The thre bokes of cronicles, whyche Iohn Carion (a man syngularly well sene in the mathematycall sciences) gathered wyth great diligence of the beste authours that haue written in Hebrue, Greke or Latine Whervnto is added an appendix, conteynyng all such notable thynges as be mentyoned in cronicles to haue chaunced in sundry partes of the worlde from the yeare of Christ. 1532. to thys present yeare of. 1550. Gathered by Iohn Funcke of Nurenborough. Whyche was neuer afore prynted in Englysh. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.

Of Cyrus.* 1.1

CYrus the fyrst Prince of the Monarch of the parsiansis rekened one amonge the moost doughtyest Kynges & lordes of the worlde. For besyde the manyfold excellent and very princely vertues, had God geuē and endued hym wyth sundery luck and fortune in rulynge, and very excellent vyctoryes of hys ene∣mies: yea he fortuned to be taught and instruct also by Daniel the prophet in godlynes and in the trew worshyp of God as holy scriptures do wytnesse, Such kynde of Princes, beinge so garnyshed wyth* 1.2 the vertues of God, ought we to honoure, as noble gyftes of God, by the whych God wyll helpe the worlde, retayne men in theyr vocacion, haue mo∣destye kept and peace, finally to haue lawes ordey∣ned. And seynge it is so, it is a very vngodlynesse ether to despise or to set nought by suche Princes, as the commune sort of people do. But this Cyrus is worthtely to be counted among such ministers of God and very excellent Princes of the worlde. Nother can the noblenesse of kynred be requyred in hym. For it so pleasyd God, that the worthynesse of gouernaunce be kept and maynteyned and by men auanced wyth moost hyghe vertues, and renow∣me of theyr auncerters. And for so much as God

hath preferred with so high honors, therfore ought they lykewyse to be honored of vs, as a most excellēt gyfte, of God.

The father of Cyrus was a prince, or a gouer∣nour* 1.3 of Persia, borne of the ofsprynge of Sem: his mother was borne of the kynges blude of Medes.

And Herodotus wryteth, that Astyages kynge of the Medes sawe in a dreame, out of hys dough∣ters* 1.4 wombe to grow a vyne, whose sprynge should ouer shadowe whole Asia.

Of this was the coniecture taken, that a moost myghty prince shoulde be borne of her. Therefore whan Cyrus the chylde was now borne, Astyages feared, lest his kyngdome should be remoued from the Medes, to the Persians. For the which cause he commaundeth his vsher Harpagus, to put forth the chyld to be slayne. But whan Harpagus busied to slayne it, he was saued by a wonderfull destiny: So vayne are mens enterpryses and studyes to hynder Gods counsels. The chyide was taken to the shepeherde to beare it vpon a hyll, that thete it myght dye for honger: the shepeherde was also cō∣maunded not to leaue the chyld, vntil it were dead, and to shewe this same to Harpagus, that he might certifye the kynge the truth of the thinges, and to se the chylde buryed accordynge to the dignitie. But what dyd happen? At the same tyme by chaun∣ce, whan the shepeherde bryngeth this chylde: into his house, his wyfe was delyuered of a deade chyl∣de: the which whan she herde of her husbande that thys chyld shoulde be layed abrode to perishe, who∣me besyde the comlynesse of bewty, she perceaued

to declare some kyngly strength and courage, and also because it was borne of the kynges bloude: she counseleth and prayeth her husbande to laye hyr deade chylde in his steade, and to take it her for to brynge vp for hers. She admony sheth hym also to committe no murther with the kynges chylde, che∣fely seinge no daunger can befall or happen to the realine by this chylde, for asmuche as it shalbe brought vp and taken for the shepeherdes chylde.

The shepeherde foloweth his wyues counsell he sende worde to Harpagus that the chylde is dead.

Who sendeth some to see wheter it were so, and causeth the chylde to be buryed: and all this is she∣weth the kyng for a trueth. In the meane whyle is Cyrus brought vp by the shepeherde: and as he grew vp by processe, forth wyth appeareth in him kynggly towardnesse, and sharpnesse of wyt.

Moreouer amonge the chyldren (as the chyldrē costume is) he ordeyned a kyngdome, and hym that offended, dyd punysh greueously.

But it happened by this chaunce, that whan he had beaten a gentlemans chylde very rygorously for a transgression, he was accused to the chyldes elders, the which made complaynt to the kynge.

