brothers sonne Caesars, xiii. yea­res he raigned alone: his nature somwhat gaue him to plea­sante scoffinge. As concerninge Adalmatius his brothers sonne, hee was killed of the warriours nowe at the deathe of Constantine, so that the gouernmente of the whole worlde, was brought to the hands of the thre sonnes of Constantine, who deuided the Empyre amonge them: vnto Constantine was limited Spayne, Englande and Fraunce, and that part of Germanye whiche was then possessed of the Romaynes: Vnto Constantius who was the seconde brother, was geuen Italye, and all Affricke, Sicilia, Dalmatia, Achaia, Ma­cedonia, and all Greece: Vnto Constance whiche was the thirde, was geuen the prouince of Thrace, in the which stan­deth the Cittie of Constantinople, with all the East prouin­ces of Asia the lesser, of Syria, of Mesopotamia, & of Egipte.

In this sort after the death of Constantine the great who was sonne to Helena kinge Coils daughter) was the Em­pyre deuided amonge his thre sonnes, which dyed afterward moste lamentablye: A notable ex­ample of am­bition. For deuision enflamed with ambition, brake this naturall knot, eche one hunted for y ^e others death, so harde a matter it is for Princes to liue in concorde and a­mity, Ambition. ambition and desyre of Domition destroyeth kindreds, and for the most part enforceth rulers to forget iustice, and all integritye: large hope of mightye kingdomes displayeth the [Page 107] banners with insaciable desyre, and without reason rayseth a quarrell, rashe counsayle geueth attempte, & flattery linked with Princes inuenteth occasion, they kindle y ^e bloudy foun­dation of Mars, Ambition. they reape vppe the bulwarke of all decaye, they for priuate lucre sake, hunt for the bloud and ruine of ma­nye: discorde destroyeth at a sodaine, more then manye fortu­nate victoryes haue obtayned. In many ages the rashe & pri­uate quarrels of diuers Princes haue vndone the great & pol­litike counsayle of the wise: thorowe which they haue not on­lye receyued diuers greate ouerthrowes, but also loste theyr estate, and seene theyr Townes and Citties destroyed and burned before theyr eyes. These are the fruites of deuision, as it shall appeare in the Historye followinge of the .iii. son­nes of Constantine y ^e great: this Constantine ordayned the sondaye to be kept, and that vppon that day abstinence should be made from all labour: he also was the first that appointed Rome to be the bishops seate.

As concerninge the estate of Britanye, at the death of Cō ­stantine, Octauius a Duke of the Weste Saxons, (who was made liefetenaunt and highe Deputy in Britaine vnder Cō ­stantine) throughe the counsayle of the nobles and commons of the lande, woulde haue rebelled and expelled the monkes: but Constantine sent ayde against the Britaynes, makinge a Duke of Rome called Traiherne, with a great hoast to go a­gainst them, who at his arriuall were at hande to ioyne their hoastes with the Romaynes who landed at Southampton, & nere to the olde auncient Cittie of Winchester a terrible bat­tayle was foughte: but the Romaynes and theyr Captayne retyred, not able to abide the force and power of the Britay­nes. Traiherne fled into Scotland, Octauius pursued him & in Westmerlande another battaile was fought, but so vncō ­stante is the estate of Princes, fortune now turneth her whele from Octauius, & with terrible countenaunce behold him, & they before chafed, began to conquere: Octauius with great bloudshed fled, and power and strength so fayled him, that of necessitye hee was compelled leauinge the lande to flee into Normandye, in whose absence another Earle of the Britay­nes [Page] by treason murthered the Romaine Duke, which beinge knowen to Octauius, he came againe into Britaine and raig­ned 54. yeares against whom the Romaynes sent a great ar­mye, to maintaine theyr iurisdiction.

NOwe the swaye of the Empyre was in y ^e gouernmente of three, but Constance, did appointe as Caesar to gouerne Ar­menia Dalmatiꝰ his cosyn, so that y ^e Em­pyre was ruled by thre Emperours and one as Caesar. At this season deuisiō be­gan betwene Constance and Constan­tius bretherne, [...]onstance. the sonnes af greate Constantine for the title of Italye and Affrica, Constantius. Constantius was effeminate and wo­manlye [Page 108] of nature, not couragious, vnapte to generation, all these bretherne were persecutors, the Churche of God was in moste miserable estate, Persecutors. by reason that in all partes of the Romayne iurisdictions diuers pernitious sectes, opinions & doctrines flourished, eche one persecuted other, but aboue al, the aucthoritye, power, and poisoned opinions of the Arrians preuailed, wherevppon many bloudy commotions were con­spired of the Arrians, and euen in the Temple and house of y ^e Christians, were put in practise, by whose bloudye practises, the people were of infinite nombers slaine: The discorde of y ^e Christians, The discorde of Christian Princes, is a strength to infidels. theyr deuision in manye sectes, did encourage the hartes of the Paganes and infidels, to place theyr Ethnicall fayth in theyr fonde Gods: where the Christians made y ^e true worde of God to be blasphemed, and euill spoken of amonge those Gentiles that knew not the true God, as in these dayes the like contention amonge Christian Princes, and the blou­dye practises of the mighty Prelates in the worlde, do decaye the name of the Church of God, A decaye to Christians. whiles that worldly promo­tions, pompe and dignitye doth accompanye them, theyr pre­sent ioye, theyr felicitye, theyr glorious name, theyr pontifi­call seates, theyr large titles by all crueltye and bloudy mea­nes are vpholded. This Constantine made a lawe that no delicate meate should be vsed in feastes, it is saide hee was of dyete moste temperate, Arrians doctrine. in all causes of Iudgement iuste and righteous, wherefore great was the decaye of the Romayne Empyre, in that the Emperour fauoured the sect of the Arri­ans, whose opinion he so fauoured, that thereby he was cruel against the Catholike Athanasius a famouse bishoppe, Athanasius. who for withstandinge the doctrine of the Arrians, was banished by Constantine that ruled Fraunce, one of the sonnes of Cō ­stantine the great, from the which banishment he was reuo­ked, but Constance that was Emperour of the Easte, as of Asia the lesser, of Syria of Mesopotamia, and of Egipt, was also infected with the opinion of y ^e Arrians, wherby Athana­sius was againe exiled from the Cittie of Alexandria where he taughte. Athanasius. This Athanasius was a most godlye bishoppe, of great learninge in the fayth of Christ, suffering many per­secutions [Page] of the Arrians, this Athanasius was present at the counsaile holden at the cittie of Laodicia, beinge moste migh­tye in y ^e Scriptures he confounded the heresies, but in a man­ner the vniuersall worlde, the mightye Princes the bishops and Prelates were infected with this doctrine of y ^e Arrianse the wrathe of God in this troublous estate of Religion was spredde vppon Asia and the Region of the East, Arrians doc­trine. for manye of the renowmed Citties were ouerthrowē with earthquakes, The wrath of God againste heretikes. a great pestilence not longe before, deuoured the countreyes of Syria and Silicia, so the wrathe of God scourgeth the wic­kednes of men, and sleeth the persecutors of his Church, all these Princes, and their Prelates were wrapped in these pla­gues, the Regions by many plagues were deuoured and con­sumed. The ende of that heritike Arrius (whose opinion first I mentioned) is before rehersed in the life of Constātine the great. Constantine the sonne of Constantine y ^e great, not content with his Dominion left of his father, Ambition. which was Spayne, Englande, Fraunce and Germanye, moued warre against his brethren, thinking to obtayne by force that which they woulde not willinglye geue him, but Constantine was slaine of the men of warre sent against him by his brother Cō ­stantius, The eldest sonne of Cō ­stātine slaine. neare to a Cittye called Aquileia: thus throughe ambition the eldest of the sonnes of Constantine the great is slaine, after he had raigned .iii. yeares, beinge a yonge man of xxv. yeares of age, so that there remayned but two Empe­rors, Constantius and Constance. At this time Macedoni­us a priest of Constantinople, An abhomi­nable heresy. taughte another heresye, that the holye Ghost was not God but a creature, also this Mace­donius ambiciously striued with one Paulus whether of them should succede that famous bishoppe Alexander, bishoppe of Constantinople. This bishop Alexander should haue dys­puted with Arrius, Sapor. but that Arrius dyed before the dysputa­cion: In Persia the Christians were also persecuted by Sa­por the kinge: Constantine the great, a defender of Christians. this Sapor was a great ennemye to God, for in the time of Constantine the greate. 16000. were marty­red, of the which bloudye facte Constantine the great wrote to this Sapor, willinge him no more to persecute the Christi­ans. [Page 109] As concerninge the byshopprike for the which Mace­donius and Paulus striued for, Eusebius. Eusebius was made bishoppe of the same, beinge fauoured of this Emperour Constan­tine: this Emperour was as an Arrian, and by all meanes furthered them, wherevppon to fortifye and make stronge theyr Churche, theyr faythe and doctrine, by his commaun­dement, a Synode of bishoppes was assembled at Antioche, where Athanasius that godly father was condempned as an heretike, A iust plague of God. but the wrathe of God was styrred ouer the Cittye of Antioche where the wicked assemblye was gathered, an earthquake shoke diuers countryes about Antioche, but es­pecially in Antioche, where it continued a whole yeare. A­thanasius fledde to Constantine the Emperour, of whom he was with all humilitye receyued, yet the great contention in Religion ceassed not, but therevppon another Synode and counsayle was holden at Sardis, where 300. bishoppes did allowe the counsayle of Nyce: those that were bishoppes of y ^e Easte, refused the companye of them, and accordinge to their heriticall secte, gathered themselues at a Cittie called Phi­lipolis, in that wicked Synode, was made accursed the fore­saide counsaile of Nyce, which was called in the time of Cō ­statine the greate, of 318. bishoppes against Arrius and his secte, who denyed the sonne of God to be equall with the fa­ther: In that Synode Arrius with vi. other bishoppes were banished, for this cause the bishoppes of the Easte, made that holye counsayle of Nyce accursed, The coūsaile of Nyce. in that Arrius & his scho­lers were put to flight, who also were Arrians. But see what the chaunge of an Emperour is: The chaunge of a good Prince. sone a true and perfect Re­ligion is throwne downe, an holy Sinode and theyr true pro­fession persecuted: the father an vpholder of y ^e true Church, mayntayned Christes Religion and Catholike faythe, hys sonne destroyed the same good doctrine, and beinge a persecu­tour was in his gouernment, manye wayes plagued by the Persians in warre, and greuously scourged, for in viii. battay­les he had the ouer throw, and lost many great Citties which were brought to theyr thraldome: Constantius his brother, was slaine by the conspiracye of Crestius, Marcellianus, and [Page] Magnentius by the handes of Geison the thirtene yeare of his gouernment, Constantius. thus Constantius was slaine in a certaine Cittie, whose deathe beinge knowen to Constance his bro­ther, and vnderstandinge that Magnentius was the chiefe aucthor thereof, hee prepared warre against him, and in his absence ordayned Gallus his kinsemā liefetenant in the East: Diuerse ambitious Princes vsurped to be Emperours, as Britanion in Illiria, Nepotianus at Rome, great was y ^e fight betweene Constance and Magnentius, for in theyr conflicte were slaine 54000. men of warre, & Magnentius in the ende flewe himselfe. Gallus in the absence of Constance, exercised tyrannye ouer the people, and put to death manye thousands, diuerse of theyr Citties were burned by him, which rebelled against him, but his crueltye caused him to be depriued, and after his banishment his head was striken of. At this time Fraunce was inuaded of the kinge of the Almaynes: and as yet the heresye of Arrius preuailed, The coūsaile of Ariminū. and therevppon a coun­sayle was gathered at Ariminum of 200. bishoppes of the Weste, who established as most holye the counsayle of Nyce, but y ^e Arrians withstode it: In this troubleous estate of Re­ligion Constance by a commaundement, caused the bishops of the East who were all Arrians, to make theyr Synode at Celeutia, Sapor. to confirme the doctrine of the Arrians. Sapor kinge of Persia warred on y ^e Romaynes, & endamaged them muche, and toke diuers of theyr Citties, the doctrine of the Arrians was by crueltye vpholded of Macedonius bishoppe of Constantinople, his bloudye factes note no small testimo­nye of theyr wicked doctrine: a cruell practise is alwayes grounded of a like doctrine. Christian doctrine. No Christian doctrine buildeth it selfe in bloudy pollices, but in humilitye both theyr faithe, and theyr sincere conuersation florisheth, whereby they geue a testimonye of an humble Church, of a pacient profession, w ^t it the saintes of God haue ouercome the worlde: by tyrannye the humble Martyrs haue most florished, in the most wicked tymes theyr oppressed estate, The true Churche. hath at a sodayne ouerthrowne the mightye tyrantes, plagued theyr kingdomes, for God ne­uer vtterlye forsaketh his Churche, but by a secrete meanes [Page 110] rayseth it to be most mightye, and confoundeth the vngodlye: God alwayes preserueth his true Churche. as in the time of the Arrians doctrine, God preserued y ^e true Churche, and plagued the persecutors. Iulianus was after the deathe of Gallus made chiefe vnder Constance, whose name by the great successe that fell to him was in great com­mendatiō, both amonge the Romaynes & also otherwise: the Almaynes inuaded Fraunce and spoyled it, but they were o­uercome of Iulianus, Iulianus. and all suche Citties as were taken of the Almaynes, Iulianus recouered againe: hee destroyed the whole pompe of theyr felicitye and glorious successe, so that the souldiours woulde haue had him theyr Emperour, & cal­led him Augustus. Constance knowinge his dignity, name, and power deminished thorowe Iulianus prowes and tytle, was greuouslye displeased, commaundinge him by Embassa­dours to refuse that name or tytle, but immediatly after this Constance dyed at Mopsocris, a Cittye lyinge betweene Ci­licia and Capadocia: Of his death Victor thus wryteth, that there he dyed of a sharpe Ague, which hee toke of anguishe of minde and lacke of sleape: The death of Constance. Constance dyed the .44. yeare of his age, hee raigned xxxix. yeares Emperour, eyghte yea­res alone, and with his brethren xvi. yeres, and Caesar 25. yeares: the good successe that fell to him in ciuill warre was great, in destroyinge his domesticall ennemyes, but he neuer prospered in forrayne battayles. This Emperour was very curteous, of a pleasante and delectable conuersation, liberall to his friendes, most temperate in eating and drinkinge, very painfull, he delighted in fine communication, althoughe hee were by nature neyther verye wyse nor eloquent, he was a ve­rye experte archer, and therein very much exercised himselfe. Moreouer hee was verye prompte to geeue credite, vnto try­flinge reportes that shoulde be made vnto him, of a mans en­nemye: At his deathe hee ordayned to be his heyre Iulian of whom I will nowe entreate. At this time Romake kinge of the Scottes was slaine of his nobles, Octauius. & then Octauius was kinge of Britaine, who raigned liiii. yeares.

