The image of gouernance compiled of the actes and sentences notable, of the moste noble Emperour Alexander Seuerus, late translated out of Greke into Englyshe, by syr Thomas Eliot knight, in the fauour of nobylitie

¶••••we Alexander was made emperoure, and of his wonderfull tem∣••••••ance in ••e••••••••ynge diuerse great honour••. Cap. iiii.

IMMEDIATELY after the death of He∣liogabalus the senate and people of Rome beinge surprised with incredibie ioye, vsed all diligence and spede, that Aurelius A∣lexander, whom they had defended frome death, mought forthwith as very emperour receyue all auctoritie and honour, that parteyned to the im∣peryall maiestie. Wherfore they contended amonge them selues, whiche of them moughte applye to hym moste titles and names of dignitie. wherfore he was the fyrste that receyued at one tyme all ornamentes and tokens of honour, aydynge therto the name of

Cesar, which a fewe yeres before he had receyued, but moche rather his honeste lyfe and vertuous maners, wherby he obteyned suche fauour of all menne, that whan Heliogabalus wold haue slayne hym, he could not brynge it to passe, the men of armes resisting, and the senate obstynatelye refusynge: but all these were but trifels in regarde that he approued him selfe wor∣thy, whom the senate ought to saue harmelesse, whom the men of warre desyred to be in saufegarde, and ge∣nerally by the sentence and opinion of all good men, was electe to be Emperour, beynge than but of the age of .xvi. yeres. Notwithstandynge he was than of suche a wonderfull sobernesse, that where the senate wolde haue gyuen to hym the surname of Antonine (which name for the incomparable vertues that were in Antoninus Pius, and Antoninus the philosopher late Emperours, was vsurped of other Emperours folowynge, for a pryncipall title of honour) he hum∣bly refused it: semblably dyd he the name of great A∣lexander, sayinge openly vnto the senate.

¶I beseche you honorable fathers, do not cal me vn¦to this necessitie, that I shuld be compelled to satisfy you in the merites of so hygh a name as Antonine is. For if ye seke for goodnesse in a prynce, who was bet∣ter or more vertuouse than Antoninus Pius? If ye seke lernynge, who was more wyse or cunnynge than Marcus Antoninus? And who was more harmelesse than Uerus Antoninus? Noble fathers, these hyghe names of honour be bourdonous and to greuouse for my youthe to susteyne. For who wyll gladdely here a dumme man called Tully, an idiote Uarro, a tyrant Metellus? And as touchynge the name of greate A∣lexander,

it is moche more incongruent, consydering that with better reason I moughte haue taken the name of Antonine, induced by colour either of affiny∣tie, or els of equall astate in the imperial maiestie. but the name of great Alexander, wherfore shuld I haue it? What gret thinges haue I yet done to deserue that name, whiche Alexander the greke after great enter∣prises, Pompei the Romayne after many triumphes, had gyuen vnto them? Cease therfore honorable fa∣thers, to conferre to me honours aboue my merytes. and sens ye wyll haue me called great, suffre me to be one of you, who in very dede be great in honour and perfyte magnificence.

¶This moderate and sobre aunswere of so yonge a prynce, inflamed immediately the hartes of the senate and people moche more to honour hym, than if he had receyued those straunge names: and from that tyme he had the renoume of Constance and grauitie. More ouer for his great Austeritie agayne the presumption and lightnesse of his souldiours and seruauntes, he was named of them Seuerus, which betokeneth con∣stante or sharpe in punishemente. whiche name in his tyme gat hym moche reuerence, and afterward great fame and renoume amonge his successours. Fynally this moste towardly prynce with incredible ioye was triumphantly conuayed by all the Senate and peo∣ple, to the imperial palaice: where beinge left, he pre∣pared hym selfe to the reformation of the hole empire, than beinge in ruine.