The kynge callynge and demaundynge of the chylde, he maruayleth at his great graue constan∣cye and the wysdome in answerynge, than to the chyldes age. Beynge streght waye astonyed in hys mynde, he aduysed hym of the tyme, wherein hys doughter was delyueted, and as he had searched out all the circumstances of hys age the tyme and the bryngynge vp he knewe that it was his cosyn,

his daughters sonne, the which in tyme past he had commaunded to be destroyed. Knowynge hym he kept hym in hys court a certayn space: and whan Astyages dyd now dout no more of hym, by reason of hys syngular towardnesse & honesty, the whych dyd shyne in the chylde, he sent hym into Persia to hys elders. Howbeit the kynge was in the meane whyle greatly wroth wyth Harpagus, for the de∣ceate, because he dyd not accomplyshe the kynges commaundement, in slayeng at that tyme the chyl∣de. He commaundeth Harpagus yongest sonne to be brought to the court: the which whā Harpagus* 1.5 had done, the kynge commaunded to slaye him and seethe him and to set it before Harpagus for to eate wythout hys knowledge: but whan he had now ea∣ten ynough, Astyages commaunded to brynge the heade, fete and handes of the chylde that were he∣wen of, and shewe them to Harpagus, that he my∣ghte se that he had eaten the fleshe of hys owne chylde.

As harpagus sawe the heade, he knew the kynges dede, & also whence the occasion came: but all grefe suppressed, he worshpped the kynge accordynge to hys wonted reuerence and drede, thynkyng in the meane season to be once greatly reuenged of thys tyranny of the Kynge. But Harpagus euer after ceased not to stere vp the chefe of Media & the most* 1.6 puyssant nobles to fal to the Perses, and to make Cyrus Kynge: he sheweth it to Cyrus also, and ex¦horteth him to inuade the kyngdome, nother suffre the tyranny, that the Kynge hath vsed agaynst other of them to be vnreuenged.

And that the enterpryse be secrete, he hydeth a let∣tre in the belly of a holow hare, and taketh him to a trustye messenger to bringe it into Persia to Cy∣rus, and sendeth no worde els by the messenger, but that kynge Cyrus him selfe doo flee the hare. Cyrus fyndynge the letter, and knowynge Harpa¦gus counsell, maketh continently ready an hoost, and goeth agaynst the Medes. Astyages on the o∣ther syde commaundeth hys army to withstande the enemy, of the which he maketh Harpagus chefe captayne: but whan the felde shulde be fouten, he yelded both hym self and hys army wyllyngly to Cyrus. Wherfore Astyages hauyng lost the kyng∣dome of Media, was vanquyshed. Howbeit Cyrus saued and kept hym, and caused hym to be intrea∣ted accordynge to hys royall dignitie. Thys alte∣ration happened in the kyngdome of the Medes, by reason of the kynges tyranny, for the which also the whole empyre was translated to the Perses.

After thys warred the most ryche Cresus v∣pon Cyrus in the fore parte of Asia, whome Cyrus* 1.7 metyng wyth an hoost, ouercame, and toke in the whole kyngdome, and wynnynge the moost stron∣gest citye Sardis, toke Cresus prysoner. But whan by the kynges commaundement, Cresus shulde be burned, and was nowe vpon the pyle of wood, he cryed wyth verye pytefull waylynge: O Solon, Solon. Cyrus woundred at this noyse, and caused to demaunde for what cause he dyd so crye nowe and than, wyth so greate doulfulnes. Than he syghynge from the dep••st of hys harte, sayde: Solon was in tymes past a moost wyse man

among y^• Athenians, whom I dyd somtyme great∣ly worshyp, whan he was with me, and I shewed him all my power and treasures, and finally asked him, whether any misfortune myght euer happen to me, that were so well fortified with ryches and power, against all chaunces of fortune, and against the power of my enemies? But Solō answered to* 1.8 that with a rebuke: That noman is so happyin this lyfe, which before his death can be called happye of euery syde: nether is anye man so mighty or puys∣saunt, whom an vnhappy chaunce can not make fe∣ble and ouerthrowe. But that as than he beynge safe by reason of prosperitye, he sayde he despysed those wordes, nother coulde he drede this notable fall, the which he had now proued: and because that now first he vnderstode Solons sayenge, therfore dyd he now name him before his death, and that he wyshed al men to remembre in prosperity aduersy∣tyes, which may befall, lest they become proude for the presente felicitie, to enterprise or vndertake oughte, that by chaunce myghte bringe mischief to them. Whan Cyrus heard this, he was moued* 1.9 with pitye toward Cresus, sayenge: That hereaf∣ter he woulde not entreate Cresus so cruellye, which had intymes past be a moost myghty kynge: for he knew that he was a man also, and to hym also it myght befall, to haue nede of an other mans helpe and mercye. After thys commaunded he Cresus to be brought to him, and had him in greate reue∣rence, as a great prince, and vsed hys counsel in go¦uernaunce.