Iulian the Apostata▪

AFter the death of Constance, Apostata, sig­nifyeth one y ^t renounceth y ^e fayth which once he hath professed. Iulian his kinseman called the Apostata, enioyed peaceable the whole Empyre: who if he had not renounced the fayth of Christ, & enclyned vnto ydolatrye, might worthe­lye for his manyfolde vertues and good qualities, haue beene compared with a­ny other that euer lyued. Dyuerse Aucthors wryte that hee fell into this vnbeliefe, through the parswasions of one Liba­nus an Idolatrer, Libanus. who was his instructour in Rethoricke: which thinge may be a notable example vnto Princes, and all other men of euerye estate and condition, that they ought not onlye to procure with especiall diligence suche maysters for theyr childrē, Instructors of children. as are learned in those faculties, in which they desyre to haue them skilful, but also such as be vertuous, ho­nest, and of a good iudgemente in Religion: for most certayne it is, that those things which children learne in theyr youthe, they so imprint in theyr memorye, that afterward they neuer forget them, and the exercises and conditions which they get in that tender age, become vnto them both proper and natu­rall: For probation whereof, although many examples maye be alleged, yet for this presente, let that Iulian suffice, in whō the instruction of so wicked a maister had such force, that the fruites thereof verye well appeared, whiche hee receyued throughe him. Iulian com­pared. For in all other thinges he was so expert and singuler, that in bountye and curtesye, hee was equall vnto [Page 111] Titus, in clemencye vnto Antonye, in prosperous successe a­gainst the Dutchemē vnto Traian, in temperance, modesty, and Philosophye, vnto Marcus Aurelius. Hee was endued with a singuler good memorye, and therewith very studious, he was very eloquent, aswell by nature as by Arte, most tem­perate in his eatinge, drinkinge, and sleapinge, in all carnall desyres he was most chaste and continente: He was of suche strengthe and courage, that hee was reprehended for vsinge greater bouldnes, then was cōuenient for a Captaine or Em­perour. Vaine glory. He was very desyrous of vaine glorye and fame, (a vice common vnto most excellēt wittes & haughty courages) he was liberall & pleasante with his frendes: he vsed iustice a like towardes all men, both in the time that he was Caesar, and also when he was Emperour. But all these vertues, w ^t manye other were polluted with the infidelitye which he em­braced at the parswations of his Scholemaister Libanus the Idolatrer. Libanu [...] As sone therefore as he had vnderstandinge of y ^t deathe of Constance the Emperoure (whiche newes was brought him in Fraunce, from whence he was going against him, who likewise was marchinge for the same intente) hee went with all celeritye vnto the Cittie of Constantinople, Constanti­nople. which after Constantine was the head of y ^e Empyre, where­by all meanes hee procured the good will of all men, and cau­sed the Temples of the gentiles to be opened, and gaue them lycence to adore theyr Idols: and albeit hee was an ennemye vnto Christians, yet woulde hee not persecute them, also be­twene the Catholickes and the Arrians he remayned a neu­ter, enclyninge neither vnto y ^e one, nor other part, which do­inge purchased him y ^t loue and fauoure of all worldlinges: & the barbarous Nations fearing his fame & name, abstayned not onlye from makinge warre against the Empyre, but also sent vnto him Embassadours to requyre peace of him, which he graunted them. In this wyse he began with contentaci­on and prosperity to gouerne the Empyre: but as one that in harte was an Idolatrer, hee determined to finde oute some meane to persecute the Christians, for thaccomplishmente of which wicked intente, he vsed a meane not lightye hard of: [Page] For hauinge intelligence that through tormentes or martyr­dome, Persecution rayseth more Christians. the Christian fayth was muche encreased, he resolued the woorke by the contrarye, who (as Ruffinus and Sainte Hierome write) did enduce them with giftes, promises, offi­ces and dignityes to renownce their fayth, and to do sacrifice vnto theyr false & lyinge Idols. And as diuers affirme, there were not a fewe of couetous and ambitious parsonnes, which to become riche, and to be exalted vnto honour and dignitye, denyed their true fayth, in such wise, that this was one of the greatest persecutions that euer the Church receyued, not on­lye in respecte of those whiche did willinglye abandon theyr fayth, but also for that he did institute and ordayne by general decrees, The decrees of Iulian a­gainst the Christians. that no Christian might professe any arte, or science, nor likewise studye, or go vnto anye Schole, but suche as did worshippe vnto Idols: to the ende that for the desyre of lear­ninge, they might do seruice vnto his Idols, or els to remaine ideottes and ignorantes, whereby they shoulde be vnable to preache and teache theyr fayth sufficientlye. In conclusion he immagined all wayes and meanes that mighte be deuised to persecute the Christians, excepte onlye by effusion of bloude.

And continuinge the vse of this pitifull crueltye against the Christians, hee determined like a most valiante Captayne, to moue warre againste the Persians: who onlye had not hum­bled themselues, nor woulde not acknowledge him for theyr superiour. Wherevppon hee wente into Asia with a huge hoast, and hauinge passed thorowe Asia the lesse, he came in­to Mesopotamia, which was the country for which the Ro­maynes & the Persians did contende, from thence after cer­tayne lighte skirmishes, Zaita. he wente vnto Zaita, where hee vn­derstode that the kinge of Persia was encamped not farre of, with his whole hoaste, and therefore hee set in good order his armye, with a maruaylous desyre to ioyne battaile with his ennemyes: but they at this instante refused to fight, and sent theyr Embassadours to requyre pardon of him: Vnto whom the couragious Emperoure gaue no audience, but percey­uinge that they refused the battaile, y ^e more to prouoke them he entered into diuers partes of theyr countrye, takinge ma­nye [Page 112] Citties of Surrey, some by force, and some by yeldinge of their owne accorde, greatelye endamaginge the whole coun­trye as he passed, whereby in the ende the Persians beinge o­uercome with shame, fought a battaile with him, which was both cruell and terrible: into whiche before hee entered, hee made a solemne vowe, that if hee had the victorye in that con­flict, he would make sacrifice vnto his Gods, with the bloude of all those Christians (whom he termed Gallileans) whiche woulde not do sacrifyce vnto his Idolles. The voyce of Iulian. And it pleased Al­mightye God (throughe his secrete Iudgementes) to make him conqueror for that instante, and to rewarde him in this worlde with his wrathe. Who perceyuinge that hee had obtayned the victorye, The victorye of Iulian. not findinge anye resistance, proceded till hee came vnto the famous Cittie of Pt [...]siphont, determi­ninge to make his abode that wynter in Mesopotamia: but in this iourneye his souldiours suffered greate afflictions, as well throughe wante of victuels, and that theyr hoaste was verye copious, as also for that theyr ennemyes, did manye ti­mes assaulte and moleste them: And hauinge for his gyde a fugitiue Persian, he was broughte by him (throughe treason together with his souldiours) into a place where was made a great imbushement of the Persians, with whom hee beinge enforced to fight, was with a speare so wounded in one of his armes & thighes, that not longe after he dyed: who when hee felt himselfe to become fainte, Iulian woū ­ded to death. spake with great arrogancy a­gainst Christe, sayinge: Vicisti Gallilee, O thou Gallilean thou hast ouercome mee. After which woords when he sawe that all they which were present bewayled his death, hee re­prehended them sayinge: that they did greatlye offende, to la­ment and bewayle the death of a Prince, that dyed in the fa­uour of his Gods. Gregorye Nazeanzen writeth an in­uectiue Ora­tion againste Iuliā, which is worthye to be redde. And afterwarde as longe as breathe ser­ued him, he desisted not to entreat of the immortalitye of his soule. A thinge to be greatlye lamented at, that such want of grace, filthines shoulde remayne in a man, endued with so muche worthynes, and so manye excellent vertues. He dyed in the seuenth yeare after he was Caesar, and in the thirde of [Page] his Empyre, when he was xxxi. yeares of age: and in the yere of oure Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ. 366.

Iouianus.

