A chronicle, conteyning the liues of tenne emperours of Rome Wherin are discouered, their beginnings, procéedings, and endings, worthie to be read, marked, and remembred. Wherein are also conteyned lawes of speciall profite and policie. ... Compiled by the most famous Syr Anthonie of Gueuara, Bishop of Mondonnedo, preacher, chronicler, and counsellour to the Emperour Charles the fift: and translated out of Spanish into English, by Edward Hellowes, Groome of her Maiesties Leashe. Hereunto is also annexed a table, recapitulating such particularities, as are in this booke mentioned.

CHAP. I. ¶Of the linage and nouriture of the Empe∣rour Heliogabalus.

THE second wife of Seuerus was named Iulia, which was mother vnto Geta, and mother in lawe vnto Bassianus: this Iu∣lia, when she was married vnto Seuerus, brought vnto Court with her an elder si∣ster, named Mesia, a woman of proporti∣on sufficient faire and comely, but of condition very wilie. This Mesia had with her two daughters, whereof the el∣der was named Semiamira, and the yonger Manea: both borne in the Emperour Seuerus his Courte, and bred and nourished a long time after in the house of the Emperour Bassianus. The writers of those times do not name, who was the husband of Mesia, and the father of Semiamira, &

of Manea: and therefore doubted to be conceiued in adul∣terie, or that the father was of linage obscure.

Mesia remayning in the Court of Seuerus with her two daughters, being young & very faire, Bassianus the sonne of Seuerus had accesse vnto Semiamira, and begate of her a sonne named Antoninus Caracalla: and for the loue of Iu∣lia his aunt, and also to the end the damosell should not bee despised in the sighte of Seuerus, the graundmother vsed so great skill in this busines, that no person of the Courte might perceiue the daughter to be with child, or brought a bed: or whether y^e child was put foorth to be noursed. The auncient linage of this womā Mesia, was of Phoenicia, & borne she was in a citie called Mesania, néere vnto whiche place (in times past) a battell had béene fought, betwéene y^e Rhodians and the Phoenicians. Antoninus Caracalla on the fathers side, was sonne vnto the Emperour Bassianus, and on the mothers side sonne of Semiamira: and conceiued in adulterie. Whē y^e child was fiue yeares of age, he was brought vnto the Courte, and there bred & nourished with the mother and graundmother: but all the dayes that Bas∣sianus liued; they neuer durst say that it was his sonne: be∣cause Iulia his aunt and mother in lawe to Bassianus, had married with the selfe same Bassianus: and if she had kno∣wen the child to be such, she would haue slaine it, banished her Néece, & sent away her sister. This woman Mesia was so wise, & prouident, that in the reigne of Seuerus, at Court all men did serue her, & after in the dayes of Bassianus shée commaunded and gouerned all thinges at her owne plea∣sure: and this was in such extréeme wise, y^t with her he did take counsel for the affaires of the cōmon wealth, and shée did alwayes accompanie him, whither soeuer he went out of Rome, although it were vnto the warres. This Mesia was frank of speach, & of no great reformation of life, how∣beit very skilful in al things which she aduentured to take in hand: for, notw^tstanding al men had of her great suspiciō, yet they were fewe y^t atteyned vnto her secrete drifts. Al∣though on the one part, she was accused to be lewd & loase

of life, yet on the other shée was praised, because shée was very wise in all thinges wherein she gaue counsell: which most clearely appeared, for that in the 16. yeares in which she remained in the Courte and manours of those princes (who by her iudgement and opinion were gouerned) shée was neuer séene to twite or reproue any person with her tongue: or giue counsel in any thing that offended the com∣mon wealth. Being (as she was) sister vnto Iulia the Em∣presse, and so accepted with those princes, this Mesia was marueilous riche: and the cause thereof was, that all good thinges which were vacant in the Empire she craued, and whatsoeuer was giuen her shee receiued. The second daughter of this Mesia, named Manea, maried with a Cō∣sul named Verius, and brought him forth a sonne, then na∣med Alexius, but afterwards Alexander the Emperour: in such wise, that this Mesia had one sister, an Empresse: & sawe her two nephues Emperours. Mesia doubting that some day it might come to the notice of Iulia her sister,

that Antoninus Caracalla was the sonne of her husband Bassia∣nus, aduised to send both her nephues vnto her owne pro∣per countrie of Phoenicia, there to hold them more safe, and better taught. In the prouince of Phoenicia was a most sumptuous temple, dedicated vnto the God Helioga∣balus, the woorkemanship whereof was wrought all of sa∣wen stone, as if it had béene timber, in the ioyning whereof their appeared no seame, but all mē iudged (that knew not that secrete) that the whole temple had béene made of one stone. There was not in that temple, as was in other tē∣ples, which is to wit, any image or simulachre of any God: but that which it conteyned, was a blacke shining stone, great & large beneath, and vpwards more narrow, where∣in was grauen the Sunne and the Moone, right curiously & subtily, which in viewe and beholding did dazill the eyes of men. The people of Phoenicia did report, that the tem∣ple was made by mans hand, but the stone was sent by the Gods from heauen: for which cause they offered vpon the same, siluer, gold, iewels, and other great riches: and it

was visited, not onely by the natiues of Phoenicia, but al∣so from many partes of Asia.

In that temple, there were not onely priestes, but also Philosophers: to the ende that some should sacrifice, and others teache and refourme maners: because that temple was indued with so great riches, that there was sufficient both for the one & the other. Heliogabalus being of y^e age of xiiii. yeres, and his cousin Alexius of the age of twelue yeares, their graundmother Mesia placed them in that temple, to enure them to offer sacrifices, & to learne Phi∣losophie. These two brethren went apparailed after the manner of two Priestes, which is to wéete, in shirtes of Linsey woolsey, their garments of gold and cotton, their sléeues buttoned with Corrall, their robes trailing, their heades couered with silke calles, about their neckes col∣lars of golde, their féete bare vppon the instep, leaden ringes vppon their little fingers, and ringes of golde vpon their thumbes: but aboue al the rest, they might not eate but in their houses: either sléepe but in their temples. And because Antoninus was Priest, and brought vp in the temple of the God Heliogabalus, that is to saye, a Priest of the Sunne, he was afterwardes named Anto∣ninus Heliogabalus: and also many dayes after that he was exalted vnto the height of the Empire, he kepte the garments, and receiued the stipend of his auncient priest∣hood. Heliogabalus was of meane stature, redde haired, white faced, small mouthed, shorte legged, and largely, bearded: and as at that time he was young and faire, and his sacerdotall vestmentes did so adourne him: although the secrete of his parentage was vnknowen, yet all men presupposed that he was of noble bloud.