Cyrus demaunded of hym also, by what cause he had taken this warre, whether he were moued, by the answer of Apollo, whome he had asked coun¦sell before? To this answered Cresus, sayenge: That Apollo counselled him right well with these wordes, Knowe thy selfe, and all thyng shall pro∣spete. He dyd not refuse thys counsell of Apollo. For whan his hoost had gotten the worsthande in aydinge the Assyrians, he had purposed thence∣forth to lyue in rest and peace, chefely for so muche as he sawe Cresus to haue such prosperitie and po∣wer in bringinge all thinges to passe. But whan he was praysed of the cityes that laye rounde aboute, and of his great princes for his power and conning of warrfaringe, he was agayne deceaued by pryde and vaine glory of him selfe, and was so by the o∣ther princes made capitaine of the warre agaynst Cyrus. And that by these praises he was brought, to take the answer of Apollo otherwyse, and that he thought he was suche a one in dede, as he was praised, namely, that he was no lesse in power, than king Cyrus, and by these meanes had he taken the warres in hande. But hetherto is ynough spoken of Cresus. Hereof maye notable examples be ta∣ken,* 1.10 that princes be oft brought to warre by no con∣straynt of necessytie, and to theyr greate hynde∣raunce, by the counsell and flattery of them, which can falsely persuade and extolle with vaine pray∣ses theyr power and vertues.

In king Cirus is chefely to be considered, that in so great prosperities of all thynges, he vsed great

moderation of minde, and that in so great violence of victories, he swaged tyranny wyth mekenesse.

Cyrus than toke in all the kyngdomes from Persia, vntyll the fyrste borders of Ionia: from thence beynge returned, he besieged the cytye Ba∣bylon, which semed moost strongest against all force* 1.11 of mans power. But Cyrus wanne her, and that by this meanes: The floude Euphrates runneth through the citye by some ryuers: dyggynge tho∣rough hys caucyes, he ledde the course of the wa∣ter another waye, and as the floud was dryed, men myght safely go into the toune on foote. Besyde that had he hys espyals, whych shewed what tyme the Babylonians were at reste, and so broughte he hys army into the cytye in the styll of the nyghte, whan they douted nothyng lesse.

But what nedeth here to prayse and auaunce much the prosperytie of Cyrus? seynge it maye ea∣sely be thought and consydered, that it is Goddes worke, and not of mans wysedome or power, that so many and so stronge tounes and kynges be sub∣iect to hys kyngdome, vnto whome it semeth no mans power nearehande myght wythstande. For those hygh monarchies are ordeined & conserued by an heauenly power, for to preserue the state of a cōmune wealth, agaynst the will of Satan. More∣ouer after that Babylon was wonne, than began that kyngdom of the Perses fyrst to be called a mo¦narchy: For the heade citye or see of the monarchy,* 1.12 was Babylon, and the kyngdomes of Chalde, As∣syria, Medes and Persians be now brought vnder one empyre. The moost parte of Asia was ioyned

thereto also, and other great countries, which bor∣der vpon these kyngdomes. Cyrus gouerned the∣se kyngdomes with great prayse, insomuch that no princes prayses, wherof historyes do make mency∣on, can be compared wyth his commendacions and ••uauncementes.

I suppose that thys monarchy began after that Babylon was wonne in the thre score and tenth yeare after that the Iewes were ledde into capty∣uyte in Babilon. But sence the creation of y^• world, the yere of thre thousand, foure hundreth and thre and forty, and before Christus byrth the fyue hun∣dreth and one yeare. Whereby it maye easely be ga¦thered, that those histories of the Grekes that be∣gynne at Cyrus, be not very olde.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cyrus.
• * 1.2

  How great men ought to be folo∣wed.
• * 1.3

  The father of Cyrus.
• * 1.4

  Astyag••s 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.5

  The notable crueltye of Astyages
• * 1.6

  The dede of Harpagus ••••••pu••t Ast••yes tyranny.
• * 1.7

  Cresus king o•• Asia▪
• * 1.8

  The graue •••• ••••••ighty 〈…〉〈…〉▪
• * 1.9

  •••• trample o•• pitye.
• * 1.10

  Example that princes do oft, warre constrayned by no neces∣sytye. What is to be consyde∣red in kyng Cyrus.
• * 1.11

  How Cyrus •••••• Babylō. Euphrates.
• * 1.12

  Babylon is the h••••de ci∣tye of the mo¦narchye.