AFter the souldiours had much bewayled the death of Iulian, they elected for Em­peroure a famous and noble gentleman named Iouianus borne in Hungarye, a verye faythfull and constante Christian: For when Iulian commaunded that no Christian shoulde haue the charge of a Captayne, nor enioye any other office in the warre: This Io­uianus answered with a stoute and cherefull countenaunce, y ^t he made more accompt of his profession, then of all y ^e dignities he had, and so abandoned his charge. A good exam­ple of a Chri­stian. And afterward being which (as is sayd) elected Emperour, he prouounced in open Parlament, y ^t he beinge a Christian, would not (although he might) be a Captaine ouer infidels & idolaters: and so moste constantly refused the Empyre. But the contentation which euery of them conceyued of his election was suche, that after they had confirmed the same, they exclamed that they were Christians: And to thende that hee should receyue charge of the Empyre, they that were not as yet, promised that they would be. In this maner with incredible ioye, they sware obedience vnto him, and gaue him the ensignes of the Empe­rour [Page 113] Wherevppon presently with greate industrye, he pro­uided and made preparation of all such necessaryes, as were requisite for the mayntenaunce of the present warre, (which was very difficulte to be done.) Sapor. For Sapor vnderstandinge of the death of Iulian (whom for his noble actes, and great cou­rage, hee did not a little dreade) made small accompte of the new Emperour: & assemblinge all the power that he might, he set with such violence vppon the armye of the Emperour, that the Romaynes were enforced to retyre, and the Persians remayned as conquerours in the fielde, wherevppon Iouian with greate labour and trauaile remoued his campe, & mar­ched towardes the Cittie of Carra, Carra. where Cressus was ouer­come by the Parthians, makinge as hee marched diuers skir­mishes with the Persians, who continuallye pursued him e­uen vnto the ryuer Tigris: Tigris. and thither Sapor sent Embassa­dours vnto Themperour, to signify vnto him, that although he perceyued that throughe wante of victuels, and other mis­happes, both he and his hoaste were at his mercye, and in his power: yet he was contēted, (if he would yelde vnto certaine conditions) to remayne for euer a faythfull friend to the Em­pyre: Vnto which cōditions, Iouian (being enforced through the present perill) yelded vnto, and concluded a peace with Sa­por for xxx. yeares. This truce was of some, accompted most abhominable vnto the Empyre: but of other, who better con­sidered the distresse vnto which the Romaynes were dryuen, The doinges of Princes are diuerslye con­strued. it was reputed (althoughe not honourable) yet both profita­ble and necessarye: for he was in apparaunt daunger both of losinge his whole hoaste, and of the greater part of those pro­uinces which he graunted vnto him.

After [...]he conclusion of the truce, Iouian went into Surrey: from whence hee sent decrees into all places, to reuoke from exile Athanasius, with other infinite godly Christians: vnto whom he commaunded that all suche offices, dignityes, and honours should be rendred, as were geuen them in the time of Constantine the greate, and that the tythinges of corne and other thinges which were taken from them by Iulian, should be likewyse restored vnto them againe. After Iouian had fi­nished [Page] this holye foundation, with vsinge in all other affay­res, the dutye and office both of a wise and iust Prince, and ha­uinge sufficiently prouided in the East, for all such thinges as were necessarye: He marched towardes Constantinople, shewinge himselfe in all places where he passed, both a iust & mercifull Prince, in such wise that all men conceyued a good hope of him: But this and all his noble intentes, and Chri­stian determinations were intercepted by death, (for the wic­kednes of the people deserued not so worthy a Prince) which happened in this wyse. The secrete counsaile of God. After he was arriued at a certaine place in Asia the lesse, called Dudastana, beinge in the colde time of the winter: there was in the Chamber where y ^e Em­perour should lye, a fyer made of coales & wodde, which was moyst and grene, in which after he was gone to bedde, and y ^e chamberlaines departed & locked the dore, The death of Iouian. the vapoure of the fyer maruelously encreased, & fillinge all places full of smoke, not hauinge any vent or windowe to issue forth at, stopped Io­uianus breath in such wyse, that he smothered as he slept, for in the morninge he was found deade, most men iudginge this to be thoccasion of his deathe: althoughe some supposed, that he dyed by eating of a Mushron, which was poysoned: other affirme, that he eate so muche meate the night before, that y ^e naturall heate, not able to make perfecte disgestion, hee was through the cruditie of his meate strangled. But (howsoeuer it was) his death gaue great cause of sorrowe vnto all men, for he had helde the Em­periall Septer but eighte monethes: and dyed when he was (as some write) of xl. but as other, of xxx. yeares of age.

Valentinianus the first of that name.

IT pleased Almightye God of his goodnes, to appoint to succede the Christian and vertuous Emperour Iouian (althoughe he left behinde him neyther child nor kinseman) one that was equall with him in fayth, Valentinian like in good­nes and ver­tue vnto Io­uian. goodnes, and vertu­ous conditions, whose name was Valentiniā. Who although he were discended of a base stocke, and borne of poore parentes: yet he was a Catholicke Christian, beuti­fyed and adorned with most splendente vertues: His fathers name was Gratian, God exalteth from lowe estate. borne in Hungarye in the Cittie Cimba­la, a verye poore man, and by profession a maker of coardes or ropes, one of a verye great strengthe, who after he became a souldiour, so excelled in martiall prowes, that he was for his worthines, preferred from degree to degree, and in the ende appoynted generall of the Pretorian souldiours: which was the cause, that his sonne Valentinian (of whom we nowe en­treate) was brought vp in martiall feates wherin he became verye excellent. And at such time as Iulian commaunded that all they which woulde not do sacrifyce vnto idols, shoulde be depriued of theyr dignity and offices. (he being a Captaine o­uer the souldiours which bare shieldes) refused as a most cō ­stant professor of Christ, Persecution tryeth Chri­stians. the office of his captaine shippe, to re­mayne and abyde in his true profession, but afterwarde in the time of the good Emperour Iouian, he together with infinite other Christians, was restored vnto his former dignitye, and was at such time as he dyed in that degre of honour, in which [Page] he had bene before the edict with Iulian. This Valentinian for his singuler worthines was by the generall suffrages of y ^e whole hoaste, elected at the Cittie of Nyce: as his father for his valiantnes, had beene likewise preferred vnto manye ho­nourable degrees of chiualrie. After he was thorowly esta­blished in his Empyre, he elected for companion wyth him in the same his brother Valens, and not longe after he created Cesar, his yonge sonne Gratian: In the time of these Empe­rours, the worlde was greatlye afflicted with earthquakes, wōders, excursions and inundations of the seas, with strange thinges which rayned from Heauen, and with suche mortall warres, that the like haue not lightly bene harde, or redde of. Notwithstanding these afflictions, the wise and sage Empe­rous did with such force and pollicye oppugne and resiste the inuasions and rebellions, which were made by sondry barba­rous Nations: that they did not only conquere them in ma­nye battayles, with expellinge them out of y ^e Emperiall ter­ritoryes, but also ouercame and suppressed diuers domestical tyrantes: Procopius. amonge which there was one Procopius, a kinse­man of Iulian the Apostata, who toke vppon him the title & name of Emperour in Constantinople: But afterward hee was ouercome in battaile by Valens, and flyinge awaye, hee was by his owne souldiours apprehended and broughte vnto themperour: who (as some affirme) caused him to be behea­ded, But as other write, hee caused two trees to be bowed, & vnto eyther of them one of his legges to be tyed, A reward for rebelles. and after by lettinge them go at libertye, hee was (vnto the terrour of all other) rente and deuided in two partes: a meete rewarde and punishment due vnto all rebelles.

As Valens was infected with the sect of the Arrians, whō he greatly fauoured: so Valentinian was a most true and sin­cere professor of Christes Religion, who after hee had ouer­come the Sarmathians, a barbarous people whiche often re­belled, made aunswere vnto theyr Embassadours, which en­treated for peace with so muche vehemencye, The death of valentinian. that he fell into such extreame bledinge at his mouthe, as that he dyed there­of within fewe dayes. Some saye that hee fell into an Apo­plexia [Page 115] and dyed of that disease, in the 50. yeare of his age, when he had raigned xii. yeares. After whose death Valens, together with his nephewe Gratian enioyed the Empyre: He began to make little accompte of his nephewe, and great­lye fauouringe the secte of the Arrians, employed and besto­wed his time in Nigromancye and enchantmentes, with dy­uers other kindes of sorceries, The persecu­tion of Chri­stians. and also in martyringe of ma­nye Christians, which God did not permit longe vnpunished: For shortly after beinge ouercome in a conflict by the Gothes (vnto whom he had done manye pleasures) hee fledde for suc­cour into a pore cotage of the countre, (which his ennemyes perceyuinge) set at a sodaine the house on fyre, and so burnte him beinge in the same, The ende of a wicked gouernour. makinge there that ende whiche his wicked life deserued: when he was 50. yeares of age, after he had gouerned the Empyre xv. yeares, and after the incarna­tion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ 382. yeares: according vn­to the computation of S. Hierome, who in this yeare endeth his Historye, A flourishing time of the learned. and hereafter followeth that of S. Prosper.

There began to florishe at this present manye excellent lear­ned doctours in Diuinitye, which at this instant are the chiefe pillers of the Church: As S. Hierome, S. Am­brose, and not longe after S. Augustine, the lear­ned Basill bishoppe of Cesarea, Gregorius Na­zeanzenus, Epiphanius, Cirillus bishoppe of Hierusalem with many other.

Gratianus.

AFter the deathe of Valens y ^e Emperour, the administration of y ^e whole Empyre, as well of the East as of y ^e West remay­ned onlye vnto Gratian his nephewe the sonne of his brother Valentinian, who before him enioyed y ^e Empyre of y ^e West: and vnto the infante Valentiniā his bro­ther, whom hee had created Emperour: althoughe because of his infancye hee made no accompte of him. The Gothes followinge theyr victorye, in shorte space became patrones of the whole country adioyninge neare vnto them, and besieged the Emperiall Cittye of Constantinople, (where the noble Empresse, wyfe vnto the vnfortunate Valens made her a­bode) againste whiche Cittye they made warre with greate force and violence, burninge and destroyinge both the walles and Suburbes of the same, which were verye great: but the widdowe Empresse (as Cassiodorus wryteth) did w ^t dilligēce animate her people with giftes and fayre speache, A valiaunte Empresse. that they fought with so maruailous force against y ^e Gothes, that they receiued great losse and hurt and cold not enter, but were en­forced to rayse theyr siege. In this wyse by the carefulnes of this Ladye, The noble gouernment of a woman. and valiantnes of the inhabitantes, the Cittye was defended. After the Gothes were departed thence, they deuided themselues into sundrye companyes, inhabitinge the prouinces of Thrace, of Dacia, and the confines vnto them ioyning. These were certaine Nations, which descended out [Page 116] of Scithia & Russia (as most Aucthours affirme) but whether they were borne there, From whēce the Goathes came. or come from some other country thi­ther, no writer maketh mention, nor putteth any difference betwene those which are called Ostrogothes & Visogothes, since that the diuersity of names betokeneth no other thinge, Ostrogothes. but that the Ostrogothes are those of the East, Visogothes. and the Viso­gothes of the Weste. Wherefore I intende at all times whē I shall haue occasion to make mention of them, (which wilbe verye often) to terme them indifferentlye by the name of Go­thes: For it is moste certayne that the greatest wounde and losse, and the beginninge of the ruyne of the Romayne Em­pyre, was occasioned by them. Wherefore those Nations maye worthelye be accompted and iudged the moste valiante in armes of all other. The Gothes. Since that (although with greate tra­uaile, and longe warre) they were able to ouercome and sub­due, a people & Empyre which was conquerour of the whole worlde. Gratian hauinge vnderstandinge of the deathe of his vncle Valens, and how the Gothes with diuers other Na­tions of the North called Hunnes & Alanes, no lesse valiante in armes then they were: Hunnes. did continually inuade y ^e Empyre, Alanes. and became Lordes ouer manye countryes and prouinces: Then he, with as great a power as he was able to assemble, marched towardes Hungarye to represse theyr furye, or­dayninge for generall ouer his armye, a certaine noble Cap­tayne named Theodosius, Theodosius a fortun [...] Emperour. which was borne in Spayne, who so worthelye behaued himselfe, and with such courage repres­sed the furye of his ennemyes, that in the ende hee enforced them to serue him in the warres, & reduced the Empyre vnto his pristinate estate and dignity. For which noble actes Gra­tian did associate him for companiō with him in the Empyre, and assigned vnto him the Empyre of the Easte: for he conti­nued in Fraunce, where he alienated the mindes of the soul­diours from him, by shewinge himselfe to much affectionate towards the Alanes, Gratian [...]omuche addi­ted to stran­gers. & other straunge Nations whose kinde of attyre he did often weare: At which time one Maximus a tyrante in the countrye of Britannye rebelled, and leuyed a greate power against him, who seinge himselfe to be abando­ned [Page] of his Legions, returned in all hast towardes Italye, in which voyage, Maximus makinge a great slaughter of hys souldiours, did also in the Strategeme kill him: who without doubt would haue proued a vertues and worthy Emperour, if he had attayned vnto the gouernment of the Empyre: The death of Gratian. for in all other thinges, which appertayned vnto a wor­thye and bountifull Prince he excelled. His death happened (after the computation of Prosper) in the yeare after the byrthe of oure LORDE 387.

