dolefull Hymnes and ruefull ditties. Thence againe he was remoued to Mars his field, where was erected a foure-square frame of Timber, of a huge height and compasse, the stories still mounting to the toppe with sundry ascents, and richly beautified with strange va∣rieties of gold and purple ornaments, and images of great Art and price: On the second of which ascents, was placed the Emperours said Bed and Statue, with infinite store of sweetest odours, brought thither from all parts of the Citie: which done, the yong No∣bles brauely mounted on Horsebacke, rid round a∣bout in a kinde of dance or measure, and another sort likewise (who represented great Princes) in their Coa∣ches, whereupon his successor in the Empire, first set∣ting fire to the frame, forthwith all the people did the like on all sides: and when the whole began to be on flame, an Eagle secretly enclosed within, was let fly out of the toppe; which soaring a great height, and out of sight, the people followed it with shouts and praiers, supposing that therewith the Emperours soule was carried vp to heauen. And thus Seuerus, which was before a man of Gods making, was now become a God of mans making: and the more to preserue the memory of his fathers glory, Caracalla erected a mag∣nificent Edifice, which he instiled Seuerus his Porch, wherein with most exquisite Art, and admired work∣manship, were portraited all his Fathers warres and triumphs, atchieued here in Britaine or elsewhere.
(3) But presently after, these two vngodly sonnes of this new supposed God, so much emulated each o∣thers glory, that the deadly sparkes of enuy, blowne a long time with the bellowes of their ambitious de∣sires, brake out into the flames of murther and blood, being brethren by one Father, but not by the same mother (as it is said) & in this only like, that they were both starke naught, though both in contrarie kinds of Vices. And albeit the Empresse Iulia had sought by all meanes to make peace betwixt them, both for∣merly, here in Britaine, and now, after their returne to Rome: yet the desire of a sole Soueraignty, had beene a long time so rooted in Bassianus his heart (for which he had twice attempted his Fathers life, and so much hasted his death, that hee slew his Physitians, because they had dispatched him no sooner) could not indure an equall (much lesse a confronter) in authority, and therefore in the Court and in the armes of the Em∣presse, he slew her sonne Geta, in a time least suspected, when he had sate with him in state and disdaine, the terme of one yeare and twenty two daies.
(4) And to cloake this fratricide with shew of con∣straint, first to the Souldiers, and then in the Senate, he accuseth his Brother to haue sought his death, and that in defence of his owne life, he was forced to slay the other, and flying to the Pretorian Cohorts for the safetie of his life, as though further conspiracies had been intended against him in the City, & at his return commanded Papinianus the famous Ciuilian, to excuse the murther in his Pleas at the Barre: which when he refused, hee caused him to bee slaine, as also all those, that had beene acquainted with Geta; whereby so ma∣ny of the Nobilitie perished, that he was thereby ac∣counted another Nero in Rome: and by his fauorites the name of Geta was raced out of all monuments & imperiall inscriptions, as we haue seene some of thē defaced vpon some Altar stones found here in Brit.
(5) Of nature he was subtile, and could well dis∣semble with them whom hee feared, and make shew of loue where hee deadly hated; alwaies fitting him∣selfe to the humours of flatteries: Among the Ger∣mans, counterfetting their gate and garments; In Greece, be like Alexander, bearing his necke somewhat awry; In Troy, would resemble Achilles; alwaies so Ca∣melion-like, as the Romans (his followers) were there∣with ashamed. In a word, Caracalla (saith Dio) neuer thought of doing good, because (as himselfe confessed) he ne∣uer knew any goodnes.
(6) And to fill vp the measure of all iniquitie, as one regardlesse of humanity or shame, he married Iu∣lia his mother in law, late wife to his owne Father (a sinne (saith S. Paul) not to be named among the Gen∣tiles) and by Sext. Aur. Eutrop. and Spar. reported vp∣on this occasion. It fortuned that Iulia in presence of Caracalla, either by chance, or of purpose rather, let fall the vaile which she wore, discouering thereby her naked breasts and beauty, which was great; whereat the Emperour casting his lasciuious eie and bewraying his affection, presently said, Were it not vnlawfull, I should not be vnwilling: to whom she replied (without respect of modesty) that all things were lawfull to him that made lawes for others, but was subiect himselfe to none: forgetting at once both the murther commit∣ted vpon Geta her sonne, and the scandals that accom∣panied so foule a sinne, the pleasure wherof they did not long enioy, both their deaths (by Gods ven∣geance) soone after ensuing.
(7) For Caracalla remaining in Mesopotamia, and carrying (as it seemeth) a guilty conscience, and suspi∣tion of his life, sent to Maternus, whom hee had left Gouernour of Rome, to assemble all the Astrologers & Mathematicians (vnto which learned imposters he al∣waies gaue especiall credit) and of them to enquire how long he should liue, and by what death he should die. Maternus hauing so done, wrote for answere, that Macrinus his Prefect of the Praetorium (then with him in his expeditiōs) went about to murther him. Which is thought rather in enuy of Macrinus to haue beene fained, then by any Astrologicall directions so giuen forth. This letter and others comming to Caracalla his hand, at such time as hee was busie about his dis∣port, he deliuered them to Macrinus to reade, and giue him the report at his returne. In perusall wher∣of finding himselfe to be accused of Treason, and fea∣ring lest by the sequell hee might bee brought into greater danger, he incensed one Martial a Centuri∣on (whose brother the Emperour had lately slaine) to murther him; which was soone performed, and oc∣casion in the fields offred: for Caracalla stepping aside from his traine to ease nature, Martial, as though he had beene called, ran hastily in without hindrance or suspect, and with his dagger stabbed him to death; but being too late perceiued, was yet so hastily pursued, that he was hewed to peeces before his tongue could reueale the principall Traitour. Iulia his incestuous wife hearing of his death, with poison slew her selfe at Antioch, leauing her shame to suruiue her life.
(8) Antoninus Caracalla, saith Eusebius, raigned Em∣perour seuen yeares and sixe moneths, but Herodian, Spartianus, and Dio allot him sixe yeeres and two mo∣neths: he died the eight of Aprill, and yeere of Christ two hundred eighteene. The testimonies of these many writers notwithstanding, together with the place and circumstances of his death, and the person by whom it was committed, the British Historians do contradict, reporting him to bee slaine in Britaine in Battaile against the Picts, by one Carauceus a man of a lowe and obscure birth. But by this it may seeme some wounds receiued by him in those British warres, gaue occasion to that errour. He left a sonne not by his incestuous mother, nor by Glantilla his wife, whō he exiled into Sicily; but by a mistris, whose name was Iulia Simiamira his cosen German, and indeed no bet∣ter then a common strumpets which corrupt rootes brought forth as bitter fruits, euen Heliogabalus, of whom hereafter we shall haue occasion to write.