Theodosius the first of that name.

GRatian the Emperour beinge dead, the orderinge of the whole estate of the Em­pyre, concerninge both warre and peace, appertayned vnto Theodosius, as the onlye pillour & sustentation of the same: for albeit the yonge Prince Valentinian made his abode in Italye, The coward­lynes of Va­lentinian. yet he had not the courage to reuenge the death of his brother Gratian: for when he vnderstode that Maximus was entered into parte of Italye with a mightye power, he forsoke the same, and fledde vnto Constantinople to demaunde succour of Theodosius: who beinge very sorrowfull for the mishappe of the two Em­perours, [Page 117] thone to be slaine by treason, and thother to be driuēdute of his Empyre by tyrantes, accordinge vnto his accusto­med naturall worthines, resolued to saile into Italye, to re­uenge the death of thone, Theodosius a most noble Emperour. and to establish thother in his Em­pyre, by persecutinge and destroyinge the newe mightye ty­rant: wherevppon leauinge his sonne Arcadius in Constan­tinople, and takinge with him Valentinian, he prepared all thinges necessarye for his departure, and hauinge assembled a sufficiente armye of valiant Captaynes and souldiours, he directed his course towardes Lumbardye: where Maxi­mus was makinge his abode in the Cittie of Aquileia, Maximus. who had ordayned for his generall to withstand Theodosius, An­dragathius, a valiant Captayne in martiall affayres, Andragathi­us captayne vnto Maxi­mus. which was the party that slue Gratian. Hee with greate dilligence had taken and occupyed all the streights and passages, by the which Theodosius shoulde come: but afterwarde alteringe his determination, hee remoued his souldiours from the de­fence of the mountaynes, & placed them in certayne shippes, mindinge to fight with his ennemyes vppon the water before they landed, and to apprehende his aduersary. Whereof the pollitike and worthy Emperour Theodosius hauinge intel­ligence, very well prouided for his landinge, Theodosius. & after marched with great iourneyes, who findinge the passages without de­fence, entered into the territoryes of Lumbardye, and came vnto Aquileia where Maximus was, Maximus. before that Andraga­thius coulde come thither, and besieginge the Cittie on eue­rye syde: they that were within the same throughe feare, and moued also in conscience yelded themselues vnto Theodosi­us, before any assaulte was made or battaile fought, The death of Maximus and his sonne and the tyraunte as a traytour and rebell was put to deathe, with a sonne of his called Victor, who not longe before had bene by his father created Emperour.

Andragathius vnderstandinge of the takinge and death of Maximus, (who at that instant was with a great armye vp­pon the sea) beinge surprised with excedinge griefe and despe­ration, caste himselfe oute of the Gallye where he stode, The death of Androgathi­us. into the sea, and so was drowned, and his souldiours wantinge a [Page] heade or gouernour yelded vnto Theodosius: vnto whom af­ter he had obtayned this notable victorye without the effusi [...] of much bloude, there repayred out of Fraunce, Germanye, Spayne and Englande, many Embassadous, yeldinge theyr obedience vnto him, with great humillitye and deuotion.

Who after he had triumphed in Rome, Theodosius [...] rare Prince restored the Empyre vnto Valentinian, and returned vnto Constantinople. This was a manifest argument, and sufficiente proofe of his good­nes and loyaltye, for whereas he was of power if he had bene so disposed, to haue made him selfe a sole monarke, and Lorde ouer all, he reputed it to be a greater worthines and dignitye to recouer an Empyre, The nobility of Theodosi­us. and to restore it vnto him vnto whom by righte it appertayned: then to reserue it vnto himselfe.

Not longe after the returne of Theodosius vnto Constanti­nople, the death of Valentiniā was conspired by a Captaine of his called Arbogastus, a man of a singuler courage, wyse­dome and stoutnes, verye mightye, by reason of the auctho­ritye and credite which he was in with the Emperour. This Arbogastus determined vppon the sodaine to murther Va­lentinian, Arbogastus. & to create Emperoure one Eugenius, Eugenius. who for his excellencye in Rhetoricke was verye well thoughte of, & had in great reputacion with all men, vnto whom after he had re­ueled his intente, Tribes. and that Eugenius had willinglye accepted the same, they inuented the meanes to corrupt the Eunuches which were the Emperours chamberlaynes, and concluded with them that they in the night should strangle Valentiniā, and saye that they founde him deade. The death of Valentinian. It happened therefore that in the nighte as the Emperour slepte in his Chamber at Vienna a Cittye in Fraūce, the ribalde Eunuches did stran­gle him, reportinge vnto all men that hee had hanged him­selfe, beinge the xviii. yeare after hee was by his brother crea­ted Emperour. Eugenius created Em­perour by Arbogastus. Incontinently after his deathe was publi­shed, before the treason was knowen, Arbogastus nominated and made Emperour Eugenius, and because these two were of most reputatiō, the election was approued of all men. And albeit Eugenius was nominated Emperour, yet all thinges were disposed and ordered at the pleasure of Arbogastus.

[Page 118] Within short space Theodosius had vnderstandinge of this facte, which he receiued very sorrowfullye, in that he percey­ued howe daungerous a warre he was to enter into. For hee accompted it a great dishonour, Murther un­to be vnpuni­shed. to permit so haynous an acte vnpunished: wherefore w ^t all dilligence he leuied souldiours, and with as muche celeritye as he mighte, hee departed from Constantinople, leauinge in the same his .ii. sonnes Arcadi­us and Honorius, whom at that presente hee created Empe­rours. After he was arriued in the confines of Italy, where the tyrantes had so huge an hoaste, and so carefullye had pro­uided for the maintenance of the warre, that they occupyed al the passages of the Alpes, and encamped theyr armye in the closures of the same: in suche sorte, that Theodosius was in very great distresse, for after he had passed ouer certaine moū ­taynes, he might very well perceiue that he was on euery side enuironed with ennemyes, in such wise that victuels mighte be brought vnto him frō no place, his ennemyes also hauinge manye mo souldiours then he had, in no respect inferiour vn­to his, in experience and courage. Notwithstandinge these extremities like a most prudēt Emperour, hauing his whole confidence and truste in God, hee omitted not, to remedye the presente necessitye in the best maner that he mighte: God geueth the victorye to Princes onlye. And cer­tainlye the daunger and oppression in whiche hee was in, was such, & the multitude of his ennemyes so greate, that he with his, must nedes haue beene destroyed, if God in the bat­taile which followed, had not assisted him, with a manifeste myracle. For when as in the nexte morninge Theodosius sawe, that he was compassed in on euery syde with ennemies, he embatailed his souldiours very strongly, awaytinge with a maruailous courage y ^e assault of his ennemyes, out of whose campe at a sodaine, Arbitius. came vnto him a Captaine named Arbiti­us with all his souldiours: presentlye after whose comminge the battaile beganne, in which the Romaynes fought against Romaynes, so fiercely, that at the first encoūter Theodosius armye was like to haue had the ouerthrowe: if at the verye instant a Captayne of his named Barbarius, Barbariu [...] with a great nō ­ber of souldiours, had not succoured certayne Squadrons, [Page] [...] [Page 118] [...] [Page] which were at the point of beinge ouercome: which he did so couragiously, that they which seemed before to be ouercome, recouered theyr former forces, in suche wise, that withoute makinge any retyre, they endeuoured to ouercome fightinge most valiantlye: Although the nomber of the ennemyes was so great, that it seemed a thinge vnpossible to withstand them. But in this conflicte it pleased God to assiste Theodosius w ^t his deuine power, for at a sodaine there arose a moste boyste­rous and tempestuous winde, the like whereof hath not bene seene: which without the offending of the armye of Theodo­sius, The power of God in battayle. did strike with such force into the faces of his ennemyes, that it toke from them their sight, & kept them backe in suche wyse, that they had no force to proceade against Theodosius souldiours, yea the winde was of suche might, that all the ar­rowes, stones, dartes and launces which they threwe, were driuen backe vppon them, wounding and molestinge them in such wyse, The death of Engenius. that in thende after longe fightinge, (contrarye to all mens expectacion) Theodosius got the victorye, and slue in the battaile Engenius: but Arbogastus (as all writers af­firme) when he sawe that he was ouercome; Arbogastus killeth him­selfe. fledde out of the battaile, and not findinge anye place where he might abyde in safetye, with his owne sworde killed himselfe. After this vic­torye Theodosius, seinge thempyre to be deliuered from all warres, went vnto Millane, wher he remayned the remnant of his life, S. Ambrose bishoppe of Millane. S. Ambrose beinge at that present bishoppe of the same: thither he sent for his sonne Honorius, whom he inue­sted after his death, w ^t thempyre of Italy and of all the West, and his brother Arcadius, of all thempyre of the Easte. Also into Affricke & the prouinces there about, he sente for gouer­nor Gildus a verye noble and wyse Captaine: but for that his children were as yet but of a tender age, hee appointed vnto them two tutors, men no lesse valiant in warre, then prudent in peace, thone called Ruffinus, and thother Stilicon. Not longe after the finishinge of this his order taking, he fell sicke of a certaine disease, whereof he dyed, when he was fiftye yea­res of age, after be had raigned in the Empyre xi. yeares, be­sides the vi. yeres, in which he gouerned together with Gra­tian: [Page 119] so that in the whole he raigned xvii. yeares, and dyed in the yeare after the incarnation of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe. 397.

Arcadius and Honorius.

AFter the deathe of Theodosius, his two sonnes Arcadius & Honorius toke vp­pon them the gonernmēt, Arcadius. who had with little care and small trauaile, Honorius. sustayned & ruled the whole Monarchie, if the wic­kednes of theyr tutors had not molested and troubled the same. For they which were elected & chosen to see all thinges well gouerned, were the occasion, that the Empyre in such sort was vexed, that in the beginninge they ministered no small presumptions of her vtter ruine. The tutors of Arcadius & Honorius, procured to get the Em­pyre vnto them selues. For immediatlye after Theodosius was dead, Gildus, which was gouernour in the prouince of Affricke, & Ruffinus and Stilicon in theyr prouinces, likewyse did by all meanes procure to reuolte the state of the Empyre, from the sonnes of the late Emperour theyr Lorde, vnto themselues: and euery of them at conuenient time, manifested his wicked intente and imaginations. Arcadius, together with Ruffi­nus his gouernour, Arcadius. went to Constantinople, wher he enter­red with much honour the dead bodye of his father: but Ho­norius remayned with Stilicon in Italye. The yonge Em­perours [Page] in all respectes continued theyr gouernment as their father had done before: The behaui­our of Gil­dus. And true it is that Gildus, the gouer­nour of Affricke, after hee vnderstode of the deathe of Theo­dosius, regarded not to kepe secretr any longer his peruerse and wicked intent, as Ruffinus and Stilicon did: but present­lye in his deedes did vtter the same, attempting to beare seig­niorye ouer the prouinces committed to his gouernment: Ambition. not with the title of a Countye, as vnto that time hee had done, (the which title as Paulus Diaconus sayth was at y ^t instante geuen vnto the gouernours of prouinces) but as a kinge or Emperour without acknowledginge eyther of Honorius or Arcadius. Mastelzeri­us y ^e brother of G [...]dus. This tyraunt a brother of his owne, called Mas­telzerius, a good and faythful Christian, resisted in all that he might: but the power of Gildus was then so much encreased, that his brother was enforced to flye into Italye, and he re­mayned as Lord in Affricke. Tirants spa­reth no kin­red. Gildus vnderstanding that his brother was gone to finde oute the Emperour, caused two of his sonnes that he had left in Affricke to be slaine, not respec­tinge that they were his nephewes and his owne bloude. Af­ter Mastelzerius was come into Italye, he reueyled as much as was happened, vnto Honorius, or to saye more trulye vn­to Stilicon his tutor and gouernour (whose wysedome and courage was very greate, Stilicon. althoughe founded vppon a disloy­all and wicked immagination) He gatte vnto him an armye of men, with all necessaries therevnto belonging, to the ende hee shoulde inuade his brother as ennemye of the Emperiall estate. Mastelzerius Mastelzerius, to reuenge the death of his sonnes, w ^t the greatest celeritye that mighte be, returned into Affricke with a small company, trustinge vnto the right which he had on his syde, and the good will of the people, but especially vn­to Gods helpe, whose deuine bountye he desisted not dailye to call vppon, with effusion of teares, and continuall prayer.

And althoughe he arryued in this manner vppon the coastes of Affricke, with so small a nomber of souldiours, yet with a maruailous courage hee landed them, and hauinge erected & fortifyed necessarye lodginges, hee caused his arriuall to be published, in all those places where hee was beloued, & from [Page 120] whence supposed to receiue supplie of souldiours and ayde of frendes. His brother vnderstandinge of his arriuall, came against him with .iii. score and tenne thousand men of warre, so that Mastelzerius might verye well seeme to be in a mar­uelous distresse & daunger, Victory is in the handes of God. yet it abated nothinge of his iour­neye, neyther was he in doubt of winninge the victorye, for y ^t he knew the obtayning thereof consisted in the power of God, and not in the multitude of men and horse. The thirde daye after Mastelzerius was arriued, and had well refreshed his armye, with an inuincible courage he set vppō his ennemyes: who supposed nothinge lesse, then that he durst make any such attempte, and therefore had theyr mindes occupyed with the contrarye. A wise Cap­tayne, win­neth with counsaile. But he aduauntinge himselfe before the formost rankes, exhorted his brothers souldiours to desiste from far­ther rebellion, & vsinge of weapons against one that was sent from theyr Lorde and Emperour: Which request when an ensigne bearer refuced to agree vnto, & therewith vsed vio­lence against him, he stroke the souldiour with such force that his ensigne fell vnto the grounde, with which onlye stroke it pleased God to geue him the victorie, for there was not one y ^t would make farther resistance, but presentlye the most parte of the armye yelded and obeyed vnto him, and the other toge­ther with his brother fledde, so that myraculouslye he obtay­ned the victorye. The flyinge away and the death of Gil­dus. After Gildus sawe that hee was abando­ned of his souldiours, he fled vnto the sea coaste, where he en­tered into a shippe, and committed the sayles vnto the winde, thinkinge to escape thereby, but after hee had sayled prospe­rouslye a certaine space, at lengthe the winde turned againste him, in such sorte that he was enforced to returne frō whence hee departed, Traytors ta­ken in theyr owne snare. where he was apprehended, & his brother for a chastisement of his crueltye, as also to reuenge the deathe of his two sonnes, and treason vnto his Lordes, cause him to be beheaded. After whose death Mastelzerius remayninge con­querour and as Lord in the fielde, Pryde. without any contradictiō, and perceyuinge himselfe to be verye puissante (as happeneth vnto men which in prosperitye become insolente) yelded not prayse vnto God for this his victorye, as hee oughte to haue [Page] done: but rather attempted to get vnto himselfe the Empyre of Affricke, Ambition. not once respectinge the Emperour Honorius which sent him thither: which disloyaltie his captaynes and souldiours not contented with, The death of Mastelzeri­us thorowe insolent pride s [...]ue him with their owne han­des. After the deathe of these two brothers, the Empyre of Affricke continued a certaine space obedient vnto y ^e Romaine Emperours. While these thinges passed in this wyse in Affricke, Arcadius was not without disturbance in Constā ­tinople, for Ruffinus his gouernour desyringe to bringe to effect his purpose, procured by all meanes possible, to bringe Arcadius into some distresse and daunger, to thend he might thereby vsurpe the Empyre: Ruffinus doth sollicite the Gothes to dampnifye the Empyre. Hee did sollicite the Gothes and other Nations to inuade the Emperiall territories, whiche practise beinge discouered, (hee was by the procure­mente of Arcadius,) slaine by certaine Italian souldiours, and his head hanged vppon one of the gates of Constantino­ple. After the death of Ruffinus, Arcadius remayned a more free and quiet Lord in his Orientall Empyre, Ambitious traytors. then Honori­us his brother did in his: For Stilicon who had the gouern­ment in the Occidentall, was more circumspecte and polliti­que then Ruffinus, Stilicon. and therewith a verye valiante and sin­guler Captayne, and sente souldiours to ayde and assiste his brother. Not longe after the former feare was passed, A­laricus arriued in Italye, a more wyse and valiant Captaine then was Rhadagasius, whose souldiours also were verye ac­tiue and expert in Martiall affayres: Against him went Stili­con with his armye, as one that neuer feared anye daunger, and encountered with the Gothes within the territory of Ra­uenna: in which conflict Alaricus was ouercome by y ^e prowes of Stilicon, Alaricus o­uercome of Stilicon. who for courage and pollicye in warre like affay­res, had not his equall at that time lyuinge. But continu­inge in harte the conspiracye before mentioned, who woulde neuer (althoughe hee mighte) vtterlye vanquishe Alaricus, for diuers times he seemed not to regarde his doinges, & suf­fered to marche thorowe the countrye without resistance, or endamaginge his people. Whereby Alaricus verye well comprehended y ^t Stilicon was not verye willinge to conquere [Page 121] him: for as some write, this warre continued betwene them three yeares. At this time the Alanes, y ^e Hunnes, the Van­dales, and the Burgundions were entered the Emperial ter­ritoryes, and iorneyed, makinge of warre alonge the ryuer of Rhene: this enforced a newe terror to possesse the hartes of the people. But Alaricus hauinge vnderstandinge of theyr comminge, sente vnto Honorius, to desyre a peace or truce of him, and so muche of the Realme of Fraunce, as woulde suf­fice for him & his people to inhabite in, promisinge to defende that countrye from the inuasion of those Nations, he did also geue him to vnderstande, how Stilicon proceded craftelye by protractinge the warre which he had against him, and that he was the onlye Aucthor of mouinge of these newe warres.

The Emperour vppon this enformation, conceyued greate suspition of treason in Stilicon, (althoughe when it was re­ported vnto him longe before, he would not credite the same) and yet also for the present he did dissemble it, & made peace with Alaricus, graunted his demaundes, receyued of him ho­stages, and sent him into Fraunce: whereby there seemed to ensue two great commodities, thone was the peace and tran­quillitye in Italye throughe his absence, and thother the de­fence and safegarde of Fraunce: into whiche alreadye were entered the Vandales, the Alanes, and the Hunnes, of which Nations the nomber was esteemed to be more then two hū ­dreth thousande. The wicked­nes of Stili­con. These presumptions of felicitie were who­lye disturbed and interrupted by the treason of Stilicon: who although he accomplished that which was commaunded him by Honorius, as in permittinge Alaricus with the Gothes, quietlye to enter into theyr iourneye, with supplyinge vnto his people all such necessaryes as were nedefull for theyr voy­age, according to thorder receyued of Honorius: Yet as one that hated peace, and especially that Alaricus should go vnto the defence of Fraunce, he determined to destroye both him & his people. For as Alaricus was iourneyinge peaceable to­warde Fraunce, (as was accorded) Stilicon priuilye practi­sed with an Hebrewe Captayne named Saul, whiche was in his armye, that hee with his souldiours vppon some fayned [Page] displeasure or peculiar quarell, shoulde at Easter when the Gothes were celebratinge, and lest mistrusted any suche mis­chiefe assault them at a sodaine and slay as many as he might: by which breach of peace he thought the warre would reuiue againe, which mighte restore him vnto his pristiuate dignity in gouernment, which with the late concluded peace began to decline. The Hebrew Captaine at y ^e time appointed brought to effecte this priuye conspiracye, for he assaulted the Gothes vppon a sodaine, vnto their great hurte and damage: but he presentlye receiued the rewarde which his treason deserued, for they arminge themselues w ^t great speede, fought againste him and slue him, The death of Saui. with the most part of his souldiours.

Althoughe his intente were as wicked or worse then theirs, yet he was better able to conceyle it, as wel by his wisedome, as also through his aucthority and power. For besydes y ^t he was y ^e ouerseer & gouernour of Honorius, he was also twyse his father in Law: for Honorius had at y ^t instante vnto wife. a daughter of his, Stilicon. & was before maryed vnto an other of his daughters which dyed a mayden. This Stilicon was a Vā ­dall, Of what country Sti­licon was. and beinge desirous in minde to create a sonne of his cal­led Leucherius Emperoure, with his (althoughe a wicked) circumspecte forsighte, did conceyle his purpose vnto a cōue­niente time: immagininge the beste waye to attayne vnto his pretence, was to bringe the Emperours into greate troubles by warres, to thend that he for his worthines sheewed in such extremities, The animo­ [...]ty & strēgth of Stilicon. mighte be accompted and reputed the onlye de­fence and safegarde of the Empyre. For he was of so stoute a courage, and endued with such force, that he esteemed him­selfe sufficient to order & dispose all thinges at his owne plea­sure, and knewe that the necessitye whiche the Emperours should haue of his seruice, would be a very good entrance vn­to his attempte. Wherefore by many subtill, secrete and craf­tye deuises, he prouoked the Gothes, the Alanes, the Vanda­les & the Swyzers, with diuers other Nations to moue warre against y ^e Emperiall territories. Gothes. And after he had brought his resolution to this forwardnes, hee appointed the Gothes (as men which knewe the countrye very well) to go vnto the [Page 122] conquest of Italye, and that the Vandales, the Alanes, and y ^e Swyzers, should assayle Fraunce: and yet he decreed to take vppon himselfe the defence of Italye, supposinge that Hono­rius should be compelled for want of good Captaynes, in pro­per parson to go vnto the defence of Fraunce, where either he should be slaine or ouercome, or at least brought into some ex­tremitye: So that he by conqueringe the Gothes in Italye, (which he iudged very easy) might without resistance become Lorde of Rome, Traytours purpose one waye, & God disposeth the contrarye. and hauinge obtayned the principall, hee no­thinge doubted to attaine vnto the segniorye of all the other members of the Empyre. But these his determinations had successe contrarye vnto his expectation: For that treason be­came, not onlye his owne confusion, but also the ruine and de­struction of the whole Empyre. The Gothes moue warre in Hungarye and Austria. For after Honorius and Ar­cadius had raigned viii. yeares, Stilicon and Aurelian being chosen Consulles, the Gothes began couertly to make warre in Hungarye and Austria, which warre although in the be­ginninge it seemed very small, and little daungerous, yet w ^t ­in short space, theyr power and might grewe to be suche, that they were dreaded of the whole worlde. For hauinge with theyr Captaynes Halaricus and Radagasius, The Gothes in suche sorte subdued all Thrace, Sclauoni and Hungary, that nothing was there to be seene, but the earth and firmament, they mar­ched into Italye, where passinge the Apennine, they came vnto the mountaines Fiesole in Tuscanie: Against whom for the defence of the Empyre, went two valiant Captaynes cal­led Vldinus and Sara, Vldinus and Sara, Cap­taynes vnto Honorius. with a greate armye of Hunnes & Go­thes, Mercenary souldiours hyred of Honorius. Whiche Captaynes with theyr souldiours resisted valiantlye the po­wer of Rhadagasius, and cut of his passages, ouer the moun­taynes, and also depriued his armye of victuels: by reason whereof, within very short space, the mortalitye amonge the ennemyes became so great, that most part of the armye dyed by famyne, and Radagasius apprehended by Honorius, and put to death. Rhadagasius. When these euents in this wise succeded, Ho­norius made his abode in Rauenna, whiche at that time was the principall Cittie, Rauenna. & his brother in Constantinople: Frō [Page] whence Alaricus with this displeasure was greatlye moued to wrathe, and marched to fighte with Stilicones armye: of whom Stilicon fayned to haue great feare, & sent to the Em­perour for ayde: who not ignoraunte of that which was hap­pened throughe Saul the Iewe (althoughe Stilicon supposed his pretence to be vnknowen) sente priuelye certayne souldi­ours into the hoaste, Saul. and gaue them in charge, that at some cōuenient time they should slay Stilicon and his sonnes: The death of Stilicon. this commaundemente was presentlye executed, and the cause thereof was afterward openlye published to the whole army.

But althoughe the Emperour in extirpatinge the sediti­ous race, wrought verye wyselye, yet he omitted to institute for gouernour ouer his hoast such a Captayne, as was suffici­ente vnto so great a charge, and that might remoue kinge A­laricus, from creditinge that this breache of truce was com­mitted with Honorius consente. For Alaricus prouoked by his iniurye, The enter­prise of Ala­ricus against Rome. or rather seinge the time & opportunitye to serue well for his purpose, marched with his whole armye towar­des Rome, the heade and Emperyce at that presente of the whole world, vsinge as hee iourneyed extreme crueltye, com­mittinge all thinges vnto fyer and sworde, and in thende be­sieged the Cittie after it was first builte, a Thousande & sixe hundreth yeares. The Romaynes prepared them vnto the defence of theyr Cittye so valiantlye, Rome besie­ged .ii. yeres. that the siege continued two yeares: duringe which time it was kept so streight, that the mortalitye of the inhabitantes became maruailous, for there were verye fewe, but eyther they were slaine, or taken prisoners. Finally the famyne amonge the people was so per­singe, A greate fa­mine in Rome which enfor­ced y ^e mother to eate her owne childe. that they were constrayned to eate one another, yea the mother enforced to feede of her suckinge infant, which she had a little before brought oute of her owne bellye. And in con­clusion the Cittie was taken by Alaricus (as some Aucthors affirme) throughe treason, but as other write by force of ar­mes, and in suche wyse spoyled, that all thinges founde there in, Rome wonne and destroyed by y ^e gothes. were committed to the sworde and fyer: excepte onlye the Churches, and the people which for theyr safegarde had fled into the same. Honorius the Emperour, notwithstanding [Page 123] this warre, made his abode in the Cittie of Rauenna: Who after he vnderstode that Rome was taken, was striken with no small terrour and feare of loosinge the whole Empyre.

This was the first time that Rome was wonne, The first time that Rome was wonne. by any bar­barous Nation, after it became of anye force or mighte. Af­ter the sackinge of the Cittie, Alaricus departed from thence, and sayled towardes Cicilia, but there arose so greate a tem­peste vppon the sea, that hee was enforced to returne vnto the coastes of Italye, The death at Alaricus. where he became sicke, and dyed in a Cittie called Coseuza. After whose death the Gothes created kinge Ataulfus, who was marryed at the expugnation of Rome vn­to Placidia, the daughter of Theodosius y ^e late Emperour, at whose requeste hee abstayned from the vtter subuertion of Rome, and concluded a peace with Honorius, and departed out of Italy into Spayne, where he made his abode in a Cit­tie called Barcellona. While these thinges proceded in this maner in Italye, Arcadius Emperour of the East, made his abode in the Cittie of Constantinople, where he lyued conti­nuallye in peace, and gouerned with little disturbance: For there are no wryters that make mention of any warres, that might haue procured the contrary. The death of Arcadius. This Emperour after he had gouerned, and ruled the Empyre of the East xiii. yeares, dyed in the sayde Cittie, leauinge behinde him a sonne called Theodosius, whom he committed to be brought vppe, vnto y ^e kinge of Persia and Parthia, Hisdig [...]rdus. called Hisdigardus, which was at that instante, confederat and frend to the Empyre. After the kinge of Persia vnderstode the decree of Arcadius, hee ve­rye willinglye accepted the gouernmente and charge of the yonge Emperour, and sente presentlye vnto Constantinople for him, Antioch [...] by a valiant Captayne of his named Antiochus, who afterwarde together w ^t Honorius, gouerned the whole Em­pyre with great fidelitye and muche honour, conseruinge the same in peace and iustyce, vntill that Theodosius the sonne o [...] Arcadius, was growne vnto yeares apte to beare rule.

After the deathe therefore of Arcadius, That whiche happened af­ter the deathe of Arcadius. the titles of Empe­rours remayned onlye vnto Honorius, and Theodosius his nephewe, But the West Empyre was nowe brought vnto a [Page] maruaylous confusion, throughe the Gothes, the Vandales, and other Nations, Gothes. who proceded conquering the prouinces of the same, Vandales. for that the Emperour Honorius was not care­full in leuyinge some sufficient armye, that might resist theyr barbarous inuasions, but continued his abode in the Citty of Rauenna. Also in England one of the chiefeste barrons of y ^e Islande called Gratian, Gratian. rebelled and toke vppon hym the ti­tle and name of Emperour, with the consent of certayne of y ^e commons of the Countrye, but his rashnes had euill successe, for within a fewe dayes after, he was slaine by his owne soul­diours. After whose deathe they created an other of the soul­diours Emperour called Cōstantinus, Constantius chosen Em­perour of the souldiours. a man of greater cou­rage and strengthe then Gratian was: he remoued his whole armye out of England, and went into Fraunce, mindinge to beare segniorye ouer the same. And therefore presentlye hee procured peace with the Vandales, the Swyzers, and the A­lanes, who departed out of that countrye towardes Spayne, the Burgundions remayninge in that place, whiche nowe is named Burgundie. Constantinus associated in league with him, a great nomber of Frenchemen, whereby hee became so puisante and of suche force, that he minded to make himselfe Lorde ouer Spayne, and so to preuent those barbarous Na­tions, of theyr purposed habitacions. Vppon which resolu­tion, diuers Captaynes with sondry bandes of souldiours, to possesse the same, vnto whom a greate nomber of Spaniards yelded, reputinge it lesse daūgerous to obeye vnto them, then vnto those which were to come: But two noble, rich & migh­tye gentlemen of Spayne, refused to yelde vnto eyther parte, who (as Paulus Diaconus affirmeth) were called Didimus & Verodianus, The loyaltye of Didimus & Verodianus. borne in Valencia: these resisted the vsurpati­ons, & determined to expell the tyrants frō theyr countryes. Wherevppon at theyr owne, and at theyr kinsefolkes proper coastes & charges, with the ayde of theyr frendes, they wente vnto the mountaynes Perinei, to defende the passage ouer y ^e same: not onlye against Constantinus the vsurper, but also against all those Nations before mentioned, endeuoringe to maintayne and keepe Spayne in the continuall obedience, & [Page 124] deuotiō of theyr Emperour Honorius, which they did a long season, although with great trauaile, maruelous slaughters and extreame daungers. Wherewith Constantinus was greatlye offended (beinge as he thought) not a little iniured, and therevppon elected certaine of the most experte, and vali­ante souldiours that he had, to go against them, ouer whom he appointed Captaine Constantius his sonne: Constantius. Who was of suche force, and so well experienced in martiall feates, that in the ende hee ouercame the two brothers, and entered into Spayne. The which after the people of Constantius had w ^t great tyrannye spoyled, and with most cruel warre ouer rūne the countrye, they marched towardes the mountaynes Peri­nei, from whence they expelled the Spaniardes, which were appointed for the defence of those hilles, & toke vppon them­selues the custodye, vnto which they were verye sufficiente: and Constantius went into Fraunce vnto a cittie called Arli, where he founde his father. After whose departure, they which kepte the passages, made a contracte with the Vanda­les and other Nations, and for moneye soulde vnto them the same, permittinge the Vandales, the Swyzers, and the Ala­nes, to passe thorowe the countrye, who so wasted and spoy­led all Spayne, that sufficientlye it cannot be resighted or ex­pressed, especiallye those places adioyninge neare vnto the mountaynes, because there they were moste resisted. After they had exercised theyr barbarous crueltye in the countrye, they went vnto the Cittye of Valentia which they vtterly de­stroyed: Valentia. then they marched vnto the Cittie of Astorga, into whiche they entered by force of armes, & so procedinge with­out resistāce, they greatly endamaged Galatia. From whence coastinge ouer Castile, Toledo a fa­mous Citty. they came to Toledo, whiche Citty ey­ther throughe the fortitude of the situation, or valiantnes of y ^e inhabitantes, they coulde not conquere: (althoughe they cō ­tinued the siege many dayes) but were constrayned to depart vnto the reproche and shame of themselues, and the great ho­nour of that noble Cittie, Toledo▪ which for experience in warrefare and martiall pollicye, hath alwayes bene reputed verye fa­mous: with this example, a great nomber of Spaniards re­mayned [Page] faythfull vnto the Emperour Honorius, althoughe he neuer sent thither eyther Captayne or ayde. These Na­tions did very muche endamage the valleye of Toledo, and so marched forwarde alonge y ^e ryuer of Tagus, Tagus. vntill they came vnto the Cittie of Lisbone, Lisbone. which at that time was one of the worthyest, and moste famous Citties in Europe, the whiche they assaulted, but it was so valiantlye defended of the Citti­zens, that they were not able to make any entrye: and there­fore were content to cōpounde with them for a certayne sūme of moneye, and so to rayse theyr siege, then they returned that waye by which they came, makinge warre in diuers places. At whiche time the countrye beinge oppressed with famyne, (as Osorius affirmeth) they were constrayned to laye a part theyr weapons, and geue themselues to till the grounde, so that beinge nowe become as it were Cittizens, they deuided the conquestes amonge the Captaynes, and kinges, of the Vandales, Alanes, and Swizers. These troubles chaun­sed in this wyse, (as ye haue harde) when Athaulfus, and the Gothes kepte Narbone and Barcellona, who together were confederates and frendes with Honorius, Constantine. and when Constā ­tine the tyrant with his children did possesse the greatest part of Fraunce. The yonge Emperour Theodosius beinge at that instant a child, was nourished in Constantinople vnder the protection of the kinge of Persia, and Antiochus his Captayne, of whose royall parson, Anthemius. and courte, was gouernoure a very vertuous & wise mā called Anthemius: who brought vp the yonge Prince in studye of good letters, in such sort that he proued vertuous, religious, and a good Christian.

Honorius his vncle who made his abode in Rauenna, [...] in a Prince. began nowe to make preparation for the deliuerye of the Empyre of the Weste from the yoke of tyrantes, and barbarous Nati­ons, as was that of the East. For he elected an armye of soul­diours, and appointed generall ouer the same, a singuler and valiant gentleman named Constantius, who of longe conti­nuance had bene an Earle and cittizen of Rome, and was des­ [...]ended from an auncient parentage. This worthy Captaine with a Romanes harte and courage, hauinge a practised and [Page 125] chosen hoaste entered Fraunce, where he ouercame and put to flight the mighty tyrante Constantine, The death of Constantine the tyrante & others. and after besieged him in Arli, and in the ende toke him, and put him to death. This enterprise had such good successe, that within few dayes after the deathe of Constantine was certainlye knowen, Cō ­stantius his sonne whom he had created Caesar, was slaine at Vienna in Fraunce by one of his Captaynes, called Geron­tius: Gerontius. and the same Gerontius, (who also endeuoured to be­come a tyrante, Ambitiō ma­keth traitors. and minded to create Emperour, a frende of his named Massimus) was likewise slaine by the souldiours, which had rebelled in England with Constantine, and now were willinge to returne vnto the seruice of Honorius.

After the death of Gerontius, they spoyled Massimus of hys Emperiall tytles & dignities, & sent him to inhabite Spaine. In this manner as you haue harde, Fraunce was recouered by the vertue of this excellent Captayne Constantius, and y ^e armye of the rebelles with all deuotion & humility, returned vnto theyr true Emperour Honorius: and sent certayne cap­taynes into Englande to recouer that againe, which from y ^e beginninge of Constantines tyranny had disobeyed, Englande. but now peaceable yelded vnto the Emperour. Constantius the ge­nerall Captayne for the Emperour (as you haue harde) was nowe become very puisant & mighty: when Athaulfus kinge of the Gothes who remayned in Barcellona, and was Lorde ouer the Countrye adioyninge thereunto, that had also at the request of Placidia his wyfe, y ^e sister of Honorius, continued in peace iii. yeares: began greatly to feare the might and po­wer of Honorius, & of his Captayne Constantius, who (as he vnderstode) had fortifyed the A [...]pes in suche sort, that hee might not againe inuade Italye, Wherefore he determined to create himselfe Lorde and kinge ouer all Spayne. And to put it in practise, hee perswaded a certayne Romayne Cap­tayne named Atalus, to take vppon him the title of Empe­rour, and to collect an armye promisinge that he would ayde him vnto the segniorye of Andalosia, together with the grea­test parte of Affricke, and also woulde make warre for him. Which offer Atalus with little foresight, and lesse discretion [Page] accepted and presently sent into Affricke his hoaste with go­uernours to rule the countrye, as if he had already bene Em­perour and in quiet possession, & after begā with cruell warre to inuade Spayne. Heraclian the Captayne of Honorius. Against whom Honorius sent a valiante Captaine named Heraclian: who droue oute of Affricke the gouernours of Atalus, and leauinge it in peaceable quietnes, went with his armye to encounter with Atalus, whom hee o­uercame in battaile vppō the sea: And he flyinge into Spaine was apprehended by the Spaniards, & was sent into Fraūce vnto Constantius the generall for the Emperour, Atalus. hee pre­sently sent him vnto Honorius, who caused one of his handes to be cut from his arme, and then sent him in exile vnto Lipa­ri, an Islande neare vnto Cicilia. And after preferred He­raclian for the victorye which hee had obtayned vnto the dig­nitye of Consull, With prospe­rity groweth pride. and gaue vnto him the gouernment of Af­fricke, whereby (as most commonly wee see, that with the en­crease of felicitye groweth pride and ambition in mens har­tes, which draweth them oute of the right pathe or waye in y ^e which aduersity or meane estate, kepeth them in) euen so this Heraclian seinge himselfe nowe to be come mighty & of great power, Ambitiō for­getteth duty. determined to vsurpe vnto himselfe the Empyre. And beinge alreadye as it were Lord of Affricke (as Osorius wri­teth) he admitted for frende and companion in the Empyre (or to saye more trulye) for a fellowe Captaine with him in his rebelliō, one named Sabinus, a verye subtill person & of great courage, whom he sent into Italy against Honorius, & to cō ­quere y ^e country so huge a Nauye of shippes, as the like was neuer redde of. For as y ^e same Osorius affirmeth (if in the cō ­putaciō no error be cōmitted) there were of Vesselles of great and small .iiii. thousande lxx. Which without doubt was the greatest Nauye, that euer passed the sea: For it was neuer redde that Xerxes or Alexāder had so great a nomber. With this Nauye, beinge furnished with souldiours and all neces­saryes thereunto belonginge, he arriued vppon the coastes of Italye and there landed his souldiours, to marche towardes Rome, who althoughe they were manye, yet were they not so experte and well practised, as the Romaynes were, which [Page 126] in verye good order expected their arriuall, beinge conducted by an excellent Captaine called Marinus, Marinus. who had the title & name of a Countye. This Captaine kepte his souldiours in very good order, and determined rather to dye, (if he mighte not ouercome) then to be besieged as other had bene of Alari­cus. Heraclian that thought to terrifye the whole world w ^t his fame, & with his multitude of shippes and souldiours, and supposed that he should finde no power that was able to resist his: became striken with such feare, when he sawe his armye vppon the sea discomfited, The flyinge awaye of He­raclian. that without abyding the battaile, he returned backe, flyinge awaye by sea in a Gally, & so came with shame into Affricke, from whence he departed with so great an armye. But immediatlye after his returne, his co­wardlines beinge vnderstode, the ordinarye souldiours mur­mered at it, The death of Heraclian. and slue him: And Sabinus his sonne in Law and companion (to escape the daunger of deathe) sayled vnto Cō ­stantinople, and there beseched the yonge Emperour Theo­dosius, to obtayne for his offence of his vncle pardon. Where­vppon Theodosius sente him vnto Honorius, Sabinus ba­nished. who at his re­quest was content to graunte him life, notwithstandinge hee condemned him vnto perpetuall exile. In this wyse as you haue harde, The ende of all rebelles. all the tyrantes and rebelles, were by Honorius confounded and destroyed: Who nowe knowinge himselfe to be wholy deliuered from Domestical ennemyes, and also the greatest part of his prouinces, to remaine towards him both in peace and obedience, determined to expell from the Citties of Spayne, Fraunce and Narbone, the barbarous Nations which did possesse the same, and accompted it most expediente to beginne with the Gothes, The Gothes came oute of Scithia and Russia, & yet possessed Spayne. who were the mightiest, & beste practised in feates of armes, and inhabited y ^• part of Spaine aforesayd, nothinge doubtinge but if that they were expulsed, he might with very great facilitye expell all other.

Athaulfus theyr kinge, as one who loued his wyfe Placi­dia most entierelye, greatlye desyred to haue peace with Ho­norius, and did procure it by all meanes possible: whiche be­inge knowen, The death of Athaulfus. and perceyued of his souldiours (who desyred the contrary) was the cause that presentlye they slue him.

[Page] After whose deathe they elected for theyr kinge a stoute Cap­tayne of theyr owne countrye, Segericus chosen kinge of the Gothes was also pre­sentlye slaine by them. named Segericus: And because they suspected y ^e like of him, as they did of Athaulfus, (which was most true, that he desired to haue peace with Honorius) they siue him also. After the murtheringe of the two kin­ges, they created kinge one Vualius, not doubtinge but that he would be a mortall ennemye vnto the Romaynes, w ^t whō they desired alwayes to haue warres: they retayned as yet in theyr custodye Placidia the sister of Honorius, wydowe vnto Athaulfus, whom they vsed verye honourablye, and with all respectes of honestye. Vualiꝰ crea­ted kinge of y ^e Gothes. Vualius takinge vppon him the go­uernmente, was very lothe, (as one that did accompte it ney­ther profitable or necessarye) to warre with Honorius, but being terrifyed with the death of the late .ii. kinges his prede­cessours, as also to content his people, assembled an huge ar­mye of souldiours, & sent them to conquere Affricke, which at that time was in peace & obeyed vnto Honorius. But God in the voyage wroughte miraculouslye for the Emperour, by sending amonge them as they sayled such a terrible tempest, The power of God. that the whole Nauye was almost destroyed. Which mis­happe with the vnderstandinge of Constantius) Honorius Captaynes) cōminge against them, they did greatly asswage the fiercenes of the Gothes: wherevppon Vualius vsed suche pollicye with them, that willinglye and requested there unto by them, he concluded a peace with Honorius, which was vp­pon this condition: Peace made betwene V­ualius & Ho­norius. That Placidia should be restored vnto Ho­norius, and Vualius with his souldiours, should faythfullye ayde and assiste the County Constantius Captayne vnto Ho­norius, to expell out of Spayne the Vandales, the Swyzers, and the Alanes, which then had in theyr possession the greatest parteof the countrye. The accorde beinge finished Vuali­us gaue good assurance and hostages, and Placidia was resto­red: whom afterwarde Honorius gaue for wyfe vnto Con­stantius, Constantius created Cesar and successor vnto Honori­us. in recompence of the manifolde and great victories which he had atchiued, and obtayned in his behalfe, and crea­ted him Caesar, and pronounsinge him his successor. Imme­diatlye after this, Constantius and Vualius the kinge of the [Page 127] Gothes, beganne theyr warre in Spaine against the barba­rous Nations, as hereafter shalbe sheewed. While these things as you haue hard of were a doing, the barbarous peo­ple were become Lords of diuers partes of Spayne, and the Vandales had gotten into their Segniory a great part of Be­thica, From when [...] Bethica toke the name Vā ­dalosia & after Andalosia. which of them was named Vandalosia, and after was called Andalosia. The Alanes and Swyzers occupyed Me­rida, and a great parte of Lucitania, which at this presente is part of Portingale, and in Galitia, and in the kingdome of Li­ons, they possessed also many great prouinces, & had amonge themselues, deuided the countryes by lottes. Constantius the Emperours Captaine, beinge arryued in Spayne, and with him the Gothes did presentlye after his arriuall, enter into battaile against the Alanes, The victorye of Constan­tius. which inhabited neare vnto the cittie of Merida, with whom he fought a most cruell and terrible conflicte, in which the Alanes were vanquished, and the kinge who was called Acall slaine. This victory of Cō ­stantius so feared all the other Nations, that presently wyth all submission and humillitye, they requested peace of him, & sent to entreat and beseche him, that he would graunte them truce, and limit vnto them some one place in Spayne, where they might inhabite and liue. While these affayres had this prosperous successe in Spayne, Honorius wente vnto Con­stantinople, to visite the estates of the Easte, where y ^e childe Theodosius his nephew gouerned: who now was growē vn­to yeares of discression, & free from the gouernment of tutors. And it chaunced that while he made his abode there, beinge farre from Italye, and Constantius also occupyed wyth the warres of Spaine, Tertallus a Romaine. that a certaine noble and mightye Ro­mayne named Tertallus, of a very aunciente familye, beinge assisted with a greate nomber of the people of Rome and Ita­lye, rebelled and toke on him the title of Emperour, and be­gan to inuade y ^e Empyre with a great nomber of souldiours: but the frende and allies of Honorius came in battaile a­gainst him, where he was both ouercome and slaine. After whose death, Atalus. audacity and disloyaltye began to enflame mens harts, that an other named Atalus did as the other had done, [Page] naminge himselfe Emperour, also he leuyed a great nomber of people thorowe out all Italye: which riote beinge vnder­stode of Constantius in Spayne, where hee made his abode, after the aforesayde victorye, enforced him to mynister great hope vnto the Alanes, Swyzers, and Vandales, that he would yeld vnto theyr desired peace: for (some thinge to acquiet thē) he published that he would go into Italy to debate thereof w ^t Honorius, wherevppon he departed out of Spayne, & came into Italye, whither also the Emperour was come, for that he had intelligence of the troubles of Italye in Constantino­ple. The arriualles of Honorius & Constantius being kno­wen of in Rome, the common people arose in great fury, Atalus taken. and apprehended the tyrant Atalus and sente him to Honorius in Rauenna, where was also at that instante Constantius with his wyfe Placidia: and there by the commaundement of Ho­norius, Atalus was bereiued of one of his handes, and then sent in exile vnto Constantinople. This without question was a maruelous example of clemency in Honorius, who re­mayninge in Rauenna, where Constantius Caesar his kinse­man continued, after hee had with sage aduise considered and pondered, the noble actes and great exploytes which he had atchieued, Constantius created of Ho­norius Cesar and compani­on with him in the weste Empyre. and howe beneficiall he had bene vnto the Empe­riall estate, caused him to be called Caesar Augustus, and his companion in the Empyre of the West, which was done at a very solempne feast, with a longe Oration pronounced in the commendation of his honour. There the two Emperours with mutuall consent, to retayne in theyr seruice Vualius the kinge of the Gothes, did geeue and establishe vnto his people the Cittie of Tolosa, which is in the kingedome of Fraunce, with all the prouince adioyninge vnto the same, Aquitaine now called Guasconye. called Aqui­tanie, which they named Vasconia, and nowe is called Guas­conie. The feastes of the coronation of Constantius beinge expyred, Honorius wente to Rome, to pacifye the tumultes which raged in that Cittie, and Constantius the newe Em­perour determined to returne into Spayne, to ende y ^e warre which he had begunne: which he would with muche honour and greate renowne haue finished, if death had not preuented [Page 128] the noble pretence of this most worthye Captaine, and vali­ante Emperour y ^t he had deliuered Spayne, What it is to leese a noble Captaine. from the inuasi­on of forraine Nations. His death was vnto Honorius a iust cause of extreame griefe & sorrow: who to supplye his roume instituted for Captayne to go into Spayne, Etius elected captayne of Honorius for Spaine. a famous gentle­man both valiant and actiue, whose name was Etius: he with­out protractinge of time, toke the hoaste which Constantius had collected, and marched towardes Spayne: where pre­sentlye after his arriuall, he conceyued displeasure against y ^e Alanes, for that they had not elected to gouerne them a king, since they were ouercome by Constantius, but were associa­ted, and confederate with the Swyzers whiche gouerned the countrye of Lisborne. But after they had perfecte vnder­standinge of y ^e death of Constantius, they returned vnto Merida, recoueringe againe theyr pristinate courages, and forth­wyth began to moue warre against the Cittyes whiche re­mained faythfull vnto the Empyre. When Etius parcey­ued that these Nations with one con [...]ent were comminge a­gainst him, and knowinge his hoaste not of force to encounter with them, refrayned certayne dayes frō geuinge of battaile, to the ende he might thereby encrease his armye, and demi­nishe that of his enemyes, but his pollicy (without iust cause) was of Honorius accompted a cowardly part, and therefore he sente to receiue his charge the Countye Castinus, Castinus. whom he ordayned his Captaine and successour. Castinus seinge the affayres of Spayne to be verye daungerous and ruinous, allowed the counsaile of Etius, and in like maner protracted the warre, vntil Bonifacius who was gouernor of Affricke, came to ayde and [...]uccour him with an expert hoaste of souldi­ours, and then these two armyes beinge ioyned in one, they beganne the warre, and obtayned sundrye notable victoryes against the Barbarians, and procede so prosperouslye, that it was supposed for certaintye, that they woulde within shorte space haue deliuered Spayne from those forraine Nations: Contentiō betwene Boni­face and Cas­tinus for su­perioritye. if through the contencion which arose betwene those two va­liante Captaynes for superiority, there had not followed this inconuenience, that Bonifacius returned vnto his gouern­ment [Page] in Affrica (as Prosper and Paulus Diaconus affirme) whose departure, did greatlye dimynishe and bringe to ruine a great part of the Romaine estates in Spayne. At suche time as these things proceded in this wyse in y ^e West, Theo­dosius nephewe vnto Honorius and Emperour of the East, beinge (as is sayde) deliuered from tutors, and come vnto the yeares of bearinge rule: Discorde be­twene Theo­dostus & Barrobanus. was in greate displeasure with Bar­robanus the king of Persia, & successor of Isdegeron, because he had requested and admonished him to desiste from persecu­tinge the Christians, which did inhabite his countryes: For Barrobanus would not yelde vnto his demaunde, but rather persecuted them the more, which tyrannye enforced Theodo­sius to sende an armye into those partes, wyth a singuler cap­tayne to gouerne the same called Ardaburus: Who present­lye came to battayle wyth Narsius, y ^e generall captayne ouer the Persians, and made of them verye greate slaughters, then he iuuaded the whole countrye, maruelouslye wastinge and spoylinge the same. The victorye of the Chri­stians against the Persians and Sara­cines. Also Theodosius sent at that instant an other Captaine, with an army against Alamander the kinge of Saracines, who gaue vnto him a maruelous ouerthrowe, so that he himselselfe escaped with muche difficultye oute of the battaile. Moreouer an other Captaine of y ^e Romaynes cal­led Arcobiada, ouercame in battaile y ^e Persians in such sorte, that the honour of the Romaynes excedinglye encreased, and the Persians were enforced to desiste from persecutinge the Christians. The death of Honorius. At this tyme dyed Honorius, after he had raig­ned and gouerned the Empyre xxviii. yeares, for he gouerned two yeares before his father dyed, and xiii. yeares together w ^t his brother Arcadius, & xiii. yeares after his brothers death. Hee lefte behinde him no children, for by his two wyues the daughters of Stilicone he had no issue: a little before he dyed there arose a discorde betwene him and his sister Placidia, so that he went to Constantinople vnto the Emperour Theo­dosius her nephewe, with her two sonnes whiche shee had by Constantius, whose names were Honorius, & Valentinia­nus who afterward was Emperour. Honorius dyed after the incarnation of Christ .4. hundred and xxvii. yeares.

Theodosius the seconde of that name▪

MAruailous haue bene the affayres of the empyre, their warres aswel prosperous as vnfortunate, which haue continued in y ^e Empyre by the space of those .400. yeares (or there aboutes) of which wee haue intreated, as the reader may with small trauaile easelye comprehende.

And althoughe the Empyre at sondrye tymes, hath bene greatlye afflicted and oppressed, and in dan­ger of vtter ruine, yet in thende hither unto it hath bene deli­uered from aduersitye, and recouered her pristinate dignitye and forces. The declin [...]g of the empyre in the secrete counsaile of God. But from this time forward (throughe the se­crete iudgement of God) y ^e affayres of thempyre proceded not in such order, but rather cōtinually decreased & did loose theyr forces. Albeit at sondrye tymes throughe the worthines of some valiante Emperours and Captaynes, she recouered her pristinate maiestye, and was both honoured and feared, yet she cold neuer attaine vnto her auncient dignitye: for that the same happened verye sildome. But from this presente for­wardes, at diuers times by sundrye accidentes, themperours haue loste both prouinces and Regions, so that in those haue begunne perticuler kingdomes and estates, & by the strength which the Empyre loste, were made other great and mighty kingdomes, and as theyr power and Dominions encreased, so the euentes and chaunces whiche happened were greater: which I cannot reherse, neither if I might will do it, for that [Page] my intent neyther was, nor is to describe a generall Chroni­cle, The intent of the Aucthor. but onlye the liues of the Emperours, as succintlye as I maye. Wherefore with that breuity which I may well vse, I will procede in this my enterprise, writinge onlye the thin­ges of importaunce in the Historyes of the Emperours: And that I may very restrictly finishe my storye, omitting those of other kinges & kingdomes, which in this discourse shal occur vnto mee, vnto other which haue, and do take vppon them a longer treatise. For to prosecute fullye the estate of all Prin­ces, the estate of Religion, the faule of the mightye prelates, the ambitious purposes against God & their Princes, would ryse to an huge and mighty Volume.

Honorius beinge dead, the gouernment of the whole Em­pyre remayned onlye vnto Theodosins his nephewe, who at that instant made his abode in Constantinople. This Em­perour perceyuing that many tumultes endeuored to vsurpe the Empyre of the West, and also that the tumultes of y ^e bar­barous Nations excedinglye encreased, created Caesar for those prouinces beinge but a child, Valentinian beinge but a childe was made Cesar. his cosyn Valentinian the sonne of Placidia, sister vnto the Emperours Honorius and Arcadius, and wyfe vnto the excellent Captayne and Empe­rour Constantius, by whose wysedome and pollicye, the Em­pyre was so well gouerned, with the ouerthrow of many pui­sant tyrantes: that not longe after the recouerye of Italye, y ^e yonge Caesar was by the consente of Theodosius, and of the people created Emperour. As longe as these two Empe­rours liued, there were continuallye such greuous and blou­dye warres, kept by the barbarous Nations, as of the Hun­nes, Gothes, Vandales, and other straūge Nations, that the whole world was vexed and boyled in most cruell slaughters, but that which was kept by a people of Germany called Frā ­chi, From whēce the Frenche­men discēded. who toke theyr name (as some affirme) of the Cittye Frā ­conia, excelled all the other, for they perceyuinge, that the Emperiall Captaynes were busyed in the warres againste y ^e Burgundions and Gothes, and that the Emperour Valenti­nian had his hoast discomfited in Affricke, by a tyrant called Bonifacius, & also that his cosyn Theodosius was occupyed [Page 130] wyth thaffayres of the East, determined to inuade Fraunce, from whence not longe before in the time of the Emperours Honorius and Arcadius, they were expelled by the Vanda­les, Alanes, and Sueuians, and also by a Romayne Captayne named Etius. But now with the helpe of the time beinge be­come mightye, they entered into the prouinces of Sennoni, Aureliesi, & of Paris, of all which in shorte space they became patrones, The first kinge of Fraunce. hauinge vnto theyr Captaine Faramund the sonne of Marcamund, who was the first kinge of the Frenchemen, vnto whom succeded Clodius who also was theyr kinge: So that in processe of time their power grew to be such, that Gal­lia was called of them Fraunce, and at this daye theyr kinge is called the kinge of Fraūce. From whēce the French­men had be­ginninge. Of this Nation of the Frenche men, certaine Frenche Historyes reherse diuers fables, say­inge that they descended from the Troyans, and from a sonne of Hectors called Francus, from whom they deriue theyr name. Other affirme that they obtayned this name by cer­taine Fraunchesse (that is, priuileges and immunites) which they had in the time of Valentinian the first: All whiche are both fayned & vntrue, For Hector had neuer any such sonne, neyther do they descende from the Troyans, neyther is there founde anye mention of more Antiquitye to be made of these Frenchmen, The begin­ninge of the Frenchmen. then from the time of Aurelian themperour, who ouercome them in the yere after thincarnation of Christ 270. or there aboutes, The yeare of Christ. 270. neyther did they obtayne this name in the time of Valentinian, for he was longe after, & they (as I haue sayd) were so called two hundreth yeares before. Not­withstandinge, at that present, there were certaine vnknowē Nations, of whom neyther Caesar, Strabo, Plinni, Corneli­us Tacitus, Pomponius Mela, nor Ptolomie, euer made any mention, because then they had no names, nor were not kno­wen. For if it had bene otherwyse, some one, yea the grea­ter parte of these writers, woulde haue left some memorye of them: When the Frenchmen came into knowledge. Let this suffice therefore that the Frenchemen came into knowledge, in the time of Aurelian or there aboutes. It is also to be considered y ^t those kinges which in these dayes raigne in Fraunce, haue no righte or interest therevnto, nor [Page] do not descende from that stirpe or familye, for the house of y ^e kinges of Fraunce hath had diuers alterations. The first, in the yeare of our sauioure Christe. 750. The yeare of Christ. 750. when kinge Childe­ricke was depriued by Zacharie y ^e Pope, after the kingdome had bene gouerned by the Frankes .330. yeares: Childericke. then was e­lected Pipin the father of Charlemaine, Pipinus. a Germaine borne, so that then the Frankes loste the ryall Scepter, which conti­nued vnto the descendentes of Pippin 238. yeres, which was in the yeare of our Sauiour 990. Capuccio. Then a mightye barron of Fraunce named Iohn Capuccio obtayned the kingdome, vn­to whose successors it remayned, vntill y ^t for wante of heyres males, it descended lawfullye by mariage vnto the kinges of Englande, which title oure most gratious soueraigne Ladye the Queenes most excellent maiesty enioyeth at this present, and in this accorde, agree all good and true aucthors.